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LectroFan sound and white noise machine review

There are many people that need some noise to help fall asleep. They need something for their mind to process to help unwind from the day. The LectroFan Sound and White Noise machine is the perfect solution.

What is it?

The LectroFan is a sound machine that produces ten variations of white, pink and brown noises, plus 10 fan sounds. The sounds are digitally synthesized and non-looping, so there’s no abrupt end as the sound starts over. The sounds help mask disruptive noise and give your brain something to think about besides the goings on of the day. It also keeps sudden noises from waking you up as easily.

What’s in the box?


The contents of the box are pretty straightforward. Included is the LectroFan machine, cord, owners manual, and power adapter.

Design and features

The LectroFan machine runs off of 5v 500ma, which means you can either use the supplied power adapter or simply plug the cord into a USB port. The unit is quite weighty for what it does, I’m assuming that it’s simply so that it won’t slide off of a nightstand as easy. It seems very sturdy and well made, definitely in the “built like a tank” category.

The unit has three rocker buttons for a total of 6 functions. On/Off, 60 minute timer, Volume up and down, fan sounds and white noises.

The volume on this little box is amazing. It can go louder than you’ll probably ever want unless you have it all the way across the room.

Changing the sound is as simple as pressing a button to cycle through the available sounds. When you reach the end of the sounds it plays a “whoop” sound and starts back at the beginning. Pressing the “60 min” sleep timer button adds 60 minutes to the sleep timer each time you press it.

What I like

  • Weighted and sturdy design.
  • Simple to use.
  • 60+ minute sleep timer.
  • USB Power option doesn’t take up yet another wall plug.

What needs to be improved

Doesn’t remember settings when unplugged.

Final thoughts

After a long day of writing code my brain sometimes just wants to keep going, thinking about stuff I was working on during the day. This machine really helped me fall asleep faster.

Price: $49.95
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sound of Sleep

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LectroFan sound and white noise machine review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Nomad Wireless Travel Stand review

More and more phones support wireless charging resulting in a plethora of wireless chargers available on the market. Most are circular in design and have a somewhat generic aesthetic. Nomad has taken a different approach with their wireless charger and it stands out as a result. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

A unique wireless charger for devices that use the Qi standard.

What’s in the box

  • Wireless Travel Stand
  • AC adapter with tethered cable
  • Kickstand instructions

Hardware specs

Materials

  • Horween leather top surface
  • Aluminium kickstand
  • Enhanced polycarbonate frame
  • Molded anti-skid TPE footing

Technical

  • Max output of 7.5W
  • 1.5 meter cable from wall power source
  • USA plug style: 110-240V
  • Wireless

Design and features

Nomad made the decision to wrap the surface of their charger in genuine leather (Horween to be specific). It’s a great touch and it gives the charger a wonderful look and feel. Leather does tend show scuffs and scrapes over time, but overall that adds character and improves the look in my opinion. Nomad points this out clearly in the product information on their website.

The charger is designed to be used flat like most Qi chargers as well as in an easel orientation by using the removable, aluminum kickstand that stores on the underside of the charger. Again, a nice touch.

As for power, Nomad has chosen to include a 7.5w wall adapter which provides a faster wireless charge than average Qi charging products. This is a welcome benefit as we’re all very good at draining our phones quickly. It plugs into the top of the cavity on the back and there’s a small LED to let you know power is connected and working.

Setup

There’s not much involved in setting it up. Just connect the power cord and lay the charger flat, or slide the kickstand into place and use it vertically. To charge your phone, just lay or rest it on the stand.

Performance

In short, the stand does what it’s supposed to do. It charges a phone quickly compared to average wireless chargers due to the 7.5w power supply that’s included. While charging, you’ll use the charging indication on the phone itself for status as there’s no LED on the front face or sides of the charger. Keep in mind that if you happen to have any power hungry apps open or running in the background they can potentially demand almost as much power as the charger is putting in.

From a size and weight perspective, it’s pretty light (137g/220g with charger) which helps the travel aspects. Not having a heavy ballast does mean it can move around a bit in the easel orientation as you’re placing your phone even with the anti-skid feet on the kickstand.

