It’s time to get in the game and come get your Fanta! In celebration of the Xbox 25thAnniversary, Fanta is leveling up its delicious product line with a gamified collaboration that features iconic characters from legendary Xbox titles. For the first time ever, the collaboration brings together the irresistible taste of Fanta and the thrill of gaming with unforgettable challenges, delicious Fanta and epic rewards.
The special edition collection features character takeovers from some of the most iconic Xbox franchises including Call of Duty, Halo and Diablo IV and introduces a delicious new special edition flavour, Fanta Crimson Cherry. These iconic characters have taken over Fanta for one reason: fans everywhere “Wanta Fanta” – and now it’s your turn to take it back through exclusive challenges and digital activations.
“Fanta believes in delivering the Wanta Fanta? Come Get It challenge that fans are most passionate about, and this partnership with Xbox takes it to a whole new realm of delicious game play. We’re just getting started,” said Ibrahim Salim Khan, Vice President, Global Sparkling Flavors Category. “We imagine a world where the irresistible taste of Fanta is so delicious, it pulls players into a multiverse-sized adventure. We’re excited to unleash this partnership with Xbox by immersing fans in the worlds of their favourite games – teaming up with iconic characters and facing larger-than-life challenges to prove just how far they’ll go to get their Fanta back.”
Starting mid‑April, fans can get their hands on the special edition collection, but the experience doesn’t stop there. Launching on 30 April and running until 30 June, consumers can enter a national prize promotion by uploading a receipt for any Fanta product, giving them the chance to win Xbox controllers and ROG Xbox Ally. That’s not all. Players can also unlock exclusive in‑game rewards simply by scanning the QR code on‑pack or at point of sale and completing exciting mini challenges. With 1 million in‑game rewards up for grabs, there’s plenty to play for.
“This partnership with Fanta brings together two brands that thrive on creativity and self-expression,” said Marcos Waltenberg, GM Xbox Partnerships. “Together, we’re creating experiences that meet fans where they are and celebrate the joy of play – on screen and beyond.”
The Fanta and Xbox special edition collection will be available widely beginning 15th April at all key retailers in 330ml cans, 500ml pet & 1.75L bottles and multipack (4,6 & 12) cans. Fanta Crimson Cherry will be available in 500ml pet bottle, 1.75L pet bottle and 6x330ml multipack cans. For more information on the partnership and how to get in on the action, visit www.fanta.com and follow Fanta and Xbox.
Manufacturer Boom Collaboration has hosted a special interactive workshop, showcasing two top products and looking at wider conferencing trends – including if people actually wear their pyjamas on video calls!
Its ‘Unlocking The Power of Collaboration’ online event, officially introduced the Boom HALO video bar and MAGNA Pro PTZ camera – and attracted a global audience from the UK, US, Europe, Middle East, Asia and South America.
Participants discovered how the two groundbreaking products are designed to revolutionise collaboration in the modern workspace, based on a theme of ‘smart people need intelligent gear’.
Co-FoundersFredrik Hörnkvist and Holli Hulett demonstrated the intelligent features of the expandable HALO, which delivers crystal-clear audio and 4K video with enhanced AI facial framing and speaker tracking. Up to eight additional microphones/speakers can be added too.
Pants
They also explored the versatility and precision of the Boom MAGNA Pro 4K highly-responsive tracking PTZ camera, designed for meetings, lectures and live streams – thanks to a massive 27x zoom, AI capabilities and a built-in gravity sensor. All products are available from UK distributor Westcoast.
Insights on optimising collaboration strategies and spaces through cutting-edge technologies were also part of the 45-minute session, hosted from the manufacturer’s Texas HQ.
“We ended the event with some audience participation around some of the biggest problems around video meetings today,” explained Hörnkvist. “Insufficient audio, bandwidth limitations and making sure everyone is seen and heard were some of the top concerns.”
Hulett added: “We also looked at the best things about video meetings where working from anywhere, cost savings and also being able to wear pyjama bottoms on calls scored highly, as well as being able to hang out with your pets! It’s clear the appeal of remote meetings continues to evolve and Boom Collaboration is determined to remain at the industry forefront, spearheaded by our flagship HALO and MAGNA Pro innovations.”
Conferencing manufacturer Boom Collaboration has expanded its video bar portfolio with the arrival of an intelligent all-one-one solution which is ideally suited for larger rooms.
