mercredi 30 novembre 2016

Kinesis Advantage2 ergonomic keyboard review

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I knew a co-worker who swore by those misshapen “ergonomic” keyboards.  I never quite understood them until I saw the Kinesis Advantage keyboard about 10 years ago in person.  I was intrigued by the dual concave shape and layout.  I finally got to try the latest version, the Advantage2.

For those who are familiar with the Kinesis Advantage, this latest version features the same overall shape and layout, but with new function row keys with Cherry ML switches with hard keycaps, vs. the original mushy rubber keys.  The model featured here is the KB600 with Cherry MX brown switches, which don’t feature an obvious audible “click” like some mechanical keyboards with Cherry MX blues.

The new Advantage2 has 2MB of memory vs. 2-4KB, and will support “100+ heavy-duty macros”.  Dvorak layout fans can rejoice as well.  It’s now natively supported, although you’ll need different keycaps (sold separately).

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  • Width: 16.50 inches
  • Depth (front-to-back): 8 inches
  • Max height: 2.875 inches
  • Distance between F & J Keys: 9 inches
  • Weight: 2.20 lbs
  • Shipping weight: 4 lbs
  • USB cable length: 6 feet 3 inches; 6 feet 1 inch from back edge of keyboard
  • Warranty: 3 year limited

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In the box you get the Advantage2 keyboard, adhesive wrist pads, and extra keycaps for Mac users.  Switching from Windows to Mac only requires a keystroke command on the keyboard itself.  No need to dig deep into your MacOS preferences (unless you want to).

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From the side you can really see the concave “bowl”.  It’s actually curved in both directions- it really IS bowl-like.

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The back of the keyboard.  The RJ-style phone connector can be used for optional Kinesis footpedals.

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Here’s a closeup of the left and right sides.  The middle row is now in what they’re calling “Kinesis Blue”.  I did kind of wish there was a tactile “dot” on the F and J keys, though.

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This is a closeup of the thumb keys.  It looks odd, but there’s a certain logic to it:  To backspace, you press the left thumb.  Space is on the right side.

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Remember those extra keycaps?  Here I am changing some of them for a Mac-friendly layout.  Note the Cherry MX Brown switches.

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This is what my resting hand looks like on the right side of the keyboard.  My thumb is naturally resting on the space key.

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In the center you’ll find LED indicators for Caps Lock and so forth.

It would be easy to plug in the keyboard and tell you about how the keys feel (great) and go on about the size (bulky), but I was encouraged by Kinesis to give the Advantage2 a fair shake for at least 2-4 weeks before drawing any conclusions.  Boy were they right.

On day one, I discovered that I could not type at all.  I was constantly looking down to see where on earth certain keys were hiding, and I was constantly missing the shift key.  For about a week, I got lazy and stopped capitalizing words when sending instant messages.

The keyboard beeps quietly to let you know you’ve made a keypress.  The idea is to train users not to mash down on keys, which requires more effort.  You can disable this feature.

To use the volume controls, you have to press the blue-lettered “keypd” button near the upper right, then the volume keys.

The lack of tactile “dots” on the home row was really frustrating to me.  I almost wanted to glue something on.

By the end of two weeks, I was still not completely proficient at the Advantage2 keyboard, but I did appreciate how comfortable it was.  The bulky shape provided excellent palm support, and the relatively narrow width meant I didn’t have to reach far for my mouse.

By far, I believe the biggest obstacle to my proficiency with the Advantage2 was my own poor typing habits.  How?  I didn’t realize that to type the letter “B”, I’ve been using my right index finger.  Now go look at the Advantage2 layout, and you’ll find it’s on the LEFT side of the keyboard.  That’s just one example.  I also use the spacebar interchangeably between thumbs, but the Advantage2’s space key is under your right thumb.  I was astounded to discover how many “bad” typing habits I had.  Now I knew what Kinesis meant when they mentioned a 2-4 week learning curve.

