EDIFIER CINESOUND B3 SOUNDBAR SYNAPSE CIRCUIT REVIEW

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT

EDIFIER CINESOUND B3 SOUNDBAR £149.99 CHECK ONLINE FOR PRICE

REVIEW

#Edifier #Soundbar #CineSoundB3 #HomeTheater #HomeTheatre #SpeakerSystem #HiFi

EDIFICATION It looks like Edifier have given a sermon in the purity of audio delivery! Could the Edifier CineSound B3 Soundbar convert you from the more well-known speaker manufacturers? Read on! SAFE AND SOUND In the box you get your standard cables RCA, male/female jack and optical. Plus you get a remote control with 3 presets: Movie, News and 3D. Finally, the CineSound B3 Soundbar is Bluetooth 4.0 compatible and you get a wall mount bracket! Great!

I love the Bluetooth 4.0 aspect as today's gadget obsessed person has a myriad of Bluetooth compatible devices.

There's a 10-minute standby that powers down after inactivity.

DESIGN & BUILD QUALITY

I've got to say that I have become a fan of the Edifier speaker design aesthetic. The CineSound B3 is wonderfully minimal; a sleek black line that should complement any wall.

At the right end of the CineSound B3 is an array of physical buttons arranged in a triangular pattern for your convenience. Nice. It's simplistic.

The build quality is solid and does not feel cheap.

SOUND

I think it's fair to say that Edifier has established itself as a major player in the loudspeaker industry. Over the years I've seen Edifier grow from a computer speaker company to Bluetooth - covering mainly mobile devices and now expanded to TV/Gaming with the CineSound range.

As a computer musician, I would love to see Edifier produce affordable studio monitors.

The sound quality is, as I've come to expect from Edifier, very pleasing. The CineSound B3 has a nice clean quality from the off! The frequencies are well balanced; it's an all-round good sound for general purposes. Music comes across very well and it makes me wonder what could have been if Edifier had a few music modes (in addition to the Movie, News and 3D presets). However, it's a small gripe; if you play music from your smartphone via Bluetooth you can use an equalizer to get the best results.

The 3 presets, Movie News and 3D, do not disappoint. If you've been using the speakers on your TV/PC you'll certainly notice the difference! You might feel an inclination to slap yourself for making do.

I did notice a bit of distortion at full blast but I can't imagine why anyone would want to use the maximum volume setting as the CineSound B3 is plenty loud! There's an input for a subwoofer which is always a good thing, but on its own the bass has a very good presence. The bass isn't muddy like on some soundbars, going back to listening to music, this is why the CineSound B3 makes for a good all-round speaker unit.

The mid and treble frequencies are nice and crisp, hi hats and breaking glass sound realistic.  

CONCLUSION

For the price, I think Edifier has done more than a good job here. As I've stated previously, the CineSound B3 delivers an all-round pleasing sound and presets are perfect in that they enabled me to movies, action movies that benefits from the 3D mode and the News mode levels out the frequencies to avoid distractions.

More expensive soundbars struggles to be this good straight out of the box. I was very happy with the sounds coming out of the CineSound B3.

SCORE

It's pretty much a no brainer, if you're upgrading from the embedded speakers in the TV/PC monitor. If you're a dabbler in gaming the CineSound B3 is good enough.

I fancy myself as an audiophile and I'm satisfied with the CineSound B3 on a price to quality ratio. Yes, there are better soundbars out there but they​ don't come cheap!

If you've already decked out your living room with a huge TV and home theatre system then it could be that you're looking for a decent soundbar for TV in the bedroom, the CineSound B3 is it!

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SYNAPSE CIRCUIT GOOGLE i/O 14 REACTION

Above: Android 5 "L". Lollipop? Lemon Meringue Pie? Liquorice Allsorts?

Above: 64-bit at last! Move over iPhone and iPad!

Above: Sundar Pichai introduces Android One which is aimed at the World market.
Android One costs under $100!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
GOOGLE i/O CONFERENCE 2014, REACTION
#Google #i/o2014 #Android #Chrome #ChromeOS #AndroidWear #AndroidAuto #AndroidTV #Chromecast #Glass #Nexus #Silver

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers. I hope that all is well with you! Did you catch the Google i/O Keynote? You didn’t? Ok... I will give you the rundown...

In short: Mind Blown - Again!

PREDICTIONS THAT CAME THROUGH...

ANDROID 5: LEMON MERINGUE PIE?
Shock, horror! I was pretty much spot on about much of the Google i/O developer conference. I knew that there would be no news of Nexus devices as Android 5, Lemon Meringue Pie(?) wasn’t hinted at. On the eve of the i/O there wasn’t the usual leaks with the coming of a new Android version. It was, as always, wishful thinking on my part that there would be some grand new toys! New toys always come with a new version of Android.

