A Blessing or A Lesson? Review of the new Dual USB Dive 3.0: Flash Drive for OTG Smartphones & Tablets

With all the advancement in technology, I guess it is no surprise that a dual USB flash drive that can be used for both smartphone & tablets to transfer to and from computer while also backing up files to free memory space on smartphones and tablets, is on the market. However, that is exactly what happen when I saw this (possible) gem in the store. I say possible because the jury is still out on whether the particular brand I immediate snatch off shelf is up to snuff.

After doing a photo shoot for a client, I too, decided to change how photo package are delivered. Instead of a CD, why not a USB drive. Their storage capacity is much larger now and they are a lot easier to carry while avoided damage during transport...who want to keep a CD in purse or pocket, right but still want easy access to share their memories? So while searching through the selection of brands and storage capacity of flash drives...there it was...the first of it kinds that I had every laid eyes, a device, other than the sometime hard to find mini memory card. Apparently, a good product too, it was the last one on the shelf. It sold by SanDisk manufacture. It had the traditional USB drive port for computer on end of it and the smaller input for my android phone.

Once I open the package and began using it, I begun to wonder if it is a blessing or a lesson to own it.

Read on to see my review; you decide.

Pros:
- Compact. Saying it is compact is an understatement. I sometime worry, I will loose it because it is so tiny. Its half the size of the basic USB flash drive.
- Versatility. The duality is a plus to be able to use on a smartphone as well as a computer.
- Cost. I paid $9.99 at Walmart for it
- Storage. For the low price, 16 GB is a plus, for sure.
- Security. You can clip a lanyard to it or key ring with the added square metal ring-type.

Cons:
- Compact. The small size can make it easy to loose (or not find in your pocket or bag).
- Durability. The slide to expose either end of the connector is a concern, if you do not slide all the way to the one end to lock connector into place, it can recess back into the housing and cause an improper disconnect which could, like other USB flash drive, damage to it and the files stored on it if it is not eject properly...and yes, you DO have to eject properly from a smartphone (at least on I found that out the hard way on my Samsung Galaxy Note 3). The first time I attempted to attached to my smartphone, the connector was not lock into place so when it read the drive being attached, it immediate and quickly was not. I got that pop up message that the drive was not ejected properly and had no clue why or how to ejected properly (I do know now how to do it, of course).
- Security. Protection-wise, unlike many of its larger counterparts, this USB does NOT have coverings to protect the connectors from dirt, damage and/or foreign object finding their way into connector. I am not a fan of the oversight of the manufacturer part.
- Stability. When it is connect to a smartphone, the male connector does not insert completely into the phone. If it is accident touch or bump into, it could cause an unexpected disconnect. I never hold the smartphone in my hand once I connect the drive, I will lay it down on a flat surface i.e. desk or table.
- Usage. You will need to download the SanDisk software to use the USB flash drive to take files off your smartphone. However, you do not need it to import files from say, a computer, to the smartphone. The software is free. But if like most, you have a lot of images, music files and/or video, be prepared to do a lot of scrolling to find that one file you want export from your smartphone. "Ugh!" It helps to rename the file. You do have the option to do this while using the software but if you decided you make a mistake or to rename the file, you will have to start from square one, lots of scrolling, selecting and name a whole new name; you can just merely edit the name. Also, all the images and/or other files will not be separated into different categories like on your smartphone i.e images you took in the "Camera" folder and images in a "Download" or "Screenshot" folder will just be under the category of "Images", hence, all that scrolling. Note among those many images you will have to scroll through is the even those emoticons and any and all other png or other image file types on your smartphone...from ALL the applications on your phone!

My thumb show the scale 

This slider must be lock into place; you'll hear a click when it is

Seen is the computer USB connector

Seen here is the smartphone connector and scale to traditional USB Flash drive (with cover)

New Love...Trader Joe's

How can I count the possibilities...by way of choices that I love among the selections at Trader Joe's and why-in-all-that-is-holly did I not figure out sooner when I first saw one of their chain stores, that it is not a restaurant! "I mean, really!" Even after I knew it, I still kinda blew it off; never went into the store. It just is one of those thing that go under the radar never to be seen again...or is it?

I am already in town, took a ride with my sister to a local plaza or to some, depending on where you are from or your viewpoint, a small mall, so she could look for a product in a pharmacy. Low and behold there it stood in all its glory calling to me, "Come...come...come and see the mysteries that lie within."
"Okay", I thought. It is time to bite the bullet and see what all the hollah-ba-loo is about in the store known as Trader Joe's.

