Food review: Cameron's Coffee Flavored Ground Coffee Variety Pack

This was my first purchase of Cameron's flavored coffee but it will not be my last. I just signed up for "Subscribe and Save delivery" and I will be getting it on regular basis.



Everyone's taste are different so to describe my tastes and help you determine if it is similar to yours I can tell you that I am not a big fan of Starbucks Coffee, and I like Peet's coffee. I also prefer flavored coffee to regular coffee taste. My husband looks down on flavored coffee... but what can I say? I like the taste.



With that background in mind I really liked Cameron's flavored coffees. Each one of the three flavors comes through in each cup without feeling syrupy or artificial. At the same time the flavors are noticeable and unique. None of the coffees have an aftertaste, or were bitter or acidic. I found them to mellow and warm, and make me look forward to my first cup of coffee each morning.



I found this coffee to have a very pleasant taste, the price is very reasonable. I will be back!



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★



Cameron's Coffee Flavored Ground Coffee Variety Pack, 36-Ounce

Crocs Mammoth Clog

I was a fairly late convert to Crocs. I have not had a pair until two years ago. I bought them to wear around the house during the winter. I have had a number of shearing (lamb wool + leather) clogs, but these Mammoth Clogs turned out to be warmer. I did not realize that plastic/rubber shoe is such a good insulator. In addition to being warm they are extremely comfortable and durable. It is also possible to remove the liner and wash it. The liner held up well through several washes so far. It is attached to the clog by a couple of snaps and snaps right back on to the clog after the wash.



I am attaching a collage of two photos which shows the top and the bottom of the clog, as ell the fit of the clog on my foot. I can't be more pleased with them.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Neoprene Sleeve Case with Hidden Pocket for 7-Inch Google Nexus Tablet

Kroo sleeve is being used with 7" Nexus Galaxy tablet and it is a perfect fit. I am attaching a collage of 3 photos that I will be referencing in this review.

The first thing I noticed about this sleeve that it is well constructed: the zipper operated very smoothly, all seams are finished well, there are no loose threads or blemishes. The outside of the case has a pocket which can be used to carry a charging cable.



The sleeve's size is 8" by 5.5". It is made out of neoprene. It is soft, light, and washable.

Photo #1 shows the sleve by itself on 1 inch grided mat.

Photo #2 shows Nexus 7 on top of the sleeve so you can see how it fits.

The fit is fairly snug, and gives Nexus 7 protection without bulk.



My husband likes carrying Nexus 7 in his pockets (jacket pocket or even pants pocket). Photo #3 demonstrate how he inserts the sleeves into his pocket - Kroo sleeve goes in without any issues.



We've been using this sleeve since July 2012 (7 months of use as of now) and has been very pleased with it. Despite being used and abused by being shoved into pockets it is holding up very well.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.









AshopZones review ★★★★★

Silicone Eye Glass Case - Pochi Silicone Eyeglass Case

This silicone case is 7" long , 3" wide (bottom to clasp), can accommodate content 1" wide, and when it is opened the opening is 4" wide.  



I purchased it for my reading glasses.  I tend to leave my reading glasses in restaurants when I put them down after reading the menu.  I hope this bright colorful case will serve as a good reminder, plus because it is made out of silicone it does not take up much room in my purse.



If you are thinking of using it as coin purse, it is not well suited to such use as it does not close tightly and the coins can fall out of the gap.



I am attaching a video which shows the case from various angles, as well as demonstrate a gap in the closure.   I am also attaching a photo collage with three photos showing how eyeglasses fit into the case. The case is displayed on 1" gridded mat in case you are curious about a measurement I have not mentioned. The photo collage can be found by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo.

    

   

This case provides protection from scratches, but no cushioning if the eyeglass case falls to the ground. The case is perfect for inexpensive reading glasses, but I would not use it for expensive prescription glasses. For the expensive eyeglasses I prefer a case that provides more cushioning.  I have been using this case for a couple of weeks for the reading glasses in my purse and I like them.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Cosmetic Blending Sponge

I usually use a finger to apply foundation or concealer. I bought this sponge in a local store because it was on sale and I decided to try it. I suspected it might be just a gimmick and likely not to work any better than a finger. But I was surprised by how well this thing worked. When I apply make up with my finger it often leaves a somewhat uneven finish especially if what I am trying to conceal has an uneven surface, like a pimple. I can see this unevenness in my make-up magnifying mirror, and I used to tell myself that noone else can see it without magnifying glass (not sure if it is true or not). However using a sponge blender the foundation is totally smooth even if my skin has an uneven surface. Even in my magnifying mirror, I cannot see anything by a smooth finish.


I am attaching a couple of photos of the sponge before and after use, as the sponge surprised my by growing. The photo collage can be located by following 'customer photos' link under the main photo. The first photo is the sponge in its container when I just purchased it, the second photo is the same sponge on top of the container (as it no longer fits into the previous shape). The sponge has not gone back to its original size even when it dried between uses. The third photo is the sponge in my hand for relative size.


This sponge can be used on cosmetics that are wet or dry. One end of it rounded and is used on large areas and one end is pointy to reach into corners (around the hose or eyes). It is made out of non-latex polymer, it feel spongy and resilient, and the finish reminded me of suede.


To use it you need to wet the sponge in warm water until totally saturated. Then squeeze excess water until it is just slightly damp. The sponge expanded as it became wet. The instructions said to put makeup on the sponge and then apply. I also tried putting on the face first and then using the sponge. Both approaches work well.


