Review of the Rags2Riches Julius Sling Bag

Helping others is always a good thing. Doing something that can somehow improve someone else's life even if just by a little can go a long way...

This was what the wife and I want to do, so, as much as possible, we support social enterprises that alleviate the plight of people that have much hardships in life.

Rags to Riches, or R2R, is one such company. This outfit, in their own words "are a fashion & design house empowering community artisans. We make things that matter and weave joy into every story.  In a world where fashion and design are often seen as excess, R2R is proof that style and sustainability can coexist." The company helps bridge the gap between people who want to make a living with local designers who are at the forefront of style and fashion. The materials the company uses come from "upcycled, overstock cloth & indigenous fabrics". By removing the middle man, these people from modest backgrounds can sell directly to customers and get the most profit for each product they have sold.

An example of product that R2R makes is the Julius Sling Bag that the wife gave me for our wedding anniversary. The bag is finely crafted and well-made. There is an interior compartment for an iPad and this compartment is big enough even if you use a case and/or a cover for your iPad. Actually, you can put a retina Macbook Pro 13-inch inside!!!

You can still put other stuff inside like a couple of books and an umbrella. Outside, at the front, there is a small pocket for your smaller things like a phone and wallet. An iPhone 6s+ fits in this small pocket without any issues. Also, at the back of the bag, there is a small zippered pocket where you can put small things like coins or your MRT card or an ID for easy access.

You can wear the bag either on your left shoulder or on your right giving you a couple more options.

This bag is a nice thing to have if you just need something to stow your iPad or tablet, and even a 13-inch laptop, plus a couple more things when you go out and about. This is a great bag for the daily commuter! And you don't just get a nice bag, you are able to help people too!

Highly Recommended.

Photos shot with a Canon G7x Mark II and edited in an iPad pro using the iOS app VSCO

Apple's new Lightning-to-SD Card Camera Reader

There are now a lot of cameras out there that have wifi antennas. You can use the antenna to transfer your photos from your camera to your phone. And if you have an Android phone, you can even use the NFC receiver on your phone and the cameras to transfer photos just by "tapping" the two together.

However, wireless transfers are not always reliable. With the iPhone, you have to go to Settings, choose the camera as the wireless modem. Then, after it's connected, you open the app from the camera maker, fire the app, choose the photos you want to transfer, hope the wireless connection doesn't disconnect, and on and on and on...

This process is really tedious, to say the least!

So, the easier, and for me, still the best way to transfer photos from your camera to your iPhone is by using Apple's new Lightning-to-SD Card Camera Reader. (Yes, that's a mouthful...) With this accessory, you can easily transfer photos from the SD card to your phone. No messing with settings, no opening up the different camera makers' applications... After you connected the card reader to your phone, just open up the Photos app on your phone and you will instantly see the photos you took. You can either select individual photos for importing or you can choose to import all.

That's it. Then, you can use any of the million photos apps that are already in your iPhone.

Words of caution though. One, only the second generation of these card readers are compatible with the iPhone (from iPhone 5 to the present). The first generation is only compatible with iPads, so, if you are using an iPhone, make sure you get the right one. How to make sure that you have the latest generation of card readers? Check at the back of the box and make sure that the product code is MJYT2AM/A. Two, you must have iOS 9, or later, in your iPhone otherwise, the phone will not recognize the accessory. If you satisfy both conditions, then, you are all set!

The Apple Lightning-to-SD Card Camera Reader is Highly Recommended.

Photos shot with an iPhone 6s+ using the iOS app VSCO

The Cheero Power Plus Danboard Version Battery Charger - A Quick Review

Some weeks back, my LimeAde battery pack gave up the ghost. It has served me for about four years before dying out. I would have wanted to get a new battery pack from the same brand, but since it is not available in the Philippines, I decided to look for something else.

Enter the Cheero Power Plus Danboard Version battery charger. (Yes, it's a mouthful...)

The battery pack is a cute one! When you look at it, it seems to be smiling on you. It brings about a warm feeling, it cheers you up! Yes, that's how I feel every time... It has a playful look and that is not surprising since the design of the battery is from a manga character Danbo!

To use the device, just plug your USB cable to the battery and then plug the other end to any of your devices that can be charged this way. Then push the button above the rows of LEDs to start charging. Pressing that same button will tell you the amount of charge there is in the battery via those same LEDs.

The battery is rated at 10,400mAh, which means, theoretically, it can charge an iPhone 6s+ and an iPad Pro 9.7 from zero to full capacity! It has two USB ports which means you can charge two devices at the same time. And when you need to charge the battery, you just need to use the included micro-USB cable. Unfortunately, it doesn't have an included wall charger so you will have to use the one that came with your phone or tablet.

You will also find a small pouch inside the box.

I got my Cheero Power Plus Danboard Version Battery Charger in orange and I am loving every bit of it.

It is Highly Recommended!

Photos shot with an iPhone 6s+ using the iOS app VSCO