Tag: #review

Tech Review – ZAGG Pro keyboard 15

Keyboards are a vital accessory for content creators journalists and more and especially those in office environments and ZAGG have announced a slew of new keyboards recently for you to check out and they are very robust and simple to use, keyboard type though is subjective to each user though as you have travel and tactility to think about, for me I typically use square keys and I use chromebooks most of the time and again keys are square and near flat on my laptops.

I have not used a standalone keyboard in years however I am changing my set-up at home to a monitor and this keyboard will fit right in after using it for a few weeks and have come to like it, This even works on a mobile phone which is great and has multipoint connection so you can use up to three devices at once which suits me perfectly right now, On one test I used my Galaxy Z flip5 and two chromebooks so moving between either is simple with the three standout blue keys up top of the keyboard, there is also and extra numeric keypad on the right which is something I have not used in years and last used on an old dell laptop which is handy for some people.

A few keys have a backlight for ease of use and the keys are perfectly sized although it did take me some time to get use to the travel and tactility but you can adjust fairly fast however I have big fingers and typing is always an issue when speed typing but that is just me but there is others out there like me.

One thing I have noticed is less fatigue on the fingers and hand after using this for some time which is valuable for someone like me who is constantly on my laptop writing tech reviews,even if not on the laptop I can use my phone which sometimes I do to get the ball moving on some things which have some urgency so if in a hotel room or travelling this keyboard works much better than the tiny keys on my phone and being a Flip phone this pair well with it.

Like I said a keyboard is subjective and or me this is the first one I have used in years and it is perfect for my needs,looks good and is robust with a super batter life and comes with wireless charging and you should check it out, check the video below for more.

 

ZAGG Pro Keyboard 15 makes typing easier with less fatigue – techbuzzireland

 

Features

·       Qi-Compatible Wireless Charging – Charge the ZAGG Pro Keyboards on a Qi-compatible wireless charging pad to ensure uninterrupted typing when you need it most. Qi charging eliminates the risk of a dead battery and keeps your workspace tidy and free from unnecessary cables. Users can also charge with the included Type-C cable. 

·       Pair with up to Three Devices – You can pair the ZAGG Pro Keyboards with up to three devices to seamlessly toggle between a phone, tablet, or computer from one keyboard. 

·       Long-lasting Battery – The keyboards have a Li-polymer battery that allows for three months of use before it needs recharging.

The ZAGG Pro Keyboard 17 (€89.99/£79.99/$89.99), Pro Keyboard 15 (€79.99/£74.99/$79.99), Pro Keyboard 12 (€69.99/£64.99/$69.99), ZAGG Connect Keyboard 12C (€59.99/£54.99/$59.99), and ZAGG Connect Keyboard 12L (€69.99/£64.99/$69.99) are now available on ZAGG.com and at ZAGG franchise locations nationwide. Each keyboard includes a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.  

Video Review

Tech Review – Meross Smart Door and Window Sensor Kit MS200H

Home security is something we all need to attend to and important for all the obvious reasons and something we should stay on top of and re-evaluate every now and then, with me that is nothing to remind myself of due to what we do hear but we should also check up on current tech we have in our homes and ensure all is fine, why I say that is I know several people who can cameras sensors or doorbells etc and stopped using them because the battery died.

The lazy effect has come into play here and it is too much effort for some just to even do this simple task that will someday come back to bite them even after I recommend these people to buy some type of security product for their property. Here for me though it is no issue as we review stuff all the time and I always keep in check if all is ok or I get messages to tell me something ain’t right which is mostly re-charging devices.

There is so many products out there now for your home and many affordable so there is no excuse and with the Summer almost over now is the time to take a second look at what you have, theft is on the rise again and mostly happens when you are not in or during the night so folk you need to buckle up and get it sorted.

This gadget from Meross is a simple one simple to set up and just leave it there and do its job and maybe after a year then you may need to check the battery if that is not too hard to do.

In the box you get a hub and two smaller pieces to attach to a window a door a garage door even, the list goes on this can also be used in the home for other scenarios like a press or a locker or even a pets cage and it is cheap as chips. You can also see what else the company has on their website here.

