Author: Dave

Apples’ Beats by Dre…Can They be Beat?
The Good
- Unrivaled sound quality, especially in bass heavy songs
- Lithium Ion Battery provides 22 hours of continuous listening
- New noise cancellation tech is an important focal point
- Robust and sturdy craftsmanship makes them hard to break
- Wireless and portable headphones make them great travel companions
The Bad
- The sound quality drops when not listening to songs through Apple Music, (i.e listening from Youtube, Pandora, Spotify)
- After extended period of wearing the headphones, the comfort-ability rapidly declines
- High price point. On average consumers pay an additional $100.00 just for a name.
The Conclusion

Apples’ Beat by Dre are clearly the best headphones on the market. With incredible clarity and tone, songs we’ve heard a millions times before are elevated to a different plain inside those earbuds. Coupled with quality craftsmanship and care, there is a reason why they are so distinguished from competitors. But can competitors get close in quality for a significant drop in price?

The upgraded Studio3 Beats are here to stay

The newly released and upgraded Studio3 Beats by Dre have continue to progress and fix the previous versions and continue to hold up the good Beats name. With focusing on the noise cancelling aspect of the Studio3 beats, these bottom heavy headphones are quieter than ever. And Apples W1 Bluetooth chip makes pairing a breeze. Additionally, iPhone users can switch between devices logged into the same iCloud account to easily move from an iPhone conversation to watching a movie on your Mac. (The headphone also works with Android and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.)Totaling 22 hours of wireless playback with the new Noise Cancelling Tech and approximately 40 hours of battery life without it.

With tough competition such as the Sony WH-1000XM2 noise cancelling headphones or the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, Beats has an uphill battle to stay at the top. Sony’s new headphones very closely rival Beats sound and quality, but struggle a bit in terms of battery life and comfort-ability. But for $100.00 less than the Studio3 beats, they are a great option for those not wanting to spend $379.00 on headphones.

Final Thought

The Studio3 Beats have made a great addition to the Beats line, and continue to rule the headphones playground for now. But at this point much is expected from Beats, and they need to find new ways to keep their customers coming back. The strong competition is gunning for Beats, and doing so by significantly under cutting Beats prices. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II has even added a Google Assistant button to their headphones for that extra bit of personality. I’ll be waiting for Beats next move…
February 11, 2018
Samsung’s 4K Ultra TV is Easy on the Eyes
The Good
- Vivid colors, and excellent blacks.
- Quick 120 Hertz refresh rate
- Excellent upscaling, especially from 1080p content
- No light-bleed at all
- Hi quality Frame and extremely thin bezzle
The Not so Good
- Sub-par viewing angles
- High cost for a Television that does live up to the cost in comparison
- “Game Mode” displays very poor gradients
The Conclusion

This is very well built and sturdy television. The thin metal bezzle is a welcomed improvement from the all plastic ones in Samsung’s prior LED TVs. The 65” model is large , but fairly lightweight and easy to wall mount. The 4K resolution is very impressive and the darks are very dark. It’s a pleasure to watch TV on this Samsung, but the cost is high and there are other cheaper and still high quality options out there.

4K Resolution

The incredible detail of the 4K resolution is amazing. With vibrant colors and deep blacks, it looks like the images were painted on the screen. With the 120 frame rate, it’s just simply a joy to watch a 4K movie such as Wonder Woman, on it. In terms of the TV’s remote, the Samsung remote is really nice and the voice control is a great addition. It’s a simple remote that liken to the Amazon FireTV voice remote. The toggle channel/volume buttons take some getting used to, but it’s a short learning curve. The TV’s set up is pretty straight forward and it easily detect gaming systems, such as Xbox One and PS4 as well as the Apple TV. The Cost can be steep considering the price tag for a 55 inch is around the $1,500.00 mark. There may be some better options for the price out there.

