Vufine+ Review: An Affordable Wearable Display That You Should Get

Vufine+ recently went live on Kickstarter and is already halfway to its $1,00,000 pledged goal. So, it definitely seems to attract a lot of investors (if not backers) who want the project to successfully reach the consumers out there.

Note: We received a review unit to let our readers know more about it. However, we were told it’s a “Vufine +” but at least in our review unit, it does not say “Vufine+” anywhere. We confirmed with the team that it’s definitely the “Vufine +” that we have received. So, I’ll assume, they probably rushed out a unit to us without including the new dock station and with just “Vufine” printed.

So, let’s get started reviewing the Vufine+.

In-box Contents

vufine_plus_box_content

As you can see in the image above, you get the following things inside the box:

  • A USB Cable
  • An HDMI Cable
  • Dock Station Accessory
  • The Wearable Display Device
  • A Nerd Glass
  • Apple Adapter (HDMI to Thunderbolt)

The Design

vufine designTo be honest, there is no rocket science applied with Vufine+’s design. However, sometimes we do know that simplicity generates the perfect design needed for the consumers.

The Vufine+ has been made with a practical approach but we could expect a better design as it evolves.

The Build Quality

vufine plus buildIt’s all plastic, maybe not technically, but it feels so. It definitely feels plastic but not cheap. In addition, the wearable device is durable and has some weight to it (which is good).

You will find a traditional dock station which lets the wearable display attach through a magnet. It’s quick and easy. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the new one which lets you comfortably adjust the wearable after attaching it.

We did drop the wearable device while attaching it to the dock station but we did not observe any issues with the display nor found any pieces breaking down after the drop. So, it’s definitely durable, but don’t expect it to withstand multiple drops, you have to be careful with that.

How Do You Connect It?

thunderbolt_to_hdmi_through_adapterYou can connect the wearable display with any of the devices or gadgets which could act as an HDMI source.

To connect your iPhone with Vufine+, you get an Apple adapter out of the box. So, overall, you connect to an HDMI source and provide the HDMI input on the device to make it work. Yes, you get a USB port as well but you can simply charge the device through it.

You can also plug it into the HDMI port on your laptop to make it work.

The Viewing Experience / Display Quality

vufine

After you’re connected to the desired source, you just need to press the power button to get started. In contrast, you need to press and hold down for at least 1.5 seconds to turn it off.

It supports three type of viewing modes. First, the “fit mode” which lets you ex seems to experience it as a stretched out portrait view. The second – “Zoom mode” – lets you see the display closer. For the third – “standard mode“, delivers the basic view suitable for an unaltered 16:9 view.

In my experience, the viewing experience was much better with the standard mode and the zoom mode. The “fit mode” didn’t appeal to me much for the perfect viewing experience. But it depends on your personal preferences with which you are comfortable.

vufine reviewIt sports a LCOS qHD 960X540 display and the colors look quite natural. Of course, you don’t get to adjust the brightness, but the factory brightness setting proves to be impressive for both indoor and outdoor usage. When connected to my iPhone 6S, I found the “red” color being over saturated only for notification badges. Overall, the viewing experience was great. YouTube video experience through Vufine+ was indeed amazing.

You should not expect a clear view of the display as soon as you attach it. So, it needs to be adjusted properly till you’re sure about the perfect viewing experience.

The Battery Life

Here's how I look with the Vufine+ (Don't be jealous!)
Here’s how I look with the Vufine+ (Don’t be jealous!)

The Vufine+ is a wearable display that you can use for a variety of purposes. Considering the fact that it’s useful, how long does the battery last?

As a matter of fact, it claims for about 90 minutes of battery life. And, surprisingly, after three charge cycles, we were able to get nearly just about that (i.e 90 minutes approx.) every time we used it.

Performance & Compatibility

To our experience, we did not face any kind of issues with the display when connected to a compatible smartphone or laptop. It does work with drones too.

In a nutshell, it does work with any kind of devices that can act as an HDMI source.

As for the compatibility, it does not rely on a specific operating system. So, it should work well with just about anything you connect it with. We were able to successfully connect it to the iPhone 6S and a laptop running on Windows 10. However, we did observe some issues when connected to my laptop running Ubuntu 16.04.

Possible Applications of Vufine+

How can you make use of a wearable display? Simply keep looking at it after connecting it your smartphone? I’m afraid not. You can utilize Vufine+ for several purposes which include:

  • Referring to the lyrics of a song from your smartphone while at a recording studio
  • Integrating it with a drone for a clearer view (possibly magnified)
  • Hands-free navigation
  • Integration with Factory Machines
  • To watch a movie without disturbing anyone (good for privacy)
  • Following up with a Yoga video session while performing it yourself at the same time.

So, Vufine+ is definitely useful and there might be several more possible applications.

Price & Availability

It’s available for just 179 USD at Kickstarter which is a lot less than what other wearable display devices are available for. Although, it isn’t comparable to a high-end wearable device but it definitely comes with a realistic price when considering its wide range of applications.

Final Verdict

Vufine+ seems to be the next step to make wearable devices easily available for the common masses. It’s useful and affordable at the same time. I definitely think it’s a great product. We would definitely recommend getting the Vufine+.

1 thought on “Vufine+ Review: An Affordable Wearable Display That You Should Get”

  1. Good info. Thanks for the review. This helps with my decision making process. I’m interested in one for song lyrics and chords so my hands are free without having first to print the songs off nor fumble around with paper.

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