Reviews – Page 318

Conbrov T11 Mini Spy Camera Review

The Conbrov T11 Mini Spy Camera is a great, compact video recording device that has a number of possible uses. The Conbrov’s long battery life, adjustable camera head, and small form factor offset some minor control issues and make it a bargain solution for a range of needs.

The Conbrov comes in a nondescript cardboard box. Conbrov isn’t much on packaging design, but everything you need is included.

In the box:

Conbrov T11 Mini Spy Camera
Micro USB to USB-A cable
Factory reset tool
Instruction manual

Inside of the box you will find the Conbrov T11 Camera, a Micro USB to USB-A cable, an instruction manual and a small tool used to factory reset the unit. To function properly and to save footage, the camera requires a Micro SD card up to 32gb, which is not included with the camera.

The camera itself has a very simple design. A black plastic textured housing holds the electronics and non-replaceable battery. The adjustable camera head has a lens at its center and is surrounded by six black LED lights for night vision use. The small raised dome at the center of the Conbrov is a passive infrared sensor (PIR) which allows the camera to detect motion by measuring infrared light radiating from objects in the camera’s field of view.

On the bottom of the camera there are three control buttons, an audio switch, a factory reset hole and a tiny multi-colored LED. The three buttons are for power, recording and to activate the motion detection mode. The switch enables or disables audio recording. There is also a tiny LED status light next to the power button. The LED turns blue when powered on, yellow when charging and red when in motion detection mode. The light is small and very difficult to see, which sometimes makes it hard to know which mode the camera is in.

There is a small Micro SD card port on the back of the camera along with a Micro USB port.

The camera’s lens has 120° angle allowing for great coverage of an area. The PIR sensor has a 60° detection angle and is effective to a range of about 15-20 feet. The camera head itself is adjustable and can flip completely over 180° to face the rear of the camera.

This adjustability comes in handy when placing the camera in stealthy locations. Although, because of the raised PIR sensor on the front and the Micro SD card on the back, you can never really lay the Conbrov completely flat on the length of its body. You can, however, adjust the camera head up slightly to compensate. Also, the PIR sensor only works properly if it is facing in the same direction as the camera lens.

The camera can be set to record in two different modes; constant recording or motion detection. Activating the different modes was a bit hit or miss for me though. I would have to hit the buttons several times before getting the correct color LED to show up or to power the unit off.

Both recording modes work when powered solely by the battery or when connected to a 2A USB power source. In my tests, when recording continuously on battery power the camera recorded a little less than four hours of footage, which is right in line with the manufacturer’s claims. When connected to a power source and set to continuous record, the camera can capture footage indefinitely in ten minute long blocks. When recording in motion detection mode, the camera records in one minute long blocks. When the Micro SD card fills up, the camera overwrites the oldest files and starts again.

You can retrieve and view your recorded videos by connecting the camera to your PC or Mac via the USB cable and mounting the camera as an external hard drive. Alternatively, you can remove the Micro SD card and use a card reader. All of the recorded videos are time-stamped and are labeled numerically on the Micro SD card.

One problem I ran into was that the L-shaped Micro USB head on the cable that is included with the camera makes it impossible to place the camera in its default standing position while recording and connected to a power source unless it’s placed precariously on a thin ledge. Luckily, the Conbrov works with any Micro USB cable. I tested several other cables of different lengths and manufacturers and they all worked fine.

Conbrov included a small reset tool with the camera. You can factory reset the camera by inserting the tool into a small hole on the back and pressing the internal reset button. You’ll have to reconfigure the time and date settings after doing this.

Footage from the camera is of decent quality. But, even in well-lit areas the footage is grainy and either blown out or completely black in high contrast areas. The night vision seems to activate too early in low-light situations and works well, but in complete darkness, the camera is reliant on the six small LEDs for illumination. Because of this, visual range in complete darkness is limited to only about 3-5 feet in my tests.

