Been a while since we checked out a case for the S 7 Edge so here is a new one we just received from Tech21.Com.
This is called the Evo Wallet and has all the features you would expect to find on a good case today. Even down to the presentation this case will certainly suit anyone hunting for a new case for the pricey S 7 Edge.
The packaging to begin with is quite nice and comes with plenty of information on both side and then you slide out the case via the tab on the side so overall presentation is good here an hats up for that, I hate lousy packaging. Also what is worth noting is the is a lifetime warranty which is excellent and not something you see everyday…
Click to enlarge images
The case comes with all the requirements for today’s need with protection and functionality alongside serving the purpose its set out to do. Its got a good coating to begin with and adds that much more grip,this is throughout the case,even on its sides which is excellent as you know the device is slippy when naked and as I always say CASE UP..
There is a nice magnetic closure on the back which not only works fine it looks great too giving it that premium and robust look though not adding much bulk to the device,after some use you will not notice the difference, However these fold over cases are not for everyone as the same flip cases, Some prefer just back and sides protection having immediate access to the screen and so on but again we all have our own needs, Having said that there is a notification area atop so you will see any missed notifications there via the flashing LED. Buttons also worked fine throughout and the camera area is well protected so the case can be placed back down with nothing to worry about.
There is also a credit card slot built in here too and I know there is alot who like to don these kind of cases these days, personally I am not one of these but I do make exceptions for nice cases minus my credit cards. Not only do we have the wallet feature we can turn the device on its side and enjoy media consumption too without having to remove the case and just let it sit there, We all use our devices now more than ever for media consumption and having this feature is a welcome move for anyone.Also note ports. All are accessible and the speaker is not covered either, no snagging of cable’s and so on and a wide variety of cables seemed to work fine. Depending on case sometimes all cables may not fit depending on manufacturer and would have a thicker housing particularly with micro USB.
Overall this case will suit anyone no matter how fussy,its got the protection where needed with good solid corners yet the material is soft around the edges with no hindrance to the keys which is important and not forgetting the camera protection too, It looks good and feels good to hold and offers good protection on the front for the screen as that is the most expensive worry should you drop it,there is a lip around the top and bottom and adequate side protection keeping in mind with a double edge its limited as to how high on the sides it goes, Regardless you can still access the Apps Edge if you use it or simply disable it..
You can buy the case in either Pink or Black over at tech21.comand check out their other huge range of cases available.. Thanks again to the guys there for sending this over for us to check out…
Over the last few days we have been trying out the latest instalment from Urbanista, This time round its the Urbanista Seattle Wireless Headphones.
Off the bat they look plain so to speak but the do sport some cool features we are all not custom to right now but will be pretty much the norm in the next year or two. They have just one physical switch and the rest then works by touch control via gestures which is pretty cool and for a pair of headphones costing circa €99 this is a nice feature to see. These come in a corded version from around €55
They come in several colours
Packaging and contents.
This company topically always have good packaging which is nice, I prefer to see an effort going into a product and that starts with the exterior. Urbanista shine in this department with the retail box giving lots of information on the outside and then when opened its presented quite well and looks premium. Inside we get the headphones themselves set in a moulded plastic and the the usual array of cables we would expect to find, The Micro USB to USB charging cable and the 3.5mm headphone cable. However this cable is not the typcial one we find but a better textured lace like one and it looks good, Also inside is the usual manuals I doubt anyone reads these days..
Contents
Box left
Back
Presentation
Front
Connectivity and battery life
These will work with more or less and smartphone or tablet supporting Andriod, iOS devices and Windows Phone so there will no shortage of device compatibility here, The battery life as stated is around 12 hours which seemed consistent throughout the testing process so easily a full day for anyone, especially those on a long commute to work, Also you can go wired too should you run out of juice sometime.
