Luke Judge

I’ve reviewed two versions of Radius’ Atomic Bass earphones for Macworld–the $40 standard version ( Macworld rated 3 out of 5 mice ) and the $50 headset version ( Macworld rated 3 out of 5 mice )–and found both to be solid $50-and-under canalbuds. the company recently updated both models, incorporating a few modest tweaks and lowering the price of the headset version by $10. I had the opportunity to test the new headset, now named the Radius Atomic Bass 2 + Mic Earphones.

Like the original, the Atomic Bass 2 + Mic is a canalbud-style headset. Canalbuds split the difference in design–and usually price–between traditional earbuds and in-ear-canal (“canalphone”) models. (See our in-ear-canal headphone primer for more details.) the earpieces fit partially in the ear canals, so they block some external noise and, ideally, form an acoustic seal that improves bass performance. however, canalbuds don’t block as much noise as true in-ear-canal models, and, as with canalphones, getting a proper fit can be tricky and the cord can produce unwanted microphonic noise in a listener’s ear.

The Atomic Bass 2′s earpieces are similar to the capsule shape of the original. Listeners with smaller ears can wear the earpieces with the cable exiting downward and the capsule protruding, or the earpieces can be turned upside down, with the cable draped up and over the ear, allowing for a more-canalphone-like fit for people with larger ears. Radius claims the different cord on the new version increases durability, and it does feel stronger than the cables used in the previous design. the company also says the cable’s rubbery coating helps prevent tangling.

The cables going to the left and right earpieces are now even lengths–the cables differed in length in the previous version so you could drape the longer cable behind the neck–and the remote/microphone module on the left cable uses a slightly different design than before. unfortunately, this is still a one-button (Play/Pause/Call) remote that does not include the increasingly common volume controls, and I find that single button to be more difficult to press than before.

Three sizes of smaller-than-average silicone eartips are included. the package also contains a round carrying case, but half of the case is mesh rather than solid, so it feels less protective than a fully rigid case.

I found that, for me, wearing the headphones upside-down produced the best results, and I found the fit of the Atomic Bass 2 almost identical to that of the previous version: it was easy to get a good seal, but the positioning was sometimes uncomfortable. the original Atomic Bass had an excellent microphone, and the Atomic Bass 2′s microphone continues to offer good performance–in my testing, voices were as natural and rich as with the iPhone 4′s internal microphone, but with less background noise. none of the headsets I’ve evaluated in the past few months have been able to match the iPhone 4′s internal microphone, so this is impressive performance.

Although Radius claims the Atomic Bass 2 has been tweaked to produce more-balanced audio, it’s actually bassier than I recall the original being (although it’s been almost a year since I last heard that model). the midrange is recessed compared to the bass, and the high frequencies tend to be similarly buried under the bass. the result sounds smooth, but lacks the detail of better canalbuds.

Overall, I don’t like the Atomic Bass 2 relative to the competition as much as I remember liking the original. To be fair, that doesn’t mean that the new model is worse. It’s just that the competition in this price range has improved over the past year. the Atomic Bass may have beaten the $20 and $30 canalbuds I reviewed in 2009, but when I compared the Atomic Bass 2 to the $20 Altec Lansing Muzx Mesh MZX106W Macworld rated 3 out of 5 mice I recently reviewed, I preferred the Mesh, which is less bass-heavy and offers slightly better treble detail. (The Atomic Bass 2 does provide superior bass detail and a remote/mic module, which the Mesh lacks.) I also compared the Atomic Bass 2 to the $50 Skullcandy 50/50 ( Macworld rated 3.5 out of 5 mice ), which, ironically, has even bigger bass than the Atomic Bass, as well as better midrange detail, although I preferred the Atomic Bass 2′s overall balance. Finally, in my review of the first Atomic Bass headset, I think I shortchanged the $49 NuForce NE-7m ( Macworld rated 3.5 out of 5 mice )–in direct comparisons to the Atomic Bass 2, I found the NE-7m to be distinctly better thanks to a more-neutral (but still warm) tonal balance and better detail at all frequencies.

