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ReviewsPhonesBlackberry
The BlackBerry Key2 Makes Me Wish Physical Keyboards Weren’t All But Dead
Chances are that if you’re reading this, there’s one smartphone feature you care more about than anything else. That’s because even with the Key2’s sleeker, more refined design, an interesting choice of components, and its questionable BlackBerry heritage, this handset has one thing you simply don’t get on phones anymore: a good ‘ole physical keyboard. … Continued
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ReviewsHome EntertainmentSoundbars
Sonos Beam Is a Great Smart Soundbar for Not Too Much Money
People who own Sonos speakers love their Sonos speakers. I’m one of them. In the three to four years that I’ve been living in the Sonos ecosystem, however, one big complaint was that I couldn’t use Sonos for my TV unless I barfed up $700 for the Sonos Playbase or Playbar. Now, with the $400 … Continued
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ReviewsPhonesMotorola
Motorola’s Making the Cheap Smartphone Even Harder to Resist
Apple and Samsung would have you believe quality smartphones should cost the many hundreds of dollars you must sacrifice to obtain their rarefied devices. But in recent years, the march of time has made that notion obsolete. In 2012, a $200 device was nearly unusable. But now? Sharp screens are cheap, and fast processors are … Continued
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ReviewsPhonesSony
The Xperia XZ2 Is the Best Phone Sony Has Made in Years
The Sony that many people think of, the electronics giant that made the Walkman, the Discman, the Trinitron, all those Vaios, and even the first water-resistant phone back in 2013, it doesn’t really exist anymore. Sure, the Playstation 4 is doing great and Sony’s mirrorless cameras are some of the best on the market, but … Continued
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ReviewsHome EntertainmentSet-top Boxes
Alexa Is a Pretty Crappy TV Remote, for Now
Plenty of companies want to build the centerpiece for tomorrow’s smart home. Amazon has a head start, too. Tens of millions of Americans now own Echo devices, and Alexa now has tens of thousands of skills. Adding a voice assistant to any TV, I’ve always thought, could be a game changer. And now, Amazon’s Fire … Continued
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ReviewsTVs
TCL Made Its Terrifically Cheap 4K TV Even Better
It seemed unbelievable last year, when a handful of TV companies started selling 4K TVs with HDR and Dolby Vision for around $600. TCL’s Roku-powered P-Series was the best of them, and this year, the company is selling an even better version called the 6-Series. The best part? Same price, more features. At first, the … Continued
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ReviewsHome EntertainmentSoundbars
Don’t Expect Miracles From a Cheap Soundbar
Cheap soundbars are a lot like cheap headphones. Many of them will do the job. Few of them will do it well. The new TV Mate by Samsung fits firmly in the first category. It will indeed make the audio on your TV louder and better. It will not, however, trick your friends into think … Continued
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ReviewsHeadphonesSony
Sony Almost Made the Perfect Commuter Earbuds
There are two ways of listening to music: you can shut everything out and focus purely on the tunes, or you can use music to enhance other activities in your life. Headphones and earbuds, especially those of the noise-canceling variety are quite good at the first; you just put some on, turn up the volume, … Continued
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ReviewsLaptops
The Latest Breed of 2-in-1s Have Finally Realized the Hybrid Dream
Even though they don’t look much different than a lot of other hybrid laptops, the release of the Dell’s XPS 15 2-in-1 and HP’s Spectre x360 15 is an important moment for today’s convertible PCs. That’s because by putting powerful, but not exceedingly expensive GPUs inside already flexible machines, it feels like 2-in-1s are finally … Continued
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ReviewsHeadphonesSony
I’d Love Sony’s New Truly Wireless Earbuds If the Battery Didn’t Suck
Despite many tries, no company has nailed truly wireless earbuds. Apple’s AirPods come close, but the lack of sports-friendly features has always been a problem. That’s why I was so excited to see Sony release a set of truly wireless earbuds that are not only tight-fitting and water resistant, they also come with noise-cancelling. After … Continued
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ReviewsOther Gadgets
This Charging Case for Bluetooth Headphones Is Surprisingly Good and Useful
Nearly every pair of pocket-friendly Bluetooth headphones suffers from the same problem: your pockets. Those storage compartments aren’t exactly clean, and don’t do shit for you when it comes to keeping your alive. For those tired of dealing with dead headphones, extraneous earwax, and storing your keys in unsecured lockers while you’re at the gym, … Continued
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ReviewsToys
You Can Strap a GoPro to This New Hot Wheels Car and Ride Along on All Your Dangerous Stunts
Watching a race from the sidelines is never as fun as being in the driver’s seat, and with that obvious wisdom in mind, Mattel has partnered with GoPro to create a new camera-compatible Hot Wheels car that lets kids and grownups experience what it’s like to careen down those iconic orange plastic tracks. It’s also … Continued
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ReviewsGaming
Hyperkin’s Duke Xbox Controller Is Every Bit As Ridiculous as the Original
My tiny hands remember the original, enormous Xbox controller with fondness. Not because it was ergonomic or a joy to use, but in the same way I remember other absurd and outdated technology—with absolute amusement. The original Xbox controller was a beast, and the tweaked and high tech $70 Duke from Hyperkin, that works with … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
ReviewsGaming
A Wireless Gaming Headset This Cheap Is Hard Not to Like
Not too long ago, I took a look at some of the most popular gaming headsets under $100 to figure out which one was best. And while my opinion hasn’t changed, there is one feature even our top-ranked headset didn’t have: wireless audio. Typically, wireless sound is a feature reserved for more expensive devices priced … Continued
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ReviewsOther Gadgets
This Gadget Told Me How Wimpy My Punches Are, Please Don’t Fight Me
You ever get in a fight? No, not on Twitter. I mean a real fight, you know, with your fists? If not, then Hykso’s $150 FightCamp punch trackers probably aren’t your bag. The wearable is designed to provide the hard-hitting boxer within you valuable insight about your performance, and show you how you stack up … Continued
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ReviewsPhonesOnePlus
OnePlus 6 Review: The Best Android Phone That Won’t Destroy Your Finances
The OnePlus 6 might be the most boring phone the company has ever made. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not meant as an insult, but more as a reflection on how far the company has come since the original OnePlus One. Because even though OnePlus’ latest device might not carry with it the same excitement … Continued
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ReviewsSmart Home
I Love Sharp’s New Steam Powered Oven Even If My Steak Was Soggy
As Moe the Bartender proudly reveals his new restaurant’s Navy surplus deep fryer that can flash fry a buffalo in 40 seconds, Homer laments: “Forty seconds? But I want it now!” He was right. In a time when instant messages and same day shipping are the norm, waiting for food to cook feels like an … Continued
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ReviewsOther Gadgets
The New Boosted Mini Is Dangerously Fun
Electric skateboards have always seemed to me like an 80s fever dream come true. What if instead of using your foot, you could push a button and make a skateboard go as fast as a car? The idea would have sounded absurd 30 years ago, but today it’s true in the form of Boosted Boards. And … Continued
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ReviewsVR
Oculus Go’s VR Is Good and Cheap, So Why Am I Still Disappointed?
I’m standing in the middle of my living room, but my view is of the deck of a ship. I can hear my actual dog as he pants on the sofa I pushed against my wall so I could spin my head to explore my virtual surroundings. He’s obscured by the Oculus Go strapped to … Continued