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Thinkware F800 PRO dashcam review

Last September I reviewed the Thinkware F800, a stealthy, feature-rich dashcam that remained in my old sports car until the day I sold it. Well, as the story goes, my new car didn’t have power ports nearly as well place as my former set of wheels. So, instead of having the 12V cable dangling from my rearview mirror, I had Thinkware’s optional power cable hardwired into my new car in preparation for this review. Thinkware has recently sent me their latest and greatest to try out, the F800 PRO. So, let’s see how this dashcam compares to the original and if it lives up to its PRO moniker.

Since the F800 and F800 PRO are nearly identical in form and function, I will be plagiarizing myself while describing the Pro’s shape, ports, and shared features but dive into what differences there are.

What is it?

The F800 PRO is a screen-less dashcam, shaped more or less like a thick deck of cards with a growth on its side to house the lens assembly. Like its twin sibling, I love the minimalistic, non-distracting form factor of the F800 PRO. Other than verbal/audio notifications, you can hardly tell it’s installed being tucked behind the rearview mirror. The F800 PRO is even more stealthy than the original, housed in all-black (vs gray) plastic and packed full of the latest tech, features, and Sony’s 2.13MP Exmor CMOS camera.

Design and features

Package Contents:

  • Main dashcam unit
  • Mount with 3M tape (1ea)
  • 12v power cable
  • Adhesive cable holders
  • 16gb microSD memory card with adapter (consumable)
  • Quick start guide/warranty card

The top of the F800 PRO has four slots that slide onto the mounting plate which allows for easy installation and removal of the device. The mounting plate is securely held to the windshield by a 3M adhesive strip (vs suction cup mount). The dashcam locks into place with a secure, wiggle-free connection.

The main face of the F800 PRO has the mute, SD card format, WiFi, and power buttons in addition to the GPS, recording, and WiFi status LEDs located on the left. The F800 PRO’s speaker is also located on the front of the device. Like the F800, the PRO’s speaker impressed me, definitely the clearest and loudest dashcam sound I have experienced to date.

The bottom, front facing edge of the dashcam has LED security lights that are managed via the Thinkware smartphone app.

The right side of the F800 PRO has its video-in, power, and external GPS ports. The video-in port is for the rear, second channel camera.

The F800 PRO’s camera is on the left side of the device, engineered to sit very close to the windshield to reduce distortion and glare. The camera housing is able to rotate vertically approximately 90 degrees to accommodate nearly any windshield angle and vehicle design.

The top of the F800 PRO has the recessed reset button, microSD card slot, and microphone. The PRO ups the maximum microSD card capacity to 128gb (vs the 64gb of the original F800).

Installation:

As I mentioned above, instead of using the included 12v power cable I had the Thinkware TWA-SH hardwiring cable installed by the Geek Squad @BestBuy. The cable itself was about $25 on Amazon and $50 to have it professionally installed. The hardware kit enables you to use all of the F800 PRO’s Parking Mode features/capabilities.

Other than the mute, format, WiFi, and the power buttons, configuring, managing and viewing/downloading video is all done via the Thinkware app available for iOS and Android devices.

The Thinkware app even helps you align the dashcam when first setting the 3M mounting plate as you can see here with the blue & green lines.

Setup and Management:

To customize the F800 PRO’s multitude of settings, you have to connect to the dashcam via WiFi and use the mobile app to tweak things as you like. The process requires you to press the WiFi button on the front of the dashcam, directly connect to its WiFi (for me it is Thinkware_B8), then start up the app.

In addition to accessing the F800 PRO’s camera (memory card/camera/recording/road safety/system) settings, the app also provides a listing of recordings and enables you to download these files from the microSD card to your smartphone wirelessly. Each 85mb file takes approximately a minute to download. Viewing videos are definitely easier by removing the microSD card and watching them on the Thinkware viewer on your computer.

Noteworthy Features:

  • Built-in GPS sensor  – the F800 & F800 PRO have absolutely the FASTEST built-in GPS I have ever tested.
  • Driver assistance – Includes lane departure, forward collision avoidance, and forward vehicle departure warning.
  • Speed camera alerts – the F800 PRO has an internal database that warns you when you’re coming up to an intersection or location with a known speed camera standing watch.
  • High-temperature protection system – a built-in thermal sensor protects the F800 PRO hardware and data against intense heat by automatically turning it off to prevent overheating.
  • Dual channel capable (aka second camera) – Thinkware also offers a rear camera that captures HD video @30fps.

Video Quality:

The F800 PRO uses the Ambarella A12 Chipset able to record 1080p simultaneously on both channels. The lens has 140 degrees of viewing angle with little fish-eye effect. I plan on adding Thinkware’s Rearview Camera in the near future.

