Developed by graphic designer Aaron Wood of Massachusetts, this collection of propaganda posters takes on the battle for the mind of consumers within the social media and tech gadget space. Within the series, Wood applies the classic 1940’s, wartime poster design to companies and products like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Android smartphones, Apple’s iPhone, Spotify, iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and Pinterest.

In addition to tech companies, Wood also has a variety of pop culture posters in a similar style. They cover subjects such as Doctor Who, Grumpy Cat, coffee, Minecraft, Portal, Adventure Time, Bacon, Skyrim, Pokemon, Super Mario, Firefly, cheese, Halo, Half Life, Zelda, Pac-man, Assassin’s Creed, Dune and a variety of superheroes such as Green Lantern, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Iron Man and Captain America.

If you are interested in purchasing one of Wood’s prints, they are reasonably priced at $12.50 for an 11″ x 14″ size. You can find the full collection on Etsy here.

Check out our favorite tech related posters below:

War of the Tech Companies: The Propaganda Machine

In a world with near limitless entertainment options as well as screens in our home to display that entertainment, there are products that are designed to take a bit of that comfort with us on the road. WEMAX is attempting to do just that with the compact, 1080p DICE projector; a device that can be used without a power source (after fully charged) in any remote location.

Imagine going camping, throwing up a sheet over a couple trees and streaming your favorite movie (up to 120 inches in size) simply by connecting the projector to your phone (when setup as a mobile hotspot). Or perhaps you want to show old home movies at a relative’s house that has older televisions and video tech. At less than 5 pounds, this projector is easy to pack in a suitcase and take with you on the go.

It also feels like a great option in the business space as well. I could imagine that someone like an event planner would love to have a bright, compact projector to display video / photos at a wedding or similar event. Flipping back to consumers, it also feels great for anyone that wants to game with friends and needs a huge screen to display their PS5 / Series X games.

Build / Design

In the box, you will find the projector itself (measuring roughly 6″ by 6″ by 5″), the power cord w/ power brick, the remote control (the two required AAA batteries are not included), a quick start guide and a cloth to wipe down the lens. On the back of the projector, you will find the DC in for power, a 3.5mm headphones jack (or to connect an external speaker), a USB 2.0 port and a HDMI input.

One additional feature that I liked, there’s a threaded screw hole on the bottom designed for mounting on a tripod; a great idea for gaining height when projecting. There’s also a brown strap on the top that lets you easily relocate the projector without having to pick up the hardware (which is ideal when running for hours due to heat).

I love the industrial, metal design of the projector. It’s just plain solid. There’s tons of heat dissipation areas in the form of miniature holes along the sides and back. There are four rubber feet on the bottom to provide a nice cushion when you set it down. The strap on the top is attached via large, metal rivets on the sides. It’s a sleek looking machine and, amazingly, not much larger than a smart speaker like the Amazon Echo.

Setup

If you have ever been through the setup process for an Android (version 9) device, you are going to be right at home setting up the Dice. The actual initial setup process took about 10 minutes, much of that related to downloading and installing the initial software update.

I was impressed with the auto focus function at start, an ideal feature for a projector that’s intended to go mobile and travel with you. You can also project from an angle up to 45 degrees off center, using the 4-point keystone correction tool (automatic correction). I tested it a few times and never had an issue getting a clear, focused image that displayed natural images.

You will have to pair the remote with the projector, but it’s a quick process that had me up and running in 30 seconds. Beyond that, you will need to install common entertainment apps within the Google interface like HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ etc…

Fair warning, Netflix is not included as an option (nor can it be cast via Chromecast), but nothing is stopping you from plugging a $25 Roku or Fire TV stick into the HDMI port to gain access to Netflix. That’s also a great solution if you simply dislike the Android interface (or are more comfortable on another platform).

I did have a minor issue with Android not bring able to connect to my home Wi-Fi network during the initial setup process, but once I entered the login details and skipped past the “Can’t connect” screen, Android auto-logged me into the network. I haven’t had a problem since. Again, you won’t have this problem if using a separate streaming stick.

