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Mystery Ranch Updated ASAP Pack

Exterior view of Mystery Ranch ASAP backpack

If you are looking to upgrade your day bag or create the ultimate dad bag, Mystery Ranch of Boseman, Montana recently released an updated version of their smallest assault pack, the ASAP. Like many of their other assault packs, the ASAP uses their patented 3-Zip design to allow you to access even the deepest recesses of the pack without having to unload everything from the top. The military / tactical design of the ASAP means it will stand out in a crowd and stand up to just about any abuse you can throw at it.

The main compartment has three pockets, of which two are designed for holding water reservoirs, but can also swallow light jackets, water bottles, or a changing pad, baby wipes, and diapers with ease. In addition to the main compartment, there is a small compartment in the top lid. MOLLE / PALS (pouch attachment ladder system) webbing on the outside of the ASAP allows for expansion and customization using any pouches that utilize the PALS system of attachment.

Interior view of Mystery Ranch ASAP pack

The ASAP utilizes Mystery Ranch’s internal Futura Yoke system to customize the fit of the pack to your torso once you’ve selected one of the three frame sizes. ASAP packs are available in four colors: black, coyote (tan), foliage (green) and multicam (green with multiple shades of brown).

Mystery Ranch designs and manufactures all their assault packs in the United States. While many of their mountaineering packs are available through various brick-and-mortar retailers in the United States, most of their assault packs are only available from their website www.mysteryranch.com. The ASAP retails for $275.

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Mystery Ranch Updated ASAP Pack originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth speaker review

REVIEW – Last year, I reviewed the Aiwa Arc-1 headphones and liked them. They’re comfortable and easy to listen to for hours. However, before the Arc-1, Aiwa made a wireless speaker that helped raise them from the ashes of forgotten electronic companies. Since its release, the powerful Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth Speaker has garnered a lot of positive press and reviews. The wonderful thing about reviews is that reviewers can disagree completely, which is why you should always read many reviews before spending hard-earned money on a product. Am I going to agree or disagree with the overwhelmingly positive reviews of the Aiwa Exos-9 speaker?

What is it?

The Aiwa Exos-9 is a large and loud 200-watt portable wireless Bluetooth speaker known for its ability to play loudly, both indoors and out. 

Specs

  • Onboard Volume
  • EQ control: 5-band with 4 equalizer presets
  • Bluetooth with a radius of 50ftA2DP support, aptX, AAC, SBC codec support
  • Wireless NFC pairing
  • Two-speaker pairing for wireless left/right stereo
  • 2600 mAH lithium-ion rechargeable battery with 9+ hours play time before recharging
  • USB charging
  • Frequency response: 40Hz-20KHz
  • Power: 200W 
  • 2 x 1 in. silk dome tweeter
  • 2 x 3 in. neodymium midrange speaker driver
  • 1 x 6.5 in. dual voice coil subwoofer
  • Class-D bi-amplification
  • Active and passive crossovers
  • Bass reflex port
  • 3.5mm aux. input

In the box

  • Exos-9
  • Mini plug cable
  • power cable

Design and features

To start, the Exos-9 is big, heavy and loud, which makes it perfect for kid’s basement parties and both indoor and outdoor get-togethers. Even though the Exos-9 can be used outdoors, it is neither waterproof nor water resistant. Aiwa does offer an optional carrying case which gives the speaker an IPX4 splash and dustproof rating.

The design (like Aiwa’s excellent Arc-1 headphones) is rather bland and generic-looking. The Exos-9 speaker housing is made of plastic, which doesn’t instill much confidence if accidentally dropped—and I didn’t want to test it. However, the speaker does come with a built-in carrying handle—a good thing since it weighs 13 lbs. Moving it to the backyard is easy but if the speaker needs to be carried over a longer distance, the handle’s design may cause you to have to grip tighter, putting undo strain on hand muscles.

A rechargeable battery pack is included with the Exos-9. It’s large but installs easily into the bottom of the speaker at the back. The battery is rated at 10 hours. I haven’t tested it for that long, but I was able to use the Exos-9 for 8 hours at moderate volume with no issues. If that’s not enough battery life for you, Aiwa offers an optional extended battery for longer play time. Note that battery life shortens as volume increases. To deal with this, Aiwa has incorporated what they call “Battery Save Mode EQ (equalizer) Setting.” This determines which frequencies use the most power and adjusts them increasing the life of the battery by up to 100%. Note that this will affect the audio as certain frequencies are reduced. Speaking of EQ …

The top of the Exos-9 speaker has a control panel that looks removable but isn’t. The touch-sensitive buttons handle Play/Pause and equalizer (EQ) controls. The EQ uses directional arrows for adjusting frequencies. The left/right arrows let you choose between four non-adjustable EQ presets and one customizable EQ setting. The up/down arrows allow you to increase or decrease gain across five EQ bands. You have to use the Left/Right arrows to move among the customized bands in order to press the Up/Down arrows for gain control. Even though the manual shows how the EQ arrows work, it’s still complicated so I just leave the EQ set to off.

