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BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter review

Electrical Power. It’s such an integral part of our everyday life that we don’t give it much thought until it’s not available. The BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter is a great solution for just such a situation.

What is it?

The BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter provides up to 2000 watts of 115v power from a 12v battery (or two). It coverts 12v DC power to 115v AC power.

Hardware specs

Rated Power: 2000W, Max Power: 2300W
Peak Power: 4600W
Input: DC 12V (12V Car or Boat but not 24V)
Output: AC 110V-120V
Outlets: 3 AC
Weight: 10lb
Fuses: 6 external 50amp fuses

What’s in the box?

  • BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter
  • Two sets of cables to hook up to batteries
  • 12v cigar type plug for low power use (300w max)
  • Instruction sheet


Design and features

This review isn’t designed to be a primer on the ins-and-outs of power inverters, so you’ll want to do little research on your own for what you intend to run off the inverter. I don’t recommend just plugging things in just to see if they’ll work, a little research is best. I will say though that questions like “how long will it run” or “how much stuff can it run” will vary depending on how many and what kind of batteries you’re using, and the power requirements of the devices you’re connecting to it. Good Deep cycle marine rated batteries are a good source for things like this.


This is a modified wave inverter. Some motorized items such as water pumps may need a more expensive true sine wave inverter. This inverter should run just about anything that has a power plug that converts to DC such as a phone charger, laptop charger, clocks, etc. However, for those DC items that are less than 12 volts, you would be better off connecting them to a straight 12v source, as you’ll lose a lot of battery potential by converting the 12v to 115v just to then have its power cord convert back to 12v.


It can run most refrigerators, freezers, small kitchen appliances, microwaves, lights, and TV’s just to mention a few. Some items like some high end blenders might not work as they take quite a bit of current to get started. For example, something as simple as a toaster can draw up to 1600 watts!

The clamps are pretty good, I’ve seen heavier duty clamps but these seem like they will work and last just fine for the job they are intended to do. The wires are both crimped and soldered to the clamp, and the entire clamp is copper. The eyelet of the wiring is very good, it is also crimped and soldered very nicely – and I’ve got a military electronics background.

Although the instruction sheet doesn’t mention it, there is a warning label on the 12v cigar plug cord that states connections using that are limited to 300w. That’s perfectly normal because the wiring in a vehicle and its fuse won’t handle more than that.

The inverter also has circuitry to automatically shut down in the event of a short-circuit. The unit will also resume working automatically after these events are eliminated. This prevents damage to the unit.

I tried various items like my Surface tablet, phones, clock, and some lights. All worked just fine. Most importantly, the coffee maker worked!

What I like

  • Carry handle for portability
  • Beautiful anodized finish
  • Auto protection circuitry

What needs to be improved

  • Would be nice to have 12v plug outlet incorporated into the unit for charging phones and such.

Final thoughts

This unit is a nice thing to have around for emergency uses. If you’re planning on using an inverter for continuous or frequent use, or off-grid use where it’s really important you might want to find a unit that has more features.

Price: $139.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by BESTEK

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BESTEK 3 AC Outlets 2000W Power Inverter review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 21, 2018 at 11:34 am.

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North St. Bags Scout 21 VX Duffel review

I do a bit of travel, mostly for work, some for vacations.  I also do a fair bit of working out.  Well, OK, I work out 6 or 7 days a week.  I had been looking for a bag that I could use for either travel or the gym, and one that would be durable and weatherproof.  Lo and behold, North St. Bags’ Scout line of duffel bags seemed to fit the bill.  We’ve reviewed a few products from North St. Bags here at The Gadgeteer, so I welcomed the opportunity to try out their Scout 21 VX Duffel.  Gadget on!

What is it?

With a 30 Liter capacity, the Scout 21 VX Duffel is North St. Bags’ largest duffel.  It is made from ultra-durable and waterproof LS42 Smoke X-Pac™ Shell material, includes an interior zip pocket with lanyard and an adjustable shoulder strap.

Hardware specs

  • Color options:
    • MultiCam® camouflage
    • Smoke (reviewed here)
  • Size = 21″ long x 10.5″ diameter
  • Capacity = 30 Liters
  • Materials”
    • Exterior = Waterproof LS42 Smoke X-Pac™ Shell
    • Interior = Nylon Packcloth liner
  • Country of manufacture = Built by hand in Portland, Oregon, USA
  • Warranty = Lifetime

What’s in the package?

