Product review: Budget tablet Pyle Astro PTBL9C 9-Inch 8 GB Tablet

In case someone reads just the first few lines of this review, let me start by saying that the technical specs for this tablet under Amazon product description contain several errors, the main one being the number of cores in the processor of this tablet. I note the errors and corrections at the end of the review and I notified the seller.

As a background for this review, I am a fairly heavy tablet user. We own three tablets: Nexus 7, Galaxy 7.7, and iPad Mini which we use for navigation, music streaming, game playing, reading, browsing, listening to internet radio and so forth. I received Pyle Astro Tablet from the manufacture for testing, evaluation and review. In my review I will compare my experiences with these tablets, especially the Android tablets, to Pyle Astro Tablet.

Given the price difference between the tablets (the Pyle Astro Tablets is under $100 at the time I am writing this review) any comparison must start with a price. Pyle Astro Tablet is less than half of the cheapest tablet listed above. It is a real bargain. The question is what are the main practical differences between the Pyle Astro Tablet and the other three tablets I mentioned.

✔ 1. The display resolution (which is 800 x 480) and brightness. In practical terms it means that even though Pyle tablet has a larger physical screen it will fit less on the screen than a display with a higher resolution. Reduced brightness means it is harder to read in the bright sun. I found that the image on the screen looks washed out at more angles than my other tablets. However, if you hold the tablet at the right angle and not in the bright sun the screen is acceptable. This is the biggest difference, and given the price difference it is a reasonable compromise.
I am attaching a collage of 2 photos, showing Pyle Astro tablet next to Galaxy 7.7 tablet (which has screen resolution 1280 x 800 pixels) so you can compare the display.

✔ 2. The processor of this tablet is not as powerful as the processors in my other tablets. It also comes with a relatively small amount memory (512MB). In practical terms it means it is a bit more sluggish than the tablets I compared it to. Doing the same operation on Pyle Astro Tablet and Galaxy 7.7 tablet (which runs the same version of the operating system) Pyle tablet took longer. To be specific, things take longer to display. For example, when I need to enter something the on-screen keyboard takes a bit longer to appear than with the other tablets. When I install something it takes a bit longer and so forth.

✔ 3. This tablet does not have a bluetooth capability. In my day-to-day usage of the tablets I use bluetooth quite a bit. I use bluetooth speaker when we use the tablet to navigate, for streaming music or audio books. I also use a bluetooth keyboard when I am doing a lot of typing on my tablet during travel. Whether missing bluetooth functionality is a deal breaker depends on whether you plan to use bluetooth devices.

✔ 4. The tablet is running Android 4.0.4 operating system. I tested many of the apps I use on my Galaxy 7.7 tablet and most of the worked with the exception of TuneIn Radio which gave me a message that it is not compatible with this device. Surprising! Pandora radio did work just fine. The error tells me that there is a potential that some apps will not work on this tablet even when they work with other tablets running Android 4.0.4.

✔ 5. I found the touch screen to be a little less responsive than my other tablets. Perhaps this could be explained by the slower processor rather than the screen itself. However, the responsiveness of the touch screen is something that you get used to and learn to use effectively relatively quickly.

With the price tag of under $100 Pyle Astro tablet performed rather well for a budget tablet. Whether you are on a budget or want to get a tablet for youngster this tablet will do a serviceable job.

================================================
Technical specification errors as of 6/11/2013
================================================
I am an engineer so several mistakes in the technical spec jumped out at me and caused me to look for another version of the spec, which I found on the Pyle Audio web site. This second version of the spec appears to be accurate. I am including that version after noting the errors.

1. Errors in the manufacture and processor description.
Processor Brand: Intel
Processor: 1.2 GHz A-Series Quad-Core A8
➨ ➨ A8 is an ARM processor and Intel does not make ARM processors at the current time
➨ ➨ The processor in this tablet is unlikely to be a high end quad-core based on performance and price of this tablet.
When I looked up the processor on the Pyle web site, the processor was descried as "1.2GHz Cortex A8 Processor Chip"
not mentioning the number of cores, which typically implies one core.

2. Hard Drive Rotational Speed 5400 RPM
➨ ➨ Tablets do not use hard drives that rotate, they use flash RAM

3. Hard Drive 8 GB
➨ ➨ This device does not have a hard drive, it has is 8GB flash RAM storage capacity
The difference between hard drives and flash RAM is that hard drives are mechanical devices that rotate, flash RAM is solid state memory (no moving parts). This makes flash RAM shockproof, which makes it very useful for a mobile device which is being carried around. If this tablet actually had a hard drive it would be bad news. But the spec from Pyle web site does not include a mention of the hard drive and refers to 8GB Storage Capacity instead.

==========================================
Here is the spec from the Pyle web site
==========================================
Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Operating System)
1.2GHz Cortex A8 Processor Chip with 3D Graphic Acceleration
2 Built-in Cameras: .3 Megapixel Front & 2 Megapixel Back Cameras
Multi-Touch Capacitive Screen with 4-Direction Gravity Sensing
High-Speed Wireless Network: 802.11 b/g/n
TF card Port (Supports up to 32GB)
8GB Storage Capacity
Integrated Flash Player
Multi Language Support
512MB DDR3 RAM
Pixel Resolution: 800 x 480
Up to 8-Hour Battery Life (4000mAh Battery)
Headphone Jack & Side-Button Volume Control
USB wall charger adapter, USB charging cable

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Grace Digital GDI-EGSCM Suction Cup Mount

I am using Grace Digital suction mount to mount ECOROX Bluetooth Speaker. The speaker is 5.5"L x 3.5"W x 2.5"H. Its weight is 10.6 oz. The mount holds this weight easily.

