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GJS GEIO gaming robot review


REVIEW – I have never really been into gaming gadgets and quite frankly, the only games I play are usually card type games on my smartphone while I pass the time traveling on the railroad back and forth to work. When I got the opportunity to review a pair of the GJS GEIO gaming robots, I readily accepted because they look like nothing I have seen before and I was intrigued by them. I wonder if they will get me hyped or just bored? Let’s see!!

What is it?

GEIO is an innovative gaming robot equipped with an intelligent visual recognition system. It is capable of high-speed mobility and includes a flexible biaxial battery which allows for more game modes. “It adds a powerful long-range unit to the [mechanized battlefield]. Its small size does, however, not impact its power.”

What’s in the box


1 x GJS Battle Robot (2 were provided by the manufacturer for this review)
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Rechargeable Battery
1 x Instruction card
4 x Totem Game Cards

Design and features

Features


Specifications

Size: 170mm x 170mm x 160mm
Weight: 730g
Turret Angle – Horizontal: 0-160°
Turret Pitch: 0-90°
Material: Aluminum Alloy, ABS
Battery: 7.4V 2000mAh
Supported Mobile Phone System: iOS / Android
Camera Resolution: 300,000 pixels
Visual Identity Range: 50cm-2m
Internal Sensor Infrared Sensors: Magnetic Sensor
Connectivity: WIFI
Operating Frequency: 5GHz
Maximum Transmission Distance: 70 m

The GJS Robots are well designed and very attractive. They have built-in LED lighting all around their frame and they are well built. They utilize Totem cards as a part of some of the games to give gain weapons and health, etc and they actually have the ability to read the cards. The various pictures below highlight some of the design features.



The picture below provides a clear view of the camera that is mounted on the turret and the guns that have built-in LEDs in each barrel. The LEDs in the gun barrel flash like strobes when they are shooting.


The picture below is just another angle showcasing the design and the LEDs that are all over the robot.


Underneath the robot, there are 4 sets of double wheels that allow for great versatility in movement including sideways. In the center, there is a connection for the rechargeable battery.



On one side of the rechargeable battery, there is a micro USB port for recharging. The battery can be charged separately, or while connected to the robot. The micro USB charging port is still accessible when the battery is connected. This is shown in the third picture below.



Performance

Once the batteries are charged and installed, the robot is ready to go. On the back of the robot there is a power button, and once pressed, the robot turns on, makes robot-like sounds, the turret moves around and the “eye” seems to be searching. Once you download and install the GJS GEIO app, and the robot is turned on, it shows up in the WIFI list on your mobile device. You can select a single robot mode or multi-player mode. Controlling the robot is easy but you have to get used to the on-screen controls because they are quite sensitive. The robot can move very quickly, is very responsive to the controls, and can move in just about any direction and orientation you choose. You can also turn the direction of your phone and the robot will respond to your movement. This is especially helpful in the AR mode when fighting virtual robots. When you place the Totem cards within the battlefield, you can focus in on the pictures on the cards for various gains. There are lots of capabilities but they not that easy to describe unless you actually use the robot. The instruction card that is included is not that helpful and since it is also not that detailed, you have to figure out some things on your own. The print on the card is also quite small. The following pictures are of the two sides of the instruction card:


The following is one of several short videos on the GJS website that show the robot in operation:

You can view additional videos here.

App

The screenshots from the app below show some of the choices of operation modes that are available via the app.







The next app screenshot below shows the start screen. You touch red or blue depending on which robot you want to control.


The following app screenshots are of various POV views from within the app.





The video below shows the POV from within the app. It is a bit grainy but the point is to show how it looks with the movement from the screen while controlling it. (It would be clearer with better lighting)

What I like

  • The overall design
  • The attractive LED lighting
  • The versatility to be able to move in just about every direction
  • The speed of movement
  • The interactive capabilities
  • The first-person POV view
  • The realistic and visible weapons lighting
  • The game options
  • The build quality

What can be improved

  • Better instructions for directions and visibility
  • Better battery life

Final thoughts

I am not a gamer, but when I first saw these robots, I was intrigued. I was worried if they could keep my attention long enough and whether they would be more like a toy for my 4-year-old. Well, I was so wrong. This robot is great, designed for older kids and adults, and even better if you have 2 so that someone can play against you. Maybe I am not as advanced as some in regards to Artificial Intelligence, but I find them to be amazing at how they operate and interact, and I can spend lots of time playing around with them until the battery dies. In my “What can be Improved” comments, I mentioned the battery life because, for this type of gadget, I want the battery to give me a few of hours of playing time like a video game. It gets more than an hour depending on use, but I want more time between charges. Maybe the solution is to purchase additional batteries. I will have to see if that is possible. This robot is well built, well designed, loads of fun and just great. Two thumbs up!!

Price: $199.99 each
Where to buy: Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by GEIO

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GJS GEIO gaming robot review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 10, 2019 at 2:26 pm.

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MECO clothing steamer review

REVIEW – I would think that most people are not a fan of wrinkled clothing, however, I tend to be one to throw a damp towel and a wrinkled shirt into the dryer to knock those wrinkles out and hope for the best. Well, those days are over for me thanks to the MECO Steamer I recently had the pleasure to review.

What is it?

The MECO Steamer is a handheld corded steamer that allows you to iron or steam your wrinkled fabrics. It has a 90 degree push button rotating head, digital display, adjustable temperature and adjustable steam level. It also has an “anti-ironing” and brush attachment.

