Anker’s new Vortex wireless headphones are their first with an over-the-ear design

Anker is no stranger to wireless audio, they are known for producing high-quality budget earbuds. So what’s so special about their new Vortex wireless headphones? Anker’s Soundcore Vortex headphones are the first ever over-the-ear headphones produced by Anker. And the first under Anker’s new unified audio brand Soundcore by Anker.

Design wise their sleek, fold flat design reminds me a lot of previous Beats models, but at $70 they are a fraction of the price.

The Vortex wireless headphones use Bluetooth 4.1 to connectivity and feature both synthetic leather covered memory foam ear cups and headband. Which should make them extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

For sound, the headphones are powered by professionally tuned 40mm drivers with aptX HD sound. So sound quality should be impressive. For even better sound quality they can be used as wired headphones. They also have a built-in microphone with virtual assistant compatibility.

 

Battery life for these headphones is impressive. Anker touts 20 hours of playback time on a single charge. Right on the industry average.

As far as accessories are concerned Anker supplies a 3.5 mm AUX cable, Micro USB cable, and a hard-shell travel case.

With both a long list impressive specs and a budget price tag, the Vortex should be the first of many over-the-ear headphones we see from Soundcore by Anker.

You can purchase the Soundcore Vortex headphones on Amazon for $69.99.

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Anker’s new Vortex wireless headphones are their first with an over-the-ear design originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 27, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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KUVRD Universal Lens Cap review


What is it?

The KUVRD Universal Lens Cap is a flexible lens cover made of rubber, that stretches to fit the front or back of most camera lenses, and works in place of the traditional lens cap.

What’s in the box

Each Lens Cap comes in its own plastic container with a screw on lid. The Lens Cap and instruction cards are included inside of the container.

Design and features

The Universal Lens Cap is made of a soft rubberized material that is very smooth and very flexible. It has a great amount of elasticity, and once handled carefully, can be stretched to fit any of the two ends of most lenses (Not for those crazy huge lenses). It is 2 inches deep, and its internal diameter is 2 1/2 inches.


While the outside of the Lens Cap seems like a magnet for lint, the inside stays quite clean and does not seem to attract any dust. It does a great job of protecting the most vulnerable parts of the lens against dust and accidental bumps. I am not sure what would happen if the lens is dropped, but I do believe that the Lens Cap would still provide additional protection. When new, and as per the instructions, care should be taken to gently stretch it over the lens from one side to the other. The included instructions clearly state this, and for good reason. Since I was testing it, I ignored the instructions and stretched it roughly over the lens, and this was the result.

Otherwise, with care, I was able to stretch it comfortably over both the front and rear of all of my lenses, including the large 70-200mm Sigma lens, the mid-sized Sigma 105mm macro lens, as well as the smaller Canon 60mm macro lens. With the small lenses, only the front or rear may be practical to cover, with the front being the obvious choice.



When using the KUVRD Lens Cap, the standard lens cap can remain in place if that is your choice. A couple of aspects to note, are that the Lens Cap works well for packing lenses for transport, and also for field work when “speed swapping” lenses is not a requirement. It is not possible to carry the lens hood attached to the lens when using the Lens Cap. I usually have my lens hood mounted in reverse on each lens, so this has to be a consideration when deciding if and when to use these.

What I like

I love the feel of the rubber that the Lens Cap is made of. It is so soft that it will not scratch or impact the lens in any way. The elasticity is great, and its ability to fit multiple lenses makes it very useful. Also, its ability to add another layer of protection to the most critical parts of my expensive lenses is an added plus.

What can be improved

While the instructions tell you to be careful when first stretching the Lens Cap until it “breaks in”, I would like to see some type built-in reinforcement that still maintains the elasticity, but makes it much more difficult for the Lens Cap to tear when initially stretched.

Final thoughts

The KUVRD Lens Cap is a great camera gear accessory that works very well at protecting certain aspects of my lenses, including when packing them to travel or when storing them. It does a great job of protecting the lens from dust, especially since it cannot fall off as traditional caps can and do. For my use, it would not be a part of my gear when I need to use a “quick swap” scenario, or when I want to have my lenses paired with their hoods. However, it is good enough and purposeful enough to earn a permanent place in my gear bag.

Price: $30
Where to buy: Kuvrd Camera Website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Kuvrd Camera.

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KUVRD Universal Lens Cap review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 27, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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OtterBox goes to war with Avengers Infinity War iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S9 cases

The Avengers: Infinity War movie opens today and OtterBox wants to make sure your phone gets the superhero protection it deserves with their new line of Symmetry Series and Defender Series cases that feature some of your favorite Marvel heroes and a villain too.

The Iron Man case features a design that glows in the dark and if you prefer bad guys, the Thanos case has a cool glossy 3D effect. Other cases include designs for Captain America, the Black Panther, and more.

The cases are designed to protect your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phone from everyday wear and tear as well as drops.

The OtterBox Symmetry Series and Defender Series Avengers: Infinity War cases are now available at otterbox.com for iPhone 8 and iPhone 7, $44.95; iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus, $54.95; iPhone X, $54.95; Galaxy S9, $44.95; and Galaxy S9+, $54.95.

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OtterBox goes to war with Avengers Infinity War iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S9 cases originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 27, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Add some pizazz to your Apple Watch with this protective cover

Most protective Apple Watch covers I’ve seen are crystal-clear, very simple little snap-over covers to protect your Watch from bumps and scratches.  The GHIJKL case for Apple Watch series 2 and 3 is a clear TPU cover that fits over the metal sides of the Watch.  It’s made of TPU, so it protects against bumps, just like you’d expect, but it adds a decorative element.  It’s a bumper-style case, so it doesn’t cover the crystal itself.

The protective case is etched to make it look like the face is surrounded by cut crystals.  The side button has these “diamond” designs, too.  All buttons are usable through the cover, and you can charge the Watch without removing the protective case.

The GHIJKL protective case is designed for the 38mm Apple Watch.  It’s $7.99 at Amazon.

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Add some pizazz to your Apple Watch with this protective cover originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 27, 2018 at 7:00 am.

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The BenQ SW271 27″ 16:9 4K IPS Monitor is a display of class!


Most photographers spend a lot of time editing their own photographs. There is nothing like getting back in the studio and examining those shots that we were excited to get, especially at some amazing moments. A huge part of being able to see the true beauty of a photograph, and being able to edit it to produce our ultimate masterpiece, is having a capable and accurate monitor to view it on. The ability to accurately represent the colors and shades is something that sets true professionals monitors apart from the average daily-use monitor.

The BenQ SW271 27″ 16:9 4K IPS Monitor is a great example of a capable and professional monitor that while relatively expensive, would be a dream for any photographer to have in their studio. This monitor has a resolution of 3840 x 2160, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, supports up to 1.07 billion colors on its 10 bit color display, a 178 degree viewing angle and a 5 ms response time. The built-in ports include 1 x HDMI port, 1 x Headphone jack, 1 x DisplayPort, 1 x USB Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0 downstream ports, 1 x USB 3.0 upstream and 1 x USB 2.0 only for Hotkey Puck. BenQ also includes the Palette Master Element Calibration Software that you can use to “tune and maintain the color performance of the monitor at its most optimal state”.

There are numerous other color reproduction features that make this monitor simply amazing and a great asset for any photographer or videographer.

If you would like to learn more about this monitor or if you would like to purchase one, you can head over to Amazon or B&H Photo Video and pick one up for $1099.

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The BenQ SW271 27″ 16:9 4K IPS Monitor is a display of class! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2018 at 2:02 pm.

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