From environmentally friendly, bright green meal replacement drinks to accessories for your new Oculus Quest, our July 2019 reviews post has it all!

Ambronite Real Food Meal Shakes

These guys from Ambronite have some big goals!

Ambronite’s mission is to transform humans and our planet from surviving to thriving, through a sustainable plant-based lifestyle. We are helping urban professionals to live their life to the fullest by creating delicious, plant-based foods designed for a modern lifestyle. People who dare to transform stay at the heart of our tribe who we want to serve. These are the movers and shakers — leaders, creative professionals and athletes who set new boundaries in human capability.

Ambronite's mission is to transform humans and our planet from surviving to thriving, through a sustainable plant-based lifestyle
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Launched in 2014 Finnish company Ambronite began disrupting the nutrition market and has been getting a lot of media and industry attention
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As a ‘mover and shaker’ myself I thought I had better give these meal replacements a try and do my bit to save the planet if that is possible. Launched in 2014 Finnish company Ambronite began disrupting the nutrition market and has been getting a lot of media and industry attention.

The meal replacement market is, however, still in its infancy and while legacy shake products have fallen out of fashion – nutritionally complete, natural, plant-based and sustainable alternatives are gaining traction. This summer Ambronite is releasing three new products – a bar, a balanced shake, and a green juice, the last two of which Tech Trends has dutifully quaffed. From its inception, Ambronite vowed to never use artificial or synthetic ingredients, or GMOs, unlike the vast majority of competitors.

“Our relationship with food has been dangerously distorted by corporations and many of us are living a life that is unsustainable, for the individual and the planet. Our vision is to provide access to clean, plant-based, sustainable nutrition options 24/7”. Commented co-founder Simo Suoheimo

This summer Ambronite is releasing three new products - a bar, a balanced shake, and a green juice, the last two of which Tech Trends has dutifully quaffed
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There’s a myriad of super greens already on the market but Ambronite’s research found that the majority don’t taste great and as a result consumption is low. To truly change daily nutritional habits Ambronite created a blend of greens that tastes great and contains key superfoods like cranberry, spinach, spirulina, bilberry, and sea buckthorn.

There’s a myriad of super greens already on the market but Ambronite’s research found that the majority don’t taste great and as a result consumption is low
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Juicing and hand-made smoothies are great, but when you add up finding the good stuff, shopping, spinning your blender, cleaning the machines… honestly, most people simply have more important (and fun) things to do in everyday life. With AmbroGreens, you should cover all your bases in just 1 minute every morning! And most importantly, it’s the healthy habit you can enjoy while saving your valuable time from shopping, prepping and cleaning up. Simply scoop one tablespoon of AmbroGreens and enjoy with water or add it to your favourite smoothie.

With AmbroGreens, you should cover all your bases in just 1 minute every morning! And most importantly, it's the healthy habit you can enjoy while saving your valuable time from shopping, prepping and cleaning up
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I found AmbroGreens to be really excellent. It was easy to prepare, not gummy and lumpy, very tasty and not too sweet (as these things often are). I would say it is naturally sweet tasting and a pleasant drink. I did feel that I got my greens boost every morning. Take a look at the video for a bit more info.

I found AmbroGreens to be really excellent. It was easy to prepare, not gummy and lumpy, very tasty and not too sweet
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Each meal is designed to quench hunger for four hours. I had the Ambronite shake for breakfast today and I added a bit more water than stated because it initially felt too thick
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Ambronite Balanced Meal Shake delivers a real food meal that is more affordable, gentle on the stomach and provides 20 grams of protein, plenty of fibre, and food-based vitamins and minerals. Each meal is designed to quench hunger for four hours. I had the Ambronite shake for breakfast today and I added a bit more water than stated because it initially felt too thick.

My first impression was that there was not any one outstanding taste, just a thorough blend of the ingredient tastes. Not too sweet, not too salty (even though there’s a lot of sodium and potassium in it), not too ‘berry-y’, not too ‘other’. Which on a whole made it not unpleasant, but maybe not something I would look forward to every day. It was filling, but not in a heavy way and I can say that I didn’t feel hungry until about 4 hours after I drank the shake.

It was filling, but not in a heavy way and I can say that I didn't feel hungry until about 4 hours after I drank the shake
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Truthfully, I don't know that I felt any more 'focused' than I usually do but am sure the effects would be more obvious with repeated or regular use
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As to the claims of optimized nutrition, it seems they’ve done a good job. I like that it’s high-protein without the use of soy. As to the ‘power-kick that keeps you focused’. Truthfully, I don’t know that I felt any more ‘focused’ than I usually do but am sure the effects would be more obvious with repeated or regular use.

