Whether you realize it or not, “Big Data” is a pretty big deal. Big Data, for those who don’t know, is a data set so complex and massive that your standard data-processing software cannot process it.
Big data means large, diverse sets of information that grow at ever-increasing rates. Think in terms of the content stored on Facebook’s servers or the data Google gathers from smartphones and you’ll understand its scope.
As you can imagine, this has become increasingly important in today’s enterprise world. And with that, of course, come career opportunities.
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Mint Mobile is offering six months of free service or $90 in account credit to try to lure you away from your current carrier. This comes as Ryan Reynolds of Deadpool fame continues to try to shake up the wireless industry.
“I am so happy we keep finding new ways to bring value to an industry in dire need of it,” says Mint Mobile Owner Ryan Reynolds. “I wanted to launch Mint’s device program with an insane offer so we’re giving six months free with the very reluctant approval of the finance team. I appreciate their tepid support.”
However, like all deals, there is some fine print with this one. For starters, you’ll have to purchase a phone from Mint Mobile and six initial months of service. At this time, it also appears the only phones available for this deal are the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, and iPhone SE. Meaning, it’s the most accomodating promotion, if you’re an Android fan like we are around here at Android Guys.
Some of the other stipulations include, you have to port in your number from another carrier, and the free six months are for the 4GB per month data plan. Customers can choose to upgrade that plan to 10GB or 15GB, but then your free six months turns into a $90 credit with you footing the rest of the bill.
To wrap up, you have to buy one of three current iPhones, port your number in from a different carrier, and purchase an initial six months of the 4GB per month plan along with the phone. Then, and only then, will you receive an additional six months of free service from Mint Mobile.
That means if you purchase the cheapest iPhone SE model with six months of service you’re looking at a total of $489 for a new phone and one year of service. The iPhone 12 mini with the same promotion will set you back $819, while the iPhone 12 will run you $919.
As far as cellular promotions go, it’s not the worst. Most other carriers tempt you with a free phone that in turn is subsidized by locking you into a contract and two years worth of high-priced service. With Mint Mobile’s deal, it will net you a phone with one year of service without locking you into a contract. However, the phone will be locked to Mint Mobile but can be unlocked after a year of service.
When it comes to your mobile service, I’m sure you’ve heard all of the big names out there like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. However, I’m sure you’ve also noticed the premium prices each one of these mobile providers charges. Cell service through one of these carriers can oftentimes run you upwards of $60 or more a month for a single line.
What if I told you there was a cheaper way to get service using the same towers the mobile giants use? Welcome to the world of Mobile Virtual Network Operators, companies that lease the same towers as the big boys but charge a fraction of the cost.
One of those companies happens to be Xfinity Mobile, keep reading to find out more about this MVNO and the plans it offers.
About
In 2017 Comcast launched Xfinity Mobile as a contract-free MVNO carrier for Xfinity Internet customers. Meaning, unlike most other MVNO carriers, you must be an Xfinity Internet customer to sign up for Xfinity Mobile. It is believed Xfinity Mobile was started as Comcast’s response to AT&T’s jump into the cable business with its acquisition of DirecTV.
The backbone of Xfinity Mobile is a hybrid of cell towers leased from Verizon and millions of secure Wi-Fi hotspots provided by Xfinity. This means you should expect to get similar coverage to that of a Verizon customer, as well as access to fast Wi-Fi speeds to supplement your coverage.
Plans
All Xfinity Mobile plans have unlimited domestic calling and texting. When choosing your plan, the deciding factor will be how much data you need each month. No matter which you choose, all options offer access to 4G LTE and 5G access on Verizon’s towers, as well as access to millions of Xfinity’s secure Wi-Fi hotspots.
Data speeds will be throttled once you hit 20GB of use and you may experience slower speeds in times when the network is congested, which is where access to those Wi-Fi hotspots really comes in handy.
Unlimited data plans
As with many unlimited plans, the more lines you add the cheaper it becomes for each individual line.
$45 per month for one line
$80 per month for two lines
$100 per month for three lines
$120 per month for four lines
By the Gig data plans
With By the Gig plans, every line on your account shares the amount of data you’ve chosen. It will cost you $15 for each additional gigabyte if you go over your limit. Alternatively, you have the option to switch your plan at any time during the billing cycle to go up or down depending on your needs. The only restriction is that you cannot go to a lower data limit if you’ve already exceeded that amount.
