Beyond highlighting some of the standout product reviews we did in August, we also share some exclusive mini reviews. Plus don’t miss my story about the songs that notable individuals like Questlove, John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls and others use to test headphones and speakers. As always, the prices listed may fluctuate over time.
August Faves
Twelve South Curve Flex
It’s not uncommon to work away from the office now, and so some accessories are more useful than ever before. A product that could help telecommuters is the new Twelve South Curve Flex laptop stand. This stand is a premium option, but its flexibility allows it to be used permanently at home or to be travel friendly. It can raise a laptop up to match a desktop monitor or it can tilt the angle of your keyboard for a better typing experience. It functioned well in each of the situations I used it and, to top it off, it stayed out of my way when I didn’t need it.
Buy at Twelve South for $79.
Edifier Stax Spirit S3 Planar Headphones
These Edifier Stax Spirit S3 headphones use planar technology to produce sound instead of a more traditional cone speaker. The Stax Spirit S3 don’t come cheap, but the audio results are impressive. There’s more clarity and range in the sounds, making songs easier to dissect and appreciate. Personally, I felt better able to pick out instrumentation and listen at a new level. If you want a detailed audio experience, you might want to check out a pair of planar headphones. Even at around $400, these are some of the least expensive available.
Buy at Edifier for $399.99.
Mini Reviews
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
Recently I redid my backyard and added a spot for a propane or wood-burning firepit. The timing just so happened to coincide with the release of Solo Stove’s new Bonfire 2.0 firepit. This new product from Solo Stove doesn’t reinvent much; it still looks identical to the model that came before it. The Bonfire 2.0 adds a removable tray inside at the bottom that collects the ash.
I didn’t have the original Bonfire firepit, but the previous one required you to turn the entire cylinder upside down to empty it. The new model is more of a quality of life improvement than a complete rethinking of it. And, to that extent, the removable tray has worked well. I burned a few fires in the Bonfire 2.0 and was able to leave the roughly 23-pound unit on the ground the entire time.
All the normal considerations that come along with a wood-burning firepit still apply to the Bonfire 2.0. You still need to light and maintain wood logs inside. There’s the possibility of embers escaping. Also, despite claims of smokeless fire from Solo Stove, I did still get smoke—sometimes more than others. I don’t think the minor change of adding a removable ashtray would convince people to get this firepit if they weren’t considering something similar before. But I’ve enjoyed using the new Bonfire 2.0, and for people who are looking for a firepit to burn wood, this is an excellent choice.
Buy at Solo Stove for $259.99.
Nebula Mars II Pro
There are really two types of projectors: One you’ll use exclusively in the house and one to be used outside and moved around. With a portable projector, you really want a fully self-contained unit, including a speaker and battery.
The Mars II Pro was much smaller in person than I expected. In pictures, it looks bulky and a bit heavy. That wasn’t the case. It wasn’t quite as small as the canister projectors that Nebula sells, but it certainly was compact enough to consider packing in the car to bring on a trip. The dual speakers with 10 watts of total power were plenty loud for nearly any suburban backyard. I also appreciated that the battery life could play through an entire movie. (At full charge, the battery is rated for 3 hours of playback.)
My biggest concern going into this projector was the 720 pixel resolution. After watching baseball games and movies, that worry disappeared. Even at the full 100-inch size, the picture looked crisp and vibrant. The context of watching outdoors, on the side of a building, on a bedsheet or in some other setting that’s less than perfect factors into the overall picture quality, as well.
The built-in software is probably the biggest question mark. It runs Android 7.1 and has a few apps, like Netflix, ready to go. You might still be frustrated with the software for appearing modern but still limited in nature. Personally, I think it’s worth buying a $49 Chromecast with Google TV and getting access to all the modern streaming apps. But you can also plug in a Blu-ray player or Roku dongle to the HDMI port and get content that way, as well. All around, this projector is excellent, for a price that might fall into discretionary spending for some people.
Buy at Nebula for $549.99.
It’s Complicated
OnePlus 10T
The OnePlus 10T is the company’s latest mobile phone, but sitting side-by-side with the 10 Pro, it’s very hard to tell them apart. To complicate matters more, the 10T is better at certain things and has the latest generation of mobile processors from Qualcomm, while the 10 Pro has a better screen and camera. Both phones are great, but OnePlus isn’t making the choice of buying one of these two phones very easy.
Buy at OnePlus from $649.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
Speaking of mobile phones, Samsung’s latest foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip4 is also slightly complicated as a solid purchase recommendation. It’s a respectable phone that performs well across the board from its camera to its screen and all of its feature set. The Z Flip4 is priced at a premium because of its folding technology. Yet it still doesn’t give enough extra benefits to justify the bendable screen and/or spending more money over buying an iPhone or Galaxy S22.
Buy at Samsung from $999.99.
Don’t Miss
There are a few songs I test headphones and speakers with because they instantly let me know what kind of hardware I’m dealing with. I was curious about what songs other people listened to first when they got new audio gear, so I posed the question to several notable figures, including Questlove, John Rzeznik of Goo Goo Dolls and others.
What about you? What’s the first song you tend to listen to when you get a new pair of headphones?
Also, I have some predictions for Apple’s iPhone event on September 7.
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