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How to Block Websites on Any Android Phone

The reasons you may want to block a site on your Android device can vary. For one, you may share your device with your kids and don’t want them to have access to any inappropriate content. Whatever the reason may be, you may be happy to know that blocking any website on your Android device is an easy task. You can do it without rooting your phone. You don’t have to be a tech genius to get rid of those sites finally. Related: 8 Tools to Help You Block Content and Websites on Your Devices How to Block Any Site on Any Android Device with… Read more

Gadgeteer team’s favorite wireless earbuds

ARTICLE – I recently asked the Gadgeteer team to tell share with us their choice of their favorite wireless earbuds and what makes them stand out as their favorites. So in no particular order except that I get to go first, here we go.

Julie Strietelmeier

Mobvoi TicPods Free wireless earbuds review

My favorite wireless earbuds are the Mobvoi TicPods Free wireless earbuds. I choose these buds because they have crazy long battery life when used with their battery charging storage case, they are extremely comfortable to wear, and they have easy to use touch controls.

The TicPods sound great too… as long as you’re not using them to watch videos on YouTube. They have audio syncing issue while wat hing video with that streaming app. But other than that, I like them. A LOT.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: Amazon

Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds review

The Mavin Air-X TWS earbuds are a close tie with the TicPods. They sound great too and they DON’T have the audio syncing problem with YouTube. They also have the TWS feature which means you can use either earbud and you don’t have to deal with master earbud issues. But, the Mavin’s sometimes fall out my ears so I can’t wear them when I work out.

Price: $139.00
Where to buy: Amazon

Raul Sanchez

My favorite all time wireless earbuds have to be the BackBeat FIT by Plantronics that I reviewed. Here is my review.

Plantronics BackBeat FIT headphones review

I have not found any other earbuds that could compare to what these earbuds have to offer. The FIT are very streamlined and compact. They don’t stick out of your ears as most earbuds do. There is no dongle hanging on one side of the wire so it doesn’t make them feel lopsided, especially when you run with them. What’s I love the most is that the buttons are so easily accessible and responsive that I can literally Skip through 3 to 4 songs while running just at a touch of a button and just but raising my hand to my ear.
With other earbuds, I have to slow down my running, reach my arm up behind my head to reach the Skip button, hold it down for seconds to get to the next song. And if I don’t like that song, I ‘ll have to do that same process over. It looks kind of funny when you are running down the road and you have your elbow sticking up in the air.

I like that with another tap of a button I can hear how much battery life I have left. My other wireless earbuds, I have to look at my phone to see the little battery icon on my phone to see the battery status. For some people, it may be difficult to see especially for they are running. And also, if their phone or earbuds will support that battery status feature.

I am not a fan of earbuds that dangle in front, or the side, of my neck and since the Plantronics FIT headphones go behind the neck, these are perfect for me.

When it comes to sound, these earbuds are one of the best I have heard. Sounds is clean and crisp and the bass is amazing. I can hear, and actually feel, the low frequency of the mids and bass. You will not be able to feel the bass in other headphones like this, let alone hear the bass. Most earbuds can’t achieve those low frequencies. These are my go-to wireless earbuds.

Price: $67.29
Where to buy: Amazon

Soul Electronics Run Free Pro BIO Bluetooth headphones review

Coming in second for wireless earbuds that I like are the Run Free Pro BIO earbuds from Soul. When I run and want a little motivation and coaching, I definitely use these for running. You can see the video review I did for the Soul Run Free Pro BIO’s here.

Price: $149.99
Where to buy: Soul Electronics

Julian Perry

KNZ SoundFlux dual driver wireless headphones review

The KNZ SoundFlux dual driver wireless earbuds continue to be my favorite pair of earbuds when on the go and looking for a lightweight and secure way to listen to music that I like, while having the ability to produce some amount of “Audiophile” sound reproduction. These earbuds fit very well in my ears and can be worn for long periods of time without any discomfort. The lows, mids, and highs are well represented with great frequency crossover. I have spoken with professional musicians who have tried them and find them to be great for their listening needs and habits. The build quality is good enough to withstand daily abuse and the battery life is still good.

