Home 2019 January

Back Pedal is a device that can help and prevent lower back pain

NEWS – Do you have back problems? I’m lucky to say that I don’t… at least not at the moment. But having said that, my back has gone out 2 times in the last few years and I never want to suffer through that kind of pain again, not to mention the frequent trips to the chiropractor. I think working out 4 days a week and improving my core strength has helped to keep my back from going out in the last year, but I’m always looking for specific things I can do to prevent another flare up. The Back Pedal looks like a specialized tool that might be the perfect solution for me and many people that deal with frequent back pain, hip pain, or sciatica issues.

What is the Back Pedal? It’s a tool designed by a physical therapist that is used to help strengthen and realign your pelvis.

Pushing with your legs opposite directions against the pads facilitates a co-contracting isometric pull that causes a rotational force in our pelvis. When we contract our hip flexors on one side we cause an anterior/forward rotation on that side of the pelvis. When we contract our hip extensors on the opposite side it causes a posterior/backward rotation.

This rotational co-contraction force brings the pelvis back into its normal position, realigning the spine and pelvis while strengthening the muscles (Iliacus, Psoas Major, Psoas Minor, Gluteus Maximus, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus, Biceps Femoris, Transverse Abdominis, & Rectus Abdominis) and stabilizing the joints. This causes a better distribution of force up through the spine and down through the legs alleviating your back, hip, and sciatica pain!

Dr. Beddoe sent me a pre-production sample of the Back Pedal that I’ve used for a few minutes every day and I can tell you that it’s easy to use and you can really feel it when you use it. I’m adding it to my regular workout routine as an easy preventive maintenance measure.

The Back Pedal campaign ends on 2/15/19 and they are just starting the climb towards their funding goal of $12,500. You can pre-order a Back Pedal starting at $35. After the Back Pedal campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2019. Visit their Kickstarter campaign page for all the details.

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Back Pedal is a device that can help and prevent lower back pain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 15, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

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Back Pedal is a device that can help and prevent lower back pain

NEWS – Do you have back problems? I’m lucky to say that I don’t… at least not at the moment. But having said that, my back has gone out 2 times in the last few years and I never want to suffer through that kind of pain again, not to mention the frequent trips to the chiropractor. I think working out 4 days a week and improving my core strength has helped to keep my back from going out in the last year, but I’m always looking for specific things I can do to prevent another flare up. The Back Pedal looks like a specialized tool that might be the perfect solution for me and many people that deal with frequent back pain, hip pain, or sciatica issues.

What is the Back Pedal? It’s a tool designed by a physical therapist that is used to help strengthen and realign your pelvis.

Pushing with your legs opposite directions against the pads facilitates a co-contracting isometric pull that causes a rotational force in our pelvis. When we contract our hip flexors on one side we cause an anterior/forward rotation on that side of the pelvis. When we contract our hip extensors on the opposite side it causes a posterior/backward rotation.

This rotational co-contraction force brings the pelvis back into its normal position, realigning the spine and pelvis while strengthening the muscles (Iliacus, Psoas Major, Psoas Minor, Gluteus Maximus, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus, Biceps Femoris, Transverse Abdominis, & Rectus Abdominis) and stabilizing the joints. This causes a better distribution of force up through the spine and down through the legs alleviating your back, hip, and sciatica pain!

Dr. Beddoe sent me a pre-production sample of the Back Pedal that I’ve used for a few minutes every day and I can tell you that it’s easy to use and you can really feel it when you use it. I’m adding it to my regular workout routine as an easy preventive maintenance measure.

The Back Pedal campaign ends on 2/15/19 and they are just starting the climb towards their funding goal of $12,500. You can pre-order a Back Pedal starting at $35. After the Back Pedal campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2019. Visit their Kickstarter campaign page for all the details.

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Back Pedal is a device that can help and prevent lower back pain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 15, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

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OWC USB-C Travel Dock review

REVIEW – Multitaskers are the road warrior’s best friend, and that’s what the USB-C Travel Dock by OWC offers. It’s a single device that includes an assortment of ports for your charging and peripheral needs! Leave the extra gizmos and doodads at home… but stay for the review!

