Product review: Campark ACT70 WIFI HD 2560X1080 Action camera

My initial impression of CamPark was very good. Day time video is very good, it does well even in the very sunny situations and does not overexpose. The video during the night under very low light conditions was acceptable. Live video works well. Menu-based interface is well organized and easy to use. The documention is quite good and has a lot of details. The camera comes with a large variety of accessories, including a suction window mount, waterproof camera, and a remote control. I was very pleased for several days.

However, after a few days of usage the camera crashed and was stuck on the first screen (I could not turn it off or proceed to the next screen). I "fixed" it by removing and then reinserting the battery. Initially, I thought this fixed the problem as the camera recorded for another 30-40 minutes. But when I got home I saw that after the crash all recordings were in slow motion. I fully recharged the batteries and tried a few more recordings. They were all in slow motions. I went through all the menus and contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer was responsive and provided me a software update to install on the camera. However the download is very large and needs to be downloaded from a Chinese site. I have attempted to do this download many times, some of the downloads failed others reported success but unzip utility failed reporting a corrupted zip file. I have not been able to test if the upgrade resolved the problem or not.

In attached video you see examples from the videos before and after the crash. Note that Amazon compresses video so this degrade the video quality in the clip.

Here are my notes from set up:

1. The name of the camera hot spot is "amba-boss".
The password you need to enter to connect to the hot spot is included in documentation.
To put the camera into WIFI mode you need to press the right most button on the top of the camera.

2. The name of the app is "LinkinEyes". This app shows live action from the camera, as well as allows to change camera configuration.

In my video I show live video. It looks good! The delay between the action and display is minimal, it is better than another small camera I have with live video capability.

CamPark supports micro SD cards up to 32GB, Class 10 is recommended (the micro SD card is not included).

It runs on 900mAH and I get slightly over an hour on one charge. To recharge the camera takes about 2 hours from empty. For the fastest charging the camera should be turned off when charging, however it can record while charging if desired.

I received this camera for evaluation and review as part of a new product introduction. Getting a free product does not effect what I say. My reviews reflect only my experience with the product and reviews are good or bad only based on how well the product works. If you have questions on something I did not cover post a comment and I'll do my best to answer it.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: Rosewill Quark Series 1000 Watt Power Supply

This is an excellent power supply with enough power for any personal computer. Its capacity of 1000w and it has a large number of connectors (total of 10) that gives lots of room for growth. Its size is 7.25" x 3.5" x 6". Quark 1000 uses heavy duty round cables (i.e. not ribbon cables). All connectors are modular rather than hard-wired. I prefer modular power supplies so the case has only what it needs and thus is less crowded, so this is a big plus.

The power supply can handle motherboards with both 20 pin or 24 pin connectors. It supports two SLI graphics cards. It is very quiet.

Connectors:

(1) One 20 +4 Main plug (modular)
(2) Two EPS12V CPU plugs (modular)
It supports two CPUs. This is useful for server systems, desktops have 1 CPU.
(3) Four PCIe plugs (modular)
It supports four high power PCIe cards, typically SLI graphics cards but there are other cards requirind extra power.
Most PCIe cards use only the power from the PCIe plug, but high performance high performance graphics cards use this plug (e.g. gaming graphics cards).
(4) Five SATA or Molex cable plugs (modular)
They use the same plugs and package comes with different cables that can be used as needed.
4 SATA cables, each with 4 SATA plugs for a total of 16 SATA devices supported
2 Molex cables, each supports 4 IDE drives or FANs

I measured the power supply with a power supply tester and all voltages are within tolerance. The attached video includes screen shots that show the power supply tester output. The top number for each rail shows the expected results, the number below (in a slightly larger font) shows the actual reading. 0.5V is the acceptable tolerance. All readings are well within the tolerance.

