Home 2019

How Modern Video Compression Algorithms Actually Work

Modern video compression algorithms aren’t the same as the image compression algorithms you might be familiar with. The additional dimension and time means different mathematical and logical techniques are applied to the video file to reduce the size while maintaining video quality. In this post we’re using H.264 as the archetypal compression standard. While it’s no longer the newest video compression format, it still provides a sufficiently detailed example for explaining big-picture concepts about video compression. What Is Video Compression? Video compression algorithms look for spatial and temporal redundancies. By encoding redundant data a minimum number of times, file size can be reduced. Imagine,… Read more

How to Eliminate Your Information from People Searches

The amount of personal data found online about each one of us is staggering. The information comes not only from what you knowingly put online but also from passive data collection by companies like people search sites. What are People Search Sites? People search websites were designed to help marketers advertise to you or let old friends find you. Now the sites are used for much more heinous purposes. Doxxers, criminals, and trolls don’t have to work hard at all to find the information they need to victimize you. People search directories like WhitePages and Spokeo get their information from public websites such as Facebook… Read more

What You Need to Know About USB Fingerprint Readers

Do you hate typing passwords each time you log in to a computer? If this describes you, it will be faster for you to use biometric login. And if your computer doesn’t come with one, you can use a USB fingerprint reader. This USB device is tiny, lightweight, and easy to carry. Being biometric, it offers an extra layer of security that ordinary passwords simply can’t. To substantiate that, I can’t help but think of an interesting episode from Cobra Kai, the recent successor to The Karate Kid franchise. (The 30-year old rivalry between the two lead characters is exciting to watch.) In this scene,… Read more

Creative Outlier Air True Wireless sweatproof earbuds review

REVIEW – When you think of Creative, you think of quality speakers at an affordable price or if you’ve been around for a while, you might think of Sound Blaster audio cards for PCs. But what about earbuds? It might just be me, but I haven’t associated the Creative brand with earbuds. But that’s about all to change. Let’s check out the new Creative Outlier Air TWS earbuds.

What is it?

The Outlier Air earbuds are truly wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds from Creative.

Hardware specs

5.6mm graphene driver diaphragm
Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX and AAC audio
IPX5 sweatproof
Playtime of up to 10hrs per charge and up to 30 hours total with charging case

What’s in the box?

  • Creative Outlier Air TWS earbuds
  • Charging / storage case
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 1 extra set of ear tips
  • Instructions

Design and features

The Creative Outlier Air earbuds store inside a small aluminum shelled storage case that doubles as a charger.

The charging case charges via USB-C (yay!) and has 4 LEDs on one end of the case that provide a quick way to check the battery charging status of the earbuds.

The case slides open to reveal a drawer that holds each earbud in its own charging slot.

The inside surface of each earbud has electrical contacts that match up with contacts in the case. Just make sure they are seated correctly before closing the “drawer” so that they will make contact to charge.

The earbuds themselves have a matte black plastic shell with the Creative logo on one side and a large printed L or R on the inside surface of each bud so that you’ll know which ear they are supposed to fit in.

The outside surface of each earbud is a multi-function button that has an LED “halo” around it that glows red or blue depending on the status. The LED will throb red while charging and will throb blue while they are paired and sometimes while they are in use.

Fit and comfort

Unlike many earbuds that I’ve reviewed in the past, the Creative Outlier Air earbuds only come with one extra set of ear tips and for some really strange reason, the ear tips are all the same size. This can be a problem for people that have problems getting earbuds to fit in their ears as there aren’t different sizes of ear tips included to customize the fit.

The Outlier Airs fit my ears pretty well… at least for my left ear. My right ear canal is shaped slightly different, so more often than not, I have trouble with the fit for that ear. For that reason, I wasn’t surprised when I had trouble with the right Outlier Air earbud falling out of my ear if I was moving around a lot, like while working out. Sometimes it would dislodge from my ear causing the sound quality to diminish and sometimes the earbud would completely fall out of my ear.

