Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Tylt Y-Charge 2.1

It’s a solid device, and I felt comfortable taking it with me. All folded up, it’s easy to toss into a bag. It charges with a standard micro-USB cord, so no need to pack an extra cord. It does take about half a day to charge using an…

Continue reading Tylt PowerPlant, On-the-Go Battery Charging for MicroUSB and 30-Pin or Lightning iOS Gadgets

I’m not necessarily looking for skull-rattling bass or couture fashion, for instance, but that’s not to suggest that I want something that looks tacky and cheap, or that I’ll be satisfied with a tinny, sub-par sound. And yet at the same time, I’m fairly well-known among family and friends for being relatively frugal.

To wit: The last set of earphones I actually purchased were the Travelocity Stereo Handsfree 3.5mm Earbuds; I picked them up at my local CVS for $5.00. Naturally, they broke after a few months of semi-regular use, and have since been repurposed as a cat toy.

In all seriousness though, the financial aspect of RHA’s 450i is perhaps its most surprising feature, if only because these are such well-made workhorse headphones. A pair in either black or white will set you back just $50, and that is not a number I would have come up with if someone had asked me to test these out for a few minutes and then guess the price. Considering what other in-ear headphones with similar sound…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: RHA MA450i In-Ear Earphones

I’ve read about various methods of swipe input since purchasing my Nexus 7, even though I’ve been perfectly happy with tap input. However, when I saw that Swype was out of beta and on sale for only $0.99, I decided I didn’t have any excuse not to try it.

I’m impressed! It took almost no time to get used to the new input, and it’s eerily accurate. I find that I can even…

Continue reading App Review: Swype

Heavy phone users often buy a combination battery pack and case, which can help get through a long day. But what about someone who has multiple devices and wants a single battery extender for all of them? That’s where…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Mophie Juicepack Powerstation

The Major namesake is derived from a 200 watt amplifier head that the British company had released in the late ‘60’s as a high powered offering. Rock lore has it that those beasts could explode on stage when pushed hard. Not to worry though, the modern day Major headphones will not blow up on your head.

Frankly, what should be an explosive audio delivery leaves a little bit to be desired when coupled with any iPod or iPhone. Bass response is minimal and the sound is flat overall from an EQ…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Marshall Major Headphones

The full package. (Cassette tape cover product-stand not included)

A few weekends ago, I took a Megabus trip up to Buffalo to visit a friend. It’s a trip that I’ve taken before, roughly ten hours from Philadelphia. But I can’t begin to explain how nice it was to travel, this time while not worrying about my phone battery dying on me. And it was all thanks to the Juicebar Pocket Solar Charger.

Peace of Mind
When last time I was playing the ‘off and on’ game with my phone during the long ride up, this time I felt at ease and remained calm when the “Plug in your phone” message popped up on my screen. (Nice try smartphone. But I ‘outsmarted’ you!)

It took a little under three hours to charge my Samsung RAZR M battery, which was before that, approaching zero-percent quickly. I had kept the Juicebar on my top floor window sill for something like 18 hours the day prior, working up a full solar charge (the company says that it’ll take about ten hours of direct sunlight to ‘capture’ a full charge and it can apparently hold that unused charge for at least thirty days.)

A close-up of the solar panel.

I should add that keeping an eye…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Digital Zone Juicebar DO10-JB Pocket Solar Charger: Simple, Dependable and Universal

The first thing you notice about these buds is the generous cord length. A double-edge sword to be sure as I often found myself tangled in the extra length.  Though, while stationary in the office trenches or lounging at home, it becomes a non-issue. Wicked Audio, from the looks of their literature, is gearing most of their products to the extreme sports audience. No, I didn’t shred a pool this weekend or dodge buses on my fixie, but the addition of a clip is handy for reeling in the four foot finger…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Wicked Audio Heist Earbuds with In-Line Splitter

The Optrix XD4 model comes with a super sturdy helmet mount and a rugged, waterproof iPhone case with built-in wide-angle lens.  Optrix also threw in two pieces of mount adhesive, and a zip-tie to function as a helmet-to-mount leash (that snapped almost immediately).

Built for extreme sporting, the Optrix phone case is ultra-rugged and built to hold up…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Optrix XD4 iPhone Camera Case – Don’t GoPro, Go Optrix.

Seeing Audiofly products around for a while, I have always admired the company’s taste in design. They don’t make flashy, attention-seeking audio gear; no bright colors or LEDs, no unnecessary features or attachments. And I like that about a company (about anything, for that matter.)

That’s because at a party, Audiofly would be as calm as can be — implementing a ‘lean-back and let people’s attention come to them’ demeanor, their less-is-more approach. Audiofly knows that Audiofly…

Continue reading GadgeTell Review: Audiofly AF56 Earbuds