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Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro review

In my mind, great accessories makes a great gadget even better.  I love my 2nd-gen iPad Pro 12.9, and I want accessories to protect it and keep it looking great.  I want a protective iPad Pro sleeve that will protect it in my gear bag and when I’m carrying only it with me.  I’m even happier when the protective sleeve is attractive.  The Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for iPad Pro 12.9″ is both protective and beautiful.  It seems to be the perfect accessory for me!  When Lucrin offered a review sample to The Gadgeteer, I hastily asked to be chosen.

Design and Features

Founded in 1994, Lucrin is a Swiss luxury leather company that offers a collection of “beautifully designed everyday leather essentials that are colorful, timeless and easy to personalize.”  Lucrin says that customization is what they do best, and their ordering process is proof of that.

With every bag, you have a selection of leathers and colors.  You can customize this sleeve by adding your monogram or removing the Lucrin logo.  (Other bags and accessories offer more leathers, including exotic skins.)  I chose the granulated leather.  The beautiful red seen here was very tempting, but I opted for the Royal Blue because I wanted to coordinate this sleeve with the Oberon Design Sonoma Tote that I use as my gear bag.

You see that there are many colors, from the more masculine darks to the more feminine pinks, to choose from.  I think men and women are equally able to design a sleeve that suits their style.

Lucrin has a philosophy that I like.  They say:

“The beauty of a leather article relies on several ingredients: a good leather craftsman, of course, as well as an expert tanner, along with a top quality hide and, if we go right back to the source, farms that make animal welfare their priority and good grazing.

Lucrin buys directly from the best tanners in Italy, Spain and South Africa (for ostrich leather). Each tannery we work with has been carefully selected for the quality of its hides and its expertise. These tanneries buy raw hides, prepare them and carry out dyeing as per the colors of the Lucrin catalogue and high-end texturing procedures.“

As you can see from the photos in this review, the Royal Blue sleeve in granulated leather that I received shows the quality that went into every step of the processing.

I opted to leave the Lucrin logo on my bag, as you see.  The logo is very discreet, and not a major component of the design.  I brightened up the photo here to highlight the graining of the leather.  The top photo better represents the actual color.

The back of the sleeve is plain, with no pockets.  This sleeve is designed to hold only the iPad Pro 12.9 and nothing else.

Notice that the zipper pulls are little straps made of the same leather as the rest of the bag.

The interior of the bag is microfiber fabric to protect the iPad Pro from scratches.  The bag opens up completely, as seen here.  The zipper’s teeth are plastic, to further prevent scratching.  What you can’t see is the padding between the leather and lining that will cushion the iPad.

The microfiber fabric looks like suede.  In this photo, you can see the actual color of the lining fabric.  Notice also how even and straight the stitching is.  This Lucrin sleeve is beautifully constructed.

This is my 2nd-gen iPad Pro 12.9 laying inside the Lucrin Zippered Sleeve.  Although the iPad Pro isn’t cased in this photo, I did find that the Pro will also fit inside while wearing a thin TPU back cover.  The cover zips easily around the Pro with or without the TPU back cover.

Here’s the Lucrin sleeve beside my Oberon Sonoma bag.  The leather colors don’t match, but I wouldn’t expect bags from two companies to have an exact color match.  I still think the two bags complement each other beautifully.

Here’s the Lucrin sleeve, with my iPad Pro inside, fitting in the front of the Oberon bag.  The sleeve fits inside the compartment of that Oberon bag as if it were custom-made for it.  I don’t have to remove the sleeve from the tote to get my iPad Pro out.  I just unzip the sleeve a little past the top corners, and I can slip the iPad right out – cased or uncased.

What I like

  • Can be customized with the color and the leather texture you like
  • Well made
  • Beautiful leather exterior and protective interior
  • Works well to protect your iPad Pro in your gear bag or as you carry it to meetings

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

The Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro can be customized with color and leather type, so you can have your perfect zippered sleeve for your iPad Pro.  It’s well-constructed of quality materials, and it’s beautifully constructed.  I love this Lucrin zippered sleeve, and it makes a beautiful addition to my gear bag.

