Knives, SIM cards, Android TV boxes, wallets, and more – Weekly roundup


Psst… wake up… I know you were enjoying a weekend nap, but it’s time to wake up now. The weekend is about half over and it’s time to make sure that the week doesn’t end before you’ve had a chance to read all our news and reviews from the past 7 days. Go ahead, click through and check out the list.

Reviews

News

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Knives, SIM cards, Android TV boxes, wallets, and more – Weekly roundup originally appeared on on May 20, 2017 at 5:00 pm.

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All you need to pop the top on a cold one, is this iPhone case


Summer is so close that I can almost taste it. What does summer taste like? Grilled hamburgers and a cold beer. That’s why a bottle cap opener is the most important tool of summer, so here’s an iPhone case that makes sure you’ll always have one on hand. Wait, what?

Toddy Gear has just launched its bottle opener case for the iPhone 6, 6s, and 7 (sorry plus-sized iPhone peeps). This low profile, durable, fade and scratch-resistant case features a stainless steel opener for bottles and can tabs built right into the back of the case.

The case is made of sealed, moisture-proof hard-shell plastic so you won’t have to worry about getting beer foam all over your phone.

You can choose one of Toddy Gear’s existing designs or if you’re the artistic type, you can design your own ultimate custom case.

The Toddy Gear iPhone Bottle Opener case is priced at $27.99 if you want to use your own design, or $25.99 if you choose one of Toddy Gear’s designs. Visit toddygear.com for more info and check them out on Amazon too.

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All you need to pop the top on a cold one, is this iPhone case originally appeared on on May 20, 2017 at 3:58 pm.

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Loftek 15W Portable Floodlight review


I’ve got quite a few flashlights, but I don’t really have a portable “floodlight” when I need to light up a large area.  This time I got to try out something different. It’s not quite a flashlight, and it’s not really a camping lantern.  It’s the Loftek 15W Portable Floodlight.

Specification

Includes: 1xUSB cable, 1x 15W floodlight, 1xuser guide
Power: 11 watts (white light); 2 watts (blue light); 2 watts (red light)
Input: 5V DC (0.5-2A)
Output: 5V DC (2.1A)
Lumen value: 650lm (maximum brightness mode); 380lm (power saving mode)
Shoot Distance: 20m
Beam Angle: >120 degree
CCT (Correlated Color Temperature): 5500K-6000K
CRI (Color Rendering Index): Ra>70
Battery capacity: 6600mAh
Working time: More than 4 hours; Charging time: 6 hours
IEC rating: IP65—Dust tight and Protected against low-pressure water jets (do not submerge in water)
Warranty: 12 months, unlimited when purchased from LOFTEK. Contact us for additional support if needed

The very first thing I realized was that the handle is attached by two screws that would require a hex key to adjust.  I didn’t see one in the package.  If you’re not careful, the stand won’t keep the light upright.

On the back is a fairly sturdy metal clip.  That could come in handy.

Here you can see the SOS and Power buttons.  The SOS button makes the light flash red and blue.  The power button select from a high and a low light setting.  In practice, I found these two buttons very difficult to tell apart in the dark.  That “indicator” is a LED that glows red when recharging, and green when fully charged.

There’s also a rubber flap covering the microUSB charging port, and a “normal” USB port to turn the lamp into a 6600mAh battery pack to charge your accessories (5V, 2A).

Speaking of SOS, the light alternates between red and blue.  While it would get your attention, the color pattern is somewhat similar to what emergency vehicles might use.  I also noticed in the specifications that the colored lights are rated at 2W each, and the white light at 11W, totaling 15W.  I was led to believe that the main white light was rated at 15W, but I’m not so sure.

The light really produces a very wide flood beam.  In this example, the photo in the upper left is of my son’s room with a regular table lamp.

The upper right was taken with just the iPhone LED.

The two bottom photos were taken with the flood lamp at the high and low settings (left, right).  The difference is a little hard to photograph.  Note the “whiteness” of the flood light is a much cooler white.  It’s rated at 5500K-6000K.

How long does the battery last?  The listed working time is stated at “more than 4 hours.  Here’s what I found:

High setting:  5.5 hours
Low setting:  9 hours

I noticed that after a while, the LED brightness does seem to taper down quite a bit, so it doesn’t maintain even light output throughout the burn time.

I do like the light, but it’s missing a few things.  First of all, I replaced the screws with matching ones with wings to make it easier to adjust.  The difference is night and day.  In case you want to try this yourself (or if Loftek wants to start including these), I used an M6 x 10mm, 1mm pitch stainless steel wing bolt.

Next, I’m thinking about adding a hook or a magnet to the yellow handle to make the Loftek 15W portable floodlight even more useful.  Now if they could only make the buttons a little easier to use.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Loftek. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $59.99 MSRP
Manufacturer: Loftek
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • MicroUSB to charge (cable included), charger not included
Pros:
  • Bright, wide flood light with even coverage.
  • Lasts up to 9 hours on the low setting.
Cons:
  • Stand adjustment needs work to be useful.
  • Controls can be tricky to use in the dark or by touch.

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Loftek 15W Portable Floodlight review originally appeared on on May 20, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Leave your surfboard at home and body surf with the Surf-Grip


If you’ve always wanted to learn to surf but didn’t want to spend money on a surfboard, body surfing is an alternative that doesn’t require you to balance on top of a board, buy a full-sized board, or store it when it’s not being used. There are body surfing boards, which are smaller than their full-sized counterparts, but you can forget about boards altogether and check out Surf-Grips.

Designed to increase buoyancy, Surf-Grips are made in the USA of lightweight foam and are suitable for all ages.

This video shows what it’s like to ride the waves with the Surf-Grip.

Are you ready to hang 5? One Surf-Grip is priced at $15.99 and a package of two is $25.99. Visit surf-grip.com for more info.

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Leave your surfboard at home and body surf with the Surf-Grip originally appeared on on May 20, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Fluxezy Lighters are eco-friendly and USB rechargeable for geek appeal


You don’t have to be a cigarette, pipe or cigar smoker to appreciate lighters and these cool lighters from Fluxezy will get your geek senses tingling.

First of all, the Fluxezy lighters don’t use butane or any other type of lighter fluids. They are flameless but produce dual heat beams that get to a scorching 900 °F. OUCH!

I know you’re thinking “But Julie, I can buy a package of 5 Bic lighters for a third of the price of one of these lighters.” and you would be right. But, the Fluxezy lighters work in the wind because, no flame. Your Bic lighter can’t do that.

Just charge the lighter for 60 minutes via USB and it’s ready to provide 50 – 100 lights per full charge.

Available in a variety of styles and colors, the Fluxezy lighters are priced from $33 – $42. Visit fluxezy.com for more info and to order.

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Fluxezy Lighters are eco-friendly and USB rechargeable for geek appeal originally appeared on on May 20, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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