V-MODA XS On-Ear Headphone Review
V-MODA has managed to position itself well with headphone enthusiasts. Its determined attention to detail, slick styling, and engaging sound is a formula that works, reinforced by competitive pricing. And landing around $200-$300, its headphone range is no where as far-fetched as a lot of audiophile headsets that tread closer to $1k.
In the past, we reviewed the company’s latest over-ear and in-ear solutions, the Crossfade Wireless and ZN, respectively. We were thoroughly impressed with what you get for the money. So for completion, we’re reviewing V-MODA’s newest on-ear as well, dubbed the XS. On-ears offer greater portability compared to over-ears, and the XS knocks on the compactness limit more than any other I’ve seen. Let’s check it out now.
Design
The build and styling of the XS is not a departure from what we’ve seen from its bigger brother or predecessor, the M-80. This isn’t a bad thing; it’s not like it’s dated or doesn’t work. The XS is totally a refinement, incorporating some worthy improvements. One of these is collapsible design.
The considerably compact footprint of the XS is immediately noticed when opening the packaging. It comes folded up in V-MODA’s included hard shell case, which bears an exoskeleton aesthetic, feels tough, and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Opening it simply reveals the tightly folded headphones and audio cable.
Being on-ears, the XS are essentially a shrunken version of V-MODA’s over-ear flagship. The same materials are carried over: a leather wrapped headband with meshed fabric inner lining (for comfy head support), metal stems with sturdy CliqFold hinges, leather cushioned ear pads, and even the company’s customizable plates on top of the ear cups.
The XS has all of V-MODA’s custom shield plate options: from personalized laser-etched engravings to 3D printing on precious metals.
The XS comes in either Matte Black or White Silver. Pretty much everything on our black model is Batman-style, with the only thing not covered in a black finish is the orange cable (even the carrying case is black). And speaking of which, the braided cable feels as sturdy as the rest. V-MODA says it’s tested beyond military-level quality standards, able to withstand over 1 million cable bends. It has an in-line mic and one-button remote, and ends with a gold-plated, 45-degree angle 3.5mm jack.
The cable is not only removable, but it can be placed on either ear cup. There’s a port to accept it on the bottom of each ear cup. Not all headphone give you a detachable cable, and much fewer give you a preference on the side you want it.
Usability
The XS is an on-ear headphone, so the ear pad lays on top of the ear as opposed to around them. This style isn’t for everyone, so make sure you know what you’re getting into. V-MODA makes the right cues to make the wear as comfortable as possible, such as the supple and substantial ear pad cushions and minimal clamping force, but it’s still susceptible to a growing earache over a lengthy listening session. Although, I’m convinced this is among the best on-ear out there in this respect.
A unique thing about the XS is the shape. The sides of the headband are flattened so that it makes a tighter fit on your head, an effort which V-MODA deems as Mind the Gap. This was a smart move, as it distributes the headphone’s weight along your head instead of the very top (potentially causing a pressure point) and it allows the folded footprint to be so compact. There’s little unused space when the XS is collapsed.
On-ear headphones aren’t the best type of headset in terms of isolation, and the XS are no exception. They’re not bad relative to the on-ear competition, but the padding of over-ears, which engulf the ear, are significantly better in keeping external noise out. I think more clamping force could’ve helped a bit more, but then comfort would’ve been compromised; this was probably a back-and-forth V-MODA went through.
Sound
Although the XS takes after the larger M-100 flagship, it’s quite different in sound. I don’t mean this in a bad way; it’s actually a maturation to my ears. The sound signature of the M-100 was a tad too V-shaped for my taste, although, I won’t deny that a bangin’ bass and treble made for a fun experience. The XS is more balanced, but fortunately, still delivers V-MODA’s engaging tunes.
The mid-range is now the star of the show. Guitar strums and vocals are lush and airy, instantly pulling me in on the first listen. When the right moments hit, they can result in a moving presence, especially when vocals take center stage. And when you have a bunch of elements playing at the same time, like in a full-on rock song, you’ll be impressed how encompassing the XS’ small drivers can be. They punch above their weight.
Treble is right behind the mid-range. It’s rich, clear, and detailed. Don’t expect the bass to be as strong as the M-100, there’s only so much on-ears can do. That said, it’s still a bold V-MODA bass response. The XS also can’t pull the magnitude of soundstage that over-ears can, but what there is, is impressive for the headphone’s size.
Final Thoughts
The XS are an impressive pair of on-ears. There’s so much going for them: durability, style, ergonomics, and sound quality. Practically all the cons that we noted are just from the fact that they are on-ears. There’s only so much you can do with isolation and comfort.
