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steelseries Arctis 7 wireless gaming headset review

Wired gaming gear has been a must in the past when playing reaction based games. Especially those fast-paced, action games that require quick, zero-lag responsiveness. However, the cable-less, clutter-free appeal of wireless has always been there, waiting for the technology to improve. With the Arctis 7 from steelseries, there is no longer the need for sacrifice of space for ability with its lagless and cordless audio.

The disadvantage of wired products has always been the nightmare of many tech users: wire clutter. With keyboard, mouse, and headphones the issue wasn’t if they would tangle but how fast and big would the knot grow before having to deal with it. Even by making one input device wireless, it reduces the chaos many times over. Since I’m sharing desk space, this helps the organization of my components when I’m not using them as well.

What is it?

The steelseries Arctis 7 are a set of high-end wireless gaming headphones. The steelseries developers have created a lag-free, cable-free gaming headset using 2.4G wireless technology with 7.1 surround sound and built-in ClearCast microphone.

What’s in the box:

  • Arctis 7
  • Wireless Transmitter
  • Mobile/Console Cable
  • Micro-USB Charging Cable

Design and features

In addition to being cord-free, the Arctis 7 is sleek, comfortable and well made. These wireless headphones are designed with sound experience and gaming in mind, all adjustment controls are easy to locate and quick to adjust. A unique, comfortable headband and rotatable earpieces add additional function and quality to the already impressive set of headphones.

Build and material quality:

The Arctis 7 is a premium headset for gamers who want a solid set of clutter-free, wireless headphones that take nothing away from the experience or game play. The exterior of the earcups are coated in a soft-touch matte finish rubber layer. This combination gives the entire headset a solid, quality feel.

The headset’s upper frame is aluminum connected to the earcups via a plastic hinge that can rotate 90-degrees. The rotatable ear cups allow for greater comfort and easy storage of the headphones when not in use.

Since Bluetooth can lag a bit especially in fast-paced gaming, the Arctis 7’s uses a 2.4G USB dongle/transceiver that connects to your computer. After plugging it in, Windows 10 quickly recognizes the dongle, making the process of pairing the headset and computer less than 30 seconds. Being about the size of a dollar coin, the dongle is easily hidden away. The dongle also has a line-in / line-out functionality. The line-in allows devices other than your computer, such as a phone, to play music into the headset. If the headset is off, the line-out allows the dongle to connect what the computer is playing to something such as a speaker, and will mute automatically when the headset is turned back on.

The headset controls are located on the bottom of the two earcups: on/off button, power indicator, Chatmix dial, microUSB charging port, line-in, volume wheel, and mute. The power button also acts as a battery indicator, changing from green to yellow to red as the charge is depleted. Though you probably won’t need to look at it often with the headset’s 24-hour battery life. On the opposing side, the micro-USB charger and console/mobile ports can quickly recharge the device and connect it to smartphone or gaming consoles. The ChatMix dial, the wheel on the right ear cup in the photo, allows you to toggle between more chat noise or more game noise without accessing menus. I myself have not utilized this often but it’s a nice option to have. The volume wheel is on the left ear cup and works well with 99% applications. Oddly though, when playing Overwatch, I could only hear the game when pushing the game and headset to their maximum volume. That meant even basic Windows prompts became bombshells as my other applications weren’t affected. I fixed it by starting the game with the volume low and raising it after but that was the only program that I had issue with.

The ClearCast mic maintains the user’s natural tone and can be retracted into the headphones. It may not reach out as far out as you may want but is still effective at catching your voice. The mic’s design blocks out background noise, only picking up audio from nearby sources, such as the user. So if you’re playing a team game the mic can help block out other noises from people or pets in your house.

Comfort and fit:

The ski goggle-like headband is comfortable, replaceable, and adjustable. The elastic fabric is designed to “contour across your head, evenly distributing the weight, eliminating all pressure points.” The suspension bands are available in several colors and designs if you want something other than the patterned black and gray one steelseries includes with the Arctis 7’s.

The ear cushions are extremely comfortable, nicely cushioned,  and well made. They are made from a sportswear type material, preventing them from becoming too warm or itchy after long sessions of play. For $15 dollars, you can buy ear cushions of leather and velour materials to replace them.

Overall, the Arctis 7’s provide both comfort and utility in a quality frame.

