Home Reviews

Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket review

REVIEW – For a while, I’ve been searching for a product that will carry and help me organize me some of my essentials while traveling (and maybe on a daily basis, too).  I wanted it to hold and organize my wallet items and travel documents and have room for some other items as well.  Maybe something that I could stuff into my travel bag and an airplane seat pocket.  I’ve been a pretty big fan of Bellroy’s wallet’s for some time, having reviewed several of them here at The Gadgeteer, and their Elements Pocket Wallet remains one of my all-time favorites.   Bellroy discontinued their Elements line and replaced it with their All-Conditions line, and while browsing the collection I stumbled upon the Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket, which looked like it might meet all of my requirements.  How did it do?  Let’s find out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

The Bellroy All-Conditions Essential Pocket is a bit challenging to define succinctly.  It’s a wallet-like zipper pouch with a weather-resistant leather exterior that’s large enough to carry a Plus-size smartphone inside and also includes organization slots and pockets that can hold several other small essentials.

Hardware specs

  • Available in two water-resistant exterior materials:
    • All-Conditions 100% full-grain leather in Black, Charcoal, or Burnt Orange colors for $139 each
    • All-Conditions woven in Charcoal color for $89
  • Interior: Nylon
  • Holds 4 to 12+ cards
  • 5 internal pockets for coins, keys, folded bills, cables, etc
  • Fits a passport and p to a Plus-size iPhone
  • 184mm x 120mm (7.2in x 4.7in) footprint
  • Includes a Micro travel pen with refill
  • 3-year warranty

Packaging

I always appreciate Bellroy’s packaging, and the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket’s packaging is no exception. It’s an envelope/pouch made from heavy-duty cardboard and printed on its exterior is what appears to be a topographical map, implying travel and adventure.

The underside of the package’s flap closure tap reads, “ALL-CONDITIONS | water resistant | responsibly sourced | NON-TOXIC Materials to Give A LIFETIME OF happy service.”  Also, note what appears to be a small piece of paper just above where it reads “Refill – Pull here” with two arrows.  This is a cleverly-placed small envelope containing a refill for the included Micro travel pen.  More on this below.\

What’s in the package?

  • Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket
  • Micro Pen refill inside small envelope
  • Cardboard insert (not shown)

Design and features

My initial impression of the All-Conditions Essential Pocket was that it has a very cool, minimalist look, and feels like it is built from high-quality materials and manufacturing methods.

The exterior material looks and feels like leather and has a soft yet durable feel.  However, it doesn’t have any of that characteristic leather smell that you would expect from a brand-new leather wallet.  It wondered if this was because this leather material is perhaps treated with some type of moisture-resistance process that may dull that new leather smell.

Because the Essentials Pocket is part of Bellroy’s All-Conditions line of products, and because they tout the durability and in particular the water resistance of this leather, I decided to perform a simple “Farmer John” type test, as seen above.  I poured a bit of water on the Essentials Pocket and it immediately formed a bead and did not soak in.  I let it sit like this for several minutes before wiping the water off, and there was no evidence that water had even been present.  I have yet to be caught in the rain with the Essentials Pocket, but if I do, the results of this quick test give me some confidence that whatever I place inside it will stay dry.

In addition to the moisture-resistant exterior material, the Essentials Pocket is equipped with a water-resistant YKK zipper.  This zipper has plastic teeth that are attached to a plastic or rubberized material.  Although the teeth are plastic, they do mesh together and I had no issues opening and closing it.  The teeth mesh in such a way that helps contribute to the overall moisture resistance of the Essentials Pocket.  Another subtle feature is that it zips a bit shy of halfway around its perimeter.  This is actually a really useful feature because, on the closing end, the zipper comes up a bit higher, which helps somewhat capture and prevent items from falling out of the Essentials Pocket on that end.

In addition to the zipper, the Essentials Pocket includes a fairly unique zipper pull that consists of a short length of cord with a knotted end and a length of shrink-tubing over the cord.