Final Thoughts

Depending on who you are and how much television you watch, this could be the television for you. With stunning visuals and vibrant colors, this television elevates watching movies and sports to a whole new level. If you’re willing to shell out a hefty price tag, then look no further. If you’re looking to save a few bucks, there are some cheaper options that should do the trick as well…
February 11, 2018
5 “Smart Home” gadgets every house should have…

It’s 2018 folks, and the future is here. Astronauts are driving Tesla’s through space and the Reese’s company is doing some really innovative stuff with popcorn. With all this technology around us, it’s easy to take it all for granted and we sometimes don’t get all the use we can out of it and take advantage of smart home gadgets.

And the most important place you can use all this cool tech to your advantage is right in your very own home. Here are some amazing new smart home gadgets to make your life easier…

1. The iRobot Roomba

Ever since it’s inception in 2002, the Roomba vacuum has been an integral piece of smart home tech. With the ability to program this round robot to vacuum your home 7 days a week it can be a real time saver. With the latest 980 Model, the Roomba is more advanced that ever. With cutting edge mapping technology and dirt detection programs, this “set it and forget it” vacuum is a must have! For dog or pet owners life myself, I can stress it’s value enough. I have a lot on my plate and one thing I don’t to concern myself with is the daily sweeping thank to “Roger the Roomba”. Yes I named my Roomba, he’s family, folks. Word of advice…there are several competitors is the robot vacuum department, do yourself a favor and stick with the iRobot Roomba. You may a little more, but in this case “you get what you pay for”. This was been probably the best $900.00 I’ve ever spent.

2. The Nest Thermostat

Coming in at a price tag of $279.00, the Nest Thermostat is well worth the extra cost. Thanks to it’s smart and adaptive AI, the Nest knows when your home and learns your work schedule to monitor the A/C usage. You can also control the thermostat right form your Nest App on your mobile device to fine tune your A/C needs. For a native Floridan like myself, A/C usage and consumption is a real beast you have to tame. In the summer months, electric bills can soar thanks to primitive thermostats. There is nothing like a thermostat shutting down for the day knowing your at work, and then turn on a half hour before you get home so you don’t walk into a hot and muggy house. It’s just bliss. Once I had installed the Nest, I noticed an immediate 50% drop in my A/C consumption and a large drop in my electric bill respectively. This is a must have in your home.

3. Brilliant Light Switch

With the ability to control your homes, light, music, ambiance, and even take pictures with voice commands, the Brilliant light switch is a 2018 must have gadget for your home. Brilliant light switch also connects to several of your home’s smart gadgets such as Nest, Alexa, Sonos Speaker, Ring doorbell system, and more. Starting at $200.00 per panel, Brilliant Switch is a costly addition but this innovative new gadget gives your home a brain.

4. Amazon Echo and Echo Dot

This smart home “must” is quickly finding it’s way into every home, world wide. Alexa and Echo Dot, is a voice-controlled system that used to play music, make calls, send and receive messages, read the news, set alarms, and even order and Uber or takeout! With the capability of syncing up to Amazon-Fire, Apple Music, Audible, Pandora, and more, you easily find usage and justification for this piece of smart tech in your home. At a price tag of $150.00, the Amazon Echo has many uses to help in your home and is a fantastic smart home gadget. Word to the wise, Alexa has a built in microphone for consumer purposes that is ALWAYS LISTENING…Use responsibly.

5. The Ring II doorbell system

The Ring Video Doorbell, provides you with the capability to see who is at your door from the safety and comfort of your bed or couch. It lets you accept or deny visitor calls if you’re not home, and uses motion detection to alert you of activity on your doorstep even when the bell hasn’t been rung. By working off your home’s Wifi and mobile data, the 1080HD camera will alert your smart phone of any activity at your door step day or night. For an extra $3.00 a month, you can pay for cloud storage and have all moments video recorded for later purposes if desired. The newest model also has a 2 way intercom system, and infrared night vision. For that extra bit of security at a relatively inexpensive cost of $199.00, this doorbell is the must have for any smart home.

