Over the years I have done many laptop bags but never a laptop sleeve nor ever owned one until now. Laptop bags/sleeve are a must have for those who travel with them and they are also a must have even for the home. A simple form of protection that will keep your product safe and sound even whilst sitting around the house.
Just like a mobile phone case you simply put your device in and job done really but these are made with recycled materials which a route many manufacturers are taking these days and there is no compromise in the product itself either.
Made from recyclable materials on the inside and out. Using fabric woven from 5 recycled plastic water bottles, the 15.6” Cypress Sleeve with EcoSmart® is thoughtfully designed to protect your laptop while also protecting the environment. Slim and lightweight, this sleeve protects your laptop, while being wrapped up in sleek and sophisticated eco-conscious material.
The sleeve itself has a nice texture to it and feels robust and will last with two zippers that meet and nice padding on the inside, Overall this should last you years and is easy to maintain to, If you happen to own any of the range of laptop bags they will also fit into those too which gives you more security and protection, check out the video below for more and see the range on offer from Targus.
Urbanista, a leading developer and manufacturer of lifestyle audio products, has teamed up with H&M HOME to present a limited-edition, wireless Bluetooth speaker – perfect to enjoy music indoors or outdoors! The speaker’s design is inspired by H&M HOME’s summer collection with classic blue and white stripes – the fresh and timeless colourway for the summer season. Bring the music wherever you are – in an easy, stylish way.
Music Never Goes out of Fashion
The Sydney speaker from audio specialists Urbanista is the ultimate portable speaker: petite and lightweight with a clean silhouette and sleek design that delivers big on sound. Born out of a passion for colour, form and a mobile lifestyle, Urbanista’s designs, including Sydney, are rooted in the Scandinavian tradition and are designed for life in motion.
H&M HOME presents the Urbanista speaker that will be available at https://www.urbanista.com/uk/sydney-hmhome from 11th May 2020, for a limited time only. Offering sleek design at an accessible price, the H&M HOME and Urbanista speaker will retail at the pocket-friendly price of £34.90.
“It’s been great working with H&M HOME for this exciting release: an inspirational fusion of music and interior design. We hope that this special edition speaker will be appreciated for its playfulness and true summer vibes”, says Nadine Schultz, Marketing Manager, Urbanista.
Camilla Henriksson, Head of Marketing and Communications at H&M HOME, comments: “We are very excited to collaborate with Urbanista this season. We love to bring our products outdoors during summer and now we can also bring out the music! The Urbanista speaker, with its neat design, matches perfectly with our summer collection.”
Urbanista’s Sydney speaker comes complete with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, iOS and Android compatibility, and built-in microphone and speakerphone. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the Sydney is small but powerful, water-resistant and comes with up to 5 hours’ battery life. Want even more epic sound? It’s easy to pair two speakers together for a stereo sound experience.
TCL recently announced a slew of devices and we have one of them here that will offer good value and new features for money with a quad camera set up on the rear that looks well and moves apart from the trend like what Samsung and Huawei offer with the square hump. A full review of this device will be up soon but we have unboxed and took a look at what is inside so you can check it out below and if any questions please feel free to ask and we will answer in our review..
Immerse yourself in an upscale entertaining experience via the NXTVISION 6.53-inch FHD+ Dotch™ display with a 91 percent screen-to-body ratio. Featuring a dedicated display engine, overall visuals will be enhanced in real-time to produce images that incorporate adjusted brightness, greater contrast and true-to-life details. With comfort also in mind, the TCL 10L implements features such as Adaptive Tone, Reading Mode and Eye Comfort mode to assist with preventing eye-strain.
To keep fun and games going, the TCL 10L provides you the chance to connect up to 4 devices (headphones or speakers) through the integrated Super Bluetooth Multi-streaming audio solution.
THE CAMERA FOR EVERY MOMENT
NXTVISION CAMERA
With the TCL 10L, rest assured that the magic of the moment will never be lost.
Superior quality images will set your creations apart via the NXTVISION AI powered 48MP quad-rear cameras, 16MP selfie camera and 4K recording functionality. From producing brighter images in extreme low light conditions, to packing more into the shot with the flagship-level 118° super wide-angle cam, the TCL 10L brings versatility to the game with a macro lens for exquisite micro world shots as close as 3.7cm and natural artistic bokeh portraits.