Build quality
The look plain and perhaps a tad cheap but overall the passed my expectations. They are fold-able first of all which is probably a requirement today for storage reasons but there is no travel bag included in the package,perhaps this is something for them to think about in the future as it is now becoming the norm. they are plastic all round but very light which is good and to be fair I think they will survive quite a few knocks. The headband is flexible with a rubberised cushion underneath and it was comfortable for me during my testing. The cups are VERY comfortable and more comfortable than what they may look. Very soft,not clamping your ears blocking external sound pretty well too.. Cups are clearly marked as you can see on the images and video. You can adjust the arms either side but thats all you get on the adjustment side of things. Given that as mentioned they dont clamp onto your head and are comfortable as a whole..
Folded
Front view
Overview
Overview
Left
Right
Top view
Controls and connections
Not bad at first look.. In fact just one switch to power on and connect via Bluetooth. We do have the usual’s like the 3.5mm headphone socket and the Micro USB port for charging. The rest is hidden under the same side mind you so all is on the one cup so we dont have to fiddle between both,this is a good idea. There is soft touch controls which allow you to use gestures to do the rest, You can tap to answer calls and play and pause,slide horizontally to skip tracks and slide horizontally to adjust the volume,this may take a while to get the hang of it but after a few minutes suing it you should be fine since most of us are custom to the physical keys we see on headphones, Overall its a good idea and how everything is place on one side rather than both..
Overall thoughts
Look.. They do look probably a bit plain but for the price you pay the sound is good and its clear with highs,mids and lows sounding good, Lets not forget the comfort hear and the external noise almost completely blocked with the soft cups. They are robust,light and have plain design but overall they are a good purchase at the price-point and probably on par or better than some offerings out there today.
You can purchase these from Urbanistadirect or on Amazon.Any questions fire away on here or on social and check out our video below. Talk to you soon in our next review coming soon.
The best signal in an area is always the hard-wired approach, cable / fibre to your door, and then hardwired around your house / office, in an ideal world the lost would be minimal. On occasions when the signal is poor to an attic, outside shed, or thick old walls, a Repeater may be an option. (there are other options e.g. powerline options) Depending on the property type, an old cottage may have extra tick walls, where as a new build may have excellent tin foil type insulation on the stud partitions, both will reduce the signal strength.
This devolo WiFi ac Repeater will not provide good broadband If you have poor internet speed at your router supplied by your Telecoms provider e.g., Virgin, eir BT Vodafone etc. The WiFi ac Repeater will be of little use to you. This can be tested using a variety of speed test sites, e.g. www.fast.com
If its boosted WiFi strength in a home office to make video calls, stream a movie or are simply looking for interruption-free browsing in every room of your house, the WiFi ac Repeater may be your option. Once the WiFi ac Repeater is set you should get similar speed close to the repeater. This will not increase the speed from the router, rather keep it at a similar rate to the router. The further you move from the router / repeater, you will see a loss in the signal.
The specification advised the repeater acts as a WiFi range extender and your entire home can now benefit from buffer-free browsing due to a boosted WiFi signal and increased network speed of an impressive 1200 Mbps. Realistically no one gets this speed, even half the speed, we don’t get 1200 Mbps., possible 25 Mbps to 250Mbps if you’re lucky, Speed test awards advise the top speeds for 2016
There was various options, (initially Place the Repeater in the same room as the router)
A: Configuration using WPS button, Press the WPS button on your devolo WiFi Repeater ac and then on your WiFi router within 2 minutes
B: Configuration in the web browser, Open the terminal device ‘s WiFi settings (desktop, laptop, Mac, tablet) and connect to the devolo Wi-Fi Repeater network.
Open your web browser and type http://devolo.wifi into the address bar. Follow the prompts of the installation wizard using your web browser.
When the signal indicator on the devolo WiFi Repeater ac is illuminated a steady white. The connection was successfully established.
I used option B: Configuration in the web browser, as many articles on the web did not have the WPS push-button set-up on their router. This was straight forward allowing options to boost both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, generally a Mac will operate on both frequencies, some other Laptop model operate only on the 2.4GHz frequency, (there is no harm in using both if your router allows). Connection was quick and easy. This setup took less time than it did took to boil the kettle.
