Many readers are often curious about what the editors at SSPAI actually buy in their daily lives. Through “Editors’ New Stuff,” we hope to showcase the new and interesting products our team members have recently been using — and let them share what these gadgets are really like in everyday use.

Content Note: If any item in the “New Stuff” column contains commercial content, it will be clearly marked with “Advertisement.”

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@Tp: Moondrop Nice Buds Earphones

• Reference Price: ¥16.6

I’m not someone with particularly high demands for earphones. Over the past decade, although I’ve bought many wireless earbuds, my go-to wired earphones have always been the unshakable EarPods. That was the case until recently, when I came across Moondrop’s newly released Nice Buds flat-head earphones. Seeing the price at just ¥16.6 — and having had a good impression of their PILLS model I bought before — I decided to give them a try.

I bought the translucent black version, not because I was worried the clear model might yellow over time, nor because I preferred black. It was simply because the clear version was out of stock at the time. The annoying part? After a night of sleep, I found that the transparent version was back in stock again. Let this be a warning: never make impulse purchases late at night.

When the package arrived, it instantly reminded me of a ¥200 item from Daiso or Donki. Especially since I happened to have a train-stop bell I bought earlier on my desk — the resemblance was uncanny.

The build quality of the earphones also matches their price point, especially since the cable always gives me a slightly flimsy feeling. The earbud housings use an asymmetrical design, and once you find the right angle, comfort is actually decent. It doesn’t quite match the ergonomic excellence of EarPods, but for ¥16.6 without using a generic mold, it’s clear they put in some thoughtful effort. The box includes two pairs of foam covers, which fit securely into the grooves on the earbuds and don’t fall off easily during daily use.

As for the sound, I’d describe it as relatively balanced. It didn’t give me that “tears of regret” moment when you put on a shockingly good pair of earphones. When comparing Nice Buds with EarPods while listening to “キミの記憶 -Reload-” side by side, the overall difference wasn’t big. Only when I listened more attentively could I notice that Nice Buds had slightly better detail in the instruments.

As everyday wired earphones, Nice Buds are perfectly solid: very affordable, with a bit of thoughtful design. But if someone claims they offer “entry-level Hi-Fi performance,” I’d say that’s a stretch. After buying Nice Buds, I also purchased the Moondrop LAN 2 REF for ¥299 — and even someone like me, who doesn’t have golden ears, can clearly hear the difference.

I mostly listen to music using an iPod, and pairing it with Nice Buds has been a pleasant experience. When heading out, I can just toss them into my bag without worry — no fear of damaging them or losing the foam covers. They’re the kind of earphones you can truly use without holding back.

@路中南: Dxy Sea Water Nasal Spray

• Reference Price: ¥88 / 6 bottles

After temperatures dropped in early November, my nose started feeling particularly uncomfortable. When running, I constantly felt like I couldn’t breathe smoothly (my Apple Watch–measured VO2Max kept dropping — down 8% in a month, which felt like all my progress had vanished). Every morning I woke up feeling nasal discomfort and needing to blow my nose. While reviewing my health report, I noticed there really was a “chronic rhinitis” diagnosis.

Then I came across an article from the Dxy Doctor WeChat account. The gist was that The Lancet reported saline nasal rinsing can shorten symptoms — effectively “closing the debate entirely.” I thought: perfect timing! I actually have a nasal rinse device at home (see New Stuff issue 51). But after two days of use, I got lazy: it requires purified water, and it must be warm; you also need special nasal rinse salt; each session takes about ten minutes, and the device needs to be cleaned afterward… Many people — including my mother — simply can’t get used to that awkward rinsing posture, so they never use it.

Then last week, my clear nasal discharge suddenly became nonstop, accompanied by sneezing. It scared me enough that I immediately bought this Dxy product, ready to spray anytime. Interestingly, by the time it arrived, my cold-like or allergic rhinitis–like symptoms had already disappeared. So I used it for a week with the mindset of “let’s see whether it helps with chronic rhinitis”:

• It’s certified as a Class II medical device, which makes me feel safe using it.
• It’s very quick — you can pick it up and spray directly into your nose without mixing salts or preparing anything, and you can take it with you outdoors.
• After a week, my nose felt noticeably better in the mornings, and I was more comfortable throughout the workday. I use it twice in the morning and once at night, plus another spray when I go out and return home.
• I assumed 6 bottles would last a long time, but based on my usage, one bottle lasts just over a week. Altogether, it’s just enough for the entire winter–spring season.

There are downsides too: compared with a reusable nasal rinse device, ¥88 is relatively expensive. Each spray isn’t as thorough as a full rinse, but the advantage is the frequency — ideally up to six times a day.

There’s only one posture you need to pay attention to: tilt your head slightly back. The bottle includes the note “1–2 seconds,” which I think is necessary — you need at least a one-second press to release enough saline to reach the lower nasal cavity. Some liquid will flow down the back of your throat; just spit it out. Also, when I first got it, I played with it out of childish curiosity — the spray force is strong (see image below), so it should cover the nasal cavity well.

I only realized while writing this article that you can also buy a single bottle. If you, like me, struggle with chronic rhinitis or want something on hand to fight early cold symptoms, you can try just one first. And you don’t necessarily need to buy Dxy’s version — there are many similar products at online pharmacies. For example, Cofe has a pack of five 80 ml bottles for ¥81; Winner’s version is even pricier; and the brand Haishi Hainuo offers a more affordable option.

@克莱德: Petkit Ultra Smart Fully Automatic Cat Litter Box (Camera Edition)

• Reference Price: ¥1999

After both of my cats crossed the 7-kilogram mark, the first-generation MAX automatic litter box I had been using gradually stopped being effective — the app’s toilet-use records no longer made it possible to tell which cat had gone, and when issues like diarrhea, soft stool, or abnormal frequency occurred, there was no way to identify which cat was having problems.

