Gadgets

Gadgets

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products. Catch up on the recent reviews published by Engadget. Our reviews team is rested up after the CES grind and we're back to business. This week we reviewed the latest devices from Valerion,

They won't have an Nvidia graphics chip next to an Intel CPU, but rather an Nvidia N1 system-on-chip at the helm - and overnight, a Lenovo leak revealed that the company has built six laptops on the upcoming N1 and N1X processors, including a 15-inch gaming machine. Dataminer Huang514613 posted those names to X, including 14 and 16-inch models of the Ideapad Slim 5, two variants of the 15-inch Yoga Pro 7, and a Yoga 9 transforming 2-in-1.

Most utility knives work perfectly fine. They cut boxes, strip packages, slice tape, then disappear into drawers or pockets until the next mundane task arrives. They're functional, reliable, forgettable. The problem isn't that they fail at their job. The problem is they offer nothing beyond the cut itself, no texture or personality, no reason to reach for them when they're not strictly necessary. They exist in a utilitarian void where efficiency trumps experience.

The best products are the ones that solve everyday problems, like being able to see into your blind spot when driving, or decluttering that mess of cables on your desk. So if you're looking for cool stuff that's actually useful? You've come to the right place, as all the life-improving things you'll find below are not only practical, but each one will set you back less than the cost of dinner out.

There's a lot of cool stuff out there - but finding something truly cool and cheap? That's rare. The genius inventions below are selling out because they check both boxes. From stuff that'll make your days run easier to fun little things for your car, home, and daily routine, prices start at just a few bucks.

Working from home has shifted from a temporary fix to a long-term reality for millions of professionals. As remote and hybrid schedules become standard, the quality of your workspace directly affects comfort, focus, and daily output. A kitchen table setup may work short term, but extended hours demand smarter support. The right home office tech accessories reduce strain, limit distractions, and make long workdays easier to sustain.

As a frequent traveler who's been to all 50 states, I've curated the perfect packing list. Noise-canceling headphones and a cashmere scarf make flights more enjoyable. As a solo traveler, I always bring a safety whistle, an additional door lock, and a phone tripod. I've been to all 50 states and have explored everywhere from tiny towns in New England to the mountains of Alaska.

In contrast with many of the heavy, and powerful fat tire e-bikes that dominated the market-and which felt more like motorcycles than bicycles-the Soltera presented a stripped-down, simplified, and much more analog-like experience. More recently, the Soltera 2 upped the ante with a much more natural-feeling and responsive ride, all thanks to its torque sensor. This version of the bike also added a more robust package of features, including integrated turn signals,

The upcoming Oppo Find N6 has seemingly received its certification in China, and this has revealed that it will come with two model numbers over there: PLP110 and PLP120. The former is the regular version, the latter is the one which incorporates BeiDou satellite connectivity. The certification confirms that the Find N6 supports 80W wired charging. According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the phone has a battery that's at least 6,000 mAh, as well as an "AI stylus".

Recently, I've been testing rechargeable hand warmers, and to be honest, most of them are junk. Some were dead on arrival, others failed after a few hours, some had absurdly short runtimes, and others got dangerously hot. I've found a few good ones, but they're rare. What I've been searching for is a hand warmer that combines fast USB-C charging, water resistance, power bank functionality, and the ability to handle extreme cold.

So what gives? Based on early registration numbers, it seems Telly has generated enough interest to ship more than 35,000 TVs. One issue seems to be poor shipping. Per the investor note that Lowpass reviewed, Telly claimed that FedEx delivered 10 percent of its shipments of Telly TVs broken. Since moving to a different company-seemingly Samsung partner RXO, based on Reddit posts -fewer Tellys are arriving broken, the company reportedly said.

The system pairs a plug-and-play wireless HDMI link with a genuinely useful hub, all in a single piece of kit. Plug the USB-C transmitter into your device and the HDMI receiver into any display. You get wireless 1080p 60Hz video in 0.02 seconds, plus immediate access to SD/TF cards, three high-speed USB ports, and 100W power delivery. No apps, no network dependency, no compromise. Just the screen and the tools you actually need, working together the way they should.

