While Android might have taken over the mobile world, Microsoft still has a firm grasp on other parts of the software space. Its Windows operating system still rules the PC world and the Office suite of productivity tools has made the transition to the cloud as Microsoft 365. And then there’s Azure, or Microsoft’s play for cloud services.
Suffice it to say, Microsoft isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And the sooner you become proficient with its offerings, the better poised you’ll be in the workplace.
With The Complete 2021 Microsoft 365, Windows, and Azure Bundle, $69.99 in the AG Deals Store, you can go from novice to master in all three disciplines. And you can even pick up certification in the process.
This online training package is massive, spilling open with some 17 courses and more than 230 hours of training. Valued at over $5,000, it’s a comprehensive self-paced education that gets down to the nuts and bolts.
If you’re an aspiring or growing IT pro, you’ll love getting the inside scoop on configuring, securing, and managing everything Microsoft does in and for the cloud.
Students will also appreciate courses such as Microsoft MD-100: Windows 10 which will help you learn to properly install, customize, and update devices running Windows 10. Dive deeper and master skills like managing storage, files, and devices, configuring network connectivity, and troubleshooting.
And then that brings to Azure and its cloud-based platform. If you’re looking for one of the hottest alternatives to Amazon Web Services or Google, this is surely it. This bundle includes a trio of courses to help students learn Azure skills needed to pass three different Microsoft certification exams.
The Complete 2021 Microsoft 365, Windows, and Azure Bundle is available to AndroidGuys readers for about $4 per course, or just $69.99 while this deal lasts.
During the pandemic many of us were bitten by the baking bug. You know who you are, and there are a lot of you. I’m looking at all of you, filling up our social media feeds with pictures of your sourdough adventures.
What may have started as a way to kill some time or wipe out boredom may have turned into a new hobby or full-blown obsession for some of us.
As with all new hobbies, there is always some new way to enhance it by acquiring a new tool or gadget. When it comes to baking, there is nothing as quintessential as the stand mixer. Thankfully, our friends over at Acekool sent us one of their latest for us to review.
Key Features
Included dough hook, mixing beater, and whisk
Dishwasher safe bowl and accessories
Large 7.5-quart stainless steel bowl
Quiet operation
Suction cup feet for stability
Three-year warranty
Design
The first thing I noticed about the Acekool Stand Mixer was how light it was when pulling it out of the box. Both the mixer itself and the 7.5-quart stainless steel bowl are deceptively light. However, as I would find out, this goes a long way in making things much easier to handle.
Since the bowl is so lightweight, it won’t feel heavy when moving around as it becomes filled with ingredients. Moreover, cleaning it by hand is also much easier.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like cluttered countertops, then the equally lightweight body of the Acekool Stand Mixer makes it easy to move and store away until you need it.
Also great, the suction cups on the bottom ensure that it stays in place when you’re working with thick mixes.
The controls on the Acekool Stand Mixer are as simple as can be; there is only one dial that controls speed and there’s a lever to lift up the head of the mixer. This makes it convenient to operate and all the controls worked just as they should.
The only complaint I have about the design is for the ring of light around the dial. It will flash constantly while the unit is plugged in with the head of the mixer in the down position. The only way to disable it is to unplug it completely or lift the head up.
Most of the time I had to unplug the Acekool Stand Mixer because the incessant blinking was so annoying. In the end this is a minor complaint and it’s not like leaving it unplugged is a huge inconvenience.
How well does the Acekool Stand Mixer work?
In a word, wonderfully. Over the past few weeks, I’ve put the Acekool Stand Mixer to work baking a handful of things, like this delicious banana bread recipe, and it has performed perfectly.
I had some concerns that the lightweight mixer might not be steady under load, but it never rocked or budged an inch. Everything was smooth as silk and I’m sure the suction cup feet were a big help here.
My one criticism would be that I wish it went a little slower at the lowest speed. However, this is a mixer after all, and even at this somewhat faster speed, it didn’t seem to have any negative effects on anything I baked, nor did it make a mess.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a long-time baker, or if you just recently dipped your toes in the proverbial waters, a stand mixer could be just the thing you need. At a price of $120, or even cheaper if you clip the $25 off coupon on Amazon, the Acekool Stand Mixer is a fantastic bargain.
