Reviews – Page 2

Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank review

REVIEW – I probably have a dozen different brands and type of power banks, with each newer one having better specs and more capability than the previous one. I love the convenience of power banks and I am always interested in the ones with multiple powering options and well-designed versatility. The Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank is the latest to join my collection. Let’s see if it is worthy of membership into my Power Bank club.

What is it?

The Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank is a slim, sleek and powerful 100AC, 94.72Wh Power Bank that is equipped with features like wireless charging, high-speed Power Delivery, USB-C in/out ports that can power and charge phones, tablets, DSLR cameras, laptops, and other devices.

What’s in the box

1 x Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank
1 x USB-C to USB-A cable
1 x USB-C to USB-C Cable
1 x Micro USB to USB-A
1 x Lightning to USB-A
1 x User Guide
1 x AC Wall Adapter

Design and features

Specifications
Charge times:
USB-C PD Source(60W): 2.5 hrs.
Wall charger(45W): 3 hrs.
USB-A (2.4A): 9 hrs.
Nomad 14: 14-28 hrs.
Nomad 28: 7-14 hrs.
Boulder 50: 4-8 hrs.
Battery:
Cell chemistry: Li-ion NMC
Cell type: 18650 by LG chem
Single Cell Equivalent Capacity: 25600mAh @ 3.7V
Lifecycles: Hundreds of Cycles
Shelf-life: Charge every 3-6 months
Management system: Charging and low battery protection built-in
Ports:
Wireless Qi (output): 5W max
USB A ports (output): 5V, up to 2.4A (12Wmax), regulated
USB-C PD ports (input/output): 5V,9V,12V,15V,20V up to 3A (60W each,100W max), regulated
AC inverter US (output): 110V, up to 0.9A (100W max), 60Hz, modified sine wave
AC inverter Int (output): 220V, up to 0.45A (100W max), 50Hz, modified sine wave
Solar charging port (input, 8mm diameter): 14-22V (50W max)
Weight: 2.0 lbs. (898 g)
Dimensions: 7.5 x 1.0 x 5.68 in (19.0 x 2.54 x 14.4cm)

Features

- Two High-Speed Power Delivery Ports: At 60W each, these USB-C Power Delivery ports provide rapid power for laptops, phones, and more.
- Integrated 100W AC: Take the outlet with you, on the plane or in the wild, for serious power anywhere you need it. Perfect for keeping cameras and laptops charged.
- Qi Wireless Charging + 2.4A USB: No matter the phone, there’s a wicked fast, convenient charging solution designed for you. USB ports are useful for devices with proprietary charging (fitness trackers, watches, etc.).
- Interactive OLED Display: Check power in and power out, get detailed port information, and even set roles for ports.
- Four Rugged Cables Included: Included are the cables, you need to get the job done, and an incredibly easy way to store them for later. Includes Lightning, Micro USB, USB-C, and USB-C to USB-C.
- Recharge from the sun: Connect a compatible solar panel. Charge time is dependent on the size of the solar panel. The Nomad 28 Plus will fully recharge the Sherpa 100AC in about 7-14 hours.
- Use included cables: Recharge from a USB source in 8 – 10 hours. Fully recharges from the wall in about 3 hours using the Sherpa Power Supply accessory (not included).
- Recharge from your car: Recharge from your car 12V adapter in about 3-5 hours.

On the front of the device, there are all of the connectivity ports and the display. From left to right as shown below, there is an 8mm DC input charging port, 2 in/out USB-C Power Delivery ports, the LED Informational Display, 2 USB-A ports, and the AC port.

On the back of the device, there is a cooling fan and on the top flat surface of the device, there is the Qi Wireless charging interface.

On each of the two sides of the device, there are short connectivity cables that are housed in slots designed for their storage and safekeeping. On one side there is a USB-C to USB – C cable and on the other side, there is a USB-C to USB-A cable.

Goal Zero also included a wall adapter that has 2 built-in ports that include a 45W power delivery port and a USB-A smart port. The prongs for the AC plug can be folded in for storage.

Performance

The Goal Zero Power Bank comes well packaged and is basically a plug and play device. When I received it and plugged it in to charge, it was already charged at over 90%. I left it charging for an entire day and when I checked it, the charge was 99%. At first, I was surprised that it was not at 100%, but it has achieved 100% after subsequent charges.

The photo below shows the LCD display during charging.

