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Nonda ZUS Heavy-Duty USB-A to Lightning Cable review

Charging cables come with every new phone or tablet we buy. Here at the Gadgeteer, every time someone comes out with a new wrinkle in materials or configuration, however, we are asked if we want to review the third-party versions. When Nonda sent their ZUS USB-A to Lightning cable to us I jumped for it. There are a plethora of options and offerings out there, even if we limit them to just USB-A to Lightning cables. So, why would I particularly notice this one? It has a right-angle plug.

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

What is it?

The ZUS is a 4-foot (1.2 m) cable that has undergone the strenuous testing required to be approved in Apple’s MFI program. That means it can wear the label “Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad”. It has a heavy-duty layered construction in the wire and the connectors, making for a far superior product than the OEM versions. (The pictures in this article show a standard Apple cable in white and the ZUS cable in black for comparison. Note the thickness of materials in the connectors and the strain-relief collars.)

Hardware specs

  • Apple MFi certification.
  • Protected with Carbon Fiber.
  • Lifetime Warranty.

What’s in the box?

Cable with Velcro tie-strap and warranty card

Design and features

The ZUS is a heavy gauge wire, wrapped in a carbon-fiber sheath. This, in turn, is wrapped in an EMI shield, and then in a PVC jacket. This is already one layer more than run-of-the-mill cables, but Nonda then encases the whole thing again in a braided nylon outer skin. At each end, they add heavy-duty stress relief collars and a steel body around the inner wiring of the connector. The wiring just beyond the strain relief collar has been tested to see how many times it can be bent back onto itself. Normal cables are tested to still operate optimally after 5000 bends. Nonda cables surpass this more than ten times this level, with 52,000 bends.

I weighed one of my Apple cables (3 ft/1 m) and found it was 18 grams. The Nonda cable (4 ft/1.2 m) is 27 grams. Even if you give Apple another 6 grams for the extra foot of cable, the Nonda weighs 2 full grams more, meaning there are denser materials – or at least, more of the materials that are there. While weight can’t be counted directly as part of the durability of the cable, my experience has led me to believe this to be true. Your mileage may vary.

What I Like

  • High-Quality materials
  • Strong anti-stress collars to prevent fraying at connectors
  • Steel shell around connector core
  • Over-engineered wire structure for longer performance

What needs to be improved

  • I can’t think of anything

Final thoughts

I have bought dozens of cables, and have been given or had bundled with devices I have gotten probably double that. I used to buy the “cheaper than OEM but MFA-approved” versions, but lately, I have bought several cables similar to this Nonda cable for the same reason I like it: it is truly heavy-duty, and won’t fizzle out on me or damage my devices by developing a short. I’ve come to look at cables as an investment in my devices. If I charge it with a poor quality cable, there is a high likelihood that the power is going to be hampered in some way, and either take longer to charge, or somehow compromise the built-in safety mechanisms the device builders put in place. Or, at the time I need to depend on it, that cheap cable is going to burn out, and I’ll not be able to charge at all. In the immortal words of that internet meme: “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

Price: $25.99
Where to buy: Nonda or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Nonda.

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Nonda ZUS Heavy-Duty USB-A to Lightning Cable review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Geekbes USB Smart WiFi Plug review

Over the past decade, I’ve slowly been adding automation to my home, starting with X-10. Powerful new devices, like Geekbes Smart WiFi Plug, have made it easy to remotely control lamps and appliances with ease, even when outside my home.

What is it?

The Geekbes Smart plugs are single-socket, WiFi modules that turn on or off plug-in electrical devices using a smartphone app, Alexa or IFTTT. Additionally, each unit is equipped with a pair of USB power sockets.

Hardware Specs

  • Plastic housing
  • Dimensions: 3.75” x 2.25” x 1.2” (94.7 x 56.8 x 30mm)
  • Weight :3.8oz (107g)
  • Power Rating: 125V AC 10A
  • AC Frequency: 50/60Hz
  • Operating Temperature: -10C~+40C
  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz b/g/n
  • App Support: Android 4.1 and iOS8.0 or higher

What’s in the box?