Price: $265.00, as configured for this review
Where to buy: Customize and purchase at Lucrin
Source: The sample of this product was provided by company Lucrin

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Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 27, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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HUAWEI MediaPad M5 Android tablet review

When it comes to buying an Android tablet, there aren’t many choices if you are looking for a premium device. Sadly, even Google themselves have gotten out of the tablet category, which is a real shame. If you haven’t been a fan of the expensive glass-backed tablets from Samsung, I have another option for you to consider. It’s the HUAWEI MediaPad M5, and it’s a beauty.

What is it?

The MediaPad M5 is actually a series of Android tablets from HUAWEI that include an 8.4-inch, and two 10.8-inch tablets. One of the 10.8-inch versions of the tablet is the Pro version. I was sent the 10.8-inch regular version of the M5 for this review.

Hardware specs

OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
CPU: 2.1GHz Kirin 960 Series Chipset
Memory: 4 GB RAM+32 GB ROM, or 4 GB RAM+64 GB ROM
microSD card slot
Display: 2560 x 1600 pixels, Enhanced ClariVu 10.8-inch display
Network: LTE FDD/LTE TDD/WCDMA/GSM (Enabled only on the CMR-AL09 version)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
Camera: Rear camera: 13 MP, F2.2, Auto Focus (PDAF), Front camera: 8 MP, F2.2, Fixed focus
Audio: Quad stereo speaker, HUAWEI Histen sound effect, Harman Kardon audio certified, Supports Hi-Res Audio
Battery: 7500 mAh Quick Charge 9 V/2 A
Dimensions: 10.18 x 6.76 x 0.29 inches (258.7 mm x 171.8 x 7.3 mm)
Weight: 1.1lb (About 498 g)

What’s in the box?

HUAWEI MediaPad M5 10.8-inch Android tablet
Charger
USB Type-C Cable
USB Type-C to 3.5 mm headset jack adapter cable
Eject pin for the microSD card holder
Quick Start Guide
Warranty card

Design and features

The HUAWEI MediaPad M5 is a big beautiful tablet. Although I wish it had ultra-thin bezels like the HUAWEI P20 smartphone that I reviewed recently, I can deal with the relatively narrow bezels that it does have.

The MediaPad has the HUAWEI logo on the bottom edge with the tablet when you are using it in landscape orientation and the fingerprint reader is on the right edge.

In landscape orientation, the front-facing camera and status LED are located along the top edge above the display.

The back side of the MediaPad is made of aluminum that has a smooth feel. It’s so smooth that the tablet is pretty slippery. So you will definitely want to consider some type of back cover or case if you purchase this device.

The right side of the tablet (in landscape orientation) has a one-piece volume button at the top and a smaller power button below it. Also on that side is the microSD card slot. There is an issue with the location of these buttons when you use the tablet in portrait mode because the buttons end up on the bottom edge of the device which is the opposite side I would expect them to be. Granted, the MediaPad is designed to be used primarily in landscape orientation. That said, even in that orientation, the fingerprint reader seems to be is in a strange location on the right side of the display. However, the location of the fingerprint reader works out for a reason you’ll understand when I talk about navigating the user interface.

Along the bottom edge of the MediaPad is a set of built-in speakers that have been tuned by Harman Kardon and provide 360-degree surround sound. In the center are 3 electrical contacts for a future accessory.

In the upper right corner is a rear-facing camera and another set of speakers along the top edge of the tablet.

Last year I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 to replace a Tab 2. In the image above, the Samsung tablet is on the right with the MediaPad M5 next to it on the left. The larger screen size of the 10,8-inch MediaPad makes a huge difference when reading, surfing, and watching videos on this device in either orientation.

