I recently bought this item on impulse and now I'm regretting it. Here's why...
Lets start with the design/design quality:
The housing is a very poorly constructed plastic and the button is chromed plastic.
The functionality of the unit:
To turn it on, you have to hold the button. You might as well buy one of those keychain flashlights. At least with those, there's a switch.
The lighting is extremely dim and it emits a blueish light in your photos. (you'll need to get to at least 7 inches to have a decent amount of lighting).
The package contents:
Crapply made lanyard, warranty card, instructions, adhesive sticker, and the flash light unit.
Pros:
NONE! Its one of the crappiest accessories ever! If someone gifts this to you, you'll know that he/she really dislikes you.
Cons:
-Poor quality material.
-Poor quality construction.
-Poor lighting.
-Poor functionality.
Conclusion:
If you really need a light source for your Hero's camera, then you should really get a nice pen light such as the 4Sevens Preon. You'll get higher lumens and its far more versatile/portable than this crappy ViaTek Cell Flash. Plus, with the Preon, you'll get a correct white balance.
There's a reason why this item was premiered on "As Seen on TV". Most, if not all of the products there are garbage and a waste of resources.
Btw, the pictures of the package and the unit were taken from a Sony MHS-FS3. The pic of the $20 were taken by the Hero. No images have been Photoshopped.
Here's some pics (click images for larger pictures):
Thanks for taking the time to post a review!
No prob. Always glad to help the community even if it means money out of my pocket.
Thanks man,you stoped me to buy this
Related
Hi all,
Just got a mail about this new product from a seller on eBay. I had purchased a Cradle for the Touch HD from him earlier, and he has a shop online too.
IF anyone has used it, please do put in your reviews.
http://ishop-express.com/info.php?itno=421
Hi,same post here .
Funny Gadget
Thanks for pointing out, Marcdu81.
I had seen that earlier, but didnt see ur post on it. so thought it was just about the lens for the iPhones type.
Well, the iPhone type lens looks much better if its very slim and easy to just leave it on all the time.
I've got one
Hi guys, I bought one of these a while ago. However I'd only JUST thought of searching for a thread. So sorry for bumping an oldie.
I found the overall quality of the zoon lense to be pretty good. The crystal case didn't add too much bulk to my phone, and the zoom from the lense was pretty good.
I also found the zoom adjustment on the lense itself, once set, didn't have to be altered at all, I think if anything it slightly confused the blackstone's built-in auto-focus.
I've had mine for about 4 months or so now, bough from ebay. Having dropped my phone a few times (due to shonky work uniform pockets) the crystal case it was attached to pretty much just shattered. However I was able to salvage it by permanently adhering the lense "bracket" to the back of my phone, which, as a matter of humor, began to double as a belt-clip (I wouldn't suggest this though). It took a bit to align the bracket to allow the best focus from the lense to the camera lense, however it was doable.
Overall, I think at least this product deserves some merit as it has enabled me to take some "closer" pictures of birds and the like from a reasonable distance. The telescopic lense also doubles as a heavy duty magnifier which was more than capable of zooming in on the individual pixels on my LCD screen, and plasma TV (don't ask me why... OKAY! i was bored!)
Having said this, I have no photos to prove it's quality, as I've been through several hard drive losses since then (damn you seagate!!!). I will get some more photos and post them as a kind of "proof" that this lense is worthwhile getting, especially if you get it as cheap as I did from ebay.
Oh, and no black ring / frame around photos as per the other thread RE iPhony lenses
Pro's: Good zoom, good quality construction of the lense
Con's: Crystal (glass? LOL) case will shatter if dropped
The seller has been removed from eBay, which doesn't bode well...
http://myworld.ebay.com/ishop-express
they're still all over ebay, just have a look around, there was at least 6 different sellers with them when I bought mine
Quick question: is there a way to manage the brightness of Prime's LED flash? Many times it feels much too bright that I'd prefer to use the screen and the front facing cam lol
I don't know of any software that will help you, however you can also just go the old-school method of stacking layers of scotch tape over the flash LED in order to soften it and diffuse some of the brightness.
Just cut small pieces of tape and add them one at a time, taking a test pic between each layer until you get the "setting" you want.
If you use a hole-puncher you can make small discs that would be nearly undetectable when on the device.