The Conclusion

With so many smart gadgets available, some better than others, these products can make our homes better, safer, and more convenient. 2018 is going to be a big tech year and the “smart home” business is growing evermore advanced daily. If you can pick-up just one of these items this year, you’ll be headed in the right direction. I’m still anxiously awaiting the release for Rosie the robot maid, but I may have to hold my breath for awhile.

February 10, 2018
Sony’s “Robo-Puppy” is Back!
Initial thoughts
- Highly advanced puppy AI
- Adorable movements, and physical cues
- Extreme price tag
LAS VEGAS- At the 2018 CES convention Sony unveiled Aibo, the world’s most adorable robot-puppy. The world has seen Aibo in the past, but Sony has re-imagined and reanimated the once stiff “robo-puppy”, and he’s melting hearts.

Let’s Meet Aibo

You remember seeing Aibo years ago at the old KB Toys store doing binary back-flips for attention but to no avail. Well in 2017 Aibo was brought back to life by Sony and he’s actually pretty great! At first glance, you see the initial robust face lift Aibo has, along with the new OLED eye displays he comes equipped with. Aibo’s movements are shockingly fluid and his his facial impressions are full of emotion. What gives Aibo his life-like movement is the 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerator system, along with three facial sensors to give him those darling facial cues. Aibo has a total of 4,000 parts and 22 moving actuators, which is what makes his movements so impressive. At the 2018 CES, Aibo was slow to respond to some of the voice commands, but usually processed within 10 seconds. Regardless, this pup can boogie around, and do so with a very high cute factor.

That’s right, He Needs Training!

Aibo’s new AI system is a whole other animal in itself (Pun intended). Aibo is able to sit, stay, shake, and even cutely responds to head scratches. Aibo is also programmed with learning AI capability so the more time you spend with him, the more he learns about his master. Aibo also will respond to training! Sony’s new hook for Aibo is that you will have to train it through voice commands and positive reinforcement, just like you do a real dog. Aibo has the ability to mimic a real puppy due to the series of sensors and cameras he has which help him to understand both his environment and your interactions.

This little pup is built with three touch sensors (one on the back, one on the top of the head and another under the chin), two cameras image recognition and area mapping, one Time of Flight sensor for proximity detection, a special sensor to detect your presence from behind, four microphones and a motion detector. Aibo even comes with a little pink plastic ball which he can fetch! Dawwww.

The Cost…Wowsers!

At a whopping $2,000.00 this is one expensive thoroughbred! On top of the initial $2,000.00 users pay a monthly $26.00 for the Aibo services. Those services include continual software updates and cloud storage to help Aibo retain, learn, and grow. To most, that cost is way too high for what is essentially a toy, but other’s might see it a small price to pay for what is a very advanced and innovated pet. Right now Aibo recognizes English and Japanese, but other language will be added in the near future. Like most new tech, the cost for Aibo will likely drop over time but for now, get out your wallets!

The Upside
- Sony has made incredible advances in Aibo’s robotics and it’s very impressive
- The learning AI will keep Aibo relevant in your home.
- Because of Aibo’s AI structure, the capacity to fall in love with a robot is REAL…
The Down
- The high price tag obviously. Paying $2,000.00 plus $26.00 monthly is not very realistic for the average consumer.
- Aibo still has a lot of glaring robotic issues to address before major release.
- Not a lot of aesthetic options to make Aibo’s exterior to your liking. Just the plain “cold steel” look for now
The Solutions

If Sony can make Aibo a much more affordable ‘Robo-puppy” and really tap into the pesonalization of Aibo’s exterior, it could really be a home-run for Sony. Aibo’s movements, responses, and emotions seem genuine…yes that kinda of terrifying, but also incredible at the same time. Once the kinks are worked out, I feel Aibo could really offer someone emotional and physical companionship on a very real level.
February 10, 2018
3 Smart-Home Appliances for 2018

What better way to streamline your house cleaning then by tracking all your appliances activity from your smart phone or computer. Well those appliances are here. From tracking usages, energy output, and efficiency these appliances will make your weekend cleanings a breeze…

1. The Samsung 4-door Family Hub Refrigerator

Samsung’s latest offering in the smart home department is a $5,800 touchscreen/camera equipped refrigerator. The focal point of Samsung’s refrigerator, called the Family Hub, is an over-sized 21.5-inch touchscreen. When activated, you can view photos, leave notes, and even watching television. This “Smart-Fridge” also offers a larger screen that runs apps. Including Insta-cart and Groceries by MasterCard, both of which let you order groceries right from the refrigerator. Pretty cool stuff.