We’re really glad that the focus on quality continues onto the sound. V-MODA knows how to get our attention, and despite shrinking the drivers, the XS still delivers a wallop.
V-MODA XS webpage
Fender is working on guitar apps for beginners and pros alike
Mobile apps that help you keep your guitar in tune are nothing new, but now a big name in the instrument game is getting in on the action. Today Fender announced its Tune app for iOS, offering yet another option for tuning your guitar or bass with your trusty handset. The software is part of the iconic guitar maker’s quest to provide tools to players at all skill levels through its Fender Digital subsidiary. The tuner app is the first product to launch from the effort.
Fender Tune is available for iOS devices free of charge, and like other options that are already available, it provides guitarists of all levels a way to keep an instrument in tune without having to carry a separate piece of gear. The company says that unlike those other apps, Tune helps beginners learn the importance of tone, from basic strumming to setting up an amplifier. There are both automatic and manual tuning tools, with the former being the feature where the app “listens” as the player hits a string and guides them to the proper note. Manual mode plays an audible tone so more advanced users can tune by ear.
There’s also a chromatic tuner for getting a string to a specific spot on the scale and step-by-step guidance for those who are picking up a guitar for the very first time. In addition to Open G and 20 other preset tunings, the app also lets you store any custom configurations for easy access. This means that if you’re trying to learn some Deftones riffs, you can have the app direct you to Drop C# with ease during a practice session. If you’re looking to try it out for yourself, Fender Tune is available now in Apple’s App Store.
Source: Fender
On-demand drone insurance launches in the US
Drone accidents can be even more expensive than the drones themselves. However, giving your robotic flyer full insurance coverage might be overkill when you may only fly in short bursts every now and then. What to do? Verifly has an unusual answer: get insurance only when you need it. It’s launching an on-demand drone insurance service that offers protection across 36 states. All you have to do is specify where you’re flying in a mobile app, agree to the terms and start steering. Rates start at $10 per hour depending on the area, and they’ll cover both commercial as well as private uses — this may be just what you need for a movie shoot.
The catch? Aside from availability, it’s really a matter of the insurance in question. The policy shown so far covers damages and injuries to others for lightweight drones (under 15lbs), but you’ll be hosed if you either damage your drone or use it beyond certain conditions. If you fly inside, above 400 feet or in drone races, you’re footing the bill for any crashes. Nonetheless, this is just inexpensive enough that you could get some peace of mind when flying over a crowded park.
Source: Verifly
Fan-made ‘No Man’s Sky’ app catalogs your interstellar journey
The galaxy-faring sci-fi fest No Man’s Sky isn’t out until next week but one enterprising fan has already made parts of the game perhaps a little less daunting. Reddit user Aleator83’s NMS Ally is a companion app that will, among other things, generate custom names for the planets you visit and creatures you find, and upload your screenshots to share with other users of the app. Polygon notes that it’ll also track where you find resources. It’s live for Android at the moment, and Aleator83 says that the iOS version is pending approval from Apple.
It isn’t the first fan-made app for a sprawlingly huge game, but let’s hope that like Rockstar, the teams at Sony and Hello Games won’t shut this down. If you’re feeling jealous of the people playing the game (and using the app) early, know that their progress isn’t permanent. Ahead of the game’s retail release on Tuesday, Sony and Hello Games have announced No Man’s Sky’s pre-release servers will be wiped on Sunday. That means that everyone will start with a clean slate whether they want to or not.
Servers are being wiped on Sunday pic.twitter.com/JTmzabmU1R
— Harry Denholm (@HarryDenholm) August 5, 2016
Via: Polygon
Source: Google Play, Reddit
Android’s social watch face closes down in September
With the looming update to Android Wear 2.0, legacy apps (and devices) are going the way of the buffalo. In this case, it’s the Together watch face that included one-to-one communications like doodles and photos with another person using Google’s wearable platform. Android Police reports that the reason why is that app’s latest update warns that the watch face’s social features are going to be baked into the next version of Android Wear. Y’know, similar to how they have been with Apple Watch. When’s the funeral? Apparently, the end of next month: September 30th.
Source: Android Police
Facebook starts testing live photo and video filters
Facebook has launched a new, experimental feature for its mobile apps that adds Snapchat-esque live filters over the videos and photos you take. Before you get too excited, though, you should know two things: first, its “creative effects” filters are very limited, and the ones already out (which include masks and frames) are Olympics-themed. Second, only iOS and Android users in Canada, as well as iOS users in Brazil can access it at the moment.
If you’re in either country, you’ll see a notification asking you to give the creative photos and videos feature access to your camera when you launch the app. Once that’s done, a camera will be placed right on top of your News Feed to make it easy to capture new images.