I mounted suction mount with the speaker in my shower. It has been installed over a week ago and it still holds well without needing any adjustments. The mount attaches with a vacuum seal mount and has a quick release/lock lever. The mount allows the speaker to be pivoted 360 degrees. The suction mount and the pivot give me a lot of flexibility of where to place the speaker. I put it right inside of the shower stall, so I have great acoustics when I am in the shower.

I received this suction mount from the manufacture for testing and an honest review be it positive or negative. The mount works great, the hold is very strong. It will mount well on any smooth surface.

I am posting a photo of the suction mount holding the bluetooth speaker. The photo can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Chef's Star® Manual Hand Crank Juicer - Single Auger Juice Press

ChefSmartTM Hand Crank Juicer is easier to crank than I expected. It is made out of hard plastic and I expected that I would need to apply some muscle when cranking, but the muscle was not really required. As you see in the video I cut the apple in fairly small chunks as recommended in the documentation. And the cranking did not require much force. The juicer has a very good suction mechanism and stayed firmly in place. If anything I had a bit of hard time getting it off the table (not complaining, just pointing out how good the suction is).

The juice produced pulp from the front of the spout and juice from the middle. I thought I would eat the pulp after the juicing is done not to waste anything but the juicer did such a good job that the pulp was totally tasteless and I tossed it. As you see in the video the apples got stuck to the auger a couple of times and I used a spoon to dislodge and move them around. Then the juicer was producing juice at a good clip again.

The ChefSmart juicer disassembled easily, it has no sharp pieces so it was quick and easy to clean. Manual cranking does take longer than juicing with an electric juicer, but cranking itself is not hard. Plus it is quiet!

I received this juicer for testing and sharing my experience with potential future buyers. I liked it and will be using it on regular basis. I hope the video gives you a good idea what to expect.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: comparison of four LED lights from Ideal LED Light

When I shop for LED bulbs the amount of choices is dizzying. When I can't see them turned on side by side I am never quite sure what they will look like when I get home this is because manufactures do not have a standard of how they specify what their light is equivalent to.

In this review I am including a comparison of the 4 IDEAL LED lights by using standard EFI charts and side-by-side photos of the 4 lights.

IDEAL LED 18 Watt Reveal Warm
2900K PAR38 Flood light
800 lumen
65 degrees light beam
Replaces 55 Watt incandescent
Indoor and outdoor use
Cost savings $19 - $6.24 = $12.76 (calculations explained below)

IDEAL LED 18 Watt Neutral White
4300K PAR38 Flood Light
900 lumen
65 degree light beam
Replaces 61 Watt incandescent
Indoor and outdoor use
Annual cost savings $21.08 - $6.24 = $14.84

IDEAL LED 13 Watt Neutral White
4300K PAR30 Flood Light
990 lumen
90 degrees beam
Replace 67 Watt incandescent
Indoor use
Annual cost savings $23.15 - $4.49 = $18.66

IDEAL LED 13 Watt Reveal Warm
2900K PAR30 Flood Light
860 lumen
90 Degree Beam
Replaces 59 Watt incandescent
Indoor use
Annual cost savings $20.39 - $4.49 = $15.90

How I calculated incandescent equivalent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In my description above I am using efi.org lumen equivalents to calculate the power of the incandescent light this LED light replaces rather than the information provided by the manufacture (manufacture's numbers are higher). I believe EFI numbers are more accurate in giving a consumer an idea of the brightness they will get.

EFI standards are:
75 watts is 1100 lumens
60 watts is 890 lumens

How I calculated cost savings
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we use 1000 watts for 1 hour we used a kilowatt-hour.
The formula to figure the cost of running a device:
wattage x hours used ÷ 1000 x price per kWh = cost of electricity

Assuming usage of one light bulb 8 hours a day each day for 1 year and the cost of electricity 0.12 cents per kwh
55w Incandescent bulb ~~~ $1.58 per month, $19 per year
59w Incandescent bulb ~~~ $1.70 per month, $20.39 per year
61w Incandescent bulb ~~~ $1.75 per month, $21.08 per year
67w Incandescent bulb ~~~ $1.92 per month, $23.15 per year
13w LED bulb ~~~~~~~~~~~~ $0.27 per month, $4.49 per year
18w LED bulb ~~~~~~~~~~~~ $0.52 per month, $6.24 per year

Visual comparison of the LED lights
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To illustrate this review I am attaching 10 photos in two photo collages (they can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo)

✔ Photo #1 shows 18W Watt Reveal Warm and 18W Neutral White next to each other so you can see the color difference.
✔ Photo #2 and Photo #3 show white appliances in the light of each of these two bulbs.
✔ Photo #3 shows 13W Watt Reveal Warm and 13W Neutral White next to each other so you can see the color difference.
✔ Photo #5 and Photo #6 show white appliances in the light of second set of bulbs.

As you see the lightening provided by the 18w and 13w bulbs are very similar (and you would expect that based on lumens). The biggest difference between the bulbs is the width of the light beam. I liked 13w bulbs which have 90 degree beam light better as they lighted up a larger area.

