Audecook 2Ltr Rice Cooker Review
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This new rice cooker from Audecook is more than just a simple rice cooker. It can also be used to make porridge, yoghurt, stew and soup.
That said, there is nothing this device does that many others do not do but it does it rather more stylishly than the cheaper and less attractive rivals.

In the box, you get the rice cooker, cooking bowl, UK power cable, rice spoon, 160ml measuring cup, and a user guide. All you will need is in the box Build quality is excellent and this feels a cut above the rivals available in the supermarket. This unit has an attractive and rather upmarket look to it.

The cooker has a timer allowing you to prepare the device in advance of cooking and also a keep warm feature which comes on automatically after cooking has finished. As well as regular white rice the cooker can also has presets for brown rice, porridge, stews, soups and yoghurt. It has a removable and non-stick inner bowl in which the cooking takes place and an inner lid to the unit which can be removed from the main locking lid.

To operate add the white rice to the bowl using a full scoop of the included measuring cup and then fill the bowl with water to the marked level for the number of cups of rice. Press the White Rice button on the device and close the lid. The cooker will beep and enter Keep Warm mode when the rice is ready, which will be around 40 minutes for most rice types and longer for brown rice. Porridge will take around 60 minutes and yoghurt 6 -0 12 hours. The user guide lists the proportion of water to dry ingredients to use in detail.

So that's it, it is as simple as that.

This rice cooker would be well suited for small households or for student digs as it does all the work in the background, is simple to use, easy to operate and gives great results. There are many equally functional rivals out there but this one is well designed, looks good and has all you need in the box. For the current price of £48.99 before discounts it is by no means the cheapest one out there but I feel it is worth paying a bit more for a quality product.

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GKU D600 Twin Camera Dashcam Review
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This is a lightweight dual mode, twin camera dashcam that can give full 4K resolution in front camera mode and 2160p front and 1080p rear at 30 frames per second when in dual camera mode. That's not all it does, you can connect to the camera over wifi to configure and control it and to download video and photos.

Packaged in a large and rather upmarket product box aside from the front camera there is also the small rear camera and hardwired 19ft cable, power adaptor with 9ft cable, spudger tool, 2 electrostatic mounting stickers and User Guide. The User Guide, unlike most, was very well printed, easy to read and informative. A nice bonus is the inclusion of a prefitted 32GB TF memory card.

Most dashcams are single camera units but this system is supplied with a second small camera that is attached by cable to the front camera and can be positioned in the back window to continuously record activity behind the car in addition to the video recorded by the main camera. The rear camera is connected by a lengthy cable to a socket on the main camera. The front camera has a 170-degree angle of view according to the User Guide, the rear camera has a 140-degree lens. Both cameras give a clear, detailed and sharp image at 30 frames per second.

Fixing the camera to the mirror on my Toyota Aygo was easy enough and the cables were easily long enough for both cameras. Fitting the second camera was more of a chore as the cable has to be wound through the car from front to back but once it is done there should be no need to adjust it again. The rear camera is optional as the main camera will work perfectly well without it. I prefer to use just the front camera to get full advantage of the 4K video.

The dashcam is controlled and configured using the JarvisCam app connected to a Wifi hotspot generated by the camera. You can select to operate in various modes: front camera only at 4K'@30fps, front and rear both at [email protected], or front cam [email protected] and rear cam also at [email protected] Various other options can be set including the microphone, loop recording time, etc. Recordings can also be selected, viewed on the app or downloaded. Neither camera has a built in screen and so all configuration must be done through the app but after this the camera can operate independently.

I found the image quality to be excellent although in low light conditions, the image quality dropped somewhat. Image quality is crucial for dashcams as it is important to be able to clearly identify number plates and other details in a recorded incident. The camera has the all-important G-Sensor which autosaves and protects video files in which it detects a sudden stop or impact.

For Full review see YouTube: https://youtu.be/GV_8SJ6XeqE

DBPOWER 16.9” Portable DVD Player Review

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DBPower is a name well known in tech circles for the range and quality of their products and this new stand-alone DVD player is no exception. It is a smaller version of the 17.9” model I reviewed some time ago. Like the bigger brother it can play multi-region DVDs and audio discs, along with a wide range of files on SD cards or USB drives.

In the large but attractively designed box can be found the player itself, a UK power adapter, remote control, remote control battery set, car power adapter, RCA cable set, and a nicely printed and easy to read user guide.

Build quality seems fine, the DVD player is far lighter at 2.3Kg than might be expected for the 16.9" size but it feels well made and robust. The remote control is fairly small with a large number of tiny and hard to decipher buttons but the build quality is good and it feels well made enough.

Looking at the player itself, it has a large and bright 14.1″ LCD screen with a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution (resolution is reduced when playing some file types from USB or SD). The discs are loaded into a top opening panel on the inside face of the unit surrounded by a range of controls, all with large buttons and a positive clicky operation. On one side is a port bay containing a USB A port, full sized SD card slot, 3.5mm audio jack port, AV in and out ports, a Power On/Off slider and a power in port.

On the left of the disc bay are buttons for Mute, TFT/On, Subtitles, Audio, Rewind, and Fast Forward. Next to it is a jog wheel for Volume and Forward/Back with in the centre a button to call up the Settings menu. On the right of the disc compartment are buttons for Mode, Setup, USB/DVD, Menu, Stop, and Play/Pause Selecting Setup gives access to a wide range of options to allow for almost every situation, but probably most users will not need to go there. Below is another large control pad for menu navigation. All the controls are on the front panel and are large, well marked and easy to use, well suited perhaps for older and less tech savvy users.

The remote control is well made with a good positive feel to the buttons. It has a large array of identical buttons and allows almost every feature to be selected and controlled but their small size makes this a difficult and confusing task. In any case, I doubt many people will want to use this device with a remote. The cables and accessories are pretty much standard and all of decent quality.

The region-free unit can play DVDs, CDs and most types of audio and video files on disc, SD card or external USB drive. It can also connect to external devices using the supplied RCA cables but sadly there is no HDMI port or Bluetooth connection option.
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Elgato Green Screen MT Review
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I experimented for ages with various types of green screen backgrounds. I used to struggle with hanging the screen and balancing the lighting only to find it would not work in the edit. Then I bought this one, not cheap at £142, but for me well worth every penny. This green screen is quick and easy to set up and works every time.

Elgato offers several greenscreen products, various self-supporting units, some packaged with other products as well as this wall mounted model. I went for this one because once installed the screen retracts into the wall mount up at ceiling level neatly out of the way. Also, the green screen itself is one of the most vibrant I have seen and most likely to give the key needed to overlay a clean background free from fringing and artefacts.