This power supply is provided by Rosewill testing and review. Its a good one!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: JENNIE LIU Women's 100% Cashmere Long Sleeve V Neck Sweater Blue Large

Buying clothing on line can be an adventure, especially with some clothing made in Asia (because Asian sizes are different from American and that is not always clearly marked). Jennie Liu clothing however are true to American sizes and they fit very well.

This sweater is made out of thin cashmere. It is a light sweater, perfect either for laying or to wear on its own. The cashmere is very soft and nice to touch (100% cashmere). I got teal color and the stock photo is accurate in color. The v-neck opening is 8" (measure when laid flat starting from the colar in the back to the opening). I like the long cuffs which allow me to roll them nicely. The workmanship is very good. In attached photo I show close up of the sweater as well as the reverse side. Looking at the inside seams is a good way to see the workmanship - if the parts that noone can see look good it means it is well made.

Cleaning instructions: dry clean.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Pergear A216C Touchless Sensor 216 Led Video Light Panel

The seller combined several different light panels in this listing. My review is for Pergear A216C Touchless Controller with Air Switch.

The light panel works with F550 SONY compatible battery (the package includes two batteries which is great as I can recharge one while using the other). I own several light panels and this panel has a couple of unique features that I like (1) touchless switch lets me save the battery life by turning it off and on quickly. Once I set up the light level and color I can turn the light on and off without having to move the panel or fiddle with the switches. With the other panels I need to either move them or reach around which may reposition the lights (2) I can control the color of the light without using filters. This light panel also has a switch that changes the light intensity. This feature is not unique to this panel, I consider it a must-have feature as it is incredibly useful.

Another minor but nice feature that my other panels do not have is a button that ejects the battery. This will prolong the panel light. I dropped and broke one of my old panels trying to remove a stiff fitting battery.

The panel comes with a light diffuser. I like that it snaps in snugly into the panel and does not fall out even when I turn the light upside down.

The light panel generates continuous light. Once you turn it on the light panel stays on. This panel does not communicate with the camera like a flash. I use it mounted on a tripod so I have more control of how the light is directed.

The photo panel is 5" by 3" and 1.5" deep. The light weighs 8.15 oz. It 216 LED lights.

Color temperature of the lights: 3200K-5500K

In addition to the extras I already mentioned the package also includes gloves which are sized small (I have small hands and they fit me perfectly) and a cleaning cloth (7.75" x 7.75").

Overall, I like this light very much. It is easy to set up and easy to change the amount of light I get to fit any situation.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: IPC Telephone Call Blocker

The good news is that device really does work and solves a much needed problem. However the interface is so non-intuitive that my mother, for example, is not able to use it. The feedback generates weird long numbers which she finds confusing. I will describe the interface and the issue with the caller id so you can decide if the draw backs out weight the ability to deal with the annoying marketing calls.

I saw two main issues. First that if you hook this device to the phone that has Caller ID capability you will lose the caller id display on that phone. To solve this problem I dedicate a separate phone to this device. This phone is not used for calls just for blocking. The caller id is shown on other phones, just not the one hooked to the blocking unit.

The second issue has to do with the user interface and the feedback displayed on the screen.

When the number is blocked, there is no clear indication that it happened. It just displays a long string of numbers (not the phone number). When I press various buttons, for example, blacklist to see which numbers were blacklisted it shows another long sequence of numbers (some diagnostic information?) when my list is empty, and includes these long strings after the blocked numbers if my list is not empty. The last time I blocked the number and it was saved to the blacklist the confirmation that the number has been saved is the display as a number '2012'. Very strange design!

The manual (which is written in broken English and is hard to understand) does mention that when you press various button the screen displays '1234567' as a confirmation but does not explain the long number sequences. This appliance has the most unfriendly user interface I have ever encountered.

