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If you use coffee beans then you know that while it’s important to have them reasonably freshly roasted. Far more important is to have them freshly ground so while the ability to roast your own coffee is beyond most of us it is not that difficult to grind the beans as you need it. This grinder from Melitta gives you coffee shop taste without the coffee shop cost per cup.
I am sure we would all prefer to have a machine to do it all and indeed Melitta do several, there are two major drawbacks the space required and the cost. The grinder has a footprint of only 22x7cm and is 37cm tall. It is fitted with a one metre hard wired lead to 13amp plug that emerges from the back base in the middle. The bean hopper is removable and raises the whole by 13cm from the all-important grinder unit.
Usually with Edifier products I check out speakers but this time the product is a set of personal earbuds.
Continuing the trend of doing away with leads, which do have a tendency to become entangled, Edifier has produced its TWS1 offering. This product is a set of "True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds" that are physically untethered when linked to an appropriate audio source. The earbuds come with their own charging case element that can provide up to 32 hours of playtime time for the listener.
How safe is your data and various online activities?
While you may regard your data, whether of the personal or more sensitive type, as sacrosanct to your needs, you can bet others regard it in a more laissez-faire or commercial sense. To them, and I am referring to that unsavoury breed known as hackers here, data is a modern currency used to facilitate deals. Any issues regarding privacy are there to be circumvented by whatever means possible.
It is time to pick up your cards and help a staff member solve a murder.
When I first saw the title of this next game, my initial thoughts were concentrating on the theory that "The Butler did it!". But I was completely off the mark as the Butler, in this case, was the lead investigator in solving the crime in the card game entitled "Detective Solitaire - Butler Story".
While I am not a gamer – my three score and ten and more years – take care of that. You need three things good reflexes, a quality panel with fast refresh rate and good sound, the last mentioned is taken care of by the Firestorm headset.
When you remove the headset from the box you think you have a good headset by the braided lead, the padded headband and earpieces and gold plated connectors. As soon as you plug the 3.5mm lead in and hear the quality your suspicions are confirmed this is quality piece of kit for a very reasonable price. For those who need to communicate a 15cm long microphone is included which plugs into the base of the headset and then twists to a position of your choice.
mperial Island 5 - Ski Resort is a Match 3 game that has been developed by Quick Click Games. As the number "5" of the game's title indicates, this is the latest episode of a series that combines Match 3 game play with buildings and facilities construction.
In this game the Imperial Island forms part of the empire ruled by Emperor Omadan. As any prospective emperor will realise, the demands on their time is extensive and a wise ruler will try to bring joy to their subjects to keep them happy and contented. Emperor Omadan sets out to extend his reign into the neighbouring ice lands of the north by creating a stunning ski resort. You are tasked with completing the Emperor's plans by building the ski resort.
Having recently told you about the Firestorm: H01 here a larger and more complex unit that connects using USB rather than audio sockets. There is a control wheel and microphone control 60cm along the two metre connection lead.
The headset itself is larger and certainly an over ear offering. There is 3cm of expansion in each of the side arms so when fully expanded the distance from the base of the ear cups to the underside of the padded headband is twenty centimetres. If the arms are parallel then there is seventeen centimetres between each earpiece. This is described as a ‘Virtual 7.1 Gaming Headset’ and there is software and a manual online if required.
Watch out, Hackers about and it is up to you to protect your computer data with the appropriate software.
As a young child I can remember playing a game we knew as "Pig-in-the-Middle". Now as an adult, with a thicker waist line and many grey hairs, it seems the situation is returning. I, and many others, find ourselves in the middle of an ongoing battle that is taking place between security companies and those who are intent on infiltrating the computer data and facilities of ours for their own nefarious purposes.
This is designed to collect spills and stains without the need to have a whole room item which is often the reason why professional carpet and floor cleaners exist. That wine stain fully removed along with 99% of any bacteria with this small handheld unit. The other main drawback with the full-size cleaner is where do you put the furniture while you use it.
Don’t get me wrong Vax do full size units which work almost like a vacuum and if you look back you will see reviews from me and they advertise them on TV, this is not designed to replace them but in around two minutes this can be ready to use and almost as soon as that the stain can be removed and it takes the water and cleaning solution back into the machine so you carpet is soon dry, on hard floors its even quicker as whatever is on the sealed floor is taken and the floor is dry again.
