EC Tech 7800 mAh Power Pack External Battery for Nexus, Samsung, Apple iPad

I tested EC Tech 7800 mAh Power Pack with with Nexus 7 Tab (running ICS 4.3), Galaxy Nexus Phone (running ICS 4.2) and Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (running ICS 4.0.4). Overall, the tests show good results.



I received this power bank from the manufacturer for an honest review be it positive or negative. Top reviewers are often asked to review new battery packs and one of the benefits of being asked to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them 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.



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. In addition I tested charging two mobile devices at the same time. 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.



➨ General features:

======================



EC Tech 7800 mAh external battery weighs 6.6 oz. Its size is 2.75" x 3.75" x 0.875".



The pack has 2 USB output ports. The package includes 4 tips: PSP, Mini USB, Micro USB, Apple. It also has two adapter cables. Galaxy tab connector and lightening cable for iPad Mini are not included. The battery pack has a small LED flashlight built into it.



➨ Test Results:

======================



✔ Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet (using my own Galaxy tab connector cable)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes

Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 4% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Nexus 7 Tab

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 4% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Galaxy Nexus Phone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 4% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Galaxy Nexus Phone and Nexus 7 Tab together

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Port 1: AC ~~~~~~ 3% change in charge in 10 minutes (Galaxy Nexus Phone)

Port 2: AC ~~~~~~ 1% change in charge in 10 minutes (Nexus 7 Tab)



➨ Key finding:

======================

✔ This external battery worked equally well for the phone and the tablets. It is not the fastest external battery I have tested, but its performance is very respectable.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Hipe 7" Digital 5 Day Wireless Internet Weather Forecast Station

I like the concept of this weather station, but encountered several flaws in its current behaviour.



HIPE weather station is not your typical weather station which has a probe that measures the weather conditions right outside your house. Instead it gets information from the internet and then broadcasts the information, using a USB wireless dongle, to the display unit somewhere in your house. The weather station can only operate when the wireless dongle is plugged into the computer and computer is turned on and connected to the internet. In the current version (6/6/2013) the information is updated and broadcast every 55 seconds.



To configure the unit you select a city for which information is available that is the closest to your location. I check two states that I am close to and each had 9 cities to select from. My closest choices were 10-15 miles away, so I noticed slight variation in the forecast and the conditions near my house. I have one of those old-fashioned weather stations with a temperature probe that I was comparing this unit with.



The weather station comes with software for Windows and Mac. I installed it on the Windows machine. The installation was very easy, the display immediately received the broadcast. However the install did not follow Windows standards and normal good software practices of (1) asking the user where to install the software and installed the package at root level on C: drive (2) asking the user whether he/she want to add an icon to the system tray (3) giving the user an option to suppress system tray pop-ups that are generated every 55 seconds when the software broadcasts the weather (which need to be dismissed manually).



I received this product for testing and review from the manufacture and the first unit I received had a problem with displaying the information: it showed the full forecast for the current day, but did not show high and low temperatures for next 4 days. The manufacture suggested trying fresh batteries and taking out batteries and then re-inserting them, but this did not correct the problem. He mailed me a second unit for testing and it worked perfectly. I am attaching an image of both units so you can see the difference between working and faulty unit.



I asked the manufacture about the warranty. I wanted to know if the display issue is covered and would a consumer need to return the unit to get the replacement or would supplying a photograph demonstrating the issue would enough. He told me that the display issue would be covered under 1 year warranty and the a photograph proof of the damage would sufficient, the broken unit does not have to be returned. This is a consumer friendly return policy that gets high marks in my book.



I am attaching a collage of 5 photos which can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.



✔ The first photo the display for two units, the top unit is the faulty one where you can see temperature shows up only for today.



✔ The second photo shows the back of the unit, including the stand that turns this unit into a table top unit. The other option is to hang the unit on the wall using the keyhole mount.



✔ The third photo shows the wireless dongle, the light is green when it is broadcasting. The dongle is fairly large and I had to use a USB hub to fit it comfortably into my computer.



✔ The fourth photo shows a nice forecast display that comes up if you click on the icon on the tray.



✔ The fifth photo shows a pop that is generated every time the software does a broadcast.