Display

The 10.8-inch MediaPad M5’s 2K IPS display is bright and crisp with vibrant colors. I have been impressed by how nice everything looks on it from websites to viewing my Google Photo image collection, and watching a video using the Netflix app.

The 2D curved screen edges are a nice touch as well. 2D curved screens aren’t a new feature for smartphones, but I believe this is a first for an Android tablet and I like the way it feels when holding the tablet between my two hands because there are no uncomfortable edges.

Camera

I think it’s safe to say that 99% of the people who shop for a new tablet are not going to base their decision on the built-in camera. Yes, the M5 has a built-in camera yes, it takes pictures. But the image quality is not going to blow you away and again, 99% of the people who buy this tablet aren’t going to care about the camera quality because who goes around using their tablet as a camera anyway? All that said, here are a couple example images.



The two pictures on the left where taken with the 13MP rear camera the picture on the front used the 8MP front-facing camera. Neither are especially great. But the front camera should work fine for video calls.

Fingerprint reader

The fact that I had some issues with the fingerprint reader won’t come to a surprise if you’ve read more than a few of my device reviews. Yes, fingerprint readers tend to have problems with my alien DNA. The MediaPad’s fingerprint reader worked for me some of the time, but not all of the time. The real unfortunate thing here is that the MediaPad does not share the face unlock feature that the HUAWEI P20 has. It’s a shame because that unlock method has worked really well for me. As it is, I have been using a combination of the fingerprint read and a good old-fashioned PIN number with the M5.

The fingerprint reader does have a second use besides scanning your fingerprints. It can also be used to navigate the tablet by using gestures like the ones shown above. How well does that work? Pretty well since the reader is on the right side of the display where your thumb would naturally rest while using the tablet in landscape orientation.

I do wish the MediaPad also had traditional onscreen navigation icons for back, home, and running app list. The really weird thing is that my device DID have onscreen navigation buttons. You can even see them in a few of the images in this review. But they disappeared and now I don’t know how to get them back. I even read a few other reviews where people complain about the lack of onscreen buttons, but they don’t mention anything about the buttons having been on their MediaPads in the first place like my device. I know I didn’t imagine them because the images in this review are proof that they existed at one point. So, what gives HUAWEI?

Audio quality

The 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 has 4 Harmon Kardon speakers built into the long sides of the tablet and they have terrific sound when using the tablet in either orientation. I enjoyed listening to music through Spotify and watching video on Youtube and Netflix. It was loud enough for two people sitting side by side watching a movie on Netflix with the tablet propped up about 3 feet away.

If you prefer to listen to audio in private, the MediaPad lacks an earphone jack so you’ll need to use the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter or Bluetooth headphones which brings up a pretty big issue with this tablet which I’ll talk about next.

Bluetooth and WiFi problems

If you want to use a pair of Bluetooth earbuds or headphones with the tablet, they will work just fine, but there is a caveat. The tablet uses the same antenna for Bluetooth and WiFi, so trying to use both at once results in slow WiFi speeds.

You can see examples of this in the image above where I used the Speedtest application to test the WiFi speed with Bluetooth turned off, with it turned on, and with a device connected and turned on. With Bluetooth turned off, my WiFi speed on the tablet is typically between 15 – 17Mbps, but as soon as I turned on Bluetooth and tried the Speedtest test again, the WiFi speed fell to 5-7Mbps. Then if Bluetooth was enabled AND a paired Bluetooth device was active, the speed dropped even further to as low 2Mbps at one point.

Is this problem a deal breaker? It depends on the types of activities that you use your tablet for. I mainly tested the tablet surfing my favorite sites while listening to music using Google Play, and using Bluetooth earbuds while watching Netflix shows. Did I notice a problem? Not too much other than lag while a Netflix video was buffering that longer than normal before the video started to play. Other than that, I didn’t notice a problem. But you have to understand that I used a T1 line at my home for a decade, so I’m used to slower (sub 2Mbps) network speeds.

