Tag: Reviews

Earlier this year I started to have problems with my Internet connection. As most people do, I blamed my cable company. I filed a trouble ticket and a technician came out. He checked the signals, replaced a few connectors and called it good. After he came out, I still experienced blips where I completely lost connectivity for up to 30 seconds. The tech suggested I try replacing my router. As I’ve never had problems with Apple routers (I have a Time Capsule), I basically said “whatever”.

While I still wanted to blame the cable company, I went ahead and order a TP-Link Archer 8 router from Costco.com to give it a whirl. The router was easy to setup and I had it running for a week. After about a week, the web UI stopped responding and required a reboot; support had no idea why and just suggested I reboot the router when it happened. I didn’t like that answer as I like routers to just work, so I returned it to Costco. (Another issue I had with it is that it had an on/off switch; there doesn’t need to be a power switch on a router.) Other than the web UI not responding, it seemed to work well for the week I used it.

I decided to take a stab at another router; this one was a Netgear router that I bought at the Costco store. Configuration was easy (and it did have a power switch which I didn’t like) and it ran for about a day before the 2.4 GHz network stopped responding and required a reboot. This was not good as my son was quite upset that his Squeezebox Radio wouldn’t work when he got up. This router didn’t get a second chance and went right back to Costco.

My luck was kind of running out with routers. I remembered that I had backed the Securifi Almond+ on Kickstarter and I had it sitting on my shelf. I fired it up to use as a router. Setup, like the others, was easy and I was up and running. I went through a few software updates and it performed quite well for well over 2 months. I didn’t, however, take the last few software updates as there were reports of problems with them. I had wanted an integrated automation hub/router, but the automation stuff isn’t up to what I want, yet.

A colleague and I had been discussing routers over this whole time and we were both convinced that the Apple AirPort Extreme/Time Capsule wasn’t the fastest router. (Routers have processors in them and have to make decisions about where each packet goes; the more traffic going through the network and the more devices, the more processing power a router needs.) He had been reading about the Ubiquiti Networks EdgeRouter Lite and decided to pick one up. The router is less than $100 and is only a router and not a WiFi access point.

I’ve used a Ubiquiti Networks access point in the past and the performance for price was phenomenal. When my colleague got his router and started using it, I got a text that said “Holy cow, this router is fast!”. He’s on a 75 Mbps/75 Mbps FIOS connection. A few days after he got the router, I decided to bite the bullet and get one.

This router is definitely not a router for the average consumer. As I’ve configured Linux networking for almost 20 years, I wasn’t intimidated by the box. The web UI on this is much better than any other web UI I’ve seen for a device like this. It has pretty graphs and the latest firmware uses deep packet inspection (DPI) to show you the bandwidth used by each device and what services the devices are using. Initial setup was a little trickier as I had to upgrade the firmware (new firmware came out the day before I received mine), add a new admin user, figure out which wizard to use, and change a few network settings. This router has 3 ports; it is NOT a switch, so the 3 ports are designed for 3 separate network interfaces. One interface is the WAN (cable modem) while the other 2 are for separate LANs. I configured 1 LAN for my home network and the other LAN for my Ooma; no real reason to separate the Ooma, but I had the port available and I can monitor bandwidth for it separately.

While everything worked fine for my wired network, I had to reconfigure my Time Capsule to simply be a wireless access point which wasn’t hard.

After the setup, I was pleased as punch with the graphs and the performance was quite snappy for accessing web pages. While most people would be done and happy, I wasn’t content! I wanted to get my guest WiFi network working. In a separate post, I’ve written about the experience.

Now my router has been running for 1 week without any hiccups. I’ve done some reconfiguring, but have not had to restart the router. This is NOT common in the consumer routers I’ve touched, but is very much UNIX like where you can bring network interfaces down and then back up. This router has so many options that I’ve only scratched the surface on what it can do. It is definitely a geek’s tool.

Pros

• Very fast router.
• Excellent web user interface.
• Extremely flexible (VLANs, VPNs, etc.)
• Vibrant user community.
• Well supported with firmware updates.

Cons

• Some pieces are not very user friendly.
• Command line need to configure some things.
• Not a full fledged switch, so a separate switch will be needed.
• Not a WiFi access point, so a separate WiFi access point is needed.
• Limited documentation.

