The rush to the world’s largest chip order manufacturer TSMC is said to be so high that the company wants to cancel the previously granted discounts for bulk buyers from 2021. This is reported by the Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency, according to which TSMC is said to have granted a three percent discount so far. That doesn’t sound like a lot at first, but with tens of thousands of wafers per month, the savings quickly add up.
At TSMC, new generations of production are currently the first available in high capacities. Among other things, AMD ensures high utilization of Ryzen 3000 processors, Epyc in the 7 nanometer generation , Radeon-RX – 6000 – graphics cards and console systems-on-chips for the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X. Apple takes TSMC the first large quantities 5- nm wafer for the A 14 of the iPhone 12 and the M1 of the ARM Macs. Intel also wants to have TSMC manufactured from 2021. Means: the chip order maker doesn’t have to worry about finding customers at the moment.
From 2021 noticeable When asked, TSMC explained that they did not comment on prices in their own production. If the Central News Agency is right, higher production costs should be (slightly) noticeable in the business figures of manufacturers, more precisely in the margin, within a year at the latest. Initially, the contracts concluded so far continue to run with fixed purchase quantities and prices, which are regularly negotiated between chip order manufacturers and chip manufacturers. All graphics chips from the GA 102 roll off the production line at the South Koreans, which means the complete GeForce series RTX 3000 includes. Only the server accelerator A 100 with GA 100 – GPU lets Nvidia produce with 7 nm technology at TSMC. Rumors are said to have tried Nvidia with Samsung as a second manufacturer to put price pressure on TSMC.
Christina Munro 29 mins ago Featured Tech Reviews, Headphones, Reviews
Today we are checking out the HS70 Bluetooth multi-platform headset from Corsair, coming in at £99.95. We will be looking into the sound quality, functionality and specs of this little gem to see what the HS70 Bluetooth has to offer! With 50mm Neodymium drivers, an adjustable head strap and detachable microphone, this headset can even be paired to two devices at the same time via a cable and Bluetooth. Is it any good? Let’s find out.
Watch via our Vimeo channel (below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
Specifications:
Audio Driver Custom 50mm Neodymium
Frequency Response 20Hz – 20kHz
Impedance 32 Ohms @ 1kHz
Sensitivity 109 dB (± 3 dB)
Wireless Type Bluetooth 5.0
Range Up to 30 feet
Battery Life Up to 30 hours
Mic Type Uni-directional noise cancelling
Mic Impedance 2.0k Ohms
Mic Frequency Response 100Hz – 10kHz
Mic Sensitivity -40 dB (± 3 dB)
Dimensions 161mm(L) x 99mm(W) x 207mm(H)
Weight 352g
Warranty 2 years
You can purchase the Corsair HS70 Bluetooth Headset from Overclockers UK for £99.95, HERE!
Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.
Pros
Looks great and nice attention to detail.
Works on all platforms.
Long lasting battery and turns off by itself.
Good software.
Fantastic wireless connection.
Comfortable.
Worked well for calls.
Great sound for gaming and music.
Cons
Yokes are fingerprint magnets.
Lack of RGB may not appeal to everyone.
Next & previous track command not working with my phone via Bluetooth.
KitGuru says: It’s a fantastic headset and it does pretty much everything you can ask for. It’s excellent when gaming and the ability to connect to two devices at the same time is brilliant. We did have an issue trying to skip tracks via Bluetooth, but if you’re after a solid performing headset that can connect to almost anything then the HS70 Bluetooth is well worth buying.
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For Flight Simulator and Co .: Cheap flight sticks from 70 Euro in the test Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition Titanwolf Vulture Conclusion At least since the new edition of Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, the control stick has experienced a renaissance as a gaming accessory. Because even if the demanding flight simulation can even be (reasonably) controlled with the keyboard or the gamepad, both do not convey the full feeling of flying.
Sophisticated flight hardware is very expensive and takes up a lot of space – on the desk and in the closet. For occasional flyers, investing in a cheap flight stick is the best compromise between realism and suitability for everyday use. But which one gives the virtual pilot the best flight experience?
After years of abstinence, Microsoft has released a new flight simulator. The 2000 is graphically enormously impressive, but the game also convinces with its old virtues the simulation friends.
To find out, we have selected two particularly interesting models and set out on a few traffic patterns. The more civilian Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition and the martially designed Titanwolf Vulture are used. Both models are explicitly designed as a flight stick, so in addition to the two analog axes for left and right as well as above and below they also have an analog axis for the rudder and an analog thrust control. The two additions can hardly be dispensed with for flight simulations, but the sensitive thrust control also enhances action games such as Star Wars: Squadrons immensely.
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Testing Tests overview Smartphone Asus ROG Phone 3 in the test: Perfect gaming smartphone LG Wing in the test: 1, 5 displays and gimbal cam Nokia 3.4 in the test: update promise for little money Smartphone Realme 7 in the test: 90 Hertz at a budget price Realme 7 Pro in the test: OLED display and 65 – Watt loading Huawei Mate 40 Pro in the test: Great, but without Google Samsung Galaxy M 21 Test: Solid cross-country skier at a budget price Smartwatch Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in the test: competition for Apple? Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test: record-breaking battery life Multiroom Bose Portable H ome speaker in the test: battery, WiFi, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: the robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: Versatile multi-room system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: rich multiroom sound Technisat Digitradio 580 in the test: The gray all-rounder Keyfinder Tile Slim (2019): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! Key Fin the Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder in the test Chipolo Classic and plus: Bluetooth key finder in the test Musegear finder 2: Key finder without registration obligation Action-Cam DJI Pocket 2 in the test : Zoom and 64 – Megapixel sensor Actioncam Insta 360 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modul are Actioncam Motorola Moto G8 Plus test: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: good hardware, bad camera microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in Test Xiaomi Mi 9: Top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: high-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery , small price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 21: 9 display under test Counselor Advisor overview Purchase advice Bargain: Which Fire TV -Stick from 19 € is the right one? Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Buying advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Guide: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Purchase advice: Current headphones with ANC to 360 Euro Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Switch off Android notifications from annoying apps This is how it works: Now install the new Android L keyboard ren Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Does the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goderma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming ! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV racers What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s in it for me? Smartphone processors at a glance: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Calculate pixel density, number and display proportion Best list Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Best list Top 10: These are the best smartphones 2020 Beginning Place 1 Place 2 3rd place 4th place Pla tz 5 Place 6 Place 7 Place 8 Place 9 Place 10 Conclusion Comments from Stefan // 17. 12. 2020 13: 37 Clock
Dozens, if not hundreds, of smartphones are in 2020 hit the market, most but are hardly worth more than a side note. But there are exceptions: We have the best smartphones 2019 selected.
