Ring cameras are definitely top of market when it comes to options, ease of set up and user-friendliness. And it seems like each year Ring brings out new cameras and accessories that are genuinely useful. Case in point the Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In with Pan-Tilt mount. In this review I’ll take a look at what you’re getting with this kit, what this specific camera is designed to do, and how well the Pan-Tilt mount works to help it see into more places. I’ll wrap things up by going over the pros and the cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this set up for you.

Trying to find the right home security camera these days can be overwhelming. It’s no longer just about 1080p vs. 720p, wide vs. narrow field of view; it’s now also about wired or wireless, app compatibility, remote operation, how it integrates into your existing smart home, and a ton of other features. Then, there’s the installation. Some setups are so simple that they’re genuinely a breeze – a “plug-and-play” dream come true. Others, however, seem to require an entire afternoon to figure out.

What you get

3rd Gen Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In

Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In is one of Ring’s most popular cameras and it’s been around for several years. While Ring’s battery powered cameras tend to be the most popular, there’s often still a case for wanting a camera that has power 24/7. This version is the third generation model which uses a cord that connects to a standard wall plug and can be used both inside or out. It can also sit on a table or piece of furniture or be mounted to a wall, and a separate ceiling mountain kit is also available.

Ring does not appear to declare an IP rating for this camera, saying only it is “Weather Resistant”, and noting the maximum operating temperature are -5°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C). I’ve reviewed probably over a dozen ring devices over the years, and I can say that they’re outdoor cameras are extremely durable. My previous Ring outdoor cameras are still going strong out in my yard after many years of harsh climate.

Pan Tilt Mount

The indoor-outdoor Pan Tilt Mount is a separate device that will connect with your ring stick up cam. The mount consists of an electronic base with a swivelling L-shaped bracket that the slides onto. Once it’s connected to the camera it offers full 360° motion as well as 117° tilt. (*For video do this part on camera and control it).

I will add that the camera won’t spin in a complete circle; it will only go to the edge of its field of view before you will have to pan it back all the way around to get to the other side.

You can create your own default position to easily reorient your device.

It might be important to point out that this camera camera does not track motion automatically as some other similar devices, such as the Echo Show 10 can do. Instead you need to manually adjust your camera’s field of view by panning and tilting your camera using the Ring App.

I will say I am a bit surprised by that. Ring, through its partnership with Amazon is clearly using this technology in other places, so I’m a bit surprised to find Ring still has no dedicated motion tracking home security camera… That I’m aware of.

Ring Protect Plan

I don’t want us to get too much further into this review without touching on an important point. To get the most out of this camera and really the entire ring system expect to pay a monthly fee. Ring has monthly cloud recording and storage plans known as Ring protect plans. If you don’t opt for one of these plans you really only get the ability to take a live look at your cameras.

While the basic protect plan costs just about $5USD per month, it only allows you to operate one camera or doorbell. Any more than that and you will need to upgrade to a more robust plan (Plus gives you unlimited cameras for $10USD/month). I have had a Plus plan for years and I think it’s been worth it. Before you hit add to cart, I do recommend going to Ring’s website and checking out the options before you commit.

Set up & Installation

Setting up any Ring device is super easy whether it’s a first for you or you’ve got plenty of other devices across the ecosystem. In this case just plug in the camera and open up the ring app. The app will search for your camera and add it to your lineup. A few more steps will take you through a few configuration options where you can make adjustments but then that’s it and you’re ready to go. I opted to place my camera indoors in my house so I could keep an eye on my dogs when we are not home.

Video

1080 HD resolution cameras are table stakes when it comes to video quality, and that’s what you’re getting with this camera. It’s an excellent balance of clear image quality and efficient bandwidth usage, but identifying faces outdoors beyond about 5 feet away might be a little difficult because of the limited resolution.

Stick Up Cam (when used without the pan tilt mount) has a wide field of view for maximum coverage, with a 130°diagonal, 110° horizontal, 57° vertical field of view. Adding the mount you can reach to full 360° motion as well as 117° tilt, but of course that’s only if you’re operating the camera; when it’s locked into its home position you only get that base reach.

Ring cameras use Advanced Motion Detection with Customizable Motion Zones to alert you to any motion within range of the camera. You can set your camera to alert you to any motion or just at certain times of day or certain types of motion. Plus, the camera has Color Night Vision to help you see better in all types of spaces.

Like I said my primary use was indoors for watching the dogs, and it was more than enough for me to keep an eye on them. I also found it useful to do things like check if the front door was locked, or if I left the stove on. It’s quite handy having a moveable camera in the house since it can be the eyes you might not be able to have.

Control with joystick

I can definitely say the camera is easy to maneuver using the 4-way virtual joystick inside the Ring app. The movement actually responds quite quickly so it should be easy to catch anything that’s happening.

The motion of the camera is virtually silent too; it makes a very subtle humming sound as it is changing position, but it’s barely perceptible.

Outdoor use

I did also move the camera outdoors and place it in the yard for a while to test its weather worthiness and ability to give me a more all encompassing view.

Two-way talk

For an entry-level security camera, the two-way audio of the Stick Up Camera is a welcome feature. You can turn on the microphone or speaker and talk or listen.

The audio that beams out of the camera is surprisingly crisp. It’s not going to replace your phone anytime soon, but it’s entirely capable of handling quick exchanges with your delivery guy.

Adjustable motion zones

A cool feature of many of these ring cameras are the adjustable motion zones. With these let you do is essentially tell the camera that certain parts that are visible in the frame don’t need to trigger alerts. This is most handy if you live on a street with a busy sidewalk, and only want to get alerts if someone walks up to your door. Similarly inside a house, you could set your camera so that it doesn’t alert you if your pets are in the living room, but if they get up on the sofa you’ll get tagged.

You can even combine Ring Stick Up Cam with Alexa so that when anyone triggers Ring’s built-in motion zones, your Echo device will jingle and make an announcement, of your Echo Show will let you see, hear and speak to anyone captured on camera.

View camera for longer with Echo Hub

If you add in something like the new Amazon Echo Hub, you can keep the Stick Up Cam’s feed up on the device for longer stretches, meaning you can use it as a pet or baby monitor, for up to about 8-10 minutes.

Can I use Ring Pan-Tilt Mount with Stick Up Cam Battery?

Ring Pan-Tilt Mount can only be powered with the Indoor/Outdoor or Indoor Power Adapter Barrel Plug and cannot be powered with the Quick Release Battery Pack or Solar Panel.

Real time alerts

I will say the alerts from Ring cameras come to my phone fairly quickly. Well there are sometimes they are delayed a couple of seconds, it’s not usually a problem. And of course if you’re subscribed to one of the ring protect plans you’re going to get recorded video footage of that stuff anyway so you’ll have a chance to review it after the fact. Yet another good reason to subscribe to the plan.

Overall review

Overall this is a great camera package for those who don’t need something wireless. Like all the Ring devices I have reviewed this one is easy to set up and integrates perfectly into my ring and Alexa enabled home. The resolution is standard for home security cameras of this type and includes night vision. The addition of the pan tilt mount goes along way to increasing the available view. Using the joystick in the Ring app it’s easy to move the camera around, and even with all that motion, you’ve got a couple of options for mounting it. I also appreciate that the electronic motor that moves the camera operates silently. When it comes to the downsides, on its own merits I can’t really think of anything that’s problematic with this camera. Well I would love to see Ring introduce some motion tracking that could actually follow a person around a room with the camera, that might be me nitpicking and wishing for features that don’t exist yet within the Ring ecosystem. Even if they do exist with other devices. So for that reason if you’re looking for a consistently powered smart home security camera that doesn’t take up a lot of space I can recommend the ring stick up cam plug-in with pan tilt mount for you. It sells for about $145USD when packaged with the mount. The camera on its own can be had for about $99 and you can add the mount on later for about $45.

If you do want to check out what a motion tracking 360° moving camera is like, I reviewed one from Wyze and you can check that out right now.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post 3rd Gen Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In with Pan-Tilt Mount: hands on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

The company kickstarted its IP65 ambitions with AC240’s smaller sibling, the AC60, which boasts a 600W output. A full year later after the AC60 announcement, BLUETTI is bringing that dustproof and weatherproof ruggedness to customers seeking a power station that can last days under rough outdoor conditions.

We’d like to thank BLUETTI for sponsoring this post. The company has been a long-term sponsor of the blog which helps us keep things running, and we are grateful for their support. Please read on for a special discount for TechGadget readers.

IP65 – Dust Tight Protection with a Splash of Water Resistance

BLUETTI’s vast array of power stations are geared for outdoor usage as long as you keep them dry. This means rushing to keep the batteries underneath a roof or tent when sudden rainfall occurs. The BLUETTI AC240 eliminates the need for those extra steps thanks to its refined and patented design that adds additional sealing to its electronic compartments along with double-layer protected ports, independent air ducts, and a special drainage system. Thanks to these improvements, the AC240 has earned an IP65 dust and water-resistant rating.

