John Keyes

I recently discovered Dizolve laundry detergent which looked like a really interesting product. I mean look, it’s:

• readily biodegradable
• safe for septics
• hypoallergenic
• phosphate-free
• free of added dyes
• free of chlorine bleach
• free of 1,4-dioxane
• paraben-free
• got vegan ingredients, no animal testing

It’s physical form is pretty cool too. Most laundry detergents in Ireland are in powder or liquid form. Dizolve uses paper-like strips. This means it’s simple to measure the amount you use.

They suggest one strip for one load, but you can gauge yourself how much you need depending on the type of load. For example, a heavily soiled load might take two strips, or for a half-load or a handwash you could use half a strip.

The one downside I’ve experienced is that the strips have to be torn into small pieces for use in a front-loader (the most common type of washing machine in Ireland). If you’re using a top-loader, you can just drop the strips into the machine whole, and you’re done. It’s a minor issue, but worth noting if you’re the easily frustrated type.

I’ve used the strips in a few loads now and results have been good. I did a normal load (approx. 6kg) with a single strip and there clothes came out clean. I used a single strip on a white load at 30°C and the soles of some socks weren’t brilliant white. Next time, I’ll bump the temperature to 40°C and see what happens. I’ve seen similar results from my Method detergent, so I’m not writing it off just yet.

I’ve ordered a packet of Fresh Linen, so the clothes smell clean too. I’ll be back with an update after I’ve used them a few times.

I was looking for an inexpensive bluetooth speaker for my children when I came across the TaoTronics Portable Bluetooth Speaker on Amazon.

It seems to be well manufactured, has a nice rubberised exterior, and sits neatly on it’s built-in rubber feet.

It comes with a 1500mAh Li-ion battery, which according to the documentation, can provide up to ten hours of audio playback.

Bluetooth setup was straightforward, and I tested it with an old iPod (iOS 6), and my iPhone 5S. It also supports NFC auto-pairing which I’ll try out soon. This means you can just hover your phone over the NFC point on the speaker and it’s ready to roll.

You can also connect devices that don’t support Bluetooth via a standard headphone cable (3.5mm), or via the micro USB port. I tried both of these and they worked as expected.

Sound quality and volume are both very good for the price and size of the unit.

Only downside, albeit a minor one, is the undocumented “lint and dust magnet” feature.

The Airfix Red Arrows Hawk 50th Display Season kit is another nice kit that’s easy to make. Myself and my son put this one together.

Again we went with a custom paint job, using Halford’s paint we had to hand, and applied the decals to our own tastes. We’re called it the Silver Arrow for obvious reasons.

I applied a couple of layers of clear coat too, but for some reason this seemed to bubble some of the decals.

We’re happy with the results. I’ve been told the next paint job should glow in the dark. We’ll see what happens on that front.

We went to see Song of the Sea yesterday, and it lived up to my personal expectations. Even if this was a silent film it would still be spectacular thanks to the beautiful visuals.

A masterpiece from Tomm Moore, a tale of witches, selkies, and fairies; a family torn apart by forces known and unknown; a journey of truth and discovery; an acceptance of the way things are.

Song of the Sea Trailer

More deserved success for Cartoon Saloon who continue to forge their own path of excellence in the world of animated film.

Do yourself a favour and see this film on the big screen before it’s too late.