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Belkin Classic Pro laptop backpack review

I have an admission to make. I’ve never owned a backpack in my adult life. I know, shocking right? Honestly, up until now I never felt the need for one. But owning a 13″ MacBook Pro, 10.5″ iPad pro and more chargers and cables then you can shake a stick at I figured it was time to give this backpack thing a try. So I decided to review the Belkin Classic Pro laptop backpack. Here are my thoughts.

What is it?

The Belkin Classic Pro is a backpack with a padded interior pocket designed to carry and protect laptops up to 15.6”.

Specs

Backpack size: width x height x depth: 11.7” x 16.7” x 4.9” depth

Weight: 1.15lbs

Design and features

The Belkin Classic Pro Backpack has a really nice slim profile design. The heather grey polyester material and simple black accents give it an understated modern look. Perfect to go from commute to boardroom.

I really like how the one-piece shoulder strap design adds to the backpacks sleek-modern look, at the same time adding a little extra padding just below your neck.

There are pieces of polyester that span halfway up on either side of the opening. This accordion-style design makes opening the bag upright and finding items inside simple.

I like this feature because it gives you quick access to items even when you’re on-the-go. 

Other small things like the textured zipper pull, a protective water-resistant bottom and even the raised Belkin logo on the front pocket finish off the backpacks sharp minimalist design. 

Interior pockets

Inside the Classic Pro, there are two vertical organizational pockets and a zippered mesh pocket. The padded laptop pocket is located on the backside and can accommodate a laptop up to 15.6-inches. The placement of the laptop pocket takes advantage of the backpacks padded back panel. Meaning your laptop is protected on both sides.

A smaller vertical pocket perfect for carrying a tablet is stitched onto the front of the laptop pocket.

On the opposite side, there’s a 6.5″ x 11″  zippered mesh pocket that’s perfect for carrying chargers and cables.

 There’s even a small sleeve for a pen or in my case my Apple Pencil.

I was able to fit my 13” MacBook Pro, 10.5” iPad Pro, chargers, cables, and a portable battery pack using just the inside pockets. Leaving plenty of extra space inside for my headphone case and more. 

Exterior pockets

There are two zippered pockets on the outside of the backpack. A vertical pocket and a larger padded pocket. The 8” x 9” vertical pocket is accessible without having to remove the backpack, perfect for things you need quick access to like keys or a snack. However, if the backpack is loaded the vertical pocket is a tight fit and a little more difficult to access.

The dual-zippered horizontal pocket measures 6.5” x 11” and utilizes the same padding as the interior laptop pocket. 

The padding isn’t exclusive to the inside of the Classic Pro. The back panel, shoulder straps, sides, and front of the backpack are all padded.

The padded back panel adds comfort and also keeps items in the bag from pressing uncomfortably against your back. Both the back panel and shoulder straps have a mesh covering for breathability.

A thin layer of padding around the sides and front of the backpack provides just a little more protection for all your devices inside. The bags carrying handle is also padded and the luggage strap can be used to fasten it to a trolley or case.

Performance and fit

I wanted to see how comfortable this backpack would be during extended use. So, I decided to load it up and wear it while walking my dog. The walk was two miles and I can say that the backpack remained extremely comfortable the whole time. The backpack felt well balanced and the padded back panel and shoulder straps felt good. I liked how the backpack fit flat to my back and how the padded straps seemed to hug my shoulders. The best part is it doesn’t look or feel bulky.

Overall construction

The Belkin Classic Pro backpack is really well made. The polyester material used both inside and out makes the bag lightweight without feeling cheap. Stitching on things like the shoulder straps and zippers is clean and gives the bag a real durable feel.

What I like

  • Slim profile design
  • Lightweight
  • Padded back and  shoulder straps
  • Plenty of storage pockets inside and out
  • Price

What needs to be improved

  • Not waterproof

 Final thoughts

It won’t blow you away with a lot of extras but the Belkin Classic Pro is a quality minimalist laptop backpack with a nice design and plenty of built-in functionality, all at a very reasonable price. Not bad for my first backpack.

