Apete's Reviews

Bluetooth earbud by eonfine

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 02:35:00 +0000

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Wireless is the thing these days and everyone's racing to see just how wireless you can really be. The well known fruit brand has a new offering coming that, while it's been done in a few brands, will probably make individual stereo buds common. Until then you can save a little by going to these mini headsets with some trade-offs.

This is marketed as a bluetooth (phone)headset but I think of is more as a single channel music device. Headphones for one ear. I use it that way because I'll tell you right now I had a less than stellar experience for conversations. My caller reported that I was a little difficult to hear but I can chalk that up to not talking loud enough. After all it is just a nub barely sticking out of your ear. The big problem was just how bad they sounded to me. I've never heard anything so hollow and muffled. I may fiddle with my phone settings a little but for now I'll just hold the phone to my ear.

Now, having said that; I love this thing for music. It's clearly capable of reproducing good sound so I can't figure out why a call is different. You have an entire bluetooth device including battery in just over the same space a wired earbud takes up and relatively speaking the sound is wonderful. I find myself forgetting that it's only in one ear after a few minutes.

I know what you're thinking: "But it's just like having a bad cord on a wired set and only hearing out of one side" Yes and no. I like to listen to music at work but there are always people around asking questions or maybe you don't want to make everyone feel blocked out. This lets me have the music on but conversation is still very easy and sometimes people wont even know you're using it as it's so small. Are you a runner? When I'm on our small roads(rarely) I don'y like to have music usually because it means I can't fully hear traffic coming up behind. Here you can still hear your rhythm or audio-book while having no problem detecting what's happening around you.

Build wise it's about as small as I'd want to shove in my ear canal and it's plenty light that you never get fatigued wearing it. A single button turns it on and off and also works as a pause button. I love that for when someone comes up to talk I can just press it while pulling the device out and go walk around. When I'm alone again just put it back in and press the button to start things up again. Included in the nice small zipper case is a smaller insert and the perfectly sized charging cable. Battery life is what I consider acceptable for something this small. I can more or less get a full work day out of it before needing an hour or two to charge. Not as long as others but I haven't been frustrated by constant charging so it must be just the right amount.

I kind of wish the case was even smaller for what it holds to take up less space in my pocket. Not a dealbreaker. Again I'll say if you want a conversation-type piece look elsewhere but I keep this right next to a big set of cans. If you really want full stereo sound by all means put on a full set but I think this has a place in anyone's arsenal.

Galco AL636 Ankle Lite Holster for LC9

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 01:40:00 +0000

I got great service and price from Glen's Outdoors. You can get your there too.

I spent a lot of time looking at reviews and agonizing over this holster. I haven't had the chance to find an IWB solution that I liked so I wanted to start with ankle carry to keep me actually carrying instead of leaving it home. Unfortunately I couldn't find anyone who had an actual picture of an actual LC9 in it and under a pant leg. Usually when you hear of ankle carry it's for smaller things like G26s or LCPs. If I'm going to pull the trigger on the most expensive holster I wanted to be sure it would be the right one. Turns out it is every bit as good as every one says and I don't regret the ~$60 at all.

The two things I was looking for were Concealability and Comfort. If I didn't like wearing it I may end up just leaving my gun home. I figure if I've gone through the requirements to carry I might as well actually do it. First up for me is how well it blends in with under my pant leg. I included a bunch of pictures so hopefully you can see what I'm talking about. The leg shots are in a mirror so look at the leg on the left. I wear fairly loose pants but I was just worried about it sitting in such a way that the grip would stick straight out the back. Galco got it just right by canting right to where the the longest distance from grip to sights is horizontal and right beside your leg. Everything is kept tight against your leg so it doesn't stick out any more than it has to. Even if someone knows you ankle carry they can look and never be quite sure if you have it at the time.

Then there's comfort. The first thing you'll hear about is the muzzle rubbing on your ankle bone. I can tell you 100% that I've never had the least bit of discomfort with this rig. The sheepskin on the inside pulls double duty of sweat prevention and padding. Combine this with the 1/4" neoprene and just the right amount of extension below the bottom and I promise, besides the slight weight increase you'll sometimes forget it's there. Even in Tennessee I tend to wear thick socks. They can get warm but I'm inside most of the time and they're just so soft. You don't have to go that far but I recommend a full length sock. Wrap the holster around front and the pull the back as tight as you can get it. Don't worry about it being too tight; It doesn't cut off circulation and it's what keeps everything as stead as a rock throughout the day. Some people end up getting the calf strap but I'm telling you you don't need it. Put it on tight and you can kick, hop, and run without issues.

Accessibility is a problem with all ankle carry but once you get the pant leg up the draw is just natural. Your thumb falls right to the snap release and there is plenty of grip exposed for the drawing. The steerhide is formed perfectly and keeps decent retention even after breaking in but you'll always keep it snapped anyway. For reholstering you also get a well-designed support back with some sort of insert that keeps the profile open and not collapsed.

