John – Page 740

Expand your control over your iDevices home automation products with the Instant Switch

iDevices recently announced the availability of their new Instant Switch, a wireless remote control switch that connects to your favorite iDevices product. The Switch is battery powered, so it doesn’t require wiring. You can mount it directly on the wall with its included 3M Command adhesive strip and faceplate anywhere you’d like an extra control point. Or you can add it to an existing gang box or put it beside an existing gang box and use a standard rocker faceplate.

The Instant Switch can give you control over a hard-to-reach lamp or an outdoor lighting fixture. The Switch even incorporates a dimmer, so you can set the ambiance of your space. And because it can pair with an existing hard-wired iDevices Wall or Dimmer Switch, it can create a 3- or 4-way control setup.

The iDevices Instant Switch is available now for $34.95; special sale pricing gives you a third free with the purchase of two. The Instant Switch is available at the iDevices website.

Julie’s gadget diary – Update on my plan to ditch my notebooks

In my last gadget diary post from over a week ago, I announced that I was going to give up my paper notebooks in favor of a digital To-Do system to help me manage my tasks. After I published that post, quite a few of you gave me ideas for different apps to try (thanks!). Some suggestions included Evernote, Todoist, Trello, Wunderlist, and more.

There’s are too many apps for that

I was excited to try each app that was suggested and I set out doing just that. But after trying a handful of them, I grew frustrated. Each app had features I liked, but features that I wanted but not available.

Most of the apps offered free and premium versions, with the free version offering a watered down feature set, vs. a paid version that required a monthly fee to unlock all the good stuff. Since I already mentioned in my previous gadget diary post that I don’t want to pay for a new system/app, it didn’t take me long to strike several suggestions off the list.

My aha moment

My sister commented on Facebook when she saw my post about ditching my notebooks that she gave me 2 weeks to change my mind and go back to pen and paper. It didn’t even take me that long to figure out that I love keeping a notebook for the following reasons:

It’s a tangible object that I can hold that doesn’t run on batteries and won’t shatter if I drop it on the floor.
I don’t have to flip to another tab in my browser or have the app own in a window on my computer because the notebook is always open next to me so I can see the 3-5 daily tasks that I want to do that day.
Drawing an X through a box with pen on paper when I finish a task is more satisfying to me than clicking a mouse button.

I realized that my simplified Bullet Journal system that I’ve been using for the past few years has been working just fine for helping me productive with my list of daily tasks. I don’t need a digital task manager at all, what I really need is a better way to record and then later find ideas and notes on a variety of subjects that I jot down in the same notebook that I use for my daily To-Dos.

I’ve decided that I want to use Google apps like Gmail or Google Docs, Sheets to build my customized note-taking system because I’m a Gmail ninja and I already use Google Docs and Sheets for other things. So it shouldn’t be that difficult to create a way to keep track of ideas, notes, and other things using these tools.

Ideas I’m considering

The first idea is to record my ideas and notes in a separate section of my paper notebook. This is attractive to me because it means I have one place where I keep everything. But, it’s also the same reason why I want a better note taking system. Finding individual notes that have been written on paper is not easy unless I’d create an index. But, an index is only useful if everything is recorded in it. Otherwise, I’d never find notes on that crazy idea I had 2 months ago about a Gadgeteer podcast without flipping through 2 months worth of pages.

Another idea is to use Gmail to send myself notes with specific labels/tags that I can later use to search to see matching entries. I am a heavy label user in Gmail, so it would be simple to do this. I could use labels like postideas, healthnotes, tripideas, etc.

Another idea is to use a Google Sheets spreadsheet and add a new row each time I have a note that I want to save and have the first row be a label/tag so I can sort on that label to see all the entries with that label.

I think the Sheets idea might be the best way to go just for visual reasons. Here’s an example of the way I’m thinking about setting up the sheet.

I’m not a spreadsheet wizard so if I go with this system, I’ll have to learn how to set up the sheet so I can just display rows based on the tag column if I only want to see health notes for example. I don’t even know if this is possible in Google Sheets. I know you can do it in MS Excel because I’ve seen pivot tables. But again, I’m not a spreadsheet expert.

