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Archive for the ‘gadgets’ Category

Andy’s quest for the perfect cup of coffee! Part 1: How do you like your coffee?

Friday, March 18th, 2016

I like strong black coffee, and at University I was too lazy to boil the kettle, and I just used to add cold water to coffee granules, (that was 26 years ago!) I do not prepare coffee that way anymore, and no longer use coffee granules either! I also prefer warm coffee, or cold coffee, not piping hot. For a while I used to drink quadruple espresso, I also prefer a small amount of good tasting coffee, rather than a large cup of coffee.

Here’s one I made earlier

I’ve got the following coffee makers, which I’ve tried

Braun filter coffee maker
Braun espresso machine
French press cafetiere e.g. Bodum.
Stovetop espresso maker (my Dad would often comment, he didn’t want any of that sludge you boil-up on the stove!).
Aerobie Aeropress (purchased in Panama, which was cheaper than purchasing it in the UK!).

These all have their advantages and disadvantages, e.g. they are quick and convenient, and I cannot praise the Aerobie Aeropress, enough – for mobile, espresso coffee when you away from home!

But the drawback I’ve found with them ALL, is the coffee taste, and some bitterness which can be tasted in the resulting coffee.

Let me introduce you to the CHEMEX coffee maker, invented in 1949 by a Chemist, and using a conical flash and filter papers, the modern CHEMEX coffer maker is made from non-porous, borosilicate glass and fastened with a wood collar and tie. It uses a special scientifically designed filter paper, the results are fantastic, Clear, pure, flavourful and without bitterness or sediment every time, you can make your coffee as strong as you like without bitterness. However, this is not a quick method of making a perfect cup of coffee, and has almost a ritual, a bit like perfect tea making or the “Japanese Tea ritual.” – if you one are a coffee drinker – that just pours water over coffee granules out of a kettle, and you like your coffee that way, I don’t think a CHEMEX is for you!

The CHEMEX uses the pour over, slow drip method to deliver a flavourful and without bitterness cup of coffee.

the box the CHEMEX arrives in!

CHEMEX filters, specific for the 3 cup CHEMEX

The 3 cup CHEMEX (it creates approx 450 ml of coffee)

here’s a short video, 45 seconds our of 4 minutes of the complete process

some instructions, with photos of how I do it with a CHEMEX.

Start Slideshow

Tags: bodum, chemex, Coffee, espresso, filter coffee
Posted in All, coffee, Cooking, gadgets | Comments Off on Andy’s quest for the perfect cup of coffee! Part 1: How do you like your coffee?

Andy’s Paperless Office – Fujitsu ScanSnap IX500

Thursday, February 11th, 2016

This was an early Christmas (2015) present, and more gadge for the office. But it does have a serious side, because I decided there is far too much paper in my life, and from late 2015 I’ve gone paperless. So it’s also my New Year’s Resolution for 2016.

No paper!

The ScanSnap is fantastic, wireless scanning via WiFi to laptop, Android Phone, iPad, software is brilliant, one of the best software installs and setups, I’ve ever performed with any hardware! – Well done Fujitsu! – It’s a good job, that not all hardware and software is like that, I would be out of a job! Drop all my paper into the top of the scanner, Hit the blue button, or do it remote from my PC, and I end up with a bunch of searchable PDF files.

Local Storage is cheap as chips, Cloud Storage is even cheaper, it’s far quicker for me to pull documents from my “DocStore” than try and find anything in a filing cabinet, if I need a hardcopy, I just print it out. I can also easily give access to my “DocStore” securely via the Internet to Lindsey also, so she can look at all my documents.

So all my documents, are now scanned to an Adobe PDF document, OCR recognition is performed on this document, before it’s saved to create a Searchable Adobe PDF document, this is then saved to a folder structure on my PC, e.g. 2016 > Finance > Credit Cards.

The “DocStore” is then mirrored to two Synology NASes using Cloud Station and these are backed up to Amazon S3 Cloud, and I also use Tresorit secure Cloud Storage.

At present I’ve got approximately 1000 pages in my “DocStore”, which is about 1.4GB, and when I’m finished it closes up nicely.

Tags: documentation management, documents, Fujitsu ScanSnap IX500, paperless office
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BB-8 – This is the Droid you’re looking for from @Sphero

Friday, February 5th, 2016

A little board, so need some more gadge!

To add to my existing collection of robotic gadgets from Sphero… let me introduce you to BB-8, this is the droid you’re looking for!

BB-8

Start Slideshow

Tags: BB-8, Sphero, Star Wars
Posted in All, gadgets | Comments Off on BB-8 – This is the Droid you’re looking for from @Sphero

Fancy a late Christmas Present! The Baxter Robot!

