Review: VisionTek 5 Device Charging Station

Intro

It's no secret that I have a metric crap-ton of devices that I use on a daily basis: iPhones, tablets, kindles, and even more kindles. Let's not forget that my wife also has her devices and between the both of us we have all the wall sockets under seize. If a guest wanted to charge something than they were just SOL. This is where the VisionTek 5 Device Charging Station comes in and helps rectify this a little.

Design

It's a very simple concept, it's simply a slotted piece of plastic that holds all your devices and then stores the power brick underneath. There are cutouts for cables to be routed to each slot and one for the power brick's cable as well. This works quite well, however, my biggest gripe is you have to remove the bottom piece for any cable management. This wouldn't be such a big deal except this was probably one of the most frustrating and aggravating things I had to accomplish that day, and I have 4 kids 8 and under! I don't own multiples of every charging cable so I am constantly adding and removing cables like this. If you use this, make sure you have a dedicated cable for the slots you want, cuz you ain't getting it back.

Charging

This is the best part of this whole product, it has 5 charging ports with a combined total amperage of 8 amps. If you only have one or two plugged in, they will operate at 3A! That's some crazy fast charging (think tablets and iPhone 7 Plus')! I like that the power brick has a modular cable instead of being coupled with the brick. This thing charges like a boss.

Conclusion 

Truth be told, the plastic holder is simply not very good, but the power brick is stellar and I use it out of the plastic casing and is my go-to charger at my bedside. I think if the plastic lid were easier to manage and there was a grippier substance in each slot then I would probably end up using that more, but the inconvenience of having to remove the lid is simply too much effort, hence why I use it without the casing. It's a shame because the power brick is among my top favorite charging bricks, 3A for the win!

Review: 1byone Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

It's not secret that I love gaming on my PC and am a complete sucker for RGB lighting. It should come as no surprise that the Mechanical Gaming Keyboard from 1byone had a certain allure for me with it's tantalizing RGB chroma animations and Kailh Blue mechanical keys. The real question is, how well does it handle in gaming? Let's find out.

Design

This keyboard, simply put, looks stunning. I love the angles and aggressive black look with gray accents. The RGB LEDs are stunning with great brightness and refresh rate. It just has a hypnotizing look that is hard to describe and which videos do no justice. I love the design of the "space" button and how it's situated next to a very large wrist pad. It makes more sense to me in this design since it fits theshape of your hand quite comfortably.

I also appreciate other small details such as the braided USB cable, the aluminum backing, subtle honeycomb design accents, and red LED accent lighting that doesn't detract from the overall design aesthetic but compliments it rather nicely.

I'm not a huge fan of the large 1byone logo between the keyboard and space button, it just feels out of place to me and could have been much smaller and more subdued and detracts from the rest of the design. 

Another thing that just feels is that the buttons are assigned equivalent keys from a keyboard, with some of the letters being displaced. For example, instead of "QWERT", you have "QWERP," then you have "ASDFB" instead of "ASDFG." You also have the Tab, Shift, and Ctrl keys, but without the spacing from the Caps Lock key.then there's a 'G' between Ctrl and Alt. This makes key bindings insanely difficult if you are switching between keyboards, and since this is a "half keyboard" you'll still want your main one plugged in. I was playing overwatch and had to remap some of the specials keys since a lot of keys got shuffled from switching, keep this in mind when you get this keyboard. I think the idea was to be able to write quick gaming acronyms such as "GG" and "PB."

Feel

I am by no means a mechanical keyboard-phile, in other words, I have a hard time telling the difference in minor nuances between all the different color switches. Here's how 1byone describes them:

Kailh Blue mechanical switches with key travel of 4.0 mm, plus full anti-ghosting ensures great feel and accuracy.

All I can say is that it's a HUGE difference over my dome keyboard keys. I love the tactile-ness they keys have and how every move in my games feel deliberate. 

