Gadgets – frederikboving

Review: TP-Link Tapo C100 WiFi Camera

With a price around 30 EUR (Europe), my first thought was that this little WiFi enabled camera could not be of much quality. But I was wrong! Read on to find out why!

I find the market for WiFi cameras very difficult to “read” – there seems to be so many vendors and so many options from each vendor, that it is overwhelming. Also, I know that once you get “stuck” in the eco system of a particular vendor, it can be an investment – both in terms of time and money – to switch to a new vendor. So after a few weeks of trying to find some way to navigate in this universe, I simply gave up and went for this relatively cheap camera just to see what it would do. And I was positively surprised.

My use case is simply to be able to follow what is going on in my summer house when I am not around. My plan is to start in-door – I may add outdoor cameras later. But I decided to start small and take it from there.

The TP-Link Tapo C100 camera is delivered in a small box with the camera itself, a small template to mount the 2 screws to hold the camera, a power supply and a super short user guide. The latter is more or less just a QR code to get you started downloadning the associated app. Once you have drilled the two supplied screws into the wall using the template, the wholes in the mount plate hook the camera to the wall and the major part of the HW installation is done. The TP-Link Tapo C100 camera comes with a small power supply that needs to be connected to the camera, so you need a location for the camera where a power plug is not too far away.

I was pleased to find that the TP-Link Tapo C100 camera is small – I have seen other cameras designed for outdoor usage that are much larger and dominating. I feared that the video and lens quality would be sub standard because of the low price and the small camera, but it is not – the camera delivers a both wide and sharp image. Of course it is only 1080p, but on my iPhone (15) it looks really sharp and clear. You can zoom in by double tapping or pinching. As it is a budget camera, there is not mechanical tilt or panning available – the lens sits and gives you the view as you left it at the installation.

Hooking the TP-Link Tapo C100 camera up to my WiFi was easy – after you have installed the app, it will guide you through the installation process. It follows the same process as many other gadgets where you are asked to join the WiFi network the camera provides, and from here the camera does the rest.

The camera has surprisingly much functionality – you can listen to what is going on in the room, and you can talk to someone in the room via the camera. The sound quality is not impressive, but if you want to say hello to your cat sleeping in your sofa, the sound is useful but far from beautiful.

It also allows you to be alerted every time someone steps into the view of the camera. This is of course very useful to keep burglars out (you can shout at them via the speaker), but after 20 notifications triggered by my cat, I decided to turn it off. But it works really well, although it can be fooled by a ray of sun dancing on a wall, if the size of the sun-ray is sufficiently large.

Some of the more expensive cameras has a privacy mode where the camera mechanically blocks the lens. The TP-Link Tapo C100 camera cannot offer this mechanical privacy mode, but does offer a more digital one where it electronically turns off the camera and also the red LED in the camera, to show it is not recording. I would feel more comfortable with the mechanical privacy mode of course, but find that the option the C100 offers is ok taking the price point into consideration.

The camera delivers colour images during daytime and black and whites during nighttime. In the example above you can see a screen copy from the app during nighttime. I find the night view useful – the camera can actually see more than I can during nighttime!

If you want to, you can buy a micro SD card and install it in the camera. This enables you to capture up to 16 days of live capture (claimed). I have not tested this part as I have no use for this feature, nor did I sign up for the cloud solution Tp-link offers to capture data. I would imagine these solutions to be helpful if you want to be absolutely sure to capture footage of potential burglars. You can initiate a video capture from the app and store it on your phone, but I would imagine this is more relevant for short videos for fun rather than surveillance videos to be used as evidence.

Summary

I have found the TP-Link Tapo C100 camera to be exactly what I needed – a simple camera that can help me keep taps on what is going on in my summer house when I am not around. The camera has more features than what I need so I did not really miss anything. If you are in the market for a more advanced camera or maybe an outdoor camera, TP-Link has plenty of additional models in their lineup for you to explore.

Plus
– Price point
– Image quality (considering it is 1080p)
– Nighttime view
– Ease of installation (both hardware and WiFi)
– Ease of app user interface

Minus
– Camera is fixed – no option to pan or tilt remotely
– Requires a power plug close nearby (and no battery backup)
– Motion detection can be fooled by sunlight or shadows moving
– No mechanical privacy mode, only digital

Not tested
– Alexa and google interface
– Micro SD card storage
– Cloud storage

Shopping link

If the TP-Link Tapo C100 camera has caught your interest, this affiliate link will take you to Amazon. Notice that transportation and import taxes may apply.

From iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 15 Pro – worth it?

I recently upgraded from iPhone 14 Pro to iPhone 15 Pro, despite the fact that I previously have jumped at least two generations to make sure I would notice the difference. Somehow the new features of the iPhone 15 Pro got me convinced – let me elaborate!

Same same but different

First of all, the similarities between the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro are many more than the differences: the screen is the same, battery life is the same, water resistance rating is the same, the size is roughly the same with the 15 Pro being a little shorter and a little more slim, etc.

