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Chargetech PLUG Pro portable power supply review

I have become quite the collector of portable power supplys. I have reviewed probably a dozen of them here on the Gadgeteer and I have them everywhere… my house, my office, and my car.  I give them as gifts, and I use just about all of them at some time during the day/week.  I used to have a portable power supply about 4 years ago that had enough juice to charge my laptop almost all the way full, but it died.  So ever since I have looked for one to replace it.  And I believe I have found the solution with the $399 Chargetech PLUG Pro.

What is it?

The Chargetech PLUG Pro (hereinafter referred to as the PLUG) is a portable power supply that can power just about any small gadget or appliance.  It is meant for electronics, so using it with power tools or things with motors probably will not work.  But have no fear, if you do plug something up that the PLUG can’t handle, then it will shut down before short-circuiting or overheating.

Hardware specs

Weight: 2 lbs 3 oz
Dimensions: 5.6 in (w) x 8.6 in (h) x 1.6 in (d)
Compatibility: International Power Adapter Available

Input:
– 1x Charging Port
Output:
– 2x International AC Outlets
– 2x Fast Charge USB Ports
– 1x USB Type-C Port

AC Adapter comes in both 110V and 220V options for worldwide usage.
When finished charging, the LCD screen will display ‘FF’ to indicate a full battery.
Input: 100-240V ~ , 50/60Hz, 1.0A
Output: 24.0V ⎓ 1.8A   L.P.S

Certifications:  CE, FCC Listed

Capacity: 54,000 mAh

What’s in the box?

The PLUG comes with a cloth carrying bag with a drawstring and a power adapter to charge it.

Design and features

The title of this review says the PLUG is ‘portable’, but it should be noted that it is quite heavy for a portable power supply.  I would say it is about the same weight as one of your kids history textbooks from school, should it won’t be a device that you carry around every day.  It will easily fit inside your backpack or large purse, but again, it is heavy coming in at over 2 lbs.  Here is a picture of my Nexus 7 table sitting on top of the PLUG.  It is a little over 1.5 inches in thickness, so it is pretty thick as well.

With a USB-C port on the side, 2 fast-charging USB ports and 2 regular power outlets, the PLUG can charge multiple devices at the same time.  I have a bunch of portable batteries around my house, office, and car.  And none of them have these many ways to charge.  I have the 54,000 mAh model and that means I can recharge my Galaxy S6 Plug about 15+ times.  My laptop requires a 19V/3.42V charger, so the PLUG can charge my laptop from completely dead to fully charged in 1.5 hours, and the PLUG can do that 2 times before it needs to be recharged.  Not bad.

And speaking of recharging, it is going to take you quite some time to charge the PLUG because, after all, the capacity is 54,000 mAh.  It will take at least 7-8 hours to fully charge, so I charge it overnight when I need to charge it and by morning it is ready to go.

So what situations is it best to use the PLUG?  Well, because of the size and weight you won’t be carrying it around in your pocket unless you are MC Hammer (a little throwback to you 80’s music fans). When I travel there are of course wall outlets in the hotel room, and for my cellphone, it is much more convenient to carry one of my small portable charges that really does fit in my pocket.  So I would say that the PLUG is perfect for when you are literally going to a place that has no power outlets.  Like camping, or the park, or working a booth at a convention where your boss won’t spring for a power connection at the booth!  You convention workers know what I am talking about.

It has an LED reading on the top that shows you how much juice is left.  And it has all the bells and whistles you would expect like protection from overheating and short-circuiting.  The model I have also has the international plugs.  Which is another great use for the PLUG.  International travelers will find this gadget invaluable for their US-designed gadgets but will also be able to plug in international devices as well.

