Home 2018 February

Forget Murphy beds – check out these Murphy doors!

Murphy doors aren’t quite the same as a Murphy bed; they utilize a door to add shelving, but the storage isn’t necessarily hidden away.  There are several varieties of Murphy doors.  Some look like a built-in bookcase, some look like free-standing bookshelves.  Some have the storage visible in the room; others have the storage on the inside, like the closet doors seen above.  You can convert an existing door into a flush-mounted built-in bookcase that still operates as a door.  You can cover a wall opening with a set of free-standing bookshelves that open like bifold doors.  The closet doors seen in our image open like French doors to reveal hidden storage inside.  The Murphy Door company even has introduced barn door styles.

The storage can be all shelving, or you can add upper or lower cabinets, or you could have a wine rack, pool cue storage, or even a laundry hamper door.  You can enter your door or entryway dimensions to get a custom-sized door, or you can select from ready-to-ship doors (when available).  Accessories for the doors include keyed locks, magnetic locks with optional remote, lighting kits, and even a biometric fingerprint scanner.

Of course, the doors vary in price with size, material, and styles – but can you really put a price on having a hidden room behind a built-in bookcase?

You can design and order Murphy Doors at the Murphy Door website.  You’ll also find a local-dealer locator at the Murphy Door site.

 

Mycroft Mark II open voice assistant, KlipAL universal smartphone holder, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

This week we are bringing you four currently running crowdfunding campaigns from Kickstarter. This week’s campaigns are for people interested in voice assistants, smartphone accessories, coffee, and more. Check out our picks for this week’s notable crowdfunding campaigns.

Quick Pack Attachment

Blurb by Andy Jacobs

What is it?
Quick Pack Attachment is a mount system for backpack or bag straps that allows you to attach items for quick access.

Why do I like it?
I carry my GORUCK GR1 rucksack everywhere, from EDC to the office, to work trips, to family vacations to hiking. It has some attachment points on the straps, but I’ve always wanted a way to attach and detach needed items quickly and have them right at hand. appears to provide that capability. It’s versatile, with its thick non-slip, silicone band that adjusts to many strapQuick Pack Attachment sizes and shapes, and its keyhole slot and magnet design allows items to be accessed quickly but gives positive feedback to confirm that it’s locked in. Simple and effective.

Where can I find more info?
The Quick Pack Attachment campaign ends on 2/21/2018 and they have already more than doubled their funding goal of $1,000 by raising over $4,000. You can pre-order a Quick Pack Attachment starting at $12. After the Quick Pack Attachment campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in May 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Rite Press — The ‘No Mess’ French Press

Blurb by Andy Jacobs

What is it?
Rite Press is a low-fuss coffee press with a built-in thermometer and timer, making it even easier to enjoy that ‘perfect’ cup of joe.

Why do I like it?
Like you, I’m a gadget fan. I like technology that makes things better and easier. Rite Press claims to do that for coffee brewing fans by incorporating a removable bottom that catches grounds for easier cleaning, an integrated thermometer for spot-on water temp and a built-in timer for the perfect brew time. Now that’s technology that makes things better and easier. Rite Press is available in two sizes, 1/2 Liter and 1 Liter, and with either silver or matte black finishes. Java was never so easy to brew.

Where can I find more info?
The Kickstarter campaign ends on 3/9/2018, and has already blown past its funding goal of $20,000 by raising more than $390,000 and counting with the support of over 8,400 backers. Pledge packages start at $25 (although this level is already sold out) and increase from there. Rewards are set to ship in March. Visit the Rite Press — The ‘No Mess’ French Press campaign page for more info or to become a backer.

KlipAL® Modular | Metal | Multi-functional Smartphone Holder

What is it?
KlipAL is a modular universal smartphone stand made out of aluminum.

Why do I like it?
I like the KlipAL because it has a modular design with a ring attachment that allows you to use it in various ways. If you need a stand to connect to a tripod, you can do it. Need it to attach to the vents in your car? No problem. Need a secure way to hold it in your hand, you can do that too.