The flagship Boom HALO features a 4K UHD camera, six microphone array and high fidelity speakers to provide a seamless collaboration experience.
Available from distributor Westcoast, it boasts many advanced features such as facial recognition, speaker tracking, intelligent noise reduction and AI auto-framing. Additional ports allow for audio expansion for flexible rooms and growing teams.
Boom Collaboration was born in 2020 by founders Fredrik Hörnkvist and Holli Hulett. The Texas-based business has quickly developed an extensive conferencing portfolio and operates in over 30 countries after a successful expansion programme during 2023.
“There’s little doubt the popularity of video bars will continue to grow this year and the Boom HALO will add more fuel to the fire,” says Hulett.
“With 120° wide angle field of view, 10x zoom and smart mic array, the HALO detects both participants and speakers in real time locking in on attendees and allowing for hands-free operation. Six array MEMS microphones and a superior 4K lens with an eight megapixel CMOS sensor ensure an exceptional meeting experience for a variety of spaces.”
Excellent audio
Hörnkvist highlighted the HALO’s excellent audio quality. “High-fidelity audio with a 48kHz sampling rate and dual 10W speakers provide lossless audio and full spectrum sound for meeting participants. Acoustic Echo Cancellation and Automatic Gain Control further enhance the meeting experience and work to ensure full duplex quality at a distance of six metres.”
He pointed out how Bluetooth 5.0 allows for easy pairing with mobile phones and other
devices while expansion ports for additional microphones and speakers ensure optimal coverage for any space.
He added: “Plug & Play simplicity is created from USB 3.0. Users can simply connect and enjoy their favourite video conferencing platform. Furthermore an automatic privacy shutter is combined with the ability to disengage wireless connectivity for added security.”
Boom’s video bar portfolio also includes the high performance AURA and compact UNO for smaller and personal use. All are backed by a three-year warranty. The HALO is available in black or white colour options.
I have reviewed many projectors and several this year have been 1080p projectors which whilst OK for someone not expecting fantastic viewing do a great job and keep the kids entertained the overall picture is underwhelming when you are into your tech and already own large screen tvs and have other projectors in your home, with this projector however it changes the game completely and not only does it offer a great picture it has great audio and of course access to the play store.
Most projectors today use other methods of installing apps from other third party stores and while it works people prefer the seamless Google option which of course makes it easier to sign in and sync devices and link to your home set up and this is what we get here.
The projector itself is also well built and not a cheap lightweight plastic yet still portable and easy to use with your voice assistant built in which is excellent. The Harmon Kardon built in speakers gives you a real movie experience here and you can also add speakers if you wish to enhance the experience and for me this is what everyone should do.
The question remains though is a projector better than a TV and for me it is a simple yes having several in my house now and one good reason is not having a big lump of a TV hung on a wall or taking up space on a press etc and again most would have their TV in the living room and this is always a centre piece and the highlight of most folks living rooms today and with these getting bigger for me they are an eyesore and I can easily do without and having a little box on a table beside me with everything built in it just makes things cleaner.
The picture quality here is also top notch and it has that LIVE effect, there is other picture settings to pick from and audio settings and of course gaming options at hand so in short anyone can use it in the home, the bedroom or even travelling to a hotel for instance. There is also an option to view 3D content if you have any.
Our 3D feature provides profound depth perception and image fusion thanks to DLP cinema-grade tech used in most cinemas worldwide. With Halo+, you can easily set up a 200” display and enjoy the excitement of your 3D content anywhere, anytime
You can also use it as a speaker and yes it sounds good the video review below demos this and of course the picture quality and not only that you can use it as a music player too so it has more than one function but the image it throws out is what people want projectors for and this will not disappoint you at all, in fact I am super impressed by the picture quality here and the sound and it laughs at the past few projectors I have reviewed.
Above you will see the features and one thing I point out to people is the Lumen count this might seem low in comparison and some had a higher count than this but the brightness was horrific overall..
It has at 1-2-1 throw ratio with HDR 10 that gives out a really bright picture you will notice this immediate and the blacks do not look pixelated like they do in most projectors under a certain price point. Even watching 4K content was immersive and sharp and worked really well with no lag noted either. It has a fast start up, a current one I use takes double the time here and once set up you have auto focus and auto keystone correction, another great feature here is Intelligent Obstacle correction which means if something is in the picture the it will move the entire screen out of the way and readjust itself and this works really well and is a great feature.
