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SOUL Electronics X-Shock wireless earbuds review

As my search continues for the perfect wireless earbuds for “me”, I was happy to review another contender. Here we go:

What is it?


The SOUL Electronics truly wireless earphones – the X-Shock Earbuds are a pair of Bluetooth wireless earbuds for listening to music and other audio from any audio device with Bluetooth capability. These earbuds also handle mobile phone call functions.

What’s in the box?


1 x Pair of X-Shock Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds
1 x Charging Case
4 x Booklets (Instructions, Warranty, Quick Start, Additional Info.)
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x Carabiner
1 x Storage Pouch
2 x Pair Exchangeable Ear Tips

Design and features

The X-Shock earbuds are a pair of white earbuds with clear accents that cover the blue and white LED indicators. They are lightweight and well built. The white charging case feels well built and “expensive’ in your hands, and the magnetic clasp that closes the case works without issue. On the side of the case there is a loop, that allows you to connect the carabiner so that for your convenience, you can hang the case from your belt loop or any such type of place. The charging case measures approximately 3 1/2 ” x 2 1/2″ x 1″, and with the cover open, on the front from left to right, there are 4 LEDs that indicate the charge level as well as the charging progress, an output USB port for charging other devices, and an input micro USB port for charging the case.

The X-Shock earbuds come with 2 pairs of white translucent Ear Tips.

Specifications

Bluetooth Version: 5.0, Range: 10 meters
Full charge: 1.5 hours
Playtime approx.: 3.8 hours x 16
Standby Time: 200 hours
Charging Case Capacity: 3000mAh

Performance

As with any wireless earbuds, you first receive them, you should charge them fully. Once they are charged, when you first take the X-Shock earbuds out of their charging case, they automatically go into pairing mode and show up in the Bluetooth selections on your phone.

These earbuds perform very well. The lows, mids, and highs are very well balanced and the maximum volume is more than adequate while never overwhelming. The earbuds only come with 2 pairs of Ear Tips, and neither pair proved to be a good fit for me. They were not big enough to provide the necessary seal, and when I first tried them, I was very disappointed until I realized the issue. Since I have tested several other earbuds, I was able to “borrow” a pair of larger Ear Tips (black) that were provided with another pair, and they worked perfectly with these X-Shock earbuds.
After that, my experience was just great. There have been very few Bluetooth disconnects, and whenever they occur, it is always in a known high interference area. Here are the operational functions of the earbuds:

Master Earbud: Left earbud
End Call: Press once on the left earbud
Refuse Call: Press twice on the left earbud
Redial Call: Press three times on left earbud
Answer Call: Press once on the left earbud
Turn on/ off: Hold for 6 seconds on either earbud
Siri/ Google Assistant: Hold one second on left earbud to turn on/off
Forward call: Double press on left or right earbud
Play or Pause: Press once on left or right earbud

I always seem to encounter quality issues when I use wireless Bluetooth headsets or earbuds for phone calls. the party on the other end of the call always knows that I am using a device. While the call was very clear on my end and clear enough on the other end, I still had the same issue. I am beginning to suspect that this issue may somehow have something to do with me rather than the devices 🙂

Nevertheless, my main and most frequent use is always for music, and these earbuds excel in that area. What puts these earbuds “over the top”, is that after I first charged the case, I used these earbuds for 90 minutes daily for 5 days each week, and after one month the case still is more than 50% charged. The case battery seems to last forever.

What I like

I absolutely love the sound, fit and feel of these earbuds, and how well they function is just about every area. I really like the design of the charging case, and the ability to use its internal battery to charge other devices via its USB port. I also like that they automatically go into pairing more once removed from their charging case. Of course, I must mention the case battery that seems to keep the earbuds charged forever 🙂

What can be improved

These earbuds should come with more than just 2 sizes of Ear Tips so that there are more options for the best fit.
Also, when charging the case, the cover has to be left open to accommodate the charging cable.

