BoomBuoy Floating Waterproof Speaker review

When you think of all of the places you take your phone and listen to music, one place we rarely picture is the bathroom. Typically we conjure up images of school, office, backyards, and general outdoors. But, the truth is, we bathe daily (or should, at least) and a lot of us like to sing in the shower. Why don’t you have a speaker to accompany you or provide background music?

We’ve been playing with the BoomBuoy portable waterproof speaker from Scosche for the last few weeks. Designed to float in water and withstand rain and basic outdoor elements, it’s a small (roughly 4-inch diameter) unit that can clip to a backpack. The clip can also be used, of course, to hang it in the shower.

Given its size we didn’t expect a ton of power out of the BoomBuoy. Indeed, it doesn’t get all that loud when used outdoors. If you’re clipping it on your backpack (carabiner included) or waist, you’ll have enough volume to hear things clearly, just don’t expect to really rock it out. On the other hand, should you hang it in the shower, you’ll have plenty to wake yourself up in the morning.

Staying with the topic, we did find the sound to be tinny and grainy but that varied based on music genre. If you’re the kind of person who likes to listen to news and podcasts as you go about your morning rituals, you’ll enjoy the sound; spoken word was a pleasure. On the other hand, you’ll not want to crank this too loudly in places where you plan to have conversation. It’s a good background music source and works better when it’s not the center of attention.

There are a handful of buttons on the speaker that let you control playback. Present are volume up and down, pause/play, and the ability to jump forward and back on tracks. This was a little tricky for us to figure out at first as we learned that volume was maxed out on the speaker. When trying to press the ‘+’ symbol a few times we realized it was skipping songs. Hold the button down, though, and you can adjust volume.

Battery life is rated around seven hours which is accurate in our testing. With roughly an hour a day used in the shower between a family, this should get you through a week on a single charge. Charging is done via the included USB cable.

Interestingly enough, the speaker can float in water. The speaker grill points upward and provides the sound for those having in a dip in the pool, river, or bathtub. When done, the BoomBuoy is small enough to throw in a purse, backpack, or pocket.

We found the build quality to be in line with our expectation. At $40 it should be solid enough to take a drop or two in stride and not get scuffed up. This was the case for ours. An accidental fall to the ground (cement driveway) saw the speaker come away without so much as a scuff. The buttons respond nicely to touch and the grille is strong enough to withstand moderate abuse.

The BoomBuoy comes in two color options: black/grey and grey/lime. We tested the latter and found it to be a fun combination that works well in the various environments.

You can purchase the BoomBuoy directly from Scocshe for $39.99. We checked around the various online retailers and did not see it offered elsewhere.

Disclaimer: Our review unit was provided to us at no cost from Scosche.

Nokia 6 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

BlackBerry isn’t the only mega-brand of yesteryear attempting a major comeback. Nokia, too, will unveil its first Android phone, the Nokia 6, to the wider world.

Nokia Mobile teased the Nokia 6, which is already on sale in China, in a video on its Facebook page (see above). “Get ready!”, the post reads, “The Nokia 6 is coming to China! More announcements to follow on February 26th… Save the date!”

The Nokia 6 sells only in China, for now. Expect that to change later next month.

HMD

The timing is a clue. February 26 coincides with Mobile World Congress (also known as MWC), the world’s largest mobile show that takes place in Spain each year at the end of February.

It’s here that BlackBerry will officially launch its comeback phone, known as the BlackBerry Mercury. MWC is where we typically see flagship phones from Samsung, LG, HTC, Huawei and Sony.

On January 8, HMD, the company that licensed the Nokia name, announced the Nokia 6 for China. Although it’s an Android phone, the Nokia 6 won’t run any of Google services, like the Google Play Store, Google Maps or your Google Account — these don’t work in China on any phone. So a global release of the Nokia 6 at MWC is crucial for putting the new Nokia on the map.

HMD owns a 10-year license to exclusively sell Nokia-brand products, branded as Nokia Mobile. To make matters more confusing, “Nokia” still exists as a separate company that sells telecommunications infrastructure equipment and also the pro-grade Ozo camera. Foxconn’s FIH Mobile division is in charge of manufacturing and distributing Nokia phones.

