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CIGA Design MY Series titanium mechanical skeleton watch review

CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – If you enjoy wearing a watch on your wrist but a smartwatch is an overkill for your needs, a traditional analog watch is an interesting option. Today I want to show you the CIGA Design My Series titanium skeleton watch which is currently seeking funding on Indiegogo.

What is it?

The My Series titanium skeleton watch from CIGA Design is an auto mechanical wristwatch designed by Michael Young and winner of the 2017 iF Gold Award.

Design and features

The MY Series watch is a unique watch that is designed so that you can see the inner mechanism of gears, springs, and levers.

The MY Series uses a Seagull AAA auto-mechanical movement which means that it does not have a battery that you need to charge every night. You just need to wind the crown the first time you’re ready to wear the watch, and from there, the movement of your wrist will keep the spring wound. See that half-circle shaped part on the back? That is a weight that rotates as you move your arm and by some manner of wristwatch sorcery, it harnesses that movement to wind the watch’s internal spring.

The watch case is made of grade 2 Titanium which makes it strong yet lightweight. The watch is both scratch-resistant on the case and on the synthetic sapphire crystal watch face. It is also 3AT water resistant which means that it’s splash resistant, but not waterproof. You can wear it in the rain, but not in the shower or while swimming.

The CIGA Design MY Series titanium skeleton watch is eye-catching and if you hold it up to your ear, it’s ear-catching too because you’ll be able to hear it tick!

The watch is large on my girly wrist, but it’s comfortable to wear with the included silicone band. I was sent an orange band, but backers will be able to choose from orange, blue, red, and black silicone bands. A free black leather band is also included with each reward so the watch can go from casual to classy just by switching bands.

The dial of the watch has a sort of bowl shape to it with etched marks for the hours and minutes around the edges. If you look at the image above, you’ll see that there are nine marks between each hour marking and the hours are not designated by numbers. I prefer numbers on my watch dials and only one mark per minute instead of two marks, but that’s just me.

I also find the hour and minute hands to be a little hard to see against the watch face since the hands and dial are similar in color. However, it is nice that the ends of the hands have luminescent markers. But, you have to “charge” the markers with light before they will glow in the dark.

What I like

  • Unique see-through design
  • Auto mechanical movement means no batteries or charging required

What I’d change

  • I’d like to see a smaller version more suitable for women
  • Make the hour and minute hands easier to see against the watch face

Final thoughts

The MY Series titanium skeleton watch from CIGA Design is a cool looking watch that is comfortable to wear and easy to use because you don’t have to charge it every day. If all you want to know is the time of day and nothing else, this watch has that covered. Compared to today’s smartwatches, the MY Series might seem simple, but instead of a mini computer that tells the time, this watch has gears, springs, and other parts that all work together without any help from batteries, processors, or software.

Where can I find more info?

The CIGA Design campaign ends on 9/30/19 they are working towards their funding goal of $31,875. You can pre-order a MY Series watch starting at $228. After the CIGA Design campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in September 2019. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by CIGA Design.

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CIGA Design MY Series titanium mechanical skeleton watch review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2019 at 2:50 pm.

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Daddy Burt Hemp Co. CBD oil review

REVIEW – I’m always interested in trying alternative foods like the meal replacement shakes that I’ve been writing about lately. I’m also interested in alternative medicines that can help provide relief for a variety of health issues. I was invited to try some CBD products from Daddy Burt Hemp Co. CBD products have gained popularity in the last year, so I was game to give them a try.

What is it?

CBD aka Cannabidiol is an extract from the hemp plant and also the trendy new ingredient being used in 100’s of products including oils, lotions, edible gummies, and more. Some people claim that CBD helps with stress, anxiety, pain, inflammation, epilepsy symptoms, and more.

Daddy Burt Hemp Co. has family ties to the hemp farming business in Kentucky for over 100 years.

Are CBD products legal and will it make you high?

Those are the 2 main questions that most people wonder about when it comes to CBD products. Simply put, the answer to the first question is yes, and the answer to the second question is no.

CBD products that are made from hemp (like the ones from Daddy Burt) are legal to use and purchase from online retailers in the US.

Using CBD products will not make you high because CBD has no psychoactive, intoxicating, or mind-altering effects. That said, some types of CBD products can contain traces of THC which can show up in a drug test. Daddy Burt Hemp Co. offers CBD isolate oils which contain zero THC so there are no worries about it causing a failed drug test. CBD is also not addictive and has no side effects.

For more info on these topics, you can check out the CBD FAQ on Daddy Burt’s site.

My experience using Daddy Burt Hemp Co. CBD oil

Daddy Burt Hemp Company sent me a bottle of their THC free CBD oil and a bottle of their full-spectrum CBD oil which does contain less than 0.3% of THC, so it can show up on a drug test. If that is a concern, the THC free CBD isolate should be chosen instead.