However, this is where things get a little rocky. The 28 keys that are mechanical are fantastic, but then there's that nifty space button. This button is, unfortunately, not mechanical as far as I can tell and feels EXTREMELY squishy and laggy. It sticks out like a sore thumb in contrast to the other lovely mechanical keys and is one of the most used buttons. I have learned to adapt to it over some time now and it's not near as bothersome as it was initially, but I can tell that it still affects game play often enough to be rather irksome. I would have been okay with adding $5 to the cost to make that critical key mechanical like the rest so it doesn't interfere with game play.

LED

As I mentioned earlier, the LEDs on this keyboard are stunning. There are 7 (6 animated and then various static colors) primary lighting modes, I don't know the names of them, but I made a quick clip demoing them below:

The escape key is used as the switch for F1-F5 and 1-6 and is easy to use. The WASD keys are used for speed and brightness. Overall it's very simple and easy to toggle.

Conclusion

There is a lot to love from the keyboard: the mechanical keys, the RGB lightning, and overall build quality and feel. However, the space button's squishy and non-responsive behavior is a huge detraction from a solid keyboard. The funky key placement isn't that big of a deal and more of a preference things for me. I will say though, that with time, the space button has bothered me less and less, but it still catches me off gaurd often enough to remind me that I don't like it. Overall, it's a good value mechanical keyboard and one I am still using for regular Overwatch game play. If you're looking for a mechanical keyboard with RGB on a budget and need it for gaming, than I highly recommend this as an alternative to a full keyboard. However, if you're willing to save for a little longer then there are some full-featured keyboards that are worth keeping your eyes on.

Review: 1byone Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

Today we will be taking a look at the 1byone Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor.

Amazon Link:




I have genetic hypertension so I take my blood pressure whenever I am able. It helps to have a quick and easy way to check it without having to run to the store. This little unit by 1byone is the perfect little blood pressure companion.

Now, I will start off by saying that this is not an IOT (Internet-Of-Things) device and the price reflects that, though having an upgraded version would be nice (I am not aware of one anyways).

The monitor uses 4 x AAA batteries or a power adapter (which is not included). First off, I thought it was kind of strange that it used AAA batteries over the more common AA batteries or even better yet, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery would have been really nice. I would like to have seen a power adapter included, even if it would have added an extra $5 to the overall cost it would have been worth it for this device.

The build quality is very good, but still noticeably plasticky feeling. The cuff is high quality and the velcro is surprisingly strong. The screen is a standard backlit LCD screen and has extra large numbers and icons making it super easy to read. I must say that the screen is very nice and one of the best features.

The interface is very simple and there's a memory for two users, making it easy to track progress over time, which is important for tracking over time and having an accurate history. There's only 3 buttons so it's confusing to navigate around, however, the instructions (amazingly) are quite good and I was able to navigate some of the setup with ease.

One thing I really like about this particular cuff is that it calculates that systolic and diastolic pressure while inflating rather than inflating and calculating on its way down. This means that the time your arm is under pressure is quite a bit less than other cuffs. This feature, along with being accurate (checked against other cuffs) makes it worth the price and makes it extremely easy to recommend. If your looking for a more connected device (IOT), then this is not for you, but this gets the job done and very well.

Review: 1byone Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Dimmable Multicolored LED Light Bulb

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rM2PHt

I've been wanting to do simple LED ambient lighting for my YouTube channel (stay tuned for this in upcoming videos). I'll still probably get some LED strip lighting down the road, but this was a simpler solution for now and gives me the desired effect for the most part.

The overall construction is much better than I anticipated and has a nice heft to it, which for a Bluetooth speaker usually  translates to better sound. There really isn't much else to say about the construction and quality other than it's good and satisfying. Though, it was a little bit bigger than I was anticipating, but not a big deal.

The connectivity was super simple, just add the "1byoneBulb" and you're off to the races and ready to play music and switch up them LED lights like you're a DJ at the club. (That's how I feel with it most of the time anyways.)

Now, it will play music, but I was having trouble getting it to play through the  1byOne App and would get an error, though I'm pretty sure it was because I use the Apple music streaming service. However, if I go from the Apple Music app and play directly from there it's no problem. The sound quality isn't the greatest and there is noticeable crackling and some distortion at louder volumes. It works well as a basic bluetooth speaker but don't expect anything beyond that, it get's the job done and that's about it, which for a light bulb, is perfectly fine. :-)

Where this thing really shine (pun intended) is the lighting. Though, I will say this up front, the default lighting was a bit cool (bluish) for my taste, but it's easily adjustable. Though the downside is you have to keep re configuring to that different shade each time you turn it on as the blue-cast white is the default. 