Nokia 6 specs

• 5.5-inch screen with 1,920×1080-pixel resolution
• 16-megapixel rear camera
• 8-megapixel front-facing camera
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor
• 4GB RAM
• Aluminum chassis
• Android software
• Sells in China for 1,700 yuan, which converts to $245, £200 and AU$330

Motorola sends out invites to 26 February event, likely for new phone

Motorola is teasing a new phone launch.

The Lenovo-owned company has sent out an event invitation of a Moto smartphone casting a shadow in the shape of the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, where Mobile World Congress is annually held. The company scheduled its event for 26 February.

MWC 2017 kicks off the next day, 27 February. 

Several companies, including Samsung and LG, often release new phones at the largest trade show for the mobile industry. Motorola is hinting that it has a new Moto phone in the pipeline – possibly a mid-ranger, considering high-end Moto phones usually come out later in the year. The most likely scenario is that Motorola will showcase a new Moto G. The line is due for an update after all.

• Best smartphones to look forward to in 2017

Motorola could also unveil more Moto Mods accessories that work with the Moto Z phones, as it’s expected to release around a dozen in 2017.

Motorola is holding its event at 4:30pm local time. Pocket-lint will be reporting from MWC 2017, so stay tuned.

The Public Access Weekly: Switch lanes

Friday again already?! Well, okay then. Let’s get on with it!

For all you Public Access members: Just FYI, if you’re actively in an article, we cannot be — which means if you submit an article and then go in to make changes or edits we have to wait for you to finish to view and approve your post. Also, we are 100% back on track after the holidays so the wait to get an article reviewed is back down to the 24-48 hour range (with it taking a bit longer over the weekend). And if you’ve been waiting to hear back on your member application, you should get a reply today!

For all you commenters, we have one quick GIF of advice this week:

We know there are some bad actors in there, every community has a few, but no one wins when you spend your valuable time baiting and encouraging them. Plus, to be honest, it is just really, really boring to moderate. Just walk (virtually) away and let our mods deal with it.

Looking for something to read? Check out:

Alesia Hsaio is pretty excited for 2017, what with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Resident Evil 7 set to be released. Read on to hear about what other games she’s most looking forward to playing in the next year, and why each of them has earned a spot on the list.

Meanwhile, Benny Arbel treated us to a great article that discusses how we consume entertainment and technology, and what that could portend for the popular adoption of virtual reality.

Lastly, Areion Azimi spins a tale of early adopters woe by sharing his initial thoughts and reactions upon receiving his Google Pixel smartphone by detailing the drawbacks and disappointments that led him to switch OS ecosystems entirely.

Looking for something to write about? Mull over:

Even though the magic that is the fabled “IoT” has been heavily touted as the next big thing for a while now, there are still plenty of connected products that leave us collectively scratching our heads in confusion. Nicole Lee argues that the internet of things could be renamed the “internet of crap” for all the needless connected devices being released. Do you agree? Why or why not? Bonus question: What is the worst IoT product you’ve ever heard of?

Aaron Souppouris and Mat Smith’s article on teaching a non-audiophile the in’s and out’s of high-end headphones was not only one of our most-read articles this week, it also had a really pleasant and informative comment section which was a nice surprise. But it made us wonder: If you are really into audio, what are your favorite headphones? What would you recommend to a non-audiophile and why?

As the smartphone market struggles to find the next hot handset or feature to pull in customers, LG and Samsung are reportedly working on foldable models. Would you be interested in a foldable smartphone? Why or why not?

Best Watch Bands for Samsung Gear S2 Classic

Class up your Samsung Gear S2 Classic with some great watch bands.

If you’ve bought or are looking into buying the Samsung Gear S2 classic, then you’re probably someone who enjoys the traditional watch look with some sweet tech under the hood.

We’ve rounded up the best watch bands for your Gear S2 Classic so that you can match your smartwatch to your personal taste and lifestyle.

• SLG D7 Buttero Italian leather band
• Infantry
• Geckota
• Casetify
• Barton Ballistic Nylon
• Barton Quick-release
• Cbin

SLG D7 Buttero Italian leather band

SLG (Small Leather Goods) make some beautiful leather straps and the Buttero Italian leather band is our favorite. It blends the classic, sophisticated look of leather with a modern and fresh design.

SLG, based in South Korea, makes its bands from high-quality Italian leather from the Walpier tannery. While most leather bands can feel somewhat oppressive, becoming soggy from sweat, SLG’s Buttero bands are designed with patterned holes to make sure your wrist can breathe.

