iPad Stand - Portable Waterproof Travel Stand For iPad, Tablet, Kindle, Smartphone & iPhone by Muzitao

This travel stand is designed to be a simple, effective and darn near indestructible way to prop up a tablet or a cell phone so that you can see the screen. From practical experience in our house, we've also used it to prop up a 5 x 8 inch legal pad in a portfolio, notepads. You could easily put recipe cards in here as well.

The stand with a Bic pen for size
comparison. Photo by DWD.

There are more complicated and elegant-looking stands out there made out of metal with folding arms. There are glass ones that will look beautiful on an expensive desk. This stand is not meant to compete with those.

This little stand is made for real life. It is made out of practically indestructible silicon. It won't break if it is dropped. It has no folding parts to break or wear out. Your toddler can chew on it and get apple sauce all over it and a simple washing makes it as good as new. 

The stand with a Kindle set in it.
Photo by DWD.

This stand comes in 6 different colors. 

As of the date of this review, this stand is $9.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to check current pricing: iPad Stand - Portable Waterproof Travel Stand For Your iPad, Tablet, Kindle, Smartphone & iPhone (Lime Green)

I rate this product 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received a free stand to test in exchange for an honest review.

AYL StarLight LED lantern

  Perfect for Camping or Just Around the House

Flashlights are great for camping or if you have a power outage but anyone who has spent any amount of time in the dark knows that the usefulness and convenience of a flashlight really drops off if you are doing anything that requires two hands, like playing cards, getting ready for bed or trying to cook or wash dishes. In those times, having a lantern around really pays off.

The AYL StarLight is powered by 3 "D" sized batteries that are supposed to be good for about two years in standby mode (up on the shelf waiting for that camping trip or that power outage).

The light has three modes - low, high and blink mode. The blink mode would be great for marking off the back of a car just in case you have to change a flat tire. In addition, the casing around the top of the lantern can be removed to make a flashlight out of the StarLight. 

The manufacturer claims that it will run for 6 days thanks to the use of a very bright but energy-saving LED bulb. Of course, that depends on the quality of the batteries that are installed and the brightness level that is chosen.

Positives:

The StarLight lantern with a Bic pen next to
it for size comparison. Photo by DWD.

-Very bright bulb.

-Tough plastic body with rubberized trim to offer grip and a little "bounce" if it gets dropped or bumps into things.

-Long life with just a single set of batteries.

-Two hooks - one at the top that is also a handle and one at the bottom designed to be hung from the top of a tent with the casing removed.

-The instruction booklet is full color and well-written.

Negatives:

-It uses "D" batteries rather than a much more common size. Those "D" batteries make the lantern last longer but they are harder to find in the store and are much more expensive than let's say 6 or 8 "AA" batteries would be.

-Installing those "D" batteries is a crap shoot due to poor labeling. I tried them one way and had to remove them and flip them all over. 

-Re-attaching the bottom of the lantern after the batteries are installed is pretty complicated. Considering how easy the rest of the lantern is to use, this is surprising.

This lantern can be found at Amazon.com here: 
AYL StarLight - 300 Lumens Ultra Bright LED Lantern - The Perfect LED Lantern for Camping, Hiking or Any Type of Emergency - Battery Powered Ultra Long Lasting . Click through to check for current pricing. As of the time of this review the price was $35
 
I rate this lantern 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received a free lantern sample to try out and test in exchange for an honest review.

AquaAudio Cubo Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

         This Is the Real Deal

There are a lot of small bluetooth speakers out there and even more mini-wired speakers that make your cell phone or kindle or iPad much more listener friendly. Over the last year or so I have use a couple of different mini speakers set next to the shower on a shelf. Those are okay but it is really difficult to change songs on your smart phone if your hands are all wet.

The AquaAudio Cubo with a Bic pen for size comparison.
Photo by DWD

The AquaAudio Cubo bluetooth speaker fixes that problem because it is waterproof. It is also rechargable via a small mini-USB port (blocked by a little rubbery piece to keep the water out) and can even be used to talk on your phone (I can't imagine that would be good in the shower but it might be great if you like to talk on the phone while taking a bath).

Positives:

-The speaker really is waterproof. I know this because I dropped it into the bathtub and it was fully immersed.

-When you turn it on it says. "Power on" and when you turn it off it says, "Power off."

-It is by far the easiest bluetooth device I have to pair with my phone and my Kindle. Some devices require multiple attempts. This one gets it the first time, every time.
-If you were to place this speaker in the middle of a large room and let it blast out it would not be impressive. But, it is designed to play in your shower and the acoustics in most showers are awesome. This speaker rocks the shower!

