With up to 256GB of storage, the Sandisk iXpand Base has been designed for iPhone and iPad users to backup the device’s images, videos, and contacts every time the device is charged.
Just plug it in your iPhone or iPad and the iXpand Base takes care of backing up your data while it fast charges your device.
The iXpand Base has a soft rubber top that holds your iPhone in place while charging on your desk, a nightstand, etc.
The iXpand app will let you quickly restore your files to your current device or a new one.
To learn more about the Sandisk iXpand Base, visit sandisk.com and to buy one, head over to Amazon where they are priced from $99.99 up to $199.99 depending on the storage capacity.
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Bluetooth trackers have evolved from the boring plastic one color plastic tiles from a few years ago, to superhero inspired Bluetooth finders and now we have these cool Star Wars inspired finders from ThinkGeek.
These officially licensed Star Wars Bluetooth trackers are designed to attach to a keychain or object so you can keep track of it. They pair with your phone and if you go out of range (> 100ft), you’ll receive an alert on your phone.
They can work the other way around too. If you lose your phone, you can use the tracker to make your phone ring so you can find it.
Available in 5 styles that include: BB-8, R2-D2, Chewbacca, Stormtrooper, and Darth Vader, the Star Wars finders are $26 each from ThinkGeek.com
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Do you want to upgrade your home theater to a 4K TV, but don’t want to pay the price for all those extra pixels? The Hisense 65″ H8 series 4K smart TV is priced less than $900 which may cause some people to not take it seriously. Take it from me, it’s a really nice alternative to Samsung and other brands.
What is it?
The Hisense 65″ TV is a 4K LED 2160p smart TV with 4 HDMI inputs and 3 USB ports.
Hardware specs
Resolution type: 4K (3840 x 2160p)
Panel type: 64.5″ Full Array LED Backlight
High dynamic range (HDR)
Backlight type: Edge lit
4K upscaling: Yes
Motion rate 120 technology
Display aspect ratio: 16:9
Connectivity: Wireless built-in, 2×2 Dual-Band, 802.11ac, Ethernet
Ports: VGA (1), HDMI (MHL, ARC, CEC I up to 60fps) (2x HDMI v2.0 / HDCP 2.2 | 2x HDMI v1.4 / HDCP 1.4), USB (3), RF antenna (1), RCA composite, Digital audio output (1 Optical), Earphone/audio output (1)
Audio: Two 15W main channel speakers
Apps: Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Vudu, Amazon Instant Video, and more
Wall mountable: VESA 400 x 400
Product dimension (without stand): 57.4”W x 33.7”H x 2.4”D
Product dimension (with stand): 57.4”W x 35.4”H x 12.7”D
Weight (without stand): 66.1 pounds
Weight (with stand): 68.3 pounds
When I was offered the chance to test drive a 65 inch 4K TV, I didn’t have to think very long to give my answer which was something like “heck yeah!”.
I waited several weeks for the Hisense TV to arrive because it had to be delivered by a special freight truck. It came in a huge box that was way too heavy for me to move by myself. But I lucked out and was able to talk the two delivery guys into walking the box around the house to bring it into my walkout basement where I planned to mount it on the wall where I already had an existing 55 inch TV mounted.
I thought I’d be able to use the same VESA mounting hardware that was on the TV currently on the wall, but unfortunately, it wouldn’t work, so I had to order a new wall mount bracket kit.
What’s in the box?
Hisense 65″ H8 series 4K smart TV
Power cable
Remote control
2 AAA batteries for the remote
4 screws (M4 x 12)
Quick start guide
2 legs
Design and features
The Hisense TV has a glossy black plastic housing with thin bezels and the Hisense logo printed on the bottom center bezel of the display.
Other than the logo, and the power status LED (which glows bright red when the TV is off) in the lower left corner of the display, the Hisense TV looks like a large framed picture. I like the basic look of this TV because it will blend in with any room.
FYI: I don’t have a table or entertainment cabinet to put a TV on, I prefer to mount my TVs to the wall to give the room more of a home theater feel. So I don’t have a picture of the TV with the legs installed.
All of the ports and video connections are located on the back of the Hisense.
The three USB and two HDMI ports are located in a recessed area. This design is fine if you set the TV on a table, but if you prefer to mount the TV flush to a wall, it makes it almost impossible to access those ports once the TV is mounted.
The Hisense has WiFi and an Ethernet port on the back of the TV to connect to the internet for the smart apps like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and more.
The remote is pretty standard as far as remotes go. This one does have dedicated buttons for Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, and YouTube. I didn’t use the remote very often as I connected the Hisense to my AV receiver and a DirecTV DVR box, which is my main video source.
Picture quality
Out of the box, the Hisense 65″ H8 series 4K smart TV has a very “hot” picture. By that, I mean that the colors are too saturated. I noticed this right away but didn’t make any tweaks and soon grew used to it.
Only after I had been using the TV for a few weeks and started writing this review, did I stumble upon someone’s video where he also talked about how the default picture is too saturated. He suggested some settings changes, which I immediately implemented and was blown away by how much better the picture looked. It was like night and day. What I already thought was a nice TV turned out to have the best picture of any TV I’ve had so far.
The Hisense has 176° horizontal and vertical viewing angles that let people sitting off to the sides still enjoy a crisp clear picture.
Audio quality
I run my TVs through an Onkyo AV receiver so I didn’t do a lot of testing on the built-in audio. What I did sounded fine, but a 5 speaker setup like I have obviously sounds much better.
See it in action
Final thoughts
I have had zero issues with the Hisense 65″ H8 series 4K smart TV. It powers up fast, offers built in versions of the most popular streaming apps, and most importantly, it has a wonderful crisp clear picture with bright, vivid colors. For the price, you can’t go wrong.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Hisense. Please visit their site for more info and Best Buy to order.
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If you’re looking for a unique wallet, the ParaWallet easily fits that category. It’s a wallet made with over 50 feet of paracord. Chances are if you read this site, you already know what paracord is, but just in case you don’t, it’s a very strong multi-stranded cord that is very popular with survivalists because it can be used in so many different ways.
The ParaWallet holds your cash and credit cards just like a traditional wallet. But if an emergency situation happens, the wallet can be unraveled to use the 50 feet of 550 lb 7 strand paracord. There’s even a ferrocerium fire starter rod, a stainless steel emblem, and tinder (hidden inside tag) so you will be able to start a fire anywhere.
The company even offers to reassemble the wallet if you ever need to use it. All they ask is that you send in the remaining cord and your story.
You can buy a ParaWallet in a wide variety of colors for $65. You can read more about them on Amazon.
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I used to be addicted to Diet Coke and would drink a 12 oz bottle (or more) every day for years. I had a hard time kicking the habit and wish I would have had The Right Cup to help me. The Right Cup is a BPA free plastic cup that tricks your brain into thinking that you are drinking something sweet when all you’re really drinking is plain zero calorie, caffeine-free water.
When you drink from the 11-ounce cup, you breathe in the fruity aroma and even taste a slight flavor on the rim of the cup. How does it work?
use proprietary technology that enables FDA approved aromatic food grade flavors and ingredients to be added directly to the cup’s components at the time of manufacturing. During the process, the aroma and flavor become integral parts of the cup itself without having to change the plastic characteristics in any way. The Right Cup™ is made of BPA free plastic and is 100% safe!
The Right Cup is available in orange, berry, apple, grape, peach, and cola. The flavor is supposed to last for several months as long as you don’t use a dishwasher and only hand wash the cups.
You can read more about The Right Cup at www.therightcup.com and you can buy one cup for $29.95 from Amazon.
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