GadgetSpeak Articles
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It’s the nations favourite Pod coffee brand often known as Nescafe Dolce Gusto, for those who like Starbucks coffee it now includes Starbucks brand coffee to work in their Pods. So what does this ‘XS’ machine offer well first it is rather small with a water tank to match. So probably the ideal unit for a single user or just maybe a couple.
The Krups Piccolo XS measures 28cm tall, 24cm deep and 13cm wide so any other Krups machine dwarfs it. The only instructions are on the outside of the box but as everything is assembled all you need to do is insert the mains plug, put water in the clear container at the back and lift the preparation lid an insert a capsule.
It is that time of year again when I need to make the trip from my Sound London base to the area Sherlock Holmes called home.
OnePlus are rapidly becoming a SmartPhone that has new features and pushes the boundaries. In fact a lot of their ‘fans’ will reserve in advance as they are happy with what produced, so what has this latest offering from OnePlus at the top end of mid pieced handsets have to offer.
It is 15.9x7.2x.8cm and weighs 189grams. The viewable screen is 6.9x15.2cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 6.54inches. Going around the outside has the on/off button on the right side with a lock button above it. The base has a speaker, USB ‘C’ for charging and OTG devices, the SIM entry point is also there. The left side has volume rocker. The top has a pin hole microphone. There is a raised circle of 2.
It is a strange, strange world you are about to enter with Skyland - Heart of the Mountain gaming environment.
I have been looking at the Collector's Edition of Skyland - Heart of the Mountain. Developed by Cordelia Games, this Hidden Object game comes with a number of bonus items. These elements can be accessed from an Extras section on the product's main title screen.
This is a keyboard for those who hate the onscreen keyboard that you get with SmartPhones and Tablets. But it is small in its collapsed dimensions it even has a carry bag and the whole thing is 27x5x3cm and weighs only 228gram including instructions.
The bare keyboard weighs only 189 grams and unfolds to 25x10cm with each key being 1.3cm square and to save you checking those on a normal desktop PC are 1.5cm square so still very typeable. The area behind the keyboard needs another 6cm of space and here is where your Tablet or SmartPhone sits. So total space required is 31cm.
Offering to look after your mobile phone when it is being charged is a purple dragon.
While, for many, there is the opinion that the majority of others, not including themselves, cannot exist without the safety blanket of using the all-enveloping features of this communication device. But there has to be periods when a temporary separation of the user and their device might be called for at various intervals. I will leave you to draw up your own list of these possible short-term separations that could occur.
With all the advertising on television and magazines I am sure we all know that a powered toothbrush gives better cleaning results than a manual brush. While the whiteness of your smile is important to some, perhaps the most important thing is to have no tooth – or tooth associated – pain.
It is 25cm long 3x2.5cm at the base and slightly thinner towards the top of the handle, the replaceable head forms the last 8.5cm of the length. While the 22x7x4.5cm flip shut case has space for two toothbrush heads only one comes in the box. There is a 7cm round clear stand that is supplied for when at home and this clips over an identical one which forms the charge point ending in a two pin plug which are the only plug sockets that should be in a bathroom.
The Doro 8080 has been designed to meet the needs of those who want to obtain the benefits of a smartphone but are less familiar with technology
With the 8080 Doro has recognised that the sophistication of a smartphone can be daunting to a new user. Consequently, in the Quick Start Guide and when setting up the phone for the first time, one is given the choice of selecting between “Yes, I am a beginner”, “No, I have already used one” or “I’m setting the phone up for someone else”.
This next title combines Hidden Object, Match 3 and Card Pairing game play.
"The Far Kingdoms - Hidden Magic" belongs to the Hidden Object genre of gaming. Developed by Lazy Turtle Games, this title casts you in the role of a princess who had embarked on a sort of gap year experience to broaden her knowledge of the wide world and different communities over which she would eventually rule.
Google do not make cheap phones so if you are looking for a bargain buy it’s not here, having said that Google make phones that look good and normally work well, however any phone these days has to be great to get to be the desired one.
It is 15.8x7x.8cm and weighs 192grams. 14.5x7cm is the viewable screen which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 6.3 inches. The screen resolution is 1440x3040 pixels. I was sent the orange backed one which to my unfashionable eye looks weird, the front and sides apart from the orange on/off button are black and the orange on the back is interrupted by the 2.4cm raised square that are the cameras. Switch on is 9 seconds which is good.
Offering to deliver music where ever you go is the next product under review.
