Amazon’s new Echo Show, Alexa with a screen


After a week of rumors and leaked images, Amazon today unveiled the Echo Show, the first Echo device with a screen.

The Echo Show is the latest entry to the Echo line of devices following right on the heels of the Echo Look style assistant. The Echo Snow is a fully enabled Echo device that also allows you to watch videos, make video calls, scroll music lyrics and monitor your baby.

The Echo Show has a 7″ touchscreen, a 5-megapixel front facing camera, dual 2-inch speakers and eight microphones. The device is powered by an Intel Atom x5-Z8350 processor.

The added functionality of a camera and touchscreen is coupled with some new features for the Amazon Alexa app. The most interesting new feature is the ability to call or message anyone with a supported Echo device or the Alexa App. The call and messaging features are free and you can also use an option called Drop In.

Drop In differs from video calls in that once it’s enabled on a device, any approved Alexa user can “drop in” to the device. This is like a video call that is automatically accepted and is useful for monitoring a baby, checking on an elderly relative or making announcements to family members.

With the addition of a touchscreen, Amazon has opened up the uses for the Echo Show exponentially. From recipe viewing in the kitchen to bedside CNN videos to video calls in the living room, Amazon is making a strong case for having a number of Echo devices throughout your house. At the very least, it will be nice to have a display of the weather every morning as I listen to my favorite news station stream over the Show’s speakers.

Along with the other Echo devices, the Show will be compatible with a number of smart home devices. Having the option to present information on a screen should add a lot of power to the Show’s home control abilities.

The Echo Show can be preordered today for $229.99, it comes in black and white and will be shipped on June 28. Amazon is also currently offering a deal for $100 off the purchase of two Echo Shows with a code. Visit Amazon for more info.

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Amazon’s new Echo Show, Alexa with a screen originally appeared on on May 9, 2017 at 1:30 pm.

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Make the White House great again by letting your cat live in it


I don’t know who this cat is or how he or she leans politically, but this feline has my vote. My vote for the coolest pet house in the neighborhood! If you are tired of your puddy tat sleeping on your computer keyboard, it’s time that they move up to a deluxe Landmark Pet House from Poopy Cat.

Constructed of recycled, double-walled cardboard, Landmark Pet Houses are easy to assemble so your cat can move in as quickly as possible.

Each house features a fun little surprise like a springy flag on top of the White house, a tiny bell in the Kremlin, and a treat dispenser in the Eiffel Tower.

The White House Landmark Pet House sells for $44.95, the Kremlin sells for $49.95 and the Eiffel Tower is priced at $44.95. Visit Poopycat.com for more info.

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Make the White House great again by letting your cat live in it originally appeared on on May 9, 2017 at 12:37 pm.

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QQC Corp Q-SWAP mobile power review


Who doesn’t need an extra power supply?  The devices we use every day suck down energy almost as fast as we can replenish it.  I’ve been testing these QQC Corp Q-Swap mobile power supplies for over a month, and really put them through their paces.  How did they fare?  Check this out.

This mobile power supply comes with a nice, velvety carrying case, two rechargeable batteries, a charging ‘ Q case’, and a USB charging cable.  The dimensions (in the charging case) are: 1.8 x 0.7 x 3.7 inches.  It’s very light, too, weighing in at just 5.1 ounces, which is about the weight of a deck of playing cards.  For such a small size and weight, the power capabilities are pretty good.  Each battery holds 5,200mAh, giving you a total of 10,400mAh of backup power.  It is also legal to take these on planes, as the batteries are less than 100-watt hours (38.5, to be precise), which is in alignment with International Air Transport Association regulations.  Here are the main features of the device:

  • Swap and Go.  I rather like the design and creativity of these batteries.  The Q-Case design allows you to hot-swap batteries with no issues at all.  And the USB port allows you to charge the batteries, or power your devices with ease and convenience.  The design also helps prevent cord bending and breaking, because you hold the cord against the case, making it much more stable.
  • Easy Read Display.  If you touch the battery on the corner opposite the indicator light, it will give you a green, yellow, or red LED, which tells the remaining power level in the battery.  There is a LED on each side of both batteries.
  • BAM!  No waiting for recharges.  You can use one battery to power your devices, while the charger and other battery are plugged it getting juiced up.  Once one battery dies, just pop the other battery in, charge the dead one, and you’re back in business in about 10 seconds.
  • Convenience.  As I mentioned before, the batteries are very lightweight and portable.  You can always have extra power when you need it.
  • Scalability.  Q Swap sells additional batteries separately, so you can add or subtract as many batteries as your day will require.
  • Easy swap.  The batteries are slightly angled so that they will only fit in the Q case a certain way.  This makes sure there are no mistakes or burn-outs when charging.  The case also holds the battery in via little clips on each side, so you just pop them in and out.  Also, the batteries are Panasonic, in case you were wondering.
  • Safety, reliability, security.  The charger comes with a multi-protection circuit, and automatically detects the power needs of your device and charges them accordingly (works on 1-amp devices).

Here are some more pictures of the actual batteries and the Q case.  You can see the USB charging port, the charging connectors, the little clips/divots that hold the batteries in place while in the charging unit, and the LED lights on the batteries.

The packaging is clear and easy to understand.

 

It’s elegantly designed, with simple, informative graphics and instructions.

 

This picture highlights the trapezoidal shape of the battery.

And this one shows how the Easy Read Display operates, where to touch, and what the colors of the LED mean.

 

You can see below that the device fits very well into your hand.  The first picture demonstrates part of the safety functions of the device:  The USB cord plugs into the Q case very close to the case itself, so any downward or inward force on the connector is well-mitigated.  You can also see that the USB cable has a thicker, flexible end towards the plug.  This helps the cable withstand bending and breaking better.  The cable also conveniently wraps around the device while in your hand so the cable is held securely against the Q case, making breaks less likely.

 

You can see below, that the Q-Swap mobile power device has completely charged my Samsung Galaxy S5 (yeah, it’s time to upgrade).  Also, please take this shot for granted.  It was not easy getting the battery and phone to stay upright like that!  Sure, it would have been simpler to take ‘looking down’ shot… but you guys deserve the best!  And I’m here to give it to you.

And yes, it can charge large devices, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.1″.  Can you tell whether I like oceans or not?  Well, I like them NOW.  Until I was four years old, I was SEVERELY allergic to drowning.  Hehe.

OK, blah blah blah.  How well does it WORK?  So I’ve been using these batteries for about 45 days.  I mainly used them on my Galaxy S5, but also used them a few times on my Galaxy Tab S.  Typically, I would let my S5 run down to about 15% power remaining in its own battery, then I would start recharging with the Q-Swap batteries.  On average, the Q-Swap battery would fully recharge my S5 from 15% to 100% in an hour and a half.  Pretty sweet!  Comparable to having it plugged into an AC power source!  The quickest I got it from 15 to 100% was an hour and 23 minutes.  The longest it took was an hour and 38 minutes.  I estimate that this was caused by variance(s) in the level of “15%” juice left in my phone battery.  By the way, this was with the screen OFF for the vast majority of the time.  I was pretty happy with these batteries for the S5 phone.

Regarding my Galaxy Tab S 10.1 tablet, though…it has always had more staying power than my phone.  It has a physically HUGE battery – I’ve replaced it, so I know.  How did the Q-Swap’s handle the needs of the tablet?  Again, I started at 15% battery power remaining in the Tab S.  After two-and-a-half hours, one of the Q-Swaps charged it from 15% to 57%.  That’s the nice thing about having TWO instantly swappable batteries.  I popped the fully charged new battery into the Q-Case, and continued charging – again, with the screen off.  After 3 hours and 5 minutes, the second Q-Swap battery tuckered out, but it had charged my Tab S to 99%.  So, all-in-all, it took roughly five-and-a-half hours to charge the tablet from 15% to 99%, and two Q-Swaps did the job.  It’s good that the Q-Swaps get charged from an USB port faster than they can charge a device.  That way, you’re sure to always have that 2nd battery ready to go.