The display provides a lot of information on status and input/output as well as the options as you toggle through the screens that provide information for the customizable functions. In the photos below the first one shows the display when there is no load, and the last one shows the display hours later after using a tablet while it was plugged into the AC port.
You can click here to read the user guide and get more information including details of the customizable options.

I really love the Qi wireless charging this device offers in addition to all of the other power/charging options. I use it every night to charge my iPhone 10X Max smartphone.

I use the ports exactly as they were set up when I received the device since they meet all of my needs as they are. I like the individual buttons to turn on/off the Qi wireless charging function and the AC power, etc.

My only concern with this Power Bank is shown in the photo below. If you are using a wall adapter that is wider than the device then it is no longer level, and the bigger the adapter the higher off of the surface the device will be.

What I like

The build quality
The versatile connectivity ports
The sleek design
The power delivery capacity
The Qi wireless charging

What I’d change

Maybe the ability for the built-in AC port to be able to swing upwards to accommodate larger AC adapters.

Final thoughts

A few of the power banks that I own are quite versatile, but none as versatile and portable as this Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank. The dual in/out USB-C power delivery ports along with the regular USB ports and the AC port make this perfect for my use. The Qi wireless charging takes it over the top for me. The only minor issue that I have with it is that the obvious way to use it is flat on a surface, and since the AC port is slim and fixed, anything AC plug that is thicker than the device raises it off of the surface and puts the weight on the AC plug. It can also possibly make using the Qi wireless charging difficult if the level that it is raised to is too steep. Otherwise, this Power Bank is a win and gets a well done and two thumbs up!!

Price: $299.95
Where to buy: The Goal Zero website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Goal Zero.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Batteries and Chargers

Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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MEATER Block wireless meat thermometer review

REVIEW – Last year I reviewed both the MEATER and MEATER+ smart wireless meat thermometers. I have used them many times over the past year, even purchasing a few as gifts for family and friends. As the story goes, MEATER announced the Block around the middle of last year but has taken over a year to bring it to market. The Block enables you to monitor the internal temperatures of four pieces of meat simultaneously. Allowing you to precisely cook each piece (hopefully) exactly as desired. Let’s see if it was worth the wait .

What is it?

The Block unites four (4) MEATER wireless probes under one control unit. The Block communicates with each of its numbered probes then passes that temperature data to your smartphone helping you cook your food to perfection. Not only is the hardware very well done but so is the MEATER app and ecosystem, all working together to cook your meal with much less worry or guessing.

What’s in the box?

4x MEATER probes
1x MEATER Block charger
4x AA batteries

Hardware specs

Store and charge your MEATER probes
50 hours of continuous cooking with 4x AA batteries
Real wood to match any kitchen or outdoor decor
Crisp OLED display with touch capacitive control
Built-in speakers for audible alerts
Max outdoor operation temperature: 140°F
Dimensions: 132mm L x 39mm W x 157mm H

Design and features

The MEATER Block combines four (4) MEATER+’s into a single device that not only stores, charges, and monitors each probe but can also acts as a standalone, disconnected wireless thermometer and cooking assistant. While surprisingly minimalist, the control screen does a solid job of bringing the MEATER ecosystem to you even when disconnected from the App or Net.

The build quality of the Block is excellent, made from the same bamboo as the MEATER and MEATER+. The designers have embedded the control screen into the right side of the Block and a stainless steel foldout stand for propping the Block upright on your counter or BBQ.

Like the original MEATER and MEATER+, the Block’s probes are wireless with dual sensors created with the sole job of helping you cook your food to perfection. The probes are made from stainless steel and hardened, heat resistant plastic. Best I can tell, the probes themselves have not changed, much if at all, since the original MEATER was released last year.

Probe Specs

Stainless steel, water resistant and easy to clean
Wireless up to 165 feet (50 meters)
Bluetooth 4.0 wireless connection
MEATER Sense: 2 temperature sensors in 1 probe
Maximum internal temperature: 212°F (meat)
Maximum ambient temperature: 527°F (cooker)
Rechargeable: Over 24 hours of continuous cooking
Dimensions: 130mm length and 6mm diameter

The part of the equation that has changed/been improved from the original is the bamboo charger (both the Meater+ and the Block) also acts as a repeater to boost the signal from the probe and thus the overall range.

Each of the probes is numbered, enabling you to keep better track of doneness of each piece of meat. As you can see, the numbers go from 1 thru 4 and are machined into the base of each probe.

