In the interview between a room full of tech reviewers and the Huawei CEO, there was an audible sigh for slight variations of questions relating to “the Google problem”. This left me in a pickle because I had one too.
I’ve been test driving the Huawei Mate 30 Pro for a few days now and I’m impressed. It does help, that despite Google’s best efforts, I’ve sideloaded nearly every app imaginable with very few giving me trouble.
One simply won’t work and it never will. It’s Google Pay.
Google Pay On Non-GMS Phones
My phone is a non-Google Mobile Services device. Officially at least, but I have sideloaded everything I need. I even installed Google Pay through my sideloaded app store but when I go to use Google Pay for in-store use, the security element of the app kicks in and blocks me. I’m not going into the known or unknown technical reasons for this but ultimately Google Pay will never work on non-certified Huawei smartphones for in-store payments.
The bigger problem here is purely personal. I love Google Pay particularly on the odd occasion I get to tap for something expensive like a €500 gym membership. People’s reactions are brilliant because many don’t know the €50 limit doesn’t apply here.
But what does this mean for mobile payments?
Huawei Pay Expansion
The solution is kind of staring Huawei in the face. They already have Huawei Pay in China, Hong Kong and Russia. So, I asked Richard Yu if there were plans to expand the service beyond these markets.
Richard Yu, CEO Huawei, speaking about Huawei Pay in Barcelona
The response was yes. A definite yes before I even had finished my question! The CEO confirmed they are planning to expand but remains unsure whether expansion plans can land this year or if we’ll have to wait until next year.
We are preparing for this year, but I’m not sure whether we can launch this year or next year.
Richard Yu speaking to Goosed.ie in Barcelona
After confirming expansion plans, Yu turned the tables and asked me if I like Google Pay. After confirming it’s my preferred way to pay, he thanked me for my advice.
There you go everyone. I’m helping steer Huawei!
Payments: A Litmus Test
All joking aside, while few will see payments by phone as a make or break part of choosing a phone, Huawei Pay will be a real test for Huawei’s progression without Google apps. Samsung has expanded their own payments service but this never landed in Ireland.
Yu laid on the company’s dedication to security and privacy pretty thick in Barcelona, insisting Huawei would never install back doors or let authorities access private data. For payments to land, Huawei must both drive the service and built user confidence. In truth, I couldn’t think of a better litmus test for their progression.
A couple of weeks back, the phone rang. “Marty, Huawei would like to bring you along to Mobile World Congress for a product launch”. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, the phone buzzed again with news that, to be fair, seemed inevitable.
While that ended up being somewhat expected, the third phone call inviting me to Barcelona again was more surprising than the first. Without Mobile World Congress and, it looking more likely than ever, without Google, Huawei was going to have a product launch.
What can you expect from tomorrow’s Barcelona event?
Huawei Mate Xs
The biggest giveaway that companies are launching new gadgets is the event guides they send out. Huawei’s Barcelona event has a big ol’ demo area for media to play with new toys and this could be the best of the lot.
Huawei Mate Xs unveiled in China
Last year, Huawei told us that they usually begin and end the year with processor launches. Tomorrow looks like it’ll be a different story. Word on grapevine is that Huawei will launch some very exciting hardware, upgrading the Mate X with the latest Kirin 990 chip.
Last year, Samsung unveiled their first folding phone which ended up a disaster thanks to plastic peeling off of screens. As that unfolded, pun intended, Huawei “launched” the Mate X. The inverted commas there represent the hesitation that Huawei must have felt after Samsung’s damp squib which led to Huawei never really pushing the Mate X far beyond being a concept phone. All of this has led to tomorrow’s event likely seeing the launch of the Huawei Mate Xs. For all intensive purposes, this is the Mate X but now it’s packing the Kirin 990 chip. It should also be 5G as standard but time will tell.
This is exciting because in a post-Google world where Huawei now heavily depends on HMS (Huawei Mobile Services) replacing GMS (Google Mobile Services), hardware could be what sets them apart and helps users transition from Google to the Huawei app gallery.
Huawei P40 Series
It won’t happen. It never happens at MWC and it’s not going to happen in Barcelona this year either. Just wait a month.
Laptops and Tablets
What Huawei does normally launch at MWC is tablets and laptops and that’s to be expected tomorrow too. On the list for announcement in Barcelona is the Mate Pad Pro 5G and Matebook X Pro. Again, with the knock on effects of a Google-less future still being assessed by the Chinese manufacturer, I personally could see them ploughing extra focus into tablets and laptops in the Irish market.
While these might see similar issues with Android on tablets and Windows on laptops, diversifying their gadget portfolio seems to be the way forward with an own-OS wearable in the Huawei Watch GT 2 and the AirPod beating FreeBuds 3 impressing more than just myself.
Speculation aside it’s just one more sleep until we see what the next card on the table for Huawei is. It does feel like Texas Hold Em as they’re waiting on cards on the table to appear rather than playing the cards in their hand.
