Tag: #review

Tech Review – ZHIYUN SMOOTH Q4

ZHIYUN, the world’s leading gimbal manufacturer, announces the launch of the ZHIYUN SMOOTH Q4 smartphone gimbal. Aimed at on-the-move lifestyle, fashion, filmmakers, live-streamers, vloggers and influencers, the new 3-axis stabilizer, is designed for super quick-shooting capabilities and ultra-creative output, day or night. We have been testing out the latest model from the company over the last few weeks and have our video review below for more,we take a look at the gimbal go through what features there is, the app and some samples.

ZHIYUN SMOOTH Q4’s brand new arm design and improved feel and grip, facilitate lightning-fast unfolding and packing. Users can switch between landscape and portrait mode, equally quickly, in a single click. Once unfolded, its 215mm built-in extendable rod allows videographers to shoot at various angles from a wider background, enriching creative options.

The ZHIYUN SMOOTH Q4 sports a double-sided powerful magnetic fill light at 5500K with four levels of adjustable brightness, meaning videographers can create the right atmosphere for cinematic storytelling, even when shooting in the dark.

Measuring 181.7 x 107.7 x 56.3mm, weighing 370g, the compact and newest member of the popular SMOOTH Q  range offers unrivalled interactivity and control. Its simple, seamless one-handed operation with its multi-functional control wheel allows filmmakers to press to adjust the brightness and slide to adjust the focal length.  Viewing and switching between different shooting modes has never been easier with the most intuitive indicators and a well-organised, improved control panel. Everything is within sight and at arm’s length, allowing users convenient control over the gimbal’s and smartphone parameters.

Smart Shooting functionality continues with the updated and dedicated ZY CAMI App with a brand new feature, SMART Templates BTS (Behind the Scenes). This functionality allows users to film using their selected template, which imitates the BTS camera movement showing the filmmaker how best to move the camera to shoot the template video. Users can then compare their footage side by side, on a split screen with the template after shooting footage, in order to compare them.

This, in addition to the app’s filters, music, special effects, mean your video creations can really stand out. Simply select the desired modes within the ZY CAMIi App and the SMOOTH Q4 will automatically guide videographers to create stunning masterpieces.

Additional features including SmartFollow 3.0 make sure the subject is always in the centre of the frame. Gesture Control kickstarts shooting with one simple movement towards the camera and Live Stream Master, offers face-tracking in native smartphones.

ZHIYUN SMOOTH Q4 is packed with advanced features and operational modes including Magic Clone Pano, cinematic effects that were once only available in Hollywood movies are now, a breeze to add to your creations.

Click for product specifications about ZHIYUN SMOOTH Q4.

Purchase at ZHIYUN’s official store or at its Amazon store.

Video Link

Tech Review – Ausdom AW651 streaming Webcam

Webcams are back on the agenda again and with the likes of zoom and teams exploding during the pandemic most of us who worked in an office or worked from home would be using one now, the typical webcam on your laptop or PC today is rubbish being honest and after testing several webcams over the last few months it is easy to see why people now invest in such gadgets and they are not that expensive either and for many an important tool when conducting meetings and interviews and so on.

This webcam is a simple plug and play with no real technical knowledge required even to adjust the settings once installed it will fit onto any pc or laptop with a USB port and having tested on both my chromebook and laptop the results are quite remarkable as you will see even in the set up process in the full video review below.

The webcam comes with a tripod too so you can place it where you like which is a nice bonus, there is also a lens cover you can adjust the camera to turn the head and zoom in, you have 2K HD and a Wide-angle lens that allows for Two field-of-view options selectable, allowing you to adjust the field of view between 90° and 60°

The webcam has a dual mic built in too and noise cancelling which I noted worked well in comparison to other models here I have tested which is quite a few now.

Ausdom AW651

Features

1. HDR
2. 1080P/60FPS; 2k/30FPS
3. Angle of view change with HDR on/off.
4. Built in privacy cover
5. autofocus
6. tripod included
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Tech Review – The Eppfun Cute Meet 300 ENC earbuds

Need a new affordable pair of earbuds that are clean,simple to the point and get the job done exceptionally well, these guys should be on your list, earbuds these days are getting better in the lower end department and offering decent audio too with most of the features you expect to get, there is some that want it all for nothing but we are getting there with the cost to performance ratio with a lot of tech these days.

