Apple has been upgrading its wearable device ever since 2015 and has rarely gone wrong in it. From little changes in the design to the latest technology use, the fitness watches by Apple has become immensely popular recently. A major unveil in the segment of smart or fitness watches, the Apple Watch Series 1 comes with all the fresh features with an enticing outlook. The crisp display with a sturdy built and long-lasting battery life is what makes this fitness watch one among the best in the market today.
Design
Smooth and luxurious on the hand, the Apple Watch Series 1 is premium in design. It comes with an I-ion glass covering the massive display and an aluminum casing around it.
The band is made of premium rubber silicone, which is flexible and adjustable and sits snug on your wrist without being itchy or uncomfortable on your skin. The compact shape of this smartwatch makes it perfect for both indoor and outdoor activities.
Packed with unmatched features, the Apple Watch Series 1 is one fast performing gadget to own. While Siri takes care of all your notifications, texts, phone calls, or reminders, the dual-core processor ensures a no-lad performance.
Features
The fitness watch comes a few of the basic features, which include the accelerometer and the health application to track the user’s steps, walking, or running. At the same time, its advanced features consist of the built-in heart rate sensor, water-resistant properties, and ambient light sensors.
The fitness tracking feature tracks the number of calories burnt during a workout. The ambient light sensor automatically brightens up the screen when in the sun and darkens it in low light or at night.
The heart rate sensor monitors the heart rate of the user and gives regular reminders for workouts and set goals. It uses infrared LED lights to detect the blood flow and calculates the number of beats per minute. It is accurate in ideal conditions.
The other features that come handy with the Apple Watch Series 1 are the gyroscope, and Maps access. While the gyroscope detects the direction you are moving in, the Maps provide you the guidance to go when connected to your iPhone GPS.
Connectivity
Speaking of connectivity, the Apple Watch Series 1 connects to your iPhone using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It would be best if you connected the fitness watch to your iPhone to use features like GPS, maps, or directions. While you can update the applications on the watch using a Wi-Fi connection.
Further, the Apple Watch Series 1 comes with a rechargeable LR44 lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of up to 18 hours in a single charge.
Although a little high on the budget, this fitness watch is precise and accurate in its features and also ensures a durable stay. Stay active and monitor your goals straight up with this Apple Watch Series 1.
.Realme recently launched another entry-level phone in India called the Realme 5i. The smartphone is only available in one variant that has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.
The Realme 5i is the fourth addition to the Realme 5 series. Realme 5i boasts an AI quad-camera setup on the rear and houses a massive 5000mAh battery. However, these specs are similar to another fairly new Realme phone – the Realme 5s.
Unlike the Realme 5s that comes with a 48MP camera, the Realme 5i comes with a 12MP camera. There are a couple more differences between the phones, which can make deciding between the two very confusing.
To help you out, here’s a spec-by-spec comparison of the handsets.
Realme 5s vs. Realme 5i – Pricing Comparison
The Realme 5i has only been launched in one memory variant in India, having 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It is priced at a fantastic Rs. 8,990.
On the other hand, the Realme 5s smartphone is available in 64GB and 128GB variants, but both have only 4GB of RAM. They are priced at Rs. 9,999 and Rs.10,999, respectively.
If the price is the concern for you, the 5i offers excellent features for an amazing price and is the least expensive smartphone in the Realme 5 series.
Realme 5s vs. Realme 5i – Display Comparision
Coming to the displays of the devices we are comparing, the Realme 5s features a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a 720×1600 pixel resolution. It is an IPS LCD panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 270ppi pixel density.
There are no differences in the display in the Realme 5s and the Realme 5i since the 5i also features a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a 720×1600 pixel resolution. It is also an IPS LCD panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 270ppi pixel density.
Both phones have a waterdrop notch and do not have a pop-up camera like some of the newer phones do. Although the prices are great, having a higher resolution screen – with at least a 1080p resolution would have made them more lucrative offerings.
Realme 5s vs. Realme 5i – Software and Performance Comparison
Performance-wise, both the phones perform equally well since they both come with the same Snapdragon 665 processor and the Adreno 610 GPU.