Like the X550 and F800, the F800 PRO’s daytime video is good with solid resolution, excellent color, and better than usable image quality. Even though the F800 series has a 2.13MP Sony Exmor CMOS image sensor, some details are lost at HD (1920 x 1080) quality video.

Thinkware’s Super Night Vision 2.0 and Sony Exmor CMOS image sensor are very good at capturing light, producing an excellent nighttime video. The example shows excellent control of glare and exposure while producing well lit, very usable video.

Thinkware Viewer:

The Thinkware PC viewer is one of the best features of using their dashcams, very well polished and intuitive. Other dashcam manufactures either create a half-baked viewer or do not offer one at all.  The Thinkware viewer is an excellent integrated tool for viewing not only your driving video but speed, lat/long, Google map location, and three-dimensional G-forces the car is experiencing at any particular moment. These G-forces are illustrated in the bar graph under the video and the dial with a car in it with X- Y- and Z- axis in the lower left corner of the window. Like the X550 and F800, the F800 PRO records in 1:00 minute blocks that are approximately 85mb in size. The only issue I had with the viewer was the Google mapping integration was a bit hit or miss but I believe it might be the security settings on my Mac and/or iPhone.

F800 Pro vs F800:

As I mentioned above…other than its more stealthy coloring, there is no outward/physical difference between the F800 Pro and the original F800.

The F800 PRO supports microSD cards up to 128GB in capacity, double what the F800 can. This not only doubles the recording time before overwriting content but theoretically doubles any card’s expected life span.

The F800 PRO (as you would expect) includes a handful of added features the F800 does not, including:

  • Geo-Fencing allows drivers or parents to stay alert of the vehicle location.
  • Locate Vehicle drivers to find the vehicle’s current location.
  • Driving Impact Notification will notify owners when their vehicle has sustained a significant impact.
  • Energy Saving Parking Mode reduces power consumption by 1/3 less and gives 3x longer video recording than typical parking mode.

The Geo-Fencing, Locate Vehicle, and Driving Impact Notification features require an internet connection to work. To achieve this, the F800/F800 PRO can automatically connect to your smartphone’s or car’s hotspot when enabled. When set up correctly, I see these features as a great way to make sure whoever (aka teenagers) are OK and safely motoring down the road.

What I like

  • Great build quality
  • Additional features and functions
  • Stealthy/minimalistic form factor
  • Good video quality (especially Night Vision)
  • Dual channel/camera capable
  • Quick GPS lock
  • Excellent PC viewer
  • Solid companion smartphone app
  • Easy to install/use

WHat needs to be improved

  • Needs 2K resolution

Final thoughts

I really like Thinkware’s F800 series of dashcams…so much so, I have had them hardwired into several of our vehicles. I prefer their screen-less, minimalistic form factor. Both the F800 and F800 PRO are jam-packed with features you would expect from a high-end, flagship device. The all-black PRO only adds on to where the F800 stops. As I have said in this and past reviews, I would prefer a high resolution sensor but Thinkware’s flagship device has solid video quality and definitely gets the job done. Bottomline: I recommend the F800 for its design, features, and polished ecosystem and suggest spending a bit more for the PRO and all its added capabilities.

Price: $299.99
Where to buy: Thinkware or Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Thinkware, visit their site for more information.

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Thinkware F800 PRO dashcam review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Master & Dynamic ME05 earphones review

I’ve reviewed enough Master & Dynamic products to know how well they are made and also how great they sound. Surprisingly, I have not been familiar with their earphones. That’s now changed. Here is my review of the Master & Dynamic ME05 earphones.

What is it?

The Master & Dynamic ME05 earphones are made from hand-finished brass and are made much like their headphones with an attention to detail missing from many other brands.

Specs

  • Dimensions: 21.5 mm X 11.8 mm
  • Drivers: 8 mm Titanium
  • Impedance: 16 ohms
  • Weight: 21 grams
  • Materials: Brass, rubber, silicone
  • Cable: 47 in.
  • 3.5mm standard plug
  • Microphone Type: Omni-directional
  • Apple Compatibility: The remote and mic are supported only by iPhone 3GS or later, iPad, iPod touch (2nd generation or later), iPod classic (120GB, 160GB), and iPod nano (4th generation or later). The remote is supported by iPod shuffle (3rd generation or later).

