ChargeHub

CHARGEHUB ~

Charge 7 USB Devices Simultaneously.…

© 2015 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOB SKIDMORE

CORRESPONDENT

We live is a world of USB devices that all need to be charged at some time or another. Each device generally comes with its own charger. In most cases a one-size charger does not fit all applications. An example of this would be an iPad vs a smartphone. iPads require a higher amperage draw than most other devices, so having the correct charger speeds things up and avoids damaging the charger. Having numerous devices and their respective chargers creates clutter, so is there a solution?

Limitless Innovations, Inc., a product innovations company engaged in the design and development of various cutting edge technologies for the retail market, may have an answer. I recently tested their ChargeHub – Super Value Pack, octopus in look and available as a square or round shaped charging station that allows up to seven various USB items to be charged at one time.

The ChargeHub is small in size. The Super Value Pack comes with seven assorted cables to accommodate the proper connection to various devices. 

Being an all-in-one charger, it eliminates the need to have a variety of chargers and to have enough electrical outlets to plug them all into. What you must understand is that having seven items simultaneously plugged in can affect the time required for a full charge. There is 8.8 amps total output power with 2.4 amps maximum per port. So, an iPad Air draws more power than a regular iPad and will draw up to 2.4 amps when its totally dead. A smartphone will draw approximately 1 amp when it’s completely dead. In most cases the devices that are plugged in will be at different levels of charge so averaging becomes a factor in determining how many and how long it will take something to charge. Most people will never experience not receiving optimal charge for up to seven connected devices. ChargeHub benefits from patent-pending SmartSpeed™ technology where each port works the same thus there is no special USB port for any particular brand or type of device. Due to the large current draw ChargeHub does not charge laptops.

Its compact size travels well and keeps your devices in one central location when they’re not in use and being charged. This helps to easily locate them when needed. When used with the optional International Travel Kit, it can be used worldwide as it is multi-voltage. 

If you’re interested in giving it a customized look, a set of plastic tabs is provided that allows for the insertion of a photo, logo or other unique identifier in the top center of the charger.

(TIP: A common problem with most users is to forget to charge their devices. Allowing them to fully drain is not advised. Charging them for five-minutes and then assuming they’re ready for limited use is a false sense of security and can alter the battery’s memory. I make it a habit of charging my smartphone at bedtime each night. This assures me of optimum usage the next day. If such a full charge will not last your active daily lifestyle, you should seriously consider the addition of a battery case such as those offered by Mophie, http://bit.ly/1WSPcOR. The Mophie battery pack can also be charged by the ChargeHub.)

GADGETEER’s RATING: ★★★★★

MSRP: Super Value Pack $89.95 available in round or square design International Travel Kit $29.95 (Various other optional accessories are offered)

For more information go to: http://bit.ly/1O00ONE

Graphic credits: Limitless Innovations, Inc.

Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally supplies products at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings.

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TILE ~ Never lose anything again

TILE ~

Finding stuff with a smartphone made easy….

© 2015 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOB SKIDMORE

CORRESPONDENT

One of life’s most frustrating problems is tracking the location of items like keys, wallets, purses and other movable items that you easily misplace. I’ve reported on several detection devices in the past, however TILE tests out to be not only reliable, but extremely durable too.

What is TILE? TILE is a thin plastic one and a half-inch square chip. 

It has a self-contained, not interchangeable nor chargeable battery. A small hole in the corner is provided for attaching to key chains, key rings, etc. It can also be affixed to objects with a supplied self-stick sticker. It requires the downloading of a free app on to your iPhone, Android device or iPad and does interface with Apple Watch. Once downloaded the setup is very easy. Graphics or photos of the specific items attached to your TILE can be included on the displayed list of TILES to identify each of your TILES. The manufacturer indicates that you can have an unlimited number of TILES loaded on your account. Since the internal battery can’t be charged or replaced you will need to purchase a replacement TILE after about one year of use. No current procedure exists if you change devices, however, TILE plans to issue a solution in the future to satisfy this scenario. It’s water resistant meaning that spilled liquids or rain should not pose a problem.