Each of the routered slots securely hold and charge the probes.

The MEATER Block is powered by four AA batteries, providing 50 hours of continuous cooking before needing to be replaced. The back cover is held in place by small embedded magnets.

The MEATER Block probes have to be inserted into the meat beyond the line machined into the metal casing to protect the main sensor from damage due to high temperatures.

The ambient sensor is meant to monitor the cooking temperature of the oven or BBQ. It is located in the black plastic end of the probe.

Setup

Alright Houston, we have a problem…as this review saga goes, I had struggled to and discovered a relatively large stumbling block setting up the MEATER Block.

No matter how much/hard I tried, I could not, for the life of me, get the Block connected to our WiFi router. I confirmed our password, attempted to log the Block into our network countless times, moved the Block to within a few feet of our router, put in fresh batteries, reset the device, etc. After all of that, I consulted the MEATER support page and found that Asus routers often have issues with products like the Block using the IoT. The support page suggested turning on an unlocked guest network to see if the Block could connect to that…sadly that was a failure as well. Plus I purchased the Asus router specifically because it was more secure and really did not want to punch holes in that security just to get the Block connected. To confirm I didn’t get a bad review unit or that I was doing something wrong, I connected the Block to several other routers and all of them connected quickly and easily, just as expected.

Performance

Well, this setback forced me to dive deeper into the MEATER Block’s standalone mode. The standalone mode allows you to use the Block when there is no WiFi or smart device connection. The Block communicates with all four of its probes via Bluetooth and the tiny screen displays the cooking status of up to all four pieces of meat.

The black control panel with its tiny OLED screen enables you to program each of the probe’s cooking profile just like the MEATER app on your smartphone. You select the type of meat (beef, chicken, pork, etc), cut of meat (filet, prime rib, loin, etc), and doneness (rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, well) and the built-in MEATER database leads you thru the cooking process, similar to the App. That said, while the built-in interface works well enough and is a great backup plan, the App is easier, quicker, and more intuitive to use.

Like the App, the Block’s screen shows a status bar/doneness graphic while on the grill, when to remove/rest the meat, and when the meal is ready to eat. I set one probe to rare, medium-rare, and the third for medium. the latter two turned out perfectly but the rare one was a bit over done.

What I like

Well made and thought out design
Monitors four (4) pieces of meat @one time
Truly wireless
Excellent range (improvement over the original)
Water resistant, dust-proof, easy to clean
Built-in dual sensors
Excellent app/ecosystem/standalone mode

What I’d change

Won’t connect to my router/limits functionality

Final thoughts

Even with the struggles and very frustrating time I had trying to get the MEATER Block fully operational, this well done, wireless multi-probe thermometer system came through. The MEATER ecosystem is excellent and I wish I could have gotten it working. But I am glad I was able to try out the standalone mode as a backup since I have used the App quite a bit over the past 18 months. Just bad luck that I recently purchased a router that does not play nicely with the Block. Overall, I would still recommend MEATER products and ecosystem to those wanting to take the stress out of cooking and grilling. The Block is a nice upgrade/enhancement in the MEATER lineup, enabling you to monitor multiple pieces of meat vs just tracking one and guessing on the rest.

Price: $269
Where to buy: The BLOCK is available directly from Meater.com and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by MEATER.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Cooking, Food, Grilling

MEATER Block wireless meat thermometer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car review

REVIEW – The FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car is not your typical radio-controlled car, it’s a radio-controlled boat too. That’s what caught my eye and was the reason I had to try it out. And was it worth it? You bet! This car was totally fun to play with and seems to be pretty well made. It does actually drive on water, believe it or not. Will it last? Who knows, but it will be a blast to play with until then!

What is it?

The FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car-Boat-Truck is a radio-controlled car (or boat or truck) with very large wheels that has full function controls (but no brakes), including 360 rotation, and drives on many different types of terrain. It is waterproof and will drive on the water.

What’s in the box?

Amphibious 4WD Radio-Controlled Car
Remote Control
USB Charging Cable
Operating Instructions
6 V/700 mAh Nickel-Cadmium Battery
Screwdriver

Hardware specs

Waterproof
2.4Ghz Anti-Interference Frequency Remote Technology
6 V/700 mAh Nickel-Cadmium battery – 2 hours charging time will power the car for more than 20 minutes

Design and features

The FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car-Boat-Truck has a pretty cool-looking design, is made of plastic, and has large wheels that have a rubber track for gripping the surface. The wheels are large enough to let the car flip over and drive upside down. The car comes in green, blue, or red.

