Publication History For : Paul Smart
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A small candle type bulb running on batteries is the first and a standard screw fitting bulb the second. Both can be controlled manually or from a SmartPhone App. The candle can be extinguished by blowing on it or lighted in the same way.
Yes it’s not a misprint once the batteries are inserted the unit can be turned or by simple blowing across the top of it. Now I have seen such a candle light before that can be turned by blowing on it but never one that can be turned on in that way. There is a small on/off slider that stops this happening unintentionally.
First an interesting device from Motorola that is a plug with just a single USB socket on the base. Then an item supplied to me for those who have Lightning and forget their cable, then another device different make same purpose.
While this is stated to be for recent phones I have tested it with and range of phones and Tablets. This can deliver up to 1.6amps from a standard looking 13amp plug back, it seems to check what charging rate your device can take. While faster charging is likely to only avail itself to more recent phones I tested it on a range of phones and tablets. If you tend to charge from a standard USB port you may only get .5amp and indeed my own Tablet takes a good part of a day when charged in that way.
Yes its big, you could display a lot of spreadsheet or several web pages on its possible 3440x1440 display. You could use it in either portrait or landscape mode as it swivels easily on its stand, you could even treat yourself to cinema videos without large borders top and bottom.
This AOC 34inch Panel measures 82.5x37x2cm; its stand is rectangular 30x22cm and raises the panel between 6 and 27cm in landscape mode. This is certainly the largest - in screen size – panel that I have reviewed but even with its fairly weighty base it weights a fraction of what my first 17inch monitor weighed, that you always had a space to put it down before you picked it up, this unit is still quite easy to move around.
If you pay more than £100 for a set of earbuds then to me they must be special. So does the fact these are made from Carbon Fibre and Machined Brass mean they are automatically worth the money I was unsure so I used them for several weeks.
When I think of brass I assume something will weigh a lot, the total weight of these earbuds is 18grams. They are 1.23metres from the gold plated ‘L’ shaped connection to the silicon earbuds. The last 33cm are two leads the rest of the lead is one. The left lead has the tie-shirt-or whatever crocodile clip and above this the normal phone answer and music track control.
This is not Samsungs latest and greatest high end model but it is being sold by AO at a very competitive price so much so that they class it as a best seller, so what exactly do you get for your money and is it a good value purchase.
The screen is 90x52.5x3.5cm, the stand is rectangular at 50x19cm and this raises the screen by 6cm from whatever you place it on. The viewable diagonal screen measurement is 40inches.
A set of headphones designed for kids of an age when the parents/guardians still decide what they listen with so the headphones are volume limited as the early years of a childs life is the time when their hearing can be most easily damaged.
They are however still wearable by an adult and I spent many hours listening to their output, which is perfectly adequate to listen to either a mobile phone or even an MP3 player, I even tested them with my audio system and the sound was clear and crisp. Now onto the claim of ‘volume limited’ well the packaging states 85DB which to me anyway is more than loud enough.
This is the latest fitness device to come my way, as I am now using Android 5 it should link without problem, it is stated to work with later versions of Android 4 with low power Bluetooth 4 and that is what you should check before purchase.
Fully stretched the strap containing the Fuse reaches to 25.5cm; it is black rubber on the face and red rubber on the back. Download the App from the link given in the Quick Start Guide. Charge the Fuse from either a plug front or any PC USB port and you are ready to sweat. While the Fuse displays a range of things on the solid central area of the strap you set it up with what to display and when to vibrate – if required – within the App.
First an item I have reviewed before that anyone with high blood pressure needs, here though not the arm cuff but a wrist one. Second an item that anyone with Diabetes needs a testing device that automatically stores your daily readings for you.
Unlike most blood pressure monitors that require you to roll sleeves high up your arm this device works at the wrist. Having reviewed other such devices and I do own one myself this gives readings that are just as accurate and less involved. This has been waiting to be reviewed for some months, the reason I could not review it is that it did not work with the original app on my SmartPhone.
