Douchebags The Backpack review


REVIEW – For many years I have been continuously looking for that gear bag that is just right for me to run around with and carry enough photography gear. Over the years I must have collected 30 gear bags and I still don’t feel like I have the right one. I now have the opportunity to test The Backpack by Douchebags. Let’s see if my search is finally over.

What is it?

The Backpack by Douchebags is a versatile backpack that can accommodate the daily needs of a photographer via the available camera/photography insert, as well as for school, work, exploring the trails or if you are just out and about.

What’s in the box



1 x The Backpack
1 x Camera Gear Insert (This is extra and not included with the Backpack)

Design and features

Specifications
Volume: 21 liters
Laptop pocket fits a 15″ MacBook Pro

Features:
Hook-up system
Top pocket
Tripod Straps
Fully openable compartment
Inside mesh pockets
Compatible with The CIA Camera Insert.

Material:
Main material: Polyester 600D
Lining: Polyester 200D

Dimensions:
Height: 48 cm / 18.8 in
Width: 29 cm / 11.4 in
Depth: 15 cm / 5.9 in
Weight: 1 kg / 2.2 lbs

On the front of the Backpack, there are 2 straps across the width of the bag at the top and bottom that you can use to attach additional supplies like maybe a folded blanket or even to attach the bag to the handles of a suitcase. The front is also padded to provide added protection.

On the back, there are the padded shoulder straps, and the back is also padded to provide comfort and air flow between the backpack and your body. There are clips at the top of the straps that allow you to attach the bag to another via a molle system.



On one side of the backpack, there is an upper strap and a lower pocket that can accommodate a small travel tripod/monopod or even an umbrella. On the opposite side, there are 2 straps for additional gear.


On the top, there is a zippered section that has a mesh pocket on the opening flap for storing small accessories and opens to a pocket that provides a relatively deep storage area.


On one side of the backpack, there is a zippered laptop/tablet pocket.

On the inside, there are 2 zippered mesh pockets on each side for additional accessory storage.


On the front opening cover flap, there are 3 additional mesh pockets for even more accessory/supplies/extra items storage.


The camera insert has a velcro strap on each side allowing you to secure it in various ways. On the inside, there are velcro dividers for customizing the storage space for your camera gear.


The camera insert fits perfectly inside of the backpack. The camera insert is not very deep and can only hold small lenses if they are standing up. It is also quite small, so if the lenses are on their side, it still can only hold 2 or 3 small lenses, with a smaller DSLR. It cannot hold my pro body DSLR with the extended grip attached.


The pictures below show my model wearing the backpack. She indicated that it is very comfortable on her back and that the shoulder straps are also very comfortable.


What I like

  • The build quality
  • The storage options
  • The relative versatility

What can be improved

  • The size and depth of the photography insert to accommodate professional DSLR cameras and lens

Final thoughts

This backpack is a nice size and well made with several options for carrying and attaching various types of gear and/or everyday items. While it will work well for the normal daily supplies, I tested it specifically as a solution for my everyday photography gear needs. If carrying pro gear as I do, it is not the ideal solution. Many of my pro lenses are large as are my camera bodies that all have extended grips attached. I never remove the extended grips, so there is a size requirement to carry such large gear. This backpack is not the answer for me. However, do not let that deter you. If you are looking for a daily backpack or one to take on an adventure, this bag will work. In my opinion, the only other consideration is how you feel about the price.

Price: $231.40 or €179
Where to buy: Douchebags website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Douchebags

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Douchebags The Backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 22, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Wave to the Airthings Wave Mini to check the air quality in the room

NEWS – I’ve become a fan of Airthings products after reviewing their Wave radon detector last spring. That detector may have saved my life. More on that story in an update to my review coming soon, but the news for right now is that Airthings has added a new product to their line up called the Wave Mini. The Wave Mini is a small battery powered air quality monitor that you can put in various rooms throughout your home to keep an eye on the temperature, humidity, and Airborne chemicals (TVOCs) and track the levels. It might be strange to think of air pollution inside your home, but it exists and certain TVOCs can have a negative impact on your body if you’re exposed to them over time. The Wave Mini will show a visual indicator with a quick wave of your hand or by checking the mobile app and even works with Google Home and IFTTT so you can create custom alerts in the event of critical levels. The Airthings Wave Mini air quality monitor will be priced at $79 and will be available for pre-order beginning January 31 at airthings.com.

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Wave to the Airthings Wave Mini to check the air quality in the room originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 22, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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TOPLEX Action Camera T101 review


REVIEW – I used to use a GoPro camera for some of my video work a few years ago, but I got rid of it a while ago. I wanted to get back to using an inexpensive action camera, so I figured I would give this Toplex Action Camera T101 a try.

What is it?

The Toplex Action Camera T101 is a 4k capable action camera that includes a 2″ display, Panasonic Sensor, WiFi, a 170-degree lens, and image stabilization. It also has the ability to be controlled via a smartphone app.

What’s in the box?

