Our favorite product releases this week: Anker, Roborock, Whoop and more

There are a ton of great products that drop every week — and we're here, as always, to keep you up to date on the best of them. Each week, we'll be rounding up a short list of our favorite product drops from the last seven days for you to shop as you sip your morning coffee or take a quick break from work (trust, it's the only list you need for staying up to date on these things).
This week brings the launch of a fresh pair of Anker ANC earbuds, the long-awaited debut of the latest Roborock robotic vacuum and Whoop's new fitness tracker.
The first robot vacuum with a robotic arm is here
Back at CES 2025, our editors explored the Las Vegas showroom and found a robot vacuum roaming around the convention center, but it wasn't just any robo vac. It was the first version to include a built-in robotic arm. That new model from Roborock, the Saros Z70, won our award for the best cleaning product at CES and is finally shipping this week.
The Saros Z70 features a first-of-its-kind folding robotic arm called the OmniGrip that can pick up small items in the vacuum's path and neatly put them away in a designated spot. So, socks, cables and other obstacles can be cleaned up while the Roborock does its routine sweeping. As far as sucking up debris, the Saros Z70 boasts 22,000 Pa of suction power, a dual-brush anti-tangle system and two spinning mops.
All of that cleaning prowess will run you a pretty penny. There's a discounted launch price of $1,999, but that $600 price cut barely puts a dent in the vacuum's $2,599 MSRP. Stay tuned to see if our testing team ends up placing the Saros Z70 on our list of the best robotic vacuums.
Improved sound and ANC without the gimmicks
Anker's sub-brand, Soundcore, launched its previous entry into the Liberty earbuds series in 2022. Senior deals editor Rikka Altland found the value offered by those older buds compelling at the time, even if there were some gimmicks like built-in heart rate monitors. Since, the company has rethought what the Liberty lineup should offer, which brings us to the debut of the new Soundcore Liberty 5 Earbuds.
Anker's latest earbuds deliver everything you'd want a next-generation product to: improved active noise cancellation, longer 48-hour battery life, Dolby Atmos audio and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. That's all while ditching the heart rate tech in the previous edition. Altland has been using these buds for the past few days and appreciates just how solid the ANC is and how rich the audio is for a $130 pair of earbuds.
A new challenger to the Dyson and the Shark stylers
Since multi-stylers arrived on the scene to cut down on lengthy drying and styling routines, nearly every hair care brand has debuted its own iteration. The maker behind some of our favorite hot tools, like flat irons and hair dryers, just joined the fold. BaBylissPro's new StyleSwitch uses ionic technology to help reduce frizz. Dry hair with the handheld, then style by using any of the four attachments, including a diffuser, a paddle brush, a round brush and a smoother. It gives you the best of both worlds by using attachments seen in the Shark Flexstyle and the Dyson Airwrap, respectively. Switch through nine heat and speed settings, then lock in styles with its handy cold-shot button. It all rings in at $200 with a travel case included.
Food-inspired hair clips for a variety of updos
Associate deals editor Elena Matarazzo has been eyeing Jenny Lemons's hair clips for a while now. They're highly detailed, made from sustainable materials and add a pop of quirkiness to your outfit. Recently, the brand dropped its spring-ready hair and claw clips centered around a classic warm weather activity: picnics.
The collection includes mini claw clip options like a raspberry for $12, a midi wine bottle for longer hair that is $20 and lastly, its largest goes for $24. Matarazzo's favorites from the alligator collection are the carrot clips and the cutesy grapefruit barrette for half-up, up-half down styles.
Our favorite screen-less fitness tracker just got better
Whoop takes a far different approach to fitness tracking than anything from Apple, Fitbit or Garmin. The brand's screen-free tracker isn't meant to check in on notifications from your wrist. It's designed to collect as much data about your health and wellbeing as possible. When we reviewed the 4.0 edition, our editors found that Whoop's data-driven approach and personalized coaching might be the missing piece of your fitness journey. That is, if you're serious about understanding your body, optimizing recovery and achieving peak performance.
The new Whoop 5.0 continues that approach, bolstered by some new enhancements. These wearables are 7% smaller than their predecessors, while offering 10 times the power efficiency for as much as 14 days of battery life. There are also new health features like 'Healthspan' (Whoop's custom longevity metric), blood pressure monitoring, insights for women's hormone levels and revamped sleep tracking. Plus, there's also an MG version of the Whoop 5.0 that has added EKG capabilities for detecting atrial fibrillation and irregular heart rhythm.
When our outdoors editor Kai Burkhardt first tested the Whoop 4.0, he was deterred by the mandatory subscription cost. Much to his chagrin, the 5.0 tracker follows in those footsteps. The entry-level Whoop One tier includes Whoop 5.0 hardware and costs $199 annually. To get the MG model, you'll need to pay $359 a year for the Whoop Life subscription.
A fresh batch of size-inclusive bikinis and cover-ups
