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RHA MA750 Wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphone review

REVIEW – Four years ago, I reviewed the RHA (Reid Heath Ltd.) MA750 in-ear headphone (earphone). I ended the review with this, “With all the innovations and improvements resulting in the MA750, where do they go from here? Stay tuned.” We now have the answer to that question. The MA750 is now available in a wireless version, which begs the question: Is the MA750 Wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphone as good as the wired MA750?

What is it?

The RHA MA750 Wireless is just that, the popular MA750 earphone sans wires. Well, maybe that’s somewhat of a misnomer. The MA750 earphones are not truly wireless—each earpiece is connected by a wire that rests on the back of the neck. However, its all Bluetooth, so there’s no wire connected to the music source. 

Specs

  • Drivers: Model 560.1
  • Frequency Range: 16 – 22,000Hz
  • Battery: 12 hours
  • Codecs: AAC, aptX, SBC
  • Pairing: NFC / Bluetooth
  • Sweatproof: IPX4
  • Remote & Mic: Universal, 3-button
  • Weight: 41g
  • Manufacturer’s Warranty: 3 Years

Design and features

If you are familiar with the wired MA750 earphone, the new wireless version will not be a surprise. Both are identical in design and weight—except for the connecting neckband on the wireless.

The MA750 Wireless earphone has what RHA calls an Aerophonic design. It’s horn shape helps the audio sound more authentic with excellent sound isolation, says RHA. I agree with the sound isolation, but I attribute that more to the size and shape of the ear tips. Plus, I’ve heard many excellent earphones that were not shaped like the MA750.

The shell is constructed from stainless steel, making them almost indestructible. It also gives them a top quality feel. The cord wraps around the back of the ear which keeps them out of the way. Unfortunately, they are not removable from the ear piece. Attached to the right cord is a steel-plated in-line controller with two buttons that adjust volume along with a universal button that controls on/off, Bluetooth pairing, play/pause and answering calls.

Pairing for me became a bit tricky because the earphones had to be turned off and then the on/off button had to be pressed for over 5 seconds it initiates pairing. It was difficult to tell if the earphones were on or off, despite the lights. But once paired, it was all good. 

The Bluetooth signal strength was strong throughout all my listening sessions. I’ve used the MA750 Wireless earphones sitting and listening to music, as well as doing sweaty activities, like mowing my yard—in humid Central Florida—a 2.5 hour job on my property. Speaking of sweat, the MA750s are moisture rated at IPX4 which makes them okay for that mowing I have to do every weekend. The connecting cord around my neck never became uncomfortable and never got too warm when exposed to the sun.

It’s interesting that when I first tried the MA750s outside, they would not hold a signal for more than 10 seconds before breaking up. It was incredibly frustrating until I disconnected other Bluetooth devices from my iPhone. After that, the signal never hiccuped again. My guess is that the MA750s are sensitive to other signals from previously paired devices. To be fair, I do a lot of audio reviews and my iPhone’s Bluetooth listing can get fairly long.

The speaker’s driver is a dynamic design, meaning that visually, it looks like a tiny speaker. This is a bit surprising, because it has a sound signature much like an armature speaker. What do I mean by this? The audio is a bit treble happy. While the middle frequencies and bass are there and accurate, the higher frequencies can be a bit bright depending on what music is being played. The MA750 Wireless earphones are more accurate than forgiving. So, if you play lower resolution song files, you’ll know it and listening for longer periods of time can become fatiguing. However, if you mostly listen to higher resolution files or classical and quieter ambient music, the MA750s will delight you.

As usual, RHA provides many sizes and types of ear tips—silicone, flanged and foam. There should be no problem finding one that fits. Also included is a mesh carrying pouch and a USB-C to USB charging cord. Battery life is rated at an impressive 12 hours. There’s an LED battery indicator with a power saving auto-off function after twenty minutes of inactivity.

What I like

The MA750 Wireless earphones are built like a tank. They’re great for everyday use whether indoors or out.

What needs to be improved

If the higher frequencies could be tamed a bit, the audio would be close to perfect.

Final Thoughts

The MA750 Wireless earphones bright-leaning sound signature may not be your preference, but if you’re a fan of accuracy, wireless and durability, the MA750s may be what you’re looking for.

