Gadget Smart Podcast: Recent Episodes
Gadget Smart
Bite-sized gadget reviews. Who has time to read a long review? We offer bite-sized condensed gadget reviews that you get directly in your email inbox and on your favorite podcast player.
Discover the truth behind the Humane AI Pin, the device that promised to catapult us into a post-phone era but has since stumbled under the weight of expectation. On Gadget Smart, I'm Leon Hitchens, and in this episode, we're slicing through the hype to examine where this tech jewel shines and where it falls short. Major players like The Verge and Marques Brownlee have thrown their critiques into the ring, and now, it's time for us to dissect the slow response times, the missing features, and the hopes dashed by reality.
Amidst the turmoil of reviews and performance letdowns, we'll also explore the silver lining of the AI Pin's aspirations and the conversations it ignites among the curious onlookers of our wearable gadgets. Is the sleek design enough to make up for its shortcomings? Can the Humane AI Pin recover from its rocky start much like Alexa and Siri did in their infancy? Strap in for a candid conversation about wearables, AI integration, and the pursuit of innovation that dares to eliminate our reliance on smartphones.
Unlock the secrets behind Apple's iron grip on the phone market as I, Leon Hitchens, delve into the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit against the behemoth in a new episode of the Gadget Smart Podcast episode. You'll get an in-depth look at the strategies that could be locking down innovation—from hampering super apps to hamstringing cloud gaming—and how these moves shape your digital life. The stage is set for a powerful debate on Apple's right to control its ecosystem versus the call for antitrust overhaul, and you won't want to miss the insights unpacked here.
As we cast a critical eye over the duopoly of Android and Apple, we weigh the trade-offs between convenience and innovation. Tune in and get equipped to join the discourse that's defining the tech landscape's future. This is not just another tech talk; it's a battle for innovation.
Ready for bite-sized gadget reviews hosted by Leon Hitchens?
Well, I hope so! I’ve recorded the first pilot with info on who I am, what I’ll talk about, and some surface-level topics on the latest gadgets in 2024 (Apple Vision Pro)! I haven’t set a cadence on when this will come out, but I’m shooting for twice a month on Friday. I will cover gadget reviews, opinions on gadgets I cannot get my hands on, thoughts on upcoming technology, and generally share my thoughts on how tech is moving.
If you have any suggestions on topics – tweet me @leonhitchens on X.
WWDC is upon us again and while the event is geared towards software. Apple does address hardware and announce new devices from time to time. Will Apple address their MacBook keyboard issues during the event or wait till later in the year?
The Sonos One is in no mind be cheapest speaker option. However, it is the cheapest for the new AirPlay 2 standard.
The Google Home out sold the Echo for the first time last quarter but Amazon is still the market leader. That doesn’t mean the echo isn’t stumbling with privacy. Their was a recent breach in privacy that has everyone concerned.
The TicWatch Pro is a sub $300 smartwatch with two displays. The first is an OLED and the second is a LCD screen that’s transparent when off. The two screen option is a way to save battery life and always have some display on - showing the time or other stats.
OnePlus 6 is a premium phone with a low price. It has a notch, headphone jack, and a huge screen. It’s more expensive then other OnePlus phones but is still reasonably priced for a flagship speced phone.
Microsoft is releasing a new controller meant for anyone with disabilities. The device was leaked earlier this week but Microsoft finally unveiled it. At $99 it’s an affordable option for someone who may not feel comfortable or even be able to use a traditional Xbox Controller.
Google I/O kicks off tomorrow at the shoreline Amphitheater. We could see new hardware with Google TV single and some other accessories.
After being announced a year ago, Nest is finally selling the Temperature sensor. The sensor will help to cool and heat larger homes properly. It’s a minor update but important to compete with SmartThings and Ecobee
Snapchat spectacles V2 is finally out! They are more expensive but you have a better design and a higher price but you do get water resistance. We will see how well they do on the market.
The cowboy e-bike is from a Belgium based startup which just raised a new series of funding.
The TicPods Frees from Mobvoi are a cheaper alternative to the Apple AirPods. They’re currently on indieigogo but will retail this summer for $129.
Boosted announced two new form factors of electric skateboards. The Boosted Mini S and Mini X are now moving away from the longboard styles. The Boosted Mini S starts at $750 - the cheapest Boosted board yet. Boosted also announced the third gen of their longboards with improved wheels, deck, and battery packs.