 

The App

Overall this is a simple security product anyone can install at home in under 5 minutes and leaves you with peace of mind that your good/property will be safe and lets you know when there is something not right, check the video review below for more.

Features

  • Works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and is compatible with SmartThings.
  • Voice Access: Know the status of the device via HomePod / Siri.
  • Alert: Your Meross app or Apple Home app will receive an alert instantly when the alert condition is detected.
  • Low Power Consumption: Up to 18 months lifespan with the built-in battery.
  • Automation: Set triggers to control other Meross devices in the Meross app.
  • Control Up to 16 Devices: One hub can control 16 Meross devices (sensors, detectors, thermostat valves) simultaneously.

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Video Review

Tech Review – Otterbox Defender XT case for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Recently we checked out the Thin Flex case for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 which is fine however this case from Otterbox the Defender XT is the better of the two and will cost you a hefty 60 euros if that is a price you are prepared to pay then go for it in short.

The case offers better grip than the Thin Flex case with covered ports grips on the sides and is notably better in the hand when it comes to grip, it also works with wireless charging which is great and offers more protection on the front outer display, there is not much of a lip on the device when opened out on the open screen so you would want to be a bit careful if you leave phone open face down but everywhere else is protected very well overall and for me is the better of their two cases on offer right now, stay tuned for more case coming up shortly and check out the video review below

 

 

  • Rugged hinge articulates smoothly with the phone to guard vulnerable area and provides a finger grip space when open
  • Port covers block dust and dirt from ports
  • Grippy edges deliver a confident handhold to avoid drops
  • DROP+ | 4X as many drops as military standard (MIL-STD-810G 516.6)
  • Lanyard attachment built into case
  • Compatible with wireless charging and PowerShare
  • Made with more than 50% recycled material
  • Hinge provides a grip space when fully open
  • Hassle-free customer experience

Video Review 

Tech Review – Samsung Galaxy A04s on Tesco Mobile

The Samsung Galaxy A04s is an affordable device from Samsung on the Tesco Mobile network and comes in at a really tasty price especially if you are a clubcard holder at 99 euro, normally 179 euro on prepay pricing at the time this review goes out so prices are subject to change.

The device is again similar to other Samsung phones on the Samsung portfolio and has thin bezels on the sides and top and a small chin on the bottom finished with a glossy finish all round and I suggest you get a case for it to keep it safe from getting smashed if you drop it, this can happen to anyone and I always advise getting a case no matter the cost of the phone.

It has a good sized screen for media consumption and does a decent job here with bright enough panels inside being a PLS LCD 90Hz refresh rate with up to 400 nits and a 6.5 inch screen.

Onto the camera next which most people are obsessed with these days and there and we have a 5mp front facing camera and three rear cameras which are 50mp f1.8 camera 2mp macro and 2mp depth cameras. But how these translate into real world images and videos can be seen below with the video and image taken with the device itself so you be the judge but from where I stand using high end phones most of the time they are not bad at all. You are maxed out at 1080X30fps and have 10X zoom as with images and like most phones bar the higher end S23 ultras for example all apart after 4X and this happens with many phones.

The device is powered by a 5000mAh battery which for me is great and will last a day easily and me being a power user so for the average joe you should get two days use no problem here. Inside the phone is ran by an Octa Core 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 processors. Not bad but sluggish on some instances in my testing but again this depends on the apps you use.

When it comes to multitasking it worked fine for the most part but sometimes opening apps was a pain and there was some lag between swapping apps on multitasking but this is to be expected at this price no matter the device with similar inerts running it and again depending on your apps of choice, for general use such as social media emails browsing and so on for the most it will be fine and run nicely, my personal workload uses power consuming apps which will obviously slow things down more for me.

Overall for me this is an ideal second phone as I am more inclined to use higher end phones so for going out or going to a festival etc it is ideal and not an expensive loss should you loose it or it gets damaged, it can lack speed sometimes even opening some app and the camera is decent enough which for some is important.

Using the Tesco Mobile network is fine I have multiple sim cards here as I test the networks, over the last few weeks I have been using competing mvnos once of which has gone horrifically slow especially on data which is An Post so I will be moving over to tesco mobile now as it had no issues when testing. Check out their billpay plans here and prepay here and check out the device itself in the video below with image and video samples, So for the parents that are looking for a cheap phone that will do for the younger teens out the this might be the right phone. You can get it here.