Be sure to follow Goosed.ie on Twitter tomorrow for the latest news as it breaks from Barcelona.
I’ve been a big fan of both gimbles in general and those specifically made by FeiyuTech. While you could argue DJI lead the market, FeiyuTech is one of those challenger brands that never fails to impress. I got my hands on the new FeiyuTech Vlog Pocket just before Christmas and took some shots around the Berlin Christmas markets to see how this new smaller gimble held up to some of the bigger models I’ve used.
A gimble at the Christmas market
Genuinely pocket-sized
The FeiyuTech Vlog Pocket is compact and tiny. While you’ll often see pocket-sized bandied about in product descriptions I was shocked when I took the Vlog Pocket out of my bag, shot some video but then folded it up and popped it in my pocket. I’ve used a few gimbles over the years and it is a bit of a pain when you have to keep stopping and putting your gimble away when you’ve finished shooting. Considering FeiyuTech are pushing the “pocket” element of this gimble, it seems only fair I confirm this is a massive plus for the Vlog Pocket.
Despite being pocket-sized, there’s no let-up when it comes to features and power. Here are some of the most impressive features on the FeiyuTech Vlog Pocket.
No manual levelling
Just like putting your gimble away when shooting, levelling is quite an annoying part of owning a gimble. Every now and then, you need to stand your device up on a flat surface and reset the centre point of your gimble to ensure you’re getting a level shot. It’s called levelling and somehow, despite being pocket-sized, the Vlog Pocket doesn’t require you to level at all. Considering they’ve gone all-in on convenience with this gimble, not requiring levelling is actually a brilliant feature and not one I thought such a compact device would be able to avoid.
There’s an even more impressive feature the Vlog Pocket packs beyond not requiring levelling.
Weight capacity
My daily rider is the Huawei P30 Pro and I previously used the Huawei Mate 30 Pro. These two phones are surprisingly heavy weighing in at 192g and 189g respectively. This left my early gimbles struggling to keep up, including my beloved Vimble 2. Despite being much smaller, the Vlog Pocket can handle phones weighing up to an incredible 240g. From my own digging around, that’s more than the heaviest smartphones on the market.
In addition to the increased weight capacity, the Vlog Pocket can shoot both landscape and portrait with just a double-tap of a button. If you are a content creator you’ll instantly appreciate the usefulness of this as the gimble allows you to quickly swap from YouTube-style landscape shooting to Instagram Story style portrait shooting.
Built-in smarts
The FeiyuTech Pocket brings plenty of additional specs to the table including up to 14-hours worth of battery life. But for me, the greatest improvement the Vlog Pocket brings to the party is the smarts. The Feiyu ON app has been greatly improved from some of the earlier iterations. I had actually given up using that app because I really didn’t rate it, but now it’s brilliant. Connectivity through the app has been greatly improved however, there’s still no native support for Filmic Pro which is a pity.
While many features of the Feiyu GO app have been massively improved including some fantastic facial recognition and tracking software, the Hitchcock dolly zoom effect just didn’t work for me. To be honest, this is such a niche feature I wouldn’t lose sleep over it and I’m going to finish this section by once again emphasising how much improved the Feiyu ON app is. FeiyuTech also sorted another bug bearer of mine in finally improving connectivity between the gimble and your smartphone’s native camera. You can now control features like starting and stopping recording using the buttons on the gimble.
Verdict: The FeiyuTech Vlog Pocket
It’s brilliant. While built-in stabilisation is getting better and better on smartphones, I can always tell when someone has gone the extra mile and shot with a gimble. Actually, it’s totally obvious when people aren’t using a gimble and if you want to shoot what’s known at “buttery smooth” video you’re going to need a gimble. For less than €100 this is one of the most impressive videos shooting gadgets you can pair up with your smartphone. It’s truly pocket-sized but doesn’t give up an inch when it comes to quality or functionality.
The FeiyuTech Vlog Pocket is available from plenty of online stores but personally, I’d pick up something like this from Conn’s Cameras in Dublin. They’ll even deliver for you.
It’s that time of the year again where all the heavy hitters start announcing their latest range of smartphones and even though Mobile World Congress was cancelled this year, the announcements are still coming thick and fast. Today Sony announced the new Xperia L4, adding another layer to their entry level porfolio to whet our whistle while we wait on the show stopping Xperia 2 announcement. The new XperiaL4 is set to bring the 21:9 viewing and capturing experiences in a sleek design not unlike last years model.
Go Wide!
The Xperia L4 is long (or wide for tv viewing) and to be fair it looks slick for the price point. New for Sony’s L series, Xperia L4 benefits from a sleek 6.2” 21:9 Wide display that delivers a slender style and fits perfectly in your hand. The 21:9 ratio allows you to see more at once and scroll less, plus together with Sony’s multi-window UI you can launch and enjoy using two apps simultaneously in easy-viewing sizes for both windows. We are also going to see the Side Sense function again and when it works properly it provides very easy access to your favourite apps, hopefully this year they have worked out the kinks.
