https://youtu.be/Z2sAZce46_8 Anker are a popular brand that appear to be sold exclusively through Amazon. They are particularly well known for their power banks, chargers and cables. But they also sell some very good value portable Bluetooth speakers. One of their most popular models is the , a compact Bluetooth speaker, with 24 hours of claimed battery life and an IPX5 … [Read more...]
LG 29WK600 21:9 ultrawide HDR monitor review. Best budget option?
https://youtu.be/OHIypw7XvTc There are two versions of this new ultrawide monitor from LG, the 29WK500 and the 29WK600 that I'm reviewing here. They are both 29" IPS displays with a resolution of 2560 by 1080 pixels. They both come with 2 HDMI ports but the 600 variant adds a DisplayPort. And also has HDR10 support, for gaming and streaming with High Dynamic Range or … [Read more...]
Amazfit Bip smart watch review. What do you get for £50 or $70? Quite a lot in fact …
The Amazfit Bip smart watch has a built in optical heart rate monitor and GPS receiver, a gorilla glass touch display and up to 45 days of battery life and it costs from only £45 or $65, depending on where you buy it from. But is it any good? https://youtu.be/mRVbHeSGjmU First impressions It's hard to know what to expect from a smart watch at this price, but first … [Read more...]
The iPhone X review. The best iPhone yet, but is it worth £1000?
https://youtu.be/YDlreZmGvCA I've had the latest iPhone from Apple for almost 3 months now, so plenty of time to determine whether its worth its £1000 or $1000 price tag, to me at least. The iPhone X has a new 5.8" HDR OLED screen, face recognition, is waterproof to IP67, has a wide angle and short telephoto lens both with image stabilisation, supports wireless charging … [Read more...]
Could this be the best budget drone? Hubsan H507A X4 Star Pro review.
https://youtu.be/kMJ5RfYtdyY Drones from big names like DJI start from around £450, or $450 for the Spark. This is a lot of money for something you may not end up using very much. At the other end of the market there are plenty of cheap drones which tend to be lacking a lot of the features that make the more expensive drones so tempting. The Hubsan X507A drone is around … [Read more...]
How to fast charge your new iPhone wirelessly or with a cable
https://youtu.be/2cJF6Ju3g5g The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X all support fast charging both via a cable and wirelessly, which theoretically makes it possible to bring your empty phone up to 50% charge in as little as 30 minutes. This sounds great, but working out how to achieve the fastest charging is not as straightforward as you'd think. In the box with all these phones, you … [Read more...]
Anker Astro E1 6700mAh review. Is this the best value portable charger?
https://youtu.be/0Yoh7C1CODk The Anker Astro E1 has a 6700mAh capacity, which is enough for at least one complete charge of any of the latest smartphones. It won't be enough to completely charge a tablet, but could typically provide a 50% charge at least. And unusually for a smaller portable charger, it offers a fast charging current of 2A, comparable to a wall … [Read more...]
GoPro Hero 5 Black Review – the Goldilocks of the GoPro action camera range?
https://youtu.be/JafrgncQOl0 The GoPro Hero 5 Black action camera sits in the middle of GoPro's line up of its popular cameras and has a retail price of around £400 or $400. It's waterproof to 10m without any additional enclosure, comes with a 2" touch screen, records 4k video. It can be controlled with your voice and it's tiny! But who's it meant for and what … [Read more...]
Amazon’s budget friendly Echo Dot – a review and introduction to Alexa
https://youtu.be/-aY1GqcmPE4 The Echo Dot is Amazon's cheapest smart device featuring the Alexa voice assistant. But what exactly is it? Basically it's a Bluetooth speaker which can respond to voice commands. You can ask it questions, for example: Alexa, what's the weather today; Alexa, what's 100g in ounces: Alexa, who is Winston Churchill. Or you can ask … [Read more...]
Canon TS8050 (TS8020) all-in-one printer review – a great all-rounder?
https://youtu.be/794oLmir_Yg The Canon TS8050 (TS8020 in the US) is one of a relatively new line of Canon all-in-one (print, scan and copy) printers, with a more compact design. The range consists of the TS5050, TS6050, TS8050 and TS9050. The TS9050 has almost the same specifications as the TS8050, but with a wired internet connection (Ethernet) and a slightly larger screen. … [Read more...]