Lastly I have the say the materials are well chosen. The neoprene is soft but provides the right amount of elasticity and I don't feel like it makes me sweat any more than my other leg even in thick socks under pants in the Tennessee heat. The sheeps skin really helps there too. You would think after wearing for three months it would start to smell from sweat buildup but honestly I just checked and it smells like it did new. The hook-and-loop fastener is heavy duty with the loop part actually being some sort of thread instead of plastic and holds up well to repeated use.

If you're ready to ankle carry I have to admit I haven't tried the cheaper options but this one from Galco has been worth every penny to me. My only complaint is that every once in a while I feel the steel backing that supports the retention snap. Really though, most of the time I forget I'm even carrying because it just becomes part of your leg. I'm not the least but self conscious that someone may notice I'm carrying and I'm comfortable. With those boxes fully checked I'd recommend this for anyone.

Sterling Silver Small Hoop Earrings by Silver Masters

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 02:38:00 +0000

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Who's wife doesn't like earrings? No hands? Mine doesn't go crazy over jewelry but something new is always fun and these a a nice addition to any outfit.

The first thing you'l notice is that they're smaller than you thought. I'd say they're just over a half inch wide but a little under 3/4. It means they're more for someone trying to add to a look instead of draw everyone's attention to the earrings themselves. The metal is just soft enough that when we found one side wouldn't latch I was able to bend the post out a bit so it reached the latch on the other side. Don't worry; you won't be crushing them but that's the nature of the materials. Something to note is that the posts are not round but more of a rectangle. My wife had a little trouble getting them through her ears the first time but told me once they were in they we're very comfortable. She also pointed out that she never sleeps in earrings but so forgot about these and had no trouble sleeping on them all night.

If you or your significant other are looking for something the looks nice but won't break the bank you could do far worse. I think it wouldn't hurt if they could make the ends a little more round to make putting them in a little easier and have a little more solid latch but we liked them overall. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Magnetic Child Cabinet Locks

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Thu, 04 Aug 2016 02:38:00 +0000

Grab a set here

I've seen these locks around on different things but it turns out we have a toddler who loves getting under the sink so why not use them as intended. Nobody wants anything that is visible from the outside but other solutions tend to be clunky. We'd even resorted to just using some of her toy c-rings as a makeshift "lock". Once these were installed though she quickly learned that she just can't get in and rarely even tries now.

Installation was simple. As you can see form one of my pictures we already had one other failed product that had broken so I just placed the stationary part at the edge right where the door would hit. As long as you back it right up to the edge everything will line up. You can measure to figure out where to put the magnetic part but I found it was just easiest to reach around form the other door and line them up before pushing the sticky side against the door.

If you install correctly there is little to no movement of the door while locked and if you can't remember exactly where to place the magnet you can just slide until you hear the click of the latch falling. The adhesive is plenty strong enough that anyone trying to get in who shouldn't will give up long before it gives out. We just keep the magnet on the fridge so we don't have any worries about losing it. What else can I say; keeps our daughter out and lets us in while being completely invisible. No complaints. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Culinary Torch by A Full Measure Market

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 01:58:00 +0000

You can find it here

I received a torch with a manufacturing defect so I've edited this review. The company was very helpful in quickly sending a new one and it works perfectly.

Culinary torches have many uses but I generally focus on finishing sous vide steak or as you can see in my photos, toasting some marshmallow creme based frosting. Operation is simple with a large button on the back that both releases the gas and lights it. You can control the amount of gas as well as it's concentration and there's even a "continuous" mode that allows you to not have to hold the trigger. These adjustments allow you to tailor the flame to just your needs be they a long directed one or just a light licking flame. When I used it on the afore mentioned steak it quickly added a nice sear so as a culinary torch torch it works fine. Build wise I'd really only say I'd prefer less plastic. The flame never heats it up but I just prefer more metal. The cylinder seems to be and the nozzle is as well. All in all it feels solid and there is little play in the controls. My word of advice for you is that when buying butane skip the Coleman cylinders. The fill port on this is just enough recessed that the short tube on the butane can't quite reach. I stopped by Lowes and grabbed a BernzOmatic Butane cylinder which had a nice long tube and worked great.
My experience has been very positive with the manufacturer and product after the defect in my first item. It lights fine and the adjustablity make it perfect for the kitchen. You can of course use the torch for any other fire need too. The simple operation along with the intense heat really allows for a wide variety of possibilities outside your food needs. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

PiTech 2.5A Raspberry Pi 3 Power Supply

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 03:54:00 +0000

Grab one from Amazon here

I'll keep this to the point. Do you have a Raspberry Pi 3? Do you need a sufficient power supply? Then you need this one. The Raspberry Pi 3 comes with higher power demands than previous iterations and if you've ever wondered what that rainbow square in the corner of your screen is then your power supply isn't cutting it.

