Tag: #irishtechreviews

Tech Review – DIESEL true wireless earbuds.

DIESEL are a brand well known for clothes and fashion they also have really cool watches and now some of those are smart, and this is a new direction for them to take in the TWS market and the thing is people have been asking me is that is this just another bandwagon job into the saturated earbuds market and how good are they.. In short they are a great which I am pleased to report for their first shot.

The case alone grabs peoples attention no matter where I had them with me out and about and that is a good start, people thought it was some kind of skincare product until I opened the case and there is a pair of earbuds, the reaction was quite good and everyone shown was impressed but then the next question was do they sound as good as they look? in short the answer is yes they are great which I was hoping being a well know brand they are actually very good..

Design and looks

They are your typical stem design which some might not allure to anymore, they stand out too which for me is fine we are all to custom to seeing airpods in peoples ears and for me their days are numbered you do not need to spend that kind of money on a brand that is not handing up the goods like others, OK you do not get all the same features here but I will delve into that later, these stand out and make a statement and are comfortable to wear too..

DIESEL earbuds in red techbuzzireland

Controls

Controls are simple here and both sides do the work, we go through this in our video review although it is on the side of the box what you have to do, it is a simple affair here and there is access to your voice assistant which I did not find on the manual. The concave design of the earbuds make it simple to change tracks and so on and this is one thing I like, unlike others it is not a flat surface to tap or press.

Sound

These sound great putting is short, there is no app and so no EQ however I found there loud and punchy with nice bass highs lows and mids are fine and doing my ususal test loop they performed really well and for not having app access for EQ and so on they really did not need it in my opinion, they have done a solid job here I have to say.

Battery life is fine and on par with their claims at mid level volumes, on higher volumes like I tend to use you can expect an hour or less off the slated time.

Conclusion

These are great and I was hoping they would be, the looks make a statement and to have the sound to match makes them a win for the company and the consumer who need to wake up to the sheeps call an Airpods, I have said it for some time now and will keep saying it, the cost to performance ratio has come down on phones, there is no need to spend over a grand on a smartphone and the same applies to earbuds now..

Buy at  diesel.com, Amazon, and recognised fashion, telecom and electronics retailers.

Video link 

Tech Review – CLCKR MagSafe Stand & Grip

Looking for a neat new accessory for your iPhone with Magsafe well check out this latest accessory from CLCKR which is a neat idea that enables you to take full use of Magsafe with or without a case also allowing you to charge charge your device and use it to consume media both vertically and horizontally and to finish that off you can also use it as an extra way to hold your device on the go and this again like CLCKR products in the past allows you to leave your device on your locker or PC at home or in the office working.

Images with and without case

With case
No case
With case
No case

Designed with a strong 3500G magnet to attach directly to an iPhone 12/13 MagSafe compatible case, the CLCKR MagSafe stand and grip transforms the device into a multi-faceted, easy-viewing hub of information and entertainment. With the CLCKR stand, the device can be used in portrait, landscape and angled conference call modes, ideal for video chats, reading recipes and watching a favourite show. The grip allows the user to hold on to the device while on the go. And for MagSafe charging, simply slide CLCKR off the back. The product is available for £29.99.

Buy

Video Link

Tech Review – HP Deskjet 2720e wireless printer

Printers are in no short supply and for me it has been something I tend to skip to have at my disposal bringing my business to local print shops which is a bit time consuming as I work from home and it seems to be always at a bad time when something needs doing, that however has changed despite my local printing shop wondering where I have been of late and I told him that I was sent a printer to review and we also have more coming in which is a but of a double whammy for said print shop.

Ok as far a printers go it copies prints and scans documents it is an average sized printer but not too bulky and it can be transported in a car if you travel, not as small as one we recently reviewed but it is portable if you need it to be. For me now it sits at home beside my office set-up and remains there but this one for me has a trick up its sleeve and comes with and app too which makes things so much easier for those that work from their mobile phone printing documents and so on and for me signing NDA agreements and product loans etc and if I am out when these documents need attention I can do this on the go and print it so it is ready when I get in or it is in the cloud.