I found the pop-up that was generated every 55 seconds annoying, all it tells you is that weather forecast has been updated. By convention such intrusive pop-ups are only generated for critical issues not trivial information. I contacted the manufacture again regarding this software issue. He told me that the developers are working on an upgrade which reduces the frequency of pop-ups. He provided me with a download of this future version, which I liked better because it generated a pop up less frequently by getting updates less frequently. However, it still generates a pop-up that needs to be dismissed. It would have been better if the app operated in a silent mode and only gave the time of the last update if one were to click on the icon in the tray.



As I mentioned earlier the installation gave me no options. It did not give me an option to add or not add this app to my system tray. I guard that space very carefully and only allow some applications to be visible all the time, this app did not give a choice when it added itself to the system tray. And I would have liked an option which would allow me to select whether it generates any pop-ups or not. The application installation did not give me an option of selecting a directory where I wanted to install the app. The app installed its directory at the top level of c: drive, not under Program Files which is a Windows convention. Imagine if every application installed itself at the root level?



I really liked the concept of this device, I like seeing the forecast right on my night table. The screen display problem of the first unit was remedied by an excellent warranty which does not require the return of the unit. However the application itself, even the updated version I received from the manufacture, did not make the weather software a well behaved Windows application. I gave my feedback to the manufacture and I hope they will continue to improve this product because it has good potential.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.



AshopZones review ★★☆☆☆

Grace Digital GDI-EGSCM Suction Cup Mount

I am using Grace Digital suction mount to mount ECOROX Bluetooth Speaker. The speaker is 5.5"L x 3.5"W x 2.5"H. Its weight is 10.6 oz. The mount holds this weight easily.



I mounted suction mount with the speaker in my shower. It has been installed over a week ago and it still holds well without needing any adjustments. The mount attaches with a vacuum seal mount and has a quick release/lock lever. The mount allows the speaker to be pivoted 360 degrees. The suction mount and the pivot give me a lot of flexibility of where to place the speaker. I put it right inside of the shower stall, so I have great acoustics when I am in the shower.



I received this suction mount from the manufacture for testing and an honest review be it positive or negative. The mount works great, the hold is very strong. It will mount well on any smooth surface.



I am posting a photo of the suction mount holding the bluetooth speaker. The photo can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Sendy 5200mAh High Capacity Portable Power Backup External Battery

I tested Sendy 5200mAh 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 received this power bank from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. One of the benefits of being requested to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them 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 Sendy power bank works very well with Android devices (particularly the Galaxy Tab which is often the worst performer), but did NOT work with my iPad Mini.



The size of the power bank is 4" x 1.75" x 0.75". It weight 4.5 oz on my digital scale. In addition to being a charge it also has a built-in LED light. The light is not very bright, but better than nothing in an emergency situation.



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.



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet

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

Charging cable -- AC ............. 1% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone

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

Charging cable -- AC ............. 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Data cable ------ AC ............. 1% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7

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

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



✔ iPad Mini

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

iPad Mini cable -- power source not recognized ............. 1% dischage in 10 minutes



✔ Sansa Clip+ MP3

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

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 Sendy 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 and I do not have to wait for the battery to recharge.



I am attaching a collage of 4 photos, which can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo:



Photo #1 shows everything that came in the package, USB cable with interchangeable tips and a small bag for carrying the power bank.

Photo #2 shows the power bank next to Sansa MP3 player for size reference

Photo #3 shows Galaxy Tab with the battery app showing results

Photo #4 shows iPad Mini which did not recognize the power shot (when it does a white plug icon is displayed on the app screen)



Overall:

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

Excellent performance for Android devices, does not work with iPad Mini. Nice size for travel.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

iFlash 5600mAh Backup External Battery Charger

I tested iFlash® 5600mAh External Battery Pack with Samsung Galaxy 7.7 Tablet (running ICS 4.0.4) and iPad Mini.



I received this power bank from the manufacture for an honest review be it positive or negative. Top reviewers are often asked to review new battery packs and one of the benefits of being asked to test different power banks is that it gives me an opportunity to compare them to each other using the same charging test, so I can compare them 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.



I received two identical units black and blue, having two of them allows me to test for consistency in manufacturing. Ideally I want to see the same performance numbers for both units when testing the same device, and this was the case with these two units.



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. In addition I tested charging two mobile devices at the same time. 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.