Video and image samples and walkthrough

Tech Review – EDIFIER TWS1 Pro 2 earbuds

The latest earbuds from EDIFIER have been in my ears some time now and it is time to have a chat and once again they knock it out of the park bar one small caveat for me so lets get that out of the way which is in fairness a small gripe and that is the limit on the controls at one time on the earbuds which is two commands. It is no huge deal but can be fixed with a software update but the rest from here on in is just great.

The design is clean I like it with the glossy white finish and nice clean case to go with the earbuds so overall clean simple and to the point and not too bulky an earbud either. They fit well in the ears and look good and also stand out and the brand logo is there for all to see, I have noticed here more shops stocking EDIFIER products which is great and they are a company I can stand by as I have done so for years with great audio products and I like to see the brand being now noticed more by third part retailers here.

The EDIFIER connect app is where it is also at and again they have all the features required bar the control limits but having said that you cans till put your own options in here, they are fully customisable and let you take control, Why I say this about the controls and the two controls option per side is we are mostly used to having three or more options each side but it is fine due to the options you have here and for most I would imagine will give them a pass here.

The EDIFIER TWS1 Pro – techbuzzireland

The EQs are great you can also customise your own and enjoy all the other features on board you have also go wear detection, low latency so for gamers they are ideal and I noticed no lag latency during my testing on gaming or audio etc, the volume is loud which I personally prefer and the ANC is pretty decent you also have two levels of ANC and transparency mode/ ambient sound which is great.

The sound overall though is brilliant, loud clear clean hues on all genres and pretty much center stage and for the price you cant really go wrong, battery life is on the lower end but no huge deal here and overall anyone who picks them up will be happy with these earbuds and again I would not expect anything less from the company.

 

The App

 

 

Main Features:

    • Long Battery Life. Around 4 hours music playtime with ANC ON with 12 hours charging case. A total 16 hours playtime.
    • Active noise cancellation with 2 levels of ANC selection and multiple ANC modes is designed to reduce unwanted background noise in various environments.
    • Clear call quality. Built-in microphone to ensure high quality calls.
    • Wear Detection. Music will pause automatically when taken out of your ear and will start playing once you place them back in.
    • Ultra-low latency connection with seamless experience on gaming activities.
    • Edifier Connect App. Unlock all the features through APP: customize control setting and EQ selection (Classic/POP/Classical/Rock).
  • Dust proof and splash proof for active wear. IP54 certified.

Price & Availability:

The Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 is available for £49.99 from https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C7L1KJRQ

Video Review

Tech Review – Skullcandy Rail earbuds non ANC

The latest earbuds have dropped from Skullcandy and once again well priced and great earbuds, the latest on offer is the all new RAIL and SMOKIN BUDS  and first up we check out the RAIL which are the non ANC version and having said that they have NO ANC does it matter, in short no because once these are tuned up to the max you cant hear what is going on outside anyway. Trust me, these are loud and how I like it

The design is familiar with small stems however we can see inside these at the top which is cool, and being able to see inside our tech is now becoming a bit of a trend these days and perhaps later down the road Skullcandy might give us a totally transparent pair and that would be extra cool if they did but for now we have these to poke our eyes into for now.

Comfort and fit is also fine here and sit well in the ears and look clean and will not budge and after wearing them for some time now out cycling and in the gym they have now budged and stay well put as they say, the right tips though is the key here and once applied they block out much of the outside world which is fine.

Controls work well as expected from the company and always have been consistent with their products we go through all these in the video review below so do check it out and the app which is up next. We once again have access to their fantastic app that allows you to change commands and more by just calling out “Hey Skulklcandy” – insert command here..  And as reviewed before this is an excellent feature and we have covered it in depth before but go over it again for newcomers to the channel and anyone looking for something new, it is a superb feature and you can even take photos by using this app which is Skull IQ.

The app is full of features as you would expect and you can change the controls to suit your needs, the you are best off doing the sound test to get the most out of your earbuds and using personal sound by Mimi and once complete you can later do it again if you wish over time on your profile.

