Home 2018

Girls can foster an interest in the STEM fields as they prepare for a mission to Mars with the new American Girl doll of the year

Few toys aimed at girls encourage their interest in the STEM fields, but the new American Girl Doll of the Year is helping them reach for the stars.  American Girl dolls are designed to introduce girls to different historical eras and different cultural backgrounds by issuing dolls, their introductory book, and a set of accessories from these eras.  Previous dolls have introduced girls to American history, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and slavery to the Depression to now.  Luciana Vega is taking girls on a mission to Mars.

Luciana, like all 18″ American Girls, has a cloth body and plastic limbs and head.  She comes complete with her signature outfit of:

  • cosmic-print dress with attached vibrant red purse belt that she wears to Space Camp
  • A shiny holographic choker and special red star charm necklace she received as a baby
  • A pair of holographic lace-up boots

She also comes with a book, which discusses her life as an aspiring astronaut, studying in the science and math fields to hopefully prepare for a mission to Mars.  The space suit seen above ($75) is part of her accessories line.  Luciana in her signature outfit and the introductory book is $115; accessories include a maker’s station, flight suit, space suit, Mars habitat, and books and other items ranging in price from $8 – $350.  Luciana and her accessories are available at American Girl.

EACHINE E56 quadcopter folding selfie drone review

In case you have been living under a rock, there is this phenomenon called drones going on. They are everywhere, and range from tiny insect-sized devices the size of a soda can top to large, load-bearing monsters that are being considered or actually used for everything from package delivery to first-aid supply drops in war zones. The speed, range, ease of control, and flight time all vary, and price ranges from under $50 to well over $2000. We have reviewed a few here, but none that I have seen so far that hit that sweet spot between affordability for a toe-dipper, fun of flying, and ease of getting started. EACHINE sent me their E56 model to test a few weeks ago, and I’ve found it may just be the beginner’s model you’ve been looking for.

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

What is it?

The E56 is a quad-copter, with arms that fold out and friction-lock into place with a nice, satisfying click. Folding up the legs is just as easy, and they nest perfectly against the body. Folded up, the body measures 5.75” x 2.75” x 1”, which fits into most of my shirt pockets easily. The unfolded wingspan is about 8”. The unit is very light, at only 3 ounces flight-ready. The battery weighs .7 oz. The only other thing you need to fly this little guy is a smartphone. Sure, there’s a thumb-guided controller included in the package, but the smartphone app is much more fun, plus you get to see what the drone’s camera is seeing as you fly, and it records directly to your smartphone’s camera roll!

Hardware specs

Product Specification:

Video Resolution: : 720P
R/C distance: : About 30m
Product battery: : 3.7V 500mAh Lipo Battery(Included)
Product size: : 17.8*18*3.2 cm (Before Folding)
Wheelbase: : 18.7cm
Package Size: : 19.5*8.5*16.5cm

What’s in the box?

  • Drone
  • battery
  • charger
  • 3D thumb controller
  • Extra propellers and screwdriver for replacement
  • Instruction manual

Design and features

The unit is very compact and easy to deploy. With short battery life, having easy access to a USB recharger or a computer/car/power outlet that will allow recharging is important. With any drone, there is a huge gap between recharge time and flying time. Be prepared with multiple batteries, if possible

I took it out to a field near my house that is a former elementary school and now houses a teacher training facility. On the weekend, the place is deserted, and I sometimes take our dog here for frisbee and general running fits. Probably two acres of flat, tree-less grass with no power lines. Neighbors in the area use it to practice golf shots as well.

Here is the first in-flight movie I made with the E56.

I also made another that day, trying to turn and get more perspective on the area.

The drone has it’s own WiFi signal, which you lock into with the Wifi on your smartphone. Then, you get the generic UI to go up/down, or forward/back, sideways.

There are camera and other controls across the top. I found the E56 to be fairly responsive when connecting, but a little less so the further away it got from my iPhone. I tried some tests in my driveway, indoors, and in the previously mentioned field. The field, with no other competing wifi signals, was by far the best experience, but I never really felt totally in control. I would send a signal to turn and sometimes, it would. But it just as often would ignore the command. The “STOP” command was always obeyed, however, and brought the drone straight down where ever it was when you hit the button.

The software got an update the other day, but I’ve not been able to retest it yet. If I find it a huge difference, I will update this review.

Positives

  • Everything you need in one light, zippered carry case
  • Easy enough to set up and get started
  • works with the included remote or smartphone app

Negatives

  • Camera cannot be adjusted via software
  • Wifi connection prone to interference

Final thoughts

While the fun and ease of use would seem to make it an easy pick for a younger UAV pilot-in-training, the fiddliness and lack of total control makes me not recommend it for someone who may not fully understand what it can do to someone, say, driving a car, to see a drone bearing down on them. One thing it did for me, however, it has kindled my interest in drone flying generally. I have already found a more beginner-friendly model that I will be testing early in the new year. For the price of this unit, however, it’s an easy decision to grab it and play with it enough to see if you want to take that curiosity further.

