Category: #Reviews

Tech Review – QuiteOn Sleep earbuds. #QuiteOn #Tech #Sleep

Have you a noisy neighbour, neighbours that leave their dogs barking outside all day and night, assholes that cut their grass at 8 am in the morning or building going on? Well I do at times and sick of it like many of my other neighbours however you may ask have I tried earplugs and the answer is yes but they do not cut it, these however change the game and use ANC in a different form than we traditionally use it in our headphones and earbuds which blocks the outside world, THESE EARBUDS DO NOT PLAY MUSIC so lets get that out of the way and these cost near 200 euro so are they worth the heavy price to pay? In short yes they are if you have money to spend..

ANC is a technology that pushed up earbud and headphone prices when launched and not it has trickled down to earbuds and headphones costing under a hundred euros and having reviewed the most true wireless earbuds in Ireland there is several pairs we have reviewed costing little that use ANC technology and this also applies to headphones, whilst these may look a bit different to your typical earbud they do look nice and you do not need to pair to your smartphone you do not need an app and you simply place in the ear get the right fit and most importantly the right tip to get the best performance, there is a simple switch to allow the noise in and one to turn it off and once turned off you enter bliss, no noise no nothing. You can even just wear them around the house if you like..

These as mentioned have ambient mode so you can use them in a noisy environment like a bus or train journey or if your office is hectic you can switch off the hustle and get your work done with no interruption. One could also argue there is headsets out there that can do the same which is true however these are dedicated to just blocking the noise with no controls to manage except hearing mode or full ANC mode. Active noise control (ANC), active noise cancelling, and active noise reduction (ANR) are methods where an unwanted sound is reduced by adding another sound specifically made to cancel it out. QuiteOn active noise cancelling earplugs use a microphone to sample the sound, and a speaker to create a phase-shifted sound that cancels the original sound.

How they work.

In QuietOn Sleep, the microphone is located outside, as with many other active noise cancelling devices. This is called Feed-forward Active Noise Cancelling. The internal mic system used in QuietOn Original is called Feedback Active Noise Cancelling. In active noise cancelling, the difference is that the outside microphone has a time advantage over the internal mic which enables noise cancelling to work at higher frequencies. With their first and second models, QuietOn is proud to be the smallest active noise cancelling device on the market today. And just now they have version 3 now on Indiegogo.

If you are one that lacks sleep and wants some more peace in life these are something to check out for me they have helped and have improved my sleep.

BUY HERE 

Tech Review – SOUL Sync ANC true wireless earbuds. #Tech #TWS #SOUL

Next up for review is the SOUL sync ANC TWS earbuds which again come in really nice pastel colours and offer are targeted for those who like that bit more from their earbuds and offer more than the NANO we recently checked out which are a serious bang for your buck when it comes to sound. You can check out the trio below in the unboxing and see what is on offer and all in all you get great value for money and colours that pop, but it is not all down to looks I hear you say it is down to how they sound what matters..

The design and fit of the Sync are really nice and look great, these have a small stem in comparison to others but a nice sized touch area to control your music which is simple. Once on they offer a great seal alone and then you can switch between modes to suit your needs or surroundings, the ANC works really well and I have a test case to do this in my house which is a fan and this is almost blocked out once fitted, Once the ANC is activated you do not hear the fan and most noise, You will never get the same level of ANC with TWS earbuds as you will headphones, Just now anyway but the technology is improving every day, In general they do a great job with noise cancelling.

When it comes to sound they are pretty good but not as loud as I would like they seem to be to less loud of of the Three I have have hear which is fine most folk use about 70/80% of the volume where I am a full volume person and that is just me and at that level they where not the loudest I tested but this is common and probably better for the ears anyway. Direction, Instruments, highs, lows and mids where fine and a good balance also with voice and voice calls where fine and you can again use these on their own be it left or right which is often a feature left out in even more expensive earbuds.

Overall you cant go wrong with these earbuds and they look really trendy and pop out and from wearing them out walking etc people have stopped and asked my who makes these so that is nice to see, you will not get the loudest volume here but a good overall result with some bass thrown in too. Battery life is on par however with ANC on like any other earbuds with ANC you will draw that power faster and see around 20-22 hours of life using ANC and volume up high.

