Some time ago, I told Judie that I’d hit a period where falling asleep was difficult. She told me about the Kokoon over-the-ear sleep headphones she had backed on Kickstarter, and she’d be happy to send them to me. She did, and the Kokoon headphones were a huge help, and now the new Kokoon Nightbuds have just been released for those who prefer in-ear buds to over-the-ear headphones for sleep.
When my wife Raina began her current job, she was given a Lenovo ThinkPad. It is a fine laptop that is still going strong years later. It, however, looks every bit the part of a work-centric IBM ThinkPad. The 14″ Lenovo Yoga 9i 7th Gen is a different animal. The consumer-focused Yoga 9i 7th Gen is powerful and versatile, and its audio system is something special.
True Wireless Earbuds are becoming so common that it’s no longer a question of whether you can find a great pair of TWE that will work for you; it’s what one particular pair does to set itself apart from all other brands and how much they cost that matters now. AXS Audio Professional Earbuds won’t win any awards for original style, but at $149, they offer quite a few features that punch well above their price.
When we bought our home, we became the proud owners of a backyard pool. A pool service comes weekly, and we manually skim the pool before we swim, yet it constantly has leaves, branches, and bugs on the bottom. The Aiper Seagull 1500 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner has changed all that; I just wish we’d had it sooner!
Some months ago, I reviewed two travel charging hubs from Kovol. I took both on a recent trip, and they performed beautifully. The company just sent me their new Kovol Sprint 140W PD 2-Port GaN Wall Charger. It is a total win for someone like me who uses a 14” MacBook Pro as his primary computer. Here’s why.
If your preferred smart home assistant happens to be Amazon Alexa, then an affordably-priced 4K television that you can verbally control hands-free with Alexa will likely appeal. You’ll get that with the new Amazon Fire TV Omni Series. Is a hands-free Alexa-enabled Smart TV the convergent device you didn’t know you needed? Let’s take a look.
We are deep into BBQ season as well as camping season. My family loves to take the camper out, spend a weekend relaxing, and let me cook for them. Taking a pellet smoker on the road wasn’t an easy task until I tried out the ZGrills Cruiser 200A portable pellet grill.
I first met BN3TH last fall when I reviewed their new merino wool base layers. Since then, I’ve become a fan of the company’s base layers and undergarments. They recently sent me a pair of their new Entourage boxer briefs and the North Shore Bike Chamois. Both pairs of BN3TH Boxer Briefs have impressed me. Let’s take a look.
Yamaha has always been known for quality audio-visual equipment, and these new wireless earbuds don’t break from that mold. The Yamaha TW-E5B True Wireless Earbuds offer great sound detail, crystal-clear calls, IPX5 water (and sweat) resistance, and 30 hours of total battery life. Retailing at $149.95, they’re a great option if you’re in the market.
We recently reviewed the Anker 757 PowerHouse, which is their new portable power station. It is packed with features and super high quality. The Anker 625 Solar Panel is a 100W recharging solution that will keep the 757 powered up on the go or in emergencies. We were able to test it out in the hot Texas sun; let’s look at how that went.
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!
For the past few months, I’ve been using the Shokz OpenComm bone-conducting earphones when I’m walking my dogs. And for the past two summers, I’ve used their OpenSwim version while doing laps in my pool. Most recently, I’ve been checking out the Shokz OpenRun Pro model. Their top-of-the-line offering, at $179.95, isn’t cheap, but I’m incredibly impressed.
Portable power station technology has come a long way; large-capacity batteries that can keep appliances and vital medical devices running in a power outage are becoming more common and affordable. The VTOMAN Jump 1000 is one such portable power station; it is packed with features and can even jump-start your vehicle! I’ve reviewed quite a few portable power stations, but this is the first I’ve tried that can also help in an automotive emergency.
One of the most underrated kitchen tools is often the knife. Quality knives make so many tasks better while cooking. I prefer an all-around style knife that can slice, dice, chop and cut anything we plan to cook; the 8″ Vosteed Morgan Chef’s Knife has proven to be the workhouse I have been looking for.
I am one of the sweetest people in the world; at least, that’s what mosquitos think. Put me outside for more than ten minutes, and I’ll be covered with bites, which really puts a damper on enjoying the outside. Thankfully, I’ve now got the Thermacell LIV Smart Mosquito Repellent System; mosquitos are no longer a problem.
BBQ season is finally upon us, and the perfect place to find everything for your outdoor cooking needs is the BBQGuys site. They have everything from grills and smokers to the necessary accessories to make your cooks successful. BBQGuys even has its own line of cookers, including the Victory Pellet Grill that we’ll be looking at today. The Victory Pellet Grill is a 35″ wood pellet grill with a 29-pound hopper. This thing is huge and rugged, and it comes with some excellent features for an affordable price. Let’s dive in!
There’s something so effortlessly fashionable about the chunky, utilitarian design of a traditional diving watch. But other than being able to withstand abyss-like pressures underwater, even the most expensive diving watches can’t do much more than tell the time and apprise the wearer of how long they’ve been underwater. The Withings ScanWatch Horizon, on the other hand, offers luxury dive watch design and features, but it is so much more than just a great-looking watch that is also water-resistant to 10ATMs.
My son recently learned how to ride a bike, and it’s opened up a whole new world of excitement for him. In the fearless way of all small children, he’s jumping curbs and taking frighteningly tight turns like a pro. On the other hand, I am old and have a bad knee, making it a lot harder for me to keep up with him. So when I had the chance to check out the Swagtron Swagcycle Pro, I was super excited for the assist!
I remember the days of large, hard drives with mechanical internals and enough storage for just a few songs or photos. Those days are long gone, and the new Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD shows just how far we have come. Available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, the T7 Shield is a small, fast, rugged drive for 2022.
Anker is well known for power and charging accessories; we have reviewed many of their products, and we’ve found their build quality and performance to be consistently good. The company has upped the ante by recently releasing the Anker 757 PowerHouse, cementing its place in the large-form power bank space. I’ve got a review unit; let’s check it out.
Before Covid, I rarely used webcams. Calls requiring my video presence weren’t part of my normal day-to-day, but that’s no longer the case. Video conference calls have become my new normal, and that’s why the Lumina webcam seemed like a perfect fit when I was offered a review unit. Lumina is a tiny, premium webcam that claims to provide adaptive color correction, a realistic depth of field effect, and AI features — including adjustable bokeh and cameraman effects — so you’ll always look your best. Intrigued? Read on.