December 29, 2019

Using a Kindle in 2019 - Is It Worth It?`

December 29, 2019/ Pedro D'avila

As a first year university student, I’ve been reading more books this year than I have ever before. But as much as I’m an avid learner, I am also a tech enthusiast. In the vein of trying to better mingle both interests, I’ve come across the Amazon kindle, a piece of technology that has created a whole new category in the technology market - but in the age of bezel-less iPads, are Kindles still worth your money?

To answer that question, it’s important to first ask another question: what can kindles provide that smartphones and tablets can’t? Firstly, Kindles have their well-renowned e-ink display, which is way easier in the eyes than a normal Retina display. Secondly, Kindles are distraction-free, offering none of the catchy colours, notification buzzes and other nags that make normal devices so much more distracting. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Kindles have long lasting batteries that will have you reading for weeks on end before needing to reach for the charge - the same of which can’t be said even of the latest iPad Pro.

But what if you’re more a paperback person, are Kindles still worth it then? The answer largely depends on you. For some people, reading a paperback is an experience in itself, from feeling the texture of the cover to seeing physical progress and your page marker consumes more and more of a book’s length. In those user cases, a Kindle simply won’t suffice. Other readers however, simply read paperbacks because it’s the most convenient way for them to access books - and in that scenario, Kindles triumph traditional media in every way.

To be more specific, Kindles are not only lightweight, but also feature a very paper-like display that makes reading possible even in pitch black conditions. Further more, in markets such as the US and Canada, Kindles have come a long way in regards to becoming library friendly, allowing you to rent e-books just as you would normally. It’s in these regards that Kindles are simply unmatched.

As a technological device, I also find the latest 2019 budget Kindle to be a beautifully minimalistic device. From its simple plastic build, to straightforward OS, I feel like Amazon has come a long way throughout the years to ensure that its Kindles deliver on the single promise it has made to its consumers: to make reading more convenient.

Should you buy a Kindle? If you’re looking for the easiest way to access books, and don’t mind missing out on the so called authentic experience of flipping real paper, then odds are you already own a Kindle. But if you don’t, then for its low entry price of sub $100, Amazon has found a way to make me read more amidst the hurdle of being an university student - making it a strong recommendation.

December 24, 2019

Holiday 2019 Buyer’s Guide: A gift for everyone

December 24, 2019/ Pedro D'avila

It’s that time of the year again, when the snow hits the ground and lights scream “merry Christmas” in joy. But as miraculously beautiful as the holiday season is, there is nothing more stressful than not knowing what to get for that special someone. Don’t worry, as we have composed a list that will make sure to bring the holiday joy to anyone on any budget.

On this holiday gift guide, we have split gift ideas into four distinct personalities: The adventurer, the geek, the tech novice and the niche-lover - giving budget (Under $20), mid-range (Under$50) and expensive (Close to or Over $100) options for each to ensure that you find the perfect gift for your special someone.

To buy any of these products, please resort to either Amazon.com and Gearbest, as both have thousands of options with varying prices that may fit your situation better than others.

The Adventurer

Is your special someone the type to go out for a hike every weekend and get themselves lost in nature? If so, you may have yourself an adventurer - someone who is always on the go and needs their technology to be as versatile as they are.

Budget: Any Xiaomi power bank

When you’re out and about, running out of power should be your last concern. For this reason, you’ll want a nice power bank to keep all your technology booted up during your adventures. Xiaomi’s lineup of power banks features both hefty and lightweight options alike, and the best part - they’re all extremely affordable.

Mid-range: Haylou GT2

If you’re always out and about, we can bet that music serves as your companion when the world itself is simply too loud to ignore. But with the convenience that comes with ditching the wire, we have found it most appropriate to include the Haylou GT2s on this list.

For around $25, this pair of headphones comes with a significantly harder case than its predecessor, and still packs the same enjoyable sound that made the first iteration already a charm to use.

Expensive: Xiaomi Mi Band 4

After months of testing, we are still very fond of Xiaomi’s latest take on its fitness band. With its fourth iteration, the Chinese company has packed a slew of features from sleep tracking to waterproofing that is sure to give a better visualisation of your active lifestyle.