Performance

The DICE is rated 700 ANSI lumens. If you are unfamiliar with the term, ANSI is a measurement of the overall amount of light output from a projector. The higher the value, the brighter the picture. For the size of this projector and the price point, it’s extremely competitive compared to alternatives like the Nebula. Lots of compact, travel projectors are in the 200 to 500 ANSI range.

For real world applications, this means you have more flexibility in when you can use the projector. For instance, if you are showing a movie outside, you could start the film as the sun was setting rather than having to wait for complete darkness. That being said, 700 ANSI lumens still isn’t enough for medium light, so you will still have to close the blinds / curtains if using in a home or wait for dusk.

On picture quality, I was thoroughly impressed with the DLP tech. It’s not 4K, but 1080p looks sharp and clear. The color is excellent, likely due to the brightness levels; extremely accurate compared to my Samsung Q80. I did a few tests on some of my favorite colorful films (Grand Budapest Hotel, La La Land, Coraline) and the color accuracy was absolutely there. Of course, you have to make sure you are projecting on a white background. A projector screen is ideal, but a white wall certainly works in a pinch.

While I think the auto-keystone function and auto-focusing function is perfect for the average user, anyone that wanted a deep level of manual control will be disappointed. I don’t think that will be a huge complaint from most users, but folks that like to get into slight, technical corrections will be disappointed.

The speaker quality is certainly better than listening to audio via your smartphone speakers, but it’s not ideal if you have a large group. It’s fine for dialogue, but sweeping musical numbers or loud action scenes are going push the built-in speaker to it’s limits. You are much better off connecting an external speaker via the 3.5mm jack or using Bluetooth.

Testing

I tested the 16,000 mAh battery from a full charge to losing power completely and the manufacturer’s estimate was dead on. It lasted roughly 3 hours and 7 minutes of constant video projection before turning off the 1st time and 3 hours and 13 minutes the 2nd time; plenty of time for most movies (outside of a Lord of the Rings marathon)

Be aware that running off the battery defaults to eco mode over performance mode, thus you are going to see a decrease in the overall brightness level. Turning it up will impact the length of time the battery charge will last. When the DICE is plugged in, it defaults to performance mode.

I tested the device charging feature, via the USB port. It just works, plug and play. Granted, you will drain the battery and lose video projection time, but it’s an awesome feature if you are desperate for a quick charge (or are perhaps need juice while streaming a TV show or movie from your device). No USB-C here charging, of course.

I tested loading up a bunch of movies on a 64GB thumb drive, popped that into the USB port, and queued those up using VLC (available on the Google Play store). No issues at all. I’d also recommend that option for anyone that’s going to a truly remote location where Wi-Fi or cellular service will be spotty.

I tested Chromecast streaming using multiple apps. It works well, but be aware it’s going to take slightly longer to get going when starting a video. I was noticing roughly an additional 15-20 seconds waiting for videos to start compared to streaming to a separate Chromecast device or streaming to a Sony TV using Android. After it gets going, it’s an identical experience to the those other devices.

Personally, I found the Android 9.0 interface to be hit or miss. YouTube worked perfectly, for instance. Loading up other apps was a bit of a chore. Disney+ was solid, Hulu was lagging, Peacock was super slow. Google Voice Assistant works just fine (there’s a button on the remote for it).

As mentioned previously, you certainly aren’t locked into Android. I tried both a Roku stick and a Fire TV stick via the HDMI port, each worked like a charm. You will have to remember to bring that extra remote control when traveling though.

If I had to add anything the hardware, a S/PDIF optical out would have been nice for more advanced speaker systems or perhaps a USB-C port for charging newer devices. Maybe a 2nd HMDI port. If I had to add anything to the software, it would be a more stable Android interface & Netflix support within Android.

Should You Buy It?