One more idea I have is to use a flat text file that I can use Unix commands like grep to sort and display only the notes I want to see at any given time.

The biggest issue with this idea is the ability to access the text file from my computer at home, my computer at work, and my phone or tablet.

So that’s where I am right now with this “project”. Just like before, I’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions.

The Findables Company XY4+ tracker review

On average, we spend ten minutes a day, or two and a half days a year looking for lost items. The XY4+ is a tracker that can help you find items it is attached to. It claims a longer range, louder sound, and longer battery life than competitors. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The XY4+ is an update to XY3, the previous version of the tracker manufactured by The Findables Company. The previous model was reviewed on The Gadgeteer about a year ago at this link. The XY4+ claims to provide a larger battery, increased range and a louder speaker than the previous model. The XY4+ also integrates with IFTTT and Zapier so that you can automate actions based on triggers and even have the finder beep based on other automation triggers.

What’s in the box?

The XY4+ tracker is the only item in the box.

Design and features

Prerequisites

The XY4+ requires and Apple or Android device. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with iOS 9.0 or later. The Android device must have Kitkat (4.4) or later.

Unboxing

It seems that The Findables Co. is doing everything in its power to demonstrate superiority to its competition (Tile, TrackR, Chipolo, etc.). It seems that environmental footprint is also an area that the manufacturer is focusing on. They have a very small retail box. However, the product is packaged in non-recyclable foam.

I received a bright yellow XY4+. Even if I can’t hear the buzzer it’s still plenty loud. There isn’t a manual. All instructions and disclosures are on the web.

Design

The tracker is made from ASB plastic and is snapped together from two halves. The assembly is quite durable, even though it is designed to be opened. The XY4+ is designed to fit onto a key chain or maybe in a pocket or a bag. It makes sense for it to have a smooth profile, but while the top of the tracker is somewhat curved the bottom is completely flat and has some point edges. I would expect the tracker to be more clam shell shaped. The top features a triangular shaped button with the XY logo on it.

On the bottom is the number “4” for the version of the unit and four small speaker holes.

The tracker is meant to be opened in order to replace the battery. There’s a slot on the side into which a coin can be inserted to split the device open.

Once the device is open you can see the peizo-electric buzzer and the circuit board.

The tracker is powered by a CR3032. This behemoth battery is claimed to power the XY4+ for five years. (I’ll let you know how that turns out in 2023!)

For sake of comparison I have the XY4+ next to a Chipolo+ and also next to a scale and penny. The CR2032 battery the Chipolo+ is powered by is welded to the PCB, so I have also included a CR2025 for comparison which has the same diameter as the 2032. It’s interesting to note how many more components the XY4 has on the PCB.

Extra battery life is great, but you pay for it in size. The XY4+ measures 1.5″ on the flats, 1.75″ on the points, and is 0.4″ think. It’s about twice as thick as some competitor devices. Is replacing a battery once a year in a tracker so bad if 90% of people do it annually in their smoke detectors?

Operation

The XY4+ can be accessed by iPhone and Android devices but the last known location can also be seen on any web browser at https://my.xyfindit.com. The web browser will show a map of all of your item locations.

Clicking on any of the items will bring up a menu for that item. The menu indicates if IFTTT pr Zapier is linked to what type of button presses (short, double, or long) and gives a shortcut link to the web portal for both IFTTT and Zapier. The web also shows the approximate battery strength.

Pictures can by associated with the device and the pictures will be updated across platofrms.

I found that, in general, operation on the devices that communicate with the tracker is problematic.

iOS

Operation on the iOS app has a lot of issues:

The app must be running for the XY tracker to ring the phone (in case the phone is lost).
The app will not operate to ring the tracker unless location services is active.
Running the app requires significant battery power (to constantly use the GPS).
The KeepNear function, which should alert the user if the tracker and phone are separated, doesn’t work reliably. When it does work it presents a dialog box that the tracker is out of range, not a notification.
The image associated with the tracker is occasionally lost by the software.
The IFTTT and Zapier triggers are forwarded to the IFTTT app. However, actions are not passed (the tracker never beeps).
There is no way to change the music.
The battery icon may be inaccurate. The icon shows 100% when the battery is 76% – 82%.
There is no way to upgrade the firmware of the tracker.

