The My Doodles Kids Speaker Dock Review; listen, watch and charge!

My Doodles Kids Speaker Dock

Those of you that follow Gadget Girl will know I did a Kickstarter post last month on this adorable new speaker dock from My Doodles and Kitsound. 

They were kind enough to send me one to review so Im excited to bring you a fab gift for the kids and big kids this Christmas which will be available very soon.

We all know most kids nowadays are so tech savvy especially when it comes to tablets as many kids have their own tablet or smartphone....or borrow yours. How many of your kids have fallen asleep and dropped your £200-300+ device on the floor...eeep?

Well now Kitsound have collaborated with My Doodles to produce one of the very first Kids speaker docks in the choice of 2 adorable designs. The monkey and the owl; giving a safe place to stand and charge the device and watch their favorite film or TV program's wirelessly by Bluetooth in high quality audio.

Checkout my photo-loaded review and sound video after the jump.

The My Doodles team started getting funding on Kickstarter but they withdrew this shortly as they found alternative funding and this amazing little dock will be on Amazon UK very soon...woohoo.

 Colourful fun box

Packaging

I knew the Monkey dock was quite large but its wasn't until it arrived the actual size really surprised me. My "little" Monkey dock arrived safe and sound in this large colorful box; any child will be over the moon to open this at Christmas.

 With even a "spot the difference" game on the side; they say kids often prefer boxes...this could be 2 toys in one..although this dock is not technically a toy.
"I don't think Father Christmas would get away with this idea"!

Inside the box you get your Speaker dock, charger, auxillary cable and manual.

Measurements

This Monkey dock is approximately 9.5" wide x 9.5" high x 9.5" in depth

The power plug has a 62 inches long cable giving plenty of length to play with. The Auxillary cable is 24.5 inches long giving enough length should you wish to hard-wire your device rather than Bluetooth.

The Science Bit

Bluetooth V4 but I'm sure its backwards compatible as mine is V3 and works.

Bluetooth range is up to 10m.

Aux input; 3.5mm.

Output RMS; 2 x 5W satellites and 1 x 10W woofer total= 20W.

Frequency response; 60Hz-20KHz.

S/N; 65dB.

USB Output; 2.1 A & 1A.

DC; Input 12V.

Description

This pretty large speaker dock has been designed just for the kids and bigger kids; this gorgeous large monkey face is a big bold design which will make anyone smile when they see it. Made of ABS plastic its strong and can withstand rough treatment. The whole dock is a gorgeous glossy dark brown perfect minky coloration.

At the front are 4 large child friendly keys

• On/off.
• Rewind and - volume.
• Fastforward and + volume.
• Play and pause.

These keys are strong, firm and are large enough to cope with kids fingers. This also enables you to use these rather than hunt through your device each time.

Either side of the dock are two satellite speakers approximate 2.75 inches in diameter.

On this beautifully rounded back is a large hole to suck in the air for the subwoofer speaker underneath.

Directly underneath is the subwoofer speaker for that gorgeous bass. Plus 4 large textured rubber feet for amazing grip on most surfaces and are specially designed with a wide stance for more stability. This is not going to be knocked off easily even by a clumsy adult....who me...!

There are 4 ports with 2 main charging ports; one for tablets USB (2.1A), and one for a smart phone (500mA). An axillary in to hard-wire your device to the speaker without using Bluetooth and finally the DC in port to plugin your speaker.

View from the top shows just how wide the slot is to hold a tablet and smartphone. This has a large strip of rubber to hold the device securely; no slipping off here.

Charging my Google Nexus 10 and my Samsung S4 at the same time.
Don't they look great together???

Use

I know this was designed for the kiddies; but honestly this speaker is just brilliant fun for adults too. This adorable cheeky monkey face in my opinion has a retro type feel to it with the creamy coloured large buttons.
This clever Minky holds both my Nexus 10 and my Samsung S4 infront of it where I can then charge both devices with their own separate charging port at the back. 2.1 amp and a 500mA (tablet and smartphone).

The large 1 inch width gap enables tablets of all sizes to fit alongside the smart phones too as seen above; keeping these expensive devices safer than just laying on a bed propped up on a pillow.

