Lumsing 8000mAh ultrathin power bank: Reliable, right-sized and perfectly priced at $10 (review)
No matter how hard we beg manufacturers for better battery life, they don’t want to listen. Granted they’re also listening to us ask for faster speed, higher resolution displays, better cameras, more powerful software, and more, which means they need to find a balance as to what “most” customers will be happy with.
You could be a power user, or you could have poor reception which makes your phone work harder thus draining your battery. Luckily, for those of us who need more power we have portable power banks.
Today’s review is about the Lumsing 8000mAh ultrathin power bank.
Design and Usage
Lumsing is a company that focuses on keeping things simple. Technology is complicated and requires an immense amount of effort to keep up with all of the changes. I work a M-F, 8-5pm job and write about tech for fun. As much as I love technology, I actually dislike tech that brings about more complication and appreciate Lumsing for taking a stance on simplicity.
The approach that Lumsing takes with simplicity is very apparent in the 8000mAh ultrathin power bank. It’s so simple that it doesn’t even have a name.
Yet it is designed to give you what you need most, the right amount of power while staying extremely thin for pocketability. 8000mAh is enough power to get two full charges for my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge which has a 3600mAh internal battery. The iPhone 6 has an 1810mAh internal battery, which means the Lumsing power bank can easily provide four full recharge cycles.
What’s nice is that 8000mAh could be squeezed into a very small package. The casing is made from one piece of metal, and as you can see in the images above that mine is a bright blue. The bright color makes it much easier to spot in my laptop bag, and it stands out amongst all of the portable gadgets I have in my office.
–Capacity: 8000mAh
–Input: Micro USB 5V / 1.5A
–Output: USB 5V / 2.1A
–Dimensions: 5.08×2.83×0.3 inches
–Weight: 5.96 oz
It can output power at 2.1amps, which is fast for iPhone users, but not quite fast enough to qualify for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. On the front of the battery pack is where you will find a small flashlight that is activated by double tapping the power button. You will also find the battery indicator, output USB port, and microUSB input.
The Lumsing 8000mAh ultrathin power bank is easy to use. All you have to do is plug in the supplied coiled cable into the battery, then plug the other end into your smartphone, tablet, wireless headphones or speaker and let it recharge your device.
I like this battery because it is extremely reliable where it consistently gets me two full recharges on my S7 edge. The best part though, is its fantastic price point at just $9.99 with free shipping included.
Conclusion
Lumsing prides itself on keeping technology free from complications. It does that with the 8000mAh ultrathin power bank that I have been using. Lumsing also made the battery extremely affordable at just $9.99. With enough power to get at least two full charges on my S7 edge, $9.99 is quite justifiable on this purchase.
I highly recommend this battery based on its price, form factor, and reliability. They’re great to have if you ever experience power outages, or just need more power when you’re on the go. I leave one in my glove box, and one in my emergency kit as Lumsing batteries hold their charge quite well.
Get the Lumsing 8000mAh ultrathin power bank at Amazon or at Lumsing for just $9.99.
The Blitzwolf Bluetooth Selfie Stick is the only selfie stick you need…unless you have a Nexus
Whether you love them or hate them, it looks like selfie sticks are here to stay. At least, for the time being. We have seen these arm extenders all over the world and even in amusement parks and museums. If you aren’t totally sold on jumping onto the selfie stick wagon, let me introduce you to the Blitzwolf selfie stick, and maybe you will change your mind.
Design
The Blitzwolf selfie stick has a fairly unassuming plastic and metal build, which also leads to a lightweight stick that is easy to hold. The compact length comes in at just under 9 inches, but fully extended, this selfie stick measures almost 3 feet. That is plenty of length for you to get all of your friends into frame. The plastic handle has a slightly matte finish which provides a nice grip so the stick won’t be slipping out of your hands while to try to capture the moment.
The body of the selfie stick is made of locking metal tubes that allow the selfie stick to extend and compress by simply twisting and pulling the end. The phone mount at the top of the stick can stretch to accommodate both large and small devices. I didn’t even have trouble getting my huge Nexus 6 fitted securely. The mount can also be rotated 180 degrees to fine tune your composition, and there is a thumb screw to lock the mount in place once you find the right angle.
Features
On the handle of the selfie stick, you will find far more than just a shutter button. Since the selfie stick connects to your phone via Bluetooth, there is an On/Off switch on the right side for power along with a microUSB port for charging the stick. On top of the handle, there is a button for switching between front and back cameras, buttons for zooming the camera in and out, and a shutter button for snapping the final picture. All of the buttons are laid out so they can easily be reached when using the selfie stick with just one hand.
