Gadgethead 1 8

MAGAZINE

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ISSUE 1 8

www.gadgetheadmag.com

Swimovate PoolMate 2 ANYSHARP 3 IN 1 BOX GRATER

4moms rockaRoo

UK

£4.95

INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

DriveStation™ Quad Direct Attached Storage USB 3.0

HD-QHU3/R5

Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage

Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay Direct Attached Storage device perfect for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 comes fully populated with high-reliability Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ WD Red™ drives in total capacities of up to 24TB.

Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay

™ The DriveStation Quad is RAID-enabled customised Direct Attached Storage deviceforperfect redundancy and capacity depending on your specific needs for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 and also comes with 10 licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP comes Essentials fully populated Business software. with high-

reliability WD Red™ drives in total

The DriveStation™ Quad features the capacity, redundancy, capacities of required up to 24TB. and performance for any demanding user – the perfect solution for backing up large servers, multimedia files, or databases. The HD-QHU3 series is sold fully populated with WD Red drives and total capacities of 8, 12, 16, or 24TB. HD-QHU3/R5

Features and Benefits • 4 bay Direct Attached Storage fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives - Available with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities

• RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD

• Perfect for Server, PC, and/or Database Backup

Features and Benefits

- Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBackup Business Essentials

• Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer

4-bay Direct Attached Storage •• SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0

fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities • RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD • Perfect for ™Server, PC, and/or Database Backup - Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials • Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer ched Storage • SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0 • 3 year warranty - Available • 3 year warranty

tation Quad

Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Director Alex Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com

● Aqua Sphere Kaiman Exo Mirrored Lens Swimming Goggles ● Rough Rider Messenger Bag ● Zepp Multi Sport Sensor ● Zevro’s Dial-a-Spice Page 10

● Ollie ● Overade Plixi Folding Helmet ● POC Joint VPD 2.0 DH Elbow and Knee Protectors ● ICEdot Crash Sensor ● Mimo Monitors Magic Deluxe

Editorial Team

● Alex Smith ● Emma Hilling ● Lisa Seager

Page 20

● Keyboard Waffle Iron ● 4moms rockaRoo ● Swimovate PoolMate 2 ● AnySharp 5-1 Scissors and The World’s Best Knife Sharpener ● Tigr Mini Bike Lock Page 30

● Valkee Human Charger ● Minions Hit Them Out Game ● Zevro Healthy Eating ● AnySharp 3 in 1 Box Grater

HD-QHU3/R5

Gadgethead Magazine

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Pros • Comfortable, light to wear.

• Good seal around the eyes.

• Latex free.

• Quick and easy adjustable side straps.

• 100% UVA and UVB protection.

• Plexisol® lenses with Anti-fog and Anti-scratch treatment.

• 180 degree field of vision curved lenses.

Cons • Non-adjustable nose bridge.

• Silicone head strap can pull at hair so we recommend using a swimming cap.

• Build quality could look better in parts.

Rating

www.aquasphereswim.com

AQUA SPHERE KAIMAN EXO MIRRORED LENS SWIMMING GOGGLES

I tested these goggles out at a local public sports pool where my routine is to swim 60 lengths (1mile) once a week. The first thing I noted was that the nose bridge isn’t adjustable which wasn’t an issue for me as they fitted my face well, normally I have had to use the smaller nose bridges on goggles but this one size fits all system was fine for both me and my swimming partner (who is more well-endowed in the nasal region). The second thing I observed was adjustment straps on the sides which have been designed to negate the usual battle of pulling rubber against rubber, leading to over tightening and then battling to loosen the straps again. Aqua Sphere use micrometric strap adjustment buckles which means a gentle pull in one direction and it clicks into place, then by pulling a small lever up and pulling in the opposite direction you can easily release the strap again this makes putting them on a lot simpler as I can tighten them up once they are on my head unlike my old ones where it was a two handed job. The straps stay in place whilst swimming, keeping the seal tight around my eyes, the Anti-Fog works surprisingly well I have had other goggles that claim to be Anti-Fog only to fog up after a few arm up lengths. The Kaiman Exo also has a patented curved lens with 180-degree field of vision which is by far my favourite things about these goggles, I never realised how much the vision was blinkered before with the standard lens but Kaiman Exo allowed me to improve my freestyle stroke as when my head was facing the bottom of the pool I had a better field of vision to stop me crashing into the barrier and the little old ladies in the slow lane. At the end of my swimming session I didn’t have red rings around my eyes or that fatigued feeling that poorer quality goggles can give you, so to round up these are comfortable goggles to wear that can keep up with fast paced swimming and allow you to have a greater field of vision for a higher performance swimming session. RRP £15

