Reviews – Page 249

VAVA VOOM 22 True Wireless Bluetooth Speaker review

I have bought and currently still own a lot of Bluetooth speakers. For some reason every time I see a new design or one that has a slight advancement in functionality, I want it. Why?…I have no idea. I don’t go on a lot of outings where I need a speaker, the ones I have are already great for going on the deck or backyard where having some music makes for a more enjoyable time, yet I still find myself drawn to these things. The VAVA VOOM 22 is the first pair of Bluetooth speakers that I have owned that are portable and offer stereo sound when paired together.

Offered on Amazon for $129.99 for one or $219.99 for a pair, these speakers have quickly become my new favorite and not because they are my latest audio toy, because they offer a rich stereo sound and are more geared for home use. You could easily take these speakers with you on a car trip but if you are looking for something to drop in a suitcase or backpack for on the go listening, these are probably not for you. If, however, you are in the market for a speaker or set of speakers that can go from the living room to the patio or something that is more permanently set up in somewhere in your home or office, I highly recommend that you seriously consider these speakers.

Once paired, the wireless connection between the speakers in instant. There is no volume lag if you reduce the volume on one speaker, they operate in perfect harmony no matter which speaker you choose to control via the onboard buttons. You have full control of the EQ, track selection, volume control, power and Bluetooth buttons onboard each unit. You can also connect your music source directly to the speaker using the 3.5mm audio cable connection on the back of the speaker. There is also a USB power outlet on the back for charging your phone or another device while listening.

Each speaker is equipped with a 4000mAh battery, which VAVA says will provide 4-6 hours of playback after a 3-4 hour full charge from empty. The speakers can also operate full time if connected to a constant power source. Each unit is equipped with a 10W driver and a 20W subwoofer, totaling 60W when a pair of them is connected. There is no lack of power here. Whether listening in your home/office or filling an outdoor space, you will not be left wanting more power. Each speaker is 5.9″ x 4.33″ x 9.84″, making them ideal to sit on a desk, shelf or table but maybe not so much if trying to pack them in a suitcase or backpack.

The design of the VOOM 22 is very attractive with the fabric mesh wrapping and the rubberized end caps, giving each surface a very satisfying feel. Each speaker is easily moved using what I assume is the subwoofer output in the back that doubles as a handle. They look right at home with your home entertainment system or on a shelf or desk. During a majority of the time, I spent testing the VOOM 22 I was using the pair of speakers. I did test a single speaker but wasn’t as impressed with the sound as I was when paired with its twin. This is exactly what I expected as the richness you get from a stereo experience far exceeds that of a mono sound. The experience I got from using just one speaker was similar to other Bluetooth speakers I own, which isn’t a bad thing but where this product shines is when used with its twin. If you bought the single unit, I don’t think you would have any complaints at all. In hindsight, I should have tested the single speaker first because now I am hooked on having them in opposite corners of my living room.

One downside to these is the slight delay when using these while watching a movie on your iPad or another device. The delay isn’t as long as other Bluetooth speakers or headphones that I have but it prevents me from using them for this purpose. This delay is less than a second but if you don’t want your movie to seem like an old Kun Fu movie with the English dubbed over the top where the sound doesn’t match the moving lips of the actors, I would recommend connecting your device to the speakers using the audio cable. When plugged into the source while watching a movie, the speakers sound great and there is no delay.

Overall, I am extremely happy with the Voom 22 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers from VAVA and for $219 for a pair, I don’t think you will be disappointed. If you are in the market for a new sound source, I definitely recommend that you take a serious look at buying a pair of these.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by VAVA. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$129-$219
Manufacturer:	VAVA
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Rich stereo sound when paired to another VOOM 22; attractive design; 4-6 hours of 30W playback via the 4000mAh battery on each speaker; instant response of controls via Bluetooth connection (no volume or track lag); great value for $219 considering the quality of sound; onboard USB power output for charging your phone or other devices.
Cons:	Larger size makes these less portable if you want to leave the house with them; Bluetooth delay when watching a movie.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

VAVA VOOM 22 True Wireless Bluetooth Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 8, 2017 at 11:29 am.

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Cat Phones Cat S41 rugged smartphone review

The landscape around Android handsets is a veritable cornucopia of products fighting for attention. Walk by any wireless store, kiosk, or even the electronics aisle in your Big Box store, and you’re pelted with names, numbers, sales, and BOGO offers. I was recently sent the Cat S41 smartphone with Android Nougat for review. I was going to pass, because of my poor track record with Android devices, but I read further into the web verbiage, and thought “This can’t be an actual product!” Read on to see what was so compelling.

