Your first apartment after graduation is probably not your forever home, but you can make it something you’re proud of with gadgets that do your bidding. You can automate your lights, keep an eye on your pets and clean up your floors more efficiently with relatively affordable devices that won’t eat up too much of your paycheck. We’ve tried out a lot of smart home tech over the years and here’s what we recommend for newbies and those with tight budgets.

Echo Show 5

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is a diminutive smart display often marketed as a bedside alarm clock, but it works equally well in small kitchens. You can play music, watch shows, check the news and weather and make video calls. Plus, with Alexa’s help, you can do all of that hands-free. But more importantly, the Show 5 can act as a smart dashboard of sorts, from which you can control connected devices and see feeds from security cameras. The Show 5 also acts as a digital photo frame when not in use and the built-in camera has a physical shutter for your privacy.

Blink Mini

If you’ve got pets or just want extra peace of mind when you’re away, you might want to get an indoor security camera. Amazon’s Blink Mini cameras are some of the most affordable options around and they easily sync with other Alexa-enabled devices. They can deliver video feeds to your smartphone, Echo Show, Fire TV or any compatible screen, and they’ll send you an alert when their motion sensor detects disturbances. You can hear and talk to whoever’s in the room via the built-in mic and speakers as well – handy for telling your dog to get off the couch.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K turns any screen with an HDMI port into a smart TV for under $50. Our commerce writer, Nicole Lee, likes Roku’s straightforward interface and the fact that it supports universal search so you can find out which service a given show is playing on. Unlike some streaming sticks, Roku works with all the major voice assistants: Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa. You can even control your TV by saying “hey Roku” to the included remote or through the Roku app. The same app turns your phone into a second remote and enables private listening through your headphones as well. The 4K dongle is made for high-resolution screens, but if you don’t have a 4K TV and want to save more money, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite is our favorite budget option.

Kasa Smart Bulbs

Connected bulbs might be the easiest way to turn your analog home into a “smart” one. A single smart light can ensure you never walk into a dark apartment again. You can set schedules for your daily routines or make it look like you’re home when you’re not. Being able to turn things off with just your voice or via an app can save you from getting out of bed when you’re ready to crash. Our senior commerce editor, Valentina Palladino tested a number of bulbs for our guide and thinks TP-Link’s Kasa Smart Bulbs give you the best value. Installation will be easy, even for those new to smart devices, thanks to Kasa’s clean and simple app. It’s worth noting that voice control is only available with Alexa or the Google Assistant; Siri is unfortunately incompatible.

Wyze Smart Plug

Like smart lights, smart plugs are affordable gadgets that can help you automate simple tasks around your home. You could program a fan to turn on before you get home from work or run a humidifier just before bed. If you have a basic on/off coffee maker, you can fill it with water and grounds the night before and wake up to a fresh pot of joe. Commerce writer Nicole picked Wyze’s Smart Plug for our smart home guide because it’s cheap, has an easy-to-use app and doesn’t hog the other outlet thanks to its thin profile.

iRobot Roomba 694

Senior commerce editor Valentina has tested more than a dozen robot vacuums and recommends iRobot’s Roomba 694 to anyone looking to keep their floors clean without spending too much money (or time). The company’s companion app is simple and probably the 694’s biggest selling point, guiding you through installation and programming. The vacuum can handle hard floors and carpet, and it runs for about 45 minutes on a charge, which should be enough for most smaller apartments. You’ll have to help it out when it gets snagged on a cable and empty the bin when it's full, but other than that, it’s a fairly hands-off way to get cleaner floors.

Govee M1 RGBIC smart light strip

Nobody’s knocking Christmas lights as decor, but strip lights are a slightly classier way to add flair to your space. You can use them to light up bookcases, create ambiance for your streaming setup or turn your bedroom into a color-coordinated haven. Govee makes many different smart LED strips, but the one senior commerce editor Valentina recommends in our guide is the M1 RGBIC. She was impressed by the light's brightness and wide spectrum of available hues. You can control different segments independently and the app has an “effects lab” that offers pre-programed lighting presets like sunsets, starry nights and movie-themed color palettes.

Sonos Roam

The Sonos Roam is both a smart and portable speaker, packing a decent amount of utility into a $180 package. While not the cheapest around, it’s relatively low-cost for Sonos, a brand known for quality audio. The Roam will play whichever music service you prefer, delivering clear highs and impressive bass for its size. Alexa is built in and you can access the Google Assistant too, which means you can use the speaker to order around your compatible smart home devices. And when it’s time to relax, you can ask Roam to play just about any song you can think of.

