Home Reviews

Black+Blum Eau Good Duo water bottle review

REVIEW – Every minute, a staggering one million plastic bottles are purchased, many of which simply contain filtered water, and that figure is on the rise. Homeware designer Black+Blum aims to help curb that rampant bottled water consumption with their double-duty water filter and infuser bottle, the Eau Good Duo.

What is it?

The Eau Good Duo is an easy-grip, dual-purpose plastic water bottle that has both charcoal purification and infusion capabilities. It’s meant to act as a natural replacement for that packaged bottle of water that you’d normally grab from the fridge or gas station.

Hardware specs

  • holds 700ml/24 fl oz
  • 122g/4.3oz empty weight
  • 24.2cm/9.5″ high x 8.2em/3.2″ max width
  • built-in infuser cap filters infusing ingredients
  • easy-grip silicone hand strap
  • bottle made from taste-neutral, lightweight Tritan™
  • fast-flow polypropylene spout
  • binchotan charcoal filtration stick

What’s in the box?

  • one Eau Good Duo bottle
  • one charcoal filter (good for 6 months)
It comes with the bottle and a charcoal stick (not pictured).

Design and Features

The Eau Good Duo can be used just like any other water bottle. Fill it up and hit the road. It’s perfectly fine for that, and the silicone hand straps and quick-flow spout make it a nice little sports bottle. But it’s true strengths lie in its purification and infusion functions, which I’ll get into below.

A nice sporty look and easy to grip.

One note about the spout, at least on my sample bottle, it was really hard to open. I think if the spout were made of a more flexible or softer material, it would have been easier to wiggle and pull up with my fingers, but most of the time I had to employ my teeth to pull it out, which is probably cringeworthy for any dental professionals out there. The other option was to completely remove the cap and push the filter from the other side, popping the spout up… or just drink directly from the bottle.

It’s also worth mentioning that if you decide to drink from the capless bottle, the threading for the cap is on the inside of the bottle, so the outside is nice and smooth, like drinking from a glass.

The thread is on the inside of the bottle, so you can drink from the mouth without feeling the thread on your lips.

After using the bottle for several weeks, I’ve found that it was best to simply treat it as a replacement for a single-use water bottle. Since it’s roughly the size of a bottle of Dasani or some other 20oz water, I found myself grabbing it out of the fridge in the morning for my commute into work, refilling it when I arrived and grabbing it out of the work fridge around lunchtime. That allowed for enough time to purify and chill the water in each instance.

Infusion

One could make the argument that pretty much any container could be used to make flavor-infused water, but there are a couple of built-in features that make the Eau Good Duo good for that purpose. One being the wide opening, allowing for easy insertion of ingredients, and the other being the fast-flow filter on the spout. The filter keeps seeds, stems and other pieces of fruit or mint debris from blocking the flow of water.

The quick-flow spout has a handy filter to block seeds and large pieces of infusing ingredients.

I really like the design of the spout. It allows for the water to flow quickly without creating that suction vacuum effect on the bottle.

Of course, placing an entire wedged lemon or bunch of strawberries into the bottle takes up a lot of space, and since the bottle can only hold about 24oz of liquid, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for actual water. In each of my tests, I was able to gulp down that delicious lemon water in a short amount of time, leaving me wishing the bottle was at least a little bit larger.

All that fruit and ice takes up a lot of volume.

Filtration/Purification

Binchotan charcoal is a type of activated charcoal that has been used for hundreds of years as a natural water filter. When left in a bottle of water overnight, it purifies water by absorbing chemicals (such as chlorine) and heavy metals commonly found in tap water. This leads to better tasting and pH-balanced water.

The bitochan charcoal stick balances pH and removes impurities… eventually.

The Eau Good Duo comes with a perfectly-sized charcoal stick, ready to be inserted into the bottle and locked into place with a quick squeeze on the nifty locking mechanism. One of the key factors to remember about charcoal purification is time. The instructions recommend 8 hours for the best effect, and once you’ve downed that 20 oz or so of purified water, it’s another 8 hours until you can drink some more, if you want the best taste.

The charcoal sticks absorb chemicals and flavors for about 3 weeks or so and then can be “recharged” by boiling them to release the absorbed chemicals. The stick should be replaced every 6 months.

