Category: #Reviews

Tech Review – Skullcandy X Burton Mod True Wireless Earbuds

The Skullcandy mod are an affordable pair of earbuds with style and good sound packed in and this time around they have a new coat so to speak with a new collaboration with Burton which brings a more stansoutish look and garner attention like their other models available which I like, I am fed up with the boring same coloured earbuds and headphones and these are fine by me even though they are most suited to the ladies.

We have again a simple earbuds that sits well in the ear and block out most of the outside world once the right tips are fitted which something everyone should do with new earbuds., The controls work really well on these as before and I like them as they have a button underneath the Skullcandy logo, the commands are on point and you can see more in the video review below and what the app entails which enhances the user experience which is most welcome at this price point too.

The earbuds hold up to 7 hours of play time, and the case fully charges the buds more than 3 times between plug-ins. Plus, with Rapid Charge, just 10 minutes of charging will give you 2 hours of play time though this will vary on volume and EQ settings but from my testing they are not far off the claims here perhaps 30 mins or so with max volume on and high bass which is better this time around than the Push Active.

Overall the audio experience is good here despite no ANC but you have access to the app as seen below and more features than usual at this price including tile etc. Calls are fine here too and not forgetting multipoint connections either which is useful for many people these days carrying more than one device.

The App

Jake Burton Carpenter spent more than four decades advancing snowboard design and fighting for lift access for snowboarders at resorts around the world. Skullcandy was born on one of those chairlifts with a snowboard (probably a Burton) strapped to our founder’s feet. Without Burton, snowboarding would not be what it is today. In a way, Skullcandy might not be either.

 

Skullcandy x Burton Mod True Wireless Earbuds – £54.99 RRP

  • Multipoint Pairing

  • Clear Voice Smart Mic

  • Adjustable Stay-Aware Mode

  • Customization via Skullcandy App

  • Up to 34 Hours of Battery Life + USB-C Rapid Charging Case

  • True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2

  • Auto On/Connect

  • IP55 Sweat and Water Resistance

  • Built-in Tile® finding technology

BUY

Video Review

Tech Review – Skullcandy X Burton Push Active True Wireless Earbuds

In the latest collaboration with Skullcandy we have the Burton Mod True wireless which comes in a fancy looking case as was before and slightly larger than others only this time this one looks better and stands out which looks cool. It has a nice finish and feel to the case and non slippy which is helpful due to its size but still this case gives you up to 34 hours of battery life and you have got rapid charge built in via USB – C

Now we have reviewed these before in their first iteration and nothing much has changed to be frank and honest about it and they still stand up to their merits back then as they do now. One thing that I loved most about these is the voice control options which you still today do not see.

These also fit really well too and have over ear hooks that goes around the ear and will not fall out of your ears,even for the most active folk and can be worn jogging or in the gym, there is one button on each side for controls but they have a new trick up their sleeve and buttons do not have to be used at all and you can just say “Hey Skullcandy” to do what you need them to do, more on this in the video below you need to see this in action.

At the price you pay here you get great sound however no ANC but this is fine with the really secure fit you will not hear much going on outside anyway unless outdoors in a noisy environment, with my ususal test loop they performed really well, highs lows and mids are fine and a good balance overall and then you have the app to play around with too with the EQ settings and also edit the button controls too which is excellent.

Check the video review below for a more in depth look.

The App

Skullcandy x Burton Push Active True Wireless Earbuds – £79.99

  • Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology

  • Hands-free voice control

  • Up to 44 hours total battery + rapid charge

  • IP55 sweat and water resistant

  • Flexible, over-ear hooks for a secure, exercise-focused fit

  • Update features with the Skullcandy App

  • Built-in Tile® finding technology

BUY

Video Review

Tech Review – Soundpeats RunFree Lite Open Ear Headphones

The Soundpeats RunFree Lite are akin to the many bone conduction headsets we have seen a rise of over the last year or so and now getting popular. These are more aimed at the fitness folk but can be used by anyone being honest and I am now starting to grow on these, I remember years back I was anti in ear earbuds without the stems and now love them but it is simply a new take or tech cycle on the latest ideas which is good.

