Gear

Square has a new way for merchants to take your money: a new handheld device. The payment company’s little white pucks, touchscreen terminals, and portable wedges already crowd the world of contactless point-of-sale payments; you’ve probably swiped or tapped on a Square gadget countless times at cafés, retail stores, and …

The boundaries of Apple’s walled garden aren’t as well defined as they used to be; Apple Maps is the latest app to break out. It has taken a while—the app launched in 2012—but you can now use Apple Maps on the web. You can load it up in a browser …

We tested and recommend all of the heart rate monitors below, which do a pretty impeccable job. But what does this data mean? Heart rate zones: If someone tells you they’ve been doing 80/20 training, they’ve been doing heart rate zone-based workouts. Heart rate zones are an easy way to …

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu The phone’s edges are so thin that it might affect how you hold it for a long period, because there’s just not much for your fingers to grab. Time will tell. But once the wonder of the thinness fades away, you’ll start wondering about battery life. The …

Other Options Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Insta360 X3 for $270: You’ll have to settle for 5.7K footage here, and that’s on a 1/2-inch sensor, which is only 1080p when you crop to a rectangular video format. Still, you get nearly the same form factor as the X4, and you can use …

For many listeners, bookshelf speakers (aka stand-mount speakers) provide the quintessential audio experience, blending a potent cocktail of performance, value, and convenience. These pint-size blocks play a key role in nearly every corner of the audio spectrum, and they can be the answer to all your sonic needs, from TV …

Others We Tested EcoFlow Wave 2 for $1,299: Lisa Wood Shapiro tested the newest model for this update. The EcoFlow Wave 1 has cooled down my wife’s office for more than a year just fine—we can’t use a window AC there because it would block the fire escape. Lo and …

I’ve never been a vertical mouse person. These mice have a vertical shape that puts your palm in a more neutral posture, reducing strain on the wrist. But every time I’ve used one in the past, it felt awkward, unnatural, or like I was making a trade-off in exchange for …

This model from Petcube attempts to combine popular laser toys that cats go crazy for with a pet security cam, to mixed results. Like many other cameras from the brand’s lineup, it has crystal clear color and night vision, an extrawide view, two-way audio, and fun features available with the …

Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when shopping for a new sleeping pad. When backpacking, we suggest sticking with inflatable pads or self-inflating pads (though these are generally heavier), which offer the best insulation and cushioning to size and weight. Whatever you specific needs, your goal is …