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Seagate's 1TB Xbox Series X/S storage card is back on sale for $200
Seagate's 1TB Xbox Series X/S expansion card is down to $200, making it easier to add room for games.
Apple's AirPods Max are back on sale for $449
Amazon knocks $100 off Apple's AirPods Max headphones, bringing them down to $449.
Instagram is putting ads in its Shop tab
Instagram is launching unskippable ads in its Shop tab that look like sponsored tiles.
Pinterest's new Lens feature lets you find products based on your photos
It just got easier to snap and shop.
Shopify’s new app helps you buy from local businesses
Shopify's new app, Shop, helps consumers order from local businesses, follow favorite brands and track online orders.
Uber wants to sell you Echos, AirPods and Oculus headsets
Uber is taking its retail offerings up a notch. Last year, the company teamed up with Cargo to let drivers hawk goods ranging from snacks to phone chargers. Now, Uber and Cargo are hoping riders will buy more expensive products, like Amazon Echos, Apple AirPods, Oculus devices and Glossier make-up.
eBay opens QR code-powered shop in the UK
Today, eBay opened a brick and mortar concept store in the UK's Wolverhampton. The month-long retail experiment will offer wares from 40 small, local businesses and will host a series of free, interactive workshops. While eBay has opened pop-ups before, this is the first of its kind in the UK, and it's meant to test how physical and online retail might work together.
Nike's new store in New York City is loaded with tech
SoHo is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in New York City. It's home to hundreds of shops from some of the most popular brands, including Apple, Adidas and, as of last month, Google. Now you can add Nike to this list. On November 18th, the sportswear giant will open a five-story 55,000-square-foot space loaded with technology, from 3D-printed decorations (pictured above) to a Kinect-powered basketball court. There are also other simple, yet useful, things such as Apple Pay support and large touchscreens on walls that help you call an associate or buy products on the spot.
A tour of Xiaomi's headquarters and Mi Home store
Xiaomi was quite a different company when I first visited its headquarters back in August 2011: It only occupied three floors in a small building, the cubicles were tight, security was loose (I literally just walked in almost every time) and people were working crazy long hours almost seven days a week. That was right after the company launched its first device, the original Xiaomi Phone, which set a new bar for affordable flagship smartphones in China. Fast forward to today and you'll find yourself looking at a global brand that has gone well beyond mobile and online, while its latest smartphones -- namely the Mi Note 2 and Mi MIX -- are looking better than ever. To see for yourself, check out our photo tour around Xiaomi's latest headquarters and a strangely familiar-looking Mi Home store nearby.
Buy items right from their Facebook pages with the new Shop section
Facebook is on its way to becoming a one-stop shop for all of your social networking, selfie, news, disliking and retail therapy needs. Select merchants will now feature a Shop section on their Facebook pages, allowing customers to purchase items without leaving the site. The new section is made in collaboration with digital commerce company Shopify, and at first the Shop addition will be available only to Shopify retailers (at no additional charge). It's designed with mobile devices in mind, since that's where most of Facebook's users are, Shopify says.
Sony Xperia Z5 UK pricing: that 4K display will cost you £699
With its mobile division not enjoying much success over the past couple of years, Sony knew it needed to wow consumers with its latest round of Xperia smartphones. Yesterday, the company hoped to do exactly that by unveiling the Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact and the Xperia Z5 Premium, the last of which being the world's first 4K smartphone. So far, the only hint we've been given regarding pricing is that it "will reflect the premium quality" of the Xperia range, but today the Japanese phone maker has lifted the lid on what that pixel-rich screen will cost when it hits the UK.
Will Steam challenge iTunes and Google Play for your media-buying cash?
The only thing that's better than using Steam is digging through its source code to see what's coming in the future. On a recent trawl through the digital store's inner workings, Twitter's @SteamDB found the words film, tvseries and music as app types that people could, theoretically, buy. If so, then Valve might be ready to get serious about Steam's ability to rival other digital storefronts from Google and Apple, which is logical, since Valve's platform has around 75 million registered users. Of course, these options might be just be tweaks to existing functionality, since game soundtracks and one movie are already available on the service. Hell, it could even be an amendment to the Steam Music Beta, enabling people to binge on locally-stored content while playing -- but we'd give props to the person who could enjoy DOTA 2 and Breaking Bad at the same time. [Image credit: @SteamDB]
Google refreshes Shopping site with extended previews, 360-degree photos, 'visually similar' search
It's set to be a holly jolly holiday season, especially if you're keen to do your gift shopping online. Google's browser-based Shopping tool just scored a pretty comprehensive refresh, complete with a handful of new features designed to make it easier to browse, search for and select a variety of items. A new preview pane lets you view colors, sizes and a product description, along with online and retail store availability, while an updated Shortlist tool gathers "maybe" items in a temporary cart that resides at the top of each page. You can also get a good look at everything from cameras to handbags to toys with the interactive 360-degree viewer, now available for select items. Google hopes that last tool will help deliver an "in-store feeling," but to complete the experience, you might also want to climb aboard an RV and set up shop in a Walmart parking lot the night before Black Friday with a "free restrooms" sign on the door. Happy holidays!
