MADKING RGB LED Globe String Lights 50LED 16ft/5m Indoor Outdoor Use

These are very interesting decorative lights. First of all, they are indoor/outdoor so they are very versatile. They are LED lights so they are unlikely to create a fire hazard with the heat a traditional bulb can create. They are not in a traditional Christmas light design so they can be used for any sort of party. But, they could certainly be used as Christmas lights - either on the tree or outside.

This string of lights is 16 feet long with 50 different bulbs. Each bulb is just a bit smaller than the end of an adult's index finger. When you first plug the set in it starts out a light blue color but soon each bulb starts to change color. Sometimes it looks like there is a pattern, sometimes the bulbs change randomly. The colors are blue, white, purple, red, green and yellow. You cannot set the lights to a certain pattern - they just do what they want to do. It doesn't bother me any but some people like to control such things.

The light set has a plug at the end of it so you can string together multiple sets. The set uses just 20 watts of power. 

I rate this light set 5 stars out of 5. I love the randomness of the light pattern.

Note: I received a free set of bulbs so that I could make an honest review of the light set. I will be using them this Christmas.

As of the time of this review this set cost $12.99 on Amazon. Click here to check current pricing: MADKING RGB LED Globe String Lights.

Blood Pressure Monitor by VIVE - Automatic Digital Upper Arm One Size Fits All Cuff

This blood pressure monitor is very easy to use (I didn't even get the booklet out). The measurement seems accurate to me. My dad and I played around with three different monitors, taking our pressure one after another after another just to see how this one measured compared to the other two.

The results?

All three of them measured within 5 points of each other on the systolic measurement and even closer on the diastolic measurement. 

This monitor is designed for two different users and will keep track of 60 different measurements for each user.

This monitor is powered by 4 AAA batteries and it comes with a set of batteries to get you started.

I rate this blood pressure monitor 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I was sent a free monitor so that I could make an honest review of this product. 

As of the time of this review this monitor cost $39.99 on Amazon. Click here for current pricing: Blood Pressure Monitor by VIVE

BestFire® Land Rover Evoque High Quality Bass Desktop Speaker (Black)

So, you want to rock out with a little style? Regular speakers are for boring people and you want something that stands out?


This speaker just may do it for you then.

Modeled after the Land Rover Evoque crossover SUV, this little speaker is also a true toy car. It's wheels do roll and it is sharp looking. 

When you charge it, this car's rear lights turn on. When you play it, the front and rear lights go on. 

The speaker can be played with a 3.5 mm line-in or using the Aux in plug (an over-sized mini-USB). The speaker is powered by rechargeable batteries that can easily be removed and replaced when they start to fail. The speaker can be played while it is charging but I found that it makes a slight hissing sound when you do. 

The speaker comes with the 3.5 mm line-in cord and a separate cord to charge the battery.

This little speaker does make quite a bit of noise for its size. It would be great for a home office, not so great to rock out a frat party. 

The speaker measures about 7.5 inches long, about 3.5 inches wide and about 3 inches tall. It comes in three colors: red, black and gold.

The speaker has an built-in FM radio butI could not get it to change stations. 

I rate this speaker 4 stars out of 5. I was bothered that I could not get the FM radio receiver to work correctly.

Note: I received a free speaker for testing purposes in exchange for an honest review.

As of the time of this review, this speaker cost $18.66 on Amazon. Click here to check current pricing: BestFire® Land Rover Evoque High Quality Bass Desktop Speaker (Black)

Key Holder Magnetic Message Board Hanging Dry Erase Board Cork Board with 3 Key Holders 2 Magnets 1 Thumbtack by Perfect Life Ideas

  Perfect for a dorm room

When I got this memo board I was hoping to use it in my high school classroom. Actually, I was hoping to use it just outside my high school classroom. I was going to hang it outside my classroom door and leave little notes like "Don't forget your binder today" or "Back in 10 minutes" on it when I stepped out during my prep period.

But, this is just not tough enough for that. 

This really would be perfect for a college dorm room and it would probably have to be tossed out at the end of the school year. It is lightweight and really could not stand the kind of traffic of a high school classroom.

The frame is made of plastic, the dry erase board is magnetic. The board measures  6.25 inches Wide x 16.5 inches High x 0.9 inches Thick. The board is hung like you would hang a picture frame.

