December 2019

Huawei FreeBuds 3 Review

Huawei begged for comparison to Apple’s AirPods when they made the FreeBuds 3 look like the ubiquitous earbuds. The FreeBuds 3 style is so close to AirPods, that from a few feet away, you’d be forgiven for assuming that the white stem with a chrome end dipping low from your subway seatmate’s ears was the non-noise canceling version of Airpods, but you’d be wrong.


Calmer Canine Soothes Your Anxious Dog in Sci-Fi Style

I had a dog once who was very anxious about being left alone. This was problematic because he was 100lbs and not that bright, so you never knew quite how he’d express his displeasure at being home alone. Calmer Canine sees dog anxiety as a brain issue, and they claim their new anxiety gadget will ease doggie fears!


Jabra 75t True Wireless Earbuds Are the Current Champ of TWE

When Jabra entered the ‘true wireless earphone market’ a few years ago with their Elite Sport, I was immediately impressed. They fit reasonably well and sounded great. The Jabra 65t built on that first offering in significant ways, including comfort, sound, and much more. (Read our review.) Their latest offering, the Jabra 75t, takes things to an entirely new level.


Pitaka MagEZ Juice is a Qi-Enabled External Battery and Much More

Pitaka makes some of the best smartphone cases available; I use their MagEZ Case daily (read our review) as well as the Pitaka MagEZ Mount QI car charger (read our review), and both are fantastic. Now I’m using the Pitaka MagEZ Juice 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Power Bank Dock. It’s a wireless desk charger and Qi-enabled portable external battery in one.



Stern Pinball Fights Demogorgons and Physics with Stranger Things Pinball

Everyone loves pinball; there’s something exciting about it. Pinball takes skill, but there’s also the unpredictability of the physics of a tiny ball pinging around. Even when you think you’ve got the game figured out, you’re caught off-guard by a random movement. Stranger Things moves with the same chaotic energy as a Stern pinball game, so they make a good mix! Stern Pinball thinks so at least, and they’re rolling out a very exciting Stranger Things themed pinball game. There’s some exciting tech added in here with projectors that make gameplay more dynamic and interactive, and of course, a battle…


Nest Hub Max Is the Smart Assistant to Beat

As I’ve written in recent months, I’m deeply entrenched in Amazon’s Alexa voice services but I’m slowly being won over by Google’s offerings. I reviewed a JBL smart speaker last year (read my review) and Google’s Nest Mini last month (read my review). I’ve had a chance to play with the Google Nest Hub Max, and I have to admit that I’m impressed.


Ultimate Ears UE 5 CSX Are the Ultimate in Custom Fit Sound

Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to review a pair of custom in-ear monitors. Creating them was a long process that required numerous steps. They still work and sound great. Thanks to Ultimate Ears, though, there’s now a better way to get custom in-ear monitors. Let’s start this review by walking through the process of creating the UE 5 CSX.


Ford Expedition Limited Adds FX4 Trim for Off-Roading in Style

First, there was glamping — all the fun of sleeping outdoors, but with no dirt, less likelihood of sharing a tent with a bear, and sometimes even electricity and running water. The new Ford Expedition Limited FX4 is the glamping equivalent of SUVs; all the off-roading rugged goodness, but with leather seats and a camera so you can see the outside without going outside.


EVOO Gaming Laptop from Walmart Performs Well for a Mobile, Affordable Laptop

EVOO is Walmart’s latest private-label gaming laptop brand and they’re well-specced at a surprisingly affordable price. Tuned by THX, Ltd., renowned for the certification of world-class cinemas, these laptops feature THX Spatial Audio technology for immersive audio as well as displays that provide vibrant colors and crisp contrast. These new laptops start at an impressive MSRP of $1,199.


Eufy’s Handheld Vac Is Great for Couches or Cars

Anker’s Eufy brand has some of the best robot vacuums on the market, but sometimes you just want to get a quick cleanup, and there are certain areas that truly cannot be reached by the RoboVac. This is where Eufy’s H11 series comes into play.


Segway Ninebot Poised to Debut New eScooter and eMoped at CES 2020

Having already established itself as a leader in “last mile” innovation, Segway Ninebot plans to expand its foothold on the market with two brand new electric micro-mobility vehicles in 2020.  The Ninebot eMoped and Ninebot eScooter will help travelers get from point A to point B much more efficiently and cost-effectively thanks to intelligent safety features.



Mattel Adds Fun New Coding Lessons to Hot Wheels id, the Hot Holiday Toy

Right in time for Hour of Code Week 2019, Mattel is launching a new educational dimension to one of this year’s hottest holiday toy launches, Hot Wheels id. Hot Wheels id melds physical and digital play using NFC-enabled Hot Wheels cars to allow kids to test their cars in a virtual environment, including speed challenges and track building.


Nokia Updates the Nokia 7.1 with Android 10 and a Sale for the Holidays

If you remember the dark days before smartphones, you probably have a nostalgic reaction to Nokia phones … everyone had one of those Nokia candy bar style phones that played Snake and made calls. Well, you can still get a Nokia phone, but if you pick up the Nokia 7.1, you’ll now have Android 10 and a lot more power (and sure, you can install snake!)


Hands-On Impressions of Google Stadia 4K HDR Gaming!

While video game consoles have advanced tremendously over the last several decades, one thing has never changed – in the end, they’re a box that sits under your TV. Google is changing this with Stadia because there is no box at all, instead, your console lives in Google’s cloud and can be accessed from anywhere and more importantly, anything.





House Cleaning Made Simple Thanks to Shark

The terrible truth is cleaning your house after working hard all week is dreadful. No one enjoys doing it, but it must be done. But if you want to clean effectively, leaving little to no doubt that you’ve completed the mission, Shark’s UpLight & the Shark IQ Robot vacuums are the way to go.