Macworld’s Buying Advice

The Atomic Bass 2 + Mic occupies bit of an awkward price point, given its performance. If you’re willing to sacrifice headset functionality, similar audio quality can be had for $20 less with the Muzx Mesh, and an extra $10 gets you a significant step up in quality with the NuForce NE-7m. For $40, though, the Atomic Bass 2 offers strong bass; pleasant, warm sound; and headset functionality with a great microphone. and it may be a particularly good fit for listeners with small ears.

headphones canalphones, ear canal, earbuds, mic

It’s common for us to drool over the latest phones and gadgets that come out, but typically most of the salivation will come from playing with the highest-end, state-of-the-art devices that will oftentimes have out-of-this-world specs and beautiful design. this happens often enough that reviewing lower-end devices can feel like a huge letdown.

Enter the LG Optimus T, the little Android phone that could. By simply looking at the specs and seeing some basic hands-on pics of the device, it doesn’t seem worth any sort of consideration. That’s because it’s meant to be a lower-end Android phone geared toward the first time smartphone buyers that are on a strict budget. But it doesn’t feel or look like it, by a long shot.

The Optimus T — we presume the T stands for T-Mobile, since the Optimus S will be on Sprint — is awfully hard to read into at first, since it’s supposed to be a budget phone but yet feels as solid as an HTC Incredible or Nexus one. It has a slow processor but compensates for it by running version 2.2, aka Froyo. It’s an underdog that packs a lot of punches with it. But the more we play with this handset, we begin to realize that there is a lot more than meets the eye with the Optimus T.

Join with us as we put the LG Optimus T to the test and see how it comes out.

First Impressions of the LG Optimus T

It’s hard to discuss our first impressions of the phone without first mentioning the box itself. We expect the latest phones to come in sexy packaging, or at least aesthetically pleasing. The Optimus T box does not disappoint, as it shows off a minimalistic approach yet exudes a humble elegance at the same time. The mostly white-and-green box is not too large or too small; it’s just the right size to fit everything it needs to. inside the box we find the usual accessories for smartphones nowadays: user information, wall charger with USB cable, and headphones. The phone itself includes a 2 GB MicroSD card.

Placing the phone in our hands was a very nice experience. with a 3.2” touchscreen, It’s roughly the same size as a HTC Aria and smaller than an iPhone’s screen. It’s incredibly comfortable to handle, and it never feels awkward using the screen or the physical buttons, and grips so well that we never feel like it’s going to fall out at any point.

The humble elegance shown off on the outside of the box does a very good job foreshadowing what we see in the device once the box is open. The Optimus T has a professional look and feel, only includes outside buttons for the absolutely necessary features, and is made of materials that feel as though it will last for longer than the first few months. The back is smooth and polished.

Check out my unboxing video below.

Design of the LG Optimus T

The designers of the Optimus T did a wonderful job. The phone feels comfortable and natural in my hand as I use it. there are many minimalistic tendencies that shine through, keeping the emphasis in the right places and lowering the amount of distraction when playing with the phone. Only essentials were added to the outside of the phone, cutting down on pointless buttons that don’t save that much time and simply don’t matter.

The Optimus T is an open-faced Android candyshell phone with a 3.2” HVGA capacitive touchscreen and no external QWERTY keyboard with physical buttons. I worry about the deadly combination of small screen and on-screen keyboard that could cause conflicts for those with larger fingers, but I will spend more time on that later in the review.

It’s small enough to handle well. The official dimensions register at 4.47 x 2.32 x .52 cm, and weighs 129 grams (or, 129 paper clips).

Time for a virtual tour of the outside of the Optimus T. on the front we find 4 physical buttons lining the bottom: Menu, Home, Back, and Search. We really like how the buttons are pushed up and elevated above the rest of the phone, making them easier to press — and making accidental presses more difficult.

On the right side of the Optimus T all we have getting our attention is the volume adjustment rocker, and even that is hard to notice. on the left side there’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. As mentioned before, however, this minimal approach actually seems to work well for the device, since it’s geared toward basic smartphone users who may not require the use of so many extra bells and whistles.

