We’re starting to hit our stride in 2026. Now that February is here, our reviews team is flush with new devices to test, which means you’ve got a lot to catch up on if you haven’t been following along. Read on for a roundup of the most compelling new gear we’ve tested recently from gaming, PCs, cameras and more.

Nex Playground

Nex

The Nex Playground brings motion-tracked games to the entire family. Consider it the best of the Xbox Kinect in a tiny box.

Pros

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• Fun core titles
• Solid motion-tracking
• Well-designed hardware and UI
• Large library of games
• Works offline

Cons

• Requires an ongoing subscription to access most games
• Needs large open space for play

If you still have a fondness for the Xbox Kinect, the Nex Playground might be right up your alley. Senior reporter Devindra Hardawar recently put the tiny box through its paces and found an active gaming experience that’s fun for the whole family. “While I have some concerns about the company’s subscription model, Nex has accomplished a rare feat: It developed a simple box that makes it easy for your entire family to jump into genuinely innovative games and experiences,” he wrote.

MSI’s Prestige 14 Flip AI+

MSI

MSI’s Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a remarkably powerful ultraportable, thanks to Intel’s Panther Lake chips. But it’s held back by a clunky trackpad and weak keyboard.

Pros

• Excellent CPU performance
• Solid gaming support
• Bold OLED screen
• Tons of ports
• Relatively affordable

Cons

• Awful mechanical trackpad
• Dull-feeling keyboard
• Display is limited to 60Hz

Devindra also tested MSI’s latest laptop, the powerful Prestige 14 Flip AI+. While the machine got high marks for its performance, display and connectivity, he noted that the overall experience is hindered by subpar keyboard and truly awful trackpad. “As one of the earliest Panther Lake laptops on the market, the $1,299 Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is a solid machine, if you’re willing to overlook its touchpad flaws,” he explained. “More than anything though, the Prestige 14 makes me excited to see what other PC makers offer with Intel’s new chips.”

Shokz OpenFit Pro

Shokz/Engadget

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Finally, a set of open earbuds that actually sound good and provide noticeable ambient noise reduction.

Pros

• Effective noise reduction
• Comfy fit
• Great sound for open earbuds
• Dolby Atmos support

Cons

• Sound quality varies with ear shape
• Over ear hook isn’t for everyone
• Noise reduction isn’t as effective as ANC

Fresh off of its Best of CES selection, I conducted a full review of the OpenFit Pro earbuds from Shokz. I continue to be impressed by the earbuds’ ability to reduce ambient noise while keeping your ears open. And the overall sound quality is excellent for a product that sits outside of your ears.

Sony A7 V

Sony/Engadget

With a new partially-stacked 33MP sensor, Sony’s A7 V offers speed, autofocus accuracy and the best image quality in its class.

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Pros

• Fast shooting speeds
• Quick and accurate autofocus
• Outstanding photo quality
• Good video stabilization

Cons

• Video lags behind rivals
• Uncomfortable to hold for long periods

Contributing reporter Steve Dent has been busy testing cameras to start the year. This week he added the Sony A7 V to the list, noting the excellent photo quality and accurate autofocus. “The A7 V is an incredible camera for photography, with speeds, autofocus accuracy and image quality ahead of rivals, including the Canon R6 III, Panasonic S1 II and Nikon Z6 III,” he said. “However, Sony isn’t keeping up with those models for video.”

Apple AirTag (2026)

Apple/Engadget

Apple has improved its Bluetooth tracker in practically every way, making it louder and extending its detection range.

Pros

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• Precise Finding is far more useful
• Louder and easier to hear
• Same price as the original AirTag

Cons

• Still lacks a keyring hole
• Apple’s AirTag accessories are too expensive

Our first Editors’ Choice device of 2026 is Apple’s updated AirTag. All of the upgrades lead to a better overall item tracker, according to UK bureau chief Mat Smith. “There’s no doubt the second-gen AirTags are improved, and thankfully, upgrading to the new capabilities doesn’t come at too steep a cost,” he concluded.

from the good-deals-on-cool-stuff dept

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Note: The Techdirt Deals Store is powered and curated by StackCommerce. A portion of all sales from Techdirt Deals helps support Techdirt. The products featured do not reflect endorsements by our editorial team.

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OpenAI launched Frontier, a platform for building and governing enterprise AI agents, as companies increasingly question whether to commit to single-vendor systems or maintain multi-model flexibility.