Photo magic on a budget
The Sony Xperia L4 is going to be the first ever L series phone to feature the now standard triple camera! This budget buster is going to house a 13MP main lens, 5MP ultra-wide lens and 2MP depth camera, so you can channel your inner creativity and capture high quality, artistic photos and benefits from the bokeh effect.
You can also switch between to angles wide and ultra-wide, offering you the option to capture beautiful landscapes, as well as effortless portraits and everything-in-between.
Camera creativity is also enhanced by the 21:9 display, allowing you to capture videos and images in the dramatic 21:9 aspect ratio.
BIG Battery
Last year the Xperia L3 was rocking a 3,300mAh battery and again this year we are getting an upgrade. For phones in the below €200 price range having a battery of that power is something to shout about. So you better believe it that Sony are well chuffed with themselves as the Xperia L4 is going to be running a high-capacity 3,580mAh battery with fast charging will easily see you through a busy day, so you can do more of what you love.
Sony’s Xperia Adaptive Charging is also in play which monitors your phone as it charges, ensuring that the battery isn’t overworked and stays healthy for longer.
When’s it coming?
The Xperia L4 is due out this spring, probably late March early April and it going to be available in Black and Blue. Right now we have no idea what networks are going to carry it or what the price will be but if history is anything to go buy expect the L4 to hit the stores under €200 and most likely available in Eir and Vodafone as well as standard online retailers like Littlewoods and the usual Amazon. We should be getting our hands on one soon, so check back before the release for a more detailed review.
Personally, I’ve had quite the week in terms of data protection. Two years ago, shortly after the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force, I decided to try and leave the Catholic church through data protection law. Just last week, it was national news and I even got a spin out on Kildare FM too. Naturally, I was rather excited to see the Data Protection Commission’s Annual Report for 2019 land in my inbox today. Here’s what it has to say.
Own Volition Investigation Into The Catholic Church
In what was the first full year of GDPR, the DPCs 2019 report highlights some of the higher-profile cases they are investigating. Sure enough, they’ve also included their digging into how the Catholic church handles personal data. In case you’ve missed me ranting about this, the “inquiry relates to the lawful basis for processing the personal data of individuals who no longer want to have
their personal data so processed”.
It comes as absolutely no surprise that I’m not alone in this, as “the DPC received a number of complaints from individuals who were members of the Catholic Church and many of whom no longer wish to remain as members”. Rather strangely, considering my complaint surrounds the Diocese of Ossory, as per communications sent to myself, the DPC further stated they had “opened an own-volition inquiry pursuant to section 110(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018, directed to the Archdiocese of Dublin”.
The goal of this inquiry is to decide whether or not there “is a lawful basis for the processing of the personal data of individuals who no longer want to have their personal data so processed” by the church.
Public Services Card Inquiry
Another area of public attention the DPC assisted with was the Public Services Card controversy. The card was introduced in 2011 with the goal of making services like social welfare easier to access through a single card. For the government, the PSC card would become quite the headache, eventually becoming the focus of a DPC investigation.
On 15 August 2019, the DPC delivered its report in relation to the first part of its investigation into the processing of personal data carried out by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Ultimately, the Data Protection Commissioner ruled that there was no lawful basis for anyone to be required to get the card for anything other than social welfare payments and benefits.
More Highlights From The DPC’s 2019 Annual Report
So it’s not all about the church I guess and the sexy headlines. The DPC has been very busy indeed over the past year. 7,215 complaints were received by the DPC in 2019. That’s a 75% increase in the total number of complaints of 4,113 received in 2018.
There were almost 48,500 contacts were made through the DPC’s Information and Assessment Unit, including 22,200 telephone calls and 22,300 emails. On 31 December 2019, the DPC had 70 statutory inquiries on hand, including 49 domestic inquiries. Six statutory inquiries were opened in relation to multinational technology companies’ compliance with the GDPR, bringing the total number of cross-border inquiries to 21.
increased awareness on the part of individuals and organisations alike as to the importance of protecting personal data
The Commissioner for Data Protection, Helen Dixon, commented: “2019 has been the first full calendar year of the GDPR. There have been many positive changes, including organisations across Ireland appointing Data Protection Officers who can assist the public in exercising their data protection rights and also increased awareness on the part of individuals and organisations alike as to the importance of protecting personal data”.
2019 Data Protection Commission Report: Facts and Figures
A strange thing happened a few years back as the Premier League season came to a close. Because I had a Sky Sports subscription I had to make a choice. Cancel the subscription or somehow justify keeping it. Just as I was making this decision, I spotted a Sky Sports channel dedicated to a sport I used to love. It was Formula One. Now, while this was the moment I fell back in love with the elite of motorsport, last year Netflix did this for even more people with Drive to Survive. I’ve been checking out season two of Drive to Survive and here are the must-see moments alongside what we learn from the latest season of behind the scene action.