Best budget travel laptop? Acer Aspire 14″ (E14 E5-475) review.
The Acer Aspire E14 E5-475 laptop is part of Acer's E Series of laptops. Acer describes this range as everyday laptops, and this specific model comes with a 14" HD screen, 8GB RAM, 128GB of fast SSD storage and weighs just over 2kg. Please see our video review below or read on for our written article and verdict. https://youtu.be/Sj8cUXQ4aD0 Features It was difficult to … [Read more...]
Asus VivoBook Pro N552VX Laptop Review
https://youtu.be/ZNWptEABlX4 (Please take a look at my accompanying video review above) The Asus VivoBook Pro N552VX is a 15.6” high end general purpose laptop with a tempting spec. There are a few variants, but the specific model I'm looking at here comes with an Intel i5 quad core processor, 12GB of DDR4 memory, and a full HD 1920x1080 screen. It has a fast 128GB SSD … [Read more...]
The confusing range of Panasonic mirrorless cameras, and why I chose their Lumix G80/G85
I've owned all sorts of digital cameras over the years, my first decent one being the Olympus C2020z back in 1999. I looked through my Lightroom catalogue out of idle curiosity and counted that since then I've owned 18 cameras, and that's not including smartphones or action cameras! What surprised me, was that I'd still taken more photos with digital SLRs than nearly all the … [Read more...]
Dell Inspiron 24 7000-Series All-in-One Review
https://youtu.be/JAsrXu4aULg (Please see my video above for a short overview). First impressions of the Dell Inspiron 24 7000 are good. The design is fairly understated but stylish. Unlike most All-in-Ones, the components reside in the base of the computer rather than the screen itself. This makes it more practical in use, with all the ports easily accessible. It comes … [Read more...]
The best unlimited magazine service – Readly or Magzter?
Walking into WHSmiths to buy a magazine is so yesterday. Following in the footsteps of services like Spotify for music and Netflix for video, you can now pay a monthly fee to read as many magazines as you like. In the UK at least, there are currently two services to consider: Magzter and Readly. They both offer an unlimited subscription for £7.99 a month, although Readly's … [Read more...]
Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.1″ 2016 Review
I've added a short video below so you can see the tablet in action. But please read on for further details and conclusions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROnEsaR6JCU The Samsung Galaxy Tab sits in between the budget Tab E and premium Tab S2. There are both 7" and 10.1" versions of the Tab A, with and without 4G. In this article I'm looking at the 2016 10.1" model, … [Read more...]
Ricoh Theta S 360 Degree Camera – Review
https://youtu.be/dJM8RCkrcCE Please take a look at my detailed video review above. The Ricoh Theta S camera can capture complete 360° images and videos via its two fish eye lenses on the front and back of the slimline camera body. I had my first experience with the camera at the Gadget Show in March 2016: At The Gadget Show in Birmingham. Lots of VR headsets, … [Read more...]
Charging on the move – the best power bank? Cygnett Chargeup Digital 10000 versus TP-Link 10400 review
https://youtu.be/0gqUz3MGwmw Power banks or portable chargers can charge up your smartphone or tablet when you're on the move. In fact, they'll charge any device that you usually plug into a USB wall charger, which is probably a good majority of the gadgets you own. Power banks used to come with low capacity batteries and charge very slowly, but things have changed and … [Read more...]
The Gadget Show 2016, Birmingham NEC – what’s hot?
It's always interesting to make my yearly visit to the Gadget Show, a large tech show by British standards, held at the NEC in Birmingham. There weren't many big names there this year: no Microsoft, Sony, Canon or Panasonic to name a few. But the show does provide a useful indication of what's hot, and a nice opportunity to discover interesting new (to me) products. This … [Read more...]
Fenix RC40 2016 6000 lumens torch – review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZVeprBd78s&feature=youtu.be Fenix make some very bright torches, and their latest rechargeable RC40 2016, is their most powerful one to date. It can deliver up to 6000 lumens which is unbelievably bright. To put it in context, a car headlight is around 1000 lumens, and an old 6D Maglite with fresh batteries puts out around 160 … [Read more...]
