features

Vivo started an adventure a few weeks ago: that of launching its first global wearable. He Vivo Watch GT 2 It is the first smart watch that the firm, which has experience in this field, launches in our borders. Your proposal? A relatively low price, fair and necessary functions for everyday life, a huge screen and an absurd battery. After two weeks wearing it on my wrist, this has been my experience. ✅ Buy it if… You don’t want to have to worry about charging the watch. You want a screen that looks exceptionally good. You are looking for a watch that offers the basics: health, notifications, calls, etc. ❌ Don’t buy it if… You absolutely need to pay with your mobile. You want to access third-party applications. You want the watch to be part of a larger connected ecosystem. The essentials in 30 seconds The Vivo Watch GT 2 is an affordable smartwatch, well built and with just what is necessary to satisfy the user looking for just that: a simple clock. It works well, the screen is huge, the battery is amazing and, although it is not a watch loaded with functions and options, it does its job. It is the living definition of a 100-something euro watch. In this price range there are many proposals, but few offer a screen this large and of this quality with an autonomy that safely exceeds two weeks. And it has a simple paddle mode that, without being a panacea, is more useful than 99% of the smart watches I have tried in my life. Now, the reality is that it is: it does not offer anywhere near the versatility of a watch with Wear OS or watchOS. It does not have an eSIM, it does not have a voice assistant, it is not integrated into a home automation ecosystem, it does not have mobile payments, it does not have third-party apps or maps… It is, as I said, a watch for the basics. 8.4 Design 8.0 Screen 9.5 Software 7.0 Battery 9.7 Interface 8.0 in favor Despite being large, it is quite comfortable. The screen looks outrageous. It has one of the best batteries I’ve ever tested in a smartwatch. against It lacks a catalog of third-party applications that allows expanding functions. It does not have mobile payments. It does not have a virtual assistant nor is it integrated with an ecosystem of products beyond mobile. Vivo Watch GT2 Smart Watch with 25-day battery, Bluetooth Calls, Paddle and Tennis Pro Modes, NFC Access Cards, more than 100 Sports Modes, 2.07″ Screen, GPS The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Vivo Watch GT 2 Vivo Watch GT 2 | Image: Xataka It’s huge. And to your question, yes, it is identical to the Apple Watch. It is not a small watch and it is certainly not designed for small wrists. It is well finished, it is very comfortable and very light. The screen, at more than two inches, looks great in broad daylight and responds well to gestures. Zero complaints here, it is one of the best screens I have tried on a watch. The strap is proprietary, so it can only be exchanged for other straps that use the same coupling. In other words, you can’t use just any 20 or 22 millimeter strap. The operating system. It’s called Blue OS, but it’s really a custom RTOS. That is, there is no store with which to access third-party apps. Luckily, the system comes armed with everything you need to use it, a good assortment of covers and, something I’ve never seen before, pre-installed games. Bloatware, wow. Luckily, they can be uninstalled. In any case, I haven’t missed any more apps for everyday life except, perhaps, a map app. One thing I can’t help but mention is that the “Do Not Disturb” mode does not stop the screen from turning on when you make the gesture of looking at the time, something that I think is very important when wearing it at night. What is fair and necessary. Everything works well and the expected options are there: you can make and answer calls via Bluetooth (it does not have eSIM), read notifications (and respond to them with default responses), and record heart rate, stress, sleep, SpO2, and cycle. The measurements are correct, but they are sometimes overly optimistic. It is noticeable, for example, in the step log. In terms of compatibility, the watch can be used with iOS and Android, so it’s hardware agnostic in that sense. Vivo Watch GT 2 | Image: Xataka The miracle was almost done. There must be someone in Vivo who has read Xataka’s analysis, because the watch has a paddle mode. And not a padel mode that measures pulses and that’s it, but rather it measures whether the blow is forehand or backhand, quantity and speed throughout the match. It is not as complete as that of Mibro GS 2 Probut it is more useful than the average report of most watches. The downside would have been to have more real-time information on the shots and to better detect volleys, lobs, shots and layups, but hey, it’s a step. It also works for tennis and more than 100 sports. The accuracy of the metrics is acceptable, although there is a certain upward trend in heart rate and calories burned. GPS also records the routes followed with relative precision. And this battery? I’ve been wearing the watch all day for two weeks and it still has 10% left. I think that pretty well defines one of the benefits of this watch. The battery is not a problem nor is charging, which is completed in just over two hours. Vivo Watch GT 2 technical sheet vivo watch gt 2 dimensions and weight 47.54 x 40.19 x 13.38mm 34.9 grams without strap screen 2.07 inch 2.5D color AMOLED 60Hz Maximum brightness: 2,500 nits Panda Glass 1681 Resolution: 432 x 514 … Read more