  • North St. Bags Scout 21 VX duffel

Design and features

First impression: The Scout 21 VX’s material, both look and feel, both piqued my interest immediately, but for different reasons.  The color of this particular bag, North St. Bags’ “Smoke” color scheme, looked cool—kind of a subdued gray (which I am really into right now), but with a look that is almost like denim.  However, the feel was a different story.  This particular bag’s material, North St. Bags’ Waterproof LS42 Smoke X-Pac™ Shell has a sort of smooth plastic finish, a bit like a cross between nylon and canvas (in the words of our own Jacob Haas).  It does feel waterproof (or at least very water resistant) and also very lightweight yet very tough.

One other feature worth mentioning is that the Scout 21 VX includes an adjustable shoulder strap made from the same type of tough nylon webbing from with the duffel’s handles are made.  The shoulder strap has spring hooks that attach to plastic D-rings on either end of the bag.  For this the Scout 21 VX’s price of $149.99, I’m glad that North St. Bags includes a good, sturdy shoulder strap with the Scout 21 VX and doesn’t require you to buy one separately.

Above, a photo of the front and back of the tag that was attached to the Scout 21 VX duffel.  Made in the USA: good.  Why do I like made in USA products? Because in my experience, more often than not, they are of better design, better materials, and better manufacturing than imported products.  Yes, USA-made goods are often more expensive, but I am a big believer in paying more for quality when appropriate.  Not everyone shares this view and that is fine, I will disagree with you with the utmost respect.

First up, let’s look at the logo tag.  If you follow my reviews, you know I’m a fan of logo tags that are low-profile and not obnoxiously eye-catching.  The Scout 21 VX’s tag is a bit on the biggish side, but because of the somewhat subdued black and white color scheme, it’s not as obtrusive as it could be.  And I like that they decided to include “Made in Portland, OR.”

Next, let’s look at something a bit more functional, the handles.  Made from high-quality nylon webbing, these straps are super sturdy, but not the most comfortable, especially if you are carrying a heavier load in the duffel.  However, they do get the job done.

One aspect of the handle straps that I thoroughly appreciated was that they actually wrap all the way around the duffel, solidly stitched down at regular intervals even across the very bottom, as seen in the image above.  Not all duffel bags are designed and built like this, and I think this contributes to a much sturdier bag that can not only handle heavier loads, but can also contribute to the life of the bag.

Above, a closeup of the Scout 21 VX’s #10 zipper, which appears to have some pretty serious water-resistance.  The two halves of the zipper meet up perfectly and there is a slick polymeric coating over the teeth.  The zipper is made by Lenzip, which is a brand I’m not familiar with, but this zipper appears to be very well-built, with beefy teeth and big, sold pulls.

The Scout 21 VX’s zipper pulls have had knotted loops of bright orange cord attached to them, which appears to be gutted 550 paracord, but I can’t be 100% sure.  These knotted cord lengths enhance the zipper pull’s grippability (Is that a word?  It is now.).

The photos above and below depict the inside of the Scout 21 VX’s main compartment.  First up, note in the pic above that the Scout 21 VX is lined with a dark gray fabric.  North St. Bags’s site claims this is their “Nylon Packcloth liner” that helps with water resistance.  Also, note the inside zipper pocket.  This is a standard zipper, not like beefy, water-resistant exterior one, but it does have a matching knotted length of cord attached to the zipper pull.  This pocket is actually fairly sizable, large enough to simultaneously hold a wallet, keys, and a phone.

Speaking of keys, stitched inside the inside pocket (did you follow that?) is a lanyard made from a length of webbing with a metal spring hook on the end, perfect for attaching keys or other items.

Next, I wanted to set up a little “farmer Jones” test—which is basically a test that is not particularly scientific, but the results can be useful nonetheless.  Wanted to assess the water-resistance of the Scout 21 vX’s materials and zipper, so I took out to my yard and unwound my garden hose…

…and proceeded to douse the poor unsuspecting duffel with about 20 seconds of water on the “shower” setting.

As seen in the image above, the water appeared to bead up quite well on the LS42 X-Pac™ shell material, as well at the 10# zipper. I let the water sit on the Scout 21 VX for several minutes while I snapped a few more photos.

In the image above, you can see a small pool of water that has collected on the surface and didn’t appear to be soaking through the material at all, at least from external observation.

The image above is a bit more of a closeup of the Scout 21 VX’s #10 zipper.  The water appeared, again from external observation at least, to be beading up on the zipper and the excess running off.

