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With a name that reminds me of a lighter, this next product combines two functions.
Sometimes the arrival of a product for review coincides with the ideal circumstances.Take for instance when a printer appears when I have a shed load of documents that need printing or a memory card turns up as my smartphone is pleading "feed me, feed me" as it needs more storage space to hold the content I am attempting to cram into it.However, as you could well imagine, this is not always the case as can be seen with this next product.
This is a new SmartPhone designed for 5G but that still works using 4G if you live or work in an area currently without 5G coverage. This is supplied with a transparent back and sides silicon cover that stops the cameras being proud on the back which means that you can lay it on any surface without any danger of scratching that surface.
The Moto G 5G Plus Smartphone measures 16.7x7.3x1cm and weighs 222grams with cover. The screen is 15.6x7cm which gives the notional imperial diagonal measurement of 6.7inches. The display is 1080x2520 pixels in a 21:9 ratio which is the same resolution as most recent films. The twin front cameras do bite into the display near the top left of the screen.
Often when used as a mobile entertainment device, a smartphone requires plenty of storage space.
Have you heard your smartphone whimper? It is not a pleasant sound, some would say pitiful, and one that you should attempt to avoid hearing at all costs. Well perhaps not at all costs. The situation can be alleviated by the act of introducing your favourite mobile device to a memory card with appropriate capacity such as the SanDisk Ultra microSDXC™ UHS-1 Card. Promising speeds of up to 95 MB/s, I have been looking at one of the higher capacity cards from this series.
It looks a little like a ‘tank’ with the top removed so in one form it’s just the treads that grip but once it moves into the fitment it moves as if on stilts. There are some pieces supplied to guide your Power Treads unit around a course which you design but you can go freestyle and use things found in your home to make your own truly original track.
If this was just a vehicle with some curves and twists then the stated age of five plus would be fine however as you have to assemble not just the course which is a test in itself with the pieces provided but you also need to fit the treads to the vehicle so maybe an older sibling would be useful to tell you what is possible. Although it can do some amazing twists and turns it cannot defy gravity.
If you are looking to simultaneously charge several devices then this news might be of interest.
With an impressive reputation for successful crowd-funding campaigns, Changeasap is a consumer electronics start-up based in Sydney. Following its successful crowd-funding campaigns for products, such as Flash Graphics Powerbank, Infinity Magnetic cables and X-Connect cables, the next cab of the rank to emerge from Changeasap is the company's Omega product with its own crowd-funding campaign.
While restrictions are being placed on passport travel, they do not apply to this offering from Western Digital.
While a traditional passport will prove useful when travelling between countries, Western Digital (WD) believes its passport offering can perform important facilities for your computer system and environment. The WD My Passport is a portable storage device which offers features that include automatic back up, password protection and data encryption. I have been looking at the Ultra version of the product which is available in 1TB (my review sample), 2TB, 3TB and 4TB capacities.
The only way you know if your Anti Virus or Total Security product is doing its job is if it fails; and, if you have no problems, then it is probably doing its job. While I have previously told you about what McAfee and Kaspersky have to offer today its BitDefender.
I have been using it for nearly a month and the only time I know it’s there is when I attach a memory stick while it checks its content. Some people are concerned that certain files are permanently deleted and here they have a secure shredder to do the job. The thing that most recently seems to be the thing that people worry about is Ransomware and BitDefender say they will stop files being encrypted once they know an attach is in progress.
Adding to its range of smartphone handsets, TCL Communications has launched its first 5G-enabled model.
The TCL first next-generation 5G smartphone is the TCL 10 5G. Supplied with the product is a slip-on transparent protective cover that slots over the rear of the device. Adopting the standard candy bar appearance, the TCL 10 5G has dimensions of 163.65 x 76.56 x 9.05 mm (W x H x D) and weighs in at 210g.
This is a watch that could help you lose weight and as such is an aid for those of us termed as ‘Obese’ and one of the vast range of subjects that the Government are working on apart from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The reason they care if we are obese is simple we are more likely to become diabetic and have other problems such as asthma and so those who are obese cost the government more as we will have more hospital visits. The watch is circular at 36mm and the surround is steel with a rubberized strap.
If your smartphone or tablet is running short on storage space then this next product could help.
A few years ago I took a look at SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive providing connection compatibility with a choice of standard and microUSB connectivity and supporting capacity of up to 64GB. Since my original review, standards have changed and the all-metal SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive has undergone a make-over to reflect these changes and what the user expects from such a device both in appearance and specifications.
