Reviews – Page 223

Apple AirPods review

When I first saw the Apple AirPods announced during the iPhone 7 launch event, I thought they looked awesome but vowed to never buy them. Why? I thought they were overpriced for just a wireless version of Apple’s headphones.

Now I own them. Let me explain. I recently talked to someone that had a pair and they were telling me how great they were for talking on the phone. I have been using my Bluetooth earpiece quite a bit lately, and I’ve been growing increasingly annoyed at how it fits in my ear, and how non-portable it is because of its construction.

Then along came a $35 rewards certificate for a local box store which took the edge off of the price tag, and pushed me into the “I’ll give them a try” category. Several weeks of waiting for them to be in stock only re-enforced my suspicions that these just might be a good thing.

What is it?

Apple’s AirPods are more than just headphones – they’re more than just wireless headphones. As the Apple tagline says, they’re “Wireless. Effortless. Magical.”. I’ve often criticized Apple for putting form over function, but they have really hit the mark with the AirPods. From the moment you open the box, quality is what you feel, see and hear.

What’s in the box?

Consistency is one thing Apple does well, and if you’ve ever unboxed an Apple product, the AirPods will bring you no surprises. When you open the box you’ll find the typical packet of product papers and quick setup instructions, charging case, AirPods, and a lightning charging cable – no extra fluff.

Design and features

This is where the AirPods excel. Setup is as simple as holding the charging case near your unlocked phone and opening the case. Your phone or device (iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models with iOS 10 or later) will simply display a message asking if you want to connect, tap connect and you’re done. That’s it.

The AirPods are always connected, and automatically turn on and off via optical sensors and a motion accelerometer. A double-tap on the AirPod will invoke Siri or answer a call. There are also other options in the settings for configuring what the double-tap does such as Siri, next track, previous track, Play/Pause, and off. The left and right AirPod can be configured separately.

The AirPods feature 5 hours of battery life on one charge, and with the charging case you’ll have 24-hour battery life. Just 15 minutes in the charging case will give your AirPods 3 hours of listening time.

What I like

My previous Bluetooth earpiece took around 5 seconds or longer to power on and switch the audio from the phone to the earpiece, during which I would miss much of the audio from the call. With the AirPods, I simply put it in my ear and the audio instantly transfers to the AirPod, and I don’t miss anything the caller is saying.

Just like Apple says, they’re effortless. The compact charging case, with its smooth rounded edges fits nicely in my pocket, protects the AirPods when I’m not using them, and provides plenty of charge for the entire day.

I drove around the other day listening to the radio while running map directions on my phone. I was able to hear the directions without having to mute the car radio. I often run around with my phone in my cargo pants pocket, and with the AirPod in my ear, I can hear incoming calls and texts that I would normally miss in loud environments.

What needs to be improved

There’s really only one thing that I think could improve the AirPods and that’s more gesture control. A programmable triple-tap gesture would be handy for launching the music app or the phone app. Being really picky and having large fingers, I would say that they could be a little bit easier to remove from the charging case.

Final thoughts

I’m really impressed that Apple has been able to put such great features and electronics in such a small product. I’m not an audiophile, so I can’t comment on how good the audio is compared to other really good headphones. I can say that I like the audio from these, it’s definitely better than the wired headphones that come with the iPhone.

Price: $159.00
Where to buy: Apple Store
Source: The AirPods for this review were purchased with our own funds.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Apple, Bluetooth earbuds

Apple AirPods review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 1, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Üllo Wine Purifier review

We drink a fair amount of wine in our world. From my wife’s Friday evening wine club to our many social engagements, we have the opportunity to indulge in some very good vino. A majority of the wine we consume comes from what most would consider classic vineyards. That said, we have several friends and coworkers who only drink sulfite-free wines. They usually pay extra and do not have nearly the selection we do across the board. So, when Julie asked if we wanted to try the Üllo Wine Purifier, the chemist in me thought it would be fun and interesting to see if it really removes the sulfites without impacting the wine itself.

The Üllo Wine Purifier is relatively simplistic in its design. The housing is engineered to hold a filter meant to remove a majority of the sulfites as you pour wine thru the assembly. The Üllo can de-sulfite both white and red wines, removing the sulfites added during the bottling process as a preservative.

According to the Üllo Kickstarter page — “An estimated three million Americans are sensitive to sulfites resulting in allergies or respiratory problems, while countless others blame these chemicals for headaches and hangovers”.