The remaining control button is LINK. This allows two Exos-9 speakers to be wirelessly connected for audio mirroring or true L/R stereo—with the added benefit of even more volume.

Pairing Bluetooth was easy. Once powered on, the Exos-9 showed up in my iPhone’s Bluetooth settings. Why can’t all Bluetooth speakers be this simple? If you have NFC (meaning almost everybody except Apple), there is a labeled touch spot on the top of the speaker.

Audio connections are limited to one mini plug AUX Line-In port at the back of the speaker. This port will accept headphones, digital audio players (DAP), laptops and anything that uses a mini plug for audio. Once any device is plugged into the AUX port, it automatically takes over. There are two USB ports: One is dedicated to charging mobile devices. This means that a smartphone can be charged while streaming music to the Exos-9. Unfortunately, it is not a USB digital-in port. The other is a micro-USB port that’s for firmware updates only. A mini plug cable is included. USB cables are not. There is also a large, circular bass port that allows significant air movement for increased bass.

The front of the Exos-9 has two slots at the bottom that look like more bass ports but are decorative only. Near the top is a monochrome LED panel that shows EQ settings that are controlled from the top panel mentioned earlier.

The Exos-9 comes with 5 speakers: Two 1 in. tweeters, two 3 in. mid-range drivers and one 6.5 in. subwoofer. They are powered by a 200 watt amplifier. This combination packs a wallop when volume is cranked up. It’s immediately clear that the Exos-9 can match many speakers—some costing much more—in volume. 

However, volume alone does not a good speaker make. Aiwa has done an excellent job of matching the amp to the speakers producing excellent audio at all volumes. Example: I set the speaker on my back yard deck railing and walked 50-60 feet away from the speaker. I then cranked the volume to max on my iPhone. Not only did the Bluetooth signal hold with zero dropouts, but the sound quality was also excellent and distortion free. I was shocked by how much bass it produced because bass tends to dissipate when outdoors. This is definitely a potent party speaker.

One thing missing from the Exos-9 is a dedicated app. I would have loved an app that could control the EQ without having to go to the speaker and fiddle with those non-intuitive EQ arrows. Smart speaker technology would also be welcome. Yet, even though it’s missing some of these extras, you can’t argue about the Exos-9’s audio quality. There is an optional remote available, but at the Exos-9’s price, should have been included in the box.

I played different genre’s of music on the Exos-9, from 80s new wave, 60s psychedelia and modern over-processed music to bass-monster songs (for testing bass of course), folk and classical. The speaker handled it all with ease but rock and party music is what makes the Exos-9 shine. The louder the music, the happier the Exos-9 appears to be.

What I like

  • Loud, distortion-free audio, perfect for outdoor parties
  • Decent battery life (at moderate volume)
  • Great bass—even outdoors
  • Extended Bluetooth distance
  • Built-in carrying handle

What needs to be improved

  • A smartphone app would be welcome
  • No water resistance if played outdoors
  • Bland design

Final Thoughts

Since the Exos-9 is the product that pulled Aiwa from the ashes, maybe they should have named it “The Phoenix” instead. Either way, the Exos-9 is a dynamite speaker that sounds great, especially outdoors. If Aiwa can add some built-in water protection and some additional smart connection options like Alexa, AirPlay or Google Play, the Exos-9 could come close to that perfect all-in-one speaker.

Price: $329.99 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Aiwa.

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Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Relieve muscle soreness anytime anywhere with the Morph collapsible foam roller

NEWS – There are several benefits to using a foam roller, like encouraging muscle recovery and boosting circulation and flexibility. However, traditional foam rollers are big, bulky and awkward to carry with you. The Morph collapsible foam roller gives you all the benefits of foam rolling with less bulk and more portability.

This sturdy fold-and-go foam roller designed by former NFL player Nate Lawrie folds flat for easy portability and storing. The roller is made of high-density foam and can handle up to 350 pounds.

Expanding the Morph is done by simultaneously pulling on the drawstring pullers until the end disks pop into place. Collapse it by pushing on the disks at each end and fold flat.

When collapsed the roller is only 2-inches in height. Making it small enough to fit easily inside of a gym bag, locker, or luggage. The roller expands to 5 and a half inches when opened.

You can choose from a traditional smooth surface or a deep tissue ridged surface in either sunset orange or midnight blue.

There are even workout cards included to help you get rolling. The Morph collapsible foam roller is available from The Grommet for $68.

