You can never have too may power outlets! Instead of the typical outlet strip, I get to try out the APC Essential SurgeArrest 6, which sits over your existing wall outlet, giving you not only 6 AC outlets but 2 USB charging ports, too.
Specifications:
Nominal Operating Voltage: 120VAC, 50-60 Hz
Maximum Amperage: 15A
Joule Rating: 1080 Joules
Dimensions (HxWxD): 1.5 in. x 4 in. x 5.5 in.
As the name implies, the P6WU2 provides 6 AC outlets (three on each side) and two USB charging ports (2.4 amp). Two LEDs on the front indicate if surge protection is working, and another indicating wiring fault. Here you can see either side of the P6WU2 (three outlets each side). Notice the threaded screw in the middle? APC cautions you to use only with a duplex receptacle that has a center screw. Without taking the P6WU2 apart, I am not positive this screw gives a mechanical bond to ground, but it does reduce the chance your plugs get yanked off the wall.
The P6WU2 is plugged in. Green light = everything good!
The configuration of the AC outlets from the side gives your wiring a slightly lower profile. Here’s the P6WU2 living under my desk. I still have two spare AC outlets, and I have still have two USB ports to go.
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We all need to listen to things on our devices from time to time without the distraction of other noises, or without causing interruption to those around us. Earbuds are the quick-and-dirty solution, but if you’re watching a movie, or sitting down for a good long study/work session, you’re going to want something a little more comfortable with better sound. iFrogz, a vendor of mobile products like cases and headphones, has recently released an on-ear set of cans they call the Impulse Wireless headphones and sent a sample pair to The Gadgeteer to test out. I’ve been listening to them for a few weeks now.
Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.
The impulse Wireless Headphones are available in three colorways: white with brown speaker pads, gray with black accents, or black with red accents. I was sent the black/red one and found it very attractive. The color is used very sparingly, just on the face of the speaker pads and the stitching across the top of the headband. Stitching is even and tight, and the seams around the ear cups are well-placed on the edge of the disc. The holes punched into the speaker grills were cleanly made.
The first thing you’ll notice, however, is that the actual headphones (not just the band) feel very substantial. They aren’t heavy, per se, but they don’t feel cheap and fragile like many lightweight headphones do. The hinge on each side is covered and mounted in the center, with no exposed joints, rather than having small gimbals on each side.
This will prevent rogue wires and charger plugs from possibly getting caught inside the mechanism in your bag. The cups fold up into the arc of the well-padded band for travel, again on sturdy, wide hinges. There is no bag included, but the construction is compact and sturdy enough to not really need one.
The controls are minimal, and simple to use: on/off/pairing button on left ear, volume toggle and call answer/pause button on the right. The volume toggle is on either side of the band, so you can readily hit the correct side easily. The charging port on the right ear cup fits an included standard microUSB plug, and the left ear cup has a port for a speaker/mic cable (also included) next to the mic.
I hadn’t intended to listen to anything while writing today, but when I got to my favorite café, on such a temperate windy day, I decided to sit outside and listen to nature. Unfortunately, there was a gaggle of moms with screaming babies waiting for the older children at the school next door, and they were all screaming loudly over the infants. Rather than pack up and move inside, I donned the iFrogz and put on my Southern Rock playlist on Spotify. Atlanta Rhythm Section, J. Giles, Little Feat and Lynyrd Skynyrd can drown out almost anything. I was able to hear the separation of guitars, bass, drums and vocals cleanly, with only the loudest screams of children or laughter piercing my cocoon. Previously, I’ve used these cans with my iPhone to have a conversation with my mom, and she had no problem hearing me. The small mic in the left headphone picked up my voice admirably. I’ve also used the Impulses wired with both my Mac and an iPad connected with a Belkin Rockstar. Sounds from the Mac, where I was mostly writing and surfing mixed effortlessly with the Netflix or Amazon Prime streamed media from my iPad. Either source worked great and had no lag between video and sound. Weighing in at 7.5 ounces, the Impulse Wireless headphones will hardly make a dent in your bag’s weight, but they will greatly enhance your listening experience. At $60, they are right in the middle of the lightweight headphone category, so while you’ll find some that may be less expensive, I doubt they’ll be significantly better, either for sound or build quality.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by iFrogz. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.
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This week I bring you five crowdfunding campaigns that include two quirky products that will make you smile and three products that look useful. Let me know if you end up supporting any of them.
TAYBLES: The Original Cassette Tape Coffee Table
What is it? TAYBLES are coffee tables made of wood that are replicas of cassette tapes.
Why do I like it? I like TAYBLES because they have a fun retro vibe while still being able to perform as a coffee table. TAYBLES have a stainless steel cup holder in the center of each spindle and have a storage area that can hold remotes and other small items. The top of the TAYBLE has a label that doubles as a whiteboard that you can write on with dry erase markers that let you name your “mix tape”.