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Pros • Striking • Strong and Durable • Practical size and storage • Choice in size and colour Cons • Black strap looks cheap in comparison Rating

www.sfbags.com

Rough Rider Messenger Bag It is always difficult to write about something without bias when you are already completely in love with the brand, but I will try my hardest.

Waterfield likes to combine the super masculine look of distressed leather with practical urban bags, and the Rough Rider is no exception. Its naturally-tanned distressed leather core material contrasts wonderfully with a choice of five accent colours.

Personally the Green and the Pine are my favourite as they complement the

tan brown so nicely. A clever feature of the Rough Rider is how WaterField has angled the shoulder strap towards the body, which compresses the strap, keeping the bag and all your valuables close and securely against your body.

There are two sizes to choose from: the 13” Rough Rider (15” x 10.5” x 3.5”, 2.9 lbs) or the 15” Rough Rider (16.5” x 11.5” x 3.5”, 3.5 lbs) and 5 trim colours choices: black, copper, pine, green and flame. Four deep pockets hold your gear in place: two waxed canvas pockets

inside the main compartment and another two lined with soft, scratch-free material under the flap, which are perfect for storing a small tablet and a smartphone. Plus—there is enough room in the main compartment for a 15 inch laptop or netbook with room for chargers, note books and other essentials. Due to the distressed leather and unfinished edging, this bag looks like it has been around the block straight away, but the more you use it and the more scuffs and marks its gets only make it look better and better with age. The black nylon strap is comfortable but is the only feature that I don’t particularly like about the bag. I guess if it was leather it wouldn’t be as comfortable to wear,. Perhaps, though, the colour of the strap could match the trim, but this is just personal preference. All things considered this is another beautifully designed messenger bag by Waterfield that is as practical as it is sophisticated. RRP $335

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ZEPP MULTI SPORT SENSOR

A brilliant gadget for the avid sports player, the Zepp Sensor is an innovative new training system that analyses and gives you tips on improving your swing.

Attach the sensor to your golf glove, tennis racquet or baseball bat with a simple mount, and let the Zepp mobile app collect data wirelessly through Bluetooth 2.1.

The GadgetHead team tried it out with a tennis racquet in a carpark, because baseball doesn’t exist in Britain and golf was too much of a health and safety hazard. And while we’re not exactly athletes (or ably to hit the ball on every occasion) it was easy to see that the app is brilliant. It’s free to download on iOS and Android, and has recently been updated to a new, beefed-up version, meaning you can instantly view your swing in 360° on your smartphone or tablet, compare

your technique to a growing database of coaches and pros, and get instant feedback on an easy to read colourcoded dashboard.

For tennis, the Zepp sensor tracks your power, shot type, spin, court and rally time, providing detailed realtime analysis of your game. For golf, the sensor detects club head speed, hand path, swing tempo, backswing club angle, and more. And if you play baseball, whatever that is, the Zepp sensor collects data including bat path, maximum bat speed, and position of bat at impact. Simply put, it gives you a lot of information and breaks it down so you can understand it and use it to improve your performance.

