It’s New Year’s Eve.
While the rest of the tech world is churning out polished, AI-generated “year in review” posts that sound like corporate press releases, I’m looking at a different set of numbers.
I currently have exactly 30 people subscribed to my newsletter.
Technically the dashboard says 31, but one of those is me. Whomp whomp. I’d still rather have 30 people who give a sh*t about honesty than 30,000 who just want more BS in their inbox. If you’re one of those Founding 30, thank you.
The Wreckage of 1996
I recently shared a story on Threads that I debated posting for a long time. It was about Christmas 1996—the year my mother was caught with 374 pounds of marijuana.
I grew up in cartel-operated houses. “Family vacations” were just drug runs from Florida to the border in a loaded van. I was handed thousands of dollars as a kid, which sounds like a dream to some, but was actually a curse. By the time I was 15, I had my first possession charge and my mother was headed to federal prison.
I spent years outrunning that wreckage. But eventually, you stop running and start building. That’s what this site is: the result of 14 years of professional writing experience filtered through a life that has seen too much chaos to tolerate fake reviews.
“Handing a child that kind of money isn’t a blessing. It’s a curse.” Read the full story on Threads
What I Built in 2025
If you’re new to Tony Reviews Things, or if you just missed the highlights from this month, these are the pieces of work I’m most proud of. No BS. Just the stuff worth your time:
- The Best Productivity Desk Setups for 2026: For when you finally decide to get organized.
- How to Build Apps with Google AI Studio in 15 Minutes: How I’m building custom tools without the headache.
- Why Google Ate OpenAI’s Lunch in 2025: My take on why Google is winning the war right now.
For everything else, including my gear lists, Amazon picks, and other channels, you can find the full hub here: The Tony Reviews Things Links Page.
What’s Coming in 2026
I’m doubling down next year. I’m aiming for my first major brand partnership (if they can handle the honesty) and launching a “Best Of” weekly series to help you find the products and tools that actually work.
The newsletter is moving to Beehiiv, as well. Why? Because Mailchimp started charging to use custom HTML, and honestly, fuck them. I’m not paying for the privilege of using my own code.
One Final Question
I don’t want to just scream into the void. I want to build a community of people who value the truth.
What is the one piece of tech you bought this year that actually lived up to the hype?
Drop a comment below. I read and personally respond to every single one of them.
Enjoy your New Year’s Eve. Hug your family. Pet the dogs and cats. Log off for a bit.
See you in 2026.