Even when not on the go, and just sitting around listening to smooth jazz or well produced easy listening songs, these KNZ earbuds are winners.

Price: $74 (Intro price)
Where to buy: Pre-order via the KNZ Technology website

Jacob Hass

BeatsX Wireless Earphones review

The BeatsX wireless earbuds are still my favorite pair of truly wireless earphones. They are still, after 2 years, one of the only sets of earphones that use Apple’s W1 chip, which automatically shares pairing and fast switching with any device you’re logged in to with your iCloud account.

The BeatsX are lightweight, quick to charge, and fit my ears better than any other set I’ve tried. They do a good job of blocking outside sound, have good audio fidelity, and charge using a Lightning cable, which is what my phone uses, so I always have a cable with me.

Price: $149.95
Where to buy: Amazon

David Ferreira

Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds review

I used to change Bluetooth earbuds as often as I changed socks. Before you become ill, I switched earbuds daily. That is, I did until I landed on the Jabra Elite 65t. They sound perfect with all of the music and podcasts I listen to, they fit perfectly in my freakishly large ear holes, I can get nearly 15 hours playback (not continuous – about 5 hours with the case providing just over 2 additional charges), and the nearly non-stop stream of calls I am on for work are clearer with these than with any previous buds. Cost-wise, they are less than Apple’s and Samsung’s buds, and you can find manufacturer-refurbished versions on Amazon for just over $100. Oh, and did I mention that I can dial up or down the outside world (they call it ambiance, I call it “not listening to my own voice through a concrete bunker”) through their Android app? All in all, for me these are the perfect buds, sock analogy notwithstanding.

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: Jabra or Amazon

Andy Jacobs

SmartOmi ACE Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds review

I have reviewed several pairs of true wireless Bluetooth earbuds and the SmartOmi ACE are my favorite for three reasons: they are small and lightweight, they come with a charging case (with magnets that keep them in place in the case), and they actually stay in my ear fairly well while exercising (this last one is a big deal for me). One drawback with them is that they can only be charged with the charging case—this would not normally be much of a drawback, but I managed to partially smash the case and it stopped charging the earbuds. 🙁 Other than that, these are a great pair of earbuds. Unfortunately, it appears they are no longer on the Smartomi site, and Amazon does not currently have them available.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Amazon

David Rees

Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds review

The Jabra Elite Active 65t’s are by far the best wireless earbuds I have ever used. I have oddly shaped ear canals that have (historically) rarely allowed in-the-ear earbuds to sit properly or (more importantly) stay securely in place during workouts. But the 65t’s kind of twist into your ears and stay firmly, yet comfortably in place even during the most sweaty epic workouts. Add in the fact they sound great, are sweatproof, have a low profile, come with a 2yr warranty, and best yet don’t look nearly as nerdy as the Apple AirPods they are definitely my go-to earbuds of choice…hands down, walking away. Bottom line is that if I lost or destroyed these, I would immediately purchase another pair to replace them.

Price: $169.99
Where to buy: Jabra or Amazon

Bill Henderson

When Julie tasked some Gadgeteer reviewers to choose their favorite wireless earphone, I felt a bit of a dilemma. There are many great-sounding wireless earphones, but they are not totally wireless. And yes, there is a major difference. Even though wireless earphones are technically wireless, there is a cord connecting the left to the right earphone. Totally wireless means just that—no wires, period. And that is what I am concentrating on.

