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JLab Audio JBuds Air Executive TWS earbuds review

REVIEW – I have a problem. I keep saying yes to more TWS earbud review offers. I guess that’s not a bad problem to have though since I keep getting to try new pairs of Bluetooth earbuds with the hope that each pair will be a little better than the last pair. So with that in mind, the latest pair of earbuds that I’ll be showing you today are the JLab Audio Jbuds Air Executive True Wireless earbuds. Let’s check them out.

What is it?

The JLab Audio Jbuds Air Executive are TWS earbuds with touch controls.

Hardware specs

Speaker: Φ8mm Dynamic, Neodymium Magnet, 20Hz-20kHz, 32 Ω
Output: 103±3db
Battery Life: 6 hours in each earbud, 24+ hours in case
Earbud Charge Time: 1.5 Hours
Rapid Charge: 15 min charging = 1 hour playtime
Case Charge Time: 2.5 Hours
Bluetooth 5
Range: 30+ ft.
Support Protocols: HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP

What’s in the box?

  • JBuds Air Executive Earbuds
  • Charging Case with Integrated Charging Cable
  • 3 Sets Gel Tips
  • 1 Set Cloud Foam Eartips
  • 1 Set Cush Fins
  • User guide

Design and features

The JLabs Air Executive earbuds borrow some style ideas from Apple’s Airpods with their dangling microphones.

The earbuds are available in your favorite color as long as that color is black. They do have the JLab Audio logo in silver to provide a little pizzaz.

Although you might think that the logo is a button, it’s not. These earbuds are controlled by touch. I’ll talk more about that later.

Each earbud has two electrical contacts near the eartip. You’ll also notice what JLab Audio calls the cush fin around the outer edge of the earbud. This silicon cover comes preinstalled and is supposed to help keep the earbuds in your ears.


One of my favorite things about the JBuds Air Executive earbuds is the charging case. This case is covered in faux leather which gives it a pretty snazzy look and feel. But even better is the fact that the case has a built-in USB cable.

There are 3 LEDs on the top of the case that glow white to show the battery charging status of the case. The two outside LEDs will glow blue while the earbuds inside the case are charging if the case itself isn’t in the process of charging.

Pairing and functionality

Pairing the earbuds with my Huawei P30 Pro was quick and easy. When the charging case lid is opened, the LED on each bud glow blue to signal that they are ready to connect. From there I just chose “JLab JBuds Air Executive” from Bluetooth devices list and paired them.

Fit and comfort

Everyone’s ears aren’t identical, so I can’t say how the JBuds will fit you. I can only comment on how they fit my ears. The left earbud fit fine with the default sized ear tip installed, but the right earbud frequently fell out of my ear when I was working out. I didn’t have this problem when just sitting at my desk, and only noticed the problem when I was active and moving around. I tried the other ear tips including the foam tips but I had the same issue with the right earbud falling out of my ear.

If we overlook the fact that the right earbud falls out of my ear, I found the JBuds to be comfortable enough to wear for an hour or two at a time.

Touch controls

As I mentioned earlier, the JLabs do not have physical buttons but use touch controls. The controls require that you remember what single, double, triple, and touch hold gestures do for each earbud. I won’t list out all the controls, but for example, a single tap on the left earbud is volume down. The same thing on the right earbud is volume up. A double tap on the left earbud triggers Siri or OK Google, and the same thing on the right earbud toggles between play and pause. You get the idea.

For the most part, I found the touch controls to work pretty well. But once in a while when I tried to perform a single tap on the right earbud to raise the volume, would be translated into a double tap and cause the music to pause.

Sound quality for music, video, and calls

I tested the JLab Audio JBuds Air Executive TWS earbuds with my Huawei P30 Pro smartphone, and with a Dell laptop at my day job. I tested by using Amazon Prime streaming music, Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix. The earbuds sounded good with all types of music that I tried and I was happy with the sound quality of the music that I like to listen to.

These earbuds have 3 EQ settings that you can switch between by triple tapping the left earbud. You can cycle between JLab Signature EQ setting which has amplified vocals and bass, to a Balanced EQ setting that has no additional enhancements, or the Bass Boost EQ setting which amplifies the bass and sub-bass. I stuck with the JLab Signature EQ setting.

