Home 2018 November

Pixel 3 XL, Ooni pizza oven, Jaybird headphones, and more – Weekly roundup

NEWS – If you’re interested in dashcams and Bluetooth speakers, or headphones, we had several reviews that you’ll want to read from the past week. If those categories don’t get your gadgeteer juices flowing, then not to worry because we posted quite a few other reviews this week too. Just take a look through the complete listing of all the news, reviews, and articles from the past 7 days.

ARTICLES

REVIEWS

NEWS

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Pixel 3 XL, Ooni pizza oven, Jaybird headphones, and more – Weekly roundup originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 4:04 pm.

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BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank review

REVIEW – Until the day when quick-charging long-lasting battery technology is commercially available to power all of our consumer electronic gadgets, an external power bank is required necessity. Blitzwolf makes a version with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. Read on to see what I think!                                               

What is it?

The BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank is a gadget that you can use to charge rechargeable devices.  The power bank contains batteries and circuitry to regulate power output. The circuitry ensures that the power delivered to each USB port is optimized to minimize the charging time required. Special circuitry, licensed by Qualcomm, is available to charge compatible devices as quickly as possible. 

What’s in the box?


BlitzWolf® BW-P3 QC3.0 Power Bank
Micro USB Charging Cable
User Manual
Warranty Card

Design and features

Specifications

 Brand  BlitzWolf®
 Model  BW-P3
 Capacity  9000mAh/33.3Wh
 Power  18W(two USB ports total)
 Input  5V/2A (max)
 Output 1  5V/2.4A (max)
 Output 2  5V/2.4A (non-Quick Charge,universal)
3.6-6.5V/3A,6.5-9V/2A,9-12V/1.5A (QC3.0)
 Charging time  5 hours (with 5V/2A Charger)
10 hours (with 5V/1A Charger)
 Size  102*61.5*21.3mm
 Weight  225g±5g
 Certification  CE,FCC,Qualcomm QC3.0

Unboxing

The power bank is made and ships from China. It took 18 days from the day I ordered it to arrive: 13 days from Shenzhen, China to Chicago, Illinois, USA, and another 4 days from Chicago to Massachusetts, USA.

The Package was well wrapped and the box inside didn’t show any signs of damage from the trip.

 

Design of the BlitzWolf® BW-P3 QC3.0 Power Bank

Weighing in at 221 grams and slightly larger than a deck of cards, the power pack has a substantial feel to it, indicative of a solid, well-crafted device. Its dimensions are perfect for large and small hands and make it easy to hold alongside a phone or tablet while charging. The dimensions are also perfect to hold 3 TR 18650 lithium batteries, which hold the charge for this unit. I purchased this six months ago, but the manufacturer is currently selling these units as a 10000 mAh capacity device. Since I charged the unit to 37 Wh I’m not sure if they changed the capacity inside or just changed the label on the case. TR 18650 batteries come in many capacities, so a change in the supplier may have allowed Blitzwolf to upgrade their product

The Aluminum shell does not feel like it will dent or buckle if pressed. The front and back end, fabricated from black plastic are inset into the aluminum frame and gives the device a well crafted and defined appearance. The power button is large yet it doesn’t rock in the frame; it’s another design specification and manufacturing touch which confirms that this is a well designed and constructed device.

The bottom of the unit is emblazoned with the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 symbol and text.

The top of the unit has the BlitzWolf logo and 4 white LEDs to indicate remaining capacity and charging status.

The LEDs are quite bright and easy to see even in full sun. 

Performance

I monitored the power bank charging with a J7-t safety tester and also monitored the temperature of the battery pack with an infrared thermometer.

Charging

The power bank draws up to 8 W (5.2 V, 1.52 amps) while charging. It took 3:42 to charge 24 Wh. While charging the case temperature rose from 73°F to 82°F. The next time it was empty I charged the pack using the supplied cable and it took 5:21 to charge 37 Wh. So it appears that the unit does have the stated capacity of 33.3 Wh.

