Having the right tools be it in the office or on the move is an important factor for many folk including myself and being in the tech space I consider myself lucky to have that equipment and get to test such out. Over the years I have tried many conference speakers and as expected they are getting better, more compact and more features and of course the price is getting better too which is a win for the consumer.
The Konftel Ego is the latest to drop on my desk and this is ideal for home use and indeed the office and with the work from home trend boom it is an ideal kit to have for more than just work duties this can be used in a personal capacity too for playing music on so you are not just buying a product for one use case scenario but two and to top it off it is portable and it is one of the slimmest ones I have used and the shape and design of this speaker is something different compared to the circular models which are popular and it stands out, several people have asked what it is here in the house and they all agreed with my thoughts on it. You can see the unboxing over on our You Tube
You get a travel pouch to store it in and the required cable to connect to your pc/laptop to charge up then you have the bluetooth connection of course keeping things wireless which I like and if you are one to be doing lots of zoom calls etc and you have the Konftel Cam 10 you have the ideal kit be it at home or if you are travelling and so on you have the ideal kit right here. It also works with works seamlessly with Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Zoom, Avaya IX Workplace and many other collaborative tools.
There is a cool LCD screen underneath the grille on top that shows status/function alongside the LEDs on the side in different colours to indicate the function and then you have the simple controls on the left and right which makes it a non complicated tool to have at your disposal.
You also can connect to a smartphone or tablet so it is not just a pc based product it can be used almost anywhere, the sound that comes from the speakerphone is omnidirectional so a meeting with up to six people in a room is a breeze for this and you can hear crystal clear and the sounds pack a punch too when playing music and if you want you can connect your headphones so overall it is a win win for both office and home use and then the portability factor just tops it off for having such a compact tool that looks good and gives a great audio experience for you or anyone in your meetings.
I have checked out several game controllers over the years and this one is easily the best I have tried out to date, Yes it does resemble a Nintendo Switch but so what this works and looks great and makes gaming on mobile a joy. I am not a massive mobile gaming fan but with this it changes everything for me. It is simple to use and set up it is comfortable in the hand and makes gaming much easier than using on screen controls which I m not a huge fan of.
Designed to provide a full array of controls and minimise lag to maximise your gaming, the GameSir X2 uses a wired connection. Using an innovative, movable Type-C plug which has an adjustable range of up to 51° allowing you to plug and unplug your mobile phone with ease to protect it from damage, the GameSir X2 virtually eliminates delay input allowing you to stay in control of any gaming situation at all times.
gamesir X2 techbuzzireland
The GameSir X2 features a split design – on each side there is a single joysticks along with a set of 4 buttons. The control buttons come with a service life of up to 3 million pushes – you can be sure that your thumbs will get worn out before the GameSir X2 does! The simple design ensures that your phone is held securely thanks to the durable stretch design, and the well thought out features – such as the soft rubber grips and gap between the phone and X2 unit to ensure air circulation will make sure that you get the best gaming experience at all times.
The X2 supports Microsoft xCloud, Google Stadia, Vortex and so on.
Home security is a must have and it is now more affordable than every with great cameras and features costing less each year, In the tech world the cost to performance ration has been of huge benefit to consumers giving us more choice and value for money this has been noticed in smartphones and true wireless earbuds and so on but this has drip fed down into the home security market too and there is much more feature sets coming on such cameras and lower prices meaning a win win for the consumer, this new camera from CamCare is one such camera offering great features for the price and it also looks well too blending in with home.
This camera is wireless comes with an sd card out of the box and works both on Android and iOS with a simple to use App with a nice easy to navigate UI so it not too difficult to get to grips with. As usual we go through the features and show you how to use the camera in the full video review below and you can always ask us if you have any issues. This camera is also part of a wider ecosystem which you can also check out on their site
carecam security camera
The network high-definition shaking machine, based on standard Smart H.264 technology, supports 1080P resolution, support standard ONVIF protocol, compatible with mainstream NVR devices, with wifi module, TF card slot, to build wireless connectivity and local recording capabilities, support independent mobile phones, computer real-time monitoring.
Most of us today now use cards to make payments everywhere which is great also we use our smartwatches and smartphones to do the same but for now the majority is on cards, most if use several cards and carry these in our wallets and that is as far it goes we think no more about it but now we are at risk from these cards being read by RFID readers/card readers which can get information from your card without you even knowing this.
I have several RFID wallets and card holders here at home and use them daily though some of these are bulky but they work and I must add you should still use them but again there is many out there that have their cards slapped behind their case on their phone use a phone case that can carry several cards which I detest especially those folio typed cases where you can also carry keys and basically leaving yourself open to having everything swiped in on go.
secure data secure card techbuzzireland
In short this is a super affordable item to have at your disposal and you should have to protect yourself in these challenging times and since the huge HSE cyber attack we are now going to be open even more to scams and so on, yes this might be in a different context however the more barriers in place for any form of identity theft the better..
