Smythe Richbourg

A gadget nerd from childhood, Smythe has always been drawn to solving everyday problems with clever tools. An Apple fan since his Mac Plus in 1987, he's usually pretty current with devices. Sometimes, however, he still misses his Newton 2100 MessagePad.

Lucid Audio AMPED Bluetooth wireless neckband and wireless audio streamer kit review

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I walk and listen to music or podcasts pretty regularly. Because of the heat this summer, I started doing it in a mall about ten minutes from my house, and have kept at it through the rain and cold this fall and winter. I was recently sent a Lucid Audio AMPED Bluetooth neckband system, which I’ve […]

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LOFTEK SANSI 10W Wifi LED Light Bulb review

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LED technology keeps getting more and more common. As it does, the costs keep going down, and the cycle of innovation and placing them into more and more common items continues. Sansi, through their Loftek brand, has an LED bulb that doesn’t need a hub to be “group-able” and controllable from an app on your

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iClever IC-BTS06 Bluetooth Speaker review

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Bluetooth speakers outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore, it seems. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t see a review of a new model on some website, especially in what has ecumenically been called “The Gift-Giving Season.” /eye roll/ During this period, iClever just released a few new models, and I was

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Vimtag Outdoor Security Camera and CloudBox review

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Security cameras are nothing new. Even internet connectable cameras are pretty easy to find at this point. What can a new company bring to the table? Vimtag has put together a handsome weatherproof cloud-based IP camera that can be set up by most anyone. It offers 2-way voice, compatibility with a private cloud server, and

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Toast MacBook Pro wooden cover review

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If you work at a company or go to school where a lot of folks have MacBooks or other pretty much identical laptops, you know the feeling: in a class or meeting, there’s no way to tell which one is yours. Rather than have the same blank laptop, folks add stickers, decals, or snap-on plastic

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Waterfield Intrepid iPhone travel wallet review

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In this new world of touch-enabled devices that we are constantly checking, having to manage them, your passport, SIM cards, credit cards, cash and other small items during travel can really be a chore. Even traveling around town, you need coupons, business cards (yours and those you collect), maybe a notepad – loads of things

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truMedic InstaShiatsu massager review

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I’m a sucker for a good infomercial. My Lovely Bride is always scolding me when I purchase something wacky online or from TV. Lately, with the numbers of projects being released on crowdfunding sites, I’ve not had too bad a streak, though. So, imagine my delight when Julie offered the team the Insta-shiatsu massager. I

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SumSonic Bluetooth Speaker review

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Sandworms.  Admiral Ackbar. Dual-lens Camera. These are a few of the things folks said this Bluetooth speaker looks like. I thought the speaker market was nearing its endpoint with different designs, but this tubular doughnut came out of nowhere. SumSonic calls it the LLX-01 – which is not helpful in imagining what it looks like. But, the

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AVEX FreeFlow and ReCharge thermal bottle review

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I’ve got a water bottle I’ve carried for about 5 years. I don’t think I’ve biked anywhere without it since I bought my current bike. It’s steel, has one of those pull-up spouts, and sweats worse than I do in our Southern humidity. So when the opportunity to test the AVEX thermal water bottle with

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ILDOCK for iPhone 7 is fully funded on Kickstarter

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Kickstarter continues to be one of the places you find items that device manufacturers should have included with their new items. My most recent sponsored item is the ILDOCK for iPhone 7. While I don’t have an iPhone 7, I do use a 6s Plus, and really want the ability to use SD, TFT, or lightning

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Syllable Bluetooth D700 Sport earbuds review

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Bluetooth, the de facto standard in wireless connections, is really getting a workout these days. Speakers, keyboards, stylii, headphones, and even key-fob trackers all depend on this tech to attach to your smart devices. The D700 Sport earbuds, a recent entrant into the field of BT earbuds was sent to me from a company called Syllable

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X-Doria mesh band for Apple Watch review

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One of the most interesting innovations that the Apple Watch brought, in my book, is the method for attaching bands to the main unit. Rather than loop materials through a spring-loaded pin inserted into the ears of the watch body, you simply slide the band into place and it locks there. To remove it, there

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Nomad Pod for Apple Watch review

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About a year ago, Nomad, those folks who understand wandering Gadgeteers and their need for on-the-go charging, released a product called the Pod for Apple Watch. It’s basically a battery that has an internal spool to hold a charging puck (not provided) in a compact, hockey-puck sized case. I was working at Apple at the

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Ronin Energetics’ Quanta Clip to benefit OpenBuilds

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A while back, I reviewed the KeyMiK, a key holder/smartphone stand/carabiner from Ronin Energetics. It was a Kickstarter campaign at the time, and is now funded and fully delivered. (I can’t say that about some other projects I’ve backed! Still waiting…) They have a new project, the Quanta Clip, and this one’s going to benefit the

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FLECTR 2.0 bicycle wheel / spoke safety reflector review

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Most of us who bike, work and live in places where we have to interact constantly with motorized vehicular traffic. Since it’s very important for the drivers to know you are present, safety reflectors are a part of almost every bike sold. And most of them are cheap plastic things that get easily damaged, look

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Zero Grid Electronics Travel Organizer & Tech Dopp review

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Managing cables and dongles is getting easier, but the curse of mobile battery usage and the need for chargers is still with us. Traveling with your full kit for a few days can really escalate that, since you usually have to dig out the chargers that live under your desk, or under/beside your bed. As

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MOS Stash iPhone Wallet Case review

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Wallet phone cases have been around for a while. Not the slip-a-few-cards-in-the-back cases, but the fold-over, cover-the-screen type wallet cases. Most have an elastic band to hold them closed, but they are all fraught with difficulties, not the least of which is holding your entire wallet up to your ear during a phone call. Enter

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