“Most of us succumb to the stresses of modern life and compromise our nutrition as a result. We’re a solution for professionals and health-conscious consumers who demand optimal nutrition in any circumstance”. Concludes Suoheimo

Not bad all around and these were definitely the tastiest and least gunky food in a glass products we have tried here at Tech Trends so check out their products here and see if Ambronite works for you and your gut!

Book: Blockchain Babel

Igor Pejic provides a handy guide to understanding what the flip the Blockchain is about, and what it will really mean for us all. If you ever wondered how a cryptocurrency wallet worked (it functions more like a key than a wallet) or what “hashing” means (it’s where original information is transformed into a code via mathematical scrambling with one-way cryptography) this book explains all of that, alongside the basic principles and workings of the Blockchain and the cryptos that run off it. Read the full review here.

Skross – US Adapters for World Travellers

We have tested and loved the sturdy and almost endlessly flexible power adapters from Skross before so when my summer 2019 schedule shaped up to be an epic American road trip of conferences, tech company visits and tours as well as the usual tech journo shenanigans I thought I’d try out their best solutions for overseas US travellers.

With a satchel creaking under the weight of two MacBooks, five phones (yes five) and various power banks and electronic gadgets I knew I’d put the Skross products through their paces and indeed they were worked hard and even saved my bacon a couple of times.

With a satchel creaking under the weight of two MacBooks, five phones (yes five) and various power banks and electronic gadgets I knew I’d put the Skross products through their paces
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To keep my gadgets juiced up while in the US Skross kindly sent me their Combo World to US a 2 in 1 solution for the USA and Europe combined in a single adapter.

Specs

– Designed in Switzerland
– Suitable for equipment with earthed & unearthed plugs (2- & 3-pole)
– Input plugs: Switzerland, Italy, Brazil, UK, USA/Japan,
– Europe (Schuko & 2-pole Euro), Australia/China
– Output plugs: USA, Europe (Schuko)
– Input voltage: 100 V – 250 V
– Max. load: 15 A
– Power rating: e.g. 100 V – 1500 W / 250 V – 3750 W
– Does not convert voltage
– Adapter: 94 g
– Adapter: W 58 mm H 60 mm D 71 mm

This adapter ensures getting connected is super easy, not just in the USA but also in all other countries with Schuko standard sockets (as predominantly found in Europe). This adapter provides global travellers with a safe, reliable and easy connection in all countries with the US and Schuko standard, making it an ideal solution for business and leisure travellers or, in fact, journos like myself. It lacks a USB-B but does just about everything else.

This Skross adapter provides global travellers with a safe, reliable and easy connection in all countries with the US and Schuko standard, making it an ideal solution for business and leisure travellers or, in fact, journos
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I also tested their Skross Steel Line USB-C Cable which proved very strong and powered up everything from my MacBook Pro to three of my phones and my two power banks
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I also tested their Steel Line USB-C Cable which proved very strong (if a little inflexible, Duh… it is a Steel Line cable) and powered up everything from my MacBook Pro to three of my phones and my two power banks. I have nothing bad to say about this cable, it took everything I threw at it and laughed!

Specs

– Designed in Switzerland
– Input voltage: 5 V
– Output voltage: 5 V
– Output current: max. 3 A
– USB standard: 3.0
– Charges and synchronises all devices with USB Type-C
– Robust aluminium housing is made-to-last
– No more tangled wires
– Cable length: 1 m (3.3 ft)
– Reinforced jacket on Type-C and USB Connector

The Skross US USB-C Charger is perfect if you live in or travel to a country with the US or Japanese socket standard. The two USB ports (Type-C and Type-A) enable a traveller to charge two USB devices at the same time in over 50 countries around the world. This is very slim and probably got the most use during my trip, staying in my bag all the time due to its size while the other adapters mostly stayed in my hotel room for overnight use.

The Skross US USB-C Charger is perfect if you live in or travel to a country with the US or Japanese socket standard
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Specs

– Designed in Switzerland
– Suitable in all countries with US socket standard (more than 50 countries worldwide)
– Input: 100 V – 240 V ~ 50/60 Hz 700 mA (max.)
– Output A: DC 5 V, 2.4 A
– Output C: DC 5 V, 3 A
– Output max.: DC 5 V, 5.4 A total
– The two USB ports (Type-C and Type-A) enable to charge two USB devices at the same time
– Charges smartphones, tablets or any other USB devices in over 50 countries around the world.
– Not only for USB Type-C devices: the Type-A USB port can charge any USB device!

The World to USA USB is perfect whether you’re planning to see the sights of New York, visit Vancouver, trek in US national parks (which I did!) or experience the wonder of Niagara Falls (also did), this country adapter is the ideal charging companion with the added bonus of a USB port.