Does “the best” smartphone even exist? From a purely objective point of view, probably. At least in the typical schoolyard quartet, technical data can be compared with one another without any value and in the end there is theoretically a winner, i.e. the best smartphone 2020. In reality, however, it looks a little different. Because, on the one hand, minor details often decide between victory and defeat, and in everyday life it is much more important how the things that are in the data sheet actually work. And even if we try to highlight such things in our tests, we often do not succeed fully due to the very limited test period.
Best example: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (test report). The pen giant is undoubtedly an extremely good smartphone and there is hardly anything that the model does not offer. What was not noticed (or at least not as clearly) in the normal test period, but even more so in continuous use: The battery is too weak for a Note model. In addition, the upper half of the volume rocker in our test model gave way after a few weeks, it lost all pressure point and key travel, but can still be operated. Also never noticed with any other model: The note 20 All of a sudden on Google Maps the language information is no longer transmitted via the external, but the internal speaker. A few other apps also bitch on the device every now and then. Only a reboot will fix such problems.
And the third problem that simply riding around on technical data does not make sense: Ultimately, it always depends on your own usage behavior, whether the supposed lack of a feature bothers you or not. Therefore we say it bluntly: Our top 10 of the best smartphones 2020 is definitely subjective. We have the 10 devices that stuck in our minds. Not every user will be in our top 10, but that is – as described – in the nature of the matter. By the way: The one on the note 20 Ultra-described problems are not included in this top 10 . Because on the one hand it is still a really good smartphone, on the other hand we have hardly been able to test any other model over such a long period – so that would be unfair.
1st place: Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro So much power for buyers got so little money in a great overall package as with the Poco F2 Pro (test report) in 2020 on any other smartphone. For currently under 450 Euros are a Snapdragon 865, absolutely sufficient 6 GByte RAM, 128 GByte UFS memory and at least during the day a decent main camera (even if it is advertised as a quad cam …) including popup Front camera. The device provides the content on an almost 6.7 inch (approx. 17 cm) large OLED screen and ensures with its 4700 mAh strong battery for good runtimes. Android 11 is already available thanks to an update – what more could you want? A screen with more than 60 Hertz maybe, admittedly. If you are really looking for that, you will not find it here. All others are spot on and that’s why the device is in 2020 the number one.
2nd place: Samsung Galaxy S 20 FE 5G What, the Fan Edition in second place? But the Ultra can do a lot more! That’s right – nevertheless we just want to praise Samsung at this point: You can do it! At least in the 5G version, the FE gives users what the fan base wants: A Snapdragon processor – 820, which not only has more power, but also less hunger for electricity. Everything else is almost on par with the S 20 – sibling models – at a significantly lower price! In summary, the Samsung Galaxy S scores 19 FE with a 6.5 inch (approx 17 cm) large OLED Display with 120 Hertz, a great one Triple camera, 6 / 128 GByte memory and a battery with proper 4500 mAh. Android 11 is still missing, but should also come soon. All of this is available for under 650 Euro – the RRPs of the other S 20 models were much higher at the time. What exactly they can do better (or worse), we have in our Ve equal to the four S 20 – Models (guide) combined.
3rd place: Oneplus 8 Pro The Oneplus 8 Pro is already on the Market came. But it is still so good that even the manufacturer, who has usually brought an update to its models after around six months, has not brought a new T-Pro model. The reason: The Pro model is still fresh enough. Right! At that time, the model performed better than competitors like Galaxy S in our reader test (article) at least in some areas such as daylight shots with main and wide angle Ultra (test report) and Sony Xperia 1 II ( Test report).
Even apart from the camera, the device still cuts a very good figure. This is also shown by the constantly high price of the model, which is only available from around 820 Euro. In addition to the very chic exterior, the smartphone scores with 6.8 inches (approx. 17 cm) large OLED screen with 120 Hz and 1440 p + resolution. The Snapdragon 865 of the model is flanked by 8 GB of RAM, data can be found in at least 128 GB of internal memory space. As popular with Chinese manufacturers, it is not expandable (even with the Poco phone), but the update supply is good and Android 11 already available .
4th place: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra Apart from the little things mentioned above, there are few smartphones that can do more than the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (test report). The device offers a 6.9 inch (approx. 18 cm) large (huge!) OLED display with 120 Hz and 1440 p + resolution, a very good quad camera with up to 108 Megapixels, a strong Exynos 990 when Drive, full 12 GByte RAM and at least 256 GByte expandable internal memory. In addition, there is something that hardly any other smartphone offers in this form: a stylus. Too bad: Samsung only builds one battery with 4400 mAh, that’s a bit tight. Also Android 11 It is not available yet.
5th place: Huawei P 40 Pro Plus 6.6 inches (approx. 17 cm) OLED screen with 90 Hz, Kirin 990, 8 GByte RAM and 512 GByte internal memory – The warehouse in particular should put a grin on the face of many interested parties. It is even comparatively “common”. Because the Huawei P 40 Pro Plus (test report) also offers a ceramic back, fast wireless charging and, above all, double optical magnification: 3 and 10-subject. Hardly any other smartphone can do this and allows smartphone photographers even more flexibility when taking photos. The quality is Huawei-moderately good, especially in low light there is hardly any other manufacturer in 2020. Incidentally, the battery only provides 3687 mAh for decent runtimes – some competitors should learn a slice of this.
Why then not the device further up in this top 10 is? Quite simply: Because of the US ban, Huawei’s current smartphones still come without Google services. Among other things, this means: No Play Store, no functioning banking apps and other restrictions that the manufacturer has still not been able to adequately compensate for. Too bad – otherwise the P 40 Pro Plus been a contender for the throne.
6th place: Huawei Mate 40 Per This also applies to another great smartphone from Huawei: the Mate 40 Pro (test report). The device comes with an even larger OLED display, it measures 6.7 inches (approx. 16 cm) and also offers 90 Hz. The triple cam is as brilliant as in the P 40 Pro Plus, but dispenses with double optical zoom. The new Kirin 900, the one with at least 8 / 256 GByte memory is combined. Particularly fast 66 – Watt fast charging charges the 4400 mAh strong battery enormously fast, wirelessly it still works with fast 50 Watt. Unfortunately, the same applies here: No Google services (or adequate replacement) – no better ranking. We still think the device is great!
Place 7: Xiaomi Mi 10 Per In the previous year there was still a Mi-9 model at the top of the podium, with the Mi – 10 series, however, Xiaomi has tightened the price screw. Accordingly, the “cheap daughter” Poco is now on top, the Wed 10 Pro (test report) joins below. This is a really good smartphone that does not have any of the quirks of the Note in the long-term test 20 Ultra featured: 6.7 inches (approx. 17 cm) OLED with 90 Hz, great quad cam with 108 Megapixels like Samsung, Snapdragon 865 and 8 / 256 GByte memory – that’s pretty neat. The battery ensures good running times, the charging times are thanks to 50 watts short. Wireless takes a little longer.