Design and features

The ME05 Earphones are made of brass and they look it. So, no surprises there. There’s even a polishing cloth included. The earphones have some weight to them and I was initially worried that this weight would make the earphones more difficult to stay in my ear. Nothing could be further from the truth. I don’t know how they did it but the weightiness is perfectly balanced, so any fears of falling out were alleviated within the first 30 minutes of wearing. I could even jump up and down without dislodging them, although I wouldn’t recommend exercising while wearing—especially since they are not water or sweat resistant.

Another welcome surprise are ear tips that fit! With my ears, this is a big deal. I didn’t have to revert to my saved stash of ear tips to achieve that important, proper seal. 

The earphones themselves are rather bulbous, but that allows the large dynamic speaker to sit outside the ear—and it helps with the balance I mentioned earlier. The brass is tastefully paired with black accents from the flat, tangle-resistant cords to the reinforced posts where the cord meets the earphone housing. The cord is a bit short for desktop use, but perfect for smartphone use. The overall effect of black and gold is that the ME05 earphones look more expensive than they are. Although made from brass, there are also two other color options: Black Chrome and Palladium. Master & Dynamic have a habit of matching style with substance and it shows here, also.

There is the usual assortment of accessories included. Four pairs of silicone ear tips along with an extra pair of “tuning filters.” These are not like the changeable filters you see on other brands of earphones that provide more bass, treble, whatever. No, these are identical to the already attached pair. However, unless you have gross ears, I can’t imagine why you would need to swap out the filters. Also, the filters are SMALL and yes, I dropped one and had trouble finding it. You’ve been warned. 

The accessories are housed in a nice leather-covered circular case that originally housed the earphones themselves when first opened. Once you pry out the insert that holds the tips, what’s left is a nice, hard case for protecting the earphones. Or you can opt for the included soft, cloth bag for easier packing in a backpack. It’s nice to have a choice. There’s also a shirt clip—which I have never used. 

On the cord, Master & Dynamic separated the mic from the controls, so the mic is closer to the mouth while the Play/Pause controls sit where the cord splits into left and right. Master & Dynamic claims that this reduces noise, but I’ve never noticed that problem with other earphones. But having the controls separate from the mic does reduce weight drag on the right cord since the mic weighs almost nothing.

The sound coming out of the ME05 earphones is as rich as the way they look. It’s a bit on the warm side but not overly so, which is a good thing. Warm just means that bass is accentuated just enough without crowding out the mids and higher frequencies. I can almost feel the bass thump in songs. Of course, that’s impossible with earphones, but the effect is there (depending on the song, of course). 

Brian Eno’s “Written, Forgotten” from the album “Small Craft on a Milk Sea” is a real bass tester. With the ME05 earphones, the deep bass notes sounded much like a subwoofer, but I could still hear faint, subtle whispering in the background giving the song an ethereal quality. I can’t hear that whispering with regular speakers or many headphones. It’s always a treat when you discover new things about songs you thought you knew very well.

Ladytron’s musical hooks are evident in many of their songs, but “Ghosts” is particularly infectious. When turned up, this song is a sonic kick in the teeth. Guitars are blurred with synth chords and distorted percussion giving the song a Phil Spector-like wall of sound. Despite this, you can still hear what you need to in order to make out specific instruments. 

Then there’s “Red Rain” from Peter Gabriel’s classic “So” album. I have a high res version on this album and the sonic improvements are evident throughout the song and album. Bass is tight and distinct from Gabriel’s vocals while there are higher frequency things happening in the background. However, the highs are tamed so there is no harshness at all. This is a well recorded album and the ME05s show that off.

What I like

They are extremely comfortable over long periods of listening, plus the ME05s have ear tips that fit me! The audio feels and sounds just right—not to bassy or bright. 

What needs to be improved

Nothing of note except the lack of water resistance. The ME05s are not cheap, but these brass earphones should last a long time if taken care of.

Final Thoughts

The Master & Dynamic ME05 earphones stick closely to the middle of the audio road without veering either too low or too high. This may disappoint some bass heads or people who like a brighter sound, but those people are not M&D’s target. M&D wants to please as many people as possible with something that sounds good to great and be comfortable doing it. And in that, they succeed.

One more thing. Before you say that $199 is a lot of money for earphones—brass or not—consider this: HifiMan makes brass earphones and those sell for $800. So by comparison, the M&D ME05 earphones are a bargain—especially since they sound so good.

Price: $199 US
Where to buy: Master & Dynamic
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Master & Dynamic.

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Master & Dynamic ME05 earphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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AmpliFi Teleport (AFi-RT) review

In 2016, Julie reviewed the AmpliFi WiFi router with mesh system. AmpliFi recently came out with a Teleport device that works with the AmpliFi router allowing you to securely connect to your home WiFi from anywhere in the world. I was sent the AmpliFi Teleport Kit for review. While testing it, I found that setting up the Teleport device is not easy. In addition, once I got it set up, it didn’t work every time. When it did work, I could successfully access my home network and devices.

