Product review: Viewm Cloth Gaffers Tape Heavy Duty Adhesive Tape 2" X 30 Yards

Gaffer tape is a fabric tape with a strong adhesive.  It is similar to duct tape, but a major difference is that it can be removed cleanly because it uses a petroleum-based adhesive rather than rubber adhesive used in duck tape.  The duck tape is easier to produce so it is cheaper.  However, if you need to remove the tape without leaving gunk behind gaffer type is what you need. This is why it has been traditionally used during theater and stage work as they need to tape and remove tape on regular basis.

Gaffer tape comes in many colors, I use a black  tape and a white tape to make the tape blend in for various home projects. I mend tears in plastic or keep things taped in place. It even used it for an emergency water hose repair when it bust. 

The white tape is also handy when you need to write on it.  For example, when I need to label cables I write what the cable is going to on my gaffer tape and then tape it to the cable. When I need to remove it is easy and it leave no sticky residue behind.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: USB Desktop Charger, GMYLE High Speed 40W 8A 5 Ports Power USB Adapter with Smart Charging Technology

I really like this charger. It is quite compact for being able to charge 5 things at the same time. We own a number of mobile devices from different manufactures, we have Android devices, Apple devices, Samsung devices. Google (starting with Jelly Bean 4.21) figured out the Apple protocol and starting with that release is able to draw the optimal charge on ports designed for Apple. My Nexus devices work well on different ports for most chargers, but the same is not true for my Apple devices and my older Samsung Tablet.

And now we see that some of the better chargers are beginning to add intelligent technology to the chargers so can figure out the optimal protocol to use for each device on any port. This GMYLE wall charger is one of this new breed.

I tested this wall charger using a current monitor with my Android phone and iPad Mini. I ran my tests with each devices on every port while it was the only one charging, as well while the charger was charging three tablets and two phones. The charger provided optimal charging on every port on every test. Impressive! I am including details below for those who like to see the technical details.

➨ Test results
======================
--------------------------
✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone (the only device charging)
--------------------------
Port 1: 1.04A/5.15V
Port 2: 1.03A/5.14V
Port 3: 1.03A/5.14V
Port 4: 1.04A/5.14V
Port 5: 1.04A/5.14V

--------------------------
✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone (with 6 other devices charging)
--------------------------
1.02A/5.15V
--------------------------
✔ iPad Mini (the only device charging)
--------------------------
Port 1: 1.64A/5.05V
Port 2: 1.61A/5.05V
Port 3: 1.51A/5.05V
Port 4: 1.59A/5.05V
Port 5: 1.56A/5.05V

--------------------------
✔ iPad Mini (with 6 other devices charging)
--------------------------
1.55A/5.15V
--------------------------

To summarize this charger did well charging my 5 devices at the same time as well as one at a time. The charger is compact in size and takes up only one spot on the power strip.
size: 3.5" x 2.25" x 1"
weight: 5.70 oz
AC cord length: 59"


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: NaturalAreaRugs Natural Fiber Amsterdam Jute Rug, 8-Feet by 10-Feet

This is an updated review after using the rug for over a year.  I originally ranked it as a 5 star product  because of how nice it looked.  However after a year of use in a fairly heavy traffic area it began to fall apart.  I am reducing the rating to 3 star "okay".  If you use it a heavy traffic area expect to replace it in a year.

Original review: This rug is made out of Jute (90% Jute and 10% Cotton). I love natural colors and I think this rug has beautiful colors: beige, rust, brown. It is hand made by a good artisan - the edges of the rug are straight, it lays flat, the weave looks very even. I own a couple of smaller rugs in the similar style as door mats and such and some of them have wavy edges, but this one looks expertly made and looks good in the center of the room.

If you are not familiar with Jute it is made out of the bark of a Jute plant that is spun into coarse strong threads. It is more coarse and rough compared to cotton. If you step on it with your bare feet you can feel the difference, it feels rougher than cotton.

