Gadget Trend and Reviews

While Samsung is currently the world’s number one smartphone manufacturer, an important part of its product portfolio is the tablet market, which the South Korean still sees as a priority in the long term. And truth be told, this just seems to be the correct approach. While I do think that tablets represent a pretty saturated business, the competition here is still quite fierce, especially as Samsung and Apple seem to go head-to-head when it comes to refined designs and improved features. But one of the things that Samsung has been trying to do, and Apple hasn’t been, is building more affordable devices specifically targeting customers that aren’t willing to spend a fortune on a tablet. And this is something that I consider to be a critical part of the strategy overall if these companies want to go after customers like me who might find tablets redundant, especially as phones themselves also increase in size and now come with larger displays. These people aren’t n... ( read more ...

For those keeping an eye on wearables, TicWatch is already a well-established brand because the parent company Mobvoi comes up with improvements, upgrades, and new models every once in a while. A few months ago, Mobvoi took the wraps off the TicWatch E2 and S2 , two smartwatches boasting fresh designs and features that you typically find on more premium devices. At that point, the Chinese company made several promises, and one of them was a white version of the S2. Originally launched in black, the S2 is a model that takes you by surprise when checking out the spec sheet, and it’s all because this is the way Mobvoi can set its smartwatches aside from the rest of the market. The company tries to build premium products without pushing the price tag to a level that would make them less appealing to customers, so it’s no surprise that at $179.99, ... ( read more )

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch is often considered the only truly capable rival to Apple’s Watch, and while I don’t think this is necessarily accurate, there are several reasons many people embrace this idea. First of all, Samsung is one of the companies that invest aggressively in wearables, and the Galaxy Watch itself is living proof in this regard. Second, the South Koreans are trying to stay close to Apple with their very own innovations, like the rotating bezel that Samsung has used on several smartwatches already. And third, Samsung developed its very own wearable platform for smartwatches and other devices, and this does nothing more than show the company is here in the long run. Positioned as an Apple Watch rival, the Galaxy Watch isn’t necessarily an expensive gadget, but it’s not affordable either. And because customers no longer seem to be interested in spending big on electronics, Samsung had to adapt. This is how the Galaxy Watch Active came to be, with Sam... ( read mor...

The BlackWidow Lite mechanical keyboard is the odd duck in the mix, at least at first glance. Once you've started using it, Razer's plan to fill out this particular niche becomes clear. The notion of gaming keyboards is now firmly established, and if you ever go into a store that sells computers and peripherals, you’ll notice that all the gaming stuff has its dedicated space. These peripherals usually include mice, keyboards, mats, controllers, and so.  In fact, it’s now a lot easier to pick up a gaming keyboard, with many more options being available to the public. Razer is no longer one of the few companies making these kinds of peripherals, and the company must fill in the gaps and niches.  It’s obvious that the BlackWidow Lite keyboard fills a very specific niche, and we’re probably going to see a lot more keyboards that aim to appeal to people who don’t want a full mechanical keyboard or who want something akin to a gaming keyboard. Design ... ( read more )

This year at the CES show, the Chinese-based firm Mobvoi announced the latest additions to its smartwatch lineup: TicWatch E2 and TicWatch S2. As we’ve already told you in our TicWatch E2 review , both models are pretty similar, and their official monikers are more or less living proof in this regard. Mobvoi says the E in the E2 stands for elegance, while the S model represents its sporty variant. And while at first glance the two are only slightly different in terms of looks and features, there’s so much more to discover about the S2, so stay with me for the next paragraphs as we dissect this new Wear OS device. Before anything, it’s worth mentioning that this review would focus mostly on the actual hands-on experience with the TicWatch S2 and less on the technical part. This is because the two models announced at CES come with the same specifications, so you can read mo... ( read more )

If you’re looking for a smartwatch running Wear OS, there’s no doubt that you bumped into TicWatch, a series of devices that may not tell much at first glance, but which is golden to connoisseurs. As I said before on several occasions, TicWatch is the creation of Mobvoi, a company that has grown a lot lately to build not just a single smartwatch, but a completely new brand of products that offers an almost unrivaled mix of decent price and high-end features. This year at the CES show, Mobvoi introduced the TicWatch E2 and the TicWatch S2, two models that provide a nearly identical feature lineup, but which come with several goodies of their own as well. While today we’re going to review the TicWatch E2 , we’ll discuss about the S2 several times throughout the review, mostly because the two are very similar in certain regards. However, we decided to review them separately in order to concentrate more on technical... ( read more )

Moto Mods have quickly become my favorite thing in mobile given the awesome features they bring to an otherwise average phone lineup, but with add-ons like Polaroid cameras, this concept is definitely worth a chance. The Polaroid Insta-Share Printer is a Moto Mod that turns a Motorola Moto Z phone into a Polaroid camera that doesn’t need more than just a few taps to actually print your photos on the go. Polaroid cameras have been extremely popular all over the world since they’re capable of printing a photo on the spot, so when bringing such capabilities to a mobile device, it’s certainly an idea that can’t go unnoticed. I tried out the Polaroid Insta-Share Printer with the Moto Z3 Play that I already reviewed and which, in just a few words, is the kind of device that doesn’t cost a fortune and boasts surprising capabilities. Support for the Moto Mods is one of them, and those who’ve tried this already know how awesome it is to be able to just attach an add-on to... ( read more...