Software and user interface

Like the HUAWEI P20 and the HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro that I’ve reviewed, the MediaPad M5 ships with Huawei’s own skin on top of stock Android Oreo. That skin is called EMUI. EMUI doesn’t make Android look that much different from stock Android Oreo, but it does include Huawei’s versions of the stock apps like the calendar, clock, calculator, etc. There are more apps (aka Bloatware) included on the MediaPad like Booking.com, Kid’s Corner, Game Suite, Quik video editor, and WPS Office, but they can be uninstalled if desired.

The MediaPad M5 also includes a special desktop mode that allows the M5 to have a Windows-style look and feel with multiple movable windows and a taskbar at the bottom. But unlike the HUAWEI smartphones, the MediaPad does not have the ability to output to a large monitor when used with an HDMI USB-C adapter.

Battery life and performance

The 10.8-inch MediaPads have a large 7500mAh battery which does an impressive job of powering the tablet for several days with light use and easily through a full day of moderate use. The performance with the tablet has impressed me. I feel like it’s snappier than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. I had no problems launching apps, scrolling pages, etc.

What I like

  • Vibrant display
  • Good value for the price
  • Great audio
  • microSD card slot

What needs to be improved

  • Bluetooth and Wifi speed issue
  • Odd power and volume button location
  • No earphone jack

Final thoughts

The HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lives up to its name with its large display and Harman Kardon speakers. This tablet is a great device for surfing, and watching videos on your favorite streaming service. The tablet isn’t perfect though due to the issue with using WiFi and Bluetooth at the same time. If you can get past that problem, the price and features of the HUAWEI MediaPad M5 do make it one of the nicest Android tablets that are currently available.

Price: $359.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by HUAWEI.

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HUAWEI MediaPad M5 Android tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Pluto Pillow Review

“A pillow built just for you” is what they said. I was perfectly happy with my “memory foam” pillow. In fact, I had been sleeping with pretty much the same design for nearly 20 years, and I had no complaints. I don’t NEED a new pillow! But, what if I was wrong?

Yes, I’ve been using the asymmetrical “memory foam” thing you probably first saw in a Brookstone or Sharper Image store in the late 1990s. I was a tough sell. Why give something up if it’s working just fine?

What is it?

The Pluto Pillow is a custom-built pillow based on your answers to an online questionnaire. There are over two dozen possible different combinations.

Design and features

I’m no textiles expert, but the Pluto Pillow is best described as a pillow within a pillow. The inner core is a more sturdy foam, and the outside is fill of different densities, depending on your survey. The outer cover is either smooth, or quilted (again, depending on your questionnaire answers).

Setup

First, you log in and fill out questions about your height, weight, your sleeping preferences (side? back?) and others.

You also get a chance to weigh in on how much you like (or dislike) your current pillow.

This is what I wound up with. Mine would consist of a particular foam core, soft fill, a quilted cover, and so on. Pillows ship out of Los Angeles, CA, so I got mine very, very fast (San Francisco). Most orders take 7 days.

What’s in the box?

The big day arrived! My new pillow came in a pretty box.

I opened it up and found… a piece of candy? Nice touch.

In this picture, you can really see the quilted cover. I believe mine came quilted because I prefer a cooling surface.

The side unzips to reveal the inner foam core, sandwiched between two layers of very, very soft fill (the way I wanted it).

Here’s a slip of paper with my pillow preferences:  I really wanted a plush, pillowy feel and I tend to sleep on my side.

Performance

I was advised to give the Pluto Pillow at least two weeks before rendering final judgment, so that’s what I did.

“This thing feels tall” I thought on the first night. My oddball memory foam pillow is fairly flat, so this was different. However, the Pluto Pillow was ridiculously soft. I’m talking, cotton candy, puffy white cloud soft. The promise of that “melty” sensation was totally true.

