Skullcandy Grind Wireless review – CNET

The Good The Skullcandy Grind sounds surprisingly good for its modest price, is lightweight and comfortable to wear and has a remote/microphone built into the left earcup. Headband is made of metal instead of plastic.

The Bad Doesn’t fold up or come with a carrying case; only performs OK as a headset for making calls.

The Bottom Line The Grind Wireless offers a comfortable fit and good sound for its relatively modest price point..

Last year Skullcandy finally made a headphone I liked: the Grind, an on-ear model that’s comfortable and sounds really good for its relatively modest price (it costs less than $50 online). Now the company has introduced a Bluetooth version — The Grind Wireless — that carries a list price of $90. No word yet on UK or Australia pricing, but that price converts to about £65 and AU$125.

From a design standpoint the Grind Wireless is very similar to the Grind and comes in six different colors at launch. The Grind is lightweight but seems sturdily constructed, with a metal headband and plastic earcups that don’t look or feel cheap. It’s comfortable to wear, particularly for an on-ear model, and seals out some ambient noise, though over-ear headphones will offer better noise isolation. Although it’s a wireless model, you can listen to it in “wired” mode with an included cable.

The Grind Wireless comes in multiple color options but simple black has its appeal.

Sarah Tew/CNET

A microphone is built into the right earcup along with volume controls and a pause/play button that also answers and ends calls. You hold the volume up/down buttons to advance tracks forward or back. Battery life is rated at 12 hours.

T-Mobile Netherlands may borrow strategy from its U.S. brother in turnaround attempt

In order to remedy issues with T-Mobile Netherlands, parent company Deutsche Telekom is reportedly planning to take a page out of the book of its U.S. counterpart. While T-Mobile Netherlands has lost over 1 million subscribers in the last three years, T-Mobile US has been consistently adding subscribers for the last couple of years, thanks in large part to aggressive pricing and promotions.

From Bloomberg:

Deutsche Telekom is weighing the more disruptive strategy as it seeks to revive T-Mobile Netherlands after a planned sale failed, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The option is one of several and the German carrier may decide against it, one of the people said.

If the company does elect to go with a more aggressive strategy with its Dutch brand, it’ll be facing some stiff competition. While T-Mobile US is seen as a disruptive force in its own cellular market, Tele2 AB, a smaller rival to T-Mobile Netherlands, is already making some headway with aggressive pricing strategies. T-Mobile Netherlands is also up against market leaders Royal KPN NV and Vodafone.

Sony rolling out Marshmallow to select versions of the Xperia Z2, Z3 and Z3 Compact

It looks like Sony is rolling out its Marshmallow update to select versions of the Xperia Z2, Xperia Z3, and Xperia Z3 Compact. Specifically, it appears that the update is arriving for the D6503 version of the Z2, the D6603 Z3, and the D5803 Z3 Compact.

As noted by Xperia Blog, in addition to general Marshmallow improvements like Doze, this update brings a new Camera interface to these Xperia phones. It also adds the February Android security patch to the devices.

The models in question were previously involved with Sony’s Marshmallow beta program.

Discuss the update in our forums

Recommended Reading: I let my mom use Tinder to find me a date

This Is What Happened When My Mom Ran My Tinder for a Month
Clay Skipper,
GQ

Mom knows best, right? Well, here’s the story of a 26-year-old who installed Tinder on his mom’s phone and let her find him a date. As you can probably guess, hilarity ensued.

7 futuristic skyscrapers that fight global warming

By Cat DiStasio

Imagine a world in which the high-rise buildings that crowd our city blocks could reverse the effects of climate change and perhaps even heal the planet. Each year, architects from around the world come up with wild and crazy ideas for the eVolo skyscraper competition. This year’s contest spurred lots of imaginative and inspirational designs, including a bizarre “anti-skyscraper” that would excavate of Central Park. Other proposals in recent years have included high-rise buildings that house urban farms, generate hydrogen fuel using electricity from lightning and cool the planet with space-scraping wind tunnels.

