We received some great questions and advice in our first week with Uncrate Answers. Our favorites are below. Soak up some knowledge, jump in and add your answer, or ask your own question. Top contributors will be rewarded handsomely (details soon).
What is the best "smells good on any guy" cologne? | What is a good, stylish gym bag? | What's your pick for best wireless mouse? | Are you supposed to wear underwear under boardshorts that don't have a liner? | What is an understated, masculine and classy watch that won't look outdated in 10 years? | What is the best way to combat razor burn? | Is the investment in a Bowflex really worth it? | In terms of fit and materials, who makes the best T-shirts? | What's the current verdict on jeans with a blazer? It's a look I love to wear, but is it getting dated?
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Whether you like a clean face, a five-o-clock shadow, or have a full-on Grizzly Adams beard, you still need some shaving products to keep that facial hair under control. So tell us: What do you use to keep your face in shape? The latest high tech electric razor or an old fashioned straight razor? Shave gel, cream, girly moisturizers? Give us your suggestions, preferably with a product link, and share your sage-like advice with your fellow Uncraters.
Save
It's inevitable: any time you make a big purchase, there's always something coming along a few months later that makes you (at least a little) regretful about opening up your wallet. So tell us: Is there anything you're holding off on buying? Whether it's a computer that you're waiting to be updated, a product with quality issues that need sorting out, a car that gets a redesign in the next year, or just a pair of shoes you really want but are waiting for the price to drop, tell us so we can all share in our longing together.
Save | 145 Comments
We're going to assume for a second that all of you Uncraters are just as web-obsessed as we are, and ask a question several of you suggested in last week's episode: What sites do you read regularly? Plenty of well-known sites offer great content — like Digg, Gizmodo, Ask A Ninja, and Fark — but there are plenty of other great sites that sit, unnoticed, like diamonds in the rough. So tell us your daily reads, and let your fellow Uncraters in on your favorites.
Save | 172 Comments
We've been asking all of you questions every Friday for a while now, so we thought it's about time that some of you get to ask the questions. So, what would you like to see a "Tell Uncrate" on? Whether it be about video games, outdoor sports, or knitting, we want to know what you'd like to hear more about from your fellow Uncraters. So let us know, and maybe you'll be asking the questions next week.
Save | 72 Comments
Springtime is here. Time to get out your clubs, shake the rust off your game, and head down to the local links. So this week, we want to know: What's your favorite place to grab nine holes? Is it a popular local course, a hidden gem, or a well-known country club? Whatever the case, tell us and your fellow Uncraters, and help everyone find some new places to play.
Save | 62 Comments
March Madness has hit Uncrate HQ with a fury, and to share it with the rest of you, we're doing things a little differently with this week's Tell Uncrate. Tell us who you think will win the NCAA mens basketball tourney, and the final score, and we'll give the reader who gets closest some gear from the Uncrate Mystery Closet. So tell us: Do you have one of the favorites winning the whole thing, or is your alma mater on a path to glory? Let us know, and you'll be cutting open a box of goodies when your team is cutting down the nets.
Save | 114 Comments
There is way more music out there than there is time to listen to it, and a lot of good bands go unnoticed. So we want to know: What band can you not get enough of right now? It doesn't matter whether they're rap, rock, reggae, country, classical, or electronic, we want to know who you'd pay money to see. Be sure to include links to websites and audio streams so we can all check out who's at the top of your playlist.
Save | 334 Comments
We all have to face it: We're internet addicts. Whether we're on a train, plane, or automobile, we want to know what's up on the web. A new tip this Uncrater just picked up is how to use your Samsung BlackJack's HSDPA as your laptop's connection. So tell us: What do you use to stay connected on the move? PC cards, tethered phones, internet-enabled smartphone, even a homemade van-mounted satellite antenna — we want to hear it.
Save | 43 CommentsWe've been getting some great questions and advice over at Uncrate Answers. Our favorites are below. Soak up some knowledge, jump in and add your answer, or ask your own question.
What should I do with my work computer before quitting my job Obviously transfer personal files, delete personal emails, delete browser history. Anything else? • What is the best computer speaker set up for my office? Nothing overpowering but deep-clear sound. • I'm wanting to build a pull-up bar in my backyard. Any ideas on how? • What is the best underwear for running? • I'm putting together my summer reading list. With some vacation time and nothing on TV, I hope to read 8-10 books before labor day. Have you read anything lately you'd recommend? • I need the idiot's guide to applying cologne. Do I spray the neck or torso? Above or below clothing? Do I spray cologne into the air then walk through the cloud? How about applying cologne while still wet from the shower? • I'm looking for an everyday knife with a little more style than a buck knife or a swiss army. Any suggestions? • What are a good set of earbuds with bass comparable to over the ear headphones? • I know cargo shorts aren't the most stylish items, but they're essential to my summers and I'm looking for a new pair. Who makes your favorite khaki cargos? • What are your tips for shaving your body (everything below the neck)?