I own and have reviewed a few totally wireless earphones:

Master & Dynamic MW07 true wireless earphones / $299

RHA TrueConnect true wireless earbuds / $169.95

Anker Zolo Liberty wireless earphones / $99.99

E’NOD Mini Ring wireless earphones / $79.99

Nuheara IQbuds intelligent truly wireless earbuds / $299

Nuheara IQbuds intelligent truly wireless earbuds with BOOST / $499

Apple AirPods / $159

The main problem with choosing a favorite is that each earphone I’ve reviewed addresses a specific need. Nuheara’s two earphones will let you dial-in the world around you for people with hearing issues. The Anker Zolo (replaced by Anker Liberty Air, but may still be available) and E’NOD Mini Ring are reasonably-priced earphones—at least when compared to Apple’s AirPods. RHA’s TrueConnect rival Apple’s AirPods with better sound and features, but are a bit more expensive than Apple. Then there’s Master & Dynamic’s MW07 offering a huge leap in sound quality and a huge leap in cost as well.

When comparing these seven earphones, I concentrated on comfort, day-to-day use, audio quality and cost. After weighing these factors, I could not choose just one earphone, I chose two.

Comfort: This was close. Both the RHA TrueConnect and Apple AirPods are quite comfortable with the RHA slightly edging out Apple. But they were both handily beat by M&D’s MW07. I can wear these all day—and have. They look like the most uncomfortable pair of earphones ever invented, but quite the opposite is true. Their included “wings” help them stay in place and offer a soft, cushiony feel I didn’t get with any of the others.

Winner: Master & Dynamic MW07

Day-to-day use: All of the totally wireless earphones on my list use Bluetooth connection (duh). And they all connect fairly fast and generally re-pair successfully when taking a call. But for owners of iPhones (like this fan-boy), Apple has an ace up its sleeve—the W1 chip, included in every AirPod. This little wonder beats Bluetooth hands down every time. When I get a call, I can open the case, pop either the left or right AirPod in my ear and almost immediately be conversing with the other caller. Admittedly, there has been frustration when that connection has been delayed, but that’s rare and even when delayed, it’s still faster than Bluetooth only.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Audio quality: This one is not even close. While I can listen to the AirPods for music (they sound WAY better than the free and awful earpods), it’s not why I own them. RHA’s TrueConnect offer a really nice musical experience, especially because of their superb isolation—something Apple’s earbud design can’t offer. But M&D’s MW07 earphones stomps everyone with their “good-as-wired” sound. These are earphones you can buy for audio alone and be happy. The added wireless convenience is just a huge plus!

Winner: Master & Dynamic MW07

Cost: Here’s where it gets tricky. When I’m reviewing something, I try to consider cost vs features and it’s not always easy. For instance, the M&D MW07 earphones sound the best by far, but it comes at a price. They are quite expensive and their price can only be justified if they are your daily, go-to earphones—wireless or not. However, Apple’s AirPods are also not cheap, but their cost can be easily justified—especially if used daily. Nuheara’s are the most expensive of the bunch, but they have cutting-edge technology that no other totally wireless earphones offer. Bottom line is this: If you need a daily driver, so to speak, pay the extra money and be happy with your choice. If you have to count the pennies, there are countless less-expensive choices that are durable and sound good. If it’s my money, I would choose Apple. The main reason is the advantage of the W1 chip. Because I am on the phone a lot at my office, I have become dependent on the AirPods.

Winner: Apple AirPods

Price: $159.99
Where to buy: Apple

Overall Winner(s): Apple for convenience and daily use and Master & Dynamic MW07 for its excellent audio quality and unbeatable comfort.

Price: $299
Where to buy: Amazon

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Gadgeteer team’s favorite wireless earbuds originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 25, 2019 at 1:18 pm.

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7 Great XFCE Themes for Linux

Gnome might be the de-facto default desktop for many Linux distributions, but that doesn’t mean it’s everyone’s favorite. For many Linux users that distinction goes to XFCE. While it’s not as lightweight as it used to be, XFCE remains a favorite among users who want their desktop environment to stay out of their way. Just because you want a relatively minimal desktop doesn’t mean you want it to be ugly. Looking to spice up the look of your XFCE installation? You have plenty of options. 1. Arc It’s nearly impossible to talk about XFCE themes without talking about Arc. Not only does this theme look… Read more

Thyrm PyroVault Lighter Armor review

REVIEW – The Thyrm PyroVault Lighter Armor does what it says on the tin. The PyroVault is a rugged housing that accepts most Zippo-style inserts (either liquid fuel or butane).

