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To the best of my limited medical knowledge I think they have yet to perfect eye transplants. So we are stuck with the pair we are born with, one way to knacker your eyes is staring at a screen for far too long each day, the manufacturers have produced certain things to help like eye care in the case of BenQ.
This 28inch panel from BenQ measures 65.5x38.5x2cm the last figure is at the edges. It comes with a rectangular stand 32x11cm that raises the screen by 10cm from your desk. There is a good amount of back tilt but almost no forward movement beyond vertical. Since panels are now much lighter the manufacturers have decided that side to side movement is not required. Viewing from either side is always good and it is easy to twist the whole unit if required.
Growing up my friends were people I met on a regular basis but nowadays many people have friends they have never met.
Are you a face-to-face person or one who prefers digital communication when dealing with others? I ask this question because recent research has indicated that around half of us prefer keeping in touch with our friends via a digital conduit rather than speaking directly to them in the flesh. This research has been conducted on behalf of BT Mobile in partnership with Dr. Peter Collett who is a former Oxford University lecturer and psychologist working on Big Brother and Body Talk.
As part of the Lost Lands series of games set in a world of strange creatures and magic with an ancient wizard names Maarin, FIVE BN GAMES has developed The Golden Curse.
I have been looking at the Collector’s Edition of the Lost Lands: The Golden Curse Hidden Object Adventure game. This title has a number of bonus items, some of which are available immediately while others require a certain amount of progress before they can be accessed from the main title screen. Wallpaper, concept art, music, Strategy Guide and achievements can be accessed immediately while videos, puzzles and mini games can be revisited once completed in the main game.
This is an Android 5.1.1 Phone that is thin and light but very smart in looks. Most recent phones have Quad Core Processors this is no exception, most recent phones have 4G again so does this, so what is unique perhaps its what is called Fusion Storage.
The 50e Helium from Archos measures 14.5x7x.5cm and weights147grams. The viewable screen is 11x6.2cm which gives the notional 5inch diagonal imperial measurement. It has Dual Sim capability which means that those who have this as a business phone can also have their personal phone in the same case. It also allows those who prefer a different service for Data and Phone.
Huawei has added to its range of e-brand smartphones with the release of the Honor 5X handset. Described at the launch as being the most affordable premium smartphone of 2016 (admittedly at the time we were just 35 days into the year), the Honor 5X is aimed at the young, stylish and adventurous type of customers.
The Honor 5X, with dimensions of 151.3 x 76.3 x 8.2mm (H x W x D) and weighing 158g, is available in a choice of gold, silver or, as in the case of the review unit, grey, is a 5.5-inch smartphone. As is the standard with such devices, the front of the unit, is dominated by the 5.5-inch Full-HD IPS screen. This screen is of the capacitive touch screen variety and has a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.
A very striking red colour is the first thing you notice when you take it from the box, the next thing is that there are just three items that will only connect together one way and as they click together you do not even require a screwdriver.
The 11 should give a good clue to this not being a new product. Team Viewer has been around for a long time and is a method for someone with knowledge to help those with less knowledge to solve a problem remotely easily and quickly.
Whenever you allow someone access to your PC you should be very sure they are who they claim. With Team Viewer you have to send them the invite. They can then see your screen and you can see exactly what they are doing as they move around trying to solve your problem. Team Viewer has been available for MAC and PC for a long time, now however the latest version also works with Chrome and Android and even for those on Linux. So whatever your environment you should be able to receive or give help.
Following the release of its original Arlo home security camera system last year, NETGEAR has now produced the Arlo Q. This is a 1080p HD Security Camera that offers two-way audio features operating as an intercom.
With the design of the Arlo Q, NETGEAR has instigated a number of changes to the appearance and performance of this home security device. For a start the “Q” is a tethered, rather than wireless, device. That is not to say that this camera lacks support for Wi-Fi. In fact it is a Wi-Fi device. The wireless aspect of this product refers to the means of drawing power. A lengthy 300cm USB lead and power plug are provided.
Protect your home while you are away is something that many companies seem to be producing items for, some insurance companies even offer a reduction in your premium if the item selected meets their criteria. Here is a solution from Nest.
I thought the setup for Nest Protect was easy, this is even easier, select a site for the camera attach it to the magnetic dock provided, plug in the camera to the 3metre micro USB to USB lead a 13amp USB plug front is supplied and start watching what the camera shows on your phone or Tablet.
In my personal dim and distant past I can just about remember using a device called a stereoscope. To my young eyes it was a thing of wonder as it converted a pair of slightly different 2D photos into a 3D scene with depth. Now with digital images and computerised devices the younger generation look for something extra.
Today’s young generation require a more immersive experience to hold their attention. Offering to provide this experience is the View-Master product from Mattel. This particular product is based on a Virtual Reality headset that Mattel feels will take the young child (7+) on a virtual and augmented reality adventure as they are transported around the world and beyond.