8th place: Oppo Find X2 Pro Had the Oppo Find X2 Pro We haven’t finished testing it at the time of writing this article, but the impression we got up to that point convinced us to include the device in our annual best list. The main reason is the great price-performance ratio: While all but the first three models are at least 900 Euros in the smallest variant, the Find X2 Pro is currently with a ceramic back for only around 750 to have euros.
However, there is no worse technology for a long time, on the contrary. This offers 6.7 inches (approx. 17 cm) large OLED panel 120 Hz frame rate, the triple cam with up to 48 Megapixels also wide angle and telephoto lens and a Snapdragon comes as a drive 865 with full 12 GB of RAM used – wow! Added to this are 512 GByte internal memory – that it is not expandable should really be don’t bother anyone anymore. The battery is with its 4200 mAh maybe a little tight, with full 64 But the watt recharges extremely quickly. Wireless charging is missing, IP 67 – certification (as opposed to our number One and the ninth-placed model) is included.
Place 9: Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G The Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 5G (test report) is actually a really great device that offers real added value with its still quite new folding display technology. So it puts contents folded up on its 6.2 inches (approx. 16 cm) “small” OLED screen, when unfolded it is a proud 7.6 inches ( approx. 19 cm) OLED with 120 Hz – great! The camera with main, wide and telephoto lens also convinced in the test and the Snapdragon 865 Plus afforded With 12 GByte RAM no weakness.
Even 256 GByte internal memory is ok, only the battery with 4500 mAh should have been a bit larger. However, this was not noticed negatively in the test. The problem with great technology: the price. At the time of this article, the model costs over 1300 Euros even more than an iPhone 12 Pro Max. As soon as that drops further, the Fold 2 becomes a really interesting smartphone.
Place 10: Apple iPhone 12 Max Pro Yes, the iPhone 12 Max Pro is Apple’s spearhead, but what’s the point of a price of still over 1200 Euro for the version with 128 GByte? Technically, Apple often only offers standard food: OLED with 6.7 inches (approx. 17 cm) and 60 Hz, (good) quad cam with up to 12 Megapixels, the really fast Apple-A 14 -Chipset and 6 GB of RAM. Before Apple fans scream: Yes, the hardware is easily enough and cannot be directly compared with an Android phone – it depends on “the inner values”. And then everything is correct again – even if the battery is also 3687 mAh seems a bit weak and the maximum charging power at 20 watts is limited to the maximum (Qi 7.5 watts).
Plus point for the iPhone: Everything comes from a single source, so Apple hardware and software work together as perfectly as possible. This is different with some androids. In addition, the resale value of iPhones remains quite stable, which puts the high purchase price into perspective. And last but not least, iPhones get updates longer than Android smartphones – exemplary! Who wants to know when he will use the iPhone 12 Max Pro should buy: We looked at this in this article (guide).
Conclusion An iPhone on the last, a Poco- Phone in first place? A look at the price explains a lot of it. And place 10 does not mean that the Apple smartphone is bad, after all, it is in the top at all 10 of the best smartphones. Which model would you have seen in first place?
If you want to spend less (apart from the Poco phone), you will find suitable smartphones in our top 10 of the best smartphones up to 500, to 400 and until 300 Euro. Here at the latest there should be something for everyone.
Permalink: https://techstage.de/-4992804
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Best List Flagship smartphone Smartphone Smart home switches and buttons: Cleverly at the push of a button Sound Liberty 80 in the Test: Good True Wire less middle class
Lately GitHub is introducing several new features on its website, such as a dark mode in the main portal of the page, or a method to automatically check the code for vulnerabilities. However, in a GitHub blog post we have seen interesting news, and that is that have managed to avoid the appearance of those annoying notices in which we are informed of cookies used by the different web pages we visit for different purposes, as explained later.
The way in which they have achieved it is very simple , and to the surprise of some, it is contemplated in European laws, and it is simply not to use unnecessary cookies for the operation of the web , thus removing advertisements or other content that uses cookies to track us during our browsing sessions.
As dangerous as it may sound, generally tracking is used to identify us , create analytics, and deliver advertisements that may be of interest , so that, if we have been Looking for microwaves online for example, the chances that we will see ads about microwaves in the coming days are quite high.
GitHub mentions that they will continue to work to protect the privacy of developers who use GitHub for their projects, and add that they will extend privacy protections from the European Union to all GitHub users , regardless of their location, thus making GitHub a safe place for everyone.
End of Article. Tell us something in the Comments or come to our Forum!
Jordi Bercial
Avid enthusiast of technology and electronics . I mess around with computer components almost since I learned to ride. I started working at Geeknetic after winning a contest on their forum for writing hardware articles. Drift, mechanics and photography lover. Don’t be shy and leave a comment on my articles if you have any questions.
Matthew Wilson 2 hours ago Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming
We won’t just be seeing Diablo 4 at BlizzCon Online in early 2021, Blizzard also has confirmed plans to show off progress on Overwatch 2. Overwatch lead, Jeff Kaplan, discussed the plans in an announcement post this week.
In the Overwatch Development Update video, Kaplan explains that we will be seeing more of Overwatch 2 at Blizzcon in February. This follows a lengthy period of silence on the project, as the developers have not said much since initially announcing the sequel in 2019.
“Can’t wait to talk to you more about Overwatch 2, can’t wait to show you more with Overwatch 2. We know it’s been too long, we know we’ve been quiet, and we still have a ways to go, just to manage expectations.”
Kaplan warns to manage expectations, so it doesn’t sound like we’ll be getting a huge reveal with a release date or open beta announcement. However, we will be seeing a bit more of the game than we did last year. Perhaps this time around, Blizzard will also be a bit clearer on its messaging, as the initial announcement for Overwatch 2 and how it is positioned next to Overwatch 1 caused a lot of confusion.
KitGuru Says: Do many of you still play Overwatch? Are you looking forward to the sequel at all?
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(Pocket-lint) – Everyone knows a Star Wars fan. At this point, the Lucasfilm space opera is so ubiquitous that it might be an elderly relative or a young greenhorn, but you’re pretty much guaranteed to know someone who feels the Force.
What order should you watch all the Star Wars films?
With Rise of the Skywalker having concluded the Skywalker Saga, now is as good a time as any to indulge in some Star Wars toy goodness. A Star Wars-themed gadget or toy is a pretty safe bet for a gift or a bit of self-indulgence.
So, we’ve rounded up some of the neatest options, from remote-controlled droids to your very own lightsaber.
Amazon
The Skywalker Saga
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Now that one of cinema’s greatest and longest-running sagas is complete, it’s the perfect time to get your hands on a complete set of the films on Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you’re happy to splash out a significantly higher price. It’ll net you some of the most exciting films ever made, with oodles of bonus material to peruse as well.
