UAG Maverick Case for the Motorola Nexus 6 Review
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Urban Armor Gear (UAG) has made quite the name for themselves in the accessories world for making high-quality, heavy duty cases. While they don’t necessarily have the same water resistant credentials of say the Otterbox family, UAG marries protection with a military-grade appearance, which is actually backed up by passing military drop-test standards. As a version was made for the Nexus 6, I just had to check it out – let’s get into the review.
What’s in the box
Inside your UAG Maverick Case for the Motorola Nexus 6 box, you’ll get the case itself as well as a screen protector, screen protector application card, and a cleaning cloth. There doesn’t appear to be anything particularly special about the included screen protector, but it’s an added bonus anyway.
The case itself is transparent, and is only available in this style. To be honest, I’m not really complaining as – if you were so inclined – you could apply a skin the the back of your Nexus 6 and still have it visible through the case. Considering some of the colours other UAG cases are available in, transparent is relatively conservative, but it makes up for that with its carapace-like, hexagonally tessellated finish. The military vibe that is common on UAG cases is well and alive with this iteration of the case for the Nexus 6.
How does it perform
I previously owned a UAG case for my Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and that served me very well – in the time that I’ve been reviewing this UAG for my Nexus 6, I can’t say much has changed. The case provides very good protection for any phone – with rubber bumpers on all corners and a pretty significant lip around the edges of the screen mean that any day-to-day drops likely won’t do your device in. All this rubber around the edges also makes it really easy to hold onto the UAG case so that you don’t get in that situation in the first place. In my case, my second-hand Nexus 6 actually already had a crack in its screen and the UAG case gave me enough confidence to not have to be paranoid every second of the day – it’s even survived multiple falls that gave me chills down my spine at the time.
A feature I’m glad is still around is the button covers, which provide exceptional tactile feedback – I’d even say superior to the buttons without the case on. Other access ports, like the microUSB slot, the audio jack and camera are given enough space to be utilized, but the audio jack housing was a little small for my liking – using an audio cable which had slightly larger housing meant that i would need to take my Nexus 6 out of the case to use it.
It’s a good thing then that the UAG Maverick case is actually really easy to put on and take off. Unlike other heavy duty cases that often involve inner sheaths and dual layer arrangements, this case is one piece that slides on and off without much coercing – that’s not to say its loose, because it is still quite a tight fit, but it won’t take more than 5 seconds to get it in or out.
What I like about the UAG Maverick Case for the Motorola Nexus 6
I’m a big fan of how the UAG Maverick case looks – it looks tough and it is tough. The two UAG cases I’ve owned so far have never made my question UAG’s quality or credentials which makes the look of it all the more appropriate.
Something that’s perhaps a little more tangible – but still subtle – is that the rugged design of the UAG Maverick case actually improves how the Nexus 6 feels in the hand. While it’s definitely not as slimline anymore, the deep grooves in the back of the case give your fingers something to dig into while you’re taking calls or watching videos.
What I don’t like about the UAG Maverick Case for the Motorola Nexus 6
If there’s one thing that has been annoying me since day one is that the volume up button protrudes quite a lot further than the power button, a fact that makes pressing the power button to unlock the screen while in the dark more of a chore than it needs to be – the number of times I have pressed the volume up button thinking I’d pressed the power button are numerous. Having said that, it’s not quite a dealbreaker thanks to the fact Motorola has include its Active Display technology in the Nexus 6 which negates the need to press the power button all the time.
Final thoughts
My previous UAG is the best case that I’d ever had for the Galaxy Note 2 and I’m glad to say that the Nexus 6 version is just as good. It’s protective, durable, easy to use and still gives you a chance to see your device through the transparent back. And at $39.95USD, it won’t break the bank either – the UAG Maverick case for the Nexus 6 is actually sold out on the UAG website at the moment, but you can still pick one up on Amazon for $29.95 USD – that’s pretty much a win-win (links are below).
