January 2016

Phaz Prepares Their Headphones for Apple's Rumored Axing of the Headphone Jack

News

Phaz Prepares Their Headphones for Apple’s Rumored Axing of the Headphone Jack

Last week at CES I had the opportunity to test out a pair of headphones that are truly ahead of the curve when it comes to audio. With Apple likely to remove the headphone jack from their devices, Phaz Music announced the industry’s first-ever universal headphones in the Phaz Music P5 Headphones. The Phaz P5 Digital Headphones will be the first versions available on the market, but they are truly innovative as they will be the first on the market to pull digital audio content directly from the MicroUSB/iOS Lightning cable on your smartphone. Essentially, the Phaz headphones will simply plug…

Grill Indoors This Winter with the Kenyon Revolution!

News, Reviews

Grill Indoors This Winter with the Kenyon Revolution!

When the summer faded away last year, I wondered to myself how I would go without my grilled veggies and meats now that I could no longer grill outdoors. I’ve tried many options in the past, from George Foreman Grills, to even stovetop grill pans for $20 on Groupon that honestly do not work. So when Kenyon sent over their Revolution Grill, I knew that I had a product that would make the neighbors in my building jealous now that the outdoor grill has been shut up for the winter. Let’s start by saying this: The Kenyon Revolution Grill gets…

2016 Toyota Land Cruiser: A Luxurious Living Legend

Vehicles & Gear

2016 Toyota Land Cruiser: A Luxurious Living Legend

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a living legend, and for 2016 that legend continues. Land Cruiser has been sold in the U.S. market for nearly 60 years now and this year it sees some significant upgrades including new interior and exterior design features, as well as getting some of Toyota’s newest safety technology.

Scosche boomBottle H2O Takes Your Music to the Outdoors!

Outdoors, Reviews

Scosche boomBottle H2O Takes Your Music to the Outdoors!

I spend a lot of time outdoors, hunting, fishing, grilling, and taking the kids to the pool. Of course, most outdoor activities are better with music, so there is always a Bluetooth speaker around. The Scosche boomBottle H2O ($109.99) has now given me great audio without the worry. The speaker is water proof, rugged, and perfect for the outdoors!

Ditto Gives You Discreet Notifications Without Getting in the Way

Reviews

Ditto Gives You Discreet Notifications Without Getting in the Way

Judie and I received Huawei Mate 8 smartphones at CES 2016. The phablet is amazing but won’t work with our Apple Watches. We also picked up the amazing Withings Activité Steel Fitness Watch. It’s a great tracker but doesn’t do notifications. Fortunately, the Ditto notifier fills in that gap in a manner that is both inexpensive and discrete.

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1040 with AtmosCheerFX Review

Reviews

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1040 with AtmosCheerFX Review

Some friends of mine have frequently watched movies and football games in their backyard by setting up a projector. A few, like I have, used a projector as decoration or set pieces. This is thanks to the Epson Home Cinema 1040 and AtmosCheerFX. Next year, you can be the life of the party!

Our CES 2016 Visit with V-MODA

Events, News

Our CES 2016 Visit with V-MODA

The other day we published my review of the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless Over-the-Ear Headphones. I love those headphones. They are comfortable, sound amazing, and work just as well whether you use them in wired or wireless mode. During CES 2016 we met with Val Kolton, the founder and CEO of the company. Take a look!

Avia Stride Activity Tracker Review

Reviews

Avia Stride Activity Tracker Review

CES is now over and activity trackers and other wearables were all the rage at the show this year. With Under Armour, Casio, and others releasing devices, it looks like almost everyone has a tracker now. Avia, who I know more for sneakers than electronics even has one, and they sent me an Avia Stride; I am underwhelmed.

Boomstick Lets Crappy Headphones Sound Better

Crowdfunding, Events, Reviews

Boomstick Lets Crappy Headphones Sound Better

Sitting on the kitchen table when I returned from CES were a pair of nondescript black earbuds. You know, the free type that reinforce the notion that you get what you pay for. “What are these?” I asked. “I used them for a conference call today,” said Raina. They were the perfect test earbuds for the new Boomstick headphone accessory. I’ll admit it. My work with Gear Diary has spoiled me. I’ve heard $1500 headphones from HARMAN that use the latest technology and were tuned by none other than Quincy Jones. I’ve reviewed Blue’s first foray into the headphone market….

The SKEYE Hexa Drone is a Hex of a Good Time!

Reviews

The SKEYE Hexa Drone is a Hex of a Good Time!

