Electric Heated Booties for cold feet

I get cold feet in the winter. The kind of cold feet that are not just cold but hurt. If you get this condition you know what I mean. The pain is not possible to ignore, you need to do something to warm up the feet. I have been using rice socks (the kind you microwave for a couple of minutes), but was looking for another option that does not require me to repeatedly warm the socks up. I looked at a large number of options and all of them had fairly bad reviews, these booties were the best of the bunch and I decided to try them.



I have been using them for a month. They have pluses and minuses that I describe below. But they work!

 

 

I am attaching a collage of three photos. The first photo shows the booties out the box as they arrived (before I shaped them to my feet). The second two photos show them on my feet from a couple of different angles.



✔ The most important thing - they work. They stopped the pain and I don't keep to keep running somewhere to keep the booties warm.



✔ The booties have two cords: one cord plugs one of the booties into the electric outlet, the second cord connect the first bootie to the second. The first cord is 94 inches, the second cord is 22 inches. This is a fairly short leash. I had to re-arrange my power strips to be able to use the booties while I work at my desk.



✔ The booties are not meant for walking (according to instructions and the presence of a short cord), so even if I need to reach for something that is only 4-5 steps away I need to take them off.



✔ It takes about 10 minutes for the warmth to becomes strong enough to help the painful feet. I usually turn them on at first sign that my feet are going into that painful state. With my rice socks I get relief in 2 minutes (i.e. time to microwave). With these booties I need a bit more planning ahead.



✔ The controller has three settings off, high power, and medium power. I start out on high power for probably 30 minutes. Then it becomes too hot and uncomfortably warm at the high setting and I switch it to medium heat. Then I typically turn them off in another 30 minutes, while keeping them on until they totally cool off.



✔ The booties are made out of plastic. They arrive as two flat pieces of plastic, and initially are fairly stiff. However, after wearing them for a few days the plastic shapes itself to your feet and they become more comfortable.



✔ One size fits all means they are pretty big on my size 7.5 feet. Since I can't walk in them anyway, this is not a big deal.



✔ I wear them with regular socks on. The top of the booty can be closed with a tie, but I don't bother. This allows me to put them on and take them off quickly, and they keep the heat well enough without being closed.



✔ Unfortunately, according to instructions they cannot be worn at night in bed. If my feet feel bad at night I wear the booties for half an hour while I read before going to bed and then take them off.



The bottom line is that they booties work a lot better than they look. Once you shape them to your feet they not uncomfortable. If you suffer from painful cold feet and need something to keep your feet warm while you sit at the desk these booties are a good solution.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review

Brightech - BT Remote - Bluetooth Multi-Media & Camera Remote Control for iPhone iPad Nexus Samsung Galaxy

I tested this bluetooth remote with Nexus 7 Tablet (JellyBean 4.2.2), Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (ICS 4.0.4), and Samsung Galaxy Nexus cell phone (JellyBean 4.2.2). All three devices worked very well. According to documentation the remote is also compatible with all iPhone devices and Laptops running Windows XP and Windows 7 if they have bluetooth capabilities.

I am attaching a collage of 4 photos that I will be referencing in this review.



The remote is 3 5/8 inches in length by 1 3/8 inches in width, it is 1/4 inches thick.



The bottom panel of the remote slides down to reveal a keyboard which is used for pairing the device with your mobile device. You can see the keyboard in photos 2,3,4. The keyboard keys are tiny and fairly difficult to press accurately. To activate the pairing mode you need to hit the right most key on the top row. The remote shows up as "UConnect" in the list of Bluetooth devices (see photo #2) for Nexus 7 Tablet and Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone. It shows upas "Bluetooth Media Control" on Samsun Galaxy 7.7 tab. When your mobile device detects the remote it will prompt you to enter the randomly generated security code displayed on the screen on the key pad of the remote (see photo #3 and photo #4). You only have to do this once, the next time you connect the device it remembers the security code.



The remote can control the volume level of of the mobile devices (tested with Pandora and TuneRadio apps). For MP3 players it can perform fast forward, reverse, pause/play operations.



I also tested the remote for activating the Camera/Video recorder and it worked smoothly.



Remote Presenter capability only works for Apple devices (it requires Mac Air, Mac Book Pro, iMac or Mac Mini). Siri capability is available for iPhone 4S and later.



I received this remote from the manufacture to share my experiences with it (positive and negative) with potential future buyers. I have no financial interest or business relationship with the manufacturer, and this review represents my independent opinion of the product.



Overall, I was impressed with this remote control. It looks sleek, it works well. My favorite use for the remote control is for controlling Grace Digital ECOXGEAR waterproof bluetooth speaker that has no volume control. I keep the speaker in the bathroom so I can listen to it while taking the shower. Brightech remote control allows me to change volume and pause the sound something I have not been able to do before.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

DB-Tech Compact Foldable Bread Slicer

This bread slicer helped me slice the bread into thin even slices and it packs away very compactly. I like it. I am attaching a video which demonstrates how I assemble the bread slice, cut the bread, and disassemble the bread slicer for storage.

