VOXOA HD Wireless Stereo Headphones Review: a pair of headphones that offer much more than meets the Eye
It’s incredibly difficult these days to enter the consumer audio market; big name brands like Sennheiser, Beats by Dr Dre and Bose tend to flood any conversation regarding the best headphones available on the market, whether deservedly or otherwise. As a consumer community then, we have become very brand-centric, often shunning smaller or lesser known brands in favour of the bigger names. Which is a shame, because I think I’ve found my favourite wireless Bluetooth headphones so far and they’re from a brand you’ve probably never heard of. That brand is VOXOA, and those headphones are the VOXOA HD Wireless Stereo Headphones; let’s get on and see what’s what.
What’s in the box
In the box, you’ll get everything you’ll need to get started with your VOXOA headphones and includes a velvet-like drawstring bag for transporting your headphones; as I’ve always said, I’m a big sucker for headphones that come with a carry bag. The full contents of the box includes:
- VOXOA HD Wireless Stereo Headphones
- Carry bag
- Micro-USB charging cable
- 1m audio cable
It’s the bare essentials of what you’ll need for your headphones. The only downside I can see out of all the contents of the box is the 1m audio cable; 1m is a bit too short, particularly for those who want to hook the headphones up to their desktop computer or stereo system.
The headphones
The VOXOA HD Wireless Stereo Headphones are not a visually conspicuous pair of headphones, at least, not at first. While its black (also available in white), sleek profile is definitely reserved and unsuspecting, on closer inspection, the VOXOA headphones have a lot in the way of subtle visual allure like the fact that the sides of the earcups each have a patch of brushed metal. They’re probably not going to be turning any heads, but they look great to just admire. Despite being made mostly from plastic, the VOXOA headphones manage to feel solidly constructed, and its thick headband and hinges further add to this feeling.
As a set of on-ear, Bluetooth headphones, some controls are required on the headphones themselves, but thankfully they’re all in relatively inconspicuous locations. All located on the right side, you will find a multifunction button for answering calls and turning the headphones on and off, volume up and down buttons, a play/pause button as well as track skip forward/back buttons. Rather than opt for large buttons, VOXOA has elected to put very small buttons that are the same colour as the headphone to blend in with the overall decor, and it works quite nicely.
On the underside of the right side, there are still yet more hidden goodies including the micro-USB charging port as well as the 3.5mm audio input and a microphone tucked in for good measure. Probably the best thing about this layout is that despite the amount of functionality and number of buttons available on one side of the headphones, the blending buttons and button placement works with the overall simplistic look of the headphones. You can use the VOXOA headphones using either a Bluetooth connection or with the physical audio cable, but more on that later.
As I mentioned earlier, the VOXOA headphones do come with a drawstring carry bag which is made from a velvet-like, thick material. Naturally, the VOXOA headphones are also collapsible, allowing it to be folded into a nice compact package should you need to put them away during travel and has more than enough space to store everything that was provided to you in the box.
While it might look very simple, the VOXOA headphones actually has at least one trick up its sleeve. As the little on the headband might suggest, the VOXOA headphones can be easily paired with NFC-enabled devices; simply turn on Bluetooth and NFC, place the headphones against your device, and voila, one paired audio device. NFC is probably a little under-utilized in the audio product space so it’s nice to see this feature included in such a subtle way.
It’s impossible to tell from the photos, but the VOXOA headphones are actually quite weighty. Compared to the MEElectronics Atlas headphones we reviewed last week, these VOXOA headphones might even be considered heavy and despite the fact that it feels like a good weight, that weight does have some ramifications which we’ll take a look at later in the review.
The audio
There is a DJ audio equipment manufacturer who goes by the name VOXOA Pro, and while I’m not sure if the VOXOA that makes these HD Stereo Headphones is related, the audio quality of their headphones sure makes a good case for them.
The sound in general from the VOXOA headphones is very clear and full. The treble and bass ranges are very well represented, though I would say that the treble range is definitely more heavily emphasized; I had a ball listening to classical music on them as all the little nuances and sharpness of orchestral pieces came through. That’s not to say that they aren’t good with other genres of music; I had an equally good time listening to pop, rock, and dance music, however they definitely don’t have the meatiest bass on the market.
Overall, I would say that for on-ear headphones, I prefer the sound from the MEElectronics Atlas headphones as they manage to give their audio a lot of depth, much like the sound you would expect from over-the-ear headphones; the VOXOA headphones, by contrast, sound slightly muffled, however I am most definitely nitpicking at this point as the sound experience was great regardless. Call quality with the VOXOA headphones is as good as you can expect, with mic performance good and audio quality average, though I wouldn’t expect terribly clear audio if using them in a crowded area; there’s no noise cancelling and the mic is free to the world’s sounds.