✔ Photo #7 shows 18W light on a digital scale. It weighs in at 9.3 oz. You can also see the front lens of the bulb. It is clear.
✔ Photo #8 shows 13W light on a digital scale. It weighs in at 6.3 oz. You can also see the front lens of the bulb. It is lightly frosted.
✔ Photo #9 shows 18W light on a one inch gridded mat for size reference.
✔ Photo #10 shows 13W light on a one inch gridded mat for size reference.

I liked the lightly frosted lens on 13W better than the clear lens on 18W as it diffused the light and if you happened to look up and see the light it was more attractive to look at and easier on your eyes.

Manufacture of these lights asked me as one of the reviewers who have a history of writing informative reviews to test these lights and post my opinion about them to make it easier for future potential customers make their buying decisions.

Overall, all four lights are well made. They worked well, their finish is neat, they did not rattle when I shook them, there are no visible sloppy soldering as I have seen on some other LED lights. Out of the four lights I tested my top pick is IDEAL LED 13 Watt Reveal Warm with IDEAL LED 13 Watt Neutral White a close runner-up.

You can find neutral bulb on Amazon by following this link.


You can find warm bulb on Amazon by following this link.

You can find warm bulb on Amazon by following this link.


You can find neutral white on Amazon by following this link

Ali Julia review ★★★★★ and ★★★★☆

Product review: The GoldenValley Mini Ultra High-Flux Cree XR-E Q5 LED Adjustable Flash Light

This is a pretty bright LED light flashlight. It has two modes: a steady light and a strobe. The flashlight runs on one AA battery (not included).

I am attaching a video which demonstrates the flashlight in action.

The length of this flashlight can be changed from 4 inches to 3.5 inches. This such a small difference that I don't really see the point why it is made this way. It is not a negative but I did not find the difference in length to be significant enough to be useful. The flashlight has a pen-like clip which could be handy both in storage and attaching during usage.

Overall, I liked the flashlight but I found the battery compartment hard to open. After a bit of struggle I managed to do it once to put in the battery, but when I wanted to do it again for the video I could not open the battery compartment again.

I received this flashlight for testing and review from the manufacture. I wrote to the manufacture to ask them if there was a trick to opening the battery compartment. No. There was no secret button. They suggested putting a drop of oil on the threads. If you have trouble opening it too keep this suggestion in mind. I will try this again when it is time to change the battery. Since this is a LED light flashlight I hope this will not happen for a very long time.

Other than the battery compartment glitch, I am pleased with the flashlight.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: J-style 3D Tri-Axis Multifunction Belt Clip Pedometer with Technology Large LCD Screen

What do I want from pedometer? I want it to be accurate and I want it to be easy to wear. J-Style pedometer accomplishes exactly that. I have been using it daily for over a month and it has worked well without problems. Note that I only care about counting steps, some measurements are shown as metric measures such as kilometers rather miles.

The pedometer has a nice lever style clip, which is easy to open and close. The pedometer is worn closed, to see the statistics it collected you need to open it. In addition to the step count, it keeps track of walking distance, burned calories, activity time, average speed, and time of the day.

Display shows from 0 to 99,999 steps, from 0 to 99,999km, from 0 to 99,999 calories, from 0 to 59 hours 59 minutes.

Dimensions of the unit are 2.5" x 1.5" (closed), 2.5" x 2.5" (opened).

The timer runs on one CR2032 battery (included). Estimate life of the battery is 1 year.

Before using it you need to calibrate it to your stride. This is accomplished by hitting a small recessed system reset button (I used a sewing needle to press it). Then you need to specify time and your stride length. The interface requires you to specify this information in centimeters. The stride is measured toe to toe or heel to heel. To get more accurate measurement is better to walk a good number of steps and then divide the total distance by the number of steps taken.

If you are not concerned about the accuracy then you can use average stride length:
Average stride length for ladies: 70 cm (Note! This info has to be in metric measurements)
Average stride length for men: 78 cm

I received this pedometer from the manufacture to provide honest feedback and review (good or bad) for this newly launched product. I hope my description and video helps you to know what to expect.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Pocket Chain Saw Survival Gear Cool Outdoor Camping Tools

This pocket chain saw is a 25" long chain saw blade attached to two nylon handles. The length of the saw with the handles is 40 inches. It comes in a handy pouch which keeps the package neat and compact. It weighs only 4.7 oz on my digital postal scare.

To test the saw I enlisted the help of my husband to do the sawing while I held the end of the branch he was working on in place. The video shows the cutting of 1/2 inch branch. The entire process took slightly over 5 minutes. The attached video includes two short snippets in the beginning and the end of the sawing session.

Observations:
1. The saw worked but required a lot of energy and a good amount of time
2. The blade did not flip while it was in use, no adjustments were required
3. The blade came out pretty clean and no time consuming cleaning was required

The chain saw is most effective for cutting old trees or stumps still standing upright. Limbs on the ground require stepping on the tree limb to give it enough weight to counter the sawing motion. To cut a horizontal branch on a tree it helps to have two people, as the second person can hold the branch steady.

