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LectroFan Kinder Sleep Sound Machine and Night Light review

According to Harvard Medical School, there are several variables that have an influence on sleep quality, including temperature, light, and noise, and this is true for infants, toddlers and adults, alike. Eliminating stressful elements and distractions in the bedroom can lead to better sleep, which has given rise to various white noise devices, like the LectroFan Kinder Sleep Sound Machine.

What is it?

The Kinder Sleep Sound Machine is a small speaker that plugs directly into the wall and emits dozens of unique, non-repeating nature sounds, ambient noises or lullabies to promote more restful sleep for your child. It also sports a top facing multi-color LED with several brightness levels. LectroFan makes several models of white noise devices, but this one in particular is aimed at infants and toddlers.

Hardware specs

  • Plugs directly into a wall outlet
  • High fidelity, non-looping sounds create a peaceful environment and mask noise disturbances
  • Soothing LED nightlight displays a rainbow of color
  • Controlled by easy to use iPhone or Android smartphone app
  • No Wi-Fi or internet connection required

What’s in the box?

And that’s all you need. The packaging is cute, though.
  • Sound machine
  • Instructions

Design and Features

I’ve used a sound device in my daughter’s room since she was a baby, just a simple one with about 7 different looping sounds. The one thing I disliked about that one was the few sounds that it had (rain, ocean, heartbeat) were noticeably repetitive. You could make out the loops in the sound waves very quickly and that was super annoying to my ears.

That’s where one huge difference lies between that old device and this LectroFan Kinder Sound Machine. Not only does the Kinder have 75 sound environments, the sounds are very high fidelity and non-looping. From what I understand, the proprietary technology behind LectroFan’s sound machines mean the audio created is somewhat organic and not just one looping sound file. So if you have the sound set to Ocean, you’re not going to hear the same one wave over and over again. Any loop was undetectable, to me, when testing out the different effects.

My favorites were the fan sounds… attic fan, box fan, industrial fan and even an oscillating fan. Since I usually sleep with a fan on in the room, the Kinder did a great job in emulating that low steady hum. I also appreciated the top-facing nightlight. At the very dimmest setting, it’s just about perfect, although I wish it could get a bit dimmer, still. The multi-color LED allows a wide range of colors or slowly cycle through a rainbow, which is a neat effect in a dark room.

I mostly kept it at a blue-green, since that seemed like the best color conducive to a sleeping environment. Although if you really want your kid to have some nightmares, you could choose red.

The Kinder Sound Machine is controlled entirely through the downloadable app, so if you don’t have a compatible smartphone, you might as well stop reading right now. With so many sounds and light colors to choose from, I don’t see how else you could control it. The app is easy to use and connects to the device via Bluetooth, so you can use it almost anywhere in the house.

Everything is controlled through their cute, straightforward app.

The Kinder does have a physical button on the device itself that turns it on and off, using the last setting programmed into it. The good thing about remote operation is that you can place the device in an out of reach socket, like behind a dresser or bed, and turn it on or off without having to be in the room.

Using the app is simple and intuitive, but feels a little clunky when trying to browse through all of the sounds. It allows for savable custom presets, so you can find your perfect mix of sound, light color and levels for both brightness and volume.

Naturally, the star of the show is the sound quality. The tiny speaker does a fantastic job of reproducing the ambient noises. It’s plenty loud and has natural-sounding acoustics. And they didn’t skimp on the sound selection… everything from nature, with rainstorms, distant thunder and several beach scenes, to a wide range noise “colors”, from muffled deep brown to hissy white.

They all sound great and most importantly, are designed to be unobtrusive and ignorable. After a few moments, it’s like your brain just sort of tunes out the noise and focuses on something else, which is exactly what you want when trying to fall asleep.

What I liked…

  • great audio fidelity
  • app is easy to use
  • adjustable nightlight

Might be a turn-off, literally…

  • has an on/off button on the device, but requires smartphone app to control light/audio levels

Final thoughts

The LectroFan Kinder is fantastic. I wish I would have had it when my daughter was younger, so I didn’t have to listen to those repetitive ocean waves while rocking her to sleep so many evenings. Simple to use and dozens of ambient non-looping sounds to choose from. I loved it.

Price: $79.95
Where to buy: You can purchase the LectroFan Kinder Sound Machine on Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by LectroFan. You can find out more on their website.

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LectroFan Kinder Sleep Sound Machine and Night Light review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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The Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set is another cost effective option for macro photography


In the world of macro photography, getting as close as possible to an object to be able to shoot a detailed photo is a very important and enjoyable aspect. Extension tubes are a great way to give non-macro lens the ability to get in closer. They connect between the lens and the camera and work by simply increasing the distance between the lens and the camera sensor. There are many manufacturers of extension tubes which are available in various specifications but ultimately do the same job. What is also important is the build quality, and how well they are threaded to match the lens they are designed to fit, without binding or creating difficulty when putting them on or taking them off.

