Month: December 2019

Review – The Tronsmart Spunky Beat true wireless earbuds. #Tech #TrueWireless

The Tronsmart Spunky Beat are an affordable pair of True Wireless that mostly delivers with the price they come in at, they come with the usual expected charge case with several LED lights on the front and USB C charging but also not seen on any other true wireless yet there is a cable underneath that allows you to charge with USB which is a neat trick and a good idea say if you forgot your cable or lost it,this could an idea that could be brought forward to all going forward.

 

The earbuds are very light and fit in the ear quite well for me offering a decent seal,they have a light surrounding the touch sensitive area which is very sensitive and these lights flash at times on their own accord but not a permanent thing like some can be and that is rather annoying, The usual button controls are all present with an audio cue each time you press letting you know you have made a command,one a side not these will work independently so if one is in the charging case the other will remain connected,this is a feature often omitted with many earbuds.

Sound is quite good but on a high volume level for me but overall a decent punch from them in general with a nice level of bass. From my testing they did well at the price and anyone buying their first true wireless will be happy,I did my usual testing cycle and all passed and no lag latency. I did however get some dropouts or loss of hearing in one side from time to time and given they have Bluetooth 5.0  I found this odd, Calls where bright and clear and Bluetooth range was on par.

Battery life is also decent here and the have an IPX5 rating and as an overall package for the money you pay you get all the things you would expect in higher end models at a fraction of the price,the only things to note there is no app or wireless charging but not expected at this price point but has to be mentioned in case you need those features but it is not a deal breaker considering the cost here. Overall the question is are they worth the buy and in my opinion yes,they will not blow your mind like more expensive earbuds but offer many of the features some leave out,they are worth a shot.

BUY ON AMAZON

SPUNKYBEAT

DISCOUNT DEALS..

UK  –  Amazon UK Price: £26.99 with 20% OFF on-page Voucher

Claim code:RNZLWAAB (20% OFF)

Start Date:11/12/2019 12:00 GMT

End Date:31/12/2019 23:59 GMT

Final Price: £17.27  Apply the discount code RNZLWAAB  (20% OFF) and the on-page voucher (20% OFF) at checkout at the same time.

Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07ZPST5S3

US – Amazon US Price: $34.99 with a $5.00 on-page Coupon

Claim Code：9KX7D6PU ($5.00 OFF)

Start Date：12/10/2019 4:00 AM PST

End Date：12/31/2019 11:59 PM PST

Final Price: $24.99  (Apply the $5.00 on-page Coupon and use the discount code 9KX7D6PU at checkout at the same time)

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZPSRLSZ

 

 

 

 

 

Meet The New Able2Extract 15: Redesigned UI, New OCR Languages & More! #OCR #PDF #Documents

As you well know, we like to keep you updated on the software we review, and a new update comes from Investintech.com, makers of their all-in-one PDF suite, Able2Extract. They just released their latest version – Able2Extract Professional 15. 

When we last wrote on Able2Extract Professional, the software was updated with PDF signatures and PDF to Excel conversion templates that utilise Artificial Intelligence. 

This time around, the company has added handy features and improved existing ones – all aimed at boosting your PDF productivity. Let’s take a look. 

Newly Redesigned User Interface

Toolbar & Side Panel

The first thing you’ll notice is the change in interface. It is completely redesigned. The new ribbon-style tabbed menu toolbar makes it easier to accomplish PDF tasks, grouping all the PDF tools you need in one place. 

It works in conjunction with the new Side Panel which provides you with additional settings and options for those PDF tools. It allows you to further refine whatever PDF task you need and get the most out of each feature. 

New Start Page

Also new to the interface is the Start page. Here, you get a dashboard to help you get started. You can access recent files, customise the work space and even access hands-on walk-through tutorials for whichever task you’re trying to accomplish.

Clicking on one of the tutorial buttons will close the Start page and start directing you each step of the way. All you have to do is follow the the tip balloons. You can close them off easily and revisit them whenever you wish. 

From here, you can easily choose and select Theme, Language and Scale options to tailor the UI as you want. We cover a couple of these in more detail below.