I liked the idea of setting up the devolo WiFi ac Repeater once on my network, other laptops, tablets and smart phones automatically connected to the original router, via the repeater, no additional setup was required for these individual units.
These are some of the LED status, if there is an issue holding the WPS for over 10 seconds’ results in a Factory default.
Does it work,
I placed the router in the back of the house. I then turned off mobile data on my phone, walked to the front of the house until I had no Wi-Fi connection. I then connected the devolo WiFi ac Repeater into a socket in the front of the house, again I walked away from the house checking the Wi-Fi signal, on this occasion walking onto an open green the Wi-Fi signal was strong at least 10 meters after I had previously lost the signal without the repeater. To ensure fairness of the test, the same was done with a laptop, walked as far away as possible in the front of the house until I got no signal, I then connected the devolo WiFi ac Repeater in the front of the house and again walked as far away as possible. Again, the range increased (this was in an open area). Speed test done & again walked to a range that would initial have no WiFi. The speed did appear to drop the further I went away from the repeater.
The Manufactures advised Benefits are,
Instant WiFi ac speed for browsing, HD streaming and chatting.
Entire home coverage with the WiFi range extender functionality.
Made possible with WiFi ac technology, up to 1200 Mbps transfer rate for maximum speed.
•Integrated gigabit LAN port for smart TVs, PCs, game consoles, streaming boxes etc.
Your choice of easy set-up by WPS, PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Helpful LED signal strength indicator.
Compact, stylish design – versatile positioning anywhere in the home.
Compatible with WiFi standards ac/n/g/b/a.
Features alternative use as an access point for creating a new WiFi ac network.
3-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Supported operating systems
Windows 7, from Mac OS X 10.6, from Ubuntu – Linux 14.04 If your using below Windows 7, its not a WiFi ac Repeater you need but a new PC / Laptop.
Box comes with
1x devolo WiFi Repeater ac (W/H/D: 59 x 91 x 38 mm)
1x installation guide
Costs, is it worth it?
This unit costs under stg 50 with a 3-year warranty, (Typical German efficiency) Many manufactures have a variety of general products costing 100 of euro / pounds with a 1 year warranty. This is not in any way a cheap product with some discount food chains selling similar products ranges for half the price.
How much is good Broadband worth? Ask that to some that can’t get it in an attic, is it worth spending the extra for this Product? I know the Brand for years and feel this is a quality brand, and would expect this be reliable once set up. To me personally reliable broadband is more important than saving an amount on similar products that may/ may not work. If intending on using this product, it may be worth purchasing locally, testing the range in the property and if it works a job well done with the option to return if unsuitable. It may also be worth checking out the DEVOLO WiFi Powerline Adapters as these have other benefits if using a few PC / Laptops in a Property.
Hook it,Loop it, Set it or Stick it.. Yes this new gadget that arrived is for the outdoor fans and more with all the functionality it offers The Polk Boom Swimmer Duo is what we are checking out today.. Traditionally we are all custom to perhaps the speaker we just turn on and connect to out devices and jut leave them sat wherever they maybe but this speaker offers much more and it becomes part of your routine because it offers more than one way to use it..
I have a countless amount of Bluetooth speakers here and to be honest they are all lacking something… Portability ??? NO.. They in fact are portable but limitations soon crop up due to them mostly being free standing ones and have to be left in a particular environment or position. This speaker has a hook and a suction cup which allows you to place it in an array of places and it will be safe..
Packaging
The package to start with is pretty cool,not your typical box type but a bottled product which is a nice touch and complements the package as a whole and meaning outdoors but you are not limited to outdoor use.In fact there is no limitations at home..
In the package we get some instructions,cable and the speaker itself with two attachments that simple twist on/off. One is a suction cup and another is a hook type that is bendy and twisty which can move in any direction to latch onto something you might like to place it..
