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  • Best Wireless Headphones on a Budget

    Best Wireless Headphones on a Budget

    Whether you’re at the gym, work, traveling, or just relaxing at home, wireless headphones make life easier. These Bluetooth-enabled devices pair with your phone or computer, allowing you to listen to your favorite tunes—or watch a late-night horror movie without disturbing the rest of your household—free from the tangled tether of traditional wired headphones.

    While top brands such as Bose and Beats offer incredible sound quality in their wireless headphones, they also come with a hefty price tag. For the budget conscious consumer, here are 5 of our favorite wireless headphones under $50.

    Skullcandy Uproar

    These headphones combine the classic over-the-ears styling with Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in microphone so you can answer calls. They also come packaged with a remote to control volume and playback. The online reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with 93% of Best Buy customers stating that they would recommend the headphones to a friend.

    JBL T450BT

    Larger than the Skullcandy Uproar, these headphones have a more old-school look. However, they’re foldable for portability. They boast an 11-hour battery life and feature controls on the earcup for volume, playback, and phone calls. For listeners who are all about that bass, JBL delivers! They promise big, booming sound from these lightweight headphones.

    Samsung Level U

    These in-ear headphones are comfortable, lightweight, and last 11 hours on a single charge. The intuitive design has easy-access control buttons and a neck strap that manages not to look too ridiculous when you’re working out at the gym. One word of caution, however; the Level U is not sweatproof, so dedicated exercisers and serious athletes may want to choose a different option.

    Sound Blaster JAM

    These on-ear headphones are easy to use, thanks to the one-click feature that lets you switch between a phone call and your music with a single tap. You can also pump up your jams with the built-in bass-boosting option. The 12-hour battery life and ultralightweight design make these headphones ideal for travel or a long day at the office.

    Anker SoundBuds Slim

    The least expensive headphones on the list are also the best value. With a comfortable in-ear design, carrying pouch, and nifty magnetic earbuds that allow you to wear them like a necklace while not in use, these headphones are fantastic for tossing in your gym bag or purse. They are sweat resistant, but be aware that you’ll only get about 7 hours of use from a single charge.

  • Top 3 Tablets For The Kids

    Top 3 Tablets For The Kids

     

    The Kids these days love their tech toys, and continue to blow are minds how quickly they can learn to use them and the functions they get out of them. Here is the top beginner tablets for kids that wont break the bank and can handle their abuse.

     

     

     

    1.Lenovo Tab 4 8

    Lenovo’s new 8-inch tablet is a good option for slightly older kids, ones with more experience with technology that don’t need the training-wheels of a tablet made for younger tots. Unlike Amazon’s Fire tablets, the Tab 4 8 offers a true Android experience, so you can use Google’s apps without the annoyances and risks involved with side-loading. It also offers good battery life and performance, and a bright, colorful display.

    For $20 extra, you can get Lenovo’s Kids Pack add-on, which includes content curated just for kids, parental controls, options for scheduling and limiting play time, a protective bumper case, stickers and a blue light filter.

     

     

    2.Amazon’s Fire 7 Kids Edition

    .Amazon’s Fire 7 Kids Edition bundles the company’s 7-inch budget tablet ($49 on its own) with a new protective bumper and a year’s subscription to Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited for just $99 (16GB). Right now, it’s even cheaper, thanks to a sale that knocked it down to the nice price of $69. FreeTime Unlimited gives you more than 10,000 books, videos, educational apps and games curated for children. Plus, a two-year guarantee promises a no-questions-asked replacement if your child destroys the tablet.

     

    3.Acer’s Chromebook Tab 10

    Acer’s announced the Chromebook Tab 10, the first tablet running Chrome OS. Made for the classroom, and priced to compete with the 2017 iPad ($329), it features a 9.7-inch, 2048 x 1536-pixel screen, runs on a OP1 CPU with 4GB of RAM and offers 32GB of storage. Includes aWacom EMR stylus and will (eventually) feature Google’s Expeditions AR, a classroom learning tool.