If you’re new to the smartwatch market, TicWatch is one of those brands that do not cost a fortune, but on the other hand, provide customers with a pretty appealing feature package that you normally find on a  premium device. Typically, a mix of advanced features and affordable pricing is something that you most often find on Chinese products, and this is exactly the case here too. TicWatch is made by Mobvoi, a Chinese company that develops AI technology and voice recognition systems, all of which are based on the know-how of experts who previously worked for tech giants like Google and Nokia. Mobvoi has rapidly evolved from a single-watch brand to a company that has a rich portfolio of products, and the TicWatch C2 is part of the firm’s offensive in the modern wearable market. It’s not supposed to be an Apple Watch killer, as this has more or less become the norm in the smartwatch market, but a p... ( read more )

If you clicked this review, you either know what Tickwatch is or you’re simply interested in smartwatches and just want to know everything about the devices that are currently up for grabs. No matter the case, there’s a lot to discover in this review because [spoiler alert] the Ticwatch Pro is quite a capable smartwatch that comes with features you totally didn’t expect at this price point. But let’s take everything one at a time to see what this is all about. First, some context. If you’ve never heard of Ticwatch, here’s a quick rundown of how it came to be. The device is made by a company called Mobvoi and based in China. Originally focused on voice recognition software and AI technology, Mobvoi expanded to hardware that could run on such technology. The company includes all kinds of experts that previously worked for tech giants like Google, Nokia, Yahoo, Tencent, and others. So their products are based on the know-how of engineers that have an impressive exper... ( read more ...

Smartwatches have evolved substantially in the last few years, and despite the criticism this new industry had to deal with when the first models hit the shelves, more and more people discover the advantages of having a smart device on their wrist. Smartwatches are everywhere you look these days. I’m wearing one right now as I’m writing this review, most of my colleagues have one, and sales are continuously going up every year as further companies enter the market. One of the most recent players in the smartwatch battle is Amazfit, a brand that doesn’t say much too many, but which comes with products that are impressive in one key regard: the price. Smartwatches sold under the Amazfit brand are incredibly affordable, with devices that promise no compromises available for less than $100. This is surprising, to say the least, especially because the top smartwatches right now cost at least a couple hundred dollars. First of all, who is Amazfit? In just a few words, ... ( read more...

In a world dominated by the Apple Watch, devices from other manufacturers rarely make the headlines, no matter how good they are. If you ask me, this is rather unfair, especially because there are companies out there that have a longer history than Apple in areas that are being tackled by the Apple Watch too, including here activity tracking. Garmin is one of the top names here, as its fitness tracking gear is currently among the best you can get. And because the wearable industry is becoming fully-focused on smartwatches, Garmin has no other option than to steer its efforts towards such products too. The Vivoactive 3 Music is a device that tries to combine the heritage of the company in terms of activity tracking with modern-day features like notification support, all with a little extra granted by the Music tag in its name. At first glance, there’s not much to criticize. The Vivoactive 3 looks like a watch, it feels like a watch, and I truly love that. Most sm... ( read mor...

Samsung may not necessarily be the fiercest Apple rival in the smartwatch market, as this spot is reserved to Fitbit and Xiaomi, but the South Koreans certainly have huge ambitions in this regard. The Galaxy Watch, which is actually a fancier name for the device previously known as Galaxy Gear S, is Samsung’s very own Apple Watch competitor, which the company hopes could spearhead its push in the wearables market. With a new name and upgrades in those areas that matter the most, the Galaxy Watch marks the fourth-generation Samsung smartwatch, promising long battery life, a secure operating system, lots of apps, and a high-quality build that can truly rival Apple’s. At first glance, the Galaxy Watch promises to impress you by focusing on those areas that are the most important for everyday wearers. For me, the Apple Watch has never reached its full potential, mostly because it never looked like a classic watch per se. No matter how hard I tried, smartwatches have ... ( read more...

The battle between Samsung and Apple doesn’t just come down to smartphones. The two companies are also aggressively investing in other markets, and tablets have remained a priority for both of them. At some level, the product strategy that Samsung and Apple are using is more or less similar. Their tablet lineup includes not only models that can be used as a traditional tablet, without any extra accessory, but also more advanced products which buyers in the enterprise or those looking for enhanced productivity can get. The Galaxy Tab S4 is living proof that the iPad Pro isn’t all alone in this battle, though many would rush to remind that Microsoft is also an important player in this particular side of the market. But referring to the Samsung vs. Apple duel alone, the Galaxy Tab S4 is living proof that productivity can exist regardless of the platform. And when a keyboard and a pen is brought into the equation, what you get is a super-advanced mix ready to replace ... ( read more ...