Apple Store app finally debuts for iPad with clean, tablet-friendly interface
It's hardly show-stopping news out of Cupertino today, but gadget fiends hoping to wrap their holiday tech shopping without leaving home now have one more option in their tablet-friendly arsenal. It's the Apple Store app for iPad, and it's coming soon to a slate near you. The application, designed specifically to take advantage of the iPad's added screen real estate, is a big step up from its iPhone equivalent. There's a bounty of high-res product images with full pinch-to-zoom support, intuitive category links and detailed product info, including explanations for certain device add-ons, like increased storage or wireless connectivity. Curiously, this version lacks the in-store options available with the Apple Store app for iPhone, such as the EasyPay checkout feature that launched way back in 2011. Fire up your iPad and hit up the source link to check it out.
Xiaomi to set up 18 stores in China by end of year, but not for selling phones or TVs
Even though Xiaomi's been doing quite well in mainland China and Taiwan, you still won't be able to find its products in brick-and-mortar stores, except for those of partner carriers and scalpers. This is why we got a bit giddy when we heard the company is now in the process of setting up 18 stores across China. But there's a catch: you won't be able to buy any Xiaomi Phones or Xiaomi TVs in them. Instead, you'll only find accessories there, including the Xiaomi Box, phone cases, batteries, cables, RC toys, clothes and even dolls of the Xiaomi bunny mascot.
Nintendo opens UK web store with free delivery in this, our year of Luigi
If you're a resident of the United Kingdom and would prefer to put your money directly into Luigi's pocket, rather than into the coffers of big business, you now have the option of doing so, as the Nintendo UK Online Store has opened for business. The shop offers the expected range of Wii U bundles, limited-edition Pokemon-themed 3DS units, games and other various sundries. While there don't appear to be any sales or surprises to speak of, other than in-stock New Leaf 3DSes, you do get free shipping on every order and free next-day delivery on orders over £200.
Deezmaker 3D Printer Store opens in Pasadena, will sell you a slice of the future for $600
If the MakerBot store in Manhattan is the East coast's vanguard for 3D printer stores, Deezmaker's just-opened store in Pasadena, California is the equivalent pioneer for the West coast crew. As of now, you can walk through the doors at 290 North Hill Avenue and at least see the store's own Bukobot printer in action, even if high demand through Kickstarter pre-orders precludes walk-in sales for the next few weeks. When you can make that impulse purchase, however, you'll find the Bukobot at a relatively cheap $600 and may see some alternatives during your visit. Store owner and Bukobot creator Diego Porqueras stresses to Ars Technica that he wants Deezmaker lasting for the long haul, and he may have chosen just the right area to make that happen -- the shop is a stone's throw from the experimenters (and simply curious) at Caltech, NASA's JPL and Pasadena City College. No matter how it all shakes out, we're hoping that the two near-simultaneous store openings are the start of a larger trend that takes 3D printing into the mainstream.
Lenovo axes Android App Shop, points you in the direction of Google Play
Business-types, Lenovo pondered, needed their own App Store Shop, dedicated to selling business-only applications to those strutting around looking serious in their polyester suits. It seems that such demand never materialized, however, with the company shuttering the outlet only six months after its launch and pointing users in the direction of Google Play instead. While the bulk of the apps purchased in that time will still work, around 90 that used the store's license management system will cease to function on November 2nd, a list of which you can find at the source link. [Thanks, Hemal]
New Windows Phone store lets you wear your 'I heart WP' on your sleeve
So you love Windows Phone, but how can you let the world know? Until now, you'd either have to wave your object of desire around, or keep showing colleagues those "Smoked by Windows Phone" YouTube videos. Now, you can simply wear your alliance across your chest, or favorite beverage, thanks to a new CafePress store. Revealed in a Windowsteamblog post, the shop will let you grab mugs, t-shirts, stickers, magnets and more emblazoned with "I Heart Windows Phone" in icons. Not only that, in case all those soccer moms didn't know which side of the fence you stood, you can clear up the doubt by snagging a bodysuit for your youngest. Credit card at the ready? Jump on that source link for the goods.
Samsung Galaxy S III to be sold in Mobile Pin pop-up stores (updated with video)
At the very tail end of its Galaxy S III event, Samsung promised one more surprise -- and what it gave us was a special retail strategy. The company will be opening Mobile Pin locations, or glass-housed pop-up stores, to help showcase its new flagship phone. We had a chance to look at examples of the stores first-hand. Those not at the launch event will get a look in the near future, with Mobile Pins appearing at several locations throughout London. The first Pins will open on May 29th, with the Pin 5 (a 5-by-5 meter indoor location) making temporary appearances at Spitalfields Market, Westfield and White City, while the 7-by-7 outdoor version (Pin 7) will pop up in the Olympic Park along with Hyde Park at a later date this year. Samsung is also planning to introduce the Pin concept abroad, with plans for two US cities currently in the works, along with a yet-unnamed country in Asia -- Korea would be our guess. We've got a gallery and video walkthrough below to explore the locations in more detail.
