SAVFY Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Review

About SAVFY: SAVFY is the exclusive brand of Elifestore, which sells products ranging from accessories for your smartphone to lifestyle products such as design elements and even nail polish
About Product: The SAVFY Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker has:

• a dock for iDevices
• Bluetooth 4.0
• NFC Pairing
• Auxiliary port for non-bluetooth devices
• Two 5W drivers
• Kickstand
• 6-8 hour battery life

 

Impressions

Design
This speaker is constructed out of glossy plastic, but is still pretty solid. It rests squarely on any surface, but it has a kickstand in case you notice any instability.  The addition of a dock gives it a long, strange shape which doesn’t really scream “portability” to me.The dock claims to work for all devices, but if you have an Android device with capacitive keys, then you will not be able to access any of your keys while your device is docked
Sound Quality
The speaker doesn’t have any volume controls, which makes it not ideal for outdoor use. However, with my device at full volume, there is a great bass response and almost no distortion. There is a microphone for calling, but the call quality is terrible, with the other person coming through loud and distorted and with the caller unable to hear you most of the time.
Battery Life
The speaker touts a 6-8 hour battery life, and I found that to be very accurate. I used it extensively throughout my day(which is usually about 8 AM to 4 PM) and at no point did I ever see that the battery was running low
Connectivity
Pairing the speaker and my device was as easy as tapping the side of the speaker with NFC on. Once the device was connected,I was able to play and pause music with ease and answer calls. The speaker touts a 10M connectivity range, which allows me to listen to music and walk around with my phone while doing the day’s chores.

Conclusion

The SAVFY Bluetooth 4.0 speaker is a lot of speaker for $30(the current price on Amazon). For portability, it is not very ideal, as it has a strange shape and volume that is high, but not high enough. If you would like to purchase it, you can get it on Amazon for $26.99 with coupon code C7IWMEYW until June 30, and the normal price is $29.99.

You can find the official SAVFY Store here

Walli – Arty & Cool Wallpapers: Decorate your phone with this art (Review)

A few weeks ago I reviewed an app lock called Fingerprint App Lock. After a discussion with the developer, he brought up another app they recently released called Walli Arty & Cool Wallpapers. Naturally, since I was impressed with Fingerprint App Lock, it was obvious I should check out this wallpaper app. Who doesn’t like a good wallpaper app?

Developer: Shanga
Cost: Free with ads

Review

There are a crazy amount of wallpaper apps out there in the Play Store. Just search wallpaper, and you will see. That’s why it’s important to make sure worthy apps are seen, or they get lost in the sea of similar apps. Walli falls into that category, a worthy app that could get overlooked.

Walli doesn’t do the normal material wallpaper and landscape pictures that are popular today. The developers have hand selected and built a community of talented artists from around the world to ensure it has the most unique wallpapers.

You have three tabs to choose from: Featured, Popular, and Recent. I could explain all the categories, but let’s be honest, you know what they all mean so I’ll just skip past it. Once you find a wallpaper you like, you have two options – download or set as wallpaper. Walli will help you with the resolution that best fits your device.

There is also the option to click the creator’s name and browse their profile for more of their art if you’d like. You may also favorite any of the ones you like by clicking the heart button. Under your own profile, you can find all the wallpapers you liked and downloaded for later reference.

If by chance you can’t find what you’re looking for, there is a search feature available that will help you more specific art. I would like to see another tab added titled Categories and have them broken down. When searching, it’s sometimes hard to know what you’re looking for, so seeing categories to select from would be nice.

Walli does something I think is amazing. Instead of users just uploading their works and
getting credit, they instead get to share in a percentage of the revenue they earn from the ads shown after downloading wallpapers. Walli also gives everyone who downloads the app to submit an application if you want to try. Submitting doesn’t mean you get in; however, I think is an amazing program and only encourages the user content creation. It’s a triple win for the artists, the end users, and the developers.

