Give a little stability and extra leak-proofing to those indoor puppy training pads

We never had to use puppy pads for our dog, Teddy.  He was house trained from the moment his feet hit the floor.  But now that Teddy is 12.5 years old, he can’t quite wait as long as he used to for a trip outdoors.  Making it even harder is that he now has to wait for a busy elevator to make its way to us for the long trip down before he can get outside.  We decided to make it easier for him and us by keeping some puppy pads on hand.  Problem is those things are small and get easily wadded up while he’s twirling around to find just the perfect spot, meaning he would miss the pad entirely sometimes.  I found the IRIS Pad Floor Tray, and it solved our problems.

The Floor Tray consists of a plastic pan with non-skid rubber feet on the bottom to prevent leak through.  It has a raised rim and plastic nubs around the edges of the pan.  There’s a white plastic frame that fits over the raised rim and snaps on to hold the pad in place.  The tray measures 25.5″ x 18.9″ x 1.75″ and is designed to work with the regular-sized IRIS Neat ’n Dry pet training pads.  The pads are held snugly by the floor tray, so Teddy can twirl to his heart’s content without wadding up the pad at all.  The area is a little small for an adult dog, even a little 16-pounder like Teddy, so I bought a second tray.  I just put them side-by-side, and he has plenty of room to walk around for all his business.

The IRIS Neat ‘n’ Dry pet training pads are available to auto-ship from Amazon, so I don’t even have to remember to re-order them.  The IRIS Pad Floor Tray is $9.39 at Amazon.

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Give a little stability and extra leak-proofing to those indoor puppy training pads originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 22, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Nuheara IQbuds intelligent truly wireless earbuds with BOOST review

Six months ago, I reviewed some wireless earbuds that are one of the more unique available—the Nuheara IQbuds intelligent truly wireless earbuds. With simple smartphone app adjustments, you can control how much outside noise you want to hear—a safer choice when walking on a city street—or how much of the outside world you want to tune out so you can retreat to your happy place. They’re pretty cool! However, these original IQbuds are a “one-hearing-fits-all” earbud. Their effectiveness is independent of how bad—or good—your hearing is. That’s changed with the new IQbuds with BOOST technology featuring Ear ID—software that will test your hearing and automatically adjust the wireless earbuds specifically to your unique hearing profile. It’s nothing short of amazing.

What is it?

The Nuheara IQbuds are truly wireless earbuds that have no wires—they are two completely separate earphones/buds that let you determine how much or how little of the outside world you hear while wearing.

Specs

EARBUDS

  • Dimensions: .8 in x 1 in x .6 in
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth: 4.2
  • Bluetooth Profiles: A2DP, HFP, HSP, AVRCP, aptX, aptX Low latency
  • Near Field Magnetic induction(NFMI): 10.579MHz
  • Microphone: Digital MEMS (2 per earbud)
  • Speaker: High Fidelity Balanced Armature
  • Battery: 120mAH (per earbud)
  • Discharge Time: 8 hrs audio streaming / 12 hrs hearing processing
  • Weight: .3 oz (per earbud)
  • Ear Tips: 8 pairs silicone reusable, 3 pairs Comply memory foam
  • Recommended operating environment: Storage: temp 68-86° F, Charging: temp <113° F Operation: temp <140° F
  • Water resistance: “Sweat/rain resistant. Internal circuits coated with NanoProof water protection, which is rated at IPX7.”
  • Streaming: Low latency streaming for TV audio

CHARGE CASE

  • Dimensions: 3.8 in x 1.8 in x 1.3 in
  • Charge Capacity: 5v
  • Battery: 1140mAH
  • Weight: 2.5 oz

Design and features

It’s interesting comparing both versions of the IQbuds. The all-black (and more expensive) BOOST version looks more business-like than the original’s fancier black w/bright silver design. Yet, behind that stealthy, black exterior, there is some genius stuff going on.

The IQbuds BOOST have everything the original IQbuds have and more. Nuheara claims that their Ear ID system is a “clinically validated audiometric hearing assessment that calibrates the IQbuds to give you a better hearing experience.” I am not an audiologist, but for this review, I am taking Nuheara at their word. 

Note that in late 2017, the Senate passed a bill allowing people to purchase hearing aids without a doctor’s prescription. The old law required consumers to buy hearing aids only through certified audiologists, which drove up prices. This new law allows products such as the IQbuds with BOOST to be available to everyone with no prescription required.

During the initial BOOST setup, I did the hearing test using Nuheara’s redesigned (and much friendlier looking) free app (iOS and Android). The test was done in a quiet room and took about 15 minutes. As the iPhone’s screenshot of Ear ID chart shows, I have moderate hearing loss, especially in the higher frequencies—no surprise at my age. However, I am surprised that my hearing isn’t as bad as I had originally thought.

Important: Despite the new law, the hearing test in the app does not replace a professional test for people with severe hearing loss. It is designed to help customize the IQbuds for someone who may have trouble distinguishing voices in a crowded place (like me) or suffer from minor hearing loss. 

