12/06/2015

Hotteeze Heat Pads

I got a pack of these pads before a long holiday overseas last year as I Ieft home with a nerve-root irritation and needed of non-bulky products easy and safe to carry in my suitcase.

Hotteeze is a great versatile product that can be used for way more things that it was initially designed, that is, to use it on your body (especially your back) to sooth aches and pains. However, I have used this for bed warmer in very freezing mountain areas, or attached to my lumbar cushion in my work station when my lower back is a bit achey.  

They are really flat and odourless, so you can easily use them at the office, underneath your jumper or jacket and over your underwear and nobody will notice.

They heat up gradually and you feel the heat, so they really give you relief from your aches. They also cold down gradually and, at the end of the recommended use time, they are just warm. They last hot for about 12 hours, which is sometimes more time you would need them for.

They are also biodegradable, so you can dispose of the "carbon" inside in your backyard, garden, flower pot or wherever you find a patch of vegetation. I love that, because you don't want to be contaminating anything, especially if you are using them outdoors or overseas.

The product is endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and my local osteopath clinic sells them as well in individual format. Don't waste your money, you can buy them in a multi-pack from any major pharmacy or e-pharmacy. 

Mind. You don't use them directly on your skin because they become really ho and could burn you. You use them on your shirt or pyjamas or socks or underwear to avoid any burnt. 

Mind too. The body temperature of every single person is different, as well as the thickness of your skin an resistance to heat. So, some people will notice the heat quite noticeable, and others would just get a warm feeling.  

Microsoft Express Mouse

Sometimes you just want an uncomplicated smooth operator that feels cosy in your hands.

Cheap, reliable, responsive, soft clicker, good looking, optical, and wired. Wired is the new wireless, sometimes. You don't have the need to carry a spare battery everywhere you go just in case your wireless connection dies. 

This mouse is easy to use with both hands without you having to configure anything. The click-on space is roomy and symmetrical enough to allow any hand, right or left, to use it comfortably. I alternate hands when my dominating hand gets stiff after a long day of mechanical clicking, and this is the mouse that allows me switching hands most comfortably.  The opticality is great and I use it a white paper sheet as a mat, and runs wonderfully.

I love the looks of this 'cutie' because of its curvaceous shape, its minimalist design in white with tiny bright mini-splashes of colour in the scrolling wheel, cable and logo. It reminds me of some of the Apple mice, but way cooler. Like for people with a personality :O :D. This being the case, this mouse is great to customise any work station. The sophistication of the minimal. 

Another Microsoft mice that is my hall of fame.   

12/05/2015

Listerine Pocketpaks

I am not a fan of Listerine at all. I actually dislike the brand and its mouthwashes, but I do like this pocket mouth and breath fresheners. 

You can fit the pouch in your pocket, pencil case or even your wallet. They are not messy. They last in the pouch, in a good condition, for a long time. They dissolve rapidly in your mouth.  

I don't think they disinfect as much as a mouthwash, but they are a good alternative when carrying a bottle of liquid is a hassle, and that is always the case when you are travelling.

Logitech Wireless Mini Mouse M187

I bought one of these before one of my holidays overseas. It was so small and so pretty that I thought that it was worth buying even if didn't last long. To my surprise, this mouse has become one of mammy's dearest: Handy. Handsome. Manageable. Obedient. Responsive to touch. Soft click. Long AAA battery life. USB wireless. Lovable.   

This is a pocket mouse that will not bulk your desktop if you decide to use it daily, and one that you can easily put away in any tiny space in your travel bag or computer bag. Yes, the M187 is very portable but, most importantly, is a great simple mouse. 

If you have small hands or like small mice this is for you. Not only that, if you do mind the colours you surround yourself with and want to create a visually harmonious work environment, this is also for you because this model is manufactured in a huge range of colours. 

Good. Cheap. Handsome. Uncomplicated.  

Logitech Touch Mouse T620

I was ready for a change of mouse, ready for a new phase in my life where everything is touchy-feely -- like my tablet, like my smartphone, like my travel computer. I was hyperventilating when I found this mouse half price, from 70+ dollars reduced to just 38. I ran like a kid in Christmas Eve to get it. Mine! Mine! Mine! My excitement ended when I started to use it.

Although this mouse is specifically designed for Windows 8, it is compatible with Windows 7 and started to use it with the latter system. I still have to use it with Windows 10.

