Reviews

We all know that Razer makes some incredible computers and gaming peripherals. Usually their gear is blacked out with bright green accents, but they have been known to switch it up with some special editions every now and then. In their latest color edition, Razer has gone Mercury White. This clean and stylish line of peripherals doesn’t include every product they make, but it is a nice array that can get you a complete setup all the way from the Razer Blade laptop to the Goliathus Extended Chroma Mousepad. Check out the video below.
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Back in April, LEGO announced a series of new space-themed City kits which fittingly debuted ahead of the Apollo landing’s 50th anniversary. Today we’ll be taking a hands-on look at one of the lineup’s kits, which enters at a mid-tier price. LEGO’s recent Mars Research Shuttle packs over 270 pieces and two impressive minifigures alongside the latest incarnation of brick-built space ship. Head below for a closer look.

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Have you ever found yourself needing a 100-inch smart TV in your pocket? Well, if so, then the Nebula Capsule II from Anker might be just what you’re looking for. At just a little bigger than a standard 12-ounce can, the Capsule II runs Android TV, projects a 720p image up to 100 inches, and will play video for almost 2 hours and 45 minutes before needing a recharge. Check out the video below.
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GorillaPod has made a name for itself as “the” handheld tripod brand. We’ve all seen them in the wild being used as a selfie stick, “wrap around anything” tripod, or makeshift steadicam. With the new GorillaPod 3K Pro, meant for mirrorless camera setups up to 3kg (6.6lbs), this model is going professional.

What has Joby done to make this version ready for the big leagues, and is it worth an upgrade? Let’s dive into our review.

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Today we are taking a closer look at one of the most affordable options on the market with the new UNO Drum machine. IK is continuing its efforts in the budget-friendly music production space with new UNO Drum, which is a perfect companion to the previously-released UNO synth. The question is whether or not the extremely affordable beat machine is too barebones to make it worth your while or not. Head below for our hands-on impressions.
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Having some cameras watching over your home or work space can be very beneficial. Unfortunately they can sometimes be expensive and overly complicated to setup and use. But if all you want is a simple camera with some nice features, the Wyze cameras are definitely worth checking out. Today we’re taking a look at the Wyze Cam Pan. Priced at $38, it packs an impressive set of features for such a low price. Check out the video below.
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With its legacy in high-quality storage options, G-Technology has developed another portable drive that is meant to withstand the elements when used outdoors as well as indoors. The ArmorATD features rain, dust and crush resistance up to 1,000-lbs. that should ensure data is safer in inclement environments. Check out the video below.
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In its ever-expanding line of home security offerings, Eufy now carries a Video Doorbell which offers alerts, a live feed to the app and the ability to talk to those at your door. 2k 2560 x 1920 resolution tops the feature set on the Doorbell. Priced at $160, the Eufy Video Doorbell offers some nice features along with its hi-res image. Check out the video below.
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The third display-laden product in the Amazon Echo line, the new Show 5, is a more compact and affordable Alexa powered smart display priced at $90. It comes in as a less-priced alternative to the older Echo Show 2nd generation, which is still available, that packs a 10-inch screen and is priced at $229. Check out the video below for a hands-on look at the new Echo Show 5.

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With a detached garage that I all too often forget to close the door on – adding a smart opener was something I’ve been wanting to check out for a while. Featuring a built-in Wi-Fi connection, the myQ Smart Garage Hub from Chamberlain connects to an existing, compatible garage door opener and adds smartphone control via the myQ app. I have an old Craftsman opener that was made in 1997, and at $50, this Smart Garage Hub might be the easiest, and affordable way to add some smart features to it. Check out the video below.
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Today we are taking a closer look at the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2 interface. While the company is best known for its massive lineup of virtual instruments and samplers for producers, we have had a chance to dig in to some of its most affordable new hardware over the last few weeks. We were previously impressed with NI’s higher end MIDI keyboards and Maschine Mikros, but is its budget-conscious interfaces worth your time? Head below for all the details.
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There are plenty of portable power chargers out there – most offer a USB port which can be used with any cable to charge a specific device. But, if an iPhone or other iOS device is a common being charged, there are some options out there that are more sleek and convenient – like the $29.99 Bolt from Jackery. Fast 2.4A charging via two built-in cables top the feature set on the Bolt – one of which is a Lightning cable. Check out the video below. 
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I’ve been a happy Apple product user since 2007. Not only does Apple gear tend to offer a cleaner UI than the competition, the company’s commitment to safeguarding user data is at a level that most companies cannot come close to matching. That being said, many would agree that Apple has gone nuts with pricing over the last few years. This is the primary reason I initially tried to replace Apple TV with Fire TV Stick 4K, and overall I’ve been quite surprised by just how feature-packed of a product it has been.