Inside the app, there are many settings that help fine-tune the IQbuds.  When “World” is turned on, many sounds are accentuated. Move the dial more to understanding speech with less world noise and vocals suddenly sound like they are pushed forward—almost like the person is closer than they really are. In normal conversation, I am constantly asking my wife to repeat herself because I can’t understand what she is saying (I will not make a joke here). These buds really do help with what I hear and more importantly—understand. That’s where the magic lies with the IQbuds BOOST. Comprehension is dramatically improved.

Let me say right now that the hearing test only helps with hearing and understanding the outside world around you. The Ear ID customization has no auditory effect on music or anything else you listen to from a Bluetooth source.  When paired with a smartphone for example, the IQbuds BOOST work like any other earphone—with the exception of dialing in how much of the outside world you let in. If the “World” setting is completely off, the IQbuds active noise canceling isolate quite well. They are great for removing yourself from the noise of commuting, the drone of an airplane engine or even the background din of an office. With “World” on, it’s a whole ‘nother worl … well, you get the picture.

So how do the IQbuds sound when only listening to music? Quite well, actually. The single balanced armature speaker is—ironically—the same speaker design used in hearing aids—as well as many earphones made for music. Frequencies across the range are balanced and warm, meaning bass is slightly boosted. This is a good thing since armature speakers can sound sterile if not tweaked a bit. I have no issues using the IQbuds exclusively for music listening—they work great. Also, the Bluetooth signal is strong. I didn’t experience any dropouts.

The IQbuds with BOOST are touch sensitive to various, customizable commands which is done in the app. I have mine set up so that one tap on the right bud will either let noise in (World on) or block it out (World 0ff). A female voice alerts you what function your tap performed. It can’t get any easier. Settings can be adjusted for various things to happen depending on a single or double tap or even resting the finger on a left or right bud. Apple Siri or Google can also be called upon if desired (I left that setting turned off). There are many different tap choices, depending on which bud you’ve customized. 

In my review of the original IQbuds, I said “Comfort for me is an issue with the IQbuds. While they aren’t uncomfortable, I can use them for up to two hours and then some ear pain creeps in.” That hasn’t changed, even though the IQbuds with BOOST are 1mm smaller in length, but otherwise, identical. There are many sized ear tips supplied—both round and oval shaped. Again, YMMV.

A notable improvement over the original IQbuds is water resistance. The internal circuits have been coated with what’s called NanoProof water protection—and has earned the IQbuds with BOOST an IPX7 rating. This is important, especially for those who exercise and sweat. However, I wouldn’t go swimming with them.

The IQbuds with BOOST have the same hearing presets as the originals: Workout, Street, Home, Office, Restaurant, Driving and Plane. And they can be adjusted within the app.

The case is identical to the original IQbuds. It will charge the buds 2-3 times before needing to be recharged itself. Red and green lights inform you how much charge is left in the case and buds.

What I like

Understanding conversation in any noisy situation can help someone feel less isolated by being able to join in any discussion without asking people to repeat themselves or misinterpreting what’s been said. The IQbuds with BOOST can be a huge aid in helping people gain confidence in social situations—or even just hearing the TV more clearly.

What needs to be improved

Long-term comfort is still an issue (at least for my ears).

Final Thoughts

The IQbuds with BOOST are expensive—but when compared to the price of custom hearing aids, they look like a bargain. Are the BOOST advantages with built-in Ear ID worth the extra $200 over the price of the original IQbuds? That’s a hard question to answer. It’s not like you can test both in your local BestBuy or smartphone store and then decide. You have to rely on the Nuheara website and read many reviews (never base a buying decision on only one review—even this one) to make an informed decision.

If you have minor issues with hearing and clarity, you may be satisfied with the regular IQbuds. However, if hearing and understanding conversation in crowded situations bothers you to distraction, the additional BOOST tech and hearing app should help even more.

Price: $499 US
Where to buy: Nuheara
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Nuheara.

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Nuheara IQbuds intelligent truly wireless earbuds with BOOST review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 22, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The PLX Devices Kiwi 3 OBDII tool will allow you to just relax and drive


As summer approaches, I eagerly look forward to the chance to take a nice scenic road trip, especially when it offers the opportunity for amazing photography. Since I lease my vehicles, I prefer to use an older one that I own or one that a friend owns so that mileage is not an issue.

I have been in situations before when I was enjoying a road trip, and right in the middle of the excitement, the car decided to break down and to “throw a wrench” in my plans. While some breakdowns cannot be avoided, there are others that can be if we are aware of the problem ahead of time or get a discernible warning.

The PLX Devices Kiwi 3 offers a convenient and relatively inexpensive way of knowing about some of the meaningful car issues in advance. It is a Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII Diagnostic Scan Tool for Android, Apple, and Windows Mobile. It promises to provide us with real-time data, performance meters, fuel efficiency info, catalytic converter temperature, coolant temperature and lots more information, all via this small and compact device, and an app for our smart devices. It claims to be “compatible with all cars and consumer trucks built and sold in the United States after January 1, 1996”, and to “support the 3rd party apps Torque, Harry’s Lap Timer, DashCommand, OBD Car Doctor, OBD Auto Doctor, Carista, and Shift OBD (Download on iTunes and Google Play).”

