Publication History For : Paul Smart
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Having recently told you about another USB3 external drive from Toshiba the Canvio Alu here I get to test the Canvio Connect II, the Alu had a metal body while this is a little smaller in size and lighter in weight yet the capacity of the unit supplied is 50% greater.
The Toshiba Canvio Connect II measures 10.5x7.5x1.8cm and weights 222grams with the supplied 40cm USB3 lead attached. Unlike the recently reviewed Canvio Alu this unit has a white LED showing at one corner when data is read or written, However after around three minutes of no data being read or written the LED will flash three times and then go out only woken by more activity. This 3TB unit has 2795GB available for storage.
I put a pair of glasses down around five months ago, they are still hiding from me, if they had this little item attached to them that could not have happened. In fact you can attach the Tile to anything that has a way for you to attach.
The 'Tile' measures 2.8x2.8x.5cm and has a large 1cm round hole towards one corner that means it could be attached to a key ring of you could even attach things to it by a piece of string. If you are worried by extra weight don’t be it weighs 8grams. The App downloads quickly and you then need to complete a Setup that consists of an email address and a password.
The men’s bathroom at a Philips Xmas In July event was where I saw a range of shavers and toothbrushes from Philips, the demonstrator called the first of these offerings for areas below the neck, while I was also presented with a ladies offering I never did find the ladies bathroom.
As with so many recent products you gets lots of small booklets and sheets of paper most of which are for safety and most of which are not even in English. There is a small 10.5x7.2cm 12 page booklet and eight of these have illustrations, the ninth has a web link to the . A lot of the illustrations are for different models a total of eight models are covered.
Here I am looking at two different brands of microwave cookware and both can be purchased from Lakeland. First from their own brand a casserole dish and second an egg poacher –OVO- from the Lekue range of microwave cookware.
I saw this at the Lakeland Xmas In July presentation that took place at Somerset House in London. It was a busy day and I had already seen a similar silicone product from Lekue at a different event which I shall tell you about below. This is a silicone oval casserole that works in a microwave, it is 27cm from end to end, 18cm from side to side and 5cm from ridged base to the top of the handle, it weights 405grams.
The claim from reichelt is that they sell up to ‘20% cheaper than others’ in the case of this item I see they sell it for £15 and I found another outlet at £24.80 so they certainly exceeded their claim by some way with this item manufactured by Panasonic.
So what of these on ear corded headphones that bear the Panasonic name. There are hard wired leads that run from the base of each headphone that are clipped together are 40cm and then run the next 80cm side by side to the L shaped 3.5mm plug. The headphones are Black and Blue with a white covering for the earpieces. The headphones break on the top of the head to allow them to reduce in size for transportation, the earpieces also rotate through 180degrees to also reduce the size.
This is said to be the world’s smallest A4 All In One unit, being small you lose the option to have a flatbed scanner as that would increase the size but the sheet fed scanner works well and the unit is ideal to use remotely with a mobile phone.
Unusually for me I started by downloading a small App to my phone and was able to print scan and copy within around a minute. The registered link then let me download the required basic software to a PC to print, in order to scan I needed to download another piece of software. While both these worked the speed angle might be a problem as the connection was via an IP address and output of both print and scans was slow.
Having recently told you about a rather good Road Cam from another manufacturer I was offered the chance to review this top of the range unit that is both a Sat Nav and Road Cam in the one package, so is the extra expense worth it?
The unit is 14x8.5x5cm which is not that much bigger than most Sat Navs. Unlike most standalone Sat Navs that can be used for a reasonable period out of car this unit is designed for in car use only. It has a very small internal battery and relies instead for power for that provided by the cigar lighter socket of your car. The viewable screen is 11x6.3cm which is touch controlled.
A simple device and when your mouse of a long time starts to move of its own accord you think it must be me, eventually I plugged in a spare – even older – unit and that quickly showed the same symptoms so a visit to my local Wilko had me spending £2.50 on a new one, and this – so far – behaves correctly.
