GoToob by humangear

This is the best "travel tube" I've found. (those tubes for shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste etc. is there a proper name for them?)

• Soft (silicone)
• Dishwasher safe
• Food safe
• BPA free
• Easy to fill
• Carry-on approved
• No-drip valve (a bit like those for honey, in fact I should use this to store honey)
• Collar with labels - indicate what's inside. Locks.
• Tube: silicone. Cap: silicone/#5PP. Collar: ABS
• Medium size has a built in suction cup

I'm not such a big fan of the living hinge in the cap, but they say it's durable and I hope so.

Gaseous Tritium Light Source

In my post about cufflinks I mentioned tritium lights as an option. This is what I was talking about.

Again, tritium:

• radioactive isotope of hydrogen, with 2 neutrons and 1 proton (normal hydrogen only has 1 proton)
• decays by beta-decay (produces electrons)
• trace occurring in nature
• made in nuclear reactors
• used in hydrogen bombs and certain designs of fusion reactors

This product is a sealed vial of tritium with the insides painted with phosphors. As the tritium decays, it excites the phosphors, which produce light. The colour depends on the phosphors. I got green because it's the most obvious (the human eye is most sensitive to green).

• no batteries
• no recharging, unlike conventional glow-in-the-dark
• nothing to replace
• waterproof
• lasts 10 years
• temperature independent? Nuclear reactions are temperature independent.

Also used in watches (Luminox) and gun sights. Replaces the much much more dangerous radium.

Why this is cool:

• tritium is rare
• and used in man-made nuclear fusion!
• safe way to carry a radioactive material with you
• doesn't need batteries
• durable and lasts extremely long
• it glows
• explain isotopes and nuclear reactions to people

Magicscan wand scanner

I can't remember how or when I heard about wand scanners. Actually, there are 2 types: 1 feeds the paper itself, this way you can only scan sheets. This product, which is the other, must be moved over the surface by hand. With it you can scan books like a flatbed scanner, but the quality depends on the steadiness of your hand.
Not many companies make the second type of scanners. I think the most famous is VuPoint, which has a whole range of them (including one with a tiny colour LCD screen to preview). The others I could find were from tiny, unknown brands. Even this magicscan doesn't have their own website, but at least it has good packaging. Since they are all sold by small companies, it's hard to distinguish wand scanners, and I suspect they're actually the same. However, I saw a sign saying this one is:

• smaller
• faster

But the reason I bought this is there was someone to demonstrate it before I bought it, so I could see how it works and the quality. One difference I've noticed that might differentiate scanners is this uses 3 AAA batteries, while most use 2 AA batteries.

Reasons for getting one:

1. portability
2. scan large items (e.g. newspapers, certificates)
3. scan photos from albums

My main reason was 3, then 2. It's quite hard to scan large items with flatbed scanners, because you either can't close the lid, or will crumple the item. I guess most people get it for reason 1.

Tech Specs

• pdf, jpf formats
• 300 DPI - 217 x up to 1200 mm
• 600 DPI - 217 x up to 600 mm
• High resolution, colour, letter size - 4 seconds
• Standard resolution, mono, letter size - 1 second
• microSD storage
• 3xAAA batteries - 200 colour or 250 mono scans
• 253x30x25 mm
• weight

Usage

• It's very simple, there are only 3 main buttons: on/off/scan, colour/bw and hi/low resolution
• If you move too fast, the error light lights up
• I don't think you can move it "too slowly". The light seems to flash every time it moves a certain distance. If you move it slowly enough, the light flickers. If you move quickly, the light gets brighter.
• It has an internal clock, but I can't be bothered to set it
• Works directly with PC, no batteries or card needed (untested)
• Comes with OCR software (untested)

Quality is quite good:

This is a scan of the box. It shows a problem: you have to move the scanner straight and you can't tell if you've done it wrongly. Here I bumped the triangular notch which made the scanner move at a different angle afterwards.

Scans of instructions

Another problem is you can't scan to the very edge of a page. The scan stops when the roller stops moving, so the distance between the roller and lens cannot be scanned. Can be fixed by scanning on a large surface.

Tried to take a picture when the light was on, but you can't really see it.

Shenzhen

I went to Shenzhen, which is like the source of all computer equipment.

What do they sell there?

1. Handphones. Oh, so many handphones.
2. Handphone accessories
3. Computers/laptops and parts
4. Cameras
5. Media players
6. Torches and laser pointers
7. LED bulbs
8. LED sign panels (see below)

I only had 1 day to explore the electronics shopping centres, so I couldn't possibly see all of them. Although the stuff there is cheaper, most of it is available in Sim Lim Square, so there's no point going just to buy these things. Especially since you have to bargain and calculate to avoid being cheated, and keep an eye on your stuff while you're there. For example, I was thinking of buying a wand scanner:

The best price I found there was slightly more expensive than in Sim Lim Square! More common things were cheaper.