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Then there’s the issue of the arrow keys.  On most keyboards, the up/down/left/right are clustered in an inverted-T shape.  I can usually go by feel without looking down.  But on the Advantage, they’re split.  The curved nature of the keyboard doesn’t help, either.  In the photo above, the up/down key faces aren’t visible from a seated position.  You can kind of see the print on the side of the keys, however.  This sort of thing would extend my learning curve.
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Finally, I didn’t realize how bulky the Advantage2 was until I placed it on my desktop and discovered I couldn’t tuck it away under my tray.  Granted, the standard Apple keyboard is supermodel-skinny (see above).  The Advantage2 measures 2.875 inches high.  I would need a taller keyboard tray.

The Kinesis Advantage2 keyboard is easily the most comfortable keyboard I’ve ever tried.  I loved the high-quality Cherry MX brown switches and the raised palm rests.  Just be aware that there is definitely a long learning curve to this keyboard, and any “bad” typing habits will be made painfully obvious.  At least your wrists won’t be in pain.

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

 

Product Information

Price: $349
Manufacturer: Kinesis
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • USB port
  • Windows 7, Windows 8 & Windows 10
  • Mac OS 8.6 and higher (Not compatible with non-US layouts)
  • Linux
  • Android
Pros:
  • 100% Cherry Mechanical keyboard.
  • Excellent ergonomic layout.
  • MacOS keycaps included.
Cons:
  • Price.
  • Long learning curve.
  • Allow 2-4 weeks to get "used" to it.

Filed in categories: Computer Gear, Reviews

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Kinesis Advantage2 ergonomic keyboard review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 30, 2016 at 10:00 am.

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Kinesis Advantage2 ergonomic keyboard review

Muzik One headphones are smart headphones

muzikone-1

Now that the smartphone has pretty much conquered the world, I guess it’s time that we upgrade everything else to “smart” status: our homes, appliances, cars, and our headphones. Yep. It’s time for smart headphones. Muzik One is the “smartphone of headphones” according to the Muzik website. It has a touch control panel to pause, play, skip tracks, and answer calls and four programmable Hot Keys (the dimples on the earpieces shown above). The keys may be programmed via the Muzik Connect iOS app (Android app coming soon) to integrate apps like Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, and IFTTT. Thus, by simply tapping on a Hot Key you can start your favorite playlist (if you programmed the Hot Key to Spotify) or by tapping on another, you can control the lights in your house (if you programmed it to IFTTT). The Muzik One headphones are “high-definition audio” Bluetooth headphones with a 50 foot range and will play for up to 30 hours on one charge of the battery. In addition, they have dual microphones for phone calls and voice control and use passive noise-isolation technology. When purchased, they come with swappable memory foam ear cushions (over-ear and on-ear cushions), a carrying case, a four foot long 3.5 mm audio cable, and a micro-USB charging cable. The Muzik One headphones are $299 and available in black, silver, and champagne colors from Amazon.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV, News

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Muzik One headphones are smart headphones originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 30, 2016 at 9:00 am.

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Muzik One headphones are smart headphones

A smart notebook you can erase in the microwave

Wave

For those of us that love our gadgets, but also love or need to use pen and paper to take notes the old fashioned way, the Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook could be the link between both worlds we’ve been looking for. You simply take your notes on the pad with a Pilot Frixion pen, then use the app to configure where you’d like to send the page after you snap a pic of it with your smartphone so that you’ll be able to access it via the web whenever you choose.  After you’ve done that, put the entire notepad in the microwave, or I’ve read that you can use a blow dryer for heat as well, and the ink is erased and you can reuse the notepad again and again! I feel that writing things down helps me to remember and retain the information that I need but I don’t want stacks of notebooks everywhere to reference. Filing them in various cloud applications or even emailing them is a much more organized way to keep them available. You can get the Rocketbook Wave on Amazon for $27.00 and be on your way to better organization in no time at all.

 

Filed in categories: News, Paper and Pens

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A smart notebook you can erase in the microwave originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 30, 2016 at 6:51 am.