Specs

– Designed in Switzerland
– Suitable for equipment with earthed & unearthed plugs (2- & 3-pole) and USB devices
– Input plugs: Euro, Australia/China, UK, USA/Japan, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil
– Output plugs: USA
– Input voltage: 100 V – 250 V
– Max. load: 15 A
– Power rating: e.g. 100 V – 1500 W / 250 V – 3750 W
– USB output: 5 V / 2.4 A
– Does not convert voltage
– Suitable even for powerful devices such as laptops and travel hairdryers
– Applicable in many destinations: USA, Canada, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico and many more.
– The 1 x USB port easily charges smartphone, tablet or other USB devices

It’s small and very lightweight. It is also well constructed, unlike the shoddy cheap products found on Amazon for a few bucks, only the best Swiss manufacturing here!
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The best thing about this adapter (apart from its flexibility) is its size. It’s small and very lightweight. It is also well constructed, unlike the shoddy cheap products found on Amazon for a few bucks, only the best Swiss manufacturing here! All round, the Skross products I have used here and over the last couple of years have been excellent investments. They are not cheap but boy are they reliable and well built, these adapters will last years of international travel and are well worth the outlay.

Check out the huge range of product this excellent Swiss company makes here and trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Airfree Tulip 1000

Clean the air in your home with the Airfree Tulip 1000 silent air purifier. More and more of us are paying attention to the air we breathe, both in and out of the home. While the UK Government are letting us all down by failing to comply with EU laws on air pollution in our towns and cities, inside our own homes we can at least try to control things. Airfree sent us their elegant Tulip 1000 to test so we read the very simple instructions, chose the fuggiest room in our house and plugged it in. After a day or two, I started to wonder how I could know if it is working as the cleaning supposedly takes place on a microscopic level and apart from giving off faint heat and an array of pretty colours the Tulip 1000 is completely silent and requires no maintenance, not even the occasional replacement of parts. Read the full review here.

VR Covers for your new Oculus Quest

If your HMD is shared around with family or colleagues it’s probably worth getting some changeable and hygienic pads or covers, as no matter how much you love your nearest and dearest or your workmates nobody likes sharing grease! The guys at VR Cover have been making affordable and comfortable solutions for a variety of headsets for a while now and they have quickly produced a few products for the shiny new Oculus Quest.

The guys at VRCover.com have been making affordable and comfortable solutions for a variety of headsets for a while now and they have quickly produced a few products for the shiny new Oculus Quest
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For only $29 they offer an Oculus Quest Foam & Interface Basic Set containing two easy-clean leather-like foam pads – one more padded than the other – to ensure you get the fit you want with your Quest. Both foam paddings prevent light leakage and you can simply switch between them to find the best fit and immersion. I found the comfort version with its thicker, broader pad helped to distribute the weight of the device better.

Effective at reducing pressure and red marks on the face, these ultra-soft foam replacements will make long VR sessions much more comfortable. Cleaning the accessories is easy. Simply use a cloth or anti-bacterial wipes to remove sweat and grime and you will have a fresh and hygienic headset again in no time.

Effective at reducing pressure and red marks on the face, these ultra-soft foam replacements will make long VR sessions much more comfortable
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Get your order in now as this basic set is expected to ship at the end of August 2019 & includes:
1 x Facial Interface (black)
1 x Oculus Quest PU Leather Foam Replacement (standard)
1 x Oculus Quest PU Leather Foam Replacement (comfort)

Make your Quest basic set even more comfortable and add one of their $19 Oculus Quest Cotton VR Covers comprising two, soft, washable cotton covers in one set. Made of quick-absorbing 100% cotton, the covers wick away moisture, so your VR experience feels comfortable and your headset stays protected.

To make your Quest basic set even more comfortable, add one of their $19 Oculus Quest Cotton VR Covers comprising two, soft, washable cotton covers in one set
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Installation is straightforward, thanks to a unique hook and strap system. The in-built elastic straps and hooks fasten onto the back of the interface, assuring a secure fit even during active gaming. This set is expected to ship around the 15 July 2019 so order soon. Each set contains 2 machine-washable covers so just swap one out for the other and get a clean headset every time.

Designed to optimise hygiene and comfort, these VR Covers are perfect whether you are sharing headsets or flying solo. Check out more of their products here.

Tech Energi USB Charger and LED USB Cables

Each USB port intelligently identifies your device to deliver the fastest possible charge at maximum speed (up to 3.1A) or will share the charge when 3 devices are connected simultaneously
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Tom Atkinson is Reviews & Dep. Editor at Tech Trends.

The post July 2019 Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

Clean the air in your home with the Airfree Tulip 1000 silent air purifier.

More and more of us are paying attention to the air we breath both in and out of the home. While the UK Government are letting us all down by failing to comply with EU laws on air polution in our towns and cities inside our own homes we can at least try to control things.