$15 per month for 1GB
$30 per month for 3GB
$60 per month for 10GB
Can you bring your own device?
Xfinity Mobile is bring your own device friendly. To get started, you’ll need to check if your phone is compatible by entering the IMEI on this page.
Xfinity Mobile also offers a trade-in program if you don’t have a compatible phone or want to upgrade, as well as having an online shop to purchase compatible phones for its network.
Where to learn more
You can learn more about Xfinity Mobile, its plans, network coverage, and devices it supports by visiting the Xfinity Mobile website.
Starting today, Verizon will be selling the Motorola One 5G UW ace, their most affordable Motorola 5G handset yet. This phone represents the best of the best in Verizon 5G as well as the launch of the Verizon Adaptive Sound system.
Motorola One 5G UW ace
Here’s the key things you need to know about the new Motorola One 5G UW Ace phone
Screen Size
The phone has a massive 6.7″ FHD+ Max Vision Display
Camera
On the back, you’ll find a 48MP camera sensor
Processor
Inside the phone, you’ll find the Snapdragon 750G 5G Processor
Battery
This is all powered by a 5000mAh battery
Networking
The new Motorola phone connects to Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and will support Verizon’s upcoming C-Band enhancements
Security and Productivity
Thinkshield mobile protection equipped with AI and Verizon’s BlueJeans video-conferencing services both come preloaded on this phone.
Price
You can purchase the handset for $299.99 ($12.49/month for a year) or get it free if you’re a new Verizon premium unlimited customers
Verizon Adaptive Sound
In addition, Verizon announced Verizon Adaptive Sound today.
Verizon Adaptive Sound has been in the works at Verizon since 2019, and is a software and cloud solution that works to provide a surround sound experience across listening devices and media applications, even Dolby Atmos-enabled content.
Verizon Adaptive Sound works the second you start playing media and optimizes it automatically. You can control different settings like treble, bass, spatial, and voice.
The Motorola One 5G UW ace is the first with this feature, but they plan to bring this to future devices as well as update some existing devices with it in a software update.
Verizon is also offering some freebies, with “Start” and “Do More” unlimited users getting six months of Google Play Pass, or 12 months with “Play More” or “Get More” (usually $4.99/month). Verizon users can also get a free year of Discovery+ (normally $6.99/month).
While charging your phone is as simple as plugging it in or dropping it onto a wireless charger, the actual process requires quite a bit behind the scenes. The charger, cable, and your device all work together to produce a safe, fast charge.
In this article, we’ll examine what’s going on in each of those places.
The Charger
Voltage x Amperes = Wattage
Voltage is measured in volts and represents how much current can be transferred at any given time.
Amperes, measured in amps, is how fast that current can be delivered. These two numbers multiply to give you wattage, which is the number you’ll most likely see when buying chargers.
The USB-C PD standard implements a fixed voltage of 20V, and can have a current up to 5A, multiplying for a total of 100W. Manufacturer and charger company solutions might implement different standards and methods of attaining that wattage while still delivering a safe, full charge.
My Samsung 45W charger implements Programmable Power Supply (PPS) Technology and can charge at 3.3-11V/4.05A, 3.3-16V/2.8A, or 3.3-21V/2.1A.
Gallium Nitride (GaN)
As charging gets faster, usually we look for bigger and bigger chargers to support it. Moreover, in addition to faster charging, there’s the increasing danger of heat buildup. To address this and find a substitute for silicon, charger manufacturers have turned to Gallium Nitride (GaN).
Simply put, GaN can charge things at higher voltages while producing less heat. It can also produce much smaller chargers because heat dissipation is less of a concern and components can be placed closer together.
Anker employs GaN technology in its chargers
Wireless Charging
What about wireless charging? You’ve likely seen a pad or a dock or something similar in your life, possibly even using on. How does it work? I don’t really know either. It has something to do with magnets, and I guess that’s really the most important part.
A coil in your wireless charger pushes a magnetic current into the surrounding area, and then a coil in your phone picks up that current and therefore charges your phone. Or something.
Manufacturers have fast wireless charging, with some introducing 125W wireless charging. There are currently two wireless charging standards: Qi and PMA, though your phone will likely implement both, this allows for charging up to 15W.
Apple has also introduced Magsafe charging, which allows the charger to connect to the back of your phone while you’re still able to use your device, but this piggybacks off the Qi standard and therefore maxes out at 15W.
