Review: iFrogz TimbrePro one-button wooden earbuds

by Bill Palmer

Nothing like a good play on words to make clear that your product is different from the rest. The iFrogz TimbrePro earbuds offer up a different kind of “timbre” or audio quality because they’re literally made of timber.

The use of wood on these buds (as opposed to the usual plastic or occasional metal) gives the iFrogz product what might most accurate be referred to as a more natural or acoustic sound. It’s no great surprise, then, that they shone the most when I tested them with the kind of music that’s mostly centered around acoustic guitar. When I tested them with more electric or synthetic kinds of music, they sounded a bit more like plastic earbuds would.

Wood or not, the iFrogz TimbrePro earbuds are in the upper echelon in their $49 price range. They’re clear in the bass and treble ranges, look uniquely stylish (as always, your style mileage may vary), and include a one-button mic for phone users.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 • Price: $49 • ifrogz.com

Review: iFrogz Frequency headphones

by Bill Palmer

iFrogz products are known for their fun and flamboyantly designed products, often matching up several colors and design motifs on the same unit. It’s ideal for those who want to stand out in a crowd, but maybe not so much for those who are going for the refined look. The company’s Frequency, then, represents the middle ground: the small-ish circular cupped headphones offer two-tone styling with a generous dose of secondary color highlights and an artistic logo on the outside of each cup that’s faint but still visible.

The audio for the Frequency is strong for this price point. It’s superb in the bass and middle ranges, while the treble feels just a little too thin in comparison. Still, it’s a potent audio mix overall in comparison to competing headphones with this size cups and in this price range. The underpadding on the headband is particularly comfortable.

One thing to potentially give pause is that unlike some similar competing products (including some of iFrogz’s own less expensive headphones), this one doesn’t offer a mic or button for making calls on your iPhone or controlling your iPod or iPad’s audio playback. But if that’s not an issue for you, the Frequency is a real winner for $79. The black model with dark grey trim leans toward the subtle sophisticated side, while the black model with neon green highlights confidently leans toward getting noticed.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 • Price: $79 • ifrogz.com

Headphone review: iFrogz Earpollution Mogul, Ronin and CS40

by Bill Palmer

If there were an award for most unique looking products, iFrogz would win it hands-down. Whether it be multi-tone cases for devices like the iPhone and iPad, or audio products which are as interesting to look at as they are to listen to, the company never does anything in a dull manner. That applies to the latest iFrogz line of Earpollution headphones, which mix and match color combinations with oddities such as the biohazard symbol in various incarnations. Here’s a hands-on look at three headphones from the new Earpollution collection which I recently tested out.

CS40: These medium sized headphones are the smallest of the bunch, and at $39, are the least expensive. The headphones use flat pads against your ears rather than cups, but are surprisingly comfortable. Big bass sound rules the day. The bass quality is adequate, which is about what can be expected at this price range. Eleven color choices will keep you busy customizing; my test unit features reflective blue chrome which stands out for a mile despite being a dark hue.

Ronin: These headphones are big and go for broke when it comes to mixing and matching colors; my test unit employs everything from neon light blue to feint power blue to bright red cables. At $49, the Ronin moves up to oversized cup headphones instead of pads, and includes padding on the inside of the headband. The audio is, as would be expected, bigger. Again, big bass rules the day, but here the quality is more than adequate.

Mogul: This is for when you want to mix iFrogz outlandishness with a design that’s refined just enough that you might be able to get away with wearing it in a moderately conservative setting. The odd color combinations are there if you want them, but there’s also a black model. And the Mogul is lined with silver chrome which gives it a touch of class. More importantly, despite using headphone pads instead of cups (like the Ronin), the $69 Mogul manages to offer a thick, rich bass and an overall audio experience which is worth the extra twenty bucks if you can afford it.

Price: $39-69 • iFrogz.com • Amazon.com

review: iFrogz Soft Gloss Case for iPad

The iFrogz Soft Gloss iPad case is simplicity with a little pizazz! If you ever slipped into those jelly shoes back in the 80′s, you’ll feel right at home with this case.

This clear case features a radial circular pattern etched on the interior, highlighting the beautiful Apple^TM logo in the back.

Putting the iPad in the case is quite easy. Just slide one corner at a time and it’s in. There are cutouts for all ports and buttons on the iPad, making all functionalities accessible. The case covers all the edges of the iPad, protecting it from any potential bumps and scratches.

What makes this case stand out is the beautiful design. You get ouu’s and ahh’s when you carry your iPad around in this. It’s sleek, compact, and should fit in most iPad sleeves and bags. It makes a fashion statement while protecting your iPad! It’s a total blast from the past!

