Usually Amazon Echo products are a smash hit. So when the company’s newest device is earning only three star reviews… What’s going on? If you ask me, people don’t know what to make of the new Echo Hub, and may not understand its place in the larger Alexa ecosystem. This is not simply a new smart home speaker, it’s something else. In this review I’ll dig in on what makes Echo Hub different from my hands-on personal experience, who it’s actually geared for, what it’s best for and not as good at. I’ll wrap things up by going over the pros and the cons and letting you know if I think I can recommend this home hub to you.

What is Echo Hub?

As Amazon tells it, the Echo Hub is an “easy-to-use Alexa-enabled control panel for your smart home devices”, but that doesn’t help us very much since it sounds a lot like every other Alexa speaker device with screen.

You could say that while many Echo devices are speaker-first, the 8-inch Echo Hub is smart home-first. It integrates with all of Amazon and Ring’s smart home devices like alarm systems, cameras, thermostats, smart locks, and lighting, and gives you a central place to manage control of all of them a little easier than on a typical Echo screen device.

Some of the key innovations here are that it’s flat, and designed to be wall mounted (though a $30 stand is available) and you can more easily customize the controls and widgets displayed on the screen, and adjust which devices you see, or which cameras you can pull up quickly.

This small flat panel also uses presence sensing, which Amazon calls ‘adaptive content’ to detect when someone is nearby so the screen will switch automatically from a clock or photo display to the customizable smart home control screen.

In my opinion, I would say this device is designed to be your smart home at a glance. Whereas other Alexa devices like the Echo Show 15 or Echo Show 10 are designed to be more information focused and will display things like news, weather, interesting stories, jokes, or other Alexa how to information, the default viewing on Echo Hub’s screen is your smart home and its gadgets.

Power options (& battery life)

If you choose to wall mount this device you will still need to manage the cable. Amazon recommends mounting it near a plug, but right out of the gate I think I would find that a little messy. You can get a wall rated conduit to hide the power cable inside your wall, but this is a little more trouble than I think it’s worth.

Another option is to use the Power over Ethernet option with a compatible USB-C converter. I opted to use the counter stand and simply have it plugged into the wall.

What can Echo Hub do?

After spending several weeks with this device in my home, I’d say Amazon Echo Hub has four key features.

1. Smart Home security hub

Anyone who had a home alarm system more than 10 years ago likely remembers you needed a hard-wired central panel to arm and disarm the alarm. It looks like we’re back to the future with this concept meant to be placed in a central location in your home.

Echo Hub is an ideal alarm system control panel. I have had a Ring Alarm system for many years, and one of the things I was looking forward to doing with this, is setting up my Ring Alarm 2 system.

I connected my Echo Hub with the Ring Alarm 2 (and you can see the full review of that here). When I call up the alarm system I can see at a glance if my home is disarmed or armed.

Initially, while I was able to arm the system with a tap, when I tried to disarm it from the hub, I got an error message saying “access code required to disarm. Go to security system device settings in the Alexa app to set up an access code”.

I wasn’t able to find the settings anywhere so I reached out to a contact at Amazon for a little assistance…

I was able to get better instructions for how to set a pin code for Echo Hub with Ring Alarm 2. Full details are here but the steps are:

To set Echo Hub to manage your Ring Alarm, load and activate the Ring skill in the Alexa app.

1. Open the Alexa app .
2. Open More , then select Skills & Games.
3. Use Search Alexa Skills to find the Ring skill. Select it and then select Enable.
4. In setting up the skill, sign in to your Ring account, to link it to your Alexa account.
5. After you sign in, Alexa looks for Ring devices and connects with them automatically. If you don’t want a particular device to connect, select Forget. Your alarm system appears in your Devices list in the Alexa app.

Next, set an access code for your system, to use with Alexa and the Echo Hub.

1. Open the Alexa app .
2. Select your Ring Alarm system, then select Settings .
3. Under Disarm by Voice and Echo Hub, turn on Enable/disarm.
4. Enter and confirm a 4-digit access code.
5. To disarm your Ring Alarm when you return home, enter the access code on your Echo Hub, by voice or by touch.

Following the instructions worked for me and I was able to use the Hub to arm and disarm easily.

2. Security camera feed

One of the other interesting things I found the Echo Hub can do is show a longer-term feed of any of your cameras. Just choose which camera you want to keep an eye on, and open it up on the screen of the Echo Hub and you can see and hear everything that’s going on for up to about 7 minutes. This seems to be a bit of a newer feature as some other Echo Show devices I’ve tried let you drop in on a camera for a short time but then always return to the Alexa main screen after a few seconds.

This is something many Ring customers have been asking for since it lets you use one of your cameras like a de facto baby or pet monitor. Even so, 7 minutes isn’t a very long time, and it’s annoying to have to re-load the camera constantly. I’d love it if I could simply choose a camera to keep up on the screen for an hour or more.

3. Smart home control

You can also use this device to manage all of the lights in your home; turning each one on or off with a virtual tap. While I generally find it far more convenient just to use voice control for this, it’s good to know this home hub can become a de facto remote control also. It also works to control thermostats and door locks, so it can be a good way to put your home to bed all from one location.

I also found the echo hub makes an ideal secondary control panel to keep in the primary bedroom. This lets you see your home at a glance and secure everything if you’ve already gotten into bed.

4. Plays Music

This Hub wouldn’t be an Echo device without some audio capabilities. You can absolutely use it to play music, news, and podcasts, though with that said the audio quality is not as good as some other more music-focussed Echo devices.

The only speakers for this one live in the top of the device and they are quite small. Amazon doesn’t give any information about their wattage or power; so I can best describe them as adequate. While they’re not high fidelity and they’re not going to fill a room, they’re more than fine for issuing and confirming smart home demands and listening to audio if you’re nearby.

Set up

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the set up because pretty much every Echo device I’ve configured in the last five years has been a breeze, and the Hub was the same. Plug it in and it will automatically put itself in set up mode. You just need to follow a few prompts either on the Hub or in the Alexa app depending on your device. I had it online and connected to my smart home in just a few minutes.

Amazon might be one of the few smart home corporations that get this better than right. In my opinion, every one of its gadgets is super easy whether you’re a novice or an experienced smart home guru.

Managing your Hub dashboard

On the hub screen you’ll have a series of boxes or “widgets” you can adjust the order in which these display and choose to show or hide any of them. Along the left-hand side is a list that shows a shortcut for Home and your Routines, then a list of your rooms.

Taking up the most real estate on the screen are the larger widgets; things like your cameras, weather, an area for your favourites and more. Along the bottom there’s a list of buttons which you can tap on to open up more options for each.

While Amazon describes the screen as “customizable” there’s not a whole lot more you can do, other than change the order in which they display. For example I had been hoping to get the security widget to display in a large box on the screen so I could see it and all my devices at all times, but if it is possible it was not intuitive how to do it.

And even once I have tapped the Alarm widget to open it up, the only thing I can do is view the arming status; I can’t see which sensors may be open or closed or which cameras may be online or not. The limited viewing options here are actually quite disappointing.

The toughest part about managing your home screen is ensuring your smart home is up-to-date.

A difficulty I have that is unlikely to affect most of the rest of you is that I have a ton of smart home devices across various brands. Many of them are compatible with Alexa and many of them still show up in my Alexa app even if I only use them for a short time to review them. So a piece of advice; if you have a good amount of smart home gadgets he will want to manage from the hub, spend a little time in the Alexa app deleting unused devices and organizing your devices into their correct rooms so that everything will be much easier to manage on this screen.

Accessing Content & Controlling Devices by Voice

This being an Alexa speaker you can of course ask Alexa to control devices with your voice or access music or other content.

Using commands like:

• “Alexa, show me my cameras”
• “Alexa, dim the lights”
• “Alexa, turn off [living room] lights at [5pm]”
• “Alexa, enable the start my day routine”
• “Alexa, what’s on the calendar today?”
• “Alexa, show me the weather”

I found the voice control works well whether I was asking for light adjustments or for the Alarm system to be set..

Who is Echo Hub for?

I think there are some very specific use cases where this device will be helpful, and others where it will simply be frustrating. Let’s go over the best and worst use cases.