AmazonBasics aluminium 62″ tripod with ball head – review
I've reviewed other items in the AmazonBasics range, and I've found them good value. Their 62" tripod is no exception, and is far better than any other tripod I've used at this price point. The tripod comes in its own padded carry case, and there's room to get it back in again once out. The instructions even explain how to close the tripod for fitting in the bag (the legs … [Read more...]
Kindle Fire Kids Edition review – the perfect tablet for children?
I don't think it's completely clear from Amazon's description, that the Kindle Fire Kids Edition is no different to a standard Kindle Fire (at half the price). What you actually get is a bundle, which still represents good value, and includes the following (prices correct at the time of the post): Kindle Fire 7", without Special Offers (which normally costs … [Read more...]
Garmin vivosmart HR review
https://youtu.be/ZpjGCfcrQ-g *UPDATE 27th January 2016. New firmware update - version 2.60 (in article) to 2.90. Notable additions: added a heart rate graph if you tap the heart rate display (nice); can now select type of activity (running, cardio, other); backlight adjustment. *UPDATE 31st March 2016. New firmware update - version 3.10. Notable additions: screen lock; more … [Read more...]
Apple TV vs Amazon Fire TV vs Roku vs Chromecast vs WD TV – choosing the perfect media streamer
In last weeks post I described how easy it is to setup a home media server to stream your DVD collection to your TV. I briefly discussed media streamers that make this possible, effectively turning your TV into a super smart TV. There is a huge range of these devices and in this article I'll try and help you make the correct choice. What to look for Streaming media … [Read more...]
Amazon Basics Portable Bluetooth Speaker – Review
The Amazon Basics range of products generally offer very good value so I was keen to try out their portable Bluetooth speaker. You can take a look at my video review before reading the article if you like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waiLnETTcVg Overview Inside the box you get the speaker itself, a micro-USB charging cable and the instruction manual. There's no … [Read more...]
Parrot Cargo Drone – review
The Parrot Cargo MiniDrone is Parrot's second generation MiniDrone after their very successful Rolling Spider MiniDrone. The changes are subtle but overall this new iteration does seem more polished. Again, the build quality is very good and replacement parts are available from Parrot which is very reassuring. The Cargo has eschewed the wheels of the rolling spider for a … [Read more...]
Canton Musicbox XS Portable Bluetooth Speaker – review
Canton are a well regarded German HiFi brand which have achieved a number of awards for their TV sound bases like the DM55. The diminutive Musicbox XS is their first entry into the portable Bluetooth speaker market and has just been released in the UK. I saw the speaker at a trade show in September and was impressed - although it's always difficult to judge in a noisy … [Read more...]
Sonos Playbar versus Canton DM55 Soundbase – review
As TVs get thinner, the laws of physics dictate that sound quality must get worse! There's simply no room for decent speakers. Hence the rise in popularity of sound bars and bases. The difference between them is simply that sound bars usually sit in front of the TV whereas sound bases normally sit underneath the TV. However both have options for positioning them elsewhere. I … [Read more...]
The best duct tape – Duck, Gorilla, 3M or something else?
Is it duct or Duck tape? It is duct tape (Duck is just a brand of the tape) and the one thing it shouldn’t be used for is sealing ducts! Foil tape is much better for that. It is however useful for pretty much anything else, from temporary repairs, hanging your Christmas lights or even making wallets! But I noticed recently just how much it varies in quality and price, so I … [Read more...]
Can the new breed of office inkjet printers replace a laser printer? Canon MAXIFY MB2350 versus HP LaserJet Pro M451DN
I do a fair bit of printing, both at home and at my small business. Ink costs are a huge expense so I have always been tempted to try one of the new breed of home office / small business inkjet printers. In this article I'm pitting Canon's MAXIFY MB2350 (£117) against my HP LaserJet Pro M451dn (400 series) (£217, new version M452dn). This printer from Canon is aimed squarely … [Read more...]
