August 2018




Dear Facebook, I’m Just Not That Into You

I stopped visiting Facebook about 2 weeks ago. It wasn’t a conscious declaration, it was just that I felt like Facebook was becoming a crutch to distract me, and it wasn’t something I enjoyed. I probably would have drifted back sooner, but Facebook has been inundating me with emails like a needy ex, and it’s starting to creep me out enough to not want to return.


Neato Robotics Has New Robots to Keep Your Home Neat(o)

Robot vacuums are one of the greatest inventions ever. It’s like having Rosie from the Jetsons, but without the dusting or conversational skills. In fact, I have one at home and my son seems to be under the impression it is some kind of robot pet. Neato has some new vacuums at IFA that take cleaning to a new level!


Lenovo’s Star Wars Jedi Challenges Embraces Its Dark Side

Lenovo knows that deep down, we all want to be Jedis. Who doesn’t look good with a laser sword and a bathrobe? They’ve already tapped into that primal desire with their Star Wars Jedi Challenges Augmented Reality game, and now they’re adding more features, plus a chance to play as everyone’s favorite moody emo darkside guy, Kylo Ren.


Lenovo Unleashes an Army of Computers on IFA 2018

If you’re in the market for a laptop this fall, you’ll want to pay close attention to what’s coming out of IFA, especially from Lenovo! They’ve got Yoga, Thinkpad, and Chromebook updates, meaning something is likely to fit your needs and your budget.



Samsung Gives Us 8K Resolution Televisions with the New Q900FN!

We have more and more ways to enjoy cinematic experiences right at home. Streaming services are offering better and better content, soundbars and other speaker system enhancements bring the audio to life, and televisions just keep improving. Samsung is intent on taking this to the next level with their new Q900FN TV with an absolutely futuristic 8K resolution.



Sonos Amp Brings Sonos Magic to the High-End Speakers You Already Own

Sonos has been on a roll lately. The Sonos Beam with built-in voice capabilities was released recently. Then Sonos rolled out compatibility with AirPlay 2 for some of its speakers. Now the company has announced the Sonos Amp. The $599 Sonos Amp is a replacement for the Sonos Connect: Amp, but it is much more than a mere replacement.


Casio Blazes a New Trail with Their Updated Pro-Trek WSD-F30

There are a lot of fitness trackers/smartwatches out there that claim to fit any scenario, but if there’s any niche that needs special attention, it’s the outdoors. You need to be conscious of battery life, feature availability without internet, and of course, ruggedness. Casio has been nailing it with their Pro-Trek WSD line, and the newest WSD-F30 looks eye-poppingly good. 



Dell Releases a Slew of Updated Computers at IFA 2018

Dell has been busy pumping out gaming computers lately, they haven’t forgotten those of us who think Super Mario 2 was the height of gaming technology. They’re at IFA this week, and they have a full suite of Inspiron, XPS, and other software and hardware improvements to make it faster and easier to get things done!


Blue Yeti Nano Microphone: Great Sound, Great Price

Regardless of whether you’re a gamer, podcaster, or just dong voice-overs, the one thing you need to have is a really good microphone. While you can probably find a cheap microphone to get by with for a while, we’re sure you’ve also looked at microphones from Blue.


Olivers Passage Pants Are Pricey but Oh So Comfortable!

I’m not one to spend a lot on clothes. When I need new suits, I wait for a sale at Joseph A. Bank. When I need new casual clothes, I wait for a sale at the Gap. But, after getting the $158 Passage Pant from Olivers Apparel, I was reminded that you often get what you pay for!


Nomad Slim Wallet with Tile Tracking Keeps Your Stuff, Won’t Get Lost

I constantly misplace my wallet so, for the past year I’ve kept a Tile Slim tracker in my wallet. Now Nomad has released a minimalist wallet specifically designed for use with a Tile Slim. I’m a fan. The $79.95 Nomad Slim Wallet with Tile Tracking is gorgeous. A Tile Slim is included, and there’s a special slot just for it.


The Strymon BigSky: Is It Worth It?

For a relatively new company, Strymon has built itself a massive reputation for premium performance. Go to almost any band’s live show, and there’s a very good chance you’ll see at least one Strymon pedal on the guitarist’s pedalboard. However, that performance isn’t cheap. The only Strymon stompbox with a list price below $299 is their OB1, a compressor and clean boost, and even that is about twice the price of similar pedals by other companies. But there are plenty of effects companies with pedals in the multi-hundred dollar range, but few of them are as ubiquitous as Strymon’s units….




2018 BMW X2 Is the New Sports Activity Something

BMW and I are going to have to agree to disagree on the all-new X2. The Bavarian automaker is billing the new model as a sports activity coupe, but I fail to see much coupe-ish about it. What is offered is a great combination of a hatchback and crossover utility vehicle, just not a coupe.