NASA’s Kepler spacecraft is in ’emergency mode’

NASA’s Kepler space telescope was supposed to be continuing its K2 extended mission to hunt down hidden exoplanets, but now scientists say the spacecraft is in trouble (again). While trying to make regularly scheduled contact on Thursday engineers found that it is operating in “emergency mode” and are focused on trying to recover it. That’s a bit tricky however, since it’s almost 75 million miles away from Earth, and it takes 13 minutes for signals to make a round trip.

Whatever happened, it apparently occurred before engineers tried to flip the spacecraft to make it look in the direction it’s moving. Scientists worked out a way to recover Kepler after the second (of four) gyroscopic reaction wheels it uses for control failed in 2013, so we’ll see what rabbit they can pull out of a hat this time.

During a scheduled contact on Thurs, 4/7, Kepler was discovered in emergency mode.https://t.co/D0Y2uTGP3K pic.twitter.com/tfhG77bIqK

— NASA Kepler and K2 (@NASAKepler) April 8, 2016

Source: NASA

Tesla will let you spec out a Model X starting Monday

Sure, all of the excitement is around Tesla’s $35k+ Model 3, but what about the Model X SUV? It’s slowly starting to hit the road, and CEO Elon Musk claimed (in a since deleted tweet) that the SUV’s configurator will open to all on Monday.

Until now, you needed to make a reservation (complete with $5,000 down payment) to get an invite for access, but in just a few days you can paw through all of the options and prices ranging from $80,000 for the base model to $150,000 fully loaded, before deciding to make a reservation. To get a head start on the masses, there are some videos of the configurator online, so you can have an idea of what it’s like. One thing to consider however, is that those making reservations now are already expected to wait until the second half of the year. P90D performance with ludicrous mode, high-fidelity sound and/or spoiler? It’s all up to you, or at least it could be on Monday.

We’re not sure why the tweet disappeared, but if we hear confirmation either way we will update this post. Of course, Musk has been pretty busy today, so it’s understandable if a few wires got crossed.

Update: No word on the tweet, but Musk confirmed the configurator’s appearance is still on.

@rjcc yes

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 9, 2016

Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)

Another beautiful case for the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge: S-View Clear protective flip cover (review)

It is pretty hard to argue that Samsung is leading the way when it comes to hardware design. Even though I have been particularly critical of the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, I cannot argue that the device is the best looking smartphone to date. My criticisms are mainly with software updates and a hefty price tag, which have nothing to do with how great the hardware and comfort of the S7 edge.

The S7 edge is made from glass on both the front and back, which makes it a little more vulnerable to damage than its counterparts made from metal. Anyone who spends $700-800 on this phone should be careful with it, and for some, drops are inevitable. In order to mitigate the damage, you obviously should get a protective cover.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of cases available for the S7 and S7 edge, but Samsung’s own designed cases are some of the best. I recently reviewed the Galaxy S7 edge LED case which is a favorite of mine, and today I will be reviewing the S-View Clear protective flip cover.

Description

• S-View Clear Cover provides quick access to key phone features and ability to respond to incoming calls and alarms without opening the cover
• Swipe to preview expandable Messages/Missed Calls, Access Quick Camera and Video Recorder, Access Favorite Contacts, or Access Settings and App Notifications
• Cradle design allows for easy, snap-on installation and adds hard plastic protection to the corners of your device
• New notification bar that allows you to access more than just missed call and text notifications

Usage and design

The S-View Clear protective flip cover is made from hard plastic that is as glossy and reflective as the Galaxy S7 edge. While glossy plastic attracts fingerprints, it looks pretty darned good for a flip cover case. For many, like Josh Noriega, hardware and looks are the most important features to care about, and cases like this one can live up to his standards.

Personally I do believe the Clear protective cover looks sophisticated, matches the S7 edge perfectly, and can’t be bested by any other case in the looks category. It fits like a glove, protects all corners, while leaving access to the buttons and ports unobstructed. There is a Samsung logo on the back of the case, but even that looks great too.

On the side you will find plus (+) and minus (-) symbols which sit atop the volume buttons so you don’t lose track of them. I have full confidence that this case would keep my S7 edge from cracking if I were to drop it from normal distances. With a clear front cover, I can see the Always on Display, and check the time and notifications without opening the case.

The case is glossy, and will attract fingerprints, but if you own the S7 edge, that’s probably something you can live with anyways. It is a hard plastic which makes it more rigid, and because of that it might not hold up well to scratches.