Üllo is a Chicago startup with a simple mission to bring wine back to its natural state. Doctor James Kornacki is the inventor of Selective Sulfite Capture technology and holds a doctorate in chemistry from Northwestern University. He founded Üllo in 2014 in Chicago as a Kickstarter effort that raised over $150k with thousands of backers.

POUR – All wine contains sulfites, which are artificial preservatives added during production. They are no longer needed once the bottle is opened.
PURIFY – Proprietary polymer technology filters away free sulfites and their bitter taste, while allowing other compounds in wine to flow through unaffected.
PURE WINE – Through Selective Sulfite Capture, free sulfites are reduced to a more naturally occurring level for most wines.

The ultimate goal is to “return wine to its natural state as if you opened the bottle right at the vineyard.” The Üllo is designed to remove the sulfites, restoring wine to its natural, preservative-free state thus reducing the bitter aftertaste that the chemical many times causes.

In the Box:

Üllo Wine Purifier
Travel bag
Display base
4 Selective Sulfite Capture single bottle filters

Specifications:

Dishwasher safe, BPA-free materials
Height: 5 7/8” x Width: 4 3/8”
Üllo filters are made in the USA

The Üllo assembly is made from three pieces of BPA-free plastic and rubber that all click together, are easily pried apart, and dishwasher safe. Here you see the filter that contains a porous, food-grade polymer which selectively removes sulfites while allowing the other compounds in the wine to flow through unaffected. Each filter is supposed to reduce sulfites to less than 10 ppm (parts per million) for one bottle of wine.

The Üllo is engineered to be flexible in how you use it. If you prefer wine by the glass, the Üllo is designed to sit on top of a variety of wine glasses.

Or by the bottle, the Üllo can also fit inside or on top of the mouths of a multitude of carafes and decanters as well.

As I mentioned above, the Üllo Wine Purifier can not only remove/reduce sulfites, but the internal design can aerate red wine or allow white wine to flow thru. That said, I have to add this is the Üllo’s only design weakness. We tried a multitude of different bottles of wine thru the Üllo and even sitting minutes after pouring, we found the aeration it provided lacking. We have gotten used to and prefer the substantial aeration that the Aervana electric aerator produces. But we did try the Üllo in tandem with the Aervana and I believe that achieved the best results.

Does it work…

Well, that is the 24,000 dollar question. And truth be told, I cannot give you a concrete answer without sending samples to a lab for analysis. Being the nerdy scientist I am, I would LOVE to give you some cold, hard numbers into what is a pretty subjective review. All I can give you (for the moment) is the report out from the Wine Club. And sadly results were all over the board. We tried the Üllo wine purifier on several occasions with a variety of nice wines: I found it smoothed out the flavor, a few found no change, and one thought it made the wine more acidic. Like I said…extremely subjective :-/ .

My hope…

We have friends and coworkers who happen to make wine, with several of them owning full-scale wineries. We stopped by one of them to pick up a case for the holiday get-togethers and my wife mentioned the Üllo wine purifier to Steve, the owner. Well as the story goes, Steve was very interested in not only the chemistry of it but the potential for selling it to those sulfite-sensitive/allergic folks. He says sulfite content is a question that is regularly asked. Steve was so interested, that he volunteered to not only try the Üllo but send a few samples to his lab to see if it truly works. If/when he has results I’ll update this review with some rubber meets the road data. But until then, all I can say is that I found the wine smoother with the Üllo than without it.

Bottom line…

The Üllo Wine Purifier seems like an ideal gift for those sulfite-sensitive/allergic folks you know. The Üllo itself comes with four filters and costs $80. The Selective Sulfite Capture single bottle filters cost approximately $3 each and are available in packs of 6 or 15. The Wine Club thought the filters were a bit pricey on a per bottle basis. But considering how expensive and limited sulfite-free wine is, the cost may be worth it for those needing/preferring low sulfite wines.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Üllo. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$80
Manufacturer:	Üllo
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Removes a majority of sulfite from wine Restores wine to its natural, preservative-free state Easy to clean and store
Cons:	Aeration could be better Filter cost

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Beverage, Home and Kitchen, Wine accessory

Üllo Wine Purifier review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 9, 2017 at 11:47 am.