The Cable
USB-C or USB Type-C
Image courtesy of DataPro.net
Most modern consumer electronics implement USB-C in some form and prefer it over microUSB (also called USB Micro-B). USB-C was introduced in 2014 and has undergone many evolutions since then.
There are two main advantages of USB-C: It is reversible in that it doesn’t matter how the cord gets plugged in, plus it’s versatile to the point where it can replace most other ports you might need on a laptop. You can use a single cable to charge your device, power external displays, or transfer data.
The most common version of USB implemented currently is USB 3.2, though USB4 is already available. Here’s what you need to know about the different versions:
USB Version
Data Transfer Speed
3.2 Gen 1(Previously known as 3.1 Gen 1)
5Gbps
3.2 Gen 2(Previously known as 3.2 Gen 2)
10Gbps
3.2 Gen 2×2
20Gbps
USB4
20Gbps/40Gbps
USB versions and data transfer speeds
The USB 4 specification also brings optional support for Thunderbolt 3, which will be discussed shortly.
Power Delivery and PPS
USB-C also brings the Power Delivery standard, which supports power levels of up to 240W (this is new as of 5/26/21, so most devices will likely max out at 100W), bidirectional power capabilities, and better power management across devices.
An additional revision on top of that is PPS or Programmable Power Supply; however, it doesn’t affect speeds or long-term battery health by allowing for stepwise changes in both current and voltage.
E-mark/E-marker
E-mark is a chip within your cable (at least it should be if it supports high current charging) that helps your cable safely charge your device by identifying the cable and its current capabilities.
The Device
Milliamp Hours
You might also have heard of milliamp hours or mAh, which is what the capacity of your phone battery is measured in. Now, a number like 3,500mAh may not mean much to you, but all you basically need to know is the bigger, the better.
If you want to dig deeper into what this means, download an app called Ampere. This helps you understand the current discharge rate of your phone in milliamps.
Say your phone is discharging at a rate of 300mA and you have a full battery capacity of 3000mAh. Simply divide the total capacity by the discharge rate (3,000/300) and you get a total battery life of 10 hours.
Your manufacturer most likely gives you some indication of what’s using your battery and how long it will last. which will likely conflict with the number you got from trying to measure it and this is because your manufacturer follows and tries to learn how you use your phone and can therefore calculate a more accurate number.
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt is an improvement upon USB 3.2 produced by Intel. Thunderbolt 3 and 4 supports data transfer up to 40Gbps, dual 4K monitors, and support for external GPUs. As USB4 is compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and manufacturers can implement it for free, it will be interesting to see if phone manufacturers bring this functionality to future phones.
Qualcomm Quick Charge 5.0
Quick Charge has been an implementation in devices running on Snapdragon chips for years and helped deliver top charging speeds for years, but this has changed recently.
Quick Charge 5.0 piggybacks off of USB-C PD and the PPS standard and attempts to make charging that way safer and faster.
The biggest way this is implemented is with dual-cell batteries or even triple cell batteries, and it can boost the charge above Power Delivery’s maximum of 100W: this can be seen in action with the RedMagic 6 Pros’ 125W charging.
Manufacturer Solutions
The main solution that will be noted here is Oppo’s SuperVOOC, which is licensed and rebranded as OnePlus Warp Charge and Realme’s Dart charging. Right now this tops out at 65W of charging, though 125W charging will be expected to debut in phones later this year.
Xiaomi recently introduced 200W wired charging which can fully charge a phone in 8 minutes according to their videos. Huawei also has its own proprietary solution.
Charge up to 100% in just 8 minutes using wired charging and 15 minutes wirelessly! #XiaomiHyperCharge
How to keep your battery charged well and lasting for years
Most experts recommend keeping your phone charged between 30 and 80 percent and topping up when you use about 20 percent of your battery. Also, do not leave your phone plugged in overnight or on a dock. Instead, charge it up before bed and then unplug it and top it back up in the morning.
Recently we reviewed the GameSir X2 Bluetooth Wireless Mobile Game Controller which turns your phone into a Nintendo Switch like device. While this is great for handsets, what if you like to game on a tablet? GameSir has an answer for that, too, with the F7 Claw Tablet Game Controller.
Fortunately, GameSir was nice enough to send one out for us to review.
