Review

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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The bed in a box idea isn’t anything new, but Nectar claims to be the most comfortable mattress by offering optimal firmness. With a 365 night trial and free shipping, there isn’t much risk in trying it. My wife and I had been wanting a king size mattress in our upstairs bedroom for some time (anyone with two kids will understand why) but never purchased one because of tricky staircase measurements and sharp corners. But with Nectar’s competitive pricing, free shipping, lifetime warranty and 365 day trial policy, we decided to try out their king mattress. Check out the full video review below.
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Today, HyperX released the brand new QuadCast microphone aimed at streamers.  For $139.99, the QuadCast is a shock-mounted USB condenser microphone full of features that will appeal to streamers as well. Head below for our full video review.
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In case you missed it, last week we started a series on building out the Ultimate Chroma Cave – an RGB gaming station featuring Chroma gear from Razer. Part 1 was all about the heart of the cave, the Razer Blade 15. Let’s continue digging into the Chroma Cave with another integral part – the Razer Huntsman Elite Keyboard.
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The Harman Kardon Citation series combines beautiful design and impressive audio with smart voice connectivity through Google Assistant. It can also be expanded upon by adding more Citation units to your existing system of compatible speakers. Today we’re taking a look at the Citation ONE, the starting point of the Citation series.
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Today we are diving in to our Teenage Engineering 400 Pocket Operator review. The boutique audio device maker has created some of the most unique little instruments (among other things) over the years and we couldn’t wait to get hands on with its latest. While stock of the Eurorack compatible synthesizer is still extremely tight, we managed to get and early run to experience TE’s new build-it-yourself Pocket Operator 400 synthesizer set. Head below the jump for our hands-on impressions of the building process and sound quality of the new IKEA meets modular synthesizer kit.
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Today, we’re starting a series focused on building the ultimate “Chroma Cave,” a RGB explosion powered by Razer’s Chroma Studio. Razer makes popular peripherals, like the Deathadder mouse, and gaming laptops. They also have a love of all things RGB that they incorporate into almost every device they make. We wanted to build out a “Chroma Cave” featuring their technology along with some other brands that can be incorporated into Razer’s Chroma Studio software. Today we’re going to start with the heart of the cave – the Razer Blade 15 gaming laptop.
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Towards the end of last year, we got our first look at the then-upcoming Captain Marvel LEGO kit. After some solid initial impressions, we’ve finally gotten our hands on the new Marvel film’s first and only set. So today we’ll be going hands-on with the LEGO Captain Marvel and The Skrull Attack to see how the recent 307-piece build stacks up. Hit the jump to check out our full hands-on review.

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The RoboVac 30C adds to Eufy’s lineage of popular, affordable robotic vacuums. While the entry level $179.99 11S is an Amazon choice with over 2,500 reviews and a 4.5/5 star rating, Eufy’s RoboVac 30C, arrived on the scene late last year and has also garnered Amazon’s recommendation. Priced at $299.99, it offers smart capabilities, three power modes and up to 100 minutes of continuous run-time. Head below for our full hands-on review.

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When it comes to smart home lighting, Philips Hue has become synonymous with the gold standard. Color Accuracy? Check. Reliability? You got it. HomeKit support? Done. All of that comes with a higher barrier to entry; the Hue Hub, a dependency that drives many away from the ecosystem. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Enter the new Eve HomeKit Light Strip.

As one of the latest HomeKit-enabled smart home device from Eve, the Light Strip touts an improved color profile and more all in a Wi-Fi-centric package. Head below for our full hands-on review and to see how it stacks up to the competition. 

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Insta360 is well-known for a series of high-quality 360-degree cameras. The latest in its line is the Insta360 ONE X, which is without a doubt one of the the best bang for your buck 360-degree cameras available right now. I’ve been testing one out for the past two months. It has totally changed the way I film my youtube videos and has made my video content so much more epic. Head below for our hands-on review.

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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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I love my AirPods. Seriously, I never leave home without them, and when I do, I feel like there’s a piece of me left behind. That’s because Apple made a product so well that it seamlessly fits into my lifestyle. It slides well into my pocket, has long battery life, and sounds good for its size. But now, JLab Audio’s JBuds Air have come on the scene with great features and a super affordable price point to rival Apple’s AirPods. Head below for our full review.

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Every now and then, I’ll stumble upon a product that tries too hard to be different to the point where it’s not worth taking a look at. However, this isn’t the case for the nuraphone headphones by nura.

Originally a Kickstarter, the amount of technology and innovations made with the nuraphone have put it in its own category of headphone. But not everything is rainbows and daisies.