Changing the lights is easy and a lot of fun. It's incredibly flexible and since it's RGB and dimmable, there are loads of options. You are greeted with several default color options as well as a color wheel where you can pick whatever color/shade/hue you want. The only other thing that would have been nice would have been savable custom presets as that would make some of my favorite combos more accessible. I would also liked to have seen a couple of options for effects, such as breathing, dancing to music, and walking through all the colors, as well as blinking. I think that would have upped the cool factor by quite a lot. I'm sure this could be added via a software update though and look forward to having those changing.

Overall, it's a great multi-color LED lightbulb that's just plain fun. I use it for ambient lighting for my YouTube channel and just works well. It's well made (the app needs some work still and some polish) but the color changing works as expected and works well. I would definitely recommend this LED bulb.

Review: 1byone Outdoor / Shower Portable Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker

Product Link: 1byone Outdoor / Shower Portable Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker with Enhanced Bass, IPX6 Waterproof & Built-in Mic, Black

I have been through my fair share of portable Bluetooth speakers in my time so when I saw the size of this 1byone speaker and it's MSRP I honestly didn't have high expectations. To say I was pleasantly surprised by this Bluetooth speaker would be an understatement.

The overall construction feels solid and has a very satisfying weight to it. It is lined by rubber all the way around sealing off any entry points for water or dust, hence the IPX6 rating. This is well designed for being an on-the-go speaker, small and portable, and able to take a beating. I would not worry about dropping this at all or throwing it in a bag.

But, construction doesn't mean anything if the sound isn't any good. Well, let me just put any doubts to rest and say that the sound is amazing for it's price point. I do not claim to be an audiophile, but the clarity of the sound was excellent and was surprised by the range and fidelity of the sound. Bass was very satisfying for such a small speaker and managed to not overpower the mids and highs. The volume gets much louder than you would expect, but physics will always prevail and the sound quality will suffer if you get too loud. Don't expect it to fill a concert hall or anything, just be realistic as it is fairly small. The sound is where this little speaker shines and any feature beyond that is just gravy. 

Speaking of features, it uses Bluetooth 4.0 and was extremely easy to pair with my iPhone 6s+. The battery level is shown in iOS once paired and battery life was as advertised and had no issues at all. There is also a microSD card slot, but I did not have one to test with, though I appreciate this inclusion. When you open the cover that exposes the USB port and card slot, the card slot flashes blue to let you know it's waiting for card input. There is also a USB mode where you can connect it to your PC through a micro USB cable. This worked real well and worked like a charm, much better than my built in monitor speakers.

I've always wanted a good Bluetooth speaker for my shower and it works for this purpose extremely well. The speaker does not mind getting wet at all. I guess you could technically take a call in the shower as well as there is a microphone input, but I don't recommend taking calls in the shower, it's just bad form. But you could if that's your thing.

Now, being a test engineer, I know that every design is not perfect or can be improved in some way and this speaker is no different. I had to read the manual to figure out exactly how to change the volume because I could not figure out how to change it. Turns out that you have to hold down the skip buttons for them to change the volume. This can be problematic since it doesn't step through the volumes but will just increase at some unknown rate. This makes finding a precise volume quite difficult. This could either be alleviated by adding dedicated volume buttons, or an audible "ding" for each new step volume instead of being a complete guessing game. The other minor quibble was that the flap covering the USB and card readers was a tad difficult, but nothing that affected anything major and still seemed to maintain waterproof abiility.

If you're looking for a Bluetooth speaker that is a good all-rounder and need something that can take a little bit of a beating, look no further than this guy. At around $20, it's a great bang for your buck Bluetooth speaker and definitely recommended. 

Review: 1byone Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ear Headphones with HD Stereo Sound

Product Link: http://amzn.to/1QCLziq

After spending a few days with the 1byOne Wireless Sports Earphones, I've come to really enjoy the attention to detail that was put into this particular set.

