Jigger Bottle Stoppers are the perfect gift for the home-bartending chemist

As a chemist, I have a weakness for laboratory glassware or items that even mimic labware.  This set of Jigger Bottle Stoppers caught my eye, because they combine barware shapes – whiskey glass, snifter, hurricane, and martini glass, respectively – with a labware feel.  Measurement markings both add to the lab feel, and they serve as handy measuring guides for mixing drinks when you use them as jiggers.  You can even use them as shot glasses, but I’m not sure how you’d ever set it down when the drink is gone.  And when you’re done tending bar, they can be used as bottle stoppers for your potent potables.  The jiggers are made of glass, and they have a silicone stopper bottom.  The set of four Jigger Bottle Stoppers is $19.99 at UncommonGoods.

Tech21 Evo Check Pixel 2 XL case review

When I decided to switch back to Android and buy a Pixel 2 XL after using an iPhone 7 Plus for a few months, I began shopping for cases even before the phone was delivered because I didn’t want my brand new phone to get a scratch. One of the first Pixel 2 XL cases that I was offered to review was the Tech21 Evo Check. Let’s check it out. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

What is it?

The Tech21 Evo Check is a snap-on cover for the Pixel 2 XL that is designed to provide drop protection up to 10ft and comes in clear/white or smokey/black as shown here.

Design and features

The box that the Evo Check comes in describes this case as an ultra-thin lightweight case. They are right, it doesn’t weigh much at all, but I don’t consider it to be ultra-thin compared to the Totallee cases that we’ve reviewed, but It’s thin considering that it offers drop protection.

The Evo Check has a 3-layer construction that consists of a semi-transparent flexible outer shell that cushions impact. This outer layer of the case is glossy and picks up fingerprints and smudges very quickly.

Inside the shell has a checkered pattern that is slightly raised.

You’ll also notice the frame around the sides. This skeletal frame has been designed to deflect force away from the phone if you drop it.

The wrap around sides uses FlexShock to absorb the remaining force. The sides also protect the display as they are raised slightly higher than the surface of the screen.

These 3 layers will protect the Pixel 2 XL from up to a 3m/10ft drop. Did I test that claim? Ummmmm, no. But I will say that this case feels substantial. Does “substantial” translate to “bulky”? Yes, I do think this case is a little bulkier than what I personally like. But I don’t usually buy cases that have drop protection features.

The Tech21 Evo Check case adds some extra width to the Pixel 2 XL. This is something I noticed the first time I tried to slip the phone into my back jeans pocket. Although it still fit in my pocket, I had to wiggle it a bit.

When the Pixel 2 XL is in the case, you still have access to the charging port at the bottom, the camera on the back, and the fingerprint sensor.

There are buttons on the right side of the case for power and volume. These buttons are not very finger friendly. I found them to be stiff to press and annoying to use.

Positives

  • Provides up to 10ft drop protection
  • Sides are raised to protect the screen when the phone is laying face down

Negatives

  • Back of the case is a fingerprint and smudge magnet
  • Buttons are hard to press
  • Adds some bulk

Final thoughts

As long as you don’t mind fingerprints and smudges on the back and the stiff built-in buttons which I found hard to press, the Tech21 Evo Check case will protect your Pixel 2 XL from most drops and everyday wear and tear.

Price: $44.95
Where to buy: Tech21.com and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Tech21.

iOS Hacks: Put your icons where you want them… sorta

Regular readers of The Gadgeteer know that there is an ongoing – umm – discussion among the writers and regular commenters here about the two most popular mobile operating systems – Android and iOS – and which has the better feature set. I’m not here to stoke those fires or to say if the feature I’m showing is even worthwhile. I’m just here to make this community aware of a workaround available to mitigate one feature missing from iOS that seems to be high on the list of items Android users prize. What “feature” is this? Being able to place an icon anywhere you want on a screen, rather than being limited to the top-left-to-bottom-right regimentation of the iOS icon arrangement grid. How is this magic accomplished? As it turns out, it’s not really alchemy, and requires no slaughter of any animals or visiting graveyards at midnight. It does require that you set your background to a solid black, however. My friend, Manton Reece, recently featured a blog post pointing to the process below. He uses it to bring the entire set of apps on his home screen down a row, but you can put gaps anywhere.

David Smith has created all the pieces you need at his blog. Basically, you just set the background to black and put in black icons with no name everywhere you want to have a gap. So, there really is something in that gap, but, since it’s the same color as the background, has no display name, and does nothing if you click on it, it’s essentially a blank spot on your SpringBoard. But your eyes don’t see it.

Alto Original and Anello iPhone X cases and neck strap review


The release of the iPhone X was exciting, but I had to convince myself it was worth it due to the hefty price tag. The larger display, yet smaller design topped with wireless charging ended up selling it for me. Now that I’ve got a mortgage payment in my pocket, I had to get a case right away. Luckily for me, Alto was on top of things and their Original leather case, Anello leather case, and optional neck strap arrived a day before the iPhone X was released.