Positives

  • Portable (sort of)
  • Huge capacity
  • 5 plugs for devices
  • True power outlet on-the-go

Negatives

  • It is heavy for a portable battery supply
  • It is very expensive
  • Fast-charging USB slows down when you also use the power outlets

Final thoughts

For $399, the PLUG isn’t for everyone.  But for someone who regularly finds themselves without access to a power outlet, it is worth every penny.  With the number of ports it has, and humongous capacity, and the portability it affords, the PLUG is a great gadget.  Plus, unlike most other portable power supplies, you can actually use it with large gadgets like TVs, laptops, gaming consoles, small household appliances, even CPAP machines.  I highly recommend this gadget.

Price: $399.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Chargetech.

Evapolar evaSMART EV-3000 Personal Air Cooler review

Evapolar makes small evaporative air coolers designed to cool your personal space, be it in your office, bedroom, or a nursery.  The evaSMART EV-3000 adds WiFi connectivity so you can control the functions through a mobile app or through home automation interfaces.

What is it?

The Evapolar devices use evaporative cooling to drop the temperature in your personal space to keep you cool in environments where you can’t control the ambient temperature.  It also adds humidity into the local environment, which is good for your skin and hair.  And it filters out dust particles for cleaner air.

Hardware specs

  • 7.24″ × 8.54″ × 8.14″; 4 pounds
  • Water tank holds 44 ounces
  • Cooling power: 340-1360 BTU/hr
  • Cooling area: Up to 43 ft2 
  • Noise level: 25-40 dB
  • Power consumption: 12W
  • USB Type C (5V, 2.5А)
  • Works with USB power bank

What’s in the box?

  • Evapolar Evaporative Cartridge (installed)
  • USB power cord
  • USB power adapter
  • Quick Start Guide and user manual
  • Stickers

Design and features

The top of the unit has a display panel that incorporates some manual controls, too.  You can see the lid of the water tank is open in the above image.

The back of the evaSMART has a fan that blows air through the evaporative cartridge.  The cartridge is visible behind the fan; it’s the white folded paper just visible through the fan blades.

The front of the cooler has movable vanes that can adjust the direction of the air exiting the evaporative cartridge.

This slider, opposite the water tank, adjusts the movable vanes on the exit side of the cooler.

The evaSMART cooler defaults to displaying temperatures in Celsius.  You can select Fahrenheit only in the mobile app.  The touch panel lets you control fan speed, brightness of the water tank light, and the color of the light.  The top number is the temperature of the air entering the unit, and the bottom number is the temperature of the exiting air.

The water tank light can function as a nightlight, if wanted.  You can choose a static color, or you can set a color playlist.  You can turn it off, if a nightlight isn’t needed.

Setup

Since the Evapolar evaporative cartridge was already installed, setting up the device itself was simple.  Simply remove the water tank, fill it with water, and re-seat it in the evaSMART device.  Connect the USB cable to the power supply and plug it in.  Press the power button to turn it on.  You can use the top panel on the device to adjust the brightness and color of the water reservoir light, or to turn the light off, or to adjust the fan speed.

You need to download the Evapolar app to your mobile device to be able to connect the evaSMART to your home network.  You can use the evaSMART cooler without first installing the app, but there are some functions, such as changing the temperature display from Celsius to Fahrenheit, that can only be done via the mobile app.  Naturally, you can’t control the evaSMART using your home automation setup without the WiFi connection.

Performance

Once the evaSMART has water in the reservoir and is plugged in to power, you can begin cooling your personal area.  I was interested in this little personal air cooler because my husband and I often disagree on a comfortable room temperature for sleeping.  It seems that Butch always has hot feet, and he wants a cold room to keep his feet cool while he huddles the rest of his body under blankets.  I like a cool room, but I don’t like it cold.  Since I sleep next to the window that he wants opened, we both are often unhappy.

To test the cooler, I closed the window and set the evaSMART on a little table near his feet.  He was happy to report that his side of the bed was cooler that first night, and I was happy to report that I wasn’t freezing on my side of the king-sized bed.  He continued to use the evaSMART (with manual controls) for a few nights, and he even had to turn it off one night because his feet actually got cold.  The evaSMART personal cooler worked well to cool down the area where Butch slept to keep him more comfortable without requiring us to open a window and cool down the entire room.

