Review: Silicone Horn Stand Speaker for Apple iPhone 4 from Bone (BudgetGadgets.com)

Over recent months we have seen lots of add-ons for the iPhone and iPad etc. such as joysticks, controllers and even add-on lightsabers??!?!??!! However one of the most useful and practical "add-ons" has got to be the Silicone Horn Stand Speaker for Apple iPhone 4 from Bone ( BudgetGadgets.com)

How it Works and what colours it comes in etc.
The design does not just look unique for the sake of it but improves the output volume "the old school way" through an acoustic amplifier. (picture)

Like a trumpet sound is concentrated through the horn amplifying it without electronics or batteries.

How the Silicone horn stand amplifies the sound - Noordinarygadget



This product is available in colours; light blue, black, white, yellow, light green, pink, peach, dark red, lime green, sky blue and purple.

What it Can do

The Silicone Horn Stand Speaker for Apple iPhone 4 (- BudgetGadgets.com) is light weight and very flexible. It is made of Silicone which is machine washable, dust and scratch free!

Light material makes the Silicone Horn Stand Speaker for Apple iPhone 4 very convenient, it is also extremely practical especially compared to a portable speaker which has a very high probability of being larger than the Silicone Horn Stand Speaker for Apple iPhone 4.

The portable charger may also need batteries of some sort of power supply, and annoying add-ons which this product does not need because of it's smart design makes use of the shape of the horn to concentrate the sound through the horn hence amplifying the sound, it increases the sound by 13 decibels (dB) which is around 2.5x louder!

The home key, microphone on you iPhone are still accessible, there is a cut out for the at the bottom of the product  for the charging port (picture) which allows you to charge you iPhone when listening to music or watching a movie or whenever! There is a gap for your microphone so you can still make calls whilst this product is still on your iPhone and lastly there is no gap for the speaker on your iPhone as it is 'connected' to the horn.



Vertical



The product is also a stand for your iPhone it works horizontally and vertically. Horizontally is also perfect for watching and good for whatever use you have for your iPhone, It fits well around the iPhone 4 and gives good support for it. (picture) you can also separate it into two parts which you can put back together.



Horizontal (with a film!)



Final Verdict

This unique product is very well made and has alot to offer you. Enjoy louder and decent sound with no noise or distraction for a great price. It is NOT very easily worn, flexible, and I can't really think of a con for it. It is easy to put your iPhone in and take it out, no external power is required and great for face time, watching movies, reading books, documents, texts etc, and amazing for music. I just believe that it's a smart little product that was well thought of.

CLICK HERE TO BUY ONE (Below is a coupon)

If you have any questions about the product don't hesitate to ask me by commenting below.

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For 5% discount off this product and all the products on budgetgadgets.com site-wide use the coupon "noordinarygadget"   

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Sodastream Fountain Jet Specifications

With the SodaStream Jet Starter Kit, you've got everything you need to turn tap water into sparkling water in 30 seconds--saves your money. This black/silver SodaStream Jet soda maker comes with one CO2 cylinder that will make up to 60 liters of sparkling water. With no batteries or electricity, you can use your soda maker in your kitchen, outdoors on your patio or deck, or on your boat or R.V.

In addition to making fizzy water, SodaStream also offers more than 25 regular, diet, energy and caffeine-free flavors of syrup (sold separately). Each 500ml soda mix bottle makes the equivalent of 12 liters of soda (about 33 cans). And with over 25 flavors, the possibilities for creative beverages are limited only by your imagination. How about a Creamsicle (Orange and Cream Soda), or a Japanese Beetle (Ginger Ale and Lemon-Lime)? The regular soda mixes contain no high fructose corn syrup, while the diet soda mixes contain no aspartame.
The benefits of the SodaStream drinks maker, compared to ready made bottled drinks:

• Provides an endless supply of sparkling water, freshly made from tap water in just a few seconds.
• No more need to buy, carry or store large quantities of heavy and bulky bottles.
• A wide variety of flavors are produced by SodaStream.
• The ability to make sparkling water as strong or as weak as one likes, makes the machine an ideal solution for the family's entire sparkling beverage needs.