It’s lightweight, powerful, comes with three different mixing accessories, and has a large bowl for making bread, cakes, or large batches of cookies. I still wish there was a way to disable the blinking light, but for the price, it’s something I’m willing to work around.
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A lifetime of Peace of Mind
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Features
Reliably protect your data on any public WiFi
Surf with no speed or bandwidth limits
Access 400+ VPN servers with 80+ locations globally, including the USA, the UK, Canada, & Australia. Check the list here
Surf on a variety of VPN protocols, like IKEv2, OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec & KeepSolid Wise
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Enjoy a better browsing experience with handy features, like Trusted Networks, Ping Tests & Favorite Servers
Easily configure your VPN connection on your router.
Convenient management of connected devices
Includes torrent (P2P) servers
Includes kill switch on iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows platforms
Military-grade AES 256-bit encryption
Zero log policy
Proprietary apps for all platforms
Unlimited traffic and connection speed
24/7 customer support
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Normally valued much higher at around $200, VPN Unlimited is now offering our readers this lifetime plan for just $39. In addition, this license affords you access across five devices. The best part? You can remove devices anytime you want, making room for others.
Save Later!
For a limited time, when you purchase the VPN Unlimited Plan, you’ll receive a coupon code for $30 which can be used on a future order in the AG Deals Store!
Recently, I became aware of a high-end audio brand out of Romania named Meze. Curious as to whether its headphones sound as good as they look I decided to give them a try. Luckily, Meze was nice enough to send a pair out, and spoiler alert, they sound just as good as they look.
While most headphone brands typically use plastic and materials that aren’t made to be tampered with, Meze takes a different approach by using a design that’s fully serviceable. This ensures your headphones will live on with the ability to replace parts if anything should wear out or breaks over time.
Part of the reason Meze is able to do this is because it uses a split cable design that requires a 3.5mm cable with two plugs — one for the left ear cup and one for the right.
Most other manufacturers these days only require you to plug into one ear cup with a wire running through the headband to the other. The result is a build that is highly unserviceable for the end-user.
Inside the box are the beautifully designed Meze 99 Neo, a hard shell carrying case, 3.5mm Y-cable, 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter, and pouch for accessories. Basically, everything you need to use the Meze 99 Neo and keep them protected on the go.
Comfort
The Meze 99 Neo are extremely comfortable thanks to a unique self-adjusting headband made from PU leather. Combine that with the light 9.2-ounce weight of the Meze 99 Neo headphones and they feel like a floating cloud on your head.
You could easily wear these headphones for hours on end and they are one of the most comfortable pair of over-ear headphones I’ve ever tried.
The only issue I ran into was that the self-adjusting headband would cause them to slip down my head over time until the top of the ear cups began to rest on my ears. Were that to happen, I’d have to gently nudge them back up in place. It was a minor inconvenience at most, but still worth mentioning.
Sound Quality
The first thing that stood out to me when listening to the Meze 99 Neo is how open the soundstage is. For a closed-back pair of headphones, they do a fantastic job of sounding open and making it feel like the sound comes from all around.
When picking out a pair of headphones this is one of my top priorities because it makes music sound so much more immersive. That’s exactly what the Meze 99 Neo do, they make you feel like you’re immersed in the music. If you want to shut out the world and lose yourself in your favorite song then these headphones will certainly help with that.
Besides the open soundstage, the Meze 99 Neo also impressed with its sound signature. The highs, mids, and lows are all wonderfully represented making them suited for a variety of genres of music.
The highs are a little rounded off as to not be piercing and there is a nice low-end for bass without being enough to overpower other instruments in songs. Overall, the Meze 99 Neo are tuned to make music more enjoyable and prevent ear fatigue making them easy to listen to for hours.
Final Thoughts
In an age of Bluetooth headphones and phones lacking a 3.5mm jack, most consumers will opt for a wireless pair of headphones for convenience’s sake. The Meze 99 Neo are made for those discerning few who want to do more than simply listen to music, and experience and enjoy it instead.
If you’re one of those individuals, the Meze 99 Neo will delight your ears with stunning sound quality along with featuring an exceptional build and comfortable fit.