Monday, December 21st, 2015

Baxter Robot

The Baxter Robot was demonstrated in the Department of Computer Science this morning!

Tags: Baxter Robot
Posted in All, computing, gadgets | Comments Off on Fancy a late Christmas Present! The Baxter Robot!

Out with the Dyson, and in with the Gtech AirRAM K9 and Gtech Multi

Tuesday, July 21st, 2015

Over five years ago, I purchased my first Dyson, and blogged here – I Thought My Carpets Were Clean Until I purchased a Dyson.

The big problem with the Dyson DC20, cylinder vacuum cleaner, it has a cord, and it’s very heavy, awkward to clean stairs, and very heavy to carry upstairs to clean the bedrooms, and landing….nothing wrong with it, and it’s just gone out of guarantee.

Honey sales have been good, so time for a new gadget, to help me (my new contract is to do the vacuum-ing around the house!).

After watching the TV Adverts, and reading all the reviews, I’ve decided to purchase a Gtech AirRAM K9 and Gtech Multi.

Gtech AirRAM K9 Cordless vacuum cleaner and Gtech Multi handheld

I placed the order with Gtech’s website on Sunday 19th July, and I was surprised it was not as automated as some websites, what I mean is, the email confirming your order, I never got one, one was never sent…and the Order Online, when I track it, is still sitting in Processing…..my other niggle, Gtech charge Credit Card holders 2% – this is a bit old fashioned! but they do not charge anything for Paypal, after a recent discussion by Martin Lewis about Paypal, Credit Cards and Losing your Section 75 Rights – this here Warning! Don’t use PayPal to pay on a credit card – I thought stuff Paypal on this one! But hey come on Gtech 2%, are you not making enough cash, to re-negotiate with the credit card companies!

yesterday, I was surprised to get an email from Interlink (sister company of DPD – I didn’t know this until today!) advising me I would get a delivery today from Gtech, and early this morning, as was advised Interlink would deliver between 13:57 – 14:57, and at 14:05 I was the proud owner of a Gtech AirRAM K9 and Gtech Multi.

So logistics and 2% CC charge aside –

Gtech AirRAM K9

Gtech Multi

WOW – these are fantastic – cordless, light, powerful, Dyson move over, there is a New Hoover King – Gtech! I’ve been vacuuming everywhere, until the charge they come with ran out, so both are on charge for four hours!

and they’ve got a fantastic new advert featuring music by Queen. (Freddie Mercury).

Tags: airram, bagless, cordless, Dyson, gtech, multi
Posted in All, gadgets | Comments Off on Out with the Dyson, and in with the Gtech AirRAM K9 and Gtech Multi

Andy’s new gadget for testing car batteries! – A Solar BA7 Battery and System Tester for 12 volt batteries

Wednesday, July 1st, 2015

Yes, I have been experiencing car troubles again, well to be honest, the issue has never really gone away, and I’ve done nothing about it, other than keep charging my car battery!

The Problem

The issue has been, if I do not use my car for 24 hours, when starting the car, it does not turn over. So I have to ensure, I start and run my car 7 days a week. Lately, however this period of time, has been decreasing to less than 10 hours, so if I park up overnight, the car will not start the next morning.

The Temporary Solution

If I connect the battery to a battery charger, and charge for less than 5 minutes, it allows me to start the car. This is odd, because the battery is not going to charge much in 5 minutes.

This temporary solution to the issue, was becoming problematic, and delaying me getting off to work in the morning, unrolling the 50m extension lead, plugging in the battery charger, charging the battery, driving to work, and the car was always able to start after parking up in the car park, until Tuesday, when it refused to start, requiring me to get a jump start, with my special jump leads from my Boss! (I think Lindsey was probably getting p***** off as well, because my car is parked behind hers, on the drive!)

Discuss with “The Specialist”

I spoke to Paul from JLB Electronics, pop by their website, and purchase some electronics bits and bobs… about the issue with my car, I took some voltage readings with a voltmeter, before and after charging, and current draw from the battery at idle. The voltage of the battery was 12.4/12.5 volts, and current draw was 0.77A at idle (which could be high!), but not really enough to flatten a car battery overnight.

The Fix

So I decided to purchase a Solar BA7 Battery and System Tester for 12 volt batteries from Amazon.co.uk, this is not just a voltmeter, which can test starting minimum and maximum voltages, battery under load, battery at idle, to check your alternator is working correctly, but also checks the car battery conductance, and compares with the stated value on the battery e.g. the CCA (cold cranking amperes – this is the current which can be delivered for 30 seconds), the value is stamped on the battery!

