/New & Notable: Latest products from Apple, Echelon, and more

New & Notable: Latest products from Apple, Echelon, and more

Last night, Amazon’s Prime Day ended, saving shoppers hundreds of dollars on thousands of items, from fashion and wellness to tech and home and kitchen. And during the retailer’s largest ever sale, some interesting news came from Shopping reader favorite brand Apple: An entirely new iPhone 12 (among other things). As we head into the post-Prime Day segment of October, we’ll be seeing sales and deals for Halloween paraphernalia and the slow rise of holiday gift guide and Black Friday-centric savings.

While we’ll be keeping you abreast on all of that (and more), we’ve been coming across plenty of new releases recently that we’ve had to shelf for one reason or another. And so we’ve decided to share some of the most interesting new products out there with you, either because they come from brands we’ve recommended, extended product lines we know NBC News Shopping readers care about or that we simply felt moved to inform you about.

1. Apple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini (pre-order)

While we’re cooking up expert guidance on the iPhone 12 and whether you should upgrade to it, here are the basics: The 5G-capable phones will equip Apple’s A14 Bionic, the “fastest chip in a smartphone,” according to Apple. The phones’ shell now boasts ceramic and consequently “four times better drop performance.” In terms of feel, the iPhone 12 is designed to be about a tenth thinner and about a sixth lighter than before (if that’s something you notice). The phones are now designed with water-resistance rated IP68. And the iPhone 12 is now better able to handle low light photo capture, an apparent obsession of many users: Apple says the new phone is 27 percent better in low light than before. The full size iPhone 12 goes on pre-order Oct. 16 and the iPhone 12 mini joins it on Nov. 6.

2. Beats Flex Wireless Earphones

Beats by Dre just dropped a new pair of affordable Bluetooth, wireless earphones dubbed the Beats Flex, and they’re retailing exclusively at Apple. Beyond the four colors to choose from — Flame Blue, Beats Black, Smoke Grey and Yuzu Yellow — the Flex has magnetic earbuds, which means it won’t get tangled around your neck or in your backpack. It also boasts Fast Fuel technology, which offers one-and-a-half hours’ worth of playtime on a quick, 10-minute charge. The Flex also sports Audio Sharing, which, as its name suggests, lets you share your audio with another Beats or AirPods owner, so you can jam out together — or listen to true crime podcasts if you prefer. Additionally, the new launch employs the Apple W1 chip that automatically syncs to your iPhone or iPad3, as long as you’re logged into an active iCloud account.

3. Hush Puppies WorryFree Collection

When it rains, leather and suede shoes can get water-damaged, and Hush Puppies wants to help fix that issue. It launched the WorryFree Collection, composed of water-resistant suede and leather shoes for women and men, with items priced between $100 to $130. The collection features the Bailey Chukka, suede boots available in medium and wide widths; Hadley, leather chelsea boots available in medium and wide widths; and Detroit leather oxfords, also available in wide and medium widths. The silhouettes all sport Bounce footbed technology, shock absorption that retains cushioning for an extra comfort layer while you’re running errands, attending socially-distant outdoor picnics with friends or heading to the office.

4. Echelon Stride Treadmill

Echelon, a popular indoor exercise equipment brand among NBC News Shopping readers, launched its latest workout equipment, the Echelon Stride Treadmill. Live and on-demand courses were created exclusively for the Stride, which can fold up automatically with the push of a button and features wheels so that you can roll over it to a corner of your room for convenient storage. The touchscreen monitor boasts Bluetooth connectivity and a charging port for your smartphone and tablet.

5. Amazon eero Pro 6 Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi 6 Router (pre-order, ships Nov. 2)

A top choice in our guide to the best Wi-Fi extenders and mesh Wi-Fi systems, eero is back with a Wi-Fi 6 router, its “fastest ever,” the brand claims. The eero Pro 6 is built to provide Wi-Fi coverage in up to 2,000 square feet. Its TrueMesh tech will route web traffic for about 75 devices concurrently and a built-in Zigbee smart home hub will help it play nice with your Amazon’s Alexa. Given that it’s a mesh system, you can add units to it with time to strengthen and broaden its reach, as needed. If you’re still on the fence about whether 2020’s next-generation Wi-Fi 6 is right for you, check out our guide to the best Wi-Fi 6 routers, in which we cover the basics.

