HearNotes WireFree [year]

HearNotes WireFree 2024

November 25, 2015 Richard Gomez 8

I’ve tried wi-fi earbuds earlier than they’re a anguish. They’re not really wi-fi; oh, they might connect with your gadget wirelessly, however the left and […]

Jaybird X2 [year] Review

Jaybird X2 2024 Review

February 8, 2016 Richard Gomez 4

Home | Tv | Tv Reviews Jaybird X2 Review by Ali Pardiwala , 6 February 2016 Demand for wireless headphones is growing, and music-focused stereo Bluetooth headsets are all the rage right now. Thanks to a vast improvement in the quality of Bluetooth audio transmission over the years, it's now possible to effortlessly stream high-quality sound without any of the typical issues that plagued the early years of wireless audio.
Jaybird, an American company, has already won some praise for its Bluebuds X earphones, and is widely considered among the better audio products for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The newest product in the range is the Rs. 15,999 Jaybird X2, touted by the company as “perfection in wireless sound”. We're keen to put that claim to the test in our comprehensive review of the Jaybird X2.
Design, specifications and comfort
The Jaybird X2 is a pair of wireless in-ear headphones, with the earbuds connected to each other by a short flat cable that runs behind your..

Creative Sound Blaster FRee Review [year]

Creative Sound Blaster FRee Review 2024

July 9, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

Home | Tv | Tv Reviews Creative Sound Blaster FRee Review by Ali Pardiwala , 3 February 2016 Singapore-based Creative is an industry expert when it comes to audio, whether its sound cards for PCs, headphones, or portable speakers. The iconic Sound Blaster series of products has a formidable reputation itself, and now even covers the company's personal audio range, including the excellent Sound Blaster Jam and Sound Blaster Roar.
The latest wireless audio product from the Creative stable is the Sound Blaster FRee. Launched in October at a price of Rs. 7,999, the portable Bluetooth speaker has had a price drop and is now available at Rs. 5,999. Designed to be used outdoors, the speaker has IPX4 certification for dust and splash-resistance, and is capable of 360-degree sound when placed vertically. We go in-depth with the Creative Sound Blaster FRee in our review.
Design, specifications and features
The Creative Sound Blaster FRee is, like many other basic wireless speakers, rather ..

Amkette Evo Gamepad Pro Review: Good Build, Fun Gaming

Amkette Evo Gamepad Pro Review: Good Build, Fun Gaming

May 2, 2017 Richard Gomez 0

Amkette has, over the years, been rolling out a number of stylish looking mobile products, starting in 2012 in with the Amkette Evo TV, which was updated and released last year as the value-for-money Evo TV MC. The company has also released a number of wired and wireless headphones, as well as a Bluetooth speaker. Now, it's released the Amkette Evo Gamepad Pro, a Bluetooth gamepad for use with Android devices, available only on Flipkart, at Rs. 2,799.
Like Amkette's other products, the Evo Gamepad Pro is a good looking gadget. The button layout, and the placement of its analog sticks appears to draw on the design of the Xbox 360 gamepad, with two analog sticks, a four-way direction pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and two triggers, along with home, back and start buttons.
There's a flip out section in the middle, which can be opened to serve as a stand for your Android phone. Lifting the cover also reveals the battery light, along with the two indicators f..

Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i Review: Console Quality iOS Gamepad

Mad Catz C.T.R.L.i Review: Console Quality iOS Gamepad

February 14, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

Purists always argue that gaming on a smartphone is inferior to console or PC gaming, and quite a big chunk of their argument has to do with the unintuitive nature of touchscreen controls. In a way, they are right. Racing, fighting, and first-person/third-person shooter titles are the most affected by the placement of on-screen buttons. For example, the original Bioshock on iOS was panned by critics for its poorly implemented virtual buttons.

However, there is a solution in the form of game controllers that either plug in to smartphones or work as standalone Bluetooth accessories. Apple opened this avenue to third-party manufacturers with iOS 7, albeit with a long list of conditions.

The Logitech PowerShell, MOGA Ace Power and SteelSeries Stratus are a few examples of gamepads made for iOS devices and certified by Apple. However, all these controllers had some flaw or the other; if one had tiny analogue sticks another was too expensive. Mad Catz, a gaming peripherals manufacturer t..

Swans M10 [year]

Swans M10 2024

February 23, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

A small but growing company, Swans enjoys a fair amount of recognition and success in audio enthusiast circles. The company is based in California, but has its production base in China and develops a wide range of speakers and home audio products. One of its most popular products is the Swans M10 2.1 speaker system.
Made up of two satellite speakers and a subwoofer, the Rs. 7,499 M10 is meant to be used anywhere at home but is ideal on a desktop, handling your computer's audio. This is a popular model the world over for its price-to-performance ratio, and we're keen to try it out. Read all there is to know about the Swans M10 system in our review.
Design and specifications
The Swans M10 package consists of two satellite speakers with 20mm dome tweeters and 3-inch woofers, with a frequency response range of 140-20,000Hz. The combined amplifier and subwoofer has a 5-inch woofer unit with a frequency response range of 42-5,000Hz. The front of the unit has only a volume knob, whi..

Sony MDR XB950BT [year]

Sony MDR XB950BT 2024

March 7, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

If you're an audiophile who wants the purest and clearest reproduction of the source being played, then it's likely that you're not interested in Sony's XB (extra bass) headphones. We tried out the Sony MDR XB950BT – the top of the XB line, which also supports Bluetooth playback. That's a combination which has probably sent purists running for the hills, but the results are surprisingly decent.
Available only in bright red, and at Rs. 12,990, these headphones are clearly not for everybody, but all things considered, they are actually pretty reasonably priced. If you're not interested in bass-focused headphones, then the XB950BT doesn't really offer anything that will change your mind, but if you've heard and liked any of the headphones in the XB family before, then you'll be pleased to know that this is one of the better offerings from Sony within this line.
Design
The Sony MDR XB950BT looks eye-catching – some would call it tacky, with it..

Altec Lansing LifeJacket 2 Review [year]

Altec Lansing LifeJacket 2 Review 2024

March 2, 2016 Richard Gomez 0

The Altec Lansing LifeJacket 2 released in India last week, as part of a slate of Bluetooth speakers ranging from Rs. 3,600, to Rs. 18,000. Since the launch, we've been using the LifeJacket 2, to try and figure out if it's worth the Rs. 14,000 price tag.
Before talking about the speaker's performance though, it's important to discuss the “everything proof” tag that the company has applied to it. The LifeJacket 2 is rated at IP67 protection, which means it is protected from dust, and capable of withstanding water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter, for 30 minutes. It's also mountable – there's a small mount included in the box, which allows you to fit the speaker onto your bike and take your music anywhere with you. The speaker is covered in a thick layer of rubber, and further encased in a second rubber slip cover that can't be removed.
The result is a tough (if heavy) speaker – it weighs 907g, which is a fair bit of weight to keep in your pack – b..

Forcite Alpine [year]

Forcite Alpine 2024

February 1, 2015 Richard Gomez 1

The usual ski helmet is about to get an overhaul with assistance from Aussie -up Forcite with its Alpine shrewd helmet. instead than merely supplying […]