Vizio SmartTV

Vizio SmartTV

    One of Vizio's first attempts at the SmartTV is a quality LED TV, but not much else. Being LED, Vizio took advantage of the benefits of the technology in the design of the TV. It is light for 60" weighing only about 40 lbs. LEDs are incredibly bright while also being energy efficient, as well as leaving a small physical footprint. Therefore, this TV resists glare well and is only an inch and some change thick. It displays 1080p quality images very crisply, and the 120Hz refresh rate allows for high quality retention in fast-paced scenes. However, outside of the hardware, the software is lackluster at best, and a straight up hassle to use at worst. The UI design for all the apps is a small linear menu at the bottom of the screen when the Vizio menu button is pushed, and while this style of menu works well when everything animates smoothly (PS4 has this same design, and it feels snappy), all of the menus are slow and buggy on the Vizio SmartTV. The apps themselves are often worse, glitching every few action inputs and freezing up consistently. Updates were a constant interruption, so much so I had to turn them off and forget I had a "smart" TV at all. Once I did, I actually really started to enjoy it as a TV and much less as a hub for my media. 

Jaybird Bluebuds X

Jaybird Bluebuds X

   The Jaybird Bluebuds X are a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones designed specifically with the athlete in mind. There are a number of good features and, while only a few, some bad aspects of the design as well. On the good side, they are very light given that they house both audio and Bluetooth hardware. They are completely sweat-proof, and this isn't like a "says they are something proof and that something break it in a few days" kind of claim. They are not only extremely moisture repellent, Jaybird even backs these with a lifetime replacement warranty if these do break from sweat damage. Another fantastic spec is the 8 hour battery life, and since I've tested them that number has held true. A calming voice alerts you when there is only 15 mins left of battery, and speaking of the calming voice, "Jenna" is a Siri of sorts that feeds notifications to you about calls, music, battery life and more. It is apparent Jaybird wanted the user to just put these on and go, and gave the user a few ways of doing so. The Bluebuds can be worn under your chin or behind your neck, and these options work well in keeping the damn things on your head. A lot of design work is needed to really nail multiple position wearing across a number of users, and in the Bluebuds it really shows. Out of all of that, the sound quality is SUPERB for Bluetooth. It is as close to high quality wired ear buds as Bluetooth is going to get according to Jaybird, and after owning more ear buds of varying qualities, I'm inclined to believe that statement. A few negative things about it maybe cannot be helped. For one, Bluetooth is Bluetooth: it's come a long way, but there are still times where it cuts in and out even when the phone is in my pocket. These occasions are rare and therefore overlook-able, though when it does happen it's a real annoyance. Since they are powered by themselves, running out of juice is a real possibility. If you run out of battery on the road or away from a place to charge them, they become useless. Even though the two hour charging time for 8 hours of playback time is a good ratio, it means nothing when a charge isn't available. So, in short, while I'm still getting used to them and using them as my daily driver, I would only recommend these broadly to those looking for headphones to wear during workouts and sports (or you are cool with carrying around spare headphones in case these run out of battery.)

Furman Moodle

   So, as something we are all forced to work with, Moodle deserves a review, but it won't be a pleasant one. There are a number of things very wrong with Moodle's design. First, the new version of the desktop site is buggy. Graphics float in front of others that shouldn't be doing so, already clicked links turn the same color as the purple on the site background, and links are busting all the time. The mobile version isn't the best either. It's evident that, given the current design choices of the full site, a vertical take on Moodle doesn't do it any favors. All of my personal choices like to my profile stuff is located at the bottom of the page after all the moodle quick tip stuff. To top it all off, Furman's network sees Moodle as a threat to the security of the students and flags it as such. This requires that extra step of telling the network that our main hub for all things academic isn't trying to give me a Trojan virus.

Taco Bell Mobile App

Taco Bell Mobile App

    Last night, consumed by hunger, I saw a commercial for this application I could download from Taco Bell. This blog will be a review of said app. The picture on the left showed the main screen, and a pro here is definitely aesthetics. Ample use of screen space, stylized pictures with bold text overlays...the designers clearly understand common modern design staples, but it lacked a lot of upfront information that could have helped me. Their menu browsing is actually really enjoyable! They have two independent scrolling menus, one the categories on the menu and another to show the actual items in the selected category.