The first thing I noticed was that the iPhone 15 Pro is somewhat lighter than the 14 Pro, as Apple switched from steel to a combo of titanium and aluminium. It dropped from 206 to 187 grams, and although you may think this is a small change, the relative difference is around 9% and I was surprised to learn how noticeable those 19 grams are!

Further, the 15 Pro comes with a newer chipset (A17) that boosts performance both CPU and GPU wise, but unless you are using some very demanding (game?) applications, I doubt you will notice the performance difference. Maybe some more demanding future applications will highlight the difference between the chipsets, but for now I really doubt you will notice at all.

The little slide button top left on the iPhone 14 has been replaced by a push button in the same position. This button is configurable, but out of the box it does the same as the old one – switch between ring and silent. I like this change for sure, but a revolution it is hardly.

Industry standard (in EU at least)

One of the big changes from 14 Pro to 15 Pro is the switch from the lightening port to USB-C. I was hoping and waiting for for Apple to make this change already in the iPhone 14 generation, but I was disappointed. Not this time around, though!

If you like USB-C or not is of course personal preference, but owning an iPad for several years where USB-C is the norm, I really welcome the USB-C connector. I have lots of chargers and cables that use USB-C and being able to reduce the number of cables an chargers I use is a very welcome change.

I use a lot of different cameras where the more modern ones have made the switch to USB-C for both charging and data transfer. But not the older ones. If you knew how many different chargers I have owned over the years for proprietary charging systems and batteries, you would also welcome the simplicity and standardisation of USB-C!

Serious video camera!

The iPhone 15 Pro is indeed a very serious video camera: ProRes LOG in 4K at up to 60 frames per second (fps)! Wow! Not all newer dedicated video cameras can keep up with this! The ProRes LOG format gives you lots of headroom and options for editing in post to color grade and edit your footage. If you just want the video to be ready out of the camera, then ProRes LOG is not for you, but if you want to do serious editing and have as many post processing options available for you, this is the format you want to use!

Now, here is where the iPhone 15 Pro really stands out: if you want to shoot ProRes LOG in 4K at 60 fps, then you need to make use of an external drive or storage facility to transfer the required amounts of data fast enough! If you drop to say 24 frames per second, you can make do with the internal memory. But for 60 fps, the internal memory transfer speeds can’t keep up! And this is where the upgrade to USB-C comes in handy: it offers transfer speeds to support this demanding flow of data!

With an external drive, the iPhone 15 Pro turns into a professional level video camera and if you consider buying a dedicated video camera or a capable hybrid camera, then the capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro may save you this investment! Of course, if you are planning to use long lenses on a video camera, then the iPhone can’t keep up, but for most other applications the iPhone 15 Pro with an external drive may well be all you need!

Conclusion

I am currently evaluating the video performance of the iPhone 15 Pro, but so far – a few weeks in – I really like what I seen and I am seriously considering switching from system hybrid cameras to the iPhone 15 Pro for video recording. And as such, I find that the iPhone 15 Pro is a really interesting offer and alternative to a dedicated video or hybrid camera. And that is what drove me into the arms of upgrading to iPhone 15 Pro. The USB-C is a nice bonus, other than being a precondition for the high data transfer speeds required for recording in ProRes LOG at 60 fps.

If you have no ambitions for shooting video and the proprietary flash connector does not bother or annoy you, I doubt that the move from iPhone 14 Pro to 15 Pro is worthwhile.

Review: Hengwin Leather Belt Pouch

Every spring when the weather get warmer I face the same recurring issue: My winter coat has a lot of nice pockets for me to store my wallet, keys and phone, but when summer comes and it is all t-shirts and shorts, what then? When I stuff my pockets with all my gear, I often find that my shorts get more and more interested in saying hello to my angles!

I have sometimes made it with a small backpack, but on a hot summers day, a backpack may not exactly be what you want to keep your back even warmer!

Hengwin

To the rescue comes Hengwin, a Chinese brand laser focused on small bags and pouches, practical solutions for carrying essentials without breaking the bank. You can find their homepage with all their products right here. The bag shown here will set you back around 30 USD. If you used the code “frederikboving” you’ll get a discount and if you order more than one, you may be eligible for free shipping! Make sure to check that you are not subject to import taxes.

The leather belt pouch that I have in review here easily takes an iPhone 13 pro, my little wallet and my keys. I could also easily have fitted my sunglasses in there along with the iPhone.

Carrying

The pouch gives you 3 options for carrying:

Attached to your belt via a belt loop attachment
Attached to your clothing via clip-ons and
Carried in a cross-body adjustable strap

I must admit that I prefer the 3rd option, as it for me has a little more street credit, but also because I find it a more safe option – I am not sure I would notice right away of someone stole the bag when hanging on my hip! But that is all personal preference! It is nice that Hengwin gives options to choose from!

Hengwen — Although designed to attach the pouch to your belt, I find that attaching my keys to the snap hook works really well in combination with the cross body strap.

