Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Publisher: Deep Silver Developer: Volition Release: August 23, 2022 Rating: Mature We had the pleasure of having the upcoming reboot of Saints Row on the cover of Game Informer issue #340 when I went hands-on with an early build of the game and spoke with the fine folks at Volition, the studio behind the series. Last week, the developer held a preview event, showing off where Saints Row is now, just a few months before launch. Much of what was shown was the same content as last year, but there were plenty of changes I noticed that have me feeling good about the direction this new Saints adventure is taking. Volition showed off three different missions during the presentation. Two of the missions, Making Rent and Idol Threats, were more refined versions of what I had played months ago, and you can read about them in our cover story. What was new is The Forge, a quest that takes The Boss and resident gearhead Neenah straight into the heart of the Scorpion factory, the home base of rival gang Los Panteros, to take out their headquarters in a blaze of glory while their boss Sergio is occupied elsewhere. First, the duo hijacks a well-armed helicopter and takes to the skies to fire missiles and more at a Los Panteros gathering before heading to their HQ to clean up the rest. Once inside, we got to see how combat has evolved beyond the simple gunfire and fisticuffs I had experienced previously.  Vehicles are naturally everywhere in the Scorpion factory and can be used to take out groups of unsuspecting Los Panteros the Saints are ambushing. Cars on repair lifts can be fired upon and rocketed into groups of enemies, creating all kinds of chaos from these fun-looking environmental interactions. We were also treated to a demonstration of Signature Abilities for weapons that can make standard pistols fire like fully automatic machine guns. Volition promises all kinds of ways to change how each weapon fires and even looks, which is a big step in the right direction to making the firearms of Saints Row more interesting than what I played around with last year. These same pistols can have visual customizations applied, like making them into big foam finger guns. When speaking with creative director Brian Traficante, he says he prefers to equip a skin similar to Star Lord's futuristic weapons from Guardians of the Galaxy. They aren't the exact same thing, mind you, but close enough to give the impression of having a cosmic hero's weaponry on hand. Customization was a big focus of the event, with Volition showing off plenty of ways your Boss can look. However, character customization is not a one-and-done opportunity in Saints Row. With the push of a few buttons, you can swap your style at any time from a handful of presets you create at Saints HQ; not just clothes, but each body customization and clothing option are on the table. Want to hulk out with a beefy green behemoth in a slick suit for a mission and switch to a stylish yet casual look with a completely different body shape, skin color, face, and hairstyle? As long those customizations are part of your visual loadouts, be a whole new you whenever you want. Shops around Santo Ileso will stock up on more clothing and weapon options as you progress through the game, adding more ways to make The Boss your own as you take over the fictional American Southwest city. Brian Shea recently previewed all the things you can customize in Saints Row, and you can read all about it here and dream of how you'll make your Boss look. Cooperative play was briefly demoed during the event, showing a second player drop into the game in session to help their friend out with a Criminal Venture mission. The new player brought a helicopter along and used a tether with a giant magnet to pick up the other player's car and carry them to the mission site. There, the pair commenced a dance party before starting a weapon testing mission that tasked the Bosses with blowing up as many cars and other objects in sight as possible, racking up the damage cost and adding multipliers when comboing explosions. Both players recieve whatever reward is given for that quest, no matter how far into the main story one may be. This is true for any mission you'll embark on with friends, which can be an avenue for obtaining items far earlier than intended. Rounding out the preview event, I noticed some significant changes to two of my favorite aspects of Saints Row, the Criminal Ventures and gliding through the air with the wingsuit. Criminal Ventures are legal businesses the Saints can start that are fronts for illicit activities, like Chalupacabra, a food truck used to sell drugs to the residents of Santo Ileso. The basic concept of these ventures hasn't changed, but their role in the world has become more important. Now territory control is tied to the Criminal Ventures you have built around the city. Once you establish a business, rival factions in that region of Santo Ileso will start to retaliate, which kicks off the Saints' eventual conquest of the area. The vehicles of Saints Row were a highlight of the build I played months ago, and while I love speeding through the streets and mastering the incredibly fun drifting mechanic, my favorite way to get around was taking to the skies and gliding with the wingsuit. Now, cars play a more vital role in wingsuit antics than ever before. With vehicle customization, ejector seats can be equipped in vehicles, making the process of launching into the air much more streamlined than before. Also joining the wingsuit repertoire is diving and bouncing off of pedestrians, sending The Boss back into the air to cover more distance than before. I can't wait to give these new moves a try the next time I get my hands on Saints Row. Having seen Saints Row in that early build last year and comparing it to what was presented last week, I'm feeling hopeful that jumping into the shoes of The Boss and building this new Saints empire will be a great time. The flexibility and abundance of customization options are impressive, and the improvements to combat options, traversal, and the interlocking of systems are proof Volition is making great strides to polish the game before its release. While Saints Row was pushed from its original February launch date to later in the year, Traficante assures us that it won't change again, so I'm looking forward to taking over Santo Ileso and meeting the new crew of Saints when the game releases on August 23. Purchase

The first episode of Pokémon: Huisian Snow, a new limited web Pokémon series, is now live on YouTube. It’s less than seven minutes long so it’s worth a watch for anyone who likes Pokémon, but it’s especially a must-watch for fans of this year’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus. That’s because as the name implies, it takes place in the Hisui region of Pokémon, which debuted in Legends: Arceus. It’s the ancient version of the Sinnoh region and most people there aren’t too keen to live alongside Pokémon like the trainers we’ve all battled against in the mainline games. That discrepancy is at the heart of the first episode of Pokémon: Hisuian Snow, "Onto the Icy Blue." “Across the Hisui region, many grow up believing people and Pokémon cannot live together,” the YouTube description for Episode 1 reads. “But when Alec meets a Hisuian Zorua, he may need to rethink how he views Pokémon.”  We won’t spoil here what happens, but you can check out the episode above. It’s a great start to Pokémon: Hisuian Snow and its beautiful art already has me on the lookout for the next episode.  After watching it, read Game Informer’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus review and then read about the recent Daybreak update for the game. Check out the three starters for the next generation of Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet after that.  What did you think of Episode 1? Let us know in the comments below!

