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Sonos PLAY:5 speaker review

REVIEW – I have been a Sonos fan for years and continue to slowly expand my collection in my attempt bring music to all corners of my world. The Sonos ecosystem and hardware bring excellent sound, connectivity, and control to where ever you desire. My Sonos world consists of a pair of Ones in my bedroom and Connect:AMP wired to outdoor speakers on our patio. So, when Julie asked if I’d like to try the PLAY:5 I jumped at the chance. I have been wanting to try Sonos’ biggest, baddest speaker for a while now.

What is it?

The PLAY:5 is Sonos’ largest wireless streaming music speaker to date, both physically and from a sound experience as well. The PLAY:5 is jam-packed with a complex set of speakers producing incredibly rich detailed sound, all within a surprisingly compact space. This stylish, minimalistic design works very well in pretty much any room.

Design and features

As I stated, the second generation Sonos PLAY:5 is packed full of speakers including: three tweeters, three mid-woofers with six Class-D digital amplifiers perfectly tuned to match the six dedicated speaker drivers and the acoustic architecture.

The second generation PLAY:5 has a cleaner, softer physical design than its predecessor with round edges and small rubber feet on the bottom and sides allowing for either horizontal or vertical orientation.

Placement and Setup:

The PLAY:5 can fill nearly any space you have in your home…sure, if you have a 10+k sqft house you might need a few.

But overall the sound the PLAY:5 produces could rattle a majority of the pictures and windows in the average home. In my case, I am installing it in our living room/dining room area for holiday music/parties if nothing else 🎄. As you can see here, even though it is Sonos’ largest music speaker, the PLAY:5 is pretty unobtrusive and fits nicely into nearly any setting.

I also tried the PLAY:5 in our relatively massive garage (aka the Garagemahal), an 1800 sqft space with 12 foot ceilings that the single speaker filled nicely. But if I was going to permanently go that direction, I’d probably splurge on a pair of the PLAY:5’s (and who knows perhaps the Sonos Sub as well) in that void. While not weather or waterproof, the PLAY:5 is humidity/moisture resistant and would survive in this sort of space just fine. Which is key here in the great Pacific Northwest.

Setting up the PLAY:5 is simple with the Sonos app, taking 5 minutes tops and included: connecting to my wireless network, updating the PLAY:5’s firmware, and using TruePlay tuning to tailor the sound to the space. TruePlay tuning made a surprising difference in the sound experience. The PLAY:5 sounds good right out of the box but once you customize any Sonos speaker to the space it is in makes all the difference.

I placed the PLAY:5 at the far corner of our house from our wireless router, the signal has to go thru multiple walls including a huge brick and mortar fireplace. I was a bit worried the speaker would have connectivity issues but it connected to our network without issue and has not glitched yet. Though if the wireless range is a problem, the Play:5 has an ethernet port on the back you can hardwire the speaker to your router.

In addition to power and ethernet, the last port on the back of the PLAY:5 is a line-in, auto-detecting 3.5 mm connection for attaching other audio devices to the speaker.

Sound Quality:

Point blank…the PLAY:5’s sound quality is stellar. At all volume levels the music experience is impressive; the PLAY:5 produces clear, rich, full sound. The Play:5 fills the middle floor of our home with music easily at a relatively moderate volume setting. I tested its range on a variety of music types from classic rock to the 1812 Overture, all sounding excellent. There was no distortion, no matter how high I cranked up the volume, the PLAY:5 delivers big, precise response on all levels. The bass is deep, bold, and not muddled. I could go on & on, but Sonos has yet to disappoint me on sound quality.

Sonos Ecosystem:

One of the best features of the Sonos universe is its overarching functionality, meaning how you manage, control, and what you can play on your speakers. You have always been able to play a multitude of streaming services (Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, etc) on your Sonos systems but the addition of AirPlay 2 and (optional) Alexa integration have made living in the Sonos world even easier and more seamless, all with greater functionality.

Manual Controls:

While I manage my Sonos speaker via my iPhone 99% of the time, the PLAY:5 has top-panel touch controls when need be.