Usage
Setting up and using the Blitzwolf selfie stick is simple and straightforward. After turning on the selfie stick, you need to find and connect to it through the Bluetooth menu on your phone. I liked the fact that I did not have to connect any wires to my phone since everything was controlled over Bluetooth. Also, extending the selfie stick is quick and easy, which makes setting up for the photo much quicker.
In order to take full control of the selfie stick, you will need to download the Blitzwolf Shutter app. Here is where I found the biggest flaw with the selfie stick. When using the Blitzwolf app on my Nexus 6, my front facing camera always appeared upside down. Interestingly, the back camera was not upside down. Having the image flipped on your phone makes centering yourself or the subject in the frame much harder than you’d think.
After looking at reviews for the app, it appears that this is a common problem among Nexus devices. Thankfully, this should be fixable with an update to the app and hopefully Blitzwolf will update it soon. If you are not using a Nexus device, you should experience no trouble using the Blitzwolf this selfie stick.
Upside down picture aside, the app is fairly minimal with a zoom indicator and option to preview photos. There is also a Record button, Flash toggle, and Setting menu with a few more options. The app responds fairly quickly to each button press on the selfie stick, which is important for capturing those last second selfies. One thing that I would like to see is the ability to launch the app by simply pressing the shutter button.
If you want to use this selfie stick with a Nexus device, you can still use it to take pictures through the normal camera app; however, you will not be able to use the camera switching or zoom functions as the zoom buttons are actually what take pictures in the stock camera app. That being said, I would recommend another selfie stick for all of you Nexus users.
Conclusion
As long as you do not have a Nexus device, I would definitely recommend the Blitzwolf Bluetooth selfie stick if you have not yet gotten into the selfie craze. The build is sturdy and the zoom and camera switch features are great additions to have. Its compact size, lightweight construction, and quick deployment mean that you can take it pretty much anywhere and have it ready in a moment’s notice. Get yourself a Blitzwolf Bluetooth selfie stick for only $17 here!
Volition’s newest project is ‘Agents of Mayhem’
The Saints Row series has always been appropriately wacky and out there thanks to developer Volition, but shortly after Saints Row IV released, the company went a bit quiet. It’s back now with a brand new game with a whole new attitude. It’s called Agents of Mayhem, and it’s an open-world adventure set within the Saints Row universe.
Revealed earlier today via IGN, Agents of Mayhem finds players taking up the mantle of three agents as part of team M.A.Y.H.E.M. (the Multinational Agency for Hunting Evil Masterminds) as they look to squash supervillain organization L.E.G.I.O.N. (the League of Gentlemen Intent on Obliterating Nations).
Across several locales in Seoul, South Korea, both teams will clash, armed with superpowered abilities. There are 12 unique agents to choose from as you work to take down the “diabolical lieutenants” of L.E.G.I.O.N.
As the lengthy reveal trailer demonstrates, it’s very much a game with the trademark silliness and humor of past Volition titles, along with a healthy dose of familiar Saints Row fun. Currently, the game is set for a 2017 release for PC, with additional information eking out over the next week via E3 2016. It looks like it’s going to be a wild ride for sure.
Source: IGN
Astronauts climb into BEAM for the first time
Earlier, a couple of ISS crew members floated into BEAM to check on its condition for the first time ever. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka collected air samples and downloaded data from the sensors inside the expandable module. The duo said that while it’s quite cold inside, they didn’t find any condensation — but you don’t have to take their word for it. They captured the inside of the module on camera, and you can see what it looks like in the video after the break.
Williams spent seven hours pumping air into BEAM in May after the first attempt to unfold the module ended up in failure. Now that it’s set up and ready for testing, the ISS crew could check up on its condition up to 67 times a year. BEAM or Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is an experimental space habitat jointly developed by NASA and Bigelow Aerospace. It was shipped to the ISS folded to save space aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule and had to be inflated to its full size. Bigelow Aerospace is also working on a much bigger expandable module that it hopes to send to orbit by 2020.
Source: NASA
Florida man gets four years in prison for selling Vitamixes on eBay
41-year-old Kevin Wain, of Tampa, Florida, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for running a credit card fraud operation that netted him more than $881,000 over the course of three years. Using counterfeit credit cards — made with with a magnetic card reader/writer that he’d bought on eBay — Wain bought hundreds of high-end home goods at Williams Sonoma and Bed, Bath & Beyond stores that he would turn around and sell for profit on eBay.
