Gadgets

Rising component prices and wild tariff swings are still an issue, so Mike Chi of Retrotink has designed a new hardware upscaler for retro gaming. It uses the design and framework of its more expensive 4K models, which cost $475 or more, but with a lower 2,560 x 1,440p maximum output at 300 MHz.

The $85 NK-M1’s features are pretty standard for an 8K wireless gaming mouse in 2026, but it’s lightweight, its buttons and scroll wheel feel good, and its colors are classic. The preorder ends tonight, but I’ll revisit it for a review later this year when it’s in stock.

As Patentlyze reports, the company filed a patent earlier this year for a “hardware privacy mute circuit” for “consumer devices, such as augmented reality devices,” like Meta’s smart glasses. The patent says the mute switch would “provide tamper-resistant privacy controls that cannot be compromised through software exploits.”

For today only, you can use the coupon code SUPERSAVING at checkout for an extra 20 percent off a variety of qualifying items at Woot. Notably, the Best of PC category includes a variety of computing and gaming accessories, as well as refurbished laptops and desktops, plus the Kindle Scribe.

The Pura X View will launch next week in China, but Huawei has already revealed its design, including a broad 16:9.5 aspect ratio display. It looks a little like Huawei’s Pura X flip phone did when unfolded, but in a regular slab format. After last month’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, we’re truly in the wide phone era.

I use the Neat Bumblebee II desktop mic for work and play, and you can hear how it sounds on the Pixel review roundup episode of the Vergecast. Right now, it’s $14.99 at Woot, or just five bucks if you’re a new Woot customer and use the code HELLOTEN at checkout. It comes with a USB-C-to-A cable, and can sit on its included stand, or be detached to mount to a mic arm. It’s not the best mic, but it sure is affordable.

Following a teaser earlier this week, Nothing’s CMF sub-brand has revealed the Buds Neo wireless earbuds with 12.4mm drivers, active noise canceling, Bluetooth 6.0 support, and up to 11 hours of battery life on buds alone, 52 hours with their charging case, or up to 30 hours with ANC. They’re priced at 1,999 Indian rupees, or around $21.

Y Combinator has finally posted a video of Kare’s 50-minute talk at last month’s Startup School 2026 event. The renowned designer shares more stories about the process of creating the original Macintosh’s icons, the command key symbol that’s still in use today, and the Chicago font that Apple revived for the early iPods.

AirPods with cameras showed up in a video found in a release candidate of the upcoming macOS Tahoe 26.7 update, but Bloomberg reports that the headphones aren’t in the cards for 2026.

After releasing a buildable Xbox 360 in 2023, Mattel is back with a DIY recreation of Microsoft’s original console complete with a chonky replica of the Duke controller. The $324, 3,509-piece set is part of Mattel’s Lego-like Brick Shop line and includes gaming dioramas hidden inside plus interactive lighting and console sounds.

It’s the prize for my previous Today I’m Toying With giveaway! The winner says: “I’m kind of speechless. A big thanks from one very happy gadget nerd!” You can enter the weekly giveaway at theverge.com/TITW (or by email, see the rules) starting 9AM each Wednesday. We’re on Giveaway #8 now!

For $189, you can upgrade one of Secretlab’s Titan Evo or Classic Series gaming chairs with the company’s new EasyFold Foldaway Armrest. As the name implies (multiple times), the upgraded armrests introduce a mechanism allowing them to be rotated backwards 90 degrees so they don’t get in the way while you’re playing an instrument or gaming.

Remarkable’s devices are excellent digital notebooks but don’t offer as much functionality as tablets that are often much cheaper. To rectify that, Chalid Raqami managed to get Android 13 running on the pricey Remarkable Paper Pro. Having access to Android’s full app store almost makes the sluggish experience seem worth the extra effort.

It’s been a few months since Google revealed its Chromebook successor / sibling, and all’s been quiet since — at least officially, with leaks of laptops from Lenovo and Asus. We’ll know more soon: Google invited outlets including The Verge to a media event in September where we’ll get to “test out the laptops and new features.”

The glasses “could unintentionally capture, record or transmit sensitive information, potentially compromising privacy and legal protections,” ICE acting director David Venturella said in a memo to staff, according to The New York Times. Staffers can’t wear the glasses in the “federal workspace.”

The wearable company now says the Advanced Labs blood testing service that it launched last year is now available, with prices starting at about $150, even if you don’t have one of its wearable devices or the membership subscription tied to them. It’s also adding the “multi-cancer early detection test” Galleri to the package, which might help it stand out from the increasingly crowded wearable field and alleged lookalikes.

Segway’s new $449.99 S2 Kids self-balancing scooter is a direct descendent of the brand’s original Personal Transporter but includes upgrades like animated RGB lighting and built-in Bluetooth speakers for blasting music. It’s got a top speed of 8.7 mph, a range of eight miles, and a weight limit of up to 132 pounds.