However, when I finally did open the Scout 21 VX, the water had indeed ingressed through the zipper, as you can see in the images above and below.  The water soaked into a bath towel that I had used to pad the inside of the duffel.

I drew two conclusions from this somewhat primitive evaluation.  First, I don’t necessarily consider this result a failure of the Scout 21 VX’s zipper.  Because I used the “shower” setting on my garden hose, I think the water pressure applied to the bag was likely greater than it would have been if it had been subjected to anything but a very heavy, wind-driven rainstorm.  I suspect that a light to medium rainfall would probably not have penetrated the zipper.  Second, the LS42 X-Pac™ Shell performed very well indeed. Because this material is almost like a plastic-coated canvas, it appeared to essentially be impervious to the water.

Finally, let’s check out the size.  Above and below are photos of me holding the Scout 21 VX duffel.  As you can see, at 30 Liters, it is a fairly large bag, one that could easily hold enough belongings for a multi-day adventure, or to haul all your workout clothes, gear and even items for your daily commute.

I immediately put the Scout 21 VX to work as my gym duffel bag, swapping it out for a smaller duffel that just didn’t have enough capacity.  So far, the Scout 21 VX has performed well.  It has a large capacity yet light weight is a great combo.  The only criticism I have is that the Scout 21 VX duffel could stand to have a few more pockets for organization.  While I realize that this would further add to the cost of the bag, for my own personal use, these pockets would definitely be useful.

What I like

  • Durable material but very lightweight
  • Very water-resistant
  • Includes a sturdy shoulder strap

What needs to be improved

  • Needs a few more organizational pockets
  • Handles are durable, but could be more comfortable.
  • Pricey, but not bad for what you are getting: a well-designed and high-quality made in USA bag

Final thoughts

The LS42 Smoke X-Pac™ Shell material from which the North St. Bags Scout 21 VX Duffle is made was the first thing I noticed with this very well-designed and well-built bag.  It is made from quality materials throughout, including significant water resistance.  It is on the pricey side at $114.99, but for a USA made item that will probably outlast a many other, less expensive bags, the Scout 21 VX could be a good investment for travelers, gym goers, commuters or anyone who could use a good duffel bag that will likely last them a long time.

Price: $114.99
Where to buy: North St. Bags
Source: The product sample for this review was provided by North St. Bags.

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North St. Bags Scout 21 VX Duffel review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 21, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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NazTech MagBuddy phone mount system review

Car mounts for phones have been around as long as mobile phones have been around. With the rise of SmartPhones, their need has only grown, since the phone in your car often takes the place of that glove box full of maps (or the dedicated GPS device), your box of mix-tapes (or mix CDs), and the car club guide for your vacation spot. Naztech recently sent us three models (Vent, Dash, and Anywhere+) of their MagBuddy series to test. I’ve given them a run through and am ready to share the results with you.

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

What is it?

The MagBuddy system consists of three parts: a holder of some type, the adjustable magnetic headpiece that attaches to the holder (which I have dubbed the MagHead, for this article), and a flat steel piece that affixes to your device or case. The last two pieces are the same for each system, but the holder varies. There is a suction mount unit with an adjustable arm to control the height and angle of the magnetic head, one that clips onto your AC/Heat vent, and one that will stick to any flat or slightly curved surface permanently. I’ll discuss each one below.

What’s in the box?

Each box contains a MagHead, two steel plates (small and large) and a holder, as well as an alcohol prep pad. You can buy plates and Mag heads separately.

Design and features

The MagHead is a roughly triangular piece of molded plastic 1.75″ across with a screw clutch socket on the back. The holder’s ball snaps into this and can be tightened so that the Mag head is steady. The face of the MagHead is covered with a soft rubbery material – not quite silicone or neoprene, but somewhere in between. The edges around the plastic under this pad are edged in a thin silver metal. Embedded within the head are strong magnets that will grab on to anything steel quite tightly. This is where the steel plates come in. The large plate is 1.75″ x 2.5″, and the smaller plate is 1.25″ square. Stick one to your phone, iPad, back-up camera monitor or whatever else you want to hold onto, and the MagHead will hold it – up to a point. If you put it on an iPad Pro and go off-roading, I don’t think it will hold for long. But I used it with an iPhone 8 and have had no problem with bumpy roads, railroad tracks and the like encountered on a normal city street. We are using it with the MacBuddy Dash stuck to the windshield, because the dash on the car it’s in is textured, and the suction cup doesn’t hold very well there. (Note the texture on the dash in the photo below.)