Just two years ago, the underwear brand Parade dipped into women's swimwear for the first time. It has only revitalized its lineup of fresh, cheery patterns ever since. This season's collection includes playful fruit-inspired prints and Y2K leopard designs. The brand does size inclusivity best, bringing that same expansive range — XS to 3XL — to its bikinis and coverups. Bottoms start at $28, while tops start at $40. Plus, you can mix and match its kitschy offerings to your heart's desire.
An eco-conscious men's capsule for summer vacations
Earlier this week, Fair Harbor finally launched its highly anticipated collaboration with Rothy's. It is a limited-edition men's capsule collection that includes shorts, swim trunks, footwear and other summer-ready pieces. Like always with Rothy's, the sustainable pieces are made from sustainable materials like recycled water bottles.
This is also Fair Harbor's first time stepping into footwear and, of course, it had to be done with a powerhouse like Rothy's. They introduced two options: a breathable, beach-ready boat shoe that retails for $159 and a sturdy flip-flop that's just under $40. Other items from the collaboration include swim trunks that range from $88 to $92, a linen button-up and an affordable tee.
A new take on our editors' favorite iPhone gaming grip
Backbone makes some of the best controller grips for your iPhone or Android smartphone. Its Backbone One controller has enabled all kinds of new mobile gaming experiences since it first launched in 2022. However, the Razer Kishi Ultra recently dethroned it as Altland's favorite accessory. Backbone seems to have noticed that its controller has been usurped by the competition and is now launching its own pro-style gamepad grip.
The new Backbone Pro lives up to that name with tons of new features packed into a design that more or less looks like the original we raved about three years ago. As for what's new, there are two full-size thumbsticks, a D-pad on the left and A, B, X and Y buttons on the right. The company also contends that its improved battery life can last as long as 40 hours on a single charge.
Though the biggest change has to be that the Backbone Pro can now also connect to devices over Bluetooth. The Backbone One relied on a wired USB-C or Lightning connection with a docked smartphone. Now, the Pro model can work with not just iPhones and iPads but also consoles and other gadgets. That versatility does earn the new gamepad grip a steep $170 price tag. Altland is excited to try it out and see if the elevated features justify that increased MSRP.
A refreshing watermelon-scented sunscreen
Good news for Watermelon Glow loyalists: The skin care brand expanded its fan-favorite lineup with a new liquid SPF. The Dew Shield Hydrating Fluid, priced at $35, taps an effective combination of hydrating glycerin, antioxidant-rich vitamin E and acne-fighting niacinamide, formulated to leave a dewy, glowy finish behind sans white cast or pilling. Its liquid consistency helps the formula apply and blend easily, while layering well underneath makeup, so you get a sunscreen and a primer all in one.
Our favorite bedding in dreamy florals and stripes
At CNN Underscored, we cannot get enough of Brooklinen's crisp, cool sheets, duvet covers and other bedding essentials. Even so, it has been a while since a collaboration wowed us — that is, until the May 6 launch of its Caroline Z. Hurley collection. The Brooklyn-based designer Hurley created summer-ready items to keep your sleep cool and your bed looking effortlessly stylish. The pastel linen stripes and playful florals are one-of-a-kind and are sure to add a bit of whimsy to your space.
The linen core sheet set starts at $369, its classic percale duvet set starts at $208 and lightweight cotton blankets are as low as $139.
This week also saw the launch of other products our editors deemed worthy of standalone coverage. Shop all these additional launches below, including a new electric freezer from EcoFlow, the latest Bang & Olufsen speaker and more.
Microsoft 12-Inch Surface Pro
This week, Microsoft launched its newest 2-in-1 laptop. It made its ultra-popular detachable machine more affordable in the process with the debut of this smaller 12-inch design. The new Surface Pro supports a refreshed keyboard that lays flat on the table and has gone up for preorder at Amazon.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen Speaker
Bang & Olufsen's previous-generation Beosound A1 once reigned as our favorite portable Bluetooth speaker until newer models from competing brands dethroned it. This week, the 3rd Gen version hit store shelves with better sound and that same iconic design.
EcoFlow Glacier Classic Portable Fridge Freezer
Electric coolers have been all the rage lately. Tech brands like Anker pioneered the way, while more trusted names in the cooler space like Igloo followed suite. Now EcoFlow is entering the ring with its own — and it just happens to be on sale at launch.
Alienware 16 Aurora Gaming Laptop
In addition to the new Microsoft laptops, Alienware has also shown off its newest portable gaming machines. The 16-inch Aurora laptop includes respectable specs like an Intel Core 7 processor, NVIDIA RTX 4050 GPU and 16GB of memory. As deals editors at Underscored, we are some of the first people to hear about the latest product news from reader-favorite brands. Our deals team — comprised of senior editor Rikka Altland, editor Jacqueline Saguin and associate editor Elena Matarazzo — is passionate about product launches that we would be tempted to shop, and we enjoy finding a coveted new item (especially one from a brand with top marks from our experts) because it means we're helping our readers make savvy buying decisions.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Gizmodo

