MashButtons gets hands on SMS's Street by 50, specifically the Over Ear ANC

I have been waiting for this next pair of headphones to come in since I got the press release in the beginning of August and my recent white buffalo of headphones come straight from SMS Audio and are the over-ear anc’s from the Street by 50 lineup. If you haven’t deduced from the name, they are over ear headphones that include active noise canceling, use the trademarked THUMPP Enhanced Bass, and is endorsed by 50 Cent. The rechargeable battery allows for up to 70 hours of active noise canceling use before recharging and the Hybrid ANC design allows for use even if the battery dies, unlike a lot of the the ANC headphones previously reviewed.

I was like a kid on Christmas morning ripping into theses bad boys, and I must say that I am not disappointed with them. The artist branded headphones have been a disappointment to me with the sub par quality on Ludacris’ Soul to the always breaking and unbalanced Beats by Dre, Street by 50 had some work to do. The build quality is solid, although very easy to get smudged when touched due to the flat black soft rubber surface. The smudge is addressed in the carrying case’s bag of tricks as the compact, hard shelled case includes a soft cloth, airplane adapter, USB charger cable, and cable with inline and microphone. The soft foam pads make extended use comfortable, creating a nice seal to keep outside noise out, but the active noise canceling worked so well that I was unable to hear the jingling of dogs' tags as they play while I write this review. The music quality was also great, it was loud and provided a great range that cover high highs to low lows, no matter what your playlist consists of. There is quite a bit of sound bleed from them though, which may cause desk mates in the office displeasure, depending what you are listening to.

The Street by 50 over ear ANC headphones were exactly what I was hoping for and I highly recommend for any music fan looking for a great set of high end headphones. The noise canceling also worked better than I expected and look forward to using next time I am camping, flying, or in a noisy hotel. What makes these stand out though is the capability to continue listening to music if the battery dies and even though they were large, the Streets by 50 folded up neatly and the carrying case made for great portability and provided piece of mind while on the go. These big, comfy, good looking cans are available in either black or white for the price of $279.95. Other models in the Street by 50 lineup with a wide assortment of colors and features.

Prong sends us their latest successful Kickstarter, the PocketPlug

This next review is a bit different and it is easy to tell that the designers behind this product did not like cords. Prong has provided us with their recent successful Kickstarter project, the PocketPlug. The PocketPlug is a case that wraps around the iPhone 5/5s and contains flat plug prongs that fold out to recharge without having to worry about making sure you have the lightning cable on hand. In case you need to keep playing Candy Crush while charging and you don’t want to be face to face with the wall while charging, there is a micro USB port on the bottom to give more slack to operate while charging.  Lastly, Prong included their advanced charging technology that allows charging in just a matter of minutes.

I admit that I was rather curious about Prong’s cable-less charging case, as someone that hates having cables lying around, I hoped that it was going to blaze a bold new trail. Functionally, the case works as advertised but there were a couple things in which I realized during use that weren’t so convenient. On the plus side, the lack of cable is great when traveling light and the case has a soft rubber texture with hard lines on the side that makes a great attempt to prevent from dropping. The plug folds out smoothly without requiring much pressure, but the speed of charging is where the PocketPlug really shines as it charges faster than when connected to the lightning cable. I did think that this case was a bit bulky, especially when it does not include an internal battery pack. Also, I quickly learned that there aren’t many locations in which the PocketPlug was convenient to use outside the the kitchen, bathroom, or airport.

At the end of my week of usage, the PocketPro proved to be useful on the go due to it’s ability to charge quickly without the need of a cable. The inclusion of the micro USB port did allow me to still link to and charge my phone from my vehicle’s head unit and make it easy to use connected to the cord if I didn’t want to stare at it from the floor while plugged into an outlet. Some improvements to the case would be a change in design to make it easier to remove from the case, slimmer in build design, or include an internal battery for extended use between charges. Prong’s PocketPlug is available now for the iPhone 5/5s in black or white and can be purchased for $69.95.

