LABFREQ - Digital Lifestyle Curators

November 4, 2021November 3, 2021

ThinkReality A3 AR Glasses Review

The ThinkReality A3 glasses represent Lenovo’s foray into the Augmented Reality space, bringing enterprise-level abilities and next-gen features to the desktop and mobile. Does the A3 headset have what it takes to compete with the Oculus and Hololens’ of the world?

The ThinkReality A3s are a pair of Augmented Reality smart glasses that come equipped with a Qualcomm XR-1 SmartViewer, a specialized processor for AR/VR devices, 1080p resolution per eye, and an 8MP RGB Camera. 3 noise-suppressing mics and stereo speakers cover the audio, with voice, object, and image recognition. It’s also equipped with head/gaze tracking, a barcode reader, and High-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP) for digital rights management (DRM).

The A3 smart frames connect to certain Lenovo and Motorola devices, particularly higher-ended Thinkpads and Snapdragon 800 powered Motorola smartphones like the Moto G100. When connected to a desktop or laptop it works as a virtual monitor hub, turning your primary monitor into a wide-view curved virtual display – or extending it by adding two separate monitors of discreet, private viewing or work sessions.

When tethered to the Thinkpad p52 we had available, the ThinkReality A3 ran without a glitch and looked as vivid and clear as an actual physical display monitor despite the slight transparency in the image (think Star Trek or 2Pac Hologram quality).

Rocking the ThinkReality A3s like a boss.

ThinkReality A3 Platform for Android

We may have not had an easy way to stream the desktop monitor view with our readers, but that’s a different story when you connect the A3’s to the Android platform – particularly the Moto G100. Lenovo has built a favorable mobile platform for the ThinkReality A3, and if they decided to go full throttle they may have something mainstream on their hands.

The A3 has three built-in apps for the platform: the A3 Companion app, A3 Model Viewer, and AR Cast- the latter makes screen-recording the A3 in use with the Moto G100 possible.

Granted, Android apps have to be cleared from the Enterprise end using ThinkReality Portal in order to run on the A3 – but basically, any app installed on your device will run in AR as long as you can deal with a head-tracking pointer as the main means of navigating the interface. While there are image-tearing and graphic glitches issues in the screen recording, those artifacts aren’t present in real-time.

I had minimal issues with the ThinkReality A3 frames, they ran flawlessly when connected to supported devices. The only time I ran into any issues was when I attempted to connect them to other devices either not made by Lenovo, or unofficial Lenovo devices. Nevertheless, the VR frames ran fine on the ThinkPad X2 detachable and the ThinkBook P15 Gen 2 – so long as Lenovo’s Virtual Monitor Manager software is installed. At the time of writing this article, the only Android device that the A3 detected was the Moto G100.

Conclusion

The ThinkReality A3 Glasses are an interesting product that would be a must-have if money was no object. Priced at $1,499, these glasses are aimed squarely at the enterprise market. With a light build, slick design, and an ambidextrous ecosystem that’s compatible with both Android and Windows it could be a home-run product – if Lenovo can get the price down to consumer-tier.

One or two more iterations from now, I see the ThinkReality platform competing as a standalone ecosystem for work, Media consumption, and should Lenovo dare develop the platform further – Gaming. The ThinkReality A3 smart frames are definitely one to keep an eye on.

November 3, 2021January 10, 2022

Moto G100 Review

The Moto G100 is the latest addition in Motorola’s mid-range lineup. It’s got the specs, the look, and a vibrant display. Does that give it enough to stand out in a competitive mobile space?

Motorola is marketing the latest Moto G as the most powerful and speediest to date. Equipped with a Snapdragon 870 processor, 8GB of Ram, a 5000 mAh battery with a rear Quad-Camera set-up it certainly appears to meet those standards in the specs department. The Snapdragon 800 series processor is present to power some high-end features – like Motorola’s Ready For platform and even compatibility with the ThinkReality A3 Glasses platform. For the scoop on how it fares in day-to-day use, read more below.

