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Category: Accessories

Android Accessories

Samsung Galaxy Watch Review: Everything You Need To Know

Quickly recognized as one of the best smartwatches for Android users, the Samsung galaxy watch review gives you all the right reasons to invest in it. A killer design, power-packed features, and a robust battery are how we can describe this new-age wearable device.

Samsung is known for its most up-to-date and fresh launches for years now. The Samsung Smart Watch is no exception to this, and it is a perfect blend of premium features and a smart and sleek outlook.

Features

Talking about the design of the Samsung Smart Watch, the most striking feature is that it looks almost like a regular watch. With the tactile rotating bezel design of the circular metal face and two buttons on the edges, it is top-notch in the layout.

The two buttons on the edges of this Samsung Smart Watch make way for excellently easy navigation of the user interface. Whether you want to cycle through the apps or check out the menu, it could not have been more precise.

The fitness watch has a 1.2-inch display, which nicely sits on your wrist without being too huge on too tiny on it. However, the Samsung Smartwatch is also available in another larger size variant of 46mm. In terms of color, you can choose from silver, midnight black, and rose gold.

Hardware

Coming to the hardware, the Samsung Smart Watch is packed with a dual-core 1.15GHz chipset along with 4 GB internal storage availability. It has 1.5 GB of RAM. Also, it supports both Bluetooth and LTE/4G connectivity.

With a fast and intuitive user interface, the Samsung SmartWatch is compatible with all Android versions above Android 5.0, and it also works with iOS 9.0 and above.

Although the Samsung Smart Watch supports only Samsung apps, it does have features that make it better than the other rival products. The health application on the Samsung Smartwatch is having new features, including breathing and stress management aspects. It allows you to track and monitor over 21 indoor exercises and up to 39 tracked workouts. Also, it has a sleep tracking feature.

You can quickly switch the feature or mode on the Samsung Smart Watch by turning the bezel on the edge. Also, Samsung has introduced its new voice assistant, Bixby, replacing the older S Voice function.

Bottom Line

For everyone looking for the perfect fitness tracking wearable device, the Samsung Smartwatch has got all the specifications and power to do justice to it. From new fitness-tracking abilities to the easy-to-use voice assistant, it raises the bar higher for the competitor products.

January 27, 2020
Everything You Need to Know about the Amazon Echo Dot

Priced affordably and designed in a sleek and compact shape, the Amazon Echo Dot is the one to go for if you are looking for a smart speaker at a low cost. With better specifications and sound output, the Amazon Echo Dot has quickly been recognized as one of the best smart speakers that are also budget-friendly.

Having everything good in a small compact Amazon Echo Dot and at half the price cannot go wrong, can it? From Alexa voice to the premium aesthetics, this smart speaker is packed with extensive features that remain to be one of the best in the market.

Coming to the design, the Amazon Echo Dot is a puck-sized smart speaker. It has been intelligently designed for maximum output with the most minimalistic built. It has rounded edges with fabric sides, which measures up to 99 mm in diameter and 43 mm in height.

The blue light ring on the border adds to the overall high-end design. Further, it comes with a circular pocket socket and a standard analog socket that connects to the stereo.

For further ease of use, on the top of the speaker, there are volume buttons, action buttons, and the mute microphone button.

One of the unique features of the Amazon Echo Dot is that you can stream music from the Dot to other speakers. You can use it via Bluetooth and from any other device to the Amazon Echo Dot.

Speaking of the sound quality, the Dot speaker does not disappoint you a bit. An improved sound quality that punches out of the sides instead of the plastic top makes it a pretty good pick given the price.

Perfectly built as a small speaker, the Echo Dot delivers crisp highs and medium lows, which somewhat justifies the compactness of the product. But, do not go for the size alone as it a thunderous output at the maximum volume.

Besides a good sound output, the main feature of any smart speaker is the voice assistant that comes along. In this case, Alexa.

Alexa can easily hear you through even in obstructions with the four-microphone array feature. Whether it the cooker hood going off or any heavy music, Alexa will listen to you.

Alexa, the Amazon voice assistant, will help you do things quickly and swiftly. Everything from smart home control, playing radio, music playback, or even timers or alarms, Alexa has got your back. The wake word for Alexa is ‘Alexa’ as default, but you can also change it if you would like.

Also, Alexa can finally recognize different voice profiles in the same space. Unlike the large Echo speakers, the price is almost double, the Amazon Echo Dot is definitely a no-brainer for a low cost.

January 27, 2020
Sony WH XB900N Review: Exceptional Assistant-Enabled ANC Audio Sony

Noise-cancelling headphones are the latest trend. The Sony WH-XB900N headphones could possibly be one of the best ones out there, especially considering its price. If you are on the lookout for headphones that not only offers excellent audio but also gives you noise cancelling feature, this is the one for you. Wireless headphones and earbuds are fast becoming the major smartphone accessories. If you have done your research properly, you might have noticed that the place for the best over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation or ANC feature till now was held by Sony WH-1000XM3.

