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Targus CityLite Pro Compact Convertible Backpack review

REVIEW – Continuing in the trend of “commuter packs that can hold any screen, so long as it’s skinny”, we’ve got a new contender from an old friend. Add to the required main large, narrow screen sleeve a flexible set of pockets and versatile straps, and you’ve got a winner. This one is from Targus, one of the oldest laptop case makers I’m aware of. Presenting their CityLite Backpack.

What is it?

Streamlined on-the-go style, laptop protection, and backpack-to-briefcase carrying for wherever your day may take you. That’s the website’s tagline, and it fits. You can carry this as a tote, a briefcase, a sling or wear it as a backpack. Let’s dig in.

What’s in the box?

Just the bag.

Hardware specs

  • Works With 16″ Laptops and Under
  • Capacity – 13 Liters
  • Weight – 1.94 lbs
  • Dimensions – 12.60″ x 17.31″ x 4.32″ (W x H x D)
  • Laptop Compartment – 9.84″ x 13.78″ (W x H)
  • Tablet Compartment10.50″ x 11.50″ (W x H)
  • WarrantyLimited Lifetime Warranty
  • Multi-fit cradle fits 12” – 15.6” laptops
  • Tablet pocket fits up to 12.9″ devices
  • Tuck-away shoulder straps to convert backpack to briefcase
  • Contoured, padded shoulder straps & air mesh pack panel for comfort
  • Hideaway bottle pocket
  • Interior file divider and two zippered compartments
  • Trolley pass-through luggage strap
  • Metal hardware with soft-touch zipper pulls

Design and features

The CityLight is a minimal pack with maximal yearnings. There’s only a sleeve back pocket, a central pocket that zips around 70% of the opening with a dual zipper plus a slender front pocket, but you can carry it any way you want.
The outer shell is a grey ripstop nylon, but the texture is almost a linen feel. It’s a much thicker fabric than a parka or sleeping bag ripstop. Across the bottom of the front, there’s a darker coloring, which looks like some protectant has been applied. There is no seam, and it doesn’t feel different, but the fabric is many shades darker.


The outermost pocket is a generous size, and there’s enough dimension to put in things like a power supply, gloves, or all the stuff from your pants pockets when you’re going through security.
The center section is very accessible and has sides all around like a packing cube. There’s a slash pocket across the back that could hold a magazine or some files. It’s not too tight, as these things tend to be. The cover that zips out of the way has a net pocket with a zipper that could hold cables, wallet, or an iPad mini in a case. Behind that is a larger zipper pocket that goes all the way down to the fold (where the outside zipper stops).


The rear pocket has a three-part sleeve divider that is trimmed across the top in royal blue elastic. The two outer pieces are double thicknesses of the inner material. The center section is a very soft stretch material. A 1.5” webbing security strap extends from the top center and attaches to the divider’s center with a generous patch of hook-and-loop fabric. In front of this is another thin area that would hold a tablet, a portable keyboard, or a sheaf of papers. It’s not thick enough for, say, an umbrella or clothing.

Performance

The flexible nature of the CityLite lends itself well to shifting between a backpack, a sling, a tote, or a briefcase. The straps disconnect individually from the lower corners and can be stored in a panel behind the vented mesh back. For a sling, just connect one of the straps to the lower corner opposite. The briefcase handle, opposite the net water bottle pocket on the right side, as you wear it, pulls out a bit, and has mesh padding underneath, while being stitched and attached flexibly at each end. This makes the load bounce a bit, which makes things seem lighter. The haul loop, which offers tote-bag style carrying is probably the least comfortable of the four carry methods. The handle is 1″ webbing with no padding and no give.

What I like

  • Generous cradle holds everything from gamer laptops to iPads
  • Laptop and tablet space available
  • Straps can be used in several ways
  • Flexible hidden net pocket for a drink bottle, small items, phones, etc.

What needs to be improved

  • Front pocket is kinda small, for those wanting longer days.

Final thoughts

I’ve used Targus cases off and on for decades. Their guarantee and customer service is first class. (I’ve had 3-year-old bags be replaced for no charge for customers.) This kind of support over the long haul is rare among bag manufacturers

Price: $74.99
Where to buy: Targus and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Targus. You can visit them on Facebook and Twitter too.