Build Quality

The Moto G has a vibrant 6.7″ LCD display, with a 90Hz refresh rate, HDR10, and DCI-P3 color space. It will satisfy all but the most technical user who is accustomed to the deep blacks and bright contrast of an AMOLED display. The typical causal smartphone owner can’t tell the the difference. The display is more narrow than average, with a 21:9 aspect ratio that Motorola dubbs ‘CinemaVision’. It’s protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

Back view of the Iridescent Ocean Moto G100

The back has a plastic rear housing, which comes in either White or Iridescent Ocean – our review unit came in the latter. It gives off a two-toned look that gradients from sky blue to violet depending on the amount of light shining on the back. The phone also has polycarbonate rails (plastic). It’s not IP-certified, but it does have a splash-resistant coating to protect it from moderate moisture and occasional splashes.

A near-stock version of Android, and a minimal amount of apps come pre-installed on the Moto G100 – no carrier subsidized bloatware – and the usual Moto-favorites like chop for flashlight and twist to launch the camera are still present.

There are a few new additions to the Moto Setup, like Styles which is a part of the Android Skin Motorola calls MyUI – which let’s you customize the look of the User Interface.

The Specs

The G100 is the most powerful Moto yet, touting the rarely seen Snapdragon 870 SoC, which sits right under Qualcomm’s 888 chip. It only comes in the 128GB config, but it has an SD card slot for external storage expansion. With 8GB of RAM finishing off the internals, it runs smooth, with very few stutters or delays.

For photography, the Moto’s Quad Camera set-up has a 64MP main lens, 16MP ultra-wide, a 2MP depth camera, and TOF Advanced Laser Autofocus. The main lens used Quad Pixel technology to merge four high-res 16MP photos out of the 64MP sensor for better overall photo quality. The selfie cam comes in at 16MP.

Operating System	Android™ 11
Storage	128GB (Internal), Up to 1TB expandable with microSD card
Sensors	Accelerometer, Magnetometer (compass), Gyro, Proximity, Ambient Light
Processor	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 870 5G Mobile Platform Adreno™ 650 GPU
Memory (RAM)	8GB LPDDR5
Security	Side-mounted fingerprint reader Face unlock ThinkShield for mobile
Rear Cameras	64MP 1/2″ optical format f/1.7 aperture 0.7µm pixel size \| Quad Pixel Technology for 1.4µm \| 16MP Ultra-wide angle (117-degree FOV) Macro Vision f/2.2 aperture 1.0µm pixel size Ring flash \| 2MP Depth camera f/2.4 aperture 1.75µm pixel size \| TOF Advanced Laser Autofocus
Front Camera	16MP f/2.2 aperture 1.0µm pixel size \| Quad Pixel Technology for 2.0µm 8MP Ultra-wide angle (118-degree FOV) f/2.4 aperture 1.12µm pixel size
Audio	3.5 mm headphone jack

The ReadyFor Platform

The Moto G100 comes with a USB-C to HDMI cable ( a whole dock if you’re in the UK), that allows for some big-screen functionality with the Ready For platform. Ready For, allows you to expand your phones experience to TVs and external displays – and there’s an HDMI cord included in the box. With four dedicated modes, the mobile desktop platform gives access to Mobile Desktop, TV, Game, and Video Chat – you can keep your laptop at home or skip the desktop in your home office altogether.

While the Ready For platform does have some resemblances to Samsung’s Dex platform, Motorola does go the extra mile by organizing your device’s apps by use-case in four nice categories – each with its own custom software enhancements. Check out the Mobile Desktop mode below:

Conclusion

The Moto brand of smartphones has gone through quite a bit of transformation over the years. What started as Motorola’s flagship smartphone ended up being outsold by its more budget counterparts, and eventually was delegated two tiers down from the cutting-edge Razr 5G foldable AND the more premium built Edge/Edge + flagship series. That would mean the Moto G100 – while being the most high-end Moto and the 3rd most powerful handset from Motorola in 2021 – is not what you would categorize as a flagship. But when you factor in the specs, features, and compatibility with the ThinkReality A3 Glasses – most would be hard-pressed to tell the difference. The Moto G100 provides a reliable, trouble-free user experience – but it’s the little details that remind you that you’re not using the best that Motorola currently has to offer.

October 28, 2021January 10, 2022

Camtasia Review: the Video Editor for Replays

Techsmith, the company behind SnagIt – has a video editor known as Camtasia. And some of our staff members just so happen to think it’s the next best thing since sliced garlic bread.

Camtasia is a Video Editor that caters to replays, demonstrations, how-to’s, and showcasing screen recordings. It’s a full-on NLE, but its built in assets lean more towards those use case scenarios. Sure, you could import just about any video and make any type of content you wanted – but Camtasia fills a certain market void that makes it more valuable that it may appear during a glance-over.

