Kinivo BTX270 Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker

I am very impressed with this speaker. In the attached video I used several pieces of music to test this speaker, including Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor which is a stress test for the bass. Some speakers crackle and can't handle the bass, but Kinivo Speaker handled it exceptionally well. This small speaker has a big sound.



In the video I start with the music playing through the built-in speakers of the tablet, turn on bluetooth and then the sound switches to the speakers. You can see how much richer, fuller, and louder the sound is when the speakers are used. Then I repeat the same sequence for the second piece of music which shows how the speaker handles base. There is no cracking even in the most challenging parts of the Bach Toccata.



I am attaching a collage of 4 photos for reference in this review. Photo #1 shows the speaker and an optional audio cable. The speaker is 6"L x 1 7/8"W x 2 1/4"H. Photo #4 shows the speaker on the digital scale, and it weighs in at 9.7 oz.



Pairing of the speaker to my tablet was easy. The speakers are in the pairing mode when the light on the front flickers red and blue.



I received this speaker from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. One of the benefits of being requested to test different speakers is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same music test, so I can compare them using "apples to apples" comparison. I would say this has been the best small speaker I have tested in the last year. I am very impressed with this speaker, especially how it handled the bass! I hope the video will help you see what to expect.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Satechi Dual Sonic Speaker 2.0 Channel Computer Speakers

I am impressed with this speaker. I am attaching a video where I play music with the speakers on, then with built-in speaker of my tablet, and then back to the speakers. You can see how much richer, fuller, and louder the sound is when the speakers are used. I used several pieces of music to demonstrate the speakers, including Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor which is a stress test for the bass. Some speakers crackle and can't handle it, but Satechi Speaker handled it well. The sound is not distorted, they have great mid-tones and even a pretty good bass.



The speakers are pretty heavy for their size. One of the photos I am attaching to this review is both speakers on the digital scale. Two speakers weigh in at 1 lb 6.7 oz. The base of the speaker is 4" by 2.5", and their height is 3" tall.



The cable between the two speakers is 33". The second cable is a split cable with two connections: USB Power and 3.5mm audio stereo plug. The split cable has in-line volume control. In my use I separated the split cable up to the volume control so the audio and usb plug can be plugged at a longer distance from each other. Note that the speaker needs both cables plugged to play. The second photo I am attaching shows the close-up of the back and bottom of the speaker, as well as the cables. The cable is the thing I liked least about these speakers.



The base of the speaker is pretty heavy and is lined with soft felt-like material. The overall effect is that it minimizes vibrations at high volume as well as provides traction.



I received these speakers from the manufacture for testing and an honest review. I hope the video will help you see what to expect. I am impressed with these speakers - small speakers with a big sound!





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

LUGULAKE Rechargeable Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Optical Mouse

I received a vertical mouse for evaluation and an honest review. The mouse was defective and had a short. I posted a 1 star review and notified the manufacture of the problem. Lugulake, the manufacture, asked me if I would be willing to test another mouse, and I agreed provided that any consumer reporting the same problem would be able to receive a replacement mouse free of cost. Lugulake confirmed that this is in fact is their policy.



The second mouse worked briefly and then stopped working as well.



I tested it both with Windows operating system and Linux operating system and it worked on both.



The mouse can operate in one of two modes:

1) using the batteries in the battery compartment

2) using USB cable (turning it into a wired mouse)



The mouse comes without a manual, but Amazon description contains some bare bones documentation. The Amazob description states that the USB cable is a charging cable. This description is somewhat ambiguous. It could mean that the mouse needs to connected to be used without batteries, or that the mouse has a built-in battery that would be charged by this cable. I left the mouse attached via this cable (with the batteries removed) for a number of hours and unless the cable remained attached to the computer the mouse did not function. The cable is 40 inches, which is a fairly short wire. I was able to use it with my laptop for testing, but not with my desktop where the distance between the case and my desk is larger than 40 inches. For comparison my old wired mouse has a wire that is 74 inches.



In both configuration you need to use the dongle in one of the USB 2.0 slots, so if you are using a USB cable you would need to dedicate two slots to the mouse. Using the mouse with the batteries is a lot more convenient. Note that the bottom of the mouse contains a small on/off switch. This switch needs to be turned on to use the mouse with the batteries.



This is my first encounter with a vertical mouse and I found it comfortable to hold. If you are a righty your thumb rests in an indention on the left hand side of the mouse, and the controls (buttons and the wheel) on the left hand side of the mouse, so the position of your wrist is different from a regular mouse. If you have issues using a regular mouse the ability to change the position of your hand is a good thing. I am attaching collage of several pictures which show me holding it. Note that if you are left-handed you need to order a mouse designed for a lefthander.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★☆☆☆☆

Book review: My Mother's Secret: Based on a True Holocaust Story, by J.L.Witterick

It is hard to get through this book without tears in your eyes. Once I started reading it I could not put it down.



The book is inspired by the story of Franciszka Halamajowa who saved fifteen Jews by hiding them in her house for 20 months. She also hid one young German soldier defector. Before World War II Polish town of Sokol had six thousand Jews, only 30 of them survived the war. Half of them were hidden in Franciszka house. One family was hidden in the pigsty, the second family in a hole dug in under the floor boards, and the young soldier was hiding in the tiny cubby hole in the attic. None of them knew of the others until the German soldiers left Sokol in 1944.



