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Showing posts from 2017

RavPower 3200mAh External Battery Pack RP-PB064 Review

RavPower 3200mAh External Battery Pack RP-PB064 Review

Buy it at Amazon: RavPower 3200mAh External Battery Pack RP-PB064 [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Large capacity, compact though a bit heavy, durable and travels well.

Periodic Table Wine Coasters Review

Periodic Table Wine Coasters Review

Buy it at Amazon: Periodic Table Wine Coasters [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Fun, nerdy, durable coasters for science and wine enthusiasts.

Andoer 4K 48MP Handheld Video Camera Camcoder Review

Andoer 4K 48MP Handheld Video Camera Camcoder Review

Buy it at Amazon: Andoer 4K 48MP Handheld Video Camera Camcoder [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: A nice budget camera for home videos, clear crisp images but low volume capture.

You'll receive the video camera in a carrying case, a miniHDMI to HDMI cable, an A/V to RCA cable, miniUSB charging cable, and instruction manual. The camera is small and compact measuring 5.75"L (including battery) x 2.5"W x 2.5"H. It weighs 12 oz w/battery installed. The camera has a hand pad and strap pre-installed, though comes with no lens cap. The battery has a decent capacity and will last you a little over 2 hours of continuous use/recording. On the front of the unit you have the lens with 48 MP sensor, mic, and IR lights for night vision.

The flip out LCD screen rotates 270 degrees and can be folded flat when open to keep the camera on. If the LCD is shut facing in, the camera powers off automatically. This camera accepts both microSD and full size SD cards and both slots can be used simultaneously for up to 64 GB of combined storage. No memory card is included, but one is required to make recordings. The screen is also touch sensitive and you can access to functions by tapping the icons on the screen. Each mode has its own group of settings, but some settings do apply to both video and photo mode. In general the touchscreen works well, but you have to be precise where you tap otherwise it's easy to make a wrong selection.

This camera has a WiFi function that's supposed to allow you to connect to an app for remote monitoring and control, but I was not able to get the app working nor transfer files wirelessly. Hopefully the app will be improved and be functioning in a future update. There's also a ¼" mounting hole on the bottom of the camera for tripod mounting.

During the day the image quality of the video and photos is clear and detailed. The video is HD at 1080p, 2K and 4K, although at 4K the frame rate is only 24 frames per seconds, so it tends to be more choppy. The best image quality for video is achieved at 1080p at 60 frames per seconds. The footage has a lot of detail, less shakiness with anti-shake activated, and smoother transitions during fast movement and panning in general. The microphone from the camera picks up sounds and voices within a few feet from the camera but it's generally not that loud, and I had to bump up the gain in post processing (+15dB). Even with loop recording off the longest video clip length is 25 minutes before the camera starts a new file. At 4K,1 min video file takes up about 200 MB, at 2K 150 MB, and at 1080p 100 MB, so at the highest resolution a 32GB can store a little more than 2.5 hours of footage.

The zoom is all digital and goes to up 16x magnification. Zooming in and out is generally fairly smooth though there's not a great way to do a slow speed zoom and the resolution is compromised when zoomed in. The camera does a decent job on the auto setting with white balance, color balance, and ISO. These menu options are only accessible in photo mode, even though they'll carryover to video mode (with the exception of black & white and sepia). In video mode, you can also adjust the exposure live when recording by tapping on the icon on the LCD screen.

The biggest drawback of having a fixed lens is that the focus range is only good after about 6 ft. Anything closer than 6 ft and things will start to look blurry. In dark conditions, the infrared light works really well. It lights up pitch black areas in black and white similar to night vision goggles so you can see everything in the dark. Overall, the camera captures video and photos at very high HD resolution. The image quality at 1080p/60fps is smooth, crisp, and detailed, and still serviceable at other resolutions. It doesn't do great with fast motion though, and the 4K mode is choppy at 24 fps I recommend a tripod or steadycam) but otherwise it's a solid entry-level handheld camera that will make for decent quality family videos, YouTube productions, and B-roll footage.

Buy it at Amazon: Andoer 4K 48MP Handheld Video Camera Camcoder [Affiliate Link]

Pubmind WiFi Smart Electrical Outlet Review

Pubmind WiFi Smart Electrical Outlet Review

Buy it at Amazon: Pubmind WiFi Smart Electrical Outlet [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Quick setup, easy voice/app control, can set timer & schedules, works well.

Oittm Smart Plug Socket Review

Oittm Smart Plug Socket Review

Buy it at Amazon: Oittm Smart Plug Socket [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Quick replacement installation, easy setup, voice commands and remote app work great.

Hua Wind Acoustic Concert Ukulele Review

Hua Wind Acoustic Concert Ukulele Review

Buy it at Amazon: Hua Wind Acoustic Concert Ukulele [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Nice build quality, sound, and extras; small details could be improved but not big issues.

This ukulele comes with all the accessories that you need to get started - minus lessons of course! You'll receive the ukulele in a canvas carrying bag, a clip on tuner w/CR2032 battery, a neckstrap, an extra set of nylon strings, a cleaning cloth, and two felt picks. The case for the ukulele has a zippered front pocket for the accessories, a side handle, and a shoulder strap on the back. The 24" body is made from mahogany that is both durable and resonant with a handsome medium-walnut stain. The neck is stained a lighter color which I think gives it a nice contrast. The bridge is rectangular and unpolished though (quite plain looking) and it has a bit of a rough feel to it. Along the fret board I noticed the ends of the frets were clipped in such a way that they have very tiny "burrs" on the end. This is different from the soprano uke that I have whose fret ends are tapered and polished smooth. On the Hua Wind uke this results in a slight catch at each fret as I run my hand along the side of the fret board; it scrapes a little though isn't sharp enough to cut my skin.

On the back of the head, you have four worm drive tuning pegs with plastic grips. This ukulele is also outfitted with two strap buttons for use with a snap-on shoulder strap. However, the included strap is a sound hole hook-style strap which you wear around your neck and it wraps around the bottom of the uke and hooks into the sound hole. While you can't go hands-free with this neck strap, this design makes it compatible with ukuleles that don't have the strap buttons too.

The clip-on tuner comes with a battery that you install in the back of the LCD panel, and the unit is really easy to use. The large brightly lit display is easy to reada nd determine when your strings are flat/sharp or in tune. When the strings are tuned, the LCD turns a bright green for easy identification. The uke isn't tuned when you receive it and the strings will be very loose. Tuning the ukulele for the first time went quickly with the tuner. With new strings, you'll end up tuning the strings pretty often, sometimes several times in an hour long practice session. But after the first week or so, the strings stretch out and settle and you'll need to tune less frequently. The sound from this ukulele is warm and round with full sounding tones. It's great for beginners like myself, though perhaps it's meant for those with a bit of experience as there weren't any instructions as to which notes to tune to nor a primer to reading ukulele tabs. I was able to find a few tutorial videos online which helped immensely. Overall, for someone who's new to playing the ukulele, like myself, I found the sound and construction from this instrument really nice. It's also a great size for kids and a lot of fun to play.

Buy it at Amazon: Hua Wind Acoustic Concert Ukulele [Affiliate Link]

Coredy AC1200 CX-E120 Dual Band WiFi Range Extender Review

Coredy AC1200 CX-E120 Dual Band WiFi Range Extender Review

Buy it at Amazon: Coredy AC1200 CX-E120 Dual Band WiFi Range Extender [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Improved signal on the 1st floor from router on the 3rd floor, 2.4 GHz a bit finicky.

MKDGO Reversible LED microUSB Charging Cable Review

MKDGO Reversible LED microUSB Charging Cable Review

Buy it at Amazon: MKDGO Reversible LED microUSB Charging Cable [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Reversible, charges my devices, works for data transfers, cool lights.

The microUSB cable comes in a drawstring carrying bag and inside you also receive a cable organizer with double-sided sticker on the back. The cable has a Velcro tie attached to it for organization, and it measures 34" long. The cable sheath is rubber and semi-transparent, so you can see the LEDs inside. The cable is pretty flexible though has some shape memory that can make it difficult to unbend. The USB-A connector at the end is pretty big measuring 1.75" so it may not fit in tight spaces. The microUSB side is smaller at 1" and it is reversible so it can be plugged into any microUSB device in either orientation. No more fumbling to figure out which side is "up".

