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My fab five cases for the new iPhone Xs Max

Like many of you including our very own Julie Strietelmeier I set my alarm for 3am EST to preorder the new iPhone Xs Max. Of course, I’ll be needing a new case to protect my hefty investment, so I searched around to see what was available. Not surprisingly there are already a ton of options. Here are five that peaked my interest, in no particular order.

iPhone XS Max Leather Case – (PRODUCT)RED

I know, I know it’s another Apple product but, they do make a nice leather case. I really like the red leather and the fact that it has the Apple logo embossed on the back. And money from every purchase goes to a good cause. If you’re not a fan of red the case is also available in seven other colors including Midnight Blue, Forrest Green, and Saddle Brown. You can purchase the case from Apple’s website for $49.

Nomad Rugged Tri-Folio

I got the chance to review a couple of Nomad’s cases for the iPhone X, and I loved them. So it’s no surprise that they would make my list. The Rugged Tri-Folio is different from other wallet cases. It has more flaps and even more storage. Designed to completely replace a traditional wallet it has four card slots and two pockets for cash or anything else cluttering your pockets. And of course, it’s made of Horween leather with a high-grade polycarbonate body, bonded to a raised TPE bumper on the edge. Giving your new iPhone protection from all angles. You can pre-order it on Nomad’s website for $79.95 with shipping on September 18th.

Waterfield Fused Suede Case

This new case from Waterfield is quite unique. It’s more of a pouch then a case that your iPhone slides into. Made of soft Ultrasuede the case protects your phone from scratches and minor dings. There’s also a mesh pocket on the back that can hold a few credit cards or a pair of AirPods. And there’s a cutout on the bottom of the case that allows you to charge your iPhone or hold a conversation with the device still safely protected. The Fused Suede Case comes in two sizes for the iPhone Xs Max, one for using the phone without a case and one for using the phone with an existing case. It’s available in four different colors, Ash, Camel, Navy, and Red. You can pre-order the Fused Suede Case on Waterfield’s website for $29. Expected to ship by September 28th.

Pad & Quill Traveler Protective Case

Another leather case that I like is the Traveler Protective case from Pad & Quill. Pad & Quill is well known for making high-quality leather accessories, and this case is no exception. Handmade from rugged American full-grain leather the case actually molds to your grip and your iPhone like magic. The Traveler has a nice slim profile that only adds 2mm of thickness. And it has cut-outs for all the phones ports and is fully wireless charging compatible. The case can be pre-ordered from Pad & Quill’s website for $59.95. You’ll have a little bit of a wait, the case doesn’t ship until late October.

totallee Thin iPhone XS Max Case

The iPhone Xs Max has a great design and the best way to show that off is to use a minimalist case. The totallee Thin case is only .02-inches thick and weighs only 0.1oz. Now that’s about as minimalist as it gets. The case maintains the original look of the iPhone XS Max. No branding, no bulk, no nonsense. It comes in 3 finish options. Matte which allows you to show off that Apple logo. Glossy, for that nice shiny look, and leather for a more sophisticated look. The Thin iPhone Xs Max case is available on totallee’s website for $25-$29. Pre-orders are expected to ship on September 30th.

So there you have it my top five cases for the new iPhone Xs Max so far. As I mentioned, there are already a dizzying number of choices available. Hopefully, this list helps make buying that new case just a little bit easier.

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My fab five cases for the new iPhone Xs Max originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 17, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Julie’s gadget diary – Yes, I’m going to order the new iPhone XS Max

ARTICLE – Like many of you, I watched yesterday’s live stream of Apple’s Gather Round event and I really have to hand it to Apple. They are masters at reeling me in with their dirty nerd talk of bionic processors, neural engines, advanced algorithms, and sensors. Those terms give me goosebumps. Or maybe Apple is hiding subliminal messages in the new commercials that they demoed during the event. Whatever it is, it works and hooks me every time.

I came away yesterday afternoon excited about the prospect of giving an iPhone another shot at becoming my daily smartphone. Yes, I know you’ve heard this before and if you’ve followed me over the years, you know I say something similar every year only to either change my mind and cancel the order or return the phone within a couple of weeks.

This one time Apple fangirl, turned Android fangirl that you know as The Gadgeteer, just can’t help herself when it comes to trying to switch from one platform to another. I used iPhones for several years from the first one through the iPhone 4 but then I switched to Android and have been using Android smartphones ever since.

