A telescope for your pocket phone

This is the type of scope that is typically used for target shooting or spotting wild game to hunt. I was hoping to spot bald eagle that has been known to visit the bare treetops in the woods around my neighborhood.

The scope has 20x-to-60x magnification, which suits my situation, and it’s waterproof, so our frequent hazy, humid weather wouldn’t fog the lens.

But what really drew me to the Creative XP GlassHawk were the accessories. It comes with a clip-on adapter that holds a mobile phone snug against the viewing tube.

The adapter was easier to use than I expected and after just a couple of tries, I have a bright, full-screen image on my iPhone camera.

With the phone camera, I could zoom in even more and shoot sills, video and time-lapse. It also allowed my grandchildren to enjoy the views, especially the full moon ascent that you’ll see in my video.

The GlassHawk also comes with a remote shutter release that works with both Apple and Android phone cameras.

I was also very happy with the price, which is significantly lower than other brands that have comparable features. 

The GlassHawk sells for $189 at Amazon.

By: Ric Manning On 1/10/2020

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Free app lets Amazon vendors estimate monthly sales

For every product listed for sale on the Amazon website, there’s a number that can be a key element in the product’s success. It’s called the Best Sellers Rank and it tells buyers and sellers how popular a particular item is in its product category.

At this writing, the iRobot Roomba 960 Vacuum Cleaner is ranked No. 1,170 in the Home & Kitchen category.

A product’s ranking is a good thing to know if you’re among the more than 2 million active Amazon sellers. An even better number to know would be an estimate of how many products a vendor might sell each month. Now a new app called SPM - Sales Rank Analyzer puts that number at a seller’s fingertips.

SPM is a specialized calculator that takes a product's Amazon sales ranking and determines its estimated monthly sales.

If you wanted to be one of the Amazon vendors who sell the Roomba 960,  putting that 1,170 ranking number into the app would give you an estimate of 3,900 in product SPM -- sales per month. SPM Analyzer will calculate the amount of units you can sell of that product and how much stock you should send to Amazon's fulfillment centers or to your own warehouse on a monthly basis.

Websites such as AMZ Scout or Jungle Scout provide a similar service through their site, sometimes for a fee. SPM Analyzer is free and it's currently the only mobile app that offers SPM data on an iPhone or other iOS device.

The app covers rankings in all 30 Amazon product categories and it lets users calculate sales for specific geographic markets such as Canada, Germany or Great Britain as well as the U.S.

For a closer look at SPM - Sales Rank Analyzer, check out the video below and the preview on the Apple App Store.

By: Ric Manning On 9/01/2019

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LED bulbs give good light but prone to flicker

I started buying these bulbs about a year ago when we decided to replace the standard ceiling can lights with LEDs. I wanted bulbs that were more efficient and cooler than conventional bulbs and I was attracted to Hyperikon's prices, which are lower than the competition.

The first batch of four provided light that was comparable to the older bulbs they replaced. So far so good. But then, after a couple of months, one of them started to flicker.

I reported the problem to the vendor and they immediately sent a replacement. Then another would flicker and I got another replacement.

The bulbs are supposed to have a five-year warranty. I don't think I got five months of usage. Now a third bulb has started to flicker. While I appreciate the prompt response I get when there's a problem, I'm tired of this replacement cycle, so I won't be buying any more.

By: Ric Manning On 6/07/2017

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A receiver for an HDMI world

I bought the Yamaha RX-V379BL 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver receiver primarily to get multiple HDMI inputs.

DVD player, Apple TV, Chromecast - they all want an HDMI connection.

For years I used two Harman Kardon receivers for my two home audio/video rigs. They had only one HDMI input so each had an external splitter and a tangle of cables to go with it. The HK remotes were also very confusing.

I initially ordered a cheaper Yamaha receiver with fewer features by mistake but Amazon's return policy let me send it back for a full (and fast) refund.

The RX-V379BL has all the connections I wanted - four HDMI inputs and one HDMI output. And it was was very easy to set up, though it did take about an hour and a half to wire five speakers and a subwoofer.

I haven't yet used the acoustic optimizer, a microphone that lets you customize settings to suit your listening position and room acoustics. But I did use the Bluetooth feature to pair the receiver with my iPhone. Now I can listed to podcasts in surround sound.

And now I have a remote that even my wife has mastered.

By: Ric Manning On 5/30/2017

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