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Targus CityLite Pro Compact Convertible Backpack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 11, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Padmate PaMu Slide TWS earbuds review

REVIEW – Wireless earbuds are being released and changed at a rapid rate. Only two years ago, there were few options. Now, companies seem to bring out new styles and feature-sets daily. Today’s model is the Slide, from PaMu. This is the third set of totally wireless earbuds I’ve reviewed from this company, and they are all different. Let’s get to it.

What is it?

A set of wireless earbuds with great sound and a really long play time, and, oh yeah, a charging case that can also charge your phone wirelessly.

What’s in the box?

  • Wireless earbuds
  • Charging case
  • Three sets of ear tips
  • USB-A to USB-C charging cable

Hardware specs

  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • Dual Microphone Noise Reduction
  • IPX6 waterproof certification
  • 10 Hours music playback on a charge
  • touch button control

Design and features

The PaMu Slide earbuds are much thinner and lighter than the company’s earlier models. They have plainly taken a clue from the elongated tube reaching down from your ears that the AirPods first popularized, but rather than having a thick cylindrical shape, these are rounded rectangles pulled out of a gumdrop. The size of the units allows the company to give us longer battery life and better fidelity. The company says these have three times the play time, half the power consumption, and eight times the transmission capacity as the Scroll models. The Scroll, by the way, set two IndieGoGo records: most money raised in a TWS earphone campaign ($3,387,480) and most backers ever (62,334). Improving on these statistics will take some doing, but I found the claim believable. PaMu has certainly been learning something in their growth from the first unit, and these are set to start at a $49 backing.

Setup

The setup of a Bluetooth device is Gadgeteer 101, but this one throws you a curve. After you are asked to pair once and agree, you’ll see an identical pairing dialog. The two earbuds are connected to each other but act independently so that you can use only one, yet still have phone and digital assistant connectivity. And they show up in your lists as two different items.


Bluetooth 5 gives these guys a solid connection that will last while I step away and leave my phone on my desk at home, or if I’m around tons of other interference, like others using Bluetooth, or also syncing my keyboard and mouse to the sound source. It’s a very strong link, which means it wants to re-connect, so moving between devices sometimes means unpairing from the previous device. This is a fairly common issue with using Bluetooth devices with multiple sources, however.

Performance

The sound and syncing of the Slide earbuds are great. The sound is full and watching movies, whether streamed or being played from a device, was always in sync. Gameplay was first-rate, too. (The sound from earbuds, even ones of this size, is not as good as over-the-ear headphones or a great set of speakers, mind you. But, for in-ear wireless headphones, these are great.)
The battery charger will recharge the earbuds for a huge number of times. The number “ten hours” was released, but I don’t listen to earbuds enough to time this type of battery life. Let’s just say this: I was not able to have the earbuds run out of power, and the case never “needed” charging, but I charged it every time it got below 2 dots, which wasn’t often.


One of the real super-powers of this unit is the hidden Qi charger in the bottom of the case. If you double-click the button that’s beside the charging port, a light will come on around the button. If you then balance your phone on the case, it will engage charging, and give you 10-15% charge before it stops. It will still have 2 dots for the earbuds at this point, which is one or two full charges, according to the literature. This is a really cool function, in a world where phones are sucking battery life for everything from video and photo duties to playing games and music.


The one thing that really caused issues with these earbuds, however, is that I ‘d wear them while walking from my office to my car, get into the car and plug my phone (the sound source) into my stereo. This would transfer the sound to my stereo for the drive home. I would then remove the PaMu Slides from my ears and place them into their case to charge. No problems so far. I’d drive down the ramps of the deck and when I’d hit the first bump while driving, the Slides would rattle in their case and re-acquire the phone while my podcast keeps playing through the earbuds, not my stereo. By this time, I’m in traffic, and I’m wondering, “Where did the sound go?” The remedy? When I plug in my stereo, I have to unpair the Slides from the phone completely to prevent them from reacquiring the phone. This killed all the joy in my heart every time I tried to use them. I love the PaMu headphones when I’m using them, but once I turn them off, I can’t trust that they will stay off. This is the main strike against them. It’s a deal breaker for me, having to pair and unpair them each and every time I use them.

What I like

  • USB-C!
  • Really long play
  • The phone charging trick
  • Sturdy case

What needs to be improved

  • The loose connection that reactivates the unit’s connection to your device
  • I’d like to see an option to turn off the two-unit pairing, if possible.