-The battery lasts 2.5 to 10 hours depending on the volume level.

-The phone actually sounds very good, especially for a device where the phone was most likely an afterthought.

-The Bluetooth has a range of at least 15 feet.

-The speaker comes in 4 different colors: black, blue, pink and silver.

Negatives:

-The suction cup to attach the speaker to the shower wall is just a bad idea all around. Mine detached itself and fell when I was away from home once. It's probably not a good idea to drop speakers so I decided to just nestle it among the shampoo bottles on the shower caddy. If the speaker did stick perfectly to the wall you'd have to be taken it off the wall on a regular basis to recharge the battery, anyway. Plus, oftentimes I take it with me around the house while I am getting ready in the morning.

The AquaAudio Cubo speaker measures about 3 inches by 3 inches by 2.5 inches (including the suction cup).

I rate this bluetooth speaker 5 stars out of 5 and can be found at Amazon.com here: 
The AquaAudio™ Cubo - Waterproof Bluetooth Wireless Speaker with Strong Suction Cup for Showers, Bathroom, Pool, Boat, Car, Beach, Outdoor etc. / Optimized Buttons for Easy Control / Amazingly Powerful & Crystal Clear Sound / Compatible with All Devices with Bluetooth Capability + Siri Compatible - 10 hours Playtime Rechargeable Battery / with Built-in Mic for use as a Powerful Hands-free Speakerphone [100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE - WE GUARANTEE YOU WILL LOVE IT!] (Black)

As of the time of this review, the price on Amazon.com was $29.95. Click through to check on current pricing. 

Note: I received a free speaker to test in exchange for an honest review.

Monkey Fist Self Defense Keychain 1" Steel Ball Double Line 550lb Tensile Strength Military Paracord (Length 6 5/8") by Muzitao©

So, I had never heard of a "Monkey Fist" until very recently. But, once I saw one I got the idea immediately. Hold the key ring in your hand and swing the little ball end at a bad guy until he goes away. 

My "Monkey Fist" with a Bic pen for size comparison.
Photo by DWD.

Once I got mine in the mail I decided to go on the internet and quickly found a number of videos that demonstrate the effectiveness of this self-defense tool. The videos showed me two things: 1) There are some really freaky guys out there making self-defense videos and 2) this monkey fist thing can do some real damage. I saw watermelons split open and dry wall mangled. I also saw one guy insist on putting the key ring around his finger. I would not do that - if your opponent were to grab the monkey fist he could pull on it and really do some damage to your finger.

Instead, put your keys on this thing and hold on to the entire collection of keys in your fist and swing away.

Note: on those videos I saw much longer cords being used. After thinking about it I think a longer cord would be of use only if your opponent was pretty far away. If you are grappling with someone, a longer cord would require more swing and more arm movement that you may be able to actually come up with.

So, how high of quality is this product? I have no idea how long this would last if it were used repeatedly. But, then again, who is regularly getting into fist fights? And, if you do get into tons of fights this Monkey Fist is cheap enough that you can buy another one without breaking the budget. By the way, these come in 11 different color schemes.

Note: I received a Monkey Fist for free in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this product 5 stars out of 5. 

Holmes Group HAP3000UV-TU Tower Air Purifier, Mini by Holmes

       Great for a small room

This small tower-type air filter is a sharp-looking unit designed for a 10 foot X 10 foot room. It has multiple filters and an ionizer. 

Set up is very easy. The filters come installed inside the unit wrapped in plastic bags (to keep them fresh, I suppose). The user has to pull the filters out and take them out of the bags and re-install them. That takes about a minute if you pay attention. It took me two minutes because I did not pay attention and panicked because I could not remember the order the filters went back into the unit so I had to consult the owner's guide. Fortunately, the owner's guide had a couple of pictures that showed me what to do.

As I already mentioned, this purifier has multiple filters. As the air is pulled through the purifier it will first go through the "pre-filter" - a lightweight sponge-like filter glued to the plastic grill on the back. Then it goes through a HEPA-type filter that is designed to be carefully cleaned and re-installed every few months. The third stage has a carbon filter that is designed to remove odors. The fourth filter uses UV rays to further clean the air by killing germs.

There are two speed settings. The low setting is very quiet. I prefer the high setting because we have been running this unit in our bedroom at night and I like the "white noise" the fan makes. 