What is it?

AmpliFi Teleport provides a secure and convenient way to access resources at home, even when you are not. Utilizing any Wi-Fi hotspot or wired Ethernet connection, Teleport is able to create an encrypted connection to your home network, expanding it wherever you go.

AmpliFi Teleport Kit works in two parts – an AmpliFi HD Router runs your home network and Wi-Fi while AmpliFi Teleport, which is a portable hardware extension to the router, makes the home network and its internet connection available from a different location. (AmpliFi website)

Hardware specs

AFi-T Specifcations (Teleport)

Dimensions: 43.00 x 75.85 x 38.85 mm (1.69 x 2.95 x 1.53″)
Weight: 80 g (2.82 oz)
Max. TX Power: 19 dBm
Speed: 2.4 GHz – 300 Mbps, 5 GHz – 300 Mbps
ESD/EMP Protection: ± 24kV Air/Contact
Buttons: Reset
Antennas: (2) Dual-Band Antennas
Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11b/g/a/n
Power Save: Supported
Wireless Security WPA2-PSK AES/TKIP
Operating Temperature: 14 to 131° F (-10 to 55° C)
Operating Humidity: 5 to 95% Noncondensing
Certifcations: FCC / CE / IC
Supported Data Rates
802.11n: 6.5 Mbps to 300 Mbps (MCS0 – MCS15, HT 20/40)
802.11a: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps
802.11b: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps
802.11g: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps

AFi-R Specifcations (Router)

Dimensions: 99.5 x 97.8 x 99.6 mm (3.91 x 3.85 x 3.92″)
Weight: 410 g (14.46 oz)
Max. TX Power: 26 dBm
Radios: 2
MIMO Chains: 6
Speed: 1750 Mbps
ESD/EMP Protection: ± 24kV Air/Contact
Buttons: Reset
Antennas: (1) Dual-Band Antenna, Tri-Polarity
Display: 1.6″ (40.6 mm) Diagonal, 240 x 240, 212 ppi, G+F Touch, Full Color
Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11ac
Power Save: Supported
Wireless Security: WPA2-PSK AES/TKIP
Operating Temperature: 14 to 131° F (-10 to 55° C)
Operating Humidity: 5 to 95% Noncondensing
Certifcations: FCC / CE / IC
Supported Data Rates
802.11ac: 13 Mbps to 1300 Mbps (MCS0 – MCS9, VHT 20/40/80)
802.11n: 6.5 Mbps to 450 Mbps (MCS0 – MCS23, HT 20/40)
802.11a: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps
802.11b: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 Mbps
802.11g: 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54 Mbps

What’s in the box?

AmpliFi Teleport
AmpliFi HD Router
Power adapter for the router
Two Ethernet cables
Quick start guide
The AmpliFi Story

Design and features

The AmpliFi Teleport (AFi-RT) kit came with their beautifully designed AmpliFi HD Router. It is a cube-shaped router, has a full-color LDC touchscreen display, and measures 3.91″ x 3.85″ x 3.92″.The back of the router has the following ports:

  • Four Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect 10/100/1000 Mbps wired network devices to the internet
  • Ethernet port (with a blue box around it) that connects to the broadband modem provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider)
  • USB port that is reserved for future use
  • USB-C port for the power adapter

The bottom of the router has an LED ring around the bottom perimeter of the device and a rubber ring around the perimeter of the center plastic panel containing the product details. There is also a Reset button located here.  The AmpliFi Teleport kit also came with the Teleport device. The Teleport has an LED ring on the face of it and the device measures 1.69″ x 2.95″ x 1.53″.The back of the Teleport has outlet prongs.The bottom of the Teleport has a Reset button and an Ethernet port to connect it to an outside wired network (if desired).

Setup

AmpliFi HD Router setup

The Teleport device only works with the AmpliFi router, so I needed to set up the router first. There are a couple of ways to set up the router. You can set it up using the AmpliFi app (iOS or Android) or a web browser. I chose to set it up using the Android app. (Please see the AmpliFi Teleport guide to set up the router up using a web browser.)



To set up the AmpliFi router, I installed the AmpliFi app on my Pixel 2 XL phone. NOTE: If you are using an iOS device, you need to make sure that Bluetooth is turned on, or if you are using an Android device, you must make sure that WiFi is turned on.

After launching the app, I tapped on the “Continue” button (left screenshot above) then on the “Setup AmpliFi Mesh System” button (center screenshot above). Next, I powered off my internet service provider’s (ISP) broadband modem.



