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Review – XTORM USB-C Discover 1,7000mAh powerbank. #tech #XTORM

I have gone through quite a few powerbanks over the years and they are a lifesaver in some instances and often the case I would have maybe more than one with me when travelling or going to events or conferences. Given the range that is available out there today there is plenty of choice for users that require them or suffer from battery anxiety which is still a problem, even some of the todays new smartphones come with underwhelming battery power but the likes of this power bank eliminate battery anxiety and that moment of thought will my battery see me through this current event or presentation you might be at.

Unboxing the XTORM USB – C XB202 – POWERBANK

OK -So its a powerbank and it keeps your devices charged even your laptop there is that much on board so what else do you get…

Detachable micro USB cable.

Quick Charge 3.0 technology to charge up to 4 times faster.

Auto stop charging.

3 outputs to charge 3 devices at the same time.

Led light battery indicator.

USB-C port to charge MacBooks and laptops.

The Power Bank Discover enables you to charge your mobile devices anywhere and anytime. This Power Bank has a 17000mAh internal battery. This provides enough power to charge a smart phone at least EIGHT TIMES or a tablet/MacBook at least TWICE. It is also possible to charge THREE DEVICES at once. What’s more, its rubber finish gives this back-up battery a streamlined, stylish look. The finish on this unit is what I like and its robust,feels good looks good and will last you unlike other can and it will take plenty of drops again where some will fail and spill the contents on the ground with splinters of casing,particularly those plastic finished ones.

Another real bonus here its 3.0 quickcharge,if you have a device that supports it you don’t have to wait long to charge your device which is vital for most,myself included as often I put things on the long finger given I have the requirements at hand nearly all the time.

Ports and Charging.

The USB-C port has 5V / 3A input and output and works with USB- C to USB cable and USB C to USB cable. You can charge current phones like the Galaxy S8/S8P Blackberry KEYOne and Note 8 for some examples The Quick Charge 3.0 USB ports support devices with no less than 12Volts, and unsupported 5V / 2.4A equipment. The other USB port has 5 Volts – 2.4A maximum output.

The LED light on the front is a nice touch and simple this light also acts as the power on/off key too and this indicates the status of power left indicated in a circle with lit up LED lights beneath, The only drawback with this unit is its weight and charge time which is around 7/8 hours but they are small caveats to pay for really good solid piece that will take plenty of knocks and have surplus power in your backpack should you be one that travels often or attends events. Like I said I have many powerbanks at my disposal this one is now my main means of power and the old ones will be disposed of now that I sport several devices with USB – C and standard charged devices are fading away as daily drivers.

BUY HERE

Guest Review – The Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact by Liam Burke. #Sony #Xperia #XZ1Compact

At techbuzz we like to hear your thoughts on your shiny new tech and we welcome guest reviews on site and today one of our long time readers Liam Burke has sent us his thoughts on his own Sony Xperia XZ1 compact we too will be sharing our thoughts on this and the compact version in the coming weeks. Liam is also very helpful on forums too with mobile phones with tech support. We also have both devices in house to check out and you can see the unboxings below and first look..

Coming from the Xperia Z5 Compact the Xperia XZ1 Compact is a great upgrade, keeping the same size screen as the Xperia Z5 Compact but lighter. I love the form factor of the Xperia XZ1 compact, it fits perfectly in the hand it feels like a premium handset with its unibody that is made from glass fiber woven plastic, which is both strong and lightweight and its rounded edges it feels very ergonomic.

The fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone is a great feature as it is super easy to unlock the phone with the added security of using your fingerprints. Android 8.0 Oreo is running on the phone out of the box which adds improvements over Nougat, I didnt find any lag in the phone when I was using it.

It improves on all aspects from the Xperia Z5 Compact.

