Home Blog Page 700

Help save trees when you play SEEDS – The Magic Garden

Jason England
-
0

How would you like to save a tree and make the world a little greener next time you play a game on your phone? That’s exactly what Znavit and the World Land Trust are looking to accomplish with SEEDS – The Magic Garden. Together they have teamed up to help you save and plant trees all over the world by simply playing a game on your phone.

On the surface, SEEDS – The Magic Garden is just another match game. However, its main purpose goes deeper and that’s to make a difference in the real world by saving trees.

A game for those who care about the environment

Through in-game currency you can save trees and if you finish the game one will be planted in your name. You’ll be presented with a certificate from the WLT that can be downloaded and shared with your friends.

The gameplay in SEEDS – The Magic Garden involves you accompanying a bettle-cat named Arni in a quest to save nearly extinct plants. In order to do this, you must match color blocks, use a variety of boosters, build root paths, and help grow 30 extinct plants. Along the way, you’ll have to watch out for toxins, explosions, and other hazards.

The Key Features include:

  • Experiencing unique puzzle gameplay that lets you grow magical plants.
  • Developing your skills in a training mode with unlimited lives.
  • Growing 30 different plants with 3 different stages as you complete dozens of levels.
  • Creating larger plants based on your skill level.
  • Receiving additional lives without bugging your friends.
  • Keeping track of the plants you’ve already grown on a colorful level map.
  • Helping protect the environment by having a real tree planted on your behalf.

Most games only reward you with a worthless digital trophy or high score, but with SEEDS – The Magic Garden you are actually leaving behind a real-life tree in the world.

So, on your next work break or next time you’re waiting in line somewhere, take a few minutes and make a real difference in the world. SEEDS – The Magic Garden is available now on Android and iOS.

HTC announces CryptoKitties support for its U12+ flagship

Alexandra Arici
-
0

In the smartphone market, HTC has been struggling for a few years now to compete with the titans of the industry. But sales and popularity for the company’s devices falling year-by-year.

The launch of the latest HTC U12+ flagship doesn’t seem to have helped the situation much, as the company recently announced it will be laying off a huge portion of its workforce in Taiwan.

The phone has received a lukewarm reception from the general public. But HTC still hopes it can get customers to change their mind. This week the Taiwanese OEM announced it has partnered up with CryptoKitties for the U12+. And “many other selected HTC phones”.

If you haven’t heard, CryptoKitties is a game which lets you collect and breed one-of-a-kind virtual cats and is based on blockchain technology. The game which launched in December 2017, become so popular it actually clogged the ethereum network. And now a mobile version will start rolling out soon.

Will the announcement help rekindle interest for the HTC U12+?

Although the U12+ is not a blockchain smartphone, the company will probably make the CryptoKitties available to users via a downloadable app. CryptoKitties is currently only available on desktop operating systems.

Blockchain is traditionally used in the creation of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the technology can also securely create, store and track ownership of digital assets with real value.  In the case of CrytoKitties, it’s used to secure buying, selling and trading of the virtual felines.

Since the kitties are based on Ethereum tokens, it appears like HTC will have to provide some type of Ethereum token wallet for people with compatible phones. But the company has yet to share the exact details of how this will work.

The partnership with CryptoKitties comes as HTC is preparing to launch the Exodus, which the company is calling the world’s first native blockchain phone.

The Exodus will come equipped with a cold storage wallet to keep cryptocurrencies offline and safe from cyber attacks. And also it will support decentralized apps including CryptoKitties.

Send money to friends and more with the recent update to Google Pay

Jason England
-
0

Google is rolling out new features to Google Pay starting with the ability to send money to your friends. This functionality existed previously in Google Wallet if you can remember back that far.

Later, it was spun off into Google Pay Send, a separate entity from Google Pay, and now Google has finally rolled it into Google Pay. It would have been better to see this at launch, but better late than never. For now, this is only available in the US but it will be coming to the UK soon.

