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Google Home can now manage Google Nest Wi-Fi – Here’s how to do it

Andrew Allen
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Google has made a super simple mesh router system with the previously Google-branded, and now Nest-branded WiFi devices. Management of this has been done since launch over a mobile app aptly called Google WiFi. Recently, Google made the call to sunset this app and fully support the functionality through the Google Home app instead.

Moving the Google Wi-Fi options into the Google Home is a natural progression for Google and the smart home movement. This gives Cast, Nest, and now Wi-Fi a single app to help you manage all your home’s connected devices.

What are we doing?

Adding Wi-Fi management to the Google Home app simplifies Google’s networking under the same landing spot of other Nest and Smart Home devices. We are going to walk you through transferring your Google Wi-Fi options into the Google Home app.

Let’s head over to the Google Home app to get started. Once you know where to look, this new settings menu will be unlocked in just a few minutes. Afterward, you should see a new WiFi option on the main landing page for Google Home.

  • Find and open the Google Home app
  • Locate new banner at the top for Import Google Wi-Fi network
  • Follow prompt for choosing your home network to bring over
  • Agree to allow Google Home access to manage
  • Find the new WiFi section in the Google Home app

Home and Wi-Fi in one spot

There you have it! You should be able to uninstall the Google Wi-Fi app. Most of the overall functions of this app are now available via the Wi-Fi section of the Google Home app instead.

We’d suggest keeping it around for a bit though just in case. Even with the new options in the Home app, you may have some deeper settings in your network configuration that might take longer to migrate over.

Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G specs spill out ahead of next week’s debut

AndroidGuys
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As if we ought to be surprised, the main details have surfaced for the Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G ahead of their launch on September 30.

Included in the information are the anticipated processors, screen sizes, and camera configurations. We’ll have to wait a few days to find out how accurate the specifications are, but they come from reputable outlets.

According to WinFuture we can look forward to the following hardware in the Google Pixel 5.

Google Pixel 5

  • 6-inch 2340 x 1080 display with Gorilla Glass 6, 90Hz refresh rate
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB storage
  • Rear 12.2-megapixel camera with 4K 60FPS and 1080p 240FPS video recording
  • Rear 16-megapixel wide-angle camera with 107-degree field of view
  • Front-facing 8-megapixel camera with 83-degree field of view
  • IP68 water and dust resistant
  • 4,080mAh battery with wireless and reverse charging
  • Made from recycled aluminum
  • Support for sub-6GHz 5G

As for the 5G-ready version of the recently introduced Google Pixel 4a, WinFuture tells us to look for the following:

Google Pixel 4a 5G

  • 6.2-inch 2340 x 1080 display with Gorilla Glass 3
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor
  • 6GB RAM
  • 128GB storage
  • Rear 12.2-megapixel camera with 4K 60FPS and 1080p 240FPS video recording
  • Rear 16-megapixel wide-angle camera with 107-degree field of view
  • Front-facing 8-megapixel camera with 83-degree field of view
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • 3,800mAh battery with fast charging
  • Polycarbonate materials
  • $499 starting price

There are still a handful of unknowns for each device but all will be made clear inside of the next week. Google has a virtual press event scheduled for September 30.

Samsung Galaxy adds another star with S20 Fan Edition

AndroidGuys
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Samsung on Wednesday added another member to its Galaxy S20 family with the introduction of the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE).

With pricing that starts at $699, the S20 FE retains many of the popular and most-wanted features from the standard model.

The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition packs a large (6.5-inch) AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, triple cameras, and a generous 4500mAh battery with wireless charging capabilities.

The handset is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with 6GB RAM and houses 128GB internal storage. A microSD expansion card slot allows for up to 1TB external media.

The triple rear camera setup is comprised of a 12-megapixel main, 12-megapixel wide, and 8-megapixel telephoto lens. The front packs a 32-megapixel selfie camera.

Samsung Phone Buyer’s Guide (Fall 2020)

Rounding out the specs, the Galaxy S20 FE includes an in-display optical fingerprint reader, sub-6GHz 5G support, IP68 rating against dust and water, and NFC.

The phone will be offered in six colors: Cloud Mint, Cloud Navy, Cloud Lavender, Cloud Red, Cloud Orange, and Cloud White.

