Tag: #irishtechreviews

Tech Review – Instax Link WIDE mobile photo printer

Instax always bring out nice products it has to be said and their newest product is quite nice and really cool which delivers great photos and not only that they look good and you can get really creative with their photos via their app which is also great I must say.

OK but the product is a bit cumbersome people have said and that is true like some of their cameras however it is the nostalgia and the instant print pictures that makes them a win, look at it like this, when was the last time you send a camera or even sent off for prints on your phone, shall I stop here? Yes….  I have your attention now and this is why a cumbersome product wins and why more people like them and are willing to give up a bit of space over a drawer full of make up and the kitchen sink in their bag for instant memories that the entire group can share and have a copy of it in their hands there and then.

The build quality on this printer is also great and like with any instax camera or printer I have tried nothing has changed in that department they are solid products it has to be said and built to last.

The app is great, we go through this in detail in the video review so you don’t have to learn what it is all about, it is simple to use and it has great features I like it alot and you can get creative here if you feel the need to or simply just print snaps from your mobile phone on the go.. Check out the unboxing video below to get started and see what you get.

 

 

 

Lightweight design built for portability and speed 

Surpassing the functionality offered by other smartphone printers in its class, the lightweight, handheld Link WIDE transfers an image and starts the print in about 12 seconds, supports continuous printing, and is capable of generating about 100 instax instant prints per battery charge. Link WIDE provides two printing modes; instax Rich, accentuating deep, warm colors, and instax Natural, which emphasizes the inherent tones of the image.

The App

The Link WIDE App has been designed for ease-of-use with a variety of useful image printing options. The App features editing tools including cropping, approximately 30 filters, collage capabilities, adding text to the printed image, as well as in-app stickers and frame templates. Additional App features include:

  • Sketch, Edit & Print – import sketches and handwritten text, add them to photos, add sticker icons, and print.
  • Printing photos from videos – select a frame within a video and print it.
  • QR Print Mode: add a QR code to scan with a Smartphone to your photo, with the ability to:
    • Record sound
    • Link to a website
    • Tag your location on the print
  • Record a hidden message

Conclusion

This is a really fun printer and I had fun testing it out and seeing my pictures develop there and then, the picture quality is good and then what you can add to it, it is an easy recommendation for purchase for your own use or an excellent idea for a gift this Christmas

BUY 

VIDEO LINK

 

 

Tech Review – TP-Link Smart Wi-Fi Light Strip Tapo L900-5

The tapo is a brand well known to techbuzz as part of the tp-link family. The box briefly gave a clear picture of the features, compatible and a UK support address listed while option to use in a variety of languages available. The QR code is displayed for ease of downloading the app with clear images of the actual light strip visible to highlight the catch phrase “Full colour ambiance for every occasion”

 

Contents

  •       Tapo Smart Light Strip (Tapo L900-5)
  •       Power Adapter
  •       Quick Start Guide

 

 

 

Setup and use:

Download the tapo app via the QR code, set up an account with easily guided instructions on screen on the app. Once setup the latency is negligible in changing colours on the unit with a variety of options throughout the menu structure. Note when connection to the Wi-Fi only use – Wi-Fi Frequency: 2.4 GHz

Setting up the unit to e.g Alexa worked as expected, adding a skill, and linking this to the tapo app. The Alexa option allowed voice control to turn off or on, but not the option to change the colours via voice control. Overall, this worked well either via the phone app, tactical control, or voice control .

 

 

 

Niggles:

The design in terms of software and functionality works well but in terms of out of the box experience having a black plug going into a white cable on off switch (AKA Tactical Control which is the controller box to manipulate the Light Strip. This allows the unit to be turned / off / on, reset the Light Strip and change the current colours.)   looks completely out of sync, and again TP prefers to use a proprietary plug which gives no value to a user. The connection to the cables which again has seen similar in other brands is fiddle and does little justice to the unit.

 

 

Conclusion:

The biggest concern for any products of this nature for future proofing is not the 50000 hours lifespan rather the software upgrades and compatibility that happen over time.  Many products as with smart phones are obsolete  in a few years as happens with lots of technology. The unit has a variety of uses from the obvious colour changes, linking to music or and an extra security deterrent via the use of schedules to set your light to automatically turn on and off.

The family of tp link, tapo may be at a higher level in terms of cost, which is made up for in terms of quality, support and expected future updates and compatibility. An example of this support was a question asked by techbuzz via the tapo app was submitted to Tapo at 5:45 pm on a Sunday evening and a tailored response was received back by 7:39Am on Monday via their TP-Link Technical Support, no subscription was signed up to. This higher level of support with its combined app setup stands out on a product, albeit a few personal niggles, notwithstanding the product does what it’s supposed to do, connected and is certainly a unit to give colour and ambiance to an occasion.

