The Rock Clock: Lay the Smackdown to your goals (Review)

Overview

Do you need a little motivation to get your candy ass out of bed, or maybe to lose that extra five pounds? Well, say no more, The Rock has you covered. He has released his second project out of four called The Rock Clock: a simple but fun alarm clock.

Developer: 7 Bucks Entertainment
Cost: Free

Review

When it comes to alarm clocks, they only need to do one thing: wake me up. There are many on the market that require you do silly things, like take a selfie, or spin around a couple times. The main theme of this one, of course, is that everything is The Rock.

Main Screen

It has your basic features, such as setting an alarm for a specific time, or setting a ringtone featuring The Rock in some format. However, it’s missing a couple of features, such as labels for the alarms, as well as being able to set them for pre-determined days. So, if those are a must, this isn’t for you.

The main feature of the app is to set a goal and the date you want to accomplish it. When you finish the goal, you can start a new one. To have a clear visualization of your goal can be a great motivator.

This app also features a neat motivational video every day from The Rock himself. It’s always something positive, but be warned, if it’s anything like his Instagram, there could be offensive language. I’m not sure that it will motivate anyone to accomplish their goals, but diehard fans of WWE will love this feature. The Rock giving you messages every day, how can that not be awesome?

Motivation Video Screen

When it comes to different alarm sounds you may notice there are limited options, with no way to set your own from an outside source. Some may see this as a drawback, but I don’t believe this app would be near as cool if you didn’t hear The Rock every time.

Last but not least, there is one alarm that is preset to wake you up when The Rock does. That’s right, it lets you know when he is gonna wake up so you can when he does too. However that sets the alarm to 4:45 AM, so I’m not sure you want to. At least, the option is there.

Conclusion

This is an app with limited features when compared to other alarm clocks, but where it lacks features, it makes up for in charm. It’s a fun app that’s worth using to meet some goals. You would have to be a Jabroni not to use this app. So download it, wake up and SMEEEELLL, what The Rock, is cooking.

Download and install The Rock Clock from the Google Play Store.

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[Review] Keep a charger in your wallet with TravelCard

Recently, I was able to get my hands on a portable battery pack called the TravelCard. It’s an amazing battery, and it has already saved me a couple of times. I’m no longer worried about my iPhone 6s dying when I’m out and about. Here are my thoughts.

First Impressions

Not to be confused with the London Travelcard, the TravelCard battery is a slim battery that is roughly the size of a credit card. While it is technically thin enough to carry around in your wallet, I would be concerned about accidentally sitting on and breaking it as it’s made out of aluminum and plastic. As I covered in a previous article, aluminum is a very soft metal, even when treated.

It’s thin (did I say that already?) and light, and I barely noticed it in my pocket, even when it was attached to my phone. The Travelcard has two versions covering iPhones and Android phones, with a Lightning port and microUSB port respectively. The iPhone Travelcard is MFi-Certified.

Specs

• 1500 mAh
• 5 Hours Of Talk Time
• Size: 3 3/8″ x 2.13 x 3/16 inches
  (85.9 x 54.1 x 4.7 mm)
• Weight: 1.9oz (57 grams)
• Pass-through Charging
  (Charge the TravelCard
  and Your Phone Simultaneously)

Pass-through charging is cool and lets you plug the Travelcard into a USB port and charge it and your phone at the same time, great if you forgot your charging cord. The 1500mAh capacity means it won’t charge your phone to 100%, especially if your phone as a huge 3000mAh or greater battery. It will charge your phone most of the way, which is really all you need in a last ditch effort to save your phone from dying anyway.

It takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour to fully charge the battery. The charger can be turned on and off with a simple button on the side. When the Travelcard is fully charged, the indicator light above the power button will be blue. As you’re charging the phone, the indicator light will turn amber to indicate that the Travelcard’s battery capacity has fallen below 80%. When the amber light starts flashing the capacity is below 10%.

The Travelcard comes in five colors: black, silver, red, blue and carbon grey. The regular price of a charger is $49 with an introductory price of $29. This is a premium price as I’ve seen portable chargers with much greater capacity sell for less money, so you’re mainly paying for high portability with the Travelcard.