The comfort
For me, the highlight of the VOXOA headphones is its comfort. Those of you familiar with my headphone reviews will know I’m not entirely at ease with on-ear headphones simply because more often than not they are difficult to wear comfortably. Not so with the VOXOA headphones which is probably the most comfortable on-ear headphones I have ever worn. The earcups are made from memory foam on the inside with a sheet of perforated leather covering them. In this configuration, the leather sheet acts as a secondary cushion, allowing your ear to rest inside the rectangular ear cup however it wants. There is also more than ample extension on the headphone arms which should please people with taller heads.
The headband is also made from leather and memory foam, and despite the headphones’ overall extra weight doesn’t actually affect the comfort. However, I will mention at this point the downside of having that extra weight which is that when you tilt your head forward or back, the headband will succumb to gravity fairly quickly, sliding off your head. This also makes the headphones less applicable for exercise purposes as they will definitely fall off your head during movement.
The practicality
The VOXOA headphones are a supremely portable set of headphones, and the addition of a carry bag is a huge plus for carting it around. The fact that they are solidly constructed and collapsible also gives you confidence that nothing is likely going to break if you throw it into your bag with everything else.
One thing that peeves me not only about the VOXOA headphones, but wireless Bluetooth headphones in general is that the audio cable jack is on the right earcup, not the left. As usual, this is necessitated by the fact all the controls are on the right side and not having separate chips in each earcup is a time saver, but it somehow still feels unusual (and occasionally inconvenient) to have the cable coming out of the right side. Having said that though, with the use of the physical audio cable, the VOXOA headphones can be used as a standard mobile headset without even powering the headphones on, which is a huge plus for those big on travelling.
The verdict
Rating: 5/5
The VOXOA HD Wireless Stereo Headphones are definitely one of the top Bluetooth headphones I have ever had the honour of using; for all its minor flaws, it feels fantastic to wear, looks sleek and stylish, and sounds fantastic. It’s definitely part of my daily arsenal of audio products and holds the honour of first on-ear headphones that I have no complaints wearing, plus they’re a mobile headset to boot. With a MSRP of $149.95, they are right in the ballpark for most Bluetooth headphones and definitely worth it. If you’re looking for a new pair of wireless headphones, stop looking for the big brands and take a look at the VOXOA HD Wireless Stereo Headphones.
To make this review even sweeter, the VOXOA headphones are currently on sale on Amazon. They are $50, which brings them down to $99.95, which is a fantastic price considering everything it can do; Amazon links are below. For more about VOXOA, you can visit their website here.
Gallery of Photos
Get This Look: ‘Spectrum Clocks’ Zooper Widget
We’re huge fans of changing the home screen around a bit and creating a new user experience for our Android. So much so that we present our ongoing series of Get This Look posts. In a nutshell we show you a new layout, app, widget, or icon set for your Android handset and tell you which apps you’ll need to mimic the feel.
Some of these are a little easier to create than others and many of them can be tweaked to no end. The following details are but the ingredients to which you can create your own delicious Android dish; your results will vary. Which is awesome! If nothing else, this is a great way to discover new apps, widgets, icons, and more!
Spectrum Clocks by GFXDevs
Why we love this look:
Everyone loves a fancy looking clock widget, and this Zooper widget is the perfect addition to your homescreen. The array of layouts included in Spectrum Clocks look fantastic with clocks ranging from simple faces, to those including information such as battery status and weather. Spectrum Clocks is a widget for the person who likes their homescreen to look a little different and the bundled layouts will certainly compliement your device. What you’ll need:
The post Get This Look: ‘Spectrum Clocks’ Zooper Widget appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Chinese Security Team Exploits Safari Security Flaw at PWN2OWN [Mac Blog]
Every year for the past seven years, hackers have gathered at the annual PWN2OWN event to hack high-profile software and mobile devices using previously unknown vulnerabilities. Apple’s Safari browser and iOS platform are often included in the annual contest, which also targets Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Adobe’s Flash and Reader applications. This year, Safari was taken down on day two by a team of vulnerability researchers and exploit developers from China, reports ThreatPost.
China’s Keen team exploited two vulnerabilities that allowed the team to execute arbitrary code using a Safari WebKit flaw and circumvent Apple’s sandbox via an OS X system-level vulnerability. Speaking about the vulnerabilities they found, the Keen team stated that Apple’s OS X is difficult to exploit and the operating system overall is very secure.
