Ranger X7 Plus and our experience with it.

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150° Obstacle Avoidance (Optional) 26MPH Speed  4K Camera Level 5 Wind Resistance 24 Minutes/Battery GPS Smart Modes We recently received a Ranger X 7 Plus EXO to test and review. We had previously worked with other drones which were much more expensive, however we were really impressed with the Ranger X7 Plus. It came with […]

Trinus3d Exciting NEW Crowdfunded 3D Printer!

Professional 3D printing now costs hundreds instead of thousands Starting March 30, Trinus will be available on Kickstarter for just $299.

SAN FRANCISCO, California (March 25, 2016) — Trinus is the first truly affordable 3D printer for everyday professional use. Currently, desktop 3D printers fall roughly into two camps. For under $500, you can buy a 3D printer suited for fun experimentation — one that is more toy than work machine. For $2000 or more, you can buy a printer that is suited for more serious prototyping and fabrication. If you want high-quality printing but are on a tight budget, you are better off getting your prints from a third party. Industrial designer Bojan Smiljanic fell into this camp. As a creator of consumer products, he used to send all of his prototype designs to third-party 3D printers such as Shapeways. He did not want The Trinus 3D Printer/Laser Engraver is the world’s first professional-grade 3D printer made from all metal parts for under $500 to spend thousands of dollars for a personal machine that might break down, fulfill only some of his needs, or require an upgrade after just a few years. However, relying on third-party printers had its challenges too. Once, Smiljanic ordered two prints of a prototype for $100. He waited 20 days for the prototypes to arrive, only to find that they were printed with plastic that was too stiff. This type of experience was not uncommon. Last year, Smiljanic joined Kodama, Inc., a small San Francisco-based startup looking to build a high-quality 3D printer that met the needs of professionals and hobbyists alike. They came up with Trinus, a fast, reliable, high-resolution 3D printer that can be transformed into a laser engraver within 60 seconds.


 

Unlike most other 3D printers under $500, Trinus does not contain any cheap plastic parts — it is made entirely of premium metal. “I wanted to make a machine that I would use as a product designer,” says Smiljanic. “With its speed, precision, and versatility, Trinus fits the bill. The prototype printer in my office has been running 24/7 since November, with no technical failures yet.” Starting March 30, Trinus will be available on Kickstarter for $299. The first 100 backers will get a Super Early Bird price of $199. Trinus can be converted from a 3D printer to a laser engraver in 60 seconds. Built to last Constructed entirely out of high-end aluminum and steel, Trinus is the world’s only all-metal 3D printer under $500. More than a printer Trinus has a “transformer” design: Its 3D printing head can be taken off and exchanged with a laser engraver. By the end of 2016, we aim to launch a third head — which is why we named our product Trinus, the Latin word for “triple.” We are currently working on designs for a dual extruder (for mixing multiple filaments), a paste extruder (for printing with viscous substances such as chocolate), and a CNC router (for cutting wood and metal). No filament restrictions In addition to traditional PLA filament, Trinus can print with exotic materials, such as flexible, polycarbonate, wood, and aluminum filaments. Through our Kickstarter we are providing premium Polymaker filament at an exclusive discount. Stability and precision To make Trinus we scaled down the mechanics of industrial-grade machines. Built with a single-axis slider and robust internal components, Trinus does not require constant recalibration. Its parts stay in place. High print quality Trinus maintains quality printing up to print speeds of 70 mm/sec but is capable of running at a maximum speed of 150 mm/sec. With a minimum layer height of 50 microns, its prints come out clean and smooth. Hassle-free assembly Since Trinus has a simple modular design and only 11 units, someone with no technical experience can put it together in 30 minutes. Other, more expensive printers can have hundreds of pieces and require a full day to assemble. Intuitive software Trinus comes with its own proprietary Pango software, which includes many built-in features and works twice as fast as other slicers. However, you’re not tied to Pango — Trinus is compatible with any other software package or gCode. Enclosure and HBP We offer many options to ensure you can optimize Trinus to your needs, including an enclosure case and a heated bed platform that lets you print ABS and PC. To deliver you the best product, we teamed up with three partners • Flextronics, one of the biggest names in the world for electronics and manufacturing • Polymaker, one of the best and most innovative filament suppliers on the market • Panowin, a 3D printing company with 3+ years of experience in the industry and more than 20 patents filled Tech specs • Print volume: 120mm x 125mm x 125mm • Print speed: up to 70 mm/sec | Moving speed: up to 150 mm/sec • Minimum layer height: 0.05mm (50 microns) • Print material: 1.75mm PLA, ABS, PC, flex, wood, aluminum • OS supported: Windows, Mac • Connectivity: USB, SD Card (autoprint) • Power consumption: 60W • Weight: 9.8kg About Kodama, Inc. Kodama is a small San Francisco-based team of entrepreneurs, designers, and engineers working on 3D printing technology. We created the Trinus 3D Printer to bring high-quality and affordable 3D printing to every creative soul.

