Geekazine

I was never a fan of the Apple ear buds. They never fit my ears right. Every 20 minutes, I had to remove to give my ear canal a break.

So when the new Airpods Pro came out with rubber tip, I was hoping for a pair of ear buds that would not stretch my ears.

So far, I’m not disappointed.

Unboxing the Airpods Pro

The initial unboxing was straightforward. Inside, you receive the AirPods in a charging case – which can be charged with included cable, or through a compatible qi charging base.

Keep in mind, no wireless charger is included. You can get one here.

Since the rubber tips can interchange with smaller and larger ones, Apple includes 2 extra pair in the case. You can text or the best pair in the ear tip finder, in settings.

Pairing with an iPhone, iPad, more

To begin with, you must have a iOS 10 compatible device or better to connect. I tried to connect my iPod (iOS9), and although Apple saw the headphones, it was unable to connect.

In most cases, you open up the charging case next to the phone or iPad, and it can detect the Airpods. If not, go into Bluetooth settings, and pair.

On the back of the case is a button that, if held down for a few seconds, will pair new devices.

I also connected to my Windows machine, which I include results in the video.

Airpods Pro Settings

Once you pair the device, you can assist settings to your preference. This can included how the headphones nose cancel, which bud microphone to use, and even what the button press does.

Put the ear buds in, then run the tip test. The Airpods will determine if you need the larger, or smaller rubber tips by listening to noise leakage In the ear.

You can get false-positive results if the pod is not fully seated in your ear.

Cons of Airpods Pro

The biggest issue is using the microphone for recording audio and video. Simply, Apple won’t do it. You’ll have to revert to the old corded headphones, or another plugin microphone system if you need an external microphone.

Otherwise

Otherwise, the first 24 hours of wearing, I am relatively pleased in it’s use. I could wear it for hours without having to rub my ears. I could even wear it while sleeping, and not have the Airpods drive into my head.

Airpods Pro Specs

With dual beaming microphones, inward facing microphone, force sensor, and motion sensor, these headphones can detect insertion into an ear, along with fit and audio leakage.

Over 4 hours of listening time on one charge, with up to 24 hours of listening with case re-charging.

Force sensor gives you options to pause, skip, and do other functions. This includes turning on Transparent mode – allowing you to turn off noise cancelling so you can hear what’s around you.

Get AirPods Pro

For $249, you can get your pair at Apple, over

On November 11, 2019, Disney launched their streaming service, called Disney+ (a.k.a Disney Plus) . With it, they added lots of favorite movies and TV shows, along with new series, including the Mandalorian. I take a look at the new platform 24 hours later, to show you all the good and bad with this new service.

What is on Disney+

The Mandalorian

The service has content from as much of the library that they can publish. Movies and TV shows from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and National Geographic.

Included are new series and movies specifically for the streaming service. This includes the highly anticipated “Mandalorian” – a series by director Jon Favreau.

Finally, content from early Disney, including Mickey Mouse cartoons, digitally remastered. This includes the iconic “Steamboat Willie” – and the introduction of Mickey himself.

What is Not on Disney+

Keep in mind, not all video is on the streaming service. For example, Sony owns rights to Spiderman movies, so this content needs to be licensed for the service to use it. On that same token, Disney was known for bringing out limited release classics of Snow White, Cinderella, and more.

I could see this content come and go to keep with that tradition. For now, it is on the service.

Other shows may have existing license contracts that prohibit Disney from airing until the contract runs out. For that point, movies, and shows could also leave Disney, just like they leave Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, to be shown on Network TV, HBO, or even the competing services.

Missing is ABC content (I really wanted to watch Flashforward again, or maybe catch up on Lost), older shows – such as Gargoyles, Darkwing Duck, Netflix Marvel shows like Jessica Jones and Daredevil, and movies like Mighty Ducks and National Treasure.

How to Watch Disney+

The service is ready for many major OTT platforms, including iOS, Android, XBox, PS4, Roku, Amazon, along with LG and Samsung TV platforms. More may be coming soon.

Disney also has an extended package with Hulu, so you can watch not only all the content from the app, but also ESPN+. This service does cost more as an add-on, but if you’re a sports fan, this might be

Other Features of Disney+

The service is fairly straightforward, but they do have options to talk with support, opt-out on advertising companies, give you options for Closed Captioning that are beyond what Disney has on the service, and more.

