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Read Now: This Week's Toy News Trembles Before the Gaze of Teeny Skeletor – 101 Latest News

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This Week's Toy News Trembles Before the Gaze of Teeny Skeletor

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Image: Sentinel, Fisher Price, and Jakks Pacific

Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round up of the coolest toys and merchandise on the internet. This week, Fisher-Price sets its teeny tiny little people hands on some pop culture crossovers, and Sentinel’s Iron Man inspired figure line gets mischievous. Check it out!


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Image: Mattel

Fisher-Price Masters of the Universe Little People Collector Set

Credit where credit is due, Fisher-Price is getting real aggressive at expanding its collectible Little People figures: a toy line that was once primarily targeted at toddlers but now appeals to adult collectors who actually have bank accounts. We’re getting a couple of new collections this week, starting with the Masters of the Universe gang including He-Man, Moss Man, a Skeletor you can’t help but “d’awwww!” at, and Faker, which seems like an odd inclusion given the MOTU universe has so many other great characters, and including a repaint in the first outing is a bit disappointing.


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Image: Mattel

Fisher-Price Ted Lasso Little People Collector Set

This week’s other Fisher-Price Little People news is that He-Man and Skeletor will have to make on the shelf for the cast of Apple’s Ted Lasso, who are also getting the toddler-friendly fig treatment. The $20 box set should be available at retailers already, and includes itty bitty versions of Rebecca Welton, Keeley Jones, Coach Beard, Roy Kent, Sam Obisanya, and Ted Lasso.


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Image: Sentinel

Sentinel Marvel Comics Fighting Armor Loki Figure

The latest in Sentinel’s line of “Fighting Armor” toys—a.k.a. to come to the inevitable conclusion of the MCU and turn everyone into an Iron Man—arrives to its first villain in the form of Loki. Inspired by his classic helmeted look from the first Avengers, this armored Loki has multiple hands for posing, a wired cape for extra dramatic posing, and even a speared take on his his tesseract-holding scepter. He’s set to cost 13,860 Yen (about $103) and will release in Japan February 2023. [Toyark] 


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Jakks Pacific The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Link Figure

One of the greatest video games of all time deserves an expansive figure collection based on all the characters, baddies, monsters, and animals in the game. But instead, we get a trickle of random figs from various companies, including Jakks Pacific this time, best known for its Super Mario toys, but who is apparently expanding its Nintendo license. The four-inch figure still includes a solid 14 points of articulation and includes a bow, arrow, quiver, and cloth tunic. Link is available for pre-order now from Entertainment Earth for just $20, with shipping expected sometime in September.


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Hasbro Marvel Spider-Man Web Chompin’ Spider-Rex

It’s hard to believe that Marvel would create a storyline whose sole purpose was to generate fodder for toys and collectibles, but call us cynical because it seems like that’s exactly what the Edge of Spider-Verse comic is for. At this point it’s best known for introducing the world to a Tyrannosaurus rex version of Spider-Man, which has already inspired Halloween costumes, and now a $45, 16-inch long figure from Hasbro with sound effects, chompin’ action, and webs that shoot out of the T.rex’s mouth. We’re suspecting that’s a power actual dinosaurs never had, but records from that time are spotty at best. The Web Chompin’ Spider-Rex is available for pre-order now from Entertainment Earth, and available sometime this month.


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Disney Hocus Pocus Sanderson Sisters Plush Set

If being pummelled by droughts, humidity, and the unbearable heat of another climate changed Summer doesn’t have you looking forward to the Fall, Disney’s Hocus Pocus sequel arriving in late September surely will, along with a mountain of merchandise targeting a fan base that’s grown immensely since the original film hit theaters in 1993. If you’re somehow able to resist this $40 Sanderson Sisters plush set featuring Sarah, Mary, and Winifred decked out in shimmering fabrics with a matching velour cauldron, then we’re betting you’re also not the type who loves seeing everything pumpkin spice hit stores in late July.


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Image: Hasbro

Hasbro Connect 4 Spin Game

Connect 4 ranks up there among the most iconic of board games, and does the impossible by taking the concept of Tic-Tac-Toe and making it enjoyable to play with the unique twist that players can’t always place their piece exactly where they want to. Connect 4 Spin adds another wildcard variable to the game. After dropping their colored piece into one of the five columns, players actually spin the entire column like a giant wheel which has a 50/50 chance of reversing the stacking order and position of the already played pieces. Available this Fall for $22 it seems like it might take some of the strategy out of the game, which skilled players might dislike, but allowing unskilled players to take advantage of blind luck.

