When Amazon released its Kindle Paperwhite 2018 e-reader, it added a few features already found in its high-end Kindle Oasis, including a waterproof design and Bluetooth audio for streaming audiobooks. While the Oasis has a larger 7-inch screen, the two e-readers have similar features but very different prices. The Oasis sells for $250 in the …
Read More »
Dayton Audio’s B652 Air bookshelf speaker has been a budget favorite around here for years, and its brand-spanking-new MK442T tower speaker ($228 a pair) looks like a real contender (a review is in the works). So when the UPS driver dropped off the Dayton Audio DTA Pro stereo integrated amplifier, I couldn’t wait to check it out. Measuring a scant …
Read More »
Your phone can make a great controller for music, movies and TV in the home. Maybe you want to send music from your phone or an app like Spotify to your speaker system. Or maybe you want to control Netflix on your mobile device and watch it on your TV. Two phone-to-AV systems stand out above the crowd: Google Chromecast and …
Read More »
Leica is nothing if not consistent. Despite its new 47-megapixel sensor and even more streamlined design, shooting with the Leica Q2 feels exactly like shooting with its predecessor from 2015, the Leica Q. It maintains the Q’s performance and photo quality, simply writ larger. Given that the original Q was one of my favorite compact cameras ever, that puts it …
Read More »
One rhetorical example I’ve used over the years is that a laptop is a lot like a pair of eyeglasses: It’s practical and it’s something most people can’t live without. But at the same time, it’s an immensely personal choice, combining the sometimes contradictory forces of budget, features and style. Like a pair of glasses, a laptop is often a …
Read More »
Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen these days, but Chinese brand Muzen Audio has added something extra to help its OTR speaker stand out: Radio. The Muzen OTR (or “On The Road”) series comes in a retro-inspired wood or metal finish with tiny analog gold dials. And unlike many other speakers, it can pick up radio broadcasts. The throwback …
Read More »
Bose is already shipping its Frames audio AR sunglasses, but if you’re looking for a pair of sportier spectacles that have integrated wireless Bluetooth audio, there’s also the new OptiShokz Revvez from AfterShokz, which I previewed back in January. They’re now available for preorder via an Indiegogo campaign. Designed to allow cyclists, runners, hikers, golfers, skiers and others to listen to audio …
Read More »
Should you buy a traditional clamshell laptop or go with a two-in-one that can be used as both a laptop and a tablet? It’s a question as old as time… or at least a couple years old, as processors and touch displays have gotten cheaper and more efficient, allowing for better performance and streamlined designs at lower prices. Lenovo’s Yoga …
Read More »
At 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg) and 11.9 mm thick (0.5 inch), the 13.3-inch Lenovo IdeaPad 730S is lighter and thinner than the current MacBook Air. Its quad-core Intel Core i5 processor, faster 2,400MHz memory and speedy Samsung PCIe solid-state drive give it better performance than the Air, too. Plus, it’s less expensive, starting at $825, although the configuration reviewed here is …
Read More »
MWC 2019 is (mostly) about phones, so it makes sense that the show also has plenty of phone accessories. Cases, headsets and Bluetooth speakers are typical fare, but there’s more to see around Barcelona. Take the Lexon Oblio, which I found at a press event the night the show opened. Appealingly shaped like a minimalist vase, the Oblio doesn’t just charge …
Read More »
