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Costco Kirkland Signature 9.0 (Product Information)

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Edited

In reply to @bigaltavista

@bigaltavista said:

There’s always a cost whether it be licencing or royalties etc

My point is that your assertion that Google stands to make money by charging OEM’s (and thereby charging users with cost passed along) for using is not correct. ASHA is free to add to Android save whatever development costs there might be to a manufacturer to include it but Google would not profit from that.

As to licensing fees, I had read that article before I made my previous post noting your error. Amazing the way an article can turn a positive aspect of licensing into a negative one. “Licensing” is basically an inspection fee that the phone OEM pays to a third-party firm for certifying that its product officially meets Android standards and amounts to ~$1 per phone. And rather than being a negative, it is essentially CONSUMER PROTECTION. Otherwise, any phone maker could cobble together a bunch of electronics, freely install plain vanilla Android, and claim that they are selling you an “Android” phone. So Google in requiring licensing is not making itself any money but rather protecting the consumer and itself from fly-by-night Android phone makers that are further going to bring down the reputation of Android as a phone OS and hardware standard. Google is making lots of money through the knowledge it gains of you to sell ads when you use the software that Google requires phone OEM’s to install on their products if they want access to the Google Play Store. And big established manufacturers like Samsung do not have to pay anyone licensing fees. Google recognizes their credibility and allows them to self-license themselves. The growing/birthing pains of Essential Phone by Andy Rubin, Android’s original creator, provide a great example of why there should be licensing for Android phones. Essential Phone had some serious problems coming out of the starting gate in spite of being Andy Rubin’s baby.

Edit_Update: I may be a bit off on who pays whom what for certification. I was basing my comments on the Guardian article published in 2014. The article was repudiated by Google at the time, as reported by a number of other web publications, such as 9to5Google.com, and since then there have been other things such as EU anti-trust action against Google that have caused Google, to prove it’s not anti-competitive and to compensate for not installing Chrome and Google Search, to split out Google Mobile Services and charge OEM’s a licensing fee in Europe for their inclusion in Android.

How to Know If Your Android Phone Is Certified by Google

We all know Google owns the Android OS, but because the OS is open source, anybody can wake up one day and start manufacturing and selling Android phones. Googl

https://www.phonedog.com/2018/10/19/google-apps-licensing-fee-cost-android-device-makers-eu-40-phone1

Android has over 50% market share in the US and about 76% world wide. Smart move by Phonak!

The Resound LiNX Quattro currently works only with Pixel 3, 3XL, 3a and 3aXL. It does not work with the few other Android 10 phones available (such as Pixel 2XL and 2) Should also work with Pixel 4 and 4XL which will presumably be released next month.

Edited

I have had my Kirkland 9s about 10 days now, replacing Rexton Trax-42s. Just a few observations:

  • My overall hearing experience seems significantly better with the K9s compared to my Trax42s. Four years of technology improvements seem evident. I don’t have any ‘programs;’ have just been relying upon the K9s to determine the listening setting. The ability to hear conversation in noisy restaurant settings seems better. I have had only limited experience on this, but during a couple of such environments I have been impressed. I’m hearing things that I haven’t heard for awhile, some good, some not so good. For example, I hear more noise from the side windows in my vehicle that I used to, which I’d just as soon not hear. But I’m hearing more insect noises and birds, etc., during my walks, which is neat. I plan to meet with the Costco specialist in a week or so to have her adjust the sound level. My aids are set a bit too loud. The first thing I do when I put them on is turn them down a notch.Streaming music seems reasonable, but I’m not getting enough of the lower sounds. I’m thinking that’s because I use open domes.

  • Last night, while streaming music from a YouTube channel on my TV, I plugged the outside of my ear canal with my fingers, while streaming, to see what happened. I was amazed at the difference in sound quality. It was pretty remarkable the difference it made–the music was no longer ‘tinny,’ but full and robust. Perhaps I should consider using ? I would be interested in any thoughts.

  • I’m finding that the batteries are lasting a little over 5 days. I also haven’t been noticing the low-battery warning until the batteries die. Perhaps it’s only because the warnings have come when there have been a lot of other noises, or perhaps the warning signals are just too muted. I like simple strategies to decide when to replace batteries, rather than waiting for their failure. I’m thinking a good strategy will be to replace them on the mornings divisible by 5 (the 5, 10, 15, etc. day of the month). That might not work for those months with 31 days, but it should be close. I use the TV streamer (more on that later), so have been streaming about 90 minutes a day for that, plus listening to some music during walks, and an occasional phone call. So, I’m guessing that I’m considered a moderate ‘streamer’ which is probably affecting battery life somewhat. I would be interested in the experience of others.