You can also assign other people to use the printer or just keep it for yourself so like an open office nobody can just go up and use it, ink is not cheap you know and for me that works and the funny thing is when this came into my house it was amazing how many said “oh I need to print stuff” well I just laughed and said nothing and went on with my day letting them all look at it and figure out how it works.

 

 

Speaking off how it works it is simple with the control panel on the left with a small LCD display but it does not stop there, The HP smart app is where it is all at for me, I rarely have to copy anything, it is normally documents that need to be signed and this is what suits me best. Other than that it works fine as a typical printer that copies multiple pages,scans docs and so on.

The HP smart app is where it is at and we go through this in the video below on what it is all about and how it works and it is pretty simple to use in fairness and the app works really well, you will need to set up your printer to your Wi-Fi and connect up with the app and once this done you are good to go, it is not hard to set up either and by no means slow when printing however there is a delay between devices talking to each other as expected it is not the same as just printing off documents on the tray that come out immediately.

HP Deskjet 2720e techbuzzireland

Another feature or addition if you will is the option to get instant in for 6 months as a trial basis and get more with HP+

 

Features

  • BEST FOR BASIC PRINTING – Print basic colour documents like recipes, forms and travel documents
  • KEY FEATURES – Print, copy and scan in colour, plus mobile and wireless printing
  • HP+ SMART PRINTING SYSTEM – The optional HP+ system enables your printer to think ahead so it’s more secure, more productive and ready when you are. Requires an HP account, internet connection and use of only Original HP Ink for the life of the printer
  • 6 MONTHS OF INSTANT INK INCLUDED & AN EXTRA YEAR OF HP WARRANTY – when you activate optional HP+ and Instant Ink when setting up your printer. Only with HP+
  • EASY SETUP – Get started fast on any device with the HP Smart app that guides you step by step
  • HP SMART APP – Print, scan and copy from your phone—whenever, wherever. Get advanced features for 24 months with HP+
  • WORRY-FREE WIRELESS – Get better range and more reliable connections using dual-band Wi-Fi with self-reset
  • INK DELIVERED BEFORE YOU RUN OUT – Never run out of ink with an optional Instant Ink subscription. Try for 6 months with HP+. Credit card required; change or cancel anytime

See more on the printer HERE 

Video link 

Tech Review – The Edifier X3 TO-U TWS earbuds

Edifier have been another one of my favorite brands here and they deliver a range of audio products at affordable prices which is great for all, they have all ends of the market covered and even with entry level products they do not skimp on quality especially with their earbuds as these come in at the under 50 euro range and it is not their first either and once again they execute this.

Build Design and fit

These are a simplistic pair of earbuds that look clean and fit well and robust and comes in two colours, the charge case is small and compact too and will fit in any pocket and they are stylish

Controls and features

OK so here is where you are missing some bits however remember the cost, they have no volume control auto play and pause and do not work individually, skip and reverse tracks is here your voice assistant and call control and these all work fine with the large area to tap to make the command you wish and they work both sides too and overall a great experience.

Sound

They sound good being honest and anyone who picks them up will be happy, there is some bass present here and loud volume too and overall a genuine great audio experience with highs lows and mids fine too and no distortion at max volume either, no lag latency noticed either from my ususal test loop.

Edifier X3 TO-U series techbuzzireland

Conclusion

These are an easy recommendation here for anyone even for a gift this christmas, they sound good and look good and execute what is real value for money for what they cost and the audio experience is great.

Main Features:

Qualcomm aptX audio decoding delivers highly defined sound tuned by a professional acoustic team.

Bluetooth V5.0 provides a better signal transmission for minimal interruptions.

Lower power consumption for 6 hours playback time and extra 18 hours with charge case.

Easy operation by touch control.

Ergonomic, compact design with IPX5 rating for comfort and long periods of wear.

One-Step Pairing for a faster connection.

The X3 To-U is available from Amazon at £39.99 in Pink or Blue 

Video Link 

Tech Review – Tronsmart Apollo Q10 ANC headphones

The Apollo Q10 are the latest headphones on offer from Tronsmart and come in at an affordable price, these cans are over ears and very comfortable to wear even long term and are light in comparison to other offerings out there. Tronsmart have been delivering great value tech for the consumer and this is no different here.

