Bill Henderson - The Gadgeteer

Take videography to the next level with the Shure MV88+ video kit

NEWS – Since most smartphones now record 4K video, why not equip them with some pro-level accessories and make your videos the best you can? Shure, a global manufacturer of audio equipment, has launched the MV88+ video kit featuring a digital stereo condenser microphone that provides videographers with an all-in-one solution for capturing recordings on-the-go. […]

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The Wacom Cintiq 16 drawing tablet removes a few pro features and cuts the price by more than half

By Bill Henderson / February 19, 2019 / News / Art, Graphics tablet / 5 Comments

NEWS – As a professional art director, I depend on Wacom graphics tablets for much of my photoshop work, whether it’s retouching or photo manipulation. It’s not natural doing computer art with a mouse or trackpad. Through the years Wacom has upgraded their line of Intuos and Cintique tablets for the Pro market—at pro prices.

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Focal says, “One more thing” and announces a wireless Sphear in-ear headphone

By Bill Henderson / February 14, 2019 / News / Leave a Comment

NEWS – French high fidelity audio company Focal is still releasing products in February—except this one is on the other end of the affordability scale. They’ve released Sphear Wireless, for those who want freedom of movement. As the wireless evolution of Sphear, these new in-ear headphones provide tonal balance with plenty of dynamics. The bass-reflex system reproduces a

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Focal focuses on 2019 with two new high-end audio products

By Bill Henderson / February 12, 2019 / News / Bluetooth headphones, Headphones / 1 Comment

NEWS – Things are not slowing down for Focal, the French high fidelity audio company. They’ve just released two new products for 2019—and it’s only February! Stellia is a high-end, closed-back headphone that can compete with the best loudspeakers. Stellia integrates a new generation of speaker drivers, capable of working at low sound levels while

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Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth speaker review

By Bill Henderson / February 4, 2019 / Reviews / Bluetooth speaker / 6 Comments

REVIEW – Last year, I reviewed the Aiwa Arc-1 headphones and liked them. They’re comfortable and easy to listen to for hours. However, before the Arc-1, Aiwa made a wireless speaker that helped raise them from the ashes of forgotten electronic companies. Since its release, the powerful Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth Speaker has garnered a

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Klipsch The Three wireless speaker review

By Bill Henderson / February 1, 2019 / Reviews / Wireless speakers / 3 Comments

REVIEW – Klipsch is a maker of highly regarded speaker systems, yet I’ve only been acquainted with their high-end earphones—the 10Xi and the fantastic X20i. Until now, that is. Klipsch has a line of speakers, amps and headphones under the Klipsch Heritage banner. Their speaker called The Three (is it the The Three?) is Klipsch’s

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FiiO M7 High-Resolution Lossless Audio Player review

By Bill Henderson / January 21, 2019 / Reviews / Media player / 6 Comments

REVIEW – I’m not sure anyone has come out with as many different digital audio players (DAP) as FiiO has. In an age where almost everyone (at least here in the US) uses their smartphones for music listening, FiiO has stubbornly stuck to making DAPs in every price range and feature set. What began as

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A humane trap that quickly dispatches mice and rats

By Bill Henderson / January 20, 2019 / News / Home and Kitchen / 17 Comments

NEWS – Let me begin by saying I do not like wild rats. They are filthy creatures that spread germs and disease, not to mention the damage they do to homes and farms. I have a separate studio building in my one acre backyard where I review and test audio gear as well as do

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Grado GW100 Wireless Bluetooth open-back headphones review

By Bill Henderson / January 9, 2019 / Reviews / Bluetooth headphones / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – Let’s be transparent— I’m a big fan of Grado headphones and earphones. Their 325e headphones are one of my favorite open-backed headphones and the GR10 earphones are a go-to pair I still love and use. However, it’s becoming a wireless world and it appeared that Grado was being left behind—until now, that is.