What’s in the box?

  • MECO Steamer/Iron
  • Base
  • Measuring Cup
  • Storage Drawstring Bag
  • Anti-Ironing Attachment
  • Brush Attachment
  • Manual & Warranty Card

Design and features

I went into this review expecting nothing more than a basic steamer and I was quickly proven wrong. First of all, this is a pretty hefty tool, coming in at a shade over 2 pounds in weight. It has a sturdy handle with a convenient trigger button for the steam underneath; as well as the power, steam level and digital display in plain view on top.

The push button rotation makes it very simple to adjust to a vertical steaming mode that covers a wider swath of fabric. This turns it into a 2-in-1 horizontal and vertical clothes steamer and steam iron/dry iron. Simply press down the button when rotating the iron plate head.

There is a 7 temperature gear, by pressing the power button repeatedly after turning the unit on, it cycles through 80/100/120/140/160/180/200 degrees CELSIUS – I emphasize this for our readers accustomed to Fahrenheit indicators. There is a handy chart in the manual that gives you clear usage instructions for the type of fabric and temperature setting.

There is a small cover at the front of the ironing head where water can be poured into the unit. It is best to use the provided measuring cup with a spout, as the hole to pour the water into is small but the cup has a spout on it that makes it easy to pour without spilling.

Setup

Setup on this device is pretty simple – plug it in and hold the power button down for 5 seconds to get it to power on. Then press the power button to cycle through to the temperature you want to use. Steam is only generated when set at 180 or 200 degrees. Then press the steam button on the top of the handle to set your steam level (low, medium, high) if desired. As the unit heats up, the temperature will flash, once it reaches the set temperature it will stop flashing and the temperature will show in the digital display in solid blue numbers.

Performance

I tested this steamer in two applications: ironing and steaming. First, I had a shirt that I had received months ago and put on a hangar hoping the wrinkles would fall out. They didn’t. It was a cotton shirt so I set the iron temperature to 180 degrees with steam on low to start, as I progressed through the process of ironing the shirt, I adjusted it up to high to get the last few wrinkles out. This was a great test of its horizontal function.

As you can see, it got all the wrinkles out. I used a standard flat ironing board under the shirt to prevent scalding the clothing and it worked great. I consider any deficiencies in performance to be related to my inexperience ironing clothes, I was pretty impressed with its ease of use as well as overall functionality. It heated up quickly and the steam that I used along the way didn’t leave spots or stains as I’m accustomed to in my past uses of an iron.

The next thing I tested was the steaming function. Our guest bath had a polyester shower curtain that still had massive wrinkles in it despite 5 years of being on the curtain rod. This made a perfect test of the vertical application of the steamer with the head rotated 90 degrees. I attached the “anti-ironing” attachment, heated the head to 180 degrees and turned the steam level on high.

In less than 15 minutes, the shower curtain was pretty much wrinkle free. Again, it was easy to use, the steam function worked perfectly and with the head rotated it was pretty easy to maneuver to get to all the wrinkles without feeling like you had to have a hard surface to press it against. Holding the head of the iron about an inch away from the fabric, I was able to simply hold a bit of tension to the fabric and the wrinkles started coming right out.

The base that is provided is rather handy as well. You can set the unit in the base while it’s heating and at any desired temperature as it has pads to protect it from melting. As always with a steam iron, you need to release all the water once cooled and this is as easy as opening the flap and turning the unit upside down over a sink. On the Amazon link we were provided, it is touted as easy to pack for travel. At two pounds, this does take a good amount of weight in a suitcase but with the travel bag provided, it would definitely be an item worth taking on a trip especially if you have business attire or dress clothes for a special occasion. The brush attachment is also designed to remove pet hair, while MECO also touts their iron for uses such as sterilization, replacing laminators, sealing snacks, cleaning candle wax and more.

What I like

  • Multiple heat settings correlated to the fabric types.
  • Ergonomic controls and design, easy to handle, move and situate.
  • Easy to fill/empty water reservoir
  • Performs very well at ironing and steaming
  • Rotating 90 degree head really does make a difference when steaming vertically.

What needs to be improved

  • Instruction Manual – the translation of the manual to English is pretty rough and leaves room in some places for interpretation. For an inexperienced user, it was confusing at times. Additionally, it never explained exactly how or when you’re supposed to use the attachments.
  • A bit top/front heavy when using for a long time in a vertical application.
  • Celsius temperature settings are not normal in US, possible to have a switch for Fahrenheit setting.

Final thoughts

The pros of this unit greatly outweigh any cons I may have. With my wife previously buying several steamers, I finally found one that I could have some confidence in and want to use without feeling like I’m going to ruin my shirt with a water stain or spend entirely too much time trying to get a single wrinkle out. I may have finally ended my days of finding a damp towel to throw in with my wrinkled shirt.

Price: $42.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by MECO.

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MECO clothing steamer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 10, 2019 at 9:54 am.

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My thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy S10+, Spoke Designs Pen, and more – Weekly roundup

NEWS – It’s that time of the week where gadgeteers need a break to catch up on their favorite gadget news, reviews, and articles that we posted here on this site this week. So sit down, browse the list and enjoy!

ARTICLES

REVIEWS

NEWS

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My thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy S10+, Spoke Designs Pen, and more – Weekly roundup originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 9, 2019 at 4:59 pm.

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