In the box, you just get the screen assembly itself with mounting hooks, along with a simple user guide. The wall mounts you have to provide yourself. I bought two simple mounting frames onto which I can hang the screen housing box and from which it can be quickly and easily taken down if necessary.

The Elgato Green Screen MT is basically the same as a film projection screen, with a 200 cm wide surface made from Dacron a sort of resin or plastic cloth. The screen is pulled down from its housing and locked at any height up to 180cm. It is always under tension and so there are never any creases or wrinkles. After use, it has a spring loaded release mechanism which automatically retracts the screen into the housing box.

It is a bit of a performance to get it mounted onto the wall as it is not light at 5.4 kg, but it is a job you only have to do one time. Once done the housing box just sits up there out of the way.

There are cheaper alternatives, and any green cloth should do the job. I remember the time I used to spend hanging green cloth from poles, struggling to remove kinks and wrinkles, and balancing the lights to avoid shadows. Now I just lower the screen, get my filming done, and when I come to edit it, the green key is perfect every time.

That is not to say that this product is without flaws. It is expensive, and fixing it to the wall can be a tricky job particularly since no brackets are provided and it is a pity too that the screen is not reversible with a blue screen on the other side. But nothing is perfect in this world.

I cannot recommend this product highly enough and if you are a video maker then I guarantee you will never make a better buy.

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VASTFIRE XHP90 Zooming Flashlight Review
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This new torch from VASTFIRE is one of the first twin light flashlights I have tried with COB LED lighting. COB is the latest LED technology and stands for ‘Chip On Board’. COB LEDs are multiple LED chips bonded to form a single module. This means a small, brighter and more robust LED with a wider field of view but using less power.

In the plain unbranded box was the aluminium alloy flashlight itself, two preinstalled 26650 5000mAh rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries, a USB to USB-C charging cable, two plastic battery adapter tubes, and a prefitted wrist lanyard. No User Guide was included, which was annoying. What do the plastic tubes do? I have seen similar tubes used to allow smaller diameter batteries to be used with torches and this may well be outlined in the missing User Guide. The build quality of everything included seems first-rate, heavy duty and clearly built to last. The torch is rated as being 1m impact resistant and IP44 water resistant, which means it should be fine in the rain but don’t drop it in any puddles.

The torch is a good hefty size at 30.48 x 5.84 x 5.84 cm but not too heavy for the pocket or shoulder bag at 430g. On the front, of course, is the main 5000 lumens lamp with the COB strip light on the side. On the side too is a row of bright blue LEDs to show the current battery and charging status. On the shaft of the flashlight is a grommet protected bay housing the USB-C power in port and the single USB-A power out port used to power or charge external devices.

The unit is controlled by a single button. Click once to scroll between full power (5000 lumens), low power (3000 lumens) and strobing. One full charge will give around four hours on full power and six on low. Double click to switch to the side LED and click again to change from white to red light.

The torch also works as a power bank and should be able to charge a smartphone twice when itself is fully charged. Charging is quicker than I expected but rather longer than the thirty minutes claimed in the Amazon listing.

Another feature of the torch is that it can be used as an escape tool or for self-defence and the heavy weight and serrated metal lens shield certainly make this possible.

The front light at 5000 lumens is not the brightest I have seen but it is easily enough for most purposes, outdoors or in. The front light can be zoomed in out and out to a great degree although at maximum zoon the four lighting chips are visible. The side light looks like a white strip on the side of the flashlight but when lit produces an extra-wide field of view making it suitable as an inspection or even a room light.
For Full review see YouTube: https://youtu.be/yIgSAXdRvec

Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 Review
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There are three basic Streamdeck models. There is the original Stream Deck (in different sizes) , the Stream Deck+ with rotary dials, and this one the Stream Deck MK.2. It is currently available for £129 discounted from £150. I use it on my Mac but it also works on Windows.

Everything you need is in the box - the panel itself, a desktop stand, a USB cable and a user manual. Build quality is first rate and this feels like a classy and high-end piece of kit.

The stream deck has a panel of 15 backlit customisable LCD buttons giving access to application shortcuts, websites, operating system functions and features within selected applications. It is fully customisable and you can quickly set up your own dedicated shortcuts. There is not much it cannot be programmed to do. Dedicated sets for different applications can be downloaded and I installed one for the Da Vinci Resolve video editor. You can also fit a variety of faceplates to the unit.

The panel looks fantastic, and the stream deck is easy to set up and program. However, I find the 15 key panel to be too small when using Da Vinci Resolve and I prefer the similarly priced Contour Multimedia Controller to speed up my editing. The DVR set I downloaded works well and has a host of features incorporated into but due to the 15 button limitation, it is necessary to use multiple nested icon sets, which I find confusing, hard to remember and more trouble than it is worth.

In fact, use the Stream deck as part of my usual routine for web browsing and general day to day computer use. I like the way a single button press can open a group of websites together or chain together operating system functions. It has greatly speeded up getting my daily tasks done.

This is not a cheap product but it is well made, looks good, is very versatile and I guarantee it will transform the way you use your computer. Once you have you will not want to be without it. Despite the high price, I think this is a must have product.

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Generic Red Light Therapy Panel Review

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A while back I bought a red light therapy panel, a decent quality one which cost me £170. I have been using it every day and I am sleeping better and feel healthier. Looking online I could see plenty of no name and generic rivals available for a fraction of the cost, but can they really be any good? I thought I would give this £38 rival a try to see if the expensive one is worth the difference.

This budget panel is available across Amazon under a range of different names and prices, but the panel itself seems to be the same. I bought it from the curiously named 01 02 015 brand but I have seen the identical panel available under many names and times priced between £35 and £120.

My expensive panel, from iAGFTS, contains 120 LEDs, comes in a heavy metal case and is fan cooled with a timer and switches for power, 660nm and 850nm LEDs and draws 300w of power. The cheap one has a lightweight alloy frame with 225 LEDs, is not fan cooled, has a simple in-line cable switch and is rated at 45w.

In the plain unmarked box was the light panel, UK power cable, Hanging Mount Kit with spare hook, Desktop Stand, User Guide. Build quality seems lightweight throughout but nothing looks like to break or fail.

The budget panel does appear to work and seems almost as bright as the dearer one, but due to the low power rating, I suspect that the output level is lower. I don't have a spectrometer so cannot confirm the actual light frequency range emitted or the intensity of it.

I do have a decent quality EMF meter and was able to test the Electronic, Magnetic and Radio Frequency output from both devices. While those from the high end panel were within acceptable limits, those from the cheap one were disturbingly high. At around 20cm distance I was getting a reading of about 400 V/m from the cheap panel. By way of comparison, a mobile phone held to the ear would give you about 100 V/m and a microwave oven at a range of 2m would give 2 V/m. 0.1 V/m is generally held to be the safe level and levels over 50 V/m should be actively avoided. I was also getting readings at the same distance of 13mG in the magnetic field with a safe reading held to be 0.05 mG and areas above 2.5mG best avoided.

