/lifestyle/technology/rss ¾ÅÒ»ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ Thu, 30 Jan 2025 23:22:22 Z en /lifestyle/technology/ecovacs-deebot-n20-pro-plus-when-less-is-best/ /lifestyle/technology/ecovacs-deebot-n20-pro-plus-when-less-is-best/ Make no mistake, I've been a convert of robot vacuums for years. There's nothing like coming home from work - or even a holiday - to discover your house has been freshly vacuumed. But if there's one thing I've learned about these technological timesavers, it's that they require more attention than you might have initially suspected. Just because they're robots doesn't mean they can do everything themselves. Yes, some have their own self-cleaning stations, but those stations still need emptying eventually. Brushes and filters also wear out over time and will need replacing.  The good news is, one of the latest DEEBOT robot vacuums from ECOVACS now does a much better job of looking after itself. The DEEBOT N20 PRO PLUS doesn't look dramatically different from other ECOVACS robot vacuums but the same can't be said for its auto-empty station. It's quite a compact home base and unlike previous models that contained large, disposable bags to collect the dust, dirt and other detritus, here ECOVACS introduces its PureCyclone Technology.  Instead of emptying into a large bag that you eventually have to throw away and replace, everything is sucked directly into an easily-removable, 400ml dust chamber which just clicks out for you to empty, then clicks back in just as easily. There are so many advantages to this new system, other than the fact you're not having to fork out for replacement dust bags every few months. Obviously, it means less waste, so it's better for the environment. It also maintains total suction right up until the chamber is full and the dust chamber on board the N20 vacuum itself stays spotlessly empty after every clean. This in turn means the vacuum also maintains full power and I can assure you, that 8000Pa of suction leaves your floors looking amazing, every time. The N20 PRO PLUS also features a new, four-stage filter system, keeping any unwanted dust or odours to an absolute minimum - great news for you allergy-prone sneezers out there. Another new innovation is the ZeroTangle main brush head. ECOVACS claims the combination of flat and outward-rotating angled bristles with a double set of comb teeth prevents hair getting wrapped around the roller brush.  This is a constant issue in my house, as it is occupied by three long-haired ladies and a dog. Unfortunately, the DEEBOT's ZeroTangle system doesn't quite seem to live up to the hype and I still find myself having to cut tangled hair from the roller every few cleans. On the upside, there aren't any rubber blades on this brush head, which always seem to be the first things to wear out on other vacuums so again, it looks like I won't have to replace the roller as often. There's only one side brush on the N20 PRO PLUS whereas many other robot vacuums have two. These spinning, brushes are designed to sweep debris from corners and the base of skirting boards into the path of the main roller to be sucked up. I was worried one brush less would make this device half as effective but as far as I can tell, it's more than smart enough to compensate, spinning around in tight spaces to ensure the most thorough clean possible. Yet again, this will save me money as it's one less accessory I'll have to replace when it wears out. Depending on your budget, robot vacuums handle mopping one of two ways; either you manually add some kind of mopping attachment or there's an automated filling and emptying feature on the base station. Having your robot fill itself with clean water, go out and mop, then return to drain the dirty water and clean itself certainly sounds very sci-fi. But guess what? Sooner or later you're going to have to fill up that clean water tank in the base station and deal with the dirty water tank too. Ick. Unless things can progress to the point where the base station can be plumbed in, (no, I don't know how that would work either, but they did it with fridges) I now think it's easier to do things the N20 way; a separate mopping module with its own water reservoir and a replaceable pad underneath. You just fill it up, pop it in and let the automated mopping begin. I've always been impressed with the results from DEEBOT mopping and with the latest OZMO Pro 2.0 vibrating mopping system, ECOVACS has only improved the experience, leaving a spotless, quick-dry finish. There have also been improvements to the high-traction drive wheels on the N20 PRO PLUS, now ensuring door-sills, mats and rugs up to 20mm high are literally no obstacle. This can actually cause its own issues, which I'll explain shortly - but for the most part, I've found the object detection, avoidance and general manoeuvrability to be first-rate. The potential for trouble arises once the N20 PRO PLUS has completed its initial scan and mapping of your floor plan when you first set it up. Although the automated mapping procedure is very quick and leaves you with an accurate map you can customise, if you have floor-level windows or ranch-sliders, the DEEBOT will scan right through the glass and add whatever's outside as an extra room. Unless you then separate this "ghost room" using a virtual boundary on your map in the ECOVACS HOME app, next time the N20 vacuums when you leave the ranch-slider open, it'll probably just carry on outside, easily summiting any low doorstep, happily vacuuming or mopping your deck. This is exactly what happened to me and of course, I was able to solve the issue with the late application of the aforementioned virtual boundary. Trouble is, while out on the deck, the DEEBOT must have sucked up some fairly large leaves. Quite impressive... until I couldn't figure out why that oh-so-powerful PureCylone auto-empty station wasn't emptying anything. Turned out, one of those leaves was blocking up the works. Nice to know there's enough suction for an object of that size but kind of annoying I can't just delete those "ghost rooms" off my map. This has always been an issue with the DEEBOT system and I can't wait for the day a simple app update finally fixes it. Before I conclude, battery life is definitely worth a mention. The N20 PRO PLUS claims an amazing 300-minute runtime on its fully-charged, 5200mAh battery. I haven't run it that long to check because it doesn't take anything like that long to clean my whole house. This is by far the best battery performance from any robot vacuum I've tested to date. Better battery, efficient and effective fuss-free mopping, an improved brush system and best of all, no bag to replace. Ever. If they could just nail that Anti-Tangle thing, the N20 PRO PLUS would be close to perfect.      Click here for more information on the ECOVACS DEEBOT N20 PRO PLUS. Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:34:50 Z /lifestyle/technology/nanoleaf-senseplus-make-your-smart-home-more-accessible/ /lifestyle/technology/nanoleaf-senseplus-make-your-smart-home-more-accessible/ If I lived alone, I'd have the smartest home imaginable. Depending on the time of day (or night) each room would light up as I entered. Music would start playing automatically. The temperature would always be 22°. At a single command, the lights would go down, my TV would turn on and my favourite show would start playing from where I left off. I literally already have all the gear to make that a reality. But alas... I'm not the only one who lives here. Not only are the other cohabitants unwilling to sit down and learn exactly how all these gadgets work so they can control them themselves, I'm not sure I have the patience or communication skills to teach them. I get it. As it stands, I use three different virtual assistants to control dozens of devices, not to mention those that actually work better with their own apps or remotes. I have to admit, it's a bit of a nightmare really and I'm not sure why my family puts up with any of it. So when Nanoleaf came up with a simple way for everyone to control the lights, I was definitely interested. The Nanoleaf Sense+ - to put it simply - is just a switch. Which means the next time Domestic Manager complains, "Why can't there just be a switch?" I'll be able to point to it. In fact, I'll be able to hand it to her. That's because although the Sense+ looks a lot like any other wall-mounted light switch, it's only the mounting plate that's fixed to the wall; either screwed on or fixed in place using the less-permanent adhesive backing. The switch itself merely magnetises in place - in fact, it can stick to any metal surface that's magnet-friendly. Being completely wireless means the Sense+ is perhaps more a remote control than a switch and as such, it'll do a lot more than just turn your lights on and off. Although, let's not underestimate the elegant simplicity of two nice big buttons - one with a picture of an illuminated light bulb and one obviously unlit. No doubt at all what's going on there. Then, in the middle of the matchbox-sized pull-out module you'll find a dimmer rocker. Again, no ambiguity - a simple plus or minus for brighter or darker. No instructions required. Things get a little more complicated with the left and right-hand buttons though. These are fully programmable via the Nanoleaf app and can be assigned three different functions each, depending on what sort of lights you're controlling. It's worth noting here that not all Nanoleaf smart lights are compatible with the Sense+, so you'll probably want to do a bit of Googling before you purchase, just to make sure all your lights are going to play nicely together. I've found results can be a bit inconsistent when you group older generation lights with the newer, Matter-over-Thread-enabled models so you're better off upgrading anyway. Regardless, it's important to update the firmware on any Nanoleaf devices you want to pair with the Sense+ before you start. This is, unfortunately, a torturously long process which often doesn't work first time. Even if you've set up your lights using Apple's Home app on an iOS device, you'll still be directed to the Nanoleaf app for the firmware update. And while, in theory, you can queue several several lights for updating simultaneously, I'd advise against it, because if something goes wrong halfway through, you may have to factory reset the light completely and start from scratch. As you will have gathered, this is not the part of the process every member of the household should get involved in. However, once everything is updated, you've paired the Sense+ and created a "Control Group" for it to link with, it's then a very easy process to assign functions for single clicks, double clicks and long presses of the left and right buttons. For example, a single click of the right-hand button cycles all the lights in my living room through a list of different colours. Meanwhile, a double click of the left-hand button sets them to warm white. But the real beauty of Nanoleaf smart lights is their ability to show customisable scenes - changing patterns of colours you can select from a growing list of preset templates, or you can create your own. Once you've saved any of these scenes to your list of favourites, they too can be assigned to one of the buttons on the Sense+. This has got to be great news for any long-suffering family members of a tech geek like me. Now there's an easy-to find, physical switch to control the lights with. Just like the old days. But wait... The Sense+ has two other hidden features that give it its name; a motion sensor and a daylight sensor. This means you may not need to use any of the buttons at all. You can set the Sense+ to turn on the lights when it gets dark or when someone enters the room. Or more usefully, a combination of the two; automatically light up the room when someone enters... but only at night. Both motion and light sensitivity can be adjusted to your preference using the app and both sensors do the job perfectly. And because Sense+ uses Matter-over-Thread rather than just simple bluetooth or potentially crowded Wi-Fi, the commands from the buttons are carried out pretty much instantly, with almost no lag whatsoever. When it comes to summing up the Sense+, the word "simple" keeps coming to mind. It's simple to install (and looks just like any other light switch when magnetised in place). And it's simple to use - meaning the rest of the family are no longer living in the dark when it comes to the smart lights in your home.  The update process should be simple too - unfortunately, this has always been an issue with Nanoleaf products and there's still a lot of room for improvement. But don't let that one gripe put you off setting up your own Sense+ system. If I had my way, I'd have one in every room of the house.      