Gadget Girl Reviews 2014 Look back and favorites!

2014 Gadgety Memories

Above are just some of the product reviews I brought to you this year.

Its been an exciting year for gadgets and gizmos and Ive had such a great opportunity to review and share many products with you all; but some have really stood out for me personally and I want to let you know which of these products are my firm favorites of 2014.

For a product to become a firm favorite with us it has to not just do what it is intended for, it has to be well made, well designed and for me/us to be still using it; not shoved into a drawer never to see light of day again. The above products are just some of those Im still using.

Not often however does a product have a massive impact on my life....

The gadget which has had the biggest impact on my life this year has to be the massive change from my iphone 3G to my Samsung Galaxy S4 (checkout my full review I did back in May this year)...wow what a difference its made; not just with its incredible technology but the amazing amount of apps that are making a difference to my life and making certain things easier. (Ill be doing a post on apps to change your life early January).

Plus with the inbuilt camera I am now addicted to Instagram with a vengeance...better late than never eh! 

 CHARGERS FOR YOUR DEVICES

For me its a one stop shop no need to go anywhere else for your charger gadgets!

With the latest tech comes lack of battery power and Mobile Solar Chargers came to my rescue this year and offered me a few of their incredible products to share with you all and wow did these make life easier.

With a brilliant selection of products you will never have a flat battery ever again; each one is ideal for most needs.

 QI Wireless Car Charger and Cradle for your car, perfect for those that work from their car, this amazing fast QI charger works wirelessly on the go. Those who love camping or festivals really NEED the Aqua Trek USB waterproof charger...plus it has a torch too.

  Traveller dual USB solar charger and the bright USB flexi light will fit any USB power like the the Traveller and the Aqua trek; ideal for summer reading outside, power cuts or anything.

Finally by no means least is the incredible elegant Premium Ultra Thin QI Wireless Phone Charging Pad and Samsung Galaxy wireless reciever card. for the home; just pop your phone on the sleek thin pad in any position and it will charge your phone wirelessly. I charge my phone when I grab a coffee or watch TV it keeps it regularly topped up and looks cool too.

Mini portable Speakers

Its been a year for mini speakers this year and there has been an explosion of wired and Bluetooth mini portable speakers and Gadget Girl has been fortunate enough to bring you quite a variety.

On the top line you can see my top 3 favorites;

Kitsound Cadet because of its amazing sound as well as ruggedness, its perfect attached to my camera rucksack.

 The Kitsound Hive Modern, classic look with great sound and bass.

OXA NFC Bluetooth Natural Wood Design wireless stereo speaker This is fab quality and tech with its Bluetooth or wired connection; incredible sound and radio too; its the only speaker I had this year with a radio which was a lovely bonus.

 The next line are a fun selection still with great sound quality.

 Deadmau5/ Kinivo ZX100 Mini Portable Speaker/  The Kitsound/My Doodles wireless Kids speaker dock

 Which was your favorite from my reviews or do you have another that you love let me know..?

ACTION CAMS

2014 was also the year of the Action camera; everyone went mad for the GoPro's but we have many other products just as good. Ive always used video on my S4 and my Panasonic Lumix TZ30, plus my main Canon 7D; but it was exciting to have the opportunity to bring you some fun, new alternatives.

In came The Mecam this genius new rechargeable action cam from the US which you wear as a badge, perfect for you James/Jane Bond wanabe's. Capture footage and be hands free at parties, barbeques, don't miss a moment; plus it comes with an SD card; ready to use. I forgot I was wearing mine and being so discreet its ideal for people who are nervous of cameras in their face.

One of my favorites to review this year was the The Kitvision Splash Im in love with this product, its waterproof, adorable, portable, rechargeable and the perfect alternative to the more expensive ones, it comes with everything you need already in the box; checkout my photo-loaded review and video HERE.

  Little Acorn 12 mega pixels Trail Camera

I actually got my dream product to review this year something Ive wanted for years and being passionate about wildlife and a Spring-watch fan; Ive always wanted to see whats in our garden or surrounding woodland. I got my chance when I was so kindly sent this little Acorn to review and is one of my favorites for this year as Im still using it now. It has time-lapse, motion detection and so much more; this brilliant cam is perfect for the outdoors giving you that excitement to see whats living in and around your garden or used as a security camera; either way a brilliant high end cam.