Final Thoughts

I think the Travelcard is a great product, and I recommend it to everyone. It might not be the portable battery you take with you on a long camping trip, but it’s perfect for those nights at the bar or using it on an airplane.

Travelcard Charger

Travelcard Portable Battery

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For your consideration: Scosche’s MagicMount Pro line make for great vehicle accessories

Do you find yourself spending a lot of time driving to and from work or as part of your job? What are you doing with your smartphone when you’re behind the wheel? Surely you aren’t texting, right? Where do you put the handset when not in use? What about when you need turn-by-turn navigation?

If you’re the type of person who needs their phone to be within reach or visible for GPS use, you’ll likely want to pick up a dashboard mount of some sort. One brand we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing over the years, Scosche, currently has some pretty great options to consider.

We recently spent time with a few of the products in the MagicMount Pro line of car accessories. As of today there are three designs to choose from, each with its own unique feature. All, however, offer the same functionality at their core.

Each comes with MagicPlate options that add a very strong, magnetic backing to the phone. Be it under the battery cover or under the phone case, it sticks together quite nicely with the magnetic mount (MagicMount) plate. Even on bumpy roads or railroad tracks, the phone stays secure and in place.

As to the differences between the various MagicMount Pro series, it’s pretty straightforward. Do you want to place your phone on the dashboard, hang it from the windshield, or over top a vent? Once you know that, you have but one option to consider. But, while they do have a particular design, they are flexible and, to a degree, customizable, too.

MagicMount Pro Vent: This vent mount is the perfect on-the-go solution within the MagicMount family. Not only does it easily slide from vent to vent, this mount also doubles as a kickstand. Approx: $30

MagicMount Pro Dash: Being able to angle your smartphone just how you want it is easy. With a 360° swivel mount and soft rubber locking nut, adjust your MagicMount precisely to the angle of display that works best for you to view. Whether on your car dashboard, work desk or nightstand, get the perfect position. Approx: $30

MagicMount Pro Window/Dash: The window/dash mount suctions to nearly any surface with the suction cup. The StickGrip suction cup creates a secure hold on windows and textured dashboards so you can mount your device wherever you want it. If the StickGrip ever loses its grip, simply rinse the suction cup off with lukewarm water, shake and let air dry. Approx: $40

We’ve tested each of these out across various smartphones, cars, and configurations. Suffice it to say, each works as expected and complements the vehicle at the same time. In fact, we’d say almost too good in some cases.

Yep, Scosche has power solutions, too.

Do know that once you’ve placed the magnetic backing under your case or battery cover, it’s not coming off very nicely. We’ve bent ours into all sorts of strange shapes trying to remove it. Keep this in mind if you plan to upgrade soon, or often.

For those of you who don’t like the grey and black trim rings, Scosche does offer some other colors that match the iPhone. And, yes, each of these kits are interchangeable; feel free to mix and match across multiple vehicles.

Ukemi Ninja: This game should head back to the dojo (Review)

Overview

Ukemi Ninja is a platforming adventure game where you guide a ninja through obstacles and opponents to save the local villages.

Developer: NotskiGames
Cost: Free (with ads and microtransactions)

Highlights

• A lot of items and tools
• Floaty, difficult to control
• Relatively short

Impressions

Ukemi Ninja seems harmless enough on the surface. It has vibrant colors and a cutesy art style that appears kid-friendly and fun, but beneath that docile exterior lies a test of your patience that few games can equal.

The objective of the game is to run your ninja through the stages, to collect a key to open the exit. You have a few familiar ninja tools such as throwing stars and rope, as well as some odd ones, like grenades, dynamite, and bazookas. You can double jump, punch and kick as well.

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The game is a chore to control. Your character has a floaty, low gravity jump that is difficult to maneuver and time correctly with the platforms. Also, your forward momentum is maintained after you stop, so you wind up sliding around and sometimes sliding off platforms for no reason. Ever wanted to play an entire game with a Mario-style ice platforms? This game is for you!

