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Be part of the movie with Edifiers uniquely luxurious e255 5.1 Home Theater System

Product design doesn’t always have to be boring. The Edifier e255 Luna E 5.1 Home theater system is a prime example of this. Its unique shapes and striking red color make it look like it came straight out of a Japanese Anime. But, the e255 is more than just another pretty face.

Looks aren’t everything

The 385-watt e255 has all the features you could want in a high-end 5.1 Home Theater System.

The center speaker of the e255 features an OLED display. The display lets you adjust both volume, decoder status, and trimmer settings.

You can easily adjust settings using the touch-sensitive controls on the decoder, or the small included remote control.

Versatile connection options allow you to connect the e255 to any device via either the Optical or Auxiliary inputs.

The e255 decodes both Dolby and DTS sound profiles, allowing you to hear movies the way they were meant to be heard.

One of the systems best features is its wireless speakers. Both the 8” subwoofer and rear satellite speakers pair with the decoder for true wireless surround sound. No more clutter and messy wires.

The system comes with a center speaker, 2 satellite speakers, a wireless 8” subwoofer, and 2 wireless rear satellite speakers. This unique looking system does come at a pretty lofty price of $999.99. Visit Amazon for more info or to purchase.

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Be part of the movie with Edifiers uniquely luxurious e255 5.1 Home Theater System originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 27, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Easily feed your pet on-the-go with the Pet Travel-Trainer

We always travel with our dog, Teddy, and it’s a bit like traveling with a small child.  He doesn’t need exactly the same items as a toddler would, but he does have his booster seat, crate, leash, and other items.  Food is always a problem too.  Normally he eats frozen raw foods, but we take along freeze-dried raw when we travel.  We don’t want to take along a huge bag with us, so having a small set like the Pet Travel-Trainer would make food transportation much simpler.

The Pet Travel-Tainer is compact set of food and water dishes and a 4-quart storage container for food.  You just pull off the carry-handle from the side, pull off the two bowls, and then unscrew the jar’s lid for the food.  Each bowl holds 1 quart, so they are big enough for some larger dogs, too.  The set is made of BPA-free plastics.  Handwashing is recommended.

The Pet Travel-Tainer is normally $14.99, but it’s on sale for $11.24 (25% savings) now at The Container Store.

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Easily feed your pet on-the-go with the Pet Travel-Trainer originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 27, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The TRILENS is a 3 lens holder for Photographers on the go


One of the many challenges that I face when out on a photography shoot, is how to manage interchanging multiple lenses quickly and safely. I can remember going out to shoot at a park that also had a pier, and I wanted to shoot landscapes, objects on the ocean, and some macro photography of flowers and insects in the park. I walked with my Sigma 70-200mm and Canon 24-105mm lenses for the landscape and ocean shots, and my Sigma 105mm macro lenses for macro photography. If you know the Sigma 70-200mm, you know that it is a heavy lens and must be handled carefully. Dropping this lens will result in major damage, so I had it safely in my Think Tank Holster, while I had a belt with two lens cases to secure the other lens. To make a long story short, I missed so many shots that day when I saw opportunities for great photos of moving targets, but I had the wrong lens attached for those shots, and simply could not swap lenses safely and quickly enough to take advantage of the moment. I eventually packed up and headed home because of the overwhelming frustration.

Now I know that some photographers carry multiple camera bodies with the additional lenses that they need, but for me, that was simply too much for that outing.

Since then, I have been on a quest to find a workable solution, and recently I came across the TRILENS. The great device clips to a gear belt and has three secure receptacles to secure three lenses. It claims to manage the strongest point of gravity very well to keep it close to the body, and it rotates easily for the selection and swapping of lenses. For me, this design seems like it will work well, and provide the quickness I need to change my lens, as well as allow me a better chance at capturing those great photography moments that I would otherwise miss.

If you would like to learn more about the TRILENS or purchase one, you can head over to the Friidesigns website or their Indiegogo funding page and pick one up for approximately $140 USD (€99.00EUR) plus shipping.