The P9 is an excellent camera and phone, look back and you will find two reviews of it on this site, however launched at the same time – but not immediately available - is the P9 Plus which was stated to cost £100 more so what exactly does the extra get you.
It is a little larger at 15x7.5cm and weights 20grams more. Neither of which you would probably notice unless you have the two units side by side. What you may notice is that the viewable screen has a notional diagonal imperial measurement of 5.5inches again that bit larger. Strangely there are less colour choices but quite by chance the review unit was the same colour as my own P9 with the exception of the on/off button that has a red hue around it.
This is a dual Karaoke system not a toy or an add on to something else, a two mike system and decent amplifier that means in your own home – not the pub – you can find out for yourself how good or bad your voice is without witnesses.
It consists of the main box 30x20x17cm that contains the amplifier for the dual microphones. The microphones are 23.5cm long and wireless that link to the amplifier without problem, they weigh 216grams with the two ‘AA’ batteries inserted, the batteries are not supplied. Each microphone has nine buttons on the front so they can be controlled separately. There is a 1.
This is an LED backlight monitor that is kind to the eyes and also is part of their value series. So what does this have to offer that will tempt you away from whatever you are currently using.
Normally whatever panel I am reviewing gets attached to my review system that gets all the new software and hardware. Currently my main system is at the local repair shop so whatever day to day files I need have been installed on this unit from my last backup – yes they do have a use – and this panel will get an even more rigorous test as it now is attached to my machine for emails etc. as well as testing so in use all day every day. It is 22x56x2.5cm, the viewable screen is 29.5x52.
This is one of six of a recently launched range of earbuds three of which are wireless and the other three including this set are corded offerings. So what have they to offer that is not already on the market in other earbuds?
The cable is 1.2 metres from the buds to the gold plated 3.5mm plug. The first 35cm from the earbuds are in two cables with the left lead having a circular connector 15cm from the ear for all the normal controls that stop you removing your SmartPhone from your pocket to answer calls or change music tracks etc. The cable itself has a slightly tacky feel and has a red pattern on the black cable.
The unit I was sent is a 2TB USB3 drive and the ‘Alu’ stands for aluminium which makes the case very sturdy. This is part of Toshiba’s mid-range statuary for USB3 external drives it comes with built in back up software from NTI.
This Toshiba external hard disk measures 11.3x7.4x1.9cm and weights 213grams with the supplied USB3 attached. While this is not a ‘rugged’ unit unless a drop happened while data was being read or written I cannot see any harm coming to it or your data. Some transfer times are given on the back of the box a three hour HD movie should transfer in 5 minutes and 16 seconds on USB3 or 16 minutes and 26 seconds on USB2, 350 photos in 15.2seconds on USB3 and 36.
This is not a Sat Nav – but it always knows exactly where you are – it comes with a lifetimes updates for safety cameras – which sounds better than speed cameras – and gives an exact view of what happened should you ever have a crash it even captures audio.
There are three parts, the camera unit, the windscreen sucker which forms the rear of the unit and a cable to go to your cars cigar lighter and this should fit into the back of the unit near the sucker. On the face of it attach the cable through the windscreen sucker part and click into the camera.
How do you pack a sub-woofer and a sound bar together in one box, with difficulty is my answer, perhaps they are put together to make sure they stay together, both need mains power but there is no physical link between the two items.
The sound bar is triangular in shape with the front edge sloping backwards it is one metre long and each side is 8cm. The sub-woofer is 28.5x24.5x33cm and it can be placed anywhere within reason, in my tests with TV sound most will be surprised how much base is in music that is not normally heard from things like theme tunes and incidental music, certainly they sound so much different than they do without external an sound bar and sub-woofer.
Five a day is the mantra for ‘fruit and veg’ but then all the things you like do not count so not your potatoes even when they are steamed. However if you make your items up into a smoothie or drink they do count and this makes it easy.