Shero
Sphero BB-8
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The Sphero BB-8 is a must-have toy for any Star Wars fan, and practically an institution at this point. The dinky robot companion is one of the big stars of the Star Wars franchise, and now you can control your very own robot sidekick. You can get a BB-8 either on its own, where you use an app on your smartphone to control it, or with a Force Band, which lets you use the force to move him in different directions.
Sphero also launched a range of app-enabled droids including R2-D2, R2-Q5, and BB9-E. As with BB-8, you can watch the Star Wars films with any of the droids and they will react to various scenes. They will even interact with each other if you have them all rolling around your floor at home.
Now, Sphero has actually stopped making these droids, but there’s still stock to be found all over the place, so don’t despair!
Amazon
D-O Interactive Droid
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If you loved The Rise of Skywalker, though, you might be looking out for a slightly newer droid buddy. D-O is straight out of the newest film, and looks to be an absolute cutie. This interactive toy lets you control the droid, but also play various games with it, and even set it to passively follow you around, if quiet companionship is more what you’re looking for.
Disney
Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition
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The only major ongoing Star Wars story right now is being told through The Mandalorian on Disney+, and the breakout star is The Child – okay, yes, Baby Yoda.
This great animatronic doll of TV’s cutest ever alien, and is perfect for playing with as if you’ve got your very own little companion.
Amazon
The Child Funko Pop
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This Funk Pop is looking like one of the hottest collectables going at the moment, recreating our choice adorable cutie from Disney+’s The Mandalorian and somehow making him even cuter than before.
Amazon
Star WarsMonopoly: The Force Awakens Edition
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You can choose whether to play on the Empire or Rebels’ side in this novelty version of Monopoly, based on Star Wars. It’s capitalism, but not as you know it – hotels are replaced by bases, and addresses by planets. As any family knows, though, don’t blame Monopoly when you start to lose patience with each others’ ruthless business decisions.
Amazon
LittleBits Droid Inventor Kit
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Using LittleBits electronic blocks technology and the free Droid Inventor app, kids big and small will be able to teach their R2 robot new tricks and take it on more than 16 missions across the Star Wars universe. It now includes coding, too, so younglings (and older users) can unlock six extra in-app challenges, which get them programming using a simple drag-and-drop system.
Amazon
Star Wars 3D Death Star Wall Light
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If you like the idea of a terrifying space station in the bedroom, this 3D Death Star wall light comes complete with a wall crack decal to make it appear as though it has crashed through your wall. The light is battery-powered so can be placed anywhere in your room and uses LED bulbs to light it up.
Amazon
Lego Star Wars Millenium Falcon
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Star Wars Lego is the best Lego – you heard it here first. There are a great range of amazing Star Wars-themed sets, but perhaps the pick of the bunch is the old classic, the Millenium Falcon. Generations of kids have yearned to build the Falcon in Lego form, so don’t hang about – snap it up!
Lego
Lego Star Wars The Mandalorian Bounty Hunter Transport Starship
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One of the very newest Lego Star Wars kits available is this superb recreation of the central starship from The Mandalorian, our hero’s transport and sometime home to Baby Yoda.
It’s a unique design that looks set to become really iconic in its own right.
Amazon
Star Wars Kylo Ren Force FX Lightsaber
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Channel your inner Star Wars villain with this high-quality replica lightsaber, the weapon of a certain Kylo Ren. It features realistic light effects, plays authentic sounds from the movie, and comes complete with a tasteful display stand.
Amazon
Luke Skywalker Battle Simulation Helmet
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We’ve all fancied ourselves a bit of a Luke Skywalker at one time or another, right? Stared up at two moons in the sky, wondering when destiny will come our way. Well, wait no longer – this premium replica helmet will make you feel about as Skywalker-y as is likely in this galaxy, with sound effects to make you feel like you’re at the Battle of Yavin yourself.
A talented phone for music and movies, and well worth considering if you want a smaller or cheaper alternative to the Award-winning Xperia 1 II
For
Impressive Full HD video
Impressive sound
Smart design
Against
4K video lacks detail
Sony’s smartphone output seems somewhat erratic. The Xperia 5 II is the second Sony smartphone we’ve reviewed in 2020, following something of an extended hiatus. There have been Xperia phones in the preceding years, but you’d be forgiven for not noticing as Sony hasn’t really made much noise about them.
That has changed this year and the Sony Xperia 5 II follows the Xperia 1 II, which won our smartphone Product of the Year Award for delivering a level of video and audio performance above that of other flagship Android phones. On paper, it looks like this model can impress us in a similar way: it’s smaller, cheaper and has similar specs, so what’s not to like?
Features
(Image credit: Sony)
We’re not entirely on board with Sony’s naming convention. “5 II” isn’t the clearest of model names – even before you realise that it’s actually smaller than the 1 II. Here we have a 6.1in OLED screen with a 2520 x 1080 resolution, unlike the 4K screen on the larger model – one of the key differences between the Xperia 5 II and the 1 II. But while we’re missing those extra pixels, we do get an upgrade to a 120Hz display.
Elsewhere, the spec sheet is almost identical, which is no bad thing. That means a 21:9 aspect ratio screen, which makes for a slimline handset. Of course, the bezel is ‘barely there’ thin and there are subtlety curved edges to the frame. The camera bump on the back is clear but less obtrusive than on other phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Sony Xperia 5 II tech specs
(Image credit: Sony)
Display 6.1in OLED
Resolution 2520 x 1080 (450 ppi)
Front camera 8MP
Rear camera Quad 12MP
RAM 8GB
OS Android 10
Storage 256GB + microSD
Sony opts to have the fingerprint sensor on the right-hand side of the phone. It’s reliable and fast, though easier to accidentally wake in your pocket. It’s also trickier to operate if your phone is flat on a surface. There are buttons below the fingerprint scanner for one-touch access to Google Assistant and the camera. Again, we find them easy to press accidentally, especially when making calls, but once you know they’re there, it’s easily avoided.
More welcome is the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, a microSD slot inside the SIM card tray and the now-standard USB-C connection at the bottom of the phone. The Android 10 operating system is well integrated and while there are some apps in your way when you fire up the phone, they can be removed to leave a clean and quick interface.
The same 12MP f/1.7 wide lens, 12MP f/2.4 telephoto lens and 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide lenses are here, which means the same Sony Pro features, but also excellent images that are natural and detailed when simply using the standard auto mode.
Again, Sony is using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset and 8GB of RAM, and its operation proves fast and responsive. There’s the same 4000mAh battery, fast-charging for 50 per cent power in 30 minutes, and support for wireless charging, too.
Screen
(Image credit: Sony)
We were blown away by the performance of the 4K screen on the Xperia 1 II, so we’re intrigued to see how this phone compares. Of course, it’s not just a smaller screen here, it’s also a lower resolution. But the good news is that for a lot of the time, you may not really notice.