TP-Link AC1200 RE315 WiFi extender

Thick walls, weird layouts and other factors can make home WiFi reception spotty. If you’re experiencing dead zones in your apartment, a WiFi extender might help. TP-Link’s AC1200 RE315 is our favorite budget pick: it covers 1,500 square feet and delivers speeds of up to 1,200Mbps – plenty fast for streaming and working from home. It also has a built-in Ethernet port, which should provide an even more reliable connection to essential tech like your TV or game console.

Instant Pot Duo (3-quart)

Cooking for yourself is one of the bigger adjustments of adulting – it certainly was for me. Luckily a big batch of beans and rice can keep most humans alive for much longer than you’d think. The Instant Pot Duo cooks beans without soaking and makes fluffy rice; add a jar of salsa and you have a fairly well-rounded meal. Of course, it can cook more elaborate stuff too: search for Instant Pot recipes and you’ll get a lifetime’s worth of ideas. We recommend a larger version in our guide to kitchen gadgets, but this three-quart model is both more affordable and a better size for just one or two people.

Aria Air smart scale

Smart scales offer a more comprehensive view on your overall health, by presenting information like your body mass index and trends over time instead of just your weight. Our top budget pick is Fitbit’s Aria Air. It’s not as advanced as other options out there, but it tracks weight changes and gives you BMI metrics based on profile information. For $50, it's a good entry-level scale that syncs nicely with an app that our senior editor, Daniel Cooper, says is very polished.

The Apple Watch has effectively used the same processor since the S6 inside 2020's Series 6, but it's apparently poised for a long-due upgrade. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman tells subscribers in his newsletter Discord channel that Apple Watch Series 9 will reportedly use a truly "new processor." He believes the CPU in the S9 system-on-chip will be based on the A15 chip that first appeared in the iPhone 13 family.

Apple has upgraded the SoC hardware in Watch models following Series 6, but the revisions have added functionality rather than CPU improvements. The S8 chip in Series 8, Ultra and current-gen SE watches includes an updated accelerometer and gyroscope, for instance. Apart from that, it's largely identical to the S6.

While most details remain a mystery, there are some likely improvements. The S8 is still built using an old 7-nanometer manufacturing process, while an S9 is more likely to be made on a denser and more efficient 5nm or 4nm process. That could not only boost performance, but extend battery life. Apple has historically introduced new Apple Watches in September. 

Apple Watch Series 9 is otherwise believed to be an iterative update. Gurman previously suggested there will be no major design or feature changes. You may get the Bluetooth 5.3 support that came with the Ultra, but there might not be much incentive to upgrade if you already have a Series 7 or newer. For owners of older models, however, a speedier processor may help justify an upgrade on top of all the refinements from recent years.

Samsung's 1TB T7 Shield SSD not only offers solid read/write speeds but has a rugged exterior that helps it withstand drops, water and dust. It's now on sale for a record low price of $75, offering significant savings over the original $160 price tag. It's part of a Samsung storage sale that also feature the 980 Pro SSD 2TB drive down to just $140 ($20 off) and the 256GB EVO Select microSD memory card on sale for $18 ($22 off). 

While there are plenty of portable SSDs out there, the T7 Shield's claim to fame is the durable design. It can survive up to a 9.8-foot drop, and the IP65-rated chassis resists dust and water while offering a rubberized grip to stay in your hands. That makes it a solid choice for content creators and others that are constantly transferring data in the field and throwing drives into their bags.

While it's not the fastest model out there, the T7 Shield drive can hit 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s read/write speeds, respectively. That's more than fast enough to back up most memory cards, and the peace of mind from the hardened design could be worth any tradeoffs.

Samsung also has deals on memory cards and NVMe SSDs. A couple of notable deals are the 980 Pro 2TB NVMe Gen 4 SSD priced at $140, for a savings of 13 percent. You can also grab the 256GB EVO Select microSD memory card + adapter for just $18 and save $22. 

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Apple finally has professional creative software to match the iPad Pro. The company is releasing both Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad on May 23rd. The two tablet apps now feature a touch-friendly interface and other iPad-specific improvements, such as Pencil and Magic Keyboard support (more on those in a moment). At the same time, Apple wants to reassure producers that these are full-featured apps that won't leave Mac users feeling lost.

The apps also represent a change in Apple's pricing strategy. Where Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for Mac are one-time purchases, you'll have to subscribe to the iPad versions for either $5 per month or $49 per year. There's a one-month free trial. The move isn't surprising given Apple's increasing reliance on services for revenue, but it may be disappointing if you were hoping to avoid the industry's subscription trend.

Developing...

Artiphon, the company behind the Orba handheld synth and MIDI controller, launched a new AR music creation app today that you don’t need a musical background to enjoy. Minibeats for iOS uses gestures, dance moves and facial expressions to craft songs played on 12 virtual instruments with colorful visual effects.

