My TV is on Fire! (An Amazon FireTV Cube review)

Ok, so Amazon's Echo devices have been around for a while. The Fire TV as well. Amazon's latest incarnation of Alexa is the FireTV Cube. An attempt at an all-in-one home entertainment control device. A cube that assimilates all devices nearby and allows control over all your home entertainment devices (more on that later)

First up, unlike the round Echo family, the FireTV Cube is, well, square. It's quite sleek. A glossy, piano black cube that sits on your TV shelf or console.

It comes bundled with Amazon's ethernet adapter (approx $15) which is a good thing and allows a wired connection to your internet router or modem for a more stable connection.

Connections at the back are for power (oddly a separate plug instead of over-USB), a micro USB plug for the ethernet adapter (unsure if power can be supplied over this), HDMI, and a port for the remote IR extender.

Setup is quite easy, place the included batteries in the remote, plug in all the cables and power up the cube! Everything else is voice and screen prompted to guide you through. If all your devices are connected via HDMI (TV, AVR, Bluray player, etc) then you may not even need the IR extended. The FireTV Cube will be able to send commands over HMDI to control all your other devices.

As you go through the setup process, the cube will run some tests to determine compatibility with your devices. The FireTV Cube has most of the major brands already built in (LG, Samsung, Sony, Onkyo, Denon, etc) so selecting them from a drop down list is easy. For those that are not yet on the list, Amazon promises constant updates and generic control via the IR emitter. Once done, the Amazon FireTV will have a decent amount of control over your home entertainment system.

So, how well does the cube control all your devices? Quite well, if you manage expectations. What does that mean? It won't replace all your remotes all the time, it will replace all of your remotes most of the time for the most common functions. Power, volume, input switching, and channel selection can all be done by voice. When watching videos through Amazon Video, voice commands can do a bit more. For example, if you searched for Dare Devil, the cube will display several results in a numbered list and just say "Alexa, play 1 or Alexa play 2" depending on which result was the one you were searching for. It's not very smooth, but its a good system for selecting from similar results. Or if you know of a show on Amazon Video, just say "Alexa, watch [name of show]". The Cube should pull it up and start playing right away.

You can also set the volume increments when you say "Alexa louder" or "Alexa softer" to control the volume. I prefer larger jumps otherwise you just keep repeating the command over and over.

This may or may not replace any universal remotes like the Harmony. But it does offer a much simpler way to interface with a complex theater setup.

Other than entertainment system control, the FireTV Cube also works with your smart home. If you have a Ring doorbell, you can ask "Alexa, show me the front door" and it'll connect with your video doorbell and display the video feed. A nice novelty to have. This feature also works with the other FireTV units, but being able to do it without the voice remote (like with the Amazon Echo Show)

The FireTV Cube will attempt to route audio through your larger speakers, but if it can't it will revert back to its built in speaker. If for some reason, the automatic rerouting doesn't work, just say "Alexa, I can't hear you." and the unit will force audio through the built in speaker. It is pretty loud (Louder than the Dot but not as loud as the Echo) and decent enough for the voice prompts.

Now, the not so great part. Oddly, Amazon calling is not available on the FireTV Cube. This is probably the weirdest omission on Amazon's part. Hopefully this will be corrected in future updates.

All in all, it's a great unit. The inclusion of the ethernet adapter is a plus. If you were planning to buy the regular Fire TV, I'd say bump up and get the Cube. As Amazon expands the command set of the remote functions, or maybe allows custom sequences or macros, the unit will become a much more powerful controller. But even as is, I think it's off to a good start for convenience in home theater control.

Lost and Found! (A TrackR Bravo Review)

Where are my keys?!?!? Can you ring my phone? Did I leave my bag at your place? Just some of the phrases of modern life. What if your phone could help you find all these little things that you frequently misplace?

Enter TrackR Bravo.

The TrackR Bravo is like those little tracing bugs shown in most spy movies. It's about the size of a quarter and runs off Bluetooth. The tag uses Bluetooth LE 4.0 which supposedly has a 100ft range but realistically I'd give it the regular 30ft range. TrackR is meant to find things that are just lying around but can't be found. Like keys that have fallen between couch cushions or the remote that's under a desk.

Now for the real-world evaluation: The tags work. For the most part, I'd say accuracy is down to a building/house level. So if you think you left your bag at a friend's house, TrackR will probably show the locator pin on your friend's house, but not the exact room you left it in. When you get to your friend's house and the app can actually connect to the tag (a meter will show that it's connected) you can trigger the tag to 'chirp' so you can locate it. The 'chirp' is very weak. It's not a loud alarm in any way. You could probably use it inside a library and not really disturb anyone.

The tags are not meant to be a primary device to remember where everything is, but more like an assistant that can kinda-sorta remember where you left your item last. TrackR gives a general map location of where it last logged your tags. Sometimes, it doesn't log tags for a few hours, but for the most part, it keeps a decent log of where my items are. As far as TrackR says, their app can keep track of up to 10 tags.

The app works like a relay beacon, relaying information for ALL TrackR tags that it can detect. No one else can see your tags, but everyone with the app helps your app locate your tags. So the more people use the app (they don't need to have a tag, just install the app) the easier it will be to find your items.

Battery life is about 5-6 months, and that shortens to about 3-4 months during winter when the tag is exposed to colder temperatures. TrackR Bravo uses CR2016 coin batteries. Cheap enough to get from TrackR directly with their battery program or in bulk.

The tags are NOT environmentally sealed so do not get them wet, or leave them outdoors. TrackR does sell a silicone sleeve to help protect against rain but it doesn't make the tags waterproof.

Are they worth it? At the single-piece retail price of $30, I would hesitantly say yes, but it is on the pricey side. But they do have frequent discounts for several tags that can bring the price down to makes it a lot easier to justify the shortcomings of the product. The more people use the app, the better the product performs. Use one on your pet's collar for a cheap locator tag. Place one on your car keys. Hide one inside your car and have a cheap lo-jack or parking reminder. Place one inside your luggage and you'll be able to tell when it's about to come out of the carousel. And if you're on a smaller plane, you can even tell if your luggage is in the cargo hold. At about $12 per tag at their Buy 4 Get 6 Free promo, it's well worth it and a neat gift to give friends.

