Arteck HB030B Bluetooth keyboard review

Keyboards, they come in many sizes and shapes, with endless features, but what do I really need in a keyboard? That was the question I was recently confronted with when I changed over to an iOS iOS only user. What I was looking for was a keyboard that was portable, Bluetooth, and rechargeable. I also needed a keyboard that would not break the bank. I found the Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard a multi-featured, affordable, portable keyboard.

What is it?

The Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard is a compact, rechargeable, backlit, Bluetooth keyboard, with multiple backlight color options and and two backlight brightness settings.

Hardware Specs

  • 9.3” length
  • 5.3” width
  • 0.24 thick
  • 0.37 pound
  • Lithium battery

What’s in the box?

Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard
Micro USB to USB cable
User manual
6 3M rubber feet dots

Design and features

The top view of the Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard shows the key layout, the on/off switch, the connect button, and the indicators LEDs (CAPS, Status, Charge, and Power).

Other than the Micro USB charging port on the right hand side of the keyboard there are no features on the front, back, sides and bottom of the Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard.

Two things you should notice in the above pictures. First is the backlit keys. The key colors that I can see are purple, turquoise, green, blue, red and light blue. I did notice another green in the rotation but I cannot tell if it is any different from the first green color. Along with the color options, you have two brightness levels for the backlit keys, as well as the ability to turn the backlight function off. The second item of note in the above picture is the key size on the keyboard. The keys are smaller than my Apple Magic keyboard and the reason why will be evident in the next picture. For me, the key size is not a major issue but for some, it may be.

As you can see from the above picture this keyboard is smaller than my 10.5” iPad Pro. This makes the Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard a perfect travel companion. The 500mA rechargeable Lithium battery means I should never be without a useable keyboard.

What I like

  • The keyboard is compact enough to be a great travel keyboard
  • The price of $19.99 on Amazon makes it a winner
  • The 24-month warranty is better than almost any of its competitors
  • Rechargeable battery
  • Metal construction

What needs to be improved

  • Not all of the iOS functions work
  • I could not use the keyboard while it was charging
  • The keyboard could use the ability to set the keyboard on an incline

Final thoughts

So, what do I think of the Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard? So far I think it is a winner. Size, price, and features all make this keyboard a favorite, and the two-year warranty doesn’t hurt. I will be honest though while researching this keyboard I did see some complaints about the keys coming off of the keyboard but the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon made me willing to take a risk on it (did I mention the two-year warranty?). Now, if you are a finicky typer this keyboard may not be for you, but if you can accommodate for smaller keys in a smaller footprint you may want to take the Arteck HB030B Bluetooth Keyboard for a spin.

Price: $19.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: I bought this keyboard with my own money.

Trayvax wallet reviews, Drone review, and more – Weekly roundup

It’s time to assume the Saturday night position… That’s right, flop on the couch in your favorite comfy clothes with your favorite beverage and get cozy because it’s time to get caught up with everything we posted the last seven days on The Gadgeteer.

News

Now you can put a SnapPower GuideLight anywhere

Coming soon, Swann’s completely wire-free smart video doorbell

These zippered pouches were designed by a soldier to organize your EDC gear

Aurga DSLR Assistant, SUPRA TAG credit card multitool, Klips money clip, and more – Notable crowdfunding posts

Ditch your boring wireless charger with a stylish Cooper Ecostand Qi wireless charging stand

Your wallet full as a fridge? Switch to the Ridge minimalist wallet

Master & Dynamic has tattoo-inspired headphones designed by Scott Campbell

Bacteria killing stainless steel of the future

The Omni Group outlines its plans for OmniFocus 3

Keep it together with the Leather Charging Cable Tool Roll

Convert your old cassette tapes to MP3 files with this Walkman-sized device

Everyone has a fun new part-time job with HQ Trivia

Nellie’s WOW mop will help you power through cleaning

Take your iMac to Starbucks with this handy shoulder bag

Add power to the front AND back seat of your car with one car charger

Safely open packages and envelopes with the Nimble cutter

Nomad’s Wireless Charging Hub: One charger to rule them all?