It’s no secret that Google’s wearable platform has been stagnant over the years. Wear OS users are lucky to get one or two quality of life updates a year, but hopefully, with the upcoming merger with Tizen, we’ll see the platform truly take a leap forward in features and usability.
However, while we wait for the revolutionary new platform upgrade, Google is releasing some much-needed improvements for installing apps on your smartwatch in the coming weeks.
For starters, you’ll soon be able to search for watch apps using the Play Store on your phone by adding the terms “watch” or “watch faces” to your query. Browsing for watch apps on your phone will also get easier with new curated sections for Wear OS and Watch Faces for Wear OS category pages featuring recommended popular apps for your smartwatch.
Even better, you’ll also have the option to use the Play Store on your phone to install the apps on your watch. Because what good would browsing watch apps on your phone be if you couldn’t install them from there?
Installing apps that have both a phone and watch app will be easy thanks to a drop down menu housed in the “Install” button on the Play Store listing. Tapping on the arrow icon will expand the menu and allow you to choose which device you want to install it on.
Along with making apps easier to install when using your phone, Google is also giving the Play Store on your watch a visual refresh. The new layout is based on Material You and features larger cards to help with navigating on a smaller display.
Additionally, when you make an in-app purchase on the watch the Play Store will now open the purchase page on your smartphone or provide a URL to open up in a browser to complete the purchase.
Google says the new update will begin rolling out over the coming weeks to smartwatches running Wear OS 2.x and above. However, there have already been reports of many users receiving the new Play Store redesign on their watches over the past week. Unfortunately, I’m not one of those lucky few but it’s nice to know that it will be coming soon.
Drones and quadcopters can make for fun toys and hours of enjoyment, but they can be practical as well. More and more we find photographers and videographers adding them to their regular gear. Why? Because they can capture aerial footage in a way that standard cameras and standing on ladders just cannot.
Quadcopters getting more impressive, sure, but they’re also getting less expensive at the same time. Take the Ninja Dragon J10X Quadcopter Drone, for instance, which boasts WiFi connectivity and an HD camera. Right now you can buy one on sale for just $99, a savings of some 50 percent.
Ninja Dragon J10X Quadcopter Drone Features
1080p camera – Provides a wide range of high-definition pictures
Headless mode – No need to adjust the aircraft position before flight
1,800mAh battery – Lasts up to 20 minutes of flying
One-click return feature – Easily find your way home
High hold mode – Provides stable flight
6 channels – Can be raised, lowered, forwarded, retreated, left-handed, right-handed, & 360° rotated
6-axis gyroscope – More stable & easier to control
3 flight speed levels – Make flying more interesting
Wi-Fi function – Take photos, videos, & transfer images real-time through mobile phone camera
Connect the Ninja Dragon J10X Quadcopter Drone to your phone and grab stable high-definition shots from above.
Order Yours!
The tiny, handheld Ninja Dragon J10X Quadcopter Drone is an awesome toy and a practical tool for hobbyists and professionals alike. For a limited time, you can get the Ninja Dragon J10X Quadcopter Drone for $99 in the AG Deals Store, a 50 percent discount. Grab two of them for $179.99 and save 55 percent in the process.
You may not have noticed with everything else going on, but over the past year portable power stations have become a hot topic of discussion. A ton of new products have come out recently from established brands like Jackery, EcoFlow, and Bluetti. A few have gotten their start via crowdfunding, like the Bluetti EP500 (5.1 kWh/3 kW) which generated 3.1M USD on Kickstarter in May and the EcoFlow DELTA Pro (3.6 kWh/3.6 kW) which is currently aiming for a July Kickstarter launch. There are some new players entering the market, as well, like the brand-new Mango Power Union (6.9 kWh/4 kW) which, according to its website, is supposed to hit Indiegogo in August. Today, we’re going to take a deep dive into two of these – the Mango Power Union and the EcoFlow DELTA Pro – to see how they stack up against each other.
Neither of these power stations have officially launched yet, so all the specs in this article come from their respective websites. (EcoFlow Delta Pro https://ecoflow.com/pages/delta-pro; Mango Power Union www.mangopower.com )
Before jumping in, it’s important to note that the Mango Power Union integrates both a portable power station and a larger home module into a single device, so it’s not a completely apples to apples comparison next to the EcoFlow DELTA Pro. Nonetheless, for anyone in the market for a power station in 2021, this side-by-side look should be helpful.
