Publication History For : Paul Smart
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A not so small Android Tablet that is advertised as useable in one hand. Certainly for those with smaller hands this maybe a slight problem. It is however a near 8inch screen and means normal web pages display without any problems.
It is 20x14x1cm and weights 372grams. The screen surrounds are creamy grey and the back is silver. The viewable screen is 16x12cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 7.8inches. Unfortunately the screen itself is rather reflective, still on a budget priced unit you rarely get non reflective screens. It comes with Android 4.2.2. Boot up is 22seconds and shutdown 4seconds. In the centre of the area above the screen is a 2MP web cam, a 5MP camera is mounted back left.
For the last few weeks I have neglected my phone as I have been using other review units, for my trip out my phone needed to function. I switch it on for it to beep and show 0%. Luckily this PNY device had just arrived fully charged.
It is 10.5x4x2cm and weights 156grams. The front end of the unit has two USB ports and abov3e these centrally placed a micro USB port. It comes with a 50cm long USB to micro USB cable. The unit is brushed metal with a shiny chromium band at the front end. There is an on/off button next to a 1x.7cm % display. I connected the lead to one of the USB ports and the other end to my dead phone. It immediately sprung into life.
This is a large screen All In One device not a print/scan/copy but an Android device built into the screen of this 24inch offering so you have touch. If you wish you can connect any other PC or notebook to the screen using HDMI to get a large display.
The ViewSonic VSD241 measures 60.5x41.5x3cm. The viewable screen is 51.5x29.5cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 23½ inches. The display is full HD 1920x1080 and I viewed various videos and movies both from the Android and PC interfaces and they both were excellent. I am sure the built in 1.7GHz Quad Core NVidia processor make the movies and indeed all applications used function crisply.
Here a more recent solution a record deck that allows you to play your music and even make a digital copy of it. It also has a radio and a CD player, so a complete audio system, should you want more than just an MP3 copy add one lead and a PC and you can.
While it is sold as ‘Retro’ in many ways it is bang up to date. It is creamy white in colour with a clear Perspex lid, the feet are chrome coloured. While it has a twelve page manual all in English the layout could be better. Diagram with numbers on the right hand page and then the key on the left hand page to follow.
The Duo stands for dual SIM and with various companies offering good deals for one service or another having a dual SIM phone can save a lot of money. As Prestigio phones are sold unlocked you can even use SIMs from two different companies.
I have reviewed a couple of other Dual SIM phones in the past. The last one used a full size SIM and a micro SIM. This uses two full size offerings which piggy back on top of each other but fit in different ways. Also nearby is where any Micro SD card you use fits. All require the back to be removed to insert, but only the SIMs require the battery to be removed.
A simple device to do one job I seem to have written that a lot recently but it is something that most people can use to make things easier. It is a USB hub on a long lead meaning you do not need to be tied that closely to your PC or even a power outlet.
The lead when unfurled is three metres and the power lead that connects to is another one and half metres long so in effect you can charge or power items up to four and a half metres from a power point. Of course this can be even further away if you use another lead extension. So on a nice day you can work away in your garden and still have power. The box contains the Life Hub, the Cradle that holds the wound cable, the mains cord, the power adapter and a small multi language manual.
An Android Tablet with an added plus it can be used when Wi-Fi is not available so it can be a phone or with the correct service with Mobile Data. So what does this recent offering from French company have to offer the user?
The Archos 79 Xenon Android tablet measures 19.7x13.4x.7cm and weights 315grams. The viewable screen is 12x16cm. The unit is cream in colour with a silver back. At the base of the back is a pair of reasonable speakers. At the top of the back is a 2cm cream strip that is your way to inserting SIM and Micro SD Cards. At the left corner of this strip is the camera. Immediately above it on the top edge is the on/off button.
An Inkjet multi-function machine that means it has fax - as well as scan, copy and print. This is part of the OfficeJet range and as such has a more substantial paper input tray than you might find on those units designed for home use.
