Publication History For : Paul Smart
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Its been a while since I have looked at an Freeview HD PVR, in fact I have never looked at any TV device from Pure, a huge name in DAB radio. This unit is a twin tuner PVR and it can also connect to the Internet via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
It is 43x13x4cm but you will need around 4cm more on the 13cm depth to allow for cable insertions in the rear. It weighs 2.9kilos. Before switching on for the first time insert your aerial lead in the rear and also attach the supplied DC lead and HDMI cable. It will then briefly show the Pure logo and then go into tuning mode in the first minute mine found 77 TV channels 25 radio channels and 18 data channels. This will vary according to where you are.
A name I know for powerful PCs, here a notebook running Windows 8, it does however not have touch. So is it a desirable thing to have a fast powerful notebook that runs an operating system that uses a front end that restricts it?
This Gigabyte Notebook measures 33x27x1.5cm and weighs 1.7kilos. The viewable screen is 31x17.5cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 14inches. The screen display is 1600x900. The lid has a brownish tinge while everything else is silver grey including – hurrah – the screen surround so those fingermarks do not show. In the top of the screen surround is the 1.3MP webcam.
This is an Android phone, however if you can cope with the smaller size it can do quite a number of things that you would expect to need a larger device to complete. This is a 112 gram device that slips easily into a pocket or purse.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini is of course a touch device, the regular creamy white colour means fingermarks do not show apart from on the screen. The official colour is Ceramic White and other colours are available. It is 12x6x1cm. On the right side is the on/off button and on the left side the volume up/down rocker. On top is the earbud connection via 3.5mm jack. The base has the only other connection a micro USB one to charge the unit.
This is a device that could persuade me to clean windows more often. As I live in a bungalow height is not a problem, the main problem is that previously when cleaned they look no different than they did before I cleaned them.
There are currently three models in the Karcher range WV50, WV60 and WV70. I have been sent the WV50 and WV70. The WV50 is the cheapest at around £50 and has the least in the box basically a wiper blade attached to a handheld vacuum. Of course there is more to it than that but just looking that is what you see. I am old enough to remember newsprint, rather different to the newspapers of today as the print could come off onto your hands as it was printed ink onto a press.
Doro are the biggest UK name in phones for the hard or hearing or those with limited sight. I have looked at at several designs and shapes over the years. So when one arrives with a new feature it immediately gets my interest.
The Doro PhoneEasy 520X measures 11.5x5x1cm and weights 93grams. Things you now expect and get from Doro, are different colour schemes for those sight is poor, very loud ring tones for those who hearing is poor, big buttons for ease of use for those who have difficulty in being precise with movements and now a back that is simple to remove using a coin twist mechanism to easily remove the back by turning a screw through 90 degrees. A simple thing that I am sure others will soon follow with.
While I saw a prototype unit a couple of years ago at Google, earlier versions of Chromebooks have passed me by. Rather different to a PC notebook and also different from a Google Tablet a Chromebook is a category of its own.
When I first saw one the things you noticed were that the keyboard had no function keys, this is still true. No local storage was possible and so therefore if you had no Internet connection you had a unit that could do nothing, this is no longer true. Not surprisingly it is chrome in colour and of course this has a huge advantage over a normal black screen surround in that your fingermarks do not show. The Samsung Chromebook, series 3 measures 29x20.5x1.5cm and weights 1090grams.
This is a multi-function unit which means it also has fax as well printing, scanning and copying, I actually recently found a business that still uses fax, my local Pharmacy as urgent prescriptions can be sent from doctors surgeries.
The HP PhotoSmart7520 measures 48x35x21cm, you will need a few more centimetres on the last figures to place items on the flatbed but not if you use the page feed. However anyone thinking of placing it on a shelf should make sure it’s strong enough. While this is capable of working on USB some of the features are only available via Wi-FI and this includes scanning to PC although you can scan to USB memory stick or SD card on the unit and then transfer the file to the PC.
