March 2017 – Page 10

ADATA AI910 Card Reader Plus review

I have a lot of devices. There, I said it. Each has a purpose, but all share one common need for data, whether that is supplying it in the form of pictures (my Nikon S220 camera) or consuming it as video (my iPad and Android tablet). The problem is that each has a different connector and a different way of getting data on or off the device. This has required a variety of solutions to move data directly without using a single device as a central hub (like my MacBook Pro or my Surface Pro). That is until I was introduced to the ADATA AI910 card reader. The packaging says that it works with iOS, Android, and Windows. Conspicuously absent from that list is macOS. Let’s see whether this reader lives up to the claim.

The device

The reader can handle both standard SD cards as well as microSD. That should cover most device needs. Note, though, that the reader cannot simultaneously access both types – if you insert both an SD card along with a microSD, the default for the device is to use the SD card. The same rule applies to external connections. If you try to connect the reader to multiple devices (say, your Windows laptop and your iPad), the reader will default to the Lightning connector and ignore any other connections. That behavior is expected, so nothing unusual there. Just interesting to note in that you can’t use this device as a pass-through data transfer unit.

Somewhere between the 2 card slots, there is a blue LED that lets you know the device is being accessed. If you have an SD card in the slot and that card is facing up, then the device oddly is upside down – that is, the logo is now down, which in turn makes the light less visible. The next picture illustrates this – the device itself is what I would consider to be “top side up” and as you can see, the SD card label is facing down. This would allow you to see the LED flashing, though. Just seems a little like an odd orientation.

Looking at the front of the device, the Lightning connector is hard-wired into the top. There is a micro USB port on the left side, and a supplied cable plugs into either a standard USB type A connector or another micro USB port. It is kind of ingenious how they have built the device end of this cable – instead of 2 device cables, the top of the USB type A lifts to reveal the micro USB plug.

My only concern with this is simply that cables get lost, and small, essential cables even more so. I searched the Internet briefly and could not find a USB micro to micro cable, so hopefully, if you lose this ADATA will sell you another – otherwise, you would lose the ability to connect the reader to any micro USB host (like most Android phones or tablets). Also, ADATA does not appear to have a USB type C solution. At the moment, that is not as big a problem as it would seem – it affects only a smallish segment of users like late model MacBook and MacBook Pro users or Google Nexus/Pixel owners. Still, something to keep in mind if you own a device with the latest USB type C connector.

Windows

To test the card reader, I used an ADATA supplied and branded 32GB Class 10 SD card. According to the label on the card, this should be capable of 95 MB/s reads and 45 MB/s writes. Of course, the ability to achieve those speeds is not always within reach as a lot will depend on the type of port you will plug in to, the number of other devices competing for bandwidth on that channel and on. For this test, I plugged the card into an Amazon Basics USB 3 10 port hub with 6 other devices simultaneously connected, ranging from a Logitech web cam to a Dymo LabelWriter. The hub was connected to a Microsoft Surface Dock which in turn was connected to a Surface Pro 4 via the proprietary (and also under the hood, USB) connector. The card was formatted as FAT32 and not exFAT just because I really wanted to cripple this test.

All of that to say this setup should bring the card reader to its knees in terms of read and write speeds. I used the free SpeedOut utility to benchmark. I was surprised by the results – approximately 31 MB/s reading and 26 MB/s writing. Not stunning performance, but honestly better than expected given the circumstances. The following is the average of 6 tests – once I managed to get reads up to 46 MB/s, but for the most part this is what I saw.

The verdict? It should be fast enough for all but the most demanding of people – like, perhaps, professional photographers who are pushing 256GB worth of images at a time. The device shows up as a standard external drive in Windows 10 – no special drivers to load. Checkmark in the Windows column.

macOS

The packaging does not specifically name macOS as a supported operating system, but I didn’t see any reason why this would not work. Using my MacBook Pro (early 2015 running Sierra), I plugged the device directly into the laptop, and within a second or so, the card mounted and was visible. I did not benchmark on macOS, but the card reader felt snappy and responsive. I copied a 2.5GB 1080p MKV video of The Hunt for Red October from a network share to the SD card in a little under 3 minutes. Not bad at all, and a checkmark in the macOS column (the virtual one since ADATA did not say it would work).

Remember, though: my MacBook Pro is not the 2016 model. I have USB type A ports where the newer model has only type C.

Android

Next, I plugged the card into my Nikon camera and took about 20 pictures of my dogs. What can I say – Steve and Edie are cute.

My Nikon S220 does not have built-in wifi or pretty much any native way to get images from the camera to the cloud. Long ago I lost the special data cable (see what I mean about external cables?), so every time I want to get images from the camera to Google Photos, for example, I use the tried and true “sneaker-net” – remove the card and follow a set of steps with my laptop to get the images into the cloud. This meant I would have to wait until I got back to my laptop and that I had Internet connectivity.