I have no intentions of using this device further and am attempting to get a refund from Amazon for it - although the supplier wants me to send it back to China at my own expense, another reason to avoid cheap knock-off items.

So this cheap Panel may well work OK as regards the red light and near-infrared light output but you would need to stand so far away from it to avoid EMF pollution that little benefit could be gained from it.

Before buying a panel make sure it does not look like this one and in fact, I would advise avoiding any generic or budget priced panel.

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BICKON 5 Colour Desk Lamp Review
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I have tested plenty of desk lamps very similar to this one, this is a pretty standard design, but this is the first that offers five rather than the usual three types of white light.

The design itself follows the usual pattern - plain white plastic construction, USB powered with a fully folding light panel and stand. The light panel is 27cm long with the upright part of the stand 31 cm tall and the padded base 17 x 11 cm. It features three touch buttons on the base, the left button for 15 - 100% stepless light dimming, the centre one to power off and on, and the right hand one to scroll through the five white light variations: 3000K, 4000k, 4500K, 5000K, 6000K. The light ranges from a cool daylight white to a very warm almost yellow warm white. The light is blue filtered to protect the eyes and has a CRI rating of ≥90 (whatever that means). It comes with an extra long 120cm power lead and having standard USB plugs on either end it can be easily replaced or extended when required.

It folds up nice and small and is easy to carry around and being USB powered can be used almost anywhere taking power from an adapter, laptop or power bank. I was pleased to see that an up to date USB-C interface has been used which shows that the light is of recent design.

This a simple but attractive lamp, versatile and easy to use with an above average range of lighting options. For the £15.99 pre-discount price, rather a good buy.

The Good
Attractive Design
Bright and even light spread
Stepless Dimming
USB-C Powered
Extra Long Cable
Eye Friendly Output
Foldable

The Bad
No Sleep Timer
NO USB Out Port

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Godyse G11 Pro Bluetooth Wireless Headphones Review

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I have reviewed plenty of Bluetooth earbuds recently, and most of them have been the same with just minor variations in design and price marking one out from another. And this set is no exception. All the tickboxes are here - Bluetooth 5.3, IPX 6 water resistance, ENC noise reduction, USB-C Charging. This set in addition is robust, well made and unlike most of the rivals fairly easy to remove from the magnetic case. One selling point is that there are two mics on each bud, which I have seen before but not often.

In the box, you receive the wireless earbuds, a charging case, a charging cable, and a well printed and easy to read User Guide. No spare gels are included, which is a pity. Despite the small size and light weight, everything has a quality feel to it.

I am not usually a fan of the AirPod style stem design but it usually does make for superior sound quality as well as a more secure fitting and this is the case here too. This new headset is compact in size, and both the buds and case are similar in design to the many rivals out there.

There was a time when you had to pay plenty to get decent quality True Wireless Earbuds but the introduction of Bluetooth 5.0 seems to have changed all that. Before Bluetooth 5.0 all but the most expensive TW earbuds would continually drop out, crackle, pop and generally prove more trouble than they were worth. These earbuds use the very latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology which is supported by the latest high-end smartphones but of course, they will also work with older Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth 5.3 adds a longer range of up to 15m and greatly improves both the stability of the wireless connection and battery life.

First time pairing could not be simpler and took just a few seconds. Simply remove the two buds from the case and pair them in the usual way to your phone looking for the name ‘G11Pro’. Voice prompts confirm the connection. Subsequently, taking the buds from the case powers them on, and they connect to each other and to the phone automatically, returning them to the case turns them off and begins charging.

You should get at least 6 hours of music time from each 90-minute buds charge and up to 42 hours in total from a fully charged case, which also takes just 90-minutes to charge. There is a small but useful LED display on the case that shows you both the case and bud charging status. These stem format buds are easy to remove from the magnetic case and holding the stem prevents accidental button presses, for me a major selling point.

The buds are small, neat and comfortable to wear even up to the full 6 hours of music per charge. Sound quality is excellent for a TW headset with a very decent level of bass together with clean For Full review see YUouTube: https://youtu.be/5G-EyHkzb7s

Aptkdoe P66D Smart Watch Review
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In the past I have reviewed quite a few budget smartwatches and most of them have not been much use - cheaply made, poorly designed, and overlay complex with many features not working. Not so here this new smartwatch gets it right by keeping things simple and making sure that what it does, it does well. My normal smartwatch is from Amazfit and cost around £150, this one is not quite up to that standard, but it has all the core features, plus a bright and attractive screen and I would be happy to use it as my regular watch should the Amazfit pack in.

The 1.85-inch touchscreen is bright, clear, responsive and easy to use. Navigation on the IP68 water-resistant watch is easy enough because there are not too many screens, and all the screens are well designed, easy to see and actually serve a purpose. Unlike many budget phones, this one has a proper touch screen not just a tiny button below the watch face. There is a single non-rotating watch button on the side. It comes with a magnetic USB charging cable with a custom charging interface, so take care not to lose it.

The key features are here: time, steps, distance, pulse, Sp02, sleep, music control, app notifications, music and camera control. Unlike many budget watches, they all work. The watch has about ten watch faces pre-installed with many, many more available through the Gloryfit app. You can also install custom watch faces and although this does work and again is quick and easy to do, the watch faces are a bit limited. You can use a photo from you your phone, cropped to size with your choice of text colour and background. It does seem that you can only install one custom watch face with the last being overwritten when a new one is installed, which is a pity.

Phone calls, using the built-in very loud speaker and mic on the watch are quick and easy and unlike even with some high end rivals, are not too stressful to make. An editable phonebook is copied to the phone from the app and when making calls you can use the phonebook, numbers from the call log or a tiny but usable keypad.

The Gloryfit app used by the watch is nice and simple, easy to navigate and not too complicated, although it does favour tiny grey text on a white background which my old eyes find hard to read. It works well for health tracking and for sports activity and uses the phone's GPS to get mapping details which are displayed for each activity along with heart rate, speed, altitude and other metrics. It has no less than 112 different sports modes but I suspect they may not be much difference between them. Sleep tracking is OK and seems accurate enough but is less detailed compared to the more expensive rivals. The app connects to Google Fit to export health and sports data.

Now this is no Apple watch. It lacks some high-end features, with

YOOYAA AK-83 1080P 5G WiFi Projector Review
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Discounted from nearly £160 to £93.49 this has to be judged as a budget projector, with high end rivals costing several times this price. And with that in mind, this is not a bad buy.

