James Trew

Former Editor-at-Large

James started writing about music and audio before he was legally old enough to go to the nightclubs he was reviewing. Since then he's covered tech and culture for titles such as Men's Journal, Playboy, Future Music and High Snobiety. Since joining Engadget in 2011, James has continued to specialize in the creator space along with maintaining his interest in sub-cultures, with stories on everything from competitive Tetris to skateboard videos and the accidental invention of digital Reggae. In his spare time, he enjoys adding to his list of Podcast ideas that probably might not happen.

Articles by James Trew

Eargo Neo is a hearing aid you might actually want to wear
Six years ago I faced a choice: Risk facial paralysis, or potentially lose some hearing in my left ear. I opted for the latter, and two surgeries later, my ability to hear high and mid frequencies on one side is notably diminished. I've tried several hearing aids since then, and while some have worked well, for a combination of reasons (my hearing's tolerable without, the batteries run out too fast, comfort and the stigma / general appearance) I rarely stick with them. Enter the Eargo Neo, a hearing aid that, judging by my list of reasons not to wear something, was pretty much made for people like me.
PAX Labs CEO on how technology will demystify cannabis
PAX makes some of the most popular cannabis vaporizers around. By fusing technology, with innovative software, the company hopes to take the mystery out of getting high. But, there are problems. Many people don't know where to start, it's still illegal in many states, and even the organizers of CES aren't quite sure how to handle companies like PAX. In our stage interview with CEO Bharat Vasan, we take a quick tour through cannabis' digital revolution.
Samsung's 'Bots' and exoskeleton hint at the future of care
At Samsung's press conference, the day before CES officially opened, there was the usual parade of smart home gadgets and appliances. Then right at the end, almost as an aside, the company revealed potentially the most exciting products of the show: Three robots and a line of exoskeletons. Details were sparse, all we knew was that the there was a robot for the home, one for air purifying and another for retail situations. Can you guess which of the Bot Air, Bot Care and Bot Retail (as they are called) does which?
FightCamp is a home boxing gym for the fitness tracking generation
The first rule of FightCamp? According to the enthusiastic trainers on hand here at CES: always talk about FightCamp. And, for good reason, because it looks like a pretty intense, personalized and ever-evolving way to burn off that holiday 15 (or more).
Kohler's Alexa-enabled Sensate kitchen faucet quenches thirst on command
In 2019, more than ever, we're expecting to see Alexa in everything. The Sensate faucet from Kohler is the latest example of where Amazon's voice assistant can find another home. To be fair, while a voice-activated microwave seems less than useful, a faucet (and the water that comes with it) seems at least a somewhat sensible application of hands-free technology.
Whill's next personal electric vehicle drives itself
Whill released its first personal electric vehicle in 2016 (in Japan, it came west the following year). Since then it has released new models with different audiences in mind. Here at CES 2019, it's showing its Autonomous Drive System (ADS), which as the name suggests, will shuttle you to where you want to go on its own. Thanks to the addition of front- and rear-mounted cameras, the Autonomous Drive System can navigate public (indoor or outdoor) spaces on its own.
NuraLoop packs personalized sound into wireless buds
Nura's first headphones were certainly a conversation starter. The hybrid design mixed over-ear design, with in-ear buds. The wireless headset's main trick, however, was the built-in audio test that uses otoacoustic emissions to spot any weak spots in your hearing and adjust the sound to compensate -- like having glasses for your ears.
Unagi's high-end electric scooter is a mix of design and power
I place one foot onto the narrow deck and briskly push with the other. As I press a lever with my right thumb, the handlebars I'm gripping jolt forward. Fortunately, the handlebars aren't attached to a speedboat -- they're part of the Unagi scooter I have just tried for the first time. At 15.5 mph, it's not the fastest scooter (some can reach nearly double that), but it's likely one of the most capable at hills (more on this later). Potentially a big selling point here in The Bay Area with its notorious inclines.
Kindle Paperwhite review (2018): A classic, updated
Until now, the Kindle Paperwhite had three mortal enemies: water, airplane seatback pockets (just me that keeps leaving them on planes?) and book snobs. While there's no hope for the latter, one of those issues isn't long for this world, as this year's model is now waterproof. For lovers of audiobooks, there's more good news: Amazon added Bluetooth so you can listen on the go. Owners of older Kindles may remember there used to be a headphone jack; this is 2018, though, so forget about that and embrace the future. This at least means the Paperwhite is no longer the odd one out when it comes to an audio option. (The base Kindle and Oasis both already have Bluetooth.)
GoPro Hero 7 Black review: An action camera for the social age
Ever wondered why GoPro's flagship camera is called "the Black" but has always been silver or gray? Well, with the Hero 7, the company has righted that wrong. Cognitive dissonance aside, there are a few other things fixed with this year's update, but the big question is: Are they the issues that matter to you? If your frustrations center around shaky footage or wrangling your videos onto social media, then yes. If you were hoping for a laundry list of new video modes then, maybe not so much (4K/60fps is still the max). There is a little something here for everyone, though, and -- importantly -- it keeps the $399 price tag of the Hero 6 it replaces. The question this time seems to be: Can it replace your phone (camera)?