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Dittrich Designs AllDock multi-device charging station review

Organizing our workspace and dealing with the perpetual need to charge our devices frequently seem to work at cross-purposes. Cables sprawl around mice, keyboards, and desk trinkets. A stand just for charging can seem like a lot – unless it can organize all the cables and charging devices into a single location. This is the mission of the AllDock, a new product series from Dittrich Designs. I was sent a medium model in walnut to test.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

The AllDock is attempting to cover the ground that other charging platforms have in the past, but it uses warm, full grain, real wood to hide the technology. The base itself is a solid box of walnut or bamboo, 2.75” x 6” x 9”. Lengthwise across the top are four channels with three tear-drop cord holders in the bottom. Under the top, a 4-port high-quality USB charger is installed, so that you can attach cables to each port, and thread them up through the ports. From there, you can plug your device in, and stick it down into the channel with the power plug in the teardrop hole, and your screen upright for use. This could work great for a conference room, break area, or coffee shop, where you want to provide charging, but don’t want a bunch of ugly chargers and cables strewn about.

The top is held in place by six pairs of rare earth magnets along the long sides. They are strong enough that I can lift the box by one of the top crosspieces and shake it, and it won’t let go. Once you “help” it with the other hand, it lifts readily, and you can change the cable arrangement at will.

The channels are of two sizes: the rear-most is .75”, while the other three are .5” each. My iPhone can fit into the smaller ones, even with the Apple Leather cover attached, but most cases forced usage of the rear slot. Without a case, my iPad Pro 10.5” can fit any channel in portrait, but even the thinnest case is too much for them, mainly because all my cases have covers, so they have to fold over. My Lovely Bride’s OG iPad mini fits either orientation without a case, but the case, again, is too thick, since it is a fold-over.
The front bar has a one-inch gap in the middle, which makes it perfect to press the home button of the device in that front-and-center position. The weight and bulk of the box make it very sturdy for using an iPad in portrait mode (as I’m doing now) so that you can use a standalone keyboard.

A few add-ons are available. One, a one-handed dock for Lightning, was included. You insert your cable, clip the holder up into the teardrop slot, and the cable is perfectly placed to receive your phone or iPad. Other add-ons include a hanging mount for an Apple Watch and a “sidecar” for Apple AirPods. You can even get a wireless charger to install, and lean your Qi comparable device against it.

I lied earlier when I said it was only available in wood. I didn’t want to spoil the mood. They also make slightly cheaper versions in a black or white ABS plastic, and the rack tops can all be mixed and matched. There are other sizes as well. A 6-port “Large” model, and an 8-port Tower with no rack are available. One thing to note is that each device has a full 2.4 mAh connection per port. The 8-port model delivers a whopping 19.2 mAh, the 6-port totals 14.4, and the 4 port 9.6. Few multi-port chargers deliver this amount of power per port.

I have a friend who claims I have a stand addiction. He said at dinner the other night “Smythe has never seen a stand he didn’t like – or buy.” He’s only partly wrong. There are some I like but didn’t buy because they weren’t something that would fit in my life. There were also some that I really wanted to like, but just had too many negatives to overcome. Sadly, for me, the Alldock falls into this category. It’s beautiful and made from quality materials, and the electronics are first-rate. The issue I have is that the grooves are too narrow to use with all but naked devices. I have cases on my iPads and my iPhones. Taking them out of the case is a hassle if I’m only doing it for charging, or even to leave on my desk while working. What do I do with those cases while I’m working with the naked iPad or iPhone? I have several different stands – some at work, others in various places around my home, and the only one that requires me to remove the case is the Flote stand, which I use least of all.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Dittrich Designs. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	varies by size and material. As reviewed, $159.00.
Manufacturer:	AllDock
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	Device cables, Thin devices for charging
Pros:	Full power per port for charging many options for how to arrange devices extra "sidecars" for earpods and Apple Watch
Cons:	channels for devices are too narrow for cases Nothing wider than portrait for iPad

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Batteries and Chargers, charging dock

Dittrich Designs AllDock multi-device charging station review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 9, 2017 at 8:37 am.

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VAVA VOOM 22 True Wireless Bluetooth Speaker review

I have bought and currently still own a lot of Bluetooth speakers. For some reason every time I see a new design or one that has a slight advancement in functionality, I want it. Why?…I have no idea. I don’t go on a lot of outings where I need a speaker, the ones I have are already great for going on the deck or backyard where having some music makes for a more enjoyable time, yet I still find myself drawn to these things. The VAVA VOOM 22 is the first pair of Bluetooth speakers that I have owned that are portable and offer stereo sound when paired together.

Offered on Amazon for $129.99 for one or $219.99 for a pair, these speakers have quickly become my new favorite and not because they are my latest audio toy, because they offer a rich stereo sound and are more geared for home use. You could easily take these speakers with you on a car trip but if you are looking for something to drop in a suitcase or backpack for on the go listening, these are probably not for you. If, however, you are in the market for a speaker or set of speakers that can go from the living room to the patio or something that is more permanently set up in somewhere in your home or office, I highly recommend that you seriously consider these speakers.