Let first start with the sound. In my opinion, this is one of the more important aspects to reviewing any kind of headset, because if the sound is not any good, then the rest of the features don't mean a whole lot. Now I do not claim to be an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but what I can say is that this set was an absolute joy to listen to.  Lows were surprisingly punchy, mids were clearer than most other bluetooth sets I've reviewed and highs were not shrill. I have a wide variety of musical tastes from classical and rock to techno and pop. All were extremely pleasant to listen to. From a sound standpoint, these are the best bluetooth headsets I have used.

Next is comfort. I'm really not an earbud type of headphone listener, mostly because most any type hurt my ears after a while. These were no exception, however, I grade comfort of earbuds on how long it takes for them to become uncomfortable and these did surprisingly well. I did find that around mid-day that my ears were starting to hurt a little and had a take a break, one of a few during my work day.  With that said, these are among the more comfortable ear buds I've tried on any headphone, wired or bluetooth.

Battery life was exactly as advertised and gave me the "battery low" cue after 7.5 hours of continuous use. They were quick and easy to charge which I can definitely appreciate. A few other small details to mention are they were easy to sync and had no issue here (this  isn't always true with this category amazingly enough). There's a small LED to let you know it's doing something, and trust me, it's handier than you may think. It'll flash blue and red when attempting to sync and red when charging. It's the small details that really help.

The only place I had any problems were with the microphone. All the commands for siri work as advertised, but when I was talking with people on the phone, they had a hard time hearing me. This may be that I have a big head and the band is a little short on me, causing the mic to sit a little ways behind cheek. Maybe a little more length to the band could have alleviated this for me. Though it probably won't be the same for others so it may not be an issue for  most people.

Pros:

+ Sounds is excellent!

+ Comfortable for earbuds.

+ Great battery life.

+ Sleek looks (love the color).

+ Presentation is great as well as packaging.

+ Ease of use and attention to detail.

Cons:

- Band length a little on the short size for me.

- Related to above, but mic was a little weak and people had a hard time hearing me.

Overall, this is a fantastic set of bluetooth headphones. I appreciate the attention to the small details such as the great packaging, sleek looks, excellent sound, useful yet discreet status LED, and simple syncing and charging. Even for a set of earbuds, these are a fantastic product and I highly recommend them for anyone looking for a quality bluetooth set, especially if sound quality and looks are high on your list.

Review: EasyAcc Kindle Paperwhite Case Ultra Slim Cover

This is a fantastic kindle case!




I have reviewed a lot of cases for all kinds of different products for a couple of years now and I can say pretty confidently that this is one of the best fits for a device. It doesn't take away from the original beauty of the Kindle Paperwhite but still adds plenty of protection to the body and screen. This lends itself for long reading sessions and minimizes fatigue; you don't feel like it's there, and I kind of think that's the point.

The overall feel is fantastic and allows for a great grip to the device. The magnetic latch works exactly as expected and has a nice, satisfying clack when shut. The fit is perfect and none of the controls are obstructed.

The pattern is nice and unique and gives it a nice personal flair. At $15, this case is a steal, especially when compared to the Amazon case.

Highly recommended!

Review: 1byone Super Thin Omni-directional Indoor HDTV Antenna

Now for something a little different, TV!

 

This is a great little antenna, especially for the listed price. It's small, easy to tuck behind the TV, and the square sticker in the center makes it super easy to stick to the wall and has held up there since I have installed it. The connection was super easy and we went from 0 channels to 70+ (half were HD but will depend on your locale), not bad for an indoor HD antenna! Fantastic product and would highly recommend for anyone without an antenna who wants basic over the air channels.

Review: 1byone Genuine Leather Wallet Stand Folio Case with Card Slot for iPhone 6 / 6s, Black

First impressions are really good with this case. The leather has a nice sheen and overall feel to it. It doesn't look cheap and the seems look quality. The spaces for the credit cards are nice and are just right. Corners are protected well and there's plenty of easy access to all ports. It feels good in the hand and the phone feels protected.