Although the new design doesn’t fully prevent water from entering the power station, the AC240 does utilize internal exhaust fans to expel the water while the built-in heat dissipation system handles the rest by evaporating any remaining moisture. This makes the BLUETTI AC240 a suitable companion for open sea sailing expeditions.

Powerful, Yet Still Compact

Weighing about 72 lbs or 33 kg, the added weatherproofing makes the BLUETTI AC240 weigh a bit more than other BLUETTI products with similar power output. However, the AC240 retains the same microwave-like compact form factor of its siblings allowing easy transport to and from a car, boat, or RV.

The power station’s 2,400-watt output is enough to energize refrigerators, window-type air conditioners, coffee makers, heaters, microwaves, and other appliances. More demanding appliances such as space heaters and hair dryers can also take advantage of the AC240’s Power Lifting mode which raises the power output ceiling to 3,600W.

The BLUETTI AC240 offers two (2) standard AC outlets for plugging these appliances. For smartphones and other small gadgets, the AC240 provides two (2) 18W USB-A ports as well as two (2) 100W USB-C for charging laptops and drones. Other available output options include an RV port, a cigarette lighter outlet, and a NEMA TT-30 port.

The AC240’s internal 1,536Wh LFP battery can sufficiently power a small refrigerator for a day or several smaller appliances for several days. Once fully drained, the AC adapter can recharge the battery from 0% to 80% in 45 minutes using Turbo mode. Up to 1,200W of input from solar panels is supported too as a clean energy alternative.

Stack Up the Power

When the adventure calls for more energy storage, BLUETTI’s B210 expansion battery can add 2,150Wh of power doubling the power station’s overall runtime. The AC240 supports up to four (4) B210 batteries for an effective maximum capacity of 10,136Wh. The B210 batteries have their own trio of DC outputs making them serve as independent water-resistant power banks.

BLUETTI is also introducing a new parallel connection technology with the AC240 being the first to support. This technology enables you to link two AC240 units using a special BLUETTI Parallel Box P480 sold separately to double the total output to 4,800W while retaining the voltage. This breakthrough technology means you can safely invest in a AC240 to save money and later buy a second one when your house expands and you wish to provide backup power to all your appliances.

This simple setup supports parallel connection to the grid too with a slightly reduced output of 4,000W. Because the BLUETTI AC240 offers full UPS functionality, the power station can reliably detect power outages and immediately switch to battery power within a swift, 15-millisecond period.

AI Brains and Brawn

Like other BLUETTI power stations, the AC240 uses a lithium iron phosphate battery which can retain around 80% of its capacity after 3,500 charge cycles. Combined with BLUETTI’s AI battery management technology called BLUETOPUS AI BMS, the AC240 can maximize its efficiency based on usage to achieve the best possible lifespan without sacrificing performance.

If you wish to fine tune these settings, you may use the official BLUETTI app which lets you tweak the various power settings, UPS profiles, and charging speeds. BLUETTI is backing the AC240 with a lengthy 6-year warranty to give its customers that full peace of mind in owning a truly reliable backup power solution.

Pricing and Availability: special discount!

You can purchase the BLUETTI AC240 directly from BLUETTI’s official website and BLUETTI Amazon store for a starting price of $1799. As a bonus to all you TechGadgetsCanada readers, you can score an extra $50 discount with the promo code PR240 if you buy from April 2 to April 29. BLUETTI will launch a slightly bigger variant of the AC240 called the AC240P alongside matching B210P batteries that week as well.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Pushing Power Boundaries with New Weatherproof BLUETTI AC240 Portable Power Station appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

How do Tentsile tents work?

Tentsile makes specialized suspension tents for campers and outdoorsy types. The tentsile tents come in a variety of sizes and configuration options and they look as though they’re defying gravity. At the same time the tents look like it would be impossible for them to support actual humans.

Laying out the Tentsile to get the tree alignment right.

The Tentsile tent consists of several parts and pieces; the tent itself, the fly (available in different colours and patterns), three wide seatbelt-style straps, three ratchets, two articulating tent poles, screw-style pegs, and bungee cords.

The tent uses the wide seatbelt-style straps to wrap around nearby trees, then the straps are fed into large ratchets which cinch the tent to the straps tightly to provide a stable base for the tent. With a stable and even base, you slide poles into the tent to pop it open, clip on the fly then peg it down or wrap it around the tent if you prefer.

The tent has a flat and stable bottom, and despite what you might think, two people do not really roll into eachother. The Tentsile Connect tent also has a strap that runs along the spine or the base of the tent which can be tightened to create two hammock style areas inside the tent if you prefer.

See my hands-on review of Tentsile Connect suspension tent

How to set up Tentsile Connect

You need three strong and sturdy trees to attach the Tentsile tent to.

The first time you’ll use this tenstile 2 person tent (or even the first two times) will be a challenge. Don’t attempt to do this for the first time after arriving late and in the dark to a campsite. You’ll go insane. You definitely need some practice with this tent in order to get it right. For me that took about two or three tries in various different locations.

Tentsile tents – First try

The first time we set up the tent it was an utter failure. We set the tent up, tightened the straps and attempted to climb in. In seconds and with a snap, the tent dropped to the ground taking us with it. Fortunately it was not a far fall and we didn’t get hurt. What went wrong, we wondered?

The ratchets will show you when they’re locked (though hard to read here). Heed this!

It turns out the steel ratchets that are used to tighten the straps were not locked into the closed position. This is a majorly important step, though I’d have to be taught this lesson one more time before it really sunk in. More on that later.

Tentsile tent- Second try

We tried a second time, only this time (with ratchets locked!) we were in an odd configuration where my husband and myself were kind of tossed into the middle of the tent almost as if it were a giant single hammock. Something was clearly not right. Was one strap too high, we wondered?

Tentsile tent – Third & fourth try

We tried the set up again, only this time we seem to have gotten it a little too low to the ground. When we climbed in we were basically touching the ground with our butts. Down came the straps and on to another attempt we went.

Confused, we tried our set up again.

This time it seems like we’d gotten our angles wrong. When choosing a set-up location, you’ll need to ensure the trees you pick to connect to are at the correct angles for the tent. Despite seeming like you should seek out trees in an equilateral triangle configuration, you’ll want a little more of a V shape (isosceles triangle, friends. Remember high school geometry?) for the Connect tent.

Tentsile tent – Fifth try’s a winner!

We re-strung the tent and moved the front two straps to trees that were more forward of their previous position and that seemed to work better. This time when we got in we had a solid and mostly flat surface that allowed us both to lay flat on our own sides of the tent. This was how we slept for the first night in our Tentsile tent. Hallelujah!

Best Tentsile Tent Tips

Don’ts

• don’t attach to dead trees (they’re likely to be pulled over. Yep, this happened to us)
• don’t attach to trees smaller in diameter than about the size of two fists (they won’t be strong enough)
• don’t hang it much more than 4 feet off the ground – a height you’d feel safe falling from

Dos

• always remember to lock the ratchets
• remove rocks and avoid stumps and debris underneath. Just in case.
• practise your set up in daylight, and with some time to spare
• know that other campers will be curious. Plan to be an ambassador for Tentsile!

Extra safety procedures

It’s important to employ the safety procedures Tentsile recommends, since if you fall, it’s likely gonna hurt.  For starters, make double sure you lock the ratchets.  We are now in the habit of calling out, “Ratchet locked!” and we both check all three, just to be sure.

It’s also recommended to tie part of the excess strap into a knot to prevent it accidentally being able to slide out of place if the ratchet failed.

Also, I’m not going to say how I know this, but don’t attach the straps to a tree narrower than two fists, and don’t strap it to any standing dead trees. You’ll pull them over. Trust me.

Tentsile tent is supremely comfortable

After waking up I was surprised. I had no backache, and no stiffness from laying on a slowly decompressing air mattress. It was as though I’d been cradled for the night in a completely weightless environment. I felt amazing and my husband said he did too. It’s quite surprising what not having to sleep on pressure points can do for a good night’s rest! We were instantly hooked.

The view from the inside. I’m lying right in the middle, but this sleeps two easily.

Tentsile tent – It’s all about the trees

On our next trip we arrived to our first campsite early only to find there were not enough trees properly spaced to accommodate the Tentsile. Fortunately we had anticipated this  could happen at some point, and brought along a second ordinary ground tent for just this emergency.

This brings me to an important point about the Best Tentsile tent. It’s not going to work in every situation. Even in the heavily wooded and rustic Rocky Mountains where we tested it out, many campsites just don’t have the right tree configuration to make this tent set up work. If you’re using this at a campground, it’s quite possible that on a busy weekend you may only get one or two choices for campsite, and they may or may not have the right trees for your Tentsile.

I brought this tent along on camping trips to the Canadian Rocky Mountains in Kananaskis Country, as well as to the Olympic National Forest in Washington state. We also had it with us as we road tripped through eastern Washington with its largely desert environment.

I’d say realistically we could only find proper tree configuration to set up the Tentsile 2 person tents in about 50% of the places we stopped; and this was while deliberately trying to find opportunities to set up and test the tent.

I think it’s worth knowing that you may not be able to go into the wilderness with this tent as your only means of shelter. Now, I suppose you could just unfurl the tent, put up the poles, and lay it out on the ground, and just peg it into place. In fact, Tentsile does say that’s a viable option, though it is quite tight on the inside.

“You can pitch on the ground in dry conditions. You can also use a spare rain fly as a ground sheet, wrapping the “wings” up to create a barrier against rain coming in under the top fly sheet. Please remember these are Tree Tents and as such, the head room will be tight as you will not benefit from 8″ of sag you get when in the air.”

Use Tentsile tent covered, uncovered, or wide open

The Tentsile is versatile.  You can use it with the fly on, off, or unzip the screen mash and lay right out in the open. The choice is yours depending on your environment and the bugs.

Is a Tentsile tent comfortable?

I can say unequivocally that this is the most comfortable tent I’ve ever slept in. Being suspended in the air relieves all pressure from your joints and muscles, and means you’re not sleeping on any pressure points. Waking up from a sleep in a Tentsile tent is the height of camping comfort. Plus it means you don’t need to pack things like bed rolls, cots, air mattresses, pumps, and the like. (Unless of course you feel the need to keep those on hand in the event the Tentsile doesn’t have the right tree configuration for setup.)

I love the fact that I can sleep suspended in comfort, and not wake up with one of those weird headaches from accidentally having my head at a lower point in the tent then my feet as often happens with conventional ground tents.

Of course it’s also nice not sleeping on the cold ground or having to deal with dampness. We did use the tent one night when it was quite cool overnight, and did find we got pretty cold. That was remedied the next night when we laid a blanket across the bottom of the inside of the tent, then put our sleeping bags on top. Toasty!

Sleeps two comfortably.

Overall when it comes to comfort, this is definitely my number one pick of all time for tent camping.

Will we roll into each other in Tentsile tent?

We were camped at several sites and had numerous other campers come over and ask about the Tentsile hammock tent. One of the key questions everyone seems to have is,”Don’t you roll into each other at night?”

The answer is a definite no. The base of the Tentsile tent features a wide heavy strap down the middle that forms a kind of spine which keeps it taut and stable. The result is while there is a bit of drop or sag in the center, you’re definitely not rolling into each other. It was a surprisingly stable and flat surface to sleep on.

Lay flat or create two sleeping ‘hammocks’ in Tentsile tent

There’s another option for sleeping two people in this tent. That is to tighten the base or spine strap of the tent before you set it up. What this does in essence is creates two halves, or pockets inside on the base of the tent which essentially creates two hammock-like compartments inside. My husband and I found this was our favorite configuration for sleeping. It allowed us each to be cradled and comfortable, and mitigated any slight rolling into the other person.

Can Tentsile really hold us? – Strength & Durability

Getting into the Tentsile tent to sleep for the first time was a bit of a leap of faith. Because the fabric is so thin and light, your brain will be telling you that it can’t possibly hold your weight. While we got over the hump and I got in first, there was a second leap of faith required when my husband got in. You’ll definitely hear the straps pull and groan as the tent adjusts to the weight of two adults. It’s a bit freaky the first couple of times, but you get used to it.

Tentsile says the tents are built to hold 400kg/880lbs for the larger models, and 220kg/485lbs for Tmini and Flite models.

Another consideration is that unlike sleeping in a regular tent, with the Tentsile, every time someone moves, the entire tent moves with you. It’s a bit like sleeping on a waterbed, for those of you who remember that experience of the 80s and 90s.

I expected a certain amount of wind to affect the tent while we were sleeping in it, but I was surprised to find the heavy weight straps keep it pretty stable.

Getting in & out of Tentsile tent

If you suspend this tent the recommended three or four feet off the ground, you shouldn’t have much trouble getting in or out. You can really just unzip the Tentsile, sit on the edge and then lean back into it. If you’re up a bit higher, you can use a log or rock to give yourself a step. (Just make sure it doesn’t remain underneath the tent.)

It might be worth pointing out here that some photos online and on social media show the Tentsile tree tents suspended over great heights, and over water. Tensile doesn’t recommend this, and in fact addresses this on its website. The company says these types of installations are done by professionals with Rope Access experience.  The company’s line is, “your Tentsile should be set up at a height that you would feel safe falling from” and I’d say I agree wholeheartedly with that statement.

Safety, bears & wildlife – Tentsile

I had it in my head that I could suspend this tent five or six feet off the ground, and become a less likely target for potential predators. Turns out I’ve got it wrong. Tentsile recommends the tent only be placed about three or four feet off the ground; just enough to keep you out of the muck, and off uneven ground. Placing the tent any higher could seriously hurt you if something went wrong with one of the straps or ratchets. Unfortunately, that means you’re likely still within range of any wandering wildlife.

Overall review of Tentsile Connect suspension tent

I absolutely loved my experience with the Tentsile hammock tent and would definitely get one of my own. The primary reason I like it so much is because of the sleep comfort. It’s a game changer to wake up without any aches and pains and to feel really refreshed.

While there was a definite learning curve in how to set up and use the tent (and I was VERY frustrated early on, I’ll admit), after a few tries, it’s now much easier and we have improved at being able to find just the right trees to properly configure the tent.

We are still bringing along a ground tent on longer road trips in case we end up somewhere that’s not suited to the Tentsile. For us car campers, this is easy. For backpackers not so much, but as I pointed out you can use the Tentsile on the ground in a pinch.

I’m very impressed with how durable and strong the fabric is, and really feel as though it will be quite long-lasting. As of the date of this review, I have set up and taken down the Tentsile tent about eight times, and slept in it about four or five. Unlike some other tents I’ve reviewed which started to break after just a couple of uses, the Tentsile seems to me to be durable and very well made.

I have no hesitation about recommending the Tensile Connect tent as a superb and outstanding purchase for your camping kit the will keep you comfortable for years to come.

 Tentsile Connect sells for about $570CAD/$450USD from Tentsile or Amazon.

Tentsile Connect Tree Tent – Blue

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: Tentsile Connect tree tent appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

NextBase iQ dash cam review: What’s in the Box?

NextBase iQ 4K Dash Camera is compact and solid-feeling; the camera is anchored to a bulky articulating mount that has reversible antennas. The mount is big because it houses some more advanced tech… which we’ll get to.
The only option for install here is with a sticker, so this won’t be a camera you swap in and out of multiple vehicles unless you want to hack your own set up.

I chose the highest resolution 4K model, but lower resolutions are available for lower prices.

The kit comes with several cables and accessories. In addition to the unit itself, you get a special OBD2 power cable that connects to your car’s On Board Diagnostics port under the dash. There’s also hardwire power cables with fuse taps if you prefer, plus a fitting tool for peeling back mouldings and rubber seals.

Inside the NextBase iQ unit is a 64 GB U3 microSD card.

Watch my hands-on review and see the footage here

Nextbase app and (kinda mandatory) subscription

You’ll also need the Nextbase app to connect the camera to service and to use several of the features, but you will also absolutely need a paid subscription to one of Nextbase’s plans. No plan and your camera will only offer limited use, like recording to the Micro SD card – no live viewing, no notifications, no cloud storage and no emergency calling.

Before I could even start testing the camera, I discovered that it was seemingly impossible to do anything with the camera or app without actually signing up for a Nextbase subscription plan, whether I wanted or or not, even if I planned to simply use the SD card instead of the full feature set.

While there *appears* to be an option to bypass the sign up, as of press time it didn’t work for me, and all I was able to view was a blurry screen on the app like I was blocked from accessing it. Grudgingly, I gave in and handed over my credit card and agreed to sign up for the Cadillac-level Pro Plan on a trial basis.

The plans range from $14-$26 CAD ($9-19USD) per month and offer slightly different options, but the core of what you’re paying for is live streaming from the camera via cellular networks, notifications to your phone if there are any concerns like accidents or break-ins, and a remote alarm. There’s other features including several which are still marked as ‘coming soon’ months after I first looked at the site.

Don’t skip enabling the extra features

The next thing I realized is that most of these Pro level features do require you to activate them; they’re not on by default. For example if you want your camera to contact emergency services in the event of a crash, You need to enable a host of settings and permissions inside the app. Similarly if you want to enable Witness Mode, which will send a live stream to up to two contact you designate if you are ever pulled over or in a situation you are concerned about, you need to make sure you have this set up, your contacts have been designated, and going one step further, those contacts have agreed to receive your live streams. No point deduction for this, just something to be aware of.

My early advice: if you are opting to pay the big bucks for this camera and a monthly plan, make darn sure you can take advantage of it by going through each of the settings in the camera and making sure all of the required permissions and options are activated. It would be nice if the app prompted you for this, but it does not.

Set up: I got a lemon

When I went to set up the camera I encountered a world of pain. One warning: Don’t stick the camera to your window until you have it set up in the app. The plug that connects into the back of the camera will become inaccessible as soon as you stick it to the window so keep it handy within reach until the set up is complete, then stick it to the windshield.

Installation of the cables went pretty easily and all the necessary tools are included. I opted for the OBD connection and if I could make one suggestion to the Nextbase engineers it would be not to have the cable come out the side of the OBD2 connector but out the back instead; It barely fit in the small opening where my port is located.

It might be important to mention this camera has no option to pull power off a cigarette lighter adapter; it’s OBD or the fuse panel only for power. While the OBD connection was easy, these options may intimidate users who are less familiar with their cars, but from my experience, they’re easy enough to do.

You can Google where to find your specific car’s OBD port.

When I went ahead with the set up, the camera attempted to download an update. But after the first attempt it seem to get stuck and was hung up for about 20 minutes. I disconnected the power and started it over again and the process seemed to advance further along but always stalled out. After starting over and running the update sequence about 9 times, I gave up and called NextBase support for help.

We went back-and-forth over several days and I will say I got great help but it took a lot of my time. Nextbase software engineers supplied me with several sets of fixes and new firmware downloads via email in order to try to jog the camera into behaving. After the fourth or fifth special software download when things were still not working, the company offered to replace my camera.

Replacement cam worked perfectly

When I went to connect the new camera to the Nextbase app happy to say it connected on the first try and I was set up and ready to go in probably about five minutes. My advice here; if you are experiencing trouble with your camera, and it takes longer than about 5-10 minutes to get it set up, reach out to Nextbase for help and request a new unit.

Premium Features

The NextBase iQ is rich in features and the list includes some premium ones that drive up the cost of this dash cam. Treat this as a checklist of sorts because if most of the features here don’t cater to your needs, you lose out on the overall value of the product, and you’d do well to shop for a less complex and thus cheaper option.

4K Camera Array

The dash cam features a 4K dual front camera with 2K cabin-facing camera. You can also get an optional rear-facing camera too.
The 4K resolution is a huge bonus. It adds crispness to the detail and color accuracy is spot on. What you get here is premium footage that makes it easy to pick out even finer details. Night recordings look good as well and you can toggle the infrared mode to record darker environments.

Video quality: Amazing

Since we’re on the topic, let’s dig deeper into the video quality. I took the iQ camera on a road trip to Las Vegas, plugging it easily into my rental car’s OBD2 port. It was my silent second set of eyes on the four hour drive, capturing desert landscapes as well as the glitz of the Las Vegas strip and interesting sights around town. The footage is indeed crisp, clear and sharp and it makes it a lot easier to identify landmarks, read signs and license plates and capture fine details. 4K footage is easy to zoom into on your computer too, so what you can’t see on your phone, you can easily blow up on a laptop.

The nighttime footage is also pretty good, but as you will see if you check out the video review, the camera can sometimes be blinded by bright light.

Cellular 4G connection

How does the camera take advantage of features like sending you notifications and live streams? It’s got cellular connectivity built in.
NextBase iQ will connect with 4G cellular service, and in case you’re wondering this is in large part what you’re paying for each month. (Even if you don’t plan on using it, the extra antennas and chip within dash cam contribute to the bulkier size and higher cost of this product). The dash cam lacks a SIM card slot making it impossible to bypass the monthly fee.

GPS & location

Thanks to the cellular triangulation, your dash camera knows exactly where it is at all times. You can open the app and see where your kid has the car, for example, or use it to locate a stolen vehicle (as long as the thief hasn’t yanked the power).

Voice Control

Configuring your dash cam is often a “set it and forget it” affair but with the NextBase iQ, you might see the need to disable the cabin camera or microphone during certain situations or start the “Witness Mode” when you are having a roadside conversation with someone. The voice control feature makes it easier to toggle those features.

Just start the command with “Hey Dash Cam” and specify an action such as “Start Recording” or “Turn Microphone Off”.

Witness Mode & Emergency SOS

There are two features that come with either of the paid plans that actually seem very helpful.

Witness Mode

If you’re ever in a situation alone and wished you could have some backup, Nextbase iQ’s witness mode gives you that option. This is one of the features you do need to set up and get permission from friends to share to. You can say ‘Hey Dashcam, Start Witness Mode’ to the camera and it will both record and share a live stream with up to two emergency contacts.
Emergency SOS

If you — or whoever is driving — are unresponsive during an accident, the iQ will share location and any medical details you’ve provided with emergency personnel so you can quickly get the help you need. Luckily I had no need to test this out during my review period.

Parking Lot eyes

The Nextbase iQ will also alert you to events that happen while your vehicle is parked, like if someone backed into you or tried to break in. You get a push notification to your phone and the camera will record both through the windshield and in the cabin so you’ve got a set of eyes all around. More than once I got a parking alert, but it was either just my husband getting something from the console or a neighbour brushing past.

No display screen

A major downside for some might be the lack of a display screen, which is something reasonable to expect from a dash cam costing over $500. You can access a live view of the camera from the app any time of course, but you also need the paid subscription to do it. I personally find a dashcam screen in the car distracting, so I don’t mind going without.

You’ll want a bigger SD card

The included 64 GB Micro SD card might sound generous considering the fact that it is rated for endurance, but 64 GB in my opinion is kind of insufficient for recording 4K video. Even so, I think it’s nice Nextbase includes one for the price.

On 4K settings, three straight hours of recording will immediately fill up the SD card, which is what happened with my four hour drives to Vegas and back. With both cameras enabled, that time gets cut to just two hours.
What you really should get is a 256 GB card which unfortunately adds to the already high investment cost. NextBase sells their own SD cards on their website, but if you plan on buying elsewhere, check our SD card guide to ensure you buy the correct SD card for your dash cam.

Overall Review: NextBase iQ 4K Dash Camera

Cynics are going to find this camera little but a lure to lock customers into a perpetual subscription just to maximize the base potential of this already pricey dash cam, since many of the best features are locked behind a paywall. But with that said, if you have need for some higher quality video and better and more reliable security and safety features, those may be worth the price.

On the pro side the great resolution is undeniable and makes a massive difference to footage quality whether you opt into the cloud or record right to micro SD. Having both a front and cabin cam in one is helpful too.
The camera was easy to install and while my first unit was a lemon that refused to function, I did get great help from the Nextbase team and the replacement was flawless.
I like the addition of voice control, since anything we can do to be hands-free in the car is safer overall.

The security features like witness mode and emergency SOS are helpful and valuable and would be a boon to homes with new or teen drivers in the family. Of course the fact mom or dad could also peer into the car for a live feed while a child is driving and see what they’re up to is either a godsend or evil, depending on your parenting styles.

On the con side, I can’t overstate the fact that pretty much everything you’ll do with this camera is behind a paywall. As I’m putting this together my trial subscription is expired and I can’t view the camera, see its location or do anything whatsoever within the app. So I think it’s really important to understand that if you’re not going to plan to pay from about $120-240 US each year for your camera and the cellular connection, you can and should shop for something else.
Other potential downsides for a buyer? The permanent installation might limit its use unless you want to hack some kind of a velcro option together. A lack of in-car display might also be a con. I’m also a bit concerned the unit I got was a dud, so I’d love to hear from others out there if you’ve had a similar issue and what happened. Since Nextbase replaced it, it may be less of a downside.

Overall I think the camera is great, and the footage is unbeatable. If you think about it, paying the monthly fee for 24-7 cellular access that lets you see its location, live views and that gives you emergency backup to boot is actually quite valuable.

Get one from Amazon for about $699US/$999CAD. It’s also available from NextBase’s website.

Also Read:

1. Nextbase 622GW 4K dash camera review
2. Ring Car Cam: when it’s REALLY coming
3. Papago GoSafe 760 dash camera review

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post NextBase iQ 4K Dash Camera review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Review: Lego Friends Advent Calendar 2023

The box has a flap that can be used as a play area, and each of the doors is open by pushing in on the perforated cardboard. The doors are numbered one through twenty-four, and the back of each door has the building instructions/completed model. Each day’s model is generally fairly simple to build, and by the 25th, you’ll have a small collection of extra parts. In my house, we have Ziploc bags for each calendar’s models, and another small bag for the extra parts. With three or four calendars on the go at any time, there are a lot of small models around.