All of these features are on links, located on the bottom of the webpage. You will have to log into a browser version of the service to access those features.

Original Series

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

There are other great new series that will be on Disney+. What I believe to be another great breakout show is “The World According to Jeff Goldblum”. This is a NatGeo series where Goldblum geeks out over other people’s passions.

In Encore, Kristen Bell reunites casts from High School musicals to re-enact the theater show. First episode reunited the 1996 Santee CA High School cast of Annie.

The Marvel Hero Project celebrates real life children and teens as they show extra ordinary feats.

Price of Disney+

As of 2019, it cost $6.99/month for the basic service, or $69.99 for a yearly subscription.

Ah, Thanksgiving. That day where you watch football, yell at the TV, yell at the family, and stuff your face. Unless IF your making that turkey, inviting family and friends over, getting everything ready for that inevitable day of fights and heartbreak…

.. you know, just like the pilgrims planned it.

And Thanksgiving does get celebrated in other countries. It might be on a different day. You know when Canada’s thanksgiving is. Right? (October 14)

China celebrates the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea celebrate the day of harvest.

And Germany has “Erntedankfest” in the first Sunday of October. So it’s Octoberfest, AND Erntedankfest.

So before you get that tofurky – you know, because nobody eats turkey nowadays – before you download that Yule log app to your Roku- and before you make your strategic plan to hit all the Black Friday sales after kicking everyone out of the house, let’s look at 5 tech things you should know about planning for that awesome Thanksgiving day.

Brought to you by Sur La Table. Get your thanksgiving items at your local Sur La Table. Check it out here.

Planning the perfect sports zone

OK, I watch football. #GoPackers. But my sports cave is really just the TV in my living room, and the iPad. For some of you, it might be a decked out basement with 5 big screens, 3 beers on tap, full bar, and comfy recliner that nobody else can sit in.

Now if you only have a bland living room, and want those sports-driven family members to be happy, you can do a couple things to make it more sports-like.

It’s a great way to justify getting a new TV!

If you don’t have a 4K monitor, I recommend either the VIZIO M-Series or the more cost effective TCL Roku TV . Both have a great picture, come with apps for TV and movies, and have HDMI ARC, so you can attach a soundbar for a better sound experience.

Second and third screen experiences are a lot easier nowadays. Back in Marty McFly’s day, if you wanted more than one screen, you had to put two TV’s together.

Getting Madden NFL 20 for PS4 or XBox will keep those fans interested until the next game is ready. You can also “pre-play” the matchups of the day to see if you’re a better arm chair coach than your team can be.

Additionally, a laptop directed to a scoresheet, printed roster sheets – so people know what number “HahaClintonDix” is, and some inflatable chairs for extra guests can really make this event memorable.

Cool tech to help you cook.

You don’t have to put the oven to task for all your cooking needs. Some foods can be pre-made and Stored up to a week before.

A good suvide, for example, allows you to cook food, then put them in the freezer up until a couple hours before dinner. I talked about one on Geekazine a while back.

Air fryers are more popular nowadays. They can replace other items like toasters, and microwaves. Things that air fryers excel at are fries, onion rings, chicken wings, and some even dehydrate for healthier snack choices.

I have talked about the Hestan cue earlier this year. The pans use induction cooking,

It was an awesome time in Changwon South Korea. We were here for the Korean start up tech show. My friends at Aving.net brought me here to judge start ups.

The show had more than just start ups, they hosted a maker fair, and had a robotic battle competition. Aving Blogger Eva has a broken heel, which was repaired with a 3d printer.

Many different startups displayed their ideas and our team reviewed, and judged for awards. Leo from Le Café Du Geek and Eve from Aving Russia joined me to talk to each startup.

Red Submarine sensors, including a cow tagging sensor system.

The Maker faire had a lot of great ideas from Korean students, hobbyists, and creative individuals. Many also competed in the RC competitions during the week.

There were two stand out companies I talked with, and one I already knew about, because I’ve done a video at CES on it. Red Submarine is touting to be the smallest sensor yet – 2-3 times smaller than ones in your watches, and other devices.