RFID-Blocking Credit and Debit Card Protection Protect your identity from your wallet
Need some new lighting to enhance your video skills for only fans vids well this might be the one and of course can be used for other blogging material to give a better look to your video making.. There is many similar products out on the market today and I have some here in my studio and being honest this model wipes the floor compared to ones I got from Amazon to try out. The brightness on this unit is what you want this one for..
I keep a simple operation here but lights are important for some and this is a very flexible light to use with simple controls but I feel you should have the whole kit to got with it to get the ultimate finished product we did feature the news on the rest of the products seen on the packaging but yet have to try these out so as whole package I really thing the light on its own is not enough for more high end users of such material.
Mix things up with up to 10 different brightness levels and three colour temperatures to change the mood. Choose from 3000K, 4000K, or 5600K to give a soft, warm coloured effect, or go for crisper, blue-toned lighting. It comes with four cold shoe mounts that enables the microphone to be positioned at different points around the phone or camera for premium audio capture, and a cold shoe adapter for easy device mounting. The JOBY Beamo Ring Light 12” is compact enough (30.6×30.6x3cm) and incredibly lightweight (330g) to take on any trip or to keep it ready-to-use in a home studio or workspace. Ready to use right out of the box and compatible with existing JOBY products, the Beamo Ring Light 12” is perfect for all kind of content creators.
The JOBY Beamo Ring Light 12” can be bought in a bundle or as an individual product. For more information see:
Webcams are back on the scene in a big way these days thanks to the pandemic but even before this the work from home debate was leading toward it being a new way of life and probably better for most and also it offers workers a dual format to split being at home or in the office and it was heading this direction anyway for some time due to better infrastructure with WiFi which in Ireland is debateable particularly in rural areas where business lack good internet and only now we are seeing a development here, the problem for years is all big corporates want to move into the city centre and the docklands where I have been saying for some years why not split up around the country into smaller hubs an bring life back into country settings and create high tech jobs there which is why we have a shortage of such talent in Dublin because people are not willing to travel hours a day which again is costly here.
Moving back on to this webcams they are seeing a rise in popularity again due to the fact we are working from home and in most instances your laptop or desktop PC webcam is generally brutal especially in a professional capacity and we now use the likes of teams and zoom more than ever with a massive hike in use since the pandemic began they are now pretty much an every day platform to use even for me who never used either until I started working from home two years ago. I have tried several webcams and more here to review and this one is really nice, well made looks well and has a shutter/privacy slider which none of the other have and this is important for those with privacy issues but you can just unplug too.
The Konftel Cam10 combines big performance with compact styling and has been designed for today’s hybrid working trends – where more and more business critical meetings take place online. The stylish device features a wide 90° field of view, two built-in microphones, 1080p (30fps) full HD picture quality and a 4 x digital zoom. It’s a perfect home and traditional office companion, or for wherever people are working.
The Konftel Cam10 uses a standard damping bracket for easy and stable installation, whilst there’s the option of tripod mounting for alternative camera placement. You can basically use this camera anywhere in any position rather than having a fixed perspective an it is a simple plug in and go with no software required. The webcam’s two built-in microphones deliver impressive audio pick-up, supported by noise suppression technology. In a common scenario the screen speakers often perform as audio output but an improved option is to complement the Konftel Cam10 with the professional speakerphone Konftel Ego, creating an enhanced experience through Konftel’s renowned OmniSound audio technology.
Need a new accessory for you iPhone well perhaps the EKSTER MagSafe card holder might just be the thing and cheaper than what Apple have to offer with a better magnet to boot, slim and packing auto aligning magnets this is for the minimalist and fits nicely on the rear of the device giving you a better grip and also allowing you to hold up to three cards and some cash but from using it myself two cards and some cash would be better suited.
We have seen and head about the MagSafe charger which call drop off easily but this is not the case with this cardholder this remains firm and in place when removing from you pocket too. this also works with MagSafe compatible case and skins however if you have thicker cases well the obvious happens, the level of magnetism gets less which makes it less secure. Overall this is a really clean design with great quality and ideal for the minimalist who likes to keep things simple and is affordable, it is very thin and has a thumb hole on the rear or it can be slid to the left or the right to remove your card or cash. Check out the video below for more.
The xFyro ANC are the world’s first AI-powered noise-cancelling earbuds according to the company and great value for money and packed with features galore. Ok so what features you might ask.. A whooping 100 hour battery life to start, IPX5 rated, BT 5.0 , Dual Beamforming mic, Quickcharge with USB-C , Digital Assistant, Transparecny mode AI filters the sounds you need to hear from 6000+ distinct sounds in its memory, and AI powered ANC.
