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Aluminum + tempered glass = cool iPhone XS Max bumper case

NEWS – We’ve seen and reviewed many metal frame bumper cases over the years for a variety of smartphones. But this one from Brando Workshop caught my attention because it has a sheet of scratch-resistant and fingerprint-resistant tempered glass built into the bottom half of the bumper. The glass protects the back of your iPhone from wear and tear while still allowing wireless charging. But the cool part for me is that this bumper case uses magnets instead of screws to keep the two front and back halves of the case together.

The Magnetic Aluminum Case with Tempered Glass is available in black or silver for $18 for the iPhone XS Max, Samsung Galaxy S9+, OnePlus 6, and more.

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Aluminum + tempered glass = cool iPhone XS Max bumper case originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 8, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds review


REVIEW – Here we go again as we continue on my quest to find the best earbuds for my taste. So far, I have encountered some really nice challenges, but as an Audiophile, I am looking for that surprise that will go beyond being great for daily listening category into the “also reserved for dedicated Audiophile listening” category without breaking the bank. Maybe I am asking for too much, but one never knows. The latest contestant is the Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds. So here we go!!

What is it?

The Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds are a pair of lightweight, medium size earbuds that are designed for listening to music and conducting phone calls. The charging case also includes the capability to power/charge external devices.  As with most earbuds, they should be compatible with most Bluetooth equipped mobile devices.

What’s in the box



1 x Pair of Wicked Audio Arq True Wireless Earbuds
3 x Pairs of Ear Tips
1 x Instruction Booklet
1 x Quick Start Leaflet
1 x Micro USB to USB Charging Cord
1 x Charging Case

Design and features

The charging case for these earbuds is relatively large, measuring 5 1/4″ long with a diameter of 1 1/4″. On the right side, there is the earbud charging compartment with the usual charging slots and the embedded contacts for charging. The rest of the case holds the internal battery pack. The earbuds are what I consider medium size.


The earbuds sit neatly in their charging slots. In between them, it a power/on/off button that you use to turn on/off the charging mode.


On the front of the case where the earbuds are stored/charged, there is a button to release the cover.


On the side of the charging case opposite the earbuds, there is the micro USB charging port and a standard USB port for charging/powering external devices.

Performance

Specs:
– Driver: 10mm
– Sensitivity: 103 dB
– Frequency: 20-20,000Hz
– Impedance: 16Ohms
– Bluetooth Version: 4.2
– Earbud Battery Life: 3 Hours
– Additional Playtime: 60 Hours
– Range: 32ft
– Earbud Charge Time: 30 Minutes
– Power Bank Charge Time: 5 Hours
– Power Bank Battery: 2600mAh
These earbuds are nicely packaged and once fully charged, they are very easy to set up. When you remove them from the case, you press the button on each earbud simultaneously and they power on and give you the usual voice commands indicating the on status, and connection to each other. Once you select them in your phone’s Bluetooth settings, they confirm that they are paired. After the initial pairing, they remain known to your device as is the norm with Bluetooth devices. The following is the charging process:

When you engage the power on/off button that lies in between the earbuds, they start charging, and their individual LEDs are red.


In addition, the 4 LED charge level lights also turn on and light blue. These lights indicate that the earbuds are charging and also the level of charge remaining in the built-in battery.


The picture below shows me charging/powering my portable audio recorder via the built-in battery.

The following are the operating instructions:

First of all, I must say how pleased I am that these earbuds work well for me for phone calls. This is usually a challenge for me, so this is always an automatic plus for me.
In terms of music, the earbuds sound pretty good with a nice balance of lows, mids, and highs. The volume level can be raised so that they are quite loud, but I do not play them at full volume. I found them to perform nicely for daily listening with the genres that I tested that include my usual which are Contemporary Jazz, Gospel, Easy Listening, Reggae, Soul/Ballads, The Classics, etc. The charge lasts quite long and is comparable to most earbuds, and the noise canceling works well.

The two main issues that I encountered were that the Bluetooth connection would randomly drop out individually. While either side would only drop out for a very short time and while they reconnect automatically, this issue is very disruptive to my listening experience. In addition, you have to power on and off the earbuds for each use. They do not automatically disconnect from the Bluetooth connection when placed into the charging case. Since I am used to my earbuds doing so, I would forget to power them off and they would remain connected. This is a pain when they are put away and I receive a phone call or attempt to make a call, and have to remember that they are connected and manually disconnect them to proceed.

For additional information, click here for the manual.

What I like

  • Build quality
  • Decent sound
  • Built-in power bank for external charging

What can be improved

  • Bluetooth connectivity while listening to music
  • Bluetooth disconnection

Final thoughts

The Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds are quite good despite the two main caveats that I mentioned. They are well built, and the built-in battery pack charging/powering capability is a nice feature. In terms of the competition for the best earbuds for me, they do not win the top position, but they have certainly captured a position within the current top 5. Wicked Audio did a decent job with them and the price is reasonable.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Wicked Audio website and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Wicked Audio.

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Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 7, 2018 at 11:02 am.

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The Avocado Sock quickly ripens avocados in the cutest way possible

NEWS – Buying avocados is never an exact science. You either choose one that’s overripe or not ripe enough. And waiting for an avocado to ripen is never ideal. The Avocado Sock (that’s right I said sock) was made to quickly and perfectly ripen the little green fruit.

The sock is made from pure 100% Shetland wool that’s sourced from a 200-year old woolen mill in Scotland. Pure wool is used because of its natural lanolin. And the dark and warm environment is ideal for helping the avocado ripen.

Just insert an unripened avocado in the small, cute, wool sock and place it in a warm, dry place. Gently sealing it with the drawstring allows it to ripen in as little as 24 hours. It also reduces bruising and damage.