Battery Capacity
The entire Mango Power Union boasts an impressive 6.9 kWh capacity while its detachable module – the so-called “Power Move” – clocks in with 2.3 kWh. Both use high class EV Polymer NCM Battery Cells that have 38% greater energy density, and are capable of operating in a broader range of temperatures than traditional LFP cells.
The EcoFlow DELTA Pro’s 3.6 kWh capacity beats out the Power Move, but can’t compare to the complete Mango Power Union package. EcoFlow has not yet released the exact details of its battery cell, but we assume it will deliver greater capacity than its predecessor.
Scalability
The Mango Power Union can be expanded to up to 10 devices operating in parallel for a whopping 69 kWh and 40 kW output. The EcoFlow, on the other hand, supports a respectable scalability up to 6 devices. If users include an expandable battery pack, the completed configuration should deliver a total of 25 kWh. No information about the output capability.
Potential Backup Time
When scaled to its full size (6 devices in parallel) the EcoFlow claims 13 days of emergency home power or 20 hours of daily use. Mango Power has not yet mentioned specifics for their potential backup time, but have suggested their device could power a home for weeks in the event of an outage. This seems to be a realistic claim for users who purchase the maximum 10 devices for 69 kWh capacity.
If a user was limited to only one unit of either device, though, the Mango Power Union (6.9 kWh) would win hands down against the EcoFlow DELTA Pro (3.6 kWh).
Conclusion
The Mango Power Union has greater battery capacity per unit and greater scalability potential.
Output and Charging
Mango Power Output Ports
Output
The Mango Power Union supports 16x output sockets while the EcoFlow probably supports 15x ports (based on available images).
As you can see in the table above, the Mango Power Union just barely edges out the EcoFlow for total number of ports, but the EcoFlow supports both DC and RV ports. The main sockets, like AC/USB-A /USB-C/wireless charging, are very similar.
Charging
The Mango Power Union supports 3 kW MPPT solar charging (12V-250V) and 3.3 kW wall outlet charging. This huge range in solar charging capability means you can connect the device to either roof solar panels or portable solar panels.
The EcoFlow uses X-Stream charging technology that enables 3 kW wall charging. It also supports an astounding 4.2 kW for solar charging if you have enough panels. It is as yet unclear whether the EcoFlow can be charged via roof solar panel, but we suspect it must. Otherwise, you’d need to lug around 42 100W solar panels to achieve these numbers in a real-world situation.
Conclusion
Both devices have the main sockets you’ll need and the Mango Power Union has a slight advantage in the number of ports, but the EcoFlow DELTA Pro offers greater diversity with both DC and RV ports.
Regarding charging capability, both brands deliver respectable speeds. The EcoFlow DELTA Pro looks like it offers much greater solar charging capability, but it will only be useful if it connects to a roof solar system.
Design and Size
When it comes to design, the Mango Power Union is in a class of its own. It features a brushed metal skin and practical yet artful ambient lighting status indicator that make it look more like a piece of modern art than a battery. Though it can probably be made to match many interior design styles, it honestly wouldn’t look out of place in a gallery. The complete Mango Power Union package, including the detachable, portable Power Move, has an overall size of 17.6 * 13.6 * 26.7 inches. That may sound large, but if we consider its total capacity (kWh/m3,) it’s quite impressive, probably the most compact in the market. This may be thanks to the Polymer NCM Battery Cells it uses as opposed to the normal 18650 cells.
Its detachable portion, the Power Move (2.3 kWh/2 kW), is 17.6 * 13.6 * 11.4 inches, a relatively good size for the portable power station market.
The EcoFlow has kept a very industrial design, similar to its previous DELTA model.
The company has not yet released the exact size of the battery, but with its increased capacity and functionality, it’s reasonable to assume that it will be much larger than the previous DELTA, which was 15.7 * 8.3 * 10.6 inches.
Conclusion
In regards to design, the Mango Power Union comes out on top. It’s got a cool, modern look that would definitely fit in a swanky living room, but setting appearances aside, the fact that it includes both a portable and a home power station make it a uniquely innovative product. The EcoFlow, however, should be more popular among those who prefer an industrial look, and would be perfectly at home in a garage.