Summary

This router is an excellent router for someone that has a networking background and likes to tinker. The configurations are endless and can be tuned to the needs of almost any small setup. It is NOT a consumer router. For my uses, it is excellent and appears to be quite stable. The performance is more than I can ask for on my 50 Mbps/5 Mbps connection and I wish I had more bandwidth to really put this router through its paces.

I am looking forward to the web UI enhanced for IPv6 when that is rolled out. While the router handles IPv6 through the command line, there are only a few pieces in the web UI to support it. If Ubiquiti keeps up with the firmware, I expect to see this in the future.

If you have a really fast connection and feel that your router isn’t snappy, something like this router could be the ticket. However, don’t get this expecting it to be completely plug and play. If you have never used ipfilter or similar firewall tool and don’t know what to do with separate ethernet interfaces named eth0, eth1, and eth2, stay far away from this router.

Last week a friend of mine came to visit and during some downtime, he had a Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. (His was for a larger iPad.) I thought it looked interesting and decided to get one for my iPad mini. Of course, I neglected to realize that the keyboard would be a lot smaller because it was for an iPad mini, doh!

When the keyboard arrived, I was impressed with how little bulk it added and really like how the keyboard sits in the stand. As a cover and a stand, the keyboard cover works well. The keyboard is a little small for touch typists, but after a few days, I’m starting to get used to it and am, in fact, writing this review using the keyboard. The biggest problem I’m finding is that I feel like the keyboard is shifted slightly offset from center causing me to shift my hands. The smaller keys aren’t for everyone, but I’m finding that I can fairly easily type on it while it is on my lap or on a desk,

It is easy to forget that it is a Bluetooth keyboard and has to be charged. Logitech estimates that with 2 hours per day usage, you can get about 3 months of usage. Unfortunately the only way you know the power level is to wait until the power light blinks and at that point, it is down to 5%. The cover uses magnets like the smart cover to turn the iPad on/off when the cover is opened and closed which is clever as I’ve only seen it in Apple’s covers. In addition, it uses magents to hold the iPad in the stand.

Pros

• Compact.
• Provides a protective cover for the iPad.
• Rechargeable.
• Connects easily to the iPad.
• The keys have enough travel for typing.

Cons

• It is a little small and may be hard for some people to type. (The one for the other iPads will be different.)
• Keys appear to be shifted which can make it hard to type.
• No indicator for battery remaining.

Summary

The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is going to be an excellent addition to my iPad mini and make it even easier to leave my laptop behind on trips or to leave it in my office at night when I want to write. If you have big hands and use an iPad mini, I suspect that this keyboard won’t be a good choice for you. For a bigger iPad, the keyboard will, of course, be larger and easier to use. At the list price of $70, I think this could be overpriced. However, I got mine off Amazon as an openbox item for $32 and for that price, I think it was a good purchase. This week my personal MacBook Pro is going in for repair (it is part of Apple’s extended warranty program for graphics card issues) and this keyboard is going to help me with my computer withdrawl :-).

For other iPads, the versions of the keyboard may prove to be easier to use, so if you’re looking to make your iPad your only computer or a travel device, you should definitely check out this keyboard.

Awhile ago I found a stand I liked for my iPad. Since then, I’ve switched to an iPad mini and the stand no longer fits the iPad. So I looked for a replacement. When the iPad came out, people were using all kinds of things including binder clips to make stands, so I didn’t need anything really complicated. I stumbled upon the Kanex iDevice Collapsable Stand and for the price, what did I have to lose?

The stand is extremely simple and does its job. It is easy to carry and I can throw it in my bag. I used it all the time (more on why I’m no longer using it in another post) and it served its purpose. There isn’t a whole lot to it, and it just works.

Pros

• Inexpensive.
• Adjustable.
• Compact.

Cons

• None

Summary

If you’re looking for a simple stand, the Kanex stand works well. There are more complex stands out there that cost more money, but I definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a simple stand.

On each vacation I’ve taken in the last few years, I’ve taken a compact digital camera along with my iPhone. However, with each iPhone revision, the camera gets so much better that I reconsider my choice to take a camera. The camera has a few features that the iPhone doesn’t have, but the differences are so minor.