During the initial set up to set the time you need to hit "set" on the unit, then pick up the phone and dial "1" (the phone will give an error that it is an invalid number, but the blocking unit will enter time setting mode). Once it is in the setting mode you need to press set button to change value, but the values you see are not sequential they appear what seems to be in a random order. To to set the time to 10:12 pm I had to see random numbers for the year, month, day, hours and minutes. I just had to keep pressing up or down button until I saw the number I wanted and then had to press "set" and it advanced to the next number. I managed to set the year, month, date and time. However, it displayed the wrong day of the week and I was not able to correct it. On Sunday it displays Thursday.

IPC documentation states that the unit can block 1500 numbers. This number is actually comprised of 1000 individual numbers and 500 other number achieved by blocking set of prefixes, which are too general for my personal use.

On the positive side, the blocking does work. I have called my home number on my cell phone and was able to successfully block it, observe it being disconnected when I called, and then I was able to remove the blocked number from the list. When I block a real telemarketer and they call again I hear one ring and then the call is disconnected.

There are two ways to block calls. One is to push Blacklist button as the marking call is coming in another one is to enter the phone number by hand and save it. The number displayed on the unit does not show the caller id, so it is not easy to identify a marking call without picking up the phone or looking at another phone which shows the caller id.

I have been using IPC for a couple of weeks. Now when I get a marking call I am not annoyed, I think "Gotcha!" and block it.

This call blocking device is provided by IPC for testing and review. If you can deal with the bizarre user interface the unit does work and not only blocks the calls but makes me feel more empowered that I have a way to fight back the annoying marketing calls.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: SmartSockets 5-AC Outlet + 2 USB Outputs Round Power Strip

I use a lot of battery chargers (AAA, camera, photo lights) that take up more than one outlet, the round shape of this strip seemed idea for it. And yes, I can fit them all next to each other no problem. However, there is a design flaw that does not make this strip ideal for the larger chargers. The sloped sides of the strip make the prongs pull out under their own weight. If the charger was flat on top this would not have been a problem. Aesthetically sloped edges look better but for practical purposes I wish it was flat on top.

In addition to 5 AC outlets this charger has two USB ports. I tested both USB ports with a current charger and was impressed with their performance, each one delivers 2A and provides optional charging to both Android and Apple devices.

I still like this power strip because I can fit 6 plugs in a smaller place than it would take for a strip. I just could not off load all my battery charger to it as I hoped.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: ROMOSS Sense 6 Plus 20000mAh Portable External Power Bank

' size: 6 1/4" x 3 1/8" x 7/8"
' weight: 16.85 oz
' number of ports: 2 ports
' flashlight: no
' cables: 1 charging cable

This external battery performed very well (1.36A/5.01V) on 2A port with my iPad Mini, the second port is 1A and it showed typical performance for this tablet on 1A drawing 0.93A/5.00V (this is below optimal, but normal for 1A port).
My Nexus phone drew only USB rate on 2A port (0.42A/5.00V), and below average on 1A (0.89A/5.01V).

To see how well different chargers and external batteries charge my mobile devices I use a Nexus phone and an iPadMini to test each of them. The current drawn from the battery depends on each device using the battery. The port rated with maximum capacity of 2A does not always deliver 2A, what is actually delivered is controlled by the device based on many factors such running apps, level of charge, and so forth. I always use the same two devices and I do my tests with the devices charged to the same level, running the same applications and using the same cables to keep everything the same. This allows me to do a relative comparison of each battery and identify the ones that do not perform well. Note that these tests are not testing for the maximum current each device can draw on each port as neither of my devices can max out the port.

I check if the cable that came with the battery is a charging cable (i.e. capable of charging at full AC rate or if charges at slower USB rate). This is easy to tell by using a current monitor and I happy to report that this package includes a charging cable that works at AC rate.

The best feature of this battery is the large capacity. Given that it is not a fast charger my main use for this battery is to have it power my my MP3 speaker with external speaker. I use it a lot and normally need to switch the external power pack every day, but using this battery I can go for several days without a swap.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Wavertree & London Limoncello luxury soap

As soon as I opened the box the scent was fantastic! The soap bar is a large bar, its size is 4"W x 2.5"L x 1.375"H. It weighs 7 oz. The bar itself is very plain, but scent is complex and wonderful. It smells nice as it sits on counter and as I wash my hands. It generates a nice amount of suds.

