Month: December 2019

Review – Blackpods V3 True Wireless. #Tech #TrueWireless #Blackpods

When it comes to True Wireless we now seem to be having a great choice by know brands but some are pricey and not worth the punt, Another market now seeing a rise of interest is Clones and the thing here is are they worth it and from my testing of several clones or copies of Apples overpriced goods is that Apple need to be worried.

Recently I have tested a cloned pair of Airpods the TWS I500 and these are a fraction of the cost and we also have their new AirPod Pro in for review so watch out for that soon. This is where people then start to ask questions like are they worth it at the price the likes go on sale for and the simple answer is Yes, You have nothing to lose and I have said before I do not condone clones but when they are this good you just have to tell people.

Blackpods have got much attention in the media over the last few months and plenty of coverage on You Tube and have had it good bar shipping issues but this is down to the popularity and this is why I reached out to the company to check them out like the others we have here. I am not an Apple fan by any means but like their products but they are too overpriced simple as and when tech come in offering better value and experience well then I want to try it for myself.

The Blackpods are now on Verison 3 and this is what we have been using and I will just say it up front they are great, First thing is they come in matt Black,something that Apple ignore from its fanbase but you can get them skinned at a cost, Blackpods do this for you at no extra charge and they look ten times better than the White version and come with wireless charging too which is great.

The Blackpods sound great all round and are loud but they do have some leakage at max volume but I use mine mostly in the house,they fit fine too but like Airpods they will not suit all ears even like the TWS I recently did they are much the same thing so keep in mind.

The matt Black finish looks good yet they are still the stemmed type and some do not like it I dont mind personally once they sound good and thats what matters to me and probably most people bar the few that like to fit in with the gang and think they are great.

When it comes to function you have it all there too but where they outdo Apple is on Volume and Bass levels which again for most is a good thing all other music genres are on par and sound good and they give a great listening experience at less than half the price,these even offer auto pause when one is removed from your ear,some high end earbuds do not even offer this, You have your usual attributes when it comes to play,pause and skip tracks you have your voice assistant on deck. Listening to my usual play lists, Netflix and You Tube the sound balance is great and no lag latency.

Once you pair up they will auto pair each time you remove from the case so there is no worries there and connection is good with Bluetooth 5.0 these work with both Apple and Android devices though no Animation on pairing on my Google Pixel 4 which they where tested on.

No issues with pop up animation on the iPhone 11

They will work individually when not put back in the case but if you put either side in the case you are done unlike some out there but this is a common theme in general with many others too so cant be faulted at the price, Call quality is great crisp and clear on both sides which is another good thing, so overall the audio and call quality is great and cant complain being honest and we are going to see much more of similar products like this hit the market. The same applies here for me as the TWS is just getting that sweet spot for the touch control but after a bit the muscle memory will kick in and work all the time every time to your input.

The BPV3 have also the latest H1 chip built in and are IP6 rated and as mentioned have wireless charging and give around 4 hours of listening time which is good but you get over 24HR with the case in total and seems legit from my testing over the last while this might change in time and how long they last is another thing which has to be mentioned like the TWS I tested,they still work and I expect these to last too, For 60 quid at the time of writing you cant go wrong with the Audio experience and the looks. I have reviewed enough true wireless now to tell you if something is utter trash and these are not that and looking up on reviews the majority of people seem to be happy and have the same opinion they are worth a shot.

BUY HERE

Review – The Skullcandy Method ANC with TILE. #Skullcandy #Method #Tech

The Skullcandy Method ANC are ideal for those who are fitness and more and with the addition of the tile feature they are a must have for fitness fans and commuters alike or even just the regular listener who wants that bit extra on top.

The Package like the Sesh and any other is the traditional black box look and is easy to recognise as a brand and Skullcandy are a well know brand in the audio business as I have said before. You can check out the unboxing below for all the information on what is in the box itself which you will find is more than adequate.