The container is 23cm tall with spill prove lid attached and the unit is circular at 7.5cm it is made of clear strong plastic that should even stand a dishwasher. It is stated to hold 600ml of liquid and is marked at 200ml, 400ml and 600ml the last measure 4cm below the top. The lid unscrews and the top has a solid clip that should not unclip in your bag so you can make at home and drink while out on a run or just at the office.
A recent visit to the iconic BT Tower in London saw BT launce their latest Smart Hub which is said to be faster than the competition such as Sky and Talk Talk and easier to setup and use, it also has a more stable form factor than most others.
The BT SmartBub measures 16x22x6.5cm the last figure is with the flip out feet engaged without them it is only 2.5cm thick. All the user connections are in a single line at the back, first the Broadband input, then a USB port, next four bright yellow Gigabit Ethernet ports then the DC power input and finally an on/off button.
This is the latest watch from iHealth but do not think of it as a tool to tell the time, it will do that but this is a fitness tool aimed predominately at those who swim for fitness it will also tell you how well you sleep and if you wish will even wake you up.
Its name is iHealth Wave and it is a Wireless Activity, Swim and Sleep Tracker. In the box is a watch with a 4cm stainless steel circular dial and attached black rubber strap. There is also another blue strap in the box for those who are colour conscious. There is a proprietary 20cm long charging cable that attaches to the back of the watch the other end goes to any USB port to charge. A small multi-language booklet is included with the first ten pages in English.
When out an about people often stop for a coffee, nowadays which coffee chain they stop at may depend of which of the two wireless charging devices that chain supports. Yes sadly there are two standards I am sure most remember the VHS and Betamax battle.
The lines are drawn with one contender being Qi and the other PMA both charge suitable devices via wireless the difference is that they use different parts of the spectrum. There are big names on both sides so what is this to do with coffee simply Starbucks fall into one group and McDonalds the other, so if your device needs a charge it could mean that if your device has a back that needs one then that probably decides which outlet you go to.
REV stands for Robotic Enhanced Vehicles and while in this context they are toys – clever toys – we see more and more robotic items in today’s world an early example is the robotic vacuum cleaner that has been around for a while, turning to cars there are currently many worldwide tests of driverless cars.
Toys through the ages were made to mimic the real world, has the wheel turned 180 degrees so that the real world mimic’s toys? Here you have a pair of low slung sports cars that are quite detailed and substantial they weigh 387grams with the required 4x‘AA’ batteries (not supplied) inserted. They can be used individually or they can race against each other. The extra games in the App allow the child to invent as well as enjoy. They are 17x10x4.
A PAYG offering from Vodafone, this 5inch screen offering seems almost small by some recent items that have passed over my desk but it means it fits easily in a pocket and can be held easily in the palm of your hand for ease of use.
It is 14x7x.7cm and weights 135grams. The viewable screen is 11x6.5cm which gives the notional imperial diagonal measurement of 5inches. Going round the outside has a volume rocker on the right with the on/off button below it. The base has a tiny slit speaker as well as a micro USB socket for charging. The left side is clear and the top has a 3.5mm socket for headphones/earbuds and beside it a pin hole microphone.
Three years ago Olympus launched their LM-12 and LM-14 high quality voice and music recorders, the LM-14 was unique in having three microphones. Now they have launched the LS-P1 (4GB internal memory) and LS-P2 (8GB internal memory) the latter also has three microphones but is a lot smaller.
The Olympus LS-P2 audio recorder weighs only 75grams and is 11x4x1.5cm so will fit easily in the palm of your hand. Having used the LM-14 for a lot of music recording I know how helpful the ‘third microphone’ is for capturing base notes. So the LS-P2 with the third mic was the obvious choice for me. Going around the outside has a 3.5mm headphone/earbud socket and then an external microphone 3.5mm socket and if you are testing in a low light setting this could lead to problems.
Perhaps one of the most unsecure methods of transporting data around – apart from a paper copy - is a memory stick so file encryption can help here however another method that allows internal file encryption and also encryption on the device before you can even see the files.