The official adaptation of Steve Jackson Games’ legendary and multi-award-winning wargame, Ogre, is now available on PlayStation. Bursting with mechanised warfare, this turn-based strategy game requires a lot of tactical choices, and even more calculated thinking. Based on the original board game created in 1977, this game will transport you into another time. Here are […]

Reviewed on: PC Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Publisher: Nacon Developer: Big Bad Wolf Release: May 19, 2022 Rating: Mature Vampires secretly walk among us. They drive fast cars. Lord above us in penthouses. And are so refined in their tastes, they bite our wrists gently when feeding, hopefully keeping us alive for future snacks. Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong explores the nightwalkers' place in our world through a nicely designed narrative lens that embraces player choice in deep and satisfying ways. Within the opening seconds of play, we learn that the vampires' Boston Camarilla is on high alert; trouble arising moments after crowning a new prince to oversee their operations. The vampiric Masquerade law, which keeps their kind hidden from mortals, may have been broken, and it's up to you to dive into the mystery to find out what happened and who is to blame. What comes next is roughly 20 hours of noteworthy discoveries. As you pick up clues and blood trails, you'll come across gruesome crime scenes, and will have to interrogate intelligent beings who want to bend your will. Most of the notable narrative beats pay off handsomely with big twists and empowering you with the feeling that you had an actual hand in figuring out the riddles. You also feel like a skilled vampire, using a variety of dark gifts to move the outcomes in desired directions. This cryptic tale unfolds through the eyes of three different vampire protagonists, each at least one hundred years of age, with unique viewpoints into their society's hierarchy. The story flows seamlessly between all three characters, some scenarios giving them time to breathe independently and other moments uniting them on the same hunt. The most dynamic lead is Emem Louis. Strong in conviction and capable of visualizing clues tied to the five senses, Emem is often in control of conversations and can quickly pick up trails that lead to more profound mysteries. Leysha is equally interesting but a wild card, given how soft-spoken and forgetful she can be. Leysha can turn invisible or mimic other people's appearances to remain undetected when investigating. Galeb Bazory is the weakest of the leads, struggling to take to the spotlight due to his comically gruff attitude and scenario designs not being as dynamic as the other characters'.   In most video games, vampires are monsters that use their teeth and supernatural abilities to tear living things to shreds. In this narrative RPG, we see a different side of vampiric might. All three leads solve most of their problems through conversations and deductive reasoning. Yes, they still feed on humans and rats to fill their tanks, but most gameplay is discussion-based. Getting into the mind of vampires is as wild and fun as it sounds. This unique invitation gets better when you learn the vampires don't always play fair and can use their unique gifts to prey on the weak-minded. The vampiric powers come to life through surprisingly deep RPG systems used to manipulate dialogue. From the outset of play, you choose what gifts each vampire has and can further enhance these powers or add others throughout the game. As conversations unfold, the vampires can lean into intimidation, persuasion, psychology, and rhetoric to move the narrative in new directions, only if their skill levels are high enough. Even after meeting a skill threshold in a conversation, success isn't automatic. The people you talk to (both human and vampiric) are also gifted in their own ways and may counter your moves. You can cash in valuable willpower to increase your chance of success, but your opponent can do the same thing. You must weigh how aggressive you get in these conversations, paying close attention to what's really at stake or there to gain. If you run out of willpower early in an investigation, you'll have to play it safe for the remainder of it or scour the environment for consumables that can aid you (although they are hard to find). Character development is tied heavily to vampiric power usage, rewarding you with additional skill points whenever you succeed. I adore how this reward system works, as it ties in directly with the heart of gameplay. When both characters apply the same amount of skill – both delivering +3 in intimidation, for example – the success or failure of that narrative choice comes down to a dice roll. You actually see a die roll across the dialogue box to determine if you succeeded. It's a surprisingly intense moment that happens often and is just one of the ways that show just how dynamic and challenging these chats can be. The dialogue system that Big Bad Wolf Studio implemented is excellent to the point I anticipate seeing it in other developers' games moving forward. The player is continually rewarded well by the backend RPG systems, as well as the narrative script, which does an excellent job of breathing unique life into each new character you meet. A seemingly innocent chat can suddenly turn intense and transform into something like a boss fight. These moments are called confrontations, which force the vampires to use their skills to achieve a certain number of successes. Each confrontation brings different win conditions, such as "you can only fail twice." Failure doesn't mean you have to start over; the narrative just veers in another direction. I don't know how wildly different each outcome is, but I did see some dramatic changes in both setting and flow on a couple of missions I replayed. The game also offers a variety of endings, yet I can only speak to one of them, which I thought was quite good. When the vampires aren't talking, they study crime scenes. These moments are enhanced by RPG attributes, such as the ability to pick locks or use more sophisticated electronic equipment. Deductive skills and heightened education help make informed decisions. Unique character-specific skills also come into play. For instance, Emem can teleport using a power called Celerity, and Leysha's stealthy abilities help uncover areas that others can't explore. Big Bad Wolf does a nice job of not overselling solutions and pushes the player to read documents, dissect evidence, and follow the narrative threads to find clues hidden in rooms. The investigative elements are not as engaging as the conversations but still deliver plenty of fun, especially when exploring blood-soaked crime scenes. You can feed on humans to replenish your hunger (another meter that governs ability usage). The feeding delivers that well-known vampire quality but feels shoehorned in and at odds with the investigative flow. And don’t expect to be dazzled by the visuals. The environments look nice, but most animations are mechanical, especially in the characters' facial movements, which you always see. Swansong is this year's Forgotten City, a distinct narrative adventure that soars from the chances it takes. Player choice is front and center, and it’s nice to see these decisions turn into little games that carry significant narrative weight. Rarely have I played a game where I wanted to restart a scenario to undo bad decisions as I have here. Swansong makes you pay for your missteps and should be an excellent game for watercooler discussions with others who have played it. Score: 8.5 About Game Informer's review system Purchase

Final Fantasy VII Remake director Tetsuya Nomura has revealed that Square Enix has news to share in regards to the Final Fantasy VII franchise next month.  Nomura said this in a Japanese live stream about Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, a mobile battle royale, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. As for what this Final Fantasy VII news will be, it could theoretically be anything related to the franchise including The First Soldier, the original FFVII and its subsequent rereleases, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, or possibly (hopefully) news about Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2.  The last we heard about Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 was that it could “differ significantly” from the original, which wouldn’t be surprising considering the changes and additions made in Final Fantasy VII Remake compared to the original game’s first handful of hours. In an ideal world, we hear about Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 next month and then we hear about Final Fantasy XVI soon after, especially considering producer Naoki Yoshida recently revealed it’s near the end of development.  All of this would tie into a tease from a new Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary website that launched in March. It not only celebrates the series’ history, but teases information on upcoming titles, too. Upcoming titles could include Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, or even Final Fantasy XVI. Only time will for now.  While waiting to learn more, read Game Informer’s Final Fantasy VII Remake review and then read about how Final Fantasy XVI has an “expansive” skill tree, according to its producer. Check out Game Informer’s ranking of every mainline Final Fantasy game after that.  [Source: Video Games Chronicle] Which Final Fantasy game in development are you most excited to hear about again? Let us know in the comments below!

Time to go back to Hot’lanta? Umphrey’s McGee returns to Atlanta this New Year’s Eve, for two nights at the Coca-Cola Roxy on December 30th and 31st. Located in the bumpin’ Battery area of the city, next to Truist Park (home of the Atlanta Braves), we are looking forward to ringing in the new year with an ATL double-header heater. umVIP packages will go on sale tomorrow, May 4th, at 11:00 am ET through Tickets … The post New Year’s Eve 2022 in Atlanta appeared first on Umphrey's McGee.

Happy 4/20! Take twenty percent (20%) off in our online store this week, no code needed. merch.umphreys.com The post 4/20 Merch Sale appeared first on Umphrey's McGee.

Summer 2022 tour will roll into fall with a fresh batch of west coast and southeast dates. It has been too long, friends, and we will be comin’ in hot! A band pre-sale begins on Wednesday, April 20th at 10:00 AM local time, with a public on sale starting Friday, April 22nd at 10:00 AM local time. The post Late Summer & Fall 2022 appeared first on Umphrey's McGee.

