Publication History For : Paul Smart
Click to see this members public profile
Older articles
Not long ago I told you about an upper arm blood pressure device from Philips. They have also launched one that some may find easier to use. Instead of it working on the upper arm this gets all its required information from your wrist.
The complete device fits on your wrist rather like a very oversized watch. The cuff size is 13.5 to 21.5cm and is tightened by Velcro with the display part being visible rather than a separate unit sitting on a table. Even at a doctor’s surgery very few are hand inflated, here it is battery controlled via a supplied integral charge unit. The display part is 8.5x6.5x1.5cm with the all-important sensors on the underside.
Wireless headphones received a big boost last year when Apple removed the 3.5mm socket from their iPhones, however while Headphones have a big advantage sound wise over earbuds they also have a large size disadvantage so a small Wireless Headphone set has a ready-made market.
Despite the small size – unless you have very large ears – these are over ear offerings. They also have a good noise reduction system built in. Many purists might scoff but as my review period was during the coldest part of winter I often wore them over a synthetic woollen hat pulled down well below my ears so my near bald head and back of my neck were protected. The sound given even through the added barrier was excellent.
Having last week told you about a mattress cleaner from Hoover; here I get to dust off my ironing board to test out one of their latest group of irons. Certainly this is a far different product from a standard iron that resides in the back of one of my cupboards.
I would suggest that a man who has had his ‘three score and ten years’ is hardly the target market for a very powerful steam iron however he is the one who get to test this offering from Hoover. Until about a decade ago I used to be a smart dresser with an ironed shirt and tie and defiantly well creased trousers and handkerchief. Now when I have a dozen or so handkerchiefs washed I tend to fish out my iron and give then a once over.
Most panels show you a screen of information, some do it with low Blue Light, and some have the ability to rotate so you can see your screen in portrait mode. This offering from Philips however is a first for me having a changing colour display in the base.
It is 60x36x1.5cm at the edge. The stand is circular at 23cm with the connecting arm attaching to the back edge. The stand raises the screen by 10cm from the base and the screen has 20 degrees of back tilt and 10 degrees of forward tilt, there is no side to side movement. There is no assembly required as the unit comes from the box with the stand already connected.
The PowerShot range is only one step down from their DSLR offerings; however they are small enough to fit in your pocket but are still extremely powerful units that have a large number of features that started out in their DSLR models.
The Canon website says ‘DSLR-like creativity in a connected large sensor compact’ which seems to sum up this powerful unit. It is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse at 10.5x6.5x4cm the last figure increase to 8cm when fully zoomed. It is somewhat heavier than a standard digital camera at 318grams. A novice user could turn the nine position wheel on top of the unit to ‘Auto’ and get very respectable images via point and shoot but this unit offers so much more.
EM Client 7
Published in Misc
on
6 Mar 2017
It was nearly four years ago that I discovered EM Client 6 unlike most software programs that seem to upgrade annually it is close to four years ago that this Outlook Express replacement came into my life and it is still in use as my email collecting tool this has just become EM Client 7.
Removing the back of a phone used for some to be essential in order to get access to the battery, now a lot of phones come sealed so batteries cannot be changed. This phone from Archos arrived without a back as the last reviewers cat had stolen/eaten/hidden it. But as it only performed a fashion role it is not essential; however I would not like to meet that reviewer’s cat on a dark night.
Without the cosmetic back you get more information on what button does what and how to insert SIM or Micro SD Card and the case is still sealed. It is 15.2x7.5x.7cm and weighs 186grams. The viewable screen is 12x6.8cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 5½ inches. While there are Android 7 phones out there I have yet to handle one so this Marshmallow offering is the latest Android 6 to have come my way.
The chances are when you visit your doctor one of the tasks completed is to roll up your sleeve so he/she can check your blood pressure. If the wait to see your doctor was a long one then the chances are that the reading will be high.
This unit is a little different from most other devices, it is battery controlled and for you it can store the results via Bluetooth in a Philips Health App. The units battery is charged via a mains adapter supplied. The unusual bit is that the display is integral to the unit so all 303grams sits on your upper arm. It has just two buttons below the 10.5x2cm display, these are User (it can support two users) and on/start/off.