The lack of ports is often a problem for a lot of small Tablets as they have as little as a single USB ‘C’ port, this means that unless everything is online you need a hub; earlier hubs were full size USB offerings. This hub is right up to date being USB ‘C’ and the only driver you might require is if you decide to use the HDMI port to output your display to it.
This 6 Port USB ‘C’ Hub from D-Link measures 9.5x4.5x.8cm and it weighs only 66grams. There is a 15cm hard wired USB ‘C’ lead emerging from one end. The back has a full size HDMI port and a USB ‘C’ port. The front has two USB3 ports a SD card socket and a micro SD card socket to make the units six ports.
As part of turning your home into a smart residence, you could add a Tapo light.
With a variation of the age-old conundrum, "When is a light bulb not a light bulb?". The answer could well be a new product from TP-Link, a global provider of reliable networking devices, under the company's offshoot and brand name of Tapo. The product in question, and the subject of this review, is the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Similar in shape and size as to other light bulbs that come with a high collar and screw-type connection, the Tapo L510E is of the A60 type of bulb.
The N20 Pro is a new handset arriving from Spain.
I had to look twice, or maybe it was three times, as I rubbed the disbelief from my eyes. The reason was the arrival of an email regarding a new smartphone that was due to be launched later this month. It was not the arrival of yet another smartphone, we do seem to be a long way off reaching saturation point with these devices, but the name of the company launching this product that was causing my double or triple take.
Having recently told you about Primephonic (Classical only), Spotify and Deezer here is another service this one however concentrates on the quality of reproduction their lowest level useful on SmartPhones is called Normal and then above that High, Hi-Fi and then Master the last only available from your PC.
Sixty million tracks are what they say they have, as regular readers will know my Genre is Jazz and certainly there is a good selection for me. So apart from the quality which as stated you do need a PC for is the ‘Master’ however a lot of older recordings are not available in this quality. What extra Tidal has is Videos as well as music and currently these are not available on Deezer or Spotify.
When the sandman calls you never know how things will end.
It all began when you received a letter from an old friend called Agatha. In this letter she reveals that she is worried after discovering another of your old friends, called Hans, who you both though was dead, was in fact alive. Feeling that the other residents of her home town of Mittenwald did not believe her, she was calling on you for help. As Agatha and Hans were your two oldest friends, you set out to visit Mittenwald and see if you can help.
Stuck for a way to completing a task that should be simple then the answer might be a Toolbox.
Operating systems attempt to be all-things to everybody. However it does not always work out that way. Individual users have their own pet needs and ways of carrying out tasks. As a result they develop their own tricks and tips or other companies will step in and develop third-party packages to satisfy the needs of users. One such package is the Toolbox developed by Parallel, now part of Corel's Business unit. Now up to version 4.0 and consisting of 26 individual tools.
This is the latest value offering from Honor, unlike recent offerings from their parent company Honor still seem to have access to Google and therefore no different to other manufacturers and for you the user all the Apps you use are still available from the Google Play Store.
The Honor 9x Lite measures 16x7.5x.8cm apart from where the two cameras and LED flash protrude at the back top left, it weighs 189 grams. The viewable screen is 15x7cm apart from the front facing camera that takes up .5x2cm at the top centre of the screen. The notional diagonal imperial measurement is a tad under 6½inches. The viewable screen has almost no borders as you can see from the dimensions. This looks and feels like a phone that should cost far more than £200.
When moving around as a gamer, you might be looking for an appropriate addition to your kit.
The WD_Black P50 is a portable storage device that has been designed specifically for gamers, especially those of the hardcore brigade, who find it difficult to be separated from their favourite games at any time.
With magic, talking animals, an evil witch and a broken watch, a young girl has plenty to deal with in this next game.
Last year I reviewed Witch Island 2. As the "2" part of the game's title indicated, this was the follow-up offering to Witch Island. Now there is a third title in this series. Adopting the Star Wars concept of delivering prequels and sequels is an out-of-order sequence, this third release is entitled Witch Island Origin indicating it is set prior to the first two offerings. Developed by Itera Labs, Witch Island Origin is a Hidden Object Adventure game.
This looks outwardly rather similar to the Krups Piccolo XS machine published in December 2019 but that was a manual machine and this one is automatic in that all Nescafe Pods now have a number of strokes to represent the amount of water to make the perfect drink. You adjust the dial on the machine and the correct amount of hot or cold water is then dispensed.
The Nescafe Dolce Gusto Genio S measures 26x28x9.5cm with the head where you insert the pod being 6cm taller than the rest of the machine.