I removed the card from the camera, plugged it into the ADATA reader and then using the extended data cable I plugged the reader into my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. The device was recognized as an OTG (or On The Go) device type and in a couple of seconds, the card was mounted as external storage on the phone without the need for any special drivers or applications. I opened Google Photos, and within another second or so, my images were on the way to the cloud directly from the reader. Nice. I also copied a video from my phone’s storage to the card.

Checkmark in the Android column.

iOS

Things are a little different in the iOS world, but not overly cumbersome. In order for the reader to work on an iPhone, iPod or iPad, you must first load ADATA’s special reader application called i-Memory. No, I don’t know why it is called that, either. Regardless, a quick download and install from the app store and iOS was ready for the reader.

After plugging the reader into my iPad Air 2 via the Lightning connector and running the i-Memory app, the card mounted as external storage. The app gives you the option of backing up your camera roll to storage or copying items to the tablet’s internal storage. Instead of doing either, I opened the video player app and played the video I copied from my network under Windows. It was apparent the player buffered the video by the delay starting it, but once playing it was smooth and glitch-free.

Checkmark in the iOS column.

Final Thoughts

The ADATA Card Reader Plus is a solid performer that works well with every platform it says it will and with one it doesn’t even mention. At $49.95 retail, it is a little more expensive than other options, but then most of those options do not offer the cross-platform capabilities this reader does. Other than the possible loss of the external data connection cable, there no real downsides to this device. And if you have a need to transfer files between a variety of devices, the AI910 is a great choice.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by ADATA. For more info visit their site and Amazon to price check.

Product Information

Price:	$49.95
Manufacturer:	ADATA
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Solid performer Compact size Reads the 2 most common card types Works with macOS even though it is not specifically named
Cons:	Connector cable for Windows and Android easy to lose

Filed in categories: Android, iOS, Reviews

Tagged: Memory Card Reader

ADATA AI910 Card Reader Plus review originally appeared on on March 20, 2017 at 10:08 am.

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Folditflat Unitensil 3-in-1 reusable and foldable eating utensil review

If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you have some food, but no spoon, fork, or knife to help you eat it, you might want to consider adding the Unitensil from Folditflat to your arsenal of EDC tools.

What is it?

The Folditflat Unitensil is a 3-in-1 reusable and foldable eating utensil that has a spoon, fork and a knife all in one piece of cutlery.

Design and features

The Unitensil (I don’t even want to try to say that three times fast), is a lightweight alternative to the spork. It offers the same features as a spork, with a spoon, fork, and knife, but it folds up into a handy flat package that can be easily carried in a pocket or gear bag.

The Unitensil is made of food grade polypropylene which is BPA phthalate and lead-free. It’s also recyclable (#5) and dishwasher safe.

Using the Unitensel

To use the Unitensil, you just remove it from the protective sleeve, unfold it, and snap the center together. The snap closure is very strong and will not unsnap on its own.

Once it’s snapped, all that’s left to do is eat!

I tested the Unitensil with a variety of foods like my morning steel cut oats that you see above.

This eating utensil worked fine as a spoon. It wasn’t as “comfortable” as using a regular spoon due to the way you have to hold it, but that wasn’t a big deal.

Sometimes the oatmeal would get wedged in the slot near the snap, which was a little hard to dislodge without some tongue contortions.

I also tested the Unitensil as a fork with a pasta, broccoli and chicken dish. The fork worked fine at spearing the soft noodles and broccoli. I had a little trouble with the chicken though, especially cutting larger pieces using the serrated edge of the fork because it’s really awkward to try to cut a piece of meat with just a knife when nothing is holding the meat.

I realized immediately that the Unitensil is for right handed people. I’m left handed. When I went to try to cut a piece of chicken, The serrated edge of the knife was along the top edge of the fork instead of the bottom edge. So I had to switch to holding the Unitensil in my right hand which made cutting even more awkward.

I also tested the Unitensil’s spoon eating soup. It worked fine with thick soups, but for thin soups, the broth could travel backward down the handle under the snap to the other end of the utensil when I would lift the soup to my mouth if I wasn’t careful.

Final thoughts

I think the Folditflat Unitensil works pretty well as a travel spoon and fork. Is it perfect? Nope. But you’re not going to care if you’re hungry and need a tool to get food in your belly. And although I’d probably prefer using a spork, the Unitensil is lighter weight and smaller than a spork, so it’s a slightly easier to add to your EDC. I’ve added the Unitensil to my EDC for my next oops-I-need-a-spoon moment.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Folditflat. Please visit their site for more info.

Product Information

Price:	$21 for a package of 6 which includes shipping
Manufacturer:	Folditflat
Pros:	Lightweight Small enough for a pocket or bag Easy to use
Cons:	Not great for thin soups Not optimal for lefties when using the knife

Filed in categories: Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: Cutlery

Folditflat Unitensil 3-in-1 reusable and foldable eating utensil review originally appeared on on March 20, 2017 at 7:28 am.