As mentioned previously, the Realme 5i is only available in one variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage space.
However, the Realme 5s is available in 64GB and 128GB internal storage space variants. The RAM, however, stays the same as the Realme 5i at 4GB.
Although both the phones have the same chipset and the same RAM, Realme 5s will give the user the added benefit of larger internal space.
If you need larger storage space, both the phones have a microSD card slot, and the storage can be expanded by up to 256GB on both phones.
As for the software, both the devices run on Color OS 6, which is based on Android 9 (Pie).
Overall, there shouldn’t be much difference between the two devices’ performance.
Realme 5s vs. Realme 5i – Camera Comparison
Both the devices boast a quad-camera setup on the rear. However, the resolutions of the cameras are different.
The Realme 5s has a better camera – it features a 48MP primary sensor that is paired alongside an 8MP camera and two 2MP camera units.
The front camera of the device is better when compared to the Realme 5i since it has a 13MP resolution.
On the other hand, the more affordable Realme 5i sports a 12MP+8MP+2MP+2MP rear camera setup and features an 8MP front camera.
The Realme 5s comes out as a clear winner and can take stunning shots in all kinds of lighting conditions. If the image quality is a concern for you, you can go for the Realme 5s without thinking twice.
Realme 5s vs. Realme 5i – Battery Comparison
The Realme 5s features a massive 5,000mAh battery and supports 10W charging. The phone can also help charge other devices’ batteries since it comes with the power share feature.
The Realme 5i shares the same large 5,000mAh battery, and also comes with the power share feature and support for 10W fast charging.
Realme 5s and Realme 5i – Overview and Verdict
This table will give you an overview of the two devices, and you can make your decision at a glance.
Specifications
Realme 5s
Realme 5i
Price
9,999/- INR (4GB+64GB)
10,999/- INR (4GB+128GB)
8,999/- INR
Display
6.5-inch HD+ LCD screen with 720×1600 pixel resolution and 89% screen-to-body ratio
6.5-inch HD+ LCD screen with 720×1600 pixel resolution and 89% screen-to-body ratio
If you’re on a tighter budget, you cannot go wrong with the new Realme 5i. However, if you’re looking for better camera quality or larger on-board memory, go for the Realme 5s.
Vivo NEX 3 has the most stunning display with the right set of cameras and that has caught the eyes of many buyers.
The release date of first Vivo Nex 3, is September 2019. It is compatible with GSM/CDMA/HSPA/EVDO/LTE/5G Technologies.
This smartphone stands unrivaled in the world market with a massive 6.89-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen that curves on both sides at 90 degrees.
Vivo Nex 3 Phone has no compartment for side buttons with no holes in it.
Embedded with a 16MP selfie camera that pops up on the top of the smartphone. Also, with an LED flash, Vivo Nex 3 has enabled all its customers to remain glued to the quality of the picture that it produces.
This elegantly designed smartphone can feature a video quality of 1080p.
It has an outstanding feature of the triple camera of 64 MP primary camera, 13 MP wide-angle camera ad 13MP telescopic camera, that effortlessly captures all your memories with ease.
The Vivo Nex 3 Phone Feels smooth and luxurious on the hands
This smartphone has a gigantic dimension of 167.4 X 76.1 X 9.4 mm with a built-in glass front and back as well as an aluminum frame. The Vivo Nex 3 has been built with a Qualcomm snapdragon 855 plus chipset, with an octa-core processor and Adreno 640 GPU that promises power beyond imagination.
This allows the user to play games without worrying too much about the power or charge of the phone.
This smartphone runs on the Android v9.0 (Pie) operating system that efficiently runs all its programs in the background.
Unfortunately, Vivo Nex 3 Phone has some disadvantages that we noticed.
This exquisitely designed smartphone has got some water-resistant properties but still has to be carefully handled. Though this smartphone comes with a fingerprint sensor, it has got no face-unlocking features.
Price of this smartphone heftily, which may downside for a lot of people. Also, the phone is bulky and feels uncomfortable on hands. It has got no stereo speakers.
Overall, In our opinion, This phone can be termed as a next-generation smartphone with all its premium qualities and features.
