Another day and a new case has arrived for our Google Pixel and there is more to come so stay tuned to the best mobile phone case coverage in Ireland in the coming days and you can also see our past reviews to date..
This case is simplistic yet effective, Soft sides and tough back which should be plenty to save your expensive Google Pixel from harm. Also included is screen protector which is a nice addition to the package.. This case isof course reinforced and as mentioned has a TPU frame making it flexible yet tough, the corners also sport a raised bevel which stops the rear of the device getting scratched on a flat surface but this will not hold out too long overall on the inner side due to being plastic and in our review unit scratch lines will happen eventually and will appear due to the colour which is transparent and over time this may get discolouration depending on usage and the person like any other case with the same build..
The case itself does not add any noticeable bulk and it should last you some months but this can vary, It is very robust at the back and you can notice its thickness being clear,Having said that you can see a good gap between the case and the all important camera and flash areas on the back of the device and keep in mind the top half of the phone is glass. This should be ample enough adding in the raised corners on each side of the case. The buttons all worked fine and have been tactile and access to all ports too and not to mention the speaker which is not obscured in any way…
Google Pixel Case Punkcase® LUCID 2.0 Black Series for Google Pixel Slim | Slick Frame Lifetime Warranty Exchange
Made with a Slim Crystal Clear Full TPU Body & Reinforced Frame
Ultimate Protection with Precision Cut Outs for Easy Access to All Ports & Jacks but Without the Bulkiness
Features a Punkcase® SHIELD Tempered Glass Screen Protector, Unattached, Virtually Indestructible
Maintains the Aesthetics of Your Phone While Keeping It Protected
Shock Absorbing Method: Upon Impact with the Frame, the Impact Resonance Travels Along the Bumper & Is Absorbed Through the TPU
We have two pairs on new headphones from the great guys over at Jabra. Myself will be reviewing the Pulse and our new blogger Brendan has shared his review on the Sports Pulse.Both packages are really well presented and look really well and we look forward to testing these out in the coming days,Stay tuned for our thoughts..
Overall these have been quite good,for me they look well a work well and coming in a superbly presented package it ads to it. If you have not noticed Jabra and complyfoam have collaborated and these buds come with both packages and we tested these out some time ago and for those who dislike buds due to them constantly falling out will complyfoam tips will soon fix that but as a whole Jabra have fixed this issue too and with the bundled wing tips you cant go wrong and over the last year I have grown to like in-ears but over ears are still my preferred choice but outdoors I use the range of Jabra that I have… See what we think of the complyfoam tips here
At first glance people thought this was in fact the Amazon echo but no its the Lava Brightsounds 2 bluetooth speaker…
I must have around 20 Bluetooth speakers reviewed now and every time they get better with new ideas,looks and features to boot. This particular model comes packed with plenty of features including a dimmable ambient LED lantern.
Bigger than the normal portable ones I have checked out this offer more to the party especially if you are a camper or someone who perhaps likes to sit in the garden in the evening or again if you are the indoor type this also provides a nice setting on your bedside locker too offering a nice light for reading without blinding everyone else in the room..
Packaging..
Presented in a box packed with info we get all the extras we should expect find with such a product, We have our instructions and the usual cables…
To start with first of all this is light and very portable given its kind of on the larger size and topped off with a nice leather strap to boot. This strap is also very secure and I would have no worries about it falling off. The top of the unit comes with simple controls so there is no confusion here and all is kept simple. There is a power key,volume toggles and the lantern switch,there is also a status LED..
The LED lantern works quite well as mentioned it can serve several purposes depending on the mood and person for me its been on my locker and the weather is too wet to test outside but having said that its waterproof (IPX4) The speaker on top has a 360 grille constructed with metal and the lamp itself is a tough plastic.
Underneath the speaker is 4 rubber corners which will keep it in place as at times depending on surface and volume these do tend to move around with vibration, this seemed to stay put at all times when testing..On the back of the speaker there is a 3.5 socket for auxially input or indead headphone if you wish to pop them in there is also a Micro USB port so you can charge your mobile phone and a standard USB port for charging. So you also get a powerbank built into the speaker which is excellent and if you want to take calls on it its also possible so its covered you in all respects..This is also covered with a rubber flap.
Soundwise its perfectly fine,not overly loud though but its loud enough being me I typically like it loud just like listening to music on my headphones but its not advisable. Sounds played well with a nice touch of bass and all volume levels seemed fine even maxed out there was no distortion on anything I fire at it..