The sponge picks up the color of your make up. The color does not come off even after I washed it. So if you want to use the sponge for both foundation and blush, I would recommend buying more than one sponge and dedicating each to a specific color.


This sponge over-exceeded my expectations, I recommend it.






You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Premium Horizontal Leather Pouch Case with Belt Clip for LG 800G 800-G

I bought this leather case for LG 800G phone to protect the touch screen from accidental use while it is rattling in a purse. 

   

The case feels solid, closes well with a magnet clasp, and weights (empty) 1.9 oz. The case is hard and the screen cannot be pushed through it. The inside of the case is a soft felt-like material which protects the screen.  On the down size this is a generic case, and there are no phone specific cut-outs. For example, you cannot charge the phone while it is in the case.



The case fit the phone loosely (in one of the photos described below I am able to insert a pen next to the phone) and I decided to purchase a gel skin for a better fit. I purchased this gel skin LG Cookie Style Candy Skin Case . With the gel skin on the fit is perfect!  The phone is easy to insert and take out, yet the  phone does not fall out even if I hold the case open and upside down and give it a bit of a shake.  The weight of the phone, the gel skin, and the leather case all together is 5.5 oz.



I am attaching a video which shows the case and how the phone with the gel skin fits it. I am also attaching a collage of 6 photos.



Photo #1 ➨  Shows the back of the case, along with the packaging.  The packaging included a closed foam insert which kept the shape of the pouch. For those who do not want to buy a gel case, this foam can be cut to form foam strips and these foam strips can be glued to the case as spacers for a less loose fit.



Photo #2 ➨ Shows the front of the case. The canvas cut-out hides the magnet clasp, and is totally covered when the case is closed.



Photo #3 ➨ Shows how the phone fits the case without the gel. You can see that I can insert a pen next to phone.



Photo #4 ➨ Shows the phone in the gel skin being inserted into the case



Photo #5 ➨ Shows the fit with the gel skin on the phone - now it is a perfect fit.



Photo #6 ➨ Shows me holding the case upside down and you can see that the phone does no fall out. The gel skin creates good friction with the inside of the case.

       



I am very pleased with the case when it is used with the gel skin: good value and works well.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Bolse® 4 Port USB Charger Wall/Travel/AC Rapid Charger 4 Amps / 20Watt For Mobile Devices

I tested Bolse 4 port 4 Amps 20 Watt Wall 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), and SanDisk Sansa Clip+ player.



I own several wall chargers and power bricks and run the same set on tests on each of them, so they can be compared 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.



To test Bolse 4 port I ran a test for each of my 3 devices on each of 4 ports for a total of 12 tests. I repeated the tests on both the white and the black version of the wall plug as I received one of each from the manufacture for an unbiased review. I also charged the Nexus phone and the Nexus tablet at the same time. The results of these 25 tests are included in the tables below.



➨ Key finding:

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

I am include results from testing both the black white plugs, as to my surprise they produced different results. See more on this difference in my overall assessment at the end of the review.



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.



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.

  

I am attaching a collage with 3 photos that to illustrate this review.  They show the plugs on different power strips, charging different mobile devices, as well as a close up of the plug itself.



Bolse wall charger has re-tractable prongs which is very handy for travel. It has 4 ports: 2 universal ports, 1 Apple port, and Samsung port. The ports are marked on the top of the unit. The writing is very easy to read on the white plug, and a bit harder on the black plug.



The plug is 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. If you put the plug on the strip it takes up two slots.



The table below summarizes my findings:



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet (black plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 0% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 1% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet (white plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 0% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 1% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone (black plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 7% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 7% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 5% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone (white plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 6% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 6% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7 (black plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Apple port ------- -- ----- discharging

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ Samsung Galaxy Tablet 7.7 (white plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- -- ----- discharging

Universal port 2 -- -- ----- discharging

Apple port ------- -- ----- discharging

Samsung port ----- AC ----- 3% change in charge in 10 minutes



✔ SanDisk Sansa Clip+ MP3 Player

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

Universal port 1 -- worked

Universal port 2 -- worked

Apple port ------- worked

Samsung port ----- worked



✔ Nexus 7 Tablet & Samsung Galaxy Nexus Phone at the same time (black plug)

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

Universal port 1 -- AC ----- Tablet 4% change in charge in 10 minutes

Universal port 2 -- AC ----- Phone 7% change in charge in 10 minutes



The behaviour of both Nexus 7 Tablet and Galaxy Nexus Phone plugged in at the same time was the same as when they were plugged in individually.



On the black plug the Galaxy 7.7 tablet performed better on Universal ports than on the Samsung port. However on the white plug, the only port that worked for Galaxy 7.7 was the Samsung port.



The MP3 player worked on all ports.



➨ Key finding:

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

There was a difference in performance between the black and the white plugs. I can only explain it by inconsistency in the manufacturing processes. The performance of the black plug was consistently better for all the units. The white plug did work, and if I did not have a black one for comparison or did not run the same set of tests on both plugs I would have thought the white one worked reasonably well. As an engineer I find inconsistency in performance rather unsettling and even though the black plug performed exceptionally well I felt I had to mark down both plugs because potential consumers would not know whether they would be getting an ok plug or a great plug. The inconsistency may show up in a plug of any color.





You can find the black charger on Amazon by following this link.





You can find the white charger on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★☆