I am also happy to say that I could use these earbuds while watching streaming video on YouTube and Netflix. The audio and video synced very well with no noticeable delay which is something I can’t say about all earbuds I have tested.

For calls, I could clearly hear the person on the other end of the call and they could ear me as well. Like most earbuds, they fit tightly in your ears, you will hear yourself talking in your head which may or may not bother you.

What I like

  • Charging case has a built-in USB cable
  • Touch controls
  • Comfortable fit
  • 3 built-in EQ settings

What I’d change

  • Include larger cush fins to allow for better fit customization
  • Allow either earbud to be used by itself instead of just the right bud

Final thoughts

With so many TWS earbuds on the market, it’s tough to stand out in the crowd, but the JLab Audio Jbuds Air Executive True Wireless earbuds do just that by offering a handsome charging case that has a built-in USB cable along with a pair of earbuds that fit well, sound good, and have touch controls. I have no problem recommending these earbuds based on their features and price.

Price: $69.00
Where to buy: JLab Audio
Source: The sample for this review was provided by JLab Audio.

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JLab Audio JBuds Air Executive TWS earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2019 at 10:59 am.

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APEMAN Projector Mini Portable Video DLP Pocket Projector review

REVIEW – Lately, I have been on a quest to find 2 small and compact projectors that can produce high definition video that I can project in small rooms/areas at various events. Gone are the days when you need to walk around with a large, heavy case to transport a projector to handle your display needs. Also, many of the new compact projectors can be powered via a USB power pack, eliminating any restrictive need for AC power. These types of projectors have also added value and versatility to outdoor gatherings. For this review, I am taking a look at the Apeman Mini Portable Video DLP Pocket Projector. So, here we go!!

What is it?

The Apeman Mini Portable Video DLP Pocket Projector is designed for indoor and outdoor use. It supports 1080p HDMI Input and has a built-in rechargeable battery which makes it 100% portable. It also can be powered from a battery pack. Additional features include built-in stereo speakers and a tripod mount that allows for 360° placement.

What’s in the box


1 x APEMAN Digital Projector
1 x HDMI Cable
1 x Mini HDMI Adapter
1 x Mini Tripod
1 x AC Adapter
1 x Micro USB Charging Cable
1 x User Manual

Design and features

Specifications
Product dimensions: 3.86” x 3.86” x 0.85″
Brightness: 50~100 lumens
Projection size (recommended): 30″ ~ 100″
Projection distance (recommended): 0.8m~2.6m
Contrast: 1000~3000
Resolution: 854 x 480（WVGA）
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Charger specification: Micro USB 5V/2.4A
Power output: standard USB 5V/1A
Built-in battery: 3.7V/3400mAh
Projection time: approximately 2 hours
Built-in speaker: 2 x 1-Watt
Audio output: 3.5mm jack

Features
• Compact size: Pocket size (3.86*3.86*0.85 inches) and lightweight (0.44 lbs). Easy to take and operate. The mini projector is the best and ideal gift for home cinema, parties or camping entertainment in a relatively dark environment.
• HD Movie & Big Screen: Advanced DLP technology provides 70% brighter and 50% sharper image, supports full HD 1080P (1920*1080) with 1000:1 contrast ratio and 854*480 native resolution. Within the distance between 1-4m, It can achieve 30″ to 100″ big display screen size.
• Low Noise & Long Lens Life: Equipped with the latest cooling system and high-quality material, the noise is almost inaudible. Built-in stereo dual speakers provide you with the best audio-visual feast. Long Lens lifetime up to 45000 hours. If you use it for 3 hours per day, that’s 40 years!
• Extensive Connectivity: This mini projector can widely connect to your laptop, DVD, tablet, camera, PS3/4, smartphone and so on via HDMI port to enjoy a variety of entertaining resources from as many devices as you like.
• Other Excellent Features: The 360° rotation tripod gives it a firm stand. Our mini projector covers 60 days assurance and 3-year warranty.

