Home 2018 August

The Nomad Slim Wallet with Tile keeps track of your wallet even if it’s stolen

NEWS – Slim wallets are all over the place these days but, the people over at Nomad have come up with one that you’ll never lose. That’s because the Nomad Slim Wallet with Tile uses an integrated Tile Slim tracker. Tile Slim uses advanced Bluetooth and crowdsource location technology to help you keep track of your wallet so that you never lose it.

Inside the wallet, there’s a stealth pocket concealed behind a false liner that completely hides the shape of the Tile. So the only one that knows it’s there is you, keeping your wallet trackable even if it’s stolen.

And you don’t lose any precious space in the wallet either.

The wallet has 4 card slots, 2 cash slots, and 1 quick access pocket. It can comfortably hold up to 12 cards. All in a wallet with a resting height of just over 1/2-inch, making it the perfect everyday minimalist wallet.

The leather used to make the wallet is sourced from the Horween Leather Company of Chicago. They use raw, vegetable tanned leather that over time develops a rich natural patina, which gives the wallet a character that’s unique to its owner. I reviewed a couple iPhone X cases from Nomad that use the same leather, and both developed a nice patina with time and use.

The Nomad Slim Wallet with Tile sells for $79.95 and is available on Nomad’s website.

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The Nomad Slim Wallet with Tile keeps track of your wallet even if it’s stolen originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Understands Evo Walnut Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand review

REVIEW – Monitor stands are just the kind of gadget accessory that suits me. They lift your monitor up to a level to help ease any neck discomfort and they help to free up space below the monitor. Since I love small gadgets like the Apple Wireless Keyboard (or Apple Magic Keyboard), the space below the monitor stand is a perfect storage area for a keyboard. I had the opportunity to review the Understands Evo Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand. I found that it is a beautiful high-quality monitor stand made out of walnut and birch and the legs are tall enough and just wide enough to accommodate my keyboard.

What is it?

The Understands Evo Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand that I received for review is a gorgeous hand-crafted computer (monitor) stand made out of walnut (with a birch plywood iMac undermount) and is used to elevate your monitor to a level that eases neck pain, frees up space, and brings a bit of nature inside your home or office. Understands makes other styles of wood stands (some with drawers) and also uses different kinds of wood (see the Understands website). All Understands products are made in the United States.

Hardware specs

What’s in the box?

My Understands Evo Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand came with an information sheet that provided information on the care of the stand and stated that it is guaranteed for life.

Design and features

The Evo Walnut stand is hand-made and crafted from “urban walnut sustainably harvested from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.” The stand has been tested to hold up to 50 pounds according to Understands.

The above three photos illustrate the beauty and the high-quality materials and craftsmanship involved with making this stand. It also displays the “live edge” feature which gives each piece a distinctively unique look as shown in the last photo. “Live Edge lets you imagine the profile [of] the tree. … Lacquer coating enriches natural beauty and protects from aging and mishaps.”

There is an iMac undermount in this stand for iMac and iMac Pro. The bottom of your iMac slides right into this space. If you don’t have an iMac, you would just place your monitor on top of the stand.

The iMac undermount is made of Baltic birch plywood (for strength).

There were supposed to be furniture slides applied to the feet of the stand, but mine was missing these. I applied my own adhesive felt furniture sliders to the stand to help avoid scratching the surface that the stand would rest on.

The Evo Monitor stand is 18″ long…

by about 9.5″ at it widest point (each stand will differ in this measurement due to the variation in the Live Edge feature)…

by 3″ tall.

The measurement between the legs of the stand is slightly over 11.5″.

And last, the width of the legs is 8″.

Performance

The Understands Evo Walnut Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand elevated my monitor to a comfortable viewing height for me.

And there was enough room under the stand to store my keyboard.

Not only did it perfectly store my Apple Wireless Keyboard (it will also store the small Apple Magic Keyboard), but I found a place to store my mouse too (right next to the right leg of the stand as shown in the photo above)! Ergonomic viewing height, storage for my keyboard and mouse, and high-quality materials and craftsmanship all make this a wonderful computer accessory. It’s also durable, strong, and brings the outdoors in. I have really enjoyed using this stand. I’ve also enjoyed just looking at it because it is so attractive.

