This tasting glass was inspired by the Glencairn, the traditional whiskey-tasting vessel. But this one has a wider base with a dimple in the middle designed to hold it in place on a cooling metal base. Place the metal base in the freezer for a few hours before using, and it will be ready to chill your whiskey without ice cubes that dilute your drink – and without those metal balls or stone cubes that risk the safety of your teeth.
The metal cooling base should chill your drinks for 30 minutes. You should pour to keep the level of the whiskey below that of the dimple in the glass, which is said to divide the whiskey and “prevent overpowering alcohol vapors from hitting your nose while you taste”. The tasting set is completed with a faux-leather coaster to protect your table from the cold metal.
The Whiskey Tasting Glass and Chilling Coaster is $40.00 at UncommonGoods.
As long as there have been mobile phones, I’ve struggled with figuring out a place to mount them in a car. I’ve had iOttie car holders before, but I had a chance to try out some of the newest in the Easy One Touch lineup.
I recently purchased the Apple iPhone X, which finally features wireless Qi charging. Now I have a chance to try out the iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless Fast Charging Dash & Windshield mount.
In the box, you get the cradle assembly and a USB adapter with plug (micro USB).
Somehow, iOttie managed to cram in a Qi charging coil around the holder trigger button.
iOttie uses this sticky, gummy suction cup that’ll attach to darn near anything. If you have a curved or uneven surface, they’ve included an adhesive disk to help with adhesion. The dark red circle is a peel-off backing.
The back of the holder is a ball and socket joint. A wingnut-style ring adds tension, keeping things in place. Note the ventilation holes on the back of the cradle for the charging electronics.
There are so many adjustments on the iOttie wireless fast charging cradle. You can extend the holder…
…or adjust the angle…
…and even change the resting height of the phone itself. I found that with the iPhone X, this bottom “claw” could remain at the smallest position.
The included micro USB plug goes in the back of the cradle as shown.
In this mounting example, I have the mount attached to the center of my windshield. Always obey local laws when mounting your iOttie cradle. You can see the green charging LED in the upper-left corner of the cradle holder, next to the volume down button on the phone.
It’s a little hard to describe how the holder works, so take a look at the video.
When the “arms” are open, simply drop your phone in and the button/trigger on the backplate activates the spring-loaded grip. If your phone is Qi-compatible, charging begins. To release, simply squeeze the two release tabs.
The folks at iOttie also sent me two other phone holders. One was the Easy One Touch 4 CD Slot Mount.
This is another style of phone mount that uses the CD slot in your car audio system. I haven’t used a CD in a very long time, so it made sense to use a part of the car that was not being used.
There’s not a whole lot to the package. There was a tiny black spacer which I didn’t use.
Like most of iOttie’s phone holders, the CD Slot Mount also uses a ball and socket mount, but a very peculiar “paddle” that goes into your CD slot.
Here, I’m inserting the “paddle” into my unused CD slot.
Once in place, you flip the locking tab in the up position. This spreads the “paddle” inside the CD slot, giving the whole thing grip.
Here’s the holder in place…
..And the holder plus iPhone X. I thought the iOttie Easy One Touch 4 CD Slot Mount was a pretty clever system, but it obstructed the view of my radio display. Of course, your results may vary, but this wasn’t quite for me.
Finally, I tried out the iOttie Easy Touch 4 Air Vent Mount.
This mount is even more straightforward: It consists of just the spring-loaded mount and a duckbill-shaped vent grip on a ball mount.
The “duckbill” opens up just a little with a firm squeeze of the button. It’s pretty tight.
In my car, I found out that the mount causes my vents to sag down a bit. I had to play around with slot selection to get something that worked.
The results look great, however. In my car, this position doesn’t block my view of the road or my car stereo display. The iOttie Easy One Touch 4 Air Vent Mount is a little more dependent on how sturdy your air vents are. In my car, they’re pretty wobbly.