  • As noted, I purchased the TV Connector. I find it very helpful. Even though the sound quality without the device seems better than before, I find that the TV Connector streaming assists with clarity. I have turned off captions, which is pleasing my wife, and have lowered the TV volume.

  • My phone call experience has been a mixed bag. I don’t get a lot of cell phone calls, so my experience has been limited so far. I’m finding that I can hear the caller well, as long as I have a reasonable signal. However, if I am outside in a somewhat noisy environment, or if it is windy, the callers are struggling to hear me. I tried a work-around the other day. I took one of my aids out and used it as a mic in front of my mouth. This seems to improve things. I only plan on doing this when in a challenging noise environment (and when my hands are free). I would be interested in what others are finding with the hands-free phone feature.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the new aids.

I don’t know about others, but price is a major factor for me. If the bargain KS9s meant I had to buy a Pixel for them to work, I’d have to figure the cost almost 50% higher - for something I don’t want.

According to Phonak, the inexpensive Android phone I already have will work with the Marvels, so I’m going to try the KS9s, as it seems reasonable they may work with my phone too. However, I wouldn’t add considerable cost for a Pixel, and I bet the Quattros are a lot more expensive to start with.

I realize cost isn’t a concern for many, but in that case aren’t people going for the Marvels rather than the KS9s? I think in that position I might just do that.

The nice thing about Costco is they will set up a pair for you and let you try them out for an hour or two in and around the store. I even went outside and walked around the parking lot etc to check them out. Made a few calls and everything was great and went in and ordered mine. But, if you find you don’t like them they also have a return time - don’t remember the length - that you can just return them for a full refund. I have an old iphone se and they work great - just have to pair thru bluetooth not MFI. Try them out! All the stores here use the and I believe that makes a BIG positive on the program fit.

In reply to @ThomF

Excellent review. Dovetails with my experience of the KS9. One of the things that does affect your voice reception by your phone interlocutor, is your distance from the phone during a call. I’ve sometimes laid the phone down and wandered around. Distance and physical barriers greatly effect how the other person hears you. In general, as I’ve said before, I’m very pleased with phone calls.

Edited

In reply to @ThomF

Well your review really has me thinking of getting KS9s now.

I have Trax 42…I’ve had four different failures of the aids over the time I’ve had them. This last time I was without any aids for 6 weeks or so…and it was an eye opener. I didn’t realize how bad I was. I even had one store clerk write out a reply to a question I had because I couldn’t not understand him. We both had a laugh about that. But after getting these last Trax 42s rebuild…the smart connect will not work…it’s in the smart connect too. I use headsets (good ones) at times…but it amplifies and the clarify of speech isn’t there.

I have a greater loss than you, and the person at Costco says the smaller battery in KS9s …I’ll be aware of the difference from these trax 42s.

But I may, just may try them.

In reply to @jcummins

My Trax 42s have never failed (4 years), but my Smart Connect is showing definite signs of its age. Getting it to connect to the tv device is getting trickier and trickier. Sometimes it’s instant and sometimes it takes half a dozen tries. I will say that once it connects, it’s never lost the connection. It will lose the connection to my phone now and then. Evidently holding a narrow directional cone is particularly hard for it. That’s never been reliable.

Anyway, me too on trying the KS9s. I figure it will be nice to have backups, and if the KS9s work for me, the Trax will suit fine for that.

Anybody know if Costco offers a that works with KS9? Phonak offers a “Partner Mic” for the Marvels, but have no idea if something similar is available for the KS9.

In reply to @jcummins

I have a profound loss as well and switched from the Trax42 to the KS9’s. I’m extremely happy with the change. The only “downgrade” is battery life at 4.5 days w/ 17 hours per day average use. But batteries are cheap at Costco, it gives me plenty of warning (about an hour before they die), and it only beeps every 15-30 minutes when it gets low instead of every minute (stupid Trax!).

They are more powerful than the Trax (I don’t have to turn them up as much and they are clearer at louder levels as well). They work more intuitively and being able to connect to the TV and my phone without wearing the smart connect is awesome!

Love the ability to adjust between streaming noise and background noise as well.

In reply to @MDB

No they don’t. I’ve considered using my TV adapter with a 3.5mm aux mic, but haven’t really needed it as I’m able to hear well enough without it. As more and more people use them I’m sure people will figure out what workarounds work best.

The bluetooth lapel mic “should” work, but then you get into the “only one bluetooth pairing allowed” issue and you have to disconnect your phone. Assuming you wouldn’t be switching back and forth throughout the day, it would be worth a little hassle for those that need it. Hopefully at some point the KS9’s get the new firmware update that allows 2 bluetooth pairings at once…

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