Review

These days, it seems as though there is a smart version of almost every electronic device imaginable. There are smart watches, smart phones, smart TVs, smart appliances, smart fitness trackers, smart cars; the list goes on. But one category that really seems to be gaining momentum is smart products for the home, especially smart products that don’t necessarily require professional installation, like the Lutron Caséta Wireless Smart Home Lighting product line.   I was sent two Lutron Caséta products to review: The Lutron Caséta Wireless Plug-in Lamp Dimmer With Remote, and the Lutron Caséta Wireless Smart Lighting Dimmer Kit. I started with what I knew would be the easiest to install of the two, the plug-in dimmer kit.  

It’s a network attached storage (NAS) device with a bountiful list of features on offer, but are they features you need in your digital life?

Printers, even the all-in-one variety, have become more specialized, despite the various functions they provide. Turning out pages of documents isn’t the necessity it once was for consumers and business owners, but like any utilitarian gizmo, a printer may be indispensable to those who need it. Ink has long been the part that has defined the category because of the cost associated with it. Epson is attempting to change all that with ink tanks that will last for up to two years.

It’s amazing to see how cameras have evolved over the last 20 years. Remember the days when you’d have to load a roll of film into your camera and then take that film in to be developed after only 12, 24, or 36 snapshots? Those days are long gone. Now we can capture the ins and outs of our daily lives with our smartphone cameras and share those moments with the world in an instant via the touch of a button. The Narrative Clip wearable camera takes this concept of chronicling our lives­—or “lifelogging”—to a whole new level by snapping a picture every 30 seconds, and I recently had an opportunity to take one for a spin.

I had the chance to use a Surface Pro 3 at a launch event, but I haven’t spent any extended time with any of Microsoft’s tablets since a Surface 2 back in 2013. Microsoft recently sent me a new Surface 3 to try out for a long term review and I came away impressed with how these devices are evolving. And the experience got even better once I’d updated the loaner to Windows 10.

There’s a challenge many convertible carseat seeking parents face: Fitting the seat in your car. With some seats two or three times the size of your child, space becomes an issue in the back seat of your car in a hurry. The Evenflo Triumph LX 3-in-1 Deluxe Convertible Car Seat not only fits with a compact, yet safe seat design, but it’s capable of supporting your child from the time they first sit in a car seat to the time they’re ready to sit without one.

One of the most beloved Japanese role-playing games of the last decade is back as a grand portable adventure, exclusive to New Nintendo 3DS XL. If you’re looking for a game to show off the power of your shiny new handheld console, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is definitely it!

Today I take an in-depth look at the new LeapFrog LeapPad Platinum (along with 2 classic LeapFrog LeapPad learning games). Join me inside and we’ll learn together whether or not the good folks at LeapFrog have hit yet another home run …. I’ll just give you this one little hint: They have! It’s their biggest children’s tablet yet, and, as always, it’s packed with fun, educational, and amazing features! So, click on through and read all about it!

Samsung helped start the current trend of bigger phones with bigger screens when it first unveiled the original Galaxy Note back in 2012. The screen has since grown, while the phone’s body has trimmed down, turning what was once one of the largest handsets into one that fits in with much of the pack. The Note 5 isn’t a big leap from its predecessor, but it does have some new features that make better use of its constituent parts.

Get ready to rev your engines and experience high octane action as Skylanders SuperChargers takes off—literally—this September with all-new vehicles and racing. Activision recently invited me to experience the new racing mode first-hand, which spans land, sea, and air. I also got a run-down of the new features in this year’s edition, and checked out many of the new Skylanders characters and vehicles!