Checkout my videos here

Soon I will be showing you my NEW Pivot head high end spy glasses, for pictures and video.

UNIQUE and the genius IDEAS

I also got the opportunity to share with you some really unique products too and some of my favorites were.

The ZBand

A vibrating alarm clock that wont wake anyone else but YOU up in the morning; looks elegant, modern and most if all Fun, isnt that what gadgets are all about...brilliant!

The Gerp

Im still using this unique and genius way to support my devices its secure, stylish and a great conversation starter and looks damn cool too!

Venostech Sidecars

I cannot stress how excited I was to get the opportunity to show you guys this unique way to have 3 screens using your own devices. I already use 3 monitors but to have the chance to view 3 screen when outside or in another room is genius; how many times will this help you guys with your work or studies and it works, such a brilliant simple design...see my full review HERE!

Photojojo iPhone and Android lens series

 As a photographer I love anything which allows me to take great images and have fun doing so. Being so new to mobile photography I was super excited to try the Photojojo 3 lens selection. 

This really made a huge difference to my mobile photography and makes it fun too. Checkout the images I captured using these clever excellent quality lenses HERE!

KITCHEN & HEALTH

It wasn't just sound and vision reviews this year; Ozeri really pulled the stops out and sent some really amazing products to review; all the above we are still using almost daily . We didn't know we needed a Ozeri Stone Earth Frying Pan and an  Ozeri Duo Ultra Salt and Pepper Grinder Review until we started using them. Now we cant cook without them.

The Ozeri 4X3 digital Motion Pedometer Review is one of the best/first ones with tri-axis movement and is so responsive. Its fascinating to see what you can walk in a day and try to beat it regularly.

JUST FOR FUN!

I also had the opportunity to review some fun ideas that make you smile too.

From the top;

Adam the Doodles man and Rover the Doodles dog.

 Shoeps super Laces

 The Squishables

 Trendz 10 inch Ladybird Character case & USB Bee

I have so many other products I have loved this year like my Nexus 10, and cant mention them all in one post; so these are just a selection that I really love and are still using regularly.

 Thanks to everyone who has visited GGR over the year and a huge thank you to the many companies who have kindly sent their products for review.

So go checkout my main page of gadgets reviews and see if there is something that catches your eye; let me know what you like Id love to hear your favorites too?

It doesn't stop here I have many reviews coming up in 2015 and a big give-away coming too, so keep a watchout and I will see you all very soon.

Coming Soon on Gadget Girl reviews

Chippex Car paint kit
You will be seeing me fix some chips on my own car using the latest video glasses from Pivothead, so you will be seeing what Im seeing; the best point of view to see all the action.

Kudu Pivothead glasses and air sync unit.

Plus some more fun new products coming up in 2015
Do any of these products catch your eye; do you have any of these, let me know what you think?

Oregon Scientific Prysma projection clock with indoor/outdoor temp

Something for the girls!
My new charm Pandora bracelet and charms.

Bluetooth Selfie monopod

1Byone Safety driveway alarm.
1Byone USB Smart charger

Selection of Griffin and Survivor cases for the S4
+ Give away!

Selection of Friendly Swede Paraband survival bracelets and cords.

 Garrett EuroAce Metal Detector
Black Ada Invader 2 Metal detecting trowel.



 
 Garrett Pinpoint probe

Children of the After: Awakening, Revelation, Evolution Book #1 #2 #3 by Jeremy Laszlo Book Reviews

Children of the After: Awakening
Children of the After: Revelation #2
Children of the After: Evolution #3
 by Jeremy Laszlo

I was lucky to get book 1 when it was free on Amazon UK and have been hooked on this series ever since; plus I thought Id keep the whole series together in one large review as they are so quick to read being novellas.

Children of the After: Awakening

Blurb

 It has been six months since their father locked them in the security vault with a promise to return. But he never came back. With supplies running out and vital life support systems failing, Jack, Samantha, and Will have no choice but to ignore their father’s warnings and leave the vault. With no knowledge of what befell the world outside, or what they might expect once the door is opened, they find themselves in a world they do not recognize.