The unit measures 6 inches wide, a little over 13 inches tall and 7 inches deep. 

There are multiple settings on this device. The fan has two settings, the UV bulb can be turned off. There is a warning about using the ionizer in a confined place around small animals. But, they claim that the process is completely harmless to humans. If you are worried, the ionizer can be turned off.

Update: I have used this purifier for 3 and 1/2 years now and it is still going strong. All you have to do is clean out the filter every once in a while.

Note: I received a free purifier through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.

This purifier can be found on Amazon.com here: Holmes Group HAP3000UV-TU Tower Air Purifier, Mini.

I rate this unit 5 out of 5 stars. 

DE 2600mAh Lipstick Style Powerbank-Portable Battery Charger- with 3 Function Flashlight by DE

     Great for travelers.

Extra battery power for cell phones and tablets is a hot new market since batteries never seem to last long enough, especially if you are a heavy user of apps or Instagram or the like. If you can't leave your phone plugged into a computer or into a car's electrical socket than you could easily run out of power before your day is done.

If you are running a little short of power at the end of a busy day, this little battery may just fit the bill.  

Weighing in at less than three ounces, this little battery is a convenient size and carries a so-so punch. It nearly completely re-charged my almost dead Samsung Galaxy 3 but it did no more. I have two other battery chargers that are about three times the weight and are larger. This battery charger sacrifices convenience for power but it is not an unacceptable sacrifice. 

I took this charger on a trip recently and I was surprised to discover that the most useful aspect was not being able to plug it in to my phone. Instead, I really took advantage of the little LED light on the end. It has three settings (very bright, dim and strobe). I found it useful in my hotel because I used it to read at night and I used it when to find my way around without turning on all of the lights and waking up the kids. I felt confident that if I could have left the flashlight on all night and not used all of the battery.

The Battery Charger with a Bic Pen for
size comparison. Photo by DWD.

The strobe light would be useful if you had a breakdown on the road and wanted people to notice your car sitting there.

The battery charger does not have a power indicator - it has a blue light while it is charging, a red light for when it is discharging into a device and when it is out of power it has no light. 

For the price, this is a solid, no-frills charger with enough power to make it worth your while and with a convenient flashlight. That is why I am rating this 5 stars out of 5. 

Note: I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review.

At the time of this review, this charger cost $11.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to check on current pricing: DE 2600mAh Lipstick Style Portable Battery Charger

Company website: www.DEWorld.com

SoundSOUL U10 Noise-isolating Sport In-ear Headphones by SoundSOUL

 Great entry-level earbuds.

The SoundSOUL headphones come in on the inexpensive end of the headphone/earbud market. At a little less than $10 these are not in competition with a set of Dr. Dre's Beats but they are a great option for someone who does not want to put an expensive set of earbuds to risk at the gym or while taking a trip. 

The earbuds, case, clip and extra rubber pieces next to my
Bic pen for size comparison purposes. Photo by DWD.

These earbuds have a nice little hook that can hook over your ear to help keep them in your ear. They do not have to be worn that way, though.

The earbuds come with a little hard-sided case to pack it away in. The case has a little stretch pocket inside to hold three additional sets of the rubbery pieces that hold the earbuds in your ear. It also comes with a little clip that can be attached to the wire so that you can clip the wire close to your body.

But, how do they sound?

They sound great, especially for their price range. The music sounds crisp and clean and it gets plenty loud. Great entry-level headphones. Well worth the price.

Note: I received a pair of these earbuds for free in exchange for an honest review.

These earbuds can be found on Amazon.com here: SoundSOUL U10.

I rate these ear buds 5 stars out of 5.
Reviewed on November 25, 2014

iSound PopDrop Wireless Speaker by iSound

There are a lot of small Bluetooth speakers out there and some can get quite pricey and not very mobile. The iSound PopDrop is a great addition to the lower end of the price range and it is all about being mobile.

Weighing less than six ounces, the PopDrop is the easiest product that I have ever hooked up to my phone's Bluetooth. The speaker has a pleasant "on" tone when it powers up, makes a a different tone when it connects to the Bluetooth and a third tone when it powers down. It has a blue LED light on the front that blinks if it is not connected to the Bluetooth and is continually on when it is connected.

The iSound PopDrop with my Bic pen  for size comparison

The PopDrop fits in the palm of your hand and comes with a wrist strap that I never used to as a wrist strap. Instead, I hung it by the wrist strap in various places as I used it around the house. It has very good range - I got out to about 20 feet away from my phone as I wandered around the house. Very little of that distance was sight line - the signal had to travel through walls, pipes and appliances most of the way.