Buckshot is Outdoor Tech's light artillary

I have gotten my next product from Outdoor Tech, the same folks that previously provided me with the Turtle Shell wireless speaker, this go round we have the ultra portable Bluetooth speaker that is designed and named after a shotgun shell. The Buckshot is small enough to easily tote around, targeted for bicycle users with included handlebar mount, and built to withstand the elements, keeping smartphones and MP3 players out of harms way. I have seen and reviewed a number of the ultra portable wireless Bluetooth speakers, but what makes Outdoor Tech’s stand out is the design with a stealthy look and rugged build quality. It is time to see how the pocket sized Buckshot compares to it’s bigger sibling, the Turtle Shell.

Out of the box, I would have to say I like the look of the Buckshot most as it does not take much space, being the size and shape of a shotgun shell. The solo speaker is wrapped in rubber shock proof coating  which makes me worry less about it rolling of my desk or workbench, but the part part would have to be the battery life as it stays charged for up to 16 hours allowing for less frequency in being connected to a charger and forgetting to charge. Lastly, if you are someone that lives in a bicycle friendly area, the Buckshot is awesome because of the bike mount (glorified rubber band), it is easy to strap the speaker to the handlebars and listen to music without blocking out surrounding noises. Another safety feature would be  the controls, no fumbling for a ringing phone as the controls for calls, music, and volume come in the form of three onboard buttons. The downside in my experience was the sound, it gets rather loud but with just one small speaker, there wasn’t much depth, and depending on where you ride your bicycle, it can be difficult to hear.

The Buckshot is an amazing portable speaker that is easy to take on the go, even in my pocket, to provide added sound on the go or around the house and pool that can also take a beating. The only things that this little speaker is missing are the ability to charge my phone from it, the lack of colors, and the option to chain two Buckshots together in stereo to really disturb the peace. The boisterous bullet is great at providing additional sound over the weak onboard pc/phone/tablet speaker to any mobile workspace and the ability to strap onto a bike almost motivates me to commute to work via bicycle...almost. Outdoor Tech’s Buckshot is available now in black for the price of $49.95.

Chrome's Bravo Night let me pack everything but the kitchen sink

Bags, we have reviewed many of them here on MashButtons, but this will be the first roll top bag we will have reviewed and it comes straight to me from Chrome Industries. After seeing Joey sporting the good looking messenger and camera bags around, I wanted to get my hands on a new bag to replace my bulky Powerbag. The Bravo note is a roll top, which is great to extend in size for additional storage, but on top on being able to carry a big load it also sports a front pocket that fits up to a 15 inch MacBook Pro, a signature 3M reflective panel that is visible at night, and a cross compression strap system that helps with load distribution. I managed to pack a five day vacation into the bravo night, so let's see how it carries.

I am simply amazed that I got five shirts, three pairs of shorts, a pairs of pants, a pair of flip flops, and three hats with my liquids on top to make it easy for airport security. That is just the main compartment, without having to extend the roll top. In the front pocket, rested my MacBook Pro, PS Vita, point and click camera and all my necessary chargers neatly. This bag was neatly organized without a lot of unnecessary pockets. Being that this bag carried what I usually split into a laptop bag and carry on, so I was expecting a much heavier load on my back, but the EVA foam back panel sat nicely against my back and was very breathable, particularly in the usually warm, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The straps couldn't be any easier to adjust with the inclusion of cam lock buckles for simple adjustment, but the sternum strap is what I particularly liked, from the seat belt like signature buckle to the support it provides to make extended use more comfortable.

Functionally, I absolutely loved the Bravo Night bag and it has made its way into my number one spot for weekend travel bag. Unfortunately in regards to daily computing it is a bit large and bulky, but if I know I need to move more than just my laptop and a couple other small items like textbooks, consoles, clothes, or beer, the Bravo Night is up for the job. In terms of appearance, it is a bit large if you have to extend the roll top, then it does look awkward, but if you aren't pushing the bag's storage ability, it looks rugged and stylish, with high end materials and support in all the right places. I definitely suggest Chrome's Bravo Night for it's storage capabilities and comfort when heavily packed, it sports the same urban look as other bags in the lineup with the signature 3M Reflective panel that just lights up at night, and is available now for the price of $180.00.