A while back, I converted two rooms in the back of my house to the ultimate man cave. Part of that was a home bar project that I have taken great pride in. I recently was lucky enough to be offered a Neon Mama customized light for review, and it has really enhanced the area and stepped up my entertainment game.
There are two tools I always have readily available, a sharp pocket knife and a powerful flashlight. Flashlight technology has improved so that even the brightest ones are more pocketable. The KeySmart NanoTorch Twist fits the bill, and with the added “twist” feature, it is even more usable. Let’s take a look!
It is HOT, I mean, super HOT in Texas right now. Like most Texans, a super cold brew hits the spot after a long day of work. Some of you may have recently seen ads for Busch Light Apple. As it just so happens, Busch was kind enough to send me a sample. As a side note, I am a fan of Bush Light already. How did Busch Light Apple fare?
During this time of working from home for so many people, SureCall has announced a new cell signal booster. The SureCall FlareDB+ LTE Booster is designed for homes, small buildings, and cabins making it perfect for remote workers as well as online education. The dual-band booster works with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile services.
Fender has mixed technology with its usual craftsmanship and iconic Stratocaster shape. The Acoustasonic Stratocaster retails for $1,999.99 and comes in five colors. This unique guitar will allow players to get both acoustic and electric sounds out of the same instrument — all the while playing on a great looking guitar with the quality expected from Fender.
Since moving to Android, I have been searching for an excellent smartwatch solution. Battery life has been an annoyance in most smartwatches I have tried; charging every night gets kind of old. I recently had the opportunity to try out the Amazfit T-Rex, and some of my concerns have been addressed with an affordable watch.
While I tend to grill and smoke year-round, the true grilling season is upon us. Technology has brought many new ways to tend to our pits and Weber has released the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub which will connect your backyard grill to your smartphone. Using both Bluetooth as well as WiFi, the Weber app keeps you connected to your cook remotely.
The Fender Tone app originally released in 2017; the app is free, and it allows users to dial into presets and tones the brand’s connected amps. The newest iteration of the app, Fender Tone 3.0, is now available on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC. Fender’s most sophisticated connected modeling amps, the Mustang GTX series, will be releasing on April 14.
It is not a secret that we love cooking at Gear Diary. Recently, Ooni sent the new Karu Wood and Charcoal-Fired Portable Pizza Oven for me to try out. The oven allows users to make real wood-fired, stone-cooked pizza in minutes. It is totally portable and can be used anywhere in the outdoors. Let’s take a look.
Vivint products have made my home much smarter and more secure. The company keeps innovating, recently announcing the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro. “Customers want us to do more than just record and report crime—they expect us to help prevent it,” said Matt Mahar, vice president of cameras at Vivint Smart Home.
Fender announced the American Acoustasonic Telecaster which sold out at launch in January 2019. They have now added a Stratocaster model to the lineup. It takes what was so popular with the initial model and mixes it with the original Stratocaster electric bringing a new genre-blending tool.
Ooni has released an outdoor pizza oven that requires no assembly, is portable, and fires out pizzas in 60 seconds flat! For $329, you can fire homemade pizza quickly and anywhere. The Ooni Karu is ready right out of the box and offers a fast and easy way to make great pizza.
One of my favorite hobbies is smoking meats, and in Texas, we do it all year long. I have used several pellet grills, but all of them are in a traditional grill layout. Pit Boss recently allowed me to try one of their upright smokers. The Pit Boss Pro Series 4 Vertical Pellet Smoker is my first upright experience.
I absolutely love my Traeger 575 Pro. Since we still have grilling weather in South Texas, it has been working overtime. I recently installed the $79.99 Traeger Pellet Sensor, and I’ll never have to guess on the level of pellets again; it’s just another way to make your smoker more user-friendly and more techie.
Many people have trouble sleeping due to a racing brain. This racing mind is caused by increased activity of the frontal cortex of the brain. Ebb Therapeutics is debuting its first-of-its-kind technology at CES that promises to calm the racing mind and improving sleep.
BBQ is actually a simple idea. Get perfect seasoning and perfect meat temperature and you create great food. While the idea is simple, getting those temps perfect can be tricky. The GrillEye Pro+ ($99.99) is a hybrid wireless Bluetooth smoking thermometer which will ensure perfect temperatures every time without babysitting your smoker. Let’s take a look.
It is that time of the year when we all head out to the pool, beach, or outdoors enjoying the warm temperatures and sunny days. No summer trip is complete without bringing along cold beverages. CleverMade has a great option with the $29.99 SnapBasket Cooler. Not only will it keep drinks cold, but it stores easily. Let’s take a look.
As a self-proclaimed BBQ pitmaster, I spend most days of summer perfecting my craft. I am always looking for new ways to add smoke to meats and Traeger agreed to send me the $799.99 Pro Series 575 pellet grill to try out. I tested the grill with a whole chicken and an eleven-pound brisket. Let’s take a look!
I smoke a lot of meat and closely monitor temps in the pit as well as the meat. Some of these cooks can be up to 16 hours which can be a long time tied to the smoker. I recently was able to try out the FireBoard WiFi thermometer ($189-$249) and it has been a game changer. Let’s take a look.
I have been using the Vivint Smart Home for some time, and it has really become a regular part of our lives. The initial install and thoughts can be found here (pt1) and here (pt2). The Outdoor Camera Pro has since been released, and I have had the chance to take a look at it. The new camera and features are fantastic.
Most summer days here in south Texas get hot enough that working in the garage or being outside is almost unbearable. I recently had the opportunity to test out the $999 Portacool Cyclone 140 in my own garage/golf cart shop. Texas was kind enough to give me a 103-degree day to start my review. Let’s take a look.
