Kathleen Chapman

Kathleen has always enjoyed technology and the sciences (biology and entomology). She has worked as an entomological research technician, end user services tech, home educator, and technical project admin. Her continued interest in technology led her to join the Gadgeteer team in 2014.

F-Droid: A security-conscious repository for Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) applications for Android

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ARTICLE – F-Droid is an app store and repository for verified Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) applications for Android (F-Droid Docs page). I first heard about F-Droid from a CNET article in early August. According to CNET, “… 200 Android apps were found infected with malware [on Google Play] in March, followed by July’s discovery

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Rotofarm is a countertop rotating hydroponic planter for those who want to grow some fresh veggies right in their kitchen

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NEWS – The Rotofarm by Bace (Dezeen) is a countertop rotating hydroponic planter for anyone who lacks the space to grow their own food. Heck, I have the backyard space to grow a garden and I still want a Rotofarm! Anyway, this innovative device allows you to grow your own plants in a small amount

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Save money on books by checking to see if they’re available from your library using the Library Extension for Chrome

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NEWS – Do you have some books, ebooks, or audiobooks that you want to read but don’t necessarily want to purchase them? There is a Chrome extension available called Library Extension which will check to see if the books you are looking up online are available from your library. After adding the extension to Chrome

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Drinkworks’ Home Bar is a Keurig for your cocktails

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NEWS – Everyone has a favorite beverage(s). That makes it particularly difficult if you’re having a party with lots of guests. You have a Keurig for coffee and tea but what about alcoholic beverages? What does everyone like? Which ingredients do you buy that will please the most people? That question is moot now with

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Observe an eclipse every day in your own home with the Eclipse Fixed Sconce

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NEWS – I like uniquely designed home furnishings as well as sciencey stuff. The Eclipse Fixed Sconce is both – a unique sconce that looks like an eclipse! This beautiful sconce by Philippe Malouin is made of brass, aluminum, and glass and comes in black chrome, chrome, and polished brass colors. It has a non-dimmable

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Jabra Elite Active 45e wireless in-ear sport headphones review

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REVIEW – I use only earbuds when listening to my music and only those that are tethered together by a wire so that I don’t lose them. Jabra recently came out with their Elite Active 45e wireless in-ear sport headphones. When testing them, I discovered that they were way too loose in my ears, tended

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Speck Presidio Pro Folio 12.9-inch iPad Pro Case (2018) review

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REVIEW – We have a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation 2018 tablet (non-LTE version) and Apple Pencil 2 that we’ve been afraid to take with us anywhere for fear of dropping them. We wanted to get a case with drop protection, but most cases out there look way too bulky and have an “industrial” appearance.

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How to automatically delete Google’s Web & App Activity data

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ARTICLE – Google recently announced a new feature that allows users to automatically delete their web and app activity (CNET). You can choose from three options: “Keep until I delete manually”, “Keep for 18 months”, or “Keep for 3 months”. Once you go through the steps to automatically delete this data on one device, it

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Use Eustachi to equalize the pressure in your ears

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NEWS – Have you ever had problems with your ears when there is a change in atmospheric pressure like when you’re flying or scuba diving? This is called ear barotrauma according to Medical News Today. You can use Eustachi to help alleviate this common problem. But before we talk about how Eustachi works, let’s briefly

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Declutter Gmail’s web interface by using the Simplify Gmail Chrome extension

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ARTICLE – In the past, my Gmail web interface looked a bit cluttered (shown in the above screenshot). I was curious about streamlining this look and stumbled upon several tech news articles that pointed me toward the Simplify Gmail Chrome extension. This extension was written by a former lead designer of Gmail, Michael Leggett, with

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Saddleback Leather Drawstring Leather Backpack review

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REVIEW – I’ve found my new favorite backpack! It’s the new Saddleback Leather Drawstring Leather Backpack. It is simple in design, carries all that I need to carry, and is made with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Read on for all the wonderful details. What is it? The Saddleback Leather Drawstring Leather Backpack is

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The Silk Magnetic Cable Wrangler is attracted to your charging cables

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NEWS – I just can’t help myself. I’m drawn to cable organizers like the Cable Wrangler (see what I did there?) by Silk, a company based in Austin, TX. Silk describes themselves as a “jaunty, down-to-earth, and highly-caffeinated group of folks that, since 2009, have taken our products seriously, but ourselves … not so much”

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Opté Precision Skincare System: Use technology to precisely cover up your blemishes

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NEWS – Proctor & Gamble has come out with a cool device called the Opté Precision Skincare System. It’s a wand that scans your face with a tiny digital camera at 150 images per second and uses blue LED lights to enhance the contrast in your skin. It detects “age and sun spots, redness and

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