Final thoughts

Like many items in today’s tech world, there are occasional fatal flaws. With each iteration, PaMu has shown that they are thinking and iterating well. The first unit had a flimsy cover and the battery case ran out in just a few charges. The Slide has a huge battery that lasts a good long time, and the buds themselves have great batteries as well. If only they would stay in charge mode when you place them in the charger. I’m going to experiment with some tissue or something to try and make them stop reconnecting with every little bump.

Price: $49.00
Where to buy: Indiegogo
Source: The sample of this product was provided by PadMate.

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Padmate PaMu Slide TWS earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 10, 2019 at 12:00 pm.

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Anet A8 Plus 3D printer review

REVIEW – The Anet A8 3D printer was introduced in 2017 and quickly gained a following because of its affordability, capability, and adaptability to modification. On the downside, however, the printer had poor documentation, a relatively steep learning curve, a shaky frame, and a potential safety issue. The Anet A8 Plus is the successor to this product. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The Anet A8 Plus is a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3d printer. The printer creates a flat pattern of a material which can be fused to the next layer. The printer then raises the print head the thickness of the material and creates the next layer of the model, fusing it to the previous layer. The material is also cooled as it is extruded so that bridging and overhangs of the material on the previous layer is possible. The printer has a large 300 x 300 x 350mm build area supported by a channel aluminum frame and steel guide rods. This is an improvement over the acrylic frame used on the A8. The bed is a heated glass panel for anchoring the model to the bed while printing. This is an improvement over the bed used on the A8. Most importantly, the motherboard has been redesigned to improve the safety of the circuitry. The components used on the motherboard are now more substantial than on the A8 and are now protected by a glass fuse. The extruder feed design and belt tensioning have also been improved over the previous model. One final feature is that the user interface is now anchored to the unit with magnets, which means that it can be removed or repositioned on the extruded aluminum more easily.

What’s in the box?

Each of the following items is shipped disassembled in the box.

  • Chassis kit
  • Vertical frame kit
  • T nuts, M4 8 screws, M5*20 cylindrical head screw
  • Limit switches
  • Power supply
  • Mainboard
  • Display screen
  • Display screen holder
  • 3D printed Filament holder
  • Line bag (Heating bed line \ X, Y Z1, Z2 motor line X, Y, Z limit switch line)
  • Black winding pipe
  • Extra fuses
  • Rubber finger cot (I guess so that the machine oil doesn’t get on your fingers?)
  • Wind mouth Tool
  • Hexagon wrench bag, transparent ruler, plier, screwdriver
  • A8 Plus application and manual on TF card, USB adapter
  • 10 meters of white PLA filament
  • Power line
  • Instruction manual
  • Warranty Card

Hardware specs

  • Model:A8 PLUS
  • Filament Diameter: 175mm
  • Printing Size: 300x300x350mm
  • Recommended Filament: PLA Extruder
  • Operating software language: English
  • Printing Precision: +/-0.1mm
  • Data Input Format: STL, OBJ, JPG
  • Layer Thickness Precision: adjustable from 0.1 to 0.4mm
  • Data Output Format: Gco, Gcode
  • Printing Method: Online Printing/Offline Printing
  • Machine Net Weight: 10KG
  • Printing Speed: up to 120 mm/s
  • Recommended Printing Speed: 30-60mm/s
  • Power Supply/ Max. Power-consumption: 110 to 220V, 360W
  • Operating System: Windows MAC
  • Nozzle Diameter: Standard 0.4mm
  • Supported Printing Materials ABS, PLA, HIPS WOOD TPU, etc

Design and features

As indicated above, the design of the Anet A8 Plus is significantly advanced over the Anet A8. The design is still consistent with a “maker” aesthetic – the finished product still has exposed electronics, wiring, and mechanical components. Compare this with the Monoprice MP Select Mini 3D Printer V2 and you can see that the Anet looks much more functional. For what its worth, even though the Monoprice unit is more refined looking, I prefer the gantry extruder of the Anet over the cantilevered design of the Monoprice.