The Geek

Technology can sometimes be quite difficult to get a grasp off, but whenever you are around this friend, you find yourself in awe at simply how talented they are with technology. Whether it be the latest processor, or simply an upcoming software release, this friend is always in touch with the tech

Budget: A 2 metre cable

For anyone that enjoys technology, there is nothing more frustrating than having to sit at an awkward angle just to be able to charge your phone. With these cheap cables, this problem is now solved. Whilst perhaps not the most complex gift idea, there is nothing that can truly describe just how helpful a long cable can be.

Mid-range: A wireless charger

Being often found in this price-range, a wireless charger is a holiday gift that though odd-looking at first, can become a geek’s favourite device moving forward. Just like wireless earbuds, cutting the wire means that you can just set your phone on top of the wireless-charging pad before hitting the bed, eliminating all the confusing wire meddling that we are sure you’d love to avoid.

Expensive: Redmi K20 Pro

Having filled this website with content for nearly a year at this point, the Redmi K20 Pro is the sort of expensive, yet awfully cheap for its capabilities sort of gift that is sure to please anyone seeking a new smartphone. Packing in enough performance for even the most requiring games, and a camera that is sure social media-ready, the Redmi K20 Pro is a phone sure to amaze this holiday season.

The Tech Novice

Just as the Geek knows everything, the novice either doesn’t want to learn the hassles of technology or simply doesn’t care for as long as it works. This makes this gift recipient the pinnacle of minimalistic, accepting anything novel that isn’t a hassle to learn and effective to use.

Budget: The Minimalist Smartphone Wallet

Having been recently covered in the channel, the minimalist smartphone wallet is the perfect gift for the person that still asks how they’re supposed to fit their phone and their wallet in the same pocket. Featuring a sleek “stick on” design, this accessory combines two daily necessities into one - now just make sure not to lose your phone!

Mid-range: A D-Brand skin

On the topic of phone customisation, there is no better way to make someone more attracted to their technology than to make it look pretty. D-brand, the most popular smartphone wrapper producer in the market, sells high-quality skins that not only protect your device, but gives it another added layer of protection that can save it from the daily scratches and falls.

Expensive: The UE Boom Speaker

If you’re looking for a gift idea that is simple to use and will add value to a person’s life, look no further than a Bluetooth speaker. These pair and play gadgets are low profile, can be taken anywhere, and provide much better audio than any pair of headphones ever could. The UE Boom speaker in specific is a durable, bass heavy speaker that is sure to pair well with any pop-music listening experience.

The Niche-Appreciator

Ever find your special someone looking at things that most see no use in with wide-open eyes? Then this person perfectly fits into this category. The niche-appreciator is always looking for the small, but life-changing items in life that will never have you doing any activity the same way.

Budget: Baseus Mag-Safe USB C Cable

Ever miss the good old days of not having to worry about tripping on your charging cable and losing your expensive piece of technology? Us too! With this USB C cable however, this problem is gone for good as this Baseus cable brings back all the joys of careless cable tripping the MacBooks of the old could provide. If you don’t have a USB C powered device, worry not, as Baseus offers other mag-safe cables for your enjoyment on their website.

Mid-range: The Rocketbook

For those of us that are always writing down notes and sketches, damaging the environment is one of our worse concerns - but say no more to that with the rocketbook. Featuring an app that allows you to easily transfer notes from the paper to the screen with a simple scan, you can now bring your notes with you anywhere you go.

But the main appeal of this product has to be its ability to be erased clean with its included erasable pens and fibre towel, meaning that with this roughly $35 purchase, you will never need to buy another notebook again.

Expensive: Amazon Kindle

With books so easily accessible for most, and our phones and tablets already serving as a very reliable reading screen, one may ask why we chose to include a kindle on this list. The answer to that is hands down its e-ink screen. This technology, though simple, makes reading a joy needless of the condition, providing a very true to life book-reading experience that comes without the hassles of bringing hefty paperbacks around.

That concludes our holiday buying guide. We hope this list was extensive enough to help you find the perfect gift for whomever you may be gifting this holiday season.

December 20, 2019

Google Stadia: A Future Here Too Soon

December 20, 2019/ Pedro D'avila

With the release of the Google Stadia, the company has teased to make the dream of every gamer a reality: a take it everywhere service that allows for high quality games to be played no matter the circumstance. Though promising when it works, Google Stadia’s launch brings forth just enough issues to make this latest idea one that I will stay away from.