 

 

Summary

Walli is hands down one of the best wallpaper apps in the market. I really believe they will grow and catch fire and will be vastly rewarded with the model they are using. It’s worth the download, so check them out.

Download Walli from the Play Store

1 of 10

Super Stacker is a kids’ block-stacking game that’s missing the big crash (review)

As kids, most of us played a game, be it with branded blocks or whatever items we had lying around, where each player would take a turn adding another block onto the previous one. This would create a growing tower, balanced by the skill of the stacking players.
Turns would be taken, and higher the tower would become. The tension would build, and at some point a mistake in placement would be made…and down the tower would come in a grand and loud crash.

That was the big payoff; it mostly didn’t matter who won, but it was the buildup and inevitable crash that made it fun.

Well, you can get most of those feelings in Super Stacker, an Android game you can get completely free in the Play Store. Super Stacker brings back that buildup and tension from your childhood game to your portable device. It’s a pretty simple game that lets you pick it up, play for a few rounds, and completely forget about it until next time. Which is exactly it’s point in life.

You begin with a rotating table/surface, with a large square block floating above it. The table/surface rotates while the block sites stationary.  You place the block by tapping on the screen. Then  the table (with the newly placed block) switches rotation direction (clockwise to counter-clockwise), and another block of the same size appears above, awaiting your tap. You repeat this process, and as you go up in tower size, the blocks get increasingly smaller, passing a Jenga-size block, onto extremely skinny sticks. In terms of controls, I would consider the game “good”, but we’re talking about repeated tapping here, so it would probably be pretty hard to get that wrong.

The idea is to continue the balance of the tower as it grows ever-higher with each block you place. This of course gets more and more difficult as the tower grows and your next block gets even skinnier.
The game does attempt to help you; as each block passes over the top block on the tower below it, it flashes white; this indicates that if you tap the screen now the block will drop in exactly the same orientation as the one below it, with of course maximizes the stability of the tower at that point.

You would think one could find a rhythm and line up most blocks pretty easily, but the game does a good job with geometry, speed, and rotation to mess with you. Also, the visuals and sound well-done for a game of this type: clean and unobtrusive. Other than the blocks, the only other major visual is your score high and center, which equals the number of blocks successfully stacked (my high score is 41, btw).

The game does have a negative in my opinion, but it’s a big one. During a physical version of this type of game (and as I stated earlier), most of the fun is in the simply buildup of tension and anticipation as the tower gets taller, and closer to it’s ultimate demise. The big payoff is when that fatal mistake is made, and the big, loud, messy crash brings the game to a definite and satisfying end.

With Super Stacker, this climax is completely missed. When the top block is set askew, instead of a grand cacophony of crashing blocks,

The top one tips over.
The screen freezers.
The universal “replay” symbol appears.

And that’s it. You really feel left hanging with that kind of ending, and it’s one that takes you from feeling “Hey this is pretty fun!” to “Really? That’s it? Hmph.”. To me that’s the crux of this game, and if the developer can create a couple of random crash scenes to provide, this game’s value goes way, way up.

 

Sesame Lock Screen: Fast access to everything on your phone!

Details

Developer: Sesame Crew

Price: Free

Category: Lockscreen, Google Now replacement

Description

Sesame Lock Screen sits on top of your stock lock screen. When you turn your phone screen on Sesame pops up and is ready to get to work. Your notifications are all here with previews clicking one of them will take you to the unlock screen. Once the phone is unlocked you are taken to the app that you clicked the notification for.

The real meat of this app comes from the keyboard at the bottom. In 1 to 2 clicks you can have almost any app or setting pulled up and ready for your use. For instance, if I wanted to change the Display Settings I would just type “dis” and I would see Setting:Display.

Click it and unlock the phone and BOOM there are the display settings. Another powerful piece of this is Sesame can search inside of other apps. So say I want to search for Thousand Foot Krutch music. I just start typing “Thousan”…and Sesame shows me the band name with the Spotify icon next to it, if I click the name Sesame opens Spotify and takes me to the correct page so I can now play the music I searched for.  

