Everyone Should Watch This Video About High Schoolers
At the risk of sounding like click bait, don’t read the rest of this post until you’ve watched the video below.
2016
2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI Is the Real Hot Hatch
Volkswagen says its GTI defined the term hot hatch – a fun-to-drive hatchback offering power, playful performance, refinement, and style. The latest iteration was North American Car of the Year for 2015 and recently we spent time behind the wheel of the 2016 Golf GTI. If ever there was truth in advertising it is the embodiment of the Golf GTI. Volkswagen got things right with this one despite its struggles with TDI models. The Golf GTI is offered (for now) in two- and four-door models with our tester arriving as the latter. At the heart of the fun is a…
Accessorize Your Echo Dot
Amazon’s Echo and they latest Echo Dot have taken off with them becoming mainstream as of late. The Black Friday special on the 2nd Generation Dot being only $39.99 is what triggered me to finally order one. After you get the Dot, it’s time to accessorize as it’s virtually made to be a hub for your smart home.
Motorola Partnering with Indiegogo to Help Developers make Cool MotoMods
One of the most interesting things about my new phone, a Motorola Z Force Droid Edition, is the mod system. The initial mods were kind of blah with the speaker, various battery packs, the projector, and the Hasselblad camera. However, that will soon change with the help of Indiegogo and Verizon.
Active Edge Leather Mariner Clasp Bracelet Looks Great, but That’s Just the Beginning
Some time ago I wrote about my surprising experience with Active Edge products. I came into the review rather skeptical but, by the end, was enough of a believer that I went and purchased a few more products. Now the company has taken a huge step forward and created something that looks more refined but offers the same promised benefits.
iClever BTS-05 and BTS-07 Bluetooth Speakers Offer Good Sound and Great Value
Bluetooth wireless speakers have burst onto the scene like gangbusters. Recently I received a pair of BoostSound Bluetooth speakers from iClever and after spending some time with each I can see the attraction and need for items such as the iClever BTS-05 and BTS-07.
Dollar Shave Club: A Practical, Thoughtful, and Sure to Be Appreciated Gift
If you’re struggling with what to get the guy who has everything, Dollar Shave Club may be the answer. You may recognize their name from radio ads, but you might have been hesitant to buy a relatively inexpensive razor and blades from a subscription service. After all, how good could it possibly be, right? Turns out, the products are very good.
Will Apple’s Downfall Be the Battle for Your Home?
Quick, what’s the most interesting innovation to go mainstream this year? You can make an argument for a number of ideas, but it’s pretty clear from the ad blitz that home automation, especially from Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home, are at the forefront of ideas that have gone from tech-y to everyday. Surprisingly, Apple appears to be letting that business slide right by them, which is an ominous sign for a so-called innovator.
Ozobot Evo Marvel Avengers Iron Man Master Pack: An Introduction to Robotic Programming
If you’ve ever been interested in learning about coding, but you didn’t know where to start, the Ozobot Evo Marvel Avengers Iron Man Master Pack might be a great place. You’ll use OzoBlockly, Ozo’s coding program, to “drag and drop blocks of code to take full control of Evo’s features,” and there are other fun ways to learn while playing.
Max Traxxx Tracer Racers Bring New Technology to Old Fun
I loved playing with track sets when I was a kid. Those old tracks used a toy car and gravity or spring power to thrust the car along the plastic track. Max Traxxx Tracer Racers ($49.99) give kids the same old fun but with RC technology. The cars even light up the track as they speed around and hit the jump.
The BRAVEN BRV-1M Is a Mid-Size Bluetooth Speaker Ready to Rock Your next Adventure
We recently reviewed the waterproof BRAVEN 105. It is a fine speaker at a great price, but for under $50 you can’t expect to get amazing sound. By spending a bit more you can up your game and get the BRAVEN BRV-1M. At $99.99 it is double the price but, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for!
Wiser Air Smart Thermostat Might as Well Have a Graduate Degree #ad
This post is brought to you by Schneider Electric. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Gear Diary. I’ve spent a good bit of time adding smart functionality to Raina’s and my new home. When the chance to check out Schneider Electric’s Wiser Air was offered, how could I resist?
In the Dark of Winter the Haiku Light Shines Brilliantly
My favorite tech item in my home is the Amazon Echo; the Haiku L Series fan I reviewed is a close second, especially since they work together. So I was excited to check out the Haiku Light. At $199, it’s a pricey ceiling light, but now that I’ve reviewed it I’ll be buying a few more. Yeah, it’s pretty awesome.
Speck’s Presidio Line of iPhone 7 Plus Cases Impresses with its Slim Protection
Speck’s new Presidio line offers impressive drop protection while only adding minimal bulk to your iPhone 7 or 7 Plus. The Presidio cases are made with a polycarbonate outer-layer and a layer of Speck’s own shock-absorbent rubber called Impactium on the interior of the case. Speck’s Presidio cases are available in a number of finishes and start at $44.95.
The Audioengine HD3 Wireless Music System Is Only Small in Size
As I’ve previously noted, I’m a huge fan of Audioengine products. The HD6 are among my favorite speakers and the B2 resides in our bedroom. So color me surprise that I think the HD3 Wireless Music System is AudioEngine’s best offering yet. These may look like simple desktop speakers, but they’re a complete music system packing Audioengine’s best audio tech.
Huawei’s Flagship Honor 8 Is a Gorgeous, Budget-Friendly, yet Capable Android Phone
Huawei brings their new flagship Android smartphone, the Honor 8, to the market sporting an affordable $399.99 price tag. The Honor 8 features a gorgeous, yet slippery, flagship-style design, 5.2-inch 1080p touchscreen, 12-megapixel dual-lens main camera and 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and a rear fingerprint sensor/button combination. The Honor 8 is powered by an octa-core 2.3 GHz CPU with 4MB RAM.
The Engineered by HP Coach Bleecker Smart Watch Review
About 6 months after I purchased an Apple Watch, I stopped wearing it. While I’ve missed the convenience of wrist notifications, I never got comfortable with wearing what amounted to a microscopic and hobbled iPhone on my wrist. I prefer a more classic wristwatch style, but I also appreciate something smart; enter, the Engineered by HP Coach Bleecker Smart Watch.
Audeze’s Sine Over-Ear Headphones Are a Sign That You Don’t REALLY Need a 3.5mm Headphone Jack
If you have an iPhone 7, one thing that you’ve missed the most is the headphone jack. There have been countless times I’ve grabbed a pair of headphones out of my drawer to try to listen to a podcast only to remember that they have a 3.5mm jack at the end, and they now no longer serve any purpose to me.
The BRAVEN 105 Is a Small Speaker That’s Built to Go Places
Over the past few years, we’ve reviewed a number of speakers from BRAVEN. INCIPIO’s acquisition of the brand clearly hasn’t slowed the pace of development. If anything, the exact opposite has happened, and there are a host of new products being rolled out. The BRAVEN 105 is the first of three we’ll be looking at in this review series.
Be Ready to Enjoy All Your Holiday Pictures with the New Nixplay Iris WiFi Frame
I’ve written about my experience with Nixplay frames previously. I love the ease-of-use they provide and really enjoy being able to see various pictures from the trips Raina and I have taken. The company recently released the new Nixplay Iris 8”. At $199.99, this is the company’s most refined WiFi frame yet and … I love it.
Talk-To-Me Mikey a New Holiday Gift Idea for the Kids
Still looking for that holiday gift for a child in your life? Playmates Toys has released a fun addition to its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lineup called Talk-to-Me Mikey. It is an interactive Michelangelo that can respond in over 100 ways.