Google Pay gains a few new handy features

Along with this new feature, Google is making it even more convenient to request money or split the check with friends. With the press of a button, you can send or request money from friends and family members. While splitting the bill is as easy as choosing a recent transaction and choosing split the cost.

Google Pay Boarding Pass

Google Pay now also allows you to store boarding passes and tickets from partners such as Ticketmaster and Southwest. No more printing and no longer will you have to worry about keeping track of these little slips of paper when your phone is always on you anyways.

More companies are expected to join in the future including Eventbrite, Singapore Airlines, and Vueling. After your tickets have been saved you’ll find them under the new Passes section in the Google Pay app.

Google Pay Web

Google Pay is coming to a browser near you. Now that Google Pay is more useful than ever there is also a new convenient way to manage your payments through the pay.google.com site.

Check your activity, send or request money, manage payment methods, and more all from your browser. While I wish all of this would have been available much sooner it’s great to see Google Pay improve, gain new features, and become more useful.

Awair 2nd Edition wants to improve air quality in your home

Alexandra Arici
-
0

More people than ever are living in urban environments, where dirty air, noise and other pollution factors abound.

Large urban agglomerations inevitably lead to air pollution. But despite the significant impacts on human health, we still lack the necessary tools to tackle the issue at large.

Fortunately, there’s something you can do to improve air quality inside your own home. From intelligent air quality monitors creator, Awair comes the new Awair 2nd Edition. This is a device designed to help those suffering from allergies and breathing problems. But also families who want to eradicate dangerous pollutants from their lives.

Awair: know what’s in the air you breathe

Awair’s new solution can monitor five key air pollutants which can cause serious health issues. These include fine dust, chemical (Volatile Organic Compounds), CO2, humidity and temperature.

Although the design and basic feature set haven’t changed much from the previous version, the 2nd edition adds the ability to recognize and track fine dust (PM2.5). Fine dust particles do not just cause respiratory problems such as bronchial and asthmatic diseases, they also increase the chance of cerebrovascular diseases and certain cancers.

Fine dust particles are most commonly produced when fossil fuel is burned. But they are also created in homes due to smoking, cooking, burning candles and lighting open fires.

To keep you informed at all times, the monitor sports a LED display on the front which notifies users in real time about the quality of air in their home. Most importantly, it provides personalized solutions on how to keep pollutants’ levels down. The Awair monitor will also alert you of any potentially dangerous changes via a companion smartphone app.

What’s more, the new model also features a Sleep Report feature, to help you optimize your bedroom and get a better night’s sleep.

Other uses for the device including monitoring allergies and optimizing air quality in an infant’s room. Speaking of which, creator Ronald Ro was actually inspired to create the original Awair after his baby was found to be suffering from eczema.

The Awair 2nd edition is compatible with a number of smart platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest and other IFTTT smart devices. It’s available for purchase for $199 from the official www.getawair.com website.

YouTube for Android just got a new Incognito mode, here’s how to use it

Alexandra Arici
-
0

YouTube for Android recently received an important update which adds a new feature called Incognito.

Google has been testing this option for months and now the tool is live for people who are using YouTube on their Android devices. Just like Incognito Mode in Google’s Chrome browser, Incognito Mode for YouTube lets you browse content in private.

So if you ever wanted to hide your Despacito addiction from your partner, Incognito mode is here to help you get away with it. Most importantly, when the feature is enabled, Google won’t use your search history to serve up video recommendations.

With Incognito mode is on, you may see recommendations that are of no interest to you. That’s because once you close Incognito all your activity will be cleared and forgotten. Instead, you will simply see videos that are trending for the day. Nothing wrong with that.

If you have yet to try out this handy new feature in YouTube, you can go ahead and do so. It’s super easy.