Availability

Pre-orders start immediately for the $699 Galaxy S20 Fan Edition with general availability on October 2. It can be purchased through a variety of wireless service providers as well as unlocked through Samsung.

Verizon will offer a version of the phone which also supports its mmWave 5G network. That model will be named the Galaxy S20 FE 5G UW.

Nokia refreshes portfolio with three phones, earbuds, and a speaker

AndroidGuys
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HMD Global, the manufacturer behind Nokia’s phones for four years running, on Tuesday announced three new handsets, a set of earbuds, and speaker.

The phones include the flagship Nokia 8.3 5G and the entry-level Nokia 3.4 and Nokia 2.4. And while the accessories are not its first, it signals an expansion into that space is actively underway.

Here’s a breakdown of the different handsets and their respective features.

Nokia 8.3 5G

As the phone of choice for James Bond in the upcoming film ‘No Time to Die’, the Nokia 8.3 5G is the first Nokia handset with 5G support.

Starting September 23, the $699 phone will be available to pre-order in the US through Amazon. It will also be sold through Best Buy in the coming weeks.

The Nokia 8.3 5G runs Android 10 at launch and is backed by two years of upgrades and three years of monthly security updates.

Key features include a 6.81-inch 2,400 x 1,800 pixel display, a Snapdragon 765G processor with 8GB memory. Internal storage is listed at 128GB with a microSD expansion card slot for up to 400GB external media.

The camera experience is a quality one to be sure, and includes ZEISS Cinema Capture and Editor mode. The software lets users give their footage cinematic effects like anamorphic and blue flares.

In terms of specs, the rear camera is comprised with a 64-megapixel f/1.89 main sensor, 12-megapixel ultra-wide (120-degree), 2-megapixel macro lens, and 2-megapixel depth sensor. Around front is a 24-megapixel f/2.0 camera with ZEISS Optics.

Rounding out the hardware are a 4500mAh battery, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, side fingerprint sensor, and dedicated Google Assistant button.

Nokia 3.4

Moving down the ladder a rung, the Nokia 3.4 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor with 3GB RAM and 64GB storage.

The handset offers up a 6.39-inch 720 x 1560 pixel screen, 13-megapixel and 5-megapixel rear cameras with a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a front-facing 8-megapixel camera.

Running Android 10, it will support Android 11 and see years of patches and software updates. Other details include a 4,000mAh battery, USB-C, a Google Assistant button, rear fingerprint reader, and microSD card slot.

Nokia 2.4

A decidedly entry-level phone, the Nokia 2.4 has a 6.5-inch display, 13-megapixel rear camera (with 2-megapixel depth sensor), and a front-facing 5.-megapixel camera.

Power comes from a Mediatek Helio P22 processor, 2GB RAM, and 32GB storage. A microSD expansion card slot allows for up to 512GB external storage.

The Nokia 2.4 runs Android 11 but is bolstered by two years of software updates and three years of monthly security updates.

Wrapping things up, the phone has a 4500mAh battery, Google Assistant button, rear fingerprint sensor, microUSB port, and 3.5mm headphone jack.

Nokia-branded Accessories

Also launching today is a range of new Nokia-branded audio accessories, starting with the Nokia Earbuds Lite and Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker. Additionally, it is introducing new protective cases for phones.

The Nokia Power Earbuds Lite are IPX7 rated against water and sweat, offer up to 35 hours of play time, and feature 6mm graphene speaker drivers.

The Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker deliver up to four hours of play time and include a built-in microphone for calls. Users can pair two of these speakers together for stereo output.

Mobvoi TicWatch C2+ Review

Jason England
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Mobvoi has garnered attention from the wearables market in the past with its innovative use of a secondary LCD display on the TicWatch Pro line. However, the TicWatch pro also has a more stylish cousin in the form of the TicWatch C2.

Recently, Mobvoi released an incremental upgrade that doubled the RAM. Dubbed the TicWatch C2+ and was kind enough to send us one out for review.

Design

The TicWatch C2+ is quite the looker featuring a stainless steel frame, leather strap, and a plastic underbody. It comes in three different colors–including the Onyx version I have here–as well as Platinum and Rose Gold models, if that’s your thing.