The cord’s knotted end and the shrink tubing combine to make this zipper pull easier to grip than a standard zipper pull, even while wearing gloves or with wet hands.  The first time I encountered a zipper pull like this was when I purchased my GORUCK GR1 rucksack several years ago.  Note also the color of the zipper pull’s cord, which is color-coordinated with the Essentials Pocket’s interior; more on this below.

One of the aspects of the All-Conditions Pocket’s design that is quite obvious immediately is its size.  I’m not going to lie to you—it’s big.  However, there is a caveat to this.  While the Essentials Pocket looks and largely acts as a wallet, I suspect that there is a good reason that Bellroy dubbed this a “pocket” and not a “wallet,” and that is because it is much more than a wallet, as will be described in detail below.

To give a further idea of the Essentials Pocket’s size, in the photos above I’ve placed my iPhone 6 Plus in my Magpul Field Case to the right of it.  As you can see from the photos, the Essentials Pocket’s footprint is large enough to accommodate the iPhone within the case.  However, is the Essentials Pocket actually wide enough for this?  Read on and find out.

In the photo above, I’ve placed my Bellroy Elements Pocket Wallet above the Essentials Pocket.  The Elements Pocket Wallet seems to be made from the same or similar material to the Essentials Pocket, and that’s a good sign because the Elements Pocket Wallet has held up very well over time and near continuous use.

Next, let’s take a look inside.  The interior is made from a different fabric than the exterior, and in a sort of medium blue color.  Also, lots of space in here.

The bottom of the interior has a small leather tag stitched into it that reads “Made in India with Care.  Outer: 100% Full-Grain Leather.  Inner: Nylon.”  This interior nylon fabric is more cloth-like than the exterior water-resistant leather.  It is medium blue color (color-coordinated with the zipper pull cord), which helps see items down in the pockets in lower-visibility situations and also has a very faint grid pattern.  The material is fairly heavy and flexible (but not stretchy), feels durable, and is carefully stitched.

One side of the interior has two layers of pockets.  The outermost layer is a bit odd—it has a deep, narrow pocket on the left end, and along the remainder is a long, shallow pocket that runs rest of the entire length of the Essentials Pocket.  The innermost layer has two deep pockets, one that is about 2/3 the length of the Essentials Pocket, the other’s length is the remaining 1/3 of the overall length of the Essentials Pocket.

The other side of the interior has a small, narrow pocket on the left end that holds the included Micro travel pen.  The other pocket is a very large pocket that can hold a passport or a notebook.

Let’s take a look at the Micro travel pen.  As mentioned above, Bellroy has also included a refill in a small envelope.

The Micro travel pen has a sort of black chrome color and includes a clip to secure it into the Essentials Pocket.  It is quite slim and small, which helps it fit into the Essentials Pocket and not take up much space.

The Micro travel pen is operated by twisting the cap which extended the ink cartridge.  There is also a very small Bellroy owl logo on the clip.  It does feel a bit flimsy and because of its small size, the Micro travel pen is not particularly comfortable to write with, but for short-term jotting of notes or for filling out those landing cards, it works just fine.

Next, let’s load up the Essentials Pocket and see how it does.  To simulate what I might be carrying during an international trip, I loaded it up with my iPhone 6 Plus inside the Magpul Field Case, my passport, a short Apple Lightning cable, a set of iPhone earbuds, a few cash bills, and 6 cards.

The cards and cash fit in the innermost layer of pockets with some room to spare.  I coiled the Lightning cable and the earbuds and placed them into the long, shallow, outermost pocket—not much room to spare in this one.  I also placed the iPhone 6 Plus in Magpul Field Case into the main open space and it did fit—so far.

Quick side note on that deepish, rather narrow pocket on the left side.  I thought that it might be sized for a key, so I tried to place one of my keys in it.  As seen in the image above, it really didn’t fit, or at least a key of this shape wouldn’t fit or not without some fairly serious gyrations.