Android

Operation on the Android app is a bit better. The app supports running as a service, auto start with the phone, vibrate on notify, adjustable KeepNear sensitivity, battery saver mode and tips of the day, and use the notification screen to alert the tracker is out of range.

The app provides more interaction with the IFTTT and Zapier apps:

The app also lets you select music that the tracker rings:

But:

The image associated with the tracker is occasionally lost by the software.
The KeepNear system only says when the keys are out of range, not when the signal strength is low. I don’t want to wait until I’m 300 ft away from the keys until I’m told they’re forgotten.
The IFTTT and Zapier actions are not passed (the tracker never beeps).

I used LightBlue Explorer to interrogate the tracker and found these are all of the settings within. The hardware seems to have a lot of functionality.

The fact that the Android app has so many more features leads me to believe that the iOS app will catch up.

Performance

I compared the XY4+ to the Chipolo alert. The XY4+ is louder than the Chipolo, but It doesn’t seem like it is twice as loud.

I was unable to get even a fraction of the range on the tracker compared to its stated range. Whereas the Chipolo+ worked up to 160 ft away in this review, the XY4+ works to only about 80 ft under the same conditions. The signal also doesn’t reestablish until about 50 ft away.

Latency between the time you push the “Find it” button and the time the tracker rings can be long so its difficult to tell if you should be listening out for it or if it hasn’t started to beep. In my tests, I usually found the tracker before I heard it.

What I like

Integration with IFTTT and Zapier
Some choices for melody

What needs to be improved

App performance is poor
Range is overstated

Final thoughts

The XY4+ tries to beat the competition by offering a device with superior specifications. However, the tracker fails to capitalize on what makes other trackers so successful: good software, reliable operation, and a well-established user base. I used a Chipolo tracker and the XY4+ tracker while reviewing this product and the Chipolo outperformed every time. At the moment the Chipolo is the recommended device. If the software improves and this fixes the range issues, latency issues, and usability issues then perhaps my recommendation will change. But for now, my keychain will have a small round tracker on it, not a larger hexagonal one.

Price: $39.99
Where to buy: Amazon.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by The Findables Co..

Essential Phone, new Waterfield wallets, Mission Workshop pants, and more – Weekly roundup

Wow, where did this week go? It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for you to take a quick look through a list of everything that we wrote about this week on The Gadgeteer. We have news, we have reviews, and we have articles about your favorite gadgets. Enjoy!

News

New 2018 spring colors from Topo Designs to add some fresh style to your carry!

Summer is coming 2.0 – You can’t make pancakes on a grill

Is your HomePod leaving behind a white ring? Pad & Quill has a solution for that

The Twelve South SurfacePad is a leather jacket for your iPhone

SnapPower has a new easy to install USB wall outlet cover charger

WaterField introduces the Micro Wallet V2.0

Phoozy protects your phone from extreme heat, cold, drops, scratches, and it even floats!

Protect your luggage with AirBolt, the first Bluetooth-connected travel lock

You’ll always be in uniform with these Star Trek messenger bags

Manhattan Portage Pen Cases: compact, protective, durable affordable

Forget winter! Summer’s coming, and you’ll need a new grill!