Build quality

I have not yet long-term tested the pouch, but judging from the initial look and feel, the build quality seems to be very good, especially when you factor in the price point. Both the leather, sewings the zippers seem to be of good quality.

I would have loved if the adjustable strap had been made of leather like the pouch itself, but I also appreciate that a long strap of leather also has some disadvantages when age sets in!

Summary

I think this is just the solution I have been looking for to keep my bits and bobs in one place. And even though I may carry a backpack when going to work, the Hengwin is probably with me as a bag in the bag, so I can always find my keys and phone. The build quality seems fine and if the pouch stands the test of time, I think you will find this to be a handy product without breaking the bank.

Video link

Review: Oral-B IO series 8

At the last routine check my dentist was rather insisting: “You got to clean especially your gums and the room between your teeth much better than what you do today!” She was unusually upset!

There is a thing with me an dentists: I never get any praise, rather the opposite! But this time around the dentist was a bit more insisting that usually! I thought I was about to get a little bit of praise having replaced my trusty old classic toothbrush with an electric toothbrush, but no, she apparently wanted more!

“You got to go and buy a Oral-B, the IO series, and it has to be at least number 8!” – “Ok”, I thought, that was pretty direct instructions, and after having checked she herself did not sell it (and hence her advice might have been a bit biased) I headed towards to local hardware store to get as prescribed.

Unfortunately the local shop only had series 4 and 5, and the instruction was to get IO 8, so I had to order online to get my copy for around 220 EUR! Not cheap, but what do you not do to make your dentist happy!

The Oral-B IO 8 has two buttons only: One to switch on/off and another to change between different programs for brushing your teeth.

I do not have a full overview of the Braun Oral-B series of products, but my best guess is that they get more and more expensive and advanced as you move up the number series. The IO 10 is the top of the pop, but apparently I could do with a version 8.

In the box

Brain Oral-B IO 8 — In the box: A little pouch (top), a plastic box to hold 2 brush heads, the brush head and a magnetic charger (right). Of course also the brush itself, which is not shown here.

In the box you will find the brush itself, a charger, a brush head, a container for 2 brush heads and a little pouch for the brush and accessories.

The manual is actually only a few pages in many different languages, so it is quickly read, and it is supplemented by some graphics that are easy to understand. You’ll be up and running in no time. One of the most important features is the backlit ring at the bottom of the brush head – this ring will tell you if you apply to much, to little or just the right amount of pressure to the brush when holding it against your teeth and gums. I was surprised to learn that apparently I apply way too little pressure! Another thing is that you have to brush your teeth in front of a mirror, so you can continuously monitor that you apply the right amount of pressure.

App and bluetooth

Braun Oral-B IO 8 — App and brush. The app will guide you though the brush process and give you real time feedback on your performance. And of course keep stats on all your tooth brush sessions!

Of course this toothbrush has an app that will give you guidance and tell you how well you are doing in terms of brushing all your teeth and brushing them well! The most complicated in terms of getting to know the brush was to download the app, but I found it in the App store almost immediately. The brush and the app hook up via bluetooth when within close range. You just shake the toothbrush, and it will activate the bluetooth connection.

During the process, the app will colour from blue to white according to your progress with brushing your teeth clean. I find it a little bit difficult to both keep an eye on the colour on the toothbrush itself (right amount of pressure) and an eye on the app (brushing completeness).

Daily routine

Charging is as easy as it can be: simply leave the brush on top of the charger and it takes care of the process. The battery is a Li-On battery and that usually means the battery will last for a long time without charging – I have not stress tested this specifically but it easily does my tooth brushing for several days with no need for recharging.

In your bathroom cabinet you will find that the toothbrush takes up very little space. It is tall, but otherwise takes up less space than say a tube of toothpaste.

Using the brush is not complicated, but it did take me some time to learn to brush my teeth in front of a mirror in order to read the pressure colour ring.

Conclusion

I do not know yet if I have passed the exam, as I have to visit my dentist yet one more time to understand if she is happy with my work with the new brush. I will say though that it does feel like my teeth are more clean than ever, and the app and the brush has provided much guidance and feedback that I would not have got with a more basic electric toothbrush.

The price is steep, but if you look at it as insurance money intended to protect you from some nasty dentist bills coming your way, then you might find that in the long run the Oral-B IO 8 is worth every EUR, and then some.

Review: HORL 2 knife sharpener

What is it?

The HORL 2 knife sharpener is a manual grinding solution that applies a new principle: where the traditional principle is to have a fixed stone you drag the knife across, the HORL flips these two. Here the knife is held in check with a magnet and instead the stone is rolled back and forth along the knife blade to sharpen the knife.

HORL 2 review — The traditional way: The stone is fixed and the knife is moved. The HORL 2 flips this logic and fixes the knife with a magnet and moves the stone by rolling it.

The advantage is that the angle between the stone and the knife can be held constant. An amateur knife sharpener like me struggle to keep the angle constant and that is the safe route to failure. So here the HORL 2 comes to my rescue with a solution to keep the angle absolutely constant during the grinding.