One takeaway I had from looking at the sides of the Optimus T was how similar the chrome bezel that lines the outside of the phone is to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, which features a bezel lining the outside that has a very modern and cool curvy style to it.

The 3.5 mm headphone jack and a tiny kpower/screen lock button keep the top of the phone from getting lonely, and the bottom only features the microUSB charging port.

Since the screen uses a 320×480 HVGA resolution and supports 262k colors, the images are slightly pixelated and nothing on the screen looks quite as sharp as a phone such as the Galaxy S. I didn’t have any problem seeing text and the display still shows off colors in high-contrast, but it’s still easy enough to tell the difference between this display and that of a Droid X or Galaxy S. The screen itself is not made of glass as some higher-end Androids are; it’s plastic, and I discovered I could push the screen in a little bit. this isn’t normally a deal breaker, but it does cause the screen to be less responsive to my gestures, such as finger swiping and pinch-to-zoom, until you spend some time to get the screen broken in (note I said broken in, not broken!).

LG chose to throw in its own custom version of Froyo, with a few minor changes to the stock version by adding some widgets, 2 extra homescreens (5 is still default), and . As the Optimus T is geared towards the budget-friendly crowd that like messaging and social networking, we can’t expect this phone to be the fastest, though the 600 MHz processor seemed quite speedy. We’ll get more into that later.

In this UI there are just 3 permanent soft keys at the bottom: phone, app tray, and messaging. I have no problem with this setup, simply because those will always be heavily used by any Android user.

Features and Functionality of the LG Optimus T

Speaking of the little Android that could: the Optimus T would have been top of the line a couple years ago, and now it’s considered the low-end Android device that works wonderfully when considering the $30 price point. It’s amazing how quickly devices can evolve over just a couple years, but here we are, looking down at the specs of the Optimus T because they’re sub-par.

But don’t take that to mean the Optimus T is a bad choice. It just means that you get what you pay for. But even to that extent, this phone is still a great value. not one part of the Optimus T feels cheap, and that definitely helps make the phone lustworthy.

In this section we’ll talk more about the pros and cons of the Optimus T. while the phone deserves praise for being a high value for low cost, it’s not without its flaws and shortcomings.

Even though the Optimus T came with Froyo, by no means should we assume it comes with the entire Froyo experience. For instance, it’s common to assume Froyo always comes with Flash 10.1. Flash tends to be the number one bragging point for anyone with a Froyo phone, but a little-known secret is that it’s not actually installed on every phone that has Android 2.2. The Optimus T is one such phone. after several minutes of trying to figure out why I couldn’t load any Flash content, I did some research to discover that it doesn’t actually come with support for Flash, nor can it be officially installed (as I learned the hard way also).

In every other sense, the internet appears just fine. I didn’t see the websites load up any faster than usual, but it wasn’t dead slow either. Pinch-to-zoom still works, but this was one area where I could see evidence of the slower processor. otherwise, the internet surfing experience was exactly as expected. If you’re in a 3G area you’ll find HSPA speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps.

One part of Froyo that holds true with the Optimus T is the included tethering and hotspot feature. other Android devices have had tethering and hotspot features, but it comes natively on the Optimus T. just go into settings, wireless and network, and there you’ll find the ability to turn these features on and off.

The Optimus T only holds 170 MB of actual internal memory, but compensates for the low amount by throwing in a 2 GB MicroSD card; if this isn’t enough to handle all of your music and movies, it will support MicroSD cards up to 32 GB, so there will be plenty of space.

Also clinging onto the low end of the smartphone totem pole is the 3.2 MP camera. this was standard for smartphones two years ago, but now most Android phones don’t come with anything less than 5. nor does it come with LED flash, either. The camcorder videos record at VGA resolution, which is okay but nothing like the HD-resolution videos taken from Galaxy S, Droid X, etc. The camera does offer autofocus at least, but this isn’t much solace to anyone who’s looking at the top of the line specs.

Adding to the specs list you’ll find the LG Optimus T features Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, WiFi b/g, accelerometer and compass. It also comes included with FM radio, which is one option that should be standard but still isn’t found on every smartphone yet.