Most kids will hold a tablet while watching a movie or cartoon; making it easy to slip off the bed if they doze off...hey Ive actually done this myself. This speaker dock keeps your devices stabilized and secure with a bonus of offering fabulous sound quality and volume too so they can get immersed quickly into their favorite program or film.

 Here are both my tablet and phone charging cables side by side.

Here are all the cables at the back kept right out the way from curious fingers.

My Squishable Werewolf photo-bombing the shot!

Pairing

I have to say it doesn't get much easier than this;

 Bluetooth LED

1. Power on the Doodle.
2. To the right of the 4th button is a small blue LED which will flash rapidly.
3. Activate Bluetooth on the device to be paired.
4. Select Kids Dock which will appear on your Bluetooth list.
5. Your ready to Rock!!!

I also used the Axillary cable to hard-wire my devices in without using Bluetooth and the sound is just the same no difference at all so its a personal choice which way you prefer. However I feel the less wires the better makes it safer for the kids as long as they are old enough to understand how to turn on Bluetooth; but Im sure Mum or Dad can do this instead.

 You can then sit in bed or on the sofa watching your favorite film or listening to music; snuggled up with a 15 inch Squishable Werewolf.

Sound

Checkout my Sound Test between my Nexus 10 own built in speaker and then Bluetoothed into the My Doodle.

The sound from the speakers loud, crisp and clear with no distortion. You cant crank the volume up too loud though; but then you don't want to be hearing Sesame Street at full volume...or maybe you do...!


Im so surprised at how gorgeous the sound quality is; but then Kitsound are responsible for that with their award winning audio experience. Just look at what is inside and how well its designed; I cant stop looking at this exploded view.

Great as a smartphone dock too.

It goes to sleep when placed in the middle of the Monkey just like it does when using my S-view case. It must be a speaker magnet inside...deliberate...who knows?
The minute you move it to the side the main home screen comes back normally; as you can see from the first image. But you get to have a clock and the date on when you want to go to sleep.

On a design note idea - it would have been great to have the ears as tweeter speakers rather than just plastic ears doing nothing but looking cute. They peer over my 10 inch tablet perfectly and it would have been great to have front facing speakers rather than side on; but I feel this must be because of the internal design factor.

Opinion
I absolutely love my cheeky monkey that cute face makes you smile every day; or I'm just a big kid...maybe the latter lol!

Its a gorgeous substantial weight for a dock so the kids aren't going to knock it off easily with the weight and extra grippy rubber feet.

This isn't a dock you want to put discreetly in the corner; its screaming fun and smiles; perfect for the kids bedrooms or playroom.

 Sound quality is just amazing, its rich, clear and crisp with fantastic bass...yesss!

With this fun dock you will hopefully be able to encourage more learning games and videos too so they can just use it themselves.

If you haven't seen my video go check it out to see the wow factor of a difference in sound between my phone and tablets own built in speakers to the My Doodles speakers. It completely blew me away to find a dock designed for kids has such excellent quality sound; but then its innards are Kitsound.

If you want a unique fun gift for your children I would definitely consider getting one of these wireless docks.

 

Even Monkey likes Candy Crush.


Pro's

• 2 Fun kids designs.
• Amazing quality sound.
• Dual USB charging port.
• Charges 2 devices at once. eg; Nintendo, tablet and a smart phone etc.
• Have wireless music and videos via Bluetooth.
• Sturdy solid design to store whilst not in use.
• Large easy to use buttons.

Con's

• None....make sure you have space on your table his a big lad!

Just choose either the adorable pink Owl or the cheeky Monkey.
Coming soon on Amazon UK this month.
See here for more information.

All my thanks goes to Kitsound for sending me a sample free of charge in return for this honest review.

The Final Winter by Iain Rob Wright Book Review

The Final Winter
by Iain Rob Wright

Blurb

THE SNOW WAS JUST THE START...

On the night it begins snowing in every country of the world, an ordinary group of people gather at a rundown English pub. At first they assume the weather is just a random occurrence and nothing to worry about - but as the night goes on, weirder things happen, and they start to realise that something far more sinister is at hand. Something that none of them could ever have imagined.

By the end of the night, not everyone will make it, and those that do will wish they hadn’t.