Compared to some of Fossil’s latest offerings, the TicWatch C2+ is slightly thicker at 12.7mm. However, that’s actually good news, because it houses a larger 400mAh battery. What that means is, longer battery life–and I’m sure every smartwatch owner can agree–the longer the battery life the better.

One of my biggest complaints about smartwatches made by Fossil and all of its sub-brands is the massive useless bezel around the display. The TicWatch C2+ does a much better job in this regard by using the metal frame to hide the majority of the bezel, leaving only a small black ring around the display. It looks much better and this is something I wish their major competitor would learn from.

On the flip side, I think Mobvoi could take a page out of Fossil’s book by adding a rotating crown to its smartwatches. That would have been a huge upgrade over the original C2, by not only adding an additional button, but also providing a way to scroll on the watch without your finger blocking the screen.

The display itself is a 1.3 inch AMOLED screen with a 360 x 360 resolution. It is sharp with good color and plenty bright enough to see outdoors in sunlight at max brightness.

The TicWatch C2+ comes with two straps, one is made of leather, while the other is soft-touch silicone. Out of the box, the watch will have the leather band on it.

The leather strap is not near as premium or comfortable as the one on my first-gen Moto 360– it actually feels rather stiff and cheap– but it gets the job done. The silicone strap, on the other hand, is softer and more comfortable to wear. It is a much better option for those looking to wear the watch while working out.

User Experience

One of my favorite features of the TicWatch Pro 4G is the sleep tracking. Unfortunately, Mobvoi has not seen fit to add this to the C2 series, and that is a pity. It’s a valuable feature that adds a lot of value to the watch.

An ambient light sensor is another popular feature the C2+ is missing. Without this handy sensor, you are forced to change the brightness of the display manually. This process can be very tedious if you spend a lot of your time going between the indoors and outdoors.

Finally, the TicWatch C2+ doesn’t have a speaker, which means taking phone calls on your watch will not be possible. Personally, I’ve never enjoyed taking phone calls on my watch and don’t even use that feature on smartwatches that support it. Regardless, it’s something you should be aware of if you’re in the market for a new watch.

Even without all the bells and whistles, you’d expect from a smartwatch in 2020, the TicWatch C2+ still manages to cover the basics for most smartwatch wearers. It tracks several exercises with the Mobvoi app, shows your notifications, allows you to control music playback, handles mobile payments, and with access to apps on the Play Store–it can do much more. Plus, it has one of the most accurate pedometers I’ve ever used.

Performance

The TicWatch C2+ is rocking the same Snapdragon 2100 processor as its predecessor, which is a big disappointment, especially considering the Snapdragon 3100 was announced back in 2018. However, Mobvoi did upgrade the RAM with an additional 512MB, for a total of 1GB of memory overall.

Despite using the now ancient SD 2100 processor, I found the performance on the C2+ to be rather snappy for a Wear OS device. That’s all thanks to the 1GB of RAM, which makes a huge difference. After using some watches with an SD 3100 and 512MB of RAM, I believe the additional memory makes a bigger difference than using a faster processor.

App

Mobvoi’s app is where it really sets itself apart from the competition. The interface isn’t the best, but what it lacks in style, it more than makes up for in function. The app acts as the hub for all of your health data the watch collects. This includes steps, active hours, exercise minutes, 24-hour heart rate monitoring, and exercise tracking.

In particular, I’m a huge fan of the way it displays your 24-hour heart rate data along with your steps on a graph. It also has a fantastic way of displaying your results after tracking exercise, plus it can even track swimming.

Battery Life

Mobvoi rates the TicWatch C2+ for up to two-day’s worth of use from a single charge. In my experience, the watch was able to make it a little over a day and a half with medium usage. If you were to use it lightly, it might be able to last two full days. Heavy users will have no issue making it a full day, and that’s about the best you can usually expect from a Wear OS watch.

Despite having exceptionally good battery life for a Wear OS smartwatch, you’re going to want to top it off daily. Rest assured though, with such a large battery, you can expect to get a full day’s use years into the future as the battery ages. And that’s more than I can say for some other smartwatches I’ve tried.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the TicWatch C2+ is barely an upgrade, it lacks the most recent Snapdragon 3100, a speaker, a rotating crown, ambient light sensor, and sleep tracking. The only real change is the additional 512MB of RAM, and that’s barely a reason to release an upgrade.