The sound is sort of tinny if you let it just hang there in open space. But, a little creative arranging can make coax more bass sound out of it. For example, if you place it in a corner or in a box you can make a megaphone effect and it helps a lot. 

The PopDrop comes with a feature that allows you to answer the phone and still remain hooked up via the Bluetooth. This is the weakest feature. When I tested it, I could hear the person I was talking to very clearly. But, it was very hard for the person that called me to hear me because of a host of strange noises. At best, you could answer the phone and let your caller know that you would need a few seconds to turn off the Bluetooth and use your phone in the normal way.

The PopDrop comes in six different colors and would make a great stocking stuffer.

This speaker can be found on Amazon.com here: iSound PopDrop Wireless Speaker. 

Note: I was sent this product for free in exchange for an honest review as part of the Amazon Vine program.

I rate this product 4 stars out of 5.
Reviewed on November 24, 2014.

Lomui® 2nd Gen Astro 6000mAh (2.1A Output) Portable Charger External Battery Pack Built-in Wires with Smart Technology

Extra battery power for cell phones and tablets is a hot new market since batteries never seem to last long enough, especially if you are a heavy user of apps or Instagram or the like. If you can't leave your phone plugged into a computer or into a car's electrical socket than you could easily run out of power before your day is done.

The Lomui external battery fits this bill perfectly. It is a powerful battery and it comes with its own plugs attached (that tuck away neatly) so you don't have to keep track of a lot of wires. The Lomui also has two USB "female" plugs so that you can plug devices in with another devices with their own plugs. There is also an alternate place to plug a mini-USB into the battery to charge. I have only used the attached plugs, however.

The Lumoi battery charger with a Bic pen for size comparison

I charged my battery up and then let it sit for three weeks. It still registered a full charge but I tried it out to make sure. My Samsung Galaxy 3 was nearly dead and the Lomui battery quickly charged it to 100%. I then plugged it into my power-hungry Kindle and it took it from near 0% to 50% before it finally quit (this Kindle takes several hours to completely charge when plugged into a wall charger).

The charger comes with a little leather bag to carry it and an incomprehensible instruction book that is almost completely written in Chinese. The sharp packaging won't be much help either since it is almost entirely written in Chinese as well. But, the device itself is easy to figure out and labeled. You could also look to the Amazon page for a detailed description and instructions. 

So, what's not to like here? Tons of power, cool look, convenient plugs, plenty of power. This is the real deal.

Note: I received a free battery in exchange for an honest review. This is a good product and I have handed it off to my high school-aged daughter who can use up power like nobody's business on a cell phone. She loves it.

I rate this device 5 stars out of 5.

Sherpani Nuage Ultralight Luggage by Sherpani

I am giving this carry-on bag five stars, but it is a qualified five stars.

The Nuage Ultralight with all of the zippers
unzipped and the telescoping handle
extended. Photo by DWD.

Let me offer an analogy:

Luggage is kind of like cars and trucks - there are big trucks that are designed to carry lots of freight and have little concern about creature comforts (in the luggage world this would be a trunk). There are pick-up trucks that try to carry a lot and offer durability and some comfort (in the luggage world this would be an old-fashioned Samsonite suitcase). Then, there are little sports cars that are all about the driver's experience but only have two seats or limited trunk space. This piece of luggage is the little sports car of the luggage world - it is light, nimble and perfect if you're not bringing a whole lot of extras with you.

Sherpani says that this us "ultralight luggage" and they fulfill that promise. Rolling along empty at a mere 3.9 pounds this luggage has been stripped of anything that might make it heavy. The shell is composed of a light nylon-type fabric filled with 8 zippered pockets and compartments - two inside the lid, one that sort of flops around inside, a shoe pocket in the bottom that zips (I never noticed it at first), a big pocket in the back/bottom to hold maps or a portfolio or a laptop and pocket inside of that pocket. The double layered "lid"also zips open and there is an outside pocket on it as well.

All zipped up. Photo by DWD.

The single column telescoping handle does not inspire confidence. It feels loose, but I've had handles like this fail before and feeling loose really had nothing to do with it. To its credit, the handle goes all of the way down and connects to the axle that connects the two wheels. Yes, unlike some cheaper bags that I've owned, this one actually has an axle between the two wheels even though it must have been tempting to not do that to save weight. It also has a metal tube frame that goes all of the way around the back/bottom of the bag, including a stand to protect the cloth cover of the bag when you stand it up as you are rolling through the airport.