 Buy on Amazon 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Tapo-Multicolour-Decoration-L900-5/dp/B098PHLZ3N/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&qid=1632696823&refinements=p_4%3ATP-LINK&s=lighting&sr=1

Tech Review – Poetic case line up for the iPhone 13 Pro

Poetic cases recently sent us some cases to check out for the Google PIxel 5 and there is more to come for some other devices we have here with us. The iPhone 13 pro is the phone that many are talking about today and we have their range of cases here to check out for this expensive phone. There is a wide variety of cases from the company available to pick from.

The company value their customers and we have been using their cases some years now and the iPhone 13 Pro range of cases is excellent and are cases that will stand out and offer you a bit more than some case manufacturers and you will see what i mean in our video review below..

Poetics core values

SELF EXPRESSION

Self-expression is a display of individuality whether it’s through words, clothing, hairstyle, or art forms such as writing and drawing. Being self-expressed means that people will see your spirit and true character; they will see the totality of who you are. And sharing of one’s “self” fully is the ultimate in generosity and is vital for peace, happiness and fulfillment.

AUTHENTIC

By being “ Who we are ” as a brand we give a sense of trust and fulfillment to our consumers. Our consumers also get to know us on an intimate level and this creates loyalty. We hope to attract like minded individuals to join us to create a flow of openness and honesty. We are upfront about our failures and success.!!

QUALITY

Quality in life and in our daily tasks is something that we are extremely passionate about. To pursue this value we are committed and unwavering in our pursuit for great experiences, products and content.

DIVERSITY

By understanding various views, values and cultures around the globe, we are truly global. Just like the founders of the company, we aim to be respectful of all perspectives and points of view to truly innovate and coexist.

See the entire range HERE 

Video link

 

Tech Review – Haylou W1-T true wireless earbuds

Next up for review is a new brand to the site and we have plenty more where that comes from too and these are a new pair of earbuds which I have been testing some time now and they again are a new product that have shined for me and not only that look well and deliver good sound for the user.

The brand name is taken from the homonym of the English word “hello”. We believe that we can resonate with the sea through conch and listen to the voice of the ocean together, and we can also listen to the voice of users through haylou and share the beauty of the voice together. Haylou is the messenger of sound and the medium through which we resonate with our users.

Build and design

These earbuds are build really well and look great and fit nicely in the ears too, the controls are simple to use and they do hot hurt like some earbuds can when making a selection on them, the design stands out and I love the colour of these earbuds too which moves away from the traditional Black and White..

Features

Knowles balanced armature & dynamic drivers Qualcomm 3040/ aptX Adaptive / 20h battery, Made with biological composite diaphragm, the dynamic driver keeps the bass and mid tones mellow, pumping out sounds with fuller and richer details. aptX Adaptive codec can automatically adjust performance according to different scenes, bringing more vivid music and smoother gaming.

Sound

This is where these took me buy surprise as they sound great the controls also work great to and most of the features required are present, these are also great for gamers too and they can be also used individually., for calls they are fine and for music they are really good and have nice bass to, there is no EQ or app but these are the kind of earbuds that are great out of the box. Doing my usual test loop they did quite well with highs lows and mids and great for watching Netflix and You Tube and so in, the user here will not be disappointed overall.

Check the video below for more and learn how to use these new earbuds from Haylou.

 

Video link 

Tech Review – Quntis 15W Wireless Charging Pad-With 20W Power Adapter

As we know Apple are very generous when you buy a new iPhone and you get no charging brick as they call it inside and then when you go to buy one they are expensive and do not offer near the power other brands offer you for half the price, luckily enough third party sellers can save the day with better cheaper alternatives and Quntis have just dropped a new option for your iPhone.

This is a simple job and does more than magsafe, it also offers a build in kickstand to mount your device and you can charge and still use your phone for consuming media and also the magnet is stronger, I have the magsafe charger and can confirm it is stronger than the one Apple sell. You can also hold the device with the charging plate on too for added security whilst holding it and overall it makes for a nice addition to your accessory collection for the new iPhone and compatible models..

 

Quntis 15W Wireless Charging Pad-With 20W Power Adapter,
  • Quntis wireless charger is specially developed for iPhone 13 and 12, this 15W wireless magnetic charger has 38 high-strength magnets to strongly absorb to the iPhone 12, so it will be able to attract and charge. Compared with the previous wireless magnetic charger, it optimizes the problem of insufficient magnetic attraction. It can have stronger suction power, and the phone will not slip off easily when charging.
  • 20W Power Adapter: To solve the problems of mismatch and unsafe charging caused by non-standard plugs in the past, the magnetic wireless charger is now equipped with a matching 20W power adapter. In addition to solving your one-stop purchase problem, this power adapter can also be used with the original cable, which can not only achieve the 20W fast charging effect, but also greatly enhances the safety.