What do you think about the UAG Maverick Case for the Motorola Nexus 6? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Gallery of photos
- Mean, military-inspired look
- Easy to use
- Volume up button protrudes
- Only one colour style
2015-08-16
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HTC Re Camera 50% off at Best Buy right now, that makes it $99
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Technology lets us do amazing things. However, there are still limitations set by our most used items, our phones. Surely if you have a Samsung Galaxy S6 Active or a Sony Xperia Z of some sorts, then you have a bit more freedom then most when it comes to get photos and videos where water is involved. Not everyone is keen to buy those devices just for that luxury though. That is where an accessory that costs a fraction of your device can come in handy quite a bit. The HTC Re Camera is one such little device that packs some solid specs, expandable storage, and additional abilities like using your phone as the view finder or the trigger to start recording or shoot a photo, comes in handy. At launch the little cameras were priced at $199. Considering the competition, it wasn’t a terrible price for the imitation inhaler and all that it can do. If you have yet to pull the trigger on one of these little guys, today is the day you may want to pull out that credit card and do so as it is on sale through Best Buy for just $99.
Like all good deals, this is a limited time offer that is part of the Deal of the Day promotion. They are offering the deal on all three color options; Blue, White or Orange. I personally dig the Blue one, but certainly wouldn’t regret picking up any color. The little Re isn’t perfect as low light images aren’t the best, but if you are out and about to finish up summer and want to get some great shots without the fear of ruining your phone, this is a great device to do it with. While you are at it, be sure to look at the various mounts and charging cradle too.
HTC Re Camera sale at Best Buy
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Galaxy S6 Edge Plus full specs and accessory prices leaked
It doesn’t rain, it pours and so seems to be the case with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 smartphones and although they are set to launch in just a couple of days, we’re hearing more and more about them with every hour that passes. Earlier today we saw Samsung reveal pre-orders for the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus will launch on August 21 (before pulling the listing) and the latest leaks have now revealed the full specs list for the curved phablet along with the cost of the official accessories.
First to the specs and a listing by well-known Romanian retailer evoMAG has revealed the full specs of Samsung’s upcoming curved big-screen device. We’ve already heard most of them before but it’s always nice to get confirmation and looking at the listing, we know the handset will have a 5.67 inch Super AMOLED Quad HD display and will be powered by an Exynos 7420 octa-core processor with 4GB RAM.
The specs list also includes 32GB internal storage that is non-expandable, a 5MP front facing camera, 16Mp rear camera with 4K Ultra HD video recording, LTE Cat 6 offering 300 Mbps download speeds, Wi-Fi n/ac, Bluetooth v4.1, NFC and a fingerprint sensor. The handset will launch running Android 5.1 Lollipop and will reportedly come with Samsung Pay (which ties in with previous reports of a September release for Samsung’s payment solution).
Galaxy in video:
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The listing only mentions gold as the available colour but this is likely to be carrier specific so expect the handset to be available in other colours and other storage options – the Galaxy S6 Edge comes with 32GB, 64GB or 128GB storage and the S6 Edge Plus will probably follow suit.
Now to the accessories and last week, we saw a leak of an unique keyboard cover for the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus. Earlier this week, we saw another leak that seemingly confirmed the existence of the cover along with a price tag of 60 euros and now UK retailer Mobile Fun has confirmed the cost of a range of official Samsung accessories. The full accessories list includes (US conversion is approximate and rounded to the nearest full dollar)
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Keyboard Cover (Silver) – £59.99 / $94
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Flip Wallet Cover (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £24.99 / $39
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Glossy Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £19.99 / $31
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Clear View Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £39.99 / $62
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Glitter Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue, Pink) – £34.99 / $55
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ S View Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £34.99 / $55
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Wireless Charging Pack (Silver, Gold) – £64.99 / $101
Related: Samsung Galaxy Note 5 rumor roundup
What do you think of the leaked accessories and prices? What about the specs list of the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus (and the Galaxy Note 5 which should be almost identical except for the lack of curved edges and the addition of an S-Pen)? Let us know your views in the comments below guys and don’t forget to tune in on Thursday morning as we’ll be at Samsung’s London and New York events to see everything the company has to announce.