I've been able to run on one I found around my house but if you want the best reliability you need a good one.I ran into problems as soon as I tried to plug an SDR into it where I would get random reboots that were solved when I added a powered hub. Once I replaced the old supply with this one though I don't even need the hub anymore and the rainbow square is gone as you can see in the pic of my screen. I say again; if you need a Pi supply, this one works great. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Men's Waterproof Analog Business Watch by CakCity

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 22:34:00 +0000

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I'm a very digital person but when it comes to watches I appreciate analog style. With our day's determined so much by time I kind of like being able to just glace down and have a rough approximation of where I am in an hour without being too exact. This watch by CakCity has an elegant combination of analog while still keeping the accuracy of a digital movement.

Form- This watch is marketed as a business style but it probably leans more to business casual; the stainless hands look striking against the black background and pair well with the also stainless case but the reflective blue second hand and accents add a little fun.With the face's white divisions everything is easy to read at a glance and the glow in the dark feature is a nice touch. For the strap you get an interesting vinyl-like top with a carbon fiber weave type pattern while the underside is genuine leather. Note that genuine doesn't mean full-grain so it's probably got a non-leather material int he center.

Function- First and foremost it's a watch so I'm happy to say it seems to keep time well. Over several weeks it at most lost a second but that may have been my error in setting it. While we're talking about setting it operation is a breeze. You get two levels on the crown for setting the time and date but digital buttons for controlling the stop-watch functionality. This works well allowing you to stop the dials with the top button or pause to record a split time with the bottom while the internal time continues. Just press the bottom again and the dials catch up to the current recorder time. Probably pretty simple internally but it looks good doing it. I'm a person who prefers a slightly thinner case but this is by no means large. I think it still looks good on my wrist so it's really a taste thing. The band is comfortable and I wear it daily with no issues.

I enjoy having options when it comes to watches. This one fits nicely as a casual watch that has no trouble blending when you need to dress up a bit. Any flashiness is understated but anyone glancing at it will get an impression of a little fun. The watch operates as it should so the only thing I would change it to make the top covering of the back different. Again- a taste thing but with everything else so classy I think it could benefit from being leather as well to really round everything out. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Ultra-Thin Indoor Digital by Esky

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 10 May 2016 02:59:00 +0000

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I have no complaints about this antenna but I gave it a try wondering if it could work better than a few others I've tried. Both RCA brand and some I've never heard of. In the end it works fine, but fine means we don't get many channels. We live just under 50 miles south of Nashville and get a few public TV channels and ABC. If I orient this one straight North I can pick up the exact same channels I get with any antenna. It works fin, but I was hoping for something special from it. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Dart board by Ohuhu

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 22:57:00 +0000

I'm writing this review from the perspective of someone who only plays darts VERY casually(example: our scoring consists of who gets the most bulls-eyes per 3 darts thrown) and has only ever used electronic boards before these. That said, I've found this one to work just as well as I'd expect and has been a lot of fun.

I've heard talk about this board not being a "bristly board" but as I just use it to throw sharp things at I don't know if it is or even care. The darts stick and with it being used every few days over the past few weeks I've yet to see a dart fall due to hitting an already open hole. They seem to close up decently after removing the tip so it seems to operate as designed no matter the material. The best way I can describe it is between cork and a hardwood but more toward the wood side of things. I was wondering how well a dart would go into it but that fear quickly passed. The surface is "flocked" which in the end just means it feels like felt but isn't as soft.

My OCD gets tripped as the numbers go around when they get past horizontal they start tacking the "1"s upside down. I'm sure it's for rigidity and it looks like all boards do it but... it irks me. I think the only downside I've noticed is that the ring is just stapled on. Not in a cheap looking way but it means you can't easily rotate it to distribute the wear.

My family has had fun with it and the darts stick so I see no reason to not recommend to anyone. It's one of the cheapest out there while still making me happy so I'd say give it a try. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Sound Intone BT-02 Bluetooth Headphones

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 01:29:00 +0000

Grab your own pair on Amazon

I've tried several different brands of budget to mid-range headphones and Sound Intone has their fair share of different ones out there. Unfortunately this is the second one I've tried from them and while I don't hate them, I don't love them either. I wouldn't tell anyone to stay away but it's just so hard to recommend them compared to other things I've seen at the same price point.