The Jet soda maker carbonates water in a BPA-free, reusable one-liter bottle in less than 30 seconds, without electricity or batteries, and with no clean-up. After loading the carbonator into the soda-maker, fill the bottle with regular tap or filtered water and place it in the soda maker. Just pump the button a few times to add the fizz and in seconds you will have a liter of fresh, tasty soda or sparkling water in a resealable bottle that stores compactly in your fridge.
When the CO2 carbonator is empty, you can visit the SodaStream web site to purchase a new CO2 cylinder as well as set up a cylinder exchange, which helps to eliminate waste. SodaStream collects your empty cylinder and returns it to our filling facility where it's cleaned, inspected and refilled.
The SodaStream Jet measures 16.7 by 5.3 by 7.9 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 2.58 pounds.
How Does SodaStream Help the Environment?
SodaStream is an "Active Green" company, meaning that consumers actively minimize their CO2 footprint when using the SodaStream system. The more the system is used on a daily basis, the more CO2 footprint the user actively saves. This differs from "Passive Green" brands, which use green-friendly production processes, but their products are not inherently helping you save on your daily footprint.
Because SodaStream uses water straight from the tap, the system makes traditional store-bought beverage bottles obsolete. That means, less plastic manufactured, less plastic waste and less transport of bottled beverages. Globally, 206 billion liters of bottled water were consumed in 2008 (Zenith International Global Bottled Water Report, 2008), and the energy required to make water bottles just in the US is equivalent to 17 million barrels of oil (Container Recycling Institute, 2002).
A family of four could slash their home soft-drink-related packaging usage by over 90 percent simply by using a SodaStream soda maker, and SodaStream's plastic carbonating bottle are reusable for up to three years. A typical American will toss away over 1500 aluminum cans (and/or hundreds of plastic 2-liter bottles) over three years, while a SodaStream owner will use just one carbonating bottle or carafe that come with the home soda maker.
Operating without batteries or electricity, SodaStream home soda makers are highly energy-efficient small appliances. Appliances that work without electricity improve the environment by cutting down on the emissions generated by electrical plants, giving us cleaner air and ground water.
By operating completely on power supplied by the compressed air in the carbonator--an easily renewable fuel source--SodaStream does not contribute to environmental pollution made by batteries. Empty carbonators are returned to SodaStream to be cleaned, inspected and refilled with CO2 drawn naturally from the air. Carbonators are reusable as long as they remain in good condition.

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SodaStream Fountain Jet Soda Maker Review

Pros

Easy to use

Doesn't take up much space on the counter

Users can adjust the level of fizziness in their soda

Cons

• Water must be chilled before using
• Soda in the bottles loses carbonation within a few days
• Can only be used on plain water (add flavorings afterwards)
• Bottles are not dishwasher-safe

Description

• Machine and bottles are made of recyclable materials; CO2 cylinder can be traded in for full ones
• Comes with 2 1-liter reusable BPA-free plastic bottles and lids, as well as a CO2 cylinder good for about 60 liters of soda
• Does not require electricity or batteries
• 24-month warranty includes free repair or replacement for faulty workmanship or inferior materials

Guide Review - SodaStream Jet Soda Maker

 The problem is, the cost of those sodas adds up, and lugging the bottles home from the store (plus out to the recycling bin when they're empty) can be quite a chore.

So when I saw the SodaStream C100 soda maker, I thought it would might be a good solution. And, for the most part, it is.

The SodaStream is a non-electric countertop device that pumps carbonation into water via a CO2 canister that is included with the machine (Note: Don't do as I did and try to either travel with or ship your SodaStream – CO2 cylinders are considered hazardous materials and are pretty impossible for the average consumer to transport). The SodaStream also comes with two 1-liter plastic bottles and lids. The bottles are BPA free and are reusable, which makes them very eco-friendly. Plus, they last for 3 years (bottles are even marked with the "use-by" date). Extra bottles are available for purchase separately, and once you've used up your CO2 canister, you can exchange it at an authorized retailer for a new cylinder, and pay only the cost of the gas (at my local kitchenware store, this ends up being only around $13, whereas buying the cylinder itself is twice that much). The company claims the carbonator will make 60 liters of soda water, depending on the amount of carbonation used for each bottle (A larger cylinder is also available that carbonate up to 110 liters of water).