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A smart notebook you can erase in the microwave

mardi 29 novembre 2016

Julie’s gadget diary – Using the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (Day 1-3)

surfacepro4

A few weeks ago I complained about the weight and bulk of the gear that I take with me when I travel. On my last trip to Florida, I took a 13″ laptop, 10″ tablet, my phone, various cords and AC adapters. Combine that gear with the weight of the bag that holds all of it and it was not fun lugging it through the airport from gate to gate. I in my gadget diary post I talked about how I wished I could make a tablet (iOS or Android) do everything I need while I’m away from home. When I got back home I ordered a 12.9″ iPad Pro with hopes that it would become my next travel buddy. No luck, I returned it to Apple. 

Each time I post about my travel gear experiences, I have a few people suggest that I should try a Microsoft Surface Pro 4. I finally listened and ordered one on Thanksgiving day to take advantage of a $429 discount on the SP4 256GB/i5 8GB RAM with the Type Cover.  I received it this past Saturday and immediately noticed how slow it was browsing the web. I thought it might be defective but then I googled “surface pro 4 slow wifi” and found that this is a known issue with some WiFi routers. It appeared that the SP4 didn’t get along with my Amplifi router. I tried the registry edit that is supposed to fix the problem, but it didn’t help, so I switched back to my TP-Link Archer C7 router which did help but not enough to make me want to use the SP4. So ignored it all day Sunday.

On Monday I took the SP4 with me to my day job in order to take advantage of the faster broadband so I could install any needed OS updates. The updates seem to have fixed all the issues because when I took the SP4 back home that night, it worked like a champ.

I also installed the Chrome browser, Photoshop and a few other tools to duplicate some of the tools I use on my MacBook Pro. I installed tools like AutoHotkey which lets me use macros to insert frequently typed text, Irfanview for batch renaming and resizing of images and Wondershare Filmora for editing video clips. And with that, I was ready to use the SP4 exclusively (at home) for the next couple of days to determine if I’ll keep it or return it.

I spent Monday night using the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 on a desk, on my lap sitting on a couch, while reclining in my LazyBoy recliner and as a tablet with the Type Cover keyboard detached. Here are a few of my first impressions.

  • Nice hardware that is light weight while still feeling like a quality device and not a cheap toy.
  • Actually feels “ok” using it on my lap with the keyboard attached. The kickstand, not sure what Microsoft calls it, is really pretty cool. It opens and stays open at the exact angle I choose, so it feels stable perched on my thighs.
  • I need to look up how to do a right mouse click when using the touchpad
  • I’m a touchpad snob and tend to compare every touchpad that I try with the one on my MacBook Pro. Although the SP4’s touchpad is a little on the small side, it does work well enough that I don’t hate it. But I’m not exactly in love with it either.
  • Tablet mode works well too. In the past, I’ve complained that Windows 10 isn’t finger friendly, but the SP4’s display is large enough that I didn’t have that much trouble tapping small onscreen buttons in the browser.
  • Using the onscreen keyboard while in tablet mode is doable, but it takes up most of the screen.
  • The Type Cover is very nice. I enjoyed touch typing on it and noticed almost no flex when using it on a desk or on my lap. The keys are nicely spaced and provide great tactile feedback. They even have a backlight which surprised me.

That’s all for now. I will post another update after I have a chance to put it through my normal work flow for a couple days. So far I like it a lot more than I thought I would, but I don’t know if it’s that much of an update over my Dell XPS 13″, so it remains to be seen if I end up keeping it.

Filed in categories: Articles

Tagged:

Julie’s gadget diary – Using the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (Day 1-3) originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2016 at 1:02 pm.

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Julie’s gadget diary – Using the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (Day 1-3)

It’s a snowboard. It’s a scooter. It’s a Ski Skooter!

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Looking for a fun gift for the kids in your family? The Geospace Ski Skooter might be something they’ll enjoy. The Ski Skooter looks like a snowboard but with a foldable handle. The handle allows kids to balance and steer the snowboard down slopes of snow, grass or sand. It also works like a scooter so that you can push yourself around on flat smooth surfaces like snow and sand. The Geospace Ski Skooter is available in blue or red from Amazon for $45.41, which seems a little expensive, but it might be a huge hit with the kids this Christmas!

Filed in categories: News, Outdoor Gear

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It’s a snowboard. It’s a scooter. It’s a Ski Skooter! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2016 at 10:00 am.

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It’s a snowboard. It’s a scooter. It’s a Ski Skooter!