Robbing the rich to feed the poor is the aim of the main character in this next game.
With the fairly lengthy title of "The Chronicles of Robin Hood - The King of Thieves", this particular game belongs to the Match 3 genre of challenges. Developed by eFunsoft Games, this offering retells the story of Robin Hood and his band of merry men through a series of Match 3 game play with linking static scenes and accompanying dialogue as you set about helping the citizens of Nottingham by taking down the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham through the five chapters of the game.
A very large and powerful Tower system designed not for gamers – although it’s very fast – but for those Creative People who are not the norm but those who need the power to create their work, this will certainly suit those in that category.
First the dimensions it is 43cm tall, 47cm deep and 20cm wide. It is also quite heavy at around 9kilos. This is the top of the range ConceptD, specifications further down but to let you know now its £2999 link at the end. However you do get a three year warranty. It comes with Windows 10 Pro 64bit. It has an Intel Core i9 running at 3.6GHz.
As the years pass, often faster than we may like, we take a journey through the various stages of life.
Unlike more traditional insurance schemes, the use of a password can offer free protection insurance.
This is an unusual phone, it does not have the latest and fastest processor, nor does it have the largest screen in the thinnest body, it is sold at a premium price but unlike the competition you can get into it and it even comes with a screwdriver so instead of the standard 12-18 months life this is marketed for a five year cycle of use.
While a large percentage of the world rely on their phones for day to day communication every phone has small amounts of precious metals and so every new phone ‘rapes’ the world that little bit more so has this offering from Fairphone got a place? Going around the outside sees the first change the right side is clear, the base has microphone and USB ‘C’ connector, the left side has two raised buttons on/off and volume rocker. The top has microphone and a 3.
Size isn't everything as a small witch takes on the challenge of the Pumpkin Peril.
Developed by Mixo Games, Little Witchelsa – Pumpkin Peril belongs to the Match-3 genre of game play. As you might suppose from the clues in the game’s title, this Match-3 offering contains a heavy influence of graveyards, spooks, spells and demons plus a Halloween scenario. The game’s central characters are the little witch Elsa and Marlow who is a wizard-like being.
Without needing to pack a bag or renew your passport, you can travel to various Ancient World sites and test your puzzle solving skills with this next game.
Developed by Funny Bear Studios, World Riddles - Seven Wonders takes you on a journey to visit the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Built in the times that features the mighty pharaohs, mythical gods, great military leaders and the like, these accomplishments of beauty and art present the modern day visitor with a series of game playing challenges. As there are different types of riddles, so the game offers the player a variety of challenges to test their mettle.
When walking along London's Regent Street you might be distracted by Hamleys new window display.
Every new Pen camera from Olympus is a pleasure to review. For such a small overall unit to give brilliant quality images and video without you having to be a semi-professional user is great. This latest offering camera only was sent with the new 14-42mm lens so I could review it.
The Olympus Pen E-PL10 measures 12.5x6x6cm and weights 471 grams. There is about 3cm of extension with the lens. Let’s start with the top of the camera, pop up flash, flash shoe, nine position wheel, and finally on/off button. On either side of the top are neck strap anchor points. The left side is clear, while the right side has a door covering HDMI and USB sockets. The base has tripod screw and the solid battery bay as well as SD slot. The face has the motorised lens.
As its title indicates, this next offering is made up of five games belonging to the Hidden Object genre.
A picture, so they say, may be worth a thousand words but sometimes the image does not tell the complete story. Images, especially those of celebrities, have sometimes been doctored to enhance and modify the original image by specialist using software such as PortraitPro 19 from Anthropics Technology.
This product is available in Standard, Studio and Studio Max versions with this review being based on the top-of-the-range 64-bit PortraitPro 19 Studio Max offering. As its title should indicate, this software's main focus is concerned with the facial features of the subject featured in an image. This software does work best when dealing with a full face or profile view of the main character featured in the image.
This is a 27inch flat panel that is for normal home or office use, it is not sold as a gaming panel so the refresh rate can be a little slower. However it is also a panel with USB ‘C’ as a connection method so its bang up to date.
