6 of the Best Skype Alternatives for Making Free Calls

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Freedom: Is This App the Ultimate Distraction Blocker?

More than ever, distractions are everywhere. Whether you’re talking about your phone or your computer, something is almost always beeping at you or otherwise demanding your attention. If you’re looking to get some work done, this can be a serious problems. Reading online, you’ll see stories of novelists disabling the Internet entirely on their computers. Unfortunately, not everyone can do this. If you need to access the Internet for your work, your only option is to selectively block distractions. That’s easier said than done, but Freedom is an app meant to do just that. Related: 5 Apps to Help… Read more

How to Limit Resources an LXD Container Can Use

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Botanium Hydroponic and Automatic Indoor Gardening Pot review

REVIEW – Farm fresh herbs and veggies can make all the difference between a good dish or a blah dish. But not everyone has the time, space, or interest to put in their own garden. Gardening is Jeanne’s hobby and we have a 50′ x 50′ fenced in garden plot on our property. Traditional gardening is a ton of work and is reliant on mother nature blessing or wrath when it comes to yield. Today I want to show you a very small gardening option that you can do indoors with little to no effort. It’s the Botanium Hydroponic and Automatic Indoor Gardening Pot. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Botanium is a self-contained tabletop automatic self-watering hydroponic indoor gardening pot.

What’s in the box?

  • Botanium gardening pot
  • Gardening medium
  • Pipette bottle with liquid nutrients
  • AC adapter
  • User guide

Design and features

The Botanium hydroponic gardening pot is available in three colors including the grey version that was sent to me. It is made of plastic in a contemporary shape that resembles a flower vase and the pot is made up of two pieces.

There’s the bottom section which is the water reservoir and holds the pump mechanism, and the upper section where the growing medium is placed and where the plants grow.

It’s green thumb time!

Setting up the Botanium is quick and fun. All you have to do is fill the upper section with the growing medium which looks and feels like porous brown pebbles.

Then you fill the bottom section with water, add 4 droppers of the liquid nutrients, and set the upper section on top.

Next, you have to get some seeds. I had some coriander/cilantro seeds on hand and used those. All you have to do is poke them in the growing medium.

Then you plug in the pot and within a few seconds, the automatic watering pump will kick on to water the seeds. This happens every 6 hours. Here’s what it looks like when it’s all set up.

VIDEO

It’s up to you to keep an eye on the water level in the lower section of the pot by looking at the level window on the front. Every few weeks you’ll have to full it up with water and add more of the fertilizer drops.

Depending on the variety of seeds that you planted, they will sprout in a few days. Note that you will need to place the Botanium pot in a well-lit area since plants need sunlight just like regular ones. I really wish that some sort of light attachment was available for this pot as you can see from my pictures, the seedlings are very lanky even though I placed the pot in a window.

What I like

  • Easy to setup
  • Automatic watering
  • You can use any type of seeds that you have
  • Reusable

What I would change

  • Make a larger capacity pot
  • Include a light attachment

Final thoughts

Growing plants with the Botanium is pretty much foolproof because it takes care of the watering for you. All you need to do is make sure to put the pot in a bright area and keep the water reservoir filled.

If you’ve always wanted to grow herbs or flowers but don’t have room for a traditional garden, the Botanium is a fun and easy way to get started indoors. Just remember that this is a really small pot, so you can’t expect a huge harvest 😉

Price: $79.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Botanium.

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Botanium Hydroponic and Automatic Indoor Gardening Pot review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 25, 2019 at 10:27 am.

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Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps review


REVIEW – Approximately 8 years ago, my father who is now 87 years old, was diagnosed with Neuropathy as a result of aging. Diabetic Neuropathy seems to be the most common type, but the symptoms are the same with the latter being more extreme. As a result of helping him with his condition, I have learned a lot about various types of issues that contribute to the level of discomfort associated with this chronic disease. One of those issues can be poor circulation. I am very interested in testing the Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps to see how they perform and then maybe I will have my dad try them.

What is it?

The Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps are a pair of air compression devices that you wrap around your legs and feet and then they work via air compression to aid in the circulation in those body parts. They are made of durable material and designed to be therapeutic.

What’s in the box


2 x Compression Leg wraps (“R” for right leg / “L” for left leg)
1 x AC Adapter
1 x User manual
1 x Handheld controller

Design and features

Specifications

Features

Stress-Relieving Massage: This air massager provides cyclical air compression for your calves and feet, allowing you to enjoy an unforgettable massage experience
Adjustable Modes and Compression Intensity: Choose a setting that works best on you for an optimal relaxation experience that helps to alleviate fatigue and pain
Ergonomic Design: The leg air massager is made from a durable and dirt-proof fabric. The design of the air compression wraps fits naturally and comfortably around your legs
Built-in Safety Features: The device shuts off automatically after 15 minutes for safer user experience. The corded design allows for consistent power all the time

There is one main controller that has everything that you need on the surface to use the massager. The controls are the power button, an air pressure button, and the 2 mode buttons.

At the bottom of the controller, there are four jacks for the pair of connecting cables for each side of the massager, and the power jack for the AC adapter.


Performance

The first thing that you have to do to use these leg massagers, is to wrap them around your legs and feet. They are secured via the attached velcro and have a bending section that allows you to connect the lower part around your feet and the upper around your legs.

Once you plug in the cables to the controller and turn on the power, the power button LED lights red. As soon as you push the power button, air compression begins in both leg massagers. You have the option to increase or decrease the air compression level/intensity and to change modes which changes the way the compression moves around your legs/the rhythm.


The following chart explains the control functions:

What I like

  • The quality of the device
  • The simple controller
  • The therapeutic massaging effect

What I’d change

  • The length of the AC adapter cable

Final thoughts

The Naipo leg massager is the first of its type that I have tried. It is an interesting feeling in terms of having your feet and legs wrapped in one device that can feel a bit restrictive. However, it does massage both of your legs and feet and while I hate being immobile like that, I think that this would work great for people with circulation problems. As I previously mentioned, my father suffers from Neuropathy and it specifically affects his feet. I am hoping to convince him to try them sometime soon. In terms of the compression and the massaging effect, they seem to work well, and overall, they are well constructed and should withstand daily use.

Price: $89.99
Where to buy: Naipo Website and Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Naipo

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Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 25, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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