We think it’s like having a personal coach in your pocket. RRP $149.99 www.zepp.com

Zevro’s Dial-a-Spice Zevro’s Dial-a-Spice is a clever yet simple spice device, it is a spice dispenser with four separate compartments allowing you to contains your most used spices in an easy to access place. It is very simple to use coming with a revolving circular lid which has both a sprinkle and pour option, it hasn’t left my kitchen since I have had it in to review so that is always the sign of a good product.

The device comes in four colours, Black, White & Chrome, Silver and Chrome and Red & Chrome. The RRP is $7.99 so is definitely one of the least expensive items we have reviewed at GadgetHead yet is one of the few I will continually use every day. www.zevro.com

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OLLIE

We love all gadgets here at Gadgethead but toys have a special place in our hearts. Ollie’s reputation has proceeded it and we have been itching to get our hands on one for a while, we definitely weren’t disappointed. Excuse me while I refer to Ollie throughout the review as if it’s a living thing but it is easy enough to imagine as this little rascal has a lot of personality. Ollie comes with a companion app to control him, download the app, charge him up and he is ready to go. The app gives you various settings to control, driving surface (soft/hard), driving area (room/ open), speed, handling and acceleration, there are also all the instructions and tips you need to maximise the experience. He uses Bluetooth to connect to you phone, you just need to put your phone next to him to connect and after that he will stay within range up to 100ft (30 meters) which is more than enough to play with. It’s great that there are settings for using Ollie in a room but this isn’t his natural habitat, think more ballroom than living room, Ollie really comes to life when you get him out in the open reaching speeds up to 14mph. Flipping your phone over horizontally will allow you to enter trick mode and get Ollie flipping and spinning about, his durable polycarbonate body

means you don’t need to worry about damaging him as he is super robust and can withstand a bit of a bashing. He is a toy but it doesn’t mean that controlling him is child’s play, practice is the key with this little guy but I think this is one of its perks, when you nail a trick it is such a sense of achievement it strives you to keep going and I think there is real potential there to encourage kids (and adults) to focus on something and with the added option of customising him this stops the novelty wearing off quickly. Downsides are that because it runs off Bluetooth you can find it drains your phone or tablet quite quickly and Ollie himself takes a while to charge up fully also I feel Ollie could use a reverse, he can spin on a dime but if he gets stuck in a corner it can be difficult to get him out which really comes back to making sure you have plenty of space to let him run about. Ollie works with both iOS and Android but to avoid disappointment it is worth double checking he is compatible with your particular phone or tablet although he does work with most up to date devices. We quickly became obsessed with playing with this little speed freak, he is an exciting and educational toy suitable for kids and big kids alike. RRP $99.99

Pros • Durable • Fun • Ollie can be Customised • 1-1.5 hours play time Cons • Drains device battery life • Needs plenty of space www.sphero.com/ollie

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Overade Plixi Folding Helmet I use my bike regularly for trips into the city as I prefer to travel wherever possible with my backside sat on something. My home city is bike friendly and it is easy to find somewhere to leave my bike the only issue I face then is carting my helmet around with me whilst shopping or going for lunch. The Overade Plixi Folding Helmet seemed like the answer to my problem as when you are not wearing it (don’t make the mistake of trying to fold it down when

it’s on your head) it will fold down to a third of its size, making it easy to fit into a small bag. I was particularly pleased with the design of this helmet as I have seen other folding helmets which are a bit lame looking, were as the Plixi is stylish in design as well as protective.

It is designed to be just as safe as a conventional helmet and it complies with Europe’s EN1078 safety standard dedicated to bicycles, rollerblades, kick scooters and skateboards. The Plixi is

Pros • Folds down to a 3rd of its size • Comfortable • Good Ventilation • Stylish design • Value for money Cons • Only two colours available Rating

www.overade.com

Unisex and comes in S/M (54/58 cm) & L/XL (59-62 cm) with extra padding to make sure you get the perfect fit, I found it really comfortable to wear being nice and light with fourteen ventilation holes to reduce the sweaty helmet head effect. It is really easy to fold down and pop back up and there is something really satisfying of clicking it into place in front of my mates who will always comment on how “cool” it is. The Plixi also comes with its own

little protective fabric pouch to stop it getting scratched up in my back pack or shopping bag and keep it looking its best. This is a useful, trendy and protective helmet and I can’t see a reason not to choose this over the classic bike helmet. RRP €75

