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LILU Lip Care necklace and Lip Balm Pearls review

REVIEWS – A few months ago, we had a news item about the LILU Lip Care necklace and Lip Balm Pearls.  I love jewelry with a hidden function, like the LiLu pendants, which have a hidden lip balm inside.  It’s a clever way to keep a lip balm or some lip tint with you even when your clothing doesn’t have a pocket.  LILU offered The Gadgeteer one of their pieces for a review, and I – and my dry lips – were happy to be selected to give one of their necklaces a try!

Let’s allow the folks at LILU to tell us what inspired this line of jewelry:  “We created LILU to solve our most persistent cosmetic fail:  Dry, Colorless Lips.  You know the story- It’s easy to have great-looking lips as you walk out the door.  But that never lasts.  And those long-wearing lip-care products dried out our lips…   So we created an innovative way to carry a small amount of lip balm in beautiful jewelry and accessories.  Our patented Lip Balm Pearl® is a breakthrough in cosmetics. ”  

LILU products won the COSMOPROF 2018 Innovation-Prestige Award for Package Innovation.

LILU packs their pendants in an organza bag with a little square of anti-tarnish paper to keep the sterling silver shiny and bright.  Their packaging for the necklace and the Pearl refills is made of 100% recycled paper that can be recycled again.

As you’ll see in the top photo, you’ll receive your necklace with a tube of lip balm Pearls.  This an assortment of all three colors, plus another Simple Shimmer Pearl in addition to the one that’s already loaded in the pendant.

I received the Kira pendant in .925 sterling silver.  I don’t have a caliper to measure it with, but the sphere is about 0.75″ in diameter.  The entire length, including the attached bail on top and the ring on the bottom is about 1.75″ long.  Each pendant comes with a 30″ sterling chain that’s sturdy enough to hold such a substantial pendant.  The one I received is a rope chain.  It appears to be lightly diamond cut for extra sparkle.

You can see the size of the pendant in my hand.  The silver is highly polished and shiny.

The ring on the bottom of the sphere is useful for opening the bottom so you can use the lip balm.

Here you see the pendant opened up.  The Pearl (Simple Shimmer shown here) is mounted in the base that screws off.  You can see how the ring on the bottom will also give you a good grip as you apply the balm.

The interior of the pendant is more than big enough to accommodate the Pearl.  This means that the balm won’t get smeared inside as you open and close the pendant.

The Pearl and its holder are held securely in the top of the pendant.  The body of the pendant has two tabs that fit into the channel on the base, then you screw the two pieces together.  A rubber ring helps seal the base into place.

The assortment of Pearls included with your purchase gives you an extra Simple Shimmer balm, plus one each of the three lip tint colors:  perfect pink, radiant red, and berry blush.  Each Pearl is seated in a rubbery base and is capped to protect the product.  To change Pearls, you just pop out the empty one, press a new one into place, then pop the protective cover off.

LILU says they are committed to providing beauty care with green and healthful ingredients.  Their lip balm supplier is Private Label Select, based in Taos, New Mexico.  Private Label Select has all the designations shown below:

This picture is a bit fuzzy, but you can see that the lip balm is supported by bristles.  LILU says you can use the bristles of an empty Pearl as a lip scrub after you replace it.

Here you can see the balm colors on the side of my hand.  The Simple Shimmer is at the bottom of the image.  I don’t know for sure, but I think the colors are berry blush at the top, radiant red in the middle, and perfect pink just above the clear Shimmer.

None of the Pearls are overly shiny, nor do they have a lot of glitter.  LILU says you can use these Pearls alone or with your favorite lipstick.  I almost never wear lipstick, so I use them alone.  I often have trouble with lipsticks and even regular lip balms; both products often chap my lips instead of moisturizing them.  I have used the clear Pearl almost exclusively, but I haven’t had any chapping from the LILU products.

A tube of four replacement Pearls is available directly from LILU for $12.99.  You can choose a tube of four Pearls of a single color or get an assortment tube like the one included with purchase.

What I like

  • Beautiful pendant
  • Comes with a sturdy chain
  • Well made and nicely finished
  • Clever way to carry a lip balm with you
  • I like that I can use the pendant with a lip tint or a lip balm
  • Lip balm keeps my lips soft and hydrated

What needs to be improved

  • I wish the refill Pearls were identified by color name in the sample tube so I knew for sure which color to order.

Final thoughts

The LILU Lip Care pendants are a very clever way to keep a lip balm or lip tint close at hand.  The sterling silver Kira pendant is very attractive, and no one would ever know that it was anything other than a beautiful piece of jewelry unless they see you open it up to use the lip balm.  Not everyone wears white metals and the sterling pieces might not be in everyone’s budget, so it’s very nice that LILU offers some lower-priced options plated in gold or silver.  Oh, and there’s always the 14K gold Cossette pendant for $2200.00 if you’re looking for an incredible holiday gift for someone special!

