Star Wars – The Last Jedi Portable Battery Charger With Laser Pointer review

So you’re a discerning Star Wars fan. You thought you had all the toys and gear… until now. How about a lightsaber that’s also a charger for your portable devices and a laser pointer?

What, you don’t have one of those? This is your lucky day. We’re going to find out more. We’d be honored if you would join us!

What is it?

It’s an officially licensed reproduction of Rey’s lightsaber from Star Wars – The Last Jedi, scaled down for portability. It’s a mobile device charger. It’s also a laser pointer, so you can show off your Jedi skills while pointing out the highlights in that PowerPoint presentation. You’ll just need to provide your own sound effects.

Hardware specs

  • Battery Type: Lithium-ion Battery
  • Battery Capacity: 6,000 mAh
  • Input (Micro USB): 5V@2A
  • Output (USB Type A): 5V@2A
  • Dimensions: 26 x 26 x 179mm
  • Compatible: iPhone, Android & Window Mobile Phones

What’s in the box?

The package comes with the lightsaber/charger/laser pointer, and a micro-USB charging cable.

Design and features

The device is modeled after the most famous lightsaber in the Star Wars saga, owned by the Skywalker clan and ultimately passed to Rey in the Force Awakens. If you’re a stickler for replica details, it’s a good one: all the knobs, buttons, and finishing details are on point despite being nonfunctional (it’s all molded plastic). It’s also a surprisingly substantial build, measuring 7” long and weighing in at 5 ounces. With a rubber grip for easy handling, it looks & feels durable enough to take some rough use.

The base of the handle is where your charging happens. There’s a full-sized USB port for charging your mobile devices and a micro-USB port for charging the unit. A nice USB-to-micro-USB cable is included that doubles as a lanyard that can be attached to the lightsaber. 

The laser pointer projects from the business end of the lightsaber, and is activated by a tiny button next to the USB port on the base. The lase is blue, of course, keeping with the authenticity of the replica (no red Sith lighting here!).

Setup

Setup is a straightforward affair. Find yourself a USB port, and plug in via the micro-USB cable to charge it up. You can also plug your device into the USB port to charge both items simultaneously.

Performance

With my iPhone 6S and moderate use, I was able to go about 4 days before I needed to go find an outlet. There are a lot of variables that go into the power consumption equation, however: device capacity, amount and type of usage, and age of the devices all impact charging potential. My iPhone has an 1800 mAh, for example. While the iPhone 7 and 8 have similar battery sizes to the 6S, the iPhone 7/8 plus models (or the Galaxy s8) ring in at around 3000 mAh capacity (give or take). They also consume power faster for those big screens. You’ll want to consider your device and usage requirements to see if 6000 mAh is enough to get you between recharges.

I should also note that the 5V@2A USB port is not sufficient for charging most tablets. With only 6000 mAh, it won’t get you far anyway… but you can’t use it as an emergency power source in a pinch.

The laser pointer itself is surprisingly legit. It’s not good power and a range that’s strong enough to use across a large conference room. And it feels good to use as a pointing device, being a bit more beefy than a tiny clicker. It’s not exactly subtle, however… you’ll own your geek cred when you pull this out of your bag (I have a Yoda tattoo. I won’t judge.).

Unfortunately, the Brando Star Wars Lightsaber Portable Battery Charger and laser Pointer is a bulky and expensive piece of gear for what it does. Ultra-compact, pocket-sized 6000 mAh mobile chargers are pretty easy to come by for under $20. Chargers this size typically sport 20000 mAh or more (enough to charge some tablets), and can be had in the $30 to $50 range. While the laser pointer is a nice touch, it doesn’t justify a retail price of $100 for this unit if you’re just looking for a mobile charging device. It’s also too big to fit in your pocket, so be prepared to stash it in your bag or backpack on the go.

What I like

  • It’s a quality replica piece.
  • Well built, durable, and substantial.
  • It’s got a good laser pointer for calling out those flaws in the Death Star design.
  • Hardcore Star Wars fanboy/fangirl credentials. Respect.

