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AUKEY Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver review


REVIEW – Bluetooth connectivity has been around long enough now that I have been spoiled by it and simply refuse to consider portable audio devices that do not include this feature and I even look for it as an included feature in some non-portable components. None of the televisions in my home have built-in Bluetooth, but I figure that it would be great to use my Bluetooth headphones and watch TV in the living room while being able to ignore the kids as they engage in activities that I am now convinced are designed to blow my eardrums and make my head spin!! LOL!! The Aukey Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver seems like it could be the answer for me and finally an opportunity to score one win in the dad vs kids duel.

What is it?

The AUKEY Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver provides dual-mode connectivity for devices lacking built-in Bluetooth. It offers a connectivity range of up to 50m/164’, and it features the aptX Low Latency codec to ensure high-quality wireless sound and synchronized audio and video for gaming and watching movies. It also features a touch control display to control functions and to display the connection status and audio codec used. There are also two slide switches on one side to select the operational mode and function.

What’s in the box


1 x AUKEY BR-O8 2-in-1 Wireless Transmitter and Receiver
1 x Micro-USB Cable
1 x 3.5mm Audio Cable
1 x 3.5mm to RCA Audio Cable
1 x Toslink Optical Cable
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Specifications

Model Number: BR-O8
Technology: BT 5, aptX, aptX-LL
Frequency Range: 2.402GHz – 2.480GHz
Input: DC 5V
Operating Range: Up to 50m / 164ft
Dimensions: 113 x 110 x 73mm / 4.45” x 4.33” x 2.87”
Weight: 300g / 10.58oz

Features

Bluetooth 5 Technology:
The latest Bluetooth 5 greatly increases the connection range (up to 50m/164ft). Higher bandwidth enables faster pairing and better audio quality for compatible devices.
Low Latency Audio:
aptX Low Latency codec avoids sound sync issues when watching movies or playing games.
Dual-Device Connection:
Simultaneously connect two pairs of Bluetooth headphones. Share your favorite TV series or play a game with a friend or a family member.
Transmitter Mode:
Wirelessly broadcast audio from your non-Bluetooth TV or computer to your Bluetooth headphones, headset or speakers.
Receiver Mode:
Wirelessly broadcast audio from your smartphone to your non-Bluetooth speaker or home stereo system.
Bypass Mode:
Switch to a pure cable connection between two adjacent or non-Bluetooth devices without unplugging from the BR-O8.

On the back of this device, there are 2 slide switches. the top one allows you to power on in Bluetooth mode or in Bypass mode. The second switches the device to either Transmit or Receive mode.

At the bottom of the device, there are the connectivity ports that include a DC in power port, an RX Output 3.5mm port, a TX Input 3.5mm port and one Optical port each for Transmit and Receive connections.
The illustrations below show the functionality, connectivity, and operational options.

Performance

This Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver is very easy to use. Right out of the box it is plug-n-play ready. Pairing with one or two devices is quite easy and I did not experience any issues using it in either Transmitter or Receiver mode. The diagram below lists the indicators and the meaning of each.

Connecting using Bluetooth is very simple and the instructions are clear and accurate. The touch screen at the top of the device displays the mode of operation (TX/RX), the type of connection and the audio mode. The circular button shown on the bottom right of the touch screen is the selector button that you use to switch connection types. For example Aux or Opt. The “A” shown indicates that one Bluetooth device is connected. In this case, it was headphones.


The photo below shows “A” and “B” indicating that I had 2 Bluetooth devices connected. In this case, it was headphones and earbuds. Oddly enough I forgot to change the connectivity selection to Aux, but it still worked in OPT mode with the auxiliary cable as the connection.

As shown in the picture below, the status indicator is white when it is in RX mode as opposed to green when it is in TX mode. The “A” indicates that I had one device connected which in this case was wired earphones, and I used the device in Receive mode to listen to music from my cell phone.


The following information confirms what you see in the pictures above with the indicator as green in Transmit mode and white in Receive mode. It also explains the visual indicators.

While testing this device, I became obsessed with trying to make it completely portable and I connected it to my USB power bank. It worked, but it seemed to draw too little power to be continuously recognized by the power bank and so the after less than a minute the power bank would turn off.

For additional information, you can read the manual by clicking here.

What I like

  • It is lightweight but not fragile
  • It is both a Transmitter and a Receiver
  • It can connect to two accessories simultaneously
  • The ease of pairing

What can be improved

  • The addition of a built-in battery so it is a stand-alone portable device
  • The touch control top is a fingerprint magnet

Final thoughts

This Aukey Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver is a handy, compact and lightweight device that functions very well for what it is designed to do. I have no complaints except that since it is so lightweight, I can think of some scenarios I could use it for if it had a long-lasting built-in battery. Since it seems to need very little power, I would think that the addition of a battery would be doable even if it adds a bit of weight. Regardless, I am giving this device a two thumbs up and a well done!!