By the way, I just ordered another LILU pendant.  My daughter loves the LILU I just reviewed, so the second one will be a Christmas gift for her.

Price: $149.00 for the 0.925 sterling silver Kira necklace reviewed here
Where to buy: LILU
Source: The sample of this product was provided by LILU Lip Care

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LILU Lip Care necklace and Lip Balm Pearls review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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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.

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

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

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Albohes Z5 robot window washer review

REVIEW – I’ve been spoiled by my robot vacuums, so why not continue that trend with a robot window cleaner? I was offered the Albohes Z5 robot window washer for review, let’s see if it’s a viable alternative to a bottle of window cleaner, paper towels, and some human elbow grease.

What is it?

The Albohes window cleaning robot is exactly what you would guess that it is, it’s a robot that has been designed to clean windows.

What’s in the box?

Albohes Z5 window cleaning robot
7 sets of cleaning pads
2 cleaning rings
Safety rope
Remote control
Power adapter and cable
Extension cable (4 meters)
Spray bottle for cleaning fluid
User manual

Design and features

The Albohes window cleaning robot is a white and grey plastic device that has a large knob handle on top, a power button, power jack, and status LEDs.

On the bottom are two circular cleaning pads with removable cleaning cloths.

The soft terry-style cloths pads are removable and replaceable. Seven sets are included with the cleaner.

The pads snap on to the cleaner with the plastic cleaning ring that is inserted into the cloth. You can also see the attached safety rope and carabiner. This is used to secure the cleaner if you’re using it to clean windows above ground level and want to avoid the cleaner falling on someone below.

A remote is included with the cleaner along with 2 AAA batteries. The remote is used to control the cleaner, or you can also use an app for your phone. I decided to skip the app and just did my testing using the remote.

I don’t do windows but I hope this robot does!

I decided to test the Albohes Z5 robot window cleaner on my largest window which is perpetually filthy due to bugs, birds, and all manner of outdoor dirt. I usually wash the window inside and out once a year and complain about it the whole time. So my hopes were high that I could employ the Z5 to do my bidding.

The first thing I had to do was get an extension cord, connect the included power adapter to the robot, and plug in the cable into the extension cord. Note: the Z5 has a built-in battery that will keep the cleaner from falling off the glass in the case of power loss. It won’t run/clean on the battery though. It has to be connected to power.

Then I pressed and held the power button on the Z5, placed the two dry cleaning pads against the glass and let the suction hold it in place. As recommended in the manual, you’re supposed to run the robot on the window with clean dry pads first to clean off any sand and dirt. I’m not sure about sand, but the window was definitely dirty.

With the robot stuck to the lower left corner of the window, I pressed the Auto Up button which is supposed to make the robot move up and then down. The robot wiggles back and forth as it moves across the glass and even dirty window, the robot held to the glass and never slipped. But it seemed to get confused and would only move across the glass for a short time and would then stop. I tried sticking the Z5 in different areas of the window and pressed the different auto movement buttons but it would not work unattended. It kept stopping in the middle of a session. I’m used to using a carpet cleaning robot which requires no intervention, but the Z5 didn’t seem to be that type of robot cleaner.

After let the Z5 move around the entire window it was time for the cleaning session. While the robot comes with a spray bottle, the bottle doesn’t come with any cleaner and there’s nothing in the manual that tells you what type of cleaner to use, so I decided to use good old Windex. The instructions do advise you to only spray just a few squirts on the bottom pad. You DON’T want to saturate the cleaning pads because it can cause the cleaner to slip on the glass.

See it in action

The robot didn’t have any problems sticking to the glass and never fell off accidentally. But as far as cleaning, I wasn’t very impressed.

The window in the image above may look nice and clean and I even thought it was and was pretty happy with the job the Albohes Z5 robot window washer had done.

But later in the day when the sun hit the window and I could see all the smears it left behind. UGH! It also did not clean off lots of little specks of dirt. I ended up getting a roll of paper towels and a bottle of window cleaner and washed both sides of the glass by hand. In the end, it took MUCH less time doing it myself than running the Z5 twice on each side of the glass and then being disappointed with the results.

What I like

  • Nothing

What needs to be improved

  • Takes too much babysitting
  • Have to run it more than once to clean a window and it still leaves streaks and smears

Final thoughts

Robot floor cleaners are awesome but if robot window cleaners are all like this one, I’m going to stick with cleaning my windows the old school way, with my own two hands.

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Albohes.

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Albohes Z5 robot window washer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 10, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Aimus i11 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds review


REVIEW – After several earbuds reviews, the battle for supremacy is really heating up. The more I test and review these samples, the more I am beginning to realize that price is becoming much less of a factor in determining build quality and quality of sound and function. These earbuds are a new addition to my ongoing search for the best earbuds my individual taste, wants and needs. Here we go!!

What is it?

The Aimus Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are a pair of lightweight earbuds that are designed for listening to music and conducting phone calls with the utmost ease and comfort. They also work with Apple’s Siri and should be compatible with most Bluetooth equipped mobile devices.