Camtasia has a UI that resembles most other desktop video editors, it’s only when you start to fiddle with the built-in Asset Library that you start to see the benefits of using Techsmith’s flagship program. Next to the usual tools you see like Animations and Transitions, there are a collection of new ones like Annotation and Behaviors. This allows for unique editing abities like showcasing correct form in an athlete’s practice reels, or even demonstrating software.

There’s also a smart collection of visual assets and effects that work for those who need to make a demonstration out of anything going on in a computer desktop environment. It also has a screen recording software tool, to make those sorts of videos convenient to make in one program.

Editing one of our very own
software showcases in Camtasia.

Conclusion

Techsmith equipped Camtasia with clever, innovative editing and video enhancing toolbox; along with an intuitive, easy-to-learn User experience. For anyone looking to record their on-screen activity and make detailed, advanced edits – it’s a must-buy.

October 24, 2021January 10, 2022

Studio One 5 Review: Coming of Age

PreSonus’ flagship product, Studio One has reached its fifth version. And as an avid Studio One user (since version 1.5 to be exact) I felt the need to write, produce, and record a rap jingle – within Studio One – to commemorate this moment; To celebrate this fine achievement in music production convergence:

Studio One Theme & Lyrics

https://labfreq.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Tremendous-S1-Theme-Short-Edit.mp3

-Verse-
Never lacking options, when it comes to software my collection known to give a newbie a run/
But when I really want to handle business, I record and mix with Studio One/
It’s a new yet established DAW by a company known as PreSonus/
It’s fully featured yet simple to use, tips and tools I’ll give you a bonus/
When you’re recording in session view, instruments and effects are drag and drop/
Project Mode you can make master add cover art and metadata tags on top.
Of each track, peep the facts – Show Mode even works live/
Studio One - it's no jive/
PreSonus Sphere get version 5! And-
 
-Hook & Chorus-
Get Right, on site, (STUDIO) Levels Right, (ONE), Mix Tight, (Oh) Don’t fight, (Yeah) see the light, (STUDIO) Dynamite, (ONE) Ignite, (Oh)
Don’t fight. (Yeah) Get Right, (STUDIO) See the light, (ONE) get right, (Oh) Level lights, (Yeah) get right, (STUDIO) mix tight, (ONE) get right

If that doesn’t show my passion for this piece of software, I don’t know what will.

Studio One 5.4, is the latest version of the well-rounded Digital Audio Workstation by PreSonus – a company you may know for their Interfaces, Mixing Boards, and Studio Monitors. It’s one of the newer DAWs on the scene, but one that has been around long enough to establish its relevance in a crowded market – and it keeps getting better with each release. It comes in three tiers: Studio One Artist ($99), Professional ($399), or with PreSonus Sphere ($14.99/Monthly – $164.95/Annual) With a completely redesigned Native Effects plugin suite, Score View for traditional notation editing, the ability to perform live with Studio One’s new Shop Page and more – we will explore what’s all-new in our Studio One 5 review.

When Studio One finishes loading on the Splash Screen, you’re greeted with what I’d like to call “the Launch Hub” – this is where you’re greeted with the many pathways to audial autonomy. You could Record and Mix and New songs, Master and Release a New Project, or Rehearse and Perform for a new Show set. While you could technically accomplish most of these tasks in a few other DAWs, no other software offers these features in such a streamlined manner – each with its UI and workflows. This is where Studio One has a leg and arm up on the market.

Session View

The Session View is where most of the magic happens, where producing, mixing, and recording, and even notation scoring takes place. Many of the most used tools in music production and audio editing is available within one of the visible windows on the main view: the main Transport is available on the bottom dock; Essential Track Controls occupy the left of the Interface; Quick Edit tools flank the top of the screen, along with Quantize and File Quick Buttons that present a drop-down list of options; while on the right is a navigation window that allows you to browse files on your computer by Instrument, Effect, Loop, and SDD directory.

At the bottom right of the screen, three buttons are controlling your access to the Track and Mixer views, as well as a browse button that hides or shows the Navigation Window. It’s a feature-packed UI that allows for easy access to every tool while keeping the pop-up windows down to virtual Instruments and Effects.

While Studio One has a deep selection of Instruments, Effects, and Loops – we won’t go into detail here, as we’ve covered them extensively in our review of Version 4.