Oops: Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus pre-order page goes live early, accessory pricing leaks too
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Samsung just can’t get a break trying to keep its latest flagships under wraps. In the latest of a long list of leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus pre-order page has gone live early on Samsung France’s website – naturally it has now been taken down, but not before some screenshots were taken. According to the banner, pre-ordering the S6 Edge Plus between August 21st and September 3rd will net you a pair of Samsung Level On Bluetooth headphones worth $249 USD – it’s unclear if this deal is going to be available elsewhere as well.
Thanks to MobileFun, we’ve also got pricing for several S6 Edge Plus accessories that are going to launch with the curved phablet, including the physical keyboard cover that was leaked out a few days ago. The full list of accessories is as follows:
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Keyboard Cover (Silver) – £59.99
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Flip Wallet Cover (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £24.99
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Glossy Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £19.99
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Clear View Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £39.99
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Glitter Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue, Pink) – £34.99
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ S View Cover Case (Silver, Gold, Blue/Black) – £34.99
- Official Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Wireless Charging Pack (Silver, Gold) – £64.99
Naturally, the accessories do appear to be quite dear, but did you really expect anything less from Samsung? What do you think about the leaked pre-order page and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus accessories? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: GalaxyClub.nl, MobileFun via SamMobile
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Awkward looking keyboard cover for the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is awkward
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There are plenty of accessories in the mobile world that we don’t understand (selfie sticks come to mind), but a keyboard cover for the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus that was leaked by leaker @evleaks today has us scratching our heads more than usual. As you can see in the photo below, the keyboard cover wraps around the bottom half of the S6 Edge Plus, providing physical keys where you would normally only have on-screen keys – to say the least, it looks kind of awkward.
S6e+ keyboard cover — clever. pic.twitter.com/4eAJKPq9ph
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 7, 2015
However, despite how it looks, I can definitely see a use for such an add-on – there is likely a large segment of the market who struggle with on-screen keys and the lack of tactile feedback, even with vibration. For those people, this physical keyboard is perfect. From the photo, it appears that the homescreen will also shrink to fit the remaining screen so that the keyboard cover isn’t obscuring anything. Obviously, this won’t be for everyone, but Samsung has obviously decided there is a business case for this otherwise they wouldn’t have made it. Or not.
What do you think about the keyboard cover for the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: Twitter via Phone Arena
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Samsung’s latest blog post talks S-Pen and the evolution of the writing implement
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The Samsung S-Pen stands at the pinnacle of stylus design, combining form and function to achieve something that nobody in the mobile industry has yet to come close to. To this end, Samsung has thought to reflect on the evolution of pens, naturally seeing its ultimate evolution as the S-Pen. However, it makes an interesting point about how writing implements have stamped their place in humanity’s history:
“…it was the rise of the pen that made writing a ubiquitous part of civilization”
To make its point, Samsung talks us through history, from the calligraphy brushes of Ancient China, to the quills of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, and to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who used fountain pens to write his Sherlock Holmes stories. The history lesson ends with technical pens and ballpoint pens which we all use on a daily basis – though perhaps not as much as a few years ago.
Of course, Samsung makes the case that the S-Pen “has evolved to meet the needs of users”, citing its trademark features like its multifunction button, use of gestures, and of course, its Air Command menu which is by far the most useful part of the S-Pen equation. As if to suggest that we didn’t know the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is only a week away from being announced, Samsung concludes its post:
“The S Pen is already in its fourth edition. It is exciting to consider how it will continue to evolve and improve as time goes on.”
Isn’t it just?
Check out the full Samsung post about the S-Pen here.
Source: Samsung Tomorrow via SamMobile
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Kinivo M2 Bluetooth 2.1 Speaker System [Review]
I
love listening to music. I listen to it while I am walking around campus, driving in my car, sitting around my house, and even while writing this article. However, I have never gotten into headphone, speakers, or any other type of audio equipment. As long as I could hear the music and it sounded good, I was happy. When I got the chance to review the Kinivo M2, I was eager to see if a new set of speakers would drastically change how my music sounded.