If you would like to purchase the PLX Devices Kiwi 3 Bluetooth OBD2 OBDII Diagnostic Scan Tool, you can pick one up on Amazon for $99.95.

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The PLX Devices Kiwi 3 OBDII tool will allow you to just relax and drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 22, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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BIC pen with 3 colors of ink pens and a mechanical pencil built in

I love writing with BIC pens – the ink flows smoothly and evenly, and their blue ink is my favorite.  There’s only one problem.  The normal, clear-body pens are too thin for me to hold comfortably.  When I discovered those thick barrel 4-color multi-pens from BIC, I was in love.  They were comfortable to hold, and they had four colors in one convenient package.  They really appealed to the office-supply geek in me.  What could be better?  Well, including a mechanical pencil is apparently the one thing that could make those BICs even better.

The BIC 4-Color 3+1 Ball Pen and Pencil has the same thick barrel I was acquainted with, but the barrel is white and silver instead of white and blue.  You’ll still find the black, red, and blue pens, but the green has been replaced with a mechanical pencil.  The pens are medium point (1.0mm), and the pencil lead is 0.7mm #2 HB graphite.  The little plastic loop on top has been replaced with a clicker to advance the lead; it’s topped with an eraser for the pencil.  Twelve leads and five erasers are included with the purchase.  The BIC 4-Color 3+1 Ball Pen and Pencil is $2.87 at Amazon.  It ships for free with a $25.00 order.

You’ll also find 4-color Ball Pen Refills at Amazon for $26.49 with 12 each of the black, blue, red, and green inks.

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BIC pen with 3 colors of ink pens and a mechanical pencil built in originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 21, 2018 at 1:36 pm.

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BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter review

Electrical Power. It’s such an integral part of our everyday life that we don’t give it much thought until it’s not available. The BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter is a great solution for just such a situation.

What is it?

The BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter provides up to 2000 watts of 115v power from a 12v battery (or two). It coverts 12v DC power to 115v AC power.

Hardware specs

Rated Power: 2000W, Max Power: 2300W
Peak Power: 4600W
Input: DC 12V (12V Car or Boat but not 24V)
Output: AC 110V-120V
Outlets: 3 AC
Weight: 10lb
Fuses: 6 external 50amp fuses

What’s in the box?

  • BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter
  • Two sets of cables to hook up to batteries
  • 12v cigar type plug for low power use (300w max)
  • Instruction sheet


Design and features

This review isn’t designed to be a primer on the ins-and-outs of power inverters, so you’ll want to do little research on your own for what you intend to run off the inverter. I don’t recommend just plugging things in just to see if they’ll work, a little research is best. I will say though that questions like “how long will it run” or “how much stuff can it run” will vary depending on how many and what kind of batteries you’re using, and the power requirements of the devices you’re connecting to it. Good Deep cycle marine rated batteries are a good source for things like this.


This is a modified wave inverter. Some motorized items such as water pumps may need a more expensive true sine wave inverter. This inverter should run just about anything that has a power plug that converts to DC such as a phone charger, laptop charger, clocks, etc. However, for those DC items that are less than 12 volts, you would be better off connecting them to a straight 12v source, as you’ll lose a lot of battery potential by converting the 12v to 115v just to then have its power cord convert back to 12v.


It can run most refrigerators, freezers, small kitchen appliances, microwaves, lights, and TV’s just to mention a few. Some items like some high end blenders might not work as they take quite a bit of current to get started. For example, something as simple as a toaster can draw up to 1600 watts!

The clamps are pretty good, I’ve seen heavier duty clamps but these seem like they will work and last just fine for the job they are intended to do. The wires are both crimped and soldered to the clamp, and the entire clamp is copper. The eyelet of the wiring is very good, it is also crimped and soldered very nicely – and I’ve got a military electronics background.

Although the instruction sheet doesn’t mention it, there is a warning label on the 12v cigar plug cord that states connections using that are limited to 300w. That’s perfectly normal because the wiring in a vehicle and its fuse won’t handle more than that.

The inverter also has circuitry to automatically shut down in the event of a short-circuit. The unit will also resume working automatically after these events are eliminated. This prevents damage to the unit.

I tried various items like my Surface tablet, phones, clock, and some lights. All worked just fine. Most importantly, the coffee maker worked!

What I like

  • Carry handle for portability
  • Beautiful anodized finish
  • Auto protection circuitry

What needs to be improved

  • Would be nice to have 12v plug outlet incorporated into the unit for charging phones and such.

Final thoughts

This unit is a nice thing to have around for emergency uses. If you’re planning on using an inverter for continuous or frequent use, or off-grid use where it’s really important you might want to find a unit that has more features.

Price: $139.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by BESTEK

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BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 21, 2018 at 11:34 am.

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