That and they just look great. SLG Buttero Italian Leather bands come in beige, black, and blue. We particularly dig the blue, but they’ll all look great with any color Gear S2 Classic.

See at SLG

Infantry

Infantry makes another awesome leather band that eschews sophistication for the more rugged, distressed leather look. The inside of the band is soft and comfortable, while the outside is a deep and warm brown.

There is one downside to Infantry’s band in that it does cover your Gear S2 Classic’s heart rate monitor. Oh well. Fashion first!

Infantry leather bands come in different shades of brown and black, with different color combinations for buckles and straps. You might as well get a few, since they start around $12 each.

See at Amazon

Geckota

Geckota shark mesh bands are a unique blend of cool and functional. They resemble Milanese loop watch bands, but feature a more spread-out design that looks like a series of woven chains, which looks really neat and offers excellent durability and strength. Your Gear S2 Classic is never coming off your wrist accidentally and you should have a pretty hard time breaking the band.

The clasp is an easy to use stainless steel fold-over with a brushed finish. Even if you rest your wrist on hard surfaces, scratches shouldn’t mare the clasp or scuff it up too badly like they would with a glossier finish.

It’s worth mentioning that the black features ion-plated coating which could chip off over time, though these Geckota bands are of high quality.

See at Amazon

Casetify

Casetify has partnered with Samsung to make bands specifically for the Gear S2 Classic. Each band is made of comfortable and flexible TPU, which is often used to make phone cases. That means that Casetify bands are durable and strong, so you shouldn’t have to worry about everyday wear and tear.

These bands come in five quirky designs, which will certainly add a definitive accent your Gear S2 Classic. You can get Casetify bands in Gold and Coral, White Marble, Dark Marble, Diamond (which features a multi-colored geometric pattern), and Woodland Camouflage.

If you’re looking for a band that makes a statement while also fitting comfortably, then check out Casetify’s line. If the band you want isn’t available now, you can ask Casetify to notify you by email when it does become available.

See at Casetify

Barton Ballistic Nylon

Barton makes great watch bands, and its Ballistic Nylon line is there for you to mix and match. At around $12 apiece, you might as well grab all 21 colors and color combinations (well, maybe not all of them).

Ballistic nylon was originally developed by DuPont as a material for flak jackets for airmen during WWII.That’s why these types of bands are sometimes referred to as “NATO-style.” It’s a tough and durable material that’ll secure your Gear S2 Classic, but it’ll also breathe and move with you.

Like the Infantry bands above, Barton bands unfortunately block your Gear S2 Classic’s heart rate monitor. However, if that’s not a huge deal and you put comfort and fashion above that function, then you really can’t go wrong with a Barton band.

Make sure you select the right size – 20mm – before checking out.

See at Amazon

Barton Quick-release

Barton makes silicone bands that definitely deserve a mention in our best list. They’re thin and lightweight, while also breathable and very comfortable.

These quick-release bands come in vibrant colors and are the epitome of convenience. A little slider on each side of the band allows you to quickly change bands on the fly. And for around $13 each, you might as well grab a few and change them daily!

The best part of silicone is that it’s waterproof and washable. If you’re wearing a Barton band because you’ll be pretty active, easily remove it and wash it with some gentle dish soap. No stinky wrists (like leather bands can cause).

If you like the comfort, durability, and versatility of silicone, then check out Barton’s line up.

Make sure you have 20mm selected before you check out.

See at Amazon

Cbin Milanese

If you love the light, stylish Milanese loop style, then Cbin’s band is the one for you. It comes in black, silver, and rose red (who you foolin’?), and has a fully magnetic closure, making it easy to put on and take off.

This band is great for everyday use (though the black is plated, so you won’t want to order that one if you’re doing anything repetitive that might rub it and cause the finish to come off.

If you like a light metal band and want something that’s great all the time, you really can’t go wrong with the Milanese loop.

See at Amazon

What’s your favorite?

What’s your favorite watch band for your Samsung Gear S2 Classic? Sound off in the comments below!

Kmashi’s 10000mAh power bank will keep you charged on the go for just $9

Right now you can pick up Kmashi’s 10000mAh power bank for just $9 at Amazon with coupon code JU7GRCLG, a savings of $5. With its larger capacity, you should be able to charge your phone or tablet anywhere from 2 to 4 times per charge of the battery pack, which means you shouldn’t have to worry about powering your way through even the longest of days. It has two USB outputs so you can charge multiple devices at the same time, and there are built-in LEDs which show how much power is remaining inside of it.