Build- Let's get this out of the way right away: the build is where I have the most issues here. Besides the chrome plastic buttons that I expect to start flaking before my eye nothing seems cheap. If you're wanting something that looks good you could certainly do worse. They have a modern design that adds a little color for some fun and flair. The first thing I noticed when putting them on was that there is absolutely no swivel for the cans to move to fit your head. Unless I'm a freak-of-nature(possible) I'm pretty sure the sides of most people's heads are not perfectly parallel. Cheaper sets tent to just flex enough to get by and better ones incorporate a swivel but these are too rigid and last the needed feature. That means they press more on the back of my ear and are a little raised in the front. You can imagine this could cause comfort issues after a while but there is another related issue; the top band. Zero padding whatsoever. There is a thick but flexible rubber sheet contacting the top of your head but nothing else. It seems like it would be so easy to throw some cheap foam in. Besides those complaints I do appreciate the ability to fold to make it smaller and protect the speakers. Ear padding is sufficient.

Function- Fear not concerned shopper, I like the sound. Not blow-you-away sound but I've encountered some headphones that I didn't even want to listen to and I have some Yo-Yo Ma playing as I write this and it's enjoyable. Overall a nice balance but I wouldn't mind a little more in the lows. I like to play the beginning of "Mama I'm Coming Home" and it sounded nice without evidence of struggling but could have used a little more on the sustain.

To recap if someone told me they found a deal on these I probably wouldn't even mention my reservations but if they asked for a recommendation I'd probably lead them elsewhere. If you're just going to use them for real short periods comfort may not be an issue but there just seems to be at best missed design considerations and at worst cost cutting. I still like the sound but I know they can do better. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

300Mbps Wireless-N USB Adapter byActionFly

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 00:25:00 +0000

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My experience with all wireless adapters has been pretty uneventful in that they always have worked as I expected. This one is no exception and has performed flawlessly for everything I've tried. I think it might work even better if I had a different router.

Build- Physically I've seen smaller but that often means decreased rang due to the limited antenna size. This strikes a nice balance where you can keep it inserted while walking around the house without issues. Just remember it's there though because you can bump it. There is a red activity LED on it but it's pretty dim so you don't need to worry about it bothering anyone around you.

Performance- This blows away 802.11g devices I've used; and it should. 11n is supposed to support 300mbps but you'll rarely see that in the real world. If you have doubts it is faster just try the previous generation devices in your computer and you'll see the difference. You can see in one of my images I was getting 7.71MB so around 60mbps when transferring pictures over our network from a USB drive on a Raspberry pi. You're limited by many things in that equation but that's already above the 802.11g standard max. In another picture you can see I'm getting a similar 65mpbs doing a speed test.

Does it cook and do the laundry? Of course not. Does it deliver blazing wifi? You can't argue with my real world tests so: of course yes. If you want to increase a computer's speed that's still using an older adapter get one of these. Especially at these prices of under 30 bucks. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Cellphone Camera Flash Fill-in Light by Actionfly

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Sun, 03 Apr 2016 01:21:00 +0000

Get one from Amazon

Ever been less than impressed with the flash on your phone? Or using it for video and it drains your battery right down? I tried this add-on flash by action fly and it can definitely add light with minor drawbacks.

Build- You get a fairly standard plastic case with 16 bright LEDs for fill light. On the bottom is a micro USB port for power and a headphone jack to mount it to a phone. The switches are straight forward with an on/off and one for 3 power levels. The plastic doesn't seem the strongest but the entire thing it pretty light so it won't have any issues if dropped. One easily missed feature is the inclusion of a lanyard loop and as no one will want to keep this mounted in their pocket is would be right at home on a key-chain.

Function- Right off the bat the main problem here is even on the low setting the thing is so bright I'm not sure how much anyone will want their picture taken. While a phone flash usually is on for a short time this one is on until you turn it off. That's right; even though it looks like the phone may trigger it the jack is really just the way of holding the flash. That complaint aside, it does what it say it doe: provide plenty of fill light. I would imagine a good way to use it would be to frame your shot and then turn it on just before shooting to keep the blinding-ness to a minimum. By having it mounted to the top of the phone that will help to make your light a little off-axis which always helps a picture.

This may not be fore everyone, and I'm not certain I'll have it with me all the time. However, if you're going out and expect to take a lot of pictures just throw it in your pocket. If you're someone that would keep it on a keychain, even better; you can use it as a flashlight when you're not taking pictures. In the end I'm just not sure I want to blind my friends this much. If yours are more easy going, give it a shot. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Multicolor LED mesh with 96 lights

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 02:30:00 +0000

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We have a pergola that we like to sit in on warm nights but the little solar lights we have in there don't do much. I tried hanging these in the back an they give a nice little flair while providing decent light to see by. They have the advantage of being LEDs so you can have low power and even leave them outside all the time. The only problem is the control box; it isn't weatherproof at all so you'll need to find a way to keep it protected if you're leaving it out. Also make sure to have the mesh securely fastened to something so it doesn't blow around too much. The wires are pretty thin so if they catch on something and the wind gets a hold of it you could break something.

