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Optoma NuForce BE Free6 truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds review

REVIEW – Today I take a look at the NuForce BE Free6 truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds from Optoma.

What is it?

The NuForce BE Free6 is a pair of tiny, Bluetooth wireless earbuds and charging case.

What’s in the box?

  • Left and Right earbuds
  • Charging case
  • USB–C Charging cable, about 12-inch length
  • Instruction manual

Hardware specs:

  • Battery Life: Up to 6 hours on a single charge; up to 24 hours with charging case
  • Bluetooth Profile: Version 5.0, HSP V1.2, HFP V1.7, A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, SBC, AAC
  • Codecs: SBC, AAC
  • Audio Drivers: Dynamic, 5.6mm, Graphene diaphragm
  • Frequency Response: 20 Hz-20 kHz
  • Impedance: 16 Ohms
  • Microphone Sensitivity: -38 dB +/- 3 dB
  • Earphone Sensitivity: 95dB ± 3dB at 1KHz
  • Range: Up to 33ft (10m)
  • Weight: Earphones 0.44oz, Charging case 2oz

Design and features:

The headphones arrive well protected in an attractive white box.

The oval case has a slightly grainy feel which aids in keeping a good grip.

The left and right earbuds are small!

The case is about 3 X 1-1/2 inches and smooth with no protrusions. I found them easy to carry in my pocket.

The lid opens smoothly and is held closed using a small magnet.

The earbuds are securely held in place using magnets. No amount of shaking I could muster could dislodge the earbuds from their nests.

The case is equipped with a USB-C power connection. It took about an hour to fully charge straight from the box.

Setup:

Pairing is as easy as holding the button on the right headphone for a few seconds, then selecting “BE Free6 R.” To use both headphones independently, the left earbud needs to be paired as well and appears as “BE Free6 L.” The earbuds automatically connect after pairing with a pleasant female British voice. If the left headphone is connected, then the right is connected, both need to be placed into the case and removed again to pair in stereo mode.

Performance:

The headphones fit snugly in each ear, with the bulk of the earbuds facing upward. I use the term “bulk” loosely as these are really tiny and quite comfortable and fit completely in the area surrounding the car canal. The rubbery tips fit into the ear canal and, if fitted properly, do an excellent job sealing the wearer from outside sounds.

I made a call to my mom and she told me fidelity on her end was excellent, among the best of any headset on which I’ve used her as a guinea-pig. I consider that a pretty big compliment!

Over the course of the next week, I used the Be Free6 earbuds to watch movies, make calls and listen to lots and lot and lots of music, from bluegrass to Beethoven, Rap to religious, and I can say these are among the best-sounding wireless headphones I have used to date. Treble is snappy without being overtly sharp and the bass is booming, luscious and rich without being muddy, distorted, or over-modulating. The specs indicate 20-20,000 Hz as the frequency response and I believe it! I listened to many old favorites with new ears, hearing both sparking and ear-vibrating tones that would be lost on inferior playback equipment. Great job, Optoma!

The only issue I encountered was the buttons. Each earbud has a large button on its outward face. Removing the earbuds from the charging case and inserting them into each ear almost always resulted in pressing the button and stopping playback, advancing a track, disconnecting a call or even entering pairing mode if the button is held too long.  Once they are in place, this is not an issue, unless your intention is to sleep or have your head against something as you listen.

What I like:

  • Excellent audio
  • Reasonably priced
  • Comfortable
  • Good battery life

What I would change:

  • The button is easy to accidentally operate, particularly when inserting the earbuds.

Final thoughts:

With lovely, lovely audio, good battery life, and comfortable fit Optoma’s NuForce BE Free6 earbuds are an excellent all-around choice in the flood of headphone competing for your ear-holes.

Price: $99.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Optoma.

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Optoma NuForce BE Free6 truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 21, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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CatTongue Grips non-slip phone grip review

REVIEW – Let’s face it, phones are as slippery as they are expensive. But what do we do? We buy these fancy phones that make our wallets cry, only to cover them up with a bulky and ugly case to protect them. There has to be a better way right? That’s where CatTongue Grips come in. Let’s check them out and you can be sure that no actual cat tongues were harmed in the making of this review.

What is it?

CatTongue Grips are specially designed peel & stick sheets of material that add “gription” to the back of your phone.

Design and features

CatTongue Grips are available in a variety of colors and patterns and in two sizes, Kitty cat and Tom cat. As you probably can guess, the Kitty cat size is 2.25 x 4.00 inches for smaller phones, while the Tom cat size is 2.50 x 5.00 inches for larger phones.

I was sent 2 of the Kitty cat size grips in gray and a cool blue/green gradient.