Ilumi LED smartbulbs review

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The market is pretty full of “smart” LED bulbs these days. I love the concept of these since you can adjust your indoor lighting to any mood you feel at the moment. Here’s another one to add to the list, the Ilumi Smartbulb.  I got the chance to view a couple of these bulbs so let’s see what these smartbulbs have in store!Note: Images can be clicked on to view a larger size.

I received the Ilumi A19 Color LED Smartbulb as well as the BR30 Outdoor Flood Color Smart LED bulb.

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They both take a standard socket for traditional bulbs which would be E26 in the U.S., but are labeled A19 due to being energy efficient LED bulbs.

The Ilumi app can be downloaded for iOS 7.0 or later, as well as Android 4.3 or later, supporting Bluetooth 4.0.

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I have iOS 10.1, so downloaded the Ilumi app onto my iPhone.  Upon opening the app, I was presented with a dashboard to set up my first bulb. I turned on the lamp, and the bulb flashed quickly to let me know it was on. The Ilumi app immediately found an unpaired bulb and paired right away.

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You can give the bulb a name for the location to where you put it in the house, as well as create a group if you have multiple bulbs.

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You can create a schedule for your lights as well, and there are a few preset suggestions.  Some are great for waking up, circadian rhythm, and you can do an automatic scheduled to go on and off at a certain time.

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I created a scheduled for our outside smartbulb since it’s dark outside around 5pm, and it’s nice to have some light near the backyard when entering the house.

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In the app you can see my living room smartbulb, and all the colors I can choose, which is pretty much anything in and out of the rainbow.

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I love blue so started with that, and had so much fun setting the mood for the night. I love how bright the light gets, without giving off any heat since it’s LED.

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You can choose various types of white colors as well, in case you want a cool white for concentrating, or candlelight for something a bit more romantic or soothing.

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There are also some preset effects that you can use, which make the light alternate colors and appear really cool, which is fun for parties or gatherings at your place.

Here’s the outside floodlight LED bulb, which worked great on a schedule for night.

What I like best about the Ilumi LED Smartbulbs is that nothing else is needed other than a Bluetooth device to connect them. There is no base or anything to connect to your local internet connection as it all works through a phone.  I really enjoyed using the bulbs daily, and plan to get another set for indoors to put around the house.

Source:  The sample for this review was provided by Ilumi. Please visit their site for more information and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $49.99 - $69.99
Manufacturer: Ilumi
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • Smartphone running iOS 7.0 or higher, or Android 4.3 or higher
Pros:
  • Low energy output
  • Fits any traditional "E26" light socket
  • Beautiful colors
Cons:
  • Expensive

Filed in categories: Home and Kitchen, Reviews

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Ilumi LED smartbulbs review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2016 at 9:00 am.

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Ilumi LED smartbulbs review

Train yourself to have better posture with Upright

Upright

Sometimes I find myself slumped in my computer chair and my mom’s voice pops into my head saying “sit up straight!” It can become a bad habit to slouch for those of us who sit down at a desk all day.  If you want to strengthen your core muscles, lessen your back pain and increase your productivity, this may be the product for you! With Upright, you can train for 15-60 minutes per day and improve your core strength and muscle memory so that you can enjoy a lifetime of good posture. It attaches to your upper and lower back and can detect when you slouch, giving you a slight vibration that reminds you (just like mom did) to sit in a more upright position. Using the free app and the 24/7 support, you are sure to be motivated to sit straight and alleviate your back pain once and for all. It is being offered on Amazon for $99.95 and is available for Prime shipping so you can get going right away.

Filed in categories: Health, Fitness, Sports, News

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Train yourself to have better posture with Upright originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2016 at 8:00 am.

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Train yourself to have better posture with Upright

lundi 28 novembre 2016

As seen on tv: Red Copper cookware review

red-copper-1

I’ve been thinking of replacing the hodge podge collection of pans in my kitchen for quite a while, but when I check the prices of nicer cookware, I change my mind because it’s tough to talk myself into paying $100 or more for one frying pan. Lucky for me, I was approached to try out Red Copper cookware from Bulbhead. I’d seen these pans advertised on TV, so was curious to see if the infomercial claims of non-stick, non-scratch were true. Let’s find out.