…can you remind me? – Asking For A Friend LISTEN         The post So Much appeared first on Umphrey's McGee.

What began as a one-night affair between Brendan Bayliss and Jennifer Hartswick has blossomed into something different all together. Exactly what? Not quite sure yet. . . Come for the music, stay for the banter. Cinco de Mayo may never be the same. Show Details: Hartliss: An Evening with Brendan Bayliss & Jennifer Hartswick May 5, 2022 Cubby Bear 1059 West Addison Chicago, Illinois 60613 7:00 pm Doors, 8:00 pm Show 21 and over Tickets … The post “Hartliss” Brendan & Jen, May 5 appeared first on Umphrey's McGee.

It didn’t take long for the Apple Watch to become perhaps the most ubiquitous wearable. Even more so than the iPhone, the Apple Watch is a device you can truly make your own with the right accessories. It is, after all, a watch, and like traditional timepieces it’s meant to reflect your personal style. While the most obvious way to customize your Apple Watch is with funky bands, there are cases, stands, wireless chargers and other accessories you can buy that can inject a bit of you into all aspects of Apple Watch ownership. We tested out a bunch of Apple Watch accessories to see which are worth your money.Spigen Thin Fit caseValentina Palladino / EngadgetWhile plenty of us use cases to protect our smartphones from drops and scrapes, you may not think to do the same for your smartwatch. After all, a device that’s literally strapped to your body isn’t as prone to accidental drops as a device that moves in and out of your pocket all day. Chalk it up to me being clumsy, but I’ve knocked my Apple Watch on more door frames than I’d like to admit. For less than $25, a case is a good option if you don’t want to take any chances with that $279-plus smartwatch on your wrist.“Cases” are basically bumpers that surround the edges of the Apple Watch, and some of them even cover the screen. I personally prefer a bumper-style case because, if I’m going to cover the display, it’ll be with a dedicated screen protector. Spigen’s line of Apple Watch cases are solid and they come in two different levels of bulk. The Rugged Armor series has a shock-absorbent layer and raised bezels, making it especially well suited for those who prioritize protection over fashion. Spigen’s Thin Fit series is more my speed: It sits flush against the Watch’s display, but still gives you an extra layer of protection. You can even choose a color that matches your Watch to help it blend in. Two added perks of Spigen’s cases are that they snap on quickly and easily, and they’re quite affordable at around $14 a piece.Buy Spigen Thin Fit at Amazon - $14Zagg InvisibleShield screen protectorZaggIf you don’t want the extra bulk that comes with a case, a screen protector will give you at least a bit more of a safeguard than sporting a naked Watch. Zagg’s InvisibleShield line is a reliable one that provides shatter protection, clarity and enhanced touch-sensitivity. When installed properly (Zagg gives you clear instructions and all the tools you need to do so), you’ll probably forget you have a screen protector on your Watch. These blend in almost seamlessly with the Watch’s hardware, and if you do accidentally ding the screen, the protector should take all of the damage.Buy Invisible Shield screen protector at Amazon - $10Anker Nano Pro 20W chargerAnkerThe latest Apple Watches don’t come with power adapters, so you’ll have to dig one out of your drawer or get a new one to charge it up. Choosing the latter is probably best since Series 7 owners will get a new, USB-C-toting cable, so you’ll need an appropriate adapter to get all of that fast-charging goodness. Anker’s 20W Nano Pro is a good pick because it’s compact and has a few safety features built in. Inside is a dynamic temperature sensor that helps prevent overheating, plus a power tuner chip that helps adjust output based on your device. That second feature is likely more important than the first if you’re primarily using this tiny brick with your Apple Watch, but both will be handy if you ever need to use it with your iPhone. What’s more, the Nano Pro can fast charge iPhone 13s, providing a 50-percent top-up in only 25 minutes, and you can get one that matches the color of your handset if you wish.Buy Anker Nano Pro 20W at Amazon - $20Apple MagSafe Duo chargerAppleApple makes one of the more elegant solutions to charging your iPhone and Apple Watch while traveling. The $129 MagSafe Duo has spaces to wirelessly charge both devices and folds up into a neat square when not in use. The Apple Watch pad flips upward as well, allowing you to use the gadget in Nighttime mode while it’s charging. While this accessory does come with a USB-C to Lightning cable to provide power to the system, it does not come with an AC adapter so you will have to remember to pack your own.Buy MagSafe Duo at Amazon - $129Belkin Boost Charge Pro portable fast chargerValentina Palladino / EngadgetApple Watch chargers are a bit different than Lightning cables in the sense that you probably have only one of the former and many of the latter. Those who travel or commute often should consider getting a second Apple Watch charger, that way you’re not stuck if you forget to pack your one and only before a long weekend trip. Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro portable fast charger is a great option, particularly for those who have a Series 7. The square pad uses Apple’s new fast-charging module, so it’ll be able to power up the Series 7 from 0 to 80 percent in roughly 45 minutes.You can simply sit your timepiece on the module to charge, but it also flips up so you can use the Watch in Nightstand mode while it’s powering up on your bedside table. To support different Watch sizes and protective cases, the pad also has a dial on its underside that lets you adjust the height of the charging module. Plus, the attached USB-C cable that tucks away on the bottom of the pad is four feet long, giving you a bit more placement flexibility than other chargers.The main drawback is its $60 list price, but those strapped for cash should consider Anker’s version, which is very similar to Belkins and only $43. It won’t fast-charge the Series 7, but it will power up the device just like it would a Series 6 or earlier. I also prefer how the attached USB-C cable coils up into the base on this one – it’s a bit neater than Belkin’s solution.Buy Boost Charge Pro at Belkin - $60Buy Anker Foldable Charging Dock at Amazon - $43Bellroy Compact Tech KitBellroyYou’ll likely have your Apple Watch strapped to your wrist while traveling, but it’s a good idea to have a pouch or case that can hold the gadget along with any accessories you need when you’re not wearing it. Bellroy’s Compact Tech Kit is an attractive option not only because of its minimalist design, but the multiple loops and pockets on the inside. It can easily hold your Apple Watch charging cable, an AC adapter and a few extra bands, and you’ll still have space for things like AirPods, a Lightning cable for your iPhone and even a larger power adapter for your laptop. If you don’t mind something a bit more utilitarian, Bagsmart’s small travel organizer is a good option that also costs just $17.Buy Compact Tech Kit at Bellroy - $55Buy Bagsmart small travel organizer at Amazon - $17Apple Watch standsValentina Palladino / EngadgetIf you want to use the Apple Watch’s handy Nightstand mode while it’s charging, I’ve found that Watch holders can make the experience much better. My Watch often topples over or rolls about when I simply trust it to sit on its side next to my bed, but that’s easily fixed with a stand. Elago’s stands may be simple, but they have a lot of personality, coming in colorful dome shapes and in the forms of retro tech. The biggest problem with them, particularly the dome stands, is that they can be prone to sliding around on your desk or nightstand if there’s any tension on your charging cable. But they hold the Apple Watch well and, at under $15, they’re affordable ways to inject more personality into your accessory game.We previously recommended Spigen’s $11 S350 stand as another basic option, but we’d now opt to upgrade to the PowerArc ArcField wireless charger. Coming in at $37, this one looks almost identical to the S350 stand but it comes with an Apple Watch charging module built in, plus an attached, 6.6-foot USB-C cable. It also comes with a few rubber pads of different heights, allowing you to adjust the stand to the right height based on your Watch’s size and if you have a case protecting it. While it costs more than a standard silicone stand for your Apple Watch, it’s worth it for the additional charging power – plus if it does become your main home charger, that frees up the charging cable that came with the Apple Watch to be your on-the-go option.Buy Elago dome charging stand at Amazon - $10Buy Elago W6 charging stand (iPod) at Amazon - $13Buy Spigen PowerArc ArcField wireless charger at Amazon - $37Apple Watch bandsValentina Palladino / EngadgetYou probably made your way to this guide because you already have an Apple Watch that you’re ready to deck out. But if you haven’t made the purchase yet, consider using the Apple Watch Studio to