November is upon us, which means the weather is getting colder, and the holiday season is getting closer. This also means that we are finally nearing the end of #phonepocalypse, as almost all of the flagships for 2018 have been revealed.
Now’s the time when we start purchasing gifts for friends, family, co-workers, and ourselves. To that end, we want to help make things easier for you. Here’s a roundup of five items we think you, or someone close to you, might really enjoy.
The Weekend Recommender is our chance to share some of the better tech items that have recently crossed our path. What you’ll find below are a few products that we’ve spent time with over the last few weeks which deserve special recognition. Who knows? Maybe your next favorite thing is listed here!
Anker PowerCore for Nintendo Switch (20100/13400)
Anker is the best in the business when it comes to keeping your devices charged. Previously, these were “limited” to just your smartphone or tablet, but Anker is upping the ante and expanding.
Recently, the company launched a couple of new portable chargers aimed at Nintendo fans. Specifically, the new PowerCore 20100 and 13400 for the Nintendo Switch.
The PowerCore 20100 and 13400 are optimized for Switch owners, and offers full-speed USB-C charging. There is also a standard USB port with Anker’s Power IQ technology to charge your other devices.
These will keep your Switch charged on the go, along with your smartphone or tablets. Pricing for the 20100 starts at $89.99, while the 13400 goes for $69.99.
We’ve covered Anker plenty of times here at AndroidGuys, and if the company keeps making great products, that will continue.
UpDesk Home
As someone who not only works a day-job but also freelance writes on the side, it’s important to have a great desk. Previously, I have primarily owned IKEA desks, but I wanted to venture into the world of standing desks.
The reason behind the movement is because it’s absolutely terrible for you to be sitting all day long. Regardless of whether you have a great ergonomic chair or not, you should stand every once in a while.
UPDESK is a company that has specialized in standing desks, but the price tags were a bit steep. Recently, the UPDESK Home was introduced, which is likely to appeal to those who aren’t looking to break the bank.
The Home features a desktop size of 60-inches by 30-inches, which sounds a bit small. But in actuality, it is big enough to house your computer, monitor, speakers, and just about everything else you may need on your desktop.
As a desk, the Home is absolutely wonderful, but turning it into a standing desk is amazing. There is a built-in controller which has 4-presets, with “automatic drive”, to raise the desk when it’s time to stand.
UPDESK has also included two wheels on the bottom to make moving the desk a bit easier. This doesn’t mean the desk will slide around when you don’t want to, but it’s there to help you adjust.
Pricing for the UPDESK Home starts at $595 with free shipping. But we also recommend picking up a standing desk pad, which you can get for $97.
LEVO G2 Tablet Floor Stand
Because sometimes we can’t be bothered to hold onto a tablet for more than a few minutes. In all seriousness, a product like the LEVO G2 is perfect for the lean back experience.
Whether you’re sitting on the couch, relaxing in bed, or enjoying coffee in a chair in the den, the stand aims to please. It wheels into place, articulates, and holds your tablet in either portrait or landscape orientation.
Reading a book on your Fire HD tablet or binge-watching a few shows on Hulu is much more enjoyable if you can free up your hands. That’s exactly what happens here; you can sit back, relax, eat, or fiddle with your phone.
The LEVO G2 stand is a really sturdy solution that can roll under the edge of your bed or couch. The arm swings at two places, giving you an exact, comfortable placement. Moreover, the head twists and tilts on multiple angles so you end up with the angle that works best for the moment. All of this, of course, moves and adjusts on the fly so there’s zero hassle.
While we enjoyed reading books in bed, we also found the stand worked well in the office. Specifically, it was the perfect tool to display a tablet over the desk for passive monitoring of social media or YouTube TV. When done, we simply moved it away, and minimal effort.
The LEVO G2 has a range of 30-inches up to 56-inches; an extension is available for higher beds and treadmills. Purchase yours for $189.99 at levostore.com.
Coolest Cooler
Tailgating with your friends and chilling by the pool is cool, but do you know what’s cooler than that? The Coolest Cooler. Yeah, it’s a thing, and it lives up to its name.
Forget about throwing ice and a few drinks in a generic plastic cooler — It’s time to up your pre-game game. The Coolest Cooler not only provides space for a whole array of cold ones, but it packs so much more.
When was the last time your cooler came with a built-in blender? Raise your hand if you can plug your phone into that old Coleman tub you keep dragging to barbecues. We didn’t think so. The Coolest Cooler does that, and more.
With 60 quarts capacity, this cooler houses four plates, a ceramic knife, cutting board, a bottle opener, and corkscrew. Dope, right? It’s also got an accessory deck where you can throw your keys or phone. Let’s see, what else?
The Coolest comes with a Bluetooth splash-proof and shock-proof speaker with eight hours of charge. You can even pair it to another speaker for even louder party anthems.
Don’t know much about mixing up drinks? Turn to the drink guide and learn 20 ways to use five different ingredients. Now that you’re a bartender you’ll want to purchase the bar-top table accessory that uses the handy handle. Or, accessorize with the solar lid to ensure that you never run low on juice.
How does it do with actually keeping things cold, you ask? We found our review unit kept ice cold for more than a few days. To be fair, we tested it in 50-60 degree weather, but Coolest says 4-5 days is attainable on its website.
When you’re done with things and ready to head home, the bungee strap keeps your blanket and other items nice and snug. Pull out the telescopic handle and wheel it away. Speaking of which, the rubber wheels are twice as wide as you’d expect and make it really easy to control. Then, when you need to pick it up, reach for the two handles which are also double-wide.
The Coolest Cooler comes in a variety of colors; we reviewed the blue model, but you can also purchase it in black, orange, red, and white. Purchase the cooler for $250 and up through its official website. Note that the blender and USB charger are an accessory that come with an add-on price.
Nintey JOT Portable Battery Base for Google Home Mini
Having a Google Home Mini is simply awesome. It’s compact, unobtrusive, and really smart. And, when you add it to a group for multiple-room music, it’s even cooler. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could take that speaker everywhere you go, without plugging and unplugging?
The JOT is a portable accessory for the Google Home Mini which has the privilege of bearing the “Made for Google” program badge. In other words, it’s not some generic knock-off device that doesn’t meet Google’s standards.
With an internal battery that provides up to eight hours of playback, this accessory is perfect for those of us with a fear of commitment. We only have so many smart speakers but we want them in all of our rooms. The JOT lets you take the speaker with you from one room to the next and without the hassle of cords.
The base comes apart near the top whereupon you slide your speaker into place. Snap the ring back on and you’re ready to power up. The base includes a microUSB port so you can plug your existing cord in.
Four LED lights indicate how much juice you’ve got left in the battery. Conveniently, there’s a cutout where you can toggle the mute button. A power button at the bottom lets you turn the whole thing off so you’re not wasting any charge. Otherwise the speaker will continue to listen for commands.
The JOT is available in two color options (Carbon, Silver) and runs just $29.95 at Ninety7’s website.