Both cases are similar in design; a hard shell wrapped in aniline leather on the outside, and a soft microfiber lining on the inside. A few tweaks on the outside are what set the two apart.

The Original leather case is simple, which I really like. The green color is vivid, yet muted, and I’ve received quite a few compliments on the case. It snapped on super easy, yet is surprisingly resistant to being removed. It is thick enough to be protective, but still quite lightweight. Even in this case, my phone can fit within the old case of my iPhone 7 Plus. The camera cutout does not interfere with the flash, and has been evenly cut to be slightly wider than the cameras themselves.

Because I am paranoid about breaking my screen, having a lip on the front of the case is very important to me. I am happy to say that both the Original leather case and the Anello leather case have an ample front lip, enough that my glass screen protector is just under the lip height.


The biggest difference between the Original and Anello is a metal D ring that can be used with their optional neck strap. Of course, you could put a dangling bit of jewelry, a key-chain, or anything else on it as well. It is held on by a rivet and seems very sturdy.


The Anello is also two-tone, rather than a single piece of leather. This gives a little extra color, which I really liked. Where the two colors come together, the seam is nice and even. As with the Original, the cutout for the cameras is well done and does not interfere with the flash at all.


When I saw the optional neck strap, it confused me and took a bit to realize that it could be a nifty addition to the Anello case. For day to day use, I would not use the neck strap. For a vacation, however, I can see how easy it would be to just keep the phone around your neck rather than in your hand. Then you can have easy access to take a quick picture of the scenery.


It is sewn well, with a well-made metal clasp, and seems like it would hold up well with day to day use.

I do not have a wireless charger, so I could not test if it impeded the wireless charging. I do have a small metal plate that I use to mount my phone to my car vent, and that worked perfectly inside of both cases.

Since the cases are nearly the same in base design, the last paragraphs here work to describe both cases.


The bottom is nearly completely cut out except for the edges, so there will be no problems with plugging in any Lightning cable. However, this could leave the bottom a little vulnerable to scratches. So far, mine has been well protected.

Both the volume buttons and vibrate switch are cut out, which could also lead to a few scratches on that side. I wish they’d have designed buttons into the case since there is a lot of open space on the sides/back, but some people like it this way.

Lastly, the Siri button has been cut out. While I dislike cutouts, I will say, they are well done and all the buttons are easily accessible.

Just after finishing up the above part of the review, I had a near disaster experience. As you can see, my stairs are made of cement and gravel. I tripped on the bottom stair with my phone in hand and on my way down had to drop my phone at a high rate of speed to prevent me from falling on it. The case took a bruising, but my phone stayed perfectly safe. Needless to say, I am now very satisfied with the protection of this case.

Overall, the Original leather case was my favorite of the two. I really liked the simplicity of it and how easy it was to slip into my purse. The colors of the Anello were great though, as the coral was vivid and the mild peach color offset the boldness of the coral. Some people may like the Anello case with the D ring and neck strap, but it was not my cup of tea. Both cases were very well made, seem quite protective, and really adds some elegance to the iPhone X. If you are wanting a nice leather case for your new phone, take a look at Alto’s lineup of cases.

Positives:

  • Very stylish and well made
  • Lightweight
  • Protective

Negatives:

  • D ring makes it so the case doesn’t lay flat (Anello case)

Price: Cases – $62, Neck Strap – $29
Where to buy: Alto and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Alto.

This toilet cleans itself so you can throw away your toilet brush

I don’t normally think of bathroom fixtures as gadgets, but this American Standard VorMax Plus toilet does seem a bit gadget-worthy.  This 2-piece, elongated-bowl, single-flush toilet uses 1.28 gallons per flush.  The “uniquely powerful VorMax flush hydraulics” alone cleans 2X better than conventional toilet flushes, but American Standard then added in a Lysol FreshInfuser cartridge to assist the cleaning power of each flush, resulting in a cleaner bowl with no extra work.

The toilet’s design aids in the ease of cleaning, too:

  • CleanCurve rim design eliminates hidden, hard-to-reach surfaces where dirt and buildup hide
  • EverClean surface is super smooth and easier to keep clean, even after years of use; plus, the permanent EverClean antimicrobial surface inhibits the growth of stain and odor causing bacteria on the surface
  • Maximizes the power of water with each flush with 1.75 in. dual-injection flush valves and 2-1/16 in. Trapway

The VorMax Plus toilet meets ADA standards for height, and it fits into a 12″ rough-in space.  It comes with a slow-close, quick-release seat and 2 of the Lysol FreshInfuser cartridges.  The American Standard VorMax Plus 2-piece 1.28GPF single-flush toilet is $299.00 at Home Depot.