Stills from Camera Capture

Low light scene. Click image for larger version

Well-lit scene. Click image for larger version

One other issue I had with the camera is that the motion detection activation is quite slow, often activating the camera several seconds after motion is detected. This is indicated in the manual and might not be an issue for some, but the recording will never include the initial motion event.

Conbrov states that the camera has a maximum of one-year battery standby when fully charged. I haven’t had enough time with the Conbrov to prove this statement, but I used the camera off and on for about two weeks, keeping it in my bag between uses and it was always powered and ready to use. A battery level indicator would be great. Currently, the only power level indication is the camera’s small LED changing to yellow when charging and off when fully charged.

The Conbrov T11 Mini Spy Camera is a fun little device. I found uses for it as a body cam, a dash cam, and even an action cam. Of course, it can also be used as intended as a security or nanny cam. The price and functionality of the camera make it a great buy.

Specifications:

Size: 4.3 x 3.1 x 2.1 inches
Weight: 9.6 ounces
Battery: LiPo
PIR detection angle: 60 degrees
PIR detection distance: 5-10 meters
Camera angle: 120 degrees
Max day time recording time: 4 hours
Max night vision continuously recording time: 1.5 hours
Full-Charging time: 3.5 hours
Camera Resolution: 720P
Camera FPS: 30FPS
Max SD storage: 32GB

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Conbrov. Please visit their website or Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$64.99
Manufacturer:	Conbrov
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	Micro SD Card up to 32gb
Pros:	Small Long battery life Affordable Many uses Works on battery power or plugged into power source
Cons:	Controls difficult at times Motion detection slow to activate Non-replaceable battery Motion detection only works in one position

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Spy camera

Conbrov T11 Mini Spy Camera Review originally appeared on on May 2, 2017 at 8:30 am.

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Aukey EP-B39 neckband wireless Bluetooth headphones review

From its beginnings in Germany in 2005 and relocation to Mainland China in 2010, Aukey has produced a steady stream of clever devices and earned a substantial customer fan base for quality at a reasonable cost. Their new EP-B39 Bluetooth headphones are no exception.

The headphones arrived in an easy-to-open cardboard box with a form-fitting plastic insert to keep them from rattling around. Included inside were a tiny instruction manual, warranty card, two additional ear tip sets, and an eight inch Micro USB cable. Unless you plan on dangling these headphones from the charging adapter like grapes hanging on a vine, I would suggest using a longer cable. Chances are, Dear Gadgeteer Reader, since you are reading this, you probably have several lying about . Aukey is confident enough in their quality that they offer a two-year warranty that I find refreshing.

The power supply is not included but uses any 5 Volt DC USB source. Initial charging was a reasonable two hours, using a 2.1 Amp “wall wart,” but your mileage may vary depending on the current your power supply can provide. I was eager to test their touted “20-hour playtime” claim so I put them into operation immediately.

Pairing was a simple one-button procedure with no surprises. Next, I selected the medium-sized earbud tips and turned on the music. One issue I ran into was the cords exit the earbuds at an angle I found irritated my ears after prolonged use. As for the neckpiece, I noticed the weight, but it was never uncomfortable.

One of my gadget pet-peeves for portable electronics is short battery life. I generally look for devices that can supply my gadget-craving needs for an entire workday, 9 hours, without needing to be re-tethered. In my book, if a device has to be frequently reconnected to recharge, it’s not very mobile. In this respect, the EP-B39 headphones do not disappoint. Over the course of seven days, listening for two to three hours each day, they did not require recharging. By my calculations, the headphones provided my musical needs for 19 hours without missing a beat and were still going strong. After recharging the second time, they played music continuously for a whopping 22 straight hours, beyond the manufacturer’s claim of 20 hours. Impressive! Well done Aukey!

My music tastes are very eclectic so I pulled up a playlist that included classical, jazz, heavy metal and pop. When Rimsky Korsakov’s “Russian Easter Festival” started, I found the treble lacking “crispness” and the bass a bit “muddy.” The audio quality of these headphones probably won’t be wowing any audiophiles, but to be fair, the sound is, well… decent. It was certainly good enough to listen to a few dozen albums. For the price, I didn’t expect reference quality so I really can’t complain.