Discharging

I used the power bank to charge a completely dead iPhone 6. It took 3:51 to charge the iPhone 9.9 Wh. I observed the phone charging at 7 W after an hour, so some trickle charging occurring for most of that elapsed time. The iPhone has a 6.9 Wh battery so 3 Wh was lost as heat in the charging process.

I also used the power bank to charge a dead LeTV Le Eco Le Pro 3 using the QC port. The charging occurred at up to 18.5 W (7.4 V, 2.5 amps) but changed according to the battery charging circuit requirements. The power bank charged 17 Wh into the phone by Quick Charge before being completely drained. The temperature of the case was measured as high as 104°F but dropped to 101°F as the charging continued.

What I like

  • Easy to use
  • Compact
  • High Capacity
  • QC 3.0

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

I recommend this product for those who would like to be able to charge their devices quickly and also have a good looking and dependable device. The design and performance are exactly as advertised. 

Price: $42.89 often less with sales, coupons and volume discounts
Where to buy: Banggood
Source: The Blitzwolf sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.

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BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 2:30 pm.

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Add the “rock” to Rock-a-bye, Baby with this crib mobile

NEWS – Forget fuzzy bunnies and sweet lullabies!  Give your new baby a crib mobile that’s going to introduce them to the finer things in life – guitars and rock music!  I think the Rock On Guitar Mobile must have been what the boys in Greta Van Fleet saw hanging over their cribs, to instill them with such wonderful rock music at such young ages.

The mobile is populated with plush Flying Vs and Strats.  The guitars are made from polyester materials and strung from soft bars.  It’s ready to hang above the crib or changing table.  You’ll need to supply your own lullaby – maybe try Stevie Ray Vaughn’s version of Mary Had a Little Lamb.

The Rock On Guitar Mobile is $34.95 at UncommonGoods.

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Add the “rock” to Rock-a-bye, Baby with this crib mobile originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 1:30 pm.

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A trifecta of cases for the new 11-inch iPad Pro

ARTICLE – On Tuesday Apple announced their new 11″ iPad Pro and of course yours truly ordered one. To protect my investment, I need a new case. There aren’t a whole lot of choices out there yet but, I was able to find a few that I liked.

ProCase Slim

The ProCase Slim offers a thin translucent frosted back cover that allows you to see the Apple logo while protecting your iPad against fingerprints and scratches.

Precise cutouts allow full access to all features (buttons, speakers, cameras).

The tri-fold front cover can be used in viewing mode or typing mode. It also supports the iPad Pros auto Sleep/Wake feature. The soft scratch-free microfiber interior adds comfort and an additional layer of protection.

Price: $10.99
Buy from: Amazon

Pad & Quill Oxford Leather

When it comes to leather cases, it doesn’t get much better than Pad & Quill. The Oxford Leather folio case is no exception.

This ultimate professional case is crafted from a single piece of American Full-Grain Bridle leather. It features a slim profile and easily attaches to the iPad Pro using a residue-free 3M locking adhesive that can be removed and reattached multiple times.

The smart cover serves as a self-propping stand for horizontal viewing along with an internal document pocket. 

It’s also compatible with the Apple Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil 2.

The Oxford Leather folio is available in two colors, Whiskey and Chestnut.

Price: $119.95
Buy From: Pad & Quill

Apple Smart Keyboard Folio

The Flagship case from Apple is designed to work perfectly with the iPad Pro. And the only keyboard case available right now.

The case allows for convenient viewing angles and has a full-sized keyboard when you need it. When you’re not using it, the keyboard provides protection for both the front and back of your iPad Pro.

The best part of the keyboard, there’s no charging or pairing required. Just attach the keyboard and start typing.

Price: $179
Buy From: Apple

There you have it 3 different cases for the new 11″  iPad Pro. A budget case, a leather case, and a keyboard case. All these cases are available right now, but if you prefer to wait I’m sure there will be plenty more choices in the months to come. Happy hunting!