You could view the Minibeats app as a phone camera equivalent to Artiphon’s music-creation hardware. Here, instead of tapping touchpads on top of an orb-like device, the app lets you wave your hands, smile, frown and bust a move; the camera will capture your gestures and turn them into corresponding music.

The app is an extension of the company’s mission to make music creation a fun and simple activity that anyone can do. “With an intuitive interface and zero learning curve, Minibeats allows you to make music in innovative ways using simple gestures,” Artiphon’s announcement reads. “Dance to the beat as Minibeats tracks your movements and mixes the music. Wave your hands to draw across the sky with sparkles, lasers, and ripples. And even play music by smiling and frowning as Minibeats detects your emotions and scores it with a mood that matches the moment.”

Artiphon

The app taps into the Snapchat CameraKit SDK, which Artiphon already used in custom lenses it launched earlier this year in collaboration with electronic artists San Holo and LP Giobbi. “The iOS app will take this idea even further with more music to choose from and even more exciting ways to play it,” the launch video below states.

Although the app is tailored for simplicity, it provides hint videos to show you the ropes and learn the subtler details of AR music creation. Additionally, it includes “dozens” of visual effects corresponding to your gestures and sounds. And, of course, the app makes it easy to share your creations, letting you download your makeshift music video to your iOS Photos library or share with friends through text, email or social apps.

One of the largest apps in the world is coming to Wear OS watches, 9to5Google and WaBetaInfo have reported. WhatsApp is now testing an app for Wear OS 3 on devices like the Galaxy Watch 5, Pixel Watch and others. It offers much of the functionality of the mobile versions, showing recent chats and contacts, while allowing you to send voice and text messages. 

To set up the app, you'll need to have the Beta version of WhatsApp on your phone. After installing the app on your watch, it will display an eight-digit alphanumeric code that you punch in to the mobile app.

WhatsApp

From there, a list of recent conversations will pop up, along with "Settings" and "Open on phone." Clicking any of the conversations will bring up individual or group chats, showing messages, images sent, etc. At the bottom of each chat, you can choose to send a voice or text message, using the system keyboard for the latter. Similarly, you can view or listen to any existing or received messages. 

WhatsApp offers a circular complication that shows unread messages on your watch's home page. There are also two tiles for contacts and voice messages, to let you quickly access people or start a voice message recording. 

It's a significant release for Wear OS 3, offering an ultra-popular app that most people have on their phones — in turn fulfilling Google's aim of getting more developers on the platform. To get the app, you'll need to sign up for the WhatsApp beta and be running version 2.23.10.10+ on both your smartphone and watch. 

If you’ve been following the handheld PC craze of late, you’ll know it’s a very kinetic category. And with ASUS throwing its hat in the ring, expect to see even more gaming handhelds trying to steal a bit of the Steam Deck’s lunch. Ayaneo, a relatively unknown player just a couple of years ago, has become one of the more prolific names in this space and its newest handheld - the Air Plus - is its latest effort to tempt folk over to the warm waters of portable PC gaming.

If the Air Plus looks familiar, that’s because it’s the third iteration of Ayaneo’s “Air” series and it comes with a choice of either AMD or Intel chipsets. The model we’re looking at here has the Ryzen 6800U processor meaning it’s technically very similar to the Ayaneo 2 we reviewed in Spring. Why make two handhelds with very similar specs? Because many people want the performance of the Ayaneo 2 in a more portable formfactor. While both are portable in the broadest sense of the word, the Air Plus is a shade smaller than a Nintendo Switch (albeit somewhat thicker), unlike the Ayaneo 2 which has a profile closer to the Steam Deck.

We should clarify right up top that this generation of Windows-based gaming handhelds don’t come cheap. While the base/64GB Steam Deck costs $400, the entry level Ayaneo Air Plus will set you back $790 for early birds before it retails for $979. That’s a lot more money - even if you chose the Steam Deck with the same internal storage (512GB), that would still only cost $649. That said, a lot of people really don’t like the size and weight of Valve’s handheld and appreciate the extra flexibility and power most of these alternatives offer. The success of Ayaneo’s last Indiegogo campaign tells us there’s an appetite for these devices regardless.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

While size is a key selling point here (the Steam Deck is over 2 inches wider and an inch taller), perhaps more importantly, Valve's handheld is over 5oz (145g) heavier. That extra heft does allow for more controls — there are no touchpads or rear buttons here. That said, the Ayaneo sneaks in a few clever controls along the top and on the lower edge for tasks like bringing up the onscreen keyboard or jumping out of Ayaspace to the desktop. The Air Plus also sports two USB-C ports which opens up the possibility to use peripherals at the same time as charging it.