Watching SD and HD content, we’re hard-pressed to discern any notable differences. This Xperia 5 II delivers sharp, detailed and colourful images. Motion is smooth and there’s little sign of noise. When it comes to much of the video you’re likely to be watching, this phone looks great.
But with 4K content, you will notice a comparative difference. This is when the 4K resolution screen of the Xperia 1 II really shines. You see more detail, sharper edges and a greater resolution on show – those extra PPIs (pixels per inch) really do make a difference. That doesn’t make this Xperia 5 II screen a bad one, but if you want the ultimate UHD experience on a mobile, you need a phone with a true 4K screen.
However, if you’re an avid mobile gamer, you will appreciate the 120Hz screen – it makes graphics smoother and will improve your playing experience.
Sound
(Image credit: Sony)
The Xperia 1 II established a new benchmark for sound quality, so we’re hopeful this model can replicate that success. And it almost does. Using the headphone jack or via the wireless connection, we are treated to a musical, clear and dynamic sound.
The Xperia 5 II successfully delivers something akin to a hi-fi performance, offering scale and authority with the stirring strings and deep bass of the Inception OST, while sounding upbeat and light on its feet with Atlas by Bicep.
But as we listen to Blonde by Roger Eno & Brian Eno and compare it with the Xperia 1 II, it’s clear this phone is missing a layer of detail. The larger Award-winning smartphone manages to peel back one more layer of texture to the track. Playing Chromatics’ Famous Monsters, the Xperia 1 II delivers more punch alongside that extra clarity. That’s not to say we’re in any way disappointed with what we hearing from this model, but the 1 II does pip it.
Sony’s LDAC technology, which allows for hi-res audio transmission and aims to maximise performance over Bluetooth, is present here too, and you’ll be made aware when you connect an LDAC device and asked to choose between the highest quality, “Sound quality preferred”, or opt for “Best effort”, which will adapt based on your network connectivity.
Verdict
For many people, a smartphone choice is a straight battle between Apple and Samsung. But if you value music and video performance highly, you really should consider these latest Sony phones.
While its pricier sibling still edges it for 4K video performance and ultimate sound quality, the more compact and affordable Sony Xperia 5 II remains a terrific choice.
Short tests: SD memory cards, smart speakers and corrective lenses for VR headsets SD cards: Samsung Evo Plus / Pro Plus Smart Speaker: Google Nest Audio Corrective lenses for VR headsets: VR optician Samsung is launching a new range of SD memory cards: Evo Plus and Pro Plus, each with 32, 64, 128 and 256 GByte storage capacity available.
The successor to the smart speaker Google Home is hardly recognizable: Under the woven fabric of the Nest Home, powerful Better hardware and better sound.
People with ametropia often wear glasses under VR headsets. During long sessions, however, the pressure of the temples on the head or the wobbling of the glasses when the head moves quickly is bothersome. Virtual worlds can be explored more comfortably with corrective lens inserts.
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(Pocket-lint) – Lenovo makes several of the very best laptops that sit under the four-figure mark. And this, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7, is probably the one you should buy.
Sure, the MacBook Air is a more exciting prospect, and even more powerful. But the Yoga Slim 7 is actually one of the best reasons not to buy a MacBook in 2021. Oh, and we should probably mention it’s hundreds cheaper too.
Its build quality is superb, it almost certainly has more power than you need, its screen is excellent in most respects, and the AMD version (as reviewed here) can even handle some recent-ish games well enough.
Lenovo once again gives us a masterclass on how to make a world-class laptop for under a grand. There’s very little reason to spend any more unless you need an ultra-high-resolution screen.
Design
Dimensions: 320.6mm x 208mm x 14.9mm
1.4kg claimed weight (1.326kg measured)
Finishes: Slate Grey / Orchid Purple
Aluminium shell design
High-end laptops are an odd category. Sometimes when you spend more to jump up a league, you end up with a laptop that feels less expensive. A lot of the most pricey ones use magnesium alloys rather than primarily aluminium ones: lighter but less metallic to the touch.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7’s case panels are aluminium. It leads to weight of 1.3kg rather than, well, a couple of hundred grammes less, but you get the same lovely cool-to-the-touch feel as a MacBook.
Pocket-lint
The screen is stiff, the keyboard doesn’t bow under the pressure of your fingers, and it’s a classy-looking laptop in a minimalistic sort of way.
This isn’t quite the device you might expect given that it’s part of the Yoga series, though. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7’s screen folds open to 180 degrees, not a hybrid-style 360 degrees, and it does not have a touchscreen.
It’s definitely a laptop, not a lifestyle gadget that thinks it can replace an iPad. Lenovo has its eyes on MacBook Air buyers, thus some of the core stats are similar. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 is 16mm thick, just like an Air, and the weight is more-or-less the same too.
Display
14-inch IPS panel, 300 nits birghtness
1920 x 1080 pixel resolution
No touchscreen control
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 has a 14-inch IPS LCD screen. It’s here we see this laptop start to move away from one that costs hundreds more – but less so than you might guess.
Pocket-lint
This is a 1080p screen, which means you’ll see slight pixellation in small fonts. Lenovo does make a 4K version, but this doesn’t seem to be sold as widely as the Full HD Yoga 7 Slim.
In almost every other respect, though, we have no complaints. It actually outperforms Lenovo’s own claims in some areas.
For example, Lenovo says the 1080p Yoga 7 Slim reaches 300-nit brightness. But it actually hits 385 nits by our measure. That extra headroom makes the display look clearer outdoors, and it also has a reflection-reducing matte finish. When you have some high-end laptops touting 500 nits as some kind of untouchable achievement, it shows just how well set this laptop is.
Lenovo says the screen’s colour matches the sRGB colour standard, the old industry standard for monitors and printers. But its colour coverage is actually 20 per cent richer than that by our measure.
Sure, a MacBook Air or Dell XPS 13 has deeper colour still, but you only need to worry about that if you’ll colour grade video or do other pro imaging work. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7’s colour looks well-saturated to our eyes.
Part of that eyeball-pleasing effect is thanks to the display’s great contrast: it’s 1762:1 at max brightness, which is an excellent result for an LCD screen. Blacks don’t look washed out and grey.
Pocket-lint
All it really lacks in this class is the slick presentation you get from a glass-topped glossy screen. The screen image of a glossy display can seem to “pop” more than a matte one like this, and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 has a plastic top layer with a slightly raised surround.
However, this is more a result of the decision to use a matte finish than a way for Lenovo to save a few pennies when making the Yoga Slim 7.