The bread slicer fits breads up to 6 inches wide, 5 inches tall. The length of the cutting area is 11.75" inches, but the bread can be slid off one side, so there is no limit in length. The cutting slots come in three width 3/8 inches on one end (what I used in the demo), 1/4 inch in the middle, and 5/8 inch on the other end. When the bread slicer is closed up it measures 12" x 8" x 2". I found it is easy to pack and assemble, so I stored flat on a shelf, and pull out when I need to cut bread.



It is made out wood (bamboo), so when I need to wash it I do so by hand (not in the dishwasher).



I received a sample product from the manufacture to share my honest experience with the product. In the past there was a problem with assembling the bread slicer sides correctly (because the slats on one end are meant for thicker slices, and both sides need to be oriented the same), this problem has been corrected.



Overall, I am pleased with this bread slicer, I particular like the thin slices as making them even without the aid of the bread slicer is hard. I like storing bread in the freezer and taking it slice by slice (this allows me to eat bread yet not to worry about eating too much of it). Now I can buy artisan breads which are not pre-sliced, slice them in the bread slicer, freeze, and consume slowly.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Sleep Lavender Bath Salts

I have a bad back and after a couple of back surgeries I learned a number strategies that help my back feel better. One of them is a 10 minute hot bath every night - it really helps feel and sleep better.  Recently I included Sleep Lavender Bath Salts from San Francisco Bath Salt Company into my routine. I love it!  The Lavender salt bath smells really nice.  I don't like strong scents and this one was just right for me - not too strong yet noticeable.  It made my soak more luxurious and pleasant.



Note that if you don't like flowery scents, San Francisco Bath Salt Company offers other salts with different scents, for example this muscle soak salt which smells minty.

I am attaching a collage of three photos.  The first photo shows salt in my hand, you can see the size and texture of the salt grains. The second photo shows the bag the salts came in, the salt has a light purple color.  The third photo shows salt as it begins to melt in the tub.



I find that the hot soak reduces pain and relieve muscle cramps in my back. I also found that if I have a migraine a hot soak helps to ease the headache as well.



I usually use one or two hand fulls of salt per bath, so one 2 pound bag will last quite a long time.



I received an evaluation bag of Lavender Salt for evaluation and an honest review. I have been using salt soaks for a couple of weeks now. In addition to making my bath soaks more pleasant I noticed another other benefit.  I noticed that the calluses on my feet are easier to treat after the soak in the bath with salts (compared to the soak in plain hot water).  It takes fewer strokes with a pumice sponge to get my feet totally smooth.



In addition to the use in the tub, I also enjoyed using a bit of salt as skin exfoliator. It works nicely providing a gentle scrub and massage.



Overall, I am very pleased with Lavender Salt and will continue to use it.





You can find Lavendar salt on Amazon by following this link.





You can find Musle soak salts on Amazon by following this link.









AshopZones review ★★★★★

Hipe Waterproof Wireless Bluetooth Shower Speaker

This speaker looks like a toy, but don't let the looks fool you. It sounds really good. I am attaching a video which demonstrates the sound: first with the speaker on and then, for comparison, turning off the speaker so the sounds comes through the tablet speaker. I am also attaching a collage of three photos that I will be referencing in this review.

The speaker is 8 inches wide, 3.25 inches tall, and 1.75" thick. It weight 9.9 inches. It comes in two colors: black and white.



The front of the speaker (see photo #1 for reference) has controls that allow you to to turn the speaker on and off, change volume, skip forward and backwards, go to the end, and use the phone. The little port hole above the command dial is the microphone.



The back of the speaker (see photo #2 for reference) has a watertight seal covering the compartment that has a charging port (5V IN), on/off switch, and Power out DC 5V port. The difference between the front on/off switch and the back on/off switch is that the front switch leaves the unit in stand by mode. The switch in the back can be used when you don't want to drain the battery.



The speaker has built in handle that can be used to hang the speaker in the shower (see photo #3 for reference).

 

 

The speaker's sound is very good, it is very clear and crisp at all ranges. The volume can be made fairly loud (I put it to the max in the video). In a small room like the bathroom it sounded especially good. I was also glad that it had controls right on the speaker. When the reminder alarm went off on my tablet while I was in the shower and unable to turn it off, I was able to switch off the speaker so I did not have to listen to the ding of the reminder for 10 minutes until it would automatically shut off.



To pair the speaker with your device you need to turn the unit on and then hold the on button for a few seconds until the light on the front start flushing red and blue color. While it is flashing red and blue you can scan for bluetooth devices on your phone/tablet and it this speaker will appear as HIP400. Documentation says that if you are prompted for the password enter 1234. I was not prompted for the password.