What I like

  • Wireless charging. It’s great to have your phone charging simply because you set it down in the right place.
  • The absence of an LED on the surface. My phone tells me it’s charging. I don’t need the charger to tell me as well.
  • Two charging orientations. This is a cool feature. I tend to favor the easel mode as it lets me interact with my phone more naturally if I’m seated, or have it at my bedside, but it’s awesome to have the option.
  • The attention to fit and finish of the leather. If you look closely at where the leather and polycarbonate materials meet, the leather is either wrapped or cut cleanly providing smooth finishes. The stand pass through is especially clean.

What needs to be improved

There are a few things that would benefit from some additional refinement although none of them detract from the core function of charging your device.

  • The fit of the kickstand into it’s stowed position in the charger. It tucks into the charger pretty well, but on this sample, it sits a touch proud resulting in a slight wobble end to end when placed on a table. I’d be concerned that over time the two small elastomer nubs that hold it in place would slack in their performance. A drop from table height knocks the kickstand out of its stowed position. This could mean losing it while packing up at a hotel if you didn’t realize it had bounced out.

  • Sliding the foot into its functional position is a little too easy. Both faces have a non-slip pad on an end. One to stabilize the charger against a table and one for your phone to rest on. The bend in the foot is non-symmetrical so it’s possible to put it in upside down. Additionally, there is not a physical stop for the foot position, so occasionally it slides backward where the ledge for the phone is too small.

  • While I appreciate the power of the included 7.5w wall adapter, it’s configuration baffles me a bit. Its dimensions are so close to snapping into the back of the charger that it feels like that was the original intent, but no. I also wish the adapter had folding prongs and a removable cable which would aid in packing for travel.

  • A USB-A or USB-C connector instead of the barrel jack on the charger would also have been nice. I understand a barrel jack takes up less physical room and how a common USB connector potentially creates a scenario of someone using a non-included power supply that might under or overpower the product creating frustration and missed expectations.
  • Lastly, in the flat position, I continually wanted to square my phone up with the shape of the charger. As you can see it’s almost exactly the same size as an iPhone X. In that aligned position, the embedded coil ends up in the wrong place for my phone so it doesn’t charge. Placement will vary depending on your phone so this should be a quick learning curve.

Final thoughts

Overall Nomad has a great product on their hands. The large list of improvement suggestions above are just that. None of them are showstoppers. I do take a bit of issue with it being called a travel product as it’s larger than a lot of Qi chargers and the wall adapter is bulky. I typically travel with compact or multi-purpose versions of products to lighten what I carry. Interestingly, the packaging just says Nomad Wireless Stand even though their website mentions travel specifically. The Wireless Travel Stand is a beautiful product that I’m more likely to use around my home than on my travels and I expect it will look even better with time.

Price: $59.95
Where to buy: Nomad
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Nomad.

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Nomad Wireless Travel Stand review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 10, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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United By Blue Lakeland Laptop Bag review

Looking for a simple, good looking bag for the office or school? United By Blue’s Lakeland Laptop Bag may be worth your consideration. It’s a charmer that’s got classic styling and great usability. It also comes from a company that’s dedicated to a noble environmental mission. Let’s learn more!

What is it?

It’s a 12 liter canvas laptop bag with leather accents & brass hardware that’s part messenger and part briefcase.

Hardware specs

  • 100% organic waxed 18 oz. cotton canvas
  • Vegetable tanned leather handles
  • Solid brass hardware
  • YKK zipper
  • 12 liter volume
  • Dimensions: 15” wide by 13.75” tall by 4.5” deep

Design and features

The United By Blue Lakeland is an elegant, classically-styled bag that combines the structured form of a briefcase with the convenience of a messenger bag. Not only is it good looking, but the thoughtful layout makes the Lakeland a very easy bag to live with.

Let’s start with the build. 100% organic waxed 18 oz. cotton canvas is the primary material, backed by a cotton fabric lining throughout the bag. The handles, straps, and trim are done in vegetable tanned leather accented with gorgeous brass hardware throughout. The style elements are understated, allowing the materials to speak for themselves. Stitching and assembly are rock solid throughout, with clean finishing on all the seams and stress points. Check out the close-up shots below:

The layout of the Lakeland is all about easy access to your gear. The front and rear face each have an 8” by 15” open pocket for stashing quick-grab items like keys, earbuds, your smartphone, a notebook, or a standard-sized tablet (my 9.7″ iPad fits perfectly in either pocket).

