June 2018 – Page 30

Happy Birthday, Julie!

Today is Julie’s birthday. She brings us great gadget news and reviews daily, so let’s take today to show her how much we appreciate her efforts. Join me in wishing Julie the Happiest of Birthdays!

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Happy Birthday, Julie! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 4, 2018 at 6:30 am.

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I’m incredibly picky when it comes to pillows. That’s why I’ve been using the same one for more years that I want to admit because apparently, it’s gross to sleep on the same pillow for over a decade (maybe two). I’ve tried several types of pillows over the years but I keep going back to my “old faithful”. I even told the folks at BedGear that I’m a pillow snob, but they were still willing to let me try their M1X Pillows, so let’s take one for a… nap.

What is it?

The Bedgear M1X is a 20 x 26 inch pillow that comes in four sizes: 0.0, 1.0 2.0 and 3.0. Each pillow is identical, except for their profile or size/thickness. I told the folks at Bedgear that I am a side sleeper 99% of the time, so they sent me their M1X 2.0 and 3.0 sizes.

Design and features

The M1X pillow comes packaged in a zippered bag and when I removed it, I immediately realized this was not going to be another $30 Kohl’s special. The Bedgear M1X pillow looks and feels superior to any pillow I’ve ever tried.

First of all, it has a curved area for your shoulder which is perfect for side sleepers like me.

The covering of the pillow features Dri-Tec and Air-X technology with a 3D mesh cover that is made of 98% polyester and 2% spandex and is supposed to help prevent allergens and dander from entering the pillow core. Speaking of the core, the M1X has a soft hypoallergenic shredded latex foam fill that provides great support and won’t bottom out. That’s pillow speak which means the pillow keeps its shape while you’re laying on it and bounces back, unlike some down filled pillows which get flat or lumpy during a sleep session.

The Bedgear is a comfortable pillow and I wanted to love it, but the thickness of the 2.0 and 3.0 pillows was a bit too high for me to comfortably sleep on through the whole night. I think I would be better off with either their 1.0 or even their 0.0 size.

That said, I do like the pillow quite a bit and the Dri-Tec and Air-X tech kept the pillow cool and dry even during the weird in-between weather we were having a few weeks ago when it was hard to regulate temps in the house at night with heat and AC. Even when the bedroom was slightly too warm, I didn’t feel sweaty sleeping on the Bedgear pillow.

There is one thing that’s important to mention about the Bedgear M1X pillow. It’s not machine washable. It’s only spot washable and with a price tag of $119, I think it should be fully washable for people who have problems with allergies.

What I like

Comfortable
Does get lumpy or flat
Stays cool
Comes in 4 sizes to match your sleep style and body size

What needs to be improved

Needs to be washable

Final thoughts

I just returned from a vacation in California where we stayed in 4 different locations, which meant 4 different beds with 4 different pillows. The first night we stayed at a Holiday Inn Express near the Indianapolis airport. It was a very nice hotel that was so new that you could actually smell the newness. The bed was comfortable, but their pillows were like sleeping on a boulder. I don’t think I slept at all that night because like I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this review, I’m a pillow snob and am very picky about the cushion I put under my head at night. The other 3 places where we stayed in California had better pillows, but I would have loved to have had one of the BedGear M1X pillows with me on the trip. Even though the 2.0 and 3.0 sizes are too thick for me, I have little doubt that their thinner versions would make me want to burn my antique pillow once and for all.

Price: $119.00
Where to buy: Bedgear
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Bedgear.

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Tagged: Pillow, Sleep

Bedgear M1X pillow review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2018 at 3:14 pm.

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Have Alexa tell your GE refrigerator to brew you a cup of coffee

The GE Café Series 27.8 ft³ French-door refrigerator has lots of the bells and whistles you’d expect a well-equipped fridge to have, but those aren’t the options we’re interested in. In addition to the ice and water dispenser on the door, this GE fridge has a Keurig K-Cup brewer that uses the dispenser to brew a single cup of coffee. And it’s WiFi-connected and compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, too.

To brew coffee (or other hot beverage), put a K-Cup into the brewer, slide the brewer into the fridge’s dispenser, select brew size, then start the water heating. When it’s hot, press a button to dispense the coffee into a cup. You can also dispense hot water for use with brewing a pot of tea, making instant soup, noodles, or oatmeal, and other uses. You can choose from pre-programmed temperatures or set your own. There’s even a slide-out shelf to hold a larger vessel while your hot water dispenses. And if you need a measured amount of water, the fridge lets you select an amount to dispense for a quick, easy hot cup of water for a recipe.