SOUL sent us this press sample and are seeing this review the same time as you..

BUY HERE 

Tech Review – SOUL NANO true wireless earbuds. #Tech #SOULNANO

Currently I am testing several of the products from the SOUL TWS line up and these are the smallest of the lot and certainly cute with the tiny charge case that comes with it but how do they perform overall is the one question we all want to know and offer testing these ones out there is quite a surprise in store to how they performed overall and at the price they come in at and not forgetting the cool colours they come in too which is really nice and make them stand out in the crowd. See the unboxing below for the range we are testing now.

The S-NANO offer all the features you would expect but at the price point you get most except wireless charging which for me now is a cool feature but can live without it, these are easy on the pocket and easy to fit in any pocket by size and look really cool too. So when it comes to features what do you get for you money?

Features- Bluetooth 5.0 – quick charge – AAC codec – IPX5 rating – Transparency mode – Touch Controls- Auto Pairing and Assistant compatible. You do not get auto play and pause here but you do get the transparency mode which works well and these offer a really good seal off the bat and give good isolation when fitted right and you are good to go.. One thing with these is they are loud they are punchy and have a nice level of bass too and overall delivered well with all aspects you would like to find, they work individually too. n my usual test loop they deliver on watching films on Netflix, You tube and music, call quality is decent and direction is good and when watching films they deliver really well on direction instruments and voice and all is very centred so overall a great experience to be had for the price battery life is also good for the size here considering and I cant complain really about these at all as a whole.

The True wireless market has heated up over the last year and there is great value to be had here, these come with 28mm drivers and have a nice even tone with good bass and you will get around 5.5 hours of use which is good when you look at it. You get three extra charges via the tiny case and you get around 24hrs in total which is good by any standards when you look at how small this package is.

SOUL sent us this press sample and are seeing this review the same time as you..

BUY HERE 

 

 

Tech Review – Quntis 30W USB- C fast charger for Apple and Android devices. #Tech

Need a new affordable charging brick for your phone and dont even get the charger in the box Check out the Quntis 30w fast charger, This is slated for iOS devices but works on Android too and it is listed in their spec sheet, this is a compact charging block with a good long cable on tow to give you more flexibility not on that you get your devices charged quicker too and up to two hours in some cases, this works quite well on both Android and iOS devices as I have of course tested both.

Not only does this supply faster charging you can also do data transfer too up to 480 mps, Quntis Type-C to lightning cable supports fast data transfer of up to 480 Mbps. 1GB large files will transfer in 25s. Quntis 30W USB C Charger Plug with USB-C to Lightning Cable 2m provides a much more faster charging speed for your iPhone and iPad, eg. iPhone 11 can be charged from 0% to 50% in only 0.5h, 2.5 times faster than 5V/1A adapter. 2.5Hrs Full Charge for MacBook 12″, 3Hrs full charge for Nintendo Switch (With USB C to C Cable)

Check the video for a closer look and you can purchase on Amazon, Note you can buy this on the UK and DE store but if DE you get the two pin option like all tech purchased from DE.

Quntis sent us this sample and are seeing this review the same time as you.

Quntis 30w fast charger: 10% off UQuntis01 (store: Ulinek) End date: 01/31/2022

Tech Review – ProLab Mouse. A new way to control technology. #Prolab #Tech

We are all fond of and use to the standard mouse and remote control and we all have some in the house the thing is though they cost money and they are often lost but how about one gadget to control all your bluetooth devices give presentations and do everything these other gadgets do well there is now a new product on kickstarter called the ProLab mouse and having used it over the last few days it is a neat gadget to own and some might argue it is a solution to a problem we do not have but if you are a multidevice user it is not the case and can be quite handy is is more effective than one might think when you begin to see how it can be used and given its size and the price it is a must for those like me who have multiple gadgets in the house and especially projectors. Selfie fans can also rejoice here and so is smart phone users as this can make life so easy if you want to use your smartphone as a companion device beside your workspace.

The Future of Smart Controllers – ProLab explains..