The strain relief behind each plastic connector is thick and sturdy to prevent the cable from breaking at the end of the connector. When the USB cable is plugged into a power source the LEDs will light up and move slowly. However, when a device is plugged into the microUSB side to be charged or powered, the lights start to travel rapidly resulting in a cool flowing light effect. The cable works for both charging and data transfers to the computer and works as expected while displaying a cool light show. I haven't had any issues with it so far.

Buy it at Amazon: MKDGO Reversible LED microUSB Charging Cable [Affiliate Link]

Big Ant Heated Car Seat Cushion Cover Review

Big Ant Heated Car Seat Cushion Cover Review

Buy it at Amazon: Big Ant Heated Car Seat Cushion Cover [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Heats up in a few minutes, nice gentle warmth, not too hot, thin padding deflates quickly.

Zomei 24" Camera Slider Track Review

Zomei 24" Camera Slider Track Review

Buy it at Amazon: Zomei 24" Camera Slider Track [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Smooth sliding but tricky to control speed, durable and light, versatile mounting points .

Clevedaur Micromodal Boxer Briefs Review

Clevedaur Micromodal Boxer Briefs Review

Buy it at Amazon: Clevedaur Micromodal Boxer Briefs [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Soft, silky, good fit, form fitting and breathable

I have the blue version of these boxer briefs in size small. They are made of a soft, silky material that is 92% micromodal and 8%spandex. The advantage of micromodal fabric is that it's shrink resistant and unlikely to fade, so hopefully that means the color will stay bright and bold. It's also super lightweight and moisture-wicking for active wear. These are machine washable in cold water and can be tumbled dry on low. These did not shrink or bleed in the wash.

The front has a traditional fly pocket and the waist band measures 1" wide. It's pretty stretchy all around for a form fitting comfortable snug. The back of the boxers is flat with no contours. The size small fits great on my 29" waist. The legs cutoff around mid-thigh and aren't loose at all. The material is soft and smooth against the skin and more breathable than cotton. The stitching on the garments is even and neat without scratchy seams or edges that might chafe. Overall, I like these boxer briefs for their comfort, fit, and quality.

Buy it at Amazon: Clevedaur Micromodal Boxer Briefs [Affiliate Link]

Maxcio WiFi Smart Outlet Plug Socket Review

Maxcio WiFi Smart Outlet Plug Socket Review

Buy it at Amazon: Maxcio WiFi Smart Outlet Plug Socket [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Easy to setup and control remotely, various useful scheduling options.

You'll receive the WiFi outlet and instruction manual. The outlet has a plastic housing and measures 2" square and 1" thick. It has a three prong grounded plug and a single power button on the left hand side with an embedded status LED. To set up the socket on your home WiFi network and control it, you'll need to download and install the Smart Life app to a mobile device.

Just plug the device into any outlet (it shouldn't block the other outlet in a dual socket panel). Adding the device via Smart Life to the WiFi network was quick and easy in under a minute. In the app you can turn the outlet on and off by tapping the socket icon. You can add weekly schedules for the outlet with specific on/off times on different or multiple days of the week. There is also a 'countdown timer' mode that will flip the status of the light from off to on or vice versa and a 'cycle' and 'random' mode as well.

To use the outlet with Alexa enable the Smart Life skill in your Alexa app. Then run discovery mode to add the outlet to your list of devices. For Alexa commands, I've only been able to control on and off for the outlet and not set timers via voice control.

The outlet works as expected and the various timers/schedules are easy to setup. It's great to be able to control devices like lights, air conditioners, fans, and even the slow cooker remotely from anywhere I have an internet connection. I can also shut off appliances that I may have forgotten to like a space heater.

Buy it at Amazon: Maxcio WiFi Smart Outlet Plug Socket [Affiliate Link]

Aucos iPhone 6 2200 mAh Battery Replacement Kit Installation and Review

Aucos iPhone 6 2200 mAh Battery Replacement Kit Installation and Review

Buy it at Amazon: Aucos iPhone 6 2200 mAh Battery Replacement Kit [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Easy/quick replacement, good illustrated instructions, long-lasting battery with high capacity.

iATO Surreal Slim Case iPhone X Review

iATO Surreal Slim Case iPhone X Review

Buy it at Amazon: iATO Surreal Slim Case iPhone X [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Low-profile, slim, easy to install; provides side and back protection to phone

Mileagea 50 Inch Popup Tabletop Projector Screen Review

Mileagea 50 Inch Popup Tabletop Projector Screen Review

Buy it at Amazon: Mileagea 50 Inch Popup Tabletop Projector Screen [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Compact, light, durable exterior, wrinkle-free, pure white, flat backdrop for projectors.

The projector screen when folded up measures 47"L x 2.5"W x 1.25"H and weighs about 4 lbs. It has a metal exterior case and the fabric screen pulls up out of the base. On top are two folding up plastic handles for opening the screen. On the bottom of the unit is a pivot foot that also serves as the screen lock, to prevent it from opening. When the foot is rotated out at 90 degrees, this unlocks the screen and the foot helps stabilize the screen in the back. The screen pulls out easily from the case but takes a bit of force to initially get it started. The final height of the screen is 29.5". The viewable portion (white area) of the screen measures 24.25" x 43.25" and has a 49.5" diagonal so not quite the advertised 50" but pretty close.

The screen has a painted black border and a viewing ratio of 16:9 for wide screen video. Since the background is a bright pure white, when projecting onto the screen with a video projector, the colors and contrast are rendered sharp and clear. This is much better than projecting onto my off-white walls which always gave the colors a weird tint. There are also no bumps or textures present in the screen. Overall, it's a good screen that works well for small rooms and for use as a work/travel screen since it's light, compact, and can easily be transported.

Buy it at Amazon: Mileagea 50 Inch Popup Tabletop Projector Screen [Affiliate Link]

The Escential Co Blackhead Facial Peel Charcoal Mask Review

The Escential Co Blackhead Facial Peel Charcoal Mask Review

Buy it at Amazon: The Escential Co Blackhead Facial Peel Charcoal Mask [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Mild facial peel, works on the surface but doesn't grab deep blackheads.

Btopllc iPhone 6 Battery Case Review

Btopllc iPhone 6 Battery Case Review

Buy it at Amazon: Btopllc iPhone 6 Battery Case [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Fits and charges iPhone 6, but is slow and sometimes disconnects

Yidarton Feather Print Tank Top Review

Yidarton Feather Print Tank Top Review

Buy it at Amazon: Yidarton Feather Print Tank Top [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Thin/lightweight, stitching is so-so, different than photos, high neck and wide shoulders.

Taotronics LED Desk Lamp w/Touch Controls TT-DL030 Review

Taotronics LED Desk Lamp w/Touch Controls TT-DL030 Review

Buy it at Amazon: Taotronics LED Desk Lamp w/Touch Controls TT-DL030 [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Slim/sleek design, bright and dimmable, easy to adjust, convenient USB charging.

You'll receive the lamp head, base, power adapter, set screw, Allen wrench, cleaning cloth and instruction manual. The lamp head splits apart on a pivot joint and the LED lights are on a rotatable section in a translucent section. The rest of the lamp is made of metal with a matte black finish. The lamp head measures 16" inches long and swivels to about 160 degrees in both directions. The light portion is rotatable up to 270 degrees and can face all 4 directions: up, down, left, or right. The base weighs about 1.5 lbs and measures 7.75"L x 4.5" W x 1/2"H.

The lamphead is simply placed atop a slot with contact pins and tightened via the set screw from the bottom. On the left side of the base is a 1A USB port for charging a mobile device. The power cable plugs into the back of the base. The controls for the lamp are touch sensitive and located on top of the base towards the front. There's a mode, power, and timer button as well as a touch slider for brightness.

