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ReviewsSmartphonesWhat You Get with a World-Class Phone That Can’t Access Google
It’s a weird situation when the second largest smartphone maker in the world is treated as persona non grata, but that’s precisely what Huawei is facing when it comes to selling gadgets in the U.S. And based on the current political climate, there’s very little chance that will change between now and November. However, that … Continued
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ReviewsLaptopsMicrosoft Surface Book 3 Review: Big Specs, Big Price
Aside from a couple USB port changes, you might not be able to tell the difference between Microsoft’s latest Surface Book and its past iterations. They look nearly identical side-by-side. Same keyboard layout. Chassis color. The screen/tablet portion still disconnects from the base. Even the clamshell hinge still has that accordion-look to it. What mainly … Continued
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ReviewsOther GadgetsI Know It’s $3,000 and a Pain to Install, But Tonal Is Worth It
I’ve spent a good portion of my time inside during lockdown sifting through the best Instagram Live workouts, but working out at home isn’t really my thing. The global covid-19 pandemic—and subsequent gym closures—forced me to reevaluate that stance. Free streaming workouts are fine and all, but what I really needed was solid home gym … Continued
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ReviewsOther GadgetsThe Lanmodo Night Vision System Made Me Feel Like I Was Driving With Pricey Superpowers
The Lanmodo Night Vision system won’t turn your car into the Batmobile, but it definitely has that halo of techno-magic worthy of a Batman comic. It’s a night vision system in color for your car. It literally turns night into day and is so easy to use that you don’t even have to professionally install … Continued
Carlos Zahumenszky -
ReviewsLaptopsThe Dell XPS 15 Might Be the Best All-Around Laptop You Can Buy
When the new XPS 15 review arrived at my home, I thought there was a mistake. The box just didn’t seem big enough to hold a 15-inch laptop, or at least not one the size of last year’s model. And while I wasn’t quite right about getting the wrong device, I had good reason for … Continued
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ReviewsIntel’s High-End 10th-Gen Desktop Processors Have Hit the 14nm Limit
How much can Intel squeeze out of its 14nm architecture? A lot, surprisingly, especially since things didn’t go as planned for its 10nm process. After six years on the same process, and five on the same architecture, this latest round of desktop processors still manages to make a few changes, most notably a thinner die … Continued
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ReviewsOther GadgetsThe Mavic Air 2 Is Definitely the Drone I Was Looking For
Yes, I know. Starting a blog by paraphrasing Obi Wan’s famous words isn’t very imaginative, but put down your torches and give me a few minutes to explain why, for once, this phrase is appropriate. I also didn’t know that I was looking for a Mavic Air 2…until I tried it out. This isn’t the … Continued
Carlos Zahumenszky -
ReviewsHome Entertainment & Smart HomeThe Sonos Arc Is an $800 Dolby Atmos Soundbar That’s Actually a Good Deal
I’ve always wanted a cool home theater setup, but two things have held me back. First, I rarely have several hundreds of dollars lying around. Second, for most of my adult life, I have shuffled from one teeny tiny apartment to the next—I’m not trying to pile on the clutter! So I was intrigued by … Continued
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ReviewsHBO Max Is a Mess
HBO Max was supposed to launch as the new, jam-packed streaming service of our wildest dreams—an HBO Now revamped, essentially, with all of HBO’s library plus all of WarnerMedia’s vast catalog. But despite the fanfare, HBO Max launched this week as a muddled mix of confusing brand identities that neither honors HBO’s high-bar legacy nor … Continued
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ReviewsSmartphonesThe $450 TCL 10 Pro Is the Most Overlooked Deal in Phones
TCL makes everything from air conditioners to soundbars to washing machines, but here in the U.S., unless people are talking about TCL’s cheap TVs, no one really cares. Look, I get it, TCL doesn’t have the same kind of draw or recognition as other electronics giants like Apple or Samsung. But at the same time, … Continued
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ReviewsLaptopsThe New 13-Inch MacBook Pro’s Keyboard Really Is That Good
I sit here typing on Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro, which is somehow both an incremental and radical upgrade over the 13-inch MacBook Pros of recent years. The Pro I bought in 2017 sits to my left, and while the two look similar, the experience of using them is completely different. My 3-year-old laptop sports … Continued
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ReviewsAccessories & WearablesThis Meditation Headband Made Me Feel More Like a Naruto Reject Than a Mindful Blogger
When stay-at-home orders were first issued, wearing the Muse S headband, a smart headband intended to help you practice mindfulness and meditation, seemed like a good idea. I am an overly anxious person with too much brain poisoning from Twitter and I’m weathering lockdown in a cramped studio apartment with my partner and two needy … Continued
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ReviewsOther GadgetsThis Instant Camera Prints on Cheap Thermal Paper and Reminds Me of My Beloved Game Boy Camera
The Polaroid camera might be back from the dead, but at $2 for every instant photo you snap, it makes photography an expensive hobby again. If you’re okay with a black-and-white, grainy, high-contrast aesthetic—or happen to miss the Game Boy Camera as much as I do—Oaxis’s myFirst instant camera for kids uses a built-in thermal … Continued
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ReviewsLaptopsMSI’s GS66 Stealth Gaming Laptop Packs Big Specs and Thankfully Goes Light on the RGB
There’s always something I’ve appreciated about powerful gadgets that are able to hide their power levels. I’m talking about stuff like the Volkswagen Phaeton W12 that had essentially the same engine you got in a flashy Bentley Continental (minus a couple turbos), but in a car that looked like, well, a VW. In short, gadgets … Continued
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ReviewsHome Entertainment & Smart HomeIt Pains Me to Report This Hot Dog Toaster Is a Piece of Shit
God, I love hot dogs. My parents used to reward me with the cheap and oh-so-delicious hot dogs from Costco for making it through a Sunday afternoon shopping session, so that’s probably why I love them so much. The reward center of my brain lights up every time I see or smell them. So when … Continued
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ReviewsHeadphonesThe Big Bass on Sony’s New Cheap Earbuds Is Incredible
When headphone makers claim their devices offer boosted bass performance, it often means they’ve tweaked the sound through software to artificially emphasize low-end frequencies. Sony’s new WF-XB700 wireless earbuds do it the right way, with drivers twice as large as what you’ll find in most other earbuds. They’re loud, they thump, and if that’s the only … Continued
