Alex Cranz, Author at Gizmodo

Fender’s Stunning New Headphones Are Worth Their $500 Price Tag

The best headphones transform the music. They reveal notes lost and whispers hidden and the rub of a finger down the string of a guitar. They expand the music and transport you. Whenever you move up a price point, the sound should move too. And that’s exactly what happened with the Fender FXA7 in-ear monitors…

Reviews Alex Cranz

In Captain America: Civil War Tony Stark Uses a Phone Only Sold in China [Updated]

Tony Stark, leader of the Marvel’s technological revolution and freaking Iron Man, uses a Vivo V3—a mid-range phone available exclusively in China. According to Geek, he uses it because Chinese audiences love Marvel movies (bullshit Dr. Strange casting aside), and Marvel loves targeted product placement. I will admit that I did not pay attention to…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Weed Is Saving Startups

HelloMD was initially an app that could connect the sick with doctors specializing in their particular ailment, Transcend Lighting provided LED for Canadian farmers trying to grow lettuce indoors, and Spare CS was a little known competitor to apps like Venmo and Chase Quick Pay. Now they’re all thriving because of marijuana. Bloomberg reports that…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Here’s the Smartest Drone Delivery Idea We’ve Seen Yet

Drone deliveries are the future. Years from now we really will be able to order something online and have it dropped off at our door hours later by a tiny flying robot. But presently there are some issues with drone deliveries. And they’re only partially related to the FAA. Quadcopter-based deliveries have to struggle with…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Nvidia Spent Billions on Its Newest Video Card

Nvidia president and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang had a pretty big grin on his face when he announced Nvidia’s newest and fanciest video card, the GTX 1080. “This had an R&D budget of billions of dollars,” he told a crowd of gamers in Austin. “Pretty sure this thing could go to Mars.” It’s fast too—according to…

Tech News Alex Cranz

These Customizable Dart Guns Are Better Than Nerf Guns and Lego Combined

I don’t want to be one of those people saying you were either a Lego or K’nex kid growing up because I had and loved both. But as a rent paying, 401k having adult, I’m gonna go ahead and take a stand. K’nex is superior to Lego in every way. For a long time K’nex…

Reviews Alex Cranz

Finally, a Mouse and Keyboard You Can Comfortably Use on the Couch

While a lot of televisions rattle off specs to make them appealing for PC gaming, and a lot of PC manufacturers shrink down their systems so they’ll fit in your media center, there’s still been one major issue with the concept of PC gaming from your couch. The controls are shit. The Razer Turret bridges…

Reviews Alex Cranz

One of Marvel’s Best Movie Scenes Was Inspired by This Classic World War II Film

Captain America: The First Avenger might never compare to the taut thriller that Winter Solider ended up being, or the measured spectacle critics are calling Civil War, but it has one special moment. It’s a moment that changes Captain America from mere hunk of propaganda to a tragic hero. And it’s borrowed wholesale from a…

io9 Alex Cranz

This Pet Camera Confused My Dog and Busted My Naughty Landlord

My dog started to get anxious about my recent move as soon as he saw me packing boxes. So when Furbo, an Indiegogo success, offered us its new pet camera with a built in treat dispenser, it seemed like a great way to keep an eye on him and keep him happy. Naturally, I wanted…

Reviews Alex Cranz

Which Kindle Should You Buy?

Kindle’s latest e-reader is out and it’s a damn fine product—the best e-reader ever made even. It’s also the most expensive e-reader currently available. So if the idea of spending $290 on a portable library makes you shudder than it’s time to consider the other guys. You might be wondering why we aren’t we about…

Commerce Alex Cranz

The Amazon Kindle Oasis is the Best E-Reader Ever Made

The Amazon Oasis is practically perfect in every way. It doesn’t forge relationships between bratty kids and their errant fathers or wax bannisters with its ass, but as e-readers go, it leaves you satisfied. It’s light, easy to read, has wonderful ergonomics and incredible battery life. And the fucker is almost three hundred dollars. I…

Reviews Alex Cranz

The Most Exciting Thing Nintendo Is Making Fits in Your Phone

If you’re a working on an Animal Crossing rip off or a Fire Emblem clone, it is time to pack it in and give it up. You’re going to fail. Nintendo is finally dipping its toes into the iOS and Android app market and your two-person operation in Round Rock can’t compete. Nintendo Chief Executive…

Tech News Alex Cranz

New Streaming Service Could Have Largest Classic Film Library Ever Assembled Online

The initial news of FilmStruck, a collaboration between Turner and Criterion, was met with a sigh. As part of the development of the new streaming channel Criterion would be ending their relationship with Hulu and Hulu Plus subscribers would be losing over 500 films currently available exclusively through Criterion. https://gizmodo.com/the-21-best-movies-turner-classic-is-stealing-from-hulu-1773149558 This was a big deal.…