Wain was extremely specific with the items he was buying and reselling, as well. During the period in question, from around September 2011 until he was busted by the Secret Service in June of 2015, Wain bought a staggering 755 Vitamix blenders, 197 Roombas and 9 Dyson Animal vacuums. According to the Department of Justice, Wain was still carrying on his thriving eBay business on the day of his arrest and there are extensive transaction records detailing the little black market he created for himself.
So far, investigators have found more than half a million dollars in fraudulent purchases he bought using credit card information stolen from over 125 victims. In addition to his four-year jail sentence, Wain will have to pay back every penny of the $585,028.99 he stole from 48 different financial institutions.
Samsung might have bendable, foldable smartphones ready for 2017
Bloomberg sources say that Samsung is thinking of introducing phones with bendable screens. In fact, Samsung said that it would have that technology ready by 2017 itself, just a few years ago at its investors conference. However, this goes some way to proving that Samsung has developed the tech enough to bring it to consumer product. A pair of devices will have flexible OLED screens, with one folding like a cosmetic compact and another that transforms from a 5-inch smartphone-sized screen to a display roughly eight inches large; so… a tablet.
Screen tech could be the next battleground between Samsung’s Galaxy series of phones and the Apple iPhone, which is also rumored to pack OLED screens in the future. The phones, codenamed “Project Valley”, may even appear as early as Mobile World Congress, around February 2017. Just give me my picnic blanket 4K TV already. I’ve suffered enough.
Source: Bloomberg
UE Roll 2 review – CNET
The Good The UE Roll 2 is a compact, waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a unique design, very good sound for its size, and decent battery life. It has an integrated bungee cord and an included inflatable life preserver that allows it to float in water. New version has better wireless range and plays a little louder.
The Bad It has no speakerphone capabilities.
The Bottom Line Overall, while this may not seem like much of an upgrade over the original, the UE Roll 2 is a better speaker and clearly one of the top mini Bluetooth speakers on the market.
The UE Roll was one of my favorite compact Bluetooth speakers of 2015 and now there’s a sequel: the UE Roll 2, which offers a couple of modest improvements over the original. For starters, it plays louder. About 15 percent louder according to UE. More importantly, it has a longer wireless range of up to 30 meters or 98 feet. And it ships with a UE Floatie, so you can take it into the pool with you right out of the box.
That’s right, this speaker is completely waterproof and can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes. However, it doesn’t float, which is why you need to the Floatie accessory to keep it above water.
What you get in the box.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The speaker looks identical and weighs virtually the same (330 grams or 11.6 ounces) as the original Roll (332 grams or 11.7 ounces), with the same integrated bungie cord, which comes in handy, allowing you to hang the speaker from a hook or attach it to a backpack or even your belt clip. Battery life is the same at around 9 hours and the price is, too: $100, £79 or AU$149 (will be available in Australia later this year).
Electrolux EFLS617S review – CNET
The Good The Electrolux EFLS617S washer excels at stain removal for just $1,099.
The Bad It doesn’t have an app or any other smart features.
The Bottom Line Get the Electrolux EFLS617S for its reasonable price and top-notch performance.
The $1,099 Electrolux EFLS617S Front Load Perfect Steam Washer with LuxCare Wash and SmartBoost may not have an app or any other connected home integrations, but this affordable appliance is definitely smart.
The SmartBoost performance feature the Electrolux team touted when its new 600-series washers were first announced in January really does clean clothes better. The EFLS617S, a flagship 600-series washing machine, also has intuitive controls and is easy on the eyes. If you’re in the market for a reasonably priced front-load washer with impressive stain-fighting power, I’d give this Electrolux model a close look.
This Electrolux washer scares stains away…
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The basics
For a full-size washer priced at just $1,099, the Electrolux EFLS617S has a lot to offer. Available in a white or dark gray finish (gray costs an extra 100 bucks), it has a competitive 4.4-cubic-foot capacity, an unfussy display, and a variety of features.
Some of them include:
- Front-load design
- SmartBoost
In other washer news:
- A simple LCD screen makes this smart washer shine
- How we test: Washing machines
- Marathon wants to remove dryers from the laundry equation
- LuxCare wash system
- 15-minute Fast Wash cycle
- Sanitize option
- StainSoak option
- Perfect Steam option
- Extended Refresh option
- Fresh water rinse
While I wouldn’t expect to see a steam feature like Perfect Steam or a system designed to monitor and control water temperatures and sense load size like LuxCare for $1,099, SmartBoost is the real standout here. As Electrolux claims, SmartBoost offers “The most effective stain removal.”