Besides the telescoping handle, there are two other very comfortable handles - one on top (like a backpack has) and one on the side, like a traditional suitcase.

The manufacturer makes it clear that this a carry-on and only a carry-on. The lifetime warranty is voided if this bag is checked by an airline. Unlike some carry-ons that can be checked, this one would not do well being tossed around by the baggage handlers.

So, to sum up: this bag is fantastic for what it is - a lightweight bag perfect for overnight trips.

Five Star Locker Organizer, Tri-Pocket with Dry Erase Surface, White with Cobalt Blue Pockets (72622)

  Great Organizer, Not Necessarily Great for What It Is Designed For...

The organizer shown with 2 pens, a highlighter and a
calculator for comparison. Photo by DWD.

The magnet on the back shown with a pen and a
calculator for comparison. Photo by DWD.

I like this locker organizer for its very strong magnet and the idea that it is completely made out of a dry erase board like material so that any of the white can be written on with a dry erase board marker and then erased (mostly, about 99% of it comes off, kind of like on a white board).

But, the fact that it is so hard makes it less valuable as a locker organizer, especially if you put it inside of a door that is going to be slammed like the picture on the packaging shows. The big "pocket" is clearly designed to hold a calculator or a cell phone and those would just bang around in the organizer and those devices tend to dislike a lot of banging around. I recommend not putting it on the door, despite the strong magnet.

On the other hand, if this were to be used for just about any other place where you need to hold a few things, such as holding markers on a refrigerator, holding pens or small frequently used tools on a big toolbox this would be an excellent choice.

This organizer measures 7 inches x 7.5 inches and is about 1 inch deep.

I rate this organizer 4 stars out of 5.

MeasuPro CCT300 Digital Clock, Timer, and Stopwatch

When you get down to it, this is a basic kitchen timer that does its job very, very well with a couple of extra interesting features added to it. 

That being said, I'm always glad to recognize quality when I find it so here are the positives:

The magnet on the  back of the timer with a pen for
size comparison. Photo by DWD.

1) Very strong magnet so you can stick it to the refrigerator or some other appliance and not worry about it falling or sliding;

2) The magnet is on a little leg that also serves as a kickstand that can be propped out so that the timer stands on its own on the kitchen counter;

3) The timer takes one AAA battery (included). This is important - when the battery dies you don't have to try to find some sort of special battery at the watch counter - AAA batteries are everywhere;

4) The settings on this timer are easy to change - there is a slide to change it from a clock to a stopwatch ("count up") or a timer ("count down"); 

5) The clock was very easy to set and everything is very intuitive;

The front of the timer. Photo by DWD.

6) The interesting new twist is that there are three different timer settings - Beep, vibrate and LED. The vibrate setting is fairly weak, certainly not as strong as the one in my phone but it is easy enough to feel. The LED setting flashes a very bright red LED light on the front of the timer in the place of the beep or the vibrate setting. The vibrate and LED settings would, of course, be helpful to people with hearing trouble but they would also be useful to parents who don't want to wake sleeping babies;

6) When you are setting the timer and the stopwatch settings, the timer beeps, flashes or vibrates depending on the setting, making it difficult to accidentally have it on the wrong setting;

7) The timer has a memory feature so that you can save a commonly used time (just one).

The timer is approximately 2.5 inches tall, 3.25 inches wide and sticks out about 1 inch from the refrigerator when it is hung there by the magnet.

Note: I received a free timer in exchange for an honest review.
I rate this kitchen timer 5 stars out of 5.

Reviewed on July 26, 2014.

SentrySafe OS0500 0.8 Fire Resistant Safe by SentrySafe

   Buy it for what it is, not what you hope it is


I admit it, when I saw the picture of this safe with the digital keypad I thought I was impressed and I was thinking more James Bond and less "fire safe." But, when you get down to it, this is a giant version of the little fire safes that you can buy in any office supply store. And, that is fine.

The problem with any small safe is that it really cannot stop a burglar because the burglar can just walk out with the safe and break into it on his own time. This safe can be bolted down, but I think I am going to go with a second option and just put it in a fairly out of the way place and rely on my home's general sense of disorganization to confuse a would-be burglar.