What is Drive to Survive About?
Drive to Survive is a fly on the wall documentary about the inner workings of Formula One. Wait. Fly on the wall isn’t a fair description because this Netflix documentary is much closer to the action than that. I was blown away by the first season which showed explosive behind the scenes action as unlikely stars and heroes from minnow teams came to the fore.
Now, Formula One has shifted from being a sport I used to love towards being the sport I look forward to all year. With Barcelona testing just about to kick off, I’ve been watching the latest season of Drive to Survive which documents the highs and lows of the 2019 F1 season. Here are must-see moments along with a few bits we’ve learned too.
Yellow Flag. Spoilers ahead. Caution
This is not a spoiler-free review. This is for those of you who simply can’t wait or want to have a chat with that massive F1 fan in work and need a little ammunition.
Access is even more impressive this time around
Look, I know that Netflix has the ability to nail a documentary. They’ve done it countless times. However, the bar gets set higher when it’s a sport I love. Regardless, Netflix has outdone itself with Drive to Survive Season Two. Access to teams is remarkable. In my eyes, the increased access comes off the back of season one. I would well imagine sponsors were in the ear of teams ensuring they got plenty of air time in season two of the documentary.
I would even argue that Team Haas falling out with sponsor Rich Energy could have all been a bit of a ploy to steal air time by the energy drinks provider.
There is no one like Gunther Steiner
I never really cared about Haas. I never really liked Romain Grosjean all that much. I was totally indifferent to Kevin Magnussen. However, after season one of the show, I fell in love with Gunther Steiner.
One particular quote is now infamous:
Now we are a bunch of wankers
He is honestly worth the admission fee himself and Netflix know this. He features heavily early in season two and I’m totally ok with that.
Ferrari and Mercedes actually take part
One criticism of the Drive to Survive Season One was obvious. Not all teams were on board with the documentary. Notable ommissions were Ferarri and Mercedes, the sport’s leading names.
Executive producer Paul Martin said the two teams wouldn’t agree to the terms the other eight did. “Mercedes and Ferrari wanted to operate under different terms to the rest of the teams, and us, as producers, and Netflix as the broadcasting platform, didn’t feel comfortable with that”.
Thankfully, season two is a different kettle of fish although Ferarri’s meltdown in Brazil didn’t get much attention. Actually, there was very little drama around the Italian team at all, on camera at least. The Mercedes Germany episode was, however, as explosive as I’d hoped. It’s a must-watch.
George Russell isn’t just Mr Nice Guy
One trend you might see emerge from this article is that the veil gets lifted on quite a few personalities. While some are positive, one shock for me was George Russell. On TV he just looks like Mr Nice Guy thanks to his cool and calm disposition.
He’s a Mercedes Junior Driver sitting at the left hand of Toto Wolff and almost certainly will get a drive at Mercedes in future. Still, behind the scenes, he has a very competitive streak and doesn’t hold back his disappointment in the Williams car.
Speaking of which.
Claire Williams: The most under-pressure no-pressure team principal
Williams. For fans of the sport, is there anything more heartbreaking than seeing the Williams F1 team lumbering around in 19th and 20th? Claire Williams is officially the race team’s Deputy Team Principal with her father, Frank Williams, still heading the team-up. However, with Frank stepping back his involvement in the team, Claire has now become de facto leader of the team.
As a family-owned team, you could argue that’s her job is somewhat safe. The reality might be very different but even if it’s not, Claire Williams is putting her life into this team. In an episode dedicated to the former World Championship winning team, we see the behind the scenes mayhem which leads to Williams missing the start of Barcelona testing. We also see the relationship between Paddy Lowe and his boss, Claire Williams, fall apart because of his refusal to take responsibility for the team missing Barcelona testing. It amounts to an incredibly awkward piece of television. Car crash television where you can’t watch but can’t look away.
There’s no way back for Gasly at Red Bull
One of the shocking bits of news in the first season was seeing Danny Ricciardo battling through his decision to leave Red Bull for Renault. It’s a decision which I still don’t understand, but regardless it left the door open for Red Bull to promote Pierre Gasly from Torro Rosso to the senior seat left vacant.
Gasly’s Red Bull career didn’t get off to a great start at all. He lacked confidence and a fighting edge that Formula One drivers need to deliver the expected performance. As a fan of the sport, I could see Gasly simply wasn’t delivering so it came as no surprise that he was dropped and Alex Albon was promoted from Torro Rosso with Gasly being relegated.
While this all happened and didn’t come as a surprise it was Red Bull Team Principal, Christian Horner’s, damning assessment of Pierre Gasly’s performance was an eye-opener. Horner is very PR savvy and knows that Red Bull are very much in F1 to promote an energy drink. For that reason, he comes across as the nice media-friendly funny guy. In truth, this latest instalment of Drive to Survive shows just how cutthroat he can be. To the point where I don’t believe there’s a path back into Red Bull for Pierre Gasly.