Project View

The Project Page isn’t a feature that’s new to Studio One 5, (having been around since 2.5) – but it’s an essential and valuable feature to the program, nevertheless.

This mode allows you to import mixdowns into the desired Track Order of an Album, EP, or a single – add Cover Art and credits into each song as metadata and export your project to the desired format.

Show View

The Show Page is one of the new additions to the Music Production Suite – showing its presence in version 5. It allows for you to create and edit show sets, and more impressively- utilize virtual instruments and effects in your performances and much more. Ever dreamed of adding your favorite studio effect to your live vocals in real-time, or stacking a classic Mellotron patch over the lush sounds of your Yamaha Motif workstation as one of Beyoncé’s Tour Band members? Studio One’s new Show Page is what you need.

Conclusion

While there are many more features to explore – namely Real-time Chord Display, which works with the Piano Roll, or Multi-Format Mixdown Exporting – both of which are self-explanatory with the names alone; These features were newly added in the 5.4 incremental update – which speaks as a testament to the companies’ long-term dedication to the development of the DAW.

PreSonus has managed to keep adding thoughtful, innovative features that bridge the gap between Studio One’s many broad strong points – while managing to stay running lean and agile.

July 28, 2021March 7, 2023

Thinkpad L13 Yoga Gen 2 Review

The ThinkPad brand of laptops have a lot choices in it’s lineup, few are a versatile as the Thinkpad L13 Yoga Gen 2. It’s Jack of all Trades feature set turns out to be both the gift and curse of this unassuming, unitarian laptop.

Build and Feel

Traditional, Classic ThinkPad design is what you get here, Lenovo doesn’t deviate from the norm. One unique feature of the L13, are the two metal hinges that allow the screen and base to rotate the laptop 360-degrees into tablet mode – making it an official 2-in-1. The entire body is aluminum, adding the allure and premium feel of the Yoga brand – without losing any of the popular features ThinkPads are known for. The spacious key-travel, signature red-knob (Trackpoint) navigation, and IT-centric security tools are all on board.

The specs of the L13 Yoga justifies the slight bulkiness of the chassis, but that thinkness is only compared to the other Yoga laptops and the ThinkPad X1 Nano and X1 Carbon. It’s much more compact and travel friendly than a Legion laptop or the other ThinkPads.

Display	13.3 FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-reflective, anti-smudge, touchscreen, 300 nots
Processor	11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 @2.40GHz – up to 2.42GHz
Memory	8GB DDR4 3200MHd (Soldered)
Storage	512 PCIe SSD
Graphics	Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Security	Discrete Trusted Platform Module (dTPM) 2.0 Optional: Match-on-chip fingerprint reader Facial recognition with Windows Hello (requires IR camera) Optional: Smart card reader Webcam privacy cover Kensington lock slot
Pen	ThinkPad Pen Pro
Audio	Dolby Premium Dual far-field mics
Camera	720p HD & 5 MP World Facing
Connectivity	Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11AX (2 x 2) & Bluetooth® 5.1
Ports/Slots	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (one always on) USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C USB 4.0 Type-C / Thunderbolt™ 4 HDMI 2.0 Headphone / mic combo MicroSD card reader Optional: Smart card reader
Keyboard	Backlit – US English

Standout Features

Connectivity options galore, the L13 Yoga is one Thinkpad that lives up to its brand name and doesn’t sacrifice ports for modern functionality. Two full-sized USB-A ports, two USB Type-C ports (one is 4.0 Thunderbolt), an HDMI port, and a MicroSD Card slot are all on board. The metal 360-hinge gives this Thinkpad its 2-in-1 superpowers, making it one of the most versatile laptops on the market and deeming it worthy to carry the Yoga branding.

The ThinkPad Pen Pro is tucked away for when the time demands, like taking a quick note or precision is needed for an illustration or presentation. While the stylus could use a bit more width, it’s full-size length and the programmable two-buttons adds a much-needed improvement over the smaller ones included with Lenovo’s Yoga-branded devices. It also has a fingerprint reader and is Windows-Hello enabled, for a Face-ID type unlocking feature.