Save
We're going to assume for a second that all of you Uncraters are just as web-obsessed as we are, and ask a question several of you suggested in last week's episode: What sites do you read regularly? Plenty of well-known sites offer great content — like Digg, Gizmodo, Ask A Ninja, and Fark — but there are plenty of other great sites that sit, unnoticed, like diamonds in the rough. So tell us your daily reads, and let your fellow Uncraters in on your favorites.
Save | 172 Comments
There is way more music out there than there is time to listen to it, and a lot of good bands go unnoticed. So we want to know: What band can you not get enough of right now? It doesn't matter whether they're rap, rock, reggae, country, classical, or electronic, we want to know who you'd pay money to see. Be sure to include links to websites and audio streams so we can all check out who's at the top of your playlist.
Save | 334 Comments
Springtime is here. Time to get out your clubs, shake the rust off your game, and head down to the local links. So this week, we want to know: What's your favorite place to grab nine holes? Is it a popular local course, a hidden gem, or a well-known country club? Whatever the case, tell us and your fellow Uncraters, and help everyone find some new places to play.
Save | 62 Comments
We've been asking all of you questions every Friday for a while now, so we thought it's about time that some of you get to ask the questions. So, what would you like to see a "Tell Uncrate" on? Whether it be about video games, outdoor sports, or knitting, we want to know what you'd like to hear more about from your fellow Uncraters. So let us know, and maybe you'll be asking the questions next week.
Save | 72 Comments
It's inevitable: any time you make a big purchase, there's always something coming along a few months later that makes you (at least a little) regretful about opening up your wallet. So tell us: Is there anything you're holding off on buying? Whether it's a computer that you're waiting to be updated, a product with quality issues that need sorting out, a car that gets a redesign in the next year, or just a pair of shoes you really want but are waiting for the price to drop, tell us so we can all share in our longing together.
Save | 145 Comments
Whether you like a clean face, a five-o-clock shadow, or have a full-on Grizzly Adams beard, you still need some shaving products to keep that facial hair under control. So tell us: What do you use to keep your face in shape? The latest high tech electric razor or an old fashioned straight razor? Shave gel, cream, girly moisturizers? Give us your suggestions, preferably with a product link, and share your sage-like advice with your fellow Uncraters.
Save | 137 Comments
We all have to face it: We're internet addicts. Whether we're on a train, plane, or automobile, we want to know what's up on the web. A new tip this Uncrater just picked up is how to use your Samsung BlackJack's HSDPA as your laptop's connection. So tell us: What do you use to stay connected on the move? PC cards, tethered phones, internet-enabled smartphone, even a homemade van-mounted satellite antenna — we want to hear it.
Save | 43 Comments
March Madness has hit Uncrate HQ with a fury, and to share it with the rest of you, we're doing things a little differently with this week's Tell Uncrate. Tell us who you think will win the NCAA mens basketball tourney, and the final score, and we'll give the reader who gets closest some gear from the Uncrate Mystery Closet. So tell us: Do you have one of the favorites winning the whole thing, or is your alma mater on a path to glory? Let us know, and you'll be cutting open a box of goodies when your team is cutting down the nets.
Save | 114 CommentsFrom the makers of Baconnaise and Bacon Salt comes a bacon-flavored product that you don't even have to eat. J&D's Bacon Lip Balm ($13/4-pack) will protect your lips with beeswax, aloe vera oil, Vitamin E acetate, and other ingredients, all while offering a subtle bacon flavor both you and your partner can enjoy.
SaveMost of us don't have the engineering, design, or architectural chops to recreate any of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterworks, but we can anyway, thanks to these new Frank Lloyd Wright Lego Architecture Building Sets ($TBA). Licensed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Collection, these terrific sets — of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater — were developed in collaboration with leading architects to be as accurate as possible, and come with booklets that not only tell you how to build you own model masterpiece, but exclusive archival historical material and photographs of each building, as well. [Thanks, Kris]
SaveEver wish you could combine your dual-monitor setup into one behemoth display? Get ready, because your wish has come true in the NEC CRV43 Curved Widescreen Display ($8,000). Boasting a unique curved design that's sure to immerse you more than a standard two display setup, this beauty also features a 2880x900 double WXGA resolution, a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, single link DVI-D and HDMI inputs, USB 2.0 ports, an on screen display, and the assurance that you have the most unique monitor in the neighborhood. [via]
SaveEver wish you could take a Jägermeister shot machine with you camping, tailgating, and partying? Now you can, with the Jägermeister 6-Bottle Shot Cooler ($120). Available as a six-bottle value pack, the cooler has plenty of room for all six bottles, ice, and the requisite cans of Red Bull, and uses the same tech as the Jägermeister Tap Machine to deliver ice-cold shots straight from the external tap.