I received this saw from Stunning Gadgets with a request for an honest review, be it good or bad. This is a useful gadget to have in emergency, its small size and light weight are its biggest assets. Putting it to use does require effort and time, which is not unexpected, of course.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: iFlash® Ultra Slim 3200mAh Portable Power Bank Backup External Battery Charger with Embedded Micro-USB and Flashlight

Ultra Slim 3200mAh External Battery Pack looks very slick, it is quite thin. One unique feature of this external power pack is that it has a micro USB cable built into the side of the unit (see attached photo collage). It pops out of the side on a coiled cable, so if your mobile device takes a micro USB connector you don't need to carry any extra cables. This built-in cable delivers very rapid charging (see test results below). The power pack also has a port which allows you to connect other connectors, so it works with devices that have proprietary connectors as well.

I tested Ultra Slim 3200mAh External Battery Pack with Galaxy Nexus Phone (running ICS 4.0.4), Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (running ICS 4.0.4) and iPad Mini.

I received this power bank from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. Top reviewers are often asked to review new battery packs and one of the benefits of being asked to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.

I received two identical units black and white, having two of them allows me to test for consistency in manufacturing. Ideally I want to see the same performance numbers for both units, and this was the case with the two Ultra Slim power packs .

My methodology is to charge each mobile device on each port of the unit for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charge in that 10 minute period. In addition I tested charging two mobile devices at the same time. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test. I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.

➨ General features:
======================

Ultra Slim 3200mAh external battery weighs 3.2 oz. Its size is 2.25" x4.25 " x 0.375". The pack has one USB output port and one built-in micro USB cable.

In addition to the built-in micro USB cable Ultra Slim comes with a charging cable and two tips - micro USB and iPad. It did not have tips for Samsung Galaxy Tab or lightening connector for iPad Mini and I used my own charging cables during the tests. I am attaching a photo of the Ultra Slim 3200mAh during one of the test next to my tablet for size reference. You can find this photo by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo in this listing.

Ultra Slim 3200mAh looks very slick: it is thin, has a nice finish, and in general has a look and shape of a smart phone. It shows the charge level by displaying 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% on panel. When it is charging, however, this indicator gets turned off. But the charging continued even when the lights were off. This is a little different from how other external power pack indicators work (they stay on when you are charging),so I wanted to mention it. In addition to the charging capabilities, Ultra Slim has a built-in flashlight.

➨ Test Results:
======================

✔ Galaxy Nexus Phone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
White unit: AC ~~~~~ 6% change in charge in 10 minutes (built-in mciro USB charging cable)
Black unit: AC ~~~~~ 6% change in charge in 10 minutes (built-in mciro USB charging cable)

White unit: AC ~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes (separate charging cable)
Black unit: AC ~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes (separate charging cable)

✔ Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
White unit: AC ~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes (separate charging cable)
Black unit: AC ~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes (separate charging cable)

✔ iPad Mini tablet
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
White unit: AC ~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes (separate charging cable)
Black unit: AC ~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes (separate charging cable)

➨ Key finding:
======================
✔ This power pack has great performance with built-in micro USB cable.
✔ Using your own charging cables the power pack works with both Galaxy 7.7 Tablet and iPad Mini but performance is on the slow side.
✔ I observed the same performance for both the black and white model, which is good and reflects consistency in the manufacturing process.

I highly recommend this power pack to people who can take advantage of the built-in micro USB cable.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: GreatShield Mariner (IP-68 Certified) 100% Waterproof Protective Pouch Case for 8" tablets (iPad Mini, Galaxy 7.7, and others)

Mariner looks very cool and feels well made. It is very different from several other waterproof cases I own.

When not in use it looks like a neat looking white cylinder. This cylinder turns into a seal for a waterproof bag that is stored within it.

The cylinder lid opens when the connectors on both sides of the cylinder are pushed in at the same time. It is closed by snapping the lid shut. Listen for the click to be sure it closed.

In attached video I show opening the cylinder, inserting each of my two tablets (iPad Mini and Galaxy Tab 7.7) inside of it. The video also shows my water test with iPad mini: putting the case under water and using the iPad Mini while it is wet and inside the pouch. I also show removing the tablet and packing up the case back for storage by rolled it up into the cylinder.

The whole system is very neat and good looking. It worked well both in terms of being waterproof and keeping the ability of using the tablet while it is in the bag. I would rank it above other waterproof bags I have tried.

I received Mariner from the manufacture for testing and sharing my experience be it positive or negative. I am not compensated for this review or have a business relationship with the manufacture. The manufacture does not have any influence over the content of my review. I've done my best to test the product and provide an honest review. I hope the video gives you a good idea of what to expect.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Nano flash drive, V7 Mini USB Flash Drive, 32GB

This V7 nano flash drive has 32 GB capacity. The nano drive is really small: 7/8"L x 1/2"W x 1/8"H. I am attaching a couple of photos which shows this flash drive next to a regular flash drive and in use with my MP3 speaker player for size reference.

The drive has a small loop at the top, so it can be attached to a key chain if a loop if needed. My favorite use for this flash drive is in the MP3 player you see in the photo, I used to use this player with a regular size memory stick and a tiny one is so much more convenient.

The 32G capacity allows you to store 5416 photos each one is 12 MegaPixels or 250 minutes of 13 Mpbps HD video. The memory stick has a 5 year limited warranty.

The maximum speed that USB 1.0 devices can achieve is 12 MB/s while 2.0 devices can theoretically achieve up to 40 times of that at 480Mbps (although real speed it typically somewhat less than this theoretical maximum).