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

OK, for my version of the perfect mobile phone, you’d need the following:

great screen – clear, responsive, with rich colors
fast response from the OS – no “press the button and wait” for anything
a decent camera and rear flash
access to the SIM slot without taking the battery out and rebooting the phone
Bluetooth that works with all the devices I have (speakers, trackpads, keyboards)
decent battery life
upgradable OS

The Cat Phones website lists the specs for the S41 as follows:

Battery
Non-removable Lithium Ion
Capacity 5000mAh, Pump Express 2.0
Standby Time Up to 44 days
Talk Time Up to 38 hours (3G)
Battery Share Functionality Yes

Platform/OS Google Android Nougat

Size/Weight
Dimensions 152 x 75 x 12.85mm
Weight 218g

Display
Super Bright 5” Display – FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, auto switch support and wet finger/glove-on working technology
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5

Beyond Rugged
IP Rating Beyond IP68 certified: Waterproof up to 2M for 60mins
Drop Test Up to 1.8M (6 ft) onto concrete
Operating Temperature -25°C (-13°F) to 55°C (131°F)
Other Military Standard 810G: Shock and drop proof. Salt fog, sand, dust, dirt, vibration, and pressure resistant
Category 4 Vibration

Multimedia
Audio FM Radio, Music Player
Video Recording 1080p at 30fps
Video Playback 1080p at 60fps

Camera
Main 13MP autofocus with PDAF, LED flash
Front 8MP fixed focus

So, for most of my personal punch list, this phone knocks it out of the park! I couldn’t believe that, not only is it pretty much the same weight as my iPhone 6s Plus (and also the new iPhone 8 Plus), it has battery power for days and can even share that power with another device. And an hour in the deep end of the pool with no problem? Unheard of! And don’t get me started on the headphone jack!

The battery share was of special interest to me, and the “gotcha” that drew me into wanting to do this review. They accomplish this by having a simple microUSB to USB-A female cord that you place in the same port that charges the phone, and an app that reverses the power to flow out of that port. I can’t wait to test this out for realsies on our next trip. Managing power on multi-day trips with limited access to outlets (cars, trains, planes, AirB&Bs and coffee shops) means you’re always having to top off a portable battery pack, and plug in your phone. Also, since you are depending on your phone for driving directions, photos, travel info, and all the other minutiae of travel/vacation life, the battery goes pretty quickly. We have burned through several full battery packs on some days, most likely due to being in remote places where the phones are always struggling to find anything that may resemble a decent signal. With this unit, I was able to top up my iPhone 6s Plus from 58% to 90% in about 45 minutes. And that only cost me 20% of the phone’s battery.

So, the day after it arrived, I paired it with an old (first gen) Apple Wireless Keyboard and a Magic Trackpad. It works perfectly! I love the way the cursor just shows up when you move the trackpad and gets out of the way immediately when you’re not moving it. Makes selecting text while editing so simple! (I would love this on the iPad Pro I’m using to write this article!)

The phone is similar in size to the iPhone 6/6s/7/8, but thicker, so that it looks like a 4/4s with no other comparison. The thickness comes, obviously, from the expanded battery and the integrated weatherproof and shock resistant case. All the ports have covers, and the phone reminds you to close the cover when you unplug a wire from them. The SIM card is fitted into a tray that pops out from the top-left side, behind the same door the TFT card uses. This tray is not the standard push-in-the-hole-and-it-pops-out type of tray. After fighting with it several times, using tweezers and accidentally resetting the phone twice, I finally figured it out: the SIM tray is upside down. Place the phone face down, put your fingernail into the part of the tray that sticks out, and gently pull. Simple.

Another interesting feature is the programmable button. There is a yellow button (black and yellow being the Caterpillar brand colors and all!) on the left side of the device that can be programmed with two different functions. A press and a double press will each trigger an app, dial a number, or whatever. I use the short press to trigger voice command, and the long press to toggle the flashlight.

The display has adaptive brightness, as well as being able to respond to wet or gloved fingers, according to the manufacturer. My mileage varied a bit with the damp fingers, but all my gloves are now smart-screen-friendly.

I have played around with 4-5 Android tablets and phones here on Gadgeteer for several years. I keep trying to see what it is that is “good enough” about this platform *vis a vis* iOS to make anyone stay or return. This is the first phone I’ve used that could actually be a contender for the slot in my pocket. If I did not have an inherent mistrust of Google and a huge amount of Apple lock-in (pairing with Apple Watch is huge), I’d probably take this around most days, especially if I thought it was going to rain while I was out, or if I was riding my bike in to work or something. Most days, I don’t need anything this rugged, or with this much battery life, though. If your mileage varies, I recommend it! At £399 ($522 at the time of this writing), it’s not a bad value.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Cat Phones. Please visit their site for more info.

Product Information

Price:	€399 ($473.89 as I write this)
Manufacturer:	Caterpillar Inc.
Requirements:	none
Pros:	Super-tough case integrated into phone itself Bright, clear, high-resolution screen Battery sharing Battery for days
Cons:	none discovered

Filed in categories: Featured Items, Reviews

Tagged: Android, Smartphone

Cat Phones Cat S41 rugged smartphone review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 7, 2017 at 11:00 am.