Where can I find more info? With 6 days left in their campaign, The TAYBLES campaign has already passed their funding goal of $35,000. You can pre-order a TAYBLE starting at $220. After the TAYBLES campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Tubey – The Mini Wacky Wavy Inflatable Flailing Tube Man
What is it? Tubey is a miniature flailing tube man. You’ve probably seen the full sized tube men in front of car dealerships or other stores. They are set up to get the attention of people passing by.
Why do I like it? I like Tubey because I love the full sized flailing tube guys. They always make me smile when I see them so having a miniature one on my desk would be super fun. The only down side is that they don’t expect to ship until December. Ouch!
Where can I find more info? With 24 days left in their campaign, The Tubey campaign has quite a bit of work to do to reach their funding goal of $60,000. You can pre-order a Tubey starting at $15. After the Tubey campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
lofree: typewriter inspired mechanical keyboard
What is it? lofree is a Bluetooth keyboard with a retro look and unique round keycaps.
Why do I like it? I like lofree because it has a cool looking design that features backlit round key caps and clicky-clacky action that makes it sound like a mechanical typewriter. lofree has the same layout as Apple’s wireless keyboard and can pair with up to 3 devices. The keyboards will be available in different colors and the battery life will be up to 15 months on a charge.
Where can I find more info? With a month left in their campaign, The lofree campaign has already blown past their funding goal of $10,000 by more than $300,000! You can pre-order a lofree starting at $79. After the lofree campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in May 2017. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.
HEXAGON – Camera, Signals, & Sensors for Cyclists
What is it? HEXAGON is a wireless full HD (1080p/720p) rear-view camera for your bicycle that links to your smartphone.
Why do I like it? I like HEXAGON because it will let cyclists see traffic behind them and offers extra features like directional blinkers, power bank, activity tracker, odometer, live streaming of your ride and more.
Where can I find more info? With a month left in their campaign, The HEXAGON campaign still has work to do to reach their funding goal of $30,000. You can pre-order a HEXAGON starting at $99. After the HEXAGON campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in September 2017. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.
Iconiq Qore – The Stackable Insulated Food Container
What is it? The Iconiq Qore is a double walled vacuum insulated modular food storage container that can keep cold foods cold for up to 12hrs and hot foods hot for up to 6hrs.
Why do I like it? I like the Iconiq Qore because it looks like a handy way to keep your foods at the right temps without needing a refrigerator or microwave. You can stack a cold food item like a salad next to a hot food item like soup and both items will be at the right temp when it comes time for lunch. I also like that it’s BPA free and it even includes a folding spork.
Where can I find more info? With 25 days left in their campaign, The Iconiq Qore campaign still has some work to do before they will reacy their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order an Iconiq Qore starting at $13. After the Iconiq Qore campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
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If you own an Apple Watch and you’re anything like me you’re constantly looking for new and unique bands to show it off. If you peruse Amazon there are literally thousands of choices but most of them are just cheaper replicas of watch bands that are already offered by Apple. I present to you the Apple Watch cuff case from Rip and Shred. A few things stand out immediately that make this band unique. Its one of the few, if not only cuff style bands available for the Apple Watch and it doubles as a protective style case. It’s also 3-d printed using nylon plastic. But is this cuff case worthy of your Apple Watch? Let’s find out.
The first thing I noticed right away is how incredibly light the cuff case is and although its light it seems very durable, while still retaining some flexibility. The other thing I noticed is that it had a rough finish similar to a fine emery board. More on that later.
There are cutouts in the cuff case for your Apple Watches microphone and speaker on one side and a larger cutout on the other, which gives you complete access to the crown and side button.
It also has a circular cutout in the bottom for the Apple Watches sensors. This cutout also allows for it to fit perfectly on my watches charging stand.
Placing the Apple Watch into the cuff case was really simple, it just snaps right in. The watch fits very securely once inside the cuff case, so you don’t have to worry about it falling out. And it actually protects all four corners of your Apple Watch. A real nice advantage that typical watch bands just don’t offer. This is great for me because no matter how careful I am, I always seem to bang my watch into something. From there you just slide the band over your wrist and you’re ready to go.
The cuff case comes in three sizes small, medium and large. I was lucky enough to receive both the small and medium sizes for my review. Having small wrists I found that the small was a perfect fit for me. If you have larger wrists or prefer to wear it more like a bangle style bracelet (Ladies), then I would definitely recommend getting a medium or large. Both the small and medium fit securely enough so there’s no danger of your Apple Watch accidentally slipping off your wrist even during the most rigorous of your daily activities.