In my opinion, the new Echo Hub is a device for people looking for a slimmed down Alexa experience that can mainly be used to control smart home devices.

In my opinion this device is best for someone who wants to wire it in and wall mount it. Any other Alexa or Echo Show device with the exception of the Echo Show 15 is not really meant to be wall mounted. Yet conversely if you don’t have a need for a wall-mounted option, pretty much any other Echo Show device still works to control your smart home, albeit with additional taps on screen, and it likely gives you better audio to boot.

I would also say this device is not for people that already use their voice for most of their smart home control. Any other Alexa speaker or screen device will give you that same control. This device is more for someone that wants that tangible touchscreen option… Yet at the same time it’s not really a good remote control because it has to be plugged in and is designed to be mounted to a wall.

At its best it should work as a central alarm management hub for Ring Alarm 2, except at the moment the only thing it is able to do is arm and disarm the system. There’s no viewing of your alarm components.

Speed concerns

One of the things I did become a bit concerned about after using the Hub for a couple of weeks is its speed. Navigating with the touchscreen can be quite sluggish taking anywhere from a couple of seconds to up to 8 seconds in rarer occasions to accomplish some tasks. Also, I found frequently it required several taps on some apps before anything would happen.

Overall review: Amazon Echo Hub

Overall I have to say I’m incredibly conflicted about this device. It seems to be bobbing aimlessly on a sea of Amazon gadgets looking for just the right port to dock in. I think for the right user with the right use case this will be a very handy device. However if you are simply evaluating this alongside more traditional Amazon speaker gadget and you don’t already have a specific reason for choosing the Echo Hub, you can opt out.

Let’s go over the pros and cons.

On the pro side the Hub is easy to set up, it’s got a nice streamlined design, and is perfect for wall mounting. It’s geared primarily at controlling smart home devices and uses presence sensing to decide whether to show a clock and photo screensaver or your smart home devices, and accomplishing this with no camera built into the hub, you don’t have to worry about privacy. The on screen interface is simple and uncluttered and makes it easy to find what you need.

On the downside, the audio quality is not going to be top of the line, but you can find plenty of Echo speakers that are, such as the Amazon Echo Studio, or even Echo Show 10. I also found the screen can sometimes be slow to react, and with some products the settings and options presented on screen are extremely limited.

Like I said if you know exactly what you want this for it will probably do what you need, if you’re hoping for a whole new Echo experience this might not be enough for you. But that’s why I like to share all the info and let you make your own decision.

They all new Amazon Echo Hub sells for about $179USD with the additional countertop stand costing $30. You can get it of course from Amazon.

While Amazon did provide me with an Echo Hub at no cost the company did not request or receive any input or approvals over the content so you can consider these thoughts mine.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post New Amazon Echo Hub hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Ring cameras are definitely top of market when it comes to options, ease of set up and user-friendliness. And it seems like each year Ring brings out new cameras and accessories that are genuinely useful. Case in point the Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In with Pan-Tilt mount. In this review I’ll take a look at what you’re getting with this kit, what this specific camera is designed to do, and how well the Pan-Tilt mount works to help it see into more places. I’ll wrap things up by going over the pros and the cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this set up for you.

Trying to find the right home security camera these days can be overwhelming. It’s no longer just about 1080p vs. 720p, wide vs. narrow field of view; it’s now also about wired or wireless, app compatibility, remote operation, how it integrates into your existing smart home, and a ton of other features. Then, there’s the installation. Some setups are so simple that they’re genuinely a breeze – a “plug-and-play” dream come true. Others, however, seem to require an entire afternoon to figure out.

What you get

3rd Gen Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In

Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In is one of Ring’s most popular cameras and it’s been around for several years. While Ring’s battery powered cameras tend to be the most popular, there’s often still a case for wanting a camera that has power 24/7. This version is the third generation model which uses a cord that connects to a standard wall plug and can be used both inside or out. It can also sit on a table or piece of furniture or be mounted to a wall, and a separate ceiling mountain kit is also available.

Ring does not appear to declare an IP rating for this camera, saying only it is “Weather Resistant”, and noting the maximum operating temperature are -5°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C). I’ve reviewed probably over a dozen ring devices over the years, and I can say that they’re outdoor cameras are extremely durable. My previous Ring outdoor cameras are still going strong out in my yard after many years of harsh climate.

Pan Tilt Mount

The indoor-outdoor Pan Tilt Mount is a separate device that will connect with your ring stick up cam. The mount consists of an electronic base with a swivelling L-shaped bracket that the slides onto. Once it’s connected to the camera it offers full 360° motion as well as 117° tilt. (*For video do this part on camera and control it).

I will add that the camera won’t spin in a complete circle; it will only go to the edge of its field of view before you will have to pan it back all the way around to get to the other side.

You can create your own default position to easily reorient your device.

It might be important to point out that this camera camera does not track motion automatically as some other similar devices, such as the Echo Show 10 can do. Instead you need to manually adjust your camera’s field of view by panning and tilting your camera using the Ring App.

I will say I am a bit surprised by that. Ring, through its partnership with Amazon is clearly using this technology in other places, so I’m a bit surprised to find Ring still has no dedicated motion tracking home security camera… That I’m aware of.

Ring Protect Plan

I don’t want us to get too much further into this review without touching on an important point. To get the most out of this camera and really the entire ring system expect to pay a monthly fee. Ring has monthly cloud recording and storage plans known as Ring protect plans. If you don’t opt for one of these plans you really only get the ability to take a live look at your cameras.

While the basic protect plan costs just about $5USD per month, it only allows you to operate one camera or doorbell. Any more than that and you will need to upgrade to a more robust plan (Plus gives you unlimited cameras for $10USD/month). I have had a Plus plan for years and I think it’s been worth it. Before you hit add to cart, I do recommend going to Ring’s website and checking out the options before you commit.

Set up & Installation

Setting up any Ring device is super easy whether it’s a first for you or you’ve got plenty of other devices across the ecosystem. In this case just plug in the camera and open up the ring app. The app will search for your camera and add it to your lineup. A few more steps will take you through a few configuration options where you can make adjustments but then that’s it and you’re ready to go. I opted to place my camera indoors in my house so I could keep an eye on my dogs when we are not home.

Video

1080 HD resolution cameras are table stakes when it comes to video quality, and that’s what you’re getting with this camera. It’s an excellent balance of clear image quality and efficient bandwidth usage, but identifying faces outdoors beyond about 5 feet away might be a little difficult because of the limited resolution.

Stick Up Cam (when used without the pan tilt mount) has a wide field of view for maximum coverage, with a 130°diagonal, 110° horizontal, 57° vertical field of view. Adding the mount you can reach to full 360° motion as well as 117° tilt, but of course that’s only if you’re operating the camera; when it’s locked into its home position you only get that base reach.

Ring cameras use Advanced Motion Detection with Customizable Motion Zones to alert you to any motion within range of the camera. You can set your camera to alert you to any motion or just at certain times of day or certain types of motion. Plus, the camera has Color Night Vision to help you see better in all types of spaces.

Like I said my primary use was indoors for watching the dogs, and it was more than enough for me to keep an eye on them. I also found it useful to do things like check if the front door was locked, or if I left the stove on. It’s quite handy having a moveable camera in the house since it can be the eyes you might not be able to have.

Control with joystick

I can definitely say the camera is easy to maneuver using the 4-way virtual joystick inside the Ring app. The movement actually responds quite quickly so it should be easy to catch anything that’s happening.

The motion of the camera is virtually silent too; it makes a very subtle humming sound as it is changing position, but it’s barely perceptible.

Outdoor use

I did also move the camera outdoors and place it in the yard for a while to test its weather worthiness and ability to give me a more all encompassing view.

Two-way talk

For an entry-level security camera, the two-way audio of the Stick Up Camera is a welcome feature. You can turn on the microphone or speaker and talk or listen.

The audio that beams out of the camera is surprisingly crisp. It’s not going to replace your phone anytime soon, but it’s entirely capable of handling quick exchanges with your delivery guy.

Adjustable motion zones

A cool feature of many of these ring cameras are the adjustable motion zones. With these let you do is essentially tell the camera that certain parts that are visible in the frame don’t need to trigger alerts. This is most handy if you live on a street with a busy sidewalk, and only want to get alerts if someone walks up to your door. Similarly inside a house, you could set your camera so that it doesn’t alert you if your pets are in the living room, but if they get up on the sofa you’ll get tagged.