Specifications:

Audio:

  • Six Class-D digital amplifiers perfectly tuned to match the six dedicated speaker drivers and the acoustic architecture.
  • Three tweeters create the crispest and clearest high-frequency response.
  • Three mid-woofers ensure you’ll hear the faithful playback of mid-range vocal frequencies plus deep, rich bass—without distortion, even at high volumes.
  • Phased speaker array (three drivers on top and three on the bottom) creates a wide stereo soundstage that directs the sound left, right, and center.
  • Audio line-in. An auto-detecting 3.5 mm connection.
  • Adjustable bass and treble controls let you customize your sound by individual room or groups of rooms

Power & Networking:

  • Auto-switching 100-240 V, 50-60 Hz AC universal input.
  • Connects to your home WiFi network with any 802.11b/g, 2.4 GHz broadcast-capable router for uninterrupted wireless streaming.
  • One 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port. Wire directly to your router to operate your Sonos if WiFi is unstable, or use the Ethernet port to provide Internet access to non-wireless devices if you’re using Boost setup.

Physical:

  • Dimensions – H x W x D 8.03 x 14.33 x 6.06 in. (203 x 364 x 154 mm).
  • Weight – 14 lbs. (6.36 kg).
  • Finish – White or black matte enclosure with graphite grille.
  • Touch-interface controls & lights
  • Capacitive touch controls for volume up/down, previous/next track, and play/pause. LED indicates Sonos component status and mute status.

What I like

  • Vibrant, full rich room-filling sound
  • Clean minimalistic look/style
  • Easy setup
  • Tailored room configuration via TruePlay
  • Excellent wireless range
  • Humidity/moisture resistant

What needs to be improved

  • Expensive

Final thoughts

The Sonos PLAY:5 is the best wireless speaker I have ever used or heard to date…hands down walking away. The sound quality is excellent, producing a rich, full listening experience. I can only imagine what a pair of them would sound like. Add the Sonos ecosystem/app, optional Alexa integration, and AirPlay 2 support makes bringing music to your world easy and seamless. We all know Apple and others are doing their best to gain smart-speaker market share but all fall far short of the universe Sonos only continues to improve upon.

Price: $499.99
Where to buy: Available from Sonos or Adorama.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Adorama.

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Sonos PLAY:5 speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 19, 2018 at 9:30 am.

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EGO Power+ 15” POWERLOAD String Trimmer review

REVIEWS – A couple of years ago, I reviewed the EGO Power+ 530 CFM Blower. I had never used a battery powered yard tool before and absolutely fell in love with its convenience and awesome power. I’m still using it—in fact, I got rid of my corded blower and haven’t missed it at all. I’m now reviewing the new EGO Power+ 15” POWERLOAD String Trimmer and let’s just cut to the chase. It’s great. In fact, it’s better than my trusted Stihl gas trimmer in every way—except for usage time. More on that later.

What is it?

The EGO Power+ 15” POWERLOAD String Trimmer is just that—a trimmer. Mentally, I still call trimmers weed wackers, but I think that’s a brand name so “trimmer” it is. The EGO string trimmer is the latest in a line of trimmers EGO has produced. This one comes with a carbon fiber split shaft and what EGO calls POWERLOAD string loading. 

Specs

  • Auto-Wind Head
  • Carbon fiber shaft (with lifetime warranty)
  • 15” cutting swath
  • Dual-feed spiral twist 0.095in. line
  • Hi-efficiency brushless motor
  • Variable speed control
  • 5-year limited warranty
  • 2.5Ah battery with Charger

Design and features

Like their other products, the EGO Power+ 15” POWERLOAD String Trimmer is made of durable green and gray plastic housing—except for the carbon fiber shaft. This shaft arrives folded in two that needs to be straightened and locked down with a provided hex key (allen wrench). The only assembly is attaching the protective debris shield and handle. I was ready to trim and edge in minutes. It’s a good thing I photographed the trimmer when it was new and shiny because after one session, it looked like it has been used for years (see end of review). 

The trimmer I reviewed comes with a 2.5Ah battery and charger. If you already own some EGO products and have enough batteries, the trimmer can be purchased sans battery at a lower price. Yes, the battery always dies sooner than I like, but the EGO batteries run at full power until they need recharging with no power fade—a great feature. Extra batteries can always be purchased, but they are not cheap. I never understood why batteries cost so much when bought separately. The battery will hold its power for 30 days, so there’s no worry if it has been sitting for a while. The battery can also be left in the charger—it won’t overcharge.

The charger has small red and green lights that tell the battery’s condition. Red means a dead battery. When charging, the green light will blink until the battery is fully charged and the light becomes a solid green. The charger has an internal fan to keep from getting too warm while charging. 

Along with my now shelved Stihl gas trimmer, I have an older corded electric trimmer that I’ve almost never used for one main reason—and it’s not the cord. The corded trimmer was either full power or off. There is no variable speed trigger like gas models have. Chalk up another win for EGO, because the POWERLOAD String Trimmer has a variable speed control that works just like a gas trimmer. You never realize how important that is until you don’t have it. Another nice feature is that the trimmer only runs when the trigger is pulled. Once the trigger is let go, the motor stops—so the battery is only in use while the trimmer is spinning. With gas trimmers, the engine runs constantly whether the trimmer is trimming or not.