If you are looking for a compact, bright projector for travel, the WEMAX DICE should be at the top of your shopping list. It’s a user friendly projector that’s easy to get up and running, plays pretty much anything you can throw at it, gives you maximum flexibility in where you can use it and provides a greater level of brightness than competitors at this price point.

If you are going to take this device on the go, you may want to consider investing in a small, hard-shell case, like Pelican cases with foam inserts to project the projector lens. There are cheaper options from Amazon Basics as well.

You can read more reviews of the WEMAX DICE projector here on Amazon. The MSRP for the DICE is $700, but you can normally find sales in the $500 – $600 range. The last deal post on the DICE projector on Ben’s Bargains was $403.

WEMAX DICE 1080P Portable Projector Review

Happy 2019!  A new year means a fresh start, and with that comes a new set of resolutions.  One of the most common resolutions involves one’s health, whether that is to “eat better”, “lose weight”, or “get fit”.  However, it’s a well known fact that most people fail to reach their new year goals.

What’s something that often stops projects–and resolutions–in their tracks is a lack of a clear plan.  Getting healthier is always an admirable goal, but it also can be overwhelming for those that don’t quite know how to go about such goal.  Thankfully, there are a number of apps to use that can help you get organized to make 2019 the year you hit that healthy resolution.

MyFitnessPal

The key to losing weight is quite simple in theory–eat less calories, and you’ll burn fat.  But, how much less food should you eat?  Do you know how many calories that spaghetti you made is?  Calorie counting can be really overwhelming, but MyFitnessPal can make it so much easier.

You simply plug in your stats and how many pounds you want to lose (or gain!) a week, and the app does the calculations for you.  Then, you pick the foods you eat from its extensive database (the largest of all the apps of its ilk), and viola, you’ve taken the first step in getting your diet in shape!

Google Play   Apple App Store

MapMyFitness

There are dozens upon dozens of workout tracking apps, but MapMyFitness is one that gets a bit of a special mention.  By the same makers as MyFitnessPal, syncing the two apps for accurate measurements of calories you burn is an immensely helpful feature for someone overwhelmed with the healthier lifestyle.

MapMyFitness tracks walks, runs, and cycling trips via GPS, giving you plenty of information about how far you went, how quickly, and how many calories you burned.  Additionally, MapMyFitness has a datatbase for things like local trails and fitness events, to make sure you never run out of things to do.

Google Play   Apple App Store

Fitocracy

If you’re not as worried about syncing your apps together, and like to ‘gamify’ things, then Fitocracy is right up your ally.  Fitocracy has a nice database exercises that you can search, and as you do them you earn points.

Points level you up and earn achievements, adding a competitive element with friends if you so choose.  It’s a bit of a more fun way to motivate yourself to work out.

Google Play   Apple App Store

C25K

All the fitness tracking apps are great, but they don’t help if you’re not sure what to do in the first place!  If you’re interested in running and cardio, but don’t quite have the endurance yet, one of your best bets is the Couch to 5k (or C25K) program.

The program is designed to get completely sedentary people up and running a 5k in only 90 days, by a staggered run/walk program three days a week.  It’s an extremely helpful program, and there is a whole slew of apps that can help you with this particular program.  The one I chose for this list is both free and has a nice looking interface, though most of the apps do serve the same purpose.

Google Play   Apple App Store

Stronglifts 5×5

If you’re not one for cardio, maybe weightlifting is more your cup of tea.  One of the best beginners’ programs for lifting heavy things has to be the Stronglifts 5×5 program.  It’s deceptively simple–you only need learn five exercises, and you’re only in the gym three times a week.

The app gives you all the information you need on what exercises to do and on what days, and there are many success stories out there with how much this program help others get stronger and lose weight.  The creator of this program wanted all the information about Stronglifts to be free to all and easily accessible, and that extends to this official app.

Google Play   Apple App Store

Headspace

People tend to not realize how important their mental health is to their physical health!  Stress can cause hormone inbalances, to hold on to water weight, and even a terrifying smorgasbord of health issues.  One of the simplest ways to set aside some time to yourself, a way to calm down and unwind from our busy lives.

