Watches and Clocks – Page 11

Rip and Shred 42mm Apple Watch cuff case review

If you own an Apple Watch and you’re anything like me you’re constantly looking for new and unique bands to show it off. If you peruse Amazon there are literally thousands of choices but most of them are just cheaper replicas of watch bands that are already offered by Apple. I present to you the Apple Watch cuff case from Rip and Shred. A few things stand out immediately that make this band unique. Its one of the few, if not only cuff style bands available for the Apple Watch and it doubles as a protective style case. It’s also 3-d printed using nylon plastic. But is this cuff case worthy of your Apple Watch? Let’s find out.

The first thing I noticed right away is how incredibly light the cuff case is and although its light it seems very durable, while still retaining some flexibility. The other thing I noticed is that it had a rough finish similar to a fine emery board. More on that later.

There are cutouts in the cuff case for your Apple Watches microphone and speaker on one side and a larger cutout on the other, which gives you complete access to the crown and side button.

It also has a circular cutout in the bottom for the Apple Watches sensors. This cutout also allows for it to fit perfectly on my watches charging stand.

Placing the Apple Watch into the cuff case was really simple, it just snaps right in. The watch fits very securely once inside the cuff case, so you don’t have to worry about it falling out. And it actually protects all four corners of your Apple Watch. A real nice advantage that typical watch bands just don’t offer. This is great for me because no matter how careful I am, I always seem to bang my watch into something. From there you just slide the band over your wrist and you’re ready to go.

The cuff case comes in three sizes small, medium and large. I was lucky enough to receive both the small and medium sizes for my review. Having small wrists I found that the small was a perfect fit for me. If you have larger wrists or prefer to wear it more like a bangle style bracelet (Ladies), then I would definitely recommend getting a medium or large. Both the small and medium fit securely enough so there’s no danger of your Apple Watch accidentally slipping off your wrist even during the most rigorous of your daily activities.

I was really eager to see how the cuff case would perform at the gym. I use my Apple Watch to track my workout stats and part of that includes using the watches heart rate monitor. Unfortunately, this is where the stiffness of the band became an issue. I found that the watches sensors didn’t maintain constant contact with my wrist while I worked out and in turn my heart rate figures were inaccurate. So for me, it was a no go at the gym.

Remember that emery board feel I said the cuff case had. I was a little concerned that it would make the band uncomfortable, however, once I wore it for awhile my concerns vanished. The finish of the band was hardly noticeable. The only time it came into play was when wearing it with a long sleeve shirt. The finish on the band caused it to stick slightly to my shirt sleeve, but this is hardly a deal breaker. I was then contacted by the designer of the cuff case and Rip and Shred shop owner Gordon Lardi. Gordon informed me that they had changed the printing process of the cuff case and the result was a band with a smoother finish. I was sent one of the newly printed cases (white, size medium) and indeed the finish was much smoother. He said this was achieved by printing the case from side to side (parallel to your arm if it were on your wrist) instead of printing it from bottom to top. The cuff cases printing process happens on a large 3-d printing machine and the whole process takes about a day. Each case is printed upon ordering and is delivered four to five days after an order has been placed. Shapeways is the 3-d printing service that does the printing for Rip and Shred. If you would like to learn more about them, head over to their website at shapeways.com.

So is the cuff case worthy of the Apple Watch for me the answer is YES. I think the Rip and Shred Apple Watch cuff case is a great alternate band for the Apple Watch. It really gives the watch a whole new look. In fact, I’ve had a couple people ask me ” What kind of watch is that?” Since receiving the cuff case I’ve been using it as my everyday watch band. I really like its modern looks and how much lighter it is compared to the sport band that came with my Apple Watch. It’s so light and comfortable in fact, at times I almost forget that I’m wearing it. Another thing I like is that you don’t have to worry about getting it wet, so I can definitely see myself wearing it in and around the pool this summer. It also comes in a great variety of colors like blue, red, purple and pink to name a few.

The Rip and Shred cuff case is available for both sizes of the Apple Watch (38 & 42 mm) and is priced at $24.95. So if you want a great new way to showcase your Apple Watch this spring and summer head over to ripandshred.com And while you’re there do yourself a favor and check out some of the other great product designs Gordon Lardi and Rip and Shred have to offer.

Source: The sample used in this review was provided by Rip and Shred. Please visit their website for more information or to purchase one.

Product Information

Price:	$24.95
Manufacturer:	Rip and Shred
Pros:	Modern look Very light weight Durable Comes in multiple colors
Cons:	Its a little stiff Price may be a little high for some

Filed in categories: Reviews, Watches and Clocks

Tagged:

Rip and Shred 42mm Apple Watch cuff case review originally appeared on on March 14, 2017 at 12:17 pm.

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Addicted to the snooze button? This alarm clock guarantees you’ll get up to turn it off

For all the chronic snooze bar pressers of the world comes the Witwatia Pressure Sensitive Alarm Clock. The Witwatia alarm clock is not like ordinary alarm clocks that rest on the night stand next to your bed. This alarm clock goes on the floor like a rug. Yes, the floor.