Conclusion

The ThinkPad L13 Yoga isn’t the thinnest or prettiest Thinkpad or Yoga device available, but it surely is one of the most well-rounded. Combining the business capabilities of the ThinkPad with the agility and future-proof features of the Yoga has reached a refined state in this 2nd Gen hybrid device. Depending on what you’re looking for, this could either be a ThinkPad that gains the features of the Yoga or a Yoga that loses some of it’s design edge for the office ready tools of the ThinkPad.

July 25, 2021April 17, 2023

Mobovi Ticwatch Pro 3 GPS Review

The Ticwatch Pro 3 isn’t the watch that I’d imagine would end up at the top of my favorite smartwatch list, but it has. The unassuming, seemingly average FTSN-screened wristwatch brings a twist – not only to WearOS devices – but the smartwatch landscape as a whole.

Out the Box

The Ticwatch Pro box and packaging is rather standard, packed with the essentials and nothing more: the watch, a proprietary magnetic charging clip, a power brick, the user guide, and a few marketing materials upselling Mobvoi’s products. The box itself does a great job selling you on the specs of the device.

On the Wrist

The 454×454 AMOLED display is immersed in a watch case that measures out to 47 x 48 x 12.2 mm, which gives the Ticwatch Pro 3 a masculine build and one more suitable for big wrists. The AMOLED display is covered by a low-powered, secondary FSTN screen that’s always on. The Dual display, assisted by the Snapdragon Wear 4100, gets around three days consistently, while putting the device in Essential Mode gives you up to 45 days with the FSTN screen only.

The watch itself has a stainless steel chassis, with the back side (that’s pressed up against your skin when wearing) made of polycarbonate (plastic). In daily usage, the back makes it more comfortable, complemented by the Silicon band. Orange stitching outlines the watchband, giving the device a more premium look without sacrificing comfort.

WearOS Shines on the Ticwatch

After using the Ticwatch Pro for a few weeks , it becomes obvious that under-powered devices with outdated processors were the culprit behind the rad rep the WearOS has. The once clunky, slow UI is now snappy, responsive and glitch-free. Granted, the Mobvoi Launcher has navigation sensibilities that the ‘curved tab’ style grid of the stock UI – which you would turn back in in settings if that’s yours thing.

Display	1.4” Retina AMOLED 454 x 454 + FSTN display + Low-Power backlit LCD Always-on display
Processor	Snapdragon Wear 4100
Wireless	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
NFC	Google Pay-enabled
Sensors	Gyroscope, Accelerator, Barometer, Heart-Rate Sensor
Audio	Loudspeaker, Microphone
Navigation	GPS+Beidou+Glonass+Galileo+QZSS
Waterproof	IP68 and pool swimming suitable
Storage	8GB ROM, 1GB RAM Memory

Health and Fitness features

Mobvoi has a fitness suite of apps that are as extensive as any. Granted, they’re one-task ponies, features are broken down by app opposed to the suite like approach of Apple and Samsung Health. TicHealth is the central hub for checking on your profile stats, and brings all the data from TicPulse (heart rate), TicSleep, TicOxygen (blood oxygen,TicBreathe, TicHearing and TicExcercise all into one central location. Google Fit is present, rounding out the fitness and workout abilites.

1000+ Watch Faces

The beauty of the AMOLED display is really brought to life by the variety of Watch Faces Mobvoi has on offer, and the it really adds personality to the Ticwatch Pro 3.

Conclusion

What Mobovi has engineered is nothing short of commendable, to say the least. The Ticwatch Pro 3 has single-handedly broken the cycle of WearOS devices being bested by the Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch due to ecosystem cohesiveness and smooth response time. Mobvoi has also given is flagship wearable unique features and a quality build that competes with the big dogs, at a price that manages to undercut them.

For anyone looking for a full-featured smartwatch that improves the expectations set by prior WearOS devices, the TicWatch Pro 3 is currently the undisputed king.

July 23, 2021July 23, 2021

Ableton Live 11 : the definitive review

Audio and MIDI Comping, MPE support, and Max for Live included from Live Intro and up. Has Ableton become the go all-in-one DAW?

Shame it has taken the Labfreq review team this long to publish a review on Ableton’s music production masterpiece. Created by a team of DJ, Musicians, and developers out of Berlin, Live is a software sequencer and digital audio workstation (DAW). It’s designed for live performance and remixing of songs, but it can also be used to record music, control stage lighting, visual effects, and much more.

