reviews – asty.org

No, I don’t do sponsored posts, guest writers, or commercial cross-promotions

Posted on May 25, 2022May 25, 2022 by chrisa

Since this is now about 90% about what I get in my inbox related to my website now, I wanted to take a quick moment while I’m working on new articles in the background to discuss this:

I don’t do sponsored posts, guest writers, or cross-promotion on this site

My site caters to other computer hobbyists and technology enthusiasts, or casual consumers of technology who are looking to educate themselves about technology, and are looking for an unbiased guide. I am not risking my reputation as a reviewer and someone who is frequently asked to weigh in on technology purchases for friends/acquaintances, to refer my readers to some online gambling or crypto promotion site.

If you own a small, independent, …

Signia Silk X w/CROS: A huge leap for single-sided deafness (SSD) hearing aids

Posted on February 22, 2022February 22, 2022 by chrisa

Model tested: Signia Silk 5X (right side), Silk CROS (left side).

Signia Silk and CROS hearing aids in their case

Design

The Signia Silk X is a completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid, which right off the bat differentiates it from every other CROS hearing aid solution I’ve tried so far (which were all Receiver In Canal or RIC models). You can read about different types of hearing aids here. As someone who lost part of their hearing at a relatively young age (30), I feel a lot less self-conscious wearing these hearing aids in public and at work due to their very conspicuous design. Whether we want to admit it to ourselves or each other (or are even aware of …

My favorite wireless Bluetooth earbuds cost less than $40

Posted on February 11, 2022February 21, 2022 by chrisa

The SoundPeats Mini are my daily drivers by simply being high quality and tremendous value earbuds

I surprised myself when traveling 4 hours away by plane for a family wedding. As someone who has used several types of wireless headphones (earbuds) for years, and frequently a fan of the Samsung Buds, I ended up only bringing one pair of earbuds with me after all: The SoundPeats Mini (affiliate link). But they are so good for the low cost it was basically a no-brainer: I love these earbuds.

SoundPeats mini packaging: box, case, earbuds, manual, charging cable, tips

The Basics

When I first started looking for wireless buds, I did what anyone would do: I tried them all. I’m an Android …

How a Better Routeplanner (ABRP) eliminated my EV Range Anxiety

Posted on October 6, 2021October 6, 2021 by chrisa

Plus a clear-eyed look at the state of non-Tesla long distance driving for EVs in the US

I have a huge secret. First, I’ll say I’ve loved being an EV owner the last 4 years. I took my vehicle to and from work 5 days a week, 70 miles round-trip, no issues ever. No need to stop and recharge, as my Bolt’s 238 miles of range was always enough even in Massachusetts winters. I occasionally got stuck on the ice, sure, but gas-powered cars can have this problem at times. Never slammed into a wall accidentally, ran over something (or someone!) on the road, and never needed a jump start.

No my secret is much more embarrassing because it’s so …

Pandemic car buying redux: How CarMax beat Carvana for the best touchless delivery experience in 2021

Posted on September 8, 2021September 9, 2021 by chrisa

My experience of buying from CarMax without ever visiting the dealership, and where they have room to improve

[Some up front disclaimers and info: I am not affiliated with any auto company or dealership, directly or indirectly. My employer probably owns some self driving companies somewhere along the way but I don’t deal with any of them day-to-day. This article is just based on my experience buying a car in summer 2021.]

As you know from my previous post, I had a really great time buying a car in 2020 from Carvana just as the pandemic started. Unfortunately just 1 year later, due either to staff turnover, trying to expand too quickly due to increasing online sales demand, or …

Carvana’s car buying experience has gone into the toilet in just 12 months

Posted on August 15, 2021August 16, 2021 by chrisa

[Some up front disclaimers and info: I am not affiliated with any auto company or dealership, directly or indirectly. My employer probably owns some self driving companies somewhere along the way but I don’t deal with any of them day-to-day. This article is just based on my experience buying a car in summer 2021.]

Background

Since the pandemic started I’ve actually bought two vehicles. My first experience was with Carvana in Summer 2020 – we wanted a car to someday tow an RV, and I thought I’d also use it to occasionally visit my family out of state. Overall I’d say our first Carvana experience was very good considering the pandemic was raging; some bumps along the way but overall …