This is the 4th book Ive read from Iain Rob Wright now and Im completely hooked on his style of compelling horror writing. I didn't know what to expect with The last Winter as the blurb doesn't give much away which made it even more intriguing...was it going to be a murder mystery, paranormal, sci-fi, we don't know till approx a third into the book and even then were not entirely sure what happening.

This for me kept me on the edge of my seat and made this "chilling" (Pun intended) heart pounding read.

Again with all Iain's characters they are recognizable as people you can relate to; whether you like them or not. I found myself relating to a few of the characters; be it completely hating a few or completely rooting for another.

I loved how we meet the characters Damian and Harry for the first time from the book Savage and get to know a bit more about their backgrounds.

This is a completely unique read Ive never read a horror like it; as we meet the characters working in a supermarket, video shop and a public house called The Trumpet; so to say they all eventually endup at this very British pub as the plot gets stranger and stranger...no really it does!

The Winter cold and snowfall gets worse and colder and the freak extreme weather is freezing around them but what is causing this; it seems to be based around just one of the characters but a few of the characters are not who they seem either. 

This read has quite a few facets to it with the temperature dropping dangerously fast, visibility next to nothing and no hope of rescue; your not entirely sure where its going...genius!

This is a fantastic character driven plotline; I honestly cant tell you much as its one of those books that I will give too much away and I hate spoilers; other than it could be the end of the world by freezing, murder, fire, disintegration or just simply the end....are heaven and hell working together. This was yet another amazing compelling read from Iain; his writing vivid and spine-tingling with a good amount of gore for those that love the more bloody horror.

Its a fast paced apocalyptic even with an incredible twist!

Plus dont forget you also get another fab read as a extra bonus stand alone publication The Peeling of Samual Lloyd Collins.

Buy yours from Amazon UK and US Goodreads

 Author Bio

Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK's most successful horror and suspense writers, with novels including the critically acclaimed, THE FINAL WINTER; the disturbing bestseller, ASBO; and the wicked screamfest, THE HOUSEMATES.
His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He is an active member of the Horror Writer Association and a massive animal lover.
Check out Iain's official website for updates at: http://www.iainrobwright.com or add him on Facebook where he would love to meet you.

All my thanks goes to Iain for sending me this copy for an honest review.

*I am now reading through many more of Iain's novels and will be posting regular reviews on them.

Please see my other reviews for Iain Rob Wrights Books below

The MeCam Classic Review

The MeCam Classic

Ive an exciting gadget for all you gadget-aholics out there today.

Wearable technology has gone through the roof this year in terms of popularity with GoPro's and so many other small video cameras, but these are still quite large.

Meet MeCam the wearable badge size video camera; this amazing teeny weeny camera is something even James Bond would love to try...but...he's not....I am, just to show you guys how clever this little bit of kit is.

Small, lightweight, shoots in low-light with infra-red; think of the fun you can have with this.

Stay hands-free and carry on enjoying the fun without having to concentrate on holding a camera or video. Capture your Bike rides, snowboarding, barbeques, pub trips and birthday parties. Its endless what you could use mini affordable video camera for.

Keep reading for my full photo-loaded review and video.

Packaging

As you know if you've been following my reviews Im a sucker for good packaging with my belief if a company has made the effort on the outside its going to be great on the inside. So far this has always worked well form me.

My MeCam arrived well packaged from the US within a week, this is quicker than some UK firms. Inside my Mecam is nestled inside a lovely sturdy black box with a transparent window to see it. Plus the MeCam logo in large across the bottom.  The MeCam itself comes inside a transparent poly bag for extra protection.

 Whats in the box.

• MeCam.
• Micro USB charging cable.
• 42 inches of Necklace cord and tightener.
• Instruction leaflet.

 I love that we get the option to wear the Mecam as a necklace with the extremely stretchy 24 inch rubberized thong or simply pinned to a jacket via the large pin on the back.

What is a MeCam?

The approximate 2 inch in diameter Mecam keeps you hands free to enjoy life as this wearable camera and video recorder simply pins to your coat or shirt or can be worn as a necklace to be able to capture video and images from this unique point of view.

