July 2017 – Page 11

Galen Leather MacBook sleeves review

I am a total sucker for nice leather gear and fine woodworking. I find the old world craftsmanship and artistry very appealing in today’s disposable world. So when Julie asked if I’d like to review some handmade items from Istanbul, Turkey I jumped at the chance. In this case, Galen Leather is a small leather company that creates handmade covers, cases, wallets, and tech-accessories that they ship worldwide.

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

The Galen Leather backstory talks to me in several ways… Like Zeynep, I was diagnosed with cancer back in my twenties and while fine and dandy a lifetime later the experience forever changed the path of my life and how I walk thru it. In addition to that, I have always wanted to work with leather and am impressed how she transformed that hobby into a full-time career. And while I’ll never go into the business, I hope/plan to take a class or two of leather working in my retirement. All of my ramblings aside, let’s get down to the review.

Galen Leather sent, for lack of a better term, a care-package or sampler of their products to checkout. So, instead of a focused review on a single item, I thought I would discuss them and their overall material quality, craftsmanship, and design. Galen Leather sources their materials locally. The leather they use is 2-4mm thick vegetable tanned cow leather, all stained, edge painted and finely stitched by hand.

Leather MacBook Sleeves:

Galen sent two MacBook sleeves, one in brown and the other in Crazy Horse leathers. The are both perfectly fitted for the 12″ MacBook.

The brown sleeve is their basic design meant to hold just your MacBook. It has a medium softness/stiffness that will wear in with time. The sleeve was a bit tight initially but loosened with time. The closure flap slides under the strap that holds it in place.

The Crazy Horse sleeve they sent is the more deluxe variant with the optional back pocket (+$23) and handle (+$12). The Crazy Horse leather is softer with a more rugged look. Here you can see it holding my 12″ MacBook and 10.5″ iPad…it was a bit snug but works very well for carrying both.

As mentioned above, all the stitching is hand done with waxed polyamide thread. The edges are beveled, waxed, and burnished for a nice finished look. Of the two, I prefer the softer Crazy Horse leather sleeve with the back pocket…it is currently my goto sleeve for may laptop.

Leather Zippered Large Pencil Pouch / Case – Crazy Horse:

The zippered case is designed to carry pens, pencils, cables, etc. It is also a nice size for helping organize your EDC gear.

That is my plan for it…replacing my old nylon pouch, to carry my multitude of bits and cables around.

N0. 38 Minimalist Leather Wallet – Dark Brown

Funny story regarding the wallet, I opened the package from Galen with my wife’s Friday night wine club. As soon as I opened the box with the No.38 minimalistic wallet, my wife immediately said “I want that!” Even with all the review items I receive, that is relatively rare circumstance…so I guess she has dibs .

Like all Galen Leather products, the leather is hand finished and stitched with a great old world vibe to it.

The No. 38 wallet has two internal slipper pockets, each designed to hold a handful of credit cards, your ID, and a few bills as well. Here you can see it with 6 cards and a few bills. The wallet is held securely closed by a brass snap.

Walnut Hard Wood MacBook Stand

The walnut laptop stand has an interesting design, made from two identical pieces of hardwood that slide together like a jigsaw puzzle. Like all Galen Leather products, the wood stand is nicely sanded/finished and stained by hand.

When separated, the two legs support the MacBook above your work surface at a more useable height and angle for viewing.

The stand is meant to be used with a separate keyboard and mouse/trackpad. Here you can see it with the iogear ultra-slim mini USB-C dock I reviewed a few months ago. And with a bit of double sided tape, this setup works for me much better than I thought it would.

The bottom line: I really like all of the Galen Leather products Zeynep & Yusuf sent to me. Like I said, their Crazy Horse leather sleeve is my goto method for carrying my 12″ MacBook when not in my gear bag. The Walnut MacBook stand works very well and continues to suspend my laptop above my desk. And lastly, my wife has taken possession of the N0. 38 minimalistic wallet as promised. All of their products are handmade with great care and artistry…well worth considering.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Galen Leather. Please visit their site for more information and to order.