The HP Officejet Pro 8610 is also a bit boxier given that it probably does not have to pass the lounge police, however with Wi-Fi there is no reason why it needs to be in view, it could sit behind a sofa or even in a cupboard. It is 47x44x29cm. The power, phone and USB/Ethernet should you use either of the latter all go into the back left of the unit.
A lot of people of my generation still have a lot of vinyl, however a good number of those have nothing to play it on. Here a more recent solution a USB deck that allows you to play your music and even make a digital copy of it.
It is 37x35x8cm with cables inserted. While a USB lead takes the data to your PC or MAC you will also need the hard wired RCA lead provided. This can end in two plugs or a single one and both possibilities are catered for. Here I stress RTFM (read the !!!! manual) in fact there are two and both are clearly written (less than ten relevant pages) in a good sized type.
The Cygnett 1A ChargeUp is a charging device that helps you out when your phone or tablet goes flat and a power plug is not in sight. However this has another feature that can also have a use when power is lost it has a built in torch in the end of the unit.
The device measures 9.6x2.8x2cm and weights 72grams. It comes with a 30cm USB to micro USB cable that has two uses dependant on the way it is connected. There is a single button on the base of the unit that will turn the torch on, this button is flush to slightly indented so you are unlikely to turn the torch on by mistake. You also need to press the button for at least a couple of seconds to turn it on/off.
This is a small digital camera that can be used in Auto mode to give you nice images, however should you want more then it can also help you learn and set you on your way to capturing great images should you wish to progress.
The Ricoh Digital Camera WG-4 is a small Waterproof unit that follows the recent Ricoh course of having built in levels and even a clock on the face, I can see the point of knowing you are capturing a straight image on land but if you are under water why should it matter, as for the clock! It is 16.5x6.5x3cm and weights 235grams. The right side has a chunky wrist strap, the left side is semi circular and has nothing.
A tool to do a single job, link to various web sites such as YouTube and relay whatever you have on your phone or Tablet and via some electronics in the supplied HDMI dongle and show it on your TV with sound, so any non Connected TV is updated.
It is 7x3.5x1cm, the middle figure the width is at the fatter back just behind the connection it is only 2cm so should not block any nearby HDMI ports. However if this is a problem on your TV an HDMI extender cable is supplied. It is also supplied with a 1.5metre lead which fits into the end of the Chromecast and is a USB lead who’s other end is either a standard USB plug or fits into the supplied 13AMP plug, this is required to provide power to the Chromecast.
Often new phones are available from the large providers before the actual company who manufacture them. This is a case in point this unit was supplied by O2. It is the most recent Samsung SmartPhone to become available in the UK.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 measures 14x7x.5cm and weights 145grams. The viewable screen is 11.2x6.4cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial screen measurement of 5.1inches. While I have used other Android 4.4 this unit (Android 4.4.2) has a lot of features I have not seen or used before and the short one week review time did not give me the chance to try more than a few. However those small things I tried I liked. One I did try was the excellent camera for both still and movie capture.
This is another version of the recently reviewed item from thumbs UP that got the highly desirable and very rarely awarded 5x5 award. It has the same great volume increase ability to turn a low volume from and speaker into something desirable.
It is somewhat larger and also has a separate volume knob, it can show video on the screen if placed correctly and lets the sound come out of the speakers, yes I said speakers so there is stereo and while it can be run on batteries it is also possible to run on mains power. It is also possible to charge your playing device via USB while in situ. On the basis of what I have said above this surely is worth another 5x5 award.
Yes I am aware Backing Up is boring but if it is fully automated and at times you are not doing anything with your PC then it can be just another task that takes place. Then of course when the worst does happen you are prepared.
I first downloaded this and tried it on a Windows 8 machine, ad is a small 50MB ZIP file and there is no longer any support for Windows XP why not try it here for a slow machine with not a lot of memory but having files you still might want. Once downloaded the file decompresses and takes around 300MB of hard disc space. I decided that I would not allow any Internet access (it wants to check for updated files etc) so just gave it a blanket job to back up the ‘C’ drive.
