GADGETS by Gregg Ellman :: September 1, 2021
Scosche’s Powerup 600 Torch puts three must-have vehicle accessories into one. The portable emergency device is an all-in-one car jump starter, flashlight, and powerbank and is compact enough to fit in a glove compartment. But when an emergency occurs, this is a remarkable device to have.
Inside the 10.5-by-2.375-inch, 23.5-ounce torch is a high-capacity 29.6 Wh Lithium-Polymer with a peak jump starting current of 600 Amps, which can jump-start gas vehicles up to 5.0 liters/V8 or diesel engines up to 2.0 liters.
The included jumper cables should be used like any other jumper cables, red to red and black to black. A fully charged Powerbank 600 Torch is rated to jump-start a car up to 3 times before it needs to be charged.
According to Scosche, extensive safety features include a spark-free six-point safety protection system. Included are protection against short circuits, reverse connections, reverse charges, overheating, and overcurrent. A built-in time-out function automatically shuts off once a vehicle has been jumped and started.
Without the removable and included jumper cables, the Powerup 600 Torch has the appearance of a flashlight, rated at 8W, 1250 Lux at 18-feet. The flashlight has four built-in modes including SOS.
On the bottom, a protective cap can be removed for access to a 5V /2.4A standard USB charging port for charging smartphones, tablets, GPS units, or most any other USB device needing a boost from the 2000 mAh battery. Right above the USB port is where the jumper cables are connected. A battery level indicator is in between.
The high capacity 600 Amp battery should hold its charge for up to six months and is IP65 waterproof with the rear cap on. A storage case, jumper cables, and a car adapter for charging are included.
www.scosche.com $99.99
Ezviz’s C8C outdoor pan and tilt security camera is loaded with features including panoramic viewing 352-degrees horizontally and 95-degrees vertically.
Day or night, inside or out, wherever you choose to use the Ezviz C8C, it does a great job. The image is captured on a 4 mm f1.6 wide-angle built-in lens inside the round dome with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps with an H.265 video compression. It’s constructed with an IP65 rating, making it water-resistant to withstand low-pressure water, such as rain or snow along with dirt, and dust.
Setting up the Ezviz C8C is do-it-yourself, with easy instructions and included mounting hardware. With any security camera, it should be turned on and viewed for the proper angle before permanent mounting. Once the proper location is found, although it can be relocated, the setup is a breeze.
An AC power adapter is included along with a waterproof kit for the connection cables. The camera has two external antennas helping it connect to Wi-Fi (my choice during testing) or with an Ethernet cable to the built-in port. Once it’s powered on, and the Ezviz companion app is loaded, adding the camera to the app takes just a minute.
The app has a virtual joystick for controlling the pan and tilt functionality, which is responsive and works well. Everything in the app is easy to use including live view, 8X zoom, manually recording, and taking snapshot images.
Infrared night vision has several options for recording including smart night vision, which will turn on the built-in spotlights for capturing the video in color. Black and white night vision will record up to a 100-foot distance. The spotlights can also be turned on manually within the app.
There’s a lot of features that can be customized to specific needs including notifications, the spotlights, and Al-powered human detection. The camera records audio with the built-in noise-canceling microphone. There is not a built-in speaker for two-way audio communication.
Captured video can be stored in the camera on a MicroSD memory card (not included) up to 256GB and/or with an optional encrypted cloud service payment plan. The plans range from a yearly plan with a 7-day video history for $59.99 up to 30-day history storage for $109.99.
The C8C is smart home enabled with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
https://www.ezvizlife.com for $129.99, or at www.walmart.com for $99
by Gregg Ellman
(#greggellman)