Final thoughts

I absolutely love these X-Shock earbuds, They sound great and function very well. They are reliable and the design and style are great. As I always say, the perception of sound and sound quality is subjective, and there is no one type or size, or style for all. However, I feel very comfortable recommending these.

Price: $149.99
Where to buy: Soul Electronics Website
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Soul Electronics

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SOUL Electronics X-Shock wireless earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 28, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Oittm Apple Pencil Stand review


Lately, it seems that I have so much to do when I am at work, that I use several devices to accomplish my tasks. By the time I set up to get started, there are wires from power cords and devices running everywhere. What makes things easier for me, is having certain “tools’ at the ready and at my fingertips. I constantly use my Apple Pencil with my iPad Pro 12.9, and I was very happy when I got the chance to review this product.

What is it?

The Oittm Apple Pencil Stand is a weighted, nicely designed, wooden and metal charging stand for the Apple pencil.

What’s in the box


1 x Oittm Apple Pencil Stand
1 x Instruction Booklet
1 x Foreign language Leaflet

Design and features

The Oittm Apple Pencil Stand is an all-in-one stand and charger for the Apple Pencil. It is very sturdy and has a wooden base and what seems to be an aluminum top. On the top, there is the female lightning jack for charging the pencil and a holder for the pencil cap.

Underneath, there is a wooden base, and a rubber pad to prevent slipping.


On the front of the stand, there is a small LED on the lower half that indicates the charging/power status.


On the back of the stand, there is a lightning port for the lighting power adapter.


The picture below shows the power adapter attached, the pencil plugged in, and the pencil cap sitting in the pencil cap holder. The pencil cap can be placed in the pencil cap holder with either the open side up or the opposite.


When the charging stand is plugged in, and the pencil is not being charged, the LED on the front lights green. Once the pencil is plugged in to be charged, the LED lights orange and stays that color even after the pencil is fully charged,


What I like

I like the build quality and the weight of the stand. I also like that it has a rubber pad on the bottom that keeps it from sliding on my desk. It does the job.

What can be improved

The only improvement that I would like to see is maybe a USB output jack so that the one adapter can be used to charge both the pencil and maybe the phone at the same time.

Final thoughts

The Oittm Apple Pencil Stand is well built and a nice addition to the decor of my desk. It works exactly as it should and adds a nice level of convenience to my workflow. While some may think it is a bit pricey for what it is, in my opinion, the craftsmanship and materials used make it worthy of its price. I definitely recommend it.

Price: $19.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Oittm.

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Oittm Apple Pencil Stand review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 27, 2018 at 4:15 pm.

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Kizik Handsfree New York Shoe review

Every once and a while, and more often on The-Gadgeteer, a product comes along with a description that is entirely unique and intriguing. The Kizik shoe is one of those gems: a luxury handsfree sneaker designed for men. It has the sole (and soul) of a sneaker, the materials of the shoe and a little technical secret. I’ve been wearing them for a month now. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

As described in the news post here, the Kizik shoe is a luxury handsfree sneaker designed for men. The shoe’s materials include 100% top grain leather and other premium textiles to ensure they are durable enough to provide enjoyment for many years. They come in three styles and multiple colors and textures for men and will be expanded to include a women’s line in the fall of 2018.  The shoes are step-in and are different from sandals which are slip on. They grab your feet like a laced shoe and don’t have that loose-fitting feel of a loafer. The end result is a shoe that is not too tight or too loose and goes on without any adjustment.

What’s in the box?