As mentioned you can change the buttons features you have sound aware you have multipoint pairing and EQs built in and you can create your own, the volume is loud crisp and clear and calls also excellent too, when it comes to the audio though is where it is at nice bass highs lows and mids no lag latency no distortion when maxed out either and this is where many earbuds fail when turned up the max in some genres, You have spotify on tap however I you use YouTube music.

Overall these are a super pair of earbuds but have NO ANC so one can only imagine what they are like, with all the features packed in here and decent battery life and the price these come in at they are certainly earbuds to put on your list to check out.Check out the video review for more on the latest from Skullcandy.

 

Skullcandy Rail earbuds NON ANC – techbuzzireland

 

The App

 

 

Features

42 Hours Total Battery + Rapid Charge
IP55 Sweat, Water and Dust Resistant
Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology®
Personal Sound by Mimi®
Multipoint Pairing
Built-In Tile™ Finding Technology
Hands-Free Voice Control
Clear Voice Smart Mic
Adjustable Stay-Aware Mode
Sidetone
Spotify Tap™
Skull-iQ App Compatibility
Preset and Custom EQ Modes (Music, Bass Boost and Podcast)
Call, Track & Media Controls

Custom Button Functions
Use Either Bud Solo
Auto On/Connect
Bluetooth 5.2

BUY

Video review

Tech Review – Creative ZEN AIR DOT

The Creative ZEN AIR DOT are the companies most affordable earbuds to date and come in a very small package overall and I have been testing these little guys out some time now and we are about to discuss what they have and what they do not have, when it comes to earbuds these days the cost to performance ratio is getting better and these come in at just 30 euro..

So do you get value for your 30 euro or are they fit for the bin? Well at this price there is obviously going to be things omitted from these earbuds but its down to the audio experience for most people these days and some like to have a certain level of functionality and for the price these will keep those people happy.

Remember now the price. So what is missing. No app access, no wireless charging, no auto play/pause, no option to each side when one is charging bar the left side, though to be fair this is common even on high end earbuds but just pointing this out and there is no volume control and the battery life is on the low side up to 24 hr hours depending on how you like your volume levels but again remember the price..

Creative ZEN AIR DOT true wireless – techbuzzireland

What do they have then.  Call controls skip and reverse tracks, voice assistant access and reset options are all present which is enough and we have got large drivers for small earbuds and dual mics so is that enough for your 30 euro?

They are small earbuds so sleep and fit well in the ears and look good, the case is tiny and fits in any pocket and overall in general one of the smallest cases this year so far and earbuds with a tiny stem that sport touch controls that worked really well for me on my testing. For calls these are surprisingly good for what you pay here with ENC built in and calls can be controlled easily on them too.

How they sound though given they have custom tuned 13.mm neodymium drivers  is what is important and having no app access at this time they are quite loud and super punchy, we have no EQ to deal with unless you have a third party app on your phone which most are utter rubbish but this is a pair of earbuds that just get the job done out of the box and no fiddling around with and give a pretty decent audio experience, they are not bassy not flat not sound tinny or distort on maxed out volumes and in general will keep most people who are not fussy happy and for the price what more do you really want.

Features 

Environmental Noise Cancellation

Dual Microphones

Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity

IPX4 rating

13 mm Neodymium drivers

BUY 

Video Review

Tech Review – HAYLOU X1 2023 earbuds

The HAYLOU X1 2023 are the latest earbuds on offer from the brand and are a clean simple o but familiar looking pair of earbuds with a gloss finish but with a nice metal case that is like a pebble and easy to fit into any pocket. Branding is kept to a minimum here with just the brand marking on the case which has an LED light around the charging port which is really nice looking and of course USB-C.

These earbuds have most of the features expected, Sound overall here is decent though, nice crisp and clear with an EQ to change things up you can also change the controls and we are down with some features like auto play and pause and voice assistant which is not really a huge gripe with me, however with the functions on the App you are limited to two controls per side however all the other features are present but you can of course set these up to what suits your needs best as everyone is different when it comes to situations like this.

