Nesting in the COVID-19 era has, among other things, focuses us on hygiene and online communications. Here are a couple of devices to improve your quality of life.
First is the newly released RoboVac G30 Edge from eufy, the newest entry in the “Roomba” style robot vacuum cleaner space.
When the Roomba was first introduced in 2002, it seemed like a gimmick. I was wrong.
It worked in 2002 and the newer models clean better (and are less expensive) now. Chief among these is the G30 Edge, which I tested in my Kaimuki home.
Compared to my Roomba, the G30 was much quieter and slimmer. Whereas most of the robot vacuums randomly pingpong off your walls and furniture, The G30 employs “Smart Dynamic Navigation” to map the room and plot a path through it. Thus, by design, it performs the job of vacuuming more like a person, methodically vacuuming every square inch of the room. (Its Wi-Fi app will even draw a map of the job).
Priced at $369 (on Amazon), it is a midrange-priced machine in today’s market. In addition to the “navigation,” you’re also getting a vacuum that has three suction modes (standard, turbo and max). Of course, the battery will run down sooner on the higher vacuuming modes, but they really suck up the dirt.
Setup was easy. After unboxing, attach the side brush and set up the app on your phone or tablet. The Wi-Fi comes in handy (you can schedule and adjust the suction modes), but I found it easier just to hit the button on the vacuum and let it do its thing. It’s best, of course, to move chairs, toys, cords, etc. before you let her rip.
The G30 Edge comes with “boundary strips” to keep your robot from disappearing into another room, or in my case, into Palolo Valley.
In summary, I really liked this machine. It’s robust. An accidental drop test proved it. A large ceramic bowl landed with a thump on the G30 with enough velocity to seriously scratch the top plastic cover. It kept right on running without pause.
It sucks dust like a champ, but there are limits. Like any of these machines, it has trouble vacuuming along a wall. (That’s where you come in!)
The boundary strips didn’t always keep the Robovac in the right room, but that’s not a deal killer.
If you have an older Roomba model, should you ditch it in favor of a newer machine like the G30?
Like any technology, the newer machines simply work better.
If you don’t own a Robot vacuum, you won’t regret buying a G30.
Wireless ear buds
Similar to owning a “Robovac,” I never thought the day would come when I’d have an elongated listening device dripping out of my ear. After a month of testing one out, I’m sold.
If you’re doing a lot of Zoom these days, a set of noise canceling earbuds is obligatory. Not only do they reduce background noise, you are doing your audience a favor by delivering good quality audio. (Nothing is worse than a Zoom session with garbled sound).
You can spend upward of $400 on this technology, but you can get excellent quality from the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro for $150 from Amazon. Each earbud has two microphones and noise reduction technology that Anker says reduces environmental noises by 60%, while retaining 95% of your voice so you sound crisper on the other end.
To install, simply download the Soundcore app on your mobile device. It paired easily with my Samsung Android as well as my laptop. The app also provides a “HearID” test that allows you to customize each earbud to your hearing sensitivity.
They are comfortable, have great battery life and come with four sizes of tips to fit any ear canal. You can charge them in the case with a wireless charger or a USB “C” cable.
Is the sound quality equal to a $400 earbud engineered for music? Perhaps not, but they are more than adequate for a virtual meeting on your phone or on a computer.
Rob Kay, a Honolulu-based writer, covers technology and sustainability for Tech View and is the creator of fijiguide.com. He can be reached at Robertfredkay@gmail.com.