Build Quality
It is tough with a rubber housing all round.. This is built to last its solid its shockproof,its waterproof its dust proof and has an IPX 7 rating which means its good for 3 ft of water for 30 mins or thereabouts. There is two attachments which still remain sealed which you will further on below. While testing I did drop it twice purposely to see if it would remain intact and it did, the drops where from head height and arms length just to be sure. Its solid…
Functionality
By no means this is a speaker thats restricted as to where it can be placed. Even in the house…This will stick to surfaces with no problem and with the hook thats on a separate attachment it can be place just about anywhere which is very useful,You could attach it to your jacket or bag or even your bike, canoe or boat, there is no limits as to where it can be placed which I like very much, I even tried this at home in my house just to be sure that the suction works, Now keep in mind this is not light for something to remain to a wall and then add vibration on top of that.. This sticks and stays put…
Features.
Its got what we should expect to find in such a product yet offers more as a whole. We of course have Bluetooth connectivity, Volume controls and a Pairing button and a small LED status light. You can actually link these together if you had another one,something which we have seen in several speakers before but its nice if you happen to own more than one and get real stereo sound and separation. On the bulk end of the speaker there is a USB port and an inline socket which means you can attach an 3.5 mm audio cable..
Connectivity
You can take calls on this which is handy and calls are clear, Connecting is seamless and no loss of connection was seen during testing for around a week,the sound is excellent and it does get amplified for example when on glass or a wooden table and it gets better in these instances.
Overall this is a great little speaker and does what it says on the tin giving you no limits to where it can be placed, Its a clever idea and for such a small speaker the sound is quite good,better than I had anticipated to be honest and when amplied on wood or a window it sounds better,The buttons are tactile its easy to set up and jut works great even phone calls are good form the few I took when testing it out.. I can really fault it… Thats saying something.. Finally there is several colours to pipck from if you did not like our sample you can buy it in Sport Blue,Black Orange or Green see the link below.
We have been testing these cans out a good few days now and one thing that stands out here is how comfortable they are.Having tested out many cans over the year and still some here in testing at first i did not like the look of them but that changed after hours of use and I grew to like them…
One thing for me with headphones that is a must is comfort because I tend to wear them quite alot and these surpassed my expectations. Also with ANC built in they really stepped up my initial thoughts as this feature is quite good and as mentioned the comfort on offer here, your ears are completely covered though this may vary per person and the soft leather padding just makes it a snug fit and not clamped onto your ears like the case can be for some headphones..
The Packaging and Presentation
GOOD… You get a touch exterior box with plenty of information on board then you are presented with the package with its own case to house them when not in use. Also inside here we find some extra goodies was welcome packed nicely away in a separate pouch that can be moved anywhere within the case and sticks via Velcro.
Build Quality
At first I thought they looked cheap,especially around the Volume and ANC area. They are solid though with lots of nice movement on board.They however are made mostly from plastic which is not really an issue for me but they are comfortable no matter what..The headband is on the thin side but padded nicely on both sides with leather which made them nice to wear for long periods of time the band itself seems flexible enough too which is important.There is few joints visible throughout though which is fine and the only metal parts per-say is where the arms extend each side but again feels solid and one thing to note there is no visible wires like you often find on such cans..
The Cups can are held separate via an arm each side which allows a 180 degree swivel and this also is how they are stored by twisting them so they remain flat in the package which is quite nice and again the cups have an inward movement which ensures they nestle just nicely on your ears.The cups themselves again are housed in plastic but have a rubberised texture and dont seem to be a fingerprint magnet either and then that soft leather padding on the cups is just about right,They are really comfortable and really light..