  • 2x Smart Socket
  • 1 x User Manual

Design and features

The Geekbes Smart Sockets arrived in a subdued cardboard box with black print. The instruction manual provides a QR code for downloading the app and walks through the configuration, Amazon Eco, and IFTTT integration. It’s simple and efficiently written, but be prepared to pull out your magnifying glass, the text is tiny.

A single Geekbes plug can be used in a duplex socket. Unfortunately, only two-prong, non-grounded plugs can occupy the adjacent socket.

Connecting the sockets was a simple process: using the app, scan the QR code, wait for the device to connect, give it a name and you’re off and running. I do have one caveat – if you use a VPN, it will need to be disabled during the connection process. I could not add any devices with my VPN enabled. As soon as the devices are connected, I reconnected my VPN and had no difficulties using the app. There is an icon-based list of devices that can be controlled with the Geekbes app, a much wider variety than other home-automation apps I’ve used.

The app is intuitive and has some desirable features.  There are several app screens one can use to turn the sockets on or off, each with different capabilities. There are also simple and complex timers and scenes that can be created. Scenes can be triggered by temperature, humidity, weather, air quality sunrise/sunset, or even another device. I found this particularly interesting as it’s possible to cascade one event through any number of Geekbes devices. Pretty slick.

Now the bad news: Temperature settings are only available in Celsius, and the list of cities is only available in (I think) Cantonese. This makes using local area weather conditions somewhat cumbersome as I don’t know what cities are represented. As the product matures, I hope to see language options improve, making usage easier.

There is a one-shot timer that can be used to turn a device on or off after a configurable delay, up to 23 hours, 59 minutes. I’ve used this function to keep the living room light on long enough to allow me to walk to the bedroom without tripping over the cat. Additionally, any number of schedules can be created to turn devise on or off at a specified time, on specific days. Think of this function as a lighting timer on steroids. For security, this works great, but I would eventually like to see the ability to turn lights on and off randomly within +/- 15 minutes of the scheduled time. This would give the home a much more “lived in” appearance as none of us turns the lights on or off at exactly the same time every day and helps avoid the “Home Alone Silver Tuna” phenomena.

Linking the Geekbes app to Alexa was as simple as opening the Alexa app and adding the skill. Alexa integration works flawlessly with a lag of only a few seconds. My wife and kids love this.

What I like

  • Well-constructed
  • Easy configuration
  • Capable app with many timing and automated control options
  • Alexa  and IFTTT integration

What needs to be improved?

  • City list in other supported languages (English, German and, Japanese are stated, but not available) is needed.
  • Fahrenheit temperature settings would be welcomed.

Final thoughts

I found the Geekbes WiFi smart plugs to be reliable, convenient and simple to set up. While some enhancements to the app would be welcomed, the system performed well. I am also particularly fond because my daughter has the habit of leaving every light in the house burning. From outside, my house looks like a cruise ship. Being able to turn lamps and other devices off without chasing my daughter all over the house is priceless.

Price: $29.99 for a pack of two
Where to buy:Amazon
Source: Geekbes

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Geekbes USB Smart WiFi Plug review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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ZAGG Rugged Book iPad keyboard case review

Functionality and protection, that is what I want in a case for my iPads. While functionality is a nice feature to have, protecting my investment is a must. I have owned several iPads since their launch and my main protection choice was some kind of Smart Cover and a protective back. All of the smart covers I had formed some kind of stand to make the cover more functional, but I was always felt I was missing something when it came to functionality, a keyboard. Obviously, this idea was not lost on Apple because they introduced their Smart Keyboard for their iPad Pro series. But what about the non iPad Pro users? ZAGG a maker of accessories for tablets and phones has introduced its latest functional protection for the iPad, the Rugged Book.

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

What is it?

The ZAGG Rugged Book is a protective cover and keyboard for the new iPad, iPad Pro 9.7, iPad Air2 and iPad Air. With a builtin rechargeable backlit Bluetooth keyboard and a two piece design the case is both functional and practical for those on the go.