Here are some of its other key features:
| Electrolux EFLS617S | Samsung WF457ARGSWR |
| $1,099 | $1,399 |
| 9 | 21 |
| 85 kWh/year | 148 kWh/yr |
| 27 inches x 38 inches x 31.5 inches | 27 inches x 39 inches x 34 inches |
| 1 year, parts and labor | 1 year, parts and labor |
| 120V 60Hz | 120V 60Hz |
| No | Yes, Android and iPhone |
Performance
SmartBoost definitely sounds like a PR buzzword, something designed to seem fancy that might not actually improve a washer’s performance — or make doing laundry any easier. But in this particular case, it delivers.
Samsung WF457ARGSWR review – CNET
The Good Samsung’s $1,399 WF457ARGSWR washing machine is good at removing stains, it looks nice, and its touchscreen LCD display is simple to use.
The Bad Samsung’s Smart Washer app works decently well, but it’s confusing to setup.
The Bottom Line Get the Samsung WF457ARGSWR for its uncomplicated LCD display and solid stain-removal power.
Visit manufacturer site for details.
Samsung’s $1,399 US-only WF457ARGSWR washing machine is so simple to use that it almost makes me want to do laundry. Almost.
With an intuitive 8-inch LCD screen in lieu of a cluttered multi-dial display, good cleaning performance, nice looks, and a related app that actually adds some value, it’s a washer upgrade worth consideration. Yes, $1,399 is a lot to pay for a single machine, but
Samsung’s WF457ARGSWR might just be the right washer for you
if you’re in the market for a versatile high-end machine.
See how Samsung’s smart washer boosts your…
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A simpler clean
The Samsung WF457ARGSWR isn’t exactly revolutionary when it comes to design or features. You won’t find a built-in sink a la Samsung’s own $1,199 WA52J8700 Activewash or a second smaller washer hidden in the pedestal like the $1,500 LG Twin Wash. Even so, the WF457ARGSWR is a smartly designed machine with distinct appeal.
In other laundry news:
- GE smartens up its large appliances with IFTTT support
- Spring cleaning at CNET’s Smart Home starts with a new washer and dryer
- This washer is tough on stains, but that’s about it
- How we test: Washing machines
- 16 washers to help you clean up your laundry routine (pictures)
- This well-rounded washer offers a little bit of everything
Its white finish — also available in a dark gray, “onyx” finish for an extra 100 bucks — is simple, but it still looks crisp. That’s due in large part to the built-in 8-inch LCD screen replacing any cluttered knobs and buttons on this front load washer’s display.
The LCD panel truly houses every feature and function, from selecting among Normal, Sanitize, Active Wear and the other standard cleaning cycles, to customizing the temperature, spin speed, soil level, and even adding in extras like Prewash, Steam, Extra Rise, or Extra Spin. The standalone power and start/pause buttons are the only non-touchscreen controls you’ll find on this machine.
| $1,399 | $1,099 |
| 21 | 9 |
| 148 kWh/yr | 85 kWh/year |
| 27 x 39 x 34 inches | 27 x 38 x 31.5 inches |
| 1 year, parts and labor | 1 year, parts and labor |
| 120V 60Hz | 120V 60Hz |
| Yes, Android and iPhone | No |
There’s also an Android and iPhone Samsung Smart Washer app that looks outdated and is confusing to setup, but does allow you to start cleaning cycles either from home or away, wherever your phone has access to the Internet. It’s tedious to get the app up and running because you have to configure Indoor control (on your local Wi-Fi network) and Outdoor control (outside of your local Wi-Fi network) separately.
Setting up Outdoor control is particularly frustrating because you have to register your appliance on Samsungsmartappliance.com using its MAC ID. Since I couldn’t find a MAC ID displayed on my machine, I took to Google to determine how to locate a MAC ID on a Samsung washer. Apparently, the number was already in the Indoor control section of the app from that configuration — but that wasn’t clear at the outset.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Samsung Galaxy S7 Active: What’s the difference?
If you’re looking for a rugged phone, you have a new option through AT&T.
AT&T and Samsung partnered on a tougher version of the Galaxy S7, called the Galaxy S7 Active. Both companies have been working on these types of devices since the Galaxy S4 Active released in 2013. Keep reading to see how the Galaxy S7 Active differs from the Galaxy S7.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Active: Design
The Galaxy S7 Active – like the Galaxy S6 Active before it – is a tough version of Samsung’s flagship smartphone. The screen is protected by a shatter resistant glass that should be able to withstand a drop or two. The rest of the handset, which is 9.9 mm thick and weighs 185g, is encased in a protective rubberised shell that will also help it to absorb the impact of knocks and drops.