Product Information

Price:	Varies
Manufacturer:	Galen Leather
Pros:	Handmade Old World craftsmanship Constructed from high quality materials Great minimalistic design Perfectly fitted Design to last decades
Cons:	None

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, Leather, Macbook, Pouch, Wallets

Galen Leather MacBook sleeves review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 19, 2017 at 9:27 am.

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PrimoToys Cubetto review

Before receiving Cubetto, the thought of teaching computer programming to our young boys, ages four and six, never crossed our minds. Even though I am an engineer, I had not yet considered how to give them some basic tools that would perk their interest in STEM subjects, specifically computers. Our kids are as efficient as any out there on an iPad to navigate to their games or YouTube Kids, but actually learning computer logic wasn’t on our list of important things for them to be learning this summer…..until this little wooden cube named Cubetto from PrimoToys arrived.

PrimoToys has come up with a very approachable platform for children to learn basic computer coding and logic, which my kids have taken to from the moment our new little friend was freed from his cardboard box. Being Montessori approved, Cubetto is every bit an educational toy but it is sly in its teaching through the use of stories and maps, which the children learn how to follow the story using coding to move the little robot across one of six large floor maps.

What’s in the box? Included in the package is Cubetto, a little wooden robot, the control board, a bag of coding tiles and six floor maps, each with its own story and adventure. Each story starts you off on a designated square on the map and begins to lead you around the map. Your child’s job is to use the four different tile types to accomplish these tasks. Within minutes of unboxing Cubetto and selecting the first adventure, our six-year-old was navigating his new little friend all over the map with ease. Both my wife and I were astounded at how quickly he picked it up and knew what he had to do to follow the direction of the story.

Our four-year-old is a little more abstract so he liked to try to make his own adventure, not following the exact story but was able to navigate Cubetto nonetheless. PrimoToys says this is for children ages three and up. This may be a little advanced for a three-year-old but I can see how they could still enjoy it with a little more help from a parent. Both of our children are now able to come up with their own adventures and design their own codes to play out their own stories when they want to go off script.

Both of our children are enrolled in a Montessori school so this method of teaching fits right in with their school activities. Both of them have already said they want to bring it to school in the fall to show their friends and teachers the new skills they learned over the summer.

Summary

Pros: Easy for kids to pick up and start playing and learning right out of the box and a great family activity that introducing coding and logic skills. A unique toy that teaches real life skills and builds a foundation for future education in computers.

Cons: One thing that I would recommend to Primo is to add more coding tiles to the set. We often find ourselves running out of tiles before being finished with a task and having to break up Cubetto’s journey into multiple segments because of this limitation. It is also on the expensive side for a children’s toy but there are a few packages left on the Kickstarter page that offer some savings.

Overall this has been a fantastic toy for our children, both as a family activity and something they can do on their own. I have already recommended it to friends for their children and will also recommend this product here. I am thrilled that our children have enjoyed it so much and are learning skills that can help them be better prepared as they continue their education.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Primo. For more info visit their site and their Kickstarter campaign to order one.

Product Information

Price:	$225
Manufacturer:	Primotoys
Retailer:	Kickstarter
Pros:	Easy for kids to pick up and start playing and learning right out of the box and a great family activity that introducing coding and logic skills. A unique toy that teaches real life skills and builds a foundation for future education in computers.
Cons:	One thing that I would recommend to Primo is to add more coding tiles to the set. We often find ourselves running out of tiles before being finished with a task and having to break up Cubetto’s journey into multiple segments because of this limitation. It is also on the expensive side for a children’s toy but there are a few packages left on the Kickstarter page that offer some savings.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Educational, Kid Gadgets, Programming

PrimoToys Cubetto review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 19, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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The Molekule Air Purifier breaks down indoor pollution on a molecular level

”Sometimes, all I need is the air that I breathe…”

To some allergy and asthma sufferers, this cute line from the Hollies classic song is a way of life. What most people take for granted can be a life-long problem for others. Pollutants, mold, pollen, viruses, and dust that we breathe is five times more concentrated indoors, where we spend 90% of our time. Air filters can trap but not eliminate it. Now, there is an indoor air purifier that kills the bad stuff we breathe—dead. Introducing Molekule, the world’s first molecular air purifier.

