Month: June 2019

Review – The HyperX SAVAGE EXO SSD (SHSX100/480G) Portable Solid-State Drive #HyperX #SSD

The first observation on the HyperX was the weight of the drive at 54 grams,  this was lighter than expected with the Kingston logo on the unit, the 3-year warranty was clearly displayed on the packaging. The unit came with 2 cables allowing connection to a variety of devices, gaming or Windows and Mac, the Memory Storage Capacity came as 480 GB.  The box highlighted the 3D NAND technology to deliver SSD speeds more reliably which is a fundamental requirement for speed of data.

Features

  • Lightning-quick transfer speeds
  • Simple connectivity for Windows and Mac
  • Compatible with XBOX One and PS4 via USB 3.1 Gen 2
  • Light, portable, and compact
  • Load console games up to 20% faster
  • Item Weight 54 grams
  • Memory Storage Capacity 480 GB
  • Read Speed 500 MB per second
  • Sequential Read/Write up to 500/480MB/s

Setup and use:

The setup was minimal, plug the cable into the device and the unit worked there were no major software downloads or configuration setups on devices.

The speed was remarkable faster than standard USB drives used in the past (manufactures claim Slash load times with a drive that’s up to 20% faster than today’s game systems¹.) A test carried out to copy 20 Gb of data from a device to this Solid-State Drive and another, drive about 6 months old show a remarkable difference in copy time.

3D NAND (Techie bit)

3D NAND flash is a type of flash memory in which the memory cells are stacked vertically in multiple layers. Flash manufacturers developed 3D NAND to address challenges they encountered in scaling 2D/planar NAND technology to achieve higher densities at a lower cost per bit. The technology allows applications to load faster and files quicker. This technology provides longer battery life and much cooler, quieter computing.

 

Overall:

We also recommend using a known brand from a recognised supplied when getting any memory options, (much cheaper memory from unknown supplier often result in spurious quality and results) The use of this top technology in the 3D NAND technology is a must for gamers to increase speed which is compatible with the main gaming consoles and operating systems.  The weight is excellent allowing this to be carried around as required. The quality is highlighted in the Life expectancy of 1 million hours MTBF  ( Mean time between failures (MTBF) is the predicted elapsed time between inherent failures of a mechanical or electronic system, ) with a Limited 3-year warranty with free technical support.

This is the result of no moving parts within the device.  Overall nothing exciting with a portable Solid-State Drive but the upgrade in speed is great with Kingston’s Flash Memory (World’s largest independent manufacturer of memory products) to ensure quality and durability from a recognised brand. This is a bit more lavish than a  typical portable  hard drives but the speed and reliable is money well spent especially in the gaming areas,

BUY  Price:     £94.49

 

Premium Tech gifts with a difference for Fathers Day. #Tech #FathersDay #Audio

Fathers Day is around the corner and if you have a pocket that can shell out on some goods these are a few examples below of what is on offer and these goods are especially good for the audio fan so you can start dropping hints now…

Bluesound Pulse 2i: Compact Wireless Multi-Room Music Streaming Speaker.
The PULSE MINI 2i takes decades of high-fidelity audio legacy and squeezes it into a tiny box. Delivering rich and detailed sound, the PULSE MINI 2i can easily fit into small living spaces, all the while providing an outstanding music experience.
Price: £499
More Info: https://www.bluesound.com/products/pulse-mini-2i/
PSB Alpha Speakers:
The globally-acclaimed Alpha Series of speakers offer five models to fit the needs of any audio setting. The Alpha Series of speakers offers audiophile sound quality at an affordable price but not at the expense of appeal and style.
More info:  http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/alpha
PSB M4U 8: PSB’s flagship travel headphone, the M4U 8, has noise cancellation and lots of ‘first class’ features for travellers, loaded into a very premium product. One of the best noise cancelling products and a strong, understated, contender within its category. I have personally tried and tested these and they are probably the loudest headphones I have tried..
Price: £299
Shure MV88+: Premium digital stereo condenser microphone for mobile high-fidelity video and audio recording. For astonishing audio, anywhere. You can see our review soon on this..
Price: £199

Google Stadia launches in Ireland this November. #Gaming #GoogleStadia

Ditch the console?? Perhaps not but for some this is the way forward and less hassle also less space taken up and right now you can pre-order with some value on top..