Hardware Specs

  • Width 9.84”
  • Height 7.20”
  • Thickness 1.10”

What’s in the box?

 

  • Rugged Book keyboard
  • Detachable case
  • USB to Micro USB charging cable
  • Quick Start Guide

Design and features

The ZAGG Rugged Book is basically two pieces, the case that holds the iPad and the keyboard with a hinge mechanism to hold the iPad and case securely in several configurations.

For clarification, the section that holds my iPad is called the detachable case by ZAGG and the keyboard is called the Rugged Book so I will do the same. The back of the detachable case has cutouts for the camera and mic. According to the ZAGG website the case is made out of four layers of stainless steel, polycarbonate and rubber. I can definitely see the polycarbonate and rubber on the case, but I am not sure about the stainless steel (I think stainless steel is more likely on the keyboard section and hinged holder).

The detachable case has the proper cutouts on the top, bottom and sides, and the controls are easy to access. The cutouts for the Lightning cable and ear jack are large enough fit Apple designed and made products, but will also fit third party products as well. The rubberized material around the edges gives you a comfortable and secure gripping surface.

Although the case is a nice feature on the Rugged Book the keyboard is the workhorse. I have owned and reviewed several keyboards that I used for my various iPads in the past, and up until now the only one that was designed work well with iPads was the Apple Magic Keyboard. ZAGG has changed that, the Rugged keyboard is designed for iPads so it has a lot of features designed to work with iPads. The Rugged Book has a backlit keyboard and tablet function keys. The keyboard itself is similar to a laptop keyboard and in my estimate about 2/3rds the size of a regular keyboard. The keyboard is solid feeling and the keys are responsive. I have small hands and am not a touch typeset so the keyboard works great for all my needs. 

What I like

I love the overall look and feel of this setup, think of it like a netbook on steroids. It just has a rugged look and feel (some might say beefy). I like the backlit keyboard with the ability to change the color of the light and the brightness. Maybe one of the best features though is the fact that the keyboard is designed with the iPad in mind. Unlike a lot of generic keyboards the ZAGG Rugged Book keyboard has keys that specifically work with the iPad such as the home key, the apps running key and the keyboard hide/show key. 

What needs to be improved

Weight, the ZAGG Rugged Book is on the heavy side. I am guessing much of this is due to the battery in the keyboard. 

Final thoughts

To me, this is a great set up at least for what I want to do with it, some travel but mostly work around the house. It is more practical than having a separate keyboard and stand when you want to type on your lap or in bed. The Rugged Book is also great for traveling. At $129.99 the ZAGG Rugged Book may be a little pricey, but it is in line with other similar products. Available at the ZAGG website the Rugged Book should definitely be on your list f you are looking for a keyboard/cover combo for your iPad.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by ZAGG

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ZAGG Rugged Book iPad keyboard case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 22, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Liaboe Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush review

At the recommendation of my dentist, I switched from a manual to an electric toothbrush many years ago. Since then, I’ve used multiple brands with varying degrees of success, solely judged on the observations of my hygienist.  Liaboe’s Electric Toothbrush looked to be a worthy contender to my long-time preferred Sonicare Elite.

What is it?

The Liaboe Electric Rechargeable toothbrush is… a toothbrush. The toothbrush charges using an inductive base and is equipped with three modes, Clean, White, and Massage. Wait… Yes, I checked it – the toothbrush has a massage mode, no kidding. The replaceable heads vibrate at up to 40,000 strokes per minute to help abate plaque deposits, freshen breath and whiten teeth.

Hardware Specs

  • Plastic housing
  • Dimensions: Handle – 183 x 32.6 x 30.6mm; 7.2 x 1.3 x 1.2 in.
  • Dimensions: Base –  88 x 92x 32mm; 3.5 x 3.6 x 1.3 in
  • Weight : 9.91oz / 0.28kg
  • Power Rating: 100 ~ 240 VAC , 50/60Hz
  • Rated Voltage: 3.6 V
  • Clean mode current: 400mA ± 150mA
  • Whiten mode current: 330mA ± 100mA
  • Massage mode current: 200mA ~ 550mA
  • Clean mode: 31,000 strikes per minute
  • Whiten mode: 40,000 strikes per minute
  • Massage mode: clean mode alternates with whiten mode
  • App Support: Android 4.1 and iOS8.0 or higher

What’s in the box?