Nintendo is looking startups to build new Switch accessories. The idea is the next Labo. We will see what is pitched in the fall.
The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is a standout Android phone. It features excellent battery life, a dual camera with AI capabilities, and while the software has major bugs – it’s something Huawei can fix with software updates. The price cuts Huawei is offering to make the phone more appealing to U.S. consumers who are trained to buy phones on a monthly installment plan.
At $699 the Mate 10 Pro is an excellent choice if the Pixel 2 XL isn’t a phone, you want to buy. There are a tone of bells and whistles, and the stellar battery life means you can get all day even if you’re using all the features.
Let me know what you think about the Huawei Mate 10 Pro in the comments below! You can buy the Mate 10 Pro on Amazon for $649 now.
Apple announced a new more powerful iPad with the same price and support for the Apple Pencil. It’s a no brainer to get the iPad 5th generation over previous models.
In a surprise launch PlayersUnknown's Battlegrounds mobile is available for IOS and Android in the u.s. today. They beat fortnite to the market but fortnite still has an upper hand on the console market and PC gaming. We will see if fortnite or even pubg on mobile is a good idea or it's a better idea to have it on the Nintendo switch. Follow us on Twitter Facebook or Anchor.
Just in time for summer Philips Hue announces a range of outdoor lights. Those lights work with the existing hardware so it means you're able to use the same bridge and the same app for your outdoor smart lights. Listen to the full episode to find out how much they are what features they bring and don't forget to check out our website; gadgetsm.art.
In the market for video doorbell? The Netvue Belle is one of the best options. Belle features a A.I. which is meant to become your bulter for your front door. There are some rough edges and unfinished features but the doorbell is promising.
Android P is finally out. The latest Android developer preview is available to finally download on their Android devices. Well we don't have a name for Android P I do have a guest of it being called Android Pop-Tart. Beyond name guessing there are a few updates to the UI and other efficiency updates to the operating system.
The Dyson Cyclone Z10 is the latest vacuum from Dyson. I know it's not your normal gadgets but it's still a gadget. I talked about what makes it exciting its price and much more
The Galaxy S9 was announced during MWC. The new phone is largely the same as last year's phone but the big change is the camera. This year there's a bigger focus on the camera and it's brought in the best rating so far. At 104 it beats all the other cameras but is the rating true to the cameras quality?
Anchor was a short form podcast focused on Snapchat style disappearing audio clips, but over the months they've introduced more traditional podcast tools and features. Now with Anchor 3.0 anyone can host a full podcast from the platform. It's free and big names like BuzzFeed and The Outline are using them.
Cherry is a known keyboard switch maker for mechanical keyboard but you probably didn't know they also make their own keyboard. The Cherry MX Board Silent is one of the best keyboards for the office.
The WyzeCam is a $20 home security camera that competes with the Arlo and Nest cam's that cost anywhere from $150 to $200. The V2 of the Cam offers better camera sensors and two way audio.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076H3SRXG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B076H3SRXG&linkCode=as2&tag=dlbds04-20&linkId=3a83e5cb6795ccdba36125d7032a6a11
Chrome's new ad blocker is getting turned on tomorrow. It'll block annoying or intrusive ads. It's the first time the ad gaint will ever block ads so we will see how ads and web publishers adjust.
Here's the Chrome blog link: https://blog.chromium.org/2018/02/how-chromes-ad-filtering-works.html
The Bragi Dash Pro is a pair of wireless earbuds with some smart translation features, health tracking, and other smart functions. There's a decent battery but there is also a number of problems. Listen in and check out the buy link!
CES 2018 is starting. The first press day is officially over. I'm expecting a lot of interesting gadgets and news over the coming days
2017 is over and 2018 is here. I launched Gadget Smart in 2017 and it quickly evolved into the newsletter and podcast combo that we have now. I have a lot planned in 2018 nd hope to hit some big goals! Thanks for listening
The net neutrality fight isn't over yet. We can still keep the internet open and free. Message, email, call your Congress members to inform them that you care! Tell friends and family what could happen. Their are lawsuits coming for the FCC's repeal but we still need to fight.
