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ReviewsThis Internet-Connected Furby Tried to Ruin My Life
Last Monday, I woke up to a series of strange, muffled noises next to me. “May-tah kuh!” My hand was caressing something furry. “Do you want to hear a song about a cheerleader?” I blinked a few times and found myself staring into a pair of eyes illuminated by what I imagine is the kind … Continued
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ReviewsDyson’s First Robovac Sucks Up All Your Dirt and Cash
You’d think that the first robot vacuum from a company like Dyson, who reinvented the vacuum, fan, and hair dryer, would rival R2-D2 when it came to functionality. But with the 360 Eye, Dyson instead focused on creating a robovac that did one thing very well: cleaning. It delivers as promised, but is that worth … Continued
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ReviewsA Perfect Vape for People Who Know Nothing About Vaping
It is not easy getting into vaping. There’s math to learn, electrical engineering concepts to internalize, and terrible device instructions that are impossible to interpret. If you’re not passionate and patient, that vape you dropped 80 bucks on will just end up gathering dust in a corner, reeking of Fruit Loops. The Joyetech eGo AIO … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
ReviewsUnshackle Yourself From Baskin Robbins With the Best Ice Cream Makers
After 85 hours spent researching and testing a total of 14 ice cream makers over the past several years, we think the Whynter ICM-15LS is your best bet for making consistently great ice cream at home. If you want the absolute best and are willing to pay a lot, the Lello 4080 Musso Lussino is … Continued
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ReviewsThe Moto G4 Is a Phone Caught Between Cheapness and Greatness
I get that a lot of you like thick plastic brick phones like last year’s Moto G. As long as they’re cheap and decently fast, you can forgive their girth and painfully inexpensive finishings. Good for you. But I am not one of you. I firmly believe that cheap does not have to mean chunky … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
ReviewsThis Segway Scooter Is What the Hoverboard Should Have Been
Remember that hoverboard craze? The fun toys that were mostly manufactured in China were a huge pop cultural phenomenon. That is until they started exploding and catching on fire. These cheap-ass hoverboards, which usually ran from $200 to $300, had the fatal flaw of randomly bursting into flames due to really terrible quality control of … Continued
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ReviewsMoto Z Review: Too Much Gadget, Not Enough Phone
It’s been nearly ten years since Apple got wacky with a tiny slab of glass and metal that begged to be touched. Now every phone looks the same, and consequently bores us all to tears. Motorola’s Moto Z, with its array of modules and crazy thin profile, isn’t like the other guys. It’s an audacious … Continued
By Darren Orf -
Reviews
Acer’s Liquid-Cooled Hybrid Packs a Lot of Power for Not a Lot of Money
It’s a lot to ask a machine to be both a laptop and a tablet, but Acer comes damn close to nailing it with its new Switch Alpha 12. To make it work, Acer had to get weird with design. Acer’s not the first to try something unusual to make a hybrid that combines the … Continued
By Darren Orf -
Reviews
The Best Bike Multi-Tool For Fixing Your Own Bike
We spent two months and logged a total of 1,000 miles putting 15 bike tools through dozens of en route and at-home repairs, and found the Topeak Mini 9 to be the best multi-tool for casual cyclists. If you’re willing to pay more for a lighter tool, check out the Specialized EMT Pro Road. If … Continued
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ReviewsThe New View-Master Deluxe VR Is the Best Cheap VR Headset Available
If you’re looking to dabble in VR using the smartphone you’ve already paid for, instead of spending over a $1000 on an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive setup, Google Cardboard is a great affordable alternative. But why spend $20 on some folded cardboard when for $40 you can get Mattel’s upgraded View-Master VR that’s more … Continued
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ReviewsSamsung Finally Gave Us the Laptop Apple Should Have
Samsung’s gone and done it guys. It’s made a perfectly wonderful laptop that retails for under a grand, is of exceptional quality, and is neither under-powered nor teeming with crappy finishes. This is the college-bound laptop everyone, including Apple, has failed to make for the last couple of years. We’ve been busting Apple’s balls a … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
Reviews
Best Battery Packs For Stealing Free Energy From the Sun
After considering 70 contenders and testing for over 30 hours, we determined that the Anker PowerPort Solar Lite is the best portable solar charger for people who want to power a phone or small device when in an emergency or off the grid. We also like the RAVPower 15-W Solar Charger, which is marginally more … Continued
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ReviewsThe First Thermal Imaging Phone Made Me Feel Like Predator
Most smartphones are too fragile for job sites. They break when they’re dropped, or crap out when submerged in water. The Cat S60 is different. It’s designed to take a ton of punishment and continue to operate. It works when it’s completely underwater, can be used normally when the screen is wet, and most importantly … Continued
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Reviews
Here Are the Best Coolers For Summertime Chilling
We spent a combined 80 hours researching and testing coolers to find the best hard and soft coolers for your next outdoor adventure. If you’re going to be gone for just a day or two, the AO Canvas Series 24-Pack Soft Cooler can keep up to 24 cans cold for 24 hours. For trips lasting … Continued
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ReviewsThese Earbuds Offer a Perfect Fit Without Wings or Gimmicks
The audiophile community is an insular place where science and hard facts can often take a backseat to PR speak that’s treated like religion. Yet some headphones and earbuds rise above the noise and the companies that produce them gain titanous reputations. Noble, a small company operating in the US, with production in Japan, has … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
Reviews
This Slick Camera Brings Polaroid Into the Digital Age
In 2008, Polaroid announced it would no longer produce instant film. Then, the Impossible Project took the opportunity to buy up what little was left of this division of the company and has spent the last eight years reformulating and reviving the once-popular original format instant film. The I-1 ($300) is Impossible’s first proprietary camera, … Continued
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Reviews
The Best Cheap Window Fans
We spent 12 hours of researching and testing to find the best window fans for bringing in cool air at night or extracting hot air out of a kitchen window. For most people, the Pelonis 9″ Twin Window Fan is a great value. But the pricier Bionaire Twin Reversible Airflow Window Fan is worth an … Continued
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ReviewsThis E-Cig is a Terrible Vape, But a Solid Cigarette Replacement
The ploy of the rechargeable, Blu PLUS+ vape is obvious: It looks like a cigarette and the charging case resembles a pack. “It’s just like real smoking!” it seems to beg of your disbelief. It isn’t. But that should be obvious. And it’s far from the biggest problem with the Blu PLUS+. Despite sharing roughly … Continued
By Avery Ellis -
ReviewsHP Spectre 13 Review: As Close as It Gets to a MacBook With Windows
HP’s Spectre 13 is a mixture of innovation and repetition. Its singular obsession is a familiar one: make a laptop as thin as functionally possible. The result is a luxe machine worthy of your attention—but not necessarily your money. This glossy slab of processing power is simultaneously one of my favorite Windows machines I’ve tested … Continued
By Darren Orf -
ReviewsThe Waterproof Leica Is a Very Expensive Way to Get Laid
Leica is a respected institution in photography, and rightly so. Over the last 100+ years, the company has mastered the crafts of making exceptional lenses, designing beautiful bodies, and creating a palpable aura of superiority around all of its products. That’s what it wants to do with the Leica X-U too. It’s the camera Leica … Continued