I saw this unit at the BETT (Education Show) at the end of January and the quality of its output was the reason I requested it. I knew it would be big and expected the normal review place in my cramped office not to be enough, I was wrong.
The Epson Sure Colour SC600 measires 60x28x22cm when shut. Add 15cm to the last figure the height to put a stack of A4 in the sit up and beg back tray. Add 21cm to the depth to cover the paper output tray, so 60x49x37cm is the total space needed to have an A3+ unit in your office. If you use A3 paper in the tray make the last figure (height) 49.5inches.
Designed like some other units to give you more volume from your mobile phone. This also allows you to plug in an MP3 player or other such device to receive the Thumbs Up treatment to increase the volume level via its speaker.
The TouchMini Boombox measures 6.5x7x5.5cm and weighs 123grams. This is the smallest such unit and using the notch in the top or side it can be a little unstable if you insert a large SmartPhone. The front facing speaker on the unit is 4cm across, when you use the notch be sure to place the speaker on your phone towards the front of the unit.
Small is perhaps an inadequate word in this case. I have reviewed mini PCs before but never something smaller than even a small mobile phone and this PC runs Windows 8.1 so can something that slips into a pocket deliver?
It is 10x4x1cm with connections once plugged into an HDMI port on the back or side of your TV. It could also connect into a standalone panel. It weighs only 45grams.
This is a very nice 27inch flat panel designed to show 2560x1440 resolution using Display Port, it also has Digital, D-Sub and HDMI connections that will show at 1920x1080, but assuming your graphics chip has HDMI 1.4a this unit has a big plus.
The AOC q2778vqe measures 62.5x38x1.5cm, its stand is circular and 22cm across this raises the unit by 8cm from your desk. The viewable screen is 60x34cm which gives the notional imperial (diagonal) measurement of 27inches. Via VGA (D-Sub) or Digital you will get only the standard 1920x1080 resolution, with Display Port its 2560x1440 automatically and if you have a recent notebook you can certainly have it as a second display showing 2560x1440 via HDMI.
This is a value phone that looks like it should cost more. It has bright easy to read screen apart from when you are in strong sunlight and then those who hanker for a mirror should be accommodated by the ultra-reflective screen.
The Alcatel Pop D5 measures 13x6.5x1cm and weights 150grams. The viewable screen is 9.7x5.6 which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 4½ inches. That is 480x854pixels. The back is a tasteful matt black so why can’t the screen surround be the same at least then it would not show fingermarks. I know non reflective screens cost more so that’s why this has not got one.
A tiny camera in a large box but it is not all packaging as it has numerous ways of connecting it to your body so whatever you do and wherever you go the Actioncam 400 can come to and as there is a wrist (watch type) connection you do not even need to touch the camera to activate it.
The Rollei Actioncam 400 5x5x3.5cm and weighs only 78grams. I will not even attempt to give the weight or dimensions with ‘x’, ‘y’ or ‘z’ attached. The camera itself has three buttons on/off and shoot on the top and Wi-Fi connection on the face.
A quality microwave that is available from AO.COM at an amazing price. This is not the latest and greatest that seems to be able to everything but the washing up. However it is a very competent offering at a price only normally found with the entry level models.
In a previous life I was a chef so I know my way round a kitchen and to be honest my own microwave is at least 35years old and normally gets used for defrosting and reheating, it does not even have a revolving turntable. So for three weeks I decided to forsake my over and hob and live using the microwave.
This nice looking notebook is also powerful and has an Full HD 1080P screen although it is only 15.6inches. The surprising thing is that it looks the right size even though the majority of 15.6inch offering give a much lower resolution.
It is 38.5x26x2 and weights 2.2kilos. Most of the connections are on the right side so if you wanted this could be close to a wall or partition on your left if you wanted. The exception is the Kensington Lock port on the back left and an SD Card port on the front. So you have 3.5mm socket for headphones, three USB3 ports an HDMI port and an Ethernet port finally the DC power input. Often with notebooks speakers are an afterthought not so here as the sound is excellent from its four speakers.