10 minutes ago

• Gizmodo

Amazon Isn't Waiting for Prime Day, This Three-Port USB-C Charger Is Almost Free

Anyone who has wrestled with a tangle of cables and chargers is familiar with the frustration all too well. Modern living means multiple devices and each one seems to have its own power source. That's why Amazon's latest deal is such a breath of fresh air: the Anker 65W three-port charger is available at an all-time low price and it's a smart buy if you're looking to simplify their power needs. Right now, the Anker Nano II 65W three-port charger is on sale for just $29, thanks to an extra coupon that brings the price down from its original $55. That's a solid 48% off the original price and it puts this powerful charger within easy reach for most shoppers. It truly is the single charger that most people will ever need for their daily tech. See at Amazon The selling point of the Anker Nano II 65W is its combination of speed, versatility, and portability. At full load, a single device plugged into the main USB-C port can receive up to 65W of power—enough to fast charge a 13-inch MacBook Pro at full speed. When several devices are connected, the charger intelligently divides power between the three ports to give each device its optimal charge without throttling. That means you can charge your phone, tablet, and laptop all at the same time. The Anker charger is about the same size as an AirPods Pro case so you can just slip it in a bag or even a pocket. In spite of the small size, it packs a heavy punch courtesy of innovative GaN II technology. This latest generation of gallium nitride (GaN) technology offers a 100% increase in operating frequency which is an innovative stacked architecture and an enhanced circuit board. At just $29, it's an absolute bargain especially when you consider the time, space, and frustration it can save you on a daily basis. See at Amazon