Molekule is backed by the EPA and 20 years of academic research & development. It breaks down and destroys harmful microscopic pollutants regardless how small, including those 1000x times smaller than what a HEPA filter can collect. In fact, there is nothing left that can build up on filters.

Pollutants are trapped indoors where they concentrate and multiply to harmful levels. Indoor pollution can contribute to a wide variety of health issues for everyone, not just asthma and allergy sufferers. Independent lab studies have shown 3.9 million E.Coli were completely eliminated in a single pass through a Molekule system. Molekule broke the E. Coli bacterium down into harmless molecules.

“Molekule disassembles and converts pollutants into harmless elements that are meant to be in the air. This is done by creating a catalytic reaction that happens when a nanoparticle-coated filter is activated by light. Pollutants are broken down into their most basic molecular components, making them safe for us to breathe,” according to a company statement.

Molekule can be connected to wifi and will become smarter over time to respond to the individual needs of a household. Using its iPhone or Android app, the device can be controlled remotely. Alternatively, Molekule can be controlled without WIFI via its built-in touch screen display.

A limited quantity of Molekule air purifiers will be available for pre-order at a special price of $499 USD with one year of filters free. Molekule will retail for $799 US. Based on usage and the environment, the device automatically determines when filters need to be replaced. Filters will be automatically mailed to consumers for an annual rate of $99 US per year.

Visit www.molekule.com for more information.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Health and fitness

The Molekule Air Purifier breaks down indoor pollution on a molecular level originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 19, 2017 at 6:46 am.

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OxyLED stick-on lights review

Adding extra light where none exists can be a huge hassle and expense when wiring, and new electrical work is concerned. An easier way is to add easy to install stick up lights like the OxySense T-01 DIY Stick-On Anywhere 4-LED Touch Tap Light and the Motion Sensor Night Light from OxyLED. Let’s check them out.

What is it?

OxyLED lights are easy to install stick up lights that don’t require you to call an electrician or your friend who works construction. Anyone can install these lights including me. All you need is a place that needs some extra light and a flat surface to stick them.

OxyLED sent me two lights. One runs on regular batteries and the other one has a rechargeable battery. Let’s take a look at the OxySense T-01 first.

OxyLED OxySense T-01 DIY Stick-on Anywhere 4-LED Touch Tap Light

The OxySense T-01 DIY Stick-On Anywhere 4-LED Touch Tap Light which I’ll just call the OxySense from here on out, is a simple light that has 4 LEDs arranged in a horizontal line.

This light has a plastic 6.89 x 1.77in case which is available in a few different colors like the green that you see here.

If you flip the light over, you’ll see two 3M adhesive pads which you’ll use to mount this light on a flat clean surface.

The back slides off to reveal the battery compartment. The OxySense runs on 3 AAA batteries which are not included. There’s also no info on the OxyLED site about how long the batteries should last.

The light bar can rotate 180 degrees so you can direct the light to the right angle. Notice the two small “pegs” that protrude from the light bar on the right side. That’s the touch switch. When you touch that switch with your finger, it will toggle the light on or off.

To install the OxySense, you insert 3 AAA batteries in the battery compartment, replace the battery cover, peel the covering off the 3M stickers and then press the light to a flat surface. As you can see from the image above, I’ve mounted the light under a cabinet in my kitchen.