As the days went on, I found myself actually looking forward to going to bed to my new, poofy pal. It felt cool and cozy.

Two weeks went by very quickly. In fact, I had to add a note to my calendar (“Two Weeks”) to remind me. I went to bed that night with the old memory foam pillow, and it felt like sleeping on a paving stone: Flat and hard.

This was odd. I was certain I was going to try this pillow I’d never heard as a novelty, and go back to the old guard as if nothing had happened.  “Why don’t you just keep using the new one?” my wife said. “You seem to LIKE it.” She was right, and that’s just what I did.

What I like

A pillow built around your likes and needs. I was surprised how different this was compared to my old pillow, and even more surprised how much I would like it.

What needs to be improved

Only if it grew on trees.

Final thoughts

I was under the impression that the only way you’d like a pillow sight unseen is if you really hated your current one. Boy was I wrong.

Price: $89 (base price, look for coupons)
Where to buy: Pluto Pillow
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Pluto Pillow.

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Pluto Pillow Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Tsumbay car vacuum cleaner review

Cleaning the inside of my car usually involves two choices, one, pay a couple dollars at the local car wash or, two, drag out my old Dirt Devil hand vac. The Dirt Devil usually wins out (because its free). However, because it requires a power outlet that means dragging out my 50-foot electrical cord. As you can imagine it’s not very convenient, so I jumped at the chance to review the Tsumbay car vacuum cleaner. Hoping it might make my life just a little bit easier.

What is it?

The Tsumbay car vacuum cleaner is a lightweight portable vacuum cleaner that’s designed to plug into your cars 12V outlet (or cigarette lighter).

Hardware specs

  • Suction: 5000PA
  • Voltage: DC 12V
  • Power: 120W
  • Power cord length: 14.8ft
  • Weight: 2.2lbs
  • Size: 16” x 4” x 4.5”

What’s in the box?

  • 1 x Vacuum
  • 1 x  17-inch EVA extended suction pipe
  • 1 x Vacuuming flat nose attachment
  • 1 x Brush attachment
  • 1 x Manual

Design and features

Constructed of a very lightweight plastic the car vac has a sleek design. I received the black version, but it’s also available in white.

The vacuums power switch and power indicator light are located at the top rear of the vacuum, near the handle.

The Tsumbay is a 2 in 1 vacuum meaning it’s both a dry and wet vac (more on that in the performance section).

Dirt cup and washable filter

The front of the vacuum doubles as the dirt cup. Emptying it is done by pressing the latch release button located just in front of the power indicator light. Pull out the small filter and dump out the contents.

A few taps on the ground does a good job of clearing debris from the filter.

The filter is washable, and Tsumbay recommends washing it after every use to maintain performance.

Note: The filter is small and gets clogged up quickly. For max performance, I recommend clearing it out multiple times while vacuuming.

Performance

After plugging the vac into my cars 12V outlet, I fired it up. 

The first thing I noticed was the sound or lack of it. It was surprisingly quiet especially compared to my Dirt Devil or one of those car wash vacuums. Tsumbay lists the vacs decibel level at 65db. For comparison that falls between an air conditioner and a dishwasher on the decibel scale.

I used the extension tube and crevice tool to vacuum the floor of my car. I was pleasantly surprised by the suction power. The vacuum did a good job of picking up small pebbles, grass, and dog hair.

Check out the short video and before/after pics below to see the results.

Another thing I liked was the length of the power cord. Measuring 15-feet It allowed me to reach every corner of my Chevy Cruze, including the trunk.

Picking up dog hair

I have a puggle named Zoey, I love her to death but, she sheds like it’s her job. And even though I use a cover on the front seat, her hair ends up everywhere, the back seat, driver’s seat, even the dash. I often refrain from taking her places because the cleanup afterward is such a pain. Her hair was one of the biggest reasons why I chose to review the car vac.

