Misc Gear

STATE Optical Co. Is Making Gorgeous Luxury Eyewear Right Here in the USA

Nothing says summer like a new pair of shades. If you’re looking for a great pair of American-made luxury sunglasses, look no further than STATE Optical Co. They are super high quality, beautifully designed, and made in Chicago. Fighting against notorious eyewear mega-corporations like Luxottica, STATE Optical is a breath of fresh air in a crowded market.



Pioneer Rayz Rally: A Tiny Yet Powerful Conference Call Speaker

If you have to take conference calls regularly — even when you’re traveling — then you know that it can be a pain to carry a portable speaker with you. The Pioneer Rayz Rally is a powerful, portable conference call speaker that is so small it can fit in the palm of your hand with plenty of room to spare.


Brooklinen Limited-Edition Linen Collection: Light, Airy, Luxurious and Ultra-Breathable

Since most of us spend a third of our lives in bed, it only makes sense that what we sleep on and what we sleep in should be as comfortable as a favorite pair of shoes or as inviting as a favorite overcoat. Brooklinen is introducing their new Limited-Edition Linen Collection, which looks like it could easily become a favorite. The one thing that all Brooklinen sheets and duvet covers share is that they are soft, luxurious, cool, and comfortable to sleep in, but the Limited-Edition Linen Collection promises to take that to a whole new perfect-for-summer level. Inspired by sprezzatura and surf…




Clutter Lets You Keep the Stuff That Won’t Fit in Your Apartment

Sometimes, it’s not obvious how much stuff you’ve accumulated over the years until you move to another place and frantically try to fit all your possessions in boxes or plan a long-delayed spring cleaning day. It’s tough to realize that, no matter what you do, the space won’t ever look tidy because it’s too cluttered.


Airthings Wave Is the Most User Friendly Radon Detector on the Market

Like it or not, we live in a dangerous world. Some dangers are obvious and some dangers are unseen. Airthings developed the Wave in order to keep your family safe from one of the world’s silent killers, Radon. Syncing with a companion app via Bluetooth, Wave can keep track of temperature, humidity, and radon levels in your home.


Mighty Mug Means You’ll Never Spill Again

A few years ago, I was using a MacBook Air as my main computer and drinking a glass of Crystal Lite. (I have since switched to… water.) One second all was well, and the next… my MacBook Air was filled with sticky fake lemonade. That would NEVER have happened had I been using a Mighty Mug. It is quite remarkable!


OWC ThunderBolt 3 Dock for MacBook Pro: A Solution to a Problem That Shouldn’t Exist

Ever since I finally received my standing desk by Fully, there was one other item that I knew my setup needed to make it complete: the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock. OWC announced that they would be creating their Thunderbolt 3 Dock way back in 2016 when the MacBook Pro was announced, and after a few delays, and a lot of other reviews of standalone imitators, the popular Mac vendor sent over their Thunderbolt 3 Dock. Promising to deliver more connectivity, power and charging capability than the previous Thunderbolt 2 Dock, the Thunderbolt 3 Dock is a “what can I not do”…


Parrot Makes Fathers Day Gift Giving Simple and Fun

Are you looking for a last minute Fathers Day gift? Look no further than Parrot, as they have everything a tech-loving dad could want. Drones from toy, to consumer, to prosumer levels, headphones, and connected gardening solutions, Parrot has something for everyone. Check out the list below for our suggestions, but be sure to check out Parrot’s website for more.


The DJI Spark Drone Is the Smallest, Cheapest Drone for New Pilots

Drones are sweeping the world. Today, they’re being used in so many different industries and for so many different purposes that they are becoming a staple tool. They’re being used in construction for development, surveying and more. They’re being used in retail and online sales for warehouse maintenance and shipping.



Friday Lock: Lock and Unlock Your Home Remotely from Your Phone

In the last few years, the smarthome accessory market has exploded. Now it’s possible for anyone to make their home more automated, efficient, and yes, smarter to add aftermarket accessories that remotely control or oversee their home’s temperature, energy efficiency, who’s in their home, who has access to their home, and more. Which brings us to the Friday Lock.



Distil Union Wally Bifold Is the Perfect Size for a Daily Carry

We reviewed the Micro Wallet from Distil Union. I followed up with a review of the Wally Agent. Now we turn our focus to a revised version of the Wally Bifold. I reviewed the original Wally Bifold; I stopped using it for a specific reason and, in the updated version, that issue has been resolved. I love it!


Elgato Eve Degree: Monitor Temperature and Humidity Remotely with HomeKit

We’ve covered Elgato Eve products since they became available; these are add-on Smarthome accessories that allow you to automate and control your home remotely using the Eve app on your iPhone; they integrate seamlessly with Apple HomeKit. Their latest product is the Elgato Eve Degree, a tiny and elegant aluminum-cased indoor or outdoor temperature with humidity monitor.


BBQ Dragon Chimney of Insanity Gets Summer Going

BBQ season is once again upon us. School is out for the summer here in South Texas, and the grills have already been fired up. As you know, the most important part of a successful BBQ is the coals. The Chimney of Insanity by BBQ Dragon ($29.95) helps make the charcoal perfect, quickly and without the need for lighter fluid. 



Dayton Hamvention 2017: New Tech, New Location, and Old Friends

The location change had to be on the minds of most Dayton Hamvention goers this year. When you were in a location as long as Hamvention was, a location change is big for everyone. I am happy to say that the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, the group responsible for the show, was successful beyond any imagination.