Mobile Devices
Ado Mate 3 portable Bluetooth speaker review: why size doesn’t matter

This year I decided to be more in tune with technology and I vowed to try and incorporate gadgets more into my daily life and routine. One of the essentials for starting an interconnected section of your life, for various reasons, is a Bluetooth speaker and I got the chance to test and review a really neat one during my journey. This review will mostly be about the Ado Mate 3 portable Bluetooth speaker from GearBest, but it will also reveal a bit about how technology can be used to make life easier, with a minimal investment.
One of the best parts about the Ado Mate 3 Bluetooth speaker is its price. If you’re looking for a cheap, portable Bluetooth speaker that won’t leave your pockets empty for the rest of the week, you’ve stumbled to the right place. The Ado Mate 3 price is just $15 , which is outrageously low. Seeing such a price might make people turn around and run, but when you’re on a budget, you will try everything.
I did, and I have no reason to complain. The Ado Mate 3 Bluetooth speaker is as good as any other speaker (wired or wireless) I’ve used. If you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker that you want to use for entertainment at home or at work, the Ado Mate 3 is a good option. I’ve found myself using it while I shower, at work and while cooking and cleaning around the house. The convenience of a Bluetooth speaker doesn’t necessarily have to be explained, but I find it better to describe the use cases for the device so that you guys can get an idea of how I used it and how you could use it.
The main thing I used the Ado Mate 3 Bluetooth speaker for was music. Using the device is stupidly easy: you just turn it on and turn the Bluetooth on on your chosen device (Android, PC, Mac, iOS) and you’re ready. Although it might take the Ado Mate 3 a couple of minutes to connect to the target device for the first time, it won’t have any connectivity issues in the future thanks to Bluetooth 2.1. There is also the option of using the speaker’s built-in NFC antennae to connect to your smartphone, which is yet another convenience.
Once the devices are connected, every sound that you play on your phone will be output on the Bluetooth speaker and that’s all there is to it. It’s an inherently simple device made for those who don’t really like to fiddle with settings, connections, passkeys, codes, names, playlists, streaming lists, Miracast and such complicated issues. Although there are obvious benefits to having more customizable devices, the Ado Mate 3 is made for simplicity rather than user customization. All the sound settings that you want to apply you do through your target device, be that your phone or laptop.
The Ado Mate 3 does the basics: it plays music. It doesn’t have a volume button, and all that it has is a power button and a truly great design, but that’s all it needs. You can control volume from the connected device, and while that may be a problem for some, I didn’t find it bothersome at all. Once I turned the Bluetooth speaker on, I just positioned it right above the counter and left it there. All the music playing and volume adjusting was done on my phone, from any room of the house.
The Ado Mate 3 Bluetooth speaker has a seamless connection which hasn’t faltered on me once. There’s a 15 m range that the device supports and it stays true to that. While I left the speaker on the kitchen counter, and went out to the balcony, the music was still playing with no interference. I also tried the Bluetooth speaker outdoors in an area where there could have been a lot of interference: a fast food joint. While the employees enjoyed the music I was playing, I went next door to the coffee shop for a cup’p’gold and the speaker had no issues keeping the connection steady. I might have even passed the 15 m range by a foot or two, but the speaker still managed to play music without a hitch.
The Ado Mate 3 comes with stereo sound and great bass, which I was surprised by. When I first saw the Bluetooth speaker, I thought that it would be about as loud as my phone’s speaker and about as high-res as the speaker on my watch. Luckily, the speaker impressed more than I had anticipated it would. Besides being tremendously loud (loud enough to fill a pretty big fast food joint and loud enough to accompany a bike rally and entertain most of the crowd), the speaker actually has good bass, which is usually an issue with such small, cheap devices.