Sound quality and gameplay:

The sound quality of the headset is superb, with the ability to differentiate between sources and the distances they are away from you becoming incredibly easy. Coming from not the highest quality headphones, it took some adjustment when I was suddenly able to hear steps from miles away, like the super senses scenes in Man of Steel.

Specifications:

What I like

  • Comfortable and adjustable ski goggle headband
  • Superb surround sound quality
  • Retractable and high-quality mic
  • The ear pads are snug and remain so for hours.
  • +24 hour battery life
  • Lagless connection through the dongle

What needs improvement

  • Weird interactions with a few applications
  • DTS Headphone: X Surround compatible with Windows 7 and above

Final thoughts

The steelseries Arctis 7 headphones are a high-quality set of wireless headphones with none of the drawbacks that come from Bluetooth devices. Their design is sleek, the audio incredible, and the mic said to be the best in the business. However, being so specialized for gaming I would not recommend them for consumers looking for a basic set of wireless headphones. The Arctis 7 is definitely worth its asking price of $150 for those searching for a premium set of lag-less, wireless gaming headphones.

Price: $141.99
Where to buy: The Arctis 7’s are available from steelseries or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by steelseries.

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steelseries Arctis 7 wireless gaming headset review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder review

If you’ve been a reader of The Gadgeteer for any length of time, you’ll know that we love leather covers and cases, and one of the most popular and loved maker of leather cases, bags, and covers is the Saddleback Leather Company. We’ve covered many of their products over the years and I’m happy to say that we have one of their newest products to introduce to you today. It’s the Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder, which combines your favorite digital tablet with your favorite analog supplies. Let’s take a closer look.

What is it?

The Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder is a portfolio style holder that has been designed to hold and protect a 12.9 inch sized iPad Pro tablet along with other accessories like the Apple Pencil, notepads, and more.

Design and features


The Tablet Notepad Holder is made of one large piece of full-grain leather on the outside and is available in 4 colors that include standard Tobacco, Dark Coffee Brown, Chestnut, and Black. 

The edges of the leather are sewn with a double row of stitches both to reinforce the seams and to give it a traditional look and feel.

You’ll find no snaps, zippers, or Velcro (ick) being used on this holder. A simple riveted leather tab and loop style fastener keeps the cover securely closed and the only branding you’ll find is the Saddleback Leather logo on the bottom right corner on the outside of the cover.

When you open the cover of the Tablet Notepad Holder, you’ll see a layout of pockets that include 2 pen/pencil slots at the top, a pigskin lining and sleeve for your iPad Pro 12.9, and 3 additional pockets that can hold flat accessories like the iPad keyboard, notepads, and other papers or folders.

I didn’t have a 12.9-inch iPad Pro to test with this holder, but I was happy to find out that my 12-inch MacBook fits in the tablet sleeve perfectly.

The tablet sleeve is about 11.75 x 8.75 inches so it can fit a variety of laptops and tablets.

That little squiggle stamp in the lower right corner of the sleeve is Saddleback Leather Co. founder Dave Munson’s dog Blue wearing a sombrero. You can read all about Dave and Blue’s adventures south of the border here.

With the Tablet Notepad Holder loaded up with gear and the cover secured in place, the holder is not bad as far as bulk. Granted, a full-grain leather case like the ones made by Saddleback Leather Company is never going to be considered lightweight or slim, but I was surprised by how nicely everything works together with this case.

What I like

  • Plenty of pockets to hold flat items and 2 pen slots
  • Holds the 12.9 inch iPad Pro or small laptop
  • Great craftsmanship
  • 100-year warranty

What needs to be improved

  • Pricey
  • Doesn’t hold a device charger

Final thoughts

Whenever I receive an SB product to review, I know that it will have a rugged design and will be made to last for a century. I also know that bags, cases, and holders made by Saddleback Leather Company are not everyone’s cup of tea in both style and price. But for their loyal followers and collectors, the Tablet Notepad Holder will protect their favorite digital and analog gear while making them feel like they just got off a train in Westworld.

Price: $199.00
Where to buy: Saddleback Leather Company
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Saddleback Leather Company.

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Saddleback Leather Company Tablet Notepad Holder review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2018 at 12:34 pm.