Not all Netflix documentaries are created equal
Drive to Survive Season Two is ten episodes. You’d think that means one episode dedicated to each team, right? Wrong.
This is all about telling the story of the drivers and the season. The creators clearly know the peak drama moments of the season and how these moments defined the season for the drivers, the constructors and the fans. Nico Hulkenberg’s retirement from second in Germany is a prime example of how the show builds the drama, juxtaposing this race with the background discussions which ultimately would leave him without a seat for the 2020 season.
As a result of this non-simplistic allocation of screentime to teams, as the curtain came down on season two of Drive to Survive I was left with the realisation that Alfa Romeo and more importantly Kimi Raikkonen didn’t feature at all. Lando Norris took a back seat to Carlos Sainz. Daniel Kvyat also doesn’t feature at all except for a clip at the end where he jokingly tells Netflix to “fuck off” because they ignored him all year. Another notable omission is Force Racing Team Point or whatever it is they’re calling themselves these days, but personally, the less I see of Lance Stroll in a car the better.
Carlos Sainz actually did celebrate his podium
I watch a lot of race weekend. From some practice sessions to nearly all qualification sessions to practically all races. I also watch the surrounding coverage and behind the scenes bits. Still, I’ve apparently missed large chunks of the season which only Netflix will be able to show me.
The highlight of all these bits that I missed but Netflix caught is in Brazil. Hamilton binned Alex Albon’s car towards the end of a bizarre race leaving Verstappen, Gasly and Hamilton battling it out for the top three with McLaren’s Carlos Sainz in fourth. Hamilton received a five-second penalty meaning Sainz was promoted to third hours after the race finished.
Instead of just taking a selfie in the hotel with his trophy, Sainz headed up to the track’s podium and celebrated his first career podium in F1 with his teammates, a celebration that journalist Will Buxton describes as one of the most unique podiums he’s ever seen.
Drive to Survive Season Two: The Verdict
I warned you this wasn’t a spoilter-free review, but I’ve also only given away 5% of what this brilliant documentary brings to your screen. Drive to Survive is, without doubt, one of the biggest things to happen to Formula One in years. While Sky Sports investing heavily in the sport was crucial, tapping into a new fanbase is arguably even bigger and that’s absolutely what this documentary series does. It’s the kind of series that leads to you hearing new people talking about Formula One in work and that’s a powerful accolade.
A must for F1 fans and even those who just like the edge of your seat behind the scenes drama.
Formula 1 Drive to Survive S2 launches on Netflix on 28 February 2020
As I watched the Samsung Unpacked event last night I couldn’t help but feel a little tired of phone launches. It kills me to say that, but they are all a little boring these days. I’ve test-driven the S10 Plus but have yet to get hands-on with the S20 Series. While I’m sure it’s a great phone, I can’t imagine it’ll leave me feeling all that excited. I like tech because I like to try new things and so does Huawei. The Chinese manufacturer sent me over a pair of their FreeBuds 3 to review and I’ve got to say I’m impressed. Here’s why.
FreeBuds 3: Things I Like
I’m going to try and divide this up into things I like and don’t like about the FreeBuds 3. Some of the following features might be obvious to others, some surprise even me. It is worth quickly noting that I’ve been testing these with a Huawei P30 Pro sporting EMUI 10 which means I’ve been able to enjoy all the frills on offer.
FreeBuds 3: Sound Quality
Let’s be honest here. If I don’t have something positive to say about the FreeBuds 3 in term of sound quality, I should have much more to say at all. Thankfully, I’ve loads of good news to unload here.
Straight Up Sound
Unfortunately, while I was at the launch of the FreeBuds 3 in Munich last year, I didn’t get much of a look at them. I have now been using them for a few weeks and have absolutely fallen in love with them. While the FreeBuds 3 do lack AptX support, they still deliver crisp audio across the wide variety of genres that my own questionable taste in music spans.
I do find harping on about audio quality to be quite silly in a lot of tech reviews given it’s rather subjective. Take my word for it. I’ve been using a pair of Bose QC35 II for some time now along with the Creative Outlier and the Sennheiser Momentum 3 over-ears and the FreeBuds 3 completely hold their own here in terms of sound quality, even without AptX support.
No Lag
There is one area of sound I can destroy in a review if needs be. Lag. Some buds are terrible when it comes to lag. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Sony for the laughably bad WF-1000X which I bought and refused to review because they simply couldn’t be considered part of the Sony lineup – which has since been fixed.
Lag is no issue for the Huawei FreeBuds 3 either thanks to the adoption of Bluetooth 5.1. Not only does this offer superior transfer quality and imperceptible lag when watching video, but also improve stability. After a quick firmware update I’ve not experienced a single drop in connection, but ensure you do drop that firmware update once you buy because it’s crucial.