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Read Now: Macs, MR, and more: Everything coming from Apple in a jam-packed June – 101 Latest News

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WWDC 2023: Tim Cook steht vor einer Herausforderung

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Read Now: Best iPhone 14 Camera Accessories – CNET – 101 Latest News

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Best iPhone 14 Camera Accessories     - CNET

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$90 at Amazon

Aputure MC LED video light

Powerful lighting on a budget

$100 at PolarPro

PolarPro Apex Minimalist tripod

PolarPro Apex Minimalist tripod

Our favorite iPhone tripod (Update: Out of stock)

Not too long ago, photographers used to laugh at smartphones. A lot has changed over the years, however, with many phone launches focusing on the cameras themselves. Now smartphones can take impressive photos on par with even the best cameras. All you need is some additional gear, and you can be shooting photos that border on professional-grade. 

The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro offer excellent features that creative professionals will enjoy, like multiple rear cameras — including a superwide-angle lens — that can capture incredible photos and videos. 

Perhaps the most notable, however, is the addition of ProRes, which started in the previous generation and is available on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It enables you to produce a far more professional-looking postproduction look. This means that, now, creative professionals can incorporate these phones into their productions. 

And sure, you can simply walk outside with your phone and snag some beautiful footage, but there’s a wealth of iPhone 14 accessories you can use that’ll help elevate both your videos and photos to new levels to wow your followers.

Here’s our list of the best gear to pair with your iPhone to give your shots a boost. Every iPhone 14 accessory listed here has been tested by us to make sure it works as well as it’s supposed to. If it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list. Look no further if you’re after the best iPhone filming accessories to take your skills to the next level. These excellent accessories will make shooting a breeze. 

Read more: Best iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Cases You Can Buy Right Now

The best iPhone camera accessories 

There’s no one accessory that by itself will revolutionize your iPhone photography, as different products bring different things to the table. I love the Moment Anamorphic lens as it lets you achieve a stunning cinematic look with your phone. DJI’s phone gimbal meanwhile provides superb stability to get super smooth-looking shots, while the Aputure MC LED video light simply lets you light up the scene you’re shooting when the sun goes down. 

But an LED light will do nothing to improve your audio, so you’ll need to look towards the Rode VideoMicro if sound quality is important. These items all add something different to your photo and video production and used together let you take your mobile video production to a whole new level. Want some inspiration? Here’s my guide for shooting better video with your phone. 

SmallRig Mobile Video Cage

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Camera cages are common tools that let you attach a wide variety of accessories to a DSLR, including lights, microphones, handles and external monitors. SmallRig’s new mobile cage offers much the same functionality, but for your iPhone, and with multiple mounting points around the edge to attach whatever accessories you need like microphones. 

I’ve been using the cage with an attached Aperture LED light, PolarPro tripod and Rode microphone (all seen below), which makes for an incredible mobile vlogging rig. SmallRig also offers various attachments of its own, including top and side handles, which help provide stability when you’re hand-holding while filming. The cage is solidly built from aluminum, has bayonet lens mounts (see below), and has a convenient clasp for easily slotting your phone in and out. 

Moment Anamorphic lens

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Anamorphic lenses are normally something you’d find in a professional cinematographer’s kit bag. These lenses provide a wider aspect ratio that you get in a wide angle lens, along with distinctive blue-line lens flares that give footage a much more filmic quality. Moment’s mobile anamorphic lens does exactly that for your iPhone.

Clip it on and it’ll squeeze your footage into the shorter, wide shots format that completely transforms the look of the video you can take from your phone. I’ve absolutely loved the look of my phone footage using the lens and it’s a must-have for any budding film producers wanting to up their game with their phone. 

You’ll need to shoot with apps like Filmic Pro that let you “unsqueeze” the footage so it doesn’t look all distorted on most cameras. The lens uses a bayonet mount that attaches to compatible cases, including Moment’s own ones or a variety of third-party options, including the SmallRig cage mentioned above.

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Aputure MC LED video light

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

iPhone cameras don’t have the greatest lighting, so having a backup light is always a good idea. This USB-C rechargeable video light is packed with LED lights and is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand but puts out a huge amount of light when you’re short of proper lighting.

It’s great for lighting up your subjects, whether that’s for portraits, product photography or macro or to light up yourself if you’re vlogging at night. The power output is easily adjustable, as is the color temperature of the light. 

It also has a variety of creative light effects to spice up your production, including simulations of fireworks, lightning, a flickering fireplace or the flashing red and blue of police car lights.

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DJI Om 5 gimbal

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The iPhone 14’s built-in image stabilization is already superb, but for an even smoother ride, consider using a dedicated gimbal like DJI’s OM 5. It evens out all but the most aggressive movements, allowing you to get smooth tracking footage of you running behind your subject as you film a chase scene. 

It also has a built-in extendable selfie stick, which not only makes it great for YouTube vloggers, but also allows for more creative angles by holding it up higher, or even flipping it over and having the camera run close to the ground or through grasses.