First of all fit here is fantastic,these will no budge at all no matter what you do due to the ear wings they fit perfectly in your ear and also provide some passive isolation which is always welcome you also get extras in the package which will ensure one fits you and once in the ear you will see what I mean by a perfect snug fit, They do have a small stem but thicker and dont look stupid like Airpods and you will after a few minutes forget they are even there.

Build quality is good as expected and of course we have the typical Black colour, Again as I have said before with many products I would like to see more colours or special editions and Skullcandy are know to do such with some products and they are really nice and buck the trend with the industry standard we see so often.

These come with TILE built in and this is a great feature to have on such a small pair of earphones typically the tile can be found in bigger headphones such as the crusher models and it is great to have this here and for those who are a big forgetful or have a habit of loosing things. Set up is simple for those who are familiar with the tile app and it could not be easier it takes a minute.

Controls are simple here which again is good for those on the move and familiar with similar earbuds you have one panel with all the buttons at hand to do everything and tactile easy to navigate blindly too you get that nice clicky feedback.

The pairing process is simple as always,the inline control panel is simple to use you have your power on/off,play/pause which is the centre button and one press to execute play and pause,Volume up and down are the obvious plus and minus buttons which are marked,track forward is one press of the plus button and reverse track is one press of the minus button.Two taps of the centre activates you voice assistant,Activating tile is one press of the centre and plus button you should do this ASAP..

There is a good level of passive noise isolation to begin with here once placed in the ear which is a good start and the ANC really helps out more, there is no audio passthrough so keep that in mind. Sound quality is great and well balanced and on the same levels as the Sesh I was very please with the outcome from listening to my usual playlist and my usual testing on You Tube and Netflix and there was no lag latency to be found either so for anyone thinking of buying these and want a more robust pair of earphones these would certainly be fitting in on the list of recommendations.

Battery life in on par with the manufacturers claims,you get no charge case here with these but a carry bag and you get micro USB charging rather than USB-C not a deal breaker but keep in mind, These are ideal for the fitness or busy person and being wired you get magnetised buds that sit nicely when not in use so there is no need to remove them,the clicky buttons on the inline control might favour some people more who are use to using similar which from my observation many do especially in the office environment over true wireless bud but you do have other choices from Skullcandy to fit your bill and wont be left disappointed with quality and cost.

BUY 

 

 

Virgin Media unveils Smart Home Experience and upgrades Smart Home Complete Pack. #SmartHome #VirginMedia

Virgin Media has partnered with Google to become the first Telco in Ireland to offer Irish consumers the ultimate Smart Home packs, helping customers to experience the thrill of a Smart Home

Virgin Media has officially unveiled their custom built Smart Home experience with packages including leading smart home technology products from Google and TP-Link. Virgin showcased the new packs in a purpose built new ‘home’ at the company’s HQ in Dublin today.

Virgin Media unveils Smart Home Experience .Pic Brian McEvoy

The new systems enable Virgin Media customers to streamline countless tasks throughout the home and now, with Virgin’s upgraded Complete Pack which includes the Google Nest Hub, users can do even more at home, all powered by Ireland’s fastest in-home Wi-Fi.*

With the inclusion of Google’s Nest Hub in the Smart Home Complete Pack, users can use the 7” HD touchscreen display and speaker not only to hear Google results to questions, but can also see images and videos to help as well. The Google Nest Hub is the perfect kitchen companion for searching out recipe videos and getting step by step tips preparing meals for the family.

The Virgin Media Complete Pack comes also comes with a Google Nest Hello Doorbell, Google Nest Mini, Google Chromecast and 2 TP-Link Smart Plugs and keeps its original price of just €55 a month for 12 months. 

Virgin Media unveils Smart Home Experience 
Pic Brian McEvoy

On top of this newly upgraded pack, Virgin Media broadband customers can also choose from two additional packs, the Entertainment Pack and the Home Automation Pack.

