Simon Walsh

As each day passes I become increasingly fond of Amazon’s products and services. My initial love for Amazon all began with Prime shipping which gave me access to thousands of items available for 2-day shipping. I reluctantly gave Alexa a shot and was so pleased I went from one Amazon device to several quite rapidly.

In this Echo Dot Diary I’ll be covering the Amazon devices I currently own and how their features have improved my life. While the Alexa ecosystem is large, I tend to gravitate towards an Amazon-made device over one from a third party. This often leads to less headaches and an experience that works as expected.

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When it comes to earbuds, most would agree that AirPods are the most sought after option on the market. With the Apple’s latest offering ranging from $159-$199, the new Skullcandy Indy headphones are a low cost alternative that the company hopes its customers will appreciate.

The new Skullcandy Indy earbuds offer a design that looks very similar to the iconic stem-like form factor seen in Apple AirPods. Even the charging case mimics what Apple customers are familiar with using. While they have quite a few differences, Skullcandy’s choice to opt for black as the primary color is likely to be one of the most warmly-welcomed differentiators.
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Anker has been keeping busy lately. Prior to today’s release of Anker PowerPort Atom III, the company had debuted two preceding devices in 2019. One of which that sports two USB-C ports and another with four outputs that offer a combined total of 100W charging.

What makes Anker PowerPort Atom III interesting is the implementation of the company’s new PowerIQ 3.0 technology. It outputs a total of 60W across two ports, USB A and C with the unique ability to support all fast-charging protocols. Identification is automatic, taking place without no interaction required from users.
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Master & Dynamic is a brand whose industrial design has always been nothing short of impressive. While the company has released plenty of headphones, it has never released an offering that competes directly with ANC offerings from big names like Bose, Sony, and Beats. This changes today with a stunning new pair of Master & Dynamic ANC wireless headphones.

Much like the Sony XM3s, Master & Dynamic is passing up the opportunity to give its headlining headphones a name that can easily be remembered. It has chosen to label them with a boring model number of MW65, but for many that will likely be their only complaint.

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If you’re here, there’s a chance that you’re fascinated by the idea of scaling back and living minimally. Portable spaces like RVs and tiny homes are trending right now. Many are flocking towards the idea of spending less on a home and having plenty leftover for a life filled with adventure. While Polydrop Trailer may not offer as many amenities as some other options, most would agree that it checks a lot of boxes and clocks in at a very affordable price.
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Over the past several months, I’ve gone all in on Alexa. At first I was not convinced that Amazon’s assistant was the right fit for my Apple-centric home, thinking it wouldn’t be long until I switched back to (cursing at) Siri. I was wrong. Inexpensive gear and reliable performance have kept me here and I’ve got more items than ever on my Alexa wishlist.
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Reolink may be a brand name that you hear of very often, but that may start to change as it continues to innovate in the home security space. The company announced the Reolink Argus PT security camera earlier today and it sports several impressive features.

With the launch of Reolink Argus PT, the company is empowering average consumers to embrace solar energy while also benefiting from useful perks like pan and tilt. This yields an incredible 355-degree pan and 140-degree tilt design that every customer is sure to appreciate.

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When it comes to cleaning interior floors, there is no shortage of smart options out there. It’s a market filled with an overwhelming number of choices. Here at 9to5Toys we’ve used and reviewed several, but have yet to try out smart lawn mowers like the new WORX Landroid M.

Once programmed, WORX Landroid M is capable of mowing up to a quarter of an acre with no human interaction required. Lawn cutting can be scheduled and triggered remotely using the iOS or Android app.
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It’s no secret that I am a fan of projectors. I have been using them in my home for several years now and absolutely love how simple they make it to bring an extremely large display to any space that sports a blank wall or screen. A common issue with projectors is the need to mount them far away from the wall to net a large display, but with the new VAVA 4K Projector, this is no longer necessary.
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When it comes to stunning and unique televisions, Samsung is always on the bleeding edge. Nearly two years after launching The Frame, Samsung has announced The Sero. What makes its unique is its ability to pivot vertically and horizontally, allowing it to eliminate black bars from portrait videos.