This is where meditation comes into play.  When meditation is properly practiced, it gives the mind time to slow down, unwind, and simply let thoughts slip by.  But meditation is not always easily learned… but thankfully with meditation apps at our fingertips, there’s never a better time to try.

Headspace is my personal favorite–while it does require a monthly subscription, Headspace teaches you the foundations of meditation and how to practice it, as well as many different varieties of guided meditation.  There are programs to help you sleep, deal with anxiety, and plenty of other series well worth the fee.

Google Play   Apple App Store

Fitness and Health Apps to Kickstart Your New Year’s Resolutions

Have you heard of Google Play Rewards? I can’t blame you if you haven’t–it’s not the most advertised app around. However, the app can help you earn Google Play credit, which you can then in turn use to buy new apps, upgrade free apps to premium/pro version, and pay for in-app purchases. It’s quite easy to use, too! Today you’re going to learn everything you need to know about the Google Play Rewards app (which is free, by the way), including recommendations to spend your new found funds on. Of course, please be aware that this is only an Android thing.

With that, let’s get started! First and foremost, you’ll definitely want to go ahead and download the Google Play Rewards app:

Google Play Rewards

What does the Google Play Rewards app do?

What Google Play Rewards does is give you surveys, and completing the surveys will give you up to $1 in Google Play credit (usually it’s around ten cents, though). This varies a bit from popular survey sites like SwagBucks, though. First off, you immediately get the credit added to your account (unless there’s a connection error, but then you’ll get the credit in a couple hours), so you don’t have to worry about waiting to redeem points or anything like that. Secondly, surveys and everything else are all handled in-app, so you don’t have to worry about having survey redirect and dead links, or being disqualified for a survey last minute like I’ve had happen all too often with Swagbucks. Finally, surveys only take a minute at the absolute most to fill out, so you don’t need to set any time aside to get work done. All and all it’s a much better version of Swagbucks, though of course unlike the latter you can’t really make a ton of money off it (though really, are those stories even true) and you’re only getting Google Play credit.

How do I make sure I keep getting surveys?

Google Play surveys are mainly personalized for you and the things that you do with your phone on your Google account. There will be occasional surveys that get more basic data about you that doesn’t offer any credit (things that most surveys will ask you such as age, pay grade, etc) and these will also help with your other surveys and what kinds you’ll get. In order to get the most out of the app, keep some things in mind:

Keep your location data on. This is the single most important thing you can do if you want to keep the surveys coming in. Most of Google Play Reward’s surveys are about asking if you’ve been to certain places and to rate your experience if you have–if you don’t have location services on, then you won’t be getting those surveys. It’s understandable if you don’t want location on at all times, as there’s plenty of reasons to not want that, but know that this app isn’t going to do much for you then.

Don’t lie on the surveys you get. Building off the above, Google Play will send surveys asking you if you’ve been to a location and none of the locations match up with anywhere you’ve been to (or even anywhere in your city). It can be tempting to fill out a survey to get a reward anyway, but there are plenty of reports out there that lying on the location surveys in turn seems to get you less surveys and lower credit rewards. After all, they do you where you’ve been. Besides, even clicking ‘none of the above’ gets you a credit reward, so there’s no real incentive to say anything other than the truth.

Watch YouTube videos on the same Google account your phone is tied to. The second most often surveys I get from the rewards app are surveys that pop up from time to time about the YouTube videos I watch. I actually don’t watch YouTube all that often, so it might pop up more often for more avid users. The YouTube surveys basically ask if you liked the video you watched, if the recommendations you’re presented are things you might click on, etc, and usually go for a bit more than the location surveys.

Don’t forget to answer the surveys that you have. Once you get a survey, you should get a notification and you have 24 hours to respond to it. You also get another notification when it’s about to expire as a reminder. It’s not a stretch of the logic to assume that if you let surveys expire Google Play will probably send less to you, so don’t let them expire if you’re able.