The board comes in two colors - black and white.

I rate this memo board 3 stars out of 5. It is convenient to hang, but it is not a permanent solution for a house or a classroom.

Note: I received a free sample of this memo board in order to give it an honest review.

As of the time of this review this memo board cost $20.77 on Amazon. Click here to check for current pricing: Key Holder Magnetic Message Board Hanging Dry Erase Board Cork Board with 3 Key Holders 2 Magnets 1 (Black)

BestFire® Car-Shaped Wireless Bluetooth Speaker With Subwoofer (Red)by BestFire®

Usually I go for speakers that are designed to do the job but not stick out. But, this speaker just grabbed me. Is there any guy that resist a shiny red sports car. This car is the GT by Citroen, a car literally designed for a video game and then brought to the road as a concept car.

This speaker feels like a remote control car when it is picked up. All four wheels roll easily - it will roll off of the table if it is not perfectly level. It measures approximately 10.5 inches long, 5 inches wide and 3 inches tall. When it is playing, the tail lights light up and the headlights blink blue (about two seconds on, two seconds off).

But, how does it work?

This speaker is more than loud enough for a home office space, but it will not shake the walls. Currently, I am listening to it and I found that I had to turn it down - it gets loud enough that I have a hard time writing and listening. If you move the car around, it makes the bass sound more prominent or less prominent. This is not due to electronics, but the simple physics of audio. I found if you tilt the car up on something (like the driver's side wheels on the ground, the passenger side wheels up on a book), which you could easily do in setting it up as a display item on a shelf, it sounds best.

It comes with a replaceable rechargeable battery. The instructions are all one a half-sheet of paper. I used them to get started and then started experimenting. The car is pretty intuitive to operate. 

Everything that comes with the speaker:
1)  the speaker, 2) a combination USB/line-in
cord and a half page instruction sheet.

When you turn it on the car makes a roaring engine sound then there is a voice that speaks to you in Chinese. But, the back window of the car is a digital screen and it says, "HI" in English. Hit the "M" button and you pick the mode you are in: Bluetooth, FM radio or Line-in. The screen identifies them as "blue", the current FM station's numbers you are on (it does remember where you left it, which is a positive) and "Line". As you switch modes the Chinese man comes back and says something. Hit the power button once and it puases (or "PAUS" as the screen calls it), hold it down and it says "OFF" and powers down.

The Bluetooth hooks up easily.

If you are listening to your speaker plugged in to or Bluetoothed to your phone you can use the car as a speaker phone. I asked people how I sounded over the speaker phone (or my "car phone" as I took to calling it) and I was told that I sounded just like normal. I used my phone to answer and call - I hate to use the buttons on a device that is hooked up to my cell phone because while I am looking at the Bluetooth device trying to remember what to do the phone stops ringing. 

This speaker comes in three different colors: red, yellow and blue.

As of the time of this review this speaker cost $58.99 on Amazon. Click here for current pricing: BestFire® Car-Shaped Wireless Bluetooth Speaker With Subwoofer (Red)

Ipow Foldable Selfie Stick

  Easy to take along - even fits in your pocket!

If you have ever wanted to take a group selfie or just wanted to get you and a whole lot of the background in a selfie, a selfie stick is the thing you want. This particular selfie stick stretches out to 39 inches - that doesn't sound like much but it can really add a lot to your picture.

The set up is easy. Your phone locks into a sturdy spring-loaded clamp on the end of the stick. Large devices such as a tablet will not fit into this clamp. 

The camera can swivel left and right and up and down and so you can pick the best angle and then tighten everything down. The extension works like an old-fashioned radio or TV antenna and it is very sturdy. 

Everything that comes in the box.

This selfie stick folds up into a very tidy package. You could easily fold it up and stick it away in a backpack or even in your front pocket if you are wearing shorts or khaki style pants. 

On a newer Apple phone the white cord plugs into the earphone plug and makes the camera snap pictures. Now you can take pictures with a button in the handle of the selfie stick. Aim it at yourself or maybe turn on the video and stick your camera up into your very scary attic.

But, if you have an Android or another operating system you will have trouble. The manufacturer promises in the instruction booklet that it will work with Samsung Galaxy 4 and above after it downloads an app. I have a Galaxy 3 so I just used the 5 second delay feature and held the stick up and took my picture. It worked just as well and I was pleased with the results.