Click here for more information and pricing on the Nanoleaf Sense+ smart wireless switch. Mon, 20 Jan 2025 00:08:36 Z /lifestyle/technology/norton-financial-monitoring-yet-another-string-in-360s-bow/ /lifestyle/technology/norton-financial-monitoring-yet-another-string-in-360s-bow/ At the risk of sounding a bit grinchy, this time of year is when you're at greatest risk of online crime. Every online shopping transaction is an opportunity for bad actors to finagle their way into your cyber affairs, potentially swooping in to grab your personal details, security codes, bank logins and credit card information. It's already a stressful time for many people and the last thing you need is discover some lowlife has snuck in and drained your account. Or even worse, discovering someone close to you - perhaps an elderly or vulnerable relative - hasn't quite got the digital literacy to look out for suspicious activity online. In these cases, their stress can become your stress pretty quickly. Now Norton has come up with a way to take some of that holiday stress away. Financial Monitoring is a new feature under the Identity Protection section of any Norton 360 Platinum or Norton 360 Advanced subscription. Once you're subscribed, you'll find the Financial Monitoring tab in the Identity Protection section. Here you can link to your bank accounts, credit cards, investments and loans. Ironically, I found the setup process kind of scary. Although I knew (and double-checked) I had logged in to my account via the official Norton website, these days I'm always pretty reluctant to input sensitive information like bank logins. You can bet I was keeping a close eye on my accounts on another screen just to make sure this wasn't some kind of extremely elaborate scam. I'm not sure how Norton could get around this nervousness - how the process of linking to your most critical financial details could feel safer. However, in the interests of exploring the experience on your behalf, Dear Reader, I took the plunge and carried on. All major New Zealand banks and lending institutions seemed to be represented and I had no issue completing the process. Once I had, I could then access a summary of my account activity from any device I had installed Norton 360 Advanced onto. Although this part of proceedings isn't that different from logging onto a specific banking app, if you have multiple dealings with a collection of different financial institutions, this is certainly a great way to see all the comings and goings at a glance. But the real peace of mind comes from the notifications Norton sends out if it detects any unusual activity.  I'm no big-noter so it's not every day I go out and make multi-hundred dollar purchases. While you can set the threshold for an "unusual transaction" wherever you want, I decided to go for the lowest possible option, $100 for cash withdrawals, purchases and transfers. Sure enough, when I spent an eye-watering amount at the supermarket yesterday, doing a pre-Christmas shop, I was notified shortly after about my suspicious purchase. At this point you can choose to ignore it or follow up if you don't recognise the transaction. And just like that I suddenly had the confidence to shop online without being quite so paranoid. Given the angry, shouting woman at the self-service checkout next to me at the supermarket, it might be time to give online grocery shopping a go. The downside is there's a bit of a delay between the transaction and the notification - but I assume that's actually the delay between me making the purchase and the digital funds literally changing hands. We've all seen how that process can sometimes take days for no explicable reason. So taking that into account (excuse the pun) I'm now pretty optimistic Norton's Financial Monitoring service will be able to alert me to anything weird before I wake up one morning to discover I'm now a another penniless victim of online fraud. That certainly wouldn't be ideal Christmas morning - or any other morning for that matter. It's also potentially a fantastic way to prevent the people close to you - be they elderly or just starting out - making a naïve mistake that could cost hundreds, if not thousands. I've trusted Norton to protect my devices and my identity for years and it hasn't let me down yet. Now it's nice to know Norton is standing outside my virtual bank vault for extra security as well.      Click here for more information on Norton 360 Advanced. Sat, 21 Dec 2024 06:02:42 Z /lifestyle/technology/jbl-partylight-beam-and-jbl-partylight-stick-pair-some-sight-with-your-sound/ /lifestyle/technology/jbl-partylight-beam-and-jbl-partylight-stick-pair-some-sight-with-your-sound/ When it comes to heritage brands in tech, JBL is right up there. Decade after decade, professionals and consumers alike have turned to JBL for fantastic sound solutions and in the age of portable and Bluetooth speakers, JBL has come to the party every time. Literally. While the resulting sound performance has always exceeded expectations, I don't think anyone ever bought a JBL PartyBox specifically for its dazzling light show.  Now, recognising it's fun to add a bit of light and colour to proceedings, JBL has taken things in a new direction. This is the first time I've reviewed any JBL device that doesn't play music. If the PartyLight Beam and PartyLight Stick are anything to go by, it certainly won't be the last. The first thing I love about these two devices is there's nothing particularly fiddly about them. The Stick couldn't be easier to assemble; you literally just twist and click the LED light tube into place on its stand, while the Beam requires no assembly at all. The Stick comes with a USB-C charging cable in the box but no wall charger, so it's assumed you'll already have one of those lying around. It'll take up to 3 hours to fully charge the 9.0Wh lithium-ion battery which should then give you about 8 hours of continuous use. Both lights are easy to pair, using the JBL PartyBox app. Although you don't actually need the app to use them, it is recommended you check for any firmware updates before you do. These updates take an annoyingly long time to download and install, presumably because you're only connected to your phone or tablet via bluetooth. Take my advice, don't try and install an update 5 minutes before your guests are due to arrive. Once that's over and done with though, the rest is easy. AFter you've plugged it in, the Beam is powered on by tilting it up to face your preferred direction. The Stick has a power button, which causes a section of colour to rise up its tube like a light-sabre, before briefly showing you how much charge is left with a white-on-black indication. Both Stick and Beam have built-in mics and using JBL's algorithm, they listen to whatever music's playing and react accordingly. The Stick creates all kinds of mesmerising effects, sending shafts of different colours up and down the tube at various speeds, while the Beam combines two different, extremely bright, rotating LED spotlights to project an infinite combination of colours and patterns onto your wall or ceiling. That's fun but it's a bit random - especially if you're using both devices together like I am for this review. Using the PartyBox app, you can customise the colours and patterns exactly the way you want but the real fireworks start when you add a JBL PartyBox into the equation. One caveat here; it'll need to be a relatively up-to-date PartyBox - because we're about to make use of the Auracast function. I've talked about Auracast in my recent JBL speaker reviews. It's the latest protocol JBL has adopted to link multiple speakers together so they can create a louder, more powerful sound system. The reason the new PartyLights also have an Auracast button is to connect and sync with a speaker like the PartyBox Stage 320 I reviewed back in May. These JBL speakers put on quite a cool light show of their own, although as I said in my introduction, it's kind of limited. Now, with a press of the Auracast button, not only will any PartyLight devices be in sync with each other, they'll also match what's happening behind the grille of the speaker (or speakers). This instantly makes your light show look far more professional, matching the tone and beat of the music with similar colours and effects. The Beam casts very bright patterns indeed, rated to light up a 40sq/m room with ease, while the Stick is uniquely designed to cast its effects in a full 360° array. And unlike the Beam, the Stick also has the advantage of being completely portable, so there's nothing stopping you taking the party outside - especially if you've paired it with a rechargeable speaker like the PartyBox Club 120 I used for this review. I've often talked about my disdain for pointless flashing lights on gadgets in the past - including perhaps the token light displays manufacturers like JBL insist on building into their speakers. However... By adding one or more devices from the new PartyLight range and syncing them up through Auracast, suddenly it all starts to make a lot more sense. The colours and patterns being projected by either the Beam or the Stick (or in my case, Beam combined with a pair of Sticks) now mimic the PartyBox speaker's display exactly. Unfortunately, despite how universally all JBL's Auracast speakers connect together, no matter what size or model, only the PartyBox speakers with Auracast will sync with the PartyLights and sadly, if you have an older, non-Auracast PartyBox, you'll just have to rely on the PartyLights' built-in microphones to put on the show for you. Either way these are a quick and easy way to bring a professional standard of lighting to your party - or perhaps even your gig if you're using a PartyBox or two as a P.A. What's more, they're durable, easy to move about and are pretty reasonably priced too. Why hire lights for your next function when JBL has come up with a fun, affordable solution you can own yourself?      Click here for more information and pricing on the JBL PartyLight Bean. Click here for more information and pricing on the JBL PartyLight Stick. Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:12:58 Z /lifestyle/technology/blink-mini-2-and-blink-outdoor-4-dont-pay-too-much-for-home-security/ /lifestyle/technology/blink-mini-2-and-blink-outdoor-4-dont-pay-too-much-for-home-security/ When it comes to installing a security camera or two at your place, it's easy to get carried away. A high-quality, weather-proof camera can set you back hundreds. Then, once installed, all too often you'll be stung a second time with a subscription to keep accessing the more advanced features. Once you've spent all that money, maybe it would have been cheaper to let the burglars in and just take their pick. The good news is - especially at this time of year - you don't have to shell out top dollar for a reasonable home monitoring solution. From October this year, Amazon-owned Blink arrived in New Zealand in force with its latest devices, the Mini 2 and Outdoor 4. The Mini 4 offers the versatility of working either indoors or outside while the wireless Outdoor 4 promises up to two years use on a single pair of AA batteries. Both cameras are available in white or black and both are extremely compact, although obviously the Mini 2 is particularly tiny. This makes them a good solution for those of us who prefer a more subtle approach to home security in terms of aesthetics. If you want a big, bold, in-your-face camera that shouts, "Take your chances, crims! Can't you see you're being recorded?" these Bink cams might not be the answer. On the other hand, if you'd rather not have cameras detracting from the look of your lovely home, these little beauties can be easily tucked away somewhere less obtrusive. Both cameras come with equally petite mounts, which can be adapted for wall or ceiling installation. While these mounts are certainly versatile, they're pretty much entirely plastic and I wonder about durability over time - not that I've had any issues yet. My other concern is how the cameras simply snap onto the mount with a click. This makes for easy installation but presumably it would also make for easy theft if a baddie wanted to make off with your camera. Luckily, no video footage is stored on the devices themselves so at least the last image you got would be a closeup of the thief! Let's talk storage, while we're here. Just like most other brands, Blink makes you subscribe to a monthly plan if you want to use their cloud storage option. Videos are saved for 60 days and it's easy to watch and share them. However, unlike some of Blink's competitors, there's another option. The Outdoor 4 camera is boxed up with the Sync Module 2. As with many other smart home devices, instead of connecting directly to your Wi-Fi network, you use the Blink app to set up the Sync Module 2 first. This is very quick and easy and it then benefits you in three ways. Firstly, by locating the Sync Module 2 in your house, somewhere close to your outdoor cameras, you'll get improved connectivity, as Wi-Fi routers are often situated a long way away from outside, let alone where you want your cameras to be. Secondly, connecting several cameras through a module like this means less traffic on your home network overall, which should always be your goal. Thirdly - and this is the clincher - the Sync Module 2 has a USB-A slot to plug in an external storage drive. This means you can store your vids locally for free, even after the 30 day trial of the Blink subscription plan runs out. The crazy thing is, the module is absolutely tiny - so it's easily stashed away behind or under furniture. The Blink Mini 2 isn't bundled with a Sync Module and as such can just work as a standalone Wi-Fi camera - but if you're planning on using several or you want to take advantage of that local storage option, the Sync Module is the way to go and of course, you can buy them separately. Another optional extra you may want to consider is the Weather Resistant Power Adaptor - a four-metre cord (complete with cable tidies and installation screws) that's compatible with both the Mini 2 and the Outdoor 4, if you prefer to run it off the mains, rather than on battery. This is certainly a sturdy cable and the USB-C connection to the camera is impressively rubberised to keep any moisture out. However, because the USB-C slot on the camera is extra deep in order