Karen Faughnan, Senior Propositions Manager at Virgin Media Ireland said:

“Our research shows that 60% of Irish consumers are planning to purchase smart home devices in the next 12 months and over 58% of those surveyed had already purchased one or more smart home device (distinct from smart TV’s/phones etc).”

It’s these numbers that show us that there is an ever growing appetite amongst the Irish population to purchase and install smart home products and, with our partnership with Google and TP-Link, we’re making it easier than ever for those customers to create their own smart home experiences, all powered by Ireland’s fastest in-home Wi-Fi*.”

Virgin Media unveils Smart Home Experience – 
Pic Brian McEvoy

With our new Smart Home Packs, customers can rest assured that their Virgin Media superfast broadband will be strong and reliable enough to connect all the different devices and, with our specialised Smart Home technicians taking you step by step through the installation process, you’ll be able to get the very best from your new products.

“With Christmas fast approaching, there’s never been a better time for customers to upgrade their homes to a smart home and,  as an added incentive, the packs are up to €129 cheaper than the recommended retail price of the bundles being purchased separately with a technician install.”

Packages start from as little as €15 a month with customers free to keep the devices once the 12 monthly payments are complete. You can learn more about Virgin Media’s new Smart Home Packages at www.virginmedia.ie/smarthome

Packs available to customers include

1.          Entertainment Pack

 

The pack includes:

·        Google Home Speaker

·        Google Nest Mini

·        Google Chromecast  

PLUS: Smart Home set up by a Virgin Media technician.

2.     The Home Automation Pack

The pack includes:

·       Google Nest Hello Doorbell

·        Google Nest Mini

·        2x TP Link Smart Plugs

 

PLUS: Smart Home set up by a Virgin Media technician. 

3.     The Complete Pack

The pack includes:

·        Google Nest Hub  – Smart Home Display

·        Google Nest Mini

·        2x TP Link Smart Plugs

·        Google Nest Hello Doorbell

·        Google Chromecast  

 

PLUS: Smart Home set up by a Virgin Media technician.

Ookla®, the independent consumer initiated testing platform, named Virgin Media as Ireland’s fastest In-Home Wi-Fi network.

The Speedtest® results show that Virgin Media is more than twice as fast as its nearest competitor for broadband and In-Home Wi-Fi.

https://www.speedtest.net/awards/ireland/2017/?award_type=isp&time_period=q2-q3

 

First look at the @KitSoundUK Immerse 75 Noise cancelling Wireless headphones. #Tech #Headphones #Kitsound

We have been heavily focusing on true wireless of late and not done there yet but we have a few headphones to check out in the coming weeks and we are starting off with Kitsound UK, This is our first product from the company and I look forward to putting these to the test As our readers know I am a huge headphones fan and true wireless fan and we have the biggest range covered here with real hands on review, I will be sharing my thoughts in the coming week or so about these but on first impressions I am impressed but time is needed to get a better picture on how they perform.

These are also an affordable pair of headphones an as I have said before,the cost to performance ratio is coming down which is a win for the consumer so will these fit into that bracket for under a €100, find out soon and if you have any questions feel free to ask in the interim.

BUY HERE

 

Review – Skullcandy Sesh True Wireless. #Skullcandy #Sesh #TrueWireless #Tech

The Skullcandy Sesh are the latest true wireless in their range which come in at an affordable price offering great features for those who do not want to fork out big money and wants something that sounds good and these deliver in these aspects, With the traditional packing you’d expect from the company you get all you need in the box from the get go which will not break the bank and what I found great with these was the fit.

These come with a charging case which is one that will not open on shaking or if left open your earbuds will not fall out and the case has USB-C charging which is most welcome in 2019 and an area where others are still playing catch-up on. The case is plastic with a Matt Black finish just like the earbuds themselves so a standard affair here which is no big deal, I Would like to see more colours though than the traditional Black or White options we tend to see these days.

