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Kobo Clara HD eBook reader review

REVIEW – Carrying a whole library of your favorite books in the palm of your hand is a glorious luxury and a lot of us do just that on our smartphones or tablets. But there is an alternative to reading on your iPhone or Android device; a dedicated eBook reader like the Kobo Clara HD. Why would you want a separate device? Keep reading to find out.

What is it?

The Kobo Clara HD is a small handheld eInk eBook reader.

What’s in the box?

Kobo Clara HD eReader
micro USB charging cable
Quick start guide

Hardware specs

Screen: 6” Carta E-Ink touchscreen, 300 ppi, print quality
Storage: 8 GB of on-board memory, holds up to 6,000 eBooks
Front-light: ComfortLight PRO – Reduces blue-light exposure for more comfortable nighttime reading
Customizability: TypeGenius: 11 different fonts and over 40 font styles
Supported formats: 14 file formats supported natively (EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR)
Read eBooks borrowed from Public Library
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Micro USB
Battery Life: Up to weeks of battery life depending on usage
Languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Brazilian, Portuguese, Japanese, Turkish
Weight: 166 g
Size: 159.6 x 110 x 8.35 mm

Design and features

The Kobo Clara HD eBook reader is almost pocket sized. It actually does fit in a cargo pocket in a pair of my pants. It’s almost exactly the same height as my Pixel 2 XL, but its black plastic case is half again as wide as the Pixel. Front and center below the 6-inch display is the Kobo logo, but otherwise, this device is low key when it comes to style, which isn’t a bad thing.

The back of the eReader has an interesting pattern etched in the rounded back case that adds a minimum amount of grip to this small device.

Along the bottom edge of the Clara HD is a small power button with a micro USB port next to it that is used to both charge and transfer files to the device with the aid of a computer.

The e-Ink touchscreen display is easy on the eyes with or without the automatic backlight on. Text is perfectly crisp and clear just like printed text on paper.

This type of display has a much lower power consumption than the displays that we have in our phones and tablets. This little eReader can be used for a couple of weeks with one charge instead of a few hours with a phone. It’s also perfectly readable in the full sunlight which one of the main reasons that I still find dedicated eReaders compelling. If you’ve ever tried to read a book outside on a smartphone on a sunny day, you know that the results aren’t great.

The Kobo’s interface is meant to be simple so that it doesn’t get in the way of the job of this device, which is to let you read a book with zero distractions. It displays the page in the book with your choice of reading status lines at the bottom of the page like the percentage read.

Another option is to show the current page number and total pages.

Or even how many minutes or hours it will take to finish reading the current chapter or the entire book.

Tapping the screen will bring up a status bar at the top and bottom from which you can access the main menu and various customization menus.





You can customize the line spacing, where to tap to advance to the next page, brightness levels, fonts and more. As far as fonts, Kobo’s TypeGenius offers customizable font options, which include exclusive weight and sharpness settings, with the choice of 11 font types and more than 40 font sizes.

In addition to choosing a font, you can also adjust margins, highlight passages, write notes, and look up words with the built-in dictionary.

The Clara HD eReader also features a ComfortLight PRO backlight that automatically softens the brightness and blue-light exposure as the day progresses into the night so using this device will not affect your sleep.

Adding books to the Clara HD eBook reader


You can buy new books directly from the reader itself when you connect to WiFi and browse the built-in storefront. Other ways to add books is to connect the reader to your PC or Mac with the included USB cable. From there you can drag and drop EPUB, EPUB3, PDF, MOBI, TXT, HTML, RTF, and other formats. For DRM books that you own, you will need to install the Adobe Digital Editions application on your PC or Mac and use that to transfer books to the Clara HD. Another way to add books to this reader is with Overdrive which is an account that uses your local library to borrow books.

Another cool feature is that you can install the Kobo app on your smartphone, tablet, PC, or Mac which lets you start reading with Kobo Clara HD and pick up on your smartphone or tablet or vice versa as your place in the book syncs across devices.

What I like

  • Small size
  • Long battery life
  • Clear crisp text

What needs to be improved

  • eBook prices are too expensive but this isn’t limited to Kobo

Final thoughts

Dedicated eBook readers are not extinct yet. There is still a place for them on the market. Especially for people who want a distraction-free method of reading on an eye-friendly display. When you read on your phone or tablet, you can get distracted by notifications, text messages, and other apps, but on a device like the Kobo Clara HD, you won’t be bothered with a notification that it’s your turn to play Words with Friends or that your frenemy just tweeted something annoying on Twitter. Nope, you’ll be happily engrossed in your favorite book that you can continue reading it outside on a bright sunny day without having to worry about finding an outlet to charge it in a couple hours.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Rakuten Kobo
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Rakuten Kobo.

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Kobo Clara HD eBook reader review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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PackTidy keeps your shirts from getting crushed and wrinkled in your luggage

NEWS – You take your nice, crisply-ironed dress shirt, carefully place it in your suitcase for a trip, and pull out a wrinkled mess when you get to the hotel.  You’ll have to iron that shirt again before your meeting tomorrow – unless you’ve packed your shirt in a PackTidy Shirt and Tie Commuter Travel Organizer.