Where can I find more info?
The KlipAL campaign ends on 3/11/2018 and they are already more than half way towards reaching their funding goal of $4,189. You can pre-order a KlipAL starting at $28. After the KlipAL campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in August 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Mycroft Mark II: The Open Voice Assistant

What is it?
The Mycroft Mark II is an open source voice assistant like the Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, or the Google Assistant and features a color display.

Why do I like it?
I like the Mycroft Mark II because it keeps your data (voice requests) private and never mines and sells your info to advertisers like other voice assistants are known to do. Mycroft is also driven by community development to add more capabilities to work with other IoT devices.

Where can I find more info?
The Mycroft Mark II campaign ends on 2/24/2018 and they have already surpassed their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a Mycroft Mark II starting at $99 for one that you can build yourself or $129 for a fully assembled device. After the Mycroft Mark II campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Anker Zolo Liberty totally wireless earphone review

I’ve reviewed three pairs of what is called “totally wireless earbuds,” so I’m now fairly comfortable with them and know what to expect for the money. The affordable  E’NOD Mini Ring buds are okay, but not great—lacking in bass and lackluster call quality. The much more expensive Nuheara iQbuds also do much more. They have an amazing call quality,  and a jaw-dropping ability to isolate individual voices in a noisy environment. But they had long-term comfort issues. Now, we have the Anker’s Zolo Liberty totally wireless earphones. Has Anker managed to make Liberty earphones unique in an increasingly crowded market? Let’s find out.

What is it?

Anker makes some really good computer and smarphone accessories. Zolo is their new spinoff company that specializes in audio. Liberty is Zolo’s first product(s). There are actually two models—Liberty and Liberty+. Liberty+ is identical to Liberty, but has better battery life, built-in toggle sound isolation and (of course) costs more. I’m reviewing the standard Liberty.

Liberty is a totally wireless earphone. This simply means there are no wires connecting the two earphones to each other. This has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is no constraints when moving around. However, this also makes them easy to lose. Have fun replacing just one bud if lost.

Liberty is great for exercising and are IPX5 rated—water and sweat proof. So no worries if you’re caught jogging in the rain.

Hardware specs

Liberty is a dynamic-styled earphone. Dynamic speakers look just like tiny versions of regular speakers. The big difference with Liberty is that the speakers are graphene-coated. This makes the speakers more rigid without adding any weight. Speaker rigidity makes the speaker “snap back” after handling a sound vibration. The result is less muddiness to the audio and more detailed and impactful music. Note that this improvement is more subtle as opposed to an OMG moment.

 

Battery life is 3.5 hours of playtime at reasonable volume. The included case adds 24 hours playtime. The earphones are automatically recharged while seated into the hard, protective case. Lights on the earphones and case indicate how much battery life is left. Seating the earphones into the case is easy and secure. The case is hinged for a tight and secure closure. The Liberty earphones come with silicone jackets that have an included molded gripper locking them securely into the ear. It works great—but the jackets make it more difficult to properly seat the earphones into the case. It can be done—it’s just a hassle.

When battery life is low, Liberty will beep every few minutes as a warning until they give out completely with a “turning off” sound and need to be recharged.

Liberty comes with what Zolo calls Smart Control. Tapping the earphones performs various functions. Tap once and music pauses music or a phone call is answered. Tap and hold will either replay (left bud) or forward (right bud) a song. Double tapping will activate your smartphone’s AI—in my case, Siri. I didn’t even have to say “Hey, Siri.” It just connected. Nice.

Bluetooth is 4.2 (Liberty+ has the newer Bluetooth 5.0). I had no issues initially pairing and connections have been solid with (so far) no drop outs. Later however, sometimes if only one earbud was paired, I had issues getting the other bud to pair and match its twin. In extreme cases, I’ve had to take them out, place them in the case and start over. It can be a pain, especially if the case is not nearby. I’ve had this issue with other brands, so it’s not unique to Zolo. It happens rarely, but it is something to consider if you’re looking for wireless ear buds. Once the tech matures, this issue should hopefully disappear.

Call quality is good. It amazes me how a mic in the ear can pick up a voice as well as it does. People I’ve talked to say they can hear me just fine, with a hint of echo. Callers are only heard by me in the right ear bud—the opposite of most wired earphones with the mic attached to the left wire. I’m left handed and prefer my left ear for calls, so this takes getting used to. I wish Liberty could be set up for either the left or right ear.

