Gallery: The Gadgets and Gear We Couldn't Get Enough of This Month
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Parrot’s AR mini drone is basically a pint sized RC car, but cooler. It has two foam-rimmed wheels for steering around, and a rear plastic tripod that retracts and then shoots outward to send the bot flying up to 2.5 feet in the air. Aptly named the [Jumping Sumo](http://www.parrot.com/usa/products/jumping-sumo/) ($160), there's also an onboard camera that streams HD video or snaps photos, which is great for navigating when you’re too lazy to get off the couch.*—Christina Bonnington*
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If you love your small [FujiFilm X100S](http://stag4.wired.com/2013/08/retro-fabulous/) or Leica M but have big ol' Hobbit hands, get one of these grips from [Really Right Stuff](http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/). The lightweight metal add-on makes your compact shooter much easier to handle. RRS's kits are modular: a body plate screws onto the bottom of the camera, and the grip screws onto the plate. Modules are sized to fit particular camera models, so choose your weapon.*—Michael Calore*
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With daylight savings approaching, it's time to break out the bike lights again. The $15 [Femto Drive Rear's](http://www.lezyne.com/product-led-sport-femtorear.php#.U_TMZVNdVy8) silicon rubber mounting strap only takes seconds to hook on or take off the bike, and its aluminum body comes in a handful of colors so you can choose one that matches your bike. At 7 lumens, it won’t blind folks behind you, but does make you more visible.*—Christina Bonnington*
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The insulated [Burton Beeracuda](http://www.burton.com/default/beeracuda/S15-10999101.html) ($20) lets you strap a sixer of cold brewskis to your back. Fill it with cans (five in the tube, one in the koozie on the strap), sling it over your shoulder, and take your party to the streets. The design keeps things stealth: bystanders will think you're carrying a yoga mat. Don't mind me, officer—I'm just healing my Manipura chakra with beery goodness!*—Michael Calore*
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The running shoe industry has been all over the map these past couple years trying to figure out what amount of padding is best. Some runners prefer a minimalist shoe. Others like extra thick soles. Me, I'm right in the middle, and that’s exactly where the [Brooks PureGrit 3](http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/brooks-puregrit-3-mens-trail-running-shoes/110180.html) ($120) lands. They have enough cushioning for running over rocky terrain, but they also have great ground feel so I know what I’m stepping on.*—Jakob Schiller*
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Thomas J. Glover's $12 [Pocket Ref](http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/c289/) refutes the notion that the best way to portably access a world of information is through a touchscreen. Glover has packed gigabytes of analog data into a book that's less than an inch thick and small enough to fit into your front shirt pocket. Inside is everything from the best angle for dumping a truckbed full of ashes (33 degrees) to the proper title for a box full of kittens (kindle).*—Nick Stockton*
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There's no shortage of photo-enhancing tools for aspiring smartphone photographers. Few, however, are as thoughtful, well-designed, and downright useful as [Moment's](http://momentlens.co) new line of external lenses. Slap a super-thin metal plate to the back of your iPhone, iPad, Galaxy, or Nexus device, and let the company's [18mm wide-angle](http://momentlens.co/store/wide-lens/) and [60mm telephoto lenses](http://momentlens.co/store/tele-lens/) ($99 each) do wonders from your portraits and landscapes.*—Bryan Gardiner*
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Chaco makes great sandals. Turns out they also make great belts. Built from a piece of high-strength webbing, the [Bottle Opener Belt](http://www.chacos.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/19184M/76520/Mens/Webbing-Belts?dimensions=0) is made for people who like to move. It’ll keep your pants or shorts up while you’re climbing mountains, rafting rivers, or biking to work. As the name implies, there’s an included bottle opener on the buckle, which you can use to enjoy a microbrew after your epic adventures.*—Jakob Schiller*
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Tech wonks dis Chromebooks because they're not "real" computers. "All it does is run web applications," they whine. But the rest of us get it. All it does is run web applications! Brilliant! The Lenovo [N20p](http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/lenovo/n-series/n20p/) is all business. The $350 Chromebook has an awesome keyboard, an excellent trackpad, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, and an 8-hour battery. It's my new favorite Google Docs machine.*—Michael Calore*
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Elvis never crooned into one. And it's certainly not as recognizable as the iconic [Model 55](http://cdn.shure.com/publication/upload/538/us_pro_unidyne_ea.pdf) (pdf). Still, for me, [Shure's rugged 710a crystal mic](http://cdn.shure.com/user_guide/upload/570/us_pro_710g_ug.pdf) is no less handsome. Following its 1949 debut, 'the Rex' (as it was known) was adopted by everyone from ham radio enthusiasts to high school principals. I snagged this crimson beauty at an online auction, and its silky smooth response only made me hate my voice a little.*—Bryan Gardiner*
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It’s pretty rare for a cyclist to get compliments on their spandex by normal old pedestrians, but that’s what happens when I sport [this kit](https://www.hincapie.com/products/womenswear/jerseys/R122W14/) around the city. I love it because the chantilly lace print is fun and feminine, but isn't pink. And, you know, I do like the boys to know they're getting passed by a girl when they're getting passed by a girl.*—Christina Bonnington*
What Democrats Can Learn From New York’s Data Center Moratorium
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Molly Taft
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Boutayna Chokrane
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Christine Peterson
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Jorge Garay
Googlebooks Have Arrived. You Should Buy These Chromebooks Instead
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Luke Larsen
Spooky New Infostealer Malware Uses AI to ‘Autodox’ Victims
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Lily Hay Newman
There’s a Completely New Type of Whisky. It’s French and Made in Concrete Eggs
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Jeremy White
Light Up Your Home Like Christmas With These Smart String Lights
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Simon Hill
Power Outages Are No Match for This Fridge Battery
Backup by BioLite is designed to power your fridge when the grid goes down. It works, but protecting your ice cream doesn’t come cheap.
Christopher Null
Meta’s Muse Could Upend All Kinds of Businesses. It Hasn’t Yet
Companies have spent the past several weeks trying to reassure investors that Muse and other AI agents pose more of an opportunity than a threat.
Paresh Dave
Get Bose QC Headphones at Their Lowest Price Ever
They’re a steal at over 40 percent off in multiple colors. Plus, other great Bose deals you should know about ahead of Black Friday.
Harry Rabinowitz
An AI Agent Injected Drugs Into a Live Mouse’s Brain
A biotech startup let an agent choose a gene therapy and successfully inject the treatment, offering a startling glimpse of the future of research labs.
Emily Mullin