If the tape isn't providing enough diffusion you could graduate up to a sheets of white paper, or thin plastic to get the job done.
Instead of using the front camera you can always turn off the flash. Obviously not an ideal solution for your problem but might be helpful for times when the flash is really just completely too bright.
Yeah... it's just the flash has a tendency to ruin great pics, but you can't take the pics at that moment without it.
Example: 3 year old plays in the fireplace when he knows not to. Mom yells at him and he is bursting in tears with black spots covering his face. Completely adorable. Prime in hand, take a shot, and you can't even see the spots because it's that bright.
People feel like I'm visually torching them when I take shots. I have to resort to ninja photographer practices.
But I'm gonna have to try some of the homebrew suggestions. Thx much
Just do a Google search for DIY Flash Diffuser and you will find dozens of ways of making a decent diffuser. Most of them are for people with DSLRs but you can probably adapt some of the techniques for use on the back of a tablet.
What are the best Google Cardboard sets in terms of features versus value you have found for the Nexus 6p?
Ideally, the phone would fit well and the set-up would include magnets, NFC, and a head strap. I am particularly interested in something that allows one to wear glasses at the same time as the set-up.
keever25 said:
What are the best Google Cardboard sets in terms of features versus value you have found for the Nexus 6p?
Ideally, the phone would fit well and the set-up would include magnets, NFC, and a head strap. I am particularly interested in something that allows one to wear glasses at the same time as the set-up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Following. I too am interested, and I wear glasses. Based on what I've read, the better units come with optical options for near and far sighted people. That would in theory negate the need for glasses? I have personally not used any of the VR units and have only recently become intrigued by them once I bought the 6P.
Hopefully someone will offer up some good options based on experience. While on the topic, what's the difference between Optimus Prime vs. using our phones? Or does the Optimus Prime use a phone? Have it's own screen? Do you have to buy "game/experience specific" titles? Or are there apps? Again, I'm new to the game.
I'm waiting for my Shinecone VR to come in, although it doesn't have a magnet. The advertised FOV is ~ 110*. I only have a Google cardboard at the moment, so my standards aren't exactly mind blowing. I'll be happy to post details when it arrives.
Bump
Also, interested in any recommendations.
530farm, cheers from across the bridge in the 650!
So my Shinecon VR headset came in yesterday. Had the opportunity to thoroughly try it out in short bursts of time. That means I haven't watched a movie on it.
Place of purchase: AliExpress (Amazon has it too but I purchased from AE because I knew my Nexus 6P was going to take a while to arrive anyways)
Price: $27 from AE (there's a range of prices)
Phone tested with headset: Nexus 6P
Comfort:
In comparison to the original Google Cardboard, it's obviously more luxurious and comfortable. The Shinecon has faux leather all around the areas that contact your face, except for the nose. The nose area is where a bit of light leaks in, but can easily be remedied with a bit of foam. However, I decided to leave this open as a port for ventilation because the phone can get warm depending on what type of VR content you're consuming.
The head straps are also made of good quality Velcro, so it's easily adjustable. The placement of the straps also seem pretty ideal, as the headset doesn't seem to be torquing my head downwards too much while in use.
Features:
The Shinecon has a few knobs to tweak the lens' position. There is a single knob on top that adjusts the distance between the lens. There's also knobs on either side of the headset that adjusts the fore/aft of the entire phone to bring the display into focus.
The phone loads into the headset with a spring/clamp mechanism. However, I found it difficult to load/unload my N6P mostly because the phone itself is pretty large for the mount. I wouldn't recommend any phone larger than the N6P for the Shinecon, but there's a tiny bit of wiggle room if you insist. The clamping mechanism also seems rather fragile, as the plastic bends pretty easily. The tabs for the clamp are also rather thin. If it does break, the clamp/tray can be removed with a few screws, and you could load the phone into the headset with some foam. Once the phone is loaded into the tray, all you do is fold the front "door" back into position and a magnet keeps things closed. The magnet seems sufficiently strong to hold my N6P without any problems. There is also an extra backplate that can be removed (attached via magnet) to allow better ventilation of your device, as well as exposing the camera for augmented reality, etc.
The front door also has a gap on either side of the headset, allowing for easy access to any ports on the phone that are on the top or bottom of the phone's edges. I could easily charge my N6P and use headphones while using the Shinecon.