You can even combine Ring Stick Up Cam with Alexa so that when anyone triggers Ring’s built-in motion zones, your Echo device will jingle and make an announcement, of your Echo Show will let you see, hear and speak to anyone captured on camera.

View camera for longer with Echo Hub

If you add in something like the new Amazon Echo Hub, you can keep the Stick Up Cam’s feed up on the device for longer stretches, meaning you can use it as a pet or baby monitor, for up to about 8-10 minutes.

Can I use Ring Pan-Tilt Mount with Stick Up Cam Battery?

Ring Pan-Tilt Mount can only be powered with the Indoor/Outdoor or Indoor Power Adapter Barrel Plug and cannot be powered with the Quick Release Battery Pack or Solar Panel.

Real time alerts

I will say the alerts from Ring cameras come to my phone fairly quickly. Well there are sometimes they are delayed a couple of seconds, it’s not usually a problem. And of course if you’re subscribed to one of the ring protect plans you’re going to get recorded video footage of that stuff anyway so you’ll have a chance to review it after the fact. Yet another good reason to subscribe to the plan.

Overall review

Overall this is a great camera package for those who don’t need something wireless. Like all the Ring devices I have reviewed this one is easy to set up and integrates perfectly into my ring and Alexa enabled home. The resolution is standard for home security cameras of this type and includes night vision. The addition of the pan tilt mount goes along way to increasing the available view. Using the joystick in the Ring app it’s easy to move the camera around, and even with all that motion, you’ve got a couple of options for mounting it. I also appreciate that the electronic motor that moves the camera operates silently. When it comes to the downsides, on its own merits I can’t really think of anything that’s problematic with this camera. Well I would love to see Ring introduce some motion tracking that could actually follow a person around a room with the camera, that might be me nitpicking and wishing for features that don’t exist yet within the Ring ecosystem. Even if they do exist with other devices. So for that reason if you’re looking for a consistently powered smart home security camera that doesn’t take up a lot of space I can recommend the ring stick up cam plug-in with pan tilt mount for you. It sells for about $145USD when packaged with the mount. The camera on its own can be had for about $99 and you can add the mount on later for about $45.

If you do want to check out what a motion tracking 360° moving camera is like, I reviewed one from Wyze and you can check that out right now.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post 3rd Gen Ring Stick Up Cam Plug In with Pan-Tilt Mount: hands on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Withings Body Smart Scale hands-on review

Withings Body Smart scale: What you get/What’s in the box

When you unpack the box you’re really only getting one thing; that’s your Withings Body Smart scale. Fortunately the batteries are included, you’ll need to remove a small battery protector from underneath the battery compartment lid and once you do you should be ready to get set up.

See my hands-on personal experience with Withings Body Smart

Set up & First Use

I delayed the set up of my scale for as long as humanly possible because I was dreading it. Previous experiences with Withings products have resulted in literal hours long set up experiences and calls to customer service for help when things didn’t work correctly. I am both thrilled and flabbergasted to report that with this scale I was able to follow the in app sequence and had it connected to my phone in less than five minutes.

I did have one small glitch where once I entered my Wi-Fi network information I got an error message, but I simply clicked the try again button and it went through the second time. This is much easier than what happened to me in the previous reviews.

Then it was time to take the first measurement.

First measurement

The first time I measured myself I went to check it in the app, but I could not find any measurements under the “latest measurements tab.

Fortunately I’ve been here before so I knew what to do, but I still think this is a sad user experience that Withings could further streamline.

What you’ll need to do to begin recording your weight, is go into the small square scale icon in the top right corner of the app, known as ‘My Devices’.

Next tap Unknown Measurements. In here you will likely see the measurement you just took. You’ll need to assign this measurement to yourself as a user. So, select the measurement and then assign it to yourself, then in Latest Measurements, you should see that number.

Essentially you have to tell the scale who you are and what your weight is off the top so that it knows where to assign future weigh ins. I think this is tedious and extra steps, and is absolutely not how most other smart scales work.

Withings says that after a few measurements the scale should recognize you and begin assigning those measurements to your profile.

If you see a small person icon on the scale with an X through it it means your measurements are not being assigned to you.

I decided to take multiple measurements all in one day to try to hurry this setting along. But it didn’t seem to have much effect until after about the sixth time… after that the unknown measurements tab seemed to vanish from my app and the measurements looked like they were being recorded automatically. I also got confirmation on screen with my name, so bottom line here is if it doesn’t appear that your measurements are getting tracked in the app, monitor that unknown measurements section and weigh yourself a handful of times. That should do it.

Data & what it tracks

As one of the entry-level smart scales on Withings’ lineup, the Body Smart covers the basics you’d expect and a bit more. First off, it measures your weight, but it doesn’t stop there. It also dives into your body composition.

It can measure your visceral fat index—yeah, that’s the fat lurking around your organs. While it may not show on the mirror, it’s still crucial to keep an eye on this data as a high visceral fat index could indicate higher chances of cardiovascular diseases. It will also check your water mass.

Then, there’s your BMI (Body Mass Index) which is a simple yet effective way to gauge potential disease risk. It’s a built-in formula that takes your height, weight, and waist circumference in consideration which are all accessible through your app and from the sensors on the Body Smart scale.

It also shows you an approximation of your basal metabolic rate or the rate of calorie burn you get at rest.

The scale will also give you your heart rate. The first couple of times I took a measurement I just got a heart rate error message on the scale and nothing showed up in the app. But after about the third time it started to display my data.

Again this just illustrates to me that the Withings scale is a bit glitchy. But in all honesty these glitches, while frustrating for myself and other users, I bet, seem to resolve themselves this time which was a huge relief.

How Withings Scale works

The Withings Body Smart scale, like most smart scales, utilizes bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). It’s a widely used method for estimating body composition which operates on the principle that body fat causes greater resistance or impedance than lean body tissues when an electrical current is passed through it.
When you step on a Body Smart scale, it sends a weak electrical current through your body, while measuring its rate. It hits resistance (impedance) which primarily occurs when it hits areas of your body with fat concentration as these are typically more resistant than lean muscle mass. This system is what allows the Body Smart scale to measure your body fat percentage and visceral fat index.

Number of users

Withings Body Smart scale can keep track of up to eight users.This feature is incredibly useful for families or households where multiple people are keen on monitoring their health and fitness progress. Each user’s data is kept private and separate from others, ensuring personal metrics are only accessible to the individual to whom they belong.

Customize display

You also have the option to customize what shows up on the scales own screen. There is a tab in the my devices section which will allow you to choose what gets displayed you can just get your weight, or check in on your BMI, muscle or fat ratings, even your heart rate and get the weather too.

Battery Life and Power

The Body Smart scale takes four AAA batteries that come pre-installed. You just have to pull a plastic cover on the connections and it’ll be ready to take your weight measurements immediately. These should take about 15 months before they need replacing, depending on the frequency of use. Since I’ve only had the scale for a few weeks, I won’t be able to make a judgement about the battery life just yet.

Other modes/features

Eyes-closed mode

Withings recognizes that getting on the scale can induce anxiety so they’ve implemented what the company calls Eyes-closed Mode. When this mode is enabled, instead of displaying your weight on the scale screen, all chosen measurements are recorded and tracked within the app, allowing you to check them later. This helps in keeping people focused on their weight loss progress and not the natural day-to-day fluctuations. Instead of your weight, the Body Smart will display motivational messages to keep you engaged in your fitness journey.

Athlete mode

For people who maintain an active lifestyle or professional athletes, body composition numbers and resting heart rate numbers may be a little off compared to people with less active routines. To keep readings more accurate, Withings has set up Athlete mode, which uses a different algorithm for measuring resting heart rate and body fat composition to attenuate for different lifestyles.

Baby mode

You can also use the Body Smart scale to track your baby’s weight changes across his or her growth. To weigh your baby, you first need to weigh yourself. After your weight is displayed on the scale’s screen, you then hold your baby and step back on the scale. The scale is smart enough to calculate your baby’s weight by subtracting your weight from the combined weight. You can track the progression by adding your baby’s profile to one of the eight user profiles available in the app.