Horl 2 cruise — The HORL 2 cruise comes with a grinding disk, a magnetic angle support and two guides: a quick guide and a more detailed instruction manual.

The solution itself is therefore simply a little magnet to fix the knife and a grinding stone on a rolling device. Thats basically it, along with a quick guide and a more detailed instruction. The image above shows what I found in the box from HORL.

Price

I find the HORL 2 to be quite expensive, so I went for the budget version named HORL 2 Cruise, which here in March 2023 set me back 120 EUR. I think it is a lot of money for a knife sharpener, but my logic is that I have around 10 knives which makes up a significant investment, and as I do not have the skillset to maintain the sharpness of the knife with a traditional sharpener, the value of my knife portfolio is steadily declining. My hope is that the HORL will bring my knives back to tip top shape, and in that light, I can justify the investment.

I thought the main downside of the budget version was the replacement of delicious oak wood with plastic, but it turned out that the budget version only comes with a 20 degree angle (and not both 15 and 20) and that the grinding disc cannot be exchanged! Take note of this, as many especially Japanese knives are born with a 15 degree angle, and hence you may want it to stay that way. The ability to change grinding disc is mainly an issue if you want to shift between different “strengths” of grinding – the disc should not need replacement due to wear according to the instruction manual.

Use

I find the use of the HORL 2 to be easy. It comes with a good instruction manual and also the quick guide quickly gets you going. Also, if you google a bit, there are a lot of YouTube videos that shows how to use the HORL.

HORL 2 Cruise Review — There us both an instruction manual and a quick guide. The use of the HORL 2 is not complicated at all.

As I am not an expert when I comes to sharpening knives, I did not really pay much attention to the fact that the HORL 2 has both a diamond grinding disc AND a stainless steel honing disc. In other words, you need to use both sides of the HORL 2. This is important to get a good result! I figured that the honing side did really not have that much influence on the sharpness of the knife, but judging from what experts say, the honing side is just as important as the grinding side to get a good and sharp result! I wish the instruction manual had underlined this point.

In terms of how long time to sharpen the knife, there is very little guidance, other than “between 2-5 minutes” or something vague like that. So what I do is that I count the number of times I move the HORL 2 back and forth, and then I make sure to apply the same number to both sides of the blade. And if the result is not as satisfying, I simply repeat the process. They say that once you have sharpened the knife, a re-sharpening only requires a few movements. I have not tested this claim, but it would be nice if it is the case.

Be prepared to be dirty! The grinding will result in small metal particles and metal dust that will be all over the place in no time!

The rubber that the HORL 2 rolls on when you move it back and forth can leave small marks on the surface you use. My kitchen table is a bit sensitive so I generated several “tire tracks” from rolling the HORL 2 back and forth. So you may want to be more smart about it than I was.

Result

The result is … okay. I am not excited. I really thought I would get super sharp knives, and they do get better, but to my surprise it seems to be a little random still. Some knives becomes very good, others less so.

One of the reasons is that I find it hard to sharpen the part of the knife that is close to the tip. I think it is because the angle changes slightly. Also the magnet cannot cover the entire range of the knife and obviously gives the best support where it is mounted. So I find that I have to move the magnet a bit back and forth to get the support I need.

Despite all my attempts to vary the position of the magnet etc, I cannot seem to get the far end of the knife sharp. The part close to the handle: excellent! Not so much the other end. The difference is so noticeable that my wife commented on the difference in sharpness unsolicited!

The instruction manual gives guidance to both narrow blades and so called “extremely broad blades”. Apparently my knifes are not in any of these extremes, as I have been able to use the HORL 2 Cruise on all my knifes with not problems. Except for my ceramic knife, that obviously does not work with the magnet.

Conclusion

I’m a bit divided here. Intuitively and looking at the design, this solution should work! It does take the biggest uncertainty out of the equation for manual sharpening of knives: the angle between steel and stone. It should turn an amateur like me into a pro. The problem is, as they say, that reality does not always follow armchair logic. And this is one of those cases.

I do think that this solution is as good as it gets when you cannot hold 15 degrees manually and need help from the HORL. And maybe my problem is that I was hoping for more than I got. But I still have this idea that my knives can be sharper than they are right now, and I am not sure the HORL 2 is the solution that will fulfil that ambition.

Afterthought

After using the HORL 2 for some time, I ended up buying a more traditional sharpening steel. The sharpening steel is actually built into the HORL 2 solution, so it may seem like a superfluous step. But I did find that I got better results if I used the sharpening steel from a more traditional solution. I still use the HORL 2 stone for the initial sharpening but finish off the job now with a traditional sharpening steel. I now get results that even my wife praise. And you know what they say: Happy wife = happy life.

Review: Apple iPod Pro (1. generation)

Design darling

Well designed products is how we know Apple, and the Apple iPod Pro 1. generation is no exception. It is a beautifully made product – even the packaging is well designed and leaves you with a feeling that everything is designed and carefully considered down to the slightest detail.

