Editor’s Note:Many readers will be curious about what the minority editors “buy”. Through “New Gadgets from the Editorial Department”, we hope to introduce the novel products that members of the editorial department are using recently, and let them talk about their experience in using these new gadgets.
Content statement:If the “New Gadgets” column contains commercial content, the corresponding entry will be marked “Advertisement”; if it is marked “Sent by Manufacturer for Testing”, that means that although the product was not purchased at one’s own expense, the content does not have brand intervention. The editors’ sharing is for reference only. Everyone is welcome to share your experience using the same product in the comment area. Whether it is positive or negative, we welcome everyone to speak frankly. Please abide by the minority community rules when speaking, express yourself in a civilized manner, and have fun chatting.
@ whale鱼: Cool state science No. 6 power card Air three-body joint version
- Reference price: 127.71 yuan
When I traveled during the National Day, I brought a three-port charger from a holiday gift box I received from the company. However, its huge size and weight of about 200g really do not qualify as “portable”. In addition, it fell off the wall plug several times, so I finally decided to buy a thin and portable charger to replace it. After a brief selection, I placed an order for the Cooltech No. 6 Power Card Air three-body co-branded version. Unexpectedly, after actually using it, it turned out to be much better than expected.
Let’s look at the appearance first. The joint version adopts a translucent design, and the outer shell is also decorated with three-body and two-way foil patterns. The internal components can be vaguely seen through the outer shell, and the overall feel is very futuristic and technological. The fusion of the co-branded pattern and the translucent white shell is very natural. Even if you are not a book fan, you don’t have to worry about the co-branded pattern being abrupt. It makes perfect sense to just pay for this translucent design.
And its function is also quite powerful. 2 Type-C ports support up to 90W output power, which is basically enough to charge mobile phones, tablets, watches and other devices when going out for short distances. When using the C1 port alone, you can get up to 65W of output power. It is no problem to temporarily charge a laptop, and it supports AVS fast charging. The iPhone 18 Pro series can charge up to 50% in 15 minutes.
What pleases me most is its size. The front area is smaller than a bank card, and the thickness is only about 1.5cm. After folding the prongs, it can be easily stuffed into various small bags, or even put directly into the pocket of pants without looking bulging. More importantly, being thin and light does not mean that it will become loose easily when plugged into a wall plug. It can also hang firmly on the socket during daily use, and you don’t have to worry about it falling off like the previous charger. The weight of about 80g has no obvious presence, and it is basically not burdensome to carry around with you every day. A few days ago, we went to Tomorrow Park with Lao Mai for an activity. When my colleagues borrowed a charger, I took out this “power card” from a thin bag. My colleagues around me were amazed. At that moment, I even remembered the classic scene of Steve Jobs taking out the MacBook Air from the brown paper bag.
Now I am willing to take it out every day. It looks good, is easy to use and easy to carry, so that it has a chance to come in handy when really needed.
@waychane：HomePod mini 2
I got HomePod mini 2 in advance and would like to briefly talk about my experience.
Compared with the previous generation, HomePod mini 2, which was updated after six years, has changed a lot in terms of parameters: the chip has jumped from S5 to S10, the Wi-Fi connection specifications of the National Bank version have been upgraded from the previous generation’s 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) to 802.11ax, which is Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth has been upgraded to Bluetooth 6.
But in terms of experience, the improvement of HomePod mini 2 is actually not obvious. In terms of core audio streaming capabilities, even if calculated based on uncompressed 24-bit/48 KHz two-channel audio, it only requires a throughput of about a few Mbps. The actual demand after using ALAC encoding is usually even lower. Therefore, I think the upgrade of this generation of HomePod mini 2 in terms of wireless connection specifications can be regarded as a regular hardware iteration and will not have a significant impact on daily experience.
According to the information given on the official website, HomePod mini 2 still uses a full-range drive unit + dual vibration cancellation passive radiators. The internal speaker architecture should not have changed. The S10 chip related to audio calculation and voice processing has become an important factor affecting the listening experience. From my actual listening experience, I think the gap between the two generations of HomePod mini is extremely close. The bass of HomePod mini 2 will be deeper, and the wrapping feeling of the human voice will be slightly better. You will hardly feel the difference when listening to music in daily life. It is a pity that this generation of HomePod mini still does not support spatial audio like the previous generation.
The core change is that after upgrading the device to the 27.2 version of the system, the delay of using HomePod mini 2 through AirPlay has been greatly improved. Whether it is playing local audio files, listening to Apple Music, or watching streaming content in Safari, the sound delay is negligible; even if the timeline is repeatedly dragged in the editing software, the sound can keep up with the operation. This is why Apple says HomePod mini 2 can be used as the default audio source for Mac.
However, this is not an exclusive capability of HomePod mini 2. After actual testing, even on my first-generation HomePod, the latency performance when playing the same content is extremely low and no different from HomePod mini 2. It can only be said that the first-generation HomePod is still too powerful.