The MeCam outer case is divided into half black glossy and half black matt black ABS plastic. The gorgeous glossy front of the case gives a lovely elegant classy feel with the Mecam logo printed on.

 The front has 6 infra-red lights; 3 either side of the central camera lens at the top.

Just checkout how tiny this is.....!

The back of the Mecam is a smooth matt black finish with a 1.5 inch pin to attach to your clothing.

An embossed arrow shows you the right way up to pin your camera; this is important or your footage will be upsidown or skewiffy.
You can also see the 2 hangy holes to slip the necklace cord through if you prefer to wear it like a necklace.

 On the side you can see three small pronounced buttons to work your MeCam.

On/Off button

Video on/Off button

A still photo or infra red mode if held down for 3 seconds button.

 Next to the SD card slot is your charging port.

 Here is the Micro SD card slot with included Micro SD Card...yes I did say included when you buy your Mecam.

So your ready to rock as soon as its charged!

Not many products come with cards all ready for you to use, thank you MeCam!

The choices are ;

4GB which gives you 1 hour of video.

8GB which gives you 2 hours of video

 and 16GB which gives you 4 hours of video and are all priced accordingly.

Science Bit 

Those of you that want to know everything like me.

• Video resolution 1280 x 720P.
• Video frame rate: 30fps.
• Video with audio: 10foot radius/20ft diameter.
• Still camera: 5mp.
• Infrared Video (IR).
• Memory: SD card up to 64GB.
• System compatibility: Windows/Mac.
• Battery: Li-Ion 80 minute continuous run time.
• Charging: Micro USB.
• Weights ONLY an ounce.

Charging

The MeCam charges really quickly at less than 2 hours; although the first time I charged it for 4 hours to make sure.

The LED at the top will flash from red to blue while charging and stay a solid blue once charged!

Use

This amazing compact little video camera is just the perfect size to be very discreet if you wish. The pin is strong and necklace is an extremely stretchy rubber, its so stretchy it feels like its going to snap...but it doesn't and Ive given it a really hard tug to test too.

I personally preferred to pin the Mecam to my clothes while out rather than wear it as a necklace as being slightly larger boobed gal it sorta bounces as I walk....not ideal for taking video footage lol!

Getting your MeCam position is vital, so don't do this in a rush till you know where its facing. When pinning to your chest you need to make sure its flat not angled up....it wouldn't happen on a guy...sigh...lol! The arrow on the back helps you pin it straight...wonky footage is no good to anyone.

Plus I had to get to know exactly where the buttons were as its a little fiddly to find once on your coat or jacket. My first rookie mistake was setting the video on Infra-red by accident for an hours worth of video...doh! I thought Id just snap a pik but pressed infra red instead and managed to get purple leaves on the trees...either that or I ended up on planet Zarg for the afternoon without knowing it!

But to be honest it looked kinda cool...see what you think in my video sample.

Once I got the hang of where the buttons were and whether I was pressing 1 click or a longer click for infra-red I was there....simples.....! The charge lasts ages and I actually got mine to last approximately 3 hours of stop starting different video and stills; Im more than impressed with this.

Its sometimes hard to see where your aiming the MeCam especially if its on your lapel; but generally if your infront of where you wish to capture you'll get it as its pretty wide angled.

Im actually very excited about this little cam; this is the sort of technology I love as its fun and you don't have to worry about. There are alot better quality video and camera's out there...but you will pay almosty treble the price or more and its obvious they are cameras and you will be restricted in many places. This looks like a small badge and is pretty unnoticeable. Not one person has spotted Im wearing a camera yet; you feel very secret agent-like when out with this...its exciting to use.
I can take it anywhere to use handsfree!

Downloading images and video

Its so simple to download all your images and video via the micro USB cable supplied. You can then keep it attached to continue charging your Mecam once you've downloaded your footage.

 This is not meant to be a video production by MGM studios; its just showing how the MeCam copes in different situations with movement, light, colours and quality.

You will see lots of different snippets; I thought it would be interesting to take the Mecam with me for the day...sorry I wasn't doing anything super exciting like skydiving or snowboarding which is where this little Mecam will come into its own. My footage will show you just how good the infinite focus is in different lights; as it doesn't have autofocus. It will also show you just how sharp and how gorgeous the colours are.