The sock can also be used to ripen other fruits and vegetables.

The Avocado Sock comes in 3 different colors, Nutmeg, Pewter, and Olive and is available from The Grommet.

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The Avocado Sock quickly ripens avocados in the cutest way possible originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 7, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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FinalStraw reusable folding straw review


REVIEW – I just returned from a week’s vacation on Sanibel Island Florida and I immediately noticed that all but one of the restaurants that we visited provided paper straws instead of plastic straws. Why does this matter? Because Americans throw away 500 million plastic straws every day. Think about that a minute. Can you imagine that much plastic that goes unrecycled? Millions of these straws end up in the ocean where they hurt sea turtles, fish, and other animals. Is there a solution? Maybe. One possible solution is the FinalStraw reusable folding straw. Let’s see if it sucks, but in a good way.

What is it?

The FinalStraw is a reusable BPA free and dishwasher safe straw that folds down into a pocket-sized bundle.

What’s in the box?

FinalStraw
Storage container
Drying rack
Squeegee cleaner

Design and features

 

The FinalStraw case is available in several colors, but I was sent the “goes with everything” Shark Butt grey version. The case has a flip top that opens to reveal a funky looking folded straw.

Grabbing one of the silicone ends allows you to pull the FinalStraw from the case.

Doing so causes the 9-inch straw to automagically unfold for immediate use. The unfolding action makes me feel like I’m a magician every time I do it.

A closer look reveals that the straw is really a medical & food grade TPE tube which is inserted into four sections of 304 stainless steel which fit into each other to create a sturdy and reusable drink-sipping accessory.

Sipping performance

Does the FinalStraw perform like other straws? Yes and no. As you can see from the image above, the FinalStraw fits in a bottle of milk like other straws, and I can drink from it like I can with an evil plastic straw. But… yes, there’s always a but. And in this case, there are several buts to consider before using the FinalStraw as your final straw.

The first difference that I noticed is that the 7mm diameter of the FinalStraw is much smaller than plastic straws that I had laying around in my silverware drawer.  Why does this matter? Because the smaller diameter means you have to suck harder to drink using this straw. This is especially true if the drink is thicker like a smoothie or workout shake.

The FinalStraw is also heavier and feels kind of sloppy and wiggly when you use it to stir your drink. That shouldn’t be a surprise since it’s made of steel and is made of four separate pieces.

The ends of the FinalStraw are made of silicone which is great for mouthfeel and for people who like to chew or bite the ends of their straws (weirdos). But I noticed that the end in the bottle or cup would sometimes stick to the bottom of the cup so that sipping would stop abruptly. If you’ve ever been stopped in mid-sip, you can understand how this is can be pretty tragic.

You’ve finished your drink, now what?

After you’ve sucked up the last drop of your soda or workout shake, what do you do with the FinalStraw? If you’ve used it to drink anything but water, you’ll need to rinse the inside and outside, and clean it. To do that, you pull the drying rack out of the storage container. Wrapped around the bottom of the drying rack is a squeegee cleaner.

The squeegee cleaner is a silicone cord with one end that is a little larger than the opposite end.

To clean the FinalStraw, you remove the squeegee cleaner from the drying rack and slide one end through the straw.

Then you pull the larger end through the length of the FinalStraw which squeegees out any remaining liquid or gunk (ick).

The final step is to fold up the straw and insert it back into the storage container once you’ve wrapped the squeegee cleaner around the drying rack and replaced the rack in the container. Wow, that seems like a lot more work than using a plastic straw, doesn’t it? Yes, it is… Folding the straw back up so you can put in the storage case makes you feel kind of dorky when you’re out in public because it’s a little awkward.

What I like

  • It’s fun to pull the FinalStraw out of the case so it unfolds like magic
  • Makes me feel like I’m saving the world from evil plastic straws
  • Made to last

What needs to be improved

  • The price
  • Diameter

Final thoughts

I recycle everything I can, and I even reuse plastic straws. You should see my silverware drawer, it’s full of them. I was hoping that the FinalStraw would be an excellent alternative to plastic straws, but the biggest issue comes down to price. I don’t know many people who are willing to spend $25 for a straw. Granted, this straw is made to last a lifetime, but $25 is hard to swallow (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Then there is the fact that the diameter is narrow which requires more sucking power sip drinks. And then last but not least, there’s the fact that you have to clean this straw after each use. That’s a lot of effort. While I agree that reducing the number of plastic straws is obviously a good idea, I think there has to be a better way to do that. Paper straws are one alternative since they will break down over time. The FinalStraw is a move in the right direction, but I don’t think it’s the final solution. What do you think? Share you thoughts in the comments below.

Price: $25.00
Where to buy: FinalStraw
Source: The sample for this review was provided by FinalStraw.

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FinalStraw reusable folding straw review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 7, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Give the gift of a diamond – decanter, that is

NEWS – Back in 2012, John Walker & Sons produced 60 bottles of a limited-edition whisky to honor the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne.  That whisky was bottled in a beautiful lead crystal decanter with a sterling silver collar set with a half-carat diamond.  The decanter was diamond shaped, similar to this decanter shown here, but the Walker decanter was all crystal, with the base part of the decanter itself.  Those bottles sold for £100,000.  There’s no way I’ll ever even see one of those Diamond Jubilee bottles, much less own one.  But I could get a beautiful diamond-shaped decanter with a wooden base for a much more budget-friendly price.

Amazon is offering the Crystal Liquors 1000ml Diamond Liquor Decanter with a hand-crafted wood stand.  The decanter is hand-blown, lead-free glass with a hermetic, round glass stopper that prevents evaporation and leaks.  The Diamond Liquor Decanter is $34.97 at Amazon.

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Give the gift of a diamond – decanter, that is originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 7, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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