Although videos shot in portrait are controversial at best, most will likely be able to agree that Samsung’s new TV looks excellent. It sports a slim design that can easily be moved and propped up anywhere. The company’s choice to let The Sero swivel makes it much more compelling than it would otherwise be.
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Over the last few decades many have aspired to have large homes that offer every possible amenity. This has led many to forget just how simple life can actually be. It is quite simple to take into account when viewing the upcoming auction of a 1937 Pierce-Arrow Model C Travelodge Camper.

The cozy Model C Travelodge Camper is a mere 13.5-feet long, with simple amenities like a linoleum table, hand-pumped sink, and wood-burning stove. While some may see spending time in this camper as a punishment, to many it offers a glimpse at a simpler life focused more on adventure rather than possessions.
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Over the last few years, USB-C has become much more prevalent than when Apple initially rolled it out on its MacBook lineup. Not only will you find it on nearly every modern Android phone, you’ll also see it on Chromebooks and the latest PCs. Anker’s upcoming PowerPort Atom PD 2 will make USB-C life a little bit easier thanks to two powerful ports built into one AC adapter.

Atom PD 2 will join Anker’s recently-released PD 1, and impressive PD 4 in a few days, with ports smart enough to power two devices and automatically prioritize which one needs it most.
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My first interaction with a portable air conditioner was not a good one. The central air failed at my business and I needed to ensure the climate was acceptable until the problem could be resolved. Cooling performance was impressive, but the omission of smart functionality was rather disappointing. LG is tackling this problem with its new smart air conditioner.

It’s a portable unit capable of cranking out 14,000 BTUs and is not LG’s first attempt at making a smart air conditioner. The new product joins several other window models that churn up to 22,000 BTUs. It sports LG’s proprietary Dual Inverter Compressor, allowing it to keep noise to a minimum while providing a 40% improvement in energy efficiency.
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If you’re a gamer, you know that performance on PC is vastly superior to what the latest and greatest consoles have to offer. Most would agree this is largely due to price constraints, but here’s to hoping the PlayStation 5 pushes boundaries and can be somewhat competitive with gaming portables like the all-new Razer Blade 15 and 17 Pro.

Announced earlier today, the Razer Blade 15 sports Intel’s latest 9th Generation i7 six-core processor with Advanced models offering a mind-blowing either 240Hz Full HD or 4K OLED touch displays. Improvements to the Razer Blade Pro 17 include a smaller chassis, Intel’s latest six-core processors, and much more.

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If we’re being honest, we’d all likely agree that a large majority of the smart home gadgets that we add to our homes are there for sheer convenience. This isn’t a bad thing at all, but it’s certainly worth calling out that some solutions actually yield an overall savings when opting for a smart equivalent of an otherwise standard device.

Thermostats easily fall into this category since they empower us to use geolocation and many other data points to help reduce energy usage. With it being Earth Day, we though now is probably one of the best times to dive into what’s out there and help you find the best smart thermostat for your home.
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Retro gaming has been making a comeback lately. While emulation has been around for a while, plenty of companies have created official classic consoles that do a fantastic job of letting users create new memories while playing old games. Nintendo and PlayStation are easily the most notable, but its systems offer a rather limited number of playable games.

To get around this, folks typically download an emulator or purchase a Raspberry Pi and flash it with RetroPie or Recalbox. While this process can be fun for some, it also can be overwhelming for non-techies. A new product called Yesterday Vision aims to fix this while also providing a statement piece that most will be proud to place in their home.
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I have been using security cameras for going on two years now. Initially, I chose the Logitech Circle 2, but after suffering from incessant connectivity issues and lackluster battery life I switched to Blink XT. The change is a night and day difference. Cloud storage is free and load times are lighting fast. I have just one issue and the new Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro takes it seriously.

My beef is with how many notifications I receive. The included toggles for motion alerts can only be managed on a system-wide basis. Individual camera alert controls are unavailable and as a result I am constantly overwhelmed. Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro tackles this problem with built-in lurker detection.

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I’ve written many articles elaborating how Alexa has allowed me to make many things in my home smart. More importantly, it’s been very inexpensive to do so. Dimmable light switches are around $20, smart plugs are easily half of that, and $30 paid for a device that let me use Alexa to control infrared devices.