Even though the 2,700 mAh battery is the same capacity as the Xperia Z5 Compact, the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 optimizes the battery and I was able to get 2 days usage out of the handset. The front of the phone has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for added protection with scratch resistance as well as having stereo speakers and a led for notifications. I found the 4.6 inch 720p HD display bright and vibrant the phone does a great job of reproducing colours as its using the technology thats in Sony Bravia TVs for the image processing. Its rated IP68 water-resistant so it can withstand an immersion in fresh water (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes) so you dont need to worry about it getting wet in the rainy Irish weather.

Camera Tech

Rear Camera:

Xperia XZ1 Compact also features Sony’s latest 19 MegaPixel Motion Eye camera that has the capability to shoot super slow motion video at 960fps.

The rear of phone has a Laser to help with Autofocus and the predictive hybrid autofocus which helps you get ultra-fast focusing even in low light conditions, I found this really useful to as I was able to capture shots of people at the right time, instead of being just a second too late. Burst mode is a great feature as it shoots at 10 fps while always autofocusing on each shot, you can take pictures of someone/something in action and select the best shot. Having a dedicated camera button is a great feature for a camera phone, the camera app launches up really fast so it makes it easier to get the right shot.

Front Camera:

It has a 120 degree wide angle 8 MegaPixel camera for even better selfies, the camera has an option for group or single person selfie on the main camera screen, so you take great selfies.

The screen also flashes just before taking your selfie to brighten up low light selfies.

The high five feature is really handy so you don’t need to touch the phone screen, the camera recognizes that your doing a high five and automatically takes a selfie without you having to press the capture button.

Create 3D scans using the 3D creator tool which gives you the option to scan four modes: Head, Face, Food and Freeform Then you share these scans on Social Media, create 3D stickers or as avatars and even print them on 3D printers.

For Music.

The Xperia XZ1 Compact has Hi-Res audio support, improved Stereo speakers from the Xperia Z5 compact with 50% more sound pressure , Enhanced Bluetooth Streaming with Bluetooth 5.0.

Digital Noise Cancelling with up to 98% exterior noise reduction, I used my MDR-NC31E headphones and its great for cancelling background noise and with the Hi-Res audio the sound was excellent.

The sound during calls and playing music from the front speakers is improved over the speakers on the Xperia Z5 Compact.

Other Features:

Updated Xperia Home launcher with app shortcuts that allows you to bring a context menu of app shortcuts when you long pressing on a compatible app,

So the Google Drive app can show options for uploading, scanning or searching your files without having to go into the app.

Micro-sd support, so no need to worry about storage issues. USB Type-C with increased data speed transfer and also its reversible so no fiddling with the cable to connect it.

Another nifty feature is that you can charge other devices from the phone too.

Playstation 4 Remote Play compatible so you can connect to your PS4 in your home.

Smart Cleaner is a handy Xperia app that cleans up unused apps.

There are only a few differences between the Xperia XZ1 Compact and its bigger brother the Xperia XZ1 besides the HDR screen and higher internal battery and memory.

Review – TrackR Pixel. Find misplaced items using your smartphone.#Tech #Tracking

TrackR Pixel is a product that was developed out of a bad experience, One of the developers losing keys of a car on a beach with the tide rising to the car with the keys lost, they developed a solution to the problem the TrackR. TrackR pixel is connected via an app (TrackR) and allows an easyway to find misplaced items using your smartphone.

The TrackR Pixel is small and lightweight so it can be connected to your car keys, luggage etc This Bluetooth tracker can be used to enable a ringer and lights up so you can find even in the dark.You can also find your phone by pressing the button on TrackR pixel to make it ring loudly –even on silent. You can also use the TrackR pixelfor Family Sharing with multiple people, connected to the house keys, house phone or even the family pet.

(Use with caution as the unit is not waterproof.) If yourkey/ bag etc are lost outside of your phone Bluetooth range, then you can rely on Crowd Locate TrackR’s Crowd Locate network will automatically start looking for your item. If another TrackR user walks by your item, you’ll receive an anonymous update with your missing item’s last known location.