What should I use my credit on?

I’ve used Google Play Rewards for almost exactly two years now, and have made almost $81 dollars in credit. While not a gigantic amount, it’s more than enough to have some fun on the Play Store. I used a lot of my credit to either buy apps when they were on sale, or upgrade some free apps to an ad-free version of it. If you need some good Android apps to try out, here’s a couple recommendations below:

Nova Launcher Prime – $4.99

The normal version of Nova Launcher is free, but Prime really ups the home screen customization options. If you want a customizable home screen that you can make perfectly to your wishes, you can’t beat this!

Pocket Casts – $3.99

If you listen to podcasts, you need Pocket Casts. Pocket Casts is basically the number one podcast listening app, and for good reason–when I’ve listened to podcasts in the past, I found Pocket Casts had the options I needed to play the episodes the way I wanted to, and was far less buggy than the free options.

Goat Simulator – $4.99

What’s the fun if you don’t splurge on something silly every once and a while? Goat Simulator is just that, a silly little game starring a goat. Give it a whirl!

What do you recommend to buy from the Google Play Store? Let us know in the comments!

Using Google Play Rewards to Pay for Your Mobile Apps

Looking for the best smartwatches to give as gifts this holiday season? We’ve collected our top favorites this year, the majority of which have nothing to do with that popular fruit company in Cupertino. Check out our picks below:

Huawei Watch

Gaining a 4.5 out of 5 star review rating on Amazon, the Huawei Watch has quickly become one of the more popular smartwatches on the market due to high-end design. The watch offers a 1.4″ full circle AMOLED display (42 millimeter) as well as a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, 4GB of storage and roughly two days of battery life.

• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• MSRP: $299
• Best Recent Price: $200 (refurb)

Check Price on Amazon

Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch

Stepping up with a beautiful display at 360 by 360 resolution, the Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch is Samsung direct response to the Apple Watch. The stylish watch includes a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. In addition to providing notifications from your Android smartphone, it also include a built-in fitness tracker. The watch will offer a 3-day battery life.

• Compatibility: Android Only (for now)
• MSRP: $299 to $349
• Last-Gen Alternative: Samsung Galaxy Gear S for $150

Check Price on Amazon

Pebble Time Steel Smartwatch

Rolling out the company’s first color display on a smartwatch, the Pebble Time Steel is a platform agnostic smartwatch that’s roughly the same size as the 42mm Apple Watch. While the display is notably more muted and less advanced than other smartwatches, the advantage to that display is a 10-day battery life. Also, the screen always stays on, compared to other smartwatches that require user interaction all the time.

• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• MSRP: $249
• Last-Gen Alternative: Original Pebble Steel at $100

Check Price on Amazon

LG Watch Urbane Smartwatch

Offering up a gorgeous design in both gold and silver, the Urbane from LG is another style-oriented design that’s meant to tackle the Apple Watch head on. It’s one of the first Android watches to offer compatibility with iPhones and is outfitted with a speedy quad core 1.2GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage.

• Compatibility: Android and iOS
• MSRP: $349 / Ben’s Best Price: $204
• Last-Gen Alternative: LG G Smartwatch R for $140

Check Price on Amazon

Moto 360 Smartwatch (2015 revision)

Available in a 42mm and 46mm version, the Moto 360 revision for 2015 sports a speedy 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage and an on-board GPU. Features include on a heart rate sensor on the back of the smartwatch as well as an ambient light sensor, which auto-adjusts the display brightness depending on light in the area. Battery life rated between 1.5 to 2 days, depending on model.

• Compatibility: Android (and iOS soon)
• MSRP: $299
• Last-Gen Alternative: Original Moto 360 for $115

Check Price on Amazon

ASUS ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch

Easily mistaken for an Apple Watch, the ASUS ZenWatch 2 is a stylish follow-up to the original ZenWatch. Complete with a snappy 1.2GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage, the ZenWatch 2 is available as a 1.63-inch version with a 400mAh battery pack (3-days) and a smaller 1.45-inch version with a 300mAh battery pack (2-days). Also, the price is amazing, basically half the MSRP of most competitors.