When the case is smudge free, it is almost hard to even see the case. It’s fits and looks so natural to the S7 edge, that it almost looks like it is a phone itself.

Summary

I don’t typically put cases on my phones, mainly because I don’t need them. Dropping phones is not something I do, but I have seen plenty of broken screens and would recommend to anyone to put a case on their $800 device. Samsung’s entire lineup of cases, including the S-View Clear protective cover are as premium as the devices they protect. You get what you pay for – a perfectly designed case to match the looks and hardware of the Galaxy S7 edge.

You can pick up the S-View Clear protective flip cover from Amazon.com, and it comes in Gold, Silver, and Black to match the color of your S7 edge. I went with the Black color on top of my Silver S7 edge and think it makes a great combination.

Get the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge S-View Protective Clear flip cover from Amazon.com for $39.18, 35% off the MSRP of $59.99.

Molami Stitch headphones – If style and sound had a baby, this would be the result [Review]

These days, when it comes to choosing a pair of headphones, the choices are dizzying! There are hundreds of pairs on the shelves at Walmart; half that on the shelves at Target. There are thousands to choose from on sites like Amazon.com. To bring some order to this chaos, we typically stick to the brands we know and trust: Sony, Philips, Harmon Kardon, Beats by Dre. Most of the time, the higher end products from these brands cost $100+! You get what you pay for but not all of us have wallets deep enough to drop that much money on a pair of headphones.

The trick is finding headphones that strike a balance between price and sound quality. You don’t want to pay a ton, but you also do not want to compromise on sound quality. This sometimes is an impossible feat. Enter: Molami Stitch.

Design

I’ve not seen a pair earbuds quite like the Molami Stitch’s before. When I first opened the packaging, I immediately noticed that the earbuds’ wires were covered in a woven fabric instead of the usual rubber that we’re used to seeing on the likes of Apple’s earbuds and its competitors. This was a magnificent first impression and gave the earbuds a nice, premium feel.

I next noticed the gold accents on the earbuds’ inline mic and on the earpieces themselves. The plastic behind the ear tips is a metallic gold and creates a wonderful contrast to the matte black of the earpieces themselves. When looking inside of the ear tips, it was a pleasant surprise to see that the speaker grill was gold as well. It was nice to see this level of consistency, even on a part of the earbuds themselves that most people will rarely look at. Kudos to Molami for this design touch.

The Molami Stitch earbuds use a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The connector itself is housed in an L-shaped block of plastic with Molami’s ‘M’ logo stamped in gold on top of it. The plastic feels solid and lightweight.

The only complaint I have with the physical design of the Molami Stitch earbuds is the inline microphone. The plastic that houses the microphone feels thin and cheap. There’s a definite hollow feeling as well. I don’t necessarily get the impression that it would break easily, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if I did. As premium as these earbuds feel everywhere else, it was shocking to find something of such poor build quality on them. I simply do not understand how Molami can be okay with this microphones build quality. People I spoke to on the phone could hear me just fine through it, but there’s a foreboding feeling of being able to accidentally rip the microphone off of the earbuds’ wire with little effort.

Sound

I was very impressed with the sound quality of these earbuds. I received these in the mail about a day before a road trip, which was perfect because my wife was driving and I was planning on listening to my favorite podcast during the four hour car ride.After spending several hours with them in my ears, the Molami’s still felt very comfortable. I never felt sore and I never felt like I needed to rip them out of my ears.

During the car ride, the more immersed I became in the podcast I was listening to, the more I began to feel like I was sitting in the same room as the podcasters. I could close my eyes and picture myself sitting at the table with Ian and Pat as they broadcasted (I was listening to the “Completely Unnecessary Podcast” that Pat The NES Punk hosts). This is a great testament to how good the sound quality you get from these earbuds is.

The bass levels were not the punchiest I’ve heard in a pair of earbuds, but they were well balanced and not overpowering. The mids sounded very balanced and level, as well. Neither was overwhelming or overly intense. Unfortunately, the highs are where the Molami’s really suffer. There was a slight tinniness to the higher pitched frequencies that came through them. It wasn’t piercing and it did not detract from what I was listening to, but I could tell it was there nonetheless. The tinniness is a little on the subtle side, so the average user may have to really “listen” for it, to hear it. I have pretty sensitive hearing which is more than likely why I noticed it. I should also mention that I never noticed any sort of distortion when I would listen to something at a higher than usual volume using the Molami’s.