The Big 'Bang & Olufsen A1' Review

I love music, and I also love portable speakers. Over the years, I've demoed quite a few to replace my Bose SoundDock which I've had for 10 years now. But I wanted something smaller. (The Bose is about 503 in³ and 5.2lbs) But I needed it to still be loud and sound great.

I decided to try Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay A1. (43 in³ at 1.3lbs) B&O is known for their design and craftsmanship of home entertainment products. Designed by Cecilie Manz for Bang & Olufsen, the A1 doesn't disappoint in the design factor.



Packaging is clean and simple. A bit snug sliding the bottom half out, but the weight of the A1 helps. Inside you'll find the speaker, a USB-C charging cable with the B&O logo, and a quick start manual. That's it. No charging block or case. Very bare. A nice velvet pouch would've been nice specially for $250. But all that aside, the speaker itself is beautiful. Sophisticated, classy, and refined. The aluminum dome is perfectly sculpted and has a very luxurious feel to it. The base is made of a rubber-like material and helps keep the speaker stable when set down on a surface. The buttons are hidden and spread around the base area, along with a 3.5mm input jack and USB-C port. The speaker comes with a leather strap which you can use to hang the speaker on a hook while you're indoors or on a tree branch when you're outdoors.


Pairing the Beoplay with your phone is easy. Turn the speaker on. Press and hold the Bluetooth button til the white power indicator flashes blue. Select the A1 on your phone's Bluetooth list, and you're done. You can also download the free Beoplay app which allows for some basic tone functions. It lists preset EQ curves as 'warm, excited, relaxed, and bright'. There is some benefit to using the EQ, but the speaker naturally sounds good that other than the initial novelty of the EQ, I leave it off most of the time.




I was preparing myself to be underwhelmed by the audio quality. Usually, when a speaker is this compact, the first thing that gets compromised is the bass. B&O claims the A1 can go as low as 60Hz. Your ears will confirm that claim. Not only does it reproduce adequate bass, it does it accurately and cleanly. No muddiness or distortion. No hollow sound. Quite an amazing feat for such a compact speaker. The treble is smooth and controlled. Not harsh or ear grating. Very pleasant. Although the A1 shines with classical, jazz, and ambient tracks, it does justice to rock, electronica, house and even dubstep. With bass heavy tracks, I found that keeping the volume at around half maintains the bass balance of the track. But what if you want more bass at a higher volume level?


Then get a second Beoplay A1!

For true stereo or ambient audio. Adding a second A1 increases its performance dramatically. Pairing can be done via the Beoplay app, but any EQ presets you have will be turned off when paired with another A1. You can also pair two A1s without the Beoplay app, I've found this method more reliable. To pair the speakers without the use of the app:

1. Turn on the first speaker, you'll heard a power on beep and the indicator light will be white.
2. Press and hold the Bluetooth button. Indicator will start flashing blue for about five seconds then it will start flashing white.
3. Wait about 20 seconds for a second beep then turn on the second A1.
4. Press and hold the Bluetooth button on the second A1 for five seconds until the light starts flashing white.
5. Wait a while, then you'll see the indicator lights on both speakers sync up then glow a steady white.
6. Now connect your phone to the first speaker, this will be the Master speaker as well as the LEFT audio channel. The second speaker will be the Slave speaker as well as the RIGHT audio channel.

And how do two paired A1s sound? Like bringing your home stereo system out with you where ever you go! Seriously good portable audio. Although at this price point, you may be asking why not just get the Beolit 15 or 17? It's louder and the bass is a lot deeper. So why choose two A1s over the larger Beolit 15? It boils down to a matter of preference and purpose. Two A1s (100 in³ and 2.6lbs for two) are still easier to pack and carry than a single Beolit 15 (358 in³ and 5.7lbs). Two A1s can be spread out over two rooms to play different music in each room. Two A1s can be stereo paired to give much better imaging and ambient audio. You'll definitely be happy with either purchase, but for my needs, I chose to have two A1s that can be used together or separately.

Now, it's not all party all day and night with the Beoplay A1. There are limitations that come with the compact size, great audio, and relatively low price (low for B&O anyway). And partying all day and night is one of those limitations. To be specific, a short battery life. B&O claims 24 hours of playback at moderate levels. This probably means about 25% volume. Because anywhere close to 50-60% volume, that rating drops to about 6 hours. Crank that up to 70% or more and you're looking at maybe 2-3 hours max.

The other limitation is related to the stereo pairing. The range is extremely short. Bluetooth has an effective range of about 30ft. The A1 can only be about 8ft apart with a CLEAR LINE OF SIGHT. Any obstruction within that 6ft of separation and you will start getting dropouts on the slave speaker. The more realistic distance is about 4-5ft. I'm guessing power to the Bluetooth chip was limited to minimize the effect on the already short battery life. Either that or the beautiful aluminum dome acts as a Faraday cage and shortens Bluetooth range. Either way, this limits how far you can place the speakers from each other when paired. Another limitation of stereo pairing is that it doesn't work if the source is a line-in source. So only Bluetooth streamed audio will work for the stereo pairing.

With regards to the design, my only complain are the buttons. They look great hidden behind the rubber bottom but they're not very easy to press. Now, this can be a good or a bad thing. It does prevent accidental presses but it also makes actually pressing the button quite difficult. Even though there's minimal interaction with the buttons, when you do need to use them it takes a bit of hunting to actually find the right one and press it. The tiny icons make the control surface look clean and very minimalist but the lack of tactile indicators means you have to actually look for the symbols to know which button you're actually pressing.

Are any of these deal breakers? Not for me. I'd rather take the time to memorize the button locations and work around the limited Bluetooth range just to be able to use these wonderful sounding works of art. If you want a Bluetooth speaker that is small and easy to pack for traveling, sounds like a home hi-fi system anywhere you go, and looks like tiny work of art, then the Beoplay A1 is the speaker you've been waiting for.