Every day will offer up a new model, or minifig. Sometimes, there will be parts of a larger build over a number of days, like train cars. The parts are in a small plastic bag nestled into its slot within the box. Spoiler warnings: we’ll be revealing the contents of each day’s model. Let’s see what the Friends Advent Calendar has in store for us.

Partial Spoiler Alert

A note about spoilers… Yes we are about to reveal some of the contents of this surprise advent calendar. We’re only going to go up to Day 12 of 24, so we’re not going to reveal everything yet. If you do you want to see more information about what’s in here please share your thoughts in the comments. We’ll update this later as the holiday nears.

Day 1

The first advent package contains a mini-doll. A little research tells me her name is Autumn, and she was born without the lower part of her left arm. Lego Friends has added a number of new characters with diverse backgrounds and physical and mental differences. Autumn comes with a snowboard and helmet and has her winter sweater on. (Personal pet peeve: you’ll have to choose between Autumn’s hair or helmet, and the other will need to be placed somewhere so it’s not lost.)

Day 2

Day two contains a winter festive arch. This build has a decent number of pieces for an Advent Calendar pack, and of note are the (fairly) new 2/3rd high plates. The back of the door walks you through putting together the arch, and you’ll be left with a few extra pieces. You’ll have a few extra pieces when you’re done (Lego includes these in case the smaller pieces go missing.)

Day 3

Day three is a pretty small bag containing a puppy, a plate for it to sit on, a shovel, and two, well…. Poop pieces. I didn’t love this bag for a number of reasons: First, as mentioned, it’s a pretty small bag, and there’s very little to build. Second, I don’t like it when parts of the bag don’t somehow attach to the other pieces. You have a shovel and two poop pieces and nowhere to secure them.

Day 4

Day 4 is another structure, this time a small dog house (we assume it’s  for the puppy from Day 3?) It’s a quick but simple build that reminded me of really old-school Lego, as it uses the red sloped pieces for the roof. No leftovers; everything fits together. I like it.

Day 5

If Day 3 was disappointing due to size, Day 5 is even more so. It’s a kitten and a 2×2 plate for it to sit on. It will take you about 3 seconds to build this, and while the kitten is cute, it’s a bit underwhelming. Seems odd to have two really small bags so close together in the calendar. On the plus side, this is a great calendar for you if you love the Friends animals.

Day 6

A classic staple of the Lego Advent Calendar the snowman. This one makes use of white globe-type pieces, and a red clip serves as a scarf. You get an awesome top hat as part of the deal.

Day 7

Another animal! This one is a small lizard sitting on a few leaf pieces. I have to admit, the new leaf pieces are some of my favorite of all the Lego pieces, so I’m not sad to see them here. The lizard is pretty cute as well. Doesn’t seem super Winter/Christmas-themed; perhaps the leaves and red flower are meant to be holly?

Day 8

Not 100% sure what this model is supposed to be? Perhaps a hoop for the animals to jump through or a playground piece? The build is fun, and I like the curved hoop pieces and the use of the red and blue pieces to keep the structures themed.

Day 9

Day 9 is a larger dog with a 2×4 tile with 2 studs. That’s it. Again, if you like the animals, this calendar keeps delivering. If you’re looking for fun things to build each day, not so much.

Day 10

Day 10 is another structure. Is it a plane? Is it a see-saw? Is it a dog agility structure? Unclear. So, it can be whatever you want! That’s the great thing about Lego. The box shows it being used as a see-saw, so it’s probably that.

Day 11

Day 11 is the second mini doll. I think this one is Leo, who is an athlete of Mexican heritage. If I’m incorrect, drop a comment below. Leo comes with a snowball.

Day 12

Day 12 is a Christmas Tree. Over the years, I’ve amassed a large collection of Lego Christmas trees, from Winter Village sets to Advent Calendars. This one uses a center post with 1×1 bricks with posts and four identical sides that attach to that piece. Simple, looks great.

Our Verdict

You may want to avoid looking at all of the advent gifts all at once; it makes it more obvious that you’re paying quite a bit for not that much in the way of Lego. Having said that, you get a couple of mini dolls, and eight different animals here, along with a few small models you’re unlikely to keep around for long. Is that worth $40ish dollars? That’s up to you to decide. It’s a fun activity that stretches out over the month and something to look forward to each day. Lego Friends isn’t really my thing, so I’d be unlikely to buy this Calendar going forward, but if you have a Lego Friends fan in the house, this might be a great early gift for them.

You can get your Lego Advent calendar from many retailers who sell Lego. Worth noting is that there are several versions of Lego Advent calendars each year, and you can even pick up past year calendars on Amazon if you want to go back in time. You can get this year’s Friends calendar from Amazon.com or Amazon.ca.

Visit Tech Gadgets Canada to read more review like this.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: Lego Friends Advent Calendar 2023 appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Bose has always been the unexpected cool kid on the audio block. They don’t have the most dazzling designs or earth-shattering bass but they do have some of the most balanced sounding audio equipment on the market. With their newest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, does this still ring true? I recently received a pair of the new Bose QC Ultra earbuds to try out over a few weeks here in my home. I’ll share what they’re like in terms of fit and comfort, how they sound, what the noise cancellation is like and if overall I think I can recommend them to you.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: What you get

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are rechargeable wireless earbuds that come with a charging and storage case plus a custom Fitkit to help you find a truly comfortable fit. With ANC or Active Noise Cancelling, plus aware mode, they offer customization for how you want to listen. They have touch controls on the buds or you can access more features with the Bose Music app.

Fit and feel

One of the first things I noticed about the Bose Ultra is their size; these are not what you’d call small or discrete earbuds. The large size of the buds is going to be a turnoff for some, but getting a good fit, should help them feel less ginormous.

The FitKit is a clever combo of silicone tips and stability bands of different sizes that can help the buds feel more comfortable. This should mean no ear fatigue even after binge-listening to your favorite podcast all day.

I found the ear tips that came on the buds were a bit big for my ears, so I sized down a set, and immediately felt a lot more comfortable.

The Ultra buds are long and wide and do protrude out from your ear by quite a bit, so if you like to sleep in your buds, these aren’t going to be comfortable if you roll on your side.

Even so, the buds feel secure in my ear despite their size.

Bose Music App

To get the most from your buds, you’ll want to download the Bose Music app. In here you can pair your buds and adjust all their settings and change preferences

ANC & Aware Mode

One of the most raved-about features of the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds is its ultra-quiet ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) that Bose claims is on par with the best earbuds on the market. Whether you’re trying to drown out the thrum of airplane engines or escape from your neighbor’s drum practice, these earbuds should let you retreat into your own little world of music, podcasts, or just blissful silence.

Remember the time when you had to crank up your earbuds to maximum volume just to hear over the noise? Kiss this problem goodbye (and say hello to longer, happier eardrum lifespan!).

ANC works by digitally listening for sound around you and then canceling it out with another digital sound that you can’t really hear.
The ANC in these headphones is outstanding. You can definitely block oit most sound if you’re trying to work or focus and I’d say these get a 9/10 on ANC ability.

Aware Mode – flip side of ANC

On the flip side of ANC is Aware Mode where you can allow sound to come into your ears, handy if you’re listening for a delivery or a flight. Similarly this works extremely well

The thing I will point out about both ANC and Aware Mode are not adjustable; you’re getting either full ANC or full aware with no stops in between. At the price point these buds are at I would like some more customization of this setting, which you can find on competitor Jabra’s Elite 8 Active and Elite 10.

ANC quick access

Lastly, if you want to control ANC and Aware Mode from the touch controls on the buds, you need to go into the Bose app and make sure it’s on; mine was by default. By touching and holding the left bud you can cycle between Aware, ANC and Spatial Audio.
To access or change this setting, in the Bose app go to Shortcuts.

Touch Controls & Auto Pause

The touch controls on the buds work well; there’s no buttons on the sides of the buds you have to feel for; as long as you get someewhere on the side panel your commands will work. You can single-tap on either bud to play/pause, double-tap to skip or triple-tap to reverse, and swiping on an earbud up or down will adjust volume.

Pulling one bud from your ear will also pause whatever you’re listening to. This works great too.

Sound quality

The one place you can’t knock on the Bose Ultra buds is sound quality; there is absolutely nothing to complain about here. You’re getting an extremely well-balanced sound, with solid, well-rounded bass, clear vocals, and the kind of quality where you won’t want to listen with anything else.

EQ and sound preferences

Inside the Bose app are four sound pre-sets which lets you get less/more bass or treble quickly. There’s also a fuller EQ array if you want to make finer adjustments. For the most part, I kept my buds on the factory setting and found the audio quality was great.

Immersive Audio Feature/Spatial Audio

Bose is touting a feature called Immersive Audio. It seems this is actually Spatial Audio, so I’m not sure why they’re not simply calling it by the name everyone else uses, since if you go on Apple Music you won’t find an ‘Immersive Audio’ playlist but you will find content in Spatial Audio.