While the UK Government are letting us all down by failing to comply with EU laws on air polution in our towns and cities inside our own homes we can at least try to control things
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Airfree sent us their elegant Tulip 1000 to test so we read the very simple instructions, chose the fuggiest room in our house and plugged it in. After a day or two I started to wonder how I could know if it is working as the cleaning supposedly takes place on a microscopic level and appart from giving off faint heat and an array of pretty colours the Tulip 1000 is completely silent and requires no maintenance, not even the occasional replacement of parts.

This is not like a bug zapper that screams every successful kill with an electric crackle and toasted insect fizz, it is completely silent
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All you have to do is switch the device on and leave it to get on with the job. This is not like a bug zapper that screams every sucessful kill with an electric crackle and toasted insect fizz so I checked out the product page and found the video below.

These are pretty impressive results and do encourage me that the Tulip 1000 is actually doing what it says on the tin. However, in this day and age it does feel like a user needs a connected app to monitor performance and be assured that not only is their nifty device doing its thing but how well and how often. This might just be the geek in me but I think people need to be able to see and measure the effects of technology to really value a device like this.

In this day and age it does feel like a user needs a connected app to monitor performance and be assured that not only is their nifty device doing its thing but how well and how often
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Patented Thermodynamic TSS Technology destroys mold, dust mites, bacteria, viruses, pollens, pet dander, tobacco and other organic allergens
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Airfree Tulip is the ideal solution for compact spaces, where design and wellness are essential in breathing fresh air but is also recommended for rooms up to 450 sq ft. Slim and powerful, the Airfree Tulip promises clean air and design that fits with your home décor. This patented Thermodynamic TSS Technology destroys mold, dust mites, bacteria, viruses, pollens, pet dander, tobacco and other organic allergens. Airfree also reduces indoor harmful ozone levels. It is perfect for mold contaminated areas as well as asthma and allergy sufferers.

I looked further at how it does its thing and found the process works in much the same way as sterilising water by boiling it; when water is boiled, the microorganisms it contains are eliminated. In similar fashion, Airfree continually draws in air from the room, heating it to over 400 ºF and instantly sterilizing it. The purified air is then cooled inside the device before being returned to the room. As I have noted, it does give off heat and might sometimes feel hot to the touch so care should be taken, when moving it around, to let it cool a bit before touching its top.

Airfree continually draws in air from the room, heating it to over 400 ºF and instantly sterilizing it. The purified air is then cooled inside the device before being returned to the room
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The touch sensitive button on the rear helps in choosing one of the 10 adjustable light colors, which are Red, Rose, Violet, Blue, Light Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown and Grey or set it to cycle through them. The design is modern and clean and I can see it fitting into any fresh, cleanly designed space well, anywhere from a bedside table to a sideboard. After a week of continuous use i can’t deny that the room I placed it in felt a bit fresher and a little less pongy but wether this is a real change or in my mind I do not know.

The touch sensitive button on the rear helps in choosing one of the 10 adjustable light colors, which are Red, Rose, Violet, Blue, Light Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown and Grey or set it to cycle through them
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Airfree’s exclusive technology works by eliminating microorganisms and allergens, destroying them in a fraction of a second. Depending on the model, between 14,000 and 20,000 litres of air pass through the Airfree device every hour, treating all the air in the room in a very short space of time.

Find out more on the Airfree website here and you can pick up a Tulip 1000 from a range of dealers here for about $239.99

Tech Specs

• Capacity – 450 sq ft.
• Weight (lb) – 2.4
• Guarantee (years) – 2
• Energy Consumption (watts) – 44
• Size – 14.5 cm (diameter) x 13.3 in (height)
• Voltage (volts) – 120
• Thermistor safety sensors, thermal fuse, tilt sensor, varistor, current limiting fuse
• Exclusive multicolor light

Tom Atkinson is Reviews & Dep. Editor at Tech Trends.

The post Review: Airfree Tulip 1000 appeared first on Tech Trends.

Wireless is the future, no doubt, but do these four mid-priced Bluetooth headphones sound good enough to kill off the cable?

I am quite attached to cables, cabled audio in particular, and have always found better sound via a nice quality cable than via Bluetooth. However, technology is evolving all the time and Bluetooth is no exception so let’s take a look at where we are in 2018. We’re now up to Bluetooth 5 but only top-end devices including the Samsung Galaxy S8 + S9 and Apple’s iPhone X feature it, while the rest of us are still using version 4.0, 4.1 or 4.2. I am happy to say that since 4.0 the sound quality has been pretty decent and since then new versions have primarily improved only data speeds and the power saving features of Bluetooth, but lets put the sound to the test!

