Home 2018 November

Tribit XBoom IPX7 Bluetooth speaker review

REVIEW – Tribit may not be the first name you think of for Bluetooth speakers, but that is beginning to change, based on several of their last few releases. I was sent their Xboom cylinder, a black, fabric-covered monolithic unit that stands 7” high and is 2.5” in diameter. With three prominent buttons stacked in the “+”, “O” and “-“ shapes that have become popular, it stands out by not standing out. You hear it, but don’t really notice it. And that’s a good thing, to me.

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

What is it?

So, the Xboom enters the crowded fray of being a Bluetooth speaker that will accept AUX connections from those few devices that still have headphone jacks. There are prominent speakers on both ends, but much of the sound also radiates from under grille mesh that surrounds the entire devices. I cannot tell by feel or listening just where that sound is coming out. The whole device just seems to radiate sound, which may be why they semi-permanently attached a 1.5” loop of plastic strapping to hang it on your handlebars, belt loop, pack, or whatever.

Hardware specs

  • Audio – Bluetooth version: V4.2
  • Waterproofing – IPX7 Completely Waterproof
  • Driver size – 2 x 45mm, 2 x Passive radiator
  • Output power – 2 x 12W
  • Battery –
    • Playtime: Up to 20 hours (varies by volume level and music files)
    • Charging time: 4 hours @ 5V/2A
    • Capacity: 3.7V, 5200mAh
  • Weight – 545g /19.2oz
  • Dimensions(H x W x D) – 68 x 180 x 68 mm /2.68 x7.09 x 2.68 in

What’s in the box?

  • Xboom speaker unit
  • Charging cable
  • Warranty/instructions

Design and features

The Xboom (I’m not even going to comment on the name, it’s so bad) from Tribit has a fabric outer layer that hides speakers that project sound in all directions. Rather than trying to tune it to be heard by rotating it around, the Xboom just projects sound all around. It’s hard to tell where the sound is coming from even when you put it up to your ear!

I enjoy listening to music, and while I rarely have it on at home, due to living with introverts, I like it loud enough to hear the details. Having spent time in many different ensembles in my years, I expect full-range sound with the limitations and characteristics of instruments audible: the hum of a guitar pickup when it’s clicked on, the click of a violinist tapping the stand with their bow while turning a page, a mute tapping the bell of a horn as it’s being inserted. These are the things that make music created by live, human musicians exciting to me. They’re the things that let me know this is not just some synthesized stuff but actually performed by real people. And the Xboom brings this out, amazingly so for a small relatively inexpensive speaker.

My Lovely Bride has still not fully accepted my Gadget habit. A box arrives, and her first thought (and often, first statement to me) is “Why do you need another gadget?” Especially when it’s something I already have more of than I can ever really use, like a backpack, battery pack, or today’s item, a Bluetooth speaker. I just smile and show her the item, and say “Whadda ya think?” and she knows I am after a non-gadgeteer’s viewpoint on first look, so she turns off her “Why did you buy that” alarm, and says “Nice. A little proud of those buttons, aren’t they?”

The rear of the column starts out with a soft-touch power button. A few inches of space later, there’s a dedicated Bluetooth button, and then a button to turn on the XBOOM bass boost. Below that is a flap-sealed set of ports: AUX and microUSB DC in.

Performance

I found the Xboom to be a solid performer with Spotify’s Acoustic Covers playlist, which has become my favorite Saturday jam. Vocals and all the various instruments come through clearly and accurately. Acoustic bass, mandolins, close-miked guitars are all crisp and well-defined. Give the cover of Prince’s “When Doves Cry” from Sarah Jarosz or Imagine Dragons covering Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” a try. There’s a lot of nuance in there, and reproducing it well is pretty tough. The XBoom matched any other speaker I have in the house for clarity.