Not the Sounds of Silence (A Sonos Review)

There are many wireless speaker systems out there. The most recent ones that have been gaining popularity are the Amazon Echo and Google Home systems. These are a new breed of smart speakers that offer more than just music playback. But that's for another blog entry. Today will be for a more traditional wireless audio system, the Sonos. Specifically, the Play 1.

Sonos has been around for quite a while. And their product lineup hasn't really changed much. It offers less functionality than smart speakers, but the multi-room capabilities and the simplicity of the app are what really make it shine. Their app came at the heels of people playing music locally (stored on your computer or local hard drive) mostly through iTunes. But now that streaming services are more popular, smart speakers have become the weapon of choice for most people. Why should you still pick Sonos over the others? Two main reasons. Simplicity and Multi-Room capabilities. Sonos isn't the only one with this capability. Bose would be the closest match, but I didn't like their app interface. Then there's Google Chromecast Audio which can do something similar but not quite and still relies on streaming services.

Playing music in separate rooms isn't a simple task. Wiring up your home to a central amp and music server takes time, planning, and a lot of work. Doing it the wireless way isn't that simple either. Synchronizing playback and centralizing your source isn't for the average user either.

Sonos does this quite simply and elegantly. My main consideration for the Sonos was "How easy would it be for anyone in my home to access my music and playback what they want". I needed something that could easily access my local music library as well as streaming services. Something that wouldn't be crippled if my internet connection went down (this is always a consideration of any tech I invest in). No other system offered ease of use like Sonos did.

And for those that actually care about sound quality, Sonos sounds great. Disclaimer on my statement, it is NOT meant to be a listening room system. It is also not meant to be the solution for just a single room (there are others that can fulfill that need at a lower price point). It is meant for whole house, multi-room music. And it does that job extremely well. Even against larger more traditional systems, the Sonos Play 1 can hold its own. It's very easy to conceal, and it's also moisture-proof if you want music in your bathroom!

Sonos is supposedly working with Amazon to integrate Alexa into their control UI, that would be an excellent combination and one that would bring Sonos back up to the front of the smart speaker pack. But even without it, Sonos is still one of the better multi-room systems available today. The ease of use and audio quality make it perfect for anyone in the home to enjoy great sound. It also helps that they have a wide array of products to suit your specific needs. From the easy to conceal Play1, to the Sound bar and wireless subwoofer for decent movie audio, Sonos is a great product family all around.

Lock Up and Throw Away the Keys! (A Kevo 2nd Gen Review)

Building a smart home has become a recent obsession of mine. Anything other than builder's grade deadbolts is better. There are a ton of smart locks out there, from replacements, to upgrades that convert your existing lock to a smart one.

My list boiled down to two, the Schlage Connect, and the 2nd Generation Kevo. Although the Schlage has gotten better security reviews (Grade 1) vs the Kevo (Grade 2) what ultimately got me was the convenience of the Touch-To-Open feature of Kwikset's offering.

First up, installation. The Kevo is a breeze to install. Even for someone with my limited handyman experience. My only complaint is that the install instructions are online only. Which made it take longer for me since I had to keep referring to my phone and flipping pages. But realistically, if you've ever installed a regular deadbolt, this is hardly any different other than connecting the front and back with the cable.

Next, functionality. It's pretty awesome. Initially had issues but the most recent update seems to have addressed most of them. As long as you have your phone in your pocket (front works better than back, and women's bags are more reliable than men's pant pockets) just touch the side of the Kevo with any part of your body and it opens!

Why is this such a big deal? Over the keypad of the Schlage Connect, it is a lot faster to get in your home. People with physical disabilities will have an easier time. Specially with the key fob, which is an optional purchase [BOO!] is more reliable than the phone. Another scenario is when you have your hands full (of groceries for example) and being able to unlock your door with your elbow.

Wintertime can pose a problem with gloves. Capacitive gloves seem to work ok so those of you with gloves that are Smartphone compatible need not worry. But for those of us that use regular gloves, you can exhale onto the lock while simultaneously tapping it. For whatever reason, this worked for me. Another option which I have used is my nose. Hahahaha. Yes, my nose. But the risk of getting it stuck to the lock when the temp is well below freezing made me discover the exhaling method. But either way worked for me.

The most recent app update has also added one of the best features of the Kevo. UNLIMITED eKEYS!!! Originally shipped with only 2 eKeys and the option to purchase more for $2, the high cost of the Kevo made the purchase of virtual keys feel like a rip-off. Thankfully Kwikset changed this. There are 4 different types of eKeys, Owner, Admin, Anytime and Scheduled. The Owner key goes to the first person who registers the Kevo with their account. I think there can only be one Owner key. Then next option is the Admin key. These function just like the Owner keys and can give out eKeys to anyone as well. The third type is the Anytime key and this allows full access to the lock but doesn't allow the user to give out keys. The last type, the Scheduled key is great to give friends, relatives, guests, service providers, etc. It can be made to never expire but access is restricted to certain times only, or access anytime but has an expiration date, or limited access for both time and date. Very handy for rental places as well. No need to re-key. Which is another feature too but not as ground-breaking. The Kevo features Kwikset's SmartKey tech which allows end users to rekey their locks without a locksmith.

For you Nest users out there, Nest hasn't really been accurate doing the whole Auto-Away thing lately. Kevo works with Nest. Link your account and once you lock your door, a notification will pop-up asking if you;d like to set your Nest to Away mode. Not perfect but handy. The Kevo also works with the Ring doorbell if you purchase the Kevo Plus hub.

Android Wear users are in for a nice bonus as well, you can pair your watch with your Kevo app. Your watch is specifically paired to your phone, NOT the Kevo lock itself. How this works is that the Bluetooth authentication is duplicated on your watch, and has an expiry date if your phone loses contact with your watch for a couple of days. This is automatically renewed for as long as your watch connects to your phone frequently. It works as a precaution in case you lose your watch, in that the eKey stored in it automatically expires. Came in handy a few times when I had to run in the house to grab something and forgot my phone in the car.

