Yubi Power YP250ABLU 2500mAh Ultra Compact Lipstick Size Portable Power Bank

I tested Yubi Power YP250ABLU 2500mAh Ultra Compact power bank 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), iPad Mini and Sansa Clip+ MP3.



I own several wall chargers and power bricks and run the same set on tests on each of them, so I can be compare them to each other using "apples to apples" comparison. This set of tests allows me to provide unbiased results as the numbers speak for the performance of each unit.



These comparison tests reveal that this charger provides pretty good speed of charging and capacity (even though it is not the fastest or has the most capacity), however it is unbeaten in its compact size.



The size of the power bank is 3.75" x 0.75" x 0.75". It weighs 2.9 oz on my digital scale. It is quite compact, however I need to point that the lipstick comparison is slightly exaggerated. I am attaching a photo collage of 6 photos, and Photo #5 show this power bank next to a couple of lipsticks for relative size comparison. The photos can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo in this listing.



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



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. Photo #1 show what the Battery App shows during one of the tests.



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet

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chargind cable -- AC ............. 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone

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charging cable -- AC ............. 5% change in charge in 10 minutes

data cable ------ USB............. 0% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7

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charging cable -- AC ............. 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



***Note for Samsung Tablet users*** Yubi power provides Samsung Tablet connector tips free on request. If you already have interchageable connector cables (this unit does not come with interchangeable tip cables) these Samsung tablet tips give me much better speed of charging then using a cable that came with my Galaxy tablet.



✔ iPad Mini

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iPad Mini cable -- AC ............. 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



In addition to 10 minute charge speed tests, I ran two other tests:



✔ iPad Mini

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Starting with iPad Mini discharged and Yubi Power Bank full I was able to charge iPad Mini to 29% full at which point the power bank was out of power (about 3 hours)



✔ Sansa Clip+ MP3

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When I charge Sansa MP3 with a standard AC charger, the MP3 player goes into charging mode, displaying the charging animated icon. When it is plugged into the Yubi Power Ultra Compact power bank the MP3 continued to play the content. This is a great benefit for MP3 player with built-in battery, this means I charge and listen at the same time. I do not have to wait for the battery to recharge. Photo #6 shows Sansa next to the power bank for relative size comparison.



I received this unit for evaluation, testing, and review from the manufacture. Running a set of standard test allows me to provide unbiased numeric evaluation and comparison of different units. Based on this comparison this unit measures up very well.



➨ Overall:

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Great size power bank to have on the go. Very good performance for a unit of such a compact size. When I exercise this is the power bank I take with me.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Santamedical Kneading Massager Cushion

Whenever I go by Brookstone or Sharper Image store in the mall I stop by to sit in their massage chairs. This little cushion gives you an inexpensive simulation of an expensive chair. The massaging heads work quite well, you just need to move the cushion where you want it to be by hand. It actually works better than I expected from looking at the photo.



The cushion is 12" by 7" and is 3.5" thick (at the massage heads). It comes with two cords one for AC outlet and one for the car port.  The back of the cushion has 11.5" strap.  It goes over the head restraint in the car, but does not fit the back of my chair (too narrow).  So when I use it at home I hold it in place by pressing my back against it.  That works fine.  How hard you press against it depends how much pressure you want from the massager. If you press too hard you slow it down and properly put undue pressure on the motor.  The AC cord is 78", which is a little too short for me to reach the power strip near my computer desk (an extra extension cord solves the problem, of course).  The power brick is fairly large (3.25") and takes up two slots on the power strip.



I am attaching a video shows everything included in the package, a page from instructions which shows how to position the cushion, followed by the video of the massaging heads.



I received this massage cushion for testing and review (be it positive or negative) from the manufacturer. I hope the video will help you set your expectations.  Overall, this massage cushion works better than I expected, and it feels good after a long day in front of the computer.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

SHARKK Apple iPad Mini Keyboard Bluetooth Case Cover Stand

This is a very nice keyboard and case in every respect except that it is difficult to take off.



This keyboard is not only a bluetooth keyboard it can also serve as a stand and a case. It keeps the tablet very firmly in both horizontal and vertical orientation. In fact so firmly that I have had trouble removing it from my iPad Mini, I had to take it to work where a male co-worker with strong fingers was able to remove it after a bit of a struggle. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have failed in my attempts to remove the case, but figured I have to confess for an honest review.



Sharkk keyboard is 8" long and 5.5" wide. Alone the keyboard case weighs 9.1 oz. Together with the iPad Mini it weighs 1 lb 3.9 oz. Each keyboard key is 1/2" by 1/2" in size. The size of the keys is very comfortable, I did not feel I had to adjust my hand position much. Both the individual keys and the case are made out of hard plastic. The keyboard has nice feedback, I felt confident that I was making good contact.