Positives
The One Touch mechanism really works
Suction cup, CD slot, air vent… there’s probably a mounting solution that works for you
Qi charger lines up every time (Wireless Fast Charging model only)
Negatives
CD slot model may block displays or controls on your dash (CD Slot Model)
If your air vents are loose, you may get a wobbly fit (Air Vent Model)
Final thoughts
Not all of the iOttie car mounts worked perfectly, but I’d say the Easy One Touch Wireless Fast Charging Dash & Windshield Mount is my runaway favorite, but only because my CD slot location isn’t optimal, and my vents are a bit on the wobbly end.
Price: $54.95 (Easy one Touch Wireless Fast Charging Dash & Windshield Mount), $24.95 (Easy One Touch 4 CD Slot Mount or Easy One Touch 4 Air Vent Mount) Where to buy: www.iottie.com and Amazon Source: The sample of this product was provided by www.iottie.com.
A couple years ago, we told you about wireless charging from Energous Corporation. They created the WattUP wire-free charging technology that allows over-the-air, wireless device charging from a distance of a few millimeters to up to 15 feet away. In a press release on December 27, 2017, Energous announced their WattUp RF-based Mid Field transmitters had received FCC certification, the first certification in this field.
Energous has developed three power transmitters. The Far Field energy transmitter can be placed in a TV’s bezel or a soundbar, or it can be placed on the wall or ceiling of your room to extend charging coverage into the room. Multiple Far Field transmitters can even create a charging network, to extend coverage even further into your space. A Mid Field transmitter embedded in a monitor or speaker could offer coverage to the devices over the 2-3 feet of your desktop, where all the small devices on your desk could be charged without cables or charging pads. Near Field transmitters would be the smallest and cheapest wireless charging option; embedded into a laptop or a piece of furniture, it could replace a USB cable to charge a mobile device. Using software control, the Far and Mid Field transmitters could charge multiple devices simultaneously, and you could even use software controls to prioritize which device gets charged quickest and first.
Of course, devices must have a WattUp receiver to collect and convert the RF energy into electrical energy for charging. WattUp receivers have multiple antennas that use “pocket-forming technology to accurately direct energy to the receiver. The technology dynamically adjusts the shape and content of the RF waves so they can be directed to a specific location in 3D space. There, the energy is gathered by the receiver’s special antennas where WattUp® ASICs convert the RF signal to DC current, delivering a charge to the battery.”
On December 26, 2017, Energous announced they have been granted “Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification of its first-generation WattUp Mid Field transmitter, which sends focused, RF-based power to devices at a distance. As the first FCC certification for power-at-a-distance wireless charging under Part 18 of the FCC’s rules, this development represents a new era of wireless charging, and opens up a tremendous opportunity for the electronics industry.” This certification was granted after months of rigorous testing for safety and efficiency of WattUp devices.
Energous announced in the same press release, that they will be demonstrating their very latest WattUp technology at CES 2018, in Las Vegas, NV, January 9-12. They urge you to learn more about Energous, by visiting Energous.com or by following them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
This week we are featuring five crowdfunding campaigns from Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Click through to read more details about these seven crowdfunded products.
Magnet Driver DDN: The Total Tool to Drill, Drive and Nail.
Blurb by Bob Patterson
What is it?
The Magnet Driver is a sleeve that slides over the bits on your screwdriver or power driver. A magnetic ring in the sleeve keeps your screws in place for easy driving.
Why do I like it?
I was sent the full MICATON Driver Set which includes 5 different sized Magnet Driver sleeves, plus a set of 10 color-matching bits (hex bits, Phillips heads, and a square bit). It really does make driving screws a lot easier. The screws click securely into place when inserted into the sleeve, and don’t waggle about while you’re trying to drive them smoothly into the desired surface. Since the screw head sits in the sleeve, your surface is also protected from scratches. And the magnetic sleeve keeps your screws from falling out, making it much easier to manage tasks in difficult to reach places.
As an added bonus, this it also includes an extension for holding nails in place. Attach the extension to your screwdriver and slide the magnetic sleeve in place. You know have a magnetic clip for holding your nails in place, protecting your fingers from getting squashed by an errant whack with the hammer!
Where can I find more info?
The Magnet Driver campaign ends on 2/5/2018 and they are just beginning their trek towards their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order a Magnet Driver starting at $9. After the Magnet Driver campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Morphcooker | The World’s First Electric Camp Stove
What is it?