"Who-knew!" The place is awesome and in spite of being located in an otherwise and often consider higher living standard town of Cambridge, the prices are amazingly affordable; they are for most items but not all. But hey, that is a given no matter where you shop, right? "Right you are!" So...moving on.
This blog is for reviews and other cool stuff like cooking dishes.

Today's spotlight is Trader Joe's Pumpkin Caramel Sauce. The caramel taste like pumpkin pie in a jar.
But like any pumpkin pie; grandma's pumpkin pie where you can taste spices like nutmeg swelling around your taste bud. The nutmeg, pumpkin, and sweet caramel flavor create a marriage of combine flavors that really work. Like most first encounters, it can be awkward at first. The flavors stands out from one another and they are not sure if they should what to do...they linger, get closer, than mingle together into something nice. Checkout what I did with a jar Trader Joe's Pumpkin Caramel Sauce...

The star of the show

My "Cheat-sheet-easy-bake caramel popcorn

My childhood sweetheart; caramel popcorn

Please comment if you'd like the recipe; its easy

Go head, give it a try

Darn That Jack Frost!...one up em'

You may not know this but I live on the East Coast of the United States where from the Midwest all the way across to the shores of the East Coast, Jack Frost is doing a whole more than nipping at our noses...the little bugger.

To combat the cold, I too have a strong, warm and reliable one; my new best friend...is this guy!

Ta-da! This hunk of pottery is amazing. I love, love, love it! It is a find at thrift store that I can just add some milk too, put in the microwave, and the milk is warmed up....add the cocoa of choice, push the bottom on top where the battery operated spinner whip up a nice froth of creamy smooth greatness that warms the heart and soul; its a good match. We live together forever. "Take that! Jack Frost." Chill the air to your hearts content; this top rate item-love-of-mine will fend you off and protect me from you. So there!  Seriously though, if you can find one these (new or secondhand like mine and it still works) grab it. You will not regret it. The frother of course, cannot go in the microwave, at least I do not put in there because it might be metal. I cannot confirm this because as state previously, I purchase mine at thrift store. It does not include operating instructions. I watch a how-to on YouTube on to use it. The video is vague on the specifics on how to use it but I got the jist of it. If you would like to search for one to own. The one pictured here is an older model but you might still be able to find one on Ebay for around ten dollars or less. The name of it is the Chocolate Pot made by Chef'n.

That's it for today's review. The Chef'n, Chocolate Pot with battery operated frothier. It it where not for the fact that entire unit cannot go into the microwave, it might have gotten a perfect 10. It convenient, portable, easy to use and a durable item that can last a long time. It is a ceramic pot that is microwave and dishwasher safe. However, in order to preserve the quality of the product. It is better to hand wash ceramic dishes or other pottery type items. Dishwasher detergents are not good for ceramic materials.

Have a good one. I am off to enjoy my cocoa. :-)

Spread The Beef...

A beefy size money saving cooking tip. This week is a tip how to spread your food dollar.  Every state is different but hopefully there are enough similarities that anyone any where can benefit from this money saving tip.

The below hamburger press was a bonus item included in a purchase I made many years ago. There are, what I would consider, safer and newer versions that are not plastic. I highly recommend investing in one of those. I do plan on upgrading my plastic version in the future but it is also the reason I line it with plastic wrap but not the main reason. The main reason I lined the hamburger press with plastic wrap is a illustration of one of a money saving tip; the main reason for the article.

Stretching a pound of hamburger for various meals. I live in the state of New Hampshire. I purchase a economical store brand pound of hamburger at Walmart. I was able to make four single servings hamburger, wrap them in the plastic used to line the press and store them in individual sandwich bags for freezing and cooking on a later date.

By doing this you can stretch the pound into as many as four meals depending on the family size and servings but in general. three to four meal serving size can modestly be done. I was able to make three to four hamburger patties, enough chili with beans and hamburger to feed three and another meal; spaghetti was made using the last portion of hamburger. By creating meals where the hamburger is broken up into small sectional pieces of random sizes for meals like chili and spaghetti it stretch the meat even further.

Happy savings!

line hamburger press with plastic wrap

Ready for a ziplock and freezer

Make single serving hamburger patties and wrap up

Time to Mix It Up!

