Sunday, November 27, 2022

Cobra Power Station 200W Review

Our electronics are integrated into all parts of our life. Even if you want to get out and go camping, or to the lake, there are still electronics you may want to take with you. No matter if that is to just recharge a phone, or maybe power a tv, cobra has you covered. Up for review today is their Cobra Power Station 200W, MSRP is a very reasonable $279.

 

Features and specs:

 

12V DC SOCKET

Use any DC-connected devices with the built-in 12V socket

AT-A-GLANCE STATUS

Easily view battery status and power output with the easy-to-read LCD display

LOW BATTERY INDICATOR

LED indicator alerts you when your battery is low

CHARGING CABLES INCLUDED

Recharge the Power Station with the included AC and 12V cables

GO-ANYWHERE PORTABILITY

Lightweight design is perfect to take with you anywhere

2-YEAR WARRANTY

Satisfaction guaranteed with our 2-year product warranty

 







The Cobra Power Station 200W came in a good-looking color printed box, with photos and specs on the sides. Opening the box revealed a well-protected product in custom molded Styrofoam. While materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, the quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included were home and car cables, and manual.

 

The design was pretty simple. On the front you have a couple of 120 V plug-ins, and a couple USB plugins. The front also has an LED display, to show the current status of the battery. And on the side there is an LED flashlight, and an LED light on the front as well. If you like doing things outdoors, it’s a pretty cool product to have. Let’s see how it works.

 

On the side of the box, it shows examples of what it could power, and for how long. When I saw a flat screen tv on the list, I thought that would be a great test. It went for 2 hour and 15 minutes, then there was a long, sustained beep. I looked at the front panel, and it showed 10%. So it was an alarm going off. And for the size of the TV, 2hrs and 15min was about right to get down to 10%.  After I unplugged the tv and reset it, the constant long beep turned off. I plugged in my cellphone charger, and the beeping started again. Only this time it wasn’t the constant long beep. It was a series of two beeps with 5 seconds between each beep. I then plugged in a fan. It did power the fan, but the beeping with 5 seconds between each beep continued. Pushing the display button turned off the annoying beeping. The fan continued until it got down to under 7%, then it shut down.  It was a little disappointing that I was not able to use the full capacity of the battery, it’s probably a safety measure to help for battery longevity. 

 

The Cobra Power Station 200W proved to be a great product. If you like being outdoors, it’s a must have. It’s also well-made, to provide years of use. With an MSRP of only $279, it’s very fairly priced. Based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the Cobra Power Station 200W has earned our Highly Recommended award. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.cobra.com.



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Sunday, November 20, 2022

2022 Annual Holiday Gadget Gift Guide

Halloween is over, and holiday season decorations are out in stores. Which means it’s time for our annual Holiday Gadget Gift Guide. It’s a guide to give you gift ideas for your loved ones for the Holidays. And we include products at different price points. So no matter your budget, we’ll have some ideas for you. Below is a list of products, and the link to it’s review or the schedule of when to check back in for the review.

 

Security is important in our lives. This includes when we are on the go, in our vehicle. A dash cam can give us some great security.  Cobra has a great one in their Cobra SC 400D Dual View Cam. The review is scheduled for the week ending 12/11/22.

 

Our electronic devices have gotten engrained in our daily lives. For some of us, running out of battery on our cell phones could be unimaginable. Others may not be able to go without our TV. Whatever your electronic needs, now you can take it with you. Whether it’s camping in the mountains, or an afternoon at the lake, a power station, like the Cobra Power Station 200W allows you to take your electronic devices with you. The review is scheduled for the week ending 11/29/22.

 


Thanks to the pandemic, many more people work remote from home. Whether it’s working remote from home, or maybe enjoy gaming or music or all the above, a Bluetooth headset may be a necessity. The Cyber Acoustic Bluetooth Headset could be just what you’re looking for. The review is scheduled for the week ending 12/18/22.

 



There’s a lot of games out there, as well as music lovers, not everyone likes headphones that sit on their ears. And not everyone likes the wires with headphones so true wireless in ear monitors have gotten popular. Now there is a true wireless IEM designed for gaming: the JBL Quantum TWS. The review is scheduled for the week ending 12/4/22.