     

    Honorable Mention: Verizon’s GizmoTab

    Unlike every other tablet on this page, Verizon’s GizmoTab ($80 with a 2-year contract, $250 off-contract) packs LTE connectivity. This way, your kids can never complain about not being able to stream videos or download games on the go. The 8-inch slate comes with a rubber bumper that protects it from falls, so junior can’t break it. If you use the GizmoTab with a Verizon data plan, you’ll get access to 300 kid-friendly apps that offer educational and entertaining experiences.

     

    The Final Thought

    This generation will prove to be the most knowledgeable, what they do with that knowledge is up to us. They will know where the answers are to any question they can think of, leaving their brain open to progressing those thoughts and answers. Getting them started on the path earlier is probably a good idea and getting the right tablet to do it.

  • Tablet Talk:  ASUS ZenPad Z8s 

    Tablet Talk:  ASUS ZenPad Z8s 

    ASUS ZenPad Z8s  is a Premium 7.9-inch tablet with a stylish, all-metal design, and featuring vivid visuals, cinematic audio, and powerful all-around performance ideal for both entertainment and productivity. ASUS ZenPad Z8s has elegant, modern styling with clean lines and an exquisite metallic texture that feels great to the touch. Its forged aluminum body weighs just 306g, is only 6.9mm thin, and is accented by double, diamond-cut edges, giving ZenPad Z8s a singular beauty that elevates the tablet experience.

    The Great

    • Bright and colorful display
    • Great performance
    • Solid audio
    • Stylish design

    The Not

    •  Verizon Exclusive
    • Short battery life

     

    The Conclusion

    The Asus ZenPad Z8s is a high-performance tablet that offers a bright display, loud audio and stylish design.

     

     

    If you’re a Verizon customer, then you’re in luck, because Asus has an exclusive tablet to serve your media needs. The 8-inch ZenPad Z8s provides a bright display, an impressive sound system and good looks, all for $250. Whether you want to watch videos on YouTube or takes notes in Google Docs, the Asus ZenPad Z8s is a reliable Android tablet that’s worth considering.

    Design: Stunning

    The Asus ZenPad Z8s measures 8.0 x 5.3 x 0.27 inches and weighs 10.7 ounces, making it the lightest 8-inch tablet I’ve seen so far. Competitors like the Lenovo Tab 4 8 measured 11.2 ounces, while the Amazon Fire HD 8 measured 13 ounces and the 9.7-inch Apple iPad came in at 16.5 ounces.The ZenPad Z8s has a sophisticated appearance. Its aluminum backing is a matte, gunmetal shade with matching plastic sides and a top bezel that houses a 13-megapixel rear shooter. Thin chrome accents decorate the edges of the tablet and rear camera, which really makes the ZenPad Z8s stand out from the competition. A bright silver Asus logo sits in the middle of the shell, while a smaller Verizon logo is situated at the bottom

    The Asus ZenPad Z8S features a Snapdragon 652 Octa-core chipset with an Adreno 510 GPU, 3GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage expandable to 128GB via a microSD card.

    The ZenPad Z8S’s performance is generally passable, but not extraordinary. In our testing, it ran most things well, though we did experience slow-downs, occasional delayed response, and dropped framerates in games. The lag is most noticeable while opening the app drawer, Recent Apps or waking the device up. Basically, it seems to struggle with changes to onscreen content. Most of the time it runs smoothly, but the little hiccups are noticeable. Oddly, the default Asus keyboard doesn’t play too nicely with the processor, and feels clunky, but that was nothing a switch to Google’s Gboard couldn’t resolve.

    Quick Speck Look

    • Android 7.0
    • 1.8GHz Snapdragon 652
    • 3GB RAM
    • 16GB internal storage
    • MicroSD card reader, up to 128GB SDXC
    • Micro SIM card slot

    The Final Thought

    The $250 Asus ZenPad Z8s is a speedy media tablet at a decent price. Offering a bright display, great audio and sophisticated design, the ZenPad is hard to beat for the price. And if you’re not sure if you want to shell out the cash all at one time, Verizon offers 24-month financing for $10.41 per month. Or you can opt for a two-year contract and get the ZenPad for $150 instead.