Functionality
The cups clearly marked L and R have functioning keys which are easy to navigate once you get use to wearing them,The left side will sport a 3.5mm socket for a wired connection which is good should you run out of juice, There is an indicator light which shows when you are connected to a device and then all our usual controls to skip/pause and play tracks and integrated mic etc which we would expect to find on wireless headphones today. The control buttons are on the small side but tactile though you will need to get used to where they are due to them being almost flush with the housing..Finally there is a port for Micro USB charging…
The right side hosts some features too.. I do like a balance on my headphones and not everything cramped to one side. On this side we have a Volume control which was oddly a dial rather than a physical key but I was ok with this and it was a bit nostalgic if you will, Also we the ANC function which is very very good and works brilliantly and there is an indicator light here too to let you know if its on or off but you will know the difference when wearing them,Trust me…
Sound Quality
Sound quality was rather good all round.. They for me where not the loudest cans I have used or own today but the balance all round seems just about right even for the real thoroughbred audiophile which is something I dont claim to be but owning around 20 sets of headphones alone now I can safely say the sound quality is great, Even when using at full volume there was not much distortion at all but this is down to how loud they can go from my point of view but regardless the sound was good with highs,lows and mids all round and enjoyable and the ANC function is excellent.. There is a lot a thought put into these and its really quite hard to believe how light and comfortable they are to wear and if you are the type to wear such cans for long periods of time these are something to check out ,At no stage did my ears sweat nor did they get annoying,in fact after a few minutes you would forget they are actually there. The only minor gripe I would have is the amount of joints and how long they will last but this would be down to the individual and how rough they are or if you where to swipe them off in a hurry but then again they are not the type that are clamped onto your head and I would expect they can take quite a few knocks too and should serve you a long time..
We are big fans of Jabra here and today we will be reviewing the Jabra ROX Wireless Bluetooth headset. We have had many products from Jabra over the last two years so you can check them all out by searching Jabra..This particular headset has been out since 2014 but we where not around then and they kindly sent them over for us to check out until our requested products arrive. The ROX Wireless are ideal for the sports enthusiast and very robust, They actually are made with KEVLAR too which off the bat gives them a solid statement with build quality to say the least.. lets see how they are overall though..
The Package
The package comes well presented with a magnetised closure which seems to be the norm these days and it does look and feel well and not a lousy effort when it comes to packaging the product, One thing for those that know me is I detest cheap packaging.. Jabra dont let me down in this department. We get the ROX Wireless Headset – Carry Pouch – A selection of eargels – Stability Earwings – Cable and some instructions.
The Build Quality
Made with KEVLAR. Enough said… They are solid, The buds are on the large side an perhaps a little to large for me, They do sit in my ears but they tend not to stay in so long,However this has not been an issue with later Jabra earbuds. They also seem on the heavy side, they are big as you can see in the images. The buds themselves are made with metal and solid and the cable is quite tough and would not get tangled, it did not for me during a few days testing. These remember are life proof,Dust and Water resistant and they look and feel “PREMIUM”. These also have magnets which I think make them that bit heavier than what I am used to but I like this idea and it keeps them safe when not in use and nicely stowed together.. This also acts as an on/off feature and saves power..
Functions
On opening the package first thing I notice was the little multi-function button which has a Volume Up/Down button, the centre button brings Play-Pause, Track Forward, Call Answer End control.These are small however but tactile enough and you can navigate blindly easily enough once you get the feel for it. How do you charge these?? This was something that had me lost for a moment because there is no visible port to charge but on the earbud the cap comes off which when you think of it is clever, Also there is an LED on the same side to give you visual indicators being the usual Blue,Red and Green not only that you do have voice notification as per norm with Jabra products.
Sound and battery life.
Jabra say you will get around 5-6 hours of usage and you will need a 2.5 hr charge time which is not bad,This can be charged via your PC or typical wall charger but if you are the type to be at your PC/Laptop all day this would do when you are not using them to keep them topped up. Sound was surprisingly good even at the louder end with little or no distortion and the bass is good and dont forget Jabra has their own “Jabra Sound App” which effectively gives you DOLBY sound which is rather good and the app is free… Pairing these was also an effortless task as with any other Jabra product I own and again there is audible notifications which helps..
Overall for me personally they worked fine, However they are a bit on the big side, Aside that with all the earwings and gels they did not fully suit my ears but when resting at home they worked a treat but not something for training with, With magnetised buds and the optimum construction in these they will take a few knocks and would last a long time with your average user..