What I Like

  • Waterproof (IPX7)
  • Solid, no soft spots on the case or in the sound projection
  • Hanging loop is large enough to actually use

What needs to be improved

  • Can’t think of anything

Final thoughts

The stakes in the Bluetooth speaker game are rising quickly. IPx7 weather- and dust-proofing have joined sealed charging and AUX ports, and now Bluetooth 5 as what it takes to be noticed. Not that I’m ever going to take my speaker into a meter of water for 30 minutes, but knowing that it can still survive makes me a bit less nervous around a pool, a pitcher of Margaritas, or on a picnic with impending thunderstorms. Another feature offered is linking with a second model of the same or similar type to form a stereo pair. (Note to those providing units for review – if this is important to you and you want it covered in reviews, you may need to start sending pairs of pair-able units to your reviewers.) At $70, however, this is one of the first units I’ve considered buying a second one of to pair with the one I have.

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

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Tribit XBoom IPX7 Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2018 at 11:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

The Peruvian Trading Company’s funny winter hats might just be the next holiday tradition

NEWS – We’ve all heard of the ugly Christmas sweater, maybe you even own one. The Peruvian Trading Company puts a fun new twist on this holiday tradition with their festive holiday winter hats.

These funny holiday toppers are carefully handcrafted in Peru by skilled fiber artists. Made from 100% acrylic faux angora yarn, they are as soft and warm as they are festive.

Each knitted and crocheted design is durable, made to last for years of holiday cheer.

The hats are one-size fits all and machine washable.

The Peruvian Trading Company’s Handcrafted Festive Holiday Hats are available in four whimsical designs. Snowman, Christmas tree, Santa (complete with the white beard), and there’s even one for Hanukkah. Each would look great paired with even the ugliest of Christmas sweaters.

These fun hats make a great gift idea, or buy one for yourself and start your own fun new holiday tradition. You can purchase one from The Grommet for $45.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

The Peruvian Trading Company’s funny winter hats might just be the next holiday tradition originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2018 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Ecovacs WINBOT X window cleaning robot review

REVIEW – Let’s just get this out of the way right now – When it comes to cleaning, I’m lazy. I like a clean house, but I really don’t want to be the one that cleans it. That’s why I love my Neato Botvacs, so I don’t have to vacuum the floors. Lately, I’ve been on a quest to find a robot to clean my windows. I’ve already Albohes Z5 Robot Window Washer robot which did little to nothing to improve the cleanliness of the windows. When Ecovacs asked if I wanted to review their WINBOT X window cleaning robot, I told them about my previous attempt and that I wasn’t sure window cleaning robots were to the level that I think they need to be yet. They still sent me one to test out, so let’s take a look.

What is it?

The Ecovacs WINBOT X is a battery-powered window cleaning robot that will clean a window automatically or by using a handheld remote control.

What’s in the box?

WINBOT X
Safety pod
Power adapter
Remote control (with batteries)
Cleaning solution
Cleaning pads x4
Finishing cloth
Manual

Design and features

The WINBOT X is made of white plastic. On the top of the cleaner is a large power button on the handle, an LED status LED, and socket for the Safety Pod tether.

On the front and back edges are bumpers which help the robot find the edges of the window frame as it’s traveling back and forth across the window as it’s cleaning it.

The bottom of the WINBOT X has two sets of driving treads, the suction fan in the center, power button and status LEDs, and the cleaning pad around the edges.

The cleaner comes with four cleaning pads which can be washed and reused.

The pads attach to the bottom of the WINBOT X and are held in place with Velcro.

To use the WINBOT X, you first have to charge the main unit for 2.5 hours which will allow for up to 50 minutes of cleaning time. The Safety Pod is powered by regular alkaline batteries which come pre-installed. The Safety Pod is a suction cup that makes sure that the WINBOT X does not cause an injury if it happened to fall from a high window by providing an 8.2ft tether. The WINBOT X will not even suction to a window without the Safety Pod first being attached.