Fortunately, it starts at $209, which positions it as a decent stylish smartwatch with great battery life. It’s a pity though, with a couple more improvements, the TicWatch C2+ could have been one of the best Wear OS watches of 2020.

Buy from Amazon Buy from Mobvoi

Boost Mobile adds $100 Coolpad Legacy Brisa to roster

AndroidGuys
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Boost Mobile on Monday announced its latest smartphone, the Coolpad Legacy Brisa. The entry-level handset offers up a 6.53-inch FHD+ display and a dual-camera array on the back.

With an expected retail value of $99.99, Boost will offer its newest phone for $79.99 at launch. Moreover, it will make it available at no cost for consumers who switch from another wireless provider.

Other specifications in the Coolpad Legacy Brisa include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor with 3GB memory. Storage capacity is pegged at 32GB. A 4,000mAh battery should be strong enough to get most users through a day or two.

As far as cameras go, the Coolpad Legacy Brisa has 16-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors on the rear with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.

The Legacy Brisa is available as part of Boost Mobile’s “$hrink-It!” plan, which offers 15GB data for $45 per month. The monthly rate shrinks by $5 after three on-time payments and an additional $5 after six total on-time payments.

Boost Mobile, who is now owned by DISH, also recently introduced a “5 under $50” program which is comprised of five rate plans that cost less than $50 per month.

How to crossplay Among Us on Mobile with other platforms

Rizwan Anwer
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Among Us is a brand new twist on a popular game mode that is now more accessible than ever before. The game is an indie hit currently taking the internet by storm; it’s available for free on the Google Play Store and only $2.99 on Steam.

Whichever version of the game you own, we will tell you how to crossplay Among Us on mobile with other platforms, including iOS, Android, and PC.

How to crossplay Among Us on mobile with other platforms

The genius of Among Us is in its simplicity. Games are quick to set up and fun to play. All you need to do is work out how you will communicate with your participating friends.

Stuff to do before you and your friends join:

First, you will have to fill out your name at the top center of the game;  tap or click on the place where the Orange arrow is pointing.

Second, make sure you and your friends are all in the same region in the game. You can do it by tapping or clicking in the area shown by the yellow arrow.

The game currently has North America, Europe, and Asia.

These steps apply to any version of the game, but you have to make sure you and your friends are all on the latest version of the game.

To start, boot up the game and choose Online.

Next, Choose Host, followed by Create Game below it.

Now customize your match settings to your preference, choosing the map, No. of Impostors, the language of the chat, and the max players in your lobby.

Once you have configured your game, press Confirm.

Now you have to share the code at the bottom center of your screen with your friends.

Your friends will navigate to Online, Private, and choose Enter Code followed by the 4 letter code on the host screen.

Once they have entered the code, have them click or tap on the arrow next to the code.

A common problem faced here is people forgetting to put their names in. Make sure the name of the player is filled in at the top center.

With that, your friends will be able to join the code.

Once you have your desired number of players, you (the host) can tap on Start to start your game at the bottom right of the screen.

How to host a game locally

First, make sure that you and your friends are all on the same Wi-Fi network.

If you’re looking to host a game locally, all you have to do is go to Local.

From here, just tap on Create Game.

Your friends will now have to see the game when it pops up as an available game on the previous menu.

To customize your game in Local, you will have to navigate to the laptop, tap on Customize.

Tap on the Game tab at the very end.

With that, you are now set to play the game locally or with your friends in the same room.

Upgrading your phone? Do these things before selling the old one

Matt Adams
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The new Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Motorola Razr, and Google Pixel 4 are all beautiful devices tempting customers to part with their cash. They’re all great phones and worthy of attention.

If you’re considering these, or other phones, as a replacement or upgrade, you’ll have to figure out what to do with your current one. What to do? Throw it in a drawer? Make it a Wi-Fi only phone? Give it to the kids? Or, do you sell your phone?

While many carriers and retailers might tempt you with a trade-in credit for that current phone, sometimes you can do better selling it yourself. This is especially true if the device is a bit older.

Let’s take a look at the concept of selling your phone on your own. Here’s what you should know about the process, where to sell, and how to get the most money.

