Looking For Some Cool Gadgets?
The beauty of a gadget is that it helps make our lives easier. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something large and complex. Rather, it’s often the small gadgets that have the biggest impact on our day to day lives. Here are a few gadgets that you may or may not know about that help you in even more interesting ways.
Baseus R02 Type-C Smartphone IR Remote Controller
Kicking things off is the Baseus R02 Smartphone IR Remote Controller (definitely a mouthful to read out). It’s basically a remote controller that uses infrared beams to control appliances in your house/office. Remember when certain flagship smartphones came with an IR Blaster that you could use to control TVs and Air Conditioning units? Well, the Baseus R02 gives that functionality for any smartphone (with a Type-C port, that is).
Your phone doesn’t have an IR Blaster? Don’t fret, fam. We got you covered.(Image Credits: Baseus)
All you need to do is to plug the device into your smartphone’s USB Type-C port and download the app (in this case Zaza Remote). Once the app is installed, simply launch it and follow the on-screen guide and aim the device at an appliance that you wish to control. That’s all there is to it. This is especially handy if you tend to misplace your A/C or TV remote. You can even use it to pull a prank on someone by controlling their TV. Either way, this is a really cool and handy gadget to have. If you feel like you’d misplace that too, it comes with the ability to be attached to a keyring or key chain. This way you can have it with you at all times and not worry about leaving it somewhere.
Available via: eBay/AliExpress
Price: Around $6-8 (~LKR1200-1500)
Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless Audio Receiver
So you have a really cool song you want to play off of your high end audio system but you’re too lazy to go and connect the cable to your phone. Wouldn’t it be cool and convenient if you had some way to wirelessly play it? Well that’s where this Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless transmitter comes into play (quite literally). At its core, it’s essentially a Bluetooth equipped receiver with a 3.5mm connector. So all you need to do is pair the receiver with your smartphone or laptop and then connect the cable of your speakers to the receiver via the 3.5mm audio connector.
The Bluetooth V5.0 3.5mm Transmitter Receiver makes bluetooth audio easier to set up (Image Credits: eBay)
If your audio system has an auxiliary input, you can keep the receiver permanently attached to the cable. That way, you won’t need to unplug the cable from the receiver if you have to connect it to a PC or laptop. You can even connect your own earphones to the receiver and transform it into a pair of bluetooth earphones so that you can free your hands from cables.
Available via: eBay/AliExpress
Price: Around $1.39(~LKR250-300)
The Asus ROG Strix Impact II
Gaming Mice set themselves apart from regular mice by having more advanced features. We took a look at the Asus ROG Pugio a few weeks ago. The Asus ROG Strix Impact II is almost a cousin of the ROG Pugio. The successor to the Asus ROG Strix Impact, the Impact II features a more ambidextrous design. This means that the mouse can be used on either the left or right side of your keyboard.
The successor to the ROG Strix Impact, the Impact II boasts more buttons, a classier design and user replaceable switches along with RGB lighting. (Image Credits: YouTube)
The Strix Impact II also comes with 2 side buttons and user replaceable switches as well. So if the left or right button on your mouse stops working after a really intense gaming session, you can just take out the old switch and pop in a new one and get back to fragging your enemies. With Asus’s Aura Sync functionality, you can sync the colors and lighting effects of your mouse to other Aura Sync compatible components and peripherals to make your own unique style.
The buttons on the Asus ROG Strix Impact II are rated at 50 million clicks and the mouse features 3 customizable lighting zones. You also get a 4 level adjustable DPI level along with a sensor capable of 6,200 DPI.
Available at: Redline Technologies, Authorized Asus Resellers.
Price: LKR 5,500
Mi Powerbank 2 (10,000mAh)
Are you a power user? Do you find yourself constantly looking for a power outlet to plug your phone to charge? Well, you might want to invest in a portable power bank. The Mi Powerbank 2 packs a large 10,000mAh battery in a slim profile that can easily fit inside your backpocket or even your jacket if you have to suit up to attend an important event and need your phone fully charged and ready to go.
Running out of juice? Grab a Mi Powerbank with QC 3.0 (Image Credits: DataReign)
One key benefit of the Mi Powerbank 2 is that it supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. This benefits any smartphone that supports Quick Charge 3.0 resulting in a faster charge. One point to note is that even though it says 10,000mAh, the actual capacity is around 6,400mAh. Even so, that’s 3 full charge cycles for a phone with a 2,000mAh battery. On my Poco F1, for example, I’m able to get 2½ charge cycles without an issue.
But that’s not all. The Mi Bank 2 also packs 2 USB ports so you can simultaneously charge 2 devices with no issues at all. But that also means the power bank will drain 2x faster. All in all though, the Mi Powerbank 2 is a solid powerbank (again, no pun intended) that will charge your devices in no time.
Available at: Almost all smartphone resellers at Liberty Plaza, Idealz, SimplyTek, Daraz.
Price: LKR 4,500/-
Redmi Airdots aka Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic
We took a look at the Redmi Airdots a while ago. Even though they’ve been in the market for a while, there are very few true wireless earbuds that offer the same price to performance ratio as the Redmi Airdots. Also known as the Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basics, these earbuds pack some really amazing sound into an almost miniscule footprint (ironic given that the earbuds go in your ear).
By far the most affordable and value oriented TWS in the market (Image Credits: AndroidPIT)
The earbuds themselves have a lifespan of around 4 hours of continuous use on a single charge. The carrying case that also acts as a wireless charger extends this to 3 charges giving the Redmi Airdots a lifespan of around 12 hours. Granted, there are other earbuds in the market that have larger capacities in terms of battery, but unless you’re going on a really long journey (more than 4 hours), the Airdots will suit you just fine.
If you’re also the type to go for walks, jogs or even hit the gym, then you’ll be happy to know that the Airdots stay firmly in your ears no matter how much you move. If you feel that the fit is not right, you can always swap out the eartips for a larger or smaller size (the default is medium sized).
Also a small tip if you feel that the earbuds are low in volume even when your device volume is maxed out: Disable Absolute Volume in your Android device. If you are not sure how to do this, you can always ask a friend to help you out or look it up online. Trust me, it will make a significant difference.
Available at: Almost all smartphone resellers at Liberty Plaza, Idealz, SimplyTek, Daraz.
Price: LKR 4,500/-