I don’t buy a lot of bottled water, but over the last few weeks, I tried to imagine that every time I emptied the Duo, that was one less plastic bottle I’d be putting out into the world. That’s a lot of bottles for just one person! Not to mention potentially a lot of money.

Positives

  • charcoal filter neutralizes water flavor well
  • spout filter flows well and keeps infused ingredients from blocking water flow
  • replacement for individual bottles of water

Negatives

  • is not insulated
  • spout is rather hard to open
  • bottle could be a bit larger

Final thoughts

Overall, the Eau Good Duo is a nice little water bottle. I almost wish it was a bit larger so that one could purify more water at a once, since it takes about 8 hours for full effect. But it’s super-lightweight, has a unique, easy to carry design, and I love the high-flow spout. And most important, it accomplishes the goal of keeping plastic out of the landfill.

Price: Pre-order for £25 (approx. $33.42)
Where to buy: The Eau Good Duo filter/infusion bottle is, at the time of publishing, only available for pre-order on Crowdox. One bottle plus 1 charcoal is £25.00, or about $34. There are two other pre-order levels with additional charcoals and bottles.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Black+Blum. Visit their website for more information and to check out their other products.

The post Black+Blum Eau Good Duo water bottle review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Black+Blum Eau Good Duo water bottle review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 1, 2018 at 2:51 pm.

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.

Sbode Bluetooth speaker review


REVIEW – The world of Bluetooth speakers continues to grow. With summer weather, there are more opportunities that ever to venture outside and take your tunes or podcasts with you. Sbode has created another in the endless list of portable Bluetooth speakers. What can they possibly add to the device to make it stand out? Read on to find out.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

This 11 ounce, 4+” high 3” cylinder can handle sound from your Bluetooth or AUX stereo devices. With a speakerphone, FM Radio and memory card support, as well as the option for stereo linking with another speaker, it’s a weatherproof can of fun.

Hardware specs

(from product website)

  • Crystal Clear Bass Sound
  • True Wireless Stereo Function
  • Durable & Portable & Waterproof
  • Hands-Free Calling
  • FM Radio
  • Micro TF/SD card supported
  • Aux line-in

What’s in the box?

  • Speaker cylinder
  • USB-A to microUSB cable for charging
  • Instruction folder

The Sbode Bluetooth speaker (that’s really the official name, even on the product box!) is a black cylinder with a rubbery, wavy black rim on both ends. The wavy ridges allow sound to eek out from the underside if you happen to set it down on a flat surface. The rubbery texture prevents scratches to delicate surfaces and adds a touch of grippiness. If you set it down beside your plate at lunch, however, expect to accidentally try to drink out of it at least twice.

The surface of the outside, where you’d print the label for a soda can, is a woven fabric with a single row of rubberized buttons down in one place. They cover the basics – volume + or -, play/pause, or pairing – or so one would think. Turns out, the + and – take you forward and back in your playlist, but the play/pause and on/off toggles work as expected. The only control over volume comes from the device you’re playing from. On the opposite side of the top rim, there is a braided cord lanyard 3” long. Below that is the covered input inset.

By far the most noticeable feature is the center metalized plate in the center of each end. They’re speakers, but they don’t resemble the usual cone we’re used to seeing. Also, since this is a sealed, IPx6 system, there’s no ingress point for sand or water. It’s not submersible, but camping or poolside activities should pose no threat. I feel a bit like Monk when I look at these flat, slightly vibrating discs, though. I just wanna poke them.

The AUX in and charging port are under an easily opened silicon seal, along with a reset pinhole and a TF/SD card slot. There is also an FM radio tuner built-in, in case you don’t have any tunes on a card or your device is otherwise in use. Simply press the power-on/pairing button, and the friendly voice announces “FM Radio Mode.” In FM mode, the “+” and “-“ buttons take you through a group of scanned presets of stations. Holding down the play/pause button will initiate scanning of local stations. The instructions weren’t clear on how to stop scanning on a station you like or add it to the presets. And I was never able to figure out how to control volume.

The weight and size of the unit are perfect for the use cases suggested: taking along everywhere, either in your cup-holder, bike water-bottle cage, or hanging from a carabiner from a branch or equipment of some sort. It sits easily on any remotely flat surface and the sound will radiate from whichever end happens to be up. If you have two (and, at $36 each, it wouldn’t break the bank), you can pair both of them and there is some circuitry inside that handles audio channel separation. (I’m perfectly willing for Sbode to send me a second review unit to give this feature a try.)