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POC JOINT VPD 2.0 DH ELBOW AND KNEE PROTECTORS My first experience with knee pads was when I was 10 and my mum was desperately trying to strap them to me before I went out and immediately fell off my skateboard, they were ill fitting, uncomfortable and most importantly to a ten year old so uncool! I’m afraid that memory resonated with me so it was only until recently I finally decided to give them another go when I was offered to test out the POC Joint VPD 2.0 DH Elbow and Knee Protectors.

The DH stands for “downhill” in this model and provides one of the highest levels of protection POC has to offer, not only do they use VPD (more on that later) but it is covered with a hard shell cap to reduce friction against the ground in case of a fall. Both the Knee and Elbows pads felt comfortable to wear and slip easily on to bare skin or over base layers with Velcro straps

to help keep them in place, there was no awkward bulky mass to restrict your movement. Now more about the magic that is VPD (VISCO-ELASTIC POLYMER DOUGH) it is a flexible foam, that moulds to the body as it warms up to body temperature, however upon collision it becomes a hard, shock absorbing material that will take knock after knock without losing its protective qualities. The main body of the Knee and Elbow pads is an abrasion-resistant Kevlar-reinforced stretch fabric which is perforated to allow airflow, because of this I found I wasn’t getting all sweaty underneath which can make things really uncomfortable not to mention rather gross. I decided to test these out in a way that would guarantee me to get full use out of them, on my unicycle, which I have been trying to learn how to ride for over 2 years. On

my second tumble I went forward on to both knees, to my boyfriend’s confusion I got up grinning because it didn’t hurt, what else can you ask for in a knee or elbow pad? One super picky negative, the sizing seems to run a little on the small size so it may be worth aiming for a larger size than you would normally expect to need. All in all POC has produced a fantastic set of body armour that allows you the freedom to move naturally whilst providing the protection you need.

POC Joint VPD 2.0 DH Elbow Pads RRP €100 POC Joint VPD 2.0 Knee Pads RRP €120

Pros • Comfortable • Flexibly • High impact absorbency • High quality construction • Stylish design Cons • Sizing runs small Rating

www.pocsports.com

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ICEdot Crash Sensor

A few years ago a family member went out mountain biking, that day things didn’t go to plan and he had a nasty crash and ended up spread eagled on his back in the middle of a forest, he was in a lot of pain and it took well over an hour to get his phone from his pocket and call for help. Turns out he had broken his neck, he has made a full recovery now but he was very lucky, the scariest thing of the whole situation is that nobody knew where he was, if he had of knocked himself unconscious who knows how long it could have been before he was found. The ICEdot is a product designed to help in this exact situation, it works by connecting to your phone via Bluetooth and using sensor stickers or a sensor band around the helmet it will trigger an alarm when the sensors detect a strong impact on the helmet. You will then have a set amount of time to cancel the alarm on your phone but if you are unable to it will send an SMS to your emergency contacts and providing first responders with your name, conditions, medications, allergies and emergency contacts. The ICEdot is compatible with iPhone 4S and later, Android version is available for Low Energy Bluetooth enabled devices running 4.3 or later, Samsung phones require 4.4.2 and if you have an Android phone running Lollipop you can download an open beta app. It was simple enough to set up and

seemed to work most of the time, the only issue we had was that there are a few times when it struggled to connect to the Bluetooth but this could be due to the phone rather than the ICEdot.

Without putting one of our reviewers in real danger (no matter how tempting it can be at times) it is difficult to say whether this is 100% reliable, 100% of the time but from our controlled test this appears to be an excellent device that can offer an extra level of protection for not only cyclists but any sport that involves wearing a helmet.