If you’re wanting to try your hand at video production, keep in mind that you will be able to film great,completely stable 4K videos, blending an intelligent low-light algorithm and a fun wide-angle for stop motion videos.
INTELLIGENT CAREFREE LIVING
A SMOOTH PERFORMANCE
Looking for a smooth performance that doesn’t forgo efficiency? The TCL 10L combines 6GB RAM with a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™665 processor that comes with an AI engine and a long lasting 4000mAh battery, together these deliver lower power consumption so that you can concentrate on running various tasks all day.
EASY & SECURE ACCESS
Enjoy an intuitive user experience with the dedicated Google Assistant button. From launching the camera, setting reminders or receiving smart suggestions, the
Google Assistant helps with everyday tasks. TCL 10L users will enjoy the latest Android versions with at least one guaranteed major OS upgrade, and also receive the latest security updates every 60 days. Combine this with the convenient and secured face unlock and fingerprint sensor, the TCL 10L keeps things safe & secure.
AESTHETICS DESIGN
Comprised of an attractive holographic finish that shines iridescently in a tide of luminescence, the sleek 3D backing grants you a premium in-hand feel at an affordable price.
The TCL 10L is available now, starting from £399 and comes in the nature-inspired versions of Arctic White & Mariana Blue,both the 10Pro and 10L will be available to purchase in the UK in the first week of June and in Ireland from the last week of June.
The Creative Sound Blaster G3 is a Portable External Console Gaming USB-C DAC Amp for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac, This enhanced gaming audio experience has voice chat balance capability, a customizable EQ preset with custom-tuned Footsteps Enhancer, and on-the-fly audio adjustments without having to exit your game’s screen.
The first impression of the unit was the feel of the unit, the plastic seems flimsy, with the buttons/switches not as comfortable as I would expect for the well-know Singapore-based Creative, Technology company. The inclusion of the USB Type-C to Type-A Converter reinforced the UpToDate technology with the fibre optic cable.
Package contents,
Sound Blaster G3
Optical Cable (1m / 3.28 ft)
USB Type-C to Type-A Converter
Quick Start Leaflet
Warranty Leaflet
Compatibility.
Setup:
The basic setup was easy in terms of the units was designed for use with gaming consoles with No software required, no drivers just plug and play. When using the advance features via the Creative app, this had challenges in the connection to the unit, the app had to removed from the android phone and reinstalled as did not pair immediately to the Samsung S10 phone. After reinstalling this worked ok. The setup was done via a PS4 Slim which does not have an optical port (The standard Ps4 and PS4 does), this was easily connected directly to the optical port on the TV and worked.
Overall.
There were a few niggles in the build quality the app setup and the length of the cable option. On the positive, once the set up was done there is an abundance of features tailored to specific games in the app, which can be adjusted from your phone and saved on the unit or via the app. The audio difference was noticeable in terms of isolation out specific sounds to your colleagues on the games or enhanced sound which often go unnoticed on the game. This is a real gamer paradise in terms of sounds.
Plantronics is a Brand Synonymous with call centres throughout the world in small office and reception areas and those that use telecoms equipment. The Plantronics Voyager 3240 is geared towards the office user rather than the full-time receptionist allowing connection to a variety of phones/laptops and telecoms equipment with an abundant of voice prompts to ensure clarity. This is suitable for those on the go in a busy environment, drivers, office staff that have to make/received allot of calls and require handsfree,
The unit comes with only 1 headset which allows you to be aware of your surroundings, most of us will be aware of people with 2 earphones shouting on a call unaware a full office can hear them unaware of their surroundings.