You can see in the image showing the nightlight, the incoming air is about 6 degrees warmer than the exiting air (displayed in Celsius).  I used an external thermometer and found that the average temperature difference was about 6 degree F cooler in our room.  The cooling ability of the personal cooler depends on the ambient temperature and humidity.  The higher the ambient humidity, the less cooling can occur.  Our room humidity was only about 30% and ambient temperature was about 70 degrees F.  Evapolar claims it should be able to cool to as low as 63F under certain temperature/humidity conditions.  It might have worked more efficiently in an enclosed space, but it did work well to cool Butch’s micro space in our large bedroom.

We got about 4-5 hours of cooling from a tankful of water.  Evapolar says you should expect 4-8 hours, again depending on your ambient conditions.

Mobile app and WiFi connectivity

Attempting to use the mobile app is where my troubles began.  The app requires you to first set up an account.  My first attempt resulted in an error, so I tried several times to enter a password that would be accepted.  I got error codes of “2” or “4” or “Json not a dictionary”.  I finally found information on the Evapolar website that said one of those codes meant that the password didn’t fit the criteria and another meant that an account already existed for that email address.  Since one of my attempts had been successful – but I didn’t know which one, I tried the “forgot my password” route of storing a new password a few times.  I’d request a reset, I’d get the email enabling the reset, enter a password that was supposedly accepted, but I could still never log in because my password was incorrect.  After a couple of emails with online help, I was told that one of my passwords had been accepted and an account was set up, and that was the only password that could be used to log in, and it apparently couldn’t be changed.  I had no idea which one was the right one, so I ended up having to use a different email address to set up a new account.  BTW, there was plenty of room to display a message that my password wasn’t an acceptable format on the error line.  Having a code more useful than a “4” would have let me know what the problem was and would have saved all that trouble getting an account set up.

My troubles continued when I tried to connect the evaSMART to my home network.  I could easily connect my iPhone to the temporary local network with the evaSMART, but it always failed when I tried the next step to connect the cooler to my home network.  After more digging around on the Evapolar website, I found that the device was only compatible with 2.4GHz networks.  It wouldn’t connect to 5GHz networks, and it wouldn’t connect to dual-band networks.

Without being able to connect to the internet, and being unwilling to replace my dual-band router, I was unable to test out controlling the evaSMART with Alexa, and I was unable to change the temperature display to Fahrenheit.

Positives

The evaSMART EV-3000 does cool the air in a small area, so it’s great for your desk in your office or for a bedside table for those people who want a cooler sleeping environment than their partner does.

Negatives

The mobile app and WiFi connectivity, which is the function that separates this product from the cheaper evaLIGHT model, has confusing error messages when you’re trying to create an account and doesn’t let you know when you successfully entered an acceptable password and created that account.  Worst of all, you can’t use the app to connect the evaSMART to the internet at all if you have a router that isn’t 2.4GHz only – it doesn’t work with dual-band routers.

Final thoughts

The evaSMART device itself does work to cool a small area, and I like how it looks and performs.  If I were purchasing an Evapolar personal air cooler today, I would stick to the less expensive evaLIGHT model.  The evaSMART’s premium price doesn’t seem worth it until the app problems are worked out.

Price: $256.00
Where to buy: Evapolar and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Evapolar.

Noreve leather 10.5″ iPad Pro leather case review

Noreve creates a multitude of cases for a wide variety of smart devices, all made with high quality materials and old world craftsmanship. I have reviewed several cases from Noreve over the years and all have been very nice with great low-key European flare. For this review, they have sent me their traditional case for the 10.5″ iPad Pro in Tentation Tropézienne [The Must in Leather].

Design and features

I requested Noreve send me their iPad case in Tentation Tropézienne leather and was not disappointed. The leather is very (/extremely/insanely) nice with excellent European craftsmanship. The Tentation Tropézienne leather is handmade by French craftsmen, “A must-have, timeless object, distinguished by a very French style”. The leather is extremely soft and supple with just the right amount of padding.