THE GOOD
The mouse is glossy, stylish, sophisticated and beautiful overall. It feels like a Porshe mouse. The size is good for people with big hands  or with small hands, quite ergonomic, and has a very enjoyable dry click, and is silky to the touch. One of the things I like the most about this mouse is its scrolling system, which is very smooth, effective and enjoyable, and you can scroll vertically and horizontally; that deserves a mini-wow.

You can use this mouse for many more things than you might want to use a mouse, so I wonder if this should be called a mouse or not. Of course, if you want a mouse to use it as a mouse and nothing else you should buy another one, or just customise this to your like, and active or deactivate functions in the configurations area.

One of the coolest things about this mouse is that the USB port allows you to connect up to six different Logitech compatible mice/devices without the need of switching port. That is great. I actually use the USB port of this mouse with another Logitech mouse, not this one. 
 
THE NOT SO GOOD
This is the most annoying mouse I have ever had. I truly think it is too much, too nerdy, too little and too wrong! Bimbo mouse! As if the device had been launched to the market before being perfected, launched in a diarrhoeic sort of way.

For example, it is designed mostly for browsing, not to use it with Word or any other Office Suit because, something as simple as clicking, can become a challenge at times. Moreover, once you configure it to your main browser, say Chrome, you have to do the same with any other browser you have, say Opera. Isn't that stupid? The lower part of the mouse is too sensitive, so you will find yourself cursing when you touch it by accident and the mouse does what it supposed to do. I feel that the mouse controls me, not the other way around.

I thought I would use it as a normal mouse, but this mouse was not designed to be normal. Is like wanting a supermodel to work as a cleaner in a food-hall. And, pardon me Sir Logitech, this is not a touch mouse, this is a TAP mouse. Touch is what I do when I use my tablet and my smartphone with my fingertips.

I feel sorry for the people who paid 70+ dollars for it. I paid 38 and I think it is a waste of my money. I use it as a spare device, to give my hands a rest and a change of posture at times, but it never lasts too much on my desk because it gets me annoyed.

Save your money. I wasted mine to tell you. You are welcome.

Microsoft Arc Mouse

 I got this mouse when it first came out to the market as it was one of the first ergonomic mice available. I paid a little fortune for it at the time. However, it was well worth it. 

Along the years I have used this mouse as my every-day mouse, my travel mouse, my just in case mouse, and my spare mouse. Mostly like a spouse mouse. I still love it and still use it.

The Arc Mouse is not too big or too small, right for small hands or if you don't like having a big mouse in yours. The mouse glides well, it is very responsive and scrolls down well and it really is ergonomic and easy on my hands. You can easily adjust it to use with your right hand or with your left hand. 

This is a USB wireless AAA battery-operated mouse, very easy to recharge. If you buy decent-quality batteries, you will forget about the battery for a long time. However, other mice have a better life battery than the Arc. You can save energy by switching and folding the mouse when not in use. 

The mouse folds like a shell for storage. The he USB port can be easily stored by attaching it to the magnetic USB area located in the belly of the mouse, which makes it perfect to carry it anywhere. 

The mouse also comes with a suede-ish pouch that makes it easy to store it and keep it in good condition. 

The quality of this mice is fantastic. After many years of use, and this being already an oldie, the black coating has not even started to peel, not even a scratch or a little patch of discolouration on it, and the name of the brand is as readable as the first day despite my hands being on it for hours every day. 

This is one of my favourite mice ever! Great quality. Great functionality. Great portability. Cool design. Timeless. Brilliant.

Sudocream healing cream

 I don't have children, but I came to know this product when preparing an emergency kit for a long trip last year, just because the mini-tube size was perfect, and it was just 2 bucks. It turned out that I got a rash while travelling and I used it, and I was very pleased with the results. At my return, I bought a big jar, which I still have at home. I have used Sudocream for minor burns in the kitchen, sunburn areas when I forgot to apply sun-block in summer, heat rashes of various nature or skin irritation of different sorts.  
The cream is actually an ointment, very thick and emollient, so it soothes and heals fast, and it is one of my top products for dermatitis.

However, this is not a glamourous cream. The smell is OK. Zinc being the main ingredient, you have to be careful when you apply it, as it can stain your clothes. Great to apply at home, before going to sleep or when wearing your fav daggy clothing.  

A great product overall that does the job and is good priced.