Kizik Shoes
F.A.S.T Pamphlet

Design and features

Specifications

Sizes:  7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, 12, 13, 14
Styles: Boston, Dubai, New York
Colors: Black, Coffee, Date, Castle, White (Not all styles are available in all colors)

Design of the Kizik New York Shoe

The shoes feature a patented design that Kizik has dubbed F.A.S.T.® (Foot Activated Shoe Technology). The elements of F.A.S.T. include a wing at the top of the heel to let your foot in and out, a heel which collapses to let your foot in, a rigid tongue to ensure a hands-free experience, and an adjustable width set by velcro on either side of the tongue. After the rear of the shoe is compressed by the heel when donning the shoe, a titanium wire spring returns it to the upright position. As a result, the shoes fit automatically without using complex mechanics or electronics. The F.A.S.T. pamphlet is reproduced below. (click to enlarge).

The picture below shows the spring and tongue in more detail.

Of course, neither the spring not the plastic tongue is visible on the inside of the shoe. The image above is like an x-ray showing the rigid skeleton beneath a leather skin. Actually, the inside is nicely lined and padded:

The outside of the heal is perforated leather to allow it to collapse as the heel compresses it. A second layer of leather on the inside protects the heel and ensures that the shoe is fully enclosed. On these shoes the inside leather panel is colored red. An elastic strip runs along the top of the shoe in a groove and keeps the heel in line with the sides of the shoe when it is being worn. The groove is what allows the heel to expand downwards when the shoe is stepped into. normally it is closed. Both the perforated leather and elastic groove can be seen in the picture below.

This is a picture of the inside of the shoe and shows the red leather heel

The shoe comes with a contoured and padded insole too.

The only adjustment that can be made on the shoe is the width of the opening at the top of the tongue; the location where the laces are usually knotted. The adjustment is made with two heavy duty Velcro closures. I found that you can separate the panels and adjust them when your foot is in the shoe. if a tighter fit is desired then fine-tuning adjustments can be made without the foot inside using some trial and error. The Velcro is designed to work in one direction: narrowing and widening the opening for the foot. However, the Velcro may also be fastened slightly ahead or behind the centerline, moving ahead or holding back the tongue. 

Putting on the shoe is really as simple as the video below indicates

Taking them off is easy too if you use the toe of one shoe to hold the heel down of the show you’re pulling your foot out of. This is the same way you would remove loafers.

The operation of the technology behind the sneaker seems straightforward and the mechanism seems elegantly simple. These characteristics are fundamentals of great technology: technology should be so simple that it doesn’t even seem like it’s present and the complexity of the technology should not impact the design of how it is used. For instance, few realize they are operating a computer when using an iPhone or Android – everything behind the screen is hidden from the user. Similarly, one doesn’t realize that there is a self-tensioning heel that holds these shoes on your feet – they just work.

Style

The shoes I evaluated are a castle grey. At first, I thought that they would just be useful for outfits with jeans, but they complement many different styles and colors of pants. I’ve had several people compliment me on them and they have turned into a bit of a conversation topic.  They look more dignified than black lace-up shoe imposter sneakers and more formal than dockers. The Sole features a front to back eye-catching red stripe.

Here are a few pictures I took wearing the shoes in a conference room.

Performance

So first off, I need to gross you all out by showing you my feet:

I have rather wide feet with a relatively low arch.  However, the shoes don’t come in various widths. I ordered the shoes based on the guidance of the Kizik website, which indicated that the sizes for the New York are in line with normal sizing. Initially, I felt that the shoes I ordered may be too small. I went to Michaelson’s Shoes to see if my sizing was correct.  The next larger half size up fit better in front but lifted out of the rear. Jerry Michaelson, one of the shoe store owners, endorsed the Kizik shoe but explained that the design of the shoe, with a more traditional profile, may not be the best fit for my feet. He continued to explain that the leather of the show will give over time and may provide the desired fit. I have historically worn wider shoes than the standard design, knowing full well that compared to normal shoes, my feet generally more closely resemble the box the shoes come in. So I endured wearing tight shoes for a couple of days and it turned out that over time the fit improved substantially.