I am quite attached to cables, cabled audio in particular, and have always found better sound via a nice quality cable than via Bluetooth but...
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Here we have three new Bluetooth headphones, the first, Wicked Audio Raiders are small and lightweight, the JBL Harman E55BT are over the ear and noise cancelling and the Crazybaby Air are tiny, independent earbuds, so we are looking at a range of styles and technologies here but I would classify all these as low to mid-range in price (Under $200). I will also include the reasonably priced Skullcandy Crushers I reviewed last year as a reference. I tested them all with a MacBook Air and an Honor 7X which use Bluetooth 4.0 and 4.1 respectively. I don’t know about you but I still only buy laptops and smartphones that include a 3.5mm jack, I might not always use it but it is there if I need the best sound possible so lets take a close look at these Bluetooth samples to see if I should I throw away my old school wired headphones now or wait a bit?

I only buy devices that include a 3.5mm jack but lets take a close look at these Bluetooth headphones to see if I should I throw away my wired cans now, or wait a bit
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Wicked Audio Raider

The Wicked Audio Raiders are very small and very well designed, carved from walnut for a classy look and with Neck Lock technology, a cable that, well, locks them around your neck. Minimal is the word that best describes these but despite their size they claim an 8-hour battery life, I got 6.5 hours in my test but that is still damn good and charging was very quick! They have a Mic for calls and track controls mounted on the cable and should work up to 32 feet from your device.

The Raider gets its street cred from being carved from dense walnut wood. Wood speaker chambers deliver hi-res sound, producing extremely crisp highs and rumbling lows that’ll make your whole body tremble.

Voice recordings sounded great via 7X but very tinny and scratchy via the MacBook but on both devices music sounded quite good
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The results were interesting, via the phone, there was faint static when no audio was playing which was annoying but this was not the case when connected to the MacBook. Voice recordings sounded great via 7X but very tinny and scratchy via the MacBook but on both devices, music sounded quite good. The Bass and treble were well defined but the mids were quite muddy, especially with complex tracks but they were generally a comfortable listen.

We want you to hear the music the way it’s intended to be heard; undistorted. You’ll hear the music in it’s original state. The way the artist intended it to be heard. You’re going to get Earth shattering, rock you to the core, ghetto blaster bass! Bass so kind it will put a smile on your face for days.

When inserting and removing the buds there was a crunchy plastic sound, like scrunching up cellophane in your hand, strange but this was not evident while you are wearing them
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I really liked the design and features of the Raiders but for the price the sound is only OK, however, there was another issue. When inserting and removing the buds there was a crunchy plastic sound, like scrunching up cellophane in your hand, strange but this was not evident while you are wearing them. Overall they are OK Bluetooth headphones for the money but spend a little more and you can get better results.

Buy $54.99

JBL Harman E55BT

These JBL E55BT wireless over-ear headphones feature up to 20 hours of battery life with an incredible 2 hour charge time! They offer wired or Bluetooth connections and have active noise cancellation. While comfortable, design wise they are nothing special but I found the sound to be really good. They are not bass or treble heavy as most mid-priced headphones tend to be but are very well balanced across the range.

For noisy commutes, however, they would be ideal, blocking out the passengers around you
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With a sleek appearance, various color options and the added convenience of a detachable cable with remote and microphone, you’ll never want to be seen without your E55BT headphones.

These were a bit of a surprise and the open and crisp sound was very good for music but did make listening to speech, tinny and a bit sharp
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They excel at detail and give a very considered sound that lets you isolate and identify instruments in arrangements. I did find the noise cancellation a bit over the top and when no audio is playing the cancellation can make the world around you feel strange and I got a bit disoriented when standing up. For noisy commutes, however, they would be ideal, blocking out the passengers around you.

The ergonomic around-ear design means that your entertainment continues and your fun factor gets amped up no matter what you’re doing – working, commuting, or just making your way around town

These were a bit of a surprise and the open and crisp sound was very good for music but did make listening to speech tinny and a bit sharp. They are unremarkable to look at but somehow stylish at the same time, not over the top, however, if you want that JBL offers the E series in a variety of garish colours.

Buy: £79.99 reduced from £99.99 on Amazon in the UK

Crazybaby Air

These Air headphones from Chinese company Crazybaby are the future of wireless Bluetooth audio. They are tiny, independent, earbuds and come with a very cool portable charging and recharging capsule, they look amazing and I was relieved to find they sound as good as they look. The Air buds demand a good fit, so come with a variety of rubber buds and I easily found a pair that kept them firmly in my ears with no discomfort. They also have a speaker for calls and work with Personal Assistants including Google, Cortana & Siri.

We believe wireless is the future of music. Air is the world’s 1st carbon nanotube true wireless stereo headphones. With a companion portable charging capsule, you can experience high-fidelity wireless music anywhere

Crazybaby have used 5.2 mm customized speaker drivers and cutting-edge Carbon Nanotube diaphragms to deliver the best sound I have ever experienced from any headphones
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The tiny size means you only get three hours out of them but the charging capsule contains a battery that will top them up on the move, perfect for commuting. I tested them on trains, planes and, yes, automobiles and enjoyed great sound with excellent noise isolation. Crazybaby have used 5.2 mm customized speaker drivers and cutting-edge Carbon Nanotube diaphragms to deliver the best sound I have ever experienced from any Bluetooth headphones. It is perfectly balanced with strong bass, lush mids and crisp treble and most revealingly does not get confused or muddy on complex, driving tracks. Vocals are so detailed and human it is hard to believe the Air buds are so tiny and for the price, they deliver a wonderful experience. The Bluetooth 4.2 protocol increases the data transmission speed by 2.5 times, if you have a 4.2 capable device, meaning higher bit rate music files play better giving a rich and luscious, yet detailed sound.