What is it?

Red Copper cookware pans are non-stick ceramic pans that are infused with tough-grade copper that won’t scratch, chip, or peel. They are PFOA- and PTFE-free, dishwasher and oven-safe up to 500 degrees F.

Design and features

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I was sent a 12″ inch and 10″ inch skillet to review. At first glance, the only thing that really sets these pans apart from other pans in their low price range is the copper colored ceramic finish on the inside of the pans.

The pans are what I would consider medium weight, with a stay cool stainless steel handle. I say they are stay-cool, but it should be obvious that this is only when you’re using them on top of your stove and not when you put them in the oven 🙂

That’s right, these pans are oven safe up to 500 degrees F. These are the first fry pans that I’ve owned that can go from stove top to oven. Why would you want that? Because you can brown meats on top of the stove and then put them in the oven to finish them. Or you can cook food on the stove and then place the pans in the oven to keep food warm.

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The larger 12″ inch pan has a helper handle opposite the normal handle. This makes it even easier to move a full pan from stove top to oven without spilling food.

Cooking with Red Copper cookware

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The selling point for the Red Copper pans is that you don’t need to use butter or grease to cook your foods because the pans are non-stick. I’ve used non-stick pans my whole life, but the claims are rarely true, so I didn’t hold out a lot of hope that the Red Copper pans would live up to those claims.

Before using the pans for the first time, they do need to be seasoned. Don’t worry, it’s not hard to do. All you do is put a thin coating of vegetable oil all over the inside of the pan and then put it in the oven at medium heat for about 20 minutes. Then you wipe off the oil and the pan is ready to use. The instructions that came with pans tell you to do this twice a year.

For my first use of the Red Copper Pan, I decided to cook some busted eggs for sandwiches. This usually results in some crusty egg stuck to the pan even when I use butter.

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But the instructions tell you that you don’t need to use any better or grease with these pans, so I didn’t. I just turned on the heat to one of the burners on my glass stove top, set the Red Copper pan on it to warm up for a minute or two and then added the eggs.

It usually takes FOREVER to cook anything on my stove. Jeanne and I are always complaining about our stove and tell each other that we miss our old traditional stove with the burner elements instead of the glass top. So I was really surprised when I added the eggs to the Red Copper pan and they immediately started cooking/sizzling. I didn’t have the heat set any differently than I do with my other pans, so one of the claims of even fast cooking is true.

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Busted, mixed up and waiting to flip.

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After only one cooking session, I already like these pans because the claims are true. No sticking even without using any oil, grease, or butter. That means less calories too.

I used both pans to cook meats, stir-fry veggies and make toasted sandwiches. Each time, food cooked faster, nothing stuck to the pan and the clean up was very easy.

Final thoughts

So far I’m a fan of the Red Copper pans. They work better than any pans I’ve tried so far on my glass topped stove, food doesn’t stick, they don’t scratch and they can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. It will be interesting to see how well the pans hold up over time, so I will definitely do a review update in a few months to let you know. But until then, I give Red Copper pans two thumbs up!

Source: The sample for this review was provided by BulbHead. Please visit their site for more info.

 

Product Information

Price: $19.99 (10inch), $29.00 (12inch)
Manufacturer: Red Copper Pan
Retailer: BulbHead
Pros:
  • No stick
  • No scratch
  • Can go from stove top to oven
  • No need to use butter or grease to cook
Cons:
  • None

Filed in categories: Home and Kitchen, Reviews

Tagged:

As seen on tv: Red Copper cookware review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2016 at 11:00 am.

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As seen on tv: Red Copper cookware review

Evutec Selenium series iPhone 7 case review

evutec-iphone7-case-1

Your smartphone case really isn’t something that you should think that much about. But it should definitely accomplish several things while you aren’t thinking about it.  It should never get in the way.  It should protect your phone if you drop it.  It shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.  And it should be quality enough that it will last a long time.  I mean, after all, when you drop almost $1,000 these days for the latest and greatest phone, your smartphone case better be something that protects that investment and at least checks the box on most of those things.  So how did the $29.95 Evutec Selenium case do? Let’s find out.