Nothing returns to its old ways with new headphones, the Nothing Ear (3a). With a price of 99 euros, the headphones seek to compete in, probably, most saturated segment of the audio world. After having tried them, it is clear to me that they go straight to my list of products to recommend when someone asks me for advice. ✅ Buy them if… You have a tight budget of less than 100 euros. You want headphones with personality. You are looking for headphones that you can connect to several devices at the same time. ❌ Don’t buy them if… You want the best noise cancellation and transparency mode. Wireless charging is an essential requirement. You value high definition, although this applies to any TWS headphones. The essentials in 30 seconds The Nothing Ear (3a) are Nothing’s new mid-range headphones. They do not seek to be the reference TWS headphones, but rather to offer a solid alternative for less than 100 euros with three key pillars: design, sound and connectivity. They do not reinvent the wheel nor do they need to, since they work well and fulfill their purpose, which is what they have to do. Do they have the best sound? No. The best noise cancellation? No, but they cost what they cost and, for that money, you can say that they work very well. In addition, they are headphones with a lot of personalitydifferent from all those in this saturated market, so, at the same price, at least these put an eye-catching proposal on the table. One of its differential values ​​is Audio Snapshot, a function that allows you to record what is playing and transcribe it to revisit it later. Its practical usefulness on a day-to-day basis is questionable, but well tuned it could be a useful feature for those of us who, like yours truly, tend to think out loud and keep ideas in notes. 8.8 Design 9.3 Sound quality 8.6 noise cancellation 8.2 Ergonomics 9.0 Usage experience 8.7 Battery 9.2 in favor They have a lot of personality and are different from other headphones on the market. The sound quality is great for costing 100 euros. The multipoint connection is always a success. against The microphone sounds with some echo on calls. They do not have wireless charging. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Nothing Ear (3a) Nothing Ear (3a) | Image: Xataka How nice it is to be surprised. In a world where technology has become boring, Nothing products are a breath of fresh air. Not only because they are transparent and, in my case, yellow, but because they have personality. The case is one of the coolest I’ve seen in a long time (LEDs included) and the headphones, colors aside, are comfortable, light, and don’t fall out while moving. I have zero complaints in this regard. Good in sound. For 100 euro headphones, the Nothing Ear (3a) sound really good. They have been quite a surprise, in fact. The sound comes out clean, the bass is quite punchy and the treble is kept at bay, although when there are sudden changes you can see that the headphones are missing a bit. Nothing serious and we will notice it only if we know what we are looking for. For day to day they go like a shot. The noise cancellation is adequate and sufficient for mundane noises, such as the air conditioning or the hustle and bustle of the street, but it is not close to the best in this segment. The transparency mode is correct, but again, without highlighting; and during calls there is a certain echo in the microphones. Nothing Ear (3a) | Image: Xataka Audio Snapshot. One of the novelties that these headphones bring is the possibility of recording audio fragments of what is playing, storing them in their 32 MB capacity and transcribing them with AI (free and locally, although the most powerful model is paid and online). The idea is good, but I would have liked it if, instead of recording just a piece of a podcast or an audiobook, I could do it at the same time with my voice, so that I could record a reflection out loud or an idea that comes to me suddenly, and transcribe it. In theory, the headphones offer the possibility of recording and transcribing calls, but this function will not reach Spain, at least in the first phase. The minipoint of connectivity. Spending 99 euros is no small feat, especially now, which is why it is appreciated that we can use the headphones with several devices at the same time thanks to the multipoint connection. Being able to have them connected via Bluetooth 6.0 to the Steam Deck and to the mobile phone or the tablet and switching from one to the other interchangeably is fabulous, even more so in these price ranges. Not to mention that they are fully compatible with iOS and Android. Battery to get through the day without problem. The headphones deliver what they promise: around six hours of autonomy with noise cancellation activated, which rises to about a full day if we take into account the charging of the case. Charging is via USB type C, no wireless charging, something that, on the other hand, is to be expected. Nothing Ear technical sheet (3a) nothing ear (3a) Dimensions and weight Headphones: 31.2 x 21.7 x 24 mm – 4.53 grams Case: 64.8 x 48.95 x 22.8mm. 49.98 grams Diaphragm Unit 12mm PMI and TPU dynamic driver 20Hz-40kHz noise cancellation Wideband Active Noise Cancellation Up to 45db Transparency mode Battery Headphones: 55mAh Box: 500mAh autonomy Headphones: up to 6 hours with ANC Box: up to 25 hours with ANC audio formats SBC, AAC, LDAC connection Bluetooth 6.0 compatibility Android 8.0 or higher iOS 13 or higher extras 6x microphones ENC on calls Audio Snapshot IP54 Spatial audio price 99 euros Nothing Ear (3a), Xataka’s opinion Nothing Ear (3a) | … Read more