The levels themselves are fine, for the most part. A few stages don’t make it clear what you’re supposed to do to. Some stages also ask the impossible from the player. For example, one early stage wants you to use dynamite to move platforms to collect the key, but the timing and controls, coupled with the poor platform placement, made it nearly impossible. I had to repeat it over and over until I got lucky and pushed the platform enough with my face to get the key and leave. Oh, and also, there’s falling damage. Unforgiving, punishing falling damage.

The ads and microtransactions are harmless, thankfully, although the game is incredibly stingy with in-game currency, so if you’ll want to save your items as much as possible. The one thing that probably drives me crazy the most is that if you switch to a new app without fully closing the app, the music keeps playing, even while the device is locked.

Conclusion

Ukemi Ninja is a tough call, because it is not unplayable. The game is frustrating, for sure, but it works and isn’t Dark Souls levels of crushing. Some people may even find enjoyment in the challenge of the controls and platforming oddities, but I believe most people will just find it too much to play for any longer than a few minutes.

Download and install Ukemi Ninja from the Google Play Store.

Lumsing’s 8000mAh portable battery is slim, light-weight and just $11 (review)

Smartphone hardware has improved in just about every area, with exception to battery life. Over the past decade, smartphones have consistently given us about a day of battery. For some users, like me, battery life is an area I wish manufacturers would improve and allow us to get through at least two full days of usage.

Sadly, that day has yet to come. Instead we have grown fond of external battery packs since they come in a wide range of sizes, and are relatively cheap.

For the past couple of weeks I have been testing the Lumsing 8000mAh portable battery and am quite happy with it.

Specs

• Battery: Li-Polymer
• Capacity: 8000mAh
• Input: 5V 1.5A
• Output: 0~ 2.4A dual USB
• Size: 4.8 x 2.7 x 0.6 inches
• Weight: 6.45 oz
• Warranty: 12 months

Usage

I’ve reviewed and used over ten portable batteries in the last year, and have come to the general conclusion that they’re all pretty reliable. Some batteries have features such as Fast Charge, wireless charging, flashlights, water and dust resistance, and the list goes on.

What I have come to learn is that I prefer portable batteries that are actually small enough to carry in my pocket. The Lumsing 8000mAh battery is probably the most perfectly sized battery in combination with the capacity. If you get a battery over 10000mAh they are generally big and heavy. It’s also rare that one person would need more than two full charges unless they are going on a camping trip without a source of power. Most of us need one to two full charges throughout a day or two, so 8000mAh is just right. It’s the Goldilocks of batteries.

My Samsung Galaxy S7 edge has a 3600mAh battery, and I easily get two full charges from the Lumsing 8000mAh portable power pack. It doesn’t have quick charge or Qi wireless charging, and that is okay with me. All I need is the energy the Lumsing power pack stores, and it supplies the right amount of power when I’m running low. It is quite pocketable at just 4.8″ long, .6″ thick, and rather light-weight at just six ounces.

The build is far from fancy, yet it is solid and durable with a matte finish. It won’t draw attention for its good looks, but the Lumsing 8000mAh battery is a bargain at a cost of just $10.99 with free shipping included from Amazon. Its best feature is the size which allows me to carry it with me without noticing it bulging from my pocket.

Summary

If you’re looking for a no frills, well-built and right sized portable battery, the Lumsing 8000mAh portable battery is the one for you. It costs just $10.60 at Amazon with free shipping included, and supplies enough power to get you an additional day or two when you’re away from a power outlet. I highly recommend picking up one of these power banks from Lumsing.

Get it at Amazon for just $10.60.

Penguin Run, Cartoon: A simple, addicting game for all (Review)

“Everything Should Be Made as Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler.”
– Albert Einstein

Overview

Run? More like slide!

Maybe quoting Einstein is a bit much, but it does not get simpler than this game. Penguin Run, Cartoon, a fun little game where you tap the screen to avoid obstacles or to eat fish, bewilders you by its simplistic yet addicting gameplay.

• Developer: Universal Games
• App Link: Penguin Run, Cartoon
• Cost: Free with ads

There are plenty of Penguin Run games in the Google Play store, so make sure you search for “Penguin Run Cartoon” if you’re not using the direct link.

Review

Tap anywhere to jump from one side to the other.