Functionality
The Mango Power Union includes 2 parts: the Power Home for home use, and the Power Move for outdoor off-gird life. It works as a home backup power supply, stores green energy like solar power from your roof, and can seamlessly power sensitive electronics so there’s no break in power in case of an outage. The Power Move can be taken travelling or out into the field for professional outdoor work. The entire device has a variety of settings, including Back Up Power Mode (prioritizes energy storage to prevent shortages), Time-Based Control Mode (stores and consumes power based on peak/off-peak times to save on your electrical bill) and Economy Mode (prioritizes green energy use when connected to a solar system).
The EcoFlow, with its all-terrain wheels, more rugged case, and telescoping handle, definitely serves a role in powering outdoor life, but when it comes to home use, particularly if there’s an emergency, you probably wouldn’t want to rely on it too heavily unless you bought 6 of them and had them operating in parallel.
Conclusion
Both products can definitely deliver good service for outdoor living, but the Mango Power Union seems like a better bet when we’re talking about a home backup power source. It makes more sense to compare the Mango Power Union to a Tesla Powerwall in this respect, and we hope to put those two head-to-head in a later article.
Controls
The Mango Power Union can connect via either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi with an included app that enables remote control and OTA upgrades. The app also records your energy use stats and will give you notifications and alerts when necessary. It also generates a report showing your green energy use and carbon footprint.
The EcoFlow DELTA Pro can only be controlled via its built-in panel, which is good enough when you’re using it as a portable battery.
Price and Availability
Both products have launched via crowdfunding platforms. The Mango Power Union released on Indiegogo while the EcoFlow DELTA Pro recently switched to Kickstarter. The Mango Power Union has a retail price of $5699 and is currently offering an early bird price at $3999 and EcoFlow DELTA Pro has not yet released a price. Here we also add Tesla Powerwall for a comparison.
We’ve priced the two of them out in terms of battery capacity as shown in the table below. I have to say, the Mango Power Union’s pricing is quite aggressive, especially for a new brand. Either way, both of these batteries are rather reasonable.
A Little Extra
There are a few little things we didn’t quite get a chance to mention.
First off, we really need to emphasize the usefulness of the EcoFlow DELTA Pro’s all-terrain wheels and telescoping handle. It may not sound like much, but when you’re carrying a pack on your back and hiking toward your campground, you’re definitely going to appreciate how easy this portable power station is to move around.
The Mango Power Union, on the other hand, really speaks to the eco-warrior in me. For every 48 kWh of solar energy that flows through this device, the company plants another tree in one our nation’s national parks through something they call The Forest Plan. Given that the Mango Power Union boasts a 69 kWh capacity and claims to be rechargeable for 60,000 cycles, that means you could potentially “earn” 86,250 trees. I like that idea.
Either way, though, if you choose one of these or any other power station and you power it via some form of green energy, whether it’s wind, nuclear, solar, or anything else, you’re doing the world a favor. Thanks.
When Sony released the WF-1000XM3 earbuds with ANC they instantly became one of the highest-rated true wireless buds on the market. In my review, I raved about how great the sound quality and active noise cancellation was. The only downside was how large both the buds and case were, and how that lead to a less than ideal fit in your ears.
Fortunately, Sony recently released its WF-1000XM4 earbuds to address these issues, and in what is no surprise, they are a fantastic upgrade in every way.
Design
The “biggest” difference Sony made with the design of its flagship true wireless buds this time around was shrinking the case and earbuds. The WF-1000XM4 can now comfortably fit in your pocket and your ears, which was the most common criticism of the previous generation.
Not only was Sony able to minimize the case and earbud design this time around, it was actually able to add more features. Both buds feature IPX4 sweat proofing while still working independently and include a sensor to automatically pause music when removed from your ear.
Plus, Sony has added Qi wireless charging to the case this time around, providing you with the choice of using the USB-C port or keeping your buds juiced up wirelessly.
Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about the buds falling out of the case and getting lost because of the curiously strong magnets Sony employs. Trust me, once they are in the case, those buds aren’t going anywhere.
Just like the previous generation, the new WF-1000XM4 buds are also absent of any physical buttons opting for touch-sensitive controls. You can customize them in the app, but by default, the right bud controls audio playback and the left bud swaps between noise cancellation and ambient sound modes. I’m happy to report these work perfectly and I had no issues with activating the controls by accident like with some buds.