The only thing that I seem to miss using the iPhone is simply how it feels and how easy it is to hold. I had read about the Shoulderpod S1 as a grip for the iPhone. I didn’t back it on KIckstarter, but it made it “to the big leagues” as I found it on Amazon.

I ordered it a few days for my last vacation and when it arrived, I adjusted it for my phone and tried it out. Its premise is pretty simple; provide a hand held mount for your smartphone. Operating it is easy; just adjust the screw and put your iPhone in it. I used it for a bunch of shots and being able to hold the phone without the fear of dropping it and being able to stablize it was very convenient. I didn’t take many movies, but the movies I did were less shaky. I also used it to take a timed shot and it worked well mounted on my Gorillapod mount.

The biggest “problem” with the Shoulderpod is that when I had it attached, I couldn’t really fit my phone in my pocket, so I kept taking it off my iPhone and reattaching it. This was a little inconvenient, but I’m not sure it was the fault of the little device.

Pros

• Makes it easy to hold an iPhone.
• Supports my iPhone 6 and other smartphones; very adjustable.
• Standard tripod mount allows it to work with GorillaPod and other tripods.

Cons

• Some pieces are made out of plastic which made lead to issues down the line with reliability.
• Taking the Shoulderpod on and off is a little cumbersome and leaving it on doesn’t fit in my pocket.

Summary

The Shoulderpod S1 makes a great addition to any smartphone user that relies exclusively on his or her phone for taking pictures on vacations or even for taking photos and videos of school functions, Holding my hold with just just a few fingers always has me nervous and the Shoulderpod’s grip takes this away and stabilizes pictures. I’m sure others have gotten good at taking smartphone pictures, but I think that the Shoulderpod will make it even easier to take good pictures.

The price isn’t that much and is a good addition to my travel bag. I will need to find a better way to deal with it so that I don’t take it on or off, but I consider that a minor issue.

One of themes in my backings on Kickstarter was the search for a stand for my iPhone. Unfortunately none of the products I backed were decent quality and a waste. I’ve read good things about the Twelve South HiRise Deluxe stands and decided to splurge (they’re a bit more expensive than other stands). I was skeptical when I ordered it as the cable wasn’t integrated in the stand and required me to supply my own; this didn’t seem like a great design, but I was willing to give it a shot.

When I got the stand, I was impressed that it was designed for different thickness cases and the holder for the Lightning connector was quite solid. Setup was easy and I adjusted it for my case. I’ve been using it daily since September and it has performed flawlessly. I drop my phone in it and it charges; not much more to say about it. Since I work from home, I leave my phone in the stand most of the time and use Hey Siri to make my conference calls. It is a great angle for viewing and does well for conference calls. I should have gone with this stand instead of backing various Kickstarter projects (however, this stand uses a Lightning connector; I’m not sure it would have worked as well with the 30 pin connector).

Pros

• Handles different sized cases.
• Solid (it doesn’t fall over).
• Good angle and height for holding up iPhone.
• Doesn’t put extra stress on connector as phone is resting on the stand and not the connector.

Cons

• A little more expensive than the average stand.

Summary

This is an excellent stand for iPhones with the Lightning connector. I’m not sure how well it would work with the iPad mini like it claims. The cost is probably a little more than most people want to spend on a stand, but it is quite easy to just drop my iPhone into it when I’m at my desk. I’d definitely purchase this again.

These days just about everything is powered by USB, and I never seem to have enough ports to charge the items. If I used individual chargers, I’d have a bunch of chargers on power strips and when I travel, I’d have a bunch of pieces to bring. So, when I started reading about multiple port chargers that would handle iPhones as well as the increased power required for iPads, I was quite intrigued. After further research, some chargers required me to plug iPads into certain ports and other devices into the other ports. This is cumbersome and when I saw the Anker® 40W 5-Port USB Charger where it would intelligently figure out what output is required for each port, I jumped at this.

The charger is pretty compact and its operation is simple, plug it in. I’ve been using it for travel on a number of trips and it is a real lifesaver. When I travel with my family, we have 3 iPads, 2 iPhones, my Pebble watch, and an external iPhone battery. While I don’t have to charge all at once, it is quite handy to plug in 5 devices. It works as advertised and I haven’t had any problems with it. Some reviews have indicated that the device arrived dead or overheated. I haven’t seen those and it just works.

