Reviews - Page 3

Philips Hue parent company Signify debuted a new version of the Hue Festavia string lights back in August, with plenty of availability now that the holidays are approaching. If you're up to date with Hue, you might know that the Festavia first came out last year, but the first version was available in limited quantities and was hard to get. After the holidays, the Festavia lights seemed to...

Aqara's Camera E1 is a new addition to the smart home camera space, offering a range of key features including 2K resolution, pan and tilt, support for HomeKit Secure Video, and more. The Camera E1 emerges as a noteworthy option in Aqara's lineup of smart home cameras, especially for those seeking a balance between functionality and affordability. Priced at $59.99, this camera positions...

Last week, Apple updated the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips for faster performance. There is also an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with the standard M3 chip. Other new features include a Space Black finish for M3 Pro and M3 Max configurations, and 20% brighter displays. The new MacBook Pro models will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on...

Last week, Apple updated the 24-inch iMac, with the headline upgrade being the M3 chip for significantly improved performance. Other new features include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and up to 24GB of unified memory. The new ‌iMac‌ can be purchased from the Apple's online store, with prices starting at $1,299. Apple began accepting orders on October 30, and new ‌iMac‌ will begin arriving to...

Canadian company Monos recently gave me the opportunity to review its Metro Backpack, which is suitable for carrying a MacBook and other Apple products. Below, I have shared some details and thoughts on the backpack's design and utility. Monos offers the Metro Backpack in nylon and vegan leather finishes in a variety of colors. I chose the vegan leather option in a Saddle Tan color, which is ...

GravaStar is a small company that designs quirky speakers and unique desktop power adapters, and its latest product, the Delta35 GaN Fast Charger, combines fun and functionality. The Delta35 is a 35-watt power adapter that looks like a little robot. There are two USB-C ports at the top of the power adapter, LED lights that serve as eyes and glow when the adapter is in use, and fold-up prongs ...

The new Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday. Ahead of time, select media outlets and YouTube channels have shared the first reviews of the watches. Key new features for both Apple Watch models include brighter displays, up to a 30% faster S9 chip, a "Double Tap" gesture for interacting with the watches without touching...

Apple's new iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday, September 22. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the devices have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels. Image via The Verge The ‌iPhone‌ 15 and ‌iPhone‌ 15 Plus offer a new design, the Dynamic Island, a USB-C port, the A16 Bionic chip, a 48-megapixel main camera, Smart HDR 5,...

Apple's new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores this Friday, September 22. Ahead of time, the first reviews of the devices have been shared by select media outlets and YouTube channels. Key new features of the iPhone 15 Pro models include a USB-C port, lightweight titanium frame, customizable Action button, faster A17 Pro chip, an...

At its iPhone 15 event last week, Apple announced updated second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case, additional dust resistance, and support for lossless audio with Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset. Apple still classifies these as second-generation AirPods Pro, and it does not sell the USB-C case separately. The updated AirPods Pro have been available to order since last...

CalDigit's Thunderbolt Station 4 (TS4) is a dock with 98W charging power and an impressive array of 18 ports, ideal for Mac setups with a wide range of connection requirements. The dock comes with a price tag of $399.99, reflective of its high-speed data transfer, expansive connectivity, and powerful charging abilities. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option on the market, its...

The $180 Reliefband Flex is an anti-nausea accessory that is designed to attach to an Apple Watch, allowing for a single wrist-worn device that is able to cut down on or eliminate motion sickness, migraine nausea, pregnancy nausea, and more. You might be wondering what an anti-nausea device has to do with Apple, but many VR headsets cause motion sickness in people who are prone to feeling...

Nanoleaf in June launched the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror and Lightstrip Kit, which is an LED gradient light strip designed to go behind a television set. It uses a camera to detect what's on the screen, matching the colors of the light strip to the content on the TV. The light strip comes in two sizes, one that fits TVs and monitors up to 65 inches and one that fits TVs up to 85 inches....

Accessory maker Nomad today announced the launch of the new Base One Max 3-in-1, a high-end metal and glass charger that works with the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch. This is a MagSafe charger, so it is able to charge a compatible ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W. All iPhones since the ‌iPhone‌ 12 are able to charge at 15W with a ‌MagSafe‌ charger, with the exception of the iPhone 12 mini and the ‌iPhone‌...

Nomad today introduced its most powerful charger to date, the 130W USB-C Power Adapter that's equipped with three USB-C PD ports. The 130W adapter joins Nomad's existing 65W, 30W, and 20W adapters. Priced at $110, the 130W Power Adapter features the same design as Nomad's prior adapters, so if you have one of the smaller varieties, you can have a matching set. It's got a sleek black...

A few weeks ago, ESR launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new 100W 6-in-1 Charging Station, offering support for charging an iPhone via MagSafe, Apple Watch with fast charging, and AirPods, plus three additional ports (two USB-C and one USB-A) for charging additional devices. The campaign runs through September 1, and ESR recently sent me a preview unit to test out. While my review unit...

As laptops have seen simplified connectivity options in recent years, many users have embraced a variety of USB-C and/or Thunderbolt hubs and docks to increase their connectivity options. These accessories have proven particularly popular with users seeking to replicate a desktop experience at home or in the office with one or more external displays. Anker recently launched a new option for...

Smart home accessory maker Aqara recently released the HomeKit-enabled Smart Lock U100 with support for Apple's Home Key feature. Home Key is an iOS 15 feature that's still in the process of being adopted by smart home manufacturers, so it's relatively new. Home Key adds a digital key for the Aqara lock to the Wallet app on the iPhone and the Apple Watch, allowing it to be unlocked using NFC ...

Ember earlier this year introduced a new version of its electric Travel Mug, adding a key Apple feature - Find My support. You might be wondering, why does a mug need ‌Find My‌? I'm not sure I have a great explanation, but it's a nice-to-have add-on for a product that's positioned as a small luxury. The Ember Travel Mug 2 is $200, and the reason it's so expensive is because it's self-heating....

Last year, accessory company Alogic launched its 27-inch "Clarity" display, offering a 4K experience with 90 watts of power delivery to charge a connected computer, an array of connectivity options, and hub functionality for connecting peripheral devices. With an IPS display for viewing across a wide range of angles, 97% coverage of DCI-P3 color, HDR 400 support, and the ability to quickly...