The touch controls are responsive and changing the settings is simple. While I appreciate the simplicity of one-button operation for the modes, you may have to cycle through them to find the one you want rather than being able to select the exact mode with one-touch. The differences between the mode are slight but they offer different color temperatures and overall brightness levels. Pressing the timer activates a 1 hr shutoff timer and a tiny red LED will illuminate, though it's a bit hard to see within the clock symbol. Tapping the timer key again will turn the timer off, and there's no way to see its progression at a glance e.g. 30 mins left. The USB works great for charging bedside.

Overall, this is a durably constructed desk lamp with modern touch controls. It's very bright on the brightest mode but able to be dimmed to a comfortable nighttime ambient glow. The light can be adjusted to suit your preferred color, brightness, angle and direction. Its modern, slim design is sharp and minimalist.

Buy it at Amazon: Taotronics LED Desk Lamp w/Touch Controls TT-DL030 [Affiliate Link]

WoodyGaga Bamboo Wood Sunglasses (White/Green) Review

WoodyGaga Bamoboo Wood Sunglasses (White/Green) Review

Buy it at Amazon: WoodyGaga Bamoboo Wood Sunglasses (White/Green) [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Cool style, lightweight and durable; good sun/UV protection for bright conditions.

Comzor iPhone 6 Slim Battery Case Review

Comzor iPhone 6 Slim Battery Case Review

Buy it at Amazon: Comzor iPhone 6 Slim Battery Case [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Thin/lightweight, soft-touch but grippy exterior, convenient battery pack.

iDobbi Car Air Purifier Ionizer Review

iDobbi Car Air Purifier Ionizer Review

Buy it at Amazon: iDobbi Mini Smart Wifi Outlet [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Quick installation and setup, stable connection, simple voice/app controls

You'll receive the WiFi outlet and a brief instruction manual. The outlet has a plastic housing and measures 2" in diameter and 1" thick. It has a three prong grounded plug and a single power button on the left hand side with an embedded status LED. To set up the socket on your home WiFi network and control it, you'll need to download and install the Tuya Smart app (or other IoT control app) to a mobile device. Just plug the device into any outlet and the LED light should start flashing quickly indicating it's ready to be paired. Note that with the socket plugged into the top of a dual outlet panel (US), while the bottom outlet is still accessible, it may me partially blocked. Setup took less than 5 minutes. With the Tuya Smart app enabled in my Amazon Alexa app, I was able to easily control the power of the outlet via voice commands. The app also lets you add timers (count and daily/weekly schedules) and control the outlet remotely from anywhere you have an internet connection. the outlet works great, but keep in mind the load capacity maximums are 10A and 1100 Watts.

Buy it at Amazon: iDobbi Mini Smart Wifi Outlet [Affiliate Link]

Lead Edge 4K Action Camera Review

Lead Edge 4K Action Camera Review

Buy it at Amazon: Lead Edge 4K Action Camera [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: High resolution images and video, average clarity, sharpness of details, audio isn't great.

You'll receive the action camera in a waterproof housing, an extra battery, a spare waterproof housing door, microUSB charging cable, a selfie stick monopod, a variety of clamps, mounts, sticky pads, straps, and accessories camera mounting, and an instruction manual. The camera and all its accessories fit into the semi-rigid hard clam shell case it comes in.

On the front of the camera is a 170 degree wide-angle lens and power/mode button. On the left-hand-side you've got the microUSB charging port, microHDMI output port, and microSD card slot which accepts up to 64GB cards, however, one is not included. On the opposite side are the menu ‘up' and ‘down' keys and external speaker. The ‘up' button doubles as the WiFi key for connecting to the NTK smartphone app. On the back is a 2 inch diagonal LCD screen, and on the bottom is the battery bay. On a full charge, the camera runs with the LCD on for about an hour of recording time.

The quality of the video is decent. It got HD resolution, though fast motion tends to be blurry and somewhat choppy. The white balance and color control isn't always perfect it very bright or very dark conditions, and it takes a second or two for the auto white balance (AWB) to kick in. The anti-shake feature removes some of the shakiness caused by handheld filmed, but not all of it. Using the monopod helps, but a gimbal or steadycam would really be your best options short of a stationary tripod. The audio when inside the waterproof housing is pretty much entirely muted. Outside of the case the mic seems to work fine but I had to bump up the gain for the audio to be heard clearly even from only a few feet away from the camera. I liked the slow motion mode for this camera, as it makes your video much smoother and adds a dramatic effect. However, the setting claims 120 frames per second which would be 1/4 speed, but in video editing it turned out to be 90 fps so only 1/3 speed.

If you download the NTK Cam app, you can use your smartphone as a remote screen for the camera over WiFi. This app is very similar to the XDV app I've used with other action cameras, although this camera isn't compatible with both apps. This action cam is a budget conscious entry-level camera so it doesn't really compete in the same class as the GoPro in terms of video quality and video processing. I gather the video compression codec has a lot to do with that which tends to degrade the sharpness of the images. Although the resolution of the video is 4K, the footage isn't always super smooth or crisp but at least you get a nice, wide field of view and serviceable clarity and color reproduction.

Buy it at Amazon: Lead Edge 4K Action Camera [Affiliate Link]

Oaproda HDMI-VGA (F to F) Adapter Converter Review

Oaproda HDMI-VGA (F to F) Adapter Converter Review

Buy it at Amazon: Oaproda HDMI-VGA (F to F) Adapter Converter [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Works but depends on input/output resolution compatibility.

You'll receive the converter and 24" audio cable. The unit measures 2" x 1 ¼" by ½" thick. This adapter convert from HDMI signal to VGA video and 1/8" jack output. Not that this conversion only works in this direction and will not work for VGA to HDMI conversion. Note that your TV's VGA input must support the resolution of the input signal. For example, this adapter worked well with my computer's HDMI output in my 40" LG TV, but when I tried my Amazon Fire TV stick it gave me an Invalid Input message. However, the adapter did work with the Amazon Fire TV Stick on my 50" Sharp Aquos. Both the video and audio were clear and there didn't appear to be any loss of resolution as long as the TV could manage the resolution through the VGA input

Buy it at Amazon: Oaproda HDMI-VGA (F to F) Adapter Converter [Affiliate Link]

Auto-vox Imax Plus Holiday Laser Light Decoration Review

Auto-vox Imax Plus Holiday Laser Light Decoration Review

Buy it at Amazon: Auto-vox Imax Plus Holiday Laser Light Decoration [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Easy to set up, plug-and-play, bright, fun kaleidoscope effect.

B-Qtech D6-WI TPMS Tire Pressure Monitoring System Review

B-Qtech D6-WI TPMS Tire Pressure Monitoring System Review

Buy it at Amazon: B-Qtech D6-WI TPMS Tire Pressure Monitoring System [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Easy to install and use, accurate readings, durable w/changeable batteries.

You'll receive the LCD display, four tire valve sensors, a windshield mount with ball joint, a 13' charging cable cigarette lighter adapter, a ball joint cigarette lighter adapter, two plastic gear wrenches, a metal nut wrench, 5 retaining nuts, and an instruction manual.

The sensors have a brass threaded side for screwing onto your car's tires. The LCD display panel shows you information about your tires like current pressure, temperature, and sensor battery life. The visible screen diagonal is 2" and the unit measurements overall are 1.75" x 2.5" x 0.5". On the right hand side are two USB ports (1A output) for charging your devices. There's a short barrel style plug that comes off the back for attaching to either power adapter. If you'll be using the ball joint adapter, the display will sit right above the cigarette lighter, but if you use the windshield mount ball joint, it adheres via a Velcro sticky pad to your windshield and you need to run the long power cable to your cigarette lighter; it's long enough for you to hide the wire underneath the trim in your car.

The plastic gear nuts are for disassembling the sensors so you can change their batteries. Unlike the TPMS sensors that came with my car, these sensors don't have to be replaced when the batteries run out and you don't need a tech to do it for you. The batteries used are CR1225 coin cells, and I'll update this review when one runs out so you have an idea of how long they last..