Apple's iMac Pro is finally on sale! After being announced in June, Apple put the device up their site. The starter iMac is $4,999, and you can spec it up to almost $12,000. If your a creative or developer the iMac might appeal to you!
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin are all increasing in value and everyone's talking about these cryptocurrencies. There's a lot going on with them and I unpack some of the big news and key points around them.
The Google Pixel 2 XL hit the market with a lot of hype. The phone had a number of problems from screen issues to other hardware issues. A month later how is the Google Pixel 2 XL. Sunny talks about his purchase and if it was worth it
Super Mario Cereal is confirmed! The box doubles as a collectors item and a amiibo that'll get you gold coins and hearts in the game Super Mario Odyssey. It's a fun and creative way to market the Switch and Mario. Pick the box up sometime after December 11th.
The TicWatch S&E is finally shipping to backers. I received mine on Saturday and I’ve been using it since that day. So far it’s a great watch with an even better price.
Firefox Quantum is a rebuilt, reboot of Firefox. The browser is much better than before. Chrome uses a lot of RAM and CPU and the new rebooted Firefox doesn't do that.
Tesla announced the Roadster and their electric self-driving Semi. The Roadster is $250k and the Semi doesn’t have a price or ship until 2019. Big news for Tesla after a lot of problems shipping
There are a ton of early Black Friday deals out there. I’ve made a small list of my favorite ones and I talked about the biggest ones that are happening on Black Friday.
Google Home Mini is the donut sized Google Home. It’s a must buy if you want a smart assistant in your home. At $49 it’s a impulse buy over the $129 Google Home. Check us out at gadgetsm.art
iPhone X preorders have passed and many people jumped on the opportunity. Did you get an order in or are you waiting till launch day? Which color or space option did you get? Finally, how much was it?
Amazon announced the Amazon Key in home delivery service. Along with the service they announced the Amazon Cloud Cam, a indoor security camera. It’s only $119! Check us out on gadgetsm.art
Microsoft announced the Surface Book 2 which is their MacBook Pro killer. It’s the best hardware with the best version of Windows yet. Find us on gadgetsm.art
Google launched the Pixel with a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle to accommodate the lack of the headphone jack. That dongle was originally $20 but after some users were upset it’s been reduced to only $9.
Oculus announced a stand-alone vr headset that doesn’t need a PC or phone to work. It’ll work with Gear VR games and has the same controller as the Gear VR. Check us out on gadgetsm.art
Sonos is creating a Smart speaker that’ll support Alexa and google assistant. It’s $199 and preorders are open now. Check us out on gadgetsm.art
Google announced the Pixel 2, Pixe 2 XL, Pixel buds, Pixelbook, Google Home Max, Google Home Mini, Google Clips and much more! Listen to what happened and check out gadgetsm.art
Amazon had a surprise hardware event for new Alexa hardware. They introduced a cheaper Echo, a smart hub Echo, 4K Fire TV, an Echo alarm clock, and much more! Check us out on gadgetsm.art
Nest announced a doorbell, security system, and a new outdoor camera. I talk about the new products and what it means for the company going forward. Check us out on gadgetsm.art
August announced a new cheaper Smart Lock along with updates to their original Smart Lock and Doorbell Cam. It'll be interesting to see how Nest takes August out tomorrow.
Droid Life got a huge scoop with the Pixel 2 XL back images and some pricing info. We'll see if it's right come October 4th. We also got some news on the Google Home Mini and a new Daydream headset.
The Pixel Event is set for October 4th where we should see he Pixel 2, Pixel XL 2, and possibly a third Pixel device. I talk about if I'll upgrade or not. Check us out in gadgetsm.art
I talk about the Apple Watch series 3, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and the iPhone X ( iPhone 10). It's just a brief overview in 10 mins.
We have some huge news from iOS 11 that confirms some more changes to the next iPhone! Apple has new animjis, face unlock, and a refresh to AirPods
I talk about the new leaked video of the iPhone 8 and iOS 11. I also talked about the iPhone 8 name, price, and features or lack there of.
I talk about the Nest Thermostat E which is Nest's latest product. The Nest E is a lower cost option to the Nest Thermostat that cost $249.
I talk about the Fitbit Ionic and how I think the watch isn't going to save Fitbit. It's ugly and takes only a few ideas from Pebble
I talk about all the new Android Oreo features from new emojis to the improved notifications 🤖