With fifteen Echo Dots in tow, I’ve begun dabbling with devices that let me use Alexa outside of my home. Roav VIVA is my latest endeavor, allowing me to take Amazon’s assistant with me in the car. Thanks to a free software update announced today, I’m likely going to be tempted to use Amazfit Verge as an Alexa smartwatch.
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Whether you are looking to increase 4K video editing speeds or simply trying to boost gaming performance, eGPUs are a fantastic way to make ultrabooks and smaller PCs behave more like full-fletched gaming rigs. Here at 9to5 we’ve reviewed them, and some of us use them every day.

When we got our hands on the Razer Core X eGPU last year, we called it ‘the best eGPU for MacBook Pro’. Before the dust has had much of a chance to settle, an all-new Razer Core X Chroma has been announced. Standout features include a 700W power supply, RGB lighting, four USB and one Ethernet port along the back.
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About four months after the initial announcement of the ASUS ZenBook S13, the company has stated that its new laptop will be available for order today. The ASUS ZenBook S13 boasts a 97% screen-to-body ratio, an incredible feat that single-handedly beats my daily driver and most of the other laptops on the market.

Like many achievements, this one does not come without controversy. To offer such thin bezels, the ASUS ZenBook S13 has embraced the notch that houses the laptop’s built-in webcam. Some features worth noting about the ASUS ZenBook S13 include a 13.9-inch display, a base SSD storage capacity of 512GB, and an impressive 15 hour battery.
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Not too long ago I bought my first 3D printer. After months of tinkering, I wrote a post covering some of the best 3D printers out there for folks wanting to get started. When I want to build something, I generally search existing designs on sites like Thingiverse and can often find something that suits my needs.

For the times when this is not the case, I have begun building my own designs using several different 3D modeling apps. While this can be fun, it’s also time consuming. With the release of Scan Dimension’s SOL 3D Scanner, there is now an affordable way to quickly mimic existing objects.
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As projectors gain increased brightness and 4K resolution becomes mainstream, the list of reasons that generally makes most folks stick with TVs is gradually fading away. Over the past several months we’ve covered projectors from Miroir and InFocus that zero in on portability, but leave us high and dry when it comes features that make us seriously consider replacing TVs.

At roughly the same time as BenQ debuted its newest home theater projector, Epson is now showing its latest and greatest offerings. Dubbed the Home Cinema 5050UB and 5050UBe, these new Epson 4K projectors sport 2,600 lumens, HDR10, and much more.
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With back-to-back storage announcements from the likes of Sony and Western Digital lately, Seagate is now showing off two new products, the LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle and LaCie 2big RAID. Whether you’re a fan or not, most will agree that the look and feel of both new products are consistent with what LaCie has been shipping for many years.

LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle sticks with the brand’s iconic orange shell and the LaCie 2big RAID looks like a black version of its 2big Dock. Both options embrace a future of USB-C with connectivity that supports Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1, and legacy USB 3.0.
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It’s official, there will soon be two new Sony external SSD drives. While many external SSDs exist already, Sony is kicking things up a notch, much like Western Digital has, by baking in some serious damage resistance. Pair that with incredible performance that can reach nearly 1GB/s read and write speeds, and you’ve got a fantastic option for photographers, videographers, and other professions that have folks transferring lots of data while on-the-go.
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Having not worn an Apple Watch for over six months now, I can vehemently state that I do not miss constant, distracting taps on my wrist. I also do not miss trying to make lackluster apps fit my workflow instead of simply pulling my phone out of my pocket and getting the job done straight-away.

I do miss having the time readily available and for this reason, I tend to keep an eye on unique watch styles that go beyond what an Apple Watch or its competitors can pull off. With Casio’s latest addition to the G-SHOCK Full Metal line-up, it has an appearance that is quite different from the competition.
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With the announcement of LEGO Spike Prime, the company is really showing off its commitment to the classroom. LEGO Spike Prime is made with students spanning grades 6-8 in mind, but let’s be honest, every age group can have fun with it.

