EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack Review - Geek Mode Off

I was sent a really cool Power Bank from a company called EC Technology a couple of months ago and finally got around to doing my review for it just now. I am for the most part a bit of a home body as I work from home and only really venture out for workouts and family activates. Most of these event do not require I bring along additional power but I do travel from time to time and having a big ass power bank sure come in handy on these occasion even if it just knowing I have my own power plant lactated in my travel back pack.

My EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack came packaged nicely with a USB charging cable (to charge the power bank) and of course it also came with a manual.

By the way it will take about 12 to as much as 30 hours to fully charge this high capacity power bank from a totally dead state, charging time will depending on the output amperage of the USB power supply you use.

Once fully charged you can expect to recharge the average Smart Phone about 8-10 times , keep in mind larger Smart Phones with higher capacity batteries will use up more of charge from the EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack than smaller Smart Phones will. Electronic devices like earbuds won't even make a dent in it!

Here are some of the Tech Specs for you geeks out there:

• Lithium Ion battery.
• Capacity: 3.7 V/22400 mAH/82.8Wh
• Input is Micro USB Port DC5V/2A (maximum)
• Output #1 is DC5V/1A
• Output #2 is DC5V/2.1A
• Output #3 is DC5V/2.1A
• Dimensions: 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.9 inches (160x80x23mm)
• Weight: 1 pound (462 grams)
• Built-in microchips to ensure safe use and long lifespan.
• 500+ recharge cycles over the life of the battery.
• Also has LED Charge indicators and an LED Flashlight.

Who needs one? 

• Anyone with lots of USB powered gadgets that may not always have access to a wall charger.
• For people who use their technology all day long and the built in batteries do not cut it.
• When traveling and you need that little bit of extra power to make it though the day.
• For literally anyone, sine we all forgot at least once in a while to charge our phones and need to run out of the house with a dead battery, just plug in the EC Technology Power Bank and charge on the go.

Pros & Cons:

• You can change many devices before having to recharge the EC Technology Power Bank but it is a little bit on the heavy side if you want to keep it in a purse.
• It has a built in LED flashlight but it is not all that bright, you will most likely find your smartphone flashlight to be brighter.
• You get three charging USB ports so you can charge three devices art once, no con to this!
• Attractive looking design and well made, again no con to this.
• Lives up to its power rating claims not like many other power banks that can not back up their specifications.
• Very reasonably priced for what you get.

Conclusion:

The reality is you don't always have a wall charger when you are out and about and we all find ourselves in that situation where we run out of battery exactly when we need our technology the most weather that be to make a phone call, take a photo, listen to music or simply because we are board and want to play some solitaire. When this happens and if there is no wall port available then you can either go without your tech or plug it into one of these babies! The EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack may be overkill for the average persons needs but if you are a person who is pretty mobile and need to have your gadgets fully charged and ready to go at all times then you will not be disappointed with the EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack.

Chances are if you have lots of gadgets then you have a  nice big bag to carry all of them around in anyway, so why not throw the EC Technology Power Bank 22400 mAh Battery Pack in along of the ride too.

Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset Review - Geek Mode Off

I have been reviewing some of the higher end Bluetooth Earbuds lately like the Jabra Sport and the JLAB EPIC Bluetooth Earbuds. But these guys are in the $100 and even more price range which may put them out of the budget for some of us. So when a representative from Axgio contacted me and asked me of test out their Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset, I thought why not, after all they only retail for $20 on Amazon, and what if they’re good?

Before I give my two cents here is a listing of the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset Features and Specifications…

Features:

• Stable, secure and comfortable fit. Over-ear hooks, with three types of silicon ear tips that fit most ears.
• 8 hours of music playtime (8 hours of talk time).
• Stylish appearance and good looks.
• Enhanced Volume allows you to enjoy music at truly loud and clear levels.
• Two pieces of cord clips adjust suitable length for cable management.
• Easy to answer calls, skip tracks and volume up/down, call pick up/end, previous song/next song and pause/play your music without the need to reach for your phone.

Tech Specs:

• AptX for true CD audio quality.
• Bluetooth Version: 4.1+EDR 
• Profile Supported: HSP, HFP, A2DP and AVRCP 
• Battery Capacity: 85mAh 
• Charging time: about 2 hr 
• Charging port: Micro USB 
• Music time: 8hr 
• Talk time: 8hr (have built in mic)
• Net Weight: 17 g / 0.6 oz

What comes in the box?

• Three different sized sets of ear tips.
• Micro USB Charging cable
• Cord Clips
• Manual

So are they any good? I have to say I was super surprised! First off they came to my door almost fully charged so I was able to use them right away. And they sounded really good with lots of volume and bass, mids and highs where clear and smooth.

Once paired with my iPhone 6 plus I was happy to see the familiar BT icon showing the battery level for the headset in my iPhone menu bar and like many other Bluetooth headphones there was that reassuring female voice in my ear letting me know that the headphones where on and connected.

My pair of Axgio Vigour Sports had the largest ear tips on them and I actually found them to seal almost too good since these headphones really pound, not only in terms of audio level but also bass response. I ended up switching the ear buds to the medium sized ones for a slightly looser fit in order to lesson the bass response just a tad.

Audio quality is really very good, as I said, tons of bass but the mids are smooth and the highs are crisp yet not hard on the ears. I found when listening to music with already decent audio levels, I was only able to listen at around half volume or the Axgio Vigour Sports could distort a little bit but even at half volume they are more than loud enough. As you know, some music has a low overall volume level, with the Axgio Vigour Sports I was able to jack up even super quiet music to nice loud listening levels. Even with the deep bass and crazy amounts of volume the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset is able to pump out I was still able to get a good 4-5 workouts in before having to recharge them.