The Selenium series of cases for iPhone 7 from Evutec comes in several different colors, but they all have the same unique features.  The proprietary flexible material is called Evusoft and according to the manufacturer will prevent degradation from UV light, time, and active use, so they claim you won’t see any yellow discoloration that you see over time in many other plastic smartphone cases.  There is a band of Advanced Composite Material (in the case of my review unit, Gold in color) around all the edges and corners of the case that creates additional shock absorption as well as increased rigidity.

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There are cutouts for the speakers and buttons and power jack, and tactile buttons over the power and volume buttons of the phone.  The tactile buttons perform great and there were never any performance issues with the buttons.  The Evutac Selenium is thin enough to not take too much away from the beautiful design of the iPhone 7, and in fact the case is somewhat clear so you can see the phone through the case.  It enhances the ability to grip the phone which is great, because the smooth edges of the iPhone 7 can cause the phone to slip out of your hands from time to time.

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Overall, this case is excellent in form and function, and it comes in several different shades of color.  And the price is right as well.  I highly recommend it.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Evutec. Please visit their site for more info and you can order from their Amazon store.

 

Product Information

Price: $29.95
Manufacturer: Evutec
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • iPhone 7
Pros:
  • Thin case
  • Great price
  • Tactile buttons
Cons:
  • None

Filed in categories: Cases and Covers, iOS, Reviews

Tagged:

Evutec Selenium series iPhone 7 case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2016 at 10:00 am.

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Evutec Selenium series iPhone 7 case review

Soundmatters’ Moment has arrived

soundmatters_moment_2

It could be argued that the Jawbone Jambox started the portable speaker craze. But did you know that the science and engineering behind Jambox’s success came from Soundmatters—a small audio company begun by a NASA engineer? It’s true. The late Dr. Godehard Guenther developed the Soundmatters FoxL speaker, the predecessor to so many speakers we take for granted today. Dr.  Guenther also introduced many other firsts to the audio market, including the world’s first in-wall speaker; in-wall subwoofer; component loudspeaker for car hi–fi; multi–channel car amplifier; and the hi–fi television monitor. Today, Soundmatters’ continued audio developments has resulted in the new Moment ultra-portable audiophile speaker.

soundmatters_moment_3The Moment speaker was not created to fill a large room…nor impress anyone with sheer volume, but to fill you and your personal listening space with a natural and enveloping soundstage. This simply means that Soundmatters calibrated the audio performance of its patented speaker drivers and carbon-fiber body to optimize Moment for near-field listening (1 to 5 ft). The result provides listeners with wide-frequency sound, clear detailing and deep dynamics, all from a shockingly small, shirt pocket-sized music system.

soundmatters_moment_1Not only that, but the Moment speaker features Energizer Wireless Charging technology. Moment’s magnetic back allows placement on magnet-capable metal surfaces, such as kitchen fridges or metal workspace partitions. The strong magnetic back secures Moment to the optional charging cradle (included free during the holidays) for hassle-free wireless charging that takes only 90 minutes to fully charge. The stand angles Moment toward the listener, making it the perfect listening setup for a desktop, table, or workspace.

The Soundmatters Moment speaker will be available December 1, 2016 from Soundmatters for $169 with a free Energizer stand/wireless charger ($49 value) as part of the introductory/Holiday offer.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV, News

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Soundmatters’ Moment has arrived originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2016 at 9:00 am.

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Soundmatters’ Moment has arrived

Wallets, Pens with built-in knives, laser pianos and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

crowdfund

I have a new set of five interesting Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns for you to check out this week. Click through to read this week’s list of crowdfunding projects that have caught my eye.

CuWorx Copper Wallet

What is it?
The CuWorx Copper Wallet is a minimalist wallet made right here in the USA of… you guessed it, copper!

Why do I like it?
I like this wallet because it’s as minimalist as it gets. The CuWorx is basically a copper plate with an elastic band around it. You can’t get more basic and simple than that. They sent me a prototype and I can confirm that it’s well made with no sharp edges or burrs to catch on your pocket and it is the exact size of a typical plastic credit card, only thicker. If you enjoy this type of wallet, you’ll like this one because it has a rustic steampunk look that makes it stand out from similar wallets made of plastic or stainless steel.