Nevertheless as with any technical gadget there is always room for error so it is still important to let someone know where possible when you are partaking in something high risk whilst on your own. RRP $99

Pros • Innovative idea that could potentially save lives • Easy to set up • Responsive Cons • Only a standby option no on/off switch • No indicator (red light/green light) to let you know when it’s fully charged Rating

www.site.icedot.org

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MIMO MONITORS MAGIC DELUXE The Mimo Monitors Magic Deluxe is the world’s first USB driven touch screen monitor. From the start it was easy to set up, you download the driver and off you go, the 1024x600 resolution produces a vibrant and sharp picture.

The 10.1” screen is small enough to be portable but it’s still a comfortable size to work with, I struggled when I was doing really fiddly work like editing photos through Photoshop but for normal day to day use it was fine. The capacitive multi-touch touchscreen is extremely sensitive and smooth, there’s no frustrating over tapping or delayed response. The Magic Deluxe is fully compatible with Windows 7/8/8.1/10, Linux and Mac OS X (with purchase of Mac touchscreen driver) and the screen can also be removed and used independently, as a tethered tablet or mounted (VESA 75) screen.

The power and video is from a single USB cable and It comes with a USB which is designed to be used at close

range but there is also available a USB extender through Mimo Monitors if required that uses power over twisted pair to power the remote side from the source side so you won’t need a to route AC power. The Magic Deluxe is a little touch of magic and a real forward step in technology that makes a user friendly operating system even more readily available within the home or work place. RRP $329.99 Pros • Sensitive multi-touch screen • Only needs one lead for power and video • Two USB ports Rating

www.mimimonitors.com

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Pros • High quality construction • Easy to use and clean • Make immense waffles • Free digital recipe book Cons • Quite long, need to move it about it to get it to cook evenly (minor issue) Rating

www.thekeyboardwaffleiron.com

Keyboard Waffle Iron

Do you have nerdy tendencies? Do you enjoy a waffle? Ever wondered how to bring the two things together? No? Neither had we but lucky for us there are people out there who have. When something as fantastically wacky as this turns up at the office It will even encourage me, a full on cooking-phobe, to get in the kitchen. Excited to get started I made up some waffle batter whilst heating the waffle iron on our gas cooker top, I brushed a little oil on the inside of the iron and then poured in ¾ of a cup of batter into the iron as instructed, upon shutting the waffle iron the mixture spilled out of the sides over the cover top, the mixture that was dripping down promptly caught fire and started smoking out our kitchen. So we were thrilled to find out that the waffle iron is an educational tool as we would have never discovered how flammable waffle mix is or that when measuring in cups it is probably best to avoid your favourite 500ml starbucks bucket cup. So for round two I was more reserved with the amount of mixture, we used roughly 220ml and this time there was no spillage or small infernos. We struggled a little to get the mixture to cook evenly as the waffle iron is quite long and our cooker is small and cheap so we had to move it from side to side to make sure it was cooked throughout. Once it was done it popped out easily and didn’t leave any mess behind, and most importantly it was “DEL”icous. Unlike a lot of novelty kitchenware this is a really well made product with a comfortable curved and heat resistant Bakelite handle for easy flipping, Non-Stick Die-Cast aluminium body, it is easy to clean and small enough to store away. With a free digital book over 20 recipes including hash browns, Paninis, and brownies I can see us having a lot of fun with this and due to its wireless design we can take it camping with us next year. RRP $85