Build and design.

They are mostly plastic like most headphones to be fair but they are robust all round and they have a simple clean look not trying to be bigger than they are the headband is comfortable and overall a lightweight pair of cans that will be ideal for any listening experience the cups are soft and nestle nicely on the ears.

Controls

This is the good thing with the headphones as it is gestures rather than buttons and they work really well, on the right cup you have the Tronsmart logo and behind this is the gesture area for making your commands with simple swipes up/down left and right etc, we go through this in the video review below. There is an MFB button on the headset which one might confuse it for a power on/off but this gives you access to your voice assistant only. The power on/off button and USB-C port are hidden underneath the arm of the headphones which is a strange placement but they are there but even for me it took me a minute to find them.

Sound

Sound is great and better than one might expect also you have access to the Tronsmart app which gives you additional options with an EQ that is notably different in their standard setup you can also customise your own EQ setting highs lows and mids are clear and there is good bass here especially with the EQ and loud volume too, for music gaming films and more they pass the test for a really great experience for anyone who invests in them.

Tronsmart Apollo Q10 techbuzzireland

ANC and Mics

ANC works well here and will block out most if not all the outside world I recently seen the dumbest tech quote from a “tech journalist” who likes to also lash out stock image reviews with little context saying bloggers waffle on about ANC and who would use it then goes on to say who would use it, ANC is a feature most people want to block the outside world and be immersed in their music or whatever they might be doing with their headphones or earbuds and it is a feature that I would not live without and on these headphones it works well,there is 5 mics on this headset and two mic ports on top of the headphones.

Battery

Battery life is great with a max of 100 hours you will get less with ANC and high volume use which is the standard for me but overall a good battery life with a 10 minute charge giving you three hours of use which is nice.

Conclusion

Overall these are a worthy pair of headphones for their price and deliver on the audio experince if you are on a budget and need new headphones you perhaps should check these out.

Features

  • 5 Mics for 35dB Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling.
  • 40mm Dynamic Neodymium Speaker.
  • Patented Power-saving Technology.
  • Up to 100-hour of Playtime.
  • Three Modes Switchable for Different Scenarios.
  • Convenient Multifunctional Touch Control.
  • 360° Foldable Design for Comfortable Wearing.
  • Supports APP Function.

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Tronsmart 

VIDEO LINK

 

 

Tech Review – Realme 8i

The Realme 8i is as budget phone offering a 6.6 inch 120 hz refresh rate screen which seems to be all the hype today however once you have tried this refresh rate for yourself you will find it hard to look back, I myself had had to demonstrate here to people what it actually means and putting a 60 hz refresh rate beside the 120 hz device people then seen what it means the same applies for 90 hz devices but some still find it hard to notice and it might take time for others to get the whole idea of what it is all about.

This device also sports a huge battery too a 5000 mAh which for most will see an all day battery life which today still seems an issue for most manufacturers but to be fair power users like me spend most of my day doing my work from my mobile phone.

Unboxing and walkthrough of the Realme 8i

 

Design and build

The phone does however look premium being made with plastic and the back of the phone looks really cool and changes colour when it moves in the light and it stands out, the camera hump also on the rear is much smaller than any of its rivals and not a huge chunk popping out which has got really annoying now with the same design over and over again but this time it is a much smaller affair and looks well, the phone does look well and feel solid in the hand overall.

Performance

The Realme 8i was fine for me and my daily tasks which include multitasking and the same would apply to anyone else given I am a power user my phones get much more used and abused you could say but overall this did not fail at all for me and was good to see at this level, I did some gaming on the phone just to test it and high rated games is where it did get sluggish at times but it is not a phone that is intended for gaming anyway but for the most it is fine.

Processor

The device is equipped with realme’s first G96 chip. It’s manufactured using a 12 nm process and has two large A75 cores and 6 small A55 cores. Its main frequency reaches up to 2.05GHz. It’s really a powerful processor. Compared to realme 7i, the performance of 8i has improved 65%. The GPU has been improved by 91%, and the CPU by 51%. 