customize the timepiece to your liking. Doing so will let you choose the precise band style and color you want, and there are definitely a few that are worth getting directly from Apple. Both the Sport Band and the Sport Loop are good basic options for everyday and exercise use, but you can find alternatives for much less elsewhere.Apple’s Solo Loop is a good one if you just want to slip your Watch on in the morning without worrying about notches or buckles — just make sure you get the right size when you order. I’m also partial to the Nike Sport Band because its carefully placed holes make it breathable and extra comfortable for working out. But if you want that one, you’ll have to buy the Apple Watch Nike edition, which is just a regular Watch with the Nike+ Run Club app preinstalled.But if you or your loved one already have an Apple Watch, it’s easy to find additional bands across the web. When it comes to basic silicone straps, you can find packs of three to six bands for less than $20 but the quality may be questionable. Look for brands with many high ratings on Amazon if you insist on getting the best bang for your buck. You can also use FakeSpot’s Amazon integration to get an idea for how trustworthy a product’s reviews are.A few reputable brands that make Apple Watch bands are Spigen, Elago and Casetify. Spigen’s Silicone Fit band feels the most similar to Apple’s Sport Band. The material is soft, comfortable and it’s a hair thinner than Apple’s. The biggest difference is that you’ll pay around $10 for one of Spigen’s bands as opposed to $50 for one of Apple’s.Buy Apple Watch bands (5 pack) at Amazon - $20Buy Spigen Silicone Fit band at Amazon - $10Elago’s Sport Bands are made of fluoro-rubber material, so they’re a bit thicker and more substantial than Apple’s standard silicone band. They also have traditional buckle closures, giving them a style that better transitions from workouts to workplaces. They are a good option if you like the simplicity of Apple’s own bands but don’t want to shell out $50 for one.Casetify occupies the opposite end of the spectrum, offering printed and customizable Apple Watch straps that truly stand out. They come in metal, leather, silicone and recycled plastic and you can get as specific as you want. There are plenty of solid colors to choose from as well as dozens of floral and animal prints. Casetify also has trendy collaborations with Disney, Netflix’s Squid Game and other pop-culture heavyweights, and even bands you can personalize with your recipient’s name or initials. While Casetify’s straps are on the expensive side, ranging from $40 to $72, it’s a price worth paying if you absolutely must have a band that fits your style to a tee.Buy Elago sport band at Amazon - $19Shop Casetify Apple Watch bands

Regardless of how 2021 went for you, 2022 is another chance for all of us to make the new year better than those that came before it. We set New Year’s resolutions with the best of intentions, but it’s no wonder that so many people fail after just a few weeks – old habits die hard. Just as it’s important to have a supportive group of people cheering you on during those particularly hard days, it’s also important to have tools that make it easier to achieve your goals. Whether you’re trying to get healthy, be more organized, or read more, there are tech tools that can make your journey a bit easier (and maybe even more enjoyable).Fitness trackerFitbitA fitness tracker can help kickstart your exercise journey by passively monitoring your wins and showing you daily data about your steps, sleep patterns and more. Fitbit’s Inspire 2 is an all-around good option, not only because it’s fairly affordable at $100, but because it does pretty much everything a beginner would need a fitness tracker to do. It tracks daily steps, calories, heart rate, sleep and more, and it comes with 20 goal-based exercises that you can manually track or let the device’s automatic SmartTrack feature monitor for you. It also has 10-day battery life, so you rarely have to take it off to charge it. And with built-in Tile functionality, you’ll be able to more easily find the device if you do misplace it.SmartwatchCherlynn Low / EngadgetIf you’d rather invest in an all-purpose wearable that also has serious fitness chops, the Apple Watch SE is a good choice. While it doesn’t include some of the bells and whistles that the Series 7 does, it still fferes the same core experience as any Apple Watch. It tracks all-day activity and heart rate, and watchOS finally does basic sleep tracking, too. In addition to built-in GPS for outdoor workouts, it supports dozens of trackable exercises along with fall detection and high and low heart rate notifications. The Apple Watch also excels over basic fitness trackers when it comes to table-stakes smartwatch features: You’ll be able to send and receive text messages from the device, as well as control music playback, smart home devices and more.Workout classesmillann via Getty Images If running isn’t your thing, or it’s just inconvenient to do it where you live, finding exercise classes that you enjoy can make working out a habit you’re more likely to stick with for the long haul. You may prefer to do this through your local gym — that push to get out of the house and into a dedicated exercise space can be really effective for some — but there are plenty of online fitness classes as well that you can participate in from the comfort of your living room. I’ve tried my fair share of these services and my favorite has been Peloton. No, you don’t need one of the company’s expensive bikes or treadmills to take advantage of their classes. Access to the app-only version of the subscription costs $13 per month and it lets you take HIIT, strength, yoga and even outdoor running classes, many of which require little to no equipment at all.If you can’t afford another monthly subscription fee, the internet has tons of free exercise resources — you just have to work a little harder to find the ones you jive with most. I highly recommend Fitness Blender, a free website where you can watch hundreds of workout videos and even set a schedule for yourself, assigning videos to specific days of the week. I like the quality and consistency of their videos, but you may connect more to YouTube workout videos if they’re taught by instructors you like; Heather Robertson and Move with Nicole are two personal favorites.Habit trackerForestAt least in the beginning, keeping track of new habits you’re trying to build can help you stick to them. While you can get deep into this subject if you wander down the bullet-journal rabbit hole, a habit-tracking app is probably the easier option. Done and Strides are two iOS options that let you log when you’ve completed a new habit you’re trying to build or when you avoided a bad habit that you’re trying to break. You can get pretty granular, customizing how often you want to do a task, setting reminders to log, reviewing stats and more. However, both apps have paid tiers to which you’ll be asked to subscribe after you create a few trackable habits.If you’d rather avoid yet another subscription, consider an app like Streaks, which can be all yours for a one-time fee of $5. As for Android, Grow is a free app that takes a similar approach to habit tracking that Forest takes with time management. Plant a virtual tree for each new habit tracked and watch it grow every time you log a completion. There’s also Habitica, which turns habit tracking to an 8-bit RPG game in which your custom avatar levels up every time you log a task.To-do and note-taking appsThings 3 The new year provides an opportunity to get back on track, and one way to do that is by finding organizational tools that work for you — and making sure those tools are as uncomplicated as possible. The worst thing that could happen is that your to-do list or note-taking system ends up being so cumbersome that you avoid using it. Keeping all of your necessary tasks in your head may work on easy days, but it can quickly get overwhelming when you have a million things to handle in both your personal and professional life. I’m a fan of Things for iOS and macOS because it’s detailed enough for big work projects, but simple enough for casual personal tasks. I also love the Today view, which shows me everything across all of my projects that requires immediate attention.However, you’ll spend $80 to get Things for iOS, iPadOS and macOS — and it’s only available for Apple devices. Microsoft’s To Do is an alternative that, while less involved than Things 3, is free and works on almost every platform including iOS, Android and Windows, among others. You can keep it simple and just have a task list and a grocery list, or you can go deeper and add due dates, sub-tasks and even share lists with family members. And if you don’t want to bother with an extraneous app, you can always opt for the reminders app that (most likely) came preinstalled on your phone. That would be Reminders for iOS users and Google Keep for Android users.Google Keep also doubles as a note-taking app, which will be a better solution if you’ve been constantly jotting down ideas for new projects on Post-It notes or scraps of paper that you