Sony WH-XB900N Review

However, the Sony WH-XB900N launched recently at a lower price and with some better features, making it a better bargain. Inspired by WH-1000XM3s, the headphones have a similar build but tons of different features. It has managed to improve the drawbacks of the older model while retaining its best quality. While most of its alternatives don’t feature virtual assistant support, this model comes with Google Assistant integration. If you use an Android smartphone, you can be sure that this one is just perfect for you.

Design

Over-ear headphones usually look pretty much the same at first glance. It is when you look closely you differentiate the many particular features, indicating each brand’s design involvement. If you want to compare the latest headphones by Sony with its older model, you might be hard-pressed to find noticeable differences. Since they are both designed and manufactured by Sony, they do look quite similar.

A flexible plastic is the main material used here, but it features a textured matte finish, giving it a more sophisticated look. Where the XM3 model worked with just plastic, Sony has decided to give this one a better finish. Besides looking nicer, it makes sure dirt and grease are not as noticeable as before. This also makes it less prone to scratching. One of the first things you will notice here is the lack of many buttons. The buttons that are here are strategically placed. On the left earcup, there are two buttons – one for Custom use and the other a power button. The former can be set up to activate Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa on your Android phone. Under the earcup on the left, there is a USB-C charge port and a 3.5mm input port.

Sony WH-XB900N Aesthetics

The right earcup has a touchpad for device control. Here, you can make use of swipes and taps to manage calls and audio. The company includes a 3.5mm audio cable along with a USB-C charge cable in the box. One thing missing here is a hard carry case. It has been replaced by a canvas pouch that unfortunately looks and feels cheap. The XB900N has been efficiently designed to fold up perfectly, making it very frustrating that a proper case has not been provided. However, you can always purchase one separately to keep your headphones safe.

Comfort and Fit

The over-ear design of the XB900N is a very nice touch here. It fits great as well. The pads are comfortable and the cans are extremely lightweight. You will find a piece of spongey cushion on the underside of the headband. This is such a simple feature, yet not many headphones feature it. This cushion ensures the headphone sits exactly where you want it. If you wear it for long periods, you can be sure that it takes off much of the pressure. You can also make use of the extendable arms should you wish to. Many users have mentioned that Sony WH-XB900N is one of the most comfortable headphones they have ever owned. There is literally no earcup pressure, regardless of how long you wear it for.

Audio Quality

Just as the name suggests, Sony WH-XB900N, the headphones are designed to deliver extra bass. The XB in the name refers to this core component. At standard EQ settings, you will find that the low-end is emphasized. The highs are crisp and clear while the mids are more balanced. The microphone within the model works excellently by capturing ambient sound to improve the noise cancellation. In addition to this, it can also listen to voice commands, regardless of how noisy your surroundings are.

Sony WH-XB900N

Noise Cancellation

There are plenty of very good noise cancellation headphones out there. However, the price point is equally high. However, Sony has risen to the challenge. The WH-XB900N not only offers better ANC than its competitors, but it is also priced very reasonably. At this price, the ability to adjust and control the level of background noise is something one can witness very rarely. You can always adjust the settings so that the ANC allows more ambient sound.

The App

Among the top headphone apps, Sony takes the lead. It is one of the best companion apps if you want to tinker around with the settings and more advanced features. The headphones feature an Adaptive Sound Control toggle that aims to understand what you are doing as you don on the headphones. This could be sitting, walking, and so on. Once it detects the activity, it will try to adjust the ANC depending on the activity. If you want, you can adjust it manually as well. It also has a 360 sound feature where it will ask you for a picture of your ears. The app will then make related audio adjustments based upon these images. However, users have mentioned that there is no noticeable difference here.

Verdict

With excellent audio, stylish aesthetics, and a functional app, the Sony WH-XB900N is truly a great purchase. With regards to the battery, the company claims that the headphones can last you for about 30 hours on one charge. However, practically speaking, it can easily give you 40+ hours. Exceptional comfort and user-friendly controls all play a role in making this headphone one of the best in the market right now. The only drawback we see here is the lack of a proper carry case. However, you can always get one separately.

January 27, 2020
Skagen Falster 3 Review

The Skagen Falster 3 has a slightly different smartwatch design if you compare it to the usual standard. Its clean, minimalist look is a clear win, especially when you consider it against its previous model, the Falster 2. The smartwatch features GPS, a heart rate monitor, NFC, and a built-in speaker. It is one of the perfect models for sale in 2020. This third iteration by the company has been designed to be simple yet perfect. The watch is set to run on Android’s wearable OS. The elegant design coupled with the top features in the market easily make it one of the best contenders out there.

The release date of Skagen Falster 3 is January 7. It was also the day it was announced. If you are in Asia or the US, the smartwatch has already hit the market and is available for purchase right away. For other regions, like Europe, the Falster 3 will make its way there by the end of the month. The price is only slightly increased when compared to its predecessor, but the extra features added here make it completely worth it.

