Browsing posts in: Nokia Accesory

Jun 30, 2014 |

Stand to Attention – Universal Charger Review

As I got a hold of the Lumia 1520 from AT&T, it didn’t come with QI wireless charging. For very political reasons and a Nokia that decided to buckle to the enormous telco, the American delivered Lumia 1520 comes with Powermat wireless charging, which no one has ever used. And no one ever will. In fact if you Google “Lumia 1520 at&t wireless charging” the first many results are about how to get QI charging back in to your AT&T Lumia 1520. Now, I got my device for free, so I can’t really complain. Instead I needed a micro usb desk charger. Continue Reading

Jun 3, 2014 |

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Cover me up – Nokia Lumia 1520 Case Smackdown

I am still amazed at how many smartphones I see out and about that have broken screens. Some have small cracks that would be annoying, and some are downright useless with a completely shattered front. I do realise that not everyone is in love with their devices like me and the rest of the WinPhan community, but come on people. You wouldn’t drive around with a completely shattered windscreen. Not to toot my own horn too much, but I have never broken the screen on a phone. I have replaced many iPhones and Android screens for friends and co-workers but I don’t generally throw my phone around. In any case, I got my hands on a Lumia 1520 recently and this gorgeous device of magic and fairy dust has a larger screen than any other phone I have seen. Larger screen = even more destruction possible. And considering my lovely partner would be using this device I thought I would get a protective cover for the 1520. And I got two. Just to be extra safe.

Cover

Apr 14, 2014 |

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Review – Avantree NFC Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

Last time I did a review, it was of the Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones, which I thought was great value for money. So this time around I wanted to test how much better, if at all, the next model up would be. I chose the NFC Bluetooth Stereo headphones, also from Avantree, to get as much of accurate relative comparison as possible. So how did we go? Keep on reading.

Packaging

I know how everyone always starts with the unboxing, but I really believe it is important. The box is the first thing you see in the shop (if you still go to physical shops and buy stuff), and to some extent it is responsible for you picking up the item in the first place.

In this case, it is pretty ordinary. You get some info about the product and you can see part of the headphones through the clear plastic. Nothing unusual or extraordinary.

The box itself contains the headphones, a 3.5mm jack and the charger cable. Simples.

avantree headphones

Apr 7, 2014 |

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Review – Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

Unboxing

At first look the box is very small. I expected a decent size bulk, as the picture in the ad somehow conveys a certain mass. However, unpacking the headphones reveals a smaller size, and I somehow got the feeling that the headphones wouldn’t fit over my ears. They do fit just fine, but just don’t have the girth of other headphones. They sit on top of the ears rather than over them.

The box contains the charging cable, which is yet another proprietary standard of a 3.5mm jack going in to a USB. I haven’t seen one of them before, which means I again can’t charge the headphones if I lose it. I had the same beef with the Pebble Smartwatch and the Fitbit fitness tracker, which both came with completely non-standard chargers and connections. Why can’t manufacturers just stick to using mini or micro USB? That would certainly make it a lot easier for consumers. There is also not a wall plug with the headphones, which means you have to have a USB port available to charge. It is not a huge deal, but it just makes it all a little bit more difficult.

Also in the box is of course the Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones and another cable that allows the headphones to be used with devices that don’t have a Bluetooth connection. That is kind of handy and a nice thought.

Setting Up

I chose to test two scenarios for connecting the headphones. The first one being via Bluetooth to my Nokia Lumia 1020. Hold the Play/Pause button on the headphones for 7 seconds, which triggers detection mode, then tap the Avantree Hive connection and voila, you are set. You can now both take calls and listen to music.

Equally simple was it to switch to a laptop with Bluetooth connection. On Windows 8.1 you go to the Bluetooth settings, then again just tap “Pair” on the Avantree Hive connection, and you’re paired to your laptop.

The headphones will now connect automatically whenever either of the two connections are in range. One thing I noticed was that if I charged the headphones I had to switch them off and on again to pick up the connection.

Hardware Quality

The Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones are made in soft plastics that give a semi-luxury feel to them. The actual headphones on your ears sit tight, but comfortable. Your ears are cushioned, but at the same time noise is kept out. The headphones are light and you could easily wear them all day. You certainly don’t have the feel they were purchased in a two dollar shop.

Sound Quality

This is probably the biggest plus to the Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones. The sound is genuinely really good. I don’t pretend to be an Audiophile, but I do listen to a lot of music. Unlike some headphones, having the volume turned to 11 on these, you don’t annoy everyone within 500 meters. They are genuinely quiet on the outside, but loud on the inside.

Bass is represented well and the mid-tones are exceptionally good for small speakers. There is no crackling and even high pitched songs sound great. I am really impressed with the sound.

Value

Great. If you are in the market for budget headphones with a great sound, these are it. For around $40, you can’t go wrong.

To get the Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones and other Nokia Lumia 1020 accessories, our friends at Mobile Zap have a lot more: http://www.mobilezap.com.au/33905/nokia/lumia-1020.htm

Disclaimer: The Avantree Hive Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Headphones were provided by Mobile Zap for this review, however, they have had no influence on the content apart from the link to their site.

headphones

Mar 31, 2014 |

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Review: Intempo TableTop iTower Bluetooth Speaker

First impression is that you get a lot for your money. For just over $30, this is an impressive box and weight. It actually feel like you have bought something quality like and not just another Chinese mass produced product (even though it is).

Unpacking

The box really is all speaker. There is a small box of wires and a manual, but other than that the Intempo speaker takes up all the space. You also get a double jack lead, which I will get back to. And then most puzzling of the lot, you get a power cord with a UK main plug. No adaptor. I didn’t have a UK adaptor for an Australian plug. To me, that is just poor consumer maintenance. If I can’t use your new toy straight out of the box, I get frustrated and annoyed. I want to try it out right now.

I got in contact with Mobile Zap, and they assured me it was a warehouse mistake and sent out a converter plug quick smart. All good.

Mar 11, 2014 |

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Nokia Camera Grip – Excel Your Mobile Photography with Lumia 1020

Unpacking

As with any Nokia product the initial look and feel of the packaging is of quality. To me Nokia has always packaged their products well. It might be my Scandinavian background, but I appreciate an understated and clean livery for the product. Unpacking the box reveals a pack on manuals (who ever reads those?), a leather wrist strap and the grip itself.

camera grip lumia 1020