By Todd Bernhard
I've used a number of charging options from Limitless Innovations, but the latest item they sent, the ChargeHub X5 Elite E3005 ($79.99), may be the best yet. It accommodates the latest devices, with four USB-A ports, one USB-C port and integrated Qi Wireless Charging. You can charge a wide variety of gadgets with minimal wiring and just one A/C port.
By Todd Bernhard
It's important to be careful when buying products from Indiegogo projects because they might be from fly-by-night companies or never see the light of day. But IntelliARMORis an established firm with lots of existing products, so when the company sent me a working version of its Scout Charger (starting at $25) I felt comfortable testing and reviewing it.
By Todd Bernhard
I had been considering using an old iPhone as a car dash cam, but when Autowit sent me its Front & Rear Dual Dash Camera Recorder Mirror ($69.99) I gave up on trying to make my own! It's much nicer to have a device that is purpose-built for recording. And the price makes it attractive. Plus there are features an iPhone or even other dash cams can't match.
By Todd Bernhard
When the folks at Ashley Chloe wanted to send me their LUX True Wireless Headphones ($89.99) I wasn't sure, as a human male, that I was the right audience. They market the earbuds for women; but while women will certainly appreciate the attention, I found them to be quite suitable for men, too! The box says "Female Fit," which suggests that they work with smaller ears and don't interfere with earrings (which Apple's AirPods could.) But men could appreciate this as well. After all, once you remove the earbuds from their pink box, and select from the larger ear tips (three sizes are included), they work fine for men who may indeed have larger ears.
By Todd Bernhard
No matter what you're looking for in a speaker, the odds are pretty good that iHome has something that meets your needs. The company even has cosmetic mirrors that double as Bluetooth speakers. iHome sent me the iAV14 Alexa Bedside/Home Office Speaker ($99.99) to check out and I do indeed like that it has Alexa built in. Amazon has redefined what a speaker should be; and if you're going to spend $100 it should include a smart home assistant, which the iAV14 does. Another nice touch is that it supports Spotify, if you use that music streaming service.
By Todd Bernhard
I'm working on a video and podcasting studio, so when the Rubix44 ($299.99) from Roland showed up, it was the perfect accessory to try to integrate. The Rubix44 is reminiscent of a Rubic's Cube, because it looks straightforward, but it's actually quite sophisticated, and you'll want to read the instructions to master it. For example, while I love that it has special combo jacks that support both XLR and 1/4-inch microphone connections, the instructions state to use XLR to ensure higher volume. That stymied me for a while, but then I read the manual! Note that Roland only includes a setup guide in the box. The manual has to be downloaded, so it's not entirely my fault!
By Todd Bernhard
If you ride a bicycle or walk outside and want to listen to music, but don't want to block out the outside world, try the Lucyd Loud ($99). Lucyd sent me their Lucyd Loud sunglasses which have built-in audio capabilities. They act as earbuds using Bluetooth 4.1, but you don't have to place anything inside your ears. They use bone conduction to transmit the sound, and they do so quite well.
By Todd Bernhard
Who says you can't print videos? The folks at Lifeprint sent me the Harry Potter Magic Photo Video Printer ($149.99) to review, probably because they know I'm a fan of Harry Potter, but they didn't know that I've been using ZINK photo printers and instant cameras for years. In fact, I've been using Polaroid cameras since they came out decades ago, and this new device brings back some of the magic, literally, from those early days of instant cameras.
By Todd Bernhard
I have reviewed a number of car mounts, in particular several that support Qi wireless charging, and it's a pleasure to use them. You just place your phone in the cradle, or close to it, and it snaps into place and starts charging! But if you don't have a Qi-based phone, you could try the iTap 2 Magnetic 2 Dash & Windshield Mount ($29.95), which iOttie sent me to try. I tried to review it on that premise, that I didn't want Qi charging or didn't have a phone that supported it.
By Todd Bernhard
I'm old school. I prefer a mechanical keyboard, like I had on my original IBM PC and my original Mac in 1984. Vinpok has a modern-day equivalent that is state of the art. The Taptek (starting at $109) from Vinpok is impressive. First, it is ultra slim at just 16mm thick. The Taptek supports iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows. And you can pair with up to three devices at once and toggle between them.