Thrust into the remains of the world they remember, how will they survive on their own, not knowing what or who else remains amongst the ruins?

I dont often read Young adult books but there was something about the blurb that caught my imagination and attention and the book was FREE what had I to lose.

I read this book in one sitting as its in between a novel and novella and I simply couldn't put it down. Its perfect for the teens but some adults may enjoy this too. I loved the 3 separate characters of the kids and showing so clearly the different ages. Its well written and has brilliant character development as the kids have to to start fending for themselves. We watch them grow as scared children to becoming pretty sensible when needed even the youngest Will whose 14 year old sister Sam has taken to her "Mum" role perfectly and Jack is the brilliant older brother we all want to have. 

I love the extremely close bond they have between them and Jeremy most certainly has experience with kids to write with such detailed and childhood understanding. The childlike terminology brings this book together and kids will love this read....all wanting to be Jack Im sure.

Locked in their home's vault by their Dad for safety, running out of food they have to leave before they starve; and to their shock discover utter devastation; their home and city destroyed but who is following them; who is the older man on a horse and the even stranger monkey-like beings?

I would have loved for this to have been much longer as I prefer novels and getting completely immersed into a read. I finished this compelling read within 2.5 hours and went onto buy the second immediately as I simply NEED to know what happens next as it ends on a sort of cliffhanger.

A good start to this series and I'm now off to download book 2...watch this space!

Buy yours from
Amazon UK
US
Goodreads

Children of the after revelation # 2

Blurb

Having learned of the destruction of their world, Jack, Sam, and Will are forced to flee the security of their Grandparent’s home with blood thirsty beasts hot on their trail. Leaving the dark rider and the answers he likely had behind, they again are forced to fend for themselves as they are pursued relentlessly.

It isn't until they begin to see signs of life that hope is rekindled, but with the beasts gaining on them, will they reach what surely must be salvation, or will they fall victim to the creatures that destroyed the world they once knew.
Book 2 of this series is an even faster paced read than the first which I actually enjoyed more.
Will Jack Sammy find Tammy a mute friend who saves their lives several times.
Finding the safety of a resistance camp they discover more about her and the aliens attacking.

Despite being a teen read I actually enjoyed this more than the first book and I whisked through this read in under 3 hours thoroughly enjoying the unexpected twists and turns although like other reviewers I wish it were longer.
 The story has really grown on me and is so intriguing. Its been written with such a realistic child's point of view which will really appeal to the kids out there. I would say its definitely a teen read but some adults may still enjoy it like me as Jeremy has created a good balance between teen and adult reads.
I'm loving the realistic character development of the three kids; especially Will who is having to grow up fast. The author is clearly a parent as he's nailed the different reactions from the kids and how they deal with things slightly differently according to age.
Tammy is a fab new character and not only is she great for girl power; the author is making a valid point that just because someone is different it doesn't mean they are bad...showing humans can be cruel with things they don't understand....high five Mr Laszlo.

What makes this read slightly different from other alien reads is the fact they are dealing with a variety of aliens not just the one; plus you don't know if its an alien standing next to you.....
The gore and horror is toned down quite a bit as a teen read; but the excellent storyline makes up for this. I hope Mr Laszlo will turn to more adult novels as I personally prefer more horror and gore but I love his writing style. I did however chose to download these books already knowing it was YA.
Overall another compelling, engaging read and I cant wait for book 3.

Now off to checkout Book 3!

Buy yours from
 Amazon UK
 US
 Goodreads

Children of the after: Evolution #3
 by Jeremy Laszlo

Blurb

Having stolen the pickup, Ole Bessy, from the Resistance, Jack, Samantha, and Will find themselves on the run once again. Pursued by those who had once kept them as captives, they are forced to flee into the unknown.

Now that Tammy’s secret has been exposed, she reveals to her friends a prophecy of her people, further complicating the web of fate the siblings find themselves in.

Finding both new allies and new foes, revealed secrets will lead them all to ‘The City of Angels’ to face the ultimate threat by the invaders themselves.

