Marques Brownlee Dives into Bizarre and Innovative Tech by Saying 'Yes' to Every Email for a Month

Marques Brownlee initiated the 'yes to every email' experiment a couple of years ago to highlight the often strange and unbelievable product review requests he receives. As a product reviewer, he typically declines 99% of these emails, but this project forces him to engage with the unusual. The goal is to provide viewers with an unvarnished look into the peculiar items that land in his inbox, some of which he would normally never consider reviewing. This isn't the first time the experiment has yielded peculiar results; a previous iteration famously led to a casket being housed in his studio.

One of the first products reviewed was a smart toilet, which the email pitched as a rising trend in popularity. This $800 device boasts a range of features, including an auto-flush mechanism, a heated seat, a bidet function, a warm air dryer, a deodorizer, and a nightlight. It also includes a remote control that paired quickly via Bluetooth, indicated by a visual confirmation. However, despite its advanced features, Brownlee noted that the device arrived without the required AAA batteries, a significant oversight for an $800 product.

Another intriguing product to arrive was a triple-screen laptop, which immediately piqued Brownlee's curiosity regarding its design and functionality. This device, reminiscent of the G-screen Space Book dual-screen concept, pushes the boundaries of portable computing. The laptop is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, suggesting decent performance for its category. Its innovative design incorporates a magnetic attachment system for the two additional screens, allowing them to be deployed alongside the main display.

The triple-screen laptop offers versatile display options, allowing users to either mirror or extend their desktop across all three screens. All three displays are functional touchscreens, adding to the device's interactivity. Brownlee compared the experimental design of this laptop to the first-generation Samsung Galaxy Fold, acknowledging its innovative spirit despite potential imperfections. He noted that the expansive screen real estate is a compelling feature, potentially outweighing drawbacks like a subpar trackpad and less-than-optimal overall speed for some users.

Beyond its triple-screen mode, the laptop features a unique folding mechanism that transforms it into a dual-touchscreen device. By flipping the screen assembly over and reopening it, users can access a dual-touchscreen configuration on the other side. This innovative design allows the device to function as a regular laptop when desired. Despite the creative concept, Brownlee ultimately rated the product a 2 out of 10, indicating that while the idea is unique, the execution leaves much to be desired.

Brownlee next reviewed a screenless fitness tracker, priced at $200 with no subscription fees. This device features a side button that allows users to initiate workouts without needing to use their phone, emphasizing convenience. He compared it favorably to the Whoop band for its concept of a comfortable wrist-worn puck. However, he noted that it lacked the refined form factor and sleek design of the Fitbit Air, suggesting room for improvement in its physical appearance.

In a comparison with the Fitbit Air, Brownlee found that the latter's form factor was superior, being smaller, narrower, and less obtrusive on the wrist. While he acknowledged that the fitness tracker provided a solid concept, he noted that deeper technical testing on data accuracy would be needed from experts like DC Rainmaker. Ultimately, he gave the screenless fitness tracker a final rating of 6.5 out of 10, reflecting its potential but also its current limitations in design and detailed data validation.

Brownlee then examined the Casana Smart Toilet Seat, a device designed to measure various health metrics such as heart rate, HRV, breathing rate, and stress levels from the comfort of one's bathroom. The smart seat requires an initial purchase of $200 and a $10/month subscription after the first year, making it a recurring expense. He expressed skepticism regarding the cold metal design and the long-term value of the subscription model. Brownlee questioned the utility of spending $1,000 on a full smart toilet when a $200 smart toilet top could offer similar health tracking capabilities.

The Mondo Robotics Benny Robot was a product that particularly stood out to Brownlee, making him glad he committed to saying yes to every email. This compact, wheeled robot features advanced camera capabilities designed to follow the user, providing dynamic tracking for various applications. He noted that this type of product is something he would ordinarily decline, underscoring the value of the 'Yes' experiment in uncovering unexpected and potentially innovative technologies. The Benny Robot represents a niche but intriguing area of personal robotics, offering automated camera operation that could benefit content creators or anyone seeking a personal camera assistant.