Amazon parcel

Solar BA7 Battery & System Tester for 12v batteries

As I had suspected the battery was at fault, I also purchased a new battery from Halfords – a Yuasa YBX5096, this brand in the UK, commonly associated with batteries in alarms, but very common in Japan and Japanese cars!

Old Car battery CCA 300 - FAIL

After connecting the tester, the CCA value tested is 300, the battery has a stated CCA of 680, so therefore it’s a fail, you cannot make out the numbers on the LED, but the fail light is lit! So it was nice to technically know, after testing the battery is duff!

New Yuasa Silver HSB096, 80Ah 760A (CCA) - PASS

Checking the new Yuasa Silver HSB096, 80Ah 760A (CCA) – it passes with a CCA value of 900, and 860. So good to know, my new battery is perfect!

So, before I removed the old battery, I tested, starting minimum and maximum voltages, and charging at idle and load and both these tests pass, so clearly it points to a duff battery, so it was quickly removed and changed.

New Yuasa Silver HSB096, 80Ah 760A (CCA) - PASS

New battery installed and connected…..sorry about the fuzzy photograph, excited!!!)

New battery installed....

Tags: Amazon, Amazon.co.uk, Solar BA7, Yuasa
Posted in car, gadgets | Comments Off on Andy’s new gadget for testing car batteries! – A Solar BA7 Battery and System Tester for 12 volt batteries

Cluster of 3D Printers – Ultimaker 2, now networked…

Wednesday, May 20th, 2015

I’ve been trying to get this blogged for a while, so here goes…

Here are the Cluster of 3D Printers – Ultimaker 2, now networked…, and they’ve been breeding…

Cluster of 3D Printers - Ultimaker 2

There was a Health and Safety issues, with the use of PLA (Polylactic acid), which is the filament we use in these printers, which I believe is derived from corn starch. The health and saftey issue, is possibly due to ultra fine particles in the air, and it suggests using 3D printers with PLA, be used in a room with high ventilation, so the printers were banned, from being used in individual offices, and all moved to a print room, with a high air change rate, e.g. extractor fan in the window, changing the air in the room.

So now the 3D Printers, we in another room, we needed to find a method to print remotely via the network, and also check the print job!

Enter OctoPrint, this is a networked web interface for a 3D Printer, print anything from anywhere, and also has the ability for us to view the print job in process via a webcam (all from a Raspberry Pi).

OctoPrint connected to Ultimaker 2, Priting a single Apidea Queen Excluder.

OctoPrint connected to Ultimaker 2, Priting Apidea 15 Queen Excluders

Photograph of the 15 Apidea Queen Excluders printing in progress

OctoPrint connected to Ultimaker 2, Priting a Number 3

OctoPrint connected to Ultimaker 2, Priting a Number 2

So this is how we now print, unattended with a 3D printer, we are now working on the robot, which needs to remove the printed object, and walks down to my office to deliver it!

Tags: 3D Printers, 3D Printing, Ultimaker II
Posted in All, computing, gadgets | Comments Off on Cluster of 3D Printers – Ultimaker 2, now networked…

Andy’s AmazonLocker Experience

Friday, May 1st, 2015

I noticed several weeks ago, AmazonLockers were being installed on Campus.

AmazonLocker on Campus

So I’ve been waiting for an excuse to order a gadget from Amazon.co.uk, to try out this new AmazonLocker Experience.

My Dad has been reviewing and raving about these new bluetooth headphones he purchased from Amazon.co.uk, for £15.

They are called Soundpeats Qy7 Mini Lightweight Wireless Stereo Sports/running & Gym/exercise Bluetooth Earbuds Headphones Headsets W/microphone for Iphone 5s 5c 4s 4, Ipad 2 3 4 New Ipad, Ipod, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Smart Phones Bluetooth Devices (QY7, black/green). I’ll get him to review them, or I’ll quickly do a blog on them later.

I was discussing with my colleague this morning, about what time would my Amazon Delivery arrive, and I received a SMS Text message from Amazon with a code for the locker.

I quickly legged it over to the Student Union on Campus, to retrieve my parcel.

Entered the code into the keypad

As if by magic, a locker door springs open, revealing my parcel..

Locker door opens

I quickly grabbed the parcel, closed the door, and returned to my office.