Never worry about dropping your eBook reader in the bath with the new Kindle Oasis

Stash Tags give you a place to display your patches (and hide a few things!)

Reviews

Aurochs Gravity Wallet review

Skyroam, Contour Design Unimouse, Ember Mug, and more – Review updates

FIXD car health sensor review

DROCON MJX Bugs 3 drone review

Trayvax Summit Notebook wallet review

PIN Genie Smart Lock review

Trayvax Ascent rugged minimalist wallet review

Aurochs Gravity Wallet review

Looking to upgrade that ratty old wallet you’ve been lugging around since college? I’ve got a good one for you. Aurochs is a Pakistan-based company that makes small carry products featuring vegetable tanned leather. This is definitely a cut above your 

What is it?

It’s a full-grain leather wallet designed and manufactured in Pakistan. The Gravity model is based on a traditional bifold design, with some nice additional features to help manage your cards, cash and extra bits like coins and a SIM card.

Hardware specs

  • 4x easy access card slots for your frequently used cards
  • One card drawer with pull out ‘gravity strip’ which can hold 4-6 extra cards
  • An expandable pocket for all your bills and currency notes (folded)
  • A pocket for your coins
  • A small slot for your iPhone/Android sim ejector
  • Made of premium quality full grain vegetable tanned leather
  • 112mm x 80mm

What’s in the box?

Rather than using industrial paper/plastic packing, Aurochs ships their products in custom made padded fabric pouches as seen below. Not only does it add a touch of class to the packaging, but you could use it as an organizer pouch to add to your bag. Of course, the wallet also comes in the package.

Design and features

From materials choices to design details, you get a sense for the quality and craftsmanship that went into producing the Aurochs Gravity wallet from the moment you open the package. It’s an impressive piece of gear.

It all starts with the leather, which is excellent. The Gravity features full-grain vegetable tanned leather, a process that takes more time and skill to produce. The results are well worth it: the leather is thick, durable, and has a luxurious hand feel. Mine’s the green model, and the deep-penetrating dye work passes the scratch test without showing any change in color below the top layer. There’s also no dye bleed, so the color doesn’t rub off on your clothes.

The construction in the Aurochs Gravity wallet matches the leather quality. Stitching and assembly are tight throughout, with tan thread used on the exterior that compliments the green leather nicely. The interior uses a grey thread and grey leather accents to add additional visual appeal. The leather is backed by a grey textured fabric that facilitates sliding your cards in and out of the pockets, and there’s nice reinforcement at all the key stress/use points. I don’t foresee the pockets stretching or separating on this wallet after years of use.

The Aurochs Gravity wallet offers multiple slots and pockets for organization. For your quick grab cards, you’ll find a pair of card slots on each panel cut at opposing angles to promote easy access. Behind the left panel is a clever “gravity slip” pocket: tuck 4-6 cards in the pocket and a strip of leather with a pull tab enables you to pull them out when needed. The right panel has an expandable cash pocket that will fit a nice chunk of folded U.S. bills.

There are also a set of additional bonus slots for smaller items. The back card slot on the right panel features pair of tiny slots designed to stash a SIM card and wire SIM card ejector. The expandable cash pocket and also has a slot where you could stash some coins, a key, or a small memory stick.

While this may sound a bit complicated, the Aurochs folks have done a really nice job of assembling the package with a simple, streamlined design. The little extras don’t impede the normal use of the wallet and stay nicely tucked away when not needed. It’s a superbly functional layout.

Performance

The Aurochs Gravity wallet is an excellent day-to-day accessory. I’ve been using it continuously for a month now, and it has become my new favorite wallet. Aurochs does an excellent job of emphasizing simple, practical execution in this design.