  • Toplex Action Camera T101
  • Two 1200mAh batteries
  • Semi-hard carrying case
  • Micro-USB cable
  • Waterproof case
  • Many mounting accessories
  • User Manual



Hardware specs

  • 170 degree wide angle lens
  • 16mp Panasonic Sensor
  • Video: 4k/30fps, 2.7k/60fps, 1440p/60fps, 1080p/60fps, 1080p/30fps, 720p/120fps
  • Video format: mp4, h.264, h.265
  • Photo: 5, 8, 12, AND 16mp (4608×3456).
  • 1200mAh battery (two included)
  • Electronic image stabilization (EIS)
  • 7 layer glass lens
  • WiFi
  • Modes: Video, video and snap, photo, loop video (driving mode), time-lapse video, time-lapse photo, slow motion.






Design and features

The Toplex Action Camera T101 has a fairly good feature set. There are multiple video and photo modes.

The video modes include the following:

  • Standard video recording at 4k/30fps, 2.7k/60fps, 1440p/60fps, 1080p/60fps, 1080p/30fps.
  • Loop recording in 5, 10, or 25 minute loops
  • Video + Snap records video and captures photos at intervals of 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute or 5 minutes.
  • Time Lapse creates a video from frames captured at intervals of .5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds.
  • Slow motion video recording at 720p/120fps.

The photo modes include the following:

  • Standard photos at 5, 8, 12, AND 16mp (4608×3456).
  • Lapse takes photos at intervals of 1, 3, 5, 10 or 30 seconds.
  • Timer mode captures a photo continuously at a set time interval of .5 seconds, 1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute or 5 minutes.
  • Burst mode will take a series of photos at a set time interval. The options include 3 photos in 1 second, 5 photos in 1 second, 10 photos in 1 second, 15 photos in 1 second, 20 photos in 2 seconds, 30 photos in 2 seconds, and 30 photos in 3 seconds.

There are some standard settings like being able to choose the starting mode so that the camera will start in whatever mode you want, like video, loop recording (for use as a dash cam), time lapse, etc.

The camera app allows easy preview and settings access to the camera. I found the app easy to use, in fact a little easier to use than the interface on the camera itself.

The camera app did fail to download a video. The first time it stated “Failed”, the second and third time it seemed to complete without error but I could not locate the video anywhere in the iPhone Photos app.

One thing that is really nice is the size:

Here’s the problem

I was extremely disappointed in the video quality with this device. There are obvious artifacts in the video, in multiple formats. I tried multiple settings such as NTSC/PAL, 50htz/60htz, and various size formats, and they all seem to have the same dots and lines. The dots and lines varied in their positions, so I’m guessing it’s a signal processing flaw.

For example, here’s a screen capture from a 1080p time-lapse I took:

A close up of the image artifacts:

Here’s a screen capture from a 1080p video:

Here’s a partial screen from a 4k video:

There’s also a serious magenta color cast to the video.

1080p Video Time-lapse:

4K Video Sample:

What I like

  • Included two batteries
  • Included many accessories
  • Included waterproof case
  • Included nice semi-hard case
  • Smartphone app

What needs to be improved

  • Video quality
  • Addition of a Touch Screen
  • App did not download videos to my phone

Final thoughts

The video from this camera is so poor that I would not consider it for anything other than using this camera as a dash cam, or a security/body camera – but even then, not at this price. This is not something you would want for creating YouTube videos, or any video where you want some quality to the video. However, if you output the 4k video at 1080p or smaller, the dots and lines are reduced to an almost unnoticeable level. That might be something I could tolerate with a $40 action cam, but not a $100 one.

Price: $99.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Toplex.

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TOPLEX Action Camera T101 review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 22, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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iRig Micro Amp announced by IK Multimedia

NEWS – Looking for an ultra-portable guitar amp with app connectivity that can even connect to an external cabinet? Then today is your lucky day as IK Multimedia has just announced their brand new iRig Micro Amp.

The Micro Amp weighs only 2.6 lbs, but with 15W of wall connected power or 7.5 on batteries should be able to crank up when you need it to.

The USB connection, borrowing from iRig’s HD2 mobile guitar interface, allows you to connect an iPhone/iPad directly or to a Mac/PC with the included Amplitube 4 software.

Take a jump to IK Multimedia’s website for all the details and to place a pre-order if it’s what you’ve been looking for. The iRig Micro Amp should begin shipping in March this year and is priced at $149.99.

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iRig Micro Amp announced by IK Multimedia originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 22, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Makers will love the one button to rule them all

NEWS – Makers, home automation hobbyists, or anyone who loves a good DIY challenge should take a look at the Touch Encoder by Grayhill. This easy to program device can be used to control computers, home audio, HVAC systems, thermostats, drones, or almost anything you can think of. The Touch Encoder features an intuitive dial with a 320X300 touch-screen, and an IP67 rating that makes it water and dust proof.

But how do you program it? Well, there’s an iOS app for that with an Android version coming soon. The tablet-based development platform comes with a library of configurable standard widgets that include things like light dimmers, power controls, and more. Touch Encoder is available now at www.touchencoder.com for $182 (Touch Encoder Only) and $526 (Touch Encoder with Software Development Kit).

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Makers will love the one button to rule them all originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 21, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

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