Why do I prefer Android? I often ask myself that question. I used to say it was because I like that Android lets me arrange icons and add widgets to the home screen where ever I want. But in reality, I rarely do that these days. Other than changing my wallpaper every so often, I don’t customize the look of my phone like I used to. I also used to say that I prefer Android because I use a lot of Google services and they just work better on Android. I’m not sure that even matters today. It’s simple to set up the iPhone to sync mail and calendars with Gmail and Google Calendar.

For me, it comes down to the hardware and really the camera. That’s why my current phone is the Pixel 2 XL. It has or had the best camera at the time I bought it last October. But all the talk and demos yesterday for the iPhone’s updated camera have me curious and excited for a potential upgrade/switch because my smartphone is my ONLY camera these days. All the product images that you see in my reviews are either taken with my Pixel 2 XL or the Huawei P20.

So I’ll be setting my alarm for 3am EST so I can wake up and pre-order a Space Gray 256GB iPhone XS Max for $1249 tomorrow morning. It’s crazy to spend the same amount of money that I could spend to buy a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, but then I’m a little crazy when it comes to gadgets. Will I actually Android and stick with the iPhone this time? I have no idea. But I’ll have fun giving it a try. At least until I get sucked back to Android when the new Pixel 3 is announced! Anyone else thinking of switching from an Android phone to one of the new iPhones?

Head over to Apple to check out the details on the new iPhones.

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Julie’s gadget diary – Yes, I’m going to order the new iPhone XS Max originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2018 at 1:56 pm.

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Bowers & Wilkins introduces an improved line of affordable speakers

ARTICLE – In June, I was invited to Boston for a press introduction of the new Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series of speakers. The June weather was unusually cool with nights in the mid-60s—a welcome change from the humid 90s of my home in Central Florida. 

Sight of the famous Boston Massacre

For those who aren’t familiar with B&W, they are a British audio company who specialize in high-end speakers, headphones and AirPlay/Bluetooth speakers. While B&W’s line of headphones has grabbed the most attention, it’s the speakers—the 800, 700 and 600 Series—that really define who B&W are. When a new or upgraded line is introduced, people notice. The newest 600 Series is considered B&W’s more affordable speaker line, but they are definitely not budget speakers.

Upon arriving at the B&W office, our small group of audio tech writers and reporters were treated to a catered lunch before the presentation and listening sessions. Chief Revenue Officer Richard Campbell and Senior Product Manager Andy Kerr introduced the new 600 line by reciting the history of the numbered speaker series. They talked about a commitment to continued innovation evidenced by hiring 40% more engineers and opening a new research facility. Further innovations include upgraded cabinet materials, improved hardware and software and a new European partnership with Philips branded televisions.

Kerr spoke about the new 600 Series benefitting from trickle-down components—utilizing components borrowed from the more expensive 700 and 800 Series—such as a continuum cone midrange driver and decoupled double dome tweeter. “The 600 Series aims to be the best sounding loudspeaker range in its class.” said Kerr. All 600 Series speaker cabinets come in either matte black or satin white.

The tweeter is covered by a steel mesh with an open pattern that allows unrestricted audio while also protecting the tweeter’s delicate diaphragm. The continuum cone speaker replaces the older kevlar design. Kerr explained that the newer speaker is quicker to recover from audio vibrations resulting in more accurate reproduction.The new 600 Series speakers continue B&W’s newer and simpler naming system. The 603 floor standing speaker is the largest of the series. It has the decoupled double dome tweeter, an FST midrange driver using the continuum cone, plus dual paper-cone bass drivers.

The smaller 606 is designed for either stand or bookshelf use. It delivers clarity and tonal purity with a bass extension by combining the decoupled double dome tweeter and the 6.5 in. continuum cone.

The compact bookshelf 607 speaker is the smallest in the 600 Series. It features a rear-firing bass response from its main 5-inch continuum cone mid/bass driver. I was particularly interested in this speaker because it’s the most affordable in the line and I wanted to review a speaker that a “normal” person (non-audiophile) might purchase. It strikes me as a great way to introduce a potential customer to a higher—yet affordable—level of audio. Look for a review soon.

After the presentation, we were escorted into a listening room featuring the previous versions of 600 Series speakers. After speaking a bit, Kerr played an eclectic selection of music. He would carefully explain what to listen for from each piece and note the differences and improvements between the older and newer 600 speakers. Once the music was played, engineers would quickly replace the previous speakers with the newer versions. This was done with each 600 Series model. The music was sourced from a MacBook using an external digital audio converter (DAC).