(TIP: When your TILE nears it’s lifespan you’ll receive a message indicating that, and offering registered users specially reduced pricing for a replacement.)

TILE uses Bluetooth to connect with your smartphone or iPad and what the TILE is assigned to. Bluetooth has a range of 30 to as much as 100 feet. If you go out of range the last location before loosing the Bluetooth signal is stored. So if you were last at the grocery store, go home and discover your purse is missing, you’ll see a GPS map pinpointing that location. 

Once you approach within the Bluetooth range and the smartphone TILE app is in the “lost mode”, a melody from the TILE will play aiding in locating the missing item. You can invite one additional person to share each tile with you thus doubling your locating capability.

TILE works well. It’s simple to use, very durable compared to other similar products and a very effective solution for tracking your lost items. My only disappointment is that the battery cannot be user replaced forcing the user to purchase a replacement. This is great for the manufacturer, but costly and inconvenient to the user. TILE currently appears to be only available on line from the manufacturer, HSN and Amazon.

(TIP: TILE offers excellent tech support via an on-line  chat service. I have spoken with Josh a few times and found him to quickly offer solutions that worked.)

(UPDATE: I just returned from a trip to Europe. I securely attached a TILE to my standard sized suitcase as a test. I left Tampa, flew to Detroit, then on to Amsterdam and Copenhagen with my final destination being Gothenburg, Sweden. Somewhere in this sequence the TILE was illegally removed. Solution, place it in a side pocket where it will not be so tempting to remove.)

GADGETEER’s RATING: ★★★★★

MSRP: $25.00 (substantial quantity discounts offered)

For more information go to: http://bit.ly/1f7GJTq

Graphic credits: TILE

Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally supplies products at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings.

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BONDIC~Liquid plastic welder

BONDIC ~

Possibly world’s first liquid plastic welder.…

© 2015 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOB SKIDMORE

CORRESPONDENT

There are many remedies to fix damaged items. Typically different materials require different solutions. Some work, some don’t. Most often the results are less than satisfactory.

I recently tested a product called Bondic. It differs from most other processes in that it solidifies only by exposure to UV light, not by outside air, thus making an immediate secure bond. While it works best on rough surfaces, its applications are not necessarily limited to that and can include sealing all kinds of materials. In most applications you have to work in layers and make sure the first layer goes inside the crack or hole to get a perfect lining. The more layers you create the more sustainable the repair will be. Once hardened you can smooth it out by using conventional methods.

(TIP: This product builds, fixes and fills most any material be it plastic, metal, glass, etc., and cures in just seconds. It fills, repairs, fixes leaks, and connects where glue can’t. It rebuilds broken material and makes new plastic in 4 seconds just to mention a few possibilities.  It can be sanded and painted.)

So, how do you use it? Bondic comes as a kit that contains a pen cartridge with applicator and a mount for a supplied UV light. The applicator allows for a thin stream of bonding agent to be slowly ejected by simply squeezing the black plastic housing. It’s black to prevent exposure to light eliminating the possibility of curing in the pen. I found this process to be a great feature compared to glues and other agents that are not easily controllable. Once satisfactorily applied, you flip the applicator around, turn the UV light on and aim the light to the bonding material. The bonding agent must be visible for this to work and can also be cured in this manner under water. This process only takes seconds and the repair is complete. The bond is waterproof and offers electrical insulation for low voltage applications. 

This means you can repair various computer related cables where the insulation or strain relief tears or breaks loose. While certainly not a substitute for soldering it can be used to join and insulate low voltage cable ends and hold items in place on circuit boards.

(TIP: I have not tried this, nor seen it work, however, the manufacturer has had an independent testing lab confirm the successful use of Bondic in repairing a hole or crack in a normal home water line. 