The long wait is finally over folks! Here is continuation to the review of Kitchen Aid handheld blender.

 Just by looking at the box you can't help but get a little giddy and think, "Sweet!" It comes with everything I need: heldheld (with multiple blending attachments), a pitcher with an opening in the top for the handheld to be insert for blending smoothies, sauces and other mixtures, a mixing container with its own designated chopping blade for chopping, dicing and mixing.

It even has a wire whisk attachment too. All this and neat case to keep it all nice and organized. No loosing parts in the kitchen draw to confuse or forget which actual goes to it or something else. 

 Here you can get a closer look at the tool and its various attachments. The attachment also have protective cover for all of them as well.

 The plastic cover was kinda give all the items a blurred and hazing look that was not very clear (and not good for the eyes either so here is another shot with the lid open; a must more sharper image, dont'cha think?

Alright, now that we have all puruved the eye candy that is the Kitchen Aid, let's get down to the knitting gritty and why we're "really" hear...or at least why I posted this little puppy. To share with you how I went through it and test it with a fine tooth-unbias-fault-finding-critism bearing eye.
"It's the only way to review...with sinisterism." Yes, I made that word up but its a good word for this particular arena. I define as to meaning that with an intent to find fault, to observant, bias (to a degree) but with a an agenda acutely aware to the point of creating or looking for flaws. In others words, I got it I like it but if I find anything wrong; no holds bar. My review will come down like a hammer. Okay? Okay. Seriously, one cannot be nice when reviewing, gotta look for or at least be observation of every thing in a real world scenario; using it...and bashing it (verbally of course). But I'm ranting
"...on to the review!"

Let's start with the positive, shall we?

• It comes as a package deal. It has more than just the handheld blender with two or three attachment to blend and mix with which usually is not a wire whisk. The whisk is more certain a plus of high mark for sure
• The pitcher for mixing liquid directly inside a container for easy pouring and lid with a build-in measuring cup that can be removed so the handheld can mix direct while minimizing spills That's nifty too
• The chopping container (I should know what Kitchen Aid actually named this items and it might even say so on the box but honestly, I am typing on the first floor and the box is stored away in the attic on the third floor, would you go get just read that only one minor piece of information that one will care about? Me neither...moving on) :P
• The storage case which is easy to store in a draw, cabinet or shelf
• The handheld has a nice contour shape with rubber grip wide enough for entire hand to easily hold onto the handheld with no concern for it slipping or sliding while working with it
• The handheld has five various blending speeds 
• The blending is done in with a push of a button meant to be always be done in a pulsating action
• While I have not used all the various attachments, the ones I have tried do blend fairly well.  
• I was particularly and pleasantly surprised at how well the chopping container broke down hard items like nuts. You have to aid some liquid when you do this to help with the break down process like you are require to do when putting ice in a upright blender. But the last time I check, you cannot put nuts in an upright. The broken down, chop up piece can get caught under and in between the blade would may slow or impede the function of the blender in a very bad way. This is not the case when using the container. So you can make things like homemade peanut butter or apple sauce.

Now on to the heart of the matter; how it did. Where shall we begin? Let just start by backtracking over some of those positives  bullets, shall we?