Specs

  • Drivers
  • 2 * 5.5mm Graphene Dynamic
  • Frequency Response
  • 20Hz~20kHz
  • Audio Codec
  • AAC, SBC
  • Bluetooth
  • 4.2
  • Microphone (right earphone only)
  • MEMS with CVC noise reduction
  • Battery
  • Earphones: up to 3.5hrs audio playback
  • Charge case: 24+hrs additional audio playback
  • Water Resistant / Sweat Proof
  • Sweat Proof: IPX5
  • Power Source
  • Micro USB 5V/1.5A

What’s in the box?

  • Liberty Total-Wireless earphones
  • Charging case
  • 4  silicone jackets
  • 3  silicone ear tips
  • Micro-USB charging cable
  • 12-month warranty

Design and features

Liberty earphones are solidly built. When in the ear, they look like most other wireless buds. The Zolo logo is printed on the exterior in white letters. The teardrop shape fits well and the supplied ear tips provide a good seal. They are comfortable for a couple of hours, but then my ears begin to hurt a bit. In fairness to Zolo, I haven’t yet found a long-term comfortable pair of totally wireless ear buds yet.

I also haven’t yet found a pair of wireless ear buds that sound as good as comparably priced wired earphones. No surprises there. As good as Bluetooth has become over the years, wired connections are still better sounding. Having said that, many times the convenience factor outweighs minor audio improvements.

Listening to music with Liberty reminds me of earphones tuned more towards modern music than classic rock or jazz. Bass is prominent, but not overpowering. Middle frequencies (where most vocals lie) are recessed a bit, but vocal performances are not hindered. On certain songs, treble can be a too bright, but that’s rare with music I prefer.

What I like

  • Solid build
  • Wireless freedom
  • East pairing
  • Music sounds good

What needs to be improved

  • Overall comfort

Final Thoughts

All in all, I like the Zolo Liberty totally wireless earphones. Music sounds good and they work great while watching movies on my iPhone—as long as the movie isn’t longer than 3.5 hours! They have their quirks, but it seems all wireless ear buds do. Liberty is appropriately named—it allows you to cut all the wires and gain the freedom of going truly wireless.

Price: $99.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Zolo.

Keep your pet’s water fresh and pure with this fountain

My dog, Teddy, is picky.  He will only eat from certain bowls, and he likes fresh, cold, clean water in his water bowl at all times.  Sometimes he’ll refuse to drink his water because he sees something in it – usually his own hair from his constantly shedding body.  The Water Purifying Pet Fountain could take care of keeping his water hair-free for me.

The pet fountain has a “three-stage carbon filtration system that eliminates the impurities found in common tap water”, and its pump constantly recirculates the water into the basin while a mesh screen removes larger physical impurities – like pet hair.  It’s made from food-grade HDPE, so it doesn’t introduce anything into the water itself.

The filters last about four weeks in normal mode, but there is a smart mode, which reduces noise and saves energy, that prolongs the filter life to about 12 weeks.  The Water Purifying Pet Fountain is $69.95 and replacement filters are $19.95.  It’s available from Hammacher Schlemmer.

Lightning port charge your iPhone (even in a case) easily with minimalist Hoverdock

Now that Qi charging is totally a thing in the Appleverse, is anyone still paying attention to Lightning docks? Heck, I am! Until my company springs for an upgrade (not holding my breath), I’m still rocking my iPhone 6 Plus—no Qi for me. But I’ll tell ya’, I love a good dock. One that allow me to dock and undock quickly and easily and with a case on my iPhone. That’s why the Just Mobile Hoverdock caught my eye. It appears to be very simple to set up and effectively allows one-hand docking and undocking, even with your iPhone encased in a case—just install the special little clip and you’re good to go. Hoverdock has a satin-finish aluminum body with grippy rubber feet, plus it allows you to coil up and hide your excess Lightning dock cable inside its body when you assemble it.  Hoverdock retails for $34.95. Visit JustMobile.com for more info or to order.