The soap is made in Australia and provided by Simple Scents.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Invtepy Smart Watch Electrocardiogram

The package includes a watch and a charging station. The instructions say that a long push on the home button on the side is supposed to turn on the watch. After charging the watch for 24 hours and trying many different long holds I could not turn this watch on. My husband also gave it a try with the same lack of success.

When the watch is charging I can get the watch to respond with "Welcome" screen and see a battery showing animation, so I know the watch and the battery are communicating and the watch is being charged. However, I never got to watch to work. The home button is the smaller button on the side. The bigger button (where a crown is positioned on other watches) is actually the camera.

I got the black stainless steel band. It looks attractive, but thinner than any other watch I have with a stainless steel band, so they are lighter than a typical watch with stainless bracelet.

I received this watch from Invtepy for testing and review as part of the new product introduction. Getting a free product does not effect what I say, my review is purely based on my experience with the product. And this watch has been a disappointment. I am including the video which shows the watch being charged and my attempts to turn it on. I also included a picture of the watch on my husband's arm to show the relative size.

You can find it by following this link

Ali Julia review ★☆☆☆☆

Product review: Jackery Titan Premium Travel Charger 18000mAh

' size: 5 7/8" x 3 1/4" x 3/4"
' weight: 15.65 oz
' number of ports: 2 ports
' flashlight: no
' cables: 1 charging cable

This external battery performed pretty well for charging both my Android phone and Apple iPadMini tablet. iPad Mini performed in line with the best external batteries I have tried, and Nexus phone did very well on one port and slightly worse on the second port.

To see how well different chargers and external batteries charge my mobile devices I use a Nexus phone and an iPadMini to test each of them. The current drawn from the battery depends on each device using the battery. The port rated with maximum capacity of 2A does not always deliver 2A, what is actually delivered is controlled by the device based on many factors such running apps, level of charge, and so forth. I always use the same two devices and I do my tests with the devices charged to the same level, running the same applications and using the same cables to keep everything the same. This allows me to do a relative comparison of each battery and identify the ones that do not perform well. Note that these tests are not testing for the maximum current each device can draw on each port as neither of my devices can max out the port.

I check if the cable that came with the battery is a charging cable (i.e. capable of charging at full AC rate or if charges at slower USB rate). This is easy to tell by using a current monitor and I happy to report that this package includes a charging cable that works at AC rate.

Samsung Nexus phone:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
port 1: 1.00A / 5.05V (excellent comparing the performance of the same device with other chargers)
port 2: 0.84A / 5.01V (below the best, but above USB rate)
(for comparison the best charging monitor result for this phone is 1.00A/5V)

As noted above these tests are not designed to test the maximum capacity of the port, so 2A port not showing 2A is not an indication of a problem

iPad Mini tablet:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
port 1: 0.83A / 5.00V (typical for 1 A port)
port 2: 1.43A / 5.09V (excellent comparing the performance of the same device with other chargers)
(for comparison the best charging monitor result for this tablet is 1.70A/5V)

The battery has a nice capacity and fast charging rate for both Android and Apple devices

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: OMEGA 3 FISH OIL by Hamilton Group comparison with Natue Made Triple Omega

I have been taking Nature Made Triple Omega since 2011 on the recommendation of my eye doc for dry eyes. He told me to take two Triple Omega capsules daily (about 1800 mg of omega oil daily). The change has been measurable, my eyes feel much better. When I first started taking Omega three to aid dry eyes I was a sceptic about its effects, but I am not a sceptic any more!