Inside the box aside from the projector itself was a full sized remote control, a power cable with a UK plug, AV Cable, an HDMI cable, and an English language User Guide.

Build quality is first rate, the plastic casing of the compact-sized projector feels well made and robust. Nothing feels flimsy or about to fall off or break. The power cable is heavy duty with a standard UK plug. The User Guide is large, simple and well written and tells you all you need to know. The infrared remote control is full-sized with proper physical clicky buttons rather than the credit card sized soft-touch remotes too often supplied. The main control buttons can also be found on the top of the projector itself. It has all the usual ports and connections: HDMI, USB, micro-SD Card, AV and VGA, so pretty much any sort of external device can be connected to it including Amazon Firesticks, Roku Boxes, hard drives and data sticks.

As regards specifications, this projector offers native 1080p resolution with 4K downscaling, a contrast ratio of 8000:1, brightness of 8500 lumens, with a best image size of 100 inches over a projection distance of 3m with manual keystone and focusing correction. It offers Screen Mirroring and Miracast to wirelessly stream from Apple and Android phones. I was pleased to see that Bluetooth 5.1 has been used to give a faster and more stable connection and the unit features dual-band Wifi.

To operate you can use the supplied remote control, or the button set found on top of the projector itself. I use it with an Amazon Firestick connected to the HDMI port but external drives and memory sticks can be connected via USB. The USB port can also be used to power HDMI connected source devices. When a Firestick or similar device is connected the remote control for that can be used for navigation, audio and general controls. The Projector can also connect to your home wifi network to allow wireless streaming from iOS, Android and other devices on the network.

I found it gave a good, bright, well-saturated image at the optimum recommended throw distance of 3m with a stable focus and good keystone correction when used in a darkened room. The image quality is clear and sharp without fringing and it holds focus well. There are multiple options available in the settings panel to change colour saturation and contrast. Audio quality was good and reasonably loud for the size but for use outside or in large rooms an external speaker may be needed which can be connected to the AV port or streamed over Bluetooth.
For Full review see YouTube: https://youtu.be/CIWeJPA-rV4

BICKON 3 Speed Handheld Fan Review
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Not too much to say here. This is an easy to use handheld fan that works well and gets the job done without any fuss or bother and for a decent price too.

In the plain and simple box are the fan itself together with a short charging cable, a detachable stand, a lanyard strap and a short, simple and unnecessary user guide.

The plastic bodied fan is 20.6 cm in height when on the stand, 9.5 cm in diameter and just 9.6 cm tall when folded. It has single recessed fan speed and power button on the front. On the side is the USB-C charging port with a tiny and rather dim status LED next to it. I was pleased to see that the up to date USB-C port was used as this shows the fan is of recent design. The handle folds just below the blades to form a base which allows the fan to be used as a desktop fan and in this mode the angle of the fan can be adjusted and seems stable enough at almost any angle. A small base unit is included into which the fan is inserted to allow it to be safely positioned upright on the desk with a small pull out tray serving as a phone stand.

The fan has three speeds selectable by short pressing the control button with a further press needed to turn the fan off. Even at level 3 the fan is not particularly noisy at 20db and weighing in at just 250g is light enough for sustained hand held use. It can even also be suspended around the neck using the lanyard strap to cool the face, hands free. At the lowest level, there is a pleasant gentle breeze, at full power a very noticeable wind comparable to a small desktop fan. At minimum setting you can expect up to 18 hours of use with 10 hours at medium speed, and 6 hours at high speed

This is a good example of a deceptively simple tool performing a basic task and doing it rather well. It has just one job to do and it does it without making a fuss about it. There are plenty of rivals out there, there is not really much to choose between them all, but at £12.99 before discounts - yes there are discounts too - I doubt you will find a better one than this.

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TFUFR 300Mbps WiFi Range Extender.
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This entry-level repeater and range extender is repackaged under many names and brands but at just £11.99 this version from TFUFR is the cheapest yet. Like all repeaters, it is designed to extend the range of your home router to cover dead spots and areas of poor wifi reception.

In the mid-market box was the repeater itself, a short Ethernet cable, and a User Guide. Build quality seems fine with nothing looking likely to break, fall off or pack in anytime soon. The user guide is well written and comprehensive but small and hard to read.

The point of the device is to extend an existing wifi network and to do this you need to first connect it to your network. It is best located between your router and the dead spot in a position where a good signal can be obtained - not in the dead spot itself - and where the repeater signal is good and strong.

The easiest way to set it up is by pressing the WPS buttons on your router and the repeater and allowing them to link automatically. The LEDs on the repeater will confirm the connection status. The more certain way is to connect your PC to the repeater wifi signal - the network name is on the rear of the unit - no password is needed and then manually configure it to your home network. The web interface is well designed and easy to use, but it bit slow to open. You can also connect to the repeater with an ethernet cable and use that connection to input your home network login and password details.

You can then connect it to your existing wifi network. This done, you need to position the repeater midway between the router and dead spot to boost the dead spot coverage. Take note this repeater only works with the older 2.4Ghz band and not the additional 5Ghz also used by high-end routers. Almost all routers use still 2.4Ghz, so the repeater will work, but you will miss out on the higher 5Ghz speed.

You can also use the RJ45 Ethernet port on the side of the unit to allow it to function as a wireless access point to an existing cable only network. Connect a cable to an RJ45 LAN output on your router and the other end to the ethernet port on the repeater and it will convert the signal to wifi.

This repeater has a maximum claimed speed of 300 Megabits Per Second over the now rather dated 802.11b/g 2.4Ghz network, which at one time was a decent speed but these days is less than that of many home routers. Nevertheless, it is more than fast enough for 4k streaming over several devices. However, most high-end users would probably pay more for a faster connection with a 5Ghz option.

For the budget £11.99 price, this is a nice little repeater that works well, is easy to use but there are now many more up to date and better-specified rivals.
For full review see YouTube: https://youtu.be/6bfN72v1pk8

iAGFTS Red Light Therapy Panel Review
https://youtu.be/KZDoEbtffdc

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2pzusrao

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/05/10/iagfts-red-light-therapy-panel/

After a fall a while ago I started developing arthritis in my hand. I found that a red light LED therapy pen helped the swelling and inflammation to go down very quickly and I became a fan of the technology and so I decided to buy a red light therapy panel. Red light therapy does seem to be fashionable now and I have noticed several very low cost rivals now available claiming similar specifications to this one from as little as £35 but I feel it is worth paying more in the hope of getting a better product. I went for this one at £169 since it seemed to be of decent quality and from what looks to be a reputable supplier with some high end rivals costing nearly twice as much.

