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FluidStance Bamboo Level balance board review

Standing Desks are everywhere nowadays. So, once you’re no longer seated, what do you use to keep your feet occupied and in motion while you’re just standing there? One suggestion is a balance or wobble board. We were sent one from FluidStance, their Level model in cast aluminum and bamboo, to test in the Gadgeteer way. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and here’s what I have found.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The Level is a beautiful Bamboo (also available in Dark Walnut and Natural Maple) deck mounted to a solid cast aluminum framework that allows you to stand, rock, pivot, and in general keep moving while in a standing position. Made from quality materials with a conservative modern design, it will fit into any office or home environment where a standing desk is in use.

Hardware specs

From the website:

  • 26.5″ long x 12.2″ wide x 2.5″ tall
  • Approximate weight: 7lbs, 12oz
  • Designed for use under 250 pounds
  • Ships in 1-2 business days

Design and features

The idea behind balance boards is that while standing, your feet will be happier with constant small movements, to keep the blood flowing. Your calves, ankles, and toes will all get a workout, and your core muscles will be engaged. This dramatically ramps up the health benefits of just standing versus sitting. Think of it as skateboarding, but without going anywhere. I’ve seen balance boards in materials from high-end laminated woods and exotic hardwoods all the way to cheap plastics. A work colleague recently had her 2-year-old get one as a birthday gift in plastic with decals and eye-popping colors. Another model had a ball-in-slot maze, where your challenge is to move the trapped ball from one part of the maze to another by changing your balance. (Think of it as a Labyrinth game that you play with your feet and shifting body weight instead of two knobs.) It’s all about moving.

The Level is FluidStance’s second tier product, but it’s far from a cheap-o board. The cast aluminum .19” military-grade aluminum frame raises the bamboo deck off the floor about 2.5”, and is designed for folks under 250 pounds. At 7.75 pounds, it’s not something that will slide out from under you, and it’s not going to crack or fall apart in normal use.

I used it for a day or two at home, just to see if I was going to survive using it. (At my age, that’s the first criteria! Note warning in the photo above.) I dropped it off at my office over a weekend and started using it there on Monday. My office is equipped with sit-stand adjustable desks throughout. Many folks spend all or part of their workday standing, so I was not sticking out by elevating my desk. I used it for 30 minutes or so, and then took it down to a sitting level. My legs felt good like I’d just done a quick run or ride, rather than the usual stand. I stood and used the Level a few more times that day, and have been using it more and more since.

I’m up to about 4 20-30 minute sessions a day now and find that a good place. Since most of my work is phone calls from customers, it’s not necessary for me to be perfectly still, and the note-taking/typing I do while on calls if not hindered by moving around. I did move my standing setting up a few inches to take into account the height of the deck. (There are 4 saved settings I can use, but it is fully adjustable across a huge range. I use heights from 27” – 43”.)

As soon as someone walked by and saw my feet and legs going, however, they were intrigued. I’ve loaned it out to several folks in the office, and they all really enjoy using it. (Note the variety of feet in the photos!) My boss even brought in one she had found at a discount store made of plastic. It’s not nearly as heavy or stable as the Level but still gives you a workout.

What I Like

  • Well designed and crafted from quality materials
  • Gives your legs and core muscles something to do while standing.
  • Conservative but modern design fits in with any office decor.

What needs to be improved

  • I really couldn’t think of anything, except maybe a chain lock to keep coworkers from borrowing it and not returning it!

Final thoughts

If you’re someone who chaffs at having to be sitting or standing at a desk while doing work to pay the bills, this may keep the fidgets under control. If you’re a more sedentary person, who needs to move a little or a lot more for your health, this may be the best thing you can get. It’s a bit of an investment, so you may want to try a less expensive model at first, or you may want to take the leap and use your financial investment to force yourself to use it more. However you decide to use it, you’ll probably enjoy it, and benefit from it.

Price: $389.00
Where to buy: FluidStance
Source: The sample of this product was provided by FluidStance.

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FluidStance Bamboo Level balance board review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 21, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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iLife A8 robotic vacuum cleaner review

Everyone likes a clean house, but most people I know don’t enjoy doing the work to keep their house clean and tidy. With keeping the laundry clean and put up, the dishes cleaned and put up, the furniture dusted, and the floors vacuumed, there’s no time to binge watch your favorite TV shows! So let’s remove at least one of those chores and have a robot do all the work for us. The iLife A8 robotic vacuum keeps your floors clean while you sit on the couch thinking about how nice it would be to have robots to do your laundry and your dishes. But until that day comes, let’s check out the iLife A8.

