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The Pelican S100 Sport Elite Laptop Backpack is at the head of the class

Recently I have been writing a lot of news stories about camera bags and bags that hold camera gear and accessories, but that is not the full extent of my “bag” adventures. Whenever I go anywhere that I know will allow me some downtime, I like to try to edit either video footage or photos, or simply research new gear and equipment on the internet. For this reason, I have invested in well over two dozen laptop bags including shoulder bags, carry-on bags, and most recently, backpacks.

While I am very certain that no design will ever meet my very personal fussy requirements, I did find one that has come close to my needs, at least for now.

The Pelican S100 Sport Elite Laptop Backpack is probably the strongest and most durable laptop bag that I own, and it accommodates my need to carry my laptop, my iPad Pro 12.9”, a second tablet, 3 or 4 different chargers, my mobile hotspot, a couple of bottles of plain water, a bottle of flavored “health” water, a couple of magazines, a few USB drives of various capacities and sizes, and a host of other small techie items that I need with me to satisfy my nerdy gadget obsession.

The hard shell that is built into the back of this bag does an amazing job of protecting my larger tablet or laptop, and the hard shell on the front pocket protects my hard drives and other sensitive gear. The bag is waterproof and fits well on my shoulders. It also has several additional pockets to accommodate every need. The cushions that pad the back of the bag for airflow and comfort work very well, so that carrying this bag for long periods does not leave me with a sweat-soaked shirt at the end of my journey. The adjustable straps are well padded and work well, and the zippers are strong and of great quality. The only caveat I found is that compared to many other backpacks, this one is quite heavy at 7lbs when it is empty.

If you need a backpack that can take a beating and still protect your gear, head over to Amazon and you can pick one up for $169.95.

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The Pelican S100 Sport Elite Laptop Backpack is at the head of the class originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Protect your hearing and ornament your ears with the Loop High Fidelity Earplugs

Back in the day, I saw some pretty good concerts.  I saw concerts by Yes, Queen, and Rush, among others.  I loved the concerts, but I suffered from ringing ears and muffled hearing for days afterwards.  I wish I had earplugs like these Loop high-fidelity earplugs to protect my ears back then.

The Loop earplugs have a circular shape with a small opening where sound enters the acoustic channel and passes through an acoustic filter.  The filter reduces the sound level by 20 decibels, but the design insures that the music and speech still sound clear.

Loop includes two types of ear tips for a good, comfortable fit.  There’s a pair of memory foam tips and two sets of silicone ear tips so you can find your best fit.    And unlike those old yellow foam earplugs back in the day, Loop earplugs look like you’re wearing ear ornaments or jewelry.  They are available in matte black, shiny black, gold, red, white, silver, rose gold, and blue.

Loop High Fidelity Earplugs are $29.95, with free shipping and returns, from the Loop website.

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Protect your hearing and ornament your ears with the Loop High Fidelity Earplugs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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The Flashpoint Budget Macro Focusing Rail Set will fine tune your macro photography

By now, many of you that have read my news stories can easily see my love for photography and even more, my love for macro photography. The ability to capture amazing images that have an interesting focal point, depth of field, and great bokeh, has become an obsession. When I am in the studio working on macro photography, there are times when my setup involves an object that I mount in a fixed position and a camera on a tripod that is focused on that object.

To get the perfect shot, there is usually the need to make micro adjustments to the distance between the lens and the object, and the left or right position of the camera. Making such adjustments by manipulating the tripod head simply does not work, and after many of my own failures trying to do just that, I purchased the Flashpoint Budget Macro Camera Focusing Rail Set, with 4 way and Fine Control.

I should immediately declare that cost was a major contributor to this purchase since many of the revered focusing rails cost hundreds of dollars. I settled on the Flashpoint rail because it was comparatively cheaper and because it had very good reviews. I must say that it turned out to be a great choice and a great decision. This rail is well built and capable of adjustments that are micro enough to do the job. It stayed in place with a relatively heavy DSLR camera with the extended battery grip with 2 batteries installed, and with the weighty Sigma 105mm macro lens attached. I was able to really get the position between the lens and the object dialed in perfectly and it has remained reliable for every shoot.

If you are in the market for a focusing rail and if you don’t want to put a hole in your pocket, head over to Adorama and pick one up for the bargain price of $54.95.

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The Flashpoint Budget Macro Focusing Rail Set will fine tune your macro photography originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Stay toasty warm on your next camping trip with the Alice heated sleeping blanket

Winter in the southern United States is an unpredictable season.  For example, temperatures were in the upper 70s a couple weeks ago, and this week we had snow and ice and temperatures in the low 30s.  You never know what to expect weather-wise, which can make it difficult for those outdoorsy-types who camp year round.  With the Alice Battery-operated Heated Down Camping Blanket, you’ll be set for unexpectedly cold temps.

Instead of a zippered sleeping bag, this is a blanket, which is said to allow more air flow and be more comfortable.  The blanket’s shell is made of DWR Ripstop 20D Nylon, which blocks moisture.  The 650-fill white duck down insulation keeps you warm.  There’s even a second moisture-proof blanket that can be buttoned to the main blanket when you need a little extra heat.

But when it’s really cold and you need even more heat, the main blanket has an embedded Revean Carbon Heating System that can raise the temperature from 15 degrees to 45 degrees in a matter of minutes.  The heating level has low-medium-high settings for your comfort.

The heating system is powered by an included 12000mAh battery that can power the blanket for 4 hours at low, 3 hours at medium, and 2 hours at high.  The battery has other purposes, too:  LED flashlight, SOS signal, mobile device charger, and you can even jump start your car with it.

The blanket measures 80″ x 54″ and weighs 6 pounds.  It stows away in a compression bag for easy packing with your gear.

The Alice Battery-operated Heated Down Camping Blanket is $172.00 at Amazon.

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Stay toasty warm on your next camping trip with the Alice heated sleeping blanket originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Protect your AirPods with a PodPocket

You’ll keep your AirPods safely at hand in the PodPocket.  The silicone pocket is precision-molded for a close fit to the AirPods case, ensuring that the case won’t slip out.  The high-grade silicone is thick for extra protection, but it still weighs only 0.96 ounces.

The pocket has a reinforced key ring hole and a keyring and clip so you can attach the pocket to your belt loop, keyring, or belt strap.  The case has an opening in the bottom to allow for charging the AirPods.    The PodPocket Protective Silicone Case is available in indigo blue, pear green, cocoa gray, and blazing red for $19.95 at The Grommet.

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Protect your AirPods with a PodPocket originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 14, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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