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.

Distil Union Wally Wallet iPhone 6/6s Plus case review

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The iPhone 6/6s Plus, the largest of Apple’s iconic smartphone, has gotten a bit of a raw deal in the case market. Time and again, Julie has sent out review product notices, and they will be for every iPhone on the market – except the iPhone 6/6s Plus. Well, the artisans at Distil Union have […]

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Final Fantasy?

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I have this conversation from time to time with people when they see the name of my iPhone: “Final Fantasy?” “Yeah.” “What’s that mean?” “Well, when I got this phone, it completely checked off everything on my whiz-bang gadget list. I don’t have anything else that I really want a phone to do.” Sometimes I

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OxyLED P03 Portable LED Camping Lantern review

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Ah, LEDs! The darlings of everyone from makers to artists to environmentalists. Low energy, low heat, long life, high output – what’s not to like? So it hasn’t surprised me that most of the battery-operated portable lights that have come across my desk in the last few years have used LEDs as a source. Most

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Bosch GLL 30 Professional Level review

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Hanging pictures, wallpaper, and leveling furniture is tough sometimes. For those who live in an older home, it’s even worse, because sometimes, there’s not really a level or plumb surface to reference and you have to furnish your own. For those jobs, a regular spirit level just doesn’t cut it. You need to use a

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Helping our less gadget-savvy Android using friends

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We’ve all seen FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) spread by various competing vendors to lessen the allure of their competitors. Today, however, a huge flaw was revealed about Android devices using chipsets from Qualcomm that should make everyone take notice. Dubbed QuadRooter by Check Point, the company that discovered and documented it, the exploit gives complete

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Toffee Centennial Backpack review

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Carrying things around has certainly changed in the last few years. Knapsacks used to be for school books or camping equipment. People in the work world carried briefcases. Then, suddenly, laptops happened, and slowly, the knapsack/backpack became ubiquitous. I’ve carried them off and on for years, for work and for pleasure. Toffee (spelled with reversed

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EliveBuy iMiX 20800mAh external battery pack review

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In the world of portable USB chargers, there has been one constant: every one that I’ve seen uses a microUSB port for charging. Doesn’t matter if it’s a device dedicated to an Apple product that uses a Lightning connector, or even the older 30-pin connector. Charging them meant you had to have a USB to

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KeyMik Carbon Fiber key organizer review

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Kickstarter campaigns continue to come and go. I’ve only ever had one that did not get funded. I love being a part of the excitement as designers and makers go through the stages of learning and shipping. Recently, we were offered a carbon fiber multi-key holder called the KeyMik that is part of a Kickstarter

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Muemma Arina Bluetooth Speaker review

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Bluetooth speakers are all over the map, it seems. You can get small ones that recharge, large ones that have battery or plugin power options, weatherproof, multi-speaker, and ornate ones that try to blend in to your more formal living areas. Firmly in that latter category, the Arina, from Muemma, is both a Bluetooth speaker

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Tashtego Roll-up Travel Kit review

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Packing for travel is a pain sometimes. You need clothes, various charging cables, and, of course, your toiletries. I generally pack fewer items in this category than my Lovely Bride, since I’m willing to wash my hair with whatever soap is available and use one lotion for skin, hair, and face. (Coconut oil is wonderful!)

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The Duke Adjustable standing desk review

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Standing desks have been around for years, but they are making a comeback, due to some recent studies. The studies revolved around the dangers of sitting for prolonged periods. I’ve recently seen news reports of schools that are replacing traditional desks with standing desks, and the energizing effect they’ve had on students. So, with my

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Tenda AV1000 Gigabit Powerline Adapter starter kit review

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When you want a truly fast network connection, nothing beats a wired connection. The only issue with that is, traditionally, you either have to cut into walls and woodwork, or you have to leave wiring exposed and lying about. There is a third way, however – Power-line Communication. “Power-line communication (PLC) is a communication protocol

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