For More Info See–> Trinus3d
Kickstarter:

 

We would love the chance to test and review one of these interesting hybrid devices.

MOTA JETJAT™ Nano-C Preview

We are going to be reviewing a tiny but interesting drone from Mota Soon.

 

Nano-C

MOTA JETJAT™ Nano-C

 

The world’s smallest and lightest camera drone is merely a pint-sized 32 x 32 x 22 mm. Travel sized and 1/10 the size of an actual camera, the Nano-C delivers aerial camera capabilities so you can get those hard-to-capture shots. Video recording is made simple with an easily accessible SD-Card but the fun doesn’t stop there! Agile and nimble, the Nano-C can perform flips and stunts only daredevils dare to attempt. For a little drone that merely weighs .6 oz, the Nano-C epitomizes stable flight, video capturing and coins the term ‘pocket drone’. Tiny fun for the little ones, agile and powerful for hobbyists, and video capabilities for growing professionals; fly indoors and out without worry.

 

n  The world’s smallest and lightest video drone is merely gumball sized!

n  Built-in camera and micro SD card so you can record everything but your favorite TV series.

n  WOW your neighbors – This pocket sized design has a flight distance of up to 80 ft, LED lights for night flight and flying high over houses!

n   With the latest 6-axis Gyro hardware and videogame style 4-Channel Controller, experience amazing flight control.

n  Play with your pets around the house or shoo away flies before dinner; Nano-C does it all!

n  Upgraded high-capacity battery gives you extended flight time with shorter charge time. USB charging cable included has a light to help you identify charge status.

We are looking forward to checking out the wee beastie.

Please check out their website for more info JETJAT!

Tech Review: Bell’O Digital Headphones BDH-821

Overview:

The BDH-821 are over-the-ear headphones that can be used with Android and iOS devices. They include in-line volume controls and a 24k gold-plated plug. The name is not fancy but the headphones are quite nice. I ran into Bello Digital at CES 2014, and was intrigued by their products. We now had the opportunity to test their over the ear headphones. We are looking forward to testing and reviewing other products in the future as well.

Summary of the Devices:

From my perception, I found that  BDH-821 are  nice quality,  are well designed, solidly constructed   and have a  moderate price. The BDH-821 appear to offer nice construction with attractive black and chrome accented parts as well ( they also are available in white & chrome). The headphones can be folded and they come with a nice microfiber travel bag. The bad seems capable of being used as a cleaning cloth for ones’ phones, and tablets.  I had one of my teen age sons test them out for durability and he commented on the nice fiber wrapped cord, which is tangle resistant and of suitable length to make their use convenient.

Here are a few images of the headphones to allow you the reader to take a look at their impressive styling, design, and overall appearance too. As it has been said, a picture is worth a thousand words.

In term of the audio quality I found that they sounded good for most type of music. In terms of the bass response they sounded nice to me. In terms of offering the best quality and bass response on the market, I would say that they are very good for the price point.

Though they are well made, I think that the connectors between the part that goes over ones head and the headphones could get damaged especially for the teen age crowd or someone who would use them quite often.

DSCN1026 DSCN1027 DSCN1028

 

My opinion:

Bello is know for making very nice home theater furniture, and are not really the first name that comes to mind for headphones. Despite the fact that they are new to making headphones, I am impressed by their first foray into the market. They sound good, look nice, and easy to take, throw in your bag and use at your leisure.

I really like the over the ear type headphones like these to the in the ear type, though the in-ear type are sometimes easier to take on the road.

The headphones are well designed and look good, but are not overly pricey or fancy either so that you ought not to get mugged on the bus or at the airport or walking up the street like some of the big name player’s products like Beats Audio.

