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The Bagsmart Xpedition Backpack works for all occasions – Notable crowdfunding campaign

What is it?

The Bagsmart Xpedition Backpack is an ergonomic backpack that utilizes a modular design to adapt to various daily needs with the use of swappable modules.

Why is it cool?

I like the Bagsmart backpack because it is well made and perfectly balanced to ensure that no matter what you are carrying, there is no fatigue or discomfort on your back. This backpack uses modular bags that clip on the inside of the backpack so that you can create multiple configurations that are interchangeable based on your needs for that time or day.

I received a pre-production sample of this bag, and I am quite impressed, The sample that I received included the following 7 modules for traveling, business and photography: 1 Sling Bag 0.4L, 1 Garment Bag 11L, 1 Wash Bag 3L, 1 Power Bag 1L, 1 Document Case 2L, 1 Camera Bag L 9L and 1 Camera Bag S 3L.

The modules fit perfectly, and can easily be pre-packed and then just swapped based on your needs. As a photographer, I find this to be a great bag for many types of shoots and the fact that it feels so comfortable really will help on those long photo shoot days. The backpack is also great for work and for excursions with my family and especially so when out with my kids and when I need to ensure that they have the necessary supplies.

Where can I find more info?

The Bagsmart Xpedition Backpack campaign ends on 12/21/18 and they are working towards their funding goal of $6,000. You can pre-order a Bagsmart Xpedition Backpack starting at $149. After the Bagsmart Xpedition Backpack campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in January 2019. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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The Bagsmart Xpedition Backpack works for all occasions – Notable crowdfunding campaign originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2018 at 1:41 pm.

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PRO-SYS VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush review

REVIEW – Yeah, I know… electric toothbrushes aren’t the sexiest gadgets. But they are an important tool in your daily cleaning routine. If you’re shopping for some power-assisted dental hygiene the PRO-SYS VarioSonic is a simple, cost-effective solution worth our consideration. And if you’ve been avoiding an electric toothbrush because you have sensitivity issues (like I do), this particular gadget is even better. To the review!

What is it?

It’s a rechargeable electric toothbrush with 5 different speeds and 5 different brushes for a total of 25 possible brushing intensities.

  • Hardware specs
  • Rechargeable battery runs for over 1 month on a full charge
  • DuPont Tynex Bristles for all brush heads
  • 5 levels of intensity
  • 2 minute timer

What’s in the box?

The package includes the toothbrush, 5 brush heads, a charging dock, a USB wall adaptor, and a travel case. An instruction manual is also included.

Design and features

There are lots of electric toothbrushes out there with a wide range of features and options. The PRO-SYS VarioSonic keeps things simple: excellent design, simple functionality, and great ergonomics. You pretty much get everything you need in a great toothbrush out of the box, without paying for a bunch of features you’ll probably never use.

The VarioSonic is lightweight and maneuverable in your hand. It doesn’t have features like a rubberized grip, but I didn’t miss this in normal use.

One of the great things about the VarioSonic is that it caters specifically to those with sensitivity issues. You get 5 different toothbrush heads, each with different degrees of brush stiffness and contouring based on your needs. “Normal Soft” is the standard brush for folks without sensitivity issues and healthy gums:

For comparison, here’s a close up of the “Hybrid Soft” that represents the midrange of the set. It uses a combination of the “Normal Soft” bristles with an outer ring of longer, softer bristles for deep cleaning. High-quality DuPont Tynex bristles are used in all the brushes:

The brush heads run down to a “Super Soft” level for really sensitive teeth and gums. If you have sensitivity issues, this package gives you everything you need for comfortable brushing without having to buy any extras. That’s great if you’ve been afraid to check out an electric toothbrush. Options abound here.

Once you’ve chosen a brush head, you’ll find that there is a single button on the handle for operation. Pushing the button cycles through 5 level of intensity, each of which is accompanied by an audio tone that drops with each level for additional feedback. The pic below shows the middle level selected. When combined with the 5 brush heads, this makes for 25 different levels of softness and intensity to choose from to match your specific needs. You can even start on really gentle settings with the softest brush and work your way up as you get more comfortable!

Regardless of the level you choose, the brush runs through a two minute brush cycle. The brushing pauses every 30 seconds to indicate that you should move to the next quadrant in your mouth (upper right, lower right, upper left, lower left) for a proper cleaning. If you’re wondering about the quality of the brushing, you should know that the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs has provided their seal of approval on the VarioSonic as safe & effective when used as directed.

The charging setup is also very well executed, using a USB cable to connect the charging dock. A USB power block is provided in the kit, but you could plug directly into a USB wall socket or even a portable charger in a pinch. Note that you cannot get the USB port wet, so you’ll want to be careful handling it!

PRO-SYS has also provided a nice traveling case with the package. It’s a nicely contoured and slim design that makes it easy to travel with, and includes a pair of light magnets to ensure a tight seal. The build feels like much more than an afterthought. Combined with a battery life that is rated for more than a month of regular use between charges, and you’ll find that the VarioSonic is really easy to travel with.