Support for Light and Dark Themes

One of the customisations possible from the Start page is the new support for light and dark themes. This means you can switch the interface theme from Light to Dark to help prevent eye strain when working in dimly lit environments or when working long hours spent in front of the screen. 

Simply click on the Dark/Light icons on the Start page or in the footer bar in the bottom right-hand corner to toggle between both themes.  

Different Languages Support

Another exciting customisation? Support for different languages. You can specify in which language you want the interface to appear in. Now, you can choose from French, Spanish, and German. 

To switch, select one of the languages in the drop down menu on the Start page. Note that switching languages will require you to restart your computer. Afterwards, you can enjoy working in an interface that speaks your language! 

Batch PDF Creation

The software has also stepped up the PDF creation feature and added capabilities for batch PDF creation. You can create PDFs from multiple file formats, and in addition, you can merge the batch created PDFs into one file output. 

Support For OCR Languages

Able2Extract Professional has long been capable of converting scanned PDF documents. Up until now the software could only convert scanned PDFs in English. Well, this latest version has given that feature a boost and now allows you to convert scanned PDFs that are in French, Spanish or German. 

This feature can be accessed from the Conversion Options dialog (via the Convert Document tab). You can select which languages you’d like the OCR engine to detect. 

Batch Converter Improvements

The Batch conversion tool has also received some improvement. The first being that it can now batch convert PDF to HTML. Secondly, the tool now allows you more control over the files you select when uploading whole directories to convert with a filter file type tool. And like the Batch Creator tool, the batch converter can merge batch converted PDFs into one file output.

Custom Excel Tweaks

As if you didn’t have enough control over your custom Excel conversions, this newest version provides you with control to apply header, footer and text splitting settings for each individual table structure. You can also simply double-click to erase row and column lines, making your custom Excel setup that much easier. 

Other Notable Features

There are also a few other enhancements that make PDF tasks easier. For one thing, you can split documents into even parts for quicker, more efficient document assembly. In addition, you can create a new PDF from blank pages and build your PDF content from scratch. 

The Search PDF function has also been improved. It works faster, showing all occurrences of your search query, and lets you search your document in reverse. Lastly, the OCR has been tweaked to enhance bitmap quality before OCR.

Verdict

With each version, this software packs on more and more features that you need and will need, whether you know it or not. This PDF suite has got you covered. 

Want to give the above features a test drive? Get a 7day trial from the developer’s website here. 

 

Review – The Plantronics Backbeat Pro 5100 true wireless. #TrueWireless #Tech #Plantronics

The Plantronics Backbeat Pro 5100 are the latest on offer from the company,cheaper than Airpods that tech people keep comparing all earbuds too and need to stop and look sleek, As I have said before Airpods are not a benchmark for true wireless and they are overpriced.

The design I like on these and the fit too, A bit loose for me with the medium tips which is my normal fitting but with the larger tip they where fine, They offer some passive noise isolation but not the best out there they are not ANC but this is nothing new as ANC is only starting to trickle down into True Wireless earbuds now and a handful of pairs only offer this,but the fit is fine but I would not recommend heavy exercising with them as they have that slight looser fit but this is just my ears and we dont have the same as mine,they are light compared to others out there too which is something to keep in mind.

 

They look generic to an extent but they have a nice stealthy look in the Black and people will ask what earbuds are they if they are into them as often the case happens with me. The build quality is good too and they do not have that cheap plastic look. These come with a charging case which is the norm but charged via Micro USB and have no wireless charging so the next time around I do hope this is addressed.

The functions are not shy either and there is an app to help you change things about and one very important feature for me was to ability to change the primary earbud which is not seen too often, I cant recall a pair where I could do so yet and I like this as the primary is typically set by the manufacturer out of the box then again many true wireless do not come with an app either.

Controls are sensitive on my findings but a bit of muscle memory is all that is needed like with any true wireless the difference here is with the app you can change things around with the MY TAP feature which is beneficial if anything, You have the physical buttons to do all the work and there is a haptic element here for volume which allows you to move your finger across the top of the left earbud to change it which is going to fine for some and not for others, If you are custom to this you will be fine but blindly navigating any earphones or headphones is not an ideal situation. There is voice prompts on many features here too which I like and I find this really handy.

