Review: 1byone Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

It's not secret that I love gaming on my PC and am a complete sucker for RGB lighting. It should come as no surprise that the Mechanical Gaming Keyboard from 1byone had a certain allure for me with it's tantalizing RGB chroma animations and Kailh Blue mechanical keys. The real question is, how well does it handle in gaming? Let's find out.

Design

This keyboard, simply put, looks stunning. I love the angles and aggressive black look with gray accents. The RGB LEDs are stunning with great brightness and refresh rate. It just has a hypnotizing look that is hard to describe and which videos do no justice. I love the design of the "space" button and how it's situated next to a very large wrist pad. It makes more sense to me in this design since it fits theshape of your hand quite comfortably.

I also appreciate other small details such as the braided USB cable, the aluminum backing, subtle honeycomb design accents, and red LED accent lighting that doesn't detract from the overall design aesthetic but compliments it rather nicely.

I'm not a huge fan of the large 1byone logo between the keyboard and space button, it just feels out of place to me and could have been much smaller and more subdued and detracts from the rest of the design. 

Another thing that just feels is that the buttons are assigned equivalent keys from a keyboard, with some of the letters being displaced. For example, instead of "QWERT", you have "QWERP," then you have "ASDFB" instead of "ASDFG." You also have the Tab, Shift, and Ctrl keys, but without the spacing from the Caps Lock key.then there's a 'G' between Ctrl and Alt. This makes key bindings insanely difficult if you are switching between keyboards, and since this is a "half keyboard" you'll still want your main one plugged in. I was playing overwatch and had to remap some of the specials keys since a lot of keys got shuffled from switching, keep this in mind when you get this keyboard. I think the idea was to be able to write quick gaming acronyms such as "GG" and "PB."

Feel

I am by no means a mechanical keyboard-phile, in other words, I have a hard time telling the difference in minor nuances between all the different color switches. Here's how 1byone describes them:

Kailh Blue mechanical switches with key travel of 4.0 mm, plus full anti-ghosting ensures great feel and accuracy.

All I can say is that it's a HUGE difference over my dome keyboard keys. I love the tactile-ness they keys have and how every move in my games feel deliberate. 

However, this is where things get a little rocky. The 28 keys that are mechanical are fantastic, but then there's that nifty space button. This button is, unfortunately, not mechanical as far as I can tell and feels EXTREMELY squishy and laggy. It sticks out like a sore thumb in contrast to the other lovely mechanical keys and is one of the most used buttons. I have learned to adapt to it over some time now and it's not near as bothersome as it was initially, but I can tell that it still affects game play often enough to be rather irksome. I would have been okay with adding $5 to the cost to make that critical key mechanical like the rest so it doesn't interfere with game play.

LED

As I mentioned earlier, the LEDs on this keyboard are stunning. There are 7 (6 animated and then various static colors) primary lighting modes, I don't know the names of them, but I made a quick clip demoing them below:

The escape key is used as the switch for F1-F5 and 1-6 and is easy to use. The WASD keys are used for speed and brightness. Overall it's very simple and easy to toggle.

Conclusion

There is a lot to love from the keyboard: the mechanical keys, the RGB lightning, and overall build quality and feel. However, the space button's squishy and non-responsive behavior is a huge detraction from a solid keyboard. The funky key placement isn't that big of a deal and more of a preference things for me. I will say though, that with time, the space button has bothered me less and less, but it still catches me off gaurd often enough to remind me that I don't like it. Overall, it's a good value mechanical keyboard and one I am still using for regular Overwatch game play. If you're looking for a mechanical keyboard with RGB on a budget and need it for gaming, than I highly recommend this as an alternative to a full keyboard. However, if you're willing to save for a little longer then there are some full-featured keyboards that are worth keeping your eyes on.

Review: 1byone Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor

Today we will be taking a look at the 1byone Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor.

Amazon Link:




I have genetic hypertension so I take my blood pressure whenever I am able. It helps to have a quick and easy way to check it without having to run to the store. This little unit by 1byone is the perfect little blood pressure companion.

Now, I will start off by saying that this is not an IOT (Internet-Of-Things) device and the price reflects that, though having an upgraded version would be nice (I am not aware of one anyways).