Brownlee also evaluated the Kardia Mobile 6L Max, a portable device designed for comprehensive heart health monitoring. He compared its functionality to the ECG capabilities found in the Apple Watch, highlighting its ability to capture detailed cardiac data. The device utilizes a three-point contact mechanism for accurate data collection, ensuring reliable readings. Furthermore, Brownlee explained how the Kardia Care membership integrates medical professionals who can review the collected data, providing a more complete picture of one's heart health in conjunction with personal monitoring. This professional oversight allows users to share their data with doctors for informed medical insights.

Next, Brownlee reviewed an AI-powered smart massage chair, priced at $1,200, which promises an advanced relaxation experience. The chair features integrated cooling and heating functions, along with lumbar massage capabilities. Users can adjust the massage depth both manually and automatically. However, Brownlee questioned the validity of the 'AI-powered' marketing claim, suggesting that many of its 'smart' features might simply be automated programs rather than true artificial intelligence. He highlighted the chair's 'auto smart track feature' as an example of what might be an overstatement of its AI capabilities.

Brownlee concluded his review of the smart massage chair by noting that it is possible for a product to have too much customizability. While a wide array of features might seem appealing, he found that an excess of options can ultimately detract from the user experience, making the product overly complicated or less intuitive to use. This observation suggests a balance is needed between offering diverse functions and maintaining user-friendly simplicity.

Brownlee then reviewed a pair of Skullcandy Crusher headphones, a $280 model created in collaboration with Bose, which are marketed for their extreme bass. These headphones feature a unique physical 'bass wheel' that allows users to manually control the intensity of the bass. However, even at minimum settings, Brownlee found the bass to be overwhelmingly powerful, often drowning out other elements of the music. While the headphones offer a high 'fun factor' due to their distinctive sound profile, he concluded that they lack mainstream appeal and are not something he would personally spend $280 on, primarily due to the excessive bass that dominates the listening experience.

Brownlee investigated a thin gaming PC from an obscure company, Grant Sinclair. The website for this company, grantsinclair.com, curiously lists only this gaming PC and a $10,000 e-bike. Upon examination, the hardware appeared to be a basic Raspberry Pi-based emulator setup, significantly underperforming expectations for a 'gaming PC.' The device lacked labeled controls, making it unintuitive and difficult to operate. Brownlee ultimately rated the product a 5 out of 10, stating it was less of a gaming PC and more a collection of stacked PCBs running an emulator that struggled with even basic games and tended to overheat.

Brownlee previewed the Sony Bravia 9 TV, which was pitched to him as a 'true RGB TV.' This premium 65-inch television is priced at $3,600, signaling its position at the high end of the market. Sony claims that its 'True RGB' technology can rival the performance of OLED displays, positioning it as a strong competitor in the premium TV segment. The product is specifically marketed as avoiding the common downsides associated with traditional OLED panels, aiming to offer superior visual quality without the typical compromises.

The Sony Bravia 9 TV utilizes blue LEDs, circumventing conventional color filters to deliver highly vibrant color and exceptional brightness. This innovative display technology aims to avoid the burn-in issues commonly associated with standard OLED screens. Brownlee noted that the TV provides truly vibrant colors and great brightness, while also eliminating the burn-in risk that has been a concern for some OLED users. This combination of high performance and durability is a key selling point for Sony's new True RGB technology.

The Sony Bravia 9 TV boasts immersive surround sound capabilities, which are demonstrated through a room-calibration demo using a remote microphone. The television features directional, upward-firing tweeters located at the back of the TV that project sound towards the ceiling, creating a more expansive audio experience. Additionally, it incorporates several larger speakers to enhance the overall sound profile. However, Brownlee noted that the TV lacks dedicated woofers, which results in weaker bass performance. While it provides an impressive spatial audio effect, the absence of strong low-frequency output might be a drawback for some users.

The video also highlighted Best Buy as a sponsor, celebrating its 60th anniversary as a retailer. Brownlee emphasized Best Buy's enduring value in allowing consumers to get hands-on experience with the latest technology before making purchasing decisions. He noted that this ability to physically interact with products is what Best Buy excels at, differentiating it from online-only shopping experiences. As a long-standing retailer of mobile technology and other electronics, Best Buy continues to provide a crucial physical touchpoint for consumers exploring tech upgrades for their daily lives.