In a world flooded with Bluetooth technology, Air is a cut above the rest. The latest CSR high quality decoding chip provides a consistent reliable connection that never drops out. By including the latest embedded CSR chipset, Air delivers high-performance TWS (True Wireless Stereo)

The Crazybaby Air buds are simply without peer in the mid-priced headphone category, sounding incredible and useful in all sorts of situations including travelling and VR
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The Crazybaby Air buds are simply without peer in the mid-priced headphone category, sounding incredible and useful in all sorts of situations from working to travelling, gaming and VR. Their one flaw is the bud to bud Bluetooth connection which drops quite frequently in environments with lots of electrical appliances and Wi-Fi around. Performance in my home office was not great. Sitting at my desk next to seven powered appliances the bud to bud connection was a bit patchy but out and about the dropouts happened less regularly. This is a major annoyance but the sound quality is so good that I was happy to live with an occasional connection glitch. If they fix this issue and put more capable Bluetooth chips in the next model they might just create the best wireless headphones in the world.

Buy: $169

Conclusion

The post Product Review: Bluetooth Headphones Group Test appeared first on Tech Trends.

Spring finally arrived but Tech Trends has been closeted indoors testing and reviewing all sorts of cool gadgets and thingamabobs for you lucky readers!

Sphero Mini

The Sphero Mini follows in the line of the original Sphero, Sprk+ and the popular Sphero BB-8. The new Mini takes much of what its previous models so successful and shrinks it down to a smaller – and more economical – package.

Sphero Mini packs tons of fun into a tiny, app-enabled robotic ball. drive, play games, learn to code, and more.

The new Mini takes much of what its previous models so successful and shrinks it down to a smaller - and more economical - package
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Now the size of a snooker ball the Sphero Mini comes in a range of robust-coloured shells which open to reveal its components within (a gyroscope and accelerator). A few fun accessories are also enclosed in the package – including half a dozen colourful mini skittles and some cones so you can layout your own course and steer your Mini through it.

Initially, a little slow to charge -especially if you have children eager to play – the app intel is easy to download and boot up and once launched is quick to get going with a colourful simple interface which is very child-friendly and easy to navigate.

Packed with teeny tiny tech such as a gyroscope, accelerometer, and LED lights and almost an hour of play time, Sphero Mini is the next big thing.

The app intel is easy to download and boot up and once launched is quick to get going with a colourful simple interface which is very child-friendly and easy to navigate
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In the app you can choose between a variety of control methods: standard joystick, tilt control, slingshot and face driving – which although may prove fun for younger players is actually quite a frustrating experience. Apart from the standard tech toy drive modes, there are also a few arcade style games tucked within the app wherein you can use the Sphero as a controller. They’re a fun little distraction but compared to what kids can play on their phones nowadays they won’t amuse them for long.

Drive Mini using different modes with the Sphero Mini app, or just by using your lovely mug. This Ball is also a Video Game controller! Use Mini as a controller to shoot your way through space, race through a tunnel, or to destroy a polygon of bricks.

The app is a great introduction to the basics of programming and with a simple drag and drop approach even younger players can make their own programs or adapt provided templates
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But it’s the Sphero Edu coding app that raises this tech toy above that of your average remote control car. The app is a great introduction to the basics of programming and with a simple drag and drop approach even younger players can make their own programs or adapt provided templates. Once you’ve become familiar with the paths and blocks that represent code you can then write your own JavaScript text programs.

Program the Mini with Javascript. If you’re feeling extra clever, download the Sphero Edu app and program your robot using JavaScript. The SPRK+ robot was built for programming. What’s the difference?

Overall the Sphero Mini is a solid reasonably priced tech toy
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Overall the Sphero Mini is a solid reasonably priced tech toy. In some ways, it suffers from the general failure of many of the interactive educational bots in that you really have to encourage the child to explore its capabilities or they will just become an expensive remote control car and have a very limited replay value. Given proper guidance, however – if you have the patience – they are a great way to encourage a basic grasp of coding.

RRP: $49.00

Review by Ashley Thorpe, Animator & Filmmaker at Carrion Films and Film & Games Correspondent at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @CarrionScreamin

Dell Visor Windows MR Headset

The first thing that hit me when I popped on the Dell Visor was its weightless comfort. It is similar in design to the PS4 VR headset and puts the weight of the device on the top of your head but is just a bit easier to get used to wearing and less front-heavy.

