OnePlus Open Gets WORK Done! What Problems Can a Mini-Tablet Solve?

OnePlus Open first look!

We’re getting WORK done on our folding phones, and I’m taking a look at what it’s been like to use this mini-tablet on a couple trips! This is a BEAST of a foldable, but is a mini-tablet the right fit for you?

Tablets are “solutions in search of problems”, but let’s chat about what problems this thing can really solve!

My Buddy TK Bay is testing out the gaming here! https://youtu.be/yzET2Uo_4UM Continue reading “OnePlus Open Gets WORK Done! What Problems Can a Mini-Tablet Solve?”

Geekom A5 Mini PC Review: BIG POWER! Small Price! Better than a Mac Mini?

Geekom A5 Review!

This is a beast of a mini PC! Using a great little AMD chip, it’s sweet overkill for daily computing tasks. It’s exciting to see this performance in a computer this small, but the price tag is even nicer! Continue reading “Geekom A5 Mini PC Review: BIG POWER! Small Price! Better than a Mac Mini?”

Gamesir T4 Cyclone Pro Controller Review: Hall Effect Sticks & Triggers For ALL Your Gaming Systems!

Gamesir T4 Cyclone Pro review!

Is this gamepad a “pro”? What makes a controller “pro”?

I’m excited to give this controller a spin, and it’s always a perk when it’s compatible with EVERY phone, tablet, PC, and console I own! Let’s play! Continue reading “Gamesir T4 Cyclone Pro Controller Review: Hall Effect Sticks & Triggers For ALL Your Gaming Systems!”

Google Pixel Fold Three Months Later: A Long Term Review, Android 14, and a Road Trip

I’ve been pretty vocal on folding tablets. I’m conflicted on the segment, and I believe that (even with a few years in the market) we’re still looking at a public BETA test for this concept.

I was (and still am) a big fan of the Surface Duo, but folks seem to forget that I gave a “niche of a niche” verdict for the Duo 2. I prefer Dual Display, but there was a SMALL segment of consumers who I believed would be a good fit for that device.

There’s a specific philosophy that needs to be addressed comparing something like a Pixel Fold with a Duo. They both have a hinge that folds the device in half, but they represent VERY different solutions.

The Pixel Fold is a traditional tablet, offering a larger unbroken canvas to work with. The Duo is a multi-tasking monster, delivering a more direct path to using two apps at once.

Getting my bias out of the way, after three months, two flights, and a road trip, how has the Fold treated me?

Pretty well. There’s a lot of potential here. Continue reading “Google Pixel Fold Three Months Later: A Long Term Review, Android 14, and a Road Trip”

AceMagic AD15 Mini PC: It MIGHT be a Good Deal?

AceMagic AD15 mini PC review!

It’s a small PC, but it’s not THAT small. It’s running an older 11th Gen Intel Core i7. It’s packed in one of my least favorite mini cases.

And yet… This might be a FANTASTIC home PC… IF you can shop it right…
Continue reading “AceMagic AD15 Mini PC: It MIGHT be a Good Deal?”

Kingston XS1000 1TB Portable SSD Review

Kingston XS1000 Review!

It’s little, but it packs a ton of storage!
If you’re in the same boat I am (replacing some of those OTHER 1TB drives), then a little pocket drive like this might be right up your alley. Especially when this drive sells at a really attractive price! Continue reading “Kingston XS1000 1TB Portable SSD Review”

Monoprice 20,000mAh Power Bank with Wireless Charging – Less than a pound of power (goes a long way)

It’s a surprisingly sleek brick and it has a lot of ports to play with.

The folks at Monoprice sent their 20,000 mAh power bank for me to test and review.

Monoprice has a new trio of power banks featuring Power Delivery Quick Charge 3.0 and an LCD read out for remaining battery capacity.

Available in three configurations, a wired only 10,000 mAh battery, a wired only 20,000 mAh battery, and the version I’m reviewing, which takes the 20,000 mAh battery and adds wireless charging to the mix.

This version of the battery is capable of charging up to five devices at the same time. Continue reading “Monoprice 20,000mAh Power Bank with Wireless Charging – Less than a pound of power (goes a long way)”

Pixel Tablet vs Robo and Kala: A Totally UNFAIR Fight!

We have to start this off asking a MAJOR question:

What do you want in a tablet?

Putting my bias up front, I’m not particularly impressed with tablet conversations fixated on basic use and “hand feel”. I don’t think that’s good criteria to judge the value of a premium purchase. If a tablet costs as much or more than a game console, it needs to do more than just stream some Netflix and “feel nice”.

Tablets have incredible processors, and GPUs, and RAM, and storage, and batteries. In a remarkably thin shell, we’ll find performance that often rivals similarly priced Chromebooks. These products are terrific general compute platforms, and it seems like such a waste to relegate them to the lowest level use.

Tablets are “solutions in search of problems”, but they can solve a LOT more of those problems than many people realize.

Tablets can DO stuff, and these two are great examples of “doing stuff” slates. They make for an interesting comparison because they’re so different. Continue reading “Pixel Tablet vs Robo and Kala: A Totally UNFAIR Fight!”