The set comes with a total of 523 pieces that all work together to provide builders with everything needed to make their own robots. LEGO touts that its hardware is easy to use and that the decision to use Scratch as the programming language will result in an intuitive experience for everyone involved.
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Data loss can get catch any of us by surprise. For the longest time, average consumers stored the majority of their data on PCs, without keeping physical or cloud backups in mind. Fast forward to today and most store everything on a smartphone and use either Google and Apple backup methods to keep safe.

Catches apply to heavy users when running out of free iCloud storage or suffering from image resolution downgrades in Google Photos’ free tier. In these types of cases, external hard drives are the way to go, and Western Digital’s new G-Technology ArmorATD portable drives work very hard to keep data protected.
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Now that we are living in a time when large companies are working on automation which predicts what users want to do next, we can all probably agree that there are less instances where tech simply works as expected.

Out of all the tech that I’ve been accumulating over the last few years, mesh Wi-Fi is definitely one of the few that just works. For this reason I always recommend it to friends and family, but high costs generally keep them from pulling the trigger. With the announcement of the TP-Link Deco M4 Whole Home Wi-Fi System, high prices are certainly becoming less of a concern.
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For several months now, I’ve been dabbling in the Alexa ecosystem. This has been due largely to frustration with Siri and the steep pricing associated with HomeKit-compatible products. Through this endeavor, I’ve found Amazon’s voice assistant to be smarter in many ways, but as you would hope, Alexa’s Head Scientist, Rohit Prasad, thinks the platform can go much further.

At the EmTech Digital 2019 Conference, Prasad said, “The only way to make smart assistants really smart is to give it eyes and let it explore the world”. This statement certainly seems logical since a robot would be able to more easily learn about its surroundings.

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If you’re anything like me, when hearing about a Yale product announcement, your mind probably jumps straight to its robust smart door lock line-up. Well it just so happens that the company’s latest product is not a door lock at all. It’s actually a feature-packed security camera.

The new Yale security camera is being touted as an all-in-one device as it features light, sound, and well, a camera. Yale appears to be taking a page from Apple’s book by simply calling it the new all-in-one camera. It’s made to work both indoors and out, making it a well-rounded option that will suit many consumer’s needs.
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If you’ve bought a car within the last few years, there’s a good chance it already has a backup camera. Like many features, backup cameras used to be expensive add-ons, but are now standard in many new vehicles.

For the people out there with an older vehicle that lacks a backup camera, there are a slew of aftermarket options out there, but they typically require some sort of wiring. The new Garmin backup camera sets out to alleviate this with a few other tricks up its sleeve.
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With smartphones satisfying many folk’s photography needs these days, companies that develop dedicated cameras are being forced more than ever to ship new products with compelling features and designs. Sony is one of these companies and despite growing pressures, its latest release shows it is far from throwing in the towel.

Being touted as the ‘world’s smallest and lightest’ premium ultra-compact camera, the Sony RX0 II is a truly impressive piece of tech. Its tiny form-factor sports a 15.3 megapixel sensor that’s capable of shooting 4K video. A rugged external shell contributes to water, dust, shock, and crushproof ratings.

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Not very long ago, I too was on the hunt for a beginner 3D printer. I spent several hours pouring over a slew of the options, but still didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. Once I made my decision, I placed my order and have had a blast ever since.

In this guide I will cover three options for folks who are just getting started and don’t want to be overwhelmed. I’ll also include a bonus suggestion for those of you looking for a bit more of an adventure.
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Earlier today Sid Shuman, the Director of Social Media at PlayStation, announced that the console manufacturer would begin hosting a recurring news event called State of Play. As you may expect, the event will cover updates revolving around PlayStation 4 and PS VR including new game trailers, announcements, and more.

Considering that PlayStation pulled out of E3, it is exciting to see that the company plans to return to the stage not just once, but in a recurring manner. Now that Nintendo has Direct and Microsoft has Inside Xbox, the announcement of PlayStation’s State of Play is certain to be welcomed by its fans.
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Dyson has been hard at work developing new products. The company and its employees can now officially reap the rewards of their efforts after having introduced not one, but three high-end products for the masses. As most would expect, an upgraded V11 vacuum is one of the new gadgets, followed by the Pure Cool Me personal purifying fan, and finally, the product I find the most interesting, the app-enabled Lightcycle task light.
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Just one day after HP announced its all-new Reverb VR headset, Oculus has unveiled its latest Rift offering. Sticking with the branding of its most popular headset, the Oculus Rift S delivers a robust feature set at a rather compelling price.