SaveShow your fang affiliation by stocking your fridge with Tru Blood ($16). Based on the synthetic blood drink favored by the more civilized vampires of HBO's True Blood, this carbonated real-world version packs a slightly sweet, slightly tart blood orange flavor and a rich red color that will have guests wondering if you're drinking the real thing.
SaveFlapjack lovers, rejoice. Now you can make fresh, 97% fat-free pancakes in as little as 30 seconds using the ChefStack Automatic Pancake Machine ($3,500). This microwave-sized wonder uses no-mess batter pouches to crank out stack after stack of four- inch diameter pancakes, and doesn't even require supervision, letting you cook up breakfast for you and your crew while you get your other morning activities out of the way — like taking a shower, brushing your teeth, or downing a half-dozen mimosas.
SaveWe love bacon, and we've seen everything from Canned Bacon to Baconnaise, Bacon Salt, Bacon Floss — hell, even Bacon Lip Balm — so it was only a matter of time before we discovered Bacon Soap ($6). Made to both look and smell like frying bacon, this soap will get you clean while giving your appetite a jump-start on the day.
SaveOne of the worst things about adding ice to a whisky is its ability to water-down the flavor. So chill your next drink down with Whisky Stones ($20). Milled in Vermont by some of the oldest soapstone workshops in the US, these stones chill quickly in the freezer, and won't impart any flavor to your favorite blend.
SaveTempted by the MINI's go-cart handling, but not a fan of its boxy exterior? The MINI Coupé Concept ($TBA) is for you. Ready to accept any of MINI's powerhouse engines, including the 1.6L twin-scroll turbocharged unit from the MINI John Cooper Works, this stylish two-seater pairs a decidedly MINI-like bottom with an aggressively designed upper half, including a swept back windshield, short contrast roof, hidden B-pillars, and more sexy than every other modern MINI combined.
SaveWhile we might not know exactly what seven functions the sleek Gerber Shard ($8) will provide, we know enough to know we'll be on the pre-order list as soon as it's available. The lightweight, airline-safe keychain tool offers at the minimum a bottle opener, screwdriver, and nail puller, with a titanium nitride coating for corrosion resistance.
SaveThink you've seen or read all the great books and films there are to digest? Think again. City Secrets Books & Movies ($14 each) are your guide to gems of cinema and literature that are mostly overlooked, compiled from recommendations given by some of the world's most well-respected minds on either subject, including Alec Wilkinson, Kenneth Turan, Marty Scorsese, and Sidney Lumet. Good luck finding copies of — and time to watch and read — all of them.
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Looking for a way to monitor your energy usage and cut down on power bills during the economic crunch? Check out the Black & Decker Power Monitor ($100). This easy-to-use device provides real-time electricity use, cost, and outdoor temperature readings, thanks to a wireless sensor that attaches to your electricity meter. Offering an Appliance Mode that isolates the cost of individual appliances or gadgets, it could save you up to 20% each month on your power bill — meaning it should pay for itself in no time.
SaveKnown primarily for its sporty pro outerwear, the new line of Arc'teryx Veilance ($175-$1,000) tops, coats, and pants combines tough, outdoor-ready fabrics like Gore-Tex and Paclite with more traditional cuts and syling, letting you dress your best no matter what the weather's like outside. And no, we don't know how you're supposed to say "Arc'teryx."
SaveForget simulated wood grain — Shwood Sunglasses ($95) are handcrafted from actual wood. They're available in two basic styles, the Wayfarer-like Canby and the more squarish Govy, and can be ordered in a variety of different woods, all with your choice of Carl Zeiss lenses. Just remember: these probably aren't the best shades to wear to the beach, water park, or campfire — we're guessing they're at least a little flammable.
SaveWho needs buttons? Apple's Magic Mouse ($69) eschews mechanical buttons and scroll wheels, letting you navigate using the same Multi-Touch technology used on the iPhone and MacBook trackpads. The sexy, seamless, touch-sensitive device works as a single or multi-button mouse with advanced gesture support, allowing you to scroll, pan, or swipe with ninja-finger skill. Works for you freakish lefties too.
SaveWhat would you pay to be Don Draper or Roger Sterling? How about to look like them? The Brooks Brothers Mad Men Edition Suit ($1,000; October 19) pays homage to AMC's hit show with a medium gray sharkskin suit designed by Janie Bryant, the Emmy-nominated costume designer for the show, and is modeled after Draper's and Sterling's wardrobes. Features include a noticeably slim cut, diagonal pockets, narrower notch lapels, and side vents. Limited to just 250, the suit is made in a Brooks-owned factory in Massachusetts, and while it might be more classically stylish than your current attire, don't expect it to magically turn you into Jon Hamm.