What is it?

It’s a USB-C travel dock with a USB-C port, 2 USB ports, an HDMI port, and an SD Card Reader.

Hardware specs

  • 1 USB-C Port, fully compatible with all Thunderbolt 3 equipped Macs and PCs
  • 2 USB 3.1 (Standard-A) Ports
  • USH-II SD Card Reader
  • HDMI 2.0 Port
  • Supports 4K display resolution – up to 4096 x 2160 at 30Hz

What’s in the box?

The dock, and nothing but the dock.

Design and features

The Travel Dock is a 3.2″ by 3.2″ by 0.7″ block that weighs in at a mere 3.2 ounces, perfect for tossing in just about any pocket in your bag. You can get it in a choice from four finishes to match your MacBook (Gold, Silver, Space Grey, or Rose Gold). It looks and feels like a natural accessory. While it’s a bit chunkier than some other USB-C adaptors on the market, there’s actually a lot of subtle and very functional usability built into the design.

For starters, it’s got a dedicated 9″ UBC-C cable, which is great for uncramping the immediate space around your laptop. The 3-sided port setup also helps with managing your chords because you’re not fighting to plug a bunch of stuff into a small space. There’s plenty of room to work.

Once you’re plugged in, a blue indicator light shows you that you’re drawing power:

The USB-C port is on the opposite face from the dedicated plug, which allows your power cable to keep running without interfering with the other ports. You can plug your power into this port, and the pass-through feature enables you to take full advantage of integration with the rest of your devices. You can charge your laptop, your accessories, and link your iPhone or iPad to the MacBook at the same time:

One face has a standard USB port and an HDMI port. This faces towards the back of the unit when plugged into the left side of your laptop, which is handy if you have a permanent location for your monitor or are trying to hook up to a projector in a conference room:

The other face has a second USB port and an SD Card Reader, which faces the front if you’re plugged in on the left-hand side. That extra USB port is lovely when you’re trying to charge multiple items at once:

The base also has some soft tabs on the corners to keep it from scratching your desk, which is a nice touch:

As someone who doesn’t have a permanent desk these days, I’m loving the convenience that a single dock offers. I can tap into whatever power and video sources are available in any conference room or hoteling station at work, and still have ports to spare to charge my iPhone and iPad (or other USB-compatible peripherals) as needed. The roomy dock also means less fumbling when you’re trying to plug things in, a plus over some of the more compact adaptor solutions.

As an added bonus, you can plug the dedicated USB-C cable into your MacBook power brick and use the dock as a dedicated charging station. Not only is that great for when you crash in a hotel room, but that means less stuff to manage when traveling. I’ve been running with the MacBook power brick and USB-C cable and two extra USB cables for charging stuff, leaving the other assorted power bricks at home. It’s ideal for the minimalist traveler.

What I like

  • 9″ dedicated USB-C cable uncramps your workspace
  • Well-spaced ports make for easier management of cables
  • Also works as a dedicated charging station with your MacBook power brick

What needs to be improved

  • None to be found

Final thoughts

I’m really liking the OWC USB-C Travel Dock as a do-it-all accessory. It’s well designed, well built, and has some nice design features that make it easy to manipulate while giving you some extra room to work with. Some may prefer the more compact adaptors, but I like the added features an extra USB port for all the gadgets I typically carry. It looks great and comes at a great price, too.

Price: $39.00
Where to buy: Go to the product page on the OWC web site.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by OWC.

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OWC USB-C Travel Dock review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 15, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Become a slinger with Mission Workshop’s new Spar Sling pack

NEWS – If you like backpacks and you like messenger bags too, the new Spar Sling from Mission Workshop is a bag that combines features of both bag styles to offer a sling bag that you can wear across your back like a messenger bag with just one strap or you can turn it into a backpack with an optional harness.