In the attractive branded box was the light box itself, a UK power lead, a door hanging kit, a pet of protective goggles and a useful and well written user guide. Build quality throughout is heavy duty, with nothing made from plastic that could be made from metal. The casing and mounting kit are all made from metal and seem to be almost of military grade construction!

Lacking a spectrometer I cannot accurately test the light wavelengths of the panel but I have no reason to doubt the claimed 660 (red) and 850 (near infrared) nanometer output from 60 LEDs for each wavelength in a 1:1 ratio. The 26 x 21 x 7 cm device is mains powered between 85-265v with a maximum consumption of 300w. There is a large control panel on the side with a physical on/off power switch and on/off touch buttons for each wavelength with up and down buttons to control the timer length with a small LED display panel to show the time remaining. On the rear is a large metal kickstand which can also be used to suspend the unit if the included door mounting hanging kit is not needed. Also on the back is the large air intake for the built-in and rather noisy cooling fan. On the top are the carry handle and mounts for the suspension kit.

To use it, switch it on and then use the up and down buttons to select the operating time before the device switches off. Press the lower button to turn on the 850 (near infrared) light and a green status LED will show in the control panel - remember this wavelength off is invisible to the eye and you cannot tell if the LEDs are active by looking at them - press the upper button to turn on the Red light and the light panel will light up and an orange status LED will show. The LED modes can be used together or separately. The panel will run for the period set in the timer and will default to that setting each time it is turned on.

For full review see YouTube: https://youtu.be/KZDoEbtffdc

FamBrow 4K Digital Camera Review
https://youtu.be/rD616kkytQU

More Info and Purchase: UK: https://tinyurl.com/2deu48hs
USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVQZ991R

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/05/06/fambrow-4k-digital-camera/

Budget priced vlogging cameras are widely available but are usually not much use but this one from FamBrow is really rather good provided you do not expect too much from it.

The camera itself is nicely constructed, and although light in weight does not feel cheaply made. Build quality seems fine for the price with nothing looking likely to fail or fall off anytime soon.

It has a large 2.8” inch fixed rear LCD screen and well labelled buttons which are simple and intuitive to use. The camera comes with a good range of accessories including, two batteries, a USB Cable, an HDMI Cable, carry bag and a 32GB micro-SD card. Although there is no manual focusing option this camera does have an autofocus lens, which is a step up from the fixed focus lens of most budget cameras. Again, unlike most rivals, this camera has an optical viewfinder which allows you to put the camera up against your eye to take photos, a surprisingly useful retro feature.

There are multiple operating modes - Camera, Video, Setup, Motion Detection, Slow Motion, Time Lapse Video, Time Lapse Photos, and Muli Snapshot (burst mode), all accessible directly through the rotating multifunction dial on the top of the camera. Next to it are buttons to power the camera on/off and to take photos/videos. Also on the top is a hot shoe t mount with a removable plastic cover. On the camera back next to the screen are buttons for Digital Zoom in and out, and below it for Menu and Playback. There is also a multifunction navigation button on the rear which can also be used to select/disable screen info, file delete, LED light on/off, timer, and OK. On the side is a grommet-protected bay containing a microphone port, USB and HDMI out.

Having selected an operating mode using the rotating dial you select any related option by pressing the menu button on the camera back. This allows you to vary image size, and video resolution and add a range of special effects and filters available from the settings menu along with white balance, backlight and EV compensation. Simple file editing can also be made in the camera by pressing the delete button when photo or video modes. There is also built-in x4/8/16 digital zoom in both stills and video modes.

Videos are AVI wrapped with the following resolutions available
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], VGA. So far as I can tell there are no other shutter speeds available. Audio seems to be uniformly recorded as H.264 AAC Mono 16bit. The video quality is good and better than I expected for the budget price, although it falls off somewhat in low light. It gives a good quality video at various modes from 4K to 480p
FOR FULL REVIEW SEE YOUTUBE

Cozion 150W Infrared Lamp Review.
https://youtu.be/x-XMhBpjaU4

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/30/cozion-150w-infrared-lamp/

After a fall a while ago I started developing arthritis in my hand. I found that a red light LED therapy pen helped the swelling and inflammation to go down very quickly and I became a fan of the technology and since then have bought a redlight panel for general health benefits.
I was interested to try this red light lamp, or heat lamp as we used to call them, as it uses an incandescent bulb rather than the newer LED technology.

So what are the differences? The LED devices offer a more tightly focused light wavelength, usually 630, 660 and 850nm whereas the incandescent bulbs give out a much wider spectrum of light from near infrared to visible light. Also, the LED devices generate very little heat compared to the bulbs which can burn the skin if touched. The bulbs also tend to consume more power. So if you are looking for a targeted frequency device then go for LEDs, if you need a wider frequency range coupled with heat therapy then the bulb is the better option.

So let’s look at this lamp. In the box I received the lamp itself the screw fitting bulb and a well printed but rather brief user guide. Assembling it is simple enough. The large A19 Edison screw bulb (size E27, I think) is easy to fit although getting the bulb guard in place is a bit more tricky as it has to be fitted around the edge of the bulb holder and not into the slots as you might think. When assembled the lamp is firm and very stable and highly unlikely to topple over no matter what position the arm is positioned.

It is very well made and weighs in at 2.75 kg and puts me in mind of the 1960s era NHS, although the technology inside is fully up to date. The lamp is fully adjustable with a metal three-axis cantilevered arm giving an extended height of around 65cm and a heavy-duty plastic topped base. It has a 62-inch cord with a large inline control box with an LED status display to turn the device on and to adjust the output level and auto-off timer length. The timer can be set to 5, 10 or 15 minutes. The replaceable 150-watt bulb is protected by a metal grill and is very powerful for the small size. Spare bulbs can be found online for less than £10 each.

Operating the device again is as simple as can be with just an On/Off switch and graduated light level control. The adjustable design means that the lamp can be orientated to treat the affected area with the fully rotating and swivelling head. The 150w bulb light level is controlled by the control touch slider. It can be used to treat a range of conditions at a recommended range of between 19 to 30 inches from the lamp. The manufacturer suggests using it about four times per week with a maximum session time of twenty minutes.

For Full Review see YouTube

EONBON 17-in-1 Stainless Steel Bread Maker Review
https://youtu.be/xLJqVNBuJmE

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/28dpkmrv

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/05/21/eonbon-17-in-1-stainless-steel-bread-maker/

Having tried quite a few breadmakers over the years, I have to say that this one, the ‎EONBON MBF-010 is the best yet, although also the most expensive at £160 before discounts - and yes there are always discounts.

In the box you get the breadmaker itself, the baking pan with mixing blade both ceramic coated, a plastic measuring jug, a tool to extricate the blade if it comes out when the loaf is removed, a single mitten, and a combined user guide and recipe book. The build quality of the machine seems fine although the accessories are rather cheaply made and the user guide is clearly written for the USA market and seems to feature large amounts of sugar in every recipe.

