If you’ve wanted a fitness tracker but balked at spending $99+ on something that counted your steps and tracked your sleep, the Misfit Flash may be just the device for you. Made of a “special soft-touch plastic”, this $49.99 activity and sleep tracker is waterproof to 30 meters, comes in seven colors, and it can be worn in multiple ways.
So you’re driving down the road when suddenly your check engine light comes on. Not too long ago this meant heading back to the dealership or your local garage for them to roll out their expensive code-reading machine and in turn hand you a hefty bill. An alternative to this is using the Lemur Monitors BlueDriver OBD2 Bluetooth Scan Tool.
I’ve wanted “The Ex” Voodoo Knife Holder set since I first saw the red one years ago, but … for whatever reason I held back, and now I’m glad I did. The original was made of plastic, and its blades were made in China. This Kickstarter project brings ‘The Ex’ to us in a solid metal stand with German blades.
I got the chance to try on the just announced Samsung Gear S today, and while I love its brilliant 2″ curved Super AMOLED screen, I can’t help but wonder if it’s just a bit too big for me. Bear in mind that I usually wear a men’s full size watch, and yet I think this one swallows my wrist.
A few years ago I set out to turn my mid 1970s home into an “after-market smart home.” At that time, I turned to a specific company. Since then I’ve taken a more individual approach that focuses on specific “best-in-class” products that work well, but are not part of an overall integrated system; the Kwikset Kevo is one such product.
We’ve seen all the different smartwatches that tell their wearers when calls and emails come though, but most of them are bulky and pretty obvious. If you want smart, discreet notifications without giving up your favorite vintage wristwatch, then the MOTA SmartRing may work for you. Once paired, it notifies wearers of incoming calls, texts, calendar notifications, and emails.
WARNING: The products discussed may contain or use nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical; in many cities and a few states, you must be 21 to purchase vaping products and/or products containing nicotine. Please familiarize yourself with and obey the law in your location. About a month ago, I went over to a cousin’s house and noticed for the first time that he had a small hookah on a side table in his sitting room. It made me feel less self-conscious about mentioning that I was soon going to review the Ascent Vaporizer by DaVinci. You would think that things like this shouldn’t matter, but…
When I started college in 1989, I was going to school to get my Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. Graphing calculators were brand new; before that, we had Texas Instrument calculators as well as Casios, and my first weapon of choice for busting out math problems was an HP 28S. Do you remember?
I’ve heard of churches using projectors to beam words to songs, images, and page numbers onto a screen during services, and we’ve been considering it for our sanctuary; we wanted to test it out during the summer. Fortunately, I had a review sample of the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 2D/3D 1080p 3LCD Projector in hand. It turns out that the projector is phenomenal for home use, and it held its own during services as well.
Most Gear Diary readers probably don’t know, but my regular day gig is as a food and drink writer for online and print media outlets. Through that job, I am lucky enough to sample many different wines and spirits. But sometimes it’s difficult to detect the subtle nuances of spirits. Well, it was difficult until I discovered the NEAT glass.
Yes Man Watches, has been previously successful on Kickstarter by raising 217% of their goal on their first Kickstarter campaign. Now, the Yes Man brand is back with some sick-looking handmade bamboo sunglasses. These gorgeous polarized sunglasses made from bamboo and plastic can now be pre-ordered by pledging at least $30 at the Yes Man Sunnies Kickstarter campaign.
While I generally do a really good job of keeping up with the weather conditions outside of my home, I can’t say that I have ever considered what the conditions inside my home might be like, beyond whether it was cool or hot enough for comfort, of course. That’s all changed since I’ve been testing the Netatmo Weather Station.
The new Pelican ProGear Elite Luggage Carry-on, Weekender and Vacationer Luggage is a new line of luggage for people on the go who need great protection and organization while they travel. This new hard-shell luggage line is lightweight, watertight and crush-proof.
The Xtreem QuadForce Video Drone comes from Swann and is part of their latest line of products. The drone gives you impressive features at a low price of $89.99. If you have been wowed by all the cool drone video but balked at the price here’s you chance to fly a drone and record HD video while you do.
The little things can make all the difference. The Magnector Magnetic Charging Adapter for Micro USB Cable is one example of this. Designed to turn a microUSB cable into a charging system for the Sony Xperia line of devices, I have one and absolutely love it. You may balk at the price, but it is worth every penny.
We have an entire generation of people who grew up watching shows such as MTV’s ‘The Real World”, and so to them it probably seems normal to have a camera following them around, catching everything they say or do. If you think you and your friends are interesting enough, you can life-blog while wearing the $100 Polaroid Cube.
As the resident Gear Diary bicyclist, I usually get the first crack at investigating bike gear. Since I live and bike in an urban environment, flat tires are an unfortunate frequent reality of my cycling experience. That’s why I was excited to hear about the new Patchnride bicycle flat repair kit that promises quick and easy emergency rescues from flats.
Fitness watches are enjoying a very sudden surge in popularity. People are buzzing about Fitbit, and Nike Fuel, and quantifying their movements and sleep for optimal health. Magellan is entering that market with the new Echo Fit, a “smart sports watch” that uses Bluetooth to sync to various fitness apps, from Runkeeper to Strava and plenty others.
I’ve been on a “designer” ice-cube kick for a couple of months now; the bigger and more interesting, the better. I’ve finally come across a clear winner; say hello to the $14.95 Tovolo Colossal Cube Molds. These molds produce blocky ice cubes that will look impressive in your glass as they chill your beverage!
When the Fitbit Flex came out, I ordered. It took about 15 minutes to realize that I hated its bracelet, but that the device itself was okay. I threw it in a drawer, and it’s sat there for a year. Last week came the announcement of Tory Burch Fitbit accessories. Because of them, I’m giving my dusty Flex another try.
If you are looking for a dash cam and don’t want to spend a bundle, the Spytec G1W 1080P HD Car Dash Camera may be just the thing for you. With an MSRP of under $80, and a current price of under $60, is in an inexpensive way to record what happens in just about any vehicle.