For the past few weeks I have switched from One Nature Made Triple Omega to Hamilton Healthcare Omega.
Here is side by side comparison

One Nature Made Triple Omega softgel contains
' Omega-3 434 mg
' Omega-6 276 mg
' Omega-9 170 mg
total 880 mg
Each capsule is 1200 mg, which means Omega-3 content is 73%

One Hamilton Healthcare recommended daily dose is three softgels, and the labels info is provided for daily dose of three capsules. To make it easier to compare with Triple Omega I am dividing the labels info given for three capsules by three:
' EPA 300 mg (EPA is Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid)
' DHA 200 mg (DHA docosahexaenoic acid)
' Other Omega 50
total 550 mg
Each capsule is 1000 mg, which means Omega-3 content is 55% and the filler ingredient are 45%. This is the reason why the recommended dose is three capsules rather than two capsules.

At the time I write this review Nature Made Triple Omega contains 180 gel caps and is priced at $23.50 (0.13 cents per capsule) with a daily dose cost of 0.25 cents. Hamilton Healthcare Omega contains 180 softgels is priced $29.97 (0.16 cents per capsule) and a daily dose 0.48 cents. The size of the one softgel of Nature Made Triple Omega is the same as one softgel of Hamilton Healthcare Omega.

The need for three capsules puts it below Nature Made Triple Omega for me.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Jackery Crew 5-Port High Speed USB Charging Hub

' size: 2 1/2" x 3 3/4" x 1 1/8"
' weight: 6 oz
' number of ports: 5 ports
' cables: AC port is 54.5"

The best chargers have a smart chip in them which charges all devices to their optimal charge on every port. This charger does not have this chip. This charger performs very well for my Apple iPadMini tablet. For Android phone it works, but does not charge the phone as fast as other chargers. I captured results of the tests in attached photos for those who are interested in the details of the tests.

To see how well different chargers and external batteries charge my mobile devices I use a Nexus phone and an iPadMini to test each of them. The current drawn from the battery depends on each device using the battery. The port rated with maximum capacity of 2A does not always deliver 2A, what is actually delivered is controlled by the device based on many factors such running apps, level of charge, and so forth. I always use the same two devices and I do my tests with the devices charged to the same level, running the same applications and using the same cables to keep everything the same. This allows me to do a relative comparison of each charger and identify the ones that do not perform well. Note that these tests are not testing for the maximum current each device can draw on each port as none of my devices can max out the ports.

In addition to testing the devices individually, I tested to see if the charger is capable of charging 5 devices at the same time (2 phones and 3 tablets). I monitored each device with the current monitor and I saw that each devices was drawing the same amount of current when it was the only device charging as when it was one of 5 devices charging. This is good.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: VonHaus Compact Portable 2L Dehumidifier

VonHaus Dehumidifier is 13" tall and 8.5" wide. Its best feature is that it very quiet because it does not have a compressor, the worst feature is that it is not as effective in removing humidity as a humidifier with a compressor. Both are not surprising and stem from the technology used in this unit.

To see how effective VonHaus dehumidifier is I tested in our basement, where we use a standard 50 Pint dehumidifier which fills its entire bucket in several days. I turned off the large dehumidifier and left VonHaus Dehumidifier there for 60 hours. After 60 hours the reservoir of the unit had a couple of inches of water (see video). I can fill the 67 oz reservoir in 1 week. So it works but removes modest amount of humidity. However it is wisper quiet compared to our large dehumidifier.

VonHaus dehumidifier is quiet and light because it uses thermoelectric method called Peltier. In 1834 Jean Peltier noticed that when electrical current is applied to the junction of two different metals the heat is removed from one of the metals and transferred to the other. This is the main principal of thermoelectric cooling (and known as Peltier effect). The dehumidifier has cooling unit which is constructed from tiny metal cubes made from different metals. As electricity passes through the junctions between the cubes the heat is transferred and a fan vents the heat outside, a small amount of moisture is removed from the air in this process and condensed and this is the water we see in the reservoir of the unit.

