Category: #Reviews

Review – Duracell 6700 mAh powerbank. #Duracell #Powerbanks @DuracellUK ‏

We still suffer from battery anxiety even today and after I discussed this on the consumer show on RTE some years ago things have not changed given we have now bigger batteries in our phones it usually means there is more to push inside the phone..

Duracell recently launched a campaign in the UK called “stop seeing red” which we all know what that means and in that conversation…

Christina Tuner, Associate Marketing Director at Duracell, commented, “I wasn’t surprised to see what extreme lengths people go to in search of power as I’ve been in the same position several times. We are all so dependent on our smart phones to stay connected, entertained and well navigated, that when we’re suddenly in the red, we find we’re literally powerless. It seems crazy not to just pack a Powerbank so we’re free to continue scrolling through our day”.

Duracell however is probably the most popular battery at home for other devices and I would not use anything else personally but now they have some powerbanks on offer to suit all needs and they are 3350,6700 and 10050 mAH powered respectively.

Today we check out the 6700 mAh unit and I love the design which looks like a giant battery so this will stand out straight away, Even people who came into my house over the last few days asked me what is that battery for but when I told them what it was they where impressed. This is an ideal gift too for Christmas and ideal for people travelling and it can be carried on flights too, Its not bulky and its smooth all round..

Available from £19.99-£34.00 from leading online retailers including Argos and Amazon, and instore at Sainsburys and Morrisons..

ARGOS IRELAND

 

 

Review – Fuse Chicken Premium leather wireless charging base. #Tech #Wireless

I go through many wireless chargers here and they all do what they do which is fine but quality is another matter. In fairness most I own are great and serve me well I am one of those on the wireless charging train which has been slow to catch on here. This unit if slightly different and will appeal to those whom want quality throughout. This case is made from a block of premium aluminium and topped off with a leather base and it also comes with a bamboo top too which looks really well.

This unit is simple to use with one port for power and one status light with small pods for feet underneath to keep it stable on any surface. All you need to do is drop the phone on top and thats it as its centred. And of course this is case friendly.  Check out the video below for more.

BUY HERE

Review – The Audew D102 dashcam. #Dashcams #motoring #tech #Audew

Dahcams have been in the news of late and with now One insurance company now offering a discount on such could this be the end of fraudulent claims? Well one thing is for sure its about flaming time at least one insurance company has woken up to something I have suggested for years and again its down to the motor industry itself.. ALL VEHICLES BY DEFAULT SHOULD BE FITTED WITH DASHCAMS.

Dashcams are  not a complicated tool to use like they once where they are easy to use and in most cases its plug and play and in any case I go through the menu set up on these for you. It is simple and sub menus not too hard to follow for set up. This model is the same it is easy to mount easy to use and away you go, but you will need an SD card as it does not come with one.

This unit offers much the same as the industry standard with a simple UI a few buttons nothing too complicated at all. It is also small and does not obstruct your view and wont really stick  out if you place it correctly. There is a long cable for you vehicle too which makes mounting easy and you can hide the wiring no matter where its place,this is vehicle depending of course and how panels are constructed.

This has a 170 degree angle viewing and has motion detection so if you are not in the vehicle and something happens it will start recording for you.There is  multiple feature choices throughout the menu. I would suggest turning off the audio but its no harm however should you have an incident and the radio blaring you will not hear whats going on outside but inside the vehicle which is no good,this does not mean you stay silent in your car or have no radio on if you do decide to leave it on,but for me audio recording is off on all my dashcams.

If you want simplicity this has it just plug in and go and then if you have something you can check out the footage on the device ,via your PC or remove the SD card and stick it in your phone which is handy too should you have no access to a PC.

Features

Easily concealed,Excellent night vision, Loop Recording, Parking Mode .Crashing induction detection, Urgent Lock File Button. Reg detection.

Audew also make a neat vaccum cleaner for you car you can check that out HERE

BUY HERE 

 

 

Review – The Groov-e wireless play buds with charge case. #earphones #tech #earbuds

Groove-e make some really nice tech products and for some time now we have been testing their products and the latest we have checked out is the Play Buds which are totally wireless come with a carry case which gives you more juice on the go.

These are also on the cheap side with cost here as many of these types of buds are over the €100 mark but now there is an influx in the market with these in-ears with charge case which is a good thing for choice and competition.  These are very light too and fit quite well in the ears though mine are rather selective when it comes to the likes but there is additional buds in the package.

Presented well in the packaging as always this is a similar to a big pill in your pocket which will fit in any pocket making them easily portable for anyone or any pocket. Pairing these is a simple process to begin with voice notifications each side similar to Jabra, So how do they sound is the most important factor here at the cost..Well hit and miss with some tracks but source dependent.Like many I have an old sd card stuffed with music and for me using this as a source due to how songs were downloaded and so on it they simply did not perform well in many cases compared to other headphones/earphones I used.  When it comes to using services or You Tube which is really my main source of music they do perform well.