This G96 is also a processor that realme and MediaTek jointly oversaw and launched. For this processor, realme assigned 7 senior engineers to guide the whole process. Over the course of 106 days, they had technically optimized 3 major performance features. Firstly, Helio G96 is the only G9 series chip that can power 120Hz displays. Secondly, it supports realme’s first screen whose brightness can reach as low as 1 nit. Lastly, its gaming performance that completely surpasses that of realme 7i, providing a smoother gaming experience.

Realme launched the technology –Vitual RAM, upgraded from computers to smartphones. Virtual RAM actually uses the phone’s internal storage as makeshift RAM and increases the total amount of RAM on your smartphone. For realme 8i，realme launces 5GB Virtual RAM on 6GB+128GB version and this can improve the phone’s overall smoothness. （ realme 8i 4GB+64GB does not support Virtual RAM.）

 

Camera

50MP Primary Camera

realme 8i’s main camera features 50MP sensor. With f/1.8  large aperture, and 5P lens that secures enough light and makes your pictures more clear and brighter. In addition, the product also supports PDAF that makes the focus more rapid and precise.  You can judge yourself from the video and image samples we took below both in the day and night time.

 

B&W Lens

The B&W lens provide special artistic effect for portrait, which reproduce portraits in black and white, providing higher exposure and enhancing the contrast between light and dark of images. In the Portrait mode, exposure, color temperature, hue, and other parameters are repeatedly fine adjusted. In conjunction with the simulation of master portrait works, photos are tuned to retro film style with wide applicability, adding texture to the final portrait-style photos.

Macro Lens

The ultra macro lens enables users get closer and discover the beauty of the micro world with the 4cm shooting distance. It will empower consumers with the possible to shot amazing macro photography with details, enjoy explore the charm of the micro world.

16MP Selfie Camera

On the front, 16MP selfie camera can take crystal clear selfie. The camera also supports AI beautification function, HDR mode, portrait mode and a Panoselfie feature that can help you take wider selfies. Overall giving you the best camera experience in the segment.

Key features, Helio G96 Processor, 120Hz Ultra Smooth Display , Up to 5GB Virtual RAM 5000mAh Mega Battery

50MP AI Triple Camera 18W Fast Charge Ultra-Fast Side Fingerprint 16MP Selfie Camera 3-Card Slots realme UI 2.0

Conclusion

This is my first Realme device so can’t compare it to its other models but for me it did quite well overall if you want good battery life and a good display it has all this and more, the cameras are fine in the daytime but in low light levels not the best but this is to be expected anyway and even more expensive devices fail miserably here, it is a good looking device that is capable.

 

 

Tech Review – PHNX case round up for the Google PIxel 6

PHNX is a brand we have covered here for many devices over the years who have a minimalistic approach with their phone cases and still giving a certain level of protection for your phone, The Google PIxel 6 is a slippy device and these case eliminate that which is a good thing and they also add a clean look to your device on the rear but protecting that big camera hump at the same time which is of course welcome.

The front of the device is not protected but the corners are so that needs to be kept in mind and these cases are aimed at those who want the clean simple look you have to remember. The cases are .35mm thing and support wireless charging too with no branding..

Check the video below for a look at what you get.. Stay tuned for more case round ups coming up for the Google Pixel 6 and of course our review of the device soon..

BUY HERE 

Video Link

Tech Review – Urbanista Lisbon True Wireless earbuds

The Urbanista Lisbon is the latest on offer from the company and these are small earbuds in comparison to other out there and being so small I thought they might be an issue in my ears but there is a wing built in on these that make them a secure comfortable fit, they will feel a bit niggly to begin with and fitting them but once in the ears you are good to go and masy as well forget they are there because that is how it feels wearing them.

Fit and Comfort

Ok so yes these fit really well you might struggle if you are use to having bigger earbuds at the start but you will quickly adjust they are comfortable will not fall out and are easy to control given their size. These are the smallest earbuds I have used in a while and probably for me they felt a bit more awkward to begin with due to having big hands.

Controls

Controls are easy to use as mentioned and we have all you might expect from a pair of earbuds at this price point the tap area works well considered its size though and those with smaller fingers would find it easier overall but you will get the hang of it. The controls are simple and we go through this and how they work in the video review below.

