Alex's Reviews
Friday, October 2, 2015
Camotes
Sunday, January 11, 2015
LG HBS800 Bluetooth Headphones
Reading other reviews of this made me want to focus on the functionality of this product for others to make a decision on buying this item or not. Most of the reviews of this product focus on performance, with long descriptions of how well the headphones stay connected through bluetooth from long distances. But as I've been using this device for a long time I'm hardly ever separated from my music device (which is my smart phone) especially when I'm listening to music. So it's not really an issue.
These headphones are priced as an introduction into bluetooth headphones generally speaking. So reviewing these headphones should mostly be compared to alternatives to bluetooth headphones instead of the highest quality headphones money can buy. The alternative to bluetooth headphones are headphones with a cord attached to your music device. And between these two there’s hardly a comparison. Bluetooth headphones are functionally far superior to corded headphones. I can't count the number of times a cord attached to my music device was yanked out of my ear by overextending my body when I'm shuffling around my bag or pedaling on a bicycle. Plus a cord hanging down from my ears to my pocket is unsightly and somewhat dangerous because it's likely to get hooked to things that you brush up against. Sometimes this even causes your music device to get pulled out of your pocket and slam on the floor. The first time I tried on these LG Bluetooth Headphones it felt like complete freedom to be listening to music with so much ease. I could even take photos as I'm listening to music now. #selfiemoment
If I were to buy the headphones again I would have purchased a different color like black. White stands out too much like you're wearing a pooka shell necklace. Also the noise cancelation mode doesn't really do anything when it's turned on plus when the switch is turned on the battery is drained. Turning off the headphones doesn't actaully turn them off when the noise cancelation switch is on.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag
Maybe it's the German ancestry in me but I get really excited when a product is tough, styish, and extremely functional. That's why I like the Timbuk2 Classic messenger bag (2014) from San Francisco. Good stitching, a water resistant covering, and a "napoleon pocket" under the flap on the outside. The pocket makes for easy access to things you use often but don't want to dig around in the bag to find. I use the napoleon pocket (which I think is an industry term for a side pocket Napoleon is painted as liking in his clothing design) for my headphones and sometimes I put my smart phone when I'm worried about a rainstorm.
My favorite part of this bag is the strap. It's much different than other messenger bags you will find and is designed well for function. The strap has a quick pull tab that allows you to fully extend the strap in order to take it off your shoulde--over your head--without messing up your hair. Then after you throw the strap back over your head you can easily adjust the strap to fit the needs of your next carry. The bag also has a mini strap that wraps under your armpit. This strap has great function when you're carrying a heavy load and need to distribute the weight better. Or if you're riding your bike and want to keep your bag stable. One thing that's a little cumbersome about the mini strap is that you aren't able to sit down and have the mini strap connected. You are going to need to unhook the strap slide the bag forward and place it on your lap every time. Then when you stand up you need to hook the mini strap again. I had to do this a lot because I commuted by subway and bus everyday. If I forget to connect the mini strap again when I stood up I ended up having this strap tail flapping back and forth as I walked.