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Grace Digital looks back to move forward with the new Mondo+ Classic internet radio

By Bill Henderson / January 7, 2019 / News / Internet Radio / 1 Comment

NEWS – Back in 2012, I reviewed the Grace Digital Mondo Wi-Fi Music Player and Internet Radio and liked it a lot. Say what you will about the viability of internet radios in today’s world of smartphone radio apps, the still popular Mondo is available from Grace Digital as the improved Mondo+. Grace has now

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Anki Vector robot review

By Bill Henderson / December 31, 2018 / Reviews / Robots / 4 Comments

REVIEW – A year ago, I reviewed Cozmo, the small and cheeky robot from Anki. Cozmo is a lot of fun, but he has his limitations—the main one being that the iOS or Android companion app has to be running at all times for Cozmo to work. Now, Cozmo has a bigger brother—both in size

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Shure RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable review

By Bill Henderson / December 8, 2018 / Reviews / Audio gear / 3 Comments

REVIEW – Recently, I was invited to Chicago—a trip that allowed me and other tech writers/reviewers a chance to be the first to try out a new and updated Bluetooth cable from Shure—the RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable. What is it? This mouthful of a named cable is a simple device that can

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Focal Elegia Headphone review

By Bill Henderson / November 26, 2018 / Reviews / Headphones / 1 Comment

REVIEW – When I was given the chance to review Focal’s new Elegia headphone, my first thought was to compare it to the slightly more expensive Elear headphone I reviewed earlier this year. The reason was simple: The Elegia is a closed-back design—good for personal listening in public places. The open-back Elear is best for

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Watch out, Anki’s cheeky little robot Cozmo now has a brother and he speaks Alexa!

By Bill Henderson / November 17, 2018 / News / Robots / Leave a Comment

NEWS – The loveable, cheeky, teachable (sort of) and attitudinally challenged robot Cozmo now has a brother—a smarter, more engaging and even more teachable sibling. Anki has upped the AI bar with the new small personal robot, Vector. Vector’s name may not be as funny as his older brother’s, but Vector has two years worth

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Master & Dynamic MW07 True Wireless Earphones review

By Bill Henderson / November 13, 2018 / Reviews / Bluetooth earbuds / 1 Comment

REVIEW – When I review many products from one company, it can be hard to differentiate similar efforts. Such has been the case with Master & Dynamic’s various headphones. They are all based on a similar (but beautiful) design esthetic. And they are all excellent headphones—if a bit expensive. This is—and isn’t—different. Master & Dynamic

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There’s a new Bluetooth product from Chicago – for Shure!

By Bill Henderson / October 27, 2018 / Articles / Audio gear, Trip Report / 3 Comments

ARTICLE – It’s always fun to be invited to a press introduction of a new product, especially when it is as useful as this: The Shure High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable—or the Shure RMCE-BT2 cable. Shure wanted a way to allow owners of their detachable SE Sound Isolating Earphones to go wireless without having

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Netgear can now cover your home in mesh wifi with Orbi

By Bill Henderson / October 23, 2018 / News / Network / 3 Comments

NEWS – If you don’t know what a mesh wifi network is, you will. Mesh wifi allows devices to piggyback off one another as part of a network. Originally used mostly by the military and hospitals, mesh networking has now hit the home market. Eero was the first, followed by Google, Luma, and Netgear with

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Jackery Explorer 240 Portable Power Station review

By Bill Henderson / October 19, 2018 / Reviews / Batteries and Chargers, power station / 6 Comments

REVIEW – Every gadget I have reviewed has one important thing in common: They all use power. It doesn’t matter if it’s a smartphone, Bluetooth speaker or wireless headphones—the batteries eventually need charging. To charge my various devices, I use outlets, hubs, my car and when I’m not around a power source—a battery backup. Let’s

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RevoNext QT3 quad driver hybrid in-ear headphones review

By Bill Henderson / October 12, 2018 / Reviews / Headphones / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – In the world of earphones, there is one constant that ties them all together, and it’s this: there is no constant. It may sound contradictory, but hear me out. I have reviewed earphones that are made with dynamic speakers, armature speakers—and hybrids that utilize both speaker designs. These earphones have ranged from a

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Bowers & Wilkins 607 speaker review

By Bill Henderson / October 6, 2018 / Reviews / Speakers / 7 Comments

REVIEW – When I’m sticking to a budget and needing to buy something, I sometimes look at the least expensive model from a high-end company rather than the top model from a more middle-range company. That way, I figure I’m getting a better made product at a similar price. That’s the theory I would apply

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