The iFrogs Soft Gloss is available in three retro translucent colors — pink, blue, and clear. You can get them for $29.99 at iFrogz.com

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars · $29.99 · iFrogz.com

review: iFrogz Luxe Original for iPhone 4

I’ve been a fan of sliding snap-on cases for a while. It’s because they’re easy to put on, take off, and offer the right amount of protection for your device. And with the iFrogz Luxe Original for iPhone 4, I’m not disappointed. This case is a two piece snap-on with a luxurious, silky smooth matte finish. Each piece of the case is a separate color – the sample I received was a royal blue [top] and black [bottom], so it adds a unique look to your iPhone. The inside of both pieces has a felt lining so that the back of your iPhone doesn’t get scratched. Inside the case is a groove along the sides so that you can slide in the phone without any harm to come to to the sides, especially where the volume buttons are.

It’s super easy to get the case on – just slide the phone in the top half and then close it off with the bottom. It will snap together with the trademark ‘button’ design of the Luxe line. If you need to take it off for any reason, just pull the two pieces apart. No harm done, but don’t overdo it.

The ringer toggle and volume buttons get a nice big space for easy access, like the Luxe Lean. The bottom charging port is also open, so it will work with your older iPhone and iPod cables. The headphone port is easily accessible as well. Only problem I had was that the power button seems to be a bit too deep with the case on – it ended up being a little harder to push it down. But it’s nothing major. The camera and flash get a nice little cutout that is nonintrusive on photos. Due to the matte finish of the case, it’s far from being a fingerprint magnet. However, it will start showing fingerprints or smudges if your hands have natural oil on them. But it’s very easy to clean with a cleaning cloth or by simply rubbing it on your clothes.

Also worth noting – due to the ‘button’ enclosure on the back, the snap is pretty tight. I’m not guaranteeing anything, but I believe that this case should be able to withstand most drops. Overall, I am going to say that this is my favorite two piece snap-on case for my iPhone 4 so far. It feels great, looks amazing, and allows easy access to everything. What more do you really need? Looking for a snap-on case? Then definitely get the iFrogz Luxe Original, or at least check it out.

review by Christine Chan

rating: five stars out of five • iFrogz.com

review: iFrogz Luxe Lean for iPhone 4

If you’re a fan of simple one piece snap-on cases, then the Luxe Lean from iFrogz could be for you.

The case is as easy as they come to install – simply slide the phone in with the button side first, then push the other side in while tugging a bit on the case so the case doesn’t damage the side. There is a piece of felt in the middle of the back cover to help protect the device back from scratches and any small particles of dust.

If you need to remove it for any reason (the occasional cleaning, for example), I found it easy to remove as well, though you have to be gentle with it. Just pop it out of one of the sides and do the same thing on the other side; the phone should be easily separated from the case at that point.

The feel of the Luxe Lean is very smooth, like silk. It’s matte too, so you don’t have to see your fingerprints all over it all day, which I love. Even though it’s smooth, I found that it provided enough of a grip so that the device is easier to hold. After all, the bare glass can make holding your iPhone a bit hard to do at times.

The case has little vent openings on the sides, which I thought was pretty unique but I’m not sure I understand the purpose. Ventilation slots? Personally I think it would have looked a bit better if it didn’t have these slots. There is a large opening for full access to the ringtone toggle switch and volume buttons, which is very nice. For the camera and flash, there’s an ovular opening that doesn’t obstruct the view.

The top and bottom of the device is left open, which is one part that worries me – how protective will this be if the phone is dropped? I didn’t dare test this, since I can’t afford to get my phone repaired or replaced. But it worries me – these areas are left open to get hit if dropped, which can result in scuffs, or even worse – cracked screens. I understand that they designed it this way to make it easier to install and remove, but the point of a case is to protect the device, right? On the plus side, the case does provide a bit of a lift from the screen so that the screen itself won’t touch any surfaces if laid on a flat surface.

If you are confident in your abilities to never drop the phone on concrete, then this shouldn’t worry you. But if you are clumsy, then I’d recommend you look elsewhere.

Overall it’s decent, but it’s the exposed top and bottom that I found worrisome. If you just want something stylish to make your phone stand apart from others, then this case would be a good pick. If you are looking for a case that protects your phone, then I would probably skip this one. It’s your call though.