So facial recognition for cats became a priority.

I know Petkit has had a poor reputation among SSPAI readers due to early accidents and bad after-sales service, but after browsing the market for a long time, I had to confront a cold reality: among smart litter boxes with built-in cameras and facial recognition, this seemed to be the only option. Around the Double 11 shopping period, the app also pushed several “trade-in” offers for MAX users, so I eventually chose the Petkit Ultra Smart Fully Automatic Cat Litter Box — Camera Edition.

Unlike the MAX, which uses a vertical front-to-back drum, the Ultra Camera Edition and newer models adopt a horizontal, side-to-side rotating drum. This shortens the depth of the toilet chamber compared to the MAX, and naturally reduces the internal space a bit, though both of my ~7 kg cats can still use it normally. Compared with the MAX, the “Camera Edition” relies on a camera module that you install manually. Unfortunately, during installation, one of the screws simply would not go in no matter what I tried. Since the other three screws were enough to keep it secure, I gave up on that one and used some tape from the packaging to add a bit of dust protection:

The camera itself can rotate 180 degrees, and its default angle can be set manually. When it detects that a pet is entering to use the toilet, it automatically turns back toward the interior and starts recording. It supports night vision and includes a fill light. Inside the app, you can view the live video stream, adjust the camera angle, and even turn on the microphone to talk remotely. The first time I used the feature and called the cats to the litter box door, I wondered if they were curious about how I had squeezed myself inside the camera.

Strictly speaking, you can think of the Ultra Edition as a camera combined with a smart litter box. Beyond general monitoring and toilet-use logs, its core cat-face recognition capability is extremely useful for households like mine, where two cats have very similar body sizes. Before use, you upload frontal photos and body-shape videos of each cat in the app. If recognition seems inaccurate later on, you can keep feeding new data to refine and train the algorithm. Aside from a few mix-ups during the first nights, recognition accuracy has since been nearly flawless.

By default, the Petkit app extracts key frames during each toilet session for review, and with light filtering, you can clearly understand each cat’s recent bowel habits. You can also try or subscribe to paid services to unlock up to 7 days of full video recordings and playback.

Besides the cat-face recognition, the most eye-catching feature of the Ultra Camera Edition is undoubtedly the automatic bagging system, which takes up nearly half of the entire machine. Although it’s called automatic, the process still requires someone to stand by and follow the step-by-step instructions in the app. The heat-sealing mechanism ensures that throughout the entire operation, neither we nor our cats ever come into contact with any waste — and by the way, since installation, I’ve barely smelled anything. On the first-generation MAX, when the deodorizing block was close to expiring or the waste compartment nearly full, faint traces of “odor” would occasionally seep out through the gaps. The Ultra has completely solved this issue.

The convenience is real, but there are still plenty of drawbacks. First, when installing a new bag, I ran into multiple situations where the app and the device would both insist “bagging failed,” even though it clearly looked correct — it took several retries before the error finally disappeared. Second, from the waste bag cartridge to the deodorizing block, the new model’s accessories are almost entirely incompatible with the old one, effectively locking you into Petkit’s own ecosystem for future replacements. And finally, Petkit’s Android app still doesn’t support FCM push notifications; if you want timely alerts, you’ll need an iPhone or Home Assistant.

So although, as someone upgrading from the first-generation MAX, I must admit that the Ultra’s design and structure are close to the mature form this product category should have reached, I still have to say their Android client is downright terrible — both in quality and in notification reliability. It’s just unfortunate that there are so few competing products on the market; otherwise, they probably wouldn’t remain this arrogant.

@Lotta: The Chang’an Case Files

• Reference Price: ¥49.8

While waiting for someone at a shopping mall, I wandered into Sisyphe Bookstore out of boredom and ended up getting tempted by several interesting books. One of them was The Chang’an Case Files. I had seen posts about it before and had played The Library of Linglong, so I’ve always been intrigued by these half–tabletop game, half–mystery puzzle books. There weren’t many real reviews online, and in a moment of curiosity, I bought it.

The Chang’an Case Files consists of a book and a set of “Dali Temple case documents,” with three tasks in total. The first is to read six crime stories and fill in the deceased’s name on the coroner’s report. The second is a logic puzzle that requires simple calculation — using seven autopsy reports and the Dali Temple morgue layout to determine which morgue room contains the missing corpse. The third task combines witness testimonies, autopsy notes, field investigation reports, suspect confessions, and a map of Chang’an to deduce the true culprit in the seventh case. The tasks gradually draw the reader into the scenario, but they’re also independent — you can choose any order based on your interest, and skipping the first two won’t affect the deduction in the third.

The first task is easy; by matching descriptions of the corpses in the stories, you can quickly complete the autopsy forms. Since the stories take some time to read, you can also leave this task for last. The six stories are independent, set from the reign of Wu Zetian to Emperor Xuanzong, well integrated with historical context, and blend supernatural folklore with mystery. Each case follows one or two investigators uncovering clues and solving the crime step by step. Although not particularly strong in deduction, the blend of eerie folklore and social satire makes them enjoyable. Pairing it with Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty might make it even more flavorful.

The third task feels like a solo escape-room mystery. The materials are well designed and immersive. There are three classic suspects to choose from; the amount of content isn’t huge, but still requires time to read. To help readers reason through the case, the materials include a “closing report” summarizing suspects’ timelines so you can determine who had enough time to commit the crime. The deduction process is engaging, though the final motive is a bit too “lateral-thinking puzzle” in style — some will like it, others not so much.

Overall, The Chang’an Case Files is thoughtfully made, and the reading plus gameplay experience is quite enjoyable. If the concept interests you, it’s worth a try.