Pros

• Compact
• Handles multiple devices

Cons

• None

Summary

The only question about this is how many should you get? I recommend getting at least one to throw in a suitcase so it is always ready for travel. Getting a second one to leave on a desk isn’t a bad idea either. While I don’t have an Anker on my desk (I have a different one that is of lesser quality), having a charger on my desk is quite handy.

These do go on sale for about $20-$25 periodically, so I wouldn’t pay more than that, but if you travel with more than 1 device, this is a great addition to any travel pack.

Earlier this year I came to a realization that I was putting in my contact lenses on most days only to run. I’m not sure why it took so long as I work from home and in most weeks, I tend not to leave the house except to run. So I was wearing my contacts for a few hours a day which has become old. I decided to look into prescription running glasses, glasses with a little bit of a wrap. I found SportRX online and realized that they were less than 5 minutes from my house.

I wandered into the storefront one day and a very helpful optician, Sarah, gave me 3 choices because of my prescription. My eyes aren’t great and I can’t see anything without glasses. I left to see if my optometrist could match the price as I’d be able to use my vision insurance there (VSP is strange and can only be used at optometrist owned shops from what I understand). A few days later, they got back to me and basically said that they could make the glasses, but couldn’t guarantee that they’d work as the wrap requires a different way of making the lens. I wasn’t willing to take the risk, so I went back to SportRX.

Again I walked into SportRX and went ahead and ordered Rudy Project Horus frames with prescription lenses. The whole package wasn’t cheap, but I was super excited to get them. I received email about 2 weeks later that they had arrived and I went in to pick them up. I tried on the glasses and almost fell over because they made me disoriented. The optician, Tim, took a look and said he’d talk to the lab. I chatted with him a few days later after I checked my order online and the lab had made the lenses wrong and they were going to remake them.

A few more weeks went by and my new sunglasses arrived by UPS. I put on the sunglasses and felt a little dizzy. However, I thought my prescription was a bit different. I wore them a number of times and ran with them a few times, but couldn’t get used to them. I’m not sure exactly what was the problem, but decided to return them. (SportRX has a very generous return policy which is one of the reasons I decided to give them a try.) When I went back, I was given the option of a refund or could try a different frame. A third optician, Rob, assisted me and just like the other two, was extremely helpful. I opted to try another frame; I was assured that if they didn’t work, I could still get a full refund. While the frames I chose, Oakley Chainlink, weren’t as sporty as the Rudy Project ones, my options seemed quite limited. This time when I went in, I took my son in to take a look around. The receptionist said Rob was on the phone and offered us something to drink as well as the opportunity to play tabletop shuffleboard which was very kind. I showed my son how to play and he was entertained. After Rob finished helping me, he brought out a pair of kids sunglasses and gave them to my son to keep. This extra special touch reinforced my decision to give SportRX a try.

I received my new sunglasses 2 weeks ago and have been wearing them running, driving, and all the usual activities where I normally would have worn contacts and non-prescription sunglasses. At first they seemed a little weird like the last pair, but now that I’ve gotten used to them, they’re fine. They’re a little different than my regular glasses, but not enough to return them. I feel a bit free in that I don’t have to put in my contacts when I leave the house; just grab the sunglasses and go.

The major problem I experienced (and it has nothing to do with SportRX or the sunglasses) is that I was wearing my sunglasses driving and it started pouring rain; I had to pull over to the side of the road to swap glasses as I can’t see a thing without them.

Now that I have a pair of prescription sunglasses and a pair of regular glasses, I need a murse to hold them both!

Pros

• Large selection of frames for people with not awful vision
• Extremely friendly and helpful staff

Cons

• Higher prescriptions may have problems getting good lenses made
• Choices are limited in high prescriptions
• Cost; prescription sunglasses that are sporty are not cheap

Summary

Despite the problems with my sunglasses, I had a good experience with SportRX and would recommend them. The money back guarantee and their willingness to work with me made the experience pleasant. My only disappointment is that my eyes are bad enough that my choices on frames were limited and the lenses didn’t turn out exactly as I had hoped (in order to reduce the wrap, the lenses stick out a bit on the sides).