In terms of other functions, the 27.2 version of the system also adds sound halo and lock control. The former allows the lights on the top of HomePod to display colorful animations based on the music cover and playback content, while the latter allows you to turn off the playback, song switching and volume touch controls on the top to prevent children, pets or daily accidental touches from interrupting playback. However, these two items are not entirely exclusive to HomePod mini 2: both the first-generation HomePod mini and the second-generation HomePod support sound halo, and the lock control covers all models including the first-generation HomePod.
Finally, let’s talk about purchasing suggestions. It can be seen that HomePod mini 2 does not have much new things in terms of daily experience. If you are already using HomePod mini 1 or the second-generation HomePod, there is no need to rush to replace it. Of course, as Apple’s smart home hub and speaker product with a relatively low threshold and a complete enough experience, if the main need is to control the smart home, or add one or two relatively small speakers in a bedroom, study, etc., HomePod mini 2 is undoubtedly a more reasonable choice at the moment.
@Microhoo：Sonos Beam Ultra
- Reference price: 6013 yuan (after Double Eleven coupons)
The most attractive feature of Sonos has always been that it has built a complete modern sound system. It’s just that for a long time in the past, the “system” was more like a hidden bonus after buying a speaker. Not long ago, Sonos officially named the underlying architecture the “Sonos 27” audio operating system. This action is actually quite attractive to me. I think it means that the “sound system” is no longer just an additional feature of Sonos products, but has become the core purpose of Sonos to create a product.
Among the two new products unveiled simultaneously with Sonos 27, in addition to the headphone Sonos Ace Ultra, the other is the compact soundbar Sonos Beam Ultra. This generation has made many upgrades in terms of hardware and ease of use – in addition to the upgraded acoustic specifications, this time it also added a USB-C interface on the back that can be connected to external audio sources such as vinyl, and Trueplay also supports “quick tuning” that is more friendly to Android users.
This is exactly what I want, because the original Sonos Arc I have is already a bit “unusable”. There is nothing wrong with the Arc itself, mainly because it has been with me for almost six years. In the past six years, the Apple TV and game console in the living room have been replaced several times. I am not sure whether it is because of the cross-brand HDMI handshake protocol that has slowly developed a generation gap through constant iterations. Recently, it occasionally disconnects from the TV when it is turned on, and has to be replugged or restarted to restore it. The second reason is to optimize the countertop space of the TV cabinet. In recent years, the countertop has been filled with Apple TV, Switch, wireless AP and PS5. The Arc is more than one meter long. It’s a bit cramped in the middle, and I’ve been hoping to lighten the countertop and replace it with a more streamlined product.
In fact, when I bought the soundbar in the early years, I was already torn between Arc and Beam. At that time, I always felt that Beam did not have enough channels, and it lacked physical sky channels. In the end, I gritted my teeth and chose Arc, which has more channels. When I just switched from the one-meter-long Arc, I was a little worried that the reduced size of the Beam Ultra would be insufficient, but after using it for a period of time, the actual listening quality has not been degraded. Thanks to the 9 sound units packed into the compact body, even if it can achieve 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos with a single unit, its built-in bass is much more solid and warm than expected. The vertical sound field supported by the two physical sky channels is quite wide; coupled with the redesigned center channel and AI vocal enhancement technology, when watching movies with heavy background soundtracks, even when encountering dynamic mixing clips, the actors’ dialogue can still be clean and transparent.
Some thoughtful features that users are accustomed to are also available, such as the “Night Mode” that is good for neighborhood harmony when watching movies at night. The system will suppress loud sound effects such as explosions, while appropriately raising the lighter sounds, making it easier to hear the dialogue clearly when watching movies at low volumes. In general, although it is a “model downgrade”, there is no difference in the use experience, and there is even a slight improvement in some specific scenarios. So if you are like me and are replacing an old one with a new one, and your living room area is within 20 square meters, then there is no need to worry about whether Beam Ultra will be unable to do enough.
Especially under the Sonos 27 system, it also supports the “portable back surround” function. If you add two additional portable speakers Sonos Play, you can put them in the kitchen or bedroom to listen to music, and carry them directly behind the sofa when watching movies. The system will automatically identify the left and right positions with the help of spatial positioning technology, and form a complete physical surround sound with Beam Ultra. After the game is over, they can be taken away at any time.
In fact, what interests me most is not the sound quality, but the Sonos 27 MCP. Although there have been geeks in the past who toyed with MCP bridging of speakers locally through Home Assistant or GitHub open source projects, Sonos is currently the first audio brand to provide native cloud MCP services directly from the official website. You don’t need to set up your own server. You only need to add the official interface address to the commonly used AI to log in and authorize it. When you sit in front of the computer and work, you don’t even need to touch your phone. You can arrange speaker playback by giving instructions directly in the dialog box. You don’t build a closed AI voice assistant, but open the control to the most commonly used AI tools by users. This is indeed in line with the positioning of an “audio operating system”.