eventually lose. Apple Notes is the default option for this on iOS devices, and there are plenty of other note-taking apps out there as well. I’m partial to Evernote simply because it’s become my digital file box of sorts. I take notes in it almost every day, but tons of things like online order receipts, messages from my doctor’s office and e-signed contracts all come to me through my email and eventually get saved and tagged in Evernote so I can easily find them in the future.Password manager1Password If you’re looking to up your organization game in the new year, a password manager is a great place to start. I’m partial to 1Password, but there are plenty of other options including LastPass (which has a free version), Bitwarden and Dashlane. After saving all of your passwords for various accounts, you only need to remember one (hence the name) to log in to your 1Password account and access all of the others. The service has browser extensions Chrome, Edge and others that will let you seamlessly log in with the proper credentials with just a few clicks, and 1Password has apps for most platforms including iOS and Android, so you can use it on all of your devices.I also appreciate the Password Generator feature, which helps you create a new, secure password whenever one of yours has expired. LassPass has this too, and Dashlane even has a free tool that anyone can use to make more secure passwords. Not only does this take the onus of coming up with a strong key off your shoulders, but it also makes it easy to override old credentials with new ones.Travel tech organizerBellroyOne of the consequences of the past two is the dual-office life. Many of us now work both from home and from an office, and the last thing you want to do when you arrive in either place is rummage around your backpack only to realize that you’ve left your mouse, charging cable or dongle at your other desk.An organizer bag can prevent this before it happens – we’re partial to BagSmart tech organizers thanks to their utilitarian, water-repellent designs and their multiple pockets and dividers. They also come in different sizes, so you can pick the best one for your commuter bag. If you want something a bit more elevated, Bellroy’s Desk Pouch is a good option. It’s pricier but for the money you get a more elegant design, with a higher-quality material (recycled nylon, weave or ripstop, depending on the color you choose) and a structured base that keeps the bag upright on your desk.Computer docking stationCalDigitIt’s all too easy for your work-from-home setup to get really messy really quickly. When you’re going through your busiest times at work, the last thing you’re thinking about is cable management, but dedicating a bit more effort into tidying up your workspace can make your day to day more efficient and more enjoyable.We recommend some sort of docking station to keep your laptop, monitors, accessories and the like in check. A couple good options are CalDigit’s TS3 Plus and Plugable’s Universal Docking Station. The former has a compact, rectangular design with a total of 16 different ports on it, including a Gigabit Ethernet jack, five USB-A connections, two Thunderbolt 3 sockets and analog audio in/out ports. The latter stands up vertically on your desk and has 13 connectors, including HDMI and DVI ports, six USB-A connections and a Gigabit Ethernet jack. That DVI port may be a deciding factor for you depending on which monitor you have, and Plugable’s device comes with both DVI to HDMI and DVI to VGA adapters.While both of those options are stationary, there are plenty of adapters out there that can give you similar organization while on the go, albeit in a less elegant package. Anker’s USB-C hub is an affordable solution that includes an HDMI port, microSD and SD card readers, two USB-C connections and two USB-A ports. It also supports 100W power pass-through, so you can charge your laptop through the hub while using it.Instant PotInstant Pot / Best Buy Eating healthier — or even just avoiding takeout multiple times a week — can be challenging in part because it usually means cooking more at home. Not only is that hard to do when you’re starting from zero, but it’s especially tough because it takes more time than ordering in from your phone. But tools like an Instant Pot can make the process easier because it cuts your active cooking time down drastically. You can find a plethora of recipes in which you simply throw a bunch of ingredients into the pot, set it and forget it until it’s time to eat.We recommend the Instant Pot Duo for beginners because it’s relatively affordable and combines seven different cooking methods into one appliance, including rice cooking, steaming, pressure cooking, slow cooking and more. If you’re primarily cooking for yourself and a partner, the three-quart model will serve you just fine, but we recommend the six-quart model if you’re routinely cooking for four or more. If the thought of cooking at home actually excites you rather than fills you with anxiety, consider the Instant Pot Ultra, which includes a few extra modes like cake maker and egg cooker, or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp, which includes an air-fry lid.Recipe organizationRichLegg via Getty Images One of the best things about cooking at home is finding recipes that you love so much that you want to make over and over again. You’ll want to keep those recipes safe and readily available so you can refer to them when you need a quick weeknight meal or a dish to bring to your next family reunion. Recipe cards are a great way to do this, and you’ll build up your rolodex of delicious meals over time. If you’d rather have a cookbook of sorts that you fill in yourself over time, opt for a recipe book instead.If you’d rather keep your arsenal of recipes accessible at any time, anywhere from your phone, Paprika’s recipe management app is the best solution I’ve tried. The $5 app basically acts as your digital recipe box, allowing you to enter recipes of your own as well as download them from the internet. You know those hundreds of words that precede online recipes, in which the author divulges their entire life story before telling you their secret to making deliciously moist cornbread? Paprika strips all of those unnecessary bits out and only saves the ingredient list and the instructions. You can also make grocery lists and keep track of pantry staples in the app, so don’t be surprised if it quickly becomes one of your most-used kitchen tools.Reading appScribdDon’t take your habit of doom-scrolling on Twitter for hours every day into the new year. You could instead use the internet to find other things to read and the free Libby app is a good place to start. Powered by Overdrive, it connects you with your local library’s digital collection, allowing you to borrow and download all kinds of e-books, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels and more. Libby also has a tag system that you can use to “save” titles for later without actually putting a hold on them (although you can do that in the app, too). If you find a bunch of audiobooks you eventually want to get to, you can give them all a “TBR” tag so you can quickly find them and borrow one when you need new reading/listening material.As someone who uses Libby on a regular basis, I love how easy it is to borrow from my local library without leaving my home. However, there have been numerous times in which my library doesn’t have a title I’m looking for. If that happens to you often, you may want to consider a subscription service like Kindle Unlimited or Scribd, both of which give you unlimited access to a wide library of e-books for $10 per month. And for audiobook lovers, your options are Amazon’s Audible or Libro.fm, the latter of which lets you choose the local bookstore you want to support with your purchases.E-readerNathan Ingraham / EngadgetE-readers are still around because so many people recognize how much better it can be to read e-books on a dedicated device — especially one with an e-paper display. Sure, you could read on your smartphone or a tablet, but staring at those screens all day long can be tiring for your eyes. An e-reader like Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite or Kobo’s Clara HD is a better choice not only for its more comfortable display, but also because it focuses your attention on reading. (If you’ve ever picked up your smartphone intending to finish a chapter only to be distracted by email or Twitter, you know how crucial this is.)The new Kindle Paperwhite has a 6.8-inch display with adjustable warm lights, 20 percent faster page turns and weeks of battery life. The Clara HD is similar, with a 6-inch E-Ink display, adjustable brightness and color temperature, along with weeks of battery life. If you already get most of your e-books through Amazon, the Paperwhite is the best option. You can listen to Audible audiobooks, too, if you connect a pair of wireless earbuds to the e-reader. Kobo’s device primarily gets books via the Kobo Store, but it also supports various file types like EPUB, PDF and MOBI. Plus, it has on-device integration with Overdrive, allowing you to borrow library books directly from the e-reader.