A 24inch panel from Viewsonic. While they used to be thought of as screens for viewing computer information more and more these days they come into their own as devices to watch videos and even live TV delivered over the WWW.
My test period included the World Snooker Championship and as the BBC has only one ‘Red Button’ channel these days there was often good stuff not available live so the glib presenter just says available online or via your connected TV. I do not have the latter so this panel connected to a PC and from there via Wi-Fi to my router gave excellent full screen coverage even when live ‘aerial’ coverage was not available through your TV.
A snug fitting shoe, a little bright by my standards but given that anything goes today the word is comfort and while these are extremely comfortable I am not one for vigorous exercise which I understand is their main purpose.
These weight 280grams per shoe (mine are size 10, 44EU) and so comfortable with or without socks. Which as a very mature person also seems wrong to me, but I did wear them barefoot as they are designed to be worn - most of the time. These are marketed as ‘off road ready’ which means rough terrain my extent of rough terrain is walking round the local car boot fair in a nearby field. The moulded soles are predominately yellow with one red area.
A new name to me that I found by chance while checking the Apps pre-installed on an Android Smartphone. Health items are of particular interest to me as I have several health problems myself so these items are always useful.
The company is based in the USA and has a base also in Europe. I liked the look of the App and that I why I ventured to their website and then to ask for review items. I was sent three items a Blood Pressure Cuff, Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker and a Pulse Oximeter. I have looked at other Blood Pressure readers mostly the arm type but there is another cuff type in a recent review.
Looking at this panel alongside others of a like size makes it look tiny. It isnt but the borders around the screen are so despite it being a 22inch panel that offers full 1920x1080 display it still looks a lot smaller and takes up less space.
The BenQ GW2265M measures 50x29x2cm, the viewable screen is 48x26.5cm which gives the notional imperial measurement of 21.5 inches. The weight including the stand is tad under 3.25kilos. the stand is a clip on oval 21x18cm. While the screen surround is shiny black the screen itself is less reflective so gives a good clear image even in strong daylight but of course try to avoid direct sunlight onto the screen.
A Chromebook is an option to a standard Android Tablet. It works in much the same way and the biggest problem it had at first launch of not being able to work offline is now overcome although there are currently less options than with other Android offerings.
This offering from Acer is 28.5x20x2cm the last measurement is at the rear with the thickness at the front only 1cm. It weighs less than 1.2kilos. Startup is less than four seconds and shutdown only two seconds. Close the lid and open it again for immediate response back where you were. Battery life is well over ten hours even with Wi-Fi being used. It is less if Bluetooth is also turned on.
For various reasons I was not able to pursue YouView when it first launched. Here then is my first look at a technology that those with unlimited broadband download allowances can use to catch up with TV programs they missed when they were broadcast.
A very good well illustrated ‘Getting Connected’ booklet takes you through everything required to get up and running. If you have a digital TV then by using the supplied HDMI cable you should be up and ready to watch in around 15minutes.
On the face of it a similar device to the WD My Cloud reviewed a few months ago. Two Terra Bytes of storage available for you to share across your Network. However due to various initial problems a lot of time was spent before all was perfect.
I could write the whole piece and more on the various problems caused by Anti Virus, Firewalls, and Firmware. Let’s just leave it that technical support were very helpful with a long phone calls and this was followed by several emails. Apart from the firmware problem the difficulties were ay my end but once we got past that it seems that the latest version of firmware solved the last problem of not being able to connect wirelessly. So a big thank you to Mary at Buffalo Technical support.
This is a smaller notebook offering from Gigabyte that comes with Windows 8. Whilst I did all the necessary updates this time I resisted the offer to upgrade to Windows 8.1. I instead completed my review with just what was delivered and the updates.