The 24.8 x 34.5 x 31 cm, 6.7 Kilograms machine will make three sizes of loaf up to 2lbs in weight with three crust browning settings which is the same as with every other bread machine I have used. It offers 17 different cooking programs, most of which I will never use although it does have a yoghurt making option which sounds interesting. It has a detachable fruit and nut dispenser, although I prefer just to add these into the mix from the start. Also, it has what they claim is a non-stick ceramic pan and blade but I found the coating coming off the blade after the first couple of operations. It has two ceramic heating elements (710w) rather than the usual one which seems a good idea but I have to say I have not noticed any difference this has made. Otherwise, this is pretty much a standard machine internally, as far as I can tell.

However, this machine is better designed than most and with a glossy metal body certainly looks better and distinctly posher, although the metal casing does get hot, so take care. The viewing window is larger than average and big enough to actually see what is going on inside, which is good.

The main selling point for me is the informative and useful backlit LCD display and the ease of use that it gives. Cheaper machines have a small non backlit display that is hard to read and harder still to use. The display here is bright and clear with all the functions clearly named and as the baking process progresses you can see on the screen which stage you are at. Also, I was pleased to see that when I accidentally started the machine by mistake I was able to stop it and begin again, not a feature I have found on the previous ones. Likewise, it has a 15-minute power interruption recovery feature which could be handy if the device is unplugged by mistake. At 15 hours the timer is longer than with most rivals which makes it easier to set the machine up in advance to make a loaf automatically. Like most rivals it also has a one hour keep warm facility, to keep the bread warm after baking finishes.

For Full review see YouTube: https://youtu.be/xLJqVNBuJmE

Aptkdoe IS07 True Wireless Earbuds

More Info and Purchase: UK: https://tinyurl.com/27fy9eaq
USA: https://tinyurl.com/23e6jk9b

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/25/aptkdoe-is07-true-wireless-earbuds/

Almost all the True Wireless Earbud sets I have tried of late have been virtually identical in design and performance and all have been equally good. This one is no exception. All the latest boxes are ticked – Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C charging, IPX7 water resistant. This set in addition is robust, well made and unlike most of the rivals fairly easy to remove from the magnetic case.

In the box, you receive the wireless earbuds, charging case, charging cable, and a well printed and easy to read User Guide. Despite the light weight, everything has a quality feel to it but without the flimsiness of some rivals.

I am not usually a fan of the AirPod style stem design but it usually does make for superior sound quality as well as a more secure fitting and this is the case here too. This new headset is compact in size, both the buds and case, with a glossy black finish that is otherwise similar in design to the many rivals out there. Unlike most of the rivals I have tried it was nice and easy to extricate the buds from their magnetic case.

There was a time when you had to pay plenty to get decent quality True Wireless Earbuds but the introduction of Bluetooth 5.0 seems to have changed all that. Before Bluetooth 5.0 all but the most expensive TW earbuds would continually drop out, crackle, pop and generally prove more trouble than they were worth. The earbuds use the very latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology which is supported by the latest high-end smartphones but of course, they will also work with older Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth 5 adds a longer range of up to 15m and greatly improves both the stability of the wireless connection and battery life.

First time pairing could not be simpler and took just a few seconds. Simply remove the two buds from the case and pair them in the usual way to your phone looking for the name ‘IS07’. Subsequently, taking the buds from the case powers them on, and they connect to each other and to the phone automatically, returning them to the case turns them off and begins charging.

You should get at least 6 hours of music time from each 60-minute buds charge and up to 30 hours in total from a fully charged case, which also takes just one hour to charge. There is a small but useful LED display on the case that shows you both the case and bud charging status. These stem format buds are easy to remove from the magnetic case and holding the stem prevents accidental button presses, for me a major selling point.

The buds are small, neat and comfortable to wear even up to the full 6 hours of music per charge. Sound quality is excellent for a TW headset with a very decent level of bass together with clean mid-tones and a sibilance free high end.
See YouTube for full review.

PELONIS 5L Air Cooler with Remote Control Review £119.99 Sent Direct
https://youtu.be/ckRCKXKKKX4

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2k5jpoqr

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/23/pelonis-5l-air-cooler-with-remote-control/

This is a three-in-one device. It is a remote controlled Air cooler, a humidifier and a fan. Build quality is fine and this feels like quite an upmarket device.

The device is presented in a large, impressive and rather upmarket box which reinforces the upmarket feel of this unit. Mine came with two cooling blocks but these may be optional, otherwise in the box you get just the fan itself, the remote control and a large and well written user guide. Although quite large at 29.49 x 23.01 x 84.99 cm, the fan weighs just 5.67 kg and is easy to move around due to the large handle recess at the rear.

This is basically a large upright oscillating fan with a 5 Litre water tank and pump for use when humidifier or air cooler. modes When used in this way, water is pumped up from the tank and flows down through a foam curtain over which air is blown to cool and humidify the room. The two cooling blocks should be placed in the freezer until solid and then placed in the tank to keep the water as cool as possible. It works as a normal fan when the water tank is empty.

The air can be distributed fully around the room when oscillation is selected and in this mode, directional slats move silently from side to side to distribute the air 60° automatically, the slats can be manually adjusted up and down in addition. Unlike with some rivals, the main body of the fan remains in place and does not rotate in oscillation mode. There are three selectable fan speeds and three wind modes (normal, natural and sleep) with an airflow capacity of 330m³/hour

The device is easy to use from either the large top panel touch controls or with the full sized infrared remote and at a maximum of ‎52 dB is not too loud in use. It is not a small item and with about a quarter of the height taken up by the tank the actual fan surface is smaller than it might be but it still pumps out a good amount of air with a maximum flow rate of 17.4ft³ per second. It works quite effectively to cool the room, although it is not an air conditioner - and there may be some precipitation of water around the fan, so be careful where you position it. Also, it is fully manual in use, and sadly there are no thermostatic or smart control options.

Nevertheless, this is a well made, easy to use and powerful fan that one way or another should cool you down this summer.

Music: YouTube Audio Library: Sunset Dream - Cheel

Nooie Smart Plug Set - 4 Pack Review.

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/sdkua4d

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Blog:

I have not reviewed any smart plug sets for a while but if this new set from Nooie is typical then they have come down in price as well as being even easier to configure and set up.

The latest generation of IOT products, like these from Nooie requires no hub, connects directly to the router, is assigned its’ own IP number and is easy to identify online. It is recognised by Amazon Echo and Google Home and seamlessly blends into their home automation ecosystems.