Like most men I spend a lot of time in trainers for one reason only, they are comfortable, these however are rather different. Like most there are occasions that a notebook needs to travel with me and this bag from STM is also a little different.
These trainers are described as multi terrain shoes. They are trainers to look at but the sole is tricker and gives added support to all parts of the foot. I looked through all my trainers – old and new – and could not find one pair with a sole configuration anything like these. To begin with there is a slight heel, then the sole from the toe back is thicker and the really unusual bit is that there is support on either side in the mid sole area.
Art Rage 4 Software
Published in Software
on
7 June 2013
By the time anything gets to version 4 it should be mature; however this has something that few such products have and that is the ability to work just as well with touch screens such as those for some recent Windows 8 PCs it supports fully.
How do deaf or hard of hearing parents manage to hear when their baby is crying? Something like this offering Amplicomms the people known for ultra-loud phones have produced this small module to allow them to see as well as possibly hear.
It consists of two units both small the first that can watch over the baby and for a hearing parent it is even sensitive enough to hear the child breathing as well as to let you see it over a Wi-Fi link. The second is the receiving unit that has a 4.5x3.7cm screen as well as a speaker. The camera unit is 10x6x2cm on an 8x8cm base to keep it stable a small microphone is on a 5cm flexible arm. The receiver unit is 12x7x2.
A somewhat different book reader in that the shape of this near 7inch offering is more like a book with the bulge in the middle makes it easier to hold. It also has a backlight when lack of daylight means you need it.
The Kobo Aura HD eReader measures 17.5x12.7x1cm but the width is only 0.5cm at the edges. The screen is 13.5x10.5cm giving the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 6.8inches. The screen display is 1440x1080 made up of 265DPI. The unit weight is 240grams. It is an e-ink display and according to the Kobo CEO it is the biggest e-ink display in the world. In the box are the Aura HD a micro USB to USB cable and a small Getting Started Booklet. The reader is totally touchscreen.
Two different rather nice value sets of earbuds from very different places, First from Crystal Acoustics their i-40 offering. The second set from a name more known as a motherboard producer the H11 from Gigabyte.
A stylish looking set of ear plugs and because your ears are plugged there is a noise reduction element as well as a bass increase. 15cm down the black lead from your left ear is the normal mute and answer option found to allow you to take phone calls without needing to extract the smartphone from your pocket. The total lead length is 1.2metres and after .35 metres the two flat leads merge into one, this can be adjusted to suit.
Most radios I have reviewed from Pure rely on mains power, some have worked on batteries if you play extra for a ChargePAK, however this unit is designed to work on its internal batteries charged by USB, no mains lead in sight.
It is 15x8x2.5cm and weights 296grams. In use the second figure the height can be as much as 50cm when the 42cm six piece rod aerial is fully extended. The connections are on the right side at the top a silvered lock button. Below this the micro USB connection, Auxiliary I and Headphone 3.5mm sockets and finally a Pin Hole reset button. The back has an easel type stand that tilts the radio back by around 15degrees when extended. The top and the left side are clear.
This is a small but powerful digital camera from Pentax. Having recently tested myself on a DSLR offering I now downsize but not as far as point and shoot as this digital camera has a lot to offer yet it can still fit in most pockets.
It is 12.5x6x6cm the last figure the width is with lens cap on and the unit switched off. Add 3cm to the width when switched on and fully zoomed in. The body is metal and that is why the units weight is 398grams. 12MP may seem small as some less impressive units offer as much as 20MP but its how good the sensor is to give the quality and depth of the overall images taken.
This is another quality panel from a company in Holland who produce excellent panels but as they do not sell them under a well-known name you the user get the benefit without the added price that a known name carries in a premium.
It is 52x32x1.5cm the last figure at the edges, this however does increase to 5cm further in. The stand is circular and raises the panel by 6cm from your desk. The unit weights 3855grams with stand attached so side to side movement is possible as the whole unit moves comfortably. There is around 20% of backward tilt and around 10% of forward tilt. The unit is stable in whatever position you have it. The viewable screen is 50.5x28cm giving the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 23inches.