Using the SodaStream is simple: You screw the CO2 cylinder into the back of the machine (the canister can stay in place until it's empty), then screw a bottle of chilled water into the front of the machine. Then, press the carbonating button a few times until you hear the machine buzz. Three buzzes will yield standard carbonation (which seems as fizzy as a just-opened can of soda), more or fewer buzzes will give you more or less carbonation according to your preference. Then, unscrew the bottle from the drinkmaker and either drink it immediately, or cap it and refrigerate it for later. The SodaStream can only be used to carbonate plain water, but for flavored soda, you can add syrups, juices or extracts to the bottle or to your glass.

I found only a few drawbacks of the SodaStream. For one, you need to chill your bottle of water first, which can be a drag if you are making multiple drinks and only have 2 bottles, or if you want a spur-of-the-moment beverage. Second, the bottles must be washed by hand. And finally, I wish the user manual had a few recipes for making your own soda concentrates. SodaStream sells its own line of soda concentrates, but they are all filled with artificial ingredients, which makes me itch to create my own (Although I do like that the sweetener for the diet versions is Splenda rather than aspartame). But for around £68 for the kit, I think the SodaStream is a fun and useful accessory for soda lovers.

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Vita-Mix 5200 blender Review

- In this Vita Mix blender review, we’ll take a look at the ever-popular Vitamix 5200. The Vitamix 5200 is Vitamix’s flagship blender and makes whole food juice, cooks steaming hot soup from scratch, and even makes healthy, homemade ice cream.

The Vitamix 5200 blender is built like a tank, and it was designed to outperform and outlast virtually every other appliance on the market. It is a high performance appliance that combines versatility with commercial-grade components and construction.

If you’ve never handled a Vita Mix blender before, you’re in for a treat. From the first time we picked up the Vitamix 5200, it was obvious that this blender was built like an absolute tank.

Featuring an impressive Swedish-built 2 peak HP motor that was custom designed for the Vitamix 5200, this blender runs much cooler and is much more energy efficient than other blenders we’ve reviewed.

We’re also big fans of the Vitamix 5200′s feedback-type variable speed control. With speeds ranging from 11 mph to 240 mph, the blender provides steady, consistent power regardless of load.The blender includes an all-new Eastman Tritan 64 ounce copolyester container that provides the durability of polycarbonate, but features improved chemical resistance and sound damping. The ergonomic soft-grip handle is extremely comfortable to hold, and makes pouring a joy.

Blending food during our tests was never a challenge for the Vitamix 5200, thanks in large part to the unique stainless steel hammermill and cutting “wet” blades. These blades process whole foods better than any other appliance we’ve tested to date, and don’t overheat the food in the process (which can destroy up to 3 times the nutrition value).

The spill-proof vented lid with removable lid plug which is a nice touch, making it easy to measure and add ingredients safely while the blender is running. Last (but certainly not least), clean up is super quick and easy with the Vitamix 5200 blender — simply add a few drops of dish soap, some warm water, and run on high for 30 seconds.

Vitamix 5200 Blender Review – Final Thoughts

The Vitamix 5200 blender is a beast of a machine that easily tackled everything we threw at it, and the overall build quality left us truly impressed.

If you’re seriously thinking about buying a Vita Mix blender, you’re probably already aware of the fact that these machines aren’t exactly cheap. However, if you truly want to purchase the best blender money can buy and make an investment in an appliance that will serve you faithfully for many years to come, there’s no better choice in our opinion. Add to that the fact that the Vitamix 5200 is backed by a full 7 year warranty and this can save you, money on soups, smothies, cocktails etc. I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing one.

-Noordinarygadget

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iPhone 4S Review

Unfortunately this isn’t iPhone 5 many hoped for.  No matter if you wanted larger screen, slim case or rounded glass screen those things aren’t there, yet. It’s a new spin for previous iPhone 4 but it still can impress many with a faster processor (borrowed from iPad 2), a better camera, a smarter virtual assistant and twice the storage of its predecessor.

