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Julie’s gadget diary – Yes, I’m going to order the new iPhone XS Max

ARTICLE – Like many of you, I watched yesterday’s live stream of Apple’s Gather Round event and I really have to hand it to Apple. They are masters at reeling me in with their dirty nerd talk of bionic processors, neural engines, advanced algorithms, and sensors. Those terms give me goosebumps. Or maybe Apple is hiding subliminal messages in the new commercials that they demoed during the event. Whatever it is, it works and hooks me every time.

I came away yesterday afternoon excited about the prospect of giving an iPhone another shot at becoming my daily smartphone. Yes, I know you’ve heard this before and if you’ve followed me over the years, you know I say something similar every year only to either change my mind and cancel the order or return the phone within a couple of weeks.

This one time Apple fangirl, turned Android fangirl that you know as The Gadgeteer, just can’t help herself when it comes to trying to switch from one platform to another. I used iPhones for several years from the first one through the iPhone 4 but then I switched to Android and have been using Android smartphones ever since.

Why do I prefer Android? I often ask myself that question. I used to say it was because I like that Android lets me arrange icons and add widgets to the home screen where ever I want. But in reality, I rarely do that these days. Other than changing my wallpaper every so often, I don’t customize the look of my phone like I used to. I also used to say that I prefer Android because I use a lot of Google services and they just work better on Android. I’m not sure that even matters today. It’s simple to set up the iPhone to sync mail and calendars with Gmail and Google Calendar.

For me, it comes down to the hardware and really the camera. That’s why my current phone is the Pixel 2 XL. It has or had the best camera at the time I bought it last October. But all the talk and demos yesterday for the iPhone’s updated camera have me curious and excited for a potential upgrade/switch because my smartphone is my ONLY camera these days. All the product images that you see in my reviews are either taken with my Pixel 2 XL or the Huawei P20.

So I’ll be setting my alarm for 3am EST so I can wake up and pre-order a Space Gray 256GB iPhone XS Max for $1249 tomorrow morning. It’s crazy to spend the same amount of money that I could spend to buy a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, but then I’m a little crazy when it comes to gadgets. Will I actually Android and stick with the iPhone this time? I have no idea. But I’ll have fun giving it a try. At least until I get sucked back to Android when the new Pixel 3 is announced! Anyone else thinking of switching from an Android phone to one of the new iPhones?

Head over to Apple to check out the details on the new iPhones.

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Julie’s gadget diary – Yes, I’m going to order the new iPhone XS Max originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2018 at 1:56 pm.

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Blue Yeti Nano USB microphone review

REVIEW – What if you took the Yeti USB microphone and took a shrink ray to it? That was my thought when I saw the Blue Yeti Nano microphone. But how does it sound, and what features would be missing from the smaller package? I tried out the Nano to find out.

What is it?

The Yeti Nano is a high-quality USB microphone designed for professional podcasting that comes in four different colors.

Hardware specs

Power Required/Consumption: 5V 150mA
Sample Rate: 48kHz
Bit Rate: 24bit
Capsules: 2 Blue-proprietary 14mm condenser capsules
Polar Patterns: Cardioid, Omnidirectional
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Sensitivity: 4.5mV/Pa (1 kHz)
Max SPL: 120dB (THD: 0.5% 1kHz)
Dimensions (mic w/stand): L: 4.29” (10.9cm) W: 3.78” (9.6cm) H: 8.31” (21.1cm)
Weight: 1.39lbs (0.63 kg)
Headphone Amplifier
Impedance: >16 ohms
Power Output (RMS): 130mW
THD: 0.009%
Frequency Response: 15Hz – 22kHz
Signal to Noise: 100dB
System Requirements
Operating System: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or macOS (10.10 or higher)
USB Compatibility: 1.1/2.0/3.0

What’s in the box?

Yeti USB microphone (including desktop stand), USB cable, 3/8” to 5/8” adapter

Design and features

The Nano really does look like a smallish version of the regular Yeti. It comes attached to a handsome desk stand.

The only control on the front is a volume knob. It also doubles as a mute button.

There’s only one button on the back to select between microphone patterns. You can choose between cardioid or omnidirectional.

I was elated to find a threaded adapter on the bottom for boom stand users like me. There’s also a low-latency headphone jack and a microUSB port.

Here’s a nice design feature: There’s a notch at the base of the stand to allow your cables to exit gracefully. I like it!

Blue was good enough to include a threaded adapter so you can use a standard microphone stand.

