Reviews

Changing the Game – beyerdynamic’s First Wireless Gaming Headset the MMX 200

beyerdynamic mmx 200 in grey worn by a woman
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If you’re anything like me, gaming is a big part of your downtime – whether it’s picking up the latest fighting game, shooter, or roguelike it’s a hobby that can easily absorb much of your time. While having the latest console or a tricked-out PC is a big part, sound is an equally important part of the gaming experience. Enter the beyerdynamic MMX200, their first gaming headset that hopes to bring lots of connectivity options with few compromises.

beyerdynamic MMX 200 Gaming Headset Key Features

  • 40mm Drivers
  • Closed-back headphone design
  • Detachable boom mic with 9mm capsule
  • Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with analog/Bluetooth dual connectivity
  • 66-foot transmission range
  • 35-hour runtime with the option to charge while in use

Why the MMX 200 Matters

While gaming headsets are a dime a dozen these days, not many come from a brand with nearly 100 years of experience building highly tuned audio equipment. Beyerdynamic is already known for their studio-quality headphones and mics in their wired line of gaming headsets and the MMX 200 adds the flexibility of wireless connectivity with a huge battery life. Packed with 40mm drivers, a detachable boom, and noticeably absent RGB (which for me is a plus), the MMX 200 is a Bluetooth headset that can just as easily handle work or play.

The MMX 200 features a closed-back headphone design which helps keep you immersed in your game, your music, or your next video call. The volume wheel can help you easily mute with a single button, toggle Augmented Mode (aka Transparency Mode) on and off, or turn the closed-back headphones into an ambient noise-enabled headset. Like many other beyerdynamic headsets, this one is built to last and if needed, most of the components are user-replaceable keeping them on your head longer and out of the landfill.

Pricing & Availability

If this all checks the boxes for your ideal gaming headset, check out the MMX 200 on the beyerdynamic site or shop on Amazon. They’re available now and retail for around $250.

The Lomography DigitaLIZA Max Helps Make Negative Scanning Easier

DigitaLIZA Max Scanning In Action
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While I’m a big advocate of shooting film and experimenting with your photography, I understand the reluctance to do so – especially if it means “missing out” on sharing your photos with all your friends, family, and/or fans on social media. For the most part, scanning your film negatives requires either expensive equipment, jerry-rigging lights, and your digital camera, or paying for scans with your developer (here’s a story about a really Nice one we know). For those that don’t own a “proper” camera and are not interested in buying expensive scanning gear but want to scan their negatives, the DigitaLIZA from Lomography is something to look out for.

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Barlow’s Dread Machine adds visual flair to twin-stick shooters

Bartlow's Dread Machine
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Bartlow’s Dread Machine, by developers Beep Games and Tribetoy, is a twin-stick shooter with a unique visual design. The game takes place in the early 1900s and considering the game’s abundant visual use of levers, tracks, dials, and even the animatronic character you navigate, it is meant to convey a piece of machinery that would be right at home during that time period. In fact, the game opens with one inserting a coin into an old-timey arcade machine which I outright love. The aesthetic even makes me overlook some of the game’s other flaws and recommend any fan of the twin-stick shooter genre add it to their must-play list.

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Real Picture Printing, Mostly Portable – Epson PictureMate PM400

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Today’s photography is often viewed as a disposable commodity. What else could explain the fact that editorial and commercial budget has been reduced to a pittance of what they once were? For hobbyists and amateurs, photography is but a fleeting moment on a tiny screen often lacking a lasting connection to its subject. Part of this lack of connection comes from the shift from analog photography to digital photograph; a gap that easy-to-use, digital to analog photography products like the Epson PictureMate PM400 hope to bridge.

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A Road Warrior’s Best Friend? Epson WorkForce ES-60W Noisey Review

Epson WorkForce ES-60W
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Document scanning is not a sexy avenue in the world of consumer tech and we get that, but neither is being audited by the IRS. If you’re a freelancer or sales professional that absolutely must keep accurate and reliable records throughout the year. If you’ve logged enough miles on the job or spent too many nights away from your home office you’ve probably amassed enough paper receipts to make bookkeeping one of the items on tomorrow’s to-do list. Epson’s WorkForce ES-60W mobile document scanner promises to make it easier for you to get work done, even when you’re on the road. Here’s what we thought.

