NEWS – Did you read all our news, articles, and reviews this week? Not sure? No worries, here’s the full listing of everything we posted in the last seven days. Enjoy!
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Almost everyone on a computer uses the left mouse button as the primary button. It’s with the left button that you do things such as open files, folders, drag, and drop, etc. When all of a sudden the left mouse button stops working, you could have a major problem on your hands. It’s always a good idea to start with the most basic possible fixes, as sometimes that’s all it takes. Starting off with the essential repairs also saves you valuable time, since they are quick and easy to perform. Related: Headphones Not Working in Windows 10? Here Are Some Fixes The Basics The very… Read more
REVIEW – We keep hearing that sitting is the new smoking when it comes to activities that can be damaging/fatal to your health. I can’t really disagree that sitting all day is bad for me, but I’ve tried several standing desks over the years and can’t seem to work as well as I can while sitting at a desk.
If I’m going to sit, I want to sit on a chair that doesn’t contribute even more problems to the activity of sitting. I don’t want the chair to make my posture worse, back pain worse, etc. So with that in mind, let’s check out the Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing Chair.
What is it?
The Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing Chair is an office chair that has been designed to make the action of sitting better for your body by improving posture and comfort.
What’s in the box?
All the parts needed to assemble the Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing Chair
Hardware screws, washers, and 2 Allen wrenches
Assembly instructions
Assembly
Assembling the Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing Chair is not difficult and you will not need any extra tools as they are included with the hardware. You will need about 30 minutes to go through the steps which are clearly outlined in the included instructions.
The first step has you put the wheels/castors into the heavy metal (not ACDC) chair base. I always find this part the most difficult part of any chair assembly because you have to press the wheels into slots which takes more hand strength than I usually have. Having said that, I was able to seat each wheel in place with fewer swear words than normal.
After the wheels have been attached, the next step is to set the hydraulic piston thingy in the center of the base. This step takes no effort at all.
Then you have to place the seat on the piston. With this step, it is helpful to have someone hold the base while you place the chair on top. I didn’t have anyone to help me on the day I assembled the chair so it did take a little effort but it wasn’t too hard.
After the seat is seated, the back of the chair is positioned so that you can attach it to the seat with 4 screws that require the included Allen wrench to tighten them. Again, this isn’t difficult to do alone, but having another person around to hold things while you try to get the screws lined up helps a lot. Another thing that would help a lot would be longer Allen wrenches. The back of the armrests get in the way so that you can’t tighten the screws without reseating the wrench multiple times.
After the back of the chair is attached to the seat, there is a plastic piece that has to be attached to cover the screws.
Then the adjustable headrest is attached with 2 more screws and you’re done!
The Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing office chair is attractive with the black leather material on the padded back and seat cushion. But as you can see, the backrest of my chair is slightly deformed in the center due to having rested over the chair’s wheelbase while packaged in the shipping box. I thought this “dent” would eventually go away on its own, but after a week, it is still there. I’m hoping it will disappear after some time.
Design and features
The Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing Chair has quite a few adjustment points. First of all, the back of the chair has 3 depth positions that can be changed by twisting the oval knob on each side. Doing so will move the back of the chair towards the front of the seat cushion or back of the seat cushion by 2 inches in either direction.
The armrests can be raised, lowered 2 inches, slid forwards or backward 2 inches, and pivoted outwards, and inwards.
The padded headrest can also be raised and lowered 2 inches and pivoted forwards and backward. The whole chair can also be raised and lowered using the piston. At the lowest height, the seat cushion is 18 inches from the floor and at the highest height, it can be 21 inches from the floor. I’m 5’6″ tall and even at the highest seat height, my feet can still be placed flat on the floor so I’m not sure how a really tall person would feel about this chair.
All of the settings/adjustments that I’ve told you about so far can be found on most office chairs. But where the Eureka Ergonomic Executive Swing office chair is different is that the backrest and the seat cushion swing independently. Check out this 20-second video to see what I mean.
Is it comfortable?
You betcha! The leather covering is soft, smooth, and feels great. The seat cushion is firm but comfortable, as is the chair back. I like that it has built-in lumbar support which is important if you have lower back issues.
The independent pivot of the back and seat felt weird when I first started using the chair, but now I really like it.