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LOOK-IT Wireless Backup Camera review

The LOOK-IT Wireless Rear Vision System is a Bluetooth enabled backup camera for your car that installs easily, but suffers from a poor quality VGA camera, inconsistent performance, and a very high price tag. The system works, for the most part, but at a $299.99 price point, the performance and image quality should be much, much better.

What is it?

For older models cars, without built-in backup cameras, the LOOK-IT wireless rear vision system adds this coveted safety feature with the help of your Bluetooth enabled smartphone.

The LOOK-IT comes in an impressive box detailed with all the features of the device. The important components are all set deep into a custom foam inset.

What’s in the box?

  • LOOK-IT Plate Frame
  • QuickView Wireless Remote
  • Magnetic Phone Mount
  • LOOK-IT Manual
  • Mounting screws, adhesive, and attachment for hardwiring system

The LOOK-IT unit itself looks like a large license plate mount with a small camera attached to the top.

The unit is waterproof and has a self-contained long-life battery. LOOK-IT says the battery is good for over three years in normal operating conditions. After that, you can purchase a replacement battery through a LOOK-IT authorized retailer.

Various mounting brackets, caps, and a uniquely tipped wrench to prevent theft are included with the camera system.

Along with the camera unit, a remote control fob is required for total functionality.

Only the main center button on the fob works, the other buttons are for “future expansions”. The website says that the extra buttons will open up the map apps on iPhone and Android devices, but that function did not work in my testing.

The fob has a velcro strap that allows you to attach it to your steering wheel, parking brake or another convenient spot.

The LOOK-IT also comes with a handy magnetic phone mount. The metal plates slip into your phone’s case and the mount can be attached to a vent. This was a great addition to the kit, but at $299.99, it’s the least they could do.

Requirements

  • iPhone 5 and up with Bluetooth 4.2
  • Android smartphones running Android 5.0 and up and equipped with Bluetooth 4.2. BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is required for updates and settings. Some Android smartphones are not capable of BLE operation.

Hardware specifications

  • Horizontal viewing angle of 100 degrees
  • Camera resolution: VGA 600 x 480
  • Three year self-contained replaceable battery
  • Waterproof molded plastic casing
  • Bluetooth 4.2

Setup

The first step in the LOOK-IT setup is to turn it on by activating the battery. This is done by pressing on the single button on the back of the unit for four seconds.

Once activated, the button light will blink red and the unit will stay on continuously for up to three years, depending on the life of the battery.

The next step is to link the LOOK-IT unit to your smartphone. This process involves downloading the LOOK-IT app and making sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your phone.

I started the app and followed the setup instructions, and after several tries, I still couldn’t get the unit to link to my device.

The app would crash at the same point in the setup process every time.

The only way I was finally able to get everything synced was to go into my device’s Bluetooth menu and connect to the LOOK-IT unit that way, similar to how you set up any typical Bluetooth device.

Once the camera unit and my device were linked, the rest of the installation was relatively easy.

There are two brackets that need to be inserted and then adjusted for correct mounting on your vehicle.

Your license plate mounts on top of the LOOK-IT unit, so the plate has to be removed first. An important thing to remember is to keep the original license plate screws handy, you’ll need them for the next step.

The LOOK-IT mounts to your vehicle using the original license plate screws, then your plate slides under the camera unit and mounts to the LOOK-IT with the included screws and the specially tipped Allen wrench. Definitely keep this wrench in a safe place, you won’t be able to remove your license plate without it.

The only part of this installation that I didn’t like was that there are no holes on the bottom of the LOOK-IT to secure your license plate.

To secure the license plate bottom you need to use adhesive tape placed behind the license plate. Again, after spending $299.99 on the LOOK-IT, this solution seems pretty inelegant.

Design and Features

To activate the LOOK-IT, you press the center button on the fob after it’s mounted where it feels comfortable. I chose to mount the fob on the parking brake handle in my vehicle.

Once you press the fob button, what should happen is the LOOK-IT app activates and a backup view from your camera pops up on your device screen. This worked properly about 75% of the time in my testing. Again, for $299.99, this should be flawless. The times when I pressed the button to no avail were incredibly frustrating and the only way to get it to work is to manually open the app, close it and try again.

I also have some concerns about the LOOK-IT application draining my phone battery. The LOOK-IT application needs to be running for the camera to work. When the application is running, you will see an Android logo on the very top left of your device’s screen. If the logo is not present, you will need to manually start the application.