Green Zone Corporation makes a joint for rebar. This turns into the natural spiral of rebar, and lets you continue the bar at an angle – from around 10-80 degree angles. By doing this, you extend the rebar, and can make solid structures that don’t have to be at 90 degrees. You also don’t bend the rebar, which can weaken it.

Edenlux is a company that develops the OTUS – a device you put over your eyes to help correct your vision. You wear this for about 5 minutes a day, and it exercises your eyes while you are watching TV or using you iPad/iPhone.

There are many more companies that I didn’t get to. KSTS also had a VR pavillion, where you can see how VR is being used in industrial and commercial settings.

Startup communities in Changwon

I interviews JungHan Baek, president of Changwon Industry Promotion Agency. You can see that video here.

I was joined by Leo of Le Café Du Geek and Eve of Aving Russia for a tour of the Gyeongnom Center for Creative Economy and Innovation. Very similar to a startup incubator in the U.S. They have 523 startups around South Korea, 152 in Changwon.

In the back, a group of people were making bags out of leather. We checked out the 3D print room, the hang spaces, and an interesting wood panels that were shaped into a DIY build – chairs, tables, and more.

While in South Korea, attending the South Korea Start Up Tech Show, I sat down with the president of CWIP, JungHan Baek. We talked about the startup scene in Changwon, why they started KSTS, and some stories on successful companies in Korea.

Baek talks about how this group cultivates start up life in South Korea, and works with many to bring new ideas to the forefront.

One example is Edenlux – the makers of OTUS. I’ve done an unboxing of the OTUS Vision Goggles, and we talked about the plans for this company, and future endeavors.

Changwon is a beautiful city, and a great place for startups to cultivate their ideas. It’s a 3 hour ride into Seoul, and cost of living is fairly low.

I would like to thank JungHan Baek for sitting down with me and talking about the startup scene in Southern South Korea.

Watches – they’ve been on our wrist, in our pocket, and on our walls – only to be put on chains and worn around our necks – for ages.

Believe it or not, computer wearable watches have been around since the 70’s. From the Pulsar watch by the Hamilton Watch Company, to the Ruputer from the 90’s, and even that Nintendo Game Watch you might have worn on your wrist.

Then came the smartwatch we know of today. They get better every day. In some cases, you can leave your phone at home and get your queues from your watch.

Just like Dick Tracy did.

But just like those smart phones, many different models and styles came out. And then the fakes.

Like other fakes I talked about on an episode of Geekazine called “The Fake of Wish.com”.

According to Statistica, smartwatches are a 26 billion dollar industry. It’s been steadily growing year-by-year, and next year is no different.

Most people want that coveted Apple Watch. Me, I am a big fan of this Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle. See, I don’t care too much for “Square” watches. I like design, and a little Feng Shui.

With so many different watches out there, you might be wondering which one you want to get for you, your spouse, your kids, you dog, maybe me…

… after all, the holidays are coming up soon, and you haven’t gotten me anything, yet…

So let’s look at 5 things you should look at when getting that watch that will RULE YOUR WORLD!!

Style, Size, and Appearance

Like I said before, I am not a big fan of the square watch. I like them round.. and big… 34, 42, 46.. My wrist don’t no plastic…

…Wait… sorry…

The right shape and size that fits your wrist is what you want. Like for instance, this watch feels like the old “Timex Iron Man” watch I used to wear growing up.

And with the Fossil, I can change out the bands fairly easy – Right now, I’m wearing the leather strap, but I also have the metal clasp strap.

Another thing to think about is the buttons and dials. This one has 3 buttons, one with a turnable button. The Samsung Active 2 has a Active Strip dial on the face. The Apple Watch is a single button/dial for integration.

So something with a good fit, with buttons that don’t dig into your skin, and a big enough screen to read text, that’s what I look for in a watch.

How it Connects to Your Phone

Some might think that if you have an Apple Watch, you have to pair it with an iPhone, or a WearOS watch with an Android. That is not the case.

The Fossil is connected to BOTH my latest iPhone, and Android phones. While I don’t have an Apple Watch, I know there is a TRICK that you can do to pair the two.

It’s too bad Apple doesn’t have a Google App to do that. But that’s Apple for you! (graphic)

When you get a watch, keep in mind of who’s controlling your data. For example, Apple Watch will be Apple. Anything with WearOS, like this Fossil watch, will be Google.

