Home 2017

Time to get freaky with the Wekey Pocket 2 folding keyboard

Although I travel a lot I still like to write when I am on the road. The problem I have is toting my keyboard with me, it is not always convenient. Recently I was checking out Kickstarter and came across a current project called Wekey Pocket 2, billed as the worlds thinnest lightest Bluetooth Keyboard. Weighing just 95 grams (3.35 Oz) this foldable re-chargeable keyboard is 5.7 inches folded and 6.9 inches unfolded with a 3.3-inch depth. The Wekey Pocket 2 features a QWERTY keyboard and it is waterproof. Compatible with Android, IOS, and Windows, the Wekey Pocket 2
Works with smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This project has met its funding goal and ends on December 24, 2017. Products will ship in the February 2018 time frame. Pledges for this project start at $39 for one Wekey Pocket.

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Time to get freaky with the Wekey Pocket 2 folding keyboard originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2017 at 1:28 pm.

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HouSmile Ecan Vacuum Robotic Cleaner review

I’ve been the happy owner of a Dyson 360 Eye robotic vacuum for over a year. It’s been great knowing that all of the little crumbs I spill at breakfast would be magically gone by dinner time. I was eager to have a look at HouSmile’s Ecan Robotic Vacuum Cleaner to do a comparison. 

The vacuum arrived in recyclable packaging. After reading the instruction manual (yes, I actually take the time to read the instructions), I assembled the vacuum by installing the battery and attaching the brushes using a cute little screwdriver they were kind enough to include. They also include an extra brush and dustbin filter. Now plugged in, the vacuum’s red led blinked while it happily sipped electrons overnight to prepare for its maiden voyage.

The next morning, a blue LED told me that charging was complete. I unplugged the cable, put it in the middle of the room and tapped the solitary button to send the fledgling floor-sucker on its merry way. Press once for small rooms, twice for big rooms. Ok, but the manual isn’t specific about how small and big rooms are defined.  Small diagrams illustrate the different preprogrammed floor patterns, the smaller being a kind of corkscrew pattern, the larger kind of bumps around the room for a while, does a corkscrew pattern around the middle, then runs the perimeter.  I’m sure there are algorithms to guide its motion, but to me, it looks like it just goes where it wants, apparently without much rhyme or reason.

I set up a few obstacles and sprinkled a few targets around, then, not knowing how room size is defined, I tapped the button once, releasing the vacuum to devour as much floor-food as it could find. The vacuum is refreshingly quiet and happily meandered and ricocheted around the room in arcs, devouring all the debris in its path, first dancing around the middle of the room,  then scooting the perimeter. The vacuum continued down the hallway, occasionally changing its trajectory until, unfortunately, the little guy took a tumble down my stairs the second time around, but no damage done. On subsequent trips to the precipice, it got stuck three out of four times, wiggling back and forth, but not enough for it to regain the lost traction from the wheel pushed over the edge. Again, no harm was done and a quick nudge sent it lumbering along.  I sent it in motion again and it bounced and careened around for about two hours, an impressive run for such a small battery. Observations noted it seemed to go over the same places a number of times while missing others completely, but with its hit-and-miss approach to cleaning, I’m confident that it would eventually find every inch of the floor given sufficient time. It doesn’t have a lot of suction, but it’s plenty for most of the stuff that ends up on the floor. The vacuum opening isn’t very wide, only about 4 inches, but the rotating brushes do an adequate job directing debris into the vacuum’s maw.  The vacuum was quiet enough for me to watch television with a volume level that didn’t cause ear damage.

 Once exhausted, the vacuum simply stopped. No beeps, no flashing lights, nothing. It should be noted, this vacuum doesn’t know where it is. Consequently, when the battery dies, it does not return to the place it started, so you will need to send a posse out to find it. Limiting its roaming range to one room at a time might be a good way to keep it from becoming a wayward sheep.  Since it doesn’t come home on its own, plugging in the charger is a strictly manual operation – find it, pick it up and plug it in. There is also no timer, connectivity or programming functions so you’ll need to intentionally launch this beastie when you want a cleaning.

I took the opportunity to have a look in the dustbin. Mind you, my Dyson 360 Eye had made a run around the house yesterday, yet the HouSmile dustbin was packed with dust bunnies, remnants of Halloween candy wrappers and hair from my cat and the two long-haired beauties, my wife, and daughter, with whom I share my house. Emptying the dust bin was a simple process of opening the top cover, popping out the bin, opening the lid, inverting and tapping into the trash. In my case, a few hairs had stuck to the filter, but a quick wipe with a paper towel send them into the trash with the rest.