The usual skip tracks,play and pause features are here and volume control and call scenarios and of course you have voice assistant present, The app as mentioned has some additional features including find my headset, but there is no music equaliser here and cant fathom why not,they have the app and if they have an EQ this would be a game changer for the company,having said that like I said already many True Wireless do not come with an app.

 

The sound quality over is good and I would best describe it keeping it simple as well balanced,not as loud as I would like but that is my personal taste and the bass is not as deep as others out there but again that is subjective,I have my taste, I like loud and I like bass but for the average listener who is not a real audiophile will be just fine with what is on offer here with good highs,lows and mids, good on instruments and genres and I found very well listening to You Tube and Netflix and whilst on those topics there was no latency seen here. Calls are great on these and they do work individually ( ie either side can be left in the case with one still in use) which is a bonus and a feature left out quite often. Battery life was consistent with their claims give or take 15 mins here and there, this would also differ on longevity with volume levels which for me is mostly the highest at hand.

Finally, One issue I had was with connection on Bluetooth, This will not apply to all though I am in a new build house and when I walked upstairs break up was constant which I found odd, but this is down to materials,some earbuds do this and some do not but walking out my back or front garden was fine with around 30-40ft and no problems,the same applies though with WiFi in new builds and mobile signal, I am going to ask the builder what materials are used which might be helpful for others going forward.

Overall the question is are they worth the spend, the answer is yes i short for what is on offer here,good build,great overall balanced sound, nice looks and the app, The app does give you more options but the lack of an EQ is something they can address and make things better for everyone, No wireless charging case and USB-C are not really deal breakers for me but it is something that we need to see addressed overall in the industry and people will talk about it all the time but as it stands we are talking earbuds here and not smartphones but USB-C will only become a standard when the companies catch up.

BUY HERE

Features.

 

Review – The Somfy Indoor security camera. #Somfy #Security #Tech

The Somfy indoor security indoor camera is one with style and can be placed anywhere in the home and will not look out of place, Moving from the industry standard look this one has a different approach with shape and design with a really cool privacy shutter on board. It looks more like an air freshner but that is not a bad thing at all by any means.

Somfy does not require a hub which is great and it takes around 5 minutes to set up and all you need is the app a WiFi connection and follow the simple instructions to get going in no time at all and it was an easy process which is good and no tech skills needed.

This camera sells itself on the privacy shutter which can me manually operated or smart activated based on location so if you forget to turn it on it will do so which is handy. It is a cool idea and good for those with privacy issues but like any other camera you can switch off when not in use or when at home like I would with my set up bar the outdoor systems I have in place especially with these early dark evenings and darker mornings.

Quality on the camera is great and it has a 130 degree wide view which will cover any room in the house you can take images on a live feed and you get notifications sent to your phone via the app and email with a snapshot of the motion detected which is great and these work well and never miss a beat, you get 30 second recordings which is above the norm which is typically around 15 seconds on most these days and sufficient on the free plan but you can upgrade to get more recording and storage options on a good value plan and you also have to option to use free uploads to Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.

DAYTIME CAPTURE
NIGHT CAPTURE

Using the live feed works quite well offering the usual features like two way talk, 4 X zoom live captures and all save direct to your phone in a folder, I used an Android device on testing but you will see more on the video review of the app, This is has access to you typical assistants like Alexa and Google and works with Nest and Apple home kit. I found the app a bit troublesome at times with logins but could have been my WiFi connection,The app has also a feature to make emergency calls which is handy and you can pick your own number for this or even have family and friends added to the account which is another handy idea to have and use at your own will.

Check out the video for more on the app and recording samples.

Free service plan..

