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Julie’s gadget diary – Samsung makes great phones, so why can’t I love them?

Verizon Wireless was kind enough to send me a shiny new Samsung Galaxy S9 smartphone to test for a few days and it’s an all around awesome phone. From the look of the hardware to what’s under the hood, this is a phone that many Android fans would love to own, but for some reason, I just can’t seem to fall for one of them.

You look like you haven’t changed a bit since I last saw you

At first glance, the S9 looks identical to the Samsung Galaxy S8 from last year with a glass front and back sandwiching a metal frame. The new handset is slightly heavier, and a few tenths of a millimeter thicker and wider S8. But those are things you won’t notice at all when you hold the phone in your hand. It’s not until you flip the phone over that you will see the biggest physical difference compared to the S8. The often criticized location of the fingerprint sensor on the S8 has been updated on the S9 to a new location below the camera lens.

There’s a new home for the fingerprint scanner

If you’ve been a regular visitor of my reviews, you’ll know that I am usually grumpy when it comes to talking about fingerprint sensors on smartphones. Until recently, I’ve had the worst luck with getting them to work for me for more than a day or so after the initial setup. That changed with the Pixel 2 XL and even more recently with the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, both of which have wonderfully fast and accurate sensors on the back. I’m happy to report that the S9’s fingerprint sensor is not terrible! Notice that I didn’t say it was surprisingly great and wonderful. It’s neither of those things for me. But, it’s not terrible and even after several days it still works for me at least most of the time.

One interesting feature of the S9 is that it now uses Intelligent Scan, which is a combination of iris and facial recognition that works simultaneously. I also noticed that the S9 will unlock the phone with your face if your fingerprint doesn’t work first or vice versa. Maybe that’s the same way the S8 works, but this is the first I’ve noticed it. Even in low light facial recognition works really well. However, it didn’t work in total darkness.

Other updates

  • The Samsung Galaxy S9’s CPU is a bit more spiffy than the S8.

Galaxy S8: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895, 4GB RAM, 64GB + microSD
Galaxy S9: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810, 4GB RAM, 64GB + microSD

  • Bixby has been updated. One word, ick. It still feels clunky and I prefer using Google assistant.
  • The S9 features Dolby Atmos and AKG speakers that sound great and give you almost a surround sound feel when you watch video in landscape orientation.

Don’t forget the camera

Samsung kept the S9’s camera at 12 megapixels but they added a variable-aperture lens that opens as much as f/1.5 for low-light shots and as small as f/2.4 for bright shots. They also improved the Dual-Pixel performance. What does that mean in non-photographer speak? It means that the camera is good. Crazy good. Here are some sample shots right out of the camera with no retouching applied (except for rotating the tree picture in WordPress).







Another new feature on the S9 is AR emoji which is Samsung’s version of Apple’s Animoji only way creepier.

The way it works is that you take a picture of yourself and it takes your face and lets you customize your hair and clothes.

You can then use animated GIFs in your messages like the one above showing me waving at you. Does it look like me? Yeah, I guess so, but why? These cutesy features must be for teens, because other than goofing around with it for a few minutes, I’d probably never use it.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy S9?

If you already own a perfectly fine S8, then no. In my opinion, the S9 just doesn’t have enough updates to justify upgrading. That doesn’t mean that Samsung won’t sell millions of them because they will. The S9 is a fantastic phone with every feature I’d ever want like wireless charging, long battery life, great camera, notification LED, HDMI out (with a USB-C HDMI adapter), DeX compatible (with optional dock), and a microSD card slot.

So now back to the question in the title of this article. If the S9 is such a great phone, why can’t I love it? I keep asking myself that question and I don’t have a good answer to it. I could say that I’m not a fan of Samsung’s version of all the stock apps, as I really prefer the stock Android experience. But, it ultimately comes down to my own personal preferences. Just like I love MINI Coopers but think Fiat 500s look hideous, or that I won’t eat mushrooms and green peppers but I love green beans and tomatoes. There are things that I like that you don’t like a vice versa.

I’m not going to say that I wouldn’t use a Samsung Galaxy S9 if I didn’t have another phone and someone gave me one. But if I had to choose between buying an S9, a Pixel 2 XL, or even the Huawei Mate 10 Pro right now, the S9 wouldn’t be my number one or number two choice… for no other reason than I like the other two phones better even though they are missing a couple of the features that the S9 offers.

I think it’s great that we’re to the point where flagship phones all have the same core set of features and choosing one comes down to the little things.

Source: The temporary loaner device was provided by Verizon Wireless.

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Julie’s gadget diary – Samsung makes great phones, so why can’t I love them? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2018 at 1:51 pm.

