Author: Mike Flacy

    Editor-in-Chief for The CheckOut. During my free time, I love to write about pop culture, home theater, digital photography, social media, mobile technology and cool gadgets!

    If you are interested in having The CheckOut crew review one of your products, send me an email to reviews at bensbargains dot net. (Of course, replace at for @ and dot for .)


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    Check out my most recent posts:

  • playstation-4-remote-play
    Freebie Alert: PS4 gets Remote Play soon (Play on your PC)

    Launching in the 3.5 PlayStation software update this week, Sony PlayStation 4 owners will be able to stream video games from their gaming console to a Windows or Mac computer. Already available on the Xbox One (limited to...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • star-wars-bb-8-toy-plants
    BB-8 will now watch, react to The Force Awakens as you watch

    Rolled out as a new feature this week in a free update, Sphero’s BB-8 replica Star Wars droid has the ability to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens along with you and react to what’s happening on the...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • amazon-prime-box
    Hate money? Sprint’s terrible Amazon Prime deal is for you

    Attempting to leach off the Amazon customer base that wants to pay for Amazon Prime on a month-to-month basis, Sprint is offering a “deal” that includes Amazon Prime as an add-on to subscribers for $10.99 a month. Of...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 2
  • amazon-echo-raspberry-pi
    Want a cheap Amazon Echo? Build one with a $40 Raspberry Pi

    Interested in using the Alexa voice assistant on the Amazon Echo, but you don’t want to spend $180 to do it? An Amazon employee (Amit Jotwani) recently published a guide on creating your own homemade Amazon Echo using a $40...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • ekko-wireless-hi-fi-hub
    Shut Up and Take My Money: HUB Wi-Fi audio pucks for headphones

    Launching on Kickstarter first, the HUB by ekko is a Wi-Fi enabled system for managing wireless audio. Available in two or four puck configurations, HUB users just plug a set of headphones into one of the pucks. Ideal for...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 1
  • Price Drop Alert: iPad Air 2 falls to $399, Apple Watch to $299

    As Apple rolled out a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro at $599 and a 4-inch iPhone SE at $399 today, the company also announced price drops on other previous generation hardware. Now positioned at the same price as the...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • paribus
    Want to save money after making an online purchase? Try Paribus

    Launched in 2015, Paribus is a service that auto-scans the email inbox associated with your online shopping accounts in order to monitor for price drops. Paribus looks at the invoices generated by online retailers, pulls the products that...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • 7 Crazy Donald Trump Products to show your Love or Hate

    Unless you have been living on a remote desert island talking to a volleyball named Wilson for the last couple years, you may have heard a mention or two in the news about that guy that fires...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 8
  • amazon-echo-alexa
    Amazon Echo vs Amazon Tap vs Echo Dot: Gadgets Explained

    Confused about all the new voice assistant gadgets that seem to be super popular on Amazon? Don’t worry, we can help you figure out which device will be best for you. Here’s a quick overview before we jump...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 6
  • wipebook-pro
    Shut Up and Take My Money: WipeBook Pro Notebook

    Perhaps the last notebook you would ever have to buy, the WipeBook Pro is the evolution of multiple versions of the original WipeBook; a notebook that offers whiteboard paper for writing notes. Upgraded from the original version, the WipeBook...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • brita-smart-water-pitcher-4
    Shut Up And Take My Money: Brita Infinity Smart Water Pitcher

    Solving one of the worst issues of owning a filtered water pitcher, Amazon and Brita have collaborated to launch the Brita Infinity smart water pitcher. Connecting to your home’s Wi-Fi network, the pitcher utilizes Amazon’s Dash Replenishment system to automatically order...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0
  • kwikset-909-on-door
    Kwikset 909 SmartCode Electronic Deadbolt Review

    Moving into the age of the smart home is inevitable at this point. New technology is sprouting up every month, tech that makes things easier around our homes. The Kwikset 909 electronic deadbolt is no exception to that trend. Providing...

    • Posted 10 years ago
    • 0