I received this speaker from the manufacture for evaluation and an honest review. I hope the video will give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of the quality of the sound. I really like this speaker, I like it better than the bluetooth shower speaker I have been using previously. While both have good sound, Hipe speaker has controls right on the speaker and that makes it much more convenient.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Bolse® Dual Desktop Charger Cradle Dock with Spare Battery Charging Slot

The idea of having a dock which can charge the phone as well as an extra battery outside the phone at the same time was very appealing to me, as my husband uses the cell phone for business and it gets a lot of use. He uses Nexus Galaxy phone with Hyperion Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus 3800mAh Extended Battery which makes the phone extra thick.  I tested the dock with both regular slim battery and the extra thick extended battery.



I am attaching a collage of 4 photos that I will be referencing in this review.



The first photo shows that the dock did not fit the phone when it had the thick extended battery installed. Photo #2 shows the bottom of the phone and extra thickness this battery forms.  The phone with the regular battery fit without problems.



Photo #3 shows the extended battery in the dock, the contacts of the battery did not line up with the contacts of the charger due to the thickness of the battery.  The green light on the dock indicates that the dock is plugged in, not that the charging is happening.



Photo #4 shows a regular battery in the dock, and it the charging of the regular size battery worked without a problem.



I received this item for an honest review and shared both positives and negatives aspects of my experience with this dock.



Overall, if you have a phone with a regular size battery this device works without problems.  If you use extended battery in your phone this charging dock is not for you. 





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Bolse 3.1 Amp Dual USB Car Charger with Nexus 7 Tablet, Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus cell phone

Review of Bolse 3.1 Amp Car charger

I tested Bolse 3.1 Amp Dual USB Car Charger with Nexus 7 Tablet (JellyBean 4.2.2), Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (ICS 4.0.4), and Samsung Galaxy Nexus cell phone (JellyBean 4.2.2).



I own several car chargers and ran the same set on tests on each of them to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of the unit.



To test Bolse car charger I ran my 10 minute test for each of my 3 devices on each of the 2 ports for a total of 6 tests. I repeated the same tests with a data cable and with a charging cable. The results of these 12 tests are included in the tables below.



I am attaching a collage of 4 photos labeled with numbers 1 through 4 under customer photos that I will be referencing in this review. You can locate this photo by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.



Photo #1 shows the charger on a gridded mat next a pen for size reference. The car charger is 3.5" long. The charger's face is 1.25" by 1".



Photo #2 and #3 show how the charger fits into our two cars. It has a relatively log neck and fits very well in both car configurations. It goes in firmly, forms a good contact, and stays plugged in well even over rough roads. The charger has two outlets labelled 1.0 AMP and 2.1 AMP.



Photo #3 shows one of the tables during the testing. I use Battery App by Elvison to determine how each device recognized the charging source. 'AC' status means the charging is at full charging rate. 'USB' status indicates charging at a lower charging rate. 'Discharging' status means that the charging rate is below the power that the device is consuming so it slows down the discharge rate but does not re-charge.



My methodology is to charge each mobile device on each port of the unit for 10 minutes and measuring how much each unit was charge in that 10 minute period. Each line in the table below represents a separate 10 minute test



The key findings:

(1) Samsung Galaxy 7.7 cannot be charged with this car charger with either port

(2) Both Nexus phone and Nexus 7 tablet running Jelly Bean 4.21 charged at AC rate on both ports.



The table below summarizes my findings:



Nexus 7 Tablet

--------------

1 AMP port.......AC rate.....1% charge increase (data cable)

2.1 AMP port.....AC rate.....1% charge increase (data cable)



1 AMP port.......AC rate.....1% charge increase (charging cable)

2.1 AMP port.....AC rate.....2% charge increase (charging cable)



Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone

--------------------------

1 AMP port.......AC rate.....2% charge increase (data cable)

2.1 AMP port.....AC rate.....3% charge increase (data cable)



1 AMP port.......AC rate.....4% charge increase (charging cable)

2.1 AMP port.....AC rate.....3% charge increase (charging cable)



Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7

--------------------------

1 AMP port.......AC rate.....discharging (data cable)

2.1 AMP port.....AC rate.....discharging (data cable)



1 AMP port.......AC rate.....discharging (charging cable)

2.1 AMP port.....AC rate.....discharging (charging cable)



I received this car charger from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. Running the same set of test on all the chargers I own allows me to provide an unbiased review. By comparing the results of the tests for chis charger to the other car chargers I tested, this car charger earned a 5 star rating. The only thing this charger did not do well is handle my Samsung tablet. However neither did other generic car chargers, Samsung tablet only works well with the car charger made by Samsung.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★