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Aukey.

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AUKEY Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 11:30 am.

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

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 discoloration, blemishes, scars, and spider veins” (Opté website). It then applies the precise amount of serum needed to cover only those blemishes using “120 thermal inkjet nozzles inside the wand that deposit 1,000 picoliter droplets (that’s one billionth of a liter)” (CNET) so that your skin looks flawless.

The Opté Precision Skincare device uses their special Optimizing Serum which will reduce the appearance of age and sun spots over time – usually 8 to 12 weeks. The serum contains things like mineral pigments and niacinamide (Vitamin B3) (Opté website). Opté treats only the blemishes on your skin thus using much less product than you would normally and it’s not a laser so it is gentle on your skin as well.

The Opté Precision Skincare System is not cheap and is only available at the Opté website. The starter kit is $599 (includes the Beauty Wand, 2 Wand Tips, Cradle, Power Cord, Optimizing Serum, Preserving Disk) and the serum refills are $149 (includes Optimizing Serum and Preserving Disk). Whew, beauty is not cheap!

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Opté Precision Skincare System: Use technology to precisely cover up your blemishes originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 10:24 am.

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SecureDrive BT hardware encrypted external portable hard drive review

REVIEW – Bluetooth – it seems like it’s everywhere now. How does the SecureDrive BT hardware encrypted external portable hard drive utilize Bluetooth and your mobile device for drive security? Let’s find out!

What is it?

The SecureDrive BT hardware encrypted external portable hard drive is a USB hard drive that uses your mobile device and Bluetooth to unlock the device.

What’s in the box?

List contents – you can remove this heading and section if it doesn’t apply to your review.

  • SecureDrive BT (250GB SSD as tested)
  • Quick Start guide
  • 16″ USB cable
  • Export Notice information sheet



Hardware specs

Capacity:   1TB, 2TB, 5TB, 250GB SSD, 500GB SSD, 1TB SSD, 2TB SSD, 4TB SSD, 8TB SSD
Cryptographic Processes:   AES-XTS 256 Bit Hardware Encryption (OS independent)
Dimensions (L x W x D):   127mm x 77mm x 12.5mm (1&2TB) – x 20.5mm (5TB)
Weight:   Approx. 9 oz. (1TB & 2 TB) Approx. 12 oz. (5TB)
Interface/Power Supply:   USB 3.0 (2.0 compatible) / BUS powered
Certifications:   RoHs, FCC, CE, USB, FIPS 140-2 Level 3
Assembled:   U.S.A
Languages:   English
Warranty:   2 years (limited warranty)
Password Policy:   Strong password (7-15 chars) Alpha Numeric
System Compatibility:   Microsoft, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Thin Clients,
Embedded Systems (No software or drivers  needed)

Design and features

I recently reviewed the SecureDrive KP drive (KP is for Keypad unlock) and found it to be a fabulous device. SecureDrive was nice enough to also send me the SecureDrive BT drive (Bluetooth unlock) for review.

Measuring in at just 3″x5″x0.5″, the SecureDrive BT is just about as small as external SSD and 2.5″ HDD drive enclosures come. It requires no external power supply, and simply operates off the USB cable connection with any host operating system (Microsoft Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Chrome, Thin Clients, Zero Clients, Android & Embedded Systems).

Unlike the SecureDrive KP which features a keypad for unlocking the device, the SecureDrive BT uses an app on your mobile device (iOS and Android) and its Bluetooth connection to unlock and manage the device. Once unlocked, the drive performs as a standard external hard drive.

One of the key ways the SecureDrive keeps your data safe is that there is absolutely no communication between the host Operating System (Windows, Linux, MacOS or similar) and the drive until the User enters the correct PIN via the mobile app. This prevents computer/software brute force attacks and/or hacking of the system. Once the correct pin is entered the drives USB controller is unlocked to initiate communication between the drive and host OS. This also prevents any malicious firmware modifications/updates that might be intended to breach the security of the drive.

The SecureDrive BT uses Military Grade AES256 bit encryption at the hardware level, the complete OS and software free design allows for extremely secure encryption without any OS overhead and speed penalties that software encryption has, which can slow performance by 30% or more.

The 16″ cable and USB 3.0 super speed interface provides for a transfer rate of 5.0 Gbit/s while being backward compatible with USB 2.0 for older hardware.