• Compatibility: Android Only
• MSRP: $149
• Last-Gen Alternative: ASUS ZenWatch for $130

Check Price on Best Buy

Apple Watch Series 7

Rounding out the bottom of our list specifically due to the exorbitant price, the Apple Watch 7 is only compatible with iOS. Reviewers love the design of the product, but battery life is still short at roughly 18 hours. It includes activity tracking as well as GPS, NFC and a heart rate monitor.

• Compatibility: iOS Only
• MSRP: $399 to $1,759
• Cheaper Alternative:

Check Price on Apple

2016 Tech Gift Guide: Best Smartwatches

We’ve just updated the Ben’s Bargains mobile app for both iOS and Android devices (version 1.2), specifically with a sleeker design to showcase more deals. In addition to the new design, we’ve also added landscape support on iOS as well as an iPad version of the app.

On the iPad version of the app, we’ve placed the category listings on the left side as well as a search bar and your most recent searches. You can quickly jump between product categories without having to switch to another page within the app. You also have the option of switching to landscape mode automatically in order to browse a larger number of deals at a time.

Managing deal alerts is easier in the new layout, ideal for anyone watching mulitple product categories for specific deals. We’ve also added optional push notification options within the app, useful if you want to catch an extremely hot deal before it sells out. You can set push notification for each specific alert as needed.

You can download (or update) the new versions of the apps on Google Play for Android users (LINK) and the App Store for iOS users (LINK). The Google Play version is compatible with Jelly Bean and higher (Android version 4.0.3 and up). Our iOS version for Apple devices is compatible with iOS version 8.2 or higher.

Ben’s App on Google Play –  Ben’s App on iTunes

You can also see more photos of the new iPad version of the app below:

The Ben’s Bargains app now offers iPad support, new design

Launching on Google Play for Android users recently (LINK) and iOS today (LINK), the new Ben’s Bargains mobile app incorporates all the account functionality found on the main site in a compact, speedy package with more features than our mobile Web version of Ben’s.

The core new feature in the app is mobile notifications. When you set a deal alert on a specific product, we will send you a mobile notification the second that it’s posted on the site (assuming you toggle notifications on). This way, you won’t miss out the next time we post deals that sell out in less than an hour.

Tied to your Ben’s profile, you can manage preferences including Deal Alerts you’ve set on specific products, products that you have set as favorites over time and products that you have recently viewed (either on the Web version of Ben’s or the mobile version).

Similar to the main site, you have the ability to filter products by categories, stores and price range. You can also use the quick filters at the top of the app to see the latest deals, the hottest deals and your recently viewed deals.

We’ve also includes easy icons to trigger specific events. Tapping the bell icon will set a Deal Alert on the product (and tapping it again will turn it off). The same goes for the heart icon, which triggers the favorite function.

We also have a share icon on the deal page that allows you to share to Facebook, Twitter or via email. Also similar to the main site, you can visit the deal page within the app to make comments as well as vote on comments left by others.

The Google Play version is compatible with Jelly Bean and higher (Android version 4.0.3 and up). Our iOS version for Apple devices is compatible with iOS version 7.0 or higher.

Ben’s App on Google Play –  Ben’s App on iTunes

You can check out pictures of both versions of the app below:

Android App Photos:

iOS App Photos:

Introducing the new Ben’s Bargains mobile app

Power is always a necessity in today’s world of smartphones, tablets, laptops and every other mobile device that we carry around. Battery manufacturers have certainly recognized this need, thus the influx of portable battery chargers has somewhat exploded over the past five years. One such battery is the Aukey 10000mAh model, a battery that includes a Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 port for 2.4 amp charging of supported Android devices and 2.0 amp charging for supported Apple devices.