Skagen Falster 3 Review

Design And Display

In this third iteration of the smartwatch, Skagen has worked hard to refine the aesthetics of its Falster series watches. You will notice that the strap lugs are more rounded, the aesthetics cleaner, and an overall elegance that is apparent at first glance. The watch is designed to sit comfortably on the wrist without feeling overly large but still suiting quite well indeed. The central crown button rotates, making it easier for you to scroll through the apps and the menu. The button located above and below can be customized, enabling you to launch your favourite apps in no time.

The watch body has been designed to be swim-proof up to a depth of 30 meters. A nice touch here is the fact that you can track your swims via the fitness apps. When you purchase the watch, you will be able to choose from three different strap materials, including leather, metal, and rubber. All of them are priced the same. You will not have to pay anything extra even if you choose to go with Skagen’s mesh metal strap. We wish every manufacturer worked like this!

Skagen Falster 3

If you ever notice the Fossil group’s watches, you would have observed that most of them tend to have different designs. Skagen’s Falster 3 features a circular face and a slightly more rounded look than its predecessors. This slick smartwatch has three buttons, including the crown and the two shortcuts buttons. Thanks to these, you can easily navigate yourself without having to use the screen.

Performance

The Skagen Falster 3 runs on Qualcomm’s dedicated Snapdragon 3100 wearable chipset with 1GB RAM. This feature enables it to run Google’s Wear OS software. Here, you will also receive 8GB storage, which is pretty much double the limit of other models. On the left side of the smartwatch, you may have noticed a vent. This houses the built-in speaker. This comes in useful for using Google Assistant, playing music, playing notification tones, and taking phone calls directly on the watch. The feature of being able to take calls directly from the watch is indeed a novel one. The best part is that you will not require a SIM card in the wearable to achieve this.

A Skagen press release mention, “Using our proprietary phone app, both Android and iPhone users will be able to make and receive phone calls directly from their Bluetooth-enabled watch.” Besides the heart rate monitor and the app, the company has also pre-installed the Cardiogram app on Falster 3. This will continuously monitor your heart rhythm and notify you it something irregular has been detected. While diagnosis is not possible, this alert could be useful as an indication to visit the doctor.

Features of Skagen Falster 3

Coming to the battery, the smartwatch has an extended battery mode which can help you enjoy days of battery life. You will not have to sacrifice any of the features, such as receiving notifications or the continues heart rate monitoring. Coming to the aesthetics, the Falster 3 has about three strap options, none of them which costs extra. If you are like me and love to change the watch faces, you might the collection here quite nice. Just like the design, the faces are clean, minimalist, and elegant.

Skagen Falster 3 Wear OS

Of course, with this model, you will be able to interact with Google Assistant thanks to the presence of the in-built speakers. You will even be able to attend calls and talk. This is applicable for both Android and iPhone users. The smartwatch features built-in GPS for tracking runs accurately. In addition to this, you will notice that it comes with an HRM and NFC. You can now make payments without ever worrying about leaving your wallet at home.

X By Kygo Edition

There is a surprise for all the music fans here. A special edition of Falster 3 is in the works, created in partnership with Swedish DJ Kygo. The well-known DJ has his own range of tech products under the ‘X By Kygo’ brand. The Falster 3 is the most recent addition to its headphones section. All the features will essentially be the same here as well. The only difference will be minor design tweaks to be more in line with the X by Kygo brand as well. The strap will feature an ‘X’ logo while the ‘X by Kygo’ will be present on the white strap pusher. This edition will launch later this month. With regards to watch faces, it will have a few exclusive faces keeping in with the theme.

Verdict: Skagen Falster 3

The Falster 3 by Skagen is a neatly designed smartwatch without any clutter. The Scandinavian design might attract some customers as well. Surprisingly, the company has made the model not too expensive either. It is quite affordable, stylish, and has tons of features that will make life fun. The long-lasting battery, huge storage capacity, and different straps all count towards its pros.

January 27, 2020
Honor Sport Pro Review

With phone manufacturers slowly eliminating the headphone jack, hardware manufacturers from around the world are continually hunting down various opportunities to get in on the big change. Bluetooth earphones and headphones are becoming more and more polished, and most recently, the ‘truly wireless’ earbud-style Bluetooth earphones have been making waves in the market. In this post, we will review Honor’s newest Bluetooth earbuds – the Honor Sport Pro and help you decide if they’re worth the money.

Design And Ergonomics

At first glance, the earbuds appear pretty similar to Huawei’s FreeLace buds. However, some key design differences set the Sport Pro apart. Honor reports that designing the Sport Pro Bluetooth earbuds took a lot of work, and it shows. These buds don’t feature the standard design – the Sport Pro earbuds have an AirPod-like design, but with a silicone fitting on top.

Honor Sport Pro

There are several silicone tips of various sizes and shapes included in the box. Switching tips can be quite the hassle since the snug fit makes them difficult to remove and fit. Once you fit them properly, though, they are very comfortable. The snug fit prevents the earphones from popping out of your ears during a workout.