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I’ve been wanting to extend our Wi-Fi coverage outside of our house to reach our yard beyond the garage, so today I thought I’d do a setup and review of Amazon’s #1 best seller in the repeater category – this Netgear EX3700 Wi-Fi range extender to see if it can help boost our Wi-Fi signal enough and reach our yard. Check out the video below.
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Earlier this month Ultimate Ears unveiled the WONDERBOOM 2, a second-generation model of its popular portable Bluetooth speaker. A host of notable upgrades over the original model set it up to contend as one of the best in the competitive outdoor summer speaker category. Along with various improvements, like increased battery life and better waterproofing, UE has dressed up WONDERBOOM 2 in a handful of fresh fabrics. With warm weather here and the latest from UE by my side, I’m been enjoying some tunes while testing out this new speaker. Head below for my WONDERBOOM 2 review.

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No stranger to high-end audio equipment, Bose has expanded its portfolio to include a new segment – audio sunglasses. For $200, the new Bose Frames offer audio without any headphones in or on your ears – leaving you open to hear the world around while keeping a classic design so they don’t stand out as a smart device. Check out the video below for more.

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A common name in home and small business shared storage, Synology has just released an updated NAS in an extremely small form factor – the DS419slim. Featuring four 2.5-inch drive bays, the new NAS can deliver 20TB of raw storage when equipped with four 5TB drives. Check out the video below.
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Sengled has added a few new products to its line of smart LED lighting. As an alternative to the popular Philips Hue lights, I wanted to see how a kit would work in my studio so we are checking out a few of these new additions. Today’s review features the Extra Bright 1500 lumen bulb and Multicolor Light Strip as well as the Multicolor Kit, and 800 lumen soft white LED bulb. Check out the video below for more.

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When I first saw the new AUKEY Key Series True Wireless Earbuds, I found the number of features at such a low price point to be quite jarring. With Qi charging built-in, these earbuds are in direct competition with Apple’s recent top-tier release and yet they still manage to clock in at around half of the price.

Being an AirPods owner, I thought it would be interesting to write up a review that pits both Apple and AUKEY’s earbuds head-to-head. If you’re on the fence about buying AirPods, continue reading to see if the new AUKEY Key Series earbuds are a worthy alternative.
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With plenty of Bluetooth speaker options on the market today, Urbanears has brought to the party the Ralis – a portable speaker with minimalist design and modern features. 20+ hours of playtime and the ability to connect up to three devices at once to share DJ duty make the Ralis great for parties. Check out the video below.
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With some upcoming travel and flights, I wanted to find a more convenient way of watching videos on my iPhone while on-the-go. I have a Quad Lock case installed on my iPhone 8, so mounting something else to the middle of my case isn’t really an option. A quick search for a phone kickstand on Amazon brought up the Amazon Choice Spigen Universal Kickstand for $10. Check out the video below.
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Growing in popularity, 360-degree cameras give the user an extremely unique way of capturing a scene or environment. When stitched together, images can look otherworldly – surreal and abstract – or interactive. Ricoh isn’t new to the game, but the top of the line THETA Z1 is. Coming in at $999.95, the Z1 is the most expensive 360 camera Ricoh has offered as of yet with some high-end features. 1-inch sensors and RAW photos set it apart from previous models and appeal to photographers who want more control over their image. Check out the video below for more.
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Plugable may not be as familiar of a keyboard brand as some other companies, but with an attractive price point and feature set, they’re hard to ignore. Plugable’s older mechanical keyboard features blue “clicky” switches from Outemu, but this new line leans on linear red switches instead. These new switches, also from Outemu, give the keyboard smoother actuation without the loud clicky sound from their other blue switches. Check out the video below for more.