If with mobile phones we saw an evolution towards increasingly larger screens, it seems that with wearables we are moving in the opposite direction. Whoop has managed to find the key in a tremendously competitive segment: its bracelet without a screen is the germ of the Fitbit Air that I have been wearing for the last two weeks. This has allowed me to know something very specific: having to look at everything on my phone is not my ideal use. You are interested in following the activity, not recording exercise. You need to disconnect from the screens. You are looking for a comfortable device to track your health. You are an athlete who needs to have a record of your training. You like to leave your cell phone at home when you do sports. You want to avoid subscriptions. The essentials in 30 seconds The Fitbit Air is an old-fashioned fitness tracker, without a screen. It’s like the Original Mi Band: All information must be consulted in the app. This eliminates at once part of the appeal for any amateur athlete: the bracelet does not have GPS, it cannot record outdoor workouts, it does not allow you to follow the coach from the screen and, ultimately, does not release the smartphone. Yes of notifications. The Fitbit Air adequately records steps, measures heart rate accurately as long as your heart rate does not increase, offers easy use without a subscription (like a basic activity bracelet) and includes tools such as a personal trainer, workouts, extended information and more under Fitbit Premium Google Health Premium. Google has looked to its competition, Whoop, for its subscription model. The accessory has a very specific audience, among which I am not: who only needs the bracelet to motivate activity. Google aims for a calm profile, far from the athlete who would use a Garmin. Even far from those who would choose a smartwatch as an extension of their mobile phone: the Fitbit Air seeks to cut out notifications to focus on what is essential: movement. Their approach to health measurement is also important. If you’re looking for motivation to get off the couch, and you don’t want an uncomfortable accessory on your wrist, the Fitbit Air may be for you. Google Fitbit Air – Activity Bracelet with Physical Activity, Heart Rate and Sleep Monitoring – Personalized AI-Based Advice – Up to 7 Days of Battery – Raspberry The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Fitbit Air Comfort above all. What I like most about the bracelet is that it looks like you’re not wearing anything. It is light, compact, fits well on the wrist and the nylon strap is very nice (I am a fan of these straps). What I don’t like is not having a screen: more than once I found myself turning my wrist to check the time. I understand those who are looking for a Fitbit Air to complement their watch, I prefer not to carry two devices. How am I doing, Fitbit Air? Google has focused on Whoop to focus the Fitbit Air on well-being and health, not so much on exercise. Measure heart rate, SpO2, temperature, stress, breathing or sleep. More or less what is usual for an activity bracelet. The data is good without reaching maximum reliability: the variety of heart rate is high and in the step count I have seen a certain margin of error. Not to mention distance estimation: since it doesn’t have GPS, the margin of error is enormous. The coach is the best of the bunch. Gemini disguises himself as a trainer under our orders. So this is the best thing about the software: you can ask it for workouts, to explain your health status, stretching, or, as it occurred to me, a Pilates plan. Since Google knows a lot about me, it was able to adapt a plan to me with precision. It is an AI adapted 100% to the Fitbit Air and its data. The coach is the best of the bunch. Google offers the trainer, and some added features, under the Premium subscription. With the purchase of the Air, three months of the plan begin. And there is something better: if you have Google One Pro or higher you already have Google Health Premium. It is a complement that is very worthwhile, since it not only tells you how healthy you are, it also creates training plans, sessions and any other approach related to health and sports. You can register the sport with it. But…It is far from what a GPS watch can do. Measuring running distances is useless, the same with walks (in performance data it comes out well). Also, since you don’t have a screen you can’t see how the practice is going. The Fitbit Air automatically records steps, but for sports practices you must necessarily go through the smartphone. There will be those who prefer this way of training, I like to forget about the phone as much as possible. The recording is sufficiently precise, as I said before, but the calculations tend to err in high intensity situations. Less battery than expected. Not having a screen I imagined that the autonomy would be high. Error: with everything active, the battery lasts a week, as Google promises. Charging is done using a magnetic base and takes an hour and a half to complete (ten minutes saves the day). Again, all the information related to the charging status must be checked from the mobile phone, since when you double tap the LED it only gives us two pieces of information: white LED, it has a charge; Red LED, danger. And that’s it. Fitbit Air technical sheet fitbit air DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 34.9mm long 17mm width 8.3mm height BATTERY lithium polymer Up to 7 days duration Charging time (0-100%) 90 minutes Fast charging: a day of use in 5 minutes SENSORS Optical heart rate monitor Accelerometer Red and infrared sensors for SpO2 … Read more

