April 2023

RIP Amazon Halo in All of Your Invasive Glory

Amazon has abruptly announced that they’re discontinuing their Halo fitness and sleep trackers. If you’re still using one, you’re good until July 31st, after which you should give your privacy-invading little friend a Viking funeral. Or, you know, send it to Amazon for proper recycling.




BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge Review: An Ice-Free Way to Keep Cold Things Cold and Frozen Things Frozen

There are plenty of times when having a portable fridge in your vehicle can come in handy; some of the ones I can think of off of the top of my head include when you’re spending time doing outdoor activities, traveling, when you have medications that need to be kept at a certain temperature, or when you just want the convenience of not having to stop for a cold drink during a long commute. Whatever your reason for needing one, the BougeRV CRPRO30 30-Quart Portable Fridge might just be the perfect solution.


Hollow Knight Review: I Underestimated This Game For Years, I Was Wrong

At first glance, you may assume that Hollow Knight is nothing special. The main character is cute, jumps around, and doesn’t speak any English, so this might as well be a Pokemon for all you know. However, engaging with a 2-dimensional world reveals an astonishing amount of depth that belies its simple mechanics and controls. Originally funded on Kickstarter, this has got to be one of the most successful crowdfunded video games ever, and it deserves high praise.


Jabra Speak2 55 Portable Speakerphone Review: Full Duplex, Noise-Cancellation, and Advanced Microphones

The Jabra Speak2 55 Portable Speakerphone is a high-quality portable speakerphone designed to provide clear and uninterrupted audio during conference calls. It is a versatile device that is suitable for use with smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Jabra, a Danish firm that offers many personal sound and office solutions, recently presented the Speak2 range, the newest products in Jabra’s line-up of professional speakerphones, which include the Speak2 75, Speak2 55, and the Speak2 40.



Watch the EcoFlow Live Stream for Their Newest Smart Devices, the Blade, Glacier, and Wave 2

During CES, Judie was able to visit with EcoFlow to see some early versions of their new battery-powered smart devices. The EcoFlow Blade is a lawn sweeping mower, the EcoFlow Glacier is a portable refrigerator with an ice maker, and the EcoFlow Wave 2 is the next version of their popular portable AC and heater. These latest products are finally ready for sale, and they’ll be revealed in-depth during the EcoFlow live stream on April 26th.



2023 John Deere Tech Summit: Helping Family Famers Efficiently Feed an Ever-Growing Population

In many countries, shoppers enjoy the privilege of entering their choice of well-stocked grocery stores to find an ever-changing selection of fresh and packaged food options. Most of us probably don’t give a second thought to the people and processes responsible for producing our food; we just take the bounty for granted. But since attending the John Deere Tech Summit in Austin, I’ve gained a fresh appreciation for farmers (especially family farmers), the farming process, and for John Deere — the company that’s been helping farmers feed and clothe their families — and the world — since 1837.




Sleep Number Launches New Lifestyle Furniture Line Along with Next-Gen Sleep Number Smart Beds

Sleep Number’s first 360 smart beds launched in 2017. After seeing one in person at CES 2018, I soon bought the i10 360 smart bed. That was over five years ago, and ever since, Kev and I have enjoyed personalized sleep from our dual-zone, self-adjusting mattress. Each night, sensors inside our smart bed collect biometric data that is crunched to produce a SleepIQ Score. Today the next-gen Sleep Number smart beds were announced along with Sleep Number’s new lifestyle furniture line. It’s hard to imagine what could make our mattress any better, but Sleep Number has some ideas.





Far Cry New Dawn Review: Get Chipotle Instead

I went in with minimal expectations and literally only bought Far Cry New Dawn because it was 10 bucks, yet I still feel I got robbed. I’ve beaten Far Cry 2, 3, 4, and 5, so I’d say I’m qualified to judge this game versus the others in the series, and this one is by far the worst. If you stop reading now, I won’t blame you. This is the 2nd most recent addition to the series, and it may have turned me off the franchise in earnest.