Facebook says that just like Instagram Stories, the prominent camera placing and live filters are part of its strategy to become a “more video-centric network.” But since this is just the feature’s test run prior to its global rollout, it might look and work differently once it arrives in the US and other parts of world. Most people would expect a much bigger selection of creative effects, at the very least, before they make the switch from their more robust, standalone filter apps.
Source: Facebook
Apple’s Store app knows what you want and when it’s in stock
Apple’s Store app (not to be confused with Apple’s App Store) that provides info about its bricks-and-mortar retail locations adds a few decent features today, including knowing when your order is ready to pick up, for less in-store loitering time.
The update also adds the ability to recommend products that Apple thinks you’ll like or would be useful based on the devices you already own (a little like a permanently up-selling salesperson in your pocket, let’s just hope it’s a useful one).
You might not have known that Apple Stores run workshops, but they do, and the Store app will flag any that are taking place at your nearest shop, let you see if something on your favourites is in stock and it’ll even let you scan in-store items to check that they’re compatible with the gear you’ve got at home.
The update’s available to download now, but Apple does point out that only some of those features are available globally — exactly which ones are available will depend on your location.
Source: Apple Store
Google’s iOS GIF keyboard now supports more languages
GBoard, Google’s kooky iOS keyboard that lets you push GIFs and emoji to your friends is getting a multilingual update. Starting today, the service will now work in French, German, Italian and Spanish as well as Portuguese and its Brazilian dialect. If that list includes your native tongue, you don’t even need to do anything as GBoard should detect your phone’s default language and switch to it. The update also adds smart GIF suggestions, so if you type out a recognizable keyword, such as party, then party-themed GIFs will be but a single tap away. Oh, and if GBoard’s standard light theme doesn’t go with your apps, no worries, as it now has a dark option to remain en vogue.
If you’re not caught up, GBoard is a Google-made iOS app that bakes in the search engine to your device’s keyboard. In addition, the service offers glide typing in a similar way to Swiftkey’s slidey-typing system. Most of GBoard’s features have been promised to Android users as well, although there’s no clear date for when some will arrive. In the meantime, it’s proving to be a beachhead for Apple owners who’ve seen the number of Google services on their devices gently fade away. Oh, and it can let you search for GIFs and Emojis that’ll make sure you’re the coolest and most millennial person in your WhatsApp group.
Source: Google
Google app for kids makes it fun to explore the Himalayas
Zooming around part of the Himalayas (and its tallest peak) on Google Street View might already be fun for a lot of people, but you’ll have to amp up the fun factor if you want grab kids’ attention. Google’s solution for that is giving kids (and adults) a way to explore 3D imagery of the mountain range as a very friendly, 500-foot-tall Yeti. The tech titan’s new Android app called Verne: The Himalayas, puts you in control of a Yeti that can climb mountains on foot, fly around in a jetpack, a hang glider or a balloon and even skate across frozen lakes. Verne can also play traditional Himalayan instruments and make friends with yaks.
The Yeti can do all that while a disembodied voice talks in the background to dispense random trivia about the mountain range — the app’s supposed to be fun and educational, after all. Mountain View didn’t say whether this marks the beginning of a series of educational applications for children. But if you need something, anything to distract your kids right this moment, check out the app on Google Play.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Verne: The Himalayas
Artisto transforms your videos into moving paintings
Artisto is like Prisma, but for videos. You either take a fresh video or select one from your gallery, choose the 10-second section you want to use and wait for the app to transform it into a version that reflects the styles of popular artists like Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. According to Russia Behind the Headlines (RBTH), Artisto was created by Russian tech titan Mail.ru for both Android and iOS. The company then published it under its American brand My.com, which has been developing games and other apps for the US over the past few years.
We’ve taken Artisto for a spin and found that it still has quite a few kinks that need to be ironed out. For starters, there’s a very limited number of filters to choose from, and there’s no guarantee that they will work. It takes forever to apply each filter — some take longer than others — and the app crashed on us more than once while it was in the middle of doing so. We’ve gotta say, though: when it does work, it makes videos look pretty sweet.
Mail.ru VP Anna Artamonova posted about the app on her Facebook page, and according to RBTH’s translation, it took the company only eight days to develop it. “We decided to play with neural networks, which have become increasingly popular, and ventured to create a video-editing app,” she wrote in her status update. We’ve also embedded her samples that showcase what the application is capable of below. You know, in case you don’t have the time or the patience to wait for Artisto to transform your own video into a Picasso.
Source: iTunes, Anna Artamonova (Facebook), Google Play
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