You can now pre-order the Stadia Founder’s Edition at the Google Store – a limited number are available, so if you want to be one of the “founders,” be sure to get it before it’s gone. The Founder’s Edition packs nearly €300 of value into just €129.99 and includes:

  • A Chromecast Ultra
  • A limited-edition Night Blue Stadia Controller
  • Three months of Stadia Pro (more on that below)
  • A three month Buddy Pass to bring one friend along for the ride
  • Dibs on selecting a Stadia Name

The Founder’s Edition gives our first set of fans the highest quality gaming experience—you’ll get Stadia Pro and the ability to play your favourite games across multiple screens (for those of you with a 4K TV and Stadia Pro,  you’ll get up to 4K HDR resolution at 60 frames per second with 5.1 surround sound). Stadia Pro will include free content, as well as discounts on titles you buy. The first free tile is “Destiny 2,” and it comes with the base game, all previous add-ons, the upcoming Shadowkeep expansion and the annual pass. And after your free 3-month subscription ends, Stadia Pro is only €9.99 per month.

If you want to pick up an extra controller for multiplayer games, for your laptop, or just to keep a spare in your backpack, they come in three colours—Just Black, Clearly White or Wasabi—for €69.99.

You’ll be able to access Stadia at launch this November in 14 countries: Ireland, U.S., Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, U.K.—and we’re working to expand to additional countries in 2020.

And if you don’t need 4K quality resolution, you can still play your favourite games on virtually any screen with instant access and no downloads, updates, or patches. Coming in 2020, Stadia Base is how you will play games you purchase in up to 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second without an active subscription to Stadia Pro. Stadia Founder’s Edition is the first way to get Stadia in November. Visit stadia.com/faq See the Google blog more more and regional news

Country Currency Controller (GStore) Founder’s Edition (GStore) Stadia Pro Subscription
Ireland EUR €69.00 €129.00 €9.99

 

 

Nik Collection 2 by DxO Offers Unmatched Creative Possibilities and RAW File Compatibility.

DxO, one of the most innovative companies in the photography and image editing industry, has announced the release of the Nik Collection 2 by DxO, a major upgrade to the famous plugin suite for Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, and Elements. After bringing the Nik Collection back to the market with the software’s first stable version with customer support in June 2018, DxO is expanding the plugin suite with over 40 new creative presets and high-resolution monitor support for Windows. In addition, the Nik Collection 2 now comes with DxO PhotoLab 2.3 ESSENTIAL Edition, DxO’s recently released advanced RAW photo editing software.

Choose From More Than 40 New “En Vogue” Styles To Create Unique Images With A Single Click.

The Nik Collection 2, which has gained a significant following for its high-quality, creative filters, has added 42 new “En Vogue” presets to its original set of 156: 10 new recipes for Color Efex Pro, 10 new black and white presets to Silver Efex Pro, 12 new HDR presets to HDR Efex Pro, and 10 new tool combinations to Analog Efex Pro.

The latest filters in the Nik Collection 2 will take your photos’ emotional impact to the next level. For example, “Blue Monday,” which is available in Color Efex Pro, combines the fresh look of subtle Varitone coloring, the visual interest of cross processing, and the softness of slightly desaturated effect. “More Silver,” which is available in Silver Efex Pro, pairs the crispness of silver toning with a fine grain, resulting in black and white photographs that feature a level of balanced contrast typically achieved through darkroom techniques. Photographers who would like to add a bit of nostalgia to their images can turn to “Burned Edges,” in Analog Efex Pro to reproduce the burned-edge, vignetting, toning, and framing effects typical of old-fashioned analog cameras.

The “En Vogue” series was created in collaboration with Dan Hughes, a highly respected lecturer of photography at Rochester Institute of Technology and a former instructor with Nik Software. “I was honored to be a part of the expansion of the Nik Collection by DxO,” he said. “The plugin suite has helped promote the art of photography, and the addition of new effects has significantly increased its potential by offering all photographers new creative opportunities.”

