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Olloclip's new lenses attach quickly to your iPhone 7
Now that there are new iPhones with revised cameras, many smartphone photographers are going to want new Olloclip lenses. Thankfully, they've arrived... and Olloclip didn't just tweak the connectors and call it a day. Its new Core, Active and Macro Pro lens sets not only have improved optics ("premium multi-element coated glass," Olloclip says), but an improved interchangeable lens system. Called Connect, it separates the frame on your phone from the lens housings. This lets them quickly attach to and align with your iPhone's camera, even if you have a screen protector. You should spend less time swapping lenses and more time shooting, in other words.
Logitech's Saitek purchase is all about flight sticks
Logitech has been expanding its product line in several directions, moving up to pro-gamer gear and down to basic, yet robust, mice and keyboards. But it's also been moving beyond the desktop computer market, like buying wearables and sport headphone maker Jaybird back in April. Today the company acquired Saitek, maker of high-end simulation hardware, presumably to supply peripherals for the driving and flight genres. You know, the kinds of games you'll really want a specialty controller to play in VR. Whether this means the end for the custom controller Saitek was building for the upcoming Star Citizen is uncertain, as its new parent company wouldn't comment when asked by Polygon.
Razer gaming keyboard offers no-compromise comfort and speed
Gaming keyboards tend to be an either/or proposition. Either you get the fast action and feedback of mechanical switches, or you 'settle' for the relative comfort of membrane rubber domes. Razer doesn't think you should have to choose. It's introducing the Ornata, a keyboard series whose "Mecha-Membrane" hybrid promises both the soft feel of a membrane with the "crisp, tactile" input of mechanical switches. It's too soon to say how well it works in practice (you'd likely want to spend days with an Ornata to know it inside-out), but it's also rare to see keyboard makers experimenting this way -- it might be worth a look if you're uncomfortable with pure mechanical keys.
iPad Pro's Smart Keyboard is available in your local language
The iPad Pro's Smart Keyboard is arguably its main selling point, but it hasn't been much good if you aren't North American -- you've had to rely on a US English layout so far. Thankfully, you won't have to go through hoops to type in your native language after today. Apple has released versions of the Smart Keyboard in numerous languages, including many European languages (such as British English, French, German and Spanish) as well as Arabic, Korean, Thai and others. The keyboards you can buy depend on the store you buy from, so you can't just get one in the language of your choice. Even so, it beats having to use the on-screen keyboard to express yourself.
Wear a vibrating bracelet while playing 'Pokémon Sun' and 'Moon'
Pokémon Go isn't the only adorable-monster-hunting game to get a physical accessory -- Pokémon Sun and Moon will connect to the Z-Ring, a peripheral that lights up, vibrates and makes noises whenever players use special Z-Moves in the games. Z-Moves are new to the series; they're strong attacks that can only be used once per battle. A Z-Move unleashes the full combined power of the trainer and the Pokémon, and it's activated when the trainer has a Z-Ring (in-game) and Z-Crystals. If the trainer's crystals are the same type as the battling Pokémon's, then together they can use a Z-Move.
AMD's sub-$200 gaming video cards launch in early August
AMD said that the Radeon RX 480 would be followed up by lower-cost models this summer, and it's acting on that promise in a timely fashion. Both the RX 470 and RX 460 (not pictured above) are now slated to arrive on August 4th and August 8th respectively. While AMD hasn't outlined the specific pricing, these newer boards should cost significantly less than the $199 RX 480 -- the RX 460 should sit closer to the coveted $100 mark.
Accessory giant Incipio buys headphone maker Skullcandy
You probably don't see Incipio as more than the company who made your phone case or external battery pack. However, it's quietly becoming something of an accessory powerhouse: it owns brands like Braven and Incase. And now, it's getting even bigger. Incipio is paying $177 million to acquire Skullcandy, best known for its ostentatious (if not usually top-rated) headphones. The move not only gives it a dedicated headphone brand, but dips its toes into the waters of gaming gear thanks to Skullcandy's Astro Gaming badge.