Ableton Live has the tools and quality of any other professional level DAWs, but the unique feature of Ableton is the ability to run sequences in non-linear mode, allowing you to make live changes on a prepared material. Having been around for a decade or so, it’s reached the 11th iteration of the program – so let’s dive straight in and see what Live’s all about.

We will update this article with a complete review shortly…

The Instruments

Conclusion

Pending…

July 20, 2021April 20, 2023

Thinkpad X1 Nano Review

Lenovo is constantly updating and refining their Thinkpads – updating the household models’ feature set with security-centric, innovative features every update. This year is no exception, but they’ve also expanded the lineup by adding a few new additions to the brand, and here we’re taking a look at one of those devices – the featherweight-heavyweight, Thinkpad X1 Nano.

Build & Feel

The X1 Nano has a well-engineered, refined look that defies its 1st Gen lifecycle – taking the Carbon Fiber and Magnesium build from the Thinkpad X1 Carbon and somehow making it lighter and thinner without losing any of the durability of the latter. The bright and colorful 13″ 2K matte display is equipped with Dolby Vision, has great viewing angles, good color reproduction, and its anti-glare coating is second to none.

Specifications

The specifications section is the most boring of them all, so we’re going to get straight to it and spare you the boredom. The X1 Nano is as powerful an Ultrabook as you can get, powerful enough for everything but the most graphics-extensive games and 8K video editing sessions.

Display	13.0″ 2K (2160 x 1350) IPS, anti-glare with Dolby Vision™, 450 nits, 100% sRGB
Processor	11^th Generation Intel^® Core™ i7-1180G7 Processor with vPro™ (2.20 GHz, up to 4.60 GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 12 MB Cache)
Memory	16GB LPDDR4x 4266MHz (Soldered)
Storage	Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
Graphics	Integrated Intel^® Iris^® X^e Graphics
Security	Discrete Trusted Platform Module (dTPM) 2.0 Human-presence detection with Windows Hello & IR camera Match-on-chip fingerprint reader Webcam privacy cover
Audio	Dolby Atmos^® Speaker System 4 x 360-degree mics
Camera	Hybrid infrared (IR) / 720p HD with webcam privacy cover Optional: Hybrid infrared (IR) / 720p HD with webcam privacy shutter and Human Presence Detection
Connectivity	Optional: WWAN LTE 5G / LTE 4G CAT9* WLAN: WiFi 6 AX201 802.11AX (2 x 2) Bluetooth^® 5.2 with vPro™ On vPro™ Processors
Ports/Slots	2 x USB4 Thunderbolt™ 4 (Power Delivery) Headphone / mic combo
Keyboard	Spill-resistant Backlit with white LED lighting Call-control keys (F9-F11)

Standout Features

The Thinkpad X1 Nano is Lenovo’s first ThinkPad laptop to use the Intel^® Evo™ platform, which promises to deliver “a powerhouse combination of performance, responsiveness, battery life, and stunning visuals” not previously available in Ultrabooks. There’s not much that you can’t do with the X1 Nano, as long as the task doesn’t require a dedicated graphics card.

All the signature Thinkpad features are here: Trackpoint center button navigation, the webcam privacy shutter, Custom Thinkpad BIOS with advanced security features and spill-resistant backlit keyboard.

Conclusion

While the X1 Nano treads dangerously close to the Thinkpad X1 Carbon in its offering and feature set, it DOES manage to be lighter (at least 0.8 pounds) and inherently more powerful thanks to the Intel Evo platform. How long will that stay the case remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure – Lenovo is securing the Thinkpad X1 line-up as the premier brand for business staff, executives, and managers; All while expanding its appeal to Creatives and tech-centric student Millenials.

July 4, 2021July 5, 2021

Librem 5 Review : a Tinkerer’s Dream Gadget

Intro

Reviewing the Librem 5 – while intriguing, was not a simple task.

When I first received the smartphone, it was two months before it’s mass production units were ready for shipping out to the masses – and there were a whole slew of software features that hadn’t yet been implemented. It’s set of Cameras weren’t yet active, and neither was the OpenPGP card slot.

Developer’s were behind their feature roadmap schedule, mostly due to suppliers lambasting Purism with delays set into motion by a shortage of components and parts needed to bring their ambitious smartphone project to life. Which naturally affected shipping times, resulting in a few early backers having to wait longer than expected. If this was a device aimed at the masses for general use, Androids and iPhones of the world – the life of the Librem 5 would have ended before it started. But it’s not your typical mobile device.