Price: $169.95 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The samples for this product were provided by RHA. Visit www.rha-audio.com/us for more information.

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RHA MA750 Wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphone review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 7, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Casetify’s beautiful mesh band for Apple Watch costs a fraction of Apple’s price

NEWS – I love my Apple Watch, and I love it even more after I replaced the Sport band with the Milanese band.  I got the Milanese when I got the Series 1 Watch.  Although I had the aluminum Watch, I thought the stainless Milanese worked well with it.  When I upgraded to the Series 3 Watch, I just transferred my stainless Milanese band over to the new black Watch.  I’d like to have a black Milanese, but I just don’t want to spend another $149.00 when the stainless one I have works fine.  Casetify has some beautiful stainless steel mesh bands for the Apple Watch that are priced low enough that I just might take the plunge and get a black band.

The Casetify bands are styled like Apple’s own band.  It’s infinitely adjustable to fit your wrist.  It has a magnetic bar that holds the band closed, just like Apple’s.  The Mesh Band is crafted with woven stainless steel, and it is available to fit both the 38mm and 42mm Series 1, 2, or 3 Watches.  The 38mm band fits 5.5″-7.9″ wrists; the 42mm fits 5.9″-8.3″ wrists.  The Casetify bands are available in rose gold (Series 1,2), yellow gold, gold aluminum (Series 3), space grey, purple, iridescent, silver aluminum, and black.

The normal price for these bands is $82, but they are on sale now for $66.00.  The Stainless Steel Mesh Apple Watch Band is available at Casetify.

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Casetify’s beautiful mesh band for Apple Watch costs a fraction of Apple’s price originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 7, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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The latest Roomba i7+ robot vacuum has a new game changing feature

I’ve been using Neato Botvac robot vacuums in my home for several years now and can’t imagine going back to manually sweeping the floors in my home. Having a robot to do my bidding on a set schedule is awesome. It means I don’t have to drag out the vacuum several times a week and it means I can come home to a clean home (at least the floors) every day. The only “bad” thing about robot vacuums is that a human (me) has to empty the dirt bins every few days into the trash can. This isn’t a hard thing to do, but it’s kind of gross when the dirt and dust fall into the trash can and a cloud of dirt billows upward towards my face. I always try to hold my breath so I won’t breathe it.

I’m happy to report that the days of manually cleaning your robot vac’s dirt bin are almost over. The geniuses over at iRobot have created the new Roomba i7+ robot vacuum that can empty its own dirt bin. No, I’m not kidding! The i7+ works with a new charging base that has a built-in receptacle that can hold up to 30 days worth of collected debris. Now when the Roomba i7+ finishes a cleaning session, it will go back to the Clean Base where the crud in the dirt bin is sucked into a bag in the Clean Base. When the bag is full, an app on your phone will notify you so you can replace it.

The only downside to this robo awesomeness is that you’ll have to buy specialized dirt disposal bags for the Clean Base. The price for the bags is $15 for a pack of 3. Ugh. But that’s 3 months worth of bags and 3 months of not holding your breath while emptying dirt in a trash can, so the price doesn’t seem too bad. Yes, I know, expensive solutions for first world problems. If you’re excited about the new Roomba i7+, start saving your pennies because it’s going to set you back almost a grand at $949.99. The Roomba i7+ will be available on 9/12 and you can head over to irobot.com to pre-order now.

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The latest Roomba i7+ robot vacuum has a new game changing feature originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2018 at 1:56 pm.

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Remo+ offers the first wireless, over-the-door security camera

NEWS – Outdoor security cameras comes in a variety of formats – doorbell cams, wall-mounted cameras, even peephole cameras, but Remo+ has the first wireless, over-the-door camera that requires no complicated installation.  You simply hang it over the top of the door, just like you’d hang one of those wreath holders at Christmas time.  You can monitor any doorway, inside or outside.

The DoorCam is a smart HD camera with a built-in motion sensor, 2-way talk, and night vision.  It’s battery operated; the 3 D-cell batteries may last 12 months before replacing.  It installs in seconds by simply hanging it over the top of the door.  The antenna and Wi-Fi chipset are placed inside the home to limit Wi-Fi connection interference from thick building materials.