For what it is, the sound and durability is quite a nice bundle for the price. There are many better-sounding speakers units on the market, but most are gonna cost a good bit more than this one. I found the sound could not get as loud as I would like, for one thing. Not that I want my music blasting, mind you, but I never felt I was going to hurt my hearing with it all the way up. And often, other things in the environment (oven timers, cars driving by while on the porch, lawn mowers a few yards over) could not be overcome. By contrast, most of the other speakers I’ve tested have had a good deal more volume headroom. The sound is uniform in all directions around when it’s firing upwards. I did find that sitting it on the side gave a little better sound, but I never heard the “crystal clear bass sound” mentioned in the website verbiage listed above.

What I Like

  • Easy pairing and use
  • Integrated carrying loop
  • Weatherproof

What needs to be improved

  • Cannot adjust volume, except on device
  • No way to adjust volume in FM mode
  • Volume is never really “loud”

Final thoughts

If you’re someone who likes to have music, podcasts or even sports coverage with you, having a speaker you can carry along usually enhances the experience, and allows you to share your audio with those you are with. If you want to hear details and “get into” the music, this speaker, while functional, is not going to fill a room or deck or campsite with sound. If your needs are a quiet podcast by your chair on the porch, you’ll probably be OK, unless someone starts up a leafblower closer than 3-4 houses away. There are better options out there for the same or maybe a little more money.

Price: $35.49
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sbode.

The post Sbode Bluetooth speaker review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Sbode Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 1, 2018 at 9:45 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.

OrbitKey Key Organizer, Strap and Clip review

OK, I admit it.  I am one of the people guilty of putting my phone and keys in the same pocket or bag.   I have suffered the consequences of my actions by getting scratches on my phone screen.  So when I got the opportunity to review the OrbitKey Key Organizer I jumped at the chance to see if it could save me from myself.  Let’s see if it does a good job protecting my phone from the dreaded key scratch.

What is it?

The OrbitKey Key Organizer is a cowhide leather or rubber key holder/organizer.  It comes in several different colors and really makes your jangling key collection much more organized, less noisy and less likely to scratch anything else in your pocket. You can purchase an additional ring clip that will easily let you add and remove additional items like a car key fob to the other end of the organizer.

Hardware specs

The leather key organizer has the following features:

  • Comes in 10 different color combinations in cowhide leather.
  • You can add monogramming for an additional $11.90 on the cowhide leather.
  • Fits 2 – 7 keys
  • Comes with a premium D-ring attachment
  • The active version of the organizer is made with water and dust resistant TPU polymers.
  • The active version comes in 7 different  colors

The Ring accessory has the following features:

  • Stainless steel enclosure surrounds a flexible polymer core.
  • Diameter – 30mm, Thickness – 3.5mm, Opening – 3.6mm
  • Carries up to 10 keys
  • Pinch and rotate to open
  • Secure mechanism

The OrbitKey Clip has the following features:

  • Length including Ring – 103mm, clip only – 52mm, width – 30.5mm, thickness – 4.5mm
  • Will hold up to 10 keys
  • Made of cowhide leather
  • Comes in three color combos – all black, tan with white stitching, and black with metal accessories.
  • Big gate opening on the carabiner
  • Comes with an OrbitKey Ring
  • Quick release system between the carabiner and the ring. Simply slide the metal band with the OrbitKey name up and slip out the leather strap.

The OrbitKey Strap has the following features:

  • Made with premium full-grain cowhide leather
  • Comes with OrbitKey  Ring
  • Carry up to 10 keys
  • Same quick release system as the Clip – Simply slide the metal band with the OrbitKey name up and slip out the leather strap.
  • Length with Ring – 238mm, Length strap only – 207.5mm, Width – 14mm, Thickness – 1.6mm

What’s in the box?

In the picture above you can see what came in each separate box.   The Key Organizer just included the organizer and no Ring accessory.  The Ring accessory can be purchased separately and came in the small package at the bottom of the picture.  The strap came with the strap and the Ring attached to it.   The Clip came with the carabiner and the Ring attached to it.   The boxes were are all made of cardboard/Kraft paper and can go into the recycle bin.

Design and features

The organizer is very simple to use.  In the picture above you can see the back side of the hardware used to hold the keys.  Simply grab a quarter or any handy coin and turn it counter clockwise to loosen the screw.