Installing the sensors took only a couple minutes. When I started up my car, the sensors took a few minutes to pair with the LCD display. I had to take off and reinstall two sensors before they would show an accurate tire pressure reading, but all the measures from temp to PSI appeared to be accurate when checked with a gauge and thermometer. Pay attention to the letters on the sensors when installing as they tell you which tire they go on e.g. RF = right, front (passenger side) and LR = left, rear (driver's side) etc. The sensors don't screw in all the way, so when finger tight, loosen the retaining nut back up to the sensor and then tighten with the metal nut wrench until the sensor is secured.

The display beeps and flashes when trigger thresholds are passed for high temperature and low/high pressure. You can change the settings be pressing and holding the 'Menu' button below the LCD and using the left/right arrow keys to navigate and modify values. You can also use the arrow keys to change the brightness of the display: low/medium/high. The only drawback to using this external system is that I need to use the wrench tool to loosen the retaining nut and remove the sensor in order to inflate my tires. However, it's pretty quick and the convenience of having the tire data live is worth the extra 5 seconds it takes to do this. When I take my car in for a tune up, I remove the sensors and put the regular valve caps back on.

Overall, the TPMS is able to show me important data related to my tires, so I can keep them well maintained and operating safely, for example, if I have a leak in one. It also shows the voltage level of the car battery as a bonus, and the sensor batteries can be easily replaced. It's easy to install and simple to use.

Buy it at Amazon: B-Qtech D6-WI TPMS Tire Pressure Monitoring System [Affiliate Link]

eSun 2-Way Convex Blind Spot Mirror Review

eSun 2-Way Convex Blind Spot Mirror Review

Buy it at Amazon: eSun 2-Way Convex Blind Spot Mirror [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Quick and simple to install, allows full view of blind spots at a glance

You'll receive 2 glass convex mirror rounds and 2 optional plastic mounting arms. The mounting arms sit on small ball joints so you can adjust and swivel the mirrors after they are installed. These 2" diameter mirrors have double-sided foam tape on the back to attac them to your side view mirrors. I installed the mirrors with the mounting arms because you can adjust them if you have multiple drivers for the car. The only caveat is that you see a reflection of the rear side of the mirror because it sits about 3/4" away from the side mirror surface. The typical placement for the mirror is on the far outside corner of the side view mirror. Now when I look in the small mirrors I can see what is in the blind spot whereas that field of view was not visible in the side view mirror alone. Overall, these mirrors were a breeze to install and took less than a minute. They let me see clearly what's in my blind spot without having to look over my shoulder or turn my head. I simply have to glance at the side view mirrors and I can see any oncming traffic in the blindspot in the smaller mirrors.

Buy it at Amazon: eSun 2-Way Convex Blind Spot Mirror [Affiliate Link]

Aosta Nylon Braided Lightning Charging and Data Cable Review

Aosta Nylon Braided Lightning Charging and Data Cable Review

Buy it at Amazon: Aosta Nylon Braided Lightning Charging and Data Cable [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Works fine for charging and data transfers, though perhaps not as fast as OEM

Miusco Outdoor Lighted Extension Cord Review

Miusco Outdoor Lighted Extension Cord Review

Buy it at Amazon: Miusco Outdoor Lighted Extension Cord [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Works great indoor/outdoor; works fine w/my power drill, circular saw, and other tools.

Lipo Safe Explosion & Fireproof Battery Charging Bag Review

Lipo Safe Explosion & Fireproof Battery Charging Bag Review

Buy it at Amazon: Lipo Safe Explosion & Fireproof Battery Charging Bag [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Safely charge your Lipo batteries in a fire/explosion-proof bag.

Diamond Finish Protector Cleaner and Polish Review

Diamond Finish Protector Cleaner and Polish Review

Buy it at Amazon: Diamond Finish Protector Cleaner and Polish [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Smudge free and crystal clear cleaning, leaves a dry protective dust/oil/water barrier.

EcoPlugs Smart WiFi Outlet Socket Plug Review

EcoPlugs Smart WiFi Outlet Socket Plug Review

Buy it at Amazon: EcoPlugs Smart WiFi Outlet Socket Plug [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Works great, easy to control via voice/app/button, but requires yet another app.

ForLifeStore 10L Dry Bag and Waterproof Cell Phone Sleeve Review

ForLifeStore 10L Dry Bag and Waterproof Cell Phone Sleeve Review

Buy it at Amazon: ForLifeStore 10L Dry Bag and Waterproof Cell Phone Sleeve [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Keeps your stuff dry w/o any leaking. Floats for easy retrieval.

The 10L dry bag comes with a smaller smartphone dry bag and a 40" adjustable shoulder strap. The cylindrical shpaed dry bag measures 18.5" tall and has a 12" diameter. It is made from a thick waterproof vinyl and has a clear window so you can see its contents. The should strap attaches diagonally so the bag can be worn cross-shoulder like a knapsack or duffel bag. Using the drybag is easy. Once you place the items you want to keep dry inside, close the opening and roll it down 3 or 4 times before snapping the clasp together. This creates a water and airtight seal. The capacity of the bag is about 10L and if you leave some amount of air in the bag, it should float when placed in water. The waterproof cellphone bag works in a similar way. It's got 3 press seals like a ziptop bag and after you seal them, roll them down the opening three times and clip the bag shut with two snap buttons. The cellphone bag is clear on both sides so you can see the phone's screen. You can even use the touchscreen through the clear window. It also floats if you leave some air in the bag and it has a 21" adjustable neckstrap. The cellphone bag measures 9" x 6.5" which is large enough for any cell phone and could even fit a small tablet. Overall, both the dry bag and the cellphone bag worked well for keeping their contents dry, and I didn't experience any leaks with the bags being left in water for 10 minutes nor being splash/sprayed directly with water at close range.

Buy it at Amazon: ForLifeStore 10L Dry Bag and Waterproof Cell Phone Sleeve [Affiliate Link]

Tonbux 4K Action Camera Review

Tonbux 4K Action Camera Review

Buy it at Amazon: Tonbux 4K Action Camera [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Decent video though not super crisp/smooth, audio just ok.

You'll receive the action camera in a waterproof housing, an extra battery, a spare waterproof housing door, microUSB charging cable, a variety of clamps, mounts, sticky pads, straps, and accessories camera mounting and an instruction manual. The camera lens has a 16MP sensor and 170 degree wide-angle field of view. For ports it has a microUSB charging port, microHDMI output port and microSD card slot which accepts up to 128GB cards, however, one is not included. This camera supports WiFi for connecting to the smartphone app to use as a remote control and remote monitor. On the back is a 2 inch diagonal LCD screen. On a full charge, the camera runs with the LCD on for about an hour of recording time.

The quality of the video is decent. It got a high resolution (3840 x 2160), but fast motion tends to look blurry and a bit choppy. This is likely due to teh compression of using a h.264 codec. The white balance and color control isn't always perfect and bright scenes can look washed out while dark ones are grainy and dim. The anti-shake feature removes a little bit of the jitteriness of handheld filming, but it's not super smooth. I recommend a steadycam or gimbal to smooth out the video or simply mounting to a stationary tripod. The audio when inside the waterproof housing is virtually unusable, but out of the housing it seems to be okay though. If you download the XDV app, you can use your smartphone as a remote screen for the device over WiFi which seemed to work fine.

It's a pretty basic action camera that can be used for water sports and in wet conditions. While this is a much cheaper alternative to the GoPro, the video quality is not as smooth or crisp due to the video compression. However, the resolution is HD and it has a nice wide angle which might make it fine for a bit of B-roll footage.

Buy it at Amazon: Tonbux 4K Action Camera [Affiliate Link]

Comica CVM-VS08 Mobile Phone Shotgun Mic Review

Comica CVM-VS08 Mobile Phone Shotgun Mic Review

Buy it at Amazon: Comica CVM-VS08 Mobile Phone Shotgun Mic [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Louder more focused sound, but adds background static; wind screens may intrude in video footage.

Niubier Guitar and Ukulele Capo Review

Niubier Guitar and Ukulele Capo Review

Buy it at Amazon: Niubier Guitar and Ukulele Capo [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Works exactly as advertised, no string buzzing or uneven pressure; stays in-tune.