Viewing Content:
Since this headset does not include any of its own software, I can only talk about the experience provided by 3rd party apps. I used Cardboard Theater to view my own content, and tested other VR videos with VRSE and Youtube. Everything was very simple to use, and the lens were of great quality. Picture was very clear, and the FOV was fantastic. Using Cardboard Theater, I was able to adjust "how far I am to the screen." In other words, it felt like I was on the front row of the theater with very good immersion. Not much black space on the edges of the field, which was a problem on the original Google Cardboard headset. I don't know if the advertised 110* FOV is accurate, but I'm pretty satisfied with what I'm seeing.
Build Quality:
Overall build quality was better than expected. Everything fit together very nicely. Nothing was squeaky. There were no loose threads on the leather. The hinges did not creak. The lenses weren't scratched or warped. I basically had no complaints. Especially given the very cheap price, I would definitely buy it again. This headset was slightly more pricey than a few other Chinese brand headsets, but the quality and FOV/immersion seemed to justify the slightly higher price tag.
TLDR:
I liked it. I would buy it again.
If you liked the review, a simple press of the "thanks" button will do! If you have questions, you can ask here or PM me. Keep in mind, I'm just a VR n00b, but this headset has served me well for the 2 days I've had it.
Rate this thread to express how you think the Xiaomi Mi A2 feels in terms of quality. A higher rating indicates that it feels premium and high-quality (attention to detail is high, manufacturing defects don't exist, etc).
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!
I'm going to give the material/build quality a 7 out of 10. It's definitely nothing I can complain about at this price point. The body itself looks and feels great. The buttons are a little too clicky and protruding for my liking. Camera also sticking out too far, but that's fair considering how slim the phone is. My biggest turn off, might be just pertaining to my device. But I get a slight rattle when setting the phone down. Maybe just the vibrating motor, maybe it's because there was no protection in the packaging mine shipped in. To me 7 out of 10 in a $250 phone with these specs is incredible overall.
When you set the phone down, it wobbles because of the camera bump which should not have happened as other device don't have this issue.
Xiaomi really missed an opportunity here
Nickdroid86 said:
I'm going to give the material/build quality a 7 out of 10. It's definitely nothing I can complain about at this price point. The body itself looks and feels great. The buttons are a little too clicky and protruding for my liking. Camera also sticking out too far, but that's fair considering how slim the phone is. My biggest turn off, might be just pertaining to my device. But I get a slight rattle when setting the phone down. Maybe just the vibrating motor, maybe it's because there was no protection in the packaging mine shipped in. To me 7 out of 10 in a $250 phone with these specs is incredible overall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Happy to hear that I`m not the only one with these kind of "problems". My device also rattles a lot when laying it down on whatever kind of solid surface or sometimes even when gently tapping it with your fingers. It sounds like there´s something about to break apart on the inside, which drives me crazy .
I´ve already contacted my seller, assuming that something inside my device is loose or that the vibration-motor is damaged. They replied that it would be normal and that the noise would be caused by the auto-focus. I´d love to hear if there are even more A2 users facing this issue or if I unluckily received a faulty device.
Using the volume- or unlock-buttons also takes way to much force and is way too noisy in my opinion.
In addition to that, the oleophobic coating of the device is very weak if not even non-existent. Fingerprints are visible after very short usage can hardly be removed.
I won`t even complain about design mistakes like the camera bump or the fake stereo-speakers on the bottom of the device, as these are things you should consider before buying.
To me that makes up for no more than 5/10, irrespective of the phone`s great performance.
Maybe I expected to much from a 240€ phone, but comparing it to a Moto G6 there is plenty of room for improvement on the quality side.
Evaluating just the use of materials I would rate the phone at a solid 9.0/10.
Sole gripe is the aluminum back, which didn't get any treatment to be less slippery (it's really an hazard if you use it "naked" -- like I do).