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If you’ve been around 9to5Toys for a while then you’ve probably seen some other coverage of speaker sets from Audioengine. Attention to sound quality and design makes them a favorite to cover. A new version of their beloved A2+ speakers, Audioengine’s new A2+ Wireless set delivers the same warm sound and clean design but with some added features for convenience. Check out the video below for more.

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Having a portable power station along on an adventure is always convenient when you have the ability to take one. But what about when they run out of juice? Enter the Rockpals 100W Foldable Solar Panel. Aimed directly at solar generators the Rockpals panel comes with accessories to charge most of today’s power stations. Check out the video below.
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If there’s one thing that instantly screams “amateur” when it comes to video, it’s camera shake. Whether you’re making youtube videos for fun or product videos for your next Kickstarter project, smooth video always looks better. Now with the Zhiyun Crane 2 gimbal you can get that smooth action, even with heavy cameras like mirrorless and DSLR cameras carrying big lenses, lights or microphone attachments.

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Update: You can now pick up Jackery’s Explorer 240 for just $197.49 when promo code TOMACJOR and the on-page $15 coupon are applied. 

With its Amazon best-seller Explorer 160, Jackery is a well-known name in portable power stations or outdoor gear. The Explorer 240 brings 240Wh of battery life matched with a nice selection of power output options at $250. Check out the video below for a hands-on review and more.

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This year LEGO is showing that it knows how to mix up its catalog not just with new creations, but also fresh lines of sets. There’s no better embodiment of that than the new Upside Down 75810 kit. Today we’ll be diving into a full review on the recently-released 2,200-piece LEGO Stranger Things set, taking a look at its exclusive new minifigures and more. Head below for a closer look at one of the most unique builds to date.

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Today we are diving in head first with the IK Multimedia iRig Micro mini guitar amp. This tiny device offers up a ton of value on paper with an integrated audio interface and software emulation system, but does that justify the price tag? We went hands-on to find out. Head below for all the details.
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It’s been about six months since I dove headfirst to the Amazon Alexa ecosystem. While it’s not perfect, I’m very happy with my decision to switch away from Siri as my primary voice assistant. Having fully immersed my home in Echo Dots, I initially didn’t see a need to venture outside of Amazon’s most affordable smart speaker.

My feelings changed pretty quickly after I realized how feature-rich Echo Plus was at such an affordable price. More microphones, better sounding audio, and a built-in smart home hub all worked together and eventually pushed me to try an upgraded Echo experience.
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If you can’t get enough of Marvel, then The Iron Man MK50 Robot by UBTECH is a way to bring the experience home and into your hands. Similar in design to its First Order Stormtrooper, the Iron Man MK50 brings authentic licensed Marvel experiences to your command. Of course, it’s a bit of a specialty piece at a whopping $290 – but for collectors, it might be a must have addition. Check out the video below.
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3D scanners aren’t anything new in the world of makers, but Scan Dimension seeks to make scanning an object as quick any painless as possible with the SOL. While the $600 price tag can be a little painful, the SOL is a quick and easily solution that can get you up and scanning in no time. Check out the video below.
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Mission Workshop’s dedication to top-notch materials, manufacturing in the USA and well thought out tactical design makes for some high-quality, and equally high priced gear. The $220 Spar is an impressive Sling Pack that I find myself trying to take with me as often as possible. Check out the video below to find out why.

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The market for wireless audio keeps growing, and Focal has thrown its hat into the ring with its Sphear Wireless earphones. The cord-cutting version of the Sphear S, the Sphear Wireless adds Bluetooth 4.1 to Focal’s in-ear headphones for $130. Check out the video below.
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While offering a large variety of options for NAS and extended storage, Synology’s Surveillance Station, a part of its DiskStorage Manager, offers free storage for two cameras and is flexible enough to work for everyone from the homeowner to large business applications. If you’ve been thinking about adding a NAS like the DS918+ to your home as a backup solution or media server, that NAS can also serve as a surveillance station. Configuring said NAS inside DiskStorage Manager can be a little overwhelming if you’re not familiar with it, like me, but Synology does a good job of walking you through getting everything setup. Check out the video below.
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Trekz Air bone conduction Bluetooth headphones offer the ability to listen to music without closing your ears off to the world around you. And at just $149, they offer excellent quality without an eye-watering price.

