Beats Studio 3 Wireless

This very well-built headset comes with a sturdy design that somewhat fit nicely on your head. This headphone is a really good and worth-it product despite its hefty price. Besides its amazing positive attributes, there are definitely negative ones to it as well. Read on to find out more.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bo-_EMmvITmp_o1hh1HOxmwtdvxrqgwB3pMBEUibj8aLX8TXKH6TEuFdVM0ZOU5hzF82GA=s170

As you can see in the picture above, the design looks like as if the whole headphone is completely solid but in the matter of fact, it is not and is rather flexible in some way. By flexible i mean the frame is slightly bendable to satisfy the “an ear at a time” condition if you know what i mean. It is not as bendable as rubber but not all frames of headphones are as bendable as this one. Also, the ear cups are really comfortable, and does not really make our ears sweat unlike most other headphones.

The Beats Studio 3 Wireless offers improved sound quality, noise cancellation/cancelling and a longer battery life thanks to its predecessor in the same exact design as other Beats products. First, let’s talk about its battery capabilities. We all know making long-lasting rechargeable batteries ain’t an easy task. Shockingly, this headphone has a battery life of about 12 hours while using the wireless functionality and about 20 hours while connected via the 3.5mm headphone jack. Beats also claims a battery life of 22 hours with active noise cancelling turned on and 40 hours without. This headphone works really well with apple devices. If it is not an apple device it is connected with, the battery life will shorten and its bluetooth will not function as good as when it is connected with an apple device. It also does not have a passive listening mode, so it has noise cancelling on all the time, which could be a problem if someone wants to have a conversation with you.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSOjb15dEhTbzWTDWIKpFl7JXk_PPlINf8DyH2o81NRArpCi8CAZg

Now, i am going to talk about the most important feature of any headphone – sound quality. You all might be expecting the sound quality to be exquisitely amazing, but it might not turn out as you expected it to be. Now, these headphones are bass masters. The lower frequencies are too emphasized, to the loss of basically everything else. In fact, the higher frequencies can barely be clearly heard due to the monstrous bass emphasis. Ultimately, this headphone is mainly for rhythm, beats and bass lovers.

By now, you probably have forgotten some of the positive and negative features of this headphone. So here is a summary of all the pros and cons of the Beats Studio 3 Wireless :

Pros

Bendable Frame

Compact Foldable Design

Battery Life

Great Bass Quality

Comfortable Ear Cups

Amazing Noise Cancelling Technology

Wireless Audio With High Sound Definition

Good Operation With Apple Devices

^ POSITIVES ^

———————————————————–

Cons

No Gesture Controls

Expensive

No Passive Listening Mode

Does Not Work Well With Other Devices

Not Water Proof / Splash Proof

^ NEGATIVES ^

iPhone XS

photo credits to https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-xs/5.8-inch-display-64gb-silver-unlocked

The iPhone XS, was part of the newest iPhones in 2018 released by Apple. Thinking about it, all three phones have many things in common. Same brand new processors, upgraded camera sensors and image signal processors too.

Even though there are other phones like the iPhone XR which is one of the affordable ‘iPhone X’ model, the XS still stands out in many ways. A 2 times telephoto which means that the rear camera helps frame shots better, the OLED display is more vibrant and the XS’s model is much more durable as the rear glass does not crack as easily.

There is a camera advantage when we are talking about the iPhone XS, and that is, having dual rear camera. That means, the iPhone XS has a 2 times optical zoom that works in a telephoto portrait mode. It may not sound appealing to most, but this 2 times optical zoom does make up a difference when it comes to taking close-up shots. Despite having the same aperture settings and megapixel ratings compared to the iPhone X or XR, the XS’s image sensor made a noticeable improvement on the quality of photos.

photo credits to http://www.istyleme.com/lb/iphone-xs-50085.html?color=802&size=2529&model=1106

iPhone XS has the A12 bionic chip included, which is the newest bionic chip for Apple at the moment. The A12 chip does make a difference as it is extremely fast but compared to other iPhone models, it would just look like a small improvement.

