It’s time to check out a list of all the articles, news, and reviews that we posted this week on your favorite gadget site. This is your favorite site, right? I knew it! So take a seat, get comfortable, and check out the list.
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These days, everywhere I look I see processes and tasks that were once manual, completely automated to meet the needs and demands of today’s technology-driven world. As a techie myself, I usually embrace most of the new and innovative gadgets, but I do hold on to some hesitation when I feel that there may be a measurable security risk. Whether the risk is to personal security or data security, these new gadgets must always consider the reality of our world, and they must include redundant security measures to compensate.
Just the other day, I came across the August Smart Lock that creates a secure keyless entry into your home via an app and also via Bluetooth. Using the app on your phone, you can wirelessly lock and unlock your door. You can also set the app to lock and unlock your door once you are within a predefined proximity. This can be great if your hands are full of groceries or other items, but dangerous if a stranger walks up behind you just as you reach your door.
The capabilities of this lock also allow you to grant temporary access, which would work great for guests or “known” repair people. If you have folks in your home that keep losing their house keys, the August Smart Lock could be a good option. Installation is very easy since it installs right over your existing deadbolt lock. It also works with Alexa for added versatility.
You can purchase the August Smart Lock at Amazon for $148.
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When it comes to headphones, there seems to be a sliding scale of form and function. Looks, comfort, sound quality and price are all factors that fluctuate wildly. Do the Fanstereo Studio43 Bluetooth Headphones deliver on all categories?
What is it?
The Fanstereo Studio43 Headphones are premium wireless Bluetooth headphones with clean aesthetics and comfortable, sound-insulating design.
Hardware specs
Bluetooth V4.1 (Operation range up tp 35 feet)
Sensitivity 102 + 3db, Frequency Response: 20-20 kHz
Drivers: 40 mm
Impedance: 32 Ω OHM
Charge connector Micro USB
Charging time 1-2 hrs max
Standby time 300 hrs max
Playing time 13 hrs max
Weight: 162g
Battery capacity 250 MAH
What’s in the box?
Nice packaging, and you even get a charging cable.
Fanstereo premium aluminum headphones
Owners manual
Micro-USB cable
Design and Features
They’re as comfortable as they look.
I like the overall aesthetic of the Studio43. They’re nice and simple and look great on my desk next to my iMac and other black and stainless steel office supplies. They also look expensive. They feel like premium headphones. The ear cushions are as soft and plush as they appear, perhaps even more so, and do a great job in forming a seal to insulate noise. They don’t leak much sound to the outside.
Fit and Feel
As mentioned, the Studio43 headphones are high quality. The headphone band is very flexible and exerts a very small amount of pressure on your ears. The band doesn’t feel like it would break very easily.
Most of the force keeping the headphones on your head comes from them resting on top of your head. I’ve never really been a fan of over the head headphones because of my thick hair… they tend to irritate my scalp after an hour or so. These were no different for me, however, that seems like it would be limited to me in particular.
Side view.
My ears didn’t get sweaty or hot, which is another issue I run into with these type of headphones, because they rested so lightly on them and the earphones have an excellent amount of cushion. Overall, they were comfortable. I think I’d have a much better go if my hair was much shorter.
Sound Quality
I’d rate the sound quality of these headphones somewhere in between Fair and Good. The mids and treble seemed quite good, but they were a bit lacking in the bass. Some minor adjusting so as to create a better seal around my ears did help the quality a bit. I was able to coax them into a fuller sound through some equalizer in the music apps I tested them with, but out of the gate, I’d rate them as Adequate.
Functionality
On the back of the right headphone, there are three buttons that serve multiple functions. The large button serves as the power button as well as start/pause. Holding it for about 5 seconds powers the headphones on or off.
The two smaller buttons are the volume up and volume down. Double clicking those buttons work as forward or reverse track skip.
The hardware buttons are easy to feel for.
There is a neat “AI” function when your phone receives a call, a voice prompt simply asks “Yes or No?” and awaits your answer. It doesn’t read the name or number of the caller, so you’d have to check your phone screen to see if you want to talk to that person or not. But the response mechanic works well. I answered “No” and the mic picked up my voice and started the music again.
Battery life seems to be close to advertised. The manufacturer claims the headphones have a 13-hour life, and I was seeing numbers closer to 12, which is pretty great.