The Cute Meet 300 ENC are clean and come in a really cool case too with an unusual placement of the USB-C port mind you, however let this not be a caveat and listen more. These do not look cheap they are clean with a small sten and fit really well, there is no tips here as they are a one piece unit like airpods which are still overpriced and not up to standards no more compared to others out there and even some that come in under half their price, I have tested the biggest range of earbuds here in Ireland and my ears don’t tell fibs, Yes you can argue everyone’s ears are different but go ahead.

When it come to sound they are decent it must be said, nice bass so keep that in mind,highs lows and mids are fine and for music and depending on your source they do really well and are decently loud, my music source is YouTube and it is where I test most if not all my earbuds, for movies and gaming they are also fine and they also have a gaming mode too there is no lag latency either, and can be used individually so they have it all really including your skip and reverse track,volume control and more and access to your voice assistant.

Eppfun Cute Meet 300 ENC techbuzzireland

Check the video review below for more and how to operate the Eppfun Cute Meet 300 ENC

Key features:
1. Metal materials and special appearance technology give you better touch and visual feeling. Super small earphones designed for comfort and secure fit.
2.13mm size speakers give you a strong base and Qualcomm APTX HD brings you with clear sound.
3. IPX5 waterproof, you can use it anywhere Freely for sports.
4. 6 Hours Per Charging for Earbuds; Support up to 32 hours on vol 80% with charging case.
5. Qualcomm CVC8.0 calling noise cancelling and dual mic noise cancelling technology to give you clear calling.
6.Support Aptx Adaptive code Automatically switch codec between high sound quality and 60ms low latency.
20% discount code： 945UPXG4

Tech Review – Punkt MP02 phone Light Blue

The Punkt MP02 phone has been in my pocket the last while, whilst not using it constantly I have used it in the evenings and weekends to get away from all the fuss, this meant I had to schedule lots of stuff and come to my laptop once a day to catch up on emails and all that kind of stuff this phone is meant to take me away from. From someone who carries two expensive high end devices most of the time it was a break I would go back to again having this device, my business phone was turned off at 5pm every day and I swapped out my sim into this device in the evenings and weekends and it was great.

Why I say it is great you might ask, NO social media NO emails and more no pinging noises and whatsmore better for your mental health too. The right to switch off is another matter that we have recently posted on site about and this phone does that, if someone wants you they can text or phone you like we all did in the old days or again just turn the phone off.. The phone runs with Pidgeon and the MP02 is the first voice phone to offer a downloadable privacy feature that uses the Signal protocol to provide free, encrypted Internet-based calls and texts worldwide via Wi Fi or mobile data (subject to data charges). We believe Signal provides vastly greater security compared to the widely-used encrypted alternatives, which exist primarily as tools for harvesting and selling valuable metadata (contacts lists, who communicated with whom, when it happened, etc.). In the Signal system, all metadata is encrypted. By using the Signal-protocol, it is possible to add group messaging and voice messages to the MP02.

Unboxing the MP02 phone

 

The phone itself caused a still anytime I was out having lunch etc people came up and asked what it was, it does stand out in the nice colour we got the device in and does not have that candybar finish but an angled approach on the rear, it does stand out and it does feel good in the hand and comfortable to use too given the size of the device in comparison to the normal phones I have on me which are big.

MP02 phone back techbuzzireland

What does this device do was another question asked and how much does it cost, well the price first of all threw everyone away but that was expected but when the few sat down I explained the pros and cons and it is a niche market for now this device is for but I can see this growing over the next few years as people are sick and tired of the hustle and bustle of a smartphone where everything is at your fingertips and you are easily contactable.

OK so you have a 4g sim card slot but no apps no music no app store and has storage you can’t access but you can take calls and messages and use the device as a hotspot so if your mate runs out of credit for example that cant go without you are there to the rescue but it is a slow connection, so people then said well I can buy a cheap nokia that does the same thing which is right but the cheap and cheerful 20 euro phones are piles of trash and one drop on the ground they are done, this phone is solid and the same thing will not happen.