The capo comes with 3 plastic guitar picks. It is made from a lightweight yet durable aluminum alloy. It's got a strong stainless steel spring and silicone grips where it squeezes the strings and neck of your guitar. I actually use this with my ukulele as it functions the same way as on a guitar. You simply have to clip the capo over the strings at the fret position of the number of steps you want to change the key. It works exactly as expected and presses all the strings to the fret board does without creating any buzzing or affecting the tuning of the instrument. It's simple, works well, and is nicely constructed.

Buy it at Amazon: Niubier Guitar and Ukulele Capo [Affiliate Link]

Oneach Wood Floor Lamp with Shelves Assembly and Review

Oneach Wood Floor Lamp with Shelves Assembly and Review

Buy it at Amazon: Oneach Wood Floor Lamp with Shelves [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Simple and fast assembly, fashionable modern look, functional shelves and light.

The lamp comes disassembled but is pretty easy to put together. You'll receive a ½" base, two ¼" shelves, a square frame, the light fixture and top assembly, a four sided fabric screen, twelve 1" square posts in a bag marked B, 4 posts in a bag marked E, a pack of hardware marked H, and an instruction sheet. All the posts, shelves and frame are made from wood with a black semi-gloss stain/paint. The fabric shade is a clean white and made from an opaque plastic sheet with a rigid wire frame around the top and bottom. Following the directions is straightforward and they're well laid out with illustrations. There isn't an elegant solution for the power cord running from the light fixture tot he floor. Included are two zip ties so you can bind it to one of the leg posts, but you'll have to cut the tails off to neaten them up. After binding the cord to the post, you've got 6' of cord left to go to the outlet. The final height of the light is 62 inch or just over 5 ft.

To turn on and off the lamp, simply pull on the chain. Using a 100 Watt equivalent fluorescent bulb the lamp gives off a warm yellowish hue, but if you use a daylight white bulb the light has a more bluish-white hue. The shade itself dampens the light somewhat, so you'll lose a bit of lumens through it but since the top is open, you'll get some light spread above as well. This light looks modern, minimalist, and stylish, and I like that the shelves are functional rather than the typical metal pole of floor lamps that simply takes up space. Overall, the lamp was easily and quickly setup which only took me about 10 minutes. The wood, shade, and finish are of decent quality, and it's lightweight once assembled. Most importantly, it looks great and is functional as well.

Buy it at Amazon: Oneach Wood Floor Lamp with Shelves [Affiliate Link]

Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer Review

Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer Review

Buy it at Amazon: Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Lightweight, fluid motion, easy to handle and operate, great for those on a budget.

The gimbal comes in a semi-rigid clamshell carrying case that you can wear with a 5' adjustable shoulder strap; included is a flat microUSB cable for charging and an instruction manual. The gimbal is made mostly from plastic that is lightweight yet seems fairly durable, considering. The gimbal uses a built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery rather than removable batteries, eschewing the need for a charger. Instead, it charges simply using a microUSB port on the side and that'll last up to 12 hours of use on a single charge. You can also use its battery as a mobile power pack via the full size USB output port on the front of the handle near the base. On the handle facing you where your thumb sits are some on-board controls. There's a 4-directional joystick for controlling pan, tilt, and roll, a zoom slider, mode button, and shutter/record/power button. All the buttons are easily accessible using your thumb and the handle is curved and ergonomic for a comfortable hold despite lacking any sort of rubber grip padding. There are also two indicator LEDs for battery life and status. On the bottom of the handle is a ¼" mounting hole for standard tripods and mounting systems.

The tension mount that holds your phone expands to accommodate phones with width of 3.25" and action cameras like the GoPro that are mounted in a special adapter (sold separately). My phone is on the large side with a 5.5" screen size and I found that with the case on it was a really tight fit and the thickness prevent the phone w/case from seating properly into the rubber grips. For most smartphones I think you'll find they'll fit a little better out of a case. The max payload for this gimbal is 200 grams or about 7 oz so consider this when deciding to add other accessories like a clip-on microphone or lens adapters.

The gimbal requires minimal balancing with a single thumb screw to control rotational level which can be accomplished in a few seconds. The grip mount itself slides up and down to a small degree which will also help with tilt and maybe even charging port/headphone access, but if the grip sits too far to either side, it will interfere with the tilt axis mobility.

When powering on the gimbal, it defaults into Pan-Follow mode which allows the camera to follow the movement of the gimbal when turning left/right but locks the tilt and roll axes. In this mode the joystick adjusts the tilt. The second mode is locked mode which freezes the motion of all three axes so that the camera is always pointing in the same direction. The joystick in this mode controls tilt and the pan. The third mode is Follow mode and the camera will pan and tilt based on the motion/direction of the gimbal. The joystick here controls the roll. Finally, triple clicking the mode button spins it around so the camera is facing you for selfie mode. The gimbal works in both upright mode and upside down orientation, although on some phones the video may appear upside-down.

There are some limitations to the tilt and roll compensations. While the pan lock allows you to turn the handle 360 degrees on end without a problem. The roll axis can only handle up to about +/-30° and the tilt axis -135° to +185° before it hits a safety stop. The other thing to know when using it is that you'll need to carry your weight differently when moving around with the gimbal since up/down, back and forth, and side-to-side motion are not accounted for by the gimbals' motors. There's still the potential for shakiness if you run with the gimbal but practicing moving fluidly with soft steps and flowing movements helps stabilize your footage even further.

While the plastic doesn't feel very high end and is more susceptible to damage than a full metal construction, it is remarkably lightweight weighing only 1.5 lb even with the max payload. This makes it more usable over long sessions by reducing fatigue and allows it to be very travel friendly. Zhiyun has two mobile apps available to control the gimbal over Bluetooth though from what I can tell they both cover the same features using different interfaces. The ZY Play and ZhiYun Assistant apps lets you manipulate the controls on your phone's screen or a separate device rather than using the controls on the handle. You'll also be able to better fine tune the transition speed of each axis for directional and joystick control. This is also a "face tracking" feature that lets you highlight a face for the camera to follow. This face tracking is not perfect but works most of the time.

Overall, the gimbal is a pretty nice stabilization solution is you prefer filming with your smartphone or action camera. It's lightweight, easy-to-use after a bit of practice, and budget-friendly.

Buy it at Amazon: Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-axis Smartphone Gimbal Stabilizer [Affiliate Link]

Xgody X200 Pro Smartphone Review

Xgody X200 Pro Smartphone Review

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Takeaway: Quick & responsive, speaker/camera/screen res just ok, good for calls/browsing.

You'll receive the smartphone, instruction manual, tempered glass screen protector, microUSB cable, power adapter, and a clear silicone skin case. The phone comes with a PET plastic film protector pre-installed but if you want to use the glass screen protector, you should remove the plastic film screen protector first. I prefer the glass because it's more durable and protective and also resists oil and fingerprints better. The back cover opens from the bottom left corner to access the battery, dual SIM card slots (nano and micro) and microSD card solt.

On the back is an 8 MP camera and flash seated in a textured carbon fiber finish back cover. The front camera is stated to be 2 MP (although I calculated image sizes to be 5MP, so it actually might have a higher resolution). Along the top is the headphone jack and microUSB charging port. On the right side is the volume rocker and power button, and there are no keys on the left hand side. Along the bottom are the mic and speaker.

This phone runs Android 6.0 Mashmallow on an ARM Cortex-A7 Quad Core processor with 1.3 GHz of RAM. It's not super fast, but opening apps is pretty responsive and the lag is minimal. That said, playing resource intensive action games and multi-player arenas might not run as smoothly as on a flagship device from a big name brand. Also the screen resolution, while HD is only 720p. The screen diagonal on this phone is 5". This seems perfectly adequate for watching video and streaming movies, but the external speaker isn't that great and distorts at high volume so you're better off using headphones (Bluetooth or wired) or an external speaker.

Along the bottom of the screen you have a hamburger menu, home, and back key (standard Android keys). The phone has 11 GB of internal storage although 1GB is taken up by pre-installed apps. You can install a microSD card memory card adding up to 32 GB more space. This phone has optional smart wake features, for example double tap to wake up the screen, or drawing specific letters to wake and open a specific app like the camera.