What is it?

The iLife A8 is a robotic vacuum that you can set to manually clean your floors by using a handheld remote, or you can configure the vac to clean automatically at a certain time every day.

What’s in the box?

  • iLife A8 robotic vacuum
  • Charging base and AC adapter
  • Remote control (2 AAA batteries not included)
  • 2 extra side brushes
  • Extra main brush
  • Cleaning tool
  • Filter

Design and features

The iLife A8 is smaller than the Botvac vacuums that I use and it’s completely round with built-in bumpers on the front and back.

There’s a slide out dirt bin on the back edge and a visual navigation sensor and control button towards the front edge.

The A8 maneuvers with two main wheels on the sides and a smaller wheel up front.

On the bottom of the vac, you can find the replaceable main brush and 2 side brushes.

The dirt bin is easy to access by sliding it out of the vac.

A door on top of the bin provides access to the filter.

The main power button and what I believe is a direct power jack is located on the edge of the iLife A8.

The first thing you want to do before using the robot vacuum to clean is to charge the battery. You do this by plugging in the charging home base and placing the iLife against the charging contacts.

When the iLife’s main power switch is in the on position and the vacuum is placed on the home base, the vacuum will begin charging and will alert you to this action with a female voice. The voice will also tell you when charging is complete and when cleaning is about to begin.

To begin a cleaning session, you can either press the button on top of the iLife, or you can press the point cleaning button on the remote (the button below the clock button). You can also click the border cleaning button (lower right) to have the iLife clean along walls.

I used the iLife A8 to clean my carpeted basement which is vacuumed 3 times a week with a Neato Botvac Connected robot vac. I decided to make a time lapse of the iLife’s cleaning session, which you can see below.

The vac does a good job of covering all of the room in back and forth passes. The whole room including my office which you can’t see took about 35 minutes to clean. I was impressed by the speed and how quiet the A8 is compared to my Botvacs. But the most important question is how well did it clean?

The carpet had not been vacuumed for 2 days prior to testing the iLife. This is the dirt that it picked up. FYI: we have a long haired cat.

The next thing I tried was running the Botvac right after the iLife had finished cleaning to see if it would pick up any dirt that the A8 had missed.

As you can see the Botvac did pick up some additional grunge…

I also tested the iLife on a hardwood surface by putting some salt (above on the left) and some cat litter (above on the right), on the floor in my office.

I had to run the A8 several times to pick up all the grit from this test, so I wasn’t overly impressed with how well it did on a hardwood surface. That is until I discovered that the remote control has a button to turn on max suction. Why that’s not a default is a mystery to me, but once I enabled that setting, the iLife A8 did a much better job picking up dirt from different types of flooring.

What I like

  • Easy to use
  • Easy dirt bin clean up
  • Relatively quiet

What needs to be improved

  • Basic scheduling only allows you to set it to clean the same time each day
  • Remote batteries not included
  • Max suction setting is not enabled by default

Final thoughts

I like the iLife A8 robotic vacuum cleaner because it’s simple to use. You don’t have to mess around with apps or pairing it with your phone in order to use it. Just plug it in and press the button the remote or on the vac itself to start cleaning. But its simplicity also means that it’s almost too basic. You can set special schedules so that it will just clean Monday and Friday. You can only set the schedule for it to clean the same time every day. The voice prompts are also a little too much in my opinion. I don’t need to know when it’s done charging and I don’t need it to tell me when it will start cleaning.

All in all, the iLife A8 is a decent vacuum and is not too expensive. This is a new model which will be available on Amazon in a couple of weeks, but you can find several other iLife robot vacuum models that are currently on Amazon. I’ll update this review with a link to the A8 when it becomes available.

Price: $167.20 – $249.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by iLife.

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iLife A8 robotic vacuum cleaner review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 20, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Coocheer self-balancing scooter review

According to the movie Back To The Future 2, by 2015 we should have now been riding around on our own personal day to day hoverboards. What a great world that would have been. As we are in 2018, and yet still don’t have the same technology to ride a non-wheeled skateboard deck that defies gravity, we have to settle for riding on a two-wheeled balancing board that utilizes the subtle shifting in our bodies to maneuver the board where we want it to go. Although this scooter board doesn’t defy gravity, it is still fun to ride.
 

What is it?