Once the back side of the hardware is off you can see the individual pieces.  There is a front cap with a tube attached that has the screw threads.  That inserts into one end of the leather strap.  There is a nice sturdy rivet attached to both sides of the leather on the inside of the strap.  Once the front side of the hardware is through the leather, there is a small washer that is in a concave shape.  That is used to control the tension of the keys.  You simply place your keys on to the threaded tube, close the other end of the leather band on top and screw the back cap back on to the front cap.  You can tighten or loosen the back cap to adjust the amount of tension in the keys.   I found it very easy to install my keys.  Time will tell if the tension will stay in place to my desired setting.

The above picture shows my current setup for my keys.  I am very simplistic and try to carry as few keys as possible.  I have my car key fob (Toyota Tacoma), a silver mailbox key and a gold house key.  I was using the Exotac key ring to make it easy to detach the key fob when I took the truck in for service or valet.

The above picture shows the Ring accessory.  Once I figured out the trick of how to use the release mechanism on the Ring I find that it is much easier to add and remove keys than on my Exotac.  I also love that the Ring is slightly smaller than the Exotac which keeps the mass down in my pockets and bags.   The one issue I did have with the Ring was that I had issues with my truck key fob.   Part of the problem is that the key fob for my truck does not have a very wide opening for a key ring and it really likes to keep getting hung up on the Ring when it encounters the inside plastic enclosing device.

The above picture shows the organizer with two keys inside and my truck fob attached.

What I ended up doing is using a small ring from the Exotac system and put that on the fob and then put the small ring on the OrbitKey Ring. This picture shows the same as the last picture, but with the two keys swiveled out and how I am using the smaller ring to attach my key fob.

What I like

I love the way these items from OrbitKey look.  They are very elegant.  No more jingling keys and the organizer should reduce the number of scratches I put on my phone when my keys and phone share the same space. The hardware seems top notch and I really don’t see how it would fail.  I will try and remember to do an update a few months from now to see how well the tension on the keys holds up over time. The Clip is a nice elegant option for those folks who like attaching their keys to the belt loops or possibly to a purse handle.  I also love how they market the strap towards other items besides keys.  They have pictures on their site of folks using the strap to small items like a compact camera or even a wallet or small purse.  I also love that they sell the hardware for the organizer separately should you ever need to replace it.  They also sell a few accessories like a bottle opener, multi-tool and 8 or 32GB USB drives that all will work in the organizer.

What needs to be improved

I was a bit frustrated by the extra depth of the Ring due to the quick release mechanism.  I realize though that I did have the same issue with the Exotac ring and had to use an additional smaller ring in order to connect the fob to the main ring.  I also noted that on the Clip the carabiner clip part is made of the same plastic that the quick release mechanism is on the Ring.  I wonder how durable that would be over time and think I would have preferred stainless steel there of which the rest of the carabiner is made.  I also found that pushing in the release mechanism on the carabiner several times started to make that plastic clip not sit as snugly as it used to.  I also think it would be nice if they offered an organizer that was a little shorter than the one they currently have.  I have about three-quarters of an inch of free space between the end of my key and the D-ring.  If it was about a half an inch shorter it would make for a more compact package.

Final thoughts

I think I will definitely be adding the smaller ring attachment to my truck key fob and use the organizer going forward.  I really think it is a nice look and I love that I no longer have jangling keys.  It does certainly make the whole package of key fob and two keys a bit bulkier but it is something I think I can get used to.  I would definitely recommend the organizer and the strap to anyone who is looking for a high quality and elegant method for organizing their keys.

Price: Leather organizer – $43.50, Active organizer – $24.90,  Ring single pack charcoal or navy – $14.90, Ring single pack black – $16.90, Clip – $42.90, Strap – $34.90  – NOTE they sell packages of 2  Rings at a discount of almost $5
Where to buy: OrbitKey and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by OrbitKey.

The post OrbitKey Key Organizer, Strap and Clip review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

OrbitKey Key Organizer, Strap and Clip review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 30, 2018 at 12:30 pm.

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.