I mentioned the small keyboard earlier. one danger of relying solely on on-screen keyboards when it’s a small screen is that your fingers typically mash together and make for a more awkward typing experience. Fortunately LG was wise enough to include the Swype keyboard as its default instead of the stock keyboard. this turned out to be a great decision that will make a huge difference in typing. without it, there is certainly more crowded space in there, even when in landscape mode.

Apps Included on the LG Optimus T

Most Android devices sold in the US come with a boatload of crapware. while they may at times be more useful than the term implies, more often than not US carriers will throw in a whole bunch of extra preloaded apps that nobody wants and seldom needs. this crapware often comes in the form of game demos that only allow you to play one level and then pay the big bucks to continue, though plenty of Android devices will come with random multimedia, entertainment and productivity apps that can actually come in handy every once in a while.First off, T-Mobile throws in AppPack, which is the company’s own version of the Android Market. Ultimately, AppPack apps are just Market apps that are “recommended” by T-Mobile, so when you go into AppPack you’ll find it eerily similar in looks and feel to the normal Market. Forget not that when you enter the Android Market, there’s still an entire section dedicated to T-Mobile’s top picks.

The LG Optimus T comes with a few bloatware apps out of the box: Diner Dash 2, PacMan, Doodle Jump, ThinkFree Office, Twitter, DriveSmart, and YouTube.

Performance of the Optimus T

We tested the LG Optimus T in the areas of call quality, audio quality, battery life, processor power, and overall experience.

Call quality was mostly fine. Callers didn’t have to ask me to repeat myself, nor was there any issue on my end hearing anyone I called. I did notice, however, some hissing in the background. It sounded much like a steady static that was never overbearing but yet was something I didn’t have to strain too hard to hear.

The speakerphone wasn’t super strong. while sufficient to fit my needs in a quiet room, the same couldn’t be said about a noisy environment, where I was softer on speaker and got drowned out.

With more entry-level specs I noticed the battery life lasted longer than a usual Android device. The 5 hour talk time estimate is actually a couple hours shorter than what I got, and my phone stayed turned on in standby mode for 2 days. It’s hard to say that many Android phones have stellar battery life, but the Optimus T didn’t fit the usual mold.

Part of this may be due to a slower processor. at 600 MHz it’s nowhere near the same level of processor as its older Snapdragon-laden brothers, but in reviewing for a budget phone, I need to make sure it’s fast enough for anyone who many need or want to use a smartphone. It is. Sluggish speeds are only noticed from time to time, such as when using pinch-to-zoom in the web browser (I imagine this could have a lot to do with why Flash isn’t included — the processor just can’t handle it). But every other routine task seems to whisk by rather fast and smooth.

As an avid user of smartphones, I was pleasantly surprised with the LG Optimus T. It’s a great budget Android device that feels incredibly solid and it’s built to feel like it’s much more spendy. while I was hoping to see better specs inside, this is the only way to keep the price of the phone so low up front; if you want better specs, the G2 or MyTouch 4G will be much nicer choices for you through T-Mobile. It’s comfortable in my hands, I didn’t have a problem accessing my necessary information such as emails, web and messages, and it’s designed to make you feel like you got a steal of a deal on a brand new phone. I recommend the Optimus T for first-time smartphone goers or students on a tight budget.

Check out my full video review below, in addition to the picture gallery. Please feel free to check me out on Twitter at twitter.com/phonewisdom.

Follow us on:    If you liked the post, you might find these interesting too:

• LG Optimus Chic shows up in the wild again, this time joined by the Optimus One
• LG cancels its Android Froyo tablet, waits for Gingerbread? LG Optimus one available this month in Korea
• LG E720 (Optimus Chic) found in the wild, Android 2.2 Froyo included
• LG Optimus one coming soon to Three UK with free car mount and charger
• LG Optimus T will be available from T-Mobile starting November 3 for $30

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Two things occurred to me recently. First, I haven’t run a giveaway contest in a while. And second, I picked up a couple of items at a recent event that I’d prefer not to keep for myself, since I try not to take anything of value from companies that I cover. So without further ado, it’s time for a giveaway.