Main features
In-ear design provides a wearing style that’s easy to put on or take off
Precision tuned triple-mic with enhanced DSP delivers superior noise cancellation
Smart sensors answer calls by simply putting on the headset
Dynamic mute alert senses and alerts you when you begin to speak while muted
Up to 98 feet/30 meters of wireless range from supported Class 1 Bluetooth devices
Portable charging case provides up to 10 hours of additional talk time
Specifications:
Listen/talk time Up to 6 hours plus up to 10 extra hours with charging case
(available in select bundles); up to 7 days standby time
Range Up to 98 feet (30 meters) with Class 1 Bluetooth enabled device
Audio performance Triple-mic DSP noise-cancelling technology, mobile wideband
compatibility up to 6,800 Hz; echo cancellation, proprietary DSP,
A2DP, mobile wideband compatibility (HD Voice-enabled)
Hearing protection SoundGuard®: Sound leveling for listening comfort and acoustic
limiting for protection against sounds above 118 dBA
Firmware Update firmware and change language settings using Plantronics
Hub for iOS/Android
Connection:
The connection is standard to most phones using the Bluetooth option to your phone/laptop with no issues found. The NFC option works easier and faster.
Charging:
The unit comes with a micro USB cable which is disappointing in terms on modern phones for the last number of years have migrated to USB C resulting in another cable to be carried around, it takes approx. 90 minutes to fully charge the headset. The status of the charging can be seen/heard via voice prompt/headset LEDs / phone app,
Charge case:
The charging ( open style ) case does as it states, charges the headset but as a design having the charging connection on the bottom leaves it prone to liquid ingress when placed on a wet surface, the case gives minimum protection when carried from place to place, ( whereas the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 5100 True Wireless Bluetooth Headset, aimed at music lovers case is ideal offering protection and charges the headset ) the belt type clip again leaves allot to be desired with little practical use. The charging case gives 10 additional hours on a single charge, giving you up to 16 hours of combined talk time between a fully charged headset and charging case.
The app – Plantronics Hub
The Plantronics Hub has a variety of useful features but again is different to the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 5100 Blackbeat app. The manufactures appear to have 2 completely different designs and technology which would be great to have one standardised one. The app gives a clear view of the battery time left, allow you to locate a misplaced headset, customise calls, mute calls, auto-answer, headset sensors and a variety of other features to personalise your experience. This also has a reset option in case a mistake is made during setup. The app has got 4.3 out of 5 on the play store out of near 30,000 downloads which is good, the app worked as required and can’t fault.
Voice alerts:
The unit has a variety of useful voice alerts
Voice alerts list
Following is a list of common voice alerts. You can use Plantronics Hub to customise some of
these alerts. Download Plantronics Hub at plantronics.com/software
“Answering call”
“Battery low”
“Redialling last outgoing call”
“Incoming call”
“Mute on/mute off”
“No phone is connected”
“Pairing”
“Pairing incomplete, restart headset”
“Pairing successful”
“Power on/off”
“Phone X connected/disconnected” (my personal favourite feature)
“Recharge headset”
“Smart sensors on/off”
“Battery high”
“Volume maximum/minimum”
Call quality:
The Plantronics Voyager 3240 as expected has excellent call quality, quoting noise-cancelling technology which is far superior to most headset tested in the last year. This does not mask out all sound from the call as on tests walking close to a radio / TV, the caller can hear the sounds albeit lower than many other brands. When used to listen to Spotify / Google play music. / Amazon music quality is average been distracted with 1 earpiece and the highs and lows not as pronounced, again this is not designed for recreational music listening but will work perfectly on your voice frequencies.
Conclusion:
Plantronics is a great brand with quality products, with my favourites being able to connect numerous phones/laptops at the same time, and able to make or receive a call from any device. This is a feature not seen on many earphones. This Bluetooth multipoint technology enables you to pair and connect your headset to two different Bluetooth audio devices at once with audio prompts to advise what is connected. The brand as an office technology has a compatibility guide which you expect to ensure if the connection to a specialised device the guesswork is taken out of the interface connection, this may include Desk phone, Softphone, Mobile Bluetooth, Mobile corded Gaming and Landline.
The headset when sitting on a desk can easily be seen to connect to a phone when lifted to your ear but states not connected ensuring when you decide to take a call you can use the headset or traditional holding your head to the phone. Over the years I have had numerous earphones connected via Bluetooth only to find the audio was via the earphone, not the phones when required.
