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

DJI's Mavic Air 2 offers 34 minutes of flight time and 48-megapixel photos
Well, it’s finally official: say hello to the Mavic Air 2. As the name suggests, it’s a sequel to the 2018’s Mavic Air — a drone I was very taken with. Much of DJI’s camera functionality comes from the numerous auto-shot and “smart” modes.
GoPro's Max gets much-needed 360 time lapse features
The 360 camera is getting a firmware update that adds a few features that were missing at launch. The addition of time lapse in 360 mode fills a glaring gap in the Max spec sheet.
Can you really get work done on a tiny laptop?
I have a dream. Or a delusion? I'm not sure. Either way, there is a gadget I have sought for many years and am yet to find: A pocket-sized laptop that I can get real work done on. In my case, "real work" is mostly writing, basic image editing and -- just to make things complicated -- fairly heavyweight music production.
GoPro's Media Mod is an upgrade for vloggers on the go
When GoPro revealed the Hero 8's "mod" accessories, there was a clear favorite: The Media Mod ($80). The light and the fold-out screen looked handy, but the Media Mod added much-needed functionality beyond the action realm. Most notably, a dedicated shotgun mic, an HDMI output and a 3.5mm (mic) input. Vloggers rejoice! Finally, it's here, and we've had a chance to see how it stacks up to our expectations.
2020 will bring new ways to upgrade your hearing
If your peepers are letting you down, you have an endless choice of ways to frame that physical defect as a style statement. If you have hearing loss, not so much. Even the term "cool hearing aid" feels like an oxymoron. It's not for lack of trying; companies have attempted to deviate from the "pink plastic blob" for years now -- the result is usually something like a silver, or black plastic blob instead. Why does that matter? Because for whatever reason, there's still a stigma attached to wearing a hearing aid. If companies start making products that are as stylish as they are functional we all win. Fortunately, that's starting to happen, and here are four new ways to upgrade your hearing without it feeling like a penance.
Eargo's next hearing aid promises improved sound in the same tiny size
Eargo has made a name for itself by doing things differently when it comes to hearing aids. Instead of the usual range of over-the-ear devices, all the company's products are "invisible" (completely in the canal, or CIC). That in itself isn't unusual, but the branding, packaging and user experience are all much more akin to consumer smart products than medical-grade devices. Last year's Neo buds were good, but this year's Neo HiFi promises to be even better (even if it doesn't stream music, as the name might suggest).
Phonak Virto Black hands-on: A hearing aid that gives you superpowers
Something weird is happening. I'm walking through a Las Vegas casino having a normal conversation with someone on my left. This might not seem too strange to you, but the noisy background of slot machines and desperation combined with my one-sided hearing loss usually renders what listening ability I do have useless. Today, however, I'm wearing the Virto Black hearing aid from Phonak, and it's kinda blowing my mind.
NuraLoop hands-on: Possibly the smartest earbuds around
Nura burst onto the headphone scene a couple of years ago with the Nuraphone. With its app-based hearing test for customized audio, haptic bass, noise cancellation and over-ear-but-still-in-ear design, it was clear the company never received its copy of the rule book. This was confirmed when it revealed its $199 NuraLoop buds that are both wired and wireless (depending on your preference), claim a solid 16 hours battery life (in Bluetooth mode) and, of course, come with the same automatic hearing test to adapt their sound to your hearing.
The PowerEgg X drone doubles as a handheld camera
For the eager gadgeteer, vacations are a challenge. How many action cameras should you bring? Will your drone pack in your carry on? What about the gimbal for your mobile phone? Not to mention all the memory cards, cables and chargers. Enter the PowerEgg X (yes, really) from PowerVision — a versatile drone that doubles as a stabilized handheld camera with facial recognition.
PAX introduces the Era Pro, a smarter vape for cannabis nerds
Vape "mods" are pretty straightforward; they're mostly just batteries. That said, the original PAX Era was actually pretty smart. It can dial in a specific temperature via a companion app (or you can choose a preset temperature without it). There's also control for your dosing so you don't get too high, and there's even a handful of games built-in. With the newly announced Era Pro, things get even smarter. And at $70, it's also a little pricier.
Olive Union Smart Ear hands-on: A stylish hearing device with tradeoffs
As wearable technology becomes the norm, there's still one gadget that carries a stigma: the hearing aid. You can wear wireless earbuds and no one flinches, but for some, a behind-the-ear device can still seem awkward. Invisible hearing aids are an option, but they're often pricey or less effective. Olive Union understands this and hopes its Smart Ear hearing amplifier — which looks just like a wireless earbud — will help squash any anxiety for those who need a little volume boost in the world.
