Smartphones & Gear

The Withings Aura Connected Clock + Sleep Sensor Accessory Review

Sleep and I have a sometimes erratic relationship. Some nights I deal with insomnia, and I might sleep 4 or 5 hours at best; other nights I’ll need to catch up on sleep so badly that I’ll pass out for 12 or more hours. Ideally, I should get 8 hours sleep per night. Obviously, what I’ve been doing isn’t ideal.


BlackBerry Priv Now Available on T-Mobile for $719 or $30/mo

T-Mobile is now offering the Android-based BlackBerry Priv for $719 or $30/month for 24 months. Hailed as the (possible) savior of BlackBerry, this qwerty keyboard device has drawn mixed reviews. The keyboard has been welcomed by fat-thumbers. An excess of heat from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and creaking body panels has been mentioned as negatives by a few purchasers. The Priv is available in the U.S. at AT&T and T-Mobile.


Scosche boomBOTTLE+ Bluetooth Speaker Is Ready for Anything!

The original Scosche boomBOTTLE impressed me. A Bluetooth speaker built for use indoors and out, it pumped out excellent sound in every direction. And it had the added benefit of fitting into a bike’s water bottle cage! Now Scosche has released the Scosche boomBOTTLE+. It keeps a similar design and is a worthy update to an already-impressive Bluetooth speakers.



Incipio [Performance] Series Level 2 Dual-Layered Drop Protection

We’ve looked at the Incipio [Performance] Series Level 1 case. (Read the review.) It’s thin and light, and it offers just enough protection. If, however, you still want thin and light but need a bit more protection, you’ll want to check out the Incipio [Performance] Series Level 2 Dual Layered Drop Protection for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S.


Beyzacases Maly for iPhone 6S Review: One Classy Hard Case

If you are looking for a hard shell case that has a bit more class than your typical hard shell case, look no further than the Beyzacases Maly for iPhone 6S. This case takes a shell-style case and dresses it up with a sheet of quality Beyzacases leather floating on the back. And at just over $30 it’s a bargain!


The SanDisk 200GB MicroSDXC UHS-I Card: A Tiny Marvel

One of the things I’ve never liked about iPhones and iPads has been Apple’s refusal to add a memory card slot. No removable battery? Fine. A closed ecosystem with curated apps? Fine. No ability to expand my phone or tablet’s memory without paying exorbitant upgrade prices? Not so fine. That’s where Android and Windows devices have a definite advantage.



The Go Puck Battery Pack Charged My iPhone During CES

While in Las Vegas for CES, traveling from booth to booth, there was one thing I went without quite often: Battery Life. Luckily I was able to stumble upon the Go Puck Booth who supplied me with a stylish, wearable power solution in their Go Puck 5x; it not only kept me going but actually looked quite nice on my badge as well.



Free Yourself from the Bluetooth Collar with Jaybird Freedom Headphones!

You’ve probably tried out bluetooth headphones that either have a collar, or sit over your ear before right? While that might seem practical, but when you’re in the gym, or even casually walking, they bounce around and still don’t solve the problem that plagues bluetooth headphone users. If you’re tired of that problem, you need to be checking out the Jaybird Freedoms. You’ve probably seen them in Best Buy or your favorite electronic shop and they probably have them. But after the announcement they made at CES 2016, I had the opportunity to try them on for size and put…


Motorola Brand to Fade, Survived by Moto and Vibe

News today from CES that Lenovo plans to phase out the Motorola brand during 2016. We had to know this day was coming ever since Motorola was sold by Google to Lenovo in 2014. Fear not though, the Moto branding will live on for higher-end phones while Lenovo will use the Vibe brand for the cheap stuff.


Blue Lola Sealed Over-Ear High Fidelity Headphones: Experience Music the Way It Was Meant to Be Heard

Last year Dan and I took a look at the Blue Mo-Fi Headphones, and to this day, they are still among my favorites. At $349, the Mo-Fi might be a bit out of grasp for the casual audiophile, though. If you don’t necessarily need the built-in amplifier the Mo-Fi sports, then you should consider the comparably built, less expensive Lola. Included in the box are the Lola headphones, a soft travel case, an almost 4-foot long flat tangle-free audio cable with Apple iPhone/iPad controls and microphone, an (insanely long) flat 10-foot audio cable, and a 3.5mm-to-1/4 inch adaptor. If you…



The Just Mobile AluPlug Is Fancier Than Most USB Wall Chargers

In the grand scheme of things, USB wall chargers probably don’t rate too highly on your list of “things that should be pretty”, but it’s nice when one comes along that not only looks good, it also does a fab job of quickly charging your USB powered gear; that’s the Just Mobile AluPlug.


The Lander Powell Apple iPhone 6 /6S Plus Case + Travel Case Review

When you think of protective iPhone cases, you probably imagine something bulky and cumbersome, like Otterbox and other similar styles. But if you want serious protection that doesn’t add a lot of bulk or weight to your incredibly thin iPhone 6/S Plus, you need look no further than the Lander Powell. Before we jump into the case review, let’s talk about the package. At first glance, it seems a bit much for what should be a simple iPhone case … But upon further examination, you’ll find that the packaging is actually a reusable, somewhat waterproof two-piece rubber travel box; the paper wrapper…



Beddit Smart Sleep Tracker is a Sleepaholic’s Dream Come True

Beddit is a completely unobtrusive sleep-tracking device that’s installed under your bed sheet and gives you a sleep score in the morning. Beddit measures your total sleep time, respiration rate, heart rate, time to fall asleep, and more. When you wake up in the morning, Beddit gives you a detailed overview of your night’s sleep. Beddit is available for $149.


The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Speaker: A Beautiful Beast

I’ve been intrigued by the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin speakers since Doug reviewed the Zeppelin back in 2008, followed by Dan’s Zeppelin Air review in 2011. Now it’s 2015, and B&W has released their most refined Zeppelin yet, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Speaker, and now it is my turn to see what all of the fuss is about.


Speak in Style With the Jabra Eclipse Wireless Headset

The Jabra Eclipse Wireless Headset is the lightest headset Jabra has ever produced. Yet this light, attractive headset packs in a premium music-grade speaker and comes with a special holder that lets the headset charge in your pocket. At $129 the headset isn’t cheap but for the money you get a light, stylish headset that sounds great. The most important thing if you are going to use a Bluetooth headset is the sound it produces. If a headset sounds like you are speaking on a headset it isn’t something you will want to use and it certainly isn’t worth the…