After hearing both the older and new 600 Series speakers, I could notice a difference. The newer speakers had just a bit of extra clarity. However, to my ears, the difference was subtle at best. If I had heard one speaker on one day and the other on the next day, I doubt I would have been able to tell the difference. That does not say that the new 600 Series isn’t that much better. But it does say that the older 600 Series speakers were that good to begin with and hard to improve upon. Even though the differences were not striking—they were noticeable on some recordings more so than others. Vocals were a bit more intimate or lifelike sounding. Melanie De Blasio’s slow and sultry voice on “With All My Love” became uncomfortably emotional sounding because, with my eyes closed, it sounded like she was in the room playing just for you. John Lee Hooker’s blues/boogie “Send me Your Pillow” had his guitar playing pushed to a volume level matching his vocals. The part in the song where Hooker unexpectedly mutes the strings making his guitar behave more like a percussive instrument raised the hair on my arms. I liked what I was hearing!

After the music presentation ended, we entered a home theater room with movie clips set up to show off the newer 600 Series speakers along with a new HTM6 center channel speaker paired with two B&W subwoofers added for extra bass whoomp. Even watching various movie scenes with all the sound effects going on, the added center channel brought out the vocals quite well. While it was an impressive experience, any improvement in audio quality from the newer 600 Series speakers was lost in the movies’ audio. It was an aural onslaught that drowned out any subtlety that one can appreciate from listening to music in a quiet room. But it still sounded great.

Of course, the term affordable is a subjective one. The new 600 Series speaker have a bit of a price bump from the previous version, but are still the least expensive speakers in B&Ws current lineup. The 607 speakers will sell for $600/pair; the slightly larger 606 will be $800/pair and the floorstanding 603’s will go for a much higher $1,800/pair.  The center channel HTM6 is selling for $599. All prices are US.

Lastly (and just for fun), we were treated to three factory Bowers & Wilkins auto sound systems in a Volvo, McLaren supercar, and BMW.

All were quite impressive, but I think the Volvo was the most successful at visually integrating the speakers into the interior design. They all sounded terrific, but I fear the engine growl from the McLaren would compete with music playing over the B&W—or any other—speakers. The cars were stationary, so we couldn’t test for road noise.

As the day wound down, I got a ride back to the airport. I had prior commitments, so I, unfortunately, missed a seafood dinner that night. 

I’ve reviewed and been impressed with many Bowers and Wilkin’s products, such as the P3, P5, and P7 headphones as well as the Zeppelin Wireless and T7 Bluetooth speakers. I still use and love the P5 Wireless headphone—it’s just a wonderful all-around headphone that delivers great sound and is uber convenient and comfortable. Now that I’ve been introduced to their 600 Series speakers, I’m looking forward to testing them with my home stereo system to hear any improvement I hope they provide. Look for my review soon.

Visit Bowers & Wilkins for more information.

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Bowers & Wilkins introduces an improved line of affordable speakers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 20, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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5 Windows PC problems that you can fix yourself

ARTICLE – Although some PC problems require a technician to repair them, there are many issues that you can fix at home all by yourself.

Regardless of whether you’re dealing with an older computer or a cutting-edge gaming PC, many solutions to common problems are similar. Consider the following five.

1. Computer Is Slow

Is your computer taking too long to boot up? Or perhaps you find yourself waiting too long for a program to open? When resolving a slow computer problem, it’s important to identify precisely what is slow.

If a specific website is slow to load, your computer may not be the culprit. Some sites are slow to load due to their own server issues or page configuration. If a specific site is slow though most others work fine, it’s likely the website’s issue.

However, if your computer takes too long to boot up, the issue lies in your system. The first thing to check is if you have enough space on your hard drive. On the bottom left corner, in the Windows search box, search for ‘This PC’ and click on it. Here, you will see how much space you have left. If the disk space bar is almost full and red instead of blue, you should clear space. More space will help your PC run faster.

Free up space by removing unnecessary files or programs you don’t use. You can also use a cloud-based platform like Google Drive to store data digitally instead of on your hard drive. An external hard drive can also help you store files, giving your internal hard drive (where your operating system resides) more room to breathe.

Another potential culprit of slow boot time is that too many programs are running when you start up your computer.

You can change this function by searching for ‘msconfig’ and opening System Configuration and then ‘Startup.’ From here, ensure that only programs you need are starting upon boot. Programs that load slowly may have issues because of other programs hogging resources in the background.

2. Pop-Ups Are on My Desktop

If pop-ups and advertisements are appearing on your PC even when you’re not surfing the web, it’s likely that you installed adware, probably by accident.