Other improvements on the iPhone X is that the XS has a higher quality water and dust-resistant, facial recognition and handling drops better. For water resistance, the XS can stay underwater up to 2 meters for up to 30 minutes. Not only that, but it can handle salt water, chlorinated water and several liquid spills. People online have been doing drop tests for the iPhone XS and that explains how durable the XS is compared to X.

Apple managed to improve the XS’s facial recognition as there is faster log in speed. Since the release of IOS 12, there have been lesser complains about the phone not being able to recognize the owner’s face. Sadly, that problem still continues but Apple is trying their best to fix this.

Things that do need to be improved on, is the phone’s battery life and to decrease the price. People have been commenting about how expensive the phone is and because of that lesser people bought it.

In general, the phone has excellent specs and bionic chip but it is quite sad to fin out that it is this expensive. On the other hand, those without a budget for their phones should consider purchasing this phone as it is amazing.

Apple iMac

Apple inserts all the new features into the iMac, making it keep up with 2017 standards. The computer runs at a fast speed, making it comparable against some of Windows’s newest models. Its display remains top-notch. The iMac has been in the leaderboard for years and have been holding it till now. Although some features were not as good as before , but it remains a good model.

(A front view picture of the iMac Pro)

But for gamers, I suggest you don’t get the iMac as although the trending games still appears there, but it is either released later or its game graphics are not tip top.

Its ports and the SD port at the back causes inconvenience to the user too.

For those people that has the old iMac, do not worry.Some features still will be updated.It still serves as a excellent choice for people who bought years ago.

(Back view of the iMac, with its ports)

Another feature of the iMac is its color accuracy. It has been named a “palette” for a reason. Its accuracy can dig deep into every color, finding out every single color, making the iMac like a “palette”, having an assortment of colors.

For people that wants a bigger storage space for their computer, it can be upgraded by paying a little more. The price of the iMac is $1800. For patient people,they can wait for the iMac Pro with bigger bumps.For impatient people, they can upgrade their computer by adding $900 for a better core, memory and model.

Overall I think this computer is worthwhile the deal. But although new specs are introduced, Windows are still trying to catch up. Still, if you want a good computer that serves other purposes besides gaming, such as work, this is just the right thing for you.

By :

Dave Tan

Credits:

https://www.cnet.com/reviews/apple-imac-27-inch-2017-review/

https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2290394,00.asp

https://www.macnificent.co.za/apple/mac/imac/apple-imac-pro-27-inch-5k-retina-2-3ghz-18-core-custom-build-d-detail

iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 Plus introduces an all‑new glass design, the fantastic dual-lens camera shoots better than ever with improved portrait mode. The world’s most popular camera, now even better. The most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone. Wireless charging that’s truly effortless. And augmented reality experiences never before possible. iPhone 8. A new generation of iPhone.

Though it a step below the iPhone X, but its powerful performance, still-excellent cameras, and roomy, standard-shaped screen which maximizes all existing iPhone apps and includes a few iPad-like features not available on the X. The iPhone 8 Plus also have True Tone screen and that same superfast A11 Bionic processor you’ll find in the X. True Tone is in most of Apple’s iPad and it works a lot like the white-balance-compensating system found in the iPhone’s camera flash, allowing the iPad or iPhone screen to determine just the right percentage and intensity and temperature of white light you need. The idea behind the whole concept is that whites tend to look different under different light, but with True Tone enabled, the iPad can shift how the display looks no matter the lighting. With this, i can say that Apple’s iPhone is upgrading with iPad’s functions, giving Apple users a better experience with iPhone.

Why 8 Plus and not 8? The 8 Plus is worth the premium over the 8 to get the dual cameras, larger display, and a battery life that still beats out the iPhone X. Though looking old-fashioned as Apple’s model of iPhones still look alike, the iPhone 8 Plus is really powerful with a fast running processor and even, perhaps, it is one that people would prefer over iPhone X.