I measured the performance of V7 nano flash drive with several utilities and its performance falls in the middle of other USB 2.0 memory sticks I have tested.

To test various memory cards I run the same set of tests so I can compare them to each in "apples to apples" comparison, this way if some unit does not perform well I notice it by comparing it to other devices I have tested. My test consist of copying a large set of mp3 files totalling 638916 Megabytes.

V7 SDHC write performance:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✔ 1.642s (cpu) 1:55.52 (clock time)

For comparison I including numbers for copying the same set of files to SanDisk USB2 memory stick, Transcent microSDHC class 6 card, and to the hard drive of my computer.

✔ Transcent microSDHC : 1.482s (CPU time), 1:33.97 (clock time)
✔ SanDisk USB2: 1.358s (CPU time), 1:23.53 (clock time)
✔ Hard Drive: 0.573s (CPU time), 0:00.58 (clock time)

For read performance test I use Linux Disk Utility Benchmarks.

V7 SDHC Read-only performance:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✔ Minimum read rate 18.0 MB/s
✔ Maximum read rate 31.3 MB/s
✔ Average read rate 27.0 MB/s
✔ Average access time 1.4 ms

There are a couple of small negatives I want to mention (not deal breakers just for completeness of the review).

1. This memory stick does not have a led indicator which shows that the memory stick is being accessed. If I am using multiple memory sticks I like to see the reassuring flashing of the stick I am writing to so I can be sure I am accessing the right stick.
2. The memory stick has a pretty tight fit, I use the grippy material used to open can lids to pull the memory stick out the USB slot of my hub.

I was supplied a sample for testing and an honest review, be it positive or negative. I really like this nano flash drive and would recommend it to others.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Metrokane 9251 All Chrome Electric Rabbit Wine Opener

After a couple of back surgeries my hand strength is pretty bad. One of the things that is difficult for me is opening wine bottles. When Metrokane asked me to test and review Metrokane Electric Rabbit Wine Opener I eagerly agreed knowing I will be one of their weakling testers.

I finally found the wine opener that is easy for me to use! All I have to do is press the bottom button on the wine opener and wait until the motor stops, and then push the top button to eject the cork from the wine opener. No strength needed at all! At the 4th of July gathering we opened a few bottles using it, and they all worked equally well.

Attached video starts with the use of the foil cutter - one has to squeeze and turn it to cut off the foil. Then the video shows extracting the cork, and finishes up with ejecting the cork.

The bottle opener comes with a charger. It takes 5 hours to fully charge the opener. The top of the opener has a digital display which shows how many bottles you can open with the remaining charge. The fully charged unit can open 30 bottles.

I am attaching a collage of photos (which can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo).

✔ Photo #1 shows the use of the foil cutter
✔ Photo #2 shows wine opening removing the cork
✔ Photo #3 shows the cork coming out of the wine opener
✔ Photo #4 shows the cork being ejected
✔ Photo #5 shows the wine opener being charged (just starting, so it shows 0 bottles)

The Metrokane Electric Rabbit Wine Opener comes in an attractive round box. It would make an attractive gift.

Electric Rabbit Wine Opener has a 1 year warranty. It can be returned for repair or replacement to Metrokane (proof of purchase is required) to the following address:
Metrokane Consumer Service
150 East 58th Street
New York, NY 10155


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Toddy Gear 5 x 7 Inch Premium Microfiber Smart Cloth Touch Screen Cleaning

This cleaning cloth is generously sized 6 7/8" on one side and 5" on the other side. You get one cleaning cloth in the package. One side is terri-cloth like micro fiber, the other side is satiny cloth. It is machine washable.

Toddy cleaning cloths comes in many colorful designs. The design appears only on the satiny slipery side, the micro fiber side has a solid color.

I am attaching a photo collage which shows both sides, as well as in use cleaning glasses for relative size. The photo can be located by following 'customer photo' link under the main photo.

I received a sample cleaning cloth from the manufacture to share my opinion with it whether positive or negative.

Is it better than other less expensive micro-fiber cleaning cloth? No. But one side has a colorful print and you are paying premium price for the colorful design.
You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: 32 GB sd card

My V7 microSDHC memory card has 8 GB capacity. This capacity allows you to store 1354 photos each one is 12 MegaPixels or 63 minutes of 13 Mpbps HD video. The memory card has a 5 year limited warranty.

I testd both the microSDHC card directly and the microSDHC with SD sleeve.

I measured the performance of V7 micro SDHC memory card with several utilities and found its speed reasonable. It falls in the mid range of various memory cards I have tested in the past, it is neither the slowest nor the fastest.

To test various memory cards I run the same set of tests so I can compare them to each in "apples to apples" comparison, this way if some unit does not perform well I notice it by comparing it to other devices I have tested. My test consist of copying a large set of mp3 files totalling 638916 Megabytes.

V7 microSDHC write performance:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✔ 1.654s (cpu) 2:37.83 (clock time)

V7 microSDHC with sleeve write performance:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✔ 1.437s (cpu) 2:40.11 (clock time)

For comparison I including numbers for copying the same set of files to SanDisk USB2 memory stick, Transcent microSDHC class 6 card, to hard disk of my computer,

✔ Transcent microSDHC : 1.482s (CPU time), 1:33.97 (clock time)
✔ SanDisk USB2: 1.358s (CPU time), 1:23.53 (clock time)
✔ Hard Drive: 0.573s (CPU time), 0:00.58 (clock time)

For read performance test I use Linux Disk Utility Benchmarks.

