Travel with these disposable sheets, and you’ll never worry about cleanliness again

I’m always a little wary of hotel cleanliness, even when staying in nice, clean hotels.  I do things like encase the TV remotes in ziplock baggies, and I throw the comforter in the corner as soon as I enter the room.  When I used to have to travel for business and had no control over where I was booked to stay, I was even bit wary of the sheets in some places.  Back in the day, I could have used some of these Beantown Bedding disposable sheet sets.

These Beantown laundry-free sheets can be used on a hotel, camp, or dorm bed, and they are sturdy enough that you can use them for days or weeks.  When you change the bed or move to your next travel destination, you simply throw away these biodegradable, compostable sheets.  They are made of 30% TENCEL / 70% lenzing viscose, and the bacteria-, mold-, and dust mite-resistant TENCEL makes them hypoallergenic.  The description says they are a natural white color and are “chemical-free, dye-free, odor-free” – but hey, we all know that even water is a chemical, so I assume they mean free of dangerous chemicals.

A set of two pillowcases is $9.95.  Sheet sets to fit cots, twin (regular or extra-long), full, queen, or king mattress start at $19.95; each set includes a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and one or two pillowcases.  Order a single set or set up an auto-delivery subscription of these laundry-free sheets at the Beantown Bedding website.

Holsem x12 power strip with USB review

As Gadgeteers, what if I told you that there is one single item that all of us have, or will have, in the next year or two? What would you guess it to be? You may already have multiple of these. But, if you don’t (yet), the offerings are becoming too interesting to pass up. I speak, of course, of the combined power outlet and USB charging port. (OK, if you guessed flying car, I am really proud of you. But, sadly, not yet!)  I was recently sent an extension power tap from Holsem that has 12 regular 12V power outlets, and three 5v 3.1A USB A ports, 2 of which are IQ ports. I had to fight with my Lovely Bride because she wanted to spirit it away to her annual sewing camp where it would have served as a base station for loads of sewers, crafters, and electric embroiderers. Actually, that’s a pretty good use case and proves my point: having one of these in your home, family room or office is an inevitability, and it’s not just geeky Gadget lovers who need them. In her sewing room, she has a sewing machine, serger, iron, steamer, her laptop on occasion, an iPad and her phone. Maybe she would be better server by Holsem’s 8-port model, but it’s still a valid idea.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The unit is called a Model X12, for obvious reasons. It measures 13” x 4.5” x 1.5”, which means it is roughly the shape of an aircraft carrier. Fortunately, the designers didn’t just expect it to sit on your work surface. There are 4 keyhole slots so that you can mount it to a vertical surface (like under the backside of your desk or on a baseboard). The keyholes are molded so that only two of them can be used at a time, and can only position it horizontally, with the power cord at either end, but that does give you easy options for which way to orient the unit. I think having a vertical option might have been a nice touch.

Design and features

The upper deck has the classic power adapter layout: cord on one narrow (top) end, power/circuit breaker reset switch, a row of power taps, then the USB ports in a line across the bottom. With 12 ports, Holsem took the interesting step of putting 6 power outlets straight down the center at standard 1.24” spacing, and the remaining 6 oriented 90º away, three on each side, on 2.125” centers. That means 6 wall warts and 6 normal plugs can fit without getting in each other’s way. Pretty nice! The USB ports are a bit tighter, just under an inch between centers. The power cord is 6 feet long, with no visible strain relief on the outlet side, but heavy molding around the straight plug. The plug will require at least three or four inches from the outlet to prevent compromising the molding of the plug, so this is not meant to go behind furniture.


I have replaced the power drop on my desk no fewer than 4 times since we’ve been in this house – four years. (See the “before” image above with no available 12V outlets on an 8 outlet/5 USB power adapter.) But with each new iteration of this type product, I see more benefit. (See same plugs as above moved to Holsen 12x.)

Hardware specs

Their website lists the features like so:

  • 6 compactly allocated sockets: ideal for regular plugs
  • 6 widely spaced sockets: enable you to manage with bulky plugs easily
  • 2 Smart USB Ports and 1 Common USB Port: The 2 built-in Smart IC technology USB ports detect your devices automatically and deliver the fastest possible charge speed up to 5V/2.4 A per port
  • 24-month Warranty and lifetime technical support

Safety:

  • Surge Protection: Fully built-in 3-line surge protection safeguards your devices from voltage fluctuations, surges, and spikes. The green LED light makes the surge protection function visible and more reliable.
  • Overload Protection: In the event of power overload, the reliable Double-Break safety switch will trip off automatically to protect your devices and your home. After one year’s testing and several adjustments by our dedicated engineers, we’ve found the ideal force level for our Double-Break safety switch, and make sure it won’t get stuck after a long term of use.
  • Heavy-duty power cord: premium protection for your electronic devices and your home/office

Convenient:

  • Keyhole slots on the back: Keyhole slots on the back allow you to easily mount it to a wall or baseboard.