Design

The Aukey 10000mAh Battery is 6.5 inches tall, just under 3 inches in width and less than an inch thick; roughly the size of two decks of cards stacked end to end.. The compact design makes it ideal for travel, perhaps more so than competing models from companies like Jackery. On one end of the portable battery, you will find a 1 amp charging port as well as the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 port. In between the two port, you will find a LED light that can be activated with the power button on the side. On the opposite side from the power button, you will find the micro USB charging port.

The battery is also lightweight, far less than one pound in weight. There are no power meters on the battery to indicate remaining power levels. Instead, Aukey uses indicator lights to provide an estimated range. By pressing the power button once, you can check the power. A white light means there’s 60 to 100 percent of the battery power left. A green light means 20 to 60 percent and a red light means between 0 and 20 percent of battery life left.

Performance

I performed a few timing tests with Aukey’s 10000mAh model, specifically putting it up against other chargers. Charging an iPhone 6 Plus from 50 percent battery life to 100 percent took about 75 minutes using the orange quick charge port; slower than a 2.4 amp wall plug that knocked it out the same in just under 60 minutes. However, I could find no decrease in charging speed between a 2.4 amp wall plug and the Aukey battery when charging up a Samsung Galaxy S6. It was charging at the same rate, ideal for anyone that needs a quick charge during a commute.

On average, you will probably get nearly two full charges for smartphones and one full charge for a tablet. When the Aukey battery is completely dead, it consistently took me just under five hours to completely recharge it using a 2.4 amp wall plug. The secondary 1 amp port performs pretty much identically to any standard iPhone charger from Apple. It’s roughly half the speed of the quick charge port, even less so when using an Android device. However, it’s nice when you have multiple devices to charge, ideal for families perhaps.

I didn’t have any issues with overheating. That can often be an issue with portable batteries, but the Aukey model stayed cool to the touch both when recharging the internal battery and charging up my mobile devices. I also didn’t have any issues with turning the LED light at the top of the battery on and off. The light is fairly bright, but I can’t imagine a scenario at home where I would be able to find the black battery in the dark. However, I can see how it would be useful when carrying it around in a laptop bag, ideal when searching through the bag at night or using the light to illuminate the lock on a car or front door.

Should You Buy It?

If you have one of the Android devices listed at the bottom of the review, then this is definitely a great mobile charger. It would be ideal for anyone that runs out of battery during the day and doesn’t have access to any power outlets. If you have an iPhone, the Aukey battery is fast, just not as fast as a 2.4 amp wall charger. On average, the sale price on this model is usually around $30. That’s roughly the same sale price as the Jackery Giant+, a 12,000 mAh charger. However, the Aukey battery has a much thinner width, basically more portable, and a higher power rating for Android charging.

Check Amazon Price of Aukey 10000mAh Battery

Quick Charge 2.0 Compatible Android models

Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 10000mAh Battery Review

The holidays may be swiftly passing us all by, but the gift of giving will never go away. Now that you’ve gone through the shopping mall ringer once again, surely having compiled new strategies in the wake of old ones thrown out, maybe you feel confident. Next year it will all go swimmingly. That birthday around the corner, or whatever holiday might cross your calendar next, is surely just a breeze to be breathed in as concurrently as the air in your everyday life.

But this is a mistake, dear consumer. This is a folly, and you will rue the coming holiday, the maker of your emotional and psychological defeat. There is only one way to overcome that creeping shadow of potential gift-giving failure, only one way to ensure your family members still love you in the passing of a traditional swapathon. It’s not your wiles or your experience. It’s much simpler than that. Just use these handy-dandy shopping apps!

Shopkick

Sometimes you end your shopping adventure empty-handed. You just never crossed paths with that perfect gift, and now you’re fearful of a wasted day. Fear not. This is the app that strives to actually reward the act of shopping, granting points upon simply entering one of its many partnered retailers’ stores, eventually leading to earned gift cards and other goodies.

And the partners are nothing to scoff at. Target, Best Buy, Old Navy and more are all in on the game. The app even makes an effort to locate deals in your vicinity. It’s a must-have for the aimless browsers of the world, especially for those who like free things.