Setup

The Nano was detected by my Apple laptop without issue. Once powered up, the volume knob turns red for mute, and green for on. Pressing the rear button toggles between mic patterns.

Performance

I returned to my recording booth and placed the Nano next to my studio mic, the Neumann TLM103 connected to a tube preamp.

Then, I spoke an excerpt from “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” and recorded on both mics simultaneously. No processing was done whatsoever. The Nano was plugged directly into the computer with no further modification.

What I like

I have no complaints about the sound quality of the Nano- unless I compare it to my studio mic. It’s a very unfair comparison because my Neumann mic setup plus tube preamp costs over 10x as much vs. the Nano. However, there’s a LOT of fiddling involved to get my studio setup dialed in just so. There’s virtually no setup at all with the Nano. It is the closest thing to plug and play.

I also noticed that the Nano “only” comes with two mic patterns (cardioid and omni), but it’s all most podcasters or voiceover artists would need. If you need a figure-8 pattern for interviews with a single mic, you’d be better off with the standard Yeti.

What needs to be improved

None. For this price, it’s hard to go wrong.

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a starter USB mic that has everything you need and nothing you don’t, the Yeti Nano is a fine choice.

Price: $99.99
Where to buy: Blue Designs and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Blue Designs.

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Blue Yeti Nano USB microphone review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2018 at 11:30 am.

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Take your Apple Watch from “sporty” to “fine jewelry” with a Smart Caviar band

NEWS – Forget about plastic, leather, or stainless steel bands – these Apple Watch bands from LAGOS are firmly pegged at the “fine jewelry” end of the spectrum.  The Smart Caviar bands are made of sterling silver, 18K gold, and diamonds.  Steven Lagos, the founder and Creative Director of LAGOS, says:  “I’m a big fan of the Apple Watch® and love the functionality. It is perfectly designed for the sporty lifestyle but something was missing – there was no fine jewelry element to it.”  He wanted to create a way to turn the sporty Watch into a jewelry Watch, and these Smart Caviar bands are undoubtedly a beautiful way to do so.

The Smart Caviar bands are available in four unisex styles.  The sterling Smart Caviar band is $950, and the sterling/18K two-tone band is $3500.

The partial diamond Smart Caviar band had 1.20 carats of diamonds and is $5000; the full-diamond band with 2.48 carats is $8500.  All four styles accommodate both the 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch (Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3), and all come with a sizing tool and one extra link to ensure a comfortable fit.  Additional links, if needed, may be purchased for $80 – $700 each, depending on the materials.

The LAGOS Smart Caviar bracelets are available exclusively at Bloomingdales (online and in-store). Learn more at Bloomingdales at the above links or at the LAGOS website.

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Take your Apple Watch from “sporty” to “fine jewelry” with a Smart Caviar band originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Etymotic ER3XR earphone review

REVIEW – Etymotic is not an audio company the public knows much about. However, they’ve been around for a while and are famous among hard-core earphone fans. Part of the reason is that Etymotic has a sound signature they strive for and nothing will cause them to deviate from it. Each of their models—from the early ER4 line of earphones to the latest—have supported their mission of replicating music as realistically as possible, even if that alienates some people. You see, many feel Etymotic earphones are light on bass, but it’s more accurate to say that most people like and want artificially enhanced bass—and that’s not what Etymotic does. Heck, even I’m guilty of wanting that extra bass kick—even if it is fake. So with the new ER3XR earphone, Etymotic has attempted to please some bass fans while still adhering to their core goal of accuracy. Did they succeed?

What is it?

The Etymotic ER3XR earphones are an earphone that has been enhanced with what Etymotic calls an extended bass response. This intrigued me because it almost sounded sacrilegious what Etymotic was selling. To get to the chase, my worry was premature. Etymotic has managed to retain their uber-accuracy while slightly warming up the sound … and I do mean slightly. 

Specs

  • Frequency response: 20Hz-16kHz
  • Driver: Balanced armature micro driver
  • Noise isolation: 35-42 dB
  • Impedance: 22 Ohms
  • Max. Output: 120 dB
  • Cable: 4 ft. detachable
  • Warranty: 2 years
  • Custom-fit option: Yes

Design and features

A few things immediately become apparent regarding the ER3XR earphones that make them seem like a throwback to earlier times (like, two years ago):

  • They are not wireless
  • There is no microphone or remote control
  • They have a mini plug meaning that if you have a smartphone without a jack, you’ll need a dongle

Having said that, there is nothing “retro” about the sound. As I said earlier, the ER3XR earphones retain that Etymotic sound signature—but slightly different.