When it comes to looks and style it is a familiar pattern here as is with all these types of headphones it is kept simple and rests on your neck and is comfortable there is no tips or in ear buds to contend with as they rest on your outer ear so it makes them easy to use straight out of the box and get going, you will need to update the app on using the first time like with many earbud or headphone manufacturers today. You will need to do a test and you should do it to get the best performance it only takes a few mins to complete.

The App itself as seen below had a familiar UI as there is some differences between their products but the Soundpeats app overall is fantastic and one of the best ones out there today, see the screenshots below and the full video review of what can be done in the app it is simple to use and has a superb EQ and works really well on these headphones considering they are not in ears and done a better job than I had anticipated.

So the sound then.. It is a thing with these and how it does sound to the user, there is some noise leakage as expected being what these are but nothing on the same level earbuds and headphones can be again which is surprising. You will never get the same level of sound as you would from traditional earbuds or headphones but these do a damn good job of getting close to it and calls are great too, not only that there is a gaming mode and this also works well. You also have your awareness about you which is important if out jogging in the dark or cycling and so on which many folk do these days which is rather silly however you need your tunes but you need your awareness more and these give you both.

The controls here are all on one side which again makes them simple to use and all the functions are there you would expect and you can see how all that works in the video below and how simple and effective this headset is from Soundpeats and their latest entry into their portfolio of value for money products.

The App

Features:
1. Air Conduction Tech
2. Open-Ear Secure& 0.99oz Lightweight
3. 16.2mm Large Driver& Bass Enhancement Tech
4. BT5.3 Stable Multipoint Connection
5. 17 Hours of Music & Talk
Buy at the links below:
UK Amazon: £26 ( 5% off Code: TECHBUZZ )
US Amazon: $22 （10% off Code: RFLFORPR）

Tech Review – Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro

Next in from Soundpeats is the Capsule3 Pro and with some beefed up specs from recent models I have reviewed I was looking forward to checking out what there had to offer and when it comes to additional specs they have certainly beefed things up and they look cool and come in a cool charging case too offering up to 52 hours playtime which is not seen all that often in earbuds yet alone headphones however as you guess the cranked up ANC still takes a hit on that however nothing to sniff either. The ANC is top notch here citing up the 43db which again is a nice number..

These fit nicely in the ears and will not fall out and look great with the colour accent which matches the case they do not have a huge stem and rather subtle and stand out as a few people have asked me what earbuds am I using this time and complemented on the looks.

When it comes to calls they are also great and this was both ends on my testing and when it comes to the most important part is how do these sound in all situations, first there is no lag latency and for the gamers especially this is welcome, when it comes to movies and music and my usual test loop they pass with flying colours with nice volume levels no issue with highs lows and mids but this can change on the source of your music and EQ settings of course and overall a really excellent pair of earbuds for any one who want more than decent audio at their price point and shows up even more expensive earbuds

 

With LDAC™ High-resolution Codec Tech, SOUNDPEATS Capsule3 Pro is certified by Hi-Res Audio Wireless, supporting transmission of up to 990 kbps, transmitting pure high-fidelity sound, and bringing out every last detail. The custom-made 12mm biodynamic divers and Bluetooth5.3 of Capsule3 Pro let you get lost in the seamlessly tuning audio, from 20 Hz to 40 kHz, from luscious treble to boundless bass!

 

 

The App

As seen above we have the app which is familiar and simple to use with a nice UI and comes with plenty of sound adjustments so you can be in control you also can control the ANC, Game mode and more and this can also be done from the earbuds themselves, 3 taps on the right for voice assistant 3 taps on the left to toggle game mode, tap and hold for 1.5 seconds to skip tracks there is oddly enough no reverse track here and to higher and lower the volume it is tap once, you can also control the calls on the earbuds.

Overall these are one of the best pair of earbuds this year for the money with the features on board and the ANC quality there is no wireless charging on the case which might be a caveat for some but for me these are an easy recommendation and will not only suit those who want to listen to music or movies they are for the gamers too.

