UrbanEars Medis Headphones Review

If we look at the past product line of urbanears we would find stylish headphones at an affordable price. The new Medis headphones are a cross between an in ear-bud and a more traditional headphone; they are also the cheapest headphones that urbanears make.

Looks

The first thing you will notice about the urban ears Medis is the huge array of colours that are available. Seriously they come in all colours of the rainbow, for the purists out there you can even get them in standard Apple white. I was sent a set of blue headphones, which is amazing as blue is my favourite colour. There really is a colour for everyone’s taste.

Sticking to aesthetics these headphones look great both in and out of the ear for a few reasons. Instead of a plastic covered cord urbanears have covered the Media cord in fabric, a nice touch. This feeds through the outer cover of the headphone which in our opinion serves two purposes; firstly it looks retro cool and secondly it keeps the headphone ergonomic – a big selling point for the Medis.

Function

The ergonomics of the urbanears Medis not only look good but also make use comfortable and pain free. The Medis earphone has a patented system called ‘EarClick’, this sounds like a painful experience but it is actually the complete opposite.

Basically you get four different sized attachments in the box (nothing new there) with an added feature that sets them apart from other in ear headphones. The Medis earphones rest on two parts of the ear instead of one with the actual earphone part positioned in the optimum position. This makes them comfortable and very stable in the ear, unlike other buds which have a tendency to fall out.

Urbanears have also included a microphone and remote that will work with a range of devices included the iPhone, Nokia, Blackberry and HTC. This supports things like answering calls or skipping tracks.

Specification

The headphones use 15.7mm handmade drivers with a frequency of 20-20 kHz, they have a sensitivity of 113 dB all of which results in pure crisp sounds that are as good as any in ear headphones we have tested.

The bottom line

I think these are great looking headphones, you can choose from 12 colours so you can choose something that suits your personality and budget. You can pick them up for $50 in the USA or £44.99 in the UK.

What colour would you go for?

XMI X-mini II Mini Speaker Review

Can such a small speaker give a big sound? Is buying a tiny speaker the way forward for sound lovers? Why is belly button fluff always blue or purple? I hope to answer at least two of those questions in the following review for the XMI X-mini II Mini Speaker.

Design

The fact that the name includes the word “mini” twice tells you not to expect a particularly large product. However, you should still take care to lock away any dinkyometer you may have lying around, as it could go off the scale when you open the box.

Notable Specifications

There are a couple of excellent features which are worth starting with. Firstly, these mini speakers give around 11 hours playback time. Secondly, you can recharge them using your USB port. The XMI-mini II Mini Speaker comes with an impressive 40mm driver and the Buddy Jack system which will let you link together various of these speakers.

Value

Pay more than £20 for the XMI X-mini II Mini Speaker and you will repent your failure to fully investigate the myriad possibilities available to the tenacious internet bargain hunter. These little speakers are available at prices which make them a very good purchase indeed.

Summary

In answer to my earlier questions. 1) Yes. 2) Quite Possibly. 3) It’s all to do with the fibres in your clothes.

This little speaker provides an amazingly big and powerful sound. This would be a wise buy for anyone looking to boost the audio power of their PC or as a quality portable audio option.  

Buy from Amazon | Mobile Fun 

Sennheiser CX 300-II Precision Noise-Insulating Headphones Review

With so many high quality audio devices available these days it really is a shame to see any of the sound being lost due to poor quality or ill-fitting headphones. It seems ridiculous but I know some people who buy the cheapest headphones they can find to listen to music on expensive machines. Try a classy set like the Sennhesier CX 30-II Precision Noise-Insulating Headphones and you will hear the difference.

Design

Various clever touches help ensure a better fit. There are three sizes of ear adapter, namely S/M/L. I remember reading once that your ears are the only part of your body which never stop growing, so even if you use the S size just now I would hold onto the other ones just in case. There is also an asymmetrical cable. They also come in a variety of different colours.

Notable Specifications

The powerful bass-driven stereo sound should be enough to satisfy even the most demanding listeners. Try cranking up the volume and then playing it down real low to check out the range and quality of sound on offer.

You can use these headphones with your MP3, iPod, iPhone, portable games machines and CD players.

Summary

The name Sennhesier CX 30-II Precision Noise-Insulating Headphones says it all. They are headphones (technically they are ear canal phones I suppose) and they are noise insulating.

Buy from

Amazon | Play.com - £17.99 with free delivery

Domed helmet invented to fight noisy bars

A student from Scotland has come up with a novel way to keep noise levels to an acceptable level in the pubs and bars of the UK when two people are trying to have a civil conversation: get everyone to wear helmets made from transparent material with ports for talking and, presumably, breathing.