Element Resistance

You want a watch that survives the elements. It will get scuffed. It will get wet. It will get dropped.

A device that can survive that will be at the top...

Welcome to the 5 tech things you should know. This is a reboot to a show I did years ago. We’ve revamped the show for a more evergreen feel, but I hope this will be a great way for you to understand what’s happening in Technology.

We’ll also be running a contest every week. This week, we’re giving away a $50 Amazon card to one lucky viewer! More information later in the show!

The foldable era is here, baby! In the next month or two, you’ll see foldable devices galore. I’ve already reported about the Samsung Fold, which is out now. But other foldable devices are coming just as fast.

We’ll show you how to navigate through fact and fiction so you can get the best device possible. So with that said, let’s get to your five tech things!

How the device folds

There will be two types of foldables – single screen, and dual screen fold. Microsoft, for example, is launching the Surface Duo, more than just a phone, it’s a 2 screen booklet that is simply a mini-PC for your note-taking, game-playing, web-surfing, Insta-gramming, and a whole bunch more need.

The Microsoft Surface Duo is 2- 5.6 inch screens that fold out like any laptop would. You can run in full tablet, laptop style, tent-style, or phone style.

The dual screens mean there’s a break in-between. These tablets won’t be able to do continuous screen, because the break might cause issues in touch, and slide.

For example, if you want to play Candy Crush, the divider could cause issues in trying to get that “Candy-licious” screen on one try.

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is out, and in this case, it’s a continuous screen. The fold is a $2k phone with an outer screen when closed, and the tablet mode screen.

Check out my review of the Galaxy Fold

Since the screen is continuous, you’ll see a “rib” in the middle. This is by design, so the screen has some leeway, and won’t break, or cause dead pixel areas.

Samsung has run tests to make sure the screen will last at least 3 years worth of folding.

The other part is that hinge on the outer side. It make the phone thicker, but more durable if you decide you want to fold it the other way.

Don’t fold it the other way…

Glass vs. Plastic

In order for the continuous screen to fold, it cannot be made of glass. We haven’t found that technology, yet.

In the Samsung case, the outer screen is glass. Huawei Mate is another continuous fold screen. These screens will most likely have a special scratch resistant coating, but it won’t be as strong as a glass screen will.

That is why you might want to consider a screen that folds into itself, rather than outside. The Xiaomi, and Royal FlexPai are two examples.

Those are nice for a tent mode, but not nice if your keys share the same pocket as your phone.

Meanwhile, LG’s upcoming foldable will be dual screen, just like the Surface Duo. One screen can become a keyboard or joystick, and it’s possible we’ll see split-screen games and apps for these specific devices.

Welcome Back Motorola RAZR

Did you have a Motorola RAZR phone? Do you miss it? Aw. Memories…

Well,

ParPot

While at Made in Korea, I met the company ParPot, who created a planter’s pot that not only helps your favorite plants grow indoors, it also is a fashion statement in your home. Part of Mo Green Korea, this planter is a great way to have your favorite plants around year-long.

What is ParPot

This is a simple LED light planting pot. Three types of light to simulate daylight, yellow light, and full LED red/blue color.

The LED light emits 30W of power over your planted items. A basin holds water, which will be soaked up into the soil, and plants.

The pot can be put anywhere in house or business, to not only give you something to enjoy, but also help you actually grow your plants.

This version of ParPot is only one of many grow products they have. ParPot has everything from personal planters, to garden walls.

Unbox and Assembly

In the video, I unbox the ParPot, and put it together. We also look at how the device is set up, and I start my planting with some nice Lavender.

One thing I noted was the LED light was 3-light settings, but no timer, and no dimming feature. In industrial LED grow technology, I understand the lights are a lot brighter, but if you have this in your house, it has to be in an area that is not disrupting sleep, theater room, etc.

For more information, check out ParPot.kr. A link will be available when you can purchase.

Get ParPot on Amazon

Product was supplied by ParPot. All opinions are of Geekazine. Find out more at Geekazine.com/review

I’m in Seoul, South Korea this week for MIK 2019-9 with some time to head to the Samsung campus. The campus is in the heart of Gangnam district, and has a walkable mall, where you can go to Samsung D’Light.

