Alex Birch - The Gadgeteer

Timekettle WT2 Plus AI Language Translator Earbuds review

REVIEW – The internet, and more specifically Apps with internet access have done wonders for removing both cultural and language barriers, however face to face conversations continue to primarily rely on learning that specific additional language. There’s options like Google Translate and others, which can help, but may not seamless fit into the scenario. Timekettle […]

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House of Marley Liberate Air TWS earbuds review

REVIEW – Truly wireless earphones used to be hard to find and expensive as well. They’re now widely available and at all price points. House of Marley has entered the game with the Liberate Air. If you’re not familiar with House of Marley, it’s brand created in collaboration with the Marley family that focuses on

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Mujjo Full Leather iPhone 11 Pro case review

By Alex Birch / December 1, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / 1 Comment

REVIEW – I realize that I’m in the fringe group of people that is constantly on the hunt for a new iPhone case. It’s not that there’s something wrong with cases that I have (well, maybe a little), but more that I appreciate the detail and care that goes into their creation as I used

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Element Case Vapor S iPhone 11 Pro case review

By Alex Birch / November 30, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – You may have seen Element Case products through the years. They’ve been building cases for a while and always like to use cool materials in new ways. Their brand has always had this motorcycle and engineering vibe to it that’s resonated with me. Vapor S is one of their new cases for iPhone

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Display your iPad Pro in style with the Yohann Walnut iPad Pro Stand with Pencil Holder

By Alex Birch / November 28, 2019 / News / gift ideas 2019 / Leave a Comment

GIFT IDEA NEWS – There are stands for your iPad Pro and then there is this stand from Yohann. Beautifully crafted in Italy and made from a single piece of Oak or Walnut, it complements the cool precision of the iPad Pro with multiple angles, functionality and the warmth of wood. The faceted surfaces of

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Nimble 3-Day Fast Portable Charger review

By Alex Birch / November 27, 2019 / Reviews / Batteries and Chargers / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – I recently finished a review on Nimble’s Bottle Case for iPhone 11 Pro and one of the key takeaways was the company’s commitment to being eco-friendly. It’s clearly a company mission that they carry through all their products. So, how does that apply to more complicated electronics like batteries? Let’s find out as

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Pelican Protector EMS Recharge for iPhone 11 Pro review

By Alex Birch / November 25, 2019 / Reviews / Batteries and Chargers, iPhone Case / 1 Comment

REVIEW – Pelican may not be the first brand that you think of when it comes to phone cases or power banks. I know them for their seriously overbuilt (in a good way) and air-tight storage cases that I’ve used to cart engineering prototypes around the globe. They wouldn’t have cracked my top ten list

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Nimble Pro Bottle Case for iPhone 11 Pro review

By Alex Birch / November 21, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – There are a lot of options when it comes to choosing a case for your phone. You may want something stylish, protective, or maybe just something uniquely you. There are fewer options however when it comes to something more eco-savvy. The Bottle Case from Nimble is both stylish and protective but has the

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Scout Video Doorbell review

By Alex Birch / November 20, 2019 / Reviews / Home Security / 2 Comments

REVIEW – ‘Video Doorbell’ may be synonymous with Ring and Nest, but there are a lot of other brands out there vying for a spot next to your front door. Scout has a new contender for you to consider, appropriately named Video Doorbell (take that SEO!). I’ve been using Scout as my alarm system for

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Lifeproof Flip case for iPhone 11 Pro review

By Alex Birch / November 19, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – When Lifeproof originally launched phone cases, it was all about waterproofing. Up until receiving this case to review, I still considered them in ‘waterproof case’ sector. It turns out they’ve expanded their offering quite a bit since then and the Flip case is a pretty clear example of how much has changed. What

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Otter + Pop Symmetry Series iPhone 11 Pro case review

By Alex Birch / November 9, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – All of you are undoubtedly familiar with Otterbox who’s been making protective device cases for years. PopSockets is also likely to be a familiar sight even if you haven’t heard the name before. It’s that circular disc that you’ve seen on the back of phones that pops out to help you hold on

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Nomad Rugged & Active Rugged iPhone 11 Pro case review

By Alex Birch / November 5, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / 3 Comments

REVIEW – Cases are a necessary evil when it comes to protecting your new iPhone. But a good leather case? Nothing evil about that if it fits well and looks good. Nomad has been working with leather for a while and it just so happens they’ve got new cases for the new iPhone models. Meet

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Swytch Universal eBike Kit Review

By Alex Birch / November 4, 2019 / Reviews / Bicycle, Crowdfunded, Electric Bike / 10 Comments

CROWDFUNDED REVIEW – Electric bikes are on the rise. I see all types around the bay area too; kid carriers, commuters, big bike brands, custom assembled and more. It makes perfect sense in dense cities where having a car may not be practical. But what if you already have a decent bicycle? Surely there’s a

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Grip2U Slim iPhone 11 Pro case review

By Alex Birch / November 1, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – We’ve all dropped our phones and while the handset manufacturers keep making improvements it’s the accessory and case companies that jump in to help solve all our problems. I’m sure all of you have seen lanyards and rings and other things you can stick to your phone to help you hold it better.

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Pitaka MagCase for iPhone 11 Pro review

By Alex Birch / October 25, 2019 / Reviews / iPhone Case / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – Pitaka has been perfecting their MagCase for a few years now. I first purchased one for the iPhone 6, and then again for iPhone X. It’s now available for iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. What’s new? Join me for a closer look. What is it? The MagCase by

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Pitaka Fast Wireless Charging Pad review

By Alex Birch / October 19, 2019 / Reviews / Batteries and Chargers, Qi / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – What’s round, thin and keeps your phone alive? A Pitaka Fast Wireless Charging Pad! It can be hard to get excited about wireless charging accessories these days, now that it’s so readily available. It seems just yesterday that many of us were wondering ‘Is it that hard to plug in a cable?’. The

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Loog Pro Electric Guitar review

By Alex Birch / October 4, 2019 / Reviews / Guitar, Musical instruments / 1 Comment

REVIEW – Learning to play guitar is on a lot of bucket lists. It’s a skill set that you can continually improve upon your whole life and like a lot of other skills can be immensely frustrating and rewarding at the same time. Condensing the learning curve would go a long way for a lot

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RAVPower Portable Charger PD 20,000mAh review

By Alex Birch / October 3, 2019 / Reviews / Batteries and Chargers / 3 Comments

REVIEW – As much as phone, tablet and computer brands might improve technology and increase battery density and performance, there’s always going to be a new app or connectivity struggles to drain that same battery much faster than you would like. That’s where portable batteries come in very handy. There’s lots of variations out there

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Roland BTM-1 Bluetooth Speaker review

By Alex Birch / September 27, 2019 / Reviews / Bluetooth speaker, Musical instruments / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – Bluetooth speakers are not hard to find. They come in all shapes and sizes. Guitar amps are also readily available and many now support Bluetooth. Roland’s BTM-1 strikes a different balance and pairs a tastefully retro portable Bluetooth speaker with an instrument input that might just be the speaker you didn’t know you

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Raz-Pro Smart Tail Light review

By Alex Birch / September 23, 2019 / Reviews / Bicycle, Crowdfunded / 1 Comment

CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – It’s easy to dismiss cycling lights as something you only need if riding while it’s dark out. In fact, anything you can do to create visibility (flashing lights, pool noodles, etc.) goes a long way towards making sure others are aware you’re there. This applies to roads as much as trails, and

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