6. prAna’s first ever outerwear collection for men and women

Eco-friendly-first brand prAana boasts environmentally conscious collections of feature-dense clothing for men, women and kids in a multitude of styles and use cases, and appears in both our guides to the best UPF hats and the best UPF swimwear. This new collection of outerwear, a first in the space for prAna, comes with a notable set of built-in features that should resonate with Shopping readers. Each items features 650 power fill that is Responsible Down Standard-certified, which checks for 100-percent certified down feathers and protection of the animals involved. Each item sports a matte polyester shell that is bluesign-approved for sustainable textile making, is free of PFCs and built with durable water resistance, or DWR. Highlights from the collection include the Betania Long Jacket, Hellebore Jacket and Globe Thistle Shirt Jacket for women, as well as the Red Slate Vest, the North Palisade Jacket and the Whitney Portal Jacket for men. The brand is also offering up to 30 percent off select styles through Oct. 13 on men’s and women’s items.

7. Chipolo ONE Bluetooth Key Finder, Ocean Edition

If you’re a fan of little devices that squeak you toward lost items like keys (a la Tile), you might find interesting an eco-friendly build in the space. The highly-rated Chipolo ONE’s new Ocean Edition promises a highly-functional key finder in a quarter-sized unit that will boom with a 120-decibel sound and that is built from materials made of recycled fishing nets. The brand promises the battery will last up to two years and the unit will notify you when it’s time to replace it. The device connects to your phone via an app that allows you to see its last known location and whether it’s outside the range (it can also alert you once it falls out of range). The Chiplo ONE suite of key finders has garnered a 4.1-star average rating from nearly 570 reviewers on Amazon.

8. Triple F.A.T. Goose Wyndmeir Mens Parka

This lightweight parka features Triple F.A.T. Goose’s 20,000-millimeter waterproof three-layer shell. It shields you from snow and light rain and offers comfort and warmth through its 700 fill power goose down. Plus, it comes in a number of colors including Charcoal, Navy and Black. Also check out the Chelsea Womens Lightweight Rain Jacket. It sports the company’s Aisen Shell and includes water-repellent YKK Aquaseal zippers.

9. NICESTUFF Short Sleeve Natural Performance Knit Button Down Shirt

NICESTUFF is offering you 20 percent off through Oct. 16 with code READY4FALL20. This short sleeve shirt offers the feeling of wearing a t-shirt with the appearance of a tailored button down. It is made of mélange cotton knit fabric and includes four-way stretch for comfort. It also sports a spread collar and French placket buttons for an elevated design. Wear it with a pair of knit stretch pants and under a knit stretch blazers.

10. Le Club Fish Mid Swim Shorts

Le Club is giving you 65 percent off on Oct. 13 through Oct. 14 with code PRIME65. This pair of swim shorts is made of 100-percent polyester for comfort and quick drying off. It features an elastic waistband with an adjustable drawstring, as well as side pockets and a back pocket with a velcro closure. You can also find it in a long-length version, if you prefer, as well as a number of designs in their kids line. While I like this pair for its Fish print, it also comes in a variety of styles including Flower Geo, Starfish and Leaves.

11. Lawless The Baby One Collection

Annie Lawless, the founder of the clean beauty brand, Lawless, was inspired by her baby girl’s recent birth and launched the Baby One Collection of dreamy and romantic pink makeup. The two-piece collection features a travel-friendly eyeshadow palette featuring eight matte and metallic shadows and a satin cream lipstick made from hydrating waxes and oils like Vitamin E. 10 percent of proceeds from the three-piece collection goes directly to Every Mother Counts, which was founded by supermodel Christy Turlington Burns.

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