  • 1 x Charging Base
  • 3 x Brush Heads
  • 1 x User Manual

Design and features

 

According to the manufacturer:

  • Cost Effectiveness: The same function and quality as Sonicare toothbrush, but only half price. This toothbrush uses an innovative magnetic levitation motor. Super strong vibration makes water and toothpaste transform into tiny bubbles in the oral cavity, and uses the impact force produced by tiny bubbles to scour the dead corners of the mouth, so as to reduce dental plaque. Compared with the ordinary toothbrush, the cleaning force is increased by more than 3 times.
  • Cleaner: As you know, the more vibrant frequency, the stronger cleaning effect, but over-high frequency makes the brush swing range too narrow that can’t clean teeth well. After a lot of experimental analysis, the 40000 times per minute vibration and the 8 millimeters left and right swing range is the perfect combination.
  • More Careful: The electric toothbrush has 3 different modes to meet different needs. After carefully rounding the tip of every single brush-hair, it can more deeply clean the tooth gap and reduce the bleeding of sensitive gum.
  • Smarter: Liaboe electric toothbrush cleans your teeth in only 2 minutes with 30 seconds intervals to remind you to brush all 4 quadrants of your teeth. Waken your teeth in the early morning to enjoy a whole day full of happiness and confidence.
  • 60 Days Money Back & 2 Years Replacement Guarantee: We are always here to support you by providing the best customer service to ensure 100% customer satisfaction

My observations:

The Liaboe Electric toothbrush comes in a full-color box, nestled in a plastic tray and sealed in plastic bags. The manual recommends charging for 24 hours before use. The cord is quite long and the base does not have a location to store the excess. If your countertop is as crowded as mine, save the twist-tie to lasso the renegade cord and keep it out of the way.

After waiting the prescribed charging time, the Liaboe toothbrush took its maiden voyage in my mouth. Please note: sonic toothbrushes take some time to become accustomed. Initially, the motion of this brush will feel ticklish to sensitive gums.

The handle is comfortable and the brush head is small enough to fit easily behind my molars. This sub $30 toothbrush feels similar to my Sonicare Elite, but the amplitude of the vibrations is significantly lower. That being said, to my layman’s perspective, the Liaboe left my pearly-whites feeling equally as clean as the Sonicare, but the dentist will need to be the final judge. I admit I prefer the more aggressive oscillations of the Sonicare.

The two-minute timer is great to ensure I’m brushing long enough. There is a “blip” every 30 seconds I used as a reminder to switch to each quadrant of my teeth, (upper inside, upper outside, lower inside, lower outside) ensuring equal care from incisor to molar.

Impressively, the entire Liaboe toothbrush, charger, and heads are less expensive than a five-pack of genuine Sonicare Elite replacement heads. Sure, you can buy after-market heads, but I’m not a big fan of picking brush filaments out of my mouth. Disappointingly, Liaboe replacement brush heads could not be located and, according to an answer provided on Amazon, have to be ordered via email at Service@liaboe.com. I suspect after-market heads can be located somewhere.

I tried all three settings and found the “Whiten” setting to be the best for me. The “Clean” mode feels less aggressive. The “Massage” mode’s changing frequency is an odd sensation, but may be soothing or add an element of fun to induce the kids to brush longer It’s worth mentioning that if modes are changed during brushing, the 30-second and 2-minute timers restart.

Another note of caution: Try not to pull the toothbrush out of your mouth while turned on. The vibrations will send tiny droplets of toothpaste and saliva everywhere! If you do, be prepared to clean your mirror.

What I like

  • Easy to use and clean
  • Inexpensive
  • Timers prevent under-brushing

What needs to be improved?

  • Replacement heads should be readily available
  • Some bathroom counters are crowded. Cord management in the base would help.