Daily use with the PRO-SYS VarioSonic is great. It handles well, feels good, and provides everything you need for your daily dental maintenance. It does not have features like the ultraviolet cleaning or gum massage modes, but I don’t know that you need those for this device to be effective. It does the job simply and well.

I should note that the selection of soft brushes is a great bonus. I’m a dentist’s worst nightmare with some pretty bad sensitivity issues. While my Sonicare does a great job, it does put a pounding on my sensitive teeth. The VarioSonic provides a gentler brushing (even at max intensity) that is much more comfortable for me.

There’s also the issue of price. You can pick up the VarioSonic on Amazon right now for $69.99 on Amazon Prime. That’s a pretty good value for an ADA-approved electric toothbrush when compared to Sonicare or Oral-B pricing. You also get 5 different brush heads to boot. I think it’s a pretty good deal.

What I like

  • Quiet operation
  • Lightweight and easy to handle
  • USB charging options
  • Multiple brush heads and intensity levels out of the box
  • Ideal for those with sensitivity issues

What needs to be improved

  • Keep the USB connectors away from water

Final thoughts

In a market filled with electric toothbrushes, the PRO-SYS VarioSonic provides a simple & effective design at a reasonable price point. If you have particularly sensitive teeth, this is a great option over some other brands that provide more power but aren’t as kind to those with dental issues.

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Get it on Amazon or visit the Variosonic product page on the PRO-SYS web site to buy direct.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by PRO-SYS

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PRO-SYS VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Step-By-Step Guide for Website Building with NING #sponsored

ARTICLE – Gone are the days when creating a website was something only professional programmers could do. Thanks to modern website building solutions, a good-looking site can be crafted by anyone having a clear purpose and desire to get visible online.

One of these solutions is NING. It is a platform allowing you to make your own website from scratch and build up your online presence. What sets NING apart from the competition is its focus on social networking and content monetization. While other website builders provide tools for making regular, static sites, NING offers an opportunity to create an interactive online community where every member can contribute to the topic and share content on equal terms.

As for monetization, the platform enables users to make money from their websites through selling content, charging a membership fee or accepting donations. Thus, NING is an excellent solution for both internet enthusiasts who want to bring people together around a specific idea and content creators striving to promote their stuff and get paid.

In this brief guide, we will lead you through the basic steps for creating a social website on NING.

Step 1. Create a NING account

Before you can dive headlong into the creative process, you will need to sign up on Ning.com. Just go to their website and click “Get started” (the green button in the top right corner of the page). You will have to provide your full name and email, as well as specify the topic of your future website. This will determine the default design template which will be applied to your site. It can be changed later anytime.

Also, NING gives you a custom domain name, so you will have to specify the desired URL during the registration. Mind that all native domain names provided by NING end with .ning.com. However, if you want to change it, you can do it later by purchasing a new domain name elsewhere and mapping it to your NING website.

NING offers a free 14-day trial which should be enough for you to figure out whether the platform meets your expectations. Beyond that, there are three subscription plans ranging from $25 to $99 depending on the amount of storage, member capacity, and support privileges you want to get.

Step 2. Customize your website design

No doubt, you want your website to look unique and convey the idea behind it through dazzling visuals. Your website design can help you get recognized and stand out from the rest. This is why NING offers a broad array of customization tools to let you configure every aspect of your website:

● Design theme: select one of the available visual templates that determine the overall appearance of your website.
● Background: choose or upload an image that would appear at the backdrop of each website page.

● Header: configure a website header by changing its layout and size, adding your website name and logo, customizing a navigation menu, picking a custom background image, and modifying an account bar.
● Page: personalize the overall look of pages by customizing fonts, content blocks, and buttons.
● Custom CSS: insert custom CSS code to achieve advanced customization effects.

Start with selecting a design theme that serves your purpose and matches your industry. NING offers templates for various niches including blogging, business, education, sports, politics, gaming, charity, religion, etc. Then customize the template using the tools mentioned above. All of them can be accessed by clicking a Design Studio tab in the admin panel.

Step 3. Create the pages you need

When you’re through with designing your website, it’s time to think what kind of content you are going to fill it with. Everybody knows that websites consist of individual pages. Therefore, your next task is to create as many web pages as you need to achieve your goals.

By default, your newly created NING website will have several basic pages for different types of content, e.g., Home, Blog, Photos, Videos, etc. However, you can add the new ones or delete pages you don’t need anytime. To create a new page, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to Social Site Manager in the admin panel;
2. Select Site & Pages in the sidebar;
3. Click Add a Page;
4. Select a page type (e.g., Blog, Photos, Event, Forum, etc.);
5. Select a page status (published or draft);
6. Enter the page title and tab title;
7. Specify who can add content to the page (administrators, featured members,
all members) and who can view it;
8. Configure comments;
9. Choose the page layout.