to accomodate the weather-proof plug, I found it very fiddly to push it in at just the right angle to ensure the USB-C part of the plug actually slid in. It took me several attempts and caused quite a bit of frustration when I kept checking the app only to discover the Mini 2 still wasn't powered up and ready for pairing. However, I got there in the end. In terms of operation, I found the cameras work in much the same way as most others I have tried. The app provides clear, wide angled footage from both cameras and the sound quality to be excellent. You also have the option to speak out of the cameras from your phone - scaring off undesirables or welcoming visitors perhaps. The Mini 2 features a surprisingly powerful LED floodlight. This can be triggered automatically or manually via the app and it means you'll get a clear, colour HD feed, even at night. Conversely, the Outdoor 4 reverts to black-and-white infrared after dark - still perfectly clear though. As you would expect, you can set up motion notifications to appear on your phone and being an Amazon-integrated product, you can view feeds from Blink cameras on Echo Show and Fire TV devices or set up other Alexa smart home routines to be fired off when either camera is activated. You can customise Motion Zones quite accurately or alternatively, set up Privacy Zones where the camera won't look. There are other features, apart from cloud storage, you can only utilise through a subscription plan. These include person detection, extended live viewing and what Blink calls "Moments" - which is a compilation of videos saved into one longer clip. Starting from NZ$5 a month, the Blink subs are similar to others out there but there are definitely savings to be made with the purchase price on the cameras themselves and their associated accessories. The Mini 2 and Outdoor 4 are easy to set up and generally speaking, they do the same job any other camera does, yet they're probably cheaper - especially when Amazon is having one of its frequent sales. I'm not 100% convinced of their durability long-term, although really the only thing I'm basing that on is the plasticky feel of the mounting hardware. I certainly haven't experienced any issues and thanks to the Sync Module 2, connectivity is first rate. If indeed the Outdoor 4 runs for two years on a single set of batteries, that alone has gotta be worth a try.      Click here for more information and pricing on the blink mini 2. Click here for more information and priocing on the blink outdoor 4. Mon, 16 Dec 2024 01:34:57 Z /lifestyle/technology/oppo-find-x8-pro-still-leading-the-way-in-phone-photography/ /lifestyle/technology/oppo-find-x8-pro-still-leading-the-way-in-phone-photography/ I still remember trying an Oppo phone for the first time. I'd never really heard of the brand up until then so I was blown away when I discovered how good the phone was, especially the camera. The first periscope lens I experienced on a phone was on an Oppo phone. The first time I used a popup camera on a phone was on an Oppo phone. The first time I saw truly fast charging was with an Oppo phone. So it was no surprise the first time I encountered four 50MP lenses on one handset was also on an Oppo phone. The Oppo Find X8 Pro is like a supercar; pretty much every feature has been maximised for ultimate performance. And just like a supercar, the FInd X8 Pro certainly stands out in a crowd - strikingly so with its somewhat overbearing camera module; four lenses set into a brushed metal disc, protruding unashamedly from the rear panel, which is either Space Black or Pearl White. Oh, and when Oppo says, "pearl" it means it. If you hold it up to the light the matte rear panel reflects back like a polished shell. As I say, you can't argue this handset isn't unique. If you prefer a compact device, the Find X8 Pro may not be what you're looking for. The 6.78-inch display is at the upper end of the scale and it means if you like to keep your phone in your pockets they'd better be deep ones. Literally. And also figuratively. This phone is not cheap. But we'll get to that. Lots of people love a large screen - especially those of us of a certain age with certain short-distance eyesight issues. What a fantastic screen it is; an FHD+ AMOLED display with a variable 120Hz refresh rate, a peak brightness of 4500nits (insane) and covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i - a generation of the reputed toughened glass I didn't even know existed. The Find X8 Pro is also the first device I've used that's both IP68 and IP69 rated. This means it's dust-proof and will resist extended periods of immersion and exposure to high-pressure streams of liquids. So if you've ever wanted to waterblast your phone, this is the one to do it with. (That was a joke, not a recommendation) At 5910mAh, this may also be the phone with the biggest battery I've ever come across too. In fact, it's a new generation silicon-carbon cell which not only stays cool but is more resilient in colder temperatures. In short, this is a very durable device. Which is just as well, given its price. But we'll get to that. As you would expect, the large battery means you can go a long time between charges and in Oppo's usual style, they've included an 80W SuperVOOC charger in the box which will juice up the phone fast enough for you to watch the percentage points rise before your very eyes. So what about wireless charging? I hear you ask. Oh no, hang on; that's me. I'm kind of obsessed with wireless charging and in the past I've been disappointed when Oppo phones have been restricted to pesky cords just because they work a bit faster. My argument is cords are messy and you get a lot of wear-and-tear plugging and unplugging them all the time. Thankfully, the Find X8 Pro comes to the wireless party. In fact, it goes a step further with its range of OPPO Mag accessories. Although there's no magnetic coil built into the phone itself, Oppo has come up with a range of covers that snap on easily and are compatible with other magnetic chargers, stands and car cradles. One of these covers was included in my review kit along with one of the more innovative accessories I've seen this year; the 50W AirVOOC wireless charger. Yes, this lets you charge wirelessly at previously unheard-of speeds, although you will have to put up with a little bit of fan noise as it keeps itself cool. The review kit also included Oppo's Enco X3i true wireless earbuds. I haven't used any Oppo buds before and I loved them straight away. The reflective, Meteor Grey finish looks very classy, they have a comfy, secure fit, battery life is great and just like the Find X8 Pro, they're jam-packed with high-end features. The Enco X3i buds probably deserve their own review at a later date but let me just say I've been very impressed - although the Active Noise Cancelling isn't the best I've used and unlike the phone, the charging case charges via USB-C only - no wireless. And you know how I feel about wireless charging. Back to the Find X8 Pro though; and that ground-breakng camera, co-developed with Hasselblad. Given many phones don't have a telescopic lens at all, the fact Oppo has included two of them here is pretty wild. So just to repeat, all four sensors - the wide, ultra-wide and both periscope zooms - are 50MP. That means you have the option of capturing hi-res images at any zoom length up to 6x. It gets better. Thanks to the very fast and powerful Dimensity 9400 chip from MediaTek, even shots taken past the 6x optical zoom will look surprisngly sharp because the Find X8 Pro uses AI to fill in the detail. In fact, you can zoom up to 120x. The camera features keep coming, so buckle up. Just like a certain other well-known phone released recently, Oppo has also added a new, multi-functional camera button to the handset - positioned where the button would be on a standalone camera when you're holding the phone in landscape. This new button, the "Quick Button," is not a physical button but more like a capacitive pad. A double press opens the camera app instantly, with no delay at all. Then, not only can you slide your finger back and forth for zoom control but you can hold the button down to take a burst shot, capturing up to seven frames a second. This makes seizing special, spontaneous moments easier than ever; be it the finish line at a half-marathon or just a bird tending its nest in a tree outside my window. This shot was taken from the middle of my lounge, through the window at about 20x zoom. Not bad, eh? Oppo's latest AI editing tools don't just fill in details - you can remove reflections, fix blur and erase distracting objects (or people). Ah yes, AI. I don't know why I thought I might get through to the end of 2024 without bringing it up again. At least Oppo hasn't made it what the Find X8 Pro is all about - it's just there as another tool to enhance the way you use the phone. As you would expect from any flagship handset this year, you can summarise or translate text,  proofread, format and change the tone of your own notes and writing. There's also a fun, AI-powered app called AI Studio that transforms pictures - including your own - into a host of other styles; cartoons, oil paintings, sand sculptures - there's quite a list of options. As an example, here's my little avian friend as if painted by Picasso... Video performance is undeniably top-notch too. You can shoot 4K at 60fps. That's impressive. The fact you can do it with EVERY SINGLE CAMERA - including the 32MP selfie shooter - is unheard of. This means you now have a movie studio in your pocket, capable of producing 10-bit HDR Dolby Vision Footage. All enhanced even more by the quad-mic array, allowing you to focus on your subject both visually and aurally. None of this would be possible without the Mediatek Dimensity 9400 chip quietly (and coolly) driving everything in the background. I haven't heard much hype about this 3nm mega-brain but I can't fault its sublime performance. This phone positively flies, whatever you throw at it. You can always tell how enamoured I am with a device when I exceed my usual word count the way I have today and really, I've only scratched the surface. The Find X8 Pro may be the most feature-packed handset I've ever come across; unprecedented durability against dust and water, unprecedented battery performance, unprecedented range of high-end accessories and above all else, an unprecedented camera array, with four spectacular 50MP rear cameras and genuinely cinematic video performance. Yes, at an RRP of NZ$2,299.00 it's expensive. But you'll find it's on special for quite a bit less at most retailers right now or alternatively, bundled with hundreds of dollars worth of bonus products. And besides, I've reviewed more expensive phones that don't come close to delivering what the Find X8 Pro does. It simply doesn't get more flagship than this.      Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Find X8 Pro. Wed, 11 Dec 2024 19:39:48 Z /lifestyle/technology/nobel-laureates-urge-strong-ai-regulation/ /lifestyle/technology/nobel-laureates-urge-strong-ai-regulation/ Physics Nobel Prize winner Geoffrey Hinton and chemistry laureate Demis Hassabis have insisted on a need for strong regulation of artificial intelligence, which played a key role in their awards. “AI is a very important technology to regulate but I think it’s very important that we get the regulations right and I think that’s the hard thing at the moment is it’s such a fast moving technology,” Hassabis told a news conference in Stockholm. Hassabis, who jointly won with Americans David Baker and John Jumper for revealing the secrets of proteins through AI, said such evolutionary speed posed a giant challenge. But the underlying issue, he said, is “about what do we want to use these systems for, how do we want to deploy them and making sure that all of humanity benefits from what these systems can do”. British-Canadian Hinton, considered the “Godfather of AI,” conceded that “I wish I’d thought about safety earlier,” in allusion to his fears about the potential for AI to ramp up the arms race. Hinton, who made headlines when he quit Google last year and warned of the dangers machines could one day outsmart people, was awarded his Nobel along with American John Hopfield for work on artificial neural networks. “Governments are unwilling to regulate themselves when it comes to lethal autonomous weapons and there is an arms race going on between all the major arms suppliers like the United States, China, Russia, Britain, Israel. Hassabis said he was recommending governments come up with “fast and nimble regulations.” He said he had been advising governments and civil society to build on regulations in domains such as healthcare and transport “and see how the technology develops and then quickly adapt to the way that’s going”. He told AFP he had had discussions with Elon Musk about the “existential threat” posed by inappropriate use of AI and indicated the tech billionaire was concerned at the potential for AI to wrest control from humans. He added that he was confident Musk would “communicate that to Trump and his administration” when Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. But he warned that he was not sure if all of Trump’s team would necessarily be sufficiently attuned to the risks entailed, adding that he believed Musk himself is not a “particularly moral” person. Sun, 08 Dec 2024 02:43:54 Z /lifestyle/technology/apple-ipad-mini-a17-pro-small-size-maximum-abilities/ /lifestyle/technology/apple-ipad-mini-a17-pro-small-size-maximum-abilities/ Sometimes a product grows so successful, its brand