I rate this selfie stick 4 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review this selfie stick cost $8.98 on Amazon. You can click here to check on current pricing: .Ipow Foldable Selfie stick

Note: I was sent a selfie stick for review purposes so that I could write an informed review.

Smart Weigh Precision Ultra Slim Digital Bathroom Scale with Instant Step-on technology, Tempered Glass with Black Accents

First, before I talk about anything else, I want to state the obvious - this is a good-looking bathroom scale. The old days of having a metal scale with a rolling dial are probably long gone. 

Of course, what makes this scale so good-looking is that it is made out of tempered glass. This is a tough glass, comparable to what you would find in cook wear. This scale can take weights up to 330 pounds. The booklet that comes with the scale notes that you should avoid weights above that on the scale, not because of danger of the glass breaking but because it can mess up the electronics underneath.

The scale has a backlit display (about one inch tall) that is easy to read while you are standing on the scale. The scale is 12.5 inches by 12.57 inches - almost a perfect square. 

The scale can be adjusted by the push of a button to display weight in pounds, kilograms or in stones (it was news to me that anybody weighed anything in "stones" anymore). 

A real positive is that this scale uses 4 AAA batteries (it comes with a set of 4) rather than watch batteries. A lot of scales use watch batteries and even if those watch batteries last longer than AAA batteries, most people have easy access to AAA batteries so they are much easier to replace. The scale tells you when the batteries need to be replaced. 

The scale turns on automatically when something is placed on it. If it is activated and then whatever activated it is quickly removed it will turn off in 5 seconds to save power. I mention this because our dog loves to explore the bathroom and steps on the scale multiple times during the day. If you are standing on the scale and just stare at the results in disbelief it will turn itself off in 10 seconds.

The instruction book is very easy to read. It has instructions in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German. 

At the time of this writing, this scale sells for $16.99 on Amazon.com. You can click here to check on current pricing: Smart Weigh Precision Ultra Slim Digital Bathroom Scale with Instant Step-on technology, Tempered Glass with Black Accents

I rate this scale 5 out of 5 stars. 

Note: I received a scale from a vendor for testing purposes in exchange for an honest review.

Mpow Swift Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sweatproof Stereo Earbuds

 Solid Set of Entry-Level Earbuds.

The Mpow Swift Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sweatproof Stereo Earbuds come with a USB cord to plug into a charger or a computer, six sets of ear bud tips and three sets of different-sized ear stabilizers so you can customize how they fit. Even though those ear stabilizers look horribly uncomfortable, they really are quite comfortable and very stable once you get them all screwed in (and I do mean screwed in - you think it has to be in all the way and then you twist a little bit more and then it all fits perfect!).

The instruction book has no graphics and the text is pretty small so you have to squint a little to read it. The English is clearly written and easy to understand, although it is obvious that it was not written by a native speaker of English.

What came in the package: The headset, a fairly long USB charger
cord to plug into a computer, 6 sets of "ear anchors", 3 sets of ear
bud tips and the instruction booklet. 

The Mpow Swift Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sweatproof Stereo Earbuds syncs very easily with my Samsung Galaxy 3 and my Chromebook. The phone quickly and easily re-pairs with a device once you have paired with it - it is surprisingly quick. 

The sound is very good. It is not the best stereo sound I have ever heard - but this is not a top end head set that can set you back hundreds of dollars, either. Considering the price and the convenience of Bluetooth it is a good deal.

This set of Bluetooth earphones has excellent range. I had no problem going 20-25 feet from my phone with no skipping out.

The device comes with an excellent built-in phone.  I did not use the headset's phone features (the buttons on the headset). When I use Bluetooth to talk on my phone I always use the phone itself rather than the headset features to interact (meaning I answer using the phone and hang up using the phone, etc.) because I just find it easier than blindly pushing buttons.

They come in three colors schemes: fluorescent green/black, blue/black and seafoam green/white.

Note: I received a free sample of this set of ear buds in exchange for an honest review.

I rate these earbuds 5 stars out of 5.

