Product review: FAVOLCANO 20000mAh High Capacity Ultra-thin Dual USB Port External Battery

A lot of capacity comes in a fairly compact package, this battery is 6" x 3" x 3/8" and is 20000mAh. It has two USB outlets and one (fairly dim) flashlight.



I tested each USB port with current monitor with an Android phone and iPad Mini tablet. The battery charged iPadMini as well as the best power banks I have tested on 2A port. On 1A port did not provide optimal results because Apple products require more than 1A, but it provided a typical charge for a 1A port. For Android phone results were not as good. It underperformed on both ports, charging at USB rate on 2A port and below optimal on 1A port. I started running these tests when my Android devices had HoneyComb operating system. The charging rate is controlled by protocols between the devices and the battery. When they can't negotiate they get the default non-optimal rate. I was able to observe the improvements in Android OS as they adapted to handle Apple protocol on 2A ports. Before 4.21 I could only get fast charging on 1A ports, and would get bad performance on 2.1A port on my Android devices. After upgrade to Jelly Bean 4.21 I saw the same performance on 2A and 1A ports as it is controlled by the device negotiating the protocol with the charger. Now my Android devices typically charge similar in speed on both ports. So these results surprised me. This battery us using a protocol that Android is not able to handle well. If you are interested in the specific numbers, my video includes screen shots of the results.



Based on my test this power bank is better suited for Apple devices. It works with Android but not as well as with other power banks.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Product review: ORICO Mini Size 2 Outlet Surge Protector with 4 USB Charger

The Orico charging station combines two AC outlets and four USB ports. This charging station has a 54" cord and its size is 6.5" x 2.5" x 1.5". The AC outlets are spaced in such a way that I can put a battery charger and a regular plug next to each other (but not two battery chargers side by side).



I tested each USB outlet with current monitor with an Android phone and iPad Mini tablet. Both performed as well as any other charger, however the strip got pretty warm when I get both the phone and the tablet charging at the same time. If you are interested in the test results I am including the readings in my video.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Product review: AVANTEK In-Car Universal Wireless FM Transmitter Radio Adapter Car Kit

I have been using FM transmitters in my car for many years as I like listening to audio books in my car. I have used several FM transmitters in the past and this one falls in the middle of the pack.



First thing you need to know that this transmitter is not bluetooth enabled. You can use either with an audio cable to connect to the phone or MP3 player or by streaming audio from a USB memory stick. So this transmitter is ideal for MP3 players that are not bluetooth enabled and my favorite method USB stick, but I don't see it being particularly useful with a phone that is bluetooth enabled.



As you see in the video it works the memory stick well. The sound is as good as your car speakers, of course. The main job of the transmitter is to stay in contact with an empty FM station for a clear sound, and this transmitter allows you to select any station you want - no limited number of pre-sets as some of the other FM transmitters I encountered.



To find vacant FM stations in my area I used a web site "radio-locator (dot) com/cgi-bin/vacant" where you can enter your zip code and get a list of stations to try.



Once the station is selected Aventek remembers it even when I unplug the transmitter and then plug it back in.



Since I listen to audio book having a bookmark capability (i.e. ability to return to exactly where I left of last time) is key. My favorite FM transmitter by Satechi has a bookmark capability, Aventek does not. This feature is most useful to audio book listening, for music it is not all that significant.



Aventek fits my cigarette firmly. It does not move even when I go over bumps. However its neck is pretty short and it is a little awkward to reach in my car as the car port is very close to the floor. Satechi has a remote control so I don't have to bend down and touch the unit, Aventek does not have a remote.



At the time I am writing this review Satechi transmitter is twice as expensive as the Aventek. So for the music lover who does not need bluetooth the feature difference is not significant, if you need bluetooth or you listen to audio books that the bookmarking feature might be worth the extra money.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Product review: Gembonics Portable Charger 6000mAh - External Battery Power Bank

This is a very compact external battery for its size. It has one port and based on my current monitor readings it is a 1 Amp port. My Android phone draw a current somewhat below average, and iPad Mini draws a current typical for 1 Amp port (which is below optimal for Apple devices that need a 2A port to charge at the optimal rate). For those who are interested attached images captures the results of each test.