My Amazon Parcel

and it’s contents…

Soundpeats Qy7 Mini Lightweight Wireless Stereo Sports/running & Gym/exercise Bluetooth Earbuds Headphones Headsets W/microphone for Iphone 5s 5c 4s 4, Ipad 2 3 4 New Ipad, Ipod, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Smart Phones Bluetooth Devices (QY7, black/green)

You can grab a pair here from Amazon.co.uk – Soundpeats Qy7 Mini Lightweight Wireless Stereo Sports/running & Gym/exercise Bluetooth Earbuds Headphones Headsets W/microphone for Iphone 5s 5c 4s 4, Ipad 2 3 4 New Ipad, Ipod, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Smart Phones Bluetooth Devices (QY7, black/green), and they’ve just now been reduced to £14.99, I paid £15.23 (30/04/15)

Tags: Amazon, Amazon.co.uk, Soundpeats Qy7
Posted in All, Audiophile, gadgets | Comments Off on Andy’s AmazonLocker Experience

Adam’s Homebrew 3D Printed Quadcopter Flight No.2 and Crash – oh dear!

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015

This quadcopter chassis was printed, on a 3D printer, an Ultimaker II, in our office, and electronics and motors were added, and this is Adam flying it, on it’s second flight! I’m running around, trying not to get hit, whilst I film it, for checking later.

This is the fun stuff, we get up to!

oh yes, it crashed, but no problems, we will just print new parts to fix it, and it will be back up and running!

Tags: 3d printer, quadcopter
Posted in All, gadgets | Comments Off on Adam’s Homebrew 3D Printed Quadcopter Flight No.2 and Crash – oh dear!

Breville Active Blend blender or liquidiser!

Tuesday, January 20th, 2015

In an effort to lose weight this year, I’ve stopped drinking Red Bull, cut down on the huge quantities of Diet Coke, stopped eating chocolate bars, and crisps daily….and started to eat daily breakfast!, and to help with breakfast…

I’ve purchased a new gadget, it’s called the Breville Active Blend blender, available from Tescos here, if you can find one, as they seem to be running Out of Stock, as the “New Year Resolution Get Fit Brigade De-Tox for the New Year!”

My Nan use to call them – Liquidisers, the modern name is Blender!

The real benefit of the Breville Active Blend , is you blend in the drinking bottle, so there is very little washing up,

Just add the fruit and liquid to the drinking bottle
Screw on the stainless steel cutting blades cap
Whiz the blender for a 1 minute
Remove the stainless steel cutting blades, run under hot water to clean.
Screw on the drinking bottle cap
Go to work, your done!

Some recipes I’ve been trying out

Green Tea, Spinach & Grape Smoothie

300ml green tea
Handful spinach
½ avocado
2 tbsp honey
Bunch green grapes

Beetroot, Pomegranate & Pineapple Smoothie

250ml pomegranate juice
250ml orange juice
Fresh Pineapple
1 beetroot
Handful ice

Spinach, Celery and Apple Smoothie

300ml Chilled apple juice
1 Stick of celery, chopped
1 Small apple, cored and chopped
1 tbsp Freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
1 Handful of spinach leaves

If you are thinking or purchasing one, remember the additional bottles will cost £10.00 each from Breville direct, if you need more than a single bottle!

there are three versions of the product

Blend-Active® Single Bottle, Product Code: VBL075-01 – RRP £25, available for around £17.50 online.

Blend-Active® with 2 600ml Bottles , Product Code: VBL062-01 – RRP £29, available for around £25 online.

Blend-Active® Family Pack with 2 600ml Bottles, and 2 300 ml Bottles, Product Code: VBL096-01 – RRP £40, available for around £29 online.

(the family pack has the added value of 2 x 600ml and 2 x 300ml bottles, the 300ml bottles are not available separately!)

Blend-Active® 600ml Spare or Replacement Bottle , Product Code: VBL106-01 – RRP £10.

Andy’s Comment, it’s fun, and I get to eat more fruit on the go! The longest part of preparation is cutting up the fruit! Five Stars!

Tags: blender, Breville Active Blend blender
Posted in All, Cooking, gadgets | Comments Off on Breville Active Blend blender or liquidiser!

andysworld!

Archive for the ‘gadgets’ Category

Andy’s quest for the perfect cup of coffee! Part 1: How do you like your coffee?

Andy’s Paperless Office – Fujitsu ScanSnap IX500

BB-8 – This is the Droid you’re looking for from @Sphero

Fancy a late Christmas Present! The Baxter Robot!

Out with the Dyson, and in with the Gtech AirRAM K9 and Gtech Multi

Andy’s new gadget for testing car batteries! – A Solar BA7 Battery and System Tester for 12 volt batteries

Cluster of 3D Printers – Ultimaker 2, now networked…

Andy’s AmazonLocker Experience

Adam’s Homebrew 3D Printed Quadcopter Flight No.2 and Crash – oh dear!

Breville Active Blend blender or liquidiser!

andysworld!

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