Taking photos during live streaming
Push message if something is amiss
Push message to all users if something is amiss
30-second video clip if movement is detected
Download 30 seconds of images free of charge
Recorded images are valid for 7 days
Free upload to Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive

Paid plan – For just £4.49 per month you get 24/7 video recording as soon as it’s activated (download up to 10 minutes)

BUY

 

Review – ROKU Express streaming player #ROKU #Tv #Streaming #Tech

The Roku Express is a method to Stream free TV, live news, sports, music, movies, As with Saorview, Free-to-air channels, combo boxes you pay the hardware with no following on subscription. The Roku express has minimal cost to stream from a variety service, you have the option to subscribe to other channels e.g. Netflix, or Google Play services,

 

Contents:

 

  •         Roku Express streaming player
  •         Remote with pre-set channel shortcut buttons
  •         Two AAA batteries
  •         High-Speed HDMI® Cable
  •         USB power cable
  •         Adhesive strip

 

Setup:

Setup is easy, connect the Roku Express to you TV via the supplied HDMI cable connect to your Wi-Fi and you’re ready to go.  When you enter details into the unit email address etc this can be slow via the remote control, a suggestion would be to get a wireless keyboard connected. The unit required an account set up which can be done on your laptop etc. This setup required a billing details setup e.g. CC or PayPal account. this is one of my only niggles of this unit.  Once set up with a Pin option to prevent others you can use as normal. Adding other channels or e.g. Spotify is easy, Spotify can be set up for a different user with their unique details/account. This can be set up via their smartphone and allows them to control the music, volume etc directly from there phone.

CHECK OUT THE ROKU PREMIERE

 Volume:

The Roku Express does not have a direct volume control button for your TV but you can configure via your smartphone or use the standard TV remote.

Channels received

The Roku channel store has thousands of channels with a wide variety of content. There are channels offering News & Weather and International events or find Travel, Religious, Educational, and Kids & Family channels. You can watxh channels that offer Shopping, Photo Apps, Themes, Screensavers, Personal Media, Games and more.

Movies and TV shows

There is a variety of channels that offer movies and TV shows including Netflix, Google Play, Vudu, FandangoNOW and Hulu

 

Sports

There is a variety of sports channels that include NFL, MLB.TV, NBA, NHL, MLS, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, fuboTV, ESPN, and FOX Sports GO; plus, health, fitness and yoga channels. Major sporting events including championship games and tournaments are streamed live also.

 You can use, Music channels music services like Pandora, Spotify, Vevo, and iHeart Radio all as streaming channels.

Paid subscription

There is a variety of Free channels to watch but you can opt for a paid subscription, to some channels for specific preferences.

Overall:

The unit looks basic and simple, setup is easy (slight niggle on having to use a CC / Pay pal account) There is no mention of the specification of Roku Express in terms of processor, ram etc but works smoothly with limited lag.  The cost of the unit is surprisingly reasonable for the option in terms of channels, movies etc with the option of adding subscriptions to the box. This is perfect for a spare room, extra TV to get an alternative choice of viewing that works at a reasonable cost.  This is a first-rate streamer that allows an enormous variety of TV streaming options with a reasonable cost and easy to use and setup.

BUY HERE

Review – ROKU Premiere is a simple way to start streaming in HD, 4K Ultra HD or 4K HDR. #ROKU #Streaming

Streaming services are the thing now and especially in Ireland where we are FORCED to pay a licence fee it does not bode well for many and we already PAY to an ISP and TV networks and then you have to pay the state another fee on top of this which they are now looking to change into a broadcast fee which will cover all devices like mobiles and tablets, Yet our national broadcaster seems to be afraid of the word “subscribe” in which we do by choice for the services we pay for and  this seems to be a huge problem four our national broadcaster which with all the smart devices they mention have apps which means if the user wants to access them they can pay by choice to do so but it is what it is..

ROKU is a popular service which is a simple plug and play device that allows you to stream services and there is lots of free products too and it is a simple set up with just a box you plug into your existing TV or Projector and you get a nice remote control with it and the HDMI cable.

You do the usual sign up info and there is also a really good app to go with it to control things from your mobile phone or tablet and you can also cast to the ROKU box which is neat and the app is pretty simple to use and straight forward like the interface on the ROKU menu which we go through in the video below.

This is my first time to use ROKU so it was all new to me but I have friends that use it but I never paid attention to it when visiting etc so it was nice to check out exactly what is on offer and on set up completion it was easy to see what you get and the possibilities and total setup time for both the app and the device itself was around 8 minutes.