The case has LEDs on the front to give you a battery status and whilst battery life itself here is not the best in the world it is sufficient at the price point and fine for commuter journeys and so on but you can use these in the gym or walking in the rain as they are IP55 rated but just keep in mind this is not the highest rating out there, The charge case is an average size like the buds themselves and are pocketeable.  These are also not difficult to take out or put in the box,some earbuds can be but this is just a muscle memory thing.

When it comes to fit these are a solid one, for me they fit nice and snug and do not budge when jogging or walking and with that have good passive isolation sealing out a good bit of the outside world but they do not have audio pass through which is fine at this price. They have been one of the better fitting ones I have tried of late and thats a good thing but everyone’s ears differ and there is extra tips in the box to get that perfect fit.

When it comes to sound is probably most that matters for people and overall these where pretty good with a nice bass level present, On using my usual test case music, You Tube and Netflix these where pleasantly good all round especially with voice  giving you a crisp clear audio experience and good direction, With my music they where well balanced,as mentioned there is a nice bass element here that does not drown out the rest, With mids lows and highs these where fine and well tuned you could say offering a generic balance and again good directions and instruments where easily heard, They do have a slightly higher bass element than most earbuds of late I have tried which is what people like to see from my reading anyway and another thing to note there was no lag latency either.

I feel if there was an app you could fine tune some more but depending on how loud you listen to your music it will differ, As most know I love it loud and these get plenty aloud in a quite environment and watching the likes of Netflix is a treat making you feel part of the picture and immersed.

The controls on the Sesh are great end of story the easiest touch controls I have used in a while and nothing complicated, One thing I need to get out of the way first is that they will not work individually, If the left ear is in the box charging the right will not work but vice versa the right still works if the left is charging, This again at this price point is not a huge deal but needs to be mentioned as some folk like the option to use individually, , Now if they are just taken out of the ear they can still work on their own which is fine. Call quality is great and clear both ends where good on testing and calls are on both sides.

To change tracks is a joy to use and easy with the good surface area at hand to switch, One tap for play and pause on either side,same for calls answer and ending, Skip a track tap and hold for two seconds on the right and to reverse its the same on the left.Three taps activate the voice assistant, All these worked perfectly all the time and thats good to see.

If you are in the market for new earbuds from a known brand these are certainly worth the look,the battery life is on the lower end but you get 10 hours in total which is not bad at this price so overall they are a great pair of true wireless with USB-C and IP55 rating that are robust.

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Virtual and Augmented Reality Market Volatile But Promising. #VR #AR

The market for extended reality products, which comprises virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices, will enjoy 21% growth in 2019, to slightly more than 10 million devices, according to the latest forecast by technology analyst firm CCS Insight. Marina Koytcheva, vice president of forecasting, notes, “Although this growth rate might seem disappointing for a market that has had so much hype, it should be assessed pragmatically. Right now, there are still just a handful of successful devices, and a lot rides on every new iteration or new model brought to market by the established players Sony, HTC and Oculus”.

CCS Insight believes that Sony is on track to record a solid 2019, and Facebook has also started gaining meaningful revenue from its Oculus devices. HTC, however, despite leading in the premium end of the market, looks set for less growth in 2019. But Koytcheva notes, “It’s still early days in the nascent VR market and I have positive expectations for this exciting product category”.

The recently published forecast projects that market demand will grow sixfold to 60 million units in 2023. Leo Gebbie, senior analyst at CCS Insight, covering wearables and extended reality devices, explains, “Our optimism is supported by our consumer research of early technology adopters: those who don’t yet own a VR device show a strong willingness to buy an extended reality device within the next three years, particularly as more attractive and affordable products with richer content and experiences become available. I believe this is particularly good news for entry-level devices like the standalone Oculus Go headset, which retails at less than $200”.

CCS Insight also notes that the variety of VR devices is growing. The company expects new products in 2020 from Oculus, HTC and others, including the highly anticipated Sony PlayStation 5, which is widely expected to be accompanied by an updated PlayStation VR headset.