The SKEYE Hexa Drone is the latest flying gadget from our friends at TRNDlabs. Forgoing the typical four-propeller design, the Hexa Drone has a six-propeller array that’s completely ready to go straight out of the box. The additional two propellers give the drone more stability in the air. The SKEYE Hexa Drone comes ready to fly for $59!

Free Yourself from the Bluetooth Collar with Jaybird Freedom Headphones!

Events, News

Free Yourself from the Bluetooth Collar with Jaybird Freedom Headphones!

You’ve probably tried out bluetooth headphones that either have a collar, or sit over your ear before right? While that might seem practical, but when you’re in the gym, or even casually walking, they bounce around and still don’t solve the problem that plagues bluetooth headphone users. If you’re tired of that problem, you need to be checking out the Jaybird Freedoms. You’ve probably seen them in Best Buy or your favorite electronic shop and they probably have them. But after the announcement they made at CES 2016, I had the opportunity to try them on for size and put…

Harman Kardon OMNI+ Brings Wireless, Multi-Room True HD Audio Home

Events, News

Harman Kardon OMNI+ Brings Wireless, Multi-Room True HD Audio Home

It has been coming for a while but, with the introduction of the Harman Kardon OMNI+, brings Wireless, Multi-Room True HD, I think Harman Kardon is truly ready to take over and dominate the multi-room audio market. As one would expect, the new OMNI+ speakers bring HK’s audio prowess to a variety of rooms. That, however, is just the beginning.

Urban Armor Gear's Composite Case for MacBook 12-inch

Reviews

Urban Armor Gear’s Composite Case for MacBook 12-inch

I recently had the opportunity to use and test a composite case for my 12-inch MacBook from Urban Armor Gear. This manufacturer’s sample states it is military grade and drop-tested. Although I’m not about to start drop-testing my MacBook, I have no reason to believe it’s not military grade. It feels very sturdy and well-built, while remaining lightweight. So as I just mentioned, my initial reaction is that it is really light. I’m sensitive to things that add bulk to the MacBook since it’s size and weight are a key part of what makes it so nice to travel with….

Synology Announces Aesthetically Overhauled DS416j NAS

Events, News

Synology Announces Aesthetically Overhauled DS416j NAS

Synology, my top-rated NAS manufacturer, announced their new DS416j NAS this week. The DS416j is a budget-friendly 4-bay network attached storage (NAS) server built for home and small business use to store data, media, and more. The DS416j is ideal for storing as well as streaming media to all of your screens and speakers. The DS416j is now available!

The HeyJoe Coffee Mug Got Me Through CES

Events, News, Reviews

The HeyJoe Coffee Mug Got Me Through CES

If you’re a coffee drinker like myself, you know the struggle of waking up in the morning, creating your own brew, and even worse, finding that mug of cup that will keep that House Blend warm as you go on your daily commute. Well over the course of CES, as well as a few weeks prior to that, I had the pleasure of reviewing the HeyJoe Coffee Mug which solves a lot of problems we all have throughout the morning. Originally a Kickstarter that has since been in full production, the HeyJoe Coffee Mug is the first coffee mug to…

Kuaiwear Launches Their Kuai Multisport Biometric Headphones

Events, News

Kuaiwear Launches Their Kuai Multisport Biometric Headphones

It’s no longer enough to just tie on your sneakers and head out for a run. Now you need your watch, footpod, headphones, heart rate monitor, and smartphone. We’re about a week away from SPIbelt including a battery in their products just to keep everything charged. Kuai has a much simpler solution: Kuai Multisport Biometric Headphones. That’s a very long and fancy name for a very simple concept. Kuai took headphones, added sensors for heart rate and cadence, threw in 8Gbof memory for music and coaching downloads, and even added connectivity for Bluetooth and ANT+, so you can easily connect…

2016 Chrysler 200C is a Classy Midsize Sedan

Vehicles & Gear

2016 Chrysler 200C is a Classy Midsize Sedan

This year marks the 90th year for Chrysler as an automotive brand. Not too long ago it was incorporated into the Fiat Chrysler Automobile global family and part of that new partnership meant new models rolling out that received global influence. The Chrysler 200 midsize sedan was one such vehicle.

Chevy Bolt Zooms into the Electric Vehicle Market!

Events, News

Chevy Bolt Zooms into the Electric Vehicle Market!

I have said many times if I win the Powerball the first thing I’m doing is buying a Tesla Model S, for one reason: I would love an electric car but I need decent range for my daily commute. GM has a much better plan than Powerball, though, with the new Chevy Bolt EV, which has a 200 mile range!