Comfort
Sony also changed the ear tips this time around, going for a squishy foam similar to what you’d find on earplugs. This makes sense, because if you’re trying to block out sound, what’s better than foam earplugs?
Unfortunately, I have smaller than average ear canals and I found these new tips to be too large for my ears. It was difficult for me to get a comfortable fit, even when using the smallest ear tips in the package. Eventually, I swapped the tips out for some smaller silicone tips I have. If you’re in the same boat as me, then you can purchase something like this from Amazon and replace the tips for a more comfortable fit.
User experience
If fantastic sound and class-leading noise cancellation aren’t enough to sway you, the Sony WF-1000XM4 buds also offer a host of smart features. For starters, it has Fast Pairing to make connecting to your phone easier. After the buds have been paired, you’ll also get a handy notification keeping you informed of the battery life of each individual bud and the case.
Next, the WF-1000XM4 buds have Google Assistant and Alexa built-in–your choice–but with Assistant you’ll be able to hear your notifications and reply to messages using your voice.
Having a conversation with buds jammed in your ears is usually an irritating ordeal, but thanks to ambient mode and speak-to-chat technology, it’s much more convenient. While ambient mode can be activated by touching the earbud, speak-to-chat makes it even easier by enabling ambient mode when it hears your voice.
On top of all of that, the app also allows you to customize the touch-sensitive buttons on the buds, adjust the equalizer, and control the level of active noise cancellation.
Basically, when it comes to usability and features, there aren’t another pair of buds out there that come close.
Sound quality
The WF-1000XM3 buds were some of the best I’ve ever listened to, and Sony has done it again with the WF-1000XM4s. The soundstage is nice and open with a balanced sound. Plus, the wonderful app allows you to customize the sound to your exact liking.
For me, that meant raising the highs a little and adding a bit more to the low end for that V-shaped sound I find most pleasing. But, what’s most important is that you have a good base to build from and having an open soundstage to start with. Thankfully, the WF-1000XM4 deliver exactly that.
Even better, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds support the LDAC codec that transmits audio wirelessly at a higher bit rate for near CD-quality sound. That’s perfect for any of you using streaming services such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Tidal that feature HiFi sound. Fair warning though, the LDAC codec will consume more power and you’ll need to keep a closer watch on your battery life.
Last but not least, in the Sony Headphones app you can choose to enhance music playback with DSEE Extreme processing to improve the sound of compressed audio.
ANC
Sony is an industry leader in active noise cancellation headphones, so it’s no surprise here that the WF-1000XM4 excels at blocking out noise. It’s aided by the new foam ear tips which help create a tight seal to block out much of the extra noise around us.
On top of doing a fantastic job of blocking out noise, the Adaptive Sound Control allows the ANC to adjust based on your surroundings. Personally, I got a little annoyed that it would let in more of the outside noise, but fortunately, you can adjust this in the settings.
Finally, Sony added wind noise reduction for those times when you’re out and about and the wind keeps ruining your jams.
Battery life
Amazingly enough, even though Sony shrank the size of the case and buds, the WF-1000XM4 actually beats its predecessor in battery life.
Sony rates the WF-1000XM4 buds for eight hours of continuous listening with another 16 hours provided by the case. In my experience, this tends to be right on the money, and when it’s time to charge up, five minutes will give you up to an hour of listening time.
Additionally, the case supports wired and wireless Qi charging to ensure you always keep it topped off.
Final thoughts
Sony has dominated the ANC true wireless earbud market the past couple of years with the WF-1000XM3. The follow-up had to be something really special and address the few flaws of the previous generation.
Fortunately, Sony delivered big time with the WF-1000XM4 earbuds–improving them in just about every way–especially in the areas it mattered the most, such as the size and audio quality.
While the WF-1000XM4 earbuds don’t come cheap at their $280 price tag, you can part with that money confidently knowing that you’re purchasing the best pair of active noise cancelling buds on the market. Alternatively, you can still purchase the WF-1000XM3 true wireless buds and still get a fantastic pair of ANC headphones while saving some money.