    Shoppers who just want an inexpensive 8-inch tablet may prefer Lenovo’s $128 Tab 4 8 or Amazon’s $80 Fire HD 8, both of which have longer battery life but slower performance. If you don’t mind getting your hands on a slightly bigger screen with better overall specs, then Apple’s $329 iPad may be worth the investment. However, if you just want a 4G Android tablet that you can add to your Verizon line, the ZenPad Z8s is a great choice.

  • 16-Bit Nostalgia with the Sega Genesis Mini

    16-Bit Nostalgia with the Sega Genesis Mini

    If you grew up in the 90s, chances were good you had either a Sega or a Nintendo gaming console. Even though technology has moved on, many old-school gamers have fond memories of 16-bit, side-scrolling adventures of their youths. Hot on the heels of Nintendo’s own miniaturized retro consoles, the Sega Genesis (known as the Mega Drive to non-US markets) will be hitting shelves sometime in 2018.

    Call It a Comeback

    In essence, the mini versions of the classic consoles are emulators packaged inside novelty-sized replicas of the originals. After the success of the Nintendo minis, it’s no surprise that Sega is jumping on the bandwagon. But with videogames moving into 3D and VR, not to mention the vast array of mobile gaming apps, these consoles aren’t good for much more than pixilated nostalgia.

    Announced at Sega Fes 2018, the palm-sized device will be able to run familiar titles from the company’s catalog of games through your TV. No word yet on exactly which games will be available, but Sonic the Hedgehog will almost certainly make an appearance.

    Better Than the Flashback?

    This isn’t the first time Sega has tried to cash in on nostalgia. The company partnered with AtGames in 2017 to release the Sega Genesis Flashback, and it turned out to be a disappointment with underwhelming reviews across the board. Despite the lukewarm response to their first attempt, Sega hopes that the new Genesis Mini will prove competitive against their longtime rival Nintendo.

    The Genesis Mini’s release date isn’t yet confirmed, but the company is aiming to coincide with the 30thanniversary of the original console’s debut in October. Expect the price to be comparable to the $80 Super NES re-release.

  • Amazon Is Coming to a Best Buy Near You

    Amazon Is Coming to a Best Buy Near You

    As the old saying goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” Although they have long been battling each other in the arena of consumer electronics, Best Buy has decided to join forces with Amazon. Beginning in summer of 2018, Best Buy will be the only place you can get Amazon’s new Alexa-enabled smart TVs.

    It’s All About Alexa

    Available in their brick-and-mortar stores, on the bestbuy.com website, and through the new Best Buy seller’s portal on Amazon, the 10+ new smart TV models feature the Fire TV operating system. Fire TV allows users to operate their device with the same voice commands as the Amazon Echo and other Alexa-enabled products such as the Fire Stick.

    The Fire TVs will be manufactured by Toshiba and Best Buy’s own Insignia brand. Although prices have not yet been released, the TVs promise to be an upgrade over the previous Amazon offerings sold at Walmart, Target, and other big box stores.

    This news comes as a blow to smart TV competitor Roku, whose televisions will no longer be manufactured by Insignia as part of the new partnership. Roku stocks tumbled nearly 10 percent when the deal was announced. Best Buy plans to continue offering Roku devices in store, but it’s clear that they are betting big on Amazon.

    Mutually Beneficial

    By bringing more customers into their retail locations, Best Buy hopes to see increased sales across the board. Amazon, meanwhile, can introduce potential buyers to its HD and 4K TV models in a brick-and-mortar showroom. This may be a risky move for Best Buy, which has struggled to establish its own online retail presence to compete with the Amazon juggernaut, but for now, the former rivals are committed to their new partnership.

