Home 2017 June

Updated Mistbox, Flic hub, Wetsleeve wearable water bottle, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns


Here’s a new list of Indiegogo and Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns that you’ll want to check out and potentially back with your pledges. There’s a computer programming “game”, a hub for smart buttons, wireless earbuds, and more. Click through to see the full list.

Flic Hub: Simplify Home Control with Smart Buttons

What is it?
The Flic Hub is a controller for Flic buttons which are small clickable buttons that can be programmed to control a variety of IoT devices.

Why do I like it?
I reviewed the Flic buttons last year and have been using them ever since. The only downside to using them has been the fact that they are paired with a single phone. If you want to click a button to perform a task, you had to have your phone within range of the button. The Flic Hub fixes that problem. Now up to 64 buttons can be connected to the hub. That means anyone in your home can use Flic buttons without needing their phone.

Where can I find more info?
With 30 days left in the campaign, The Flic Hub campaign has already reached their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a Flic Hub starting at $69. After the Flic Hub campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in October 2017. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Mistbox: Energy-saving device proven to cut AC bills by 30%

What is it?
Mistbox is a device that connects to your outdoor AC condenser unit and sprays a fine water mist around it while it is running. The mist pre-cools the air around the AC, which helps it be more efficient and the air coming out of your registers will be a few degrees colder than without the Mistbox.

Why do I like it?
I reviewed the original Mistbox last year and found that it worked as advertised. Their new version is smaller and uses cellular instead of WiFi for setup and connection with the mobile app. Also, the system is now “free” because it’s been changed to a subscription service where you get the hardware in exchange for a monthly or yearly subscription fee which includes filters and a lifetime warranty.

Where can I find more info?
With 53 days left in the campaign, The Mistbox campaign has already reached their funding goal of $10,000. You can pre-order a Mistbox subscription starting at $10/mo. After the Mistbox campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in August 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Turing Tumble: Gaming on a Mechanical Computer

What is it?
The Turing Tumble is a mechanical computer that is powered by marbles and has been designed to help kids (and adults) learn how computers and programming works by solving logic puzzles.

Why do I like it?
I like the Turing Tumble because it turns the task of learning to program a computer into a game by building, touching, and seeing. The kit comes with a book of 51 puzzles that fit in with a full-color Anime style comic book.

Where can I find more info?
With only 7 days left in the campaign, The Turing Tumble campaign has already reached their funding goal of $48,000. You can pre-order a Turing Tumble subscription starting at $60. After the Turing Tumble campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in January 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

The Anker Zolo Liberty wireless earphones

blurb by Bill Henderson

What is it?
The first wireless earphones weren’t at all wireless; they still had a length of cable connecting the left and right earpiece. Wireless should mean wireless – not almost wireless. The Zolo Liberty wireless earphones are two totally separate Bluetooth earpieces that lack any kind of physical connection.

Why do I like it?
Anker has a great reputation for both innovative and reliable products. I have a couple of their powered USB hubs that are lifesavers. Anker is now branching into the wireless personal audio market with a new division called Zolo. Anker vows that the Liberty earphones will be the world’s first zero-compromise wireless earphones. Anker wants people who already own wireless earbuds to let them know what they like and dislike. Anker states, “We’re convinced we’ve already created the world’s best total-wireless earphones, but we’re not finished yet. We really want to hear from the people who will actually do the listening. You can help make Liberty even better.”

Where can I find more info?
With 32 days left in the campaign, The Anker Zolo Liberty wireless earphones campaign has already leap-frogged past their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a pair of Anker Zolo Liberty wireless earphones starting at $99. After the Anker Zolo Liberty wireless earphones campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in October 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Wetsleeve: Wear Your Hydration

What is it?
Wetsleeve is a 12 ounce capacity sports bottle that you wear on your arm.

Why do I like it?
I like the Wetsleeve because it looks like a better alternative to other wearable hydration systems that you wear on your back. The Watersleeve is handsfree and has an insulation layer that reflects heat away from the body so the liquid in the sleeve stays cool longer. It also has a bite valve so there are no caps to unscrew or flip open when you want to take a drink.

Where can I find more info?
With 43 days left in the campaign, The Wetsleeve campaign has already reached their funding goal of $25,000. You can pre-order a Wetsleeve subscription starting at $39. After the Wetsleeve campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in October 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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Updated Mistbox, Flic hub, Wetsleeve wearable water bottle, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on on June 21, 2017 at 12:22 pm.

