Smartphones & Gear


Buyer Beware: Google Pixel Trade Value Remains Unreliable

  The Google online store appears to still be struggling with assessing and honoring trade-in values for their flagship Pixel device. I ordered a  Pixel 2 XL phone in mid-December 2017.  At the same time I “locked in” a trade value of $405 for my old Pixel XL 128 GB provided it was returned within 30 days. At least I thought I had a fixed price for the trade.


JBL Boombox: Say Hello to the Star of Your Next Backyard Party

While at IFA, I had a chance to check out the JBL Boombox, their largest and most powerful portable speaker to date. Available in forest green or black, the Boombox offers a 20,000mAh battery, best in class sound, and up to 24 hours of battery life. Most importantly, it probably sounds better than most home stereo speakers. No, really.


Speck Cases for iPhone X Roundup

If you got one of the amazing iPhone X smartphones for Christmas, Chanukkah, or Festivus you know it’s a great pocket computer. You also know it needs a good case to protect the glass on both the front and the back. Fortunately, Speck has some great options that look great and do a nice job of protecting your pricey iPhone.


Mophie Wireless Charging Base Review

Mophie is no stranger to wireless charging on the iPhone – they managed to bring wireless charging to the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus before Apple integrated it into the iPhone X with their charge force cases. Their new wireless charging base, however, is an ideal solution for the iPhone X/8/8+ and other smartphones that support Qi wireless technology.



IQbuds Are True Wireless Earbuds Packed with Tech

“Intelligent, truly wireless earbuds that give you control to hear what you want to hear in the world around you and connect to your digital devices.” That’s how Nuheara describes their impressive IQbuds wireless headphones. At $299, the IQbuds are pricey truly wireless earbuds, but they offer features that are nowhere to be found with competitor’s products. Here’s a look!




Seneo Fast Wireless Charger: Prop Your Phone up So You Can See It!

If you’ve got a phone with wireless capabilities, you’re hopefully taking full advantage of the fact that you can charge your phone wirelessly in your car, at certain coffee shops, and in your home. So, what are you using at your desk? You could Prop your phone up for max visibility in an inexpensive yet powerful Seneo Fast Wireless Charger!





Free Nomad Carabiner-Act Quickly to Snag This Carabiner/Mini USB Charge Cord Combo!

Nomad makes some amazing products, from cases to cables and stands, and if you’ve ever eyed their carabiner with a mini USB cable attached, now is the time to snag it. If you head to Hello Nomad, and enter the code MINI, you can snag the carabiner for only the cost of shipping (normally $29.95). This ONLY applies to the mini USB carabiner, and only one per person. Better head there fast, you never know when you’ll need to charge a camera while climbing a mountain!


SYNAVOLT Modular Power Bank Can Handle It All

We’ve reviewed many portable battery packs here, but the SYNAVOLT is the first I’ve ever seen that is both expandable and modular. Currently raising funds on Indiegogo, SYNAVOLT starts with a 20,000mAh base unit; it has two slotted expansion bay ends that can handle a variety of power-enabled modular attachments.



Best Buy Has iPhone 7: 32 GB for $ 399 NBC (No Bill Credits!)

You’re probably as sick of hearing about deals as I am. Black Friday this. Small Business That. Cyber Monday online. Blah. Blah. Blah. More than ever it seems deals evolved into mostly an elaborate “come on” aimed to convince us to buy stuff we may or may not need at prices that may or may not be a deal.


10 Reasons the Huawei Mate 10 Pro Is the Phablet You’ve Been Waiting For

Huawei’s flagship phone has landed internationally with 2 models with an all-new curved glass body. Sporting a large 6-inch OLED display, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro is the pricier and more premium model of the two. We’ve been playing with the Mate 10 Pro for a few weeks now. Here are 10 things we really like about the Huawei Mate 10 Pro.


Save Big on Nomad Accessories During Their Black Friday Sale

Nomad has emerged as one of our favorite tech accessory companies. We’ve reviewed everything from their cables to their Apple Watch bands to their wallets and have been impressed by pretty much all of them. This Black Friday they have some amazing items on sale and you can save up to 65%!