I have the version 1 of the iPods and one of the big things I miss is the ability to regulate the sound level on the iPods themselves. That has been fixed in version 2 and is probably confirms that Apple themselves knew that this was one of the design flaws of the 1st generation. So you need to find your iPhone to turn the sound up and down.

As a former audiophile, I can say that the sound is far from perfect. Apple has clearly put emphasis on a pleasant and “round” sound rather than a precise and “dry” sound with high fidelity. So if the fidelity of sound is on top of your list, this product may not pass the first item on your list! No matter what, I recommend that you try the sound of the iPods before buying – it is very much up to personal preference and taste, so give them a try before buying if you want to be sure the sound it spot on relative to your taste. I think however that most will agree that relative to the standard iPods the sound and fit here is levels above!

Apple iPod Pro (1. generation) — The cradle that doubles as a battery pack works really well. And wireless charging is a plus.

Another detail that bugs me senseless is the lack of USB-C connectors. As a photographer with tons of gear (camera, flashes, etc) that needs a charger, I have come to appreciate the industry standard USB-C and the dramatic reduction in number of chargers I need to have on stock. I look forward to Apple moving to USB-C also on the iPhone and the iPods (my iPad has USB-C, so it is coming ever so slowly).

A mitigating factor however is the support for wireless charging of the battery in the cradle (aka the wireless charging case). And then I think the cradle that doubles as a battery pack is a little strike of genius – it was probably not Apple that got the idea, but their implementation works really well. The combined battery power with the combined battery in the iPods themselves and the cradle is really good and for my daily commute I have never run out of battery power.

I have had many in-ear earphones, and the iPods are the only ones that fit my ear right out of the box. This may be a coincidence that is specific to me and the way my ears are, but I can assure you that if you do not feel comfortable with the in-ear “hook”, then you will never be good friends with your earphones. Fit and comfort are number one. I do not run and cycle with my iPods, but I walk a lot and often take the train wearing the iPods, and I enjoy every minute. I think one of the reasons is that they are much lighter than my previous in-ear earphones.

The noise reduction is super effective and if you are not comfortable with closing out the world that way then the transparency mode that lets in ambient sound is for you. Especially at work where some noisy colleagues can be a pain, the noise reduction feature is a life saver!

In daily life the iPods just works. They connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth and it works really well. You can move to the next and the former song by pressing the iPods 2 or 3 times respectively, and if you take the iPods out temporarily and insert them again, the music picks up from where you left.

When you insert the iPods in the cradle and close it, the iPhone tells you the battery status for both the left iPod, the right iPod and the cradle. It is little details like that which makes the iPods such a pleasure to use. And then of course that it is wireless, probably needless to say.

The iPods are in many dimensions delicious to use, but expect the pods themselves to be less delicious after some time of usage. They do go into your ear after all! This is where the distance between what you see in the ads and what you experience in real life starts to kick in!

Conclusion

So as you have probably guessed I am really happy with this product. The sound is decent although not the best in the market, they fit my ears really well, the design and user interface is well made and works, etc. So my overall assessment is a very positive bias. They are really easy to use.

Other than being expensive as we know Apple products, my biggest reservation is the lack of volume control on the pods themselves. And for this reason I suggest you go for 2. generation, as it really is THE annoying thing about generation 1.

Review: Timbuk2 Heritage Classic S Messenger bag multi-colored

I was looking for a messenger bag (a sling bag), and after googling a bit the Timbuk2 Heritage Classic S Messenger bag quickly came out as the one that suited my needs the best: A basic bag, not too expensive (83 EUR) and solid build quality. The price varies a bit subject to the color chosen, but it is in the vicinity of 80 EUR here in Europe. (For the record: I am not sponsored by TimBuk and have bought this bag for my own money).

It measures 37 x 26 x 10 centimeters approximately and easily holds my laptop, a X280 ThinkPad laptop (13″ approx). In addition I have a notebook and and a few pens, and that is basically it. I have both keyboard, charger, mouse and screen both at home and at my workplace, so I am so lucky that I only need to carry the PC itself and then a notebook. And for this limited purpose, the Timbu2 has plenty of room.

There is no padding in the bag and if you plan to carry fragile material in the bag, you’d better be sure not to drop it or put it down suddenly – there is only a thin fabric. The fabric seems solid and durable and I trust it will last for many years and also keep water out, but do not expect padding.

Inside the bag there are 2 large rooms. I use the inner room for the PC and the other room for my notebook and gloves. There is a little net for holding a bottle as well, but it will not hold a tall thermo bottle like above (the bag will not close properly) – but a 1/2 liter cola fits fine.

Inside the bag there is a number of small open rooms that I use for holding pens primarily, and there is also a larger room you can close with a zip.

On the outer side of the bag there is one open pocket and two that closes with a zipper, and one of them has a string inside that allows you to attach a keyring so you can have your keys attached and stored safely.

The thickness of the bag can be adjusted with two straps that also hold the locks for closing the bag. I don’t like to have the strings flapping around, especially when I am on the bike, so I have made a little knot to keep them at bay.

