Buying watches full guide: If you grew up with a Nintendo Game Boy, your younger self probably would have never believed that one day we’d be carrying around computer phones and iPads capable of playing 3D games. Now, you can level up your gaming even further with this retro compact gamepad from 8BitDo. This keychain-sized SNES-style controller features 12 buttons and a classic Famicom-inspired color scheme. Simply sync the 8BitDo gamepad with your phone or tablet and get playing. The 8BitDo Mini Zero rings in at just $17 from YouTech.Me, making this cheap gadget tough to pass up (and the perfect small gift for gamers).
A little history of watches and several advices for purchasing the perfect watch. Certina, founded in Grenchen, Switzerland in 1888, has always been a rather low-key brand. You may not know, but they were innovators in shock protection and water resistance, which is nearly weapons-grade on this watch. The rotating ceramic diving bezel on this 41mm beauty, usually a hallmark of much more expensive pieces, is scratch resistant and nearly indestructible, and the handsome strap features a deployment clasp. Shinola watches, assembled in Detroit, have sparked a renaissance in the Motor City and for American watch brands in general. One of their latest editions of their most popular design, the Runwell, is a subtle version of what can be a busy style. This is destined to become a classic design that will no doubt age well with it’s stainless steel case and durable leather strap. With a clean ivory-colored face and luminous hands, wearing this watch makes a statement that you value good design, but don’t need an overly expensive timepiece to speak for you.
5212A-001 Calatrava Weekly Calendar , 40mm stainless steel case, light brown calfskin strap. Time, day, date, month — the basic temporal measurements and functionality upon which watchmaking has been based since, well, time immemorial. Patek’s new high-end 5212A, however, goes one better by adding an additional refinement to its information display by keeping track of the weeks in a year. Beyond the three standard hands for seconds, minutes and hours, two red-tipped hammer pointers register the day and the week number (the latter also cleverly indicates the relevant month on a concentric outer scale). Design afficionados should note the technical lettering on the face is based on the actual handwriting of a Patek designer; a handsome and human detail on such an exquisite and captivating complication.
Most of us simply shudder at the thought of starting our workday without a cup of coffee. It’s easy to forget to set our favorite coffeemaker, or, if we’re running behind, we may simply lack the time to swing by our preferential coffee shop on the way to work. Designed for the flibbertigibbet — or those with a soft spot for unnecessary gadgets — the Handpresso is a coffeemaker tailor-made for your car. The unit works with your own preferred grounds or ESE espresso pods, and plugs directly into the cigarette lighter or 12-volt port in your car. Discover more details on Epivend.
Nobody wants their road trip interrupted by a speeding ticket. Your wallet isn’t exactly going to thank you later, either. Escort iX Long Range Radar Laser Detector helps you identify potential bogeys for up to 3/4 miles away, and has a fairly good tracking system so you’re not just detecting supermarket door k-bands. Hardwire this into your car, and you’ll be good to go. The installation process is a bit tricky, but this handy radar scanner keeps you ahead of the curve. For the daily commuter, if you’re traveling through a new state and not sure what to expect, you need detection capabilities to give you a helping hand. There’s nothing better on the market than the Escort iV for long range scanning and security. Make sure you use some of the tech cleaning products from our list to keep this device nice and clean.
The one thing that will mess up a brisket, or any smoked meat, are spikes in temperature inside the smoker. Traeger’s Ironwood 650 is a Wi-Fi-enabled smoker that not only monitors, but regulates its temperature automatically. You can also control the grill using an app, which is also packed with recipes. The Ironwood 650 uses wood pellets, so fuel costs are slightly higher than traditional charcoal smokers. However, we can’t argue with the results: delicious, delicious barbecue.