I tested the head phones, as did other members of our team as well. Overall we were impressed by them and would definitely recommend them to anyone for listening to most type of music, watching movies, or doing conference calls since they can be used for conversations as well since they offer a decent built in microphone. It would seem that they can be used for pc gaming as well since they sound good and allow players to communicate while gaming. My teen age son also tested them and he really likes them for his dub-step music.

 

About Bell’O Digital

Bell’O Digital is a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics products including stereo headphones, audio/video cables, TV wall mounts, surge protectors, electronics cleaning products, and much more. Bell’O Digital is a division of Bell’O International Corp, an award-winning manufacturer of A/V furniture and consumer electronic accessories for over 25 years. Bell’O products are sold in leading retailers throughout the United States and worldwide. Continuing in this tradition, Bell’O Digital designs and manufactures award-winning, premium quality accessories with an unparalleled commitment to details, aesthetics, and performance. From the soft, supple and lightweight ear cups of our stereo headphones, to the high speed reliability of our HDMI cables, to the high capacity security of our power surge protectors, our engineers take exceptional pride in developing products with the consumer in mind.

Bell’O Digital products extend well beyond looks and performance, bringing you exceptional value as well. Compare the features and prices of Bell’O Digital audio/video accessories to any other brand, and we believe we’ll not only exceed your expectations, but deliver a new standard in electronic accessories excellence.

Urban Ears Zinken Review

Zinken by Urban Ears Box

Zinken by Urban Ears Box

 

While at CES 2014, I spoke with the folks from Urbanears. I had the opportunity to take a look at and listen to their Zinken Headphones. I now had the opportunity to test and review the set they sent us in the mail. We received the Orange/Red aka Tomato colored ones. As you can see from the image above the packaging is the same color as the headsets that you receive.

Here is an example of another color option–>Urbanears-Urbanears-Zinken-cover-05

I would definitely state that they are appealing to the fashion conscious crowd.

In terms of their design and fitness for purpose:

Here is an image of the items that arrived with them in the box.

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The contents of the box, included the headphones, a unique connector cord, a sticker which went to my daughter, seemed appropriate for a 12 year old girl or anyone who likes heart stickers.

The aforementioned cord is interesting is that it can be plugged into the headsets in 1 direction whereby you can use the plus in a device like an Ipad with a 1/8th inch plug or plug it in the other direction in the other port on the headphones and use the 1/4″ plug. The second option would be great for musicians and DJ’s who need a quarter inch plug. This adds a great deal of value to the headphones.

According to Urban ears–>

These brightly colored orange on-ear headphones were developed with the professional DJ in mind. Zinken delivers deep bass, crisp mids and highs and efficiently reduces noise from the outside world. Packed with features, Zinken comes with the ingenious TurnCable for an adapter-free life and the ZoundPlug for instant music sharing. We’ve also thought a lot about comfort, and designed Zinken with swivel earcaps, an adjustable headband and specially selected materials that are easy to keep fresh and clean.

I would agree with them that the headphones are made in a decent manner, are flexible to fit most head and ear sizes, and fit nicely over the ears even for people like me with larger than average ears. What is also nice is that they are not huge and obtrusive either and are easy to wear in public.

Though the headphones are not as fancy as the expensive guys like Beats or Monster, they are a superb value for the money and have a high level of usefulness and utility.

I found that since the headphones were intended for DJ’s they lived up to my expectation that they would have good bass and nice sound quality. I was impressed by them overall.

To get a real world view, I let one of my 17 year old sons to try them out with his DubStep music, and he was impressed and now wants to keep them for himself.

The Design of the Urbanears Zinken Pro DJ headphones are simple, but in a cool way. Some of the competition is over the top in design and price, where these are not they are affordable and work well. They have a no-nonsense look to them where everything has a specific purpose within the design. They come in ten different colors and they all have a “Flat” type paint style to them. This way they can be as tame or as wild as your personal preference suggests. Around the outsides of the headband and the outsides of the ear cups, the Flat paint also has a rubberized texture to them. The part that extends out of the headband for more length is a hard plastic. The cable is very unique and intuitive. It is completely detachable. One end is a mini 1/8-inch connector while the other end has a ¼-inch connector. The right earcup has an 1/8-inch output, while the left earcup has a ¼-inch output. This way you will never need a ¼-inch or 1/8-inch adapter because you will always have either one or the other at your disposal. This cable is known by Urbanears as the Turncable. Each earvcup can also output the sound to another set of headphones so others can see what you are listening to if you wish. The cable is about 3ft but it is also coiled and can extend up to about 9ft when pulled to the max. The Turncable also has an in-line microphone and one-touch button for receiving or making calls on a compatible smartphone. I would probably not use them all of the time for making phone calls but when I am at home and on a conference call I expect them to perform well.