There are plenty of other issues which are not about use of materials, but do show lower quality standards in some regards. For instance, the speakers punch insane volumes, but the quality is very far from top tier flagships (which should be a surprise to none, as this is a much cheaper phone). Call quality does suffer due to this, at least just from our side (listening). The luminosity sensor could also be better, not sure if it's just software or poor hardware. Button feel is stiff and solid like other top premium devices, don't know what people are complaining there. Fingerprint sensor does tend to be slower than the top tier (emphasis on the relative comparison -er, as it's not slow by any absolute means, just slower)
If you want to evaluate design, the larger bezels are also a pretty clear give-away this isn't flagship material. The huge camera bump is also a design choice that annoys a lot of people (motivated by the fact that module wouldn't fit otherwise, but a design choice to make the phone stupidly slim nonetheless).
My assessment of the phone is very good, chiefly because it costs less than €250 for the 4GB/64GB model (which I have).
You can't really expect miracles, there is a reason why the other phones are more expensive.
The compromises made in the A2 make it retain most of the apparent feel of a much premium device -- so much so that, when a call arrives, I am disappointed to be reminded by the speakers that this is a very good €250 phone; not a €1000+ flaghip.
alexris99 said:
Happy to hear that I`m not the only one with these kind of "problems". My device also rattles a lot when laying it down on whatever kind of solid surface or sometimes even when gently tapping it with your fingers. It sounds like there´s something about to break apart on the inside, which drives me crazy .
I´ve already contacted my seller, assuming that something inside my device is loose or that the vibration-motor is damaged. They replied that it would be normal and that the noise would be caused by the auto-focus. I´d love to hear if there are even more A2 users facing this issue or if I unluckily received a faulty device.
Using the volume- or unlock-buttons also takes way to much force and is way too noisy in my opinion.
In addition to that, the oleophobic coating of the device is very weak if not even non-existent. Fingerprints are visible after very short usage can hardly be removed.
I won`t even complain about design mistakes like the camera bump or the fake stereo-speakers on the bottom of the device, as these are things you should consider before buying.
To me that makes up for no more than 5/10, irrespective of the phone`s great performance.
Maybe I expected to much from a 240€ phone, but comparing it to a Moto G6 there is plenty of room for improvement on the quality side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, even my MI A2 when placed down on a flat surface makes a metallic noise/vibration, as if there was something not fixed properly near camera.
With my previous Moto G4 I did not have this problem, at the moment I'm not sure whether to keep the MI A2 or send it back despite being very satisfied with all the other aspects.
Has anyone noticed differences with cover?
Is this defect also present on other phones?
Everyone has that rattle when shaking the phone or laying it down, apparently it has something to dok with the camera, there is a thread about it. The phone has a very good build quality, at this price point incredible. The bump bothers me a bit but since they copied the iPhone it doesn't feel cheap.
Just received a MI a2 and it seems to have very good build quality for a $250 phone and works fine so far. Of course I am not a fan of the cam bump but still a good phone 8.5 of 10.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Looks like Huawei out did Samsung in a bif way.
The display of Huawei Mate X doesn't seem to be as solid as Samsung's. The Fold's hinge mechanism seems superior too.
Mate X totally win in terms of size, thinness and functionality of the unfolded screen. But it fold outwards though, the thought of screen resting on the surface the whole time just doesn't seem promising.
Both have problems, the fold is too thick, my opinion is the outer screen looks cheap and doesn't cover the full length, whiles it does give protection to the inner screen, the mate X, out screen is easier to break or get scratched, better design and thin.
Either way, those who purchase it are lab rat, testing it for Samsung and Huawei for future released, i'd rather just purchase a top of the range smartphone and a tablet, two separate units.
gpmg762 said:
Looks like Huawei out did Samsung in a bif way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually like Samsung's design more. I like the one hand functionality of the front display. They could have increase it to 5.3inch but 4.6 will do for me. Also the infold design protects that inner display more.
Huawei design is more of a tablet. Samsung is a bit of both worlds phone and tablet.
May the Fold be with You
https://twitter.com/lordvader/status/1102861901229375489
I've been debating which is the better phone for the past month, and I've decided that for me it's the Galaxy Fold.
The Huawei has been designed upside down for starters. With a flexible plastic display on the outside, having the fold on the left and the "lump" on the right is terrible. surely you'd want to minimise anything touching the display more than needed? And when it's unfolded, surely as most people are right handed that lump should be held in your left hand so that you can navigate more easily with your right hand? And the fact that you can't use it for video calling in tablet mode is a bit bad.