Where to sell your phone

You have several options of where to sell your device to maximize the amount you’ll get back. Three of the most popular options are eBay, Swappa, and Craigslist.

eBay

First up, eBay, is known all around the world and can attract a diverse audience. If you choose to, you can allow international customers to bid on your auction and ship it off to another country. This gives you a much bigger group of people to sell to thereby increasing your chances of selling (at a higher price).

Going internationally, you’ll need to consider that shipping costs will be higher. eBay has higher fees than the other two sites, and you will have to pay PayPal if you’re accepting payment through it as well. A good rule of thumb is to budget about 20% of your device’s sale price for shipping, eBay and PayPal fees.

Swappa

Perhaps the most popular choice for Android enthusiasts, Swappa offers excellent buyer and seller protections that eBay does not. Moreover, it also has expanded to include other gadgets and even gaming consoles and games.

As for phones, each device has its IMEI checked to make sure it isn’t blacklisted or on a payment plan from a carrier. The pictures of the device are also inspected by Swappa staff to make sure they match the description as well.

Craigslist

Another popular option is Craigslist, largely due to the lure of fast and easy cash. There are no fees associated with Craiglist; however, your audience reach is much smaller so you may not be able to get as much for your phone.

You also have the added risk of unsavory characters trying to pull a “fast one” on you. Do note that some police stations and local government offices now offer safe and secure spaces to conduct your transactions.

Be informative

As outlined in the section dedicated to taking pictures, when you’re spending money on a phone, you want to know everything about the device.

Be sure to write out any damage to the device like scratches, dents, or scrapes. Also, be sure to include if the device has been repaired or had a part like the battery replaced.

Indeed, this can work for you or against you, but you should always be honest about your listing. If not for it being the right thing to do, then do it because a buyer can always reverse a transaction if you’re found to lie about the device.

Be sure to list all the accessories that come with the device and what shape they’re in too. There’s a big difference between telling someone it comes with a case and a screen protector and telling someone it comes with a $100 Mophie case and a $50 tempered glass screen protector.

You’re selling this device for the most money you can get, so don’t be afraid to include those finer details.

Pricing and Offers

Never list the lowest price you’ll take for a device, even if you’re trying to sell it quick. Everyone loves a deal and you’ll almost never find someone who is willing to pay asking price for your device, no matter how reasonable it might be.

You’re always going to get an offer or two so post slightly above what you’re willing to take (even if it’s just $10!) to give yourself some wiggle room. Then, you can sell it for a price you’re happy with and your buyer can feel like they’re getting a deal.

Also, on sites like Swappa and eBay, potential buyers can make offers. It’s important to respond firmly but courteously to any offer, even if it’s a low-ball offer. Other potential buyers can watch these conversations and may not want to deal with a pain in the butt!

Once you’ve found an offer you’re willing to accept, be decisive and move quickly to wrap up the deal. Remember that there are always new devices being posted so, once you’ve found something you can live with, it’s not worth haggling over a few dollars.

After the Sale

Do not cheap out or get lazy when it comes to shipping! Be sure that you’re properly packing the device and its accessories in an appropriately sized box before you send it off.

I’ve had a few boxes show up at my door that look like they’ve gone through hell but because the seller properly packaged the phone, everything came out fine.

I prefer to ship smaller boxes with USPS because I can purchase and print postage right from my computer and have it picked up the next day with my regular mail. FedEx and UPS also perform scheduled pickups in some cases.

If you don’t have room for a roll of bubble wrap or a bunch of packing peanuts, then try using plastic bags from the grocery. They work well, too!

I would also encourage you to purchase insurance. I know the argument of paying for something I’ll probably never use, but I’d much rather pay $10 for shipping than have to refund someone $500 out of pocket for a lost or broken phone and have no recourse with the shipping service.

Conclusion

I’m a technology addict so I go through plenty of devices. These steps have never steered me wrong and I hope they help you out a little, too. The thing I try to remember at all times is to be honest about the device.

You’re trying to get the most money you can for your device, but if the buyer isn’t happy, you’re going to have a headache on your hand.

Best phone plans for $20 or less

AndroidGuys
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Surely you’ve seen commercials for cell phone carriers with lots of fanfare and hype for a plan that costs “only” $40-$50 per month. That’s hardly a bargain.