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steelseries Arctis 7 wireless gaming headset review

Wired gaming gear has been a must in the past when playing reaction based games. Especially those fast-paced, action games that require quick, zero-lag responsiveness. However, the cable-less, clutter-free appeal of wireless has always been there, waiting for the technology to improve. With the Arctis 7 from steelseries, there is no longer the need for sacrifice of space for ability with its lagless and cordless audio.

The disadvantage of wired products has always been the nightmare of many tech users: wire clutter. With keyboard, mouse, and headphones the issue wasn’t if they would tangle but how fast and big would the knot grow before having to deal with it. Even by making one input device wireless, it reduces the chaos many times over. Since I’m sharing desk space, this helps the organization of my components when I’m not using them as well.

What is it?

The steelseries Arctis 7 are a set of high-end wireless gaming headphones. The steelseries developers have created a lag-free, cable-free gaming headset using 2.4G wireless technology with 7.1 surround sound and built-in ClearCast microphone.

What’s in the box:

  • Arctis 7
  • Wireless Transmitter
  • Mobile/Console Cable
  • Micro-USB Charging Cable

Design and features

In addition to being cord-free, the Arctis 7 is sleek, comfortable and well made. These wireless headphones are designed with sound experience and gaming in mind, all adjustment controls are easy to locate and quick to adjust. A unique, comfortable headband and rotatable earpieces add additional function and quality to the already impressive set of headphones.

Build and material quality:

The Arctis 7 is a premium headset for gamers who want a solid set of clutter-free, wireless headphones that take nothing away from the experience or game play. The exterior of the earcups are coated in a soft-touch matte finish rubber layer. This combination gives the entire headset a solid, quality feel.

The headset’s upper frame is aluminum connected to the earcups via a plastic hinge that can rotate 90-degrees. The rotatable ear cups allow for greater comfort and easy storage of the headphones when not in use.

Since Bluetooth can lag a bit especially in fast-paced gaming, the Arctis 7’s uses a 2.4G USB dongle/transceiver that connects to your computer. After plugging it in, Windows 10 quickly recognizes the dongle, making the process of pairing the headset and computer less than 30 seconds. Being about the size of a dollar coin, the dongle is easily hidden away. The dongle also has a line-in / line-out functionality. The line-in allows devices other than your computer, such as a phone, to play music into the headset. If the headset is off, the line-out allows the dongle to connect what the computer is playing to something such as a speaker, and will mute automatically when the headset is turned back on.

The headset controls are located on the bottom of the two earcups: on/off button, power indicator, Chatmix dial, microUSB charging port, line-in, volume wheel, and mute. The power button also acts as a battery indicator, changing from green to yellow to red as the charge is depleted. Though you probably won’t need to look at it often with the headset’s 24-hour battery life. On the opposing side, the micro-USB charger and console/mobile ports can quickly recharge the device and connect it to smartphone or gaming consoles. The ChatMix dial, the wheel on the right ear cup in the photo, allows you to toggle between more chat noise or more game noise without accessing menus. I myself have not utilized this often but it’s a nice option to have. The volume wheel is on the left ear cup and works well with 99% applications. Oddly though, when playing Overwatch, I could only hear the game when pushing the game and headset to their maximum volume. That meant even basic Windows prompts became bombshells as my other applications weren’t affected. I fixed it by starting the game with the volume low and raising it after but that was the only program that I had issue with.

The ClearCast mic maintains the user’s natural tone and can be retracted into the headphones. It may not reach out as far out as you may want but is still effective at catching your voice. The mic’s design blocks out background noise, only picking up audio from nearby sources, such as the user. So if you’re playing a team game the mic can help block out other noises from people or pets in your house.

Comfort and fit:

The ski goggle-like headband is comfortable, replaceable, and adjustable. The elastic fabric is designed to “contour across your head, evenly distributing the weight, eliminating all pressure points.” The suspension bands are available in several colors and designs if you want something other than the patterned black and gray one steelseries includes with the Arctis 7’s.

The ear cushions are extremely comfortable, nicely cushioned,  and well made. They are made from a sportswear type material, preventing them from becoming too warm or itchy after long sessions of play. For $15 dollars, you can buy ear cushions of leather and velour materials to replace them.

Overall, the Arctis 7’s provide both comfort and utility in a quality frame.

Sound quality and gameplay:

The sound quality of the headset is superb, with the ability to differentiate between sources and the distances they are away from you becoming incredibly easy. Coming from not the highest quality headphones, it took some adjustment when I was suddenly able to hear steps from miles away, like the super senses scenes in Man of Steel.

