Michael Hession, Author at Gizmodo

Canon G9 X and G5 X Review: Cameras That Feel So Nice, But Have a Speed Problem

What makes a great small camera? For some, it must have comfortable controls. For others, it must actually fit comfortably in a pants pocket. So picky! Canon’s two new high-end compacts have two different beautiful exteriors that almost make me forget their few key shortcomings. What Is It Two new compact cameras with the same…

Reviews Michael Hession Nov 19

Cameras for Beginners Who Want to Become Pros

It’s time you stepped up your camera gaming, ditching your smartphone lens for something with more photographic muscle. If you’re just starting out, check out this selection of cameras that are great throwing you (or a friend) into the world of high-end photography. Sony RX100 Mark II Buying a bag’s worth of lenses is expensive…

Tech News Michael Hession Nov 18

Roland Boutique Series Review: Retro Synth Sound for Modern Day Dial Turners

With software these days you can recreate almost any sound you want. The hulking equipment that used to produce electronic music is long gone. And yet, people have a desire to touch buttons and turn knobs. The Roland Boutique Series is a middle-ground between the digital age of music making and the classic synths of…

Reviews Michael Hession Nov 12

Night Shooting With the A7s Mark II: Damn, Technology Is Cool

No photographer likes shooting where there isn’t enough light. Dim scenes make us aware of how feeble photography is compared to the sensitivity of our own eyeballs. Technology is amazing, though. Shooting photos at night with Sony’s A7s Mark II made me pause and think about just how far digital photography has taken us. If…

Tech News Michael Hession Nov 11

Watch How Designers Re-engineered an Island to Make a Park in New York City

Parks aren’t always built just so we can enjoy the trees. On Governor’s Island in New York City, a truly unique public space will bring nature back to a former military base–and it’s engineered to withstand the catastrophic storms that climate change will bring. It’s called The Hills, and in this documentary, we talk to…

Tech News Michael Hession Nov 9

Droid Turbo 2 Review: Definitely Shatterproof, But Also an Eyesore

There is no shortage of high performance Android phones out there, and it can be hard to find a good reason to go with one over the other. The Droid Turbo 2 has a couple of features that say hey over here, pick me. pick me!! But a great phone has to feel right in…

Reviews Michael Hession Nov 7

Roku 4 Review: Could Be the Best Streaming Box Out There, Despite Flaws

I’ve been a happy Roku 3 owner for the past few years. It does what it’s supposed to do, with no hassle. It’s been exhilarating seeing the Fire TVs and Chromecasts come into this world, but I stuck by the Roku, waiting for a really cool update. Now there is one with the Roku 4,…

Reviews Michael Hession Oct 30

We Dropped the Droid Turbo 2 Over and Over Again to Test Its Shatterproof Screen

We are in the midst of reviewing the recently announced Motorola Droid Turbo 2, and one of the most interesting features of the phone is its supposedly shatterproof display. Any phone can survive one or two errant drops. But what about seventy? As you can see in our video above, the Droid Turbo 2 does…

Reviews Michael Hession Oct 29

Apple’s New Trackpad Is Magical, But Can’t Kill My Mouse

The mouse is anathema to Apple’s grand utopian touch-based future, in which nothing but the supple pads of your ten digits (and a Pencil?) dictate how you navigate a digital interface. The new Magic Trackpad 2 is the fullest realization of that future for desktop users. I’m enamored, but mostly just want my mouse back.…

Tech News Michael Hession Oct 23

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review: I Love It, But Not For Getting Real Work Done

Nobody knows what to make of the Microsoft Surface. It’s neat looking, but kind of awkward. Great at certain things and oddly tantalizing, but who’s it really for? Ack, fuck it. This latest hybrid iteration, the Surface Pro 4, is a refinement of sorts and sometimes subtle tweaks can go a long way toward making…

Reviews Michael Hession Oct 21

Leica’s New Mirrorless Camera Is Brilliant but Back-Breaking

You have to marvel at the way Leica dives in to things unapologetically, even when its choices seem like those of a madman. Consider the Leica SL, an entirely new full-frame mirrorless camera. Bundled with a lens it runs over $12,000 and it weighs more than some small boulders. I got to use it for…

Gadgets Michael Hession Oct 20

Sonys RX1r II: Is That 42 Megapixels In Your Pocket, or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

The RX1r Mark II is what you get when you put some of the most advanced camera sensor tech in the smallest possible footprint. This 42 megapixel tiny monster is a follow-up to 2012’s RX1 (and RX1r), and it is one formidable—and expensive—photographic tool. When the RX1 came out people were not sure of what…

Gadgets Michael Hession Oct 14

Canon G9X and G5X: Two Killer Cameras For Every Pocket Size

Canon’s G line of cameras are meant to offer better quality and controls than the typical cheap-o point and shoot. With two new members of the family, the G9X and the G5X, you have whole lot of options, depending just how much camera you want to carry. Last year with the G7X Canon introduced a…