While it might be tempting to sign up with one of the big four carriers, there’s a whole range of other providers that might work just as well for you — and save you hundreds per year.

These Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) often cost much less per month but still provide the features consumers need. You might not get a ton of extra options like hotspots, free music streaming, or a ton of data, but that’s okay.

Rate Plans

If you spend a lot of time on Wi-Fi, or don’t travel all that much, we definitely suggest looking into the various MVNO brands.

$20 or Less

Here, we spotlight a collection of phone plans that you can get for just $20 per month, or less. Even better, you can keep the phone you already own and make the switching process almost seamless.

Nearly all of them are standard rates and don’t require any long-term commitment. Only a few are introductory offers or require automatic bill payment; we’ll call them out where applicable.

Mint Mobile – $15*

Our favorite of the bunch is the introductory offer from Mint Mobile. At just $15 per month, it gives subscribers unlimited talk, text, and access to 3GB of 4G LTE. What’s more, the data can be used for mobile hotspot.

Also included in the plan are free calls to Mexico and Canada. Feel free to use any of your existing unlocked phones here as it works on the back of T-Mobile’s network.

The plan goes up to $25 per month after the first 90 days, and it’s still a terrific bargain. But, opt for a 6-month or 12-month commitment and you’ll still come in at $20 or less.

Good2Go Mobile – $20

H2O Wireless – $18

  • Unlimited talk, text
  • 2GB 4G LTE data
  • International talk to 50+ countries
  • International text
  • Includes $2 Auto Recharge credit
  • Uses AT&T network

Net10 Wireless – $20

Republic Wireless – $20

Tello – $19

  • Unlimited talk, text
  • 4GB 4G LTE data
  • Calls to US, Canada, Mexico, China
  • Data can be used for mobile hotspot
  • Uses Sprint network

Ting – $20

Tracfone – $20

Twigby – $15*

  • Unlimited talk, text
  • Unlimited international texting
  • 3GB 4G LTE data
  • International calling and texting at no additional charge
  • Data can be used for mobile hotspot
  • *Introductory rate – goes up to $20 after six months
  • Uses Sprint and Verizon networks

Ultra Wireless – $19

  • Unlimited talk, text
  • 1GB 4G LTE data
  • Unlimited calling to 80+ countries
  • Data can be used for mobile hotspot
  • Uses T-Mobile network

US Mobile – $15

Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC Traveller Headphones Review

Jason England
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Up for review today are the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones from Beyerdnyamic. Priced about $250, you can get your hands on them today.

How do they sound? Are they comfortable? What about the app experience? Read on to learn what we thought about these headphones.

Design

At first glance, there isn’t anything too special about the Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones. They are mainly made of plastic with accents of artificial leather on the padded earcups and headband.

However, once you turn them on the light show begins with hidden lights inside of the earcups. The ring of light inside each earcup is activated by a sensor when removed and helps the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones truly stand out. It is unfortunate that you rarely get to enjoy this splash of light though, because most of the time it will be completely hidden while you are wearing them.

Not only do the lights look cool, but they also serve a purpose. Taking off the headphones and glancing at the color informs you of the current battery level, Bluetooth connection, and even which side is left or right.

Beyerdynamic has included rotating earcups that swivel on the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones. This design helps make them fold up into a compact shape to fit in the included case, as well as making them more comfortable to wear on your head or around your neck when not in use.

Comfort

The Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones use memory foam on the headband and the earpads, and unfortunately, both are inadequate in my opinion. The sparse level of padding on the headband is most apparent due to the heft of the headphones. You can really start to feel it on the top of your head after extended periods of time. The cushioning on the ear cups also left a bit to be desired. During my listening sessions, I could feel the inside of the headphones grazing up against my ears, which lead to some early-onset ear fatigue.

I wouldn’t classify the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones as uncomfortable by any means–but a little extra cushioning would have made a massive difference–especially if you plan on wearing these for long periods of time.

User Experience

The Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones incorporate touch-sensitive controls on the right earpad. Touch-sensitive controls have never been one of my favorites, but they work extremely well here. The most common commands include double-tapping to play/pause music and swipes to skip songs or adjust the volume. I found myself using these gestures often, especially the swipes, because of how convenient and reliable they are to use.