Once paired, the wireless connection between the speakers in instant. There is no volume lag if you reduce the volume on one speaker, they operate in perfect harmony no matter which speaker you choose to control via the onboard buttons. You have full control of the EQ, track selection, volume control, power and Bluetooth buttons onboard each unit. You can also connect your music source directly to the speaker using the 3.5mm audio cable connection on the back of the speaker. There is also a USB power outlet on the back for charging your phone or another device while listening.

Each speaker is equipped with a 4000mAh battery, which VAVA says will provide 4-6 hours of playback after a 3-4 hour full charge from empty. The speakers can also operate full time if connected to a constant power source. Each unit is equipped with a 10W driver and a 20W subwoofer, totaling 60W when a pair of them is connected. There is no lack of power here. Whether listening in your home/office or filling an outdoor space, you will not be left wanting more power. Each speaker is 5.9″ x 4.33″ x 9.84″, making them ideal to sit on a desk, shelf or table but maybe not so much if trying to pack them in a suitcase or backpack.

The design of the VOOM 22 is very attractive with the fabric mesh wrapping and the rubberized end caps, giving each surface a very satisfying feel. Each speaker is easily moved using what I assume is the subwoofer output in the back that doubles as a handle. They look right at home with your home entertainment system or on a shelf or desk. During a majority of the time, I spent testing the VOOM 22 I was using the pair of speakers. I did test a single speaker but wasn’t as impressed with the sound as I was when paired with its twin. This is exactly what I expected as the richness you get from a stereo experience far exceeds that of a mono sound. The experience I got from using just one speaker was similar to other Bluetooth speakers I own, which isn’t a bad thing but where this product shines is when used with its twin. If you bought the single unit, I don’t think you would have any complaints at all. In hindsight, I should have tested the single speaker first because now I am hooked on having them in opposite corners of my living room.

One downside to these is the slight delay when using these while watching a movie on your iPad or another device. The delay isn’t as long as other Bluetooth speakers or headphones that I have but it prevents me from using them for this purpose. This delay is less than a second but if you don’t want your movie to seem like an old Kun Fu movie with the English dubbed over the top where the sound doesn’t match the moving lips of the actors, I would recommend connecting your device to the speakers using the audio cable. When plugged into the source while watching a movie, the speakers sound great and there is no delay.

Overall, I am extremely happy with the Voom 22 Wireless Bluetooth Speakers from VAVA and for $219 for a pair, I don’t think you will be disappointed. If you are in the market for a new sound source, I definitely recommend that you take a serious look at buying a pair of these.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by VAVA. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$129-$219
Manufacturer:	VAVA
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Rich stereo sound when paired to another VOOM 22; attractive design; 4-6 hours of 30W playback via the 4000mAh battery on each speaker; instant response of controls via Bluetooth connection (no volume or track lag); great value for $219 considering the quality of sound; onboard USB power output for charging your phone or other devices.
Cons:	Larger size makes these less portable if you want to leave the house with them; Bluetooth delay when watching a movie.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth speaker

VAVA VOOM 22 True Wireless Bluetooth Speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 8, 2017 at 11:29 am.

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Cat Phones Cat S41 rugged smartphone review

The landscape around Android handsets is a veritable cornucopia of products fighting for attention. Walk by any wireless store, kiosk, or even the electronics aisle in your Big Box store, and you’re pelted with names, numbers, sales, and BOGO offers. I was recently sent the Cat S41 smartphone with Android Nougat for review. I was going to pass, because of my poor track record with Android devices, but I read further into the web verbiage, and thought “This can’t be an actual product!” Read on to see what was so compelling.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

OK, for my version of the perfect mobile phone, you’d need the following:

great screen – clear, responsive, with rich colors
fast response from the OS – no “press the button and wait” for anything
a decent camera and rear flash
access to the SIM slot without taking the battery out and rebooting the phone
Bluetooth that works with all the devices I have (speakers, trackpads, keyboards)
decent battery life
upgradable OS

The Cat Phones website lists the specs for the S41 as follows:

Battery
Non-removable Lithium Ion
Capacity 5000mAh, Pump Express 2.0
Standby Time Up to 44 days
Talk Time Up to 38 hours (3G)
Battery Share Functionality Yes

