Home 2017 June

Sphero’s Spider-Man will be your new best bud


Alexa and Siri might answer your questions when you talk to them, but Sphero’s Spider-Man is a desk gadget with a personality and sense of humor. 

Spider-Man features a premium silicone finish and LCD eyes that show different expressions as well as blinking and glowing.

The included charging base keeps his Spidey senses tingling so that you can remove him for adventures that last up to 2 hours a time.

Just press the Spider on his chest and ask him a question, play a game, listen to stories, and more. Spider-Man is connected to the web (how appropriate) so he can regularly download new content.

You can read more about Spider-Man at sphero.com and you can buy one for $149.99 on Amazon.

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Sphero’s Spider-Man will be your new best bud originally appeared on on June 17, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Ventev Chargestand backup battery and device stand review


So, external batteries are something that everyone who uses a smartphone is aware of needing. Ventev has released a new take on the battery pack, the ChargeStand. What makes it different? Take a look.

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

The ChargeStand comes with a flat USB to microUSB cable that is about 4′ long. You’ll have to supply your own power source (which shouldn’t be hard these days!), and remember to carry the cord with you when you travel. It doesn’t charge with a USB to Lightning cable.

The unit itself is 3.5″ x 2.25″ and tapers on the narrow edge from 0.875″ to 1.125″. It opens on the large end to reveal a hard plastic stand holding a moveable lightning adapter and a soft, flexible fusion on the lid to rest your device against.

On the rear side (away from the opening) is the charging port and a button to activate the charger when something is plugged in. (I used to not like this, but there have been more than a few times that I’ve found batteries drained because they didn’t have that type function.)

The lip that you raise to open the stand has a slight indent to get your finger under, as well as 4 orange LEDs to let you know charge level when you press the button. These do go out after a few seconds, but I tripped them on in order to show them as well as the battery connection (top right of the frame from “Arrow” below.)

The Ventev can be a stand for devices in portrait or landscape mode. For Portrait mode, the lightning connector is slotted into the base, and hinges back and forth, depending on the angle of your device.

For landscape orientation, the charging tip can be released from the base and attached to your iOS device on either side via a flexible, braided cable. This works for all sizes of iPhones and iPods touch, but iPads are too large and tend to topple over.

At 3.5 oz, it’s not weighty enough to hold down a full-sized iPad. The iPad mini works OK, but I would make sure and have plenty of room on the table around the stand, in case it falls over. In landscape mode, the iPad mini doesn’t quite connect. At 3000 mAh, it s not going to keep your phone charged during a weekend camping trip, but it is good for one full charge to my iPhone 6s Plus, which has a 2750 mAh battery. (Interesting discussion of power banks and their charging abilities here.)


I’ve got a drawer full of batteries that will give me an “iPhoneful” of charge, but none of them have the flexibility of a stand with a cable attached. Many of those other batteries have been give-aways from everything from Wired Magazine to Calvin Klein Fragrances. (What can I say, I worked retail last holiday season!). Of course, more than a few of those don’t give a full charge, even though they are rated for it. For the $43.88 price, even with the stand and captive cable, though, I’m not sure I would buy the Ventev Chargestand. I don’t consider 3000 mAh enough to be table stakes in 2017. Better to pay a little more and get a lot more potential energy in my pocket.

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

 

Product Information

Price: $43.88
Manufacturer: Ventev
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • USB power supply to charge battery
Pros:
  • Small, light, and a decent stand.
  • Innovative design with captive cable and stand.
Cons:
  • Too light for many iOS devices.
  • Battery far to small for the price.

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Ventev Chargestand backup battery and device stand review originally appeared on on June 16, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Who knew diamonds could be so loud?


They used to say, “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” I doubt that’s still true in our more enlightened times, but it could be true now to say, “Diamonds are an audio geek’s best friend”—as in DiamondBoxx. DiamondBoxx makes speakers that will blow away every other speaker in its class. Since I reviewed the Braven XXL and Monster Blaster Bluetooth speakers, I came to appreciate the convenience of powerful speakers that can drive a backyard or camping get together. Then I thought, “Is this all there is?”