The integrated 60Hz motion compensation technology (MEMC) utilizes a specialized algorithm to deliver super-low image blur and latency rates. Even in the heat of any sporting action, your image stays incredibly sharp and clear.
For gamers it has a game mode boost so as mentioned no lag latency or sound delay either, with most cheap projectors you will notice the lag but not the case here this just simply works well no matter what you watch.
You could watch it with sunlight in the room however it is best to watch in a darker environment in fact there is no really need to even pull the blinds down as it is still viewable but again depends on HOW much sunlight is coming in the window. Once dark though you will enjoy a super experience if gaming watching movies or Youtube and also enjoy the sound quality to go with it giving you an experience that will make you not want a TV anymore. You also get around 2.5 hours of battery life without being plugged in here it must be noted.
You also have the benefit of Bluetooth connectivity, USB port and HDMI port so anything can more or less plug into it and of course it has chromecast built in making things even easier. And to top things off we have very little fan speed which is also a notable thing on cheaper projectors this one is basically silent.
Features
Standard Resolution 1920 × 1080 pixels
Display Technique – DLP
Lamp Life – 25000 Hours
Display Chip – 0.33” DMD
Brightness – 900 ANSI Lumens
Supported Formats – HDR10, HLG
Lens – High Light Transmission Coated Lens 3D
MEMC
Throw Ratio – 1.2:1 – Intelligent Obstacle Avoidance
Auto Focus – Image Size 40” – 200”
Auto Keystone Correction
Projection Method – Front, Rear, Front Ceiling, Rear Ceiling
Candycords Halo – a unique range of illuminating premium audio cables for modular synths and more – is the hot new audio product from myVolts Ltd. The 2-week Kickstarter campaign kicks runs until 2nd December 2022. Candycords Halo was developed in close collaboration with Toronto-based music and video producer Andrew Huang. “It’s something I feel I will use all the time and I’m sure a lot of other synth nerds would also appreciate!”– Andrew Huang
Candycords Halo up close – techbuzzireland
Features and benefits of Candycords Halo include:
Beautifully designed: subtle LED in a metallic lacquered enclosure Premium connectors: gold-plated with a reassuring snap-crunch on connecting Unique colours: 7 yummy colours help keep track of gear, including Sunset Peach, Jellybean Purple, and Marshmallow Pink plus Midnight Black
Candycords Halo – techbuzzireland
Untangleable: bespoke thermoplastic rubber resists tangles, cables coil just right Hard-wearing: thoughtful cable construction ensures long life Pleasing finish: matte rubber velvet finish makes Candycords Halo a joy to handle Different lengths: 15cm, 30cm, 50cm, 80cm and 150cm available, a cable for every situation Different styles: Curly and straight available, right-angled and straight connectors available
Great for Modular, semi-modular or CV controller keyboard scenarios
Candycord Halo is live on Kickstarter until December 2nd. Prices start at 19 EUR for a pair of Halo Cables. The first run of the product is already manufactured and ready to ship worldwide at campaign end, so backers can buy with full confidence. Visit the Kickstarter campaign at: https://tinyurl.com/CandyHalo myVolts Ltd has been solving the power problems of consumers and professionals for well over a decade, has four previously successfully funded and shipped Kickstarter campaigns, and served tens of thousands of happy customers on Amazon, eBay and their own webshop.
The typical router as supplied by your ISP (contrary to their marketing literature), may be of basic quality and give a reasonable Wi-Fi range, but if a few of these are placed in the same areas, as your router, there may be congestion on certain frequency ranges and poor broadband speed or coverage. (Depending on the router and technical experience the frequency range may be changed but may require some specialised knowledge) The Halo H80X is a specialised kit to increase the range and allow a repeater of the signal.
