Mujjo iPhone X case, iQAir air purifier, Peak Design Sling bag, and more – Weekly roundup

Do you need a distraction from all the holiday hubbub? No problem, I have just what Santa ordered. Here’s a full listing of everything that we posted this week on The Gadgeteer. Grab a mug of eggnog, settle back and enjoy.

Reviews

Articles

News

Snooz fan-powered white noise machine review

One of humankind’s most under-rated activities is sleep. We cannot function without it and yet the modern world makes it very difficult to fall asleep naturally. Lights, evening activities, foods and drinks with stimulating ingredients, and noise all contribute to shifting and/or shortening our natural sleep cycle. Avoiding lights (especially certain hues), certain foods, activities that get the blood flowing are somewhat in everyone’s own control, but avoiding noises is more difficult. Noise is especially prone to disturb sleep because our hearing is always alert, even while sleeping. White noise machines help because the tones they produce lull our minds into sleep while at the same time drowning out noises which may wake us. One of the most trusted noise machines is a fan running at night. Snooz has turned this old standby into a state-of-the-art gadget. read on to see what I think!

What Is It?

The Snooz is a white noise machine with a real fan used to generate the sound. It has fan design and a low-power motor designed to be energy efficient. It is also controllable by an smartphone app using Bluetooth, so that it can be remotely controlled, programmed to start and stop on schedule, and operated to not exceed a dBA noise level measured at the phone.

Design and Features

Unboxing

The Snooz comes with a sleeping mask and an instruction booklet. At the back of the booklet is a one year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. The packaging is “frustration-free” style and opens in a clamshell fashion, as depicted above.

The Snooz is just over 5 1/2 inches at its widest part and is about 3 1/4 inches tall, weighing in at 1.1 lbs. This means that it is very easy to pack into a suitcase while traveling.

The outside of the Snooz is made from plastic and covered with a polyester soft mesh wrap.

The outside is also adorned with a product label

The polyester covering is also available in charcoal

The base of the unit is covered in a soft rubber. The purpose is not only to provide protection to surfaces that it is installed on but to permit rotation of the top of the unit in order to customize the tone of the sound. The power cord is also visible in the picture below at the base of the photo.  One thing that I was surprised to see is that the power cord is permanently attached to the base of the unit. This makes it a little harder to install if it is necessary to fish the wall wort attached to the plug behind furniture or through shelves. Having a DC connector may make installation in a room easier but also presents the risk that the plug gets lost.

Operation

A normal desk fan has a propeller like impeller that slices the air as it turns, adds pressure, and pushes it toward the direction of the motor. All of this air movement creates turbulence which creates vibrations that people interpret as white noise. A few inventors thought they could improve on this and started a Kickstarter campaign. In the end, 5,799 backers pledged $463,648 to help bring this project to life. In order to see how the Snooz is different than a desk fan requires an inside look. The plastic body of the unit is permanently sealed, but the exploded view below gives a peak into the inner workings of the unit. The Snooz impeller is in the style of a Rushton impeller, which is characterized by moving fluid or air in a radial direction, away from the center of the shaft. The air strikes the inside of the body and causes noise.  In a mostly closed container, air that does not exit the unit will circulate around the inside of the container back toward the center and will be recirculated by the impeller once again. This operation is why the noise machine can produce the sound of a fan without creating the large movement of air. 

 

The other big difference between the Snooz and a desk fan is the style and connected operation. The top of the Snooz shows three symbols: a power icon between two icons of moving air, one showing small flow and the other larger.

The three icons are capacitive switches and are illuminated by LEDs from below. Gently touching the icons will cause them to illuminate for seven seconds.

There are ten levels of volume settings ranging from 46 dBA to 87 dBA measured at the device (as reported by the manufacturer). And, as reported above, rotating the shell of the Snooz changes the size of holes in the chamber wall, altering the tone of the sound produced.

One of the most unique features of the Snooz is the Bluetooth connectivity and embedded microcontroller. These features allow the Snooz to be operated remotely and programmed to start and stop automatically. After installing and starting the Snooz app, the first screen that is presented is the pairing screen below.

After pairing you can rename the Snooz. I chose to rename it “The Gadgeteer”.