    But whoa.... hold the phone... this app lets anyone mobile order Taco Bell?!?! Damn right it does, but that's one of my cons for this app. While it was apparent from the start that this feature was available, I was given no indication as to which stores actually participated in taking mobile orders. When I was all done coding what I wanted, then, and only then, did I find out that no stores near me took these orders. I should be able to check store availability before I go through the whole process.

Braun Electric Razor Series 7

Braun Electric Razor Series 7

   I've had this razor for over 5 years, and I would say it's...suitable. Of it's positive features, there are a few that stand out but maybe not for this model specifically but most electric razors. It has a meter at the bottom to signify the remaining battery level with a good amount of detail. The shave itself is quite nice...on most parts of the face (more on that in a bit) and the flip-up trimmer works very well without pulling hairs. Another major aspect is its extremely waterproof body. In the shower or just running it under the sink, the series 7 is still good to go and watertight through and through. To clean the blade itself, one just needs to pushing in the locking button on the side (seen in picture) and the razors come right off, which helps with cleaning.

   There are a good number of poor design features that often make me consider a new razor all together. The razors themselves are situated in a linear pattern. While the sides independently give to applying pressure, which allows for more contact, it shaves awfully around the more sharp contours of the face and neck (the jaw line is a great example). Also, if it were dropped, even from a very short distance, the razor's locking mechanism throws a fit and misfires the button, sending the razors flying in whatever direction. Lastly, the price of a razor replacement is $80, which is crazy expensive over time given it claims you should replace them every "4-6" months.

HTC One M8

HTC One M8

     

      I did a review on the case for this phone, so I'd might as well do a design review of the phone proper. The HTC One M8 has been called "The iPhone for android users" and I would say that is pretty accurate. This phone is built very solidly, with a full metal body and many material transition techniques akin to Apple's manufacturing process. It comes with a number of features in both hardware and software that are brilliant inclusions while others are a bit underbaked. In the good features corner, the front facing stereo speakers provide amazing sound quality for a phone, and MAN are they loud. With the massive sound system playing in our apartment, these speakers just overpowered them for everyone on the couch. Another feature I've appreciated is the IR Blaster. IT acts as a universal remote, and I mean UNIVERSAL. You can download IR information for any device under the sun, and you can import custom IR information by pressing the button in question on another remote into the IR blaster of the phone, essentially creating a clone of that button. The software of this phone has been streamlined to be snappy and include only what is necessary. HTC Blinkfeed puts all of your social networks, news sites, and calendar info in one spot, acting as a central hub to your life. 

      I have some issues though. The "Duo Camera" on the back....I'm undecided about it. The second camera records depth information of each picture taken by the other camera below it, allowing for some cool effects to happen after. You can refocus after the picture is taken, but this only works about one third of the time. Speaking of hardware, with a phone this tall (5" screen and speakers at both ends results in a lengthy device), putting the lock button at the top wasn't the smartest idea.

Bose SoundLink II Speakers

Bose SoundLink II Speakers

     I have had these speakers for about 2 years now, and I couldn't be happier with the design. It is built in such a way that it feels solid through and through yet not encumbering in the slightest bit. The best way to describe it would be dense and compact. The speaker connects via Bluetooth, and it is hands down some of the best sound quality I have ever heard from a standalone Bluetooth speaker. The battery life is surprisingly long, giving about 5-6 hours on above medium volume. Speaking of volume, this speaker is LOUD. I mean loud enough that, on full volume, it actually warranted a noise complaint from neighbors a few apartments away! My favorite design feature is the double duty protective covering.

     It is designed in such a way that when closed, it acts as a rugged protection for the speaker screen. It does a great job in both protecting an adding extra aesthetic quality to the speakers. When unfolded (as seen in the first picture) it acts as the stand for the speaker itself. This duality of essential purpose is something I have always admired in designs; having more than one function that is a core part of the product just shows ingenuity and a real understanding of the product being delivered. This speaker set isn't perfect though. The bass is passive, which means while it is remarkably strong, it needs some object behind it to reflect the bass to the listener to really get the full effect. Otherwise, it is diminished quite a bit, though it is aided slightly by the angle of which the stand rests the speaker. It bounces the bass of the...well...base it is resting on (be it a table, the ground, etc.). The stand itself is rather short in the back, so knocking the speakers over is rather easy. Other than these small things, the Bose SoundLink 2 is a Bluetooth speaker system I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a durable, portable, and powerful speaker (I found mine refurbished for just shy of $200)