Reviews

iPhone 6s Review: A 3D Touch Playground

Let’s be clear on at least one thing: the iPhone 6s is a good phone. A great phone even, and no shit, it’s the best iPhone yet. But if you’re upgrading from—or have ever spent 30 seconds with—an iPhone 6, it’s business as usual…until you get to 3D Touch. The newfangled touch-sensitive display is obviously…

ZenWatch 2 Review: A Cheap Way to Get Started With Smartwatches

Asus’ ZenWatch 2 looks good, and at $130 it might be worth it for the the few delightful tricks it can do. But it’s also unmistakably an entry-level smartwatch and remains hobbled by Android Wear’s basic limitations. The ZenWatch comes in two sizes, and I made the mistake of getting the larger one. There’s the…

iOS 9’s Wi-Fi Assist Is Eating My Cell Data

Amongst its big bag of tricks, iOS 9 has one seemingly innocuous feature: Wi-Fi Assist, enabled by default, which will switch to cellular data when your Wi-Fi sucks. This would be great, if I had an unlimited data plan. I don’t, but now I do have a very expensive cellphone bill. https://gizmodo.com/ios-9-preview-well-this-was-long-overdue-1715248706 I’ve been using…

Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K Review: This Is My New Favorite Drone

Learning how to fly a drone is scary. First of all drones are scary. They have a bad habit of falling out of the sky and into the stands of very important tennis matches. But flying in general is scary because, well, most people have never done it. Yuneec makes it magically easy and safe.…

In Comic Crits, Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora Is All About Earth

I’m a big fan of John Bonner’s Comic Crits, and in his latest installment, he’s reviewed Kim Stanley Robinson’s latest novel, Aurora. As usual, he has some astute observations about the book. https://gizmodo.com/seveneves-is-an-engineers-wish-according-to-comic-crit-1716787875 Aurora is about a generation ship headed to Tau Ceti, but after reading through the book, Bonner comes to the conclusion that…

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Review: Super Light and Super “Meh”

When it comes to tablets, the current thinking seems to be “go big or go home,” or at the very least, “come with a keyboard.” The Galaxy Tab S2, on the other hand, seems like a careful perfection of the way tablets used to be — not a computer replacement, but a straightforward 8-inch or…

Apple CarPlay Review: Siri’s a Boring But Useful Travel Pal

The first time I saw CarPlay in action, I couldn’t believe it. You could plug your iPhone into the infotainment system and then get iOS on your dashboard?! It seemed like Apple finally found a way to turn an automobile into a rolling computer like Knight Rider. But after spending a few days using CarPlay,…

The Moto 360 (2015) Review: Putting the Watch Back in Smartwatch

When smartwatches became a real thing you could buy, and not just a 80s fantasy dreamed up by Casio and Seiko, they looked unmistakably like technology on your wrist. Tech companies were mired in making a wristputer, rather than a wristputer you actually want to wear. But this year, that’s all changed. LG’s made the…

Peak Design Everyday Messenger Review: The Perfect Camera Bag?

Peak Design changed the way photographers carried their cameras with the introduction of an innovative clip. Now, they’re taking on camera bags. We tested their Everyday Messenger to see how it performs. What Is It? The Everyday Messenger ($250) is a versatile new photography-specific bag from Peak Design that was just funded on Kickstarter (it’s…

Huawei Watch Review: I Love This Snazzy Piece, But Not That Price

Smartwatches, wristables, wearables — we’re getting a shitload of them this fall. As far as function is concerned, many of them will be carbon copies. What sets wearable winners like the Huawei Watch apart is the luxe aesthetic of blingy jewelry. But that gold/silver-plated premium comes at a hefty price that might disillusion some would-be…

There’s a new update forAmazon Echo that adds a bunch of new features, like news headlines on a particular topic, more smart home controls, and better control over alarms and timers. The full list of Alexa’s tricks is over on Amazon’s site. [Amazonvia Engadget] Contact the author at [email protected].

BOOMco Colossal Blitz: Now the Most Badass Dart Gun Doesn’t Come From Nerf

“It’s Nerf or nothing.” Remember that phrase? It’s no longer true. Now, it’s either Nerf or this giant honking Sylvester Stallone-in-Rambo machine gun that rains down 72 rounds of flying rubber. Behold: the BOOMco Colossal Blitz. What Is It? It’s a full-auto, battery-powered, motorized flywheel blaster that fires 72 shots without reloading—the most of any…

Battle of the Superzooms: Canon G3X vs. Sony RX10 Mark II

A while back, camera makers decided that people want to zoom in really, really far. More recently, they also realized people want great image quality and advanced controls. (Who’da thought!?) Here are new two cameras that do both. Let’s see which is worth your hard-earned dollars. The Competitors Sony’s RX10 Mark II and the Canon…

Nerf Rival Review: The Evolution Of Foam Warfare

You’ve never shot a Nerf gun like this before. And you should. Because Nerf’s new 70MPH Rival blasters are poised to change your backyard battles for good. The Backstory Once upon a time, Nerf guns fired all kinds of foam. Playground skirmishes were won with arrows, missiles, big darts, small darts, even golf-sized foam balls.…

This Little Black Dog Isn’t Impressed By The Petzi Treat Cam

I vacationed in Europe last month. I don’t mean to rub it in—it just happened to be the perfect opportunity to test the Petzi Treat Cam. It’s a remote control treat dispenser with an internet connection and a camera, so you can play with your pet from anywhere in the world. And it works! But…

Sony A7R Mark II Review: A Beautiful Dream That Ends In Tears

You can’t buy a single camera that does it all, no matter how much you spend. The most expensive DSLR or mirrorless offerings will give you top-notch photos or great video—not both in a single package. But Sony’s A7r Mark II is tantalizingly close to being that do-it-all camera. What Is It? The A7r Mark…

Jawbone’s new fitness trackers aren’t the ones we’d recommend, but they’re getting a little better. The Up2, Up3, and Up4 can now automatically track your sleep with a free over-the-air update. The Up3 and Up4 also get passive heart rate tracking. [Jawbone]

Google OnHub Review: Your Router Sucks, But Do You Trust Google?

Your router is the most horrible technology you deal with every day. This essential tool keeps your home connected to the internet, and yet, you keep it thrust in a dusty corner because it’s a wretched, opaque box of confusion. Google’s OnHub is a critical step towards helping you take control back from those miserable…

The Moto X’s Camera Is Truly Stunning, But Still Afraid of the Dark

Every time a new shiny phone is released, the typical claims of how great its camera is are barfed from the mouths of marketing professionals. It’s no different with the new Moto X, whose previous incarnation took disappointing shots. But the new 2015 edition might just deserve a seat alongside other smartphone heavy-hitters. Our comparison…

Moto X Pure Edition Review: This Phone Does Android Better Than Google

When it comes to experiencing Android the way Google intended, you have surprisingly few options. Two, really. Google’s own Nexus smartphone—made by a parade of different hardware partners—and Motorola. The new Moto X Pure Edition is the new unspoiled Android champion. It can do Android even better than Google. What Is It? The Moto X…