Determination

This app took me roughly three days to become comfortable with it. I was so used to hitting the home button to unlock the device and either pulling down the Notification shade or going to the app drawer to find what I needed. This app takes all those steps and combines them into a few clicks.

I think this a great app and once you get used to it, it will simplify the way you use your phone.  This is not the most visually appealing app I have ever seen but the function out weighs the lack of visuals here for sure!

You can find Sesame Lock Screen on the Google Play Store for Free.

The Hottest Android apps and games around (June 24)

Welcome to Week 5 of The Hottest Android apps and games around!. On top of pulling the top 10 downloaded apps and games from Google Play and the Amazon Appstore I have also included the top 5 New apps and games from Google Play and Amazon’s Underground project.

If you are not familiar with Underground check out this Article, but it’s basically Amazon taking apps that normally cost money and making them free, even the in-app purchases are gone so you pay nothing for an app that normally cost money! Leave a comment below if you download any of this weeks apps.

Top 5 New Free Apps and Games (Google Play)

1. T-Mobile Tuesdays

T-Mobile USA

2. Ninja Turtles: Legends

Ludia Inc.

3. Tap Emoji Keyboard-Smiley,Skin

Tap! Apps

 

4. Zombie Castaways

VIZOR INTERACTIVE

5. Ketchapp Basketball

Ketchapp

Top 5 New Paid Apps and Games (Google Play)

1. Toca Life: Vacation

Toca Boca $2.99

2. _PRISM

Clint Siu $2.99

3. MCF: Key To Ravenhearst (Full)

Big Fish Games $4.99

4. Goat Simulator Waste of Space

Coffee Stain Studios $4.99

5. My PlayHome Hospital

Shimon Young $2.99

Top Actually Free  Apps and Games (Amazon AppStore Underground)

1. Goat Simulator Waste of Space

Coffee Stain Studios

In App Purchases: FREE

Sonic Dash 

Sega of America

In App Purchases: FREE

 

Flow Free

Big Duck Games LLC

In App Purchases: FREE

Word Twist

Random Salad Games LLC

Flow Free: Bridges

Big Duck Games LLC

Top 10  Free Apps and Games (Google Play)

Messenger(Facebook)
slither.io
Facebook (Beta)
Snapchat
Pandora® Radio
Instagram
Netflix
GO Speed (Clean & AppLock)
Spotify Music
YouTube Music

Top Free Apps and Games (Amazon Appstore)

Sonic Dash
slither.io
Facebook Messenger
ES File Explorer
Goat Simulator Waste of Space
Netflix
Facebook
Color Switch
YouTube
Amazon Video

Top Paid Apps and Games (Google Play)

Minecraft: Pocket Edition $6.99

Nova Launcher Prime $0.99

Sleep as Android Unlock $0.99

Ultimate Guitar Tabs & Chords $0.99

Minecraft: Story Mode $4.99

Poweramp Full Version Unlocker $0.99

Ticket to Ride $1.99

Bloons TD 5 $2.99

Geometry Dash $1.99

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas $3.99

 

 

Top Paid Apps and Games (Amazon AppStore)

Minecraft – Pocket Edition $6.99

Plants vs. Zombies $0.99

Minecraft: Story Mode $4.99

TeenyTitans – Teen Titans Go! $3.99

Geometry Dash $1.99

Toca Life: Vacation $2.99

Five Nights at Freddy’s $2.99

Midnight Calling: Anabel Collector’s… $2.99

BlockLauncher Pro $3.30

PAW Patrol Pups Take Flight $3.99

 

Optoma NuForce BE6i Wireless Earphone Review

It’s no doubt that Bluetooth wireless headphones are the hotness in audio gear today. Many of our favorite headphone manufacturers now have a Bluetooth device somewhere in their lineup. Optoma is one of the newer guys to join the fray.