More Than Just Phones

Of course, Samsung makes a lot more than computers and mobile devices. Refrigerators, air conditioners, printers, massage chairs, beauty masks… you get the idea.

Samsung Fold 5G

The main goal was to get a first hands-on look at the fold 5G – their foldable phone.

The Fold 5G is a 9.28 oz, 4.6 inch phone. It’s actually pretty thick, but it unfolds to a 7.3 inch Android 9.0 tablet.

Inside is the Smapdragon 855 CPU, with Octa-core processor at 3×2.42 GHz. Graphics are Adreno 640. Memory contains 12 GB RAM, and 512 GB internal storage. No card slot.

4 cameras on this phone, a dual rear camera with 12 MP telephoto (f/1.5) and 16 MP ultra-wide (f/2.4). Front camera on the 4.6 side at 10 MP (f/2.2), and the front camera of the 7.3 side with 10 MP selfie (f/2.2), and 8 MP RGB depth (f/1.9).

This phone has no headphone jack – in fact the only jack is the USB-C 3.1 connector. Stereo speakers at 32-bit/384kHz, and Dolby Atmos sound (supplied by AKG). The phone will go up to about 73 dB.

The battery is a non-removable at 4,235 mAh. The iPhone 11 has a 3,969 mAh battery in comparison. Fast charging at 15W, and the new reverse wireless charge at 9W.

Features of the Samsung Fold 5G

There are 2 colors to this phone – Space Silver, and Cosmos Black.

For secure access, you have the side-mounted fingerprint reader. It was easy to login, in folded or unfolded manner.

The phone is also set up for 5G, 802.11 ax dual-band WIFI, and can be used as a hotspot. Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and NFC support.

Thoughts of Samsung Fold 5G

The phone looks fairly sturdy. The spine makes the phone thicker, but it seems to be also fairly sturdy. Closing and opening the device did not feel flimsy.

If you look closely at the unfolded AMOLED screen, there is a small, faint rib in the middle. That is probably by design, as if it weren’t there, it might break more easily. On that point, I am not sure if that is going to get wore down over time, and we’ll hear about that being the main single-point of failure.

As a tablet, this device really shines. The graphics are pretty stunning, as I played Asphalt 9: Legends. Not as great as the gameplay cockpit with 8K QLED technology I played after, but this one fits in your pocket, and is a lot less expensive.

The last point is this is a two-screen system. If the tablet screen does break down, you still have the front screen to use as a phone. It’s a bit bulkier than the Huawei Mate X because of it.

The Price of Samsung Fold 5G

This one is hard to swallow. $2,000 US for the 5G model. Get the Fold 5G Here. And if I want it, I’ll have to buy this here, as the U.S. will only get a 4G LTE version,

This week, I’m in Korea for the Seongnam International Medical Tourist Convention, learning about some startups in the medical field. One of these companies is VR Carver, a group that specializes in VR sports. Soccer, golf, and other extreme VR sports, including an intuitive Bobsled simulator

VR Carver is creating a prototype stationary bike that you can use when you cannot get out on the trail.

This bike will start as a standard stationary bicycle – for about $500, you’ll be able to exercise at home. The details are still being worked out – if it will compete with systems such as Peleton or just simple exercise bikes.

The VR version will cost around $2,500 and will allow you to see 360 degrees while you are getting your workout. To turn, simply lean into the turn.

You will be able to call up 360 video from different trails, or play games while you are exercising.

View this post on Instagram Do I look like press? At the Seongnam international medical tourism convention press event with @lcdg_fr @parviz_world @zhangmeng_0214 @vidaihiep @mcmerfy @aving_news #seongnamIMC #koreanmedical #korea #medicalblogger #travelblogger #conference #geekout A post shared by Jeffrey Powers (@geekazine) on Sep 20, 2019 at 6:46pm PDT

Seongnam International Medical Tourism Convention

This was part of the Seongnam-si SMC in South Korea. We saw some great companies that were creating new technologies for your health. Everything from robots to help you with your treatments, to new devices that improve skin care, rest well, learn CPR, and much more.

We interviewed companies, attended an International press conference, and awarded best of show products.

Other bloggers and reporters came from Le Cafe du Geek (France), Yesky (China), Vietnam Plus (Vietnam), My Fat Pocket (Singapore), and Svpressa (Russia) to learn about how Korea is advancing medicine.