So, I reckon we’ll see new toys towards Christmas along with Android 5, Lollipop(?). And I bet that the reason why we haven’t seen the Galaxy S5 Prime and HTC’s Prime offering is because they want to take advantage of the 64-bit Android and will adopt 64-bit processors to keep up with the iPhone and iPad as far as 64-bit is concerned.

So, expect 64-bit handsets and tablets towards Christmas! It could very well be that Samsung will be releasing a 64-bit Galaxy Note 4 which would come in time to coincide with my next upgrade! Whoohoo! 

SUNDAR PICHAI
Unsurprisingly, the eloquent Sundar Pichai swept aside the bizarre remarks of Tim Cook. All Android users and those that know anything about technology would dismiss Cook’s comments outright when he talks about the competition. Pichai wisely did not bother to say anything derogatory about Apple, Cook and mobile devices and quite rightly went on to state facts about how Android is growing through handsets and tablets; the news is simple: Android Rules The World. No matter what Cook and co says nothing change that. Yes, there will probably be two iPhones this year, 4.7” and 5.5” but they – like iOS incarnations – have come too late. Too late for a corporation that claims “Android is a stolen technology...” as it is clear that the iPhone is trailing behind. The iPad’s edge is becoming duller by the month and by the end 2014 the iPad and apps is not going to matter. It’s great that Google is doing its own thing at their own pace which appears to be comfortable for them. They could have rushed the next version of Android but they take time to make sure it’s right from UI design looks to the functionality.



Above: Chrome for Android's new look!

MATERIALISM
I am looking forward to the release of Android 5, Liquorice Allsorts(?) due to new Material Design aspect to the UI (user interface) that acts like paper. Material Design just looks awesome! Icons, cards, notifications just look spectacular and I can’t wait to have it on my devices! Google are paying more attention to the design aspect of Android and “L” - as they refer to it – is going to blow away every other mobile operating system going.

I got that bit right and to be honest it wasn’t that difficult to predict due to the fact that Android releases have been slow to a crawl but one can see that this is for a reason. I knew that design and functionality was the reason and, of course, getting the 64-bit element in. There’s Project Volta to reduce battery strain and if it turns out like I think it will it means that a lot of us will be enjoying longer uses of our devices.

What I wanted to hear was the devices that will be compatible with Android 5, Lemon Drops(?) but there will no doubt be some casualties. There again many Android users do not really notice the difference between the different versions as Android as a whole works very well for most users. I would imagine that users with premium devices from 2011 may be in the safe zone! My Galaxy Note 2 could do with Android 5 as it crashes royally when using the i/O app to watch the live video streams. It is annoying to say the least. I can imagine how my devices would run on Android Lolly! Dare I say that some older devices may be saved by the likes of custom ROM creators?

DID I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY?
From what I gathered it looks like Android Lemon Pie will be able to run on other processors apart from ARM... x86 and MIPS. Does that mean that effectively Android could make better use of the PC and other computer systems? That would be something! I have always wanted an Android desktop for moments like this when I am sitting here typing-up my articles. Look at it this way: If the Galaxy S5 can shoot and edit 4K video then surely a dual core and quad core PC running Android 5 would prolong ageing desk and laptops. No doubt one would have to invest in a graphics card capable of 4K video.

CHROME
Yes, I almost got Chrome and Android right... Instead of Android adopting bits of Chrome it is quite the other way around. Chrome will be able to run some Android apps – at least I thought that’s what I understood.

Chromecast has more attributes to it such as allowing handsets to broadcast whatever is on the screen. Then there is Android TV – I am not too sure how that works... A lot of the tech press were predicting set-top boxes but none were mentioned. So, from what I have gathered Android TV will be built into Android 5 that allows users to stream from Google Play Movies and other sources through Chromecast. It sort of tallies up with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S media event and the focus on content!



Above: Android Auto.

ANDROID AUTO
No surprise that Google announced Android Auto for making interacting with the handset safer with voice commands whereby, for instance, you can ask for a place and get direction without touching the phone!  Cool!

I was hoping to hear more about their driverless cars. I guess that there will be more about their driverless cars later on.

PROJECT ARA & ROBOTICS
I was a little surprised that we didn’t learn more about Project Ara that allows folk to put their own handset together by removing and replacing modular components. Perhaps Google will have an Ara handset ready in time to coincide with Android 5!

We never got to learn what Google will do with those robots they’ve acquired! Bah!

SILVER NEXUS
The Nexus concept was hinted upon and that there is a possibility that we’ll see a Nexus 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 when – you’ve guessed it – Android 5 is released in the fall. At least it’ll coincide for Christmas – I hope! I envisage that we’ll be seeing a few Nexus devices to usher in Android 5 for sure.