The UI is simple to follow and broken down into categories or you can search you have card based tiles with a thumbnail image of the service or whatever it is you want to pick from which makes the visual look nice and easy to pick a logo you are familiar with say like Sky or Netflix you also have You tube thrown in for good measure.

Basically it is a hub for all your streaming services or you can subscribe to new ones there is a good app library built in and you also have the likes of PLEX for example which I use so I could combine all my streaming content into one unit which makes like much easier,there is plenty of other services or films you can purchase and it is well worth the look to see what is on offer and there is also access to Apple TV and Films.

Picture quality was not bad either on initial testing but this could be down to your TV and internet connection,even testing here at home there was some buffering and loading issues but this is nothing new here in general to be fair…

There is alternatives out there which I have yet to try so I cant compare it to the likes of Amazon fire or Nvidia and perhaps I need to check these out to compare them but for a budget price to create a nice hub for all your streaming and music services it can only say it is good plus the option to use the App from your smartphone to watch videos,share images and so on it is a nice little product that is easy to use and you can have it in your bedroom or sitting room and it s very portable so you could also have the option to bring it on your travels too. One thing I found a bit annoying was you need to point directly at the unit or be in line of sight for it to work with the remote control but having said that it is a handy remote to use with quick launch options.

BUY HERE

 

Review – The Jam Audio “Hang up” bluetooth speaker. #JamAudio #Speaker #Tech

Bluetooth speakers are a plenty these days with lots on offer in all shapes and sizes and price points which is good for the consumer and the same applies to quality of such products and Jam are a known brand with affordable speakers that pack a punch when it comes to sound and value with features.

This little guy is no different and much smaller than the HANG AROUND speaker we did last year and is small enough to even fit in your pocket never mind your travel bag.

This speaker is well built and is IP67 rated so it is ideal for the beach trip or picnic or camping holiday and is plenty aloud with a nice deep bass effect thrown in for good measure it has all the features you need for a speaker that costs less than 20 euros and you cant complain about it plus it looks nice and is very robust too.

This speaker also has a sticky pad on the back which enables you to stick it where gravity allows and keep it out of the way too if you need to and it is very loud which I like and has around 8 hours of battery life, call quality it good to which is a bonus, The build quality is great with a nice matt looking finish and rubberised texture with a cloth finish on the front and the buttons are also simple to navigate and easy to see in low lit scenarios and feel and make life easy here too with large icons.

Overall a perfect stocking filler if you are stuck to get a gift but you get decent sound from it too which is what people will want at the end of the day.

BUY HERE

Review – Smart life camera c9-Dv. #Security #Bodycam #Tech

The Smart life camera c9-Dv is small and light allowing it to be used as a wearable body camera clipped to your belt or stuck on a surface as a security camera This can be used for multiple purposes including a dashcam albeit without the GPRS or speed stored. The Smart life camera c9-Dv has night vision recording.

 

Features:

  1. Special design Wearable Body Camera, clip on your bag, stick on any surface.
  2. Capture Video HD 1920*1080P MP4 H.264.
  3. Three modes of video recording, timing photography and mobile detection
  4. Automatic video recording.
  5. Alarm recording and continue recording.
  6. Mobile detection sensing.

 

Setup:

The unit does not come with a memory card which has to be ordered separately and formatted, (This can take an External memory card Micro SD card, up to 64G capacity) As always, we recommend a Quality card is used form a trusted supplier.  When the card is full of data this can be transferred to a storage device or will record over the oldest recording. 

The units required to be charged with the supplied charger lead. The date had time is set using notepad on a Laptop which is straight forward,

 The user manual gives a breakdown of the setting in terms of Three modes of video recording, timing photography and mobile detection. (the manual while short makes a simple press of a few buttons look complicated) 

Quality:

The video is listed as HD 1920*1080P which give a good picture when stationary in a well-lit room, when using the camera outdoors on a belt with fast motion in a dark or dusk environment can involve a blurry video while when stationary or slow movements the quality is improved.  Overall the camera is easy to use, set up with a multitude of functionality that won’t break the bank with acceptable video in well-lit areas. 

