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gosh! easyPlay robotic pet fitness puzzle review

REVIEW – As a dog owner I’m always concerned whether or not my 9-year-old puggle Zoey is getting enough exercise. Her activity level isn’t what it used to be, and the summer heat limits the amount of outdoor activity she gets. She’s very finicky when it comes to her toys. Usually, if she can’t eat or destroy it, she won’t play with it. I thought a toy like the gosh! easyPlay would be great for her both physically and mentally. Let’s see if I was right.

What is it?

easyPlay is a robotic remote ball designed to keep your pet active. It uses a smartphone app that lets you interact with your pet and even reward them with treats for playing with it.

What’s in the box?

  • easyPlay robotic ball
  • Micro USB to USB charging cable
  • Feather cat toy accessory
  • User manual

Design and features

The easyPlay is made of a durable easy to clean plastic. The ball itself measures 6-inches in diameter and weighs just over 2-pounds.

The top of the easyPlay twists off to reveal the food pods. You can fill them with your pets food or small sized treats.

There’s a 720P HD wide-angle webcam located on the front of the ball. Just below the cam, there’s a speaker and microphone.

The backside of the ball is where you’ll find the treat dispenser, micro USB charging port, on/off switch, and the reset button. There’s also a battery LED indicator.

The wheel track, which is used to maneuver the ball is located on the bottom.

easyPlay app

To set up easyPlay, you first have to download the free app from the App Store or Google Play.

The app interface is simple and easy to use. The Homepage is where you access all of easyPlays features. You can set a profile pic, feeding times and even set and track your pets activity levels. It also allows you to see the network connection and the easyPlays battery level.

You can also select how you want to interact with your dog.

Manual play allows you to control the ball remotely and access the camera and speaker features.

When autoplay is selected, the easyPlay will move on its own for 30 seconds. Profile allows you to track and set your dogs activity level. The app keeps track of how many plays your dog has for that day. A play is registered every time the ball is rolled, so 1 roll = 1 play. You can choose to set either a daily goal or a minimum play goal. You can even have an alert sent to your phone when your dog hits their daily goal.

Performance

I was really excited to start playing with my dog Zoey using easyPlay. Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived. The first issue came with the fact that the easyPlay can only be used on a completely flat surface. Since most of my home is carpeted, I was relegated to using it in my kitchen where I have a small tiled area. So if you don’t have tile or hardwood floors the remote control feature is unusable.

Controls

Although the app is easy to use and pretty responsive, no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get the ball to go straight. It always wanted to travel in a semi-circle. And the ball is easily knocked off its tracks and often becomes stuck in an unmovable position.

Treat / food dispenser

I was disappointed that there was no way to dispense a treat individually using the app. Instead, you have to set a specific time of day for this to be done. When its time the pod rotates so that it lines up with the dispensing hole. I use a small bite kibble, and Zoey was able to get all of the food out within a few rolls of the ball. I really was hoping it would be a little more challenging for her to get the food out. Even larger treats came out fairly easily, not much of a puzzle.

Camera

The camera works okay, but it’s positioned a little low for you to get any quality still shots. Unless your pet is standing a few feet away, all you see are legs and paws. It’s also located on the opposite side of the treat dispenser, so if your dog is like mine, that’s the part of the ball they’re most interested in. As you can see from the short video below it’s really hard to make out what is going on when your pet is actually playing with the easyPlay.

The app does allow you to save pics and videos to your camera roll or post them on your favorite social site. Although it’s hard to get any pics or vids worthy of sharing. Images below are unedited to give you an example of the camera quality.

The sound quality of the speaker isn’t very good, and the sound from the built-in microphone sounds like a garbage disposal, luckily you can mute the mic from the app.

Battery life

The easyPlay’s rechargeable battery has a continuous play time of  4.5 hours and a standby time of 12 hours. You can put the easyPlay into sleep mode to save the battery but, this disables the WiFi meaning you can’t access it with the app until the sleep mode timer expires. Another issue I ran into was the pop-up alert you get on the app when the battery is low. It pops up non-stop every few seconds, rendering the app utterly useless. Considering the app already has a battery indicator the pop-up isn’t really necessary.

What I like

  • Durable, well constructed
  • Easy to use
  • The app interface

What needs to be improved

  • Too expensive ($150)
  • Remote control feature only works on completely flat surfaces
  • Poor camera placement and quality
  • Poor sound quality from speaker and microphone
  • Can’t immediately dispense treats
  • Short battery life
  • Food and treats come out too easily, not challenging enough

Final thoughts

Conceptually the easyPlay is a great product, unfortunately, most of what it does suffers from poor execution. Sometimes MORE is LESS, and that’s the case here. easyPlay does a lot of things, but it doesn’t do any of them particularly well. I really wanted to like it, but there are just too many flaws that just can’t be overlooked. However, Zoey does like playing with it if only for the food, so that’s a positive.