On the front of the projector, there is a vent/grille and the lens.

On the back of the projector from left to right as shown below there is the audio port, a USB output port (Can be used as a power bank for external devices), an HDMI port, a reset button, and a micro USB power port.

On one side of the projector, there is a power button and a volume up and volume down buttons.

On the other side of the projector is the focus button.

At the bottom of the projector, there is a 1/4-20″ tripod mount in the middle which allows for easy 360-degree placement.

Performance

This projector is small, lightweight, compact and easy to use. For my testing, I used it with my IOGear wireless transmitter/receiver set and it worked flawlessly. I attached the mini tripod, connected my Roku 4K stack to the HDMI port and the micro USB power connector and instantly the Roku menu was displayed on the wall.

The following is a few pictures taken with my iPhone of the screens and picture produced on my ceiling from about 8 feet away.




The volume from the speakers is adequate if there is no noticeable ambient noise. Also, there are no additional input options such as for an SD card or USB input.

What I like

  • The compact size
  • The ease of use
  • The video it produces

What I’d change

  • Additional connectivity/media input options.

Final thoughts

The Apeman Projector Mini Portable Video DLP Pocket Projector is a really nice compact projector that produces really nice video and offers the versatility of also being a useful power bank for external devices. I can’t really think of a scenario where I would use it as a power bank, but one never knows what can happen. I like that it can be tripod mounted and that it has built-in speakers which while not great, can do the job once there is not too much ambient noise. Overall, this projector is a great little device and in my opinion, it deserves a job well done and two thumbs up!!

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Apeman

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APEMAN Projector Mini Portable Video DLP Pocket Projector review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Roborock S6 robot vacuum review

REVIEW – Robot vacuums have come a long way since I first got one of the originals over 10 years ago. With the advent of smart phones, the ability to control, monitor and even maneuver the vacuum has become easier and provided quite a bit more value to these devices. The RoboRock S6 is the newest addition from RoboRock into a crowded market as evidenced by the many types of these vacuums that we’ve reviewed on this site.

What is it?

The RoboRock S6 is a smart vacuum with docking station that interacts with a smart phone app to provide customized cleaning in your home.

What’s in the box?

  • Robot Vacuum
  • Power Cord & Docking Station
  • Extra Filters
  • Disposable Mopping Pads
  • Cloth Mopping Pads
  • Water tank attachment for mopping
  • Mopping mat attachment for Dock
  • Instruction Booklet
  • Removable dustbin with cleaning tool

Design and features

The RoboRock S6 provides both a vacuum mode and mopping function. With the accompanying app, you are able to map your home and designate different rooms and/or zones for cleaning. As you can see below, each color designates a different room and you can tell the vacuum to only clean specific rooms or the whole map. As it performs its work, it shows the track it went via the white lines you can see in the screenshot – so that you can see that all areas have been covered by that particular cleaning.

To mop, you don’t have to tell the vacuum any different directive, just simply attach the water tank to the underside of the mop with either a disposable or cloth cleaning pad attached and select “clean” from the menu. We keep a relatively clean house, so we were pretty surprised at how much the initial mopping was able to get clean.

Once the device has mapped the area and cleaned it fully, it will return itself to the dock. Then simply lift the back cover and remove the dustbin to dump out the collected dirt. You can also use the cleaning tool to cut out any hair that has been wrapped around the rotating brush on the underside.  I highly recommend doing this regularly, as I have found that hair accumulation around rotating parts tends to be the downfall of a lot of vacuums in my time.

One of our bigger concerns was the ability of the vacuum to maneuver down and back up over the tile-to-hardwood ledge between our kitchen and living room shown below. It is about 3/4 of an inch and the S6 navigates this on a daily basis with absolutely no trouble. Additionally, it has sensors that detect dropoffs and hasn’t had a problem whatsoever with our open stairway down to the basement.

Additionally, in our living room, we have hardwood floors with a rug under the coffee table. The vacuum gets up onto the rug effortlessly and switches mode to higher suction while on the carpeted rug – then switches back as it goes back onto the hardwood.