For this unit to work, it has to be turn on continuously and it removes a fairly small amount of moisture from the air. It is very quiet, and if you need to remove only a small amount of humidity in a small space it will do the job. If don't expect the same performance as from a humidifier with a compressor you will not have an unpleasant surprise. For a Peltier humidifier to become effective it needs to work for a while, so you might be disappointed if you are looking to use it for short periods of time (like using in a bathroom during showers).

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Lelec 7" Car GPS Navigation

As I write this review I have been using Lelec GPS for three weeks. It has many weaknesses (details below) and one key strength (the maps and the navigation itself). As I used it I found a way to solve the problem with the poor screen visibility in the sun which raised my overall experience to good. Note: the seller offers two products in this listing, I am reviewing the one without the rear camera.

As a background for this review I am a very experienced GPS user. We purchased our first GPS in 1999 and between my husband and I had chance to use a large number GPS units over the last 16 years. How does this GPS stack up? It is NOT the best navigation system out there, but it has several features that I do like. I hope the pluses and minuses I describe will help you in your decision of this GPS unit is a good match for your needs.

The best feature of this GPS unit are the good maps (provided by TomTom and dated June 2014). The weakest points are the user interface, which is uses the old technology for resistive touch screen and the screen visibility in the sun. The unit also includes several very outdated and primitive apps which decrease the overall impression of the unit, but they are optional so one can just ignore them.

THINGS I LIKE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. The maps are fairly current (June 2014). The display shows 3-D like rending of the turns which helps to orient yourself in a complex intersections.

2. A 7" screen is large and easy to see even for someone with imperfect vision. The screen looks washed in the sun, good in the shade, and is superb during the night. My video shows the display as we drive under different conditions. I found a work around for the poor screen visibility in the sun by changing where I mount the screen. Instead of using the mount that comes with the GPS I mounted it using a Command hook and "TABI-Stretch it on!" mount over the screen of my car's built-in GPS. The maps on the built-in GPS are now out of date and TomTom maps are significantly better. Mounting GPS in this position puts the screen in the shade, gives me a great angle and does not block visibility out of the window (but does block the car's radio as well the old GPS screen). At the end of the video I have several shots of how Lelec GPS is mounted in my car.

3. The navigation system does not require cell coverage. Our favorite navigation system at this time is Google Navigation but it requires cell coverage, which means it does not work in some rural areas where we like to travel on weekend. There is no such restriction using Lelec system. Google navigation has a street view which allows you to see the actual street and buildings this feature is not available through TomTom maps used by Lelec.

4. The speaker is good. It has a good volume level and has a large selection of male and female voices to choose from. All of them sound natural, not like a robot. I include voice directions in my video with the volume set to MAX.

5. Destination can be saved to "Favorites". It is easy to do with just a few keystrokes (my video clip includes an example).

6. You can change units from metric (default) to miles. By default the GPS is set to metric measures.

THINGS I DO NOT LIKE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. The touch screen uses the old resistive touch technology, where you need to press the screen very hard. If you are used to touch screens on the smart phone this type of the touch screen feels unresponsive.
On the positive side this touch screen user interface is easier to use than a joystick interface, you can enter destination by typing on the keyboard keyboard when entering destinations.

2. The screen is hard to see in the sun. The image looks very washed out and it is hard to read labels. The screen looks much better in the shade or in the dark. I was able to solve this by moving the GPS below the dashboard, but this may not work for some people as it covers the radio.

3. Screen does not rotate, you need to mount one specific way

4. Amazon description says the US maps are current as of 2015. The software says the maps are current as of June 2014.

5. There an option for traffic notification, however when we ran Google Navigation and Lelec at the same time Google was generating traffic warnings and Lelec did not. The overall result was that Lelec route took longer than Google route. In general, Google Navigation calculations of our arrival time were more accurate over a number of different trips we did with both GPS doing the routing.