From the ground up this is a well-built printer. There are four large rubber feet to absorb momentum and vibration while printing. The aluminum frame is a quality design and much more resilient than an acrylic substitute. The printing platform is glass for smooth results that are designed to stay put while hot but are easy to separate later and is easy to clean. The platform rides on two guideposts and the belts for the Y-axis motor, which moves the platform can be tensioned with a wingnut. I wish that the platform could be leveled by adjusting a screw on top of the platform and not a thumb screw below. I did have a bit of a challenge getting this true to the print head, and I suggest that you do this and recheck it while it is warm to hot. The thumb screws are likely to move as time goes on I may try to set it up again with some Loctite purple threadlocker.

The vertical frame is secured with corner braces to ensure that it stays true and upright. the X-axis chassis is securely mounted to the threaded rod. There is not observable play in the mechanism which helps to provide the 0.1 mm layer thickness precision. I did have to readjust the location of the Z-axis limit switch and it would be helpful if this could be screw adjustable from the factory. There is a modification to create this on Thingiverse however and I suppose that the most enduring quality of this system is the modifications that may be made to it and the community that supports them. 

Getting the extruder loaded was also a bit challenging. The PLA they provided tends to feed entirely around the capstan and shoot out to the rear of the extruder head. Removing the spring arm and pivot screw that tensions the PLA in the head is easy enough, and once this is out it is simple enough to manually feed the PLA, but it is not a perfect scenario. I didn’t notice any operational problems with the feed system once the printer was operational. That is, the feeding and retracting of the printing material worked without a hitch.

Setup

One of the first things you will notice is that this unit comes in a big box.

It is nicely packed with styrofoam to ensure that after the journey from China the items arrive safely.

 

The box contains a long list of parts that must be assembled before an operation begins. Fortunately, Anet has preassembled some of the most complicated parts. The chassis and vertical frame already have the motors,  polished rods, threaded rods, and belts assembled. The extruder is pre-mounted on the vertical frame X axis. The Anet website claims that assembly is easy and only requires 10 minutes, but even their own how to video is 20 minutes long and uses camera cuts and time-lapse recording.  Overall, the assembly took a bit over 2 hours. The breakdown of the assembly process is illustrated below:

  • Assembly of the vertical frame on the chassis is straightforward. The mounting is pre-drilled which means alignment is easy. After assembly, it is important to verify the trueness of the vertical frame to make sure it is not leaning one direction or another, otherwise, the output will look like a bell tower in Pisa, but the directions did not explicitly require this.

  • Installing limit switch on the X-axis (which moves the extruder on the vertical frame) was easy but seemed like this could have also been completed at the factory.
  • Securing the threaded rod only requires tightening the shaft coupling according to the assembly directions, but considering that X-axis (which is moved by the Z-axis) is only positioned by cable ties, I used a cut length of MDF and advanced the Z-axis against it until the Z-axis was completely parallel to the top of the frame. Then the couplings were tightened. This step ensured that both ends of the X-axis were at the same level.
  • Installing the windpipe is straightforward. it is a 3D printed component itself. Many sites online recommend printing a 360-degree diffuser but I haven’t done this yet.
  • The motherboard is shipped in an enclosure. The enclosure must be opened to install all of the wiring. Installing the wiring is the most time-consuming part of the build. The amount of time that is spent on this step can vary considerably based on how neat you want the final product to look. There is also improvement in the robustness of the printer if the neatly organized wiring is less likely to be disconnected or snagged on the moving parts. There are 18 connections to make. the wiring was all well labeled and the connector design took all the guesswork out of the correct wiring. The only item I needed to figure out on my own was that the X-axis limit switch is a normally open/normally closed design and the wiring needs to go to the correct pin.

  • A guide of the optimal wiring layout would be immensely helpful. The manual also failed to emphasize that some wiring needs some slack so that the components can move. One modification I made to the recommended setup was to wire the items on the extruded to the guide rod bushing screw.
  • When testing the motors the extruder needs to be hot before the feed motor will activate.  I didn’t get a positive response that the motor is wired correctly until after I tried heating the extruder block.
  •  The display screen is prewired and enclosed in a metal case. It is mounted on a magnetic frame. I don’t really see the benefit of the removable screen. I have not really moved it at all in my interactions with the printer.
  • Mounting the spool holder is the last step. I mounted it on top of the frame because that way the printer is not as wide. The spool may also be mounted on the side of the chassis, opposite the control panel.