Being out and about a lot I tend to use earphones to listen to music and take calls from my phone however it’s not
always possible to have in-ear or even over ear earphones as its not always a safe thing to do so when I received this little speaker to review I was intrigued to how good it would fair out and about in the real world under normal and somewhat abnormal conditions we get here.
Features
Wireless Micro wearable Bluetooth speaker that clips securely to your clothing, safely balancing your music with your immediate surroundings.
Ipx7 Waterproof enclosure keep water and dirt out and the tunes on full Blast
3-Hour battery life ensures you’ve got tunes that go distance with you
Standard USB with Waterproof cap for a quick and easy on-the-go charging
Take hands-free calls and talk safely on any adventure whether on a bike, in the car or whereverthe journey leads.
Build
It’s a small rubberised USB device probably twice the width of a thumb and a rubberised steel clip on the back which is integrated into the device itself. There’s very little else aside from two buttons along one side which control the volume track selection and pairing. Charging is done by a standard USB powered socket and is quite quick plug it in and off it goes.
Pairing And Compatibility
This took a minute to figure out as it isn’t really obvious at first what to do (and being a man the instructions were ignored as usual) But what you need to do is press the + and – buttons together and you get an audible indicator that it is now in pairing mode so you follow standard pairing.
Sound Quality
This is really good considering the size of this device, its loud enough that I could still clearly hear music through a motocross helmet while travelling at speed. Ok once again this isn’t going to be the same kind of quality as a home cinema system but you wouldn’t be wanting that while you’re out on a spin. Call audio quality was also quite good but again this is just something that you need to say a quick “I`ll call you back as I`m driving” as it’s really not safe to be concentrating on a call if you`re on the road.
Overall Verdict
This is a great little speaker and will fit the needs of people who are into fitness and cycling. It’s really small and fits into most pockets and cycling handbar bags or even on the strap of a shoulder bag or backpack. If you are out on the road a lot and either don’t find earphones comfortable or safe then I would say this is the device for you. It allows you to listen to music and take calls without making it too unsafe to do so.
Normally I’m all about wireless when it comes to using speakers and earphones when it comes to listening to music as I`m usually out and about when doing so and I would have wireless but when push comes to shove and you run out of batteries it’s always good to have a wired set of earphones as a backup. I was given this set of earphones to review and I must admit to being surprised.
Features..
Dynamic Bass Tuning allows you to manually tune low frequencies to your preference
High fidelity extended response 6.5mm dynamic drivers
Inline microphone with single button control
Designed for optimum comfort and performance
2 Year Warranty
Build
The build quality is really good considering the price you’re being asked for these earphones. They’re lightweight and come in a black finish with soft in ear buds (changeable sizes and shapes to make any ear comfortable) They are really well presented and come with a nice soft pouch to keep everything nice and neat and not a tangled nightmare in the end of your backpack.
Sound Quality
I must admit that I really didn’t expect too much from these being in the price range that they are but I am surprised at just how good these are. They have something called Dynamic Bass Tuning which allows you with a simple twist to tune out most of the low end frequencies that you might want to get rid of. They also come with noise cancelling too which again on something in this price range you wouldn’t expect to find.
Overall Verdict
I can’t fault these headphones, especially for the price. The sound is excellent, noodle cables is an excellent feature and they are a really nice fit. Very well presented and boxed and with extra bugs and a nice little storage pouch to keep everything in good condition. I would definitely recommend these to anyone who is on a budget and needs a good pair of headphones for on the go listening.
BUY HERE – Direct Or you can find them on Amazon..
I have been using the Nextbase 412GW Dash cam for about a month now. The first impression of The Nextbase 412GW Dash cam was the weight at 86g that’s light, this is a great bonus as mounted with a bracket on the windscreen, the weight does not pull it off over speed bumps. The 3” LED panel allows viewing easily. This is not a cheap budget device which can be observed from the packing, product feel with a variety of functions & connections.