The game, sounds and graphics are no frills, much like Flappy Bird. Instead of the screen scrolling left to right, you maneuver your penguin up some type of frozen tube. Sharp triangle obstacles (cones), snowballs and occasionally fish slide down the sides of the tube towards your character.

The name of the game is a bit of a misnomer, as there is no running. Instead, your penguin slides on its stomach, defying gravity as it moves up the tube and jumps from one side of the screen to the other with every tap.

Use points to pick a new color.

The objective of the game is to jump from one side to the next in order to avoid obstacles or eat fish and accumulate points. These points can then be used to get new colors for your character.

The goal of the game is simple: get as many points as you can before you hit an obstacle. That is it! The madness comes in trying to better your previous score.

Each fish consumed provide 1 point.

Like Flappy Bird, this game keeps you coming back to it because the play is fast, challenging and fun. The whole game is you just tapping on the screen, but the mental dexterity required as obstacles start coming down on both sides is enough to keep your attention and your eyes glued to the screen.

Once you hit an obstacle, the game is over and an ad is displayed. Exit the ad and continue your quest. The only thing you are striving for is a higher score and you will do this over and over and over again!

Games like Penguin Run hack into this urge to always try to do better. Penguin Run makes this urge easy to satisfy, as the game is not very long or complex. If you hit an obstacle, press the reset button and start again.

Conclusion

36 points: nothing to laugh at!

Admittedly, the game does get a little redundant at some point. There are only so many obstacles you can avoid before your mind starts drifting a bit and you start a cycle of bare misses, with the eventuality being that you tap too soon or too late and hit a cone or snowball.

That’s OK! Just start another game.

The ease of play and addicting concept, which borrows heavily from Flappy Bird, will have you coming back for more. Simplicity, in this case, leads to a lot of wasted, I mean, self-improvement time.

Download and install Penguin Run, Cartoon from the Google Play Store.

AUKEY’s Bluetooth sport headphones are a great option under $30 (review)

Bluetooth headphones have become extremely affordable over the past year. The old saying “you get what you pay for” doesn’t quite mean what it used to when it comes to audio products these days.

AUKEY is a reputable company that makes a wide range of high-quality accessories for your mobile devices. I have been fortunate to be able to test out its latest wireless sport headphones, and what surprised me most about them was the amazing price at just $28.

Specs

• Bluetooth 4.1
• 120mAh battery, up to 15 hours of talk or playback
• CVC 6.0 Noise cancelling technology
• 5.6 ounces
• 7.5 × 6.3 × 1.0 inches
• S, M, L silicone earbud tips

Build

The AUKEY Bluetooth sport headphones are wireless, and are built using a neckband to house the electronics and battery. Other wireless headphones pack the electronics into the earbuds, and controls in an in-line remote. Those designs usually do not work well for those with smaller ears, and neck band style headphones are a great alternative.

At just 5.6 ounces, the AUKEY wireless headphones are light-weight and are barely noticeable around the neck. Using this build style also allows for the ear tips to be much smaller than its wireless counterparts that house the electronics within the ear tip. Being smaller, the ear tips are very comfortable to wear for extended listening sessions. The included silicone tips come in three sizes, S, M, and L and create a nice seal for blocking out background noise.

A nifty and thoughtful feature are magnets that hold the tips in place within the plastic neckband for when you’re not using them. It keeps them safe and protected from snags and objects that can crush them.

Usage

It’s always nice to have accessories that don’t cause issues when trying to pair to my mobile devices. As soon as I powered on the headphones, they immediately went into pairing mode and connected to my Samsung Galaxy S7 edge. The process of pairing took no more than one minute.

I’ve used and listened to quite a few wireless headphones, and the AUKEY sport wireless headphones perform very well against its competition. The sound isn’t better than what I have heard from Jabra, Mee Audio, or from Jaybirds. But the AUKEY headphones also cost several times less than those headphones. The offering from AUKEY have a balanced sound signature, with no emphasis on highs, mids, or lows. The sound is clean, clear and crisp.

After wearing the headphones for a couple of weeks, the one thing I appreciated most was the light-weight. The weight made for a very comfortable fit with the extremely small ear buds that can fit small to large ears. The comfort factor made these headphones extra useful when I wanted to take phone calls and keep my hands free so I could multi-task.