Improved High Resolution Display With Windows

To better meet users’ needs, the Nik Collection 2 now supports high-resolution monitors (HiDPI) with Windows. The graphic elements of the Color Efex Pro, Silver Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro, and Analog Efex Pro plugin interface have been improved to ensure flawless readability when viewed through high- resolution monitors—just like with the macOS version.

All The Potential Of RAW Files Within An Optimized Workflow

DxO’s recent surveys of Nik Collection customers revealed that nearly all users work in RAW. To help them harness the full power of this file format, the Nik Collection 2 by DxO now comes with DxO PhotoLab 2.3 ESSENTIAL Edition, DxO’s advanced and multiple award-winning photo editing software. The software has been adapted to offer users direct access to the plugins from their workspace via a dedicated button and drop-down menu. After the image is edited in DxO PhotoLab 2, it can be quickly converted and sent to one of the Nik Collection plugins, where the photo can be further altered and enhanced with creative effects.

“By offering our advanced photo editing solution along with the Nik Collection 2, we are giving users access to DxO’s powerful and high-quality RAW treatment technology as well as its unparalleled optical corrections, which were developed over fifteen years of measurements and analyses conducted in its laboratory,” said Jean-Marc Alexia, VP Product Strategy and Marketing with DxO. “DxO also offers high- quality de-noising capabilities, smart exposure optimization with DxO Smart Lighting, and U Point local adjustment technology, which is now available for use with RAW images.”

Dxo PhotoLab 2.3: Support For New Cameras

As well as providing access to Nik plugins directly from the software’s workspace, DxO PhotoLab 2 continues to support new equipment. In addition to adding support for Leica M 10-D and M 10-P, Nikon D3500, Panasonic Lumix DC-S1, DC-S1R, LX100 II, Sony A6400, and DSC-RX100 VA, DxO PhotoLab 2.3 can now process files from Canon EOS RP and Olympus OM-D E-M1 X. It has also added more than 500 new optical modules to its library, bringing its total number of camera/lens combinations to 47,500.

To read the full list of all devices supported by DxO PhotoLab 2.3, visit: https://www.dxo.com/en/dxo- photolab/supported-cameras/

Price And Availability:

The Nik Collection 2 by DxO is now available for download on the DxO website (https://shop.dxo.com/en/photo-software/dxo-nikcollection) for £86,99 instead of £125, and £49.99 instead of £69 for the upgrade until June 30, 2019.

The ESSENTIAL and ELITE editions from DxO PhotoLab 2.3 are now available for download on the DxO website (https://shop.dxo.com/en/photo-software/dxo-photolab) for £112 and £169, respectively. DxO PhotoLab 2 users can download this upgrade for free.

First look at the SJCAM ion series TOTEM 4K. #SJCAM #ActionCams #4K #Tech

SJCAM recently launched an array of action cams and today we check out the Totem model which features a 2” LCD touch screen and a 166° A+ HD wide angle lens, external microphone  and image stabilization (Gyro). With up to 80 minutes of battery life, Totem will record 4K at 24fps (interpolated), 2K at 30fps, 1080p at 60fps or 30fps and 720p at 120/60/30 fps. The field of view can be set to wide, middle or narrow, making sure you get the footage you want.  RRP £119.99

We will be testing this out over the coming weeks so if you have any questions feel free to ask us below or on our social channels, Check out what you get on the TOTEM 4K as we dive into the UI so you don’t have too..

BUY HERE – https://sjcam.com/

First look and unboxing. The Skullcandy INDY true wireless earbuds. #Skullcandy #TrueWireless

Recently we checked out Skullcandy PUSH and VENUE which came in a superb colour and they have really good audio as I expected  and you can see those reviews linked below you should check them out if you want a great audio experience with an affordable price.

0-16-12,9,0HDR compose failed.

Skullcandy Venue Review                 Skullcandy PUSH review  

Today we check out the all new INDY which are the dubbed pencil styled true wireless similar to iPods and the Urbanista Stockholm we just reviewed. With simple controls and ease of use I hope they sound as good as I always expect from Skullcandy and to date have not let me down. Any questions hit us up as always and we will gladly answer..