The multiple patterns it has are nice but you're always choosing between flashing and eye-catching or something my calm like we use. The slow fade is our favorite. Now, if you have it in a kids room as a night light they would probably take advantage of the more fun modes when friends are overAt the very least it's nice to have options.

The amount of light it gives off doesn't feel dim or under-powered but it's not nearly as bright as your average roll of LED strip. Also keep in mind that if you're looking at the pictures on the Amazon this is not nearly as long as the ones shown, just 1.5 meters. In any case it makes a fun, simple addition many places around the house be it outside, a kids room, or even a man-cave. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Evahs Double Edge Safety Razor

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 01:17:00 +0000

Grab your own at Amazon

I'm never going back to disposable razors. This offering by Evahs has shown me what I've been missing as it looks good and works perfectly. I'm pretty lazy when it comes to shaving. I'll often go a week or two until I have enough growth that it annoys me and then take it all off. I tried using a small trimmer for a while and then a disposable for the rest but that took forever and my wife said I was too prickly when I skipped the second step. Evahs' double edge on the other hand does the entire job and it's effortless.

When it comes down to it safety razor handles can only differentiate themselves from others so much. The blades themselves are often bought separately anyway. Still, I think this one is well made and it's design works well. Materials wise it is claimed that the handle is copper and the head zinc but I haven't take a saw too it so I can just say it isn't flimsy. Everything has a good heft to it which makes the actual act of shaving effortless if done correctly.

You're supposed to let the weight of the razor do the work and it works well here. You don't have to worry about getting anything clogged between two blades because there's only the one. Because I grow out a fair bit I know you CAN clog it, but the design leaves openings under the blade so you can rinse any clog right out. Good razor design also requires a correct tolerance between the blade and the rest of the head. As it cuts well but has only left slight nicks on my skin when I was in a hurry. I have to say they nailed this too. Please forgive my huge pores, but a single pass cut as far down as possible as you can see in one of the pictures.

Assembly(loading a blade) is simple, it cuts well, and the double edge means less time between face and sink. I've been telling everyone they need to try a double edge safety razor and there's no reason not to recommend this one by Evahs specifically. Give it a try. I received this product at a discount in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones 1byone

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 01:41:00 +0000

Grab a set on Amazon

For the moment I've labeled these my "favorite" in-ear headphones that I've tried but there are still a few things I'd change. They start off nice by coming in packaging you can tell someone actually tried on. Usually a good indication that they didn't cheap out on the actual product itself.

I love the sound quality here so no complaints. I found it to be well rounded with crisp highs and nice well produced base without distortion. I didn't feel like they were much bigger than your average pair of non-wireless headphones which is surprising for having to fit the electronics and battery in there. Even the charge plug is well hidden where you have to get a fingernail under one of the end caps and pop it off. My problems with these stems from the flat cord. Up to now I thought those were the best but because everything is so light it was working against me. Even though the buds seem to have a good fit in my ear apparently they are not tight enough because today as I was working in the garage the slight grippy-ness on my neck was enough to make them stick a little. When I turned my head one of the sides would fall out. I think they need to either go back to a round cord or make it more glossy. That said the little springy pieces that fit to the contour of your ear help to hold things in otherwise without any discomfort.

Battery life wise they seemed to be decent. I charged them initially and played around with them before using them intermittently over three days of work before they were running low. This is where my other complaint comes in. The notification voice is WAY too loud. It's not so bad when powering on but when I'm listening to music at a decent volume and then it's like someone screams at me it's a little off putting and I think I jumped the first time it notified me.

I think I'll still label these as my favorite even with them not always staying in and voice notification. To have all this in a pretty small package that looks good and sounds even better is a deal for this price point. I see no reason to pay more for bigger names when these do the job of sticking in your ear and playing wonderful sounding music. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

iClever Magnetic Bluetooth Headphones

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:03:00 +0000

Grab a pair from Amazon

As I've said with other headphones I've tried, quality is very hit-or-miss. A picture can make it look great and you have no reason to expect the sound to be bad. I'm glad to report that these are a great pair and I enjoy using them. Casual listener is how I'd classify myself and I can appreciate sound quality which leads me to say these are a good buy. While there's nothing too flashy about their looks or packaging they work well and I have no complaints.

Build- When it comes down to it these are pretty non-descript. They are plastic and while I like metal there's no reason to have the added weight. The body is a dark metallic blue which I find classy and unobtrusive. You get a simple 3 button combination for control and have two different sizes of ear inserts with a protrusion to make them stay in an ear better. The magnets are contained in the end so they attach to form a loop.

Function- One of the "selling features" here are the magnets in the end to hold the entire setup in a loop. This can be nice if bouncing around in a bag to keep them from tangling. Where some are using flat wires to prevent tangles they can sometimes prevent flex in the wire during use and cause them to fall out; no worries here. Even better, if you are someone who takes the earbuds out a lot you can just attach them around you neck so they don't fall off. Operation is easy as you have three simple buttons. The power/pairing button is nice to have separate from the others so you don't have to feel around to see which buttons you're touching. Lastly there's the sound quality. I found it to be well rounded with crisp highs and nice well produced base without distortion.

