Not So Crap Stuff from China: the Xiaomi Mitu Fidget Cube

Another item I picked up from Aliexpress recently (and strangely, it's ONLY available on Aliexpress, not on Temu) is the Xiaomi Mitu Fidget Cube. While they sometimes go as low as $1.00 USD, the usual price is $3 or so, which makes them a little overpriced when you can find a metal version for about $5 on Temu. These are supposed to come in a "blind bag" (i.e. random, could be metallic, ceramic, or just plain plastic in a couple different colorways) Personally, you would probably end up with the most numerous white/gray plastic version, which is why I said it's a bit overpriced if not on sale. 

Anyway, my "cube" arrived UNASSEMBLED. It has no less than 8 small cubes, 8 cross-links, and 16 connecting rods, plus a double-length rod to help alignment in assembly. Fortunately, there are clear graphical instructions. Please study it CAREFULLY. If you assemble it wrong, you won't be able to get it to bend properly, and thus, won't be able to fidget with it. It took me a couple times to assemble it properly, mainly because I missed a few details on the assembly diagram. 

This is someone else's video, but it's basically this, except I got a white and brown with white connectors, not blood orange connectors like the one in the picture.  

At about $1 USD, this would be worth it. Try not to pay $3, okay? 

More Crap from China: A Quick Review of Xiaomi E17 ANC

One of the items I picked up on Aliexpress was a Xiaomi E17 ANC "airpod-like" wireless earbuds. The whole design is obviously a "homage" to Apple's Airpods. I thought I ordered Blue, but I got a black one instead. 

The advertised features are 11db ANC mode, transparency mode (so you CAN hear people near you), and supposedly 20 hours playtime. Clearly, it's counting the battery capacity in the carrying case, not in the buds themselves. There are 2 sets of touchpads along either stem of the earbuds. 

It does come with a small wrist-loop that can be threaded through the opening on the side of the carrying case. There's a cutout in the loop, but no explanation on what it is for. Maybe for hanging onto things? 

To charge it, plug in a USB-C cable into the bottom. When LED over the Mi logo turns solid, the charging is complete. 

To pair it, simply flip open the lid near the device you wanted (recommended distance: 2 inches). The instructions says you should turn on BOTH Wifi and Bluetooth on the device (why?)

As said before, each bud has two control pads on the stem. But all of these work on either pad alone. Swipe up or down controls volume. Single tap is pause/play, double tap is fast forward, and triple tap is reverse. If a call comes in, single tap answers. Once I triggered Google assistant by accident, but there's no documented gesture for that. Touch and hold both touchpads to toggle between ANC and "transparency mode". That's it. That's all the documentation. No explanation on what the button on the charging case back does (seems to control charging of the buds?) 

 After using it a few days, the ANC does work, and yet... it doesn't feel like it doesn't do much. I have an air purifier in my room, and it's like a fan in the background if I turn it up to any setting beyond "whisper quiet". With E17's ANC on, I still hear the fan, just... more muffled. It's similar to wearing an earplug, or wearing over-the-ear headphone with a decent cushion seal. Switching to "transparency mode" just seem to turn ANC off. 

There were no spare silicone ear tips, just one set was installed, and they fit... "okay". I'll try to replace them with foam tips when I find some of my spares. 

It also does not do multi-point. It will pair with only ONE device. And that device had to "forget" about the E17 to allow it to pair with anything else. Maybe they consider that a security feature, heh? 

My MAIN problem with the E17 is its lack of battery life in the buds. I am only getting about 3 hours when one bud or the other starts beeping, indicating low power and needing a recharge from the carrying case. This severely affects my enjoyment of the device and makes me want to bring back out my Lenovo "neckband" or other Bluetooth headsets with far more battery life, even if they don't look as "cool". 

Overall rating: B-