Publication History For : Paul Smart
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This is an indoor security camera, the colour option works in lower light than a lot of others and while easy to setup once you have decided what ‘password’ it wants you to enter to link, then it offers a great deal more options in the settings than almost any other such camera and for those who want them it can provide so many choices over the basics.
It is a round offering on a flat base 9x9x11cm the latter is with the supplied micro USB to USB lead inserted in the back of flat base. It can also be hung via screws and an attachment to the base. The camera rotates to any position so via a setting it can then follow whatever moves and another setting allows this to be human, to explain the last part this can stop it following your pet such as a cat and then avoid false positive notifications.
I never sleep well, for a while now I have been looking for a new mattress; then the problem is what to do with the old one. This all became worse now the Pandemic is here with no courier or delivery driver coming further than the front doorstep. The solution I hit upon was to try a memory foam mattress topper on top of the mattress that I already have.
It arrived via Amazon three days after ordering. Packed in a large blue outer bag and then the inner bag with the mattress topper rolled inside, there is also a supplied cover. It has an A5 ‘Care Instructions’ sheet saying that there will be a residual smell that will disappear after a period of time and that the mattress will expand to original shape in around 8-10 hours.
This is the last of the recent batch of new SmartPhones from Emporia. This brand of phones looks like a normal SmartPhone but gives the user extra help be it more volume for those of us with hearing loss or brighter and more distinct displays for those with sight problems; however they can also be used as a standard Android SmartPhone.
It is 15x7.4x.7cm and weighs 177grams. The viewable screen is 12.3x6.5cm with the normal three control buttons below the screen in the surround, the centre home button is a slightly raised solid button. Going around the outside has the volume rocker buttons with the on/off button below these. The base has USB ‘C’ for charging as well as the contacts for the supplied charging dock. The left side is clear and the top has 3.5mm socket for earbuds.
Web Cams until the recent CoronaVirus were something that sat in the top surround of a panel of your Notebook/Tablet, often people worried about being spied upon, recent panels I have seen now have no Web Cam. So hence the need for decent offerings like this one from Logitechh that can keep friends and family in touch.
I installed it on a not that recent Windows 10 system and that involved screwing the tripod base to the camera and plugging in the hard wired USB lead and saying yes a couple of times. So anyone can do it, this means a son or daughter can purchase this online and post to their parent so at least they can chat and see each other, thus keeping friends and family in touch during the current Pandemic.
Google Pixel 4XL and Nest Mini updated
Published in Phones
on
10 Apr 2020
Since these two devices were reviewed towards the end of 2019 I have been asked to tell you about changes made to them in order that should you purchase them now you have the actual updated information for instance the Pixel 4XL was one of the first to come with Android 10 as standard.
My first look was published in November and apart from the obvious change with it coming with Android 10 it has significant improvements to AI. Gestures were in the original release but now you can do much more without touching your phone. They say it can even tell if you have had an accident in a vehicle and if required it can even call the emergency services. Hopefully a feature you will use more often is to motion sense your music so going back, moving forward and pausing all by gestures.
This 24inch panel from Philips displays in 1920x1080 like the majority, but here the refresh rate is up to 75Hz instead of the standard 60Hz. Another of the plus features is USB ‘C’ and the ability to charge and transfer data from your notebook or Tablet via a single supplied cable. It also has pivot ability so can be used in portrait mode as well.
It is 53.5x32.5x1.5cm; the viewable screen is 52.5x29.5cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of just under 24inches. The bezel at the sides and top is .5cm and at the base is 3cm, the six control touch buttons are at the right end of this with only a white LED visible. The total weight with stand is just over 5 kilos. There is 30 degrees of back tilt and 5 degrees of forward tilt.
Emporia Smart.3mini
Published in Phones
on
1 Apr 2020
Having recently told you about a couple of Emporia phones that are designed with Android Go and an Interface for those who need assistance here I am looking at a phone that has Standard Android (version 9) and then a possible skin to suit those with sight or hearing problems designed by Emporia but this can equally well work without it.
I am sure we all have a number of USB Sticks often they have information from vendors of course these may contains ‘cookies’ or much worse but we squirrel away information and data and hope it’s not corrupted when we need it.
Most come as a single solid stick and if we stick in our pockets or bags the contacts are exposed and may pick up dirt, they could rip clothes and maybe worst of all get damaged. Here is a drive that retracts at the push of a button on the side so it’s a flat surface with no contacts exposed, push the grey end and it clicks out ready for use. This unit also has a hole cut in the grey end to allow it to be attached to a key ring.
A light and full function 1080P notebook that has touch built in so Windows 10 works well, as when it was designed touch was the way it was designed to be used. This notebook is bang up to date and has plenty of memory for you to use.
The Acer Swift 5 measures 31.5x21x1.5cm and weighs 936grams. The viewable screen is 31x17.5cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 14 inches. It is 1920x1080 (full HD) and while the scale and layout setting comes defaulting to 150% I was perfectly happy at 125% which shows considerably more of any web page. Going around the outside has on the left side, power input, HDMI out, USB3 and USB ‘C’. The right side has 3.
The latest vacuum cleaner from VAX also handles hard floors. The previous one that I saw was the Blade 2 and there are a number of changes not least is the fact that the battery is removable and can fit all of the latest range of VAX products.
The Vax ONEPWR Blade 4 measures 114cm from the cleaning foot to the top of the handle when stood upright. Unlike the Blade 2 where the power adapter fitted into the top of the handle to charge the fixed battery here in the Blade 4 the battery fits into the unit near the head and clicks out for recharging into an ‘L’ shaped holder for recharge. If you have another of the ONE PWR units from VAX then the batteries are interchangeable so while one is charging another can be in use.
