Review Geek - Are Under-$20 Earbuds Worth It?

June 6, 2022

Earbuds used to seem like a dime a dozen. Half your electronics, from a Walkman (that’s a music player for you youngins) to a MiniDisk player (that’s also a music player for everyone else), to older smartphones, came with a set. But they were generally really cheap garbage, and now you don’t even get them for free.

But wait a minute, were they garbage? And are cheap under $20 earbuds garbage now? Check out the top story for more.

Other Highlights:

• Ancestry can help you colorize old photos now. Way cool.
• I want this Sega CD retro console. If it ever comes to the States anyway.
• Speaking of gaming, we put together a list of great VR games that require a giant open space.
• …and more!

-Josh

Good earbuds are one of life’s little pleasures, allowing you to enjoy the sounds of your favorite bands (and podcasts and movies) wherever you go. But if quality audio and features like active noise cancellation (ANC) are often only found in pricey buds, what does $20 get you? Read More »

You might feel like your VR options are limited when you have limited space in your gaming area. But virtual reality shouldn’t be limited to setups with ample space. These 15 VR games prove that you can enjoy revolutionary gameplay no matter how much room you have. Read More »

Investigating your family’s origins can be fun and rewarding. But go back very far, and you’ll run into an issue with history: color photography. In the grand scheme of things, color photos haven’t been around very long. Now Ancestry.com has a fun new tool to help automatically colorize old photos. Read More »

Those who live in rural areas could gain 5G access thanks to an experimental new drone. The AT&T 5G Flying COW broadcasts a strong 5G signal within a range of about 10 miles. It’s a stunning and strange achievement, partially aided by tethering the drone for power. Read More »

If you’re a fan of LEGO and are considering the epic new LEGO Ferrari Daytona SP3 Edition that came out on June 1st, we have a treat for you. After nearly six months without a new Designer Video, LEGO just released a new one, giving us a look under that cherry red Ferrari hood. Read More »

If you have a ton of gadgets on your desk, you know how easy it is for all of your cables to get cluttered and take over the area. Well thanks to Anker’s handy magnetic cable holders, you can keep your cables not just in check but actually organized! You’ll keep the organizer’s base pad attached to your desk (with the removable and reusable adhesive) and attach a small magnetic clip onto each of your gadgets (up to five per pack). When you’re done with a cable, simply grab its clip and set it back down on the pad.

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Falling prices have moved solid-state drives (SSDs) from a premium upgrade you’d save for the boot drive on your main computer to something inexpensive enough that you can throw a portable SSD into your laptop bag and go. Here are our top picks. Read More »

These days everyone is looking to switch to electric vehicles, including the United States Postal Service (USPS). According to Electrek, the USPS is busy testing some fancy little electric e-bikes, or tricycles, for a new mail delivery platform. Read More »

Hasboro is celebrating the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series with its most advanced lightsaber yet. Available for pre-order now and shipping January 1st, new Obi-Wan Force FX Elite lightsaber features an intricate handle, realistic sound effects, and most notably, LEDs that respond to external forces and mimic the look of a “real” lightsaber. Read More »

The Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis in the U.S.) was a great console that gave proper competition to Nintendo back in the day. And that might explain why Sega is ready to release a second mini version of the console, this time with Sega CD games in tow. Read More »

Using a chain checker to measure how much your bicycle chain has stretched will save you big bucks in maintenance costs over the lifespan of your bikes. Just don’t forget to use it! Read More »

Why let your desk lamp get away with only being a light? Wireless chargers are incredibly convenient and useful, so pairing one with a desk lamp just makes sense. Let’s look at the best desk lamps with wireless charging built-in, so you can light up your world and keep your phone charged at the same time. Read More »

During the age of the dial-up BBS, a special style of digital illustration emerged that utilized 256 text characters and 16 colors to create a vivid array of artworks. Here’s a look at why ANSI art emerged and how it still serves as a unique hallmark of early online culture. Read More »