The device was conceived by a student who was researching hearing damage and impairment. Elaine McLuskey decided to build a two person bubble helmet that enables social interaction even when the ambient noise levels would otherwise render this impossible.

There is no doubt that this invention is a bit on the wacky side and the commercial value of such an innovation might be minimal. As long as you do not mind looking as though you and a mate have taken an intimate dive into two conjoined fishbowls, then you should have no problem with sporting the bubble helmet.

Ms McLuskey said that she had found hearing impairment would be far less problematic for people than the sheer volume of external noise in their environment, which means that most people experience a form of hearing impairment on a daily basis.

In bars and pubs, the cumulative noise produced by cheery revellers, chinking glasses and loud music make it difficult to chat and share news, according to Ms McLuskey. She says that the flamboyant look and attention-grabbing use of her invention will help people to think about the value of their hearing, as well as raising awareness about impairments and aural diseases.

Pharaoh-themed iPod dock / coffee table launched

The coffee table that integrates some kind of media compatibility is not a new idea, but the Horus is one that takes iPod compatibility to a whole new and rather obscure level.

The table itself gets its ancient Egyptian look because it is held aloft by a large concrete pyramid, with the tip appearing to protrude through the glass surface to house the iPod Touch or iPhone of your choice.

The concrete is apparently some kind of high performance material and the speakers are integrated into it below the surface. There is a blue illumination that emits from the mid section where the glass seems to slice through the concrete pyramid, giving off a glow that is in keeping with the whole Apple aesthetic.

The concept for the Horus gestated in the mind of furniture stylist Stephanie Thivend and it is undoubtedly one of the most unique iPod docks ever to have been conceived. It looks paradoxically modern and retro at the same time and will probably never fit in with the standard decor of the average household, making it the kind of item only the wealthy and slightly batty will ever consider for their own homes.

There are many well known iPod dock / speaker sets which look rather odd but still attract positive attention. For example, the famous B&W Zeppelin iPod speaker system is notable not just for its wacky design, but also for its high price and impressive audio quality.

iHat Review

We were opening the post last week and where happily surprised when we found a great new product to review. The iHat is a warm beanie hat with small speakers built in so you can listen to your music in comfort without the need for normal headphones.

Design

The iHat looks like your usual stylish hat and it is designed to keep your head warm just like a normal hat. The gadgety bit comes inside the hat where they have installed two small speakers that fit snugly over each ear. The cable for the two speakers is sewn neatly so it comes from the back of the hat and can drop down into your bag or pocket where your mp3 player is located. This solves the age old problem of tangled wires.

Who is it for?

The iHat is a very versatile product who would benefit a lot of different people. It worked really well when running and would be suitable for most sports (obviously not swimming). It also worked really well on the tube and would be ideal for commuters or students on the way to school.

Sounds interesting but how is this different from wearing normal headphones?

The problem with normal headphones when combined with the standard hat is twofold. The first problem that many people encounter is the headphones don’t sit in the ear properly and become dislodged by the hat. This can be both uncomfortable and annoying, the last thing you need is to be fiddling around with your hat when you are going for a run or commuting to work looking like you have something in your hat that shouldn’t be there – you will probably get some strange looks.

The second problem is that headphone wires can easily become entangled around your ears or in the hat.
The iHat combats all of these problems and still remains very versatile, practical and stylish.

The iHat is available from the mobile fun website for the small price of £13.47.

Sonos 250 Bundle Wireless Music Review

These days people are seeking a lot from their gadgets, they are looking for integrated home entertainment gadgets including multi room sound systems. The goal is simple: have a system that can seamlessly deliver music from a variety of sources in multiple rooms around your home. Sounds very futuristic but is actually very achievable.

 

 

 

 

 

There are a number of manufactures that provide multi room systems and these include Sonos who have a range of products available for every room in the house. We have been testing the Sonos 250 bundle which includes the zp90 zone player, the zp120 zone player and controller.

These three products when combined with the Sonos zone bridge will connect to your wireless network to create a Sonos network around your house. The ZP90 is an unamplified unit that will connect to your existing home theatre; the Zp120 is an amplified unit that provides an output of 55w per channel so you can add a set of hefty speakers to it.

All of the equipment is robust, well designed and very pleasing on the eye. Sonos have gone with the classic white with all their products meaning it will fit in any modern home with ease. We love that the zone players all look similar, they even look cool when you are not using them.

The sound quality from both units was very clear and worked well at quiet and loud levels. We played around a lot with the remote and toggled music on and off in each room, we tried playing from different sources in each room and also ran them in sync. In all examples the system worked really well.