“For Apple, the OS is regarded as very safe and has a very good security architecture,” Keen team member Liang Chen said. “Even if you have a vulnerability, it’s very difficult to exploit. Today we demonstrated that with some advanced technology, the system is still able to be pwned. But in general, the security in OS X is higher than other operating systems.”
Apple representatives attended the contest and were made aware of the security exploits used in the contest. This isn’t the first time Safari has been exploited during the contest. In 2011, a team of French security researchers compromised a MacBook by remotely running code within five seconds of contacting the machine.
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EE prepping its own low-cost LTE handset for UK launch
We assumed Vodafone would be the first UK network to launch an own-brand LTE handset when a US regulatory filing, of all things, hinted as such. Nothing’s come of that as yet, but it looks instead like competitor EE’s going to give it a shot with the device you see above. Details about the handset itself are scarce, although we know it’ll be Cat 4 and thus take advantage of the theoretical max speeds available on the operator’s “double-speed” plans. From the picture, though, we can see a moderately EE-themed Android skin, three standard soft keys below the display, and what appears to be a polycarbonate band on the bottom edge. Oh, and the silvery back plate with EE logo over to the right.
We believe the phone will be priced below the Alcatel One Touch Idol S as the network’s lowest-cost handset (the Idol S is £130 on pay-as-you-go or from £19 per month on contract currently), but have significantly better specs than the current entry-level offering. EE declined to “comment on rumor and speculation,” but we’re allegedly a good few months from its official release, so still some way from knowing exactly how competitive the own-brand smartphone might be.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile
Farewell, CeBIT 2014
CeBIT 2014 is done, and it’s high time that we say goodbye to the Hannover Messe. Of course, much of CeBIT’s thunder has been stolen by Mobile World Congress and IFA, but given the interesting products that we’ve stumbled upon here, there’s clearly still some life in the show. We hope that you enjoyed our efforts, and if you missed any of the news or hands-ons, grab a champagne-flavored ice cream (yes, really) and check out the unabridged list below.
- Samsung’s thing for (faux) leather continues with the ATIV Book 9 Style
- Samsung announces security-minded Cloud Print apps for Android and iOS
- Fujitsu’s palm-scanning laptops won’t be fooled by severed limbs
- MSI gaming laptop packs next-gen NVIDIA graphics and ’3K’ display into Ultrabook thickness
- Fujitsu’s latest all-in-ones don’t need to be turned off
- An e-reader that makes calls: InkPhone promises two weeks on a charge
- UK Prime Minister wants a ‘permanent technological revolution’… and movies downloaded in a second
- Shuttle runs a Haswell Core i7 in a case barely bigger than a disk drive
- Raspberry Pi gets its own sound card
- Plextor targets gamers with ’50 percent faster’ SSD starting at €199 ($275)
- Archos’ octa-core smartphone is surprisingly quick for the price
- Power strips don’t have to be ugly, just ask Powerdrobe
- Archos’ 6.4-inch smartphone puts the buttons on the back
- When you cram an entire smartphone into a watch, you get the Exetech XS-3
- Bend it like robo-Beckham with the U14 Free Kick toy
- NVIDIA says most laptops die after 50 minutes of gaming, claims new GPUs will double stamina
Google Play Store update adds finer security control for app purchases
Making it smoother for you to buy up all the in-app items you need (or make it harder for your kids to do the same), Google’s latest update to the Play Store is adding a new “Require password” settings option, as well as a more eye-catching in-app purchase reminder when applicable apps are downloaded. These security changes might well be in response to a recently-filed class action lawsuit against Google Play, and the ability for children to really ring up those in-app purchases within a 30-minute window. In the company’s defense, however, the default setting requires users to input their password for every app and in-app item.
Apple recently added an in-app purchase nag warning inside its iOS 7.1 update, noting that once the password has been entered, users won’t have to reenter it for 15 minutes. Google’s store update also adds the ability to batch-install apps (ready for that upgrade), although it’s curiously dropped the batch-uninstall function. The fight against bloatware might take a little longer next time.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Google
Via: Android Community
Google Play Store update available: Adds ability to set purchase requirements
With all the focus surrounding the class-action lawsuit due to unauthorised charges accumulated through in-app purchases, Google has issued an update to the Google Play Store of which one particular added feature is the ability to set exactly when to be prompted for authentication.
The standard 30-minute window is still there as it always was, and you can follow this tip to set it, but now users can opt to be asked for the password in order to authenticate every App purchase and every in-app transaction.
In addition, in-app purchases has also been added to the permissions window presented to users before they install an App in order to make them fully aware.
Google have also made some other changes in the latest Google Play Store update including mass-installing multiple Apps, as well as some user interface changes such as moving the settings icon into the main menu.