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While moving into a new apartment at the beginning of the year, one of my computer’s hard drive suffered a casualty. Determined to never unintentionally lose data again in the future, I set out to find a reliable solution for hosting Time Machine backups. At the end of the journey enters the two-bay Synology DS218play NAS, an affordable yet powerful storage solution. Loaded with 20TB of storage, I’ve been using the NAS for a few days and am left with a great first impression. Head below for a closer look.

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Back in September we covered LEGO Forma, the company’s first attempt to crowdfund an entire line of new kits. After facing shipping delays, the LEGO Forma Koi Fish has finally arrived. Stacking up to one of LEGO’s first kinetic sculptures, the kit is an enjoyable build that stands out from the entirety of the company’s lineup. Head to the depths below to check out our full hands-on review.

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Earlier this month the Nomad Titanium Band for Apple Watch was announced. Hitting the scene at $180, it was far more affordable than Apple’s in-house alternatives. In the weeks since, I’ve been using this band daily both during work and at the gym. It differs from most of the other link bands that I’ve previously tried in a few key areas, making it an excellent choice for those looking to add some style to their wrists. Head below to find out why.

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Grovemade has been the name behind some of our favorite Apple-friendly accessories for a while now. The Portland-based brand has slowly increased its offerings in recent years to include a range of desk organizers, Apple Watch bands and more. With simplicity at the forefront, its products are made from locally-sourced materials when possible with a focus on sustainable operations. The new Grovemade Apple Watch Dock continues those trends and features a stainless steel base with a cork topper. Head below for a hands-on look at this new home for Apple’s wearable.

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As the headphone jack begins to disappear from more and more portable devices, Bluetooth, and more specifically, ANC headphones have become super popular. Right out of left field, Microsoft announced its first-generation Surface Headphones earlier this year which feature ANC, Bluetooth, and charging over USB-C.

So, how do they stack up against the competition?

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Ever since Apple hit the jackpot with AirPods, the competition has been ramping up from other audio brands. CES 2019 revealed even more truly wireless earbuds on the way. That’s in addition to an already robust marketplace from well-known names in the industry along with a host of low-cost options. One new player in this space is Anker, who recently expanded its Soundcore lineup with the new Liberty Air True-Wireless Earphones. With AirPod-style for nearly 50% less, how does Anker’s latest audio release compare to the clubhouse leader? A quick look and comparison below.

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Earlier this year, LEGO announced that it would be bringing back a fan-favorite set after nearly a decade of retirement. To close out the year, LEGO has brought back the Vestas Wind Turbine, an 800-piece packing motorized features and more. As one of the tallest sets ever released, we had to get our hands on it. So head below to take an in-depth look at what LEGO’s most recent set has to offer.

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There are a ton of great options out there for an excellent laptop nowadays, and plenty of them will be on sale this week for Black Friday. Over the past several months I’ve been using Huawei’s Matebook X Pro as my primary laptop. Here are a few reasons why it’s one of the best laptops you can buy for Black Friday.

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2018 has seen some pretty crazy advances in the world of tech. Somewhere on that list, and certainly nowhere near the top, we have Amazon’s latest connected gadget: an Alexa-enabled microwave. Having just been released, we brought the AmazonBasics Microwave into our kitchen and put it to the test. Head below to see if Amazon’s new kitchen appliance is made with the ingredients for success.

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Before I get into my Kindle Paperwhite Review, I want to give you some backstory on where my life has been headed over the past few weeks. I’ve been pondering the role technology plays in our lives. It all started when my wife and I spent a weekend away for our anniversary, and I purposely didn’t keep my phone with me for an entire day. I knew she had her cell phone in case of an emergency with our children, so I just left it at the hotel. One of the main reasons I didn’t want it with me is because it was the day of the Georgia vs. LSU college football game, and I didn’t want to know the score until it was over. For the first time in many years, I went 12+ hours without picking up a cell phone to check e-mail, respond to a text message, or visit a website. 
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Last month the Marshall Wooburn II Bluetooth Speaker hit the market as a high-end model with iconic styling and a hefty price tag. The $499 speaker promised booming sound in a package that any audio enthusiast is sure to love. But with an MSRP that’s sure to turn some shoppers away, is it worth the extra cash when Sonos, HomePod and others are available for less?

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Coding, to those unfamiliar, can often seem like magic. Rather than have this mystery be a bad thing for newcomers to the world of programming, Kano’s latest release looks to use this mysticism to inspire. The Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit was showcased earlier this year, and now we’re finally getting our hands on it.

By pairing a buildable magic wand with an in-depth and intuitive companion app, Kano’s Harry Potter Coding Kit teaches first-time coders the fundamentals they need by reciting spells and more. Head below to get an in-depth look at the company’s latest, most-entertaining release yet.

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