Today in Gear: Product News Done Quick

YouTube has made an interesting salvo in the streaming wars, offering hundreds of hours of free (albeit ad-supported) TV shows that should act something like a cross between traditional TV programing and cable-adjacent streaming services like Peacock or Tubi. Available exclusively in the U.S., the move offers 4,000 free TV episodes and over 1,500 movies, opening up titles like Hell’s Kitchen and Unsolved Mysteries alongside films like Gone in Sixty Seconds and Runaway Bride. While many of the titles are definitely not the first thing someone would search for on a more prestige streaming service, the move keeps YouTube in the mix as it competes not just as a platform for people to watch independent content creators, but also as a place to binge watch content that’s historically been served up by TV networks or studios. Given that the site’s YouTube Originals concept (a push to create YouTube-exclusive shows) has, frankly, fizzled out, this move is likely an early step forward as the site figures out its next moves. In between streaming some free TV shows and movies, get the stories behind Longines’ new Spirit Zulu Time GMT, a super light Reebok running shoe and Ikea’s newest Bluetooth speaker lamp. As always, this is Today in Gear.

Get the grooming kit that’s as hardworking as you are.

Hardworking Gentlemen

Hardworking Gentlemen’s Complete Kit has built out the perfect series of quality products featuring everything you’d need to look your best day after day. Featuring a series of nine separate essentials, each piece of the kit is designed specifically to use natural ingredients, sustainable packaging and — most importantly — make outfitting your bathroom as uncomplicated as possible.

Reebok’s new Floatride sneaker is built for runners of all stripes and skill levels.

JJ Miller

Reebok’s newest addition to the Floatride Energy family, the Floatride Energy 4, is primed to be an all-around solid running shoe, with details that should impress both casual and seasoned runners. The shoe earns its name from the Floatride Energy Foam within the midsole, delivering a smooth, stable stride mile, after mile. With the inclusion of the new Speed Shift Upper, the Floatride Energy 4 is the lightest Floatride runner, on top of being supremely breathable, durable and protective from the elements.

The Longines Sprit Zulu Time GMT is inspired by the past, but built for present-day pioneers.

Longines

First things first, the “Zulu” in the name is reference to the Zulu flag featured on Longines’ 1925 Zulu Time watch, which was the first watch to feature a second timezone. Coincidentally, “Zulu” is the term for “Z” in the phonetic alphabet used by pilots; the letter “Z” also designates universal time. That’s all to say that this new watch is an expansion of Longines’ flight-focused “Spirit” series, while remaining lock stop with a near-century-long “Zulu Time” legacy. Available in five iterations total (with aesthetic changes manifesting in the choice of strap and face color), the watches feature a 42 mm case, with an independent local hour hand adjustment, and are powered by a COSC-certified L844.4 automatic movement. For fans of (flight) watches, there’s plenty to uncover with this release, so head over to Longines to learn more.

Böker builds a tribute to one of Japan’s most famous blades: the Higonokami.

Böker

As synonymous with Japan as the Swiss Army Knife is with Switzerland, the Higonokami is a traditional Japanese folder that’s allegedly rooted all the way back to the 19th century. Böker’s take on the blade — the Zenshin — tweaks the design slightly, opting for two slab handle scales (as opposed to a single piece of folded metal), using 440C steel and adding a frame lock.

Bring sound into your indoors or outdoors with Ikea’s latest Bluetooth speaker lantern.

IKEA

Ikea’s clever design team is at it again, adding a new Bluetooth speaker lantern to its massive product lineup with the Vappeby. While it’s not a part of Ikea and Sonos’ Symfonisk collaboration, it’s not too far off from that line’s speaker lamp, albeit with a little more flexibility. As a simple Bluetooth speaker, it’s not bound by the connection conventions of Sonos products, which usually need something more (like the Sonos app) than just a wireless connection to play audio. It also supports Spotify Tap, which makes transitioning between devices easier without missing a beat (literally).

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