What's New

Dell's XPS line has been part of the 13-inch ultrabook world since its introduction at CES 2012. In the six years that have passed since then, the line has seen a steady series of upgrades, largely just to keep up with the march of technology. However, the latest revision is arguably the biggest one the XPS has seen since its introduction. That said, Dell hasn't exactly redrawn the blueprints. The machine is still designed with portability at top of mind. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

HTC's Vive pioneered room-scale virtual reality, and brought it to the homes of enthusiasts. That innovation came at a price—it launched at $800, costing hundreds more than its closest competitor, the Oculus Rift. As of March 19, 2018, it finally has a price tag of $500. You can now buy the standard Vive for $500 (give or take a dollar), which comes with a copy of Fallout 4 VR, the headset, two motion controllers, and two sensor Base Stations that you place around your room. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

At Outdoor Retailer in January, surrounded by the hubbub of thousands of people and products, I sat perfectly still. I couldn’t move. My feet were strapped into Tecnica’s custom heat-molding machine as I endured being fitted for a test pair of the Tecnica Forge GTX hiking boots. First, Tecnica product manager Federico Sbrissa heated the boot’s insoles to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. When I stepped onto them with socks on, they felt comfortably warm, not hot. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Wright Brothers flew the first practical aircraft through the skies just outside Dayton, Ohio in 1905. Today, that same air space sees wonders Orville and Wilbur could only dream of: fighter jets, bombers, and other aircraft flying upside down, soaring in formations, writing words with smoke. It’s all part of the Dayton Air Show, an aerial spectacle that draws more than 40,000 people to the birthplace of aviation each June. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Amazon's popular Echo family of devices keeps growing. From the first can-shaped Echo, to the big-screen Echo Show, and even the cute Echo Dot, you can get Alexa into your home any number of ways. These Echo products can answer your questions, help you order essentials for your home, play all sorts of audio content, and even function as the control hub for your burgeoning smart home. These are our favorite Amazon Echos for every home and every budget. The Echo Plus is the best-sounding Echo. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

After you’ve tried more than three or four robot vacuums (which I have), you become acutely aware of how hard it is to innovate within such a limited set of constraints. Robot vacuums all tend to be around the same size and shape. The dust bin and the ports are usually in the same place. Maybe the app looks a little different, maybe one has better mapping capabilities. Maybe one has sacrificed a little suction power to have longer battery life. Not so with the Powerbot R7065. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

While many companies have made it their raison d'etre to turn ordinary outdoor gear into coveted status symbols, few have done with as much success as Austin, Texas-based Yeti. The contrast between the plain, utilitarian objects and the extensive Yeti re-engineering of them is so extreme that it almost verges on parody. It's hard to imagine paying $350 for a cooler when my Igloo has lasted for almost fifteen years. Yeti also sells a high-end bucket. Now, listen, I have many buckets. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Need a new laptop or desktop? Microsoft's store has great discounts in honor of March 14, aka 3/14, aka Pi Day. That's why you'll save as much as 31.4 percent off some high-quality PCs from Lenovo, Dell, HP, and other manufacturers. Here are our favorite PCs that are on deep discount today. And, since they're direct from Microsoft, these PCs are all optimized to run their best without pesky bloatware. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Clocks move forward this weekend, which can only mean it’s time for the East Coast to struggle under feet of snow once again. Well, that or it's time for Barack and Michelle Obama to team up with Netflix to produce shows to guide humanity into the future. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Social Networks walk a fine line between being a useful tool and a crippling addiction. Whether you want your free time back, or don’t like your information scattered about on the internet, you may be considering deactivating some accounts. Wanting to delete your account is one thing, but actually being able to hit the delete button is another story. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices