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Category: Reviews

LOZ iBLOCK FUN
If you’re a fan of building blocks, then you’ll absolutely love spending time building this Minions model. We received this unit for a review from EverBuying.net

LOZ iBLOCK FUN Blocks
This building set includes over 200 pieces of tiny bricks that form a mini Minion character. Since the blocks are really small in size, the set is more suited towards older kids and adults. It’s also harder to build, making it more enjoyable for ages 9+ and up.

LOZ iBLOCK FUN Instructions
The LOZ building bricks are available in different cartoon characters that you can choose from. Each set comes with instructions on how to build your character, as it would be very hard to do it on your own. At the end, you’ll have a 3D figure of your favorite cartoon character.

This type of building bricks, being very small in size, requires patience and a lot concentration. This makes it a wonderful learning tool for young adults and a relaxing hobby for adults.

EverBuying offers this set of building bricks for a little over $3, a fantastic price that will allow you to buy many sets without breaking the bank.
Buy it here

JJRC H20 Hexacopter Review
It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or an adult, flying a mini drone is a whole lot of fun! Our review today covers the JJRC H20 Hexacopter, which was provided to us by our friends at Gear Best, the premier retailer of gadgets and electronics with free worldwide shipping.

Features of the H20 Hexacopter:

  • A mini hexacopter with remote control.
  • Charges via USB, cable included.
  • Charge time: about 30 minutes for a full charge.
  • Flying time: up to 6 minutes.
  • Battery operated remote control, requires 2 AA batteries (not included)
  • Functions: Up / Down, Forward / Backward, 3D rollover, Turn Forward / Backward, Sideward Flight, Headless Mode, Hover, One Press Automatic Return
Buy it here

What’s In The Box:

JJRC Hexacopter_Contents
The Hexacopter comes in a well packed package, in the box you’ll find:

  • The Hexacopter.
  • The battery.
  • USB cable for charging.
  • 6x Spare Propellers.
  • A screwdriver.

Setting Up Your Hexacopter:

JJRC Hexacopter_Battery
Set up process if fairly easy. First thing you’ll have to do is find 2x AA batteries for your remote control, which aren’t included in the box. Once that is sorted out, all you have to do is switch on the remote control and the hexacopter and wait a few seconds till they pair. The controller as well as the hexacopter’s LED light will keep flashing. Until you hear a beep and the flashing stops, you’ll know they’re now paired and ready to fly.

My drone came in charged. But you’ll soon have to charge it again, to do that, you’ll have to pull out the battery, connect the cable and plug it to any USB port to charge. It takes about 30 minutes to fully charge.

Flying the JJRC H20 Hexacopter:

Looking at the small size of this hexacopter, you’ll think it’s easy to fly. But it’s not, it takes some practice and getting used to, but this is all part of the fun!

You are most likely to fly the drone into things, it will pump and crash everywhere, so it’s best to fly it in an open area where there’s nothing to break. To be honest, I didn’t follow my own advice here (or common sense) and I tested flying the drone in my office. It pumped into the walls, fell crashing everywhere, and surprisingly, it held up pretty nicely. The propellers are still intact and the bumpers are all in place, except for a tiny dent on one.

In the included manual, there are many tips you can follow for learning how to fly the hexacopter. You’ll eventually be able to perform many tricks including rollovers, which is the hardest to perform.

The Pros and Cons:

My least favorite part about this hexacopter is the battery. The battery dies rather quickly, you’ll be lucky if you get 10 minutes out of it. Lucky for us, it charges quickly too.  However, the small drone is an absolute fun to play with. It’s fast and light, and it’s LED light make it fun to fly at night. It also makes a great practice toy, in case you want to fly a real drone.

Make sure to check out GearBest’s Easter and 2nd Anniversary sale here.

Buy it here

MIPOW Smart LED Bulb Review
Color changing LED lights, either bulbs or strips, are a growing trend and people simply love them. It’s no secret why they are so popular, they’re simple to use, very nice to have to create a cool ambiance in any room and they’re an affordable way to add value to your home.

In this post, we’re looking at a cool LED light bulb called MIPOW. The light bulb was provided to us by gearbest.com for this review. Gear Best is a premier online retailer of electronics and gadgets at affordable prices with worldwide shipping.

Features of the MIPOW Smart Color-chaning LED Light Bulb:

  • Smart LED light bulb that connects to your phone wirelessly.
  • Connects via Bluetooth 4.0 (low energy).
  • Allows you to change the color of the light via your phone.
  • Connect multiple light bulbs, control up to 5 light bulbs at the same time.
  • Adjust brightness of the light through your phone.
  • Color changing modes include: flashing, rainbow, pulse and gradual change.
  • Wake Up mode allows you to set the light to wake you up at a set time.
Buy it here

Set Up:

I was quite surprised by how easy the set up was. It is by far one of the easiest Bluetooth devices I ever paired:

  • First thing you need to do is download the app ‘PLAYBULB X’ which is free from the App Store (also available for Android devices).
  • Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone or tablet, whichever you’re using to control the lamp.
  • After installing the bulb to your lamp base, switch it on. At this point it will be set to a normal warm glow.
  • Launch the app, hit the connect button and your light bulb will automatically pair with your phone.

And you’re all set!

MIPOW

Color Selection:

The app will give you an RGB color wheel where you can select the color for the light. The colors are spot-on, quite impressive what shades you can get. There’s an option where you can also choose or take a photo and select a shade from that photo, this option was disappointing as the light shade and photo match isn’t good enough, not for the photoI tried anyway, so it could work differently from one photo to another. However, choosing a color either from the wheel or from the solid color selection gives you the correct color.

Using the Timer:

This is a great feature if you want to automatically set your light to wake you up at a certain time. It works as promised, just set your alarm time and the color of the light and it should do what you say. However, once an alarm has gone off, you’ll have to set it up again for the next day, which isn’t very practical for someone who wants to use the timer every day. I do hope this is something that can be fixed in future updates of the app.

Overall:

The MIPOW Smart LED light bulb works exactly as promised. It gives you color-changing effects, cost-effective LED light (it only uses 5W of power with light equivalent of 40W) and very easy set up that works for a newbie or a techie. My only issue with it is the app, which works perfectly and does a good job, but certainly lacks a good interface, which I do hope will be fixed in future updates. Other than that, the MIPOW light bulb is quite a steal at $19.99 with free worldwide shipping from Gear Best. And if you’re lucky, you can catch GearBest’s flash sale in celebration of their 2nd Anniversary and receive a great discount.

Buy it here

Watch It In Action:

Hoco Milanese Loop
A while after wearing my Rose Gold Apple Watch Spot with the default Stone silicone band, I felt like I needed to dress up my watch. I had my eyes on Apple’s Milanese Loop for while, but could never justify paying its high price, especially with third-party alternatives available at a much lower cost. At this point, it was the matter of which 3rd party Milanese Loop had the best quality. After doing a lot of research, I decided to go for the Hoco Milanese Loop.

I’d like to note that this isn’t a sponsored review, I wasn’t provided with the product for free as most reviews, but I paid full price for it and thought I’d share my thoughts on it.

Why I Chose the Hoco Milanese Loop:

Hoco Milanese Loop 2
At about $60, the Hoco Milanese Loop is in the high range when it comes to 3rd party Milanese Loops available on the market. There are similar brands that are around half that price, but there are a few reasons that made me go for the Hoco band:

Design and Appearance:
When it comes to 3rd party Milanese Loop bands, this is what you have to pay attention to:

  • The shape of the links that make up the mesh.
  • The adapters, and if there’s a noticeable gap between them and the watch.
  • The strength of the magnet closure.

The Hoco Milanese Loop has somewhat fine links. Compared to Apple’s Milanese Loop (which I tried in-store only), it is on the lighter side. On the loop side of the adapter, there is no gap, which I truly appreciate and the magnet is very strong.

On the magnet closure, you’ll find Hoco’s logo, which I wish wasn’t there. But since it’s only etched on, it’s not very annoying. What annoyed me though is how fast this bit scratched, only few hours after wearing, even though I don’t remember doing anything hard enough to scratch it.

The shade of the adapters matches the Apple Watch Stainless Steel, so if you’re wearing this with the Aluminum Sport watch, you’ll see a difference between the adapter and the watch. My bet the band will still look great, though. Not to mention that there aren’t adapters that match the Sport edition of the watch yet.

Comfort:

Hoco Milanese Loop 3
The Hoco Milanese Loop is very comfortable to wear. Just as good as the real deal. The only time it won’t feel comfortable is if you end up working out wearing it for some reason. Although it will hold up nicely, you won’t have to worry about it coming loose, but the sweating with a Milanese Loop on is quite annoying. This probably goes to all Milanese Loops.

Quality and Durability:

Hoco Milanese Loop 4
I’ve been wearing the Hoco Milanese Loop for 2 weeks now. Apart from the scratches on the magnet closure, which isn’t that big of a deal for me personally, this band has been great. The quality is solid, feels good on wrist, did not come loose and it looks as good as Apple’s official milanese loop.

Compared to Apple’s $149 Milanese Loop, you’ll be saving A LOT by going with the Hoco Milanese Loop while getting the same look and a very close quality. I personally believe it to be absolutely worth it and highly recommend it.

Where To Buy It:

The Hoco Milanese Loop is available on Mini in The Box (where I got it from) with free expedited shipping worldwide.
Buy it from Mini In the Box Use Code HOLIDAY5OFF to take additional $5 OFF your purchase of $45+

It is also available on Amazon (Shipping fees may apply). Buy it from Amazon

The product is cheaper on Amazon, but it’s only available for US shipping. If you’re located outside of the US, purchasing from Mini in The Box is your best choice and you should receive it within 3 to 5 days with free Expedited shipping.

Nevo Watch Review
On the surface, Nevo is a classic analog watch, clean and minimal, true to its French design. But in reality, it’s a lot more. It’s a Bluetooth connected watch with the ability to track your daily activities and alert you of your smartphone notifications.

Nevo was created as an alternative to activity tracking bands that many people give up on shortly after use. It gives you all the benefits of an activity tracker, and more, without adding yet another gadget to your life. It is minimal in every way: its design, how it reports of your activities and notifications, and how it requires no maintenance on your part: no charging, no plugging in… all you have to do is wear it like you would with your regular watch.

Nevo started as a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, the company was able to raise over $300,000 in funding, which is proof that there are many people in the world who still appreciate minimalism even when it comes to technology.

The watch was provided to HolyCool by nevo for this review.

Buy Now

Specifications of Nevo Watch:

Nevo_Watch

  • French design.
  • Swiss timekeeping.
  • Sapphire glass crystal.
  • 5 ATM water resistant.
  • Tracks steps, running and swimming activities.
  • Calculates calories burned.
  • Sleep monitoring.
  • LED indicators for instant goal progress feedback.
  • Silent vibrating alarms for waking up or daily reminders.
  • LED notifications for calls, texts, emails and more.
  • No charging required. Solar option available.

What’s In the Box:

Nevo Watch_Package
Nevo arrives in a beautiful minimal package that compliments its design. Inside the box, you’ll find everything perfectly fitted in a felt compartment that should keep all your watch accessories safe. The watch I received was the Shanghai model, which is a Champagne gold case with Blueberry strap. What you’ll receive is:

Nevo_Box Contents

  • The Nevo watch.
  • Genuine leather strap, which has quick release bars already attached to them.
  • Black fabric sport strap.
  • Extra quick release bars, which you’ll need for the fabric sport strap.
  • Battery removal tool, which helps you remove the back of the watch with a simple twist.
  • A quick start guide.

The box should also include an extra battery, but unfortunately that was missing from my box due to restrictions by the courier, so whether you’ll get one or not depends on your region/courier. However, it’s not a big deal as the battery is widely available.

Putting the watch together shouldn’t take you long at all. The quick release bars are true to their name, they attach to the watch in a snap. Your next step will be to connect the watch to your phone.

Activating Your Nevo:

Nevo_Activation
After you’ve downloaded the application, which is available for both iOS and Android devices. Activation is only a tap away. First, you’ll have to enable the Bluetooth on your watch by holding the 3rd button until a blue LED flashes on the watch, then you’ll tap connect on the app. Your watch is now connected.

The Nevo App:
Nevo App

On the Nevo app, you’ll be able to do all sorts of customization:

  • You can set your daily steps goal.
  • Set your alarm.
  • Set your phone notifications and assign an LED color to each one.
  • Enable/disable Link-Loss notification which alerts you if your watch lost connection to your phone.

By default, the daily activity goal is set to 10,000 steps. You can choose from Light (7000 steps), Moderate (10,000 steps) or Intensive (20,000 steps), and each of these goals can be further customized by you.

For phone notifications, you can enable or disable alerts for calls, email, Facebook, SMS, calendar or WeChat. There are 6 different LED colors that you can assign to each notification.

With silent alarm, you can set your watch to vibrate at any time. The watch will gently vibrate 10 times and the LEDs will flash. While I believe it’s great for setting reminders, I’m not sure how effective it would be for waking someone up. Personally, I’m unable to sleep comfortably while wearing a watch, so I don’t see myself using this feature for waking up, but would definitely use it as a reminder.

The application also connects to Apple’s Health app and Google Fit. Right now, there’s no option to view your daily activity history, but this should be available soon with an app update.

Activity Tracking:

Nevo Goal Progress
Once you’ve step up your daily goal, tracking your progress can be done through the LED indicators on your watch. As you progress with your goal, more LEDs will light up. The exact number of how many steps you’ve taken is shown in the app.

As for running and swimming tracking, it’s not ready just yet, but it will be available soon as a free firmware upgrade, which is done through the app. Burned calories indicator will also be ready soon as an app update.

Phone Notifications:

Nevo LED Notifications
How notifications work is quite simple. Let’s say you receive a call that you’ve assigned the color Red for. Once you receive a call, the watch will gently vibrate and the red LED will flash for 3 times.

So far, you can track most phone notifications. In the app, there are options for calls, email, SMS, Facebook and WeChat. I was told by nevo’s team that custom notifications for Whatsapp should be available soon. From my testing, the watch did not alert me of Whatsapp messages, but for all other notifications, and my testing included: iMessage, Line messages, Snapchat notifications and even Instagram notifications, all lit up on the watch as SMS notifications.

The Battery:
As mentioned before, Nevo requires NO charging, ever! Which I absolutely love, because I really don’t need yet another device to add to a line of devices that I charge daily. The watch is powered by two batteries: the standard 364 watch battery for timekeeping, which should last you up to 5 years. And another CR2025 battery for the smart notifications that runs for about 6 months. If you opt for the Solar powered watch, you’ll have 364 for timekeeping and an Li-po rechargeable for the smart features, which will run indefinitely.

Should You Buy a Nevo Watch?

Nevo Watch Colors
Nevo makes the perfect choice for someone who is looking to keep track of their daily activities but isn’t keen on wearing an ugly silicone band. Nevo, being a watch, isn’t something you feel obligated to wear. And because it’s such a stylish watch, you’ll really want to not only wear it, but also show it off.

On the other hand, Nevo isn’t for the avid athlete who wants detailed information of their workouts, for example. The information Nevo provides is just enough to help you develop a healthier lifestyle, it makes you aware of how active you are with a quick glance. It certainly helped me become aware of how inactive I am from day one. I was shocked at the fact that I didn’t even get past 2,000 steps on the first day of using it, and now, I am actually making an effort to be more active on daily basis.

The subtle phone notifications will be appreciated by someone who does not want to be interrupted with continuous flashing messages that require much of their attention. The watch will give you a quick alert to let you know that something is up, and it goes away.

As of the time of writing this review (May 2015), the Nevo app isn’t developed enough to unlock all features of the watch, but you’ll find everything you need to get started. The best part is, the firmware of the watch is upgradable through the app. What does that mean? It means that in the future, many features could be added to your existing watch, making it an evolving product.

Nevo Watch is available in three colors: Paris (Granite case with Truffle strap), New York (Blacksmith case with Coffee strap) and Shanghai (Champagne case with Blueberry strap – which is featured in this review). Additional leather straps with the color of your choice can be purchased separately.

For more information, visit: http://www.nevocollection.com

Buy Now

UPDATE:

After using the Nevo watch awhile longer after this review, we encountered a lot of connectivity issues. The watch is simply unable to remain connected to the phone for some reason, which is quite frustrating. And unfortunately, none of the released updates seem to fix it. We’re told that Nevo is aware of this issue, and they’ve revamped their watches entirely to fix this issue. We’ll be happy to do a follow-up review on the new watch if we receive a sample.

Truffol DuraSound Speaker Review
I’ve never been a fan of portable speakers and have always been quite skeptical of their ability to provide high quality sound. By now, I’m used to my trustworthy Bose SoundDock and how it sounds, so when I was offered the DuraSound Bluetooth speaker by my friends at Truffol I wasn’t expecting much – especially for a speaker that costs less than $50, but as I know them as creators of high-quality smartphone accessories (like the Truffol Leather iPhone Skin) I thought I should give the speaker a try, and I’m really glad I did!

Specs of the Truffol DuraSound Speaker:

DuraSound Speaker Specs
As soon as I hit the play button, I was truly impressed with the sound that came out of this little speaker. Unlike speakers of its size, the sound is very clear and can be turned up really high without losing clarity.

You have two connectivity options: Bluetooth or NFC (Near Field Communication) for devices enabled with this feature. I did not have one in hand so I only tried connecting via Bluetooth, which was easy and without any issues. When you power on the speaker, it goes to pairing mode right away. On your device, you’ll select DuraSound from the Bluetooth device list, a voice prompt will alert you that you’re now paired and you should be all set.

The rechargeable battery takes 4 hours to fully charge and gives you up to 8 hours of playback time. It recharges via a micro-usb cable which is included.

Design:

DuraSound Truffol
The DuraSound is only 6.5 x 2.17 x 2.44 inches and weighs at 0.75 pounds. The design of the speaker is nothing astonishing, but it’s a design that works. The speaker is wrapped in a silicone sleeve that protects it from drops and keeps it from slipping. This rugged design makes it ready for your use and abuse indoors or outdoors.

Apart from the power button on the side, the speaker only has 3 buttons on the top. Volume buttons which are also used to return to and skip songs (light press will skip the song, pressing and holding will control volume) and the microphone button which answers and ends calls. Yes, this speaker also features a built-in mic that allows you to take calls and speak handsfree, echo-free.

Included with the speaker two cables: a micro USB for charging and an AUX cable for an additional connectivity option. The great thing is that both cables are flat and tangle-free, making them perfect for portability.

Overall:

I am rather impressed with the DuraSound’s sound quality. To be honest, I’ve not tried many Bluetooth speakers, but what I know is this: not many speakers combine Bluetooth, NFC, Speakerphone and this sound clarity in a price range under $50. The DuraSound provides a lot of value for your money indeed.

The speaker is available in 3 colors: black, yellow and blue. I would advice you pick any color other than the black as the silicone does seem to collect visible dust, although easily wiped clean. I imagine the yellow or blue to have a cleaner look.

You can learn more about the DuraSound and buy it by visiting Truffol’s website.

Buy Now

Processed with VSCOcam with t2 preset
You probably already know of Fancy’s cool subscription box where each month you get a box full of gadgets based on your interest, for $39 you get over $80+ worth of stuff. However, not all people are ready to commit to a monthly subscription (although you’re free to cancel anytime), so Fancy now offers a new option for anyone who wants to reward themselves with a box without the recurring bill, and that’d be the Fancy Mystery Box which starts at only $10!

Fancy has sent me a Mystery Box for this review, so let’s have a look…

Mystery Box

The Fancy Mystery Box is a great option for anyone looking for a surprise box at any time they want, instead of a monthly box. The price for the Mystery Box stars at $10 for a small box, $20 for a medium and $40 for a large. The Mystery Box cannot be customized by Interest like the Fancy subscription box, however, you can choose from a Men’s or Women’s box. The box I received was a $20 Medium box for Men. It included the following items:

BUTCHER'S KITCHEN APRON
Butcher’s Kitchen Apron ($35): This is my favorite item in the box. The illustrations are cool, very nicely printed and the apron feels of great quality.

Diablo III: Book of Cain

Diablo III: Book of Tyrael
Diablo III: Book of Cain ($22) and Diablo III: Book of Tyrael ($28): I am not a gamer at all, so these books are of no interest to me. But I can see how any fan of the game would be totally excited about them. Both are hardcovers that make a great collectors item for a fan.

The 4th item in the box is a Sons of a Sailor rope bracelet which I can’t seem to find on their website or  Fancy’s. Based of the price of their available bracelets, I would give it a value of $15 to $20.

Without including the price of the bracelet which I’m not sure of, this $20 box includes items valued at $85+, which is an amazing deal for sure! But since it’s a mystery box, what you receive will either be a hit or miss. Personally, out of this box, I only like the apron and I’ll be giving out the rest as gifts, which is not bad at all, you could be saving a lot on gift expenses too!

Even though I’m not %100 impressed with the box I received, I would still consider buying a Fancy Mystery Box. For $10, $20 or $40, you’ll be receiving a lot more than what you paid for, so value wise, it’s great. But like I’ve already mentioned, the items might be a hit or miss, so if you’d like to receive items that are more specific to your interest, I’d recommend the Fancy Subscription Box ($39), you can cancel before you’re charged for the next month or you can keep your subscription if you like it.

PillPack
You might find this product to be different than our usual features. But you’ll find out why we have a pharmacy service on HolyCool in a second, and if you’re someone who needs prescriptions regularly filled, you’ll want to pay attention.

PillPack.com is a new cool, ultra-modern online pharmacy that will change how you fill your prescriptions forever! Why is it cool? Let’s see…

  • You’ll never have to wait in a long queue to fill out a prescription ever again. PillPack will deliver all your meds to your doorstep, without any shipping costs!
  • You’ll never run out of meds again. All your prescriptions will be filled and delivered to you exactly when you need them.
  • PillPack will call and coordinate with your Doctor and insurance. Everything will be organized and ready for you.
  • On-Demand care team. Pharmacists will be available to answer your questions or help you 24/7.
  • Beautiful and simplified pill packaging makes it a lot easier to carry and take your medication.

PillPack Packet
PillPack Dispenser
Your pills will be organized in personalized packets. Each packet is labelled with the time of the medication, pill names and the doses. This way, you’ll always take the right medication at the right time. Your PillPacks come in a recyclable dispenser that allows you to easily tear off your med packets.

How much does a service that saves you so much time and trouble cost? Only $20 per month!

Want to give it a try? We’ve got a coupon code for you to try it for FREE! Just sign up using the link below and make sure to include the code:

Sign up for PillPack and use promo code 1FREE and get a free month worth $20!

CODE EXPIRES ON 1/17/2014

PillPack is a service that combines the power of technology and beauty of design to help you have a much better life. We truly believe that PillPack will have a great impact of many people that find it hard to manage their prescriptions. And that’s why PillPack is so Holy Cool!

Know someone who has to too many prescriptions to manage? Pass this on to them and help them simply their lives!

Truffol Review
Last month, we’ve held a giveaway for Truffol leather skins iPhone / Samsung Galaxy S4 and 15 lucky winners received their choice of model and color! The nice guys at Truffol were also kind enough to send me a couple of skins to try out for this review.

What Is the Truffol Autograph Leather Skin?

It’s a genuine leather skin with an adhesive back that you can easily apply on the back of your phone. It’s simple yet very beautiful, it instantly classes up your phone. The skin is precisely cut to fit your phone perfectly, and it’s only 0.6mm in thickness, so it doesn’t add any weight or thickness to your phone.

Truffol Review
What you get in the packages is:

  • The leather skin.
  • a complimentary screen protector, microfiber cloth and dust removal tool.

How To Apply the Skin:

It’s a pretty straight forward task. Simply peel the plastic off the adhesive back and gently apply the skin on your phone. The adhesive is good for a number of uses, not quite sure how many, but I did take it off and on again at least 5 to 6 times and it’s still holding on very well. I would advice that you keep the protective plastic in case you ever want to take the skin off and use it again at a later time. I was pleased to find out that my iPhone 5S fit nicely into the case I had even with the skin on (I use a Spigen Slim Armor Case) so you might not even need to take the skin off.

Truffol iPhone Skin Logo
Quality and Feel of the Autograph Leather Skin:

The quality is certainly of high standard. The nice smell of leather will hit you as soon as you open that package. It also has a grained texture to it that feels nice in hand. The bottom of the skin holds the logo of Truffol either in stainless steel or rose gold, depending on the color of the leather.

Truffol offers a free personalization service for the Autograph leather skin. You can have up to three letters embossed on it to make it more your own.

It’s important to note that the Truffol Autograph leather skin is not meant to be protective. Of course, it will protect the back of your phone from scratches, but this isn’t something you buy for overall protection against drops for example. That said, your phone will definitely look much better than having a case on it. I’ve already gotten so many positive comments on mine.

As I already have a screen protector on my phone, I did not apply the complimentary protector I received with the skin, so I won’t be commenting on that.

Autograph
The Autograph Leather Skin is available in four colors, and in two variants: Standard or Card, which has a pocket good for holding a credit card or a driver’s license. You can get it for your iPhone 5/5S or Samsung Galaxy S4 for only $18 or $22 for the Card version.
You can learn more about the Autograph Leather Skin here: http://truffol.com/autograph

Buy it here

Magic Wallet_Dosh
If you’ve always thought the idea of the magic wallet is cool but kind of impractical, I’ve got some great news for you! I have found the most practical, durable and modern magic wallet you can get, which I’ll be reviewing here courtesy of our friends at DOSH.

If you’re not familiar with the concept of a magic wallet, watch the following video of a Dosh Magic Wallet that we’re borrowing from YouTube:

Magic Wallet_DOSH
The DOSH Magic Wallet is quite fun, and unlike many other fun products in the world, that does not compromise the quality of it. It is compact in size (105 x 74 x 12mm), very light and is made of superior TPU material that feels nice in hand and is quite durable. The outside features 4 slots that hold 1 card each. On the inside, the straps are of TPU material as well, they’ll hold your cash and receipts securely in place.

DOSH Magic Wallet
I’ve been using this magic wallet by DOSH for around a week or so, and this is how I feel about it so far:

What I like:

  • The cool factor! My friends have been quite impressed and they’re still trying to figure out how it really works.
  • It’s made of solid material. This wallet won’t tear or break anytime soon. It’s also waterproof.
  • It’s very minimal, small in size, and easy to carry in a pocket without crowding it.

What I don’t like:

  • The card slots, although they hold the cards securely, I don’t like that in the second slot the card sticks almost half way out.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the Magic Wallet by DOSH. I knew I was becoming a fan of DOSH products since I reviewed their Syncro iPhone Wallet Reviewing a second product by them confirms their dedication to superior quality, functionality and innovation.