I was really eager to see how the cuff case would perform at the gym. I use my Apple Watch to track my workout stats and part of that includes using the watches heart rate monitor. Unfortunately, this is where the stiffness of the band became an issue. I found that the watches sensors didn’t maintain constant contact with my wrist while I worked out and in turn my heart rate figures were inaccurate. So for me, it was a no go at the gym.
Remember that emery board feel I said the cuff case had. I was a little concerned that it would make the band uncomfortable, however, once I wore it for awhile my concerns vanished. The finish of the band was hardly noticeable. The only time it came into play was when wearing it with a long sleeve shirt. The finish on the band caused it to stick slightly to my shirt sleeve, but this is hardly a deal breaker. I was then contacted by the designer of the cuff case and Rip and Shred shop owner Gordon Lardi. Gordon informed me that they had changed the printing process of the cuff case and the result was a band with a smoother finish. I was sent one of the newly printed cases (white, size medium) and indeed the finish was much smoother. He said this was achieved by printing the case from side to side (parallel to your arm if it were on your wrist) instead of printing it from bottom to top. The cuff cases printing process happens on a large 3-d printing machine and the whole process takes about a day. Each case is printed upon ordering and is delivered four to five days after an order has been placed. Shapeways is the 3-d printing service that does the printing for Rip and Shred. If you would like to learn more about them, head over to their website at shapeways.com.
So is the cuff case worthy of the Apple Watch for me the answer is YES. I think the Rip and Shred Apple Watch cuff case is a great alternate band for the Apple Watch. It really gives the watch a whole new look. In fact, I’ve had a couple people ask me ” What kind of watch is that?” Since receiving the cuff case I’ve been using it as my everyday watch band. I really like its modern looks and how much lighter it is compared to the sport band that came with my Apple Watch. It’s so light and comfortable in fact, at times I almost forget that I’m wearing it. Another thing I like is that you don’t have to worry about getting it wet, so I can definitely see myself wearing it in and around the pool this summer. It also comes in a great variety of colors like blue, red, purple and pink to name a few.
The Rip and Shred cuff case is available for both sizes of the Apple Watch (38 & 42 mm) and is priced at $24.95. So if you want a great new way to showcase your Apple Watch this spring and summer head over to ripandshred.com And while you’re there do yourself a favor and check out some of the other great product designs Gordon Lardi and Rip and Shred have to offer.
Source: The sample used in this review was provided by Rip and Shred. Please visit their website for more information or to purchase one.
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Over the course of my time with the Gadgeteer I’ve had the opportunity to review several different drones. I’ve reviewed big drones, little drones, and video drones.
Two such drones, the Axis Vidius 420P video drone, and the Axis Aerius quadcopter, both flew well, but the Vidius was a bit bigger and had a built-in camera. Although I enjoyed flying both drones, I didn’t feel the quality of the Vidius’s camera footage justified its higher cost.
Recently I was given the chance to review the Vidius’s successor, the Vidius HD. With a 720P camera, the Vidius HD should have far greater video quality.
(It should be noted, shortly after reviewing the Vidius, Axis changed its company name to Aerix)
Specifications
Dimensions – 4.3cm x 4.3cm x 2.5cm
720P Video and HD photos
200 mAh battery
3-Speeds
6-Axis Gyro Stabilization
No FAA registration required
In the Box
Drone with blade guards
2.4 gHz controller
USB charger cable
4 replacement blades
Mini screwdriver
Mini blade remover
Design
According to the Aerix website, the Vidius and Vidius HD are identical in size. They also state it is the “world’s smallest live Streaming HD video drone”.
I’m not sure whether or not that claim is true, but the Vidius HD is small enough to fit in the palm of my hand.
The blades of the drone are each protected by a blade guard.
This is a nice upgrade from the original Vidius; I often found myself crashing, distorting the blades in the process.
One side of the drone has a small charging port, while the front contains the HD camera.
Below each rotor is an LED, red in the rear, green in the front. The LEDs are useful for maintaining orientation.
The drone itself is a pretty standard micro-drone. It appears to be the same body used with the original Vidius.
The controller is standard for a micro-drone.
The left joystick controls throttle and rotation, while the right controls forward/backward/left/right movement.
There is also a power switch and two trim controllers on the front.
The left bumper button on the controller activates “headless mode”, which means no matter which way the front of the drone is facing, the drone will move in the direction you push the joystick.
The right bumper button automatically returns the drone to the pilot while in headless mode.
The back of the controller is where the battery compartment is located.
All in all, the drone and controller are almost identical to the original Vidius.
Operation
Like the original Vidius, the drone can be controlled using the controller or a smartphone; although, there have been some minor changes to the way you operate the drone.
To use the controller, you power on both the controller and drone. Next, you move the throttle up, then down; this pairs the devices.