The main compartment is protected by a 3″ storm flap that buckles down to the front face of the bag for extra protection. A full-length brass YKK zipper opens to the main compartment; it’s the only zipper in the whole layout.

The interior padded laptop sleeve is expandable to accommodate different sized or multiple devices. That’s a Lenovo 15″ Thinkpad in my pictures for reference. I can also fit a 12.9″ iPad Pro in its smart case in that pocket behind the Thinkpad. The bellows-style design allows for books or notebooks to ride in there as well.

On the opposite interior face is a series of pockets: two 7” by 8 1/2” pockets, which will fit up to a 9.7″ iPad; two 4” by 7” pockets, which will fit up to an iPhone 7 plus; and a trio of pen loops. You’ll notice from the picture that you still have room for a couple of items riding in the main compartment, depending on how you load up the laptop sleeve.

The interior sports 1/4” foam padding on the front, back, and sides for additional electronics protection. While the base is not padded, the padded laptop sleeve does protect the bottom of your moneymaker against drops. There are also leather bumpers on the bottom corners to add some additional protection. 

You have multiple carry options with the Lakeland. There’s a leather handle on either side of the zip that snaps together with a 4” by 5” strip of leather for a wide, comfortable grip. The removable shoulder strap is made from cotton webbing and leather with brass hardware and can be adjusted from 34” to 44” for one-shoulder or cross-body messenger carry. A 2-1/4” by 6” leather shoulder pad is also included.

Performance

 

I love the soft, floppy feel of the materials in this bag. It’s got a great texture and hand feel inside and out. That floppiness also adds to the flexibility of this bag: since there is no hard structure, it will flex to adapt to odd shaped items or extra packing. It’s also a tall bag at 13.75″, which allows you to stack items (like a lunch) in the main compartment if necessary. Coupled with the two external pockets, this enables you to take full advantage of every square inch of the bag. It feels like it carries more than it’s 12 liter measured capacity

I also really like the simple, open pocket layout. When the storm/security flap is released, the zipper underneath opens nice and wide for easy access to the interior. The laptop pocket is a deceptively large and flexible space. The dual large/small pockets on the opposite face give me all kinds of options for organizing notebooks, chargers, business cards, and assorted office gear. And I still have the open exterior pockets for my quick-grab stuff. If you’re always running between meetings or classes, you’ll appreciate the ability to get to anything in your bag quickly and painlessly.

The classic style of the bag also transitions easily from business to casual environments. You won’t feel awkward wearing this bag with a suit or sports jacket, but you can easily dress it down for business casual meetings or the classroom and not feel like you’re overdressed.

It’s also super light, which makes for an easy day-to-day carry. I do wish it had a larger shoulder pad (8″ would be perfect!), but it’s so light to begin with that this isn’t a huge comfort issue unless you’re really loaded up. The cotton-webbed shoulder strap backing also helps with this.

I only have a couple of nitpicks with the Lakeland Laptop Bag. While I love the softness of the materials, the cotton lining looks like it will pick up stains or marks from pens, spills, and such. The waxed canvas side is treated for weather protection, but I will probably add some additional treatment to be safe. I did find that the snap handle and storm flap can lead to some fumbling if you’re in a pinch to get into the main compartment, but the extra security is nice if you’re on a crowded train. Also note that, while the storm flap protects the main compartment, the front, and rear exterior pockets could trap some water.  Be careful in the rain!

I’ll be interested to see how the durability holds up during long-term testing. I have no concerns based on my first few weeks. United By Blue also provides a lifetime warranty against failure through normal use, so you have some nice security standing behind your purchase.

About United By Blue

There’s more to United by Blue than just outdoor gear and apparel. The company is a certified B-corp that is committed to social and environmental responsibility. Clean waterways and oceans are at the heart of their mission. They organize regular waterway cleanups on the East Coast with special events across the country and are committed to removing one pound of trash from our oceans and waterways for every product they sell. You can learn more about their volunteer cleanup operations here. It’s a noble missio, and one that I can get behind.