 

One thing about electronics, is new features are always coming out. And this is true for our audio. If it’s been awhile since your car receiver has been upgraded, it could be time. Kenwood has a good one in their Kenwood eXcelon DPX795BT CD Bluetooth Receiver. Check out the review, with the link below:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2022/08/kenwood-excelon-dpx795bt-dual-din-sized.html

 

You enjoy your music, so enjoy it on the go. This could be in your side by side. But in a side by side, you will need something that can handle the outdoor elements. Kenwood has you covered in their Bluetooth amplifier, their Kenwood KAC-M5024BT. Check out its review, with the link below:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2022/09/kenwood-kac-m5024bt-compact-bluetooth-4.html

 

If you have a hard time getting to sleep, often this can turn to desperation for anything that can help. Music, or some sort of white noise or nature sound may help. The Kokoon Nightbuds could be just what the doctor ordered. Check out its review, with the link below:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2022/06/kokoon-nightbuds-sleep-headphones-review.html

                                                           

Most of us like to take our music with us. This could often be outdoors, where you’ll want to be protected from the elements. A wireless speaker could be exactly what you’re looking for. Philips has a good one, in their Philips Bluetooth Outdoor Speaker S4807B. Check out its review with the link below:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2022/07/philips-bluetooth-outdoor-speaker.html

 

When it comes to entertainment, many of us will turn to our TV’s. While the built-in sound of TV’s has improved, it’s still not great. A soundbar will provide much better sound. Some soundbars even provide surround sound. That’s exactly what Phillips dishes out in their Philips Soundbar 5.1.2 TAB8967. Check our it’s review, with the link below:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2022/11/philips-soundbar-512-tab8967-review.html

 

Our health isn’t always what we would like it to be. While some health issues may not be major, like nausea, it still isn’t fun. Nausea could come from many reasons, such as migraines, anxiety, hangover or morning sickness. If you suffer from nausea, the ReliefBand Sport could be just what the doctor ordered. Check out its review, with the link below:

https://www.stereowiseplus.com/2022/05/reliefband-sport-review.html

 

It’s not always easy to do holiday gift shopping for our loved ones. And we don’t all have the same budget. Here we provide some great gift ideas, not only for different budgets but for many different categories as well.  We hope we helped make your holiday season gift shopping easier. And from our family to yours, Happy Holidays!



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Thursday, November 17, 2022

Philips Soundbar 5.1.2 TAB8967 Review

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to watch tv. Shows, movies, there’s a lot of content to pick from. And while tv’s have come a long way in the quality of sound, the built-in sound still isn’t very good. If you want better sound, the built-in sound still isn’t very good. If you want better sound, you need dedicated speakers for your tv. The easiest option for this is a soundbar. Soundbars have also come a long way. Up for review today is the Philips Soundbar 5.1.2 TAB8967 with wireless subwoofer, with an $599 MSRP.

 

Soundbars themselves have come a long way since their introduction. They were a single short but wide speaker array configured in Left and Right for stereo sound. While they did not provide the really nice 5.1 channel surround sound, they still sounded much better than the tv’s built-in speakers. And they were also really simple to set-up, connecting to the speaker out on your tv. Over time, these soundbars also advanced to include a multiple channel array for 5.1 surround sound. Some even included up firing speakers for Dolby Atmos height channel. This is where the Philips Soundbar TAB8967 comes in.

 



Features and specs:

Loudspeakers

Number of sound channels: 5.1.2

Center speaker drivers: 1 mid-low driver, 1 tweeter

Front speaker drivers: 2 mid-low drivers, 2 tweeters (L+R)

Up-firing speakers: 2 full range drivers (L+R)

Soundbar freq range: 150 - 20k  Hz

Soundbar impedance: 5x 8  ohm

Subwoofer type: Active

Wireless subwoofer

Subwoofer driver: 1 x 8" woofer

Subwoofer freq range: 35 - 150  Hz

Subwoofer impedance: 3  ohm

Surround speaker drivers: full range driver (L+R)

Surround speaker freq range: 150 - 20k  Hz

Surround speaker impedance: 2x 8  ohm

Sound

Sound Enhancement: Treble and Bass Control, Audio sync, Subwoofer volume control

Equalizer settings: Movie, Music, Voice, Stadium, Custom

Speaker system output power: 780W max / 390W RMS (10 % THD)

Video: Video Enhancement, 4K Video Pass-through, Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, HLG

Connectivity

USB playback: Yes

HDMI IN x 1: Yes

HDMI Out (eARC/ARC) x 1: Yes

EasyLink (HDMI-CEC): Yes

HDMI content protection: HDCP 1.4/2.3

Wireless connection: Bluetooth 5.0

Optical input x 1: Yes

Aux in: 3.5mm

WiFi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz

Works with Apple Airplay 2: Yes

Built-in Chromecast: Yes

Works with Ok Google: Yes

Supported Audio Formats:

HDMI IN1: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital plus, Dolby TrueHD, LPCM 2ch, Dolby MAT

HDMI ARC/eARC: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital plus, Dolby TrueHD, LPCM 2ch, Dolby MAT

Optical: Dolby Digital, LPCM 2ch

USB: MP3, WAV, FLAC

Bluetooth

SBC

Design

Wall mountable: Yes

Power

Auto standby: Yes

Main unit power supply: 100-240V AC, 50/60 Hz

Main unit standby power: < 0.5  W

Subwoofer power supply: 100-240V AC, 50/60 Hz

Subwoofer standby power: < 0.5 W

Surround speaker power supply: DC24V/2A

Surround speaker standby power: < 0.5  W

Accessories

Included accessories: Power cord, Remote Control, 2 x AAA Batteries, Wall mount bracket, Quick start guide, Warranty Card

Dimensions

Main Unit (W x H x D): 1120 x 64 x 113  mm

Main Unit Weight: 3.94  kg

Subwoofer (W x H x D): 230 x 407 x 400  mm

Subwoofer Weight: 8.32  kg

Surround speaker (W x H x D): 90 x 134.5 x 108  mm

Surround speaker Weight: Left and Right 1.23  kg

 

The Philips is what all soundbars should be. Well, what they all should be, if you like really good sound, as well as surround sound for movies. The soundbar is an array of speakers, configured for multiple channels, with separate drivers for left, center, and right channels, as well as multiple drivers firing up at an angle for the Dolby Atmos height channels. There’s a pair of wireless speakers for the two surround channels. It even has a separate wireless subwoofer.

 

I love the design of the Philips Soundbar TAB8967. I love movies, and to get the most enjoyment out of movies I need surround sound. There is also a big jump in the experience when you add Dolby Atmos height channels. And of course, no subwoofer for the explosions in action movies, really cripples the experience. So the Philips Soundbar TAB8967 has all of the boxes checked off when it comes to the needed features for sound. They have a soundbar for the front left, center, right, as well as upward firing drivers for the Dolby Atmos height channel. There are the two wireless speakers for the rear surround channels, and the separate wireless subwoofer for its channel. So there you have it, full 5.2.1 surround sound with Dolby Atmos included. Yet not only do you get the great surround sound format, you also get easy set up! No surround sound receiver is required. The main soundbar connects up to your tv, and the soundbar sends out the wireless signal to the two surround speakers and the subwoofer. Simple!

 

Connecting, and setting up the Philips Soundbar TAB8967 as I mentioned above, was very simple. There are only two cables to connect for the soundbar. One is an HDMI cable that connects to the eARC out on your tv, or you can also use the optical cable. The 2nd is the power cord that plugs into your power outlet on your wall.  The subwoofer just plugs into a wall outlet, as it connects to the soundbar wirelessly.  For the two rear channel speakers, one plugs into a wall outlet for power, receives the wireless signal from the soundbar, and sends a single cable to the second rear speaker.  I really liked this design.  Philips could have also gone wireless for the second rear speaker, but then there would have been a bulkier power cable for it.  So a smaller single RCA cable from the first surround speaker to the second surround speaker makes much more sense.



Setting up the soundbar system was easy. And they even provided the brackets to mount the soundbar and the rear speakers onto the wall. The owner’s manual provided instructions on how to setup and pair the speakers to each other. The soundbar connects directly to the TV, and the two rear speakers and subwoofer pair wirelessly to the soundbar. The soundbar also has an LED display so you can see the settings, and tailor the sound to your liking. I wasn’t overly impressed with how the owner’s manual was written. There was actually very little written instructions. But between the written instructions and the pictures, it was sufficient to get the ideas across. With everything in place, power cords connected, pairing the subwoofer and rear speakers worked as stated in the owner’s manual. Now with it set up and running, let’s see how it sounds.

 

For movies, I wanted something with a lot of surround sound from the rears and height channels. So I turned to Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. I went to one of my favorite scenes, when the heroes went up against Thanos on Titan. Thanos was attacked from all directions. He was punched and kicked with great dynamics. The webs slung at Thanos sounded crisp and clean flying through the air. Bombs exploding on him were deep, with lots of authority, filling my room with more bass than I expected! And with all of the action and debris flying around, the sound from the height channels provided good sound above me, so it seemed. While the height channels did not sound as good as our reference system, which actually has speakers installed in the ceiling, it still sounded good.