The String Trimmer has what EGO calls POWERLOAD. It’s a silly term for a welcome and cool feature. To load string into the trimmer, all you need to do is cut the length of string you need (for me, it’s a little over two outstretched arm’s length—not very precise). Then just feed one end into and through the trimmer head. Pull the string through until you have equal lengths coming out of both sides of the trim head. Lightly hold the string creating a tiny bit of tension. Then press the POWERLOAD button and watch it wind into the head. It winds slowly enough so that there is little chance of the string disappearing completely into the head requiring you to start over. It’s really that easy. Loading string is now something I look forward to instead of dreading. Okay, I’m weird.

As the string becomes too short, just tap the head on a hard surface and the line will feed out automatically. I was able to trim around chain link fences, edge sidewalks and cut through the toughest grass and even thin branches that crop up in my yard around trees. You might think that almost all trimmers do this trick and you would be correct, But not all trimmers are this quiet and vibration-free. In fact, I when I began using it, I worried if it was operating at full power because it was so quiet.

With the battery attached, the POWERLOAD String Trimmer has a nice balance to it—not too heavy on either end. This balance and its lighter weight helps keep arms from tiring out too soon. It weighs less than my gas trimmer. 

One thing I noticed is that the debris shield could be larger or maybe redesigned, because I would occasionally get hit by flying stuff. This might be a more serious issue if you do yard work in shorts—I don’t.

What I like

The EGO Power+ 15” POWERLOAD String Trimmer Is a pleasure to use. I can grab it and go—no gas, no cord. Just slide the battery into place and start trimming. The sturdy build quality, indestructible shaft and quiet brushless motor make this trimmer—dare I say it—fun to use.

What needs to be improved

The shield only adequately protects legs from flying debris. 

The included battery lasts about 20 minutes depending on how hard the trimmer is working and other factors. That’s not very long. I have 2 batteries, so it’s not as big an issue for me, but extra batteries are expensive. Keep in mind that EGO’s batteries will fit all of their products, so if you have more than one EGO tool, the ability to swap batteries is a big plus.

Many EGO products are not available from local Home Depot stores—only online at the Home Depot website.

Final Thoughts

The POWERLOAD String Trimmer is much, much quieter than my gas trimmer and it also doesn’t vibrate my arms into numbness like the gas model does. And there are no gas fumes! It’s great that technology today allows a battery trimmer that matches the power of a gas model. After using the EGO for many days, I can’t imagine going back to my gas trimmer.

Price: $229.00
Where to buy: Home Depot
Source: The sample for this product was provided by EGO.

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EGO Power+ 15” POWERLOAD String Trimmer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K Fast Wireless Powerbank review

REVIEW – Powerbanks, external batteries, portable chargers, no matter what you call them, they are useful accessories to have in your gear bag for those times when you have no access to a wall outlet and your smartphone or other gadget has run out of juice. Powerbanks aren’t the most glamorous gadget and pretty much only do one thing and that’s charge a device. But today I’m going to show the myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K fast wireless powerbank that has an extra feature that increases the convenience of an already convenient product.

What is it?

The myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K fast wireless powerbank is a 10,000mAh 10W backup battery that has 2 built-in USB ports and built-in Qi wireless charging so you can charge three devices at once.

What’s in the box?

myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K powerbank
micro USB cable

Specs

Battery: 10,000mAh Lithium Ion
Product Dimensions: 2.8 in x 0.8 in x 5.8 in
Product Weight: 0.4 lbs.
Wireless Output: 10 Watts
USB port delivers 2.4A output

Design and features

The UNPLUGGED 10K is a powerbank with a soft-touch white shell and a power button that turns on the wireless charger and is used to see the battery capacity by lighting up the row of status LEDs on the top.

On one end are 2 USB-A 2.4A ports and a micro USB port that is used to recharge the powerbank itself. Note that this powerbank has pass-through charging which means that you can charge the myCharge at the same time the myCharge is charging up to 3 devices.

The UNPLUGGED 10K powerbank comes pre-charged and ready to use. But when it needs to be topped off, you just plug in a micro USB cable and let it juice up until the 4 white LEDs light up.

My first test of the myCharge was to see how quick it could re-charge a Sony Xperia XZ2 from flat to full. Here are the results.