This GE Café Series fridge has built-in WiFi connectivity, so you can get real-time feedback and alerts and optimize performance of your fridge. With the GE app, you can schedule hot water so you’ll be ready to brew some coffee or make hot oatmeal the minute you get up in the morning. And the fridge is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT, so you can control the fridge with voice commands.

The GE Café Series 27.8 ft³ French-door refrigerator has an MSRP of $3399. Learn more about the fridge and find a dealer near you on the GE website.

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Tagged: Alexa, Coffee Brewer

Have Alexa tell your GE refrigerator to brew you a cup of coffee originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2018 at 12:30 pm.

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Rainsaber umbrella, cool flipbooks, Jamstik guitars, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

This week we are bringing you nine crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This week’s campaigns are for people who like Star Wars, the outdoors, EDC gear, music, and more. Check out our picks for this week’s notable crowdfunding campaigns.

Rainsaber umbrella

What is it?
The Rainsaber umbrella is a Star Wars fan’s ultimate rain protection tool (and weapon). It’s an umbrella with a built-in lightsaber.

Why do I like it?
It’s a lightsaber umbrella for goodness sake. What’s not to like?! It’s nerdy, it’s cool, and it’s motion activated with lightsaber colors and sound effects. Oh, it protects you from the rain too.

Where can I find more info?
TheRainsaber campaign ends on 6/04/18 and they are very close to reaching their funding goal of $30,000. You can pre-order a Rainsaber starting at $145. After the Rainsaber campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

ARIA Waterproof Earbuds

blurb by Julian Perry

What is it?

The xFyro ARIA Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds are Waterproof Wireless Earbuds.

Why do I like it?

I like the xFyro ARIA Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds because they are full-featured, waterproof earbuds with features that include Bluetooth 5, an IP67 waterproof rating, noise cancellation, access to virtual assistants like Google Assistant and Siri, state-of-the-art speakers with a touch-activated microphone, in-ear detection, volume control, and automatic pairing.

The xFyro ARIA earbuds also integrate stereo calling as well as “dual beam-forming microphones and high-speed charging, that enables up to 3 hours of listening time after a quick 15-minute charge”. xFyro claims that the earbuds have an 8-hour battery life per charge and that the case with its built-in battery can recharge the earbuds at least 3 times for a total of 32 hours.

Where can I find more info?

The xFyro ARIA Bluetooth 5.0 earbuds campaign ends on 6/28/18. They have already exceeded their funding goal of $10,000, and you can pre-order starting at $170 now on their Indiegogo page. They are expected to start shipping in August 2018. Visit the xFyro website for all the details.

Molecularis – Reinventing the Flip Book

What is it?
Molecularis is a DIY flipbook for creative people.

Why do I like it?
I like the Molecularis flipbook because it’s not like a typical flipbook that only offers two animations when you flip the pages. The Molecularis flipbook offers six animated sequences depending on how you flip it and you get to color it yourself.

Where can I find more info?
The Molecularis campaign already ended, but you can buy order one through Indiegogo’s INDEMAND platform for €25.00 ($29.17 US) with shipping in October 2018. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

The New Jamstik Guitars – For Learning & Creating

What is it?
The Jamstik is a mini 6 stringed guitar that you don’t have to tune and it has sensors in the fretboard to aid in learning.

Why do I like it?
I like Jamstik guitars because they are travel-friendly mini guitars that you can use to learn, practice and create music. They may look like a toy, but they are actually full-fledged musical instruments. I reviewed one of the original Jamstik’s a few years ago and I still think it’s a fun instrument.

Now there are 2 different versions of the Jamstik. There’s the shorter Jamstik 7 for people who want to learn to play guitar anywhere and there’s the Jamstik 12 which has a longer fretboard and is designed for people who can already play guitar and want a travel-worthy MIDI guitar for music creation.

Where can I find more info?
The Jamstik campaign ends on 6/25/18 and they’ve already passed their funding goal of $75,000. You can pre-order a Jamstik starting at $179. After the Jamstik campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in August 2018. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Tinkamo | Smart Building Blocks

What is it?
Tinkamo is a system of smart wireless building modules that have been designed for children ages 5-12 and consist of motors, sensors, cameras, speakers, and more.

Why do I like it?
I like the Tinkamo system because kids can use Tinkamo blocks their LEGO bricks to bring their existing models to life or to create brand new interactive toys while learning to code using a mobile app.

