Reviews


Nest Hub Max Is the Smart Assistant to Beat

As I’ve written in recent months, I’m deeply entrenched in Amazon’s Alexa voice services but I’m slowly being won over by Google’s offerings. I reviewed a JBL smart speaker last year (read my review) and Google’s Nest Mini last month (read my review). I’ve had a chance to play with the Google Nest Hub Max, and I have to admit that I’m impressed.


Ultimate Ears UE 5 CSX Are the Ultimate in Custom Fit Sound

Ten years ago, I had the opportunity to review a pair of custom in-ear monitors. Creating them was a long process that required numerous steps. They still work and sound great. Thanks to Ultimate Ears, though, there’s now a better way to get custom in-ear monitors. Let’s start this review by walking through the process of creating the UE 5 CSX.


EVOO Gaming Laptop from Walmart Performs Well for a Mobile, Affordable Laptop

EVOO is Walmart’s latest private-label gaming laptop brand and they’re well-specced at a surprisingly affordable price. Tuned by THX, Ltd., renowned for the certification of world-class cinemas, these laptops feature THX Spatial Audio technology for immersive audio as well as displays that provide vibrant colors and crisp contrast. These new laptops start at an impressive MSRP of $1,199.


Mattel Adds Fun New Coding Lessons to Hot Wheels id, the Hot Holiday Toy

Right in time for Hour of Code Week 2019, Mattel is launching a new educational dimension to one of this year’s hottest holiday toy launches, Hot Wheels id. Hot Wheels id melds physical and digital play using NFC-enabled Hot Wheels cars to allow kids to test their cars in a virtual environment, including speed challenges and track building.


Hands-On Impressions of Google Stadia 4K HDR Gaming!

While video game consoles have advanced tremendously over the last several decades, one thing has never changed – in the end, they’re a box that sits under your TV. Google is changing this with Stadia because there is no box at all, instead, your console lives in Google’s cloud and can be accessed from anywhere and more importantly, anything.




House Cleaning Made Simple Thanks to Shark

The terrible truth is cleaning your house after working hard all week is dreadful. No one enjoys doing it, but it must be done. But if you want to clean effectively, leaving little to no doubt that you’ve completed the mission, Shark’s UpLight & the Shark IQ Robot vacuums are the way to go.



A Review of the All-New Nvidia SHIELD TV

Complete with an all-new design and a host of upgrades that users of the previous NVIDIA Shield, Nvidia’s new SHIELD TV is faster, smarter, and even more portable. I’ve had my hands on one for the past few weeks, and it’s becoming one of my favorite streaming devices.


I Was Never Good at Jumping Rope, Until I Was introduced to the Weighted Crossrope

As a guy whose sister loved jumping rope, I’ve always watched in amazement, but honestly, I never got it. Then I turned thirty, found out my metabolism wasn’t what it was and looked for the best ways of burning calories without running nowhere on a treadmill. Surprisingly, I found out 15 minutes of jumping rope could effectively burn 300 calories. But what if you’ve never jumped rope before? Here’s where Crossrope comes in.



Huawei Watch GT 2: Smarter Bio-Tracking with Excellent Battery Life

Earlier this year, I reviewed the Huawei Watch GT; I was a huge fan of its long battery life and sleep tracking, but I felt its larger size might be an issue for those with smaller wrists, and I lamented the limited selection of watch faces. Well, the updated Huawei Watch GT 2 is here, and I’ve been wearing it for the past month. How does it compare?


Philips 3200 LatteGo Automatic Espresso Machine: Worth the Price of Admission

Listen, we all have better things to do than stressing over making the perfect espresso, right? For those who love espresso but don’t want to spend hours fidgeting with difficult to use equipment to end up with a mediocre espresso drink, the Philips 3200 LatteGo is for you. The Philips 3200 LatteGo retails for $799 and makes a great cappuccino.


Keep Warm with the HOMI Pro Jacket

The HOMI Pro Jacket is currently on Kickstarter. The project has already passed its goal, but there are still a few days left for those who want to get in on this project at substantial savings compared to what it will cost at retail. I was sent an early version and am pleased to share some initial thoughts.



Pitaka MagEZ Mount Qi Lets Your Phone Go Places

My new lease vehicle has Qi wireless charging built into the console; it works fine but requires the phone to be hidden away in the center console. There are, however, times when I need my phone within view for navigation, and there’s no better way to do that than with the new $49.99 Pitaka MagEZ Mount Qi Magnetic Car Mount Charger.




Flux Beamo Is a Powerful, Compact, and Affordable Laser Cutter

You know the feeling you get when something just works right out of the box?  That’s the feeling I got when I did my first engraving with the new Flux beamo laser cutter and engraver.  The relatively small footprint beamo uses frickin’ laser beams at different intensities and speeds to engrave or cut multiple materials for DIY projects.