Don’t get caught with a low battery and no way to charge it while out and about. Be sure to pick one up with coupon code JU7GRCLG right now!

See at Amazon

This isn’t the Galaxy S8, but it enshrines the trends of 2017

This isn’t the Galaxy S8, but it’s fun to think about.

Many phone companies, particularly those based in Korea like Samsung and LG, enjoy teasing the technologies that will comprise their upcoming flagships well before those devices are announced. LG did it this week by announcing an ultra-wide 18:9 LCD panel that will likely live inside the G6, and now it’s Samsung’s turn.

The company’s Samsung Display subsidiary has revealed its next-generation AMOLED panel technology, replete with DCI-P3 wide color gamut support and ultra-thin bezels, that will more than likely live inside the upcoming Galaxy S8. In one of the ads, there is even a phone that looks remarkably like what one would think, based on the rumors we’ve heard, an S8 to look like. But this nondescript render is surely not the actual Galaxy S8.

That doesn’t mean that the model is worthless. Knowing that Samsung will likely eschew its longstanding dedicated home button for on-screen navigation keys and an embedded touch sensor, the Galaxy S8 will likely be an edge-to-edge wonder that looks much closer to the Xiaomi Mi Mix than the Galaxy S7.

The ad hints at optimizations made to the way Samsung’s SuperAMOLED displays convey color, in particular reds, that pop out of the already heavily-saturated screen. And while we don’t know the resolution, it’s possible we’ll see an S8 with a 4K screen — perfect for VR.

The next video is a little less interesting, but shows exactly what Samsung’s goals are for this year’s crop of AMOLED products, for its own phones and its competitors: accuracy, energy efficiency, and thin bezels.

Other than that, we don’t know a lot about the Galaxy S8 from this. But it’s still fun to speculate either way.

Samsung

Samsung is a massive South Korea-based multinational company that makes some of the best-selling phones, tablets and mobile accessories, but also spans industries such as televisions, appliances and semiconductors (like memory and processors). Samsung is the largest Android device manufacturer worldwide.

• Best Samsung phones
• Samsung Galaxy S7 edge review
• Best microSD card for Android

Snapchat Spectacles review: More than just a toy for Millennials

Anyone can get into Spectacles as long as life-logging is the goal.

I confess: I am a sucker for the next cool thing in Millennial technology, though I’d argue that Snapchat Spectacles are more than that. Spectacles are the perfect example of accessible technology because anyone can don a pair as long as they have the slightest interest in capturing life 10-seconds at a time.

I’ve been using Spectacles for a few weeks now and though they’re not my primary method of shooting stories, they are a helpful aid when it comes to capturing memories. They’re also stylish — I’ve had a few passersby mention that they could barely tell there was a camera embedded inside. This is exactly what wearable technology is about: Making it easier for us to exist presently among our peers without being distracted by what’s on our face.

Presently, you can’t purchase a pair of Snapchat Spectacles outright unless you live near the Fifth Avenue pop-up shop. I purchased my pair through eBay for about $100 more than they’re worth. Was it worth it for me? Well, let me tell you what life is like with a pair.

They’re sunglasses

Yes, they sunglasses and you can actually wear them to shield your eyes from the stinging sunlight.

First and foremost, I have to set the record straight about Snapchat Spectacles: They are sunglasses and you can actually wear them out to shield your eyes from the stinging sunlight.

Second, they actually work rather impeccably at capturing video. With each press of the button, you’re shooting 10-seconds of video at a time, up to 30 seconds total. There is a circular LED light on the left side of the glasses (as you’re wearing them) that indicates whether you’re recording and when the video is coming to a close. It also lets people on the outside know if you’re shooting them unannounced. (You should always let people know you’re filming.)

Videos from the Spectacles to the Snapchat app are transferred at a lower quality over Bluetooth first. This is to help you get your story out faster. If you’d rather go high resolution, you can connect directly to the Spectacles via Wi-Fi (easily from the Settings app!) and download your content that way.

Posting Specta-snaps to Snapchat requires a bit of labor, however.

Posting them to Snapchat requires a bit of labor, however. You’ll have to load them up in the app, then cycle through every single video clip you recorded and then edit from there. This can be super frustrating to do when you’re juggling more than a few clips, for instance, and I’d often have to deal with the Snaphat app crashing on me (on both a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, Pixel XL, and Moto Z Force) because it couldn’t handle loading all the video.