Bluetooth speakers both from iLuv. The first a near cube called the MobiOne. The second looking more like a standard speaker the MobiTour. The lady who sent them must have a wicked sense of humour as they were suggested for Fathers Day one was lipstick red and the other pink.
It is 8x7x7cm and thickest just above the rubberised base. While the speaker itself outputs through the top the base is always a tad tacky and so grips whatever you sit it on. While it is not resonating the tone does vary according to what surface you place it on. The on/off slider is on the base while the area just above it has the two external connections micro USB for charging on the back and 3.5mm Auxiliary input on the right side. A line of five buttons take the width of the front.
For anyone of a certain age this was an iconic brand when you still paid 7 shillings and 6 pence deposit when you got a syphon of soda from the off licence. Long before you could buy a bottle of soda water from a supermarket.
Yes a name that seemed to disappear from most people’s vocabulary. In fact when the courier delivered it to me he said ‘I thought this was a name from the past but I have delivered lots of these just recently’. Of course it’s very different from the upright chromed offering only now seen in antique and collectables stores and auctions.
Learning Windows 8
Published in Software
on
22 May 2013
Rather than a book this is a software package that will work on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8. It has text to read this can also be read out and things to do after it has explained them using a dummy Windows 8 interface.
It will not proceed until you have clicked the correct item and whatever you are then meant to do correctly, a good way to learn. At this point let me say I have used Windows more or less since it first came out and gone through all the incarnations since. Yes I admit that Windows 8 is very different but I would liken it to driving an automatic car after driving a manual one for years.
Certainly a crossover device, as Samsung makes smartphones and Samsung also make digital cameras. So in theory anyway a digital camera that looks like a smartphone with a quality lens added to it has a good chance of being a winner.
If you add a micro SIM then the Samsung Galaxy Camera can be your device for use everywhere. Using Wi-Fi without the micro SIM means you can do most things that a computer can anywhere where there is a signal. So is it a camera or a smart phone, you decide. The camera measures 13x7x3.5cm but the last figure the width can expand by over 5cm when the lens is fully extended, the zoom can be up to 21x. The viewable screen is 10.5x6cm. Going round the unit there is little to see.
Two companies offering devices to let you extend the range of your router by using Ethernet over your ring main, this means that if you have dodgy conectivity in part of your property it can be solved by using a plug in adapter.
I am looking at two solutions the first a basic offering from TRENDnet that does what it says. The second from Devolo that works faster and allows you use of a gang socket, and also has Wi-Fi. Of course the second is more expensive. These units are small at 7x5x4cm and on first glance look exactly like a slightly large 13amp plug. The base has an Ethernet socket with a small reset button beside it. The face has three LEDs on the right edge.
Having recently looked at some 23inch and 27inch flat panels, here is a 22inch (21.5inch) offering that still supports 1920x1080 but is a lighter and cheaper unit, still this seems perfectly usable and if your budget is more limited
It is 52x31x5cm, only 2cm thick at the edges. It comes with a simple 22x9cm oval stand that raises the screen 9cm from your desk. There is around 12 degrees of back tilt and a couple of degrees of forward tilt available, there is no side to side movement but as it weighs only 3375grams on the stand it is very easy to turn when required. The viewable screen is 47x27cm giving the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 21.5inches.
With CCTV being everywhere perhaps it is time to consider it for inside or outside your property. This offering from Swann offers a wide angle view from a single static camera so you should be able to know who has called.
It is quite a small unit at 12x7x5.5cm and this includes the sun shield. The bracket is 9x4.5x3cm this is fixed to the units base.
There are three wires emerging from the back of the bracket and with a permanent fixing these would be channelled through a wall. For a less permanent fixing it could go through a door frame or perhaps even a window surround. The unit has an 80% sweep, the Connection Guide suggests you mount it high up as this will allow looking over obstructions and also deter vandalism if mounted outside. For inside use it is recommended to be placed on the longer wall so the widest area is covered.