Specifications:

What I like

  • Comfortable and adjustable ski goggle headband
  • Superb surround sound quality
  • Retractable and high-quality mic
  • The ear pads are snug and remain so for hours.
  • +24 hour battery life
  • Lagless connection through the dongle

What needs improvement

  • Weird interactions with a few applications
  • DTS Headphone: X Surround compatible with Windows 7 and above

Final thoughts

The steelseries Arctis 7 headphones are a high-quality set of wireless headphones with none of the drawbacks that come from Bluetooth devices. Their design is sleek, the audio incredible, and the mic said to be the best in the business. However, being so specialized for gaming I would not recommend them for consumers looking for a basic set of wireless headphones. The Arctis 7 is definitely worth its asking price of $150 for those searching for a premium set of lag-less, wireless gaming headphones.

Price: $141.99
Where to buy: The Arctis 7’s are available from steelseries or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by steelseries.

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steelseries Arctis 7 wireless gaming headset review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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The Oregon Trail Handheld Game brings you dysentery on-the-go

The Oregon Trail handheld game

It’s an 80’s classroom nostalgia trip in a pocket-sized package! In this handheld version of the classic Oregon Trail, hunt for food, trade with settlers and ford dangerous rivers as you attempt the 19th-century trek from Missouri to Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley.

This game was a treat to play in elementary school, though I think the only thing I learned from it was that I was glad to be shooting at pixelated buffalo instead of contracting cholera in the back of a covered wagon. Playing Oregon Trail is literally all this thing can do, but it might be a fun gift to pick up for a fan of the original game or to inflict digital snakebites, broken limbs and diseases on a new generation.

The game features all the required buttons to make decisions and hunt for food, as well as authentic 80’s sound and graphics. The description on Target’s website lists the difficulty of this game as “easy,” but if memory serves me, I only remember actually finishing this game a handful of times, so your mileage may vary, literally.

You can pick up the Handheld Oregon Trail game exclusively at Target, in-store or online for $25.

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The new Nest Temperature Sensor helps rid your home of hot and cold spots

My house is probably like most houses out there.  There are some rooms that are hotter than I’d like and some that are colder than I’d like, no matter the season.  Because of the location of the thermostat and the long shape of the condo, our bedrooms tend to be chilly in the winter and hot in the summer while our living and dining rooms are uncomfortably hot in the winter and cold in the summer.  Because of the age of the building, the cement walls and ceilings, and the neighbors above and below us, there isn’t much we can do to remedy this situation by rerouting ductwork or moving the thermostat.  The Nest Temperature Sensor will work with my Nest thermostat to help remedy that situation without having to install a new heating system.

The battery-powered sensors can be mounted in various locations in your house to send back information to the Nest thermostat about conditions in those locations.  You can then use the app to tell the thermostats which locations need to be prioritized and when to make those rooms more comfortable.  For example, we could prioritize the living and dining rooms in the early evening, so they’ll be comfortable while we have dinner and then watch some TV.  Before bedtime, we could have the bedroom area prioritized for comfortable sleeping conditions.

The Temperature Sensors will work with the 3rd-generation Nest Learning Thermostat or the Nest Thermostat E.  The thermostat and sensors communicate via Bluetooth LE; the sensors can be placed up to 50 feet away, though construction and interference can impact the range.  You can pair up to six sensors with a thermostat, and you can have up to 3 thermostats with six sensors each in one house.

A single sensor is $39; a three-pack is $99.  Pre-order now at the Nest website.

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The Pelican S100 Sport Elite Laptop Backpack is at the head of the class

Recently I have been writing a lot of news stories about camera bags and bags that hold camera gear and accessories, but that is not the full extent of my “bag” adventures. Whenever I go anywhere that I know will allow me some downtime, I like to try to edit either video footage or photos, or simply research new gear and equipment on the internet. For this reason, I have invested in well over two dozen laptop bags including shoulder bags, carry-on bags, and most recently, backpacks.

While I am very certain that no design will ever meet my very personal fussy requirements, I did find one that has come close to my needs, at least for now.

The Pelican S100 Sport Elite Laptop Backpack is probably the strongest and most durable laptop bag that I own, and it accommodates my need to carry my laptop, my iPad Pro 12.9”, a second tablet, 3 or 4 different chargers, my mobile hotspot, a couple of bottles of plain water, a bottle of flavored “health” water, a couple of magazines, a few USB drives of various capacities and sizes, and a host of other small techie items that I need with me to satisfy my nerdy gadget obsession.

The hard shell that is built into the back of this bag does an amazing job of protecting my larger tablet or laptop, and the hard shell on the front pocket protects my hard drives and other sensitive gear. The bag is waterproof and fits well on my shoulders. It also has several additional pockets to accommodate every need. The cushions that pad the back of the bag for airflow and comfort work very well, so that carrying this bag for long periods does not leave me with a sweat-soaked shirt at the end of my journey. The adjustable straps are well padded and work well, and the zippers are strong and of great quality. The only caveat I found is that compared to many other backpacks, this one is quite heavy at 7lbs when it is empty.

If you need a backpack that can take a beating and still protect your gear, head over to Amazon and you can pick one up for $169.95.

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