Smartphone Accesories Reviews
Coulax CX04 Bluetooth Neckband Headset Review
by Steve Lemington - April 24, 2016
Review
I travel a great deal and spend a lot of time engaging in sports and riding my motorcycle. I have misplaced and busted many traditional expensive high-end Bluetooth headsets. Therefore, I began to look for an alternative to use in my day-to-day routines. I came across the Coulax CX04 neckband headset, which provides ergonomic design, along with functionality for listening to music and receiving and making phone calls.
The CX04 pairs with a smartphone or other mobile device via Bluetooth 4.1, which offers CD quality audio without the need for a wired connection.
Rather than the usual headset that rests over your head, the Coulax CX04 is a neckband you place around your neck. The headset only weighs 3.2 ounces. The CX04 uses the APTX Bluetooth protocol for rich, detailed and loud sound quality and it’s easy to forget you’re listening to wireless headphones and just enjoy your music.
A silver strip along the top of the neckband works as play/pause/answer/hang-up, as well as a separate volume up/down keys, which double as track forward/backward. All the controls are easy to find when the neckband is around your neck. The noise-canceling earplugs snap together magnetically to the base and prevents tangles when not in use. Beyond listening to music, the headset lets you handle phone calls hands-free as well. There are two microphones, one for voice and the other for filtering out external noise. The CX04 boasts a battery life of up to 12 hours of audio playback, 10 hours of talk time, and 450 hours of standby time.
The CX04 also works well when you’re lying down because the earbuds are small and you can lie on your side with them in without noticing. On the other hand, you can’t simply put these phones in your pocket and for extreme physical activities they are rather fragile. The Bluetooth connection is good as long as you’re reasonably close to the player and are effective when walking around the house. The Coulax CX04 earplugs are easy to insert into your ears, operate and offer high quality sound even while wearing my full-face motorcycle helmet.
Highlights
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Bluetooth 4.1 technology with A2DP stereo tech.
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Provides Hi-Fi quality stereo music, clear sound, while staying at home, in the office, running, jogging, cycling, skating, etc.
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Built-in microphone with CVC6.0 noise cancellation.
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Silicone unique neckband--flexible, lightweight, comfortable neckband.
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Made of ultra-light shape memory alloy for easy carrying for all day comfort.
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Up to 10 hours of talk time and 12 hours of music and 450 hours of standby with a full charge.
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Easy to operate; play, skip and pause music, control volume and pick up calls. Vibration alert on and coming calls--battery level displayed on cellphone.
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Fast paring with smartphones, PCs, tablets, etc.
Pros
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Light weight and comfortable to wear
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Extra ear buds to fit all ear sizes
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Simple one-button multifunction operation
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Excellent sound quality with plenty of bass
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Long battery life
Score
9.1
Cons
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Microphone sound quality is a bit muffled
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Not built as a rugged set for extreme sports
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Bulky–don’t expect to put them in your pocket when not in use
Apple iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case Review
by Malcolm Black - January 4, 2016
Review
Highlights
When you are incessantly busy with meetings, presentations and business travel, it may become difficult to keep your phone charged throughout the day. However, if your job requires you to be in constant contact with others, your smartphone may be an essential asset that you cannot afford to part with—not even for a few hours. With the Apple iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case, you no longer have to worry about missing important emails, texts or calls from your boss or clients. This case gives you up to 25 hours of additional talk time or 18 hours of substantial internet use—this battery case offers added convenience and peace of mind to your hectic life.
This case has no buttons or switches, slip on the silicone battery case and it will immediately begin charging your iPhone. This new Smart Battery Case is compatible with both the iPhone 6 and 6s, and unlike other battery cases, this case integrates perfectly with Apple accessories and the iPhone iOS ecosystem.
When traveling your lightening connector is all you need—the Smart Battery Case has a pass-through system so that your charger is compatible with your iPhone and battery case. The case also includes an interior LED indicator that turns green when your case is finished charging. You can also swipe down on your iPhone’s notification center widget to see the power levels of your iPhone and battery case.
If you are concerned about how your battery case will affect your cellular connection, you need not worry—Apple incorporated an antenna that redirects radio frequencies to lessen interference between devices. In regards to the speakers, the case was designed so that it would not impede your iPhone’s quality sound.
Don’t waste precious time trying to track down an outlet, just walk out the door in the morning knowing that you won’t be missing a call from a potential client or information about the new location of the business conference. The Apple iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case is a solid case that will make your iPhone last all day, allowing you to use it when you need it most.
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25 hours of extra talk time
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Internet use up to 18 hours on LTE
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Video playback up to 20 hours
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Silicone (exterior)
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Soft microfiber lining (interior)
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Simultaneous charging
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Pass-through charging
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Lighting cable compatible
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LED indicator light
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1,877 mAh battery capacity
Pros
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iOS integration
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Lightening port compatibility
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Case does not impede cellular reception
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Easier to hold than other battery cases
Score
9.3
Cons
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Doesn’t charge iPhone all the way up to 100 percent
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Cannot turn on/off—starts charging after iPhone falls below 100 percent
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No external battery indicator
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Quirky design
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Silicon casing attracts dust
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