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Saal Digital Goes States-Side: Photo Book Review

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While most people instantly think of Instagram or Facebook as the go-to places for showcasing their photography, there’s something magical about seeing your work in print. We’re all about bridging your digital world with the tangible so when we got a chance to try a new printing device we had to give it a go. Recently Saal Digital, a new photo printing service, reached out and invited us to try out their professional photo book service. Saal Digital promised an intuitive user experience with a spectacular finish that’s worthy of being a family heirloom; challenge accepted.

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NoiseReview: The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III Feature
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I recently was loaned an Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III and have been using it for a little over 2 weeks now. In that time, I was reminded about my love of the small, Micro Four-Thirds camera bodies (I’ve been shooting Medium Format film and a Fujifilm X-Pro 1 exclusively for about a year and a half). I’ve forgotten how great it is having a camera that’s easy to carry and doesn’t attract too much attention when shooting street or concerts.

While the E-M10’s small form factor is a nice plus, its flexibility to work well for snapshots and actual photographic work makes this one the more slept on cameras available now. The E-M10’s spec sheet puts it on par with most mid-range cameras like the Canon T7i, Sony a6000, Nikon D5600 or the Panasonic GX85. Unlike the APS-C cameras listed before, the E-M10 offers WiFi connectivity and 4K video at 24 and 30 frames per second. To sweeten the deal, the Micro Four-Thirds format boasts a wealth of lens options (trust me, you’ll want to get rid of the power zoom kit lens), many at very affordable price points.

 

Product Shots

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The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mk. III at a Glance

• 16-Megapixel Micro Four-Thirds CMOS sensor without Anti-Aliasing Filter

• TruePic VIII processor

• 121-point Contrast Detect Auto Focusing System

• In-body 5-axis image stabilization

• 8.6 fps high/ 4.8 fps low continuous shooting

• 2.36M dot Electronic Viewfinder

• 4k Video at 24 and 30 fps | Nighttime Live Composite | 15 Art Filters

Who is this for?

If you’re looking to get into photography, want something better than your phone’s camera, or are looking for a second, smaller camera for travel, the E-M10 III absolutely fits the bill. This camera offers beginners a guided tour into the world of photography thanks to its Advanced Photo options, Art Filters, while still allowing for full manual controls once you’ve gotten tired of shooting in Auto (or Program) and are ready to push the camera’s limits. Sadly, this isn’t the perfect camera for everyone; despite the 4K video option, the E-M10 III omits a mic-in jack which keeps this from being the perfect vlogging camera.

Still, if you’re primarily interested in stills, the E-M10 III offers a fine balance of ease of use and portability with a high enough ceiling for a budding creative like yourself.

Sample Images

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Noisey Review: The VAIO Z Canvas

VAIO Z Canvas
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Back in 2015, I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 for Adorama and was very quickly convinced that Microsoft was definitely onto something. Possibly even make me consider making the switch from my Mac. In the year since that review, there’s been no shortage of new convertible/all-in-one’s available to consumers looking for the tablet/PC experience but many have fallen short of what Microsoft promised with the Surface line of computers. Vaio, the spin-off of Sony’s old PC business, recently released their very own two-in-one tablet/PC promising all the polish, portability, and power that made them once king of the PC hill, but does it deliver? Continue reading

Doctor Strange is a beautiful but ultimately flawed Marvel film

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 Doctor Strange header image

Marvel films are always some of the most anticipated films of the year by many moviegoers, and Doctor Strange was no different. The film was the subject of a lot of hype because of a stellar cast and the fact that Marvel’s movies have been consistently enjoyable since the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008 with The Incredible Hulk.  Of course, the quality of the movies has been inconsistent, and unfortunately, Doctor Strange is closer to the bottom tier of MCU movies than the top. The tier includes films such as Iron Man 2, Ant Man and the Thor movies, which are films that are enjoyable and fun,but aren’t what we have come to expect from Marvel especially after others such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

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