For this review, I used my Huawei P30 Pro which is insanely slippery. So slippery in fact, that Huawei includes a clear case with the phone. I used this freebie case for a long time and then one day I decided to be daring and took it off because I don’t particularly like cases. Long story short, The caseless phone slipped out of my fingers and fell onto the concrete floor in my garage from about waist high (I’m 5’6″). Luckily the screen didn’t break, but the fall did scuff up two of the corners. Needless to say, the case went back on. 🙁

But then I was offered the CatTongue Grip and the case came back off again because I like to live dangerously (sorta).

Each CatTongue is a flexible soft almost quilted sheet of plastic.

Although you think it would be sticky like a cat’s tongue, it really isn’t. Instead, it reminds me of one of those bottle gripper thingies that helps you grab the top of a bottle to open it.

Installing the Grip on the back of your phone is as easy as you would imagine it would be. Just remove the protective sheet over the adhesive…

And press the CatTongue Grip to the back of the phone. Done!

I was sure that a product that has been designed to “stick” to surfaces would a magnet for all manner of dust, dirt, hair, and fluff, but I am happy to report that I was wrong in that assumption. I insert and remove my phone from pockets all day long and nothing at all is stuck to it.

The Grip isn’t very thick which can actually be a problem because it’s not thicker than the camera bump on the back of my phone. That means that the phone doesn’t always lay flat so that the full surface of the Grip comes in contact with the surface that it’s placed on.

Even so, I was able to drive with the phone on my dash as you can see above. Even driving over potholes didn’t dislodge it. I didn’t see if stopping suddenly would cause it to fall though. I don’t drive around with my phone on my dash, but I have found that the Grip does add just enough gription for me to pull the phone out of my pocket without me worrying that it’s going to slip from my fingers and fall on the ground.

What I like

  • Easy to apply
  • Adds grip without being a magnet for dirt

What I’d change

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

This material is an interesting alternative to a case for people who don’t usually drop their devices. If you already use a case because you’re a clutz, I would not expect this product to change that and it should be obvious that it will not protect the corners or display of your phone if you do drop it on a hard surface. CatTongue Grips are easy to apply sheets of material that provide some extra grip to an otherwise super slippery device.

Price: $14.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by CatTongue Grips.

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CatTongue Grips non-slip phone grip review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 20, 2019 at 1:26 pm.

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TaoTronics SoundSurge 60 active noise cancelling headphones review

REVIEW – TaoTronics SoundSurge60 headphones have a comfortable design, Bluetooth connection and built-in microphone.

What is it?

These over-the-ear headphones come with noise-canceling capabilities and fold up nicely to fit inside their hard-shell carrying case. 

What’s in the box?

  • Headphones 
  • Carrying case  
  • User guide 
  • 3.5mm audio cable 
  • Charging cable

Hardware specs

  • Connection: Bluetooth 5.0 or 3.5 mm audio cable
  • Playing time per full battery charge: 30 hours
  • Charge time: 5 minutes for 2 hours of playing time
  • Battery: 2 lithium metal batteries included
  • Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.4 x 3.1 inches
  • Item weight: 9.8 ounces
  • Shipping weight: 1.15 pounds
  • Model: TT-BH060
  • ASIN: B07L5LPSQT

Design and features

Setup

Our headphones arrived charged and ready to use. 

Pairing them with Bluetooth was quick and easy, almost as simple as plugging in the audio cable (which also came with it). Of course, the nice part of the Bluetooth connection was that it made them wire-free, certainly a bonus for anyone using them for exercising or gaming.

The headband is adjustable and fits everyone in my family, from my husband who has a larger-than-average noggin to my 11-year-old. We agreed that the over-ear cushioning was very comfortable, even cushy enough to sleep with them on during a long airplane ride or road trip. 

The charging port is located on the left earpiece.

On the right earpiece are all of the other controls: The volume up/down toggle, the power button, the audio input jack and noise-canceling on/off switch.

Performance

The overall sound quality was pretty good. They weren’t as striking or awe-inspiring as higher-end models, but for this price point, the sound was good. There wasn’t any static, and music quality was clear and consistent.

Similarly, the microphone was embedded into the design, and it was clearer and easier to hear than just using a phone or computer mic when we tested it on a Facetime call.

You can flick the switch for noise-canceling, which glows blue to let you know it’s on.

Again, it wasn’t 100 percent perfect. My son could still hear road noise while we were driving, though it certainly softened the sound and kind of felt like you were in a tunnel. However, if he turned his music up, the road noise was effectively canceled out. 

Inside our house, it does a good job muffling but not completely eliminating household noises like the air conditioner, ceiling fan or water running. When my husband had music on, he couldn’t hear the ambient noise around him at all, but could still hear me clapping my hands behind him and our voices were audible but hushed. 