Capsule3 Pro  Ultra Long Lasting Hybrid ANC Earbuds
Features:
Hi-Res Audio & LDAC Codec Tech
12mm Driver（Frequency Response: 20Hz~40kHz）
8 Hrs Single Playtime & 52 Hrs Full Playtime
Hybrid ANC Tech (as Deep as 43dB)
Clear Call with 6 mics  (FF+FB+CALL Mic)

Game Mode & Standardized Touch Control

 

Buy at the link below:
UK Amazon:  https://bit.ly/Capsule3Pro-UK  £44.09   ( 25% off coupon +5% off code:   BRAYUOC2 )
US Amazon:  https://bit.ly/Capsule3ProUS   $49.27   （20% off coupon +  12% off Code: INWYBJXK）

Tech Review – Urbanista Atlanta earbuds

The Urbanista brand has the names on their earphones as the names of cities. The Urbanista Atlanta has the basics done very well in packed with great features and charging options. The case for the earphones is solid (Slightly larger than some cases used in the past) The brand on the case and earphones are visible with an easy-to-fit into the case without the chance of falling out. The buttons are not visible in terms of no protruding buttons with a visible LED on the case for charging either via USB C cable or wireless changing.  The logo is pronounced while out of site when placed on a table for storage,

Contents:

  • USB Type-C charging cable
  • Quick start guide
  • Silicone tips (small, medium & large)

 Available in: Steel Blue, Vibrant Red, Pure White, Midnight Black 

Key features

  • Playtime 8 hours
  • 34 hours of total playtime
  • Hybrid active noise cancelling
  • Transparency mode
  • Microphone noise reduction
  • Automatic play/pause
  • Multipoint connection
  • Touch controls
  • Voice assistant support
  • Wireless charging
  • IPX4 water resistant (earphones)
  • USB Type-C charging
  • App support

 

Specifications :

  • Drivers type: 10mm dynamic, moving coil
  • Sensitivity: 107 ±3 dB SPL/mW @ 1kHz
  • Driver Impedance: 16 Ohm ±15%
  • Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kH
  • Microphone type: MEMS
  • Bluetooth® version: 5.2
  •     Bluetooth® profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP • Audio codecs: SBC and AAC

Setup:

The QuickStart guide is clear in terms of clarification on the flashing lights and touch controls but does not contain a handy  QR code but does give a website setup link, A TechBuzz uses a modern dual sim phone, this had issues connecting to the App  – Urbanista Audio app.  When connected to an iPhone connection to the app was instantaneous. Once connected the multipoint option works efficiently allowing connection to a phone/laptop.

Touch controls

The Urbanista Atlanta buttons are multi-purpose allowing for double- and triple-tap commands to control music and calls. This has options via the  Left and right side long-press can be customized through the Urbanista Audio app or  Play/Pause: Double-tap left or right side.

Other taps  include

  • Previous song: Triple-tap left side.
  • Next song: Triple-tap right side.
  • Answer/Hang-up: Double-tap left or right side.
  • Reject a call: Long-press left or right side.
  • Activate voice assistant: Long-press left side.
  • Toggle between ANC and Transparency: Long-press right side

Warranty: One-year warranty

Charging:

The Urbanista Atlanta has done the basics superbly in terms of abundant power options. This came with a universal USB C cable charging allowing the option to swap cables between most newer android phones,  The option to use a wireless charger again is another bonus. The supplied charging case will automatically start charging the earphones when placed in the case. In the event of a low battery, a voice prompt is given to advise of 30 minutes of playtime remaining. The earbud’s power is visible on the app and gives 8 hours of playtime, or when plugged in the charging case a prodigious 34 hours of playtime.  The “Battery Status Indicator” (1) will pulse during charging and continuously lit when the case is fully charged. • 0-30 % – LED pulses amber • 30-100 % – LED pulses white • 100 % – LED turns solid white.

Conclusion:

The Urbanista Atlanta has numerous positives in terms of features multimode, excellent charging options and battery life, The great features are let down by a measly 1-year warranty from a known brand which should have shown conviction in the quality of their products to give a dazzling warranty.  The charging case while bigger than many used before does the job as necessary.  The setup to an iPhone or used with a windows laptop worked as expected but had issues and had to reset the earphones to get working on an android dual sim phone. The app had additional features allowing the customised approach of the earphones which was logical & easy to use.  The audio Sensitivity and Frequency response is standardised in terms of industry-standard given good quality audio while the microphone for calls did not filter out external sounds as seen on more specialised earphones.  Overall this is a set of earphones with a wealth of features and benefits for customised use with a good quality audio experience.

BUY 

Video Review

Tech Review – ACEFAST Crystal 2 T8 earbuds

Earbuds come in all shapes and sizes and we have seen them all covering the biggest range in Ireland. We thought we had seen them all until now.. These are quite different in all aspects including the case and bring a decent presentation too which for me at first gives a great impression.