How to turn Incognito mode on in YouTube

  1. Make sure you have the latest version of the YouTube app on your Android device. Navigate to the Google Play Store, search for the YouTube app and tap on it and check to see if there’s an Update button next to the Uninstall one.
  2. Open the YouTube app on your Android device.
  3. Tap on your account profile picture located in the top right corner.
  4. Simply tap Turn on Incognito.
  5. A pop-up will show up explaining what it means to go Incognito. Tap “Got it”.
  6. Now you can browse undercover. A small black bar at the bottom of the displays will remind you that “You’re Incognito”

How to turn Incognito mode off in YouTube

  1. Had enough? Reverse the situation by tapping the Incognito icon in the top right corner.
  2. A pop-up menu will show up.
  3. Tap Turn off Incognito
  4. Voila! You’re back to seeing personalized recommendations.

That’s it, folks! Go ahead and try it out for yourselves.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will be here in a few weeks; here’s what to expect!

AndroidGuys
-
0

Samsung is expected to introduce its Galaxy Note 9 at an event in Brooklyn, New York next month. Taking the stage on August 9, we anticipate one heck of an experience out of the phone. The rumors have been flowing consistently the last few weeks and fans of the big-screen device are in for another great release.

 

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 3 rumor roundup

With only a few weeks to go before its introduction, things are starting to shore up nicely on the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rumors frontier.

Let’s take a look at what we ought to expect from Samsung next month!

Design

The current Samsung Galaxy Note 8 comes with a metal/glass body with curved edges and a dual-camera setup on the back. In essence, the Galaxy Note 9 will keep much of the same design. Most likely the upcoming plus-sized phone will bear similar aesthetics to its predecessor and recent brethren.

The bezels on top and bottom should be a tad slimmer than last year, although the differences won’t be considerable. Everything we’re hearing suggests the Note 9 will not stray far from the Note 8 build.

Colors

Samsung often intros its phones with unique colors for its handsets, turning to blues, purples, browns, and reds. Of course there’s always white and black options, too. As for the upcoming Galaxy Note 9, it appears Samsung is

Notch Your Preference?

We don’t anticipate that the Galaxy Note 9 will come with the notch at the top of the display. This is good news for some, bad news for others, but likely not going to matter to the masses. Reportedly, Samsung is going to stick to the design language that fans know and love — at least through this generation.

Fingerprint Sensor

Perhaps one of the hottest bits of gossip for the next-gen phone is that it might feature a fingerprint reader in/under the display. While it would be quite a departure, and really cool selling point, it doesn’t look to be happening, yet.

According to sources at SamMobile and ChozunBiz, Samsung will keep its new tech for the 2019 take of the Galaxy S series. Prominent, and oft-accurate leaker Ice Universe also reports that “it is almost certain” that it’s not coming to the Note 9.

Screen

Galaxy Note 9 concept

The screen size is expected to grow a smidge, says a report from SamMobile. Moreover, a post from The Bell dovetails with the rumor, with bot putting it at 6.4-inches. Given that bezels can shrink ever so much, and the Galaxy Note 9 is likely to have the 18:9 aspect ratio, it means more screen in a smaller body.

We expect the device to boast a beautiful Super AMOLED display like always, quite possibly with Mobile HDR. In terms of resolution, the Note 9 could launch as Samsung’s first 4K handset. Although for now, we haven’t seen leaks suggesting a resolution increase.

Before we go on and talk about hardware, it’s worth reminding you about an interesting possibility.

Hardware and Performance

Like the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, the Note 9 will get the Snapdragon 845 treatment. That is, of course, provided leaked benchmark tests prove accurate. Some models will likely get Samsung’s Exynos chip, depending on the market.

The Galaxy Note 8 has 6GB RAM so we expect at least this much in the 2018 model. We are seeing select phones, such as the OnePlus 6, shipping with 8GB of memory so it remains to be seen what Samsung does here.

As for internal storage space, the base version of the Galaxy Note 9 might arrive with 128GB of storage. A recent rumor says that Samsung could go as high as 512MB of space. That will depend on your market, though.