Setup

The first thing you’re going to want to consider is where will be the best place for your device. Note that the Anywhere or Anywhere+ model holder can be stuck to any smooth, quasi-flat surface. This doesn’t have to be in a vehicle. You could put one up in a back room for staff to use for pricing or break schedules on an iPad. Or mount your phone to your mirror in the bathroom to check the news or listen to a podcast while prepping for your day, without worrying about knocking your phone onto the tile floor – or worse. Also, the Dash model with the adjustable arm would be just as happy affixed to your monitor support or desk, so that your iPad or Phone is just under your monitor. It’s a hugely flexible system, and once you have the plate on your device, you can easily swap between holders.

Performance

As mentioned earlier, you’ll need to use a steel plate that matches the size of the device you want to be held, and any case you put over the plate may loosen the MagHead’s grip. I had the large plate inside my iPhone 8 Plus leather case (above), and the first bump I hit sent the phone into the floorboard. Even that thin layer of leather was enough to loosen the MacHead’s grip.

My wife’s iPhone 8 has Qi charging, but when it’s inside the case with the steel plate on it, the phone doesn’t charge in a Qi charger. Pop it out of the case, and it charges as expected.

What I Like

  • There are two plates included with each mount, and more can be bought.
  • Can be used by multiple devices, and each device can attach to any holder.
  • Fully adjustable for different viewing angles.
  • Sturdy, yet easy to mount device onto.

What needs to be improved

  • Larger items may break loose.
  • You have to use the metal plates, which may affect wireless charging of device.
  • The plates can be mounted to the case or your device.
  • Some cases may weaken the grip if mounted directly to the device and covered by a case.
  • Metal plates on the back of phones that have Qi charging are going to have problems. Period.
  • The Silicone band of the bicycle handlebar model would be a nice individual sale, like the steel plates. It would enable the connection through my leather case to be secure on rougher roads.

Final thoughts

Phones do everything nowadays. There are so many different uses that we can’t be without them for very long. This is never more true than when we’re driving, it seems, especially when you’re in an area you don’t know well. All the questions about routes, service stations, food, and parking that come up in any normal car trip are easily solved by using your phone. Having it in a single place where it can be referenced without taking your eyes off the road and the instrument panel makes using it for navigation safer. Having it be adjustable so that a rider can adjust audio settings is also a plus. This series of holders offers something for everyone: an adjustable swivel-arm model to attach by suction to the windshield or dash, an air vent clip model, and a model that sticks to almost any surface to offer the swivel head, magnetic snap-on mount.
If you aren’t worried about losing the Qi charging feature, it’s fantastic. Otherwise, there are compromises. You may find an area of your phone where the plate doesn’t block the charging connection, but will it hold your device securely enough over construction and off-road driving?

Pricing is reasonable, and there is a wide variety of holder styles to choose from. $29.99 for cupholder model; $24.99 for Bike mount, CD slot mount, dash mount, windshield mount, or Anywhere+; $19.99 for headrest mount, air vent mount, Anywhere, or desktop. Extra plates, $9.99 for a set of two (one of each size).

Price: Varies depending on the item
Where to buy: The Naztech website or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Naztech.

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NazTech MagBuddy phone mount system review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 20, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Zyxel Multy Pro Tri-Band modular WiFi review

With more and more connected gadgets arriving in our homes, WiFi bandwidth can become a huge bottleneck. Zyxel’s expandable Multi Pro tri-band modular WiFi helps to keep your signal strong, even in the furthest reaches of your home.

What is it?

Zyxel’s Multy WiFi system is comprised of one or more AC3000 wireless routers. The first unit connects to an internet connection and broadcasts a strong, stable signal. Adding one or more Multy units allows continuous daisy-chaining to enable home WiFi to reach the furthest areas of your home.

Hardware Specs

  • Fast, comprehensive WiFi coverage
  • Room-to-room roaming
  • Easy set-up within minutes
  • Guest network
  • Compatible with Alexa
  • Speed Rating (per unit)
  • Number of Bands: Tri-band
  • Coverage: Up to 7500 sq. ft./696 m2
  • Wireless Standard: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz – 256QAM support, IEEE 802.11 a/n/ac 5 GHz (Wave 2) – 256QAM support
  • Wireless Transfer Rate: (Transmit & Receive): 1733Mbps* for 5 GHz (dedicated backhaul),866Mbps* for 5 GHz,400Mbps* for 2.4 GHz
  • WiFi Features: Daisy Chain, Bridge Mode, MU-MIMO, Beamforming, Auto path selection, Single WiFi NameAP Steering, Band Steering, Optional to separate 2.4G and 5G WiFi network
  • Plastic housings
  • Dimensions: 7 x 2 x 9.3 inches
  • Weight: 1.96 pounds.