Where can I find more info?
With 18 days left in their campaign, The CuWorx Copper Wallet campaign has some work to do to meet their funding goal of $2000. You can pre-order a CuWorx Copper Wallet starting at $15. After the CuWorx Copper Wallet campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in December 2016. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

iKeybo Advanced Projection Keyboard and Piano

What is it?
iKeybo is a laser projection QWERTY keyboard and piano keyboard.

Why do I like it?
We’ve seen laser keyboards before and that isn’t why I think the iKeybo is cool. I like it because it can also be used as a laser piano keyboard. It’s easy to find a folding Bluetooth keyboard for those times when you need to touch type a long document instead of tapping on an on-screen keyboard, but it’s a lot harder to find a small piano keyboard that you can take with you for an impromptu music making session. The iKeybo can turn any flat surface into a keyboard or piano. The projection module also doubles as a backup battery for your phone.

Where can I find more info?
With 55 days left in their campaign, The iKeybo campaign is over half way towards their way towards their funding goal of $50,000. You can pre-order a iKeybo starting at $89. After the iKeybo campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

The Smart Garden

What is it?
The Smart Garden is an indoor, self-growing garden stand that’s small enough to fit in the tiniest home while still allowing you to grow herbs and vegetables.

Why do I like it?
Almost four years ago I reviewed the Click & Grow Smartpot. Since then they’ve continued improving their planters into this latest version which allows you to grow your own food indoors using a proprietary technology that grows plants 30% faster with 600% more vitamins and 95% less water.

Where can I find more info?
With 19 days left in their campaign, The Smart Garden campaign has already more than doubled their funding goal of $78,000. You can pre-order The Smart Garden starting at $129. After The Smart Garden campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in July 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Life Lite

What is it?
The Life Lite a Bluetooth controlled 1000 lumen light that is only 1.5” x 1” in size. The Life Lite is waterproof up to 30 ft and has a magnet on the back to allow you to mount it on any metal surface.

Why do I like it?
I think a couple of these little lights would make a great addition to my Gadgeteer product photography toolbox.

Where can I find more info?
With only 3 days left in their campaign, The Life Lite campaign has already met their funding goal of $33,000. You can pre-order The Life Lite starting at $39. After The Life Lite campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in March 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

Stealth: Exercise your Core by Playing Mobile Games

What is it?
Stealth is a workout device for your core that turns your body into a joystick while you play games on your phone.

Why do I like it?
I workout three times a week and tend to do the same workout for weeks and weeks until I get bored and change it up. The Stealth trainer looks like an awesome device that I probably would not quickly grow tired of because it uses your body as a joystick to play games while you’re strengthing your core with traditional plank exercises. The only downside is that it’s pretty expensive…

Where can I find more info?
With 33 days left in their campaign, The Stealth campaign has already blew past their funding goal of $20,000. You can pre-order The Stealth starting at $149. After The Stealth campaign ends, rewards are estimated to start shipping in June 2017. Visit their Kickstarter page for all the details.

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Wallets, Pens with built-in knives, laser pianos and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2016 at 8:00 am.

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Wallets, Pens with built-in knives, laser pianos and more – Notable crowdfunding campaigns

Check out Amazon’s top Cyber Monday deals

amazon-savings-1

You’re back to work this morning still feeling groggy and stuffed from eating too much turkey and pumpkin pie the past few days. It’s time to start working out… your index finger! It’s Cyber Monday and you’re going to be doing a lot of mousing and clicking today to find the best deals. My first go-to shopping destination is almost always Amazon because I’m a Prime member which means I get things cheap, fast and with no hassles. Click through to see some of Amazons best Cyber Monday deals that include the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, phones and more.