The size of the battery is 3 7/8" x 1 7/8" x 7/8" and it weighs 4.9 oz.



My favorite use for it is with my MP3 player that has a built-in battery which no longer holds a charge well. I keep always plugged into the external pack, this way I never need to worry about the battery running out.



This battery really has the best size to capacity ration among all external packs I own.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Product review: Dbmier A4 LED Ultra-Thin Light Tracer

I have been using Artograph light tracer for years for doing quilting and embroidery design transfers. Dbmier light trace is similar but much thinner, so it is a lot easier to use because my hand is in a much more comfortable position. Dbmier thickness is exactly the same as the thickness of the pencil (about 1/4").



The tracer has three modes of brightness. The light is bright without being blinding to look at. The surface of the box does not get hot, so you can work with it for a long time.



Note that the light is not totally even, there are slight variation lighter and darker areas which might be an issue for some application, but works perfectly fine for my purposes.



The size of the lighted service is 12.75" x 9", but it does not limit me to that size artwork. It is easy to transfer larger drawing by doing them in sections. I just shift both the source drawing and the drawing I am making, since it is so easy to see through both of them to re-align them once I moved to the next section.



What could be better?



The left and top of the box have measurements in centimeters. I would have found it helpful to have measurements on all 4 sides to help me align the drawing perfectly plum. I would have liked to see both centimeters and inches not just centimeters.



I am not sure what caused the slight uneven lighting, if it can be made even the lightbox would be usable for other application such as photography.



I have loved using a lightbox for years and the thinnest of this lightbox is a nice improvement over my old lightbox. The old lightbox got demoted to the basement storage!



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: ECALOO Kitchen Tool Stainless Steel Shovel-shaped Food Grater

This attractive looking shredder did not work as well as I hoped. First issue I had with it that a short handle made it inconvenient to hold. Its short stature also made it a bit hard to find a dish that would well supporting it to provide stability during shredding. Finally, this shredder has a solid back and metal teeth on the front. This made it harder to work then a traditional thread where shreds can fall through.



I tried zesting an orange, shredding an apple and a cinnamon stick. All were hard to do. I had very little results to show for quite a bit of work. It doesn't work nearly as well as a zesting tool. It produces very fine particles which mostly stick to the tool and it's hard to get them off into the batter. I don't see using this shredder on a regular basis.



I received this shredder with a request for a brutally honest review. And here it is.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★☆☆☆

Pocket Chain Saw Survival Gear Cool Outdoor Camping Tools

This pocket chain saw is a 25" long chain saw blade attached to two nylon handles. The length of the saw with the handles is 40 inches. It comes in a handy pouch which keeps the package neat and compact. It weighs only 4.7 oz on my digital postal scare.



To test the saw I enlisted the help of my husband to do the sawing while I held the end of the branch he was working on in place. The video shows the cutting of 1/2 inch branch. The entire process took slightly over 5 minutes. The attached video includes two short snippets in the beginning and the end of the sawing session.



Observations:

1. The saw worked but required a lot of energy and a good amount of time

2. The blade did not flip while it was in use, no adjustments were required

3. The blade came out pretty clean and no time consuming cleaning was required



The chain saw is most effective for cutting old trees or stumps still standing upright. Limbs on the ground require stepping on the tree limb to give it enough weight to counter the sawing motion. To cut a horizontal branch on a tree it helps to have two people, as the second person can hold the branch steady.



I received this saw from Stunning Gadgets with a request for an honest review, be it good or bad. This is a useful gadget to have in emergency, its small size and light weight are its biggest assets. Putting it to use does require effort and time, which is not unexpected, of course.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