Health Tech | Gear Diary

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.

News & Features, Events, Health and Fitness

Shokz OpenSwim Pro Bone Conduction Headphones Look Like the Perfect Way to Listen to Music While Swimming Laps

I’m a huge fan of Shokz products. I use their OpenComm 2 bone conduction headphones for calls and video chats at the office and some of the brand’s other bone conduction headphones at home. The company just announced a new Shokz OpenSwim Pro, and I can’t wait to try them when we open our pool in the spring.

Gear Bits, Events, Health and Fitness

Zepp Expands from Watches to the Amazfit Helio Ring and Zepp Pixie Clarity Hearing Aids

Zepp may not be top of mind for everyday smartwatch users. But anyone who has used their Amazfit devices knows they’re phenomenal devices that pack some serious fitness features in attractive packages. And now they’re branching out from just watches to smart rings and hearing aids! Look at the Amazefit Helio Ring and the Zepp Clarity Pixie hearing aids, and tell us what you think!

Gear Bits, Events, Health and Fitness

NuraLogix Anura MagicMirror Uses Your Face (for Transdermal Optical Imaging) to Take Health Assessments

NuraLogix has just dropped the curtain on Anura MagicMirror – a tabletop smart mirror that’s more than just a reflection. This nifty gadget takes facial blood flow information and transforms it into a treasure trove of vital signs and disease risk assessments. Powered by their cloud-based Affective AI platform, DeepAffex, this is NuraLogix’s inaugural foray into manufacturing, proving that accurate health data can be as simple as checking your reflection.

Withings BeamO shown in user's hands with information about their health displayed in the background

Gear Bits, Events, Health and Fitness

Revolutionizing At-Home Health Monitoring, the Withings BeamO Is a 4-in-1 Device for Comprehensive Health Checkups

Withings has just introduced BeamO, a 4-in-1 health checkup device to redefine at-home health monitoring. Expected to hit the U.S. market post-FDA clearance, the Withings BeamO combines ECG, oximeter, stethoscope, and thermometer sensors, transforming the conventional thermometer into a comprehensive tool for daily heart and lung health assessments. Think it’s science fiction? Read on to learn more!

News & Features, Events

The Bio Bidet BB-1200 Bidet Toilet Seat Offers an Innovative, Affordable, and Consumer-Friendly App-Controlled Bidet Experience

Since most homes in the U.S. aren’t built with bidets installed, adding one to your existing toilet seat is a great way to upgrade your bathroom experience. If you’re considering which to get, you should take a look at the just-announced Bio Bidet BB-1200 Bidet Toilet Seat; not only does it offer all the bells and whistles you’d expect, like a heated seat, unlimited warm water, multiple cleaning modes, a nightlight, and warm air for drying, it’s also first-ever North American bidet toilet seat to be controlled by a smartphone app.

Reviews

Honeydew Sheets Review: 100% Organic Bamboo for Your Best Night’s Sleep

I never thought much about the sheets we use on our bed until I tried a set of Honeydew Sheets. The softness of the 100% organic bamboo rayon, the comfort, and the temperature regulation these sheets provide make for a far more restful night than I’ve had in quite a long time. They’re expensive but worth it. Let’s take a quick look.

Health and Fitness, Gear Bits

The 42mm Withings ScanWatch Nova Blends Luxury Diver Watch Aesthetics with Advanced Health Tracking Capabilities

Withings has introduced its latest hybrid smartwatch, the ScanWatch Nova. An update to the 2022 ScanWatch Horizon that I wear every day, the 42mm Withings ScanWatch Nova is a luxurious hybrid smartwatch tailored for health enthusiasts. It seamlessly blends stylish diver watch aesthetics with advanced health-tracking capabilities, making it perfect for those who love wearing this style watch but need something smarter to track their sleep, steps, heart rate, and much more.

Gear Bits, Health and Fitness

Apollo Wearable Leverages AI to Break the Terrible Stress and Sleep Cycle

Everyone I talk to lately wants to talk about one thing: stress. It’s too hot, too cold, too busy, not busy enough…we all have what feels like 1,000 knives in the air and not enough hands to catch them all. The Apollo Wearable uses AI and various data sources to offer personalized SmartVibes that will lower your stress and promote better health and sleep!

Reviews, Outdoors

Rad Power Bikes RadRunner Plus Review: A Versatile Commuter Companion That’s So Much Fun to Ride

Are you interested in a more economical way to run errands or commute? Or are you of a certain age, and the idea of riding a bike seems a bit daunting? If so, you should check out the Rad Power Bikes RadRunner Plus; it’s a Class 2 electric bike with a fun, moped-like design that boasts a powerful 750W rear-geared hub motor and a 48V, 14Ah (672 Wh) battery. With top speeds of 20mph on pure pedal assist and a range of up to 45 miles, it might just become your new favorite way of getting around.

