Microsoft’s official, first party wireless headset for the Xbox Series X and S is here. For some reason, Microsoft chose to release this product 4 months after the launch of the consoles. Why it wasn’t ready to go at launch is a question without answers, but now that the product is here, we can see whether or not it is something that owners of the console should consider. I have one, and I’ve been spending extensive time “testing” this gaming $130 peripheral.
Read MoreWireless chargers are a dime a dozen, and Samsung has been making wireless chargers of various kinds for years. The primary reason to buy a Samsung wireless charger is if you have a Samsung Galaxy Watch, which I do. Samsung’s 2021 line of wireless chargers are its most refined and elegant yet, but unless you have a Samsung Galaxy Watch, there are many better options. But if you do, as I do, these chargers may be for you… if you find a sale.
Read MoreAmong Samsung’s announcements during it’s January event was a new set of wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Pro. I was immediately interested in this product, as my previous pair of Galaxy Buds+ had been on their last legs, thanks to the charging case going for a quick 5 minute trip through the washing machine before I remembered they were still in a pants pocket. Oops. The earbuds themselves still work fine, but the charging case loses its charge within 24 hours, whether or not the headphones see any use. Oops again.
So when the financial ability came to replace the those water logged headphones, the Galaxy Buds Pro were at the top of my list. I’ve had them for about 10 days now, And I’m mostly happy with them. They are Samsung’s most expensive pair of wireless earbuds, so the question is are they worth it?
Read MoreGoogle Stadia launched just over a year ago, and I use the term “launched” loosely. The service was clearly not ready, with major features missing, and Google has spent the last year refining it and adding the features that should have been there at launch. I remained uninterested in Stadia partly because of the rough launch, and partly because I’m not sold on the business model. But, almost a year after launch, Google made a push to get more people to try it. The company was literally giving away Stadia Premiere edition kits to subscribers of YouTube Premium who signed up for a 3 month free trial of Stadia Pro (don’t worry, I’ll explain what all of that is). There have also been several excellent game sales, trying to get people on the platform. So, considering the offer was literally free, I decided to finally jump in. I’ve been playing games on Stadia for a few weeks now, and while game streaming is not quite ready for prime time yet, I’m very interested in the future of this category.
Read MoreLast week I wrote the first part of my thoughts on iPad OS. I’m using an iPad as a daily device for the first time, and haven’t used an iOS device as a full time device since the very first iPod Touch was released in 2007. I have had a lot to say about iPad OS, and you can read the first part here. In Part 2, I focus a couple software pieces, but I talk a lot about peripheral support, because I think that’s where most of the excitement with iPad OS is.
Read MoreWhen it comes to my technology products, in the last several years, I have used most desktop and mobile platforms, except for Apple’s. I have had a couple MacBook laptops, but haven’t used an Apple product as a daily device since around 2015. That changed earlier this year when, frustrated with the overall state of the Android ecosystem on tablets, I purchased an iPad Air. It became my first iOS/iPad OS product since the very first iPod Touch, and the first Apple Product that I’ve used personally in several years. I really wanted to re-familiarize myself with Apple products, and for what I was looking for, an iPad made the most sense. Learning iPad OS has been a fascinating experience, and I have a lot to say.
Read MoreWhy does the iPad Air exist? Before it’s release apple had the $430 iPad and the $950 iPad Pro, and really nothing in between. The entry level iPad was a good device but had a screen that was a significant step down from the Pro, ran on an older processor, and had less storage. But that was good enough for a lot of people. The iPad Pro was for people who wanted more than what the basic iPad could offer, but that came at a a $500+ premium, which was too much for the casual user who wanted something just a little bit better than the iPad without spending almost $1000. With the $650 iPad Air, that gap has been filled. There’s an older design, but a better screen and a newer processor. Does the middle child in the iPad family stand on it’s own, or is it only there to fill a price gap? Let’s dive in.
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