What I like

  • Classic materials
  • Simple, functional, flexible layout
  • Looks great in formal business and casual business/school situations
  • Great company with an environmentally-focused mission
  • Has surprising capacity for a 12 liter bag

What needs to be improved

  • Would like a slightly longer shoulder pad
  • Interior cotton lining could pick up stains and marks

Final thoughts

The United By Blue Lakeland Laptop Bag combines some of the best elements of a briefcase and a messenger, and makes for a great crossover bag between business and casual situations. It’s a very easy bag to live with on a day-to-day basis if you’re constantly running between classes or meetings. You can also feel good knowing that your purchase goes towards supporting an environmentally-focused mission. What’s not to like?

Price: $148
Where to buy: Purchase the Lakeland at the United By Blue web site.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by United By Blue.

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United By Blue Lakeland Laptop Bag review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 10, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Anti-Wallet minimalist wallet review

I am a big fan of minimalists wallets because I don’t carry a purse and don’t want to carry a traditional wallet in my pocket because they are too big and bulky. I already have a favorite minimalist wallet (check my favorite gear page) but it only holds credit cards and has no way to carry cash. So, I’ve been looking for a minimalist wallet that can carry both cards and cash and the newest wallet that I’ve had the opportunity to test, is the Anti-Wallet from Anti-Gear Co.

What is it?

The Anti-Wallet is a minimalist wallet that is constructed of wide strips of black elastic that have been formed in such a way that the wallet can hold 1-10 credit cards, 1-20 folded dollar bills, keys, other paper items like receipts, and more.

Design and features

As mentioned, the Anti-Wallet is made of heavy duty black elastic and features three separate storage areas. It’s really up to you how you want to arrange your cash, cards, and other items in the storage slots.

On the Anti-Gear Co. site, they have pictures showing the Anti-Wallet with cash folded in half and stored in the center slot and credit cards in the top and bottom slots.

This works fine, but as you can see, the cash and the credit cards stick out the ends of the elastic storage “tubes”.

While I was testing the wallet, I carried five credit cards in the center slot. Although both ends of the wallet are open, the cards won’t fall out because the elastic holds the stack tightly.

I then used the storage slots on the top and bottom of the wallet to hold folded cash and folded papers like restaurant receipts. And since both ends of the tubes are open, it makes it quick and easy to insert or remove the cash just by pushing up from the bottom.

The Anti-Wallet also comes with a detachable key hitch which is a small metal clip with a cord attached to it. The key hitch clips to the rectangular metal “ring” and then the keys can be stowed away in the top or the bottom storage slots.

 

Anti-Gear Co. also offers a ClingR Card which is a credit card sized

 

 

With the way I like to arrange the cards and cash, the Anti-Wallet is compact and comfortable to carry in my pocket. The metal ring gets in the way since I don’t want to use it to attach the key hitch, but otherwise, the wallet is slim and small just the way I like my wallets to be.

Accessing cards and cash no matter which storage slots that you use is easy enough and the fact that the elastic can stretch means that this wallet can expand or contract to adapt to the number of credit cards and currency that you happen to be carrying.

What I like

The Anti-Wallet is well made and doesn’t look homebrew like some minimalist wallets that I’ve tried in the past. I like the simple minimal design and the fact that this wallet has three storage slots so that it can carry credit cards AND other items like cash and receipts. The design really does make this wallet convenient and handy.

What needs to be improved

I would like the option of buying the Anti-Wallet without the rectangular metal “ring” for the key hitch since it isn’t useful for someone like myself who doesn’t plan to attach keys to the wallet.

I’d also like to see other colors offered in addition to black.

Final thoughts

If you’ve been looking for a wallet that is slim and small but can still hold cash in addition to credit cards, the Anti-Wallet from Anti-Gear Co. is a really nice choice. It’s well made, easy to use, and it’s inexpensive so you’ll still have some money left over to store in one of the slots!

Price: $19.95
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Anti-Gear Co.

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Anti-Wallet minimalist wallet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2018 at 4:45 pm.

