October 2018 – Page 20

The CrushGrind Wooden Mill with Ceramic Grinder adds Danish style and durability to your table-top

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NEWS – If you do any cooking at all, you probably have a pepper mill or salt grinder in your kitchen. And the grinding mechanism inside is probably made out of steel. The CrushGrind Wooden Mill uses a ceramic grinder which is longer lasting and more durable than typical steel.

The benefits of a ceramic grinder are two-fold. One, it won’t dull with use, and two, it won’t corrode with exposure to salt.

The CrushGrind Mills ceramic mechanism also comes with a 25-year warranty.

Both mills are made with American wood and have adjustable coarseness to suit your taste. Plus, they’re easy to fill, just pull off the top of the mill to fill with the desired seasoning.

The Mills are available in two finishes, oak and walnut, and your choice of either a Pepper Mill or a Salt Grinder.

The CrushGrind Wooden Mill with Ceramic Grinders sell for $39.95 each and are available on The Grommet.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Cooking, Home and Kitchen

The CrushGrind Wooden Mill with Ceramic Grinder adds Danish style and durability to your table-top originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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SpyFinder Pro hidden camera finder, Urbanoider EDC knife, Ekster 3.0 wallet, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

NEWS – This week we are bringing you information about five different crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter that will be of interest to security conscience people, EDC fans, and more.

SpyFinder® Pro Hidden Camera Detector

What is it?

The SpyFinder® Pro is a small handheld hidden camera lens detector that can find cameras not visible to the naked eye.

Why is it cool?

I like the SpyFinder® Pro because it runs on 2 regular AAA batteries and it’s simple to operate. Just push the button and look through the viewfinder to sweep the room for cameras by seeing the reflection off the camera lenses on wireless and wired cameras even if they are powered off. Why would you even need this? Just for added security when you stay at hotel, motel, B&B, Airbnb, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and more.

Where can I find more info?

The SpyFinder® Pro campaign ends on 11/24/18 and they just launched their campaign and are working towards their funding goal of $10,000. You can pre-order a SpyFinder® Pro starting at $198. After the SpyFinder® Pro campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Urbanoider: EDC compact knife

What is it?

The Urbanoider is a solid stainless forged steel tiny EDC knife.

Why is it cool?

I like the Urbanoider because it’s a chunky little knife with a pocket clip and a spring-loaded switchblade mechanism that’s been made to stand the test of time. And it even has a removable awl. Yeah, I’m sure it’s not completely legal everywhere and it goes without saying that you should not take it with you on a plane even if the blade is less than 1.4 inches long.

Where can I find more info?

The Urbanoider campaign ends on 11/16/18 and they just launched their campaign and are working towards their funding goal of $5,000. You can pre-order a Urbanoider starting at $49. After the Urbanoider campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Ekster® 3.0 – The World’s Slimmest Smart Wallet

What is it?

The Ekster® 3.0 is a voice-activated trackable wallet that provides instant access to your cards with a press of a button.

Why is it cool?

We reviewed an Ekster wallet last year and thought it was a very well-made wallet but it was just a little too thick and bulky. Ekster heard those comments and have come back with a new thinner wallet with this new version. Ekster is an established company so it shouldn’t be an issue for them to come through with this new wallet with offers some cool bang for your buck features in a smart wallet.

Where can I find more info?

The Ekster® 3.0 campaign ends on 11/22/18 and they just launched their campaign and have already met their funding goal of $11,510. You can pre-order an Ekster® 3.0 starting at $29. After the Ekster® 3.0 campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Soundbrenner Core: The 4-in-1 Smart Music Tool

What is it?

The Soundbrenner Core is a smartwatch for musicians.

Why is it cool?

I like the Soundbrenner Core because it is a wearable vibrating metronome, a removable magnetic tuner, a decibel meter, it can tell time, and show notifications from your phone too!

Where can I find more info?

The Soundbrenner Core campaign ends on 11/16/18 and they have already passed their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a Soundbrenner Core starting at $159. After the Soundbrenner Core campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Flydigi Wasp – Innovative One-Handed Gamepad for iPhone

What is it?

The WASP, One-Handed Gamepad for iPhone attaches to the iPhone (specific models) and allows you one-handed access and controls for playing games.

Why is it cool?

I like the WASP, One-Handed Gamepad for iPhone because it feels comfortable in your hand and it is very ergonomic. In addition, it utilizes patented technology that simulates human hand touch by sending a capacitance signal. There is no Bluetooth connection required for it to interface with the iPhone. The joystick and button operation help to create a nice mobile gaming experience. Its built-in battery also boasts a battery life of up to 20 hours.

Where can I find more info?