The App 

 

As you can see there is less of a feature set here compared to their latest headphones which are quite remarkable for their price and the same applies here when it comes to the sound given we have less to play with, volume is decently loud we have a latency mode, no lag latency in general noted and also decent highs lows and mids with a nice bass to them, the pop EQ is very bright but the bass and rock EQs are good and my personal choice here to my own taste.

Overall a decent pair of earbuds with responsive touch controls and in general work well, they are comfortable and discreet enough and look well and their charging case is pretty cool too.

Haylou X1 2023 earbuds – techbuzzireland
Key features:
  • Sleek and stylish matte metallic case
  • Powerful 12mm titanium-plated diaphragm dynamic driver
  • Enhanced Bluetooth 5.3 technology
  • Convenient one-tap reset and customizable EQ sound
  • Non-stop music with 24-hour long battery life

 

Discount Code: HAYLOUTWS
Big Sales $16.99 on Shopee (Sept 9): https://bit.ly/3ErJ8fe
On HAYLOU official website:
https://haylou.com/discount/HAYLOUTWS?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fhaylou-x1-2023

Other shopping platform: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oF4zxLH

 

Video Review

Tech Review – OpenRock Pro Open-Ear Air Conduction Sport Earbuds

Open-Ear bone and Air conduction earbuds/ headphones are now a thing these days and we are going through some amount of pairs to test which is a good thing so we can show you how these things work with hands on time with the products and not lazy stock image reviews so you get context. The OpenRock Open-Ear Air conduction earbuds have been on my ears some time now and as mentioned before there is a difference between bone and air conduction headphones and we are now seeing more of the air conduction earbuds hit the shelves.

Also mentioned before in some reviews you will not get to near your earbud or headphone quality here but this is certainly changing for the better and with these sport earbuds again I see a difference in the tech and enhanced over other models tested in the past, there is no app with the OpenRock but hopefully in time we will see one soon but the news is good more or less from here they couldn’t be simpler to operate either.

You get a pretty large case as seen in the video and some might call that a caveat it is still pocketable and you will know you have it at all times unlike some small earbud cases for example, the case is also super robust so the goods inside will be safe.

The Earbuds are also robust and solid and can be moved to get the perfect fit, these will not fall off once you adjust them to your requirement. As mentioned no app so some limitations.

You have no auto play or pause no multipoint connection, EQ and no wireless charging and after that the rest is there, you can use these individually so effectively doubling battery life for those who use one side only which people do and is a good feature to see here.

The controls are simple to use with one button each side to execute the commands which are fixed and you have access to your voice assistant too the button on each side is the perfect size and works right each time and that is all there is to it really. you can skip and reverse tracks, play and pause and higher and lower the volume and control calls.

Overall the sound is pretty good here and a decent audio experience to be had and you can also hear your surroundings too which is not a bad thing there is some leakage on maxed out volume but no lag latency no tinny sound or distorted either when maxed out. Check out the video review for more.

OpenRock Pro Air conduction sports earbuds – techbuzzireland

 

Superior Sound with TubeBass Technology

OpenRock Pro each headphone with dual 16.2mm dynamic drivers (3 times bigger than other earbuds), has redefined the sound of air-conduction headphones with a distortion rate of less than 1% and sound quality performance that is transparent and mellow, outperforming all previous air-conduction headphones.

OpenRockTubeBassTM” Technology

The TubeBass bass enhancement technology can increase the low-frequency resonance of the sound to enhance bass and the rhythm of music, thus invigorating your movement pace. It makes low frequencies more solid, deeper, and enveloped, allowing pianissimo details and vocals to be bright and clear.

Specs

•Audible unit: 16.2 mm dynamic
•Audio decoding: aptX, AAC, SBC
•Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
•Waterproof rating: IPX5
•Battery life: 19 Hrs (earphones only) 46 Hrs (with charging case)
•5-minute charging for 1-hour of play
•Full charge duration: 1.5 h
•Charging port: Type C
•Rated input: 5 V 400 mA
•Support: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
•Weight: 13g (single earphone) 90 g (complete set)

Features 

  • True Wireless Open-Ear Headphones
  • Superior Sound with TubeBass Technology
  • Up to 46 Hours Extended Playtime
  • Comfortable and Secure Fit, Perfect for Sports
  • Maximize Comfort with Additional Features

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Video Review