What’s In The Box?

  • Two Multy WiFi routers
  • Two power supplies
  • Two Ethernet cables
  • Two Instruction manuals

Design and features

Zyxel’s Multy Pro system arrives in handsome packaging. The two Multy routers are identical. I elected to locate the primary router in a centrally-located location on the first floor of my home. Connections were simple – Internet connection from my ISP modem and power. I downloaded the iOS app and followed the simple instructions and was up and running in minutes.

Next, I located the second Multy WiFi in a room with sporadic WiFi and continued with the set-up in the app. The second unit needs power only. The second unit daisy-chains WiFi, using the same SSID and password. Additional Multy units can be added to bring that elusive WiFi signal to all the deep, dark corners of your castle. Communications between the two Multy units is deliciously fast at 1733Mbps. Since the bases have 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports, using the full bandwidth is as easy as plugging in the cables.

After getting the system up and running, I ran several speed tests in different locations in my home with impressive results. Signal strengths even at the furthest reaches of my home were at worst, a very respectable -51dB. My daughter was the first to comment that she had experienced many fewer dropouts and faster speeds on her bedroom computer and iPhone.

Looking to tweak the settings I tried to find a way to change the default IP address of 192.168.212.1 to find there isn’t an easy way to do this. I contacted Zyxel Technical Support and was provided with a way to make the changes using Putty, but elected to just leave it at the default. Next, I looked for a way to plug in an 8TB USB hard drive into the “Master” Multy to use as a backup for all of the computers on my network but was unable to locate anything in the app to enable this capability. Zyxel’s technical support informed me that this is not currently a feature, but may be implemented in the future.

I’ve used Zyxel’s Multy Pro system over the past three weeks. I’ve experienced excellent performance, few dropouts and a very strong and stable signal everywhere. The system is even powerful enough to blast WiFi all through my property so I can listen to internet radio while mowing my entire lawn.

What I like

  • Attractive design
  • Easy configuration
  • Strong, stable WiFi
  • Crazy fast backhaul
  • 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports per hub
  • Capable app

What needs to be improved?

  • Configuration options are very limited. An advanced user configuration option would be welcomed.
  • The inclusion of  USB port functionality for storage

Final thoughts

Zyxel’s Multi WiFi system is ideally suited for large homes where configuration tweaking isn’t necessary. Its sleek design, intuitive setup, and solid performance have earned it a position as the ranking WiFi router in my home.

Price: $299.99 two-pack
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Zyxel.

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Zyxel Multy Pro Tri-Band modular WiFi review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 20, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Xiaomi 360 3.5K Sphere camera review

What features do a stand-alone camera need to make it compelling enough that you would want to buy one when the cameras in our phones are already so good? How about the ability to capture 360-degree images and videos? Let’s take a look at the Xiaomi 360 3.5K Sphere camera to see if it should earn a spot in your gear bag.

What is it?

The Xiaomi (pronounced as: show me) 360 3.5K Sphere camera is a small stand-alone dual-lens camera that can capture 3.5K 360 degree images and video.

What’s in the box?

Xiaomi 360 3.5K Sphere camera
Pouch
Tripod/selfie stick
micro USB charging cable
User manual

Hardware specs

23.88 MP
Dual 1/2.3″ Sony image sensors that support up to 3456×1728/30fps or 2304×1152/60fps
6-axis electronic image stabilization
microSD card slot – requires U3 cards
Built-in microphone
1600mAh lion battery for up to 200 photos or up to 90 minutes video recording
Operating temperature is 14℉ to 113℉ (-10 degree Celsius to 45 degree Celsius)
IP67 water/dust rating
WiFi connection to mobile device
1/4″ threaded socket

Design and features

The Xiaomi Sphere Camera has a unique form factor compared to other standalone action cameras. It’s about 3.0 x 0.5 x 2.7 inches. Both sides of the camera have a bulging 190-degree wide-angle fisheye lens that helps to eliminate blind spots that other 360-degree cameras can suffer from.

One side of the camera surrounding the lens is made of a matte black plastic with a logo at the top and nothing else.