The DOSH Magic Wallet is available in 7 color combinations. You can get yours for $49.95 and get FREE worldwide shipping. Buy it here

Printsagram_Main
If your Instagram account is full of daily snapshots, artistic photography, vacation photos, random pics of you, your friends or family having fun… those sweet memories and art creations deserve to be printed and shared. One of the coolest services that does just that, print your Instagram photos is Printstagram. I was offered a coupon code by Printstagram to give their service a try for this review, so here it is!

With Printstagram you can print your Instagrams as greeting cards, poster, framed prints, calendars, a tiny book or squares, which is what I’m reviewing here.

Printstagram
For just $12, you can get either 24 4” squares or 48 2 3/8” mini squares. You can create your prints either on the web, where you’ll be connected to your Instagram account to choose the photos you want printed, or you can do it directly on your iPhone using the Printstagram app. I printed my photos using the website; the process was simple and all in all, it took less than 10 minutes to choose my photos and submit the order, but I should mention that I have only a bit over 100 photos in my account. Although, even if you happened to have a 1000 photos, you’ll be able to easily view them and choose from them.

A little over 24hrs after placing my order, it was ready and on its way to me. Shipping was super fast, Printstagram uses courier shipping for a flat rate of $7 for US and $12 for International orders, so you know your order will arrive faster than regular post, and you don’t have to worry about shipping cost no matter how many products you buy.

Printstagram2
I was quite pleased with the photos. The paper quality is superb and so is the printing. Overall, I’m very pleased with the entire experience Printstagram provided, from photo selection to order processing and shipping.

I highly recommend giving Printstagram a try. Any of their products would make a wonderful personal holiday gift. And if you don’t have an Instagram account, you can use their other printing services: Blue Prints for Facebook photo printing or Print Studio for printing photos directly from your computer.

While back we featured Foldable.Me, a website that allows you to create a customizable cardboard toy that looks like you or any one you like. The nice folks at Foldable.Me presented me with a free toy for this review.

Customize Foldable Me
The task of creating a Foldable is quite easy and a lot of fun. You can choose from a wide variety of features to create your lookalike. After, or while you’re creating your Foldable, you have to option to save all your creations for reference or later editing. If you’re done creating your toy, add it to cart, checkout and it should be on its way to you in about a day.

Foldable Me_Cardboard
You’ll receive your Foldable in a single sheet of cardboard paper. The printing and paper are of really good quality, so there’s no worries of color fading or paper breaking in your hand. There’s no need for cutting or gluing either, you’ll simply pop out, fold edges and slot the pieces together. It takes a few minute to put together , all hassle-free.

Foldable Me
The result is a mini you with an oversized square head. My Foldable sits on my desk to keep me company. It has received a lot of good comments and brought on a lot of smiles!

You can get your Foldable at Foldable.me for $11.99 with free worldwide shipping.

While back, we featured Projecteo, the tiny Instagram projector. The folks at Projecteo were kind enough to send us one for a review, so here it is!

ProjecteoProjecteoProjecteo
Much like its title suggests, Projecteo is quite tiny. It is practically weightless and fits in the palm of your hand. For $34.98, you will get:

  • The Projecteo projector
  • One reel of photos (9 photos per reel).
  • Batteries.
  • Free worldwide shipping

By connecting to Instagram through Projecteo’s site, you’ll be able to view all your photos and add them to your reel. You can create and add additional reels to your order at $8.99 per reel.

Operating your Projecteo couldn’t be simpler, just insert the reel, turn the projector on and you’re all set. To change from one photo to another, you’ll manually rotate the wheel. At first, the projected image can be out of focus, so you’ll have to rotate the lens on the projector to get the right focus.

Projecteo 3
Projecteo works 100% as promised, the photos are well-printed into the reel (if that’s the correct technical term) and display nicely on the wall. It was hard for me to take a photo of it in action, so in reality it is better than pictured above. The following video will give you a better idea for how it works:

Projecteo is a great little toy that will give you a new fun way to share photos with family and friends. It’s not a high-tech gadget, and that’s the beauty of it. It’s quite simple in how it works, and its small size makes it easy to enjoy anywhere.

You can learn more and get your Projecteo at Getprojecteo.com.

Buy it here

Whooz Iz It Labels
Few months ago, we featured Whooz? Vinyl labels for iDevice chargers which allows you to personalize and give each charger you have a character. No one will steal your charger and pretend it’s theirs anymore! The project on Kickstarter initially needed $6000 to get off the ground, but raised $20,000 instead!

Sativa Turner, creator of Whooz? Labels was kind enough to send me a set of stickers for a review.

Whooz Iz It Labels
Whooz Iz It Labels
I got the iPhone Character set, which includes 4 characters for iPhone chargers. Each sheet includes labels for the charger, the USB cable as well as the earphones.