When it comes to battery life, we might look for either a 3850mAh or 4,000mAh power source.

Cameras

Huawei kicked off a new trend in mobile photography with its P20 Pro, having ushered in a device with three cameras on the rear. Will Samsung do the same for its big-screen experience? It doesn’t appear that will be the case just yet; the triple-cam setup might make its way to Samsung’s Galaxy S10.

We’ll just have to wait and learn more but we dare speculate the Note 9 will take advantage of a dual-camera with variable f/1.5-f/2.4 aperture much like the Galaxy S9 Plus.

Samsung will probably opt for the same telephoto lens and wide-angle dual-camera setup for the back. The Galaxy Note 8 was the first to bring dual optical image stabilization into the fold so we anticipate the Note 9 will come with some worthy enhancements — be it in the form hardware or software.

Audio

Samsung focused heavily on audio this year, outfitting the Galaxy S9 with a pair of AKG-tuned stereo speakers. On top of that, there’s improved bass performance, less distortion at higher volumes, and access to Dolby Atmos surround sound tech. We expect the Galaxy Note 9 to borrow some of these features when it arrives.

Software

The Note 9 will arrive with Android Oreo (hopefully, the latest version) with its own Samsung Experience software on top. Moreover, it will also introduce a refreshed Bixby 2.0 interface and smarts.

At MWC 2018, CEO DJ Koh said that the latest version of Bixby will be introduced alongside the phone, adding Samsung is looking to develop an ecosystem of products for Bixby 2.0. Samsung already confirmed a Bixby-powered speaker is on the way.

S Pen

Because it’s not a Galaxy Note without an S Pen stylus, the next-gen phone is rumored to get its biggest S Pen overhaul to date. Recent chatter purports that it will feature Bluetooth technology in the pen itself.

As to what that really means to users isn’t clear but it may open the door to voice recording, making and taking calls, and/or writing on physical paper with the phone detecting and capturing digital copies.

Availability

Confirming a Bloomberg report, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will make its formal appearance on August 9.

Price

Nothing has surfaced yet regarding price, but we anticipate something similar to what Samsung did for the Galaxy Note 8. In other words, maybe around $900-$950. With only a few weeks to go before the rumored debut, we should learn more soon.

Featured Image via DBS DESIGNING

Huawei’s TalkBand B5 wearable/Bluetooth headset is now official

Alexandra Arici
-
0

Update: Today, Huawei officially unveiled the TalkBand B5. Aside from doubling as a pop-up Bluetooth headset, the wearable also offers a few fitness options. Like the ability to track activities such as running, walking and cycling and perform 24-hour heart rate monitoring (thanks to its heart rate monitor).

What’s more, since the TalkBand B4 is IP67-certified, the device can be worn during other types of workouts such as swimming.

The new wearable features a 1.13-inch AMOLED display with 2.5D glass on top and can be paired with an Android or iOS device. The battery has a 103 mAh capacity and Huawei says it can last up to 3 days of use.

The company confirmed that some features will be restricted to owners of Huawei or Honor phones. So if you own a Samsung or a Motorola handset, you won’t be able to get caller ID or the ability to mute calls.

Huawei will announce pricing for the fitness band next week on July 18. Sales in China are expected to commence two days later. No word on a possible international release just yet.

Original story:

Huawei is gearing up to roll out a new hybrid wearable device in the near future. It’s called the TalkBand B5 and is the successor of the TalkBand B3 which launched back in 2016.

Since the number “4” is considered to be unlucky in China, Huawei is jumping from 3 straight to 5 with this new release.

And this week we got to take a look at the upcoming fitness tracker, courtesy of prolific leakster @evleaks. Just like its predecessor, the TalkBand B5 is a pretty special wearable. Its display also doubles as a wireless Bluetooth earpiece that users can pop out and place in their ear.

Obviously, you’ll be able to pair the device with your Android or iOS handset, and use it to listen to calls or streamed music.