The design of the Bluetooth speaker is my favorite, though it doesn’t have anything special. The body of the device is made from metal and polycarbonate and while most of the device is plastic, the company added a matte, grainy finish to the surface of the speaker all around the grill, which looks and feels great. The device fits in your pocket, although it is a bit heavy. I enjoyed the sturdy, heavy feeling of the Bluetooth speaker however, as I saw it fall and roll on the ground without any negative consequences. The minimalist, yet sturdy design is among my favorite features of the gadget.
Inside the Bluetooth speaker we can find a pretty big 1800 mAh battery, which according to the company should provide for about 15 hours of usage. That’s a pretty high estimate and I was rather skeptical about it. There are few Bluetooth speakers out there which can boast with that battery life, especially in such a small form factor, so skepticism was not uncalled for. After a month of testing on NFC and Bluetooth, I came up with an average battery life for the device.
The Ado Mate 3 Bluetooth speaker will last for about 6 or 7 hours with continuous music playing from Youtube, Soundcloud, media library either on a Bluetooth connection or on NFC. I found that battery life was the same with both connectivity options, although it is half of what the company advertises. Honestly, I did not feel disappointed by the performance and battery life of the device, which is surprising. Considering the fact that the company promises 15 hours of music play and the device managed only half of that, most people would feel disappointed.
I’m content with the battery life on the Bluetooth speaker because it only costs $15, it has no connectivity issues, it’s loud, it has a decent level of bass and it charges in less than 2 hours to full. I think the trade-off is fair here and for what this speaker is designed for, it doesn’t even need a stellar autonomy. Thanks to the seamless user experience, I was actually impressed that the speaker even lasted that long.
Overall, the Ado Mate 3 Bluetooth speaker is not bad at all. with the $15 price in mind, the device does what it is supposed to do, and in style no less. Although advertising 15 to 20 hours of continuous playtime is a bit misleading, 7 hours from a device smaller than my phone is still rather impressive. I would definitely recommend the Ado Mate 3 to anyone looking for a cheap Bluetooth speaker that they can slip in their pocket or purse and just turn on and off and be done with it. No hassle, no stress.
Consoles
PS5, PS4 Game Death Stranding Coming Natively to iPhone 15 Pro

PS5 and PS4 console game Death Stranding Director’s Cut is coming natively to the iPhone 15 Pro, demonstrating its power. The entirety of Kojima Productions’ seminal hiking sim, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil Village, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage, will be available on your phone. Bonkers!
Tech giant: “Continuing Apple’s leadership in smartphone silicon, A17 Pro improves the entire chip, including Apple’s biggest GPU redesign. The new CPU is 10% faster with microarchitectural and design improvements, and the Neural Engine is 2x faster, powering iOS 17 features like autocorrect and Personal Voice.
According to the company, the pro-class GPU is 20% faster and unlocks new experiences with a 6-core design that boosts peak performance and energy efficiency. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing, 4x faster than software-based, gives iPhone 15 Pro smoother graphics and more immersive AR and gaming experiences. The iPhone 15 Pro brings console games to smartphones for the first time.
As with all cutting-edge Apple products, participation is expensive. The iPhone 15 Pro will cost £999/$999 at launch, and the Max model will cost £1,199/$1,199 for a 6.7″ screen. The most basic option only gives you 128GB, so you’ll need more if you want to play Death Stranding on the go.
However, the blurring of standalone consoles and mobile games is fascinating. The success of Genshin Impact, a full-fledged open world, has shown there’s a market for console-like mobile games. It will be interesting to see how Death Stranding performs on this latest iPhone generation.
Android
Launched Redmi Note 12 series: 200MP camera, 210W charging for less than $400

The three phones have similar screens and processors, but they vary in a number of ways.
The Redmi Note series from Xiaomi has historically been the brand’s most well-liked smartphone line, providing excellent value in the entry-level market. The Redmi Note 12 series has now been unveiled by the firm in China.
The Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition, Redmi Note 12 Pro, and Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus are the three phones we truly have this time. A flat 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, a Mediatek Dimensity 1080 5G processor, and a 16MP selfie camera are features shared by all three devices.