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4moms rockaRoo The rockaRoo produces a big swinging motion in a compact baby seat, our test subject - 2 month old violet, LOVES it. Violet’s mum and dad were first drawn to the rockaRoo because they live in a flat and wanted something with a comforting motion and at a 3rd of the size of a traditional swing it wouldn’t take up half the living room. 4moms state that it is suitable for use from birth until the child reaches maximum weight limit of 25 pounds, can sit up unassisted or attempts to climb out. It is easy to set up and with 5 different motions and 5 different speeds there are lots of options to play with. (Violet favoured the faster speeds). The rockaRoo has a lovely extra touch by providing an MP3 plug in so not only can the little one be comforted by the motion but you can also play your personalised relaxing playlist. The seat cover is removable so it can be washed, a necessity with any product for newborns, and there are extra seat covers available, if you are using this from birth you will also need to buy an insert to help keep baby comfortable and supported. A downside is that it needs to be plugged in and there is no battery option so it can only be used within range of a socket and restricts where it can be used. There is a mobile with three reversible toys to attach, black and white on one side

and colour on the other, however this might as well have not been there at all as violet showed absolutely no interest in it, perhaps if they spun around, had lights or mirrors on them she may have shown more awareness. To sum up this is a lovely product and definitely sits at the higher end of the market and as baby will only be able to use this until they are roughly 6 months old this may put people off, if you have the money however this is a charming high quality baby swing that will help comfort baby and bring mum a little bit of quiet time.

RRP $159.99 Pros • Recoverable seat covers • Big swing motion in compact size • Plug in music • 5 different motions and 5 different speeds • Visually appealing Cons • Mobile doesn’t move • No battery option Rating 4.5 out of 5

www.4moms.com

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SWIMOVATE POOLMATE 2 The PoolMate 2 takes distance counting to the next level by allowing you to track your distance in open water, perfect for triathlon training or just exercising out in the elements. It allows you to keep track of laps, strokes, distance, speed, efficiency, duration, sets, rest time and calories in the pool and in open water (minus the lap count in open water) and stores 50 sessions for recall, records and is water resistant to 50m and includes a 24 hour clock, alarm and a chrono mode for timing other sports. Basically everything you could want in a swimmers watch and more. I found the watch comfortable to wear and easy to use with large protruding buttons, it doesn’t have a back light which means it can be difficult to see in low light but it does have a 40mm display which is larger than most so it isn’t a big problem.

The open water feature is a smart little set up that asks you to calibrate it first by swimming a lap of a known distance and then uses pedometer style technology to calculate your distance outside, meaning there is no reliance on GPS or companion apps to

analyse your workout. The PoolMate 2 claims to have 99.75% accuracy for counting laps as long as you perform more than 7 strokes per lap with the arm it’s being worn on, I found nothing to disprove that during my session, the downside however is if you train with a kickboard it would not be able to record your movements. If you are looking to upload data to your computer straight from the watch this isn’t an option with the PoolMate 2, (Swimovate do have the function available with the PoolMatePro, PoolMateLive or PoolMateHR), this isn’t something I miss though as I think all too often you can get swamped with data and analysing your progress through fancy computer programs or apps which can detract for the enjoyment of just going out and exercising. This is a lovely little swimming companion that does all the brain work for you whilst you are in the water allowing you to switch off your mind and focus purely on your workout and fall in love with swimming all over again. RRP £70

Pros • Accurate.

• 4 colours available.

• Works in the Pool and Open water.

• Large display • Wrist strap fits from 14.5 to 21.5cm.

• 2 Year Battery life Cons • No backlight • Some may prefer the other models for the option of uploading data.

Rating 5 out of 5

www.swimovate.com

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ANYSHARP 5-1 SCISSORS AND THE WORLD’S BEST KNIFE SHARPENER The 5-1 scissors are AnySharp’s answer to the Swiss Army Knife, but instead of having pointless nail files and letter openers they have useful things like tough hardened steel blades that can cut through blister packs and chicken bones, a bottle opener, nut cracker, garlic crusher and, perhaps not so necessary in the kitchen but always useful, wire cutters. It’s great to have all these products in one item the only thing that did worry me was using a sharp pointy object to open beer after already having a few beers but hey not everyone is as irresponsible as me. The blade is designed with a curve to keep your hand away from freshly cut edges and promotes a more comfortable position for your wrist. All the different

functions of the scissors work well but it’s the super tough scissors that are the best feature and as you can tighten the tension of these scissors they have a much longer life expectancy than regular scissors The World’s Best Knife Sharpener has a big claim for such a little thing and without testing every knife sharpener out there I could never say for certain that it’s a fact however having had experience in catering and limited experience in our own kitchen I can honestly say this is a good sharpener.