Urban Armor Gear Plasma iPad Pro 12.9″ case review

The iPad Pro 12.9″ has been reviewed and discussed all over the Tech Press, and, love it or hate it, everyone agrees on one thing: it’s a big, thin, fragile slab that is a bit unnerving to handle. Adding a case to the already 1.5-pound unit is almost a given, but then it’s hard to schlep around. Enter our friends from Urban Armor Gear. They have designed a case they dubbed the Plasma, which protects this beast of an iPad while not significantly increasing the weight or the visual impact. Not an easy task.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The UAG Plasma case combines the protection of a larger case with the features of a traditional iPad case – full back coverage, a pop-out stand, and access to the smart connector. They threw in a pencil clip for good measure. (Since I’ve taken to writing out my articles in Nebo with one of the iPads and my Apple Pencil, this ease of access is not lost on me!)

What’s in the box?

Just the case – no frills.

Design and features

The back cover of the Plasma is a hard, clear acrylic with the traditional UAG pattern of angular lines and open spaces etched in a clear v. frosted finish. I know it went against everything they consider holy, but the UAG logo was not emblazoned front and center in the large, silver type it usually comes in! It was instead writ small at the top center of the vertical orientation, under the pencil clip. (I give these guys a hard time about their logo, but their stuff is really kick@$$!) The photo below is the other side of the table from the photo just after the break above. I wanted to post it to show the difference in the stand between the Plasma (right) and other methods of holding an iPad at a good typing angle. That’s an iPad Pro 10.5″ on the left, but it takes up quite a bit more space due to the WedgeStand that’s supporting it.

As expected, the mics, camera, charging port, speaker grills, and earphone jack are all left open and accessible. Even the volume controls and the sleep/wake button are uncovered. The sleep/wake button and the earphone jacks are somewhat covered by overhanging protective eaves, however, which was a welcome touch. The power port has a large enough opening to easily allow an Apple Pencil to “assume the position” for charging.

While a nice feature, I found the Pencil clip a bit difficult to use. Putting the Pencil in is not a problem, but when I tried to remove it, I was always afraid of it breaking in the center as I pried up a loose end. I could probably just slide it up and out, but I’m still quite paranoid about hanging a $100 piece of plastic in an exposed loop in my bag. I have a case where I keep it nice and safe. For the record, I also never clipped good pens to the rings of spiral notebooks back in the day, either. You do you.

On the long edge opposite the pencil clip, there is a pop-out stand which gives the Plasma the ability to stand at a 16º slant from vertical. This position is quite nice if you’re watching a video, or writing in split-screen view with a keyboard. The frame below this pop-out prop can also be removed before installing the case, exposing the side of the iPad Pro that contains the smart connector, as well as those clever magnets that allow screen covers to be attached. Different from some covers on the market, this choice is reversible-you can leave it off on one trip where you want to add a smart keyboard or cover, then clip it back in when you want full coverage of the bumper. I like choices.

One oddity I found was the lanyard tether attachment point just under the earphone jack and the opposite side. As heavy, unwieldy, and awkward as I sometimes find the 12.9″, I have not once imagined threading a lanyard to it and having it hang around my neck. But, if that’s your thing, you can do it with the Plasma case! Might be good if you’re using it for field work and having to do something else with your hands with no good place to sit your iPad between annotations.

What I Like

  • Excellent protection around the rim and scratch-proof coverage for rear of the iPad.
  • Pop-out stand to allow the use of a keyboard.
  • Pencil clip for the daring.
  • Removable cover on Smart Connector/Magnetic Smart Cover edge.

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing, really.

Final thoughts

The iPad Pro 12.9″ continues to be a bit of a puzzle. Most users I know love theirs, but rarely take them out of their homes or offices. This case, with its open side for smart covers/keyboards and the kickstand, gives me enough protection that I have been taking mine out more. Look for it in your local Best Buy and consider how you could use your iPad Pro, rather than that heavy laptop. You may start a new trend!

Price: $89.99 for 12.9″, $79.99 for 9.7″and 10.5″ iPads.
Where to buy: This is a Best Buy exclusive.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Urban Armor Gear.

The post Urban Armor Gear Plasma iPad Pro 12.9″ case review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

Urban Armor Gear Plasma iPad Pro 12.9″ case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 30, 2018 at 10:30 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.

Optoma BE Free5 wireless earbuds review

As I continue on my quest to find the “perfect” wireless earbuds for “me”, I jump at every opportunity to review whatever earbuds come my way. The Optoma BE Free5 earbuds seem interesting, so with much anticipation, here we go:

What is it?