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Back in April, LEGO officially released five new sets ahead of the theatrical debut of Avengers: Endgame. Right of the bat, the Iron Man Hall of Armor kit caught our eye, and today we’ll be taking a hands-on look at the build. Comprised of over 520 pieces, the kit showcases several variations of suits from Tony Starks’ collection spanning the past 10 years of films. Is the creation worthy of Iron Man’s legacy or should LEGO just have enacted the Clean Slate Protocol on its latest set? Head below for a closer look.

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Microsoft’s latest version of the Xbox One gaming console makes another step forward by removing the disk drive and reaching a new price point. The $250 Xbox One S All-Digital Edition ditches aging physical technology and moves – full force – into the all-digital world. This new system shaves $50 off of the normal Xbox One S and also includes digital downloads of a few recent games. Today we’re just getting the Xbox out of the package and seeing what all is still in there. Check out the video below.
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Focal is an old name in high-end audio gear, though they might not be as well-known as some other companies producing surround sound systems. Their line of top-grade reference headphones like the Elegia have made a name for themselves with audiophiles. Coming in at $1,299, the Sib Evo Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 home cinema system brings Focal’s attention to high resolution audio to the home theater. Check out the video below.
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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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Hex has created multiple lines of baggage to fit a wide variety of applications. From a world traveling filmmaker’s signature pack to one designed for the bartender on the move, chances are Hex has something that will fit your needs. With 13 different bags, the Terra collection from Hex is one of their largest. We’re checking out two of their offerings, the Terra Sneaker Duffel and the Terra Patrol Backpack. Hit the jump for the video and more below.
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When you’re a parent selecting a baby monitor, you really just want something that you can trust. It needs to be dependable so you can keep an eye on your child. There are wi-fi enabled cameras that allow you to access the camera remotely from a smart device, but these can sometimes be unreliable and have had some security issues. Eufy has recently released the SpaceView baby monitor – an updated traditional radio frequency monitor with features that make it a great choice – despite a couple issues. Priced at $160, it’s not the cheapest, but it’s similarly priced to popular competitors and offers a HD video feed, long battery life and impressive range. Check out the video below.
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Nintendo has shown us twice now that cardboard can be used for more than just boxes with its Labo construction kits. The company’s latest release of creations entered with an even bolder proposition, can cardboard be used for console-level virtual reality? Nintendo Labo VR Kit imbues your Switch with a one-of-a-kind, interactive gaming experience. Head below for our hands-on look at how cardboard can transport you into the virtual world.

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Bringing an object from the digital world into the physical world is a pretty addicting experience. The only limit is your imagination when it comes to making pieces that are useful and fun. I’ve had a few items printed from online companies like Shapeways, but wanted to jump into the world of 3D printing on my own.

Monoprice is well-known for affordable electronics, and their 3D printer line definitely has some reasonable options. Their entry-level 3D printers start with the Monoprice MP Mini Delta 3D Printer at $159, but today we’re taking a look at the top of the line Maker Ultimate, priced at $479. Let’s get it setup and see how our first print goes. We’re going to go through the setup fairly quickly as it follows along with the manual pretty closely, but I’ll throw in some tips and troubleshooting I figured out along the way. It seems like a good product for the price, but there are some fit and finish things that are a bit off. Check out the video below.

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In late February, Synology debuted its latest NAS, the DS1019+. As one of the company’s higher-end options, it boasts a plethora of prosumer features and notable specifications. But starting at $550, the question is, is the storage solution worthy of its more premium price tag? Today we’ll be taking a look at how it handles everything from 4K video transcoding with Plex to running smart home controller software and more. Head below for a full report.

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