Reviews

Most iPhone-connected smart home products are more for convenience than fun, but Bird Buddy, a bird feeder that sends pictures to your iPhone, is definitely in the latter category. When I first came across the Bird Buddy, I thought it would be an interesting novelty product to give as a gift, but it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite smart devices. Design and Components Made from...

Popular accessory brand Ugreen has built up a veritable lineup of portable power banks and chargers in the last few years, with several options to serve the needs of gadget users on the road. It can be hard to work out what kind of unit will meet your particular requirements, but if you are looking for a compact USB-C/A bank that has enough juice to fully recharge your smartphone and laptop and...

With Qi2 chargers hitting the market in increasing numbers, I've recently spent some time testing out two similar "tree-style" 3-in-1 desktop chargers from Anker and Belkin. 3-in-1 chargers like these, which are capable of charging an iPhone, and Apple Watch, and another device such as AirPods, all wirelessly, have been my go-to bedside charger style ever since the introduction of MagSafe and are ...

Accessory company Alogic recently launched a few new input devices with Mac support as part of its Echelon series, and I've been spending some time testing out the USB-C Rechargeable Wireless Keyboard for macOS and the USB-C Rechargeable Wireless Mouse. The Echelon series is a budget-friendly line of accessories, seeking to offer a mid-range feature set at value pricing, and the mouse and...

Nomad today announced the launch of the Tracking Card, a super thin Find My-enabled card that is designed to be carried in a wallet so that it's trackable with an iPhone. The Tracking Card is about the thickness of two credit cards (2mm), so it doesn't take up too much space in a wallet. It's also credit card sized, which means it can be carried right alongside other cards. There are several ...

Back at CES in January, Belkin confirmed that several wireless chargers using the Qi2 standard based on MagSafe would soon be rolling out, and I've recently been able to spend some time testing out the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad from that lineup. As the name suggests, the BoostCharge 2-in-1 Magnetic Charging Pad with Qi2 15W is a flat pad-style charger offering two surfaces on...

Popular accessory brand Anker has just launched a new 10K version of its 3-in-1 power bank that offers up to 30 watts of charging power, a convenient display to quickly view exact charge status, an integrated USB-C cable for both input and output, and built-in folding prongs to recharge directly from a power outlet. I've recently been testing one of these Anker power banks out, and it has become...

While the iPad Pro models were the star of last week's event, Apple also introduced a refreshed version of the iPad Air. The new ‌iPad Air‌ is set to come out on Wednesday, May 15, and prior to launch, members of the media have shared their first ‌iPad Air‌ impressions. For the most part, the ‌iPad Air‌ is the same as the prior-generation model, with one major exception: the screen size. Apple now ...

The M4 iPad Pro models are set to be delivered to customers starting on Wednesday, May 15, and ahead of that date, members of the media have shared their opinions on the device in official reviews. Written Reviews With M4 chips, OLED displays, and a thin and light design, the new ‌iPad Pro‌ models mark a significant upgrade over the prior-generation versions. M4 Chip Performance The...

Satechi today announced the availability of its two new Qi2 charging stands, the 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand and the 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand. Qi2 is the latest version of the Qi standard, and it is comparable to MagSafe. Qi2 uses magnets to ensure that smartphones are aligned properly with charging coils, and it is able to charge compatible iPhones at up...

Several months ago, Hyper introduced a series of accessories under the "HyperDrive Next" family, bringing a variety of options for USB-C hubs and other products. I've recently spent some time testing out some of these accessories, and I've found them to offer an assortment of capabilities across price points to suit a variety of users. USB4 NVMe SSD Enclosure Priced at $119.99, Hyper's USB4 ...

The Nanoleaf Skylight Smarter Kit is Nanoleaf's first hardwired, permanent light, and it's also the first light that Nanoleaf designed specifically to be installed on ceilings. As with Nanoleaf Light Panels, the Skylight is modular. A 3-panel starter kit is priced at $250, and each add-on panel is $70. Nanoleaf sells kits with more panels at a discount, so cost can go as low as $62 per panel ...

BLUETTI, a company known for its portable power stations and associated accessories, is currently running an Indiegogo campaign for its new SwapSolar ecosystem of app-enabled products. The launch products in the SwapSolar family include a high-capacity power station with removable hot-swappable batteries plus a multifunction portable cooler. Together, they can keep your perishables cool for up to ...

Dock accessory company iVANKY recently launched its most powerful Thunderbolt dock yet, the FusionDock Max 1, which takes advantage of dual Thunderbolt chips and connections to offer the greatest amount of versatility I've seen in a Mac-focused dock. I've spent some time testing out the FusionDock Max 1 in my daily workflow, and I think I've found my new daily driver. What sets the...

Popular home lighting company Nanoleaf today introduced its latest product, Smart Multicolor Outdoor String Lights that bring HomeKit-compatible decorative lighting to decks, porches, backyards, gardens, pool areas, and more. Nanoleaf is known for unique light designs, and the Outdoor String Lights aren't an exception. The bulbs have an angular five-sided shape that makes them more geometric ...

Popular accessory company Satechi offers a wide variety of docks and hubs compatible with Apple's Mac lineup, and I've recently spent some time testing out the company's $150 USB-C Dual Dock Stand that adds a significant amount of connectivity to your Mac while remaining tucked out of sight and even giving your laptop a bit of extra breathing room. Perhaps the most noteworthy design aspect...

Back at CES in January, Alogic introduced its new lineup of 32-inch 4K displays, following up on 27-inch models launched last year. I've now had some time to put the high-end Clarity Max Touch model from the 32-inch family through my daily grind, and I've found it offers some nice features for those looking for a larger canvas to work on. To recap, there are three models in each of the...

The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M3 chip launch this Friday. Ahead of time, the first reviews and unboxing videos for the laptops have been shared by some media outlets and YouTube channels. Key new features added to both MacBook Air models include Apple's M3 chip for faster performance, Wi-Fi 6E support, expanded external display support, an anodization seal that...

The first reviews and unboxing videos for the Apple Vision Pro were shared today ahead of the mixed reality headset's launch in the U.S. on Friday. We have rounded up some of the videos below from well-known YouTube creators and reporters, including Marques Brownlee, Joanna Stern, and others. Videos Reviews The Verge's Nilay Patel:There are a lot of ideas in the Vision...

When the holiday festivities are done with and January rolls around, people naturally look to improving their health and usually turn to smart devices to get their lifestyle back on track. Weight loss is typically part of that calculation, and while smart scales can help, there's little to distinguish between the majority of offerings on the market. Weight and body composition analysis have...