Up for grabs this time around is a small package containing a Lenovo ThinkPad In-ear headset (headphones plus a mic) and a 512MB USB flash drive. Yeah, I know the Flash drive isn’t really worth much, but that’s why I’m just throwing it in with the headset, which is worth about $20

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Compare Prices on Panasonic RP-HTX7-W1 Monitor Headphones White

Retro-style white monitor stereo headphones.

• Color: White
• Brand: Panasonic
• Model: RP-HTX7-W1
• Dimensions: 9.30? h x 7.40? w x 3.60? l, 2.00 pounds

Features

• Retro styling
• Lightweight for outdoor use
• Neodymium magnet with single-sided cord
• 3.9ft./1.2m cord
• Large-diameter driver units 40mm (1-9/16?)

Good headphones, Description is wrong, you don’t get extension cable.
The people that are saying these headphones are as good as the more expensive ones must be tone deaf or something. They are good headphones but are not worth more than what they cost ~$40. I got mine for around $21 so they are a bargain at that price. Sound quality is good for most people, the headphones do not isolate outside noise as you might imagine, you can easily hear what’s going on around you when the volume is low. These do not come with the extension cable so you’ll need to buy an extension if you plan to use these with anything other than a portable MP3 player cable is only 4ft enough to go from your head to your waist. These are also very light, which makes them feel cheap but perfect for portable use. They also seem very delicate with the thin metal wires and plastic construction, but I can’t judge on that as I’ve only had them for a few days now. Bottom line if you are looking for audiophile sound quality and something that feels like it’s built well spend the money on the expensive stuff. If you want a good set of headphones you won’t feel bad about abusing, letting your kids use them or losing them then get these, perfect for work.

Panasonic RS Signatures – OK as a budget pair
Panasonic’s RP-HTX7-RS Ryan Sheckler Signature Headphones are a very good pair of headphones at the entry level of the market. But once you start getting close to list price they are outclassed by many alternatives. I was lucky enough to buy a pair deeply discounted. While these are OK as an extra pair, they should probably be priced much less than they currently are.

It’s important to test out cans like these with a variety of music. It’s also important to give them time to adjust with extended play before you judge the sound quality. I spent quite a bit of time with these, and I think that there certainly sound good enough for most users. However, do not expect the type of sound quality that is going to blow you away. The sound is just ok.

The fit of these is part of the appeal. If you like the space cadet look of the extended metal head-bands as well as the simple shapes and clean lines, than you will find these to be attractive. These are definitely a candy apple red, so those who plan on wearing these around town will want to be mindful of just how conservative they like their electronics to look.

I noticed a tight fit on my very average sized head that started to give me a headache after an hour or so. With time, these adjusted somewhat but just be aware that they are tight. On the same token, those with small heads may feel less of a pinch but also have to factor in if they mind the fact that the metal bands swing out from the back of the ear pieces, making your head look bigger and rounder. Once again, that’s just a personal preference.

The ear and band cushions definitely could have been beefed up a bit. The cord is definitely long enough for standard use on the go, or even for hooking up to a jack at home.

Many people will want a more conservative look, and some who don’t care about looks may simply want slightly better quality sound. To that end, the Sennheiser HD201 Headphones win on both fronts. They are not much more comfortable, but they definitely have a lower profile and slightly better sound. At about half the price, they are pretty much a no-brainer for those looking for budget earphones. The main reason to pay the premium for these would be if you really are after the look, in which case you could certainly do worse. But for everybody else, give the HD201s a try.

Though I was happy to test the HTX7s after getting them on sale, I plan on getting a pair of HD201s right away to have as my extra pair. Those who want to move a little further up the food chain and don’t mind spending a little more should try the AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-PRO5MS Stereo Headphones

Nearly perfect for the price
I really like these headphones.
I listen to bass-heavy electronic music like trance and these headphones have very sturdy bass and bright highs which are crucially important for the way I listen to this music. I can’t really comment on the midrange since I’m not an audiophile.
The sealed headphones, when on your head, do not disturb others. Likewise the outside sound in my loud office environment is attenuated greatly by the sealed circumaural design which was my primary reason for buying these.

