Sirui 3T-15 vs 3T-35K

February 02, 2020 in Review

Over the last few months, I’ve been testing out two tripods, the Sirui 3T-15 and 3T-35. These are two very popular tabletop tripod options and prior to getting both, I was torn between one or the other. So, in this post, I’d like to share my thoughts on both with you in hopes of helping you make an educated buying decision.

First, let’s look at the design of these tripods.

Of the two, I would say that the 3T-15 has a more traditional tripod design. It’s essentially a set of legs with a ballhead. It doesn’t do anything special but that’s not a bad thing. Because it doesn’t have special features, it doesn’t require a bunch of special parts. The construction of the 3T-15 is simple yet extremely robust. This thing just feels like a tank but it is surprisingly the lighter weight of the two. In terms of construction, this one feels of better quality. In terms of design, everything is streamlined and in my opinion, the 3T-15 is the better-looking tripod of the two. This looks like a complete product as if everything belonged together.

Next, the 3T-35. This is definitely the more interesting design of the two options. The main thing that makes this tripod different from the 3T-15 is the center column. This allows you to get some additional height when in tripod mode and when held, it’s actually long enough to be a pretty functional selfie stick. The center column features two different sections and has the ability to extend. This allows for a little more height in tripod mode and an even longer selfie stick. If you don’t want the height and just want a more traditional design like the 3T-15, then you can just remove the entire center column. This reduces the size quite a bit and makes the setup very compact but to be honest if I’m buying this tripod, I’m buying it for the center column. That is the main appeal of this tripod. Also, removing the center column isn’t exactly an effortless task. It requires a tool and takes a moment to remove. In a pinch and if you absolutely need a really low angle shot then sure, remove the center column. Just make sure to bring the hex key along or you’ll be out of luck. For me, the process is not practical so I always keep the center column on. That being said, there is one major drawback to this design. As with any other tripod, the center column does make the tripod less stable and not as sturdy. Whereas the 3T-15 can support 11 lbs, the 3T-35 can only support 8.8 lbs. Remember, these are the recommended max payloads so you should really use a rig that weighs less but still, the 3T-15 will be able to support a greater payload. With a camera mounted to the tripods, you can definitely tell that the 3T-15 provides the more stable platform and this makes sense. The center of gravity of the camera is lower when on the 3T-15 than 3T-35. They may be more similar, in terms of stability, if the center column is removed from the 3T-35, but again, that’s just not how I use this tripod.

If you are watching this video and are interested in buying one or the other and are hoping that there’s an outright winner than I’m sorry to break it to you because there just isn’t. These two tripods have different purposes and are geared towards different users. The 3T-15 is a simple, straight forward tabletop tripod. It has no frills but feels extremely robust and looks great. It provides the a more stable platform out the box and can support a greater payload. The 3T-35 is a bit of a chameleon. It’s multi-purpose. It can be a plain tabletop tripod like the 3T-15 when the center column is removed or with the center column, you get a taller table tripod and a very functional selfie stick. Not to say that you can’t use the 3T-15 to get a little extra reach, but the 3T-35 is just more useful as a selfie stick if you do not have a particularly wide lens. The main drawback, for me, with the 3T-35 is its perceived robustness. The specs say that it can hold 8.8 lbs but I don’t know if I really believe that. I mean 8.8 lbs is more than a body and a 70-200mm f/2.8. Would you throw that kind of setup on this thing? Probably not. The 3T-15 on the other hand, the specs say that its load capacity is 11 lb and I don’t know if I would want to test that but, I have an easier time believing it. Realistically, a tripod is only as strong as its individual components whether its the head or the legs. You can have a set of legs that can carry 100 lbs but if the head can only hold 1 lb, then the whole setup only holds 1 lb. The 3T-15’s head is so much beefier than the 3T-35’s head. Because of this, I think the 3T-35 would be an excellent option for a smaller setup. If you use a point and shoot, micro 4/3, APS-C or a small, lightweight full-frame setup, then the 3T-35 is an extremely versatile option. If you have a heavier setup or just have no need for the center column, go with the 3T-15. It’s extremely well built and will more likely hold up to the test of time.