If after pairing the Snooz is unplugged then the following screen will be displayed, but after plugging the unit back in all of the setup data, including the name and the operating schedule, will be restored.

Once connected, operation of the app is straightforward. The same icons on the unit are displayed in the app.

After the unit is powered on, the central ring displays what volume (1-10) the unit is operating at

The clock icon to the upper left allows the app to set a start and end time to the snooz.

The number of blue dots above the clock indicates the number of automatic settings that are set.

The settings icon on the other side is for using the microphone on the smartphone for ensuring the noise out of the sound machine is below recommended values for noise exposure. Before this feature can be used the microphone on the phone must be calibrated. The app uses the known volume of noise generated by the Snooz to calibrate the microphone on the smartphone. The calibration procedure is demonstrated in the gallery below






After the phone is calibrated it can be used to set the volume of the snooz to produce the indicated dBA at the phone. The image below is just me humming into the microphone but illustrates what the readout on the phone looks like.

Performance

One of the performance characteristics the Snooz differentiates itself with from a desk fan is the low power consumption it achieves. The Snooz consumes 6 watts at the highest volume. I have two other sound machines in the house, each with a speaker and a recorded track. They have power requirements of about 2.5 watts each. However, these produce 70 – 74 dBA at the device (as measured by the Snooz app) versus 78 next to the Snooz. Therefore the Snooz is either about the same volume or almost twice as loud as devices using about a third of the power.

Positives

  • Peaceful white noise from a real fan
  • Fully adjustable tone & volume (10 settings)
  • Portable design
  • Companion app includes remote control, auto-shutoff, and nursery calibration (available for iPhone and Android)

Negatives

  • Always connected AC cord
  • Still a bit more power hungry than recording based models

Final thoughts

The Snooz is indeed an improvement on the desk fan or some of the less connected or sophisticated stand-alone noise machines. Its features include white noise from a real fan with adjustable tone and volume (10 settings), portable design, and a companion app which includes remote control, auto-shutoff, and nursery calibration (available for iPhone and Android). However, with these features comes a premium price of $79.99. In a world where some people struggle with the luxury of sleep, the Snooz stands out as a luxury sound machine. If the features discussed in this review appeal to you, then the Snooz won’t disappoint.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Snooz.

JBL’s Boombox is waterproof, has 24-hour playtime and is l-o-u-d.

With Braven and Monster fighting it out over who’s boombox is the baddest, JBL just had to enter the ring and did in a big way. Presenting the JBL Boombox—what else are ya gonna call it? Even though the JBL Boombox weighs less than the other two mentioned blasters (11.5 lbs), it still packs a punch that should keep a backyard party going long into the night and into the morning with its massive 20,000mAh battery for 24-hour playtime. Plus, it will charge up to two devices, so you won’t run out of power.

The Boombox’s is rugged enough to handle any tailgate party and since it’s IPX7 waterproof, it will withstand any weather and even the most epic pool parties. The Boombox delivers monstrous sound along with hard hitting bass with its two-.75 in. tweeters and two-4 in. woofers. You can switch between indoor and outdoor audio modes to optimize sound wherever the party is. With JBL’s Connect+, you can connect up to 100 Connect+ enabled speakers via Bluetooth with just one press of a button!

The JBL Boombox comes in black or forest green and sells for $449.95. It’s available from Amazon.

Keep a BBQ Toolbox in your car, and you’re ready to grill at any time

This sleek, red toolbox doesn’t have screwdrivers or wrenches inside, but it has the tools to help you prepare a meal.  The BBQ Toolbox is made of stainless steel and mild steel, and opens up to reveal a 7.75″  x 15.75″ stainless steel grilling surface.  When you open it, the carry handles move down to serve as legs for the grill.  In addition to the cooking surface, it also has a bun-warming surface and a little compartment to store spices and seasonings or a spatula.  Just pack the compartment with charcoal, and you’re ready to cook while camping, tailgating, or picnicking.  It also makes a great addition to your emergency-preparedness kit.  The BBQ Toolbox is $99.00 at UncommonGoods.