The other side of the camera is also matte black plastic and has the other lens and two status icons that light up in blue to show the current camera mode, which is either image capture mode, or video capture mode. Either icon will light up in blue when that mode is active. The camera will remember the last setting and will power up in the last mode that you used.

The frame of the Xiaomi Sphere Camera is made of aluminum and the top edge of the camera has a microphone, a power button which doubles as the mode selector, a WiFi button, a capture button, and another microphone.

The buttons have some tactile feedback when you press them, but they aren’t very “clicky”. It’s also pretty easy to accidentally toggle power on the camera without realizing it and/or switch modes since the power button is used for both actions. One good thing is that as long as you’re not in a noisy environment, you’ll know when the camera powers on, powers off, and the mode is changed because the camera plays a 4 note tone when powering on and off and a 1 note tone when changing modes. Note that it is possible to adjust the volume of these audible notifications and even turn them off.

On the bottom edge of the camera is a standard sized threaded tripod socket and some electrical contacts for an optional charger or another accessory which does not ship with the camera.

One side of the camera has a cover that protects the charging connector and built-in memory card slot.

The Xiaomi Sphere Camera charges with a micro USB cable and it uses microSD cards to store the captured images and video. Note that the camera does NOT come with a microSD card. It’s up to you to provide your own memory card.


When the camera is charging, a battery status LED will light up in red. When charging is complete, the LED will turn blue.

The Xiaomi Sphere Camera has a nice build and a quality look and feel.

Capturing images manually and with the mobile app

After charging the Xiaomi Sphere Camera and inserting a microSD card, you can immediately start using the camera just by pressing the power button and then using the capture button to capture an image or start recording a video. Of course, the camera doesn’t have a built-in display, so you can’t preview your shots or watch any of the images or video that you’ve captured until you connect the camera to a computer or remove the microSD card and use a card reader to view the files.

If you want to be able to preview your shots, view captured images and video, and adjust the camera’s settings, you will need to use the Mi Sphere Camera app (compatible with iOS and Android) to connect the camera to your smartphone.



The app’s interface is pretty self-explanatory. There’s a red capture button, a mode button and different types of capture modes like time-lapse and slow motion.


Here are all the camera settings that you can adjust using the Mi Sphere Camera app.



The app does make it easier to set up your shots, but I didn’t use it that often as a way to capture video and images while I was testing the camera. I mainly just used the buttons on the camera itself along with the default settings.

Let’s check out some sample images and video

Unfortunately, WordPress does not natively support embedding 360-degree photos and videos directly into articles. You can install a plugin to display them, but I don’t want to install a plugin just for one review, so I shared some of the images and videos to my Facebook account. They are public, so you can click and enjoy without needing your own Facebook account to view them.

360 of the Indianapolis airport.

Posted by Julie Strietelmeier on Tuesday, June 19, 2018

 

360-degree pic

Posted by Julie Strietelmeier on Monday, June 18, 2018

 

360 video in Kings Canyon National Park in California.

Posted by Julie Strietelmeier on Tuesday, June 19, 2018

 

360 on beach in Carmel CA

Posted by Julie Strietelmeier on Tuesday, June 19, 2018

In the app, you can view the captured images in different styles like pano, flat, crystal ball, and tiny planet style pics (shown below). But as far as I can tell, you can’t share the images in these specific types of view modes though.


There’s a button on the share screen that is supposed to let you choose the view mode, but it is greyed out and nothing happens when you press it, so all of my images are shared as flat 360-degree images that you can pan around in with your mouse like the ones you see above.

What I like

  • Simple to use with basic controls
  • 360-degree image and video capture is unique and fun (for a while)

What needs to be improved

  • No live streaming
  • 75-minute video capture limit
  • No built-in  display to preview shots, requires a WiFi connection to a mobile device

Final thoughts

360-degree images and video are obviously cool and are fun to capture and view. But are images and video like this worth paying $286.99 to capture them? That’s the main question, isn’t it? Other than taking it with you when you go on an epic vacation, I can’t imagine using a camera like this one on a day to day basis. Maybe that’s only because my day to day life isn’t epic enough to justify a camera like this one. So I’m not going to judge if you want a Xiaomi Sphere Camera 360 because it is pretty cool and maybe your life is morning 360-degree worthy than mine is.

Price: $286.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Xiaomi.

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Xiaomi 360 3.5K Sphere camera review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 19, 2018 at 5:05 pm.

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