This unit is made of aluminium and with its sleeve quite watertight but the secret is once you have removed the sleeve. A USB3 plug on one end a keyring connector on the other and in between a numeric keypad and until you enter the correct key your device cannot be recognised by a USB port. If you enter the wrong key ten times in a row then all the information on the stick is wiped. The stick itself is the same dimensions as a normal USB stick but it is slightly longer. The dimensions are 8x1.
If this dancing toy with unruly hair does not persuade your child to get a decent hair style I am not sure what will do so. This however should keep the youngster amused for a while and any busy parent knows that this is gold.
A worrying trend is that there are six slightly different versions all do something slightly different in the way the ‘hair moves’ so at the age range aimed at, the possibility is that pester power is large on the scene.
An 8inch Tablet that runs Android 5.1.1 not quite the latest version but still recent. My test unit came direct from Alcatel in the UK but was a model sold by O2 in the UK, unlike a lot of Tablets it has a micro SIM slot so can be used online while out and about.
It is an 8inch Tablet the outside dimensions are 21x12.5x.8cm and it weighs 335grams. Going around the outside it has two bar buttons on the right side on/off and volume up and down. The base and left side are clear with the top having 3.5mm socket for headphones or earbuds and a micro USB port for charging – no support for OTG devices - and a pin hole microphone. The rear has a 5MP camera that sits slightly proud of the body and there is not an LED flash.
Having recently told you about beards, head hair and other hair on other parts of the body from separate devices it seems only right to end this round up of recent Braun devices with what they call the Multi Groomer designed to shave, style and trim.
This is designed to be used both wet and dry and can even be used in the shower should you wish. It is 13.5cm long, 5.5cm wide and up to 3.5cm deep. It weights 177grams. It is battery operated by two rechargeable batteries that when fully charged can give you 30 minutes of constant power. There is also a five minute quick charge that should give those who always forget to recharge enough power for a single treatment.
You don’t see an Analogue watch for ages and like buses three come at almost the same time. This however is a rather nice looking conventional watch that has a stainless steel back and the strap is made of a material that looks like rose gold, very smart.
Its strange twenty years ago the watch you wore was unlikely to raise a comment, now this conventional watch raises more than an eyebrow often with an accompanying comment like ‘nice watch’ or other such things like ‘that’s smart’ or ‘very traditional’ while this is far from a cheap product it may well have the effect that you get a second glance if your aim is to impress. The strap is 23cm long so should fit those with even the largest wrist.
First mobile memory made for ‘i’ devices, now available in sizes up to 256GB. Second a website based in Germany that claims – according to the press release sent to me – to sell products up to 20% cheaper than other websites
This device allows you to transfer data between USB and Lightning devices, so files taken from say a PC can then be put onto an iPhone. They come in various sizes up to 256GB. I was sent the 16GB version and this can store up to 14.9GB of data. It is 6cm long, up to 2cm deep and 1.7cm wide. It comes with a sleeve that covers both the USB and Lightning terminals. When used in a USB port 5cm protrude. When used in a Lighting port the bulk of the device slides under the unit and only 2cm protrudes.
These are a pair of quality in ear earbuds. The only lead is the small flat one connecting the two buds, a short distance from the left earbud is the in lead box that charges the buds and also moves through your tracks etc. on whatever device you connect them to.
The connection is of course Bluetooth and my recent Android phone found the BE-6i almost instantly and made the required connection.
Having recently told you about the latest Alcatel Smart Watch called the ‘Go Watch’ I now have the chance to see how they arrived there by looking at its predecessor which should still be on sale in some outlets and its look may suit the older user.
It has a chrome finish and a black leather look rubber strap. The dial is round at 4cm but with close to a centimetre closed off at the base. It uses a proprietary charging device that plugs into one end of the strap and runs to a standard USB port. Just like its younger relation it charges quickly around 70 minutes from empty. The clip mechanism that fastens the watch to your wrist can be a little fiddly to adjust to get the size exactly right.
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