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Relieve muscle soreness anytime anywhere with the Morph collapsible foam roller originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Lenovo’s Smart Clock with Google Assistant will make sure you wake up on time

NEWS – At CES 2019,  revealed the Smart Clock with Google Assistant, the latest in its line of smart living products.  First and foremost, it’s a clock.  It has a four-inch display that tells the time and sounds the alarm in the morning.  It is, however, much more than just a clock.  It can gradually turn up the lights in the room, display the first event on your schedule, find out how long your morning commute will be, and read the morning news to you.  All this is done by voice — “Hey, Google!” — and is powered by Google Assistant.

Lenovo’s device is smart.  It can play music or a podcast, search the web, and display the weather.  It can perform groups of related commands in the morning, known as a routine.  It even lets you pick what keywords trigger what routines.  It’s also connected.  It interoperates with other smart devices and allows you check your front security camera, turn on the coffee pot, or listen in your baby to make sure he’s still sleeping, all from the comfort of your bed.

The Smart Clock has a 6-watt speaker, a touch screen running at 800 x 480, a USB port for charging your phone, and Bluetooth connectivity, but unlike its competitor, the Amazon Echo Spot, it doesn’t have a camera.  That’s a smart idea for any device that will be the bedroom.

The Smart Clock is covered in a soft, grey fabric.  From the display it tapers down to a much smaller back, making it less obtrusive on your nightstand.  It’s priced at $79.99 and will be available spring 2019. Visit lenovo.com for more details.

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Lenovo’s Smart Clock with Google Assistant will make sure you wake up on time originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Saddleback Leather Keyboard Case review

NEWS – Let’s face it – in this “information age”, most of us have become writers and editors. And, for better or for worse, this means having ready access to a keyboard. I carry one around in my bag most days, whether I think I’m going to use it or not, just in case, and that can lead to physical damage to the keys. Enter the fine folks at Saddleback Leather, who have produced a Leather Keyboard Case. (Isn’t that a simple product name? How refreshing!) I was sent one in Tobacco color, but it’s also available in Dark Coffee Brown, Chestnut, and Black. Let’s take a closer look.

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

What is it?

As the name implies, it’s a Leather case for your keyboard. A thick leather envelope with a flap, sized for a standard keyboard model, not the expanded one with numeric keypad and editing keys, this will hold the Apple Magic Keyboard, many Logitech keyboards (like my trusty K811) and models of similar size and shape.

What’s in the box?

The leather case, threaded with a leather thong to hold the flap closed.

Design and features

This being a Saddleback Leather product, we know it’s made from real leather. It’s thick, nicely tanned and durably sewn. The outer cow leather is actually thicker than boot leather, and the pigskin suede lining is smooth, soft, and will be kind to your keyboard until the next human-machine interface comes along to replace it. Measuring about 12.5″ x 6″, the envelope has enough play between the folded sides to hold a device .5″ – .75″ thick. The flap is a generous 3″ drop.


The case is constructed from a single piece of leather, folded around and stitched together to form a pocket with the flap coming up the back. The corners of the flap are slightly rounded, and all the edges are stitched with UV resistant marine-grade polyester thread. The keyboard is a snug fit, but the leather molds to the shape and loosens over time. The outer tanned surface will continue to develop that well-worn patina that good leather gains only with the passage of time and active use.


Minimal branding marks include the company name centered on the flap and a logo stamped into the bottom center of the back, just above the fold.

Performance

There have been numerous reviews here of Saddleback products, but it’s pretty amazing to hold one for the first time. You can tell it’s the real deal, and it’s going to protect whatever you put into it for the ages.
It’s quite tight when inserting a keyboard for the first few times, and the flap doesn’t fold down flat. One almost wants to find a way to work it to make it softer and more pliable, like oiling the pocket in a baseball mitt. Just in the few weeks that I’ve used it, however, I’m starting to see the leather take the shape of the keyboard and lay flatter.

What I Like

  • The quality of the materials and workmanship are unrivaled.
  • There are no frills or attempts at making it more than it is – a simple sleeve for a keyboard.

What needs to be improved

  • I wish there was another closure other than the wrap-around thong.

Final thoughts

A lot of the folks whose work I read will mention their keyboards from time to time. Many of them have opined about broken keys, missing keycaps, and damaged charging ports from their portable keyboard being crammed into a bag with other bits of tech and daily life. The Leather Keyboard Cover should prevent this while making a statement to any who see it of attention to quality in materials and design. And, when the computer-to-brain implant is perfected, maybe you can use it for that foldable screen information appliance you’ll replace your tablet with.

Price: $59.00
Where to buy: Saddleback Website
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Saddleback Leather company.

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Saddleback Leather Keyboard Case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 3, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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