The wearable might arrive on July 9

No info about specifications of the device is provided by Evan Blass. However, we can assume the fitness tracker will be able to monitor certain physical activities like running, walking, climbing or sleeping. The device should also be capable of counting steps and burned calories.

The new Huawei TalkBand B5 was just announced

The TalkBand B3 features an iP67 rating which allows it to be submerged in up to 3ft and 3 inches of water for up to 30 minutes. So we can speculate the upcoming TalkBand B5 will also offer some kind of rating.

Huawei will probably make some improvements internally. For example, the B3 relies on a 91 mAh battery, so this year’s model might very well implement a larger power source.

When can we expect to see the wearable land on the market? It’s a mystery at this point. Although the July 9 date is displayed on the screen in the render. So chances are the Huawei TalkBand B5 could arrive as soon as next week.

In related news, Huawei has recently patented a wearable that can house a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. Interestingly, the headphones could come embedded in the strap of the watch.

Of course, this is just a patent, so it can’t be taken as a confirmation that the company will actually end up developing this product.

Three weeks later: Pokemon Go friends, gifts, and trading

AndroidGuys
-
0

With the latest Community Day behind us, and a lot of momentum around the game, you’re probably hearing a lot about Pokemon Go this summer. The game is incredibly fun and only get better with time. And, it seems that every time you turn around, there’s another event or incentive to play. It makes sense that it’s more popular now any other time since it launched two years ago.

If you are new to the game, welcome. If you’re returning after some time away from it, welcome back. Things have changed quite a bit since you last checked in, we’re sure. Most noteworthy of the differences is the friendship, gifting, and trading capabilities.

Let’s dive into what you should know about how Pokemon Go friendship works and what it means to players.

Friends

Players who are level 10 and higher can now add other players as “friends” in the game.  Once done, they can send each other gifts and trade Pokemon between them. Now, before you think about sending off that Mythical Mew you’ve worked so hard on, you should know a few things about the mechanics.

Having carefully thought about how this would work, and factoring in the propensity for people to want to game or cheat the system, Niantic has set up a few rules and stipulations.

Friends are just that, people you want to keep in touch with or take down gyms together. Or, if you like to get together in groups and go on raids, these are the people who will see the most benefit.

There are four levels of friendship which can be raised over time with regular cooperation and tasks. After entering in a unique code (Trainer Code) you’ll be able to see what your buddies are up to, including seeing the recent catches. You can also see what level they are and how they’re progressing toward the next one.

Ranking Up

To rank up your friendship level you can send your friends gifts; more on that in a moment. The higher the friendship level, the more benefit you get when it comes to other game mechanics. Indeed, the benefits will work on top of weather boosting and other bonuses.

Once you boost your friendship levels you’ll find that you get discounts on trading between one another. Moreover, you also get raid and gym battle bonuses, too.

In other words, your close friends and family members that you spend time with raiding and battling will benefit. Your attacks will be stronger and you’ll have better chances at capturing raid bosses.

The longer you are friends with someone, the cheaper it gets to trade with them, too. After just one week of sending and/or receiving gifts you’ll go from Good to Great. That’s the first level of discounts and bonus. After 30 it becomes Ultra; after 90 you’re Best Friends.

Friendship Levels at a Glance

Here’s a quick breakdown of the various levels and the rewards for each.

Good Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals

Great Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals
  • 1X discount on Trades
  • 1X Attack Bonus in Raiding and Battles
  • +1 Premiere Ball in Raids after defeating boss

Ultra Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals
  • 2X discount on Trades
  • 2X Attack Bonus in Raiding and Battles
  • +2 Premiere Balls in Raids after defeating boss

Best Friend

  • Trade all Pokemon except Mythicals
  • 3X discount on Trades
  • 3X Attack Bonus in Raiding and Battles
  • +4 Premiere Balls in Raids after defeating boss

How to Rank Up

You can increase your friend levels once per day and you have a cap of 200 friends in total. More friends may be available in the future, but that’s where it’s maxed out as of today.