As before, this has to be done each time the devices are powered on. I’m still not certain why the drone and controller can’t be permanently paired together.
With the previous drones I’ve reviewed, the drone could immediately be flown after being paired by pressing up on the throttle. With the Vidius HD, Aerix added a few steps before flight begins.
Now before takeoff, Aerix suggests you calibrate the drone. This should help keep the drone stabilized.
Once the drone is calibrated, you can start the motors.
Even though the motors are running, the drone won’t take off until you raise the throttle.
Once you’re finally up and flying, the drone is easy to control. The controls are responsive and easy to get used to.
The Vidius HD is also equipped with “trick mode”. You enter it by pressing down on the right joystick. You then push the right joystick in any direction and the drone will do a flip.
The Vidius HD is a bit easier to fly than the drones I previously reviewed, but not by much.
Despite having “6-Axis Gyro Stabilization”, the drone still doesn’t hover in place and the pre-flight calibration doesn’t prevent the drone from occasionally drifting.
To fly the Vidius using your smartphone or tablet, you go to the App Store or Play Store and download the “Vidius HD” app.
You open the app and you’re instructed to connect to the drone via Wi-Fi. You do this by selecting “VIDIUS Drone” from your Wi-Fi menu.
This is simple enough, but it does present some issues.
First, it’s really annoying to have to manually connect to a different Wi-Fi network everytime you want to use your drone.
Second, many newer phones – like my Pixel XL – don’t want to connect to a Wi-Fi network that doesn’t have an active internet connection. Some will notify you that the drone’s “network” doesn’t provide an internet connection and ask if you want to connect anyway; however, if your phone doesn’t do that, you have to tweak your Wi-Fi settings to allow for the connection.
It would be much better if the drone was able to connect to your phone via Bluetooth.
Once your drone is connected to the app, you will be presented with virtual controls atop the drone’s live video feed.
Above is a description of all the functions and controls available within the app.
I didn’t enjoy flying the drone using the app.
When using the on-screen controls, it’s too easy to have your thumbs slip out of the control area. It might be better if the phone vibrated as you reached the outer limits of the virtual joystick’s range.
You do have the option of controlling the drone in gyroscope mode. Instead of controlling motion with the right virtual joystick, you control it by tilting your phone in the desired direction. This isn’t nearly as easy as using the controller.
There is abother control mode that is new with the Vidius HD, draw-to-fly. This mode removes the right controller from the screen and allows you to trace a path along your phone that the drone will follow.
It’s a pretty neat feature, but ultimately not better than using a real joystick.
Finally, there is also a VR mode in which you can place your phone into VR googles. You get a first-person view of what the drone is seeing.
In theory it’s cool; in reality it’s impossible to fly the drone like this. I kept crashing within seconds.
Personally, I found using the controller is the best way to fly to drone, but it is nice to have options.
Video and Photographs
Taking photos and recording video is easy.
To do so, you press the camera or camcorder button in the upper left portion of the screen. Of course, your phone has to be connected to the drone’s Wi-Fi network to work properly.
To view the photos or videos, you press the button that looks like a browser refresh button, or you can use a file manager app and locate a folder named “Drone” on your phone.
The original Vidius was only capable of recording 420P video. I found the quality wanting and didn’t believe it was enough to justify the cost of the drone.
The Vidius HD has been upgraded to 720P and it’s immediately clear the upgrade was for the best.
The picture on the left is from the Vidius HD, while the right is the original Vidius.
The video footage is a marked improvement over the original Vidius as well.
Original Vidius
Vidius HD
The video isn’t perfect. The room was well-lit, yet the video is dark in certain portions, but overall it’s pretty good.
Overall, the video quality is pretty solid. You aren’t going to film documentaries with the drone, but you can certainly create some fun videos.
Conclusion
The Vidius HD is an excellent upgrade from the original.
I immediately dismissed the original due to the awful camera footage; fortunately, Aerix took the criticism and improved the design.
The drone is just as easy to fly as the original, but now it provides usable camera footage.
Aerix added a few gimmicky flight modes like VR mode and draw-to-fly modes; they are briefly fun, but ultimately not an ideal way to use the drone.
The battery life on the Vidius HD is only about 5 minues, but that’s to be expected on such a tiny device. Plus, it only takes 20 minutes to charge, so it’s not a huge negative.
If you’re interested in the Vidius HD you can purchase it for $85. It’s a bit expensive, but it would make a good starter drone for anyone interested.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Aerix. Please visit their site for more information.
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Here you can see either side of the P6WU2 (three outlets each side). Notice the threaded screw in the middle? APC cautions you to use only with a duplex receptacle that has a center screw. Without taking the P6WU2 apart, I am not positive this screw gives a mechanical bond to ground, but it does reduce the chance your plugs get yanked off the wall.