BUY HERE  –  https://www.skullcandy.eu/shop/earbuds/bluetooth-earbuds/indy

 

Groov-e launches affordable true wireless earphones with voice assistant. #TrueWireless

Groov-e, a leading UK tech brand, today introduces its newest true wireless headphones, the SoundBuds. Boasting the latest technology, the SoundBuds, at just £59.99, include a ‘touch to talk’ feature which gives users access to their AI assistant without opening the phone. Simply press a button on the side of the headphones and speak directly with Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa. Using voice commands users can cue music, ask for directions, set calendar events and make phone calls quickly and easily when on-the-go.

Allowing users to be free from any cables or neckbands, the SoundBuds offer uncompromised, completely wireless sound with impressive stereo audio quality. A sleek, compact and minimalistic design makes the SoundBuds perfect for anyone, whether they’re commuting, exercising or taking calls from the office.

Featuring Bluetooth V5 technology, users are able to connect the SoundBuds seamlessly with any smart-device that’s up to 10 metres away. They deliver up to four-hours of battery life from a single charge, and up to 14 hours in total with the pocket friendly charging case. Perfect for on-the-go and completely hassle free, the SoundBuds automatically turn on and connect to each other once taken out of their charging case, or just use one at a time for a mono version on calls.

Comfortable and lightweight, the SoundBuds come with extra earbuds to ensure users get the perfect fit. Featuring a built-in mic and on-earbud controls, users have the power to answer or reject incoming calls or switch their music without a wire or device in sight.

Kunal Patel, Director, Groov-e said: “With our latest launch we are proving that you don’t need to spend a fortune to have a quality pair of true wireless headphones. With the SoundBuds coming in at £60, this offers a step up to our Playbuds, packed with technology such as our voice assistant guide and Bluetooth 5.0.”

The SoundBuds true wireless earphones are available now from www.groov-e.co.uk for £59.99

50 times better than #eir. No surprise there. Virgin Media customers enjoy the best customer service

There’s good news for Virgin Media customers today as ComReg has just announced its latest update on complaints received.  However for eir its a disaster which is no surprise.

Virgin Media officially has the lowest rate of complaints compared to all competitors. Eir being particularly far behind with a ComReg complaint rate 50 times worse than Virgin Media’s. I have had my own issues with eir over the last year and customer service is a word they need to look up because it was a harrowing experience ( not only for me but for countless others which was widely seen on social and in the media) and only recently sorted after multiple spats on social media been fed the same scripted rubbish time and time again. As a virgin customer having moved from eir I can say they act fast and are quite good on social media.

 – https://www.comreg.ie/publication/comreg-consumer-line-statistics-report-q1-2019/

Every other operator saw an increase in complaints, while Virgin Media has improved again with 0.028 in Q1 /19 compared to 0.040 in Q4 /18.

The research also looked at the length of time complaints remained open with each operator. Once again, Virgin Media topped the scoreboard with no contacts open for greater than 20 days.

Michael McCarthy, Vice President of Customer at Virgin Media, “We’re very encouraged by these results. We are delighted our investment in customer service is delivering ongoing improvements in overall service delivery and satisfaction ratings. Features like our new ‘Smart WiFi’ updates to our Customer’s WiFi Hubs will also help improve our customers’ in-home broadband experience even more.”

Upgrade your commute this Summer with Jabra and Targus. #Jabra #Targus #worldrunningday

If you are one like me who likes to travel and commute you need the best gear to go with it and of course you need the best audio experience to enhance your trip as I for one would not be seen with below par earbuds or headphones and the same applies to what I carry my goods in as our tech travel packs can be quite expensive and you only want the best to secure it.

World running day is almost upon us too and here is a selection below of some ideas of what you can kit yourself out with for those commutes and travel plans.

For your audio experience the Jabra Elite Active 65t and the Elite Active 45e’s, two awesome sets of true wireless earbuds, offering superior sound quality for music and calls on the go. These I have personally used tried and tested and can easily recommend both there is something to suit everyone’s pocket.

For your storage worries, Fear not we have Targus bags, the Work+Play is perfect for transporting your gym gear and your laptop between, home, work and the gym so that you are always equipped with the stuff you need to keep active or to run to work.

For those who don’t want to run, the Newport Tote bag is the ultimate commuting companion, a stylish bag that is designed to cradle your laptop, alongside personal belongings so that you can walk to work in style this summer.