With its goal to "free the sound", Libratone has set about creating wireless technology enabling music that can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere in the home and its surrounding area. The result of this work is the Zipp 2 device which is the subject matter of this review. The Libratone Zipp 2 is a portable cylindrical, tower speaker with attitude.
This is one of several security software products that promise to keep you safe. What each product promises is slightly different so they all have a place according to what you want, here an offering from Panda their Internet Security offering.
The ‘Dome’ is what they claim will protect you; some of the offerings are switched on by default others are up to you. When you click on it the front screen will tell you your PC is protected and how many files it has scanned in my case 162,216 when I looked, scroll down the Window to see exactly what is and is not currently protected. The first choice is Scan and this would take place when required once done it then checks everything extra as it is connected or attached.
Be careful what you seek as it could bring more trouble than it is worth.
Developed by Interactive Dreamscape, Outlaws: Corwin's Treasure is a Hidden Object game. With this particular title you are invited to an abandoned town of St. Matrick, This location is rumoured to be the site where the fabled ancient treasure, known as Corwin's Treasure, is meant to be hidden. You have been hired to help the wealthy Mr. John Atkins, who to ensure your full cooperation and loyalty, has arranged for your wife to be kidnapped and held prisoner.
This is a pen that allows you to make almost anything in 3D. The illustration on the side of the box can be made in a few minutes others will take a lot longer and maybe even require some artistic talent to create but the basic process is simple.
In the box is the pen rather like a thick biro at 15.5cm long, it is near diagonal in shape with the sides 1.5cm wide. There are two buttons 2.5cm from the tip. At the back is where the mains lead is connected as well as where the filament strips are inserted. The strips are 25cm long; the box contains three different packs each with five strips each of five colours so if my maths are correct that is 18.75 metres of filament which should build quite a few items.
The Doro 6620 is an easy-to-use clamshell phone which has been designed to meet the needs of the elderly
Having a closed size of 106 x 55 x20mm, and weighing just 110 g it slips conveniently into a pocket or handbag and has large and easy-to-use keys together with a 70mm easily read display. On the right hand side of the phone are the volume up/down controls while, on the opposite side is the standard 3.5mm headphone socket together with the microUSB charging port.
Be careful what you drink otherwise you could end up like a character in this next game.
Designed by Magnussoft, Wizard Quest - Adventure in the Kingdom is a Match 3 game set in a land where royalty, magic and fire-breathing dragons are important factors in this storybook land. The game involves an ancient wizard named Sygmand who spends most of his time creating potions and sometimes he even knows what the potion is meant to do.
Mobile Wi-Fi in almost any country, this is what this small orange coloured unit promises. Like the majority of things today it is run from an iOS or Android App. Once the App is downloaded and the Solis is charged a couple of minutes for setup should have you connected anywhere.
While I cannot claim to have used this in the Scottish Highlands, the Sahara Desert or the middle of the Atlantic Ocean everywhere I did try it I got the ability to collect and send emails and browse the Internet, with a SIM inserted in your phone you can also send and receive phone calls and SMS messages, that last statement may seem strange of course you have a SIM in your phone but I deliberately set up a brand new phone so it never had my Wi-Fi information so it could not use it.
While not a familiar brand to me, the Kurbis is a German speaker system.
The Kurbis is a Bluetooth Bookshelf speaker system that forms part of the Thonets & Vander's catalogue of audio products. For those not familiar with the company, Thonets & Vender is a German organisation originally founded, in Berlin, during the middle of the last century, by Hannes Josef Einrich using his telecommunication experience gained during the Second World War.
Just after my review of the Oppo Reno was published I was invited to the launch of version 2, having checked that these items would be available for review without a long wait I journeyed to East London for the launch event held in Canning Town.
Two phones were launched as well as a headset. Here I am looking at the slightly lower specifications of the Reno 2 Z which has a Gorilla glass back so it could be a little slippy, however there is a reasonable back and sides case in the box. It is 16x7.3x.9cm and it weighs 200grams. The right side has the SIM entry point and below that the on/off button. Boot up is 15 seconds and shutdown is 3 seconds. The base has speaker, USB ‘C’ port, pin hole microphone and 3.
I expect many of you already know of the connection between a coven of witches and the Full Moon. For those who don't I would suggest joining the Witch Hunters and taking a look at the Full Moon Ceremony game
Available from Big Fish Games, in either Standard or Collector's edition format, "Witch Hunter: Full Moon Ceremony" belongs to the Hidden Object Adventure genre of digital games. I have been dipping my game playing experience into the Collector's edition version of the title. Developed by Top Evidence, this particular version of the game deals with the activities of a group of evil witches intent on taking control of the world.