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The TRILENS is a 3 lens holder for Photographers on the go originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 27, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Tutti Matti wireless speaker, Morsel Spork, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

This week we are bringing you five crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This week’s campaigns are for people who like music, magnets, and eating. Check out our picks for this week’s notable crowdfunding campaigns.

Tutti Studio Matti Wireless Speaker

What is it?
Matti is a small portable Bluetooth speaker with wireless linking features.

Why do I like it?
I like the Tutti Matti speaker because it’s in a small form factor but has been designed to fill a room with sound making it a perfect party speaker. It also has a unique feature that allows you to connect/link up to 8 Matti speakers to create an immersive soundfield with left, right and center stereo coverage.

Where can I find more info?
The Matti campaign ends on 4/12/2018 and they are still working to reach their funding goal of $48,000. You can pre-order a Matti speaker starting at $169. After the Matti campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Morsel Spork

What is it?
The Morsel Spork is a new take on the spork travel eating utensil.

Why do I like it?
I like the Morsel Spork because it’s a fork, a knife, a spoon, and a spatula all in one tool/utensil. It also has a long handle so you can scrape all the yumminess out of a can or bowl without getting food all over your hands.

Where can I find more info?
The Morsel Spork campaign ends on 4/21/2018 and they have already reached their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order a Morsel Spork starting at $9. After the Morsel Spork campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

AIUR Gesture controlled speaker

What is it?
AIUR is a wireless 360° speaker that you control with a wave of your hand.

Why do I like it?
I like the AIUR gesture controlled speaker because you can manipulate the speaker functions without touching the speaker. It can differentiate between 10 different gestures so that you can control volume, switch tracks, pause, play, answer calls, and more. I’d love to have one of these in the kitchen because Jeanne seems to always call me when I’m cooking and have food on my hands.

Where can I find more info?
The AIUR campaign ends on 4/22/2018 and they have already reached their funding goal of $10,000. You can pre-order an AIUR starting at $79. After the AIUR campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

MYO Magnets

blurb by Andy Jacobs

What is it?
Super-strong magnets with the ability to customize them by adding an image, logo, text, or just about anything you could want.

Why do I like it?
I’ve been a huge fan of Brian Conte’s Strong Like Bull Magnets since their original Kickstarter campaign and I’ve been using them at home and at work for years. Brian is an inventor and innovator and his latest creation is the MYO Magnets (Make Your Own), which starts with a super-strong Strong Like Bull magnet and adds a screw-down cap with a transparent window on top. This allows you to customize your magnets by adding a small logo, image, photo, text, or just about anything else.

Where can I find more info?
The MYO Magnets Kickstarter campaign has just kicked off and ends April 23, 2018, but as of this writing, 381 backers have already pledged over $20,000, well above the $5,000 funding goal. Pledge packaged start at $25 and rewards should ship in July. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

HALO EFFECT First Handsfree 4-Mount Smartphone Kit

What is it?
HALO EFFECT is a smartphone mounting kit that you can use in all sorts of situations when you’re active indoors, and outdoors.

Why do I like it?
I think the HALO EFFECT is interesting because it’s designed to be used mounted on your arm, your car, to a table, wall, or used as a stand on a flat surface.

Where can I find more info?
The HALO EFFECT campaign ends in 10 days and they have are still working to reach their funding goal of $45,000. You can pre-order a HALO EFFECT starting at $39. After the HALO EFFECT campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2018. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

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Tutti Matti wireless speaker, Morsel Spork, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 26, 2018 at 4:33 pm.

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Toffee Berlin Backpack review

Continuing on my recent quest for the perfect backpack, I recently asked to review the Toffee Berlin Backpack. Eighteen months ago, I reviewed the Toffee Centennial pack, a red all-canvas model that I carried for a while. One day, my oldest came by the house and proclaimed it “too girlie” for her dad, and absconded with it. I’m not sure if that was just a ploy to get a new bag, but I’ve gone through several possible replacements in the intervening months. This is but the latest.