Operation

The controls of the machine show the extruder set point and present value, the bed set point and present value, the percent of full speed of the cooling fan, the location of the extruder in x,y,z space, the speed adjustment as a function of percent, the elapsed time and a status bar showing the percent of the model complete (in length of filament, not percent of layers). The control is menu based and is navigated by the control wheel to select menu position or value and pressing the wheel, which indicates selection. The menus are well organized and the operation is straightforward.  One issue I found is that there is a buffer on the knob movement, so caution should be taken when using this to move the extruder to the bed so as not to crash it. The screen also has a reset button mounted on the front. I would prefer that this was located on the motherboard so it is not pressed accidentally.

The unit ships with the Cura version 14.07 slicer, Cura user manual, The user manual for the Anet printer, Repetier Host and the CH340G USB to UART driver. I have done all my printing with the microSD and have not used the USB cable. The card also comes with a bunch of test prints: a giant Baymax figure, a change box, a brush barrel with a bear on the front, a Chinese Chess piece, a figure (a statue of Shia LaBeouf), a decoration of FU (Good Luck Character) and the English word love, and a Mayan Temple.

Cura has a lot of variables that can be adjusted to obtain the model or printer’s best output. I have not investigated all of the parameters or come up with any guidance on what settings are best. This is another area where having a strong user base is very useful for debugging and incremental improvement.

Performance

I did not run any popular benchmarks of this printer because as a project 3D printer, the results that I achieve may not be representative of other people’s build, but I did run a couple of models to test the operation. The first model I attempted, one of the bed nuts fell off and tilted the model. The extruder hit the model and I ended up with a bird’s nest.

I wanted to see if I could print the images I captured with the Structure Scanner a couple of years ago. I dropped the OBJ into Cura and a full-scale model was displayed. I scaled it to 10% and it generated a gcode model. About 90 minutes later I had a scale model of my daughter. The test turned out to be a good demonstration of the intricacy that the printer is capable of.

I printed a stylized ‘S’ on the x,y axis to see what the 45-degree sides would look like. I did have an issue on the bed leveling heigh and ended up with a bit of an elephant’s foot on the model, but the sides look ok. There is some waviness to the side of the ‘S’ and that is when the x and y motors are each operating at the same speed.  Maybe some print speed modification is needed but overall there is not that much noise for a prototype build.

I also wanted to see how easy it is to print my own design. I printed a 3D version of the gadgeteer logo. I uploaded the logo into Tinkercad and created the Z-axis extrusion in the Tinkercad UI on the web.

It is very interesting to be able to design and print something without expensive custom 3D software. Of course, my first attempt didn’t go as planned.

But trying again

and a little patience during the 1:33 printing time –

results in a great 3D model.

What I like

  • Solid build
  • Good quality model output
  • a strong user support base
  • modifiable

What needs to be improved

  • wiring guide
  • bed leveling nuts

Final thoughts

The Anet A8 Plus offers many enhancements over the Anet A8 but still maintains the low price point, do-it-yourself kit feel, and decent part output that made the Anet A8 so popular. If you’re a professional, novice, or completely inexperienced and you are looking for an affordable 3D printer kit, the Anet A8 Plus may be a great starting point for modification, experiment or learning about FDM 3D printing.

Price: $288.00
Where to buy: Anet, Amazon, or AliExpress
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Anet.

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Anet A8 Plus 3D printer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 10, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Bellroy Sling Shoulder Bag review

REVIEW – More often than not, we have to tote around a bunch of daily-carry items that don’t fit in our pockets, but feel like overkill to put into a big backpack. Legendary wallet maker Bellroy looks to do away with your bulky shoulder bags and heavy packs with their diminutive Sling satchel. Is it up to the task? Read on!

What is it?

The Sling is a small shoulder satchel with two soft-lined, zipper pockets, an expandable main compartment. It’s appropriately sized for when you need to carry more than your pockets would hold, but less than a messenger bag or backpack.

What’s in the box?

  • just the Sling and a warranty card

Specs

  • 23 x 34 x 10cm
  • Holds up to 7 Liters
  • 350g (12.3oz)
  • Front compartment with key clip
  • Main compartment with soft-lined, zippered glasses pouch
  • Magnetic clasp on strap for easy removal
  • Self-compressing, expandable gusset
  • Padded paneling on the back for comfort
  • Soft Nylon webbing straps
  • Water-resistant materials
  • 3 year warranty
The Sling is one of those things that, with time, you can get used to wearing.