Like iPhone 3GS did back in the days to the 3f, the iPhone 4S bumps the iPhone 4 down to 2^nd position while keeping it for sale for lowered price. Apple says iPhone 4S is the most amazing iPhone ever. Is it? Yes, of course it is, but read on to see whether it’s really worth an upgrade.

iPhone 4S Hardware

The Apple iPhone 4S after making revolution in industrial design with iPhone 4 last summer still remains one of the most attractive smartphones to have ever been built. Apple’s choice of materials and its manufacturing prowess are unmatched, and puts a group of other wanna-be competitors to shame. Apple didn’t need to make changes in design to make iPhone 4S as the bestselling cellphone ever created.

The iPhone 4S has the same durable glass and metal construction as the iPhone 4. You won’t find any creaks or loose parts, and the only plastic used on the phone is for the home button below the display. The iPhone 4S is a bit heavier than its predecessor by increase from 137 grams (4.83 ounces) to 140 (4.94 ounces) but you won’t feel a difference while holding it. Apple’s use of glass for both the front and back of the phone may be questioned by those who tend to drop their phones often, as it has a tendency to shatter, despite it being reinforced. But the smoothness of the glass gives you the feeling that you are holding a real premium device. Apple has covered both the front and back glass panels with an oleophobic coating that resists face grease and fingerprints better than any other smartphone I have used.

All buttons along the sides remain the same as for iPhone 4s and includes power/sleep/unlock, volume controls, and the switch for ring/vibrate are all made of quality metal and are very satisfying to use. Button feedback is just right, and you never miss a command because the button didn’t respond to your input as it usually happens with low quality plastic buttons.

iPhone 4S comes with two built-in antennas to avoid call drops like it happens to iPhone 4. The iPhone 4S can now intelligently and instantly switch between those exterior antennas, in real-time, even while you’re in the middle of a call.

This generation of Apple handset comes with A5 dual-core processor you might be familiar from iPad 2 that was released this spring. iPhone 4S RAM size the same as of its predecessor and is 512MB but Apple have expanded the storage options for the iPhone 4S, and you can now choose a 64GB model in addition to the 16GB and 32GB versions that have been available before for iPhone 4.

iPhone 4S, is that it still features a small (by comparison with Samsung Galaxy S2 with 4.3-inch and Samsung Galaxy Nexus with 4.5-inch display) 3.5-inch display. It’s still nonetheless one of the best LCD screens on the market, with its 640 x 960 pixels (326ppi) of resolution and near paper-like viewing angles. The iPhone 4S’ display is noticeably different than the Super AMOLED Plus screens from Samsung, as it’s not nearly as saturated and punchy. However, the colors for iPhone 4s display seem more accurate, and the screen is just a joy to look at. I didn’t find the smaller screen size to be a hindrance in use, even though I’m used to carrying around phones with 4.3-inch or even 4.5-inch displays. As for me the optimal screen size for today’s devices should be 4-inch and that’s why I hoped iPhone 4S will get bigger screen.

Software (iOS 5)

iPhone 4s comes preinstalled with latest iOS 5 which was first shown to public back in June 2011 and only now it’s introduced to wide audience. iOS is great mobile operating system with some feature some major improvements like Siri and improved notifications, other improvements are more minor but will still improve your overall user experience.

The one thing we will blather on about quite a bit more here is Siri. Apple bought the DARPA project called CALO.  in early 2010 and now that functionality is baked right into the iOS 5 but currently available only for iPhone 4S owners. We’ve heard that’s due to the processor demands required for voice recognition, but since you need an active data connection (Wi-Fi or 3G) to use Siri we have to imagine that the heavy lifting for voice recognition is happening somewhere inside Apple’s massive data center they built last year, which would seemingly allow lower-spec devices to do the same. And, since the iPad 2 is running the A5 at an even higher clock speed, there’s just no good reason we can think of for putting Siri exclusively on the iPhone 4S.

We were and still are amazed about with what Siri can do. Siri are capable of doing great number of things, from sending texts and emails to finding restaurants and getting directions from one place to another – all things that are possible to do without voice commands as well but with help from Siri you can do those things hands free.