There was no mention of the much rumoured “Silver” that is said to be replacing the Nexus concept. I can only imagine that it if Silver is on the horizon we won’t see it until the first quarter of 2015; I get the feeling that Google are planning something groundbreaking – again – to shake up the handsets and tablets that will make use of 64-bit processors and better hardware in general.



ANDROID WEAR
As predicted, Google showed off Android Wear, Google Fit and watches from LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. The demonstration of Android Wear was awesome! Google have managed to beat Apple to the punch with releasing the Wear devices from LG and Samsung. Moto 360 will be released later on this summer. I think they have gotten the interface right! The wearable devices from LG and Samsung look very promising indeed... Just like the first wave of Android handsets I can see that there will be more manufacturers looking to take a slice of that pie! Therefore we will see a rapid development of design like we witnessed with the Android tablet only the wearable will develop faster! More so when these manufacturers work out the issues with producing these flexible screens!

There wasn’t any mention of Google Glass and I can only imagine that they are still perfecting it.

CONCLUSION
I really think that Apple stocks have gone down in value after this year’s Google i/O Keynote. Google are unstoppable! Google have so much going on that they do not have time to fit it all in!

THANK YOU FOR READING!

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THE BREAKFAST WITH SUNDAR FALLOUT PART TWO: CHROMECAST UK

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
THE BREAKFAST WITH SUNDAR FALLOUT  PART TWO: CHROMECAST UK
#SundarPichai #Android43 #Nexus72 #Chromecast #Apple #iPad #BBC #BBCiPlayer #UKTVLicense

Good evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! Chromecast is such a great idea and US residents are so very fortunate to be getting the first bite of that cherry!

WHAT CHROMECAST MEANS TO THE UK
Quite some time ago I wrote an article on how we in the UK can legally avoid paying the TV license. The current fee for colour TV license is £145.50 and for those rocking a black & white television set is an amazing £49! What’s the situation like where you’re from? It’s only the BBC that requires TV owners to pay the fee as they claim the licensing revenue is used to fund their programs. There are a few flaws in this system:

1. The BBC programs do not reflect the multicultural aspect of the UK.

2. If one genuinely does not watch the BBC channels how would the license enforcers (yes, people do come around to make sure that you have paid the license fee) know what channels you are watching?

3. Some BBC programs are funded through the UK Lottery and European Commissioning.

However, the BBC stipulates that as long as you don’t watch their programs live i.e. you watch their programs through the iPlayer then you don’t have to pay the license. You’d be surprised at how many British people do not know this. Many British people are so used to the thought of a private BBC police force kicking down the door and confiscating TV and video equipment that they wouldn’t think to look into the legalities of avoiding the hefty license fees. The other side of coin is that so many UK residents illegally do not pay the license.

CABLE
I can’t say what the quality of cable TV is like in the rest of Europe and the US but I can tell you that in the UK the quality is very, very poor. There are more repeats on cable than from eating a dodgy meal! I am on the Virgin Media cable and if it was not for the benefits of having items like the Internet, landline and mobile thrown in I wouldn’t have bothered with cable – it’s that bad!

However, Virgin wants to charge me extra to have YouTube on my list of duff channels! Ok, they aren’t all duff but for the 400-odd channels there must be about at least 6 channels that I would actively watch!

CHROMECAST IS THE ANSWER
Chromecast can and will play a vital role in alleviating folk from paying the TV license fee! I am certainly going to get the Chromecast HDMI dongle as soon as it is available in the UK; I can see it selling out because at $35 (around £22) it is an absolute steal! As you may already know there are similar ideas that involve purchasing yet another box that requires more bloody cables! And if you buy into certain technological brands you’d have to opt for more of their equipment to enjoy TV their way. Chromecast does none of that.

UK CHROMECAST
I have read somewhere that the success of Chromecast in the UK lies with the BBC iPlayer app adopting the Chromecast transmitter in future updates. That’s not true. If you go to the BBC iPlayer website through the Chrome browser then you’d be able to transmit what’s on the Chrome browser to the Chromecast enabled TV.

I have noticed that Google specific apps have been updated for Chromecast compatibility and therefore Google already knows that Chromecast will be worldwide success. I am expecting that the likes of Netflix UK will be adopting their app to accommodate Chromecast. I am also expecting BBC to adopt Chromecast too.

In fact Google has given app developers the Google Cast code to place in their apps and therefore I am also expecting to see developers of media players to include Chromecast in their apps. So, expect to be able to play your videos and slideshows produced with your favourite Android and iOS devices.

At the time of writing Blackberry and Windows mobile will not be getting a Chromecast compatible app. However, if Blackberry adopts Android apps it may well be possible.

I can’t wait for Chromecast to come to the UK! You ought to be feeling the same way too if you are paying the high BBC TV license fee!

What do you reckon?   

Take good care!

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