Those of us that have seen the size and weight of a hard disc fall while its capacity has increased have seen the capacity of memory sticks increase in the same way. An 8GB memory stick is almost entry level and larger ones have more capacity than a lot of older even quite recent hard drives.
Time was when to install an operating system on a new hard disc meant having a CD or DVD and doing the installation from that. More recently computer BIOS settings allow you to install from USB stick. The basic installation files of Windows 7 fit easily onto an 8GB memory stick so providing a memory stick is reliable then that’s fine.
This is the latest version of a product from Cyberlink it is called Power2Go and it burns and backs up, yes I know the latter is a bore but if you have not got a current working backup and the worst happens then your digital life ends.
The install takes around five minutes on a reasonably fast machine and you use 1005MB of hard disc space. Three icons are created on your Desktop Power2Go 10, LabelPrint 2.5 and WaveEditor 2. Open Power2Go 10 and you have a front end that is simple and clear. It is split horizontally with tasks in the top half and that tasks options in the lower half. The eight choices are Data Disc, Video Disc, Music Disc, Photo Gallery Disc, Online Media Backup, Copy Disc, Media Converter and Utilities.
Its been a while since I have cast my eye over a standalone Sat Nav for a car, after all most SmartPhones can give you directions so why should you buy a device designed for a single job that does have just a single purpose to get you from A to B.
It is designed for landscape use and is 14x8.5cm when being used out of car the weight becomes important and without any fittings attached that is 177grams. The viewable screen is 11x6.3cm and is rather reflective so in out of car use needs to be shielded on a sunny day. While this is intended for in car use I always do some of my tests walking, on buses and even on trains. The reason for the last two is that you can concentrate on the screen something you should never do when driving.
The Asus Notebook X555MA is a 15.6inch screen notebook from Asus that runs Windows 8.1, it has an Intel i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard disc. The price is quite reasonable so what is not to like about this offering as it even has a DVD drive?
This notebook measures 37x25.5x2cm the last figure is at the back and it slims to only 1cm at the front, it weights 2120grams. The right side has the optical drive, a USB port, 3.5mm headphone socket and an SD card socket. The front is clear as is the back the former as it is so thin the latter as the screen goes back to 135 degrees. The left side has a Kensington Lock port, two USB3 ports, HDMI and VGA sockets, Ethernet port and DC input. The viewable screen is 34x19.
While I am very happy with my Moto G the Moto E is a cheaper phone and it now comes with, or is upgrades to Android V5 so is this upgrade and other improvements such as 4G and the larger 2390mAh battery worth doing?
It is 13x6.5x1cm and weights 144grams, the screen is 5.5x10cm these figure gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 4.5inches. Front VGA camera for those all-important Selfies and for things like Skype. Switch on is 34seconds while shutdown is 3seconds.
They are an on ear offering that is sold to work via Bluetooth which it does, however they can be used as USB headphones whilst charging the units internal battery or at any time without turning the Bluetooth on, so they are dual use.
After recently reviewing two quite heavy on ear and over ear corded headphones these seem extremely light at 81grams in Bluetooth mode. Unlike a lot of headphone sets you are unlikely to wear these on the wrong ears as they are tilted back so if you put them on the wrong way round they just do not fit well. Lack of weight is great for moving around but that of course also means lack of padding and anyone like me who is somewhat hair challenged on top who may find this noticeable.
A new corded vacuum from Vax however its not an upright nor is it a conventional pull along. Have they found a new way to clean your carpets and floors? I saw it at a recent visit to a popular London launch venue now Im trying it out.
The Vax AirRevolve is a cylinder 24cm across -36cm with connection to cleaner head- 40cm long. This might sound confusing as it can be used either on its wheels – the cylinder ends – when it pulls along like a conventional pulled unit or on its end which is ideal for things like cleaning stairs as it can sit on a stair and just be moved as you move up. There is a maximum of two metres between cleaner and head.