So how do do I find them.. Light, very light, nice fit and comfortable and overall good, volume level for me was not up to what I prefer so that is subjective but everything thing else you need is there at your fingertips and they are easy to execute a command each time without having to keep tapping to execute the task required, there is no app here which would have set them in a league of their own being fair but overall the music was fine here across the board all genres highs lows and mids where more than adequate and delivered a nice balance tone and sounded pretty much central. With my usual test loop on music You Tube and Netflix they done well calls are great too and the only thing for me was the volume level and apart from that they would suit anyone who is looking for earbuds and want all the latest features.
Mobile phones today are a plenty from dumb phones to high end models but the majority being higher end phones they are a difficult for the seniors to use and adopt. Emporia though is a company that is changing this by offering devices that are easy to use and now they have a smartphone with all the convoluted mess hidden underneath and makes the move from a dumphone/feature phone easy and this also allows you to go further into the submenus should you wish, with most of used stuck in lockdown now and no end in sight just yet the senior community want to learn and stay in touch with family and friends and dumbphones do not allow this to happen where the smart 4 offers it all keeping it simple for everyone and making the switch easy..
The tiled layout is nice and these can be changed you will see a complete walkthrough of the UI below in the video and what the phone can do and it is quite simple and well executed for the desired target market of this device not only that this device is affordable and makes a perfect gift in my opinion, OK it will not blow your mind with the spec sheet or camera but it does the job simple and is powerful enough to keep in touch with social media and more.
Chris Millington, emporia’s UK and Ireland MD comments: “This is an exciting “first” in a new generation of mobiles to join emporia’s portfolio. I’m proud to announce the S4 as our most innovative device yet to the Irish market, working exclusively with An Post Mobile. This phone really responds to some of the more recent challenges and hurdles faced by our senior citizens in everyday life and mobile communication – especially in a modern world of social distancing and contact-free living. We have worked hard to include intuitive and completely audience-relevant features like the pre-installed QR scanner, contactless payment functionality, and improved camera for new features like a magnifier for when you have left your glasses at home.”
This Google-certified smartphone runs on an Android 10 operating system, with an emporia interface that is tailored and adapted to the 66+ year old user.
The smartphone’s 5” screen is easy to read, with large fonts and app icons, and a soft touch coating makes it very easy to hold and use one-handed. Like all emporia devices it is also hearing-aid-compatible and is fitted with an emergency assistance button on the back for peace of mind for users.
The S4 comes complete with emporia’s unique comprehensive 135-page training book, allowing users to learn at their own pace and as a reference point. The concept of this training book extends much beyond instilling confidence and driving independence; it’s imperative to emporia’s customers and responds to how the human brain works and is the catalyst to changing smartphone value for this group.
Key features of the senior S4 smartphone in a new digital world
What makes the S4 different to other smart devices in the emporia range is its following new features that bring the senior user further into the digital world, but in a simple way:
13 megapixel main camera and 8mp selfie camera
In a world where video calls and photo sharing are the most common form of communication, our S4 has an improved camera quality so users can be involved and connected in this way and stay in touch, even if isolated, with family and friends.
QR scanner
The improved processing power on the latest S4 model sees the introduction of a QR scanner, meaning senior users are able to use the NHS track & trace / Ireland’s COVID tracker / Protect Scotland / StopCOVID NI apps, or register their check-ins, for safety and reassurance in a post-pandemic world.
Magnifying function
Most of us experience presbyopia as we age, meaning we need glasses to read and struggle with close up text or smaller fonts. Whilst emporia’s devices are already tailored to help the users to use and enjoy the phone, when users are out and about, reading everyday things like restaurant menus may not be as easy, especially when we leave our glasses at home. This key app is designed to take away that frustration and act as an aid for our customers in everyday life – a reliable companion.
App Installer
There are apps for everything out there, and this can be overwhelming when you need a key app like a track-and-trace, or WhatsApp to stay in touch with friends and family, need to share pictures, check the weather forecast or check the news. The App Installer on the S4 contains a list of the most useful 20 apps, making them all easier to download and locate so the older user gets the key apps straight away.
NFC technology
Whilst NFC or contactless payments in credit and debit cards isn’t new, the new S4 brings NFC (near field communication) technology, or more to the point contactless payments to a new audience. When social distancing and contact-free are the norm, this function can offer a whole new shopping experience for older customers who tend to use cash. With the new 16-page guide to how to set-up Google Pay and the benefits of the security this brings, the retired audience will be equipped for the new era upon us.
