Samsung’s Galaxy Buds were a wow product when they first released a couple of years back.

Futuristic wireless audio wizardry, the very original ones (called Icon X) were slightly bigger and had 4GB internal storage.

Since then the differing updated models removed that 4GB and slimmed down.

This years (2020) Galaxy Buds+ have gone from a matte finish to a slight shiny metallic finish for the touch sensors and ramped up both the audio experience and the safety first feature with Ambient sound.

The Galaxy Buds+ feature three mics for better outside sound reflection when Ambient mode is turned on.

Ambient mode is a safety feature where you can hear your environment cleverly intertwined without interrupting your entertainment audio – handy for those that are prone to zoning out while on the move to their fav playlists or podcasts.

When Ambient is not used it is totally just you and your media in studio quality sounds.

The trio of mics also allow for a better wireless call experience, especially when in sound polluted environments such as a bustling city, an event or public transport. No longer do you need to walk down the street scaring civilians as you scream out your words aloud and vigorously so that the small Buds’ mics can pick up your voice.

Okay I do exaggerate – the mic on the Galaxy Buds was mostly fine (I never experienced an issue) – however with the Buds+ it is way better and can even pick up a softly spoken voice in a noisy environment.

Audio on the Galaxy Buds+ is made by heavyweights AKG – and having the last iteration of the Galaxy Buds, I did a comparison test between those and the Buds+.

Now, I’ve always been more than happy with the Galaxy Buds, they have a permanent place in my pocket and use them on a daily basis and have done since the first model.

Galaxy Buds have always had crystal clarity and deep bass which kept my ears happy enough. However once I popped the Galaxy Buds+ in to my ears I realised that I had been missing out.

Louder, deeper rumbling bass with detailed high def clarity that I thought I was already experiencing.

It’s almost as though the Galaxy Buds had been holding back – the Galaxy Buds+ sure don’t.

It is near impossible to match the audio of wired to wireless, but the Galaxy Buds+ get very very close to closing that gap.

The Galaxy Buds+ boast a whopping 22 hours of use and the small case holds enough charge for up to four full charges of the Buds.

The touch sensitivity is improved to – being that it is less touchy. On either side of the Buds is a touch pad. Here you can control your audio and answer or end calls. I’d somehow always skip a track or stop music with the Galaxy Buds if I adjusted their fitting with just the slightest accidental touch.

Also on a windy day I’d get the odd but rare audio drop from the bluetooth connection. One or both Buds.

The Galaxy Buds+ have not had any connectivity drop at the time of writing this review, no matter the environment and like their predecessor are water, dust and sweat resistant.

Galaxy Buds+ are wireless and cable (USB-C) charging. From empty to full on a 15W Samsung Wireless Charge dock it takes around 20 minutes.

On cable, slightly quicker at 15 minutes.

Charging from a Samsung Galaxy S10 or S20 via reverse charge is alot longer and took 35 minutes from empty.

The Galaxy Buds+ and their micro sub and dynamic dual speaker array are something to behold.

Pocket sized and always good to go they are as necessary to keep with you as your smartphone is.

Compatible with any Android or iOS (Apple) device as they connect via bluetooth and tweaks and settings can be adjusted via the Samsung Wearable App. It’s also within the App settings where you can turn on or off the ambient feature and whether you want spoken notifications. I always turn those off.

The small just got mightier – Galaxy Buds+ are an outstanding example of innovation and superb wireless personal audio.

The post Galaxy Buds+ Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The professional ear candy that is Harman Kardon fuses themselves with the wit and intellect of Amazon’s Alexa with Allure.

The mid to small sized Bluetooth speaker is the next step for the professional audio company from its larger predecessor the Astra.

The fat and round bad boy; Allure is voice activated, using Alexa, whereby you get all of the Alexa functions in one powerful audio device.

There’s no denying that Alexa is the Queen of A.I. assistance, leaving Google Assistant and Apple’s seemingly outdated Siri behind… I won’t even bother mentioning Bixby (although that one is getting better).

Syncing up the Allure requires a bit more effort than say, simply setting up a stand alone Alexa unit.

Installing the Harman Kardon App for iOS (iPhone / iPad) or Android will then seek out an Allure within the devices vicinity. The Allure unit needs to be in pairing mode.

Usually the App will locate the Allure and connect. On both iPhone and iPad it took a couple of go’s to connect successfully. Android on the other hand connected straight away.

This is all you really need the Harman Kardon App for. Everything else is done via voice or the small selection of touch buttons on the Allure speaker.

