Reviews

Jess in Control Ultimate Edition

Game Diary, Reviews

Control Ultimate Edition Review: How to Get a Director Job in 30 Seconds

Control Ultimate Edition is a bit of a strange one; I’ll come right out of the gates with that notion. Numerous people in my life applaud Control, and others have gotten very frustrated with it. As I played it for my review, I could absolutely see both camps’ merits. It’s a detailed narrative/world that didn’t engage with me; it’s intricate yet simultaneously straightforward in terms of progression, and it has a few satisfying gameplay elements that failed to hook me for more than a few hours at a time. I beat this game in 25.1 hours; here are my thoughts.

Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered Review: Visit Manhattan Without Dropping a Fortune!

Game Diary, Reviews

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered Review: Visit Manhattan Without Dropping a Fortune!

In my opinion, the recent rash of superhero games has been predominantly pish. All Flash and no substance, more akin to a Beast than beauty; you’d have to be a real Iron Man to stomach some of them. Now that I’ve gotten those superhero puns out of my system, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered for the PC (Developed by Insomniac Games/Nixxes Software, Published by Playstation PC LLC) stands out from the pile by being competent…and that’s a huge compliment. I basically 100%-ed the game in 40 hours; here are my thoughts.

Fan speed on the Cielo Breez Plus

Reviews

Cielo Breez Plus Review: A Brilliant Way to Make Just About Any Remote-Controlled AC Unit Smart

A few years ago, I bought a Kenmore window unit air conditioner that touted being smart, app-controlled, and able to connect to Alexa and Google Home. After Kev had securely installed the AC in my office window, I powered it on only to find that the app and smart features were incompatible with my WiFi mesh system. :facepalm: Long story short, for the past three years, I’ve had an otherwise excellent window unit that’s never lived up to its potential. However, that all changed when I received a Cielo Breez Plus review unit; with it, my AC is finally smart!

'Days Gone' Review: Books and Their Covers

Reviews, Game Diary

‘Days Gone’ Review: Books and Their Covers

I’m going to come clean; I bought this game because I thought I’d hate it. Out of the box, Days Gone read as “an open world game with shallow mechanics that tried to be too badass and edgy.” With bikers vs. cultists vs. bandits in a zombie apocalypse as the setting, can you blame me? For the first two hours, the game did nothing to suppress my acid reflux, but the more I engaged with it, the more pleasantly surprised I became.

Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Review: Proof That Powerful Things Can Come In Compact Packages

Reviews

Lenovo ThinkPad X13s Review: Proof That Powerful Things Can Come In Compact Packages

I have a soft spot for small computers. If it’s got a compact footprint and can help me work wherever I go, I probably want it. So when we were offered the chance to check out the slim and light Lenovo ThinkPad X13s, I leaped at the opportunity. On paper, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s is my ideal laptop. It’s a diminutive 11.76 x 8.13x 0.53 inches but manages to sport a 13.3″ screen thanks to thin bezels. At 2.35 pounds, it’s almost too light — I’m pretty sure I have some books that are heavier than this computer! The touchpad…

Two Months with the OnePlus 10T 5G: Power and Speed Make for an Excellent Experience

Reviews

Two Months with the OnePlus 10T 5G: Power and Speed Make for an Excellent Experience

In August, I posted a first look at the OnePlus 10T that covered the OnePlus 10T 5 G’s design, features, and hardware. In this follow-up, I’ll cover the smartphone’s cameras, battery life performance, carrier compatibility, and other things I’ve noticed while using it for the past couple of months. If you haven’t already, read the first part of this review, and then come back to read the rest of the story.

Jabra Elite 5 Review: A Good Value for a True Wireless Earbud

Reviews

Jabra Elite 5 Review: A Good Value for a True Wireless Earbud

If you’re in the market for a good pair of wireless earbuds, Jabra’s Elite 5 should be at the top of your list. These earbuds offer great sound quality, comfort, and active noise cancellation; they are also very affordable, making them a great value. Let’s take a closer look at what these earbuds have to offer!

Vivo V25 Pro Review: UV-Activated Gimmicks Aside, It's a Great Phone for Less than $450 (If You Live in India)

Reviews

Vivo V25 Pro Review: UV-Activated Gimmicks Aside, It’s a Great Phone for Less than $450 (If You Live in India)

Vivo may be an unfamiliar smartphone brand to many in the United States. Still, as of August this year, it is the sixth largest smartphone manufacturer worldwide with a 4.29% market share¹ and 149 million smartphones shipped². Since 2011, Vivo has made a name for itself by creating smartphones that offer high-end features at mid-range prices. Available now in India, the Vivo V25 Pro is their latest model, and it happens to be the first Vivo product I’ve ever tried. Let’s take a look.

Horizon Zero Dawn Review: It's Not the Worst

Game Diary, Reviews

Horizon Zero Dawn Review: It’s Not the Worst

Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerilla Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment) is a post-apocalyptic merger of “Zelda:Breath of the Wild” and Transformers. You play as Aloy, a former outcast tasked with solving the problems of the community that ostracised her. The twist that differentiates this product from the pile of open-world, map clearing, objective hunting games is that in this one, the large majority of your obstacles will be in the form of giant machines shaped like animals. These machines are big, these machines are aggressive, and these machines want to kick the tar out of you.

OneAdaptr OneWorld 65 Review: With 6 Different Ports, This Could Be the Only Travel Adapter You Need to Bring

Reviews, Travel

OneAdaptr OneWorld 65 Review: With 6 Different Ports, This Could Be the Only Travel Adapter You Need to Bring

If you travel internationally, you know the #1 rookie mistake is arriving at your destination and finding that you either forgot that country’s correct adapter or you didn’t bring enough adapters for all of your gear. I recently traveled to Berlin for IFA, followed by a week in Spain. I only brought two adapters with me, the OneAdaptr OneWorld 65 for charging all of my gear and a basic US to EU adapter that was kept attached to my curling iron’s US plug. Thankfully, this proved to be the perfect setup.

Ready-to-Drink Fire Department Coffee Review: 4 Delicious Flavors That Will Keep You Powered On-the-Go!

Reviews

Ready-to-Drink Fire Department Coffee Review: 4 Delicious Flavors That Will Keep You Powered On-the-Go!

Fire Department Coffee has been serving up specialty beans roasted and crafted by a team of veterans and firefighters since 2016; Judie wrote about their roasted coffee beans last year. But sometimes, you don’t have time to brew on the go, and that’s where a ready-made cold brew is quite handy. Fire Department Coffee is taking their signature tasty roasts and sending them on the go with ready-to-drink versions, and we had the chance to check them out!