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About Michael Yuen @yuenx

Michael is an outdoor enthusiast and a Cybersecurity Engineer with a 17-year background in IT Systems Engineering. He aims to live a life that is good and inspired. He enjoys being a parent, hiking, photography, food, technology, DIY projects, travel, mentoring, and building relationships. See his family's story.
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30 Jun 2020

Review: Garmin inReach Explorer+ (vs Mini), Tips, and Subscription Plans

By |2023-05-24T16:18:28-07:00Jun 30, 2020 - Tuesday|Product Reviews, Reviews|

Read: 14 mins. A week ago, I took my young son on his first backpacking trip into the Sierra Wilderness on a multi-day journey. Naturally, my wife was worried for our safety, and that gave me the opportunity to finally purchase something I had been eyeing for a while: an emergency GPS satellite communication device. I looked into SPOT, Garmin inReach, and various other products, but ultimately went with Garmin for its reliability and Iridium global, satellite network. How did it work for the trip? Did it send timely updates on our status and whereabouts?

29 Jun 2020

Review: Euhomy Countertop Ice Maker (26 lbs/day) IM-12AR

By |2022-03-04T15:02:57-08:00Jun 29, 2020 - Monday|Product Reviews, Reviews|

Read: 5 mins. When the summer heat hits, having ice readily available is a blessing for quenching one's thirst and to cool down. Ice makers come in various shapes and sizes, and I was looking for an inexpensive, compact one for use on camping and road trips with a portable, solar-capable, battery power station. In this review, I take a look at a beautiful, red-colored ice maker from Euhomy that was recently used in 106F-degree weather during a backpacking outing and for a few days at home.

18 Jun 2020

Review: Joyor X5S Electric Scooter

By |2022-03-03T09:50:11-08:00Jun 18, 2020 - Thursday|Product Reviews, Reviews|

Read: 16 mins. My first experience with an electric scooter was met with excitement, joy, freedom, and... sadness once I learned about California's prohibitive regulation that governs it. However, Joyor's X5S -- as a product and ride -- surprised me in a few ways, and two of my friends and a neighbor took notice. See why the four of us purchased one.

11 Jun 2020

Review: SONOS Arc and SONOS Audio System

By |2021-09-09T22:22:12-07:00Jun 11, 2020 - Thursday|Product Reviews, Reviews|

Read: 15 mins. When my wife and I had purchased our home, I wanted to wire the entire place with speakers for entertaining and relaxing. The cost of doing so took me by surprise, and when I discovered the Sonos wireless speakers, there were many reasons for why our family decided to go with that solution. Many years later, we got more invested into the Sonos ecosystem because of the excellent sound quality, convenience, and smart features offered by their products. Recently, the Sonos Arc was released, the company's newest and best-sounding TV soundbar yet. How does it compare to the Playbar, Beam, and Playbase? Read on to find out.

1 Jun 2020

Review: Foho 55 Quart Car Freezer/Fridge (BCD-52) (55qt/52L/52 Liters)

By |2022-07-19T00:05:54-07:00Jun 1, 2020 - Monday|Product Reviews, Reviews|

Read: 13 mins. Did you know that there are refrigerators/freezers available that can be powered by the 12V port/battery of a car? One that could be operated with a battery power station and supplemented with solar panels? In this review, I purchased one for extended road trips, camping, and a 3-day simulated power outage, but most importantly: to surprise our children with ice cream in the middle of nowhere. How much power did it use? Was food kept frozen? I was pleasantly surprised.

26 May 2020

Review: Beelink U57 vs X55 Mini PCs

By |2021-09-09T22:22:41-07:00May 26, 2020 - Tuesday|Product Reviews, Reviews|

Read: 12 mins. Half a year ago, I chose the Beelink Gemini X55 Mini PC as a TV-connected, video conferencing system that would fit inside a drawer. The coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic a few months later had the family utilize it more for school, work, and video chats with friends and family, resulting in a noticeable drop in performance. Beelink recently released the Core i5-based U57 model that promised better speed for just $50 more. How did it compare?

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