• All the attachments do NOT make a tight seal fit when attached. For something that has a primary function for being submerge into something liquid at least 90 percent or more of the time, you would think the manufacture would taken such a thing into better consideration because it is a pain to clean in those area where the attachment locks onto the handheld. There is this Z type grove that help the two parts lock into place like any other male and female insert connection. However, where the female connection is located on the lower on the top of the attachment, I have dried on pancake mix that "still" will not come clean! You may be like me and  do not even notice it right away from it being in there until after it has been cleaned and dried and you go to use it again then see it when you are attaching the two parts again. That inner part is plastic. Plastic is porous and hard to clean depending on what get onto it. To my surprise, dried-on pancake mix is one of those hard to clean substances.
• The pitcher I mentioned earlier? It's plastic too. If there one thing I do like when it come to my counter top appliance; it plastic. No blender or pitcher for blending should ever be plastic. Its porous, it can get scratch and over time, what ever it is made from can, does and will break down and get into your food, beverage, sauce and/or gravy made in it. I do not care what the substance is that it is made from, it is still "just" plastic. 
• The chopping container...yup! you guest it, its plastic too. So you know, if you are chopping up nut or frozen berries or anything hard, its hitting hard against and over time, scratching those inner wall of that container too.
• Not everything is finely chopped and blended and there is no consistency when it happens. It could just be a matter of trail and error but it seem pretty frustrating and bothersome to have to keep experimenting to get the right ratio of liquid to blending items right for them to well blended and not leave any chunks. A good quality blender, handheld or otherwise, either does or does not finely and with precision will do the job right every single time without being some form of rock science to figure it out. 
• The storage while convenient to keep all the handheld thing together in one place, is big or rather wide, I should say. So that draw, cabinet or shelf...will need to be a tad bit large in either width, depth or both.
• The five speed variation is hard to see on top of the handheld which is a nice glossy steely glow but with black small emboss number on a surface reflect everything like a carnival  fun room distorted mirror, make it a struggle to see
• The speed are adjusted by turning the top of handheld and it is also a struggle to do; thank in part to that slick shiny surface and rounded top make it hard to grip. The it is attached makes it ever harder to get it to turn once you think you might have a good enough grip too
• The push button pulsating way of mixing is good for something you blend but not always. There are some recipe you just want and need to be able to turn on the blender (handheld) and not have to constantly push the button, let go, push the button and let go again. The manual will actually tell you, you are not suppose to hold the button down, as tempting as it, you risk damaging the handheld I guess if you hold the button down. The manual does not say that but advise against holding it down. I found this extremely annoying.  It does and will affect the ability to use the handheld for making some items where you need a free hand to add items, while it is being mix. But since you have to controlling blending by pushing on and off the button while using your other hand to hold onto the bowl, pitcher or other container while at the same time, there is no way to add ingredient "while" mixing. You will have to stop
• Oh almost forgot this one. When you do use the wire whisk attachment. The connection is secure. The whole thing wobbles and shakes kinda violently when you use.  Not a whole lot but too much, since it should not at all.

In summary, the only reason why I still have this thing is because it was around the holidays (Christmas). I got caught up in the everything that was going on, couldn't send it back then because the post office is not open during the holiday and you have to go through the whole call the vendor for a Return Authorization and blah, blah. I got it online so there was also that; navigating the website to find contact information and hope you can actually talk to someone and not have rely on email where a lot of customer support is not the most responsive or cooperative...so yeah. It ended up being a kinda force procrastination and got stuck with it. It still is not that bad but is it something I would recommend; NO.

Well, there you have. My first review. If you have any questions or comment, please leave them below.

Note: All comments are review prior to posting so please be courteous and respectful. If not, no one will see it anyway. Just so you know, kay. 'til next time...

"Enjoy your day" 

Reminder, Working Backwards/Forward

This is a just a quick reminder while I put together the first few reviews, to not be confused by the arranged of them. I am working backwards from items I have personally purchase from December 2011 to the present; taking advantage of the Black Friday time period to get what I normally would not be able to afford otherwise. So my first review will begin with a tablet I purchase toward the end of 2011 and experience over the past two years. So they will be coming up soon; stay tuned.

Live & Learn or Learn & Live

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

What is really at the heart of the matter? Well, for many consumers it is obviously money and what we spend it on, right. That is exactly what this blog is all about; reviews on products, experiences and ways to avoid the money traps and bad buys.

This blog was created to get reviews, advice and a straightforward, no-hold-back sugar-coated punches of everything and anything from products, services both online and physical locations.

Come along, read and live the experience with me as I not only review the products I own, sites I have visited and services I have paid for that have in one way or another was put on the consumer radar but will cost you for an honest review. I will also give advice on how to avoid my pitfall that I have experience so you will not have to go through what I have gone through and/or an option on how to deal with them. As the saying goes, "Experience is the best teacher but the not the best way to learn."
We want to learn how to avoid some of these scenarios, if we can or at the very least be a more educated consumer, right? So read along, see the review of the day, or month or year (not all product, services or experiences are season specific, as such, the timing for some reviews will reflect that specific time and can only be done/posted at that particular time.

However, other blog post maybe random moments as they occur like a breaking news story. Also, some of these blog post of course will also have a "Buyer Beware (or informed with caution) theme to them as well. My most recent experience that will be in an upcoming blog will be about a recent horrid experience with my current car insurance company and what happened when I tried to cancel it after finding another one that could save me half the cost for monthly payments and over $1,000 a year!

You will want to read about this one so stayed tuned as we get to the real, "Heart of The Matter".