Spatial audio takes the music out of the side of your ear and sounds further around your head, mimicking the effect different voices or instruments are coming from different parts of your room. It can be a powerful experience, one that makes you feel as if you’re right in the middle of an orchestra.

How does Spatial Audio sound?

Battery Life

The earbuds play for up to 6 hours (only up to 4 hours if you’re using Immersive Audio) and the case holds up to 3 additional full charges (or up to 12-18 hours).

This is mediocre for buds of this price. Circling back to the Jabra buds I recently reviewed they get you from 36-over 50 hours of battery life, so the Bose Ultra seems a bit anemic by comparison.

A full recharge takes about 2 hours and there’s no fast charging noted.

Water resistance

These earbuds are not made for more active lifestyles in my opinion; with a water resistance rating of just IPX4, they’re only superficially able to resist sweat, they are not waterproof, and are not at all dust resistant, so you’re going to want to limit these it in home or in-office use. As long as you know what you’re getting, this shouldn’t be an issue

Not to sound like a broken record, but this does also seem like a bit of a disappointment in this budget class.

Connectivity

Now, let’s chat about Bluetooth 5.3. Remember those days of stuttering music as you wandered too far from your phone? Those are over. Bluetooth 5.3 offers a better, stronger connection.

Plus, the improved connection speeds with recently released Android phones makes it a clear contender for non-iPhone users. It’s also one of the first headphones made compatible with the new aptX Adaptive format present in most flagship Androids. These features should ensure class-leading latency and connection quality.

Overall review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds

Some people might think that Bose is just resting on their laurels here—using their established brand to sell headphones with a higher price tag. And true, they’re not the cheapest pair of buds on the market. But with the QuietComfort Ultra, you know you’re getting a high-quality, thoughtfully designed product that may be worth it for some. After all, Bose delivers on everything it promises.

While it ticks a lot of boxes on the pro side there’s enough features missing or lacking here that it might give you some pause. Let’s go over the pros and cons and tally things up.

They’re comfortable with a lot of options to customize the fit, the sound quality is amazing, as is the ANC, and there’s plenty of customizable features, including Spatial Audio.

On the less than stellar side, the ANC and Aware modes aren’t adjustable, the battery life is merely passable and the lack of water resistance does limit the use to indoors, and to be clear Bose isn’t promising you any more with these features; it’s me wishing they delivered better for the price.

That price tag may be the other major detractor for some; ringing in at about $379CAD/$299USD they’re not cheap, but for those who do think these check all their boxes, they’ll be a huge hit.

You can find Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds from Bose, Amazon or Walmart.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

How do you learn to love an innovative product that’s so different from the everyday? When it doesn’t do what you expect or sound like you think it should… is this a good thing or a bad thing? My first reaction to using the Dyson Corrale… was a bit alarming, but how often are first impressions, lasting impressions? I recently received a review sample of the Dyson Corrale and this hands-on review in my home I’ll try it out for both straightening and waving my hair, I’ll let you know what the user experience is like, how my hair feels, and any other considerations about this pricey hair care tool. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and cons and then let you know if I think you should pick up this device for yourself.

One of the most blogged-about brands in haircare has to be Dyson, and back when they were focused on vacuums, who would have thought they’d become the dominant force in the beauty space? Every year it seems the company takes a basic haircare tool we’ve all come to take for granted and elevates it from humble to haute. One of the more recent elevations is taking the basic hair straightener and Dyson-ifying it with the Dyson Corrale.

What is Dyson Corrale?

Corrale is a cordless, rechargeable hair straightener tool that can also create curls and waves too. It has a simple OLED info screen, with just a few buttons on the side.

Once you use the big button to unlock it you’ll see the others; a power button and up/down buttons to adjust temperature. A battery indicator on the screen tells you how much juice you have at any given time.

The exterior of the tool is cool-touch plastic so you can grip it anywhere.

What’s in the box?

Inside your package you’re getting the basics; the Corrale straightener, which feels quite heavy. There’a also a 2-piece docking and charging stand, the swivelling 3.2m MagSafe charging cable (which connect to the Corrale itself and to the dock), and a soft heatproof velvet case for travel.

The Corrale weighs about 500 grams of just over one pound.

Set up and first use: confusing

Before your first use you have to take the straightener out of travel/shipping mode. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out how to do this and the instructions I found online weren’t helpful. Once you unlock the Corrale, you’ll see a small tab in the opening; it pulls out like a wafer, and you just flip it over and put it back in. This is supposed to disable the battery so you can fly with it.

The battery switch.

Once inserted the other way, you’ll be able to power the Corrale on and get to work.

Heat settings

Perhaps surprisingly, there’s only three heat settings on the Corrale; essentially low medium and high: 330ᵒF, 365ᵒF, 410ᵒF. I was a bit surprised by this but often Dyson has a pretty good handle on what we need for optimal hair style without damage, so I was willing to trust, and opted to start at the middle setting of 365. While that setting did work okay for me, after a couple of test styling sessions I did end up cranking it up to the topmost heat setting.

Use corded or cordless

In a clever twist you can use the Corrale in a few ways, whether you’re looking for flexibility or long battery life. You can use it completely cordless, you can use it while replacing it on its charging dock during styling so it’s always getting a top-up, or connect the power cord directly to the Corrale for constant power.

Battery life

The battery life you can expect from Corrale is about 30 minutes cord free.

Recharge time is about 70 minutes, which is a long time for such a short end-output. I’m hopeful that future iterations will improve on this. The recharging time shouldn’t really be an issue if you store your device on the dock or leave the cord connected when you’re finished.

Flexing Copper plates

One of the most unusual features(and hardest to get used to, if I’m being honest) is what’s called the flexing manganese copper alloy plates. Essentially the metal plates that straighten your hair aren’t fixed so they move on their own and as your hair pulls through them. Dyson says this allows you to create the same style but with less heat – and half the damage.
They do make an odd scraping sound.. which at first I thought was my hair,

My hands-on experience: straightening

The Corrale is a different straightening experience. Initially, I didn’t like it. The plates felt like they were scraping my hair and there was a pulling noise that concerned me.

I also found the device heavy and a bit awkward to get used to, but I’m glad to say I stopped noticing the weight after a few uses; I found myself putting it down between sections anyway so my arms got a rest.

Dyson says the straightener has a tourmaline edge which should help reduce static, and I can confirm I never felt my hair getting staticky after use.
I can say that the Corrale works quickly and using medium-sized pieces of hair, I was able to get my whole head straightened in under 10 minutes.

Granted my hair is already pretty straight, so I was using it mainly for smoothing, polishing, and de-frizzing, but I was really pleased with the results.

My hands-on experience: Curling

If you’ve ever used a flat iron for curling, you know it takes some practice. Even I had to do a bit of relearning with this device mainly because of the weight and those floating plates. But I was able to both curl my hair, and style up some beachy wave quite easily and I ended up quite impressed by the versatility of this tool. Because the plate float, and the barrels supporting the straightening plates are round, and there’s a cool touch exterior, it makes it quite easy to give your hair just the right amount of wave.

There’s also an auto shutoff which will power the Corrale off if not used within about 10 minutes. The Corrale will beep a few times to warn you before powering down.

It does not appear that timer is adjustable.

Overall review: Dyson Corrale

Overall Dyson Corrale won me over because it does a great job of its key task which is straightening; it’s able to smooth and de-frizz my hair in a single pass. I also love that it can be used to curl or wave your hair, making it a very good option for travel. The device heats up fast, and because you can use it cordless or with the cord, you can get as much use from it as you need in a single styling session. I feel like the Corrale left my hair smooth and shiny and the tourmaline plates did leave my hair static free—no small feat in the winter.

When it comes to the downsides, some people may really dislike the heavier weight of this device, but I did feel like I got used to it pretty quickly. Ditto for the disconcerting scratching noise when pulling my hair through the Corrale; after a while, I stopped being concerned about it.

I think the bigger downsides for serious users will be the very short-term battery life of just 30 minutes on a single charge, and the fact it is only limited to three heat settings, and I quickly went right up to the highest heat.

If you can make peace with the downsides, this is a pretty handy and useful hairstyling tool that I think a lot of people are going to love.

Its regular price is about $649CAD/$499USD and you can get it from places like Dyson, Best Buy, Walmart, and sometimes from Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Dyson Corrale review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

What’s next for the company that basically invented the robot vacuum? iRobot and its Roomba seems like it’s been left behind as the robot floor bot category has evolved… while others are creating fully automated floor machines, Roomba is just kind of ticking along making minor upgrades. So is it still worth getting a Roomba? Especially when the much-touted mopping feature wouldn’t perform as advertised?