Next, let’s look at the pockets on the other side of the interior.  Starting on the left, the Micro travel pen sits securely in its little pocket.  To the left of this, I’ve placed my passport, which fits quite well with room to spare.

Above, a closeup of the Micro travel pen in its special pocket right next to my passport.

Just for fun, I slid a Moleskine Pocket Cahier Journal into the passport pocket.  The Pocket Cahier Journal is 3.5in x 5.5in, which is slightly larger than a US passport, and it also fits in this pocket just fun.

In the photo above, all of the gear above (with the exception of the key and the Moleskine Pocket Cahier Journal) has been loaded into the Essentials Pocket and zipped it up.  As seen, it’s a bit crowded, but it does still zip closed.

One more thing about the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket: it’s effectively too big to fit into any pants pocket—it will stick quite far out of a back pocket and has almost no hope of fitting into a front pocket—unless you are wearing pants with side cargo pockets, which will probably fit fine.  However, keep in mind that, as discussed above, the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket is really not a wallet, but an essentials organizer, so it stands to reason that it probably won’t fit well into most typical wallet-carrying places.  It fits fine when tossed into a bag or backpack, however.

What I like

  • Looks cool
  • It holds a lot of items, including a passport or notebook and a Plus-size iPhone
  • Exterior material and zipper are durable and moisture-resistant
  • Zipper pull is easy to grip and pull
  • Lots of organization features inside

What needs to be improved

  • It’s…big.  Too big to fit into most pants pockets, unless you are wearing cargo pants, but should fit fine in a jacket pocket or bag.  However, I can accept this, because, although the Essential Pocket looks like a wallet, it is really an organizer pouch.

Final thoughts

I’ve reviewed several Bellroy products here at The Gadgeteer, and I’d been intrigued by their All-Conditions line and especially the largish All-Conditions Essentials Pocket.  And, like the previous Bellroy wallets I have reviewed, the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket did not fail to impress.  It has impressive moisture resistance due to its exterior material and zipper, and internally it has multiple pockets that can be used to organize and carry several EDC-type items, including a passport and Plus-sized iPhone.  It’s a large item, but it needs to be kept in mind that it’s not actually a wallet, it is more of a rugged organizer pouch, and it probably won’t fit into most pants pockets, but will probably fit fine in a jacket pocket or in a bag.  If you are in the market for a smart-looking, durable organizer pouch with Bellroy’s reputation for quality of materials and manufacturing, then the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket is worth a look.

Price: All-Conditions woven model is $89, All-Conditions leather models are $139 each
Where to buy: Visit Bellroy.com or Amazon to order
Source: The product sample for this review was provided by Bellroy.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 15, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Mobile Edge Core Gaming Backpack w/Molded Panel 17″ review


REVIEW – Let me start this review by making it clear that I am not a gamer. However, my EDC gear includes many if not most of the gadgets that a gamer would carry. For that reason, I was very excited to receive the Mobile Edge-Core Gaming Backpack w/Molded Panel for review. So, here we go!!

What is it?

The Mobile Edge-Core Gaming Backpack with a Molded Panel is designed specifically for gamers and will hold most popular models of gaming laptops up to 17 inches, plus accessories. There are three large storage sections and it is has a compartment specifically for a USB power bank or external battery (You have to add your own). The design includes four side accessory pockets and a built-in external USB Port for charging or powering devices. The backpack is constructed from ballistic nylon and includes a molded back panel, a padded carry handle, and a trolley strap.

