2018 – Page 59

Resistance is futile! You will be assimilated by this Borg cube!

NEWS – I’ve reviewed a couple of accent lights similar to this Star Trek Giant Borg Cube Mood Light, but I’ve never tried one this large nor one from the Star Trek universe. The Borg mood light is officially-licensed Star Trek: The Next Generation merchandise. The polyethylene cube is 15.5″ on a side. It supports up to 190 pounds, so you can use it as a chair, or as a footstool, a table, or simply as accent lighting. It’s safe for use indoors or outdoors in dry conditions.Its internal 2200mAh lithium battery recharges with the included 6 ft. 110V AC power cord (US) and provides up to 8 hours of light at the low setting. It operates in four modes: flash, strobe, fade, and smooth. You select from 16 colors and brightness levels using the included remote.

The Star Trek Giant Borg Cube Mood Light is $149.99 – and remember, this isn’t just a light; it’s furniture, too! It’s available at ThinkGeek.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Star Trek

Resistance is futile! You will be assimilated by this Borg cube! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Loop personal WiFi display review

REVIEW – For a long time, I have been into digital picture frames, and other devices that can play/show high definition video and photos independently. While all of these functions can be easily handled by a tablet, I like affordable devices that I can leave on shelves around my studio or at the corner of my desk and have them showcase some of my work. I already have the large screen monitor on my wall, but a smaller device for my desk would be nice. The Loop seems to offer something interesting that might fit my needs, so let’s see.

What is it?

The Loop is a communication display device that allows you to view and share video, photos, and video chat with anyone with another Loop, anywhere in the world.

What’s in the box

1 x Loop
1 x AC Adapter
1 x Quick Start Guide

Design and features

On the front of the Loop, there is the display screen with a bezel around it that is approximately .5″. The Touch top that is on the top side of the device does not have any visible marks or indication. There is a camera in the center of the bezel at the top of the screen.

At the back of the Loop, there is a carrying handle and the AC jack.

At the bottom of the Loop is the sleep/power button. The micro USB port beside it is not currently used.

On the right side of the Loop, there is the scroll knob and the channel knob below it.

On the left side of the Loop, there is the speaker, the volume up/down buttons and an SD card reader.

Performance

Specifications

Dimensions
Height 7.2 inches / 182 mm
Width 9.5 inches / 240mm
Depth 3.0 in / 78mm
Weight 2.5lbs / 1134 grams

Storage Capacity
Loop comes with 4GB of on-device storage will be expandable in the future.

Display
9.7” inches diagonal
1024×768 pixels
IPS technology
Intelligent dimming

Inputs
Scroll knob
Channel knob
Touch top
Volume buttons

Camera
5 megapixels
70-degree field of view
f2.8 aperture

Audio
50mm speaker

Connectivity
Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n); dual-band (2.4GHz and 5 GHz)
Bluetooth 4.1

Features
Private photo and video sharing
Video chat
Streaming pictures and video
Social media and cloud storage integration
Voice control (coming soon)
Intelligent dimming (coming soon)
Bluetooth speaker playback (coming soon)
SD card reader (coming soon)

Integrations
iOS Photos
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Dropbox (coming soon)
Flickr (coming soon)
Google Photos (coming soon)

Supported formats
All photos and videos that are taken on an iOS device

Image formats supported: .bmp, .gif, .jpeg, .png, .webp
Video formats supported: H.264 AVC – 3GPP (.3gp), MPEG-4 (.mp4), MPEG-TS (.ts, AAC audio only). H.265 HEVC
MPEG-4 (.mp4). MPEG-4 SP – 3GPP (.3gp). VP8 – WebM (.webm), Matroska (.mkv). VP9 –
WebM (.webm), Matroska (.mkv).