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A trifecta of cases for the new 11-inch iPad Pro originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 12:30 pm.

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Scosche Boombottle MM Bluetooth speaker review


REVIEW – Over the past few years, portable Bluetooth speakers have taken the market by storm and there is a flood of new devices that readily available with various features and many at reasonable prices. The Scosche Boombottle speaker is another device fighting for a niche. Let’s see how it does.

What is it?

The Scosche Boombottle speaker is a waterproof wireless Bluetooth speaker with a magnetic mount to secure your mobile device and a tripod mount or magnetic mount that allows it to be mounted to a metal surface or on a tripod or a stand with a 1/4-20″ stud. It is available in black and gray camouflage.

What’s in the box


1 x Boombottle Speaker
1 x USB Type Charging Cable
1 x Large Mounting Metal Plate
1 x Extra Large Circular Mounting Metal Plate
1 x Carabiner Clip
1 x Protective Film Sticker
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Features
• Magnetically mount your device to the Boombottle MM Mobile Speaker while also magnetically mounting the Boombottle to most metal surfaces
• Built-in Bottle Opener
• Built-in Microphone for Hands-free Calling
• Unique Bottle Design Fits Into Water Bottle Cages and Cup Holders
• Rechargeable Battery for up to 12 Hours of Music Playback
• Dual-Pairing for True Stereo Sound
• IP67 Rated Waterproof / Dustproof Construction

The front of the speaker has the carry handle that can be used as is or with the Carabiner, and there is also a bottle opener at the top. In the middle, there is the rubber sealing door with embedded external buttons that from top to bottom are the volume up button, the multi-function button, and the volume down button. Below the control buttons, there is the LED Battery Level Indicator and the Bluetooth LED Status Indicator.


When you open the rubber sealing door, underneath there are the actual buttons that correspond with those embedded in the rubber cover along with the charging and auxiliary ports below the buttons.


Under the handle of the speaker, there is a bottle opener.


On the front of the speaker, there is a nice matte black speaker grille, with the brand name engraved below.


At the bottom of the speaker, there is as 1/4-20″ female mount that allows it to be mounted to a tripod or stand or any surface with a matching stud. The extra large round magnet mount can be attached to the bottom if you choose to mount the speaker magnetically.

Performance

Specifications

  • Bluetooth®: BT 4.2 AWRCP, A2DP
  • 30ft. Wireless Range
  • 2 x 45mm Speakers
  • Freq. Range: 80Hz – 18 KHz
  • 12W Power Output
  • 4000mAh Internal Battery
  • Size: 185mm (H) x 72mm (D)
  • Weight: 1.25lbs

This Bluetooth speaker looks and sounds great, and the build quality is second to none. It is easy to pair and operate and seems like it can take a beating. The magnetic base mount or the tripod mount are great options for versatility when choosing where and how to place the speaker. I am not a fan of the upper magnetic mount that is used to mount your phone, because you need to attach the magnetic mounting plate to your phone or phone case in order to safely secure the phone. I was able to get my phone to stay in place without the metal plate, but any amount of vibration caused it to start to slide off. The battery charge lasts a long time and more time than I would ever use this speaker for at any one time.


Pairing the speaker is very easy and the Bluetooth and charge level indicators are very visible.

The manufacturer includes the following short but helpful video on their website, showing how to pair one or two speakers:

What I like

  • That it is waterproof
  • The sound
  • The ability to carry it or mount it
  • The solid Bluetooth connection
  • The design
  • The battery life

What can be improved

Final thoughts

After testing quite a few Bluetooth speakers, I have become quite “picky” about what I like and what I classify as a desirable and usable feature versus a useless gimmick. I really like this Bluetooth speaker because of the build quality, the sound, the features, and the style. And, the fact that it is waterproof means that I have so much less to worry about when I am using it, especially outdoors. I really like it, and I think that many people looking for this type of device will like it as well. I definitely give it two thumbs up!!

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Scosche website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Scosche.

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Scosche Boombottle MM Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 11:17 am.

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