This comes in several colours too so you have a choice the colours available are Pink,Mustard,Green,Teal and Blue. For the battery conscious there is a 36HR life stated by the manufacturer which seemed true to me and worked well over the test period..
I have been using the Google Pixel the last few days and so far its been pretty impressive although I have found the battery a bit on the weak side not seeing a full day having said that I am a power user so its not often I get a FULL days use from any phone without having to top up at some stage in the day.
With Nougat 7.1.1 out of the box it comes with some nice touches within the UI like tapping an app for instance and sub menus pop up on screen,this is akin to Apples force touch,hopefully more apps have this feature, the is also a few gesture features built in too like the fingerprint scanner acting on the double dragging down your top menu.
The two tone look on the back is actually nicer in person than seeing it in images and I like it although its a fingerprint magnet (the top piece is glass) however most people will put a case on the device so you can excuse that,We do have some case reviews on the way so stay tuned for those.
The camera set up is not bad either featuring an 8MP front facing camera and 12MP rear camera and it shoots decent snaps, USB TYPE C maybe a caveat for some which means having to change all cables at home but I am now in transition here with having 3 devices using this type but was slow off the mark and its here to stay and we may get use to it,It will be better in the long run with faster charging and data transfer..
The build quality is good its kind of a hybrid between the iPhone and a HTC with both looks and feel,Though the antenna lines take the look off it its solid and very light it must be said. We have the headphone socket present and then on the bottom we have ONE speaker, Given it loos aesthetically better with the two ports this long used technique is now becoming annoying leading some folk to believe you have dual firing speakers when you dont,the speaker itself is not as loud as other but its not bad either..The downfall on its placement is its downward firing so if in a shirt pocket or playing games you will block it..
Overall given its 5 inch display which is smaller that what I am custom too I have gotten use to it and can manage fine but will look forward to the XL later on this month. So far its been impressive apart from the battery life (2770mAh) but its super quick and smooth and if I am honest it still does not deserve the asking price, Google need to wake up here and think about what they are doing next and dont follow Apples lead with unrealistic pricing if they want to gain foothold..
BT Halo Twin The initial view of the packaging was big & heavy, the Twin handsets are larger and longer than a standard phone. The handset felt sturdy, curved with a comfortable rubber earpiece. The microphone fits snuggly around the mouth There is a metal base for charging with the answer machine built in. When the handset is removed from the base, the handset lights up making it easier to see in the dark. The number buttons have a backlight. The box comes with all the cables connections in different shapes ensuring they can’t be mixes up making the job of setting up easy. This Box came with contents and manual.
This model has the facility to Block nuisance calls. (You must have caller ID enabled) You can also opt out of marketing fixed-line (landline) calls by registering free on http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/number_type.html . Mobile customers can register their mobile by sending a text ‘TPS’, followed by their email address to the shortcode 85095. ROI Customers can have their telephone number included in the NDD Home Phone – National Directory Database (NDD), this is an opt-out register via their telephone line provider, eir, Virgin, Sky etc. These are not part on the call blocking technology but useful to be aware of. Should you use the phone, when the phone is set up initially, If the contact is not stored on the phone, trueCall asks callers to state their name and then press the hash key on their phone allowing you to know who is calling. This feature can be turned Off or On but may confuse your callers at first until their numbers are stored in the phone book,
BT Halo Twin – Pairing to smartphphone
BT Halo Twin – Pairing to smartphone This is one on my favourite features, pairing this to my smartphone with the Halo over Bluetooth, this allows all contacts on the smart phone to be copied directly to the BT Halo. This took about 3 minutes having close to 1000 contacts on my phone, I would recommend having a purge of your contacts on your smartphone first to ensure old obsolete numbers are not copied to the handset. You can register up to 2 mobile phones with 1000 names / numbers in each. This gave the choice of calling from the home phone number or my mobile each time I wanted to place a call. Answering a call on my smartphone is also possible when within Bluetooth range (Bluetooth’s range is limited to 10m) of the house phone. The call quality was far superior on the BT Halo than using the smartphone as I placed my smartphone in a good signal location and used Bluetooth around the house, previously on the stairs my smartphone would break up while there was no change in call quality using the BT Halo. The BT Halo also had a superior comfortable feel especially on long calls.