First Impressions
In the box, you find two 2.5″ wired satellite speakers and one 6.5″ subwoofer. The power cable is built into the subwoofer and a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable is also included. When I first took the M2 out of the box, I thought it looked pretty nice. The wooden subwoofer felt solid and the gold accents along the black speakers popped.
The satellite speakers are plastic and have a glossy finish on the front that picked up fingerprints extremely easily. From just taking them out of the box and setting them up on my desk, the fronts were covered with prints and I had to spend some time cleaning them off. My favorite aesthetic feature of the M2 has to be the glowing ring around the volume know. The blue-white light is almost futuristic and I love anything that lights up. This system is not going to blow anyone away in the looks department, but it feels solid and well-built while still managing to look nice.
Setup and Operation
S
etting up the Kinivo M2 was a piece of cake. I decided to replace my old desktop computer speakers with the M2, which was simple with the included 3.5mm-to-RCA cable. With the subwoofer hooked up, all that was left was plugging in the satellite speakers into the correct places and setting them on my desk.
The Kinivo M2 can accept audio from both a wired and Bluetooth source so the next step was connecting my phone to the speaker system. One great feature of the M2 is that it uses NFC so all I had to do was set my phone on top of the subwoofer and select that I wanted to pair with the speaker. If you want to pair a device that does not have NFC, you can do that by pressing the “Pair” button on the back of the subwoofer and searching for the M2 in your device’s Bluetooth settings. To switch between wired and Bluetooth, you must press the “Source” button on the back of the subwoofer. While this is not difficult when the M2 is out in the open, having it below my desk required me to get on my hands and knees to reach the button.
Placing all the controls on the back of the subwoofer did make for a cleaner product, but I do with the buttons had been placed in an easier to reach spot such as next to the volume knob. Speaking of the volume knob, it is located on the side of the Kinivo M2’s subwoofer. It is easy to turn and sometimes almost too sensitive. With the subwoofer placed beneath my desk, I found that it was easy to adjust the volume with my foot and that has been working quite well so far.
Sound Quality
Here is the most important part of any speaker review, because at the end of the day, a speaker’s main purpose is to create the best sound possible. I have owned a few Bluetooth speakers in my life, but none of them were 2.1 speaker systems; so I expected the Kinivo M2 to deliver some decent sound quality.
However, I was completely wrong. The M2 is one of the best sounding speaker systems I have heard. Lows sounds great with the added subwoofer and I can feel the air moving by my feet when listening to a song with hard hitting base. The mids are just right and provide good separation between different voices and instruments. The highs are bright and clear, fully rounding out an enjoyable listening experience.
To put this speaker system to the ultimate test, I decided to try NPR’s recent “How Well Can You Hear Audio Quality” quiz. For those who are not familiar with this test, you are given three versions of an audio segment and are asked to select the one you think is the high quality, uncompressed auido. Each versions increases in quality with a 128kbps mp3, a 320kbps mp3, and an Uncompressed WAV.
Streaming over Bluetooth from my Nexus 6, I was able to easily identify the uncompressed audio all six times and get a perfect score. I am no where close to an audiophile and do not know a thing about high bitrate audio; however, I could easily tell that the uncompressed audio sounded better on the Kinivo M2. For comparison, through my Sennheiser HD 205’s plugged into my Nexus 6, I only got four out of five. I think that this is the best testament to the Kinivo M2’s sound quality. You can tell the difference in high quality audio when listening through these speakers.
Overall Thoughts
After using the Kinivo M2 for a few weeks, it has continually impressed me with its great sound quality for a reasonable price. The M2 retails for $120, but you can grab it on Amazon right now for only $80. For a speaker that sounds this good, both prices are a fantastic deal.
