Gadget Reviews
One of the perks in running a gadget site is we often sometimes get sent gadgets to review and as we enjoy writing gadget reviews so much we might even buy the odd gadget purely for review purposes (especially if the tax man is reading). If you have a product you would like featured in the gadget reviews section then please get in touch.
Review – Aircom A3 Headphones
Once you’ve used a product for a while, you notice little things that you would personally want to change to improve it. This is why there are so, so many different products available for just about everything you could think of. When it comes time to buy a new set of headphones, you not only have to decide how much you’re willing to spend, but what sort of functionality you’re looking for. Do you want over-the-ear, ear hooks, ear buds, something tiny, something HUGE? If you like working out and need something that will accommodate all the time you spend in the gym sweating it up, but can also function for everyday use, you might want to look into the Aircom A3 Headphones.
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Tomons Swing Arm Desk Lamp Review
You never realize how important your lamps, flashlights, and other light-up gadgets are until you find yourself in great need of them. There are more than a few options out there to choose from though. Nowadays it’s really just about finding the cross-section of cheap, aesthetically pleasing, and functional. If you have more of an eclectic style that doesn’t want monochrome plastic or something insanely decorative, you’re going to have to do a little more hunting for what you want.
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Snap Power Charger Review
If you like having gadgets and gizmos galore, chances are you’re always struggling to find outlet space for everything. While you may have a power strip next to your bed for everything, it doesn’t mean you’re not still going to need one or two more. If you’re always looking for one more plug for your devices, the Snap Power Charger is a sleek and simple way to do just that. This was a Kickstarter project we looked at before! They grow up so fast.
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Inateck Marsbox Speaker Review – Drop the bass
At this point I’ve reviewed enough speakers to know what Inateck might be tossing out there. Most of the time they’ve done their job fairly well, but there’s usually one or two points of contention to take into account. There have been finicky buttons, and their Bluetooth speakers haven’t been able to handle heavy bass, which a myriad of musical genres have. They’re trying to correct this with the Inateck Marsbox Wireless Speaker.
Look:
This is what a bicolor abstract geometric painting would look like in 3D. The body is mainly made up of a slanted black rectangle that sits about a quarter of an inch off the ground, as a red slanted rectangle juts out of the face, bottom, and side of it, both having a matte rubberized finish to them. The front is covered in a neatly arranged horde of dots for sound to escape from, and a singular hole is on the top for a microphone. Also on the top is a multifunction key, plus sign, minus sign, and play/pause button. On the back you’ll find a power button, teeny hole for resetting, DC-IN, and AUX ports.
Let me just take a moment to say how awesome the charging and audio jack cables look. The audio cable has the look and feel of a nice red braided guitar cable, and the charging cable is also braided, both having an air of professionalism about them. They obviously do their jobs well enough, but aesthetically, they’re pretty swell. It’s just nice to see something beyond a cheaply made plastic cable once in a while.
Performance:
Of course, the biggest question in buying something new is how well it does its job. Since the biggest selling point on this speaker is how great its bass is, I obviously needed to put it to the test. After some quality time playing dubstep, orchestral pieces, EDM, and 8bit music much to the dismay of my neighbors, it really does hold to its claim. The last speaker I reviewed could get to be pretty loud, but it basically started destroying itself since it couldn’t handle the beats it put out.
This was easy to pair and easy to use. I can’t really understand why they added a radio feature, though it’s not unwelcome as we all like listening to the same 10 pop songs or NPR from time to time. The only unpleasant aspect of that feature was accidentally hitting the multifunction key to switch it from speaker to radio mode and having the horrifying screech of a non-channel blaring on occasion. It was nice to be able to answer calls by pressing the same button though.
The volume buttons having multiple purposes was a combination of nice and annoying, but mainly infuriating. Since they are giant plus and minus buttons, you generally only think of volume control, so you press it once when you want the volume to go up or down. However, on this device a short click means next or previous track, and the long presses are volume control. These are also what help you move between channels on radio mode, but that just means you’ll have the same issue in either mode.
Specifics:
This speaker supports Bluetooth 4.0, and has a 33 foot range. It uses two 5-watt drivers and measures around 7.3 x 2.4 x 2.4”, weighing in at 2.2 pounds. This uses a 2200mAh battery, which should give you anywhere from 10-15 hours of jam time. It’ll work with anything that uses Bluetooth or can hook in through the audio cable. In the box you’ll get the Marsbox, a charging cable, audio cable, and manual.
Conclusion:
Inateck is certainly getting better at its speaker game, but still has a bit of a ways to go. I still worry when it gets to be too loud, as I fear it will shake itself to death like the BTSP-10 Plus did. The quality has vastly improved, but the buttons are still a point of contention for me. It’s great for indoors, though you loose quite a bit of its boom outside. If you’re looking for a speaker with decent bass at your home or work office this will do the trick, and you don’t have to empty out your bank account to get one as it costs $49.99.
More information on Inateck
Available for purchase on Amazon
Inateck BTSP-10 Plus Bluetooth Speaker Review
While the idea of having a full sound system at home is a great concept, you can really only enjoy the full effect in one room. The sound is not going to magically follow you through the house, and for those that are often on the go, you hardly get to enjoy it at all. If you want to have better quality audio than your smartphone or tablet is capable of, a Bluetooth speaker can be an awesome way to pump up your jams without taking up a lot of space in your bag. Of course, finding a good one for a variety of situations is hard to come by. We’ve looked at such a speaker from Inateck before, but now they’re trying to do one better with the BTSP-10 Plus.
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K-Vape Micro DX Review
When you ingest a specific food or drink enough, you become accustomed to what good and bad flavor profiles are for each item. The same holds true with things like alcohol and tobacco. We know neither are a good habit to keep, but that doesn’t stop people from pursuing it. There has been an uprising of vaporizers lately, some of which are touted to be a better experience than smoking a pipe or rolled cigarettes. As we all have at least one friend who has a palate for this sort of thing, I employed the help of my own loose leaf connoisseur to help me review the K-Vape Micro DX to make sure flavor profiles are as they should be (keeping in mind that everyone’s preferences are opinions rather than fact).
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Inateck Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Case Review
When you get a really nice tablet, you don’t want to keep it out in the open or tuck it under your arm when moving from place to place. Keeping it safe and secure in a bag with a specific slot for your tablet, laptop, and phone will guard it from scratches, dings, and dents. Of course, not all of us already have a bag with these pockets or slots in place. If you don’t want to spring for a new bag, then getting a protective sleeve is the next best thing. There are more options than there are tablets out there, but if you happen to have a Surface Pro, Inateck has something for you.
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A PerfectDraft for a PerfectView, Right from Home A Review of the Stella Artois PerfectDraft
PerfectDraft enhancing a PerfectView of The Masters from the comfort of home
We have been fortunate to receive a sneak peak of the new Stella PerfectDraft machine, a slick countertop draft system that lets you pull a perfect pint in your own home. Being a beer fan I must say, I am impressed.
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