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Magpul DAKA wallets: tough, waterproof, super slim

A while back, I posted a news item about the Magpul DAKA Pouch. Made in the U.S.A. from polymer-infused, chemical-resistant, non-hygroscopic (will not absorb moisture) textiles with an anti-slip texture that are impenetrably RF-welded on all seams, the DAKA Pouch is one of the toughest gear carrying items you may ever find.

Not content with just pouches, Magpul has also released two DAKA Wallets: the DAKA Essential Wallet (above left) and the DAKA Micro Wallet (above right). The DAKA Essential Wallet holds 3-7 cards in a combination of 1 pocket in the front and 2 in the back, (check out the video) while the DAKA Micro Wallet holds 1-3 cards in a single pocket. Both are available in Flat Dark Earth (shown above left), Black (shown above right), Stealth Gray or Olive Drab Green colors. The Magpul DAKA Essential Wallet retails for $16.95 and the DAKA Micro Wallet retails for $9.95. I have to say, these look pretty cool; that DAKA Essential Wallet could give my current EDC wallet, the SlimFold Soft Shell wallet, a run for its money. Shoot over to magpul.com for additional info or to order.

Filed in categories: News, Wallets

Tagged:

Magpul DAKA wallets: tough, waterproof, super slim originally appeared on on March 19, 2017 at 5:03 pm.

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ec-bc luggage, Apple iPads, iPods, and more – Review updates

This batch of review updates covers some devices that are almost 10 years old! How’s that for long-term use info? That’s actually the whole point of these regular review updates. It’s a way to let you know how well a product stands the test of time. Click through to see a list of the reviews that have been updated and then find the update at the bottom of each review.

ec-bc Sparrow II Wheeled Garment Bag review by Bill Henderson

Flosstime automated floss dispenser review by Julie Strietelmeier

mStation Orb 2.1 Stereo iPod Speaker review by Julie Strietelmeier

Apple iPod Classic 6th generation review by Julie Strietelmeier

Apple iPad 2 Review by Janet Cloninger

Apple iPad (3rd Generation) Review by Julie Strietelmeier, Janet Cloninger and David Rees

Product Information

Price:

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: review updates

ec-bc luggage, Apple iPads, iPods, and more – Review updates originally appeared on on March 19, 2017 at 11:01 am.

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PAX East 2017 trip report

This past weekend I attended PAX East 2017 in Boston at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. PAX is a gaming convention held at different venues and times throughout the country. PAX truly is a celebration of all things gaming and loads of fun.

What is PAX?

In 2004, the creators of the webcomic Penny Arcade decided to create a convention exclusively for gaming. That first gathering in Bellevue, Washington had about 4,500 people in attendance and focused on board, tabletop, card, arcade, console and computer gaming culture and community. Each year since its inception the convention has doubled in size and in 2010 the show expanded into Boston for PAX East. The PAX shows in Seattle and Boston now represent the two largest gaming events in North America.

Game creators, computer manufacturers, toy makers, gadget purveyors and the like all gather at PAX to show and promote their latest wares. The booths range from a single table to city-block-long sets complete with light shows and MCs.

Several huge sections of PAX are cordoned off just for networked gaming. There are a number of competitions throughout the weekend and gamers are encouraged to bring their own PCs or use one of the hundreds of high-end units supplied by manufacturers like Intel.

Tabletop gamers are also given their own specific areas on the floor to compete in tournaments or try out some of the many new and up-and-coming games being promoted.

There are demos for everything from VR car-racing rigs to PC cooling systems. New PC games are frequently debuted at PAX and it gives game lovers the chance to try the latest games before they hit the shelves.

Of course, there are gadgets at PAX! For some reason, mechanical keyboards seemed to be VERY popular with the PAX crowd and there were a number of customizable keyboards that had some amazing features as well as very high price tags.

Not to be outdone by the digital game industry, a huge portion of the vendor area was reserved for tabletop gaming paraphernalia. Dice, dice towers, gaming mats, spell books and all sorts of tabletop gaming apparatus were on display.

Several vendors displayed very high-end luxury furniture designed specifically for tabletop gaming. The design, quality, and functionality of some of these tables were amazing. Some of the more intricate designs take as much as a full year to design, customize and build to a customer’s specifications.

Besides the exhibition floor, the convention center’s meeting rooms were jam-packed and scheduled with a number of panels, discussions, and presentations all having to do with gaming culture, personalities, and industry. I attended a fascinating discussion on real scientific theories present in current game titles.

PAX East is great fun for people even mildly interested in gaming. The community, attendees, exhibitors and PAX volunteers are all very enthusiastic, helpful and just nice in general. This was my first time attending a PAX convention, but it won’t be my last. I would love to attend PAX West in Seattle or PAX South in San Antonio and enjoy all those conventions have to offer as well.

Find the news PAX convention at paxsite.com

Filed in categories: Articles, Gaming Gear

Tagged: Trip Report

PAX East 2017 trip report originally appeared on on March 19, 2017 at 8:36 am.

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