The latter feature is aptly called "Coloring book," and lets you make blank coloring templates in version 11.2512.191.0 of Paint based on a text prompt. Users can access this feature by selecting the Coloring book option from the Copilot menu in Paint, and then describing what the design should be, such as "a cute fluffy cat on a donut." Paint will then generate four results that Paint users can click to add to their canvas. From there, you can presumably use Paint itself to color the image, or print it out to use traditional art materials.

Open-ear earbuds enthusiasts typically revere their form factor because they either want to remain in tune with their surroundings or dislike the feeling of earbuds inside their ear canal. Whatever the reason may be, open-ear earbuds have popped up in every corner of the earbud industry, proving their popularity and utility. Also: Sony may have just beaten Bose at its own game - these earbuds surprised me big time

Talk is cheap, so I grabbed a K3 and put it to the test. There's a lot to the K3. It's an 800-lumen LED for illumination, which is quite an output for a small aluminum flashlight that fits into the palm of your hand. This light is perfect for dark nights and is far more powerful than the light on my iPhone.

I have a charging station on my nightstand that handles the overnight charging of my daily carry. My , , , and whatever or other I'm carrying gets its R&R time on it. But I didn't have anything equivalent for my desk -- until now. The Baseus Nomos NH21 245W 6-in-1 USB-C charging station is the perfect desktop charging station as it has enough power and outlets to handle all my devices.

The Anker iPhone 17 USB-C Car Charger is a compact three-port car charger that charges your phone, tablet, and laptop from a single 12V outlet. This charger features an ultra-compact metal case that fits neatly in the socket without obstructing other controls. Two USB-C ports and one USB-A port share a combined high-output port, so you can charge multiple devices at once.

There's support for DDR4-3200 memory, and the processor also comes bundled with an AMD Wraith Stealth cooler, which maintains its temperature while offering consistent performance for all your tasks. Additionally, the processor features a full suite of Ryzen technologies such as Precision Boost 2 and Precision Boost Overdrive to take the experience even further. The former intelligently raises CPU clock speeds to deliver maximum performance, while the latter pushes it further when your system can handle it.

Also: This robot vacuum at CES 2026 can find lost items on your floor and alert you of them I've been testing the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow for the past month, which introduces the SpiralFlow mopping feature to the market. This robot vacuum and mop performs like a flagship device, with 20,000Pa of suction, a self-washing roller mop, and even a shield that covers the mop when the robot goes over carpet.

Across its body, the A1 carries eight individual cameras, each equipped with a 1/1.28-inch sensor, f/2.2 aperture, and an ISO range of 100 to 6,400. Harnessing the magic of Insta360 software, these cameras all work together to record 360-degree hemispherical footage. You don't see the sphere at once; instead, the drone routes its video feed directly to the goggles, narrowing it to a 65-degree field of view. You physically turn your head to see the rest of the scene.

Our favorite wireless earbuds for most people, the Nothing Ear (a), are marked down to just $79 in all three colors - black, white, and yellow - a healthy discount from the already affordable $109 price point. They have an excellent, open audio profile, top tier touch controls, and impressive noise canceling for such a small pair of earbuds. Beyond the excellent price point, the Nothing Ear (a) offer a surprisingly complete package.

Textured grips on the triggers, bumpers, and back case make it easy to lock onto targets and stay on them, while the new hybrid D-pad offers incredibly accurate yet familiar input that gives you a competitive edge. Additionally, if the standard layout doesn't quite work for you, or you simply want more control over the way you play, you can also customize button mappings with the Xbox Accessories app.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to sport an upgraded display with features such as Privacy Display. Now, a new leak suggests that the screen will come with improved protection as well. According to prolific leaker Ice Universe, the Galaxy S26 Ultra's display will get a new generation 'high-strength' Gorilla Glass. Anti-reflective coating on the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Galaxy S25 Ultra already uses an anti-reflective display coating that largely removes the need for matte screen protectors.