On a second cleaning, the vacuum abruptly stopped on a shag carpet. Flipping the vacuum over and taking a look at the rotating brushes, I found they were almost tied in knots with the number of hairs that had been wrapped up around them.  An easy cleaning and they were just as good as new, but I wonder how long they’ll hold up.

Overall, the vacuuming done by this machine is quite good. It’s no match for my Dyson for cleaning power and thoroughness, but it is inexpensive, but needs a bit of human interaction from time to time. I imagine this vacuum would be ideal for single-floor domiciles with open floor plans and lower pile carpets.  For smaller rooms, and under furniture, it does very well. The HouSmile Ecan robotic vacuum is well constructed and functional. Not many Bells and whistles, but it gets the job done.

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

 

Product Information

Price: $99.00
Manufacturer: HouSmile
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Quiet
  • Inexpensive
Cons:
  • Occasionally gets stuck or falls down stairs
  • Not recommended for deep carpets

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HouSmile Ecan Vacuum Robotic Cleaner review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Orbitkey reinvented keyring, Minimalist ceramic bladed knife, Muse Alexa device for your car, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

This week we are featuring five crowdfunding campaigns from Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Click through to read more details about these five crowdfunded products.

Orbitkey Ring, Clip, and Strap – The Keyring Reinvented.

What is it?
The Orbitkey Ring, Clip, and Strap are Orbitkey’s latest products to keep your keys organized and ready for use.

Why do I like it?
I like the new Orbitkey Ring because I hate split ring keyrings and am always interested when someone creates a new and improved version of this everyday item that won’t pinch my fingers and break my nails. The Orbitkey Ring is a stainless steel ring, but inside is a polymer core that rotates to allow you to easily add and remove keys without effort.

Where can I find more info?
The Orbitkey campaign ends in 49 days and they have already met their funding goal of $35,000. You can pre-order an Orbitkey product starting at $13. After the Orbitkey campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

EDC Ceramic Micro Knife

What is it?
The EDC Ceramic Micro Knife is a minimalist keychain-sized knife that features a ceramic blade.

Why do I like it?
They sent me a sample of the EDC Ceramic Micro Knife, and it’s so lightweight that you’ll forget you have it in your pocket or on your keychain. This little knife isn’t flashy, but it’s crazy sharp. It’s got to be the smallest box cutter I’ve ever tried.

Where can I find more info?
The EDC Ceramic Micro Knife campaign ends in 23 days and they have already met their funding goal of $1,179. You can pre-order an EDC Ceramic Micro Knife starting at $8. After the EDC Ceramic Micro Knife campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in February 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Just Mobile ShutterGrip

What is it?
The Just Mobile ShutterGrip is a universal camera grip for your smartphone that includes a built-in shutter button.

Why do I like it?
Just Mobile sent me a prototype of their ShutterGrip which I tested with my Pixel 2 XL. If you’re looking for a way to make your smartphone fell more like a real camera with a dedicated shutter button, the Just Mobile ShutteGrip does a good job of doing that for you. I also like that the shutter button disconnects from the grip if you want to use it by itself.

Where can I find more info?
The Just Mobile ShutterGrip campaign ends in 9 days and they have already met their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order a Just Mobile ShutterGrip starting at $28. After the Just Mobile ShutterGrip campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Muse – Alexa Voice Assistant for Cars

What is it?
Muse is a small Bluetooth device that brings Alexa voice control features to your car.

Why do I like it?
When it comes to voice assistants, Alexa is still the #1 service because there are over 25,000 voice skills developed for it/her that can control a huge variety of devices and provide info from various data services. I like Muse because it’s an easy handsfree way to use Alexa on the road without having to launch an app on your phone. It’s like having an Amazon Echo built into your car because it’s/she’s always listening for you to ask her to do something. And if you don’t want her listening, you can turn her off.

Where can I find more info?
The Muse campaign ends in 18 days and they have already met their funding goal of $15,000. You can pre-order a Muse starting at $40. After the Muse campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2017. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Oboo Smart Clock

What is it?
The Oboo Smart Clock that features a card-based real-time color display, gesture control, Bluetooth speaker, wireless charging pad for your phone, and is Alexa ready.