SEE MORE AND BUY   Video link 

 

10% Discount code –  XVGO4LIH   End Date 10/06/202223:59BST

 

 

Tech Review – Garmin campervan Sat-Nav review

I have been testing this piece of kit out for a few weeks now and one thing people say is this not redundant and I do get their point with our mobile phones doing everything from weather to music calls and traffic but this is on a smaller scale and phones are not specifically designed for the aforementioned.

Garmin are well known in the industry and also have dash cams and smartwatches too some of which we have reviewed in the past but today we take a closer look at the Campervan Sat-Nav, we also have a real hands on look at the unit in our video review below so you get some context over stock image reviews. We show you the features, the unit in operation and more so you get to get a better idea of what exactly you get from the product.

Build and set up

Basically it is a big tablet and it is a well built one at that however it can be placed nicely in your window or where suits you best and it is a simply suction cup and cable to get things going and you are good to go, you might be better off walking through the menu first to change any settings that suit your need though. You should also download the Garmin Drivesmart app to get extra features, I did once snub the app but it has much improved and now includes really cool weather features too, live traffic and much more

The display is bright and clear and one thing I love is the voice navigation it is pleasing which some might find odd but I love it it is clear loud and not really robotic like some systems are. You can also make calls on this and again clear and concise.

Who is this for

It is aimed at those who like camping which has seen a huge rise in recent times but anyone can use it including van drivers that want that bit more and you can see yourself what is on offer via the menu and if like me you like hotels, food and the likes there is a tripdavisor suggestion tool along with many others which you can select from to suit your own personal requirements. Having said all that this can be used by anyone in fairness and it is a nice piece of kit to have.

Features

The Campervan Sat-Nav has many features on board which basically covers you all round, you have Bluetooth, WiFi big clear screen loud clear navigation prompts, warnings for your speed which is vital for how things work today with the fish in a barrel approach by the speed detection vans and pop up windows for turns where applicable to give you a better view of the lanes you might be approaching, again all this is seen in the video review..

Price

This might put some off for a standalone kit, even for me I was kind of leaning the same direction but the pros outweigh the cons as you keep your phone to yourself and you have everything else at your fingertips here on a big screen and the feature I love most asides the navigation is the weather feature which is really cool.. The price of this unit will set you back 299 euros

BUY HERE

Video link 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tech Review – Google Nest Cam (indoor, wired) review

The next product in from Google is the Nest indoor cam wired, again like its Nest Cam Floodlight this requires a socket which most houses today have lots of, this one is less complicated that the outdoor one and comes with a nice long cable so you can be a bit picky if required where to place the camera which is small and compact and looks well if I do say so.

This camera has some limitations though as to how much it can move as it is fixed having said that it can be mounted on a wall to so the choice is yours on where to place it and again you can move it around the house if required..

People might often ask why do we need indoor cameras and I have heard so called security experts stating there is no need for them on Irish radio before which is utter rubbish and let me tell you why this is rubbish.

Firstly they can be used to protect your home should someone get by the rest of your set-up, Secondly you can use them to monitor elderly parents and so on and I know some that do and lastly you can use them to monitor your pets at home should you be out for a few hours or even if you are out for a short period and something happens or the pet get disturbed for example you are a click away to see what is going on so for me that statement still is a laughable one at best.

 

 

The indoor cam comes with all the same features as you would expect and we go through these with sample footage in our video review below and show you around the app and also how it looks like on your mest hub, this is a simple plug and play set up and you will be up and running in less that 5 minutes and your camera is good to go, you should familiarise yourself with the app and get to grips with what is on offer and the settings that are inside but we have you covered there.

Finally it is not another camera you need to keep charging as it is powered by your home socket which is another benefit and therefore nothing to worry about keeping an eye on the battery, the wireless cameras do give you plenty of notice too so there is nothing to worry about in the grand scheme of things overall and if like you you are invested in Google hardwear this is another addition you should think about adding to your home, the only caveat with this and the other google cameras is there is no pan and tilt options but in their next iteration this might be something for them to include going forward but other than that it is fine as is once placed in the best place for you that gives you the best coverage.

Click the link below to pick up the new indoor wired cam and check out some more there and check out our hands on review below.

Video Review

BUY HERE 

 

Tech Review – Puro Sound labs BT2200 kids headphones

The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 come equipped with a volume restrictor of 85 dB to limit output that a child cannot go above. The 40 mm dynamic driver combining with 82% noise isolation renders sounds more clearly, with the dynamic range from 20Hz to 20kHz and less than 1% harmonic distortion. This studio grade audio quality together with the Puro Balanced Response® ensures the headphones deliver an amazing listening experience with clear, crisp vocals and full, dynamic bass all within 85 dB volume limit.

The BT2200 is made with high quality materials to help prevent the possibility of allergies whilst using the headphones in the wireless mode stops the dangers of possible cable entanglement and tripping.