The unit packaging was impressive, all the usual accessories cigarette charger, mounting bracket on the windscreen.
This came with older USB type cable with is a disadvantage as another cable in the car. The cigarette cable is extra-long which is a bonus having to run this over the vehicle to the dash mount location. There would be a requirement for a dual charger to allow charging of your phone at the same time. This is my biggest critic of this unit, the power cable type, and the options left to charge another unit.
The instruction manual is supplied on a disk with additional information on www.nextbase.co.uk.
The unit came separate with a 32GB MicrosSD card for use with Nextbase cams, (Scan disk card), This supports SDHC and SDXC micro SD cards up to 32GB, giving up to 4 hour’s worth of footage before the product loops. Typically, a 16Gb card will store the last 2 hours of driving footage, then will record over the oldest footage, Interesting Nextbase advise Every 2-3 weeks “we recommend that you reformat the memory card. This will wipe any files from the card and set it up afresh for continued use with your iN-CAR CAM.” This would involve taking the Card out of the Dashcam to format. I would recommend having a spare card in the event of incident, (You can save an incident / Dashcam will automatically save this)
The Dash Cam can feature QUAD HD 1440p footage at 30 frames per second. This is four times the number of pixels you would get on a standard HD panel (720p) as seen on your older plasma / LCD TV. Most files recorded are in the region under 500MB for a 3-minute clip. These are large files reflected by the quality of the footage. The footage has been checked on a standard Laptop and my own 46” LCD. The Quality was excellent on both when the card removed and placed into the Laptop / LCD TV.
Firstly, during installation start with the safety in mind, Next base recommended when fitting in the vehicle, a quick clean of the glass helps, then install the in-CAR CAM so it does NOT obstruct the drivers view of the road, preferably on the passenger side of the vehicle and behind the rear-view mirror. Recommended location fitting (as per the manual), one interesting thing on the location of the dash cam is the setup for a left-hand side of the road vehicle, i.e. UK car. Many Manufactures forget Ireland & the UK. Next base has offices in Surrey & Wales which is always a positive in case on any issues.When fitting the Dash, cam check the sun visor to ensure the Dash cam does not get knocked by the visor, that’s from experience!
This has a Click & Go Powered Magnetic Mount, ensuring removing from the vehicle is easy and quick. This feature is excellent if removing at night. It would be great if the Charger plugged directly into the Magnetic Mount, as you must un-clip the Dashcam from the charger cable, and the Magnetic Mount,
There are 3 modes of camera operation – Video, Photo and Playback.
Video Mode: The default mode when the camera is turned on, for video recording.
Photo Mode: Allows you to take still photographs.
Playback mode: Allows you to view recorded video or photographs up
Playback contains, longitude, latitude speed, date & time. This was interesting with the cam looking at the road at the speedometer, the car on cruise control at 49 MPH, stated on review on the Dash cam footage 46 MPH,
Some of the lower end units do not record the longitude, latitude and speed.
On the unit, there is a Reset button which is great in case there is a problem at any stage as there is no removable battery, this may sound trivial but try using a product that won’t power off, It has however a low battery warning..
Wi-Fi:
This has Inbuilt Wi-Fi which (if your inclined this way) to upload footage to social media / insurance company. The Wi-Fi connects as a normal Wi-Fi router / dongle, search for the SSID, E.g. Nextbase 412GW Enter the password as given on the Dash cam,
On your smartphone Nextbase Cam Viewer App is available for free download from the Google Play Store (Android) approx. 26 M file with 10,000 – 50,000 Installs rated as 3 out of 5. There were a few occasions, I had to refer to the manual having to power off the Nextbase 412GW. Initially this would not connect to a smart phone, I tried with a Samsung smart phone worked straight away. Once working the video display was clearly visible which was easily played back. The play back initial buffer was slower than expected as I am used to instant playback from a Computer. I found Video playback may pause while the video buffers as I wanted to quickly view 4 hours of footage quickly rather than a 3-minute clip. The video clips were clearly visible on a Samsung smart phone.