While many people tend to use tubes manufactured by the same company as their camera, I tend to look for others that are well made and just as efficient, but cost-effective. As a Canon fan, I have one Canon extension tube, but I also have a 3-piece set of Kenko Auto Extension Tubes. The Kenko tubes are well built and work flawlessly. I chose the Kenko set based on the build quality, reviews by other buyers and because the 3 tubes came in the lengths that allowed me to obtain my desired magnification. It is important to understand that extension tubes do not contain any optics. What is also great is that these tubes generally retain the autofocus capability even with my Canon lens. The tube set can be combined in any order to increase the length.

If you would like to give them a try, you can head over to B&H Photo Video or Amazon to pick them up for $124.

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The Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set is another cost effective option for macro photography originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Nothing’s out of reach with the ODii grabbing tool

When I had double total-knee replacements a couple of years ago, one of my favorite tools was a grabber that let me reach things without stressing my knees too much.  To tell the truth, I still use it because I’m vertically challenged.  It’s great for grabbing that Yeti mug on the upper shelf in my kitchen or getting that shoe that got knocked a bit too far under the bed, but it doesn’t always work as well for small things.  And of course, I leave it at home because it’s too big and clunky to take with me.  Luckily, there’s the ODii grabbing tool that’s designed to fit in your car, your bag, a desk drawer, or wherever you might drop something and need some help reaching it.  In fact, the designer got the idea when he dropped his money in his car while he and his daughter were going through a fast-food drive-thru.

The ODii is made of plastic and steel, and it’s flexible enough that you can bend it to fit in cramped places.  It has a telescopic grabber claw, detachable LED flashlight to help you see your dropped object, and extendable magnet arm that can hold on to up to 2 pounds.  The gripper trigger lets you control grip strength;  it’s capable of picking up 5-10 pounds. The gripping arm can be swapped out for the magnetic arm when needed.

There are two versions of the ODii grabbing tool.  The 19″ smaller size is on sale for $19.96 (a 20% discount) right now, while the 36″ longer one is $29.95 at The Grommet.

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Nothing’s out of reach with the ODii grabbing tool originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Introducing the new Dyson Cyclone V10 – no cord needed, or wanted anymore.

I’ve owned a big Dyson for a few years and my wife and I like its power and usability. However, it is a big machine with a cord that never seems to be long enough. This has always made me wonder whether I should switch to the smaller battery powered Dyson cord-free stick vacuum cleaners. Dyson has now made it easier to consider ditching the cord with the new Dyson Cyclone V10 vacuum cleaner. Inventor James Dyson simply states “This is the reason I’ve stopped developing corded vacuums.” ‘Nuff said.

The V10 is an evolution of the cordless Cyclone series. It’s the most powerful cleaner Dyson has made to date. The battery provides 60 minutes of fade-free power before recharging. There are three switchable power modes available for any kind of floor or carpet.

It’s also versatile. It will quickly change from a stick to a handheld vacuum cleaner and back again, with just one click, making it perfect for home and car. It includes a wall-mounted charging dock that stores the V10 and its attachments.

The collection bin is 40% bigger than the Dyson V8, so there’s less stopping to empty the bin. It features a “Point and shoot” mechanism that ejects debris in one action, so there’s no need to touch any dirt. Whole machine filtration captures 99.97% of particles as small as .3 microns expelling cleaner air.

Four models of the Cyclone V10 will be available after March 15 with prices ranging from $499.99 to $699.99. They can be pre-ordered from Amazon. Visit Dyson or more information.

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Introducing the new Dyson Cyclone V10 – no cord needed, or wanted anymore. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Ember mug, Wyzecam, FIXD, and more – Review updates

Do you ever wonder what happens after we review a product? Do we immediately stop using the product because it breaks? Or do we continue to use it for years and even decades? To answer those questions, we like to do review update posts, so we can take a look back at past reviews and comment on how well the product stands the test of time. Check out these latest review updates by clicking on the review links below and then scrolling to the bottom of the page to read the latest dated updates.

Logitech Craft keyboard review by Julie Strietelmeier

FIXD car health sensor review by Julie Strietelmeier

WyzeCam security camera review by Julie Strietelmeier

Ember Mug by Julie Strietelmeier

DockCase MacBook sleeve with built in USB C hub review by Julie Strietelmeier

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Ember mug, Wyzecam, FIXD, and more – Review updates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2018 at 12:09 pm.

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