The strap to throw over your shoulder is nice and wide and well padded.

The flap that closes the bag is fitted with both velcro and buckles. When not out and about, the velcro is more than plenty to keep the bag closed, in fact, sometimes it feels a little to efficient when you just want to grab a pen quickly and the velcro does what it can to keep the bag shut! But you’ll get used to it.

Timbuk2 Heritage Classic S Messenger bag multi-colo — My fingers point two the two buckles that close the bag firmly. Between my fingers the velcro that also closes the bag.

Conclusion

If this bag will suit you and your needs of course comes down to your criterias and personal preference. It is a very solid built bag, durable materials and very convincing sewings everywhere. And they have clearly thought very carefully about many of the details such as the closing mechanism, the pockets, the strings, etc. In my humble opinion the design is spot on for a simple bag that will serve you for many years without breaking the bank.

However, the money has been spent on solid durable fabric, sewings and straps, and not on more luxury items such as padding, leather or other up-market features. It is a very basic bag, and if you want a little extra or a little luxury, this bag is probably not for you. This one delivers the basics only, but does so very well.

Review: Hövding 3.0 – airbag protection for cyclists!

Warning!

The Swedish authorities (“Konsumverket”) have late 2023 stopped all sales of the Hövding 3 in Sweden until the safety issues have been investigated. It appears that the Hövding 3 in not all cases has provided the protection expected according to EU legislation and hence the sale of the product is on hold until further notice. Also, according to Swedish authorities, the helmet has not been tested at speeds above 20 km/h. The stop of sales has unfortunately challenged the company financially so much that they in December 2023 decided to file for bankruptcy.

The review below does not look into the efficiency or completeness of the safety provided by the Hövding 3. I simply review the product from my experience with daily usage, and luckily I have not yet been in need of the Hövding 3 actively providing protection for my head during an accident.

I suggest you consult with the latest status from the Swedish authorities and the bankruptcy case so you can factor this in when deciding if the Hövding 3 is the right product for you.

Cycle helmet alternative

In this review I will give you my thought on the Hövding 3.0 airbag for cyclist from a user perspective, assuming it works as promised should an accident occur. I have fortunately never needed the Hövding to do its job, and hence it is not a test or testimony related the ability of the Hövding to protect you when needed, rather it is my view on the Hövding as part of my daily commuting routine.

Notice that there are several generations of the Hövding, and the one in review here is version 3.0 – so if you are considering another version, the content of the review may not apply.

Hövding Size specifications. — Size specifications.

Also notice the size specifications. It does come with adjustable size around the neck, but you may want to consider if the ranges provided are acceptable to you.

Size adjustment — The size around the neck can be adjusted with a system similar to what many race cyclists know from their shoes or skiiers know from their boots.

In my case, with the Hövding at its widest position, it is a bit tight around the neck. I survive, but could have used just a few more centimeters of space. But I guess that safety is first, and that the design is made this way for safety reasons.

Angles matter

Be aware that the Höwding is not made for racing cycling or cycles where you do not sit up right when you bike. If you sit in a position where you lean too much forward, the Hövding will not be comfortable to wear. The lump at the rear of the Hövding will become more noticeable as you lean forward. So only for upright cycling!

Heavy Duty

Before you try on a Hövding you may think that it is super light, but that is not the case. You get rid of the helmet and can choose to wear a hat or whatever is to your liking, but it is at the expense of adding weight. My cycling helmet weighs only a fraction of the 800+ grams the Hövding is.

Hövding weight. — Be prepared to carry some weight.

That said, the weight is well distributed and a big part of it sits in the centre around your neck, so it feels less of a pain.

But I was surprised the first time I put on the Hövding how heavy it was. In all fairness, after some time, you get used to it!

However, what I still struggle with is the fact that the Hövding is like wearing a scarf constantly! It is fine in the winter time, as you would do that anyway, but during summer I find that it is an absolute pain and prefer a traditional helmet for that reason.

Electronics

The Hövding charges via USB-C and thank you for that! Great that an industry standard for charging is catching on! There is a small charging light and a button to push to get the battery status, and that is actually the vitals in terms of the electronics.

When you close the Hövding, a clear sound signal tells you that the helmet is now operational and will protect you if you fall. The instructions underlines the importance of only doing this while on the bicycle! Similarly, when you open the helmet, a different – but equally clear – sound signal tells you the helmet is no longer operational (and the light turns from green to red).

Hövding light. — Green light indicates the Hövding is closed and operational.

Of course the Hövding has an app, and it talks with the Hövding via bluetooth. The app works well and also keeps track of how far you have cycled and how many times you have been on the bicycle. And of course gives you a good conscience keeping track of how much CO2 you have saved the planet for, relative to travelling the same distance in a car.

Storage

The Hövding is fairly small folded and can be fitted into most backpacks or the like for storage. It also has a small strap that allows you hang it on a hook easily when not in use.

Hövding hook. — The design includes a strap for hanging the Hövding on a hook.