The platform offers integrated tools for agent execution, evaluation, and governance in one place. But Frontier also reflects OpenAI’s push into enterprise AI at a moment when organizations are actively moving toward multi-vendor architectures — creating tension between OpenAI’s centralized approach and what enterprises say they want.

Tatyana Mamut, CEO of the agent observability company Wayfound, told VentureBeat that enterprises don’t want to be locked into a single vendor or platform because AI strategies are ever-evolving. 

“They’re not ready to fully commit. Everybody I talk to knows that eventually they’ll move to a one-size-fits-all solution, but right now, things are moving too fast for us to commit,” Mamut said. “This is the reason why most AI contracts are not traditional SaaS contracts; nobody is signing multi-year contracts anymore because if something great comes out next month, I need to be able to pivot, and I can’t be locked in.”

How Frontier compares to AWS Bedrock

OpenAI is not the first to offer an end-to-end platform for building, prototyping, testing, deploying, and monitoring agents. AWS launched Bedrock AgentCore with the idea that there will be enterprise customers who don’t want to assemble an extensive collection of tools and platforms for their agentic AI projects. 

However, AWS offers a significant advantage: access to multiple LLMs for building agents. Enterprises can choose a hybrid system in which an agent selects the best LLM for each task. OpenAI has not made it clear if it will open Frontier to models and tools from other vendors.

OpenAI did not say whether Frontier users can bring any third-party tools they already use to the platform, and it didn’t comment on why it chose to release Frontier now when enterprises are considering more hybrid systems.

But the company is working with companies including Clay, Abridge, Harvey, Decagon, Ambience, and Sierra to design solutions within Frontier. 

What is Frontier

Frontier is a single platform that offers access to different enterprise-grade tools from OpenAI. The company told VentureBeat that Frontier will not replace offerings such as the Agents SDK, AgentKit, or its suite of APIs. 

OpenAI said Frontier helps bring context, agent execution, and evaluation into a single platform rather than multiple systems and tools.

“Frontier gives agents the same skills people need to succeed at work: shared context, onboarding, hands-on learning with feedback, and clear permissions and boundaries. That’s how teams move beyond isolated use cases to AI co-workers that work across the business,” OpenAI said in a blog post.

Users can connect their data sources, CRM tools, and other internal applications directly to Frontier, effectively creating a semantic layer that normalizes permissions and retrieval logic for agents built on the platform to pull information from. Frontier has an agent executive environment, which can run on local environments, cloud infrastructures, or “OpenAI-hosted runtimes without forcing teams to reinvent how work gets done.”

Built-in evaluation structures, security, and governance dashboards allow teams to monitor agent behavior and performance. These give organizations visibility into their agents’ success rates, accuracy, and latency. OpenAI said Frontier incorporates its enterprise-grade data security layer, including the option for companies to choose where to store their data at rest.

Frontier launched with a small group of initial customers, including HP, Intuit, Oracle, State Farm, Thermo Fisher, and Uber.

Security and governance concerns

Frontier is available only to a select group of customers with wider availability coming soon. Enterprise providers are already weighing what the platform needs to address.

Ellen Boehm, senior vice president for IoT and AI Identity Innovation at Keyfactor, told VentureBeat that companies will still need to focus their agents on security and identity. 

“Agent platforms like OpenAI’s Frontier model are critical for democratizing AI adoption beyond the enterprise,” she said. “This levels the playing field — startups get enterprise-grade capabilities without enterprise-scale infrastructure, which means more innovation and healthier competition across the market. But accessible doesn’t mean you skip the fundamentals.” 

Salesforce AI executive vice president and GM Madhav Thattai, who is overseeing an agent builder and library platform at his company, noted that no matter the platform, enterprises need to focus agents on value.

“What we’re finding is that to build an agent that actually does something at scale that creates real ROI is pretty challenging,” Thattai said. “The true business value for enterprises doesn’t reside in the AI model alone — it’s in the ‘last mile.’”

“That is the software layer that translates raw technology into trusted, autonomous execution. To traverse this last mile, agents must be able to reason through complexity and operate on trusted business data, which is exactly where we are focusing.” 

Boardroom priorities are shifting from financial metrics toward technical oversight. Although market share and operational efficiency remain business bedrocks, executives also must now manage the complexities of machine learning, the integrity of their data systems, and the risks of algorithmic bias.