Pregnancy mode

With pregnancy mode, mothers-to-be can track their weight change throughout pregnancy. The app then shares some helpful tips depending on your progress and where you are in your pregnancy.

Overall review: Withings Body Smart scale

Overall I’m relieved to say I had a much better experience this time around. While I will want to spend some additional time with this scale to be sure, I am heartened to find things seem to be a little easier for users. Let’s go over the pros and cons. On the pro side, the scale’s design is sleek and modern, it feels durable—not like you’re going to crush some glass, and the weight seems accurate for me personally. The colour display screen which I can customize to show whichever metrics I’m most interested in looks nice and makes the experience more personal.

The scale automatically feeds data to the Withings app even if you don’t have it nearby or open on your phone. You also have the option of adding manual weights if you need to weigh in somewhere else and just want to keep things recorded in the Withings app. The scale also tracks some solid and useable data and it integrates with other health apps you might want as well.

When it comes to the downsides, I did find the scale still a touch glitchy, but nowhere near the disastrous experiences I have had with previous Withings scales. I feel like the company is doing its best to refine the user experience and make a better and more user-friendly product. I also don’t like the way you need to manually assign the first half-dozen weigh ins, and that the app doesn’t walk you though how to do this.

In short, I can recommend the Withings Body Smart scale to you if you are looking to keep better tabs on your health. This model sells for about $99USD / $149CAD and you can get it from places like Amazon or Best Buy. If this smart scale is out of your budget, I reviewed a $20 smart scale recently that absolutely blew me away. You can check that out here.

Also Read:

1. Withings Body Cardio Scale Review

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Withings Body Smart Scale hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Whether you’re planning an epic road trip, a soccer parent gearing up for Saturday morning matches, or a survivalist looking for ways to grid-proof food storage, portable fridges have nearly endless use cases. And before you say it, we know what’s on your mind: “But aren’t coolers the same thing?” Sure, if you enjoy soggy sandwiches and hunting for ice every day. Portable fridges offer a hassle-free experience, sans the puddle of disappointment.

What should I look for in a portable refrigerator?

Unfortunately, finding the perfect portable fridge can sometimes feel like solving a complex equation with the number of factors you’d have to consider. To make it easier for you, here are a some of the most common ones:

Power source: Each source has its own merits; DC is great for on-the-go cooling, AC if you’re near a fixed power supply, and solar if you’re out in the middle of the forest, harnessing the power of the sun to chill your drinks (how cool is that?!). Yet, while they all play the same tune – keeping your food and drinks frosty and fresh – the choice impacts how and where you can use your fridge.

Cooling capacity: The cooling capacity isn’t just about cramming as much food and drink in as possible; it’s about efficient chilling. It’s more about whether you just need to keep things cool or do you need to get things from cool to frozen. Of course, portable freezers will be more power-hungry and a bit more expensive than fridges that can’t cool down enough to freeze.

Build quality: From riding through potholes to getting hauled over rocky terrain to a campsite, portable fridges take more of a beating than your fridge at home, of course. You’ll want a rugged design, wheels that can handle typically dirty or gravelly terrain, and at the same time, something that doesn’t weigh as much as your car.

Ease of transport: Speaking of hauling, robust, well-placed handles can make the difference between an easy relocate and a comedy routine worthy of Charlie Chaplin. When it comes to larger fridges, wheels are your ticket to easy maneuvering. Make sure they’re rubber because plastic wheels are just as bad as having none at all.

Additional features: While features such as digital controls, USB ports for charging devices, or dual-zone cooling areas for separate temperatures are considered add-ons, they can often spell the difference between a good fridge from an exceptional one. The ability to check the temps from your phone is especially nice to have.

What is the best size portable fridge? How many cubic feet refrigerator do I need?

Size and capacity: Your portable fridge is as much a camping companion as your tent. A 35-45 liter fridge typically serves a family for a weekend in the wild. Remember, bigger isn’t always better. You have to lug it around, and it also needs more power. For a solo or duo traveling light, a neat 15-25 liters should suffice.

However, if you could only choose one portable fridge, the Goldilocks zone would be between 35L-55L. These don’t take up a lot of trunk space yet large enough to store a couple of days’ worth of food and drinks.

So, if you’re in the market for a new portable fridge, check out BODEGAcooler’s Spring Saver sale that puts a lot of the bestsellers at a huge discount. All models have a cooling capacity of up to -4℉ when in Max Mode so you can keep your drinks cool and, if you need to, freeze your perishable items like meats.

BODEGAcooler Portable Dual Door Freezer (TWW75)

Meat needs to stay at a stable, low temp to keep from spoiling. Also, raw meat has a knack for leaking juices, and no one wants to take a swig of their favorite soda or snacks only to find it’s had an unwanted marinade.

So, if you’re going on a long off-grid camping trip, this BODEGAcooler TWW75 Dual Door can be just what you need. Want to grab a beer without disturbing the tower of burger patties and veggies for tonight’s BBQ? No problem! You can access your cans of liquid chill from one door while your food tucks in undisturbed behind another. It’s all about minimal food-shifting. Less rummaging, less landslide risk, more good vibes around the campfire.

But let’s not forget about temperature control. With some dual door models, you can adjust the temperatures separately. That means your frozen meats stay frozen, while your drinks lounge at their perfect drinkable temperature.

BODEGAcooler Dual Zone Fridge with Wheels (T60)

Dual-zone portable fridges like the T60 provide the ultimate flexibility in your cooling choices, with each one offering two separate compartments with individually controlled temperature settings. The larger zone typically acts as a refrigerator, storing a multitude of items at their ideal temperatures, while the smaller zone can be your freezer.

And if you’re worried about having to carry it around, don’t. The sturdy handles and two large wheels ensures easy hauling from your car to the campsite.

BODEGAcooler Car Fridge (K25)

If you’re not looking to haul large quantities of food for long distances, especially in a smaller 25L chest, then you may not even need wheels on your portable fridge. In this case, the small K25 can already check all the boxes for you. It’s a lightweight but powerful car fridge and cooler that doesn’t take up a lot of space, lightweight, and comes with a carrying case that you can easily bring chilled drinks and cold cuts on a long hike or a romantic stroll on the beach.

BODEGAcooler Single Zone Portable Fridge-Freezer

A single-zone portable fridge can offer a multitude of advantages that campers, road trippers, and outdoor enthusiasts would definitely appreciate. One primary benefit lies in the uncomplicated operation of a single-zone fridge. The temperature remains uniform throughout, making an excellent solution for optimized refrigeration.

BODEGAcooler Drawer Refrigerator

Ever spent time diving into a chest type portable fridge and realizing you’ve already emptied it out before finding what you’re looking for? With the BODEGAcooler Drawer Refrigerator, you can bid farewell to these wilderness woes. They slide open to offer organized and easily accessible food storage, no diving necessary. It’s a freestanding, space-saving fridge that fits neatly into an RV, camper van, boat, or even your souped-up, beach-ready SUV.

BODEGAcooler Portable Car Refrigerator

While wheels might seem like a great idea in terms of increasing portability and ease of movement, there are some drawbacks such as its inability to navigate sand and rugged terrain. So, for people who don’t need wheels on their portable fridges, the BODEGAcooler Portable Car Refrigerator may just be what you need. However, it does more than make up for it by giving us a portable cutting board and a built-in bottle opener.

It’s perfect for keeping a lot of items of the same category chilled or frozen. So, need to bring two cases of beer cans to a beach party? No problem with the BODEGAcooler Single Zone Portable Freezer.

The post How to choose a portable refrigerator appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

JBL is one of the most popular audio brands in the world. Even so I have not had much opportunity to get hands-on with the company’s headphones. That changes now with the JBL Tune 710BT wireless over ear headphones. In this review I will try out a pair in my home, I’ll let you know what special features these headphones have and talk about how comfortable they are to wear and how long the battery life is. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and the cons overall and let you know if I think I can recommend these headphones for you.

What you get

Headphones are incredibly personal, and come with a boatload of features that you may think are must haves or mere extras. Similarly the cost of over-ear headphones can vary wildly from the price of a takeaway pizza to part of your monthly rent payment. The JBL Tune 710BT are positioned firmly on the budget side of the scale, and not just because they are now an older model.