They both have a 3.5mm connector, NFC, IR blaster, and Wi-Fi 6 compatibility, among other things. In contrast, there are a few significant variances.
Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition
The Note 12 Discovery Edition of the Redmi Note 12 has a 200MP HPX primary camera (f/1.65, OIS), making it possibly the most striking model. This camera can capture photographs with a resolution of 200MP, 50MP pixels (using four-in-one binning), or 12.5MP (using 16-in-one binning). Additionally, the phone offers a 2MP macro lens and an 8MP ultrawide camera.
The phone is notably different from its stablemates in that it supports 210W wired charging; according to Xiaomi, a full charge can be achieved in just nine minutes. Although you only get a 4,300mAh battery here, this high wattage comes at the expense of battery capacity.
Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus

Thought a 200MP smartphone with a larger battery would be cool? With the Pro Plus model, you get precisely that. The triple back camera system will have the same 200MP+8MP+2MP resolution as the Discovery Edition.
The Pro Plus variant, on the other hand, chooses a 5,000mAh battery and still blazing-fast 120W cable charging. Xiaomi claims that a full charge should be achieved in about 19 minutes.
Redmi Note 12 Pro

Have no interest in megapixels? The Redmi Note 12 Pro, which adds a 50MP IMX766 primary camera (f/1.88, OIS) in addition to the 8MP+2MP duo, fills this need. The Oppo Find X5 Pro and the Asus Zenfone 9 both feature flagship devices with 50MP sensors similar to this one. We therefore have high hopes that it will also produce acceptable image quality on the Note 12 Pro.
The Pro version additionally includes a 5,000mAh battery with 67W wired speeds. A 100% charge should be expected in a still quick 46 minutes.
Pricing and availability for the Redmi Note 12 series
The base 8GB/256GB variant of the Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition costs 2,399 yuan (about $332), while the base 6GB/128GB model of the Redmi Note 12 Pro costs 1,699 yuan (about $235). Do you want Pro Plus? The 8GB/256GB variant thus has a starting price of 2,099 yuan (about $290).
Although Xiaomi acknowledged that these phones are currently limited to China, it advised us to “keep tuned” for international announcements. To be fair, the Chinese Redmi Note 11 series was very different from the international variants that debuted a few months later.
Gadgets
What Has Changed Over Time Between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and Galaxy Z Fold 2?

We let the specs speak for themselves. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 compares to the Z Fold 3 and Z Fold 2 in the following table.
The revolutionary Galaxy Z Fold 4 from Samsung was released a few months ago. The foldable has the same $1,800 starting price as the Galaxy Z Fold 3 from the previous year. Samsung will need to convince consumers to pay up for its high-end devices this year, though, as a recession and record-high inflation are both predicted. But it would be difficult to find a better option than Samsung’s book-style foldables if you’re eager to ride the leading edge of foldable phone technology (and have the money to boot).
Continue reading Samsung Unpacked
Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, and Every Reveal from Samsung
Better Design, Same High Price for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Galaxy Z Flip 4 from Samsung Gets New Software Features
The company calls its foldable phone-tablet, the Z Fold 4, a “multitasking powerhouse.” It features a higher-resolution display, the most recent Qualcomm chipset, Android 12L out of the box, and a new 1TB option. (Scroll to the bottom for a side-by-side spec comparison for more specific information.) The business claims that in addition to providing features like new gestures and an enhanced taskbar, it has tried to make multitasking more intuitive.
The camera system of the Z Fold 4 was also enhanced by Samsung. Three cameras—a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 10-megapixel telephoto lens—are located on the back of the device. Both optical and digital zoom up to 10x are supported by that telephoto lens. In addition, there are two “front cameras.” The Z Fold 4’s main display has a 10-megapixel sensor, which is the most noticeable, while the internal screen has a 4-megapixel under-display camera.