Flame Retardant Material:

  • The flame retardant material is able to withstand temperature up to 1,380℉(750℃).

Warranty:

  • Worry-free 24-month warranty
  • 30-day no-hassle return & refund guarantee
  • Friendly customer service team

What’s in the box?

The unit and a warranty statement. No plastic, no foam, just paper, cardboard, and the power tap. Nice!

Positives

  • Wide, sleek styling doesn’t need to be hidden
  • 6 power outlets spaced for “wall warts”
  • Strain relief on plug

Negatives

  • Only 2 of the attachment points can be used at a time
  • Attachment points give no vertical options
  • Only 3 USB ports? Really?

Final thoughts

I had not planned for the Holsem Model x12 to stay topside on my main desk because I am overly dependent on USB charging. But I do have a Dremel battery charger, two hard drive adapters, and the occasional need to charge my LED photo lights, which use a wide charger. It would be nice to have a ton of USB connectors built in, rather than have to fill up 12-volt slots with power adapters, but we’ll see how it goes. I really do like the smooth lines and the two-tone look of the white top and the grey underside.

Price: $31.99
Where to buy: It is available from many stores online, including Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Holsem.

Synchronos watches are custom-printed to perfectly fit you

Synchronos watches aren’t smart watches, but they are clever.  They are custom 3d-printed to perfectly fit you.  The Alpha watch has a premium mechanical Swiss movement (Sellita-SW210-1) and a scratch- and shatter-resistant crystal.  The metal band is custom printed to your exact measurements and has a patent-pending, proprietary 3d-printed clasp mechanism.

When you order, or pre-order for some styles, an Alpha watch, you’ll first receive a scanning kit including a 3d scanner and instructions for precisely measuring your arm.  (Online help is available, if needed.)  Send that information in to Synchronos, and it will be used to adjust the watch printing pattern before your watch is printed.

Right now, you can order a titanium model for $1999.  These are limited to a production run of 10 watches.  You’ll be able to travel to the Synchronos studios (at your own expense), where engineers will do a personal fitting for you. You can pre-order the rose gold model ($749, 18k rose gold-plated 316L stainless steel, shipping in March 2018), the Onyx ($499, black ceramic-coated 316L stainless steel, shipping in April 2018), or the stainless ($399, 316L stainless steel, shipping in May 2018).  Learn more and order an Alpha watch from Synchronos.

Jabra updates and expands their Elite line of wireless earbuds

This week @CES, Jabra announced their new Elite Franchise, a line of headphones and earbuds “engineered for superior sound to provide the best combined voice and music experience”. Last year, I reviewed Jabra’s Elite Sport truly wireless earbuds one of my favorite review items of 2017 and my goto headphones for EDC, travel, and working out alike. Jabra is raising the bar this year by not only releasing a next generation set of active sport earbuds but an entire line of Elite wireless headphones.

Jabra is spotlighting three of these new products: Elite 45e, Elite 65t, and Elite Active 65t. The entire Elite line is engineered for outstanding music quality, strong voice capabilities, and the ability to communicate with Alexa, Siri, and Google Now. All of the new Elite products come with a two-year warranty against dust and water ingress (two years for the Elite Active 65t also includes sweat ingress).

The Jabra Elite 65t will be available for $169.99, the Elite Active 65t will be $189.99, and the Jabra Elite 45e will be $99.99.

Clipping your pet’s nails can be a peaceful experience with the Zen Clipper

Clipping my dog Teddy’s nails is such an ordeal that we usually just take him to the vet’s office when he needs a trim.  It’s expensive, but we need less styptic powder for Teddy and fewer bandages and antibiotic creams for us by letting someone else do it.  We’ve tried a couple of styles of clippers at home, but they always seem to crush the nails and leave rough edges, especially because of the fight to keep him from jerking his paw away from us after that first nail is clipped.  And we seem to always cut at least one nail too short, resulting in pain for Teddy and blood smeared everywhere.  The Safety Pet Nail Clipper from Zen Clipper promises to make trimming your pet’s nails easier and free of injury to the quick (the living tissue in the nail).

The cone shape of the Safety clippers is designed to prevent the nail from being inserted too far into the clipper, so you’re sure to only clip nail.  The stainless steel blade sheers the nail without crushing it.  The cutter is available in seven sizes, designed to clip the nails of everything from birds, kittens, and small reptiles, up to dogs greater than 50 pounds.  There’s even a nail-sizing guide you can print out with instructions to guide you in choosing the correct clipper for your pet.  They are guaranteed for a lifetime of easy nail clippings.  All seven sizes of the Safety Pet Nail Clipper is available for $19.95 each from The Grommet.