What is it?

The Thyrm PryoVault is a ruggedized weather-resistant case for liquid and butane fueled Zippo®-compatible lighter inserts.

What’s in the box?

The PyroVault comes attached to a thick paper hang card which describes the features of the PyroVault. The PyroVault’s clip is slipped through two cutouts in the card and is secured with a small plastic zip tie. Cutting the tie and sliding the clip out of the card frees the PyroVault. Thank you, Thyrm, for simple, but effective packaging. The PyroVault is sold as just a shell to which you add your favorite Zippo-compatible lighter insert.

The Thyrm PyroVault is available in rescue (orange), urban gray, black, olive drab (green), and flat dark earth (dark tan). I received the rescue (orange) versions of the PyroVault to test.

Hardware specs

  • Height:   2.9″
  • Width:    2.2″
  • Thickness:  0.9″
  • Weight:  0.56 oz

Design and features

The PyroVault is constructed from rugged, heat-resistant, reinforced polymer with a rubberized gasket seal. The seal works to keep dirt and moisture out of the lighter mechanism, while simultaneously reducing the evaporation of liquid fuel from the lighter. The design includes a spring-loaded cap which is secured with an easy open latch. To help you keep track of your lighter, the Pyrovault includes both a lanyard loop in the latch housing and a MOLLE-compatible clip on the back side of the housing. While the housing does have a gasket to help seal the case, the PyroVault is not rated for prolonged submersion.

I tested the PyroVault with two different lighter inserts. A Zippo brand insert from my 30-year old brass Zippo lighter which uses standard lighter fluid and a new Z plus! 2.0 twin torch flame lighter insert from The LOTUS Group which is butane powered. I will not be reviewing the Z plus! as part of this review, it is merely being used an example of a compatible butane-fueled insert.

 

The PyroVault is about half the weight of an empty Zippo-brand case, but is slightly larger in all physical dimensions.

Elements resistance test

As the PyroVault is advertised as a weather and dirt resistant lighter case, I decided to test the PyroVault in submersion and “shake and bake” particulate tests. Although it is not rated for submersion, I decided to use a submersion test, rather than showering with the lighter (believe me, no one wants to see those test photos), as a worst-case-scenario test modeling falling out of a canoe or being caught in a rainstorm (both of which have happened to me causing my lighter to fail to work when needed). In the submersion test, a PyroVault was tied to a paving brick using the lanyard hole–for those who track such thing, the line was attached to the lighter with a bowline and secured to the brick with a two half-hitch–and suspended in a water bath at a depth of 4.75 inches to the top of the case for 30 minutes. I decided to use the lanyard hole to secure the PyroVault, so no mechanical stress other than water pressure would be placed on the gasket and case / lid joint. Ignore the bubbles in the photograph, those are from the paving brick.

Before dunking the case, I placed a small piece of absorbent material inside the case and made sure that the material was pressed up against the inside of the case. After 30 minutes, there was a small amount of moisture on the absorbent material. Although the PyroVault isn’t rated for submersion, it performed well, and the amount of moisture on the test material would not be enough to stop either of the inserts from functioning.

 

In the “shake and bake” test, I filled a plastic bag (an actual bag from a oven-fried chicken coating kit) with slightly moist sandy loam (and a few weeds) from my yard and dropped a PyroVault into the bag–I was spared having find a shovel by one of our neighborhood armadillos, who had been rooting for a meal the night before and had left a decent sized pile of loam piled up next to his dining spot.

I shook the bag for 2 minutes and then massaged the loam around the PyroVault for a further 2 minutes. At the end of this abuse, the  case was quite dirty.

 

I rinsed the PyroVault off with low-pressure running water from a garden hose.

The results of this test were that no particulates entered the interior of the case, but grinding could be heard in the hinge when opening and closing the case. This was remedied by a generous dose of Tuf-Glide dry lubricant and cycling the hinge 20 or 30 times.