If you have a bit of a patience, however, you can make great content with the Spectacles on your face. Just don’t plan on a point-and-shoot-and-share-immediately type of experience. The point of the Spectacles is to shoot when your smartphone can not, so leave it in the bag.

Lastly, I want to profess my appreciation for the way this stylish little gadget charges. Spectacles come in a bright yellow case with a magnetic charging strip embedded on the inside. You can charge up the case to charge the Spectacles when you’re on the go, or charge the Spectacles separately with the included charging cord. Be forewarned that the case is a bit bulky, so ladies, make some room. I’d also caution against carrying them around without the case since the lenses scratch very easily. On the plus side, you can easily swap in your own lenses.

They don’t play nice with other apps

The videos that Spectacles produce do not translate particularly well to other social networks.YouTube appears to be the only practical solution for sharing stories you filmed with the Spectacles. Instagram Stores is the worst way; the 1080×1080 square image doesn’t translate well into Stories’ narrow video player, though it’s fine as a standalone Instagram post (as exhibited above).

You can probably get a little creative with the aid of other applications, but the process of actually exporting the Spectacles video to your camera roll is another headache that’s not worth bothering with unless you have some time to kill.

People love ’em

My family loved that I showed up to Christmas wearing these things. I don’t plan to post the full story that was shot with the Spectacles, but I love that I have a reel that was produced even when I wasn’t donning the pair. Both my immediate and extended family, young and old, wore the glasses around and added their own colorful commentary to the holiday celebrations.

This is a gadget that attracts attention — wanted and unwanted.

The video I have from Christmas is the perfect little keepsake of the amazing holiday we shared as a family. It reminded me a bit of the videos my dad filmed of us as kids. Every Christmas, he’d prop up a video camera on a tripod and film my brother and me as we were opening presents. Snapchat Spectacles are much weirder-looking in comparison, but their intended use falls along the same vein.

I don’t regret buying Snapchat Specs

Snapchat Spectacles may seem like a massive gimmick, but that’s because they are. They exist solely to sell the Snapchat app as a lifestyle, one that periodically serves you advertisements in between video clips your friend made at work in the lunchroom. It’s admittedly a strange way to live life, but I’m into it.

The more I wear these out, the more I hear of comparisons to Google Glass.

I also think it’s interesting that the more I wear these out, the more I hear of comparisons to Google Glass. I don’t doubt that I’d receive the same treatment if I walked into San Francisco’s Molotov’s wearing Spectacles on my face, but the proprietary nature of this gadget will be its biggest caveat for anyone interested in a pair.

Regardless, Snapchat Spectacles are a great case for embedding technology into existing fashion accessories. A wearable doesn’t have to look as different as Google Glass did to be considered innovative. And wouldn’t it be cool to use Glass’s interface on something that looked like a pair of Specs?

Video: LG G6 rumors, leaks, features and more!

As is traditional in the weeks leading up to a new LG flagship phone, the Korean company has slowly started to trickle out details of its next big thing, the LG G6. We’re expecting the new phone, which could be one of the first Snapdragon 835 devices, to break cover at Mobile World Congress in late February. And based on what LG has already teased, we’re set for a new, unibody design, with the company moving away from the ill-fated modularity it introduced in the G5.

Other features likely to make it into the G6, based on LG’s recent teaser, include water resistance — finally — and new camera tricks that’ll let you “capture it all at once.” Check out our video for more on what we’re expecting from the first big Android announcement of the year!

• More on the LG G6
• Android Central on YouTube

Motorola is announcing a new phone at Mobile World Congress in February

Motorola teases a new phone to launch at MWC.

Motorola is set to launch a new phone in Barcelona next month prior to the start of Mobile World Congress.

The annual show has become a traditional venue for manufacturers to launch phones for the European market, but many of them end up in North America and beyond.

Motorola is holding its event at 4:30pm on February 26, and while it’s unclear what the Lenovo subsidiary is launching at this point, based on the render in the vague invite, it’s unlikely to be part of its Moto Z line.

It’s possible it may be another Moto X product, or a variant of the Moto M, which was released in Asia late last year, but the likely scenario is a new Moto G, which is due for a refresh after the successful Moto G4 and G4 Plus.

We’ll have to wait and see; MWC 2017 is only a short time away!

More: Huawei’s next flagship to launch at MWC 2017