One thing that drove me crazy about these headphones was the confirmation beep for every action. It’s fairly typical to hear a feedback tone when adjusting the volume or maybe even skipping a music track when you’re pressing a button on the headphone itself. But the Studio43’s gave the same feedback beep when adjusting things on the actual device. So when I hit the volume button on my iPhone? Beep. I dragged the volume slider on my Mac. Beep beep beep beep forever increment. I selected a new playlist. Beep. It even beeped when one track ended and went to the next song, without pressing any buttons on any device. It was just like, “BEEP just thought you’d like to know that you’re listening to a different song now!”
There was no way to disable this as far as I can tell. I noticed that it didn’t do this in Spotify, but did so in the Apple Music and Amazon Music apps, on my iPhone and my iMac. Your mileage may vary.
Front view. Is my head too big or the phones too small? The jury’s out on that one.
It also features a small personal peeve, the Intermittent Blinking LED. It’s one of those external indicators that let you know that the headphones are on, which is unnecessary. LED on when it’s charging? Sure. That’s a good method of letting you know that it’s actively charging. I usually work in a dimly lit room, and I can’t deal with a blue strobe light illuminating any close surface every 6 seconds. The light isn’t that bright, but it’s just one of those design choices that irks me.
What I like
Good sound isolation
Looks great
Comfortable
What needs to be improved
Just okay sound
Beeping feedback with *literally* every action
Final thoughts
With a product like headphones whose entire purpose is to deliver sound, if they sound awesome but are uncomfortable, that’s almost as bad as comfortable headphones that sound terrible. The Fanstereo Studio43 headphones offer a good mix of high comfort, great looks, and just-good sound.
Price: $139.00 Where to buy: You can buy the Studio43 Headphones in silver or camel brown from their website or Amazon. Source: The sample of this product was provided by Fanstereo.
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So for this episode of “I am still desperately trying to find the right photography gear bag for myself”; I am focusing on a new bag just released by Manfrotto.
Although specifically designed to accommodate a fully set up Ronin M/MX, the Manfrotto Pro Light Cinematic Backpack Balance seems to be a bag that may also work well for my DSLR with the extended battery grip attached, and with either my Sigma 70-200mm or Canon 24-105mm attached. Of course I always walk with additional gear for both photo and video opportunities, so the additional space is great.
This bag is still relatively compact, and is touted to meet most aircraft carry-on requirements. Internally, it is lined with 3D shock absorbing foam and structural reinforcement board. The fabric is soft so that it will not scratch the gear. It is made of “water-repellent ripstop nylon/polyester, with hollowed ITW Nexus buckles and Duraflex hardware”. There are external accessory pockets to hold various accessories, including straps to carry a tripod or monopod. There is also a dedicated compartment for your laptop, and a sun/rain cover is included to “seal” the deal.
The Manfrotto Pro Light Cinematic Backpack Balance can be purchased from B&H Photo Video for $279.99.
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Not just every coffee maker can boast being certified by the SCA and ECBC for coffee brewing standards, but all MoccaMaster brewers from Technivorm can. These coffee brewers have been handmade and individually tested in the Netherlands since 1968. The Moccamaster 59162 KBG has a “unique, copper boiling element that rapidly heats water to control brewing temperature between 196 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit, which is important for coffee soluble extraction, then automatically switches off when the water reservoir is empty.”
The 9-hole spray arm is designed to completely wet out the coffee grounds for even extraction. Ten cups of coffee can be brewed in 6 minutes, and you can even momentarily stop brewing to get a cup when you just can’t wait for that caffeine fix. The 40-ounce carafe sits on a hot plate that holds your brewed coffee at 175-185 degrees F for up to 100 minutes before turning itself off.
The KBG is made of durable metal housings and BPA/BPS/BPF and phthalate-free plastics. The carafe is glass, so it won’t add anything to the taste of your coffee. It measures 14″ tall x 12.75″ wide x 6.5″ deep. This model, made for USA usage, is 120V 1475W.
Technivorm Moccamaster brewers are available at many retailers in the USA, including Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond, Walmart, and Sur la Table, but Amazon offers the 59162 KBG in 18 colors, so you’re sure to find the perfect color to compliment Mom’s kitchen. These models are offered from $329-349, depending on the color. Find them now at Amazon.
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