Overall the unit is a lightweight, solid build, comfortable to wear for hours, and allows you to be aware of your surroundings with superior call quality. There are a few niggles in the charger style given limited protection and micro USB charger while minor in the overall scheme. The multipoint technology allowing multiple units connected at the same time is a must for those that carry 2 phones or take skype/teams calls from laptops etc. The Plantronics Voyager 3240 has an abundance of features and personalise options in the app given a great experience overall.
Following on from the i200 TWS from Podsbay the i500 TWS are a more expensive pair of earbuds from the company and like the i200 TWS people have been asking about these, As mentioned before the company has several pairs in its portfolio and you would find it hard to distinguish the difference between them as the all look the same but the internals differ which is why there is several price points at hand. these again like to i200 TWS offer some more when it comes to features and have been working fine still as if opened yesterday, The i500 though offer some extra features for the price like GPS iCloud sync and better battery life.
Like the i200 TWS this has been my account on how they performed and held up and this does not reflect anyone else, check them out if you are on a budget over HERE
Dell Technologies, the leader in enterprise storage, announces Dell EMC PowerStore – a modern infrastructure platform built from the ground up with superior technology and expertise to address the challenges of the data era.
“Customers tell us a main obstacle keeping them from achieving their digital transformation initiatives is the constant tug-of-war between supporting the ever-increasing number of workloads–from traditional IT applications to data analytics –and the reality of cost constraints, limitations and complexity of their existing IT infrastructure.” said Dan Inbar, president and general manager, storage, Dell Technologies. “Dell EMC PowerStore blends automation, next generation technology, and a novel software architecture to deliver infrastructure that helps organizations address these needs.”
Modern Infrastructure for the Data Era
Organizations can accelerate decision making, data access and application performance with PowerStore, which is designed for six-nines (99.9999%) availability:
Any Workload: PowerStore simplifies IT infrastructure by supporting a wide range of traditional and modern workloads with its scale-up, scale-out architecture for block, file and VMware vVols.
Performance Optimized: PowerStore is seven times faster and three times more responsive than previous Dell EMC midrange storage arrays, because of its end-to-end NVMe design and support for Storage Class Memory as persistent storage powered by dual port Intel® Optane™ SSDs.
Efficiency Without Compromise: Customers can save on IT budget and capacity with always-on deduplication, compression and a guaranteed 4:1 data reduction.
Machine learning and intelligent automation allows for faster delivery of applications and services with up to 99% less staff time to balance volumes.:
Programmable Infrastructure: Streamlines application development and reduces deployment timeframes from days to seconds, with VMware integration and support for leading management and orchestration frameworks including Kubernetes, Ansible and VMware vRealize Orchestrator.
Autonomous Infrastructure: Built-in machine learning automates labor-intensive processes like initial volume placement, migrations, load balancing and issue resolution.
Infrastructure Insights: Dell EMC CloudIQ storage monitoring and analytics software combines machine learning and human intelligence for real-time performance and capacity analysis and historical tracking for a single view of Dell EMC infastructure. Dell Technologies will integrate CloudIQ across the full Dell Technologies infrastructure portfolio for even greater insights.
PowerStore transforms data center operations and allows organizations to evolve their infrastructure in lockstep with everchanging business needs:
Container-Based Architecture: PowerStoreOS, the system’s container-based software architecture, enables feature portability, standardization and rapid time-to-market for new capabilities.
Introducing AppsON: The only purpose-built storage array that includes a built-in VMware ESXi Hypervisor, administrators can deploy apps directly on the array for greater flexibility. An industry-first, AppsON is ideal for data-intensive workloads in core or edge locations and infrastructure applications.
Ease of Migration: New native tools within the PowerStore Manager wizard allow customers to automate entire migrations in fewer than ten clicks. Customers can take advantage of a number of non-disruptive options to migrate from existing storage like Unity, SC, PS Series, VNX and XtremIO.
Dell Technologies On Demand (DTOD): With DTOD, PowerStore customers can respond to workload spikes and new service requests with elastic capacity and cloud economics. Organizations can choose between two flexible pay-per-use consumption models with short-and-long term commitment options, including a new one year term for flexible consumption. Global support, deployment and managed services can be included to help simplify IT infrastructure management.
Dell EMC Future-Proof Program Adds Anytime Upgrades
PowerStore is covered by the Dell EMC Future-Proof Program, which provides greater choice, predictability and investment protection through new Anytime Upgrades, the industry’s most flexible controller upgrade program.
