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How to use a Micro SD with your iOS device (lightning port)

8/27/2016

The Gigastone PhotoFast CR8800W IOS Micro SD Card Reader solves a common problem with iOS devices, which is a lack of storage space. I have a 128GB iPad and iPhone and appreciate the extra space, so I know someone with 16GB of memory will definitely appreciate this product.

First off, I ordered a 128GB Micro SD card (Samsung MB-ME128DA/AM) and it works perfectly with the Gigastone. I then downloaded the Photofast One app. This gives you several options, like compatibility with Youtube, Dropbox, Flickr, and several other applications. However, it isn't all encompassing, so it is missing compatibility with popular apps like Lightroom and Eye-fi. Not really a big deal because you can move files to Dropbox or Photos and then access them from the Photofast app from there. It especially comes in handy for backing up photos.

The other use case will be for using it is for media. You can load it full of videos or music (it will play 16/44.1 ALAC and AAC files without a problem) and have them at your fingertips without using up the space on your iOS device. We often go to the mountains and cell service and wifi can be sketchy. Having the ability to play 128 GBs of movies and/or music without an internet connection and without using space on my devices is ideal. Also, it should be mentioned that it can move from your iPad to your iPhone and to your computer without a problem. Therefore, if you want to use it with your iPhone during the day for music and with your iPad for video later in the day, it just pops out of one device and into the other.

All in all, this is a great thing to have to expand the storage on your iOS device. One of the often repeated complaints of iOS users (or Apple trolls) is the lack of an SD slot for extra storage and this fixes the issue when you need more space. The only downside is that it uses your lightning port, so you can't charge your device while it is being used. However, that is a small price to play to have an extra 128GB of space for your media or for backing up your iPhone.

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The Price of a Good Night's Sleep (BBQ Related)

8/13/2016

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As I have mentioned before, I love grilling. I have several articles on grilling in this blog and my favorite grilling machine is the Big Green Egg.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Overnight Cooks

One of my favorite things about the Big Green Egg is the fact that you can cook "low n' slow" overnight and have a really great meal the next day or over several days. However, that process, at least for me, has a certain paranoia involved because the temperature can go down too low or get up too high and require some adjustments to made in the middle of the night.

Enter the DigiQ

So, after several years of interrupted sleep, I finally scraped together enough money (~$230 with tax) to buy a solution to my sleepless nights. The BBQ Guru sells the DigiQ by itself or as part of a one package solution. I went with the one package solution that includes the following:

"Digit Kit Green with 6’ Probes, Pit Viper Fan, and Ceramic Adaptor"

The DigiQ DX2

The DigiQ DX2 is the brains of the outfit. It has a Power port, a Blower port, a Pit Probe port, and a Food Probe port.

The LED screen is where the unit shows the information that you need.

The Blower

While the Digi Q is the brains of the operation, the Pit Viper is the muscle. It has an adjustable plate that makes it easy to slide into the BGE's bottom vent and a small door that controls how much air you want to let in. You can slide the door up and down depending on the type of cooking you are doing. For low and slow, you open it about a third. For cooking faster, you can open it up all the way or somewhere in between.

Putting it all together

I learned the hard way that the Pit temp probe is a critical part of this setup. It tells the DigiQ the temperature of the grill, the DigiQ reads the temperature that you set, and tells the Pit Vipor to turn up or down the "fan" to get the temperature where you want it. Unfortunately, when I first used the setup, I didn't have the probe pushed all the way into the DigiQ, so the temperature was going higher than I wanted. I finally figured it out, but it took the grill a while to get back down to my desired temperature of 220 degrees (F).

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Still need a way to see the temperature

While the DigiQ has alarms that you can set that tell you when you are outside of the correct temperature range, they are fairly useless if you are smoking a pork butt or something overnight. Instead, I use an iGrill 2 to monitor the food and grill (though you could also you something like a Maverick). For my first cook, I used the clip at the end of the DigiQ probe to attach to the BGE's thermometer. I then ran the iGrill's pit probe into that same location so that all three temperature gauges were in the same location. I then put an iGrill food probe into the port butt.

Final Results

I watched the iGrill's temperature on my Apple Watch periodically until bedtime. The grill was rock solid (give or take a degree or two) at my 220 degree temperature until I went to bed. I woke up and everything was still locked in. It was wonderful! I can now go out and buy a brisket and be confident that it will cook perfectly overnight.

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Allsop Headset Universal Headphone Stand & Tablet Holder Review

8/13/2016

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I was planning to use this stand (~$15) for a third gen iPad, a pair of Parrot Zik 2 Bluetooth headphones, and a pair of Grado SR 60s. The only issue is that the cable management is better for lightning or mini-USB powered devices. In other words, the space that the end of the cable slides between, below the iPad, is too narrow for the old connector. The only option is to pull the connector through the hole and have your iPad sit on top of the connector which seems too awkward to me. You can use the older iPad in landscape mode, but then you have the connector coming out the side, which is better, but not ideal.

Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.

Fortunately, I have a Asus tablet and it fits on the stand better, due to its smaller plug. My iPad Pro 9.7 works fine, as well, because of the smaller lightning cable.

While the unit is plastic, that has its benefits because it costs less than aluminum stands and offers more flexibility in the angle you want your tablet to lean on the device. I have a lot of headphones, so being able to put two of my smaller headphones on the back of the stand is awesome.

If you want to have your tablet on display...which is great with photo slideshow apps, aquarium apps, etc.. and a place to put a pair of your headphones, this stand does the job. Yes, it feels a bit cheap and I would love it to work better with my older iPad in portrait mode, but it does a great job of saving desktop space in my office and gives me a way to show off the display of my tablet. The cable management is nice if you have a newer tablet, too.

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How to use a Micro SD with your iOS device (lightning port)

The Price of a Good Night's Sleep (BBQ Related)

Overnight Cooks

Enter the DigiQ

The DigiQ DX2

The Blower

Putting it all together

Still need a way to see the temperature

Final Results

Allsop Headset Universal Headphone Stand & Tablet Holder Review

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