6. In the navigation software there is information on how to get updates. When I went to that web site I had to enter the brand name of the GPS and Lelec did not match any of the devices for which I could get updates.
To see the web site where you can get updates: Show map - Destination - More - Updates and extras. When I contacted the vendor he told me that updates can be obtained by calling the Chinese company that manufactured the GPS. So I am not counting on getting updates.

7. In addition to the Navigation app this unit has a sreen full of other apps. All of them are very primitive and fall short of expectations for anyone who used similar apps on a smart phone. I don't plan on using them.

The strongest feature of this GPS is the map and the navigation. This is the most important part of the product, so even though it has a number of short comings this is a reasonable option for a GPS system if travel in areas without cell coverage or don't have a cell phone that can do Google navigation.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Koram Multi-function 9.6" LED Clock Countdown Timer

This clock is 9" wide, 3.25" tall and 2.125" thick. Each number is 2.125" tall and each line in number is 0.25" thick. It can be seen from a distance even by someone without perfect vision. The clock takes a back up battery, which saves the time when the clock loses power. The back up battery is a button cell battery (CR2032) which is included.

On the negative side, the instructions are not very clear and it takes some experimenting to figure out how set the clock. One thing that makes documentation confusing is that the documentation describes three different clocks referring them as "first generation", "second generation" and "third generation". I was not sure what I had but since the description of the third generation was the only one that reference the remote control and my clock has a remote control I figured that's what I have.

One thing that really helped me is to figure out how to reset the clock (as my first attempt was wrong). You can reset the clock by pushing a pin into a reset hole in the back. This lets you start over.

When documentation says "turn key "5" to TESET", they refer to the slide control and position labelled "T-SET". In T-set position you can set the time my pressing up or down buttons to set hours, minutes and seconds and use mode button to advance to the next setting.

To set the count down you need to click "mode" button when the slide control is in the "normal". This will allow you to set the count down time which starts with hours, then minutes, then seconds. When you set the duration and hit mode button again the display will display "CD __". If you hit up button it will turn the count down on (down turns the count down off) and then display changes to "CD ON". The final step is to hit the Snooze button, which starts the count down. Note that when the time goes down to zero the clock does not make any sound. I would have liked it to beep to let me know that the time expired.

Snooze button has many functions not just Snooze. In addition to starting the count down, if you touch Snooze while the clock is displayed time of the day it will change to show the temperature reading and then the date. The temperature is shown in Celsius and the date is shown in the European format. I have not found a way to change the temperature or date format.

The remote controls allows to change all settings by using the remote control rather than the buttons on the back of the clock. It is slightly more convenient because you can see the clock face while making the changes. The remote runs on two AAA batteries, which are not included.

Overall, nice big display, but the interface to various functions is not intuitive and not well documented.
You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Letouch® Bossa 1350mAh Ultra Slim Power Bank

LeTouch 1350 mAh external battery is super slim - the thinnest battery I own and it weights only 1.5 oz. It comes with a short (1") built-in cable and it chargers my phone at a good clip (8% in 10 minutes). I run this the same test on all external batteries with built-on cable (since I cannot use a current monitor on these cables). I run the test with phone battery at the same level running the same apps so I can compare different batteries to each other and it compares well with the other batteries running the same test. Its capacity is only 1350 mAh and some of it wasted towards heat, so it does not have enough capacity to fully charge my phone with extended battery. So for the phone it is just a quick emergency boost when the phone needs it. However it works very well with my MP3 player which is less power hungry and when I have it along on my exercise walks I want a battery that it very small and light and LeTouch works very well.

I am able to fully recharge a totally discharged LeTouch in less than 2 hours. It comes with a short (2.5") charging micro USB cable, but it works with any standard cable too.

The only negative I can say about this battery that it does not have a charge level indicator, so I am not able to tell when I am about to run out of juice.

When you don't need a power house charger and weight/size matters this battery is just the right thing.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



Ali Julia review ★★★★☆