Having just looked at a small DSLR unit, this is a bigger one with a large lens, certainly not something to fit in a pocket and definitely something to attach the neck strap to unless of course you are into a tough fitness regime when it may not seem heavy.
The Canon EOS 5D DSLR measures 23x11.5x18.5 when closed, fully extend the 24-105mm lens I was sent and this increases the last figure to 23cm. The weight is just over 1500grams with neck strap attached. While I am always as guilty as most to not reading the %-&*(“! manual not so here as this unit stretches me as I would call it a semi-professional model and that is almost beyond me, but I do enjoy the challenge.
Getting 50mm driver units into headphones means they are never going to be small. These are just on ear offerings for an adult for a younger person or someone with small ears then they enter the realm of an over ear offering.
The earpads are round and 8cm across; they are heavily padded so have a reasonable external noise deadening effect. There are 4cm worth of extension on each arm and with the earpads extended to 24cm width the distance from the centre of this area to the top of the rubber padded headband is 19cm. Each earpad turns through 90degrees so they can be rotated to sit -either independently- or together on top of the ears if the headband goes to the back of the neck. They come with a 1.2metre 3.5 to 3.
I am not a lover of evening presentations, probably because of the various medications I am on I cannot drink so I find the socialising a drag, lets get down to the point of the event the presentation which was interesting and I got the chance to have a 1 to 1 with the scientist behind the event while the majority partied the evening away.
If you are a man then the name of Gillette must probably have formed part of your morning routine. Having decided that the five (make that six) blades in their current cartridge could not be improved they went to work on the shaft that you hold so that the blades grip the many contours of your face to allow their blades to give you a closer and more comfortable shave.
I have been using this unit for several months. Mainly because of the claim that the ink tanks should last up to two years. A bold claim but when you examine the minute amount of ink normally supplied in cartridges 70ml is a lot.
First some maths, you could buy a bargain ‘All In One’ for well under £100 the Epson 555 ‘Multi Function’ – including Fax is more than three times that. Normal ink cartridges can contain as little as 3 to 4ml of ink the Epson 555 ink bottles contain 70ml. When the time comes to refill the tanks around £30 should have you full of the four inks again. So a rough – very rough – comparison says 140ml of ink and the Epson 555 around £350.
A slightly oversized watch that appears to have no connections, there is a dock but as the unit just sits in it the charging is wireless and the connection to your Android phone is via Bluetooth. So is this the next must have accessory?
I am extremely happy with my current phone but the Moto 360 works with any phone that can download the Moto software from the Android store. It is 4.7x4.5x1cm and weights 51grams. As is my way I charged the unit in its cradle this took just over an hour until it stated 100% and indeed once I let it fully exhaust the recharge took the same time and also kept the time and all the settings I had changed from the defaults.
I understand that Epson claim this to be their smallest printer ever. It runs either on a solid internal battery or by mains power. It can receive data via Wi-Fi, eMail or USB. So will this mobile offering be in place in every sales persons car?
When shut it is 31x15x5cm and weights 1.623 kilos. When ready for use the lid tips back to form the paper input tray and the 15cm depth becomes 25cm, the height with A4 paper in situ is increased from 5 to 29cm. For many reasons you are unlikely to print huge documents as it’s not that fast, the ink cartridges are small and only a few sheets can occupy the input tray at a time.
Have you ever arrived at the airport and started your holiday with a huge excess baggage charge, if so check out the Balanzza mini S sold by Lakeland. The second single purpose item is a USB Power Tap this is distributed by Thumbs Up.
This simple device can save much more than its purchase price the very first item you lift with it as it can save huge excess baggage charges. Don’t worry either as it easily tells you the weight in either lbs or kilos at the press of a button. A simple item consisting of a grip with a display on the top, this is powered by two clock type batteries that are supplied, either side of the oval display is a button.
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