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It’s National Seflie Day, so go take another picture of yourself


Established in 2014, National Selfie Day is observed in the United States and abroad every June 21 as a celebration for people who likes to take pictures of themselves.

According to CyberLink, the makers of the photo editing app PhotoDirector, and third-party polling agency YouGov, they have released some interesting selfie findings:

62 percent of US adults and two-thirds of millennials claim to take at least three selfies, at times even more than 25, before deciding which one they want to share with others.

I guess I’m not typical because I’ve only taken one selfie (so far) today. But if I was addicted to taking pictures of myself, I’d definitely invest in some selfie gear to help you take the best shots you can.

Be sure to check out CyberLink’s PhotoDirector Mobile app which available on both iOS and Android.

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It’s National Seflie Day, so go take another picture of yourself originally appeared on on June 21, 2017 at 10:33 am.

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D-Link OMNA 180 security camera review


Security cameras and nanny cams have become a huge market. Even baby monitors have added night vision capabilities, so you can just grab your phone from your pocket, desk, or nightstand and check on anything you’ve decided to secure at a moment’s notice. D-Link, a longtime maker of routers and wireless equipment, recently sent The Gadgeteer one of their OMNA 180 CAM HD’s for review. I’ve been working with it for a few weeks now.

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

The unit itself is a smooth column 5.125″ high and just over 2″ in diameter. It weighs 8.1 oz (230 g). There is a lens near the top and a microphone opening just to the side of that. Around the bottom, there are openings for the speaker. The single port is a fitted microUSB connection. On the bottom, there is a micro SD card slot and a reset button. At a half-pound, the whole unit feels hefty and doesn’t slide on the table, due to a rubberized gasket around the bottom.

Setup was pretty straightforward. I downloaded the Omna app, created a “Home” (you can have multiple) by connecting to my wifi network.

Once you have a home, you add an accessory by plugging the device in and waiting for the blinking orange LED. When you click “Next”, you’ll see your device’s ID number, which is also printed on a sticker on the back of the device. (Sorry, didn’t capture this screen.) Save the settings, and you’re done.

You can easily go back and edit any names you’d like to. As long as you keep power to the camera, it will save video and stills to a micro SD card. Through the app, you can get a live view of the camera, set up motion activation, and the frequency of micro SD card writes. You can also change the time zone and update the camera’s firmware (which I had to do soon after receiving it.)

You can activate the mic on the camera and listen in through the app, too. This worked quite well. This, of course, adds to the size of the files being sent to your storage card. You can also speak to the camera, which is a great way to absolutely freak your dog out. (Sorry, Jack!)

Given enough light, the images that you get from this camera are fairly clear, but the 180º fisheye effect takes some getting used to. I was able to run it easily off of a power bank, out on the porch, which was pretty nice. It would be nice if they added an internal battery, in the case of power outage.

When I first was setting it up, I took a few shots in my office, with nothing but a desk lamp and my computer screens on. The results, while usable, look more like something from an earlier episode of a police procedural than a cutting edge HomeKit device.

I did notice that the device ran pretty warm during testing. I rarely ran it longer than an hour or so, and it was always very warm to the touch afterward. Not sure what a 24/7 session would do.

The three kitchen shots I included because 1) they are being shot with just the LED over the sink and another light on the other end of the family room, and 2) they show the quality of photos you get with decent lighting. The last one, sitting on the island, shows my Lovely Bride’s fuzzy slippers as she watches yet another British Crime Drama. There is no other light in that room except the TV screen. Not too shabby!

I was sent a first unit that got bricked almost out of the box. Took a bit of time to get it replaced since it was a review unit, but the help desk folks were very friendly and helpful, as far as they could go. There is no “replacement” for a defective unit through the Dlink site – it’s done through the place of purchase. Right now, that’s Apple. From my time in Apple Retail, I know that 2 weeks after purchase, you had to contact the manufacturer, even if the product was in warranty. (All Apple-branded products have a one-year warranty that is honored in-store. Almost all third-party products sold there have at least a one-year warranty, but that’s handled through the manufacturer.) I called support several times and was consistently told there is no way to swap it out except at the place of purchase.

There isn’t a way that I found to get the camera connected to a network or service for archival storage. It’s the onboard micro SD or nothing. This may limit recording in some locations, where it may be difficult to replace the card. (Think: your vacation home three states away.) But for a daily nanny cam or pet sitter, it is nothing to swap it out or slip it into a computer to copy files, then erase and reinsert.