Why do I like it?
Although I now use my smartphone as my alarm clock, I still have a “thing” for clocks and am interested in clocks that have a variety of useful features like Oboo. I think my favorite feature of this clock is the gesture control. It’s easier to wave your hand to snooze an alarm than to fumble around to find a button.

Where can I find more info?
The Oboo Smart Clock campaign ends in 7 days and they have already met their funding goal of $25,000. You can pre-order an Oboo Smart Clock starting at $79. After the Oboo Smart Clock campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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Orbitkey reinvented keyring, Minimalist ceramic bladed knife, Muse Alexa device for your car, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals: Save up to $300 on Huawei laptops, tablets, and watches

Huawei is offering a selection of their products at special pricing for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.  First up is the Huawei 12″ MateBook E Signature Edition laptop tablet; Portfolio Keyboard and Office 365 Personal included.  You’ll save $300 during the sales period Nov 23-27 at Amazon and Newegg. 

The Huawei  Watch 2 Classic Android Wear 2.0 watch is available for $150 off during the sales period Nov 23-27 at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Newegg.

The Huawei Mate 9 64GB unlocked phone with Amazon Alexa and Leica dual camera is $100 off during the sales period Nov 23-27 at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H,  Newegg.

Other products with sales pricing Nov 23-27 include:

  • HUAWEI MateBook X (Microsoft Signature Edition) with MateDock 2.0 and Office 365 Personal included for $300 off at Amazon, Newegg
  • HUAWEI Honor 6X 32GB dual camera unlocked phone is $50 off at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Newegg.
  • HUAWEI Watch 2 Sport Android Wear 2.0 is $120 off at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Newegg.
  • HUAWEI MediaPad:

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals: Save up to $300 on Huawei laptops, tablets, and watches originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 24, 2017 at 5:10 pm.

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Ekster Parliament + Tracker Wallet review

What makes a wallet a “smart wallet?” How about an RFID-protected card-slider mechanism for storing your credit cards? Perhaps a solar-powered tracking system so that you can find your wallet when it goes missing? These are some of the features you’ll find in the Ekster wallets, all wrapped in luxurious leather. I’ve got the Ekster Parliament Bi-Fold Wallet & tracking card for this review. Let’s go learn more!

Looking sharp and organized

Measuring in at 4.1” tall by 2.5” wide by .59” deep, the Ekster Parliament wallet is roughly the size of a pack of playing cards. It’s an all-leather wallet with a structured, formal look that pairs nicely with business or formal attire. The model I am testing is the black leather and has Ekster’s shield logo embossed on the front face for an extra touch of class.

The design of the wallet is built around a card slider system for storing and dispensing your cards. It’s a box that offers RFID/NFC blocking and is designed to hold 4-6 cards (depending on thickness). Push the thumb lever on the bottom of the wallet and your cards slide out, presented in a fan-like formation so that you can pick the card you need.

The rest of the wallet design is wrapped around the card-slider core. The front cover that will hold two additional cards, and there’s an additional card pocket on the back of the wallet. None of these slots is RFID protected so you have a place (or three) for your badge-swipe work ID, non-scannable cards, or tracking card (which we’ll discuss momentarily). Open the front flap and you’ll find a wide elastic band, finished with leather, to secure your cash or additional cards. All in all, you’ve got a total capacity in the wallet for 9 cards plus cash (or some additional cards) under the elastic band.

Overall construction of the wallet is excellent. The leather is quite good, with a substantial and luxurious hand feel. The dye work on the leather is excellent with consistent color, no color change with scratches, and no dye bleed into your clothes. Stitching and assembly is rock-solid throughout with even stitching and nicely finished seams. It’s a nice build, well in alignment with the high-end style of the wallet.

Where’s my wallet?

Ekster also offers a customized tracking card as an option for their wallets that utilizes the TrackR technology. It’s the size of a thick business card and is designed to fit in the rear card pocket on your wallet.

The card is a is designed to work with the TrackR app you’ll download to your smartphone. Choose add a new device and choose the “Works with TrackR” option to select Ekster products. Add a name for your card, and you’re paired in moments.

  

Once you’re paired up, the TrackR has some nice features for close range location. Lost your wallet? Tap a button on the app to cause your card to ring so you can find it. Lost your phone? Double press the button on your tracking card to set off an alarm on your wallet. Both of these features work as long as the app is open and Bluetooth is enabled (and in range). Leave your wallet somewhere? The app will report the last known location while within Bluetooth range. 