There’s nothing like the ProLab Mouse. Without question, we’ve designed the smallest and most advanced control hub in the world. Weighing just 8g (.3 oz), the ProLab Mouse puts full control of your smart devices right at your fingertips. This valuable tool for work and play is a combination of an air mouse, a keyboard and a remote PPT/camera /media controller. Using Bluetooth technology, the ProLab Mouse instantly connects to most laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This allows you to control music, videos, web navigation, and more. Change settings at the touch of a button, and enjoy digital control with no limits.

The ProLab Mouse is ultra-compact, weighing only 8g and is no larger than a Bluetooth earphone. It is also easy to hold and even easier to use. With its 360-degree rotated trackball and four clicker buttons, it only takes one hand to control dozens of different functions. Once you hold the ProLab Mouse, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

The ProLab Mouse features three different easy-to-use modes: Air Mouse Mode, Media Mode, and Keyboard Mode. A single touch of the Side Button allows you to easily switch from one mode to the next.

SPECS

Battery Life: 15 Hours

Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 4.2

Bluetooth connection distance: 10m

Input Voltage: DC-5V 500mA

Weight: 8g / 0.3 oz

Dimensions: 29*29*13.5mm / 1.14*1.14*0.53in

Compatibility: iOS, iPad OS, Android, Windows, MacOS, ChromeOS, Linux and more

Check out the video below for more and do support them on KICKSTARTER any questions feel free to ask, I have been using this for a bit and find it very useful and it really is an all in one hub control unit..

Tech Review – Aukey 1080p webcam. #Tech #Webcams #Aukey

Since this covid lark began things also started changing for many workers in Ireland and that is working from home, this was already happening though over the last two years and the pandemic only accelerated it. For me it has been the same, gradually over the last three years I left a company I worked for as a contractor for 18 years and found a niche in the industry

I do know of plenty of people that do work from home and have done so for years, long before this situation arrived but the likes of zoom and teams was not needed, we had skype and other means to do business over the phone or via your pc/laptop but now with teams and zoom being hugely popular I chose teams to be my means of contact when I require to speak to more than one person since some people are from strategically placed business in Ireland it is impossible to get all in one place at one time given we do have the rights to travel for essential purposes but me being me I decided to use tech to make life easier for all and get the same job done without moving.

Lets be up front most of our built in webcams are rubbish and you will see why here I have several laptops and they are all brutal with the built in webcam and you will see the difference by using an external webcam and not only that you are not so restricted either as it can be moved anywhere within the cables confines and the picture and audio is also better too, there is people out there who worry about what they look like on the likes of zoom and so on and need to stop this. I did hear a radio topic on this the other day and it is not right worrying how you look on these platforms, If that is you external webcams are for you and we have some in to check out, the one here today is the AUKEY 1080P webcam and it is a simple plug and play and job done, no software no nothing just plug it in and switch to it on whatever platform you are using..

  • 1080P High Resolution: With a 1/3 inch CMOS image sensor, the webcam with a resolution of 1920*1080p delivers clear video for video chatting and video recording, provides good performance even in dimly lit rooms (≤ 5 lux)
  • Built-in stereo microphone: the two digital microphones provide clear, natural sound and significantly reduce background noise
  • Plug & Play: Thanks to USB Video Class (UVC) you do not need to install any drivers or software, simply connect to the USB port of your device
  • Compatible with Windows XP/2000/2003/Vista/7/8/10, Mac OS 10.6 and Android 5.0 or above, works with Smart TV, Android TV Box, Skype, MSN, FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Youtube, Yahoo Messenger etc.
  • Box contents: Aukey PC-LM1E webcam 1080p, instruction manual (English language not guaranteed)

BUY HERE

Tech Review – Vantrue N2S dual dashcam. #Motoring #Vantrue #Tech #Dashcams

I have tested a huge range of dashcams here in Ireland the most from any tech site anyway and this is the first time to test out the brand VANTRUE and today we have the N2S dual dashcam which is ideal for any driver and particularly those who carry passengers ie taxi men etc. But yes anyone can use this dashcam and everyone should have a dashcam.