The cons? It is expensive. Considering a Grade 1 traditional deadbolt can be had for $40 or so, $200+ for a deadbolt may not be the first on your smarthome shopping list. It's only a Grade 2 lock. Not too bad, but for that price would've been nice to have a Grade 1 rating. The remote unlocking is not possible without the additional purchase of the Kevo Plus hub which is another $100. Boo! Considering that the hub only works with the Kevo and can only do ONE thing, I think $100 is too much. It should've been part of the Kevo 2nd gen package or at most $40. I'm hoping the 2nd gen Wink hub will work with Kevo but that might not be the case if Kwikset is pushing for the $100 single-purpose hub. It can be temperamental. It's benefits far outweigh the glitches, but there are times when it takes a while to detect your phone. Holding your phone CLOSER will NOT work. The proximity sensor of the Kevo uses signal 'weakness' to detect whether the phone is outside or inside. Holding your phone closer will fool the lock into thinking the phone is inside and not allow entry. This happens maybe once every 2 weeks or so, and highly dependent on what I'm wearing. Winter coats will interfere with the signal enough that you may have to try a few times to unlock your door.

But despite all the shortcomings of this relatively new product, the Kevo is pretty handy. I've gotten confident enough that I no longer brings the physical key anymore. In fact, I haven't used a house key in the last 4 months! Now, if only Kwikset would lower the price of the Kevo Plus... HINT HINT!

Time for a change! (Huawei Watch review)

I've had my Moto 360 for quite a while now, and it was about time to upgrade. I loved the Moto 360 and it's round screen (in spite of the flat tire) so I was looking to upgrade to the newer version.

But being Android Wear based, opened up my options to many more brands and models. And a lot of them have gotten really good. I was never a fan of the rounded rectangular watches. I loved the square Sony Smartwatch but no one ever seemed to follow that monolithic design ethos. So back to the traditional watch look.

Not having the patience to wait for Google to release a watch (look how long it took them to release the Pixel) I decided to go for the Huawei Watch.

And am I happy that I did. The one thing that the Moto 360 really let me (and other users down with) was the dismal battery life. 20 hours was generous, 12 was more likely, 8 was realistic. It would last my work day, then I'd have to leave it to charge after that.

The Huawei Watch is probably one of the most non-tech looking smart watches out there. And that's why I love it. Very few people have noticed that I actually wear a smartwatch until they see a notification come in and only then do they realize it's a screen and not an analog watch. Good job Huawei!

For a piece of tech, they did go the extra mile to make it feel very premium. From the box to the finish, it will pass for an equivalently priced analog watch.

The screen is OLED and looks great. One of the main advantages of OLED on a smartwatch is that anything black on screen is not using up battery power. The disadvantage is that OLED screens do suffer from burn-in (as evident in a lot of display models) so Huawei does have a trick for this watch. In standby mode the watchface shifts a few pixels in random directions every few minutes. Not noticeable unless you're looking for it. Kind of like the screensavers of the old days.

The great thing about the Huawei... battery life. I can go almost a full 48 hours (ok maybe about 36) without charging. Which brings me to the neat but odd magnetic charger. It's not as nice as the Moto's induction charger, but it is magnetic. But it doesn't quite snap into place as well as it should. The magnet is strong but doesn't always line up automatically. Sometimes (not all the time) you'll have to wiggle the watch around a bit to get the contacts to line up properly. Another trick is to let the watch hover over the charger and let the charger snap up into the watch. This is a surer way to get the contacts to line up better. I wish they didn't have the charging cable permanently connected to the charger, so it would be easier to bring around. I decided to buy a second travel charger for ease of use.

The speakerphone is a neat Dick Tracy/Knight Rider function and works decently in moderately quiet environments BUT it will disable your car speakerphone since the watch speakerphone takes priority over the car speakerphone. So you may not want to leave that function enabled until Google allows this to be customized. Some have found apps that work well, I have not. So I don't use the speakerphone function regularly, but it is convenient and does work well.

Because of the speakerphone, this also lets the Huawei have customizable ringtones. There are a few default ones and with a couple of apps (no root needed) you can upload your own short sound files to your watch as well.

Another nice things about the Huawei watch is that it accepts standard watch straps. Make sure you get the newer ones with quick release pins as this makes it far more convenient to change the look of the watch to match your mood.

One thing I do miss from the Moto 360 is also the one thing that made people hate its screen. The ambient light sensor housed in the flat tire section of the screen. This isn't a deal breaker at all for the Huawei Watch but it would've been a nice feature to have.

All in all, I'm loving this watch more and more. And with Android Wear 2.0 coming up, it's just going to get better!

Ding Dong Ditcher (A Ring Doorbell Review)

This is a long-term review for the original Ring doorbell. (not the new Pro one) Ring has been around for some time now, as have other connected doorbells like August and Skybell. The greatest benefit for these doorbells is the ability to check who has been near your home even when you're not at home.

A connected doorbell has been such a great addition to my gradual goal of a practical smart home. There is a point where connected devices aren't the best option. Overcomplicating simple tasks and merely going with an app-based appliance isn't exactly the smartest route to go. One thing to watch out for is local/offline functionality. What sort of functions will still work if connection to your router, or the internet get cut off? These are things that need to be considered before venturing into purchasing a connected device.

The Ring comes with everything you need to replace your regular doorbell. A mounting plate, screwdriver, level, screws for wood and concrete, and a diode if you have a digital doorbell. Now, that being said, the original Ring has an advantage over the new Ring Pro, a built-in battery. Why is this important? For apartment/condo owners that aren't allowed to do any drilling or exterior rewiring, the battery-mode of the original Ring can operate purely on battery mode. You will lose the Live-View function however, but everything else will work.

The Ring also features motion-detection which triggers the camera & app alert before the button is even pressed. This is handy for observing packages being dropped off, or even people just loitering around your property. The Ring and Ring Pro work on different systems. The Ring works on a PIR system (Passive Infrared) that detects body heat, while the Ring Pro works on pixel-changing. Both have their advantages, YMMV, but I feel like the PIR system works much better than the newer pixel-tracking. Pixel tracking works similar to Nest's system as well. The camera checks the image for changes in pixels and determines when movement is enough for an alert. It may trigger fewer false alerts, but it has a tendency to be less sensitive than the 'dumber' PIR system. Again, depending on the location of installation, the PIR system works better for me. Nest's active zone based system didn't work as well as Ring's PIR for me. Others may have better luck and not because of any real problems with the technology, but more because of the scenario that the technology has to function in. I do love the Nest cam, but I wasn't sold on their subscription service. Their motion detection is also far slower than Ring's in my particular situation.

