whats-new-button-final copy.jpgAnother month has gone by and we’re literally less than 2 months away from the holidays. It’s hard to believe 2015 has flown by the way it has, and with October on the record books, it’s officially time to get a jump on your holiday lists by checking out what’s new at Best Buy for November.

Say hello to Kitchenaidkitchenaid-stand-mixer

KitchenAid has arrived at Best Buy, and you know what that means? The Cadillac of stand mixers is online and ready to be wrapped and put under the tree this year. I received a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer a few years back and it’s been one of the most heavily used appliances I have.

With 10 speeds and a large 5qt mixing bowl, you can whip up cake batter, cookie dough, and even pie crust in a KitchenAid stand mixer. It’s so easy to just add ingredients as needed and walk away, and the three attachments are all handy for different types of baking.

The stand mixer isn’t the only new appliance KitchenAid has on Bestbuy.ca right now. The KitchenAid Electric Kettle will boil your water quickly and quietly, you can heat up to 1.7 litres or as little as 250ml, and it will actually hold your temperature for 30 minutes so you can have bubbling hot water for more than one cup of tea or hot chocolate.

I’m loving the KitchenAid Immersion Blender, and after trying a few immersion blenders out, I can definitely see how anyone who loves to cook would enjoy the versatility an immersion blender would bring to the kitchen. They are great for making soups, milkshakes, smoothies, and even baby food.

original.jpgGet fit with the Microsoft Band 2

It’s not just a fitness tracker and it’s not just a smartwatch: the Microsoft Band 2 gives you the best of both worlds by tracking your heart rate, exercise, calories, and sleep while still keeping you connected to your email, texts, and more.

If you’ve tried the Microsoft Band before, you’ll be really impressed with the Microsoft Band 2. You still get the same features including built-in GPS and UV monitoring, but you’ll also have access to new features including a redesigned body that fits your wrist even better, a Gorilla Glass 3 AMOLED screen that’s scratch resistant, and more reliable ways to measure your workout data through the Microsoft Health App.

If you’re into golf or you know someone who is a golfer, the Microsoft Band 2 is going to make a great gift this holidays. It gives you smart golf monitoring, and it can function as a golf GPS and scorecard, plus it can distinguish between real and practice swings for every game you play.

There really are too many features on the Microsoft Band 2 to mention, but the ability to estimate your oxygen usage is probably one of the most unique. It can do so by using a unique algorithm and heart rate tracking to accurately measure your oxygen usage through its VO2 MAX inclusion. This is a great feature for anyone keeping track of their heart for health or just as a way to enhance your fitness program.

Check out Brad’s full overview of the Microsoft Band 2and then click to pre-order one now.

Get ready to touch the HP SproutHP-Sprout.jpg

If you’ve never heard of the HP Sprout, it’s time to put it on your radar. Although every HP laptop is fast, fun, and speedy for everything you want to use it for, the HP Sprout goes one step further by giving you the ultimate in multi-touch technology.

The HP Sprout is an all-in-one 3D scanner, 3D design work station, and computer. It’s powered by a 4th generation Intel Core 7 processor, 8GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce graphics, the HP Sprout has a full HD touchscreen you can use to naturally touch, grab, and manipulate anything you’re working on.

You’ll never run out of space thanks to the 1TB SATA 6G Solid State Hybrid Drive, and the Full HD wide viewing angle you get on the white-LED backlit LCD screen makes gaming, video editing, and working even better than you can imagine.

This is the gift Santa would bring you if you wrote him a really nice letter, but if you don’t want to hedge your bets, put this one on your must-buy list right now. Brad has a full overview of the HP Sprout, so take a look.

chromecast.jpgWatch everything with the all-new Chromecast

Chromecast was really popular when it came out, and judging from the buzz around the new Chromecast, the new version is going to be just as sought after. It plugs straight into your TV’s HDMI port and lets you tap into TV shows, music, movies, or even your favourite apps, all controlled by your mobile device.

It’s enough that you can ‘cast’ or mirror your favourite movies or apps to your TV, but it all comes through in crystal clear Full HD and with surround sound. But one of my favourite features of the new Chromecast is what you can do when you’re not using it to watch or play: you can cast your favourite photos to your TV, check out the weather, or even view famous works of art.

Tune in with Chromecast Audiochromecast-audio.jpg

If you’ve ever grumbled when you can’t just plug in your phone to your home speakers to listen to your favourite music, you’re in for a treat. Chromecast Audio is all new and it’s making it simple to cast your favourite tunes to your powerful home speaker.

The beauty of Chromecast Audio is that there is no device pairing, no drain on your phone’s battery, and you can use your phone at the same time as you’re casting your music. It streams via Wifi directly from the cloud, so there’s no glitching or pauses in your music either. If you have friends over that have better music on their phones than you do, they can cast to your speakers without connecting to your home’s Wifi network.

Erin has the announcement on Google’s new Chromecast and Chromecast audio, so check it out.

I don’t know about you, but with all of the great gadgets and appliances hitting the shelves of Best Buy this coming month, I’m pretty excited about getting started on my holiday shopping. Have a happy November!

Shelly Wutke
Editor TV & Home Theatre
I'm a Vancouver freelancer and tech enthusiast. When I'm not writing you'll find me on my farm with my alpacas, chickens, and honeybees. Visit my website Survivemag