The engineering of this case is interesting, the back of the case securely holds the right side of the 10.5″ iPad Pro. The left side (aka hinge side) of the tablet is meant pop out and that edge of the iPad sits in one of the three slots stitched into the front cover. When acting as a stand, it can hold the iPad at the three angles pictured above.

The case fits the iPad like a glove. You can see the fine stitching on the left side hinge. The back of the case has the engineered crease enabling it to fold backward.

The case has a very polished, understated professional look with the only thing of note being the Noreve logo in brushed metal on the lower right-hand corner of the front cover.

The top has cutouts for the power button, both speakers, mic, and audio plug. The two tabs and edges wrap around the top of the iPad, securing it within the case.

The right side has a smaller cutout for the iPad’s volume buttons.

The base of the case has a large cutout allowing access to the iPad’s lighting port and speakers. The corners are wrapped in leather and well protected from bumps and scuffs.

The cover is hinged on the left side of the case.

The right side of the back case grips the edges of the iPad, wrapping around to the screen.

As I mentioned, the left side is meant to pop on and off the iPad. Initially, this took a good amount of force to slip the iPad from the left corners. But after a few weeks of use, it has loosened up and is much easier to use as intended, though still takes both hands.

The back of the Noreve traditional case also has an egg-shaped cutout for the iPad Pro’s camera and flash assembly.

Overall, the case provides solid protection from bumps, scrapes, and minor falls both open and closed. Though probably wouldn’t provide much protection if dropped on a corner from any real height.

The Noreve traditional Apple iPad Pro 10.5″ leather case is available in 10 types of leather (and a multitude of colors):

  • EVOLUTION [PU – Synthetic leather]
  • PERPÉTUELLE [Smooth leather]
  • AMBITION [Grained leather]
  • EXCEPTION [Nubuck suede-like leather]
  • PULSION [Fluo leather]
  • ILLUMINATION [Patent leather]
  • HORIZON [Special handworked leather]
  • TENTATION TROPÉZIENNE [The Must in Leather]
  • ADDICTION [Saffianoleather]
  • PATINE [Elegance made by the effects of time]

Positives

  • Made from gorgeous leather
  • Excellent craftsmanship
  • Has a polished, understated professional look
  • Well engineered/thought out design
  • Provides good protection from bumps and scuffs

Negatives

  • None

Final thoughts

The Noreve traditional case for the 10.5″ iPad Pro is gorgeous, finely made, protective, and well designed. Absolutely nothing negative to say about this case. Some might find it on the pricey side but in this instant, you get what you pay for. The Tentation Tropézienne leather and French craftsmanship are of the highest quality. So, if you’re looking to splurge on a case that not only protects but wraps your tablet in old world quality…this case is well worth considering.

Price: from $83.22 to $186.03 ($156.65 as reviewed)
Where to buy: Noreve
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Noreve.

PITAKA Aramid Pixel 2 XL case review

To be honest, I don’t like to put a case on my smartphones. I find it weird to cover a sleek new phone with a bulky case. I rarely drop my phones (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself), so I would rather use my phone naked (the phone, not me). But there are times when having a case is useful even for a minimalist like myself. Cases add grip to an otherwise slippery phone, and they let me hide a metal plate so I can use the phone with the iOmount magnetic car holder in my car.  For those reasons, I was happy to review the PITAKA Aramid case for my Pixel 2 XL. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The PITAKA Aramid case is a Pixel 2 XL case that is made of Kevlar which is a trade name for aramid fibers. This is the same material that is used to make body armor. Aramid fibers have exceptional strength and thermal stability while remaining lightweight and thin, which makes the material a perfect choice for a smartphone case.

Design and features

The PITAKA Aramid case is very lightweight and thin. It barely weighs anything which is great because I don’t want to add any extra weight to my phone.

The case has a carbon fiber woven pattern design and is only available in black/twill.