While I am a big fan of Anne McCaffreys books on the Dragons of Pern, I had not previously encountered the Dragons of Derod.
Guardian Dragons: The Prophecy is a Hidden Object Adventure game that is based on the novel by Falco Loffler. The game is set in the world of Derod where dragons and demons have fought a long-running battle over the fate of mankind. The dragons have always watched over man from afar and protected them from the constant attacks from the demons. Many battles have raged until the demons were driven off beyond the Koan Mountains in the far northeast of Derod.
While I think of ASUS for notebooks and Tablets and although I have yet to review one All In One systems which of course all have screens I was not aware until a recent visit to the BETT education event that they sold standalone screens.
This is a 27.75 inch offering strangely only 27inch is claimed. The screen is 61.5x36x1.5cm the last figure at the edges. It has a 21cm circular stand that raises it by 7cm from your desk. There is a good amount of back tilt and even some front tilt. It weighs 4.47kilos. There is a single line of connections just above the stand mount connection on the rear. DC input, Display Port, HDMI, VGA audio in for VGA and headphone out.
While Flash drives are extremely useful when transport data between systems, they can be lost. As a result this type of device does require layers of protection.
Kingston Digital, Inc., part of the Kingston Technology Company, Inc., has added to its DataTraveler® family of products. This new offering is the DataTraveler 2000 which is remarkably similar in appearance to the iStorage DataShur Pro which I reviewed earlier. In fact iStorage is mentioned on the packaging. However there is one major difference in that the Kingston product supports USB 3.1 rather than the USB 2.0 technology used by the iStorage offering.
It looks like a round neck pair of in ear buds. It is, so you could use them as a simple music player however it is also a Wearable Music Player with Fitness Tracker, so it can play music in a beat to match your heart rate (pulse).
12cm across and 12cm tall would match the non-twisted size of these buds, each ear has a 5x2.5x1cm unit in front of the bud and their total weight is only 42grams. It would be totally wrong to describe this as a music player even though it can play music.
Another very mature product, as computers continue to get more powerful processors things that took a while to process can now be done almost instantly. Here is a good example you can manipulate your files easily and quickly and improve them effortlessly.
There are three versions of the latest edition of Magix Music Maker software the main difference between them is the number of instruments they come with. In the simplest terms this is electronic music creation software but as with all such software the simple part is putting the music down, the hard part is having the ear to know what is say an annoying earworm or perhaps just very occasionally a true classic composed piece.
Home security continues to be a hot topic with the next candidate offering a welcome.
Developed by Netatmo, a company founded in 2011, the Welcome is a security camera that comes with the promise of delivering face recognition without the need of a contract or subscription fees. The product consists of the camera unit, power lead, Ethernet cable and an 8GB micro SD card for storing any captured content. You also get a mini booklet which relies of illustrations to get its message across regarding setting up the device.
However big your desk is there never seems enough room. So things got moved away the tower or mini tower went under the desk, a lot of recent panels have USB hubs what else can you move away, possibly the keyboard or at least have a smaller one.
This unit from Penclic helps as it is small – about the size of that found on a laptop – and it has no wires to connect it as it uses a Wi-Fi dongle. It is 28.5x16cm and weights 345grams with its two ‘AAA’ batteries inserted in its back.
Well know for its range of home security products, Swann has released its SwannOne kit. This product is meant to provide the user with a range of security features that have been designed to protect your home whether you are present or absent for any reason.
Central to the heart of the SwannOne system is a Smart Hub which is provided with an Ethernet cable and power lead. This plinth shaped box, with dimensions of 220 x 135 x 60mm (W x D x H) acts as a half-way house between the resident router and any additional attachment elements making up the SwannOne system. The Smart Hub features connections for power, Ethernet and USB plus WPS, reset and speaker / microphone options.
A reappearing spirit, abducted children, flowers and skulls are all featured in this next Hidden Object Adventure game.
For many years the villagers of San Cristobal have held an annual festival entitled Flores de los Muertos (Flowers of the Dead). This festival’s purpose was to ward off the spirit of the Weeping Woman whom the villagers believed was responsible for the disappearance of young children. The story behind the legend of the Weeping Woman began with the marriage of the village beauty Maria Gonzales to Domingo who has a reputation of being a rogue.
When I first read the press release I thought I remembered the View Master name from the dim and distant past with a stereo projector of images from cards. This is a somewhat different idea that uses a viewer face but the images are 360 degree around a feature.
You get a quite well make headset which from the front looks like quality ski goggles, the rear has rubberised eye pieces to take away external sights. On the right side is a slider, the starter pack comes with a 9cm circular disc that you need to focus on in order the view the contents. However all these parts are dumb as they rely on a SmartPhone and App to activate the content each time you go on an experience.
How much time do you spend sat in front of your computer? It does not matter whether you are playing games or carrying out more productive tasks. I suspect that in many cases your answer could well consist of a number of hours. I know that my answer would definitely be a number of hours.