Being a complete apocalypse junkie I powered through Evolution book 3 after enjoying the other 2 so much; but annoyingly didn't find it as compelling as the first two in the series. But Im sure this is just a slight slow down maybe ready for book 4? I understand you cant keep up the fast pace or it could get too samely.

Saying that I thoroughly enjoyed the three kids practicing their new superpowers and I'm really loving little Will's brilliantly developing character. Its wonderful to see him becoming a huge part in keeping the group safe especially his new pet....!

Just to say Im well above the age group of this series...eeep...young at heart though...but still enjoyed this read and will be reading book 4 ASAP hoping its picked up!

Author Bio

First and foremost I am a father and a husband. I work full time as a civilian employed by the US army, and have also been known as a welder, electrician, carpenter, roofer, writer, painter, CNC machinist, and amongst many other things a romantic. I also belong to the eternal fraternal brotherhood of the United States Marine Corps, having served 8 years that showed me a much broader perspective of the world at large serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, The war on Terrorism, and the humanitarian effort in Liberia.

I currently live in southern Louisiana with my wife and children, though I grew up in Michigan, graduating high school in Mason MI. I also spent time living in North Carolina, Florida, and California during my time in the United States Marine Corps. I have always dreamed of publishing my work, and seeing it on a bookshelf in a store, however with the huge shift to digital media I finally realized that the dream was in my own hands. I tell my children that they can live their dreams, and I believe in leading by example.

I enjoy writing across several different genres from poetry, to children's stories, to full epic fantasies. Creating new characters for my readers to connect with, new worlds for them to immerse themselves in, and new ideas to wrap their minds around is an amazing if not humbling experience. I hope that all my readers can take something away from each of my books, and enjoy reading them just as much as I have enjoyed putting them in print.

Prior to writing this novel, I hadn't published a single thing my own girls could read. It was with that in mind that this new series was created, and I couldn't write this first novel fast enough for them. They were ravenous in its consumption, reading each chapter right after I had it completed. It feels like a wonderful achievement to create something your children appreciate and enjoy. Inspiring a child's imagination is the most humbling thing in the entire world, for they are unrestrained and can see what others miss. Thank you all for your wonderful support and feedback. I hope you have all enjoyed reading this first installment as much as I have in writing it.

Jeremy Laszlo

The Kitvision Splash Action Cam Review

Kitvision Splash

 I'm actually bubbling with excitement today as I've got a product I feel most of you will love.
We live in a time where so many of us document our lives especially the special events. More and more people choose to record much more even down to their everyday lives, blogging especially has taken off hugely this year.

The action cam has exploded on to the scene over the last few years and I feel it will be on many peoples Christmas list this year. Of course the most popular action cam is the GoPro which I will refer to in the future as the "other-cam"; but many of us can't justify the high price tag of just the name.

 So drumroll and Ill stop rambling and introduce you to the new 

Kitvision Splash....who needs the "other-cam"!

Click after the jump to see my Oober photo-loaded review and video.

Warning it really is photoloaded....I loved it so much!

I have to say Kitvision really have got it right with the Splash what do you think of when you think of Splash...well I personally think of Summer fun at the beach, at the swimming pool...all in all I think having fun and memories.

High five...Kitvision!

Packaging

As soon as I took my cam out of the packaging it's substantial weight felt really good and I loved this clever packaging...might I say very, very similar to the "other-cam"...hmmm....but it does look damn good!

I love the fact the cam is attached by one of the many clamp attachments to the inside of the box. I loved the brightly coloured imagery and it shows everything this cam can do.

This is what I saw when I first opened the box,literally a box full of clamps and attachments...you don't get this with the "other-cam" you have to buy ALL of these separately even after paying a small fortune for the item itself.

Look at what you get for well under £80 its incredible.

Here we go, lets list whats in the box..just because I need to to show you just what your getting;

• Kitvision Splash in the choice 1 of 3 colours; Blue, Pink or Black.
• Waterproof case.
• Vented helmet mount and strapping.
• 90 degree mount adapter.
• Hook mount.
• Bicycle mount.
• Flat adhesive mount.
• Tripod adapter.
• 3M adhesive pads.
• User manual.
• USB cable.