The Coocheer Self-Balancing Scooter Board is electric powered scooter that uses gyroscope sensors that allow the rider to control the direction and speed of the scooter. By simply leaning your body forward or backward, it causes the scooter to accelerate in a forward or backward motion as well as slow down or stop.
 
 

The Coocheer Self-Balancing Scooter physical specs are roughly 23″ in. x 7.3″ in. x 7″ in (585 x 186 x 180mm) and weighs around 22lbs (10kg).
The color I received to review was the red color. There are 3 other colors available, Black, Blue, and White. The body is made from a hard durable plastic material and there are non-slip rubber pads where you stand on which helps your feet from slipping.
The scooter board has a wheel size of 6.5″ inches and the scooter has a maximum speed of up to 10 MPH (16km/h). The alloy wheels are covered by solid rubber tires that allow the scooter to ride on various surfaces from carpet to outdoor terrain such as gravel or grass. Although not having to inflate these tires is very convenient, I think having inflatable tires could be advantageous on some hard flat surfaces for a smoother ride since there isn’t any type of shock absorber for the balance scooter board. The bumps over hard surfaces can be very unforgiving.

 

 
The scooter has an On/Off Button located right next to the Charging Port. It is an easy one touch button that doesn’t require you to press and hold for a few seconds. Just press the Power button quickly and it turns the scooter board on and off with no problem.
On the front of the scooter are two blue LED lights. They are used for aesthetics and visual alerts as well as give to off some illumination when riding in dark areas.
This balancing scooter board is water-resistant rated at IP54 so it should be ok to ride around in dusty areas and in splashing water or light rainfall.
 

What’s In The Box?

Along with the Coocheer Balancing Scooter is the charging adapter and manual.

Design and Features.

First and foremost, this is not a hoverboard as many others have stated in their descriptions. It has wheels.  If it were a hoover board then it would float above the ground without the aid of the two tires.  But I understand why these balancing boards would be called that since the sensation you get when you ride this balancing scooter board does feel like you would be hovering. Or at the least, it gives you the sensation of floating across the ground.
The size of this balancing board feels like the perfect dimensions for kids to adults. It’s not too big nor is it too small for anyone to comfortably stand shoulder width apart. This balancing board can accommodate an adult weighing up to 220lbs (100kgs).
 
According to the manufacturer, this balancing board can handle going up inclines of up to 15 degrees. Anything more than that and you’ll have difficulty going up the increased incline since you’ll be putting too much stress on the balancing board’s motors. The size of this balance board feels like the proper size to me. It doesn’t feel too big and bulky nor does it feel too small and awkward. When I stand on the non-slip pads, my feet are at a shoulder width stance which feels natural to keep my balance on the board. I think a small kid or a larger adult should have plenty of room for a natural stance.
The molded plastic body feels sturdy enough that if a 220 pound person were to stand on this balancing board, the plastic won’t crack under the weight.   
 
A 36V 4.0Ah Lithium battery is installed which powers two 250W motors. The battery life on the Coocheer scooter board is about 2 hours of continuous use and charges in about the same amount of time. There is a Battery Indicator on top of scooter board which displays the status of the battery. A major concern about these self-balancing scooters is the issue with their batteries being unsafe. Fortunately, the Coocheer self-balancing scooter is UL2272 Certified with a Smart battery and Intelligent Power-Off protection. And, this balance board has undergone a 159 Point Safety Test plus it has a temperature control system.
 
This balance scooter board being 22 lbs. gives it a nice sturdy feel to it without being to heavy to carry. It feels solid and doesn’t feel cheap. It also doesn’t feel like a toy, which honestly, is what I was expecting of these balance boards. I know there are other balance boards on the market that are more expensive and probably feel more solid but the Coocheer balance board feels like it can take a  beating.
A nice feature built in the Coocheer is a warning beep that alerts the rider when the maximum speed has been reached or exceeded.
The blue LED lights on the front of the balance board gives off some illumination when you are riding in dark conditions and just gives the balancing board a nice futuristic look to it. However, I wouldn’t suggest riding at night or in complete darkness since I don’t feel like the LED lights give off enough illumination to be used as safety headlights.
 

What I like

Sturdy and solid build.
Intelligent Power-Off
IP54 Water resistant.
159 Point Safety Tested.
Speed warning beep.

What needs to be improved

Non-inflatable tires.
Not ideal for low light or night riding.
No shock absorbers.

