A few months back, I asked folks on Twitter and LinkedIn for recommendations for a desktop amplifier for a pair of bookshelf speakers. I ended up with a Topping VX1, one of the many "Class-T" digital amps lauded by audiophiles for their excellent sound reproduction. Boy am I impressed! It's rare that such an inexpensive gadget (around $100!) delivers so much … [Read more...] about Rocking Out With the Topping VX1 Desktop/Bookshelf Amplifier
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Review: TP-LINK TL-SG2424 Smart Gigabit Ethernet Switch for Home or Office
For the most part, inexpensive Ethernet switches are interchangeable. You buy whichever gigabit switch is cheapest and has the right number of ports for you. And they're amazingly cheap - I picked up an 8-port D-Link gigabit switch the other day for under $40! They're all the same inside anyway, and they're all merely adequate at sending packets hither and yon. But … [Read more...] about Review: TP-LINK TL-SG2424 Smart Gigabit Ethernet Switch for Home or Office
A Watch Guy’s Review of the Apple Watch
Note: This article is cross-posted to both my technology blog, Pack Rat, and my watch blog, Grail Watch Is the Apple Watch a personal communication revolution like the iPhone, a well-executed gadget like the Apple TV, or a total miss? Does it mark the end of the the world as we know it for watches? And what's it like to use one? I'm a watch guy and a gadget guy, so perhaps my … [Read more...] about A Watch Guy’s Review of the Apple Watch
United Boeing 787 Dreamliner: Butt-In-Seat Economy Plus Review!
Most of my readers know that I love getting my hands on the latest high-tech products. But, last week, I spent a few hours inside one of the latest and greatest products on earth: United's latest Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" composite jet! Here's my "butt-in-seat" review! The Early Days of the Dreamliner United Airlines is the American launch customer for the latest jet out of … [Read more...] about United Boeing 787 Dreamliner: Butt-In-Seat Economy Plus Review!
Review: American Standard’s Champion 4 Toilet Flushes Almost Anything
Owning a home is the American dream, but there is one aspect for which I was not prepared: Toilets. Over the last decade, at four homes, I have repaired countless flush valves and spent hours "working the plunger". I had resigned myself to this plumbers work until an episode of NPR Science Friday introduced me to a clog-resistant commode. I have now purchased and installed two … [Read more...] about Review: American Standard’s Champion 4 Toilet Flushes Almost Anything