Call Quality
I don’t always cover call quality when reviewing buds. This is largely down to knowing call quality is quite often terrible with many pairs of buds. I made an exception recently with the Jabra Elite Active 65t that were my daily driver buds prior to the FreeBuds 3. In fact, I previously said they were the best buds on the market for calls full stop. That changes today I’m afraid as the FreeBuds 3 are remarkably clear for calls. This was a feature Huawei bigged up in Munich last year at the launch of the FreeBuds 3 and now I can see why.
The Mam Test
The big test for buds like these when calling is when I’m walking home from the office and I call my Mam. If she struggles to hear me, as is the case with most headphones and earphones, the call gets cut shorter. If it’s a nice clear call, we’re both happy to talk for a full half-hour while I walk home. This is down to the call enjoyment for both of us being massively impacted by quality and my inability to hold a massive phone up to my ear for a thirty-minute walk.
I’ve had plenty of full conversations with the mother
The FreeBuds 3 have nailed call quality. Rather surprisingly, even in the wind, call quality is great. This is down to the clever design of the bud’s tips which protects from the wind while letting enough sound pass through at the same time. All of this means I’ve had plenty of full conversations with the mother thanks to these buds delivering great sound quality.
Tip protecting your call from wind interference.
True Wireless Stereo
Think delivery driver. Think bus driver. Think taxi driver. They all have some sort of handsfree kit. Sometimes it’s a speaker in the car and others it’s a single earpiece. Well, if you want to use the FreeBuds 3 for calls like this you’re in luck. Huawei has utilised Truly Wireless Stereo technology for these buds. For many buds and, in fact, all buds I’ve tested except for the Creative Outlier, only one bud connects to your phone. This is called the master. The master then relays sound to the slave secondary bud. This leads to poor quality connection, delay and you being left in a position where if you want to use one bud you’re stuck with whichever the master is.
Thanks to TWS technology, both of the FreeBuds 3 connect to your phone independently.
Sidenote: I’m also a Mac user and loved using these buds with my Mac. They work perfectly. However, if you’re an iPhone user looking for AirPods alternatives, I wouldn’t recommend these as there’s no Huawei app which supports iOS. You’ll be able to connect but only have limited control over your buds without being able to update firmware.
Wear Detection
I’m shocked that I loved this feature so much. The reason I’m shocked is because at around €370, the Sennheiser Momentum 3 failed in this area. When you take off the FreeBuds 3 they stop playing music from the likes of Spotify. Pop them back in your ears and they play again. Seems like a simple concept, but many have messed this up which ruins the experience. It’s a feature good enough to be worthy of a call out in my opinion purely because I actually use it quite a bit without even thinking.
USB-C and Wireless Charge Options
I bought a drone recently and was absolutely shocked to see a micro-USB port on the back of it. I genuinely struggle to find micro-USB chargers around the house nowadays because everything is USB-C. I was glad to find that the FreeBuds 3 are also USB-C.
I was ever more excited to see that they charge wirelessly too. This is a cool feature for those who are on the road a lot and only want to carry one charger. If you have a phone like the Huawei P30 Pro, you have reverse wireless charging. This means that you can plug your phone in and night, flip it over and leave your buds charging on the phone too. This is where technology is and you just love to see it.
All in all, the FreeBuds 3 offer four hours of continuous use with an additional twenty hours in the charge case. Really impressive is knowing it takes an hour to fully charge the case which in turn takes an hour to charge the buds. Plenty of the power behind the smarts and power management of these buds is down to Huawei’s Kirin A1 chip.
FreeBuds 3: Things I Don’t Like
While there’s plenty of things about the FreeBuds 3 that I adore, there are a few things that just aren’t for me.
Slippy Plastic
At first, I didn’t think I would like the hard plastic design of the FreeBuds 3 at all, but I grew quite fond of that being honest. However, I do sometimes struggle to take the buds out of their case because the plastic is quite slippy along with the magnetic system holding them into the case being quite strong. Once or twice I’ve dropped by buds while unloading them so don’t be doing this over drains or anything like that!
Noise Cancellation
The FreeBuds 3 are the first open-fit wireless earphones to offer Active Noise Cancellation. On paper, it’s nice that they get the bragging rights over Apple here who only launched ANC buds with the much more expensive Airpods Pro. However, I’ve got to admit the noise cancellation just isn’t that great. Sure, it’s noticeable, but it comes nowhere near the likes of my Bose cans.
Now, this is largely down to the open-fit form factor. Even the Apple AirPod Pro buds have silicon tips which aid external noise suppression. The FreeBuds 3 perform valiantly without any additional support, but if you’re mainly shopping for noise-cancelling I’d keep looking.
Touch Controls
The on-ear touch controls of the FreeBuds 3 are somewhat limited, though they are customisable. One thing you will not be able to control is volume. For me, this wasn’t a massive issue at all but it’s a worthwhile callout as it’s a much more important feature for other users.