It should also be noted that there is also a 3T-35 Plus model which costs a few dollars more than the standard 3T-35. I’m not exactly sure what’s different but the Plus model is advertised as having a C-10S ballhead. The C-10S head essentially gives you all of the functions of the 3T-15’s head but can’t support the same payload. Aside from this, there isn’t much difference. The specs show that the Plus is a bit larger in size and has a bit more maximum working height but this could just be because the C-10S head is a bit larger. The Plus is a few grams lighter than the original. Other than that, the two are very similar.

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Sirui 3T-15K https://amzn.to/2Zl20W5

Sirui 3T-35 https://amzn.to/2ZdnkNj

Sirui 3T-35 Plus https://amzn.to/2vIWl3f

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Jollylook the WORST Instax Mini Camera

January 24, 2020 in Review

I was recently sent the Jollylook, the self-proclaimed first cardboard vintage instant film camera.

Needless to say, I was interested. I’ve been a fan of FujiFilm Instax and instant film in general for a while now. Those who have been with my YouTube channel for a long time will know that I’ve reviewed a few Instax cameras so I’m familiar with this genre of photography.

Using instant film is already vintage in a sense but what Jollylook has developed is next level vintage. They took the modern Instax mini film and made it work with a camera that looks like it’s a hundred years old. This is largely attributed to using a camera with bellows. Nevertheless, this is something very different from what every other Instax camera manufacturer is doing.

On the surface and while looking at the marketing, this seems to be a pretty cool camera. But let me tell you, problems arose immediately upon unboxing. Let’s first look at this camera in terms of construction. A major part of the Jollylook marketing is that it is made of cardboard. Now, I was never really excited about this because well, cardboard. This is a material that has a lot of drawbacks and weaknesses. Getting the Jollylook in hand, it’s apparent that it’s actually made from a variety of different materials including cardboard, vinyl, wood and metal. But it is largely cardboard wrapped in what I assume is a type of leatherette vinyl. My first issue with construction is that it seems like everything is glued together and some of the surfaces were already separating upon unboxing. The glue is just not holding up. I looked past this and actually tried to use the camera and this is where the issues really snowballed.

The process of actually using the camera is not a complicated one, but it is one that requires a few steps. The camera comes with instructions and the manufacturer has made an instructional video showing how to use the camera but you can’t understand the frustration until you try it yourself.

I’ve included a copy of the instructions for you to check out for yourself. I’ll just add some thoughts about them.

The bellows DO NOT work properly. Its length is just too short or the wrong material was used because when the lens panel is pulled out, the bellows just want to pull everything back into the camera body. If you look up #jollylook on Instagram, you actually see that some people put a stick in between the bellows just to make it properly extend. *UPDATE* It seems like this stick was previously included with the camera. I did not receive it along with other parts that I’ve seen. I can’t say that this was a mistake or the norm for current cameras that are sold.
The lens panel DOES NOT fit properly into the cutouts on the distance scale. The cutout is too small to fit the wood edges of the lens panel. Every time that I try to adjust the distance, I feel like I have to jam the edges of the lens panel into the distance scale. Over time, this section is likely going to be destroyed from use.
The diaphragm or aperture changing mechanism is just terrible. It’s very stiff and I feel that I have to put way too much force into adjusting it. This is likely going to take some damage after some use.
The viewfinder is extremely inaccurate. It gives you a rough idea of what you are shooting, but the final result will be greatly different from what you saw in the viewfinder.
The crank mechanism to advance the film is extremely inaccurate. It’s very difficult to know when to stop turning the handle. On multiple occasions, I’ve advanced too much and another film comes out. There is supposed to be a click that signifies when to stop but I never hear/feel it.

After taking a few photos with this camera, I quickly learned that it doesn’t work. All my photos turned out black. This could be for a variety of reasons.