Where can I find more info?
The Tinkamo campaign ends on 6/22/18 and they’ve already met their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order Tinkamo starting at $29. After the Tinkamo campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in November 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Butter Twist

What is it?
The Butter Twist is an all in one butter stick holder, measurer, and spreader.

Why do I like it?
I’ve reviewed several butter spreading gadgets over the years like the biēm butter sprayer, the Cooks Innovations Butter Mill, and the SpreadThat! butter knife. None of those have managed to “stick” for me. They were either too much of a hassle to use and clean, or they just didn’t work. The Butter Twist looks like a much better butter gadget because it does more than one thing without needing batteries. It will hold a stick of butter, measure it in tablespoons, and cut it without dirtying a knife. It’s also dishwasher safe.

Where can I find more info?
The Butter Twist campaign ends on 6/29/18 and they still have a way to go before they reach their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order a Butter Twist starting at $15. After the Butter Twist campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in October 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Lever Gear CLiP System

What is it?
The CLiP System is a small metal EDC storage container that has been designed to clip to your pocket, your keychain or your gear bag.

Why do I like it?
I’m a fan of EDC gear and I like the CLiP System because it looks like a cool little storage option for my smallest items that I don’t want rolling around in the bottom of my main gear bag or even my larger pouches. I like that the CLiP System can double as a bit driver or a flashlight and that it’s flat so it fits easier in a pocket on a keychain.

Where can I find more info?
The CLiP System campaign ends on 6/28/18 and they have already passed their funding goal of $16,000. You can pre-order a CLiP System starting at $38. After the CLiP System campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in November 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

LEMURO: Transform Your Smartphone Into A Powerful Camera

What is it?
LEMURO is a case and lens solution for your smartphone.

Why do I like it?
I switched over to using my Pixel 2 XL as my only camera last fall when I sold my Canon 70D DSLR and I haven’t looked back. I love the Pixel’s camera but sometimes I wish I had a better telephoto or macro lens. I looked into clip-on lenses but found only one solution (Momento) that was currently available for my phone. I’ve been dragging my feet on purchasing a set of lenses just because the full set is pretty expensive. But then I stumbled upon this campaign and am hoping that they will have a version for the Pixel and other phones besides iPhones.

Where can I find more info?
The LEMURO campaign ends on 6/22/18 and they have already passed their funding goal of $11,667. You can pre-order a LEMURO starting at $29. After the LEMURO campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in November 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

COMBAR | An Incredibly Rugged Heavy-Duty Multi-Tool

What is it?
COMBAR is a 5-in-1 high-quality heavy-duty outdoor tool that includes a hammer, ax, spade, knife, and saw.

Why do I like it?
Although it’s expensive at $359, the COMBAR looks like a rugged all-in-one tool outdoor survival tool that you can easily carry on your belt. I’m not a camper or a survivalist, but if I did enjoy those activities, I’d want a smallish tool like this one always close at hand when I was hiking around in the woods. It also has a lifetime warranty which is great for a tool like this one which will not be babied.

Where can I find more info?
The COMBAR campaign ends on 6/7/18 and they have already passed their funding goal of $55,000. You can pre-order a COMBAR starting at $359. After the COMBAR campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

The post Rainsaber umbrella, cool flipbooks, Jamstik guitars, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

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Rainsaber umbrella, cool flipbooks, Jamstik guitars, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2018 at 11:21 am.

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The Measure Collection – the right tools with the right look for the right job!

If you are a handy-person like me, you are always looking for ways to improve existing items, or to design new ones. Whenever something gets damaged or broken around my home, I am always there to the rescue with my tools and my ideas.

One of the issues I constantly face is the exhaustive search for my smaller tools, which I never seem to be able to find on my first attempt. This is especially true for my measuring tape or rulers which while well-made and effective, are quite ugly, and are always hidden away in some drawer since they never seem to match the decor on my desk.

Enter Grovemade with The Measure Collection that is made up of an attractively constructed ruler, protractor, and triangle. The longest side of each tool is 6 inches or 15 centimeters and includes both metric and standard markings. They are machined from a solid block of aluminum to give a clean and minimalist look. Adding this collection to your desktop will not present the ugly and cluttered look of similar conventional tools, and I think that their design and appearance would give me new ideas of my own.

If you like The Measure Collection, you can purchase it as a set on the Grovemade website for $169, or each item individually for $59.

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The Measure Collection – the right tools with the right look for the right job! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2018 at 9:30 am.

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