Key Features
Works with Android and Apple devices
Adds four physical tactile buttons for games with moveable on-screen controls
Battery life of 120 hours
Lightweight and comfortable to hold
About the Gamesir F7 Claw
When it comes to gaming controllers, the Gamesir F7 Claw is one of the most unique I’ve ever come across. It’s not a controller in the conventional sense, you don’t pair it to your device via Bluetooth, or even with a cord.
Instead, it adds a tactile way to activate on-screen buttons with physical triggers. However, since you have very little control over where the F7 Claw places the triggers on your screen, this means you’re going to need to use games that allow you to change the button placement. Fortnite and PUBG are two perfect examples of games that work well with the Gamesir F7 Claw.
In the box, Gamesir includes two controller units, one for the left side and one for the right. There is also a charging cable and some stickers to apply to the back of your tablet meant to help the F7 Claw better adhere to your device.
The suction cup mounts look pretty odd, but rest assured, they work great in securing the F7 Claw to your tablet. Occasionally, I had to press down on them to make sure they didn’t come loose, but overall, I experienced no issues with the F7 Claw staying attached.
Even though the F7 Claw doesn’t connect via Bluetooth, it still requires power to activate the button presses on the screen. That means you’re still going to have to charge both units up separately.
The good news is, it requires very little power, meaning battery life is stellar. Gamesir rates the F7 Claw for up to 120 hours of playing time and 200 days while in standby. So you’re not going to have to worry too much about charging it.
And speaking of charging, the GameSir F7 Claw is designed in such a way that it provides access to the charging port on your tablet. This makes it easy to stay powered up while gaming.
How well does it work?
Now that you know a little about how the F7 Claw works, the question is, does it work well? From my experience, if you play games that allow you to rearrange the buttons, then it works wonderfully.
Attaching the F7 Claw with its suction cup mounts is quick and simple. It holds onto the device well and adds a much more comfortable way to hold your tablet while gaming. The claw portion at the top does a good job of staying out of your way so you can use your left and right thumbs without issue.
Plus, adding physical trigger buttons for firing and jumping made games much more responsive and really gives you an edge. Additionally, there are also turbo buttons on the F7 Claw which can be programmed. I didn’t test these out myself but it’s a nice option to have.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a way to game more comfortably on your tablet or wanting to take your PUBG or Fortnite skills to the next level, then the GameSir F7 Claw is what you’ve been looking for. Not only does it make it more comfortable to hold, but you’ll also gain an advantage by having a comfortable way to mash away at the on-screen buttons.
You can purchase the GameSir Claw Tablet Gaming Controller from GameSir’s website for $39.99.
There are plenty of reasons to consider a career in cybersecurity. For starters there’s a seemingly endless array of employment options as well as excellent pay. Then there’s also the ever-changing and evolving landscape with new and exciting things that spring up.
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Even if you don’t plan on getting into cybersecurity as a career, you may want to give this one a look. You can use this newfound knowledge to protect your own data and home/office network.
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Cryptocurrencies have gone through a recent boom. After various coins hitting their all-time high (ATH) records, a large number of new people have started purchasing them. Whether you’re a serious investor or a casual buyer/user of cryptocurrencies, you need to be informed about the taxes that apply to these.
In the US, cryptocurrencies are considered property. They are taxable just like any other property, including capital assets like bonds and shares.
Who does this advice concern or apply to?
If you transact in cryptocurrencies to receive or send payments for services or products;
If you have invested in cryptocurrencies, regardless of the period, in hopes of an interest-based gain;
If you mine cryptocurrencies or receive cryptocurrency rewards as a result of freezing or staking your cryptocurrencies; or
If you receive cryptocurrencies as airdrops or during hard forks of existing cryptocurrencies;
Then you’re eligible for taxes in the US.
In a nutshell, cryptocurrency selling, conversions, payments, earnings, and donations are taxable.
For companies or individuals operating across multiple financial sectors, it may also be useful to understand licensing requirements in other jurisdictions, such as obtaining a Forex license South Africa, which can provide additional compliance insights and expand legal trading capabilities internationally.
Different countries and regions of the world have different rules and regulations regarding taxation policies on cryptocurrencies. In the US, however, all cryptocurrency-based transactions are taxed.
Crypto income: Is it a business income or capital gain?
It depends.
If you’re getting paid in cryptocurrencies for services or products then it’s just like ordinary income. If your business is receiving cryptocurrency payments, then it’s business income. In this case, this income will be clubbed with the rest of your income channels while filing returns.
The IRS considers all cryptocurrency incomes and payments as regular income and payments. As such, there’s no difference between the two when it comes to tax reporting.