News24

13 minutes ago

• News24

How robotic hives and AI are lowering the risk of bee colony collapse

The US has observed a startling uptick in the number of bee colonies dying off since the mid-2000s. Robotic hives are helping cut down losses as they are able to collect data and analyse the health of bees in real time. Some companies are developing vaccines to protect bees against disease. For climate change news and analysis, go to News24 Climate Future. Lifting up the hood of a Beewise hive feels more like you're getting ready to examine the engine of a car than visit with a few thousand pollinators. The unit - dubbed a BeeHome - is an industrial upgrade from the standard wooden beehives, all clad in white metal and solar panels. Inside sits a high-tech scanner and robotic arm powered by artificial intelligence. Roughly 300 000 of these units are in use across the US, scattered across fields of almond, canola, pistachios and other crops that require pollination to grow. It's not exactly the romantic vision of a beehive or beekeeper lodged in the cultural consciousness, but then that's not what matters; keeping bees alive does. And Beewise's units do that dramatically better than the standard hive, providing constant insights on colony health and the ability to provide treatment should it start to falter. The US has observed a startling uptick in the number of die-offs since the mid-2000s as beekeepers have struggled to keep pace with the rise of disease-carrying mites, climate extremes and other stressors that can wipe out colonies. That's endangering billions of dollars in crops from almonds to avocados that rely on the pollinators. This past year saw the worst colony losses on record. Beewise has raised nearly $170 million, including a $50 million Series D earlier this month, and it has a plan to change the industry. AI and robotics are able to replace '90% of what a beekeeper would do in the field,' said Beewise Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Saar Safra. The question is whether beekeepers are willing to switch out what's been tried and true equipment. READ | How did life survive 'Snowball Earth'? In ponds, study suggests Ultimately, the fate of humans is tied to that of bees. Roughly 75% of crops require pollinators, with nuts and fruits particularly dependent. While other species of bees and insects can play a role, they can't replace honeybees. 'There would essentially be no crop without the bees,' said Zac Ellis, the senior director of agronomy at OFI, a global food and ingredient seller. The beehive hasn't seen much technological innovation in 170 years. The Langstroth hive, named after the American reverend who patented it in 1852, is a simple wooden box with frames that can house the queen and her worker bees, larvae and honey. 'Langstroth hives are easy to work with, break down, build up, manipulate frames, make splits' and move, said Priya Chakrabarti Basu, a Washington State University bee researcher. These boxes are the backbone of the agriculture industry and the high-value crops that are heavily reliant on the 2.5 million commercial hives that crisscross the US on semi-trailers. Beekeepers with thousands of hives will travel from as far away as Florida to provide pollination services for California's $3.9 billion almond crop in spring before moving on to other states and crops. 'Almonds are one of the largest pollination events in the world,' said Ellis, who uses Beewise's hives on 30% of the acres he manages. 'Typically, a grower needs two hives per acre,' each with up to 40 000 bees. Pollinating the 10 000 acres of almonds, walnuts and pistachios he oversees requires millions of bees doing the brunt of the pollination work. The number of hives and demand have created a problem, though: Beekeepers are only able to check on their colonies' health every week or two. But a growing number of threats to bees means entire colonies can be wiped out or weakened past the point of no return in just a few days. READ | SA's iconic protea flower relocates as climate warms Toxic pesticides, a changing climate and a sharp uptick in the invasive, disease-transmitting varroa mite since the 1980s have contributed to the rise of what's known as colony collapse disorder. The exact role each of these issues plays in wiping out colonies is unclear, but they are also likely interacting with each other to take a toll. 'You are rarely going to find a bee who is only, for example, stressed by a mite or a bee who's stressed by a disease only or a bee who's only stressed by poor nutrition,' Chakrabarti Basu said. 'It is always a combination.' The impacts, though, are clear. From the 12-month period starting last April, more than 56% of commercial colonies were wiped out, according to the Apiary Inspectors of America. Beekeepers have taken a major economic hit as a result: Between last June and March, colony losses cost beekeepers an estimated $600 million, according to the Honey Bee Health Coalition. Robotic hives While a new hive design alone isn't enough to save bees, Beewise's robotic hives help cut down on losses by providing a near-constant stream of information on colony health in real time - and give beekeepers the ability to respond to issues. Equipped with a camera and a robotic arm, they're able to regularly snap images of the frames inside the BeeHome, which Safra likened to an MRI. The amount of data they capture is staggering. Each frame contains up to 6 000 cells where bees can, among other things, gestate larvae or store honey and pollen. A hive contains up to 15 frames and a BeeHome can hold up to 10 hives, providing thousands of datapoints for Beewise's AI to analyse. While a trained beekeeper can quickly look at a frame and assess its health, AI can do it even faster, as well as take in information on individual bees in the photos. Should AI spot a warning sign, such as a dearth of new larvae or the presence of mites, beekeepers will get an update on an app that a colony requires attention. The company's technology earned it a BloombergNEF Pioneers award earlier this year. 'There's other technologies that we've tried that can give us some of those metrics as well, but it's really a look in the rearview mirror,' Ellis said. 'What really attracted us to Beewise is their ability to not only understand what's happening in that hive, but to actually act on those different metrics.' That includes administering medicine and food as well as opening and closing vents to regulate temperature or protect against pesticide spraying. Safra noted that after two hurricanes hit Florida last year, BeeHomes in the state were still operational while many wooden hives were destroyed. That durability and responsiveness has Ellis convinced on expanding their use. Today, BeeHomes are on 30% of his acres, but he said within three years, they're aiming for 100% coverage. Whether other growers and beekeepers are as keen to make the switch remains to be seen, though, given nearly two centuries of loyalty to the Langstroth design. The startup wants to more than triple the number of BeeHomes in use, reaching 1 million in three years. 'We're in a race against time,' Safra said. 'We might have the best product on planet earth in 15 years, but it doesn't matter' if there aren't any bees left. Ellis likened the hives to a Ritz-Carlton for pollinators. The five-star stay appears to suit bees well: Beewise says its units - which it leases to provide pollination services at what it says are market rates - have seen colony losses of around 8%. That's a major drop compared to the average annual loss rate of more than 40%, according to Apiary Inspectors of America, a group that tracks colony health. 'The asset is the bees, that's the revenue-generating asset,' said Safra, noting that losing more than 40% of those assets makes it hard for businesses to cover labour to maintain hives, trailers to transport them and other fixed costs. Beewise expects to have $100 million in revenue this year, and Safra said it's a year away from profitability. The company declined to share the valuation for its Series D. READ | Austria trials DNA testing to uncover honey fraud It has competition in the bee-saving technology realm. Some companies like Dalan Animal Health are developing vaccines to protect bees against disease. BeeHero and Beeflow (sensing a pattern?) are among those that provide sensors for monitoring health in hives and fields. Both can help improve outcomes at Langstroth hives, but they still require regular beekeeper maintenance. Chakrabarti Basu from Washington State and her colleagues are also working on using AI to detect bees entering hives. 'The more data sets we can give, the better it'll be trained,' she said. 'Pattern recognition - it could be monitoring a brood frame, it could be looking at anything for estimating colony health or any aspect of colony health - I think AI will probably get better at it.'