First thing here to note is you will need to buy an SD card and do not cheap out here either you will need a class 10 card up to 256GB, the more storage the better due to the options on this cam the higher the setting the better the quality the more space it takes up however it does not overwrite protected files your normal recorded files are like any other dashcam but it is better to be safe than sorry buying cheap SD cards go and buy a good branded one rather than something cheap of Amazon.

The dashcam has plenty of features but no app which is shame but still it works really well and simple to use we go through all this on the video review anyway so you will be able to navigate through it. So we have two cameras in operation here that can be set to a resolution your prefer.

In Dual Recording mode:1440P+1080P(30FPS); 1080P+1080P
(30FPS): 1080P+720P(30FPS); 720P+1080P(30FPS); 720P+720P(30FPS); IN SINGLE FRONT CAM RECORDING mode, 2592x1520P(30FPS);
2560x1440P(30FPS); 1920x1080P(30FPS); 1280x720P(30FPS)
Other features included are loop recording, time lapse, parked recording inside and out with sensors, heat and cold resistance, wide angle, GPS player which you will need to download.
Set up is easy we go through this in the video review, you have some buttons up top for navigation and an emergency key to record on the back so once hit file is recorded and protected. You can adjust both the inside camera to your needs so it is not a fixed camera like the front but there is a ball and socket joint to get the angle you prefer this will work in any vehicle.
Once it is set up that is it job done just leave it there and let it do its job.
Overall this is a great dashcam coming in much cheaper than its rivals minus the app it is not a touch screen either but the controls work well and it is easy to use and the menu structure is not exhausted either by sub menus galore..

 

Tech Review – Soundcore LIFE Q30 hybrid ANC headphones. #Tech #Headphones

I like my headphones and have an extensive collection but what I like more is when a pair of headphones come in cheap and deliver on all aspects and saves you money. These are such a pair and I like them. We go through all the features as usual below so you don’t have to in the video review.

The Soundcore LIFE Q30 by Anker are a really comfortable fit with soft cups and headband and can be worn for hours with no issues with sweat so for long term use there are great. Sporting 40mm drivers these are loud and it is how I like my headphones and with ANC on board you can immerse yourself in to your music  and forget what is going on outside and to top it off the ANC is decent too, I also tested these with a projector I was testing out recently the PICO GENIE and they worked really well and gave me countless hours of bliss enjoying my Netflix and You Tube and of course listening to my music tracks these headphones delivered all round, when it comes to the above, Direction is good, you are central, voice is good instruments you name it all was good here in short you will like them. My usual testing tracks all great and there is great bass here to and of course there is the soundcore app which can enhance your listening experience even more and tailor to your needs it is a great app too by the way.

The controls are easy to use with slightly raised keys easy to navigate and on both sides you also have a touch area on side to switch between modes and there is a NC button too and all these work well all of the time. All features are there as you would expect to control your music without the need to take your phone out of your pocket and as mentioned we go through these in the video below. Battery life is excellent on these with up to 40 hours of life and you also have a quick charge of 5 minutes that gives you up to 4 hours of life which is excellent.

Overall for the price you pay on these I cant really complain about them they deliver on comfort, sound and features and for me an excellent pair of headphones for the price and easy to recommend.

Features

  • Hi-Res Certified Music: Hear every detail of your favorite songs thanks to Life Q30’s 40mm drivers. The highly-flexible silk diaphragms reproduce thumping bass and crisp treble that extends up to 40kHz for improved clarity.
  • Advanced Noise Cancellation Technology: Maintain your focus with Life Q30’s hybrid active noise cancellation. Dual noise-detecting microphones pick up and filter out up to 95% of low-frequency ambient sound to ensure nothing distracts you from your music.
  • Ultimate Noise Cancellation Experience: Customize Life Q30’s noise cancellation with 3 modes—Transport minimizes airplane engine noise, Outdoor reduces traffic and wind, and Indoor dampens the sound of busy offices with people talking in the background.
  • 40-Hour Playtime: Life Q30 active noise cancelling headphones play up to 40 hours of music in noise cancelling mode. Standard mode extends the playtime to 60 hours, while a short 5-minute charge gives you 4 hours of listening.
  • Pressure-Free Comfort: Life Q30 active noise cancelling headphones have ultra-soft protein leather earcups with memory foam padding to fit snugly over your ears. The lightweight build also ensures they’re comfortable for long listening sessions.