MP02 phone side view techbuzzireland

The device has a nice keypad on front and it is also backlight so it is fine for using in the dark, you have two quick launch buttons for messaging and your phone book and the rest you can see in the video review below, there is more than meets the eye here with secure messaging and calls for those who might be worried they do not get their WhatsApp experience however you can use SIGNAL if you wish, I did not avail of it as the phone as is was enough for me and one less way someone could contact me. Which for me is the point of having the device.

You have a two inch monochrome screen which works fine no matter where you look at it and it is all kept so simple, and that is what is great with this, no apps, no massive endless sub menu lists, no long list of settings no hassle and for all that to keep your mental health in order and get away from the real world for a while it is worth it. See the video review for more below.

The MP02 offers an alternative to mass-produced, old-tech handsets. It’s not just a thin-as-possible pixel platform; it’s a solid, comfortable piece of equipment that is easy to pick up, feels great in the hand, and is never, ever going to bend. Its sleek elegance is matched by top-quality materials, producing a phone that provides a concrete reminder of why the physical world is the world that matters even before it is switched on.

Video Link

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Tech Review – Soundpeats Free2 Classic Earbuds

Soundpeats is a familiar brand around the world and with our readers and we have been testing their earbuds some time now and this time we have the latest product they have to offer which is a super affordable pair of earbuds named the Free2 Classic. Once again the company have delivered a great product at a super affordable price and again shows the cost to performance ratio has come down significantly on earbuds which I have said numerous times here.

The new Free2 classic have a familiar design but this time even more expensive looking with the silver trimmings and vent on the side they are on average for a pair of buds but might be slightly too big for some, those with small ears, once fitted they give a great seal with the right tips and passive noise isolation is decent. There is no ANC or App here which might concern some however I feel if you just need a pair of earbuds and not even delved into the world of Apps or ANC you will be fine, in fact in comparison to others out there at this price you will feel like you are getting a bargain even though you are already.

 

Sound

Ok the important part for most as usual.. As mentioned the correct tips go along way to help you get the best audio experience and that goes for any earbuds at any price but when it comes to the audio experience even low end earbuds can sound decent but you can tell the difference between a pair you pick up at a garage or euro store which seem to be a plenty now and they are utter rubbish.

These are not bass driven earbuds to get that bit out of the way, I found them on the bright side and some volume levels I noted there was some tinniness however this depends on the source and what you are listening to, for me I use the same test loop all the time and overall they did good when it came to volume, highs lows and mids and where more centered than frontal.  Voice was one thing that was crystal clear here too and sounded like the person is beside you more than being in another room you could say and this might be something that people want for example those listening to audio books and so on, for movies and gaming they did well again though no real bass here which is what I like but that is just my personal opinion. Calls are also fine and with no issues there and sounded decent both ends and you could hear clearly and not muffled.

Controls

Again these are touch based controls and worked quite well during my test run the controls offer all that is required including access to voice assistants and more, We go through all this in the video review below anyway and you can see for yourself how to operate the earbuds. But here is the operation guide below.

  • Power On: To automatically power on, open the lid of the charging case and take out both earbuds.
  • To manually power them on, press and hold either side for 1.5 seconds.
  • Power Off: Simply place the buds back into the charging case when done (and close the lid). To manually turn them off, press and hold either side for 10 seconds.
  • Play/Pause: Double tap either earbud.
  • Volume Up: Single-tap the left earbud.
  • Volume Down: Single tap the right earbud.
  • Previous Track: Press and hold the left earbud for 1.5 seconds.
  • Next Track: Press and hold the right earbud for 1.5 seconds.
  • Answer/Hang Up Phone Call: Double tap either earbud.
  • Reject Phone Call: Press and hold either earbud for 1.5 seconds when a call is incoming.
  • Switch Between Two Calls: Press and hold either earbud for 2 seconds.
  • Manually Enter Pairing Mode: Press and hold either earbud for 6 seconds.
  • Activate Voice Assist: Triple tap the right earbud.

 

Battery Life

Most manufacturers overstate their battery life but in this case they are true to form only one thing is if you use them full volume it will impede on your total battery life and with no ANC present it only helps them last longer and you can expect to get the claimed 8 hours, for me it was around 7 hours which is not bad for this price point it has to be said.