Even though I have problems with the right earbud falling out occasionally, the fit is comfortable and I am able to wear them for extended (an hour or so) periods of time with little discomfort.

Note that my experience with the fit of these earbuds might not match yours as everyone has differently shaped ears.

Pairing and functionality

Pairing the Creative Outlier Air earbuds with my Huawei P30 Pro was a simple task. When I opened the charging case drawer, one of the buds started flashing alternating red and blue to let me know that they were in pairing mode. From there you just choose the earbud with the red/blue flashing LED in the Bluetooth devices list and pair it. You do not have to pair BOTH earbuds individually. Just one.

The only trick is that you have to decide which bud to make the primary earbud. The primary earbud is the one that you remove from the case first. Why does it matter? It matters because you can put the secondary earbud back in the case and still continue to use the primary earbud in your ear. It’s a great little way to get double the playback time out of the earbuds if you like to leave one ear open to hear what’s going on around you while still enjoying music.

To control the earbuds as far as answering calls, ending calls, play/pause, skipping tracks, adjusting volume, and using a voice assistant, you have to use the buttons on the earbuds. Let me just say that I hate using buttons on the outside of earbuds. Having to press a physical button means you have to push the earbud farther in your ear to activate that button. The buttons on the Outlier Air earbuds are pretty stuff, so pressing them is not comfortable at all.

Just like I want all new earbuds to start using USB-C for charging, I want all new earbuds to start featuring touch controls instead of physical buttons. Yes, the buttons work fine as long as you remember which one does what function and what you need to do to get that function, like single press, double press, hold, etc. But yeah, not a fan of physical buttons. Nuff said on that topic.

Sound quality for music, video, and calls

When it comes to sound quality, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to music with the Creative Outlier Air earbuds. I paired them with my Huawei P30 Pro which has Dolby Atmos and they sounded great listening to my favorite tunes using Spotify and other streaming apps.

There was a good amount of bass (sometimes a little too much), warmth, and clarity. Compared to other earbuds I’ve reviewed recently, I would say that the Outlier Airs are in the lead for the best sounding buds for music.

As for watching video while using the Outlier earbuds, I’m happy to report that there are no video syncing issues when using the with YouTube and Netflix. What you see and what you hear is synced perfectly in the video.

Both earbuds have a built-in microphone for calls and smart assistant functions. You can also hear audio out of both earbuds while on a call.

People on the other end of the conversation said that I sounded fine and I heard no comments asking if I was talking to them from down in a well. On my side of the call, I was glad to have audio from both ears but I still had that in my head type of experience while talking. I also noticed that while people on the other end talked, there was a weird scratchy/static noise in the background. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is worth mentioning.

I’m also happy to report that I didn’t notice any problems with either earbud cutting out or losing connection with the other bud. Everything about the Outlier Air earbuds is rock solid.

What I like

  • Great audio quality for music and good for calls
  • No video syncing issues
  • Long battery life
  • USB-C charging

What needs to be improved

  • Add touch controls instead of a physical button

Final thoughts

I thought I’d ended my quest for the perfect pair of wireless earbuds when I reviewed the TicPods Free earbuds. I loved the fit and comfort and especially the touch controls of those earbuds, but the video sync delay issues eventually dethroned them as my favorites after I reviewed the Mavin Air-X earbuds. And now the Creative Outlier Air TWS earbuds have dethroned the Mavin Air-X earbuds to become my favorite TWS earbuds.

The Creative Outlier Air earbuds have better battery life, better sound, and you can’t beat the price at around $80. If you’re looking for your next favorite pair of TWS earbuds, you must check out the Outlier Airs.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Creative
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Creative.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Creative Outlier Air True Wireless sweatproof earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2019 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Zohmo iPhone Battery Case review

REVIEW – I am a high screen time phone user and regularly drain my battery – as well as spend a large portion of most days with it plugged in to a lightning cord to keep from it dying on me. I have a love-hate relationship with phone charging cases as they typically come with quite a bit of convenience, but at the cost of carrying around the equivalent of a hot brick in your pocket. I have a few standalone battery packs, but the problem there is that I never remember to put them in my pocket or backpack before I leave the house! I was intrigued to give the Zohmo Z Series Battery Case a try.