Price: $62.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Eachine.

You’ll never forget to charge your backup battery with the Avid WiBa wireless powerbank and charging station

The new WiBa 100% wireless power bank and charging station is coming soon from Avido.  You’ll get a wireless Qi charging station, of course, and you’ll also get a Qi-charging battery bank to carry with you.  You’ll simplify your charging setup, because the battery charges on top of the charging station; the phone goes on top to charge simultaneously.  The 5000mAh battery pack also comes with a power cord for charging itself and the phone while you are traveling.

The WiBa kit includes:

  • WiBa 5000mAh wireless power bank
  • WiBa charging dock
  • USB Type-C cable
  • QC 3.0 AC Adapter
  • Two slim metal plates (black and white) to attach to the back of your phone to keep it attached to the magnets in the battery pack

The WiBa wireless battery and charging station will be $99.95; sign up for email notification when the WiBa Qi charging system is ready for purchase at Avido.

Hippus HandShoe Mouse review

I haven’t been to a doctor (yet), but from my own research, I think I may have the beginnings of carpal tunnel or De Quervain syndrome in my right hand. My mouse hand. The fleshy part of my thumb in the palm of my hand and the same area on top of my hand feels inflamed and a little swollen. I also have some pain in my hand when I  touch my thumb to the tips of my fingers or when I try to open jars with that hand. I’m sure this problem comes from years and 1000’s upon 1000’s of hours of using a mouse. So I decided to check out some alternative mice to see if I can halt the progress of carpal tunnel and even hopefully reverse it.

The first ergonomic mouse that I’m testing is the Hippus HandShoe Mouse. It has a weird name, but can it heal my issues? Let’s see.

What is it?

The HandShoe Mouse looks similar to a traditional two button mouse, but it’s much larger and provides a place for your whole hand to rest instead of just two fingers and your thumb.

Design and features

In the image above is a traditional mouse on the left and the HandShoe mouse on the right. As you can see, the HandShoe mouse is significantly larger and it sort of reminds me of a horseshoe crab, which makes me suddenly wonder if that’s where the name of this mouse comes from.

The HandShoe mouse is available in wired and wireless version. I was sent the wireless version which can also be used with a USB cable while it’s charging. This mouse is also available in four sizes from extra small to large. For my hand size, I was sent the medium-sized HandShoe mouse.

The mouse has 2 buttons and a scroll wheel. You can also see the mini USB charging port. According to the directions that come with the mouse, it should work for about 4-6 weeks per charge. There’s a small battery status LED above where your thumb tip would rest. This LED will turn red with the battery is running low. Luckily, you can use the mouse while it’s recharging and connected to a USB port using the included mini USB cable.

The HandShoe mouse does not use Bluetooth as a connection method. On the bottom of the mouse is a holder for the included USB receiver.

The USB receiver plugs into an open USB port on your computer. It goes without saying that this mouse won’t work with a laptop or computer that doesn’t have a USB Type-A port.

This is something to keep in mind for newer computers like my 12-inch MacBook which only has one USB Type-C port. However, I use my laptop with a LandingZone Docking Station which adds 2 Type-A USB ports to my MacBook.

When I first placed my hand on the HandShoe mouse I was worried about how large it was. But the design allows you to place your whole hand on it and helps eliminate the need to squeeze the mouse with your thumb like I do with a traditional mouse. I’ll admit that I still find myself squeezing the HandShoe mouse, but I’m trying to learn to relax my thumb and move my whole arm when I need to move the cursor. Note that you need to support for your forearm on the desk or the arm of your chair.

What I like

  • Comfortable
  • Helps you relax your whole and not squeeze the mouse with your thumb

What needs to be improved

  • Expensive
  • Probably not a great mouse for gamers and people who need really fine cursor movement

Final thoughts

I’ve been using the HandShoe mouse for a few weeks now and have noticed some slight improvement in my hand. It isn’t the fault of the HandShoe mouse that I haven’t noticed more improvements because I have only been using the mouse at home. I have a traditional mouse at my day job. So I’ve only been using the HandShoe about 35% of the time. I plan to take the mouse to work and will update this review in a few weeks.

The biggest issue that I have so far with the HandShoe mouse is that it’s not optimal for making fine cursor movements. I do a lot of image editing and was finding that I would constantly move the cursor past the area where I needed it to be. I tweaked with the mouse sensitivity settings on my MacBook which improved things, and I hope I’ll get better as time goes on.

Other than the fine cursor movement issue, I do like this mouse. It’s comfortable to use and may be just what the doctor ordered for my hand problems. Time will tell though, so look for an update in a few weeks.

Price: $109.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Hippus.

Douchebags Carryall 65L duffle bag review

The Douchebags Carryall 65L duffle bag is an unfortunately named, versatile, cavernous bag that is solidly built. It is a little over-engineered and has some small design defects that make it difficult to justify the $199 price tag, but its durability and multitude of handles redeem it slightly.

