Review Geek - Forget Audible, Get a Library Card

May 13, 2022

Audible is a great service for listening to audiobooks. But let’s be honest, it’s also kind of expensive, and so is everything else right now. Audiobooks are fantastic, though, especially because reading isn’t always an option (like on that long commute).

So if you’re paying for Audible, feeling the crunch of that extra money, but don’t want to give up audiobooks, we have a suggestion. Library apps. No seriously! With the right apps, you can listen to audiobooks for free! We’ll get into the details in the top story.

Other Highlights:

• Sign me up for this LEGO Optimus Prime. There go my hard-earned dollars. Again.
• Rivian’s electric truck has a lot of bad news today, between changes to pre-orders and recalls.
• Arnold spent some time with the Kovol Sprint 120W Desktop Charger, and it’s pretty nice!
• …and more!

-Josh

If you’re paying for a monthly audiobook subscription to a service like Audible or Kobo Books, you may not have to. Public libraries are still a thing, and they’ve arrived in the digital age with apps that may enable you to save money by delivering thousands of audiobooks and other media for free. Read More »

Ignoring all its weird bugs, Google’s Pixel 6 is an overwhelming success. The affordable flagship is widely celebrated by both customers and critics, who often feel that it’s the greatest Android phone to date. But later this year, Google will supplant the Pixel 6 with its next great success, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Read More »

When you start buying new smartphones, gaming handhelds, and tablets, you will eventually realize that there aren’t enough USB ports to go around when you need them. The Kovol Sprint 120W Desktop Charger is worth investing in to keep all of your devices juiced up and ready to roll at the same time. Read More »

This week, Rivian issued its first recall on the popular new R1T electric truck over a critical safety issue affecting over 500 vehicles. According to the NHTSA, defective airbag sensors may not deactivate when a child is in the passenger seat. Read More »

After years of toying with smartwatch hardware, Google will finally launch a Pixel Watch in 2022. It sports a unique design, offers Fitbit integration, and of course, is the first smartwatch to run a “pure” version of Wear OS 3. Here’s everything we know so far. Read More »

Could your home stand to be a little cozier? Could it probably be a little geekier, too? Say less. With this decorative Spiderman throw pillow case, you can have the best of both worlds! It fits any 18 x 18-inch pillow and is easy to clean. So go ahead, buck the system. Rebel against those boring home decor overlords and decorate your home the way YOU want to—with a super soft Spiderman throw pillow cover. In fact, bring all of the Avengers on board, as there are more than 25 nerdy superhero covers to choose from. Thwip!

Get it at Amazon →

After several recent leaks, Sony unveiled its new premium WH-1000XM5 headphones with an all-new refined design and countless upgrades. While everything is a little better than the previous generation, they cost $399, a $50 price increase over the 1000XM4s. Read More »

If you’re the kind of person who waits for Google’s more affordable Pixel A-series releases, it’s time to start getting hyped for the upcoming Pixel 6a. This device could dominate the budget phone space with its $450 price tag and shockingly good specs. Read More »

Move over Batmobile; LEGO just announced its best 80s nostalgia set yet: Optimus Prime. And if just the name of the set isn’t enough to make you instantly pull out $169.99 to buy it, you should know this set actually transforms. Read More »

Back in March, Rivian announced large price increases for its popular R1T and R1S electric truck and SUV, affecting all orders. However, it quickly rolled back that decision after backlash and honored the original pre-order price for early buyers. And while that still stands, upcoming orders will lose the price guarantee. Read More »

In an effort to streamline Google Drive and help optimize your storage space, Google is rolling out a feature that is sure to be divisive among its users. Soon, it will replace all of your files and folders stored in multiple locations with shortcuts. Read More »

After the last Steam Deck update unlocked system-wide performance settings, gamers asked for the option to save these settings to individual games. And Valve listened—today’s update introduces per-game performance settings that you can quickly program through the Quick Access menu. Read More »

Roku products offer a premium experience at a low price. But if you want the best Roku products, meaning the Roku Ultra and the Voice Remote Pro, you need to buy them separately for $120. That’s just silly, so Roku is now bundling these devices together for $99. Read More »

If you’re shopping for a new mesh router system, you may come across references to the platform’s “backhaul.” Here’s what it is and how it affects Wi-Fi performance. Read More »

The “everything but the kitchen sink” approach that Samsung employs is not for everyone. Some things are useful, other things are not. The good news is Samsung doesn’t force features on you. Many things can be turned off or customized. Read More »

By now, you’ve likely played Wordle at least once. The Hangman-esque game took the internet by storm earlier this year, and now there are all kinds of iterations, including one for foodies. Read More »

Every pet owner has been there: an unexpected stain or odor left behind by your furry BFF. With just a few easy tips and common household products, though, you can take the hassle out of cleanup and keep your home looking (and smelling) fresh. Read More »