Even though I like the looks and workmanship of the rug, I have to include one negative. When the rug first arrived it had a scent - it is not a moldy scent, and does not smell chemical either, but mild scent not I am not able to identify. Initially as I spread it out on the floor the room had a scent, however now 2 weeks later the scent is no longer there.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Satechi Audio Move SD Portable MP3 Player Stereo Speaker

Satechi speaker is a small wired speaker and MP3 player (from micro SD media source). It has a crisp and pleasant sound at most ranges but at the very deep bass it does not deliver the full sound. The volume of music cannot be made super loud, but it is sufficient if you are near by or if you want to have quiet background music in a larger room. The speaker is 5.35" long, 2.5" wide, and 1" tall. It has rounded sides so it cannot be balanced on its sides, only on the back panel with the speaker facing up.

The speaker runs on a lithium battery. It is charged by a standard USB cable.

In the attached video I show MP3 operation from a micro SD memory card as well as using the speaker as a wired external speaker for my tablet (this speaker is not a bluetooth speaker).

To help me evaluate and compare different speakers I always use the same pieces of music to test the speakers. This way I can compare the speakers using this "apples-to-apples" comparison. As a stress test for the bass I use Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. Satechi speaker handled the most of Bach Fugue well, with the exception of the section with the deepest bass where it sounded a bit muddy. However it did not crackle and handle that section better than many small speakers.

This speaker is not going to satisfy an audiophile but given the price this is a nice little speaker.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Fresh Brand Men's Cotton Sweater and Cardigan

This is a nice quality sweater with a big BUT.  The size is totally off.  I originally got it for my husband and he wanted a loose comfy sweater so I ordered one size up.  When it arrived it was so tight that he rejected it.  It does fit me (I wear medium size) but I need to roll up the sleeves or they are too long for me.

The sweater is a very dark navy color (almost black) with black synthetic leather elbow patches. It is made from 80% Cotton and 20 % polyamide.

The workmanship on the cardigan is nice - neatly finished seams, no hanging threads. It comes with a spare button.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: Key Finder Phone Finder Anything finder by YOUDUO

I got this key finder for my mother who is getting forgetful.  She often loses her keys and spends a lot of timing searching for them.  The key finder allows an app running on her phone to activate a ringer attached to key chain.

The connection between the phone and the ringer is made via Bluetooth so the distance is limited.  However, it does work between two floors of the house. The ringer comes from a small speaker in the receiver, so it is not very loud. My hearing is very good and I can hear it when the ringer is on another floor, but my mother's hearing is as good as mine and she can only hear the ringer when the ringer is on the same floor.

The package comes with a spare CR2032 battery as a key that opens the receiver.  The unit comes with the battery installed so I did not need to install the spare right away.

What could be better? I would nice of the receiver was even smaller. I show it on 1/2" grid and on key ring for size reference. It also would be nice if the ringer was louder.

Tips on connecting:
1. Do not use the phone's bluetooth settings.  Connect the app and the ringer using the app.
2. How to use the app to connect the phone to the device.  After you install the app (app name is Rtrivr2) click on the bluetooth icon on the screen.  This will start the wizard that will guide you through establishing the connection.

Keys seem to be the most natural thing for the key finder, but you can attach it to other things you might want to track. I like the idea of attaching it to my suitcase when I travel so I can easily tell it apart from other suitcases on the carousel.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: GranVela Trail Camera Night Vision, 12MP 1080P HD Hunting Camera

We are big animals lovers and own several wild cams so we can observe the wildlife visitors we are lucky to get every day. Having several cameras gives me a base for comparison.  I rank this camera high among the ones I have tried:
(1) Video quality is good during the day and during the night.  The camera does best in indirect light (i.e. when the sun is NOT directly into the lens). When the light is directly into the camera the contrast in the shadows is not as good. I am including example of different light conditions, including a short night time clip.
(2) The camera has an easy to use menu-based interface.
(3) The sensativity of the motion detector is pretty. In the night time video you see a little bird triggering the camera at a good distance.

The camera has a good motion sensor and is activated only when something interesting is happening, so every video it captures has something good on it. The camera can be mounted in a number different (strap to attach to a tree or a tripod mount).  I am using a tripod.

The camera runs on eight AA batteries (not included). The battery life is pretty good.  After running for a week taking hundreds of videos every day the camera's battery indicator shows that it is half full. SD card is not included. The camera produces AVI and JPG output.

This camera case is robust.  The tripod with the camera has been knocked down by animals several times, and the camera still running, no problems. The case is waterproof and has been out in several rain storms and snow storms without any problems.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.
Ali Julia review ★★★★★