Using one of the provided Ethernet cables, I connected my AT&T modem to the Ethernet port (the one with a blue box around it) on my AmpliFi router as shown in the left screenshot above. Next, I connected the power adapter to the router’s USB-C port and plugged the other end into an outlet (as shown in the middle screenshot above). Then, I powered up my ISP’s modem.



To finish setting up the router, I needed to tap on the generic name of my router within the app (left screenshot above). Then I needed to name the router (its SSID) and create its password. And finally, I clicked on “Continue” as shown in the center screenshot above.

Now you can configure the router by tapping on the router icon in the center of the app home screen. Some of the router configurations include LCD and LED brightness, AmpliFi screen night mode settings, port forwarding, setting up a guest network, band steering which allows you to connect to the optimal band (2.4 or 5 GHz), router steering which would connect you to the main router, selecting 2.4 and 5 GHz channels and width of channels, as well as enabling hardware NAT, UPnP, clone MAC address, VLAN ID, IPv6, Bridge mode, etc.

AmpliFi Teleport setup

Preparations for Teleport setup

Step 1. Enabling AmpliFi Router Remote Access: The Teleport device needed to be paired with my router and to do so, I first needed to make sure that “Remote Access” was enabled on my router.



To enable “Remote Access” I needed to tap on the Menu icon in the upper left corner of the AmpliFi app (shown in the left screenshot above) and connect to either my Google or Facebook account. I chose to connect to my Google account. And that’s all I needed to do to set up “Remote Access”.


Step 2. Test Teleport connectivity: The second step in preparation for setting up the Teleport required me to test its connectivity. In the AmpliFi app, I tapped on the Teleport icon located in the center of the app home screen. I then tapped on “Test Connectivity” as shown in the right screenshot above. After doing so, it reported that the test failed and that I needed to enable UPnP on my ISP’s modem. However, AT&T (my ISP) does not allow UPnP for security reasons. I contacted Ubiquiti about this and they informed me that I could use port forwarding instead.

Step 3. Specify the port number in the AmpliFi router settings that the Teleport will use: Before setting up port forwarding on my AT&T modem, I needed to specify a port number in the AmpliFi router settings that the Teleport was going to use. To do this, I needed to log into my router using a web browser (http://amplifi.lan). Once I was logged in, under the setting “External port for Teleport Connection”, I entered the port number that I intended on using as shown in the screenshot above. You may click on the image to view a larger size.

Step 4. Set up port forwarding on AT&T modem: Now I was ready to set up port forwarding on my AT&T modem. I followed the steps outlined here.

NOTE: The port forwarding steps appear to be identical across AT&T modems. And, once you’ve created a new “user-defined application”, don’t forget to select it in the “Applications List” and add it to the “Hosted Applications” list in the setup.

Teleport setup

Now it’s time to setup the Teleport. First, you’ll need to plug the Teleport into an outlet and wait for the LED ring to start flashing indicating it is ready to be configured.

LED status: The LED ring on the face of the Teleport reveals its status:

  • Flashing blue full circle – it is ready to be configured
  • Circulating blue circle – it is connecting to the router
  • Steady blue full circle – it is configured and connected to the router

Next, I needed to find the Teleport listed in my phone’s WiFi settings as shown above. I then tapped on it.



Then I needed to tap on the Teleport again to sign into it (left screenshot above). On the next screen, I tapped on the “Sign In” button. I then gave my Teleport a network name (SSID) and password to log into in the future (right screenshot above).



Afterward, I needed to log into a hotspot to test the Teleport at home. NOTE: you’ll need to log in to a different WiFi other than your home WiFi when testing the Teleport at home which is why I used a hotspot device as shown in the left screenshot above.

After logging into my hotspot, the Teleport rebooted as shown in the middle screenshot above. Once it was up and running again, I had to find it in the list of available WiFi devices on my phone and tap on it (as shown in the right screenshot above – the Amp TLPT).



I then tapped on it again and tapped on the “Sign In” button to sign in. When the next screen popped up as shown in the right screenshot above,  I needed to switch over to my AmpliFi app to pair it with my AmpliFi router.



Within the AmpliFi app, a screen popped up asking if I wanted to pair the Teleport to the AmpliFi router. I tapped on “Yes, Pair this Teleport”.

I then went back to the WiFi settings on my phone and saw the center screenshot above. The center screenshot shows that my phone was connected to the Teleport device which was connected to the internet through an outside WiFi network (my hotspot). It also showed that the Teleport was paired with my AmpliFi router and thus connected to my home WiFi network.