Additionally, you can place the vacuum in an area and press the spot clean button on the device and it will clean a small area and then return back to the dock to charge.

Setup

Very easy to set up and get going – less than 20 minutes of actual set up to get it started charging and communicating with the app. Initially, it will need to vacuum the entire house, building its map of the area. Once this is done, it will return to the dock and communicate with the app to verify the area – you’ll then be able to go in and designate zones and or add invisible barriers if there are areas that you don’t want the vacuum to travel into.

Performance

The vacuum works great and does exactly what we wanted it to do and more. The mopping function saves us a lot of time in effort in keeping the kitchen floors clean on a daily basis. For the map I provided screenshots of, it takes about 40 minutes to vacuum completely.

What I like

  • Mopping function is highly useful and not complicated for attaching.
  • Easy to use – map building feature allows for easy and quick selection of cleaning areas
  • Very quiet, we can keep the TV on just a slightly higher than normal volume while it does its work.
  • Navigates all the obstacles of our home – tile drop off, around kitchen table legs, under furniture.
  • Side spinning brush helps grab even more dirt into the suction head.
  • Sensor for major drop offs works great (stair recognition).
  • App shows the percentage of filter use for easy look up to see when maintenance needs to be performed.
  • Easy clean up of dust bin and mopping pads.

What I’d change

  • Occasionally we get a notification on our phones in Chinese rather than the English setting – bug fix in the app would remedy this.
  • Needs a large area around the dock to have room to return – which is hard to ensure in smaller homes and limits where you can dock the device.
  • Can get stuck on table legs some times, and will give a false error code before dislodging itself.
  • Would be nice to have separate maps for mopping and vacuuming, to be able to exclude carpeted rugs from being mopped.

Final thoughts

The RoboRock S6 has become a key appliance in our house, being run on pretty much a daily basis to help clean up the cooking mess that made it to the floor, the stray hairs and the pet dander/hair that accumulates in all the hard to reach places. We love using the mop feature in the kitchen, as it’s apparent that dirt doesn’t always show itself on these floors. With two humans and four 4-legged friends, we need to work to keep the floors clean so it’s very convenient to be able to hit one button on our smartphones rather than go through the hassle of getting the stand-up vacuum out on a daily basis. I would strongly recommend this vacuum for those who need a robotic being to clean up after them from time to time!

Price: $599.99
Where to buy: eBay
Source: The sample of this product was provided by RoboRock.

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Roborock S6 robot vacuum review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Botanium Hydroponic and Automatic Indoor Gardening Pot review

REVIEW – Farm fresh herbs and veggies can make all the difference between a good dish or a blah dish. But not everyone has the time, space, or interest to put in their own garden. Gardening is Jeanne’s hobby and we have a 50′ x 50′ fenced in garden plot on our property. Traditional gardening is a ton of work and is reliant on mother nature blessing or wrath when it comes to yield. Today I want to show you a very small gardening option that you can do indoors with little to no effort. It’s the Botanium Hydroponic and Automatic Indoor Gardening Pot. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The Botanium is a self-contained tabletop automatic self-watering hydroponic indoor gardening pot.

What’s in the box?

  • Botanium gardening pot
  • Gardening medium
  • Pipette bottle with liquid nutrients
  • AC adapter
  • User guide

Design and features

The Botanium hydroponic gardening pot is available in three colors including the grey version that was sent to me. It is made of plastic in a contemporary shape that resembles a flower vase and the pot is made up of two pieces.

There’s the bottom section which is the water reservoir and holds the pump mechanism, and the upper section where the growing medium is placed and where the plants grow.

It’s green thumb time!

Setting up the Botanium is quick and fun. All you have to do is fill the upper section with the growing medium which looks and feels like porous brown pebbles.

Then you fill the bottom section with water, add 4 droppers of the liquid nutrients, and set the upper section on top.

Next, you have to get some seeds. I had some coriander/cilantro seeds on hand and used those. All you have to do is poke them in the growing medium.

Then you plug in the pot and within a few seconds, the automatic watering pump will kick on to water the seeds. This happens every 6 hours. Here’s what it looks like when it’s all set up.