According to these tests it can withstand a water pressure of up to 120psi and a temperature range of 0c ~ 100c [32° ~ 212°f]. You must create a wedding band around the hole/crack that covers the circumference of the pipe - reaching around and touching itself again and then follow the curing process as previously outlined. Check your local water utility for the PSI rating in your area and understand it could vary.)

Bondic is a great repair solution. One pen size cartridge applicator can last a long time depending on what you are repairing. Pen cartridges and/or UV light replacements are available separately so you don’t have to repurchase an entire kit. To put it mildly, Bondic is a great repair solution. New uses are just a project away….  I’m extremely impressed!!!

GADGETEER’s RATING: ★★★★★

MSRP: Bundle $24.99  ~ Replacement Cartridge $12.59 ~ Replacement UV Light $6.59 (Available on line by the manufacturer, at Amazon, HSN and at various retail locations in the USA and Canada)

For more information go to: http://bit.ly/1LT1Gn8

Graphic credits: Bondic, Google Images

Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally supplies products at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings.

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DROPBOX

DROPBOX ~ What it is and how to maximize its use.…

© 2015 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BOB SKIDMORE

CORRESPONDENT

While Dropbox is a popular service, it still amazes me how few people know about it, what it does or how to maximize its use. So, if you’re a user, bear with me, as I’m sure you’ll pick up a little insight into what makes it tick.

Most of us at some time or another have the need to email or in some other manner send files containing documents, photos or PDF’s. Email might sound like the logical option, but most often its file size limitation prevents its use. Most email accounts limit the file size to less than 5 megabytes while others may allow up to 10. Beyond that you’re just out of luck! That’s where Dropbox comes in. Dropbox is a service that utilizes the cloud to allow you to transfer files of almost any size from one Dropbox to another. It not only allows you to send such files to others, but from one of your own computers, iPads or smartphones to another. In the latter, it allows transferring this data without the use of a memory stick.

So, what’s needed? First you must subscribe to the Dropbox service. As a private individual you can do this at no cost and have access to a free 2GB Dropbox account. This probably would satisfy most needs, however, additional memory is available as an upgrade with a monthly or yearly subscription to a Dropbox Pro 1TB plan. You can also obtain additional 500MB increments at no cost for each person you recommend that actually signs up. There is, however, a 16GB cap on this offer. Commercial or business users can sign up too, but with a monthly or annual fee.

Since Dropbox is a for-profit business it aggressively promotes its use by its users. You’ll receive notices about having many files and photos automatically stored in your Dropbox. While this may seem handy and nice, it comes at a price. Your Dropbox will soon be full and you will be asked to sign up for a subscription. To avoid such charges you should limit your use to an actual transfer. When you know the transfer was successful and completed remove the file from the Dropbox. This frees up space and makes room for future transfers. Chances are you’ll never run out of space.

(TIP: You’ll know that the recipient has accessed the material in the folder as Dropbox sends an email notice of this activity to you automatically.

When you wish to send someone a large file, you must create a folder with the file(s) in it, and then drag the folder into your Dropbox application. Once in you can click on this folder, select what you wish to do, enter the email address of the recipient and send it. The recipient may not need to be a registered Dropbox user, however, I have experienced that this is not always the case based simply on past usage. Therefore it’s highly suggested that they become s user if at all possible since it is free. They will receive notification that you sent them a file(s) and can then access it. If they drag it to their desktop they will always have access to it.

Dropbox is used by thousands of corporations and individuals alike. It’s fast, safe, economical and an extremely useful tool in this world of on-demand communications. To subscribe simply go to dropbox.com or send me an email bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com and I’ll send you an invite. It couldn’t be simpler.

GADGETEER’s RATING: ★★★★★

For more information go to: http://bit.ly/1byn8Yu

Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer. The manufacturer generally supplies products at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings.

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