I used the brush attachment to vacuum her hair from the floor and seats. I was happy with the results. The brush did a great job of loosening the hair from the seats fabric and carpet allowing it to be sucked up.

Finally, a quick and easy way to clean up after a trip to the vet or dog park!

Wet Vac

As I mentioned the car vac also doubles as a wet vac, I tested this by pouring water onto one of the car mats and vacuuming it up. Once again the vacuum performed well. You can see the results in the video below.

One note, the vacuum is only meant to vacuum up small amounts of liquid. In my testing I found anything over 1/4 cup tends to spill back out of the dirt cup.

I also noticed that once the filter is saturated, the vacuum loses most of its suction. Remove the filter and allow it to dry before using it again.

What I like

  • Plugs into cars 12V outlet (cigarette lighter)
  • Lightweight
  • Low noise
  • 15-foot power cord
  • Good suction power
  • Wet vac ability

What needs improvement

  • Extension tube could be a little longer and more flexible.
  • No storage bag

Final thoughts

I love this little car vac. I like the convenience of being able to plug it directly into my car. No more dragging out my 50-foot extension cord, and it’s perfect for spot cleaning. It’s also nice to know that if I spill something, it can be used for that as well.

I used an old duffle bag to store the vacuum and accessories, and it now has a permanent home in the trunk of my car.

If you have kids, pets, or just like keeping the inside of your car clean the Tsumbay car vacuum is the perfect car cleaning accessory.

 Price: $28.99
Where to buy: Amazon

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Tsumbay.

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Tsumbay car vacuum cleaner review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 25, 2018 at 11:25 am.

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Abox 4 Android TV 4K Streaming Box review

These days, many people are looking to find alternatives to cable services and cable boxes. This is primarily so because of the continuously rising costs of cable TV and the way their “packages” provide less versatility. In response to the cable companies, numerous devices have “popped up” on the market and they claim to provide alternative options at a lower cost. Let’s take a look at one:

What is it?

The Abox 4 Android TV box is an Android OS based streaming device that provides a way to stream TV programming via various services, as well as the ability to stream from other sources on the same network.

What’s in the box


1 x Abox 4 Android TV Box
1 x AC Adapter
1 x HDMI Cable
1 x Remote Control
1 x Instruction Booklet
1 x Micro Fiber Cleaning Cloth

Design and features

Specifications

Operating system: Android 7.1.2
CPU: Quad Core Cortex A53 2.0GHz 64bit
GPU: Penta-Core Mali-450MP GPU at 750 MHz
ROM: 2 GB DDR3
RAM: 16GB EMMC FLASH
Bluetooth: V4.0
3D: Hardware 3D graphics acceleration
HDD file system FAT16 / FAT32 / NTFS
Supported subtitles: SRT / SMI / SUB / SSA / IDX + USB
High-definition video output: 4k * 2k
LAN: Ethernet: 10 / 100M, standard RJ-45
Wireless: Supports 802.11 a / b / g / n at 2.4 GHz
Supported Airplay / DLNA / Miracast & H.265
Supported decoder format: HDMPEG1 / 2/4, H.265,4K-HD, HD AVC / VC-1, RM / RMVB, XVID / DIVX3 / 4/5/6, REALVIDEO8 / 9/10
Supported media format: AVI / RM / RMVB / TS / VOB / MKV / MOV / ISO / WMV / ASF / FLV / DAT / MPG / MPEG
Supported music format: MP3 / WMA / AAC / WAV / OGG / AC3 / DDP / TrueHD / HD / FLAC / APE
Supported Photo Format: HD JPEG / BMP / GIF / PNG / TIFF
Supported subtitles: SRT / SMI / SUB / SSA / IDX + USB
Supported language: English / French / German / Spanish / Italian and more
Power supply: DC 5V 2A