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IK Multimedia iRig Pre HD microphone interface review

Got a favorite microphone with an XLR connector that you want to use with your computer? Do you want one small enough to work with your iOS device when you’re on the go? The IK Multimedia iRig Pre HD will do just that.

IK Multimedia makes affordable, quality audio gear, including a very clever clip-on microphone. But if you’re looking for something that works equally well in the field and in the studio that won’t break the bank, take a close look.

Hardware specs

Microphone Input

Microphone Input: balanced female 3-pin, XLR. Pin 2: hot / Pin 3: cold / Pin 1: ground
Microphone Input Level: from 6 mVpp to 1.4 Vpp
Microphone Input Impedance: 2 kOhms
Gain Range: 40 dB
Phantom Power: +48V ± 4V
Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz +/-1.5dB
Input Noise: -97 dB RMS, -105 dB(A)

Stereo Headphone Output

Connector: 1/8” TRS Jack. Tip: right / Ring: left / Shield: ground
Headphone Level Control numbered thumbwheel
Headphone Level Power 100mW into 50 Ohms

Other Input/Output

Device Connector: micro-USB

Common

Conversion: 24-bit A/D, 24-bit D/A
Sampling Rate: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz
Power:
• USB bus powered when used with a computer
• Battery powered (2xAA included) needed for +48V phantom only

Package includes

iRig Pre HD
Lightning to micro-USB cable
USB to micro-USB cable
2 x 1.5V AA battery
Velcro strip

Dimensions

Size: 40mm/1.57″ x 110mm/4,33″ x 34mm/1.34″
Weight: 75g/2.65oz (batteries excluded)
Cables length: 60cm/23.62″

Features

MFi microphone interface certified by Apple “Made for iPhone and iPad”
Compatible with Mac and PC
Direct monitor switch for real-time monitoring or for playback
+48V Phantom Power (with 2 x AA batteries)
Class A mic preamp with onboard gain control
Onboard headphone output (works with the latest iPhone)
High definition 24-bit converters with up to 96kHz sampling frequency
Multicolor LED for easy gain settings
Includes IK’s renowned, professional software and apps
Ultra-light and compact
Sleek and elegant design
Comes with USB and Lightning cables, 2 x AA batteries and a velcro mounting strip

Without AA batteries, the iRig Pre HD weighs less than three ounces.

You get two cables: One “normal” mini USB cable and the other is a peculiar looking mini USB to Lightning cable. That’s for connecting the interface directly to your iPhone or iPad.

On the input end is a female XLR connector. You’ll find a headphone jack and mini USB connector on the other end.

There’s a direct monitor switch and volume dial on the right side for headphone listening. On the left, a mic gain dial and a phantom power 48V switch.

Note the two LEDs on the top. One glows blue for phantom power. The other is multi-colored LED for the signal. Red if you’re clipping, orange/green if you’re good to go.

I was wondering what the velcro loop was for on the battery door. It’s for attaching to things like microphone stands.

I brought the iRig Pre HD to my recording booth. Here it is sitting with the Grace Audio M101 preamp and the Yamaha AG03 mixer.

Audacity users: The iRig Pre HD is detected. Windows 10 version shown.

My condenser mic is the Neumann TLM103. With it, I tried three different methods:

Test 1: Neumann TLM103 mic to Grace Audio M101 preamp, Yamaha AG03 to a fanless PC recording with Audacity.

Test 2: Neumann TLM103 mic to iRig Pre HD to Audacity

Test 3: Neumann TLM103 mic to iRig Pre HD to iPhone

I expected my usual studio setup with the Grace Audio preamp to be full and warm, and it was. However, the iRig Pre HD performed admirably for something pocket-sized and value-packed. I couldn’t discern any game-ending auditory flaws such as noise or artifacts. Unless you’re burning a hole in your pocket the iRig Pre HD is a terrific one-stop purchase for both field and home recording needs.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by IK Multimedia. Please visit for more info and order from Amazon.

Product Information

Price:	$99.99
Manufacturer:	IK Multimedia
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	AA batteries (included, but only if you need phantom power). USB port for computer, Lightning port for compatible iOS device.
Pros:	Flexible, inexpensive, portable and quiet.
Cons:	At the sub-$100 mark, this may not satisfy golden ears and gear snobs.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Audio gear, microphone

IK Multimedia iRig Pre HD microphone interface review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 7, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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Lensball review

If you’ve been searching for a way to bring a unique element to your photography, I have an accessory to show you that you can use with any camera and any smartphone. It’s the Lensball. It doesn’t need an app, doesn’t run on batteries and is a simple to use. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

The Lensball is a sphere made of brilliantly clear crystal. Lensballs are available in 60mm and 80mm sizes. I was sent the larger 80mm size.