Note: the Halo can only forward the signal going into the building, if the signal is poor at the junction box or default router to Halo, this will not increase this, while if the signal is good coming into the building, in theory, this should spread the signal evenly throughout the building ensuring no black spots or poor coverage in parts of the building. Albeit coverage may depend on the type of construction within the building, large thick concrete walls or tinfoil-backed walls or fireproof doors will diminish signal quality. The Halo will certainly improve this signal, allowing the option to place close to black spots to improve the broadband experience. The location of the Halo is also a key factor in terms of range and quality of the signal, this should be placed as far as practical in an open space away from large metal items or e.g., book cabinet which would diminish the speed dramatically, the app gives a guideline on the best locations for the Halo. The Kit came with a clear specifications called out on the packaging giving full detail of what the kit could do.
Package Contents see unboxing below for more
2-pack
2× Halo H80X Units
1× RJ45 Ethernet Cable
2× Power Adapters
Quick Installation Guide
Note this comes in a 2 or 3 pack Kit, this review has been using the 2-pack kit, The 3 pack could be used to extend the range further.
Features:
Dual Band WiFi 6 Speeds up to 3000 Mbps – 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.†
Seamless Roaming with One Unified Network – Halo units work together to automatically switch between Halos as you move around your home with a single unified WiFi name and password.‡
Whole Home Coverage – Blanket up to 5,000 ft² (460 m²) with high-speed WiFi, eliminating WiFi dead zones at your home.†
Connect over 150 Devices – Provide fast and stable connections over 150 devices.†
Easily Mange Your Home Network – Use the MERCUSYS App to quickly set up and manage your WiFi. You can also manage your kids’ online time and contents.
Full Gigabit Ports – 3× Gigabit ports per Halo unit for lightning-fast wired connections.**
Reset Button:
The one option I always like in a product is the option to reset the system to ensure if issues on the setup etc, you can start from scratch,
Press 1 second to reset Halo to factory default settings.
Setup:
The first impression of the instruction guide was disappointing in that there is a manual included, there is one page of instructions in English, this shows a QR code, scanning allowed the app to be downloaded, but this did not give any circuit diagram for network connection. There was a help option, albeit the setup is logical, but would benefit from a basic diagram option to connect the devices.
Suggested setup option via Mercusys support links
1. Turn off the modem, and remove the backup battery if it has one.
2. Connect the modem to either Ethernet port on the router.
3. Power on the router, and wait for it to start.
4. Turn on the modem.
Login the web interface
1.Connect to the main router wirelessly using the default SSID (network name) printed on the main router’s label.
2.Open a web browser and enter the default domain name http://mwlogin.net in the address field to access the web management page.
3.A login window will appear. Create a login password when prompted.
Tips: For subsequent login, use the password you set.
App setup – MERCUSYS app
The app has over 100K+ downloads with a 3.3 star rating out of 5, the setup is standard for app given the functionality.
Android app setting –
There is a variety of different options within the functionality of the app this includes a very useful feature of network optimization. If the unit is used in a highly congested area with a lot of neighbour’s routers on the same frequency the network optimization can pick the best frequency and update as required, this works but does not tell you what frequency it is changed to. Alternatively, if required to blacklist a particular unit, a device can be easily achieved. A very useful feature is the parental controls this allows to prevent access to example over 18 sites or configure individual sites blocked, e.g., Facebook if not be required. This has options as used for a junior person, it may also be used for a child, preteen, or adult blocking social networking downloads blocked. If used in an office environment there is a website category with specific websites that can be blocked, most staff that work in a commercial environment will be aware certain sites are blocked by their local IT department. This can be achieved within the app by updating the website and blocking specific sites example Facebook. Or whatever sites are deemed inappropriate for staff, again for younger generations it could also be used to block specific areas that are not required.
Reporting features are available to give an idea of how much data is being used which can give an indication that may assist in security implications. Within the advanced features, there is a variety of technical settings that configures by specialised, teams. One feature which is quite useful is the LED, the LED can be turned off or set for a night mode to switch off at night-time if the unit is used in a bedroom.
The app has an option to easily see what devices are connected, for example, smartphones, home network laptops etc this is very handy to visually see if something is connected which should not be connected or unexpected, this is similar to having a review of your credit card bills to ensure everything looks in place having a look at your own network to see what’s connected is possibly good practise now and again.
Within the Wi-Fi settings on the app 2.4 GHz 5 giga Hertz functionality can be turned off and, on, the guest, the network can be enabled or disabled. The main network name can be changed, or the password can easily be updated
Compare mobile app (android) vs web link
Typically I would expect to be able to do the same function on the app as the website, ( http://mwlogin.net ) The web login has minimal practical use, in that changes, etc cannot be made only view the setting, Any changes to the network etc allow the guest network to be turned on, parental controls etc is required to be done via the mobile app. This may result in a lot of wasted time if searching on the web link for functionality.