A further boost to the VR market is coming from the advent of 5G mobile networks. In South Korea, currently the most advanced 5G market in the world in terms of adoption, mobile operators have successfully positioned 5G as a technology that can deliver an attractive VR experience. “Operators in other markets should be encouraged by the success of their South Korean counterparts, and we expect more consumer offerings to be built on the coupling of VR and 5G in the near future”, says Koytcheva.

China will also play an important role in the growth of the VR market. The Chinese government’s initiative to be a global leader in VR and AR technologies by 2025 will have an impact in the near future. Education is being targeted as one of the major sectors where VR should be adopted. This tallies with CCS Insight’s prediction that extended reality will become a standard educational tool in schools in at least two countries by 2025.

“All these trends support our view that the VR market is just heating up. Some quarters will be better than others, but the direction of travel is onward and upward”, concludes Koytcheva.

When it comes to AR, adoption by business users is picking up, although the numbers are currently very small. CCS Insight expects about 150,000 AR devices will be sold globally in 2019.

Adoption of AR devices in logistics and remote assistance continues to rise, and other industries are also starting to follow suit, with important vertical markets such as medicine, entertainment and travel beginning to show signs of growth. Importantly, end-to-end AR solutions, consisting of hardware, software and support, are also improving, making adoption much easier than it was a couple of years ago.

The consumer market for smart AR glasses, however, is still a few years away. Gebbie comments, “We’ve seen some very exciting products starting to emerge, but they’re generally prototypes or early iterations of future device designs. It will be some time before mass-market products capable of delivering significant volume hit the market”.

CCS Insight also notes that component miniaturization remains a major challenge. Unlike warehouse workers and other enterprise users, consumers are unlikely to be willing to accept anything heavier than and much different in appearance from traditional eyeglasses in their everyday lives. However, Gebbie concludes, “We’re confident that this technology will improve rapidly, and predict that by 2022 a major consumer electronics brand will enter the consumer smart glasses market, opening the gates for strong growth in years to come”.

More details of CCS Insight’s extensive VR and AR research service can be found at: https://www.ccsinsight.com/research-areas/virtual-and-augmented-reality/

Review – The Urbanista Paris True Wireless earbuds with wireless charging. #Urbanista #Tech #TrueWireless

Recently we have checked out some products from the good folks at Urbanista such as the Urbanista Stockholm True wireless earbuds and their latest speaker which is the Sydney bluetooth speaker which packs a punch..

One thing with Urbanista over the years I am testing their products is they are consistent with delivering quality goods and Audio at an affordable price and the same applies to their latest instalment we have hear today. And we also get some new features over the Stockholm version we last checked out which is most welcome.

They have the same profile as before and the same charging case only slightly different with USB-C charging and Wireless charging which certainly is most welcome and keeping up with the times which many still tend to leave out today at this price point.

These are more stable in the ears thanks to the buds provided with some extra size buds included and of course they have thrown in the USB-C cable, Again we have the touch sensitive area to control the earbuds which leaves you free from your phone which is nice…

The control will take a but to get the muscle memory right if you are not custom to the touch sensitive type but you will be fine, controls are simple after that and you have all you need one or two taps away.

The controls are as follows

TURN OFF VOICE ASSISTANT – Touch the R logo twice.