This week, the company has just launched the NuForce BE6i in-ears. Folks who are into the audio scene may have seen the NuForce earphone brand before, which can reach audiophile-grade, HiFi levels (and pricing). However, the BE6i looks to compete with today’s popular wireless in-ears, like from Jaybird and Plantronics, with a strong package and cool retail price of $129. Let’s check it out.

Design

From the bat, you can tell that Optoma means business. Most of the wireless in-ears you see today have a somewhat cheap-feeling plastic build. The BE6i earpieces are completely Aluminum.

Their cylindrical shape is nothing special, and it’s a little too reminiscent to Jaybird’s X models, so thankfully the BE6i have the metal to help them stand out. There’s slight tapers on the front and back of the chassis that also help the basic design. And at the back end, the “Nu” branding is etched into the metal.

A small mention is that the caps of the earpieces are magnetically attracted. It’s not a big deal, but nice to see them cleanly clasp when not in use.

The cord is also not unlike that I’ve seen from the competition. It’s a flat, rubbery cable (meant to route behind the neck), with an in-line 3-button remote/mic. The remote succumbs to cheap plastic, but I like that it’s exactly the same color as the cable, so that fact doesn’t distract that much.

This is also from where you charge the BE6i. The microUSB charging port is under a flap on the side of the remote. A small LED light indicates when it’s charging and when it’s fully charged.

Function

Optoma was quite considerate with the BE6i’s packaging. You’ll see a robust zipper case when you open the box. Within it are a total of six silicone ear tip pairs (three shorter and three longer), two pairs of Comply tips, silicone ear fins (help secure the fit in your ear), a cable clip (to tidy the cable slack), and a microUSB-to-USB charging cable.

It’s easy to get started. Simply hold down the middle button on the remote for a couple seconds and the BE6i powers up in discover mode. Simply find it in your mobile device’s Bluetooth settings and voila.

The fit is decent. Some folks may be concerned about the metal’s weight, but only the earpieces are metal (and light metal, at that). The rest of the unit is very lightweight. Bear in mind that the earpieces are a tad on the large side, but not unlike its competition.

Granted, they stay in the ear well. However, I’m not a big fan of the silicone tips. I tried multiple ones and can’t get a tight seal. So I’m glad that Optoma includes foam tips.

It’s important to know that although the BE6i have a premium aesthetic, that doesn’t mean they compromise on durability. Just like the other guys, they have sweat and water resistance (IPX5 rating). The Bluetooth range is also not hindered by the metal design. It is rated at a whopping 100 feet. Battery is decent too, at up to 8 hours.

Sound

Of course, nothing I’ve discussed so far matters unless the earphones sound good. Does Optoma manage to carry over its expertise into the Bluetooth arena? I think so. The quality definitely justifies the price tag, which says a lot, because the BE6i incorporates a lot of other technology.

The sound’s biggest strengths are the bass and treble. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean that the sound signature is V-shaped (forward bass/treble but recessed mid-range). The mids do have a good presence, albeit, the quality doesn’t quite match to the rest of the spectrum. They’re a little hollow, or flat, to my ears.

I would give the cake to highs. They’re satisfyingly detailed; instruments like cymbals and percussions have a fullness/richness (but not piercing or exaggerated). Bass is decent as a whole. The delivery is solid, with a nice kick from the mid-bass, but the depth and energy from the lower-end could be better.

The width of the soundstage is above average, but nothing to write home about. I would’ve liked it to be more 3D than 2D (there’s more width than height or depth). All in all, decent sound quality, but nothing that will blow you away.

Final Thoughts

I think that Optoma did a good job, but unsure if it’s enough to stand out in what’s now becoming a crowded market. I would definitely recommend the BE6i, though. It’s solidly built, functions well, sounds good, and is competitively priced, at $129. My only gripe is the silicone tips; they don’t have the best fit in my ears.