The Morphcooker is a battery powered collapsible cooking pot.
Why do I like it?
I don’t camp or cook outdoors, but if I did, I’d consider a Morphcooker because it’s battery powered and can morph into a frying pan, pot, and even an oven. It also functions as a flashlight and a backup battery for your other tech gear.
Where can I find more info?
The Morphcooker campaign ends on 1/9/2018 and they have already met their funding goal of $14,100. You can pre-order a Morphcooker starting at $96. After the Morphcooker campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
Air Sling: The World’s First Cutproof Sling Bag
What is it?
The Air Sling is a small wearable EDC gear bag that holds only the gear you need and can be worn cross body style.
Why do I like it?
I like the Air Sling because it reminds me of a much smaller version of the Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L bag that I just reviewed. But the Air Sling features cut resistant waterproof fabric, magnetic latches, and pass through charging port.
Where can I find more info?
The Air Sling campaign ends on 1/9/2018 and they have already met their funding goal of $5,000. You can pre-order an Air Sling starting at $55. After the Air Sling campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2018. Visit their Indiegogo page for all the details.
The World’s Smallest Phone – Introducing The Zanco tiny t1
What is it?
The Zanco tiny t1 is a miniature mobile phone that’s not much bigger than a USB flash drive or a lighter.
Why do I like it?
I like the Zanco tiny t1 because it’s…. tiny! It reminds me of a simpler version of the Jelly Pro phone that I reviewed a few weeks ago. It makes me wonder if tiny phones are going to be a trend for 2018. The Zanco doesn’t have a touchscreen and can’t run apps, but it’s perfect for an inexpensive back up phone for those times when you just can’t carry a phablet.
Where can I find more info?
The Zanco tiny t1 campaign ends on 1/18/2018 and they have already passed their funding goal of $33,444. You can pre-order a Zanco tiny t1 starting at $47. After the Zanco tiny t1 campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in May 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
AKITA | Instant Privacy for Smart Homes
What is it?
AKITA is a plug and play IoT (Internet of Things) watchdog hub that monitors all the smart home devices on your network to make sure they are secure and have not been hacked from the outside.
Why do I like it?
If you’re like me, you have more than a couple IoT devices in your home. You probably have security cameras, tablets, smart thermostats, voice assistants like Amazon Echos and Google Homes, and more. AKITA scans your home network for your connected devices looking for any unusual activity and immediately blocks the activity if it detects a problem and notifies you. You can then get live help from AKITA support on how to fix the problem if you want to pay for the monthly subscription which will be priced between $15 – $25 a month. This subscription is not required though.
Where can I find more info?
The AKITA campaign ends on 1/13/2018 and they have already more than met their funding goal of $30,000. You can pre-order an AKITA starting at $89. After the AKITA campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in April 2018. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.
It seems that most of the wallets featured on The Gadgeteer are men’s wallets or unisex wallets that basically hold some cards and cash and really nothing else. That’s not a problem for men because their clothing tends to have usable pockets, unlike women’s clothing which usually have decorative pockets if any at all. That lack of pockets is why some women carry a small purse, even when they don’t want to. The Clutch from Bellroy is a wallet designed for women, and it has many of the things I personally look for in a minimal bag.
The Clutch measures 7.9″ X 5.3″. It’s zippered closed, so you don’t have to worry about losing anything, and it has a wrist strap so you don’t have to worry about laying it down and losing the Clutch itself. A central pouch, which can serve as a coin purse, divides the wallet into two sections. There’s room inside for cards, cash, a phone, and even your keys and a few other small items – making the Clutch a perfect wallet to take when you run out for a quick lunch or some errands and don’t need a big bag weighing you down.
The Clutch, in Bellroy’s own words, is made from “premium hides tanned under gold-rated Leather Working Group environmental protocols, then dyed through so they age gracefully. The woven fabrics we use are sustainably produced and chosen for their durability and lightweight performance.” The Clutch is available in alabaster (shown), navy, black, and deep blush for $189.95 from Bellroy.
DDN: The Total Tool to Drill, Drive and Nail.