There were a few minor things that I would change however. When you have cards in the wallet portion and you close the folio, it rests very unevenly (see picture). Also, the magnetic latch is a little weak for my taste and does not give a good satisfying pul when closed.

Overall, if you're looking a for a good general purpose leather folio for your iPhone 6, this is a pretty good value.

Review: iPhone 6s, Prodigee Flow Blue for iPhone 6

My wife really loves this case and has a fantastic look and feel. She's pretty picky about the looks and she loves it and mentioned that it looked feminine without being over the top.

The case fits snug and looks to provide ample protection. The bottom plate is also snug, but just easy enough to remove if you want to dock it on your bedside. They really nailed it with that. We have not had any problems with the buttons and they are working great for us.

Overall, this is a fantastic case with great looks, good protection, all while being understated and complement the natural beauty of the iPhone 6. Highly Recommended!

Review: LED Keyboard and Mouse Combo-BlueFinger® USB Wired

This is a fun keyboard set for the price, and I will review it as a set since that's how it came.

Keyboard:
The thing that stands out most isthe lightning design and LEDs. The design is striking enough (no pun intended) while not being as noisy looking as I thought it might from the pictures. I'm not a great typist, but I can say that I didn't encounter any issues in my regular use. I did do some light gaming on it (couple rounds of CS:GO) and managed just fine. The keys are easy to read and everything is how you would expect. Keep in mind that the Return key is an odd shape for the states, but I've gotten used to this by now so not a big deal for myself. There are seven different colors of LED with 5 levels of brightness and off. There's also another LED option where it cycles through each color, though I felt it was a tad fast for my personal taste, but still cool none the less. The keyboard has a good feel to it, just don't expect it to be a tank, but that's not the target for this anyways. Overall, it's a very pleasant keyboard to use and would recommend. I also appreciate the braided cabling to give it a more premium feel and look.

Mouse:
This is my current mouse of choice as it not only looks cool and feels natural in my hand, it also has the added benefit of being a very quiet mouse so it doesn't wake up my wife, which she appreciates. Happy wife, happy life right? :) There are 4 different colors and just does a slowbreathing pattern on the chosen color. I could nitpick and say I wish there was a couple more colors, like green and white for example, but that's just being picky. Overall it's easy to use and doesn't hinder any computing experience.

Overall, I would recommend this set for anyone looking an affordable and great looking casual LED keyboard and mouse set.

Review: EasyAcc 7.2A 3 USB Ports Charging Desktop Power Strip

This is a perfect bedside stand for me. I've always had issues plugging things into the outlet by my bed. I've tried regular power strips but they look ugly and I'm mostly plugging in USB adapter so it looks like a flying spaghetti monster on my nightstand. This is a much more elegant solution. I don't have to plug in extra USB adapters and it's very convenient to access than behind my nightstand. I can charge my iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. (First World Problems for sure).

There's also two standard outlets which are handy for quickly charging my laptop or just quick access (I have tons of electronic gizmos and widgets). Around on the side is an on/off switch for the whole unit, though I found it was a little too easy to bump.

In the front is a strange little plastic piece that extends. At first I was confused but the picture on the front shows that it's a little stand and actually works pretty well without looking obnoxious.
Highly recommended.

Review: Bluefinger Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Set

Reviewing as a set...

Keyboard:
This is a really good keyboard for the price, it's not a mechanical keyboard and you can tell right away, however I don't think that's how it's marketed anyways. I was looking for a good all-around keyboard for light gaming, looked and felt nice, and for a good price. This definitely fits the bill. Build quality is a little better than I expected at the price point. It feels solid and the keys feel pretty good. Bear in mind this is the keyboard style with the funky return key and backslash in the middle row, which if you're not used to can be frustrating at first, but since you can see that beforehand you'll know what you're getting into and does require some getting used to. Fortunately, my work has these kind of keyboards so it wasn't a problem for me. In fact, I'm using this keyboard for this review.. If you're not used to that I really like the colors, they are vibrant without being too bright. There are several options: first, you can just have it stay a solid color and can rotate between the 3 individually(green, light blue, dark blue), you can have it pulse on one color, or have it pulse between all 3 colors. I tend to just pick one color and go with it (green being my personal favorite).