After running the “Test Connectivity” again, I found no problems.


Now I could configure the Teleport within the AmpliFi app. To do so, I tapped on the Teleport icon located in the center of the app home screen. I could then change the Teleport settings listed (as shown in the right screenshot above) which include turning on/off the LED, pausing the Teleport, or rebooting it.

Wow, the setup process was surprisingly laborious!

Use


Using the Teleport to log into an outside network for the first time:

  • Plug the Teleport into an outlet and let it boot up
  • Connect your phone to the Teleport by selecting it from your phone’s list of available WiFi networks (left screenshot above)
  • Tap on the “Sign in” button to sign the Teleport into the available outside network (right screenshot above)



  • Select the available outside WiFi (or wired) network you wish Teleport to log into (left screenshot above), enter its password (middle screenshot above), and tap on “Continue”
  • The Teleport will reboot (right screenshot above)
  • After rebooting, you’ll connect your phone to the Teleport again by selecting it from your phone’s list of available WiFi networks
  • Now you have a secure connection to your home WiFi network

Using the Teleport to log into the same outside network that was logged into the last time you used it:

  • Plug the Teleport into an outlet and let it boot up
  • Connect your phone to the Teleport by selecting it from your phone’s list of available WiFi networks
  • Now you have a secure connection to your home WiFi network

Performance

The AmpliFi WiFi router was easy to set up and worked well for me. However, it was already reviewed by Julie. So, if you want to find out more about it, please read her review here. The purpose of this review was to test the AmpliFi Teleport device (which requires the AmpliFi router to work and is the reason why I received both items).

While I was out around town trying out the Teleport device, I found that I was hampered by the limited number of available outlets. Once I found an outlet to plug the Teleport into, I then had trouble with the Teleport logging into an available outside WiFi network. It sometimes reported that the password was incorrect. This was a false error. I know this because I was able to successfully log into the WiFi network directly (without the Teleport) using the same password. Furthermore, the same problem occurred a couple of times when trying to log into different WiFi hotspots at home while testing the Teleport device.

Some of the benefits of having secure access to your home network are that you have access to your network files, local streaming content, and access to your network devices. When I did finally get the Teleport to log into an outside WiFi network, it allowed me to successfully access my home network and devices. I was able to do things like use my Fing app to do some home network maintenance and stream Netflix and Amazon videos without issues. One of the things that I wanted to do was stream TV content from my WatchAir Smart WiFi antenna which was connected to my home WiFi network. However, the streaming was very choppy and unwatchable.

What I like

  • You can access your home network and devices

What needs to be improved

  • The setup process was tedious
  • Teleport sometimes had problems logging into an available outside WiFi network (it reported that the password was incorrect when it was not)

Final thoughts

The AmpliFi Teleport is a device that creates a secure network connection to your home network from anywhere around the world thus giving you access to your home network and devices. It works only with the AmpliFi router. While the AmpliFi router is easy to setup and works well, the setup of the Teleport was tedious.

After I was able to finally complete the setup, I found that I was limited by the number of available outlets. Also, when trying to log into an outside WiFi network using the Teleport, it sometimes reported that the password was incorrect even though I know it was not.

When the Teleport did work, I was able to do things on my home network like watch Netflix and Amazon videos without issues. However, the streaming quality of TV content through my WatchAir Wifi antenna at home was horrible. Thus, I have mixed emotions about using the Teleport. Sometimes it was just too frustrating to use, but other times it worked well and I could see its usefulness especially when you are traveling far from home.

Price: $208.05
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The product used in this review was provided by AmpliFi.

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AmpliFi Teleport (AFi-RT) review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 11, 2018 at 2:16 pm.

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Gunnar Work-Play Infinite eyewear review


For years I’ve been an IT guy and now recently am doing web development, so the time I sit at a computer has increased tremendously. My eyes never seem to get a break from a bright computer monitor or mobile phone now that we’re in an always-online world. GUNNAR Optiks has introduced a new set of glasses that protect eyes from digital screens as well as transition to sunglasses for outdoor protection. Let’s check out how these worked for me!

What is it?

The GUNNAR Work-Play Infinite lens, designed by Publish, is a dual-purpose lifestyle lens designed for indoor blue light protection from digital screens which then transitions to a sunglass for outdoor protection from UV light and the sun’s rays.

Hardware specs

  • Steel eyeglass frames with adjustable nose pads
  • lens width: 2.04 in
  • nose: 0.86 in
  • frame width: 5.9 in
  • temple: 5.7 in
  • weight: 0.88 oz
  • Blue-Light Protection Factor (BPF) of 65 indoors and 90 outdoors

What’s in the box?