What a box full its incredible value for money and an excellent quality cam too..but I will tell you more about that later.

Checkout this box of adapters and mounts all inclusive with your Splash!

These adapters and mounts allow you to fit this cam to helmets for all action sports, specialized bicycle adapter and the adhesive mount ideal for surfing or snow boarding. Something for everyone here.

The above piks shows how the Splash will attach to a bicycle or mountain bike. The next pik shows the cam attached to the helmet mount.

Description

This adorable Kitvision Splash to summarize as there is sooo much to this little gem of a cam.

It is a simple to use ONE touch recording action cam with an LCD screen on the back to compose your shots and view playback.

It has full HD 1080p video and 12 MP photos to give you stunning quality and capture all your most treasured moments. You have everything you need to attach your cam to bikes, helmets, snow boards,  selfie poles and tripods so you don't miss a thing!

The Splash arrives in its own colour coordinated waterproof case included.

This super strong enclosure is so well built, on one side is the pink fold clamp to seal this case tightly closed, the other side shows how well designed the thick plastic hinges are.

 The shutter button is extended into the case itself so you only need 1 touch to capture your favorite moments even while underwater. Its beautifully sealed and easily pressed from the outside. Often these cases have stiff hard to use shutter buttons, this is smooth and responsive.

Using the arrow for guidance flip open the tight clamp closure to open the waterproof case. This allows you to remove the cam to charge and access all the settings.

You can see here just what fab quality this case really is; the ABS plastic case surround has a really nice 3-4mm thickness all the way round so it also protects from bangs and scratches too. The front lens has a separate plastic piece which is crystal clear with a waterproof seal. I love the colour coordinated lens surround this really adds a fun touch to your cam. The bottom comes with a built in tripod thread.

Im so impressed with this case; just look how well made and designed it is. The hinge is built out of the cases ABS plastic with a metal pin for extra strength.

A waterproof seal surrounds the whole inner square to prevent any leaks.The door even has 2 spongy strips to cushion the cam while inside the case giving a really firm tight fit; this prevents any jiggling inside which could damage your cam. How many waterproof cases are ill fitting and do more damage especially with action sports. This will keep your Splash safely and firmly inside, dust free and waterproof. There is no way this will fall out believe me.

Excellent tripod mount with brass thread on both Splash and case; both with embossing for extra grip.

Once out of the waterproof case your little Splash really is small..its adorable.

 This gorgeous mini cam is beautifully designed with the coordinated colour glossy pink front panel.
The lens is fixed at f/3.2 which will give you faster shutter, better in low light images, sharp focus and slightly blurred backgrounds making your subject pop. The 4 holes are for the speaker/microphone.

 All the surrounding sides have a nobbly texture for better grip; as being so small it could easily slip from your fingers.

The top has a nice 1cm square shutter/play button showing a small video camera. Then you have charging port and TF SD card slot on one side and the Mode button and HDMI port on the other; plus a reset button.

3.7cm x 3cm or 1.7 inch corner to corner bright LCD screen; which is easy to see and read. Here you can alter the settings to suit you using the mode and shutter buttons.

 Just some of the easy to read settings screen.

Easy to charge using the USB cable provided, the red LED shows its charging and turns off when fully charged.

It charges within 3-4 hours or less; just brilliant.

The Splash's first day out to the beach....brrr

The Splash and a trip to the beach, I simply took the Splash and the Selfie pole so I could take the Splash for a test dip in the sea...without me getting to wet in the process...or that was the plan.
*Result one pair of soggy seawater wellies; the things I do for reviews ;-)

Before putting the Splash in the case I left the closed waterproof case in a bowl of water for a few hours to make sure it didn't have any leaks before taking the cam for its first dip in the British sea....brr it was a really cold dull day.

Here is the Splash in action

I found the LCD screen easy to see even through the case but you do need to sort your settings before putting into the case as once inside all you can do is press the shutter/record button.

This worked perfectly for me however,

 One of my favorite images Ive taken with the Splash; gorgeous colour, contrast and sharp.