Introduced back in late 2021 the Tune 710 often sells for under $60 USD / $90 CAD. Given their original release date it won’t be surprising that they are lacking some of the newer technology found in premium newer headphones; things like spatial audio and noise cancellation.

So are these a cheap and cheerful bargain hunter’s dream, or best left for the discount bin? Let’s dive in…

What’s in the Box?

The JBL TUNE 710BT might be older, but it’s certainly not outdated and what you’ll find in the box proves that. I was expecting to find micro USB charging in these but to my surprise they run USB-C.

The included USB-C charging cable is short, but it’s bright orange making it easy to find. You also get a 3.5mm cable for connecting your older devices as well as the usual quick start guide and safety sheet. In keeping with the budget audio theme, JBL didn’t include any protective case or sleeve with the product, which I’m not too fussed about since I personally don’t use that stuff much anyway.

About the JBL TUNE 710BT

Browsing JBL’s product catalog is a little confusing at first even if you narrow down the category to just over-ear headphones making it important to understand exactly how the JBL TUNE 710BT slots in the current lineup.
From a family perspective, the 710BT is the top tier model in the Tune series with a BT suffix. BT obviously means Bluetooth (version 5.0), but for JBL’s TUNE family, it also means lack of active noise cancelling which is key reason behind its price positioning.

Not having active noise cancelling is not necessarily a bad thing with the JBL TUNE 710BT because its over-ear design means that you can still expect some passive noise isolation from the thick padding and all-around cups. If you aren’t the frequent flyer type, you might just find the JBL 710BT sufficient for blocking most ambient sound.

Design and Comfort

The JBL 710BT feels a bit studier than your typical pair of $30 headphones and the extra synthetic leather padding adds to the comfort. You can fold the headphones as well for easy storage. While JBL is known for some flash, or even light shows on some of the company’s portable speakers, these headphones are way more discreet than that.

The subtle all black matte finish design means these are not going to stand out, so they might be ideal for those who are trying to focus in an office type environment. The adjustable headband has a small section of padding across the top middle where it meets your head; a lot less than many other over ear headbands, but again JBL is trying to save you money here.

Despite that, JBL has designed the headband well and the lack of all-around padding is actually not noticeable at all either via looks or feel once these are on your head.

For my personal taste and comfort, the ear cups are a little on the small side; they are only just as tall as my ears and barely as wide, meaning quite often my earlobes are sticking out. I don’t think I have particularly large ears, but if I’m being honest, these almost seem more suited to a child’s fit than a grown adult’s, particularly for you bigger-eared males out there. The headphones do you have a decent amount of clamping force yet even so, they don’t feel uncomfortable.

No app

Unlike most headphones sold today, the JBL 710BT do not offer a companion app. I am actually okay with this, particularly if it’s easy enough to manage what you need to do using the buttons on the headphones, and spoiler alert, I found it is.

Set up

Since there’s no app to fuss around with, set up is pretty straightforward. Press the power button to turn the headphones on and they will arrive in pairing mode. If not or you need to re-do it, holding the power button for five seconds should jump start this process. From there just head to your phone or device’s Bluetooth menu and look for the JBL 710 in the list. A small audio tone inside the ear cup will confirm your connection.

Controls

On the right your cup are the physical controls; not surprisingly no touch controls or tap pads here. There is a power button, auxiliary cable connection, a multifunction button teamed with volume up and down, and the USB-C charging port is cleverly hidden under one of the headband arms. Again; a nice subtle design touch.

JBL sells three variants of the 710BT – Black, Blue, and White.

Sound quality

Let’s get to where the rubber meets the road on these headphones and that’s the sound quality. I’m happy to report the sound on the JBL Tune 710 is outstanding. I was really surprised at the clarity and the full bass. The Tune 710s seem really well balanced, and at this price point I’m surprised and really impressed.

I listened to a bunch of different music from top pop to chill vibes, podcasts and phone calls. The headphones offer full and vibey bass, and the vocals are clear and clean.

I can’t make a single complaint about the overall sound quality and think these would actually impress even the snobbiest audiophones.

Battery Life

These headphones have a massively long battery life. You can get up to 50 hours on a charge which will take about two hours to fully recharge. During my two week review. Of intermittent listening I still had plenty of juice left over.
The only other small note I’ll make here is that figuring out how much battery life may be left isn’t that easy since there is no app and no dedicated battery bar. Just a small LED next to the charging port which will show either green orange or red when you plug them in. I would definitely wish for a bit of an easier way, but if I have to say it again; budget budget budget. They also have fast charging where five minutes of power will get you three hours of listening.

This is quite impressive in a pair of budget headphones.

Multipoint connection

A feature I truly appreciate in every set of headphones I want to keep around is multipoint connection which allows you to stay connected to two devices at once. This makes it easy to stay linked up to your laptop and your smart phone at the same time without lots of switching back-and-forth and reconnecting.

How to use JBL Tune 710 Multipoint

Linking up to a second device seems easy enough; the pictograph instructions tell you to connect to your first device then press the power button twice to initiate another connection. Except that did not work for me.
I did some surfing around and found recommendations for other button tap sequences but these didn’t work either. Finally I turned the headphones on and off a couple of times and tried the double tap of the power button again and it finally worked.

Oddly switching between my two devices I wasn’t able to hear certain things; for example while I could listen to a YouTube video on my laptop, when I would switch back to my phone and try to play music, there was no sound. After some research, I did pending software updates on both my phone and laptop and that fixed it, so if you seem to be having trouble with multiple connections, make sure your operating systems are up-to-date.

Finally, you get voice assistant integration allowing you to call up your phone’s default assistant without interacting with your device.

Overall Review: JBL TUNE 710BT Headphones

Overall if you need new headphones on a budget, the JBL Tune 710 is a surprise hit, delivering on more than you think it will.

Let’s leave the pros and cons so you can see. On the pro side the sound quality is outstanding, and the lightweight folding design is great for travel. The headphones are reasonably comfortable with a good amount of padding and feel secure on the head. The battery life is phenomenal particularly at this price range and the fact that it also has fast charging is a boon to commuters and travelers.

On the downside, I found the earcups to be very small side for me personally. I also found the battery life can be a little bit of a guessing game.

Aside from that, these are actually a very well-rounded pair of headphones that check many of the boxes most shoppers will have. For that reason I can definitely recommend the JBL Tune 710 BT over ear headphones for you.

They sell for about $79 USD though as of publication time they were not available on JBL’s website, but I was able to find them on Amazon.

Also Read:

1. The Best Wireless Earbuds Buying Guide: how to choose, plus our top recommendations
2. Review: Marshall Monitor headphones
3. Oladance Wearable Stereo Open Ear headphones: review

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: JBL Tune 710BT over-ear headphones appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Bluetti Power Station Lineup

Not all camping trips (or campers) are the same. Some of us are looking to simply charge a phone and a lantern for a quick overnight in a tent, while others are bringing along the whole tech setup — think drones, laptops, and even a portable fridge for longer-term off-grid camping.

To be specific, power stations may differ in power input capacities, charging options and rates, types of outlets and rates, and other features. Fortunately, Bluetti recognizes that its consumers have varied power needs based on their activities, whether it’s for outdoor camping or long-term off-grid living. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Bluetti for sponsoring this article. The company has been a longtime supporter of our work and their content helps us keep the blog and the YouTube channel running so for that we are truly grateful.

And now is the best time to look closer since the company’s “Spring into Solar” program is running from March 7th to 24^th, 2024, designed to elevate your outdoor activities in a budget-friendly and eco-friendly way.  With some incredible savings of up to 31% off  on portable power solutions, now is the time to stock up.

The Lite Pack: For the Minimalist Adventurer

Starting with the smaller, lighter units, the Bluetti AC2A and the AC70. These are your go-to for the ultimate weekend warrior status. They can handle phone charging, keep your cameras ready for that next shot, and even power up a portable fan if you’re going out during extra hot summer months.

The capacity 300W capacity for the AC2A might not be able to to run a portable fridge, but it’ll make sure your essential gadgets stay alive. On the other hand, the AC70, rated at 1000W might be able to operate more power-hungry appliances like a toaster or an induction cooker especially if you use Power Lifting mode.