Design and features

You may be familiar with the name Bellroy from their wallet ads, whose revolutionary design claims to reduce the thick billfold in your back pocket down to a sleek, svelte and downright sexy size.

The Sling takes the concept of trimming down that extra thick wallet and applies to the standard shoulder bag, asking “What if you just carried what you needed, and that’s it?”

When I first got my hands on the Sling, it very much reminded me of the classic fanny pack, only with a longer strap. At its shortest strap length, the Sling could be used in a typical hip bag fashion, but it’s intended to be placed on the body in a cross-chest configuration, the bag resting comfortably in front or in back.

Special thanks to my daughter for getting some good action shots!

Organization freaks might be turned off by the fact that there are only 3 pockets. I, myself, like lots of smaller pockets for pens, chapstick, change … the small things I like to carry in a bag instead of sloshing around in my pockets. There is one front zipper pocket, one expandable, gusseted main compartment, and a soft-lined smaller zipper pocket inside that main section meant primarily for sunglasses.

Also included in the main compartment is a keyring hook. I don’t think I’ve ever used one, but I suppose it’s handy to stick a spare key on, or keep your keys in one corner of the compartment.

The expandable main pocket holds a lot of stuff!

I would have liked maybe one more zippered bag to hold some of my smaller items. I like to carry around some minor first aid stuff like bandages and Tylenol, and I simply put all that stuff in a sandwich baggie. I’ll probably get a more durable small bag at some point for exactly this purpose.

As you can see from the picture, the expandability of the main pocket is very helpful in being able to secure an unexpectedly large payload.

Here’s everything I carried with me when I was taking photos, including a surprise Playstation game that my co-worker brought in… it still all fit in the Sling.

The front pocket is wide and tall enough to accommodate my Switch, which is personally my go-to test in seeing if a bag is too small to be worth carrying. The Sling just passes, in my eyes.

One key feature worth mentioning is the extra loop that the strap passes through. When being worn, the weight and tension compresses the gusset and keeps the bag as thin as it can be, which is quite smart.

Secret sunglasses pouch!

Another unique addition to the Sling is the magnetic clasp. At first, I was concerned that it would continually come undone, but I didn’t experience that even once. It is easy to undo, but it requires force to be exerted in the opposite direction of how the strap would pull when being worn. This makes the Sling easy to don. Admittedly, I didn’t use this feature often. It’s just as easy to slide the strap over my head rather than unclasp it, hold the bag in place on my chest, and fish around my back to pull the other end over my shoulder. Maybe I just didn’t “get” it and there is an easier way.

The front pocket is just large enough for a Switch.

It would certainly be useful when, say, wearing a motorcycle helmet, prohibiting the strap from going over your head. Most of the time I just carried the Sling over one shoulder like a purse, which is just fine.

Slipping the bag from back to front to access the contents is quick and easy. It’s meant to be ambidextrous by design, so it can be worn over your left or right shoulder and still be accessible. It’s very comfortable carried on your back or your chest. Although I have to admit, it’s a unique look. It sort of reminds me of those tiny little backpack purses that girls carried around in the ‘90s. I still get a little self-conscious about wearing smaller bags like this.

Aside from the lack of smaller pockets, which really just speaks to the simplicity of the Sling, I really like this little satchel. It might be too small for some, or even most. And it’s not cheap, weighing in at nearly $100. It’s quality, through and through. At least it feels expensive. For the commuters and EDC enthusiasts out there, it’s a nice little bag aimed at paring down your larger bags to just the essentials, if you can get past the look of strapping such a tiny satchel to your back.

What I like

  • super durable and lightweight
  • discreet glasses pocket
  • magnetic clasp is a unique addition

What needs to be improved

  • strap takes a bit of fiddling to lay straight
  • pretty expensive for such a small bag

Final thoughts

Bellroy’s diminutive Sling satchel is up to the task of carrying your essential items in any setting, helping you leave your large, bulky backpack at home. However, it could be a little too small and little too expensive for some.

Price: $99 with free shipping
Where to buy: You can pick up your own Bellroy Sling in four different colors on their website.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Bellroy.