The phone has unique software that provides multiple sensor algorithms. It allows multi-tasking, and this is possible only because of Vivo’s intelligent turbo wires and technologies.
Battery
This Phone has a capacity of 4500 mAH battery that allows long working hours without any hindrance to the work-life balance. Also, this smartphone also comes with a fast charger that guarantees quick charging during an emergency.
It does not allow heat to hold for a long time as it is embedded with a vapor chamber that promises to distribute the heat all over the phone as we all know cooled-down is smooth. Nex 3 will never cease to amaze you with all its features.
The Vivo Nex 3 comes with all the features which you will want in any modern smartphone and has been well designed. It is one of those smartphones which is true to its flagship and promises an 8GB RAM and 256GB internal memory.
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.
Realme is emerging to be a significant brand in the industry of new-age gadgets like smartphones, fitness bands, bags, ear-pods, and many more. The Chinese manufacturing giant brings out new and advanced devices almost frequently. Realme XT Review is quite good and this phone is being rated as one of the big competitors in the market.
Recently, it has got all the right attention with the new Realme XT smartphone. This article is all about Realme XT review. This phone is being rated as one of the big competitors in the market today with all the features that a user craves for and at an affordable price is unbeatable.
In terms of design, the Realme XT is incomparable with the multi-colored streaks on the back and a sleek size and shape. Instead of the mainstream poly-carbonate back panel, it comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which has a glass finish and is fingerprint-resistant.
Design and Display
In between the slim bezels, sits a whopping 6.4-inch super AMOLED full HD+ display, which features an in-screen fingerprint sensor for quick identification and authentication of the user. The front camera notch on the top further allows for a fast face unlock feature which does not have an infrared use. So, it does not work if you have shades or sunglasses on.
Camera
Coming to the camera, the XT Phone ditches the 48-megapixel camera as in the previous versions and offers a stunning 64-megapixel primary camera on the rear side of the phone and a 16-megapixel secondary or selfie camera on the front. There are also various built-in picture modes for a wider and more dynamic view of images and portraits.
The distortion correction feature is another winning aspect of the Realme XT camera that allows a wide-angle view while correction any distortion in the backdrop.
Performance
When speaking of the performance, the Realme XT comes with a Snapdragon 712 chipset and Adreno 616 GPU offering optimum power for effortless usage. It comes in three RAM variants of 4 GB, 6 GB, and 8 GB.
Whether you would like to run the latest new-age games or any heavy application for work, the Realme XT eases it out for you with a robust specification and backing. Again, the smartphone comes with the most upgraded Android Pie 9.0 for a consistent and refreshed interface.
The smartphone also boasts of a premium audio output with the Dolby Atmos ables speakers. The sound quality is high-end, but it can be a little distorted at the highest volume.
Packed with a 4000Mah battery, the Realme XT holds the battery for up to 20 hours in a single charge. Furthermore, the speed charge feature allows users to quickly charge their devices up to 50 percent in a matter of about 30 minutes.
Wrapping Up
The Realme XT has an ergonomic design that lets the user reach the key buttons with use. It offers a triple SIM-card slot wherein you can use two nano-SIM cards along with a micro SD card. It supports USB Type-C charging and also wired headphone jacks.
All in all, the Realme XT is an excellent option for people looking for a fetching design at a budget price.
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.
I can understand the pain that comes with taking hundreds of photos, none of which turns out to be any good. But do you know what is a good remedy? Instead of trying to achieve that perfect click, maybe we should just devote ourselves to photo editing apps. There are some excellent options out there that make life easier for us. The photo editing apps that we will discuss here are all Android-friendly ones, with some of them having an iOS version as well.
#1 PicsArt Photo Studio
This is one of the most comprehensive Android photo editing apps out there. It features a collage maker, camera, and tons of different tools. It is completely free to download and use. However, you may need to purchase the premium version if you want specific features. The collage maker offers hundreds of free templates while the Cutout Tool lets you create and share custom stickers. The PicsArt’s tools allow its users to add text on images, clone, stretch, crop, and do much more.