Some users may not see the Google Play update immediately as it’s being rolled out in phases, but users can force the update by tapping on the build number, or downloading it from this link and sideloading the APK.
The post Google Play Store update available: Adds ability to set purchase requirements appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Report Claims GT Advanced Will Only Supply 9% – 16% of iPhone 6 Sapphire Displays [iOS Blog]
A new report from DigiTimes Research is claiming that GT Advanced, the company that has partnered with Apple to open a sapphire plant in Mesa, Arizona, will only be able to produce anywhere from 9% to 16% of sapphire displays for Apple’s next generation iPhone. The report’s estimation was based on the company’s forecast sales of $188 to $348 million, which indicates that Apple will be able to output roughly 6.3 to 11.6 million sapphire displays.
Assuming that the new-generation iPhone will have a 5-inch screen, then the forecast sapphire revenues are translated into output of 6.27-11.6 million 5-inch sapphire-made screen covers. As Digitimes Research estimates that Apple will ship 70 million units of the new-generation iPhone in 2014, the output of sapphire screen covers frm GTAT will account for 9.0-16.6% of the iPhone shipments.
However, the details in the report strongly contrast that of an account from analyst Matt Margoils last month, who stated that GT Advanced purchased and received a total of 518 sapphire furnace and chamber systems with another 420 machines on order.
The analyst estimated that with the sheer amount of the equipment contained in its factory, GT Advanced could produce between 103 and 116 million displays per year, with an additional 84 to 94 million possible. This would indicate that Apple could produce 100 to 200 million ~5-inch sapphire displays, which would be enough for its entire line of devices. For reference, Apple sold approximately 150 million iPhones in 2013.
The integration of a larger, scratch-resistant sapphire display is widely rumored to be one of the key new features for the iPhone 6, as the company currently uses the material for small iPhone elements such as the camera lens and the home button of the iPhone 5s.
Apple is also said to be in the process of a trial run for an iPhone using a sapphire display, as CEO Tim Cook indicated during last month’s shareholders meeting that the company’s sapphire production facility was for a “secret project” he could not talk about. Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to be revealed later this year.
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Samsung’s new phone case uses ultrasound to detect people and objects
Samsung’s Galaxy S5 may be getting lots of smart new accessories, but the Korean smartphone maker is also making sure its lower-powered phones get some love too. After including various software usability functions in the Galaxy Core Advance at the end of last year, the company today introduced three new accessories that have been designed specifically to help disabled or visually impaired users do more with their Android device. First up is the Optical Scan Stand, a raised bracket that automatically triggers the phone’s OCR features to recognize and read aloud text placed in front of the phone. There’s also Voice Labels, which are similar to Samsung’s NFC-equipped TechTile stickers, but let visually impaired users make voice notes or record short explanations on how to use various devices around the home.
Perhaps the most impressive accessory of the three is Samsung’s Ultrasonic Cover: a specialized case that uses sound waves to detect people or objects (in a two-meter radius), helping users navigate new surroundings by sending vibration or spoken alerts. Even without the accessories, the Galaxy Advance Core features a trio of physical buttons on the front and dedicated camera and voice recorder buttons on the side, assisting smartphone owners that don’t want to rely solely on on-screen controls.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung
Source: Samsung Mobile Press
PayPal’s new policies are more crowdfunding friendly
Last year, PayPal promised to overhaul its policies after getting flak for freezing huge amounts of crowdfunding funds, and today it’s announced those changes. By the looks of it, PayPal has been working closely with crowdfunding websites to verify each campaign that wants to use its services. If it determines that a campaign is a true crowdfunding project (as opposed to a pre-order vehicle) with no guarantees of a final product, PayPal requires it to plaster a disclaimer on its campaign page. Owners have to explicitly state that backers may not get their rewards in the end if they don’t want PayPal to get on their case. That’s not all, though: in some cases, it will require owners to disclose personal info or submit copies of their TIN/SS numbers and government IDs for verification.
PayPal chief risk officer Tomer Barel explained that the company had issues with crowdfunding, because many websites allow owners to pull funds before they reach their final goal. “This can cause regulatory and risk issues,” Barel wrote, or in other words: the company doesn’t want to deal with upset customers in case a campaign turns out to be a scam or if it fails to develop a final product. While some people might find PayPal’s conditions a bit too stringent, this development does come with a nice plus: the company now recognizes charity drives (even personal ones) as crowdfunding projects.
[Image credit: Steve Ganz/Flickr]
Filed under: Misc
Source: PayPal (1), (2)
AIVAnet 