Reviews

GVM PRO-SD300B Review: Excellent Quality Light in a Handsome Package

GVM (Great Video Maker) offers a line of assorted products for videographers and photographers, including monolights, tube lights, panel lights, flexible lights, and pocket lights. They also produce camera sliders, wireless microphones, teleprompters, and other accessories. GVM products are often aggressively priced compared to the competition while offering similar features and overall quality. GVM has certainly stepped it up with their new line of spotlights. This review examines the GVM PRO-SD300B, a 300-watt monolight specifically designed for today’s shooting environments.


WD_Black C50 Review: Rugged and Fast Xbox Storage Expansion

Are you looking to supercharge your Xbox Series X|S with extra storage? If so, you’ll want to check out the WD_BLACK C50 Storage Expansion Card. This officially licensed accessory offers a seamless solution for storing today’s larger games. To use it, you insert the card into your console for expanded storage with performance on par with the Xbox’s internal drive. It’s easy to use and definitely fast, but as of now, it is only available in 512GB and 1TB sizes.



SteelSeries Alias Pro XLR Mic Review: Two Excellent Products in One

SteelSeries has earned a reputation for its high-quality gaming headsets and has now entered the gaming microphone market with two versions of its new Alias microphone. I am testing the SteelSeries Alias Pro, an XLR microphone, and the Stream Mixer interface in this review. A sister product, the SteelSeries Alias, is a USB microphone with an integrated interface.


Vosteed Mini Labrador Lock Knife Review: An Extremely Handy EDC Pocket Knife

Vosteed is quickly becoming a premier knife designer and builder. Since I carry a pocket knife daily, I have enjoyed reviewing their various offerings. Each knife is well-designed, made with premium materials, and stays sharp through lots of tough use. There are many design, color, and size options to choose from. The Vosteed Mini Labrador is a frame lock knife with a 2.73″ 14C28N blade and titanium handle. It is available in gray and black. This everyday carry (EDC)-size knife is a smaller version of the popular Labrador.


AnkerMake M5 Review: 3D Printing Made Easy Enough for Almost Anyone to Do it!

A few years ago, I was sucked into the world of 3D printing with a Creality Ender 3 Pro. I have joked for years that I don’t need a pet; I have a 3D printer because, much like a pet, it is moody, sheds, and often has ailments it can’t explain. But I’ve been testing the AnkerMake M5, and it’s as close as possible to 3D printer perfection!


OnePlus Watch 2 Review: It’s Close to Android Smartwatch Perfection

Android users have long expressed frustration with the lack of compelling Wear OS smartwatch options compared to the seamless integration and features enjoyed by Apple Watch users through the iOS ecosystem. We’ve seen multiple companies try and fail at Android Watches for multiple reasons, including a lack of features or simply horrific battery life. The OnePlus Watch 2 aims to tackle these issues with a premium design that uses a dual-engine architecture with two flagship chipsets to optimize performance so the Watch 2 can deliver up to 100 hours of battery life in Smart Mode with full Google apps integration.


Eufy Video Doorbell E340 and Floodlight Cam E340 Review: Dual Cameras on Your Porch and a Tracking Floodlight Offer Excellent Peace of Mind

Video doorbells have become a huge product sector after homeowners started being victimized by porch pirates, targeting deliveries from Amazon and other online retailers. In an aim to defeat porch pirates once and for all, there is a new eufy Video Doorbell E340 which offers dual cameras, one facing forward and one facing down, so you can see your packages. For lighting and security in other areas outside the home, there is the eufy Floodlight Cam E340.





3 Legged Thing WRAPZ Review: A Way to Separate, Shield, and Keep Your Gear Dry Without the Need for Custom Cases

How many times have you started to load a bag with gear for an outing, only to realize that you didn’t have a good way to separate and protect your more delicate items, like cameras, lenses, lights, filters, or, in my case, multiple smartphones when I’m going out for a day of taking comparison shots? 3 Legged Thing WRAPZ is a new, versatile solution that keeps your valuable gear separated, shielded, and dry in any environment.


OPPO Find X7 Ultra Review: A Premium Photography Powerhouse, but You Should Expect a Few Trade-offs, Since It’s a Chinese Market Exclusive

There’s a certain allure to having a different smartphone than anyone else, and there are so many interesting phones with amazing hardware that are only meant for the Chinese or other global markets that far too often do not include the United States. The China-exclusive OPPO Find X7 Ultra is just such a device, but there is still much to admire, even if it isn’t specifically meant for the U.S. market.



Vosteed Mini Nightshade Review: Perfect EDC for Your Pocket

A great pocketknife is a handy tool for many daily tasks. If I have pockets, I always have a knife on me. Daily carry can be rough on a pocket knife, so having a sharp, rugged knife is at the top of my list. I was recently sent the Vosteed Mini Nightshade to carry; let’s take a look at its performance.


Lies of P Review: The Emo Pinocchio Experience That Became My 2023 Game of the Year

Dear Readers, we may have found the 2023 Game of the Year in Lies of P. I’ll admit, when I first saw the game pop up on Steam, my first reaction was, “What a fricking stupid name.” Once I got over my initial revulsion (and admittedly waited for it to go on a small sale), I dove into the discourse surrounding this game to see if it was something truly worth playing. As far as I knew, it had a gameplay loop reminiscent of the much-accredited Dark Souls franchise, where punishment is your only friend as its core alluring trait.


Ride1Up Cafe Cruiser Electric Bike Review: A Stylish and Comfortable Ride for Cruising Around Town

The Ride1Up REVV1 I purchased last March is my daily commuter when the weather allows. It is a fantastic moped-style e-bike. The Ride1Up Portola, the company’s first foldable, is a superb bike, especially considering its sub-$1000 price tag; it’s now Raina’s bike. And now we have the Ride1Up Cafe Cruiser, which offers style and comfort in step-over and step-through designs.


Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe Review: It’s the Perfect iPhone Accessory

Anker has been a trusted name in mobile accessories for a long time, and it’s well deserved. Their budget-friendly charging accessories have been a staple in my travel bag, and the Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe adds to the convenience. Wirelessly charging iPhones, Apple Watches, and Airpods in a compact, travel-ready size, the Cube is worth the hype.


120″ AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV Turns Any Room into a Stunning Home Theater

I’ve long wanted a home theater system but never wanted to go to the expense and trouble of having a technician come and install a ceiling projector and dropdown ceiling screen; it just wasn’t in the cards. The all-in-one 120″ AWOL Vision Vanish Laser TV eliminates the need to install anything. When I recently experienced this system, which was also shown at CES this year and won a “Best of” award from us, it blew my mind.


DIMO AutoPi Review: An Activity Tracker and Digital Companion for Your Car That Earns $DIMO Rewards for Streamed Data

Vehicle makers are making our cars much smarter, but the data generated requires a device for it to be accessed and understood. The DIMO AutoPi is a device that connects your vehicle to an app so you can access that information while also offering the ability to mine $DIMO tokens, a native blockchain-based token of the DIMO cryptocurrency protocol that is issued to users and contributors. Long story short, with DIMO, connected drivers can earn $DIMO tokens based on streamed vehicle data and also view their vehicle’s health through the connected app.


Emma Original Mattress Review: Offers Great Value and a Good Night’s Sleep

Nine years ago, I needed a new mattress. That led to my first experience with a “bed in a box,” and I was impressed. Raina and I have tried a few different mattresses in the years since. But over time, one or the other of us has found faults with whatever mattress we were using, even if the other was sleeping okay on it. We’re optimistic that our latest, the Emma Original Mattress, will finally give us both a great night’s sleep.