The Abox 4 Android TV 4K Streaming Box is a streaming box that provides access to numerous streaming app including, Netflix, Hulu, Crackle, Amazon, and all apps in the Google Play Store. It also allows you to add almost any Android app via the standard .apk file. (Some Android apps added via their .apk files may not provide 100% compatibility). Once connected to your network, this device also acts as a single point of streaming for all of your shared media on your network including, pictures, movies, music, etc. The Abox is small and compact and has ports on 2 sides, a display on a 3rd side, and the brand name on top. On one side there are the following ports from left to right:
Audio out
Ethernet
AV port
HDMI
Audio out

On the 2nd side, there are 2 USB ports and one micro SD card port to add external storage devices

The remote control provides the standard functions of a media remote control, along with a microphone button that allows you speak commands, like “find the latest action movies” or just action movies”, or something more specific. There is also a button that toggles a “mouse” option on and off. With the mouse “on”, you can use the circular control to move the mouse. Other functions include volume, page up/down, power on/off, home, mute, return, etc.

On the front of the Abox, there is an LCD with a time display and the power on indicator along with the WiFi status symbol. On the top of the Abox is the brand name that lights up blue. The picture on the bottom right below shows the HDMI and power cables connected.




Operation

Once the Abox is plugged in, and the basic initial setup of language, time and network access are completed, the main screen is launched. On the main screen there is a preview of Google Play movies selection, a couple of rows showing some of the most/recently used apps, and the icons for the “settings” screen, the “Network setup” screen and the “app drawer”. The “settings” screen provides access to all settings as seen below. The “network” screen provides access to all of the network access related settings, and the “app drawer” screen shows all of the apps that you have downloaded and installed.
I have also included the screens that show the “on Demand” movie/series option, the File Explorer screen that allows you to access all of your shared network drives, and a screen that shows the tv guide from my cable TV app. Unfortunately, I could not get the remote to properly navigate the tv guide to make that app usable. While I think that I was doing everything correctly, I am not ruling out “lack of knowledge by user” 🙂
There is also a screen showing access to Spotify to listen to online streaming music.












Performance

I was able to watch movies from my USB drives and across my network via WiFi and wired ethernet with no issues, and they played flawlessly and in full HD. Installing apps from the Google Play store is very easy, and all of the apps that I tested worked well. The cable TV app that I referred to was one that I installed via an external website, and not from the Google Play Store apps offered from within the box. Once the Abox is on your network, you have the option of adding Android apps using a computer on the same network. It is important to note that I installed the cable tv app via a networked computer since it was not showing as an available app when I searched the Play Store from the Abox. This is likely why it is not fully compatible and functional.

I am not a gamer, so I cannot provide too much information on those types of apps. However, based on the overall performance of the Abox, I would suspect that they will work flawlessly as well. The Abox also offers the ability to connect a keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth, and they sell a combination keyboard via the Abox-tech website for $34.88.

What I like

I really like that the Abox provides access to all of my shared media on my home network and that even via WiFi it maintains a strong connection. I also like that I can add drives directly to it vis the built-i USB ports and that is with the apps from the Google Play Store, I can play all of my various types of files with ease.

What can be improved

My biggest issue with the Abox is the inability to navigate certain apps properly when using the remote. For example, I am used to watching my Cable TV programming using my Roku Streaming Box and the cable TV app. With the Roku remote, I can use the up/down functions of the remote to scroll through the TV guide. This function does not work with the Abox remote, and for me, that is a big deal.

Final thoughts

The Abox 4 Android TV 4K Streaming Box offers a lot of options and convenience for the price. The 2 USB jacks along with the card slot and network capabilities make it easy to integrate it into your network of devices. While I do find the Android OS and the remote response somewhat sluggish when compared to my IOS devices, I do enjoy using the Abox and for now, it has a permanent place among my media equipment.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Abox-tech website and Amazon.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Abox.

The post Abox 4 Android TV 4K Streaming Box review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

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Abox 4 Android TV 4K Streaming Box review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 25, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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