If your favorite person has a love of video or photography, a camera may be the best gift they’ll ever get. Some may want to capture their adventures with an action camera, while others may desire a mirrorless camera for portraits, movies or artistic shots. The technology is better than ever as camera makers try to stay ahead of smartphones with faster shooting speeds, sharper video and incredible autofocus. We found the best models for budgets ranging from $400 to $2,500, along with top accessories to complement their existing gear.GoPro Hero 10 BlackWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetFor the adventurer on your gift list, there’s no better action camera than the GoPro Hero 10 Black. It bests the previous Hero 9 Black model in a number of key ways, thanks mainly to the faster GP2 processor. That helps it deliver improved image quality, with higher resolution at up to 5.3K/30fps instead of 5K as before. It also offers improved noise reduction, smoother stabilization, more faithful color reproduction and better handling.Buy GoPro Hero 10 Black at Amazon - $499Buy Hero 9 Black at GoPro - $350Sony Alpha A6100Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / SonySony’s A6100 is a great gift idea for budding photographers, as it offers the best features of its APS-C mirrorless camera series at the best price. Chief among those is the incredibly reliable autofocus system with eye-detection and other AI tricks. Even with fast-moving action, the A6100 will nail focus for video or photos most of the time thanks to the extremely rapid tracking system. It also offers accurate colors, good low-light performance and a flip-up display that allows for selfies and vlogging, with sharp video capture at up to 4K. It’s also one of the best mirrorless camera deals around at $748, or $848 with a 16-50mm kit lens.Buy Sony Alpha A6100 at B&H - $848DJI Ronin SC gimbalDJIA gimbal is a great gift idea for video shooters, helping them boost production value with smooth tracking, panning and other shots. If your loved one has a mirrorless camera, the best option is DJI’s Ronin-SC model. It weighs just 2.4 pounds, 41 percent lighter than DJI’s original Ronin-S — making it easier to use for longer periods. It can stabilize just about any type of video as well, thanks to the ActiveTrack 3.0 mode and AI that can lock onto and track human or other subjects.Buy DJI Ronin SC at Amazon - $439Panasonic GH5Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetIf your gift recipient is into making YouTube videos, the Panasonic GH5 has been the vlogging camera of choice since it first came out . The 20-megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor delivers pin-sharp 4K video downsampled from the full sensor at up to 60fps, with a 10-bit high-color option that makes editing easier afterwards. It also includes other necessities for vlogging like a flip-out display, in-body stabilization and dual high-speed card slots. With the arrival of the $1,700 GH5 II, the original GH5 is cheaper than it’s ever been at $1,300, giving your loved one a lot of camera for the money.Buy Panasonic GH5 at Amazon - $1,300Magnus VT-4000 TripodEngadgetIf your giftee is starting to get serious about video, the Magnus VT 4000 is the best budget tripod option out there. It’s lightweight at 8 pounds, but the anodized aluminum construction is strong enough to handle a mirrorless camera and accessories weighing up to 8.8 pounds. The lack of heft makes it practical for travel, while the fluid head allows for smooth tilts and pans. Other features include a middle spreader to keep things steady and legs that extend up to 64 inches so you can match the eyeline of your subjects.Buy Magnus VT-4000 tripod at Amazon - $199Canon EOS R6Will Lipman Photography for Engadget / CanonFor a serious camera gift that’s around $2,500, Canon’s 20-megapixel EOS R6 is the best hybrid model out there. It delivers up to 20 fps burst shooting speeds while the Dual Pixel AF nails focus on nearly every shot, whether in bright sunlight or dim lighting. It’s also a solid pick for video, letting you shoot 4K supersampled video at 60 fps with 10-bit log and HDR options for maximum editing flexibility — again, with Canon’s Dual Pixel AF system that’s second to none. The caveat to that is overheating, which limits use for things like weddings and journalism.Buy Canon EOS R6 at Amazon - $2,499Joby GorillaPod 3KJobySome of the most useful gifts out there for vloggers are Joby’s famous mini-tripods, and the best one for the money is the GorillaPod 3K. Attaching your camera using the secure clip-in mounting plate is dead simple, and you can ensure that everything is even with the built-in level. The flexible legs let you set your camera anywhere to shoot or even wrap it around a tree or other object. The most common usage is as a vlogging handle, as vloggers can bend the legs forward to fit themselves into the video and steady out their shooting.Buy GorillaPod 3K at Amazon - $85SanDisk Extreme Pro SD cardWill Lipman Photography for Engadget / SanDiskYour favorite camera nerd can never have enough memory cards, but they can be a pretty pricey gift. SanDisk’s ExtremePro UHS-I SD cards are cheaper than UHS-II cards, but the 90 MB/s read/write speeds are fast enough for most types of photography and video. If your loved one needs that extra UHS-II speed, Lexar’s UHS-II SD 1667X (250MB/s) and 2000X (300MB/s) SD cards are solid picks.Buy SanDisk Extreme Pro (128GB) at Amazon - $25Buy Lexar 1667X (128GB) at Amazon - $50Buy Lexar 2000X (128GB) at Amazon - $95Rode VideoMic Go and Wireless GoRodeIf the vlogger in your life doesn’t already have one, Rode’s wireless and shotgun microphones are solid, affordable gifts. The VideoMic Go is ideal for interviews and run-and-gun shooting, thanks to the crisp directional audio and relative ease of use. It comes with a shock mount to eliminate bumps or vibrations that could interfere with sound and doesn’t require a battery, unlike past Rode models. Meanwhile, Rode’s Wireless Go is one of the most popular wireless lavalier mics out there, functioning as both a microphone and wireless transceiver. It offers a reliable connection and good audio quality, or you can maximize clarity by connecting an external 3.5mm microphone like Rode’s $40 SmartLav+, the Sennheiser Pro Audio ME2 or others.Buy Rode VideoMic Go at Amazon - $79Buy Wireless Mic Go at B&H - $199Nanlite LitoLite 5C RGBWW Mini LED PanelWill Lipman Photography for Engadget / NanliteA good light is an awesome tool in your favorite photographer or videographer’s arsenal, and a relatively affordable gift to boot. One of the best all-around models is the Nanlite LitoLite 5C RGBWW Mini LED Panel. It weighs just 4.8 ounces, but offers dimmable lighting across a range of colors, with adjustments either on the fixture or via a smartphone app. It mounts on any wall or light stand via a magnet or quarter-inch threads, has cordless operation and a battery that runs for 1.5 hours at full power (charged via USB). The most interesting feature is special effects that range from a cop car’s flashing lights, flames, candlelights, a lightning storm and more.Buy LitoLite mini LED panel at Amazon - $75Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20LWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetBackpacks are life for photographers and video shooters, so they make great gifts — if you get the right one. Peak Design’s Everyday Backpack 20L is a good choice, thanks to the stylish weatherproof design, internal dividers for laptops, cameras, lenses and more, a wrap-around zipper and a protected laptop sleeve. It offers excellent build quality and Peak Design backs that up with a lifetime warranty.Buy Peak Design Everyday Backpack at Amazon - $220Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 17.2Blackmagic DesignAs someone who used