This keyboard case fit both my iPad Mini and my Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet. These two tablets are almost identical in size so the case fit them both, but Galaxy did not snap in the same way iPad Mini did. I tried Galaxy first and was able to remove it. Then came the iPad Mini test and now they have become very attached to each other.



I have used several other blue tooth keyboards in the past and here are some of the major comparison points:

1. This keyboard has good balance between key size and comfortable typing

2. It has nice feedback and the accuracy of my typing was good

3. This keyboard has no back lighting, so I needed external light to use it in the dark

4. I encountered issues with removing the case



I found that I type much faster using this keyboard than on screen keyboard, especially when I have to mix letters and numbers in the text. Pairing is remembered from previous sessions even when I turn off the keyboard and the device.



I am attaching a video which shows pairing the keyboard and using it with iPad Mini. What is particularly nice is that some application do not display on screen keyboard, so you get the benefit of the entire screen containing the information without being covered by on screen keyboard. Some applications still display on screen keyboard even when the keyboard paired with the device, so it depends if the application developer anticipated bluetooth keyboard use or not.



I received the Sharkk keyboard for testing and review (be it positive or negative) from the manufacturer. I hope the video will help you set your expectations.



I liked everything about it except for trouble with removing the case. However the case fits is so nicely that the tablet feels like a super-duper netbook computer where the keyboard is part of the device, not just a tablet with a separate keyboard.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Food review: Gourmet salts from San Francisco Salt Company

I have to confess that I have not been aware of how many different flavors of gourmet salts existed prior to the offer from San Francisco Salt Company to review some of their gourmet salts. I was intrigued and agreed to review several samples. I received 5 samples and I was amazed by the variety of beautiful colors of these salts.



I decided that the best way to review them is to compare the five salt samples in appearance and flavor. I invited a friend to help me sample the salts, so we can both agree if we could tell the difference between different salts. They definitely looked different... but do they taste different? Here are the results of of our taste comparison. I am also attaching a video that I shot during our taste comparison, the numbers I am using below match the numbers in the video.



#1 Black Hawaiian Lava salt - smokey black in color,we thought it had the lightest (least salty) salt flavor of the 5 samples. This salt is harvested from pacific waters using traditional methods of solar evaporation, allowing the salt crystals to form with the much desired trace minerals intact. The salt obtains its coloring from activated coconut shell charcoal. San Francisco Salt Chef recommends it for use with desserts, and I can see why: it has a light salty flavor so it would work well for example with chocolates sprinkled with salt as I see in gourmet chocolate shops.



#2 Smoked Cherrywood Salt - rich brown in color. This salt has the strongest flavor, it was definitely very smokey. It is slightly saltier than Hawaiian, but not as salty as the other three salts that I tasted. Smoked Cherrywood Sea Salt is made with pure sea salt that has been slowly smoked above a Maine Cherrywood fire. The result is a smooth salty smokey flavor. San Francisco Salt Chef recommends recommends it for meat, poultry, and fish.



#3 Himalayan Salt - pretty pink in color and quite salty. The color does not add any flavor, just looks pretty. It could be use for any culinary use, but because it is so pretty I think using it as table salt in a shaker is how I plan to use it.



#4 Alaea Hawaiian Red Sea Salt - rich brick color, quite salty. This salt is harvested from pacific waters using traditional methods of solar evaporation, allowing the salt crystals to form with the much desired trace minerals intact. The salt is infused with Hawaiian volcanic clay called “alae", which gives it an extraordinary red color. The alae clay also adds nutritional value by providing a source of digestible dietary iron and other trace minerals. The color does not add any flavor, so it could work in any culinary use, but because the color is dramatic I think it would work best when you need to sprinkle it on something. It is widely used in Hawaii as a key seasoning for many of their native dishes including the kalua pig, poke, and Hawaiian jerky. This salt also goes well with pasta, stir-fry, poultry, eggs, seafood and grilled vegetables. It’s also used commonly for preserving.



#5 French Grey Salt - light grey color, the saltiest of the 5 salts I have sampled. French Grey Salt is formed as the sea water flows into the Guerande Marshes, in France, during high tides. The salt obtains its natural grey coloring from the salt crystallizing on clay. San Francisco Salt Company's French Grey Salt is 100% natural and carries the ‘Nature & Progrès’ certification label from France. It suits any culinary use. It is commonly used by French chefs... and who can argue with their results?



All San Francisco Salt Company salts are Kosher certified. Each of the salts is available in either coarse or fine grain. Each salt flavor came in a sealed sturdy plastic bags. The salts have a 10 year shelf live when they remained sealed in the original packaging. Once you open the package, each one has a zip lock closure so you can reseal the bag. These salts are top quality products.