Note that the price of cryptocurrencies tends to be volatile. As such, you’re only eligible to pay taxes on the USD-equivalent value of the cryptocurrencies at the time of receiving the payment or income. If its value goes up or down in the future and is very different from when you received the money when you’re filing the return, it changes nothing. The USD-equivalent amount at the time of the receipt of the cryptocurrencies will be considered to be the taxable amount by the IRS.
If you’re buying cryptocurrencies from crypto exchanges and specifically holding them to earn gains, then it falls in the capital gains category.
If you’ve received cryptocurrencies as income and then you chose to hold (preferably in a noncustodial non-exchange wallet) rather than liquidating it or converting it into USD/fiat, it will still be considered to be ordinary income, given the possibility that you can make a capital gain on the amount simply by holding it.
Which cryptocurrency transactions are taxable?
All of them. The IRS taxes all cryptocurrency transactions.
Cryptocurrencies are not considered currencies or even a form of transactions legally in the United States (and the majority of the world). As such, they’re taxable no matter which medium you use them in.
For example, these cryptocurrency transactions are taxable (not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a pretty clear idea of how they’re seen from a taxation standpoint):
Purchasing cryptocurrencies from exchanges for short-term gains.
Purchasing cryptocurrencies from exchanges for long-term gains.
Selling cryptocurrencies on exchanges to gain profits (or on a loss).
Selling cryptocurrencies that you’ve mined.
Acquiring cryptocurrencies via staking, freezing, or other blockchain consensus methods.
Acquiring cryptocurrencies via airdrops or blockchain hard forks.
All these are taxable cryptocurrency transactions.
Do you still have to pay taxes if your Bitcoin is stolen?
No. Your Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency such as Ethereum or Dogecoin) can only be stolen if your private key or seed phrase was given by you to someone else (which should never be done) given how cracking a cryptocurrency wallet is impossible as well as impractical.
If your Bitcoin was stolen, you simply don’t have that asset anymore. It’s as if you purchased an asset for capital gain but it turned out to be a scam. Now that you don’t hold that asset anymore, you have no compulsion to pay any taxes on it.
Note that you only pay taxes on capital assets that you own while filing your income tax returns. If you cease to own said asset, you’re no longer required to pay any taxes on the same. Not to mention it’ll be futile to try to gather profit data on the stolen asset as none of the profit will actually be your profit, but the stealer’s profit.
Tax tools for crypto
Given the surge in cryptocurrency investment, trading, and transactions – a great deal of cryptocurrency management and taxation software and tools have cropped up on the market. Not all of them are good, however.
Here’s a list of a couple of reliable and trustworthy tools you can use to better manage your cryptocurrency taxes.
CryptoTrader.tax: This is a platform that’s both easy to use and robust in its capabilities. You can choose to go with the CryptoTrader.tax service if you prefer a sleek, hassle-free way of generating tax reports. They also have a pretty decent support system for any queries or confusion. You can generate detailed tax reports using their system on all your cryptocurrency incomes and profits.
Koinly: Koinly is a great software. It combines two very important features: accounting and tax. Apart from the US, Koinly also handles tax calculation and reporting for 20 countries including Canada and Australia. The reports generated with Koinly can be directly submitted to the IRS. More specifically, you will be able to download a completed Form 8949 along with the Schedule D attachment in PDF format. It can be connected to multiple blockchains, exchanges, and wallets to automatically receive and sync data related to your cryptocurrency transactions.
How to minimize crypto taxes
Taxes are levied on all the cryptocurrencies you hold as assets or all the cryptocurrencies received as income. There’s no way to cut corners here. Cryptocurrency-based capital loss can be adjusted against cryptocurrency-based profits.
Long-term cryptocurrency holding gains (more than a year) have a lesser tax rate than short-term gains.
With the release of Chrome OS 91, Google has added a new feature that makes sharing files between your Android phone and Chromebook quick and easy. This new feature is called Nearby Share and it debuted on Android phones in 2020 allowing users to swap links, photos, and other files using a combination of Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth, WebRTC, and Wi-Fi.
It’s essentially as close as we’re going to get to Apple’s AirDrop technology on Android, and now you can even use it with your Chromebook. Keep reading below to find out how to get started.
Step One
Ensure your Chromebook is running the latest version of Chrome OS, Nearby Share wasn’t officially enabled until Chrome OS 91. You can view this by opening up the Settings menu, choosing About Chrome OS, and checking your current version.