The Librem 5 is a smartphone by Purism, a computer company that already makes Laptops, Mini PCs and Servers – running a Linux based operating system called PureOS. It’s built around an open-source philosophy protecting users’ digital rights with a focus on privacy. It has three kill switches on the side, to insure your devices bluetooth, WIfi and Cellular connections are off – and temporarily severed – when you expect them to be.

Specs

Processor	NXP® i.MX 8M Quad core Cortex A53, 64bit ARM @max 1.5GHz
GPU	Vivante GC7000Lite
Screen	5.7″ IPS TFT 720×1440
Memory	3GB RAM
Storage	32GB Internal Storage with SD Card Slot
Battery	4500 mAh Replaceable Lithium
WLAN	Redpine Signals RS9116: 802.11 abgn 2.4GHz/5GHz
GPS	TESEO LIV3 multiconstellation GNSS receiver
DAC	Wolfson Media WM8962
3.5mm Jack	Yes (stereo out and mono microphone in)
USB	USB C: USB 3.0 data, PowerDelivery (Dual-Role Port), video out (DisplayPort)
Kill Switches	3 – WiFi, Cellular, Microphone/Cameras (all 3 will turn off GPS)

Display

The 5.7 inch display has a resolution of 720p, and while it’s put to shame by 90% of all Modern Androids, it’s basically the same screen sharpness as all but the very latest iPhones. In other words, it’s fine. The screen has deep blacks, vivid colors and wide contrast – it scales nicely on bigger screens, and it’s powerful enough to run the phones’ display simultaneously.

Battery

Battery life is the Achilles heel on this smartphone, giving an average of 2 to 4 hours battery life – depending on the program(s) running – even background apps. During my testing, the Librem 5 simply has horrible staying power while idle. It improved incrementally with OS updates – but the differences were minor.

Ecosystem

The Librem 5 has access to nearly all desktop programs that you can install on any Linux Computer. From the terminal, sudo apt-get install will get you pretty much any Linux app on the smartphone. Since PureOS is the exact desktop operating system that you’d find on Purism’s Librem 14 and Librem Mini, connecting the device to a monitor or t.v , keyboard and mouse turns the L5 to a pocket computer – albeit somewhat-limited by it’s processing power. Purism also built a graphical phone interface called phosh that gives any desktop app a dynamic, touch-based UI – granted support for phosh is enabled .The PureOS Store, curates apps that are phosh compatible, so you know right off the bat what programs have maximum compatibility with mobile devices.

Audacity, Inkscape, LMMS, GIMP, VLS, all install on the Librem 5, and they all run pretty smooth once the device is connected to a monitor – none of the apps in this sentence is optimized for mobile sized displays. Just keep in mind, the Librem 5 uses ARM architechure by NXP.

Conclusion

With nearly half of the population of the world owning a smartphone today, mobile computing has become the default way for people to interface with the internet. This means that nearly one out of two people general means of bring online is a smartphone. It’s safe to say the mobile computer market has enough room for a third alternative to Android and iOS. It’s a daunting task, an uphill battle – but if there is any existing platform that can offer that much needed variety – it’s a Linux-based one. The Librem 5 comes really close to being that third option in it’s first iteration, but slightly misses the mark due to issues with overall build quality (the back battery cover just wont stay on!), and software inconsistencies. It’s improved drastically in the two months I’ve been reviewing it, but Android and iOS – which both have had a decade plus of development and refinement to be fair – are both just a bit too full-featured and polished to lose any but the most tech-savvy user demographic. For electricians, technology enthusiasts, developers, tinkerers – you might want to give the Librem 5 a look.

February 28, 2021April 17, 2023

Black Unity Apple Watch 6 (28-day review)

Commendable gesture by the one of the most popular tech brands, or ingenious marketing move?

Apple started off February by throwing a curveball out of left field no-one saw coming – a tribute to Black History Month with the Black Unity Apple Watch series 6. If you didn’t know by now – I’m a Black person of West African descent – Nigerian-Ghanian/ American to be specific. Nevertheless, I’m what you would call an FBA – Foundational Black American – my mom and dad, along with their parents’ parents, were born in the USA. Needless to say, I thought this was great initially. “Finally, a product I can wear that l allows me to embrace my culture, that’s forward-thinking and modern. A smartwatch at that”, I thought.