What is it?

The Z Series is a minimalist design battery back up charging case for your iPhone that will provide charging capabilities while also providing some protection from daily wear and tear.

What’s in the box?

  • Air Vent Magnetic Mount
  • Magnet with adhesive sticker for non-battery case
  • Braided Charging Cord
  • Warranty Card
  • User Manual
  • Promo Tag
  • Battery Back-up Phone Case

Design and features

My phone slid easily into the batter case, it has a lightning adapter in the bottom that fits into the power/data port. Push the upper two corners over the edge of the phone and it is then snug within the case for use. Excuse the cracks from my screen protector but you can see that the case doesn’t change the profile of the phone any more (and maybe less) than most cases. This is great since the iPhone X screen does stretch so close to the edges of the screen.

You can see here on the back, there is a power button, as well as 4 led indicator lights that show how much charge time is remaining. To turn the battery pack on, it takes a long press of the button. You can turn off with another long press, or it will turn itself off after fully discharged. It also has the cut out for the cameras, so you have no loss of functionality there. Along the side is a cut out for your mute/vibrate switch and then buttons for the screen power button and volume controls.

Performance

For about a month now, I used this case on a daily basis. And there hasn’t been a day go by that I didn’t utilize it to recharge my phone. Typically once I get my 20% battery remaining warning, I switch it on and let it go to work. Within an hour or so, depending on how much I continue to use it, I’m back over 80% at least and it lasts me through the rest of the day. The case only weighs 3.7 ounces, so with the phone it comes in at 10.0 ounces total weight. There is a bit of heat produced, even more so if I keep it in my pocket while but overall much less heat than previous batter cases I tested. Finally, the poly-carbonate material that this is made from is really great in that it not only looks nice, but it also provides a little bounce back when dropped and protects the phone.

The sample I was provided came with the optional car kit, which has a magnetic air-vent mount which installed very easily in my truck.

The only problem I experienced with this is that on rough or bouncy roads, the magnet in the mount wasn’t quite able to hold the phone in place, either it would start to slide sideways or it would fall completely off and send my phone flying to the floorboard – not ideal while driving.

The only other thing I wanted to touch on is the charging port. It accepts any standard lightning cable and it located in the same place as all iPhone charging ports. The problem I experienced is that the charger cord (regardless of brand, make, model, etc.) simply slides into the port, it doesn’t really clamp or click into place. So again while driving, or even moving the phone around while cord charging, the cord slips out easily – especially while vertical on the mount. This is frustrating and even more so when you don’t notice it’s moved out just a bit and stopped charging either the case or your phone.

What I like

  • Light weight at only 3.7 ounces
  • Poly-carbonate material is soft, sleek and has a little bounce to it
  • Doesn’t overheat
  • Provides a reliable and consistent charge
  • Car mount kit with braided charging cord is useful

What needs to be improved

  • Plug in port for charging cord needs better hold on the lightning connector, falls out extremely easily
  • Magnet air-mount kit could afford to have a stronger hold

Final thoughts

Overall, I’m very satisfied with the Zohmo battery pack case. It doesn’t exactly what it’s designed to do and does so without the extra weight or heat I’ve experienced with other battery cases. The only problems I found with the unit are rather ancillary – in as much as they don’t impact the utility of the product, just become minor annoyances. I have yet to have to “abandon” my phone and leave it charging somewhere while I carried on with my day, although some could argue I probably should try and do that some time!

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Can be purchased directly at Zohmo.com
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Zohmo.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Zohmo iPhone Battery Case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.