The Air Plus isn’t quite a straight processor upgrade from the Air Pro — there’s also a larger battery (46.2Wh up from the Pro’s 38Wh and the original Air’s 28Wh), along with a new 6-inch 1080p display. There are also some other minor cosmetic tweaks that put the power button and headphone jack on the left and right respectively - the inverse of the models before them. The Plus is also about half an inch (13mm) wider than the original Air and Air Pro, which means if you had a case for one of those, it won’t fit the new model, sorry.

The first time you turn on the Ayaneo Plus, you’ll go through a minor bit of Windows setup. After that you’ll be dumped into Ayaspace, the company’s launcher that is designed to make the experience feel a bit more like a console than a tiny PC. It’s worth pointing out that Ayaspace is functional but you’ll regularly find yourself dealing with Windows. Navigating it is easy enough, with the left analog stick controlling the mouse aided by a physical shortcut button up top that brings up the on-screen keyboard. But it’s also not the smoothest experience if you’re coming over from something like the Steam Deck.

Photo by Aaron Souppouris / Engadget

For the most part, compatibility with the Air Plus should be greater than that of Valve’s rival, just by virtue of it running vanilla Windows. And as true as that is, you can still find yourself hitting a few bugs and glitches. When I installed Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) I had to google around to find out how to enter full screen mode (hint: change the graphics API in advanced settings to DirectX 12). When I tried to install Hotline Miami, I was prompted to install the .NET framework, which is about as fun as it sounds and then it loaded in a window far too big for the display (using Ayaspace’s resolution picker and then alt-tabbing out and back into the game fixed).

Quirks like this are definitely the exception not the rule, but common enough that if you’re looking for that dedicated gaming console experience, know that it’s not quite there yet. You can disable Ayaspace if you wish and use something like Steam’s Big Picture mode if that’s where your games are. You could also just launch things right from the desktop, too. But for all its shortcomings, Ayaspace does have some handy features and is a decent experience most of the time. Some industrious folks have even managed to get SteamOS running on Ayaneo devices, but the compromises still don’t make it an attractive alternative. After all, once you’re in a game you soon forget about the OS behind it.

However you get there, once launched, everything look great on the 6-inch IPS display. It’s a shame that it’s not an OLED panel like the one on the Air Pro, but the larger size more than makes up for it, and it’s nice and bright with a decent contrast ratio and color reproduction. Side by side with the equally-sized display on the Ayn Odin, the two are pretty close, but the Ayaneo is a little more vibrant.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

I’ve been chipping away at Disco Elysium for too long now, but having the chance to bring it with me on my travels with the Air Plus has exponentially increased my play time. While it’s not the most processor-intensive game, its unique art style looks fantastic here, and it runs at a full 60 fps at720p using just 10W TDP (thermal design power) - broadly speaking the setting that determines the amount of power you’re willing to give to the CPU at the expense of battery life. With these settings I was typically getting about three hours of play time per charge.

With something more intensive, like RDR2, you’ll have to jack the TDP up as it won’t run smoothly at 10W. With medium settings and even just 12 TDP I was enjoying 40-50 fps and about 2.5 hours of battery life. If I wanted Arthur’s expeditions up into the snowy mountains to look extra slick, 15- or 20W TDP would make 1080p and 60 fps possible but with a severe hit on play time - dropping down to about 1.25 hours. This can reach back up to 2 hours if you sacrifice either fps or drop back down to 720p.

So yeah, that’s not a fantastic outlook for more demanding games on higher settings, but with a few minor concessions you can still have a great experience, one that will see you through a good chunk of a flight or kill a lazy afternoon without having to hangout near an outlet. If you’re into less demanding games like Persona 4 Golden or certainly things like Hotline Miami, Trine or Celeste you can likely get away with a lower TDP and flirt with around four hours of play time. There’s enough anecdotal evidence that the Steam Deck can often run games well at lower TDPs, giving it longer play times for certain titles, but either way these machines are all power hungry right now.

Photo by James Trew / Engadget

For the brave, the Plus will go up to a maximum of 28W TDP, which means it can run quite a lot of AAA titles at higher settings, but you’re going to want to do that while plugged in. And, arguably, that defeats half the purpose of a portable device. But if you want to bring your games with you when you travel, rather than rely on WiFi for streaming, or simply prefer to play on something like this even when at home on the couch (which is me, to be fair), this is obviously less of an issue. In fact, right now, one could argue that these handhelds are most attractive to those looking for a hybrid option that allows them to break free from the PC even if that is just to play in the lounge and take on the odd flight.