Having recently told you about the larger Xperia XZ here a chance to put the smaller sibling through its paces, like the larger offering both were supplied by Vodafone and with this I got the chance to check their coverage not only in England but also Scotland.
Travelling back from Glasgow by train recently I was able to keep in touch all the way back mostly via 4G with around 15% of 3G coverage and a couple of times it was down to ‘E’ in the more remote parts of the Lake District. It is 12.7x6.4x1cm and weighs 135grams. My unit was shiny black – normally a minus point as it shows all the finger marks – but this seemed to hide most quite well apart from on the screen. The viewable screen is 10x5.
Yes you read it correctly, Hoover have brought out a cleaner specifically for cleaning of mattresses. While those of us that have mattresses that can be turned I am sure few of us – and certainly not me – have previously taken a Hoover to a mattress.
I am sure we all change the sheets regularly and turn the mattress around once a month. With a normal mattress that gives four ways of use to ensure even wear, the exception is a few of the new memory foam offerings that can only be used one way up. It is 26.5x32x16cm with the head 20.5cm wide, it weighs 2.2kilos.
Having told you about the other two units in the latest Canvio range the chance came up to tell you about the Basics offering. This is - Bus Powered - so no need for external power as with earlier external drives so it should plug in and be ready to use.
The memory is 3TB or 2.72 TB depending on how you calculate the available space. It is 12x7.5x1.5cm but the USB3 plug fits into the back meaning you need another 3cm of total space so 15x7.5x1.5cm is required. It weighs 207grams and the box has a padded bubble wrap bag idea for moving it around. There is a 22 language PDF file on the drive, the first eight pages are in English and should answer most questions.
While a number of NAS units tend to require a good amount of knowledge to get them up and running correctly this is not the case with those produced by Buffalo, here I was sent a two bay offering that arrived pre populated with drives.
The Buffalo TeraStation TS5210 is a small NAS unit measuring 17x16x29cm, the last figure the depth is with cables inserted and weighs only 4.359kilos. To set it up you need to download ‘NAS Navigator’ software from a link given in the Quick Start Guide. Connect the NAS to your router via Ethernet and connect a PC/Notebook to the NAS also via Ethernet. Once setup you can then dispense with the latter Ethernet cable and use Wi-Fi.
This notebook is both light and thin, it also has a metal chassis and for good measure it boots quickly. Anyone on the move that needs a PC has probably only one more request that it runs all day without the need to search out mains power, it can do that as well.
The ASUS ZenBook UX330UA measures 32x22x1cm, the figure at the front is less than 1cm and at the back just over 1cm, it weighs only 1206 grams. According to the website it is made of an aluminium alloy, which in summer would always make it feel cool in winter you may need gloves. The left side has a USB port, a 3.5mm socket for headphones and an SD card slot. The front is clear.
This is one of a new range of ‘health’ devices from Philips. I saw the range at their Christmas In July event and despite my nagging only at the end of December did the first of them arrive. This is their health watch which tracks heart rate, activity, sleep and more.
It comes with strap attached but for those with a small/large wrist a separate strap is supplied to avoid large amount of excess strap. The watch is black as is the strap and it looks normal with only a shiny outer ring. The default display is a very traditional analogue but you can choose a digital one in settings. However telling the time is just a minor part of what it does. The watch is circular at 3.5cm and it is 1cm thick with the rubberised strap attached it weighs 51 grams.
If a pair of headphones are designed for a DJ, they must give good all round sound and they must also be comfortable as anyone ‘spinning discs’ for hours on end has enough to worry about with his/her aching feet and possible bladder requests so everything else needs to be comfortable.
A gold plated connection means both 3.5mm and the larger 6.3mm connector are supplied as one unit the larger one unscrews to reveal the 3.5mm offering underneath. Dependant on ear size these could be ‘on’ or ‘over’ ear offerings. With no side extension they are 18cm from a mid-point at the base of the ear pads to the padded headband. They are 25cm from side to side when the earpads are parallel. The lead emerges as a 3.5mm connector from the base of the left ear pad.