The TrackR doesn’t require an annual subscription which means one set up your good to go. If you one of those people that have left a phone in a taxi, lost your keys, left a bag behind in a hotel or just misplace an item now and again the TrackR Pixel may be the route to go down. If you’re thinking of a stocking filler for a friend or colleague that has a habit of leaving things behind them, this may be a perfect choice. Don’t leave it until it’s too late and the item is lost to get one.

Diameter: 26.2 mm (1.03 in.)

Thickness: 5.6 mm (0.22 in.)

Battery type: User-replaceable CR2016

Volume: 90 dB

Connectivity: BLE 4.0

Compatibility: iOS 8+, Android 4.4+

BUY HERE

Review – #Urbanista San Fransico Latte Macchiato earphones. #tech #review

Cheap and cheerful,look good and do the job for €19.99 you can’t go wrong really..

The Urbanista brand is a company naming tech after cities around the world and the tech comes in all flavours and colours which mostly move away from the typical industry standard look and especially colour,there is a wide variety and they all look nice in their own way albeit it some may look to clean but that’s how they roll and their products are good on a whole.

San Francisco Latte Machiatto

The colour is appealing to me don’t ask why it just is and they look really nice to boot they are your typical earphone with the bells an whistles you would expect to find on any really and they look well with a flat cable provided I prefer this over your typical rounded cable which tends to get knotted up easily and if you want that “tangle free” cable,here is where it’s at…

The earbuds however are what is now seen as “the norm” with that Apple look to them which many a brand have taken onboard and these types or buds are normally down on my list of choice but they fit nicely and are shaped for that ergonomic fit. They come with an inline remote which is quite handy too and this allows allows you to take calls, pause and play your tunes or skip between tracks simply and effectively.

The sound is quite good given their price point and users indoors in particular will enjoy the experience however once outdoors that experience drops somewhat as any similar earbud would but in general the sound reproduction is good and does not sound tinny as you would normally find on cheaper earphones,needless to say these would suit me indoors rather than outdoors and it’s where I will continue to use them.

Overall the presentation of the package is good,simple and the product is robust and light and the tangle free element is a bonus, For the price they command it’s a good deal compared to similar alternatives out there today and with the selection of stand out colours that they have on offer they are worth checking out if you are the average joe just wanting something to do a good job at an affordable price point.

FEATURES

Speaker size: φ14.2mm
95dB ±3dB SPL @1KHz
Impedance: 32ohms ±15% @1KHz
Frequency: 20-20.000Hz
Hands-free with microphone
Compatible with Android, iOS and Windows
Weight: 16g (without packaging)
Weight including packaging: 61g
Packaging size: 50x30x120mm

BUY HERE

Video Review – #Nokia5 Low profile wallet carbon fibre texture case. @TerrapinCases

Our NOKIA 5 has finally arrived and the first case we check out from our good friends at Terrapin Accessories is the Low Profile Leather Wallet Case with a carbon fibre finish which looks the part and will ensure your new device is fully protected from all angles. Check out the video review and images below and if there is any questions feel free to ask on any of our social chanells linked on the top right and bottom of page.

Features..

Integrated viewing stand
Card slots plus section for cash
Full screen protection
Raised edge for protection of camera lens
Ports and buttons fully accessible

Pocket friendly with integrated wallet

The cases features a super slimline design that adds minimal bulk to the phone. It fits easily in your pocket or handbag for everyday use and includes card slots so you dont need to carry a separate wallet.

Note: Cards should be inserted with the magnetic strip on the right hand side of the slots (towards the phone) as this will ensure they are protected from rare cases of demagnetization.

Custom designed to fit like a glove

This superbly crafted case is custom designed to fit the Nokia 5 perfectly. Precision cut-outs for camera and ports mean you can take photos, charge your phone and listen with headphones without removing the case. All buttons can be used with ease.