Android iOS

Barcode Scanner+ (Plus)

If you do find yourself in the regrettable position of using your legs and leaving the house, try not to do it without the Barcode Scanner+ (Plus) application. It scans barcodes. Unlike other barcode scanning applications, however, it doesn’t do anything else.

The twist is that’s a good thing, since the developers behind this app seem to have an obsession with scanning every kind of barcode on the planet, whereas other apps will often run into products it can’t quite understand. It’s the singular focus of this one that makes it worth the price tag.

Android

Gift List Manager Pro

There’s a real pragmatic edge to this particular app, opting for budgeting lists and cold, hard mathematics over flashy graphics and cute fonts. If you’re serious about your gift giving and getting, as any whole person should be, then knowing just how much you can or should spend from gift to gift is only slightly less important than the gift itself. This is for the “it’s about the journey” guy in the odyssey of department stores and Build-A-Bears.

Android

Amazon Surprise!

Surprise! Amazon is, for some unknown reason, all about the shopping applications. Amazon wants you to shop. Amazon wants you to never forget to buy gifts. That’s what Surprise! is all about. It’s a calendar of gift-giving events, an eCard generator and, most importantly of all, a painless way to give somebody an Amazon gift card. It may be cheap and easy. It’s also quite quick and painless, a last-second reminder for those last-second kind of people.

Android iOS

The calendar in Amazon’s iOS and Android Surprise! App.

What’s It Worth on Ebay?

If you ever ask yourself this question, chances are you’ve sauntered online and found out the old-fashioned way: through Ebay. That’s fine and everything. This app just makes that process a little easier, a little more streamlined. What’s It Worth on Ebay? compiles and averages for you a good price for whatever you’re looking for based on successfully sold items in the past few weeks.

It may be a selling app before anything else, but there’s utility in the realm of gift-giving, especially for those flea-market, antiquing types, always on the lookout for that one, unique gift nobody else could ever find. Except for Ebay. Ebay already found it.

Android

Car Finder

Parking lots are vast and scary places. Danger is afoot. Rows of metallic beasts create a hedge maze of confusion and horror. All you needed was the Car Finder app, but now you’re hopelessly lost and caved in by Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target.

You may finally even bemoan your decision to paint your car a quaint silver, instead you should have used this GPS-enabled car locator, because all those gifts weighing down your aching heels aren’t getting any lighter and you have the sick feeling your car isn’t getting any closer. That’s the feeling of many regrets, my friend. Time to hit the dreaded alarm button on your key and endure the public shame.

Android

The Shopping Apps You Need to Survive Another Holiday

Hate watching the battery life drain away on your smartphone throughout the day? The developers of the original InkCase are working on a new product for Android smartphones to help relieve battery usage.

Built into a case for your smartphone, the InkCase Plus e-ink screen (similar to the screen on a regular Amazon Kindle) folds over the top on your smartphone screen to provide an always-on screen image when you pull out your phone.

The advantage to this design is that you don’t have to flip on your smartphone to perform tasks like checking email or texts, thus draining the smartphone battery. With a battery life of 19 hours when continuously reading, the e-ink screen can display images like a boarding pass when going through airport security or a map when driving around a city. It’s also preferable to a smartphone screen when in direct sunlight, ideal for reading books or notifications as well as checking incoming calls.

Other applications integrated into the InkCase Plus e-ink screen include the ability to control music functions, a fitness data readout when exercising and a personalized display to show off your photos when the phone is not in use.

At the moment, the case has been fully funded on Kickstarter and the company promises to have the device in the hands of consumers by October 2014. The unusual speed of delivery is more probable for this particular Kickstarter project since this is the company’s second product in the InkCase line and likely understands the manufacturing process better.

Early backers can get an InkCase Plus for $99 with the retail price eventually climbing to $139 after launch. You can check out full details of the project here or by watching the video below:

More Images:

Shut Up and Take My Money: InkCase Plus E-ink Screen