Mouse:
The mouse has a great feel to it. I like the braided cabling and the length is just right. The clicking feels good and the DPI is good enough for causal gaming and day-to-day use. I really like the colors and design. I do not believe there's a way to stay on a single color from what I have seen, but I prefer it going through all the colors anyways, looks really cool.

Mouse Pad:
It's a good size and really accommodates the bundled mouse. The mouse glides on it smoothly and I have not had a problem and I don't realize it's there (which is a good thing). However, the sharp edges on the mouse will catch on the outside stitching occasionally and this would be my only minor complaint.

Besides the minor complaint about the stitching getting caught on the mouse occasionally, this is a great casual gaming set for the price. It looks awesome with my Alienware Alpha and really completes the look. I love the colors and the overall feel. Honestly, it just looks awesome. I would highly recommend this set.

Review: Trianium Artisan Series Aluminum Back Plate iPhone 6 Plus Case - Silver

This is a great looking case at the cost of some protection. The case fits on real easily but stays in place solid, but it still easy to remove if you desire. The first thing you'll notice is that one of the design choices was the partially expose the corners, it looks really cool, but I worry that it could still dent the corners if dropped just right. This could be a concern for some, but look at the attached pictures and you can decide for yourself.

 

I would like to note that the finish is pretty slippery so it's more likely it could slip out of your hands. So if you just need a case that looks really good and need minimal protection (mostly scratches) than this is a good case, but if you're worried about dropping it then I would look for something that offers a little more protection and bulk.

Review: Sport Armband, Trianium ArmTrek Armband

This is a good armband case. The Velcro is plenty strong and holds well during activity. I also liked how it was comfortable and did not get in the way while working out. I was able to fit the phone in the armband with a slim case on it. I will also not that my phone has a tempered glass screen protector and worked fine through the armband window. You only have access to the headphone port which honestly is all you really need for physical activity anyways. There are no side cutouts for the volume and power buttons and you would not be able to charge the phone while in the arm band since there is not charge port access. This may or may not be a problem for some.

Pros:
+ Comfortable.
+ Windows doesn't hamper use.
+ Secure during physical activity.
+ Easy headphone access.

Cons:
- No lightning port access.
- Power and volume buttons difficult to access.

Review: Lumsing Bluetooth Headset

This is a really nice headset for the price. It's small, sleek, simple, and stylish. It came in a plain and simple cardboard box, but don't let that fool you. It comes with several sizes of earpieces for the correct fit and I found them to be plenty comfortable. Connecting to my iPhone was dead simple and I had no issues.

 

The thing I liked most about it is it's looks, it's small, indiscreet, and has a narrow profile so I don't feel awkward using it in public. Battery life is as good as you could expect, it was still working after a day of normal phone use. Sound quality was good though I wish they could have been a smidge louder, but that's just me. The charger is proprietary and plugs into USB, though I could see how people could lose it easily. I would definitely recommend these!

Pros:
+ Stylish and small.
+ Clear audio.
+ Easy to connect.
+ Good battery life.
+ Nice fit.

Cons:
- Proprietary charger could be easy to lose.
- A little on the quiet side.

I would definitely recommend this set of bluetooth headphones for people looking for the best bang for their buck without sacrificing looks and ease of use.

Review: OSOMount Vent Luxe

I will first start out by saying that I'm not usually a fan of the vent mounts, typically because vents can vary and I haven't had much luck getting them to stay in position.

 
The OSOMount is the best vent mount I have tried. Here's a summary of pros/cons:

Pros
+ Stiff clip for mounting on vent (moves less)
+ Open big for easy use on iPhone 6s Plus
+ Large grips so phone stays in place.

Cons
- Ball joint could be stiffer, tends to wobble a little.
- Spring was weaker than I was hoping and could be stronger, but still works well enough to hold phone in place worry free.

In summary, this is about the best vent mount you'll find. The mount itself is good quality and has a good, solid clip mount and great grip. The only thing I would change is a tighter spring and a stiffer ball joints. If you're in the market for a vent mount I would recommend this.