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How to Transfer Files Between Linux and Windows via LAN

You’ve tried to use a flash drive or SD card to transfer files from Linux to a Windows computer, and you found it annoying and tiring, especially when there are lots of files to move, and it’s taking ages to complete. You don’t have to waste your precious time using storage devices when you can move files quickly and easily over your local network (LAN). The main methods used to do this are: Create a share in Linux to access it from Windows using Samba Create a share in Windows to access it from Linux Create a share in Linux and access it… Read more

Fuse Side Kick Collapsible Laptop Charger Winder quick review

REVIEW – Kickstarter alert! The makers of the Side Winder are at it again, this time with a cable winder that attaches right to your power brick. The Fuse Side Kick is collapsible, compact, and keeps your cable nice and tidy. And if you act fast, you can get in on the Kickstarter before it closes on March 6. To the review!

What is it?

The Side Kick is a pop-up cable winder for your MacBook.

What’s in the box?

You get the Side Kick, and an extra adhesive pad.

Design and features

The Side Kick works like one of those pop-out grips for your phone. The front face is a plate made from ABS plastic with a rubberized bumper. The back side is a collapsible disk:

Setup takes moments. You’ll remove the plastic to expose the adhesive on the Side Kick, then simply stick it to the side of your power adaptor. Note that the Side Kick works with any square-shaped power brick. It fits perfectly on my MacBook Pro adaptor.

Once the Side Kick is stuck in place, you pull it out to expand it and wrap your cable. Those little slots on the cap secure the end of the cable.

The net result is that you go from this….

To this:

It’s a super-clean setup that also works when you only need a short length of cord to get to a plug. Simply unwind what you need and hook it through the slots. The fully extended Side Kick only adds about 5/8″ of depth to your power brick.

I loved the original Fuse Side Winder that I reviewed in May last year, and I know several friends and co-workers who bought one after seeing mine. I actually like the Side Kick design is even better. It makes for a more compact overall profile, which makes it easier to stash in your bag.

The model I received is an initial prototype, and Fuse is making refinements for the final design that will be released at the end of the Kickstarter campaign. This will include updates colors and plastics (including a black version), and hard rubber notches to hold the cable ends better. I’m looking forward to putting the final design through its paces in a long term test!

What I like

  • Simple, elegant solution for managing your cable.
  • Compact and clean.
  • Sets up in moments.

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing so far. A simple solution for a simple job.

Final thoughts

Fuse gets simple & functional design, and the Side Kick looks like another winner. But you’ll need to act fast to get in on the initial Kickstarter campaign, which closes on March 6. Fuse has already met their stretch goal for funding, so it looks good to go!

Price: $20.00 on Kickstarter, but some early-bird specials are still available
Where to buy: Go to the Side Kick Kickstarter page.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Fuse

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Fuse Side Kick Collapsible Laptop Charger Winder quick review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Do you remember the View-Master stereoscopic viewer?

ARTICLE – So I’ve been cleaning up under my parent’s house recently and found my 1975 VR headset 😛 Yes, the View-Master Stereoscopic Viewer.

Remember these?  3 reels of 7 stereoscopic images and a little booklet that told you the story. Luckily none of the reels have been damaged with water or age.  I pulled the View-Master apart, gave everything a clean and it’s just like being there  🙂  I had hours of fun with this as a kid, but tell that to kids today…

Does anybody else remember the Viewmaster and their favourite reel? Share your memories in the comments below.

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Do you remember the View-Master stereoscopic viewer? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Miccus Swivel Jack RTX review

REVIEW – My niece just got her drivers license but her car stereo doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth. The Miccus Swivel Jack RTX device is a perfect solution for her. She just needs to plug it into her car’s aux connection to pair with her phone. Or if her sister or boyfriend wants to switch to a playlist on their phones, it has easy, wireless pairing.

What is it?

The Swivel Jack RTX is a pocket-sized long-range wireless transmitter/receiver.

What’s in the box?