It’s when you unpack the Google Stadia experience, that you start to notice that Google may have brought us this future too soon. By observing different reviewers, I quickly came to notice that YouTubers with close to or over 1 Million subscribers truly enjoyed their time with Stadia, most likely due to the smooth experience provided by their high-speed office WiFi. Smaller channels on the other hand, who tested Stadia in a more every day scenario, had a rougher experience, many times reporting the experience as unusable.

Furthermore, Google Stadia serves as yet another proof that whilst Google can create great services, it cannot provide customer service that matches the quality of their products. Roughly a few days after its release, users were still reporting lacking their Stadia codes, making those who trusted Google enough to purchase the pricey preorder very quickly regret it.

When it works however, Google Stadia seems to fulfil every promise it has ever made, allowing a steady switch between the TV, Chrome and mobile devices. Yet even at its best, Google Stadia seems rushed at best. Not only does the service not offer a large enough variety of games people have not already played, but the two games that it does ship with, Destiny 2 and Samurai Shodown, can be found so cheap that it makes Stadia’s preorder experience mediocre at best.

It’s ability to be played on a mobile phone, whilst cool, is also very underwhelming. Currently, the service is only offered on Google’s own Pixel lineup, meaning that only a small portion of Google Stadia owners can truly enjoy all the services it has to offer.

Google Stadia is a product that in concept brings many of my childhood dreams to fruition, but in actuality, it lacks many features and the finesse required to truly succeed in today’s competitive video game market. While it may be super awesome to play Red Dead 2 in the comfort of my bed, I think I’ll just stick with its PS4 version for the meanwhile.

December 17, 2019

Google Pixel 4: Travel Review

December 17, 2019/ Pedro D'avila

Whether it be a honeymoon to the Bahamas or your world-tour, technology has evolved from simply an utility to a travel companion. On my recent trip to Toronto, I brought my new Google Pixel 4 with me in the hopes of answering one simple question: Can it stack up to my extreme needs?

“My Needs”

Before throwing a thousand words at you about what the Google Pixel 4 does well and what it lacks, I think it’s important to define what “my needs” are - especially since in a world so vast, everyone’s will be well different. As an university student travelling across Canada to Toronto, my needs were as follows:

My phone needs to last a full day of use

My phone needs to have good WiFi and Data connectivity no matter where I am

My phone needs to take photos good enough to serve as polished memories.

It may sound like a simple list, but I can assure you that not all phones I’ve had in the past fit all three of these criteria, and some - didn’t fit any. Take my iPhone SE for example, not only did that phone had to be charged after thirty minutes of Google Maps usage, but it struggled to maintain WiFi even at home, let alone in the go. And its cameras, for the lack of a better word, simply reeked.

A Companion During the day - and night

As I mentioned in my early impressions, the Google Pixel 4 had an average battery that somehow lasted an entire day of normal use. During a trip however, my usage can range from a full day of video streaming as I wait for my plane to departure, to about an hour of Google Maps as I struggled to find my way around downtown Toronto. In both cases, the Google Pixel 4 faired better than expected.

In a full day of streaming, which happened to be the day I arrived in Toronto, I got to my airbnb after hours of music and video streaming with about 5% of juice left to spare. Whilst this may not be as impressive as some other phones in the market, it got me through the boredom of a two hour bus ride to my local airport, a tedious four hour flight, and a thirty minute Uber ride.

When the day was less crowded however, the Google Pixel 4 really shined, lasting me two days of full usage with one hour of Google Maps each day and the annoying, but most needed, alarm every morning. Though it passes my tests, I still question the phone’s ability to be used as a map and an entertainment tool, so for those types of travellers, I would seriously recommend a battery pack in the event your tech companion decides its time to go home.

Connected Everywhere

My experience with WiFi and data reception was also very positive. Not only was I always able to get good WiFi strength no matter where I was, but I also received stronger data signals than reported with my iPhone SE. This was surprising, as I was under the impression that I would lose LTE connection as soon as I left Calgary’s downtown core, but the Google Pixel 4 kept me connected the entire way.

As Toronto is a bigger city, my experience only improved once I arrived to my destination, with WiFi hotspots located essentially everywhere. This, paired with Google’s smart AI capabilities that warned me of an unsafe network kept me navigating danger free through the streets of Toronto. With this said, the Google Pixel is very much a phone designed for the North American markets, and I am curious to test out the device further when I return to Asia over the winter break.