name becomes the noun for its whole category. This is called ""generecisation." Back in the day, although Rollerblades were just one type of inline skate, you only ever went "rollerblading." Sellotape is just what we call it in New Zealand, no matter who actually makes the sticky-tape we've bought. Some generecisations have become so cemented in the lexicon, I didn't even realise they weren't the original things. Doesn't Chapstick just mean any lip balm? What else are you supposed to call a Thermos if it isn't a thermos? And even though the company itself seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis right now, when you look something up online, you're still Googling it, no matter which combination of browser and search engine you happen to be using. Often the phenomenon of genericisation develops because the brand in question was first. Sometimes it's because it's just so much better. When it comes to iPad, it's both. Yes, more often than not, even non-Apple tablets get called iPads. There can't be too many other examples that have been quite this dominant for quite so long. Now, thanks to Apple Intelligence, the iPad has evolved to another level again. The new iPad mini has picked up the AI baton and run with it, transforming itself from one of those devices you thought would be pretty useful into a must-have productivity tool. This year's mini comes in four colours; Starlight, Space Grey, Blue and Purple with accessories like the Smart Folio cover coloured to match. The 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display is excellent - bright, sharp and thanks to its anti-reflective coating it performs well both indoors and out. In fact, the screen is so good, I've been enjoying using the mini to watch some of my favourite shows. And it's not just the screen; the speaker array is surprisingly powerful and detailed for such a small device. When used in landscape, stereo effects are genuinely convincing. Interestingly, although Apple has moved the selfie-cam onto the longer side for landscape use on its other, larger iPads, they've kept it at the centre of the short edge on the mini. This seems odd to me; for video chats and live vlogging don't you want the device in landscape? Perhaps the assumption is people are more likely to use the mini as a giant phone. Or at least a digital notepad. If it's the latter, then you'll require a stylus like the Apple Pencil Pro. Just like the bigger models, the iPad mini is totally compatible, letting you magnetise the Apple Pencil Pro to its edge for wireless charging and utilising all the cool Pencil Pro features, like squeezing to open your shortcut palette and barrel-roll for adjusting the width of thicker pens and brushes. More importantly, by combining iPad mini and Apple Pencil Pro you'll really capitalise on the new functionality offered by Apple Intelligence. Although the much-anticipated iPadOS 18.2 is still a few days away, I've been intrepidly trialling the Developer Beta version on your behalf and I can tell you, there's some pretty cool stuff on the way. For starters, my handwriting is crude and illegible - worse than any doctor's. And yet, now thanks to Smart Script, the iPad mini takes my meaningless scrawl and converts it into something a bit tidier; still my writing but now more lined-up and evenly spaced. Of course, with the right pencil setting, you can convert script to text or use Scribble to handwrite your entries into the boxes on online forms and documents. The Image Wand then takes that a step further still. Describe a drawing or illustration you'd like Apple Intelligence to create - maybe add a rough sketch of it too - circle it all using Image Wand (with either an Apple Pencil or just your finger) and within seconds you'll be presented with a selection of AI-generated images. You can choose one and fine-tune it even further by adding more words, perhaps a colour, an outfit or an environment. Apart from Image Playground, Apple Intelligence stuffs plenty more tricks up the iPad mini's sleeve. The new Calculator app can now work as a scientific calculator and it can also convert pretty much anything, different currencies, weights, distances - you name it. What's more, there's now a shortcut to Maths Notes, where you can write complex maths problems on screen and the mini will recognise and solve them for you. Kids may never need to learn how to do quadratic equations again. Brilliant. Also, as you'd expect, there's a host of Writing Tools, starting with simple proofreading, then moving on to adjusting the tone of your messages and summarising any text you care to highlight. And that's really only scratching the surface. Thanks to the combined power of the A17 Pro chip and Apple Intelligence, the mini has truly grown into a creative powerhouse - and we haven't even discussed what a great little gaming device it is; wonderful screen, powerful chip, first-rate sound and a dedicated Game Mode - what more can you ask for? At first, the 2024 iPad mini seems like a pretty good deal; starting from only NZ$949. However, that's just the 128GB model. I'm not even sure I'd feel comfortable buying a phone with only 128GB of storage these days, let alone a device like this that's more than capable of editing large video files. So once you upgrade to the 512GB Wi-Fi + Cellular version I've been reviewing, then add the Apple Pencil Pro and the matching Smart Folio cover, you're looking at - wait for it - NZ$2,217.00. Ouch. You can pick up a MacBook Air for less. Hundreds less. Still, despite its small size it never comes up short in terms of performance, which is probably why it's an essential accessory for so many professionals, from medics to engineers to airline pilots the world over.      Click here for more information and pricing on the Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro). Wed, 27 Nov 2024 00:18:10 Z /lifestyle/technology/twelve-south-hoverbar-tower-and-compass-pro-the-long-and-the-short-of-it/ /lifestyle/technology/twelve-south-hoverbar-tower-and-compass-pro-the-long-and-the-short-of-it/ Don't you love a great accessory? I know I do. It's a bit like those people who have a thing about stationery, except for me, rather than buzzing about the perfect stapler, I love it when I find a quality cable that's just the right length. Or a case that converts into a keyboard and possibly a lunchbox. The key for me is a simple idea, well executed that makes my everyday life better. This is something Twelve South excels at. The HoverBar Tower and the Compass Pro are two quite different products from the Twelve South range and yet they do more or less the exact same thing; hold your device in the right place, just where you want it. Starting with the Compass Pro, once again Twelve South has come up with an accessory that not only does its job very well but looks great too. In a nutshell, the Compass Pro is a three-legged desktop stand for your iPad or tablet, which folds down completely for ultimate portability. It folds so flat it slides easily into the soft case provided in the box. Then it can be conveniently stuffed into your bag or briefcase so you'll have a stand for your tablet wherever you go. There's a fair heft to this stand - it feels very durable and stable when it's all set up. It has silicone feet so it won't slide around or scratch your desktop. There are two small brackets that fold out of the feet to hold your iPad and these are wide enough to cater for most tablets, even if they're in a case. Apart from the silicone coating on the lower part of the legs, there's also a silicone pad on the upper joint which is the third point of contact, guaranteeing no risk of scuffing your device. The rear leg offers three different height options so you can adjust the angle at which your iPad is displayed. Extended to its longest setting, the Compass Pro converts your tablet into a secondary screen - something that's very easy to do with a Mac or another iPad - obviously you can set up your iPad in portrait or landscape to suit your viewing preference. The middle-sized or default setting tilts your tablet up a bit more - perhaps best suited to keep you in shot for video chats. Then a much shorter leg folds out from the main one to hold your iPad up just slightly, in a wedge configuration. This is more comfortable for on-screen typing or if you're sketching or taking notes with a stylus. In any of the three positions, I've found my iPad stays securely in place, with no wobbling around. In fact, if you close the two front legs up a bit, the Compass Pro will happily accomodate your phone instead - again, this is ideal for hands-free video streaming on the go. The portability factor can't be overstated here; if you're a MacBook user who prefers a dual-screen setup, adding an iPad and this fold-flat stand is about the most mobile two-screen solution you'll get. Conversely, sometimes you just want to keep that screen in one place, at just the right height and just the right angle. That's where the Twelve South HoverBar Tower comes in. In many ways, the HoverBar Tower resembles a mic stand or a music stand. Actually, as a professional musician, my daughter uses an iPad Pro to display her music all the time. The HoverBar Tower can keep that iPad securely in place, in exactly the right position. Much more stable than balancing the iPad on a music stand. I was surprised at just how tall this stand is - once fully assembled it can hold your iPad or tablet at any height between three and five feet. The assembly process really isn't much of a process at all; simply screw the three main pole sections together, screw them into the base, then add the articulating arm and iPad clip. The spring-loaded clip is well padded and will hold any tablet up to 22cm wide, even with a case on. Thanks to its ball-shaped connection to the articulated arm it can be swivelled to pretty much any angle - so if you're wanting to use your iPad as an extra screen for your desktop setup, you should be able to get it just where you want it - even above your existing monitor (or monitors). But just think of all the other places you use your iPad and all the times you wished you weren't having to hold it with one hand. Stationary biking is a great home fitness solution - especially in the cold, wet winter months. Cycling apps like Zwift let you compete with other athletes from all over the world on any number of virtual courses - some real, some imagined. The HoverBar Tower is the perfect way to hold your iPad in your line of sight to keep the illusion going. Other apps like Apple Fitness feature a wide range of home exercise classes, from yoga and pilates to kickboxing, rowing and even dance. Thanks to the versatility of the HoverBar Tower, you can follow your instructor on your iPad in any room, from any exercise machine or perhaps just the floor. Or maybe you want you use your iPad hands-free in the kitchen, while you're following a recipe? I know I've definitely wished I had a better way to hold my screen when streaming my favourite shows in bed. What's the point in getting all comfy if you still have to hold your iPad up with one arm? The HoverBar Tower solves that particular first-world problem in an instant. I really appreciate the minimalist design. There are no bulky knobs to loosen or tighten the articulating arm - the joints are pre-set at just the right firmness to be easily adjusted while still staying firmly in place once you've got your iPad in the optimum position. And yes, like the Compass Pro, the HoverBar Tower can also accomodate a phone if you'd like to use it as a tripod for your selfie videos. The base is wide enough to offer excellent stability, yet not so heavy you can't easily move the stand from room to room if need be. Neither of these two stands are revolutionary - we've all seen similar ideas before. Yet what Twelve South has done with those ideas is the epitome of elegance and refinement. Each product identifies a problem and solves it effectively with a minimum of fuss and for me, that's what great design is all about.           Click here for more information on the Twelve South HoverBar Tower. Click here for more information on the Twelve South Compass Pro. Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:48:58 Z /lifestyle/technology/motorola-moto-g85-5g-could-this-be-the-best-value-phone-of-the-year/ /lifestyle/technology/motorola-moto-g85-5g-could-this-be-the-best-value-phone-of-the-year/ I have become somewhat of a phone snob. It's not my fault. I've reviewed a LOT of phones over the years. As a result, I'm pretty fussy when it comes to what features I can and can't live without on a daily basis. I'll go into some of my minimum requirements in more depth shortly but above anything else, the phone has to work. "What are you talking about?" you may be asking. "Who would sell a phone that doesn't work? More to the point; who would buy one?" Reasonable questions. And yet, in order to keep the price down I've seen phones that are so underpowered, so short of storage space and so limited in battery life, it's barely worth turning them on - assuming you can be bothered waiting for a phone like that to boot up at all. Essentially, this is a warning - especially for people with elderly parents perhaps - when it comes to phones, cheap is almost never good and in many cases, it's actually a month or two of regret and frustration, followed by replacing a terrible phone with the better one you should have splashed out for in the first place. But then, there's an exception to every rule. In an age where $2,000.00 phones are commonplace and many high-specced handsets top out at over $3k, I think I can argue anything under $500 is cheap. But I can assure you, even at NZ$499.00 the Motorola moto g85 5G is anything but nasty. In fact, from the moment I took it out of the box and held it, I was kind of taken with the device. To start with, the large, 6.7-inch pOLED screen is delightfully curvy. Sometimes called a waterfall display, or an infinity display, Motorola calls theirs an "endless edge" display, with the glass tapering away at the sides, making the moto g85 feel more comfortable in your hand. Interestingly, this style of screen seems to have fallen out of favour with many other phone makers - possibly because they're more expensive to replace or perhaps because of the accidental touch issue; sometimes when you're holding a phone with curved edges like this, it's easy to have a fingertip or part of your hand resting on the screen somewhere, nullifying any deliberate touches you're trying to make with your other hand. It's happened to me on the odd occasion over the years but I soon train myself not to hold the phone that way and it immediately becomes a non-issue. Motorola obviously feels this way too, as this is not the first "endless edge" device we've seen from them lately. Anyway, I like it. Not only does it feel nice but I think it makes the phone look sexy - even when it's in the clear case included in the box. That's right; not just a free case but you'll also find a wall charger in there too. How quaint. Although, if you're anything like me, you'll be in two minds about using the case, because the rear panel is vegan leather. Not only is this far less likely to pick up smudges and fingerprints than a glass-backed handset but it also provides good grip, which is important for a phone as slim and curvy as this is. While the moto g85 comes in other colours and finishes elsewhere, in New Zealand the only colour available is Cobalt Blue - an attractive shade of blue leaning towards the violet end of the scale that seems to be quite in vogue right now. The rear camera module is raised only slightly and the side rails are also coloured blue - every component flows smoothly into the next. In short, this is a very good-looking phone for 500 bucks. The Full HD+, 120Hz display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, so not only is it bright, clear and detailed but it's fairly durable too. I don't normally pay too much attention to how a phone sounds out of its speakers - I usually listen via wireless earbuds. And yet, I have to admit, not only am I impressed by having a stereo speaker setup on a phone in this price range, it doesn't sound too bad either. I have a set of moto buds+ and the Hi-Res audio can be tweaked to suit your content using the pre-installed Dolby Atmos app, or you can set it to adapt automatically. Not bad for 500 bucks. The camera app is very full-featured, without feeling bloated. You can activate Shot Optimisation for automatic tuning and AI scene detection, or you can fiddle with the settings yourself. The rear-facing camera consists of a 50MP main shooter and an 8MP utrawide lens, with the emphasis on macro close-up abilities rather than any optical zoom option. Not that you can't zoom - I shot this rabbit at almost 10x... I know it's not perfect, but it's not terrible and I was quite a long way away. Here's an un-zoomed shot - check out the detail and colour accuracy, even in very bright conditions. Conversely, this is a camera that works well in low light as well.  The 32MP selfie shooter also provides stunning detail and when it comes to video, the digital stabilisation goes a long way to turning the moto g85 into an action camera - pretty fun for 500 bucks. The thing that has impressed me most of all is the every day performance. As you would imagine, this phone is not powered by the latest and greatest chip out there, yet I found using it to be a very smooth, lag-free experience. Tasks like taking photos and even just opening the camera app can be frustrating on more budget-friendly devices but that just isn't the case here. This may be in part be thanks to the the RAM Boost feature, which effectively expands the 8GB of built-in RAM out to 16GB, using available storage from the 128GB supply. 16GB of RAM is decent for a cheaper phone, even in this hybrid form factor. Pretty impressive for 500 bucks. Another feature I was excited to see is eSIM compatibility. I hope this is indicative of a more widespread move to eSIM from all manufacturers as I ditched my physical SIM ages ago. The flexibility and security of eSIM is undeniable, making changing plans, phones and indeed carriers significantly easier. It's a much appreciated feature for 500 bucks. Sadly, the premium perk party has to end somewhere. As surprised as I was to find both under-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock options, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed there's no wireless charging option. At least, as I mentioned earlier, there's a charger in the box and battery life is more than sufficient to get you through a long day. It's just that I have a lot of wireless charging accessories set up around my home, office and car and it's always a shame not to be able to put them to good use. Finally, we can't forget AI. It is 2024 after all. And because this is an Android phone running Android 14, you now have the option of trading in Google Assistant for Gemini. Is Google Gemini the biggest boss in the AI Wild West right now? That all depends on which article or review you've just read or watched. It's certainly a very well-resourced project and seems to integrate well with this handset. Pretty smart for 500 bucks. You will have noticed a theme developing here. Of course this isn't the most efficient, powerful, feature-packed phone on the market and while it takes great pics and vids, obviously it won't win any shootouts with phones that are two-thousand dollars more expensive. However, you might be surprised to see how it compares with some $1,500 competitors and personally, I think it looks better than a lot of them at the very least. The moto g85 is a very capable performer with more than its fair share of flagship features. This is definitely not one of those cheap phones that immediately causes a case of budget buyer's regret. Far from it. Instead it's an attractive surprise package that delivers on what it promises.      Click here for more information and pricing on the Motorola moto g85 5G. Mon, 18 Nov 2024 21:45:57 Z /lifestyle/technology/apple-intelligence-better-late-than-never/ /lifestyle/technology/apple-intelligence-better-late-than-never/ I'm so sick and tired of AI. Which is a bit of a problem given AI has been the focus of pretty much every single tech launch this year. I wouldn't mind except for the hype. We keep being told AI is the answer to all our prayers. It'll boost our productivity. Give us more free time. Answer all our emails and make our dinner reservations for us. Unfortunately, from what I've seen so far, most people seem to use it to generate funny pictures, compose terrible music and answer questions they could have figured out themselves with a basic Google search. And to compound the issue, every day it seems like there's a different story about how AI got something wrong. Really wrong. All that being said, it can't be denied there seems to be a big demand for AI and many have been surprised at how long it's taken Apple to roll its version out. Well, the wait is almost over. In New Zealand, with the iOS 18.2 update in early December, compatible Apple devices will finally become sentient. Well... you know what I mean. You may or may not be aware that before leading up to a big iOS update, Apple releases Beta versions users can try at their own risk to help iron out any last minute bugs before the more public release. Even before then, there's a Developer version (or more often, several developer versions) primarily to allow app makers to test their own updated products in the new environment. Over the last week or so, I've boldly jumped into this experimental universe in order to try out the forthcoming suite of Apple Intelligence features on your behalf. Some are so silly they don't interest me at all. Some are so good, they're scary. Many are just Apple's version of existing features we've already seen from other manufacturers and a few have become essential tools for me that I now use pretty much every day. While it's easy to think of Apple Intelligence as just an iPhone thing, it's also coming to the M1 and later iPad Airs and iPad Pros, the just released A17 iPad mini and any Mac powered by an M1 chip or later. Right now there are just six iPhones that'll run it; last year's iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and all four 2024 iPhone 16-series handsets. This is because unlike a lot of AI out there, a big chunk of Apple Intelligence happens on device, using the Neural Processor (NPU) built into the latest "A" or "M" chips. Not only does this mean a more integrated, faster and smoother response from any AI functions but it also guarantees a better degree of privacy, something Apple seems to prize more highly than many of its competitors. Even when Apple Intelligence needs to access larger, server-based models for more complex tasks, Apple has assured users its Private Cloud Compute protocols mean your data is never stored anywhere except on your device. What I've noticed so far with a lot of the new features is many of them aren't all that obvious, even when you're using them. For example, the new Clean Up tool in the photos app just appears as another editing option. This is for when you need to remove something from your shot, like that photo-bombing bystander in the background. In many cases, Apple Intelligence will identify what you're trying to do automatically as soon as you press the Clean Up icon. If not, you can do it manually as I demonstrate in the video below. The question is, is this an AI feature, or just a photo editing feature? Who cares? It works pretty well and you don't have to go hunting through a special AI menu or app to access it. In fact, although the new-look Photos app took a lot of iPhone users by surprise when it appeared in iOS 18, the way you can now use Apple Intelligence to search your library for certain people, locations and other things - perhaps to create your own instant album or montage - is a smooth and seamless evolution. The same can be said for Siri. In fact, you could argue Siri has always been a form of AI but now it's really been levelled-up, taking more notice of the context in which you're using it. Things like where you are and what apps you have open will affect Siri's responses and thanks to Apple's ever-increasing compatibility with more and more IoT devices, I definitely feel like I can depend on Siri to run my smart home more effectively than before. There are still some inconsistencies. Ask Siri to take a screenshot? No problem. Ask Siri to start a screen recording? It refers you to the Apple website. How weird is that? At least you can now use text prompts to talk to Siri by double-tapping the bottom of the screen. Another integration feature brings two AIs together. In the new Apple Intelligence menu you can toggle on Chat GPT to work with Siri, even signing into your Chat GPT account if you have one. I love this kind of cross-platform collaboration and I look forward to more of it in the future. Writing Tools is going to save a lot of people a lot of time. Basically, anywhere you use text, Writing Tools can help you proof-read, summarise and even suggest small changes to change the tone and style of what you write. This works hand-in-hand with other features like Visual Intelligence, which makes recognising and capturing text with your camera easy - even translating and reading it out loud if you want. Of course, an AI isn't an AI unless you can use it to create silly pictures and yes, Apple Intelligence comes to the party here too. Image Wand utilises the power of Apple Pencil to turn your rough sketches into professional illustrations. On the other hand, Genmoji is just a way to create your own, bespoke emojis. I never use emojis, but I'm sure it's great. (Insert boomer joke here) Image Playground is perhaps the most creative way to use Apple Intelligence - whether you use existing photos or drawings to create new enhanced concepts or simply describe an image to bring it to life. But probably my favourite of the new Apple Intelligence features is the way both emails and notifications are now organised and prioritised. I'm not usually very trusting when it comes to letting AI decide what I need to deal with now and what can wait till later but even I have to admit, not having to sift through a dozen press releases from PR companies and today's great offer from Nespresso in order to get to my actual work emails has been a godsend. And that's just a taste. Every day I'm discovering more tweaks Apple Intelligence can make to the way I use my phone, my Mac and my iPad - in many cases it was so well integrated I didn't even realise it was happening at first... and that's just the way I like it.      