Tag: #review

Tech Review – Jabra Elite 4 Active

Jabra have recently released three pair of earbuds to the market and the Elite 4 Actic is the latest edition to hit the shelves and coming in under 140 euro you can see what they have done here, with sub 100 euro offerings and two more expensive pairs they have created a nice portfolio to suit everyone here which is a good thing as it does give us choice and features to pick from but how do these fair out against the rest of the line up and what else is out there.

The Elite 4 Active in my view are an excellent mid range pair or earbuds and also having the better sound tipping towards the 7 series models and for me this is a good thing, you may be down on some features but again there is now 4 pairs to pick from at all price points but the sound from these is super at the price, I am not comparing these to Apple products as I am sick and tired of everyone using them as a standard benchmark when they are not so Apple fans if you have a problem with that you know what to do, there is better earbuds out there that cost less and a long time ago for the price and Jabra like many others fall into this bracket.

Set up on these is simple again with a nice new pop up window showing on your phone this time around unless I have missed this in the past but nice to see, In the personalise your headset option you will see you can now personalise your ANC mode, the rest is as before minus the fitting set up. Again the app is great and giving you a better overall experience.

Once set up you are good to go and then sit back and enjoy the great audio experince you will get by the new Elite 4 Active, these have a great sound and even sound a bit deeper than their more expensive counterparts and in some instances even better, for me they had a wider range and deeper tones and gives the more expensive models a run for their money,highs lows and mids are fine and punchy and off course a nice level of bass present not forgetting you can of course use the Sound Plus app to enhance the listening experience even more,comfort is also fine here calls are excellent and both can be used individually which many folk like to have this as an option.. No lag latency was noted during my usual test loop..

Jabra Elite 4 Active
Pop up window
SoundPlus app

Overall there is not much more to say here being frank these are the ones to buy if you have the above needs and is on a budget as they com close to their top tier models when it comes to sound and that alone seals it for me not forgetting the benefits of the app too.

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Tech Review – Padmate S30 Bone Conduction Open-Ear Sport Headphones

Over the last few weeks we have been testing out the latest from Padmate and this product is for the sports fan and perhaps more and it is their new S30 Bone Conduction Open-Ear sport headphones. Small and compact too they are ultra portable ultra light and fit really well.

So what are the Padmate S30 Bone conduction headphones all about..

Open ear design

The open-ear design, powered by bone conduction technology, allows you to hear your surrounding sounds clearly and provide bud-free, comfortable listening, and also a perfect partner for listening to audiobooks.

Bone conduction technology

Enjoy hours of music without damaging your ears. It features bone conduction technology that creates vibrations to transmit sound through the bones of your face (jawbones and cheekbones) directly to the inner ear.

IPX5 waterproof

The nano-coating inside the headset can easily resist sweat and rain, making the Padmate S30 an ideal choice for outdoor sports, running, jogging, hiking, MTB, cycling. (Not intended for swimming)

Battery LIfe

With 150 mAh of polymer battery and easy commands such as play, skip, pause, and back-a-track, you can enjoy music, calls, audiobooks, and podcasts all day long. 6 hours battery life at max volume, more than 8 hours batter life at 50% volume. 150 hours standby time this pretty much came true for real life use during my testing. There is no volume controls present but this is not a huge deal.

Sound

They sound fairly decent overall however there is no access to their app as yet hopefully this changes down the road to give you their full app experience as it is one of the best ones out there but users will be fine with the volume and soundstage from the device, highs lows and mids are find direction is good and so on, being different from your traditional earbuds/headphones one might feel off put but don’t be.

Fit

Designed for athletes and more these wireless headphones stay put for all-day listening while keeping you motivated and aware of your surroundings.

With up to 10m of range, you will never have to reach your device again and again. It effortlessly connects with smartphones, tablets and other Bluetooth-enabled devices in no time

Features and FAQ

CAN OTHERS HEAR YOUR MUSIC?

No. Padmate S30 sends vibrations into your inner ear through bone conduction technology, leaving your ears open to your surroundings while still providing a private listening experience.

DOES PADMATE S30 COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES?

No, Padmate S30 will come in one standard size.

CAN I SKIP SONGS WITH PADMATE S30?

Yes, pressing 3 times on the “Power off” Button to play next song , pressing 4 times on the “-” button to play the previous song.

CAN I USE SIRI/GOOGLE ASSISTANT/ALEXA WITH MY PADMATED S30?