As of the time of this review, the Mpow Swift Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sweatproof Stereo Earbuds cost $29.99. Check for current pricing here: Mpow Swift Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Sport Headphones

Kinzd® Waterproof Cell Phone Carrying Pouch with Detachable Lanyard

    You Can Keep on Texting in the Shower!

Cell phones, as a group, are not compatible with water. But, so many people do things around the water that it is just not feasible to never take the phone near water.

This waterproof pouch is a great solution to these problems: 

1) You can see through it so you can check to see who's calling while you are out fishing and screen that call from your spouse telling you it's time to come back in and have lunch with your brother-in-law!

2) You can actually interact with your smartphone through the plastic - touch buttons, etc. so you can keep on texting while you are in the shower!

3) It is truly waterproof. I put a tissue in mine and stuck it in the sink (held down by a bottle) for more than 3 hours and it was perfectly dry - so yes, you can go tubin' and still check your e-mail!

4) The plastic is clear so you can watch online kitten videos all night long and Bluetooth the sound out to a nearby speaker while you are soaking in the hot tub with that special someone!

5) It has a detachable lanyard just in case you like to take selfie videos of while you are water-skiing! Wrap it around your wrist a few times and you can get the perfect video of you wiping out and still not lose your phone!

Seriously, though, it works great. Plus, you can store other stuff in there as well - watches, hearing aids, a Fit Bit or anything else you just don't want to get wet, muddy, dirty, filled with sand or whatever.

I rate this pouch 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received a free sample for testing purposes. I took it all over Florida on a trip (theme parks, the beach, etc.) and I like it a lot.

As of the time of this review this pouch cost $9.99 on Amazon. Click here to check on current pricing: Kinzd® Waterproof Cell Phone Pouch

SUNYOO® 20L Lightweight Laptop Backpack-style Water Resistant Travel Daypack

  Tested at Disney World - Comes Through with Flying Colors!

I got this backpack-style daypack to take to Disney World on our summer vacation. But, once I tried it on I realized that it was just too small for me - it felt like I was wearing a little kid's backpack. But, I have a nine-year-old and I let her use it and it fit her perfectly (there is a bigger version that is a little more than 1/3 larger available for $5 more). She carried the little essentials at Disney World - a small umbrella, a map and, of course, a little notebook to get autographs from all of the Disney Princesses and sometimes a water bottle.

This daypack can fold up into a small pouch for easy storage in a car or wherever. When you unfold it, the pouch is in the backpack and serves as an internal pocket. This backpack is water-resistant but not waterproof. While we were at Epcot we were caught in a thunderstorm and the backpack protected what was inside. 

This would not be a heavy-duty backpack like kids would use for school and they do not claim to be. But, this was great on our trip. My daughter had no complaints, except that the straps hurt when she overloaded it, which is to be expected. 

The daypack comes in 7 different colors (black, blue, green, orange, gray, purple and red) and two different sizes (20 L and 35 L).

Note: I received a free daypack in for testing purposes in exchange for an honest review.

As of the time of this review, this daypack cost $16.99 on Amazon. The larger size cost $21.99. Click here to check current pricing: SUNYOO® 20L/35L Large Lightweight Backpack-style Water Resistant Travel Daypack

Flatworld® Manual Open & Close Light Vinyl Umbrella

Small, convenient umbrellas come in all sorts of sizes and weights. This umbrella is built to be as lightweight as possible. We took it to the four Disney World kingdoms with us over the course of a week because the weather reports forecast rain every afternoon. My nine-year-old carried a small, lightweight backpack and we tucked this inside of the backpack for her precisely because this umbrella is so lightweight. While we were at Epcot we got nailed by a very strong thunderstorm and this umbrella performed quite well for her.

The umbrella and the odd case. The umbrella comes with a purely
decorative, whimsical cloth flower sewn to it. Right after I took this picture
 I cut the flower off with a knife. I am not that whimsical.

When I say that this umbrella is lightweight, I mean that it weighs less than any umbrella that I have ever used. It is not intended to be an everyday umbrella so if you live in London or Seattle this would not be your best option. I carry it in my car and would not hesitate to toss it in a backpack if I were going out and rain was likely.