The ER3XR earphones come with a minimum ear tip selection. There are two sizes of triple-flanged silicone tips and one pair of squeezable foam tips that are great at isolation. Also included are extremely tiny filters that protect the interior of the earphone shell and a tool made for swapping them out. There is an included zippered carrying case for keeping the earphones clean. The cable is detachable—a nice change for Etymotic at this price level. 

The ER3XR earphones are an armature-based speaker design. What does this mean? Armature speakers come from the hearing aid industry. The drivers are tiny and operate in a different way than the more common dynamic speaker drivers. Dynamic speakers look just like tiny versions of familiar speakers. Dynamic speakers are usually less expensive, a bit smoother and more bass friendly, but this comes at the expense of audio clarity. Armature speakers cost more to produce and have a lot of detail, but can be weak in bass. Keep in mind that these explanations are a gross generality—I’ve heard dynamic speakers with much detail and armatures that had decent bass, but you get the idea. 

Even though the ER3XR earphones are tuned for enhanced bass, it’s relative. If you are used to the Beats-type bass-heavy sound, then these are not for you. Etymotic earphones are famous for accuracy over boosted bass. However, if you’ve been previously put off by other Etymotic earphones too-bright sound, you will be pleasantly surprised by these. 

Note that Etymotic makes a visual twin to the ER3XR; the ER3SE. It features a higher level of sensitivity without the bass boost. Both cost the same but I chose the ER3XR specifically because of that bass boost. I’m glad I did, too. On certain songs, even the ER3XR earphones are too bright for comfort—but that’s rare.

How much enjoyment I get from the ER3XR earphones is dependent on what I’m listening to. For instance, early Beach Boys did not have prominent bass in their surf songs. As a result, the songs are not that great sounding. But a later song like “Kokomo” sounds terrific. Here’s why: the armature speakers in the ER3XR earphones do not smooth out any rough edges in a song. If it’s there, the earphones will reproduce it—good and bad. That’s the downside to portraying detail in music, which the ER3XR‘s do. Be careful what you wish for.

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate how much the ER3XR earphones reveal, I just have to be more selective when I hit the play button. With these earphones, I stick to higher resolution files that I’ve ripped as opposed to lower resolution streaming.

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: 90% (a made up number) of how a recording sounds comes from the mastering and mixing of the song/album. So if a song sounds too bright or bass heavy, it sounded that way before the public ever heard it. Music can later be tweaked with an equalizer, but only so much. For me, I usually either turn off EQ or set it to flat. It’s the most realistic way to hear music as it was intended. Plus it’s a pain to constantly adjust so I leave it. 

Another plus for the ER3XR earphones are audiobooks or spoken content. If you (like me) spend time with audiobooks, the ER3XRs don’t “bass up” the vocals, which makes the narrator sound much more natural and easier to understand. 

What I like

Even though some music may sound too bright, I like the detail and musicality of the ER3XR earphones. Given the right music, they are a pleasure to listen to and have reminded me that Etymotic is still in the game—big time. 

What needs to be improved

At times, I would have preferred a smoother approach to music, but in this price range, you can’t have an overall smoothness and the kind of detail the ER3XR earphones provide. It’s a minor issue for my ears.

Final Thoughts

The Etymotic ER3XR earphones are not cheap, but they are priced well for what you get. Plus, the cables are now detachable—always a welcome addition. These earphones are made for that choosy listener who cares as much about a music file’s resolution as how the recording was made. 

Price: $179.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Etymotic. Visit etymotic.com for more information.

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Etymotic ER3XR earphone review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Bring Harry Potter to your tabletop gaming nights!

NEWS – A new version of Trivial Pursuit based on the Harry Potter movies would be the perfect gift for any devoted Harry Potter fan.  The game has the traditional board, modified for the Potter world.  It comes complete with four custom House Mascot movers, 24 wedges, 300 cards with 1800 questions, and instructions.  It’s designed for two or more players, aged 8 and up.

The categories include:  Slytherin House, Death Eaters and The Dark Arts; Objects & Artifacts; Animals, Magical Creatures and Magical Beings; Witches, Wizards, Ghosts and Muggles; Hogwarts, Other Locations and Transportation; and Spells, Potions and Other Magic.

The Harry Potter Ultimate Trivial Pursuit game is officially-licensed.  It’s available for $49.99 at ThinkGeek.

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Bring Harry Potter to your tabletop gaming nights! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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