After connected with devices, you can activate voice assistant (such as Siri, etc.) by pressing 2 times on the “Power off” Button.

CAN PADMATE S30 BE USED TO TAKE CALLS?

Yes, Padmate S30 has two microphones for phone calls.

DOES PADMATE S30 COME WITH A WARRANTY?

Yes, Padmate S30 comes with a one-year warranty that covers manufacturer defects. The warranty does not cover misuse of the product, loss or theft.

Get 20% off with the code TB20

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Tech Review – Instax Mini Evo camera

The Instax Evo mini camera is the latest camera on offer which is a cool gadget to have at your disposal, most of us today use our smartphones to take images and in most cases they go no further than your phone or else stored on your pc or a drive but with this camera you can print out the moments captured on your phone and indeed with the camera itself which allows for plenty of creativity before you even take the picture and then more after.

This camera features 10 integrated lens modes and 10 filter options, offering 100 different combinations for photographers to express themselves creatively with unique, one-off shots.

Instax Mini Evo front

There is lots of filters and other options to toy around with here to on the Instax Mini Evo and I have been carrying about with me over the last few days and found it a joy to use and it has a simple UI to work through too and of course their app which we go through in detail in the video review below.. You can see the unboxing HERE

For me over the years I use my smartphone to take images but rarely a camera unless I use one from Instax which I have been over the last few years I find it nice that I can print an image there and then and not only that but share with others should they want a copy of the image, the only caveat here with such cameras is the cost of prints but I find these cameras would be more useful in treasured moments or ones created so buying packets of film every week would not really be the case.

Instax Mini Evo Top

What makes this camera fun is the options available for the user with the filters and more unlike other cameras you have a screen to use and options built in here to which allows you get the full feature set available and not just a limited standard list of settings, The build quality of the camera is robust and I like the overall design, more compact than other models it is more portable and I really the the silver buttons and controls which gives the unit a nice two tone effect and looks more on the premium side.

Instax Mini Evo Back

There is also a option to mount the camera on a tripod which some will find a real treat, this can be used for timed photos or group photos etc with the remote option on the app and more, Overall the image quality is decent but not to the full value your phone or the camera itself might take but this is not what the intent of the camera is, the camera is easy to use given all the options on it and ideal for those who like photography in general and even novices and overall if you just want to snap a photo and print this is what you need.

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Tech Review – Jabra Elite 7 Active

Jabra is a brand that we have been using and reviewing for some years now and they are a favourite here in techbuzz because they are consistent and the brand is strong and they like to innovate and each year for any brand it gets harder to improve on the previous and with competition rife and in an oversaturated market for true wireless earbuds it is a tough game to play and with three new pairs of earbuds this year from the brand it did give others something to think about having all tiers covered at entry mid tier and high end.

The Jabra Elite 7 is one of their high end offerings and quite similar to the Elite 7 Pro and for me always an exciting time to test a product as I have been a huge fan of their earbuds and they have been a high end offering but as mentioned Jabra have tackled the entry and mid level tiers, they have been always a strong winner in the high end market so how does the new Elite 7 stack up this time..

UNBOXING THE ELITE 7 ACTIVE 

 

Design, build and fit.

Jabra have changed the design language here and all of their new earbuds, it is clean simple and works and nothing too outlandish either, the profile is also good for size and they fit well with a good seal once using the right tips which is a must wearing any earbuds. They have a more flat appearance than older models however they have a good seal.The buttons are clicky and tactile and work 100% and some prefer this over the touch option for me either is fine but I tend to lean towards the buttons option.

 

Setting up

The setup is simple as always, in almost all cases an update is due out of the box which takes a few minutes and you are good to go to get the latest features on your earbuds and you should update anytime you are prompted to do so, then head through the app to personalise to your needs, you have headset settings My Fit which is important My Sound My Controls etc. See below for what you will expect to find. And with them latest update you can now get multipoint connection. This is crucial for those who work on two devices.

Controls

Controls are quality and work each time, again Jabra have the clicky button effect which I like but the thing is you can change the settings to what suits you best and this is great as there is many settings here available which makes it much better than custom defaults you tend to get on other earbuds this should be the same for all earbuds in my opinion.