Unlike other controller upgrade programs, customers can expand or enhance their PowerStore performance and capacity after 180 days. The combination of Anytime Upgrades and Dell EMC PowerStore’s adaptable architecture effectively ends disruptive platform migrations.
Cloud Flexibility with PowerStore
Customers can deploy PowerStore in the way that best meets their cloud strategy and business needs:
Dell Technologies Cloud Validated Designs for PowerStore for deployment flexibility of demanding workloads in hybrid cloud environments.
Dell EMC Cloud Storage Services can directly connect PowerStore to all major public clouds including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure and Google Cloud as a managed service. Cloud Storage Services provide Data Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) to VMware Cloud on AWS.
PowerStore can be deployed as a storage option within Dell EMC PowerOne autonomous infrastructure, which accelerates an organization’s shift to cloud-like operations.
Availability
Dell EMC PowerStore is now generally available globally.
Dell EMC PowerStore will be available as an option for PowerOne autonomous infrastructure this summer.
Available to buy now from retailers across Ireland, the new Xperia L4 is the ideal entry-level smartphone to help you keep in touch with your loved ones all day. The newest model in the L series has a sleek stylish design which fits perfectly in your hand, so you can browse and connect in comfort.
Benefiting from a 21:9 Wide 6.2” display, normally reserved for premium models, the Xperia L4 lets you see more but scroll less. You can also increase your browsability with Sony’s multi-window UI which allows you to run two apps simultaneously, as well as the Side sense function which lets you switch between your favourite apps effortlessly. There is also a large 3580mAh battery to keep you connected even during a busy day.
You can even get creative and expand your photography skills with the triple camera; offering a 13MP main lens, 5MP ultra-wide lens and 2MP depth camera for a beautiful bokeh effect. This is the first Xperia in the L series to offer a triple lens camera, allowing you to capture high quality images from two angles: wide and ultra-wide. There is also the opportunity to capture video and images in the dramatic 21:9 ratio.
Offered in either black or blue, the Xperia L4 is available to buy now from the Sony online store as well as local retailers, priced at €199 SIM-free. Please check operators and retailers for individual tariffs.
Full specifications can be found on the Sony website
The game-changing augmented reality app Fectar has reached a 100,000 user download milestone just 100 days after launching. Available for iOS and Android, the app turns any mobile device into a fully immersive AR experience, with no expensive headset required.
The Fectar app pairs with Fectar Studio, a groundbreaking, cross-platform content management system (CMS) for both augmented and virtual reality. Creators use the CMS to design and create interactive AR and VR experiences, which can then be published to the free app.
Eugène Kuipers, CEO and Founder of Fectar says, “Despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Fectar has grown substantially since our January launch. We are very proud to reach a landmark 100, 000 app installations in just 100 days. During what are challenging times for all business globally, we are very fortunate that users love our app and our content.
“Our unique benefit is that Fectar includes all kinds of AR experiences, such as life size cars, games, escape rooms, science projects and much more. Since this is user generated content, published by more than 100 unique content creators worldwide, we have new content added daily so there is always something to discover.”
The successful start-up’s app serves a multitude of applications, from offering enriched learning to students and enhanced training for business users to entertaining and informing those on the hunt for something fun. The abundance of user-created experiences on offer is diverse; app users could opt to explore an offshore windmill for example or discover the fossils of a Tyrannosaurus Rex before settling in to a hands-on lesson in the life-cycle of frogs and stopping by a chef’s kitchen to see what’s cooking.
Navigating the expansive library of AR content is also seamless for app users, with a holographic presenter on hand to showcase features. With a 360 Degree Bubble to discover new places on earth, 3D objects to explore and interact with and images and videos viewable from different perspectives and angles, there is always more to discover.
The latest app update has seen several new features added, including multi-language support (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Dutch) and a download functionality for access to content offline. There is also a Spatial Editing option, which empowers users to intuitively edit their own interactive 3D presentation in Augmented Reality using a smartphone by simply tagging and dragging content to the right place with no coding required.
To find out more about Fectar and Fectar Studio, visit www.Fectar.com