I was interested in trying the full-spectrum version of the CBD oil because it has 85 different cannabinoids from hemp which is supposed to provide extra benefits over the isolate version. I have tried another company’s CBD oil in the past and didn’t feel any benefits at all.

I also wanted to see if CBD oil could help with mild joint pain and mild stress/anxiety issues that I sometimes have. For joint pain, I think I have the start of arthritis or an RSI (repeated stress injury) in my right lower thumb. I usually just take Tumeric capsules for it and stopped taking Tumeric prior to testing the CBD.

As for stress, I will sometimes feel a little anxious when it comes to social events. This is very mild and usually only consists of getting an upset stomach before the event or the worry that I might get a stomach ache at some point. I do not and have never taken drugs for anxiety.

I realize that my experience trying these products are personal to me and that others can have a completely different experience or no experience at all.

Both types of CBD oil samples that were sent to me came in a small brown glass bottle that holds 30 25mg servings.

The bottles have a glass eye dropper attached to the cap. The dropper has dosage markings on the glass tube.

You can use the oil sublingually by putting the drops under your tongue and holding them there for at least 60 seconds. There aren’t any specific dosage rules as far as if you want to take a full dose (25ml) once a day or break up the dose twice a day. During the few weeks that I’ve been testing them, I would take a dose in the morning and another in the late afternoon.

The taste of the oils are neutral like a light olive oil or in the case of the full spectrum version, it has a slight peppermint flavor.

When I first took the full-spectrum oil, I wondered if I would feel “anything” weird since it has a tiny bit of THC in it. I really didn’t feel anything at all. I didn’t get all zen, and I didn’t get the munchies. I just felt nothing. I was actually a little disappointed. But, I kept taking it and after a couple of weeks, I have noticed a few things.

The swelling and minor pain in my hand seem improved. It’s not like it’s healed and 100% better, but I would say that it’s 20% better than when I was taking Tumeric.

What about anxiety? Since I don’t have many instances when I have that issue, I wasn’t sure I’d have a chance to really test for improvement while testing this product. But 2 occasions did come up while taking the CBD oil. The first instance was when we were going to a concert in another town. Typically, I would feel a little stressed about driving there, finding a place to eat, finding parking, etc, in time to get to the theater for the show. I had no worries or upset stomach issues during the trip.

Then, another time we had plans to meet with a family member that I’ve not seen face to face in a couple of years. I would normally be anxious about that but this time I wasn’t at all and didn’t even realize that I wasn’t nervous until it was back home.

What I like

  • Easy to use
  • U.S. Hemp Authority Certification

What I’d change

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

Reviewing a product where the results are subjective is tough especially when it comes to foods and products like CBD oil where each person that tries it can have a completely different experience. That said, I will say that I feel like I’ve had good results when taking Daddy Burt Hemp Co. CBD oils.

I feel like the oil helped with the inflammation in my hand and it helped with my anxiety issues. I can’t promise this product will do the same for you, but if you’ve thought about trying CBD oil but weren’t sure which company’s products to try, I have no problems recommending Daddy Burt Hemp Co. CBD products and I hope to try some of their other CBD products like their lotions and gummies in the future.

Price: $74.95 per 1 oz (30ml) bottle
Where to buy: Daddy Burt Hemp Co.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Daddy Burt Hemp Co.

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Daddy Burt Hemp Co. CBD oil review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2019 at 11:22 am.

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ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C Digital Multiport Adapter review

REVIEW – Many new laptops and tablets are smaller and lighter than models sold in previous years. While this change is great for your back and shoulders it usually comes at the expense of peripheral ports. The ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C digital multiport adapter provides a large selection of useful ports in a small footprint. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C Digital Multiport Adapter includes the following ports:

  • 2* USB 3.1 ports
  • 1* USB 2.0 port
  • 1* HDMI port
  • 1* Gigabit Ethernet port
  • 1* USB Type-C PD port
  • 1* SD slot
  • 1* TF slot
  • 1* Audio (earphone and microphone) jack.

What’s in the box?

  • Multi-port Hub
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-C 3.1 cable, 8.5″ tip to tip
  • User Manual

Hardware specs

Upstream:

  • USB-C 3.1

Downstream:

  • Display: HDMI up to 4K@30Hz, 1920x1080p@60HZ
  • USB: 2*Type-A USB3.1 Gen1, 1 Type-A USB2.0, 1 Type-C with Charging
  • Ethernet: RJ45 gigabit Ethernet
  • 3.5mm Jack: headphone/speaker; microphone
  • Operation Temperature: 0-40°C
  • Storage Temperature: -20-70°C

Design and features

The adapter comes in a small white flip top box that is not much wider or thicker than at the actual port adapter.

The box has an adhesive label on the back that demonstrates the features and ports available.

The label also identifies that the product comes in black, silver and space gray. This review is of the space gray model. Inside the box, the adapter is packaged with cardboard that keeps the attached USB cable neat.

