Articles by Zek

Roku Express

Gear Bits

New Roku Hardware and Exciting New Ways to Find Content

There are many streaming services competing for your attention these days. Worse, shows are jumping between services, and it’s always a question mark where to find whatever you want to watch. And then you need hardware to stream it all. But Roku has been and continues to be one of the best at combining hardware and software to make the viewing experience as smooth as possible. Check out the new Roku hardware, including the Express, Wireless Base, and their latest solution for finding content.

Dark Side to Apple Watch Series 8's New Feature

Editorials, Health and Fitness

There’s a Dark Side to the Apple Watch Series 8’s New Feature

We discussed our concerns regarding privacy and period-tracking apps a few months ago. It’s still unclear whether that’s a legitimate fear or just a terrible hypothetical, but it is within the realm of possibility, which makes Apple’s newest Watch feature even more perplexing. If there’s concern about the safety of cycle-tracking, do you really want your Apple Watch Series 8 automatically monitoring it?

LG Gram Laptop and +view Monitor Bundle Is an Excellent Remote Work Setup!

News & Features

LG Gram Laptop and +view Monitor Bundle Is an Excellent Remote Work Setup!

Whether you’ve been pulled back into the office or you’ve finagled a chance to make the world your office, there’s almost always going to be times when you’re working from new places. Maybe it’s a coffee shop, an Air BnB, or your dining room table. You can work from anywhere, but you’ll sorely miss that extra screen if you’re used to a dual monitor setup. Good news, you don’t have to if you take advantage of Amazon’s LG Gram and +view portable monitor bundle!

GrandPad Review: Stay in Touch with Loved Ones No Matter Their Tech-Savvyness

Reviews

GrandPad Review: Stay in Touch with Loved Ones No Matter Their Tech-Savvyness

Many years ago, my grandmother had a computer. She was super excited to keep in touch with me when I went to college, and she mostly used it to email me and play solitaire. Unfortunately, it eventually proved too complex for her, and she reluctantly gave it up. Technology has made a huge leap forward in the intervening 20 years, and now people have significantly more options for keeping in touch with elderly relatives. GrandPad thinks they have developed a smooth and easy way to keep grandparents and families connected. Does it work? Read on to find out!

Amazon Halo View Review: It Will Track Your Steps, Your Fitness, and Even Your Tone!

Reviews, Health and Fitness

Amazon Halo View Review: It Will Track Your Steps, Your Fitness, and Even Your Tone!

Smartwatches are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean there’s no niche for a dedicated fitness tracker. Sometimes, you want that laser focus on your health over every notification possible. Amazon thinks they can get a foot in the door with the Amazon Halo View. We’ve put it through its paces to see if it can compete for wrist space among some stiff competition. The Amazon Halo View is a delightfully lightweight companion. It comes in at around 21g, which is just slightly more than half the weight of an Apple Watch. It’s quite slim and doesn’t interfere with wrist movements when…

Woman pouring Tailwinds Active Hydration into her water

Health and Fitness, Outdoors, Reviews

Tailwinds Active Hydration Review: Convenient Drink Packets That Help You Stay Hydrated and Healthy

I will be the first to admit I have a problem with hydration. Intellectually, I get that you need to drink plenty of liquids, especially if you’re working out regularly or living through the current east coast heat wave. But I’m terrible at actually drinking enough water, so when I was offered the chance to try the new Tailwinds Active Hydration Drink Mix, I was excited that it might improve my usual dehydrated state. How was it? Read on to find out!

Infinix Rolls Out 3D Vapor Cloud Chamber Liquid Cooling to Keep Phones Chilled and Happy

Gear Bits

Infinix Rolls Out 3D Vapor Cloud Chamber Liquid Cooling to Keep Phones Chilled and Happy

As of the writing of this post, a big chunk of the United States is encountering a massive heat wave. It’s rough, and you know who hates heat almost as much as you do? Your smartphone. Just like computers need cooling, so do phones, and they don’t have the benefit of fans or a large amount of space for venting. Infinix says they’ve found a way to dissipate more heat more efficiently with their new 3D Vapor Cloud Chamber Liquid Cooling Technology.

Taotronics 10 Speed Massage Gun

Health and Fitness, Reviews

Taotronics 10 Speed Massage Gun Review: Proof That You Can Sometimes Get More Than You Pay For!