There is some residual noise if you are standing next to someone wearing these headphones, so if your tunes are cranked up, the folks around you will hear some of it. Take note if you’re planning to travel with these!

Besides that minor issue, the headphones are a good choice for travel, work or school because they’re good quality yet aren’t so pricey that losing them would cost you hundreds of dollars. 

Plus, they come with a zip-close, hardshell carrying case with a mesh compartment perfect for stashing your cords and chargers.

The battery life is amazing, which is another bonus for taking them on a road trip or even an overseas flight. We’ve been using the Surge 60 for weeks, among all four of my family members, and we’ve only had to recharge once. The website says these run for 30 hours per battery charge, and I believe it. They also say that 5 minutes of charging time gives you 2 hours of playing time, another great benefit for traveling, taking to class or work, or really for anyone who’s often on the go.

What I like

  • Comfortable fit
  • Long battery life
  • Convenient, high quality carrying case

What I’d change

  • More effective noise-proofing

Final thoughts

These are a solid pair of headphones, with decent noise-canceling and easy Bluetooth pairing.

Price: $69.99 ($5 off coupon available now on Amazon)
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by TaoTronics.

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TaoTronics SoundSurge 60 active noise cancelling headphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 20, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Pad & Quill Lowry Cuff Edition Apple Watch band review

REVIEW – The Pad & Quill Lowry Cuff Edition Apple Watch Band is a tribute to the Lowry Ave Bridge that spans the Mississippi just south of PQ’s headquarters in Minneapolis. The band’s design is inspired by Bund-style aviator bands that protected WWII pilot’s wrists from extreme temps in the air. I recently received one of these stylish bands to review for The Gadgeteer. Here are my thoughts.

What is it?

The Pad & Quill Lowry Cuff Edition Apple Watch Band is an American full-grain leather watch band for the Apple Watch.

What’s in the box? 

  • Lowry Cuff Edition Apple Watchband

Design and features

I don’t usually comment on packaging, but love how Pad & Quill packaged this Apple Watch band. The Lowery Cuff Edition arrived packaged in a black wooden box with a tongue and groove sliding top. It just feels like you’re getting something special when you open it up.

The Lowry Cuff Edition is made for 42mm & 44mm Apple Watch gens 1-4. The band is designed to fit wrist as small as 125mm and large as 215mm.

The Cuff style look is classic, yet modern, I chose to go with the Gallop black leather band w/polished nickel hardware. It’s also available in Whiskey and Chestnut colors and Matte black hardware.

The band is constructed with American full-grain leather. The white precision UV-resistant marine-grade stitching (the same thread used in parachutes and sails) is a nice contrast to the Gallop black leather and polished nickel hardware. 

Soft pigskin leather lines the back of the band. There’s also a cutout for the Apple Watch Optical Pulse Sensor.

Discreetly embossed on the cuff underneath the watch strap is the initials from the artisan that crafted the band.

The band also comes with Pad & Quills insane 25-year leather warranty.

Fit and comfort

The band is comfortable to wear right out of the box. The cuff is contoured to fit your wrist, so it hugs your wrist and doesn’t feel stiff.

The soft yet strong pigskin leather lining makes the band instantly comfortable against your skin. I wore the band outside in 80+ degree weather and noticed that my wrists didn’t sweat like they do when wearing my rubber sports band. Overall the band is extremely comfortable. 

The only issue I had with the band was charging my Apple Watch. The band has a cutout as I mentioned, but because of its thickness, I couldn’t get it to stay attached to my Nomad Base Station Apple Watch charger. However, since the band is easy to remove, this is little more than a minor inconvenience. Just be aware that it may not work with all charging stands.

What I like

  • Classic styling
  • Full-grain leather
  • Handcrafted 
  • Comfortable 
  • 25-year leather warranty

What I’d change

  • Doesn’t work with all charging stands

Final thoughts

The combination of Classic styling, quality materials, craftsmanship, and comfort makes the Lowry Cuff Edition tough to beat. If you’re looking for a leather band for your Apple Watch, your search should begin and end with Pad & Quill.

Price: $99.95 pre-order price $89.95. Shipping in late August.
Where to buy: Pad & Quill
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Pad & Quill.

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Pad & Quill Lowry Cuff Edition Apple Watch band review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 20, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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Zendure SuperTank Portable Charger review

REVIEW – It’s a problem all gadget-loving folk deal with, the more gadgets you have, the more power you need. The solution, of course, is to buy yet another gadget, one that can supply power to all of those hungry devices, large and small. But, portable power supplies by their nature are quite limiting. The Zendure SuperTank may just be the holy grail of portable power. This aptly named tank of a battery pack can crank out over 100 watts of power, enough to feed four devices simultaneously, including USB-C powered laptops. The design, capacity, and various power modes, which include a low power option as well as a UPS pass-through, make this device a great buy at $179.99.