The first thing that hit me when I popped on the Dell Visor was its weightless comfort
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After trying some VR headsets that clamp the screen onto the front of your face with straps I have been left in physical pain (especially around the nose and ears) and so have become a connoisseur of VR comfort (or lack thereof) and the Dell design gets top marks.  Read the full review here.

Carlton AR Children’s Books

Carlton Books are at the forefront of early stage, educational AR books and I can’t think of a better use for mobile AR tech. Visually exciting and interactive technology paired with real-world play and learning should draw kids into new subjects and areas of study in a new and exciting way. It is important to note how early stage this technology is but Carlton have thrown themselves behind AR with exciting results.

Carlton Books are at the forefront of early stage, educational AR books and I can’t think of a better use for mobile AR tech
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It is important to note how early stage this technology is but Carlton have thrown themselves behind AR with exciting results
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Last year I was very impressed with their more adult-focused Alien: Augmented Reality Survival Manual, it had some very engaging AR content and is still my benchmark for this hybrid publishing format, so I was keen to try out this new series of educational AR books Tech Trends picked up at the 2018 London Book Fair. I was particularly keen to see how easy they made the process of linking the technology, the AR content and the physical books as the interaction between paper and digital needs to be seamless, immersing the reader (or user?) in the content with minimal UI friction.

First up was iExplore Bugs, off the bat this should be good as who doesn’t love creepy crawlies! The first page had clear instructions showing you how to download the app and use it. The App icon and the printed AR activation symbols were the same, making it really clear how it worked but there was no printed QR code to take you straight to the app in the iOS or Android app stores, why not? I had to open the app store and search for the app, luckily the printed instruction had the correct app name so this was not too hard but it should have been much easier.

Flying the Dragons around the room was serious fun and the quality or the AR was excellent
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After activating the AR there was a clear prompt on what to do next, look through the phone's camera and point it at the app symbol on each page to bring the bug to life
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The app is pretty large and took a while to download and install but when opened offered a taste of what was to come with a friendly animated cricket, instructions and links to other apps in the publisher series. After activating the AR there was a clear prompt on what to do next, look through the phone’s camera and point it at the app symbol on each page to bring the bug to life. My Galaxy S8 would not focus the camera inside the app and so detecting the symbol was a bit tricky, everything was permanently out of focus so the camera was not quick to activate the AR. However when it popped up the AR quality was great and the in-app bug controller, information and mini test were well designed and fun to use. The only niggle was the juddery bugs, when they were standing on the page they juddered constantly as the app calculated the ground level. This was a bit distracting but when the bugs took off and flew around the room under my control it improved a lot. This was serious fun and the quality or the AR Dragons was excellent.

The flying creatures got even better in Dragons Come to Life (so cool) where the Dragons from Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon leap off the page and let you fly them around the room. The book’s instructions and app were just as clear and the AR dragons and little human characters were really very cool. You could also swat up on the Dragon’s special powers and its Top Trumps style, abilities followed by a little knowledge test. Again the S8 camera would not focus in the app so it failed completely to activate some of the dragons, even in very bright light, quite annoying.

Carlton Books have done a really good job here and the books and apps are fun to use and very reasonably priced considering the background work this AR tech requires
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All in all Carlton Books have done a really good job here and the books and apps are fun to use and very reasonably priced considering the background work this AR tech requires. The books absolutely must have printed QR codes to take you to the right app or Carlton need to issue one app that works across all their books in a series. The friction of looking for the right app to go with the right book is simply unnecessary and easily fixed. The in-app camera failing to focus was a big issue but an app update should fix this and my only other minor niggle is the visuals and text in the books, particularly the covers. They are overselling the concept with too many images and too many mixed up fonts and bold graphics, it all looks too busy and hectic on the page. However, with publishers like Carlton pushing the Print & AR format I can see other publishers getting onboard but for now, none match the quality on show here from Carlton.

RRP: Individual books £9.99 and the Carlton AR range is here.

Aukey Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

If asked to sum up Aukey’s products I would have to say ‘best bang for your buck’ is the phrase that comes to mind. They are invariably much better quality than the price suggests, solidly built, practical and reliable. In the case of this 16W, SK-S1 wireless Bluetooth speaker I can also add, attractive.

The SK-S1 is surprisingly solid for its size. When you first pick it up gives off a feeling of quality and confidence, and the sound is very good
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There are some wacky and expensive looking portable speakers out there but this one just looks smart and modern, blending into my office, kitchen and garden. It is also surprisingly solid for its small size and when you first pick it up gives off a feeling of quality and confidence. The curved metal grills and the brushed steel top ooze a stylish simplicity and the silicone base promises to keep it clinging to any surface. Read the full review here.