Power and Battery
Built-in battery for up to 4 hours of playback
Power adapter for always-on use in the home

Warranty
1 year limited warranty

Requirements
Loop account
Internet connection for continued photo/video updates
Loop iOS app for setting up Loop and adding new content

Android app coming soon

Once you connect the power supply to the Loop and download the app, the setup is easy. You create an account and get right to creating your channels. I created separate channels for my Instagram channel, my kids’ photos, and YouTube videos by selecting the type of pictures I want to see on the display. Once you select the desired channel, the Loop displays the pictures like a slideshow or the videos. It shows all of my Instagram pictures and all of the pictures of my kids/family that I add from my iPhone. I tried the video chat feature between the app on my phone and the Loop and it was nice and clear both in audio and video. As I understand it, you can chat either between the app and the loop or two Loops. You can set up multiple Loops on one account and control them all and share content acting as an Administrator, or you can set up the Loops on separate accounts and then invite each Loop to connect and to share content. A nice feature of this device is that if you have a parent or family far away, you can set up the device to their wifi remotely, and they can see the content you add. This can obviously include family photos and videos, etc.

From the Loop, you can press and hold the scroll knob and the volume button up to 5 seconds to bring up the settings menu, and perform specific functions as seen in the photo below.

App

The screenshots of the app below show the various categories and capabilities of the app and device, as well as some of the available customizable settings.

What I like

The display resolution
The ability to add channels and therefore add selective content to have at your fingertips
The build quality
The audio quality
The video chat capability

What can be improved

Touch Screen capability added as opposed to Touch top even though the design is focused on preventing smudges on the screen
The price
The size (Thickness)
If wifi is disconnected because of a reboot of the router, the Loop does not always reconnect automatically

Final thoughts

In my opinion, the Loop device is an interesting device since it allows you to gather quite a bit of online content in one place and at your fingertips, all according to your preference. It also offers the video chat capability that can be set up and given to someone else in a remote location to chat or to share content. It is well built and the display resolution is great. However, I am very “torn” between recommending the purchase of this device versus a device like a 9.7″ iPad for $329. While the Loop does all that it is designed to do quite well, so do many tablets. While the access to the content that you pre-setup on the Loop is specific and quick, the tablet offers the same content availability and much more. I think that the choice to purchase this device would be based on very specific needs and capabilities, and so I will pass on a recommendation and just say that if this works for you, then buy it.

Price: $249 (Includes current promotion for 15% off)
Where to buy: Loop website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Loop.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Audio, TV, Video

Loop personal WiFi display review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The ultimate Apple Watch accessories for Mickey Mouse fans

NEWS – Sure, Apple has a really cool animated Mickey Mouse face for the Apple Watch, but these accessories prove that you need to take things a bit further than just a face to show your true Mickey love. The Navor Soft Silicone Protective Case fits over the Apple Watch to add some Mouse ears to the top of your Watch. The 38mm version actually comes in a variety of colors and is also available in a Minnie Mouse version, too. The TPU cover is said to have advanced shock absorption technology, with all four corners air cushioned to protect the Watch.

It gives you unfettered access to the Watch face and the side buttons. It fits Series 1/2/3, and it comes in a 38mm version for $7.95 and a 42mm version for $7.85.

Of course, you’ll need a bright red band to complete the look, and the HUANLONG Soft Silicone Sport Style Replacement Band is just the perfect shade. The band is made of soft silicone with hypoallergenic nickel-free stainless steel. It’s available to fit the 38mm/40mm Watch or the 42mm/44mm Watch; select either the small/medium length or the medium/large length in either size. The HUANLONG band is $7.99 at Amazon.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Apple Watch

The ultimate Apple Watch accessories for Mickey Mouse fans originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Monk manual, new Trayvax wallet, Polar Seal heated t-shirts, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

NEWS – This week we are bringing you information about six different crowdfunding campaigns that are currently running on Kickstarter and Indiegogo that will be of interest to wallet fans, pet lovers, and more.

The Monk Manual Planner: A Daily System for Being + Doing

What is it?

The Monk Manual is a 90-day planner that is designed to help you focus on the important things and get things done.

Why is it cool?