V7 SDHC Read-only performance:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✔ Minimum read rate 19.1 MB/s
✔ Maximum read rate 22.3 MB/s
✔ Average read rate 21.9 MB/s
✔ Average access time 0.9 ms

V7 SDHC with sleeve Read-only performance:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✔ Minimum read rate 14.9 MB/s
✔ Maximum read rate 22.2 MB/s
✔ Average read rate 19.3 MB/s
✔ Average access time 1.0 ms

The only small negative I have to say that the packaging of the card does not include a plastic case which is included with some other cards. I like having a spare memory card when I travel and find these cases pretty handy.

I was supplied a sample for testing and an honest review, be it positive or negative.

Ali Julia review

Product review: EC Tech Mini 2600mAh external battery power bank lipstick size

The unique feature of EC Tech Mini 2600mAh that it looks like a flash light with a charging port in it. The flashlight is quite bright. Many batteries have a small built in flashlight, but they are normally not very strong where as this one if fairly good.

I tested EC Tech Mini 2600mAh Power Pack with with Nexus 7 Tab (running ICS 4.3), Galaxy Nexus Phone (running ICS 4.2) and Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (running ICS 4.0.4). My tests showed average results for the phone, and below average results for the tablets.

I received this power bank from the manufacturer for an honest review be it positive or negative. Top reviewers are often asked to review new battery packs and one of the benefits of being asked to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.

My methodology is to charge each mobile device on each port of the unit for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charge in that 10 minute period. In addition I tested charging two mobile devices at the same time. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test.

I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.

➨ General features:
======================

EC Tech Mini 2600mAh external battery weighs 1.8 oz. Its size is 4.1" x 1" diameter.

The pack has one USB output port. The package includes 4 tips, among them mini USB, micro USB and iPad. The package also contains a charging USB cable. Galaxy tab connector and lightening cable for iPad Mini are not included.

➨ Test Results:
======================

✔ Galaxy Nexus Phone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet (using my own Galaxy tab connector cable)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AC ~~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Nexus 7 Tab
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AC ~~~~~~ 0% change in charge in 10 minutes

➨ Key findings:
======================
✔ This external battery works well as emergency power a phone or as a rechargeable flash light. This is not the best small factor external battery I have tested, but it has the brightness flash light of all the external batteries that I have tested. I keep in the car as a rechargeable flash light, and just in case I need power for an emergency phone call.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: EC Tech 7800 mAh Power Pack External Battery for Nexus, Samsung, Apple iPad

I tested EC Tech 7800 mAh Power Pack with with Nexus 7 Tab (running ICS 4.3), Galaxy Nexus Phone (running ICS 4.2) and Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (running ICS 4.0.4). Overall, the tests show good results.

I received this power bank from the manufacturer for an honest review be it positive or negative. Top reviewers are often asked to review new battery packs and one of the benefits of being asked to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.

My methodology is to charge each mobile device on each port of the unit for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charge in that 10 minute period. In addition I tested charging two mobile devices at the same time. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test.

I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.

➨ General features:
======================

EC Tech 7800 mAh external battery weighs 6.6 oz. Its size is 2.75" x 3.75" x 0.875".

The pack has 2 USB output ports. The package includes 4 tips: PSP, Mini USB, Micro USB, Apple. It also has two adapter cables. Galaxy tab connector and lightening cable for iPad Mini are not included. The battery pack has a small LED flashlight built into it.

➨ Test Results:
======================

✔ Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet (using my own Galaxy tab connector cable)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes
Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Nexus 7 Tab
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes
Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Galaxy Nexus Phone
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes
Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Galaxy Nexus Phone and Nexus 7 Tab together
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes (Galaxy Nexus Phone)
Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes (Nexus 7 Tab)

➨ Key finding:
======================
✔ This external battery worked equally well for the phone and the tablets. It is not the fastest external battery I have tested, but its performance is very respectable.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Hipe 7" Digital 5 Day Wireless Internet Weather Forecast Station

I like the concept of this weather station, but encountered several flaws in its current behaviour.

HIPE weather station is not your typical weather station which has a probe that measures the weather conditions right outside your house. Instead it gets information from the internet and then broadcasts the information, using a USB wireless dongle, to the display unit somewhere in your house. The weather station can only operate when the wireless dongle is plugged into the computer and computer is turned on and connected to the internet. In the current version (6/6/2013) the information is updated and broadcast every 55 seconds.

To configure the unit you select a city for which information is available that is the closest to your location. I check two states that I am close to and each had 9 cities to select from. My closest choices were 10-15 miles away, so I noticed slight variation in the forecast and the conditions near my house. I have one of those old-fashioned weather stations with a temperature probe that I was comparing this unit with.

The weather station comes with software for Windows and Mac. I installed it on the Windows machine. The installation was very easy, the display immediately received the broadcast. However the install did not follow Windows standards and normal good software practices of (1) asking the user where to install the software and installed the package at root level on C: drive (2) asking the user whether he/she want to add an icon to the system tray (3) giving the user an option to suppress system tray pop-ups that are generated every 55 seconds when the software broadcasts the weather (which need to be dismissed manually).