  • GoPro Wants Your Old Digital Camera

    GoPro Wants Your Old Digital Camera

    If you’ve been thinking about buying a GoPro, now may be the time. The company—in an attempt to bolster less-than-robust sales over the 2017 holiday season—has extended last year’s trade-in program indefinitely and expanded it to include any digital camera. In exchange for your old camera, GoPro is offering deep discounts on their latest models.

    Seriously, Any Camera

    The TradeUp program promises to accept any digital camera, regardless of whether it works—or even whether it’s still in one piece. Theoretically, you could send them a totally wrecked piece of gear and still receive the discount. The company will be recycling the trade-ins, so don’t worry about your camera taking up space in a landfill.

    How It Works

    First, you need to decide whether you want the Hero6 Black or the Fusion camera. The Hero6 Black usually runs $400, but with a trade-in, the price drops to $350. The 360-degree Fusion retails for $700; the trade-in brings the price tag down to $600.

    Once you’ve chosen your camera, you’ll add it to your cart and check out on the company’s website. During the purchasing process, you’ll receive a free shipping label for your old camera. Once GoPro receives the trade-in, they’ll finish processing your order at the discounted price.

    Should You Do It?

    As with many questions in life, the answer is that it depends. If you have an outdated point-and-shoot or an earlier-generation GoPro that you’re no longer using, then the discount could be very tempting. However, you’ll want to make sure that the resale value of your camera is less than the maximum discount of $100 on the Fusion. In other words, don’t send in your top-of-the-line Canon or Nikon.

    If you’re a fan of instant gratification or need a camera in a hurry, then you may be frustrated while you wait for the company to receive your trade-in. Ultimately, if you were already thinking about buying a new GoPro, the TradeUp program is a good bargain, but be prepared to jump through a few hoops to get it.

  • Update to the iPhone SE line Could Be Coming

    Update to the iPhone SE line Could Be Coming

    A new hint has surfaced to support the rumor that Apple will release an iPhone SE 2 in the near future, but it’s a roundabout one, so bear with us. I promise, this will all make sense. Apple recently registered several unreleased iPhone model numbers with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), a Russian-language regulatory organization.

    The filing by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), which authorizes devices for a number of countries including Russia and Armenia, shows it has given the all-clear for a number of iPhones to go on sale. The information in the filing does not specify model names, but rumors and the timing of the filing strongly point to another iPhone SE launch.

    Found by Consomac, the devices are identified with the model numbers A1920, A1921, A1984, A2097, A2098, A2099, A2101, A2103, A2014, A2015, and A2016. None of the iPhones Apple has previously launched use these model numbers, indicating them to be brand new devices.

    Few other bits of useful information are offered in the filing, but it is noted the listed iPhones will ship running iOS 11. It is likely this is shorthand to refer to iOS’ main generational release, and the iPhones themselves will ship with a more recent version, such as iOS 11.3.

    But before you start celebrating the thought of 11 new iPhones, keep in mind that Apple sometimes uses different model numbers for the same type of iPhone.  However, there is a chance that at least a few of those model numbers could belong to the rumored iPhone SE 2, which is overdue for a refresh. As iPhones become larger and quite possibly more expensive, the smaller, scaled-back iPhone SE is Apple’s one phone that can compete with an army of cheaper Androids.

     

    Apple released the original iPhone SE in March 2016, then released it again with more storage a year later. But besides that, there haven’t been any major upgrades to the iPhone SE line. The iPhone SE is unlike other iPhones because of its small 4-inch size and its lower price tag. Rumors about an “iPhone SE 2” started cranking up in November, with allegations that it would ship in the first half of 2018 and be manufactured by Wistron in India. More recently, reports suggested that the device would have a glass back, to facilitate Qi charging, like the iPhone 8 family and iPhone X.

     

    The Fin

    al Thought

    Why be surprised, why even bother looking forward to a SE release. Its definitely time to update the se, which is essentially an iPhone 5. The update will in all likenesses be a cheap version of the 6. Its cheap but at least its an iPhone is what my father would say..