And then there’s the other part that makes Siri great: you don’t have to remember the exact commands, at least, not as much as you do with Android handsets. If you want directions on Google Navigation in Android you have to specifically say “Directions to X.” With Siri you can say “Tell me how to get to X,” or you can say “Get me directions to X,” or even “Directions to X.” It’s not a major difference but it feels more like Siri has enough “brain” to figure out what you are looking for whereas the voice recognition elsewhere feels more like you have to remember to say what it wants.

Siri signals that Apple is taking a real interest in improving voice recognition and hands-free device interaction. That should mean some amazing progress from here, and we can’t wait to talk to the next generation Siri. We also hope that Siri will be able to run offline one day, because today’s Siri requires a 3G or WiFi connection to do anything. Even the simple voice commands that were available in iOS before no longer work offline, and if you happen to be one of the few who actually used those commands to change tunes while offline, you’re sadly going to have to find another way.

iPhone 4S Battery life

The iPhone 4 offered impressive battery life, and new handset offers even bigger capacity batter, but the main problems is that dual-core processors uses more power than its single core predecessor. While Apple promises up to eight hours of battery life on an active 3G connection which is up one hour from the 4. Curiously, though, standby time has dropped from 300 hours on the iPhone 4 to 200 on the 4S (probably due to new services included into iOS 5, like Siri). Other stats remain the same: 14 hours on GSM, 10 hours of video watching and 40 hours of listening to music.

During this review, I was able to get through a full day, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on a single charge, with my usual battery of two email accounts refreshing at the fastest intervals, push notifications from Facebook and Twitter apps, a handful of text messages, a good amount of web browsing, and few phone calls. The iPhone 4S easily outpaces most any Android smartphone, but it doesn’t beat the best ones by a large margin. I was really hoping to be able to go 24 hours on a single charge with the iPhone 4S, but at this point, it seems like battery technology just isn’t there yet or at least Apple isn’t there to pick them up.

Camera

Another of the more noticeable changes from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S can be found in the camera. The iPhone 4S features a new 8-megapixel camera with an f/2.4 lens (improved from the old phone’s f/2.8) and a backside illuminated sensor that is 73 percent (according to Apple) more sensitive to light than the already impressive 5-megapixel sensor found in the iPhone 4.

iPhone 4S camera features autofocus, with face detection, and a flash (this feature is useless just like for any other cellphone), and can record 1080p HD video with digital image stabilization. Latest iPhone also camera is significantly faster (to launch and to shoot) than before, and much faster than the competition. Photos are captured with accurate color and gobs of detail, and the interface is simple to use. The camera opens with minimal lag, and it is possible to bang out shot after shot without it slowing down between images.

iOS has simple but yet useful photo editor that allows to remove red-eyes and allows to crops images as well as add some special effects. Apple also added a camera shortcut to the lock screen and you can snap the shutter by clicking the volume-up key when in the camera app.

Video captured with iPhone 4S can be up to FullHD size (1080p). The quality is similar to mobile phone king Samsung Galaxy S II captured videos. The iPhone 4S does have an advantage with its image stabilization feature though. The iPhone also has a simple video editing feature for trimming clips down to smaller sizes but you can avoid a need to trim your videos just by choosing iPhone 4S with bigger storage.

Unfortunately, Apple stuck with the VGA resolution front-facing found on the iPhone 4 for the iPhone 4S, but it gets the job done for video calling purposes but let’s be honest, who uses their cellphones for video calling?

Conclusion 

The iPhone 4S is not radically changed compared to its predecessor and doesn’t features top-tier smartphones do these days (such as a 4-4.5-inch screen or 4G LTE connectivity), but offers what is arguably the best smartphone experience of any device on the market today. Its overall user experience is improves upon the massively successful iPhone 4, and takes the crown as the best smartphone you can get. The iPhone 4S is not perfect but Apple’s simplicity, great design, and quality materials used makes it great smartphone that competitors are still trying to match. Though the iPhone 4S may not appeal to owners of the iPhone 4 due to its almost matching design to the older model, I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is looking at their first smartphone or wants to switch to iOS from another platform like Android, Symbian, Windows Phone and others. You could certainly do far worse. As the previous iPhone 3GS owners I already ordered iPhone 4S due to its design and processing speed over two generations older iPhone and you won’t regret if you plan to.

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