Price and conclusion

The Hövding is a little less than 300 EUR here November 2022, but with the inflation numbers we are seeing this day and age, it is probably wise if you check the current prices. The Hövding is a use-once-only product, but I find that 300 EUR for avoiding a serious head injury is what I am more than willing to pay. My main complaint when it comes to the daily use is that it is warm to wear the Hövding, and as such I only use it during winter time. The rest of the year I prefer a traditional cycling helmet. But it is great to be able to use it during winter time and wear a warm hat at the same time – the latter does not fit well under the “hood” of my cycling helmet.

Review: Roborock S7 robot vacuum cleaner

Skeptical!

When it comes to robots that help out in the garden or in the house, I am a bit skeptical. Some years back I had one of the first robot vacuum cleaners that was mass produced, and to make a long story short, it was not a good experience. Also, I have two different robot lawn movers, and that is also a mixed bag of experiences.

So maybe my excitement when it comes to the Roborock S7 is rooted in bad experience with other products. That is hard for me to say. But with that said, the rest of this blog will be one long praise of the Roborock S7, simply because I find that it is a brilliant product at a price point where it delivers value far beyond the retail price of 450 EUR (Denmark, Europe).

What is it?

Roborock S7 robot vacuum cleaner — The promise on the tin is spot on.

The Roborock S7 is a vacuum cleaner robot, that also facilitates light cleaning with a wet cloth for hard surfaces. It is smart in the sense that it can see the surface it is cleaning, and for example when it cleans a carpet, the vacuum motor powers up to give max suction.

It is also very systematic. It first walks the perimeter of the room to find the size and direction, and after that starts cleaning both horizontally and vertically. It is not like a lawn mower robot that takes pride in doing a random pattern – the Roborock S7 cleans in vertical and horizontal lines as depicted in the image above, taken from the app. You can also see where it has identified legs on the furniture and how it has walked around these obstacles in a circle, making sure to clean very close to these.

Is installation cumbersome?

Installation is easy. You download an app, and connect your smartphone to the WiFi network the Roborock provides. Then the Roborock uses the information provided by the app to log on to your Wifi (it needs the SSID and password) and after that the Roborock logs on to your WiFi network and you can now control the functions via the app. And you can follow the Roborock working via the app as the image above illustrates.

Another thing that makes the Roborock easy to work with is that every time you have done some change, like installing the water container at the rear of the Roborock, it will confirm with a computer voice what you have done. In the beginning I found this a bit annoying, but after a little while I started to appreciate the confirmation that the operation was successful.

The dust bin is accessed via a lid on top of the Roborock. It is easy to pull out and clean, and maybe the only complaint that I have is that it is also relatively small, so it runs full easily. However, after running the Roborock in a room for the first time, the second time picks up very little extra dust. So my take is that if you let the Roborock clean on a regular basis, the small dust bin will not be an issue, simply because there is not much dust to collect.

Does it work in real life?

Yes. First of all, the battery life is good. It can cover a lot of square meters in a single charge. And you can follow the battery percentage left in the app. I did notice that it takes a bit of time for the Roborock to charge, but as it in my case returns to charge when the job is done, this is less of an issue. I have not cleaned areas bigger than 45 square meters at the same time.

The same rules applies for the Roborock as for normal vacuum cleaning: the less items on the floor, the better the Roborock can get the job done. For large furniture like a bed, the Roborock does an excellent job cleaning around the legs very thoroughly. But of course, if you can remove obstacles and e.g. put dining chairs on the table prior to starting the Roborock, then you will get a better result. Also, as the Roborock is very systematic, it will find and pick-up anything that is left on the floor. In the image above, I forgot at small cable on the floor, and it got caught in the rotating parts of the Roborock. This halted operations, and I was notified via the app.

It also does cleaning edges really well. It does not only run along a wall or an edge, but constantly tries to “attack” the wall by driving slightly into it, meet its master, give up and go a bit out again, only to repeat the “attack” a bit further down the line. It is very convincing and makes sure the cleaning gets as close to the edges as possible. The Roborock has a small bumper so it can “feel” obstacles before it hits them, so no need to worry that these “attacks” will hurt your walls or furniture. It is gentle, but persistent.

The Roborock is low and easily finds it way under a table, a sofa and a bed. In my kitchen it is too tall to make it all the way under the kitchen cabinets, but it cleans some way under the cabinets (se image above) and does so well.

The little rotating arms at the side of the Roborock finds outside the main cleaning area and “throws” into the middle of the Roborock, that then picks it up there. These arms are prone to be tangled up in hairs and the like, but I find that cleaning them is easy.

Does the cleaning mop work?

Yes, if you don’t expect miracles, i.e. that it looks like you have been scrubbing the surface 100 times with a hard brush. That is not what happens.

The Roborock simply drags a wet cloth over the floor to wipe it clean. And it of course detects if the surface is a carpet, and lifts the mop.

The water reservoir is intended to keep the cloth wet during cleaning, but I find it works the best if you start with a wet piece of cloth at the outset, so the water reservoir is only used for “topping up” the moist of the cloth.