I've seen others question whether you can take selfies on the Fold using the rear camera while it's unfolded using the smaller display, so we'll have to wait and see for that one, but I'm fairly sure it's just a software issue if it's not available at launch. And whilst I don't like notches or big bezels much, as a hybrid device I think it's something that I could deal with.
It's pretty likely I'm going to get the Fold at this point and keep the Note 9 for those times when I need a smaller phone. The only things I need to work out is what kind of cradle to get for it to use in a car, and what kind of compact keyboard/stand option to go for to use it with OneNote as I'll likely start using it a lot more and not take the Surface Go out and about as much.
When I travel I take my phone, a Kindle, and the Surface Go. This could potentially reduce that all down to a single device, so it would be a great travel companion for me.
I wonder if there is a useable keyboard on the outside screen or you need to open it to type. That outside screen is only 3 icons wide.
Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk
larsdennert said:
I wonder if there is a useable keyboard on the outside screen or you need to open it to type. That outside screen is only 3 icons wide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's probably a similar size to an iPhone 4 display, and for years everyone was happily using displays of that size.
I like about this Phone : Huawei Mate X
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndwAZVTBnuE
i like Huawei more but hardware and software is bad.
plus you can't unlock bootloader on Huawei anymore (new ones). So basically you getting a phone with foldable lags.
Samsung recalls Galaxy Fold review samples, postpones launch after slew of issues
https://www.rt.com/business/457315-samsung-postpones-galaxy-fold-launch/
Well, that's the end of the fold. Let's wait for the fold FE.
gpmg762 said:
Looks like Huawei out did Samsung in a bif way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you think having a fragile plastic display on the outside of the phone where it can be scratched, nicked, and dinged constantly is going to be practical and durable? The Mate X is going to be a disaster in its own right with many but different issues than the Fold. And at a price $600 higher. Huawei execs have said they've rejected Samsung's approach to go the way they did. We'll see who laughs last because both phones are vaporware until they are in consumer's hands without major issues.
In terms of which is more practical, an "innie" or an "outie," considering the display is plastic and somewhat fragile I'd go with the former like Samsung did. The outie is more logical from a usability and design perspective but the innie leaves the screen far more protected. Does anyone here not think that the thin plastic display on either phone is fragile and the biggest challenge to design around? Until bendable glass is a thing foldable phones are going to be variations of compromise with durability being the weakest link.
It's interesting to me that the Huawei is possible and the largest hope I have that the Sammy may hold up better than expected. You have to figure Huawei believes they can get the vast majority to the end of the warranty period or it wouldn't be coming to market. How they are expecting this to survive with a relatively soft external wrap-around screen is beyond me. I'm rooting for them though, I'm going to be pretty happy if they both turn out to work. It's genuinely exciting; so much past the usual (lately) meh phone upgrade where you have a 1/2 larger screen, a couple extra pixels, etc.
BarryH_GEG said:
So you think having a fragile plastic display on the outside of the phone where it can be scratched, nicked, and dinged constantly is going to be practical and durable? The Mate X is going to be a disaster in its own right with many but different issues than the Fold. And at a price $600 higher. Huawei execs have said they've rejected Samsung's approach to go the way they did. We'll see who laughs last because both phones are vaporware until they are in consumer's hands without major issues.
In terms of which is more practical, an "innie" or an "outie," considering the display is plastic and somewhat fragile I'd go with the former like Samsung did. The outie is more logical from a usability and design perspective but the innie leaves the screen far more protected. Does anyone here not think that the thin plastic display on either phone is fragile and the biggest challenge to design around? Until bendable glass is a thing foldable phones are going to be variations of compromise with durability being the weakest link.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We'll know the quality of Mate X's screen when reviewers get their hands on the sample in June.
Don't know who will have the last laugh but the first definitely goes to the Fold.
It doesn't matter whether the screen face in or out when plastic screen is used, durability will be low. The Fold will fare better if you use it completely as a folded phone.
You may not remember but mobile used plastic screen before glass screen became the standard. Plastic screen for foldable phone is a phase. Like you mentioned, screen durability issues will probably be solved in the future with bendable glass.
Take screen durability out of the equation, who has the better design? I'll let you decide yourself.
I'll wait for reports from reviewers in June.
LENOVO
Someone should change the title of this thread to "Huawei Mate X boat sunk by U.S. Government." A $2,600 phone without an ecosystem doesn't sound very appealing.