The camera doesn’t work.
Because the bellows don’t fully extend, light doesn’t travel through it properly and doesn’t produce a proper exposure.
The shutter mechanism is defective. Its timing could be wildly off and contributes to an improper exposure.
The film advance mechanism is doing something to not expose the film properly. Some films could be partially advanced which means that it’s partially exposed.
The diaphragm or aperture is just too small, even at its widest, to actually let light in. I felt that this was the most plausible reason. I didn’t want to just say that the Jollylook just didn’t work. Maybe, there just wasn’t enough light in the particular room that I was in. To test this, I straight up took a picture of a light fixture. This would no doubt be enough light but guess what? I got nothing but the highlights of the lightbulbs. I tried again with another light fixture and essentially got the same result. To not get too deep into how a camera works, I’m just going to say that this camera needs A LOT of light. I’m talking about the brightest of summer days. If you try to take an indoor photo, it’s done. You won’t get anything but a black photo. Forget about the diaphragm guide or even changing it. You’re basically shooting yourself in the foot if you try to reduce the light by closing that diaphragm at all.

So, what more can I say? This is absolutely the worst, not just Instax, but camera, in general, that I’ve ever used. What’s crazy is that this thing is sold for $70. That’s not including film. On the other hand, something like the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 costs around $50 and very often comes packaged with film. The Mini 9 is straight forward and gives you very consistent results.

Here’s something else for you. When I was contacted about reviewing this camera, the Co-founder of Jollylook gave me some background information about this camera. It was funded on Kickstarter in 2017 but since then, the company has had some financial problems. Instead of shipping these cameras out to the people who supported them on Kickstarter, Jollylook started selling the cameras. I would assume that this is to get some extra money to keep them afloat but apparently, two cameras need to be sold for every one Kickstarter reward fulfilled. Today, 2-3 years later and ONLY 65% of their backers have received their rewards. If you look at the Amazon reviews for this product, one person actually verified this. She said that she backed this project two years ago and still didn’t get it so she just ordered it on Amazon and got it two days later. I was even told that Jollylook is working on a new generation of Jollylook Square. I assume that this is just their version of a camera that uses Instax Square film. Just think about, instead of rewarding the people who backed this product through Kickstarter, they are out here selling these cameras, giving them away for free and even developing something different INSTEAD of giving their original supporters the rewards that they deserve. This just blows my mind.

To all those people who backed this Kickstarter and are still waiting to receive their camera, I really hope that you get it soon. But in all honesty, if what you’re getting is anything like what I got, I would just forget about it. This thing is trash. It’ll look pretty good as an expensive paperweight or shelf art, but as a camera, just buy a traditional Instax camera.

If you're considering buying any of the products mentioned, please support my work by using the links below.
Jollylook Mini Instant Camera https://amzn.to/38m1e0a
Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 https://amzn.to/38rDBTV

Jollylook Mini Instant Camera, 2.4 x 1.8-inch Photos Buy on Amazon

Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera, Smokey White Buy on Amazon

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WeatherTech Window Deflectors vs AVS Vent Visors for the Toyota Tacoma

January 20, 2020 in Automotive, Review

I recently purchased the WeatherTech Window Deflectors for my 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.

If you’re unfamiliar with this type of product, it goes by window deflectors, rain guards and vent visors. It just depends on what the manufacturers want to call them but all the products serve the same purpose.

There are two types of window deflectors: out-channel and in-channel. Out-channels almost always use adhesive tape to stick on the outer edge of a car’s window. In-channels sit in the channels of the windows and in between the weatherstripping. This is also typically done with adhesive tape but it just depends on the manufacturer’s design.

Now you if you’re wondering what the purpose of the window deflector is, well at the end of the day, it essentially provides a small canopy for your car windows. Imagine that it’s a rainy day and the inside of your windows are fogging up or you just want to get some fresh air. Well, if you open the window, rain is going to come splashing in. The window deflectors allow you to crack the windows while getting protection from the elements. On the opposite end of the spectrum, on a hot summer day, you may want to crack your windows but don’t want to chance someone coming by and messing with your car. Well, again, the window deflectors allow you to crack the windows and let air in while making it less obvious that the windows are cracked and make it harder for anyone to get their fingers in the crack. Aside from these functional uses, the window deflectors also serve as a way to accessorize a vehicle. I personally love the look of them and add them to all my vehicles.