Price: $39.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Belkin.

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Belkin Classic Pro laptop backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2018 at 10:30 am.

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Aerate wine twice with the Twist Decanter

Some wines benefit from extra aeration, more than you would get from just pouring a glass from the bottle.  Other wines benefit from decanting to remove sediment – and of course, decanting provides some extra aeration, too.  If you want to be sure your wine is good and aerated before serving, you need the Twist Decanter.

The decanter is made of borosilicate glass with a stainless base.  Its indented, swooping shape increases the aeration as you pour the wine from the bottle.  Those same features aerate again when you pour a glass.

The Twist Decanter is available in a 12.7 ounce size (8.75″ tall x 4″ diameter) to hold about half a bottle of wine for $29.99 or a 25 ounce size (11.4″ tall x 5.3″ diameter) to hold a full bottle of wine for $49.99.  Purchase the Twist Decanter at UncommonGoods.

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Aerate wine twice with the Twist Decanter originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2018 at 9:30 am.

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The Poweradd ChargerCenter portable generator can power your essential gadgets thru the next storm


A few years ago when Hurricane Sandy tore through New York City, I was one of the folks who listened to the initial reports from officials, and based on previous hurricane forecasts, felt that the supplies I usually kept at home would be enough for the possible few hours of power outages I expected. Much to my surprise, and to the surprise of most New Yorkers, the devastation to the power grid was much worse, and the few hours of blackout turned into 14 days.

As a techie, I had a couple of small USB power packs fully charged and at the ready, but by the second day, they were fully depleted with no way of recharging them in the house. I then started charging my phones in my truck, but it was low on fuel, and I watched the fuel gauge drop lower as my phones got a relatively minimal amount of charge.

Determined to never be in that situation again, I have kept an eye out for better charging solutions. Just today, I was online and I looked at the Poweradd ChargerCenter, Compact 185Wh/50000mAh Portable Generator, Power Source (DC 5V/12V/19V) with AC Power Inverter (115V/100W). This power source is good for outdoor power when camping and hiking, etc, but I am more interested in it for my indoor needs during the next power outage or storm. With its 50000mAh battery and its 110 volt inverter, it can keep power going to all of my mobile devices, and even a small refrigerator (up to 100 watts). However, I figure that if I restrict it to charging and powering my mobile devices, I should get days of power from it. While I would obviously test this product before committing to it as my “go to” backup source, its specifications certainly look very promising.

If you would like to read more about the Poweradd ChargerCenter, Compact 185Wh/50000mAh Portable Generator, Power Source (DC 5V/12V/19V) with AC Power Inverter (115V/100W, or you would like to purchase one, head over to Amazon and check it out. It sells for $149.99.

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The Poweradd ChargerCenter portable generator can power your essential gadgets thru the next storm originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2018 at 8:22 am.

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Raven dash cam looks like the ultimate car gadget

Why buy multiple gadgets for your car that each only does one thing when you can buy one gadget that can do it all. The Raven connected car system looks like it might be just such a gadget. First of all, it’s a 1080p dash cam. But it’s not a typical dash cam because it has a front and a rear-facing camera. That means that you’ll be able to record the road as your drive and what’s happening inside the vehicle. You can also mount it on the dash or on the windshield.

The Raven also offers a distraction-free customizable line-of-sight display that provides trip info like your next turn, ETA, and more. This device also offers a WiFi hotspot, real-time remote viewing, vehicle location, trip reports, and more.

The Raven is priced at $299 for the camera and if you want the LTE features, the basic service plan which uses T-Mobile and starts at $8 per month and up to $32 a month for the pro plan that provides 720p live streaming. The camera comes with 3 months of free LTE service. Head over to raven.is for more info and you can order one from Amazon.

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Raven dash cam looks like the ultimate car gadget originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 19, 2018 at 2:32 pm.