The change represents more than just a tech update; it marks a fundamental redefinition of the skills required for business leadership.

Research from the McKinsey Global Institute on the economic impact of artificial intelligence shows that companies integrating it effectively have boosted profit margins by up to 15 percent. Yet the same study revealed a sobering reality: 87 percent of organizations acknowledge significant AI skill gaps in their leadership ranks.

That disconnect between AI’s business potential and executive readiness has created a need for a new type of professional education.

The leadership skills gap in the AI era

Traditional business education, with its focus on finance, marketing, and operations, wasn’t designed for an AI-driven economy. Today’s leaders need to understand not just what AI can do but also how to evaluate investments in the technology, manage algorithmic risks, and lead teams through digital transformations.

The challenges extend beyond the executive suite. Middle managers, project leaders, and department heads across industries are discovering that AI fluency has become essential for career advancement. In 2020 the World Economic Forum predicted that 50 percent of all employees would need reskilling by 2025, with AI-related competencies topping the list of required skills.

IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA: Artificial Intelligence

Recognizing the skills gap, IEEE partnered with the Rutgers Business School to offer a comprehensive business education program designed for the new era of AI. The IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA: Artificial Intelligence program combines rigorous business strategy with deep AI literacy.

Rather than treating AI as a separate technical subject, the program incorporates it into each aspect of business strategy. Students learn to evaluate AI opportunities through financial modeling, assess algorithmic risks through governance frameworks, and use change-management principles to implement new technologies.

A curriculum built for real-world impact

The program’s modular structure lets professionals focus on areas relevant to their immediate needs while building toward comprehensive AI business literacy. Each of the 10 modules includes practical exercises and case study analyses that participants can immediately apply in their organization.

The Introduction to AI module provides a comprehensive overview of the technology’s capabilities, benefits, and challenges. Other technologies are covered as well, including how they can be applied across diverse business contexts, laying the groundwork for informed decision‑making and strategic adoption.

Rather than treating AI as a separate technical subject, the online mini-MBA program incorporates the technology throughout each aspect of business strategy.

Building on that foundation, the Data Analytics module highlights how AI projects differ from traditional programming, how to assess data readiness, and how to optimize data to improve accuracy and outcomes. The module can equip leaders to evaluate whether their organization is prepared to launch successful AI initiatives.

The Process Optimization module focuses on reimagining core organizational workflows using AI. Students learn how machine learning and automation are already transforming industries such as manufacturing, distribution, transportation, and health care. They also learn how to identify critical processes, create AI road maps, establish pilot programs, and prepare their organization for change.

Industry-specific applications

The core modules are designed for all participants, and the program highlights how AI is applied across industries. By analyzing case studies in fraud detection, medical diagnostics, and predictive maintenance, participants see underlying principles in action.

Participants gain a broader perspective on how AI can be adapted to different contexts so they can draw connections to the opportunities and challenges in their organization. The approach ensures everyone comes away with a strong foundation and the ability to apply learned lessons to their environment.

Flexible learning for busy professionals

With the understanding that senior professionals have demanding schedules, the mini-MBA program offers flexibility. The online format lets participants engage with content in their own time frame, while live virtual office hours with faculty provide opportunities for real-time interaction.

The program, which offers discounts to IEEE members and flexible payment options, qualifies for many tuition reimbursement programs.

Graduates report that implementing AI strategies developed during the program has helped drive tangible business results. This success often translates into career advancement, including promotions and expanded leadership roles. Furthermore, the curriculum empowers graduates to confidently vet AI vendor proposals, lead AI project teams, and navigate high-stakes investment decisions.

Beyond curriculum content, the mini MBA can create valuable professional networks among AI-forward business leaders. Participants collaborate on projects, share implementation experiences, and build relationships that extend beyond the program’s 12 weeks.

Specialized training from IEEE

To complement the mini-MBA program, IEEE offers targeted courses addressing specific AI applications in critical industries. The Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Chip Design course explores how the technology is revolutionizing semiconductor development. Integrating Edge AI and Advanced Nanotechnology in Semiconductor Applications delves into cutting-edge hardware implementations. The Mastering AI Integration in Semiconductor Manufacturing course examines how AI enhances production efficiency and quality control in one of the world’s most complex manufacturing processes. AI in Semiconductor Packaging equips professionals to apply machine learning and neural networks to modernize semiconductor packaging reliability and performance.

