Articles by Charles Kliment

The Safemo 2-Camera & Hub Set P1 with 5W Solar Panels Offers a Local, AI-based Home Security System

Gear Bits June 5, 2024

The Safemo 2-Camera & Hub Set P1 with 5W Solar Panels Offers a Local, AI-based Home Security System

A newcomer to the home security market, Singapore-based Safemo (a combination of the words Safe and Mode) offers a new home security system composed of two wireless cameras and a hub with two 5W solar panels. As with other systems on the market, this system can differentiate between people, vehicles, and packages, but unlike other systems, it does so locally using AI and data processing, all without a monthly subscription. Up to six months of data and video (32GB) can be stored on the device. An optional SSD hard drive can add up to 4TB of storage.

Leather Honey Leather Cleaner

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear May 21, 2024

Leather Honey Leather Cleaner Review: Effective and Gentle Cleaner That Adds UV Protection

Per Leather Honey’s website, “Leather Honey was invented in the early 1960s when a retired chemist met with businessman Daniel McGowen, who had recently taken over his father-in-law’s Philadelphia-based manufacturing company.” The two created the original formula for the cleaner and the conditioner and found it very effective at preserving leather. An early test on the soles of postal carriers’ shoes showed that those treated with Leather lasted twice as long as those that were unprotected. Leather Honey makes cleaners and conditioners for leather products, including the Leather Honey Leather Cleaner we received for review.

Roku Smart Home Starter Kit

Reviews May 11, 2024

Roku Smart Home Starter Kit Review: Impressive Performance at an Amazing Price

Roku is best known for its TVs and streaming devices, but it also manufactures related audio devices and accessories and makes smart home products. The Roku Smart Home Starter Kit contains a Roku Indoor Camera, two Roku Smart Bulbs, and two Roku Indoor Smart Plugs; at $53.97, it is a very aggressively priced way of making your home a bit smarter.

GVM-BD25R Bi-Color RGB LED Tube Light 2-Light Kit Review: Great for Accent Lighting, Light Painting, and Adding Fun to Your Next Party!

Reviews April 30, 2024

GVM-BD25R Bi-Color RGB LED Tube Light 2-Light Kit Review: Great for Accent Lighting, Light Painting, and Adding Fun to Your Next Party!

GVM (Great Video Maker) offers a line of assorted products for videographers and photographers that are often aggressively priced compared to the competition while providing similar features and overall quality. These include monolights, tube, panel, flexible, and pocket lights. They also produce camera sliders, wireless microphones, teleprompters, and other accessories. In this review, we are testing the 24″ GVM-BD25R Bi-Color RGB LED Tube Light 2-Light Kit. As per its name, this kit includes two light wands as well as several accessories that are optional when buying the Single Kit. As per its name, the GVM-BD25R Bi-Color RGB LED Tube Light…

Pimax Crystal Super and Pimax Crystal Light

News & Features April 23, 2024

Pimax Crystal Super and Pimax Crystal Light: Two New High-End VR Headsets for Gaming

Pimax, a high-end VR gaming gear manufacturer, announced two new models of its Crystal line of VR headsets at its 2024 Frontier event on YouTube. The Pimax Crystal Super sets a new high bar for the industry with 29.5 million pixels and the world’s first swappable optical engine, allowing users to select between QLED and micro-OLED panels. The new Pimax Crystal Light offers the same 16.6 million pixels as the existing Pimax Crystal but at a much lower cost, starting at $699.

Insta360 X4 Is an 8K 360 Camera That Reaches New Heights in Shooting and Editing

News & Features April 17, 2024

Insta360 X4 Is an 8K 360 Camera That Reaches New Heights in Shooting and Editing

Insta360’s newest camera has some very impressive specifications and equally impressive features. The Insta360 X4 is the company’s latest flagship 360 camera; it offers 8K 360-degree video and 5.6K at 60 fps or 4K at 100 fps. The image quality represented in the company’s sample videos is a huge step forward. When combined with the ability to “shoot first, point later” and the invisible selfie stick, the creative possibilities have no limits. The X4 can also be used as a traditional action camera using a single lens, providing smooth, ultra-wide 4K at 60fps.

The GVM PRO-SD300B and accessories

Reviews March 28, 2024

GVM PRO-SD300B Review: Excellent Quality Light in a Handsome Package

GVM (Great Video Maker) offers a line of assorted products for videographers and photographers, including monolights, tube lights, panel lights, flexible lights, and pocket lights. They also produce camera sliders, wireless microphones, teleprompters, and other accessories. GVM products are often aggressively priced compared to the competition while offering similar features and overall quality. GVM has certainly stepped it up with their new line of spotlights. This review examines the GVM PRO-SD300B, a 300-watt monolight specifically designed for today’s shooting environments.

WD_Black C50 plugged into an Xbox

Reviews March 26, 2024

WD_Black C50 Review: Rugged and Fast Xbox Storage Expansion

Are you looking to supercharge your Xbox Series X|S with extra storage? If so, you’ll want to check out the WD_BLACK C50 Storage Expansion Card. This officially licensed accessory offers a seamless solution for storing today’s larger games. To use it, you insert the card into your console for expanded storage with performance on par with the Xbox’s internal drive. It’s easy to use and definitely fast, but as of now, it is only available in 512GB and 1TB sizes.