Tech News Alex Cranz

The Best Place to Find Stuff on Reddit Is Promoting Misogynistic Garbage

Subreddit of the Day is about celebrating the cool, weird, fun parts of Reddit. Every day the moderators of SROTD pull a subreddit from a large pool of nominees and promote it. In the past few weeks’ they’ve featured subreddits devoted to stuff like drones, fan art, and frustrating gifs that cut off the best…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Dances With Wolves Fan Videos Are the Best Way to Listen to Garth Brooks Online

All the Tidal talk had me revisiting one of my favorite artists, only to realize Garth Brooks does not have a single song available for streaming or download—except a couple of duets. He’s not on Spotify. He’s not on Google Music. In fact, the only way you can get Garth Brooks online is through his…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Make Eggs With a Goddamn Curling Iron Because Why Not?

If your hair goes past your ears, you should definitely own a curling iron (or curling “wand”). It locks in shine and gives you shape and keeps your hairdresser from getting angry about your lack of attention to your gorgeous locks. Thanks to the staffers at Cosmo, we now have another use for curling irons.…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Beyoncé Defeats Piracy and Makes Us Finally Embrace Tidal

Did you listen to Beyonce’s hottest new record? Maybe watch her hour-long short film? If you have, then it’s very like because you signed up for Tidal. Which begs the question: is Tidal starting to actually win? With Lemonade dropping as a Tidal exclusive (until tonight—when it is available on iTunes) and my own desire…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Forget the New Playstation 4.5, an SSD Is All You Need

The rumors are already flying that we’ll be getting a new PS4 soon. Well, sort of. It won’t play different games than the current PS4 does, it will just play them better. This is all in aid of making a PS4 that can handle the beefy graphics requirements of Playstation VR, and do what the…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Fancy Camera Maker Slaps Name on a Phone With a Totally Garbage Camera

Leica has a well-earned reputation for making some of the best camera gear in the world, so it was a pretty big deal when it announced a partnership with Chinese phone manufacturer Huawei, and their first jointly developed phone camera in Huawei’s flagship P9. While Leica isn’t new to partnerships—its splashy name has been stamped…

Tech News Alex Cranz

We’ve Reached Peak Smartphone

Two things became apparent after the end of the Spring 2016 Smartphone Glut. One: Android is still a second-class citizen when it comes to gaming, and two: smartphones are in a ridiculously boring place. Sure, the iPhone SE was a pleasant attempt at diversifying Apple’s line up, the Galaxy S7 is water-resistant phone, the G5…

Tech News Alex Cranz

Alex Cranz

Fender’s Stunning New Headphones Are Worth Their $500 Price Tag

In Captain America: Civil War Tony Stark Uses a Phone Only Sold in China [Updated]

Weed Is Saving Startups

Here’s the Smartest Drone Delivery Idea We’ve Seen Yet

Nvidia Spent Billions on Its Newest Video Card

These Customizable Dart Guns Are Better Than Nerf Guns and Lego Combined

Finally, a Mouse and Keyboard You Can Comfortably Use on the Couch

One of Marvel’s Best Movie Scenes Was Inspired by This Classic World War II Film

This Pet Camera Confused My Dog and Busted My Naughty Landlord

Which Kindle Should You Buy?

The Amazon Kindle Oasis is the Best E-Reader Ever Made

The Most Exciting Thing Nintendo Is Making Fits in Your Phone

New Streaming Service Could Have Largest Classic Film Library Ever Assembled Online

The Best Place to Find Stuff on Reddit Is Promoting Misogynistic Garbage

Dances With Wolves Fan Videos Are the Best Way to Listen to Garth Brooks Online

Make Eggs With a Goddamn Curling Iron Because Why Not?

Beyoncé Defeats Piracy and Makes Us Finally Embrace Tidal

Forget the New Playstation 4.5, an SSD Is All You Need

Fancy Camera Maker Slaps Name on a Phone With a Totally Garbage Camera

We’ve Reached Peak Smartphone

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Ahead of the SpaceX IPO, xAI Has Now Shed All 11 of Its Non-Elon Musk Founders

Do ‘Disclosure Day’ Prep With a Spielberg Sci-Fi Marathon

How to Watch the F1 Japanese GP 2026 on a Free Channel

Ranking 2016’s Superhero Debuts, 10 Years Later

Fourth Most Populous Country in the World Bans Most Social Media for Kids

How to watch UFC Fight Night Adesanya vs Pyfer live this Saturday

‘Steel Ball Run’ Will Return This Year…Eventually

‘The Mummy 4’ Is Getting the Family Back Together

JD Vance Says UFOs Are Actually Demons

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Apple Studio Display XDR Review: It Looks So Good, I Wish It Were an iMac

RayNeo Air 4 Pro Review: My Eyes Love These Video Glasses, but My Nose Disagrees