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ROCCAT Sova gaming lapboard review

One difficult thing about gaming is that it nearly always requires a dedicated desk with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It’s quite difficult to sit on a couch and play without moving your entire system and taking over the coffee table, which is annoying and time consuming. ROCCAT has been my go-to keyboard for a while now, and with their new Sova gaming lapboard, I was excited to try out playing games lazily from my bed.

What is it?

The ROCCAT Sova is a lap keyboard (lapboard) with a mouse pad built in. It has two USB ports to allow you to plug in your headset and mouse as well, with an extra long USB cord to plug it in to your computer.

Hardware specs

  • 275mm × 240mm replaceable mouse pad
  • Replaceable wrist rest and lap cushions
  • Easy-Shift[+]™ with 28-key EasyZone
  • 2 × USB 2.0 ports
  • ROCCAT® Talk™
  • Multimedia functions
  • 4m break-away cable
  • 512kB memory + 32-bit Arm IC
  • 1000Hz polling rate
  • Advanced anti-ghosting with N-key rollover
  • Membrane keys

What’s in the box?

In the box, you’ll find the Sova lapboard, mouse bungee clip, and instruction manual.

Design and features

So, I glanced through the instruction manual, ordered a longer HDMI cable, and plugged the Sova into the computer and TV. It worked flawlessly. Next, I plugged a mouse into the Sova and once again, it worked flawlessly. The only thing that I had a problem testing was a headset since I do not own a USB headset. The sound went to the TV just fine without me having to change any settings on the computer. I tried to get their Swarm app up and going, but whether it was user error or a bug in the software, I could not get it going. Google is telling me it is a software issue, so I hope an update comes out soon to fix this.


There are two versions of the ROCCAT Sova keyboard; membrane keys and mechanical keys. I was sent the membrane version, which is nice and quiet compared to my mechanical keyboard. The membrane keys were smooth, quiet, and I had no problem with pressing down multiple keys during my gaming. It felt like a mix between a regular keyboard and a laptop keyboard, so it took me a bit to get used to where the arrow keys were on the right side. It didn’t bother me that much, however. The one thing that did was the lack of a number pad since I do use that for at least one game.

The mouse pad is a hard mat that worked well. I usually play with a cloth mat, but I did not notice much of a difference at all. The size was plenty big enough for my style of gameplay, and should be fine for most people.

There is a mouse bungee clip for your mouse cable that can be attached to the Sova. It’s necessary, since you do not need much cord. There is also a channel in the back to feed your cord into to try to hide it away. I didn’t bother terribly much with the channel, but I definitely took advantage of the clip after the first time I tried it. It kept my mouse from sliding off, which it wanted to do if I let go of the mouse with the Sova on my lap.

On the bottom of the lapboard, there is padding for comfort, which also hides the release for removing the mouse pad and palm rest. ROCCAT plans to have these be interchangeable in the future. This also allows for the pads on the bottom to be replaced if need be. The pads themselves made the lapboard rest comfortably on my lap, and it did well at staying in one place.

So how well did it work overall? I enjoyed sitting on my bed and relaxing while playing Overwatch on the TV. The overall size of the mouse pad was just right. I would not have wanted that to be any smaller. While the size of the lapboard in general is quite large, it was comfortable to use. The plug and play aspect was great. I just needed to plug in the USB to my computer and it was ready to go.

What I like

  • Very quiet keyboard
  • Comfortable to sit on my lap
  • Nice for lazy gaming

What I dislike/could be improved

  • No number pad
  • Needs a streaming box or TV in the room with the PC

Final thoughts

While I think the idea of a lapboard is great, my current setup makes it pretty difficult to really utilize it well. Without a streaming box, you have to make sure your PC is in the same room as the TV. What I will use it for, however, is not to play on my TV, but use my monitors when playing casual games from my bed, which is close to the PC. So while it won’t get a lot of use, it will find its way out now and then when I am extra lazy. If you are looking at getting the ROCCAT Sova, check your home layout and figure out if it would work out. It would be a fun and nifty addition to your gaming if you have the setup for it.

Price: $149.99
Where to buy: You can purchase the ROCCAT Sova on ROCCAT’s website.
Source: The sample of this product was provided ROCCAT.

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ROCCAT Sova gaming lapboard review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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