Review: iRobot Combo j5+ robot vacuum with mop

Picking the right Roomba vacuum for your household in 2023 involves understanding a few terms in the way the company names their vacuums. The “Combo” moniker indicates the vacuum having mopping capabilities as well while the “+” points to iRobot’s Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal docking station being included for the price. Basically, opting for the non-plus model leaves you with the small charging station puck, and saves you around $200 USD.

Read my review of iRobot Roomba s9+

What you get

The Roomba Combo j5+ is a dual purpose vacuum and mop from iRobot. While some bots can manage vacuuming and mopping, and do either one or both at the same time all on their own, this particular bot does require some help from you to switch it from vacuum-only mode to vacuum and mop. You’ll see why in a sec. The $999 Canadian price put it near the uppermost tier of vacuum robots but since that top end has continued to climb even higher approaching $1500 or $2000CAD, I guess in a way you could call this a more mid priced option.

Determining whether the iRobot Combo j5+ is a good fit for your household involves identifying the vacuum’s limits. There is a reason why the pricier Roomba j7+ and j9+ models exist after all. Think of the Combo j5+ as a robot vacuum which you’ll primarily use as a vacuum with the mopping feature as something you could use if you don’t mind the sacrifices that come with it.

iRobot makes this obvious with its “swap and mop” system because why have a dedicated dust bin when you can use the included Combo Bin for both mopping and vacuuming?

Unfortunately, the Combo Bin removes the vacuum’s ability to automatically empty its contents to the docking station because the water tank within the bin blocks it. iRobot’s Dirt Detect technology which causes the vacuum to work harder in dirtier areas also doesn’t work with the Combo Bin installed. Keep those caveats in mind before buying as iRobot advertises the self-emptying capability as a core feature. On the upside, having swappable bins is quite neat as you can choose between having more space for longer vacuuming sessions or sacrificing some space to do a little bit of mopping.

What’s in the box?

There’s not a lot in the package; you’ll get the recharging and Auto empty dock with power cord, your j5 Roomba robot, and an extra bin for mopping alongside a small cloth. An extra filter is also in the box.

The auto-empty bin is smaller than some of the other newer floor bots, because all it’s doing is emptying the dustbin; there’s no auto-refilling or autoemptying or self cleaning of the mopping module here. It’s actually got a nice design that’s a little smaller and more elegant than some others.

Set up

It’s been quite some time since I set up a Roomba vacuum, but I’m delighted to report that little has changed; these robots will set up in just a couple of moments with just a few taps on the iRobot app. Once you get your bot plugged in and it has a partial charge, you can add it into the app and connect it to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Once connected to Wi-Fi you’ll be able to have all automated control over your cleaning bot.

Extra setup steps

I’m going to jump ahead here for a moment and let you know there’s an extra step to the set up process that may or may not be made clear to you—it was not to me.

You will need to add the mopping bin to your iRobot app before you will be able to clean with it. I’m led to believe by iRobot customer service that instructions on this should be included in your package, but they were missing from my box. That meant a frustrating few hours of troubleshooting and a call to customer service for help. I’ll get to more on this in a sec…

Mapping your home

The first time you send your robot out it will begin to map your home. iRobot says it may take several runs through your house before it is able to generate a full map. While this is much longer than many other floor cleaning robots today, it’s not that bad. I had my map generated on the first day, within about 2 hours.

When you’re ready to mop you’ll need to swap the bins. First slide the small tab from the cloth into the notch on the bottom of the mop module, then lay the cloth onto the grippy velcro which will hold it securely in place. Then fill the water tank. With this mopping module, the water tank is actually quite small (210ml/7oz). You can see it in this particular photo/video; the water tank wraps around the dust bin, which means the dustbin size and how much it can pick up it also smaller.

When you make the switch, your robot should automatically detect it’s time for a wet-dry combination clean and also start water flowing.

How does j5+ compare to j7?

The Roomba j5 essentially converts Roomba’s j7 vacuum to a hard floor vacuum & mop system with the switch of a bin.

Vacuum suction power

Despite scouring the Internet, I was not easily able to find out what the declared suction power of this robot vacuum is. This is a pretty common spec that many people are familiar with, measured in pascals. I found it a little odd that this was not information that was made obvious.

Vacuuming

You can expect the Roomba j5+ to move around your home in neat, efficient rows for a wall-to wall clean without missing a spot. With overlapping passes, your robot purposefully & logically cleans in parallel lines across multiple floor types.

The vacuuming is actually quite good and I’d say the j5+ gets about 95-99% of all debris.

One other thing I absolutely need to point out here is the jet engine level noise the J5 combo produces when it is auto emptying the onboard dustbin. It is easily one of the loudest auto emptying sequences I have ever heard, and it seems to go on forever.

The onboard dustbin gets emptied into an enclosed bag that holds up to 60 days of debris, depending of course how often you’re running it.

Mopping – not as easy as you think

I ran into some trouble when I decided to switch to mopping.

I filled the mopping tank and loaded the mopping place into the robot. Water immediately starts leaking onto the pad, so don’t fill the tank until you’re absolutely ready to use it, and don’t set it down on any wooden surfaces.

Despite supposedly being able to understand when each plate is installed, the j5 began a series of auto-empty attempts. It tried to empty the bin three times in a row.

No auto-emptying with Mopping plate

The problem of course is that this bin is not actually compatible with the auto-empty station.

The mopping plate essentially covers the port where the auto-emptying takes place, which means when you have the mopping tank installed, your robot cannot empty its own bin.
This is actually a huge problem, and if you were thinking you would just simply leave the mopping plate on all the time, this means you can’t do it if you want the robot to empty itself out.

Setting aside that frustration for the moment, I went looking for any instructions about what I was doing wrong when trying to initialize the mopping. There’s no manual and only basic three-step instructions in the box, so I followed the directions to go to iRobot owners guide website. In case you need yours you can find it here.

After going through the manual with a fine toothcomb, I couldn’t find any reason why the mop would not start cleaning. I swapped the tanks back around a few times and tried again with the same results; the Auto-empty bin kept trying to evacuate the mop. I also could not schedule the mopping clean in the iRobot app, and at no time would the app recognize when the mopping bin was installed.

I finally broke down and dialed iRobot’s customer service number (1-877-855-8593). After waiting for about 30 minutes I learned one needs to add the mopping plate to the app as a special accessory in order for it to work!

Nowhere in any of the instructions included in my box does it say you need to add the bin separately, but the customer care rep told me this is standard operating procedure for this robot.

How to add iRobot Combo mopping bin as a special accessory

To do this, you need to go to the iRobot app and hit the hamburger menu in the top right. Choose Add your product, then let it search. Choose Scan QR Code and scan the QR code which is printed on the top of the mopping bin. You’ll get a confirmation and further instructions on how to use it.

Actual mopping: no mop lifting

If you’ve created a home map, you can use it to create “No Mop Zones” giving you better control of the areas you want to mop and don’t want to get wet. To be clear, there’s no mop lifting, so if the j5 does venture onto a rug, with the mop attached you might find it damp afterwards. I actually didn’t find it would get rugs damp enough to worry me, but my rugs aren’t super precious.
You also need to prepare yourself for the extra manual work involved with mopping. The docking station doesn’t come with refilling water tanks so you need to refill every time, and it lacks automatic mop cleaning or drying features (again, you’ll pay dearly for these on other robot models).

How well does it mop?

All of that aside it’s time to get to how effective it is as a mop… and unfortunately the news is not good. This mop is mostly limited to a light dusting wipe to follow up your vacuuming. It’s not really going to clean or mop anything, and certainly nothing substantial or dried on. I tried it on an extremely small of dried coffee and I’d say it was only able to remove about 50 or 60% of it..

Hazard recognition and detection

iRobot as always been one of the leaders when it comes to hazard detection, recognition, and avoidance. In my experience I robot is still doing a good job with this. The robot did not get stuck or trapped at all in my testing.

Overall review: iRobot Combo j5+

Overall have to say I’m extremely disappointed in this robot. iRobot was one of the first robots I ever reviewed and I have a lot of love for the brand, but it appears the company has just not kept pace with the rest of its competitors. I can see the way this review is leaning without even tallying things up, but let’s go over the pros and cons anyhow.

On the pro side, it vacuums well, and empties its own dustbin into a sealed bag. The Combo j5+ is also outstanding at hazard avoidance and navigation, including at avoiding poop (though since I don’t have that problem I could not personally verify this).

When it comes to the cons, I’m going to need a few lines here to recap; You have to swap dust bins out in order to mop. The mopping bin must be set up as its own accessory before it can be used. The mop has no scrubbing or vibrating properties to scour away dried-on dirt. The auto emptying is jet engine loud. There’s no adjustable suction or water flow and no mop cleaning or drying. The tank constantly leaks water and should be emptied and put away after each use. If you are using the mopping plate you can’t Auto empty the dust bin so you do manually need to tip it into a garbage can. The dirt detection feature also does not work if you have the mopping plate installed. And the mopping is really only good for a light dusting wipe. Finally, this is a very expensive floor robot to have this many limitations.