My Garmin Vivosmart HR shows in the last 30 days I’ve taken about 327,000 steps over about 176 miles. I estimate that I’ve worn these shoes about 70% of the time. Also on the days I have worn them I put them on and take them off two to three times. Additionally, I have used them as my quick-step-into-the-garage shoes so I may put them on and take them off two to three times about every day. So over about 125 miles and about 75 wearings, I can say that I’m very happy with these and they have performed very well.

There are a couple of exceptions that I will mention here. Once, with wet soles on a wood floor, I was unable to generate enough traction to put the shoes on. I needed to keep the front of the shoe in place with my other foot. This only happened once but it begs the point that it is important to keep balance on the stationary foot just in case the foot going into the shoe slips. I do think that the sneakers have a good grip for urban use. I wouldn’t take these onto a trail but the sole has a good balance of pliability and traction on finished surfaces. I did wear them to walk across a notoriously slippery set of brick pavers and felt that I had good traction the entire time.

The silver F.A.S.T. logo on the back of the insole has rubbed off with my sock and now the entire inside has this silvered appearance.

Over time the shoes have developed a weathered appearance. I like the look but I’m not quite sure how to take care of these. Polishing them isn’t quite the right answer.

The outsole is also starting to show it’s age. It still has all of the mechanical integrity that it started with but the red stripe is more of a maroon these days.

Lastly, I’m not sure of how well these would do if they got completely drenched. In a brief shower this happened:

The shoes look like the water dried out without staining, but I’m unsure what a more substantial wetting will do to them.

What I like

  • Hands-free use
  • Stylish

What needs to be improved

  • offer in more widths
  • water-resistance

Final thoughts

The Kizik shoes are an interesting new take on one of the oldest technologies out there. They look good, feel great, and are really easy to put on and take off.

Price: $180 – $190
Where to buy: They are available for purchase on KIZIK.com as well as in 17 locations nationwide, including select Dillard’s stores and Dillards.com.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by KIZIK.

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Kizik Handsfree New York Shoe review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 27, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro review

In my mind, great accessories makes a great gadget even better.  I love my 2nd-gen iPad Pro 12.9, and I want accessories to protect it and keep it looking great.  I want a protective iPad Pro sleeve that will protect it in my gear bag and when I’m carrying only it with me.  I’m even happier when the protective sleeve is attractive.  The Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for iPad Pro 12.9″ is both protective and beautiful.  It seems to be the perfect accessory for me!  When Lucrin offered a review sample to The Gadgeteer, I hastily asked to be chosen.

Design and Features

Founded in 1994, Lucrin is a Swiss luxury leather company that offers a collection of “beautifully designed everyday leather essentials that are colorful, timeless and easy to personalize.”  Lucrin says that customization is what they do best, and their ordering process is proof of that.

With every bag, you have a selection of leathers and colors.  You can customize this sleeve by adding your monogram or removing the Lucrin logo.  (Other bags and accessories offer more leathers, including exotic skins.)  I chose the granulated leather.  The beautiful red seen here was very tempting, but I opted for the Royal Blue because I wanted to coordinate this sleeve with the Oberon Design Sonoma Tote that I use as my gear bag.

You see that there are many colors, from the more masculine darks to the more feminine pinks, to choose from.  I think men and women are equally able to design a sleeve that suits their style.

Lucrin has a philosophy that I like.  They say:

“The beauty of a leather article relies on several ingredients: a good leather craftsman, of course, as well as an expert tanner, along with a top quality hide and, if we go right back to the source, farms that make animal welfare their priority and good grazing.

Lucrin buys directly from the best tanners in Italy, Spain and South Africa (for ostrich leather). Each tannery we work with has been carefully selected for the quality of its hides and its expertise. These tanneries buy raw hides, prepare them and carry out dyeing as per the colors of the Lucrin catalogue and high-end texturing procedures.“

As you can see from the photos in this review, the Royal Blue sleeve in granulated leather that I received shows the quality that went into every step of the processing.