Lighter fluid evaporation test

Another of the Thyrm’s claims about the PyroVault is that it reduces evaporation of lighter fluid from the insert. My informal testing showed that my lighter still had sufficient lighter fluid after 12 days to function reliably. Historically, my old-school Zippo needs to be refilled after seven or eight days. Both of these tests were done using exactly the same lighter insert.

Performance

The PyroVault has survived two weeks of daily carry in either my trousers, shirt, or jacket pocket and a weekend of outdoor carry hooked to the MOLLE webbing on the outside of my backpack. I never had a problem with getting either of the inserts to light during this time. However, after about 6 or 7 uses of the traditional fuel insert in the PyroVault, I found that the case became slow to open when I released the latch, and the lid was not swinging open as far as it first did. I do not know if this was due to the insert pressing on the sides of the case (my Zippo insert is slightly wider than the butane insert and takes some effort to insert into the PyroVault), some sort of deformation due to the lid experiencing heating and cooling cycles when extinguishing the flame, or just wear-and-tear. The case always opened, but it was just delayed. I attempted to ameliorate this by re-lubricating the hinge and applying some o-ring lubricant (from a scuba shop) to the gasket. This did help but did not eliminate the problem.

A persistent annoyance was that after a week or so of routine use with the butane insert, the lid on the case stopped opening to its fullest extent with just the hinge spring driving the movement. The use of Tuf-Glide as in the two aforementioned scenarios helped with this problem.  The next generation of the PyroVault may benefit from a stronger hinge spring.

What I like

  • Water and dirt / dust resistance
  • Ease of use
  • Light weight
  • MOLLE clip
  • Helps keep lighter fluid in the lighter

What needs to be improved

  • Not so much an improvement as something that I miss: the trademark “click” of a Zippo lighter opening and closing
  • It would be nice if the spring opened the lid a bit further. I noticed that when the butane insert is on maximum flame that the ends of the flames are precariously close the the lip of the lid if I haven’t manually pushed the lid open all the way. Perhaps a stronger spring would solve this problem.
  • The latch is slightly in the way of operating the striker wheel when using the liquid fuel insert.
  • The rubber gasket that seals the PyroVault sometimes causes the lid to stick. This seems to happen with the official Zippo lighter insert after sitting closed overnight

Final thoughts

I found that I liked using the PyroVault with a butane insert more than using a traditional insert. Several factors influenced this opinion. First the overhang of the latch which requires you to raise your thumb up and over before using the striker wheel. This interferes with my muscle memory from 30 years of using a traditional Zippo lighter. Second, the flame seems to heat up the lid a bit more than I would like when extinguishing the flame from the traditional insert. I also notice this heating with my metal Zippo lighter, but I don’t worry about it as much with the metal. Third,  I miss the classic Zippo lighter sound (this is something for which I have great nostalgia as my grandfather’s lighter of choice was a Zippo, and a Zippo has been my utility lighter of choice for 3 decades). When I know that I’m carrying a butane lighter, I don’t seem to mind the silent operation, but my brain just expects the case spring click when using a liquid fuel lighter.

I have added a PyroVault to my EDC kit and my camping gear. I will also be purchasing additional PyroVaults and inserts as gifts this holiday season for friends and family.

Price: $ 19.99
Where to buy: Thyrm online store and Amazon
Source: The samples of this product were provided by Thyrm LLC.

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Thyrm PyroVault Lighter Armor review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 25, 2019 at 10:05 am.

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iKlip 3 Deluxe tablet mount review

REVIEW – Tablets are great portable devices, but occasionally you need to use them in places that don’t always have a good place to put them. The iKlip 3 from IK Multimedia aims to provide a solution for that, at least in a couple of key usage scenarios.

What is it?

The iKlip 3 is a tablet mounting solution that provides multiple ways to mount your device. There are three versions: iKlip 3 for Universal mic stand support, the iKlip 3 Video for tripod mounting, and the iKlip 3 Deluxe that has both mounting solutions. This review covers the iKlip 3 Deluxe.