Then it hit me – “Man, this is really good marketing. So good – it almost feels opportunistic.” Eventually, I checked my pessimism. As an Af-Am man, who’s used to seeing our culture being exploited and misappropriated – I have a tendency to be guarded and apprehensive. So I bit the bullet and bought the Black Unity AW series 6.

What’s in the box?

The Black Unity Apple Watch 6 (Right) and the Milanese Band (left) which doesn’t come included – because – well, variety is the spice of life .

The Black Unity Apple Watch 6 comes with the Black Unity Sport Band, the Black Unity watch face pre-installed, with ‘Black Unity’ laser-etched into the back crystal of the watch casing – in custom Red, Black, and Green Apple Watch packaging. Everything else included, is as expected of the latest smartwatch by Apple – so essentially, it’s the Apple Watch Series 6 through and through.

It has the same specifications and build quality as the original Apple Watch Series 6 – a smooth, unibody build with a digital crown on the right side and a single button below it, the same aluminum case made of “100 percent recycled aerospace-grade alloy’, same Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display that over 30% larger than the series 5, same S6 processor with 32GB of internal storage. For the full rundown, check the spec table below:

Display	Always-On Retina LTPO OLED Ion-X glass display, 1000 nits
Processor	S6 Sip with 64-bit dual-core processor
Wireless	W3 wireless chip, LTE and UTMS, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5
NFC	U1 Chip (Ultra Wideband)
Sensors	Blood oxygen sensor, Electrical Heart Sensor and 3rd Gen Optical heart sensor, ECG, emergency SOS and fall detection
Audio	Loud Speaker, built-in mic
Navigation	GPS/GNSS, compass, always-on altimeter
Waterproof	Water-resistant 50 meters
Storage	32GB

For a more inconspicuous look, switch the bands up and no-one would even know it’s a BU AW 6.

How does it work? – Daily Usage

Aside from being a smartwatch that tells the time and allows you to make and receive calls/texts, the Apple Watch has the most complete ecosystem of any wearable available on the market today. the App Store literally has more apps from notable brands than the Amazon Appstore has for Kindle Fire tablets. That’s insane. Fox News, CNN, ESPN, YouTube Music, The Weather Channel – all have official apps. So does Pandora, iHeart Radio, Starbucks, and Audible. Granted, some are companion apps to their iPhone counterparts. But, most are standalone apps that can be used on the watch alone – if you’re into that sort of thing.

Fitness

The fitness features are what I was most looking forward to – making the most of my workouts while obtaining my Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach certification. Testing the Apple Watch as a virtual health and fitness assistant is what I was most excited for.

The Fitness App contains three rings to help you achieve your fitness goals – one red ring for movement, a green ring for exercise, and a cyan/blue ring for standing. Once you set your fitness goals, you can complete to rings by achieving your tasks: mines was set to 810 calories for Move, 30 minutes of Exercise, and 12 Hours of Standing. As you can see, today hasn’t been what I would call an active day for me:

The health sensors more or less work as you would expect from other wearables, with the EKG and Blood Blood Oxygen being the latest and greatest additions to the AW 6s capabilities. Fall detection remains a defining feature – and one that has been touted to have saved many lives once activated.

Fitness+: Apple’s latest lunge at Subscription services

Apple’s Fitness app expands into video workout and personal training territory with Fitness+. It’s a subscription-based wellness service that offers classes on Dance, Rowing, Cycling, Treadmill, Core, Yoga, and more. Your heart rate, calories burned, and more vital signs show in real-time next to your workout on the iPhone,iPad, or even the Apple Watch. It could prove to be useful during this pandemic were in – where safe access to gym spaces is scarce.

Conclusion

The Apple Watch Series 6 is simply the most advanced smartwatch on the market. It could do better in the battery life department, where other wearables like the Fitbit Sense offer up to 6 days. But it’s one of the best smartwatches available, only rivaled by the Galaxy Watch 3 as far as smartwatch features are concerned. Still, its plethora of exclusive features and vast app ecosystem makes the Apple Watch Series 6 the wearable to beat. And if you get the GPS+Cellular version, you don’t even have to own an iPhone – as long as someone in your household does (to set it up for the first time) – you can even rock the Apple Watch Series 6 with an Android! And for someone like me who loves supporting causes that are beneficial to my well-being – the Black Unity Apple Watch is a win-win.