Although getting rid of spyware isn’t easy, you can do so by using the trusted Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free. Malwarebytes will likely eliminate the spyware after a scan and restart.

If that step fails, you can either Google a removal process for the specific adware or reinstall Windows completely, both solutions are entirely possible at home.

3. A Program Looks or Acts Strange

Whether a particular program is going haywire or you accidentally changed its settings, sometimes a program can look weird, ranging from issues like a blurry text or a dead pixel that appears as a spot to the program randomly closing.

The first step to take is right-clicking on the program in which you’re encountering issues and clicking on ‘Properties.’ From here, click on ‘Compatibility’ and then ‘Run compatibility troubleshooter.’

The troubleshooter should promptly fix any issues. You can also use the ‘Compatibility’ settings to change the screen resolution and color settings for the program, which can help resolve visual issues.

4. The PC Is Overheating

Computers will generate some heat, though it should never be to the point of getting extremely hot to the touch. If you feel that your computer is overheating, usually accompanied by a fan sounding like it’s working on overload, there are several solutions you can try.

Dust accumulation is one of the most common culprits of overheating. While your PC is off and unplugged, use a compressed air duster can to get dust out. Also, ensure that your PC has adequate ventilation and that there are no blocked vents.

It’s also possible that your fans are dysfunctional or a temperature rise is resulting in a chemical reaction to the battery. These cases require technical support, though in most cases of overheating, you can remedy the issue by using an air compressor can and ensuring proper ventilation for your PC.

5. Random Shutdowns and Restarts

It’s very frustrating to have your work interrupted by a computer that shuts down or restarts without prompting. In many cases, the restarts are a consequence of automatic Windows updates.

Search for ‘Windows Update settings‘ to change settings so that updates are less frequent or, at the very least, give you some time in advance to prepare. It’s a bad idea to turn off updates entirely, though you can set the updates to be less insistent.

These five issues are common among PC users, though fortunately, they can often be resolved with some time and focus at home rather than you spending money for a technician and waiting several days.

Image by Laurent Peignault

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5 Windows PC problems that you can fix yourself originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Julie’s gadget diary – The Samsung Note9 is one step closer to my dream device

ARTICLE – Three days ago Samsung officially rolled out their newest device, the Galaxy Note9 at their Unpacked event in New York City. The Note line of devices has always been the most powerful, feature-rich smartphones of Samsung’s mobile line up and this year’s new Note does not deviate from that tradition.

The Note9 boasts Samsung’s largest capacity battery for a flagship device. At 4,000mAh, the Note9 will have enough juice to power through your day with time to spare.

The 6.4-inch AMOLED display means you won’t be squinting while reading your favorite content and you’ll have lots of room to store files and images because the Note9 is ready for up to 1TB of additional storage when you add a 1TB microSD card. I don’t even have 1TB of space on my laptop! Which brings me closer to my decade’s long dream of having one-device-to-rule-them-all. It’s actually a dream that I’ve had from way back in the Palm Pilot days when I daydreamed about having a handheld device that could plug into a slot in my desk at my day job to do work with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. And then it could plug in at home into a smaller setup for work (and play) there.

The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is the closest device yet to make that dream a reality. Even the new low power Bluetooth S Pen makes this new device more attractive to me than an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil just because it’s so much more portable and pocket-friendly.

I keep hoping that the day is coming very soon when I can ditch my MacBook and go all in with either an iPhone or an Android phone and make it my only phone/camera/computer and that time is so close for me right now because of Samsung’s DeX feature. I reviewed their Dex Station last year and found it to be pretty cool, but this year the stand-alone DeX station is not even necessary because all you have to do is use a Type-C HDMI adapter with the phone to plug it into a monitor and you’re all set to use a desktop-like interface from your phone. It remains to be seen if some of the issues that I noticed with last year’s DeX have been fixed with the Note9’s version of DeX, but I’m excited to get my hands on the new Samsung Galaxy Note9 to find out.

The Note9 will come in two new colors: Ocean Blue and Lavender Purple, and will retail for $999.99 for the 128GB option and $1,249.99 for the 512GB option. You can pre-order now and the phone will be available online starting August 24th through Samsung, Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.

What do you think? Can you see yourself only using a phone as your main computer? Or maybe you already do this? Let me know as I’m interested in hearing about your workflow.

Pictures courtesy of Helena Stone of Geekspin.

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Julie’s gadget diary – The Samsung Note9 is one step closer to my dream device originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 12, 2018 at 4:26 pm.

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