Regardless of your motives, if you’re excited by handheld gaming PCs, then the Air Plus is a competent, if decadent alternative to the Steam Deck that offers generally higher performance. If Ayaneo can refine the software experience and, (at least going forward), the price, then this whole category could get a lot more interesting.

Sony's X-Series party speakers typically have few tricks up their sleeves to power your gatherings. The company's latest model, the SRS-XV800, packs in a lot those but it also has an additional handy tool. Besides a built-in light show, karaoke mode and more, this speaker is also equipped with an optical port to connect to your television. 

Thanks to a TV Sound Booster feature, the SRS-XV800 can add "deep bass and room-filling sound" to any TV. Sony says the speaker's two rear tweeters and X-Balanced Speaker units combine to offer "realistic" highs and upgraded low-end tone to movies and shows. The company explains that sound from the XV800 bounces off the walls to "surround the listener" and enhances things like live performances. To use TV Sound Booster, you'll need to connect your TV to the speaker with an optical cable, so you'll need a display with that connection in order to employ the tool. This feature is currently available on the SRS-XV900, but that larger unit will cost you $150 more. 

In terms of core party speaker features, the SRS-XV800 offers omni-directional sound that Sony says can deliver audio to "every corner of the room." There are five tweeters total, sending "clear" treble to both the front and the back of the unit. Two X-Balanced drivers pump out "higher clarity, less distortion and punchy bass" to complete the sound profile. As a reminder, those X-Balanced speakers are rectangular instead of round or square, which Sony says not only increases area but also increases sound pressure that leads to improved bass and overall clarity. My colleague Jon Turi has observed "big and bassy" sound on Sony's party speakers in our best portable Bluetooth speaker guide, noting that the SRS-XP700 is a good option for "loud, thumping beats." 

Sony says you can expect up to 25 hours of battery life on the XV800, but that's with the customizable, built-in light show turned off. If you find yourself in a pinch, a 10-minute charge will give you up to three hours of use. This speaker is portable, but it's also a beast. Sony added wheels and a handle so you don't have to carry this behemoth when you need to relocate it. In terms of entertainment, the XV800 has inputs for a karaoke mic and guitar alongside the ability to manage playlists, karaoke voice effects and more inside the Music Center and Fiestable apps. Lastly, the speaker's IPX4 rating protects your investment from errant splashes (IPX2 when horizontal).

Sony

Sony is also debuting a new, tiny portable speaker today. The SRS-XB100 replaces the SRS-XB13 in the company's compact Bluetooth lineup with a familiar design. The short, cylindrical unit has a Sound Diffusion Processor to spread sound further in any environment, powered by a passive radiator and an off-center diaphragm. Sony says these components muster big sound that remains clear even at higher volumes. And yes, you can use two of these for a stereo pair or connect even more for a louder setup. The XB100 is IP67 rated so you don't need to worry even if you drop it in the pool. The company says the speaker will last up to 16 hours on a charge and a built-in microphone can be used for calls. Sony explains the mic is equipped with Echo Cancelling tech so that two people can talk at the same time without being cut off.

Both the SRS-XV800 and the SRS-XB100 will be available for pre-order starting today. The XV800 is $649 and ships on May 15th while the XB100 is $59 and ships on May 22nd.

Graduating high school is a huge milestone, but the transition to young adulthood that comes just after can be as overwhelming as it is exciting. If you know a recent graduate, a good gift to celebrate the occasion could also make their next chapter more manageable. We’ve compiled a list of gadgets, gear and services that might help, whether the grad in your life is heading to college or entering the workforce.

Anker Soundcore Life Q30

A good set of noise-canceling headphones can help your grad get in the zone while studying, quiet the bustle of a new commute or just keep them relaxed on a flight back home. Anker’s Soundcore Life Q30 are some of the few worthwhile noise-cancelers available for less than $100. Their cushy design is comfy to wear for hours at a time, and their 40+-hour battery life is excellent. While their active noise cancellation isn’t as robust as a higher-end pair like the Sony WH-1000XM5, it’s effective enough to be useful. The sound here is very bass-heavy out of the box, but it’s possible to customize that to something more measured through Anker’s mobile app. If your grad would prefer a set of wireless earbuds, Anker’s Soundcore Space A40 are a similarly impressive value.

OluKai Kipuka Hulu/Ku’una slippers

For keeping warm during the cold winter months or simply not walking around the dorm barefoot, a set of OluKai slippers should make your grad’s day-to-day more comfortable. The Kipuka Hulu (for men) and Ku’una (for women) both slip over the whole foot easily and have delightfully soft interiors (the latter has a bit more fuzz around the heel). Both have simple yet attractive leather exteriors, plus sturdy rubber outsoles that will allow your grad to make quick jaunts to the bodega or around campus with minimal discomfort.