The case has a matte finish that is smooth and sleek while offering a decent amount of grip to the phone.

The Aramid case has built-in metal plates that allow you to use your phone with magnetic mounts like the iOmount I mentioned above, or PITAKA’s own Magnetic Mount which they also sent me. Note that the Magnetic Mount is not included with the case and is a separate purchase.

The PITAKA Magnetic Mount comes with a metal plate that you can put between your favorite case and phone or stick directly to the back of your phone using the adhesive backing. I don’t recommend sticking the metal plate directly to the back of the phone though. I’ve done that before and it was very hard to remove it.

The Magnetic Mount features a clip that can slide over the air vent slats in your car. Unfortunately, this mount wouldn’t work in my MINI Cooper because the vents are circular instead of straight.

If you were to use this case with the PITAKA Magnetic Mount, this is how it attaches to the mount.

My Pixel 2 XL snapped into the Aramid case very easily and the result was a thin covering on the back and around the sides.

There are cutouts on the back for the camera, flash, and fingerprint sensor.

On the right side of the case, you’ll find a long cutout for the power button and volume buttons.

On the top is a notch for the microphone.

And on the bottom is a notch for the USB Type-C port.

Look carefully at the image above and you’ll notice that the sides of the PITAKA case sit lower than the display. This means that you won’t snag your finger on the sides of the case as you’re scrolling and swiping across the display. But it also means that if you like to place your phone face down, that the display will touch the surface it’s placed on.

There’s also no protection for the display if you drop the phone. If you don’t use a screen protector (which I don’t), this may be a concern.

I’ve been using this case on my Pixel 2 XL for several weeks and barely noticed it was there because it’s so thin and lightweight. I had not had any problems with the case until yesterday.

I was carrying my Pixel 2 XL in the right cargo pocket of my pants where it was sticking out an inch or so above the pocket. I was carrying a heavy plastic bucket and accidentally knocked the bucket into the side of my leg. I didn’t really think anything of it until later that night when I was taking the last pictures for this review. It’s then that I noticed the corner of the case. I thought some dirt was stuck to it but it wouldn’t rub off. Upon closer inspection, the case is chipped from the plastic bucket hitting it (at least that is what I think must have happened).

Although it’s better that the case was chipped instead of my phone, it does make me wonder how well the PITAKA Aramid cases will wear over time and I suppose if you live/work in a rugged area, you would want a more protective case than the PITAKA.

Positives

  • Lightweight
  • Thin
  • Built-in metal plates for magnetic car mounts

Negatives

  • Expensive
  • Material can chip
  • Offers drop protection, especially for the display

Final thoughts

I like the PITAKA Aramid Pixel 2 XL case because it adds almost no bulk or weight to the phone but does offer access to all buttons and ports and has built-in metal plates so it can be used with your existing magnetic car mount or PITAKA’s Mag Mount.

My biggest concerns are that the case chipped when it was knocked with hard plastic and then there’s the price. At almost $50, this is an expensive case that only offers protection against everyday wear and tear without any drop protection.

Price: $47.99
Where to buy: PITAKA
Source: The sample of this product was provided by PITAKA.

Noontec Hammo Wireless headphones review

Writing for the Gadgeteer has given me the opportunity to sample several different types of wireless headphones. I’ve reviewed on-ear, over-the-ear, in-ear, sports headphones etc. It’s a lot of fun and I’ve also learned quite a bit along the way. The Noontec Hammo Wireless Headphones are the most recent pair I’ve had the pleasure to review. And they might be my favorite pair yet.

What is it?

The Noontec Hammo wired and wireless headphones are Professional Monitor headphones that can be used for studio tracking and mixing, DJ monitoring, or personal listening.

Hardware Specs:

  • Wireless transmission: Bluetooth 4.1
  • Transmission Distance (max): 10m
  • Headphone Speaker: Votrik HD500
  • Resistance: 32 Ω
  • Battery: built-in non-replacement rechargeable battery
  • Charging Time: 5 hours
  • Battery playtime: up to 50 hours

Whats in the box?