When the button and app do work properly, a view from the camera appears for 30 seconds. Overlaid on the camera view is a safety boundary showing you how close objects are to your car.

One of the setup features in the app allows you to adjust the safety boundaries to correspond to the placement of the camera on your vehicle.

The view is usable, but it’s VGA, crappy, and pixelated. With camera sensor technology advancing every day, becoming smaller and cheaper, attaching a 640 x 480 VGA camera to a device and charging $299.99 for it is unconscionable. The camera has night vision as well, but as to be expected, it’s even worse quality.

What I like

  • Easy installation
  • Unobtrusive design

What needs to be improved

  • Expensive
  • Poor Camera quality
  • Unreliable

Final thoughts

The LOOK-IT Wireless Rear Vision System works, occasionally. And when it does work it gives you a very poor quality view of the objects behind your vehicle. If the price were $50-$100, I’d recommend it, but with all the other options available on the market right now, $249.00 is just too much to pay for this product.

Price: $249.00
Where to buy: LOOK-IT and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by LOOK-IT.

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LOOK-IT Wireless Backup Camera review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 15, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Flowfold Stormproof Limited Conductor Duffle review

It’s been a cold, wet, miserable month here in Pennsylvania. But that’s OK! We’ve got our hands on the Flowfold Stormproof Limited Conductor, a duffle bag that fears no weather. We’re taking advantage of the awful weather to put it to the test.

It’s raining. We’re getting soggy. But our gear isn’t. To the review!

What is it?

It’s a 40-liter duffle bag designed for travel and outdoor activities, made with ultralight high-tech materials for durability and weather resistance.

Hardware specs

  • 12” High by 22” Wide by 12” Tall
  • 40 Liters capacity
  • 12.7 Ounces (15 Ounces including the shoulder strap)
  • X-Pac water-resistant fabric
  • YKK water-resistant zippers

Design and features

The Stormproof Limited Conductor, like all Flowfold products, is all about simple & functional design. The form factor is a barrel-shaped duffle bag, 12″ in diameter and 22″ long. There’s a single main compartment accessed by a full-length top zipper and a 12” by 12” zippered outer pocket on the front face for your smaller items. Clean lines and a two-tone finish add a touch of sophistication to the bag. I especially like the color combo in the heathered gray and black model I’m testing.

X-pac has become quite popular in carry products, and is the primary material of choice here. Initially designed for sailing, the layered ripstop fabric provides excellent resistance to water, abrasion, and tears. It’s a deceptive material because it is so thin and light that it feels almost insubstantial… until you put it to the test and experience it’s durability. Combined with YKK water-resistant zips and reinforced seams throughout the bag, you get excellent water resistance as well. Like all Flowfold products, the construction is also excellent with refined touches like zipper garages, nylon cord pulls, chunky hardware, and reinforcement at key stress points. It’s a great build and made in the USA. 

The bag includes a pair of carry handles and a shoulder strap, both made from webbed nylon. The carry handles are folded over and reinforced to provide some extra grip. The shoulder strap is adjustable and removable. It’s all simple, rugged and well-assembled without adding any extra bulk to the bag.

Performance

Simple, lightweight and durable. Ready for action. That’s the name of the game with the Flowfold Conductor Limited Duffle bag.

If you like wide open spaces, you’ll be very happy with the Conductor’s 40-liter capacity. For my test loadout, I loaded the Conductor up with two pairs of sneakers, two pairs of jeans, a sweater, a sweatshirt, and a couple of t-shirts with room to spare for toiletries and accessories. You could live out of this bag for a week. The outboard compartment is great for your wallet, keys, and other small items.It also meets carry-on specifications, which is another plus if you’re not planning on checking a bag. 

I took advantage of the lousy weather on a recent Saturday afternoon, loading up the bag and plunking it down on my front walkway to put its weather resistance to the test. 30 minutes of steady soaking rain and both compartments stayed bone dry… even with water pooling on the zipper line! That’s ideal for camping or other outdoor activities where you’re trusting your bag to keep your gear dry. The lightweight is an added plus: even with the shoulder strap attached, the total weight of the bag is less than a pound. Impressive.