What I liked:
- Amazing sound quality
- Good price
- Solid build
- NFC for added Bluetooth pairing convenience
- Easy set up
- Cool, glowing volume ring
What I did not like:
- Rear button placement can make reaching them difficult
- Average design
- Extremely sensitive volume knob
- Glossy plastic on satellite speakers is a fingerprint magnet
Kinivo M2 Bluetooth 2.1 Speaker System photos
A full view of the Kinivo M2 speaker system…
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Android Wear sporting ASUS ZenWatch drops to $129 in the Play Store
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The Android Wear sporting smartwatch portfolio is pretty hefty. The Motorola Moto 360
The watch had a retail price tag of $199.99, which was slightly less than the round variant of the Moto 360 unless it happened to be on sale. Currently the watch is listed for $129.99, $70 off. There is no indication that it is permanent or sale price drop. If it is permanent, then it is likely the ZenWatch 2 could be finally making its way into the store soon. Either way, if the ASUS ZenWatch was on your list of things to pick up, now is looking like a pretty good time to do it.
Head to the Google Store and get your ASUS ZenWatch order in before things change.
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SMS Audio Star Wars Second Edition Headphones Review: The audio is strong with this one
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As a Star Wars nerd, when I heard SMS Audio were making headphones that were Star Wars themed, I couldn’t help but get super excited. I realize that audio companies that are started by rappers, like SMS Audio and Beats by Dre generally don’t have fantastic reputations among audiophiles for various philosophical reasons, but for me, and I’m sure most of the remaining population of the world, how your audio equipment looks is also quite a big factor. That’s where the SMS Audio Star Wars Second Edition headphones come in, which as you can imagine, tries to leverage on its Star Wars licencing by creating headphones that look like iconic parts of the Star Wars franchise, and we’ve been checking out a pair – let’s jump in.
What’s in the box
You might think that getting the Star Wars licence was enough for SMS Audio, but they’ve actually made a very impressive effort to make this set of headphones a memorable one for fans of the franchise. The unboxing itself will be an experience: inside the box, not only will you get the Star Wars themed headphones, you’ll also get a hard case in your chosen theme with an embossed Star Wars logo, a holographic card of the hero (or villain) your headphones are themed for, a cleaning cloth and, of course, a 3.5mm audio cable with in-line mic to connect your headphones and your device.
Speaking of themes, the Star Wars Second Edition headphones are available in four different flavours, including R2-D2, Chewbacca, TIE Fighter and Darth Vader. For reference, the First Edition saw themes like the Rebel Alliance, The Empire, Boba Fett and Stormtrooper – if I’m honest, this Second Edition incorporates these new characters into the headphones much better than the First. Personally, I’m a big fan of the Chewbacca and the Darth Vader sets.
The headphones themselves are an on-ear affair, but the ear cups are a little larger than you would typically expect from on-ear headphones – they covered all of my ear, and then some. Padded with leather, the ear cups and the head band form a very cushioned fit for the Second Edition headphones. The rest of the headphones are made up of plastic and small amounts of metal – all of this makes the Second Edition headphones incredibly light, which makes a huge difference in the comfort area – more on that later.
Of course, given the size of that hard case, the Second Edition headphones are also collapsible, folding up nice and compact with plenty of room for your cable and cleaning cloth. One observation I did have of the collapsing mechanism is that it gives a very satisfying snap when opening and closing your ear cups.
How do they perform?
Soundwise, the Second Edition headphones draw their sound power from two 40mm drivers – this is pretty much the staple driver size in this part of the audio market. Accordingly, these headphones have a lot of oomph behind them, particularly in the bass area. It should be no surprise that headphones from a company founded by a rapper has bass at its heart – that much is the legacy of Beats by Dre – but if that’s your jam, you’re not going to be disappointed. Playing tunes with thumping bass-lines like Ginuwine’s Pony or Adam Lambert’s Ghost Town really accentuate what these headphones have to offer.
The mids and highs are generally good too – I’m not going to say clear because that doesn’t quite describe them: depending on where you sit on the audiophile scale, at worst, I’d call them a little muffled; at best, I’d call them warm. Listening to something like Ed Sheeran’s Photograph really highlights this as the bass overpowers the nuances of the mids and highs. Listening to classical music, however, was interesting – in keeping with the theme, I listened to John Williams’ Duel of the Fates from Star Wars and the heavier bass does actually work in the french horns’ favour – though this may be an exception. Note that there’s probably a little tuning to do with equalizer settings if that’s what you want to do – this is just what’s available out of the box.