A secure drive would not be completely secure if it allowed access to the electronics that control the drive. The SecureDrive is certified FIPS level 3 (U.S. government computer security standard) and every vital piece of electronics is covered with a tough epoxy coating cementing the critical components in an indistinguishable solid capsule. There are no externally visible means to open the drive enclosure.

The drive has a brute force anti-hacking self destruct feature that is triggered after entering an incorrect password ten consecutive times. When triggered it will crypto-erase the passwords, all User data and drive formatting. Basically, it will wipe the drive and it will reset the password to the factory password. The drive is still useable, just empty. I tested this feature and it indeed worked perfectly. This is probably a good point to mention that there are no techniques to retrieve the pin. There are absolutely no back-doors and all data will be erased permanently.

The SecureDrive BT has several advantages and disadvantages as compared to the keypad model.

Disadvantages:

  • Requires a mobile device to unlock the drive
  • Admin mode is only available with SecureDrive’s Remote Management Web Console

Advantages:

  • Easier to enter/change the device password
  • Can use TouchID/FaceID on iOS (fingerprint unlocking)
  • Easier to make option changes such as Inactivity AutoLock, read-only (optional)
  • Step-away AutoLock and vicinity unlock
  • Works with Apple Watch (digital pin)
  • Password recovery via text message (optional)
  • Compatible with SecureDrive’s Remote Management Web Console

The TouchID on iOS is very nice. You simply tap the drive you wish to unlock and you’ll be prompted to touch the devices fingerprint reader, and the drive unlocks.

Even better for some users may be the AutoLock/Unlock feature that is possible with Bluetooth. When enabled the device will automatically lock when you step about 3m away from the device for longer than 5 seconds. When the remember password option is on, it will also automatically unlock the device when you get in the vicinity of the device.

There is also an Inactivity Lock feature, which is off by default. When enabled the device will automatically lock after a pre-set amount of time of inactivity. The options on this feature are 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 minutes.

These features for unlocking and locking make it very configurable depending on your requirements and environment.

The SecureDrive BT is also compatible with SecureDrive’s Remote Management Web Console  (available as a separate service) which allows the admin to take full control of where/when the drive can be unlocked as well as remotely wiping the data and disabling access even if the user has a drive pin.

Setup

Setting up the SecureDrive BT is as simple as installing the DataLock app and entering the eight-digit device ID number that is located on the back of the device near the connector plug. Once you enter the default password you can then setup the device with the various options and change the password.





Performance

For the technical minded, here are some CrystalDiskMark tests from my setup:



What I like

  • Mobile device unlocking and configuration of options
  • Auto lock and unlock are awesome
  • Compact design

What needs to be improved

  • Did not have a full printed manual with it, but PDF’s are on the drive and a printed quick start instruction sheet was provided.

Final thoughts

I’m really impressed with the SecureDrive BT, and with all of the SecureDrive products. They really have a great variety of devices that seem to fit just about every user’s unique need. The SecureDrive BT provides an easy and portable way to secure data and is available in the following capacities: 1TB, 2TB, 5TB, 250GB SSD, 500GB SSD, 1TB SSD, 2TB SSD, 4TB SSD, 8TB SSD.

Price: $289 250GB SSD as tested, many other models available
Where to buy: SecureDrive
Source: The sample of this product was provided by SecureDrive.

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SecureDrive BT hardware encrypted external portable hard drive review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Keep your head up and be safe with Hudway Drive


CROWDFUNDING NEWS – These days we live in a world that is dominated by technology that has found its way into just about every area of our lives. One of the most popular devices is our addictive smartphone and in recent years it has been blamed for many vehicle-related accidents. Despite the integration of smartphones with the navigation systems in our cars, on many occasions, one glance sideways has been proven to be a fatal mistake. It is critical that we are able to use the services offered via our phones in a safe and effective way.




Enter the Hudway Drive Head-Up display!! This device installs in the logical position that places it right in front of your view as you drive. With an easy connection via Bluetooth between your phone and the Hudway Drive, you have easy visual access to directions, calls, texts, and notifications without looking at your phone or without taking your eyes off the road. It also works with your favorite apps including “Google Maps, Waze, or any other app you want to use behind the wheel — mirrored over AirPlay or Miracast.” Features also include audio integration and driving widgets that you can select and customize to enhance your driving experience.

If you would like to learn more about the Hudway Drive, you can head over to the Hudway website and check it out. You can also pre-order the device for $169 on Indiegogo. Shipments will begin in the 2nd quarter of 2019.

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Keep your head up and be safe with Hudway Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 28, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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