Features
A great feature on both base stations is 2 separate 1 amp USB charging sockets allowing e.g. your mobile to be charged beside the phone. This means 1 less power socket plugged in, removing unnecessary clutter. There is also a find button which would help should a handset fall behind the sofa. I have read some reviews which mentions poor call quality on the handset, this may have been an older version of the handset software or incorrect filters on the telephone. The call quality on the Handset landline and when used via the Bluetooth via my Smartphone has been of good quality. There is a backlight on the base station which if located in the bedroom is low enough not to disturb sleep. There is a large structured menu with a reset button, if case you accidentally set up any setting not required. A useful feature is the alarm clock which can be used as a standard alarm clock (this does not have the facility to automate the alarm turning off at the weekend, this is done manually). The battery life is Up to 21/ hours talk time/240 hours standby. The volume button on the side is easy to use, the answer machine buttons look stylish and easy to use as part of the base. There is the usual variety of ring tones, key pad tones and other features.
BT Halo Twin Features Register 2 mobile phones at any one time Store 1000 numbers on your Halo contact list, plus 1000 contacts from each of your synced mobile phones (register 2 mobiles at any one time) Copy telephone contacts between Halo handsets 1.8″ Vibrant Colour Screen Hands-free speakerphone on handsets Up to 60 minutes of message recording on answer machine Do not disturb mode with one touch call blocking PIN controlled outgoing call blocking so that you can block premium, mobiles or international calls. Clear Back-lit keypad Long range reception up to 300m outdoors, 50m indoors Up to 21 hours of talking and 240 hours on standby Easy access to BT calling features (3 way calling, call divert) See and hear if you have a second call waiting.
Twin set
If deciding on a product, (& money is not the key requirement) going for the Twin option, a 2 handset is highly recommended as try taking a call on a Saturday morning with the handset downstairs, placing one handset upstairs and one downstairs worked well, call quality on both was excellent. The handset which was left upstairs required no wiring just plugged into the standard mains socket.
BT Halo Twin
ROI use This phone comes with the BT Logo and a comes with a UK cable designed for the UK, In ROI you can use the standard RJ11 cable with the phone. The phone will operate similar with the only different been the answer machine and call waiting different numbers which will work. Note eir dropped their SMS service on fixed landline so this feature will not work in Ireland if with eir. Cost Is it worth it? If you receive Nuisance calls and this becomes an issue, then a product of this nature is a must. If this is for a non-techie, this phone can be used as a normal phone but expensive to be used as a basic phone.
To get the best from this phone utilising the array of menu its worthwhile. Regarding the cost, we pay 100s of Pounds / euro for the latest smart phone (albeit subsidised by the networks) which will be obsolete in about 2 years. This model, I would expect to get a least 5 years of use, without the need for an upgrade, while only comes with 1 year warranty. Most manufactures of cordless phones only provide a 1 year warranty which is a shame as many other product come with a 3-year warranty.
Note: If there is no power to phone, Electricity is gone, calls cannot be made or received, nor 999. 112 calls. Technical support If required is available via the Free BT Helpdesk on 0800 145 6789 or via the email link on the product page at www.bt.com/producthelp.
This product is available in the UK & Ireland fromCurrys , Argos and ShopBT
Recently we featured a well known product called TrackR which is a small tracking device which can be placed almost anywhere and it gives you the ability to track items via you smartphone, This time around we check out a similar product called Tile Mate.. Its made from plastic,its small and discreet and surprisingly no GPS built in,instead it uses your mobile phones geodata.
It looks simple and is simple its simple to set up and thats all you need to know, Simplicity wins for most but functionality is also important this has it all. So after you purchase the tile all you need to do is download the app on Android or iOS and set it up which take a minute or two..
It comes well presented in a nice package too if I may add, I am a stickler for presentation if you do not know by now.. Is comes in a two tone colour there is one button and some plastic to protect it, I suggest leaving it on if you can as its prone to getting marked.. You can press the button marked “Tile” to hear some sounds to ensure its alive and well.. This wakes up the tile too.
Tile works rather well. There is several reasons.. You can find things and if you lost your mobile phone you can ring it not only that its crowd-sourced too so users anywhere within a range can alert you to where your missing item last was so this is idea is quite a benefit having a network of users as additional eyes if you will.. the problem though with this is that it has no GPS tracking which will not show you a TRUE location it works via Bluetooth but you can leave the app running in the background and as mentioned you can report a lost item an other users can pick up on this once they are running the app too which you probably should and would deem your purchase void if not to be honest. Also to point out if you misplace your mobile phone you just tap the Tile icon twice then this rings your mobile phone which is neat along with this you can of course ring your things from the tile..