The summarize the audio experience, I would say if you’re big on R&B, rap, dance, EDM or anything heavy on bass – even pop – the Second Edition headphones have exactly what you need. For everyone else, these headphones are still exceptionally good, don’t get me wrong – the depth they offer is actually pretty good – but they might not be tuned to your exact genre of music of choice.
Moving onto comfort, the Second Edition headphones are extremely comfortable to wear – the oval ear cups and high quality soft leather are very pleasant on the ears, and make for a very good snug fit. This snug fit also works as passive noise cancelling which works as well as passive noise cancelling can hope to work. In terms of comfort on long sessions, the Second Edition headphones are generally quite good for long periods of time, but I would say that the fit is quite tight so you may get points of soreness after a long listening session.
As I mentioned before, the cable that is included with the Second Edition headphones also includes an in-line microphone which means you can take calls while listening to music on your smartphone – a single button will also let you answer calls and pause/play your music. The mic works well enough, though it’s not anything special in crowded spaces – be ready to bring it closer to your face in those environments.
What I like about the SMS Audio Star Wars Second Edition Headphones
What isn’t to like about the looks of the Second Edition headphones? Getting the Star Wars licence is one thing but doing it justice is another – the First Edition is a little bit cool, but the Second Edition has managed to capture the Star Wars legacy even better, and I’m convinced it could find itself on any Star Wars fans’ wishlist. There are a lot of other Star Wars characters too, so I’m hoping there’s a Third Edition lurking around out there as well.
I really like the feel of the Second Edition headphones as well – a lot has been made in the media about the perception of quality in audio products, but SMS Audio does this with the Second Edition headphones without errant pieces of metal or anything – the plastics are flawlessly molded, the leathers feel great and it all feels really well put together.
What I don’t like about the SMS Audio Star Wars Second Edition Headphones
The bass is a standout on the Second Edition headphones, but for me, it’s just a tad overpowering. There are definitely songs where this is warranted, but it was a bit jarring in songs where bass isn’t supposed to be the focal point. That said, that is a personal preference, so take that as you will.
The price of the Second Edition headphones is also going to be a tall order – underneath all the awesome decor is a pair of STREET by 50 on-ear headphones, and while these do retail for $179.99 USD like the Second Edition headphones, it’s still not a small sum of money. Then again, for the Star Wars fan, whether it be a personal purchase or a gift, you’re likely not to be disappointed due to the unique nature and look of the headphones and could be worth the premium.
Final Thoughts
It’s not often that the Star Wars franchise gets licensed products that are realized so well, but we’re glad SMS Audio took the chance with these Star Wars Second Edition headphones. A set of headphones that caters for the bass-lovers, it’s a unique combination of the Star Wars franchise and quality audio, one which could be too good to pass up for many fans.
For more information about the SMS Audio Star Wars Second Edition headphones, you can get to the SMS Audio product page here. We’ve also got Amazon links below if your determined to shoot first.
http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwandcom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00VQ8QEB4&asins=B00VQ8QEB4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=UShttp://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwandcom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00VQ8QEAU&asins=B00VQ8QEAU&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=UShttp://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwandcom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00VQ8QE32&asins=B00VQ8QE32&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=UShttp://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&Operation=GetAdHtml&ID=OneJS&OneJS=1&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwandcom-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00VQ8QELO&asins=B00VQ8QELO&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&MarketPlace=US
- Star Wars!
- Feels like great quality
- Extremely light
- Bass can be overpowering
- On the pricey side
4.2Overall Score
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TYLT ENERGI+ an awesome backpack that charges your stuff
Kickstarter can be real hit or miss sometimes. For every great idea that gets funded, there’s another that never seems to materialize. Lucky for us the TYLT ENERGI+ falls in the former category. Their idea was to integrate an extremely functional backpack with the ability to charge your mobile devices. All they needed to make it happen was $50,000. Not only did they hit their funding goals, but they surpassed it, hitting over 150% of their goal. We’ll be looking at whether they were able to accomplish all they set out to do with this backpack.