One issue I ran into while using the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones, was that they wouldn’t consistently power on and connect when sliding the power button. This happened more than a handful of times and required me to slide the switch back to off and back to Bluetooth up to one or two more times before it would connect. Perhaps this was user error, but I feel headphones should not be this difficult to power on.

Another minor gripe of mine, is that in order to update the firmware on the headphones, it required using a computer. This is the first time I’ve ever had to update headphones that didn’t utilize the app on the phone, and it seemed like a bit of an oversight to not include this capability. Especially when Beyerdynamic has a well-designed app for the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones.

App

The MIY app helps enhance your experience with the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones by allowing you to change the color of the light in the earcups, adjust the sensitivity of the touch controls, personalize the audio for your ears, and more.

In order to tailor fit the sound signature to your ears, the MIY app uses a hearing test. Beyerdynamic is not the first to try this, and my experience with these types of customizations has been mixed in the past. As far as the test itself, I found it to be more similar to playing a game, where your reaction time was being tested more than your hearing. I’d love for Beyerdynamic to tweak this to make it easier to take the test more accurately.

Regardless, the results from the MOSAYC sound personalization were actually positive in my experience. I found the adjustment elevated the mids and added a bit more depth to the sound overall. That’s far better than I can say for some others I’ve tried, so good job Beyerdynamic.

Unfortunately, the MIY app does come up short on a couple of features. For starters, there is no way to control active noise cancellation. That means, you cannot enable or disable it from the app, nor can you adjust the level of cancellation being used. This is a very common setting for headphones that include ANC, and I was disappointed to find it missing here.

Another feature I would have loved to see is an equalizer. Sure, you can rely on the hearing test to adjust the audio automatically, but some of us like to tweak the equalizer manually for our own preferences.

One unique feature from the MIY app that I’ve never seen before, is a way to monitor how much strain you’ve put on your ears for the day. I assume this is in an effort to protect your hearing, because it gives you statistics based on how long you’ve been listening and at how loud of a volume. It then provides you with tips such as, “Feel free to turn the volume up a bit.” I can’t say I would make much use of this feature, but if you’re someone concerned about your hearing, this may be useful for you.

Sound Quality

Overall, I was impressed with the sound quality of the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones. There was plenty of detail in the highs, although they were a little reserved so you won’t get an overly bright or crisp sound.

The soundstage was fairly wide, giving plenty of space for the instruments to breathe and provide separation, making it possible to hear all the layers in each track.

Finally, the bass was strong without being overpowering. As someone who enjoys a little extra kick of bass, I really enjoyed this. It may not be enough for bass heads, but if you prefer a little more in the low-end then these headphones won’t disappoint.

ANC

The Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones do a decent job at muting noise with active noise cancellation turned on. It’s not quite as good as flagship models from Bose and Sony, but it’s good enough. As long as you have the volume set to 40% or above, it should be enough to drown out repetitive noises in the background between the passive and active noise cancellation it provides.

Battery Life

Beyerdynamic rates the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones for a whopping 45 hours of playback time without ANC and 24.5 hours with ANC enabled. The majority of the time I was using them with ANC off and the battery life measures up to Beyerdynamic’s claims.

When it came time to charge them up, I was pleased to see that the Lagoon ANC Traveller headphones went with USB-C over micro USB. This has become more common in recent years, but I’m still thrilled when I don’t have to dig out a micro USB cable when a new gadget comes in.

If you ever do run out of juice on the go, don’t worry, because there is a 3.5mm headphone jack you can use as a back up. That is assuming your phone still has a jack, or that you didn’t forget or lose your dongle.

Final Thoughts

This was my first time with a pair of Beyerdynamic headphones, and overall, I have to say I was impressed. There is a lot of competition in this price range, and Beyerdynamic has done a fantastic job of combining stellar audio quality, smart features, and a long-lasting battery.

At the same time, they were also able to undercut other major players like Sony and Bose with a price of only $249. If you’re looking for a high-quality pair of ANC over the ear headphones that won’t break the bank, then I’d have no hesitation recommending the Lagoon ANC Traveller from Beyerdynamic.

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