The Flydigi Wasp campaign ends on 11/25/18 and they just launched today so they are working towards their funding goal of $5,040. You can pre-order a Flydigi Wasp starting at $45. After the Flydigi Wasp campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Crowdfunded

SpyFinder Pro hidden camera finder, Urbanoider EDC knife, Ekster 3.0 wallet, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Woolnut MacBook sleeve review

REVIEW – Sleeves and covers for laptops abound. No matter the size, shape, or model, you can probably find a cover that gives you padding for your “ultrabook” design laptop. What many folks want, however, is something that shows their personality, their style. If you’re a MacBook user who loves wool, leather, and natural finishes and are searching for a laptop sleeve, Woolnut has something just for you: the MacBook 12 sleeve. I was sent the MacBook 12 sleeve in Cognac, but it is also available in Black. They have sleeves in sizes for MacBooks Pro (13 and 15) for all models – Retina, TouchBar, and non-TouchBar, as well as MacBook Air 13.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

I have been using my iPads as my primary computer since the very first model. While I still have to use my MacBookPro for some things (thanks, WordPress composer!), I usually type or write-up my initial thoughts about gadgets I am reviewing on an iPad first. I’m currently writing on my 12.9″ iPad Pro in Nebo with an Apple Pencil. This is an editing setup I can take virtually anywhere, but the iPad is a bit- um – unwieldy. So, when the offer was extended to the team for the MacBook 12 sleeve, I volunteered to test it. I know the iPad Pro is not exactly the same size or shape as the MacBook, but after looking at the dimensions of the Woolnut 12 case, I realized either of them were going to be covered without a problem. Here are the sizes of these three things compared with the excellent website SocialCompare.

Design and features

The Woolnut sleeve gets its name from the felted wool lining in their cases. In the case of this sleeve, it is fully lined with a good eighth of an inch of 100% natural grey wool felt. This is bonded to a high-grade, vegetable-tanned glove-soft leather, then top-stitched around three sides to form an envelope. The stitching is contained around the top of the sleeve on both pieces of leather, and a strong back-stitch is placed at the place where the side stitching begins. All the stitching is smooth and even.

What I Like

High-quality materials
Excellent craftwork
Elegant design

What needs to be improved

I can think of nothing to improve this.

Final thoughts

Leather sleeves are prized by many laptop and tablet users for the rich, supple feeling they have while you’re carrying your device around between uses. This “carrying around” adds oils and small scratches to the hide that grows into a character that is unique. Every leather article I’ve ever had is totally different after a few months of use, due to acquiring this patina. It’s something to look forward to. I’m looking forward to seeing how this one develops.

Price: €65
Where to buy: Woolnut website
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Woolnut.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cases and Covers, Macbook

Woolnut MacBook sleeve review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Get ready for cold weather with these hand-warming mugs

NEWS – I know you can hold any mug in your hands, but the handle gets in the way of a good hand-warming grip on some mugs. These mugs are designed to be cradled tight in both hands. Instead of a handle, they have a “pocket” that you nestle your fingertips into, so you still have a good grip on the mug.

These hand-thrown, kiln-fired, beautifully glazed clay mugs are microwave- and dishwasher-safe. They will hold 14 ounces of tea, coffee, hot cocoa, mulled wine, or hot toddy – whatever warms you up!

The Handwarmer Pottery Mug is available in blue, brown, or green glazes. You can choose a right-handed or a left-handed version. Each mug is $24.95 at the Vermont Country Store.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

Get ready for cold weather with these hand-warming mugs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Gerber Dime multi-tool review

REVIEW – I recently posted a review of the Leatherman Micra multi-tool which got a lot of views and comments, so I have decided to do more EDC tool reviews and my next one is the Gerber Dime. The Dime is another mini multi-tool that can fit in your pocket like the Micra and my favorite Leatherman Squirt multi-tool. Let’s take a closer look.

What is it?

The Gerber Dime is a folding multi-tool that offers 12 different tools in a compact form factor.

Design and features

The Gerber Dime is available in Black, Green, Purple and the Red version which you see here. This folding multi-tool has a two-color handle with the Gerber name and model name printed on one side.

On the opposite side of the tool, you’ll find the Gerber logo. As you can see, the Dime has a flashier look than the more utilitarian looking Leatherman Squirt which is part of my EDC.

Probably the first thing you’ll notice about this 2.75 inch (when closed) multi-tool, is the weird hook thing on one end. This hook is a bottle opener that can double as an attachment point. There’s also a small split ring on the same end that you can use to clip the Dime to your keychain.

The Tools

The Gerber Dime offers 10 tools. The first tool we’ll check out is the removable tweezers.

The tweezers are very similar to the tweezers that you would find in a Swiss Army knife. They work pretty well for being so small.

Unlike the Leatherman Micra, most of the tools can be accessed without unfolding the handles.

There’s a fine edge knife blade and package opener on the left, spring-loaded scissors, medium flat driver, crosshead driver and file on the right.

Check out that package opener blade. I like that there’s a dedicated blade for slicing through plastic packaging and tape. That way you don’t get your regular knife blade all sticky with tape residue.

I like that you don’t have to unfold the handles in order to access the knife blade. The Gerber Dime knife has a larger blade than the Leatherman Squirt and Micra. I also feels more substantial than those other multi-tool blades. Note that the blade does not lock in place when in use.

Unfolding the Dime handles turns the Dime into a pair of spring-loaded pliers with a built-in wire cutter.

The rounded edges of the handle keep the pliers comfortable in your hand.

What I like

Most of the tools are accessible without having to unfold the handles
Large knife blade
Dedicated package opening blade
Affordable

What needs to be improved

Tools don’t lock

Final thoughts

The Gerber Dime has a lot going for it. Notably the ability to access the tools without unfolding the handles. The dedicated packaging opener blade also sets this pocket-sized multi-tool apart from other tools, but the price makes it a good choice for budget-minded EDC shoppers. I’m sticking with my Leatherman Squirt because I prefer the classic look and feel over the Dime’s more flashy style. That said, the Dime is a nice multi-tool with a solid set of tools.

Price: $21.00 MSRP
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: EDC, Multi-tool

Gerber Dime multi-tool review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 10, 2018 at 12:20 pm.

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