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Nothing’s out of reach with the ODii grabbing tool

When I had double total-knee replacements a couple of years ago, one of my favorite tools was a grabber that let me reach things without stressing my knees too much.  To tell the truth, I still use it because I’m vertically challenged.  It’s great for grabbing that Yeti mug on the upper shelf in my kitchen or getting that shoe that got knocked a bit too far under the bed, but it doesn’t always work as well for small things.  And of course, I leave it at home because it’s too big and clunky to take with me.  Luckily, there’s the ODii grabbing tool that’s designed to fit in your car, your bag, a desk drawer, or wherever you might drop something and need some help reaching it.  In fact, the designer got the idea when he dropped his money in his car while he and his daughter were going through a fast-food drive-thru.

The ODii is made of plastic and steel, and it’s flexible enough that you can bend it to fit in cramped places.  It has a telescopic grabber claw, detachable LED flashlight to help you see your dropped object, and extendable magnet arm that can hold on to up to 2 pounds.  The gripper trigger lets you control grip strength;  it’s capable of picking up 5-10 pounds. The gripping arm can be swapped out for the magnetic arm when needed.

There are two versions of the ODii grabbing tool.  The 19″ smaller size is on sale for $19.96 (a 20% discount) right now, while the 36″ longer one is $29.95 at The Grommet.

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Nothing’s out of reach with the ODii grabbing tool originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Introducing the new Dyson Cyclone V10 – no cord needed, or wanted anymore.

I’ve owned a big Dyson for a few years and my wife and I like its power and usability. However, it is a big machine with a cord that never seems to be long enough. This has always made me wonder whether I should switch to the smaller battery powered Dyson cord-free stick vacuum cleaners. Dyson has now made it easier to consider ditching the cord with the new Dyson Cyclone V10 vacuum cleaner. Inventor James Dyson simply states “This is the reason I’ve stopped developing corded vacuums.” ‘Nuff said.

The V10 is an evolution of the cordless Cyclone series. It’s the most powerful cleaner Dyson has made to date. The battery provides 60 minutes of fade-free power before recharging. There are three switchable power modes available for any kind of floor or carpet.

It’s also versatile. It will quickly change from a stick to a handheld vacuum cleaner and back again, with just one click, making it perfect for home and car. It includes a wall-mounted charging dock that stores the V10 and its attachments.

The collection bin is 40% bigger than the Dyson V8, so there’s less stopping to empty the bin. It features a “Point and shoot” mechanism that ejects debris in one action, so there’s no need to touch any dirt. Whole machine filtration captures 99.97% of particles as small as .3 microns expelling cleaner air.

Four models of the Cyclone V10 will be available after March 15 with prices ranging from $499.99 to $699.99. They can be pre-ordered from Amazon. Visit Dyson or more information.

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Introducing the new Dyson Cyclone V10 – no cord needed, or wanted anymore. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 8, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Bellroy introduces Pencil Cases and Classic Pouches

Known primarily for their high-quality, thoughtfully-designed wallets (several of which have been reviewed here at The Gadgeteer), Bellroy has recently launched a line of cases pouches. Intended to store and organize your smallish items, the YKK-zippered pouches are made from either Leather Nubuck leather or Soft-woven Polyester, available in multiple colors and in three sizes: Pencil Case, Pencil Case Plus and Classic Pouch. The Pencil Case and slightly larger Pencil Case Plus have a single compartment that can fold out into a tray and are sized for holding writing instruments or other small items, while the clamshell-styled, wide-opening Classic Pouch has mesh wall pockets inside for organization and is collapsible for travel (including one pocket with a discreet magnetic closure). Prices vary from $39 to $79 depending on the material and size of the pouch. Visit Bellroy.com for more info or to order.

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Bellroy introduces Pencil Cases and Classic Pouches originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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The Dracast LED180Halo Ring Light – A real gem.

Many photographers use ring lights both in the studio and on location to help produce wide, even, and flattering light that eliminates almost all shadows, and is very good for highlighting beautiful skin tones. As a photographer, I have also tried a few ring lights, and most recently I purchased the Dracast LED180 Halo Daylight Ring Light in the 19” size, and in the Daylight version. This light is offered in both 13.5” and 19” sizes, and in color temperatures of Bi-Color or Daylight.

The LED180 features 252 surface-mounted LEDS in a 360-degree light that works great. The lens of the camera can be placed in the middle so that the light surrounds the lens and provides even light over the entire subject. It also has 10 to 100% dimming, and a CRI – color rendering index of 96. The CRI is the measure on a scale of 0 to 100 of how accurately the light can illuminate objects in “true colors”.

The light also comes with a nice case, AC adapter, an extra diffusion filter and a base that allows it to rotate 180 degrees when securely attached to a light stand.

I have also used this light on the side on a light stand to provide beautiful lighting from angles, and to create interesting shadows. It is important to note that it is made entirely of plastic, so while it is well made, care should be used when handling it.

The Dracast LED180 light is a real gem, and you can purchase one at B&H Photo Video for $199.

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The Dracast LED180Halo Ring Light – A real gem. originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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To boldly listen as no-one has listened before

Over the decades, the Starship Enterprise has taken many forms, but this time she’s taken the form of a Bluetooth speaker.  This speaker is designed after the Galaxy-class Enterprise NCC-1701-D from The Next Generation.  The ship is a 12″ long scaled replica; it stands 12.5″ x 7″ tall x 9″ wide when displayed on its 2-piece stand modeled after a combadge. It connects to your mobile device or computer via Bluetooth 4.1 and has a 33ft range.

Inside is a 45mm single, full-range speaker.  It’s powered by an 800mAh lithium-ion battery, which charges with a DC 5V 1A source and included microUSB-to-USB charging cable.  You’ll get 6-8 hours of playback time at average volume on a single charge.  The ship also has LEDs on the engines, deflector dish, and saucer section; these can be turned off, if desired.

When you aren’t listening to music, the speaker can play various TNG sounds:  engine hum, torpedo blast, warp acceleration, and “incoming transmission” and”one minute to auto destruct” messages. You can use the engine hum sound as a white noise generator; it turns off automatically after one hour.

The Star Trek TNG U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D Bluetooth Speaker is officially licensed and available for $79.99 exclusively at ThinkGeek.

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To boldly listen as no-one has listened before originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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