When we first opened these the case itself was what grabbed my attention and it will grab yours too. But back to the presentation, it is excellent with a nice cover display with plenty of detail and then you remove that to get another presentation inside showing the contents through a plastic cover. Inside then you get the booklets and so on your USB-C cable the tips are in a clear case and then you get a case holder and lanyard strap which overall is a nice decent package as a whole which is great..

But it is the earbuds and case where it is at on an aesthetic look, you have a (3D embossed display) charge reading with numbers and lines and the case lights up and breathes when charging and it just looks cool it is a pity it did not change colours to suit the range of colour options they have which could be implemented with an App which I am sad to report there is not but this is fine they still look super cool in the case and watching them charge up and see the insides which would be for the real techies out there.

The case itself is also different as it does not slide or flip open, the earbuds are housed in the side of the case and drop out which is new and cool and they are solid in there so do not worry about them falling out either.. But in other news this case is one of the best I have seen and how it implements technology with the breathing light and more which you will see in the video review below, I want to see more of this.

The earbuds themselves are also shaped different with a curve on the stem and fit really well in the ears and there is a touch area on each earbud to change things around, there is some features missing here but they have the basics and next thing is you will want to know is how they sound right?

Ok so they have no app to start with and this could have changed things up a gear however it is fine if you just want a pair of earbuds that sound good and just work which is what they do. I am always one to complain about the lack of an app but sometimes this is not required and this is one of those times due to how they sound out of the box.

We have our controls nicely placed on these it must be said with the contour shape of them they are in a spot where your finger will naturally tap so no missing commands when you tap.  You can skip and reverse tracks lower and higher the volume play and pause and manage calls also included is game mode and you have a voice assistant. Calls are pretty decent too with a dual mic and ENC and were fine on my testing.

Overall these are super cool looking earbuds and one thing people ask when you see all new shiny lights and stuff like that is there a compromise well in this case here not really to be fair they sound great decent volume nice bass no tinny sounds or distortion on max volume and in general just good for an out of the box experience.

BUY

Video Review

Review – Homedics hydrafacial cleansing tool

A little something different today and not only for the ladies but the guys too who are into a beauty regime. Being honest personally myself gone beyond the age of caring about such but with products out there that can enhance your looks and simple to use I was asked to check this little gizmo out and come up with my thoughts, in fact I have other more lady focussed products here which we will get to and share my thoughts as best I can and my daughter has volunteered to help me out but with this product at least it is something I can use and it is so simple and gave me something to digest in a world of looking the best you can although I have said all my life you do not need to impress anyone but be yourself and if they do not like it well tough shit and move along.

OK so we are in a society today where male grooming is a thing and is a big thing even down to guys getting their eyebrows done and there is nothing wrong with paying attention to to yourself but this seems to be amongst the older teens and upward again which is fine by me and each to their own there is nothing wrong with taking care of your appearance, we have done several videos or reviews on dental stuff but more companies now are getting in touch asking to do other products and mostly ladies products until now I had no volunteers and camera shy family members but now they have changed their mind however and those with teens know how they are today and my daughter who has been in several reviews in the past has now said she will volunteer and my partner.

So what we have here is a simple tool to keep your face clean and it has strong suction power and we all tried it out here at home, as mention the other products are more female focussed but this is something anyone can use and I will say it is effective and works given my uggh nods head to one side awkward look at first as it is not my scene but after using it and the rest of the family my mind has changed and we all came to the same conclusion and that is it is a simple effective product that works.

It comes in two parts and has two chambers in the tank which makes way for a good cleaning system and no dirt gets back onto your own mush it has a simple one button operation and just works really well on testing here and overall it does a good job and does in fact give results and easy to use so what more do you want to have a clean fresh looking face.

Female testing
Male testing

Features

Ionised Hydrogen Water Cleanses and hydrates your skin for a refreshed, revived complexion

Vacuum Technology Draws out blackheads and impurities from beneath the skin’s surface

Dual Tank Ensures the built-in irrigation system works seamlessly

Multiple Attachments Provide a customised cleanse for all areas of your face

Ergonomic Design Allows you to take control of your hydradermabrasion experience with ease

BUY

 

 

 

Tech Review – Instax Mini 12 instant camera

I am a huge fan of Instax cameras and some might see it as a niche thing which is fine and due to how powerful our smartphones are today the sales of cameras have dropped over the years but there is still a market out there for all things camera and including retro cameras like Instax from FUJIFILM.

