Home News

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

You may not be able to wear your Star Trek uniforms to work, but you can probably carry your gear in one of these Star Trek TNG Uniform Messenger Bags.  This exclusive from ThinkGeek, home of the coolest stuff, are officially licensed.  They are currently only available in Command Red and Sciences Blue.

The bags are made of polyurethane and polyester, with a black ST:TNG lining fabric and an adjustable seatbelt webbing shoulder strap with pad.  The main compartment is 14.75″ wide x 11″ tall and has a zipper closure and two sections with a padded divider.  Under the flap are a magnetic pouch, zippered pouch, open pouch, and two pen slots.  The outside has a combadge, and there are pips located under the flap.

The Star Trek TNG Uniform Messenger Bags are currently on sale for $29.99 at ThinkGeek.

Manhattan Portage Pen Cases: compact, protective, durable affordable

Here at The Gadgeteer, we appreciate good gadget storage and transportation devices and pen/pencil cases are no exception.  If you are familiar with Manhattan Portage, you know that they offer high-quality, well-built and durable bags, backpacks, cases and other accessories at reasonable prices.  Recently I stumbled upon Manhattan Portage’s Pen Cases.  Built from 1000D CORDURA® Classic fabric with a robust zipper, these cases include five pockets of varying widths that are nested such that their contents are less likely to contact each other when the case is closed.  Available in both Half Zip (with protective top flap) and Clamshell (with full zipper, pictured above) styles and Black, Grey, Red and Navy colors, each for $25.00.  Zip over to ManhattanPortage.com for more info or to order.

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

According to Wikipedia, a kamado is a traditional wood- or charcoal-fired Japanese stove.  Americans were introduced to this style of cooking during WWII, and that design has been incorporated into ceramic grills, like these Kamado Grills.  This model from Vision Grills is made with a thick ceramic body to retain heat, and they are designed to burn charcoal.  They incorporate a slot for an electric charcoal lighter, and they have dual calibrated draft-in dials for heat control, an ash-removal drawer, and a metal top vent.

Inside, you’ll find a dual-tier grill that has 604 square inches of cooking space.  This particular model, the Kamado Professional Ceramic Charcoal Grill with Grill Cover, also has two drop-down shelves, and the top has dual springs to help with the lift weight.

This Kamado Professional grill is $699.00 at Home Depot.

WaterField adds RFID blocking to their Finn Wallet

Do a search and you’ll find a lot of articles about WaterField’s Finn wallets as they have evolved – and been reviewed – by The Gadgeteer over the years.  There’s a new evolution in the Finn design to discuss today.  WaterField has kept the same shape, materials, and functionality you love in the Finn and added RFID-blocking to the Finn Access wallet to protect your cards and even your passport.

There are three sizes of the new Finn Access.  The Compact Size (#25) is 4.5″ x 3″ and weighs 1.5 oz; it holds about 20+ credit cards plus a wad of U.S. dollars.  The Classic(#26) is 4.75” x 3.5” and weighs 2.6 oz; it holds 20+ credit cards plus a wad of US or foreign currency.  The Passport (#42) is 5.75″ x 4.25″ and weighs 1.9 oz; it holds a U.S. Passport, US or foreign currency, 20+ credit cards, and a small pen.

The Finn Access is made of full-grain leather, certified RFID-blocking material, and has a YKK self-locking zipper.  There’s an outside pocket to keep travel docs or even an iPhone X readily available.  All three sizes are available in your choice of grizzly, gray, black, or crimson leather.  The Compact and Classic sizes are $79.00; the Passport is $89.00.  Learn more and purchase the Finn Access wallet at WaterField Designs.

Change the look and feel of the Apple Pencil with Ztylus

The Apple Pencil is perhaps a perfect stylus for drawing and writing on the iPad Pro, but some people (like me) may find its slim, slippery shape uncomfortable to hold for any length of time.  I like writing with markers and with pens with thick barrels, so I find that holding the Apple Pencil can feel like I’m pinching a chopstick between my fingers.  Adding the Apple Pencil Case from Ztylus gives the Pencil a thicker profile and adds some nice features that make using the Pencil easier.

The Case protects the Pencil, and the thick barrel makes it easier to grip, almost like writing with a marker.  The built-in clip stops the Pencil from rolling away, and it secures the Pencil inside your pocket.  The top of the clip is designed to hold the Pencil’s cap while it’s being charged.  Twist the barrel, and the tip of the Pencil is pulled inside the barrel for protection when you aren’t using it.  As Ztylus says:  “Same Pencil.  More benefits.”

The Apple Pencil Case is $24.95 at Ztylus.