It is 33x23.5x1.8cm and weights 1765grams. It comes with Windows 8 and I decided not to do the optional upgrade to Windows 8.1. Gigabyte offer a range of shortcuts in Windows 8 on the Desktop screen some of which are incorporated in Windows 8.1 and these are lost if you do the upgrade. The left side has the Kensington lock fitment, Ethernet, VGA, two USB3 ports one has the option to stay live even when off for charging other devices and a dual headphone/microphone socket.
This is a Touch Screen Unit from AOC, it is also an Android unit in the same case, however it can also be used to connect to a PC/notebook via D-Sub or HDMI and if you add the supplied USB cable this gives you a PC/notebook with full touch screen ability.
The AOC A2472Pw4t measures 60x37x3cm and has a viewable screen area of 51x29cm, which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 23inches. The screen looks bigger as there are two borders, the border to the screen and then the actual units surround. To change from HDMI or D-Sub to Android you use the touch screen controls at the bottom right of the screen. This action can be done before boot or even when the Android system is running and it is possible to switch between the two.
Co Pilot on Android or iOS
Published in Phones
on
12 May 2014
Not long ago most cars had a Sat Nav but now a dedicated system is just another device, a lot of people rely on the mapping on their Smart Phones here is something slightly more than an App from one of the big players in Sat Nav.
Installation providing you have a serial number is just a matter of downloading the main file to your SmartPhone I used Android but I am told there is a Apple version. Once the file is downloaded enter your serial number and then choose which part of the worlds variety of maps you want.
Cyberlink YouCam Perfect Beauty Cam
Published in Phones
on
11 May 2014
I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of Free things I have reviewed, perhaps the most famous is Skype. Here an App for Android users that allows you to capture an image possibly a selfie and then use the tools provided to enhance it.
Cyberlink are a company that produce a range of very good software for PC users here however it’s a free App downloadable from the Google Play Store it is around 40MB so quick to download on a Wi-Fi link. I saw this shown when I was attending an event for their latest version of Power DVD a review will follow later.
These are new to the UK although a sister company brought out a very good Blood Pressure watch some years ago. Here I am looking at Smart Scales, Smart Blood Pressure Cuff and a Smart Pedometer these with a free App that can monitor your health.
Currently the App is only available to work automatically with IOS devices using the recent version of Bluetooth. A version to run on Android is promised shortly. However those with older IOS units can enter their details manually. These are very smart bathroom scales, they have a wipe clean safety glass top and the rubber feet make it feel quite secure but perhaps best of all the scales are easy to read.
This is a Multi-Function Device in that it can print, scan, copy and for those who still use it fax. Unlike the recent offering that was monochrome this is colour and of course somewhat larger but in real terms really not that much larger.
The HP Colour Laser MFP M177fw measures 42x41x32cm, the only figure that needs a little more space is the last one if you are raising the lid on the flatbed, but as there is a rather good sheet feed then you only really need the flatbed to copy pages from books or magazines. The paper input tray is at the base and paper is inserted face up, it is delivered from the output shelf just under the scanner face down. All the connections power/network/USB/phone are back left.
Guinness World Records Cards
Published in Entertainment
on
5 May 2014
First an apology these arrived sometime ago and a friend said great could he borrow them for a couple of days as he was compiling a quiz. I forgot and he forgot and it is months later when I got them back so this is a very late review.
For those times when mains powered speakers or even large headphones are not acceptable then maybe a thumb sized speaker that enhances sound through what it rests on or maybe a set of decent earbuds may answer your needs.
This is shaped like a barrel being 3.5cm wide at the top and bottom and 4.5cm at the widest part in the centre it is also 4.5cm tall. The central 3.5cm strip is rubberised as is its lid. It weights a tiny 47grams and this includes the metal clip that allows you to fit a strap and it also holds the lid when flipped open. There are just two connections a micro USB (for charging) and a 3.5mm socket should you want to output music from any device that does not have Bluetooth.
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