Sonos PLAY
The Bluetooth speaker market has seen a resurgence, with many manufacturers offering portable, affordable audio devices. Sonos refreshed its PLAY lineup, focusing on multi-room convenience and refined sound. Unlike typical Bluetooth-only speakers, Sonos products use your home WiFi network to communicate, letting you start and control music from any source or device in the house through the Sonos app. Multiple speakers can be paired for true stereo playback, and the Trueplay feature—delivered as an app update—tunes the speaker to your room. Using an iPhone’s microphone, Trueplay measures room acoustics and automatically adjusts the speaker’s output for better balance and clarity. Price range: $199–$499.
sonos.com
© Microsoft
Microsoft Surface Book
Microsoft expanded its hybrid laptop/tablet lineup with the Surface Book as a premium flagship. It ships with Windows 10, displayed on a 13.5-inch screen that uses a 3:2 aspect ratio. That taller format can seem unusual at first but feels more natural when using the device in tablet mode. The display is detachable, allowing touch input, and the optional Surface Pen improves the writing experience with a resistive tip that better simulates pen-on-paper, an eraser for quick edits, and a shortcut button to summon Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana. The Surface Book blends high-end performance with flexible form factors for creators and power users. Price: $1,499.
microsoft.com/surface
© Garmin
Garmin vívosmart HR
Continuous heart-rate monitoring became a major trend as wearables added sensors while prices dropped. Garmin joined this trend with the vívosmart HR, an update to its activity-tracking band that includes 24/7 heart-rate sensing. Alongside heart-rate data, the band tracks steps, calories burned, floors climbed and sleep patterns. It pairs with smartphones to display notifications, manage music playback and handle calls. Designed for active use, the vívosmart HR is swim-friendly to a depth of 164 feet and offers up to five days of battery life on a single charge, making it a practical choice for users who want long-term tracking without daily recharging. Price: $150.
garmin.com
© Roku
Roku 4
While devices like Apple TV and Chromecast attract wide attention, the Roku 4 stands out as a top-performing set-top streamer. Roku pioneered on-demand streaming hardware with the original Roku DVP in 2008, and the company has steadily expanded its platform since then. The Roku 4 adds 4K Ultra HD support and provides access to more than 3,000 channels and apps, including major services such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, as well as niche and specialty channels. Its broad app ecosystem and straightforward interface make it a strong choice for cord-cutters and streaming enthusiasts. Price: $129.99.
roku.com