2. The GE Geneva Dishwasher

GE new Geneva Smart Dishwasher comes with a new app that will alert you if any problems arise and when the current load is finished. The dishwasher will also monitor performance and send an alert if any leaks arise. With the GE Appliances Kitchen app, you can start and stop the dishwasher even away from home with the touch of a button. The Geneva Dishwasher also connects to Alexa and can be started and stopped by simple voice commands.

3. The Samsung Flex Duo Oven/Range

The Flex-Duo with Dual Door and removable Smart Divider features two independent temperature controls and convection systems. This high tech stove comes equipped with blue LED illuminated knobs visually lets you know if your cook-top is on and Wi-Fi connectivity to let you remotely monitor your cook-top and control your oven’s temperature, timer and more right from the Samsung App!

Final Thoughts

Who knows what the future holds for us and our appliances. For now, the progress is pretty impressive and seems to be treated with care to ensure we use this technology to the best of our ability. Anyone of these smart appliances are sure to make things a little easier around the house.

February 10, 2018
The New BMW X7 is Here.

When Can we See it?

Later in 2018, BMW is slated to put its once concept ,the X7, into production. This new addition to the BWM line promises to be the height of luxury and technology. According to BMW, “The Concept X7 iPerformance embraces spatial luxury. Generously dimensioned windows, combined with the panoramic glass roof extending from the windshield to the rear, generate an incomparable sense of airiness that brings new meaning to the phrase out on the road. The seats themselves, a mix of dark olive-bronze and Smoke White leather, serve as a nod to exclusivity, down to the finest details.”

From what we’ve seen so far, the interior looks absolutely incredible. Equipped with an oversized heads-up display screen, and 2 additional monitors in the back, this car is not short on tech. In addition, BWM has added a, ” Brilliant mix of light and dark to create an atmosphere of balance and tranquility. Dynamic ambient and contour lighting, with strands of laser light in the roof, plus polished aluminum elements throughout the interior provide brightness.” Bravo, BMW.

First of Its Kind

The X7 is surely to be the company’s largest vehicle ever produced. With this large stature, the X7 encompasses beauty, strength, elegance and grace. The X7 is pushing the boundaries of fashion with its 23-inch wheels and contour lines throughout. Under this large body will likely be a range of six, eight and possibly 12-cylinder engines ranging from a relatively frugal 3.0-liter turbo diesel to a 609hp 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 petrol (borrowed from the top-spec 7 Series) in rapid X60i models. Other options will include a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 and a hybrid X7 that combines a four-cylinder petrol engine with a powerful electric motor. Whichever option you choose it’s believed that the X7 will come with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox as standard.

For now we wait

We will likely see the X7 in the later months of 2018 or early 2019. If it’s pricing mirrors anything close to the X7’s sedan brother the 7 series, we can expect pricing to start around the $100,000 mark. It’s certainly a beautiful machine and my hat’s off to the guys and girls over a BMW.

February 6, 2018
Sonos Spreaker. Listen Up…
The Good
- Unparalleled sound quality. Simply the best in home audio
- Sonos App is user friendly and easy to navigate
- Sharp design, fits in any decor
- Portable and works off Wifi.
The Not so Good
- Portable but has to be plugged into an outlet
- limited capability, can only essentially play music
- Music has to be played through Sonos App. Cannot use Youtube or other mediums.
- Somewhat high price tag
The Conclusion

The sound quality is amazing and the Sonos connects to the home WiFi hassle free. Using the Sonos App, your music selection platforms are plentiful. But they’re not total. I still find myself wanting to use Youtube sometimes through the app, and where just not There yet. But the ability to fill my entire home with beautiful, synchronized music, where I can walk from room to room without music interruption makes it all worth it. I could pay a professional $5,000-$10,000 for an audio system and I’m still not sure it would provide better sound quality than the Sonos.