My overall impression of the QQC Corp Q-SWAP mobile power units is mostly positive.  I would recommend giving them a try.  They’re not “mega batteries”, like a 32,000mAh portable power supply (together, these are 10,400mAh), BUT, they’re also not as bulky either.  Here’s a picture so you can see for yourself.  Slightly smaller in width and length, but 1/8″ thicker than the deck of cards.

These would easily fit in your pocket(s) and satisfy most of your charging needs between the two.  They charge impressively fast (in my opinion) for what you get back from them.  Once one is done discharging, the other one is ready for a 3-second replacement swap.  Super easy.  Great for on-the-go power, very convenient, and you can always add additional batteries.  It has 22 reviews on Amazon, ALL of which are 5-stars.  Give them a try!  “Swap” your old portable battery supply.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by QQC Corp, and can be purchased on Amazon.

 

Product Information

Price: $89.95
Manufacturer: QQC Corp
Retailer: QQC
Pros:
  • Portable
  • Convenient
  • Scalability (can add more batteries)
  • Enough power to get you through your day
  • Size
  • Quick to recharge
Cons:
  • Charging devices can take some time, and possible battery swaps
  • 3 pieces
  • Cost

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QQC Corp Q-SWAP mobile power review originally appeared on on May 9, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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RowBike is a rowing machine on wheels


The 4-wheeled RowBike gets you where you want to go and gives you a whole body workout at the same time which burns 50% more calories than a traditional bike.

Invented by Scott Olson, the creator of Rollerblade inline skates, the RowBike is a rowing machine built onto a 4-wheeled bike frame. RowBikes are available in 2 and 4-wheeled versions, but we’re highlighting the 4-wheeled version here.

Instead of pedaling, the rowing cycle moves forward by rowing with the patented handlebar. As you row, the bike provides a full-body workout of cardio and strength training for your core, legs, and arms while offering the freedom of riding a bike.

The RowBike has an aluminum frame, a padded seat, a thumb-operated gearshift, a seven-speed derailleur, 20″ diameter tires, and front and rear caliper hand brakes. The 4-wheeled version of the RowBike is designed to accommodate riders 4′ 3″ and taller (up to 300 lbs).

This interesting exercise vehicle does have one problem. The price. At $3000, it’s definitely not going to be an impulse purchase like the As Seen On TV fitness products that people buy and then never use.

If the RowBike looks like a fun way to burn some calories and you have a LOT of disposable cash, head over to rowbike.com to read more about them and Hammacher Schlemmer to order one.

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RowBike is a rowing machine on wheels originally appeared on on May 9, 2017 at 8:10 am.

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Never lose your Apple AirPods with the PodStraps neck strap


When Apple released the AirPods and I saw them for the first time, I did a double-take because at first, I thought that they were just weirdly shaped earrings.  Now I see them everywhere.  And at a price of $159, I imagine that losing them would be top of mind for most AirPods owners.  So what better solution than to put the wires back on, right??  And that’s exactly what Budstraps did.

For the low price of $14.95, and with a choice of charcoal gray or yellow, you can have peace of mind that if the AirPods pop out of your ear you won’t be chasing them down the pavement.  The PodStraps are 19 inches long and include a cinch to adjust for your fit.  One size fits all.  The material is soft-touch and Budstraps included a pouch for easy carrying, thank you very much!

With your choice of charcoal gray or yellow, you can purchase the PodStraps at budstraps.com and Amazon.

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Never lose your Apple AirPods with the PodStraps neck strap originally appeared on on May 9, 2017 at 7:16 am.

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