  • Tech Throwback: The HTC 8125

    Tech Throwback: The HTC 8125

    I like to take a look at where I’ve been to evaluate where Im going. Technology is cyclical after all… wait no its not. That said I still like all the feels that come rushing back like a flood of nostalgia every time I get my hand on the tech I grew up with. Im going to go back periodically and take a looking at the stuff that used to blow our hair back and get our minds rolling. Some of these device blew up and changed the world, some where ahead of their time and some just fell flat and became colossal failures. Today I’m powering up the HTC 8125 first commercial pocket PC and phone

     

    The HTC 8125  is an Internet-enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC PDA designed and marketed by High Tech Computer Corporation of Taiwan. It has a touchscreen with a left-side slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The 8125’s functions include those of a camera phone and a portable media player in addition to text messaging and multimedia messaging. It also offers Internet services including e-mail (including Microsoft’s DirectPush push e-mail solution, as well as BlackBerry services with applications provided by BlackBerry-partnered carriers), instant messaging, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity. It is a quad-band GSM phone with GPRS, and EDGE, and a single/dual band UMTS phone with HSDPA. It is a part of the first line of PDAs directly marketed and sold by HTC.

     

    Reintroducing

    Cingular’s 8125 has the right idea when it comes to hardware and software specs. But this hybrid PDA/cell phone’s design and usability disappoint.

    The thing that blew my mind 13 years ago is the 8125 is its built-in Wi-Fi. The device’s side panel includes a shortcut button that launches an on-screen Communication Manager menu. From here, you can enable or disable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, PC Sync, and even the phone. I also liked how easy it was to set up the 8125 to access IMAP, POP3, and Microsoft Exchange e-mail accounts.

    When the keyboard is stowed away, the 8125 is chunky–and its thickness made it awkward to use for phone calls. In my hands-on trials, I could easily adjust call volume, thanks in large part to the tactile volume control on the side panel, but at times I couldn’t hear the person on the other end. Several people I called told me that I sounded far away

     

    The Final Thought

    This was the first Smartphone on the market, It was the first smartphone I owned. It was slow and unresponsive, but I had internet at a dial up speed anywhere I went. The sight and thought of its potential blew people mind and opened conversations. Once this phone was release mankind was off to the races. Thank you HTC for picking up where the newton fell and setting up the future.

  • Laptop Lookout: Huawei Matebook X Pro

    Laptop Lookout: Huawei Matebook X Pro

    HUAWEI MateBook X Pro is a ultra-slim notebook with FullView display of 91% screen-to-body ratio. The 3K touchscreen, powerful Intel processor and discrete graphics ensure this is a perfect companion for entertainment and work. With a 3K LTPS display comes with a remarkable 3000 x 2000 resolution, 260 PPI, 100% sRGB color gamut, 450 nits maximum brightness and 1500:1 contrast ratio. Immerse yourself in vivid details when viewing high definition pictures or watching 4K videos.

    The Great

    • Fast performance
    • Exquisite screen
    • Comfortable keyboard
    • Long battery life
    • Both USB Type-C and Type-A ports

    The Not

    • Very limited availability
    • High price
    • No SD card slot
    • Clever webcam is still flawed
    • Mystic Silver is Core i7 only

     

    The Conclusion

    The Huawei MateBook X Pro is a speedy, long-lasting premium notebook that’s hard to get.

     

    Chinese tech giant Huawei is not known for making laptops, but its 14-inch MateBook X Pro (tested at $2,350; starting at around $1,855) could change all that. Not only does it pack a gorgeous, high-res display and speedy performance, its battery lasts all day. And while its name and design beg for comparisons to Apple’s MacBook Pro, the MateBook X Pro’s keyboard is far more comfortable. The only things standing between you and its glory are its high price and severely limited availability.

     

    The Design

    The aluminum Huawei MateBook X Pro reminds me a lot of Apple’s MacBooks, and that’s a good thing. Not only is it a slim, silver wedge (also made in Space Gray), it’s easy to open its lid with a single hand, a hallmark of Apple’s notebooks. It also sports a shiny beveled edge around its keyboard deck, which the MacBooks do not.