 

When it comes to the usual attributes in music they performed well overall but on some occasions went a bit off with highs and sounded tinny at max volume but nonetheless the overall performance listening to music from the likes of Spotify or You tube they deliver clear crisp sound and for the price you can’t really complain paying around €60 for such which is on the cheaper side out there.

Boasting Bluetooth V4.1 technology, users are able to connect the PlayBuds seamlessly with any smart- device that’s up to 10 metres away. With three hours of listening time and 20 hours on standby, users simply place the PlayBuds inside the carry case when the battery is low. The portable case, which doubles up as a charger, will then provide an additional seven hours of music playback, allowing users to stay connected for non-stop listening on the go.

Groov-e PlayBuds – £54.99 from www.groov-e.co.uk

 

Review – GrabTab super-slim grip assist from @speckproducts #GrabTab #tech

Every now and then a simple idea comes along and you ask yourself why did I not think of that and that was my initial impression here however at the same time I had my questions but they were answered and overall this is a genius product that costs under a tenner.

This will not work on some cases or phones take note but will for the majority which is good you will need a flat surface and similar case for it to work effectively and due to the large surface area this lad aint budging once settled,you will see this in the video review. Think of the modern cases that come with kickstands, They are mostly more bulky and more expensive and to an extent cumbersome. The GrabTab is not, it simply sticks onto your phone or if you are the type that likes to go naked with your phone it will stick to the back of your device too.

 

Its thin and does work with wireless charges as we checked to be sure and its the size of a credit .If you want a simple mobile accessory this is it, Enjoy media from a flat surface, Your phone is safer in hand being more secure with the loop.. Check out the video below..

BUY HERE 

***Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals with 25% to 50% discounts will be live on speckproducts.co.uk  until 26th November at midnight***

PIXEL 3XL CASE REVIEWS FROM SPECK

Review – Smartfrog home security camera system. #tech #security #home #smartfrog

I have tried several home security systems now and these are not the full install jobs but ones that are simple to use and simple to install with minimal tech knowledge or building knowledge either and this does not mean they don’t do the job they are set out to do because of the above as I still use one today in-house and the smartfrog system is no different either when it comes to simplicity and installation. Versitility here is one thing that gets my attention here as they can be placed anyhwhere in the home once you have a plug nearby and they can be either fixed permenantly of left sat in one spot or moved around the house at any given time.

The system of course comes with an app and you can also use a desktop interface to get some features like stored clips but both work well together when it comes to simplicity. Set up is simple and less than 5 minutes depending on wi-fi and if your router is compatible as my old one was not but any of todays current ones are fine.

Within the app you can go through sensitivity settings as seen in the app walk through below and you could not ask for more. Quality is great considering and again levels can be set and the same applies to motion detection and so on. You can also talk to the camera… Yes you can and in fairness many  on the market can too as there is a little speaker on the rear so anyone in the vicinity can hear you should you wish to say something to someone in-house like a babysitter for example or if you have a pet being bold. You also can use your webcam on the desktop of turn your old phone into a cam too by adding them it’s so simple and a great way to use old devices just sat there..  You can get additional storage by signing up to a subscription that can be cancelled at any time its worth it if you have this and on a budget to keep some peace of mind.

Any questions feel free to ask. Excuse the 240p finish thanks to You Tube.. BUY HERE 

Review – The August EP650 wireless headphones. #August #Tech #Headphones

As most know I am a huge headphone fan and sport a huge collection and I cant see that collection stopping anytime soon, I love my headphones/earphones. Often is the case I can tell when something is good or just a cheap effort and speaking of cheap these headphones are cheap so I was not expecting anything mind blowing but I was wrong to an extent.

It is like this… The Cost to performance ratio has hit headphones too as well as smartphones. These are simply fantastic in every respect and the app that accompanies them. They are well built comfortable but long time usage may sweat from time to time and that is my only complaint and can be expected from some headphones.

The companion app is great when it comes to sound value. Overall brilliant I cant believe how good they are and how well the app works. On the right side of the cans there is a navigation panel which is easy to navigate blindly. Now here is a point which I have made in the past.. On the same navi key there is a square light for connection status,In a dark room this pulses on and off and might annoy people but this can be turned off in the app so that is an issue solved many have yet to with such a feature. For taking calls on these all was also fine both ends for those whom might do so.

The highs lows and mids and all attributes in music play on que here and like I said only for the app this would not happen think of it as a built-in equalizer on your phone.There is also is a 3D effect which I say leave on. These also come in a range of colours which again is something I hit out at with headphones as it is the typical Black colour we often see but August have a full range of colours.

One issue which might be problematic.. At full volume there is sound leakage and if you are on a bus,train or plane you will certainly be letting people beside you listen to your music at full volume but for me that is how I rock with my headphones at full volume. Overall these are an easy recommendation if you are on a budget and want excellent sound you can’t go far wrong.