In my opinion:

The iPhone 8 Plus has all of the same basic features as the new iPhone 8, except for its larger size, slightly better battery life (in our everyday real-life use) and better cameras. I would also prefer a more hand-friendly iPhone X as of my palm size to carry the phone around. I would say iPhone 8 Plus would be a phone for people that would carry and use their phone around all the time or photographers who would want a light and portable good camera.

Design:

For iPhone 8 Plus, Apple used stronger aluminum body accents, steel reinforcement inside and metal highlights around the camera lens. There are only three colors this time: white with silver highlights, glossy black and space gray, and a blush pink-like gold.

Source:

https://www.popsci.com/iphone-8-plus-camera-review

https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-8/5.5-inch-display-64gb-space-gray-unlocked

https://cnet1.cbsistatic.com/img/w-_zOhSTGLoqxzkJHRKbDrBrBo4=/830×467/2017/09/18/5870261e-dd25-4952-bb04-267a31947bac/iphone-8-plus-33.jpg

AirPods : Wireless earphones by Apple

AirPods : wireless earphones

Product made by Apple

Photo Courtesy: https://www.macworld.com/article/3150771/headphones/airpods-features-specification-pricing-faq.html

The AirPods is Apple’s latest wireless earphones that are very convenient. They contain apple’s latest own custom designed chip called the W1 that helps optimize battery use and processes the Bluetooth connection as well as audio. It has up to 5 hours of usage time while the box to contain the AirPods has up to 24 hours worth of battery to charge the AirPods, 15 minutes of charging is equivalent to 3 hours of use. The Air Pods are immediately connected to your devices when it is taken out of the box and can be used straight a way with the box charging the AirPods the moment they are kept. The AirPods also have sensors to sense if it is in your ear or not so that it can play and stop when it is in or out of the ear respectively with the ability to use one or both of the AirPods at any one moment. The Airpods also has a voice accelerometer that recognizes when you’re speaking and works with a pair of beamforming microphones to filter out external noise and focus on the sound of your voice. AirPods provide rich, high-quality AAC audio and wireless charging. It also has sensors to detect your touch so that it can activate Siri with just a double tap, of which can be changed in settings so that the AirPods can do what you what when you double tap.

There are also some complains about the AirPods like the battery’s idle discharge being too high, people thinking that the AirPods can fall out and go missing when in use and the high price of SGD$238. The battery problem has been solve when Apple upgraded the AirPods’ firmware to 3.5.1 while the Airpods falling out is almost impossible as it is made to fit perfectly and for the high price, it is very worth the price that it cost.

Photo Courtesy: http://www.ubergizmo.com/2016/09/airpods-will-work-with-non-apple-devices/

For more info of AirPods, Apple’s latest wireless earphones, click here to go to Apple’s website.

Written by : Chua Josef Dayan

iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 2017)

iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 2017)

The iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 2017) is a great update to the already amazing iPad Pro (9.7, 2016). With its larger screen and very fast processing, the new iPad Pro can even stand in some laptops.

Features

The new iPad Pro comes with a handy stylus with you can use to interact with the the tablet with more precision, and helps when you try to draw some picture. The iPad also has a a 12-megapixel rear camera with a True Tone flash feature and a 7-megapixel front camera, pretty good cameras in you intend to take pictures with it. It also has touch Id, allowing you to lag in using your finger tips.

Operating system

The current operating system that the iPad Pro is currently using is IOS 11, allowing users to drag and drop and open three apps at the same time with one hovering above the other two splitscreen ones.

How it compares to other devices

Against:

iPad Pro(9.7-inch,2016): iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 2017) is a slightly superior version of its predecessor, with a quicker Touch ID button, slightly bigger key board and slightly bigger screen, without sacrificing much in the factor of weight. It is clearly the better device.