Now, many different companies make window deflectors. In this case, we are taking a look at the WeatherTechs. To be honest, this is the first time that I’ve ever purchased window deflectors from WeatherTech. I’ve always avoided them because WeatherTech typically charges a lot for whatever product they sell. In the case of the window deflectors, the WeatherTechs are the most expensive that I’ve seen on the market. The official website lists them at $99.95 but realistically you have to pay for shipping and taxes so, for me, it comes out to $126.34. This could be 3 to 4, if not more, times more expensive than some of the competition. The most notable other brand for this type of product is going to be Auto Ventshade or AVS. I personally am a fan of AVS vent visors. I’ve had them on all of my other vehicles and to be honest, I wanted them on this Tacoma.

So why not buy the AVS? Well, I did. I bought them FIVE times and even tried to make a video dedicated to them but every time they arrived, there was something wrong with them. All of these window deflectors are basically made from plastic. Although they are very durable and don’t crack easily, they are prone to scratches. With AVS, they decided to package their product by stacking the deflectors on top of each other and shrink wrapping. It doesn’t help that they don’t take the time to round off the edges so some of the deflectors can be sharp. Because of all of this, the vent visors just end up damaging each other. Of the five sets that I purchased, all of them were damaged. The first set had obvious scratches everywhere. The same thing with the second set. By the third time, I said that I was going to install them no matter the damage. Again, they arrived damaged but I attempted to install them anyways. Well, that didn’t turn out too well because one of the deflectors had faulty adhesive tape that didn’t stick, so that set went back. The fourth set arrived and it was worse than all the others. I didn’t even have to remove the packaging and I can see obvious deep gouges everywhere. The fifth set came and like the fourth, it had deep gouges but this time, there were what looked like small pebbles under the shrink wrap. I was done with the AVS and ordered the WeatherTechs. Now, this isn’t just me. I’ll leave a link to the Amazon listing of the AVS vent visors and you can check out the reviews for yourself. There are so many bad reviews because people keep receiving damaged vent visors. It seems like the good conditioned ones are out there, but they are definitely not the norm. But hey, if you don’t mind some damage, you can get the AVS vent visors for a great price. Sometimes there’s a sale and you can pick a set up for around $30.

Again, I’ve never had WeatherTech window deflectors before and I wasn’t sure how they would fair. First of all, they don’t install with adhesive tape but are essentially held in place by the force of the deflectors themselves up front and with clips in the back. There are install videos on YouTube so you can check those out for yourself to understand what I’m talking about.

Prior to buying the WeatherTech window deflectors, there were a few things that I was wondering about and I wanted to go over them in case anybody else who’s interested in this product is wondering the same thing.

First, was the overall size. From images, it seemed like the WeatherTech window deflectors protruded out quite a bit. With AVS you had the choice of two types of vent visors, either the standard or low profile. The standard bubbles out from the window and is a bit more noticeable while the low profile is essentially flat and gives a more factory look as if it belonged on the truck. From pictures, the WeatherTechs seemed like they domed out more than the standard AVS. To my surprise, the WeatherTechs are pretty low profile. In the front, it has to bubble out a bit because of the design that they went with in order to install without adhesive, but the back is super low profile. It’s practically flushed. Up front, there is about one and a half fingers worth of space between the deflectors and the window glass. In the back, it’s pretty much just one finger. The design is very low profile and from my experience with the standard AVS vent visors for this truck, I would say that they are more low profile than those, in the rear for sure.

In terms of design, the WeatherTechs are very different from the AVS, at least up front. The WeatherTechs don’t just run along the top of the window channel but extend all the way down the front edge. With this, I was worried that there may be some visibility issues. I was worried that the deflectors would cover a good bit of the side mirrors. Again, I’m happy to say that this is not the case. On the driver side, there is no obstruction and with how my seat is positioned, the deflector only covers about one centimeter of the very top left most of the passenger side mirror. This is something that would not cause any hindrance at all.