Native Instruments’ latest performance controllers do beats on a budget
If you're into digital DJing or music production, you'll be very familiar with Native Instruments. For disc jockeys, Traktor (software) in combination with the Kontrol S series of hardware is about as comprehensive as it gets. For tunesmiths, it's Maschine (production/performance) and Komplete (studio) -- both also a watertight combination of hardware and software, for whatever your preferred style of songwriting is.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom: Everything you need to know
If you are a fan of DJI's Mavic Pro, today is a good day. Or a bad day, depending on your perspective. Why? Because, as rumored, the drone behemoth didn't just reveal the Mavic 2 Pro, it also introduced a second option in the line: the Mavic 2 Zoom (note: no "Pro"). As the name suggests, the latter comes with a 2X optical zoom (24-48mm and 2X digital to 96mm), meaning there's no "greedy boy" option here, each has its own unique selling points -- so you'll need to think long and hard about which one you really want
Pro drone racing confronts its amateur roots
"The drone racing league is a sport. We are a league. We do an annual season. We have a clear rule system and scoring system," Nick Horbaczewski, founder and CEO of the Drone Racing League (DRL), enthuses in a small business suite located on the second floor of the Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas. With a deal with ESPN in the bag, his league is poised to bring the sport mainstream, and within moments of our introduction, he's let me know he's serious.
Nuraphones update adds noise-cancellation and 'transparency' mode
When I reviewed the Nuraphones, I was impressed. The unusual in-ear/over-ear design might look weird, but it actually works very well -- and the personalized audio profiles are impressive. Makers, Nura, were a newcomer, but the build quality and attention to detail were better than many companies that have been in the game for several years. Not everything was perfect though. The physical controls were limited, and there wasn't even a way to know they were charging/charged.
Sonos Beam review: Smart features trump minor audio compromises
Sonos has earned itself a dedicated army of enthusiasts. And with good reason, too: The company pretty much defined the multiroom/connected speaker space, bringing home audio into the internet era. So, it's no surprise, then, that when rumors of a new product appear, forums and fan pages start to fill up with theories.
PAX’s ‘Session Control’ helps you control your vape high
If you partake in cannabis, you've probably overdone it at some point and felt like the walls are closing in. Or instantly forgot what you just said and were suddenly paranoid everyone in the room thinks you're weird? Or put your vape pen down so you can look for your vape pen? If you have puffed your way over that blurry line between pleasantly stoned and low-level anxiety, you'll appreciate the importance of knowing when to stop.
A closer look at Sonos Beam: Smaller, smarter and more connected
Sonos just announced the Beam, a smaller, smarter Playbar. It's all good and well to see it on stage, but what does it sound like? Luckily I just got to spend some time with it to find out -- and on first pass it feels like a winner. Not just for the rich, cinematic sound (which it appears to have) though. The Beam is also an all-around tantalizing prospect: a compact soundbar, Alexa replacement, that could also replace your regular music system. This all-in-one configuration won't be for everyone, but for those without a lot of living space that want to avoid the clutter of multiple speakers, it's definitely appealing.
Sonos Beam is a smart soundbar with HDMI and AirPlay 2
The wait for Sonos fans is over. That rumored new speaker codenamed "S14" has just been unveiled in San Francisco today, and it's just as we expected (and more). The Sonos Beam (as it's officially called) is indeed aimed at home theatre and comes with smart home/voice control credentials and the much-coveted HDMI ARC connectivity (along with ethernet). While we had a good idea of more or less what the new hardware from Sonos might offer, we didn't know what it would look like (a much smaller, cooler Playbar, basically), or how it fits in the broader Sonos ecosystem.
Cannabis is having its 'smartphone' moment
"It's very similar to having a phone; you wouldn't want just one or two apps on it. You'd want to be able to have a wide selection," Bharat Vasan, CEO of PAX, told me in his company's downtown San Francisco office. He's referring to the range of "pods" available for the PAX Era weed vaporizer, likening fewer weed options to only having Instagram or Twitter on a phone.
Gemini PDA review: We’ve come a long way since keyboards
The sun may have set on the phone-with-a-keyboard phenomenon, but there are still people who pine for physical keys. Armed with a deca-core processor, Android, all the wireless connections you need and slots for SIM and microSD cards, the Gemini ($599, by Planet Computers) is a refreshing proposition to those frustrated with the port-less, key-less mobiles of today. (And yes, it even has a headphone jack.) But I'll warn you now, the touchscreen world has come a long way in recent years -- so much so that you might find a keyboard isn't as helpful as you hoped and can even be a hindrance.

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