We’ve reviewed quite a few massage guns at Gear Diary; most of them are priced in the $75 to $125 range, and all do an excellent job of unclenching sore muscles and improving recovery times. One company has taken the budget-friendly massage gun concept to a whole new level by selling theirs for under $30. But is it possible to make an effective massage gun and sell it at that price? We’ve been testing the Taotronics 10 Speed Massage Gun, and we have some good news!

Nomad sale

Gear Bits, Deals

Nomad Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary with a 30% Off Side-Wide Sale!

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Nomad here at Gear Diary. We love their chargers, watch bands, iPhone cases, and just about everything else we’ve tried from them. Believe it or not, it’s been a decade since Nomad first burst into the world of technology accessories! To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Nomad is knocking 30% off of their products sitewide!

Privacy and Security in Mobile Health Apps

Editorials, Health and Fitness

We Need to Talk About Protecting Your Privacy When Using Health Apps

Privacy has become a big discussion point these days since it feels like every app wants permission to use your camera, access your microphone, and track you all over the place. Ensuring that your private information is securely kept becomes especially relevant when considering apps that track your health, particularly those that track your reproductive health. Do you really need to be concerned about your privacy when using health apps? For many reasons, the answer is yes.

Infinix Announces Super Fast 180W Thunder Charger

Gear Bits

Infinix Teases Super-Fast 180W Thunder Charger: Yet-To-Be-Announced Flagships Will Never Run Out of Juice!

Infinix makes impressive phones that offer significant bang for your buck, but they’re not settling for that. They’re rolling out a new 180W Thunder Charger with select Infinix flagship phones later this year. These phones’ charging times won’t just be a few minutes faster; they’ll be shockingly faster —as in getting a 50% charge on a 4500mAh battery in just four minutes!

Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Ultra

Gear Bits

Shrink the Workstation but Up the Power with the Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Ultra

Desktop setups for work are increasingly all about the footprint. No one wants to have to deal with a big heavy tower, especially if there’s potential for swapping units around, and smaller devices mean less need for excess storage space. However, smaller doesn’t mean less need for power, and Lenovo understands that balance well. They’re trying to meet both space and specifications with the new Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Ultra.

Taotronics 10 Speed Massage Gun

Gear Bits, Editorials

A Reminder: Buying a Massage Gun Shouldn’t Mean That You Have to Break the Bank!

We received a pitch for a massage gun that clocked in at a jaw-droppingly cheap $26.31 (or as low as $22.10 if you buy in bulk!). In an email to me, Judie questioned whether a massage gun that cheap could possibly be effective. While we plan to review this inexpensive massage gun to see how it does, I pointed out that while $26 does seem overly cheap, the reality is that a massage gun is a relatively simple device that probably shouldn’t cost $300 and up, either!

Xreart original iPhone teardown art

Reviews

Xreart Studio Review: Give the Gift of Upcycled Gadgets with Unique Teardown Art

Art is subjective. What speaks to one person might not strike someone else in the same way. However, if you’re reading Gear Diary, you probably have a strong appreciation for technology, especially the devices that impacted your life. Maybe your gateway to geekery was a Game Boy, an original iPhone, or your first smartwatch; Xreart takes that love for gadgets and turns them into works of art!

Pride 2022: The Fight for Equal Rights Still Isn't Over

Editorials

Pride 2022: The Fight for Equal Rights Still Isn’t Over

A few years ago, I ranted about how commercialized Pride has become. That hasn’t changed; if anything, “rainbow capitalism” has tripled in the last four years. Unfortunately, so has discrimination, and there’s been a rise in legislative actions designed to chip away at the rights of the LGBTQ community.

Brickit Aims to Bring High Tech Creativity to That Mess of Lego Bricks!

Gear Bits

Brickit Aims to Bring High Tech Creativity to That Mess of Lego Bricks!

When my brother outgrew his LEGO bricks back in the early 90s, my mom had the foresight to pack them away for future generations. It’s quite amusing to see my son build things out of the same LEGO his uncle used (and see him occasionally texting my brother to ask why he drew his initials in all the roof pieces). Everyone has that big LEGO bin from years of accumulated bricks, and Brickit thinks they’ve cracked the way to inspire you to see potential in every mismatched choice.