Geared Up

We’re excited about a lot of gadgets this gift-giving season, but this week we learned some of them won’t make it home in time for the holidays. We give you some alternatives to delayed gadgets and also assess Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Plus, Todd’s review after two weeks of using the Amazon Cloud Cam. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The holidays are just around the corner, and there are tons of gadgets that would make the perfect gift. From kid’s gaming to practical gadgets for the home, we give you our tech recommendations for this year’s gift-giving season — plus a few tips to help your wallet. Check out more tech coverage and find links to all the gadgets we recommended on this episode at GeekWire.com/GearedUpSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon's Cloud Cam is the company's first smart home camera, but can it shape up to a tough field of competition? Plus, we debate the pros and cons of VR entertainment in light of HTC's new wireless headset, the focus. We also get Andru's take on the Xbox One X and iPhone X as he returns from a whirlwind few weeks away from the show. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft launched the most powerful gaming console ever on Tuesday. But is it really worth $500? We’ve been testing the Xbox One X for over a week and we report our findings on this episode. We'll also share some takeaways from our first few days with the much anticipated iPhone X. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got our hands on the Xbox One X before the console’s release. We can’t say much yet, but there are definitely some noteworthy features. Plus, it’s just a few days from the iPhone X launch day. We tell you what to expect and where to go if you haven’t pre-ordered one yet. And finally, we take the brand new Kindle Oasis for a swim. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most tech is designed to attract your attention, sit you down in front of a screen and keep you there. Not this gadget. The Play Impossible Gameball is packed with tech like Bluetooth, accelerometers and more, and the whole point is to make users more active. We have some fun testing the balls out on this week's episode, with special guest Taylor Soper, GeekWire's Sports Tech reporter. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon and Garmin have teamed up to bring Alexa into any car on the road with a tiny windshield device. Plus, Andru has a bone to pick with the new waterproof Kindle Oasis, Microsoft announces its new Surface Book 2 series and we check in with Andru's new iPhone 8. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.comSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google announced a bunch of new hardware today, including the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, a Pixelbook laptop, two new smarthome devices and a tiny, AI-fueled camera. We break down all the news and see where the devices stack up in the pre-holiday device lineup of smartphones, smart speakers and more. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yes -- several, in fact! In a classic surprise move, Amazon announced half-dozen new Echo devices on Wednesday. Some of them seem useful, inexpensive and impressively designed, but some just seem silly. We break it all down on this episode of Geared Up. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nest, a Google-owned smart device company, announced tons of new products this week and when you put them all together, you can make a smart home security system. Plus, Google’s weird $1 billion deal with HTC, a new lamp that comes with Alexa inside and upset over the new Apple Watch 3. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple *finally* revealed its new iPhone lineup, after what feels like a year of hype, leaks and rumors. It's premium device: The iPhone X (as in the roman numeral ten, not the letter "x"). We geek out on all the new tech packed into the phone and break down what sets it apart from the iPhone 8 and 8 plus, also announced today. Plus, a new Apple Watch and upgrades to Apple TV. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon and Microsoft announced a surprise partnership this week: their smart assistants Alexa and Cortana are now buddies and can call on each other to do tasks. Plus, we test out Alexa’s latest trick: multi-room audio. We also hear the sordid tale of Kanoa earbuds and the unwitting role Andru played in the fallout of the company closing. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Galaxy unveiled its newest luxury phone in New York on Wednesday. Geared Up co-host Andru Edwards was at the event and phones in to give us his impression of the high-end device -- spoiler alert: it's packed with a TON of cool tech. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple accidentally leaked tons of information on the next iPhone this week. So what do we know about the much anticipated smartphone? Plus, we review the T-Mobile Revvl, a $125 smartphone that stands up to the likes of the iPhone 6. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think you know your tech trivia? We’ll put it to the test on this short-but-sweet episode of Geared Up. Listen for a chance to win an Echo Show, the first Alexa-powered device with a touchscreen, as well as a chance to make a virtual guest appearance on a future episode of Geared Up. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smart home tech is giving us more control than ever over the places we live, from AI-fueled thermostats to voice-controlled lighting. In this special episode of Geared Up, we get into some of the cool gadgets and platforms making it all happen, and give you tips for building your smart home from the ground up. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a strange news week. Two smartphones came back from the virtual graveyard: the Galaxy Note and the Nokia smartphone. Plus, Microsoft announced it would discontinue MS Paint, before quickly resurrecting the program. We talk through it all on this ghoulish episode of Geared Up. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The HTC U11 might not be making as many splashes as the Samsung Galaxy S8, but there’s one reason this Android smartphone stands out: It’s the first phone to come with Amazon’s Alexa assistant natively built in. We test the phone out, with mixed results, on this episode of Geared Up. Plus, the status of the impending new iPhone and we geek out over the newly announced Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge amusement park. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Day has become the biggest single sale on the internet, but are the savings really worth the hype? Andru runs down all the deals he found, but Todd is still skeptical. Plus, we have a lot of fun with Microsoft’s new Seeing AI app that identifies people and reads text, and share some fun summer tech support stories. All that and more on this episode of Geared UP. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2017 is halfway done, and this week on Geared Up we’re counting down our favorite gadgets and services from the first half of the year. Find out how to keep your kids safe on the internet, create a virtual phone and make grocery shopping a breeze. Plus, we take a look at the new tech we’re looking forward to for the remainder of the year, including the iPhone 8 and the Xbox One X. Follow all our tech coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearliveSupport the show: http://youtube.com/gearlive/joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.