LapGear Designer lap desk

When your grad doesn’t feel like sitting at their actual desk, a lap desk can make working from the couch more comfortable. If nothing else, it’s a more organized solution than having them prop their laptop up on a throw pillow. If you think the graduate in your life could use one of these, the LapGear Designer is a fine choice. Its underside is soft yet stable, while its smooth top surface is easy to clean and large enough to fit a 17-inch laptop. There’s a stop at the bottom that helps keep their stuff from sliding off when the desk is slanted at an angle, as well as an elastic band for holding pens and notepads and a storage slot for phones. The accessory only weighs about two pounds on its own, while a built-in handle makes it easier to carry around.

Google Chromecast with Google TV

Cable TV isn’t known for being reasonably priced, but with a media streamer like Google’s Chromecast, your grad can cut the cord without missing what’s on. Though it launched back in 2020, the Chromecast still runs fast enough, supports all the major apps and can stream video in 4K and HDR (including Dolby Vision). Its Google TV interface does well to personalize its home screen and suggest new content based on your viewing habits, and its search results are generally sensible. You can also search by voice through its remote. Naturally, the UI integrates well with Google services like YouTube and Nest cameras.

Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K is another commendable option in the same $50 range. It has a simpler interface built around a basic grid of apps, and it also supports Apple’s AirPlay protocol, so your grad can beam content right from their iPhone. It’s just not as adept at searching for or proactively suggesting content as Google’s streamer.

Anker 733 Power Bank

A portable power bank will keep your grad’s devices alive while they’re out of the house (and save you a little stress in the process). Anker’s 733 Power Bank is a particularly versatile take on the concept, as it can plug into an outlet and double as a wall charger. It has two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, so your grad can top up multiple devices at once. In wall-charger mode, it can deliver up to 65W of power, which is enough to charge some smaller laptops. As a portable battery, this drops to 30W, but that’s still enough to charge any iPhone at full speed. The 733 itself is fairly compact given its functionality, but if you think your grad would prefer something more pocketable, the Anker 511 Power Bank is a much smaller 2-in-1 option that we recommend in our guide to the best power banks.

Timbuk2 Lane Commuter Backpack

There are any number of backpacks that could work for a graduate in need of a bag refresh, but Timbuk2’s Lane Commuter Backpack is one we’ve recommended before. This 18-liter bag isn’t the largest pack, but it’s light, comfy and sturdily constructed, with a pair of bottle holders, a compartment for a 15-inch laptop and enough pockets for carrying the essentials to work or class. It has reflective panels on the front and shoulder straps to keep itself visible at night, and while it’s water-resistant on its own, it comes with a removable sleeve for full protection from heavy downpours.

If your grad needs more space for stuffing lots of tech, Timbuk2’s Authority Laptop Backpack Deluxe (28L) might be a better buy. SwissGear’s 1908 ScanSmart is another hefty option (32L) that has served yours truly well for years and costs less than $100, though it doesn’t look as nice and is more likely to show more signs of wear over time. You can read our roundup of our favorite backpacks for other suggestions, too.

Tomtoc Defender A-13 laptop case

Having a dedicated sleeve for their laptop can give your grad an extra bit of protection for one of the most important (and expensive) gadgets they have to carry around every day. There are a ton of suitable options here, but we’ve found Tomtoc’s Defender A-13 series to offer a tight yet secure fit, enough protection to fend off scuffs and scratches and enough water resistance to withstand spilled drinks. Plus, it has a pouch for holding accessories. Several colors and sizes are available, and at $30, it’s relatively affordable.

Hulken bag

The Hulken bag is a big rolling tote that your grad can use to more comfortably wheel around groceries, laundry or any other large hauls. It’s available in three sizes, and while it’s not exactly cheap, it feels comfortably durable. (Anecdotally, mine has shown little sign of wear after about a year of weekly use.) The bag folds up for tidier storage, and there are a few built-in handles that make it easier to lift up stairs or carry around campus. All told, Hulken says the bag can carry up to 66 pounds. Something like this might be most useful for city dwellers, but if your grad hasn’t done their own laundry and grocery shopping much before, it should take some weight off their shoulders, literally and figuratively.

Away Carry-On suitcase

The popular Away Carry-On is a stylish and sturdy hard-sided suitcase your grad should appreciate when it’s time to come back home. Its polycarbonate shell is tough but not overly stiff, and it’s available in several bold colors. Its zippers, adjustable handle and fully rotatable wheels all feel substantial. As a 40-liter suitcase, it can fit enough items to last a week or so on the road, plus it comes with a breakaway bag for dirty laundry. Away sells larger models as well, and it backs all of them with lifetime limited warranty.