➨ General features:

======================



iFlash® 5600mAh external battery weighs 4.4 oz. Its size is 3.75" x1.75" x 0.875". The pack has one USB output port. It comes with a pouch which fits the power pack, cables and tips. It has a built-in flashlight.



The external battery comes with a charging cable and 5 tips - micro USB, mini USB and iPad (and two others I don't recognize). It did not have tips for Samsung Galaxy Tab or lightening connector for iPad Mini and I used my own charging cables during the tests. I am attaching a photo of Flash® 5600mAh during one of the test next to my tablet for size reference. You can find this photo by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo in this listing.



➨ Test Results:

======================



✔ Samsung Galaxy 7.7 tablet (using my own Galaxy tab connector cable)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blue unit: AC ~~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes

Black unit: AC ~~~~~ 2% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ iPad Mini tablet (using my own lightening connector cable)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blue unit: AC ~~~~~~ -1% change in charge in 10 minutes (discharged)

Black unit: AC ~~~~~ -1% change in charge in 10 minutes (discharged)



➨ Key finding:

======================

✔ It works well with the Galaxy 7.7 Tablet, although charging rate is not the fastest I have tested. This power pack does not work with iPad Mini. I observed the same performance for both the black and blue model, which is good and reflects consistency in the manufacturing process. Overall rating: OK.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★☆☆

Ferry-Morse 1930 Annual Cut Flower Seed Mixture

This was a disappointing purchase in several aspects.



First, the amount of seeds you get in the package is quite small. I am attaching a photo which shows the entire content of the package on a white sheet of paper (placed on 1 inch gridded mat for size reference).

My local nurseries sell this amount of seeds for around $1.



Second, three weeks after I planted the seeds, watered them daily, I have practically zero germination rate. I planted another bag of seeds in another flower bed at the same time and it has quite a few seedlings. Both areas were watered at the same time and are located in the same sunny area.



I am attaching a photo collage containing four photos (1) the seeds contained in this package (2) the back of the packet which shows different planting zones (3) Flower bed with Ferry Morse Flower Mix, you can see one tiny seedling in the middle of the flower bed (4) Another seed package planted at the same time totally brimming with seedlings of various size.



I can't recommend this flower seeds mix.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★☆☆☆☆

DB-Tech DB-WAW400 Wireless Water Overflow And Leak Detector

DB-Techi wireless water alarm consists of two units. The smaller unit is the water alarm transmitter (its size is 2.25" x 3.5" x 1") and the larger unit is remotely controlled receiver (its size is 5" x 4" x 1.25"). The transmitter unit has a water sensor probe which is attached by 82" cord to the unit. It also has a retractable antenna to communicate with the receiver unit. Both units have keyhole hangers and come with mounting hardware and two hole templates to make mounting easier. If you have an unfinished basement and can't easily mount the unit on the wall, the cord is long enough to place the unit on top of the water heater while the sensor is at the floor level.



The transmitter unit operates on one 9V battery (not included), and the receiver operates on three C batteries (not included).



I am attaching a video which shows the water alarm operation. The water alarm worked smoothly, however it took some experimenting to figure out when the alarm generates sounds (the manual is not clear).



✔ The transmitter and the receiver both generate sounds. Each one generates a different type of alarm and on a different schedule.



✔ The receiver generates a beep-beep-beep sound for a few seconds every 10 minutes. The receiver can be re-programmed to generate another beep sound, but I was satisfied with the default sound.



✔ The transmitter generates a twirling sound for longer periods of time with shorter breaks.



✔ Each unit has a switch that allows one to turn off the sound manually, which is a good thing because the sound is loud and annoying. Loud and annoying is a good thing for an alarm, but it is also good to be able to turn it off once you know there is a problem.



✔ The video shows that the alarm is very sensitive, it needs very little water to start making noise.



To summarize:

1. Very sensitive, alarm is set off with a small amount of water

2. Reliable, alarm went off in every test I tried

3. The alarm itself is fairly loud and the receiver unit can be mounted in a different location in the house, where it can be heard even better.

4. Mounting might require some creativity if you have an unfinished basement or if the water heater is not near a wall.



I received a sample unit from manufacture to share my experience with the alarm (be they positive or negative) the with the potential future buyers. I addressed pluses and minuses of the unit, and overall recommend it. This inexpensive device can save you a lot of money by alerting you about an unexpected flood before significant water damage occurs.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