As with the Astra – the official Alexa App does not recognize the Allure as an ‘Alexa’ device. A bit disappointing, as when playing Spotify, and already having three Alexa devices around my apartment – I like to ‘Play on All’ to get music in every corner, every room. The Allure will be excluded from this option and is very much a standalone.

The size of the Allure means that in any environment it’s not obtrusive or bulky and is a perfect device for inner city apartments or similar.

Audio wise, the Allure can belt it out with the best of them, featuring a full 360 degree sound with built in sub and 65W speaker system.

Deep bass and super clear treble and everything in-between and beyond. The AKG audio from Harman Kardon is truly superb and surprising for its size.

The Allure requires a mains A/C connection on it’s base, then use it as a portable Bluetooth speaker with a long standing battery charge at full charge (about 10 hours of full time use).

If you’re looking to step in to the amusing and informative world of Alexa the Harman Kardon Allure Bluetooth speaker, with its small footprint and ‘alluring’ blue glow design is likely to be the way to go.

A lot of loud for your money, and more cost effective than simply buying an Amazon Alexa unit.

Allure is A.I. with a boombox.

The post Harman Kardon Allure Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Alongside the release of Samsung’s first flagship smartphone release this year, the Galaxy S10, the tech giant also released an ensemble of wearables.

One of those being the very forward thinking, innovative Galaxy Buds, which are the evolution from last year’s offering in true wireless audio, the Icon X.

Galaxy Buds are smaller than the Icons, they don’t protrude as much when in the ear and while I had always thought that the Icons squished in to my ears nice and tight, the Buds feel way more comfortable, natural and I can wear them for extended periods, even forgetting that I have them in (yes I have actually done this, more than once).

Samsung sent over their pearl white model and having reviewed the Icon X last year I was already familiar with the touch sensor controls for audio volume, track control and call taking.

Samsung make connectivity so easy with the Galaxy Wearable App. If you are using a Samsung phone, it will automatically detect the Buds and within seconds you’re connected and good to go.

On an Android smartphone, but not Samsung, the Galaxy Wearable App will still harness the Buds with an instant detection.

iOS (iPhone / iPad) is generally the same aswell – except I did have a few moments of call and music / connectivity drops on an iPhone XS Max. There’s also a couple of compromises – you will lose the ambient sound feature aswell as the music EQ. But they do simply connect via bluetooth, like any other wireless headset and are of course a much cheaper and hell nicer option to the Apple Earpods.

No drops or connection issues whatsoever on Android, Samsung or not.

Controlling the Buds is as mentioned via touch. Swipe or tap to play, pause, volume up or down and take a call. As impressed as I was with the Icon X when they first released in 2018, the smaller Galaxy Buds when wedged in your ears also still manage to pick up your voice via its dual microphones on a call precisely and clearly with no echo or lag. This includes VOIP calls aswell (Skype and Facebook).

The Galaxy Buds come with a carry case, also smaller than the Icon X. Easily fitting in the pocket and super light weighing in at only 6 grams, the carry case will offer up to 2.5 full charges of the Galaxy Buds, which will last up to 6 hours of continuous play time per single Bud charge.

The Galaxy Wearable App has its own unique features for the Galaxy Buds. Featuring audio and hardware by the top shelf AKG within each Bud, you can tweak your audio settings via the Galaxy Bud menu.

I had a good fiddle around with this on all devices that I paired with. Out of the box, the audio wasn’t impressive at all. Quiet and tinny. So there’s a definite need to toggle the audio enhancements to your liking – and if your device has a builtin EQ like Dolby Atmos or similar, also have a play around with that too until you get it just right.

Paired with your smartdevice you can wirelessly transmit to your ears any form of audio; your personal music library, streaming from Spotify, movies and of course gameplay. Actually, the Galaxy Buds have superb gaming sound.

The Buds themselves are teeny. If you use them for fitness, the corresponding Galaxy App will track your workout, run or walk via the Buds. Not that they are likely to ever drop out of your ears, but if you do lose one, or both, track it down with Find My Buds.

You can also get spoken notifications for any App you have on your smartdevice (providing the individual App allows it). I turned this off though, as it became really really annoying.

There are two major differences (three if you include size) between the predecessor, Icon X and the Galaxy Buds. Missing from the Buds is the builtin 4GB storage. While this would be handy for some who prefer to use the Buds on their own without a smartdevice, I have to admit that with my Icon X, I never used the internal storage, except for when initially reviewing them. So not a great loss.

The next huge advancement is that the Galaxy Buds will also wirelessly charge via their case. If you have a wireless smartphone charger at home, just place the Buds in their case and rest on the wireless charger.

