Home 2018 January

Holsem x12 power strip with USB review

As Gadgeteers, what if I told you that there is one single item that all of us have, or will have, in the next year or two? What would you guess it to be? You may already have multiple of these. But, if you don’t (yet), the offerings are becoming too interesting to pass up. I speak, of course, of the combined power outlet and USB charging port. (OK, if you guessed flying car, I am really proud of you. But, sadly, not yet!)  I was recently sent an extension power tap from Holsem that has 12 regular 12V power outlets, and three 5v 3.1A USB A ports, 2 of which are IQ ports. I had to fight with my Lovely Bride because she wanted to spirit it away to her annual sewing camp where it would have served as a base station for loads of sewers, crafters, and electric embroiderers. Actually, that’s a pretty good use case and proves my point: having one of these in your home, family room or office is an inevitability, and it’s not just geeky Gadget lovers who need them. In her sewing room, she has a sewing machine, serger, iron, steamer, her laptop on occasion, an iPad and her phone. Maybe she would be better server by Holsem’s 8-port model, but it’s still a valid idea.

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

What is it?

The unit is called a Model X12, for obvious reasons. It measures 13” x 4.5” x 1.5”, which means it is roughly the shape of an aircraft carrier. Fortunately, the designers didn’t just expect it to sit on your work surface. There are 4 keyhole slots so that you can mount it to a vertical surface (like under the backside of your desk or on a baseboard). The keyholes are molded so that only two of them can be used at a time, and can only position it horizontally, with the power cord at either end, but that does give you easy options for which way to orient the unit. I think having a vertical option might have been a nice touch.

Design and features

The upper deck has the classic power adapter layout: cord on one narrow (top) end, power/circuit breaker reset switch, a row of power taps, then the USB ports in a line across the bottom. With 12 ports, Holsem took the interesting step of putting 6 power outlets straight down the center at standard 1.24” spacing, and the remaining 6 oriented 90º away, three on each side, on 2.125” centers. That means 6 wall warts and 6 normal plugs can fit without getting in each other’s way. Pretty nice! The USB ports are a bit tighter, just under an inch between centers. The power cord is 6 feet long, with no visible strain relief on the outlet side, but heavy molding around the straight plug. The plug will require at least three or four inches from the outlet to prevent compromising the molding of the plug, so this is not meant to go behind furniture.


I have replaced the power drop on my desk no fewer than 4 times since we’ve been in this house – four years. (See the “before” image above with no available 12V outlets on an 8 outlet/5 USB power adapter.) But with each new iteration of this type product, I see more benefit. (See same plugs as above moved to Holsen 12x.)

Hardware specs

Their website lists the features like so:

  • 6 compactly allocated sockets: ideal for regular plugs
  • 6 widely spaced sockets: enable you to manage with bulky plugs easily
  • 2 Smart USB Ports and 1 Common USB Port: The 2 built-in Smart IC technology USB ports detect your devices automatically and deliver the fastest possible charge speed up to 5V/2.4 A per port
  • 24-month Warranty and lifetime technical support

Safety:

  • Surge Protection: Fully built-in 3-line surge protection safeguards your devices from voltage fluctuations, surges, and spikes. The green LED light makes the surge protection function visible and more reliable.
  • Overload Protection: In the event of power overload, the reliable Double-Break safety switch will trip off automatically to protect your devices and your home. After one year’s testing and several adjustments by our dedicated engineers, we’ve found the ideal force level for our Double-Break safety switch, and make sure it won’t get stuck after a long term of use.
  • Heavy-duty power cord: premium protection for your electronic devices and your home/office

Convenient:

  • Keyhole slots on the back: Keyhole slots on the back allow you to easily mount it to a wall or baseboard.

Flame Retardant Material:

  • The flame retardant material is able to withstand temperature up to 1,380℉(750℃).

Warranty:

  • Worry-free 24-month warranty
  • 30-day no-hassle return & refund guarantee
  • Friendly customer service team

What’s in the box?

The unit and a warranty statement. No plastic, no foam, just paper, cardboard, and the power tap. Nice!

Positives

  • Wide, sleek styling doesn’t need to be hidden
  • 6 power outlets spaced for “wall warts”
  • Strain relief on plug

Negatives

  • Only 2 of the attachment points can be used at a time
  • Attachment points give no vertical options
  • Only 3 USB ports? Really?