What’s in the box


1 x Aimus Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds
1 x Charging Case
1 x Micro USB Cable
3 x Additional Pair of Ear Tips
1 x Instruction Booklet

Design and features

Specifications:

Version: Bluetooth 5.0
Working Voltage: 3.7 V
Impedance ohms: 32Ω
Bluetooth range: 66 ft / 20 m
Earbuds Battery Capacity: 40 mAh
Charging Case Battery Capacity: 400 mAh
Speaker Unit: ɸ10mm*2 Hi-Fi Stereo
Music Play Time: 3-4 hrs
Charging time for Bluetooth earbuds: 0.5-1 hr
Charging time for charger case: 2 hours

The Aimus Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are super lightweight and boast a host of features including Bluetooth 5.0, automatic pairing/connection, dual stereo HD mics that allow use of both earbuds for phone calls, touch surface for all functions, IPX5 sweatproof protection, approximately 4 hours of playback time on one charge as well as up to 4 charges from the charging case before the case needs to be recharged. The cylindrical case is smooth and sleek and very sexy looking. It slides open easily to reveal the pair of earbuds. The magnetic force between the earbuds and the case it strong which ensures that they stay in place. There are 2 connection pins in each earbud socket in the case that make the connection for charging.



On the side of the shorter half of the charging case, there is the micro USB port for charging, and a LED that lights blue when the case is being charged.

Performance

When you take the earbuds case out of the box, if you get them in red, you will love the appearance. I am sure that the black case is nice as well. Regardless, we all know that appearance while pleasing means nothing if the performance is not up to par. These earbuds arrived already charged and ready to go. Once I opened the cylindrical charging case, the first and only real issue I encountered was that since I do not have skinny hands/fingers, it was a pain in the neck to get the earbuds out of the case. The magnetic grip between the earbuds and the case is strong, which is great because they will never fall out on their own. This ensures that you will never lose them as a result of them falling out of the case. Once I got them out of the case, a simple touch on the touch surface of each one turned their power on. They immediately appeared as a choice in my list of available Bluetooth devices on my phone and paired very easily. Once I paired them the first time, they automatically connect to each other and pair with my phone whenever I remove them from the charging case. When I replace them in the charging case, they automatically disconnect from the Bluetooth connection. All of the pairing and connection functions are confirmed by voice commands, which seems to be the standard for most earbuds these days. These earbuds are very light, and they are very comfortable in my ears. They have enough volume for listening to any type of music, and the frequency range is quite good. The mids and highs are smooth and clear with no distortion. The lows are good, but could be better and could go a bit lower to provide a deeper bass that would positively affect any listening experience. I tested these earbuds, with Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, R&B, Soul, and Easy Listening, and their performance has been outstanding. What makes them “king of the castle” is that so far I have never experienced a break in the Bluetooth connection, even when in the high interference areas where all of the other earbuds that I have tested have experienced some level of trouble and disconnections. The second amazing accomplishment of these earbuds is their flawless and easy performance when I use them for phone calls. The call quality is clear for both parties and unlike all of the others I tested, I can speak at a normal volume. While this may not sound like a big deal, those that read my reviews would know that it is a first for me to use earbuds that I truly praise when describing my phone call experience.

Controls:
Music:
Touch once: Play/Pause
Touch twice (Right Earbud): Volume Down
Touch twice (Left Earbud): Volume Up
Touch for 3 Seconds (Right Earbud): Last Track
Touch for 3 Seconds (Left earbud): Next track

Phone Calls:
Touch once: Answer
Touch Again: Hang Up
Touch either Earbud for 3 Seconds: Reject call

Siri:
Quick Touch L or R 3 times

As you can see in the picture below there is a LED light ring on the earbuds that blinks bluish/greenish when they are in use. They are very comfortable and fit securely in your ears.

What I like

  • The build quality
  • That they are really lightweight
  • The sound
  • The long-lasting battery both in the earbuds and the case
  • The phone call quality (A first for my earbud reviews)

What can be improved

  • The case design so that the earbuds are still secure but easier to remove

Final thoughts

I have to be honest in saying that I had no clue what to expect from these earbuds. After being so happy with the previous set that I reviewed, I was not expecting these to come close. However, when I consider all of the categories and dynamics that I pay attention to when pursuing the best earbuds for me, these have without a doubt, taken over sole possession of the pole position, and sit on the throne as better than the rest that I have tested. By now, everyone that reads my reviews knows of my disclaimer, that sound and the perception of sound are individually subjective characteristics. However, and without a doubt, I feel quite confident when giving these kudos, and two thumbs up!!

Price: $75.99 (Amazon) $59.99 Aimus Website
Where to buy: Aimus Website (Use coupon code AIMUS20 to save 20%) Amazon (Use coupon code AIMUSBTH to save 48%)
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Aimus.

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Aimus i11 Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 10, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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