What is in the box?

Lensball
Drawstring cloth pouch
Example image cards
Lensball logo sticker

The Lensball is a crystal ball, but not the type of crystal ball that will show you your future. Lensballs are made of K9 crystal which is best described by the Marquis by Waterford site.

K9 is a Chinese Optical Borosilicate Crown Crystal (Optically Clear) with low inclusions and imperfections ideal for use in lenses and prisms, optics and decorative crystal lighting. … Lead crystal is the type that is most commonly used for wine glasses and other decorative ornaments around the home.

So now that we know what it is, why would we want one and what the heck can we do with a single Lensball?

The ball is so perfectly clear that you can shoot pictures through the ball with any camera or any smartphone to create interesting images.

To use it, you just hold up the ball in front of your subject and then shoot through the ball with your camera.

The result is a perfectly clear 180° degree view of the subject. Yes, it’s upside down and I realize that my subject matter isn’t the most exciting, but imagine taking the Lensball with you to the beach, a forest, a famous monument, etc. The options are endless. You can check out some examples by visiting Lensball on Instagram.

Things to keep in mind when using the Lensball are the fact that this crystal orb is heavy. You’ll feel the weight in your hand and your bag. The 60mm Lensball weighs 0.55lb (250g) and the 80mm Lensball weighs 1.45lbs (650g).

Unless you set the Lensball on a surface that prevents it from rolling away, you’ll need to hold the ball in one hand while holding a camera in your other hand which can feel a little awkward.

You should also be careful not to leave the Lensball unattended outdoors on a bright sunny day. It can act like a magnifying glass and in the right environment, it’s possible that it could accidentally start a fire if the sun shines through it on to dry flammable material. It’s best to always put the Lensball back in the included drawstring pouch when you’re not using it.

What I like about it

You don’t need a manual to figure out how to use it, you don’t need to keep a battery charged to use it, and it will work with any camera.

What needs to be improved

Nothing.

Final thoughts

The first time I saw the Lensball, I imagined all the interesting photos that I could capture using it. Now that I’ve had one, I haven’t captured any truly epic pics, but I’m still thinking about where I can take it. If you don’t mind a little extra weight in your camera bag, the Lensball is a unique accessory that might just take your ordinary snapshots to the next level.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Lensball. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$24.95 – $34.95
Manufacturer:	Lensball
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Perfectly round Perfectly clear No batteries Works with any camera
Cons:	None

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Photography

Lensball review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2017 at 11:00 am.

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WOWSTICK 1fs Electric Screwdriver review

Now here’s a clever tool for the handyperson in your life: An electric screwdriver but for teeny tiny things. Meet the WOWSTICK 1fs electric screwdriver.

Wowstick 1FS Screwdriver Set 18pcs Bits
Powered by 2 x AAA batteries (NOT included)
LED Light
Speed: 150r/min (non-adjustable)
Material: Aluminum
Dimension: 170 x 16 x 16mm
1 x WOWSTICK 1fs Electric Screwdriver
18 x Bits
1 x Carry Case

By itself without batteries, the screwdriver body weighs just under 2 ounces.

Here’s a closeup of the specs from the paper insert.

A size comparison next to a pen and a large marker.

The screwdriver accepts two AAA batteries (not included). The rear end of the handle unscrews.

You also get three tubes worth of 4mm bits. I couldn’t identify them all visually (some are really tiny).

Fortunately, the Brando web page listing shows all of the included bits, spelled out.

It wasn’t obvious at first, but once you squeeze the black trigger to turn the bits in either direction (it looks like one long black button, but it’s actually a forward/reverse depending on where you press it), an LED light illuminates your work area.

The big question is: How well does it work? I found that under moderate torque, the screwdriver seems to struggle a little bit and the LED light dims considerably. Then again, the inclusion of all the extremely tiny bits tells me this was really intended for very, very small screws where torque may not be as much as found in this fairly ordinary light switch test.

Another interesting design choice: You must remove the bit from the screwdriver if you plan to use the included carrying case. It simply will not fit.

If you do normal handyman things around the house, you may want to reach for a slightly meatier electric screwdriver with more power. For lighter-duty tasks, the WOWSTICK 1fs could be a handy featherweight tool for very small screws if you’re doing a lot of repetitive work.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Brando. Please visit for more info.

Product Information

Price:	$62
Manufacturer:	WOWSTICK
Retailer:	Brando
Requirements:	Two AAA batteries (not included). Works with 4mm bits (included).
Pros:	Lightweight, comes with many tiny bits
Cons:	Not designed for tougher screws (not a lot of torque.) LED light seems to dim at the slightest hint of resistance. No variable speed.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Tools

WOWSTICK 1fs Electric Screwdriver review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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