Here are April’s techy bits and bobs for your nerdy delectation.
PetSafe Stay and Play Compact Wireless Fence
Whether your dog is rolling on his back in the grass or playing a game of fetch, the PetSafe® Stay & Play™ Compact Wireless Fence claims to give your best friend freedom to safely enjoy his favorite yard activities without straying out of the wireless boundary. There is no need to bury any wires or build a traditional fence, with the turn of a dial the Stay & Play™ Wireless Fence lets you create a circular boundary up to 3/4-acre. Before trying this out I had my suspicions that this would work best on small or timid dogs and that my three fearless adult Staffordshire Bull Terriers might just ignore the electric static shock the fence relies on and I was proved correct, however, as part of a training plan for young dogs, this is could be a great system.
PetSafe® Stay & Play™ Compact Wireless Fence claims to give your best friend freedom to safely enjoy his favorite yard activities without straying out of the wireless boundary Click To Tweet
With this wireless fence, place the compact transmitter indoors or in a shed with power then decide how far to extend the boundary to fit your property, set up time is about 1-2 hours but is not fiddly as the boundary is adjustable with a turn of the dial. Temporarily define the pet area with the included boundary flags for a visual aid while training your pet. The transmitter sends a constant radio signal in the area. Your pet receives a warning tone from the collar as he approaches the boundary zone. If he strays further, he receives a safe static “correction” shock reminding him to return to the pet area.
The collar offers 5 levels of static correction, plus a tone-only option, so you are sure to find the right fit for your pet’s temperament. With just a few short training sessions, you’ll create a secure boundary for freedom and fun.
If you enjoy camping or traveling in your RV with your dog you can also take this portable wireless fence with you wherever you go. The fence set comes with one rechargeable PetSafe Stay & Play Wireless Fence Receiver Collar. The collar has two blunt metal contacts that sit inside the collar against your dogs neck and deliver the static shock and comes with a spare, longer set of contacts for dogs with thicker coats. The collars have a tone-only mode plus 5 levels of adjustable static “correction” depending on your dog’s temperament. The collar is recommended for pets who weigh 5 pounds or more and fits neck sizes between 6-28 inches. The interchangeable design of the collar strap lets you customize your pet’s collar using any 3/4-inch non-metallic strap of your choice. If you have more than 1 pet at home, simply pick up as many additional receiver collars as you need so all of your pets can use the same wireless system.
The collar is recommended for pets who weigh 5 pounds or more and fits neck sizes between 6-28 inches Click To Tweet
As I suspected the highest shock setting just annoyed my dogs and scared them but as a fighting breed, they just pushed past the shocks and ran where ever the wanted, as they usually do. For adult dogs with little regard for pain this system is not ideal but for training, it could work very well. The shocks are definitely enough to reinforce the boundary as part of a training plan so bear that in mind.
Features
- 3/4 Acre of Circular Coverage – The adjustable circular range allows up to 3/4-acre of coverage (22-105 ft in all directions) from the placement of the indoor transmitter
- No Wire to Bury – A wireless boundary allows you to create a safe barrier around your yard to protect your pets without spending time burying wires
- 5 Levels of Correction – The system features 5 levels of static correction plus a tone-only mode
- Static-Free Reentry – Allows your pet to return home without being corrected if your pet passes the boundary
- Stay & Play ™ Collar – System comes with 1 waterproof, rechargeable receiver collar that comfortably fits dogs 5 lb and up and adjusts to fit neck sizes 6-28 in
- Simple Set-Up – Set up your new wireless fence in just 1-2 hours to give your dog a secure play area
- Portable – Take this compact, portable fence with you when you and your dog go camping or travel in your RV (outlet required)
- Contain All Your Pets – – With the purchase of additional collars, this wireless fence allows you to safely contain an unlimited number of pets with one fence system
The very nature of the wireless base station design means the pet area cannot be changed into a square or any angular shape, a circle is what you get so be ready to fit it to your garden area. PetSafe also warns that a variety of factors including terrain, topography, and metal objects may affect operating range so watch out for metal sheds and possibly play items like swings and trampolines limiting the effectiveness. Overall it is a pretty solid system to help train your furry friend but for those with older stubborn dogs like mine, I advise you don’t’ set it and forget it as if your dog wants to get out it will.
System Includes
- Transmitter with power adaptor
- Waterproof receiver with adjustable collar
- Receiver charger
- PetSafe® rechargeable Li-ion battery; non-replaceable
- 50 training flags
- Test light tool
- Short and long contact points for short or long-haired pets
- Contact point wrench
- Product manual
- 1 year warranty
You can grab one here for $314.99 inc free shipping.
YI 1080p Home Camera
This sleek-looking wide-angle HD camera is designed to sit inconspicuously in your home and allow you to monitor it from afar. It also detects movement and can auto-record video clips when it does so. With 1080p HD resolution, f/2.0 aperture and a 112° wide-angle lens, the camera provides pretty good coverage in low-quality high definition. The sensor is very low on pixels and the picture quality reflects that but it is a step up from good old CCTV. With a simple double-tap, you can zoom up to 4x and focus on the details and through an integrated gyroscope, you can have a complete panoramic view by simply panning your smartphone left and right.