Liaboe’s Rechargeable Electric toothbrush is inexpensive and has similar results to much more expensive models. The multiple speed modes I found to be somewhat of a gimmick, but others may find them appealing. I’m picky about my oral health and even floss daily. Even so, I would definitely trust my teeth to daily Liaboe scrubbings.

Price:$29.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample was provided by Liaboe.

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Liaboe Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 21, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Azpen Android My e-Bible Tablet review

What is it?

The Azpen e-Bible Tablet is in a nutshell, two versions of the bible that are available electronically on a tablet both in visual and audio form.

What’s in the box?


In the beautiful E-Bible box, there is the tablet, a very nice protective case, earphones, a wall charger, a micro USB cable and the instructions.

Design and features

The Azpen e-Bible Tablet has a 7-inch screen, and on one side, a micro USB Port, a headphone jack, a power-in jack, a power-on button, and 2 audio buttons for raising and lowering the volume. On the back there is a micro SD slot and a speaker. The tablet is slightly over ¼-inch thick.


When you power on the tablet, the Azpen logo appears.

After about 20 seconds, the full display is visible. The screen appears in three horizontal bands that make up the background. The top and bottom bands are white and the middle is yellow.
On the top part of the screen, there are three icons from left to right that are “Resume Reading”, “Notes” and “Bookmarks”. On the bottom third the four icons from left to right are “Search”, “Highlights”, “Help”, and “About”. The middle portion has just two icons, which are the two versions of the bible that are available on the tablet. They are from left to right, the NKJV – New King James Version, and the NIV – New International Version. Touching either icon reveals the first book, chapter and verse of the bible which is Genesis Chapter 1, or the chapter and verse that you were previously reading. The “Resume Reading” icon also takes you back to whatever chapter you were previously reading.

The built-in features also allow you to take notes which can be viewed via the “Notes” icon, and you are able to highlight text in the E-Bible and save the highlights and retrieve them later via the “Highlights” icon. You can do the same for bookmarking. In order to access the bookmarking, notes, or highlighting functions, you simply touch the relevant text for about 2 seconds and a dialogue box pops up with the options to highlight, bookmark, and underline. It also offers the choices of colors that are available for highlighting.

The “Help” icon displays a screen that shows what each control button is for.

The “About” icon displays information about the two versions of the bible that are installed on the tablet.

The “Search” icon takes you to a screen to search chapters, or to search by keyword.

At the bottom of the screen below the bands of colors, are the touch controls for brightness, volume, stop, and return to the previous screen. At the top right hand corner of the screen there is a font icon that allows you to change the size of the font.

What I like

I really like that the e-Bible Tablet offers two versions of the bible, and does so via both visual and audio media. It comes with wired earbuds and a really nice protective case. It is relatively lightweight, and the 7-inch screen while not large is quite adequate.

What can be improved

While the relatively low price for this tablet has to be a consideration, there are a few things that need to be improved. The touch screen is not as responsive as I would like, and the screen is not as bright as I would like, even at its brightest setting. The built-in speaker is not very loud but it is usable. The instructions also need to include more information on the tablet. I could not find any information on the micro SD card slot and what it could be used for, or not used for. Both Bluetooth and wifi are unavailable on the Azpen, so there is no built-in convenience for using Bluetooth earbuds or headsets, and there is no way to use it to connect to the internet to research something that you are reading in the text of the bible.

Final thoughts

The Azpen e-Bible Tablet is a great electronic bible that is the right size and weight, to be the only bible that I would need to carry whenever necessary. It has some very nice built-in features and it is easy to use. The highlighting and bookmarking options are great tools that make it an all-in-one solution. However, the lack of Bluetooth for use with wireless earbuds and the lack wifi, will likely not make it the choice of many who can carry a full featured tablet with a bible app loaded, and the convenience of everything else that such a tablet offers. While I understand that the reason the wifi is left out is for the tablet to be a dedicated bible with no distractions, I am not sure that it is enough of a reason to overpower the demand to always be connected to the rest of the world.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Azpen Technology.

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Azpen Android My e-Bible Tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 21, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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