To keep the stand looking its best, Understands recommends using a damp cloth to clean it and they suggest keeping it out of direct sunlight and away from heating vents which can cause cracks and warping.

What I like

  • It stores my Apple Wireless Keyboard perfectly
  • It places my monitor at a comfortable viewing level to help alleviate neck strain
  • It is made from high-quality solid walnut and birch plywood
  • It is hand-crafted
  • It is durable and strong (will hold up to 50 pounds according to Understands)
  • Its Live Edge feature makes it unique and beautiful
  • It is guaranteed for life

What needs to be improved

  • It is a bit expensive

Final thoughts

I thoroughly enjoy using the Understands Evo Walnut Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand. It’s so difficult to find such beautiful high-quality solid hardwood furniture these days, but the Evo Walnut stand is one of those pieces. It is a fabulous, well-made, hand-crafted, durable monitor stand that keeps my monitor at a comfortable viewing height, provides me with enough room to store my Apple Wireless Keyboard beneath the stand and even tuck my mouse off to the side. It’s also just beautiful to look at. It is a bit expensive, but if funds aren’t an issue, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this purchase.

Price: $109.00
Where to buy: Understands
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Understands.

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Understands Evo Walnut Live Edge Desktop Computer Stand review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Pop some corn with the sound of your voice with this GE microwave

NEWS – GE’s 0.9 Cu. Ft. Capacity Smart Countertop Microwave Oven with Scan-To-Cook Technology (JES1097SMSS) adds Alexa voice control to your microwave.  The microwave connects to your home WiFi, so you can control it with voice commands through your Alexa device.  

The 0.9 ft³ oven has 900W of cooking power.  It has a variety of pre-set controls for defrosting food, reheating a dinner plate, popping corn, baking potatoes, and more.  Or you can use Alexa voice commands to set time and power levels, add cooking time, stop the microwave, and other commands.  And using the GE app, you can scan the bar code on a food package, and the GE Smart Countertop Microwave automatically adjusts power levels, cook times, and more, according to package instructions.

The interior has an LED light and a glass turntable.  The exterior measures 19″ wide x 11 ½” tall x 14 ½” deep, and the interior measures 13.7″ wide x 8.7″ tall x 12.4″ deep.  It has a gray body and a stainless steel door.

The MSRP is $139.00.  Check the GE website to learn more about the 0.9 Cu. Ft. Capacity Smart Countertop Microwave Oven with Scan-To-Cook Technology and to find local retailers.  Amazon also sells this microwave for $125.99.

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Pop some corn with the sound of your voice with this GE microwave originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Leatherman Micra multi-tool review

REVIEW – I’ve been carrying a little red Leatherman Squirt multitool in my gear bag for several years but I’ve always wondered if I might like the Leatherman Micra more than the Squirt. I now have the answer to that question because I’ve been using a Micra for the last few weeks. Let’s take a look and find out.

What is it?

The Leatherman Micra is a keychain-sized multitool made of 420HC Stainless Steel in several colors that features spring-action scissors, and a variety of other tools.

Specifications

Closed Length 2.5 in (6.5 cm)
Weight 1.8 oz (51 g)
Blade Length 1.6 in (4.06 cm)

Design and features

The Leatherman Micra is available in 7 colors that include plain stainless steel (silver) and the green version like you see above.

The Micra has the Leatherman Logo and model name painted on the side and a split ring hanging off the end to make it easy to add to your keychain.

If you check out the sides of the Micra multitool, you can see the 4.7 inch (12.0 cm) ruler that is etched into the handles.

To use the Micra, you need to unfold the handles. When you do so, the folded multitool turns into a pair of spring-assist scissors. Even for their small size, they work just fine for string, threads, paper, cardstock, etc. However, I would not want to use them to try to cut really heavy cardboard.

In addition to the scissors, the Leatherman Micra has 9 other tools that unfold from the handles. The tools include:

Scissors
Knife
Ruler
Flat/Phillips screwdriver
Nail cleaner
Tweezers
Bottle opener
Nail file
Medium screwdriver
Extra small screwdriver

Having used a Leatherman Squirt for so long, the first thing I noticed about the Micra is that you can’t get access to the knife without unfolding the handles first. That makes the Micra multitool less convenient to use compared to the Squirt.



