You’ll never run out of coffee pods with the Java Smart Container

The WePlenish Java Smart Container is a current Kickstarter campaign.  WePlenish thinks the way of the future is to automate the home’s entire pantry, so goods will track their amounts and automatically order when they run low.  They’re starting with the Java Smart Container, which works with Amazon’s Dash Replenishment system to automatically reorder your favorite coffee pods, espresso capsules, tea, or even snack foods when supplies run low.  The Java Smart is the first and only container paired with Dash.

The container is battery-powered, so you can place it anywhere.  You connect it to WiFi, select the pantry item it will track, and let the WePlenish container do the rest.  You’ll just need to drop the new supplies in the container when they are delivered to your door.  The WePlenish app, available for Android and iOS, shows you a complete list of compatible consumables.

The Java Smart Container is available in black or white.  MSRP will be about $40, but the early bird pledge is $20 for a single Java Smart.  Estimated delivery is September 2018.  The funding period ends Friday, June 29, 2018, at 8:30 AM EDT.  Learn more at Kickstarter.

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You’ll never run out of coffee pods with the Java Smart Container originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 8, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Rollors Yard Game review

Looking for a new game to spice up your outdoor parties? Rollors provides a new take on some classic lawn games, using wooden disks that you roll across the yard. It’s simple & friendly for all ages, and adds an element of chance that evens out the playing field. Let’s play! 

What is it?

It’s an outdoor yard game with wood pieces that combines elements of bocce, horseshoes and lawn bowling.

Hardware specs

  • ASTM toy safety tested and approved
  • Product Weight: 5 pounds
  • Product Dimensions(in inches)15.0 x 8.0 x 5.5

What’s in the box?

The Rollors game comes with 2 goals, 3 red rolling disks, 3 blue rolling disks, measuring chords and instructions. It’s all packed in a convenient travel bag.

Design and features

The Rollors game kit is pretty sweet. All the the pieces are made from lightweight wood that can be managed with big and small hands. Friendly graphics are printed on all the pieces. Here’s a close up of some parts. Don’t they look fun?

Gameplay is very similar to lawn bowling or horseshoes. You’ll set up the pylon-shaped goals about 25 feet apart. Each player gets three disks, which they take turns rolling at the goal on the opposite end of the playing field.

The objective is to roll your disks to a stop closest to the goal. After each player has rolled all three disks, the closest disk to the goal within a 5 foot radius scores points equal to the number face up on the disk. The fist player to 21 points wins the game.

Here’s where the element of chance comes into play: each disk is printed with a different number on each side ( 1-6, 2-5, and 3-4 respectively). That means that you could score the closest shot, but points will vary based on which side faces up.

Much like horseshoes, the rules also allow score multipliers. A “leaner” is worth double points, and a disk that scores and remains standing on its edge is worth the total points on both sides of the disk. If you have more than one disk that lands closest to the goal, you’ll get points for each. This means that scoring can add up pretty quickly if you have a good round.

The game also comes with a measuring string. Stick the post in the goal, and pull the measuring string tight. That’s your scoring radius. You can also pinch the line to measure rolls that are comparatively close. It’s a clever addition that will keep things honest if there’s some heavy competition happening.

We pulled out Rollers over the Memorial Day weekend, and it passed the Family Fun Test. Everyone enjoyed the simplicity of the game, which doesn’t require special skill to participate. It’s also quite a bit safer for younger players since the pieces are light and staying on the ground. The disks will also work on sand, dirt or similar rough surfaces without any extra setup, so you can pretty much take it anywhere. It’s a lot of fun.

The only negative that I noticed about the game is that the finishing on the pieces can pick up some nicks and scratches. We hit a rock in the lawn that left a mark on one of the disks. Not a big deal, but a stronger finish on the wood might reduce this issue.

What I like

  • Easy to learn for new players
  • Family friendly for kids and adults
  • Lightweight and portable
  • Certified fun by Bob’s Backyard Play Testers

What needs to be improved

  • The softer finishing on the pieces picks up nicks and scratches

Final thoughts

Rollers is a clever yard game that will satisfy both skilled and novice players. I really like the portability and ease of setup; you can take it just about anywhere. If you’re looking for an alternative to some of the current backyard games, you’ll be sure to keep the crowd entertained with this one.

Price: $49.95
Where to buy: But direct from Rollors or on Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Rollors

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The Delux Designer may be just the right tool for Designers and Editors!


As long as I have been working as a photographer and filmmaker, I have continuously kept an “eye out” for innovative devices that add function and ease to my workflow, and especially to my editing workflow. Over the years, I have tried many devices all with their own positive and negatives, including some that integrated easily, and some that introduced caveats that were not worth the trouble.

Recently, I have been intrigued by a product that is on Kickstarter, that should be done with funding very soon and ready for production.

The Delux Designer is a one-handed keyboard that is being touted by the creators as the Ultimate Tool for Designers to boost work efficiency. It is compatible with 9 major software applications including Adobe Premiere, Photoshop, After Effects, Illustrator, CAD, 3D, Autodesk Maya, etc. It is also compatible with Wacom.

If you are as interested in the Delux Designer as I am, head over to the Delux website to remain updated on this product which has been selling (pre-order) on Kickstarter for $59. Shipping is scheduled to begin in July 2018.

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The Delux Designer may be just the right tool for Designers and Editors! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 8, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Haute couture for your Apple Watch

Forget the incredibly expensive Hermes bands for the Apple Watch.  With this Watch band from the TheWorldofLuxury shop on Etsy, you can have a Louis Vuitton band.  These are not reproduction or counterfeit; the bands are made from leather cut from real LV Sac Plat Bags.  While the seller says the bands are not “licensed Louis Vuitton products”, they are “handcrafted with love and special care from legally purchased Louis Vuitton bags.”