From when I first took it out of the box it felt and looked like a quality item, much more than I expected for the price. It has a suction cup that you fix to your kitchen counter allowing you

to keep your hands at a safe distance whilst using the sharpener. AnySharp have used tungsten carbide technology to bring dull edges back to life on almost any knife, it works on serrated edges and hardened steel blades so unlike most knife sharpeners you will only need this one for virtually all your blades. I only needed to run the blade through a couple of times to get the knife back to its original sharpness.

All in all two great little products that won’t leave you out of pocket but you will find yourself using over and over again.

Pros: • Value for money • Get the job done • Built to last Cons: • There are better products out there but not in this price range Star Rating

www.anysharp.com

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Pros • Lightweight • Secure on the bike • PVC to protect the bike Cons • Limited to what it will lock around Rating

www.tigrlock.com

Tigr Mini Bike Lock

The original Tigr lock caught our attention as being a complete rethink of the conventional bike lock, they have the strength and security of a U-lock with the light weight of a wire lock, so when we heard that Tigr had created a baby version we were keen to get a look at it. My bike isn’t worth a lot financially but it has sentimental value plus if it was nicked it would be difficult to find another bike with its rusty charm, a friend of mine suggested that using the original Tigr lock would be like buying a combination safe to keep a £10 note in it (bit rude) so the Tigr mini is perhaps a more suitable lock. The Tigr Mini is an ART Certified, 1.25 inch wide titanium bow and locking mechanism which is coated with PVC so it won’t scratch up your bike. The mount was easy to attach and the rubber bumpers stop it rattling or sliding about and since it weighs a petite 0.9 pounds it doesn’t affect the balance of the bike, it is small and light enough to fit in a small bag or carry about your person. As for security this isn’t a lock your local bike thief will be familiar with and it has proven to be a formidable opponent for bolt cutters. Obviously you will have to compromise somewhere as this is a small lock it narrows down where you can lock up your bike, conventional bike racks aren’t a problem or railing but lamp post are out of the question and there ridiculously larger bike racks they have at my local supermarket, however I haven’t really had any trouble finding parking spaces. It might take a little saving up to get this lock but you shouldn’t need to by another one and security it gives you well out ways the initial expense. RRP $99

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VALKEE HUMAN CHARGER We have had some very unusual things arrive in the office at GadgetHead but this is one of my favourites. In 2007 a couple Finnish guys began on working on ways to deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is a big problem in Finland in the winter months as some parts of the country can receive as little as 4hours of sunlight a day. Traditionally the way SAD is treated is by spending time in front of a light box and letting your eyes and skin receive a UV free dose of replica sunlight, now I don’t have the space here to explain why this works (there are plenty of published papers and websites dedicated to that)

but it turns out that the light therapy can also be received through the ears.

As more and more people began to feel the benefit of light therapy it started getting used for treatments other than SAD such as jet lag and so the Human Charger was born. The Human Charger is used in conjunction with an app that tells you when to pop the ear buds in your ear and receive your 12 minute dose, you might have a slight glow about your ears but other than that it is discrete and comfortable to use.

There are other products out there that involve wearing an eye mark or glasses to receive the light treatment but this

seems like a bit of an inconvenience and nightmare for the self-conscious.

There is so much to like with the human charger it is beautiful, simple to use with a one button operation system, comfortable and innovative but does it work? I still feel that the jury is out on this one, I used it exactly as instructed and it may have sped up the jet lag recovery process but I didn’t have any obvious breath taking results. If you are regularly hopping time zones the science says this product will help you and with jet lag being such a horrible debilitating thing it is definitely worth a try.