Watch films and video chat in comfort

The Nokia 5 case has an integrated multi-angle hands free viewing stand that makes it perfect for video chat and multimedia use.

Advanced phone & screen protection

This Nokia 5 case provides total protection for every aspect of your phone, including the screen. The phone is firmly secured in a form fitting inner shell to ensure theres no risk of it popping out if dropped. The leather flip cover protects the screen when closed and helps prevent breakages in the event of a fall.

BUY HERE

Review – Nokia 5 “body case” with built in kickstand from @TerrapinCases #Nokia5

Our next case up from Terrapin Accessories is the body case with a built in kickstand which offers ultimate protection and also has the built in kickstand which enables you to conusme media without the need to remove your phone from the case like some case do.This all round so far is my favourite case with rubbers corners and feet a ledge on the front which also allows you to put the device face down and the the best part is as mentioned the kickstand for hassle free media consumption,check the image gallery below and video for more and if you have any quesitons fire away.

Features

Grippy silicone exterior holding points
Hands-free kickstand
Raised lip for screen and camera lens protection
Ports and buttons fully accessible

Advanced dual layer protection

The Nokia 5 case has a unique design which incorporates a silicone front perimeter with a tough hard polycarbonate outer shell. The result is a case that provides impact protection and shock dissipation for your phone. Your screen is also protected when lying face down due to the raised lip silicone perimeter.

Custom designed to fit like a glove

Super grip holding points

With exposed silicone sections built into the exterior shell, this Nokia 5 case provides extra grip precisely where needed. It can be more securely held in the palm of the hand and helps prevents falls from slippery surfaces.

Use hands-free on any surface

The Nokia 5 case features a handy built in kick stand so you can put it down on any surface for hands free use.

BUY HERE

Review – Urbanista San Francisco Lucky Rainbow earphones. #UrbanistaLife #tech

The San Francisco earphones are earphones for everyday use. The colour stands out and certainly won’t get lost. The earpieces are designed for an ergonomic fit and does not come with a plastic fitting. (that get lost) The cable is flat cable which is a tangle-free which is a bonus when trying to unwrap the cables.

Functions:

• VOLUME Click on + or – buttons
• PLAY/STOP Click the logo button
• FORWARD Double click on the logo button
• BACK Triple click on the logo button
• ANSWER PHONE CALL Click logo button
• HANG UP Click logo button

Features:

• Speaker size: φ14.2mm
• 95dB ±3dB SPL @1KHz
• Impedance: 32ohms ±15% @1KHz
• Frequency: 20-20.000Hz
• Hands-free with microphone
• Compatible with Android, iOS and Windows
• Weight: 16g (without packaging)
• Weight including packaging: 61g
• Packaging size: 50x30x120mm

The Urbanista earphones come in a wide range of colours available. San Francisco Pink
Paradise, San Francisco Red Snapper, San Francisco Dark Clown, San Francisco Rusty Road,
San Francisco Sunset Boulevard.

The audio quality is respectable for the price range while when the volume was turned up to max, this could be heard if sitting beside the person. The remote allows you to take calls, pause and play your tunes or skip between tracks. San Francisco is compatible with Android, iOS and Windows. This worked perfectly when connected to a laptop and iPhone.

BUY HERE
https://www.urbanista.com/san-francisco-lucky-rainbow-19563.html €19.99 Free shipping

Review – Urbanista Rome Bluetooth Neckband Earphones Blue Petroleum. #UrbanistaLife

The colour on paper is possibly the last colour I would choose, but on opening the box it was different, looked good, something that could be worn with any style,stylish for a male / female.young / old,Gym or office. The Urbanista’s Rome is light and fits comfortable around your neck, a great feature is also the earbuds which fit together magnetically.