VIDEO

It’s up to you to keep an eye on the water level in the lower section of the pot by looking at the level window on the front. Every few weeks you’ll have to full it up with water and add more of the fertilizer drops.

Depending on the variety of seeds that you planted, they will sprout in a few days. Note that you will need to place the Botanium pot in a well-lit area since plants need sunlight just like regular ones. I really wish that some sort of light attachment was available for this pot as you can see from my pictures, the seedlings are very lanky even though I placed the pot in a window.

What I like

  • Easy to setup
  • Automatic watering
  • You can use any type of seeds that you have
  • Reusable

What I would change

  • Make a larger capacity pot
  • Include a light attachment

Final thoughts

Growing plants with the Botanium is pretty much foolproof because it takes care of the watering for you. All you need to do is make sure to put the pot in a bright area and keep the water reservoir filled.

If you’ve always wanted to grow herbs or flowers but don’t have room for a traditional garden, the Botanium is a fun and easy way to get started indoors. Just remember that this is a really small pot, so you can’t expect a huge harvest 😉

Price: $79.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Botanium.

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Botanium Hydroponic and Automatic Indoor Gardening Pot review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 25, 2019 at 10:27 am.

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Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps review


REVIEW – Approximately 8 years ago, my father who is now 87 years old, was diagnosed with Neuropathy as a result of aging. Diabetic Neuropathy seems to be the most common type, but the symptoms are the same with the latter being more extreme. As a result of helping him with his condition, I have learned a lot about various types of issues that contribute to the level of discomfort associated with this chronic disease. One of those issues can be poor circulation. I am very interested in testing the Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps to see how they perform and then maybe I will have my dad try them.

What is it?

The Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps are a pair of air compression devices that you wrap around your legs and feet and then they work via air compression to aid in the circulation in those body parts. They are made of durable material and designed to be therapeutic.

What’s in the box


2 x Compression Leg wraps (“R” for right leg / “L” for left leg)
1 x AC Adapter
1 x User manual
1 x Handheld controller

Design and features

Specifications

Features

● Stress-Relieving Massage: This air massager provides cyclical air compression for your calves and feet, allowing you to enjoy an unforgettable massage experience
● Adjustable Modes and Compression Intensity: Choose a setting that works best on you for an optimal relaxation experience that helps to alleviate fatigue and pain
● Ergonomic Design: The leg air massager is made from a durable and dirt-proof fabric. The design of the air compression wraps fits naturally and comfortably around your legs
● Built-in Safety Features: The device shuts off automatically after 15 minutes for safer user experience. The corded design allows for consistent power all the time

There is one main controller that has everything that you need on the surface to use the massager. The controls are the power button, an air pressure button, and the 2 mode buttons.

At the bottom of the controller, there are four jacks for the pair of connecting cables for each side of the massager, and the power jack for the AC adapter.


Performance

The first thing that you have to do to use these leg massagers, is to wrap them around your legs and feet. They are secured via the attached velcro and have a bending section that allows you to connect the lower part around your feet and the upper around your legs.

Once you plug in the cables to the controller and turn on the power, the power button LED lights red. As soon as you push the power button, air compression begins in both leg massagers. You have the option to increase or decrease the air compression level/intensity and to change modes which changes the way the compression moves around your legs/the rhythm.


The following chart explains the control functions:

What I like

  • The quality of the device
  • The simple controller
  • The therapeutic massaging effect

What I’d change

  • The length of the AC adapter cable

Final thoughts

The Naipo leg massager is the first of its type that I have tried. It is an interesting feeling in terms of having your feet and legs wrapped in one device that can feel a bit restrictive. However, it does massage both of your legs and feet and while I hate being immobile like that, I think that this would work great for people with circulation problems. As I previously mentioned, my father suffers from Neuropathy and it specifically affects his feet. I am hoping to convince him to try them sometime soon. In terms of the compression and the massaging effect, they seem to work well, and overall, they are well constructed and should withstand daily use.

Price: $89.99
Where to buy: Naipo Website and Amazon
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Naipo

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Naipo Air Compression Leg Wraps review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 25, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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