The Philips 276C8 measures 61x35.5x.8cm. Its stand is 18x18cm and this raises the screen by 8.5cm from whatever it rests upon, however cables attach to the rear of the stand so another 4cm is required to insert or remove them. The viewable screen is 59x33cm. The unit displays up to 2560x1440 which is Quad HD a lot more than standard 1920x1080. The notional diagonal imperial measurement is 27inches. The Refresh rate is 75HZ. The weight with stand is 4.26kilos.
ewel Match Twilight 3 is the latest edition to Suricate Games’ Match-3 series. As the game’s title might indicate, this offering has a ghostly theme as it features eerie sounds and abandoned buildings that require restoring. This review is based on a Collector’s Edition of the game that comes with bonus levels, spooky wallpaper and music.
Jewel Match Twilight 3 is the latest edition to Suricate Games’ Match-3 series. As the game’s title might indicate, this offering has a ghostly theme as it features eerie sounds and abandoned buildings that require restoring. This review is based on a Collector’s Edition of the game that comes with bonus levels, spooky wallpaper and music.
Adding to its extensive catalogue of play and educational toys, VTech offer a sea lion.
Splish! Splash! when taking a bath some company might well be appreciated Especially by the young and those who are young at heart Who would not mind, even enjoy sharing the water with a sea lion. For those looking for a sea lion companion to share their bath time, with or without soap bubbles, VTech has a possible offering that might be suitable. This is the appropriately named "Toot-Toot Splash Sea Lion" from the company's Splash Point series to entertain and educate young children.
Winging its way from China comes a set of Bluetooth earbuds with its own charging case
The PaMu Scroll is a set of Bluetooth earbuds that follow the recent trend of arriving with its own charging case that can provide a useful source of additional power and a facility for storing the earbuds when not in use.
This is not a cheap electric razor in fact you could probably buy several cheap electric razors for the cost of this one. This razor removes a week’s stubble quickly and without any discomfort either at the time or later.
It has three round heads for the shaving part these pop off to attach the hair trimming head and there is yet another head for another purpose.
The unit with shaving head is close to square at the end with the three heads at 5cm and it is 16cm long. It comes with a wireless charging plate 18x11cm and the razor sits on its back on the plate there is a slight indentation at one end that takes the shaving head. It comes with a two pin plug – the only one that should be found in a bathroom – that has a USB socket on one side. The plate has a hard wired USB lead of 1.2 metres long.
With a title of Hive View, the subject of this next review has to be a security camera that has been designed to keep you informed as to what is happening in the home when you are on your travels.
The Hive View security camera kit consists of the actual camera unit, various power plugs and connecting cable, screws, wall plugs plus mini User Guide and warranty document. . Deck out in white, the camera unit comes in three parts. These are the well-made camera unit, metallic base plate and stand unit. The various components can easily be slotted together for a free standing device or you could opt to have the camera wall-mounted using the supplied screws and wall plugs.
Are you ready for a story about a journey? Maybe it is not to the destination you would opt for given the choice. But Vendel Games hope you will accept the invitation.
Downloaded from Gamehouse.com, Love Chronicles - Death's Embrace is of the Hidden Object genre developed by Vendel Games. I have been checking out the Collector's Edition of this particular title. Bundled with the main game are a number of bonus offerings that Vendel Games hopes will add extra appeal to your trip to the Underworld.
This indoor camera is shaped like a wheel and has a slightly magnetic base so it stays where you put it. Like most such items it is controlled by an App. The setup is therefore almost entirely on your phone. Place the camera and insert the long micro USB lead and answer a number of questions on the phones screen and then you have a working security camera.
This indoor security camera from Somfy measures 9x9x4cm without the small curved base it sits on. The box it comes in has three layers first the camera, then after removing the top layer the three metre (10 foot) micro USB to USB lead and on the final layer dual EU and UK plugs with USB front. Plug in the plug to a power outlet attach the full sized USB end to the plug front and then anywhere within three metres place the camera and plug the micro USB end of the lead into the rear of the camera.
Looking after your teeth is not a task to be taken lightly.
Similar, but not identical in its outward appearance to the Colgate 250R electric toothbrush reviewed recently, the company's E1 product is a Smart Electronic Toothbrush. White in colour, the E1 toothbrush consists of a handle unit and replaceable brush head. The toothbrush handle does have a couple of differences that help distinguish it from the 250R model.
For those who like being in charge, the results of a survey indicate some pointers.
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