For long-range tracking, you’ll need to register with the TrackR Crowd GPS Network. If your wallet is within range of another device that has the TrackR app open and is part of the network, you’ll be notified of the last detected location. The app will also notify you if you helped someone else locate their TrackR enabled device. 

It’s also important to note that the TrackR card made for Ekster is solar powered. Charge it in direct sunlight for a couple of hours, and you’re good to go for a month or so before a recharge. That’s a nice bonus feature, given that a lot of tracking devices of this type are battery operated.

Stepping out with the Ekster Parliament Wallet

As a great looking wallet, the Ekster Parliament is a winner. It’s structured form and sophisticated style looks great with business wear or for formal occasions. It’s a classy accessory.

If you like your wallets super-slim, you should know that the boxy form doesn’t really favor front-pocket or back-pocket wear. It’s over 1/2” thick empty. It works great stashed in the inside pocket of a suit coat or blazer but shows a lot of bulk in your pants pocket (especially jeans or slim-fit dress pants). If you won’t mind a thicker wallet or keep your wallet in your bag (or your jacket), this won’t be an issue for you.

The card-slider system works exactly as intended, keeping 4-6 cards nestled snugly in it’s RFID-blocking chamber. Given that there’s not much of a gap between the cards when deployed, however, it’s not easy to quickly grab the card you’re looking for. You could keep your frequent-use card at the back of the stack, but I often found myself pulling all the cards out of the wallet to find the one I want. This means extra fumbling if you’re at the cashier paying for that double espresso you just ordered. I could just keep that card in the flap, but that kind of defeats the purpose of the RFID protection.If you’re only carrying those cards for occasional use (like at a formal occasion) this won’t be a big deal, but it’s irritating if you’re going for a credit card several times throughout the day. 

The elastic band for cash is also a bit of a design issue for me. On the Ekster web site, they show a couple of bills folded in half inserted behind the band. In reality, the wallet width is actually narrower than a standard U.S. bill. This means you’re either fighting to stuff your cash into the band or folding it twice to make it fit (which adds even more bulk to the wallet). If you’re used to going cash free and just keep a couple of bucks handy for emergencies, this may not be an issue for you. If you just got a bunch of bills in change for that espresso, however, you’ll find yourself fighting to get it all wrangled under the band.

Like all wallets, your satisfaction with the Ekster Parliament will really come down to personal preference. I see this wallet as ideal for formal occasions riding in my jacket pocket, where cash and frequent use of cards are not required. If you’re constantly going in and out of your wallet all day long, or carry a lot of cash on a regular basis, you may find some of these design features to be less than ideal. If you don’t mind a thicker wallet and prioritize the RFID protection, this may be the choice for you.

I do like the tracking system for close-range location, as I have a tendency to lose my wallet in the house. Or my phone. Sometimes both. The ability to ping one or the other to find where they have gotten to is really handy. This does require that the app is always running on your phone, however, to maintain the connection to the TrackR. The long distance tracking depends on other TrackR users being close to your device, which could to hit or miss… but the app does also log the last detected location of your device within Bluetooth range. This means that you can find out if you left your wallet at home or at the office before you go into a full-blown panic.

Conclusions and Pricing

If you’re looking for a classy wallet and don’t mind the thickness, you can’t go wrong with the Ekster Parliament Wallet. It looks great, has a clever RFID-protected card sliding system, and additional storage for cash and scannable cards like work IDs. The TrackR card is great for short-range location and remembering the last place you left your wallet if you wander off. Build quality and finishing are also excellent, with multiple leather finishes available. The Parliament wallet retails for $69.95 on its own or can be bundled with the custom solar-powered TrackR card for $99.95. Check them both out at Ekster’s web site! 

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ekster. Please visit their site for more information.

 

Product Information

Price: $69.95
Manufacturer: Ekster
Pros:
  • Classy, elegant style
  • Great leather & excellent construction
  • Tracking card works well for short-range location
  • Solar powered tracker — no batteries to buy!
Cons:
  • It's a thicker wallet style, which may not be to everyone's tastes
  • Elastic band isn't quite wide enough for US bills, which means extra folding
  • Can be tricky to get to the card you want with the card slider system

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Ekster Parliament + Tracker Wallet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 24, 2017 at 11:00 am.

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