NuForce BE6i product page

B!Sides Brain Challenge: The lost Tetris b-side (review)

THE BASICS

If Tetris and Sudoku spent one wild and crazy night together “punching numbers,” then surely B!Side Brain Challenge is the fruit of their passions.

The goal is to arrange blocks of positive and negative numbers inside of a 5×5 grid into horizontal or vertical groups that have a combined sum of 0. As time passes, more numbers will appear on the grid. Play ends when numbered blocks fill the entire grid.

THE GOOD

Mental math is a dying art. B!Sides is a straightforward, entertaining game that will help exercise that simple math muscle and hopefully lead to a generation more readily equipped to count change at the register of your favorite lunch spot.

THE BAD

There are no levels or save points for continuation of play, and no bonus awarded for clearing the grid at any point in the game. There are awards insofar as highlighted logos in the Achievements tab are considered adequate reward. Achievements are categorized by points earned in a single game and total number of games played.

THE UGLY

Unless otherwise specified, stats and gamer ID are public through your Google account. Visit the Google Play Games app to change gamer ID privacy settings. For those wishing to reign anonymously as B!Side champion (your friends can’t prove it’s not true!) tap the settings menu and uncheck the appropriate boxes.

B!Warned! This game is addictive. You cannot win. You can only play until you lose. The absence of levels or save points gives way to an instinctive need to conquer B!Sides at every attempt, at the possible expense of hydration, hygiene and sleep.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Google, show me a default of privacy and I’ll show you that last half of a star.)

Omaker’s fully reversible micro USB cables are pretty sweet and well worth $13(review)

In the past year we have seen a major shift in USB connectors from micro USB type-C. One of the biggest advantages of USB type-C is the plug’s reversibility factor.

Micro USB has been the standard for the past five plus years, and its biggest downside has been the non reversible plug. The non reversible plug makes it difficult to plug the tiny micro USB port into the female end of electronic devices.

When I was in my twenties, it wasn’t much of an issue since my eyes were perfect. But now that I am in my mid thirties, I am finding more difficult to plug the micro USB cables into my devices. I end up scratching the bottom of my phones and other devices rather badly.

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge micro USB charging port

I’ve recently made the switch to reversible micro USB cables and love them. Not all of them are created equally, and Omaker’s cables are some of the best I’ve used so far.

Build and Usage

Omaker makes quality mobile accessories. I’ve used several of its products and have yet to be let down with a poorly made product. The reversible micro USB cables from Omaker have a standard USB type-A plug on one end with a nice braided sleeve over the cable to provide better durability. Many cables break at the connection point from the wire to the plug, but cables with braided sleeves tend to last much longer.

Where Omaker’s cables differ from other reversible micro USB plugs I have used, is the quality of the plug itself. There are quite a few manufacturers who claim to have reversible micro USB cables, but many of them fit too tightly. The precision required to get quality reversible micro USB plugs is high, and of the eight brands I have tried, only Scosche and Omaker ensure a smooth and comfortable fit. Others either fit too tight or loose. Omaker sits right in the middle and gets the fit just right.

Omaker reversible micro USB plug (bottom)

I actually purchased these cables to use, because my vision is getting worse with age. When I drive the last thing I want to do is fiddle with the cable I use to charge my Galaxy S7 edge. Omaker’s reversible micro USB cables are much safer to use in the car than the traditional micro USB cables. I’ve also replaced the traditional charging cables on my nightstand multi- port charging stand, because it’s especially hard to see at night when I am ready to charge my phone and tablets before I hit the sack.

Conclusion

Reversible micro USB cables don’t get as much attention as they should. While the industry is moving to USB type-C, there are still thousands of accessories, tablets and smartphones that still use micro USB. Omaker’s reversible micro USB cables are a pleasure to use and even make me wonder why didn’t someone do this sooner. If they did, we may not have even needed to switch to USB type-C to begin with.

I highly recommend Omaker’s reversible micro USB cables. You can get a pair for $12.99 on sale at Amazon now.