The Spar Sling pack is an 8L weatherproof bag that’s available in 3 colors of diamond ripstop fabric or black camo Cordura and features a magnetic Fidlock main flap buckle. The Spar Sling bag is priced at $220 and will ship soon. But if you’re on the Mission Workshop mailing list, they have a small number of these bags that are available now. Visit Mission Workshop’s site for more info.

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Become a slinger with Mission Workshop’s new Spar Sling pack originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 15, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Posted by / January 15, 2019 / Tagged with / Posted in News

IQAir Atem Car air purifier review


REVIEW – With my family, it is all about air purifiers to help us with our allergies. We are doing pretty well with in-home air purifiers, but until now I have never been able to try an air purifier in my car.  Usually, when I am in my car, I become very aware that I am continuously clearing my throat to the point that it is annoying. So, when I got the opportunity to test and review the IQAir Atem Car Air Purifier, I gladly accepted.

What is it?

The Atem Car Air Purifier provides a solution for in-cabin gas and odor elimination as well as eliminating other types of pollutants that cause allergies. It combines two types of media that adsorb odors and gases, and that change pollutants to an oxidized form.

What’s in the box



1 x Atem Car Air Purifier
1 x Car Mount
1 x Belt and Buckle
1 x Car Power Adapter
1 x Quick Start Guide
1 x User Guide

Design and features

Features
Mobile applications: iOS and Android
Display languages: automatic language selection based on phone system language: English, German, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, French and Spanish
Intelligent filter life monitor: yes (mobile app; LEDs at air outlet flash red twice when filter must be changed)
Advanced fan speed selection: yes (use the mobile app or tap on Atem logo on the unit to control fan speed; LED indicator)

On the back of the round Atem Car device, there is an interface to connect to the power port and latches located on the car mount.

The photo below shows the car mount that connects to the Atem device. It has the latches on the exterior parts and in the center is the power interface that connects to the Atem device. On the side of the car mount, there is a power port for the car DC power adapter and a release button on each side that allows you to separate the mount from the Atem Car device.


The photo below shows the car mount connected to the Atem Car device.

The web belt and buckle are used to attach to the loopholes on the car mount and secure around the poles of the car headrest.


On the entire circumference of the Atem device, there are air fins that allow the flow of air into and out of the Atem Car device so that the air passes through the internal filter and performs the purification function.

Performance

Attaching the Atem device to the headrest is quite easy. You first attach the belt and buckle of the car mount and then loop the belt around the poles of the headrest. Once secured tightly, you attach the Atem device.

Once you connect the car DC power adapter to the power port on the car mount the Atem powers on with a red LED light, and then the LED light turns to blue one it is fully operational. According to the specifications, the LED flashes red twice when the filter must be changed.

App

There is an app for Android and IOS that works with the Atem device. It allows you to adjust settings, including the power level of the fan/blower in the Atem device and it also provides information regarding the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle and an indication of the filter life and when it needs to be changed. You can also access additional instructions and the user guide from the app.


What I like

  • The effectiveness as an air purifier
  • Build quality

What can be improved

  • The car mounting options
  • The cost of the replacement filter
  • The design makes it look like a dorky satellite antenna attached to the back of my seat and it is highly visible

Final thoughts

To be honest, I was not quite sure what to expect from this air purifier since I had never tried one in my car and before trying this device, I was definitely a doubter. The Atem Car device has changed my mind. My throat clearing that was the result of my allergies had become such a normal occurrence when I was in my car. When I started using this device it decreased significantly to the point that it actually stopped being an issue for me. It was so obvious that I had to take notice. While this device is relatively expensive and while the replacement filter is as well, it really works for me. Keep in mind that I cannot assure everyone that it will work for them, but as I stated, it works for me. My only unanswered question is how long will the filter last before I have to replace it and therefore how expensive will it be to maintain. When the app tells me that it is time to change the filter, I will post an update to this review. Until then, I give it two thumbs up!!

Price: $399 – Replacement filter: $69
Where to buy: IQAir website and Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by IQAir

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IQAir Atem Car air purifier review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 15, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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