The Carry-On has been my personal suitcase for several years now, and while it has caught some scuffs over time (like most polycarbonate cases), it hasn’t shown any major signs of degradation after several international trips. You can get luggage with more compartments if efficiency is your main concern, and it’s hard to call this a strong value, but as a gift, the Carry-On should delight any grad who’d like a fashionable and lightweight suitcase.

Xbox Game Pass subscription

Xbox Game Pass remains a great value for any grad who owns an Xbox or gaming PC. The subscription’s library includes big-name series like Halo and Minecraft alongside more experimental gems like Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment, and it still gets you access to first-party Xbox games on day one. Everything is available to download on-demand. The Ultimate tier includes perks like cloud gaming and online play, but there are cheaper options for just Xbox consoles or PCs as well.

If your graduate plays more on PlayStation or the Nintendo Switch, there are similar services you can gift: PlayStation Plus for the former, Switch Online for the latter. These will almost certainly be appreciated if you’re buying for someone who games frequently, though they’re not quite as strong a value as Game Pass in terms of cost or included games.

Moshi Digits touchscreen gloves

Your grad probably won’t need them for a few more months, but the Moshi Digits are the rare winter gloves that are both warm and not impossible to use with a smartphone. Their knitted exterior and microfleece lining are sufficiently protective from the cold, while a set of rubber strips make it easier to keep hold of a phone. Typing with the Digits on isn’t as fast as using your bare hands, but it’s responsive enough to pull off brief texts and searches without constant typos. The gloves aren’t perfect: They’ll run tight for those with large hands, and they can be susceptible to loose threads. But if your grad is heading somewhere cold and needs to text on the go, they should help.

Instant Pot Vortex Mini Air Fryer

An air fryer is a no-go in many college dorms, but for grads moving into a new apartment, it’s a fast and accessible tool for cooking many smaller meals. Among these, the Instant Pot Vortex Mini is a good option for cramped living spaces that we recommend in our guide to the best air fryers. It’s a two-quart model that takes up very little countertop space, and while it can’t cook a ton of food at once, it can still prepare things like wings, tofu and roasted veggies with minimal fuss. Its controls and pre-programmed settings are all dead simple to operate, and like most air fryers, it’s not a pain to clean. For grads who could use something beyond a microwave, it should make meal time easier. If you’d rather buy something bigger, consider the top pick in our guide, the Instant Vortex Plus.

GrubHub gift card

Here’s a simple one: Regardless of their current culinary skills, your grad is probably going to use a food delivery service like GrubHub sooner rather than later. We’ve yet to find a young adult who will say no to free food, so gifting them a couple of meals is an immediate and practical way to make their early days of independence more manageable.

Bluesky, the Jack Dorsey-backed decentralized social network, isn’t publicly available yet but it’s already become one of the buzziest Twitter alternatives. Scoring an invite to the service, which has been in a closed beta for barely two months, has become a sought-after status symbol with invite codes selling for hundreds of dollars on eBay.

The iOS app has been downloaded more than 375,000 times, according to analytics from data.ai, and the app has already become one of the most popular social media apps in the Play Store barely two weeks after launching. Those numbers may not seem particularly impressive, but considering the app only has about 65,000 users – it’s clear that demand for the service is far outstripping the number of available invites.

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky started in 2019 as an internal project at Twitter with the goal of creating an open source decentralized standard for social media. Dorsey, a longtime proponent of decentralized networks, had long championed the idea of such a standard, saying he hoped Twitter could one day “be a client of this standard.”

Bluesky went independent in 2021, and officially ended its association with Twitter in 2022 following Musk’s takeover of the company. Bluesky is now overseen by CEO Jay Graber, along with a small team of developers. Dorsey is still attached to the project — he has a seat on Bluesky’s board — but isn’t running the show like he once did at Twitter. “Jack doesn’t have unilateral power,” Graber wrote in a recent post on Bluesky. “I have the most control over this endeavor.”

Dorsey, who these days posts more often on Nostr, his other decentralized social media of choice, is at least an occasional Bluesky user. He recently took to Bluesky to share his latest thoughts on Musk and how he has handled the Twitter acquisition. The former CEO, who once said “Elon is the singular solution I trust,” said he thought Musk should have walked away from the Twitter deal, and that the company “went south” after his acquisition.

The service itself looks and feels a lot like Twitter. Bluesky defaults to a chronological timeline of accounts you follow, but there’s also an algorithmic “what’s hot” feed that surfaces popular posts or “skeets” as early users have dubbed them. It doesn’t yet have as much functionality as Twitter — for example, there are no direct messages or video support — but the interface is almost identical to Twitter.