In the morning there are two stimulants to get you out of bed one you will know about as you reach older age -your bladder - and the second the smell of a fresh brewed cup of coffee, even the sound of the beans being ground could do it.
As Bean to Cup coffee machines go this is thin at 19.5cm wide, it is 48cm deep and 35cm tall. Setup is just a matter of putting beans in the hopper on top of the unit and putting water in its container that shares the back part of the unit with the bean hopper. Next flush some water through and test the steam from the milk frother. Now place a cup under the coffee outlet and in less than two minutes you can be drinking your first cup of black or white coffee.
Bringing dead parents back together is the task set by this next game.
Stormhill Mystery - Family Shadow could be described as a story within a story. To achieve this state you are presented with a Hidden Object game as a son's request to fulfil the wishes of his deceased father. Before entering this Hidden Object adventure, you can make minor adjustments to the game playing environment and create profiles for different players.
Where did I - you - put my keys, who has moved my mobile, where is my &*%!ing wallet and many more. Perhaps more importantly you could attach one of these – with their permission – to your cat, dog or tortoise to locate then when they become elusive.
Something I have looked at before, now available in a range of styles and pack sizes. I was sent a four pack of ‘Pro’ and another pack of four of ‘Essential’. First the ‘Pro’ this consists of four tiles, two white and two black. They are 4cm square and are less than .7cm thick with a notch cut out of the corner will fit on any keyring or possibly all but the smallest cat or dog collar as they weigh only 13 grams each.
Do you know where you are going or what you are planning to do? I only ask because somebody else might be privy to this information.
For some reason whenever I hear of, or come across the term, "Stalkerware", my thoughts immediately turn to the victim being a celebrity who is the target for this type of malware. But as recent research into this anti-social phenomena has shown, this is not always the case. The perpetrator of this type of attack is not just interested in celebrities but also ordinary members of the public in their attempts to gather the information they need to carry out their nefarious activities.
Early this year I told you about the Google Home Hub, now Google have launched another range of products. I will start with probably the smallest the Google Nest Mini (2nd Generation) that is truly small but it has a big sound with twice the base of the first generation offering.
The Google Nest Mini is round with a 9cm diameter and is 4cm thick; there is a choice of four colours: chalk; sky; coral or charcoal. There are three touch controls on the device volume down, volume up and mute. The only physical connection is the 1.5 metre long micro USB to mains plug. The initial setup requires the Google Home App which is available on the iOS or Android store. Once setup is completed you can run the Nest Mini totally from your voice so the phone does not need to be present.
Getting more clothes into a small space is made easier by the next product.
SAllow me to introduce you to Masterspace. This is a Hong Kong based company that was founded in 2017. Following successful Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, supported by 5,101 backers, the company raised over $272,000 USD which was then used to develop the Pacum product which is the subject of this review. Both the company's name (Masterspace) and that of its initial product (Pacum) should give pointers as to the aim of the product when released into the hands of the user.
A lot of software is sold as a subscription some stop working once the subscription ends other will continue to work with limited functionality which in the case of security software probably means you will soon find you have problems with viruses and other nasty results. So one thing you always keep right up to date should be security software.
I am old enough to remember when you purchased a floppy disc and then later a CD-ROM but as threats became more immediate these needed to be updated and so what you buy now is a download link and these are updated every time you go online as the threats are not just updated monthly weekly or daily but all the time.
The Epson WF-110W portable colour inkjet printer is not an office printer but a business printer aimed at the business traveller
What would you say to a free holiday? Think carefully before you answer.
Following a late night of revelry and enjoyment, you open your morning post to discover that you have been booked on a free holiday, Unfortunately the location of this unexpected gift was that of the Bermuda Triangle.
This is a foldable chair that fits into the back section of a backpack, it can be used separately from the backpack or still attached to it, so ideal for those journeys on a packed train where you can find a corner but cannot find a seat.
The backpack is 35x27x40cm and the chair once assembled is 30x27x29cm. I am told the weight capacity of the chair is 100 kilos just as well as I am very close to that figure. Let’s deal with the chair first when assembled it is two 20cm wide 19cm side pieces going into an 8cm wide hinge the wide top sides click together by a two piece 2cm wide and 11cm long clip. The top half is two more 20cm wide side pieces that form an overall ‘X’ shape. The sides are two each of 3.
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