  • Wireless Headphone
  • 3.5mm audio cable
  • USB-3.5mm Charge cable
  • Carrying case 
  • User manual

Design and features

The Hammo Wireless headphones have a nice versatile modern design. I really like their dark gray color and brushed metal gold accents.

The fully adjustable ergonomic headband, handcrafted leather ear cups, and exceptionally lightweight build make these headphones extremely comfortable.

I use them for several hours a night and they never become uncomfortable. They’re definitely amongst the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn.

Even though they’re made of an extremely lightweight plastic the build quality is solid and they don’t feel cheap in any way.

The headphones fold up, making them compact enough to put into a backpack, briefcase, laptop bag etc. Noontec also provides a handsome hard-shell case complete with a small metal carabiner that can be quickly clipped onto a backpack for easy carrying.

Controls

Hammo’s intuitive three-button control panel (located on the back of the left ear cup) allows you to pair, play, pause, power on/off, change track and control volume. You can also access a range of voice commands like Siri to make phone calls using the built-in microphone.

Control buttons and indicators

 

There’s also a friendly male voice prompt that alerts you when the headset is turned on or off and when it’s connected/disconnected to a device. It will even alert you when the battery is low and needs charging.

Battery/charging

Possibly the best feature of these headphones is their battery life. Hammo Wireless takes advantage of low-power consumption technology and a large-capacity rechargeable battery to provide an unheard of 50 hours of life. That’s enough to go around the world on a single charge! I’ve used them extensively for nearly a month and I haven’t had to charge them once. 

Hammo Wireless uses a 3.5mm to USB charging cable and to fully charge the headphones takes about 5 hours. 

Performance

Now that we’ve established that these headphones are well built and extremely comfortable the big question is how do they sound?

Noontec developed what they call SCCB (Surround Closed Cavity Body).  This unique cavity design technique provides the wide and flat frequency response needed for a high-fidelity sound. Combined with unique Votrik HD500 50mm extra size drivers the Hammo Wireless headphones produce an exceptional audio experience.

 

I used the headphones extensively over the last several weeks to listen to music and TV audio. Both sounded very natural and true to the source, even when listening at a low volume. And if you crank them up, there’s no distortion and the sound remains clear and balanced. 

The bass response is deep and realistic without overwhelming the mid-tones and the treble is clean and crystalline.

I was able to pair them with my Miccus Home RTX 2.0 wireless transmitter to listen to movies through my TV. The dialog was clear and audible and there was a surprising amount of depth to things like explosions and soundtracks.

Bottom line here is no matter what you use them for the Hammo Wireless won’t disappoint. 

Even though they don’t have active noise cancellation Hammo’s over-the-ear design and pivoting ear cups do a really good job of keeping out any unwanted ambient noise.

Hammo Wireless uses the latest in Bluetooth 4.1 Qualcomm aptX technology so you get virtually the same audio fidelity as a wired system. If you’re a sound professional or just want to get the optimum lossless sound you can use the provided 3.5mm audio cable.

Noontec even provides a 5mm jack converter so you can plug into a stereo system, amp, or musical instrument.

Positives

  • Lightweight design
  • Fold up for portability
  • Comfortable
  • Great sound
  • 50 hr battery life

Negatives

  • No active noise cancellation

Final thoughts

The Noontec Hammo Wireless headphones were designed and engineered for the sound professional but they’re perfect for anyone that just wants to chill out and enjoy their music. There’s isn’t much not to like about these cans. They have a great low-profile design, they’re extremely comfortable and a pure joy to listen to, all without breaking the bank. Oh, did I mention the insane 50-hour battery life?

So, If you’re looking for a pair of really nice headphones, start the New Year off right and give the Noontec Hammo Wireless headphones a try. Who knows they might just end up being your favorite pair of headphones too.

 Price: $149.95
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Noontec.