Tech News Michael Hession Oct 13

DJI Osmo Hands-On: A 4K Cam For Super Steady Video, No Skill Required

From amateur to professional, insane amounts of time and effort are spent trying to achieve smooth and steady video footage. DJI’s new Osmo handheld gimbal and 4K camera is meant to be the easiest and quickest path to gorgeous, silky-smooth shots. The Osmo, first teased at CES, resembles a cyclops eye mounted above a joystick.…

Tech News Michael Hession Oct 8

This Bug-Eyed Camera Is a Whole New Take On Capturing Pro Quality Pics

You’ve never seen a camera that looks like this. Its flat black visage is like the face of some terrible spider. It’s called the Light L16, and it may not look the part of photographic tool, but it hopes to accomplish the impossible: professional quality in an (almost) pocket-sized device. With traditional cameras, in order…

Tech News Michael Hession Oct 7

Mini Versions of Classic Roland Synths Let You Recapture Analog Glory

Roland has a trio of new synthesizers called the Boutique Series. They are affordable miniaturized versions of three classic analog synths from the early 80’s. Say hello to the sweet electronic sounds of the good old days. The synths are modeled after the Jupiter 08 from 1981, the JX-3P from 1983, and the Juno-106 from…

Tech News Michael Hession Oct 2

iPhone 6s Camera Review: Apple Is No Longer the King of Mobile Photos

As an Apple-toting photographer, the thing I look forward to most about each iPhone update is the camera. This year’s 6s and 6s Plus promised not only higher resolution, but better all-around pics, 4K video, and more. Now that there are other terrific smartphone cameras in the mix, the iPhone has to try extra hard…

Tech News Michael Hession Sep 30

The 10 Best Things To Do With 3D Touch—And the Things We Wish It Did

Hands-down, one of the coolest features of the new iPhone 6s and 6s plus is 3D Touch, that subtle touch mechanism that lets you quickly access common tasks fast as hell. Here are our 10 favorite shortcuts so far. Instagram: Why yes, I do in fact want to post the sunset pic I just snapped…

Tech News Michael Hession Sep 29

I Shopped With Samsung Pay All Over NYC But It Couldn’t Kill My Credit Card

Paying with your phone has always been a confusing experience thanks to competing standards and scattered compatibility. Samsung Pay is a new payment system that it says works everywhere you can swipe a credit card—but only on Samsung’s newest phones. In this video, we took a Galaxy S6 Edge+ out on the town equipped with…

Gadgets Michael Hession Sep 28

This Guy Makes Art Out of Sloppy Photoshop Disasters

People spend years mastering the tools of Photoshop. They labor arduously to create seamless images with no trace of manipulation. Lucas Blalock labors arduously as well. But in his art, the artifacts of cutting, duplicating, and transforming become the very backbone of the finished product. Bear with this video produced by PBS’ Art21, because it…

Tech News Michael Hession Sep 24

Michael Hession

Canon G9 X and G5 X Review: Cameras That Feel So Nice, But Have a Speed Problem

Cameras for Beginners Who Want to Become Pros

Roland Boutique Series Review: Retro Synth Sound for Modern Day Dial Turners

Night Shooting With the A7s Mark II: Damn, Technology Is Cool

Watch How Designers Re-engineered an Island to Make a Park in New York City

Droid Turbo 2 Review: Definitely Shatterproof, But Also an Eyesore

Roku 4 Review: Could Be the Best Streaming Box Out There, Despite Flaws

We Dropped the Droid Turbo 2 Over and Over Again to Test Its Shatterproof Screen

Apple’s New Trackpad Is Magical, But Can’t Kill My Mouse

Microsoft Surface Pro 4 Review: I Love It, But Not For Getting Real Work Done

Leica’s New Mirrorless Camera Is Brilliant but Back-Breaking

Sonys RX1r II: Is That 42 Megapixels In Your Pocket, or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

Canon G9X and G5X: Two Killer Cameras For Every Pocket Size

DJI Osmo Hands-On: A 4K Cam For Super Steady Video, No Skill Required

This Bug-Eyed Camera Is a Whole New Take On Capturing Pro Quality Pics

Mini Versions of Classic Roland Synths Let You Recapture Analog Glory

iPhone 6s Camera Review: Apple Is No Longer the King of Mobile Photos

The 10 Best Things To Do With 3D Touch—And the Things We Wish It Did

I Shopped With Samsung Pay All Over NYC But It Couldn’t Kill My Credit Card

This Guy Makes Art Out of Sloppy Photoshop Disasters

Southwest Is About to Limit Power Banks on Flights

Damn, the ‘Power Rangers’ Reboot Could’ve Had Four Movies

The Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Team Wants to Go the Distance

‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Will Please Gross Horror Fans

Somehow Paramount’s ‘Avatar’ Movie Has Leaked, Too

The World Is Basically Begging for Another iPod

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

OpenAI Says Elon Musk Is ‘Injecting Chaos’ with Recent Legal Maneuver

Google Displayed Polymarket Bets as News ‘In Error,’ Google Says

‘Marvel Rivals’ Wants to Start Being More Than Just a Hero Shooter

This Loud-Ass Party Speaker Almost Got Me High AF

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best