I found these to be a well done product that sounds good and the magnets help do away with some of the complains I have about other earbuds. If you want to feel in the middle of your music without wires these are great. If you want to put them around your neck to talk with someone its quick and easy. Don't forget the easy-to-miss detail of the actual bud's profile that has just a small protrusion to keep them locked in your ears if you move a lot. They should certainly be contenders for your dollar if they can be had for a good price. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Lock pick set and training lock

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 00:16:00 +0000

Practice on your own from Amazon

Admit it, you've always wanted to be able to pick a lock like they do in the movies. First don't do that; you'll get in trouble. Second it's never that simple but it certainly can be done. This is a great place to start. After playing with the training lock for a couple hours I was able to move to a deadbolt in our house so it must work.

Build- There are two main components: The lock and the pick set. The lock is great. The part that makes it a training one is the face that the main body is cast in transparent acrylic which exposes all the internals of a lock. I'm a firm believer that the more you can see and understand how something works the better you can be at using it. Every important part is easy to see exactly how it works with the other to make a lock. It seems to be well made too. My daughter has got a hold of it a couple times with no issues. The picks however are so-so. I like the convenience of having them all in an easy-to-contain pocket-knife type set but I can never keep the other picks I'm not using at the moment from flopping out and getting in the way. It is great however that the tension bar stores nicely in it. If you for some reason want to keep the set with you there's even a hole already drilled so you can put them on a key ring.

Function- I already had a working knowledge of how locks work so I didn't need much in a way of instructions. If you need a starting point though they do advertise an e-book that they emailed me and you will find no shortage of explanations on Youtube. In short though, you need to get all the upper/lower pin combinations lined up perfectly along the shear line of the barrel so that it can rotate. What you are doing with a pick set is taking advantage of the minute amount of slop in how everything fits together. When you get the right pin lined up the tension bar moves just a tiny amount to catch the pin on it's lip so you can find the next pin. Every lock will be a little different but eventually you'll be able to feel when you get a pin. Here though it's all right out in the open so you can see how your actions affect the lock. You get several different pick geometries to allow for different locks and different styles of use. Some may want start out just applying tension and raking the pins. I prefer the one with the round end and a little angle to it. The round allows it to bounce past things and the angle allows me to use it like a little lever and rotate it instead of lifting.

I like to try a bit of everything so it's nice to have a set like this to be able to learn basic lock picking and check it off my list. Plus, if I ever do have a lock I need to get in to(and I'm SUPPOSED to get into) I hopefully can put to use what I learned to save me from calling a locksmith. It's fun but certainly not a stretch to call it educational too. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Norskwall Slatwall Garage Organization

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 03:06:00 +0000

Cover your wall with a few sets. Grab them on Amazon

I'm sure there is someone somewhere who has a perfectly organized, Pinterest worthy, garage but if you're like me it can never have enough places to put things. Tools like rakes and shovels are long and awkward so they tend to fall over, Hanging is the best option but I tend to reorganize a lot so Norskwall has a great solution.

The slat material is all PVC which had me a little worried about strength. Once assembled though it didn't have any trouble handling the weight. Assembly was pretty straight forward and I'd recommend following the instructions. The first thing I wanted to do was slide everything together and hang it but I eventually gave up and went step by step. It went pretty quick though the side covers gave me a little trouble. The clips to hold them on need to go behind the slats after they are attached to the wall. They have a little lip so I had to stick a putty knife behind the slats to lift them a little and get the clip in. Not too much trouble for something you'll probably only do once though.

Once everything is up you just have to decide where you want to place the hangars. The best part about the Norskwall though is that there's no commitment. Hang it and see how it fits and move it if you don't like it. The hangers just sit in the channel and when you fold down the tab with the logo on it you get a satisfying good fit that doesn't wiggle around. For being made of PVC it's a well engineered system.

I've tried everything from pegboard to custom french cleats but it takes a good setup to hold some larger things. Even if you have something else I think the Norskwall would fit well in anyone's setup. My dad is already eying this one. Or, go all out and cover your wall with it. It's a little more expensive than some but it would give a clean look that lasts. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Portable Car Jump Starter Powerbank by 1byone

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 02:10:00 +0000

Grab one for yourself at Amazon

Remember when jump starters came out with batteries inside which meant you didn't have to have another car around? This is the next step and I have to say it's wonderful. Everything about it is small and light to the point where I was skeptical before I saw the first one used by a family member. Even before this one arrived I had my doubts as I figured they were hit-or-miss unless you bought a recognized brand name. No worries though, it does work great.

