FromeDome » Gadgets

Better Living Through Fake Grass

admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:02:26 +0000

I recently bought this plastic “grass” plant to liven up the SplatF workspace. Ostensibly, it’s a gadget charging station, but I just like the way it adds some green to my desk. You can get one at Amazon and support SplatF in the process.

The Only Real iPad 2 Loser: My Dad’s Awesome iPad Case

admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 05:09:45 +0000

iPhone Envy, Starbucks Reusable Cup Sleeve Edition

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 02:47:38 +0000

Previously: iPhone Envy, Starbucks Via Edition

iPhone Envy, Starbucks Via Edition

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:32:46 +0000

Nice packaging design, and cute gifts for your favorite Starbucks Via instant coffee fanatic. (Assuming those exist.) But even I would feel a little silly carrying these around.

Btw, you can buy 12-packs of the Colombia or Italian Roast from Amazon for $9.95; purchases made through these links help support this site.

One Thousand Shaves With Braun

admin — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:50:49 +0000

Most gadget reviews are based on a couple hours — or at best, a couple weeks — with a product. That’s usually enough time to figure out if the product is good or bad and how it compares to the competition. But it doesn’t tell you how well the machine will perform in the long run, which is why you’re buying it in the first place.

So I’m happy to report that one thousand shaves later, I’m still as impressed with my Braun 8595 shaver as the day I bought it, four and a half years ago at Costco. (That suggests I’ve shaved 222 times a year, or once every 1.6 days. It’s probably about half that often, but the counter thinks 10-second touch-ups are a new shaving event. No biggie.)

The 8595 has been discontinued, but Amazon is selling it refurbished for $70, and the newer Braun 790cc ($230) looks excellent. That’s probably what I’d buy today.

Before the Braun, I stayed away from electric shavers because I didn’t think they could cut thick hair as well as a manual razor like the Mach 3 Turbo, which I used before. Wrong. It’s great, it never cuts my skin, and its self-cleaning charger base station is clean and efficient.

Upkeep costs are reasonable. Every few months, I have to replace the alcohol cleaning pack (3 for $19 at Amazon) and every two years or so, I have to replace the foil and cutter block ($36 at Amazon).

Not the cheapest system in the world — but years later, it’s still worth it.