According to Eureka Ergonomic:
This chair is the only chair in the world where the center of rotation (CR-1) of the chair is approximate to that of natural human seated posture. This provides natural human motion when you are seated, allowing you to work in comfort, while reducing the stress on your back, neck, legs, and hips.
What I like
Comfortable
Easy to assemble
30-day money back guarantee
3-year warranty
What needs to be improved
Armrests are too easy to slide forward and backward
Seat may not raise high enough for tall people
Final thoughts
The Executive Swing office chair from Eureka Ergonomic Is the nicest office chair that I’ve reviewed in my over 2 decades reviewing products. I can’t tell if it’s improving my posture, but I can say that it is comfortable to sit in for long review writing sessions. If I can be productive without my bum, my back, or my legs bothering me, then that’s all I care about.
Price: $499.00 for the leather version reviewed here and $399.00 for the cloth version Where to buy: Eureka Ergonomics and Amazon Source: The sample for this review was provided by Eureka Ergonomics.
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If you’ve ever wanted to use Google Maps to drive to a place that does not have a specific mailing address, you may remember the frustration it causes. Looking for areas of parks, camping sites, or a particular location with a fabulous view can be difficult, and sharing those with others even more so. Google Maps makes this easier to do by dropping pins onto their maps in any location you want. Dropping pins is the term used to locate a place on a map that is not identified by a searchable address. You can drop pins and then save or share them or create… Read more
REVIEW – My son’s middle school uses iPads for turning in and managing homework. I wanted to hold back on tech obsolescence so I picked up a 2018 iPad Pro 11 for him with the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio, which doesn’t provide a lot of protection from falls. That’s where the Urban Armor Gear (UAG) Scout Folio comes in.
What is it?
The UAG Scout Folio is a lightweight, rugged case that fits over an iPad Pro (11 or 12.9 inch 2018 model, each case sold separately) to provide extra protection. It’s important to note that the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio is required. Not tested with other keyboards or cases.
Hardware specs
Case requires use of Smart Keyboard Folio
Feather-light construction
Impact-resistant soft core
Non-slip ruggedized grip
Easy access to touchscreen and ports
Living hinge to move seamlessly with the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio’s multiple position stand
Apple Pencil holder and compatible with Apple Pencil Pairing/Charging
Meets military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G-516.6)
Compatible with iPad Pro 11-inch Model Numbers: A1980, A2013, A1934, & A1979
I was provided with the 11-inch version. A 12.9-inch of this case is also available.
Design and features
Right out of the box, the case itself looks nothing more than a single piece snap-on design. The plastic is semi-rigid that bends slightly. Not too soft, not too hard. A dotted-line slot runs across the back, serving as the hinge.Inside the edges, I discovered a thin lip that helps keep the iPad in place.
Setup
A card is included, demonstrating how you insert the iPad.
The Smart Keyboard Folio (without iPad) goes in first (top) followed by inserting one end of the iPad Pro, then the other.
Performance
The design still allows the Apple Pencil to be charged in place with a “hook”.
Closeup of the pencil holder. The hook doesn’t really have any “grip” to the pencil. The iPad’s magnetic hold does most of the work.
The ends feature holes for speakers, charging port and microphones, and even a “bump” for the wake button. I was surprised to see the bump still provided decent tactile feedback.
The rear camera is now nicely recessed, since the case adds more thickness.
The other side is covered only by Apple’s keyboard case.
The case still allows the iPad Pro to be tiled at the two positions allowed by the keyboard.
I put the iPad Pro 11 (2018) with pencil and Smart Keyboard Folio on a scale, and it weighed in at 1 lb, 11.5 ounces. With the UAG case, 2 lbs, 3 ounces. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it FEELS much more substantial since the case gives the overall package more “heft”.
I noticed something unusual. The bottom of the case wouldn’t always snap flush with the iPad. A simple push fixed that. If you’re obsessive about details like that, be warned.
What I like
Quality materials
Protects all the corners
A solution if you love the Smart Keyboard Folio
What needs to be improved
Bottom corners don’t always sit flush
Final thoughts
I let my son loose with his iPad Pro and the UAG Scout Case. He never complained about the added thickness, and I rest a little easier knowing the corners are protected from the bumps and tumbles of school.
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Inside the edges, I discovered a thin lip that helps keep the iPad in place.