Started with battery at 0%
30 mins battery 11% charged
60 mins battery 24% charged
1 hr 30 mins battery 38% charged
2 hrs battery 50% charged
2 hrs 30 mins battery 62% charged
3 hrs battery 71% charged
3 hrs 30 mins battery 81% charged
4hrs battery 92% charged
Test end

In another test, I connected my Pixel 2 XL and my drained Rowkin micro Touch Bluetooth earbuds to the myCharge the next day after my Sony test.

Pixel 2 XL battery at 29%, Rowkin earbuds 0% (or what appears to be 0%)
30 min Pixel 2 XL battery 47% charged, one Rowin earbud fully charged, the other still charging
1 hr 10 mins Pixel 2 XL battery 75% charged, Rowkin earbuds fully charged
2 hrs Pixel 2 XL battery 86% charged
2 hrs 30 mins Pixel 2 XL battery % charged
Test end

At the end of my 2 tests, the battery level of the myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K was down to just one lit LED.

What I like

  • Can charge 2 USB devices and 1 wireless device at the same time
  • Meets Apple and Samsung fast charge standard
  • Pass through charging – Can charge the myCharge AND charge 3 devices at the same time

What needs to be improved

  • Wireless charging is slow

Final thoughts

If you’re in the market for a powerbank and you have a Qi enabled device like a newer iPhone, Sony Xperia or Samsung Galaxy, the myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K is a nice option because it offers the ability to charge those devices wirelessly and also charge 2 other devices at the same time. Even if wireless charging is slower than plugging in a cable, the fact that this one powerbank can charge more than one device simultaneously gives it an extra check mark for usefulness.

Price: $69.99
Where to buy: myCharge and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by myCharge.

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myCharge UNPLUGGED 10K Fast Wireless Powerbank review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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Aura Frames digital photo frame review


REVIEW – As a photographer, a nice photo displayed in a complimentary frame is considered “a thing of beauty”. However, like many photographers, we simply have too many favorite pictures to frame, and the cost to do so and the space required to display them is simply prohibitive. In these days of advancing technology, Digital Picture Frames have “stormed” the market in an attempt to provide a solution to this issue and to do so while preserving the originality, authenticity, and purity of the original photograph. For this review, I got the opportunity to test and review a digital photo frame from Aura Frames that promises to deliver “cutting edge” technology with attractive bells and whistles.

What is it?

The Aura Frame is a digital photo display frame that allows you to wirelessly upload and display your photos.

What’s in the box


1 x Aura Digital Picture Frame
1 x Stand
1 x AC Adapter
1 x Instruction Booklet

Design and features

The Aura Digital Picture frame (Modern Version) is 11.75” W x 10” H x 0.75” D in size and is built incredibly well with a sturdy and weighty feel to it. It actually weighs 3.2 pounds. The actual screen size is 9.7”, with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 on a LED-backlit display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. For setup and use, both Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz wireless connectivity are built in. The frame is controlled by the Aura frame app that is available for ios 9.1 or higher, Android 4.4 KitKat or above. It is available in two colors: Slate and Stardust, and can be displayed in both landscape and portrait mode.


On the back of the frame there is a locking slot for attaching the stand, and within the slot, there is a micro USB power port. Once the cable is plugged in, the stand is attached as a result it locks the power cable in place to prevent it from accidentally coming loose.




Once you power up the frame and download the app, getting connected, creating an account and loading pictures is a quick and easy process that is all controlled by the app. The following pictures are examples of some of the many screens that guide you through the process.






Performance

Once I loaded the first set of pictures, they appeared on the frame in seconds and the display is absolutely beautiful. The hand gestures that control the changing of pictures if so desired and that control the “wake up” function if the frame is in sleep mode, work flawlessly. The auto-dimming feature also works very well and enables the correct lighting to match the ambient light of any room.

Here are some additional features:

  • Aura creates collections of People and Pets using facial recognition software. You will see collections of the people you take photos most often of in the Aura app. All you need to do is select a person or pet, click “Add All” and any photo of that person – past, present, or future! – will get added to the frame.
  • Aura automatically applies a quality filter and will not display any photos that are blurry, have red eye, are duplicates, are too light or too dark, are poorly cropped, or where people have their eyes closed. Just select an album or a person or pet to add to your frame, and Aura will do the work for you, automatically sorting your photos and skipping over any you wouldn’t want to see on your frame.
  • We also have state of the art nudity filters so no inappropriate photos will ever make their way on to the frame. In addition to nudity, we also have filters to weed out photos of your driver’s license and passport.


