Gadgets: Go stargazing with this smart telescope

The DWARFLab’s new Dwarf mini smart telescope is, according to the company, the world’s smallest smart telescope. But don’t let the size fool you; the small and portable telescope does amazing things to make the world of astrophotography accessible.

I’ve never dabbled in the world of astronomy, so I thought I’d play around with this for an hour or so and move on to something else. That was far from the case. After days of use (actually nights), I wouldn’t say I was addicted, but it was surely a ton of fun.

While the compactness and portability of the 29-ounce telescope are critical, its functionality and powerful capabilities for bringing planets up close is amazing. The lens barrel rotates up to 225 degrees, and the gimbal allows 360-degree rotation.

The Dwarf mini’s bottom is balanced to sit on a flat surface, and the threaded mount on the bottom attaches to a standard tripod. What brings everything together is the internal Sony MX662 sensor, producing 1080P resolution through a 150 mm f/5 telephoto lens. They list the 30mm aperture equivalent to full-frame 1,016 mm.

Often, I tout the popularity of plug-and-play devices that don't require reading instructions. The rapid setup, from unboxing to shooting, takes approximately 3 minutes and is accurate. The results from those few minutes are worth it, but there’s so much more to see and do. It’s rare for me, but I did go over the instructions and play through the DWARFLab app.

It captures 2-megapixel RAW images, which can be exported to a variety of photo programs, including Photoshop. There is a built-in triple filter that includes a dark-frame filter, an astro filter, and a dual narrowband filter. An external solar filter is included. Stellar Studio is built into the app and provides instant image corrections in 3 seconds, including noise reduction.

The app is the control center for operations, including a startup calibration and a user-friendly dashboard and menus. Not knowing many specifics about astronomy or how to use a device like this, the app was my teacher/tour guide. I did use Google often for terminology and other explanations, but the app was sailing the ship. Capturing content can be done in a variety of ways, including taking up to 90-second exposures, stacking the images and one-click processing.

It charges via USB-C, and a full charge of the 7000 mAh battery provides up to 4 hours of use on the go. Or connect to a power supply.

The DWARFLab site told me about the equatorial mount mode, which tracks the sky while compensating for Earth’s rotation, capturing a stunning array of star fields. Another option is to set it up and go to sleep for the night, letting it capture images.

https://www.dwarflab.com/us/products/dwarf-mini-smart-telescope $399.00

Does someone in your household watch a lot of sports on TV with the volume cranked up? Or do they have hearing impairments and need the TV turned up louder than others find comfortable? What about a couple sleeping in the same bed, where one wants to watch TV, and the other wants the room to be silent to sleep? In any of these situations, the Sennheiser RS 275 TV headphones are the solution.

Setting up the 6.9-ounce over-the-head headphones is simple, though it depends on your TV and its output options. First, turn on the TV. Then Sennheiser recommends connecting the transmitter to the optical audio output, which many people might not be familiar with. Just look at your TV; it’s there, assuming your TV is somewhat modern. If not, you can use the included analog cable or purchase an HDMI cable.

Once you're set up, what’s important is that the sound from the 37 mm diameter speakers is crystal clear from the lowest to the highest volume levels. I’ve used similar devices for TV listening, and even a fraction of a second delay between the words being spoken and the movement of the subject's mouth can be distracting. The Sennheiser RS 275 TV headphones had no delay at all when tested with a variety of connection options. Everything was synced perfectly.

Add the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app so you can use features to customize the transmitter and the sound sent to the headphones. The headphones have up to 50 hours of battery life, requiring only a 2-hour charge. And it’s worth nothing that Sennheiser has made the RS 275 headphones with a user-replaceable battery.

They have a range of up to 150 feet from the TV-connected transmitter, and can be connected via Bluetooth for listening from a smartphone, gaming console or tablet. Multiple headsets can be connected, with each offering independent volume and feature settings. With the headset in use, the TV’s speakers can also be playing.

https://us.sennheiser-hearing.com/products/rs-275 $299.95

The new Ohsnap multi-angle MagSafe Snap Grip stand is promoted right on the front of the box as “the phone grip that doesn’t suck,” and I agree.

Magnetically, it attaches to the back of your smartphone’s built-in magnetic ring, which enables it to align perfectly. Once attached to the phone or a supported case, the all-in-one device lets you hold your phone with the Snap Grip stand with one or two fingers, or use it as a vertical or horizontal hands-free stand.

If it takes you five seconds to get this 350-degree adjustable stand attached and working, it took four seconds too long. It’s that easy, but incredibly functional. And what makes it stand out from other similar MagSafe accessories is its ultra-thin profile, measuring less than 1/8 inch. This lets it sit nearly flush with your phone and not be bothersome when it's being put in or out of a pocket.

The dual MagSafe design allows for another MagSafe accessory to be mounted right on the Snap Grip stand. Or mount it along with your smartphone to a magnetic surface, such as workout equipment, a file cabinet or the refrigerator.

You need a MagSafe-compatible phone, such as the iPhone 12 from October 2020 and newer. An adapter is included for the others.

https://ohsnap.com/products/snap-grip-stand$34.99 available in silver drift, gator fade, boring black, and the new blueish orchid slap