In the simple but attractive box were the four plugs along with a well written but rather small setup guide Guide. The Guide assists in setting up the Nooie Home app and linking the device to Amazon Alexa and Google Home but in fact, the Nooie app walks you through the whole process.

The plugs are well made, nicely designed and feel robust enough for long-term everyday use. They are smaller in size than many older rivals and less obtrusive in use. I was pleased to see that they are not too wide and should fit fine into a multi-socket wall fixture. They each have a power status LED on the side and a large and proper clicky Off/On/Resdet button.

Setting it up was easy enough and can all be done by following the in-app instructions on your smartphone and in fact there are three separate ways to do this. The easiest way is to open the Nooie app, plug the socket in and as the LED starts flashing (long press the button if it does not), select the device type from the list in the app, input your home wifi details, let the app then connect to the plug and configure it on your network. My unboxing video also walks through the initial configuration. Once the device is set up and online follow the app instructions and switch to the Alexa app, enable the Nooie Skill and follow the steps to configure the plugs.

Nooie have their own ecosystem of smart devices, all controlled through the Nooie app. I found too that the plug can also be detected and set up using the popular Smart Life app also. Using the Nooie app or Alexa/Google/Smart Life apps you can set up and configure a wide range of timers, schedules, or chained events n conjunction with other smart devices. For example, I have my living room lights turn on automatically at dusk each day and announcing ‘Bedtime’ will cause Alexa to turn off all TV-related devices plus the lights in the living room and conservatory.

This is an excellent product in its own right but when integrated with the Nooie or other smart home systems really can start to transform your home. There are now many rivals available but this one has to be one of the most compact, easiest to use, and best made yet. A great buy for the £26.99 pre-discount price.

Features
Easy Set Up
Widely Compatible
Works with Alexa
Works with Google
Good App
No Hub Needed
Nooie Smart Ecosystem
Off/On Button
Status LED

MALACASA 12-Piece 4" Ramekin Set Review
https://youtu.be/PM-pjZs5fCc

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2f94zvlx

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/16/malacasa-12-piece-4-ramekin-set/

MALACASA 12-Piece 4" Ramekin Set

I have tested quite a few tableware items from Malacasa and have always found them to be of the highest quality although not always particularly exciting. This is true also for this set of 12 high-quality Ivory white ramekin dishes. My set is 10cm square but they also produce similar sets in a range of designs and sizes.

These lead and cadmium free dishes are heavy, substantial and are microwave, oven, dishwasher and freezer safe. They are also claimed to be chip resistant and certainly seem robust enough to me for everyday use. They look good too and have a quality and upmarket feel to them. This is proper high quality tableware of the sort they used to make – and not to be confused with the lightweight, cheap and easily broken stuff you get in the supermarkets.

Each dish weighs about 125g and is 10 x 10 x 3.7cm in size. They feel well made and hopefully should last the course.

The only criticism I have is of the presentation. The packaging is very protective, heavy duty and robust, but not very attractive. An attractive slipcase for the box would be nice and would certainly improve the appeal of the set as a gift.

If you need some ramekin or side bowls that are strong enough for daily use but attractive enough for the dinner table, then these would be a pretty decent buy for the £25.99 pre-discount asking price.

Music: YouTube Audio Library: Sharp Edges - half.cool

Apexel JJ070 70" Cell Phone Selfie Stick Tripod
https://youtu.be/Dx42fXtuQZ4

More Info and Purchase: https://www.shopapexel.com/products/fl20-10-inch-ring-light-foldable?utm_source=yt&utm_medium=marcoscu&utm_campaign=marcoscu

15% Discount Code: marcoscu1

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/14/apexel-jj070-70-selfie-stick-with-tripod/

There are quite a few tripods with detachable selfie sticks available out there, but this one from APEXEL is rather different. This tripod features a design more commonly used with lighting stands, having a broad wide base with a low center of gravity for enhanced stability together with a longer than normal detachable selfie stick giving a full 70" reach.

My kit arrived without a branded product box with all the kit items packaged inside the carry bag. The kit consists of the tripod base, a 2-3.5" fitting phone mount, a GoPro style mount, a Bluetooth remote control shutter release, a soft carry bag with strap, and a user guide. Build quality all seems fine to me with nothing looking likely to fail or fall off anytime soon. The tripod is not too heavy to carry around in the field but is strong enough for use with cameras up to DSLR in size and is well suited for use with both cameras and smartphones.

The selfie stick shaft when in tripod mode is held in place by a single rotating knob below which is the locking nut for the tripod legs. Release the knob to remove the selfie stick, which can be done quickly and easily. The selfie stick has four extending sections with quick-release catches for each. On the end of the selfie stick is a tripod style camera head which rotates 360° and can be locked in place vertically or horizontally or anywhere in between. The head features a quick-release plate with a standard ¼" screw fitting.

The kit is easy enough to use and is obvious and intuitive how to do so. As a tripod, it is stable and steady with all the basic camera movements catered for on the adjustable head with the camera or phone released from the head with just a turn of the thumb on the release handle. The head has a ¼" screw fitting which should fit any standard camera as well as the included Gopro and smartphone mounts.

Turn the knob to release the selfie stick shaft and you have a 4-section selfie stick with all the advantages of the camera mount available. In use, the stick is not too heavy and is nicely balanced for normal operation with just one additional section extended.

If you need a lightweight and easy to use combined selfie stick and tripod with a fully adjustable head, then for the price of less than $30, this would be a pretty decent buy.

Music: YouTube Audio Library: Chris Haugen: Mirage

Eccioun Deep Tissue Muscle Massage Gun Review

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2h2vnwcd

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/12/eccioun-deep-tissue-muscle-massage-gun/

This new JX-600 massage gun from Eccioun is lighter in weight and comes with fewer massaging heads than many of the rivals I have tried but is less costly at just £39 before discounts but comes with all the essential features needed as well as a few extra ones

Increasingly athletes and trainers are using this type of percussive massager for specialised muscle care rather than the older vibrating massagers.

This model uses a stroke percussive technique which is said to be better for the deep tissue massage often needed by athletes. For this reason, the massager is perhaps targeted at the sports market rather than the mainstream healthcare arena. The usual percussive stroke distance is 12mm and despite the low price, this feature is included.

In the attractive box can be found the massage gun itself, six fearsome-looking heads, a USB charging cable and a well-printed and informative User Guide. Unlike with most of the rivals, there is no bulky external charger or power supply needed, as the device can be charged from any USB outlet. Build quality although lightweight seems fine and the massage gun looks well capable of standing up to hours of use in the gym and at home.

The low-noise motor runs at 1800-3400 rpm, with 5 selectable speeds but this is offset by the slightly shorter running time and a lower battery capacity of 2600mAh. A 2-3 hour charge should give a run time of five hours or more.