You need to put them on and twist counterclockwise for the best results. Not everyone prefers this design over the standard one; however, the design is much less stressful on the ear, since the earphones do not need to be inserted deep into your ear canal to achieve a secure hold. One downside with the design is that the earphones don’t isolate the ambient noise as well as the traditional design.

Honor Sport Pro Round

The cables aren’t unnecessarily long, which makes the earphones comfortable to wear. They also don’t get in your way if you’re exercising and you will barely notice them. The cord boasts the ideal length, and the quality much better than the average wireless earphones. The cable is braided, just like Huawei FreeLace, which is always a welcome design feature. The braids prevent them from tangling and make the earphones more durable.

The IPX5 rating only adds to the durability – making the earphones splash- and sweat-proof. The IPX5 rating has become an industry standard for wireless audio products. Another cool feature the Honor Sport Pro borrows from the Huawei’s FreeLace is the button controls. The way the earphones charge is similar, too. The buttons are placed on the right, which makes for easy reach. The buttons have unique textures, which makes it easier to distinguish the volume buttons from the active key.

Honor Sport Pro Sound System

Pulling off the top of the button module reveals a USB-C connector, which can be plugged into a USB-C charger (or your phone) directly. You can also use the included USB-C to USB-A dongle and with any standard USB-A charging adapter to charge these earphones. One of the features you cannot miss is the magnetic snap feature. The feature is not new by any means – snapping the earbuds together will pause the current tack and turn off the earphones. Splitting them will restart and reconnect them to your phone, and resume playback.

The problem with this design is that if you throw them in your bag or pocket, they are bound to split some point, causing them to connect to your phone and start playing. It can get particularly annoying if you take a call and realize that you can’t hear anything because the call’s audio is unexpectedly being routed to the earphones. The Honor Sport Pro helps circumvent this issue by providing a manual switch-off option. Holding down the ‘active’ button on the earphones will cause them to switch off, and they will not connect to your phone unexpectedly.

Sound Quality

Honor Sport Pro Magnetic Earbuds

The Honor Sport Pro wireless earphones boast sound quality that rivals more expensive pairs of buds in the same size. The 13mm drivers do an excellent job of handling the bass. The bass is too powerful and sometimes muffles the vocals. Turning up the volume will lead to slight distortions in the highs and vocals. Overall though, the bass is super pronounced, and the music sounds balanced.

Honor Sport Pro Updates

The overall sound quality is comparable to more expensive buds such as the OnePlus Bullet Wireless 2. The only drawback with the Sport Pro earphones is the overpowering bass. However, if you like bass-heavy EDM, you will love the Sport Pros! Since ear shapes vary from person-to-person, the buds will fit differently to different people. To ensure that you have the right experience with these earphones, make sure you use the right Silicone tips for your ears.

Battery Life and Charging

The audio quality is not the only strong suit of the Honor Sport Pro – the battery life is another area where they shine. The company claims that the Sport Pro earphones have a whopping 18-hour music playback time. Although the earphones don’t last that long on a single charge, you can easily get at least 12-14 hours of playback out of them before it’ll need to be charged.

Honor Sport Pro Fast Charging

And if you are a heavy user, you will love the fast charging feature. Charging the earphones for just 5 minutes will get your 4 hours of music playback. The fact that you can charge them using your smartphone or your laptop as long as they support a USB-C connector is a huge plus.

Verdict

The Honor Sport Pro is an excellent choice for all kinds of users. The earphones are priced aggressively, and you will get a good deal considering the set of features that these buds offer. The Sport Pro earphones make Huawei’s FreeLace earphones seem overpriced. The battery life is solid, and the sound quality is excellent. The bass is over-powered, but people who love to listen to bass-heavy music will surely get a kick out of it.

The build quality is excellent, and these look like they will last a long while. There’s noticeable distortion at higher volumes. The noise isolation isn’t the best, either. Overall though, it is easy to recommend the Honor Sport Pro wireless earphones.

January 25, 2020
Puma Connected Review

The Puma Connected Smartwatch is a result of a joint smartwatch venture between Puma and Fossil. The name is super plain and dull; however, the dullness does not continue in the tone of the watch (for the most part). The companies play it very safe with the Puma Smartwatch – it is appealing enough since it offers all the features that people who exercise regularly will love, but it does not furnish much else on top of that. It’s still more expensive than some of it’s nearest rivals, yet packs lower specs than the competing smartwatches. However, if you’re a fan of the Puma label, and are looking for a smartwatch, this could be right for you.

Puma Connected

Puma Connected Smartwatch Release Date And Price

The Puma Smartwatch was launched back in November 2019. It’s currently widely available in the US and the UK and still has a hefty price tag, but you can find it for a little cheaper on Amazon.

The Puma Smartwatch comes in three colour schemes – Black/Grey, Rose Gold/White, and Yellow/Black.

You can expect prices to change slightly, depending on the colour you choose.