 

Multiple other scenes throughout the movie provided the same aural results. Objects whizzing across the scene showed good channel separation from the left to the right. Sound from the surrounds also sounded great, as did the center channel. Vocals from the center channel sounded excellent, with great articulation with all the talking very easy to understand. The highs were crisp and clean, with the mids being warm and smooth with good resolution. And the sub was nice and deep, and played with really good authority, filling my room with bass.

 

While I was pleasantly surprised with the sound performance with movies, I was equally surprised with its performance with music. Phil Collins: In the Air Tonight, the soundbar gave a great sound of spaciousness. What hit me first was its depth of soundstage, which I wasn’t expecting, especially from a soundbar! Vocals were silky smooth with nice texture, and when the drums kicked in, they had very good dynamics and definition of the midbass.

 



Philips has done it with a great soundbar in their TAB8967.  Not only is it a well-made product, that should provide years of enjoyment, it was very easy to set up as well! You can get quality surround sound in your living room without the extra expense of a surround sound receiver.  Or, it works great in a bedroom as well.  Set-up was very easy, and provided great sound in spades.  With an MSRP of $599, Philips provides a big bang for the buck.  If you’re in the market for a soundbar, the Philips Soundbar TAB8967 should be on your short list.  Based on its design, features, quality, and performance, the Philips Soundbar TAB8967 has earned our Editor’s Choice Award.  Kudos to Philips on a great product.  For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.philips.com



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Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Mobile Edge helping Travelers Protect Their Tech Wherever the Holidays May Take Them


Mobile Edge Helping Travelers Protect Their Tech Wherever The Holidays May Take Them
Feature-Rich Backpacks for Students, Gamers, and Road Warriors

YORBA LINDA, CA (November 8, 2022)—With plenty of versatile, full-featured laptop and gaming backpacks in stock, Mobile Edge gives holiday travelers peace of mind. Students, gamers, professionals, and commuters can rest easy; their valuable tech is protected and organized wherever their holidays take them.

“If there’s a special style or feature somebody is looking for in a laptop or gaming backpack, chances are they’ll find it with Mobile Edge,” says Paul June, VP of Marketing for Mobile Edge. “For more than twenty years, our design and manufacturing teams have been working with customers of all ages and at all stages of life to innovate the kinds of features, functions, and fashion they desire.”

Top Tech Carrying Solutions for Travelers
Mobile Edge’s
 Express Backpack 2.0 sports a sleek look that combines black with a variety of vibrant trim colors. Designed with user comfort and roomy storage in mind, it’s an ideal choice for students and young professionals. Fitting laptops up to 16 inches, it also features an integrated tablet pocket plus storage for books, files, and accessories.

Another favorite of students and young professionals is the lightweight, durable, no-nonsense
 SmartPack Backpack. The SmartPack fits laptops up to 16 inches, plus has sections for a tablet and files. Comfort features include a padded back panel, thick shoulder straps, and a carrying handle. It comes in eight colors: black, carbon, charcoal, crimson red, royal blue, silver, teal, and wheat.

At just over two pounds, Mobile Edge’s new
 Commuter Backpack is perfect for road warriors looking for style and versatility. The Commuter may be lightweight, but its scratch-resistant, water-repellent fabric withstands rigorous use and activity. Three main compartments hold up to a 15-inch laptop, mobile devices, accessories, and files.

With Mobile Edge’s
 ScanFast™ Backpack 2.0, frequent flyers won’t have to remove their laptops to get through security checkpoints. This backpack fits laptops up to 17 inches with plenty of additional room for mobile devices and accessories. It’s also part of the Mobile Edge ECO Collection. The corn-based material it’s made from requires 30% less energy to manufacture, reducing greenhouse emissions compared to synthetic materials.

For gamers, the award-winning 
CORE Gaming Backpack includes dedicated storage for laptops, gaming consoles, and mobile devices. It comes in three versions, each offering a distinctive look and the same storage functionality.

Also for gamers, CORE Gaming’s
 Tactical Backpack, a TWICE VIP Award winner, takes a beating so valuable gaming tech doesn’t. It features customizable storage for gaming laptops, consoles, mobile devices, accessories, and personal items. Made from the same ballistic nylon used in flak jackets, this backpack also features a water-resistant, tear-proof, hideaway rain cover.

Both the CORE Gaming Backpack and Tactical Backpack feature interior sections pre-wired for mobile power, so gear can be charged while inside. Each also features an external USB port for plugging in practically any USB device.