The remote on the neckband allows you to adjust the volume, pause and play your tunes or skip between tracks.The charging lead is shorter than many leads but does the job as required, (The plug is not supplied but any phone /USB charger etc will work) A great battery life of 16 hours a massive 600 hours standby time.2.5 hours to charge. The battery life is a great bonus as compared to many other units which is an abundant battery life for hectic schedules.

Functions:
Volume, Skip to next track, skip to previous track, answer calls, End call, On/ off, Activate
voice assistance(Siri)

Features:
• Bluetooth: 4.2
• Speaker size: φ14.2mm
• Sensitivity: 115dB+/-3dB
• Impedance: 32±15﹪Ω
• Frequency range: 2.4GHz-2.48GHz
• Hands-free with microphone and volume control
• Stand-by time: 600h
• Play time: 16h
• Charging: Micro USB, about 2,5h charging time
• Compatible with Android, iOS and Windows
• Weight: 23g (without packaging)
• Weight including packaging: 78g/pcs
• Package size: 200x200x85mm
• Packaging size: 100x31x121mm

Ease of use get a Big thumbs up..

Rome is compatible with Android, iOS and Windows This is connected to the phone via the norma Bluetooth with no app required to download or setup required. This Rome Earphones were setup to a Windows 10 laptop, again connected in seconds. Many other Bluetooth devices would not connect to windows having tried various driver to install in the past. The quality via Spotify was not as good on the Bluetooth via a laptop as compared to a phone, which I suspect is down to the laptop rather than the earphones. Connected to iPhone had an enjoyable audio experience.

Warranty:
The Urbanista comes with a 1-year warranty. Some web sites advise they are Water and sweat
resistant for long-lasting durability, this is not mentioned on the Manual or the official website.
Their website states, The Urbanista Warranty does not cover: Defects and damages due to dropping, mechanical damage, damp, moisture. Some of their products are Water and sweat resistant but not covered for damp and moisture! Unfortunately, the manual supplied has no mention of damp / moisture not been covered.

The unit design, has the flexibility to allow the Earphones to be folded into a jacket pocket if
required when travelling. The unit does come with a travel bag. When the earphone was tested at high volume there was minimal sound to a person beside the earphone, excellent for travelling on the Bus etc, not to disturb other passengers. The earphone fitted snugly around your neck and stayed secure all day without getting uncomfortable after hours of use. The earbuds fitted perfect for an adult without any difficulty, if using this for a child the ear bud may be too big,

The unit is easy to setup, excellent battery life allowing much-loved music played or chatting
on the phone, a front-runner choice.
https://www.urbanista.com/urbanista-rome-neckband-blue-petroleum-28420.html
€69.99 (Free shipping worldwide)

Review – Urbanista Melbourne Bluetooth Speaker – #UrbanistaLife #Tech

I have many bluetooth speakers and use them quite often be it here in-house or elsewhere and I also have an issue with people borrowing them all the time, Not an issue for me personally but based on past experiences and with this one it means they are liked.

This speaker is really class with a nice look to it and its the Urbanista Melbourne bluetooth speaker. It has all the mods required to satisfy anyones needs who requires such a speaker and its got class looking colours which steer clear from the industrial average which are now boring..

UBRANISTA PRODUCT UNBOXING

The build quality is excellent too with a soft rubber coating and steel mesh like from with their logo underneath,On the top we have our power key,plus and minus volume toggles and bluetooth pairing button, Beside this is the indicator light for connectivity status which is coloured Blue.

On the right side we have our charge and connect ports covered with a rubber flap to keep the dirt out and this seals up well to and not too easy to open at first, On the bottom we have 4 small rubber feet which will keep it stable and keep movement to a minimum with loud volumes as they tend to move around the place at high volume levels due to vibration but this was not a problem here..

Sound is loud and bass is deep,you can of course adjust these via your smartphone to your taste and standard settings for me where perfectly fine giving a nice deep base to my music and videos and plenty aloud with volume which is great considered its size. Check out the video below and let us know what you think…