REVIEW – LEGOs and other building blocks have the amazing ability to bring things to life. This new set from JMBricklayer highlights this as well as any out there. You remember the story of Pinocchio, the enchanted marionette whose nose grew when he lied, right? The Puppet Show creates a larger-than-life version of Geppetto’s finest […]
JMBricklayer Puppet Show Building Block Set review – I am a real boy! Read More
REVIEW – Our daughter and her husband recently moved into a new home. They have a dog, and like many dogs, it’s highly skilled at shedding a lot. The first story of their house has synthetic hardwoods, so my daughter needs a vacuum that can easily vacuum up dog hair. Together we are testing the
INSE S9 Cordless Vacuum review – a lightweight vacuum that’s good for dog hair Read More
REVIEW – So much of our lives these days, including our photos, only live online, trapped in social media accounts. Sometimes it’s nice to free these memories and bring them into the real world. While I could print my photos at a local pharmacy, like CVS, or upload them to an online service, like Shutterfly,
Canon PIXMA G620 Photo Printer review (Part 1) – beautiful photos printed at home Read More
REVIEW – This spring my wife broke her hand, and surgery required twelve screws to hold the bones in place. The surgery combined with being a cast caused the muscles in her hand to become very tight. This has made every part of physical therapy (PT) harder, so she has to start every PT session
Comfier Wireless Hand Massager review – for a happier hand Read More
NEWS – Masonite has designed what has been called the world’s first smart door. It starts with a high-end door and adds a video doorbell, a smart lock, motion-activated LEDs, and a door sensor. Plus, it’s hard-wired, so you never have to worry about batteries. Sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? It does! It’s the M-Pwr line
The smart door has arrived, but you’ll want to pass on this one Read More
REVIEW – Is it possible to have too many building block sets? I doubt it. I’m looking for another fantastic set to join my lakeside lodge and my massive lighthouse. I’m hoping that the new T-Rex from JMBricklayer will find a home on my bookshelf. What is it? The JMBricklayer T-Rex Dinosaur is a LEGO-compatible
JMBricklayer T-Rex Dinosaur Building Block Set review – large and in charge Read More
REVIEW – My house has a very common problem: My HVAC doesn’t cool and heat all rooms evenly. The master bedroom is on one side of the house and is right under the HVAC system, and my office is on the opposite side of the house. In the summer, the master bedroom is too cool
Flair Smart Vents review – keeping my office cool Read More
REVIEW – Earlier this year I reviewed the VIOFO A139 Pro dashcam; I was happy with it when I reviewed it, and I’m still happy with it now. VIOFO has upgraded their introductory model, the A119, with several new features. I installed the A139 in my wife’s car, a Honda CR-V, so I’m planning to
VIOFO A119 Mini 2 Dashcam review – lots of features in a small package Read More
REVIEW – Last year I reviewed Vosteed Nightshade knife, an everyday carry pocketknife, and it instantly became my favorite EDC. Since that time, Vosteed has released three variations of this knife, so I’m back to provide an update. What is it? The Vosteed Nightshade is an everyday carry pocketknife with a distinctive leaf-shaped blade. It
Vosteed Nightshade pocketknife review – three terrific new EDC knife variations Read More
REVIEW – I’ve been working from home for over ten years now, and somehow, I still have a lot of meetings online. At my company, we use Microsoft Teams and Slack for our calls, so I need a headset with a microphone that allows me to hear and be heard clearly by my co-workers. For
EKSA H16 wireless headset review – good for working at home Read More
REVIEW – Although our kids are grown and gone, we often have families with kids over to our house. I thought it would be cool to have a building brick set or two available for them play with while they are here. In this review, I’m looking at the JMBricklayer Chameleon set to see if
JMBricklayer Chameleon Building Block Set review – a bionic reptile from the future Read More
ARTICLE – Many gadgets are smart, meaning they automate something for us. Oftentimes they provide features that could not be done manually. Higher levels of functionality typically require an app to be installed on our phones, these apps in turn often communicate with external servers. But what happens when these servers are no longer available?
Should we think twice about buying app powered gadgets? Read More
SECURITY NEWS – Most gadgets that we have make some aspect of life easy or fun; they are harmless. Other gadgets, however, bring with them security implications; if abused, they can harm us. Perhaps the most obvious example is an indoor camera, and once again we have learned that a well-known company has been abusing
Another company has been watching you in your bedroom Read More
REVIEW – In our house, we have a central location where everyone, family and friends alike, can come to charge their iPhones and iPads. In the past, I used an Anker USB charger with five USB-A ports for this purpose. These days, most of our gadgets use USB-C, so it’s time to update the charger.
Oraimo USB Charger review – power for the whole family Read More
REVIEW – Summer is coming, and it’s going to get hot here in the south. I need a way to keep to our toy poodles from getting too roasty-toasty, and I’m hoping that this cooling pet mat from Rywell will help them out. What is it? The Rywell Arc-Chill pet cooling mat is a mat
Rywell Arc-Chill pet cooling mat review – cool to the touch Read More
REVIEW – Summer is almost here, and that means it’s time for more cold coffee drinks. I’m looking to perfect my skills by creating iced versions of drinks like lattes, mochas, and macchiatos. I have a few recipes that I want to try, and they all require shots of espresso. It’s time to find out
Casabrews 5700 Pro Espresso Machine review – a capable creator of cold coffee drinks Read More
NEWS – One of the keys to maintaining a healthy lawn this summer is to keep it watered. An in-ground sprinkler system is great, but for smaller lawns, installation can be cost-prohibitive. Enter the Oto! Oto is a smart, above-ground sprinkler system that is perfect for small lawns. Water comes by connecting a standard water
OtO – An above-ground sprinkler for small lawns Read More
REVIEW – We live in an area that’s pretty rural, but our son lives in a major city. He’s looking for an ebike that makes it easier for him to ride to all those shops that are too far to walk yet too close to drive. As he lives in an apartment on the third
Kornorge A9 Ebike review – a missed opportunity Read More
REVIEW – For Christmas, we got a pair of toy poodles, a high-energy brother-sister pair. Poodles don’t shed, which is great, but they do require regular grooming, usually every six weeks or so. Groomers aren’t cheap, and I calculated that I could easily spend $1500 a year on grooming expenses alone. I think I can
Gerefet Dog Grooming Kit review – very effective but somewhat cumbersome Read More
REVIEW – My mom used to say, “There’s a place for everything, and everything should be in its place.” These are words that I still live by today, and so I appreciate any gadget that helps me to be more organized. In this review, I’ll be looking at a set of stackable storage drawers from
Haixin Storage Drawers review Read More