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

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gosh! easyPlay robotic pet fitness puzzle review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 29, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Holtz Leather Co. says it has the perfect groomsmen’s gift

NEWS – Holtz Leather Co. is a family-owned business that produces handcrafted wood and leather goods.  The Tennessee Whiskey Barrel .30 Caliber Bolt Action Pen and Pen Sleeve is a perfect example of their products.  They purchase complete whiskey barrels from Lynchburg, Tennessee hand-turn the wood into pens or other useful goods.  These white oak barrels have housed distilled whiskey for 5-7 years, and the wood retains some of the fragrance of those spirits.

This pen has a “shotgun” for a pen clip.  Instead of clicking on the top, you open the pen using a bolt-action mechanism similar to those found on some firearms.  Finally, the top of the pen looks similar to the end of a shotgun shell.  To finish the pen set, Holtz handcrafts a leather sleeve for the pen.  You can add three initials to the sleeve for a perfect, personalized gift set.  It’s not just for groomsmen, though.

The Tennessee Whiskey Barrel .30 Caliber Bolt Action Pen and Pen Sleeve is $59.00, direct from the Holtz Leather Co.

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Holtz Leather Co. says it has the perfect groomsmen’s gift originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 29, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Smark language translator, fidget toys, backpacks made from plastic bottles, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

NEWS – This week we are bringing you info about six different crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This week’s campaigns are for people who like to travel, like fidget toys, recycling, and more.

Smark Translator – Your Cross Border Sidekick

blurb by Julian Perry

What is it?

The Smark Translator is a handheld shareable Language translator.

Why is it cool?

I like the Smark Translator because it provides translation in 24 languages right from the device with no need to use an App. It can be used as a shared device by simply separating the 2 modules like in a walkie-talkie mode. It also has a conference mode that can handle multi-lingual translation with several people all at the same time.

Where can I find more info?

The Smark Translator campaign ends on 10/11/18 and they are still working towards their funding goal of $19,108. You can pre-order a Smark Translator starting at $185. After the Smark Translator campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

The Fidj: App & Smart Device Enabled Phone Spinning Gadget

What is it?

Fidj is a stick on thingy that turns your smartphone into a fidget spinner, art thing, toy.

Why is it cool?

I like the Fidj because it takes fidget spinning to a new level of fun and since it’s only $9, there’s not much to lose buying this conversation starter.

Where can I find more info?

The Fidj campaign ends on 9/10/18 and they have already reached their funding goal of $6,500. You can pre-order a Fidj starting at $9. After the Fidj campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in September 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Plugo: An immersive AR gaming system

What is it?

Plugo is an AR gamepad designed to be used with iOS and Android tablets and smartphones for kids ages 5 to 11 to learn while playing games.

Why is it cool?

I like Plugo because it uses games and physical controls and objects to help teach kids math, vocabulary, navigation skills, construction, and more.

Where can I find more info?

The Plugo campaign ends on 9/15/18 and they have already reached their funding goal of $25,000. You can pre-order a Plugo starting at $25. After the Plugo campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in September 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Tactical Marker 2.0 – The Classic Sharpie Marker Just Got Better!

What is it?

TM 2 is a holder/cover for Sharpie fine point markers.

Why is it cool?

I think the TM 2 Sharpie cover is cool because it’s a crazy over-engineered and expensive aluminum, brass, or titanium holder for a pen that you can buy for less than a buck. Why is that cool? Because the inventor is making money off this product when it’s a completely unnecessary purchase.

Where can I find more info?

The TM 2 campaign ends on 9/14/18 and they have already reached their funding goal of $3,000. You can pre-order a TM 2 starting at $45. After the TM 2 campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in October 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Mobius – The World’s Most Eco-Progressive Backpack

What is it?

Mobius is a backpack that is made from 31 recycled plastic water bottles and the padding made from algae. Yes, algae!

Why is it cool?

I think the Mobius is cool because I think recycling is cool. The backpack looks pretty nice too and features a roll-top design that lets the bag’s size and capacity to expand and contract as needed.

They will also plant 10 trees for every backpack that they sell.

Where can I find more info?

The Mobius campaign ends on 9/19/18 and they have already reached their funding goal of $3,000. You can pre-order a Mobius backpack starting at $76. After the Mobius campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

4-Mation: The Interactive 3D Zoetrope.

What is it?

4-Mation is a Zoetrope. And if you don’t know what a Zoetrope is, it’s a disk or cylinder that shows an animation when it spins.

Why is it cool?

I think the 4-Mation is ultra cool because it can show a 3D animation the spinning disc physical objects attached to it. You have to watch the video above to understand.

Where can I find more info?

The 4-Mation campaign ends on 9/20/18 and they have already reached their funding goal of $10,300. You can pre-order a 4-Mation starting at $283 for a full kit with all the parts. After the 4-Mation campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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Smark language translator, fidget toys, backpacks made from plastic bottles, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 4:59 pm.