What needs to be improved

  • It’s big and bulky for a mobile charger.
  • 6000 mAh charge capacity is on the low end these days.
  • Not able to charge tablets and similar higher-powered devices.
  • Expensive for a charging device with limited capacity.

Final thoughts

Here’s the thing: the Brando Star Wars Lightsaber Portable Battery Charger and laser Pointer is intended as a collectible movie replica product. If you’re a big Star Wars fan, this is a pretty cool gadget to add to your collection. It’s a neat conversation piece, and it’s actually got some useful functionality. It’s not cheap at $100, however, and there are plenty of more portable (and more powerful) charging options out there at significantly lower price points. The choice is yours, my Jedi friend. Let the Force guide your actions.
Price: $100
Where to buy: Brando
Source: The sample of the product was provided by Brando.

Finally, a charging stand that doesn’t cost almost as much as the Apple Watch itself

There are all manner of charging stands for the Apple Watch on the market.  Some of them are metal, some leather, some are very utilitarian, and some are almost works of art.  The Elago W2 is a simple, attractive stand that gets your watch charged for about $10.00.  It’s compatible with all Watch series, and it works with either the metal or plastic charging puck.  Your watch is held horizontally, which allows Nightstand Mode.  The stand is made of silicone, which means it won’t slide around on your night table, and it won’t scratch your watch.  The Elago W2 Stand is available in black for $8.99 and in jean indigo, red, white, or dark gray for $9.99 at Amazon.

This $775 deck of cards is made of marble

Check out this deck of cards from Mikol. You might remember this company from their marble notebook that I reviewed almost 2 years ago. Now they are back with a deck of playing cards that are made of marble. Yes, stone playing cards. They are the same thickness as a credit card and feature laser etched graphics. Although the price for a deck of these cards would probably make any buyer resist actually playing with them, the cards are durable and can be dropped without breaking. $775 though. OUCH. Still interested in adding a deck to your collection? Head over to Mikol for all the details.

SANDMARC iPhone X camera lenses review

SANDMARC offers camera products for GoPro, DJI drones, the iPhone 7, 8 (both standard and plus models), and the iPhone X.  The lenses I will be talking about are the iPhone X versions.

What is it?

The SANDMARC Lenses for iPhone are easily attachable lenses, each serving a specific purpose for the kind of photograph you are wanting to take.  Installation is quick and easy and the lenses produce a high-quality image that takes your photos to the next level through the use of the macro, fisheye or wide lenses.  Later in the review, I will show you some photos taken with and without the SANDMARC lenses to show the difference that they make.

Hardware specs

Lets first talk about attachment to your phone.  Each lens comes with its own iPhone case that allows for simple attachment of your lens.  when not using a lens, the case will work to protect your phone but is not the most rugged case out there, but that’s not the intended purpose.  The attachment point on the case protrudes quite a bit from the body of the phone so if you don’t plan on using the lens(es) often, you might find the clip attachment an easier solution.  Also included with each lens is a clip that attaches to the lens and clips onto your phone, whether or not you are using another kind of iPhone case.  This flexibility is a really nice feature to of these products.  If I was going to be spending a day shooting pictures I would just use the case provided for quick attachment of whichever lens I needed.  For the one off occasions I use the clip so I don’t have to remove my regular iPhone case.

Picture below was taken without a SANDMARC Lens

Wide lens: this lens gives you 2 times more field of view; 16mm lens; 0.56X magnification; 71g; 24.2 mm height and 42 mm diameter.  This is a great lens for action shots, outdoor/landscape photography and travel.

The picture below is the same shot as above using the wide lens.

Fisheye lens: this lens gives you 5 times more field of view; 10 mm lens; 55 g, 23 mm height; 38 mm diameter.  This lens is perfect for large landscape shots, sporting events and anything else that a very wide field of view would make for a more stunning photograph.