Mobile Power & Charging Options
Travelers can keep their mobile devices and tablets charged with the
 10,000mAh 18W PD+QC Fast Charge High-Capacity Power Bank. This airplane-friendly, ultra-slim power pack is ideal for charging tablets, smartphones, and smaller USB devices.

For laptops and other power-hungry devices, travelers can rely on the
 20,000mAh 18W PD+QC Fast Charge High-Capacity Power Bank. With 20,000mAh 18W PD+QC Fast Charge High-Capacity Power Bank spend less time plugged in! Engineered with Power Delivery (PD) and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology, this slim portable power bank is the ultimate backup power source for all your mobile devices.

Perfect for hotel or dorm rooms, the 
USB Wall Charger Turbo 6 transforms one wall outlet into a 6-port USB power station. With 50 watts of power, it can charge up to six devices simultaneously at blazing-fast speeds.

The
 10W Wireless Fast Charging Stand delivers two times the power of a standard wireless charger. When a Qi-enabled device is placed against the upright pad, it starts charging on contact.

Buy With Confidence
All Mobile Edge protective cases, backpacks, and messenger bags come with a 100% Limited Lifetime Warranty and a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.


About Mobile Edge

Founded in 2002, Yorba Linda-based Mobile Edge produces award-winning durable and protective laptop cases, messenger bags, backpacks, totes, and more for busy professionalsroad warriorsstudents, and gamers. Mobile Edge is known for its innovative and stylish designs, superior-quality, lifetime warranty, and commitment to customer satisfaction. Many leading computer manufacturers rely on Mobile Edge to design and build custom cases for their products.
Join Us on Social Media for exciting mobile computing news & even more great deals!
Mobile Edge Warranty and Returns Policy

Lifetime Warranty

Mobile Edge warrants to the original purchaser that its Carrying Case products are free from manufacturing defects. Read More...
Mobile Edge Warranty and Returns Policy

Satisfaction Guarantee

At Mobile Edge, we are committed to your satisfaction. We understand that our business will only grow by satisfying you, our customer, and therefore everything that we offer carries this warranty. Read More...


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Thursday, November 3, 2022

More MOMENTUM

 
 
Header image
 
 

Multipoint connectivity, studio-grade sound, and a host of additional features come to the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3

Old Lyme, CT, November 2, 2022 – The acclaimed Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 gets even better with just a tap. The new firmware update, available via the Smart Control App (iOS, Android) enables multipoint device connectivity and a high-resolution sound mode for convenience and quality.

"Our latest update reflects the dynamic ways people want to use MOMENTUM True Wireless 3, including our most requested feature – multipoint. For example, one can switch from their favorite music streaming app to join an incoming conference call from their laptop – and back again – without having to reconnect manually,” says Frank Foppe, Sennheiser True Wireless Product Manager. “And our new high-resolution sound mode enhances the listening experience even further, letting customers enjoy wireless audio that rivals the rich and lively detail found in a wired connection.” 

 

 

The power of connection 
​Now, the premium MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 sound experience is available on multiple devices with a simple tap. The latest update allows users to instantly switch between two paired devices for dynamic management of active connections. Examples include streaming a podcast on a smartphone before switching over to an incoming video call, shifting from a television series on your tablet to a mobile voice call, and balancing voice calls between work and personal phones. Multipoint also switches back to the original audio source device if a call is answered mid-stream, and otherwise allows for effortless switching between two Bluetooth audio devices. Lastly, the multipoint update allows for seamless switching through all mutually supported codecs, such as aptX Adaptive, and SBC – even across mobile operating system platforms from various manufacturers.  

Next level performance 
​Bringing listeners even closer to the details in their music, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 update also introduces a high-resolution sound mode featuring 24-bit depth and 96 kHz sample rate capability, unlocking sound quality comparable to a wired headphone. By connecting MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 to an audio source also using the aptX Adaptive codec, this mode increases the Bluetooth bitrate up to 420 kilobits per second for optimum sound. In RF-challenged environments such as bustling public transportation, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 may utilize the codec’s data scaling capabilities to seamlessly adapt the connection integrity at any given moment. Users can enable the high-resolution sound mode via Sennheiser’s Smart Control App, making MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 the ideal companion for all popular music streaming services and their highest quality subscription tiers.

Availability 
​Multipoint and high-resolution mode are available after updating the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 to the latest firmware (Release 2.10.19 or higher) and updating the Smart Control App (App Store, Google Play; release 4.1.5 or higher).  The release also contains numerous optimizations and enhancements for Bluetooth and touch control features.

 


 

 


 


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