If you’re in the market looking for affordable gaming headphones, your only option is to check out the offering of Chinese manufacturers, as top-rated brands typically sell such gear for more than the majority of people are willing to spend. While there was a time when Chinese companies were all about copying the products launched by more high-profile brands across the world, there are now a few names that are trying to conquer international markets with their own products based on a more or less successful mix of low price and high quality. Dodocool is one of the firms that are trying to do this, though judging from the price tag of their products, you might think otherwise. In many cases, a low price is considered an indicator of questionable quality, so when hearing about a gaming headset that costs $35 , you really can’t expect more. The read more )

Dodocool is the kind of Chinese company that is aiming for the premium accessory market with products like headphones, speakers, and mobile phone chargers, but at the same time, it also doesn’t want to abandon the low-price strategy that makes devices build by OEMs in the country so appealing. While it’s not the first time a Chinese manufacturer promises a perfect mix of premium design and affordable price, the DA158 active noise canceling headphones are definitely surprising. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s a perfect mix of the two ingredients, but this headset appears to have a lot to offer when holding it in hand for the first time. The name of the $75.99 headphones on Amazon  (you can get them for just $37.88 with coupon code  8QDOV2IP until March 23!) try to cover pretty much every little purpose: “dodocool Active Noise... ( read more )

Chinese device manufacturer Chuwi has already impressed in the 2-in-1 form factor business with devices that run Windows, Android, or both, and now the company is looking to expand into an unexplored side of the market that typically requires more than just an affordable mix of hardware and software. Chuwi stepping into the gaming industry is a rather risky bet, especially because this would involve investing more aggressively in powerful hardware capable of running more demanding tasks. But the company hopes to achieve a high customer satisfaction rate with the same recipe as before, once again going for more or less modest technical specifications paired with Android. The Chuwi Hi9, which is marketed as an Android gaming tablet, is the company’s first step towards becoming a gaming hardware manufacturer, despite the spec sheet that’s not necessarily breathtaking at first glance. [ORIGIMG=2] In terms of design, the Hi9 is barely impressive. The 8.4-inch tablet ... ( read mor...

Microsoft pretty much invented the 2-in-1 form factor in 2012 when it launched the original Surface RT, basically attaching a keyboard to a tablet and building a device that could provide the best of two worlds. Many laughed, including Apple’s very own CEO Tim Cook, who called the keyboard + tablet a mix similar to a toaster and a refrigerator but eventually embraced the same concept with similar devices, in this case, the iPad Pro. Every new Surface model and every new Surface generation represented continued innovation, and Microsoft proved with every hardware upgrade that it could do more than software. Surface is the living proof that Microsoft has become a premium hardware player who sees innovation as the main catalyst for building new devices. The Surface Book, also referred to as “the ultimate laptop,” the Surface Studio all-in-one PC, the Surface Dial are all products that are based on a remarkable combination of premium design, state-of-the-art hardware,... ( read more ...

Doca is a Chinese company that most people barely heard about, and its activity is mostly focused on building chargers and power banks for mobile devices. And while many of the cheap phone accessories built by Chinese firms leave a lot to be desired, here’s a little product built by Doca that’s really worth a look at. Using a generic huuuge name that pretty much describes its purpose, “QI Wireless Car Charger Mount Holder, DOCA Mobile Cell Phone Air Vent Magnet Car Cradle Charging Holder for iPhone X iPhone 8/8 Plus Galaxy Note 8 S8/S8 Plus S7 Edge and Others Qi Enabled Phones,” this accessory can charge your phone wirelessly - obviously if the phone itself supports wireless charging - without taking too much space on your dashboard. As I’ve said when I reviewed the other car charger from Doca , every little inch on your ... ( read more )

Wireless charging is a thing that many people can’t live without and those who think it’s a waste of time have probably never used it. Even though it was late to the party, Apple itself embraced wireless charging many years after Android devices, and its latest-generation iPhones (iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X) all come with a glass body to power this feature. Surprisingly and contrary to Apple’s legacy, new iPhones support the universal Qi wireless charging and not a proprietary system as many have expected. Qi wireless chargers are all over you look these days, but their build quality, output, and support depend on a series of factors. And in many cases, the price you’re ready to pay is what makes the difference. Chinese company Doca has built its very own wireless charger for cars that integrates a Qi module and which supports the majority of phones out there, simply because it comes with an adjustable mount that can fit most sizes, including the smalle... ( read more ...

The 2-in-1 form factor invented by Microsoft in 2012 has flourished lately, becoming the silent killer of the traditional tablet that only a few people seem to be interested in these days. While a tablet is useful for things like watching YouTube videos, playing games, or listening to music, a 2-in-1 device has much more potential, becoming a fully-featured PC when a keyboard is attached. This is the idea that Microsoft embraced five years ago and which attracted so many other companies, including some of which are trying to fight with the big guys using an approach that in many ways is way too close to Microsoft’s. Chinese company Chuwi is one of the names making the headlines regularly these days, not necessarily because they’re going with the flow, but thanks to the ambition of delivering the performance that you typically get with a price of $1,000+ in a device that costs less than half of that. [YOUTUBE=https://youtu.be/KNG1ZT04FJA] Their latest device is c... ( read mor...