Buy HERE

Reviewed – The August Bluetooth Hat

Reviewed – The August Smart Health Wristband

Reviewed – The August Bluetooth LED desklamp.

Specs

Bluetooth Version  v4.2
NFC  On left ear piece
aptX LL  Low Latency Enabled
Multipoint Technology  YES
Operating Range  Up to 10m
Frequency Response  60Hz-20KHz
Speaker Output  30mW
SNR  ≥85dB
Distortion  ≤1.0%
Line-in  3.5mm and USB
Battery  3.7V/220mAh Li-ion
Working Time  10 Hours
Charging Time  2 Hours
Standby Time  30 Days
Dimensions  176.6 x 188.6 x 71mm
Net Weight  235g

Review – The Alcatel 1. For your first android it does the job. #Acatel #Alcatel1

The box came in a conforming box with the specifications clearly label on the side on the box. The 5-inch display with 480 x 960 pixels and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The first touch felt thicker with sharper corners than experienced in many recent phones. The back felt plastic but comfortable to hold in one hand, the visual display not as good as seen on other phones. The phone is available in Black, Gold, Blue.

 Dimensions:

  • Dimensions 5.42 x 2.59 x 0.39 inches (137.6 x 65.7 x 9.8 mm)
  • Weight 4.73 oz (134 g) the average is 5.8 oz (167 g)

 Key Features:

  • 5-inch 960 x 480 LCD
  • MediaTek MT6739 CPU
  • 1GB RAM
  • 8GB storage + microSD

·         5MP rear camera                                                                                            

  • 2000mAh batt

Warranty

  • Alcatel offers a 24-month handset warranty and six months battery warranty.

 Setup:

The phone came as a standard Android setup. The power on, booth up took longer than expected as compared to other more expensive models.  The typical options Synchronising contacts in multiple accounts was on the phone. The initial setup resulted in 2 / 3 crashes resulting in the phone required to be powered down and on again.

Camera:

The camera menu is distracting and vague on the phone, the 5MP rear camera was blurry and unclear, the picture quality was poor when compared to many new phones. The phone image via the camera seemed blurry, spinning the phone around the room resulted in a blurry image on the screen.

 Radio:

The phone came with an inbuilt FM radio and RDS (2) functionality, the phone can be used as a traditional radio with the option to store 6 favourites channels or with visual information related to the radio program displayed.  The Alcatel 1 comes with  Headphones 3.5mm connector which is a declining trend on many new phones. (Earphones supplied) The Headphones Jack and radio are positive on this phone.

 

 Conclusion:

This phone is a budget phone that makes and receives calls but not a phone to watch extended video content or play 3D games. The 2000mAh battery life reduced considerably when trying to play games. YouTube video playing resulted in the phone crashing on occasions.  The Smartphone is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6739 processor,1.28GHz quad-core aided by 1 GB of RAM, the processor and RAM is of low spec ensuring multitasking is not practical on this phone. The booth up took longer than expected, waiting around until the android phone set up.  The 480 x 960 pixels display is nothing exciting, but the touch screen scroll felt meagre when sliding between screens.

The phone crashed on occasions which may be down to the negligible 1GB of RAM as compared to other phones. The Alcatel 1 is a budget phone that has the main features of an Android phone, scientific calculator, currency check, unit conversion etc but lacks a punch. The phone has good support centre on the phone app, FAQ, contact us, feedback, e-warranty, hardware diagnostic, device info etc

The Alcatel 1 would not be a phone for demanding teens due to the requirement of a good high-end camera, this may be a phone for an older generation that requires to make and receive calls without the need for a good camera. However for a first phone perhaps for the younger teens it would suffice.

BUY ON https://www.eir.ie/store/mobile/phones/prepay/alcatel-1/

Case round up review from @RingkeOfficial for the Google Pixel 3XL. #Pixel3XL

This next batch of cases has just arrived from Ringke who make mobile phone cases and accessories for many leading smartphone brands and we have some cases and more for the Google Pixel 3XL. Below in the video we have a full image gallery and video review of all the cases we  have tried out today and these cases will certainly protect your shiny new expensive Google Pixel 3XL.

First case up is the RINGKE ONYX which is a durable TPU case with shock absorption with a cool look on the back this also matches the colour of our device and gives really good grip.

Second case up is the Ringke Fusion which is a transparent case for the Pixel 3XL and offers again the protection you need with a scratch resistant backing.

The last case which is my favourite by far is the Fusion X in Ruby red and this really looks well on the phone and offering even more protection all round for you 3XL. Check the video below for images and walkthrough of the above cases.

Also we got a very handy Ringke spinner ring. This is for those who go caseless more or less and it simply sticks to the rear of your device and not only that it offers a 3 way setting to sit or your whilst you consume media which is really handy.