What’s in the box


1 x Mobile Edge-Core Gaming Backpack w/Molded Panel 17″
1 x Warranty Info card
1 x Informational Leaflet

Design and features

Features

    • External USB 3.0 Quick-Charge compatible port and built-in charging cable
    • Molded Front Panel
    • Sized to hold most popular models of Gaming Laptops up to 17″
    • Checkpoint-Friendly design to speed through TSA checkpoints
    • Constructed of durable ballistic nylon with tailored contrast stitching
    • Prewired universal power bank pocket for charging items in each section
    • Three separate sections for a laptop, tablet, keyboard, files, accessories and your personal items
    • Padded Air-Mesh shoulder straps, and ventilated back panel and trolley strap
    • Organizer section provides pockets for pens, phone, business cards, keys, cables, and other accessories
    • Separate poly-fleece lined iPad/Tablet pocket
    • High-capacity storage compartment holds all your gaming accessories
    • Four zippered side accessory pockets for cables, gaming mouse, phone, large water bottles, etc.
    • Lifetime Warranty

Specs:
Product Weight: 4.2 lbs.
Fits Laptops Up To: 17.3″
Product Dimensions (WxHxD): 19.5” x 17” x 9”
Laptop Compartment (WxHxD): 16.4” x 11.5” x 2”

It is important to note that this bag is constructed with Ballistic Nylon, and comes with a lifetime warranty. On the back of the backpack, there are two well-made adjustable shoulder straps with a cross body clasp that has the elasticity to allow for a great fit. The shoulder straps also have loops that allow you to attach small items like a flashlight, etc. The back of the backpack is well padded and molded to provide good air ventilation.

The two pictures below show each side of the backpack that includes upper and lower compartments. The picture on the left shows the side that had the built-in USB charging port.


The picture below on the left shows the bottom side pocket. It is quite large and has a mesh divider in the middle. The picture on the right shows the top pocket which is also quite spacious. As a reminder, these pockets are on both sides of the backpack.


On the back, there is also an elastic strap that goes across from side to side. This is great for attaching the backpack to the handle of a carry-on bag or suitcase.

Looking at the inside of the backpack from the back compartment there are 2 pockets. On one side there is a pocket with an elastic strap fastener that holds my 15″ HP laptop, my 13″ MacBook Pro and my 12.9″ iPad all at once. This pocket is designed to hold up to a 17″ laptop. Opposite that there is a mesh pocket also with an elastic strap fastener that I use to store documents, but it is deep enough to hold many accessories.


The picture below shows the handle that is sturdy and well padded.

In the middle section of the bag, there are large pockets on each side.


On the front side of one of the pockets where the USB cable passes through, there is another pocket with a smaller pocket on the inside and then a zippered mesh pocket on the outside.


In the front section of the backpack, there are several pockets. As shown in the pictures below, there are pockets for SD cards, business cards, pens, a key ring and a separate pocket for a USB battery pack.



On the bottom of the backpack, there is a zippered pocket that contains a rain cover that is secured by a buckle. As shown below, the rain cover protects the entire exposed area of the bag.


Performance

Just as I suspected, this backpack works well for me. The reinforced molded back panel not only helps to protect the contents but also ensures that the bag sits straight on your back without the weight of the contents causing it to be bottom heavy and disproportionate. The material seems very strong and the stitching seems to be top quality. I say “seems” because time will tell whether or not it stands up to the weight of the contents that I carry every day. I really like the pockets on the side which are big enough to hold a 16-ounce bottle of water and I am able to zip it closed with the bottle of water inside.  I carry 2 bottles of water, one in each pocket. The following is a list of the items that I carry regularly and comfortably in this backpack every day:

1 x 15” HP Laptop with Power Supply
1 x 13” MacBook Pro with Power Supply
1 x 12.9” iPad Pro with Power Supply
1 x USB Portable Battery Pack
2 x 16 oz. Bottles of Water
1 x iStorage DiskAshur Pro2 portable encrypted hard drive
1 x KNZ SoundFlux dual driver wireless headphones
1 x MPOW T5 True Wireless Earbuds
1 x LUX Wireless Earbuds from Ashley Chloe
1 x Shure Wired earbuds
1 x Linedock
1 x Netgear mobile Router with Power Supply
1 x Verizon MiFi with Power Supply
1 x iPhone 8 Plus with Power Supply
Miscellaneous items like pens, USB flash drives, cables (micro USB, USB-C, HDMI)


The picture below shows how the bag sits on your back. it is comfortable and stays straight.