Foind Hawaiian Black Lava Finishing Salt on Amazon





Find Sherpa Pink Gourmet salt on Amazon





Find Cherrywood Smoked Sea Salton Amazon





You can find Alaea Hawaiian Salt on Amazon by following this link

Find French Grey Sea Salt on Amazon







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Recycled Rubber Coasters

These coasters are 3.875" in diameter and 0.25" thick. Each coaster is pretty substantial, each weighs 1.7 oz. They are made of recycled rubber, one side has a printed design.  The coasters look rugged and sturdy (i.e. not pretty and dainty).  This is a masculine looking coaster if there is such a thing.  Since they are made out of rubber they are not slippery and make a really good coaster.



The coasters have a fairy strong rubber scent.  The scent might air out in a while, but in one week that I have had them the scent has not disappeared.



The coasters are made from 100% recycled rubber and they are made in the USA.  I received the coasters from the manufacturer who asked for an honest review be it positive or negative.



I am attaching a video of the coasters to give you a good idea what to expect.



You can find "Flox 'Moroccanometry in Orange' Rubber Coasters" on Amazon via this link





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Vibe Essentials iPad Mini Aluminum Bluetooth Keyboard Case & Stand

Vibe Essentials keyboard is 8 1/8" wide and 5 1/2" deep and 3/8" high. It weighs 7.1 oz on my digital postal scale. Each key is 1/2" wide and 1/2" tall.  The keys have a comfortable size, I did not feel I had to adjust my hand position much. The individual keys are made out of hard plastic.  The keyboard tray is made out of aluminium. The keys have very good feedback, I felt confident that I was making good contact. The keyboard is good overall.  There is one small thing I don't like about it.  There is a raised latch near the space bar (see video) and I find that it got in my way when I hit the space bar. I wish the front was totally flat. I am able to work around it, but if it was not there I would have been happier.



I am using this keyboard with my two tablets, iPad Mini and Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet. These two tablets are almost identical in size and the keyboard's stand mechanism worked well with both tablets in both horizontal and vertical orientation.  In order to fit the stand, I had to remove the case from both tablets. The design is such that neither the skin nor the leather case would fit into the keyboard stand.  The keyboard can also be used as "case" cover for iPad Mini by snapping to the tablet (thus that little latch near the space bar).  I prefer a bit more cushioning providing by the leather case, so I don't think I will be using this particular aspect of the keyboard.  When I tried snapping the keyboard case to the tablet, it seemed to need a bit of force and I did not proceed any further as it did not go in easily.



I have used several other blue tooth keyboards and here are some of the major comparison points:

1. This keyboard has a very good balance between key size to typing comfort. It is small enough to be portable yet comfortable for typing

2. It has very good feedback which aided in good accuracy

3. This keyboard has no back lighting, so I needed external light to use it in the dark

4. The front of the key board is not flat, I felt the latch with my thumbs when I was hitting the space bar



I found that I type much faster using this keyboard than the on-screen keyboard, especially when I have to mix letters and numbers in the text. Pairing is remembered from previous sessions even when I turn off the keyboard and the device.



I am attaching a video which shows Vibe keyboard in use with both tablets.  What is particularly nice is that some application do not display on-screen keyboard, so you get the benefit of the entire screen containing the information without being covered by on screen keyboard. Some applications still display on screen keyboard even when the keyboard paired with the device, so it depends if the application developer anticipated bluetooth keyboard use or not.



I received Vibe Essentials  keyboard for testing and review (be it positive or negative) from the manufacturer. I hope the video will help get a better idea of what to expect from this keyboard.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Toddy Gear WIY-W03 Universal Wedge Stand and Screen Cleaning Cloth

As a stand for a phone or a tablet it is bulky and cannot be adjusted. It can hold a phone, although it does not provide it good stability like a rigid stand. It cannot be used with a tablet, the lip is slippery and too shallow to hold the weight of a tablet. Both my Galaxy 7.7 and iPad Mini just slipped out. Just about any other stand works better.



The bottom is microfiber cloth which was intended to be use for cleaning, but it is the part that rests on the surface and thus will pick up dirt and grit because microfiber grips dirt so well.  This is not what I want to apply to my screen.  It is also cumbersome to hold. Just about any other cleaning cloth works better.



The wedge is 3.5" tall, 5" wide. The sides are 5.5", 5.5" and 4" wide.  I am attaching a photo collage which shows the wedge on 1 inch gridded mat for size reference. 



I received a sample wedge from the manufacturer to share my experience with it whether positive or negative.



I try to be balanced in my reviews and try to include both positives and negatives.  I can say this item is well made, the stitching is even and did NOT have a bad smell (some cloth items pick up warehouse scent, but this is not the case here).  I cannot recommend it however, based on functionality either as a stand or as a cleaning cloth.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★☆☆☆