Overall you cant really complain here with the performance for the price you are getting better than other out there at this price and even if you want just to have a spare pair or gift them to someone you will be happy enough with the end result for what you pay which is not a lot.

Features

  • 【Innovative Design & Comfortable Fit】 Laser-engraved leather texture combined with metal elements achieves a balance between exquisite and comfort. The ergonomic design with each earbud weighing only 0.14oz provides a perfect wearing experience with all-day comfort.
  • 【Long Battery Life & USB-C Charge】 8 hours playtime per charge and another 2.8 recharges by the charging case. The Free2 classic wireless earbuds extend your enjoyment to 30 hours in total. It only takes 1-2 hours to charge the earbuds and the charging case by the convenient USB-C charge.
  • 【IPX5 Waterproof & Various Applications】 Certificated with IPX5 waterproof, SoundPEATS Free2 classic Bluetooth earbuds are resistant to water splash, sweat, and raindrops. You can enjoy the exercise time without worrying about being interrupted by moisture.
  • 【Superior Sound & Reliable Transmission】 6mm dynamic driver presents strong bass, mellow mids, and clear vocals to let you enjoy the immersive beating notes. The Bluetooth 5.1 ensures a stable connection and helps enhance the sound to be more pleasant for your weekly workout and leisure time.
  • 【Smooth Calls & Easy Touch Control】 The mics are equipped with dust-proof metal mesh to reduce wind noises interruption and make the calls clear and smooth. The effortless on-ear touch control allows your access to control volume, switch songs, pause/answer calls, and activate voice assistant.

BUY

Video Link

 

 

 

Tech Review – MIFO S Active Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds

The MIFO S belongs to Sport & outdo (S&O) brand (owned by Mifo), and the brand name “Sport&outdo” The MIFO S Active Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds are the latest of a huge range of earbuds in for review making it another hot year for the true wireless market, with prices coming down and the user getting more features it makes it harder for choice but this depends on what you want, with these earbuds they have a smaller profile than most and in fact the smallest earbuds this year so far that I have tested including the many pairs in which you will soon see reviewed.

The presentation of the product is also quite nice however what you see on the box does not transcribe to what is inside and by that I mean the case and the earbuds cover however the product inside is excellent considering its size and some might prefer the actual finished product itself which looks really cool, well made and much more.

Comfort and Fit

These are small earbuds with a clever design and the look cool and stand out too, they fit well and will not fall out due to the “horn design” without the added gel wings we tend to find with earbuds, the right tips is of course important and once you have them on the passive noise isolation is excellent too and they do not hurt when changing tracks and so on.

Controls

The controls are easy to use too with a concave finish on the earbud itself, even for my big fingers it was no problem getting things done which was something I was worried about having huge hands but to my surprise they worked well, all the usuals you expect to find are here as demonstrated in the video review below, volume up/down skip/; reverse tracks and so on.You have three modes – Long press for one second to switch to mild noise reduction mode, strong noise reduction mode, or transparent mode, you can see more in the video review on the operation of the earbuds.

Sound

Well.. These have no app and when I see earbuds coming without an app I get a bit bothered but trust me if you like bass these are for you, they are base heavy which I like bit some may not and they do a great job overall with highs lows and mids and any thing you are doing with them in fact so with Netflix YouTube and movies you will be pleased with the audio experience from these tiny earbuds that pack a huge punch for their size.

MIFO S active noise cancelling earbuds techbuzzireland

Battery Life

Like these guys are tiny earbuds and they come with a decent battery life too after testing for some time they average around 38.5 hours on max volume which is impressive given their size the case they come in too is also super cool and robust and one of the nicest ones this year so far, I like my earbuds cases to be different and these are different and the build quality is better than most at this price point.

Overall

if you like bass and a decent volume these are for you and overall a rich audio experience they are IP67 rated the ANC/ENC is good and up there with more expensive models and look different but cool with a nice colour and more expensive than they look finish.