Final thoughts

I had not planned for the Holsem Model x12 to stay topside on my main desk because I am overly dependent on USB charging. But I do have a Dremel battery charger, two hard drive adapters, and the occasional need to charge my LED photo lights, which use a wide charger. It would be nice to have a ton of USB connectors built in, rather than have to fill up 12-volt slots with power adapters, but we’ll see how it goes. I really do like the smooth lines and the two-tone look of the white top and the grey underside.

Price: $31.99
Where to buy: It is available from many stores online, including Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Holsem.

Synchronos watches are custom-printed to perfectly fit you

Synchronos watches aren’t smart watches, but they are clever.  They are custom 3d-printed to perfectly fit you.  The Alpha watch has a premium mechanical Swiss movement (Sellita-SW210-1) and a scratch- and shatter-resistant crystal.  The metal band is custom printed to your exact measurements and has a patent-pending, proprietary 3d-printed clasp mechanism.

When you order, or pre-order for some styles, an Alpha watch, you’ll first receive a scanning kit including a 3d scanner and instructions for precisely measuring your arm.  (Online help is available, if needed.)  Send that information in to Synchronos, and it will be used to adjust the watch printing pattern before your watch is printed.

Right now, you can order a titanium model for $1999.  These are limited to a production run of 10 watches.  You’ll be able to travel to the Synchronos studios (at your own expense), where engineers will do a personal fitting for you. You can pre-order the rose gold model ($749, 18k rose gold-plated 316L stainless steel, shipping in March 2018), the Onyx ($499, black ceramic-coated 316L stainless steel, shipping in April 2018), or the stainless ($399, 316L stainless steel, shipping in May 2018).  Learn more and order an Alpha watch from Synchronos.

Jabra updates and expands their Elite line of wireless earbuds

This week @CES, Jabra announced their new Elite Franchise, a line of headphones and earbuds “engineered for superior sound to provide the best combined voice and music experience”. Last year, I reviewed Jabra’s Elite Sport truly wireless earbuds one of my favorite review items of 2017 and my goto headphones for EDC, travel, and working out alike. Jabra is raising the bar this year by not only releasing a next generation set of active sport earbuds but an entire line of Elite wireless headphones.

Jabra is spotlighting three of these new products: Elite 45e, Elite 65t, and Elite Active 65t. The entire Elite line is engineered for outstanding music quality, strong voice capabilities, and the ability to communicate with Alexa, Siri, and Google Now. All of the new Elite products come with a two-year warranty against dust and water ingress (two years for the Elite Active 65t also includes sweat ingress).

The Jabra Elite 65t will be available for $169.99, the Elite Active 65t will be $189.99, and the Jabra Elite 45e will be $99.99.

Clipping your pet’s nails can be a peaceful experience with the Zen Clipper

Clipping my dog Teddy’s nails is such an ordeal that we usually just take him to the vet’s office when he needs a trim.  It’s expensive, but we need less styptic powder for Teddy and fewer bandages and antibiotic creams for us by letting someone else do it.  We’ve tried a couple of styles of clippers at home, but they always seem to crush the nails and leave rough edges, especially because of the fight to keep him from jerking his paw away from us after that first nail is clipped.  And we seem to always cut at least one nail too short, resulting in pain for Teddy and blood smeared everywhere.  The Safety Pet Nail Clipper from Zen Clipper promises to make trimming your pet’s nails easier and free of injury to the quick (the living tissue in the nail).

The cone shape of the Safety clippers is designed to prevent the nail from being inserted too far into the clipper, so you’re sure to only clip nail.  The stainless steel blade sheers the nail without crushing it.  The cutter is available in seven sizes, designed to clip the nails of everything from birds, kittens, and small reptiles, up to dogs greater than 50 pounds.  There’s even a nail-sizing guide you can print out with instructions to guide you in choosing the correct clipper for your pet.  They are guaranteed for a lifetime of easy nail clippings.  All seven sizes of the Safety Pet Nail Clipper is available for $19.95 each from The Grommet.