Apple standalone 5K display might include its own graphics chip
To call Apple's Thunderbolt Display long in the tooth would be an understatement. It's so old that the first Retina display Macs were still a year away when it was new, and it's now easy to get a 4K display for less. At last, though, it looks like Apple might be ready to give its standalone screen an upgrade... with an interesting twist, to boot. Sources for 9to5Mac understand that Apple is building a 5K display that includes its own graphics chipset. It'd be an odd move, but it would let many Macs use the display, not just high-end models. If your Mac's onboard graphics weren't fast enough, it'd automatically switch to the monitor's GPU.
ASUS' GeForce GTX 1080 is faster and more colorful
NVIDIA's official GeForce GTX 1080 is fast, but let's face it: you're really waiting for the third-party cards that push the limits of what the high-end graphics chipset can really do. And it looks like your patience just paid off. ASUS has revealed the ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1080, and it pushes well past what NVIDIA's board can do. The regular Strix runs at a 1.76GHz base clock speed (with a boost to 1.9GHz) versus the reference model's 1.6GHz, and an overclocked version bumps that to 1.78GHz (boosting to 1.94GHz). You're only looking at a few more frames per second in your games, but that can make the difference between a glass-smooth 60 frames per second and the occasional hitch.
SteelSeries ships its OLED-packing gaming mouse
Did you look at SteelSeries' display-toting Rival 700 mouse in January and think it was just the edge you needed for your gaming exploits? It's time to do something about it. The company's Rival 700 is now available for a pricey (though not outlandish) $100. As before, its centerpiece is a side-mounted OLED screen that both shows data (such as your in-game stats or your team logo) and helps you tweak settings without firing up software on your PC. You can also 'feel' events through customizable vibrations, and swap optical sensors when you're eager for an upgrade. Is this overkill? Probably -- but there's no doubt that you'll have a distinct gaming experience.
Razer's latest gaming keyboard and mouse are built for your lap
Remember the Turret, Razer's living room-friendly mouse and keyboard combo? After more than a year of waiting, it's finally ready for action. Plunk down $160 and you'll get a pair of wireless peripherals (they work on both Bluetooth and proprietary connections) that are designed to be used in your lap. The keyboard has a lapboard that provides a flat surface for its high-precision, 3,500DPI mouse. The setup is primarily intended for a PC hooked up to your TV, but it has dedicated Android keys in case you're using a Google-powered set-top box. There are plenty of other couch-oriented combos out there, but this may be your best pick if you're determined to play first-person shooters and anything else that's particularly involving.
The smart typewriter is here
Find it nigh-on impossible to focus when writing on your computer? You now have a dedicated device to help you shut out the social networks and other distractions: after more than a year's wait, Astrohaus has started taking orders for the Freewrite (formerly the Hemingwrite). Plunk down $549 ($449 in the first 24 hours, or $499 through the end of March) and you'll get a smart typewriter that lets you cut out non-essentials while keeping the conveniences of modern tech. You only have an E Ink display and a mechanical keyboard to work with, but there's WiFi under the hood to sync your masterpieces with Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive and other cloud services. You also have onboard storage for over a million documents, in case you're particularly prolific, and the 4-week battery life will keep it running through an epic-length camping trip.
Which gaming headsets are worth buying?
We may call them "video games," but audio plays a big part in the experience too. Good music and sound effects can set the mood, immerse us in the story and alert us to impending danger. But all of this could easily be hampered by crappy speakers or a surfeit of background noise, making a quality headset key to an ideal gaming experience. Do you need surround sound, or can stereo do the job just fine? And how much is good audio quality worth? We've scoured the market to find the best headsets available now to fit the needs of both hard-core and casual gamers.