The adapter is mounted upside down in the box. as discussed below, the labeling of the top and bottom of the device goes against convention.

The design of the adapter is very sleek. It is an elongated prism with beveled corners. As such it is the perfect shape to prop up the back of a laptop. I’m not sure that the designers thought of or intended this but it seems a useful shape for enhancing the airflow to underneath my Dell.

The top, bottom, front and back sides are aluminum, which helps with durability and heat dissipation. The left and right sides are plastic. The front side has an SD card and microSD card slot.

The rear has the HDMI, Three USB type A slots and a USB Type C slot.

It is easy to identify the USB 3.1 and USB 2 ports by their color and by the additional 5 contacts at the front of the USB port.

The left side has an Ethernet port and the right side has the audio jack, upstream USB Type C port and a small blue power indicator LED.

 

The aluminum on the top side is beveled and printed with the ZOMOI logo. The bottom side has compulsory markings (CE, FCC, WEEE Directive, SAMR logo, RoHS Directive) and a statement that the product is made in China.

I cannot determine how this is put together or how to take it apart, which is a testament to the build quality and apparent durability. However, the device has one peculiarity – the USB, memory card and Ethernet ports are all upside-down with respect to the ZOMOI label. Is this viral cross-promotion with Stranger Things? More likely is that the engineers and the marketing department are not on the best terms. This doesn’t impact the adapter’s normal use, but more often the adapter will be used with the ZOMOI logo facing the table.

The fact that the upstream side USB Type-C cable is removable helps with storage and packing since the removed cable and adapter can be put into a smaller area than both items can be with they are attached. The other benefit is that this port adapter can be used with a Type A to Type C cable to provide audio, memory storage access, and Ethernet access. On an older android phone, the multi-port adapter still provides memory card and audio access.

When the Ethernet port is used the activity and connectivity lights are blue, which is much cooler looking than the typical green and amber.

Setup

The port adapter does not come with any drivers. The port is either supported on your device or not!

Performance

I downloaded a 4K MP4 movie and played it with VLC on my laptop attached to a 4K set with the laptops HDMI port and with the ZOMOI port adapter. I compared the number of dropped frames on each playback. While the movie had 32 dropped frames when playing through the local port, the movie only dropped one frame when it was played back using the ZOMOI.

The port is indeed able to display 4K@30Hz. I’ve also had no problem reading and writing to any of the ports or memory card slots on the device. I even used this to copy a file from one device to another with very little lag.

The only type C power adapter I had to power a laptop was itself from a hub, and when I tried using this as a pass-through power source, it provided power. You can see the computer registers “plugged in” when using the power through the power direct port.

What I like

  • Small footprint
  • Many useful ports
  • Inexpensive

What I’d change

  • Reverse the top and bottom of the unit (in terms of printing)

Final thoughts

The ZOMOI multi-port adapter is a great addition to your computer gear, especially for those who have models with fewer number and types of standard ports.

Price: $44.86
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by ZOMOI.

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ZOMOI 9-in-1 USB C Digital Multiport Adapter review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2019 at 9:30 am.

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The Hexbot robotic arm extends the reach of your creative mind


CROWDFUNDING NEWS – In my household, robots and robotic gadgets seem to be all the craze for my son and recently for me too. I have both purchased and reviewed several types of robotic gadgets that were designed mostly for young kids or teenagers. However, since I have a great interest in robotic gadgets too, it would be nice for daddy to have a new toy that has nothing to do with the kids.

Guess what? I think I found one! According to the designers, Hexbot is “The first versatile desktop robotic arm with extreme 0.05mm high repeatability that turns your desktop into a workshop.” They designed the arm with creativity and tasks in mind, and I think it will be versatile enough for many enthusiasts to make great use of it.

This is for the basic kit that includes:

• The Hexbot robot arm,
• The Pen holding module,
• The Power supply,
• The high-speed USB-C cable.

The following addons can also be purchased:
+$80 for laser engraving module with a protecting shield.
+$79 for 3D printing module.
+$50 for 3.5-inch touchscreen.
+$109 for the pneumatic kit.
+$439 for conveyor belt.
+$869 for sliding rail.

The Hexbot can be preordered via their Indiegogo Indemand page right now, with shipments scheduled to begin in October 2019. The preorder price is $299 which they state is $360 off the planned retail price.

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The Hexbot robotic arm extends the reach of your creative mind originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 25, 2019 at 8:14 am.

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How to Rotate a Video on Your iPhone

When you’re using your iPhone as a camera, it’s easy to hold it in such a way that the resulting image ends up rotated. If you’re dealing with photos, this is easy to fix. Just tap the Edit button, rotate the photo, and you’re done. This can also happen when you’re shooting video. Now you’re stuck with a tiny window in the middle of your screen instead of viewing the action the way you intended. Fixing this is a little trickier than dealing with a simple photo. Related: 5 Easy Ways to Reduce Video Size on iOS … Read more