 Apply it to how and where you would use it in your own world? This is a super fun whimsical style cam to leave you hands-free to enjoy the moment!

MeCam Ideas

Apart from the obvious snowboarding and highly sporty activities, parties, dinners, special occasions, barbeques etc. Its also easy to see how useful the Mecam can be by being able to film discreetly in stores to get advice from friends and family on products you may want to buy for yourself or home ; eg, sofa's, cars, furniture absolutely anything. You couldn't use your phone or camera to film in these places without being asked to put it away...believe me I know.

A few years ago myself and a few friend photographers were all asked to leave a well known large shopping centre by a security guard as we were taking photos of the amazing Christmas lights....whats the world coming too.....!

Now I can do all this in secret and not upsetting anyone by using my MeCam. The sound is also excellent as it picks up what your saying clearly and easily when pinned to you.

Photos

Just a few of the still images I took while out and about.

 I did find you have to be very steady when taking still images as it takes approx 3 seconds to take an image.

The photos are for fun and capturing the moment not for perfect high res images. It is about relaxing, having fun and freedom from holding larger heavier cameras so you can capture those moments you may miss while getting your settings right or swapping lenses.

To use the infra-red setting you have to get very near your subject at night to capture it.

 This is an infrared image of my parrot in the dark, you get an image in a small circle which shows up purple.

 When you click the still image button you can by accident click the infra red if you press it for 3 seconds or more; its getting the  knack. I took this image by accident and ended up with this pinky/purple hue...doh. But I think it looks kinda cool and arty. You pay alot of money you know for purple leafed plants at the garden center.

Opinion

I'm so impressed with this fun little camera.
Wear it like a badge and capture days/night out, barbeques, parties, sports events etc; or just fun with your friends and family without worrying about holding the camera...you can be involved too.
Enjoy life without having to concentrating on filming. As a photographer I always miss so much at events as I'm behind the lens worrying about settings and ISO's and which lens to use....
This is so easy to use and is ideal for technophobes with only 3 buttons. On the other side of the coin the buttons maybe fiddly for those with dexterity problems.

This adorable action camera is small enough to keep in your bag all the time just incase. Keep it charged and never miss a moment!

With the MeCam I simply forget Im wearing it and people around you are more natural too when they don't have a video camera lens shoved in their faces or don't know. I do tell friends and family when I'm wearing a video camera as I personally don't like secret cameras sprung on me as it could be seen as an invasion of privacy and there are legal implications in certain circumstances, so you do need to be sensible with people's privacy.

This would be perfect at a barbeque, party, night out, special dinner party where you want to capture everything; none of it ruined by starting and stopping people for photos; it will be completely natural. How many times have you missed a special or funny moment as you haven't got the camera in your hand. Simply press play and forget your wearing it; but do remember to plan the amount of time you have on your SD card; I found its easy to forget as I only have an hour of footage with the 4GB. I now have a 16GB card so Ive no worries as 4 hours covers most events or night out etc. I wont be without my little MeCam its in my bag everywhere I go just incase.
When giving the Mecam as a gift do a nice thing and charge it for whoever your giving this too so they can then use it immediately; this is a perfect fun gift for Christmas and what better way to capture the fun and festivities on Christmas day!

Life Happens fast never miss a moment!

Pro's

• Compact.
• Variety of 5 gorgeous colours.
• Video and camera.
• Affordable.
• East to use even for a tenhnophobe.
• Comes with SD card.
• Infra-red.
• Fast charging.

Con's

• Small close buttons for those with dexterity problems. 
• A pouch to keep the Mecam and cable would have been nice, but its so small it will fit in most bags.

Buy yours from MeCam Classic

Choice of 5 colours.
$49.99 and up depending on choice of SD card.

All my Thanks to Drew the designer of the MeCam for kindly sending me a sample for this review.
My views and opinions are my own.

There is a Mecam product for everyone whether your the next Jane Bond or your into sports and activities see which one is for you below.

MeCam HD
Shoots full 1080 HD video with a high quality lens. It also has an internal gyroscope for image stabilization and a wifi signal allows you to connect wirelessly to your tablet or phone and control the Mecam with a special App to instantly show any footage.