Sound

When it comes to sound these deliver for the price, Urbanista have always had a good sound signature and this continues here, they are punchy with some base and overall with my usual test look did great, no lag latency and great on calls, highs lows and mids on point and a general good listening experience for the price you pay here, you cant really complain.

 

TRUE WIRELESS – Experience 9 hours of full freedom with our smallest true wireless earbuds yet.

COMPACT SIZE – With a portable case and earbuds weighing only 4g each, Lisbon is the perfect audio companion to carry with you wherever you go.

27 HOURS PLAYTIME Keep on going in style with up to 27 hrs of total playtime.

CASE CHARGE (2X) Small and compact charging case holding up to 2 extra charges.

Buy here 

 

 

Tech Review – Datalocker Sentry k350

At techbuzz over the years we have reviewed a variety of encrypted storage devices. This one ups the game in terms of the physical size with storage of 256 Gb with the Hardware Encryption security for a usb flash drive.  The kit looks like a cigarette lighter, slightly bigger with a keypad and display on the front for entering digits. The packaging while simplistic in design had all the usual specifications and compatibility listed. The material is strongly made of an epoxy coating for the chip and flash protects it from physical intrusion from water (IP67 rating) with an excellent transfer rate of data.

 

 

 

Install & setup

It is important to read the quick start guide, instructions which consist of plug in, change the password and use, but caution on using an overly complex password as like the old phones, having to press a few times to get a letter to pop up. This is displayed on the actual lcd display which is a positive. Passwords must contain a minimum of 8 characters. This should consist of a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters for your password. Some examples of invalid passwords are: ‘78901234’, ‘43210987’, ’12345678’, ‘1111111.

Installation took less than a minute to set up a new password. Due to the physical length of the flash drive it is recommended to keep the laptop stationary to ensure it is not damaged if moving around.

Advanced user or group admin can use a Safe Console,

This has a group policy which can control all the relevant memory sticks as the administration to include a SilentKill code which would allow the unit to be configured to Self-Destruct if triggered.

 

Control panel

 

Datalocker have provided various support options should it be required

  • support.datalocker.com: Information, knowledgebase articles, and video tutorials
  • support@datalocker.com: Feedback and feature requests
  • datalocker.com: General information
  • datalocker.com/warranty: Warranty information

See techbuzz video link for speed transfer rates which are in line with the manufacturers transfer speeds (Speed USB 3.2: – 150MB/S Read, 100MB/s Write)

 

Conclusion

Most students in the first year of college will be advised on the importance of having a backup while the hybrid model of working increases the risks of taking data off site.

GDPR will have made most of the IT networks aware of the consequences of a lost data in terms of travelling with data and taking work home, companies are constantly at risk from unprotected data on an unsecured USB flash drive.  Many millions of unprotected USB drives are lost / stolen every year

The implications can be immense: lost reputation, lost jobs, lost profits, customer data, financial information, business plans, confidential information are only some examples of the data that are usually stored and transported.  The question then becomes not if to use an encrypted pen drive, rather what type of model and size or to use an alternative method in the cloud. The K350 has an easily navigated keyboard which is password protected, FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified, encrypted USB drive with a display screen that makes setup and operation for the non-technical people while providing all the advanced features which may be expected to be set up by a security team.

Datalocker Sentry k350 connected to pc techbuzzireland

The advanced feature would suit those of an enterprise nature but can also be used as an individual.  Datalocker is separated from many other encrypted devices via the option to remotely manage a fleet of devices via safe control. Many people may consider speed, copy, and write as a major factor for a usb key, this should not be the primary consideration, rather looking at an overview People Process and Technology.  Typically, people are the weak link which means the easier for a person to use the product the better chance it will be used as required. The 3-year warranty is also a major factor to ensure quality, reliability to ensure if a problem the data is backed up and can be restored. Datalocker has a variety of secure encrypted devices up to 7.6TB capacity in some of their models which we hope to get our hands on for future reviews.

Overall excellent quality build, 3-year warranty, ticks the encryption standards, easy to use which the option to expand as required, and excellent decision should a device go missing

“This could be the best choice made this year if a device goes missing “

 BUY HERE 

Check the video below for more