With the built in noise cancellation, the person on the other end of my conversation heard me loud and clear. I took phone calls that lasted over an hour without one issue. It’s quite rare for wireless headphones to go without issue on calls, but the Bluetooth maintained a strong connection.

Another feature I came to love was the impressive battery life. AUKEY advertises 15 hours of talk and/or play time, but I got closer to 10 hours. I got less than the advertised battery life due to the fact that I listen to these headphones at a high volume setting. Yet 10 hours is still the best I have used amongst all of the wireless headphones I have ever tried. It was nice not to have to recharge these headphones as often. Getting four to seven listening sessions before recharging was something I got used to quickly.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the wireless headphones from AUKEY considering they cost just $28.

Summary

With an abundance of third party manufacturers, it can become overwhelming with who to trust. AUKEY is a brand that I have grown to trust and can recommend wholeheartedly. The AUKEY Bluetooth sport headphones are a bargain at $28 and will please anyone who is budget conscious.

They sound balanced with a clear and crisp sound signature. Calls are free of static, volume issues, and background noise. Best of all, the battery life is spectacular.

If you would like to learn more about AUKEY, check them out at http://www.aukey.com.

You can purchase the AUKEY Bluetooth sport headphones at Amazon.com.

Padcaster VERSE review

Face it, one of the toughest things about recording video on a smartphone is stabilization. Indeed many of the higher-end devices we purchase today have optical image stabilization and a select few of them are also able to level out your videos. But, if we’re being honest, it’s not easy to hold a phone with one hand and record professional-grade video.

Another issue we face when recording with our phones is the quality of the microphone. Few things ruin a shot like the sound of wind hitting your phone. Worse yet, it stinks to capture an HD or 4K video that doesn’t properly pick up audio. The same argument might be had about lighting. That LED flash on your phone might be a little too much for the shot your trying to nab.

The Padcaster VERSE aims to fix those pain problems as well as a few others. Not only does it work with smartphones, it also does the trick with tablets as well. What does it do? For starters, it lets you lock in your device in a way that doesn’t cover up the microphone or camera. Next, it gives users two side grips to hold onto. Doing so ensures you have a more secure grip on your device with less chance of shakiness.

Next, the VERSE allows for optional accessories which can enhance your video recording. Want to add on a secondary light source? Maybe you need a better microphone that pulls out cleaner and clearer audio. Perhaps you’d like both. The unique design of the frame lets users add in up to five components through the cold shoe slots. Moreover, there are a dozen (yes, 12) threaded slots (1/4″-20) for teleprompters and other accessories.

Given the Padcaster VERSE centers around video, you’d not be surprised to learn it also houses a standard tripod mount. Yep, this whole rig can be secured to your existing tripod or monopod.

Thanks to the polycarbonate material of the VERSE, the entire setup is lightweight and easy to hold. Even with a few pieces added on, it’s comfortable to hold. Taking it on and off of mount is a breeze and using it gives users an almost Steadicam-like experience.

We’ve been playing with the Padcaster VERSE in the office for the better part of a few weeks now and really enjoy the concept. Using various phones along the way, it’s easy to swap out a daily driver for something that offers better video. There are few moving parts here; most of the movement comes in securing and releasing various add-on pieces.

The Padcaster VERSE recently closed its Kickstarter campaign to the tune of nearly $70,000. After spending time with one it makes complete sense as to why it was funded almost three times over.

Our suggestion to you is to start with the bare-bones unit and add on what you need at a later date. Simply placing your phone in the VERSE might be all you’re gonna want in order to capture the video you’d like. But, should you desire a little more, we can personally attest the quality of the other pieces.

The YT-1300 Shotgun Mic and Audio Interface were easy to set up and use and provided a much enhanced sound for videos in all environments. The XP-38 LED light was convenient to have for adding light to a source and we appreciated being able to dial it up or down to match the setting.

Although the campaign is over, you learn much more about the Padcaster VERSE by visiting its Kickstarter page. And, should you want to get your hands on one, the first batches are expected to roll out in July. The basic unit should start at $99 once it’s ready to go. That’s just a little higher than we’d expect for it, but the flexibility is there for someone who’s serious about their video.