Keyboard & Touchpad
2-level white LED backlight
NUMPAD-free chiclet keyboard
Wide aspect textured glass trackpad
Want some more proof Lenovo isn’t cost-cutting on the sly? The Yoga Slim 7 has a mid-size textured glass touchpad.
Pocket-lint
This laptop sits right at the border where we tend to see manufacturers switch from using relatively cheap plastic pads to fancier glass ones. Seeing textured glass in a laptop range that starts at this price is by no means a given though.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 ‘pad also has zero pre-click wobble, and nice’n’firm clicker feedback. We also saw zero driver or sensitivity issues, which often makes us disable tap-based button response in Windows 10.
In short: this is one of the best pads you’ll see in this class.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7’s keyboard is less remarkable, but still does the job perfectly well. Key travel is limited, much less than Lenovo’s famously deep ThinkPad laptops, but the actuation feedback is good.
Pocket-lint
This is a relatively fast and light-feeling keyboard. It has a two-level backlight as well, and we switched it on more than usual. The key lettering contrast drops off when there’s a light pointing directly at the keyboard as the keys and surround are a metallic grey, with less contrast in their colour than some.
At a glance you’d guess there’s no fingerprint scanner here. But the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 does have one built into the power button on the side.
Apple macOS 11 Big Sur: All the key new Mac features explored
Performance & Speakers
2x 2W speakers with Dolby Atmos DSP
Ryzen 7 4700U CPU with Vega 8 graphics
8GB DDR4X RAM
Lenovo makes both Intel and AMD versions of the Yoga 7 Slim. Our review model is an AMD one with a Ryzen 7 4700U, 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD.
Pocket-lint
This setup is not quite as powerful as a MacBook Air’s M1 processor, but it is better than the 10th Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 you might find in another model. You can get a Core i7 CPU version of this same laptop for a mite more, but we’d stick with AMD.
While the Intel offers better performance in single-core apps, the AMD has twice the number of cores, at eight. And while this is a low-voltage processor made for slim and light laptops, it is punchy.
Windows 10 runs like a dream on the Yoga 7 Slim. This is helped by the very fast SSD, which reads data at a shade under 3500MB/s. Once again: no budget-related cuts here.
The Yoga 7 Slim’s Ryzen 7 4700U also has better built-in graphics than anything on the Intel side (bar the latest 11th Generation chipsets with the “Xe” GPU). You may not get a full gaming laptop experience here, but given it slots into a slim and light case we’re pretty happy.
You can play Skyrim at Ultra graphics, 1080p resolution, and see frame rates that hop between 30fps and 40fps depending on what’s on-screen. Subnautica runs well at 1080p, Low graphics. You lose out on some of the more atmospheric visual effects at this setting, but the game still looks good.
The Witcher 3 is more of a challenge, but is still playable. Stick to 900p resolution and you can play at Low settings, 30ps, comfortably, or at Medium if you can live with some dips to the 20fps range when you get into combat or walk around cities.
A laptop with an Nvidia MX450 graphics card, like the HP Envy 13, will run games better. It’s 50-100 per cent more powerful, depending on context. But the results from the Yoga 7 Slim are still much better than those of a vanilla 10th Gen Intel laptop.
Pocket-lint
The Yoga 7 Slim also has respectable speakers, with some caveats to note. There are drivers to each side of the keyboard, in those obvious hole-pocked grilles.
While not quite MacBook-grade, the sound does have some real mid-range output and good volume. But much of that comes from the Dolby Atmos digital signal processing.
Atmos is traditionally a way to add height channels to a mix, whether with real speakers or virtual ones. But in laptops this software’s main effect is to max-out the performance of little drivers.
You hear it in full effect in the Lenovo Yoga 7 Slim, as the speakers sound weak, quiet and thin with Dolby Atmos disabled. Switched on the audio does tend to sound manipulated, which is a combination of the processing’s effect on the soundstage and that the laptop’s drivers are being pushed to their limits when volume is near full. Still, the result remains more powerful than that of some laptops in this price band.
Connections & Webcam
720p webcam with IR for login
1x HDMI, 2x USB-C (1x with DisplayPort)
Connections on laptops are a bit like headphone jacks on phones. Spend more and you often end up with fewer ports. The Yoga 7 Slim has plenty for our needs. You get two USB-C – the standard outlay for an ultra-pricey laptop – plus a stack of “older” connections.
Pocket-lint
There’s a full-size HDMI, two USB 3.2 ports, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack. It’s only missing connectors that frankly don’t belong on a laptop like this in 2020, such as an Ethernet port and VGA connector.
We like that Lenovo recognises not everyone who buys a Yoga 7 Slim will have switched entirely to USB-C peripherals.
That said, the webcam doesn’t get the same attention. It’s a 720p camera with a soft, dull image. You can use the camera to login, because there’s a Windows Hello-compatible IR camera by its side. This is used to recognise your face regardless of the light level. The webcam itself doesn’t hold up so well in low light.
Battery Life
60.4Wh battery
65/95W charging (65W adapter included)
Charging over USB-C
Lenovo makes a massive statement about the Yoga 7 Slim’s battery, that it can last up to 17.5 hours. We were fully prepared to do our usual spiel about how manufacturers test their laptops’ batteries with benchmarks from the 1970s, using screen settings so dim you can’t even see the display. And then, well, we did some testing of our own.
Five hours of 1080p streamed YouTube at 60 per cent brightness only saw the charge level drop to 70 per cent, suggesting a total runtime of about 16 hours 40 minutes.
Pocket-lint
That seemed almost unbelievably long, so we tried playing The Witcher 3 until the battery died. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7’s brightness was maxed and we minimised graphics settings and resolution, to increase the load on the CPU while still using 100 per cent of the GPU’s power. We started at 4:58pm, it died at 6:47pm. A shade under two hours: better than the vast majority of gaming laptops but then again the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 doesn’t have a dedicated power-hungry GPU.
We like to rely as much on real-world use as possible for our reviews at Pocket-lint. But the Lenovo Yoga 7 Slim’s battery really caught our interest, so we put it through some more battery benchmarks.
PC-testing suite PCMark 10 has a series of tests that emulate the workloads of real-world situations. We tried “modern office”, which uses some basic browsing and productivity apps punctuated by some gaps, stand-ins for your going to make a cup of tea or slacking off on your phone.
The Yoga 7 Slim lasts 20 hours 1 minute at 50 per cent screen brightness, using its CPU-throttling Battery Saver mode. This seemed ridiculous so we re-ran the test at 73 per cent brightness and took off the processor limits. It still lasted 18 hours 11 minutes.
We give in. It’s all true. The Lenovo Yoga 7 Slim lasts forever.
Pocket-lint
Its battery is big at 60.7Wh, 17 per cent higher capacity than the latest Dell XPS 13. But the real hero here is the AMD Ryzen 4700U, which scales so well between exertion levels it starts to look more like the revolutionary Apple M1 CPU.