The MEATER wireless meat thermometer review

The Gadgeteer Kid & I are true carnivores without a doubt. We love all kinds of cooked meat from steaks to fish and everything in-between. IMHO, grilling is a science and an art form with cooking everyone’s meal to perfection a stressful experience more often than not. Managing all the variables and people’s preferences is challenging, add a little alcohol and the odds of missing the mark goes up exponentially. Well, the engineers who developed the MEATER (the G.K. and I still chuckle @the name), the first truly wireless meat thermometer, aim to help you “achieve perfect and consistent results every time.”

Design and features

I have used several “wireless” thermometer probes for measuring the core temperature of what you’re trying to cook. They all had a metal braided cable stretching from the basestation to the sensor inserted into the meat that is sitting inside your barbecue or oven. Then the basestation transmitted the temperature data to your smartphone or other device meant to let you know the status of your food.

The MEATER is a truly wireless, dual sensor probe created with the sole job of helping you cook your food to perfection with the unwritten goal of boosting your grilling street-cred to Master BBQ’er.

Technical specifications

  • Stainless steel construction
  • Water resistant design, dustproof, and easy to clean
  • Wireless up to 33 feet (10 meters): Bluetooth LE connection to your smart device
  • MEATER Sense™: 2 temperature sensors in 1 probe
  • Internal temperature sensor range: 212°F (100°C)
  • Ambient temperature sensor range: 527°F (275°C)
  • Rechargeable Battery: Lasts 24 hours of continuous cooking between charges
  • Dimensions 130mm x 7mm (6mm diameter)

The MEATER comes with a bamboo holder that securely keeps and recharges the wireless (easily misplaced) probe. There is a battery power level LED & button located on the front of the wooden holder.

There are two embedded magnets on either side of the back that enable you to place the wooden charger on most metal surfaces (aka the side of a refrigerator, stove, BBQ, etc).

The MEATER is powered by a single AAA battery and can charge your MEATER probe up to 100 times before needing to be replaced. The back cover is also held in place by two small embedded magnets.

The MEATER probe has to be inserted into the meat beyond the line machined into the metal casing to protect the main sensor from damage due to high temperatures.

The ambient sensor is meant to monitor the cooking temperature of the oven or BBQ. It is located in the black plastic end of the probe.

Along with creating a very easy to use, high quality device, the folks @MEATER have developed a very polished ecosystem/app to make cooking with the MEATER nearly foolproof. The MEATER’s Smart Guided Cook system walks you through every step of the cooking process. The app guides you thru the type, cut, and doneness of the meat.

The MEATER’s dual sensors continuously monitor internal and ambient temperatures concurrently. The app also gives you elapsed cooking time and estimated time remaining until your meal is ready to serve.

Then to walk you over the finish line, the app let’s you know when to pull the meat from the cooker, let it finalize it internal cooking (aka letting it rest), and when its ready to eat. The estimated cook time has been spot on…within 5 minutes or so. Not bad considering the roast took nearly two plus hours to cook.

Overall, the whole system is brilliant. I used the MEATER several times over the holiday season and every cook in the room loved it, we all geeked out. All of the were a bit jealous and seriously considering buying one ASAP. The agreed upon, most loved features of MEATER was it being truly wireless, with built-in internal and ambient sensors, and its ability to estimate cooking time so accurately.

The only real limitation of the MEATER is it’s range and lost connectivity. I wouldn’t even consider it a true negative just a known issue that needs to be worked around. You’re sticking a small under powered Bluetooth device into a metal box, it’s range is going to be pretty limited. I found both in the BBQ and oven, the range of the MEATER was approximately 10 feet but would quickly reconnect once back in range.

Positives

  • Well made, thought out design
  • Truly wireless
  • Water resistant, dust-proof, easy to clean
  • Built-in dual sensors
  • Excellent app/ecosystem

Negatives

  • Limited wireless range

Final thoughts

I would give the MEATER 5-stars if it weren’t for its limited range. The soon to be released MEATER BLOCK will hopefully take care of this limitation. That said, I love this device and in most, if not all circumstance would make an excellent tool for any and all grilling/barbecuing aficionados. The MEATER’s truly wireless, dual sensor design in concert with its Smart Guided Cook system makes cooking meat stress-free and nearly idiot-proof.

Price: $69.00
Where to buy: MEATER
Source: The sample for this review was provided by MEATER.