MeCam X
One of the smallest and lightest action cams on the market. 2x2 inches and less than 3 ounces. waterproof to 30m.

Mecam X has wifi linking it to its own app and can be operated by a remote control watch which is included!!!

If you have a Mecam let me know why you love yours?

Seasick by Ian Rob Wright Book Review

Seasick 

by Iain Rob Wright

Blurb

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RELAXING…
Police Officer Jack Wardsley’s life ended the moment his partner died, stabbed to death by a deranged druggie. Now, years later, Jack is a changed man, with a head full of secrets driving him insane. His recent record of police brutality and a reputation for not following the rules has prompted his seniors to give him an ultimatum: take a few weeks off, relax, and find some way to let go of all the anger – or else find another job.

That’s why Jack is about to board The Spirit of Kirkpatrick, a cruise liner built for relaxation and fun. Pretty soon, however, Jack realizes that a little R&R is the last thing he’s ever going to get aboard the cursed ship. There’s a virus onboard, making people insane and bleeding from the eyes. The whole ship is overrun with blood and death, and there is nowhere to escape.

Just when Jack thinks his number is up and his life is over, he wakes up. The day is exactly the same. In fact, everything is the same. Jack is forced to witness the viral outbreak again and again as it ravages the ship and its passengers over and over, day after day. Jack finds himself trapped in a repeating hell.

It won’t be long before Jack realizes there are others onboard just like him – and that some of them know more than they’re letting on.

This is the third book Ive read from Iain Rob Wright and his fast becoming one of my favorite authors. 

Sergeant Jack Wardsley was sent on a cruise on the Kirkpatrick to relax and recuperate after not coping with the death of his partner & girlfriend; but the cruise isn't what it seems in so many ways.

When I first read the blurb I wasn't sure if a groundhog day storyline would work for me? I just couldn't see how it could be written to sound like a believable read and could seem too corny. But I needn't have worried as I was completely hooked from the first till the very last page.

Jack is your typical drinking revengeful bad tempered copper with a chequered history and family love loss which I've read a hundred times in other books...BUT...NOT...with the day resetting time at the same time everyday. He has to find whose responsible and why?
It's Walking dead, Stephen King cross Agatha Christie who did it; all rolled into one cruise ship with nowhere to go.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced plot which I read in one sitting. Plus a unique twist on your zombie reads...believe me I've read a lot. Further into the book you get, the more the plot thickens and the more you get to know Jack.

Everyday Jack can start again and explore the ship, question the occupants and witness the zombie breakout and even die but then the day resets to begin it all again the very next day; where he is learning and gradually trying to discover whats going on and whose causing this.
Seasick is an incredibly involving read which is sooo creatively thought out.

Iain has done it again with yet another well written book with well developed likable characters and plenty of horror and gore for the zombie fans.
You are swept along "on a wave" (pun intended) on Jacks race against time to save the world and his own fight for survival as he discovers someone is trying to stop him anyway they can.
Does he just want to sit down and drink his sorrows away or will he fight? Enjoy a wonderful mix of horror, suspense, witchcraft, deceit, murder with a large dash of zombies.

If you love murder mystery, zombies and apocalypse style reads you need to just click buy now!

Buy yours from Amazon UK / US / Goodreads


Author Bio

Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK's most successful horror and suspense writers, with novels including the critically acclaimed, THE FINAL WINTER; the disturbing bestseller, ASBO; and the wicked screamfest, THE HOUSEMATES.
His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He is an active member of the Horror Writer Association and a massive animal lover.
Iain Rob Wright, was born in 1984 and lives in Redditch, a small town in the West Midlands, UK, with his loopy cocker spaniel, Oscar, his fat old cat, Jess, his many tropical fish, and the love of his life, Sally. Writing is the passion that fills his life during the small periods of time when he isn't cleaning up after his pets. He is the author of several novels, including the critically acclaimed, The Final Winter, and the deeply disturbing thriller, ASBO. Check out his official website for freebies, news, and updates at: http://www.iainrobwright.com

All my thanks goes to Iain for sending me this copy for an honest review.

*I am now reading through many more of Iain's novels and will be posting regular reviews on them.

Please see my other reviews for Iain Rob Wrights Books below