If your Chromebook is running an older version of the OS, then you’ll first need to upgrade.
Step Two
Open the Settings menu, locate Nearby Share under the Network tab, and click the Setup button. This will run you through a setup wizard allowing you to name your Chromebook and choose which contacts will be able to share with you when your screen is unlocked.
Step Three
Locate a file you’d like to share using the Files app and choose the Share option. When the share sheet appears, choose the Nearby Share option and select the device you’d like to send the file to. This can also be accessed anywhere else you find the share option in Chrome OS.
Step Four
The person receiving the file will receive a pop-up at the bottom of their screen where they must accept the transfer before the file will be sent.
That’s all there is to it, but if you find yourself running into any issues there are a couple of things to check. For example, ensure that Nearby Share is also enabled on the recipient’s device and that both devices have Bluetooth turned on.
We recently tested out the T1 XS earbuds from the upstart FIIL company. While you may not know this tech team yet, it makes compelling devices in the mobile accessories space.
FIIL was nice enough to allow me several weeks with the other truly wireless earbuds in its lineup the FIIL CC2. Spoiler alert, I came away just as impressed.
Design
FIIL has done a great job of keeping things familiar and unique all at the same time with the CC2 earbuds. You have a teardrop stemmed earbud design similar to numerous other models from Apple, Huawei, and OnePlus. However, small tweaks are found in the squared shaping of the stem.
This along with the open-ended case make for quickly recognizable alterations in the normal look of this segment of wireless audio. While neither are winning design awards, it does make the CC2 stand out in a crowded market.
Sound
Above-average immediately comes to mind with the FIIL CC2 truly wireless earbuds. You will definitely find a more rich sound in some other devices, but I found the CC2 to have a good balance across the board.
The buds offer a good punch in the bass while not getting distorted or drowning out the mids and highs. If you’ve used the more basic designed earbuds without the silicone tips, this is pretty great. Again, the balance but without the “cup” of silicone covering a worthy feat.
This is especially true when the low latency mode is enabled. The option gives the earbuds a larger push with the Bluetooth protocol to increase the levels of data being transferred resulting in much higher playback quality. It cuts down on the connection range but is worth it in my opinion.
Controls
By default, the FIIL CC2 wireless earbuds only have a few touch controls. You can tap either earbud twice to play/pause music or answer/end a phone call. Holding for two seconds will reject an incoming caller or launch your favorite voice assistant otherwise.
I appreciate the simplicity of this approach by FIIL. While it’s nice to have the controls for volume and track available, many times this is a hit-or-miss reality with the small touch areas found on earbuds. Sometimes less is more.
However, if you miss all the other tap controls, they can be enabled by downloading the FIIL+ companion app from the Play Store. This adds additional interactions for a single tap and triple touch of each side of the earbuds.
Full control mode designates volume levels to the left earbuds and tracks alterations to the right side. A single tap of the left lowers the volume and a triple increases the audio. The same cadence of a single tap moves you back one track while three taps moves you forward in the playlist.
One fail I’ve yet to find the reason for other than possible misquoted documentation is that FIIL lists this device as supporting in-ear detection. While this is in the visuals of the Amazon listing, I have yet to being able to successfully get this option to work. With no mention of this on the box or internal manuals, I think this is just a marketing misprint.
Battery Life
Battery life is another win for FIIL with the CC2 earbuds. I’ve discussed in previous reviews that five hours is my must-have, and thankfully, FIIL gets around seven hours of playback per charge.
Combined with the charging case, you can then get up to 32 hours of total enjoyment. My testing has seen similar results although not the full 32-hour mark. I’ve consistently seen at least 28 hours off three recharges by the case.
With the included case, you will be able to top off the battery banks of both the earbuds and portable case cells. FIIL has made sure the modern standard of quick charge over USB-C is onboard. Unfortunately, you don’t get wireless charging capabilities.
Final Thoughts
I’ve always been partial to the design of the traditional earbuds found on the FIIL CC2 earbuds. My ears just don’t allow a good fit for most of the silicon tipped models available. This industrial engineering paired with the great performance has left me very impressed with the FIIL CC2 wireless earbuds.
I would have a hard time not recommending this headset to anyone. And they look good too! Combine all these positives with a sub $70 price tag and you have one of my favorite earbud options of 2021. You can snag a set for yourself through FIIL’s Amazon listing.