  • GUNNAR Work-Play Infinite eyeglasses
  • warranty and user guide

Design and features

The GUNNAR Work-Play glasses I received are the “Infinite” style, which are made of a gold painted steel, round frame, and nosepads. They are very trendy and super comfortable. If you’re familiar with GUNNAR computer eyewear, the tint of the frame is yellow so as to remove any blue light from a computer or mobile device screen. As mentioned early, the special feature of the Work-Play lens is that they transition to sunglasses in about 45 seconds when going outdoors.



Performance

These GUNNAR Work-Play glasses were very comfortable to wear at work all day. My co-workers complimented me on the style, and I got used to the yellow tint of the lens after twenty minutes or so. At lunch, I wore them outside and did see them darken in about a minute, but I wish they were as dark as my normal sunglasses.

What I like

  • Sturdy but lightweight
  • Stylish
  • Fit very well all around
  • No pulling on the sides of my hair or digging into my nose

What needs to be improved

  • I wish the lens tint was a bit darker for the bright sun we’ve been having lately. They aren’t dark as regular sunglasses

Final thoughts

In my opinion, the GUNNAR Work-Play glasses are a worthy investment for your eyes if you sit at a computer screen all day long. My eyes felt pretty comfortable at the end of the day, and I didn’t get tired of wearing them any more than my normal glasses. The fact that they transition for the sun outdoors is pretty nifty, but they just need to be slightly darker to be practical.

Price: $99.99
Where to buy: The GUNNAR Work-Play Infinite can be purchased on their site in gold, onyx, and plan or with a prescription.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by GUNNAR Optiks.

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Gunnar Work-Play Infinite eyewear review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 11, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro multitool review

I’m a big fan of gadgets that pack several (or many) uses into a single, small device.  And with survival products being a huge market these days, when I saw the Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro multitool, I was immediately interested.  It’s the size of a largish pocket knife, but includes 21 survival-type tools—such as fire-starting rods, a compass and signal mirror, to name but a few—in a durable frame aluminum frame.  Let’s check it out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

The Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro is a unique multitool that includes 21 features that outdoor enthusiasts, military, rescue/first responders, preppers or just about anyone might find useful in survival situations.

Hardware specs

  • Product Dimensions & Weight: 4.50 x 1.40 x 0.66 inches ; 0.27 pounds
  • Body: Dark gray die-cast aluminum
  • Fold-out ferrocerium fire starter rod and magnesium tinder rod
  • Carbide blade/axe sharpener
  • Fail-safe whistle, 109dB max volume
  • Liquid-filled compass
  • Thermometer
  • Reflective panel
  • Signal mirror panel
  • Lanyard hole
  • Feature-rich removable stainless steel belt clip, including:
    • Can opener
    • Bottle opener
    • Flat head screwdriver
    • Serrated saw edge
    • 1.5-inch ruler
    • Fire starter scraper
    • Hex wrenches in 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″ sizes
  • Designed in the USA, manufactured in China
  • Limited Warranty

What’s in the box?

  • Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro

The Survival Companion Pro’s packaging, as shown in the images above and below, gives good visibility to the product contained inside, which is a feature I really appreciate in retail product packaging.

The back of the package also includes a list of the Survival Companion Pro’s many features.

Design and features

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to state that the Survival Companion Pro is veritably packed with features (21 in total), which I could tell even before I removed it from the package.

Once out of the package, the Survival Companion Pro felt quite solid in my hand, which I took to be an early indicator of high-quality design, build and materials.

The Survival Companion Pro’s main body is made from durable aluminum that should have a low potential for rust or other corrosion, yet is lightweight and strong.  It also has a robust pocket clip.


Although it is not actually a pocket knife, the Survival Companion Pro is actually more like a multitool, with its fold-out magnesium tinder rod and ferrocerium fire-starting rod, both of which are shown above in their fully-deployed positions.  Magnesium is a material that can be scraped to produce fine shavings that can be used as fuel to start a fire in the absence of other tinder-type materials.  Ferrocerium is a metallic alloy material that can be scraped to produce sparks which have enough heat to ignite the fine magnesium shavings.  Once a bit of magnesium shavings have been produced by scraping the rod, the ferrocerium rod can be scraped quickly to produce sparks which have enough heat to ignite the magnesium shavings.  Therefore, using these two fold-out rods, the Survival Companion Pro can be used to create a small fire, which can then be fueled, stoked and tended to create a large fire should the need ever arise.  Also note that the Survival Companion Pro’s belt clip (described in detail below) can be removed and used as a scraper for both the ferrocerium and magnesium rods.