All Razer peripherals and accessories are half off Thursday
Fresh off its win in both Best of CES: PC and People's Choice categories for the forthcoming Stealth, Razer announced on Wednesday that it is holding a CES 2016 Fan Appreciation Event. The event, which runs for 24 hours, will see both peripherals and accessories at the RazerStore discounted by 50 percent. It begins at 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern) on Thursday January 14th in the US before going live in Europe and Asia on Friday, but there is one slight catch. Customers will need a Razer ID to access the deals and will only get one item at the discounted price. Head over to Razer Insider for the full set of rules, regulations and restrictions.
The Ion Belt: 'sleek,' safe and 'stylish' portable charging
Have you ever wanted to carry an external battery for your phone, but hated the thought of creating even the smallest bulge in your pocket? No? Well, someone decided to fill that niche anyway. Ion Tech Wear is crowdfunding the Ion Belt, a 3,000mAh power pack that keeps your phone alive while it keeps your pants up. It's meant to be a "sleek" and "stylish" wearable that goes with anything, but it comes across as a phone holster-like fashion faux pas -- it's still a little too obvious that there's a gadget on your waist, and you're going to look a little dodgy plugging in that USB cable. This isn't even the first battery belt we've seen, for that matter. If you think you can pull it off, though, you can pledge $89 or more in the hopes of getting the belt in June.
Logitech's iPad Pro keyboard case is relatively affordable
Apple's iPad Pro is pricey even before you add in the $169 official keyboard case, but Logitech may have a way to make the whole package a little more palatable. It's now shipping its promised Create Keyboard Case for the gigantic tablet, and the add-on will sell for a slightly more frugal $150. It only works at two angles, but you'll get perks like backlit keys, automatic pairing (thanks to the Smart Connector) and a raft of iOS shortcuts. And if you don't want to turn your iPad into a makeshift laptop, there's an $80 Create Protective case that ditches the keyboard in return for a more flexible stand. Either shell is available in black, blue or red, so you're not stuck with somber colors on your giant slate.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker is coming to retail stores
You no longer have to buy online to give the Amazon Echo a shot. Amazon will soon sell the smart, voice-guided speaker in more than 3,000 retail stores, including Brookstone, Fry's, Home Depot, PC Richard & Son, RadioShack, Sears and Staples (which previously sold it on the web). The rollout is taking place over the next few weeks, and a few big stores are conspicuously absent in the mix -- Best Buy, anyone? Still, this beats worrying about holiday shipping headaches.
Dongle 'fixes' your PC's security by killing your USB port
We've seen some questionable crowdfunding campaigns in our time, but this one might take the cake. A Russian outfit is raising money for USB Killer, a $99 dongle that thwarts data thieves by... electrocuting your USB port. Yes, you're paying money to damage your computer. There's even a disclaimer that this could wreck your motherboard, turning the whole PC into a paperweight. It's supposed to help in case of "emergencies" like break-ins, but something tells us that you'd have a lot more to worry about with someone so close to physically raiding your data.
Microsoft has a docking station for your Surface Pro tablet
Microsoft isn't just unveiling a phone dock today -- it has a dock for your computers, too. The tech giant's new docking station gives the Surface Pro 3, Pro 4 and Surface Book the kind of connectivity you'd expect from a desktop. There are two 4K-capable DisplayPort outputs, four USB 3.0 ports and an Ethernet jack for your wired internet link. Microsoft's Surface Dock is available for pre-order now (with an expected release date of October 26th) at $200, which should be inexpensive enough that you can forget about buying a second PC. Get all the news from today's Microsoft event right here.
Samsung's fast wireless charger is available for pre-order, sort of
When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+, it also revealed a fast wireless charging pad that takes advantage of the smartphones' new, speedier Qi charging spec. Well, you can now pre-order that charging pad... in a manner of speaking. The $70 peripheral is available to purchase on Samsung's website as I write, but dropping it in your cart reveals that it's back-ordered and doesn't have an estimated ship date. You'll be waiting an unspecified number of weeks before this is sitting on your desk, then. If you can afford to wait, however, it could be a good complement to Samsung's latest supersized devices -- you won't have to wait ages to top up your phone just because you hate cables.