Now, the Ring comes with the optional cloud recording subscription. It costs $3/month or $30/year per device. I personally think it's worth it since it could potentially be evidence should a crime be committed. I'd like to see it get to a point where all these connected cams offer at least 1-2 hours worth of recording for free. I believe Netgear offers a basic cloud service for free for their security cameras. But they are the exception.

I think the Ring is excellent for monitoring the exterior of the home. For the ease of installation, use, recording, reviewing and monitoring your home while away from home, the Ring is great.

A Small Bag for Goodies. A Tumi Alpha Bravo Monterey Sling Review

I'm normally a Pacsafe kinda guy. I like traveling and I like keeping all my gadgets locked down. But sometimes, it is overkill. As great as Pacsafe's stuff are, the extra weight for the Exomesh is sometimes unnecessary.

My Pacsafe Metrosafe 300 strap broke (which essentially was the whole point of the bag.) And the GII update of it, no longer comes with the combination lock. This means that the bag can no longer be left unattended.

I started looking around for a decent replacement for my everyday kit. Which is essentially my tablet, a P&S camera, and maybe a spare shirt. I considered Tumi prior to Pacsafe, but at the time, their designs were quite plain and didn't have any real features over a regular messenger bag. But their Alpha Bravo line caught my eye and I ended up getting the Monterey Sling in Anthracite color. I ordered it directly from Tumi's website as they offer free monogramming services that the other online sites don't.

It's quite a small bag. Unlike the Metrosafe 300 which could fit my Macbook Pro 13 and my tablet, the Tumi can only fit a tablet (and maybe a Macbook Air 11, or equivalent) in the dedicated rear compartment. The main compartment is thicker though, so I actually got to fit my DSLR with a 50mm lens, and bring along an external flash, a 35mm lens, and a Sony RX100. I'm pretty sure I could still fit an extra shirt in there too had I arranged things inside better.

There's also a dedicated pocket umbrella/water bottle pocket that's lines and has a drain hole. You could stuff a small packable raincoat in here I guess, but It would be a tight fit. The other smaller side pocket is for your keys, cards, wallet, and phone. A caveat on the umbrella pocket though, it extends inwards, so placing something in here takes up room in the main compartment. This sacrifices practicality in exchange for minimalism. At its maximum, the bag doesn't puff out or get deformed and maintains it's sleekness. Depending on your priority, this may or may not be a deal breaker.

The strap is made of quality nylon with a nice leather accent by the top. Doesn't seem to be as easy to slash as other straps. Not as good as the metal lined straps of Pacsafe, but not as easy to cut as regular nylon straps either. I wish they had padded the upper part or at least placed a rubber grip at the bottom to keep the strap from slipping off your shoulder when slinging over one arm (instead of cross body).

The zippers are worth a warning, they look cool, but they are sharp. Not enough to cut you, but they may snag on fabric if you're just yanking it out of the main compartment. Be careful when removing items (Like the nylon key loop in the side pocket) as they may snag on the zippers. Which is related to my next observation. This bag is NOT waterproof. I wouldn't even say water resistant, the issue being the large gaps between the zipper teeth. The bag's lining and nylon construction should be fine in light to moderate rain.

One of Tumi's services though is a nice free Tracer program. No, it's not an app. Nor is it a chip inside the bag. It's a simple serial number registry to the original owner. Should you lose your bag, anyone that decides to be a kind stranger can call Tumi and report the number on the bag. Tumi Worldwide will inform you that your bag has been found. Nothing fancy, but a nice value-added service to have.

All in all, I'm quite happy with this bag. I picked this over the Pacsafe Z250, which isn't a bad bag. Just not what I was looking for in a city/everyday bag. For my laptop needs, I do have a Pacsafe ScanSafe 13 (sadly discontinued) which is such a blessing at airport security checks.

Time on Hand with The Moto 360

There have already been several 'first look' reviews on the Moto 360. I've had mine for several months now and have gone through several apps and updates. I think it's time for me to give a very in-depth real-world review on owning the Moto 360.

I had gotten my Moto 360 as a surprise advanced Christmas present from my wife last October. (I had been checking out the other Android Wear watches at the time and still preferred the 360 because of its design) Although this isn't my first SmartWatch, it is my favorite. I've had both Sony's SmartWatches in the past and both were excellent for my purposes. I had gotten rid of the first one, I still have the SW2. How different is the Moto 360? Quite a jump as it is running Android Wear, vs Sony's own OS.

If you're one of those that expect to cram your entire phablet's functions on your wrist, you have missed the whole point of smartwear. Skip ALL these products and just get an armband case for your phone.

My favorite part about the Moto 360 is the over-all sleekness of the watch. It's simple, clean, and classic. No fake diver bezel, no 'luxury' aspirations (let's be honest, no smartwatch at the moment will EVER replace a Rolex). It's a great watch that I can wear with almost anything (as long as you change the strap) without it looking out of place.

Battery life with the latest firmware (5.0.1) is 'ok'. It improved over the original one, but only by a few hours. However, this is also due to the increased usage. I have gotten as much as 2 days with minimal use. Prior to the update, my watch barely lasted 24 hours. But playing with your watch a lot will kill your battery in about 12 hours, regardless of firmware version. Hehehe.

There are a few things I would like to emphasize to potential smartwatch buyers. This will NOT replace your phone, nor will it duplicate all its functions. Try and minimize the use of any smartwatch to urgent notifications only. Not because it can't handle it, but this defeats its purpose completely if you're glancing at your watch every 5 mins.

I've had 3 generations of smartwatches, and 4 months with the Moto 360, and I fully appreciate how a smartwatch can augment (not replace) your phone.