Another feature of the Survival Companion Pro is its “fail-safe, pealess” whistle, depicted above.  Off Grid Tools claims that this whistle has a 109dB max volume.  I did a bit of research and Purdue University reports that 109dB is approximately the volume of a steel mill auto horn at a distance of 1 meter.  That is LOUD, people.  Loud enough to possibly get the attention of a first responder or rescuer some distance away from your position in an emergency.

As mentioned above, although the Survival Companion Pro is not a pocket knife, it does have a carbide blade sharpener, as seen in the image above.  A good knife is a survival essential, but a dull knife will be much less useful, so this sharpener feature could come in very handy.  It could even be used on a small axe in a pinch.

Survival Companion Pro’s belt clip itself also contains several very useful features. The belt clip typically sits securely attached to the back of the Survival Companion Pro’s main body by two brass pins, as seen above.

The belt clip can be removed for use.  I found the easiest way was to start by rotating its right side upward to release it from the right-side pin, then wiggling the clip a bit to free it from the left-side pin.

It only took me a couple of times before I had this maneuver down and it became simple to remove the belt clip for quick operation and then to replace it securely when finished.

The belt clip has a spring-type design that allows it to be used to attach the Survival Companion Pro to not only a belt, but also a pocket, backpack webbing, straps, or many other locations.

As listed in the Hardware specs section above, the belt clip contains, starting from the left in the image above, a  scraper for the ferrocerium and magnesium firestarter rods (described above), flat head screwdriver (can also possibly be used as a Phillips head in a pinch) can opener, bottle opener, serrated saw edge, 1.5-inch ruler, a, and hex wrenches in 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″ sizes.  That’s a lot of tools packed into a pocket clip!

Back to the Survival Companion Pro’s main body, another useful feature is a small thermometer, shown in the images above and below.  Note that also show above is the lanyard hole on the left side.  I found this lanyard hole to be the only somewhat frustrating feature because it was challenging to get anything through there.  I tried a small S-carabiner and it wouldn’t fit, and also some 550 paracord, but it didn’t seem to want to be pushed through the hole very easily.

I compared the accuracy of the Survival Companion Pro’s thermometer to the weather app connected to my Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch. Both seemed to be comparable within a few degrees of each other.

Another of the Survival Companion Pro’s move essential survival features is a small, liquid-filled compass, as shown above and below.

Once again, I used my Garmin Fenix 3 HR watch—this time its compass app—to compare to the Survival Companion Pro’s thermometer, and once again, they only seemed to differ by a few degrees.  While this variance could make a difference for accurate navigation in a survival situation, I’m not sure I fully trust my Fenix 3 HR’s compass app’s accuracy.  I may have to do a bit more experimenting and report back here at a later date.

Two more features are packed into the main body of the Survival Companion Pro, as shown in the images above and below.  First, a reflective strip that could be used in low-light situations.

Additionally, below the reflective strip is a mirror-like reflector panel, as shown in the images above and below.  At first, I didn’t realize that this reflector panel had a thin protective film over it (see above).

However, once I removed the film, this panel proved to be quite reflective, mirror finish, a feature that could be used to signal far-away rescuers by reflecting the sun’s rays.

The Survival Companion Pro is roughly the size of a large folding-blade pocket knife, easily fitting into the palm of my hand.  The entire device is stout, sturdy and compact, yet lightweight.

During my evaluation period, I carried the Survival Companion Pro attached to the MOLLE webbing on the exterior of my GORUCK GR1 rucksack, as seen in the images above and below.

The Survival Companion Pro’s spring-type belt clip worked, keeping the tool attached very securely.

What I like

  • Lots of survival tools packed into a small and compact size and shape
  • Durable
  • Inexpensive

What needs to be improved

  • Lanyard hole could be a bit larger
  • Thermometer and compass may not be super accurate, but they do the job

Final thoughts

The Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro is packed with useful features in a small size.  You may never need to use this product in a survival situation, but in an emergency, it might come in very handy and could possibly even save your life.  I carried the Survival Companion Pro as part of my EDC during the time that I evaluated it, and I have since made it a part of my ongoing EDC kit.  Although I thankfully never actually needed it in an emergency or survival situation, it gave me the confidence to know that I had its many useful features available for quick access should the need arise.  Plus, with its relatively low price, you could buy one of each of your vehicles, give them out as gifts and so forth without breaking the bank.  If you are into EDC and/or survival tools, have a look at the Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro.

Price: $24.99
Where to Buy: Off Grid Tools or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Off Grid Tools.

The post Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro multitool review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

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Off Grid Tools Survival Companion Pro multitool review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 10, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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