Device Deals—Deals end at 11:59 pm PST TONIGHT

Amazon Echo Only $139.99
Echo Dot Only $39.99
Amazon Tap Only $89.99
Fire Tablet Only $33.33
Fire HD 8 Only $59.99
Amazon Fire TV Only $74.99
Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote Only $29.99
Moto G Prime Exclusive Phones—Save $20 Off the 16 GB variant & $40 Off the 32 GB variant
Dash Buttons $4 Off on 11/28 (Promo code: CYBERDASH | Limit 1 per customer)

Top Cyber Monday Deals of the Day

Cell Phones & Accessories: $499.99 for the Moto Z Unlocked Smartphone
Cell Phones & Accessories: Save on Plantronics Bluetooth Products
Cell Phones & Accessories: Save 25% or More on Select Garmin Fitness and Outdoor Products
Camera: Save big on a five-camera Arlo security and surveillance system
Digital Books: The biggest Kindle Daily Deal of the year up to 85% off
Electronics: Save on CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD PFC Sinewave UPS 1500VA 900W PFC Compatible Mini-Tower
Electronics: Save big on select Pioneer Speakers by Andrew Jones
Home Entertainment: Save on RIF6 Cube 2-inch Mobile Projector with Sound Cube Wireless Speaker
Home Entertainment: Save on Sony KDL40R350D 40-Inch 1080p LED TV
Kindle Unlimited Membership: Up to 40% off Kindle Unlimited
Kitchen: Save on Blendtec Total Blender, FourSide Jar
Kitchen: Save on KitchenAid KL26M1X 6-Qt Stand Mixers
Lawn and Garden: Save big on Starshower holiday laser light projectors
Luxury Beauty: Up to 40% off hair tools, shavers, and more
Outdoors: Save $400 on Segway One S1
PC: Save up to 30% on select Acer products
Software: Purchase Rosetta Stone Level 1-5 set for $159.00 and get a free Fire HD 6
Sports: NordicTrack Cardio Equipment Sale
Sports: Up to 50% Off Callaway Golf
Toys: Up to 50% off select Hasbro Gaming, Nerf, Play-doh and more
DVD & Blu-Ray: The Jurassic Park 4-film collection

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Check out Amazon’s top Cyber Monday deals originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 28, 2016 at 6:46 am.

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Check out Amazon’s top Cyber Monday deals

dimanche 27 novembre 2016

Julie’s favorite gear page, Vizio TV, Logitech keyboard and more – Review updates

timemachine

If you’re curious about how well some of the products that we review stand up over time, I’ve got a few quick review updates for you today for several items that I’ve continued to use after I posted my reviews. I also updated my favorite gear page by adding and removing a few items. Click through to see the list of updated reviews and then scroll down to the end of each page to read the updates.

Julie’s Favorite Gear page

VIZIO M50-D1 SmartCast Ultra HD Home Theater Display review by Julie Strietelmeier

Logitech K780 multi-device keyboard review by Julie Strietelmeier

AmpliFi WiFi router review by Julie Strietelmeier

AcuRite smartHUB Weather Environment System review by Julie Strietelmeier

 

Product Information

Price:

Filed in categories: Reviews

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Julie’s favorite gear page, Vizio TV, Logitech keyboard and more – Review updates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2016 at 3:41 pm.

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Julie’s favorite gear page, Vizio TV, Logitech keyboard and more – Review updates

The Doxie Q is a rechargeable, wireless, portable multi-sheet scanner

doxie-q

The Doxie Q lets you go paperless by providing all the power of a big desktop scanner with the flexibility of being able to scan anywhere. This small scanner flips open to reveal a multi-sheet paper feeder that can scan up to 8 color sheets at a time at 300 or 600 DPI. The rechargeable battery will let you scan up to 1000 sheets before needing a recharge and the Doxie Q’s built-in WiFi syncs the scans to all your devices and cloud services like OneNote, Dropbox, Evernote and more. You don’t even need a computer to scan documents, you can use an app on your iPhone or iPad.

The Doxie Q is priced at $299. It starts shipping December 13th, 2016, and you can pre-order now for guaranteed Christmas delivery (U.S. only) from Doxie or Amazon.

Filed in categories: Computer Gear, News

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The Doxie Q is a rechargeable, wireless, portable multi-sheet scanner originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2016 at 10:25 am.

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The Doxie Q is a rechargeable, wireless, portable multi-sheet scanner