What I like

  • Construction quality
  • Versatile design
  • The numerous compartments and pockets
  • The Molded external panel
  • The attractive look
  • Its ability to sit straight up on your back and provide balanced weight as opposed to allowing all the weight to go to the bottom.

What can be improved

  • For what it is designed to carry, I cannot think of anything

Final thoughts

This backpack has really lived up to my expectations, and as I previously stated, although I am not a gamer, I carry many similar gadgets and have a similar backpack need. I do feel that it is very well constructed and that it will stand up to my daily abuse. I am also reassured by the lifetime warranty. If you are in the market for a backpack like this, I feel very comfortable recommending this one. As a photographer, I have purchased more bags and backpacks than I can count or remember, and I am very clear that there is no such thing as one bag that fits all. With that in mind, I give this backpack two thumbs up and a well done!!

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Mobile Edge website and Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Mobile Edge.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Mobile Edge Core Gaming Backpack w/Molded Panel 17″ review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 14, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds review

REVIEW – It took me a couple of years to find a pair of Bluetooth earbuds that I wanted to wear for more than a few minutes at a time. Why? Because most of the ones I’ve tried over the years either fall out of my ears or have an uncomfortable fit. Then I finally found my current favorites (check my favorite gear page to find out which ones they are) and haven’t been motivated to try any new ones until the offer to review Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds presented itself so let’s check them out and see if they will become my new favorites.

What is it?

The Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds are earbuds that store in a small charging case. What is TWS? It stands for Truly Wireless Stereo and it allows both earbuds to be paired individually to the host device like your phone, tablet, or laptop. It allows you to use either earbud on its own in mono or both in stereo.

Hardware specs

Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereos Plus+ support by QCC3026
Connection: Bluetooth 5.0,
Profile: A2DP / AVRCP / HFP / HSP
Codec: apt-X / AAC / SBC
Frequency Range: 20Hz to 20kHz
Speaker Driver: 6φ / 16 ohm / Extra Bass
Microphone: MEMS microphones with advanced noise cancellation
Play Time: up to 10 hours
Play Time with Charging Case: up to 50 hours
IPX5 water splash resistance
Charging Time: 2 hours

What’s in the box?

  • Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds
  • Charging case
  • 3 ear tips
  • 2 sports stabilizers
  • micro USB cable
  • Quick guide

Design and features

The Mavin Air-X earbuds are available in 5 colors including the pink version that you see here. They store in a small plastic case that doubles as the charger.

Pressing the button on the left side of the case will cause the battery status LED to blink in red 1-5 times to give you an idea of the battery capacity. Pressing the same button when the lid is open will put the earbuds in pairing mode.

The opposite side of the case has a micro USB connection to charge the case’s internal batteries. I wish that Mavin would have used USB-C instead of micro USB here.

The charging case lid opens and closes easily and the earbuds themselves are easy to insert and remove from the case.

Each earbud has a button on the outer surface that you’ll use to play and pause the audio content that you’re listening too. You can also use the buttons to raise and lower volume, switch between music tracks, answer and end calls, and even talk to a personal assistant like Siri or Google. But how do you do all that with just two buttons? That’s where you’ll have to remember that the left button does something different from the right button and a single click does something different than a double click, or a click and hold.

The earbuds have 3 contacts on the side. One contact is a magnet that keeps the earbud from falling out of the charging case. The other 2 contacts charge the earbuds. You’ll also notice what looks square hole and a long slot on each earbud. The hole is a microphone and the slot is actually a status LED.

Fit and comfort

The main problems that I have with most earbuds that I review have to do with the fit and comfort. They either fall out of my ears or they fit too well so that they start feeling uncomfortable within minutes of putting them in my ears.

I’m happy to say that I didn’t have this problem with the Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds. They fit well and don’t cause any discomfort. I found the fit to be snug but not too snug. Having said that, I wouldn’t want to run with the Mavin earbuds when only using eartips.