Oh Sweet Sonos

Lauched in 2013, Sonos hit the audio ground running. Not long after I found myself wanting to add more sound in our home and was looking for a portable unit, such a Bose mini Soundlink. I was then informed of the Sonos by a cousin and the rest is history. Right from the get go, sound of this little unit is incredible.The impressive is the clarity of the mids and highs in unparalleled. I find I’m hearing things in songs that I haven’t noticed in years. The hardware setup was very easy as well.

The Sonos App included clear illustrations showing which buttons to press on which devices to complete the pairing, and what the illuminated light sequences on those devices meant. Within a few minutes, everything was connected and working. I added my Spotify and Pandora accounts quickly, and within a few minutes I was streaming music to the Play 1. Sonos is also easily paired to Alexa, and the two work great together. For $199.00, I have got every penny out of the Sonos. Granted I wish it were as portable as my Bose Mini, but in this case, the sounds quality is a cost of portability.

Final Thoughts

Sonos has some buggy software issues along with a lack of mobility, but the pure sound that emits from the little speaker is simply the best. If you want your home to be filled with bright tones and audio warmth that there is no need to shop any further. The Sonos is the speaker for you. Start with one for your kitchen and you’ll quickly have a Sonos in every room. Sonos has competition such as the Apple Home Pod hot on it’s heels, but as long as they keep making that sweet sound, I’m in for life!
February 3, 2018
What a Powerful Little TV Projector!
The Good
- Set up could not be any simpler. Unboxing to watching TV done in under 5 minutes.
- The 1080HD Picture quality is amazing
- Small size, mobile, and reasonable price
The Bad
- Works best in a dark area or room
- Watching off the projector in daylight or bright areas in moot
- Volume is muffled at max setting and the menu screen is lacking
The Conclusion

This is a small, but powerful projector that provides great picture quality. Being very portable, you can throw in a bag and take to a meeting or a friend’s house to watch a movie. Comes equipped with all the needed connections such as HDMI or an output for a computer monitor. With a price tag of $128.99, the GAOAG Mini LED projector is a great buy for any night time outdoor or indoor needs.

Small but Powerful

With 1,800 Lumens and 1080P picture, this little projector packs a powerful punch! Along with great picture quality, this sleek and mobile projector, weighing just about 2 pounds, can be quickly packed up and brought anywhere hassle free. The GAOAG projector also comes with the capability to pair up to you iPhone or smart device for easier watching convenience. GAOAG has some competition such as the RAGU Z720 projector that offers 3,000 Lumens, weighs 7 pounds, and costs and extra $80.00. The GAOAG is a great source to watch movies or TV in dark spaces, it is not meant for PowerPoint or Office presentations. Another issue that has arose with the GAOAG Mini LED is projector is lack of basic image processing. When using VGA input, you can scale and shift the screen around, but not when using HDMI. With HDMI, the only option you have is scaling the image.

Final Thoughts

Projectors were all the rage a few years ago, but tapered off due to it’s technical limitation and mortal enemy, The Sun. With new ideas and advancements from companies such as GAOAG, maybe the projector can find it’s way back into our homes and hearts? GAOAG is certainly on the right path and has made a very affordable, portable, and high quality LED Projector. I’m anxious to see what the next stage of advancements hold.
February 1, 2018
PC’s…Build or Buy?
Pros to Building a PC
- Full customization of PC’s interior and Exterior looks and funtions
- Advances in PC tech, make building a PC relatively easy for intermediate users
- With proper shopping, building can be a much cheaper option.
Cons to Building a PC
- High chance for PC software bug if not built right
- Can be a laborious and frustrating practice at times
- Ensuring that all parts are compatible and will function together is a task in itself
Conclusion