I am not a fan of the photos in this format. Everything is warped – my front porch and walk are perfectly straight in reality, but you can’t prove it by those photos above! If there was a way to easily force the camera (or the software) to post-process the image into something that looks less like a 1960’s movie LSD scene, I’d probably be more of a fan. But at this stage, I’m not.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by D-Link. Please visit D-link for more info, or Apple to purchase.

 

Product Information

Price: $199.95
Manufacturer: D-Link
Retailer: Apple
Requirements:
  • Wireless network, Apple device with HomeKit, microSD (TFT) card
Pros:
  • Sleek look.
  • Easy setup.
  • Good software.
Cons:
  • Odd photo output.
  • No online storage.
  • Unable to have camera replaced by customer service.

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D-Link OMNA 180 security camera review originally appeared on on June 21, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Focal ignites a Spark with a line of earphones and a wireless Listen headphone


Focal is a premium French speaker company who’s products are sometimes priced into the stratosphere. Their Utopia headphones are a cool $4,000 and many audio experts have said they are the best headphones available today. But let’s face it, you probably can’t drop that kind of money on headphones. No problem, because Focal is now offering (much) more affordable earphones and a new wireless headphone as well. The new Focal Spark earphones and Listen headphone are now available in both wired and wireless options.

Spark and Spark Wireless

As a follow-up to the Sphear earphones, Focal has created the new Spark line to provide the mobile—and connected—consumer access to Focal’s signature sound and performance. Designed in France, Spark is a lightweight and comfortable earphone with a three-button remote control and omnidirectional microphone for phone calls. Both the Spark and Spark Wireless come with the same hard case and three sizes of silicone ear tips. The Spark Wireless comes with a charging cord and battery clip for exercising. Both have identical specs, so whether you prefer being tethered to a smartphone/digital audio player/laptop or prefer the freedom of Bluetooth wireless, Focal’s Spark earphones have you covered.

The Spark and Spark Wireless look like they cost more than they do, with an aluminum finish, flat tangle-free cable and large 9.5 mm Mylar speaker driver with wide frequency response (a fancy way of saying you can hear the lowest lows to the highest highs).

Both the Spark and Spark Wireless will come in Black and Silver. The Spark will also come in Blue Cobalt, and Spark Wireless in Rose Gold later in July. The Spark will sell for $69 US and the Spark Wireless for $99 US. Both are available now from Amazon.

Listen Wireless

The new Listen Wireless headphone is based on the popular (wired) Focal Listen introduced in 2015. Even in noisy environments, isolation is available thanks to its closed-back design and large ear cushions. Its wireless technology offers long-range reception free from the constraints of traditional headphones, for even more freedom listening to high-definition sound.

With the Listen Wireless, Focal wanted the technology to be of sufficient quality and not just something associated with compressed music. As a result, Listen Wireless is equipped with Bluetooth version 4.1, and compatible with aptX. Bluetooth has finally reached a level where it is nearly as good as CD quality.

In addition to wireless audio, Listen Wireless headphones are comfortable and stylish with a flexible headband and memory foam ear cushions. Focal kept the folding design from the original Listen, making them easy to use and carry around. They have a scratch-resistant lacquered Black High Gloss finish.

Listen Wireless offers 20 hours of listening time, with a charging time of less than three hours. Bluetooth reception is up to 60 feet. It comes with a built-in dual omnidirectional microphone system running software for improved voice clarity while talking. Included is a soft carrying case, mini plug wires and a USB charging cable. The Focal Listen Wireless headphone is available now for $299 US from Amazon.

Visit Focal for more information.

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Focal ignites a Spark with a line of earphones and a wireless Listen headphone originally appeared on on June 21, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Can this cardboard box grill your next steak?


Have you ever purchased a grill only to use it the one time you had a craving for chargrilled hot dogs and hamburgers? I’ll admit that we did that. We bought a small Webber grill, grilled with it one time and then it sat in the garage for years until we gave it away. Maybe a better alternative would be the disposable CasusGrill.

The CasusGrill is a biodegradable grill that is made of 100% natural components like a cardboard box lined with lava stone, a bamboo rack, and special charcoal briquettes that are also made of bamboo.

This 12.2″ x 9.25″ won’t cook enough food for a huge party, but it is ready to use in about 5 minutes and has a 1-hour cooking time.

After you’re finished grilling your favorite foods, you can chuck the CasusGrill in a bonfire. That means no cleanup!

With a price tag of only $8.00, the CasusGrill biodegradable instant BBQ is the perfect little cooker for the next time you get a craving for charred meats.

Head over to TheFowndry for more info and to pre-order one for your next cookout.

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Can this cardboard box grill your next steak? originally appeared on on June 20, 2017 at 5:00 pm.

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