The following features are common to Android Wear and can be downloaded to any Android Wear watch. These are not exclusive to the Moto 360, but these reflect how I use my Moto 360 on a daily basis.

First: Calls/SMS. This is probably the most important thing your watch can do. Notify you of a call, and the ability to reject it. This allows very discreet call screening without looking like a hunchback fiddling with your phone at all times. This holds true for SMS as well, some messages aren't worth replying to, and some aren't worth whipping out your phone for. I'll get to my favorite SMS app for Android Wear in a future article.

Second: Email. Aside from Gmails filters, my phone also has notification filters that read out incoming email so I'll know if its important enough to open right away. My Moto 360 even filters that out further by allowing me to delete email as they come in.

Third: Reminders. Some things aren't 'calendar' important. Android Wear syncs with Google Keep for little reminders. Very handy for grocery lists, weekly reminders, or location reminders (location reminders on Google Keep are already quite useful, made even better on Android Wear)

Fourth: Health tracking. Great side benefit. Works even when not connected to the phone, then syncs when in range. Takes heart rate samples throughout the day and charts your overall health profile. Google Fit works quite well, and even tracks your steps without the watch (it functions on both phone and watch together or independently)

Fifth: Device locating. Although not an über-fancy feature, it is probably one of the more practical functions of having a smartwatch. Being able to buzz your phone without having to have someone call it, or have your watch buzz you if you forget your phone, is one of the handiest apps you can have on your smartwatch.

All in all, the Moto 360 is a great smartwatch. Google Now's voice functions work really well with it, and makes setting timers, simple searching, and texting quite convenient. I do, however, have a several 'wishlist' items:

One, glove mode. So far, no smartwatch has the capability to function with winter gloves on. Sony's current Xperia line has a glove-mode that allows use of the phone without having to remove gloves, or buy 'touch capable' gloves.

Two, much better battery life. I don't mean 2-3 days, I mean 1 solid week. 2-3 days can probably be done with current tech and updated firmware, but 1 week would mean different screen (transreflective or more efficient LED backlighting) or better battery tech. Hoping that this will be possible within the next 2 generations. Another alternative is a solar panel built into the touchscreen, or a mechanical generator similar to Seiko's Kinetic.

Three, better environmental protection. IP67/68 ratings may be good enough for smartphones, but wristwatches are exposed to greater environmental conditions. The Moto 360 is IP67 rated, but it can only handle temperatures down to -10ºC/14ºF and no shock/mechanical IP rating. Considering that smartwatches are not 'formalwear', they should have basic 1m drop protection and operating temperature down to -20ºC/-4ºF. I've had to leave mine at home several times this past winter because I didn't want to risk damaging the screen in the cold.

Four, a speaker or some kind of audio feedback. Even a beep or chirp capability would be quite helpful if a full range speaker wouldn't be possible without taxing the battery or increasing the size of the watch. I don't really want to be able to take calls on my wrist, but alarms and notifications would be nice to hear.

I'm really happy with the Moto 360. Although Android Wear (and wearable tech in general) is still in its infancy, I feel it's steadily improving over time. Motorola has been quite good at maintaining the firmware and the abundance of great apps has made the 360 exceed my initial expectations for a current generation Smartwatch.

Port side! Anker 5-Port USB Desktop Charger Review

As convenient as USB charging is, traveling a lot gives me the problem of available outlets for all my devices. I've had some success with some dual port ones that can handle my Xperia Tablet Z and my Xperia Z1 Compact... but nowadays, even phones need 2.1A of power. So those just won't do anymore.

A quick Google search led me to Anker and their 5-port USB desktop charger. It's quite simple. 5 intelligent USB ports. 2.1A on ALL ports... ALL THE TIME! Sweet! The intelligent chip inside the charger regulates the amount of power. Handles tablets, phones, phones in use, etc. Charges all devices at full speed.

It's about the size of the Apple Macbook power adapter so it's easy enough to carry around and won't add any significant weight or bulk to your bag.

So far, so good. Most of the time, I use up about 4 ports. Leaving one free for a friend or any new gadget I may buy in the future. I'm quite happy with it and their customer support was quite quick to send an email asking if I was happy with my purchase.

If you have more than 3 USB devices that are taking up outlet space, this is a definite must-have in your kit!

Big things come in small...er... Compact packages. A Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Review

I'm not a fan of the current trend of ever-growing smartphone screen sizes, aka "Phablets". Mainly because I feel they are a compromise from both sides. They are neither small enough to be convenient to carry around, nor are their screens large enough to enjoy surfing or media properly. I don't think manufacturers should stop making phones bigger, I just wish they'd offer smaller options that aren't based on ancient technology. Thankfully, Sony did just that with the Xperia Z1 Compact.

At 4.3", the Z1 Compact is not small. Unlike the older Xperia Mini or Mini Pro, the Z1 Compact is just that, a compact version of it's larger 5" sibling, the Z1. Both sport a 2.2GHz Quad-core CPU, 20 Megapixel Sony Exmor RS camera, 2GB RAM, 16GB on-board memory, LTE, and IP rating. The only difference being screen size. The Z1 has a Full HD (1920 x 1080) screen, while the Z1 Compact has an HD (1280 x 720) screen. In actual use, the slightly lower pixel density of the Z1 Compact is not noticeable and offers very good color rendition and media performance. For those that may be wondering, the back of the Compact is plastic. The Japanese version however, is glass. I'm not fond of cases at all. So to protect my phone, I immediately got matte protectors for the front and back. The matte screen protector does degrade screen quality slightly, but it also keep it fingerprint free, and reduces glare. The benefits, for me, outweighed the slight color degradation.

Performance of the Z1 Compact is quite exceptional. I've been told that it's even better than the Z1 due to the fact that both the CPU and GPU have fewer pixels to power. As nice as the stock Sony Home app is, I find the common Android layout quite cluttered, hence I use Smart Launcher 2 which allows me to clean up my home screen and significantly boost performance. This launcher has worked on my old X10 Mini Pro til my current Z1 Compact and makes it so much easier to navigate with one hand. On the Compact, it uses such little resources, the phone really blazes through everything even faster than stock.