The Photos

The shutter button is responsive and fast even through the case. I set the images at maximum 12MP to see the quality and I wasn't disappointed as you can see above.

The quality of the images are just brilliant the 12MP camera is sharp and  saturation is balanced. You have a huge range of settings just for the camera side of things; these are on par with expensive high end cameras. Being a photographer myself I love the fact I can alter my white balance, ISO and exposure to + and -3 is just fab and all this is done so quickly if I want to alter anything. I particularly love the scene modes; although I chose beach as I was going to the beach but it turned cloudy and I should have altered to cloudy white balance so you can see if the images look this good, how good they could have looked.

Camera settings

• Images; single, timed with choices of 2/5/10 seconds intervals.
• Resolution; VGA/1.3/3/5/8/10/12MP.
• Quality; Normal/fine/super fine.
• Sharpness; Soft/Normal/Sharp.
• Exposure; -3EV to +3EV.
• White Balance; Auto/Daylight/Cloudy/Fluorescent/Incandescent.
• Colour: Standard, Sepia, Mono, Vivid.
• ISO; Auto 100/200/400.
• Scene Mode Auto/Scenery/ Portrait/ Night Scenery/ Night Portrait/ Night Sensitivity/ Beach.
• Anti-shake on or off.
• Continuous shot; takes 6 piks continuously.

When taking images in the waterproof case; be aware you can get a fish eye effect in some positions...not all positions; but hey this is pretty cool...fish eye lenses are expensive.

*Please ignore the date and time as in my eagerness to play with my Splash I forgot to set it. Its easily done or you can turn it off completely. 

Please see my own video footage samples above.

Video

You will see in my video footage that the sound once in the case is really muffled and can barely be heard; except for the crash of sea and pebbles against the case. This is clearly stated too in the manual.

The audio is clear and crisp when not in the case. Im also impressed with the variety of settings available in the Splash; checkout what you can change and the fact it has Motion detection is pretty cool too, me thinks trail-cam for animal footage.

Video settings

• Size; 1080p/720p/VGA/QVGA.
• Exposure; -3EV to +3EV.
• White Balance; Auto/Daylight/Cloudy/Fluorescent/Incandescent.
• Anti-shake; on/off.
• Loop recording; off/3minutes/ 5minutes/ 10minutes.
• Motion detection; on/off.
• Record audio; on/off.
• Date stamp; on/off.

I love the fact it has the bonus of motion detection, loop as well as the photographic settings white balance and exposure.

The Science Bit 

 (for those that want all the techy details.)

• Available in 3 colours.
• Waterproof up to 15m.
• Video resolution: 1080p 25fps/720p 30fps.
• Video Modes: Loop recording and Motion detecting.
• Video frequency: 50hz/60hz.
• TV modes: PAL/NTSC.
• Photo resolution: 1.3/3/5/8/10/12MP.
• Photo Modes: Single shot/ Timed/ Continuous shooting.
• Micro SD/Micro SDHC up to 32GB (not included).
• Sensor: 5MP.
• Lens: 120 deg, f/2.5. f=3.2.
• Screen 1.77 TFT LCD.
• Mini HDMI output.
• Built in microphone speaker.
• Rechargeable Built in battery.
• Battery life: up to 90 minutes.
• Weight: 60g without case.

Measurements

Height is 4.8cm

Width is 5cm.

Depth inc lens is 3.6cm

Pro's

• 3 great colours.
• One touch recording.
• Full HD video 1080P.
• Video 1080@25fps or 720@30fps.
• Motion detection.
• 12MP camera.
• Single shot, times, continuous, and scene modes.
• Waterproof up to 15m.
• Rechargeable.

Con's

• A pouch would have made it perfect to keep all the mounts and USB cables in...or just the Splash and cable for my handbag.
• Addicted to capturing your memories and others.

Improvement Ideas

• An improvement; would be nice to have a cheap Micro SD card to use from the box.

Buy yours from

Amazon Uk

£69.99

Kitvision.co.uk

 All my thanks goes to the lovely girls from Kitvision and Kondor for sending me the Splash for this review free of charge.

All my views and opinions are my own.