Adding the stabilizer covers make the earbuds fit even more secure so that they won’t fall out if you’re running, jumping, or doing other activities. And bonus, the earbuds fit in the charging case with the stabilizers in place.

Sound quality

I tested the Mavin Air-X earbuds with my Pixel 2 XL, with my 12 MacBook, and with a Dell laptop at my day job. I tested by using Amazon Prime streaming music, Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix. Most of the time small wireless earbuds like the Air-X buds don’t blow me away when it comes to bass but the Mavin’s impressed me with the bass and fullness of the music. They sounded good with all types of music that I tried and I enjoyed using them.

I was also happy that I could use the earbuds while watching streaming video on YouTube and Netflix. The audio and video synced very well with no noticeable delay which is awesome because my current favorites have a slight audio/video syncing delay problem.

 

I also like that you can listen to either earbud as both are paired to the device. I like to just put the left bud in my ear while I’m at work so that I can hear and talk to people when they come up to my desk without needing to take the earbuds out of my ears.

So far after a couple weeks testing these earbuds I’ve not had any issues with dropped connections either between each earbud or with the paired device.

Call audio quality

There weren’t any issues using the Air-X buds for phone calls other than the usual voice in your head kind of sound that you experience when using in-ear earbuds while talking. The opposite side of the calls said I sounded fine but the could tell that I was using a Bluetooth headset.

What I like

  • Great audio quality including bass
  • No audio/video syncing issues
  • Comfortable fit

What needs to be improved

  • Charge via USB-C instead of micro USB
  • I’d prefer touch control to the physical buttons

Final thoughts

I thought I found my favorite earbuds late last year and was content to stick with them because they fit so well and sounded good. I wasn’t really that excited to review the Mavin Air-X earbuds. But when I actually tried them I was glad I did because they sound great and they don’t have any audio/video syncing issues like the others. I still prefer my current favorites to the Mavin’s for the touch controls vs. physical buttons, but the Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds are a very strong runner up.

Price: $139.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Mavin.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 13, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Mous Limitless 2 smartphone case review

REVIEW – Like a lot of technology that I own, phones are always something I am looking to protect and keep like new.  I am sure that I like a lot of people out there are always on the lookout for a phone case that is lightweight, barely noticeable on the phone and gives good protection.  I recently received the Mous Limitless 2 Phone Case to review.  Let’s check it out and see how it meets my criteria for a good phone case.

What’s in the box?

The box itself is a fully recyclable cardboard box.  It has a nice pull tab made of cloth that you simply pull once you cut the adhesive tape keeping the box closed.  Pulling on that tab reveals the case itself.  I received the Aramid Carbon Fiber version for my Samsung Galaxy S9.    Inside the box they had the following items:

  • The case itself
  • A disclaimer card – It is rather funny saying you should use the included screen protector in addition to the case.  They mentioned the case does not make your phone indestructible although it has been tested by dropping phones from ridiculous heights.  It tells you essentially to stay away from the crane and do not test it out yourself.
  • Screen protector box

Inside the screen protector box:

  • two screen protectors  – made of triple layered PET, TPU and Silicon
  • Instruction card
  • Wet wipe
  • Sticker to pick off dust
  • scraper card
  • micro fiber cloth

Design and Features

They offer these Limitless 2 cases in the aforementioned carbon fiber, walnut, bamboo, shell and leather.  The cases are crafted with the actual real materials.  They have pictures on their website showing a walnut case that had been hit hard with something like a hammer and you can see splinters of wood.  They offer them for the S9 and S9 Note, S8 and S8 Note and iPhones from the XR down through the iPhone 6.  They are advertised as wireless charging compatible and I confirmed it worked with my Samsung charger and the charging pad in my Toyota Tacoma.