Once the WINBOT X is fully charged, you can connect the Safety Pod to it by inserting the cable into the jack on the WINBOT X and locking it in place. Then you flip the power switch on the bottom of the Safety Pod and stick it to the window and turn on the WINBOT X using the power button on the handle. The status LED on the WINBOT X will glow green if the Safety Pod is correctly attached. Then you squirt the cleaning solution on the cleaning pads and hold the WINBOT X against the window, press the power button, and the fans will turn on and create enough suction to hold it to the glass.

See it in action

Clean or not

The Ecovacs WINBOT X can be used on windows that are at a minimum of 19.7 x 19.7 inches and with a frame no narrower than 0.2 inches.

I did my testing on a large window which you have already seen in the video above and it started out with smudges, some dirt, dust, spots, etc. on it like most exterior windows, but it wasn’t filthy as I had already cleaned it using the other window washing robot a few weeks ago which was followed up by a manual human (me) cleaning session.

The WINBOT X will choose whether to clean in up/down swipes or side to side swipes. You can also use to remote to move it around manually and can also press the deep clean button which will clean first in up/down and then inside to side so it goes over the window twice.

I cleaned the outside and the inside of the window. I had to wait until the sun started setting before I could really see if the WINBOT X had really made a difference and I’m sorry to say that it didn’t. You can see the results yourself by clicking on the image above. You can see the spots and streaks that were left after the cleaning sessions.

I even let the WINBOT X run a 2nd time using the deep clean setting and couldn’t tell much of a difference after it completed the cleaning session. The water spots were still there as were some of the smudges and streaks. Did it clean off dust and some dirt? Yes, but not enough to really say “wow, those windows are clean!” I’ll have to say that the result was a minimal improvement.

What I like

  • Comes with cleaning solution
  • Cleaning pads are reusable
  • Battery powered

What needs to be improved?

  • Better scrubbing/polishing action
  • Price

Final thoughts

I’m swiftly coming to the conclusion that an effective window washing robot may not be available yet. Until a window cleaning robot can actually scrub the window to clean off the crud, it’s not going to be a robot that I think is worth using/buying. I’m not giving up hope, but my hope is quickly dimming and the reality is setting in that the best window washer may be me and not a robot.

Price: $449.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ecovacs.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Ecovacs WINBOT X window cleaning robot review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2018 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

The ultimate gift for the pet lover in your life is a plush clone of their pet

NEWS – Most adults you know may have outgrown their desire for a stuffed animal gift, but a plush replica of their own beloved pet would be an exception to that rule!  Cuddle Clones can make an exact copy of any animal using just a photo, your description of any unique characteristics the pet has, and your selection of the “pose” for the plush clone.

You can choose to have a “clone” made of your pet, just like the big dog and his replicant in the top image.  Or you can choose some plush slippers, a golf club cover (seen here), a purse, or a Christmas stocking with your pet peeking out.  The Plus Clone is $249, slippers are $199, golf club covers are $159, purse is $199, and the stocking is $129.  Your custom gift takes about 8 weeks, so you’ll either need to present the gift recipient with an IOU, or you can get started now on a Valentine’s Day gift for that special pet lover.

Order now at the Cuddle Clones website.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

The ultimate gift for the pet lover in your life is a plush clone of their pet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2018 at 8:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Glowstone flashlight, Braza knife, KEYTO ketosis checker, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

NEWS – This week we are bringing you information about five different crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter and Indiegogo that will be of interest to EDC and Keto diet fans.

Glowstone Flashlight: The only flashlight you’ll ever need

What is it?

The Glowstone is a rectangular pocket-sized LED flashlight.

Why is it cool?

This flashlight is cool because it’s virtually indestructible. It survives drops and dunks in water while offering a max of 900 lumens, and 8 light modes. You can wear it, stick it to something, mount it, etc. It can shine for up to 32 hours in candle (7 lumens) mode and recharges using a wireless (Qi) charging pad.

Where can I find more info?