Click here for more information about Apple Intelligence. Thu, 14 Nov 2024 03:53:33 Z /lifestyle/technology/french-court-orders-google-to-halt-news-search-scheme/ /lifestyle/technology/french-court-orders-google-to-halt-news-search-scheme/ A Paris court has ordered Google to halt a project that would allegedly see the search giant suppress some media articles in search results. The Paris commercial court was ruling on an emergency injunction sought by the SEPM union that represents magazine staff in France. The union alleged the search giant was going to start testing on Thursday a scheme under which it would remove from search results some articles from media with which it was clashing over rights for use of online news. Google however, said the project was a “time-limited experiment” to evaluate the influence of content from European publishers on users’ search experience. Google and other online platforms have in recent years been accused of making billions from news without sharing the revenue with those who gather it. To tackle this, the European Union created a form of copyright called “neighbouring rights” that allows print media to demand compensation for using their content. France has been a test case for the rules and after initial resistance, Google and Facebook both agreed to pay some French media for articles shown in web searches. Google and SEPM have been negotiating over neighbouring rights for several years. The Paris court on Wednesday ordered US-based Google LLC, Google Ireland and Google France “to not proceed to test” the reported scheme, or risk a fine of “€300,000 (NZ$539,000) euros each”, according to the court order seen by AFP. SEPM, which groups 80 media groups, welcomed the order, which it said would “preserve the interests of the French press”. Google said it was “surprised” by SEPM’s stance, saying it was seeking to collect data because “independent administrative authorities and press publishers have asked us for more information on the impact of the display of news content in our search engine.” © Agence France-Presse Thu, 14 Nov 2024 01:01:54 Z /lifestyle/technology/swann-swannbuddy-4k-subscription-not-compulsory/ /lifestyle/technology/swann-swannbuddy-4k-subscription-not-compulsory/ I've reviewed a fair few video doorbells in my time. In fact, it's got to the point these days I feel a little sympathy for the couriers who come to the door. I wonder if they do a bit of a double take when they go to press the button and it's not the same button as the day before? Who am I kidding? Couriers pick up and deliver hundreds, if not thousands of packages every day - as if my front door is going to stand out. Still, I can't help imagining the conversation back at the depot; "You ever been round to that Hart guy's place? I swear he's had three different doorbells this week." Of course, what they don't know - at least I hope they don't - is some of those video doorbells are a lot more useful than others. To begin with, the SwannBuddy 4K is a very capable security camera, before you even get to the doorbell part. As the name suggests, you'll get extremely clear, zoomable 4K footage in full colour. You may not think that kind of video quality is essential but take it from someone who knows; if you want to post identifying tattoos on social media to identify the thug who stole your package, the clearer the better. (It'll be pretty helpful for the police if they decide to show up too.) The 165° vertical viewing angle and the 1:1 aspect ratio ensures you'll capture pretty much every corner of the average entranceway, from floor to ceiling, although there is a considerable amount of wall-eye distortion around the edges. As you'd expect, setting up the SwannBuddy is very straightforward, with the Swann Security app guiding you through every step. If you already have other Swann cameras in operation, the feed from the doorbell will simply be added to your dashboard. I'm not sure about other smart home ecosystems but I discovered there's a Swann Security skill that can be added to Amazon Alexa, although the SwannBuddy will only appear as a camera, not a doorbell, which is a shame as you can't create a routine for what happens when the button is pressed. On the other hand, there's a wireless chime unit included the box, powered by two AA batteries. This is easily paired with the SwannBuddy, can be placed pretty much anywhere around the house and has six different chime options - from common bell sounds to barking dog and cuckoo clock sound effects. If you have a larger house, you can purchase extra chime units, pairing up to five with a single doorbell. The SwannBuddy itself runs on a built-in 6500mAh lithium battery - quite a large cell for a device like this and it can last up to three months before you have to take the doorbell down and spend a few hours recharging it via its USB-C port. Although this is a bit of an inconvenience, the supplied wall bracket is sturdy and well designed. Simply loosen the security screw at the base and the SwanBuddy lifts off easily. Alternatively, you can hardwire it in if you're replacing a mains-powered doorbell. Like other similar devices, once set up, you can customise which specific area you want to monitor as well as the sensitivity of the True Detect heat and motion sensor. You can also set schedules for Home, Away and Night modes and these modes can be quickly accessed and changed manually via home screen widgets for both iOS and Android devices. None of this particularly sets the SwannBuddy apart from other, similar devices - although I will say I quite like the robust look and feel of the device and because the centrally-located button lights up around the edges when it detects motion and starts recording, there should be no confusion for visitors when it comes to figuring out which bit they're supposed to press. Where the SwannBuddy really stands out is how many features you get before having to invest in a monthly Secure+ subscription. Let's start with storage. Not only is there a microSD slot tucked away behind the weather-proof flap at the back, you'll find a 32GB card already in there, when you take the device out of the box. Admittedly, this isn't the most secure option should someone decide to rip your doorbell off the wall, although I've never heard of that happening. Even if it does, you get 24 hours of rolling cloud storage as a backup. This "free" feature alone is a compelling reason to consider the SwannBuddy. As you'd expect, you can communicate with your visitors via the app in real time. But what if you're not around and you're too busy to let the courier know they can just biff the package over the gate because it's not fragile? That's when you can let the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant speak for you. This isn't just a selection of pre-recorded quick replies - although you can use them too. SwanShield is much more clever. When you're in Away or Night mode, you can set SwannShield to be Polite, Assertive or Disinterested. Then, if someone rings the bell and waits for a response, SwannShield will talk to that someone as if it's a resident of the house, giving the impression somebody's home - or at least closely monitoring the camera.  I've tried it out and it seems to work, although unfortunately, the SwannShield AI only speaks with an American accent. I note this feature is still in "Beta" and I'd definitely like to see the response time reduced and I'd also like to hear the AI's voice on the captured recordings. In saying that, there's a full transcript of any SwannShield conversations available on the app within seconds of them finishing. Pretty clever stuff and all yours, free of charge. That's not to say there aren't significant benefits to subscribing to Secure+ - longer cloud storage, package, pet and vehicle detection, rich notifications with thumbnail previews and even free replacement in the unlikely event your SwannBuddy does get nicked - just some of what your sub gets you. However, with easily accessible and shareable local storage and the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant, there's no doubt the SwannBuddy 4K offers some of the best value, subscription-free features around.      Click here for more information and pricing on the SwannBuddy 4K wireless video doorbell. Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:32:01 Z /lifestyle/technology/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-signature-edition-12th-generation-icing-on-the-cake/ /lifestyle/technology/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-signature-edition-12th-generation-icing-on-the-cake/ In some ways, this review will be quite challenging. Today I'm featuring a device that has been upgraded... but not much. In saying that, it was already pretty great device. The trick will be figuring out if it's been made much greater. In other ways, this will be an easy review... because I've pretty much already done it once before. So I'm going to cheat. For today's Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th generation) review, I'm going to go through the features I outlined in my previous review of the 11th generation - from December 2021. Let's start where I started then; with the screen itself. This is a genuine upgrade. Not only have we gone to a full 7-inch display, up from 6.8-inches but the contrast ratio is Kindle's best yet, meaning the black bits are blacker than ever. Great news for people like me who prefer to use dark mode. Just as before, there's still an auto-sensing front light so you can carry on reading in the dark. Conversely, the screen is still also anti-glare, which is essential for when you're reading out in the sun. Although Amazon claims there's a much more powerful processor, promising 25% faster page turns, this isn't something I've particularly noticed or been able to verify. To be honest, the pages on the previous generation turned plenty fast enough for me. Oddly, there's been no storage increase. You still get 32GB which doesn't sound like much in smartphone terms but given your average eBook is only about 2 or 3 MB, you're unlikely to use it up any time soon. Like the Gen 11, the Gen 12 Signature Edition can charge via both USB-C and wirelessly - although, if you don't opt for the bespoke Kindle charging stand, it can be a bit fiddly getting your charger in exactly the right place. Apparently, there's been a significant increase in battery-life but I have no idea how to test this. Amazon says you should get around twelve weeks use on a full charge. Does that mean 30 minutes reading a day? Or four hours? See what I mean? Rest assured, the battery lasts a very long time indeed. And yes, this Kindle is also waterproof, making it your ideal beach or poolside companion. That's one of my greatest arguments for using an eReader instead of traditional books by the way... Ever dropped a book in the pool? Good luck reading it after that.  The easiest way to download books to the device is still via the Kindle Store, although these days there's a very simple-to-use desktop app called Send-To-Kindle. You can use this to drag any document or book onto your device. There's even a web-based version, so it couldn't be easier. Seriously guys, by this stage I hope I'm not still having to convince you eBooks are so much better than old, heavy, (potentially soggy) "traditional" books. Think about what I just said. As long as you have Wi-Fi, you have access to just about every book ever written. Finish one of a trilogy, start the next one right away. All the while taking up almost zero space in your luggage. Admittedly, the minor improvements I've outlined here are not really enough to justify upgrading if you're already using the 11th Generation Paperwhite Signature edition. But if you have a lesser device or even worse, no eReader at all, then this is about as good as it gets. For those of you into graphic novels and Manga, Kindle now offers the Colorsoft - Amazon's first colour Kindle - although I'm yet to try it so can't recommend it with any authority. The entry-level Kindle has also been updated this year, as has the Scribe - the Kindle you can write on. But for me, the Paperwhite Signature Edition has been the only eReader I ever needed - until now. Now the Paperwhite Signature Edition is STILL the only eReader I ever needed, just a bit bigger, a bit faster, with a slightly nicer screen and a much better battery. Oh... and if you're after a case for it, there's a lovely leather one I can recommend. When I first took it out of the box I was impressed by how genuine the "leather" felt. I then tried to discover exactly what it was made of, because it really did feel like leather. Eventually, after squinting at the fine-print on the side of the box, I discovered it was in fact, 100% leather. Like, for real. I then proceeded to accidentally scratch the cover somehow. Multiple times, really scuffing it up. At first I thought, "Damn, that looked so cool." But after a week or two of daily abuse, I look at the well-and-truly worn-in leather and think, "Damn, that looks cool." See? Just because Kindles are a new way of reading, doesn't mean they can't still be vintage.      Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th generation). Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:15:25 Z /lifestyle/technology/apple-hearing-assistance-the-free-hearing-aid-no-brainer/ /lifestyle/technology/apple-hearing-assistance-the-free-hearing-aid-no-brainer/ For a long time now I've been paranoid I'm going deaf. It wouldn't be a major surprise. When I was a teenager I played and listened to a lot of noisy music as loudly as possible. Headphones, speakers, car stereos, guitar amps... all turned up all the way. There's been a fair share of heavy machinery in my past too; tractors, orchard sprayers, chainsaws... and although I was more careful to wear ear plugs or protectors, a noisy environment is a noisy environment. The last few years have been more peaceful, although I'm always listening to something - especially since the invention of True Wireless earbuds. I pump a busy breakfast radio show into my brain via my headphones three hours a day and oh yes... I'm not getting any younger. As a result of all this (or perhaps not) when I struggle to hold up my end of a conversation in a busy room, or miss at least half of what the Domestic Manager is telling me when we're walking down a bustling street, it's easy to blame my failing auditory abilities. Trouble is, turns out I'm not as hearing impaired as I thought. If you were paying close attention to Apple's September product launch, you would have noticed there was no new generation of AirPods Pro. Instead, quite a bit of time was spent discussing forthcoming updates to the AirPods Pro 2's firmware - and how, in combination with Apple Intelligence, the full potential of the H2 chip inside the AirPods Pro 2 was about to be unleashed. Not only did this mean a new level of mic isolation that ensures anyone on the other end of your calls or video chats only hears you, without any wind noise, traffic racket or office hubbub, you'd also be able to use head gestures to communicate with Siri. Want to accept the call? Nod. Dismiss the notification? Shake. This was all great stuff. Useful stuff. Then came the potentially life-changing stuff; an entirely new feature called Hearing Assistance. Turns out, since 2019, Apple has been investigating, scientifically, the feasibility of AirPods users conducting their own hearing tests with the end goal of using the AirPods themselves to help ameliorate any hearing loss detected. In short, could AirPods Pro 2 be used as hearing aids? There's no doubt AirPods Pro 2 are right at the cutting edge of personal audio technology. The Active Noise Cancellation is extremely effective and unlike most other earbuds, you can opt to use ANC even when you're only wearing one AirPod, something I do frequently when listening to podcasts around the house. The personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is also industry-leading - making the AirPods Pro 2 one of the best ways to enjoy movie and gaming soundtracks. There were already a lot of fantastic features; Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, intuitive stem-based controls... not to mention the exercise-friendly sweat resistance and the convenient, trackable MagSafe charging case. And now, yes, Apple has thrown in Hearing Assistance for free. The whole process takes mere minutes. Simply open your AirPods Pro 2 settings menu on your paired iPhone or iPad and you'll discover the option to take a hearing test. You'll then be guided through the test step by step, starting with a fit-test - checking you've selected the right-sized tips to ensure a tight seal. It turns out, if like me, you have one AirPod that falls out all the time it might not be that the tip is too small. In fact, by trying an even smaller option, the AirPod was able to nestle further inside my ear canal, resulting in a much more secure fit. Once you've sorted that out, you'll then hear a series of three tones, played at different volumes and different pitches. All you have to do is tap the screen when you hear them. Eventually you'll be presented with your results - both in written form and represented graphically. If it's bad news, it's probably still a good idea to consult a hearing professional but either way, the AirPods Pro 2 can now be customised to your unique profile, becoming actual hearing aids. This means in one fell swoop, Apple has tackled (and triumphed over) three major hearing aid pain points. 1) People don't like wearing hearing aids. There are many reasons for this, some irrational, some practical but all valid. Nobody wants to admit they're getting older and for some people, being seen wearing hearing aids is a bit too much of a reality check. AirPods are much cooler. 2) Swapsies. While some hearing aids can also work as bluetooth earbuds, few offer the features that AiPods Pro 2 do. This means if you want to use both there's an inconvenient amount of swapping back and forth. Who needs that? 3) Money. AirPods Pro 2 are not cheap. But they don't cost thousands, that's for sure. Hearing Assistance now means you get hearing aids for free. You can't argue with that. In my case, I was surprised to find my hearing was still okay, although, thanks to Media Assist, my AirPods Pro 2 have now been customised to tune my content to my specific requirements, compensating for some of the frequencies that I struggle to hear. There's just no way this isn't a win-win situation. Buy the AirPods Pro 2. Take the test. If you're in the clear, you now own what are perhaps the most full-featured in-ear headphones on the market - tuned to your individual requirements. If the test results are more concerning, you're already wearing the hearing aids that can help - at no extra price. It's hard to find a reason not to take advantage. Click here for more information on Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Apple Hearing Assistance. Tue, 05 Nov 2024 23:20:20 Z /lifestyle/technology/glenn-harts-2024-gadget-gift-guide/ /lifestyle/technology/glenn-harts-2024-gadget-gift-guide/ Surprise! It's Christmas time again. No, I didn't see it coming either. A few of the following gift ideas a seasonally appropriate, while others are just some of my favourite gadgets of the year. But if you really want to make the whole family's Christmas morning, why not treat them to a new telly?... 1. Panasonic Z95A with Fire TV The Z95A is the flagship of Panasonic's new Fire TV range and it's clear proof that in one fell swoop, those old, retro settings menus are officially dead and gone. Physically, it bears a striking resemblance to other, recent Panasonic OLEDs; once again the panel itself is super slim but the whole TV is actually quite bulky by modern standards. This is mostly due to Panasonic's enduring (and endearing) commitment to providing quality sound to match premium picture quality. I've been pretty complimentary of the sound from previous Panasonic TVs and things have only gone up another level here. There are a lot of  built-in speakers of various sizes and abilities, pointing in many directions. Most notably, the soundbar-like array across the bottom which obviously pretty much eliminates the need for an actual soundbar. I've been using various Fire TV sticks in various TVs for a while now and like most Amazon devices, I've found them to be nicely-designed, easy to use and most importantly, they work really well. In other markets, particularly in the U.S., its not uncommon to find televisions for sale with Fire TV built-in but this a first for New Zealand. Finally, lets talk about the most important thing of all; the picture. OLED panels have crossed a rubicon in the last few years. Until relatively recently, they weren't the best option for daytime viewing in a bright room. That just isn't true anymore and the Z95A is a prime example.  At first I thought, "What a great TV." Then I soon stopped thinking about that and just enjoyed the show. That's how truly immersive the viewing experience is with the Z95A. An experience that has been enhanced immeasurably by the addition of Fire TV, finally, a user interface that is now only helpful and hardly ever frustrating.          Click here for more information and pricing on the Panasonic Z95A with Fire TV. 2. WiZ Smart Outdoor String Light and Smart Fairy Light WiZ has a wide range of smart lighting for most situations but it seems like a good time of year to focus on the Smart Outdoor String Light and Smart Fairy Light. The String Light is specifically designed for outdoor use, with the lights carrying an IP65 rating for weather resistance and the power adapter rated at IP44. Both sets of lights are rated for about 15 years use. The String Light seems particularly robust, with a solid moulding above each light complete with convenient hole for hanging on a hook or nail. As for the Fairy Light set - 20 metres is fairly generous and I was able to trim pretty much my whole deck with those. But these aren't just any decorative lights, of course. Being smart lights, you have all the colours in the world to choose from, at any level of brightness. There's a host of preset static and dynamic themes too - everything from Candlelight and Sunset to Christmas and Diwali. Even smarter again, both the Fairy Light and String Light are compatible with just about every smart home system known to humankind; Google Home, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings, IFTTT, Apple HomeKit - in fact, because they are Matter enabled, there aren't many IoT hubs that won't control them. This means I can use voice commands with any smart speaker, phone or even my watch and my new party lights on the back deck will respond accordingly... even if I'm not home. If you're considering updating or adding to your Christmas light collection this year, I'd definitely consider smartening up your nightscape with either or both of these options. At around NZ$180 each, they may be a little more expensive than your standard set of lights but they're very durable, super easy to set up and they're pretty much guaranteed to be compatible with any existing smart home. Click here for more information and pricing on the WiZ Smart Outdoor String Light and Smart Fairy Light. 3. HoverAIR X1 The HOVERAir X1 had my full attention before I even opened its box. I knew I was being sent a drone to review... but what sort of drone would fit in such a small package? I've made toasted sandwiches bigger than this thing. When it's folded up, it literally fits in my jacket pocket. The HOVERAir X1 comes in white or black and has its own soft carry-bag, a spare battery and a double charger included in the box. Amazingly, this drone, this tiny little drone, is quite capable of flying itself. There are only two buttons to worry about; the big one turns it on and the little one toggles through the six Flight Modes; Hover, Zoom-Out, Follow, Orbit, Bird-Eye and Custom. Choose one, rest the HOVERAir X1 on your palm, push the big button again and away it goes. Yes, you can be filming yourself from a flying drone in a matter of seconds. The first time I used it it seemed far too easy but the results spoke for themselves. Once the HOVERAir X1 is flying in the selected mode, it starts recording - as indicated by the LED above the camera turning red. The camera is on a fully automated gimbal mechanism that always keeps you in shot and makes up half of the hybrid image stabilisation system which guarantees the smoothest footage possible - even in fairly gusty conditions. Furthermore, once you've flown the HOVERAir X1 a bit, you'll unlock several custom flight modes, including Dolly-Track, Side-Track and manual control. As a first-time droner, I couldn't have asked for a better option than the HOVERAir X1. The wide range of automated flight modes accessible at the touch of a button make a potentially over-complicated device so damn easy to use. The fact you can literally take it out of your pocket and have it up and flying and filming in under a minute, makes this my favourite gadget of the year to date.      Click here for more information and pricing on the HOVERAir X1. 4. Dyson Airstrait This is what the Dyson Airstrait promises; regardless of whether your hair is wet or dry, two or three passes should be all you need for a shiny, healthy, salon-straight result. As excited as my willing lab-rats were to try the Airstrait out, I think it's safe to say they were pretty skeptical about Dyson's claims. After all, even I know hair takes time. I know this because I'm usually spending that time waiting in the car when we're supposed to be going out. At first I was hearing comments like, "It just doesn't seem to get hot like my other straighteners." I couldn't argue. It doesn't. In fact, the Airstrait doesn't have any hotplates at all. As usual, the Dyson team looked at the problem from scratch, quickly realising that a controlled, high-pressure flow of air can achieve the same straightening effect as sandwiching your precious tresses between two scorching pieces of metal. This means no heat damage and certainly no risk of scorching your precious locks. As usual for Dyson, this device has been rigorously tested for durability and is likely to outlast cheaper alternatives. And of course, once you add up the time you've saved drying and styling your hair - not to mention less of a need to visit the salon for pricey chemical treatments - this is one Christmas present suggestion that will pay for itself pretty quickly. It almost makes me wish I had hair. Click here for more information and pricing on the Dyson Airstrait. 5. Samsung Music Frame The Music Frame also looks like a picture in a frame. But in this case, that's because it is. The piece of art on display is not a screen... it's an actual piece of art. Each music Frame comes with a couple of choices in the box but of course there's nothing stopping you using your own. The front panel simply pulls off revealing a high quality, reusable matte with a sturdy backing that allows you to slide different pictures in and out. But let's not get distracted, because, just like the Frame TV, the Music Frame is not really about the art - whatever you decide that to be. This is also a bloody good speaker. You can connect a source device any number of ways; bluetooth, Apple Airplay or even as a Google Chromecast. Believe it or not, because the Music Frame is so powerful and has excellent bass response, it's actually not a half bad soundbar - although with no HDMI port you only have the option to connect wirelessly or via optical cable. But if you want real magic, grab yourself a late model Samsung TV with the Q-Symphony feature. Q-Symphony lets you add any combination of Samsung speakers, soundbars and subwoofers to the TV's own, built-in speaker system to create the ultimate, surround-sound home theatre listening experience. This isn't just room-filling audio, it'll reach absolutely every corner. If you love your Frame TV because of its ability to morph into a beautiful piece of art, pairing it with a couple of Music Frames seems like a bit of a no-brainer.      Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Music Frame (HW-LS60D). 6. Oppo Watch X Available in Mars Brown (with silver stainless steel case) or Platinum Black (with dark stainless steel case) the Watch X has a classic style to it. Although the bands are made of a substance known as "fluororubber," they look like leather from a distance, yet they're far more comfortable and totally waterproof. The Sapphire Crystal Glass covering the 1.43-inch AMOLED display is extremely tough. I'm famous for bashing up my watches due to my congenital klutziness. In fact, I managed to put a big scratch in my first Oppo Watch back in 2020 within about five minutes of putting it on. Not this time.  In fact, when it comes to durability, the Oppo Watch X stacks up toe-to-toe with other so-called "Ultra" smartwatches on the market. It carries an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, can handle depths of up to 5ATM in pressure and also carries the 810H Military Standard which means it can withstand extreme temperatures and mountainous heights. And being a Wear OS device, you have access to a whole world of other apps if the native fitness monitoring isn't what you're used to. It's the smart stuff that impressed me the most about the Watch X; rich notifications including thumbnails from my security cameras. Google Wallet set up in no time for contactless payments. The ability to reply to texts, emails, Messenger and WhatsApp, right from the watch itself. And yes, a media controller that will start, stop, fast-forward and rewind my podcasts without having to open my phone. Best of all, it doesn't have to be paired with an Oppo phone - any Android device will do.     Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Watch X. 7. motorola razr 50 ultra The motorola razr 50 ultra is the answer to all my foldable complaints; it's durable, it has good battery life, an excellent camera setup and above all else; a fully functional exterior display. Durability is not an adjective I thought I'd ever use to describe a clamshell phone but Motorola seems so confident in the razr 50 ultra's new hinge design, they're literally encouraging people to flip the handsets open with one hand, Captain Kirk communicator-style. It also carries an IPX8 water resistance rating, so it should survive most accidental splashes and dunks. The outer screen is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus - one of the most scratch and crack resistant options around. And the lower-rear panel is vegan leather - so not a single fingerprint to be seen.Oh, and it even has a case included in the box. The decisions Motorola has made with the camera setup are interesting. While some folding phones have been a little under-done in the photography department until now, the razr 50 ultra sports a 50MP main shooter, just like most other flagships on the market these days. But instead of teaming that up with an Ultra-Wide lens of some sort, they've gone for a 50MP telephoto sensor instead. This means while you'll miss out on those expansive landscape shots, you'll get 2 x optical zoom instead, bringing the action much closer, in crystal clarity. But it's the outer screen on the razr 50 ultra that has really stolen the show for me. While other clamshell-makers insist on limiting what you can do with the smaller display, Motorola has gone completely the other way. Any widget from any app can be added to the scrolling home screen on the outer display. That long list of pull-down shortcuts is all available here as well. In fact, you can use any app on the 4-inch display. Read and answer emails, scroll your socials, browse your photos - whatever. This is exactly what I've been asking for all along. Sure, some apps aren't very practical on such a tiny screen but I'd rather the decision to use them was left up to me - not forced on me arbitrarily. It's the first foldable I've reviewed that I could imagine using as my "every day" device. There's no compromise in camera performance, battery life is more than sufficient and that outside screen does exactly what it should; everything.      Click here for more information and pricing on the motorola razr 50 ultra. 8. Sony WF-C510 The Sony WF-C510 earbuds had me the moment I put them in - before I even started listening. Not only is it a snug and secure fit, because the WF-C510 buds are so small and light, it's a super-comfy fit as well. This means you can wear them for hours and hours without any discomfort. Of course, being so small, I naturally assumed the battery life would be average at best. I couldn't have assumed more incorrectly. Sony claims up to eleven hours continuous use on full charge with another eleven hours in the case. When I first read that, I thought it must have been a typo. If memory serves, I've never tried any other buds capable of reaching double figures when it comes to continuous playback. Eleven is literally off the charts. Oh, did I mention the price? RRP: NZ$149.95 - right down the bottom end of the scale for a pair of premium earbuds. So you would assume there's no Active Noise Cancelling here. Which is true. Well... sort of. Because these buds fit so well, the Passive Noise Cancellation is actually better than the ANC I've experienced on many other (much more expensive) earbuds. Which is why instead of ANC, Sony has gone with AMS instead - Ambient Sound Mode. So rather than turning ANC on to block traffic and other noise, you activate AMS when you want to hear the outside world. You still get options for 360 Reality spatial audio and DSEE to help reconstruct the fidelity of compressed files. The WF-C510 sound great, have fantastic passive noise cancellation, unprecedented battery life and above all else, they fit beautifully. Click here for more information on the Sony WF-C510. 9. JBL Auracast Speakers The Go 4, Clip 5 and Xtreme 4 are all excellent JBL speakers in their own right. As JBL's smallest portable, the Go has been a favourite little powerhouse of mine for a few generations now and this latest model steps things up with even more surprising bass response than ever before - I still can't figure out how they squeeze so much power from such a tiny package. A speaker of this size should sound thin and tinny but the Go 4 just doesn't. Like the Go 4, the new Clip also comes in six colourways and it's equally water and dustproof. The Clip 5 packs quite a bit more punch than the smaller Go 4 and I found it to be a very useful travel companion on a recent overseas holiday. The totally redesigned carabiner at the top now opens wide enough to fit the Clip onto pretty much anything, from handlebars to shower heads. Finally, for a bigger, boombox-like experience, the Xtreme 4 steps in - also rugged and rubbery, also IP67. This is quite a feature-packed (and power-packed) device. There are two woofers, two big drivers and dual bass radiators, so if you're after a bit of woomp woomp woomp in your life, the Xtreme 4 can definitely deliver. But for me, the big news here is Auracast, a whole new way of connecting bluetooth devices together which could well revolutionise the way we think about multi-speaker and multi-room setups. Just a press of the triangular Auracast logo on any (or all) of these speakers and they're instantly paired, playing the same song. This means when you use Auracast to connect the Go 4 and Clip 5 together, suddenly you have a much bigger, room-filling sound. Add the Xtreme 4 into the mix and suddenly all that extra power and bass response is also at your disposal.      Click here for more information on the JBL Go 4. Click here for more information on the JBL Clip 5. Click here for more information on the JBL Xtreme 4. 10. Twelve South Butterfly The Twelve South ButterFly is worth its over-the-top price tag. It'll cost you around NZ$240.00 or thereabouts which is obviously kind of insane for a travel charger and I get that. Except...what if it's the best charger you've ever used? It's certainly the smallest - when the two are halves magnetise closed together the whole thing isn't much larger than an Oreo cookie - if that Oreo was made of anodised aluminium layered with vegan leather. Yes, despite its small size, the ButterFly - like all Twelve South accessories - certainly looks and feels like the premium product it is. Oh sorry; did you want to know what it actually does? Fair enough - it's a 2-in-1 MagSafe charger - specifically designed for charging an iPhone with one half and an Apple Watch with the other. This is the most compact dual-charger I've ever come across. It looks fantastic, feels very durable and as I've outlined, it's amazingly versatile given its small form factor. Is it worth almost two-hundred and forty bucks? If it's the best there is... maybe so.      Click here for more information on the Twelve South ButterFly. 11. Amazon Echo Pop While pretty tiny, it turns out the Echo Pop is just as clever as any other smart speaker What's more, it comes in a selection of colours; Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavendar Bloom and Midnight Teal. I'm not going to do a deep dive on all the various ways this speaker can help you access information and connect to the vast majority of IoT devices you have in your home. We've already been there and done that for many Echoes in all their various shapes and sizes. All you need to know is the Pop works exactly the same way, controlling smart lights, air conditioners and countless other devices by following your voice commands. But probably the best way to use the Pop is as an add-on speaker. If you're already using a larger Echo Show device, or maybe the truly excellent Echo Studio, which is a big speaker with genuinely decent bass response, adding a Pop or two into the mix will give you a much more room-filling sound. Recent updates to Alexa's ability to group several Echoes together mean this feature is much more dependable and really makes creating an affordable, multi-speaker system very easy. In fact, with two Echo Pops you can create a stereo pair and I imagine the result is a much bigger sound overall. (I haven't tested this myself but I'm confident in recommending the setup as I've tried it with the slightly bigger Echo Dots and it works insanely well) For around NZ$85.00 you can add onto your existing Alexa setup very easily and affordably. I've found the Pop does everything you'd expect it to, sounds better than you'd expect it to and I do believe, given its prompt responses demonstrated in the video below, it may even be the best listener of all the Echo devices to date.           Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Echo Pop. 12. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Just when I thought I had a handle on how smartphone cameras work, Samsung has blown my mind by taking out the 10X zoom lens and replacing it with a 5X one. Don't panic, this has actually resulted in better close-ups. That's because last years zoom sensor was only 10MP - the 5X one on the S24 Ultra is 50MP. That significant jump in resolution combined with the sheer processing power of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip adds up to some spectacular photographic wizardry. Because of the way the S24 Ultra now uses multiple images from multiple sensors to create the absolute best photo possible, terms like "optical" or "hybrid" zoom have kind of lost their meaning. Enter the age of Galaxy AI. The really impressive thing about this new Galaxy AI is how fast it works on this phone. Not just when taking photos - and to be sure options like nighttime shooting are noticeably quicker - but also when editing. The large, flat, bright screen makes the S24 Ultra a fantastic gaming phone and it's one of the few to offer ray-tracing via its improved GPU for the most convincing graphics response you could ask for. Samsung has also completely revamped the cooling system, combining several layers of different cooling techniques to ensure maximum performance over even the longest gaming session. But the big star of the S24 launch was Galaxy AI - and justifiably so. Want a live transcript of your meeting or lecture? Just select the shortcut from the pulldown menu on the notification  bar. Need a translator? There's another shortcut for that. Simply download whichever language pack you require and you'll have instant access to both written and spoken translations. There are currently 13 languages on offer, presumably with more on the way and thanks the the S24 Ultra's NPU, the translation happens on the phone itself - no data connection required. This might be pretty handy if you've just arrived in a strange country and you're trying to find out where to buy a local sim card. You can even live-translate your phonecalls which makes dealing with international business partners so much smoother. The potential productivity gains are pretty obvious. While Samsung's latest flagship may not look dramatically different from its predecessors, its new Galaxy AI capabilities combined with the latest, most powerful Android SoC available mean the performance and useability of this device are worlds ahead of where we were twelve months ago.       Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:13:18 Z