OK OK I say it every time an Instax camera comes in for a review “do you remember when we used to take photos with disposable cameras and so on or even your DSLRs etc and go get them sent off and you could not wait to get the envelope stuff with photos back?” Well do you? Have you changed or picked up a camera from Instax and actually tried to bring back how things used to be like all the retro tech we now are seeing more of?

The latest offering from the company the Mini 12 instant camera is not what I expected at first glance when it comes to the tech side of things using their app and probably because they launched a new app called the Instax Up app the same day which we will review another day but unlike previous cameras this does not require an app to use it to edit photos etc it is just a simple point and shoot camera, with the Instax app you can scan INSTAX prints and store them digitally in one place, Organize photos by category/list views for easy locating, Easily share stored photos and collections via social media or text, Import photos from other INSTAX apps (INSTAX mini LINK, INSTAX Link WIDE etc.) into the INSTAX Up. There is no app for this camera however we are testing today which I thought initially there was and this might make the case for making things easier if you look at it another way.

On testing this camera I found it is ideal for the selfie fan which myself is not someone who posts the likes on a daily basis and it does well mostly so on outdoors and takes decent images as you will see in the video review below, it is on the bulky side however these cameras always have been and certainly will be a talking point when you take it out to get some photos you can hold in your hand.

Specs

Viewfinder
  • Real image finder, 0.37x, with target spot
  • Parallax correction function for close-up mode
Lens
  • 2 components, 2 elements
  • Focal length – f = 60 mm, 1:12.7
  • Shooting range – 0.3 m and beyond (use close-up mode for 0.3 m to 0.5 m)
Exposure
  • Programmed electronic shutter – 1/2 to 1/250 sec. Slow synchro for low light.
  • Sensitivity – Lv 5.0 to 14.5 (ISO 800)
  • Exposure control – Automatic
Flash
  • Constant firing flash (automatic light adjustment), recycle time: 7 seconds or less (when using new batteries)
  • Effective flash range: 0.3 to 2.2 m
Film
  • Film – Fujifilm Instant Colour Film “instax mini” (separately available)
  • Film Size – 86mm x 54mm Picture Size 62mm x 46mm
  • Film Developing Time – Approximately 90 seconds (Varies depending on the ambient temperature)
    Battery Specs
    • Two AA-size alkaline batteries (LR6), capacity: approx. 10 instax mini film packs of 10 exposures each

BUY

Video Review

Tech Review – Benks Infinity Basic Tablet Stand for iPads and more.

Many of us have more than one device to play with or work on be it at home or in the office but having that second device like a tablet or phone is sat beside you on the table which can get in the way but what if there was a premium product that solved that and kept it out of the way but in a position to use it and the product looks good on your desk? Well here is the answer right here from Benks who have some really nice innovative products and we have test some of these before which you will get a glimpse of in this video or by searching Benks on site.

Boasting a solid aluminum construction and designed to be easily portable, Benks Infinity Basic Pad Stand is the perfect accessory to transform your Pad into an efficient workstation. This foldable stand will keep your Pad secure, offering compatibility with all Pads.

As the company states the solid build of the product alone and design gives this a leap over your typical plastic made offerings on the market and this can not only hold your tablet you can use a phone a phone or tablet if it is small for example or your iPad if you have one which I do not personally own at the minute but that might change yet.

This can swivel from the base and again something you do not see too often and is more a fixed option you tend to find in stores etc and this can also be folded away which means portability again unlike others which are again a fixed alternative and makes it ideal to fit in your travel bag or bring it to your office or even have on your bedside locker giving you easy access to whatever device you may use and for me I could also put my chromebook on it and it remains super stable and another way it can be used and nicely raised and easy to access and use as normal if working on two laptops at a time which can be the case.

Top top it off it allows heat dissipation on the back unlike other stands which would be a solid piece so what is there not to like about this? Check out the video below for more.

Ideally this is for someone who wants to have clean desk who uses more than one device and have them at hand to do other things on another device such as social media emails and more and do it in style.

BUY

Video Review