The package features clear instructions on how to apply the labels and which part goes where (tips are written inside the package), it shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to apply them and transform your charger into a character.

Whooz Iz It Labels 1
The labels are of great quality, they’re made of vinyl so they should be durable and won’t peel off or wipe out easily. The product is very cute as much as it is functional. I believe this is a must-have for any family or individual that owns many iDevices. We’ve all been in situations where someone “borrows” our charger then suddenly that charger becomes theirs somehow. Or your charger gets mixed up with an old and worn out one and you wonder why it’s not working properly anymore. Well, all those issues are no-more with Whooz ID labels. And even if you don’t need to ID your charger, those stickers are just cool to have.

The Whooz? labels are available for iPhone and iPad chargers in a character set or color set. Get yours at WhoozIzIt.com for $12.95 per pack. Buy it here

Tarxia-Cover

A while back, we featured Tarxia; an iPhone 4/4S wood back covers handcrafted in Granada, Spain using Taracea, a 700 years old technique that originated from the Arabian Andalusi world. One of the creators of Tarxia, Adrián Rosales Millán, was kind enough to offer me one for a  hands-on review.

Design & Materials:

The Tarxia collection features 4 designs that feature distinctive geometric designs associated with Arabian Andalusi art. You’ll notice how different these designs are from all available iPhone cover designs at first sight. They truly stand out.

Tarxia_Process

Tarxia Process2

Different types of wood are used as the main material for these covers. Geometric mosaics are cut and assembled, piece by piece, by local craftsmen in Granada who specialize in the Taracea technique. The result is a beautiful piece of art to go with your iPhone.

Although Tarxia is made of wood, it feels very smooth, almost like a ceramic tile. The varnishing used gives it a smooth matt finish, it protects it from scratches and water and makes it safe for daily use.

Installation:

Now it’s important to understand that this is not your usual case or a cover, it is actually a back panel that replaces your iPhone’s glass battery cover. The idea of Tarxia is that it gives your iPhone an artistic look and necessary protection without adding any volume to it or taking away from its design and shape. So installing a Tarxia back cover requires some work, but it’s quite simple… it took me less than 2 minutes to install.

Tarxia-Package Tarxia_Back-Panel
Simply, you’ll have to unscrew your iPhone’s back panel using the provided screwdriver. The back panel slides up and can be easily removed. Then, you’ll replace it with the Tarxia back panel and put the screws back in place. And you’re done!

If you’re worried about the iPhone’s camera, flash or any performance related issues – the replacement of the back panel will not affect those in any way. I’ve been using my iPhone with Tarxia installed for nearly a week now and have not noticed any changes whatsoever. The only thing that’s changed is that I’ve been getting some serious compliments!

Tarxia_

The Tarxia I’m reviewing here is the Kaleidoscope which is quite imaginative and gives off different patterns as you look at it.

You can see the entire collection here: http://www.tarxia.com/shop/ And you can find some making-of photos of Tarxia here: http://www.tarxia.com/lookbook/

If you’ve upgraded to an iPhone 5, the Tarxia team is already working on a back cover for it, as well as a new range of designs.

Buy it here

 

Like I mentioned in the SigniCASE Natural Amplifier review post, I had another SigniCASE product for a review, and that is the M9 Camera iPhone Case. For people who are still not quite ready to upgrade to a new iPhone, this is a nice case to consider.

SigniCASE’s M9 iPhone case is made of bamboo, and it is engraved to add a camera’s details to the case. The engraving is quite impressive, it’s not just engraved lines on the case, it’s very detailed with a 3D effect to it.

The case fits your iPhone snugly, it’s the kind of case that you slide into your phone. It’s constructed of two halves, the phone slides to the top half, then you slide in the bottom half. On the inside, the two halves have suede padding so you don’t have to worry about scratching your iPhone.

The case does make your iPhone a little bulky. And while it looks very nice, I’m not sure of how protective it is. I did have a little issue with it (it was totally my fault, though)… I had a small ring around the iPhone’s camera for a magnetic lens, so when I slid in the top half of the case it cracked a little on the top. The good news it, the crack doesn’t even show, and when I removed the ring, the case held together like new.

Overall, I’m quite happy with this case, I just  love the camera look it gives my iPhone.

Here’s the sweet part: You can get $10 OFF your purchase if you decide to purchase something from SigniCASE. Just enter code btks12 at check out. *Code is valid for the first 100 orders*

The SigniCASE case is available in different camera designs and you get to choose from Walnut, Bamboo or Sapele. $42.99 Buy it here