Build- The main battery is like any high capacity phone bank battery; just under and inch thick. I keep it in the case with the other accessories though so it doesn't need to be paper thin. The surface is a matte black finish which I prefer over glossy for something that may take a little beating in the back of a car. You get a single button to turn it on and long-press to activate the light with a simple LCD to tell you percent full and an indicator of if it's being used or charged and lastly a indicator to tell which current mode(1 or 2.1 amps). On one side you get a USB output, the jumper output and a barrel jack input. Pretty understated really. The jumper attachment is a somewhat awkward, bulky, grip-like shape which is strange to me as you don't really hold onto it during use. At the end are small alligator clips that take up little space but are are just big enough to do their job.

Function- I was going to make a video to show it really does work but as you can see on Amazon everyone's already done that. To summarize, I left my dashcam on accidentally one night and the battery was completely dead in my 3.9L V6 Mustang.. Couldn't move the started at all. What better way to test this jumper than that? No pulling my wife's car around. No running an extension cord from the garage for the wired jumper. I just popped the hood, stuck this baby on, and the car cranked right to life. It wasn't an instant full-power start but it didn't crank for more that 2 seconds which isnt' too far off my normal battery. The addition of a light is a no-brainer and will be invaluable if I ever have to jump it at night. We have used it to charge a 1/4 full Nexus 5X and it took about an hour and 30-40% of the battery's capacity after jumping the Mustang. The phone can handle more current to do it faster but 2.4A isn't bad.

I'm sure there are other jumpers out that that work but if anyone asks me for a recommendation I'd have no problem pointing them to this. It came through when I needed plus the extra features like the light and charging your phone are just icing on the cake. There's even a car charger included so you can recharge this after you've got the car started and it will be ready again next time you need it. Give it a try. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Travel Pillow with sleep mask and carrying case

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 03:29:00 +0000

Grab one for your next trip

I have an incredibly hard time sleeping as a passenger on long drives so a small pillow that happened to be memory foam was just the ticket. I don't think there's a lot to set travel pillows apart but this one seems to do everything I'd want just fine.

The case of the pillow is made of a short fleece type material that couldn't get much softer. Note that I say "case" which means you can un-zip it and remove the memory foam for washing. I've seen some that are a single piece and after washing the foam i imagine it loses it's form. Size wise I think this one hit's a sweet spot. There is enough heft to give you the support you need but it's still as small as possible so you're not carrying something huge around; a big plus if you use it while flying. When my head goes to the side a little it five for cushion and support but because it's memory foam it doesn't fully compress. The carrying case is nothing particularly special and I think could stand to be a little smaller but it does it's job as well. I'm not one for sleep masks so mine doesn't get much use. That said, it seems pretty comfortable without too much tension.

It's a simple product that makes the simple but correct choices. You can only put so much thought into a travel pillow but if someone asks for a recommendation I'd be fine recommending this one. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

RhinoShield CrashGuard Bumper by Evolution Labs

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 01:35:00 +0000

Grab one on Amazon

Phone cases are a dime-a-dozen. Most of the time you're shooting in the dark when you get one that will probably work but can be made of shoddy materials or just be a generic fit for your phone. That's not the case(pun possibly intended) here. Evolution labs has put design and thought into this and it shows as a great product.

The problem with the usual cases is that they are bulky and make your new thin phone turn into a big blob. By only covering the edges this bumper style provides just the right amount of protection and does so while still allowing the phone to retain a thinner feel. My wife has been using it on her 5X for a few weeks now and while she was hesitant before due to the unprotected back, the continued survival with our one year old has made her a believer.

I like the feel in the hand as it's a soft rubber but not so soft that is falls off the phone or make the buttons difficult to use. My favorite part though is the subtle shape at the top and bottom on the back side. The 5X has that raised camera lens and here is where you see the well thought out design. You get a slight raised part in the bumper to bring it to the lens height so it doesn't stick out and get scratched on everything.

We used to think you had to have a bully enclosed case to keep a phone intact but it turns out this minimalism does the trick. Nothing is going to happen to the back and you should already have a screen protector on the screen. The CrashGuard lets your phone survive your everyday drops unscathed and we've very impressed with it. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Glytterati mens titanium wedding band

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 04:52:00 +0000

I'm not the sort of person who wants to change out wedding bands. I have mine and there's no need to change it at these prices though I was interested. Titanium is known for being very light and somewhat expensive so if this one could deliver a good product for not too much dough it would be nice.

Good news: it did deliver. I couldn't believe how light it was. My first thought was that it was plastic but it really is metal. I'm coming from a tungsten carbide ring so I'm used to something heavier. The gold plating is a nice change to break up the single color of the titanium but you may need to buff it. Mine arrived a little smudged but that's maybe just a leftover from manufacturing.