The top of the car has a fluorescent green silicone On/Off button as shown above. There is also an LED indicator light (the small white circle behind the On/Off button which is actually a silicone covering for the light). The battery compartment is located on the bottom of the car and is watertight. There are also drain ports to allow water to be removed (the green circular silicone plugs seen on the body of the car in the photo above).

The remote control unit is a gun-type design where the trigger is the accelerator. There is a red On/Off switch located on the left side of the remote control (shown in the first photo above) and a red LED indicator light on the right side of the remote (shown in the second photo above).

When both the car and the remote are powered on, pulling the trigger allows you to drive the car forward and pushing the trigger out allows you to drive in reverse. A turn knob is located on the right side of the remote that allows you to steer the car to the right or left. The remote control needs two AA batteries which do NOT come with the car.

The car requires a nickel-cadmium battery that DOES come with the car. You first need to remove the screws of the battery compartment located on the bottom of the car, connect the battery to the connector inside the compartment, lay the battery flat inside the compartment, then screw the battery cover back on.

Immediately, I could see that recharging the batteries would be a pain – requiring me to open the battery compartment, disconnect the battery, connect the battery to the other end of the USB charging cable, then find a USB charging port to charge the battery. The nickel-cadmium battery is a 6.0 V/700 mAh battery. You can also see in the above photo that there is a silicone ring around the battery compartment to make it watertight.

Performance

We had absolutely no difficulty with any of the controls. Every control feature worked as designed. The car is fairly easy to control, although it took some practice to get the hang of it. I first tried it inside our house, which was a bit difficult since the car goes so fast that it is easy to run out of space. It is much easier outside on a street where there is plenty of space.

This car moves pretty fast (we didn’t confirm the speed, but the specs say 16 mph).

When you hold the trigger down the car moves very fast in either the forward or reverse direction (with all four wheels turning), depending on which way you pull or push the trigger. Given the way the car is designed (the front of the car looks very similar to the back of the car), it is sometimes difficult to tell which is forward or reverse. There also isn’t any way to adjust the speed. It either moves at full speed or not at all.

Brakes aren’t really needed since the car comes to a stop fairly quickly when the trigger is released. As the car is moving, the turning knob on the remote control will allow turning, and as long as there is adequate space. When turning the car this way, the controller stops the wheels from spinning on one side, and since the car is moving very fast, it will turn fairly quickly. The turn knob spring-returns to the center position when you let go of it, and does not provide precision steering control. It is more like a three position switch where it is either in the left position (only right side wheels are spinning), center position (all wheels are spinning), or right position (only left side wheels are spinning).

If the accelerator trigger is not pulled or pushed, then turning the turn knob causes the car to spin in a circle very vast (one set of wheels is going forward and the other set is going in reverse). It was fun to make the car spin like this, but it isn’t a very effective method of picking a direction of travel since it spins so very fast. I found it difficult to get the car aligned using this method.

The car drives best on hard surfaces but has some trouble in taller grass and would get stuck if the grass was too tall as shown in the video above. It also had some trouble climbing up a pile of dirt, mostly because of the uneven surface and the fact that the car has no speed control. It would very quickly veer to one side based on the slope and it was difficult to correct it before it tumbled off the pile. We also tried a pile of rocks, and it did okay but not great. This car is definitely best for flat surfaces, and maybe some gently sloping terrain, but not much else beyond that.

One thing the car will do is climb up a wall and then flip over. It is just as easy to control the car when it is driving upside down as it is right-side up.

We took the car to our community pool and drove it off the edge and into the water. It performed well in the pool. The wheels have integral paddles that allow it to move fairly well in the water, and the steering controls worked also.

Given the fact that we live in Texas and it is August, we were not able to test the car out on the snow. Bummer.

The car ran for about 15 minutes before the battery needed to be charged and it took about three hours to charge the battery. This doesn’t quite meet the documented specifications.

What I like

The FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car is fun to drive on large flat surfaces and even more fun to drive in water.
The car is reasonably well made and isn’t too difficult to control, as long as you have adequate space.

What I’d change

I’d prefer more precise throttle control (instead of just go or stop) so it could be driven at a slower speed. This would make it easier to control and might even help it to drive better on rough terrain.
It would be better to be able to charge the battery without having to remove it from the car.