This phone is great for browsing, checking, email and even just taking calls. Call quality is decent and callers didn't have any trouble hearing me on voice calls; even the front camera wasn't too bad for video calling. It's simple and user friendly, so unless you need a powerful phone for very specific needs, this phone is great as an entry/mid-level device, and the dual SIM capability makes it a good companion for traveling as well.

Buy it at Amazon: Xgody X200 Pro Smartphone [Affiliate Link]

EasyGrowth Mylar Grow Tent Review

EasyGrowth Mylar Grow Tent Review

Buy it at Amazon: EasyGrowth Mylar Grow Tent [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Easy to set up, sturdy, contains heat/light/humidity well, wrong size received but difference refunded.

Although I ordered the 40" x 40" x 80" I actually received a mislabeled box for the 24" x 24" x 55". Be sure to check the size of the tent so you don't have to waste time assembling it if you need to return it. I decided to keep this one since the seller credited me the difference in price, and I couldn't be sure that a replacement wouldn't also be wrong as they haven't had a chance to check/correct the stock. I like the tent, and will end up using it for different plants than I had intended.

The tent and frame are shipped disassembled but all the parts are clearly marked. The instructions are illustrated and brief, though instructive. The charts explain what each size tent should come with, and I was able to put it together in about 10 minutes. At the top are two hook bars which will overlap and slide freely; they do not lock into any one position and help you adjust the positioning of your lights. The mylar tent has two pieces. The main tent is a single piece that wraps around the frame and zippers up tightly. The second piece is a small waterproof tray that lines the bottom up about 4 inches so spills from dirt and liquids are easily cleaned up. The tent is made from thick heavy nylon canvas and has a durable plastic silver mylar lining inside for reflecting light. The zippers for the side panel are large and heavy duty so they slide smoothly and don't catch. The front door panel opens to the side so you can access your plants for watering, maintenance, and harvest. There's also a built in strap and clip to keep the door open. Inside you have a few vents that are double cuffed to prevent heat, light, and moisture from escaping the tent. The cuff cinches are easy to tighten and loosen and work well to control the conditions inside the tent. On the back of the tent is a small mesh-screened Velcro vent that can be opened for air circulation.

The grow tent works well for hot weather loving plants that you need to bring indoors for the winter. It creates a controlled environment and with a few sensors for temperature, humidity, and light and the addition of fans and grow lights you can help your plant flourish in its optimal conditions. I'll be overwintering my banana tree in the tent and perhaps extend the season for optimal conditions to see if I can get it to flower or even set fruit. Since I'm in Zone 6, I've never had the right conditions for the plant, even when putting it out for the summer, but I think with the grow tent I just might be able to pull it off as the tree is approaching its 7th year. I've already got a couple of LED grow lights for it hanging inside the tent, which is sturdy enough to support up to 20 lbs from the upper bars. The reflective coating does a nice job keeping the light contained inside the tent and ensures the plant gets maximum utilization of the photons. When zipped up, no light escapes which also helps retain heat and moisture for the plant as well. The tent is nicely constructed and a breeze to set up.

Buy it at Amazon: EasyGrowth Mylar Grow Tent [Affiliate Link]

Arvicka Bluetooth Soundbar R7000 Review

Arvicka Bluetooth Soundbar R7000 Review

Buy it at Amazon: Arvicka Bluetooth Soundbar R7000 [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Syncs w/TV audio, improved sound but the balance could be better, gets pretty loud.

You'll receive the soundbar, a remote control with CR2032 coin cell battery, AC adapter, power cable, male-to-male TRS audio cable, 1/8" jack to RCA audio cables, optical Toslink cable, a set of wall mounting hardware, and an instruction manual. The speaker measures 30.5" W x 3.75" H x 3" D. The front is lined with mesh fabric over a plastic grill which covers the two 2.5" main drivers, 3" subwoofer and dual 3" passive radiators for a combined 60 Watts of output.

On the back are the input for 1/8" jack line in, digital coaxial, optical TOSlink and DC power. There are two built-in metal brackets on the back for wall mounting. This soundbar does not have an internal battery and must be plugged in to operate. On the right hand side are a few on-board controls like power, source, volume control, mute, a USB port for music input and a headphone jack. The remote has additional functions like track navigation, treble and bass EQ control, and a 3D mode. This speaker also supports Bluetooth for wireless streaming, and there's an LED display in the top right hand corner that shows you what mode you're in.

I used the optical cable with my LG TV and the sound output synced up nicely with no latency lag or delay. Just remember to remove the plastic caps on the optical cable connector tips. The sound quality of the soundbar is okay considering this is a budget sound bar. The balanced is on the bright end, lacking in bass response with has somewhat muddy midranges. The volume can get quite loud, however, and fills a medium sized room adequately. I like to keep the speaker in 3D mode as this adds additional bass for a fuller sound but also some excess reverb. I would only use the non-3D mode if you need to keep the volume low because it doesn't sound as good.

Overall, the audio can sound a bit contained/restrained rather than clear and crisp. While the soundbar performs better than the built-in speakers of my TV, the improvement is incremental at best but I wasn't expecting Bose quality sound at this price point. It's fine if you need more projection and sound for a small TV with lackluster speakers, but you won't get anywhere close to an audiophile experience with these. I like that you can also stream music to it wirelessly via Bluetooth, and that it is compatible with Xfinity universal remote controls so you don't necessarily have to add yet another remote control to your TV setup.

Buy it at Amazon: Arvicka Bluetooth Soundbar R7000 [Affiliate Link]

Aputure AL-M9 Mini LED Camera Light Review

Aputure AL-M9 Mini LED Camera Light Review

Buy it at Amazon: Aputure AL-M9 Mini LED Camera Light [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Small, lightweight, and portable, bright for its size, nice fill/hair light

You'll receive the light, a microUSB charging cable, a cold shoe mount, a neoprene carrying case, instruction manual, and three gels: an orange CTO, a blue CTB, and soft white filter. The gels are pretty basic, a few squares of plastic sheeting but they work.

The light itself is thin and compact measuring 3.25"W x 2"L x 0.5"D and weighs 2oz. It has a magnetic milk diffuser that sticks to the front and cuts down on the glare from the 9 LEDs in the light (3 x 3 rows/columns). On the right side you have the microUSB charging port, brightness adjustment controls and on/off switch for the light. On top is a status LED for charging/power. The light has 10 brightness levels from the very brightest to the dimmest setting (10% increments). The included cold shoe mount is easy to attach to the light and grips it securely. You can also attach it to a tripod use the 1/4"-20 threaded hole rather than your camera's hot shoe. On a full charge, the light lasts over 1.5 hrs of use at maximum brightness, but it takes several hours to charge.

The relatively focused area of illumination makes this light great for subject lighting when used within 3 feet or so. It doesn't throw the light very far though, so it's not great for use as a key. It's got a 5500K light temperature and is a clean, white daylight. You can add any of the gels under the magnetic filter to change the color temperature of the light for a different effect or to compensate the light when selecting custom white balance.

Overall, this light is a pretty useful tool adding lightning to your shoots for both photo and video. It's compact and performs pretty well for its size.

Buy it at Amazon: Aputure AL-M9 Mini LED Camera Light [Affiliate Link]

XYUN Olive Oil Bottle and Pourer Set Review

XYUN Olive OIl Bottle and Pourer Set Review

Buy it at Amazon: XYUN Olive OIl Bottle and Pourer Set [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Leak-free drizzle pourers w/tight seal, wide funnel for spices/herbs to make infused oils.

You'll receive a green glass bottle, stainless steel funnel, 1 pourer with a flip cap, and 1 pourer with removable rubber cap. The bottle is dark green to keep out light which helps prevent spoilage of the oil inside. It has a screw on plastic cap and plug which can also be saved and used for storage. The two pourers are nearly identical, but the flip cap one is for frequent usage because it can't be tightly sealed, and the removable cap version is better for storage and transportation since it won't spill if tipped over. The funnel is rust resistant and has smooth edges with a 2" diameter hopper and 1/2" neck diameter, which are both large enough to accommodate dry crushed spices and herbs if you want to infuse the olive oil.