The Glowstone Flashlight campaign ends on 12/13/18 and they have already met their funding goal of $12,813. You can pre-order a Glowstone Flashlight starting at $28. After the Glowstone Flashlight campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Adventur 3.0 Titanium Survival Credit Card Axe Multi Tool

What is it?

The Adventur is a credit card sized survival multi-tool.

Why is it cool?

Adventur is cool because it is 40+ tools in one small credit card sized package that can fit in your wallet and includes an Axe, Knife, Arrow Head, Wrenches, Bottle Opener, and Cord Cutter. It’s made of stainless steel but you can upgrade to Titanium if you’re willing to pay a little extra.

What to consider before pledging

You won’t receive your pledge reward until May of next year – assuming that it ships on time. That’s a long time to wait.

Where can I find more info?

The Adventur campaign ends on 12/28/18 and they have already met their funding goal of $5,000. You can pre-order an Adventur starting at $30. After the Adventur campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in May 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Braza Bro Cleaver | Bad A** Pocket & Keychain EDC Mini Knife

blurb by Andy Jacobs

What is it?

An upgrade to the original, this small, compact EDC knife features a locking blade, a pocket clip, multiple material options and now, a “cleaver” style tip for even more functionality.

Why is it cool?

I’m a big fan of the original Braza Bro EDC Folding Knife, which we previously reviewed here. Bastion is back with another Kickstarter campaign for a similar small knife, this one with a “cleaver” style (technically a “Wharncliffe” style) type that gives it even more functionality than the original. The flat backside of the cleaver tip can act as a flat head screwdriver and can even be used to pop caps off bottles. In addition, the compact yet comfortable handle is now available in tool steel, stainless steel or titanium (each with corresponding price increases). If all of those upgrades weren’t enough, the pocket clip can now be mounted on either side to adapt to the user’s carry preferences. All in all, it looks like a great set of improvements to the original Braza Bro, which was already a great little knife.

Where can I find more info?

The Braza Bro Cleaver | Bad A** Pocket & Keychain EDC Mini Knife campaign ends on December 18, 2018. To date, over 900 backers have pledged over $54,000, already shredding (pun very much intended) the campaign goal of $5,000. Pledge packages start at $29 for the Braza Bro Cleaver Super Early Bird and increase from there based on the options selected. Visit the Braza Bro Cleaver | Bad A** Pocket & Keychain EDC Mini Knife campaign site for more info or to become a backer.

Grim Workshop Wearable Lock Pick and Escape System

What is it?

The Grim Workshop Wearable Lock Pick and Escape System is exactly what you would guess that it is. It’s a credit card sized (wearable in your wallet) set of lock pick tools.

Why is it cool?

This EDC lock pick set is cool because I’m a sucker for wallet / credit card sized tools. Even though I don’t think I’ll ever have an opportunity to use it, I still want one… Maybe it’s because I’ve always wanted to be a Ninja or a secret agent.

Where can I find more info?

The Grim Workshop Wearable Lock Pick and Escape System campaign ends on 12/5/18 and they have already met their funding goal of $2,500. You can pre-order the tool starting at $15. After the Grim Workshop Wearable Lock Pick and Escape System campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

KEYTO: The Key to Burning Fat Faster.

What is it?

KEYTO is a pen-sized tool for people on the keto diet that you breathe into so it can tell you if you’re in ketosis.

Why is it cool?

I think KEYTO is cool because it provides an easy way to find out if you’re in the fat burning metabolic state otherwise known as ketosis. It takes the ick (peeing on a strip) and ouch (finger sticks for blood checks) out of checking your fat burning state. It syncs with an app on your phone and provides suggestions and tips for staying in ketosis based on your measured levels.

Where can I find more info?

The KEYTO campaign just started today and they are already half-way to their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order the KEYTO starting at $99. After the KEYTO campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in January 2019. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged:

Glowstone flashlight, Braza knife, KEYTO ketosis checker, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2018 at 12:29 pm.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.