Microsoft Surface Pro (2017): The Microsoft Surface Pro runs Windows 10, which trumps over the iPad Pro’s IOS 11, with Windows 10 being able full versions of traditional Win32 software as well as Java apps and Flash, all of which the IOS 11 cannot compete with. Not only that, the Windows 10 can multitask with 3-4 tabs, more than the 3 of the IOS 11. For the Microsoft Surface Pro, they have basic Type Cover is $129 with fancier color versions covered with Alcantara fabric for $169. For the iPad Pro, Apple’s Smart Keyboard is $159. Both keyboards provide an amazing typing experience, but the basic Microsoft keyboard is cheaper, has hinges to adjust the screen and has a track pad, beating Apple’s Smart keyboard out of the water.

Specifications

Price	Starts at SGD$968
Display	12.9-inch, 2,732×2,048 resolution (264 ppi)
Processor	A10X Fusion chip
RAM	4GB, 1600MHz
Storage	64GB, 256GB or 512GB
Wireless	Dual-band 802.11ac; Bluetooth 4.2
Ports	Lightning connector, Smart Connector 3.5mm headphone jack
Cameras	Front: 7-megapixel; Rear: 12-megapixel
OS	iOS 11

Pros

The iPad Pro (10.5-inch, 2017) is a clear improvement over the previous iPad Pro, making it the superior iPad, almost able to replace some laptops.

Cons

With worse accessories and operating system compared to the Microsoft Surface Pro(2017), it is objectively the worse than the Microsoft Surface Pro(2017).

Overview

Despite being a great device, that people who love the Apple brand should enjoy.

Photo coutesy: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-10-5-inch-256GB-Wi-Fi-Model/dp/B072V4BJ5R

 

Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, 2016)

Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, 2016)

Introducing, Apple’s new laptop, the Macbook Pro, with a touch bar. The new computer is slimmer and lighter than it’s predecessors, making it a slightly more transportable device. In this model, Apple has also removed all it’s legacy ports for Thunderbolt 3-powered USB-C, forcing you to have to buy a whole bunch of dongles. The main touch of this model is, of course the touch bar, that replaces the function keys.

Features

The macbook’s key feature is of course, is the mini slice of an ipad know as the touch bar, located at the top of the keyboard. The touch bar has a fingerprint scanner, allowing users to use Apple pay and Touch ID. It also allows you to adjust brightness and volume and works with other apps, which for now are mostly apple made apps but more 3rd party support is inevitable.

Pros

The macbook is currently the best macbook on the market with the touch bar making some task a little simpler and quicker. Also, being smaller and lighter than the rest of the macbook family, it is easier and more convenient to transport, making for better for using on the go.

Cons

One of the main problems is the large number of dongles required to get the legacy ports back, which some may find rather annoying. Also the computer runs at 16GB of RAM, which some find a little too low, expecting 32GB as a benchmark for the RAM. Also the lack of third party support is rather disappointing. All factors driving people away from macbook and to windows.

Specs

Operating system	macOS Sierra
Display size/resolution	13.3-inch 2,560 x 1,600
PC CPU	2.9GHz Intel Core i5
PC Memory	8GB 1866MHz LPDDR3
Graphics	Intel Iris Graphics 550
Storage	256GB PCIe SSD
Networking	802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.2

Price

USD$1699

Overall

This is the ultimate macbook for now, with the addition of the touch bar, despite trading of several features.

 

Photo courtesy: http://iphoneroot.com/tag/macbook/page/2/

iPhone 8

iPhone 8 released

photo courtesy to : https://www.tabletowo.pl/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/iphone-8-rumor.jpg

The iPhone 7 and 7plus had just been released on 16 September 2016 and the impossible design for iPhone 8 had been released. It has a totally complicated as unlike the other older versions of iPhone, the whole front of the phone is the screen. That means that Apple remove the physical home button, which from iPhone 5s onwards, have the Touch ID function, and incorporated it into the screen.

iPhone 7

photo courtesy to : https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/homepage/images/shop15/brand/apple/iphone-7-plus/apple-iphone-7-plus-gallery-img-6.jpg

iPhone 8

photo courtesy to : http://blogs-images.forbes.com/gordonkelly/files/2017/04/iDrop-News-Exclusive-iPhone-8-Image-6-1200×974.jpg