PC building is a beauty in the eye of the beholder. Completing a fully custom, kick-butt, gaming PC can be a lot of fun with a rewarding product afterwards. But with great PC names such as Alienware, is it better to just spend the money and call it a day? If you have the time, I say build. With all PC parts easily available online at Amazon, and all the fun extras you can attach, making your own PC is almost an art nowadays. But prepare for frustration…

The build

At first it seems like an overwhelming amount of work, but after a while all the parts your ordered and purchased seem to click in place and the PC is starting to come together. Fully customized to your liking with color schemes, attachments, and paint jobs, there is no end to what you can do to your custom PC. But is it cheaper than buying a big name PC? On average with all your high-end graphics cards, processors, memory, and motherboard, you cost can easily creep to $2,000.00. On top of the rising cost, you have to make sure all parts are compatible, get all software up and running together, and get past a sometimes long bug fixing period. I see why folks, to walk down to the outdoor Sunday computer market and grab something they know they can just plug in and go. But those big market gaming computers can cost around $5,000.00 and come equipped with essentially the exact same parts that you can buy and build for $2,000.00.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, building you own PC is fun, cheaper, and the end result is building something you can be proud of. Complete with customized LED lights, personalized motherboards, fans, and graphics cards. But prepare yourself for frustrating moments and know it’ll take some time. But you’ll get through it and at the end of the day, you’ll call that PC your baby.
January 30, 2018
The Martin D-35 Seth Avett “Signature Guitar” is a Thing of Beauty.
The Great
- Beautiful bright sound only the Martin Guitar Co. can produce
- Intricate inlays on the fret board specifically designed by Seth Avett, make this a visually stunning guitar
- Perfect blend of Spruce, Cherry, Indian Rose, and solid Ebony wood creates a lightweight, but sturdy guitar
- Professional grade audio and tech equipment pre-installed in guitar.
The Downside if any…
- Paying $4,300.00 for an acoustic guitar is pretty hard to justify
- Playing action is a bit high for intermediate players
- Dreadnought guitars can be cumbersome at times
The Conclusion

If you’re a somewhat advanced guitar player and have the means, this should be the next acoustic guitar you purchase. There is so much ornate detail and beauty to this guitar, you’ll be afraid to play it. Martin Guitar Co. and Seth Avett of rock group the Avett Brothers have partnered up and made a one of kind guitar that you can pass down for generations…

The Creation

In 2014, Seth Avett of North Carolina’s fame rock group The Avett Brothers, was approached by the Martin Guitar Co. and asked to partner up on a Special Edition Guitar. Seth immediately began to design and create a very personal and gorgeous guitar that has the sound at the forefront. With a Spruce Wood top and a blend of Indian Rose, and flamed Koa Wedge on the back, this guitar spares no expense. Adding Copper snowflake inlays over a solid Ebony fret board ensures that the sound and play-ability are second to none. For a taste of decadence, Seth added Herringbone Rosette and Bone tuning nuts. Another important feature for a professional player, was the partnership with Fishman Audio for this guitar. Fishman is the forefront of audio technology in the music world, and adding their Fishman Gold Plus natural electronics lets the guitars true sounds shine through any PA system.

As far as sturdiness and quality goes, anyone familiar with the Avett Brothers knows that Seth does not hold anything back on stage and with his guitars. I’ve seen The Avett Brothers live in concert many times, and Seth truly puts his guitars through the ringer. Playing with such passion and veracity, he usually breaks a string or two on about every song. That’s not an exaggeration…

Final thoughts

With a price tag of $4,300.00, the cost of this guitar is not for the faint of heart. To justify the price, Martin Guitar Co. and Seth Avett have truly chosen only the absolute best quality wood and materials for this guitar. Not to mention, all the intricacies and detailing to the guitar. But for someone who does not play often or well, I would probably go in a different and more affordable direction. This guitar is truly for the acoustic guitar connoisseur and or Avett Brothers admirer. But if you do “treat yo self” this is a guitar that could be a treasured family item and passed down to children and grandchildren. Martin Guitars only sound better with age.
January 27, 2018