Charging speed is less impressive, though. It takes around 2.5 hours to charge from flat. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 uses USB-C to charge and comes with a 65W adapter. This laptop does support a form of fast-charging, for 50 per cent juice in 30 minutes – much like a decent Android phone – but this requires Lenovo’s 95W charger (and we didn’t get one in the box).
Verdict
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 is never going to be as renowned as the MacBook Air and Dell XPS 13, but we think it’s a better all-round buy for many. Apple charges a premium for the most comparable Air spec. The closest Dell XPS 13 config costs even more and is worse at playing games.
But it’s not all about money. The Yoga Slim 7 has a lovely aluminium casing, lots of power, lots of storage, a vibrant screen, an excellent glass trackpad, and incredibly long battery life.
Yes, we’d love the Yoga Slim 7 even more if its speakers had higher quality drivers and it had a webcam without cataracts. But would we pay hundreds more for them? Not a chance. As it is this is one of the best laptops available at this price point.
Also consider
Pocket-lint
HP Envy 13
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Pound for pound the HP Envy 13 is probably the most alluring alternative to the Yoga. We loved the late 2019 version for its power and all-metal build, all at the right price. The 2020 update nets you much better gaming performance, thanks to an Nvidia MX450 graphics card. But the Lenovo lasts longer, has a more powerful CPU and a glass touchpad.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
MacBook Air 13
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Ok, so the MacBook Air is a more interesting laptop than the Lenovo Yoga 7, but is it a better buy? For video editing and other intensive jobs we’d buy the Air. Use M1 processor-optimised apps and performance will be better, and the battery will last far longer. However, thanks to Apple’s pricey upgrades system the Lenovo costs a stack less if you need 512GB storage rather than 256GB.
Read our review
Pocket-lint
Dell XPS 13
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The Dell is Windows laptop royalty. But if you’re into the core substance of computing it simply seems clear the Lenovo is a better buy. It’s more powerful, using multi-core optimised apps, the battery is bigger and lasts longer. The XPS 13’s benefits are all to do with design and portability. It has a smaller footprint, is 4mm thinner, and slightly lighter. You’ll have to decide if that’s worth several hundred pounds.
Tour through the make laboratory: In our measuring device overview, we present useful to indispensable measuring and testing devices for the maker workstation.
Measuring instruments for makers: oscilloscopes and more for home use Multimeter Oscilloscope Logic analyzer Function generator Agilent 34401 A Philips PM 6654 C HP 8643 A Article in Make Magazine 6 / 2020 read At the latest when the inclined electronics hobbyist has reached the “painting by numbers” stage (i.e. plugging together prefabricated Has left assemblies according to the instructions) and would like to devote himself to his own creations, the question arises of the required measuring instruments – and of course the financial resources to be raised. Thanks to a wide range of offers, the hobby no longer drives a maker to ruin, even if it is sometimes worth investing a little more money by less than 100 Euro throw back without having to forego relevant functions. However, if you plan in the long term, you will probably only find important performance features in more expensive devices. “Who buys cheap, buys twice” postulated the grandmother, and numerous bankruptcies in the case of hastily bought bargains substantiate this thesis: A measuring device has to function properly in every situation, otherwise it does not live up to its name. On a good instrument you should at least 20 Have years of pleasure, because it is not made to the standards of consumer electronics, it will be a (too) cheap one with wobbly buttons and unreliable switches or annoying a hair-raising operability every day.
This applies in particular to oscilloscopes, which no maker can avoid in the medium term: you can quickly check pulse sequences or alternating voltages with higher frequencies do, and the multimeter just doesn’t help. Once purchased, you will never want to do without it again – and that is why it is probably the least worthwhile to save at the wrong end.
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Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Measuring instruments for makers: oscilloscopes and more for home use Multimeter Oscilloscope Logic analyzer Function generator Agilent 34401 A Philips PM 6654 C HP 8643 A Article in Make Magazine 6 / 2020 read
(Pocket-lint) – Amazon’s Alexa is great, a voice assistant that can control all manner of smart home products, answer questions you may have and play the music you request. The Amazon Echo devices aren’t the only speakers that offer the capable Alexa assistant though – there are numerous third party options that have embraced Alexa too.
From portable speakers to Alexa-compatible soundbars, we’ve gathered together the very best Amazon Echo alternatives. If you’re after Google Assistant speakers, we have a feature for those too.
Pocket-lint
Sonos One (2nd gen)
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Sonos entered the Alexa-enabled speaker market with the Sonos One. As well as Alexa, it also offers Google Assistant too, making it one of the most capable smart speakers around. As you’d expect, it sounds fantastic and looks just as good too, though not all of Alexa’s skills are available as yet.
If you want one of the best sounding speakers around though, with Sonos multi-room capabilities and Alexa built-in, look no further. Sonos also offers a cut-down version of the Sonos One – Sonos One SL – that doesn’t have the smart element, if you’re not so fussed about it.
Sonos One review: Superb sound with added bonus of Alexa and Google Assistant
Pocket-lint
Libratone Zipp 2
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The Libratone Zipp 2 is a fantastic sounding portable speaker with interchangeable jackets. Sound is fired out in 360-degrees and the overall profile can be adjusted using the companion app.
In its second generation, the Zipp 2 is like an Amazon Echo Plus on steroids. It sticks to its successful roots, marrying great design with good sound, voice control and a decent app. The fact it’s portable also means you can take Alexa with you wherever you go.
Libratone Zipp 2 review: A sensational-sounding smart speaker
Pocket-lint
Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen
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Bang and Olufsen has refined an already impressive speaker with this refresher of its diminutive but powerful A1 wireless speaker. One of the key additions is built-in Alexa support, making it a smarter speaker than ever before.
Elsewhere, though, you get superb sound and a really distinctive and classy design, plus the build quality that B and O is known for. It’s by no means the best bit of value on this list or the wider market, but if you’re looking for a high-class mini speaker, it’s a superb pick.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen review: The portable Bluetooth speaker king
Pocket-lint
UE Megablast
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Ultimate Ears offers the Megablast (and smaller Blast), both offering always-on Alexa voice-control, that’s always listening out for your voice. The only caveat is that you need a Wi-Fi connection, so it can only be used at home.
Being a dedicated speaker first and foremost, the UE Megablast sounds fantastic and it’s portable and waterproof so while Alexa won’t work outside your Wi-Fi connection, the Megablast stills offer great portable speaker functionality around the house.
Ultimate Ears Megablast review: Mr Boombastic, say me fantastic
KitSound
KitSound Voice One
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The KitSound Voice One is essentially an Amazon Echo Plus, but with even better audio grunt. It was made in collaboration with Amazon, so you get the full Alexa experience, meaning it can answer questions, play music from various sources and control smart home devices.