It’s also awkward to use the Micra knife due to the handle being in the way. The easiest way I found to use the knife is to only unfold one handle as shown in the first 2 images above. If you unfold both handles, you’ll have to deal with the open scissor blades which might cut the palm of your hand while you’re trying to use the knife.

For comparison, here’s what it’s like to hold the Leatherman Squirt with the knife blade extended. It’s much easier to access and use.

What I like

  • Compact
  • Spring-action scissors
  • Available in a variety of colors
  • 25-year limited warranty

What needs to be improved

  • The knife blade  and other tools can only be accessed by unfolding the handles

Final thoughts

Like other Leatherman tools that I’ve used and reviewed in the past, the Leatherman Micra is well-made and offers a variety of functionality. But the fact that I have to unfold the handles to access the tools (especially the knife blade), it makes the convenience of the Micra multitool a step down from the Squirt. That said, the Squirt has pliers instead of scissors. The scissors on the Squirt are much smaller than the Micra scissors. If you think you need scissors more than pliers, that’s a reason to consider the Micra over the Squirt. For me, I’m sticking with my Leatherman Squirt.

It’s also important to note that neither the Squirt or the Micra is TSA approved, so frequent travelers will need to make sure that they remember to put these multitools in their check-in luggage if they don’t want a TSA agent to confiscate it.

Price: $29.95 MSRP
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Leatherman.

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Leatherman Micra multi-tool review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 27, 2018 at 1:10 pm.

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Keurig’s new K-Café™ is a single-serve coffee, latte, and cappuccino maker

NEWS – A few years ago, I reviewed the Keurig 2.0 Model K550 coffee brewer.  That was soon after the Keurig company was purchased by the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters company and when the patent on the K-Cup coffee pod expired.  Because a coffee company had no interest in allowing other coffee companies to make supplies for their machines, Green Mountain tried phasing out the variety of brewers Keurig had developed and introduced a Keurig machine that would only brew when you used a proprietary, Keurig-branded pod.  Since Keurig lost their bid to stop people from using their own coffee in Keurig machines and relying on the sales of coffee pods, they’ve apparently gone back to developing new brewers with new functionality.  The Keurig K-Cafe Single-Serve Coffee, Latte, and Cappuccino Maker still makes single cups of coffee using K-Cup pods and even the My K-Cup pod that lets you use your own ground coffee, but it has added a milk-frothing function with a machine-washable frothing pot.

Features:

  • Coffee shot for specialty drinks: Press the SHOT button to brew a concentrated shot of coffee to make delicious hot or iced lattes and cappuccinos.
  • Dishwasher-safe frother: Froth fresh milk, including skim, soy, and almond. The frother is dishwasher-safe for easy clean up after use, and also features a COLD setting for cold frothed milk.
  • Strong brew:  Increase the strength and bold taste of your coffee.
  • 4 cup sizes: 6, 8, 10, and 12oz.
  • Large 60-oz water reservoir: Allows you to brew 6 cups before having to refill, saving you time and simplifying your morning routine. Removable reservoir makes refilling easy.
  • Smart start: Your coffee maker heats, then brews in one simple process. No need to wait for it to heat before selecting your cup size.
  • Energy efficient: Programmable auto off feature automatically turns your brewer off 2 hours after the last brew for energy savings.
  • Travel-mug friendly: Accommodates travel mugs up to 7.2” tall and is top rack dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
  • Compatible with the My K-Cup universal reusable coffee filter: Brew your own ground coffee (sold separately).
  • Brewer maintenance reminder: Alerts you when it is time to descale your coffee maker. Descaling is an important process that removes built-up calcium deposits, ensuring the best-tasting brew possible.

The Keurig K-Cafe Single-Serve Coffee, Latte, and Cappuccino Maker is $179.99, available exclusively at Amazon.

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Keurig’s new K-Café™ is a single-serve coffee, latte, and cappuccino maker originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 27, 2018 at 10:10 am.

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