While the AC70 is a bit larger, they’re both still super portable, which means less time spent playing Tetris with your tent’s precious real estate.

You can also bundle it with a solar kit with efficient charging so you can extend your camping outdoor time while keeping your gadget essentials juiced up.

AC2A features and benefits:

• Solar charging support
• 8Wh battery capacity
• 2X 150W AC outlets, 1X USB-C (100W max) and 2X USB-A (12W) outlets, 1X 12V/10A (Car Outlet)
• 300W rated power + 600W Power Lifting Mode
• 8inｘ6.1inｘ6.8in

AC70 features and benefits:

• Solar charging support with 500W Fast Solar Intake (Fully charge in 2hrs)
• 768Wh battery capacity
• 950W Turbo Charging (With AC power)
• 1,000W Rated Power + 2,000W Power Lifting
• 2X AC outlets rated at 1000W max shared capacity, 2X USB-C (100W each), 2X USB-A (12W), 1X 12V/10A (Car Outlet)
• 4in × 8.2in × 10.1in

The Mid-Range Marvel: For the Comfort Seekers

For those who like a bit of glamping with their camping or just have more demanding power needs, mid-range power stations are where it’s at. These units, which typically hover between 1000W to 2000W, can handle charging multiple devices at once, keep a portable fridge running, and even power a small TV or a laptop for a cozy movie night under the stars. They strike a neat balance between portability and power – a real Jack-of-all-trades.

If this is what off-grid camping means to you, then the Bluetti AC180 falls exactly in line with what you need. It’s a 1,800W power station with a Power Lifting mode capacity of 2700W, coupled with an expandable battery capacity. With this combo, you can even use induction stoves to safely whip up some quick campsite grub.

Plus, there’s a wealth of output selections including 4AC outlets that can run multiple small appliances simultaneously. As long, of course, they have a combined pull of less than 1800W.

AC180 features and benefits:

• Solar charging support with 500W Fast Solar Intake
• 1,152Wh battery capacity (Expandable up to 4,224Wh)
• 1440W Turbo Charging (With AC power)
• 1,800W Rated Power + 2,700W Power Lifting
• 4X AC outlets rated at 1800W max shared capacity, 1X USB-C (100W), 5X USB-A (15W), 1X 12V/10A (Car Outlet)

The Powerhouse: For the Basecamp Bosses

And then, for the truly luxe campers or those who just refuse to leave any tech toy behind, we have the powerhouse units. With rated capacities over 2000W, these behemoths can pretty much handle anything you throw at them – from powering an electric grill to keeping a large 8000 Btu air conditioner running for 7 straight hours, to multiple charges for all your devices.

For these purposes, the AC200L and AC200MAX are all great choices. Of course, with great power comes great…weight. These units are not exactly what you’d call ‘portable’, but if you’re setting up a substantial camp or have a vehicle with you, they’re unbeatable.

These are also typically equipped with a 48VDC / 8A that can deliver power to an entire RV.

AC200L features and benefits:

• Solar charging support with 1200W Fast Solar Intake
• 2048Wh battery capacity (Expandable up to 8,192Wh with 2X B300)
• 1440W Turbo Charging (With AC power)
• 2400W Rated Power + 3600W Power Lifting
• 4X AC outlets and 1X NEMA TT-30 rated at 2400W max shared capacity, 2X USB-C (100W), 2X USB-A (18W), 1X 48VDC / 8A (RV Outlet), 1X 12V/10A (Car Outlet)

AC200MAX features and benefits:

• Solar charging support with 900W Fast Solar Intake
• 2048Wh battery capacity (Expandable up to 8,192Wh with 2X B300)
• 1400W Max. Fast Dual Charging (Solar + AC Adapter)
• 2200W Rated Power + 4800W Power Lifting
• 4X AC outlets and 1X NEMA TT-30 rated at 2400W max shared capacity, 2X USB-C (100W), 2X USB-A (18W), 1X 48VDC / 8A (RV Outlet), 1X 12V/10A (Car Outlet)

Real Talk: Is a Portable Power Station Worth It?

If you’re the type who truly goes off the grid and embraces the wilderness in all its disconnected glory, maybe portable power stations might not make much sense to you. But for the rest of us who like a little modern convenience with our outdoor adventures, a portable power station can be a game-changer.

Choosing the right one comes down to understanding your needs. Think about what gadgets you can’t live without, how long you’ll be out, and how much you’re willing to carry. And remember, just because you bring along a bit of power doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the great disconnect. It just means you’ll have enough battery to Instagram your escapades (or, you know, call for help if things get too “Into the Wild”).

So, if you’re looking for a power station this coming camping season, then don’t forget to check out the Bluetti Spring Sale where all of these are up for grabs at discounted prices!

The post Top gadget picks for being comfortable off-grid appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Stand mixers are all made to do the same things – mix, knead, and whip. So why do prices range from a modest dinner out to something that resembles a car payment? The Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer is clearly made for those who need the right kitchen tool but with a more modest budget. In this review I’ll tackle the key question of whether or not cheap can still equal good. I’ll put this mixer through the test here in my home by taking it through a variety of mixing and baking tasks—you’ll see why I don’t think the bowl or accessories are properly sized and how the mixer will shake and shimmy like Bruno Mars. Are these major problems or just part of the show? I’ll lay out the pros and cons and let you know if I think I could recommend it for you.

What’s in the box?

In the box you’ll get the main mixer unit itself. Prepare yourself for the fact it is made mostly of plastic. While it has retro good looks, the lightweight of the body does have me wondering about its longevity. Since it doesn’t have the benefit of weight to hold it in place, four suction cups on the bottom will help anchor it during heavy mixing tasks. This model is a tilt head stand mixer and the tilt action is released using a button on the front. The only other control is a speed dial offering 7 speeds.

Another surprise is the mixing bowl. This 4 quart bowl is made of lightweight aluminum, and has a plastic base which locks into the mixer. This is another item of concern for me in terms of how long this mixed material will last in the long run.

Attachments

The Hamilton Beach mixer comes with a set of all the basic mixer attachments.

• Dough hook
• Whisk
• Flat beater
• 4 Quart bowl
• Splash guard
• Motor

The motor is where most stand mixers are made or broken. They must be powerful enough to hold up against even the thickest cookie dough without burning out or overheating.
The Hamilton Beach comes with a 7-speed 300W motor. You may be surprised to learn that that is the same power as you’d find in a KitchenAid classic mixer. While a KitchenAid classic will give you three more speeds for a total of 10, the overall power of the motor is largely the same.

Build Quality

So, how does the Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer undercut its competition with its price? Well, its plastic body screams budget-friendly.

The plastic body makes it lightweight and easy to handle so you can easily take it into and out of the cupboard. However, because it’s so lightweight, it does need a little help from the suction cup legs to keep it stable on your countertop.

What’s most concerning is that the plastic body tends to shake when kneading stiffer doughs. It’s a testament to how powerful the motor is but it doesn’t inspire confidence in its durability, especially if you plan to use this for long mixing sessions.

The attachments, on the other hand, are mostly metal except for the base of the whisk tool. While they’re a little lighter than the ones that come from more expensive stand mixers, they do feel somewhat durable.

Mixing tests

I put this mixer through a variety of tests in my kitchen. I started out making cake batter. Right away I found a significant frustration when trying to cream butter and sugar: The mixer seems to not adequately reach the bottom or sides of the bowl.

When using the whisk attachment to cream butter and sugar it succeeded more in compacting the mixture against the bottom and sides of the bowl instead of incorporating it. This meant I had to stop multiple times to scrape up the sides and bottom to try and get it to mix properly. This meant I ended up taking about three or four times as long to perform this simple creaming task.

Even when adding eggs and the mixture became looser and more malleable, the whisk attachment was still not able to properly incorporate the ingredients. In fact a large clump of batter stuck in the bottom of the whisk and had to be scraped out each time.

While my cake batter did finally come together, I left this task feeling like it would have just been easier to mix it by hand. Not very confidence-inspiring.

Next I used it to make the icing.