I only have two complaints. My glasses rub against the pads with a terrible noise which can be remedied by putting cloth over the pads. The other is probably not specific to these headphones but to all circumaural phones–it presses into my neck slightly below the ear and behind the jaw. It caused a rather weird sensation at first but I’ve gotten used to it.

Tightness is not a problem with these phones because of the vinyl-wrapped metal headband. This is great because it’s impossible to overextend them–you just bend them back into shape with no trouble.

The Sheckler Signature model of these phones is the least expensive by at least 20 dollars when I bought it (maybe his sponsorship contract ended?). The red color had gotten lots of compliments and the skater’s signature isn’t out of place at all.

Excellent strain-relief, gold-plated 1/8? plug.
The impedence is just right for my portal XM Satellite Radio receiver and other devices. Always make sure your audio device can drive heavy headphones like these.

Tags: B001AUGV98, Electronics, Panasonic RP-HTX7-W1 Monitor Headphones White, Panasonic RP-HTX7-W1 Monitor Headphones White Sale-$29.00!

This entry was posted on Mittwoch, August 18th, 2010 at 20:38 and is filed under Electronics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

headphones bottom line, panasonic, signature, sound quality, stereo headphones, thin metal

Workout is good for our health. It helps us to be fitter and healthier as we stretch and exercise our muscles. It also helps us to deviate from our normal work pressure. But many find it lifeless during exercise as they hear sounds from heavyweight, feet tapping etc which are termed as gym sounds. Therefore it will be pleasant to hear good music using your MP3 player or iPod during exercising. But the problem is the headphones as it won’t fit properly in our ears during workouts as they fall often down. So, special headphones are designed for workout. They are of different size, style and types. Some have features like in built music player. You can find workout headphones in various fitness stores and shops at moderate cost. Here are few tips to find right workout headphones.

A good workout headphone should have some important features like a clip which is soft to grip your ear firmly, and the speakers should sound good. The main problem using ordinary headphone is that it’s not flexible to move along with your workout movements. Therefore headphone strap is used which stays fit even if you do heavy workouts.

An ideal workout headphone should be resistant to moisture and provide good ventilation to ears. It should also resist sweat which may infect your ears.

When you do workouts at gym it’s good to use earphones such as skullcandy smoking buds which will isolate your ears from the external gym noises and provides you with high class of sound and it also comes with replaceable filters which provide more advantage.

Outdoor workouts like bicycle riding and running should go with ear pads. The most recommended brand by most of the runners is Koss KSC75. It has ear cushions and paddled foam which will perfectly fit into your ears.

If you wish to choose from wide range of workout headphones then you can find them online. Browse for workout headphones which will suite you the best. You may also go through the reviews and get more information about any particular headphone before you choose.

In order to select good workout headphone you must consider the type of exercise you will be doing and how much time you will spend on listening to the music. The noise cut headphones will help you to enjoy the music at the maximum. It will cut the external noise and makes you feel comfortable during workouts. However keep in mind that while using noise cut headphones during jogging outdoors, you should be careful as it may lead to some mishap when you don’t hear the noise of car horn and warning sounds and get struck by it.

1. How to Select a good Waterproof Headphone
2. How to Pick the Right Headphones
3. How to Purchase a High-Reliablity CD player
4. How to Burn In Headphones
5. How to Repair Your Headphones

headphones bicycle, outdoor workouts

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The RS 110 is the ideal entry into Sennheiser’s wireless world of headphone. With the RS 110, you can easily enjoy the sound of your Hi-Fi system or TV without being tied down by a cable. Main FeaturesManufacturer: Sennheiser Electronic CorporationManufacturer Part Number: RS110Manufacturer Website Address: sennheiser.comProduct Type: HeadphoneConnectivity Technology: WirelessEarpiece Design: Over-the-headEarpiece Type: BinauralWireless Technology: RFColor: Gray, BlackWeight: 8.1 ozStandard Warranty: 2 Year

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