Setting up the system is very simple and can all be controlled from the supplied Sonos coloured controller. This thing is a real beauty and will provoke envy from any visitor to your home as it sits in its recharging cradle, more importantly it is extremely easy to use. You can easily search and select music independently for each room. Sonos include options to listen to internet radio stations including last.fm and Sirius and you can even use paid subscription services like Napster.

 

 

Another cool feature is that your player can automatically update your twitter account with what you are listening too. New features like this are being added all the time and you will be sure to get them because your Sonos system automatically updates meaning you will have an up to date system forever.

If you have the cash to spare we would highly recommend Sonos, alternatives include Logitech’s Squeeze box range.

We have also reviewed the Sonos iphone APP and Sonos S5, both of which are great products (the app is a free version of the Sonos controller featured in this review).

Intempo Bluetooth Speaker System Review

It is difficult to buy a gadget that does not have built-in Bluetooth connectivity these days. Modern games consoles use it to connect their controllers wirelessly, mobile phones can share data and play games over a Bluetooth connection and PCs can interact with a wide variety of peripherals via Bluetooth. Given that most portable devices, including mobile phones, can now play back music via Bluetooth, it makes sense that you would want to use this talent for more than just your own personal enjoyment via a Bluetooth headset. As such the Intempo Bluetooth speaker system is a great value way to share your music with the world and most importantly of all it can do this without the need for messy wires snaking their way all over the place and getting easily lost.

Design
The Intempo Bluetooth Speaker System borrows its looks from a number of more expensive iPod docks that have gone before it. It is slightly curved and features a black speaker cover with a chrome bezel surrounding the edge on the front. The rear is black plastic and the whole thing is made up of smooth surfaces, curves and bulges. The only sign that this is a wireless device is the little antennae that juts out from the top left hand side. This spoils the otherwise clean lines of the speakers, but it’s a sacrifice Intempo have had to make in order to provide the best Bluetooth range possible and most will not consider it to be a particular problem.

All of the controls and inputs are found on the right hand edge of the speaker system, though the only options you have are a volume wheel and on/off switch, a 3.5mm line in and an AC power port. The silver bezel bears the Intempo name and the Bluetooth logo is proudly displayed, but otherwise it is a fairly subtle and modern-looking device.

 

 

In the Box
The Intempo Bluetooth Speaker System comes with just two items, aside from the documentation to help you get started; a power adaptor and a 3.5mm connector cable for any non-Bluetooth devices to use. This keeps things nice and simple, but as the inclusion of the power adaptor suggests, this is not in itself a portable device. It is designed for static use around the house rather than as a portable Bluetooth Speaker System. However, it is nice that the speakers are also compatible with mp3 players which require a wired connection.

Bluetooth Playback
Once you turn on the Intempo Bluetooth Speaker System it will automatically broadcast a Bluetooth signal that any compatible device will be able to detect. If you are playing back music from a mobile phone you will need to turn on the device’s own Bluetooth connectivity first. Then you need to go into the list of the music files stored on the phone, select the song of your choice and enter the options menu. Here you will need to choose playback over Bluetooth, though you will need to refer to the guidelines stipulated in the handbook of your own mobile phone for more detailed information. In most cases your phone will then scan for other Bluetooth devices and detect the Intempo speakers, allowing for playback.

Intempo say that the Bluetooth Speaker System has a range of 10m, so you could be quite a distance away from the speakers and still enjoy wireless music playback. In practice this means that you can place your phone anywhere within the same room and maintain the Bluetooth connection to the speakers. Moving into other rooms or placing things in between the two may reduce the range. However, for most situations this 10m limit will be more than enough.

Sound Quality
The Intempo Bluetooth Speaker System has a 10 watt rating, which means that whilst it does not produce the loudest sound in the world it will be adequate for use in a living room as an alternative to a CD player or mp3 dock. The bass levels are also acceptable considering the price and capabilities of this handset, though it is clear that this is not designed to please those overly concerned with high fidelity or wide frequencies.

Conclusion
The Intempo Bluetooth Speaker System is an incredibly convenient way to unlock the music that is stored on your phone. Sometimes Bluetooth headsets just do not cut the mustard and you want to play something out loud, which is where this gadget comes in and performs admirably. If you are sick of having to dive into a draw and pull out a wire every time you want to listen to music then this elegant, modern solution provided by Intempo will be a godsend. As long as you are not expecting ear-splitting volume or gut-shaking bass then you will be more than happy with what is on offer here. Available from mobile fun.