The Cam Viewer allowed Live View from the iN-Car Camera which was of great quality while a microsecond delay between footage on the Dashcam getting to android phone.
You can view video / photo files stored upon the camera and download to your connected device for viewing later.
Number Plate recognition.
A feature on the dashcam is the Number Plate recognition, Enter the registration number for your vehicle, this will then be shown on the video file. This is a feature on expensive / Business CCTV systems which is good to see on the dash cam.
Specification in more Detail.
140 degree wide angle view with QUAD 1440p High Definition recording at 30 fps
High frame rate option of 60fps recording at FULL 1080p HD
Inbuilt Wi-Fi to share your footage directly with your mobile via the Nextbase Cam Viewer app
Ultra-clear 3.0” LED display for ease of playback and menu selection
Improved night vision for clear footage in poor lighting conditions
Exclusive Powered Magnetic Click & Go mount for easy installation in the vehicle
Instant evidence to support insurance claims to help prove an incident was not your fault
Super slimline design – Dimensions 10.9 x 5 x 1.8 cm (W x H x D) (37mm incl. lens)
Six-Element Sharp Lenses made with 6 layers of glass to provide stunning clear images
GPS receiver and G sensor to record location and force data
Inbuilt battery with up to 30 minute backup in the event of an accident
Easy to install with 4m 12v power cable and Click & Go powered window mount included
SOS data protection prevents the impact/ event recording from being deleted
Supports SDHC and SDXC Micro SD cards up to 32GB (class 10 recommended)
The Full Product specification.
This is an interesting point to be aware of in the event of an accident. I don’t know the legality of video footage in court / insurance but interesting to read. (Taken from the manual)
The video recordings made by this Digital Video Recorder are intended for personal use only. 8. Publication of the recordings on Youtube, the internet or other methods are subject to the Data Protection Act and the requirements thereof must be adhered to. If the Digital Video Recorder is to be used within a commercial environment, i.e. truck use, then the CCTV regulation apply also, in addition to the Data Protection Act regulations. This includes labelling to identify the use of CCTV is taking place, the omission of Audio recording and informing the relevant authorities of who controls the data. Video playback upon the device which is visible to the driver is prohibited or restricted in some countries or States
How difficult is the Dashcam to set up / Record?
Setting up the Dashcam physically in the car take a few minutes. Record can be automatically set up. Play back by removing the card and placing in a Laptop can take a few minutes, Dashcam playback took less than a minute. Setting up Wi-Fi and Playback does take a bit longer to setup, down load the app.
Would I recommend this Product?
If this is for a non-techie driving low millage, certainly not, but if you’re one of those people that often state, there is never a Policemen when you want one, or wait till I tell you what happened today on the road. (Have a look at the video of a cyclist going down the wrong way on the street. branch of a tree been pulled down by a lorry, or Pedestrian crossing the road)
If you’re a serious driver on the road, then having this is your vehicle is great in case an accident happens. Should there be an incident with video footage you can clearly see who was at fault in the incident – whether it was day or night, saving in Insurance excess and split liability claims. I have noticed on occasions when the weather was freezing I unconsciously checked the operation of the dash cam expecting the potential of an incident. Another question I have been asked, is it worth paying extra for a good model, depending on a budget the quality is excellent, footage excellent, this model shows you location and speed. If you drive a vehicle for hours per day than possible, this may be the route to go down! Any professional driver should have this as I suspect the bus companies have not put cameras on the buses for our safety, rather the safety of their insurance claims. I have now noticed Learner Driver vehicle instructors now have these in their vehicles. This would be great to allow driving instructors to give students an SD card, allowing them a second view of the road positioning and leanings.
I would like to thank Nextbase UK for sending this out, Initially I though a gimmick which I would be bored of after a week, Sorry Guys at Nextbase this is one product I am keeping in my car, Once I reviewed the footage and observed some of near incidents.