With 1080p HD resolution, f/2.0 aperture and a 112° wide-angle lens, the camera provides pretty good coverage in low-quality high definition Click To Tweet
YI Cloud is an optional cloud back up system for your recordings and offers loop-recording with no storage limit, so even if your YI Home Camera is stolen or damaged, your footage will still be secure and accessible on the cloud. If you don’t want to put a MicroSD in your camera you can try YI Cloud on a one-month free trial. Download the YI Home App PC/Mac client and view up to 4 live camera feeds (additional cameras required) on one screen, wherever you are. Keep track of what’s going on in every room of your house or small business, and feel rest assured that you won’t miss a thing. It is important to point out that the YI Home camera is only compatible on a 2.4GHz band network, 5GHz networks are not supported.
YI Cloud is an optional cloud back up system for your recordings and offers loop-recording with no storage limit, so even if your YI Home Camera is stolen or damaged, your footage will still be secure and accessible on the cloud Click To TweetThe camera also boasts powerful audio detection and claims that its “advanced algorithms” can detect your baby’s cry within seconds and automatically sends a notification straight to your smartphone. Not having a baby or being willing to cry like an infant in order to test this feature I will make no comment. However the night vision features are cool, you can see your rooms quite well at night, without any LED or infrared glare. The system also features an optional 24/7 emergency response service so you can get help when you need it. Powered by Noonlight and apparently trusted by 1.5 million users since 2013 and with 130,000+ emergencies handled across the U.S. you can, with one touch, be connected with Noonlight’s Certified Dispatchers who can dispatch police, fire, or EMS to your home when you are away… whether you are at work or on holiday abroad.
All in all the camera and networked app on my Android phone worked really well and I was excited to see if the two-way audio system worked as advertised. The built-in microphone allows you to have conversations through the YI Home App, wherever you are, its intercom mode lets you activate the microphone and speaker, so you can send commands to your pet, or scare off unwanted guests. Hands-free mode claims to allow for a flexible two-way conversation with your loved ones. Sadly I couldn’t get this to work at all. I tried to share the app QR code with my family and allow them access to talk to me like a video chat but it did not work. However, the activity alerts worked well and I received real-time notifications whenever motion was detected. YI’s safety hallmark Motion Detection/Tracking Algorithm accurately identifies, tracks, and records movement and optionally sends 6-second Activity Alerts to help you keep up with everything.
SPEC
112° wide-angle
3D Noise Reduction, 4X digital zoom, LDC
1/2.7″ 2MP CMOS sensor
1080p/15 fps
8 x 940nm IR LEDs
Non-invasive, perfect for baby monitor
Motion Detection, 7-days activity alert video storage in YI cloud free of charge
Real-time Activity Alerts/Baby Crying
Two-Way Audio, Dual Modes: Intercom/Hands-free
Local: Class 4 and above, 8-32G Memory Card Cloud: Standard, and Premium plan available
Mobile: Android/iOS (Windows Phone not supported) in 1 integrated app, up to 12 devices PC: Windows XP and above, and Mac OS
The Yi Home 1080p Camera is currently discounted and can be picked up here for $21.49 reduced from $34.99
CBDMedic Topical Pain Relief & Facil Cleanser
I’m a huge convert to CBD pain relief and regularly use it for joint and muscle discomfort. CBDMedic offers a full range of CBD based products but here we are testing their ACTIVE SPORT™ Pain Relief Ointment which provides ‘advanced pain relief for tired and aching muscles and joints’. Not only does this stuff smell amazing but it can be applied before, during, and after walks, runs, or workouts, so sore muscles won’t slow you down. From strains to joint distress and muscle pulls I can say that ACTIVE SPORT™ formula does offer highly effective relief and get me back in the game!
- Blended with THC-Free Hemp Extract & Other Natural Moisturizers
- 200mg CBD Hemp Extract per 40g Tube
- Dermatologist Tested – Hypoallergenic
- 100% Naturally Derived
- #1 CBD Muscle Rub
The Active Sport Pain Relief Ointment is available here for $39.99 per tube or subscribe and save 15%.
The Natural Foaming Facial Natural Cleanser is $19.99 per tube here or subscribe and save 15%.
Vissles 3-in-1 Wireless Charger
Compatibility with most wireless chargers can be a frustration but Vissles 3-in-1 Wireless Charger offers more device options than most and all for a reasonable $45.
This price is equal to or lower than most Apple or Android wireless chargers out there and while it might look a little less ‘premium’ than other chargers it offers amazing compatibility and for Apple lovers unique versatility. The Vissles wireless charger not only facilitates charging by removing the hassle of plugging in your devices but it can also charge up to 3 Apple devices, including an iPhone, Apple Watch and Airpods at once.
- Charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time
- Safely deliver up to 10W of power to your phone
- Works with phone case less than 3mm thick
- Sleek and stylish design, a perfect match for your tabletop
- Compatible with any Qi-enabled devices like AirPods, Apple Watch, iPhone
- Apple Watch charger is excluded, and the panel only fits for 1m charging cable
Power Up Your Life Everyday. Vissles 3-in-1 wireless charger helps energize your iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods and other Apple accessories at high speed. Simply place your devices on the pad and charging begins immediately, say goodbye to messy cables and enjoy the ultimate charging efficiency. Includes an updated Magnetic Module for AirPods. The previous design required a wireless receiver to get your AirPods wirelessly charged (1st generation). With this upgraded innovative magnetic tip design, you can enjoy an instant magnetic charging and reduce wear on the adapter just like what MagSafe offers.
It has a minimalist design and the pad is made of ABS plastic with a lacquer finish and a pearlescent shimmer. The charger measures 6.9 by 3.5 by 0.5 inches which is smaller than the iPad Mini while slightly bigger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The pad is a little bit lightweight for my taste but does a good job charging my Apple and Samsung handsets. No complaints here.
Take a look for yourself and pick one up here for $45.