The programs grant professional development credits including PDHs and CEUs, ensuring participants receive formal recognition for their educational investments. Digital badges provide shareable credentials that professionals can showcase across professional networks, demonstrating their AI competencies to current and prospective employers.

Learn more about IEEE Educational Activities’ corporate solutions and professional development programs at innovationatwork.ieee.org.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is especially tricky, as a variety of words could fit the theme. Some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story. 

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Boo-o-o-o-ring

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Zzzz… not very exciting.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

• HIND, DATE, DRUM, MOST, CHIN, PAIN, RAIN, NOSE, TOME, TOMES

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

• DULL, DREARY, HUMDRUM, MUNDANE, TIRESOME

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is WATCHINGPAINTDRY. To find it, start with the W that’s three letters up from the bottom on the far-left row, and wind up, across and down.

Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest.

#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT. 

#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

The final exposure control feature is one I use a lot, and it’s exposure compensation. This works with the auto exposure and can be used to combat the tendency to go too slow with the shutter speed be forcing the Ace Pro 2 to underexpose the image. The exposure comp here is the best among action cameras, running from –4 stops to + 4 stops in ⅓-stop increments. I set the Xplorer Grip to control EV, so when I am in auto mode, the dial is an exposure comp dial just like “real” camera. (The dial can also be set to control ISO, shutter speed, shooting mode, filter selection, and white balance.)

Even better, if you’re in manual mode and you want to go back to auto, the first click of the dial will open the side panel, the second will switch from manual to auto, the third will start adjusting your exposure value. This is a really fast way to get from a carefully composed exposure back to full auto without needing to get into the touchscreen menus.

The final thing worth mentioning is the included Leica color profiles. If you haven’t updated your firmware recently, you should. Insta360 has added a few more of these. Because I shoot RAW, I don’t use these much, but as color profiles go these are great, especially the new Leica high-contrast black and white, which is what I’ve been using most of the time. This way I get a black-and-white JPG and a full-color RAW file.

To be honest, I did not have high hopes for the Xplorer Grip Pro Kit. For me, action cameras have primarily been for shooting around water, and while that still works with the bare camera, it doesn’t with the grip. However, I was pleasantly surprised using the Ace Pro 2 with the Xplorer grip as an everyday camera.

I would say it’s best thought of as a compliment to your existing “real” camera. It’s not going to replace your interchangeable lens camera. It could replace your point-and-shoot, but I haven’t done that, because sometimes I want a pocket camera with a 28mm lens. Instead, the Ace Pro 2 with the grip has become an extra camera that I bring along when I want a wide angle or fisheye look and don’t feel like lugging a big, heavy, fast, full-frame, ultrawide lens.

Sergii Gordieiev, the engineer behind “The Q,” is the mastermind behind some incredibly unique innovations, such as transforming regular bicycles into something entirely different. His new project involves disassembling a basic bike, removing the chain and derailleur, and replacing them with a chain composed of 3D printed gears. The end result is a stripped-down single-speeder that delivers power directly from the crank to the wheel, with no sign of chain slap or rattling worn chains.

Gordieev starts with a conventional bike, removes the chain, derailleur, and everything else, and then installs a one-of-a-kind spur gear combination created with Fusion 360. The drivetrain consists of a large gear that connects to the crank arms (where the chainring would normally be), as well as a series of smaller idler gears that fill the gap between the crank arms and the back wheel. Others have used three 16-tooth idler gears, but Gordieiev has opted for a series arrangement, which is simpler and more reliable.

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All of these components, as well as the mounts and supports that keep them firmly in place even when things go hairy, were created using the same 3D printer: a Phrozen ARCO. The epoxy used for these parts is of high quality, so they’re far more likely to last, which is useful because they can withstand the full force of your cycling without squeaking.

Gordieiev to go through a significant amount of trial and error to get the proper gear balance that will just function, smoothly, silently, and without the irritating slippage or backlash that comes with a regular chain. Getting everything to fit together in the first place is a real conundrum, because each gear must fit snuggly into an axle or bearing fastened to the frame, or the entire drivetrain will fly apart the moment you start pedaling.

When the bike is up and running, it is evident that the entire concept works in the real world. Sure, the moving teeth are a little louder than a quiet-shifting chain, but they move smoothly and consistently. While the power transfer is silky smooth, with almost no play from a worn chain, it’s a single-speed design, so you’re trapped heading downhill at full speed.
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