The Optoma BE Free5 wireless earbuds are a pair of Bluetooth wireless earbuds that can be used for both listening to music and receiving and making phone calls.

What’s in the box

 


1 x BE Free5 Wireless Earbuds
1 x Charging Case
3 x Pairs Ear Wings in three sizes
3 x Pairs Ear Tips in three sizes
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Instruction Booklet

Design and features

The Optoma BE Free5 wireless earbuds are designed with grapheme audio drivers with AAC Bluetooth codec support for both Apple and Android Oreo. They feature mic noise canceling, a charging case that can charge the earbuds 4 times on one charge for close to 16 hours of listening time, an IPX5 rating for water resistance, and on and off and touch controls for phone and music functions, and for Siri and Google Assistant. They also include 3 sizes of Ear Wings and Ear Tips for the perfect fit and comfort, and they remain in your ears while exercising and moving around during normal daily activities.

All of the control functions are handled via the surface of the earbuds.
When you first use the earbuds, you press the right earbud surface and hold it down until it flashes red and blue, and this puts it into pairing mode.

Once paired, the next time you use the earbuds, you power on the earbuds by pressing the right earbud for 2 seconds. It then engages the Bluetooth connection, and it is confirmed by voice command. Pressing either earbud for 2 seconds turns them on individually as well, and pressing either one for 4 seconds turns them both off. They can also be turned off by placing them in the charging case. When placed in the charging case, the LEDs on each earbud light up orange when charging. On the outside on the front of the case, there are 2 LEDs. The one on the left Lights up orange when the case is less than 25% charged and white when it is greater than 25% charged. The LED on the right lights up orange when the case is charging and white when it is fully charged.




When in playing mode, touching and holding the left earbud for 2 seconds lowers the volume, and touching and holding the right earbud for 2 seconds raises the volume. Pressing either the left or right earbud once controls play and pause. Pressing the left earbud twice, forwards to the next track and pressing the right earbud once answers and hangs up calls. Pressing the right earbud twice activates the mic for Siri and Google Assistant, and once the mic is active, pressing the right earbud once will mute the mic. If that all sounds confusing, it is, and it takes some time to remember the controls and to get used to them.


At the back of the charging case, there is a micro USB port for charging the internal battery of the case.

Performance

These earbuds perform quite well in most categories. The sound is very good and clear, and the Lows, Mids and Highs all sound present and bright. However, I did encounter a few issues that knock the performance rating down a bit:

1: While on phone calls, I could hear the person on the other side of the call quite clearly, by everyone I tested with said that I sounded as if I had my hand over my mouth and that they could tell that I was using a device.

2: While not very frequent, the earbuds either both lost the Bluetooth connection, or sometimes one side would drop out and then come back while the music continued to play in the other ear.

3: Several times, when I placed the earbuds in the case and assumed as per how most wireless earbuds work, that they disconnected from the phone, they did not. I would miss calls and then after checking to see why I did not hear the phone, I would discover that the Bluetooth was still connected and I would have to go into the phone settings and disconnect. The other way to avoid this is to power off the earbuds before placing them in the charging case.

4: Since there are no individual buttons for functions, touching anywhere on the surface of the earbuds, activates some function. This is a bit annoying for me when placing them in my ears or adjusting them, since touching them on the surface is the only comfortable way of handling them.


What I like

I like how nicely these earbuds fit in my ears, and that that stay put even during rigorous activities. I also really like the style, the sound, and the range of the volume. I like that they would last quite a long time on each charge, and I like the convenience of access to Siri which worked quite well on my iPhone.

What can be improved

  • The Bluetooth connectivity
  • The phone call clarity for both parties on the call.

Final thoughts

The Optoma BE Free5 wireless earbuds are quite promising, and with a few adjustments could be one of the better earbuds that I have tested. I know that each person is different and that the things that I find as both positive and negative may not be the same for others. I do like how they sound, and I love that they are completely wireless and fit my ears nicely, with the included options for comfort. I will continue to use them and likely submit an update in the weeks or months to come. Regardless, for $99 they are a decent deal, and in my opinion, buyers should give them a try.

Price: $99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Optoma.

The post Optoma BE Free5 wireless earbuds review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Optoma BE Free5 wireless earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 29, 2018 at 11:00 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.