This phone looks like a normal Android Smart Phone but also offers help like extra volume, brighter contrast and larger text all things that help when our bodies start to say that is too hard and best of all a easy to use User Manual that explains everything, perhaps better still all of it is in a single language.
There is a second twelve page guide to WhatsApp something all the kids know about, those in their early working life use all the time, and most retirees shy away from, this can get you into the 2020’s. The phone is 11x5.5x1.8cm when closed, when open it is 21cm, it weighs 111grams. The viewable screen is 7x4cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial screen measurement of 3.2inches.
Deezer in 2020
Published in Entertainment
on
13 Mar 2020
While there are a number of music streaming services. The two most will have heard of are Spotify and Deezer. Both offer a £9.99 monthly service that enables you to get advert free listening. Both have a very large library of recordings.
So at the £9.99 price point both offer you all the music you want at the touch of a button on your phone, PC, Tablet of even Alexa or Google voice controlled speaker devices. Deezer also have a Hi-Fi mode far higher quality ideal for those audiophiles with good quality speakers or quality headphones this mode is best for those listening on Wi-Fi in your home as the amount of data is far larger. Good quality MP3 the £9.
Acer TMX314-51-M-561H
Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple
on
9 Mar 2020
This is a small and light notebook from Acer that will easily fit into a bag or backpack for those times when you need to be mobile. However it has a full size keyboard and the screen is 1920x1080 so everything should appear exactly as in the office.
It is 32.5x23.5x1cm the last figure increases to close to 2cm at the back. It weights 1524grams. The viewable screen is 31x17.5cm which gives the notional imperial diagonal screen measurement of 14inches. While Windows sets the default display at 150% I found 125% was still perfectly usable and the amount displayed on the screen was far more, especially useful when showing web pages. The processor is an Intel i5 running at 1.6GHz. There is 8GB of RAM (7.84GB available).
Popsockets
Published in Phones
on
6 Mar 2020
For those times where a third hand would be useful, well normally that is not possible but with a Popsocket you can keep you phone stabilised and still do those extra things without that third hand, the Popsocket sticks on the back of your phone so one hand may be all you need.
Most people who are getting older know of Doro phones and they are very good when mobility starts to fail. However there is a company who have been around for four years longer and for me anyway remained a total secret before a recent meeting with someone who has worked for several companies who specialize in helping in that sector.
Here I am looking at the FLIP Basic and the Select these are the two smallest phones of the new range I was shown. The Flip Basic is the smallest of the phones and while it does have an ‘assistance’ button the back it is really just a phone and text item. 9.5x5x1.3cm when closed 16x5x.8cm when opened. The screen is 4.5x3.5cm which is 2.2inches. It is . This is the Emporia Select still a Flip open phone it is 10x5x2cm when closed, 19.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This offering was sent to me body only but with a 12-40 lens for my testing. I was surprised first by the way it arrived in a brown box with each part bubble wrapped and second when I mentioned no manual to be told no printed manuals are supplied now with any of our cameras. Even for someone used to using an interchangeable lens unit surely no manual is not the way to go, however you can still download one in PDF from the website.
The Olympus OM-D E M5 III body measures 11.5x8x4.5cm without lens. With the supplied 12-40mm lens attached the last figure increases to between 12.5 and 15.5cm. The weight is 800 grams without neck strap which I assume is included although not sent to me. All the outputs are on the left side behind rubber bungs. The base has tripod screw and solid battery bay, the SD card slot is on the right behind a snap shut door.
Oppo headsets have always been different, instead of putting a cheap pair of earbuds in the box that probably never get used they sell better quality offerings. Here a round the neck set of buds that look quite old fashioned but instead of a 3.5mm plug there is no plug as they are Bluetooth and work rather well with any phone.
There is 25cm of cord from each end of the grippy rubber that goes around the neck this is stiffened and thickened in a 45cm loop to connect the other earbud. There are two buttons split by the volume rocker at the end of the stiffened area that is horseshoe shape to lie comfortably around the neck.
When out and about and wanting to listen to music then headphones are often the way to remove external noise. This could also be true in a household where there are several occupants. Here a set of small on ear headphones that could suit.
Weight is not normally the first item I mention but at only 180 grams they are light for a set of headphones. Next is the size as the arms fold in on themselves a size of 16x14x7cm makes them easy to slip into a bag or pocket. They can be as little as 15cm from the base of the earpiece to the top head band but there is up to three centimetres of expansion in each arm so they should fit most heads.
Picture a normal mid sized ice cube tray and place another upside down on top of it and you arrive quite close to what you have with IceBreaker Pop. There is more to it including the ability to keep other items frozen for longer.
The IceBreaker Pop measures 20x11.5x3.5cm at one end and 5cm at the top end. However a normal ice cube tray is open here it is closed – sealed - so does not need to be laid flat while freezing and no chance of taking in tastes from other items. The instructions as received by me were on a brown cardboard sleeve in the now popular illustration format. Being old I did not find them that easy to follow and a couple of attempts were required to get the desired results.
It would be nice if we could all sit right beside our modem as that is the point where - however good or bad our signal is – it is at the maximum we will get. If you use Wi-Fi then any distance will mean a drop in signal strength. One choice that will work – even in far flung areas where Wi-Fi is poor or non-existent – is power through mains plugs.
Devolo have such a product called Magic 2. In the UK your electrics are on a ring main and providing both the master socket and any subsidiary Devolo plugs are on the same ring main you can live in any shape of building with solid concrete walls – normally very bad for Wi-Fi – the signal should not be reduced. The main (starter kit) unit and a LAN triple come in the same box and then should you need it you can buy extra LAN triples.
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