Conclusion

For $45, The Molami Stitch earbuds are a great choice if you’re in the market for a new pair of headphones. I love the twisted fabric wire coverings and the black with contrasting gold accents, color scheme. These earbuds look, feel, and sound like something that should cost double what Molami is charging for them. Even with the cheap feeling inline microphone and subtly tinny highs in the sound, I have no issue with giving a positive recommendation to the Molami Stitch earbuds.

You can buy a pair of Molami Stitch earbuds here.

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Watch or listen to every single game of the MLB season using the MLB.TV Android app (review)

Major League Baseball is finally back for 2016. It started late last week, and if you’re a fan like me, you can catch every single game of the year with MLB’s official MLB TV app. Being an even year, you might as well give into the fact that the San Francisco Giants are going to win the World Series. Sorry Dodgers fans, it just isn’t your year.

In case you haven’t noticed, I am a huge San Fransisco Giant fan being a native of Sacramento, CA. Baseball runs through my blood, as it was passed onto me from my father who is also a Giants fan. For many of you, the story is the same. Baseball can be slow at times, but if you grew up with it, you learn to love it.

With 162 games per year, it is nearly impossible to watch or listen to every single game unless you’re by a radio or TV throughout the year.

That’s where the MLB TV Android app looks to keep you in on the action.

Developer

MLB Advanced Media, L.P.

Price: Free to download. Subscription cost $2.99 to $20 per month (Learn more at MLB.TV)

Highlights

• Supported by almost all Android devices
• A full subscription enables access to all out of market games
• Choice of Away or Home broadcasts of all 2,430 games
• Student/Military discounts available (up to 35% off)
• Full portability with support for over 400 devices
• $20 less than last year for the full season

Setup

Simply head over to the Google Play Store and download the MLB Premium app. It’s free to download, but you will need to create an account if you want to subscribe. You can pay using your Google Play payment method, or you can sign up for a full subscription at the MLB TV website.

Usage

The MLB Premium app for Android costs just $2.99 per month which gives you full access to live video and audio to every single game of the season. Although in home markets, home games will be blacked out due to agreements with local television stations. However, you can still listen to the home games through the audio feed.

The app itself is very easy to use. It has a simple interface with a menu slider on the left side of the screen. There is a Scoreboard, News, Videos, Standings, Stats, Teams, MLB Network, and even a Wallpaper section. The Scoreboard has all of the games of the current day with live updates, as well as previous games scores if you scroll through the different dates.

News brings you the latest information about what happened throughout the day, with video highlights from every game. Stats are an absolute must for every baseball fan, especially for those who play fantasy baseball. You can even select your favorite team/teams and they will show up on your home screen every time you open the app.

There’s even a Wallpaper section where you can download and use your favorite teams logo as your background.

My favorite feature of the app is obviously the feature where I can watch and/or listen to games all season long. Even now, I am listening to the Giants play the Dodgers in San Fransisco while typing up this app review. All games are streamed in HD and will automatically adjust according to your download rate.

Brandon Crawford smashes a walk-off home run over the Dodgers.

If you sign up for a full subscription on the MLB website at $20 per month, you can stream games to a whole host of devices. Not only are your Android devices covered, but so is the Apple TV, PC or Mac, Chromescast, Xbox, Sony Playstation, Nexus Player, Amazon Fire TV and more.

At work I find myself streaming day games in the background from my PC. When I leave work, I can pick up where I left off, at the dog park while my dog plays on my latest Android smartphone. No matter where I am at, I can follow my favorite MLB team as long as I have an internet connection. It’s one of my most used apps throughout the spring, summer and fall, especially on even years when the Giants win the World Series.

Conclusion

With MLB Premium you can follow your favorite team all year long. You can listen in on every single audio feed or watch all 2,430 out of market games on your Android devices as well as just about every other connected device. Subscriptions do start at $2.99 per month, but is a small price to pay if you’re a fan of America’s pastime. The app is incredibly user friendly and I highly recommend it.

Google Play Store – MLB Premium