It comes down to this for the iFrogz Luxe Lean: Do you want protection or style?

review by Christine Chan

rating: three stars out of five • iFrogz.com

New iFrogz iPhone 4 Cases include Wrapz, Treadz, more

iPhone 4 users now have a bigger selection of cases to choose from. iFrogz recently announced a new line of protective and innovative cases that would surely put a smile on an early adopter’s face!

The line includes eight different styles: Wrapz, Treadz, SoftGloss, Luxe Original, Luxe Lean, Luxe Transition, Frosted Swerve and Fusion. The quality and craftiness of their other products are beautiful and you can expect the same of their iPhone 4 cases.

The Wrapz, Treadz, SoftGloss, Luxe Original and Luxe Lean are readily available for purchase at you local Best Buy and AT&T stores. If you can wait a little big longer, the Luxe Transition, Frosted Swerve and Fusion will be available mid-July.

The cases range from $14.99 – $29.99 and will also be available at iFrogz.com for online purchase in July.

review: iFrogz Luxe and Luxe Frost

Review: iFrogz Timbre for iPhone

New in iProng Labs: a hands-on review of the new Timbre wooden earbuds for iPhone from iFrogz, priced at $49…

review by Bill Palmer

Some folks refuse to listen to any speaker systems but those made entirely out of wood, favoring the more natural sound that such systems provide. And based on the ones I’ve tested over the years (Vers 2x, Speck Retro), I can understand why, as it gives what might be described as a more “human” edge to music that these days is typically recorded, produced, and played back in an otherwise all-digital capacity. iFrogz has taken that same concept and improbably applied it to iPhone earbuds in the form of the $49 Timbre with mic (also available for $39 without the mic).



What initially appeared to be a mere styling choice instead turns out to be the real deal: these are wooden earbuds that offer up that same natural sound you get from wooden speakers. And while I’m not about to give up the significantly more expensive, better-sounding-overall iPhone earbuds that I use most of the time, I really appreciated the Timbre’s unique sound. If you’re the type who thinks that CDs and MP3s sound too warm, then you’ll really get a kick out of these. The rest of you may appreciate the Timbre or may not.



Setting aside the wood factor and judging them on overall sound quality, the TImbre is doesn’t quite measure up to Scosche’s $49 IDR350m but is on par with Macally’s $49 HiFiTune and the Radius $49 Atomic Bass, which is to say that the Timbre is near the top of the pack in terms of audio quality at this price point, although not quite at the top.



Close enough, though, if you think the wooden sound is something you’ll prefer to that of traditional earbuds.

*****

Learn more about the Timbre at iFrogz.com.

*****

Review: iFrogz EarPollution Plugz

New in iProng Labs: a hands-on review of the new low-cost EarPollution Plugz with Mic in-ear earbuds for iPhone from iFrogz, priced at $19…

review by Bill Palmer

When it comes to sub-$20 earbuds there’s often not a lot to say; you’re not going to find world-class sound quality in this price range, so the various options either sound acceptably decent or they don’t, placing such products in more of a thumbs-up/thumbs-down category than actual review territory. But two things make the latest Plugz earbuds from iFrogz sufficiently differentiable to warrant a full review. First, they’ve got a built-in microphone and play/pause button for use with your iPhone, which is rare at this price point. More superificially, the color choices and unique-looking styling and not often to be found at such a generic price point either.



First the good: even at this price point, these earbuds are going to offer you better audio quality than what you’ll get from the earbuds that come with your iPhone, thanks to the fact that the Plugz are in-ear earbuds. And while the play/pause button is located up around your chin where you can’t eyeball it, as opposed to the more ideal chest-high location usually found on more expensive iPhone earbuds, the bottom line is that the button and mic on the Plugz both work just fine.



The “bad” is that for five bucks more you can get RadTech’s ProCable earbuds with the same iPhone functionality and audio quality that’s noticeably better (particularly in the lower ranges). Unfortunately the Plugz are hampered largely by the fact that the rubber earbud tips that come with it are thin and flimsy in comparison to the ones that generally come with even the modestly more expensive in-ear earbuds (including the ProCable). This keeps you from getting a perfect seal in your ear canal with the Plugz, and waters down the audio in comparison to what it could be.



As I said before and want to emphasize again, the iFrogz Plugz will improve your music-listening experience over what you get out of the box with your iPhone, even with the above stated limitations. You can do better elsewhere for just a few bucks more, but if you love the Plugz styling and color choices, there are worse ways to invest $19 into your iPhone user experience, especially if you’re on a budget. So in that case a tentative, if not enthusiastic, thumbs-up.

*****

Learn more about the Ear Pollution Plugz with Mic iFrogz.com or buy now.

*****