As for Sonos 27, this time it mainly uses two Sonos Plays as temporary rear surrounds, and seamless switching with the new headset Ace Ultra. I can only wait and experience it slowly in the future when I have the opportunity to buy it. In addition to watching movies and binge-watching TV series, Beam Ultra actually directly plays the role of the main music speaker in my living room most of the time when the TV is not turned on. There is no need to turn on the TV screen. Whether you are using Apple Music to deliver spatial audio tracks or directly on-demand streaming media in the App, it can team up with Sonos speakers or HomePod in other rooms at home at any time.
Looking back more than ten years ago, when smart speakers were not everywhere and even the Internet speed was not even 100 Mbps, Sonos was recognized as an “outlier”. It was labeled as a Silicon Valley geek who did not take the usual path and used software thinking to make hardware. At that time, the traditional Hi-Fi circle even looked down on it, thinking that it was “not traditional enough for acoustics”.
But Sonos still insists on private wireless networks, simplifying the operation of the body and overloading mobile applications, and even uses mobile phone microphones for acoustic correction. Nowadays, these are slowly being adopted as product standard features by the so-called “acoustic giants”. In today’s AI era, Sonos first dropped an MCP interface to test the waters, and plans to launch a user-customizable intelligent body next year, which feels familiar. Although it has undergone a round of transformation in the Internet era, the true “smart era” is about to emerge. Conversation has become the most natural way of interaction. Speakers, as the best carrying method, now seem to be a bit “old-fashioned”. I look forward to Sonos continuing to bring some new changes.
@路中南: Guyan frozen pre-made vegetable package (card-controlled meal + Chinese food package)
- Reference price: Reference price: The light control card meal is nearly 20 yuan/box, and the average price of the Chinese food package is 56 yuan/bag
After watching the first video of Brother Xiao Xiang, he enjoyed the food very well. He also kept emphasizing that the hygiene standards of the pre-prepared dishes produced by such large manufacturers are quite high: “If you order their pre-prepared dishes, you will even be lucky.” I suddenly became interested. If the industrialized assembly line can be hygienic and safe, and can save trouble and money, why not give it a try? So I ordered two products from Gu Yan at the Tmall flagship store: one is the “Light Control Card Meal” that focuses on reducing fat, which is discounted to nearly 20 yuan per box; the other is a Chinese home-cooked cooking bag with an average price of five or six yuan. Buying ten packs is actually cheaper than three boxes of light meals.
On the day it arrived, I first opened a box of “Hawaiian Style Pineapple Shrimp”. The heating instructions on the package were a bit outrageous. It was recommended to steam for 40 minutes in water and 10 minutes in the microwave. For frozen pre-prepared meals that focus on quickness, this time is almost ready to start cooking. Fortunately, the actual operation is not that exaggerated: pour it into a plate and steam it for more than 20 minutes before it is cooked through. The last meal can be eaten in about 7 minutes in the microwave. I don’t know how 40 minutes was measured. It may be a conservative value for steaming even with freezing and cold water.
However, its appearance is not that good at all. It is soft and mushy when steamed, and the ingredients are too small. The seasoning is not bad (about 60 to 70 points), and the ingredients are quite diverse. However, the proportion of staple food is too much. There is a very thick layer of multigrain brown rice at the bottom, which will definitely make you feel full. The protein was relatively stingy, so I added three eggs myself later. For the second meal, I switched to a microwave oven and brought the package to heat the seafood version. The squid inside had the most rigid texture I have ever tasted, with a stiff texture. This whole box of calories is about 500kcal – as a reference, jogging for an hour consumes about 500kcal. McDonald’s also has a 500kcal set meal, so friends can compare.
For 20 yuan, which is close to the cost of a light meal from takeout, you can cook a meal directly in the microwave. The portion size and variety of ingredients should be slightly better than Hema Workshop. The taste is quite satisfactory. Doesn’t it sound less cost-effective?
As for the box of Chinese food bags with an average price of more than five yuan, the experience is even more subtle. I tried braised pork with pickled vegetables, braised pork trotters with soybeans and Taiwanese braised pork. This type of pre-made dish should be said to be a rice bowl seasoning packet. The seasoning is heavy, and the overall taste is obviously on the sweet side. This is a sweetness that I, as a southerner, cannot accept. Especially the Taiwanese braised pork rice. At least I have never ordered a takeaway Taiwanese braised pork rice that looks like this. It has to be paired with a large bowl of white rice to barely suppress the thick sauce. These three packets all contain fatty meat, and they are not stewed to the point where they are fat but not greasy. They are fat but greasy and cannot be chewed.
From a cost point of view, it is impossible to stuff more than five yuan of meat into a five-yuan seasoning packet. Based on the current price of raw meat, the actual amount of meat is only worth one or two yuan. Even if it is produced in compliance with regulations, is clean and hygienic, and is endorsed by a major manufacturer, it is not healthy because it is high in sodium and sugar and lacks dietary fiber and sufficient protein. If you add meat and vegetables in order to have a comfortable meal, the cost of the meal will also go straight to 20 yuan. After eating both types of products, the overall feeling is that of a large pot canteen with extensive seasoning. There is a high probability that I will not repurchase these products in the future. Maybe try something more expensive? Or I make myself some pre-made meals.
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