A Camera Paired with a Phone

Google’s AI and the Pixel’s 4 lenses result in a picture of my girlfriend that brings me joy every time I look at it

At night the Pixel 4 still captures a fair bit of detail

This average picture of a delicious plate of chicken makes me wonder what Google’s AI is up

A fantastic view from the balcony of my Airbnb

As every Google Pixel reviews, the camera is always the device’s most raved about feature, and with the Google Pixel 4 - this is no different. Throughout my week in Toronto, I shot most photos as I would normally to really get a feel for how the average consumer would experience their trip through Google’s dual cameras.

My findings were that camera quality ranged from insanely mind blowing to average, with others around me noticing the varying quality just as much. At times photos of my girlfriend or buildings were simply stunning, with multiple people asking me if I had brought a DSLR alongside me.

At other times however, photos were a bit dull, lacking the detail and finesse necessary to make a photo truly bring a memory to life. It was during these moments that I was left scratching my head the hardest: How was it that Google’s AI was so powerful in making portrait and landscape shots so magnificent, but failed so miserably at making food pictures deserving of an awe. Whilst the answer is beyond me, I can only hope that Google may eventually update its camera software, making it work similarly to Huawei’s or Xiaomi’s whenever it recognises a juicy piece of chicken posing for the camera.

Overall however, the Google Pixel 4 was a joy to use as a camera, as it not only made me extremely excited to experience the end result of every shot, but made me hopeful that future smartphones can truly make every photo awe worthy.

Conclusion

After returning home and reliving life from the comfort of my couch, I am glad I chose the Google Pixel 4 as my travel companion this time around. Not only was it a dependable device for the tasks in which I needed it to achieve, but it brought me a certain joy in using all its levels of technology as diverse tools throughout my stay.

Is it the best travel phone though? This is a question that unfortunately has no answer, as my needs may very well be different from someone else’s. In fact, as I mentioned previously, if you see yourself using your phone intensely during your trip, then perhaps the Pixel 4 is not the phone for you - but for my needs, it’s more than perfect.

November 29, 2019

Haylou GT2: 5 Things To Love

November 29, 2019/ Pedro D'avila

The Haylou GT2s have just released, and after spending a while using them, we have found a great deal to love about the successor to one of our favourite value buds of last year. With that said, below follow simply 5 of those reasons:

A Value Beast

With most of the consumer market finally coming to accept that Bluetooth earbuds were an idea for the better, major tech companies have been quick to produce fantastic, but unfortunately also fantastically expensive audio experiences. The Haylou GT2s however, come at under $20, making them not only a viable option for every tech consumer, but one that can be easily replaced without breaking the bank.

Small and Compact

Unlike most modern wireless earbuds, which take the gen 1 AirPods toothbrush design, the Haylou GT2 feels like a very minimalistic piece of technology. If to be described to the everyday person, I’d go as far as saying these are one of those earbuds that can simply disappear in your ear when you wear them, making them perfect with just about every outfit.

Long Lasting Fun

Part of the massive convenience of Bluetooth earbuds is the ability to use them away from your phone. When your battery doesn’t last however, this convenience can then become an awful disturbance - thankfully, this is no problem for the Haylou GT2. After using them with medium volume for about 2 and a half hours, our Bluetooth settings told us that we still had 50% charge on the earbuds themselves, meaning you can expect at least 4 to 5 hours of pure listening experience.

A Better Case

As some may remember, our experience with the original Haylou GT1s were not very pleasing, with our case breaking in the very first day. With their successors, we are happy to say that we feel more confident that the case will stand the test of time this time around.

Just as great is the fact that this case now comes with a built in charger, allowing you to easily and quickly charge your earbuds in the event that they do ever need more juice.

Button Controls

Another major complaint that we had with the first gen Haylou earbuds were their less than superb touch controls. But with the new button controls, that problem has since been fixed. While they weirdly enough exclude the ability to control volume, they offer a more than sufficient method change your tracks without having the terrible feeling of pushing the earbuds into your ears.

There’s much more to love about the Haylou GT2s, but we hope that these 5 reasons may be enough to keen your interest in what just may be our new favourite value king of 2019.