I opted to leave the Lucrin logo on my bag, as you see.  The logo is very discreet, and not a major component of the design.  I brightened up the photo here to highlight the graining of the leather.  The top photo better represents the actual color.

The back of the sleeve is plain, with no pockets.  This sleeve is designed to hold only the iPad Pro 12.9 and nothing else.

Notice that the zipper pulls are little straps made of the same leather as the rest of the bag.

The interior of the bag is microfiber fabric to protect the iPad Pro from scratches.  The bag opens up completely, as seen here.  The zipper’s teeth are plastic, to further prevent scratching.  What you can’t see is the padding between the leather and lining that will cushion the iPad.

The microfiber fabric looks like suede.  In this photo, you can see the actual color of the lining fabric.  Notice also how even and straight the stitching is.  This Lucrin sleeve is beautifully constructed.

This is my 2nd-gen iPad Pro 12.9 laying inside the Lucrin Zippered Sleeve.  Although the iPad Pro isn’t cased in this photo, I did find that the Pro will also fit inside while wearing a thin TPU back cover.  The cover zips easily around the Pro with or without the TPU back cover.

Here’s the Lucrin sleeve beside my Oberon Sonoma bag.  The leather colors don’t match, but I wouldn’t expect bags from two companies to have an exact color match.  I still think the two bags complement each other beautifully.

Here’s the Lucrin sleeve, with my iPad Pro inside, fitting in the front of the Oberon bag.  The sleeve fits inside the compartment of that Oberon bag as if it were custom-made for it.  I don’t have to remove the sleeve from the tote to get my iPad Pro out.  I just unzip the sleeve a little past the top corners, and I can slip the iPad right out – cased or uncased.

What I like

  • Can be customized with the color and the leather texture you like
  • Well made
  • Beautiful leather exterior and protective interior
  • Works well to protect your iPad Pro in your gear bag or as you carry it to meetings

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

The Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro can be customized with color and leather type, so you can have your perfect zippered sleeve for your iPad Pro.  It’s well-constructed of quality materials, and it’s beautifully constructed.  I love this Lucrin zippered sleeve, and it makes a beautiful addition to my gear bag.

Price: $265.00, as configured for this review
Where to buy: Customize and purchase at Lucrin
Source: The sample of this product was provided by company Lucrin

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Lucrin Zippered Sleeve for 12.9″ iPad Pro review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 27, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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HUAWEI MediaPad M5 Android tablet review

When it comes to buying an Android tablet, there aren’t many choices if you are looking for a premium device. Sadly, even Google themselves have gotten out of the tablet category, which is a real shame. If you haven’t been a fan of the expensive glass-backed tablets from Samsung, I have another option for you to consider. It’s the HUAWEI MediaPad M5, and it’s a beauty.

What is it?

The MediaPad M5 is actually a series of Android tablets from HUAWEI that include an 8.4-inch, and two 10.8-inch tablets. One of the 10.8-inch versions of the tablet is the Pro version. I was sent the 10.8-inch regular version of the M5 for this review.

Hardware specs

OS: Android 8.0 Oreo
CPU: 2.1GHz Kirin 960 Series Chipset
Memory: 4 GB RAM+32 GB ROM, or 4 GB RAM+64 GB ROM
microSD card slot
Display: 2560 x 1600 pixels, Enhanced ClariVu 10.8-inch display
Network: LTE FDD/LTE TDD/WCDMA/GSM (Enabled only on the CMR-AL09 version)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
Camera: Rear camera: 13 MP, F2.2, Auto Focus (PDAF), Front camera: 8 MP, F2.2, Fixed focus
Audio: Quad stereo speaker, HUAWEI Histen sound effect, Harman Kardon audio certified, Supports Hi-Res Audio
Battery: 7500 mAh Quick Charge 9 V/2 A
Dimensions: 10.18 x 6.76 x 0.29 inches (258.7 mm x 171.8 x 7.3 mm)
Weight: 1.1lb (About 498 g)

What’s in the box?