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Etekcity Voltson Smart Wi-Fi outlet review

Smart devices are becoming all the rage in the popular press. For many Gadgeteers, they are pretty much old hat, but if you’ve not yet taken the plunge, there may be no easier way into the world of home device automation than a smart plug. These are small wall warts that sit between your current non-smart device and the outlet they plug into and have a way to connect to your home wifi. Etekcity sent me a trio of their Voltson Smart outlets to run through the gauntlet.

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

What is it?

The Etekcity Voltson Smart Outlet is a controller for a single electric receptacle. Once connected to the building’s power and whatever Wifi is available, it will pair with your Android or iOS device and allow you to control the outlet via the app. You can monitor, schedule, and group devices, as well as act on them together.

Hardware specs

  • Works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately).
  • Track power usage for connected devices and figure out which devices use the most energy. You can effectively cut your usage so that you can save money on your next electric bill
  • Easy to install and stable connection. Controlled from different devices and manage your home on your smartphone or tablet from anywhere
  • Get ready to have a smart home and create customized schedule to automatically turn on and off any home Electronics or appliances such as lamps, Christmas Lighting, coffee maker, etc
  • NOTE: A secured 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network is required, 30-Day money back, 2-year warranty and lifetime support.

What’s in the box?

  • 3 Voltson Smart Wifi outlets
  • quick start guide

Design and features

The Etekcity Smart outlet is a 2.25” diameter puck with a small bump on the rim. It sticks out of a regular North American outlet 1.5”, which is barely more than the blades of the plug it takes in. On the back, there is a three-prong connector, and on the face, there’s a three-prong socket, as well as an LED light and a power button in the aforementioned bump.

Setup

Setup is done by connecting the device to a power outlet, and then allowing it to start its own internal wifi hotspot. You join it with your phone through the app you have to download to use it and pair the two. This forces the outlet to restart, and your phone then reverts to your home WiFi. When the device wakes back up and grabs your phone, it will be connected to your home network. From there it is controllable, renewable, and groupable. You can also assign it to a cylinder-that-you-talk-to if you have or purchase one of those.

Performance

Once I had the smart outlets configured to my home network and renamed (Winking, Blinking, and Nod), I could control any outlet I plugged into them. Lamps are a big issue in our house since several of our rooms have no overhead light or one that we prefer not to use. I tested with several lights, and found pretty consistent results – you turn it off in the app, and the lamp turns off. There is an icon that changes to show whether it’s powered or not.

I have a power cord that controls my photo studio lights through a three-way connection. I plugged the controller between the wall and the extension cord and now can fire up most of my studio lights with a single switch. Sure, I can do this from a power strip, but it’s cooler with a phone app, right?

What I Like

  • Fairly easy setup
  • The app is light and doesn’t require onerous setup.
  • Works as expected

What needs to be improved

  • These guys are still expensive, and I think artificially so. If 6 cost $90, then why can’t 1 cost $15, rather than $21?

Final thoughts

While I enjoy having these outlets, it’s still strange to have to open an app on a device to turn on lights, but the fact I can do it from the driveway or from another point in the house makes it a powerful tool.

I remember my parents had a timer on their lights in the living room that came on at 6 in the evening and turned off at 11 PM. They couldn’t change it unless they were at the house, and if the power went off for two hours during the day, the times would be offset by that amount. The improvement with smart outlets is that not only are they controlled or programmed from remote servers, but they can also be edited and maintained from anywhere in the world. What you can’t do, however, is see that the items you’re wanting to remotely power are plugged in and switched on or not. For that, you’re going to have to add remote cameras, which is usually step two of the Smart Home takeover!

Price: $24.99 for 1, $38.99 for 2, 58.99 for 3, or $74.99 for 4 (slightly less at Amazon)
Where to buy: Company website or Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Etekcity

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Etekcity Voltson Smart Wi-Fi outlet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 19, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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