to use Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC exclusively, I never thought I’d switch to another app. I did, though, and can’t recommend Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve 17.2 enough (either the free or $295 studio version). You get a lifetime of updates, so it’s far cheaper than Adobe’s subscription program that runs $630 per year. Resolve is slightly trickier to learn, but far more powerful than Premiere for key tasks like color grading and effects. Most importantly, I’ve found Resolve to be far, far more reliable than Premiere on a wide range of computers, which is easily the most important “feature” on an editing app.Buy DaVinci Resolve 17 at B&H - $295Engadget's 2021 holiday gift guideThe best laptops and tablets to give as giftsThe best tech toys for kidsSeven tech charities to support this holiday seasonThe home theater gear worth gifting this year (even if the giftee is you)The best smartwatches, fitness trackers and wearables to giftThe best board games to gift this holiday seasonSmall, affordable gadgets that make great stocking stuffersThe best gifts for the aspiring influencer in your lifeThe best gifts for the coffee nerd in your lifeAll the gear you need to game-stream like a proThese are the audio gadgets to gift this seasonThe best digital gifts to send your friends and familyThe books and movies we’re gifting this yearThe video games we wish someone would gift usThe best gadgets for your petsSmart home gadgets and kitchen tech that make great giftsThe best gifts for the creatives in your lifeThe best snow and winter sports gear to gift this yearAll the 'fun' gifts our grown-up staff would like to receiveThe best gear to give to the photographer in your lifeEverything in our gift guide under $100

If you’re thinking of getting a laptop or tablet as a gift, you’ve got a wealth of options. Thanks to the latest round of hardware from Intel, Apple, AMD and NVIDIA, all of our portable devices have gotten steadily faster and more efficient. Even the cheapest iPad can be a decent productivity machine, while gaming laptops now have almost all of the power of their desktop siblings. And with the arrival of Windows 11, it's a perfect time to give someone a nifty PC upgrade, especially since very old computers won’t be able to step up.Dell XPS 13DellNot to sound like a broken record, but the XPS 13 is still the best Windows ultraportable you can buy. The design hasn't changed much, but that's not a huge problem: It's still incredibly light and features extraordinarily thin screen bezels. And now you can also take advantage of Intel's latest 11th-generation processors. The XPS 13 can also be configured with an OLED screen, an ideal gift for someone who could use a bright and color accurate display. And if you’ve got someone in mind who could use even more power, the new XPS 15 has the same sleek design, but it has more room for a bigger display and better hardware.Buy XPS 13 at Dell starting at $950Apple MacBook AirWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetApple's MacBook Air hasn't been upgraded since last year's miraculous model — which gave it the winning combination of Apple's M1 processor, a fan-less design, and incredible battery life — but it's still one of the best laptops on the market. It's powerful enough to handle most productivity tasks and a few games, and whoever’s lucky enough to get it won’t have to worry about any fans spinning up, since it’s completely passively cooled. You can also find the M1-equipped MacBook Air on sale occasionally, making it one of the smarter gift purchases this season.Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $999Apple iPadAppleKudos to Apple for continually improving its entry-level iPad. Once again, it's one of the best tablet gift options on the market. It's faster than ever, thanks to Apple's A13 Bionic processor, and it includes more storage. The $329 model now comes with 64GB, or you could bump up to 256GB for $479. That's more than enough space to save every episode of Bluey and several seasons of Sesame Street to survive long car trips. Sure, the design hasn't changed much since last year, but that doesn't matter much — it’s still a more than capable tablet.Buy iPad at Amazon - $329Amazon Fire HD 10Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetAmazon's Fire tablets are basically just video-first Android slates, but they also prove you don’t have to pay a ton to buy a useful tablet for someone. This year, the Fire HD 10 is a bit faster, has 50 percent more memory and features a slightly brighter screen. And, as a bonus, there's a Bluetooth keyboard accessory that can turn it into a cheap productivity tablet. But its core selling point is the same as always: it can tackle most tablet tasks easily, and it won’t cost too much. (There are also kid-centric Fire tablets worth considering, which come with a more durable case and two years worth of free replacements.)Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon - $150Razer Blade 15RazerYou can take all of the praise we've given Razer's Blade 15 over the years and apply it to the latest model. Razer's flagship gaming notebook still has a sleek unibody aluminum case, and it packs in the latest CPUs and GPUs, including NVIDIA's top-end RTX 3080. And thanks to improved screen choices, you can also gift models with fast 1,440p displays, which are sharper than 1080p screens, and easier to run natively than 4K displays. If portability is a greater concern, take a look at the new Razer Blade 14, a sub-four-pound notebook sporting AMD's latest processors.Buy Blade 15 at Razer - $1,700ASUS Zephyrus G15Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetIf the gamer in your life wants something more flashy and a bit lighter than the Razer Blade, consider the Zephyrus G15. With the combined power of AMD's latest processors and NVIDIA's latest graphics cards, it'll handle practically any game thrown at it. And if you're on a budget, you can find lower-end models cheaper than the equivalent Razer's. Mostly, though, we love this laptop because it has pretty much everything we'd want in a mobile gaming rig — that includes an excellent keyboard, a speedy 165Hz 1440p screen and excellent battery life. The only downside is that there's no webcam, but any aspiring streamer would rather have a separate external camera anyway.Buy Zephyrus G15 at Best Buy - $1,550Acer Chromebook 512Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetThe best Chromebooks are cheap, sturdy and powerful enough to handle basic school and office work. Acer's Chromebook 512 is one of the best current options, especially if you're looking for something for a child. It has a spill resistant keyboard, a sturdy impact-resistant case, and anchored keys that are harder for kids to pull off. Its Intel Celeron N4000 chip isn't the fastest, but it's enough to work on Google Docs, Sheets and Presentations without breaking too much of a sweat.Buy Acer Chromebook 512 at Amazon - $200Microsoft Surface Laptop 4Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetSometimes it seems like there are just too many PC ultraportables to choose from, but Microsoft's Surface Laptop line are always a solid option. They feature some of the best keyboards on the market, excellent displays and support for all of Microsoft's notebook accessories, like the Surface Stylus. But mostly, we appreciate them for their design simplicity. They're sturdy, attractive and built for productivity. The latest 15-inch model also packs in speedy AMD processors that are powerful enough to play a few rounds of Overwatch.Buy Surface Laptop 4 at Microsoft starting at $799