The monitor uses 4 x AAA batteries or a power adapter (which is not included). First off, I thought it was kind of strange that it used AAA batteries over the more common AA batteries or even better yet, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery would have been really nice. I would like to have seen a power adapter included, even if it would have added an extra $5 to the overall cost it would have been worth it for this device.

The build quality is very good, but still noticeably plasticky feeling. The cuff is high quality and the velcro is surprisingly strong. The screen is a standard backlit LCD screen and has extra large numbers and icons making it super easy to read. I must say that the screen is very nice and one of the best features.

The interface is very simple and there's a memory for two users, making it easy to track progress over time, which is important for tracking over time and having an accurate history. There's only 3 buttons so it's confusing to navigate around, however, the instructions (amazingly) are quite good and I was able to navigate some of the setup with ease.

One thing I really like about this particular cuff is that it calculates that systolic and diastolic pressure while inflating rather than inflating and calculating on its way down. This means that the time your arm is under pressure is quite a bit less than other cuffs. This feature, along with being accurate (checked against other cuffs) makes it worth the price and makes it extremely easy to recommend. If your looking for a more connected device (IOT), then this is not for you, but this gets the job done and very well.

Review: 1byone Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker Dimmable Multicolored LED Light Bulb

Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rM2PHt

I've been wanting to do simple LED ambient lighting for my YouTube channel (stay tuned for this in upcoming videos). I'll still probably get some LED strip lighting down the road, but this was a simpler solution for now and gives me the desired effect for the most part.

The overall construction is much better than I anticipated and has a nice heft to it, which for a Bluetooth speaker usually  translates to better sound. There really isn't much else to say about the construction and quality other than it's good and satisfying. Though, it was a little bit bigger than I was anticipating, but not a big deal.

The connectivity was super simple, just add the "1byoneBulb" and you're off to the races and ready to play music and switch up them LED lights like you're a DJ at the club. (That's how I feel with it most of the time anyways.)

Now, it will play music, but I was having trouble getting it to play through the  1byOne App and would get an error, though I'm pretty sure it was because I use the Apple music streaming service. However, if I go from the Apple Music app and play directly from there it's no problem. The sound quality isn't the greatest and there is noticeable crackling and some distortion at louder volumes. It works well as a basic bluetooth speaker but don't expect anything beyond that, it get's the job done and that's about it, which for a light bulb, is perfectly fine. :-)

Where this thing really shine (pun intended) is the lighting. Though, I will say this up front, the default lighting was a bit cool (bluish) for my taste, but it's easily adjustable. Though the downside is you have to keep re configuring to that different shade each time you turn it on as the blue-cast white is the default. 

Changing the lights is easy and a lot of fun. It's incredibly flexible and since it's RGB and dimmable, there are loads of options. You are greeted with several default color options as well as a color wheel where you can pick whatever color/shade/hue you want. The only other thing that would have been nice would have been savable custom presets as that would make some of my favorite combos more accessible. I would also liked to have seen a couple of options for effects, such as breathing, dancing to music, and walking through all the colors, as well as blinking. I think that would have upped the cool factor by quite a lot. I'm sure this could be added via a software update though and look forward to having those changing.

Overall, it's a great multi-color LED lightbulb that's just plain fun. I use it for ambient lighting for my YouTube channel and just works well. It's well made (the app needs some work still and some polish) but the color changing works as expected and works well. I would definitely recommend this LED bulb.

Review: 1byone Bluetooth 4.1 Wireless In-Ear Headphones with HD Stereo Sound

Product Link: http://amzn.to/1QCLziq

After spending a few days with the 1byOne Wireless Sports Earphones, I've come to really enjoy the attention to detail that was put into this particular set.

Let first start with the sound. In my opinion, this is one of the more important aspects to reviewing any kind of headset, because if the sound is not any good, then the rest of the features don't mean a whole lot. Now I do not claim to be an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but what I can say is that this set was an absolute joy to listen to.  Lows were surprisingly punchy, mids were clearer than most other bluetooth sets I've reviewed and highs were not shrill. I have a wide variety of musical tastes from classical and rock to techno and pop. All were extremely pleasant to listen to. From a sound standpoint, these are the best bluetooth headsets I have used.