 

The huge “elephant in the room” is that for $299, the use and the lifespan of the ability to display pictures are entirely controlled by the company. There is no built-in ability to use an SD card, or USB drive or network storage. Sine Aura can perform updates via the internet and since the frame has built WiFi, it would be a great value for them to add the option of storage via your own local network.

What I like

• The build quality of the frame
• The finish of the frame
• The ease of setup and the flawless performance
• The features including the hand gestures, the ambient light recognition and ability to enable friends and
family to load pictures to the frame from anywhere in the world.

What can be improved

  • The storage options of pictures so that the frame is not exclusively dependent on the infrastructure of the
    company
  • Additional frame size options

Final thoughts

The Aura Digital Photo frame is a really great display with fantastic resolution and in its current form, limitless storage. I love the build quality and the finish on the frame. The features are really well implemented and just make this frame a joy to have and to use. And the ability to maybe install it at grandma’s house and send current pictures of the grandkids to it is just one way that it can provide joy and value for years. However, the fact that the pictures are stored on the company’s storage and depend on their uptime and existence is a major deal that in this day and age not only raises the issue of privacy but also of ownership and longevity. For the cost of this frame, the local storage option via one’s own network is, in my opinion, a must and a big miss by this company. Otherwise, if you are willing to take the risk, then you will love this frame.

Price: $299
Where to buy: Aura Frames Website
Source: The sample for this display was provided by Aura.

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Aura Frames digital photo frame review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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HP Sprocket portable photo printer review

If you’re like me, you probably take a lot of pictures with your phone. Flipping through pics on our phones is fun, but most of us don’t get a chance to enjoy them OUTSIDE of the phone. One way to do that is to print the pictures and one solution that can help you with that task is the HP Sprocket portable photo printer. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The HP Sprocket portable photo printer is a battery-powered printer that is about the size of a deck of cards and pairs with your phone and the HP Sprocket app to allow you to easily and quickly print your images on 2 x 3-inch sticky-backed paper without using ink.

What’s in the box?

HP Sprocket printer
micro USB cable
10 pack of HP ZINK sticky backed photo sheets

Design and features

The HP Sprocket printer is available in several colors, but I was sent the white version of the printer which has bronze colored accents.

The small printer has a plastic case with one button on the side which toggles power.

On the back of the printer is what looks like a lanyard attachement point… weird. You’ll also find the micro USB port for charging, two status LEDs, and a reset switch/hole.

The front edge of the Sprocket is where the printed photo is ejected.

The top of the printer slides off to reveal the compartment where you place the photo paper.

The photo paper is packaged in 10 sheet packs and probably has some sort of coding that won’t allow you to use other types of ZINK paper that are marketed for other brands of printers like the Sprocket.

I’ve reviewed a couple other printers that also use this type of paper and they all include a special blue card that has to be left in the stack of paper face down when you install the paper into the printer.

Here we see the stack of 10 sheets of ZINK paper placed in the Sprocket printer.

A spring-loaded pressure lever keeps the paper in place so that it doesn’t jam up inside of the printer during the printing process. I’ve had this problem with another older printer that I reviewed years ago, so I like to see that HP has designed a solution for this potential problem.

HP Sprocket app




To print your pictures, you need to install the HP Sprocket app on your phone. This app will let you view, edit, and print the images in your phone’s memory, on your Instagram account, Facebook account, and Google Photos account.

The app also lets you do some rudimentary editing like cropping, adjusting levels, adding text, and stickers.

Printing is quick and easy and since the HP Sprocket uses ZINK photo paper, you don’t have to worry about ink drying, smearing your smudging. The prints are ready to use and pass around as soon as the print ejects from the Sprocket.

My favorite thing about the prints is that they are peel and stick. I usually have problems peeling the other ZINK photo paper that I’ve used with my other photo printers, but the paper backing on the HP ZINK paper is noticeably easier to separate. I like to use the prints to embellish the entries in my journal.

What I like

  • Easy setup
  • Quick photo prints
  • Crisp and good color

What needs to be improved

  • Only comes with 10 sheets of photo paper

Final thoughts

I’ve reviewed a couple other printers very similar to the HP Sprocket, so I wasn’t expecting the resulting prints to be much if any different than ones I’ve been using for years. But I actually was surprised. The prints from the HP Sprocket look a bit crisper and have more vibrant colors than prints from Polaroid and Panasonic ZINK printers which have always looked a bit washed out to me. The HP Sprocket app is a bit more polished as well compared to the other printer apps. If I was in the market for a pocket-sized photo printer today, my first choice would be the HP Sprocket portable photo printer. It’s a keeper.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: HP and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by HP.

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HP Sprocket portable photo printer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 16, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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