I received this product for testing and review from the manufacture and the first unit I received had a problem with displaying the information: it showed the full forecast for the current day, but did not show high and low temperatures for next 4 days. The manufacture suggested trying fresh batteries and taking out batteries and then re-inserting them, but this did not correct the problem. He mailed me a second unit for testing and it worked perfectly. I am attaching an image of both units so you can see the difference between working and faulty unit.

I asked the manufacture about the warranty. I wanted to know if the display issue is covered and would a consumer need to return the unit to get the replacement or would supplying a photograph demonstrating the issue would enough. He told me that the display issue would be covered under 1 year warranty and the a photograph proof of the damage would sufficient, the broken unit does not have to be returned. This is a consumer friendly return policy that gets high marks in my book.

I am attaching a collage of 5 photos which can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.

✔ The first photo the display for two units, the top unit is the faulty one where you can see temperature shows up only for today.

✔ The second photo shows the back of the unit, including the stand that turns this unit into a table top unit. The other option is to hang the unit on the wall using the keyhole mount.

✔ The third photo shows the wireless dongle, the light is green when it is broadcasting. The dongle is fairly large and I had to use a USB hub to fit it comfortably into my computer.

✔ The fourth photo shows a nice forecast display that comes up if you click on the icon on the tray.

✔ The fifth photo shows a pop that is generated every time the software does a broadcast.

I found the pop-up that was generated every 55 seconds annoying, all it tells you is that weather forecast has been updated. By convention such intrusive pop-ups are only generated for critical issues not trivial information. I contacted the manufacture again regarding this software issue. He told me that the developers are working on an upgrade which reduces the frequency of pop-ups. He provided me with a download of this future version, which I liked better because it generated a pop up less frequently by getting updates less frequently. However, it still generates a pop-up that needs to be dismissed. It would have been better if the app operated in a silent mode and only gave the time of the last update if one were to click on the icon in the tray.

As I mentioned earlier the installation gave me no options. It did not give me an option to add or not add this app to my system tray. I guard that space very carefully and only allow some applications to be visible all the time, this app did not give a choice when it added itself to the system tray. And I would have liked an option which would allow me to select whether it generates any pop-ups or not. The application installation did not give me an option of selecting a directory where I wanted to install the app. The app installed its directory at the top level of c: drive, not under Program Files which is a Windows convention. Imagine if every application installed itself at the root level?

I really liked the concept of this device, I like seeing the forecast right on my night table. The screen display problem of the first unit was remedied by an excellent warranty which does not require the return of the unit. However the application itself, even the updated version I received from the manufacture, did not make the weather software a well behaved Windows application. I gave my feedback to the manufacture and I hope they will continue to improve this product because it has good potential.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: Grace Digital GDI-EGSCM Suction Cup Mount

I am using Grace Digital suction mount to mount ECOROX Bluetooth Speaker. The speaker is 5.5"L x 3.5"W x 2.5"H. Its weight is 10.6 oz. The mount holds this weight easily.

I mounted suction mount with the speaker in my shower. It has been installed over a week ago and it still holds well without needing any adjustments. The mount attaches with a vacuum seal mount and has a quick release/lock lever. The mount allows the speaker to be pivoted 360 degrees. The suction mount and the pivot give me a lot of flexibility of where to place the speaker. I put it right inside of the shower stall, so I have great acoustics when I am in the shower.

I received this suction mount from the manufacture for testing and an honest review be it positive or negative. The mount works great, the hold is very strong. It will mount well on any smooth surface.

I am posting a photo of the suction mount holding the bluetooth speaker. The photo can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Sendy 5200mAh High Capacity Portable Power Backup External Battery

I tested Sendy 5200mAh power bank with Nexus 7 Tablet (JellyBean 4.2.2), Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (ICS 4.0.4), and Samsung Galaxy Nexus cell phone (JellyBean 4.2.2), iPad Mini and Sansa Clip+ MP3.

I received this power bank from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. One of the benefits of being requested to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.

These comparison tests reveal that Sendy power bank works very well with Android devices (particularly the Galaxy Tab which is often the worst performer), but did NOT work with my iPad Mini.

The size of the power bank is 4" x 1.75" x 0.75". It weight 4.5 oz on my digital scale. In addition to being a charge it also has a built-in LED light. The light is not very bright, but better than nothing in an emergency situation.

My methodology for testing power banks is to charge each mobile device for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charged in that 10 minute period. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test.

I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.

✔ Nexus 7 Tablet
--------------
Charging cable -- AC ............. 1% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone
--------------------------
Charging cable -- AC ............. 4% change in charge in 10 minutes
Data cable ------ AC ............. 1% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7
--------------------------
Charging cable -- AC ............. 5% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ iPad Mini
--------------------------
iPad Mini cable -- power source not recognized ............. 1% dischage in 10 minutes

✔ Sansa Clip+ MP3
--------------------------
When I charge Sansa MP3 with a standard AC charger, the MP3 player goes into charging mode, displaying the charging animated icon. When it is plugged into the Sendy power bank the MP3 continued to play the content. This is a great benefit for MP3 player with built-in battery, this means I charge and listen at the same time and I do not have to wait for the battery to recharge.