Final thoughts

The FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car is very fun to drive around and even more fun to drive in the water. The controls worked well once I got the hang of the turning knob on the remote control. However, the battery only works for about 15 minutes or so before needing to charge and charging the battery takes about three hours. Charging is also a pain since you have to remove the battery from the car and connect it to a charging cable. For some of you, this may be a deal-breaker, however, if you don’t mind this, the car is really fun to play with especially in water and seems fairly well made.

Price: $39.98
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by FREE TO FLY.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Remote Control, Toys

FREE TO FLY Amphibious Radio Control 4WD Car review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Safy Anti Theft Travel Bag review

CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – Keep your stuff safe while you travel, and look good doing it! We’re taking a look at the Safy Anti-Theft Travel Bag, a clever little bag that offers hardcore protection for your travel essentials from thieves and the elements. This is a Kickstarter project that ends this week, so you’ll want to jump on it if you’re interested. But let’s see how it works first! To the review!

What is it?

It’s a bag that protects your phones, cash, credit cards, and essential documents while you’re traveling.

Hardware specs

8.9″ by 6.1″ by 2.5″
1.43 pounds
IP44 water resistance
60″ adjustable shoulder strap
RFID blocking pockets

Design and features

The Safy Anti Theft Travel Bag is a sharp looking piece of carry. At first glance, it just looks like a stylish little side bag. Mine came with the black leather face, but they offer a number of different styles and colors (including custom covers — more on that later). Here’s a front profile.

Side view below. Looks deceptively simple, right?

But flip it over, and you’ll see that it’s actually a hard case made from an ABS & polycarbonate material that offers impact and puncture resistance. It’s a little tank of a case.

You’ll also note that there are no zippers and no seams that wandering fingers can make their way into. The only way into the bag is through a combination lock that you set on the top of the bag.

Spin the wheels, push the button, and that’s the only way you get access to the goods. Check out the beefy frame on the sucker. It’s like a traveling safe deposit box!

The bag opens like a clamshell. Check out those hooks on the front face that prevent someone from prying it open. Coupled with a rubber gasket that seals the perimeter, you also get IP44 water resistance. It will keep your stuff dry, even if you venture out to the beach or the pool.

And look at the internal hinges! Someone is not going to pry those open either. Safy clearly thought through how to make this bag as secure as possible from all angles.

Now, you might think that a wandering thief could cut the bag loose at the straps… but no, my friend. They’re embedded with steel wires. And here’s another really clever bit: the attachment points are heavy plastic “keys” that insert into slots on the sides of the case. Once they’re locked in, they can only be released from tabs on the inside of the bag.

That means that you can secure this bag to a park bench, a beach chair, a picnic table, a train seat… and it ain’t going anywhere until you unlock the bag. Really clever, especially if you fancy a dip in the pool or a quick nap while traveling. Maybe someone could crack the strap with a pair of bolt cutters, but you’d see that coming.

You have two storage areas in the case for your stuff. On the rear face is a chamber that is roughly 7.25″ by 4.25″ by 1″ deep. An expandable pocket keeps your big items in place when you open the bag. I have my travel wallet, field notes, and headphones in here with plenty of room for my iPhone. I suspect that a smaller e-reader might fit in there.

The pockets on the front face are for your quick access stuff. There’s a cash pocket with a magnetic clasp, two card pockets for ID and credit cards, and a document pocket for your passport, boarding passes, and such. These pockets are RFID protected as well. That rear pocket also expands a bit if you have extra documents.

Performance

So how does the Safy Anti Theft Travel Bag work in practice? Pretty great, actually! I’ve used it for travel, and the top-opening design is great for quick access to the important stuff without your things spilling out. We locked it on a lounge chair by the pool where it kept 2 iPhones, my keys, my wallet, and assorted cards and cash (for pool bar drinks… you know) safe from overzealous splashing and wandering hands.

It’s just the right size for a wandering sidekick, too. You won’t get a whole bunch of stuff in there, but the essentials are nicely secured. Unfortunately, my vacation pics got all messed up, but here’s a shot of the Safy riding along with me.

(Go ahead. Try and take it. You still won’t get into my stuff.)

Here’s a side profile shot so you can see how compact it is. The 60″ shoulder strap is adjustable so it’s easy to find a comfortable position as a cross-body bag or slung to your side. Even on my chunky 5’10” 200 pound frame. You’ll need to get your own Star Wars shirt, though. I ain’t giving up mine.