While not immediately registering on your consciousness, a significant word in my original question is that of “sat”, a position that could sometimes be replaced with or used alongside “huddled”. There are points of view which state that being sat or huddled in front of a computer plays a major factor in the cause of RSI or, as in my particular case, back problems.
An analogue watch with a step counter. Yes analogue I do hope younger children are still taught to read a watch rather than rely on digital timepieces. This is a very smart looking offering with a circular dial and absolutely no buttons.
When I reviewed an earlier model I found it difficult to setup this one was a joy, press the back of the case with the tool supplied and you link to the App that you have downloaded, enter a few personal details and then the App and the watch link via Bluetooth and the time is set and that is about it, around five minutes in total.
When a company decides that the blades cannot be improved they then look to what surrounds them and here Gillette work on what to you and me looks like the plastic shield that stops the blades meeting your face at anything but the perfect angle.
So having what think is the perfect set of blades and also the best arm to support the razor it only leaves what surrounds the razor blades. Did you know that the average number of strokes used during a face shave is 170 and 120 or those are made once the protective foam or gel has been removed, no, neither did I so this is why Gillette have brought out extra protection in the surrounds of their blades so stop you and me suffering irritation when we shave.
The Linksys AC1200 Amplify Wi-Fi range extender model RE6700 is a convenient means of improving connectivity around the home. It can be used to expand Wi-Fi coverage as well as providing local Ethernet and audio connections.
The body of the extender is roughly 120 x 67 x 50mm deep and white in colour. There are two antennas, one on either side. They are hinged and are rotated downwards when in use lengthening the extender by a further 60mm. While this is perfectly satisfactory in modern homes, or recently rewired ones where the power points are well away from the floor, it may be a problem with older homes where power sockets are frequently mounted low down on the skirting boards.
Inanimate objects, such as keys, smartphones and other small personal devices, are not meant to have a life of their own. These items are supposed to remain where you last placed them. But, as can often happen, the location where you are certain you left them is not the same as the position where the particular item is to be found when you need it to complete an important task. If, like me, you have encountered such as situation then you might be interested in this next product. Even more so, if again like me, this is a regular situation then you could consider placing the TrackR.bravo device on your wish list.
According to urban legend, the TrackR device, and the company which manufacturers such a product, came about as the result of Chris Herbert and Christian Smith finding themselves locked out of a car because they could not find the car keys. As a result the TrackR Company was set up in 2009 to ensure this situation did not arise again for them and many others.
Not the smallest PC I have looked at but probably the one with the most connectivity from such a small box. Things did not start that well but after the initial problems I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed testing this product.
My first problem was it did not recognise the keyboard, then I was surprised that it did not have Wi-Fi – or so I thought – so after finding an Ethernet cable I was relieved to find that I could use the WPS button on my router to connect it to my Network. After that being online I could let Windows find a driver for my keyboard and unbeknown to me also one for the Wi-Fi so now I do not need the Ethernet cable. So now it runs as I expected it would/should out of the box.
If you want to brighten up the appearance of your keyboard when gaming, then this next offering might appeal.
Gamers, especially those who consider themselves part of the hardcore brigade, always feel that they need specially enhanced equipment to survive in the virtual gaming world of their choice. This equipment covers items such as the display monitor, mouse / controller and keyboard that have been developed to give gamers that extra edge to improve their performance.
Developed by GOGII and available from Avanquests GSP game label, Vault Cracker: The Last Safe is a Hidden Object Adventure game with the emphasis on the Hidden Object aspect.
Unlike most of the game of this particular genre that come my way, Vault Cracker: The Last Safe opens with a prologue as your character is involved in the crime of breaking into a safe when steel bars come crashing down trapping you in the vault. Fortunately there is a great deal more to this game than a failed break in as you are taken back in time.
The lasest offering from Philips should be able to support you whatever connection you need as it has VGA, Digital, HDMI and DisplayPort not to mention a rather nice USB3 Hub. So whatever and however you connect you are supported here with this 23.5inch panel showing 1920x1080.
It is 56x35x1.8cm the last figure at the edges. The stand is a circle with a section cut off at the front so its 28cm side to side and just over 23cm back to front. It has a telescopic arm that can raise the panel from a minimum of 5cm above your desk to a maximum of 17.5cm. The arm does stay within the confines of the diameter of the base. The base of the stand is metal but there are seven circular 1.
I have to admit that I was totally unaware of the company Myfox until I was offered the opportunity to check out a couple of the companys products.
Myfox is a French company, founded in 2005, based in Labège. The company’s stated aim is to redefine home security with unique solutions designed to safeguard families, their homes and possessions. Since developing one of the Worlds’s first connected home security systems in 2009, the company has gone on to develop its award-winning IntelliTAG™ sensor which forms part of the company’s new releases.
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