HUAWEI MediaPad M5 10.8-inch Android tablet
Charger
USB Type-C Cable
USB Type-C to 3.5 mm headset jack adapter cable
Eject pin for the microSD card holder
Quick Start Guide
Warranty card

Design and features

The HUAWEI MediaPad M5 is a big beautiful tablet. Although I wish it had ultra-thin bezels like the HUAWEI P20 smartphone that I reviewed recently, I can deal with the relatively narrow bezels that it does have.

The MediaPad has the HUAWEI logo on the bottom edge with the tablet when you are using it in landscape orientation and the fingerprint reader is on the right edge.

In landscape orientation, the front-facing camera and status LED are located along the top edge above the display.

The back side of the MediaPad is made of aluminum that has a smooth feel. It’s so smooth that the tablet is pretty slippery. So you will definitely want to consider some type of back cover or case if you purchase this device.

The right side of the tablet (in landscape orientation) has a one-piece volume button at the top and a smaller power button below it. Also on that side is the microSD card slot. There is an issue with the location of these buttons when you use the tablet in portrait mode because the buttons end up on the bottom edge of the device which is the opposite side I would expect them to be. Granted, the MediaPad is designed to be used primarily in landscape orientation. That said, even in that orientation, the fingerprint reader seems to be is in a strange location on the right side of the display. However, the location of the fingerprint reader works out for a reason you’ll understand when I talk about navigating the user interface.

Along the bottom edge of the MediaPad is a set of built-in speakers that have been tuned by Harman Kardon and provide 360-degree surround sound. In the center are 3 electrical contacts for a future accessory.

In the upper right corner is a rear-facing camera and another set of speakers along the top edge of the tablet.

Last year I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 to replace a Tab 2. In the image above, the Samsung tablet is on the right with the MediaPad M5 next to it on the left. The larger screen size of the 10,8-inch MediaPad makes a huge difference when reading, surfing, and watching videos on this device in either orientation.

Display

The 10.8-inch MediaPad M5’s 2K IPS display is bright and crisp with vibrant colors. I have been impressed by how nice everything looks on it from websites to viewing my Google Photo image collection, and watching a video using the Netflix app.

The 2D curved screen edges are a nice touch as well. 2D curved screens aren’t a new feature for smartphones, but I believe this is a first for an Android tablet and I like the way it feels when holding the tablet between my two hands because there are no uncomfortable edges.

Camera

I think it’s safe to say that 99% of the people who shop for a new tablet are not going to base their decision on the built-in camera. Yes, the M5 has a built-in camera yes, it takes pictures. But the image quality is not going to blow you away and again, 99% of the people who buy this tablet aren’t going to care about the camera quality because who goes around using their tablet as a camera anyway? All that said, here are a couple example images.



The two pictures on the left where taken with the 13MP rear camera the picture on the front used the 8MP front-facing camera. Neither are especially great. But the front camera should work fine for video calls.

Fingerprint reader

The fact that I had some issues with the fingerprint reader won’t come to a surprise if you’ve read more than a few of my device reviews. Yes, fingerprint readers tend to have problems with my alien DNA. The MediaPad’s fingerprint reader worked for me some of the time, but not all of the time. The real unfortunate thing here is that the MediaPad does not share the face unlock feature that the HUAWEI P20 has. It’s a shame because that unlock method has worked really well for me. As it is, I have been using a combination of the fingerprint read and a good old-fashioned PIN number with the M5.

The fingerprint reader does have a second use besides scanning your fingerprints. It can also be used to navigate the tablet by using gestures like the ones shown above. How well does that work? Pretty well since the reader is on the right side of the display where your thumb would naturally rest while using the tablet in landscape orientation.