BUY HERE 

Tech Review – Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro True Wireless. #Tech #Soundcore

Recently I checked out this companies headphones the Soundcore Life Q30 and was really impressed with them and they are value for money and people have been asking how did these TWS earbuds work out and again the story is the same and I cant fault them at all and they have earned a place in my top 5 in fact.

From the presentation to the product you are getting quality here all round with the feel of the charge case and a kind of textured feel on the earbuds both combined is really nice and they look great too once again putting Apples to shame which so many tech journos froth at the mouth over. I will say it again “you do not need to spend that much money on Apple products when there is better for less and these without doubt are an easy win here”. No disrespect to Apple they make nice products but their pricing is just wrong.

When it comes to comfort again it is great and the fit is really nice and they wont budge, I have started listening to podcasts lately and use these to help me fall asleep and when I wake up they are still there. I tend to listen to lots of music and TV in bed at night when testing headphones and earbuds and it is hard to find earbuds that stay put, headphones are obviously out of the equation here when trying to get asleep.

Controls are great and a simple tap or two and you can change whatever is required including the sound profile and a double tap to turn on/off the ANC we go through the rest in the video but overall with their own app they are yours to set up as you see fit and not stuck at a stock setting which is great for personalisation which is what consumers like these days.

How they sound is what everyone is here for and in short they are excellent for the price. Great on voice, voice calls, instruments and direction with no lag latency either, when doing my usual test loop they easily pass when watching Netflix and You Tube etc. With the choice of having ANC/Transparency mode and Normal a click away you are in control. You should by the way do the sound test to get the best results it it will take around 4/5 mins to complete. These are also decently loud too which for me is great, Selecting custom mode is worth a view too and with the options in there again you are in control. In transparency mode you have fully transparent and vocal mode..

Battery life has been rather good on these and stand up to their claims obviously with high volumes and ANC on it hits the juice but you can quickly charge up,10 minutes charging earbuds = 2 hours of playtime and use wireless charging I actually use this more than I do on my phones and usually have my earbuds on charge from the selection I am currently using. You can use these independently too so if one is charging you can still use the other.

Overall these are an easy pair of earbuds to recommend and for the money here I cant say one bad thing about them and that is a rare thing to say and from testing the biggest range of TWS in Ireland I know what I am talking about.

KEY FEATURES

  • ●  PureNote Driver technology with 11mm drivers for accurate sound and clarity at all frequencies.
  • ●  Multi-mode ANC with Transport, Indoor and Outdoor settings for customizable usage levels
  • ●  Two transparency modes enhance the environment including voices without removing earbuds.
  • ●  7-hour battery in earbuds with ANC off / 6-hour battery with ANC on
  • ●  Qi wireless charging case with 26 hour battery with ANC off / 21 hour battery with ANC on as well as USB-C charging.
  • ●  Anker Fast Charging technology – 10 minutes charging earbuds = 2 hours of playtime
  • ●  Premium call quality using 6-mic uplink noise reduction helps optimize voices and minimize background noise.
  • ●  Customizable user touch controls to set preferences for play/pause, track advance, volume, etc.
  • ●  Voice-assistant compatibility with Siri at launch and other popular voice-assistants in the future.
  • ●  Nine sets of silicone ear tips, ranging from XXXS to XL and L+ in ensure a proper fit.
  • ●  Bluetooth version – 5.0
  • ●  Waterproof rating – IPX4
  • ●  Available in Four Colors: Onyx Black, Titanium White, Sapphire Blue, and Crystal Pink
  • ●  Earbud size // Case size – 1.47” x 0.87” x 0.91” // 2.44” x 2.35” x 1.18”
  • ●  Earbud weight / Case weight – 0.37 oz // 1.78 oz

The Liberty Air 2 Pro now available in four colors including Onyx Black, Titanium White, Sapphire Blue, and Crystal Pink with an MSRP of $129.99 at Amazon.com, Soundcore.com and BestBuy.com. Additional retailers will be added in the coming weeks. the Liberty Air 2 Pro are available in the U.K for £129.99; Europe for €129.99 and Canada for $169.99 (CAD).