Beating egg whites

Making an Italian style buttercream it actually handled the task reasonably well. I was not convinced it would be able to whip the egg whites properly as part of the first step of this icing recipe, so I was surprised to find it was actually quite effective and whip them into stiff peaks relatively quickly. Once I added the sugar syrup it created a beautiful fluffy icing.

Cookie batter

Next I opted for a classic chocolate chip cookie dough. I find this type of stiffer cookie dough to be an excellent challenge for any stand mixer.

I opted to use the batter beater for this task and found like before it took a long time to cream the butter and the sugar. After a while it really just looked like the mixer was pummelling the ingredients not blending them.

The other thing that became extremely evident is that the plastic body of the mixer doesn’t allow it to hold itself steady. The entire body of the mixer shakes and shifts and it actually looks like it’s about to tear itself apart.

Adding the flower to the cookie dough presented a major challenge for the Hamilton Beach stand mixer but surprisingly it was able to complete the task. It did however leave me concerned that over the long term challenging the mixer like this might prove career ending for your mixer.

Overall review

Overall, If you’re a baking newbie looking to dip a toe into the world of cookies, cakes, and bread, the Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer might be a good starter appliance. But for experts who frequently work with stiffer doughs, or need longer kneading times, it may leave you wanting for more.

Let’s go over the pros and the cons.

On the pro side the design is cute and it comes in several colors. It is quite lightweight which does make it easier to move in and out of storage. The tilt head allows you to get into the bowl a little easier and the fact it comes with three mixing attachments does give it some versatility.

On the downside, the mixers plastic construction not only concerns me for its longevity, but it also allows the mixer to shake and sway to the point where it’s actually concerning whether or not it’s going to break itself. The plastic portions on both the mixing bowl and the whisk are also worrying. I found that while it has seven speeds, there’s not so much difference between them and even from lowest speed to the very highest speed it’s hard to see an extremely large difference.

Where it counts, on tougher mixing tasks, it was able to complete the job, but I am concerned about how many times the machine can strain itself like that before it calls it quits.

So is this machine for you? I think if you keep the use to lighter mixing and baking tasks like whipping and mixing cake batter, you’ll probably enjoy this mixer. If you’re hoping for a workhorse that will take on more challenging tasks for you, I would say skip this one and consider some other options instead. If you’re looking to stay on budget, I can definitely recommend the KitchenIn stand mixer—it’s got a cool design metal construction and it looks funky too. Of course you could always save up and invest in the gold standard; a metal KitchenAid classic stand mixer. I’ve reviewed both of these devices and you can check those out here.

The Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer sells for about $119USD or $159CAD and you can get yours as I got mine from Amazon.

Also Read:

1. I tried GE Profile 7-Quart Smart Mixer with Auto Sense in my home: is this smart mixer REALLY worth $1,000?!
2. Amazon’s $50 Dash stand mixer review: what you absolutely need to know before you buy

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

We all have vastly different reasons both for wanting headphones and for the headphones we choose. Some folks love the isolating power of over ear headphones while others find them smothering. There are people that prefer the subtle discretion of earbuds while others can’t stand having some thing in our ear canals. All that is to say that purchasing headphones can be a very personal experience that’s different for everyone. The best you can do is choose a reputable brand and try to find a pair that have good consumer reviews to. In this review I’m testing out the Sony WH1000XM4 over ear wireless noise cancelling headphones. I’ll take a look at the style and comfort, what you get with your purchase, how long the battery lasts and what it’s like to use for all kinds of listening experiences from music to podcasts, phone calls and zooms. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and cons and make an assessment about whether or not I think I can recommend these for you.

Many reviewers and customers have praised Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM over-ear headphones series for their exceptional comfort and listening experience and top-tier noise-cancelling options. Sony’s latest noise-cancelling headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM5, continues that premium streak, but has a different design than its predecessors. The glaring omission of that redesign is its inability to fold, making the included case much bigger as well.

Fortunately, many retailers continue to sell the older Sony WH-1000XM4 which has many of the same features the current model has. But is buying a pair of $300 premium headphones launched back in 2020 a good idea given the sea of newer options available? Let’s see how they hold up in 2024.

What’s in the Box?

When you unblock the package the first thing you’ll likely notice is the hard shell travel case. I’m actually not generally a huge fan of these cases as they tend to be far bulkier than they need to be for simple safe transport. In this case, the case is actually extremely thin and very slim and flat on both sides making it quite unusually easy to slide into a bag or backpack. The back of the carrying case also has an elastic mesh pocket for storing any other small items you wish to add.

I’m very impressed. When you flip the case open you’ll see the headphones, a very short 6-inch USB-C power cord, an auxiliary cable, and a dual-prong airplane aux travel adapter. A felted divider keeps the cords and accessories in one place while also protecting the headphones, another very nice touch.

Design & Comfort

The WH-1000XM4 should be one of the most comfortable headphones $350 can buy thanks to the ample memory foam cushioning on the earcups and headband. (In fact, the WH-1000XM4 model has thicker cushioning than its successor making the former the better pick if you are after comfort and long listening sessions. The newer WH-1000XM5 feels a lot lighter though.)

The earcups feel very well made but they are on the thinner side. I don’t have particularly big ears or ones that stick out, but the inside of the earcup do come quite close to my ears. Those with bigger ears might find these uncomfortable or annoying. The covering on the cups is quite soft and feels feels neither leathery nor plastic. Just very comfortable. (I get the impression these would last years before you notice any signs of wear and once you do, you can easily replace the earcups with a third-party set like the popular stylish earcups Wicked Cushions make.)

When wearing the headphones, you can adjust the headband for a nice snug fit that doesn’t add serious pressure to your head and ears, in fact if anything I’d say these feel on the looser side when it comes to head compression. While I wasn’t worried about them falling off, sudden had movement did seem to allow them to move around just a little bit. Just bear in mind that Sony designed the WH-1000XM4 for casual listening so they’re not really meant to go jogging or exercising since the design also offers no waterproofing.

My preference is for a lighter and less constricting feeling over your headphone that doesn’t sound hollow or plasticky. I’d say this set checks all the boxes.

Using the Sony WH-1000XM4

Setup & pairing

There’s only two buttons on the left earcup, making things easy to operate and keep track of the controls.
Holding the power button on the left cup for a couple of seconds switches on the headphones and will immediately enter pairing mode if you are doing this for the first time, as mine did. Pairing the headphones with your device is pretty simple (just open your phone’s Bluetooth menu and tap to connect)

You can use the Sony Headphones Connect app to configure the headphones. From the app, you can adjust the noise cancellation levels, assign a function to the physical “custom” button next to the power button like toggling noise cancellation or triggering your voice assistant, and even pair the headphones to a second device.

Gestures

The right earcup’s surface is touch sensitive allowing you to perform quick actions through tap and swipe gestures. If the app or site supports it, double tapping the right earcup plays or pauses the active media. An alternate way to pause playback is to simply remove the headphones since it has wear-detection and putting the headphones back on resumes the playback.

When your connected device has an incoming call, the double-tap gesture can also answer it as well as end the call during a conversation.

Swiping up or down adjusts the volume while swiping left or right triggers “next” or “previous” actions. These gestures will work when connected to Android or iOS devices as well as Windows systems.

Noise Cancellation

The comfortable earcups provide some decent passive noise isolation, but you’ll get the best experience by activating the noise cancellation feature.
Sony’s QN1 noise cancelling processor and five built-in mics do a fantastic job in cancelling out background noise. The noise cancellation is also adjustable. If you go into the app and look for the sound tab, when you turn on ambient sound control it will give you a slider bar so you can adjust how much exterior noise gets through. You can also let the Sense Engine do its work by setting an appropriate level based on your current activity and the level of sound around you. I always test out noise cancellation both with some audio playing and without anything playing at all. Testing noise cancellation in quieter or environments is actually a bigger challenge since the headphones don’t hear anything to try to cancel out so it’s possible to get more noise bleed in advertently. I can say that these performed quite well in all my tests.

The noise cancellation quality is excellent and really allows you to create an excellent cone of silence.