What is it?

The Douchebags Carryall is a 65L duffle bag that fills the gap between a large suitcase and a standard airport wheeled carry-on. Packed conservatively, it will easily work as a carry-on. Jammed with clothing and accessories, and with the shoulder straps utilized, it works great as a long weekend getaway bag. It’s described as an “active duffle bag” that could be used for work or the gym, but it’s a bit too big for everyday carry in reality.

Technical specifications

  • Width: 36 cm / 14.7 in
  • Height: 60 cm / 23.6 in
  • Depth: 30 cm / 11.8 in
  • Weight: 1.6 kg / 3.5 lbs
  • Volume: 65 liters
  • Outer Shell: Polyester 600D / TPE 500D
  • Inner Lining: Polyester 200D-PU
  • EVA back panel
  • Thermal formed 1680D ballistic polyester underneath
  • Interior mesh pockets

Design and features

Before I get into the design and functionality of the Carryall, let’s first address the stunningly offensive and crass name of the company, Douchebags. Nowhere in the About section of the company’s website is the name ever addressed, which says to me that this choice was made without irony. It sounds like a name two fratboys would come up with after a night of binge drinking and objectifying women.

“Bro, we should totally start a company making backpacks and call it ‘Douchebags’!”

“Epic, Bro… epic!”

As a constant reminder of how proud they are of this sophomoric innovation, the initials of the company are emblazoned on seemingly every surface, zipper pull and panel of the Carryall like a childish inside joke. The name is so offensive and crude that it negatively affects my perception of the brand and, by extension, the product. I, personally, would never give money to this company for any product regardless of its functionality. I don’t want to use this bag after the review.

Phew, ok, got that out of my system, so now let’s talk about the design and features of the Douchebags Carryall.

The Carryall is a really good duffle bag, with some great added features. It takes a bit of exploring to figure out the best way to open and load it to your liking. The feature I like the most though are the deep pouches on the top and bottom of the bag.

The pouches for these pockets extend deep into the bag. So if the bag is fully packed you can still find ways to cram more stuff into the pockets. Or, you can load these pockets first and then pack the interior. The top pocket also has a useful mesh pocket in the lid.

Access is key to a great bag and the Carryall has a really good setup.The access for the interior is at the top of the back panel when using the Carryall in the backpack configuration, with the deployed shoulder straps.

The back panel unzips fully to give you full access to the interior. This is a little backward compared to traditional backpacks which would have the zipper and access to the interior on the top front of the bag. The interior of the back panel has a sectioned zipper mesh pocket as well.

I loved having full access to the entire interior of the bag and it made packing a lot easier as compared to top-loading bags. Another great aspect of the Carryall is that there are handles on the top, bottom, and sides of the bag. Every time I went to reach for this bag, I was able to easily find a handle.

The shoulder straps are conveniently stored inside the back panel and easy enough to pull out, but it’s a bit difficult to lock them into place.

Two hooks on the ends of the straps need to be slid into corresponding loops on the bottom of the bag. It took a bit of wrangling to get the hooks in place, and once they were they felt really secure.

The problem is that to adjust the straps, you have to pull up on loops on the bottom of the straps. This was impossible to do while wearing the bag. Typically, the adjustment straps for backpacks sit about midway up the strap. You can adjust them easily by hiking your bag up on your back and pulling the straps tight.

This does not work with the Carryall straps. The only way I was able to get the correct adjustment was to take the bag off, adjust the straps and then put the bag back on to check the adjustment.

It’s not a deal-breaker, but while wearing the fully loaded pack, I found myself constantly trying to tighten or loosen the straps to no avail.

One other design flaw I found was that when the top pocket wasn’t zipped completely shut with the zippers pushed to the back of the bag, the top flap would unzip and open if the bag was picked up by the top handle.

This happened to me several times. The best way to secure the top pocket and handle would be to put a small travel lock through the zippers on the top pocket, but that negates the convenience of having the pocket in the first place.

The hooks used to fasten the shoulder straps show up elsewhere on the Carryall but have no real function other than aesthetics.

When filled to capacity, the Carryall is pretty unwieldy and difficult to carry without using the shoulder straps, but it’s manageable. The overall large size of the Carryall, even when empty, is the main reason it wouldn’t be useful as an everyday carry bag.

Positives

  • Handles everywhere
  • Fits very comfortably with shoulder straps once properly adjusted
  • Holds a huge amount
  • Top and bottom pouches very useful
  • Full access to interior

Negatives

  • The name
  • Expensive
  • Shoulder straps very difficult to adjust once deployed
  • Top and bottom pouches can unzip when using handles

The Douchebags Carryall 65L duffle bag is a decent bag with great capacity and some unique design elements. It functions well as a weekend travel bag, but some flaws like the difficult shoulder strap adjusters and the top flap opening if not secured properly, take away from its overall usefulness.

Plus, that name is just horrible.

The Carryall comes in black, white, and green.

Price: $199
Where to buy: Douchebags
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Douchebags