Another thing that I was wondering about with these deflectors is if they increased wind noise. When driving, would wind get caught under the deflectors and add some unwanted noise. Again, I found that there was no such thing. Right after install, I had to drive about 30 miles on the freeway and didn’t notice any difference so that is great.

Finally, I was worried if the WeatherTechs would hinder the window’s ability to roll up. With the set of AVS that I tried to install, I noticed that while rolling the window up, it would often catch on the bottom edge of the deflectors. This is something many Amazon reviewers also mentioned. Some say that the problem went away. I didn’t have them long enough to find out. However, with the WeatherTechs, because the deflectors extend all the way down the front and actually sit outside the window channel, the window is able to roll up and down freely.

At the end of the day and in my opinion, the WeatherTech window deflector is a better product than the AVS vent visors. Is it worth the almost $130 price tag? That’s hard to say and ultimately for you to decide. I myself lean towards no, they are not. If you’re looking for something cheap and functional, try the AVS first. You may get a damaged product but hey, it’s cheap and it works. I didn’t want to pay brand new prices for damaged goods so the AVS were out of the question. I went with the most trusted and expensive option and I would have to say that I’m happy with them.

Auto Ventshade 194768 https://amzn.to/2RqXNyp
Auto Ventshade 994036 Low Profile https://amzn.to/3669HD7
Auto Ventshade 1774036 Low Profile Matte Black Ventvisor https://amzn.to/364rqL1

Auto Ventshade 194768 in-Channel Ventvisor Side Window Deflector, 4-Piece Set for 2016-2019 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Buy on Amazon

Auto Ventshade 994036 Low Profile Dark Smoke Ventvisor Side Window Deflector, 4-Piece Set for 2016-2018 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Buy on Amazon

Auto Ventshade 1774036 Low Profile Matte Black Ventvisor Side Window Deflector, 4-Piece Set for 2016-2018 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab Buy on Amazon

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First Problem with the 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

January 17, 2020 in Automotive, Review

It’s official! The TRD Pro has its first issue and it involves tail light condensation.

Since buying this truck, I’ve noticed that the tail lights would periodically have some condensation form in the housing. At first, I didn’t think that it was that big of a deal. I’ve noticed that condensation is something that happens with a lot of newer vehicles. Maybe it’s because of cost-cutting or quality control, but it is a problem that does come up. But as we get deeper into winter and we get more and more rain, this condensation problem has become more apparent.

If you didn’t know, the Toyota Tacoma’s tail lights have vents in them. This just means that there’s a hole that allows for air to travel between the tail light housing and the outside world. Ideally, this would mean that the air inside the tail light housing would be able to mix and balance out with ambient conditions. That is, IF the vented design works.

Well, after about 3 days of straight rain, I went outside to do some work and was greeted by a set of tail lights filled with condensation. Now, it’s gotten to a point where I’m a bit concerned. This is, no doubt, the most condensation that I’ve ever had in the lights of any one of my vehicles.

Seeing this, I immediately took some pictures and sent it to the dealership where I purchased the truck. The dealership thought that this was abnormal so they wanted me to bring the truck in for a more thorough evaluation. I made an appointment for the next opening, which was the following morning.

Taking the truck in, a technician looked at the truck and immediately thought that something was wrong because there was noticeable water along the seals of my tail lights. Even though the technician believed that something was wrong, they still needed to take the truck to the back, remove the tail lights and take some pictures to send to a corporate representative. Corporate needed to approve the warranty claim before anything could be done. Realistically, even though the dealership approved the claim, corporate can still deny it. Luckily for me, my claim was approved. Now, all there was left to do is order in some new tail lights and get them installed in the Pro. This is where I ran into the only hiccup of this process. My new tail lights were on backorder. This is interesting because the tail lights are specific to the 2020 TRD Pro. You would think that Toyota would have them available. Maybe there is a widespread problem with them and Toyota is warrantying them like crazy. Who knows. Eventually, the tail lights arrived and they were installed. Luckily for me, this entire process went smoothly.