Reviews, Game Diary, Health and Fitness

PaddleSmash Review: Pickleball Meets Spikeball in This New Backyard Game

In the search for new outdoor games, PaddleSmash emerges as a breath of fresh air, offering an exhilarating blend of physical activity, strategy, and pure fun. This innovative outdoor game combines the gameplay of Pickeball and Spikeball. Let’s look at what makes PaddleSmash a great new option for active families and friends.

Reviews, Health and Fitness

Crossrope Jump Ropes Review: An Easy Way to Bring Fun, Efficiency, and Intensity to Your Workouts

I work out entirely from home, so I have quite a collection of assorted items for strength and cardio. Often, friends ask me what I recommend to get them started, and I’ll usually quiz them on their goals, space constraints, budget, etc. It’s rare for me to say that every home gym needs a specific piece of equipment, but every home gym needs Crossrope Jump Ropes!

Reviews, Outdoors, Travel

Uncharted Supply Co. First Aid Plus Review: Adding Basic Survival Gear to a Well-Equipped First Aid Kit Makes This a Must-Have

First aid is something I take seriously in my life. Whether at work on the football field out in the woods or working on the ranch, there are many opportunities for first aid to be needed. The Uncharted Supply Co. First Aid Plus adds some helpful survival items to their latest kit, which makes it even more useful. Let’s take a look.

Events, News & Features

Withings ScanWatch 2 and ScanWatch Light Will Offer Even More Exceptional Health Tracking Options

One of the best smartwatches I’ve ever used is the 43mm Withings ScanWatch; it tracks my sleep, steps, heart rate, SpO2, ECG, and much more. I rely on it so much that it only leaves my wrist for recharging about once a month. All that to say, I didn’t think there was much room or need for improvement, but of course, Withings has found a way. They’ve just introduced their second generation of ScanWatch, including the flagship Withings ScanWatch 2 and the attractively priced ScanWatch Light. Let’s take a look at these new watches and the features that they’ll offer.

Reviews, Health and Fitness

DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live Review: Promises Red Light Therapy at Home, without the Hassle, Expense, and Travel of Red Light Therapy Centers

I have rheumatoid arthritis and am well-versed in the resulting aches and pains that come with it. In January, I developed significant knee pain and tried red light therapy, and while I’m not sure if that sped up my recovery, it certainly didn’t hurt. That made me curious about the DNA Vibe Jazz Band Live, which Zek has also tried; it conveniently offers red light therapy (RLT) for your aches and pains right at home.

Reviews

CCELL Sandwave Battery Review: Small, Colorful, and Convenient for 510 Thread Cartridges

The CCELL Sandwave battery is a small, inexpensive way to vape 510 thread cartridges. Available in various colors, this battery offers the convenience of simply dropping the cartridge in place and going. Yet, despite the small, simple design, the Sandwave also offers a choice of three different temperatures. Here’s a look.

Gear Bits

The Blizzard and GUNNAR Optiks Diablo 4 Lilith Collector’s Edition Gaming Glasses Look Stunning!

To celebrate this launch of Blizzard’s Diablo IV, GUNNAR Optiks has teamed with Blizzard to make a set of Diablo 4 Lilith Collector’s Edition Gaming Glasses, with only 66 pairs available for sale. These US-built limited edition glasses will go on sale July 12th at 6 pm PT, so if you’re interested, you’d better get in line now!

Crowdfunding, Health and Fitness, Outdoors

Virgo E-Bike Helmet Funding Safety on Kickstarter

I rode my first e-bike less than two years ago. I quickly wanted more speed, more torque, and more range. But I quickly realized that bike helmets don’t offer enough protection at higher speeds. Thankfully, the creatives behind the Virgo e-bike helmet thought similarly and have created a new type of safety helmet specifically designed for the higher speeds of electric bikes.

Reviews

IQAir Atem Desk Review: A Portable and Personal Clean Air Solution

Many of us think about air quality in ways we never considered before. We’ve realized that wearing a mask is a healthy choice when air quality is bad outdoors, and we’ve begun exploring ways to improve the air quality in our homes and places of business. The IQAir Atem Desk is a desktop air purification system that, in a post-Covid yet still very much polluted world, makes more sense than ever.

Reviews, Health and Fitness

Baliston by STARCK Review: Quantify and Analyze Your Steps, Gait, and More with a $249.99 Eco-Friendly Shoe Subscription

It’s kind of a minor miracle of physics and evolution that we can walk as efficiently as we do; our feet coordinate with our knees, hips, back, and shoulders to keep us upright and moving, but that doesn’t mean we can’t improve along the way. Baliston by STARCK is all about figuring out how to quantify and improve your stride while also improving your style! How do they do? Let’s find out!

Reviews, Health and Fitness

Quiet Punch Review: This Cardio Boxing Tool Should Have a Place in Every Home Gym!

I am a big fan of working out at home. It’s pretty easy to build a decent home gym for yourself, even in a small space, but the one thing you really can’t do well in small spaces is boxing. I had pretty much given up on trying to incorporate regular cardio boxing into my routines, but then I got to test the Quiet Punch. And now I’m in love.