ZeroWater Filter and TDS Meter

This 12-cup water filter jug from ZeroWater looks much like every other water filter out there but what makes it a more high-tech drinking solution is its patented, 5-stage Ion Exchange Filtration system, which removes virtually all dissolved solids from your water. These solids may include minerals, salts, metals, chemicals and runoff. Mmmm runoff, my favourite non-specific dissolved solid!

It removes virtually all dissolved solids from your water. These solids may include minerals, salts, metals, chemicals and runoff. Mmmm runoff, my favourite non-specific dissolved solid!
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The ZeroWater filter is also the first in its class to benefit from a sealed lid and reservoir, which allows filtered water to be poured while water, which hasn’t yet been, filtered remains in the reservoir. This adds a further 2 cups of capacity to the 10 cups of filtered water in the jug. It also features a very cool one-handed, pull and pour button spout for easy pouring from the fridge or for filling bottles. Four additional stages of water filtration ensure larger particles and other impurities are removed.

Well, I used the laboratory-grade Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter provided on our unfiltered tap water and got a reading of 078. I then filled up the jug and measured the filtered water and… dum dum duuuum! Got a reading of 000. So this seems to do a fine job of removing those unpleasant impurities from your water, and that can only be a good thing. Our water normally tastes fine if a little chloriney and after filtering through the ZeroWater tasted very different. It’s difficult to describe the taste but it is not unpleasant and definitely better than straight out of the tap.

I used the laboratory-grade Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter provided on our unfiltered tap water and got a reading of 078. I then filled up the jug and measured the filtered water and got a reading of 000
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• Certified* to reduce Lead, Chromium, & Mercury
• Premium 5-Stage Dual-Ion Exchange filtration system
• Ion-Exchange system that removes virtually all dissolved solids in your water
• The FDA requires the TDS level in PURIFIED bottled water to reach 000-010ppm. ZeroWater is the only filter in its class to achieve this level.

RRP: £39.99

Dell Precision 7720 VR-Ready Mobile Workstation

It was love at first sight when I unpacked the top spec Dell Precision 7720 VR-Ready Mobile Workstation last week. Cupid’s bow twanged and his poison arrow thudded deep into the meat of my heart, I was a gonna. She was over £7k of laptop and I was a drooling geek, palms sweaty at the prospect of an Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6 server processor, Nvidia Quadro P5000 and a Samsung SM961 M.2 SSD. My shaking hands slowly peeled off her cardboard clothes, plugged her straight into the mains and turned myself on So how was it? Well, it was sweet while it lasted but she soon left me and drove away with the same cheeky UPS driver! Read the full review here.

Aukey Powered USB 3.0 Hub

Like Apple, PC motherboard makers seem to be on a crusade to limit external connections. I suspect this might be due to the variety of new superspeed connections users expect every board to have pushing out the more practical and proven connections such as USB 3. I have never had the need for an expansion card or hub like this one from Aukey before but with only six USB 3 ports on my PC (four on the rear and two on the front) and a wealth of USB dongles and devices I was struggling. Sure I tried a few small two or three port extenders that did the job but a mains powered, six-port hub like this provided a much-needed connectivity boost.

I have never had the need for an expansion card or hub like this one from Aukey before but with only six USB 3 ports on my PC and a wealth of USB dongles and devices I was struggling
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The hub adds six SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports to your laptop or desktop computer, plus Aukey threw in one Smart Quick-Charging Aipower port and a Gigabit Ethernet port capable of accessing superfast network speeds of up to 1000Mbps. With the palm-size and lightweight design the CB-H17 Powered USB hub retains high-speed access to all of your devices without overloading your pocket or desktop. With USB data transfer rates of up to 5Gbps, you’ll be able to sync files and interact with your Mac or PC more efficiently than ever.

This hub adds six SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports to your computer, plus one Smart Quick-Charging Aipower port and a Gigabit Ethernet port capable of accessing superfast network speeds
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This is a very robust little hub from Aukey and is a worthy addition to your home computer, you won't know how you survived without one
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Powered by a 12V/3A mains adapter you can use your all external USB hard drives and even charge your smartphone or tablet when your computer is turned off (except for the iOS system), that could come in pretty handy! This is a very robust little hub and is a worthy addition to your home computer, you won’t know how you survived without one.

• Compact and slim design effectively saves your desk space and expands your connectivity
• One 2.4A output smart charging port provides full-speed and sufficient powers to charge all Apple and Android Smartphone, tablets and other USB charged devices
• The Ethernet port supports 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet. Support WinXP/ 7/ 8/ 10, Linux, Mac OS
• Package Contents: AUKEY CB-H17 Powered USB Hub, 3.3ft USB Cable, 12V/3A Power Adapter, User Manual, 24 Month Warranty Card

RRP: £19.99 reduced from £24.99 on Amazon UK

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post April 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.