After talking to the technicians at my dealership, it is my understanding that some condensation is going to be normal. Again, there really shouldn’t be any if the tail light vents work properly but I guess it’s just a poor design. So the question is, how much condensation is too much and how much warrants getting the lights warrantied? Well, there’s no clear cut answer there. Ultimately, you just have to bring the truck in and let the dealership look at the lights. They will make the final decision. Unfortunately, this means that the consumer is at the mercy of what Toyota decides. You may have condensation in your tail lights and believe that it’s too much, but Toyota may say otherwise. My only advice is that if a dealership denies your claim and you really believe there is an issue, get a second opinion. Go to another Toyota dealership and have them check it out. Who knows, one of them might approve your claim.

During this process, I talked to other Tacoma owners to get their input on the situation. Because it’s the internet, the answers were varied. Some people have condensation while others don’t. I would say that if you are concerned, just take it into the dealership and have them check it out. Don’t forget to get some photos and video as proof to help your case.

It should also be noted that this is not an issue that’s only associated with the tail lights. This could be a problem with any of the lights on the vehicle. Be mindful of this and periodically examine your vehicle.

I’ve included a gallery of what my tail lights look like at it’s worse. Compare them to your tail lights and act accordingly.

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2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

November 14, 2019 in Automotive, Review

I recently purchased the 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and for this post, we will be looking at some of the major updates of the 2020 TRD Pro vs the 2019 TRD Pro. This post will be most helpful to those who have a general understanding of the trim in the first place.

Let’s first start with the exterior. For my personally truck, I went with the Super White finish. Toyota has been releasing exclusive colors for its TRD Pro line of vehicles and this year’s is Army Green. I actually had the chance to pick between this Super White and two other Army Greens but went with this because it’s my favorite. To me, the Army Green is nice but it’s nice for now. It’s not a color that I can see myself liking years down the road. I’d rather go with a neutral color and I did. I’m happy that I went with Super White. One thing to note about the Army Green finish is that it is currently only available for the various TRD Pro vehicles and Toyota tends to release the special colors for other trims later in the life cycle. It’s also been said that these special colors hold their value better than other colors so if this is something that interests you, Army Green may be the way to go for this year.

In terms of aesthetics, the exterior of the new 2020 Tacoma is largely the same as the 2019 and other 3rd gens. The shape of the body is the same but we’ve been getting minor upgrades to go with it every year. Five years into the cycle and I have to say, the Tacoma is really starting to look like a complete package. It’s just unfortunate that many of the advertised upgrades of the 2020 Tacomas are optional. The only trim that comes with everything that’s new as standard is the TRD Pro.

One of the big exterior upgrades for this year is the new LED headlight with sequential LED turn signal indicators. It is mind-boggling that in 2019, the Tacoma still has halogen headlights and realistically even in 2020. Although these headlights are a nice addition, they are only standard on the TRD Pro. On other trims, it’s about a $500 upgrade but can be packaged with other things for better savings. Because they were so heavily advertised, you would think that the new LED headlights are standard but guess again.

In terms of the rear taillights, it’s pretty much the same except for this year, it has darker interior accents compared to previous years. This is minor but I appreciate it because it really adds to the aesthetics of the truck, especially with the Super White where there is a black and white theme.

The next upgrade is going to come from the wheels. At a quick glance, the 2019 and 2020 TRD Pro wheels do look very similar but the 2020s come with some subtle refinements. In general, the spokes look skinnier because Toyota added some extra cutouts and negative space. The wheel is now also more matte as compared to the shiny finish of the 2019. These minor changes do add up. I personally think that the 2020 wheels look much better than the 2019 and is probably the best looking factory Tacoma wheels ever. For stock rims, these are very acceptable and attractive. Aside from looks, there are some benefits to these new rims. They are now 4.2 lbs lighter per wheel. This equates to 16.8 lbs total for the set. This isn’t a huge difference, but any weight reduction is welcomed in my opinion. This means that there is less that the truck has to haul around, less wear and tear and this will very incrementally help with fuel economy in the long run.