The picture below is the same shot using the fisheye lens

Macro lens: designed to capture details not seen by the naked eye you will be very impressed by the vivid details that are uncovered with this lens.  Ideal for photographing small objects at very close range the macro lens is ideal for photographing flowers, insects, snowflakes and other detailed still subjects that we don’t often get to see the details of.  25 mm lens; 10X magnification; 25.4 g; 15 mm height; 38 mm diameter.

What’s in the box?

Each lens comes packaged with an iPhone case, a clip on attachment, lens covers, a soft carrying pouch and a microfiber cloth.

Designs and features

The thoughtful design of how these lenses seem to be a natural extension of the iPhone makes for a very easy and enjoyable user experience.  If it was a pain or a process to attach them I don’t think I would be using them as much as I am.  When you use the clip to attach it to the phone, it is easy to line it up with the lens on the phone because you can easily see the placement and alignment on the screen.  The weight of the lenses are definitely noticeable and make your phone feel a lot more like a regular camera.  You won’t likely be slipping your phone with the lens attached into your pocket because to produce the effects you get with each lens, they are not small but that is to be expected.

Positives

High quality and sturdy lenses and housings that feel like high grade camera equipment; stunning images that elevate the already great camera on the iPhone X to the next level; cases and clips that are designed to work interchangeably if you own more than one of their lenses; available for iPhones models 7 and up; can be purchased individually or as a set including all three lenses I have discussed.

Negatives

The case probably isn’t something you would want to use as your everyday iPhone case but to be fair, I’m not sure that is the intent of it.  Honestly, I haven’t found a real negative concerning this set of lenses.

Final thoughts

I have always been intrigued by the lens attachments for mobile phones that I have seen over the past couple of years.  To say that I was skeptical about the functionality, quality and difference they would make would be putting it mildly.  Recently I was sent a set of lenses from SANDMARC (wide angle, macro and fisheye) and after quickly attaching them to my phone and snapping some photos, I was thoroughly impressed.  The design of the lenses and how they attach/clip to your phone is very well thought out.  I really enjoyed using the included iPhone case for quick installation of a lens or changing them when needed but I have found myself using the clip on function even more as I quickly grab a lens to take a shot.  Each case is the same so if you buy multiple lenses, you can use one case to attach all the lenses, which makes for a very convenient platform to elevate your photography by quickly snapping in a new lens.

After using these for the last few weeks I couldn’t be happier with them and have been really impressed with the difference they have made with my photographs.  If you enjoy taking high quality pictures and going beyond what your phone is capable of, I wholeheartedly recommend checking these lenses out.

Price: Macro: $69.99, Wide angle: $89.99, Fisheye: $79.99, Set of all 3: $189.99
Where to buy: SANDMARC
Source: The samples for this review were provided by SANDMARC.

Our obsession with gadgets lowers energy use and waste!

According to Nathaniel Bullard and Adam Minter, writing in the CT Post, we are using fewer, lighter, more energy efficient, and easier to recycle gadgets. This trend has been going on all century but with all the fear-mongering and hand-wringing and news photos of boatloads of e-waste going to developing nations, the truth is much less dystopian. Turns out, we use fewer gadgets because our smartphones are taking over more and more of those functions.

If only there was a news source that would alert us to this and help us make sense of this. Like this article which I wrote three years ago. We used to walk around everywhere with bags loaded like this:

in my bag

Now, we’re more likely to walk around with this:

Americans’ 284 million TVs use 35 times more electricity than their 238 million smartphones. For that matter, the remaining 104 million cordless phones in the U.S. use more electricity than U.S. smartphones — and the remaining 113 million clock radios use more electricity than 140 million tablets… Finally, the 284 million TVs in use in American households is down from 353 million in 2010. Smartphones and tablets really are eating everything – and replacing them with something many times more energy-efficient.

The solution? Get rid of (and by that, I mean responsibly recycle!) everything that wasn’t made this century! Here at the Gadgeteer, we’ve been leading this charge since the ’90’s, and we’ll continue past the time those gadgets are surgically installed in utero. So keep on coming here to find what new, green, light, healthy upgrade is available for your old, heavy, inefficient energy hog of a gadget from yesteryear!