Next is comfort. I'm really not an earbud type of headphone listener, mostly because most any type hurt my ears after a while. These were no exception, however, I grade comfort of earbuds on how long it takes for them to become uncomfortable and these did surprisingly well. I did find that around mid-day that my ears were starting to hurt a little and had a take a break, one of a few during my work day.  With that said, these are among the more comfortable ear buds I've tried on any headphone, wired or bluetooth.

Battery life was exactly as advertised and gave me the "battery low" cue after 7.5 hours of continuous use. They were quick and easy to charge which I can definitely appreciate. A few other small details to mention are they were easy to sync and had no issue here (this  isn't always true with this category amazingly enough). There's a small LED to let you know it's doing something, and trust me, it's handier than you may think. It'll flash blue and red when attempting to sync and red when charging. It's the small details that really help.

The only place I had any problems were with the microphone. All the commands for siri work as advertised, but when I was talking with people on the phone, they had a hard time hearing me. This may be that I have a big head and the band is a little short on me, causing the mic to sit a little ways behind cheek. Maybe a little more length to the band could have alleviated this for me. Though it probably won't be the same for others so it may not be an issue for  most people.

Pros:

+ Sounds is excellent!

+ Comfortable for earbuds.

+ Great battery life.

+ Sleek looks (love the color).

+ Presentation is great as well as packaging.

+ Ease of use and attention to detail.

Cons:

- Band length a little on the short size for me.

- Related to above, but mic was a little weak and people had a hard time hearing me.

Overall, this is a fantastic set of bluetooth headphones. I appreciate the attention to the small details such as the great packaging, sleek looks, excellent sound, useful yet discreet status LED, and simple syncing and charging. Even for a set of earbuds, these are a fantastic product and I highly recommend them for anyone looking for a quality bluetooth set, especially if sound quality and looks are high on your list.

Video: Episode 2 - Unboxing - 1byOne Wireless Sports Earphones

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Review: 1byone Genuine Leather Wallet Stand Folio Case with Card Slot for iPhone 6 / 6s, Black

First impressions are really good with this case. The leather has a nice sheen and overall feel to it. It doesn't look cheap and the seems look quality. The spaces for the credit cards are nice and are just right. Corners are protected well and there's plenty of easy access to all ports. It feels good in the hand and the phone feels protected.

There were a few minor things that I would change however. When you have cards in the wallet portion and you close the folio, it rests very unevenly (see picture). Also, the magnetic latch is a little weak for my taste and does not give a good satisfying pul when closed.

Overall, if you're looking a for a good general purpose leather folio for your iPhone 6, this is a pretty good value.

Wireless Keyboards: The 1byone Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard with Multi Touchpad

One thing is for sure, it is definitely turning into a mobile world (if it already isn't). This is something I would have loved back when I first bought my iPad back in 2010. Bluetooth keyboard were pretty limited, expensive, and weren't build with iPads (or even tablets for that matter). This would have been a killer feature for me in college.

Purchase at Amazon.com

Product Description

Color: length-touchpad

Wireless Touch Keyboard
Wireless QWERTY Keyboard &Touchpad is an ideal combo. Just press the key icon, you can switch freely between mouse mode and figure pattern.

Support Any Bluetooth-enabled devices
Support systems: Windows, Mac/IOS, Android, Tablet PC, Smart Phone , enabling you to match with any bluetooth-enabled devices(Apple iOS will not support touchpad mouse function).

Extra-long Battery Life 
Built-in 500mAh lithium battery keeps the keyboard going through 90 hours of continuous use.

Ultra Slim Design 
Sleek profile, easy to transport, work and play anywhere anytime.

Satisfaction Guarantee 
We stand behind our bluetooth keyboard 100% therefore we back this bluetooth keyboard 12 months guarantee. If you have any problems with our bluetooth keyboard we will replace it no questions asked. Purchase 1byone now and rest satisfied that a great product is on its way! You'll be thankful that you made such a great purchase!

Sponsored: 1Byone Products

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