Sound

The sound is always the key factor in these reviews and one argues everyone’s ears differ which is correct but when testing earbuds on such a regular basis it is not hard to find what is rubbish and what is not, the Jabra soundstage has always been a great one, highs lows and mids are great and with my usual testing regime they have done a really impressive job with no lag latency noted, again you have the custom EQ here to play with, they can be used individually too which is great, the ANC is also now adjustable and to the max is the way to go but I found the ANC not quite as strong as previous models and perhaps a software update might fix that but overall strong enough and better in quiet environments. It was hard to tell the difference here between these and the 7 Pro being honest.

Jabra Elite 7 Active techbuzzireland
Elite 7 Active Techbuzzireland

Conclusion

If you want a great pair of earbuds check these out the days of overpriced alternatives are long gone and the same applies to Apples prowess here, some still might find these still too expensive but you have to pay to play here given there is cheaper earbuds out there now with much of what you find here but it is the overall experience here in one package you will get here that wins for me. However with the 7 Pro out there and the new Elite 4 there is much on offer at all price tiers here and the 7 Pro has a slight bit more to offer.

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Tech Review – ROXi Karaoke Mic and TV app

Most of us would be familiar or tried a hand a Karaoke in our time and it is a great entertainment platform which you would see lots of on holidays and in pubs and it is a great idea for entertaining the family at home and so on which over the last two years would be a more familiar place to use such equipment but with things now taking a turn it will not be long before Karaoke will be in full swing again in local bars where after a few pints you might get brave and pic up that mic,something I have tried in the past and miserably failed at..

Over the years this has been brought into the home though and it is great for family gatherings and over the Xmas period I tired this out with family and friends none of which wanted to be featured in my video but so be it but there was plenty of fun had with this and passed lots of time. I remember as a kid when Karaoke machines came out and then they got integrated into consoles which is more my scene and again had a dabble at it with the same results and just sat back and watched the rest blast away..

The ROXi system though keeps it simple with no expensive hardware required to get going and now there is a new TV app which we spoke about before here on site. This makes access even easier for everyone and can give you something to do if you are bored and want to liven things up. The MIc itself is easy to use with just two slider buttons and a power key and that is it..

Set Up is simple and only takes minutes with the bundle tested which was a Mic and Amazon Fire stick, If you have a compatible TV you can download the app and a software update is all that was required in my instance and you are good to go straight away, The UI is clean and easy to navigate and similar to YouTube but you can check out the video below for more and what you find in the UI which is easy to use which for me is important and ideal for family use no matter what age they are.

Overall this is an affordable home entertainment package which is great for family and friends and if you are into your music this is a real bonus. There is over 140K songs to pick from and a cool game to guess the track there is also a premium package you can sign up for and you get a free mic, it is little money if this is your thing and we all probably have enough subscriptions right now and while I am here it is a good time to check at what you really need and perhaps save yourself a few quid which I did and cancelled loads and then leave yourself open to spend your money elsewhere and if music is your thing this perhaps could be an option for you and the family.

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Tech Review – Soundcore Life P2 mini

The Soundcore Life P2 mini are a budget friendly pair of earbuds which are now part of their portfolio which is certainly becoming a tasty option for consumers which is good, there is choice here from high end to entry level earbuds which suit all pockets,these are by no means a rival to airpods either due to their cost which is around 40 euro at the time of my review however the sound factor is what most from their earbuds even when it comes to cost but the term you get what you pay for would come to mind for some but with soundcore you are playing a safe bet regardless.

These are not sporting all the bells and whistles but have most of the functions you would expect to get at this price point and in an over saturated market it is hard for newcomers to make an impression for 40 quid but Soundcore pull it off here more or less when it comes to an all round listening experience.

They have a glossy finish and look plain which for some is fine and for me it does not bother me at all but being lucky to have tested the biggest range of earbuds in Ireland I need to look at things from outside the pane and what others expect and from owning their top tier Liberty Pro 3 they do seem cheap looking to me being fair but, yes there is a but, this is fine it is a common form factor at this price. Battery life is well decent here too with around 40 hours in total and you have USB-C charging.

Sound Life P2 mini

The sound though is where is counts and overall they deliver, all you need to get a normal functioning pair of earbuds here with all the usuals thrown in you even have virtual assistant access.You have some EQ access too via the touch controls which we take a look at in the video.

There is a nice level of bass here which is ideal for bass lovers but not really heavy, highs lows and mids are fine and overall a good audio experince there was no distortion noted when maxed out on volume nor tinny either which at this price would be a common feature on some brands but mostly of cheap chinese rip offs and some current known manufacturers. No lag latency was noted either during my usual test routine. Calls where also fine both ends for the few I took whilst testing.