Final Thoughts

Having never ridden one of these self-balancing scooters boards before, I really looked forward to trying this out and see if I could actually pilot one. I can honestly say that I was intimidated the first time I actually stood on the scooter board itself. But for me, and years of competitive skimboarding and aggressive inline skating, the balance wasn’t a major concern. My main concern was not being able to control the Coocheer balance board. My biggest fear was slamming into a wall because I couldn’t steer the balance board to the direction I wanted it to go. But after a few times on the balance board, I got a grasp of the whole technique and was soon challenging myself to go faster, spin 360’s, lean against the turns, and more. After a while I felt like a seasoned rider. I wouldn’t even mind trying a bigger or faster version of these balance board.
Although these are absolutely fun to ride, there is definitely a learning curve. But with some practice and patience, you can build up the skills to ride these self-balancing scooter boards just like this Coocheer balance board.
Here’s a short video clip of me riding the Coccheer self-balancing scooter board.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Coocheer. Please visit their site for more info.

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Coocheer self-balancing scooter review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 19, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Airfree Onix 3000 Air Purifier review

It’s me again, your resident asthmatic living in sunny and pollen-infused Florida. In 2016, I reviewed the IQAir HealthPro Plus air purifier, a machine I affectionately called Aunt Beast for its gray utilitarian form. (If you don’t know the reference, go read A Wrinkle in Time.) Though the machine performs as promised, its size and the expense associated with filter replacement have generally relegated it to a hidden corner of our den next to our piano.

What is it?

When I heard about the Airfree Onix 300 Air Purifier, I was excited for two reasons: first, its small size; second, its filterless design. The website touts how the unit’s “patented Thermodynamic TSS Technology destroys mold, dust mites, bacteria, viruses, pollens, pet dander, tobacco and other organic allergens” – an advertised 99.99 percent of all microorganisms.

Design and features

Yes, it zaps all the bad stuff using heat generated by its sterilizing ceramic core, which reaches 400 degrees F. However, the manufacturer says two units in the same area will only contribute as much heat as one 155-lb. person.

You will notice a small amount of hot air at the top – enough that you don’t want it right next to your bed – but the base remains cool. Because of the heat it generates, the manufacturer recommends using the unit in an open area measuring 330 square feet or more. Bad stuff goes in, and a little heat comes out – minus any ions or emissions. It also reduces ozone levels. The unit is completely silent while doing all that zapping.

The Airfree unit, which sells online for $285 to $299, stands about a foot tall, a fraction of the size of Aunt Beast. In fact, Aunt Beast could eat it for lunch – and then need a new filter. Yes, the filter thing is a big deal in my book.

My new air purifier arrived, providentially, the week our son had the flu. My husband, Bill “Mr. Headphones” Henderson stayed completely well, and I stayed mostly well that week. Thank you, Airfree. That must have been a busy week of zapping.

In fact, that next week I found myself wishing I had a portable Airfree unit. I went to use the restroom at a restaurant and found a line. An older lady had apparently been in the stall for a long time. When she heard more people come in, she said, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me!” Then she began hacking out a lung. The lady in front of me and I ran out.

Unfortunately, the Airfree isn’t portable. In fact, the manufacturer recommends it stay in the same place all the time. You must keep it running constantly to do its most effective zapping. Moving the unit to another room will cause air contamination to return to the area.

But form cannot be separated from function. Aside from being smaller than a large dorm fridge (unlike Aunt Beast), the Airfree air purifier has one aesthetic feature: a changeable nightlight available in 10 colors. You can set the colors on random mode for your best disco effect. But in seriousness, the feature would be a plus in a child’s room. This child, however, doesn’t have that feature on her unit. Mine only shines blue, a color to which I’m allergic because it makes me break out in grumpiness. But I can turn the nightlight function off.

If you are immunocompromised in any way, the Airfree air purifier could be your ticket to better health. It also obviously is perfect for people like me with allergies and asthma. I would also highly recommend it to someone in a sick office building or combatting mold issues, perhaps after a flood or damaged roof. Note that the Airfree Onix 3000 will not destroy mold in walls—only airborne mold.

What I like

The Airfree Onix 300 Air Purifier just works. No filters or any maintenance required. Just plug it in and forget it.

What needs to be improved

It isn’t portable. Once unplugged, it will take time to re-purify the airspace around the unit. Many units may be required to purify a whole house.

