peTOI rObOT CaT - Nybble

A few issues back, I reviewed Petoi’s robot dog, Bittle and was mightily impressed. Well, here’s the version for all you cat lovers out there and I am impressed once again! Now, first things first, although of a similar size the main construction material used here is wood and not plastic. This gives the whole kit a more ‘natural’ feel to it, and makes it feel more like a project than a toy. Especially as none of the wiring is really hidden in the torso, it’s there for everyone to see and, personally, I like that. There are also no screws involved – the whole thing snaps together with the precision cut pieces snugly nestling against each other just like a decent 3d puzzle. Just be sure to follow the instructions to the letter when building – the order of construction is very important! It will take about 3-4 hours to construct from scratch and then we get to the coding!

As with so many programmable robots there is a dedicated mobile app that allows you to control your Nybble filled with basic commands and an easy to use interface. There is also a desktop version where you can really start to drill in to the coding side of things. Not only do you get firmware updates and the ability to program new behaviours for your Nybble, the desktop app is compatible with OpenCat, an Open Source Project where people share all the things they have achieved with their robotics and bounce ideas around. I imagine they probably have a decent sized library of cat videos to rival Youtube by now…

All that aside, Nybble is cute! I’d love to see what a real cat would make of it as many of the motions are surprisingly accurate. Time to go find out!

speras T3r

The T3R from Speras claims to be an innovative noiseless “thrower”, this means the beam has been designed to reach as far into the distance as possible and has a focused, hot spot of light in the centre of the beam profile. The T3R is compact and lightweight at just 175.7mm(L) x 63.6mm(head) x 26mm(tube) and 308g with the battery installed which is why it’s impressive that it has a top throw distance of 1,095m at 1,600 lumens. It comes with a USB C charging cable, an O-Ring, Lanyard, OTG connector and handy holster, this can be attached to a belt with the Velcro cover ensuring you can quickly access the torch with one hand in one swift motion. The rechargeable 5000mAh battery lasts up to 92hour when running on ECO mode, the torch is compatible with fast charging which will give you a full charge in just 3.7hours, it can also be used with a battery pack making it perfect for long sessions away from home. There are six modes to play with High (1600L/2.1hours), Medium (600L/3.75hours), Low (120L/17.5hours), Eco (20L/92hours), Strobe (1600L) and SOS (120L). There are two Noiseless Switches, the Multifunctional tail button and a side button to change brightness levels. The switches aren’t entirely noiseless but are very quiet, making it suitable for hunting, it can also be mounted onto a rifle if necessary thanks to its light weight and there is also an optional remote pressure switch if needed. The memory mode function can be activated and de-activated, once activated the flashlight will return to last used setting when switched on with the Tail Button otherwise it will automatically turn on to HIGH mode. The over discharge protection will automatically reduce the brightness when the battery is low in order to prevent the battery from over discharging. The aerospace aluminium body is also highly protective with a hard anodized anti-abrasive finish for extreme durability and an IPX8 rating, this is one tough cookie, more than adept at taking on the great outdoors.

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£126

The ZERØGRAND II is Cole Hann’s first sustainable shoe, a brand known for its timeless yet modern designs, it has been created from the ground using materials made from nature with a minimum of 25% naturally derived or recycled content by weight. It comes in a wide range of designs six in the women’s style and eight in the men’s. They all feature Cole Hann’s patent pending FlowerFoam sole which is made with dandelions, a minimum of 25% natural dandelion rubber in fact, this provides a combination of light weight and generous cushioning for comfort. The upper is made with a vegan microfiber suede made with 21% recycled content and reconstructed felt fabric made with 85% recycled plastic bottles, even the laces are 100% recycled rPET. The proprietary GRANDFØAM within the sole absorbs shock and provides rebound with each step, you can feel this in your step, it certainly springs you in a forward motion. The systematic layers of proprietary cushioning compounds softly pad each step, it also gives you are bit of extra height which is always a bonus for vertically challenged people like me. The upper features ventilating details and temp-regulating materials for enhanced breathability helping your feet to stay cool and dry all day. The sneakers look attractive, they wouldn’t look out of place in most environments but they also manage to radiate subtle sustainable vibes, you can tell looking at some of the details that they have used recycled materials, this can only be a good thing. The upper has a good amount of stretch to it which means there is potential of slipping them on and off without undoing the laces, a particularly handy feature for my pregnant self as bending doing up laces is a 10 step process these days. They do feel a little odd to begin with as they are so spongy, it felt like they were throwing me a little off balance but at the same time they were super comfy around the foot. Only time will tell after longer periods of wear if this mega cushioning has a positive or negative impact on my gait but so far so good.

Before moving out of the city we took a lot of things for granted, one in particular being a decent internet connection, in our new home the internet seems to be reluctant to move out of the kitchen into the rest of the house (just like me during lockdown). The Devolo Magic 2 is a good way to share the internet across the house, letting you stream a movie in one room, whilst someone can get lost in a computer game upstairs. The Devolo Magic 2 is a starter kit that can be adapted with additional add ons to suit your specific needs, it comes with the Magic 2 LAN Adapter, Magic 2 WiFi Adapter, installation guide and a two-meter ethernet cable. Designed to get through thick walls and out into your garden the Magic 2 can push your internet up to 500m and speeds of up to 2400 Mbps. Devolo Magic adapters are compatible with all routers, network devices, devolo Magic adapters and products certified by HomeGrid Forum, dLAN Powerline adapters, other HomePlug AV products including the devolo Outdoor WiFi Powerline adapter, are not supported. The Magical Mesh WiFi system is suitable for surfing the web, UHD streaming, and gaming, even in the remotest corner of your home, it provides a stable and fast connection, no longer can you blame the internet lag for your terrible scores on Call of Duty. The wireless installation is straightforward and convenient in maintaining a tidy finish in your home, with the combination of powerline and mesh WiFi networking you get a strong and functional connection you can rely on.