Battery life on the Compact is great. Coming from the much older Xperia P, which gave me about 7-10 hours of use, the Compact gives me well over 24 hours under similar settings. I used to always have to charge my phone at least 2x a day with my normal use, the Compact leaves me with about 25% charge by the time I'm about to sleep. This is using Sony's Stamina Mode which I leave on all the time. Without it, my Xperia P would last about 5-6 hours, and the Compact would last about 18-20 hours. Disabling data (or switching to 2G only) increases standby time significantly on both my phones. So glad I no longer have to lug around my charger or a power bank!

Audio performance is great too. My preferred audio app is Power Amp primarily because it can crossfade tracks. But other than that, the built-in Walkman app is great. Very sleek and refined. The Clear Audio feature in the Settings really makes a difference in audio quality/clarity when using Bluetooth headsets. But if you're plugged in via the headphone jack into a stereo system, you may want to disable this for a purer sound experience. The speaker is located at the bottom of the phone. Which I think is brilliant. Although the grille makes it look like the speaker occupies the whole bottom of the phone, the actual speaker is only about a third of the grille on the left side. Why I prefer this position is because it allows you to place your phone in your pocket with the speaker facing up and keeps it unobstructed for calls and notifications. You will appreciate this when you keep your phone in your back pocket since it rings pretty loud in a crowded street or mall. I wouldn't really rate any built-in speaker for proper media playback but it has decent volume specially when xLoud and Clear Phase are used. Other than that, I always use external speakers or a headset.

The camera is fantastic. Low light performance is excellent and Superior Auto is getting better. It may be a 20 megapixel camera but this is only available in Manual mode with HDR disabled. HDR, Superior Auto, and the other features drop resolution down to 8MP which is more than decent but kinda disappointing. 3rd party plug-ins like 360 Panorama and the Augmented Reality apps (quite fun) are accessible directly from the camera app or as individual apps on your home screen. Quick-lauch (holding the camera button down to launch the camera) will only launch in Superior Auto mode.

So far so good. Although I wish they had made the Xperia Z1 Compact a bit narrower, I think this is an excellent choice for those that don't want to sacrifice performance for the sake of a more pocketable Android device.

A Cradle Song...er... Review. The Sony Xperia Tablet Z Cradle Review

I'm a fan of official stands and cradles. I wish more manufacturers would at least offer them as official accessories.

Since I purchased my Xperia Tablet Z, I wanted a nice way to display it at home instead of just laying on a table with the charging cable dangling out. So I waited (and waited) for Sony PH to release it. But being as late as they are, I decided to get it from Amazon.com (although there are several gray market vendors that carry it now for about the same price)

Initial impression are good. I like the fact that the stand is fully adjustable, and not just a few select angles. Charging is much quicker and less prone to damaging the USB charging cover on the tablet itself. Although the charging port on the cradle is at an odd angle and location, I was expecting it to be facing the rear, instead it's hidden behind the stand and facing off to one side. Odd, but no big deal.

Guide rails are smooth and makes inserting the tablet into place very quick and easy. No issues or problems sliding it in. It also triggers a SmartConnect action as it is recognized as a Sony Smart Accessory so you can have it trigger an action upon docking. The default action is to launch the DayDream app which is like a screensaver.

Two shortcomings though, one is that there is NO CHARGER INCLUDED with the dock, as you are supposed to use your existing charger. Not that big a deal considering it isn't expensive, but it would've been nice to at least have a long micro USB cable included. Two, there is no audio/HDMI out. This would've added significant cost to the dock, but it would be a nice option. I hate having other cables connected and was hoping I could plug everything to the dock instead. I know there are Bluetooth and Miracast options but I do prefer hardwired connections when possible.

If you like displaying your tablet at home or at work, this is a very nice accessory. Charging speed is quite improved (even using your existing charger) and offers nice viewing angles for both typing text and watching videos.

I Wanted a Phone to Match my Macbook Pro, So I Got A Sony.

Let me begin by saying, this was a reluctant upgrade. I liked my Xperia ray, it was no speedy performer even back then, but I could tolerate the so-so performance given the size advantage and design of the phone. But with ICS installed, and all the new apps coming in, the 1GHz CPU and 512MB RAM started feeling very sluggish. (For those that don't really run multiple background apps 24/7, and hate the larger phones, the ray is still a decent phone) I needed something current.. but small..er than the 4.5"-5" phablets that are slowly becoming the norm.

My daily machine is a 13" Macbook Pro. I love the simplicity of the design, and the feel of the aluminum shell. So naturally, I wanted a phone that matched this design ethos. Which drew me to my last phone, the Xperia ray, which had an aluminum frame and was decent performing Android. Now, the Xperia P matches my Macbook Pro perfectly, but how does it perform?

This is an initial review for those looking at a decent mid-level upgrade. That being said, I'm saddened to see the lack of high performance smartphones with smaller screens. A 4" screen seems to be the smallest you can go on a mid-level model right now, and anything smaller is considered "entry-level" and usually lacks a lot of current day tech (NFC, HDMI, etc). The Xperia P falls in the mid-level category, with a price to match. (Should be approx US$350 unlocked from official Sony stores) Had Sony made a newer equivalent of the ray with more RAM and a better CPU, but the same size and design cues, that actually would've been my preferred choice. But alas, the market demands larger screens, and larger phones. So here we go...

First the run down. The specs are decent, but not jaw-dropping. There are many phones out there that out-class the P with brute-force. But if there's anything I've learned over the years, specs don't always matter.

The specs most people want to know are:

1 GHz Dual-Core CPU

1 GB RAM

16 GB Built-in memory

No SD Card Slot

Built-in 1350mAh Battery

4" qHD display (960 x 540) w/ Sony's "White Magic" technology

Micro HDMI port

8 MP AF Camera w/ 1080p HD recording

The Design: The aluminum unibody is just beautiful. Bolted to the internal frame of the phone, it feels solid, and smooth to the touch. The sides of the phone are graced with the speaker, power, volume and camera keys on one side, and the Micro USB, Micro HDMI, and SIM card slot on the other. The back has the camera and LED flash, while the top has the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. On the lower part, is Sony's love-it-or-hate-it (I love it) transparent light band which houses the 3 Android keys (Back, Home, Menu) and connects to the antenna section at the bottom (yes folks, there's something in that lower part not just an aesthetic piece) The front is jet black for all models (black, silver, red) with the antenna section retaining the unit color (this is a painted plastic cap) below the touch-sensitive function buttons.