Fox News

29 minutes ago

• Fox News

Fox News AI Newsletter: Amazon to cut workforce due to new tech

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER: - Amazon CEO says AI will reduce his company's workforce- OpenAI CEO claims Meta offering $100 million to poach employees- America's power grid faces unprecedented challenge as AI and crypto drive demand skyward TECH TAKEOVER: Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says artificial intelligence will "change the way" work is done and expects the company's total corporate workforce to be reduced as a result. 'GIANT OFFERS': Meta has allegedly tried to recruit employees from competitor OpenAI by offering bonuses as high as $100 million, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman claimed on a podcast that aired Tuesday. ENERGY OUTLOOK: The rise of artificial intelligence and the increasing popularity of cryptocurrency will continue to push electricity consumption to record highs in 2025 and 2026. POWER DRAIN CRISIS: Every time you ask ChatGPT a question, to generate an image or let artificial intelligence summarize your email, something big is happening behind the scenes. Not on your device, but in sprawling data centers filled with servers, GPUs and cooling systems that require massive amounts of electricity. GAME-CHANGING MACHINE: At ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab, engineers have created ANYmal-D, a four-legged robot that can play badminton with people. TECH POWER PLAY: OPINION: In 1823, President James Monroe drew a firm line in the sand: the Western Hemisphere would be closed to further European interference and, most importantly, America's primary domain of industrial, political, and military control. The Monroe Doctrine, while audacious, proved effective and laid the groundwork for the Western Hemisphere as America's stepping stone to the rest of the world. America was not yet a superpower and could not enforce it alone, however. Instead, America aligned British naval dominance with our interests to build a coalition of opportunity. America asserted its position, secured a partner through alignment against common rivals, and laid the groundwork for its emergence as a global superpower. ROBOT RUMBLE: Robot combat just got a lot more interesting in Hangzhou, China. Four Unitree G1 robots, each steered by a human operator, went head-to-head in a tournament called Unitree Iron Fist King: Awakening! AI EYEWEAR: Tech giant Meta on Friday announced it is partnering with Oakley to launch new performance glasses powered by artificial intelligence. FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitterLinkedIn SIGN UP FOR OUR OTHER NEWSLETTERS Fox News FirstFox News OpinionFox News LifestyleFox News Health DOWNLOAD OUR APPS Fox NewsFox BusinessFox WeatherFox SportsTubi WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE STREAM FOX NATION Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.