There is no separation alerts here which is a letdown but not a caveat. From using TrackR I was pleased to have this but then over time I was getting pointless separation alerts and eventually turned it off because it annoyed me several times a day for nothing but thats not to take away from TrackR it works dam well. Another great feature here is that the Tile itself is LOUD. You could easily hear it if something was buried under your car seat or down the back of your sofa so thats pretty neat. Tile is also waterproof. Tile also works within a 100ft range with any Bluetooth V4. Tile will last you around One Year but they do offer a replacement programme which is nice..
Overall Tile is a good piece of small tech that wont get in your way and help you out someday when you are in trouble but for the majority of the time it will sit redundant wherever you place it having said that its not a bad thing if you are not in the habit of loosing things and if you are this is something you should consider. One small thing as I said with TrackR,being a security conscious person I would not advertise it and leaving it dangling on a bag for all to see for example because would be thieves would be aware of such gadgets and just remove them. Other than that it works perfectly fine and does what it says on the tin..
This is our second outing with Groove-e this week and this time around its the Motion Sports Bluetooth Wireless Headphones (GV-BT-300) that also have a built in mic..
This is a nice little package and again like the Fusion well presented with info detailed front and back and comes in a nice box that opens out again displaying the product..Like I said before presentation is something I like to see which leaves the consumer thinking they have put an effort in…With these you also get a carrying case which is great plus the usual cable requirement and instructions.
Build quality
Light very light.. They dont look a million dollars but they do a good job. Constructed well these would take a few knocks should the happen to fall off or if you drop them. They fit nice and snug around the ears and you will forget they are there in no time. Padding on the cups is quite minimal though with a thin layer between. You can remove this and all the glory is revealed which reminds me of yesteryear for some reason. See image below… Though in fairness overall they are lightweight and comfy..
Functions
They do just what you want them too. They have a volume toggle,mic, and micro USB charging port. Everything is placed on one side too which is great and to turn them on/off and pair you tap the outer silver disc which changes colour when paired,switched on and off. They is again no audible notification here but short beeps to distinguish the status. Overall like the fusion they are simple to use with all functions kept to one side which is good.
Sound Quality
Honestly they are just OK. They are not loud.. Having said that like the fusion they offer a good sound all round with no distortion on max volumes they again have no real deep bass but sound in general for highs,mids and lows was accurate and crisp so I can complain though as those know me for my love of loud cans and so on for the average user they should fit the bill… Calls where fine too and they where crisp and clear I must note even though I just tried with around 4/5 calls when testing,
Overall thoughts
They do the job and not expensive so for those who are just starting a fitness craze or if you do not want to go head first with and expensive pair to try out first these would fit the bill. They are actually discreet looking to and as I said after a few minutes you will forget they are there, They also stay put and didnt fall off this is down to the simple design and they nestle comfortably on the ears and when not in use fold back up into a neat package you can put in its carry case and again not bulky and small and can fit in any pocket..
Specifications: Bluetooth Version 4.1
Bluetooth Profile A2DP 1.2 / AVRCP 1.4 / HSP 1.2 / HFP 1.6
Receiving Distance 10M (open area)
Loudspeaker Output 15mW
Driver Unit 30mm
Impedance 16ohms
Frequency Response 110Hz – 20Kh
See http://www.groov-e.co.uk/ for more products,there is lots to see…
Another week and another pair of headphones drop in to techbuzz headquarters. This time around we have a set of cans called the Groov-e fusion wired or wireless headphones. Packed with all the features you will need for someone on the go these have what you will need, 10 hrs playback, 40 MM drivers Soft pads and folding design just to start with..
Front
Open
Rear
Build quality
They do look a tad cheap if im honest but perhaps this is just the colour and Gold it is in this case. But having said that they perform well all around so we can forgive that Gold look. The headband is comfortable with leather and padding on the band which is great and one thing that did concern me where the joints are but they seem sturdy enough as you will see in the video. They do have adjustments each side to suit your needs and the cups swivel which again is a good point though this is common today but some still leave this little option out, Again the swivel do act as a function to store them in a neater fashion. The cups themselves have a really soft leather housing and a nice soft padding underneath with complements the leather well,they are comfortable and do not clamp onto your head.