Features

  • Stunning Sound: Life P2 Mini true wireless earbuds have oversized triple-layer 10mm drivers to fuel powerful sound with 50% more bass for a mesmerizing listening experience.
  • 3 EQ Modes: Soundcore Signature, the default EQ, delivers well-balanced sound, while Bass Booster enhances bass-heavy music, and Podcast makes voices stand out clearly. To switch to a different mode, quickly press the right earbud 3 times.
  • Featherweight Fit: The tiny true wireless earbuds weigh just 0.16oz (4.6g), which is 10% lighter than standard earbuds. They’re so small and light that they feel practically weightless in your ears.
  • AI-Enhanced Calls: Built-in microphones on Life P2 Mini true wireless earbuds are equipped with an AI algorithm to enhance voice pick up and ensure you’re heard clearly by the other end.

 

The Soundcore Life P2 mini have been sent to us by the company and have had no input preview or paid us money and are seeing the review the same time as you. 

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Tech Review – Soundcore Life P3 earbuds

Soundcore are on a bit of a roll of late with their products and having tested their Liberty 3 Pro they will be a hard to beat pair of true wireless earbuds and I look forward to the next version of those, Recently we also tested there budget Life P2 mini and when both of these arrived I was stuck which to test first so I tested side by side and put other work aside to get a handle on both products and yet again Soundcore deliver and these would be a more affordable pair if you do not have the bucks to shell out right now for the top tier.

The Life P3 come in a really cool range of colours to start with which I love as I am fed up with the typical Black and White offerings we see so much of however most manufacturers are moving away from this and giving us colours that pop and stand out which makes a statement and in my view if you want to get noticed you need to get seen and these do just that with the fresh colorways on offer.

The case they come in is really cool with a matt finish and we have the Sky Blue colour, there is LED lights on the front with a USB-C port on the rear with the logo up top and the case is also nice to hold in the hand and a kind of large pebble shape,once opened you get the earbuds which have a really nice silver trim on the edges which make them look more premium and these stand out plus you have also got wireless charging thrown in for the mix which for me works as I have wireless charging options all over my house and office.

Soundcore Life P3 techbuzzireland

These are the typical stem finish which looks well and not to bold or standoutish either and once fitted with the right tips these sit well and will not move in the ears giving great noise isolation straight away. You have simple to use touch controls here which I found just about perfect with response and work every time which saves those embarrassing taps with nothing happening. They also have adopted what some other manufacturers have started doing which is an ear fit test which is welcome and will give you the benefits in the end as well as trying out the right tips which you should do with all earbuds..There is no auto play and pause detection here which might bother some however you have the controls to set up as you wish in the app and it is often the option I choose myself.

You have full app access here which is great,again we go through this in the video review, however there is no voice commands like Hey Siri for example but again this is something I never really use being honest, the app however gives you the option to makes things suited best to you and this is a feature I like and gives you more control giving you the best option to tailor the right sounds for you, highs lows and mids are fine here with decent bass too and decently loud, again these showed no lag latency either where fine on calls and did well with Netflix Youtube and more plus you have a gaming mode for some extra fun if you are a gamer. ANC works well but not much noted in the options available this though does depend on your surroundings but indoors work best in my book with a quiet environment.

Features

 

  • Pocket-Sized pop of Color: Life P3 noise cancelling earbuds come in 5 eye-catching colors to pair with your personal style. And the ultra-compact case fits effortlessly in small bags or pockets. 
  • Fueled By The Beat: Life P3 noise cancelling earbuds’ thumping sound is produced by custom 11mm composite drivers. Activate BassUp mode in the app to further intensify bass in real-time. 
  • Multi-Mode Noise Cancelling: Sync the noise cancelling to your location for an optimized experience. Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor modes are each tailored to block out irritating background noises in each environment. 
  • Enhanced Call Performance: Life P3 noise cancelling earbuds have 6 microphones and an exclusive algorithm to tune out background noises. Your voice will be heard clearly on calls, video chats, livestreams, and more.

The Soundcocre Life P3 have been sent to us by the company and have had no input preview or paid us money and are seeing the review the same time as you.

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Tech Review – Creative Aurvana Trio LS earphones

Looking for an old school pair or earphones but ones the deliver the Aurvana Trio LS might be a pair to look at, These come with the traditional cable with an inline remote control and also look more expensive than they are and not only this these can be boosted even more with having compatibility with the Super XFI AMP which just enhances the listening experince as a whole, we also have a review of this amp coming up and this is a must have for the audio fan simple as.