How bright are the LEDs? Check out the photos above. The photo on the left shows the OxySense turned off and the photo on the right shows the OxySense with the light turned on. Drastic difference? I don’t think so. Actually, the only reason you can tell that the light is on in the images above is that it was a gloomy day when I took them. If I turn on the overhead light in the kitchen and then turn on the OxySense light, you can barely tell it’s on.

This light is only good for really dark areas. It’s not going to offer much in the way of additional lighting for an area that already has medium bright lighting.

Price: $8.99 from Amazon.

OxyLED T-04 Motion Sensor Night Light

I was more interested in reviewing the T-04 Motion Sensor Night Light than the OxySense T-01 because the Motion Sensor Night Light has a rechargeable battery, multiple ways to mount it and it’s motion activated, which means you don’t have to flip a switch to turn on the light.

The bar shaped light is 15.8 x 1.5 x 0.7 inches and comes in white.

The light comes with several ways to mount it. One way to mount it is with the small magnets on the back that will let you stick the light to a flat steel surface.

There’s also a vertical plastic clip that you can attach with screws on the included adhesive strip.

There’s also a horizontal bracket that you can also mount using screws or the adhesive strips.

Another way to mount the OxyLED T-04 Motion Sensor Light is with the slide out hang tab.

You won’t need to search around for batteries to power this stick-up light because it has a built-in rechargeable battery. To charge it, you detach the battery pack from the end of the light and then plug it into a USB port on your computer or into a USB charging adapter.

It can take up to 3hrs to fully charge the 900mAh battery pack. An LED on the front will glow red while charging and will turn off once charging has finished.

A full charge will provide up to 4 hours of light. Take into consideration that you’ll probably not turn the light on for that full time… although you can.

Most people will probably use the light’s motion switch and only light it when motion is detected like when the door to a dark closet is opened.

The switch on the end of the light has 3 settings that you can use to control the behavior of the light. Of means it won’t light at all. On means it’s always on and Auto means it will light up when it detects motion and will turn off after 20 seconds of inactivity.

A dark closet is where I decided to mount the OxyLED Motion Sensor Light using the vertical clip.

The light has 25 cool white LEDs that put out a decent amount of light. How much light?

Here’s my hall closet with the T-04 turned off.

And here it is with the light turned on.

Although it’s twice as expensive, I like the OxyLED T-04 Motion Sensor Night Light a lot more than the OxySense T-01 light. With the T-04 you don’t have to worry about feeding it batteries and it turns off and on automatically.

Price: $19.99 from Amazon.

Final thoughts

OxyLED stick up lights are easy to install and use. I recommend the T-04 Motion Sensor Night Light. But the T-01 OxySense would work fine in a dark closet as long as you don’t forget to turn it off when you’re done.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by OxyLED. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$8.99 – $19.99
Manufacturer:	Oxyled
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Both: Easy to install T-01: Easy on/off with a tap T-04: Multiple mounting options T-04: Motion activation T-04: Rechargeable battery
Cons:	T-01: Doesn't come with batteries T-01: Isn't very bright

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: LED lighting

OxyLED stick-on lights review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 18, 2017 at 5:21 pm.

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This backpack runs on jet fuel

Until humans evolve to have the ability to fly like Superman, we’ll continue to dream about flying like Superman. One way to fuel that dream is with this fun Jetpack Backpack from Suck UK.

The Jetpack Backpack is a regular backpack with adjustable shoulder straps and a main zippered compartment for books, your laptop, etc.

There are two side compartments that you can use to hold your space travel snacks, a tricorder, moon dust sample containers, and more.

What makes this backpack cool are the two jet fuel compartments on the back that you can use to carry your water bottle and other gear while you soar the skies.

You can read more about the Jetpack Backpack at suck.uk.com where you can order one for $50. You can also check availability from Amazon.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Bags, Space

This backpack runs on jet fuel originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 18, 2017 at 3:53 pm.

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