This Week The Trend (Issue 65)
This week's picks include projection glasses, a kid's media player, and a ceramic cup.
How I’d spend $500: RayNeo GT Max
The RayNeo GT Max is a perfect travel companion for watching movies and working on your laptop. These glasses plug directly into your device, get power over USB-C, and are small to carry around.
When you do plug these glasses in, you see a huge 250-plus-inch display. So, even if you're crammed into a middle seat, you can have a big viewing experience. Not only do you get a second screen for your laptop, but this is a way to make gaming big too. I love how content looks using the GT Max.
Value Score: Poor
The GT Max glasses are the newest model from RayNeo. If you don't want the latest and greatest, with the possibility to get HDR Dolby Vision content using the Pocket TV Pro add-on, then there are cheaper models.
How I’d spend $150: Yoto Mini 4th Gen
The Yoto Mini 4th Gen is a kid-friendly portable speaker. It has a slot of audio cards that can contain audiobooks, music, or other listening sessions. The player connects to a parent's phone using the mobile app so they can control it, if need be.
This new model adds a green side button. This gives kids fast access to stored content on the 64GB device. Parents can add or remove stored audio using the app. But the green button makes travel and daily use a lot more convenient to get to certain content quickly.
Value Score: Fair
If you're just comparing the cost of Bluetooth speakers, the Yoto Mini 4 doesn't come out ahead. But in terms of ease of use for parents and kids, there's just nothing as fun and useful as the Yoto Mini 4.
How I’d spend $50: Not Paper Cup (Instant Noodle)
This may look like an average paper cup, but it's actually ceramic. The illusion is part of the appeal, but so is the craftsmanship. The 'Not Paper Cup' series comes in three sizes. This particular one is fit for instant noodles. It measures 4.5 inches by 5 inches and is 18.6 fluid ounces. The other sizes are ideal for coffee or ice cream.
Value Score: Poor
This product is not about the value. It's about the craftsmanship use of certain materials. To that point, one or more of these cups could make a fine holiday gift for someone who appreciates the finer things.
The winning pick: Yoto Mini 4
I have a feeling the Yoto Mini 4 will be a hot gift item come Novemeber. The past models didn't feel cheap or lacking, but the new button on the Mini 4 solves a lot of issues. Plus, the new one has more storage space and better resistance to water.
Are you looking for even more picks this week? Here are a few things worth considering.
An expensive pick: Apple HomeView
Apple's new smart speaker with a screen is the HomeView. It has a camera for FaceTime and personalized content. It can be your smart home controller using the Home app. Plus, there are the same iPhone experiences like Messages and Safari.
The HomeView is available to pre-order now. It comes out November 13. If you don't mind the silver or space gray color options, those are already $10 off, down to $289.
Media pick: Narnia: The Magician's Nephew
Everyone knows C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, but how many people know the origins? This new trailer looks good. But it seems like Netflix is hoping it will be more than good, and the start of a new smash-hit trilogy series. The movie won't go to the streaming service first. It will be in theaters starting February 12, 2027, and won't appear on Netflix until April 2.
This week's other interesting deals and product news
- Timex is having a Holiday Preview sale with 30% off select watches.
- The Apple Watch SE 3 is on sale for $199, down from $249.
- Google has a new Universal Cart for shopping. You can save products from different retailers, and Google will track prices and offer coupons and other ways to save.
- Fujifilm is releasing a new instant camera, the Instax Square 2.
- CMF by Nothing released two new speakers: Speaker M for $109 and the Speaker S for $59.
This week's published stories
- Rivian R2 review [Yahoo]
- Ray-Ban Meta Audio Clubmaster review [Yahoo]
- Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar review [Business Insider]
- Apple Watch Series 12 review [Business Insider]
- EarFun Wave Pro X headphones review [Yahoo]
- BougeRV DuneRover wagon review [Yahoo]
- Widow's Bay is the perfect show to stream for Halloween [Yahoo]
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