These PackTidy shirt organizers are molded from high-quality EVA to hold a single shirt and necktie and are designed to protect the collar from being crushed.  The hard-shell case measures 14″ x 3″ x 11″ and fits inside luggage, a carry-on, or even a backpack.  They come with a folding board with instructions for easy shirt folding.

Amazon has the PackTidy Shirt and Tie Commuter Travel Organizer in brown for $23.99 or gray for $29.99.  Other websites, like Walmart, eBay, and Overstock.com, have them, but usually offer them only in brown at higher prices than Amazon.

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PackTidy keeps your shirts from getting crushed and wrinkled in your luggage originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Xbox’s new game streaming service: what you should know

NEWS – People are already accustomed to streaming TV shows and movies, and Xbox is bringing that capability to games, too. There’s no word yet on pricing for Xbox’s game-streaming option — known as Project xCloud — but the brand plans to launch public trials of the service next year.

Open to Third-Party Developers

In June 2018, people who attended the E3 technology conference heard from Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s vice president of gaming, that Microsoft intended to bring Xbox games to mobile devices. Project xCloud is the result of those efforts.

Early details indicate game developers could put content on the streaming service. That would mean people would not be limited to interacting with first-party titles. According to a blog post about the service, developers “will be able to deploy and dramatically scale access to their games across all devices on Project xCloud with no additional work.”

The Mobile Availability Could Be a Competitive Advantage

The part of the quote above that references being able to use Project xCloud on all devices is significant. PlayStation Now is another major entity in the streaming game market. But, people who subscribe to that service can only interact with the content on a PlayStation 4 console or a PC.

Notably, more than a minute’s worth of a YouTube video Microsoft released about Project xCloud discusses how its service will not be device-dependent. So, anyone in the world with a device capable of handling streaming content could use the technology.

Some Hardware Is Already in Place

Microsoft has some of the console hardware for Project xCloud installed in one of its data centers now. Moreover, the company broke down an Xbox console into its separate components. The purpose was to build a “blade unit” capable of hosting numerous Xbox systems simultaneously, as well as the necessary infrastructure.

Multiple Ways to Play

Besides being able to get engrossed in Xbox games on any device, people who use Project xCloud won’t even need controllers. Indeed, one way to interact with the games is to connect a wireless controller to a Bluetooth-compatible device. Microsoft demonstrated that option in its YouTube video.

Information has also emerged about a game-specific, touch-sensitive overlay that allows playing the games controller-free. In that setup, buttons might appear on a tablet and respond when a person presses them, making that Project xCloud possibility particularly attractive for people on the go and traveling light.

Rumors and Speculation Are Rampant

Microsoft still needs to publicize crucial details about Project xCloud, such as the cost and the available library of games. Due to those unknown factors, people are weighing in with their thoughts rapidly. For example, some people think Project xCloud will not be fee-based and could target people who subscribe to Xbox Gold.

Such a subscription gives people access to advanced multiplayer games on their consoles. Some individuals think Microsoft might position Project xCloud as a free extra for Xbox Gold subscribers.

Also, Microsoft’s answer to PlayStation Now is Xbox Live. It allows people to browse from an ever-growing library of games, then download and play them as often as they’d like. The prevalent assumption is that Project xCloud wouldn’t replace Xbox Live.

What Sets Project xCloud Apart From the Pack So Far?

Despite the lack of concrete details, there is something exceptionally significant that differentiates Project xCloud from other offerings available from Xbox or otherwise: the ability to play on any device. It’s not difficult to see how that benefit opens gaming to people around the world who can’t afford consoles.

In India, for example, stores sell both consoles and games at a significant markup compared to their U.S. counterparts. Also, the country doesn’t benefit from Black Friday sales that could make game equipment more affordable for a small window of time. It doesn’t help that professionals in India earn less than people in numerous other countries, either.

But, if Project xCloud offers people the chance to access a library of games and never buy a console, a monthly rate for the service could make such entertainment affordable in India and elsewhere. It’s worth remembering Playstation Now allows console-less playing, too, if people use their PCs.

Smartphones are especially ubiquitous, though, making the availability of Project xCloud on those devices seem like an undoubtedly positive point. One report predicts there will be 5.5 billion smartphone users by 2021. To put that another way, only 5.3 billion people in the global population can get running water.

Device Independence Could Accelerate Gaming’s Appeal

It’s too soon to say when Project xCloud will get its first paid subscribers or how much they should expect to get charged. However, being able to play Xbox games on any device could make them more accessible forms of entertainment, both for experienced gamers and the casually curious.

Photo by Arturo Rey 

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Xbox’s new game streaming service: what you should know originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Wisenet Smartcam N2 Indoor Security Camera review

REVIEW – I am one of those gadget nerds that really likes all types of gadgets, and really likes security cameras that offer security features like face recognition, the option of onboard and/or cloud storage, and programmable notifications.  In addition, the ability to hear and see what is going on remotely, and to communicate verbally completes the desired package. Let’s see what the Wisenet Smartcam N2 Indoor Security Camera can do.