The nozzle diameter of both pourers is about a ¼" so any crushed herbs and even peppercorns can be dispensed with the oil without clogging the tip. The pourers fit tightly into the neck of the bottle and don't leak. I found that the pourers also work well with other bottles, so I can have oil and vinegar on my salads. Overall, the bottle and pourers both met my expectations with leak-free operation and generous drizzle amount.

Buy it at Amazon: XYUN Olive OIl Bottle and Pourer Set [Affiliate Link]

AladdinAudio Acrua Pro Metal Headphones Review

AladdinAudio Acrua Pro Metal Headphones Review

Buy it at Amazon: AladdinAudio Acrua Pro Metal Headphones [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Great sound, average comfort due to weight, a few usage and design quirks.

The headphones come in a rigid clamshell carrying case and includes the following accessories: A gold-plated audio cable with right-angled jack, ¼" jack adapter, dual-pin airplane jack adapter, carabiner clip, and microUSB charging cable. The travel case doesn't have an inner pocket for the accessories though and neither cable has any type of cable wrap which seems to be a slight oversight considering all the flashy packaging this came in.

The headphones themselves are quite sturdy, being made mostly of machined metal with thick, steel headband core and a flame-like pattern printed on the exterior of the ear cups and hangers. They are a bit on the heavy side at 12 oz or about 50% heavier than similar sized plastic headphones. The ear cups and headband are lined with plush foam wrapped in synthetic leather. While they don't have the authentic leather smell, they're soft to the touch and look high end. The ear cups fold in nicely for compact storage but don't articulate (rotate or tilt) for a custom fit. I found the tension on the band to be on a strong side, coupled with the weight of the headphones, it feels a bit too bulky. These headphones feature Bluetooth or NFC pairing and the internal battery is charged via a microUSB port on the bottom of the left ear cup. A full charge purportedly lasts up to 25 hours of playback but that would depend on your playback volume. On the right ear cup are the music playback and volume controls which are raised rubber buttons. The center button with the logo is the power button, which also doubles as the play/pause key.

The sound quality from these headphones is really nice. The ranges are balanced with plenty of definition in the bass and even sub-bass frequencies. The midranges are full and well-rounded and the trebles sound crisp and clear. Even at the highest volume I didn't detect any distortion in the sound which is impressive since these can get very loud. The sound stage representation was wide and deep with nice accuracy, and the passive noise isolation was also pretty good while listening at a moderate volume level. When using the playback controls, each button press results in a loud annoying click. At this price range, I would have expected silent capacitive touch controls. The minor annoyance was the piercing tone that sounds when you hit the max or min volume. Connecting to the headphones via Bluetooth/NFC was quick and easy and the connection stayed strong for the duration of my listening sessions. Even the hand-free calling worked well with decent clarity of the microphone.

For me, these aren't headphones that I would want to wear for long periods of time because they cause physical fatigue from all the weight and band tension, which is a shame because they sound quite good. For me, these are my go to travel headphones because they're durable enough to take a beating and the airplane adapter makes using them for in-flight movies convenient.

Buy it at Amazon: AladdinAudio Acrua Pro Metal Headphones [Affiliate Link]

Supmoon Motion Activated LED Strip Light Review

Supmoon Motion Activated LED Strip Light Review

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Takeaway: A bit brighter than expected, but works well for under bed lighting at night.

You'll receive the strip light in a roll, motion detector, double sided sticky round, 4 cable clips and 6 mounting screws, a large wire clip, A/C adapter, and USB power cable. The motion detector is the control unit for this strip light and there is no separate on/off switch. The light is not dimmable using the motion detector controller.

The dome on top senses motion in a 120 arc from up to 12-15 ft away and is only triggered when the room is quite dark. A moderate amount of ambient light is sufficient so that the motion detector won't go off. Once activated, you can set the light to stay on for 30 seconds to 10 minutes (timer starts counting down once motion is no longer detected). The time is an analog dial though, so you have to test the light to figure out how long it'll stay on if you set it between 30 second and 10 minutes. The light strip measures about 5 ft long and has double sided sticky tape on the back to mount to a wall, cabinet, or furniture. It was a little bit long for my full mattress frame so wrapped it around the corner partway under the foot side of the frame, but the strip can also be cut to length. The LEDs are spaced about every 1.5 inches and I have the lights pointed "down" towards the floor. The lights were a bit brighter than I had expected. It's not so bright that it'll shock you awake if you get up in the middle of the night, but I would have preferred a more gentle glow. This effect may be achievable if you face the LEDs in towards the underside of the bed instead of down at the floor, but I didn't want to mess with the tape since it's stuck on pretty good. So far the tape seems to be holding up and the lights are working fine (been a couple weeks).

Buy it at Amazon: Supmoon Motion Activated LED Strip Light [Affiliate Link]

Pacific67 Chef's Knife Review

Pacific67 Chef's Knife Review

Buy it at Amazon: Pacific67 Chef's Knife [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Sharp, well-balanced, durable and beautifully made knife.

S2 True Wireless Earbud Earphones Review

S2 True Wireless Earbud Earphones Review

Buy it at Amazon: S2 True Wireless Earbud Earphones [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Decent battery, nice sound/features, convenient charging case.

The earphones come with a lipstick style battery pack that doubles as a case and charger for the earbuds. You'll also receive 2 additional sizes of eartips (large and small), a microUSB charging cable, and instruction sheet. The earbuds are stored in both ends of the case using magnets and simply slide in and out. They charge using wireless contacts. On the side of the charge you have and 'IN' and 'OUT' rubber door that cover the microUSB charging port and full size USB output port for charging your phone or mobile device. This power button activates charging for both the earbuds and the USB port. When the battery pack is activated the LED in the front shines red and the earbuds have a red LEDs when charging which change to blue when the battery is full; charging the earbuds takes about an hour. On a full charge, the earbuds will last about 4 hours of continuous playback, depending on volume level.

The earbuds themselves are compact, if not a bit bulky for true wireless earbuds. They measure ¾" x ½" x 1" and weigh about ¼ oz a piece. Each earbud has a power button that you press and hold for a few seconds to turn them on. It's recommended that you turn on the right earbud first, then the left to get them to pair to each other automatically. Then you can pair them to your phone. If you need to get them back into pairing mode, turn them off, then press and hold the power button until it turns on and continue holding it until it says 'pairing'. This lets you re-sync them to one another and even use each each individually with different devices since they can both be used as a stand alone unit. Occasionally they'll drop their connection with each other or with the source device but the blip usually resolves itself and lasts for only a second.

The sound from these is not bad. It's balanced with well-supported mid and bass ranges for full and rich sound, though it lacks any definition in the low bass. At higher volumes the treble ranges distort a bit and can take on a harsh edge. However, the passive isolation was decent even at moderate volumes. For me, because of the angle of the eartips, I found that they seat better when rotated towards the back of my head rather than remaining vertical. This also helped keep the earbuds in my ears, as I found that they would fall out easily otherwise. There is no volume control on the earbuds, and the volume is only controlled by the source device. You can, however, start and pause playback by short pressing the power symbol on either earpiece. There are no additional playback controls, however, you can answer or disconnect calls by short pressing the power button and re-dial the last number by double pressing it; note you can only do phone functions with the right earpiece.

The earbuds are stated to be IP67 waterproof rated and I have gotten them sweaty and rinsed them under water and they still work fine. Overall, the audio quality of these earbuds is pretty good for the price, and they are fairly comfortable to wear with a decent battery life. The charger case comes in handy since you can charge them up automatically between uses and also use it as an emergency charger for your phone.

Buy it at Amazon: S2 True Wireless Earbud Earphones [Affiliate Link]

Aklot Acousto-Electric Ukulele Review

Aklot Acousto-Electric Ukulele Review

Buy it at Amazon: Aklot Acousto-Electric Ukulele [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Great starter uke, sounds beautiful, acousto-electric version best of both worlds.