 

As you can see, Apple had made many changes between iPhone 7 and 8 like the position of the camera, size of screen, so on and so forth.

photo courtesy to : http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/galleries/x701/197307.jpg

Apple also changed the screen to an “all glass” construction with a curved 5.8 inch OLED edge-to-edge display. This is a big change and Apple plan to do it on their 10th anniversary. For the first time in the iPhone development, the phone can support wireless charging. It also have Face-scanning technology. With all the new functions and upgrades, it caused the price to skyrocket up tremendously. It shot up from USD$699.99 of the iPhone 7 to over USD$1000 of the iPhone 8!

photo courtesy to : https://uswitch-mobiles-contentful.imgix.net/qhi9fkhtpbo3/5P1wziL7pYuqk0Eimy02ik/b8c34f4062539983abccf800f995a42a/iPhone-8-Function-Area-iDrop-News-Exclusive-1-Featured-Image.jpg?w=770&h=370&fit=thumb&format=auto

To further make the phone better, the iphone 8 is also pressure sensitive like the iphone 7 and 6s. This opens more doors for more functions to be added in in the future…

video courtesy to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfdyazyOFXo

According to my preference, I will definitely buy the product as it is has awesome designs and also has the wireless charging feature. Say goodbye to messy wires…

click here for more info.

Written by : Chua Josef Dayan

Apple Macbook (2016)

It was designed to be small and lightweight but, in the process, it lost to other similar models in terms of other functions. It, even though was designed to be light, was still defeated by Lenovo LaVie Z HZ550 which weighs 0.85kg compared to the Apple MacBook which weighs 0.9kg. Its dimensions are 0.52 by 11.04 by 7.74 inches or 1.3 by 28 by 19.7 centimetres. Considering this, one will have no problem fitting it in a 13-inch laptop bag and maybe even a bag made for 10-inch tablets. It has the butterfly-keyboard, Forcetouch track pad and uses USB-C, which may or may not be bad depending on the user for the following reasons. Firstly, most reviews on the Force touch trackpad was negative but many of them were due to the users not being used to it. Secondly, it uses USB-C and most people don’t have it, many are forced to buy USB-C-to-DisplayPort and USB-C-to-Ethernet cables from third party companies. Lastly, the butterfly-keyboard will feel uncomfortable for a varying period of time depending on the user. The keys are larger causing the gap to decrease but the key’s centre to centre is still the same. Thunderbolt 3 support is also not added into the MacBook even though it uses the same port as the USB-C.

photo courtesy of: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/137714-new-apple-macbooks-may-have-built-in-4g-lte-network-connection

Apple’s iPhone 7

Image of iPhone 7

The new iPhone 7 has a new and improved front and rear cameras that take higher quality pictures(12-megapixel camera)(Digital zoom up to 5x), especially in low lighting. It has a faster processor and slightly better battery life. It is also waterproof now. However despite the upsides, there is always flaws to phones.The new iPhone does not have a headphone jack and the jet black version of it is easily scratched. If you already own a decent iPhone and want to upgrade it, the iPhone 7 plus may be a better choice.

Even though this iPhone is not really “new”-no new features and seems like a copy of the iPhone 6, it is faster, more waterproof so now if it drops in a cup of water it would still work. The camera is now better in low light, and the battery life increase is slightly noticeable. Take note that the main screen button is now touch screen so it will not physically click then you press it.

If you are not rushing to get a new phone you can wait to September of 2017 when it is Apple’s tenth anniversary and it is rumored that there there is a major design change in the new iPhone then.Who knows maybe this model is purposely made not as impressive as it could have been so that the ten year anniversary phone would stand out much more as it would be much better than this model.

Overall I think that you should not buy this iPhone if you are not going to use the new camera a ton, as i think better feature that matters more. The new processor (A10 processor) may be better than the iPhone 6 but keep in mind that the iPhone 6’s processor (A8 Processor), the is already pretty impressive. So there really isn’t anything new in this iPhone.

Photo is courtesy of:

http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-7/