SaveDitch your boring external or portable drive and pick up one of the new LaCie Starck Hard Drives ($100-$250). Available in capacities ranging from 320GB-500GB for the Portable and 1TB-2TB for the external, these gorgeous Philippe Starck-designed drives feature shiny, organically-shaped front surfaces with tough gray shells and USB 2.0 connectivity. In addition, the desktop version's front is touch-sensitive, allowing you to open applications with the touch of a finger, as well as a signature Stark status LED that glows green or orange based on activity. [Thanks, Matthew]
SaveTackle the great outdoors -- or just yard work -- in the coldest of weather in the Timberland Utility Jacket ($150). With straightforward looks, it's not exactly a flashy piece of outerwear, but it does the job, with a rugged cotton twill outer, nylon polin and polyester fleece lining, a front zipper with button flap cover for added wind protection, dual snap-close side pockets and two cargo-style chest pockets, slightly distressed details for a worn-in look, and stitched down shoulder epaulettes.
SaveWe've been getting some great questions and advice over at Uncrate Answers. Our favorites are below. Soak up some knowledge, jump in and add your answer, or ask your own question. What should I do with my work computer before... [More]
We received some great questions and advice in our first week with Uncrate Answers. Our favorites are below. Soak up some knowledge, jump in and add your answer, or ask your own question. Top contributors will be rewarded handsomely (details... [More]
Whether you like a clean face, a five-o-clock shadow, or have a full-on Grizzly Adams beard, you still need some shaving products to keep that facial hair under control. So tell us: What do you use to keep your face... [More]
It's inevitable: any time you make a big purchase, there's always something coming along a few months later that makes you (at least a little) regretful about opening up your wallet. So tell us: Is there anything you're holding off... [More]
We're going to assume for a second that all of you Uncraters are just as web-obsessed as we are, and ask a question several of you suggested in last week's episode: What sites do you read regularly? Plenty of well-known... [More]
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We've been asking all of you questions every Friday for a while now, so we thought it's about time that some of you get to ask the questions. So, what would you like to see a "Tell Uncrate" on? Whether... [More]
Springtime is here. Time to get out your clubs, shake the rust off your game, and head down to the local links. So this week, we want to know: What's your favorite place to grab nine holes? Is it a... [More]
March Madness has hit Uncrate HQ with a fury, and to share it with the rest of you, we're doing things a little differently with this week's Tell Uncrate. Tell us who you think will win the NCAA mens basketball... [More]
There is way more music out there than there is time to listen to it, and a lot of good bands go unnoticed. So we want to know: What band can you not get enough of right now? It doesn't... [More]
We all have to face it: We're internet addicts. Whether we're on a train, plane, or automobile, we want to know what's up on the web. A new tip this Uncrater just picked up is how to use your Samsung... [More]
Not every man cooks, but every man should. Cooking can be a great stress-reliever after a long day, and being able to wow dinner guests with a hand-crafted meal never hurts. So tell us: What is your favorite dish to... [More]
It's not easy to stay organized and productive in this world of endless distractions. David Allen's Getting Things Done has sparked an entire culture of people following these GTD ideals. Sites like 43 Folders and Lifehacker are great resources for... [More]
No, not that tool. We all carry junk in our pockets — wallets, phones, iPods, condoms, whatever. But what about tools? Do you rock a Leatherman or pocket knife? Or is it all about the index cards and a pen?... [More]
We'd all like to be in Olympic-athlete shape, but for most of us it simply boils down to more walking and less Big Macs. So tell us: What do you do to make sure that your belly doesn't bulge out... [More]
There really isn't a better complement to food than wine, and with new health benefits being discovered seemingly every week, there's never been more excuses to enjoy some vino. So tell us: what types, brands, or particular vintages are you... [More]
Latest Questions from Uncrate Answers
What tips do you have for coaching youth basketball? Books, drills, fundamentals?
What is a good after-work cocktail to make at home?
Should you use a certain face wash for beard scruff?
What are your favorite water/snow proof gloves?
What are the best places to learn guitar online?
What car under $30K has the best 'sleeper' potential and driving characteristics?
What is the best non-DJ turntable?
What is the best at-home teeth whitening product?
I like her, she likes him. What to do?
How do you avoid shin splints when running outdoors?
How do you spit like a baseball player?
Active or relaxed, when the work day is done how do you play?
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What is a breed of dog, average in size, that has a very good attention span and is relatively calm?
What is a good date movie, available on DVD, to watch with a woman?
What is a simple yet tasteful tequila drink I can make?
What are a good pair of gloves for use with a camera?
Once and for all: PS3 or Xbox 360?
How much should you spend on a car based on your salary?