The Screen: A 4" LCD powered by Sony's "White Magic" technology and Mobile Bravia Engine. The idea behind Sony's White Magic is that the screen contains an extra white pixel that boosts over-all brightness when needed like under direct sunlight, or offers power-savings by being able to lower backlight brightness without making the screen too dim. In practice, it works quite well! The auto-brightness is probably the best I've seen with extremely quick adjustments and very gradual changes, it allowed me to get rid of the auto screen dimming app I had in my ray.

The Camera: Sony's Exmor R sensor, and an aperture of f2.4 seem to be pretty standard across Sony's line. The Xperia P comes with an 8 megapixel version and is nicely recessed within the rear aluminum shell. This gives excellent low-light shots and very quick standby-to-shot time. Sony calls is Quick Launch where the phone goes to a special Camera-only mode when you hold down the shutter key when in stand-by mode. This is pretty handy coming from a phone that didn't have a dedicated shutter key. The whole screen-on-swipe-to-enable-camera was just too slow. There are 2 modes it can function in, one opens the camera app, while the other opens the camera, focuses, then takes a shot as quickly as possible. The latter mode isn't very good and more often takes blurry shots... use the first one to launch the app, then take the picture after.

The Audio: First the good news. The Xperia P comes with Sony's Official Walkman app. This has much better controls than previous Xperia models. Clear Bass, 5 band EQ, and Surround modes are all present and are quite decent in their features. The interface is clean and intuitive, and overall user experience is very pleasant. Now the bad news, internal speaker is quite weak. Weaker than the ray, which was in turn, weaker than the X10 Mini Pro. XLoud, a feature that enhances the external speaker's loudness works, but it makes the speaker louder but a metallic. Unlike the Xperia ray, I recommend leaving XLoud off for the Xperia P. The only good thing about the design of the external speaker is that it's on the side of the phone (instead of at the back like most Sony models). Some people find this weird, but it makes more sense since placing the phone face up usually blocks the external speaker. Having it on the side minimizes chances of it being blocked by a desk, or seat cushion. In real-World use, I have an easier time hearing the P over the ray due to this design call.

The Interface: Sony's UX Homescreen has matured over the years. It's a lot smoother and has better integration with Android 4.0. Timescape however, no longer has SMS and Calls as options. Perhaps users only used Timescape for social networks. Not a deal-breaker. The weather app is quite strange, there are several major cities and capitals missing. Although the timezones are complete, people unfamiliar with one city, aren't presented with alternates within the same time zone. My personal picks for a homescreen is Apex. Others use Nova, or Launcher Pro. But certain Sony widgets only work with Sony's UX. The Timescape, Walkman, Calendar and weather widgets are only available in the default homescreen. Top Contacts is usable with other launchers. Out of the box, Sony's launcher is very nice. For those looking for more control and customization options, there are tons of other options available in Google Play.

The Initial Verdict: A big step forward from the Xperia ray. The dual core CPU and 1GB RAM make a huge performance difference. For those that may complain about the lack of an SD card slot, take note, SD cards are a lot slower than the built in memory. App performance is very good as is HD video recording, multi-tasking, and video playback. The White Magic screen performs as advertised (there is a slight yellow tinge but this is only apparent in an A-B comparison and is negligible). Battery life is almost 2x that of my Xperia ray despite the smaller battery capacity which makes me believe that the screen is delivering the power savings it has promised as well. A competent mid-level phone with an excellent screen and beautiful aluminum unibody design. A phone that gives you tech that you can actually use on a daily basis, nothing more.

For the curious, my next entries will deal with the nitty gritty details: NFC, camera tests, video playback, and HDMI output.

Have Some Class. (A Memory Card Class Review)

Memory cards are everywhere. Digital cameras, portable music players, video recorders, voice recorders, and mobile phones. Most devices come with free cards when you purchase them. But not all memory cards (or even memory chips for that matter) are made equal.

Why is memory class important? It depends what your device needs the memory for. Most music players can work with the slowest memory cards since mp3 playback doesn't demand high speed transfer. On digital cameras, specially DSLRs, a slower memory card will take longer to save each photo taken, thus giving you longer time before the photo shows up on your view screen. Video cameras, specially HD recorders, require the fastest cards due to their continuous data stream which has to be saved as quickly as possible otherwise you risk dropped frames or worse, not having the clip saved at all.

Memory card speeds are usually printed on the card itself or on the box they came in and are indicative of the respective MINIMUM transfer speeds the card can handle.

Class 2 = 2 megabytes per second

Class 4 = 4 megabytes per second

Class 6 = 6 megabytes per second

(Source Wikipedia)

and so on...

But what about on Android phone? Do they make a real-world difference? Yes they do. Even if your phone doesn't require a fast card, it can usually handle faster data. This in turn has a domino effect on the over-all performance of your phone.

This means faster access to data and apps that are saved on the card. The difference between a Class 2 and Class 6 card can speed up start up time, or allow faster multi-tasking. My Xperia originally came with a basic Class 2 microSD card. The more apps I installed, the slower my phone seemed to become. This is due to the bottleneck created by the card to access the card's content. I upgraded to the Sandisk Mobile Ultra microSDHC card which is a Class 6 and has the added benefits of being waterproof and temperature tolerant (Although a side note, most SD cards are quite durable and can withstand quite a bit of physical abuse already)

Are Class 6 (and higher) cards worth the upgrade? Yes they are. The higher the better, although for everyday tasks, anything above class 6 won't make that much of a difference anymore unless you're doing heavy HD video or audio recording. It's a quick and cheap way to upgrade the overall performance of your Android phone (or any gadget that uses a memory card)