You can of course do this via the power feature on the Galaxy S10. As I don’t have an S10 on hand I tried with my Huawei Mate 20 Pro which also offers the same feature – and yep they charge up and didn’t dent the phones battery one bit.

Cabled a full charge from totally dead takes roughly 15 minutes, wireless took longer, around twice the amount of time at 30 – 40 minutes.

Galaxy Buds are small personal audio must haves from the future. Slimmed down, restyled, snug fitting and with the right tweaking, creates an audio experience close to wired headsets. For me they are near perfect.

Open the case, pop them in and go.

The post Galaxy Buds Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Galaxy Buds offer a supreme listening experience, with sound by AKG.

Enhanced Ambient Sound allows you to hear your surroundings clearly even while the buds are in your ears, so you can remain aware of your environment at the same time as you take a phone call or listen to your favorite tunes. Premium sound extends to the sound of your voice, as well. The Adaptive Dual Microphone uses one inner microphone and one outer microphone in each earbud, so you can deliver your voice clearly in both loud and quiet environments.

Galaxy Buds keep up with you all day, with up to six hours of Bluetooth streaming, and up to five hours of calls. Plus, their compact case holds a charge for up to seven hours, and gives the Galaxy Buds 1.7 hours on a 15-minute quick charge. With wireless charging and device-to-device power sharing, you can also get a quick charging boost on the go from Galaxy S10 which is the latest Samsung smartphone.

Galaxy Buds integrate with Bixby on the latest Galaxy mobile devices, so you can activate your intelligent assistant quickly without ever picking up your phone. Simply use your voice to make calls, send text messages or check the battery life of your earbuds.

Expected to be released down under early March 2019 at $299.00 NZD.

The post Galaxy Buds: The In-Ear Lifestyle Companion appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you are a audiophile, like myself, then you want to have rich, highly detailed sound not only in your home but also as you’re out and about.

AKG, owned by Harmon / Kardon, have always been synonymous with top shelf audio gear. With their 2018 Award Winning N5005 inner earphones they aim to raise the bar even higher.

Now, all the way back in 2008 I shelled out a small fortune on a pair of Ultimate Ears TripleFi. These were the UE top of the line at the time (and still are). At the price tag, I hoped I was making a sound (pun intended) investment. It turns out that I did. To this day I have not come across a set of inner ears that even skims the surface of the audio quality the TripleFi have.

A decade on, and having had to replace two cables and one entire ear-piece the UE TripleFi are still my wired go to’s.

When I first met with the New Zealand AKG team and was shown the N5005s my eyes lit up. I HAD to give them a go. I had to see if they could trump the aging but still killer UE’s.

Proving that AKG are serious about sound and user experience, the N5005 come with three interchangeable cables. Two of these being braided, one for 3.5mm, 2.5mm and one enabling you to go wireless with Bluetooth connectivity.

All cables have both audio controls and handsfree functions. Each small ceramic encapsulated earpiece clips on to its colour coded wire, then all cables are designed to twist around your ear, having the earpieces sit snug and flat inside the ear opening.

For those that have not had a high end set, or sports earplugs before, wrapping them around the shape of your ear will take a bit of getting used to. Generally though, it ensures that the earpieces do not come loose while walking, running or jogging.

Also in the box is a set of four swap-able frequency filters to fine tune your audio to your preferences or the type of audio that you’re listening to.

For my time with the N5005’s I predominantly used the Bass Boost, but trying out the other frequency filters did add a more clearer or stadium like enhancement. Always though it depends on the type of audio and also the device used for playing audio.

Each singular earpiece has 5 drivers (x2 High Range, x2 Mid Range, x1 Low Pass) powering and pumping music or media into your ears, separating out the highs from the lows.

The best experience I got while using these was from gaming, which gave an almost home theater like experience.

Watching Netflix was also pleasing as you could feel the audio separation there too, music not so much.

This wasn’t to say that music did not produce it’s own signature AKG quality.

Primarily used on my Galaxy Note8 (which has a AKG enhancement) music, whether from microSd or Spotify gave a clear and crisp reproduction, but I felt that I never gained a full ‘Bass Boost’ experience.

The N5005’s surprisingly use silicon inner-ear buds. For a supreme set such as these I had expected to find foam buds. Usually high end inner ear headphones utilise foam buds to not only ensure that the buds stay in your ear, but also for outside noise cancellation.

When the audio device was at full volume, naturally all outside intereference was blocked out. But at a mid volume, walking around the city, there was still outside noise creeping in.

Within the box you will find a mix of silicon ear buds, to cater for aesthetics and sizing.