If you have true valuables (jewelry, precious documents, whatever) you should go with a safe deposit box in a bank. But, for those less-than-critical-but-still-important documents, this would be great. This would be a good place to store a pistol or ammunition or other things you want to keep around but not necessary out. If you want to keep the kids from messing with something important (or dangerous), this is your safe. If you have important and valuable heirlooms, go with a more expensive safe or get a safe deposit box.

Details: 

-The interior of the safe has a 0.8 cubic foot capacity.

-The manufacturer says that it will protect documents, CDs, DVDs, flash drives and USB drives for 1 hour in a 1700 degree fire.

-The safe is supposed to survive a 15 foot drop without opening.

-The safe weighs 85 pounds and measures 19.3 x 16.3 x 13.7 inches.

-The digital keypad uses 2 AA batteries.

I rate this safe 4 out of 5 stars.

Note: I received this safe from the manufacturer in exchange for an honest review through the Amazon Vine program.

Belkin QODE Bluetooth Keyboard Folio Case for Kindle Fire HD 7" (Previous Generation) by Belkin

    Adds a Valuable Dimension of Usefulness to my Kindle Fire HD 7" (Previous Generation)


Yes, I realize that this keyboard is out of production. But, Belkin makes a similar product (superficial differences in the molding, where the logo is placed and the way Kindle is attached to the case) for the new Kindle Fire HD 7" and the HDX 7" and I figured that this review would give you a solid idea how those would work. The Amazon link on the left is for the keyboard that fits the older Kindle, the one on the right is for the current keyboards.

My Kindle with the keyboard attached.
My Bic pen is included for comparison.
Photo by DWD.

The keyboard and rubberized case just about doubles the height of the kindle if it is laying flat on a table. It has a magnetized flap to keep it closed. The keyboard is almost the same dimensions as the Kindle but it weighs less than half as much as the Kindle. The keyboard is charged by way of a mini-usb port.

In my opinion, this keyboard case would be a poor everyday case - it holds the Kindle snug but not tight, the keyboard would bump against the screen leaving scratches (I have a protector on the screen, but it would scratch it as well). I use a simple leather cover to protect it from water, everyday bumps, etc. This case is equally susceptible to water and bumps and can be damaged.

But, it is great for those times when a regular computer is not an option. This keyboard virtually turns my Kindle Fire HD 7" into a netbook with a touch-sensitive screen and that makes this keyboard a worthwhile purchase. Removing my Kindle from the other case and moving it to this case and syncing it up only takes a couple of minutes, but it is well worth it if you have to do a lot of typing and you hate the on-screen keyboard. The keyboard is relatively small, like a netbook, but it does the job and it has added a valuable dimension to my Kindle Fire HD 7".

Note: I received this keyboard for free from the manufacturer in exchange for an honest review through the Amazon Vine program. 

I rate this keyboard 4 stars out of 5.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Wallet Case - CM4 Q Card Case for Galaxy S4 - Black Onyx - QS4-BLACK

    I Got This For My Wife...

...and she loves it.

My wife's phone with a business card, a shopping list
and my Bic pen for comparison. Photo by DWD.

My wife has a Galaxy 4 and she loves this cover. She puts the phone in her purse and she has her phone and her ID and a bit of cash handy and easy to find. The case came with a card to give another person when they asked about the case with ordering info on it. She kept it just for fun and sure enough, she was asked about the case in just a couple of days so she gave that person the card because they were interested. And the interested comments keep on coming from everyone who sees it.

My wife has thanked me for this case many times - it is both practical and cool.

The case comes in black, red, pink, brown and Pacific green.

Note: I received this case for free in exchange for an honest review through the Amazon Vine program.

I rate this phone case 5 stars out of 5.

XBOOM Mini Portable Capsule Speaker with Rechargeable Battery and Enhanced Bass+ Resonator

          This Little Speaker Rocks


I have a Galaxy S3 phone and a Kindle Fire HD 7". Both have pretty good speakers on them considering their size. But, when I plug in just one of these little speakers (they are designed to daisy chain several in sequence) into either device it fills the room with a richer toned, bassier sound than the original speakers could ever deliver.

The speaker, its wires, the instructions and the
little cloth bag that it all comes in. Photo by DWD.

Experiment with just one speaker and you find that if you position it certain ways you get more bass or less. Even better, if you place it in a corner (let's say the corner of an office cubicle) and the sound is impressively amplified. Honestly, I never thought one of these little speakers could make that much noise, but it really does.