Depending on your niche, you can add pages of different types. If your goal is to create a blogging website, focus on text-oriented page types like Blog and Articles.

Making a craft website? Add Photos and Videos pages which are tailored specifically for visual content. To generate more engagement and encourage communication on the network, create a Forum, Poll or Chat page. There are options for any topic or industry. And of course, you are free to add new pages whenever you want.

Step 4. Add content

Now, when you have all the pages you need, you can start imbuing them with your unique content. To do it, simply go to the corresponding website page (while logged in as an administrator) and click +Add. Depending on the page type and content added, you will be offered different editing options. Below is an example of a Blog editing page.

If you allow your network members to contribute their own content, you can easily moderate (approve or disapprove) their publications by going to the Content Management tab in the admin panel.

Step 5. Create a landing page

Now your website is almost ready. But you still have to promote it and make it attractive to visitors. Start with creating a professional landing page aimed at converting visitors into your network members. NING has a dedicated design tool for that too:

1. Create a landing page by going to Social Site Manager > Site & Pages and click Add a landing page.
2. Give your landing page a title and configure the basic privacy settings.
3. Click Save.
4. Click Edit layout and content.

Wait for the editing tool to load and start designing the landing page using the available Drag-&-Drop instruments.

Step 6. Grow your community

To grow your audience and stimulate the development of the community, use the extensive social networking features offered by NING, including personal and group messaging, live chat, comments, forums, polls, events, social sharing, and liking, etc.

Step 7. Monetize your website

When your community expands and your audience becomes loyal enough, nothing will prevent you from monetizing your website. Select the E-commerce tab in the NING admin panel and explore three different monetization options. Paid Access is perfect for content creators, Paid Membership is an optimal choice for closed communities, influencers, and celebrities, while Donations will help charities and start-ups to raise funds more effectively.

These were just basic steps for creating a website on NING. Explore more features of the platform by taking a free trial!

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Step-By-Step Guide for Website Building with NING #sponsored originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Bake with better results when you weigh your ingredients with this Kitchenaid stand mixer accessory

NEWS – Have you ever heard the expression that cooking is an art, but baking is a science?  It simply means that you can still get good results when cooking even with slight variations in ingredients.  Baking, however, gives the best results when you have precise amounts of the ingredients.  Accurate amounts are so important that it’s actually better to weigh your ingredients rather than use measuring cups.  It’s also been shown that sifting dry ingredients give fluffier baked goods than unsifted ingredients.  Weighing and sifting add steps to assembling your recipe, unless you add the Sifter and Scale Attachment (KSMSFTA) to your KitchenAid stand mixer.

The attachment attaches to and the sifter is powered by the power hub on the front of every KitchenAid stand mixer.  It has a 4-cup silo to hold dry ingredients.  The silo sits on a digital scale (battery operated), which weighs the dry ingredients as they are added to the silo.  A screen in the bottom of the silo sifts the ingredients and sends them into the chute to be added to the mixing bowl.

The digital scale can be removed from the attachment and used separately on your countertop with the included scale plate.

As with all KitchenAid attachments, the Sifter and Scale Attachment (KSMSFTA) works with every KitchenAid stand mixer.  The KitchenAid website shows an MSRP of $169.99 for the Sifter and Scale, but it’s being offered for $99.99 right now.  You may purchase the Sifter and Scale Attachment (KSMSFTA) at the KitchenAid website.

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Bake with better results when you weigh your ingredients with this Kitchenaid stand mixer accessory originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Bake with better results when you weigh your ingredients with this Kitchenaid stand mixer accessory

NEWS – Have you ever heard the expression that cooking is an art, but baking is a science?  It simply means that you can still get good results when cooking even with slight variations in ingredients.  Baking, however, gives the best results when you have precise amounts of the ingredients.  Accurate amounts are so important that it’s actually better to weigh your ingredients rather than use measuring cups.  It’s also been shown that sifting dry ingredients give fluffier baked goods than unsifted ingredients.  Weighing and sifting add steps to assembling your recipe, unless you add the Sifter and Scale Attachment (KSMSFTA) to your KitchenAid stand mixer.

The attachment attaches to and the sifter is powered by the power hub on the front of every KitchenAid stand mixer.  It has a 4-cup silo to hold dry ingredients.  The silo sits on a digital scale (battery operated), which weighs the dry ingredients as they are added to the silo.  A screen in the bottom of the silo sifts the ingredients and sends them into the chute to be added to the mixing bowl.

The digital scale can be removed from the attachment and used separately on your countertop with the included scale plate.

As with all KitchenAid attachments, the Sifter and Scale Attachment (KSMSFTA) works with every KitchenAid stand mixer.  The KitchenAid website shows an MSRP of $169.99 for the Sifter and Scale, but it’s being offered for $99.99 right now.  You may purchase the Sifter and Scale Attachment (KSMSFTA) at the KitchenAid website.

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Tagged: ,

Bake with better results when you weigh your ingredients with this Kitchenaid stand mixer accessory originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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