What is it?

The Zendure SuperTank is a very large, 27,000mAh external battery pack that can deliver over 100 watts of power to four devices simultaneously.


The SuperTank arrives in a sturdy white box, snugly set inside along with a Zendure 5A/100W SuperCord and a somewhat useless instruction manual.

What’s in the box?

  • Zendure SuperTank
  • Zendure 5A/100W USB-C to USB-C SuperCord
  • Instruction Manual

Hardware specs

  • Capacity: 27,000mAh
  • Internal Cells: 3.7 V Premium Lithium-ion Power Cells
  • Dimensions: 4.7″ x 2.8″ x 1.6″
  • Weight: 1.06 pounds / 481g
  • Available Colors: Black, Silver, Blue
  • Material: ABC / PC Composite
  • Maximum Input: 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/3A, 20V/5A, 100W Max
  • Output: USB-C, USB-A
  • Maximum Output:
    • USB-C (1): 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/3A, 20V/5A, 100W Max
    • USB-C (2): 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/3A, 60W Max
    • USB-A (1): 5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A, 18W Max (ZEN+ 2.0)
    • USB-A (2) 5V/3A, 15W (ZEN+)
    • Total DC Output: 138W Max
  • Warranty: 2 Years

Design and features

The SuperTank feels heavy and sturdy when being handled despite being constructed of relatively cheap composite plastic. The ports are clearly labeled and the LED display is clear and easy to read.

There are four ports on the SuperTank: a 15W USB-A, an 18W USB-A, a 60W USB-C, and a 100W USB-C that functions as both a power output and input port.

The maximum output of the SuperTank is listed as 138W.

On top of the SuperTank is the device’s only button. This power button turns on the SuperTank and also activates the different battery power modes.

The back of the SuperTank details all of its important technical specifications. The large 27,000mAh capacity of the SuperTank is deliberate in that this is the maximum airline safe battery capacity approved by TSA/EASA for air travel.

The SuperTank comes with a USB-C to USB-C Zendure SuperCord.

The power rating of the SuperCord is 5A / 100W for proper charging of the SuperTank as well as most laptops that charge via USB-C.

The SuperCord is extremely durable because it’s wrapped in Nylon and reinforced with Kevlar woven in a chevron pattern, surrounding a Kevlar fiber core.

The SuperCord is complimented nicely by a brown leather strap with a small metal clasp.

Setup

The Zendure SuperTank needs to be fully charged before using it for the first time. Depressing the SuperTank’s sole button will activate the battery and display its current charge level. In order to charge the SuperTank properly, you need a power supply that can deliver at least 5W of power over the included Zendure SuperCord. It’s incredible to me that a device that costs as much as the SuperTank does not come with an appropriate USB power block for charging.

After several unsuccessful attempts at charging the SuperTank where the display would either display nothing or a code of 188, I was finally able to get the SuperTank to take the charge. It did take over 18 hours for the device to charge from 0-100. During charging, the LED screen will flash and display the charging power level.

Performance

The SuperTank performed very well in all of my testing, flawlessly charging every device I could connect to it.

The SuperTank has a low power mode for charging low-consumption devices like wearables that sometimes draw less current than is necessary to keep some portable chargers from automatically shutting off. This mode is called X-Charge and it is engaged by double-pressing the power button. The SuperTank will enter X-Charge mode and display the “X” icon. Double-pressing again will turn off X-Charge mode.

The SuperTank also comes with a power delivery direction switch feature. By giving the power button a long 3 second press, you’ll switch the direction of SuperTank’s power flow to ensure that a connected laptop is being charged instead of the laptop charging the SuperTank. You can allow the laptop to charge SuperTank by long-pressing the power button again.

What I like

  • Simultaneously charging several devices at once is super useful
  • UPS and pass-through modes add greatly to device’s functionality
  • Low power mode for charging wearables

What I’d change

  • Requires a powerful power block to charge properly
    • Does not come with a power block for charging
    • Takes very long to fully charge
  • Instructions are vague and don’t fully explain features

Final thoughts

The Zendure SuperTank is a well designed, powerful, highly functional portable power supply that is useful in many ways. From simply charging all of your devices at once while on the go, to working as a quasi-UPS system, the SuperTank can do it all. The manual could be a bit more detailed and it would be great if the SuperTank came with a proper power block, but for $179.99 the SuperTank is a great deal.

Price: $179.99
Where to buy: Zendure and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Zendure.

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Zendure SuperTank Portable Charger review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 20, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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