I have to say this surprised me. Its made well, incredibly light, and doesn't break the bank. If you're looking at a wedding soon or are just someone who doesn't mind switching out wedding bands I'd say give this one a try.I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Ceramic Magnets by X-bet

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 03:23:00 +0000

Grab a set on Amazon

Lets be honest; there's nothing horribly exciting about 100 disc magnets. That being said there are an infinite number of uses from crafts to actual useful things so it's nice to know what a quality set is. They arrived with none broken and no chips which speaks to either their durability or good packaging. As they came in a basic small cardboard box I have to conclude they're just made well.

Each is a little smaller than a nickel and around the thickness of a standard USB plug. I wasn't blown away by the strength but I didn't feel they were weak either. Sometimes they they're too strong you'll have issues getting them apart or pinch fingers. You'll find that they are just strong enough that you almost think you can't get them apart by pulling directly apart but then they do.

I like that the set comes with so many which lets you always have enough for whatever you're doing. My wife has made some fridge magnets by forming some thermoplastic (also found on Amazon) around them into shapes like stars and trees. We have a front load washer as well where you don't want to keep the door shut but then it swings all the way open. We hot glued two of these to a thick ribbon and now we can hold the door mostly shut with no issues. What else do you want out of a magnet; it holds up and it sticks to things. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

Poly Plastics Moldable Plastic

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 04:14:00 +0000

Get some for yourself

These are very similar to another moldable plastic I've tried(Thermomorph) and I found them to be basically the same though the pellets are a little smaller. I was looking for something to replace a failed plastic piece on my Ninja Blender but I've since been able to make a replacement oil catcher cap, aided in a custom headphone adapter, and created a quick easy connection between a small electric motor and a shaft. While you'll see most reviews focusing on the craft uses, there is so much more to help with repairs of household items along with creating impromptu solutions to occasional problems.

The five stars are easy for this one. These pellets are so easy to work with but are still pretty strong when cooled. They become soft and clear in very short time once placed in hot water. I'd recommend pulling the resulting glob out with a spoon and giving it a few seconds to cool before touching. The plastic stays pliable for a surprising amount of time while cooling down and if you don't have enough time you can just throw it back in the same water which is usually still warm enough and things will quickly soften up again. Try to form your rough shapes first so when re-melting you only need to wait for the outer layer to get squishy.

If you have any art projects or home fixes to do I'd recommend these. My wife even made a couple cookie cutter shapes and our daughter loves chewing on them. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.

The colors work pretty good though in a very unscientific opinion I think they don't quite color as solidly as the Instamorph ones. You just need to add a few more to get them nice and dark.

Ausdom M05 Bluetooth headphones by Mixcder

noreply@blogger.com (AP) — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 02:48:00 +0000

Grab a pair for yourself here on Amazon

As I've said with other headphones I've tried quality is very hit-or-miss. A picture can make it look great and you have no reason to expect the sound to be bad. I'm glad to report that these are a great pair and I enjoy using them. Casual listener is how I'd classify myself and I can appreciate sound quality which leads me to say these are a good buy. There is a little room for improvement but I'd still recommend them to friends.

Build- I don't know if I'd call the materials used "Premium" but I have nothing I'd necessarily change. The ear cups are a nice pseudo-leather with plenty of foam behind to provide adequate comfort. I've worn them for several hours at work with no issues. Hard surfaces are a nice soft-touch plastic and the outside panel is covered by a tasteful textured vinyl that says classy without being gaudy. You have a real metal strip in the band which is always good to see and while there aren't mountains of foam on the top I didn't feel any unwanted pressure while using. Input wise you'll find the aux-in on the left along with volume and power. For the right side you get play/pause, seek, and the charge port. There's only so much innovation to be done about a dust cover on the charge port but it's current design almost protects too well. It took a little work to pop out so I'd like to see a little change by the manufacturer there if possible. Finally, the cups turn all the way perpendicular to the band allowing them to lay flat which is great for travel; even if you have to buy a case separately.

Function- Compared to some recent wired headphones I tried I put these on with some hesitation but I have to say I love the sound. Highs are crisp and lows come through smooth and full. My only real complaint is that I don't think there is any insulation around the backs of the speakers. While these don't have an active-noise cancelling feature even the Quiet Comfort line from Bose only relies on that for the lows. Getting rid of those outside highs requires good insulation and I can hear everything right through them. If the maker here wants to have a solid 5-star product they need to work on this. I'd imagine it could be done with some fairly cheap foam so it wouldn't drive the price up at all if any.

I'm not one for earbuds or the ones that hang off the ear so over the ear(not on-ear) Bluetooth is exactly what I've been looking for. If you want to feel in the middle of your music without wires these are great. If you want to put them around your neck and blast them to make everyone else listen you should probably go over-pay for something flashy with a "b" on it. They should certainly be contenders for your dollar if they can be had for a good price. I received this product free in exchange for nothing more than my honest opinion.