The umbrella comes with an odd case that I like like the longer I have it. Many umbrellas have a sleeve that you slide on it to protect it. But, if you use the umbrella and then slide the sleeve on it the sleeve gets all wet and it's hard to put the umbrella away because everything around it gets wet. This case feels like it is made out of the carpet that you find in automobile trunks. After the rains at Epcot we just shook off the umbrella and stuck it back in the case and nothing got wet in her backpack.

This umbrella is pricey when compared to other small travel umbrellas but, rest assured, it does work and is ultra-lightweight. The umbrella comes in two colors: pink and black.

This umbrella cost $29.99 on Amazon at the time of this review. Click here to check for current pricing: Flatworld® 3 Folding Manual Open & Close Umbrella.


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

BestFire® Bluedio 55L Bluetooth 4.0 Stereo Headset (noble black)

This is BestFire's version of an old classic - the Bluetooth earpiece. This unit features the classic Bluetooth earpiece design - no extending microphones or any wires going to your ear.

Everything that comes in the package with this Bluetooth
earpiece. I don't even know what all of this stuff does.

This set has a different twist. It has a extra earpiece on a wire that you can plug into the micro-USB port that you use to charge the device and suddenly you have a stereo headset. 

The sound is very clear and it stayed connected more than 20 feet away from my phone in my house. The sound is not bad at all, especially considering that the real reason to get this set is to have a Bluetooth phone - the music is just a nice bonus.

I did not use the headset's phone buttons. When I use Bluetooth to talk on my phone I always use the phone rather than the headset features to interact (meaning I answer using the phone and hang up using the phone, etc.) because I just find it easier than blindly pushing buttons. 

The earpiece comes with two different-sized optional over-the-ear hooks. It also comes with a lot of other stuff that I cannot identify. There is a soft plastic piece that I think is some sort of in-car storage container that you hang from the air vent of the car and there is also a lanyard. I have no idea what to attach the lanyard to.

As an added bonus, the instructions claim that this headset can translate Chinese to English and English to Chinese (seriously). I did not bother to test that feature since I don't speak Chinese or know anyone that does.

The instruction book was clearly written by someone who does not speak English as their first language - but is perfectly understandable. 

At the time of this review this Bluetooth headset cost $24.44 on Amazon.com You can check here to check for current pricing: BestFire® Universal Bluedio 55L Bluetooth 4.0 Stereo Headset

I rate this Bluetooth earpiece 5 stars out of 5.

Note: I received an earpiece for evaluation purposes in exchange for an honest review.

SoundPEATS Q2 Stereo Bluetooth Earbuds

  Too Small for my head.

The SoundPEATS Q2 Stereo Bluetooth Earbuds come with a USB cord to plug into a charger or a computer, three sets of ear bud tips so you can customize how they fit. 

These earbuds never really did comfortable on my head - usually you just have get them all screwed in (and I do mean screwed in - you think it has to be in all the way and then you twist a little bit more and then it all fits perfect!) but these never really did that with me. Even worse, the device just doesn't fit my admittedly large head (I have literally torn the stitches out of a one-size-fits-all hat in a store). It was so tight that they never really got into my ears correctly when I tried to put both earbuds in at the same time. 

The instruction book has great graphics and the text is a decent size. Even better, the English is clearly written.

The SoundPEATS Q2 Stereo Bluetooth Earbuds  syncs very easily with my Samsung Galaxy 3.

The sound is good. It is not the best stereo sound I have ever heard -but this is not a top end head set that can set you back hundreds of dollars, either. Considering the price and the convenience of Bluetooth it is a good deal.

What came with the headset. The USB charger cord is not pictured.

This set of Bluetooth earphones has excellent range. I had no problem going 20-25 feet from my phone with no skipping out.

The device comes with an excellent built-in phone - my daughter said it sounded as good as when I use the cell phone the normal way. I did not use the headset's phone features. When I use Bluetooth to talk on my phone I always use the phone rather than the headset features to interact (meaning I answer using the phone and hang up using the phone, etc.) because I just find it easier than blindly pushing buttons up by my ear.

Because I simply could not get them to fit my head, I have to give this headset 3 stars out of 5. This could have been fixed with an extra inch of wire - the cheapest part of the whole device.

Note: I received a free sample of this set of ear buds in exchange for an honest review.

As of the time of this review, the SoundPEATS Q2 Stereo Bluetooth Earbuds  cost $27.99. Check for current pricing here: SoundPEATS Q2