Having looked at a couple of larger Android tablets from Gemini here its the turn of one that can fit into a larger pocket. So for those who want something bigger than the screen on a phone but not one as large as a notebook.
It is 19x11x1cm, the last figure is less at the edges. The viewable screen is 15x8.5cm giving the notional imperial diagonal measurement of 7inches. It weights 276grams. This unit immediately has an advantage on others being handled by novices in that all the connections are on one landscape end. So first you are less likely to touch a button or connection and second less likely to suffer a non-requested ‘auto rotate’.
The first is something to aid the placing and fitting of hook in walls etc, in fact its the perfect complete kit of items. The second is something I will never wear in anger but maybe if you are half my age these are serious trekking shoes.
In crude terms its looks like a stapler for walls and what it sends out is pins, pegs and hooks. It is 17x10x4cm. I am sure we all have - at the very least - banged a finger with a hammer when trying to hang a picture on a wall. With Hang Buddy Pro it’s as simple as ‘Load’, ‘Level’ and ‘Press’.
Having recently attended a games event and told you about some rather nice headphones I was offered the chance to review a Bluetooth speaker set that works rather well via USB when connected to your PC its secret is that its a single speaker.
I am now really sure where the ‘10’ comes from in the name, a few months ago Michael Fereday got to review the ‘8’ in the same series. It is 30x9x8cm at the back of the unit, the front of this six sided unit is 27cm. All bar the back are covered in a fine mesh material. There are seven touch controls on top of the unit. The rear has three inputs Auxiliary In, Headphones Out and USB connection.
Having looked at numerous digital cameras, some Bridge units and only the occasional DSLR it is always nice to be stretched by one of the latter. A 300 page plus manual is always nice to digest as you try out some of the extras.
Mesuring 17x15x10cm the Pentax K-5 II will let you know this will not be light and indeed it weighs only a tad under 1200grams. The middle figure the width can increase by another 7cm when the 18-135mm lens is fully zoomed out, this is powerful.
This is a three in one device as it scans copies and prints. Scanning can be done without any intervention once you start the wizard, at the other extreme I have never seen so many choices for copying should you wish to use them.
The Epson Expressions Photo XP-750 measures 38x32x12cm, at printing time you will need another 13cm in front of the unit to deliver the printed page face up on the automatically extending paper output tray. The touchscreen TFT also extends out to horizontal but that is within the extension of the paper output tray.
First a game that most will know from paper versions Wordsearch, here a version on themes. Second something intended for those of an age group that I represent the over 55s and this has a serious theme of what you can immediately remember.
This is a rather nice board game for two to four players, stated to be age 8 upwards. It is based on those found in puzzle books, here however no pen or pencil is required. Wordsearch as in the puzzle book version is normally a single player game. Here it is for two, three or four and often the younger players find the words quicker.
I have previously reviewed several offering from Orbitsound. However unless my memory is failing this is the first with a sub-woofer and is certainly a first for a wirelessly connected sub-woofer, the main unit can be connected several ways.
Recently I attended an event devoted to Bluetooth. Perhaps it should have been called an event for iPhone and iPad. Anyhow of the few companies present who had items available that did not require an ‘i’ device this was the only one who has so far come through on their promise to send an item or items for review. Orbitsound have two new models the M9 and the M12, both should be available by the time you read this review.
This is a wireless (Bluetooth) speaker system that can also import via 3.5 jack and i device dock. Pioneer is one of the better names in audio and the 30 watts output may convert you to this unit. So have they shrunk size to compete in this competitive area?
Pioneer XW-BTS3 bluetooth speaker measures 33x10x16cm, the last figure is without anything in the iPod device dock. My unit was white but they also do it in more standard black. Bluetooth is the main selling point here; it was easy to link to a range of devices. You can also use the ‘i’ device dock which of course will also charge your device while in place provided you keep the power lead connected to it.
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