  • Good: 1 day
  • Great: 7 days
  • Ultra: 30 days
  • Best: 90 days

Battles and Raids

Note that the bonuses you receive, such as the extra Premier Ball(s), cannot be stacked. In other words, you can’t roll up to a Raid with five Best Friends hoping to score 20 extra balls to catch that legendary Pokemon. You are limited to the highest friendship level of the person raiding with you at the time. If you are raiding with a mixture of Good, Great, and Best friends, you’ll get four balls.

Gift

Spinning a PokeStop will give you a special gift. These gifts cannot be opened by you and will only benefit the person who receives it. The items can be any number of things, including rare items such as an egg that hatches an Alolan form of a Pokemon.

Niantic has adjusted the gifts a little bit since first launching this feature. They’re more dialed down than at release but still helpful. A few friends sending you gifts each day could help stock you up on potions, balls, and revives.

You can open up to 20 gifts per day and you can send as many as you’d like. What’s more, you can hold up to 10 gifts in your items. These do not affect your inventory count so stockpile them for the next day or two if you get the chance.

Things to Know

  • You cannot use the gift yourself — it’s designed to be sent.
  • You have no idea what is inside until your friend opens it
  • The gift will include a postcard which highlights where it was picked up
  • Gifts will be a random assortment of items, including a special 7km egg which could be an Alolan form Pokemon
  • You can check the news section to see what your friend received after the gift was opened

Trading

Trading is perhaps the biggest thing players have asked for since the game started in 2016. It arrives not a moment to soon, and really looks to change the way players interact with each other.

Not only does the game allow you to trade between players from around the community, but it encourages and benefits you, too. In fact, there’s even something set up to reward you for trading Pokemon that you’ve picked up from your vacation or road trip.

Trading Requirements

In order to qualify for trading, your Pokemon GO Level must be 10 or higher. Moreover, it will cost you Stardust to trade Pokemon so make sure that you’re keeping some back instead of using it to power up and evolve.

Things to Know

  • You will need to be within 100 meters of your friend in order to conduct the trade
  • A regular trade will run you 100 Stardust
  • Individual Values (IV) are randomly re-determined when you transfer from one player to another.
  • Candy Bonus will depend on how much distance is/was between the two Pokemon locations when they were caught or hatched. Pokemon who were caught 100KM apart (or higher) will earn the maximum bonus.

Knowing exactly how players would try to build up a perfect arsenal of Pokemon, Niantic was smart in making trades automatically and randomly generate CP and HP. All of those guys using multiple accounts hoping to move them a bunch of perfect Pokemon to one are going to be out of luck.

When trading between friends occurs, the game will show a range of potential CP and HP. This range adjusts based on your friendship levels as well as the level of the player, too.

If you have a Pokemon with perfect stats (attack, defense, stamina), don’t trade it. Sit on it and use that Pokemon in battles and raids. Why? Because as soon as you trade it, those stats change and your friend ends up with something different.

On the other hand, it’s already being reported that people who have traded less than perfect Pokemon with each other are getting 100% IV ratings in the re-roll.

Special Trading

If you want to trade for Legendary, Shiny, or one not currently in your Pokedex, it will cost you more Stardust. These “Special Trades” can require up to 1M Stardust, depending on your friendship level. What’s more, you are limited to one Special Trade per day.

If you thought you would just coordinate a meetup where everyone walks away with a full Pokedex, you’re wrong. The system will reward players who largely play together or spend time near one another. Families and friends are going to benefit the most.

This is not to say that you won’t meet up with someone at the next Community Day and leave with a Mr. Mime. You’ll pay more for it, of course, and you’ll have to figure out if that’s the Special Trade you want to make that day.

Keeping in mind that you have to be within 100 meters of your friend to trade, it rules out the possibility of someone harvesting a bunch of regional Pokemon to be traded with players in another country. Niantic wants you to trade, but it doesn’t want to make so easy to fill out your Pokedex.