How long time to clean?

The largest area I have asked the Roborock to clean is 39 square meters. It took the Roborock 72 minutes to complete the work and the battery level dropped to 53%, starting at fully charged.

As you can ask the Roborock to go to work when you are not at home, the time required to clean your home may be less important. You can help the Roborock cleaning better by removing furniture from the floor. i.e. take small tables and chairs away from the floor by lifting them to higher ground, i.e. a sofa or a table. Pretty much like you would if you were to clean yourself. This will also make the Roborock work a bit faster, as it can get the job done in fewer uninterrupted sweeps across the floor.

Can I recommend the product?

Yes. We bought the Roborock 7 for the summer cottage, but we are seriously considering buying one for the home. It is that good. And it is priced very reasonably, so we are tempted. Think you will be as well.

Review: Garmin Varia RTL516 Rearview Radar and Taillight

What is it?

The Garmin Varia RTL 516 is a taillight and rearview radar in combination. It hence makes you more visible, and also makes it possible for you to see what is coming from behind, without turning your head. This is particularly useful for triathletes that due to their position on the bike have a hard time looking over their shoulder, but it is also very useful for racing bikes, where the same applies, maybe to a lesser extent.

Garmin promises that it will detect cars as far as 140 meters away. I have not tested this claim, but I have tested the product in real life, and I can say that it works very well. I am actually a bit impressed. Even if I was driving on a bike path with parked cars between the bike path and the road, the radar was still able to “see” though the parked cars and identify cars approaching.

What is in the box?

Left to right: Documentation, the box, charging cable, the unit itself and mount solution.

Other than the unit itself, the box contains a charging cable, documentation and some options for mounting the unit to the saddle post. You’ll quickly find the relevant parts for your size and shape of saddle post.

Left to right: User guide, safety instruction, box, charging cable, the rear light itself, and then a range of options for mounting the unit.

Is installation easy?

Yes. You just need to find the right length of rubber band and the best shape for your saddle post, and then you can mount it on your bike in 30 seconds.

The light mounted on my coffee stomper just to illustrate how it works.

The light is locked into position with the twist-and-lock system we know from many other Garmin products. Different options for mounting on more or less aerodynamic saddle posts.

Is pairing easy?

Yes. I used it with my Fenix 5 and just asked my watch to scan for new Bluetooth units nearby. By holding down the on/off button for a few seconds, the radar also starts pairing and 10 seconds later the handshake was complete and the units linked.

Connecting the rear light radar to my Fenix 5 watch was really easy and took no time.

The user guide is wonderfully simple to follow. Lots of illustrations. Very little text.

Is the battery life ok?

Yes. Garmin promises 9 hours, and although I have not tested it to the limit, it is my clear impression that there will be plenty of power on a full charge for most cyclists. Only if you cannot charge between rides, I would imagine the battery could run out. On other news, I was a bit disappointed to see that the charging cable – here in 2022 where EU has decided it is the future standard – is not USB-C.

Charging the unit with the supplied cable. Unfortunately it is not USB-C, but just mini USB.

How is it to use?

I tested the unit on a Fenix 5 watch, and the way it works is that a little bar appears to the right in the screen. It is green when no one is approaching and turns amber and red, subject to how fast and how close those approaching are.

The bar to the right is the radars graphical zone. Here it shows that there are no cars or objects approaching and hence it is colored green = no danger.

Cars approaching are illustrated as little dots that move from the bottom of the bar to the top as they approach. Several dots will appear if you’ve got several cars approaching. And it works really well and I am impressed how it is able to distinguish between objects that you just pass (like a parked car) and objects that are approaching. It is so fascinating to watch, that you may forget entirely to look forward! So be cautious when you start using it!

In the best of worlds I would have had a Garmin product to sit on my handlebar so I would be able to see the graphics easily. But I found that when danger really was high, the Fenix 5 watch vibrated just a bit, to draw my attention to the radar. It works really well, but of course can be a bit stressful until you get used to it.

Conclusion

As you probably have guessed by now, I find this to be a great product, and an invention that potentially could save lives in the traffic. It is a bit expensive, but it works really well and considering what damage it potentially can avoid, I really wished that more cyclists would start using this product.

Summary

Shopping link

Same same but different

Industry standard (in EU at least)

Serious video camera!

Conclusion

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Hengwin

Carrying

Build quality

Summary

Video link

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In the box

App and bluetooth

Daily routine

Conclusion

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What is it?

Price

Use

Result

Conclusion

Afterthought

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Design darling

Conclusion

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Warning!

Cycle helmet alternative

Angles matter

Heavy Duty

Electronics

Storage

Price and conclusion

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Skeptical!

What is it?

Is installation cumbersome?

Does it work in real life?

Does the cleaning mop work?

How long time to clean?

Can I recommend the product?

Related reading

Recommended

What is it?

What is in the box?

Is installation easy?

Is pairing easy?

Is the battery life ok?

How is it to use?

Conclusion