I do wish the MediaPad also had traditional onscreen navigation icons for back, home, and running app list. The really weird thing is that my device DID have onscreen navigation buttons. You can even see them in a few of the images in this review. But they disappeared and now I don’t know how to get them back. I even read a few other reviews where people complain about the lack of onscreen buttons, but they don’t mention anything about the buttons having been on their MediaPads in the first place like my device. I know I didn’t imagine them because the images in this review are proof that they existed at one point. So, what gives HUAWEI?

Audio quality

The 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 has 4 Harmon Kardon speakers built into the long sides of the tablet and they have terrific sound when using the tablet in either orientation. I enjoyed listening to music through Spotify and watching video on Youtube and Netflix. It was loud enough for two people sitting side by side watching a movie on Netflix with the tablet propped up about 3 feet away.

If you prefer to listen to audio in private, the MediaPad lacks an earphone jack so you’ll need to use the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter or Bluetooth headphones which brings up a pretty big issue with this tablet which I’ll talk about next.

Bluetooth and WiFi problems

If you want to use a pair of Bluetooth earbuds or headphones with the tablet, they will work just fine, but there is a caveat. The tablet uses the same antenna for Bluetooth and WiFi, so trying to use both at once results in slow WiFi speeds.

You can see examples of this in the image above where I used the Speedtest application to test the WiFi speed with Bluetooth turned off, with it turned on, and with a device connected and turned on. With Bluetooth turned off, my WiFi speed on the tablet is typically between 15 – 17Mbps, but as soon as I turned on Bluetooth and tried the Speedtest test again, the WiFi speed fell to 5-7Mbps. Then if Bluetooth was enabled AND a paired Bluetooth device was active, the speed dropped even further to as low 2Mbps at one point.

Is this problem a deal breaker? It depends on the types of activities that you use your tablet for. I mainly tested the tablet surfing my favorite sites while listening to music using Google Play, and using Bluetooth earbuds while watching Netflix shows. Did I notice a problem? Not too much other than lag while a Netflix video was buffering that longer than normal before the video started to play. Other than that, I didn’t notice a problem. But you have to understand that I used a T1 line at my home for a decade, so I’m used to slower (sub 2Mbps) network speeds.

Software and user interface

Like the HUAWEI P20 and the HUAWEI Mate 10 Pro that I’ve reviewed, the MediaPad M5 ships with Huawei’s own skin on top of stock Android Oreo. That skin is called EMUI. EMUI doesn’t make Android look that much different from stock Android Oreo, but it does include Huawei’s versions of the stock apps like the calendar, clock, calculator, etc. There are more apps (aka Bloatware) included on the MediaPad like Booking.com, Kid’s Corner, Game Suite, Quik video editor, and WPS Office, but they can be uninstalled if desired.

The MediaPad M5 also includes a special desktop mode that allows the M5 to have a Windows-style look and feel with multiple movable windows and a taskbar at the bottom. But unlike the HUAWEI smartphones, the MediaPad does not have the ability to output to a large monitor when used with an HDMI USB-C adapter.

Battery life and performance

The 10.8-inch MediaPads have a large 7500mAh battery which does an impressive job of powering the tablet for several days with light use and easily through a full day of moderate use. The performance with the tablet has impressed me. I feel like it’s snappier than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. I had no problems launching apps, scrolling pages, etc.

What I like

  • Vibrant display
  • Good value for the price
  • Great audio
  • microSD card slot

What needs to be improved

  • Bluetooth and Wifi speed issue
  • Odd power and volume button location
  • No earphone jack

Final thoughts

The HUAWEI MediaPad M5 lives up to its name with its large display and Harman Kardon speakers. This tablet is a great device for surfing, and watching videos on your favorite streaming service. The tablet isn’t perfect though due to the issue with using WiFi and Bluetooth at the same time. If you can get past that problem, the price and features of the HUAWEI MediaPad M5 do make it one of the nicest Android tablets that are currently available.

Price: $359.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by HUAWEI.

The post HUAWEI MediaPad M5 Android tablet review appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

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HUAWEI MediaPad M5 Android tablet review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 26, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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