The web link does allow the software to be updated via e.g., a memory stick or via the web.
Results:
As part of this techbuzz review, the H80X was set up as above. A speed test was done from various rooms in the house, with all doors closed and no other internet surfing etc turned on
In each room a windows laptop was connected to the initial network and a speed test was run 3 times, Download, Upload speed and latency were tested, the average rate was logged, in the same room the connection was changed to the Mercusys Ax3000 Halo H80X ( network called techbuzz ) and again the speed was tested an averaged from 3 readings, this was done in the rooms below.
Techbuzz speed tests comparison from ISP router to Mercusys Ax3000 Halo H80X (network called techbuzz)
Analysis of the data:
Within the same room as the router (Classed as the Sitting room)
Tested location
Standard internet provider router
Techbuzz – Mercusys Ax3000 Halo H80X
Download (Mbps)
Upload (Mbps)
Latency (ms)
Download (Mbps)
Upload (Mbps)
Latency (ms)
Sitting room (router placed)
270
51
13
360
50
14
The data showed an improvement from 270 Mbps to 360 on the Halo H80X which I believe is down to the app optimisation frequency picking out the best network frequencies or uncongested frequency.
There was no coverage from the ISP router in the indication the Halo expanded the coverage
Downstairs utility room
Not connect
Not connect
Not connect
11
14
16
The furthest room has the biggest increase in broadband speed going from initially 12 Mbps to 190 Mbps, and half the latency which would benefit gamers,
Upstairs furthest bedroom
12
4.1
32
190
47
16
Additional Test done:
As part of the testing, a windows laptop was connected to the Halo and walked to his furthest part of the drive until reduced coverage. subsequently walked to the back of the garden where the Halo in front would not have coverage, this worked seamlessly on the handover from one Halo to the next without any drop our loss in signal
Conclusion:
With the Halo a few minor niggles in terms of the lack of network diagrams, the colour of the White box with a black plug, (I would prefer from aesthetics to have all white or all back colours) The Web app is of little practical use.
Overall, the kit comes with many useful features in terms of, Dual frequency, security, Parental controls, and network optimisation but more importantly for anyone with blackspots / poor Wi-Fi coverage this kit does exactly as described and what it is designed to do as seen on the test results carried out by Techbuzz in a consistence manner and comparison to the ISP equipment.
Technology continues to advance and poor coverage can be fixed by the non-technical with this kit that works as broadband should, a Must for those with Wi-fi blackspots.
Mercusys® from TP-Link unveils its first Mesh WiFi 6 system to the UK market that will join their reliable family line of network device providers, the Halo H80X.
It provides the essential requirements to enable a stable, secure and connected life for your network: speed, efficiency, and capacity. This is done via the Halo system automatically connecting to the fastest node available to provide a seamless experience. Additionally, the self-healing feature guarantees connectivity even when one access point is disrupted.
Mercusys has developed the ideal solution to make sure you never worry about your Wi-Fi, whether you’re gaming online, watching a movie or adding smart home convenience to your life. The Halo H80X is included with dual-band WiFi 6 reaching speeds up to 3000 Mbps – 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz.
Unified network
The unified network also enables seamless roaming. The Halo units work together to automatically switch between Halos as you move around your home with a single unified WiFi name and password.
The high speed and stable network connection brings an end to buffering and interruptions.
Mercusys had previously delivered a series of Mesh products that significantly enhanced the home networking experience. The latest upgrade to WiFi 6 provides not only a technical but a lifestyle upgrade too.
Easy network management
With coverage around the whole home, WiFi dead zones are eliminated as the mesh system covers up to 7,000 ft² (650 m²) with high-speed WiFi.
Today’s modern home has multiple devices such as televisions, smart home devices and gaming consoles which requires a robust network. Halo H80X delivers just that, providing stable connection to up to 150 devices.
Network management is easy with its quick set up and management through the Mercusys app. This allows parents to easily manage what content their children have access to and how long they spend online.
With 3× Gigabit ports per Halo unit, you also benefit from lightning-fast wired connections.