There is only one benefit to silicon earbuds over foam and that is that they take a very long time to deteriorate. Maybe this is why they are a staple for the N5005s.

There’s a lot of extras that come with the AKG N5005, more than you may likely ever need. The inclusion for three differing cables included braided was a huge plus for me (who has had to replace high end cables before).

Audio quality is outstanding even via mixed media devices, from Android to Apple through to PC / Laptop. The N5005’s are pricey though. You will not get any change from around $1K USD.

But, did they overshadow my decade old UE’s?

No.

But they got real close. The closest any high end earplugs have got to in comparison. The shortfall being the lack of being able to ‘feel’ the bass, even with the Bass Boost filters on. Also opting for silicon buds instead of foam.

Trivial for some, maybe, but to get that fuller audio experienceyou need to ensure that all outside intereference is blocked and even while audio can be fully detailed and crystal clear, there is something to be said for feeling that rumbling bass in your ears.

Despite these two factors, I would still seriously consider owning a set of these. What the N5005’s aim to do they do and exceed at. Top quality build, hard wearing and packaged with enough extras to ensure years upon years of trouble-free usage aswell as the option to go from wired to wireless in an instant.

The post AKG N5005 Earplugs Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung New Zealand introduces the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, the smartphones that reimagine the way people communicate, share and experience the world. Again.

Made for the way we increasingly communicate and express ourselves with images, videos and emojis, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ drive innovation with Samsung’s most advanced camera ever. Redesigned with a new Dual Aperture lens that powers an innovative low light camera, Super Slow-mo video capabilities and personalised AR Emoji, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ ensures that you never miss a moment and make your everyday epic.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ deliver an enhanced entertainment experience with powerful stereo speakers tuned by AKG, immersive audio with Dolby Atmos and a refined edge-to-edge Infinity Display – a key staple in Samsung’s design heritage.

“The way we use our smartphones has changed as communication and self-expression has evolved,” said DJ Koh, president and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “With the Galaxy S9 and S9+, we have reimagined the smartphone camera. Not only do the Galaxy S9 and S9+ enable consumers to shoot great photos and videos anywhere, it’s a smartphone that’s designed to help them connect to others and express themselves in a way that’s unique and personal to them.”

“Our latest flagship mobile phones layer our Galaxy heritage features that Kiwis love with a game-changing new camera and powerful performance enhancements,” said Todd Selwyn, Head of Mobile Product for Samsung New Zealand. “We’re excited to be able to bring to the New Zealand market the most advanced camera technology ever seen on a smartphone, which rivals professional DSLR camera technology.”

Today’s cameras are for more than taking pictures – they’re for connecting and communicating. Consumers want a smartphone camera with state-of-the-art technology, so they can express themselves with high-quality images and tools to tell their own, unique story. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ cameras are built with these consumers in mind, with a Super Speed Dual Pixel sensor with dedicated processing power and memory to take amazing shots with high photo quality. The Galaxy S9 and S9+’s camera features include:

• Super Slow-mo: Make every day moments epic with dynamic, slow-motion video that captures 960 frames per second. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also offer automatic Motion Detection, an intelligent feature that detects movement in the frame and automatically begins to record – all users have to do is set up the shot. After capturing the Super Slow-mo video, users can select background music from 35 different options or add a tune from their favorite playlist. Users can also easily create, edit and share GIF files with a simple tap in three playful styles of looping to watch the action over and over again.

• Low Light Camera: Good lighting is the secret to any great photo. But often, photos are taken in less-than-ideal lighting conditions and most smartphone cameras have a fixed aperture that can’t adjust to low or bright lighting environments resulting in grainy or washed out pictures. Similar to the way the iris of a human eye expands and contracts, Samsung’s Dual Aperture (F1.5 / F2.4) automatically lets in more light when it’s dark and less light when it’s too bright, taking photos that are crisp and clear.

• AR Emoji: Samsung lets users create an emoji that looks, sounds and personalises their feelings. AR Emoji uses a data-based machine learning algorithm, which analyzes a 2D image of the user and maps out more than 100 facial features to create a 3D model that reflects and imitates expressions, like winks and nods, for true personalisation. AR Emoji shares your real-life emotions not only in video but also with a range of stickers and uses a standard AGIF file format so users can share their emojis across most third-party messaging platforms.

• Bixby: Samsung’s intelligence platform, integrated into the camera, uses augmented reality and deep learning technologies to provide helpful information about a user’s surroundings. With real-time object detection and recognition, Bixby instantly generates information directly on top of the image that the camera is pointing at. Users can translate foreign languages and currency in real time with Live Translation, learn about their surroundings.

