ReviewsOther Gadgets

This Squishy Water Bottle Would Be Perfect If Filling It Weren’t So Dumb

I have a never-ending list of quests to find the perfect every day carry accessories, which includes a drawn out hunt for the ideal water bottle. At CES earlier this month I spent a week with Matador’s new squishy, packable water bottle and while it’s not my holy grail of hydration, it’s a nice option … Continued

ReviewsOther Gadgets

Sony’s First Android-Powered Walkman Is Damn Compelling

Why would anyone want a Walkman in the streaming age? That’s the question I asked myself when I first fiddled with the small Sony NW-A105. One month later, I’ve learned enough about the music player to answer that question and many more. Sometimes its good to cut out the distractions of texts and phone calls … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

Roku Introduces a Cheap Wireless 5.1 Setup to Rival Sonos

After teasing a 5.1 surround sound solution with the introduction of wireless speakers in 2018 and a soundbar in 2019, Roku is finally doing the thing. If you already own a Roku Soundbar you’ll be able to add additional speakers and a subwoofer for a 5.1 surround sound experience. More importantly, it will actually be … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

Dyson Improved On the Lamp Again, But Not the Price

Dyson has made a name for itself by meticulously designing products that typically far outperform its competitors’ offerings, but that extreme attention to detail and innovation often comes at a steep price. That’s the case with the company’s new Morph lamp: It manages to improve on Dyson’s Lightcycle lamp in many important ways, but with … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

Hey, Look! Another Fitness Tracker For Your Finger, Now With a Button

Smart rings have a few advantages over more common wrist-worn wearables. For starters, they can be more discreet, fashionable, and comfortable to wear while sleeping. The main issue is there aren’t as many of them out there—much less ones that offer the same breadth of features as wristables. That’s why it’s nice to hear about … Continued

ReviewsSmart Home

My Normal Bed Seems Barbaric After Sleeping on This Temperature-Controlled Smart Mattress

Temperature is one of the most critical things when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Too hot and you’re sweating under the covers constantly searching for the cool side of the pillow (and failing). Too cold and you spend hours shivering and waiting for the icy specter of sleep to consume your body. … Continued

ReviewsOther Gadgets

The Pax Era Pro Is the Pricey, But Perfect Vape Pen

Back before the Juul was a meme or status symbol or sign of impending doom, it was just a new nicotine-based product from people known for weed. Juul was born out of the same minds as Pax, the most stylish weed flower vape around. Now Juul is a threat to lungs and Big Tobacco while … Continued

ReviewsWearables

This Posture Gadget Shamed Me Into Sitting Straighter But I’m Still a Gargoyle

I’ve always been a sloucher. It’s impossible to be a tech blogger, curled over a keyboard most hours of the day, and not have terrible posture. I only realized how big of a problem it was after a recent yoga class. While lying down in corpse pose, the class instructor walked past, looked at my … Continued

ReviewsSmart Home

This Nifty Mattress Fan Makes Falling Asleep a Breeze

Everyone has different requirements for the perfect night’s sleep. Some people need a white noise generator, while others might require a weighted blanket, or maybe even a body pillow to snuggle up against. And while it’s not a necessity, one thing that really does it for me is a gentle breeze, like when you take … Continued

ReviewsOther Gadgets

Neutrogena’s Free Skincare App Actually Works…Mostly

The worst part about skincare is all of the trial and error. There’s the researching of ingredients, torturing yourself listening to YouTubers review products, draining your bank account to buy said products, and then finally, trying them. All that effort usually ends up with me cocking my head to the side as I stare at … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

Coke Energy Made Me Realize Other Energy Drinks Taste Like Ass

I’ll admit I’m a sucker when it comes to weird and wild junk food flavors. When I’m traveling and stumble into a new flavor of Doritos, KitKats or other trash I can’t get at home, I just have to try it. So a couple of months ago when I was in Japan and saw a … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

L’Oreal’s Newest Skincare Gadget Is Even Cooler in Person

Sometimes things sound good on paper but don’t live up your expectations. When I wrote up the L’Oreal announcement for its upcoming skincare personalization gadget Perso, I was stoked and a little nervous that seeing it up close and personal would be a disappointment. After all, that’s generally how things go at events like CES. … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

ASICS’s New Smart Shoes Roasted My Running Form

Despite putting in a lot of hours pounding the pavement, I have never been the fastest runner. It’s not for lack of trying! I do fartleks, interval runs, tempo runs—you name it. I read an absurd number of articles about proper running form, and hyper-obsess over minute differences workout-to-workout from running watches and my UA … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

This VR Massage Chair Will ‘Esqape’ With Your Life Savings

Massage chairs at CES are a staple. Every year, you can spot a half dozen massage chair makers scattered across the show floor. For the most part, they’re your average massage chair. Every once in a while, they look like Optimus Prime. And sometimes, they come with an Oculus headset. I stumbled across OHCO in … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

August Looks Like It’s Made the Perfect Smart Lock for Apartment Dwellers (and Anyone Else)

August is already one of the most popular smart lock makers, but now, with its fourth-generation Wi-Fi Smart Lock, it feels like August has really perfected its craft, especially for renters and apartment dwellers. Unlike a lot of other smart locks that require you to remove or replace your current hardware (which often isn’t an … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

This Tablet-Based Streaming Search Engine Gives You Binging Superpowers

There are too many streaming platforms. The worst part of subscribing to so many services is having to memorize what shows are on what network and which platform. Is it the world’s most pressing problem? Hell no. That said, I was pretty impressed this CES by Dabby, a tablet-based streaming service search engine and subscription … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

It’s Not CES Without Yet Another Million Fossil Smartwatches

Look, it’s not a tech trade show if you aren’t bombarded with a small army of Fossil smartwatches. The wearable hype may have died down at CES since its heyday in 2014, but you can always count on Fossil and its umbrella of trendy designer brands to bring more smartwatches than you know how to … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

OnePlus’s Boldest Move Is Focusing More on Design Than the Tech

Over the last few years, phone makers have been putting two, three, or even five or more cameras on the backs of phones, to the point that it’s giving some people trypophobia. But with the Concept One, OnePlus is trying to ease that camera anxiety while also flexing some of its design chops. For the … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

The PopSockets Wireless Charger Broke My Brain

I have to hand it to PopSockets. Every time I think it’s gone too far, it finds new ways to push the boundaries of good taste even further. Today at CES 2020, PopSocket has announced its latest product—the PopPower Home, a donut-shaped wireless charger that lets you charge without having to ever take off your PopGrip. … Continued

ReviewsFirst Look

There’s No Such Thing as Too Many LED Lights

When it comes to laptops, especially ones of the gaming variety, I ask you: How many lights are too much? 10, 20, 100? Well how about 1,215, because that’s the number of LEDs Asus put on the new Zephyrus G14’s lid alone. While I’m not a huge fan of Asus’ AniMe name for the G14’s … Continued