Once a fairy tale has ending, its characters still need to continue their lives as Goldilocks discovers.
No doubt you are probably familiar with the story of Goldilocks and her early encounters with members of the ursine family. You might even have imagined what this inquisitive young lady could have got up to next and how the rest of her life was intertwined with those of the big brown family of bears. Whether you have or not taken this route, this next game will reveal how 4 Friends Game have perceived "What Goldilocks did next" with their Hidden Object Adventure title.
The bigger the better so the saying goes. But is that always the case when Darkarta is around.
Approximately three years ago I reviewed Darkarta - A Broken Heart on a Windows-based computer. Now I have discovered there is a mobile version of this Hidden Object Adventure game. Bother versions of the game were developed by TuttiFrutti. The mobile version of the game requires the Android 6 or later edition of the operating system and, unlike the Windows offering, does feature in-game's purchases with prices of between 99p and £3.89 per item.
For less than £500 you can buy a rather nice electronic keyboard from Casio. While I do play a bit this deserved better than my touch so a retired dance band pianist friend of mine tried it in my garden and as I thought he would be, he was rather impressed with the sound.
What you get for your money is the keyboard, music stand, damper pedal and mains lead. The 8watt internal speakers are plenty for a home room and if you are a total novice this can be muted via headphones so the rest of the household do not need to suffer. However for me anyway this is not the total novice’s keyboard others are available at a smaller amount of octaves and lesser quality.
With its collection of puppet-like creatures, you ca visit a world that has the feel of a nightmare.
Bringing the Weird Park saga to a conclusion is the appropriately entitled The Final Show. Like the earlier offerings, this title is a Hidden Object Adventure game and is entirely self-contained so missing out on the first two parts of this trilogy should not spoil your enjoyment of this adventure game. Rather than just offer the player the challenge of the main game, Weird Park - The Final Show comes with a number of bonus items that could well appeal to you.
As the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, HyperX has been developing gaming products for 16 years. New additions include the Stinger family of offerings.
Recently I reported on the latest gaming eyewear from HyperX. As part of the report I mentioned that the eyewear was designed to fit comfortably with the HyperX gaming headsets such as the company's Stinger line-up. HyperX has recently expanded its HyperX Stinger Headset line-up with a couple of new gaming headsets for immersive players.
A pair of small Bluetooth speakers that contain a pair of earbuds, this is certainly a first for me. Once paired there is no need to turn them on or off, simply pull them apart – held together by magnetism – and they switch on, reverse the procedure and they turn off.
Sitting through a press conference without any audience reaction is strange but is the norm in this period of pandemic.
Over its ten years of existence, Xiaomi has built up an impressive reputation for producing a range of tech consumer products, attractively priced to satisfy the desires of the company's fan base of customers. Xiaomi has recently increased its product portfolio with announcements regarding the release of some brand-new consumer tech products featuring a couple of e-scooters, new fitness band offering and a set of wireless earphones.
This is a filter coffee machine that has a timer built in so you can set it up before you leave the office or in the home before you go to bed. The timer delay means the coffee will be ready to drink when you wake up or arrive at the office.
The full title is Melitta LOOK Therm Timer, the last three words do not seem to be related but when use the machine they start to make sense. It is 36cm tall, 23cm wide and 20cm from front to back. The water tank can hold enough water for up to 10 large cups of coffee (or 15 smaller ones) the scale on the front of the tank is divided into two sides showing both measurements. The amount of filter coffee you place in the filter will depend on the way you like your coffee.
Detective Agency 3 - Ghost Painting is a Hidden Object Adventure game.
Developed by Iteria Laboratories, Detective Agency 3 - Ghost Painting is one of those titles that keeps drawing you back for another session of activity yet, when you finally get to its ending to solve its mystery, if one ever existed, you find yourself scratching your head and wondering what it was all about. There is a story in there somewhere but, I have to confess, it left me confused and certainly bemused.
Last October I had the chance to try some headphones from Adidas, yes like you I thought they only did trainers, here I get the chance to try another of their products, this time a set of earbuds, these are Bluetooth and link easily to whatever your Bluetooth SmartPhone.
The earpieces are attached to a thicker shaped piece that sits around the back of the neck each earpiece and lead is around 30cm so would lie on your chest. The shaped and stiffened middle bit sits comfortably around the back of your neck with the last six centimetres each side at 1cm wide and just over half that thick, three buttons on one arm along with the USB ‘C’ connector to charge its solid battery and one button on the other arm.
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