Most viruses are clever and even though you can often delete them they remain in memory and to remove them from there is trickier. So perhaps the best way to remove them is when they are not active and that means outside of Windows.
Assuming that your PC allows you to boot from a USB stick this device called FixMeStick may be able to help. In a perfect world place this stick in a USB port and it will update itself – so Ethernet or possibly Wi-Fi will need to be active.
Sub titled The Athlete’s Headphone this set of earbuds will get noticed for its lime green colour, still I suppose the athlete will be able to move fast enough to keep the attention on them rather than the earbuds that they are using.
These buds will stay in place during even the most vigorous of exercise simply because of the hook fitting behind the bud. Hook is perhaps the wrong word as it does not spear you merely its silicon rubber attaches to you to be held securely. They are 1.3 metres from the ‘L’ shaped grey connector to the lime green and grey earbuds.
While the Apple Watch does what it does quite well it could do more for you especially if you have certain medical conditions so here is a band (strap) to attach to your Apple Watch to fill the void left by the basic Apple software.
In the box are two part black rubber straps. The first 12cm long with a 1.7cm square hole cut just before the top it is 2.2cm wide. The second is the same width but slightly longer at 14cm, this a square metal disc in the same place as the cut-out in the first part strap. So at this point you probably should download the Kardia App. If you have had an Electrocardiogram in hospital you will know the amount of wiring that needs to be attached to you to give the results.
Apart from being a large panel in dimensions it also looks different as it is not a normal 1920x1080 offering. Just looking at it tells you it must have a larger width, this turns out to be 2560x1440 and of course you see so much more than 1920x1080.
Eye Care is a thing that has always mattered as we only get one set and even with modern technology they still cannot be replaced, so good resolution, good clarity and viewing a panel correctly all help those who spend hours each day looking at a screen and in the last few years ‘Eye Care’ and ‘Blue Light’ have become something to look for in a panel. Before you rush out to purchase one the size of the unit and th3e stand will be important so let’s start there.
If all you want from a Notebook is to be able to collect your emails and browse the WWW then something like this should high up your wish list, nowadays it is possible to work off line with Chromebooks so word processing and dare I say it games are possible when not online.
The Asus Chromebook C202SA measures 29x20x2cm and weighs 1182g. It has a tiny pattern on front and back with the edges in a blue rubber material, the back has a slim rubber strip at the front and a chunky one at the back which means there is a slight tilt when in use rather like a conventional keyboard on a PC. The viewable screen is 25.7x14.7cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 11.6inches the standard screen resolution is 1366x768.
Canon do three ranges of cameras the IXUS the smallest, next is the PowerShot and finally their DSLR range. However the area between the last two is somewhat grey, this PowerShot is considerably larger in size than a small DSLR.
The Canon PowerShot G3X measures 12cm wide, 8cm deep and 11cm from the screen to the front of the lens when closed however when fully zoomed this last figure increases to 17cm. So with that amount of optical zoom (25x) you will not be surprised that it weighs a good bit more than most PowerShot offerings at 738grams. Of course all recent cameras have to have the ability to take selfies so the TFT can flip through 180 degrees to show above the camera.
IP surveillance cameras can be expensive so when LIDL brings one out at under £60 it is certainly worth taking a look. This camera can be connected by Ethernet or Wi-FI and everything you need – apart from a drill and screwdriver – are in the box.
While lots of companies have a vast range of phones that they produce cases for the vast majority of cases produced by Tech21 are for the iPhone. Here I am looking at a detachable wallet case for the iPhone 7 and a brand new case for the iPhone 7 Plus.
Unlike a lot of phones that have a Plus after their name that you have to scrabble around to find the differences here it is obvious the iPhone has a 4.7 inch screen while the iPhone Plus has a 5.5 inch screen. The latter went on a three day trip to Scotland recently with me arriving the day before departure and was immediately fitted to an iPhone 7 Plus that was being reviewed so three days the phone and case were my constant companions. It is 14.5x7.