I really like how the wallet manages the organization of commonly used items. I’ve got my badge swipe for work, my license, 6 cards, and a wad of cash loaded up… and there’s room for more. Check out the two pics below to see how it all disappears:

It’s a nice, streamlined package, but allows for quick and easy access to any specific card or item that I might need.

The extra reinforcement on the card slots is also very good. They keep your cards snug, and can even hold an extra card or two if needed. I’ve also noticed that, despite regular use, they are not showing any signs of stretching that would cause the cards to slip out.

 While I don’t have much use for the extra slots for change and the SIM card, they are nicely executed and don’t get in the way of regular use. I don’t know that I would keep coins on the inside pouch due to the extra bulk, but I would absolutely use it to stash an emergency key if I was traveling. You could even stash a small memory stick in there if needed.

Good leather wallets are always going to bulkier than synthetic products, but the Aurochs wallet is not excessive in my opinion. The leather is thick, but not so thick that the wallet feels (or looks)  like a brick in your pocket.

What I like

  • Great vegetable-tanned leather.
  • High-quality materials and assembly.
  • Excellent usability with nice attention to the design details.

What needs to be improved

  • SIM card slot may not be useful to everyone, but it doesn’t impede regular use.

Final thoughts

Wallets designs can be all over the place with respect to quality, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with the Aurochs Gravity wallet. I’m really impressed with what Aurochs is doing here; they are serious about details and craftsmanship. The leather is excellent, and they aren’t cutting any corners on the details. Usability is excellent, with plenty of useful spots to organize your cards and cash. If you’re looking for a quality mid-sized bifold-style wallet to upgrade to your day-to-day EDC, the Gravity will do the job well and serve you for a very long time. I’m looking forward to seeing more from Aurochs in the future.

Price: $54 with free standard shipping.
Where to buy: Aurochs
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Aurochs.

Now you can put a SnapPower GuideLight anywhere

SnapPower GuideLights are easy to install outlet wallplates that add an automatic LED night light that turns on when it gets dark and turns off during the day. I reviewed the SnapPower GuideLight back in 2014 and continue to use them in several rooms of my home. Well, every room except in the bathroom and kitchen because until now, there SnapPower didn’t offer GuideLights for GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets. But now they do!

The GuideLight 2 PLUS and GuideLight 2 PLUS for GFCI are SnapPower’s newest products in the GuideLight outlet cover line. The new easy to install wallplates feature a soft diffused light bar, a low-profile ergonomic on/off switch, and brightness settings.

The GuideLight 2 PLUS and GuideLight 2 PLUS for GFCI are priced from $16 to $19 and can be found at SnapPower’s online retail store. For more info visit www.snappower.com. They should also show up on their Amazon store soon with their other products.

Coming soon, Swann’s completely wire-free smart video doorbell

For the past few years, affordable home security cameras have become very popular. Now the trend seems to be heading towards cameras that are wireless. That means no more hard wiring outdoor cameras for power because these new series of cameras have rechargeable batteries or even solar-powered batteries. One such camera that will be available this month is the Swann wire-free Smart Video Doorbell.

Swann has been in business since 1987, so they have a lot of experience in this market and technology. They plan to roll out new hardware like the Smart Video Doorbell this year, along with cool new features like voice control via Google assistant and Amazon Alexa. You’ll soon be able to use your voice to ask for a live feed from one of your cameras.

Swann’s VP Dennis McTighe says:

End users consider what’s in their doorway to be the frontline of their home security plan. They want products that are convenient but also reliable. Now, wireless technology has allowed doorbells to get so much smarter and easier to use.

Another feature that I’m interested in is Swann’s work in integrating their camera’s live feed with Chromecast and Android TV. I can imagine sitting on my couch in the basement in front of my 65-inch TV and being able to view a streaming live feed from my cameras upstairs.

The new Smart Video Doorbell will also feature True Detect heat and motion sensing technology that detects warm objects like people and cars and helps prevent false triggers.

We’ll be sure and let you know more about the Smart Video Doorbell as we get more info. Visit Swann to shop their current line of home security camera systems.