GoNovate Gemini Wireless Earbuds review

Having earbuds that are truly wireless has been a quest for me.  And when I say wireless I am not talking about being able to connect to my phone via Bluetooth.  I am talking about having earbuds with NO wires.  None.  I want them to look like I am wearing a hearing aid.  No wires. Zilch.  Enter the GoNovate Gemini Wireless Earbuds.  So small each one can fit on a quarter.  And no flashing little blue light. Are they worth the price?  Let’s find out.

First of all, the earbuds are the smallest I have ever seen.  Which brings up my first point.  I have a habit of misplacing headsets that are small.  My daily Bluetooth headset is currently the Plantronics Voyager Edge, and I love it.  But I have misplaced it numerous times because it is so small and it is easy to set down and forget about.  And the GoNovate earbuds are about 1/3 the size of the Voyager Edge.  Did I mention that they are the smallest I have ever seen?

I should specifically mention that the setup for these buds is special and you need to read the instructions that come in the package.  Basically, you have to turn on the right bud, then turn on the left bud so that it connects to the right one, then you connect the right bud to your phone/tablet.  And you simply repeat that process every time you turn them on to make sure that they connect properly.  Apparently the right bud is the one that matters in relation to where your phone is.  When my phone is in my left pocket I have experienced a handful (just a few) drops and pauses in the music.  When the phone is in my right pocket I don’t experience any drops or pauses except for when the batteries are almost dead.

Which brings me to my next point.  I was lucky to get 3.5 hours of listening time with these earbuds.  I guess I can’t complain too much because if you want a really, really small earbud, that means a really, really small battery.  So I’ll live with it.  Luckily, in the package you’ll find the charging box, which the earbuds magnetically slip into the top of.  They immediately start charging when you insert them into the charging box and on the bottom of the box you’ll find a button that you can press and see 4 LED lights to show you the current status of the battery capacity.  The box is awesome for taking the earbuds with you because you don’t want to carry these things in your pocket.  Trust me.  They can too easily be dropped or lost.  The box is 2 ¾ in wide, 2 in tall, and about ¾ in thick.  It’s a great size to carry in your pocket.  And inside the box is a 3,000 mAh battery which means you get numerous charges for your earbuds.

The GoNovate buds only have 1 button on each bud and it performs a couple of different functions.  Press either once to pause the music.  Press either one twice to go to the next track.  And hold either one to power both the buds off.  Pretty simple.  I have reviewed numerous headphones and earbuds lately on the Gadgeteer.  And one thing has been clear with almost every single product, which is that the vast majority of them claim that the headset/earbuds can also be used to answer phone calls.  Make a note that these earbuds are no different.  They aren’t meant to answer phone calls, but they’ll do for a quick call.

I should mention something about the sound quality.  I am no connoisseur of music, but I know what I like.  These earbuds don’t have much bass sound at all.  And the highs aren’t that great either.  Right in the middle is where I would say these earbuds shine.  You will get good quality sound through these earbuds but don’t expect the same quality sound you get from your expensive over-the-ear headphones.  But on the other hand, for the smallest earbuds I have ever seen, I think the sound is great.  The volume is loud enough that when I am listening to music I can’t hear anyone talking to me or calling my name from across the house (Sorry, honey. I was doing a review, honest.)

Finally, I want to mention the one thing that is a little disappointing about the GoNovate Gemini earbuds.  The tips on the ends that stick inside your ears are soft silicone that come in 3 sizes.  They aren’t uncomfortable, but they aren’t as a comfortable or useful as they would be if they were made of memory foam like many earbuds today.  So I can’t recommend these earbuds if you are indeed going to be participating in some sort of strenuous athletic activity.  They just don’t completely stay inside your ears with lots of movement of your head.  I find myself regularly pushing them back into my ears.

Positives

  • Amazing small size
  • Good sound quality
  • Battery charging box

Negatives

  • Only 3.5 hrs of listening time
  • Lows and highs in sound aren’t there
  • Can easily be lost

Final thoughts

For the price of $##, it is really hard to complain about these earbuds.  The GoNovate Gemini are crazy small, the sound quality is good considering the small size, the charging box is a huge plus, and you don’t have any blinking blue light to annoy those around you.  If you can live with the 3.5 hours of playtime and the silicone ear tips that don’t quite stay in during strenuous activity, then these earbuds are a great buy.

Price: $39.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by GoNovate.