Ugoos AM1 4K TV Box Review

Ugoos AM1 is yet another TV box based on Amlogic S905. I’ve already published specifications and uploaded some pictures of the nice looking cyan box and its board, so today I’ll report on my experience after actually playing with the device, where I mostly focused on known problems found on other S905 mini PCs, and some extra features added to Ugoos firmware. First Boot, Settings, and First Impressions I filled all three USB ports with a USB webcam, a USB hard drive, and a USB hub with RF dongles for MINIX NEO A2 Lite air mouse,  Tronsmart Mars G01 wireless gamepad, and a USB keyboard (convenient for screenshots), and connected Ethernet, HDMI and power cables. A boot will usually take around 30 seconds. Before going through the user interface, I’ll mention that OTA firmware upgrade worked very well, and it was one of the first thing I did before the […]

ProView S3 Affordable 3-Axis Smartphone Stabilizer Helps Shooting Better Videos (Crowdfunding)

Smartphone stabilizers (aka gimbals) for smartphones allow you take much better videos while on the move, as they smooth the shaking that occurs when you walk, run, or bike. Stabilizers are currently available, such as KumbaCam or other white brand stabilizers, are sold for $250 to $400, but Navin, a Taiwanese company, has designed a cheap video stabilizer for smartphones with ProView S3 that starts at $125 + shipping via Indiegogo. ProView S3 3-axis stabilizer can handle larger size smartphones, features orientation sensors, precision motors, and stabilization algorithms to provide smooth video recording. Some of ProView S3 specifications and features include: Adjustable mount from 67mm to 78 mm width Wind resistant thanks to algorithms and mechanical design Connectivity – Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless firmware updates Dual IMU sensors with tilt, roll, and pan motors. Underslung shot- You can take videos upside down too… 4 operational modes – Full Lock (no […]

Maoxiaoer Bluetooth Smart Fishing Float Works with Android and iOS Devices

I used to go fishing a lot when I was a kid, and if in the future I go fishing again, I’d probably just leave the phone at home to enjoy with nature. But if you tend to fall asleep while fishing, or like to fish at night, Maoxiaoer smart fishing float will alert your smartphone over Bluetooth once you get a catch, and its LED will blink. From the outside it jsut looks like a normal blue fishing float made of balsa, but it takes two CR425 batteries  to power LEDs and Bluetooth connectivity. The sensitivity of the float’s alarm as well as LED intensity is controlled by an app that runs on Android or iOS. Here are some of the fishing float specifications: Connectivity – Bluetooth 4.0 up to 15 meters Sensitivity – 12 levels Battery life – 8 hours Color – White, black, gold Dimensions – Float […]

FriendlyARM NanoPC-T2 Board Gets More Storage, WiFi & Bluetooth, Stays Cool, and Costs Less

FriendlyARM NanoPC-T1 board powered by Samsung Exynos 4412 processor with 1GB RAM and 4GB eMMC flash was unveiled at the start of 2014 for $69. The company has now announced NanoPC-T2 with Samsung S5P4418 processor with 1GB RAM, and 8GB Flash, as well as WiFi and Bluetooth, as Gigabit Ethernet all of which were missing in the first version. NanoPC-T2 also has a power management chip, and a larger heatsink, meaning that it does not suffer from overheating like NanoPi2 according to FriendlyARM. NanoPC-T2 specifications: SoC – Samsung S5P4418 quad core Cortex A9 processor @ up to 1.4GHz with Mali-400MP GPU System Memory – 1GB 32bit DDR3 RAM Storage – 8GB eMMC flash, and 1x SD card slot (on the bottom of the board) Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth LE 4.0 (Ampak AP6212) with on-board chip antenna and 1x IPX antenna connector Video Output / Display […]

Ugoos UT4 Android 5.1 TV Box Review

Ugoos UT4 is one of many Rockchip RK3368 TV boxes available on the market today, but it’s one of the model with higher-end specifications including  2 GB RAM, and 16 GB flash, as well as Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11ac WiFi, Ugoos offers regular firmware updates for their devices, and as I found out in Ugoos UT4 specs and teardown post, the mini PC features a fan to keep the device cool at all times. Today, I’ll focus on reviewing the firmware including video playback capabilities, performance and whether advertised features work as they should. First Boot, Settings and First Impressions Before powering on the device, I connected some cables (Ethernet, HDMI, optical audio, AV to speakers), and made use of all four USB ports with a USB hard drive, a webcam, a keyboard, and a USB hub with two RF dongles for MINIX NEO A2 Lite air mouse and Tronsmart […]

PixiePro Board Combines NXP i.MX6Q Processor with WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, and a 3G Modem

Saying that the market now provides a wide range of development boards is probably an understatement, but Code Ing has found out that most hobbyist boards had limited on-board wireless connectivity with WiFi and Bluetooth basically the best you could expect, with any extra wireless functionality requiring USB dongles. So the company designed PixiePro single board computer powered by NXP i.MX6Q quad core Cortex A9 processor with on-board wireless connectivity including WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/GLONASS, NFC and a 3G module. PixiePro board specifications: SoC – NXP i.MX6Q quad core Cortex A9 processor @ 1 GHz with Vivante 2D and 3D GPUs System Memory – 2GB 64-bit DDR3 Storage – 2x UHS-I micro SD card slot up to 104 MB/s Video Output – micro HDMI up to 1080p60 Audio Output – HDMI and 3.5mm mini TOSLINK optical port/Line Out Connectivity WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO with two antenna connectors Bluetooth […]

Misfit Specter is a Bluetooth Headset with Fitness Tracking Functions

Smart wearables are quite a new type of devices, and I inf interesting companies are trying various solutions from the now ubiquitous smart watches and fitness tracker, to smart clothings such as connected T-Shirts. Misfit, a company specialized in wearables and fitness trackers, have decided it could be a good idea to have Bluetooth earphones that can track your activity and sleep, beside allowing you to listen to music, or answering calls.The company did not release the technical specifications, but Misfit Specter headset features the following functions: Connectivity – Bluetooth Smartpause magnetic ear buds Dedicated voice call microphone Stereo microphones for ambient noise Track activity and sleep – Monitor steps, distance, calories, and sleep duration and quality Battery – Good for 10 hours of music Since you are probably not going to wear earbuds 24/7, these are mostly useful while you exercise and listen to music, and while sleep tracking […]

F68 Smart Watch Review

After No.1 D3 and SMA-Q smartwatches, Makibes F68, or just F68, is my third attempt at reviewing a smartwatch, and on paper it matches all of my main requirements namely always-on display, fitness tracking with heart rate monitor, one week of battery life, and IP67 ingress protection rating to have some waterproofness. I’ve already taken pictures of the device, so today I’ll go through the user interface on the watch, and Android app, and report my experience after using the watch for over 10 days. The watch has an e-Paper display with decent viewing angles, and very good readability during the day, however at night, you’ll need to find the light switch or use a torchlight, as the watch does not have backlight at all, and it’s unreadable. There’s actually no buttons at all and everything is controlled via the touchscreen, and/or the app available for Android or iOS. The […]

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