  • The transmitter/receiver
  • Instruction manual
  • USB cord for charging
  • 3.5 mm female to RCA male audio cable

Specs

  • 3.5mm Stereo Audio Input and Output
  • Operating range of up to 100ft
  • 2.10 Hour battery life
  • USB Power: DC 5V @500mA or higher
    Dimensions: L 1.9in x W 0.8in x H 0.5in
  • 4 GHz operating frequency

Design and features

There’s a single jack on a swivel, for easy positioning no matter which device you plug it into. And the jack tucks back into the body when not in use.

Its blue light flashes rapidly when it’s pairing and glows solid blue to confirms if it’s working.

We found it very fast and easy to pair with a Bluetooth device.

A toggle switch lets you easily alternate from transmitting to receiving.

First, we tried using it as a receiver. We connected it to a portable, mini speaker and paired it with a smartphone in just a few seconds on the first try.

Our speaker didn’t have an aux input but that didn’t matter since the Swivel Jack RTX came with an RCA cable, which worked like a charm. We appreciated being able to connect with devices that don’t come with an aux input.

The Swivel Jack RTX boosts an operating range of up to 100 feet. We tested it at 75 feet, outside on a crummy day, and it worked quickly. However, it was a less stable connection than the closer range audio. We were still impressed with the quality of the receiver at that distance and plan to use it this summer to play music in our backyard and pool area.

Next, we tried using it a transmitter, which worked equally as well. In fact, we thought the sound quality was just as good as our wired connection without any noticeable delay.

Size wise, we found it fine for plugging into a car or speaker. However, it’s about twice as wide as a typical smartphone, which we found bulky when attached at the headphone jack. It wasn’t a big drawback but ideally would have fit within the phone’s edges.

The Swivel Jack RTX glows red when charging and turns off when it’s done. It took about 40 minutes to fully charge and lasted more than three hours on one charge, which was a pleasant surprise since the manual says it only lasts two hours.

What I like

  • Fast pairing
  • RCA cord came in handy
  • Swivel design made it easy to plug in anywhere

What needs to be improved

  • We found it a little bulky when using with a phone

Final thoughts

It’s a powerful little receiver and transmitter with many practical uses.

Price: $39.99
Where to buy: Miccus.com and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Miccus.com.

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Miccus Swivel Jack RTX review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Keep your cool in the kitchen with Gourmia CoolCookers

NEWS – It doesn’t get much better than coming home to a freshly cooked meal.  Slow cookers have offered that convenience to home chefs for quite some time.  Toss in the good stuff, set it for low and slow, and come home to a house that smells amazing and fall-apart tender food. But, what about those meals that don’t need 8-10 hours?  Some cookers had timers that could start the cooking process several hours later, but your food would sit for hours at kitchen temperatures, just waiting to turn nasty. What if your schedule changes and you come home early or late?  You have undercooked food and spend some quality time with the microwave, or overcooked, mushy food that nobody wants to eat.

Gourmia has solved that problem with their new line of Internet of Things (IoT) CoolCookers. Gourmia is rolling out a new pressure cooker (GPCC1960) and multi cooker (GMCC1970) with built-in refrigeration to 35 degrees.  These units will keep your food fridge-fresh until cook time.  In addition to keeping your meal fresh and healthy, they also bring internet accessibility via WiFi and an IOS and Android app as well as integration with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.  I don’t think it quite gets to the dream of saying “Alexa – what’s for dinner?”, but it’s a start!  What the app does do is allow for remote changes if your schedule changes.  If you’re running late home from work, you can delay the cook time, right from your smart device.  Of course, you can’t tell it to cook more food, because your boss is now coming for dinner.

The pressure cookers offers Gourmia’s state-of-the-art automatic pressure release, an auto stir system to stir the food, and fully adjustable pressure settings.  Via the app, chefs can also remotely release the pressure, allowing for pressure cooking without having to be right at-hand at a specific time.

The multi cooker has a spacious 6.5 quart capacity and provides 11 different cooking functions including sauté, bake, roast, steam, sous vide, and stew. For those of us with limited kitchen cabinet space, having one device that can handle all of these cook methods is a great space saver.

Gourmia is ETL certified, meaning that their products have all undergone rigorous safety testing and meet Underwriters Laboratory (UL) standards for safety.

Both CoolCookers will be available later in 2019 at major retailers.  Pricing has not been announced.  For more information go to www.gourmia.com.

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Keep your cool in the kitchen with Gourmia CoolCookers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 4, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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