These earbuds though do sound good as is out of the box and if you do not have a phone with a headphone jack you can use the said AMP to connect to a USB enabled device though having the AMP is recommended from my testing but again out of the box they sound decent and are loud with a good balance all round even at max volume..

These are also equipped with sawtooth sheath cables to help minimize disruptive microphonic noise. It also offers fuss-free controls with a built-in microphone and inline remote control which makes it a breeze for users to pick up calls and control the music playback with just a simple press of a button. On top of that, it is compact and easy to carry around with a handy pouch provided along with magnetic earbuds to keep it tangle-free.

The Creative Aurvana Trio LS earphones where sent to us to review with no input,payment or preview and are seeing the review the same time as you.

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Tech Review – Skullcandy Dime

Looking for some cheap earbuds that are certainly ones that stand out with looks and colour well these might just be up your street and at a price of 25 euro they are pretty decent with sound at that price it must be said, for 25 euro you can pick up earbuds these days from your local petrol station and more but a known brand though? Not so much, Skullcandy are a well known brand and we have been testing their products for years and they are quite consistent. Having seen these advertised in LIDL last week we decided to go pick some up and check them out, the Skullcandy Dime launched back in March this year in other colour variants and interesting but these colours we just had to check out and go full hands on due to the Irishness involved here.. We are a fan of Skullcandy and their headphones are some of the best out there especially ones like the Skullcandy Crusher Evo one of their latest earbuds the Skullcandy Push Active IQ, just like all our reviews we go real hands on without the stock image no context approach and check out both pairs of these new additional colours so we can see what it is you get for your money which in this case is not much to shell out.

Build and design and looks

These are quite small earbuds and with big hands they might be a bit awkward to control, however there is a theme going on be it a cadbury creme egg wrapper or Lidl colours and a remote fob for a car they certainly stand out for me and you will get noticed with them on that is for sure, they are one of the smallest earbuds I have tried in some time. When I say they are small that they are, in fact the size of my thumb nail as you will see in the video, Big hands do get in my way sometimes and here is a fine example.

skullcandy dime in case techbuzzireland

Fit

Given the size of them they fit rather well and will not fall out you get extra tips in the box which is of course expected and a nice micro USB cable with a plastic end on the USB-A side rather than metal to charge them with they have a tiny stem which helps secure them that little bit more. You also get an IPX 4 rating thrown in.

Controls

You have the basics here and access to their app too which is limited, you can skip and reverse tracks, play and pause music and change the volume which is enough for most people and you can control calls.. There is one button on each earbud that controls the lot keeping it simple. However app access at this price point is unheard of even though there is little on offer it is something to take note of.

Sound

They sound decent enough for the price it has to be said and if it is your first pair of earbuds you can’t really go wrong in fairness, highs lows and mids fine no distortion on max volume and do not sound tinny they do a good job listening to music watching Netflix and more so you should be pleased with the audio experience. Distortion and a tinny sound is a key attribute at low priced earbuds but this is not the case here which is something to take note of.

skullcandy dime closed case

You could argue there is a novelty factor here due to the colorway but some folk like something different, there is no partnership here with LIDL or Cadbury and the colours just happen to be right for those companies but LIDL did have their own brand trainers before and if a company was to partner with the company it would cost a pretty penny taking away the price these are available for now but this is just one of those cases it is what it is and coincidence and nothing more but nonetheless a talking point for many and my inboxes on my social media has had some funny messages and also some of irrational thoughts which I will be sharing on Twitter soon for some fun and perhaps silence a few at the same time.

Features

• Up to 12 Hours of Battery Life – Listen longer with 3.5 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 8.5 hours in the charging case

• True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.0

• Microphones in Each Bud – Use either bud solo without losing the ability to take calls

• Full Suite of Media Controls on the Buds – Take calls, change tracks, adjust volume controls and activate native device assistants (Google, Siri, etc.) without ever touching a phone

• Auto On/Connect – Enjoy automatic turn on and pairing with the last device used

• Noise-Isolating Fit – Experience supreme sound with expertly selected and tuned microphones and drivers

• IPX4 Sweat and Water Resistance – Go on an adventure without missing a beat

• Integrated Lanyard – Rely on secure portability that protects the charge case and buds from drops

• Micro-USB Charging Case with Snap Lid

 From Skullcandy  Buy from Lidl

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