The speaker comes with a little cloth bag to store it in and two plugs. One is a short audiojack plug (maybe 4 inches long) that tucks into the bottom of the speaker. The other is a detachable USB/audiojack plug that serves as the charger for the unit and a longer audiojack plug (maybe 2 feet long) you can play it while it is charging.

The speakers come in nine different colors, including pink, yellow, red and white.

Note: I received one of these speakers for free in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this speaker 5 stars out of 5.

ADX Durable Aluminum CREE LED Flashlight Lantern Adjustable Light Lamp with High Low Strobe

  Great Emergency Light

From time to time the power goes out - it's just a fact of life. This is a great light to have around for those emergencies. The flashlight feature is good (those little LED bulbs are SO bright) but the real strength of this "flantern" (flashlight + lantern) is the lantern feature. While this would be fairly worthless in a bigger tent or in any large area it is more than sufficient to light up a small table top.

This would be be good to keep around the house for emergencies or in the car - the lantern feature would be good for maps and the strobe function might be helpful on a back bumper to help other drivers notice you and not hit you.

The light is 4 inches tall.

Note: I received one of these flashlights for free from the manufacturer in exchange for an honest review through the Amazon Vine program.

I rate this light 4 stars out of 5.

Rayovac PS68BK Phone Boost Emergency Charge

     Good in a Pinch

If you are a person that constantly uses his or her smart phone and wants to bring some extra juice along so that you can constantly use your phone all day and all night, this is not your device. It does not deliver enough power to do that.

The charger broken into all of its parts with my Bic pen 

for comparison. Photo by DWD.

This device is designed to be an emergency power source for a cell phone - the kind of battery designed to deliver you enough power to call AAA if you find yourself with a nearly dead phone battery and a very dead car battery at the end of the evening. To help with that goal it is very sleek and very lightweight (it weighs 1.1 ounces). It would easily store in a purse or a glove box. I have no idea how long it stores its charge. If you keep it on a key ring or in a car it would be wise to plug it in every once in a while just to make sure it is topped off. On my Samsung Galaxy 3 it raised my charge from 13% to 24% before it died after the Phone Boost had been sitting around for about two weeks after being fully charged.

The charger comes with mini-USB and Apple-compatible adapters.

Note: I received this item from the manufacturer for free in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this item 3 stars out of 5.

Camco 43546 Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove and Padded Feet

Since my wife does a lot more cooking than me, I asked her what she thought about this bamboo cutting board. In no particular order she mentioned the following as reasons why she loved it:

-the juice groove

-the board is not too big and not too small

The cutting board with my Bic pen for comparison. Photo by DWD

-very sturdy

-washes up well

-very attractive

-the bamboo is environmentally sustainable

-the feet raise it off the counter a little bit

-the rubber feet keep it from sliding around.

The cutting board is almost 12 inches long, 8 inches wide and almost 1 inch thick.

Note: I received this cutting board from manufacturer in exchange for an honest review through the Amazon Vine Program.

I rate this cutting board 5 out of 5 stars.

Big Boss 9358 Multi-Speed Stainless Steel Power Juicer, 800-watt

         The Pros and the Cons

Pros:

-The Big Boss goes after whole apples and just about anything else you want to put into it without a problem.

-The instruction book was clearly written and reads like it was actually written in English, not poorly translated from another language (although, those can be a hoot to read).

-Nice recipe book is included.

-Great warranty

-Amazon has this product at a nice price for a juicer with this much power.

Cons:

-Some of the knobs and plastic parts feel a little cheap

-This thing is fun to use but a real chore to clean so it can make the user question if it is really worth it.

I rate this juicer 4 out of 5 stars.

Magnetic Storage Pocket, Neoprene, Black/Blue by Five Star

I got this for my daughter who is going to her first year in high school and will have her first real locker. This is quality construction, strong stitching and, most importantly, super strong magnets so that this pocket can hold lots pens, pencils, and a calculator or a cell phone and not fly off of the locker door if (let's face it, when) it gets slammed shut.

The only drawback is the price - it just seems about $4 too expensive. The product description says that it will last an entire school year. My guess is that yo

The Magnetic Storage pocket with a Bic pen
for comparison. Photo by DWD

u could get two years out of it if care was taken and that might make it worth the price.

Of course, this is not just a pocket that can be used for school lockers. It will stick to anything that a magnet will stick to so this would be good for refrigerators, tool boxes, work lockers, work trucks, magnetic dry erase boards, etc.

Note: I was sent this product by the manufacturer through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this product 4 stars out of 5. 