Functions
We have just what we need.. We have all the physical buttons on one side whilst the other remains naked and boring. You can forgive this though because all functions are on one cup which is probably the best. We have one key to power on and off and to answer,end and we can also reject calls or pick the last dialled number so if you have a regular number on tap this is great. The keys are easy to navigate blindly and find. We also have an LED indicator for Bluetooth pairing and power status so this is handy to have,There is no audio notifications but just beeps which is fine your phone or tablet will tell you when the headphones are connected. Also on the same side we have a mic, calls here are OK too and where clear enough. Also there is the charge port. We dont need to elaborate on that its simple, Just plug and charge, Last but not least is the 3.5mm cable which you will connect to your chosen device this acts as a back up should you run dry on the headphones themselves quality here was fine and inline with a wireless connection.
Sound Quality
Surprisingly good considered the price, They are not going to WOW you by any-means or have a super bass too them but overall they sounded quite well as a whole and better than I thought, They are loud enough but those who know me with my cans I like really loud these do not hit that sweet spot for me but they are up there, Given having headphones to loud is not a good thing but for the average person you will be fine, the quality throughout was good with highs,mid and lows well balanced and not really any distortion when maxed out..
Overall conclusion
Good for the price I must admit given the cheap look, Good build quality,comfortable all the features the average person will need with decent sound all round. Any questions hit me up on social or comment below. Thanks and stay tuned for the next review coming soon of the Groov-e Motion..
These can be purchased in Tesco and on Amazon. Prices subject to change now circa £20 – €28
Over the last year the VR – Virtual Reality game has exploded and will probably continue to do so in the coming year, However another thing to watch out for is Augmented Reality. For now we shall stick to VR. We have tried and tested some 20 headsets to date or HMDs (Head Mounted Displays). We can of course opt for the cheap Google Cardboard or similar which we have covered quite a few off too if you dont want to go all out on the expense just yet but most people by now would have had some contact with either. The VR BOX is a common offering today and we see quite alot of them in retail but perhaps re-branded but thats no issue here unless we see some outlandish prices which we have done..
The VR BOX is a simple cheap effective way to begin the VR journey if you will after those flimsy cardboard units we see,saying flimsy does not mean they are weak by any means,most of what we have tried have been solid and last but only for so long they just look flimsy..
Packaging
Front view
Close up
The benefit of HMDs is you are hands free not having to hold the unit to your face because for long usage your arms get tired so with this type you have a nice headband to take the weight away and sit back and enjoy the experience. The VR BOX is basic though yet offers what you need to start off. Its got great padding and good head support too with adjustable elasticated bands so there is no issue here when it comes to comfort or adjusting to suit your needs or perhaps anyone else in your group when sharing the experience.
Strapping
Multifunctional controls
Adjusting focus is another are here where its kept simple but moving the multipurpose toggles placed atop of the headset it takes seconds to adjust and its a simple process,unlike real cardboard units where you have no focal adjustment at all this is where a headset like this will benefit you more..
There is also quite a bit of breathing space for the phone itself too from the sides that also act as port inputs should you need to charge the phone or if you are using wired headphones for example, This is good because at time you can get carried away then you hear that dreaded “Low Battery Warning” they have this covered on the VR BOX. I like that most though for the best experience i normally go wireless all round but again not everyone has wireless buds or cans then again they can suffer low battery warning too.. You get the idea.
Left
Right
The headset is a tad on the bulky side but we have to start somewhere however its not heavy which is good, I have tried some that have been heavy and with long periods of usage can become annoying but thankfully this is not the case here its very light….
Retainer
Retainer in full
Slides in and out
AR or camera viewer
Simplicity is key here and this headset offers that with nice straps and cushioning and all the other options I have mentioned but check out the video below for a review. This kind of headset is a good way to begin the VR experience before you try the really immersive stuff on more expensive offerings like gear VR which though is the best priced option available offering real immersion and after that you may fork out hundreds for the PSVR if you happen to own a PS4. Beyond that its supercomputers and expensive hardware. The choice is yours.
Cushioning
View with AR/Camera viewer
Cushioning
Head over to HERE and check them out there and see what else thy have to offer in the meantime.. Any questions fire away below or get me on social.. Thanks for reading… And thanks again to Mobile For sending this over to check out, just search VR in our search bar for the countless reviews to date on other options available.