Selling (regularly) for about $999CAD/$799USD, there’s just no way to justify this kind of price. My recommendation would be if you like the iRobot brand, to go with one of their budget bots like i3+ EVO since it will have many of the vacuuming properties you’d be looking for at a far lower price. I also love the peerless vacuuming abilities of my Roomba s9+ which I still run three times weekly. If you want better overall floor cleaning ability including better mopping, I’d recommend spending a few hundred dollars more and getting a more premium-level automated floor cleaning bot something like the Ecovacs T20 Omni or one of Roborock’s vacuum and mops. I am also about to review the newest iRobor flagship bot, the iRobot Combo j9+ and I have high hopes this will be a lot more versatile.

Shop the iRobot Combo j5+ robot vacuum on Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: iRobot Combo j5+ robot vacuum with mop appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Choosing a robot vacuum these days can be dizzying. There are dozens of different models from a dozen different brands. One of the newest is the Roborock Q5 Pro +, and in this hands-on review, I’ll take a look at the key features of this bot, what you can expect it to do and what it can’t, and I’ll put it through my regular battery of cleaning tests to see how well it actually performs. I’ll wrap things up by listing the pros and the cons and letting you know if I think I can recommend this robot vacuum and mop to you.

What do you get with Roborock Q5 Pro+?

In a nutshell you are getting an all-in-one robot vacuum and mopping device that also comes with an auto-emptying base station. The robot is capable of either vacuuming or mopping or doing both at the same time. Once it’s cleaned your house it will return to its base station and empty out the onboard dust bin into a sealed dust bag. You can of course schedule it to clean when you want too.

While this is a smart and capable robot, it is more on the budget end of the spectrum ($699USD, often marked down), so you won’t find as many bells and whistles as some of Roborock’s higher-end devices like the Q Revo or the S8 Pro Ultra, both of which I’ve reviewed in my home.

At this point it might be helpful to some of you to point out what this particular floor bot does not have, not to make the Q5 Pro+ down for any of this, but to say if these are features you think you need, you can shop some of Roborock’s more expensive robots with more advanced features:

• no mop cleaning
• no mop scrubbing
• mop lifting; must remove plate to vacuum carpets
• no obstacle avoidance
• waterflow not adjustable
• no adjustable suction

To understand some of the helpful features of this robot that you might like, let’s flip it over.

Key features: Dual roller brushes, powerful suction, large dustbin

On the underside you will find the removable mopping plate; the design of this is rather clever; it holds a removable, washable microfibre mopping pad, and the plate itself also holds a small clean water tank which will supply the water for the mopping.

You’ll also see a set of dual rubber beater brushes. In theory, this should help you pick up more dirt and debris in a single pass. These two brushes combined with a high level of suction power (5,500pa) should mean this budget bot can still pack a punch. We’ll see in the cleaning tests…

There is also a rather large onboard dust bin capable of holding about 770 mL worth of dirt. This is quite a bit and on the large size for your average robot vacuum which should mean it’s able to keep cleaning for longer without needing to go back to its charging station and empty the bin.

Rockdock charging & empty station

This is a good time to touch on the charging and auto-empty station. Dubbed the “rock dock” the Q5 pro plus will recharge its batteries here anytime it’s not cleaning and empty its dustbin into the sealed dust bag.

While the auto emptying is on the loud side, and you cannot adjust the automatic frequency or timing, you can request an empty cycle any time you like in the app.

Set up & mapping

When you get your new robot you’ll need to download the Roborock app to get things set up. For the most part this happens in minutes with just a few clicks. As a short aside, I did recently struggle with getting my Apple iPhone to connect to my Roborock vacuum, so if you’re struggling with this as well, I recommend reaching out to Roborock’s customer service team. I ended up using another android phone to connect and things worked perfectly.

Once you have the robot connected to your homes Wi-Fi network you’ll want to send it out on a mapping run. The robot will use LIDAR to draw a very accurate floorplan of your house. Once you have that map you can go in and label rooms and adjust boundaries so that you can use targeted room cleaning or even schedule certain rooms to be cleaned on certain days. The mapping run takes just a few minutes and was extremely accurate for me after the first trip around the house.

Cleaning with Roborock Q5 Pro+

Whenever I test out a robot vacuum I run each one through the same series of tests; I get it to clean day-to-day dirt for a few days, then I lay some more targeted and difficult spills for it. I sprinkle finer things like flour or sugar, middle sized bits like rice or oatmeal and larger cracker pieces on both carpet and hard floors to see how well the robot will perform.

When it comes to the mopping I will spill some small amounts of liquid and see how the mopping pad fares. It may be worth pointing out there is no suction in the mop; so you are a limited to what the pad can absorb, meaning you should absolutely wipe up larger spills before the robot gets to them.

I can say the Q5 Pro + was actually intermittent when it came to the vacuuming. Sometimes it got about 80% or debris, other times it was more like 60 percent .
It seemed to struggle most with finer spills on carpets, and on cleaning around edges like the side of a rug.

The suction doesn’t seem to be very strong here and I think that shows in what you can still see on the rugs after it was finished. I could schedule a double pass of the space, but as is, it’s kind of disappointing.

Mopping

While the mop will absorb small liquid spills, the damp cloth is simply being dragged over the floor, so in my opinion what you’re getting here is more of a light dusting wipe and less of a hearty floor mopping. It was able to mop up smaller wet spills easily.

When it came to dried on spills it only got about 50-60-percent of tougher stuff, so while it’s helps, it’s not going to power away those coffee drips or dishwasher dribbles.

If you are mopping a particularly muddy or dirty area it will pay to remove the cloth and give it a good rinse after so the cloth doesn’t get nasty.

The other important consideration for some of you is that there is no mop lifting on this particular robot, meaning if the robot is cleaning in carpeted areas it’s bringing the mopping plate along for the ride, potentially moistening carpets and rugs. The simple fix is to remove the mopping plate when you want to vacuum, but this is an imperfect solution when it comes to the mopping, since there also does not appear to be any way to create no-go zones when the mopping plate is attached.

I let the robot roll over my rugs with its mopping plate on and I can say that on both flatter rugs and even plusher carpets, it was certainly not soaking them; at worst it was a light bit of dampness that dried quickly. So unless you have extremely delicate or special carpet and rugs, the mopping plate remaining attached shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

One last caveat; the small water tank only holds a few ounces, covering about 500 sq ft or 50m2, so if you’re hoping for a dusting wipe on larger spaces you will definitely have to refill partway through. Or you could simply use the app’s scheduling feature to handle certain rooms on certain days to ensure the Q5 Pro+ cleans with a full tank of water.

You can also add cleaning solution to the mopping tank if you want a boosted clean; Roborock naturally prefers you use their own cleaner for this but anything gentle should be okay.

Battery life and Runtime

With a 4-hour maximum runtime (240 minute max runtime) from its 5200mAh battery, this robot should have more than plenty of juice to clean even larger spaces. I can confirm it was easily able to clean all 1000 ft.² of my main floor on a single charge.

Overall review: Roborock Q5 Pro+

Overall this is not my favourite of the Roborock devices. Let’s go over the pros and cons to see why.

On the pro side the vacuum has a very long runtime. The large dustbin means it will clean for longer without heading back to its space station also. The auto emptying dock is a must have and means less hands-on maintenance for you. I found the set up process to be quite easy and the mapping is quick and extremely accurate. I also love that I can schedule the robot on a daily or weekly basis, and even dial in different rooms to be cleaned on different days.

When it comes to the cons, there are a few things I will point out because I think they might turn off some shoppers, but to be clear these are not traditional downsides; I’m not marking this robot down a whole lot because of them; since if any of these features are must haves for you you can absolutely find them in another more robust Roborock model.

To recap, the mop doesn’t lift off of carpeted surfaces, the water flow is not adjustable, and obstacle avoidance is not as pronounced as some more professional models but it can get itself out of trouble. The mop also doesn’t scrub; it’s designed for a light wipe of your floors after vacuuming. The small water tank also means that any mopping that does get done is limited to about 500 ft.² at a time. The biggest downsides for me were the lacklustre suction and half-hearted vacuum performance.

The trade-off for the features you’re not getting comes in the price. This is a far more affordable but then the flagship models sold by Roborock or even other manufacturers.but even so it’s not cheap; Roborock Q5 Pro+ sells for about $699USD/$999CAD, and for that price I was expecting better cleaning performance.

If you do want to see what you get from a more expensive or fancier model, check out my reviews of the Roborock Q Revo or the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra.

Shop the Roborock Q5 Pro+ on Amazon.

Also Read:

1. Review: iRobot Combo j5+ robot vacuum with mop

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Roborock Q5 Pro+ vacuum-mop review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.