Safy offers the case in multiple cover options as well. Mine is the black leather, which is also offered in beige. A black and white carbon fiber look lid can be had, and Safy will offer additional leather & fabric patterns if they reach their Kickstarter goal. And if you REALLY want to get funky, they’ll print a custom swappable cover for you from whatever picture or image you like (as long as it isn’t copyrighted). Check out the kickstarter link below for more information.

What I like

Maybe not bomb proof, but close!
Excellent build quality and construction.
Just big enough for the essentials while maintaining a slim profile.
Solid protection against pickpockets and thieves… every detail is covered.
Great beach bag or pool bag.
Lockable strap is a nice bonus feature for when you don’t feel like carrying it around.

What I’d change

Sized for the essentials, which I like. But a larger option might be nice if you’re rolling with a tablet.

Final thoughts

I really enjoyed using the Safy Anti Theft Travel Bag. It’s a simple and absolutely secure porter for my essential travel bits. Safy did a great job of dialing in the design to focus on its mission without complicating the overall usability. Style may be a subjective thing, but I think it works just as well as a men’s or women’s bag.

And if you want in on this one, you need to know that the Kickstarter only has a few days left! It closes on September 9 at 4:30 PM EDT, and there are still a good number of early bird specials available. Check out the link below for more info.

Price: Pledges start at $66 plus shipping. Super early bird specials are still available that include the extra customized lid.
Where to buy: Go forth to the kickstarter page while there is still time!
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Safy.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bags, Crowdfunded, Travel Gear

Safy Anti Theft Travel Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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ASTI LectroFan Micro2 sleep sound machine / Bluetooth speaker review

REVIEW – Sleep. We all need it, but for many of us, we don’t get enough. Sleeping in hotel rooms is especially problematic. Loud climate control systems, aircraft or traffic noise certainly contribute to the issue. My favorite are these two: the ever-present “I don’t care that this isn’t my house and I’ll talk as loud as I want to in the hall at whatever time of day I please” idiot down the hall from you and the person in the room next to you that believes that “100” is the proper television volume setting, only because it doesn’t go to “101”. How can anyone get a reasonable night’s sleep under these conditions? Many people rely on sleep sound machines. These machines use digital or recorded sounds to mask other ambient noise, providing a sound environment more conducive to sleep. This means yet one more bulky thing to pack, usually with its power cord and massive wall-wart power supply. What if there was another, more portable and flexible solution?

What is it?

The LectroFan Micro2 is a tiny (check the specs!) sleep sound machine that also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker with a microphone for calls from your smartphone. It is battery powered, so you can charge it during the day, and use it at night on the battery while you charge your phone, reducing the number of chargers you have to carry.

What’s in the box?

LectroFan Mirco2
User guide
Note that no power adapter is included – you just use one of yours

Hardware specs

Dimensions: 2″W x 2.1″H (3.4″H when speaker extended)
Weight: 3.2 oz
Recharging port: Micro USB, 5V/1A
Sounds: 11, non-looping digital sounds
Battery life: Up to 40 hours in sleep sound mode, up to 20 hours in Bluetooth speaker mode

Design and features

The Micro2 is diminutive. At about 2″ x 2″, there simply isn’t much to it. It is available in three colors. The metallic red, soft-touch white and soft-touch black. I was sent the soft-touch black model. The body is covered in a soft-touch rubberized coating that feels quite nice. The speaker has a brushed silver rim and a black speaker grill.

If you grab the speaker and twist it either clockwise or counterclockwise, the speaker rotates and angles up.

When it hits completely upright, it clicks into place. This allows you to provide some degree of aim so you can direct the sound in your general direction.

The bottom of the Micro2 is rubber and provides a non-slip grip to keep it where you put it.

It also provides very basic instructions as well as their website address.

The control buttons are along the lower portion of the Micro2.

Taking a closer look, we find rubberized buttons to skip to the next or previous sound, a play/pause button, and volume buttons.

On the other side, near the logo, we find the power switch and USB port.

Again, taking a closer look, we see the two available modes, Bluetooth to the left and sleep sound mode to the right. The center position is the off position. The USB port is directly below the poser selector.

Setup

The only setup is charging the Micro2. The indicator glows red when charging.

Once charged, the indicator turns green.

