Articles by Zek


The TCL Tab 10 5G Will Keep You Connected, Productive, and Entertained on the Go

TCL has quietly worked to become a powerhouse in the smartphone and tablet worlds. They were already excelling at televisions, and they’ve taken that ability to make sharp, clear screens while also fitting them in your pocket or bag. Their latest achievement is the TCL Tab 10 5G, coming to T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile for all your on-the-go viewing needs.



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!

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…


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

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 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 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!


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 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!


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.


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 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

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!

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.


You Can Now Preorder the Jaw-Droppingly Powerful Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 Curved Monitor

If you’re a hard-core gamer, you know you’re only as good as your peripherals. You’ll especially want to make sure your monitor is keeping up because the more details you can see, the better you can destroy the competition. If you’re serious about gaming, you should check those couch cushions for A LOT of spare change and get in on the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 reservations!


Qualcomm Brings Augmented Reality to Life with the Snapdragon XR2 Platform

Everyone loves the idea of full virtual reality, but the really interesting future is in augmented reality. With this, you’re still seeing the world around you, but you’re getting an overlay of new details, from inventory management to pretending you’re catching Pokemon. Qualcomm wants to push AR to new heights with their Snapdragon XR2 Platform, and it offers some really exciting potential!



Sony LinkBuds S Shrink Down True Wireless Earbuds While Boosting Features

Have you looked at true wireless headphones and thought they’d hit the limit on what can be crammed into such tiny devices? Well, Sony doesn’t believe in limitations, but they do believe in maximizing the earbud experience. Today they’re rolling out the Sony LinkBuds S, which they say are the smallest and lightest true wireless noise-canceling headphones on the market!