This is an extremely durable case.  I have a picture above showing it next to a phone case I had purchased off Amazon last year.  It does not have a velvet type lining inside.  It has what it calls ‘Airoshock’  Protection.  It supposedly dampens the impact of drops while providing extra grip to the phone.  It is extremely dense and very rigid and tight fitting to the phone.  It was definitely harder to install on my phone than my previous case.  I had to press down hard to get that last corner on.  Once on, taking it off is pretty difficult.  They even have a video on their website showing how to take the case off.  You basically push first through the camera hole in the back of the phone while holding on to the case.  The case is definitely too stiff to just bend a corner down as I did with my old case.  You will also notice that the case gives full coverage across the bottom of the phone, unlike my old case.

 

The next few pictures show the bottom and the top of the case.   The bottom as I stated before is definitely more protective.  It has precise cutouts for the various holes and ports on the phone.  The top has the one cutout for the microphone.

The picture above shows how the volume and Bixby buttons look.  They are not solid and have a small gap at both the top and the bottom of the button.  It makes the buttons feel natural, clicky and responsive to the touch.  They do not make pushing the buttons any harder at all.

The next two pictures above show the phone in the case.  It is extremely tight fitting as they suggested.  It is a very firm case and has a nice solid grip to it without being tacky feeling.  It is definitely a better grip than the slippery phone itself.  The carbon fiber is matte and not shiny at all.  Fingerprints are not visible on this case which I really love.  My old case would show fingerprints over time.  When placing the phone face down on a table the case is what is resting on the table and not the screen.  The top and bottom parts of the case extend slightly beyond the screen.

This is a shot of the bottom of the case with the phone inside.  Everything lines up nicely exactly as it should.

What I like

This is a very well made case.  Compared to my old case, if I were to drop my phone on the sides or back I really don’t think any damage will come to the phone at all.  There is a video on the Mous website showing how the inside material of the case absorbs impacts by dropping heavy ball bearings on the material.  A lot of cases are often poorly aligned with the ports and this case is spot on.  There are no issues with using the buttons.  The biggest plus for me is that it now slips easily into my back pocket where the old case was too grippy and would often stick on the way into my pocket.  I also like that they give you two screen protectors.  I have stopped using screen protectors since I received the Galaxy S9.  That curved screen makes it too difficult to put a protector on without bubbles or cracking.  I did not even attempt to install the screen protectors.

What can be improved

My biggest complaint is the price.  For the S9 the price of the case is $49.99.  The price drops $10 for the S8.  The iPhone cases range from $44.99 to $39.99.  That is kind of crazy since the XS Max is much bigger than the S9.

Price: $49.99 as reviewed for the Samsung Galaxy S9
Where to buy:  Mous Website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Mous.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Mous Limitless 2 smartphone case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 12, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Cuisinart Compact Automatic bread maker review

REVIEW – I owned my first and only bread maker about 20-years ago, I loved it, but it got lost somewhere along the way. Since then I’ve told anyone who would listen how much I missed it and that I needed to buy another one, but of course, I never did. So when I received an offer to review the Cuisinart compact automatic bread maker, I couldn’t pass it up. Time to see if the Cuisinart compact bread maker can rekindle my love for making homemade bread.

What is it?

The Cuisinart compact automatic bread maker is a compact automatic vertical bread maker that offers a variety of crust colors and loaf sizes, as well as 12 preprogrammed menu options.

What’s in the box?

  • Bread maker
  • Bread pan
  • Kneading paddle
  • Pan hook
  • Quick reference guide
  • Instruction booklet/recipe booklet

Design and features

The first thing you notice about the bread maker is how light and compact it is. It only weighs 10.75-lbs and has a very small footprint (10.25″ x 13.25″ x 11.25″). The size is perfect for me as I don’t have a whole lot of counter space in my kitchen.

I also liked the look of the bread makers contemporary brushed stainless steel exterior.

On top of the unit, there’s a bread door with a viewing window and a control panel with an LCD display.