What Else?

As is the case with everything we’ve seen in Pokemon Go so far, things are always subject to change. Gifts could get better with time or change for limited periods, battle and raid bonuses could be tweaked, or the way you handle friends in the app might operate differently.

If you want to keep up with the official Pokemon Go community, be sure to check their blog or follow them on Twitter. Moreover, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on Niantic’s account, either. This way you’ll know what changes to expect, and when.

TicWatch Pro smartwatch with two displays promises monster battery life

Alexandra Arici
-
0

Update: The dual-display TicWatch Pro went on sale in the US. Customers can pick up from Amazon in exchange for $249.

The watch is IP68 rated for water and dust resistance and runs Google’s Wear OS out of the box. Most importantly, the TicWatch Pro claims to be able to offer a battery life of up to one month in what it calls Essential mode. This uses only the top display and some key sensors while turning Wear OS and all the smart features off.

Alternatively, when Smart Mode reaches low battery, Essential mode can automatically be turned on so the watch can last for another three full days.

Original story:

Since Google rebranded Android Wear to Wear OS, we haven’t seen any new major smartwatch announcements.

Well, this changes this week as Mobvoi has unveiled a new intelligent timepiece which runs Google’s wearable operating system. It’s called the TicWatch Pro and comes with an intriguing feature.

One of the biggest complaints with smartwatches is the need to recharge them as often as a smartphone. Mobvoi aims to solve this wide-spread issue by employing not one but two displays on board the TicWatch Pro.

Aiming to cut power consumption, the new TicWatch Pro has a circular primary OLED touchscreen and a second transparent FSTN LCD on the top of that display. And while the secondary screen might not be as pretty as the OLED, it’s certainly more power efficient.

How does it work?

When you’re not actively using the TicWatch Pro, the low-power monochrome display will show essential info such as time, date, and a few basic metrics including heart rate, power status and the number of steps taken. This is called Essential mode and basically it turns off all the Wear OS features and leaves you with a “dumb” watch instead.

Since the secondary screen is transparent, when you want to use the watch to its full potential or in “Smart Mode”, the LCD will clear and you’ll be able to see the OLED. Users will be able to manually flip between the two screen or leave the smartwatch to decide.

Mobvoi says the TicWatch Pro can last up to 30 days on a single charge in Essential mode or 2 days in Smart mode with the watch switching between its two screens.

On top of its fancy display setup, the TicWatch Pro also comes packing NFC for Google Pay, a heart rate sensor, fitness tracking. Mobvoi notes there’s even potential for an LTE model for the US.

The standard model is expected to be priced under $300 and will go on sale this summer. You can subscribe on the Mobvoi website to get updates about the upcoming wearable.

UE Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker review: The little speaker that could

Josh Noriega
-
0

Most of us picture a slim cylinder when we think about Ultimate Ears portable wireless speakers. This has been the company’s signature design from the original Boom series to the newer Blast and Megablast. But UE also offers a smaller and cheaper alternative, which which hasn’t gotten as much attention. Maybe this is why the follow-up to the Roll 2 has seen the biggest change.

The new Wonderboom now more closely resembles its bigger brothers, with a cylindrical, 360-degree driver design and similar aesthetics. But at roughly half the size, can this more travel-friendly option carry the same prowess, or are there too many compromises? We’ll examine it in this review.

Unboxing the UE Wonderboom

Design

Rather than the disc-shape of the Roll 2, the Wonderboom is more recognizable as a tradition UE Bluetooth speaker. It essentially looks like a shorter version of it. However, side-by-side, we see that the Wonderboom does have a bit more girth – about 50% more width.

UE Boom 2 on left and new Wonderboom on right. The signature, large volume up/down physical buttons are maintained.

We imagine this is to be able to fit all the internal components in the significantly more compact size. This makes the speaker look less cylindrical and more ball-shaped.