Final Thoughts

As for me, I have noticed fewer asthma and allergy attacks, at least while in my bedroom, where I keep the unit. In fact, I tested its effectiveness using an AirVisual Pro by IQAir, which consistently tells me our bedroom air quality – aside from CO2 levels and occasional cooking odors – is practically perfect in every way. So I can give the Airfree unit a well-deserved A+ for excellent work.

Not only does the unit work, it works without intervention, meaning zero maintenance. You plug it in, keep it put and forget about it. As long as you feel heat coming off the top, you can be assured it’s still killing stuff that otherwise may kill you. In my view, anything that works well in the background is a keeper, even if it does have a blue nightlight.

Price: $275 to $299 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Airfree.

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Airfree Onix 3000 Air Purifier review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 18, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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BenQ treVolo S electrostatic bluetooth speaker review

These days I really don’t pay attention to bluetooth speakers, unless there’s something really unique about it. The BenQ treVolo S stood out due to it’s unusual “folding” configuration… and electrostatic speakers?

What is it?

I know BenQ from their video products (I have two of their 4K displays at work), but not Bluetooth speakers. BenQ claims the treVolo S is the world’s smallest electrostatic Bluetooth speaker. It features dual woofers and dual amplifiers, plus electrostatic speakers that unfold from the sides.

Hardware specs

Frequency Response:  60 Hz – 20 kHz‎
Bluetooth:  Bluetooth 4.2
aptX Support: No
NFC:  Yes
Input Types: 3.5 mm stereo input; USB audio‎ (DAC)
Duo Mode:  Yes (Stereo / Party mode)‎
Sound Mode:  Pure/3D
Playing Time: 18 hours (Dependence on user scenario)‎
Keys:  Power Key, BT Pairing Key, Volume Key (+-), 3D Mode Key, Play / Pause‎
LED Indicator: Power key : Red LED x1; Green LED x1 ; BT Pairing Key : Blue LED x1‎
Microphone: No
Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery‎
IO Port: Micro USB x1 ; Line-in x1‎
Input Power Rating:  DC 5V 2A‎
Temperature Range for Use‎:  0~40º C‎
Dimension‎: 63.2×157.5×96.3 mm (Closed)‎
Weight: 1kg

What’s in the box?

Speaker, mini USB charger with mains plug, instructions and drawstring bag.

Design and features

The treVolo S stands upright with a non-skid rubbery pad at the base.  All controls are located at the top along two LED lights indicating charging, bluetooth status and 3D mode.The white model is pretty hard to read and photograph.  There are no markings on the rear for micro USB and the aux input.  That micro USB is used for charging and for USB audio (DAC).
Here’s the treVolo S with it’s two electrostatic panels unfolded.  Note the perforated sides for the dual woofers inside the main body.

Setup

A companion app is available for the speaker, but is not necessary unless you have two treVolo speakers.  If so, you can pair two in “Duo mode” for a stereo pair, or as synchronized sets.

The only other control on the app is the “3D Sound”, which can also be done from one of the six buttons on the speaker’s top panel.

BenQ describes 3D sound as a form of “spatial enhancement”.  The difference is subtle, but it did make music sound “wider”.  I think it’s a matter of personal preference.

Performance

For better or for worse, many people wonder if speakers “sound like Bose”.  I put the two side by side and took a listen.  (No, not like the photo above, positioned for artistic taste!)

As can be expected, the Bose Soundlink Mini II, which is roughly the same size (small) sounded stronger at the low end, which is what Bose is famous for.  The treVolo S couldn’t keep up with the low end until I placed it in a corner.  Placing speakers in a corner exaggerates the bass, and the treVolo S really came alive.

If you’re looking for raw power, the treVolo S couldn’t keep up with the Bose Soundlink Mini II.  The Bose was louder at maximum “can you please turn that down?” volume.

What I like

The treVolo S oozes with built quality. The speakers unfold smoothly, and there’s a confident heft to the whole thing that inspires confidence.  According to BenQ, the built-in DAC provides the cleanest listening experience, which is something the Bose Soundlink Mini just doesn’t have as an option. Audio sounded crisp and clean from the electrostatic speakers regardless of mode (3D or not).

What needs to be improved

If you’re a bass head, stick the treVolo S in a corner- otherwise, get the Bose.  The treVolo’s maximum volume could be a little higher.

Final thoughts

If you’re a fan of electrostatic speakers, look no further!  Solid build and clean looks make for a nice all-around package unless you demand ground-shaking bass.

Price: $199.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by BenQ.

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BenQ treVolo S electrostatic bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 17, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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