The Apple Look
Rather unfairly, Chinese manufacturers are often accused of taking more than a little inspiration from their U.S. counterparts. To be honest, I do get where these feelings come from and though I’ve only had a very brief chance to check out AirPods, I can see a few similarities between the FreeBuds 3 and their American counterparts.
Sure enough, the FreeBuds 3 looks very like the original AirPods. So much so, it was something that I had to get used to. I just wasn’t a big fan of the Apple looks but I do appreciate that this is something Huawei is clearly trying to emulate for users who want Apple aesthetics with market-leading technology.
If you do love what you’ve read so far but are hesitant because the white Apple look just isn’t for you, I’ve got some good news. While the FreeBuds 3 launched in Black and White they are also now available in a limited edition Red. While Red is a very lucky colour in China, it’s also the colour of love and ahead of Valentine’s day, Huawei has dropped the price of these buds to just €159.99 in Black, White and the limited edition Red.
Image Credit: Ros Finan.
At a recent event in Huawei’s Dublin HQ I got to have a first look at the red FreeBuds 3. They certainly offer something unique for those seeking a romantic gift, some luck or even something to remember Liverpool winning the title perhaps?
The ultimate compliment I can pay the Huawei FreeBuds 3 is the fact these are my daily rider earphones now. There’s something about how well they work with my Huawei P30 Pro, coupled with the sound quality that makes them a really enjoyable wear.
You can pick them up Carphone Warehouse, Vodafone Ireland and Amazon.co.uk, though the latter will require you use a virtual UK address.
After days of the world’s biggest technology companies pulling out of Mobile World Congress citing fears of further spreading Corona Virus, organisers have cancelled the world’s biggest mobile orientated trade show.
John Hoffman, the CEO of GSMA, said the outbreak had left it “impossible” to host the event in Barcelona at this time.
Realistically nowadays we are all listening to podcasts. Whether you’re a fan of Joe Rogan, The Two Jonnies or The Goosed Podcast, how we consume media these days has changed forever. No more are we watching pre-scheduled TV or listening to radio – no today is all about Netflix & the humble podcast. That’s why for the first time ever we are about to get Ireland’s first dedicated Digital Audio Awards. The ‘GoLouds’, have been announced and are the first of its kind to celebrate the most popular podcasts and music choices based on annual streaming data. Created by GoLoud, Ireland’s first digital audio app to offer live radio, podcasts and endless hours of music streaming in one place, ‘The GoLouds’ will award those across categories including Business, Culture, Comedy, Sport and Technology (think we should apply for that one?)
What is GoLoud?
Go Loud is a one stop shop for Irish radio, podcasts and tunes. Did you know that right now 2 out of 3 Irish people are listening to digital audio with more than half of this listening to more now than they were last year. Commenting on the success of GoLoud to date, Kiela Brodigan, head of Go Loud said:
“GoLoud is only 6 months in the market and in that time has generated millions of streams each month. We’ve been aggressive in our podcast and music strategy, responding to Irish consumer demands, continuously adding to our offering to deliver an easily discoverable quality audio experience”.
Essentially not compiles radio, music and podcasts to bring them into one easy to use app, kinda like Spotify, aCast & TuneIn Radio all in one…oh and it’s free! Alongside all of the standard radio stuff (NewsTalk, Today FM, Spin etc) there is also a couple of dedicated digital stations: Today XM, Today FM 80s, SPIN Xtra, 98FM Throwbacks.
Already it looks like a pretty spiffy app, but more than that users also get access to 18 mood-based playlists and over 400 podcasts Irish and international podcasts and you can make that 401 when The Goosed Podcast is added to the network. What’s more is those mood playlists contain over 100 hours of tunage all curated by music experts.
Updated weekly, you’ll have one for your workout, your road trip, for chilling and for partying. GoLoud aim to be the home to some of the most listened to podcasts in Ireland, easily discoverable and relevant to audience interests, providing the best of Irish and International audio content on an easy-to-use platform. The app will adapt to your taste to give you the best content relevant to what you like to take the hassle out of finding your next podcast.
GoLoud is available to download via iOS and Android.
The Awards
Anyway back to the awards, the event is going to be taking place later this year in Dublin and unlike many of these industry awards, it’s you the listener who will decide the winner across three categories:
Best Irish Podcast
Best International Podcast
Best Newcomer
Above and beyond the awards, GoLoud want to help inspire the next generation of content creators with the GoLoud Podship which is worth €20,000 and it’s open to anyone with an original idea. The lucky winner will take home a cash prize of €5,000, as well as studio facilities, production support and a significant marketing launch for their podcast series which will feature exclusively on the GoLoud platform. Speaking at the big announcement, Kiela Brodigan, Head of GoLoud said:
“We’re delighted to be the first to bring awards of this kind to market. ‘The GoLouds’ will celebrate the very best of podcast and music choice and, with the introduction of our ‘GoLoud Podship’, we’re excited to shine a light on outstanding creativity and originality. GoLoud is the only digital audio platform that boasts an Irish podcast category. We want to champion talent and continue to lead the way in digital audio firsts.”
