I’ve become a fan of Olivers Apparel over the past few years. Their clothing has excellent style and is designed for active people; while pricey, the quality you get makes their items more of an investment than a purchase. During the Olivers Apparel Mystery Box Event, you can get a selection of their clothing and save 50% or more.
The end of 2021 may be drawing close, but that doesn’t mean our friends at Nomad are done rolling out the new gear. In fact, Nomad’s new 30W GaN AC Adapter and sports cables are here just in time to be welcome stocking stuffers. Here’s a quick look at both.
Cameras and microphones have become part of daily life for many of us during the pandemic. While most external video cameras have built-in microphones, they’re usually only slightly better than using the microphone integrated into a laptop. Unfortunately, the best external microphones are often rather complicated to use. However, the AKG Ara microphone is an excellent dual pattern USB mic, and it’s easy to use.
Have you noticed that Black Friday seems to start a bit earlier each year? Well, this year, the sales are starting even earlier. Better still, the 2021 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Savings are pretty impressive. Here are some of the products we love that are currently available at steep, sometimes incredibly steep, savings.
Some time ago, I reviewed Twelve South’s PowerPic. A traditional wooden frame that doubles as a Qi wireless charger, it’s rather inspired. Now the company has released their new Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger. It is an elegant lucite frame for a 4″ by 6″ picture that hides a secret; it is also a 10W Qi charger.
I hadn’t used Shure headphones in quite some time, so I was excited when the opportunity to review the Shure AONIC 215 Gen 2 True Wireless Earphones. This system pairs detachable AONIC 215 sound isolating earphones with Shure’s second-generation wireless adapter set. The sound is impressive, but the unique approach Shure took may not be for everyone.
My new iPhone finally arrived, and all the reviews are correct; Apple found a way to improve battery life significantly. At the same time, better battery life doesn’t mean heavy users like me won’t still want to carry an external battery. The InfinityLab InstantGo 10000 Wireless Power Bank ticks all of my boxes; it’s powerful and packed with features.
In recent weeks, Harman‘s Infinity Lab has released several different charging solutions; these include high-performance wall adapters and a range of external battery packs. They have sent me a number of their new products to try; this review will look at their new Infinity Lab InstantCharger 65W, a powerful USB-C and USB-A PD charger.
There are many nights when I enjoy winding down by listening to music in bed. Most of the true wireless earphones I have worked just fine initially, but the hard material that houses the electronics eventually becomes uncomfortable when leaning on a pillow. That’s where the SleepPhones Wireless Bluetooth Sleep Headphones come in. SleepPhones were designed for bedtime music. But are they comfortable?
A few months ago, I had no idea what a bed topper was. Sure, I’d heard of feather beds but a smart topper? “If you have a good bed why would you need one?” I thought. Then I got the Perfectly Snug Smart Topper; it automatically adjusts temperature while you sleep, and I couldn’t imagine sleeping without it now.
Coalatree Trailhead Pants are described as “the outdoor pant you can wear to the office.” Waterproof, antimicrobial, tear-resistant, and made for activity, their four-way stretch makes them comfortable regardless of what you are doing. Plus, they’re available in a range of colors and in a regular or slim fit. A unique and unisex take on hiking pants, they’ve got a new member of their fan club.
After using Tile tracking devices for years, I was skeptical when Apple released their AirTags, and I wondered why I would even consider making a switch. But then I got an AirTag and was sold on its tight integration with iOS. Now, there’s a collection of Speck AirTag accessories for holding AirTags that make them even more useful.
For the last year, I have been rather obsessed with clothing made for merino wool. It is light, warm when you need it, cool when you need that. It repels odor and dries incredibly fast. I was interested when I learned that the Kora M’s Neema SS Crew T-Shirt adds yak wool into the mix. Here’s a look.
Olivers’ claim to fame is that they “make premium athletic staples reimagined for the 21st century.” That’s a pretty apt description of their growing line of quality casual wear. I love their Passage Pants, and the new Olivers Stadium Shirt Jacket I received for review has already become one of my favorite pieces of clothing this fall.
I love the myCharge Hub Series charger. True story, Raina stole mine, and the company was kind enough to send me my own. They also sent me their new myCharge MAG-LOCK MagSafe Powerbank; it serves a different purpose than the Hub Series, and I’m quite pleased to have the 6000mAh version in my gear bag.
Scansnap scanners have been a mainstay of my workflow for years. Rarely does a day pass by that I don’t use one. In January, we brought word of two new scanners, the iX1600 and iX1400. This morning Fujitsu announced an addition to that lineup; the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1300 has a compact design but includes some impressive features.
Apple’s commitment to minimalism has gone too far. For example, my MacBook Air has just two USB-C ports; it’s nuts, and it means I need to use hubs that add the connectivity I need. The new OWC Thunderbolt Hub hits a sweet spot between the massive hubs I’ve reviewed and the smaller, portable ones I keep in my gear bags.
Shure makes some of the best microphones on the market, and their portfolio just got a bit bigger. They’ve just introduced two new microphones, the Shure MV7X Podcast Microphone and the Shure MV88+ Stereo USB Microphone. Each serves a different kind of creative and, if past experience with Shure microphones holds as I expect it will, both will be awesome.
I don’t sleep well anymore. Some nights it takes me forever to fall asleep; other nights, I drift right off but, an hour later, I’m awake and unable to fall back to sleep. Wearing a sleep cap helps (seriously, you should try it), earplugs help, but nothing comes close to the QuietOn 3 sleep earbuds for quiet and comfort. Nothing.
The Olive Pro Audio Enhancing Earbuds look similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro; they have the same white color and a similar design. At $299, they are pricier than Apple’s offering, but unlike the AirPods, the Olive Pro are not just true wireless earbuds. They are also a hearing aide that eliminates background noise and amplifies voices so you can better engage with others.
We have more pillows in our house than I care to admit, and my wife Raina hates them all. So, we’ve been trying out pillow after pillow, hoping to find “the one,” but until now, the “one” had eluded us, and we have a closet full of pillows to show for it. Then the Sleep Number PlushComfort Pillow arrived for review.