Otherwise, the construction is very similar. We have a super tightly weaved fabric completely around the speaker (enabling the top-notch IPX7 waterproof rating), and symmetrical top and bottom, chamfered, rubbery plastic caps. It’s a minimal design that just works. In-hand, everything feels tough and tightly constructed. This is a speaker that will be unfazed by tumbles and last a long time.

Function

Unlike the Blast line, the Wonderboom is strictly a simple Bluetooth speaker. It doesn’t have WiFi connectivity or Alexa assistance. You just turn it on, pair to your mobile device, and play.

Unlike the larger speakers, the Wonderboom sports a short string loop for on-the-go attachment. The speaker’s top panel has the usual power and pairing buttons arrangement.

And the setup process is just that easy. The Wonderboom has the same controls at the top as we’ve seen before – a power and dedicated pairing button, both with their own small status LEDs. A feature we’ve loved in the past is the ability to log in up to eight different sources, and that’s maintained here (long-press the pairing button to set it to Search mode).

Additionally, like in UE fashion, the charging port is protected behind a substantial flap on the bottom. As opposed to the folding flap of the larger speakers, this one is attached at a point by a rubber stem, allowing the flap to rotate out of the way. We have a slight concern that the seal doesn’t feel as robustly locked in as on the Boom or Blast series (it’s easier to release than we would like), but we can’t report any instance of it opening on its own. Just make sure that you push and seat the flap properly before going for a dip.

How to charge the Wonderboom. USB-C would’ve been nice instead of the older microUSB standard, but it’s not a deal-breaker, espeically at this price-point.

Something missing from the Boom series is the aux port. This was an alternate method to getting music to the speaker, via a 3.5mm wired connection to a source. Its absence is understandable. The main use of this speaker is wireless audio, and there’s limited space here.

One may think that half the size means half the power. Fortunately, that’s not exactly the case here. For instance, the battery life is down by a third (10 hours of playback vs. 15 on the Boom 2). The Bluetooth range is still an outstanding 100ft. What’s probably the most impressive is that there’s still an array of four audio drivers (two main active + two low-end passive), and they’re not that much smaller than on the Boom 2 (40mm vs 45mm active drivers, and 46x65mm vs. 45x80mm passive, respectively).

Audio

Based on the specs, we were really interested to see if the Wonderboom’s sound could hold a candle to its larger brother. In a couple ways, it does. This is the strongest speaker we’ve heard at this size.

The Wonderboom doesn’t utilize our LG G7’s aptX capability, but still sounds great.

Per the “Boom” moniker, the Wonderboom does bring it. Bass is its shining quality, excellently pumping out as much definition as power. Though, some of its strength does drop off in the upper mid-bass. This allows for the mid-range to not be overtaken, but the trade-off is a lack of mid-bass oomph.

Speaking of the mids, vocals are surprisingly large for the speaker’s size. Overall, the mid-range can be a mixed bag. It all has nice body and definition overall, but some parts can show as slightly recessed. The treble detail is nicely present, even when a lot is going on in the track. However, the resolution of higher frequency bits noticeably drops off and the reproduction can be loose.

As expected, there isn’t as much volume headroom as in UE’s larger variants. Still, the Wonderboom punches well above its weight in this respect. We’re able to fill a living room space a couple notches from its max, so while it won’t necessarily rock the house, it will be suitable for causal use. The 360-degree output serves it will for an expansive sound. It’s not as full/surrounding as the Boom or Blast, but gets the job done.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we’re impressed with what UE was able to do with the Wonderboom’s limited space. There’s much less compromise than one would expect from the significantly smaller size. The Wonderboom also costs a good chunk less than its counterparts, making it a terrific value. Though, we wouldn’t go as far as to say there isn’t reason to not opt for the more powerful models. They do have more headroom for volume and fullness. It depends how you’re going to primarily use the speaker. The Wonderboom shouldn’t be underestimated, though.

1...699700701...1,314Page 700 of 1,314