First of all: who names appliances like microwaves, ovens, washing machines and stuff? How difficult it is to then recommend or know which one to buy, and I say this with experience: less than a year ago I bought an apartment and had to set up the kitchen and its associated appliances. What a shame I didn’t know about the existence of this product segment, because the LG MJ3965BP is not just another microwave (like the one I have), it is a three-in-one: microwave, oven and airfryer. They say that he who covers a lot, takes little, so we have tested it thoroughly and this has been our experience. ✅ Buy it if… You have little space in the kitchen. The size of air fryers falls short. You are a fan of microwaves and you think they are underrated. ❌ Don’t buy it if… There are a lot of people at home. You already have an oven and (especially) a good air fryer. You want a simple and cheap microwave. The essentials in 30 seconds The LG MJ3965BP is an oven, microwave, grill and air fryer. I don’t want to entangle you with psychological technicalities about air fryers (you can go deeper here), I’ll just summarize it like this: They are mini convection ovens. and that’s just what we have here, a small oven that also has a microwave function. Come on, he can cook with waves and air and he does it with flying colors. When I was little I remember the legendary microwaves with a grill function that you almost had to put in the burner to toast that gratin lasagna after waiting an eternity, but nothing could be further from the truth: this one goes like a shot and actually toasts food before the oven. As for the airfryer, it has fine print: you can put whatever you want, but limited to 300 grams. There it cooks like the best air fryers because it has power and by adding such a small amount, the cooking is uniform. I don’t know about you, but I usually put more in. If that happens, your best bet is to use the oven version. For a microwave it is large, but for an oven it is small, which makes it precisely a solution for those homes where there is no oven, either because you don’t have space or because you are renting and your kitchen already came like this. In that case, here you have a three-in-one solvent for all types of preparations. LG MJ3965BPS – Microwave Oven, 4 in 1, with Digital Display, 39 Liters and 1100 W, Smart Inverter and EasyClean Function, Cooks Faster, Maintains Flavor, Black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the LG MJ3965BP A great design in every way. When I took it out of the box the first thing I said was blasphemy: it’s heavier than a regular microwave and it was difficult for me to take it out. And also find a place for it, because it doesn’t fit on the shelf where my resident microwave is. Finally, I found a space on the counter for this 39-liter capacity pot. The good thing is that it has a very striking and modern mirrored finish. To operate it, little story: a touch panel, a screen and a roulette wheel and everything you need to know is on a sheet of paper on the side of the door. Ideal for impatient people who don’t read instructions. This little oven is very big. After the drama of finding a place for it, the joys come: the great handicap of air fryers in general is that there are things that you can’t fit into, but in this LG MJ3965BP, unless the whole family comes, there is plenty of space to fit a whole chicken. And in 50 minutes you have it this golden, a little less than the required hour in my oven. You just have to choose the “Roast and Bake” function and little else. That the plate rotates is a plus for uniform cooking and since there is interior light, you can keep an eye on it without having to open the door. In short, power is not a problem and that brings advantages: you save time in the oven, you use less energy and you fit more than in a deep fryer. Excellent in microwave. It may be the least exciting, but it more than accomplishes the tasks of evenly heating those leftovers, defrosting bread, boiling water for an infusion… What has surprised me most here is that it minimizes the endemic evil of microwaves: you heat a plate of meatballs and while one is hot, the other is cold. The power and rotation help, but the way of heating food with waves is more homogeneous compared to most microwaves I have tried (which are the typical basic ones for 50 – 100 euros). TOirfryer may be saying a lot. With some potato sticks in the next dish, my doubt was whether to bake them or put them in air fryer mode. I ventured to try the second option and there I was disappointed: it is limited to introducing 300 grams of food. With that amount or less you ensure that the food is spread out and cooked and toasted quickly, that is to say: the airfryer function in its most favorable conditions. But who makes only 300 grams of potatoes? I took a gamble by disobeying the instructions and tried it and here I found that it was much more difficult for them to achieve that golden brown. Maintenance: leave a cloth nearby. The finish is a real magnet for grease marks (which, on the other hand, lend themselves to appearing on a device that is used for cooking), so it is better to have a cloth nearby. The good thing is that being completely flat and with hardly any nooks, it is cleaned just as … Read more