GoPro's first Hero 8 Black 'mod' is a light for vloggers
When GoPro unveiled the Hero 8 Black, the company also teased some "mod" accessories for the camera. GoPro has dabbled with this idea before -- you may remember the "backpack" mods of yore which added either an LCD display (before they were standard) or much-needed extra battery life. With these new mods, it's all about adding extra camera functionality, particularly those features which appeal to vloggers rather than athletes.
Skydio 2 review: The best self-flying drone is now a great all-rounder
Around a year and a half ago, Skydio blew my mind. The then-unknown company presented the R1 drone to the world, and it was quite special. Typically, follow features and obstacle avoidance aren't very effective, or only work in certain modes (i.e. with compromises). Skydio's R1 put these features front and center, and it did them incredibly well. But there were still caveats. The R1 was prohibitively expensive ($2,499 at launch), large, clunky and limited in what it could do beyond all that following and obstacle avoiding. Enter the Skydio 2, the company's second take on a drone. It's cheaper, smaller and much more versatile. The hope is that it will be the much-needed DJI rival we deserve, and I'm excited about it enough to say right here that it is. But, and yes there are some buts, it still has some edges that need smoothing out. I'll get to those in good time, but for now, let's start with the positives.
Researchers develop E. coli strain that 'eats' carbon-dioxide
While you're stuffing turkey leftovers in your belly, the last thing you want to think about is E. coli. But spare a thought for the bacterium, it's not always here to harm you (and it needs to eat, too). According to a new paper published in Cell, scientists have developed a strain of E. coli that feeds on carbon dioxide. As Nature explains, the bacteria usually prefer sugars (glucose), but the lab-created strain could be used to create biofuels with a lower emissions footprint than conventional production methods.
Roland MC-101 review: Beats, bass and batteries
If you think Roland's nostalgia-infused music gear is a new thing, think again. As far back as the mid-'90s (and maybe beyond), the company was cashing in on the gravitas of some of its legendary instruments. In 1996, the company introduced the MC-303 groovebox. It might have had "303" in the name, but the similarities with the iconic TB-303 pretty much stopped at the color scheme. The real news with the MC-303 was the birth of the beloved groovebox series -- all-in-one music-production machines. The latest in that line is the MC-101, and it's small, somewhat affordable ($500) and surprisingly powerful -- and a welcome addition to the oft-forgotten family. Notably, it doesn't trade in nostalgia (at least, not in the way the MC-303 did), but it should still appeal to music enthusiasts who love Roland's classic music boxes.
DJI Mavic Mini review: A tiny drone with big ambitions
What a difference four years make in the world of drones. If you spot someone with an iPhone 6s today, you'd barely flinch. But if you see someone rocking a Phantom 3, it feels quaint thanks to the major advances in size, weight and power. Enter the Mavic Mini ($399), the company's most diminutive drone to date that boasts up to 30 minutes of flight time. It makes the Mavic Air look chubby, the Mavic 2 Pro look positively chunky and the Phantoms might as well be a different species (yes, technically they are).
GoPro Max review: Much more than a 360 camera
360-degree video has not caught on. GoPro knows this, and honestly, I don't think the company is really trying to change that. At least in the context of viewing it in a VR headset, or by moving your phone. Despite this review being about the Max -- the company's second stab at a 360-degree camera -- it's clear that regular old "flat" video is the primary focus here. The $499 Max appears to be an attempt at an even-more versatile GoPro, that happens to be pretty capable in the 360-degree world (no pun intended). While I can say right away that Max is a great improvement on Fusion and it doubles as a regular GoPro, it's not for everyone (and that's okay).
Gnarbox 2.0: Portable media management for the outdoor crowd
The original Gnarbox was intriguing. On the one hand, it was a rugged portable drive. On the other, it was a mini PC without a display. Via the companion app, you could connect to the device wirelessly and edit 4K video and high-resolution photos. Today, Gnarbox 2.0 is ready for prime time, and it's a very different proposition.
Skydio’s next self-flying drone is ready to take on DJI
When Skydio revealed the fully autonomous R1 drone, it was truly impressive. This thing could follow you like no other drone before, or since. You didn't need to wear anything (like AirDog), and its visual tracking system was smart enough to avoid almost any obstacle in its way, even at speed. But the R1 was kinda big (like a large pizza box) and at $2,500, prohibitively expensive for the majority. You also couldn't really control it yourself in a meaningful way, so it wasn't as versatile as DJI's cheaper Mavic 2 Pro.
GoPro Max is the company’s second take on a 360 camera
If you're looking for a new GoPro, you are probably eyeing up the Hero 8 (read our full review here). But there's a new camera in town, and it's possibly just as interesting (maybe more so) than the latest flagship — even for regular users. Despite the Max ($499) being a spiritual successor to the Fusion 360/VR camera, the pitch is that anything the Hero 8 can do, the Max can do, and often better. Don't let the twin lenses fool you, this is a GoPro for everyone, according to the company.

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