Powermat Brings Wireless Charging Home

Wireless charging has been discussed and brought to the forefront of technology over the past couple of years. In the future all electronic appliances will be able to be recharged or even just powered through the air but until then there are gadgets that can deliver the next best thing, charging without cables by placing your device on a mat.

Powermat have been designing and building wireless charging stations for some time now and their recent efforts have taken a major step forward by combining function with aesthetics.  The mat works by forming a connection between a jacket placed on your device and the mat itself. Power mat have even included precise magnets so that an optimal connection is made this in turn means your device will charge just a quickly as if you had plugged it in.

In the past other products have failed because they could only charge one device at a time. Thankfully powermat has no such trouble as it can charge up to four at a time, three are wireless and one can be added via a USB input.

The powermat is a large step forward in wireless technology and we can definitely see the benefits it brings, imagine you can just come home and plonk your mobile on the mat and it will be fully charged when you pick it back up later in the day. Genius! It is available from the powermat website at a very reasonable price of £69.99

Skullcandy Asym Headphones review

Skullcandy have already established a name for themselves as designers of hardwearing, high quality and attractive earphones of all shapes and sizes (i.e. over ear and in ear models). The ‘Asym’ model is an in ear piece, designed as a lightweight, comfortable option for those exercising or playing active sports, that are inconspicuous while also being attractive when examined. To achieve this final aim, the Aysm earphones are designed to fit smoothly within the ear, so that they barely stick out at all once inserted. The ‘attractive’ aspect comes from the nimble angled design, distinguishing them from ‘straight out’ conventional earbuds, like those used in the iPod. The upper part of the wire, the insulation leading to the head of the earphones, is also coloured in a choice of different colours (black, pink and white casings), which are smart enough to avoid making an overt fashion statement, but which does add a touch of style to both male and female users. The earphones’ design allows you to easily hide the wire from sight by positioning it over the top of the ear, rather than letting it dangle straight down. This feature also makes the Asym headphones very suited to the most active sports, where over ear models would normally fall off and inner ear models would fall out. The style of the Asym headphones is finished off nicely by the Skullcandy logo, which comprises, unsurprisingly, of a metallic stylised skull.

With sports use in mind for the Skullcandy Asym headphones, the cable has been thoughtfully designed at only four feet long, enough to reach to a pocket, a belt clip, or into a rucksack, while avoiding moving around as you move, or catching on arms or objects. If you are intending on using this model in combination with a television or a computer, however, a standard headphone extension is recommended, as this length is not enough for you to sit comfortably from the screen and is thus a minor criticism of the design. One of the performance areas that Skullcandy have tried to improve upon with the Asym model over previous models such as the ‘Smokin’ model, is the bass response. One of the common complaints of standard manufacturer headphones is that the sound can be tinny and treble heavy. The Skullcandy Asym headphones offer a noticeable emphasis on bass sounds and perform well in terms of distortion when bass levels are turned up on your MP3 player. Of course, if your taste in music is more classical than R’n'B, you can manually lower you MP3′s bass settings to achieve a more neutral sound.

Quality of the manufactured headphones, as with other models from Headcandy, offers challenging competition to other models in the same price range. As the head of the headphones is larger than most other in ear models, they can take some getting used to before they feel ‘right’, but it is this design that ensures they fit snugly within the natural shape of the ear and do not fall out. The ‘user experience’ of the Asym headphones is very good, with a soft carry case, a choice of three different rubber tip sizes and – unusually for a relatively basic bit of technology – a user manual. The manual helps you get to grips with Skullcandy’s innovative system for keeping the headphones securely in place – keeping the principle behind the Aysm (as in, we all have ‘asymmetrical’ ears that deserve fitted headphones) in tact. Once you have become used to fitting them correctly, they fit easily underneath hats and even crash helmets and allow you to avoid worrying about them becoming loose from your ear and causing any discomfort. The Asym headphones offer noticeable sound reduction to the background environment, even when turned off. However, they are not designed to be fully sound blocking as some models, like the ‘Full Metal Jacket’ model aim to do (although this is very difficult to achieve on in ear models and is usually only a feature of high end over ear ‘cans’). Instead, the Asym headphones let in a certain amount of environmental noise to help keep you aware of what is going on around you if, for example, you are using them whilst out cycling or jogging. If conditions change around you (e.g. you enter a park having travelled along a busy road), you are able to easily increase the volume with the in line switch built into the cord. With a standard gold plated 3.5 mm jack, the Skullcandy Asym will fit most MP3 players and make a superior alternative to those included by the manufacturer, available from mobile fun.

<Next Page » 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next Page »