Get 20% off with the code – mifoSSSS

On Sport & Outdo store:
On Amazon:

Video Review

Tech Review – Tronsmart Onyx Ace Pro

The latest earbuds from Tronsmart are the all new Onyx Ace Pro which might look familiar to those who are tronsmart fans, the case is identical to the Onyx Ace and so are the earbuds but beefed up somewhat, Tronsmart are a leading brand when it comes to affordable tech and over the years we have been testing all their earbuds so we had plenty of time ahead of their release to check these new earbuds out and see what is on offer.

The packing is as expected from the brand with their well labelled box and orange take, the same applies when you first open the package, you can see more of this and the full video review and how to operate the earbuds below, stock image reviews do not give the product any justice or context so do check it out.

Comfort and fit

These fit well as the previous model did and are really light they have a stem which might not suit all however fine with me, you will forget they are there after a few minutes use, there is no tips as they are a one piece product and it will be a one size fits all here but they are comfortable and look well.

Controls

Again you have touch controls here and they work fine, in general Tronsmart are good in this department, play and pause is tap twice on any earbud, skip track you tap and hold for 2 seconds on the left and reverse the same on the right, Volume up is tap once on the left and down the same on the right, voice assistant is tap three times on the left quickly and the right side is where you have the gaming mode option by tapping again three times quickly, calls are tap twice either side to answer and end and tap and hold for two seconds either side.

Sound

They sound great as expected, nice and loud with some nice bass, however there is no app access which would of been nice, tronsmart have a good app which works with some earbuds, highs lows and mids are fine too good direction and great on gaming, calls are good too nice and crisp and for watching movies and all the rest is good overall, music is great too and nothing overlaps even when maxed out on full volume. The earbuds come with 13mm composite polymer driver units combined with lossless Qualcomm aptX adaptive decoding, there is no auto play and pause present here.

Overall

These are an affordable pair of earbuds from the brand and give you all the basics and more, they are stylish comfortable and give a good audio experience and for gamers it an even better option to have these at your disposal. See the video review for more below.

Features

Video Link

Tech Review – Asus ROG 5s phone.

The Asus ROG 5s phone is a bit of a beast it must be said. Given it is aimed at gamers it also has great battery life and an excellent camera with great speakers too and a great display.

The phone is not light and not small by any means either which is fine with me however the back of the phone is slippy and can move on a table etc if it starts vibrating. I like phones like this aside the slippy part as you can feel the phone feel the quality and feel it in your pocket, having this alongside other devices I own it is the biggest and heaviest but again I am fine with this because it looks good and is a powerhouse too.

The camera hump is raised but nothing like some others out there which are starting to look stupid now and its angular design blends in well on the device too but it does rock on a table if typing so a case would be a good idea to eliminate this and also protect the device.

On the right you have your power on/off and volume keys on the left you have a docking point, on the bottom you have a headphone jack, yes you heard me right and you also have your USB-C port and a mic.Up to there is just a mic so it is a clean looking device overall and feels solid in the hands and you know you are not holding something cheap.Also as it is a gamer phone you have Air Triggers built in.

Check out the unboxing below and walkthrough and we look at the specs etc 

The gaming and user experience

If you are into mobile gaming this is what you could look into, not a huge mobile gamer myself but once was and this phone not only caters for that well it caters for everyday use too, the 6.78 inch screen is ideal for media consumption and more with a peak brightness of 1200 nits and that 144 hz screen refresh which seem to be the buzzword of late, in short here a superb display.

To top of the visual aspects you also get the audio goodness thrown in with dual speakers that are loud and as good as my iPhone 13 pro which are seen as one of the best speakers on a phone today, both the sound and picture just make it a really good experience for anyone to use as just a normal phone as well as gaming.

For my daily use it walked through anything with ease so that emails, social, browsing, and all the daily tasks I use my phone for but the thing is it doesn’t stop there it is also super when it comes to gaming, typical gaming phones I have seen from other manufacturers skimp out somewhere but not this phone.

 

Cameras

The camera set up here is also typical of a gaming phone a 64mp main camera 13mp wide and 5mp macro and a 24mp front facing camera, you can shoot up to 8k in video here but there is no point just yet in doing so as where can you watch it? This wont be mainstream for another 2 years at least and then think of those large files too if using 8k but the fact that it is there those fe who have 8K tv and has tech than 8K capabilities can enjoy now. The cameras are good in my eyes given it is not the main feature of the phone and who it is aimed at you can take great photos and videos but check them out for yourself below.