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Bellroy Sling Shoulder Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 10, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Cheerble Wicked Ball pet toy review

REVIEW – Cheerble Wicked Ball is a “smart toy” aimed at keeping your pet active and engaged, especially when you’re not home.

What is it?

With three different activity level settings and a spot to stash treats, this pet toy alternates between play and rest mode to entertain your dog or cat for hours with built-in breaks.

What’s in the box?

Mine arrived only with the ball itself in heavy-duty bubble wrap. However, the web site says it should have come with:

  • The ball
  • An instruction manual
  • USB charger

My instruction manual and charger may have been missing because I received a review sample. However, it wasn’t a problem because the Wicked Ball Web site has extensive instructions, including videos.

And I was able to easily charge it with my Kindle charger.

Hardware specs

  • Sensor: 6-axis MEMS
  • Processor: ARM Cortex-MO
  • Material: Polycarbonate and TPU
  • Motor: High-Torque DC
  • Charging time: 1 hour
  • Battery Life: Up to 8 hours, depending on mode/activity level
  • Model: C1801
  • Weight: 200 grams
  • Dimensions: 77mm/3 inches across
  • Battery: 3.7v 300mAh
  • Operating Temperature: 0-40 C / 32-104 F

Design and features

First, you need to unscrew the outer shell in order to reach the power center that controls the toy. This is also where you find the charging port.

Setup

It’s pretty simple to set up. To turn it on, you press the little dog-bone button for 3 seconds. Then you hold down the button to select your mode. As you press it, it will switch from green (gentle) to blue (normal) to purple (active). Just leave it on your preferred color/mode selection.

Also, rest assured that it won’t start twitching and vibrating until you’ve safely screwed the outer shell back together.

Performance

I was surprised at how turbulent even the most gentle mode was. Because of this, I’d suggest starting on green and then deciding if your dog wants more. With its wild movements, I wasn’t comfortable with the Wicked Ball gyrating across my new bamboo floors or around my antique furniture. I know it has sensors, but even so, I’m very protective of our family heirlooms, and it just wasn’t worth the risk. For my own piece of mind, I kept it in our carpeted lower-level.

The sensors did a good job of preventing the ball from getting wedged in tight spaces. My dog has a different (non-motorized) ball that releases treats but it’s forever getting jammed in awkward corners and under the couch.

I love the concept of entertaining a lonely dog, but in all honesty, my own canine companion didn’t much care for it as a toy. (We found another valuable use for it, but more on that later). My dog isn’t afraid of the ball. She just has no interest. Maybe my house full of boys and their friends has desensitized her to lights and motion. Maybe it’s her robot-vacuum pal, Rosie. But sadly, the Wicked Ball simply didn’t engage my own pup. Chasing chipmunks and bunnies in the backyard is more her jam.

The Web site claims “lazy dogs” could be lured by sticking treats in the inner-shell. My dog isn’t lazy, in fact, she’s very active. Regardless, even stuffing it with her favorite goodies wasn’t enough to entice her.

Since my dog wasn’t cooperating, I had a friend test the Wicked Ball on her Jack Russell Terrier. He had the same reaction: Not interested.

As I mentioned earlier, we did find another important use for the Wicked Ball that turned out to be just as valuable to us as entertaining our puppy girl. It helped distract her when she was having an episode of separation anxiety. We’re working through her anxiety with several treatments and vet supervision. However, at her worst moments, my pup fixates on our backdoor, where she’s scratched the heck out of the doorframe, hurt her teeth by repeatedly biting the door handle, and has even dug up the carpet and metal doorframe. And that’s where the Wicked Ball saved us! We keep it by the backdoor when we leave, and we’ve seen on our security camera that when puppy starts to approach the door (where we now keep the Wicked Ball), the toy’s jerking motion is just enough to break her focus, which prevents total panic mode from taking over.

What I like

  • Easy to us
  • Keeps my dog distracted

What needs to be improved

  • Suggest a lower setting option
  • Perhaps a treat-release feature or something similar to entice uninterested pets

Final thoughts

The Wicked Ball is easy to use and a sound concept. How your pet will react and engage with it is very much dependent on your individual dog or cat.

Price: $34 for one Wicked Ball/ $89 for a three-ball set (Cat-specific version and cat/dog combo packs are also available)
Where to buy: Indiegogo Indemand
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Cheerble.

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Cheerble Wicked Ball pet toy review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 9, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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