What’s in the box?

  • iKlip 3 holding bracket
  • Universal mic stand mount – Fits any mic stand or pole with a diameter of up to 1.2″ (30mm)
  • Universal tripod mount (1/4″-20 UNC)
  • UNC 1/4″-20 male to 5/8″-27 female thread adapter
  • 5/8″-27 male to 3/8″-16 female thread adapter
  • Quick start guide



Hardware specs

  • Holds any iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro and tablet model with screens ranging in size from 7″ to 12.9″ with case on
  • Holding Bracket Width: 160mm (min) – 230mm (max) / 6.29″ (min) – 9″ (max)
  • Total Weight: 340gr / 12oz
  • Material: Thermoplastic

Design and features

I volunteered for the iKlip 3 review because I had a specific need that I hoped the iKlip 3 could solve. I wanted to mount my Surface 3 tablet to my tripod so I could use it as a monitor for my camera while taking photos.

The mic stand clamp mount turned out to be a little too small for my larger-than-normal tripod leg, so I mounted it on one of my smaller tripods for testing. The tripod mount included does feature a standard 1/4-20 threaded mount so I’ll be able to use that once I get a little larger clamp for it.



The iKlip 3 certainly feels very rugged. The thermoplastic has a slightly flat finish that helps keep glare and fingerprints to a minimum. The holding bracket attaches to the mounts with a ball & socket connection. The ball portion has a rubberized surface where it contacts the socket. This provides for smooth movement while adjusting your viewing angle without having to loosen the clamp, but also makes it a little more difficult to position precisely.

The holding bracket has recessed areas for your fingers to aid in placing a tablet in the bracket. The bracket also has rubber grips to hold the tablet without marring its finish.

At first, I found it a little difficult to put the device in the holding bracket, but once you figure out exactly how to hold your particular device and how to pull open the bracket, it was pretty easy. It is quite a bit easier to put the device into the clamp when the clamp is actually attached to something.


I did find that I pinched my fingers when placing my phone in the bracket. This was mainly because I was holding it on the side and not from the ends as it’s designed to be operated.

The ball & socket mounting area is perhaps the trickiest part to figure out. At first, I unscrewed it too far and half the socket fell out. I would prefer to see this part be captive so that there was no chance of dropping this part. However, once you figure out that you don’t have to unscrew it that far and you can just pop the ball in with a little pressure it’s not too bad to use. Once the ball & socket is tightened down, you can still position it with mild pressure.


Each of the mounting solutions features a spring mechanism that allows you to rotate the bracket in 12 steps by simply pulling outward and rotating it. I found this to be a little unnecessary because you can always just rotate the ball & socket joint with a little pressure since it never fully locks down.

The include thread adapters are a nice touch, allowing you to adapt from a standard 3/8″-16 tripod thread or 5/8″-27 male mic stand thread to the 1/4″-20 thread used for the tripod mount.



The iKlip 3 comes with free apps from IK Multimedia that can be used for various things, mostly in the area of music recording.

There’s also a slot in the back that can be used to secure interfaces, cables or other accessories.

What I like

  • Strong device clamping mechanism
  • Multiple mounts

What needs to be improved

  • Ball design doesn’t lock down all the way, but is still pretty solid for stationary use
  • Ball socket too easy to come apart
  • Clamping mechanism has pinch points

Final thoughts

Although I list some things that could be improved, they are minor things that either won’t bother most people or don’t impact the normal operation of the iKlip once you figure them out. They are more like “things that could be better” and definitely not deal breakers. Overall the iKlip 3 is a sturdy and versatile clamp that will hold almost all tablets. The mounting options allow you to use it in a multitude of configurations.

Price: $49.99 – $69.99 ($69.99 as tested)
Where to buy: IK Multimedia and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by IK Multimedia.

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iKlip 3 Deluxe tablet mount review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 25, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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