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

What is it?

The Berlin is billed as an Urban backpack and is shown in very masculine settings, and is listed in the “For Men” section of Toffee’s website. (For what it’s worth, the Centennial also shows up under the “For Men” section. I’m so confused….)

Design and features

The Berlin is a waxed canvas bag with a covered zipper, leather accents, and nicely padded shoulder straps. There is a generous double-thickness leather haul loop stitched and sealed and sewn into the center of each back strap. Inside are two pockets for laptop/tablet, sewn into the back and lifted slightly from the bottom of the bag for drop protection. The tablet pocket on the front of the laptop pocket can hold an iPad Air without a cover of any type, but it’s tight. A mini will fit easier. The laptop pocket holds a 12” laptop nicely and a 13”-er in a pinch. My iPad Pro 12” fits with a bit of extra space, but not enough to also fit my 10.5” one. Fortunately, the rest of the single inner compartment is roomy enough for my Freudian Slip, K811 keyboard, and the smaller iPad Pro without too much compromise.

Hardware specs

Here are the specs as laid out on the website:

  • Water-resistant waxed canvas and genuine leather
  • Leather side pockets to hold a water bottle or coffee in a can
  • Padded laptop compartment, separate tablet compartment
  • Reinforced base with metal feet, durable YKK metal main zip
  • Outer Fabric: 100% waxed cotton canvas, and genuine leather
  • Side pockets: 100% genuine naturally milled leather with a subtle pebble grain
  • Lining: 95% Cotton, 5% Spandex
  • Bag Size: 260 mm/11.4 inches (L), 410 mm/15.3 inches (H), 14 cm/5.5 inches (W)
  • Compatible With: MacBook Air/Pro, Surface Pro 3 & 4 and other similar sized notebooks up to 13-inch.

The only difference I can find between the Berlin model and the earlier reviewed model is the front handle from the Centennial is missing from the Berlin and the leather side pockets. The yoke where the straps converge at the top has a leather reinforcing patch on the Berlin, where it’s the regular canvas on the Centennial. I don’t think that’s enough of a difference to worry about. The interior is the same mattress-ticking cotton/spandex blend, there is ample padding around all sides of the laptop compartment except the top edge, the tablet pocket is sewn onto the laptop pocket so that it is well above the bottom of the bag for shock absorption. The YKK zippers are made from the same odd non-brass material that doesn’t quite slide easily. (Aluminum? Zinc? I can’t tell. But it doesn’t polish up and wear to get smoother, that’s for sure.)


The straps are leather and canvas and sewn into the top structure of the bag very well. The adjustment is easy to reach when wearing, but it slides the opposite way most of my other bags do. Since the straps are all one piece, there’s no buckle at the end of the padded area of the strap. Instead, it continues down the pack, then loops back to the center of the buckle. To loosen the strap, you grab the buckle and pull it down, in the same motion that tightens other straps. To tighten, you pull the buckle up, just like loosening up other straps. Strange, but no big deal. Your muscle memory soon works it out.


As for weather resistance – I’m glad the waxed canvas is there, as much of our spring and fall weather is misty and drizzly in the mornings. With no weather seal on the large-toothed zippers, however, I’d make sure to get under cover in the event of a downpour.

What I Like

  • Leather side panels add a sharp look.
  • Well-sewn with quality materials (except that zipper!)
  • Good padding and sewn-in pockets for laptop and tablet.
  • Enough room for headphones, crusher hat, or other slightly bulky items.

What needs to be improved

  • The main zipper is a really horrible experience.
  • The side and front pockets are so tight as to be unusable.

Final thoughts

The Berlin, which is available in Black (shown), Olive, and a Royal Blue, is a fine-looking backpack, that will easily hold a 12” laptop, a standard or large-sized iPad Pro, and the basics of a daily commute. Leather accents permit it access to a little better level than most backpacks, but it’s still a backpack.

Price: $149.95
Where to buy: Toffee or Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Toffee.

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Toffee Berlin Backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 26, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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