Unlike a lot of phones that have a ‘plus’ or extra ‘enhanced’ version where the differences may only be minimal this has a big difference that you do not even need to measure it to see it’s the overall screen size which is a lot larger.
The Apple iPhone 7 Plus measures 15.6x7.8x.8cm and weighs 186grams. The viewable screen is 12.2x6.8cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 5½ inches whereas the standard iPhone 7 is 4.7inches. On the iPhone 7 Plus the screen resolution is 1080x1920 (portrait) the same as most computer screens. The left side has the two volume buttons near the top and even closer to the top is the small volume off slider button.
A tablet that comes with a keyboard, when the keyboard is attached then Hotspots become available so while out and about you can get 3G and even 4G coverage. When detached from the keyboard it’s a tablet that can take advantage of Wi-Fi wherever you are.
The Alcatel Plus 10 measures 26x14.4x1.5cm the tablet itself is 8mm thick and the total weight is 816 grams with the keyboard attached the keyboard being 362 grams of the total weight. On the left side of the keyboard is a USB port and on the right side a micro USB port as well as a micro SD slot. The keyboard has 67 keys and on a 1cm strip behind the keyboard are three LEDs and a 3G/4G toggle. Both the left and right side of the keyboard have a 1cm strip clear.
I never saw the first version of this mid-range SmartPhone, I was not even aware they had entry level phones in fact what I knew about this company before the launch in London I could have written on the back of a small postage stamp.
The Wileyfox Swift 2 Plus has a silver grey back and sides with a black face. It measures 14x7x.7cm and weighs 162 grams. The diagonal imperial screen measurement is 5inches. The screen resolution is 1280x720 the whole unit has a two year warranty. This can be increased by a year to three years with a £14.99 fee that includes screen replacement so if you tend to drop or regularly mistreat your phone it could be a good investment.
Dogs give you loyalty, cats stay with you if they want to, and while you say you own a cat it might be more accurate to say you have a cat that spends time with you, as unless he/she never leaves the home you never know what else it does and where, that is until now.
Assuming your cat allows you to place a collar on it then this device will enable you to track its whereabouts. I have reviewed a couple of larger devices recently that allow you to find your keys, car, bicycle and suchlike, and I believe both those companies are planning such a device to place on an animals collar, while this is sold for a cat I see no reason why it should not live on a dog who normally accept a collar without problem.
This is a Notebook and a Tablet; the 11.6inch screen can show 1366x768. As it’s a Tablet as well as a Notebook it of course has touch and then Windows 10 starts to make sense, not for Cortana but for the on screen annotation ability.
The Acer Aspire R3-131T measures 29.5x21x2.1cm the last figure at the back and it is only 1.5cm at the front, it weighs 1509grams. Going around the outside, on the left is an Ethernet port, HDMI, USB3, USB2 and finally a headset port. The front and back are clear, the base has reversing speakers, this leaves the right side that has volume rocker, two pin hole LEDs, on/off button and DC input. The viewable screen is 26x14.5cm which gives the notional imperial diagonal measurement of 11.6inches.
This is a 17inch pull along case, it has four different zips that all join at one padlock point so unless someone steals the case the contents should be safe as unlike other such cases it is sold with the ‘stab proof’ banner so just add a tracker inside the case and unless it is totally destroyed you can locate it once stolen.
This Kensington Stab Proof Case measures 32x27x50cm and weighs 3.714kilos, remember that last figure it is without anything in and there will be times when you need to carry it up those stairs so when you pack it with alacrity remember those occasions. Of course for the majority of the time this will be pulled along behind you and when you about to stop or suddenly change directions remember those other people who are behind or beside you, they have feet.
Earbuds are perhaps the jogger or more serious runners friend, often however the more vigorous the exercise the harder for the buds to stay in place and while you are listening to possibly encouraging music you need the buds to stay in place.
First a shout of joy from me, a box that you do not have to destroy to remove the buds from, while there is a simple drawstring pouch to keep them in you could still replace in the box and of course the spare buds need somewhere so they do not become lost on a shelf, the box they came in is the obvious choice. The ones sent to me were lime green with grey plugs and backs of the buds. I see they also do Blue and Grey.
Main Menu