SteelSeries Alias Pro XLR Mic Review: Two Excellent Products in One

Reviews March 22, 2024

SteelSeries Alias Pro XLR Mic Review: Two Excellent Products in One

SteelSeries has earned a reputation for its high-quality gaming headsets and has now entered the gaming microphone market with two versions of its new Alias microphone. I am testing the SteelSeries Alias Pro, an XLR microphone, and the Stream Mixer interface in this review. A sister product, the SteelSeries Alias, is a USB microphone with an integrated interface.

Arlo Essential XL Outdoor Camera (2nd Generation) Review: Excellent Video, Beautiful Design for Under $100

Reviews January 12, 2024

Arlo Essential XL Outdoor Camera (2nd Generation) Review: Excellent Video, Beautiful Design for Under $100

Arlo sells a variety of home security products, including doorbells, cameras, floodlights, and security systems. I recently reviewed their Arlo Home Security System and the Arlo Pro 5S 2K Wireless Security Camera, both of which I found to be very good. Now, we’ll look at the Arlo Essential XL Outdoor Camera, an HD wireless security camera that packs a good deal of features into an affordable package.

Beyerdynamic Blue BYRD ANC (2nd-Gen) Review: Neckband Earbuds with Robust Sound but Average ANC

Reviews January 5, 2024

Beyerdynamic Blue BYRD ANC (2nd-Gen) Review: Neckband Earbuds with Robust Sound but Average ANC

Beyerdynamic’s second-generation Blue BYRD in-ear headset is a bit of an odd bird these days (if you forgive the pun). Their styling is a bit retro, yet they offer several advanced features. The neckband design is the first thing you notice about the Beyerdynamic Blue BYRD ANC headset. Although not nearly as common today as in-ear earbuds, the Blue BYRD’s band offers a few advantages. For example, moving the battery to the band allows for the use of 10mm dynamic drivers.

Heybike Horizon E-Bike Review: Full Suspension, Folding, Fat Tire Fun

Reviews, Outdoors December 12, 2023

Heybike Horizon E-Bike Review: Full Suspension, Folding, Fat Tire Fun

I recently reviewed the Mars 2.0, another recent e-bike from Heybike, and I loved it. The Heybike Horizon went on sale last week and is currently priced at $1699.99. The Mars 2.0 currently sells for $1099.99. What is the difference between the two, and what justifies the added $600 expenditure? How about a Horst-link rear suspension and hydraulic front suspension, 24 “×4” fat tires, as well as hydraulic brakes and headlight and back/brake lights both with turn signals? How does it stack up? Let’s take a look.

UPDATED: Audigo Wireless Microphone Review: Remote Recording Made Easy

Reviews November 14, 2023

UPDATED: Audigo Wireless Microphone Review: Remote Recording Made Easy

Audigo Labs is a San Fransico-based company founded in 2019 by drummer and former Tesla engineer Armen Nazarian “after being frustrated by the lack of simple to use, high-quality sound recording solutions available to content creators.” The Audigo wireless microphone works as an extension of your iPhone to greatly improve the quality of your recordings, be they in your studio or backyard.

SJCam SJ11 Active

Reviews November 3, 2023

SJCam SJ11 Active Review: Solid Affordable Action Camera That Comes with Many Accessories

SJCam is a Chinese company that has been making affordable cameras for more than a decade. Their product range includes action cameras, body cameras, trail cameras, and smart home cameras. A few months ago, I reviewed their SJCam C300, an action camera with an especially small footprint. This review is for the recently added SJCam SJ11 Action, a dual-screen WiFi action camera.

House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini Review: Excellent, Robust Sound, Sustainable Materials, and Unique Design Set This Bluetooth Speaker Apart

Reviews, Outdoors October 9, 2023

House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini Review: Excellent, Robust Sound, Sustainable Materials, and Unique Design Set This Bluetooth Speaker Apart

Wireless speakers have been around for a long time and are available in every price range. In order to stand out in the marketplace and be priced at $129.99 (down from the original $169.99), the House of Marley Get Together 2 Mini would need to excel in many ways to justify the cost. Do they succeed? In my opinion, wholeheartedly yes.

Nanoleaf Ultra Black Shapes Hexagons and Triangles Review: Dramatic Lighting Effects that Look Like Art When Not in Use

Reviews, Game Diary October 2, 2023

Nanoleaf Ultra Black Shapes Hexagons and Triangles Review: Dramatic Lighting Effects that Look Like Art When Not in Use

Nanoleaf is a technology and Internet of Things-focused company that, since 2012, has offered a line of modern smart home products, including several series of light panels. Their system of smart light panels is available as triangles, mini triangles, and hexagons. Occasionally, the company offers limited editions of these products, as is the case with the Nanoleaf Ultra Black Shapes, which are available in Hexagon and Triangle Smarter Kits.