Today, two reviews in one. The Samsung Galaxy Book Go laptop is one of the more unremarkable laptops I’ve ever held, but what interested me in the device was what runs under the hood. This laptop has given me my first opportunity to play with Windows on ARM and see how well Microsoft’s efforts to make Windows run on the ARM architecture commonly seen on phones, tablets, and other devices. The results are…. Interesting. Let’s dive in.
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Kindle Paperwhite Review: It's A Kindle
Not every piece of technology is exciting. Heck, in 2022 most aren’t. And one of the most boring pieces of technology are e-readers. Built on their black and white e-ink screens, e-readers are for reading books, and nothing more. The last time I bought an e-reader was in 2012, making my original Kindle Paperwhite 10 years old. I finally replaced it with the 2021 model of the Kindle Paperwhite, not because the old one stopped working, but mostly because the battery doesn’t really hold a charge anymore. Charge it from dead to full, and the battery will be dead again in a couple days, not ideal for a device meant to be picked up and read on a whim.
So, what’s the point of a dedicated e-reader in 2022 when we can read books on phones and tablets with bigger, higher resolution, and colour screens? Why did I buy a new Kindle? Is it worth getting? Let’s dig in.
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Steam Deck Review
Valve’s Steam Deck is the most exciting gadget I’ve owned in a very long time. It is also one of the most niche. I’ve struggled with this review because of that. The Steam Deck is not for everyone. It probably isn’t for most of the people reading this. And yet, it is one of my favourite tech/gaming purchases in a very long time. In a world where smartphones have become mostly boring, game consoles see regular improvements but are more appliance than innovation, and where technology producs in general have matured to the point where there aren’t massive innovations, the Steam Deck feels like a breath of fresh air. Let’s dig in.
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Samsung Super Fast Wireless Charger Review
Samsung has taken to releasing new wireless chargers every year with the S series phone launch in January. This year, the company debuted the Super Fast Wireless Charger and Super Fast Wireless Charger Duo. The latter model especially useful to people with a Samsung Galaxy Watch, and after 18 months with last year’s Wireless Charger Duo, I decided to pick up the newer model to keep at the office I’m now back working at part time. Is it a good upgrade from last year’s model? Let’s dig in.
Read MoreSamsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G Review
I’ve written this review once already. No, seriously. I wrote most of what I planned to be my review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and it was almost 4000 words without even talking about the software experience. I wanted to talk about the Z Fold 3 as I normally would talk about a smartphone, but also talk about the things that make the Z Fold 3 different and special. 4000 words later and I had something that was too much to publish. The reality is that it is impossible to talk about the phone like a normal phone, since it isn’t a normal phone, so it is time for a bit of a different approach. Instead of talking about all the bells and whistles, all the specs, and every feature of the phone, I’m going to focus on the things that do make this phone different. Because this phone is unlike any piece of technology I’ve ever used. But it is also very expensive. The retail price of the Z Fold 3 starts at $2270. That alone means this isn’t a device for everyone. But Samsung’s goal is to show that it *can* be for everyone, and to show what the future of our mobile devices could be. Let’s dive in.
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GameSir X2 Bluetooth Controller Review
I had only heard of a company called GameSir tangentially. The company is one of many game peripheral makers out of Asia that makes various products from keyboards to game controllers. I have been given an opportunity to try out the GameSir X2 Bluetooth controller that is designed for phones. This product directly competes with products like the Razer Kishi, but comes in at a cheaper price. Let’s dive in.
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Samsung Galaxy Smart Tag Review - Sufficient
Bluetooth trackers have been all the rage since Apple announced the Air Tags earlier in the spring. But that doesn’t mean these devices are new. Tile has been making trackers for years, and are the market leader. Apple isn’t the only company trying to create an ecosystem specific tracker, as Samsung announced the Galaxy Smart Tag along with the Galaxy S21 line of phones in January. I recently got my hands on a Galaxy Smart Tag, and it’s worthy of a quick review.
Read MoreSonos Roam Review: Dual Purpose
Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen. Search for Bluetooth speakers at any online retailer, and you’ll see dozens of listings. Brick and Mortar stores also have a large selection. They come in various shapes, sizes, capabilities, and prices. Because of this, it is virtually impossible for a Bluetooth speaker to stand out. Yes, there are plenty of terrible ones out there, but at the more premium end, getting a product to stand out is very hard. So when Sonos announced a small Bluetooth speaker, the challenge for the company was to create something that stands out, something that is “worthy” of carrying the Sonos name, which the company wants to be a premium product. At $230, the Sonos Roam is definitely priced at the premium end for speakers of this size. Is it worth it? Let’s dig in.
Read MoreThe Sonos Ecosystem
A few weeks ago, in search of a new portable speaker to use outdoors on the deck and in the yard, I purchased the new Sonos Roam speaker. This is the first Sonos product I’ve ever owned and while I will review that device specifically next, first I want to talk about the overall Sonos ecosystem. Sonos isn’t a new service, but it is new to me, and learning the ins and outs, good and bad, and quirks of using Sonos has been interesting.
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Razer Kishi Review
With the increased push and interesting in game streaming over the last 18 months, there have been a lot of attempts to make accessories that work best with these services. When using a smartphone, the most commonly seen accessory is a regular game controller with a clip attached that lets a user mount their phone above it. The advantage of these configurations is the use of a normal, full size controller, but the downside is that they can be large and bulky, and not super portable. A few months ago, gaming peripheral maker Razer released the Razer Kishi, a mobile controller that clips onto a phone in a Nintendo Switch like configuration. And because it plugs in directly, it doesn’t need to be charged itself.
I recently got my hands on one, and after hours of extensive playing testing the device, I think it may be a winner… if you can deal with the cost.
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