Gadgets :: October 10, 2018
by Gregg Ellman
(@greggellman)
The Misfit Path is high on my list of favorite activity trackers.
So many trackers out there are just plain ugly. The Path, though, is timeless with a classic look. It’s a hybrid smartwatch that’s really fashionable, with the look of a traditional watch.
I tested the stainless steel watch with the black sport strap and it replaced my regular watch because of all the cool things it allows me to do, along with having the time.
The Misfit Path hybrid smartwatch has a sleek, minimalist design that automatically tracks steps, distance, calories, and light and restful sleep. It lightly vibrates when I get a call or text, and can be set it to vibrate for smartphone app alerts. There are also smart alarms and movement reminders for when I sit too long.
There are two buttons on the side; one shows me my progress and the other controls music, taking pictures, and a find your phone feature.
Two great features I love are the integration with fitness apps like My Fitness Pal. The Misfit app connects my Path (or other Misfit device like Shine or Ray) to the app to share my activity for the day, allowing me to add negative calories from my daily activities and working out automatically. The other changes time zones automatically so the Path sets the analog time for my location.
It is swim-proof and water resistant to 50 meters and has a non-charging, replaceable CR2025 battery, which lasts up to 6 months. The straps are easily interchangeable, making it fashionable for any look I want.
https://misfit.com $149.99, Available in four colorways
Kingston’s Nucleum USB Type-C Hub is one-stop shopping for connecting just about every device and accessory you’ll need to your laptop.
The Hub is only 5.0-by-1.8-by-0.6-inches with a single cable attaching to a USB-C connection, which plugs into the computer. Your computer gives it all the power it needs.
From there you can connect up to seven devices simultaneously, including power, smartphone charging and other accessories like a mouse or keyboard. An additional monitor can also be connected.
It also has an HDMI port to output to a 4K UHD or Full HD 1080p monitor or projector. There’s a build-in memory card reader for SD microSD cards or you can connect an external card reader to one of the USB A slots.
One of the USB-C ports has a power icon, which tells you it can be used for pass-through charging.
No matter what I tried to connect, everything worked perfect on my Apple MacBook Pro.
www.kingstongo.com $50.93
The Nanoleaf remote is a dodecahedron snapped remote to control HomeKit smart home accessories and Nanoleaf Light Panels in colorful style.
The 12-sided, light-up Bluetooth-enabled device looks like a speaker, but it’s not. Instead, each face of the remote can be programed for a different smart home scene or command, which is controlled by sensors inside the Nanoleaf.
You can easily create a common scene with specific lights, temperature and entertainment devices turned on. Your devices are connected to your HomeKit’s hub, which then connects to the Nanoleaf for controlling.
After you plug in 2 AA batteries for power and snap the remote together, you can start programing it with the HomeKit or Nanoleaf app or even use the pre-programmed scenes.
I personally find smart home devices entertaining and useful. The Nanoleaf 12 Sides of Paradise just adds another feature to all of them.
According to the Nanoleaf site, with iOS, the Nanoleaf remote is a HomeKit experience and requires iOS8 and above, along with a Home Hub (Apple TV, iPad, or HomePod). On Android, the Nanoleaf Remote requires Android 5.
https://nanoleaf.me $49.99