Best Photo Editor Apps: PicsArt Photo Studio
#2 Camera360
Camera 360 features a user-friendly interface and is one of the better apps out there for photo editing. It is very easy to find your way around here. You will find more than a hundred exquisite filters. In addition to this Camera 360 also offers 3D Funny Stickers and regular stickers. The app also has a real-time makeup beauty camera that can beautify the images in no time.
#3 AirBrush
This photo editing app comes with many different features, such as awesome filters and user-friendly tools. Thanks to the number of tools at your disposal here, you will not find it hard at all to edit your pictures. The app allows you to remove pimples and spots using its blemish remover feature. You can also whiten your teeth, make your skin look flawless, and do so much more with AirBrush. It also has real-time editing technology and lets the users retouch pictures.
AirBrush
#4 Flickr
Flickr is a photo editor app that can also be used for uploading and sharing pictures. Users can modify images by adding frames, filters, and more. They can also use the tools offered here to crop, rotate, and reshape the images. Its interface is neat and user-friendly.
#5 Photoshop Express
The Photoshop Express boasts of a simple interface with intricate features. You will find all the necessary features, such as rotating, flipping photos, cropping, and resizing the image. The app is completely free. However, for more advanced features, you will have to sign in using an Adobe ID. The app offers 15 borders and frames, ability to add text on the image, use filters, and more.
Photoshop Express
#6 PhotoGrid
You can use this app to remix your clicks and share your photos on your social media account. Users would be able to add filters, use stickers, and choose from over 300 collage templates. You will even be able to customize the templates. In addition to using graffiti, texts, and stickers, you will be able to edit your picture’s brightness, contrast, and other details. The facial recognition tech here will help decrease wrinkles and blemishes.
#7 Pixlr
Previously called Pixlr Express, it is a dynamic app featuring Colour Splash and Focal Blur options. There are tons of options for adding effects. You can add texts, change the background, resize the image, and do plenty more.
#8 Photo Lab
Photo Lab is an Android application that is designed to make your photos stand out. With over 900 effects, dozens of different frames, and tons of filters, you are sure to have a good time using this app. With the Face Photo Montage feature, users will be able to swap their face and work out some tricks. Another blessing is that the interface is quite simple and pretty intuitive, making it easy to understand and use.
#9 PicLab
PicLab is a convenient editor app that offers users to add text in dozens of different ways, use filters, adjust opacity, and let your creativity flow with the drawing tool. You will also be able to have fun with the stickers and frame. As always, you can adjust the brightness, saturation, blur, contrast, and more.
PicLab
#10 PhotoDirector
This is another Android photo editing app with an intuitive interface and contains all the basic features. You will notice that it has an in-app camera that can be used for live photo effects. You will also be able to edit and share your photos on social media. The app offers photo effects, HDR effects, colour editing features, and other usual options like cropping, increasing brightness, adding text, and so on.
#11 YouCam Perfect
As the name suggests, YouCam Perfect ensures your photos emerge flawlessly after editing. You will be able to beautify the photos, add collages, frames, edit it, and do a lot more. Popular features include Eye Bag Remover, smile feature, magic brush, and so many others. You can also reshape your face, add contours, smoothen skin, and more.
#12 Retrica
This app is an excellent option for taking selfies and personalizing pictures. You can make use of their attractive filters, create collages, and use the stickers as well. In addition to this, you can also create video pop-ups and upload your selfies to any social media platform.
Retrica
#13 BeautyPlus
This is one of the more popular Android photo editing apps out there. The reason is that the developers have worked closely with makeup artists and photographers to create this app. The app removes blemishes, dark circles, whitens teeth, and adds a radiant complexion. Besides these features, you will find all the regular editing tools as well at BeautyPlus.
#14 TouchRetouch
The app is slightly different from the other apps on this list. While you cannot make any major adjustments, you will be able to remove the elements that disturb the picture. The app is not free. You can make people or things in the background disappear using the Blemish Remover. There are plenty of other stunning features here as well.
#15 Snapseed
Snapseed is a powerful editing app is completely free. It offers tons of filters, ability to precisely tune the image, add texts, adjust the colour, and do so much more. As an added advantage, it is incredibly easy to use.
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.
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.
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.