Sony and audio are a match made in heaven, where their mobiles fall down their audio division nail. Sony is probably one of the biggest and best players in the game when it comes to creating high-quality headphones so when it was announced that they were releasing their own truly wireless earbuds it was hard for us not to sit up and pay attention. The expectation was always going to be that the WF-1000XM3 true wireless buds would offer superior noise suppression and no small amount of style. And guess what….they do.
Design
Sony has a style, it’s neat, tidy and stylish. On design alone, there are some of the nicest looking and feeling earbuds I’ve personally used. The earbuds are well made and the understated design works wonders, especially when you think most customers are commuters and office workers, it makes sense that they would stick to a subtle black-and-grey colour scheme with small copper accents. To be fair they are bulkier than the golf tee-esque Apple Airpods but they are much cleaner.
The headphones come in a nice pill-shaped rechargeable case with a copper lid which matches with the overall colour scheme. Rocking the same QN1 Noise Cancelling processor as the WH-1000XM3 these earbuds are a real improvement on the old WF-1000X’s.
The WF-1000XM3 are also very comfortable with a clever twist in place system which is secured by the structure of your ear to feel nice and snug. They don’t feel as if they are going to fall out at any point which is nice but I wouldn’t want to wear them all day. After a few hours I find you need a break but with a selection of non-slip rubber earbud covers are in the box, it’s worth experimenting to find one that offers the best fit for you.
The Features
Bluetooth & NFC Pairing, Google Assistant, familiar Sony audio processing refinements, including DSEE HX and hands-free voice calling, the WF-1000XM3 have it all. Like the WM-1000XM3’s these earbuds can be fine-tuned with the Connect App to get the sound you like and you can also use the app to prioritize Bluetooth connection over sound quality.
Like their similarly priced competition, the WF-1000XM3 know when they are in use with a proximity sensor provides wearing detection. If you take one out your Spotify will automatically pause and when you put it back in your music will replay. It’s a cool little feature that’s far more useful than you would think. There is also a small touch panel that will pause or play. Unfortunately, there’s no on-bud volume control though; that can only be carried out through the app.
Another small bit of bad news but only for the big audiophiles, there’s no aptX HD and they use a 24-bit processor instead of the 32 found in the WH-1000XM3 but meh I say.
Performance & Quality
Personally I found the Bluetooth stability was always very good, I read that Sony has placed the antenna in the pointy bit of the bud and they use a new transmission system which reduces latency that gives a much better experience if you’re watching TV of your phone. This system greatly improves stability, connectivity, lowers power use and allows you to connect just one earbud if you need.
The sound quality is incredible and like me your commute is all about the podcast the audio is silky smooth. To be fair the WF-1000XM3 work across the board with a bit of tweaking in the app you can really hear the difference between ambient and bass sounds. Let’s be real the bass in the overheads is always going to give a bigger boom, but these little buds certainly pack a wallop.
To test out the noise-cancelling abilities I did what any of us would do, wear them on the bus and the train to see how they faired. The Active Noise Cancelling is brilliant at drowning out a nearby conversation and on a normal everyday commute I found that the noise suppression is really high. Again this will probably never be as good as the big overheads but for something so small the performance is more than satisfactory. Put it like this, for everyday use these will be perfect but for something like a long haul flight you might want to break out the big boys.
Battery Life
In a word, tidy. I’ve been rocking the Skullcandy Indy True Wireless as my daily riders and they have a 4-hour battery for under €70, so you would expect these to be much better considering they are €180. They are and they much better than their price point rivals too. The Sony WF-1000XM offers about 6 hours of power per charge which equated to just over 4 hours constant playback with noise cancelling on. Considering the Apple Airpods give 5 hours and the Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless offer about 4, it just goes to show that Sony are out to stamp their authority on the market.
The charging case while it’s slick doubles up as the power source, stick the earbuds in for 10 minutes and you get back 90mins of juice. Fair handy when you’re travelling. I also love the fact that the case is included USB-C cable for charging, meaning the case gets a full charge in just about 3 hours.
The Goosed Verdict
Fine, they have a couple of problems but on the whole, I enjoyed the WF-1000XM3’s. They are typically stylish and they are packed with some serious noise-cancelling technology. Sitting in the office, going for a walk or need something light and portable for your daily commute and don’t want bulky headphones, these could be just the job. The sound quality, fit, and design are all top-notch and really the Sony WF-1000XM3 is a prime example of how far true wireless earbuds have come.
I also found the battery life very good in comparison to some of the other earbuds I’ve tried and the charging case is neat and tidy. It would be cool if they had an official IP rating but that’s a really minor issue overall. The PowerBeats Pro are probably the main competition and I reckon Sony have just managed to be the better product. All in all, for a price under €200 the WF-1000XM3 could quite possibly be the best true wireless earbuds we’ve seen to date. Let’s see what Martin makes of the Huawei Freebuds 3.
Go Wide!