The six heads, each with descriptive names just click in place and are just as easy to remove. They are each designed to target specific areas:

Massage Heads
Ball Head - Large Muscle Groups
Fork Head - Spine
Flat Head - Back, Muscles, Relaxation
Bullet Head - Back, Muscles, Relaxation
Crescent Head- Whole Body
Cylinder - Thigh, Calf

Using the massager is easy enough and pretty intuitive. After fully charging click your selected massage head into place, and switch on using the touchpad on the rear control panel. The backlit LCD on the rear of the massager's head will show the current massage speed and battery level with touch buttons to select the massage speed and start the massage.

This device can be used both before and after workouts to tone and soothe strained muscles or to prepare for a strenuous exercise session. Take care only to use on soft tissue areas and not directly on hard or bony areas or the head. Commonsense will tell you to also avoid bruised or painful areas. When in operation take care to keep your fingers away from the gap between the oscillating head and the body. This is not an error you will make more than once.

The effect of using the unit is immediate and dramatic and due to the power of the device, it should be used with care. It does a good job of imitating the pummelling massage technique often used in sports therapy and does seem to work for specific to

APEXEL FL20 10 Inch Ring Light
https://youtu.be/wzeMokw6oHU

More Info and Purchase:
https://www.shopapexel.com/products/fl20-10-inch-ring-light-foldable?utm_source=yt&utm_medium=marcoscu&utm_campaign=marcoscu

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/10/apexel-fl20-10-inch-ring-light-kit/

I have reviewed quite a few 10-inch ring light kits before and they are all very similar. As regards the ring light itself, so is this one - it's fairly lightweight and offers warm, medium, and cool white with 10 levels of brightness all configured using the same in-line control box I have seen many times before. What makes this one stand out is that it comes with a fully adjustable metal table clamp stand which makes it perfect for close-up photography or for the make up table with no clumsy tripod to get in the way.

In the well made and protected box, you receive the Ring Light, Stand Arm, Phone Holder, ¼" screw Ball & Socket Head, Allen Key, 2 Velcro Straps (one prefitted) and a well written and easy to read User Guide. Build quality all seems fine - the ring light is rather lightweight but seems well made enough and the stand is made from heavy-duty aluminium alloy.

The ring light has a cold shoe mount in the centre, a good and long 185cm cable with a standard USB-A power plug on the end and an in-line control box of the sort widely used in lights of this type. The control box having buttons for brightness Up and Down (10 steps), colour temperature (2700K warm, 5500K normal and 6500K cool) and On/Off. The ring light is large enough to allow the mounting of a standard phone or GoPro style camera to the cold shoe mount and the ball and socket and phone mounts are included for this purpose.

The 500 lumens ring light is similar to many others I have used but the main selling point for this kit must be the inclusion of an adjustable heavy duty table clamp mount. The padded aluminium alloy clamp attaches to a table or similar surface up to 6cm deep with the three section stand screwing firmly to it and revolving 360° around its axis. The 21" arm has three folding joints, which can be locked in place using the suppling allen key, and a 360° rotating mount for the ring light.

This lamp would be well suited for studio photographic work, for make up artists or for selfie photos wirh the main selling point being the table top clamp freeing the user from an always in the way tripod.

If you need a bright and versatile tabletop ring light, then all you are going to need is included here, not bad for just under 35 dollars.

Music: YouTube Audio Library: North Oakland Extasy - Squadda B

ZFITEI Otoscope Ear Cleaning Kit Review
https://youtu.be/pGV-fBu8t0o

More Info and Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2jnqj8jg

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Blog: https://marcoscucom.wordpress.com/2023/04/08/zfitei-otoscope-ear-cleaning-kit/

Our dog Poppy’s ears need to be kept clean and this kit is an excellent way to do so, although of course it is designed for use on human ears or any other part of the body you wish. It can also be used to examine and inspect small objects or electrical components.

Priced at just £16.99 before discounts this is by far the lowest priced Otoscope kit I have tried so far. A few compromises have been made, the build quality is lighter and there are fewer components included than some rivals, but nothing important has been left out and the results are as good as from any of the more costly rivals I have tried.

This kit is rather simply packaged and presented and contains the device itself, two head units, a set of silicone gel protective caps in a storage container and a well written and easy to read user guide. Everything seems well made and hopefully should last the course.

The build quality seems excellent although rather lightweight. The otoscope itself lacks the clinical design that might be expected but instead has the subtle, smooth design of a high-end digital pencil. That is good as it makes it less intimidating to use.

The unit has a built-in 230mAh Lithium battery which can run for up to forty minutes from a charge time of the same length. I was pleased to see a USB-C port used for charging, not only does this show the device is of recent design it also means replacement cables can be easily found if the rather short supplied cable is lost.

To set the device up first download the excellent ‘Xiao-E’ app, available for Android and iOS. The app walks you through the configuration process in which your phone connects to a wifi hotspot generated by the otoscope. The otoscope then sends live [email protected] video to the phone where it can be viewed in real-time. Snapshots or videos can be recorded for viewing within the app, exported to other apps or devices or uploaded to your choice of online storage. The app does not try and sell you cloud storage and the otoscope itself has no internal memory. One good thing I like is that the saved videos are rectangular in format not circular as they are with many of the rival devices.

Using it could not be easier as it has a built-in 6 LED light array and accessory heads can be easily fitted to the probe tip to clean or treat the area under examination. The metal tip is removable and can be fitted with a silicone cover to protect the ear. The tip will keep the lens at the optimum focusing distance but will partially obstruct the lens. Remove the tip to gain full access to the 3.5mm camera lens. Video quality is excellent, sharp and judder-free thanks to the full HD 15-30 fps resolution. However, be careful to keep within the 1.5-2 cm focus range. Although the lens and otoscope probe are IP67 waterproof, the body is not and so be sure to keep it dry.

To switch it on, long-press the single button on the otoscope body, the tip illumination will light up as will a wifi status LED on the device itself. Follow the in-app instructions to connect to the wifi hotspot generated by the camera pen. You can then use the app to record still and video images which can be later viewed within the app or exported to other apps or to the internet.

Although designed for examining the ear I doubt I will use it much for that purpose. I tried it down my ear briefly and even though my ears were syringed just a few weeks ago the resultant images were too disturbing for public viewing. We use it to keep our dog’s ears clean mainly although other uses can sometimes be found for it around the home.

For domestic use, this would be an excellent choice as it is quick and easy to use and the non-clinical design will serve to reassure those intimidated by medical instruments. This is a rather specialised piece of equipment, but for those that need it, I think it would be a rather good buy.

Music: YouTube Audio Library: Natural Light - Chris Haugen