The weather is starting to get cooler, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to head indoors for winter just yet. There’s ample time to enjoy the backyard, porch or balcony before the first snowfall. We’ve rounded up the best outdoor gear for cooking, relaxing and imbibing this fall, from a pizza oven, to a uniquely designed fire pit and a smart outlet for your outdoor lighting.Ooni Karu 16OoniIf you’ve opened Instagram in the last several months, chances are you’ve seen someone firing up an Ooni pizza oven in their backyard. The company has become even more popular during the pandemic, and rightfully so. Its line of wood- and gas-fired pizza ovens allow you to make restaurant-quality pies at home. The Karu 16 is the company’s latest offering, with a larger stone for bigger pizzas, an easier to access fuel chamber and a built-in thermometer. The door is also attached so it’s simpler to use and has a glass window so you can keep an eye on things without losing heat. Like commercial Neapolitan-style ovens, the Karu 16 can reach temperatures of up to 950 degrees Fahrenheit, and does so in just 15 minutes. This model runs on wood chunks out of the box, but the company offers an optional gas burner for $100.Buy Karu 16 at Ooni - $799Traeger Ironwood 650 and 885Billy Steele/Engadget Cooler weather is a perfect time to tune up your backyard pitmaster skills. Even if you’re a beginner, Traeger’s line of WiFi-connected pellet grills can guide you through the entire cooking process. The company’s app, which allows you to control and monitor its grills remotely, is also packed with recipes and step-by-step guidance.Personally, I like the Ironwood series, which comes in two sizes with 650 and 885 square inches of grilling space. They sit in the middle of Traeger’s lineup, and offer the best bang for your buck. Low and slow smoking? Yep. Hot and fast searing? They do that too. And with the company’s pellet sensor, you don’t have to worry about running out of fuel halfway through a 10-hour brisket sesh.Shop Ironwood series at Traeger starting at $1,400Weber Genesis II EX-315EngadgetWeber is best known for its charcoal kettle grills, but its gas models aren’t too far behind. Following up on the smart grilling tech it built into its SmokeFire pellet grills in 2020, the company brought the Weber Connect system to its gas lineup earlier this year. There are a number of options here, but the Genesis II EX-315 is a great mid-range choice. Thanks to the Connect tech, you get real-time food doneness updates, estimated completion times and fuel level monitoring.Weber Connect also offers step-by-step guidance based on the food you're cooking and the LED display on the grill shows both meat and ambient temperatures. Of course, the grill is WiFi-enabled, so all of this info can be sent to your phone. And if you get caught in the dark, a handle-mounted light and backlit control knobs are there to help.Buy Genesis II EX-315 at Weber - $1,030Thermoworks Thermapen OneThermoworksThe Thermapen is the grilling tool I use most often. It’s handy for making sure I’m not serving undercooked chicken or overcooking a pricey steak I’ve had in the sous vide for hours. It’s also great to have in the kitchen to instantly check temps of things like bread. Thermoworks unveiled the successor to its wildly popular Thermapen Mk4 earlier this year with the Thermapen One. The device is super fast, giving you a reading in one second. It’s also more accurate and has a brighter display than the previous model. The screen automatically rotates depending on how you hold it, plus an auto-wake and sleep feature and IP67 rating keep things running smoothly.Buy Thermapen One at Thermoworks - $105Meater Plus probe thermometerMeaterI’ll admit it: when I first saw Meater’s wireless food probes I was skeptical that they would work well. The Meater Plus has all of the convenience of the company’s original wireless probe, but with extended Bluetooth range. Each one has two sensors, so it can monitor both internal food temperature and the ambient temp of your grill. All of the info is sent to the company’s app where you can set target temperature, get estimated completion times and follow step-by-step directions if you need them. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about routing wires since the Meater Plus is completely wireless and stays out of your way. Not having to fight food probe cords is a grilling innovation I’m sure a lot of people can get behind.Buy Meater Plus at Amazon - $100Thermacell E-55ThermacellLast year, the Thermacell Patio Shield kept us mosquito-free for socially-distanced outdoor activities. For 2021, the company is back with the E-55 that offers a 20-foot coverage area and is fully rechargeable. This slightly larger unit runs on a Li-Ion battery instead of burning fuel to keep the biting bugs at bay for up to 12 hours. If you need more protection for you and the fam, you can buy refills for up to 40 hours of use. Also, like other Thermacell products, the E-55 doesn’t give off any odor, so you’ll barely notice it’s there.Buy Theramcell E-55 at Amazon - $40Solo StoveBilly Steele/Engadget As the temperatures drop, a fire pit is a cozy place to spend your time. However, most of the cheap options you’ll find at your local big box store aren’t really designed to channel smoke away from you or to maximize airflow. Solo Stove’s stainless steel fire pits do both, creating a roaring fire that won’t smoke you out. Each of the three models, ranging from $269 to $599, are portable(ish) and burn whatever variety of wood you happen to have. I’ve been testing the Ranger, the smallest and most portable option. While you can certainly set these right on the ground or concrete patio, I highly recommend splurging for a stand and a weather-proof cover which cost around $80 for the Ranger and Bonfire models.Buy Solo Stove starting at $269TP-Link Kasa outdoor smart plug and dimmerTP-LinkI tested the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug for our first backyard guide and I was immediately hooked. TP-Link recently announced a new model of the smart plug in addition to a dimmable single-outlet version. Both are waterproof and plug into your existing outside outlet to give you one or two spots for lights and other gear. With the two-plug option, you can control each one independently. The Kasa app allows you to set a schedule, timer, runtime and more for each plug, so you can automate when those string lights over the deck turn on. Additionally, they work with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you don’t even need to pick up your phone most of the time. Plus, 300 feet of WiFi range means you shouldn’t have trouble connecting these to your home network for use.Buy Kasa outdoor smart plug at Amazon - $25Sony SRS-XB13SonyWhen you need tunes outside, whether that’s at home or on the go, Sony’s tiny XB13 speaker is a great option. Its small size makes it insanely portable, but it still manages big sound thanks to Sony's Extra Bass feature and Sound Diffusion Processor. It’s rated IP67 for dust- and water-proofing so taking it outside shouldn’t incite anxiety. What’s more, it has a UV coating for protection from the sun. You can use the XB13 for hands-free calls and employ two of them at once for a stereo pair. It lasts up to 16 hours on a charge and will only set you back $60.Buy SRS-XB13 at Amazon - $58Brumate Toddy and Toddy XLBrumateI’ve been a big fan of Brumate’s beverageware since I bought myself a Hopsulator Trio for a beach vacation a few years ago. I still use it all the time, during both warm and cool months. However, when the temperatures begin to dip, I tend to reach for hot beverages more often, so Brumate’s Toddy insulated mug is a better option. The cup works well to keep drinks hot or cold and the trademark feature is the spill-proof lid. That thing has saved me from massive cleanup more times than I can count. The regular Toddy can hold 16 ounces while the Toddy XL doubles the capacity to 32 ounces.Buy Brumate Toddy starting at $30