Sound quality

I tried listening to a variety of music and audio with the WH-1000XM4 including spa sounds (soothing and non-distracting while working), pop, rock, podcasts and more.
The sound quality on these is outstanding, as it should be. Supremely well balanced, it’s easy to pick out multiple layers of sound. The bass, if all settings are left to factory, is a wee, wee bit on the flat side, which can easily be adjusted with the equalizer settings (turn on Bass Boost or Excited). The overall experience is full, head-filling and super enjoyable and it will be tough to find fault with the audio.

Connect to two devices at once

A feature I love and headphones is the ability to connect to two devices at once. While you have to toggle the setting on inside the Sony headphones connect app, it allows you to maintain connections to two devices at once meaning you can connect to your laptop and your phone and easily between them without needing to stop and reconnect. This does take a couple of steps to get set up and the app will walk you through it.

Battery life & charging

Having long battery life in quality headphones is really important. Nobody wants to have to charge them up every day or so, because of course you can count on them running out of juice when you need them the most; like when children are screaming at the airport and you just need to chill out. The WH-1000XM4 provide about 30 hours of battery life with a full charge. With noise cancellation off, you can expect about 38 hours of runtime. I’m happy to say these also boast fast charging where 10 minutes of charge can give you up to five hours of listening time. All in all this is outstanding.

Auto Power off

The headphones have an auto power off setting so that whenever you remove the headphones they will turn off after a short period of time. This is very handy for the forgetful types and those who want to prioritize saving needless battery waste.

Other Features

Like many noise-cancelling headphones models in its class, the WH-1000XM4 offers an ambient sound mode which utilizes the built-in microphones to transmit ambient noises to the earcups so you can hear your surroundings while enjoying your music. You may also temporarily activate this feature at will by covering the left earcup with your hand. This will trigger Quick Attention Mode which activates ambient sound while also lowering the volume.

Being a high-end Sony audio product, the WH-1000XM4 supports the high-resolution LDAC audio codec. LDAC improves the audio quality over Bluetooth connections which could come in handy if you have a large FLAC collection or enjoy lossless streaming services like Deezer or Tidal.

If your mobile device has built-in NFC, you can also initiate a quick Bluetooth pairing by placing the smartphone on the left earcup. Just look for the NFC logo.

My Places

These headphones allow you to adjust how they operate based on where you are. Registering locations you frequent with the Sony headphones connect app automatically switches your headphones settings when you were at each location. For example you may be able to hear your family speaking while listening to music at home, or block out colleagues using noise cancelling at your busy open-concept workplace. This feature will automatically adapt your settings based on your current location. Sony does take note that certain areas like subways and tunnels where GPS reception is weak won’t allow you to use this feature properly.

360 Reality Audio

Another key feature of these headphones is 360 reality audio which seems very similar to spatial audio in that it allows you to seemingly hear sound from more places around your head as opposed to simply straight into the ear canal. At the moment this feature is only compatible with a handful of music apps, none of which I subscribed to. As a result I was unable to test out this feature.

Speak to Chat

The speak to chat feature is another cool offering. If you turn this feature on the headphones will listen for your voice and then automatically kill noise cancelling so you can hear what’s happening around you and speak to others. The sound quality is rather strange in that it sounds truly like your voice in the room, I’ll be at with headphones still on your head. It actually sounds very true to life and doesn’t distort voices or add a buzz or hum. The only downside I noticed when testing this is there is a very slight delay when you first begin speaking before the ambient mode kicks in. And it takes quite a while after I finish speaking (about 20 seconds) before the noise cancellation comes back on. Not really a problem but just something to be aware of.

Equalizer

The Sony headphones connect app also offers you equalization settings so you can adjust the headphones to your liking. You can choose from some Sony built presets or make your own custom custom adjustments.

Overall Review: Sony WH-1000XM4

Despite the product’s age, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is still a compelling buy and will easily outperform other current midrange products in the audio quality and noise cancellation departments.
When it comes to the pros, the sound quality is great, the folding design and slim hard case make it really easy to travel with. The headphones are comfortable and light, and easy to wear for long listening sessions. The battery life is fantastic, the accessories it comes with are useful.

When it comes to the downsides it’s hard to find a lot to crack on here. I could complain about the rather plain design, but for some people that’s actually a pro. I think the biggest issue is going to be the price, and that it continues to stay high despite the launch of a newer iteration.

Many retailers still sell the WH-1000XM4 at over $300 which in my opinion puts it too close to the newer Sony WH-1000XM5. The Sony WH-1000XM5 offers better noise cancellation and audio performance, which is worthwhile if you don’t mind the bulkier case and slightly reduced comfort and flexibility. But if you can find a pair at under $300, grab the deal and you’ll have some great mileage with the pair.

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The post Hands-on review: Sony WH1000XM4 over-ear headphones appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

The range of options is staggering: apps that keep it simple with minimalist note-taking, those that organize your life into a perfectly color-coded symphony, and ones that could run small countries with their project management features. 

And the beauty of it all? There’s something out there for everyone. Whether you’re a visual thinker who loves doodling your way through meetings or a list-maker who gets a thrill from checking off tasks – technology has got your back.

So while our brains might be a bit leaky, technology’s evolution in note-taking apps means we’re all just a tap away from reigning in the chaos. Here are some of our favorites:

Evernote: The Old Reliable

Evernote’s one of the most seasoned players on the market and has gained substantial market share in the note-taking app space. It’s got the kind of easy-to-use interface that can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be.

Pros:

• Robust organization functions
• Cross-Device syncing
• Search champion

Cons:

• Freemium version openly teases with the paid features average consumers might not need

Best for: Hoarders of notes who want a no-fuss way to organize their brain dumps.

OneNote: The Freeform Artist

Microsoft’s answer to every student and meeting-goer’s prayers, with an endlessly flexible canvas. And since it’s a Microsoft app, it conveniently syncs with your other Office apps like Outlook Email and Calendar. 

Pros: 

• Superb for pen input 
• integrates smoothly with the Office suite 
• Free

Cons: 

• Can be overwhelming for the uninitiated
• There’s almost too much freedom

Best For: Visual thinkers and digital pen enthusiasts who can’t stand the straight-jacket feel of linear notes.

Notion: The Organizational Wizard

Half note-taker, half project manager, Notion is where notes go to get a job.

Pros: 

• Incredibly versatile with features for project tracking 
• Databases
• Great for team collaboration

Cons: 

• There’s a steeper learning curve
• it might be overkill for those who want something simple

Best For: Anyone juggling multiple projects who dreams in to-do lists.

Google Keep: The Quick and Dirty

The digital equivalent of sticking a post-it on your fridge, but infinitely more powerful.

Pros: 

• Super simple
• Integrates with Google’s ecosystem
• Free

Cons: 

• Lacks depth in organizational features
• Not quite robust for heavy-duty note-takers

Best For: Casual users who need to jot things down in a hurry and not forget the milk.

Bear: The Minimalist’s Dream

Sleek, beautiful, and focused, Bear keeps it simple but effective.

Pros: 

• Gorgeous interface that encourages focus
• Excellent tagging system for organization 
• Joy to use for writing

Cons: 

• Only available for Apple devices
• Best features like Export to PDF and DOCX are locked behind a paywall

Best For: Apple users looking for a distraction-free writing space and those who appreciate aesthetic as much as functionality.

Ulysses: The Writer’s Go-To

A sleek, minimalist writing app that’s like the Swiss Army knife for writers, keeping everything from everything from fleeting thoughts to your next big project neatly organized in one spot. Perfect for Apple lovers with a penchant for clean design and a distraction-free environment.

Pros:

• Clean, minimal interface feels like the digital equivalent of a zen garden
• Easy to organize separate different ideas into different “sheets” for maximum focus
• Export and publishing features that make it easy to share your thoughts

Cons:

• Subscription model might not be the best for writers with commitment issues  
• Apple device exclusive

Best for: Serious writers on the quest to create the next great novel.

SimpleMind: The Visual Maestro

SimpleMind is your personal digital mind mapper that helps you organize your thoughts into a neat, visually satisfying format.

Pros:

• Mind mapping tool that can help give you the big picture at just a quick glance
• Cross-platform syncing
• One-off purchase for each platform means you won’t have to worry about monthly charges

Cons: 

• Might be too simple for power note-takers who like a more detailed approach

The post 7 Best Note-Taking Apps for All Kinds of Note Takers appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.