Plus, it’s IP68 certified for dust proofing and water resistantance over 1.5 meters and 30 minutes. It’s also MIL-STD-810G certified against salt, dust, humidity, rain, vibration, solar radiation, transport (as well as thermal shock resistant). Oh, and in a first for a Galaxy Active, there’s a fingerprint reader. The Galaxy S7 however looks very similar to the Galaxy S6 – only it sports a refined, slim, metal build.
It measures 142.4 x 69.9 x 7.9mm and weighs 152g. The quick-responding fingerprint sensor remains on the front, while the protruding rear camera lens is more subtle than the Galaxy S6’s. The Galaxy S7 also introduced IP68-certification for dust and waterproofing, though it lacks MIL-STD-810G certification, making the Galaxy S7 more equipped to handle the outdoors.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Active: Display
The Galaxy S7 features a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a QuadHD resolution. The Galaxy S7 Active has the same size display, type, and resolution. Keep in mind AMOLED technology tends to deliver brighter, more vibrant colours and deeper blacks when compared LCD screens.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Active: Camera
The camera department is where the Samsung Galaxy S7 line really shines. Samsung used a 12-megapixel rear snapper in the Galaxy s7 and increased the pixel size to 1.2um over 1.4um from the GalaxyS6. There is also a wider aperture on board at f/1.7 and dual pixel technology, which is also found in DSLRs, for quicker auto focusing. In a nutshell, the Galaxy S7 is all about offering better low light capture.
The front-facing camera is 5-megapixels and both perform very well. You point, you shoot and you get consistently good results. It offers fast, accurate auto-focusing and it’s very easy to get good results with very little effort. The Galaxy S7 Active from what we can tell offers the same cameras, including features like phase detection autofocus, OIS, LED flash, and simultaneous 4K video.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Active: Hardware
Samsung offers two versions of the Galaxy S7 – depending on the region – with one offering a quad-core chip and the other an octa-core chip. The Snapdragon 820 will be the quad-core model, while the octa-core model will be Exynos 8 Octa. Samsung also offers 4GB of RAM along with 32GB and 64GB storage option. The Galaxy S7 comes with 3000mAh battery under the hood, charged via Micro-USB.
Also, microSD support was reintroduced for this device. As for the Galaxy S7 Active, it also has a Snapdragon 820 CPU with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable storage. The Galaxy S7 Active stands out in the battery department, however. It’ll come with a non-removable Li-Ion 4000 mAh battery. We’re assuming that’ll equally more play time, but we’ll know for sure when we get the chance to review.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Active: Software
The Samsung Galaxy S7 launched on Android Marshmallow from the box. As you would expect, the company added its own software overlay, so it won’t be a stock Android experience. You get the same familiar experience as you did with the Galaxy S6, but with the addition of a couple of features, such as the Games Launcher and Samsung Pay. The Galaxy S7 also comes with Samsung’s security software called Knox.
Samsung has said that the Galaxy S7 Active will also come with Android Marshmallow. And with that you can expect the company’s overlay too.
Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Galaxy S7 Active: Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active will be an AT&T exclusive and available from 10 June for around $26.50 per month on a standard Next plan, or $33.13 on a Next Every Year plan. It’s nearly identical to the Galaxy S7 in terms of display, cameras, hardware, and software. It only refers differs in design and ruggedness. If you’re the outdoorsy type and a huge fan of the Galaxy S7 line, this is definitely the phone for you.
Similar to the new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge flagships, the Galaxy S7 Active is IP68-certified and can be dunked in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It’s also made to withstand dirt, sand, and drops from up to five feet — unlike the Galaxy S7. Other stand-out featuresare found in Samsung’s newest Galaxy phones, however, such as a high-resolution 5.1-inch display, 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera, and a Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB of RAM. This year’s Active does have a larger 4,000 mAh battery, though.
AT&T said that massive battery will provide over 32 hours of talk time and can fully charge in under two hours through fast charging. Apart from all that, the Galaxy S7 Active is the first Active to pack a fingerprint sensor. Keep in mind that, unlike other recent Galaxy S devices, the ruggedised design of the S7 Active means it will not work with Samsung’s Gear VR virtual reality headset.
AIVAnet 