I like the Monk Manual Planner because it’s a well-made notebook. I know this because they sent me an early production sample. I like that the manual combines several things into one notebook. There’s a planner, habit tracker, reflection area (think gratitude journal), and more. It’s A5-ish sized (8.3in x 5.8in) and it lays flat when it’s open. Yay!

Where can I find more info?

The Monk Manual Planner campaign ends on 11/27/18 and they have already met their funding goal of $10,000. You can pre-order a Monk Manual Planner starting at $29. After the Monk Manual Planner campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

POLAR SEAL heated T-Shirts

What is it?

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Crowdfunded

Monk manual, new Trayvax wallet, Polar Seal heated t-shirts, and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Julie’s gadget diary – The Pixel 3 XL is nice phone, but I sent it back

ARTICLE – After Google’s Pixel 3 XL unveiling a couple of weeks ago, I immediately ordered one because I’m a sucker for newphoneia, that feeling you get when you order a new phone and the anticipation that it will make your life easier, better, and more fun. At least I think that was what was going on in my head when I pressed the BUY button on Google’s online store.

The Pixel 2 XL has been my daily driver for the past year and except for a couple issues with Bluetooth and now with WiFi, it’s been a great phone. I’ll even say that it’s my all-time favorite phone to date. So the Pixel 3 XL should be a great upgrade to the Pixel 2 XL right? That’s what I figured and that’s why I ordered the 128GB version for a wallet shuddering $999.

A few days later FedEx delivered my new phone and my immediate impression was one of deja vu.

One phone above is the Pixel 2 XL and one is the new Pixel 3 XL. Can you tell which one is which? Upon first glance, they look almost identical if you have a black background image as I do. The new phone is the one on the right. The top speaker is narrower and the front-facing camera and ambient light sensor are on either side of the speaker which is in the greatly hyped and greatly despised notch.

I personally don’t care one way or another about the notch or notches in general. The one on the Pixel 3 XL doesn’t bother me and I don’t think it looks ugly. I’d rather NOT have a notch, but the fact that it’s there doesn’t make my life worse or harms the performance of the phone.

The front of the Pixel 3 XL looks relatively unchanged and so does the back of the phone. But the Pixel 3 XL does feel different. The bottom matte area doesn’t have as much texture as the Pixel 2 XL, it’s smoother and a little more slippery. That’s because the back of the phone is glass to allow for wireless charging.

I used to be a huge advocate for Qi charging and sorely missed it when I moved on from my hacked Samsung Galaxy S3 ages ago and haven’t had that feature since. Not having wireless charging hasn’t been a hardship now that we have fast USB charging. But congrats to Google for finally adding that feature now that I really don’t care about it any longer.

Right away I was bummed that the Pixel 3 XL was so much like the 2 XL. I even took the Pitaka Aramid case off my Pixel 2 XL and it fit the 3 XL perfectly.

It only took me a few hours of using the 3 XL until I headed back to the Google store and …

Started the return procedure. Did I give up on this shiny new phone too soon? I really don’t think so. For everyday use, the 3 XL felt exactly the same as using my 2 XL. It didn’t feel significantly snappier, and when I took side by side pics with both phones, I couldn’t tell a major difference between them. Here are some quick examples.

Also a lot of the updates wit the Pixel 3 are software updates which will come to the Pixel 2 line soon. So that was enough to make me change my mind very quickly about keeping this new phone.

I was annoyed that Google is charging a restocking fee. Have the always done that? I don’t remember that in the past.

When it comes down to it, the Google Pixel 3 XL is a nice phone and if I didn’t already have the Pixel 2 XL, I’d have no problems buying one. But in my opinion, it is not a worthy upgrade from my Pixel 2 XL and in all honesty this phone should have been named the Pixel 2 XLs instead of the Pixel 3 XL… Maybe next year Google…

Filed in categories: Articles

Tagged: gadget diary

Julie’s gadget diary – The Pixel 3 XL is nice phone, but I sent it back originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 29, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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