The final upgrade that we’re going to look at in terms of the exterior is the Smart Key. With the Tacoma, if the key fob comes in close proximity to the door, the door actually detects the key fob and allows you to lock/unlock the door without needing to press the buttons of the key fob. Just reach for the handle and the door unlocks. Press the striped lines on the handle and the door locks. This was previously only attached to the driver's door. With the 2020, this extends to the passenger door. This just makes this feature more encompassing and useful. I actually appreciate this because I do find myself reaching for the passenger door of the 2019 only to forget that it won’t automatically unlock and I have to find the key fob.

Moving on to the interior, we get some additional welcomed upgrades. One thing that people have been asking for, for a long time, is the power-adjustable seats. The driver side gets 10 way adjustable with 2 way lumbar support while the passenger is still fully manual. This is another one of those mind-boggling things about the Tacomas. For the price that you pay for these trucks, even in 2019, the only option you have is manually adjustable seats so the addition here is greatly appreciated. I’ve heard a few people even say that they couldn’t stand driving pre-2020 Tacomas simply because they couldn’t get the seat into a comfortable position. Hopefully, this new power seat will be able to help some of those people.

Another upgrade is going to be to the new 8-inch infotainment system. The unit itself is different in design from the 2019 and is more in line with other newer Toyotas. With this unit, we have a lot more raised physical buttons vs the flat/flushed buttons of the past. The aesthetics may be different but the firmware and user experience are pretty much the same. This system still runs off Toyota’s Entune and that hasn’t changed all that much through the years. To me, this isn’t the best looking UI out there and it’s time for Toyota to update the entire system if they want to keep up with the competition. It’s just a good thing that Toyota FINALLY added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to this system so we can connect our phones and get something that’s much more pleasing to look at and more intuitive to use. I’m an iPhone user so I can only account for Apply CarPlay. Again, this is one of those things that’s hard to believe that it took this long for us to get. It should be noted that although CarPlay is a nice addition, it still requires a wired connection. To me, this is counter-intuitive because the Tacoma comes with a wireless Qi charging mat. So, you can charge your phone wirelessly but if you want to connect it to CarPlay, you have to use a cable. It just seems redundant and unnecessary. Wireless CarPlay is something that Toyota already employs in other vehicles and for the price of the TRD Pro, they really should’ve included it.

Lastly, with the interior, the 2020 TRD Pro comes with newly designed floor mats. They probably perform about the same as in previous years, but these new mats do look a lot better.

Next, let’s talk about some of the upgraded technology that comes with the 2020 TRD Pro. A highly advertised feature is the new Multi-Terrain Monitor. This comes with a front-facing camera and more cameras on either side view mirror. These cameras are used in conjunction with the rear camera to create a 360-degree bird’s eye view of the Tacoma. This is useful for an offroader because it allows you to see completely around the vehicle and can help you navigate around obstacles without getting hung up. When on road, this feature can be very useful when moving around parking lots or tight spaces like a garage. This is an extremely useful feature but the downside is that Toyota didn’t make the effort to upgrade the cameras and screen to provide higher resolution. You can make things out but don’t expect to get a sharp video feed. Also, if you get a Tacoma with this system, make sure to use and get used to it because I find that there is some distortion and the way that your surrounding is displayed can be misleading. For example, the screen may show that you’re right on top of an object, but it’s really a foot away. Again, get used to the system and understand how it works or you may cause some damage to the truck.

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Another new feature for the 2020 TRD Pro is the inclusion of Toyota Remote Connect and other Connected Services. Remote Connect is Toyota’s auto-start system with mobile app integration. This allows you to start/stop the Tacoma from the smart key fob without actually being in the vehicle by pressing the lock button 3 times. On a cold winter day, this is going to be an extremely welcomed feature. If you don’t have the key fob around, you’ll still be able to access these features with the mobile app. You can start/stop the truck, lock/unlock the doors and even track the vehicle’s location. If someone happens to steal your truck, the likelihood of retrieving it is going to be so much higher. Of all the 2020 upgrades, this may be my favorite. The only bad thing about this is that it is actually a subscription service. The truck comes with a 1-year trial, but after that, the service costs $80 a year or $8 a month. That’s a huge bummer considering that aftermarket options cost about $400 and is a one time cost.