TYLT ENERGI+ overview
I recently had the opportunity to review TYLT’s RIBBN charger. What impressed me the most about that device was the quality of materials and product design. So, needless to say, I came into this review with some pretty high expectations.
When I first pulled the TYLT ENERGI+ out of its box, the first thing I noticed was that there were instructions and diagrams everywhere in the backpack, showing how to get things set up. There was also a manual, but I didn’t need it. The diagrams were more than adequate. I also noticed a few loose strings poking out of the backpack, not a big deal, but again, I’m coming into this with abnormally high expectations.
When you purchase the backpack you’ll also receive a 10,400mAh battery pack and 3 micro USB cables. One of the cables will have an older 30 pin iPad/iPhone/iPod adapter plug attached. Before you continue setting things up, it’s best to charge up the battery pack to full capacity. The battery pack charges using a standard micro USB cable. They do not furnish a charging cable, but the device will work with the phone charger you already have and can even charge from any of your computer’s USB ports. One added bonus of the battery pack is that it has an output of 4.2A. This will allow you to quickly charge tablets, phones, or anything with a micro USB connection.
TYLT ENERGI+ setup
The backpack has a little pouch for the battery pack that will snuggly hold it in place. All the cables are fairly easy to route to the various pockets and pouches that you might want to place your devices in. One of the best features is that they don’t limit the pockets that can be routed to. Even though there are only 3 cables, almost all of the pockets can have a cable routed to it, so you don’t have to rely on where TYLT recommends you to place your devices. You can use your discretion to decide where you could best use the charging capabilities.
I also loved their cable management solution. They included elastic strips in strategic parts of the backpack to keep your power cables nice and neat. If you’ve ever built your own computer, you know how important that cable management can be.
Overall it’s not too difficult to get things up and running. It also fairly easy to reroute the cables to adapt to your changing needs.
TYLT ENERGI+ usage
I mentioned earlier that the idea for the ENERGI+ was to make an extremely functional backpack. I think the better word to describe it would be practical. There is virtually no unused space. If there is an empty space, there is a pocket. They even included a space with a rigid sunglasses and phone holder. This exact same space, of course, has a slot for a power cable, but it also has a slot to feed some wired headphones outside of the backpack so you can listen on the go.
Everyone that I showed the backpack to said that the only thing it needed was a water bottle holder. They then proceeded to be amazed as I pulled out just such a holder out of one of the pockets. This is just another example of how TYLT utilizes every usable space on the backpack. I was able to cram a ton of stuff in the backpack. I had my laptop, laptop power adapter, tablet, phone, lunch container, and various knick-knacks, with room to spare. Even with the backpack being fairly heavy at this point, the strategic padding really helped to remove any undue strain or pressure on my body.
I imagine that when they designed this backpack, they had a bunch of people sitting around asking, “Yeah, but can it do this?”. There are so many little things about this backpack that make it great. For example, there is a waterproof pouch on the front of the backpack for important documents. There is an embedded NFC tag in the strap so that you can trigger your phone to easily do certain tasks. There is a slot behind the backpack that will allow for the handle from a roller luggage to slip through so that you don’t have to carry the backpack on your back while getting to your plane at the airport. Speaking of traveling, the ENERGI+ is also TSA friendly.
What we liked
- Extremely functional and practical
- Ability to charge devices on the go
- Wow factor
What could be better
- A lower price would be nice
- More flexible battery pocket for other nonTYLT battery packs
- Quality was slightly off from their norm
TYLT ENERGI+ overall
For the most part, TYLT met my expectations with the ENERGI+ and I am very happy with the results. If you’re in the market for a backpack and travel a lot or you find yourself needing to charge your mobile devices fairly often, this is the backpack for you. If you’re a penny pincher, then not so much. The TYLT ENERGI+ retails at $169.99 on TYLT.com but is currently on sale for $119.99 with free shipping for Prime members on Amazon.
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