Speaking of the shoulder strap, that would be the one area that could use some improvement. Nylon webbed straps tend to slide around on your shoulder. While the strap is wide enough to help with weight distribution, a bit of padding would be nice to keep the bag in place during maneuvers. I’ll probably swipe one from one of my other bags when I use this for travel. 

Finally, it’s important to note that the straightforward design requires you to bring your own organization. Other than the front pocket, there’s no internal compartmentalization or padding to protect your gear. This may be an issue for frequent flyers who live out of their carry-ons. Personally, I’m OK with it. I tend to travel with my tech in a separate bag anyway, and organizer pouches or packing cubes will do just fine for sorting out the small stuff. 

What I like

  • Simple, streamlined design
  • Ultra-lightweight
  • Excellent durability and water resistance
  • Sized for carry-on use

What needs to be improved

  • Lack of internal compartments requires you to bring your own organization if that’s your thing
  • Would like a pad on the shoulder strap for stabilization

Final thoughts

I continue to be a fan of Flowfold’s products. The Stormproof Limited Conductor duffle represents everything I like about the brand: simple, functional, good-looking, and tough enough to handle a bit of weather or rough travels. With a 40 liter capacity and ultra lightweight, it’s great for travel and overnight trips. If you’re looking for a simple & durable duffle bag, I’d highly recommend checking it out.

Price: $98.00
Where to buy: Flowfold.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Flowfold.

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Flowfold Stormproof Limited Conductor Duffle review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 14, 2018 at 4:00 pm.

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ACGAM G402 gaming mouse review

In today’s world, the computer Mouse has become standard on almost every computer. While tablets and other such devices utilize alternatives, no one device has yet been able to make it obsolete. As computer gaming has become mainstream, many companies have joined the popularity and created a mouse specifically designed and labeled for gaming.

What is it?

The ACGAM G402 Gaming Mouse is a wired right-handed optical ergonomic gaming mouse that is designed for ease and speed of use by the gamer. It features 7 conveniently located buttons, RGB color customization, OMRON gaming switches and supports USB 2.0 and 3.0.

What’s in the box?

In the box there is the G402 mouse, a 3-inch driver disc and a manual that includes the basic instructions in 6 languages. ACGAM employs a very minimalist concept in both the accessories they provide and the very thin manual in very small writing.

Design and features

The ACGAM mouse is well built albeit completely made of plastic. It is very light but it does fit well in my hand. It is a right-handed mouse with contours that fist well to my right hand. The right and left click buttons are on a slope with a concave curve that hugs my fingers very well and add to the comfort and ease of use of the mouse, There are 2 buttons on the left side of the mouse that are well placed and make for easy access with my thumb with just minimal movement required for me to select either one. The mouse uses a USB cable connection. The built-in cable is braided and seems very strong and likely to withstand continuous use without fraying or breaking. The optical sensor is very responsive and without delay. This mouse is also very attractive with customizable colors that shine brightly on both sides and make it a pleasant addition to the work routine.

ACGAM does provide a software suite with the mouse that allows the user to customize the colors, the functions of each of the 6 programmable buttons, the speed of tracking, the adjustable DPI settings and the actual “breathing” of the lights while in use.


What I Like

After using the G402 mouse quite a bit, I can say that I really like the responsiveness of the optical sensor, the customizable color schemes, and the ability to program each of the 6 buttons and save them as profiles for various applications. The mouse is very easy to use because the design of the contours is well thought out to fit the hand comfortably, and I like that I can add it to workflows in other applications other than games.

What needs to be improved?

While the mouse is sleek and a great value for what it offers, I found that the stiff braided USB cable was at times very restrictive to my movements and did get in the way of the other equipment on my desk. Making this mouse a Bluetooth mouse would greatly improve its flexibility. While understanding that this is a low-cost mouse, it is being marketed as a gaming mouse, and therefore the design should offer more in the way of knobs with a greater range of movement to accommodate more of today’s gaming requirements.

Final thoughts

The ACGAM G402 Gaming Mouse is a great “bang for the buck” deal. It offers quite a bit of customization and programmability for the price, and it is well built. While it can be utilized for some games, its ability to customized for use with other applications and workflows to add ease and efficiency might be a better application, especially since today’s games are very sophisticated and require a lot of control ability to be fully engaged.

Price: $15.99
Where to buy: Amazon.com
Source: The sample for this review was provided by ACGAM.

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ACGAM G402 gaming mouse review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 14, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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