The controls are located on the right ear bar rather than the cord like some other Bluetooth Earbuds, this is actually a good thing in my books because I do not have to hunt around for the remote and I also find that when the remote is located on the cable it can kind of tug the entire cable over to one side making you have to constantly readjust it while working out.

The build quality and finishes seem good but in terms of durability I can not say since I have only been using the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset for a couple of weeks now. That said, at around $20 you can buy 5 pairs of these for the price of 1 unit  in many other similar type Bluetooth Earbuds making them almost disposable. I am kind of kidding here but the reality is that even if I broke or lost a pair, I could get another pair and still spend way less money than I normally would on a more expensive pair of Bluetooth Earbuds.

One area that the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset seems to be lacking on in terms of being a “Sport Headphone” is being listed as sweat proof or moisture resistant. There is literally no mention of this in the manual other than to not get the controls wet. Personally this is not a deal breaker for me since I really don’t plan to use the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset in a monsoon or in the shower. My ears do not perspire so much that I am concerned with rivers of sweat poring into the controls on the headphones. All the ports are covered and the body of the control area is coated in a rubber like material so I am sure a little bit of moisture should be OK. Again if you drop them into a lake or river than just grab your backup $20 pair without even missing a beat.

Pros & Cons:

• Amazingly low price.
• Really loud audio levels.
• Tons of bass
• Controls work really we’ll and are easy to locate.
• Pretty comfortable to wear, did not need to readjust in my ears while working out.
• They actually look pretty cool.
• Three sizes of ear tips should fit most ears.
• Good battery capacity with up to 8 hours of listening and talk time.
• Not water or sweat resistant.
• Can distort at higher audio levels.
• Bass may actually be a bit too loud for some people (use smaller ear tips in this case)
• Does not come with a carry case.

In Conclusion!

What can you lose when you only pay $20 for a pretty decent Bluetooth Headset. I love the freedom of being wireless while working out and with the Axgio Vigour Sport Stereo Bluetooth Headset you can do this for about the same price as any mid range off the shelf wired earbuds.

How To Get Ripped Crazy Shredded Abs

When people talk about a person that is in shape, they pretty much always refer to their abs and how Shredded or Ripped they look. The reality is that a person that doesn't even workout but is fortunate enough to be fairly lean or have a low body fat can have shredded Abs. After all, one of the most important factors in having a Ripped and Shredded Six Pack is being able to see the those abs in the first place. Most of us already have a Six Pack, it's just hidden under too many donuts, muffins and that extra helping or two.

Yes we can develop our Abs by training them with things like Sit-ups, Crunches and other Ab exercises but unless we strip away that layer of fat over top of our Abs, then nobody is going to ever get to see them and the hard work you put into your Abdominal exercises is going to improve your core strength but not your beach body.

Some other factors that can effect what kind of Six Pack Abs you have or don't have are your genetics, they do pay a big roll in all of this. Some people no matter how much they train their Abs will only see very slight improvements in the size and shape of their Ab Muscles. All of us have that one muscle group that simply refuses to grow and for some people that area can be their Abdominals. We also all store fat a little bit differently and if you are one of those people that caries their fat all in the mid section, then you will have to diet down to an extremely low body fat in order to get rid of that last bit of stubborn fat around your waist, and this only worsens as we get older.

Excuses aside and no matter what, training your Abs is good for your core and will also help with back related problems as your Abs help support your mid section greatly so yes we all should and need to exercise them!

In my included YouTube video I talk about a lot of the same Ab related info outlined in this written article but I also show you the exercises I use to get my Ripped, Shredded Six Pack Abs:

Deadlift PR 407 Pounds x 15 Reps - at 199 Pounds Body Weight

It's been a while since I went for a Deadlift PR, for the last while I've been working more on volume when doing deadlifting, sticking with a bit lower weight but doing tons of sets and reps. Today I wanted to see if this work method is equivolating into any strength gains and it seems it has.

Today's workout was a short warmup with our first working set being 225 pounds x10 reps, next we ramped up to 275 pounds x10 reps, this was followed by a third set at 325 pounds x10 reps, ending with our last all or nothing set at 407 pounds of which I managed to pull 15 reps. Keep in mind this is a little over double my body weight so I was really pleased with the results.

I generally struggle with getting the weight off the ground and usually finish the top part of the deadlift strong, but I now feel like things are evening out and my pull off the ground is much better.

Click this link to checkout this Deadlift PR workout as recorded by my Garmin Vivo Active Fitness tracker and see my heart rate and calorie expenditure.

Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway 2015

I've done this type of Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway with my other YouTube channel for several years now and thought, why not have one for my GetFitOver40 Fitness channel?

So here we go with the first annual Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway!

What are the rules? 

• First and foremost make sure to have fun!
• Try and make it have something to do with fitness or exposing a little bit of that body to show off all your hard work in the gym. But really any costume will do :)
• You must be a Subscriber to my GetFitOver40 YouTube channel.
• Make sure to like and favorite my Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway 2015 YouTube video.
• Comment to my Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway 2015 YouTube video with a link to your YouTube Costume entry video.
• Upload and share your Halloween Costume video response before midnight November 10th.

What is the big prize!

The winner will get a pair of Kinivo BTH240 BT Headphones. Anyone can enter a video but I can only award a prize to people in Canada and the US for shipping reasons. Everyone can take part so even if you are outside of Canada or the US please take part, if you have the best Halloween Costume, you will get recognized for it.

I will be creating a Halloween Costume Contest Giveaway 2015 playlist where I will be adding in all the entries so make sure to watch those videos and support everyone else who enters.

Looking forward to seeing everyone's Halloween Costumes!