I didn't buy much. I bought a Singapore Apple plug (for the iPhone or MacBook adapter), a weighing scale and an LED panel (RMB$180):

I used to have one from ThinkGeek. That was slightly troublesome because it used disposable batteries and seemed to use up the batteries even when switched off. This one uses rechargeable batteries, and it lasts quite long. I left it on overnight and it still had power. It's programmed by computer, and can also display images.

Mighty Wallet

Original post: 21 August 2011

http://www.mightywallets.com/

I've wanted to buy one of these ever since I saw them, because I love unusual materials. Their small capacity held me off though. I finally rationalised buying one for an everyday wallet, because I didn't need to carry that many things around and my normal wallet was too big. I finally got one at the Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention (STGCC) on 20 August 2011, because they were 20% off.

• Made from Tyvek
• Recyclable
• 25% post consumer recycled content
• Strong
• Thin
• Light - it's only 11g. How light is that - 2 Singapore $1 coins weigh more than that.
• Water-resistant
• Adapts to how much you put in it

I really love how it's ingeniously folded from a single sheet (this also gives it lots of hidden pockets. You can unfold it and hide cards inside. This is especially useful for cards you don't have to take out, like contactless cards) and it looks and feels just like paper. I specifically chose a design that highlights its paperlike qualities. Not sure how long it'll last, I'm expecting it to last 1 year and I'll be happy if it lasts 2 years. It's a bit troublesome with no coin compartment though, so I'm using one of the card slots. These few days my coins keep dropping when I open it upside-down. It came with 4 name card sized samples of Tyvek, and the packaging uses more Tyvek, which I'm using to test the material.

Also, not sure if I can put photos of individual cosplayers from STGCC, so I'll just put some random group shots.

Update 5 Jan 12

It's been 4 months, and the Mighty Wallet has held up nicely. At this rate, it should have no problem lasting a year.

This side faces away from me when in my pocket.

This side faces towards me. It has slightly more wear. Initially, it wore quite fast, with the print fading and fibres coming off. Once it reached this level, it stabilised and hasn't changed much.

The corner, which is probably the fastest wearing area.

Showing the fibres coming off

There is hardly any wear on the inside and the print looks unchanged. The right side of the opening is wrinkled due to me storing coins there.

Bottom of the right side, due to storage of coins.

Update 1 October 2012
The Mighty Wallet is now more than a year old and still usable!

Some numbers are unreadable and there are some stains.

This side is faring slightly better.

The corner is showing more and more wear, but hasn't broken through.

The inside is beginning to show wear as well

Fibres peeling off from the inside

Oregon Scientific weather station BAR321HGN

I wanted a barometer, and since Oregon Scientific seemed like a pretty high-end brand (and the only brand of weather stations I knew of), I decided to try it out.

The BAR321HGN includes:

• main unit (measures temperature, humidity and pressure)
• remote unit (measures temp and humidity, and RF clock signals)
• stand and wall mount for main unit
• AC adaptor
• batteries for both main and remote units
  

Features:

• measure temperature, humidity and pressure
• records max and min temp and humidity, and hourly pressure over the last 24 hours
• weather prediction based on pressure
• measures UV level with an optional meter
• clock with 2 time zones and alarm
• backlight
• can announce time and weather
• unused features: can set time based on radio signals from an atomic clock (in Europe), can set alarm to ring earlier if remote sensor measures temperature below 2C (snow), supports 5 temp/humidity sensors and 1 UV sensor

The box reminds me of Sony/Casio boxes - some features in many languages, but not very attractive. You'll probably find the product on display on a shelf, not in the box. Judging from the features and accessories included, it's quite a high-end model, and I saw the original price on the box was $350, but I got it for only $108, because it's so old. In fact, it was so old that the batteries that came with it had leaked.

• Records max and min from remote sensor even when not displaying their data on screen (can only display 1 set of temp and humidity data at a time, either main unit or remote)
• Remote unit is "all weather"
• Set announcements to hourly between certain hours, or once a day
• Announce in several languages
• Select seconds, day or dual timezone display
• Screen is too low contrast and reflective, making the numbers hard to see (compare top and bottom pictures). Can hardly be read from >1 m away.
• Talking function only works when AC power is used. Conversely, there is no way to turn this off other than not using AC power.
• Despite using batteries, data is reset once you open it, which you have to do to plug in AC power (the socket is hidden in the unit itself)
• Although hiding the AC plug in the unit makes it look nice and seamless, with the wire coming out of the unit itself, the wire has to be forced in a channel at the bottom of the unit. This channel is too narrow and damages the wire.
• Difficult interface. Memory and History buttons do the same thing, except Memory is for temperature and humidity, while History is for pressure. Pressure uses History to change settings, while everything else uses Mode.