As it turns out, not by a long shot.

DiamondBoxx makes BIG speakers. How big? DiamondBoxx speakers come in three sizes. The DiamondBoxx M will turn the volume up to 109 decibels—comparable to a live rock concert. The M is water resistant and will play up to 60 hours on a single charge from its optional 231Wh battery (77Wh is standard). The M weighs 10 lbs. and its dimensions are 15 in. X 9 in. X 7.6 in. A 320 Watt HiFi Class A/B bi-amplified amp drives two 1 inch titanium dome tweeters and two 4 inch active woofers. Despite all that power, the M is the smallest DiamondBoxx speaker!

Then there’s the DiamondBoxx L. This 19 lb. speaker measures a slightly larger 22.2 in. X 13.5 in. X 7.6 in. It features 5.3 in. woofers for a bigger bass impact. It sports the same amp and tweeters as the (not much) smaller M. The L can go up to 111 decibels. Think of the L as a bigger and badder M.

Finally, there’s the XL which is just insane. 960 total watts of power (that’s 960!) divided among 12 separate amplifiers. All that ridiculous power drives two 10 in. woofers and eight tweeters that will crank up to 120 decibels—ear damaging loudness that’s just shy of standing next to a jet engine. The XL is not a backyard speaker as much as it’s a stadium speaker. Oh, and if that’s not loud enough, you can link two of them for double insanity.

All DiamondBoxx speakers are hand-made in California. Materials consist of Duratex-sealed MDF wood, leather and titanium with anodized aluminum front and back panels. Each speaker comes with 50 ft. range A2DP Bluetooth, AUX input, analog audio limiters to prevent distortion at any volume, battery-life meters and other goodies. DiamondBoxx speakers are available now: $549-$649 for the M; $799-$899 for the L; $1,699 for the XL. Visit DiamondBoxx for more information and check Amazon for pricing.

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Who knew diamonds could be so loud? originally appeared on on June 16, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Buying an iPad Pro 10.5? Here are some accessories to consider


Apple has had its WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) and many are excited about the software updates iOS 11 and Mac OS High Sierra and the new iMac Pro, but I am excited about the new 10.5 inch iPad Pro. Over the years I have moved up from an iPad to a first gen iPad Air and now I will be moving to the iPad Pro.

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

Along with moving to a new iPad, I will definitely need to upgrade my accessories to work with my new iPad. As some of you may know the Pro series iPads have features and accessories that are unique to them so I have been searching for accessories that take advantage of these features. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of products that take advantage of all the Pro features so I will also be listing accessories that will work with the iPad Pro 10.5 as well.

Keyboards

Although Apple probably makes the best accessories that work with their products they are not always the best designed. Case in point: their Smart Keyboard. The design is good but it does not offer any back protection and you always have to have the keyboard attached when the cover is attached.

To me, the best alternative that I have found so far is the Logitech Slim Combo for the iPad Pro 10.5. The Slim Combo not only utilizes the Pros Smart Connector to connect the keyboard and power it, the Logitech Slim Combo also has backlit keys and detaches when not in use. The Slim Combo is available for pre-order now from the Logitech site for $129.99 about $30 cheaper than the Smart Keyboard.

Pencil/ Stylus:

While there is nothing on the market that can truly compare with the $99 Apple Pencil that does not mean you have to shell out that much dough for a quality comparable stylus. One of the main features of the Apple Pencil is that it connects to the iPad via Bluetooth allowing the iPad to account for pressure sensitivities.

My first replacement candidate would be the Pencil by FiftyThree. Compatible with several iPad apps and having Bluetooth connectivity like the Apple Pencil, it has a longer battery life, and palm rejection technology. Although the Pencil by FiftyThree is better suited for drawing and such you can use it for writing. Starting at $34.99 the Pencil by FiftyThree may be a good choice especially if you use the Paper app by FiftyThree.