This ukulele comes with a bunch of accessories: a fabric carrying case, a neck strap, an extra set of nylon strings, both a felt and a plastic pick, a microfiber polishing cloth, and a starter booklet. The body of it is made from solid mahogany that is both beautiful and durable. The fret board and bridge are nicely constructed and sturdy. This is my first ukulele and not really having that much experience with stringed instruments before (I play the piano) I wanted the get something that was good for beginners. The "electric" version was a great option because it also functions as an acoustic uke. It also has a built-in tuner which is super easy to use. The instrument came with two CR2032 coin cell batteries which are installed next tot he 1/4" output jack (face down in the receptacle). This powers both the onboard tuner and the pre-amp for using the ukulele as an electric instrument with an amplifier or PA system. The sound, either way, is quite good with clear, warm tones. The action is supposed to be "low," though without having any basis of comparison, I still found it a bit of a challenge in the beginning to press the strings down all the way against the fret board to make a clear note (without buzzing). Perhaps it's just an issue of finger strength though since I'm not used to playing it yet.

Tuning the ukulele for the first time went quickly and the tuner LCD turns a nice bright green so you know when you've hit the sweet spot. I did find with the new strings I had to end up tuning the strings, especially the 'C' and 'A' string every few minutes because the nylon string would stretch and the note would go flat. But with the worm-drive tuning pegs I didn't have to worry about the strings loosening on their own from lost tension. It took about a week for the strings to settle, and now I only have to tweak the tuning a little before practicing/playing. Although the ukulele has pre-installed strap buttons for an over the shoulder strap, the included strap doesn't actually used them; instead it wraps around the bottom of the uke and hooks into the sound hole, so it would work with ukes without the strap buttons too.

The little starter booklet was helpful in understanding how to read the ukulele tabs, which is very different from the sheet music that I'm used to. The instructional videos on the Aklot website basically go through the instruction booklet tips. It's helpful for a first-timer, despite the robotic voiceover and the poor English grammar, sentence structure, and word usage. The videos/booklet certainly could be better executed, but they're short and worth a read/watch. It took a couple hours of practice to get the hang of strumming vs plucking and getting the fingering down for a few basic chords, but I can get through the booklet's beginner songs like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer without much difficulty. One thing to note is that if you want to use the ukulele with an amp/speaker remember to turn off the tuner. The sound will not transmit through the cable (not included) if the the tuner is on. You can also adjust the bass, middle, and treble range output from the tuner control panel when using it as an electric uke. The amp is a great way to have a concert with a large gathering or play outdoors because it can produce the sounds much louder, but I like that you can switch to acoustic for more intimate settings and practice sessions.

Overall, for my first ukulele purchase, I'm completely satisfied with the product so far. The instrument sounds great, feels nicely constructed, and is fun to play.

Buy it at Amazon: Aklot Acousto-Electric Ukulele [Affiliate Link]

Sansco 4 Channel NVR Security Camera DVR System Review

Sansco 4 Channel NVR Security Camera DVR System Review

Buy it at Amazon: Sansco 4 Channel NVR Security Camera DVR System [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Good quality hi-res video, mobile app for remote viewing and image/video capture.

You'll receive the NVR unit, 2 each of the bullet cameras, mounting hardware packs, video and power cable, and A/C adapters, a 4 to 1 power cable adapter, a USB mouse, a software CD, a RS-485 PTZ jumper, and a pair of quick setup guides. The NVR unit has a 1 TB 3.5" SATA Toshiba hard drive pre-installed inside (I opened it to verify). On the back of the unit are 4 coaxial inputs for up to 4 cameras (the unit only comes with 2), an RCA audio out, HDMI out , VGA out port, 4 audio RCA inputs for cameras that support audio, Ethernet port, 2 USB ports, RS-485 port for PTZ (w/compatible cameras), and DC power port. On the front are the menu selection keys, menu button, escape button, status LEDs, and IR receiver for a remote control, though one is not included.

The bodies of the cameras are body made of powder coated metal and durable for weather-resistance for outdoor installations. Each camera has 36 infrared LEDs surrounding the lens for night vision. Coming off the back are two cables for the power and video feed. These will connect to the 50 ft cables so you can run the wires across rooms, through walls and to different floors of your home if necessary. The camera can pivot 180 degrees on a single joint and rotate 360 for positioning and orientation, but you'll need the small Allen wrench in the hardware pack to set the angle. Make sure you loosen the joints fully before modifying the position because the teeth on the gears seem very shallow and may strip with excessive grinding.

Setup is basically plug and play. You plug the cameras into the cables, hooks them up to the NVR (cables are clearly marked which end goes where) then supply power to the NVR and the cameras. The camera power cables go into the 4 to 1 adapter and uses a single A/C adapter for all of them. Once plugged in the cameras are all swithed on. There is no power switch on them. One thing to note is that when watching the feeds on a TV, even at 1080p resolution that what you see on the screen is slightly degraded quality than the actual video file if you were to pull them off the NVR and watch them on a computer. The included cameras' native output resolution is HD at 720p although the system is capable of handling up to 1080p output. Because the resolution is 720p and not higher, the images can still be somewhat blurry and you may not be able to make out fine details when something is moving. The colors are somewhat washed out and the contrast is a bit too harsh. You can play with these settings on the NVR but I didn't find that the overall quality changes much. The infrared lights allow you to see everything in the dark as if it were daytime, even in pitch black conditions, however, everything will be in black and white. Outdoor color reproduction isn't that great, with blown out areas in bright sun, strong contrast, and faded colors. However, when used indoors with indirect daytime lighting, the color accuracy seemed pretty good and the contrast looks normal. With 2 cameras 30 mins for recorded footage takes up about 1 GB (based on backup file sizes) so the hard drive can save about 21 days worth of footage before overwriting the oldest files. With 4 cameras you'll be able to save about 10 days worth of video.

If your system is connected to your home network, you can also download the Android or iOS app, XMEye, for remote viewing on a mobile device. The app requires you to sign up for an account if you want to use it remotely from anywhere with an internet connection, but this is not required for local network viewing. After adding the NVR to the list of devices, you'll be able to see the live camera feeds on your phone. You can view one camera at a time and save the footage and capture images in real-time or view all the cameras at once.

Overall, the security camera system is simple to set up and use. Checking on the cameras from the main unit and mobile app is easy to do, as is retrieving saved video files and backing them up to a USB thumb drive or hard drive. Just note that the video files are encoded with a *.h264 extension and you'll need an appropriate viewer to watch the files. I used AVC to convert the videos the MP4s and that quadrupled the file size.

Buy it at Amazon: Sansco 4 Channel NVR Security Camera DVR System [Affiliate Link]

iDobbi Mini Smart Wifi Outlet Review

iDobbi Mini Smart Wifi Outlet Review

Buy it at Amazon: iDobbi Mini Smart Wifi Outlet [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Quick installation and setup, stable connection, simple voice/app controls

Furmax Ribbed Leather Office Chair Assembly and Review

Furmax Ribbed Leather Office Chair Assembly and Review

Buy it at Amazon: Furmax Ribbed Leather Office Chair [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Simple assembly, comfortable, nice material, wheels and arm rests could be improved.

The chair comes disassembled so you'll have to put it together yourself but it only takes about 15 minutes and the instructions are clear and illustrated. The chair itself has a nice cushy seat that's not too hard nor too soft. The seat back can lean back a few inches, though if you tighten the tension knob on the bottom you can reduce or restrict the rocking of the back. Another way to restrict the rocking is to simply push the lift lever inward. Raising and lowering the seat wasn't a problem even at my weight of 125 lbs. In general the chair rolls ok, but not super smoothly. Sometimes the wheels stick a little, even on smooth flooring. For me, the arm rest were positioned a little too far back for working at a desk. It feels a little awkward using them even if you're leaning back and relaxing. The top of the seat back comes up just to the top of my neck. Overall, the chair is pretty nice for a low cost office chair. It's comfortable, durable, quick to assemble, and easy to adjust. The leather material feels nice and is smooth with clean stitching. The only thing I would have liked more would be if it came with smoother rolling casters and arm rest that were longer or slightly more forward.

Buy it at Amazon: Furmax Ribbed Leather Office Chair [Affiliate Link]