Design And Display

The Puma Smartwatch is unique – in that, it’s a watch that is both slim at only 11mm thick, yet also features a bezel, which makes it feel bulky and capable of handling some scrapes and dents. Depending on the colour you pick, the bezel can look more or less pronounced, with the Yellow/Black variant looking particularly bulky. Combined with the silicone strap, it looks like a non-Puma watch at first glance. Luckily, you can change the strap easily – and you can easily find other straps that are more comfortable or differently coloured.

Puma Connected Fitness

The watch face size is decent, coming in at 44mm. Quickly glancing at the time will be effortless with the 1.19-inch AMOLED display looking appealing and sharp. The AMOLED display is very visible, and you will be able to use the watch no matter what the lighting conditions may be.

The strap has a Puma logo, and there’s another Puma logo on the rotating crown of the watch, which is used to navigate the interface. The logos aren’t too visible, and it’s a bit of a missed opportunity for the fans that like to advertise their brand affiliation.

Overall though, the slim design feels durable, and the screen looks sharp – making it perfect for users that are usually out and about.

Puma Connected: Specs And Features

Like other recent Fossil watches, such as the Michael Kors Access MKGO, the Puma Smartwatch also uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset. The 3100 chipset is the most recently-released smartwatch chipset from Qualcomm, making it the best you’re likely to find with Wear OS.

The watch has 4GB of storage and an inadequate 512MB of RAM – which is less than what the Fossil Gen 5 has, which is available for a similar price. The Puma Smartwatch comes with loads of features: there’s built-in GPS, heart rate monitoring, Google Assistant support, and support for GooglePay.

The watch synchronizes with your phone to display notifications, and it is waterproof up to 5ATM. These are standard features that almost all Wear OS-based smartwatches have, and there is no unique feature as such. Another similarity that the Puma Smartwatch shares with Fossil watches is that Spotify comes automatically installed.

Puma watch Back

However, there is no physical speaker on the watch. The Puma Smartwatch does feature a microphone for Google Assistant control, but it can’t broadcast audio. You only use it to control Spotify and not play any music from the device directly. You’ll not be missing out on much, though, since resorting to a smartwatch to listen to music is rare.

Fitness

When you’re separated from your phone, you cannot count on the GPS built into the watch. The GPS on the Puma Smartwatch is unreliable, and the watch’s location-finding is pretty awful. It takes a few minutes for the watch to acquire a signal unless it’s connected to a phone.

It is super annoying, considering that the watch is meant to be a sports-focused smartwatch that otherwise has all the usual features – the sweat-proof silicone band and support for Google Fit. The heart rate monitoring feature is pretty accurate when compared to other watches.

Puma Connected AI

Battery Life

The Puma Smartwatch has a pretty standard battery life. You can expect about 24 hours of use on a single charge, but not much more, unless you switch it to the basic watch mode. The basic watch mode somewhat ruins the point of a smartwatch – but it will help you conserve battery if you’re running low. Overall though, Puma delivers a decent offering for a first attempt. Fans are hoping to see a software update that fixes the GPS issue.

Buy Puma Connected If:

You love the brand

Like a lot of smartwatches, users partially for the name. If you love wearing Puma watches and need a smartwatch, this will fit in nicely.

You want a lightweight watch

The watch is super light, and you’ll barely notice it. The stock strap feels a bit uncomfortable; however, it doesn’t hang off your wrist as a heavy watch would, though.

You want an eye-catching timepiece

If you love wearing watches that look different than the rest, you should go for this watch since it looks a lot different than anything Fossil has produced so far.

Connected Smartwatch

Don’t buy it if:

You want to run without your phone

The built-in GPS is slow and will irritate you if you regularly run without your phone. The GPS catches up eventually, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying.

You want the best Wear OS smartwatch

While the Puma Smartwatch will offer you most of what you need, it’s not the best Wear OS smartwatch on the market. The battery could be better, and there no built-in speaker like some of the other premium smartwatches.

You don’t want to buy another watch strap

The colour-schemes aren’t too appealing, and the stock strap feels a bit uncomfortable. You can expect to buy another watch strap to be happier with how it looks and feels.

January 25, 2020
The official Stadia controller phone mount is now available for $15 on the Google

If you are a game enthusiast then you probably know of google’s latest gaming console termed Google Stadia. Whereas the official console is to be officially rolled out this year the whole beta version of the console itself has already gained more popularity. Most games that are connected to Stadia have been rolled out to smartphones from where they have gained a reasonable amount of good reviews and some fairly bad reviews too.

That aside, if you are a fan of Stadia game on mobile then you have probably already noticed how irritating it can be to try and find a suitable posture for your device while playing. Well around late last year, Google announced that the console’s official custom controller Phone mount clip.

It was under development by Power Support. And quite recently the gadget was released and is now available on the Google Store for a warping $15.

The phone mount or claw is built to be well-balanced and is very ergonomic such that it reduces the strain while the player plays Stadia games on the phone.

Color And Compatibility

It is made off of polycarbonate and is black in color. The claw is fitted to hold any Pixel 3, Pixel 3a or Pixel 4 models as these are mainly the phones that are compatible with Stadia as per now.