Performance

First, I gave the Micro2 a test run as a Bluetooth speaker. When it is connected to a Bluetooth source, the LED indicator turns a familiar blue.

As a Bluetooth speaker, the Micro2 is about what you’d expect from something this small. The sound is good, not great, and bass is all but absent. When you are playing music, the skip buttons on either side of the play/pause button will skip ahead/back one track.

As a Bluetooth speaker for phone calls, I’d recommend using something else. While I could hear my caller very clearly over the speaker, they couldn’t hear me well at all. If I wasn’t yelling, they could barely tell I was talking. I tried it again, but I put my wife on the speaker end of the call and I was on another cell phone. Like my previous caller reported, I could not make out anything my wife said. I could tell someone was speaking, but the sound quality was simply terrible. It was essentially unusable for phone calls.

These features are really add-ons for the Micro2. It is primarily a sound machine, and that’s where it gets more impressive.

The Micro2 can produce eleven unique, non-looping digital sounds. There are five different fan sounds, four brown and pink noises and two synthesized ocean wave sounds. Most of us have heard the term “white noise”. But brown and pink? From their soundofsleep.com website:

White noise, probably the most familiar of these, sounds like a radio tuned to an unused frequency. Similar to the way white light contains all the wavelengths of the visible spectrum at equal intensity, white noise has equal power across all frequencies audible to the human ear.

Pink noise is white noise, but with reduced higher frequencies. It resembles the sounds of steady rainfall or wind and is often considered to be more soothing than white noise, which some people find unpleasant. Several studies on pink noise have shown that sleeping with it can improve our memories the following day, and potentially even long-term.

Brown noise lowers the higher frequencies even more. It’s a bit “rougher” than pink noise and resembles the roar of a river current or strong wind. Common benefits associated with brown noise are relaxation, improved focus, and of course, sleep improvement.

They provide a variety of sounds because there is no one “right” sleep sound – different sounds work for different people. For me, the ocean sound is my favorite. I typically use Alexa’s ocean wave sleep sound and home. The Micro2’s versions are rhythmic and soothing. For a hotel, however, a more constant sound like pink or brown noise is probably a better choice.

Still, how loud can a little thing like the Micro2 really be? I turned on the sound meter on my phone and recorded the ambient sound level in my house. Then, I turned on one of the louder brown noise sounds at full volume and put my phone about 18 inches away.

As you can see, the sound level jumped from whisper quiet to really, really loud. Suffice it to say that the Micro2 should pack enough punch to effectively mask any annoying sounds. And, if you don’t need all that volume, turn it down, or choose one of the quieter sound effects.

This weekend, we are in the Detroit area for our son’s wedding. Since we are staying in a hotel for the weekend, it was the perfect opportunity to put the Micro2 through its paces. Here it is sitting on top of the coffee box in our room.

In the afternoon, I had Amazon Music streaming from my phone. While it certainly isn’t top-quality sound, it was more than adequate. Like I mentioned earlier, some bass would really improve the overall sound quality.

When we went to bed in the hotel, I cranked up the Micro2 on one of its synthesized ocean sounds. It was way too loud for the room, so we turned it down to a level we both liked and drifted off to sleep. The volume that this little speaker can produce in sleep mode is pretty darned impressive and should be great, no matter how large your sleep space or volume of ambient sounds are. It worked all night and did a great job masking the various sounds that seem to be in all hotel rooms – doors, climate control, voices in the hallway, etcetera. The only thing that interrupted my sleep was the canceled flight home because of that unwanted visitor named Dorian…

What I like

Tiny size
Surprising volume
Good variety of sounds
Good battery life
Also runs off USB power

What I’d change

A microphone that works for phone calls is really needed
A little more bass would be nice when listening to music

Final thoughts

I really like this little speaker and sound machine. It’s so small, packing it is a no-brainer. With its wide variety of sound effects and great volume, nearly everyone should be able to find a sound or two that works to help drown out whatever ambient sounds are disturbing sleep. The fact that it also doubles as a basic Bluetooth speaker is a great bonus. Since it can run off power, or on battery, it offers great location flexibility. If the microphone actually worked for phone calls, it would be nearly perfect.

Price: $33.95 – $34.95 based on color
Where to buy: Amazon
Also available (and on sale as of this writing) for $29.95 direct from ASTI at soundofsleep.com.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Adaptive Sound Technologies Inc (ASTI).

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Sleep

ASTI LectroFan Micro2 sleep sound machine / Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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