Bluesky is also invitation-only, which has so far helped fuel its viral success. The platform began opening its waitlist more widely last month, and new users receive one invite code every two weeks (though some of the more prolific users get codes more often). Graber has said the invite system is meant to prevent spammers and others from easily gaining access to the platform, and to ensure it grows “organically.”

How is it different from Mastodon?

Both Bluesky and Mastodon are open source and decentralized, but there are some significant differences between the two. Mastodon is built on a protocol called Activity Pub, which has since been embraced by other platforms like Medium, Flipboard and even Meta.

Bluesky is building its own protocol, called the AT Protocol or Authenticated Transfer Protocol. As the company notes on its website, Bluesky, the app, is meant to show off what the AT Protocol can do, similar to how early browsers demonstrated the potential of the web.

According to Bluesky, one of the biggest differences between AT and other decentralized social networking standards is how it handles account portability. “With the AT Protocol, you can move your account from one provider to another without losing any of your data or social graph,” the company explains.

Bluesky

Right now, Bluesky itself is running the only instance of the platform. But just as Mastodon has thousands of servers available, there could eventually be numerous Bluesky servers run by other entities. That’s also where the emphasis on account portability comes in: it should make moving between servers fairly seamless, including taking your social graph with you when you move, which isn’t currently possible on Mastodon.

Bluesky is also taking an interesting approach to algorithms and moderation. On Mastodon, each server sets its own norms and moderation guidelines, which are enforced by admins. But while Bluesky’s team is to some extent setting their own norms for what’s currently acceptable, the app allows users to customize what level of moderation they want, ranging from “hide,” “warn,” or “show,” for things like hate speech, spam and impersonation.

Bluesky

Right now, there are some moderation labels that appear on posts containing things like impersonation, but Graber says the goal is for labels to eventually be community-led so that moderations can function independently of individual servers. Graber has dubbed the approach “composable moderation.”

Similarly, the platform is planning a customizable take on algorithms. Graber has said Bluesky wants to create a “marketplace of algorithms” so users can be in control of how their feeds are filtered.

Why is it suddenly so popular?

Like many other Twitter-like services, there’s been increased interest in Bluesky since Elon Musk took over the company. Its early ties to Dorsey and Twitter has also fueled the curiosity of those searching for a new platform.

But it wasn’t until Bluesky began opening more of its waitlist over the last couple weeks that it started to become more widely known. As the service approached its first 50,0000 users last week, more and more prominent Twitter users have joined. Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, James Gunn, Chrissy Teigen, Rian Johnson and other celebrities have joined in recent days. So have other recognizable Twitter users like WeRateDogs, Dril, darth and Musk nemesis ElonJet.

It’s not just former blue checks though. Black and transgender voices have also found Bluesky welcoming. So have sex workers and shitposters. Needless to say, things have also gotten very weird, very quickly.

The massive influx of users exposed a technical glitch that soon became known as the “hellthread.” The glitch meant that long threads with lots of replies would break in the app’s main feed but users would continue to see notifications for new replies. “Just don’t reply to the thread to stay out,” Graber posted. Bluesky users, naturally, had other ideas. People not only kept replying, they tagged others into the phantom thread. At some point, users began dropping nudes into the hellthread, ultimately causing the app’s developers to block nudity from Bluesky’s “What’s Hot” feed.

Weirdness and nudity aside, Bluesky’s current popularity seems to be driven by both novelty of the service and because it’s so much smaller and simpler than its predecessor. The small user base and invite system has also so far mostly kept out trolls and bots and spam that tend to make Twitter a lot less usable for high-profile accounts or people from marginalized backgrounds. At a time when Twitter has reversed rules protecting trans people, unbanned Nazis and harassers, and algorithmically favors those paying for blue checks, Bluesky is a reminder of how good “old Twitter” used to be,

Will it last?

Just how long the good vibes will last is another question. Bluesky isn’t the first Twitter alternative to take off and see a surge in interest from former Twitter power users. Mastodon surged for months last year following Musk’s takeover of Twitter, and inspired high-profile Twitter users and developers to flock to the platform. But that growth seems to have now leveled off, and the number of active users has declined after months of growth.

Bluesky has some advantages over Mastodon: it’s easier to use and much more intuitive for Twitter users, assuming you can score an invite. But whether Bluesky remains as popular as it is now will likely depend on if the platform can sustain the same level of interest once it expands beyond the current invite system. Many viral apps start off as invite only (Clubhouse, for example) only to fade into the background once they are no longer exclusive and novel.

On the other hand, Twitter is still a mess and there is clearly sustained demand for a non-Musk operated alternative.