What is it?

The Wisenet Smartcam N2 Indoor Security Camera is a wireless security camera that is capable of abnormal noise recognition and face recognition, has onboard and cloud storage capabilities, and can send notifications whenever a relevant event occurs.

What’s in the box


1 x Smartcam N2
1 x Power Adapter and Micro USB cable
1 x Wall Anchors and Screws
1 x Instruction Packet (Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card, GPL License)

Design and features

Specifications:
Additional features

    • The SmartCam N2 only distinguishes human activity, eliminating false alert triggered by your pets.
    • The SmartCam N2 includes Motion Zone Selection that allows you to create up to 3 customizable areas in your camera’s view through the App. When it detects movements within the Motion Zone Selection area, you receive a notification on your mobile device.


On the front of the camera from top to bottom, there is the microphone, the lens, the LED status indicator, and the speaker.


The back of the camera is plain, other than the connector to the stand that allows you to rotate and secure the camera at multiple angles.


When facing the front of the camera, there is a reset button and a micro SD card slot on the left side. The Sd card slot allows you to use a micro SD card for onboard recording which like other cameras can be triggered via motion.
Since the camera is all black and the ports are harder to see, the following picture from the manufacturer’s website shows all of the physical ports and features:

Performance

This camera performs quite well, with a stable wireless connection that has never disconnected thus far, and it produces great images. It has great sound detection and it even recognizes out of the ordinary sounds which it categorizes as abnormal sounds. Its face recognition works even in very low light and once you enable the feature, it sends notifications upon detection.


The Smartcam works on both Android and IOS devices, and via the app, you get very clear and detailed images and video.


The following is a random selection of some of the numerous screens that you encounter when setting up via the App.










What I like

  • The size and design that allows the camera to be inconspicuous
  • The features
  • The lightweight but good build quality
  • The app

What can be improved

  • The price

Final thoughts

Like many of the wireless security cameras that I have tested and reviewed, this camera offers similar features and delivers very well on its specifications and promises. I really do like this camera, and while it is a solid performer, I do hesitate a bit when recommending it only because of its cost relative to other available cameras with similar features. Nevertheless, it is a well built and very functional camera, and therefore for its performance, it gets two thumbs up!!

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Wisenet.

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Wisenet Smartcam N2 Indoor Security Camera review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Let Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds help you sleep better at night

NEWS – Year round, my husband wants a big fan running in our bedroom at night.  In the summer, I don’t mind it so much, because it helps keep the room cooler.  In the colder months, I don’t want it running because it can make the room too chilly for me.  My husband needs it for the white noise, though, because every little sound can bother him.  If he had a pair of these Noise-Masking Sleepbuds from Bose, he wouldn’t hear the ambient sounds that bother him, and I could sleep without freezing.

Sleepbuds may look like regular earbuds, but they can’t stream music, nor do they have acoustic noise cancellation.  Instead, these truly wireless buds fit comfortably in your ears and, when paired with an app on your smartphones, play “pre-loaded, soothing masking sounds to cover up unwanted nighttime noises so you can get to sleep and stay asleep.”

Bose says: “Instead of streaming music, Bose sleepbuds deliver soothing sounds that mask unwanted nighttime noises. And while we’re the first to champion the use of active noise reduction, we discovered that, when it comes to sleep, noise-masking technology is a better solution for the range of sounds that keep you awake — especially voice-based frequencies. So all you will hear is a soothing sound that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.”

With the app, you’ll choose a uniquely-engineered sound to mask unwanted noise – traffic, talking, snoring – and lull you to sleep.  And don’t worry that the noise-masking will prevent you from hearing your alarm, because the app has an alarm function built in to wake you without disturbing your bedmate.  If needed, you can adjust the volume of the masking sounds, so you won’t be completely shut off from sounds you need to hear, such as a crying child.

Of course, you won’t sleep if you are uncomfortable, so Bose did 3-D scans of scores of ears to help them design small, comfortable sleepbuds   The sleepbuds measure 0.94″ high x 1.06″ wide x 0.56″ deep and weigh  0.081 oz each.  To ensure they fit your ears, Bose includes S/M/L StayHear+ Sleep tips; pliable fins conform to the upper ridge of your ear to keep the sleepbuds in place all night.  Bose even has a video to help you get the best fit.

The battery in the sleepbuds last about 16 hours between charges, more than enough time for a good night’s sleep.  They come with a charging case that recharges the sleepbuds as it protects them.  The case’s internal battery provides a full charge, so you can keep the sleepbuds charged when you travel.  The case measures 1.06″ high x 3.03″  in diameter and weighs 3.93 oz.  It comes with a carrying pouch so you can pack the sleepbuds in your bag when you travel.

The Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds are $249.95.  You can purchase them directly from Bose, from Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers.

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Let Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds help you sleep better at night originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 16, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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