Rode VideoMicro microphone

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Recording good audio for your vlogs or your next iPhone-based short film is crucial, and while the iPhone does a decent job of capturing audio, a dedicated microphone will take things to the next level. Rode’s VideoMicro shotgun mic can plug into your phone’s Lightning port (via an adapter) and provides crystal-clear audio when recording with the standard iPhone camera app or any third-party video app, making it one of the best iPhone camera accessories on the market. 

I love using it on top of my phone for vlogging and the included wind shield is superb for cutting out wind noise when working on location. Alternatively, get a 3.5mm extension cable and you can try using the mic on the end of a boom pole for recording audio in a conversation you’re filming.

It’s a great investment if you’re looking for a directional microphone.

Profoto B10

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

At $1,349, industry goliath Profoto’s B10 studio flash will be little more than a pipe dream for most. But if you want to get truly professional lighting on location or in a studio using your iPhone, the B10 is second is one of the best iPhone camera accessories. . This pro flash is designed primarily for use with DSLRs but can also be used with iPhones and Android phones via the Profoto app. If you’re ready to take your smartphone photography to the next level, it allows you to get shots with your phone that would simply not be possible to achieve without it. 

Sure, most pros probably wouldn’t consider shooting a major project on just their phone, but it’s a potentially great backup in case of camera failure, or simply a lightweight and convenient way to test ideas in the field without hauling bags of gear around.

It also comes with a carrying case that will protect it from other elements. Its rechargeable battery provides a battery life that can provide more than 400 full flashes.

Moment MagSafe tripod

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Rather than use screw clamps to secure your phone in place, Moment’s tripod mount uses Apple’s MagSafe system, which makes it incredibly quick to pop your phone in place and start shooting. When you’re done, just rip your phone away from the magnetic disk and pop it back in your pocket. Easy!

The minimalist approach to the mount’s design makes it extremely compact so it’s no hassle to always carry it with you for when inspiration strikes. The magnets are strong, too, so you don’t need to worry about your phone popping loose while you’re walking along. It’s available as a mount by itself, or with the cold-shoe bracket (pictured) to attach a microphone when vlogging.

PolarPro Apex Minimalist tripod

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Having a solid tripod can make all the difference in getting stable, wobble-free video, particularly if you want to put yourself in the frame. PolarPro’s Apex Minimalist tripod is a great option for mobile producers, as its compact size means it’s easy to chuck into a backpack, but it’s burly enough to support bigger cameras should you need to. 

I love using it for static shots, and for holding my phone up to shoot vlogs while walking around. It comes either with an integrated twist-locking ball head, or as the tripod legs only. I prefer the latter as it allows me to use my own compact ball heads, which are more stable with heavier loads.

How we test iPhones

We test phones in real-world scenarios, looking at the performance of the processor, battery and cameras, and judge how each model compares to its competition. We take value into account, as well as extra features like storage, connectivity, software additions and anything else that will make a real difference to your life with the product. 

Accessories like the ones seen in this list are treated in exactly the same way; they’re put to real-world use both indoors and outside, evaluating how well they perform and whether they’re worth the money. Everything that’s featured here has been tested by our own fair hands and if it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list. 


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Read Now: Ford offering flexible EV leases to Uber drivers – 101 Latest News

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Ford offering flexible EV leases to Uber drivers

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Ford is teaming up with Uber to offer flexible leases on electric vehicles to rideshare drivers.

Uber is under pressure from governments around the world to get more of its drivers into EVs to reduce tailpipe pollution and fight climate change. And Ford is eager to get more of its Mustang Mach-Es on the road as it pours billions of dollars into EV production while incurring huge losses.

Under the new Ford Drive program, Uber drivers would be able to lease a Mustang Mach-E for flexible terms, either one or four-months, depending on the location. And there are other benefits as well. According to Ford:

The vehicle is delivered to the driver within two weeks, and they use the Ford Drive app to manage payments and service. In each city, the Ford Drive team works with local dealers to purchase a fleet of Mach-Es. Service and maintenance of those vehicles are conducted through dealers as well. 

But the lease program won’t have a wide rollout yet. To start out, the companies are piloting the program in three cities: San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Ford Drive actually launched already in San Diego, with Ford leasing 150 EVs to Uber drivers in 2022. California is the biggest EV market in the US, and the biggest market for EVs driven on Uber’s ridehail platform.

Uber has been operating its own EV ridehail service in dozens of cities since last year. Only premium EVs, like Tesla, Polestar, and, of course, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, would be considered eligible for Comfort Electric trips. It will sit alongside the company’s other EV product, Uber Green, which gives drivers an extra fee (usually $1) to use electric vehicles.

This is the second major partnership to be announced by Ford in recent days. Last week, the automaker said it would adopt Tesla’s EV charging standard in the interest of opening up Elon Musk’s dependable and widespread charging network to Ford EV owners.

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