It was, however, made clear that once stadia rolls off into other compatible devices then the claw should be able to handle any phone with a maximum of 3.19 inches and devices with a minimum height of 2.09 inches.

Previously, the claw was briefly available on Power Support’s official site and a second shipment was made available afterward. However, there is the word that recently the shipment had been sold out and there has been no follow up done by google that could allude towards a resupply.

Though, I’d advise that you be watchful and be ready to pr-order on the next restock in case you would want to acquire The Claw.

Stadia has been rumoured to be the next big deal in gaming. For quite a while now, and despite the common critics, the whole system is admirable. For one, Google hopes to have a console that banks all of its games on the cloud.

Therefore, if a user wants to play any new game all they have to do is access it via the cloud as compared to old methods of using a hard disk or Compact disk to host the games.

They hope that this will help make it easy for players to access their games and even participate in multiplayer and CO-OP matches more efficiently. Since the whole system is banked online then it is easy to access your games and game progress from any of your other devices (as long as they are compatible with Stadia) from anywhere.

Bottom Line

We are all eager to see where this new approach will take the world of gaming and if the Stadia console will stand a chance to compete with its Sony and Microsoft counterparts.

January 24, 2020
Realme Buds Air Review

Realme is an emerging brand for new-age gadgets like earpods, fitness bands, bags, and also smartphones. It is a Shenzhen-based Chinese manufacturer that was established by the then Vice President of Oppo Electronics.

Realme has become popular over the past few years. It has been launching new and advanced gadgets frequently. Recently, it has launched the Realme Buds Air wireless in-ear headphones.

Today we will do a thorough review of this brand new Realme Buds Air. Let’s get started-

The Realme Buds Air is packed with high-end features, but it begins with a win with the wireless charging support.

It is one of the very few products that offer this feature in the market today. And the ones which are significantly higher in the price range.

Let us now look at the detailed features of the earphones from the house of Realme.

Design and Outlook

Looking highly similar to the second generation Apple AirPods, the Realme Buds Air has a premium design and outlook. Starting from the charging case to the earphones itself, there is a stark similarity with the Apple earphones. It has a minimalistic design that appeals to most of the people today and also has no logo on it.

There are many best wireless earbuds, but the Realme Buds Air flaunts an outer-ear fit with the lightweight and sturdy earbuds that sit comfortably into the ear. The earbud stalks are flat in shape, ensuring that it sits on the ears without causing any discomfort even after prolonged use.

The Realme Buds Air comes in three color variants, which are white, yellow, and black.

If you compare it with the inspiration, the Apple airpods, the Realme earphones come with a fewer number of sensors on it. There is a detector in each of the two headsets, which identifies if either or both the earphones have been removed. And then automatically pauses the music or any other running playback. It also supports noise isolation to a certain extent.

The charging case is compact and slim, which gives it a very classy outlook. It comes with an LED indicator on its front, which shows the charge level of the battery.

There are three colors in the indicator. The green shows well to full battery level; yellow means less than 50 percent, but more than 30 percent battery life and red means it is below 30 percent.

It allows both USB type-C and Qi charging for enhanced ease of use.

The Realme Buds Air uses a dual-channel technology, which allows you to wear the earbuds separately. There is also a touch gesture around the earbuds, which lets you perform various gestures. Like to answer a call or pause or play music, double-tap the touch area. While if you touch it three times, you can skip a song.

Again, pressing and holding it for about 2 seconds ends a call and also activates the Google Assistant. When you press both the earbuds together, you activate the gaming mode of the headphones.

Performance

What do we look for primarily in earphones? The sound quality. It has a pretty decent sound output, which is sure to deliver a wholesome experience to its users. Given the immensely affordable price as compared to its alike in the market, it is an excellent worth for money.

It comes with a 12mm sound driver, which is the reason for the good quality sound output. The sound quality is naturally not very great, but it is good enough for regular use.

When paired and used with Android and also other devices, the Realme earbuds delivered a consistent output irrespective of the source.

The pairing of the earbuds is quick. When on a call, the earbuds offer a stable connection, which is both loud and clear.

With reasonably good sound quality, one thing that is a backdrop for this earphone is the noise cancellation. The noise isolation is pretty weak when interrupted by any heavy sound.

The listening experience with this Realme Buds Air is somewhat detailed but not as immersive as you would like it to be. The bass is not very strong, while the treble is high. This results in a relatively high-pitched audio quality, which may not be everyone’s favorite.

Calls and Connectivity

Doing pretty much a good job with the wireless connectivity, there is almost no issue with voice calls on the Realme Buds Air. Once you connect it to your smartphone the first time, it automatically detects and connects to the device from then on.

There are two microphones on each of the earbuds which offer clear voice quality to the other end of the call. But, there can be a certain level of distortion in the sound when you are on the go.

Battery

Realme claims that the battery life of a single charged earbuds is almost 17 hours at a stretch. On using it first hand, we could see that it does deliver a battery life of about 15 hours when used continuously. It takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to charge the device entirely.