Smartphones are often our go-to choice for entertainment, which is why Samsung created a device that offers premium sound experiences with stereo speakers tuned by AKG. Whether users are watching their favourite movie or streaming their favourite artist’s latest album, sounds are clear, crisp and rich in quality. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also support Dolby Atmos, giving the effect of 360-degree sound.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ audio experience is complemented by Samsung’s revolutionary Infinity Display. First introduced on the Galaxy S8, the bold, bright Super AMOLED Infinity Display blends right into the phone with virtually no distracting notches. With adaptive contrast enhancement, users can use their device even in direct sunlight.

For those constantly on the move, the next-generation Samsung DeX empowers a mobile lifestyle by bringing a large, full-screen experience to the mobile handset. With the DeX Pad, a new docking system, users can easily connect the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to a larger monitor, keyboard and mouse to expand the mobile experience with enhanced document editing or even full-screen gaming. Users can also transform the Galaxy S9 and S9+ into a Touch Pad with the DeX Pad.

 Samsung sets the gold standard for smartphones with IP68 water and dust resistance and wireless charging and goes a step beyond with the Galaxy S9 and S9+. The devices now support expandable memory of up to 400GB with a Micro SD Card and are equipped with the latest premium application processors offering powerful performance and sophisticated image processing.

In addition, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ give users the peace of mind knowing that their phone is protected by Knox 3.1, Samsung’s latest defense-grade security platform. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ support three different biometric authentication options – iris, fingerprint, and facial recognition – so users can choose the way they want to protect their device and applications. The devices feature Intelligent Scan, a new verification that intelligently uses the collective strength of iris scanning and facial recognition technology to quickly and conveniently unlock a user’s phone in various situations. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ also introduce Dedicated Fingerprint, giving users the option to use a different fingerprint to access Secure Folder than the one used to unlock the phone.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ take health to the next level with an improved optical sensor built directly into the device, providing richer, more accurate information on users’ health status. This sensor allows the Galaxy S9 and S9+ to keep track of users’ Heart Load Factor, a new measurement of the real-time demand placed on the heart.

The Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be available in New Zealand on 16th of March 2018, on Vodafone, 2Degrees and Spark. Both devices will be offered in Midnight Black, Coral Blue and Lilac Purple.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S9 (starting from RRP $1,399) and S9+ (starting from RRP $1,599) will begin on the 26th February 2018.

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Specs:

The post Samsung Announce Galaxy S9 & S9+ appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

From as far back as the age of 8 years old, I have been super fussy with my audio gear.

I remember my first cassette deck stereo and fine tuning the basic equalizer nobs to get the best sound out of it that I could.

As I got older and audio equipment got better I got more fussy.

AKG hail from Vienna and have been producing some serious audio equipment since 1947. Recently they have launched a series of products in the headset range, one of those being the wireless N60 which STG received to try out.

Large without being obtrusive the N60 connects via Bluetooth to your audio streaming device. As you would expect connectivity is simple, and once connected always connected.

With builtin Active Noise Cancellation the over head set produce what I’ve found so far to be ultimately superior. From warm bass to high octaves and all the bits in between. The N60 captures every instrument it can in an audio track and gives each one of them a spotlight.

Being wireless and with smart devices of late opting to forgo the traditional 3.5MM socket, the N60 gives you total freedom without the tangles to be alone within your playlist.

Offering up to an astounding 30 hours of playback time on a single full charge – I was actually able to much more than this before the headset fully died. USB charging cable is supplied and usually around an hour will see you right for enough walks or public transport jaunts for a day or two.

And incase of an audio-less emergency where you have forgotten recharge the N60 there is the 3.5MM cable supplied in the box to keep you going. The cable also has remote functionality.

The N60 is designed for portability when not in use. It comes with a travel pouch and the headset folds up to fit into a bag.

Super cushiony and comfy to wear and surprisingly lightweight. Basic controls for skipping tracks is featured on the Right earcup as is a inner mic for hands free calling.

Over the years I have tried out many headsets and found that majority can cause a headache after a few hours, the same can also be said with some inner ear equipment too. Not so with the N60, you almost forget that you’re wearing them.

A little pricey, but this is a top shelf unit. Owning the N60 is like being a part of an elitist club. It’s audio producing quality is like that of what audio industry professionals expect when recording.

And while any audio receiving gear is susceptible to the streaming devices’ capabilities, the N60 performed exceedingly well with Android and iOS smart devices aswell as PC and iMac.

Break yourself free from the wires and give your ears the treat that they deserve.

The post AKG N60 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.