 

https://www.banggood.com/C9-DV-WIFI-HD-1080P-Mini-Wireless-Camera-Security-Camcorder-Night-Vision-p-1390786.html?ID=224&cur_warehouse=CN

Review – Logitech Master MX 3 Mouse. A Productivity must have. #Logitech #Tech

I have been using the MX 2s mouse over the last few months and it simply something I should have been using long before now, Why? I use laptops mostly and got into the routine of using the typical track-pad on them and just got stuck in my ways as you do, The chance came up to check out the MX 2 several times and I did not bother but finally gave in as I have changed my set up at home and having the need for one albeit no my main office driver but when I finally gave in and decided to use it on my laptops things changed rather quickly plus I could switch from one to the other on the fly and how fast things could be done with it just has me sold since..

 

There is some changes from the 2S which I have mentioned in the above video and one for the better is USB-C charging which with a one minute charge gives you 3 hours use and this is fast charge and a full charge will last  you 70 days, I cant confirm that duration yet but from using the 2S i can put money on it but again it depends on the individuals use.

MX3 VS MX2S

 

The set up is the same as before with your bluetooth dongle and then you have software to edit the buttons on the mouse and here is where you can enhance productivity by assigning keys as you could before. The wheel this time is faster with a slight design change and for those who like to scroll through things its a joy at how fast this can move. My use case for the mouse would differ than others so I am speaking of my use case scenario here with some office work,blogging and a bit of gaming, Not a massive PC gamer fan by any means but tested some on it just to see how it compares to your typical boring mouse and it is a productivity enhancing tool you need in your daily carry, I take mine with me everywhere on meeting and trips.

Sitting in hotel lobbys/conference rooms or at meetings people often ask why use a mouse with a laptop and I invite them to try and each and everyone where amazed at how fast things are and walk away impressed and many I know have actually bought one since and thanked me, I do tend to show people the tech I have with me when I out and about but its what most expect anyway being involved with a certain circle of clients and friends anyway and they would be disappointed if I turned up empty handed which never happens.

The ergonomics on the MX3 has changed ever so slightly too and button placement but if you want to buy the old one cheaper I would not say no but if this is your first such mouse just buy the MX3 and get off with the latest,things are pretty much the same coming from the older one but some slight changes you can easily adapt too. The scroll wheel has (MagSpeed) electromagnetic resistance and is great and will take time to get use to it if you have not used one, you can just flick the wheel let it go or manually glide through, you will soon work out how it works and it it seems to be a bit more quite than the 2S, 2S owners will notice more so than a newcomer the ratchet sound is not as loud..

 

SEE OUR MX MASTER 2S REVIEW

As mentioned you can customise the keys and there is custom set ups ready to use I am not a heavy office or spreadsheet user or use specific programmes I have a clean PC mostly using Google docs etc but you can have and avail of custom set ups or tweek presets for the likes of Office and Adobe.

You can use Flow which allows you to connect multiple devices which is very handy I have two set ups in my house one with two laptops and one with a laptop and monitor add on so I can easily connect and move files from one to another and again switch between rooms, I have a set up downstairs and upstairs but soon having a new custom office built for work to take place in one room but as mentioned I have the software on all and can easily switch and change between device and go upstairs or downstairs and get connected quickly which is important for those in a similar position.

Overall my thoughts from moving up form the 2S is that the improvements are welcome much remains the same inside,the new wheel is great and other design changes and it is less noisy which is not a huge deal, My use case as I said would vary but I know from using both and their potential and how much it mas made things much easier for me since I started using the 2S the new MX 3 is better again and a joy to use, If you are not familiar with a mouse like this perhaps go try one out and see what it can do, Some shops might have demos or if you ever bump into me I will gladly show you, As mentioned I meet a lot of people with my work and have helped them with tech purchases based of either using products I have or discussed,this is a must have mouse full stop,some might thing they are expensive and have said it to me but it quickly turns to a moot point when people see how productivity improves and how much time is saved.

BUY HERE