The Oculus Rift S brings resolution enhancements, increased comfort, and an improved light blocking design. This is just a few of many ways that Oculus is planning to deliver one of its best PC-compatible headsets to date.

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The new HP Reverb VR Headset was announced earlier today, and boy, it sure does pack a punch. The company unveiled its new headset during HP Reinvent, an invitation-only event that is hosted once a year.

With a resolution of 2160 x 2160 per eye panel and a 114-degree field of view, the new HP Reverb VR Headset without a doubt has garnered attention from competitors like Oculus, HTC, and Lenovo.
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The number of hits that come up when searching for a new gaming headset can easily overwhelm anyone. This is a category where I can be confident when saying that a high percentage of the results are not worth the investment.

For a product category like this, it’s likely best to stick with brands that have been in the business for a while and have a solid track record of pleased consumers. Turtle Beach is one of these and its all-new Turtle Beach Recon 70 Series headsets are a follow-up to the best-selling Recon 50s with new features at a budget-friendly price.

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From lawn mowers to grills, it seems that all the tools we know and love are getting smarter each day. In some instances it is arguably unnecessary, but when it isn’t, we are all left wishing that we had a bit more expendable income to throw at whatever the new gadget may be.

Today’s new Wi-Fi-enabled tools include a line up of new Traeger smart grills. Technology packed inside the grills is largely what most would expect, allowing users to tweak temperatures, set timers, and keep an eye on how warm or cold the food is. The companion app offers a variety of recipes that can be downloaded directly to the new Traeger Smart Grills.

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Razer has been developing gaming peripherals for going on two decades now. Its products have become loved and well-respected by consumers and have also pushed the envelope when it comes to what’s available in the industry.

Up to this point, the only real caveat to shopping Razer has been that its products can be somewhat costly. With the release of this new Razer gaming lineup, the company attempting to reach customers that have been put off by high prices. At launch, the new Razer gaming lineup consists of three products that include a keyboard, mouse, and headset.

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Over the past few years the projector market has been booming. ViewSonic recently debuted its impressive portable projector and Anker isn’t holding back either. While these two offerings merely scratch the surface of what’s going on, they do paint a picture of what consumers are looking for, and that’s portability.

With the release of the Miroir Ultra Pro Projector M631, consumers now have an option designed from the ground up to work with iPhone, iPad, MacBook and Apple TV. It weighs less than two pounds, is battery-powered, and charges via USB-C.
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It’s not often, but there certainly are times, when I miss the simplicity and reliability of plugging into a physical headphone port. While most would agree that the benefits of wireless headphones easily outweigh their drawbacks, there are times when wired connections can be preferable. Moshi now has a forward-thinking solution for when those times occur.

With the release of Moshi Avanti C, the company has a new pair of wired on-ear headphones that embrace a USB Type C future. By focusing less on USB-C in addition to 3.5mm, Moshi Avanti C achieves wider compatibility for newer devices.
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I’ve been using the Polk Audio Command Bar for several weeks now. While no one can argue that there is a shortage of sound bars on the market today, finding a solution with Alexa baked-in is an entirely different story.

Many will wonder if paying a premium to have Alexa in a sound bar is worthwhile. The answer largely depends on how much your household relies on Amazon’s voice assistant. If everyone is used to conversing with Echo Dots (as am I), then it could offer increased convenience for those in your home.

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Whether you’re interested in concerts, sports, art, theater, or many other event types, Ticketmaster is often one of the best ways to find a way in. The company’s ticket-selling dominance comes from spending over forty years in the industry and always being on the lookout for new ways to serve its customers. The company is relentlessly continuing this pursuit with the launch of a new Alexa skill. Once enabled, the Ticketmaster Alexa skill will allow users to search for, then hear a list of events which they can purchase tickets for using its service.

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