The control panel has buttons for programming, crust color, bread size/light, and stop/start. Plus/minus buttons let you adjust the time for the bake only program and delay start timer. 

The easy to read LCD display shows program, crust color, and loaf size selections. You can also view cycle and delay start timing.

Features

Even though the bread machine is compact in size, it doesn’t lack in functionality.

To start with it has 12 different pre-programmed menu options to choose from, all fully automatic.

  1. White
  2. French
  3. Whole Wheat
  4. Ultra-fast
  5. Sweet
  6. Gluten-free
  7. Artisan dough
  8. Dough
  9. Jam
  10. Packaged mix
  11. Cake
  12. Bake only

Other features include your choice of crust color: light, medium, or dark and loaf size: 1-lb., 11/2-lb., or 2-lb. loaf.

A 13-hour delay start timer allows you to program the bread maker up to 13 hours in advance.

The included recipe guide has several foolproof recipes to get you started. Everything from gluten-free and artisan bread options to jam and sauce recipes. I found the recipes to be concise and easy to follow.

Let’s make some bread!

Making bread in this machine couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is add your ingredients, and the bread maker does the rest.

To start out I wanted to make something easy, that didn’t call for a lot of ingredients. I chose to make the French bread recipe from the included booklet.

I added the ingredients to the bread pan and placed it into the unit. I then chose the French program option and my loaf size. I chose to make the 2lb loaf because I wanted to see what this bread machine could really do. Because I was making French bread, I didn’t have the option to choose the crust color.

After selecting my preferences, I pushed the start button and let the machine do its thing. The unit automatically takes care of each step of the process until the loaf is done. An indicator on the LCD display shows the current function: Knead, Rise, Bake, or Keep Warm.

Before the bread begins baking, you have the option to remove the kneading paddle which I did. There’s a signal of 10 short beeps to let you know when it can be removed. If you miss the initial beeps, the display will show “paddle” for one minute.

Being as curious and impatient as I am I really liked having the ability to check in on the bread as it went through the process. The viewing window and built-in light made that very easy.

As the bread was baking, I remembered why I loved making homemade bread so much. The AROMA! The entire house was filled with the wonderful smell of fresh baking bread.

After the bread is done baking the unit beeps 10 times, and the LCD display window will read 00:00. There is a keep warm cycle that will keep your bread warm for 60 minutes. At the end of the keep warm cycle, the unit will emit one long beep and then it will shut off.

When the bread was finished I took the bread pan out of the machine and gripping the bottom turned it over, my finished loaf slid right out. I then placed it on a wire rack to cool. As you can see from the pic below my French bread loaf turned out fantastic.

Time to taste my creation(s)

After cooling and slicing my French bread loaf, it was time to give it a taste. It tasted great! The bread was soft on the inside, and the crust had that perfect French bread crunch. Needless to say, I was pleased with my first loaf of bread from the Cuisinart compact bread maker.

Since then I’ve made two other loaves, jalapeño cheddar, and cinnamon swirl. The jalapeño cheddar recipe called for ingredients to be added during the kneading process. The unit lets you know when it’s time to add them with an audible signal of 4 sets of 5 long beeps. Then you just lift the lid and add your additional ingredients.

Like the French bread loaf, both loaves turned out perfect and tasted wonderful.

I found that the 2-pound loaf was too much for just myself, so when I made the cinnamon swirl bread, I opted for the 1-pound loaf which turned out to be a perfect size (see the pic below).

What I like

  • Compact size
  • Easy to use
  • Can make up to a 2lb. Loaf
  • Easy to clean
  • The included recipe booklet

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

The Cuisinart compact automatic bread maker is easy to use, doesn’t take up a lot of space, and produces perfectly baked great tasting bread. It does everything larger bread makers do and for a fraction of the price. In my book that makes it a winner. And more importantly, it rekindled my love for making homemade bread.

Price: $99.95
Where to buy: Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Home Depot.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Cuisinart.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: , ,

Cuisinart Compact Automatic bread maker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 11, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.