The story is intricately weaved together from different points of view. We hear about the same events from the point of view of Franciszka's daughter, then from the point of view of the people she saved.



Why did Franciszka do it? She had no special affinity with the Jewish people. She just did what felt right. She knew that if she did not do it they would be facing certain death. She had no special affinity to German soldiers, yet she knew the young German soldier who did not want to follow orders to kill Jews was also facing death. She was just doing the decent thing. How wonderful would the world be if every person just did the decent thing?



This is a wonderful book, well told and inspirational. I am grateful to the author for sending me a review copy of the book. It moved me!





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

FRIEQ® New Conductive Fiber/Rubber Hybrid Stylus Pen for iPad Mini, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, Nexus 7, Galaxy S3

This stylus is 5.5" long, 1.25" in diameter at the grip point, 0.4 oz in weight. The tip of this stylus looks like a metal fiber mesh weaved into a rounded tip. In the past I have only used rubber tips. I use the stylus most for typing and editing text while on the road. It is much more precise than using a finger, and it works as well as the stylus I have used previously. This mesh tip worked precisely on Samsung Galaxy 7.7 screen (no screen protector). In my use I could not tell the difference between rubber tip and a metal fiber tip, but this pen is much better than using a finger tip.



I am attaching a collage of two photos (which can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo) that I will be referencing in this review



✔ Sensitivity and performance of this stylus was very good. I most frequently use the stylus for typing and editing text, as it gives me best precision for positioning insertion point between characters. Photo #2 shows the pen in use.



✔ The I really like the grip of this stylus. The textured area is very grippy, so it does not slip out even when wearing gloves. I find the width of the stylus, the weight and the length of the stylus very comfortable to hold even when I used it for a long time. Photo #1 provides a close-up of the pen.



✔ It comes in several very attractive colors: cyan, magenta, black and silver.



✔ It has a clip, which allows me to clip the stylus while carrying it around. It does not get separated from my tablet in my purse, so it is there as soon as I need it.



Overall, I really like how this stylus fits and balances in my hand, and the how the grip feels under my fingers.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link



AshopZones review ★★★★★



I received a sample stylus for evaluation and an unbiased review.

Gurin Steam Inhaler

I got this steamer a few months ago and waited to write this review until I had a cold so I could evaluate if it helped my congestion. The inhaler provided some relief although the effect were fairly brief. In that sense it is similar to taking a hot shower: you feel better while you are in the shower and for a brief time afterwards. Note that I am comparing only the feeling, not the actual effect. The steamed shower has much more steam.



The documentation included with the unit was not totally clear on where you add water to the unit, and I made a video which shows how to add water and control the amount of steam the unit generates. The steam is easy to hear but hard to see, so in the video I used a mirror so you can see how steam fogs up the mirror.



The steam that this inhaler generates is fairly hot. I used the inhaler by hovering about 1 inch above the mask of the unit, not putting my face directly against it. The steam was not generated totally evenly, sometimes you could see and hear puffs of extra steam. Hovering 1 inch above gave me enough steam to make me feel better.



The neck of the unit can be extended about 1 inch to make the unit taller. I am fairly short so the distance to the unit felt quite comfortable for me. I suspect a taller person might want to put the unit on a couple of books rather then bend down towards it. Underneath the unit there is a plastic container with two compartments. One side can be used to add saline solution or aromatherapy. The other side collects any condensed steam.



I timed how long various stages of operation took. After I turned on the unit, the steam appeared in 1 minute. I was able to use the unit for 6 minutes until the inhaler ran out of water. I left the unit turned on and 1 minute after the last puff of steam escaped the inhaler automatically turned off. The automatic turn off is a good safety feature. When the unit is turned on the light on the front of the unit is turned on. When the auto shut of turned off the unit, I heard a click and the light on the front of the unit was turned off.



I was provided a sample for review, and I noted pluses and minuses of the unit to provide a fair and balanced review.



Overall, I found this inhaler helpful in easing my congestion and will use it again.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

DVD review: Orchestra of Exiles

When I finished watching this documentary the first time, I immediately restarted and watched it again, I liked it that much!



"Orchestra of Exiles" combines beautiful classical music background and a riveting true story told through archive films, interviews, and re-enactments.



This documentary film tells the story of great Polish violist Brawnislaw Huberman who in 1935 created Palestine Symphony Orchestra from the greatest Jewish musicians from Germany and Eastern Europe. It was clear to Huberman that all these people would be exterminated. By providing them a legal way to emigrate from their countries he saved them from Hitler and a certain death. Between 1935 and 1939 he saved almost 1000 Jews. He knew his selections were not just selections of musicians, he was a judge of who is going to live and who is going to die.



Huberman invited Toscanini, who at the time was a giant figure in music at the time, to be the first conductor of the orchestra. The story of how Toscanini interacted with the orchestra when they did speak the same language was amusing and enlightening. The orchestra was a tremendous success, not only because it brought together great musicians but because it brought peoples a feeling of victory over evil.



The documentary traces the lives of some of the musicians, their children, and grandchildren. It contains interviews, photos, movie clips, as well as re-enactments. Beautiful music is played through out this documentary.



It is a compelling story, which makes you feel proud of the human spirit and the power of music to unite people.



I am grateful to First Run Features for providing me a review copy of this DVD.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★