The ultra-lightweight design allows children to enjoy their favourite tunes without pressure to head or ears. An adjustable headband completes the natural, fine-tuned fit whilst the protein leather ear cups offers the optimal in comfort.

Controls are limited here however these are for kids use not adults so we have to take that into account here but it is an easy headset to use with raised buttons for ease of use and all kept on one side, you can play and pause music and change the volume and that is where it ends so skip and reverse tracks not present which is not a huge deal from a kids perspective.

The battery life is around 19-20 hours which is good for a kids headset and you can get a few days easily however it depends on how many hours a day but you will get at least two days of heavy use. Overall these a a really premium looking headset with great sound and great for kids with the added protection of their hearing which is vital.

BUY 

Video

 

Tech Review – Skullcandy Push Active Skull-iQ true wireless.

I go through many earbuds here, in fact the most true wireless earbuds in Ireland for any tech review site here and every now and them something different comes along and I genuinely say to myself “these are something different” and this is the case for the new Skullcandy Push Active Skull-iQ which I have been testing a while now and you will get to see why in our full real hands on video review below, for context we like to show you more than stock images and show you the products we review so you get a better idea of what you are getting.

So what makes these different you may ask me, Well there is two things here that make these different apart from their great sound and we will go into this as we go on here in the review..

Build and design.

These come in a larger than usual case which is fine with me and it stands out once opened up with a nice bright Orange and Black look to it, the case is nice to hold, might be to big for some but overall it is a solid case to protect your earbuds and the magnets inside are strong too and the earbuds will not fall out. These also come with an IP55 rating which is Sweat and Water Resistance.

Skullcandy Push Active Skull-iQ techbuzzireland

Comfort and fit

These also fit really well too and have over ear hooks that goes around the ear and will not fall out of your ears,even for the most active folk and can be worn jogging or in the gym, there is one button on each side for controls but they have a new trick up their sleeve and buttons do not have to be used at all and you can just say “Hey Skullcandy” to do what you need them to do, more on this in the video below you need to see this in action.

Sound

At the price you pay here you get great sound however no ANC but this is fine with the really secure fit you will not hear much going on outside anyway unless outdoors in a noisy environment, with my ususal test loop they performed really well, highs lows and mids are fine and a good balance overall and then you have the app to play around with too with the EQ settings and also edit the button controls too which is excellent.

Hey Skullcandy

Users can simply  say, “Hey Skullcandy” to initiate seamless voice control. They can then give commands to play or pause  content, accept or reject calls, turn on Stay-Aware Mode for enhanced safety and even launch Spotify. Through a  partnership with the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, Skullcandy is the first to provide  voice-activated Spotify Tap™ access. A simple, “Hey Skullcandy, Spotify” voice command enables the most  frictionless way to access music and podcasts, or users can press a button on their earbuds to activate. Skull-iQ also makes it easy to issue audio commands directly to a device’s personal voice assistant without any additional  setup. These game-changing convenience features are ideal for anyone seeking added flexibility, but especially  important for active lifestyle users engaged in activities like snowboarding, mountain biking, skateboarding and  more.

As they say above this is the one of the new features I really like and it works well as you will see in our video review below and not only this you can use your earbuds as a remote shutter for your phones camera and this is something else I really like and something that will be very handy for people out there..

Conclusion

These are a super pair of earbuds for the price you pay and the features you get, there is some exclusions like auto play and pause and no wireless charging however this is fine there is fast charge and with the features aside that these are something for the more active folk or anyone in fact to consider looking at.

 

Push Active True Wireless Earbuds – £69.99 MSRP.

  • Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology – Issue simple, hands-free voice commands to take calls, change tracks,  adjust volume, turn on Stay-Aware Mode, activate device assistant, launch Spotify Tap, and more. • Over-the-Air Updates – Update earbuds via the Skullcandy App to add new features for enhanced functionality  and added value.
  • Premium Audio Quality – Experience supreme sound thanks to expertly-tuned acoustic drivers, dual  noise-reducing microphones for natural and clear call quality and a noise-isolating fit.
  • Up to 44 Hours of Battery Life – Listen longer with 10 hours of battery life in the earbuds and 34 hours in the  charging case.
  • USB-C Rapid Charging Case – For 10 minutes spent in the case, receive 2 hours of battery life. • True Wireless via Bluetooth® 5.2.
  • Auto On/Connect – Enjoy automatic turn on and pairing with the last device used.
  • IP55 Sweat and Water Resistance – Go on any adventure without missing a beat.
  • Built-in Tile™ Finding Technology – If an earbud is misplaced, simply ‘ring’ it from the Tile app.

For more information on Skull-iQ Smart Feature Technology as well as Push Active True Wireless Earbuds,  visit http://www.skullcandy.co.uk

See the video below for more context and how they work.