Considering the affordable price of the device, the features it offers are good enough. So, if you do not want to spend a fortune of a pair of earphones, this Realme Buds Air is not a bad option after all.

With a lightweight and compact design, the earbuds make an easy to carry addition to your daily gadgets. It has quick and stable connectivity, which is perfect for voice calls.

January 17, 2020
Soundcore Liberty Air True Wireless Earbuds by Anker

Anker is quite popular in the market, all thanks to the fact that it produces top-class products at very affordable rates. These products are not fancy by any means but are perfect for those who want to use its functionality at a bargain price. The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air is a wireless earphone and one of the best in the markets. It is inexpensive, works great, and looks quite nice as well. When you have good functionality at a reasonable rate, it stands to reason that the product is going to gain popularity.

Design

If you are an audio freak, this pair might not please you. However, if you are looking for a pair for daily use, this is not so bad. The Liberty Air buds connect over Bluetooth. It comes with its own power supplies located in their stems. This means that your phone will connect to the headphones without any wires. Once you are done listening, you can pop them into their battery case. The case is rechargeable. When you toss your earbuds in, they will recharge till you take them out the next time you need them.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air True Wireless Earbuds

At first look, many will notice a striking resemblance between the Soundcore Liberty Air Earbuds and the Apple AirPods. The stem of each bud hangs a little bit out of your ear. By this, we mean that it is not truly a buds-only design. These buds feature a gloss black finish. Both of them come with touch-sensitive buttons. While they are slightly bigger than the Apple AirPods, they are quite comfortable to use and light in weight.

The Anker’s Soundcore Liberty Air earphones boast of a water-resistant rating of IPX 5. This means that while they are not protected against a shower or a swim, they can survive sweat and a splash. One thing to note here is that it is advised that users wipe off sweat and water before they stow the earbuds back in their case.

The Case

Coming to the earbud case, it has been designed to be chic with a matte black finish. The MicroUSB charging port is located at the bottom. The case has a snap-shut hinged lid. The earbuds fit comfortably within the magnetic crevices where they rest and recharge themselves. There is a three-dot LED light that tells us how much power the charging case has. The earbuds come with a playback capacity of about five hours. In addition to this, the case allows the earbuds to recharge themselves for another three times. So, at one charge for the case, you can enjoy about 20 hours of playback time. The mileage will naturally vary a bit depending on how loudly you play.

Connectivity And Features

Unlike some other wireless earbuds, the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air earbuds can be easily connected without any hassle. The earbuds pair up with each other. You will know this by looking at the little white light on their shells. Once you do, long-press the touch-sensitive button on any one of the earbuds. This will make them discoverable to your phone or other devices. You are done. After pairing for the first time, they will automatically reconnect to each other, and your device, every time you take the buds out of their case. Since they do this with rapid-fire quickness, you can be sure that by the time you take them out of your case and put them on, they would be paired up and ready to go.

Soundcore Liberty Air Earbuds

The buttons of the earbuds can be used to do a variety of functions, including answer calls, skip tracks, and more. This depends on the number of times you tap each bud. These true wireless earbuds are highly responsive, which is a major point in their favour. The Soundcore Liberty Air Earbuds are designed to work with popular smart assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant. The built-in microphones work decently enough to work with assistants. You can also make calls and find the quality good enough.

While everything is fine and dandy, there have been minor issues with connectivity at the time. However, it will, in no way, impact the overall use and experience. The reliability of the earbuds is high and we are sure that it will offer a rich and seamless experience to the users.

Sound Quality

According to Anker, the Liberty Air buds have superior audio performance. This is because they are manufactured using a Graphene-enhanced design. However, users remark that although it offers pretty good sound quality, it is in no way exceptional. These earbuds can passively block external sound, so much so that you don’t mind the lack of active noise cancelling capabilities. Their bass performance is quite powerful as well. While audiophiles will definitely not find this pair entertaining, it is perfect for those who want it for casual use.

Liberty Air True Wireless Earbuds

The sound details are rich and crisp, so much so that you can listen to every beat and detail clearly. When you play a track to try its full volume capabilities, you may notice some crackles and distortion. Here, we see that the ear buds struggle with the output. Keeping to the usual level should give you no trouble. Not everyone would be comfortable and happy with the noise-isolating design. The ear buds don’t have a transparency mode either. By using the tight seal for the ear tips, you will notice that a lot of ambient noise is passively muted.

Verdict

The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air earbuds are a great true wireless headphone package. It is affordable, responsive, and with decent enough sound quality. They come with a nice charging case, fit comfortably, and look amazingly chic. Overall, these ear buds don’t seem to have many poor points, except for distortion at very loud volumes. Designed as a competitor to AirPods Pro, it does look like the Soundcore Liberty Air Earbuds have managed to meet their goal. The best part about Liberty Air is that they offer all the top features without the high price tag.