The flexible ear tips created a good seal between the earbud frame and the side of my skull, reducing extraneous noise to tolerable levels. The isolation was good enough for me to mow the lawn listening to Pink Floyd’s “Division Bell” at a volume that wouldn’t cause hearing damage, but still, I could still hear quieter passages. Call audio was very good, but the person I was connected to complained about loud static several times. On subsequent calls, I received no complaints.

Controls are limited to an on-off slide switch, volume up and down pushbuttons surrounding a central button for play/pause and answer/disconnect. Audio track forward and reverse controls were absent.

Overall, I really liked the Aukey EP-B39 headphones. The battery life is outstanding, audio quality is acceptable and the price is reasonable. I would have liked to see track controls, slightly redesigned earbud cord exits, but in my book, these headphones are a winner!

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

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth headphones

Aukey EP-B39 neckband wireless Bluetooth headphones review originally appeared on on May 1, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Urbanears challenges you to get active with their new Stadion headset

Earlier this week Urbanears introduced their new Active collection including the light and flexible Stadion wireless Bluetooth headset that features stretchy coils and EarClick technology for a custom fit that is comfortable for any head shape.

With a sweat-proof design and a 3-button control on the back, the Stadion wireless Bluetooth headset lets users shuffle through their favorite music, adjust volume, and answer calls without worrying that the headset will get in the way or fall out of their ears.

“It can be a challenge finding the right pair of workout headphones that deliver your music without feeling restrictive,” says Oscar Axhede, Chief Evangelist & Co-founder, Urbanears. “With Stadion, we wanted to remove as many distractions as possible and make something that would almost become a part of you. It’s lightweight, there’s no cords, nothing that bounces. It’s just an easy, dependable fit you don’t even have to think about.”

Urbanears Stadion comes in four colors and is now available for purchase for $99 at urbanears.com, and soon at select retailers worldwide like Amazon.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth, bluetooth headset

Urbanears challenges you to get active with their new Stadion headset originally appeared on on April 30, 2017 at 2:59 pm.

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Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook review

I’ve always been a fan of notebooks. They are great for keeping in one place all of your jotting, journaling, doodling, to-do listings, thought capturing, inventing and on and on. I’ve tried several different notebooks over the years, and my favorite had always been the venerable Moleskine. But I’m also a fan of the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, and while searching through it quite a while back I stumbled upon a campaign for the Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover notebook. It had a clean look and interesting dimensions, so I became a backer and pledged for one. Baron Fig has since become a successful company and has launched additional products, but their Confidant notebook remains their flagship. Let’s check it out! Gadget on!

Options

The Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook is available in the following cover colors:

Light Gray (reviewed here)
Charcoal

And in the following sizes and page counts:

Pocket (small) – 3.5 x 5 inches, 160 pages
Flagship (medium; reviewed here) – 5.4 x 7.7 inches, 192 pages
Plus (large) – 7 x 10 inches, 208 pages

It is also available with the following page types:

Ruled (reviewed here)
Dot Grid
Blank

Packaging

The Confidant Hardcover’s packaging was a burgundy-colored sturdy cardboard box with a nesting lid and tray design that protects the notebook very well. The front of the box features a prominent but simple artist’s depiction of the product inside the box, a Ruled Confidant Hardcover Notebook.

The rear of the box maintains the simplicity of the front and includes a few brief thoughts about the product inside. At this point, I was pretty excited to open it.

Opening the box and removing the contents did not disappoint. I was immediately taken by the Confidant Hardcover’s appearance, and things just got better from there.

Features, Functions, and Performance

As mentioned above, I was immediately impressed with its look and feel. I liked the gray, textured cover and the size.

Opening the cover, there was simply a burgundy rectangle for the owner to write whatever it is that they want to write. Could be your name, contact info, volume or edition number, a sketch of your dog—it’s up to you.

One of the Confidant Hardcover’s features that I appreciated was its “lay flat” design. I don’t think I did a great job of demonstrating this feature in the image above, but rest assured, the two halves of the notebook do indeed lay flat.