The bands are cut so that the long strap has 2 LV monograms on it, and the short strap has a floral monogram.  The LV leather will be backed with soft, genuine leather.  The bands are compatible with all APPLE Watch Series 1, 2, and 3, and they are available for both the 38mm and the 42mm Watch.  The connectors and buckles are available in black, silver, rose gold, or yellow gold to match your Watch.  Also specify the size of your wrist so your band can be crafted to fit you.

The LV Apple Watch band is $75.00 (25% off normal price) from TheWorldofLuxury shop.

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Haute couture for your Apple Watch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 7, 2018 at 11:51 am.

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Allegro Sonic electric toothbrush review

Brushing your teeth twice a day can often seem like a chore.  I would often find myself ‘rushing through the job’ in an effort to just get it over with.  That inevitably lead to issues with my gums because I was not spending enough time brushing or just plain brushing the wrong way.  Since then I have been using an electronic toothbrush (Philips Sonicare) and have received some greatly improved results from my dental hygienist.   So I do have a love affair with my electronic toothbrush.  That being said, I am always looking to see if there is some way to improve on what I already have.  When I got the opportunity to review the Allegro Sonic Electric Toothbrush I jumped at it.  Let’s see if it is any better than my current toothbrush.

What is it?

The Allegro Sonic Toothbrush is exactly what it sounds like.  It is an electronic toothbrush a lot like the Philips Sonicare that I currently have.  It does have some added features that the Sonicare does not have.

Hardware Specs

  • Its charging cradle is part of the actual travel kit.  You simply add the clear plastic top and it is ready to pack in your suitcase.
  • Comes in white or black
  • The clear plastic top can act as a cup
  • The charging cradle includes a section that will both sanitize and dry your toothbrush head.
  • Wireless charging
  • IPX7 Waterproof
  • 3 cleaning modes – clean mode, sensitive mode, clean and white mode
  • Will give a short frequency vibration to indicate when you should switch to a different part of your mouth.  This ensures you spend the required amount of time in each area.

What’s in the box?

The above picture shows what comes inside the box.

  • Clear top cup cap for the charging/sanitizing station
  • The actual charging/sanitizing station
  • User manual
  • Thank you card
  • Electronic toothbrush with a silicone cap over the toothbrush mounting point
  • 1 brush head
  • USB charging cable

Design and features

The above picture shows the Allego on the left next to my Sonicare on the right.  You can see that the charging station and the actual toothbrush and brush head are slightly larger.  According to my dentist and contrary to popular opinion I do have a rather small mouth.  So the larger brush head on the Allegro made it seem a bit tougher for me to get it around the sides of my very back teeth.  The bristles on the Allegro brush head were also quite a bit softer than what I was used to.  I use the ‘diamond clean’ version on the Sonicare.  I checked and currently this brush head is the only one they offer at this time.  I think in the future if they were to offer different sizes and hardness levels that would be a great thing to have.   The actual toothbrush body is completely round.  This means when I put it down on the counter to get the toothpaste it had a tendency to want to roll away.  The Sonicare has a couple of notches that make it stay in place which is a feature that would be nice to have.

Of the three cleaning modes, the one that comes closes to the intensity of my Sonicare is the clean and white mode.  Part of that may be because the bristles are softer on the Allegro so the vibrations of the brush do not feel as intense as the Sonicare.  When I was done using it, my mouth felt as clean as  it would with the Sonicare but it is hard to tell.   I would tend to think because the vibrations were not as intense it would maybe not be cleaning as well.  I do know my hygienist said that when brushing with an electronic toothbrush you want to barely be holding it.  You just want the bristles to be hitting your teeth and gums and you should not be putting any real downward pressure.  Too much intense pressure can cause receding gums which is a whole other can of worms.  So maybe even though the vibrations were not as intense, I was still getting a good cleaning anyway.

The picture above is showing you the area where you would sanitize and dry the brush head.  The bottom part of the charger has a rubber cap on it.

You pull off the rubber cap and it exposes a slot where you place the brush head.

The brush head goes in as pictured above.  There is an automatic sensor that senses when the brush is in place and starts the UV light for sanitizing.  It will run for 15 minutes and the lights on the side turn slightly purple.   Once it is sanitized, it goes into a drying mode for another 15 minutes.

This picture shows the whole thing with the plastic cup on top.  I love that cap feature.  It will protect the toothbrush from the nasty germs floating around your bathroom.

What I like

I love that the entire charging station is the travel station.  My current toothbrush has a separate travel case that only closes when it wants to.  I also love that you can put that cup on top every time and protect your toothbrush from the environment.  I also love the sanitizing and drying feature.  I always hated having to pack up my toothbrush when it was wet to go travel.  Buying a pack of 3 brush heads was also economical at only $14.99 on Amazon.  I also love that it has the special vibration indicator to tell me when to move to a different section of my mouth when brushing.  That way I am sure I am spending the proper amount of time brushing.

What needs to be improved.

They definitely need to offer different types of brush heads.  Also adding a flat spot on the back of the toothbrush to keep it from rolling away would be a nice touch.  Finally, I really think they should include a plug adapter for the USB.  I don’t know many folks outside of my geek friends who would actually have a USB port in their bathroom.  Plugging it in on my computer just seemed rather funny.  I used the plug from one of my many other electronic devices and charged it that way.

Final thoughts

If you don’t already own an electronic toothbrush that you are happy with, I would recommend this one.  I am thinking that when the time comes to replace my existing one, some of the issues I mentioned earlier would be fixed and I would switch over to this toothbrush myself.

Price: $59.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Allegro. Please visit their site for more info.

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