Drones and quadcopters can make for fun toys and hours of enjoyment, but they can also serve a practical purpose, too. More and more photographers and videographers are adding them to their gear. Why? Because they can capture aerial footage in a way that standard cameras and ladders cannot.
Not only are these quadcopters getting more impressive, they’re also getting less expensive with each generation. Take the Ninja Dragon Dual 4K Wide Angle 3D Flip Quadcopter, for instance. With two wide-angle cameras, gesture controls, and 4K recording capability, it’s a heck of a bargain at its current $99 price tag.
Ninja Dragon Dual 4K Wide Angle 3D Flip Features
4K HD camera. Details are 4 times that of 1080 pixels; better highlight & shadows
Optical flow positioning. Provides more accurate & stable hovering fly
Palm control: Use palm to control the aircraft to go up & down within about 3 ft
Gesture control: Enables you to take photo or record a video just by doing hand gestures
Follow function: Connect the distance between the aircraft & the current location of the controller and linked them
One-key automatic return. Enables it to find its way back automatically
Headless mode. No need to adjust the position of aircraft before flying
This gadget has gesture palm control with optical flow positioning and follows me feature that enables you to handle your drone with ease while providing a more accurate and stable hovering fly.
This drone is also equipped with WiFi FPV, way-point fly, headless mode, one key return.
Order Yours!
The Ninja Dragon Dual 4K drone normally sells for $169 but right now you can grab one for a mere $99 while prices and supplies last. That’s a cool 41 percent discount for a limited time!.
We recently had a great time reviewing the Tronsmart Apollo Air+ wireless earbuds as the truly wireless headset checked all the major boxes for most user needs in the area of Bluetooth earbuds. Here, we’ll take a look at something a little more simple and budget-friendly from Tronsmart, the Apollo Air wireless earbuds.
How much different are the standard model from their plus-signed counterpart? Let’s find out in our official review of the Tronsmart Apollo Air earbuds.
Design
You’d be hard-pressed to find much difference in the Apollo Air and the Air+. Sitting side by side I honestly can’t pick them out of a lineup. I won’t spend much time here due to that and simply say that you have the same stemmed form-factor as the more premium Air+.
Touch controls
Again the overlap with the Air+ model is very similar. You have some basic interacts that can be accessed with single, double, or triple taps of each earbud. A single tap of the right bud will raise the volume while the same on the left side will lower the levels.
A double-tap of the right or left side will play/pause the current track. The same will also answer or end a phone call. Holding the left Apollo Air for two seconds will take you to the previous track. A two-second hold on the right earbud will take you to the next item in a playlist.
The only odd gesture is how you launch your favorite voice assistant. The timing takes some work, but you have to single tap and then hold for two seconds. Once you get it down you can easily access Google Assistant, Bixby, or even Siri.
One final touch control is for Active Noise Cancellation. This can be toggled on and off with a triple tap of either the right or left earbud. When turned on the Apollo Air earbuds can eliminate up to 35 decibels of outside noise.
Audio and Calls
Media playback is pretty solid with the Tronsmart Apollo Air earbuds. The overall sound is good with mids and highs coming through crisply. One note versus the more premium is the bass from the Apollo Air gets slightly distorted at higher volumes.
Phone calls are also very good. I had no issues with either end of phone calls. A six microphone design lends to this clarity with Qualcomm’s cVc (Clear Voice Capture) protocol. Think of this as ANC for voice calls. It helps use the mics to isolate your voice from the outside elements.
Battery life and charging
Honestly, this might be the biggest section to notice a difference in the spec sheet from the Apollo Air and the Air+. Both offer USB-C quick charging with the battery case. This gets you over 24 hours of full playback.
One omission you won’t find on the Apollo Air is wireless charging. Qi chargers will be useless in this instance to recharge the Apollo Air. If you want this, you’ll have to upgrade to the Apollo Air+. In reality, it’s a $20 debate you’ll have to have with your wallet when considering models.
Conclusion
The Tronsmart Apollo Air wireless earbuds are another great addition to the company’s offerings. You get five-hour battery life, good sound, and a $70 price tag. This makes the Apollo Air a solid option for those looking to add wireless audio to their commuter bag.
You can snag these new Apollo Air earbuds from Amazon. The price is currently 10% off the full retail price of $70.
