Recently in Accessories Category

A review of the Gerber Strata Multi-Tool has been posted over at The Gadgeteer. 'The Strata is a listed as a "butterfly opening" tool. Of course opening the Strata brings out the very sturdy plier jaws. In each handle is stored approximately four other "appendages". The listed tools are: pliers; carbide pinch cutters; saw; 1/2 fin edge and serrated blade; can and bottle opener; scissors; large flathead driver; retail package opener (Yeah!) and small flathead driver; large Phillips head; and small tipped file.'

A review of the Philips HR1861 juicer has been posted over at Pocket-lint. 'The main body of the juicer is finished in brushed aluminium, so you can scrub it clean without worrying about scratching it up, whilst most of the rest of the parts are plastic, so they can be easily thrown into a dishwasher. The main centrifugal part will sometimes need a good scrub and the supplied brush is the best thing for this: don't try using a sponge as it will just get shredded...Little touches make the HR1861 more at home in your sophisticated kitchen. The feet on the bottom are little suckers, so it won't move around once you get into the business of juicing all that fruit. It looks sensational too, and the aluminium finish doesn't just make it look good: it also stands the test of time.'

A review of the Choiix Power Fort Portable Battery Pack has been posted over at Think Computers. 'The Power Fort is itself a black (or white) unit with a glossy top. There's a set of blue LEDs which show power level, as well as white LEDS on the bottom which function as a pretty decent flashlight. On the butt is the two USB ports: a mini-USB port for charging the Power Fort and a full-size USB port for charging a device. Choiix provides in both the standard and advanced packages the USB->mini-USB cable used for charging the Power Fort and a USB->micro-USB cable for plugging newer phones into the charger.'

CNET have published a review of the Idapt i3 Universal Desktop Charger. 'The product is simple enough: three interchangeable power slots line up in a triangle formation. Each unit comes with four "tips" that protrude a specific interface for charging, with the port's name labeled right below the attachment. When purchased at a retail outlet, six tips come with the package, at which point you'll need to buy additional ones at the Idapt Web site ($10 each).'

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Ionic Clean Washing System. 'The HomeRight Iconic Clean Washing System is a large blue canister that takes your tap water and turns it into de-ionized (DI) water. The canister has a 20 foot hose with a soft bristle brush attached, and a three way (Off - Bypass - DI) switch on the end. You're supposed to be able to wash windows, cars, boats, and other similar surfaces with the system and water only. Having just spent a weekend scrubbing windows "the old way" (soap, water, elbow grease).'

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Solio Rocsta-i solar charger. 'At 7.5 x 2 x 0.4 inches and 4.7 ounces, the Rocsta-i is definitely bulkier than other solar chargers we've tested. On the other hand, a quick glance at the device's packaging will tell you that the target audience is outdoorsy types who probably don't care so much about making a fashion statement. The Rocsta-i's body is made of an "aerospace-grade" polymer shell, which feels tough enough to handle more than a little abuse. Up top you'll find the built-in carabiner clip, which snaps securely into place. The integrated charge-out cable wraps around the charger's outer rim and clips into the side when not in use. A USB cable is included for charging through your computer, and you can purchase a wall charger as well ($15.95). Most of the front face, of course, is dominated by the large solar panel.'

A review of the APC Back-UPS ES 700VA outlet has been posted over at Computeractive. 'The device has eight mains sockets on its top panel (it's sold in several countries, so make sure you buy one with British sockets). All eight of them are surge-protected so that if lightning strikes you should be safe. Only four of them are connected to the UPS part of the device, so only the four devices plugged into them will be protected if the external power goes out. Not just anything can be plugged into it - it's certified for around 400W of power, which is enough for a computer, monitor and a couple of peripherals.'

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Diamond DP1800 Mobile Battery. 'All in all, the Diamond DP1800 Mobile Battery is a sleek, well designed and very capable mobile battery. Although the capacity of 1800mAh isn't huge, especially compared to other mobile batteries that are available on the market, you'll find that when you're on the move, the DP1800 will be the perfect companion for you and your devices.'

A review of the Powermat Portable Mat Charger has been posted over at Computeractive. 'On its own the Powermat cannot charge anything, though, unless you use the single built-in USB port. You will also need a receiver, sold separately. We tested the mat with the Universal Receiver that supports plenty of different gadgets, unless they are made by Apple. To charge an iPod or iPhone, a different receiver is required. Powermat's website will recommend the combination of receiver and mat you will need when you enter your device's make and mode.'

CNET UK have published a review of the AlertMe Energy Internet-enabled energy-monitoring system. 'The AlertMe Energy pack consists of a wireless power meter that you connect to your electricity meter, a transmitter that you connect to the power meter, and a receiver hub that you connect to an Ethernet port on your broadband router. The power meter communicates with the hub to send data back to the secure AlertMe Web site. You can then log into the Web site from any Internet-connected PC or smart phone and view the power usage in your home.'