AYL® 2nd Gen 6000mAh (2.1A Output) by AYL (Accessorize Your Life)

 Great Backup Power for Your Phone or Other Handheld Device


I was sent this battery backup by AYL to review so I decided to charge it up and see what happened.

I charged the external battery and then hooked it to my phone. I have a Galaxy S3 and it was only at a 4% charge. 3 hours later, it was up to 100%. I immediately disconnected it and hooked it to my Kindle Fire HD 7 which was only at 13% charge. The battery charged it up to 62% before it finally gave out. That's a lot of back up power.

A size comparison for the AYL battery.Although it
looks like a flip phone it does not open up.
It weighs less than 5 ounces. Photo by DWD.

On top of all of that, the thing is a flashlight - it's a wimpy one, but still it's a flashlight that will stay on for 250 straight hours straight according to the instruction booklet. That's almost 10 and 1/2 days!

Compare the price to other external batteries (I have another one that costs about half as much but barely added 10% to my phone's charge) and this is a bargain.

The instruction booklet recommends that it can be charged and then sit for 3-4 months before being recharged.

The battery comes with a short mini-USB cord and a mesh travel pouch.

Negatives: This battery is heavy. Too heavy to put in your pocket, but it could easily be tucked into a backpack or be put into a car's glovebox.

I rate this battery 5 stars out of 5.

BlueAnt Pump - Wireless HD Sportbuds - Black by BlueAnt

This is a great bluetooth headset/earbuds. The earpieces fit snugly but do not pinch or rub, the sound is good, but not so loud that it literally hurts your ears. Instead the "comfort seal tips" (the rubbery bits) seal off the sound so well that a quieter level seems loud by comparison.

The earbuds include 7 sets of "comfort seal tips" and stabilizer arms to help with the headset if you are involved in extreme sports. The earbuds are easy to charge (it uses a micro USB plug to charge and a micro USB to USB adapter is included).

Pictured are the earbuds with an ink pen for comparison.
The power controls are on the earpiece on the right side
of the picture. Photo by DWD.

It also serves as a standard bluetooth phone headset. There are buttons on the headset you can push to answer the phone, raise or lower the volume and change tracks but I just use my phone instead.

The BlueAnt Pump claims to extend up to 100 feet from the device it is connected to via Bluetooth, depending on the device. I have not had that kind of range with my Samsung Galaxy 3. I can get 10-15 feet away before it breaks up. 

The device is super lightweight, weighing in at 1.1 ounces and are very comfortable to wear. 

I rate these earbuds 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received these earbuds from the manufacturer through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for a fair and honest review.

NETGEAR AC750 -802.11AC Dual Band Gigabit Wi-Fi Range Extender (EX6100) by NetGear

      Easy to Install


So, a WiFi extender is a simple enough concept - pick up the wifi signals and repeat them. In my case, the WiFi is in one corner of the house and does a so-so job of reaching all of the house. I put this extender about 2/3 of the way across the house so that now the signal reaches everywhere in full strength, even several feet out into the back yard and out to the street in the front of my house.

This WiFi extender has two ways to set it up. The easy way is to use a button on your router called a WPS. My NetGear router does not have a WPS button. I have no idea what a WPS button is but if you have one, this looks like the easiest way to go. It just causes the router and the extender to sync up.

The extender plugs into the wall but does not have to take up the entire wall outlet. It has two external antennae that are kind of ugly. The manufacturer claims that the device works better because they are external antennae and not built into the unit. 

I had to use the "smart setup" plan. It looks like a total pain on paper but it was very easy once I figured out how to get into the network manager on my Chromebook. After that, it was a simple three steps and then I was extending WiFi all over the place.

The extender creates two new WiFi sources to log into. You can name them whatever you want but the default is a variation of your WiFi's name. After testing them, the two new channels seem to work just as well as the original WiFi signal. 

It may seem obvious to some, but after having a discussion with my high school-aged child, let me point out that the extender does not create more WiFi, it just makes it easier to access your existing bandwidth.

NetGear has an app for a smartphone that measures your WiFi strength. This is meant to give you a better idea where to place your extender. If you place your extender where the signal is weak, you'll just be extending a weak signal. I did not use the app. I just walked around with my phone and my Kindle and watched the signal strength indicators on them both and put the extender in a location that both showed had strong signal strength.

I do suggest that you put the instructions away in a very safe place.

Also, I must commend the manufacturer for its packaging. It is all recyclable. All of it.

Note: I received this WiFi extender for free from manufacturer in exchange for a fair and honest review.