I am attaching a collage of 4 photos, which can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo:

Photo #1 shows everything that came in the package, USB cable with interchangeable tips and a small bag for carrying the power bank.
Photo #2 shows the power bank next to Sansa MP3 player for size reference
Photo #3 shows Galaxy Tab with the battery app showing results
Photo #4 shows iPad Mini which did not recognize the power shot (when it does a white plug icon is displayed on the app screen)

Overall:
------------------
Excellent performance for Android devices, does not work with iPad Mini. Nice size for travel.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: iFlash 5600mAh Backup External Battery Charger

I tested iFlash® 5600mAh External Battery Pack with Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (running ICS 4.0.4) and iPad Mini.

I received this power bank from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. Top reviewers are often asked to review new battery packs and one of the benefits of being asked to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.

I received two identical units black and blue, having two of them allows me to test for consistency in manufacturing. Ideally I want to see the same performance numbers for both units when testing the same device, and this was the case with these two units.

My methodology is to charge each mobile device on each port of the unit for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charge in that 10 minute period. In addition I tested charging two mobile devices at the same time. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test. I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.

➨ General features:
======================

iFlash® 5600mAh external battery weighs 4.4 oz. Its size is 3.75" x1.75" x 0.875". The pack has one USB output port. It comes with a pouch which fits the power pack, cables and tips. It has a built-in flashlight.

The external battery comes with a charging cable and 5 tips - micro USB, mini USB and iPad (and two others I don't recognize). It did not have tips for Samsung Galaxy Tab or lightening connector for iPad Mini and I used my own charging cables during the tests. I am attaching a photo of Flash® 5600mAh during one of the test next to my tablet for size reference. You can find this photo by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo in this listing.

➨ Test Results:
======================

✔ Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet (using my own Galaxy tab connector cable)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blue unit: AC ~~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes
Black unit: AC ~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes

✔ iPad Mini tablet (using my own lightening connector cable)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blue unit: AC ~~~~~~ -1% change in charge in 10 minutes (discharged)
Black unit: AC ~~~~~ -1% change in charge in 10 minutes (discharged)

➨ Key finding:
======================
✔ It works well with the Galaxy 7.7 Tablet, although charging rate is not the fastest I have tested. This power pack does not work with iPad Mini. I observed the same performance for both the black and blue model, which is good and reflects consistency in the manufacturing process. Overall rating: OK.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Ferry-Morse 1930 Annual Cut Flower Seed Mixture

This was a disappointing purchase in several aspects.

First, the amount of seeds you get in the package is quite small. I am attaching a photo which shows the entire content of the package on a white sheet of paper (placed on 1 inch gridded mat for size reference).
My local nurseries sell this amount of seeds for around $1.

Second, three weeks after I planted the seeds, watered them daily, I have practically zero germination rate. I planted another bag of seeds in another flower bed at the same time and it has quite a few seedlings. Both areas were watered at the same time and are located in the same sunny area.

I am attaching a photo collage containing four photos (1) the seeds contained in this package (2) the back of the packet which shows different planting zones (3) Flower bed with Ferry Morse Flower Mix, you can see one tiny seedling in the middle of the flower bed (4) Another seed package planted at the same time totally brimming with seedlings of various size.

I can't recommend this flower seeds mix.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★☆☆☆☆

Product review: DB-Tech DB-WAW400 Wireless Water Overflow And Leak Detector

DB-Techi wireless water alarm consists of two units. The smaller unit is the water alarm transmitter (its size is 2.25" x 3.5" x 1") and the larger unit is remotely controlled receiver (its size is 5" x 4" x 1.25"). The transmitter unit has a water sensor probe which is attached by 82" cord to the unit. It also has a retractable antenna to communicate with the receiver unit. Both units have keyhole hangers and come with mounting hardware and two hole templates to make mounting easier. If you have an unfinished basement and can't easily mount the unit on the wall, the cord is long enough to place the unit on top of the water heater while the sensor is at the floor level.

The transmitter unit operates on one 9V battery (not included), and the receiver operates on three C batteries (not included).

I am attaching a video which shows the water alarm operation. The water alarm worked smoothly, however it took some experimenting to figure out when the alarm generates sounds (the manual is not clear).

✔ The transmitter and the receiver both generate sounds. Each one generates a different type of alarm and on a different schedule.

✔ The receiver generates a beep-beep-beep sound for a few seconds every 10 minutes. The receiver can be re-programmed to generate another beep sound, but I was satisfied with the default sound.

✔ The transmitter generates a twirling sound for longer periods of time with shorter breaks.

✔ Each unit has a switch that allows one to turn off the sound manually, which is a good thing because the sound is loud and annoying. Loud and annoying is a good thing for an alarm, but it is also good to be able to turn it off once you know there is a problem.

✔ The video shows that the alarm is very sensitive, it needs very little water to start making noise.

To summarize:
1. Very sensitive, alarm is set off with a small amount of water
2. Reliable, alarm went off in every test I tried
3. The alarm itself is fairly loud and the receiver unit can be mounted in a different location in the house, where it can be heard even better.
4. Mounting might require some creativity if you have an unfinished basement or if the water heater is not near a wall.

I received a sample unit from manufacture to share my experience with the alarm (be they positive or negative) the with the potential future buyers. I addressed pluses and minuses of the unit, and overall recommend it. This inexpensive device can save you a lot of money by alerting you about an unexpected flood before significant water damage occurs.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