The Witwatia Pressure Sensitive Alarm Clock is a large memory foam mat with a built-in clock and digital display. When the alarm sounds, you will need to stand on the pressure sensitive mat with both feet for at least 3 seconds to silence the alarm. The idea is if you can get out of bed and stand on the mat for 3 seconds, then you might as well go ahead and get ready for your day instead of jumping back in bed.

The alarm sound can be customized by connecting the mat to a computer using a USB cable to add your own tunes.

The only down side that I can see with this alarm clock is that it has its own built-in “snooze bar”. If you don’t get out of bed and stand on the pressure sensitive mat, the alarm will play for 5 minutes, stop for 5 minutes, then play again for 5 minutes. So your best bet is to put a really obnoxious alarm sound so you won’t be able to stand listening to it play for a full 5 minutes.

The Witwatia Pressure Sensitive Alarm Clock can be purchased for $59.99 from Amazon.

Thanks to Pam T. for sending me this news idea.

Filed in categories: News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Sleep

Addicted to the snooze button? This alarm clock guarantees you’ll get up to turn it off originally appeared on on March 12, 2017 at 10:38 am.

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Mesqool AM/FM projection alarm clock review

This projection alarm clock is pretty cool. It has a lot of features most radio alarm clocks have, and a few that are not so common. My favorite function on this clock, of course, is the ability to project the time onto the ceiling. I love this because I always sleep on my back, and it’s a pain to have to turn over, or turn my head to see the clock. I guess I’m a lazy sleeper… Don’t judge me! With the projector, you just have to open your eyes, and you see the time on the ceiling.
Standard radio alarm clock features are dual alarms, AM/FM radio, and the alarm sound is either a buzzer or radio. But it has some nice ‘extra’ features on it, too, like battery backup, DST setting, and 3-mode dimmer.

The “A” button, pictured above, sets the time, programs radio stations, and selects preset stations after they’ve been programmed.

The “B” button advances hour increments when setting the time, and reduces the radio frequency when tuning stations.

The “C” button, pictured above, advances minute increments when setting the time, and increases the radio frequency when tuning stations.

The “D” button dims the display, in three modes: High, Medium, and Low. It also turns the DST (Daylight Savings Time) function On/Off.

The “E” button, often the favorite, is the Snooze button. It lets you sleep for 9 additional minutes after the alarm goes off. You can do this six times before the clocks ‘gives up on you’, and then you’re on your own. GET OUT OF BED!! This “E” button also sets the sleep timer. While listening to the radio, you press this button repeatedly until your desired sleep time is displayed (up to 90 minutes), and the radio will automatically turn off after the entered sleep time expires.

The “F” button is used to set the 1st alarm time, to turn the alarm On/Off, and to decrease the volume of the radio.

The “G” button sets the 2nd alarm time, turns that alarm On/Off, and is also used to increase the volume of the radio.

The “H” button turns the radio On/Off, it deactivates alarms when they turn on at their set time, and it also deactivates the snooze button, if you had pressed it earlier, but decide to get up before the alarm sounds again.

The “I” button changes the mode of the projector on the device. This button is really helpful. The projected time can project forward, like when your clock is next to you on your nightstand. Or, the time can be in a reversed image, which is very helpful, if you’re one of those people that needs to have the clock on the other side of the room in order to wake up. This lets you see the clock face from across the room, and it projects the time backwards on the ceiling so you can still see the projected image from your vantage point. So it gives you a lot more options for where to place the clock in your room. Just press this “I” button to project the time in ‘regular’ mode, ‘flipped’ mode, or turn the projector off altogether.

The picture above shows how the projection looks on the ceiling when you’re lying in bed, and the clock is facing the direction you see on the nightstand. This requires the projector to be in the flipped mode. The picture below shows what the projection looks like on the ceiling when the clock is across the room from your bed, and the projector is in normal mode.

The product has a radio auto-scanner to automatically find radio stations. You can save 10 FM radio stations, and 10 AM radio stations, too. It has a USB charging port in the back of the unit, and you can focus the beam of the projector by twisting the focus ring so you get a crisp, clear image of the time on your ceiling. As for sound from the speaker; it’s designed for mid- and high-range audio. It doesn’t do very well with bass. But it is loud enough to wake the average sleeper. I was pleasantly surprised that when the volume was all the way up – the speaker didn’t oversaturate.

The unit also has a very small footprint, so a lot of your nightstand isn’t taken up by the clock.

The instructions for this clock are very detailed and clear. It’s really outstanding, which is rare in most instructions included with products these days.

Overall, I really like this clock radio with time projection. I have not experienced any problems with it, and am really pleased with the functionality, operation, and options.

It takes 2 “AAA” batteries for battery backup, measures 8″L x 1.125″W x 2.5″H, has a 1.8″ LED display, and costs $29.99.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Mesqool. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to purchase.

Product Information

Price:	$29.99
Manufacturer:	Mesqool
Retailer:	http://amazon.com
Pros:	Projection lamp Projection 'flip' capability Easy-to-read display Sleep timer Dual alarms Battery Backup Easy DST setting 3-mode dimmer Radio station presets Small footprint Excellent instructions Great price for the features
Cons:	"Tinny" sounding speaker Unstable without attached legs USB port only charges your phone/tablet – won't sync music

Filed in categories: Reviews, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Clocks

Mesqool AM/FM projection alarm clock review originally appeared on on March 11, 2017 at 8:35 am.

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