    I still prefer the Apple’s designs in two slight ways: the Huawei logo — which looks like you chopped an Apple into a bunch of wedges — isn’t as elegant. Also, the MateBook X Pro’s lid and edges are flatter, lacking the tapered curves of the MacBook Air.

    The 14-inch MateBook X Pro weighs 2.9 pounds and measures 0.6 inches thick, making it similar in size and heft to the 3-pound, 0.6-inch thick Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, Touch Bar). The Dell XPS 13 (2.65 pounds, 0.5 inches) is lighter, while the HP Spectre 13 (2.4 pounds, 0.4 inches) is both thinner and lighter.

     

    The Display

    The MateBook X Pro’s screen produces 124 percent of the sRGB spectrum, which exceeds the 113 percent premium laptop average. The MacBook Pro earned a similar 123 percent and the Spectre 13 measured a lower 111 percent, while the XPS 13’s 1080p screen (117 percent) and its 4K screen (130 percent) straddled the MateBook X Pro’s rates.

     

    Quick Spec Look

    • CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.0GHz)
    • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620, Nvidia GeForce MX150 graphics (2GB GDDR5)
    • RAM: 16GB LPDDR3 (2,133 MHz)
    • Screen: 13.9-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,000) LED with touch panel (3:2 aspect; 450 nits; 1,500:1 contrast; 100% sRGB)
    • Storage: 512GB SSD (NVMe PCIe)
    • Ports: 1 x Thunderbolt 3 USB-C, 1 x USB-C 3.1, 1 x USB 3.0, 3.5mm audio jack
    • Connectivity: 802.11ac (2 x 2 MIMO) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
    • Camera: 720p webcam with far field microphones
    • Weight: 2.93 pounds (1.33kg)
    • Size: 11.97 x 8.54 x 0.57 inches (304 x 217 x 14.6mm; W x H x D)

     

    The Final Thought

    This may just be the Tech device that adds Huawei to the major players of Apple, Dell and Samsung to the minds of the american consumer. Welcome to the big leauges boys, we wear caps and sleeves at this level. Frankly, we’re stunned by Huawei’s sophomore effort in the laptop category. In one fell swoop, the MateBook X Pro presents an overwhelming alternative to my favorite laptop, the Dell XPS 13, and the MacBook Pro.

  • AMD Releases New Ryzen Processors

    AMD Releases New Ryzen Processors

    Last year, AMD made a successful re-entry into the high-performance world of desktop computing with their Ryzen processors. Now, they have announced the second generation of their fiercest competition to Intel in years.

    Ryzen Generation 2

    At the upper end of the new Ryzen chips is the Ryzen 7 2700X. The 2700X replaces both the 1700X and 1800X chips from the first-generation Ryzen processor lineup – those two older chips were extremely similar.

    The base clock of the 2700X is 3.7GHz with a boost up to 4.3GHz, which makes it up to 300Mhz faster than the 1800X. The price has also come down, with the 2700X selling at $329 compared to the 1800X’s $499 price point. This puts the price close to Intel’s six-core i7-8700K.

    Their budget offering is the Ryzen 5 2600, a six-core chip with will sell for $199. The base clock on the 2600 is 3.4GHz with a boost up to 3.9GHz. The most similar Intel chip is the Core i5-8500.

    The Lineup

    Ryzen 7 2700X – 8 cores, 16 threads, 3.7 to 4.3GHz, $329

    Ryzen 7 2700 – 8 cores, 16 threads, 3.2 to 4.1GHz, $299

    Ryzen 5 2600X – 6 cores, 12 threads, 3.6 to 4.2 Ghz, $229

    Ryzen 5 2600 – 6 cores, 12 threads, 3.4 to 3.9GHz, $199

    Up Next?

    AMD will debut their new platform, Zen 2, next year. So far, they have been mum on details but there are a few knowns. The new Zen chips will run on their new 470 AM4 chipset and they’ll support its StoreMI technology which links SSDs, platter hard drives and RAM together, increasing performance.