Platform/OS Google Android Nougat

Size/Weight
Dimensions 152 x 75 x 12.85mm
Weight 218g

Display
Super Bright 5” Display – FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, auto switch support and wet finger/glove-on working technology
Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5

Beyond Rugged
IP Rating Beyond IP68 certified: Waterproof up to 2M for 60mins
Drop Test Up to 1.8M (6 ft) onto concrete
Operating Temperature -25°C (-13°F) to 55°C (131°F)
Other Military Standard 810G: Shock and drop proof. Salt fog, sand, dust, dirt, vibration, and pressure resistant
Category 4 Vibration

Multimedia
Audio FM Radio, Music Player
Video Recording 1080p at 30fps
Video Playback 1080p at 60fps

Camera
Main 13MP autofocus with PDAF, LED flash
Front 8MP fixed focus

So, for most of my personal punch list, this phone knocks it out of the park! I couldn’t believe that, not only is it pretty much the same weight as my iPhone 6s Plus (and also the new iPhone 8 Plus), it has battery power for days and can even share that power with another device. And an hour in the deep end of the pool with no problem? Unheard of! And don’t get me started on the headphone jack!

The battery share was of special interest to me, and the “gotcha” that drew me into wanting to do this review. They accomplish this by having a simple microUSB to USB-A female cord that you place in the same port that charges the phone, and an app that reverses the power to flow out of that port. I can’t wait to test this out for realsies on our next trip. Managing power on multi-day trips with limited access to outlets (cars, trains, planes, AirB&Bs and coffee shops) means you’re always having to top off a portable battery pack, and plug in your phone. Also, since you are depending on your phone for driving directions, photos, travel info, and all the other minutiae of travel/vacation life, the battery goes pretty quickly. We have burned through several full battery packs on some days, most likely due to being in remote places where the phones are always struggling to find anything that may resemble a decent signal. With this unit, I was able to top up my iPhone 6s Plus from 58% to 90% in about 45 minutes. And that only cost me 20% of the phone’s battery.

So, the day after it arrived, I paired it with an old (first gen) Apple Wireless Keyboard and a Magic Trackpad. It works perfectly! I love the way the cursor just shows up when you move the trackpad and gets out of the way immediately when you’re not moving it. Makes selecting text while editing so simple! (I would love this on the iPad Pro I’m using to write this article!)

The phone is similar in size to the iPhone 6/6s/7/8, but thicker, so that it looks like a 4/4s with no other comparison. The thickness comes, obviously, from the expanded battery and the integrated weatherproof and shock resistant case. All the ports have covers, and the phone reminds you to close the cover when you unplug a wire from them. The SIM card is fitted into a tray that pops out from the top-left side, behind the same door the TFT card uses. This tray is not the standard push-in-the-hole-and-it-pops-out type of tray. After fighting with it several times, using tweezers and accidentally resetting the phone twice, I finally figured it out: the SIM tray is upside down. Place the phone face down, put your fingernail into the part of the tray that sticks out, and gently pull. Simple.

Another interesting feature is the programmable button. There is a yellow button (black and yellow being the Caterpillar brand colors and all!) on the left side of the device that can be programmed with two different functions. A press and a double press will each trigger an app, dial a number, or whatever. I use the short press to trigger voice command, and the long press to toggle the flashlight.

The display has adaptive brightness, as well as being able to respond to wet or gloved fingers, according to the manufacturer. My mileage varied a bit with the damp fingers, but all my gloves are now smart-screen-friendly.

I have played around with 4-5 Android tablets and phones here on Gadgeteer for several years. I keep trying to see what it is that is “good enough” about this platform *vis a vis* iOS to make anyone stay or return. This is the first phone I’ve used that could actually be a contender for the slot in my pocket. If I did not have an inherent mistrust of Google and a huge amount of Apple lock-in (pairing with Apple Watch is huge), I’d probably take this around most days, especially if I thought it was going to rain while I was out, or if I was riding my bike in to work or something. Most days, I don’t need anything this rugged, or with this much battery life, though. If your mileage varies, I recommend it! At £399 ($522 at the time of this writing), it’s not a bad value.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Cat Phones. Please visit their site for more info.

Product Information

Price:	€399 ($473.89 as I write this)
Manufacturer:	Caterpillar Inc.
Requirements:	none
Pros:	Super-tough case integrated into phone itself Bright, clear, high-resolution screen Battery sharing Battery for days
Cons:	none discovered

Filed in categories: Featured Items, Reviews

Tagged: Android, Smartphone

Cat Phones Cat S41 rugged smartphone review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 7, 2017 at 11:00 am.

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