ANSWER A CALL – Touch the logo twice on the right (R) or
left (L) earphone.
END A CALL – Touch the logo twice on the right (R) or left (L)
earphone.
REJECT A CALL – Touch and hold the logo on the right (R) or left
(L) earphone for 2 seconds
PLAY MUSIC – Touch the logo twice on the left (L) earphone
PAUSE MUSIC – Touch the logo twice on the left (L) earphone
ADJUST THE VOLUME (+) – Touch the logo once on the right (R)
earphone
ADJUST THE VOLUME (-) – Touch the logo once on the left (L)
earphone.
SKIP A TRACK FORWARD – Touch the logo on the right (R)
earphone for 2 seconds.
SKIP A TRACK BACKWARD – Touch the logo on the left (L)
earphone for 2 seconds
On testing the call quality is great,crisp and clear and both ends of the call have same result, If you want to use individually it will have to be the left one, so when you put the right in the left will stay connected but not vice versa. Bluetooth connection seen me around 40/50 ft before I seen any sign of a break up.
Need a job in IT or tech?? Click the image below.
When it comes to sound they shine and have a nice level of bass here, Urbanista do not yet have an app but I feel they do not need one but would be nice going forward to customise your sound but for the price you cant complain. Overall the sound was well balanced with good direction and easy to hear separation with sound,music and instruments and with vocals you will not be shortchanged and there was no lag latency on watching my usual You Tube or Nextflix test reels.

With Wireless charging USB-C,good battery life and an IPX5 rating they have delivered once again and they come in some really catchy looking colours too to suit everyone at a really good price.

Update. Check out the All New Athens review..

Review – The Jabra Elite 75t True Wireless. Best in class for the money. #JabraElite75t #Truewireless #Tech

Over the last few months I have been using the Elite 65t and the 85h from Jabra which today are one of the best headphones out there of what I have tested to date, I have yet to try the Sony, insert long name here headphones which are said to be one of the best in class with ANC but for now so far the 85h have been for me. When it comes to true wireless Jabra have always been in a league of their own and this time is no different and if you are a bass lover these are what you want.

I have tested some 40 pairs of true wireless this year and more to come and gave these a good run in before I shared my thoughts as I normally do rather than rush out a review a day later or so as these need breaking in and I could see the difference over the hours put in. To put it short if you want true wireless with bass these are all you need, end of story..

The profile has got much smaller too from the 65t which is great and its amazing how they have changed and what they have packed in to the smaller package. Also to mention is their app which is still one of the best in the business from what I have tested so far this year and the app makes a world of difference and we go through everything in the video below.

The controls again are sweet, easy to use and tactile with a simple touch to change everything and works flawlessly every time plus you have got volume control built in too which is often omitted even from more expensive earbuds. The earbuds will not budge for those who are active an want to wear jogging or to the gym and they have got an IP55 rating with a limited two year warranty so these also important factors to consider.

When it comes to calls they shine and this is always expected from Jabra and they have 4 built in mics and wind protection which will work well especially if you are living in Dublin down in the docklands area where the wind tends to channel through. You can use the right side with the left earbud in the box but not the left so they cant be used individually and it is not a huge issue for me.

Music is where they shine the most for me, With the bass turned up you are in for a treat this time around and trust me on that one you do of course have the app to play around with to personalise things even more but when the bass drops..wow.. This does not impede any other music elements either they have great separation, great on highs,lows and mids great with instruments and direction and voice so for listening to You Tube or Netflix for example they will be above par for everyone and also no lag latency either..

Bluetooth range is listed as 10 metres however I got more this might be a factor for some to consider but not a huge deal,we are never too far from our phone and I test mine on a Google Pixel 4 for reference.

I would have liked to seen wireless charging present here and it is probably the only thing I can say bad about them and perhaps another colour or two but this could change going forward like they did with the 65t apart from that if you want a pair of true wireless with super sound,call quality and bass,look no further on the price you pay for these. .

Key features..

  • New compact earbud shape tested for comfort and secure fit
  • More than 7.5 hours battery life, up to 28 hours with the charging case
  • 4-microphone technology for crystal clear calls even in noisy and windy environments
  • Fast charging with USB-C
  • Reliable true wireless connectivity with no audio dropouts
  • Music your way with the customizable equalizer, available in the Jabra Sound+ app
  • IP55-rated durability and 2-year warranty against dust and water*
  • One-touch access to Amazon Alexa**, Siri® and Google Assistant™
  • Compatible with all Bluetooth audio enabled phones and tablets
  • The Jabra Sound+ companion app is compatible with iOS and Android devices

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