Overall:

I liked:

–>The design and variety of colors
–>The sound quality
–>The option of either using the 1/4″ or 1/8″ cord with the nice kevlar cord, which for those who were in the army, and am familiar with kevlar it is a good thing implying that they will last for a while
–>The well made, durable metal reinforced hinges
–>The way the headphones fold for stashing them in your bag
–>The fact that they are comfortable

What could be added value
–>A carry bag would be cool
–>A cool logo on the side of the headphones.

Overall I would recommend these to anyone that needs nice headphone for DJ’ing, up and coming musicians or audio technicians, or those that want nice headphones to listen to music, especially the young bass loving folks. One other point is that the headphones would appeal to guys and gals especially for those like my daughter who loves pink or purple or to football or sports fans who could get them in the team’s colors.

For more information or to get a pair or two for your self go to–>

Urbanears!!

More images–>
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Pure One Flow and their nice new streaming music service

The amazing new Pure One Flow

I recently had the opportunity to test and review the Pure One Flow. I was quite impressed by its simple design, reminds me of a radio that I had in the 1980’s. It is simple and non-obtrusive on the outside and state of the art in terms of its abilities and capabilities. I was also quite impressed by their streaming audio services as well as its’ ability to tag songs and allow you to either stream the song at a later date as well as download the mp3 from your computer. It also has a new Iphone application from the Itunes store as well. I hope that they also release an Android app for the Android Market as well.

Here is an overview from their Pure’s website–>http://www.pure.com/products/product.asp?Product=VL-61558

Here is a picture of the amazing little device–>

The amazing new Pure One Flow
Pure One Flow music streaming radio

A bit of information from the folks at Pure–>

Our most affordable portable digital, internet and FM radio, Pure’s One Flow is also one of our easiest radios to use with an intuitive interface and context-sensitive buttons.
Like all our products with Flow technology, One Flow combines digital radio and FM reception with a Wi-Fi connection, to provide you with a world of listening. Enjoy internet radio, listen again programmes, podcasts, Pure Sounds and music streaming when you’re in range of your wireless network, and digital and FM radio wherever you are.
ONE Flow features a smooth satin-touch finish, two alarms, a sleep timer and kitchen timer, an aux-in connector so you can connect your iPod or MP3 player, headphone socket and takes an optional Pure ChargePAK E1 rechargeable battery pack for complete go-anywhere listening.
Digital, FM and internet radio
Flow technology for internet radio, on-demand content including podcasts, Pure Sounds, and media streaming from a computer
FlowSongs service enables you to buy music direct from your radio
Input for iPod/MP3 player
Takes an optional ChargePAK E1 for portable listening
30 digital radio presets, 10 FM presets and unlimited internet favourites
Context-sensitive controls

Easy to use tone or radio alarm (mains power only)
Upgradable via Wi-Fi or USB
Visit the Lounge to register your radio, open a Lounge Account, find new content, organize your favourites and listen online

My wife is very low tech, does not know how to check her email, but she loved the device and found it to be pleasing the the eye and liked the ease of operation and sound quality.

My teen sons and 11 year old daughter also liked its’ customization, tagging and sound quality.

I have used it off and on for a couple of weeks, and recommend it to people that need a simple but powerful device for listening, to beautiful music on demand.

I also had the opportunity to use Pure’s Lounge online music hub. It was very easy to use, nice format and design, and simple to navigate. It reminds me a bit of some of the satellite radio services with much more customization capabilities. I found the music tagging and downloading capabilities to be quite nice too.

Here is a video overview from our friends at butterscotch.com

Here is another nice overview video on the Pure One Flow and its’ features and advantages–>

Overall I really like the device, it belongs on most desktops and it can also replace your bedside clock radio with great sound, really nice capabilities and features. I liked the streaming audio features, as well the tagging and downloading capabilities. Due to its complex capabilities but simple design it could appeal to the baby boomers, as well as generation x’ers like me.

Being on the autism spectrum and loving music, I find that the Pur One Flow really impresses me in its simplicity but powerful ability to deliver customized music to its owner.