Flipping through The Manual: Epic hammocks, road trips and surf tips

By Digital Trends Staff August 15, 2015

Burned out on apps, keys and screens? Improve your analog life this weekend! Digital Trends’ brother site The Manual exists to give men straight-up advice, from unspoken suit rules you need to know, to the latest in fashion, food, drink, travel, grooming and culture. Here are a few of our favorite stories to appear on The Manual lately.

Hammocks to help you and Mother Nature take a load off

Hammocks to help you and Mother Nature take a load off — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) has released special edition hammocks that aren’t just comfortable, but also helpful to the environment.

Read the full story on The Manual

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep

Wild Turkey Master's Keep — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell bring you Wild Turkey Master’s Keep. It’s a 17 year old bottle of bourbon that is full of surprises.

Read the full story on The Manual

Harry’s and Thom Browne are a match made in fancy shaving heaven

Harry’s and Thom Browne are a match made in fancy shaving heaven — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Your face deserves this.

Read the full story on The Manual

Askov Finlayson opens flagship location

Askov Finlayson opens flagship location — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Additionally, the store will feature Warby Parker at Askov Finlayson.

Read the full story on The Manual

Road trip America: 3 of the best scenic drives in the U.S.

Road trip America: 3 of the best scenic drives in the U.S. — Tom Reichner/Shutterstock Image used with permission by copyright holder

From Hawaii to the Florida Keys, the United States is home to many stunning, though lesser-known, scenic drives. Here are just three of our favorites.

Read the full story on The Manual

Six surf tips from champion surfer Rusty Miller

Six surf tips from champion surfer Rusty Miller — Rusty Miller Surf/Facebook Image used with permission by copyright holder

The champion surfer and Byron Bay, Australia-based surf instructor discusses the basics of the sport.

Read the full story on The Manual

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Digital Trends Staff

Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…

Computing

The best HP laptops to buy in 2023

HP Spectre x360 13.5 front angled view showing display and keyboard deck.

HP offers several excellent laptop lines that are tailored for professionals, traveling, and student use, and it generally makes great all-purpose laptop models for those who want dependability and performance. HP laptops show up on our best laptops and best 2-in-1s lists, among others. However, picking and customizing an HP laptop can be a confusing process for newcomers, and it's not always immediately clear what differences mark the various HP lines, nor which is the best pick.

Allow us to make the choice easier with our list of the best HP laptops available in 2023, and an explanation of what each model excels at.

Smart Home

The best smart light bulbs

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Smart bulbs do more than turn on and off when you clap your hands. Upgrading your home with smart bulbs can reduce your energy consumption. You can use your phone to turn your lights on and off remotely or use a smart home device to create an automated schedule for your lights. Smart bulbs typically come with additional features like adjustable brightness or colors.

Shopping for smart bulbs can be confusing if you’re not familiar with home automation. When you are ready to make the switch from traditional bulbs to smart ones, our guide can help you decide what the best choice for your home and lifestyle is. They use very little energy, and they are available at different price points.

Smart Home

The best cheap smart bulbs

Sengled smart bulb in dining room.

Smart lighting has taken over. With just a single smart bulb and some Wi-Fi (and maybe a little help from Alexa), you can transform a drab and dim living room into a pulsating, kaleidoscopic disco. OK, maybe that’s a bit extreme. Smart lighting truly is an awesome investment for any home, though. Smart lighting can increase your home security, help cut down on your energy bill, and be customized to adapt and change with your lifestyle. In terms of investment, though, major smart lighting starter kits can tend to be on the pricey side.

Thankfully, there are a number of great companies that make budget smart bulbs and lighting systems that work just as well as some of the big brands, but at a fraction of the cost. Which budget smart lights are worth buying? We’ve put together a working list of some of the best budget lights out there and what we love about them.