Specifications

  • Stream high quality HD (1280 x 720) or VGA (640 x 480) videos with 160° wide-angle view
  • Speak to and listen to visitors with full duplex audio using the free Remo+ app
  • Cloud recording allows you to access all videos within last 30 days from your phone, including missed activities ($3/mo; $30/yr)
  • PIR sensor – Customize motion sensor sensitivity to detect relevant activities in real time
  • See what’s happening at your door whenever you want with On Demand Live Streaming
  • Link DoorCam with your Alexa or Google Home device for even smarter features
  • DoorCam is weatherproofed to withstand most weather at temperatures 0-122°F
  • iOS app supports iPad or iPhone 4S or above running iOS 7.1 or above
  • Supports Android phone or tablet 4.1 or above

The DoorCam is $199.00 from Remo+.  You may also be able to find it at local retailers.

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Remo+ offers the first wireless, over-the-door security camera originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2018 at 12:50 pm.

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Gourmia GAF365 Digital Air Fryer review


REVIEW – For quite some time now, my family has been into healthy eating with healthy ingredients and healthy ways to prepare food. When we heard about the Air Fryer and its concept, we rushed out and bought a pretty large one. Unfortunately, it got accidentally damaged, so I was really happy when I received the offer to test one.

What is it?

The Gourmia GAF365 Digital Air Fryer is a 2.2-quart oil-free air fryer. Just in case anyone is not familiar with the air fryer concept, here is a description from Wikipedia: “An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks by circulating hot air around the food using the convection mechanism. A mechanical fan circulates the hot air around the food at high speed, cooking the food and producing a crispy layer via the Maillard effect.”

“The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.”

What’s in the box


1 x Gourmia GAF365 Digital Air Fryer
1 x Instruction/Cookbook

Design and features

The Gourmia GAF365 Digital Air Fryer is a round cylindrical form that measures 9.5″ x 7.5″ x 12.5″ and weighs approximately 5.4 pounds. It has a slanted top with the controls, a front blue LED display and a bottom half removable 2.2-quart basket pan. The basket pan includes a removable drip tray. Both the basket pan and the drip tray are made of a relatively lightweight metal and coated with a non-stick surface. The handle and a part of the exterior form sort of a semi-circle around the pan that matches the rest of the exterior of the fryer. It is the same plastic and color as the rest of the fryer so that it all matches when the basket pan is in the fryer. The removable drip tray is also metal and because it is removable, it makes it easier to clean the basket. In my experience, when cooking foods like chicken, there always is some residue from the food left stuck to the tray despite the non-stick surface. This is also the same when making french fries. When I am done using it, I pour water into the basket high enough to cover the drip tray and I leave it for a few hours. It then cleans quite easily with just a sponge.


On the slanted top, there are controls for raising or lowering the temperature and the cooking time. In the middle in between the controls, there is the power button. On the back of the fryer, there is an air vent.


On the top front of the fryer, there is a blue LED display that shows frying time and temperature. The fryer can be set to a maximum of 400 degrees, and 30 minutes for any single cooking cycle. If more time is needed,  a new cycle can be started.

Here is a quick video of the fryer in action:

The pictures below show seasoned, raw chicken being placed into the fryer and the nicely browned result after being fried.


Once you get the timing right, the foods come out of the fryer properly cooked and in the case of the chicken, soft, and tender and with an abundance of flavor. We also use it for fries, sausages, and many other types of meat as well as vegetables.

What I like

  • The look and design of the fryer
  • The controls and the easy to read digital display
  • The compact design
  • Its ability to properly fry food

What can be improved

  • Currently, cooking cycles are limited to 30 minutes

Final thoughts

The Gourmia GAF365 Digital Air Fryer is just simply a nice, compact, sleek and good performing air fryer. The first one I owned was not digital, so I really appreciate the digital functions on this one. It is not the biggest fryer and it does not have a large capacity, but for my family, it is just right. While it will probably take months before I can more reliably ascertain its ability to withstand almost daily use, I am giving it a thumbs up for now, and I will provide an update should anything change.

Price: $49.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Gourmia.

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Gourmia GAF365 Digital Air Fryer review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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