Pros • Looks great • Discrete • Easy to use • Comfortable Cons • Pricey Rating

www.humancharger.com

Gadgethead Magazine

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MINIONS HIT THEM OUT GAME At this time of the year when it’s cold and dark outside it can be difficult to try and persuade your kids to do anything remotely active, however the Minions Hit Them Out Game can provide energetic fun and excitement whilst keeping warm and dry on winter nights. It has recently won the Dads Choice Highly Commended Award and the game comes with seven cute and colourful Minions characters that have accidentally locked themselves inside a high-energy force field and need to be saved by carefully knocking them over with the “anti-matter ball”!! Basically you throw a beanbag ball at them to knock them over (a bit like bowling) but don’t feel bad about it as you are helping them out really. The game

recommends throwing the ball from 9 feet away but this may not be possible in some rooms so the rules might need to be bent slightly, you get 1 point for each Minion knocked over during your turn plus and extra 2 bonus points for every Minion with two eyes. I worry that the plastic isn’t very thick and that in time they could become casualities to rough little hands and stampy feet, also due to their light weight it wouldn’t be possible to play outside if there was a breeze. This is a sweet, simple toy that has the potential of invoking the imagination to create different variations of the main game but you are quite limited to what you can do with it.

RRP £24.99

Pros • Cute design • Fun indoor game Cons • Thin plastic • Novelty could wear off quickly Rating

www.smythstoys.com

Gadgethead Magazine

33

ZEVRO HEALTHY EATING Healthy Eating is so important and Zevro have offered a range of products to help us monitor and encourage cutting out the overuse of oil and fats.

Zevro have been trying to have these products stocked on the shelves of the big supermarkets out there but as yet haven’t managed to get any traction as yet, I implore the procurement departments of these major superstores to have a look at these products as they are affordable and more importantly they help with a healthy diet.

Zevro’s Press-n-Measure is an Oil dispenser (although you could use it for any liquid), it is made of silicone and fitted on top is a measuring cup which can measure the quantities in both milliliters and teaspoons and using it actually shocked me how I usually add far too much oil while guessing when cooking.

It comes with an easy pour spout, although what I would say is do not over squeeze as the valve isn’t full proof, the product comes in two colours Beige and Green with an RRP of $12.99. bit.ly/1NdHQRv

The Zevro Sugar Dispenser is fantastic for keeping your sugar intake under control. It gives you the choice of 1/4, 1/2 or 1 teaspoon measuring chambers which are quite simple to change. It can also be used for other dry goods like salt, pepper and spices.

Like the Press-n-Measure this gadget has been made to measure the amount of food you are taking in and we can become so lackadaisical on adding sugar to hot drinks. I myself do a lot of exercise and wouldn’t say I ate unhealthy but I have always been a little overweight, I think my problem has always been portion size too much pasta, too much sugar – I am going to stick by these products by Zevro and see if they help me lose a few pounds.

RRP $9.99 http://bit.ly/1OPM30g All of these gadgets have certainly made my kitchen easier to use as well as allowing me to keep track of my ongoing diet. My only negative is they could be made of more robust materials but saying that they are all dishwasher friendly and all very simple to use.

AnySharp 3 in 1 Box Grater

There’s nothing better than mixing two passions. Mine are Cooking and Gadgets, mash them together and you have a very happy lady. I’ve been testing out some new kitchen gizmos that will work well for anyone who is on a strict diet or just trying to eat a bit better.

I started with the Any Sharp 3-in-1 Smart Box Grater. The idea behind it is to catch what you are grating or pealing and it does work well my only concern is its size. It’s great for portioning things such as cheese but when pealing potatos and bulkier items I had to empty it after each individual potato was peeled.

After having a read on their website I could see it does state that this product is for small jobs, so quick lesson learnt read the selling point first!

The Grater is very well made for the cheap price of £7.99 and comes with three function plates Peel, Grate and Shred. It comes apart easily for cleaning and the design and stainless build made it easy to use, nice little stocking filler for the chef of the house for Christmas. www.anysharp.com

Gadgethead Magazine

35

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06/05/2015 15:48