Give yourself 1000GB storage on your phone using Dropbox and Carousel
The biggest frustration using your smartphone as your camera is the limited storage. Particularly if you have a non-expandable iPhone, which currently starts at a rather paltry 16GB (12GB useable space) for the iPhone 6s! Then you'll have some apps installed - so you might only have 4GB of space for photos and videos. On my iPhone 6 Plus, a typical 30s video clip at 60fps … [Read more...]
App of the week – Readdle’s Scanner Pro. Turn your phone into a portable scanner!
Scanner Pro, Readdle, iOS This is a very handy app for iOS devices, that uses the camera on your smartphone to convert paper documents to PDFs, and then uploads them to Dropbox. It has all sorts of uses but I use it for scanning receipts, business cards, important documents and even the childrens' artwork! To get started, you hover the phone over what you want scanned. This … [Read more...]
Braven 705 portable Bluetooth wireless speaker – review
Video review and overview Braven like to refer to themselves as the GoPro of the portable speaker market and they do make lots of wireless speakers that nearly all have some form of ruggedness. Here I'm looking at the Braven 705 wireless speaker (£89 RRP) which is part of their "design" range (they also do an "outdoor" range), but this speaker is still splash proof to IPX5 and … [Read more...]
Organise your laptop and smartphone repairs, using an old computer tower and some magnets
Having run a computer repair business for 6 years, you get to know the importance of organising all those pesky, minute screws. It’s not too difficult getting most things apart, but if you don’t take care, putting everything back together again can be a challenge. A while back I started using some small rare earth or neodymium magnets and the thin steel sides of our … [Read more...]
Aquapac wet and dry 25L backpack review
I was looking for a replacement for my small, 20 year old, Lowe Alpine (15L) rucksack, for commuting to work in the main. Since I live on Dartmoor, rain is a constant so I wanted it weatherproof. Up until now I've used a Camelbak raincover off my Camelbak Mule hydration pack (that I use for mountain biking). But this doesn't stop the rain from providing embarrassing wet patches … [Read more...]
Fix anything with Sugru, the wonder glue?
I stumbled across this mouldable glue that sets to a hard rubber, about 5 years ago at the Gadget Show Live trade day. It's come a long way since then and I've even seen it at our local B&Q. It comes in packs of small 5g sachets and is available it multiple colours which can be mixed to make even more colours should you desire. Once a sachet is opened, it goes off pretty … [Read more...]
Lifeproof Nuud waterproof case for iPhone review
I've heard a lot about these Lifeproof cases and often had them recommended to me but this is the first time I've tried one out. I needed something mainly for cycling, that could fit in my back jersey pocket. I've always used Aquapac pouches but since my iPhone 6 Plus is such a big phone, this solution has outgrown the pocket! Lifeproof do two types of waterproof cases: the … [Read more...]
AmazonBasic’s laptop sleeve for MacBook Pro review
Finding a case for your new pride and joy is always a frustrating task. I usually just chuck my MacBook Pro 13" into my rucksack - but after a few years of abuse I thought I'd take a (pretty safe) gamble on the incredibly cheap Apple cases in the AmazonBasics range. I got the AmazonBasics laptop sleeve for my 13" 2011 MacBook Pro. But they do cases in this range for everything … [Read more...]
Soundpeats Qy7 Bluetooth headphones review. Is there a better value pair of wireless headphones?
I was recently after a pair of Bluetooth headphones mainly for cycling. I'm aware this is a controversial practice - but I usually only want to listen to podcasts cycling to work on a cycle path, and generally have just one earbud in my kerbside ear. The main danger is over-eager dogs! I wanted an inexpensive pair of headphones, since there is a strong possibility they'll … [Read more...]
iPhone 6 Plus versus Canon’s G7X. Is the iPhone’s camera all you need?
As a keen photographer I upgraded to the iPhone 6 Plus mainly for the camera. And specifically the Plus for the optical image stabilisation that the standard iPhone 6 doesn't have. This improves its low light performance significantly. And since smartphones generally don't have decent flashes this is even more important. My other camera was Canon's Prosumer 70D. And whilst … [Read more...]