We shot in 4K on this phone as I felt it was the best thing to do to a wider audience but we can upload 8K video if requested.

We have done both night and daytime sample videos and photos here so you can get some context.

Full camera specs

8K UHD (7680 x 4320) video at 30 fps for main rear camera 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) video at 30 / 60 fps for main rear camera, at 30 fps for second rear camera 1080p FHD video recording at 30 / 60 fps 720p HD video recording at 30 fps 3-axis electronic image stabilization for rear cameras Time Lapse (4K UHD video) Slow Motion video (4K at 120 fps; 1080p at 240 / 120 fps; 720p at 480 fps) Take still photo while recording video.

Overall this phone is ideal for those who want it all, which is gaming audio camera power and more it is a solid phone not lacking where others do.

Tech Review – Coolify 2 Neck Air Conditioner

With the Summer coming in fast and we have had a great few days lately which was great timing for testing this latest product from TORRAS which is the Coolify 2 which is the second model they have now created, you can check out the first model and other models on offer on their site, there is 3 versions of the latest model with a starting price of $179 and goes upwards to $229 with some extras, do not forget to include shipping costs and taxes if applicable to your region.The company offer free  shipping in the US.

What is the product about then

If you are into sports and fitness or just like being cooled down then this is for you, it might seem a bit cumbersome by its size but do not let that put you off, the headset is no bigger than an average pair of headphones only you let them rest on your neck, there is two controls on the device and that is is nothing complicated at all here.

a. Click the power button — turn on/gear 1 2 3/turn off the COOLIFY2.
b. Press the power button for 1.5S at any mode/gear — turn off the COOLIFY2.
c. Click the mode button– switch in between cooling mode and fan mode.
d. Press the mode button for 1.5S — switch in between cooling mode/ fan mode and heating mode.
We go through the motions in the review anyway so do check it out below in the hands on video
Coolify fans
Coolify fans
Bottom view
Top view

Build quality

The build is mainly plastic but robust it might feel a bit cumbersome for some folk but after using it you can forgive this as seen in video review below it has a glossy finish for the most part and has air outlets on both sides and breathing holes for the fans too.

Does it actually work

Yes in short it does you can heat up or cool down but the USP here is the cool factor with the pun intended you will not need ice a cold towel or a bucket of water with this on it works a treat and with the hot weather we had here I took advantage of this and brought it with me on a small break in the country and I often carry a small desk fan with me on my travels but did not this time around to give this a shot and it is a lifesaver if you are hot and not a huge fan of the heat which is me..Battery life is also good for 18 hours in fan mode 1, or 1.5 hours in cooling mode 3. The LED Screen shows the battery life and setting mode as you will see in the video review.

Can I recommend it.

That is an easy yes if you are into sports or a regular user of a fan and require cooling down, anyone can use it in fact, the ease of use factor is also important here with no app or connecting to your phone and so on, however perhaps the next variant might include a headphone option to sweeten the deal, some might think the price is a bit much but it is the convenience factor here of how the product is made and how simple it is to use yet alone the benefits of getting cool fast.

Features

  • – Chill, instantly. Cool Down 27°F in 1S.
  • – Immersive Wrap-around Cooling with KU 2.0 Chip. It improves the cooling performance up to 7 times. Turn it on, turn heat off.
  • – Colossal 3D Airflow Power for neck fan. Fully personalize your temperature, anytime, anywhere.
  • – Live it Up from Dusk ’til Dawn, 3H Charge for Up to 23H Use
  • – Flex-to-Fit 0-160°, Coolify2 makes one-size-fits-all possible.
  • – Smart, as it should be. NTC smart temperature control and LED hidden design keep your temperature more manageable.
  • – Portable and safe, cooling made easy. Wrap around and breeze your neck safely thanks to 13x safety protection.
  • – Heating, In the Air. It is also designed for keeping you warm in colder months. Go heated, go totally warm.

BUY : https://torraslife.com/neck-airconditioner/

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3EqrEPK

Video Review