Reviews

Vivo V25 Pro Review: UV-Activated Gimmicks Aside, It’s a Great Phone for Less than $450 (If You Live in India)

Vivo may be an unfamiliar smartphone brand to many in the United States. Still, as of August this year, it is the sixth largest smartphone manufacturer worldwide with a 4.29% market share¹ and 149 million smartphones shipped². Since 2011, Vivo has made a name for itself by creating smartphones that offer high-end features at mid-range prices. Available now in India, the Vivo V25 Pro is their latest model, and it happens to be the first Vivo product I’ve ever tried. Let’s take a look.


Horizon Zero Dawn Review: It’s Not the Worst

Horizon Zero Dawn (Guerilla Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment) is a post-apocalyptic merger of “Zelda:Breath of the Wild” and Transformers. You play as Aloy, a former outcast tasked with solving the problems of the community that ostracised her. The twist that differentiates this product from the pile of open-world, map clearing, objective hunting games is that in this one, the large majority of your obstacles will be in the form of giant machines shaped like animals. These machines are big, these machines are aggressive, and these machines want to kick the tar out of you.


OneAdaptr OneWorld 65 Review: With 6 Different Ports, This Could Be the Only Travel Adapter You Need to Bring

If you travel internationally, you know the #1 rookie mistake is arriving at your destination and finding that you either forgot that country’s correct adapter or you didn’t bring enough adapters for all of your gear. I recently traveled to Berlin for IFA, followed by a week in Spain. I only brought two adapters with me, the OneAdaptr OneWorld 65 for charging all of my gear and a basic US to EU adapter that was kept attached to my curling iron’s US plug. Thankfully, this proved to be the perfect setup.



Ready-to-Drink Fire Department Coffee Review: 4 Delicious Flavors That Will Keep You Powered On-the-Go!

Fire Department Coffee has been serving up specialty beans roasted and crafted by a team of veterans and firefighters since 2016; Judie wrote about their roasted coffee beans last year. But sometimes, you don’t have time to brew on the go, and that’s where a ready-made cold brew is quite handy. Fire Department Coffee is taking their signature tasty roasts and sending them on the go with ready-to-drink versions, and we had the chance to check them out!


EcoFlow Wave Portable Air Conditioner + Add-On Battery Review: A Surprisingly Versatile Off-Grid Cooling Solution

We’ve reviewed several power products from EcoFlow, including batteries, solar panels, and a Smart Generator. The company has branched out and added a new device that takes advantage of this portable power to keep you cool. The EcoFlow Wave is a 4,000 BTU portable air conditioner sold with or without an add-on battery; with the battery, it is perfect for keeping a smaller space cool, even when the power is out.



WalkingPad A1 Pro Foldable Under Desk Treadmill Review: Walk While You Work and Enjoy a Healthier Day!

Even if you don’t consider sitting to be the new smoking, daily sitting for long periods can cause negative health issues; many of us don’t have a choice. We buy adjustable desks that can go from sitting to standing height with the press of a button. But now what? Standing still for long periods, especially on hard floors, is uncomfortable. And surprise! Standing all day comes with its own host of health problems. The WalkingPad A1 Pro Foldable Under Desk Treadmill might be the perfect solution, as long as you can master the fine art of walking as you work.


17-Pound Eli & Elm Weighted Comforter Review: Sleep In Comfort and Luxury

I think we can all agree that the last few years have left everyone a little … on edge. It’s been exhausting lurching from one disaster to the next, and we’re all looking for ways to ease those frayed edges. One of the techniques that can soothe your anxiety and help your sleep is a weighted blanket, so when we were offered the chance to review the Eli & Elm Weighted Comforter, we jumped on it!


Angel Jackets Distressed Dark Brown Mens Leather Car Coat Review: One More Reason to Look forward to Fall Weather

Fall is on the way, and that means jacket time arrives soon. I’ve had a well-loved leather jacket Judie bought me as a gift, but when Angel Jackets reached out and offered a review sample of their dark brown men’s leather car coat, I jumped. Even so, I couldn’t help but wonder how nice a <$300 leather jacket could possibly be, especially when it is currently selling for just $199. The answer is, “Very nice!”


Arizer Go Review: A Pocketable and Powerful Dry Herb Vape

Thanks to the folks at TVape, we recently had the opportunity to review the Zeus Arc GTS Hub. It’s a great portable vape, but what impressed us the most was the new pod system that lets you quickly change out your dry herb load. TVape also sent the Arizer Argo, which offers a different approach to quick loading and swapping.





Nomad Pen in Titanium Review: Light, Comfortable and Classy

Last February, I reviewed Nomad’s foray into the analog space with its Nomad Pen. It’s a beautiful, well-balanced pen that is 134.5mm long. 9.8mm thick, weighs 32g, and is made from high-quality aluminum and stainless steel. At $49.95, it is an affordable piece of daily-use luxury. Now Nomad has upped their game and introduced the Nomad Pen in Titanium.


Honor Magic4 Pro Review: Flagship Hardware, Cameras, and Price

A few years ago, I reviewed a budget-friendly phone from Huawei’s sub-brand, the Honor View10. I loved it, and while Honor was meant to be a lower-priced option than Huawei, I didn’t find the phone lacking in the least; it looked, felt, and functioned beautifully. Honor is now a standalone company, completely separate from Huawei, and they’ve released the Honor Magic4 Pro. It’s a big deal, and we’ll talk about why in this review.




Slice Folding Utility Knife and EDC Folding Knife Review: Safer and Much Better Made Than What You’ve Been Using

Slice makes cutting tools that are durable and easy to use, but most importantly, their ceramic blades are finger-friendly and safe. Whether your goal is always to be prepared or you regularly have a lot of cardboard boxes that need opening and breaking down (raises hand), Slice has a knife that will get the job done. I was sent the Slice Folding Utility Knife and the EDC Folding Knife to try; both knives have features that make them different from and, yes, likely safer than using their metal blade equivalents. Let’s take a look.


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!


ShiftCam SnapGrip Creator Kit Review: 3 Components Take Your iPhone Photos and Videos to the Next Level

A few years ago, I backed a Kickstarter project that was a photography grip for the iPhone. With the phone in the grip, using the iPhone felt more like using a DSLR. Now, thanks to the iPhone’s MagSafe, connecting a grip to the iPhone is easier than ever, and the ShiftCam SnapGrip Creator Kit takes full advantage of it. The kit includes the SnapGrip, SnapPod, and SnapLight; let’s take a look.