January 15, 2020
Fitbit Versa 2 review: The Subscription Smartwatch
Since inception, Fitbit Versa has come as a really handy gadget for users who wanted notifications and improved wellness at the same time. Though it was a good balance between both worlds, it could be delivered fully in any way.

Finally, Fitbit Versa 2 is here, which is more a smartwatch than anything else, with Spotify and Alexa support along with AMOLED display. However, you need to buy a new subscription service, Fitbit Premium for fitness insights. For more detailed info, the paywall leaves data-hungry fitness freaks with much to be wanted.

New Display, Old Design

The Fitbit Versa 2 has an AMOLED display, which seems to be a great upgrade. Like Apple Watch Series 5, it also has an always-on display and it is great to see the activity and time without having to do anything. The build quality is the way better than any kind of knock-off design. It feels light, solid and well-built.

The silicone band embedded on it tells a different story, which is quite stiff and doesn’t hug the wrist without tightening it over the cozy level. But the stiffness no longer exists as you wear it longer. The replacement bands offer more functionality, style, and comfort.

I hadn’t faced any trouble reading the display when going outdoors. The deep blacks fade the thick bezels. However, on the design front, the Versa 2 comes as new wine in an old bottle. You will see the bezels are rounded and smooth on the watch face. Some other changes are upgraded processor, bigger battery, and NFC support to use Fitbit Pay.

Usage

When it comes to navigating the operating system, the experience was quite smooth, despite a few stutters on animations. There are no constant hangs. It just has one button. When you press it once, it takes you back to the menu. When you hold it, it takes you to Fitbit Pay or Alexa. It opens apps like alarm, exercise, clock, and other apps like Spotify when you swipe right from home screen. There is a sleep mode on the quick settings which turns off the display when you sleep.

The new addition here is Spotify integration, which is limited. It can be used only with a premium Spotify subscription. In addition, it controls the only playback on other devices like your smart speaker or phone. You can also store up to 300 songs on the device using the Fitbit desktop app. However, you need to load them over Wi-Fi as you cannot do it using a wired connection.

Fitbit App and Wellness integration

Versa 2 is quite handy in use when it comes to working out. Music controls are few swipes away and you can easily keep track of workout routines in real-time with an always-on display. Keep in mind that the reflective bands are not sweating or water resistance.

When exercising, use silicone bands. You can keep track of calories burned, steps are taken, heart rate, workout minutes, and seven exercise modes like cycling, running, treadmill running, swimming, general exercise trekking, and weight training, along with integrated training.

You can easily track your health and exercise and get accurate results. Also, you can get more insights into the data in the Fitbit app. The only catch here is that Fitbit Premium membership is the only way to get detailed data. A smart wake feature is also coming soon in Versa 2, which will wake you up on time.

Battery Life

The 3-day battery life is one of the standout features in Versa 2. It lasted up to 3 days of regular usage. I use this smartwatch frequently and enabled most of the vital notifications (up to 5 apps for messaging and daily scoop). I also turned on sleep tracking at night and worked out for 30 minutes every day. These all happened while enabling always-on display.

Overall, the battery life is on par against the likes of Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, another fitness-based smartwatch in the same price range. On the other side, Apple Watch can last only a day and a half, and a maximum of 2 days with light usage.

The Takeaway

The biggest strength of Fitbit Versa 2 lies in its 3-day battery life on one charge. There are limited insights and app support, especially in terms of Spotify and Alexa is not that great here. Apple Watch Series 3 and Galaxy Watch Active also come at the price tag of $200, making tough competition for Versa 2.

Availability, Price, and Warranty

The price of Versa 2 is $200 or a maximum of $230 if you choose from one of two colors in the special edition, while replacement bands are available in the range from $30 to $100. Fitbit Versa 2 also ships with a money-back guarantee for 45 days and limited warranty for 1 year, along with optional protection plan for 2 years against damage, for $44.99 at Square Trade.

Is it long-lasting?

With the strong build quality and water resistance of over 50 meters max, Versa 2 can easily last up to 2 to 3 years or so.

Who should buy it?

Versa 2 really looks stylish and can do virtually everything you can expect from Galaxy Watch Active. But there is a bit more on which Galaxy Watch Active 2 stands ahead. Apple Watch is recommended for iPhone users if sleep tracking is not required.

Are other options available?

Apple Watch is a better choice if you are using an iPhone. Even better, Series 3 price has been dropped to $200 by Apple and it is a great competitor. You can have better support with in-built GPS, iPhone, and access to several third-party tracking apps and fitness plans. However, it lacks in-built sleep tracking and you will need to charge it by the end of every day.

Pros
- - Ships with an affordable price tag
  - Effective sleep tracking
  - Strong battery life
  - User-friendly interface
  - Enough storage to store music
Cons
- - Shows only a few details
  - Alexa is not that helpful
  - Unable to stream with Spotify
  - Seems like a knock-off of Apple Watch
Overall

With excellent battery life, Fitbit Versa 2 is a nice buy but major details are hidden behind the subscription.
January 6, 2020