WaterField adds RFID blocking to their Finn Wallet

Change the look and feel of the Apple Pencil with Ztylus

Charge your Apple Watch directly at the wall socket with this Wiplabs charger

Keep your beer bottle chill and protected with BottleKeeper

Giving new meaning to home delivery – Amazon can now deliver a pre-constructed 20- or 40-ft tiny home to you

This travel pillow is a folding shelf for your chin

Turn any power cable into a MagSafe style cable

Reviews

Mission Workshop Icon City Pants review

Contour Design RollerMouse Red plus ergonomic mouse review

Wiplabs Slope universal tablet stand review

MWAY HD 1200P WiFi endoscope camera review

ACGAM AG6X mechanical gaming keyboard review

Essential Phone PH-1 review

Brush Hero detail cleaning brush review

Oberon Design Sonoma Tote review

Mission Workshop Icon City Pants review

I hate to say it but I am a jeans/Carhartt wearing kind of guy. I rarely have to get dressed up, for work or otherwise (if I could live in sweatpants or basketball shorts I would). I have a few pairs of reasonably nice slacks but that’s it. So, when Mission Workshop offered their new Icon City Pants I thought it would be fun to try a pair of high end, modern day trousers for a change of pace .

What is it?

The Icons are a multipurpose pair of pants designed for modern day city dwellers. Mission Workshop have engineered the Icon for work and play, made from an advanced 4-way stretch textile developed specifically for them by Mectex M.I.S. at their mill near Lake Como, Italy and manufactured in China.

According to the Mission Workshop website:

The Icon is built for foot travel, train/air travel, office work, physical labor, and all types of riding including bikes, skateboards, scooters, etc. Built to endure.

…structured drape of the fabric, combined with a forward silhouette and seam detailing, give the pant the credentials for both workplace and street.

Design and features

The Mission Workshop Icon are a charcoal gray utility pant with a modern fit and style. They have two hand pockets, knife/coin pocket, zippered right thigh pocket on the front and single (right cheek) back pocket. The cotton/nylon blend fabric used to create the Icon is engineered to have high level of durability, breathability, and freedom of movement while remaining soft yet water-resistant.

Material and construction quality:

The Icon is constructed from an Italian fabric made from 55% Cotton / 35% Polyamide / 10% Elastane. The textile has a very fine weave and the quality is excellent. The stitching and finish is also of the highest quality.

Funny story…I needed to get the pants hemmed. So instead of asking my wife to shorten their length, I went to a professional seamstress. She was surprisingly impressed with the Icon’s quality, construction, and styling.

I wish the zippered thigh pocket was a little bigger. Sadly it isn’t large enough for my iPhone X…not a chance of a phablet fitting at all. Though an iPhone SE does just barely squeezes inside.

Fit and sizing:

I was a bit worried about sizing. I usually wear a 33 waist and 34 inseam in US Levis and Carhartts. Thus Mission Workshop sizing was a bit foreign to me. So, I got out a measuring tape and did my best. I would prefer a little loose than overly tight. Overall, I hit the mark pretty well and other than length, the Icon’s fit very nicely. They’re relatively form fitting and definitely designed for a certain body type (think lean and long). If you’re not relatively skinny, the Icon’s probably won’t fit you due to the limited sizing and body ratio matrix Mission Workshop has.

Dorky as it sounds, the first comment that comes to mind when I look at this picture is: do these pants make me look fat? The Icon’s are comfortable and feel almost sweatpants-like. All the while, looking modernly professional. But the truth be told, they are more for the Gadgeteer Kid (aka the young & lean of the world)…perhaps just a bit too hipster/millennial for the 50ish crowd. That said, I did receive many unsolicited compliments regarding how nice the pants looked from family, friends, and coworkers.

The Icons can be washed in cold water and are not supposed to be tumbled dried. A cold iron can be used to press them or “gentle” dry-cleaned.

Positives

Excellent material & construction quality
Water-resistant finish
4-way stretch
Breathable

Negatives

Expensive
Rigid/limited sizing
Zippered thigh pocket should be bigger

Final thoughts

While not much of a tech-toy or gadget, I really like the Icon City Pants. Mission Workshop has done an excellent job creating a high quality pair of pants that are not only comfortable but look good in the office or puttering around town. I’m debating on keeping them for myself or giving them to the Gadgeteer Kid, cause the realist in me knows how much better he would pull them off. They are without a doubt expensive but if money is no object and you’re in the market for a pair of excellent urban wear, the Icon City Pants are worth your consideration.

Price: $285
Where to buy: The Mission Workshop.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Mission Workshop.