Another, more pencil/pen like stylus that is rated well would be the Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus 2. Like the Pencil by FiftyThree it is Bluetooth connected and works with several iPad apps. The Intuos Creative Stylus 2 is shaped more like a writing instrument for natural writing. At an average price of around $61, this could be a good alternative

Covers/Cases:

To be honest with you, I don’t think there is anything better than Apple’s Leather Smart Cover for the iPad Pro. I love the original Leather Smart Cover but they changed the design over the years and now they are bringing back a design similar to the original. At a price of $69 and with no back protection a lot of folks will give this a pass, and I couldn’t blame them but I still love it.

For protection on a budget, the JETech Case Cover has a great reputation. With a Smart Cover like flap that wakes or puts you iPad to sleep this $15 cover will not break the bank. You can find them on Amazon

If you want to customize a higher end leather case the Story Leather  Smart Shell Case lets you pick leather colors and textures as well as interior microfiber colors for your iPad Pro case. At a starting price of $139.99 this handcrafted case will definitely set you apart from the crowd, add some custom lettering or a logo and you will be without compare.

Other Accessories:

I could go wild with accessories, so I am only listing things that I find that are unique.

First up is another Logitech product called Base. The Base is a charging stand that uses the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro to charge it. A stand with a charger what a concept. With a price starting at $99.99 this add-on is not for everyone but if you are a heavy user of the iPad Pro it may be worth it.

If you are a stylus user you may want to look into a standalone Apple Pencil charger. There are several on the market and honestly, I could not recommend one over the other but Amazon seems to have all of them.

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Buying an iPad Pro 10.5? Here are some accessories to consider originally appeared on on June 16, 2017 at 6:48 am.

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Julie’s gadget diary – It’s time to find an alternative to Nest


I’m in the process of a tech downsizing. I’ve already physically downsized my phone from a larger Nexus 6P to a smaller LG G6 which just arrived yesterday. And now I want to downsize the amount of data I upload to the cloud by finding an alternative to Nest cams.

Why do I care how much data I’m uploading to the Nest cloud? Because I’m also trying to find an alternative to my insanely expensive T1 line. If you don’t know what a T1 line is, it’s my broadband connection. Where I live, I don’t have the options for connecting to the internet as people who live in larger cities or even smaller cities. I live in a rural area where I don’t even have access to cable TV.

I had a Hughesnet satellite dish over a decade ago, but it wasn’t a good experience so I went with a T1 line.

The best things about a T1 line are that it’s unlimited and that the line is managed and has 24/7 support if it goes down… which it does at least a few times a year.

But the bad thing about the T1 line beside the monthly price is that the speed is only 1.5Mbps down and 1.5Mbps up. Stop laughing, I know that’s slow. But it’s stable and it’s been my only option for the past 10 years until now.

The speed really hasn’t been a big issue when it comes to day to day surfing and even Netflix streaming. But if Jeanne and I are both surfing and one of us tries to watch a Youtube video, the other one knows about it because surfing comes to a crawl.

Now I’m going to try a wireless solution for my internet which comes with its own set of pros and cons. The pros are lower cost and faster speed, but the con is that it’s not unlimited data. It’s only 32GB a month. That might sound like a lot, but it’s not if you have home security cameras like the Nest cam which can upload from 60GB – 160GB a month per camera if you subscribe to Nest Aware which saves your video on the Nest servers.

I have 2 Nest cams in my home which means I am currently uploading as much as 320GBs a month which is 100 times my monthly limit. Yikes, that madness has to stop.

So it’s time for me to find a good home security camera system that has these features:

  • Notifications sent to my phone when motion is detected
  • 24/7 video saved to a local drive
  • Easy access locally saved video even when I’m away from home
  • Software that works with a Mac (although I could build a cheap PC or use a Windows laptop if needed)

If you want to help me brainstorm possible solutions, leave a comment.

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Julie’s gadget diary – It’s time to find an alternative to Nest originally appeared on on June 15, 2017 at 6:07 pm.

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