Summary
Most irritating aspects are the interface and display. I expected more from this brand, but since this model is so old, maybe they've improved. Otherwise, performance is okay.

Bladeless Fan

I bought a bladeless fan from Taobao, China's auction site, like eBay. I think the site name literally means "search/find treasure". There are many shops selling similar items here, and it's hard to find a reliable one. I chose this because this shop had videos of a person standing on the ring and dropping the motor, and the fan still worked. Oh when I went to Shenzhen there were lots of shops selling these fans as well.

The supposed advantages of this fan are, in order of importance to me:

• easy to clean
• safe
• efficient/brushless motor
• low centre of gravity
• balanced
• no buffeting
• continuous power control
• small footprint (added by me)

The main advantage, if it is true, is that it's easy to clean, supposedly you can just wipe it. However, I'm sure there are blades/vanes/impellers/moving things hitting air inside, which will accumulate dust, so I highly doubt it's that simple. I can't find any pictures of the inside of an Air Multiplier online, the best I found was:

Which probably isn't of the original. Still, it seems to have blades. After using this fan for a while, I find dust begins to accumulate on the intake ports (those rectangular patches of holes on the base), especially the fibrous kind of dust (as opposed to the powdery kind). Is all the dust being deposited here, or is some still sucked inside and left there?

I didn't think much of its safety at first, since I don't tend to stick things into fans. However I've found it's more useful than I thought, especially with things like curtains, which my old fan used to suck in. I used this with a mosquito net and could place the fan anywhere without risking it entangling. Another advantage is since the intake is all around the base, it's difficult to block.

Another nice advantage is efficiency, if the fan induces more wind than the motor alone produces, it should be more energy efficient than other fans. This needs to be tested though, as I'm sure it uses some energy squeezing the air through a tiny gap. I'm not sure if this has a brushless motor as advertised.

Another thing I've noticed is that I can look through the air intake ports to the other side, meaning the lower part of the fan is hollow. I looked at the Air Multiplier and it was the same. Why don't they make it smaller then?

Having the fan pivot about its centre of gravity sounds nice, but the movement is very stiff, and it can't be adjusted with 1 hand. Its tilt is also very little compared to normal fans. I've tried the Air Multiplier and it's not easy to tilt either.

Buffeting seems like something they came up with just for marketing. I've never noticed it before, and I'm not sure I can feel it, even when looking for it.

Stuff to do:

• make cyclonic air purifier
• blow smells

I had a chance to have a look at a real Air Multiplier:

• it's more powerful and quiet
• the base pivots more smoothly, but still can't be adjusted with 1 finger
• also hollow near the air intake 

While I'm sad that mine isn't that good, I'm glad to know that the money spent on the Air Multiplier actually goes somewhere.

Panasonic F-PJD35A air purifier

I've always wanted an air purifier. I think dirty air is underestimated. I've tried a few cheap air purifiers but they were useless, so don't waste your money. The good ones are about $400 onwards, but I didn't want to buy one with no way of measuring how good they were. I saw this on sale at half price ($299), so I decided to finally try one.

Basically, it's a filter and a fan, with a nano/ion generator. Personally, I don't really like ions from air purifiers because I'm not sure what they do. The brochure for this has reports saying their ions kill viruses/bacteria.

This is the front of the main filter

Back.

The second, deodourising filter. It has a very interesting structure, like black crystals grown on a grid.

At full power, it uses 32W. At minimum power, 6.5W. Maintenance: vacuum the front of the main filter (black) once every 2 weeks. Filters last 2 years.

• It seems to be on its way out. Panasonic's Singapore and Malaysia websites have no air purifier section, although the model shows up on their website on Google searches. I had a hard time finding the manual online, and finally found it on the Hong Kong website.
• Has dust sensor, and can automatically control its power according to amount of dust.
• Sensor sensitivity can be adjusted
• Quite quiet and uses little power
• Long filter life
• No HEPA
• Filter frame is made of cardboard, I read this may lead to poor sealing and air bypassing the filter, but looking at the dust accumulated this doesn't seem to be a problem.
• I'm afraid I'll drop something into the vent on top and it'll destroy the fan. I hope the fan isn't directly beneath the vent. All the other air purifiers I've seen also have the vent on the top.

 After 2 weeks, there is a visible layer of dust, although it's hard to see in this picture.

Sharp's air purifiers using Plasmacluster are quite famous. I found Plasmacluster works by splitting water molecules into H+ and OH- ions, which deactivate viruses and bacteria. According to Panasonic, "a nanoe is a fine (5 to 20 nm) and weakly acidic water particle with a reactive substance and an electric charge", "nanoe comes from condensed moisture in the air". I wonder if they're similar?

If I were to get another air purifier, I'd look for:

• HEPA filtration
• UV disinfection (I trust it more than nanoe)