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Special Edition Bundle Revealed

NEWS – Nintendo has unveiled a special edition pro controller and game for this year’s very hyped  Super Smash Bros Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch. This pro controller is painted black and white with the Smash Bros logo, which varies from the existing plain black Nintendo Switch pro controller. The special edition game also looks like it’ll come in a steel book case with fiery Smash Bros logo. No retailers have been officially displayed on the site yet, but check back on the Super Smash Bros Ultimate website for updates! Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be released on December 7th, 2018.

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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Switch Pro Controller and Special Edition Bundle Revealed originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 2:30 pm.

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Giesswein boiled wool shoes review

REVIEW – Giesswein (pronounced geese vine) is an Austrian company who has been in the shoe business since 1954. They offered to let me try their boiled wool shoes and I thought sure, what the heck. They sent them, I’ve been wearing them, let’s find out if boiled wool shoes are as comfy as they look.

What are they?

Giesswein shoes are boiled sheep’s wool shoes that have been designed for indoor use and/or outdoor use. Giesswein sent me two styles from their variety of offerings. They sent me the Vent in Plum which are indoor and outdoor shoes and the Andau in Charcoal which are indoor only shoes.

What is boiled wool and how are these shoes made? I’ll let them explain it.

To create our shoes, we begin by weaving the wool into a soft Tyrolean knit, which is then put through a unique process called “fulling” or “Walk” (pronounced vahlke) in German. The knit is washed, agitated, compressed, and subjected to high and low temperature variations in fresh mountain spring water… Giesswein wool is not your average boiled wool, and should never be mistaken for felt. It is lighter, software, and more flexible than felt, and because of the intricate fulling process, it is completely machine-washable.

Design and features

Vent style

The Vent style shoe is what Giesswein calls a lodge shoe which just means that it is designed to be worn as both an indoor and outdoor shoe. The Vent style is available in several colors including the Plum version that they sent me. I’ve always wanted “purple” shoes 🙂

This style comes in Women’s size 5 – 10 US and Men’s size 7-15.

I’ve never had anything made of boiled wool and had an image in my mind of thick heavy material. Those thoughts were wrong. The Giesswein shoes are not heavy, the natural boiled wool upper makes the shoe relatively lightweight with a soft fuzzy feel.

The Vent shoe has a waterproof rubber outsole which provides a decent grip on slick surfaces and allows you to wear them both in the house and outdoors.

The sole in the image above makes the shoes look sturdy and yes, they are, but they aren’t clunky feeling when you wear them. At least I didn’t think they felt too heavy or awkward to walk in.


These shoes include a removable cork-latex footbed that has metatarsal and medial arch support. What does that mean? It means your foot is going to be supported and you’ll notice the difference if you’ve been accustomed to wearing shoes and slippers without any support. I sure noticed a difference. At first, I didn’t like the Vent shoes at all because I felt like I was walking around with a ball under my foot. But after just a short adjustment period, I found the shoes to be comfortable to wear all around the house, up and down stairs, out to the garage, down our gravel driveway, etc. The cork footbed is designed to mold to your unique foot shape over time.

Note that these shoes are pretty much impossible to step into and out of without assistance from your hands. This is especially true if you tighten them around your ankle with the built-in cord.

The Vent shoes can be washed in a cold gentle cycle (after removing the cork footbed) and then allowed to air dry overnight.

Andau style

The Andau shoe is a house shoe/slipper and has been designed to be worn as an indoors-only shoe/slipper. It only comes in Charcoal and looks more masculine than the Vent shoe. Like the Vent, the Andau has a removable footbed.

This style comes in Women’s size 5 – 10 US and Men’s size 7-15.

These shoes have a natural latex-dipped outsole that provides grip for hard slick surfaces while remaining thin and flexible.

The Andau footbed isn’t made of cork, but is made of wool and can be washed along with the shoe by removing it and washing in a cold gentle cycle and then allowing it to air dry overnight.

The Andau’s footbed also offers arch support, but I think the Vent’s footbed’s arch support is a lot more noticeable.

What I like

  • Cute
  • Warm if it’s cold and cool if it’s hot
  • Machine washable

What needs to be improved

  • Price, they are expensive

Final thoughts

The Giesswein shoes are well-made and comfortable (after you get used to the arch supports) to wear. The sheep’s wool construction makes them breathable and great at wicking away moisture, all without being itchy and scratchy like you might assume that wool can be. That said, I have two main issues/concerns with these shoes. 1. The fuzzy wool picks up lint and pet hair easily so I am always picking stuff out of the material. 2. These shoes are expensive and pricier than I would care to spend on one pair of house shoes.

I wore these slippers for a couple of weeks and they were comfortable enough, but I can’t say that they were more or less comfortable than other slippers I’ve worn in the past that cost much less. Am I cheapskate when it comes to paying for slippers? Probably. But for the $100+ price tag, I expected the Giesswein shoes to wow my feet. My feet didn’t complain, but they didn’t do a tap dance of joy while wearing them either. So it comes down to if you like the look of these shoes and if you don’t mind the price. If so, then by all means, buy a pair.

Price: Vent $146, Andau $98
Where to buy: Giesswein USA and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Giesswein.

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Giesswein boiled wool shoes review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 1:32 pm.

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