One thing I noticed about the Confidant was that, after fully opening the lay-flat cover for the first time, the cover didn’t want to lay completely flat against the rest of the pages with the cover closed. Not really a big issue to me, but since the Confidant doesn’t have a built-in elastic band to keep it closed like many similar notebooks, this could be annoying to some folks.

There are two things to note in the above photo. First, the texture of the Confidant’s fabric cover. Although the Confidant is indeed a hardcover, it has a cloth/fabric exterior. Additionally, the Confidant, like many notebooks, includes an integrated bookmark in a bright yellow color.

As mentioned above, I think Confidant is a nice size and feels good in the hand. In fact, the fabric texture on the cover helps give a bit of grip to it.

Because the Moleskine notebook is so popular and considered by many to be the “gold standard” in notebooks, I thought it would be useful to include a bit of a comparison between the Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover with the Moleskine Large Ruled Notebook. As seen in the image above, the footprint dimensions of the notebooks are slightly different. The Confidant Hardcover, on the left, is 5.4 inches wide X 7.7 inches tall, while the Moleskine Large Notebook is 5 inches wide by 8.25 inches tall. In addition, the cover material is different as well. The Confidant is more like a gray cloth or fabric, while the Moleskine is the recognizable smooth black leather-like material (I’m not sure if it’s real leather, but I suspect not).

In the image above, the Confidant Hardcover is on the top, with the Moleskine on the bottom. The Confidant’s pages are thicker than the Moleskine’s. in fact, I found that, depending on the type of ink used, the Confidant seemed to have a much lower risk of ink bleed-through compared to the Moleskine.

In the above photo, the Confidant is again on the top, with the Moleskin on the bottom. Both have integrated bookmarks, but I think I prefer the Confidant’s wider, more boldly-colored one. The Confidant also had a bit lighter and more subdued lines on its pages.

Conclusion

I’ll just come out and say it: I’m a big fan of Baron Fig’s products and their Confidant Notebook in particular. I like its size, color and texture and its lay-flat design is handy as well. Can you find these features in other, similar notebooks? To a large extent, yes; however, there is just something I really like about the Confidant. In addition, the Baron Fog Confidant is available in two colors, three page types, and three sizes. If you are in the market for a new notebook, I would encourage you to give the Baron Fig Confidant a look.

Source: The product in this review was purchased with the reviewer’s own funds. Please visit Baron Fig at BaronFig.com for more info or to order. You can find some of the products on Amazon too.

Product Information

Price:	$18.00
Manufacturer:	Baron Fig
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	None
Pros:	+ Dimensions are just right and cover color and texture are appealing + High-quality paper with low bleed-through risk
Cons:	– No folder on the inside back cover for loose items like other, similar notebooks – Cover didn't stay fully closed after fully opening it flat for the first time

Filed in categories: Paper and Pens, Reviews

Tagged: Notebooks

Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook review originally appeared on on April 30, 2017 at 9:30 am.

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Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook review

I’ve always been a fan of notebooks. They are great for keeping in one place all of your jotting, journaling, doodling, to-do listings, thought capturing, inventing and on and on. I’ve tried several different notebooks over the years, and my favorite had always been the venerable Moleskine. But I’m also a fan of the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, and while searching through it quite a while back I stumbled upon a campaign for the Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover notebook. It had a clean look and interesting dimensions, so I became a backer and pledged for one. Baron Fig has since become a successful company and has launched additional products, but their Confidant notebook remains their flagship. Let’s check it out! Gadget on!

Options

The Baron Fig Confidant Hardcover Notebook is available in the following cover colors:

Light Gray (reviewed here)
Charcoal

And in the following sizes and page counts:

Pocket (small) – 3.5 x 5 inches, 160 pages
Flagship (medium; reviewed here) – 5.4 x 7.7 inches, 192 pages
Plus (large) – 7 x 10 inches, 208 pages

It is also available with the following page types:

Ruled (reviewed here)
Dot Grid
Blank