You know those products that you take out of the box and say “wow!”? Well, Sony’s new headphones are just this. They are high-end headphones with a more premium character that not only know how to convey what they cost, but also know how to make you fall in love at first sight (and hearing). I’ve been using them for a few weeks now. Sony 1000X The Collection and this has been my experience. ✅ Buy it if… Are you looking for comfortable and beautiful headphones to use? chill at home. You want good sound and noise cancellation. You have music in high definition and you don’t mind using a cable. ❌ Don’t buy it if… You want cheap headphones, because these, precisely, are not. You are going to use them to listen to compressed music on Spotify or YouTube Music. You are looking for versatility and to be able to wear them at home, on the street or when playing sports. The essentials in 30 seconds The Sony 1000X The Collexion are headphones with a excellent finish, very premium and surprisingly comfortable. They are quite a design exercise that works well, although the reality is what it is: I would try not to take them out of the house too much because that (beautiful) finish is as beautiful as it is fragile. They sound very good and cancel noise almost at the level of their brothers 1000XM6. It is difficult to fault the sound quality. Sony knows what it’s doing and it shows. What doesn’t quite work are the software additions, such as DSEE and Upmix, which, although striking on paper, are functions that tend to go unnoticed and whose use is more testimonial. The battery has a decent autonomy, certainly not the best on the market; and the connectivity, although correct, could be better if we think about using it in mobility. However, and be that as it may, the truth is that these headphones convince, especially if we understand them in their context. The rival, yes, they have in their own house and it is better and cheaper. 9.1 Design 9.5 Sound quality 9.0 noise cancellation 9.2 Ergonomics 9.0 Usage experience 9.25 Autonomy 8.7 in favor They have some of the best noise cancellation I’ve tried to date. The materials are exceptional and the finish feels very premium. They sound great, on par with the best against The material, although it feels scary, raises questions about its durability Specific functions, such as Upmix or DSEE, do not make a difference They are very expensive Sony 1000X The COLLEXION Luxury Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, with Premium Noise Canceling, Hi-Res Studio Sound; 360 Spatial Audio; Rugged Case; Platinum, New Model The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Sony 1000X The Collexion Sony X1000 The Collection | Image: Xataka Beautiful not to take them out of the house. The Sony 1000X The Collexion are beautiful headphones and that is undeniable. They are expensive and it shows from minute one. The cups and headband are made of a synthetic leather that combines great with the stainless steel of the hinges. They are very pretty, they are very comfortable (I would say the most comfortable I have ever tried), they feel light (although they are not) and they are for use at home. Synthetic leather suffers a lot from inclement weather, friction and knocks, so a bad gesture will leave a mark for life. Sony includes a very nice fabric-finished carrying case, but it also runs the risk of getting dirty relatively easily. However, it is useful and good to have on hand because the headphones, unfortunately, cannot be folded completely. An impressive sound. They sound exactly what 600-odd euro headphones should sound like. It is a clean sound, punchy when it needs to be and with amazing clarity in the highs. I have enjoyed them like a dwarf listening to Nu Metal, but also soundtracks and jazz, even at high volumes. It is one of those headphones that you can use for hours and hours without getting tired and that are difficult to find fault with. Of course, they won’t surprise you if you’re used to high-end headphones, all things considered. Much of the price we pay is justified by the design, not the sound. And the noise? Sony knows what it is doing in this field. The WH-1000XM6 are the best in this field and these are just one step below. They cancel noise to a level that borders on the absurd. Not just those at home, like my 3D printers or air conditioning. I’m talking about the noise of cars on the road or the noise inside a bus. I don’t have the slightest complaint. If the cancellation of the WH-1000XM6 is the best I have tried, this is the second without a doubt. Sony X1000 The Collection | Image: Xataka The software stuff that… well… These headphones come with two functions that, honestly, I can’t quite see. The first is DSEE, a system that “fixes” the compression of Bluetooth codecs via software. It is not always noticeable and, when it is, it is little noticeable. The second is Upmix, a system that simulates a kind of spatial audio that, in theory, puts us in the middle of the stage. Phew. The idea is good, but the execution is so-so. It sounds too artificial and, on rock songs in particular, very strident. The management application is called Sound Connect and is available at iOS and Android. Battery ok, but not outstanding. The headphones promise up to 24 hours of autonomy with active noise cancellation, a figure that is not low at all, but it is not on par with what other proposals on the market offer. I insist, it is not a bad autonomy, but its XM6 brothers are at 30 hours and the JBL Tour One M3 They are around 40 hours, in both cases with noise cancellation active. When they … Read more