Along with the updated specifications, Samsung stressed its desire to create foldable phones that are more environmentally friendly. The Fold 4 is the first of Samsung’s folding devices to employ parts manufactured from recycled fishing nets. There are several recycled components inside the phone, including the connector cap for the display and the bracket for the side keys. Nevertheless, it’s challenging to assess the significance of these changes without tearing them apart.
In relation to sustainability, Samsung claims the Z Fold 4 uses stronger materials. An “optimal layer structure,” which provides better damage prevention, is now used for its main cover. The typical aluminum frames and Gorilla Glass Victus on the cover and back support everything mentioned above.
The lack of dust resistance on the Z Fold 4 is still a drawback of its foldable nature. It still has the IPX8 classification from the previous year, meaning it can be immersed for up to 30 minutes in freshwater up to 1.5 meters deep. The Galaxy S22 line of smartphones, in contrast, features IP68 water- and dust-resistance, which means the devices can tolerate sand, grime, and dust. They can also be submerged for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5 meters.
The S Pen storage slot is still missing, but Samsung has introduced a cover with a S Pen holder that is available for purchase separately. Check out the specs table below from CNET for more details on how Samsung’s cutting-edge Z Fold series has changed over time.
See how the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Watch models compare for more information.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs. Z Fold 3 vs. Z Fold 2
Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G | Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G | Galaxy Z Fold 2 | |
---|---|---|---|
Display size, resolution | Internal: 7.6-inch AMOLED (2,176×1,812 pixels); External: 6.2-inch HD Plus (2,316×904) | Internal: 7.6-inch AMOLED (2,208×1,768 pixels); External: 6.2-inch AMOLED (2,268×832 pixels); | Internal: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED; External: 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED; 2,260×816 + 2,208×1,768 pixels |
Pixel density | TBC | 387ppi (external) + 374ppi (internal) | 386ppi (external) + 373ppi (internal) |
Dimensions (Millimeters) | Folded: 67.1×155.1×15.8mm (Hinge) ~14.2mm(Sagging). Unfolded: 130.1×155.1×6.3mm | Folded: 67x158x16mm (hinge) ~14.4mm (sagging). Unfolded: 128x158x6.4mm | Folded: 68.0×159.2×16.8mm (hinge) ~13.8mm (sagging). Unfolded: 128.2×159.2×6.9mm (frame) ~6.0mm (screen) |
Weight (Ounces, Grams) | 9.27 oz; 263g | 9.56 oz; 271 g | 10 oz; 282 g |
Mobile software | Android 12L | Android 11 | Android 10 |
Camera | 50-megapixel (main), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), 10-megapixel (telephoto) | 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (telephoto) | 12-megapixel (main) + 12-megapixel (wide angle) + 12-megapixel (telephoto) |
Front-facing camera | 4-megapixel (under display), 10-megapixel (front cover) | 4-megapixel (under display), 10-megapixel (front cover) | 10-megapixel, 10-megapixel |
Video capture | 4K | 4K | 4K |
Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen Plus 1 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 865 Plus |
RAM/Storage | 12GB + 256GB/512GB/1TB | 12GB + 256GB/512GB | 12GB + 256 GB |
Expandable storage | None | None | None |
Battery/Charger | 4,400 mAh | 4,400 mAh | 4,500 mAh |
Fingerprint sensor | Side | Side | Side |
Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
Headphone jack | None | None | None |
Special features | Foldable phone, 30x optical, 30x space zoom, IPX8, 25-watt fast-charging (no in-box charger) | 5G-enabled; Foldable display, 120Hz refresh rate (front cover and main display), IPX8 water-resistance, S Pen support | Foldable display, 120Hz refresh rate, wireless charging support |
Price (USD) | $1,800 (256 GB); $2,000 (512GB), $2160 (1TB) | $1,800 (256GB); $1,900 (512GB) | $1,999 |
Price (GBP) | TBC | £1,599 (256GB); £1,699 (512GB) | £1,799 |
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