It’s capable of hearing you speak from the other side of the room and up to eight Voice One speakers can be connected together for multi-room playback.
Kitsound Voice One speaker preview: First impressions of the 130 Amazon Echo competitor
Sonos
Sonos Move
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Sonos took a leap into the future (or the present, if you prefer) by finally releasing a portable speaker towards the end of 2019, and it’s a seriously impressive bit of kit. With that textbook Sonos sound balance and great volume, even when you’re outside, it’s a brilliantly versatile speaker.
When you’re at home, though, you can dock the speaker and have it connect to your home Wi-Fi to become a really capable smart speaker, with Alexa compatibility just like the Sonos One. It’s arguably the best of both worlds, although it does have a pretty hefty price tag to go with it.
Sonos Move review: Finally, a portable Sonos with Bluetooth connectivity
Pocket-lint
Bose Home Speaker 500
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The Bose Home Speaker 500 features a well-known Bose design but it adds a display on the front, which is quite unique for smart speakers. The Home Speaker 500 has eight mic arrays to make sure it hears your Alexa commands, and there is a chance other voice assistants could be added in the future too.
The Bose Home Speaker 500 supports Amazon’s multiroom platform, allowing you to group this speaker with other Alexa speakers and it also sounds excellent.
Bose Home Speaker 500 initial review: Alexa for audio connoisseurs?
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.
A place of pilgrimage not only for motorsport fans: the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart is a lush playground for photographers – full of shapes, colors and contrasts.
The first motifs can already be seen under the canopy – a look up into the reflective facade is enough. I found the sculpture “Inspiration 192”, about which everything at Porscheplatz revolves, in Morning light is less exciting than later in the afternoon. Because then I discovered that the museum building also reflects this optical fixed point when depicting it.
Eye-catcher: in front of the spectacular museum building the sculpture with the three s.
(Image: Porsche Museum)
What is immediately noticeable when entering the museum is the winking attention to detail: The corona distance markings painted on the floor in front of the museum ticket office are based on a starting grid on the racetrack. At the foot of the escalator, before the impressive staircase leads into the actual museum hall, a glass front provides a view of the museum workshop. Here the mechanics dedicate themselves to both historical and current vehicles.
Distance rule with style: Already on the At the museum, visitors feel almost like being on the racetrack.
In the museum itself, automobile and racing history awaits, from Porsche tractors to super sports cars of the most modern design. Approximately 80 Vehicles can be seen, including racing cars and production vehicles, prototypes and studies. Automobilophiles will want to grapple with the technical details of the exhibits down to the last detail, with the audio guide helping; Photographers will instead focus more on aesthetics.
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While EA Play won’t be coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC this year, things are going a bit better for Ubisoft and its partnership with Google Stadia. Back when Stadia was announced, Ubisoft said it had plans to bring uPlay+ (now known as Ubisoft+) to the cloud platform and now, the rollout has officially begun.
Ubisoft announced this week that Ubisoft+ is now officially supporting Google Stadia, meaning Ubisoft+ subscribers can use Stadia to stream the publisher’s biggest games without outright buying them and without the need for their own powerful gaming PC at home. Of course – you do need a powerful internet connection.
The rollout will take a little while, with US customers only having access to Ubisoft+ on Stadia at the moment. The service will be available to more Stadia users across the world in the coming days.
You don’t need to pay extra for Ubisoft+ on Stadia, although if you don’t subscribe to Stadia Pro, then you are limited to 1080p streaming. Meanwhile, a Stadia Pro subscription will net you access to 4K streaming with surround sound.
KitGuru Says: The Ubisoft+ library is no slouch, containing brand new releases like Watch Dogs Legion and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, in addition to the publisher’s back catalogue. Do any of you subscribe to Ubisoft+ already? Will you be trying some of those games via Stadia now that the streaming option is available?
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EA Play is now coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC in 2021
EA Play has already joined Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on consoles a few months ago. …
(Pocket-lint) – There are several options available if you’re in the market for a video doorbell, with Nest, Arlo and Netatmo all offering their own take on the smart doorbell and Ring providing five models alone.
The various options can be confusing, with some requiring hardwiring, while others can simply be stuck onto the front of your door.
This feature runs you through the differences between Ring’s video doorbells, Nest Hello, Arlo’s options and Netatmo’s Smart Video Doorbell to help you figure out which video doorbell is the right one for you.
Wired video doorbells
Nest
Nest Hello
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Features: Person detection, motion detection, sound detection, two-way talk and listen with noise and echo cancellation, quiet time, scheduling, Quick Responses, Google Assistant compatible, facial recognition, activity zones
Camera specs: 160-degree FOV, 4:3 aspect ratio, night vision, HDR imaging, 1600 x 1200 video, 60fps
Requirements: Wired
Subscription: £5/month or £50/year for 30 days recorded video, facial recognition and activity zones
Nest Hello is a slim, sleek video doorbell. It’s smaller than the Ring doorbells at 117 x 43 x 26mm and it’s more premium looking. Its small size is a result of it requiring hardwiring however, which is no problem if you already have a wired doorbell, but more of a process if you don’t.
A camera lens is at the top, a button with an LED ring is positioned at the bottom, and there is a microphone and a speaker, allowing you to have a conversation with the person at your door using the Nest app. There are Quick Responses in the app, enabling you to play a pre-recorded message to visitors, while a Quiet Time feature offers the ability to turn off the indoor chime for a set period of time.
Hello’s HD camera shows a head-to-toe image of the person at your door, as well as a group of around five people and it has night vision and HDR imaging. Hello also offers both person detection and facial recognition, as well as activity zones, though the latter two require a Nest Aware subscription.
Nest Hello is compatible with Google Assistant speakers. You can get visitor announcements in the Nest app and any Google Assistant-enabled speakers you have in your home will announce when someone is at the door. If you have a Nest Aware subscription and you’ve saved their face, it will announce who it is. For those with Nest Hub or the Nest Hub Max, both devices will automatically stream the Nest Hello’s view when the doorbell rings.
Read the full Nest Hello review
Ring
Ring Video Doorbell Pro
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Features: Two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, advanced adjustable motion detection, Alexa compatible, interchangeable face plates
Camera specs: 160-degree FOV, infrared night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Wired
Subscription: £2.50/month or £25/year for up to 30-days recorded video
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is the closest to the Nest Hello, offering a slim build and a rectangular shape but with straighter edges than the Nest option.
It measures 114.3 x 46.7 x 20.3mm, so it’s pretty close in size to the Hello and smaller than the wire-free Video Doorbell 3, though this is again down to it being hardwired. There is no battery option for this Ring model, meaning unless you have a wired doorbell already, the installation process is trickier than the other Ring models.
The Pro offers many of the same features as the Ring Video Doorbell 3 but it improves on some of them, including motion detection. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro has advanced motion detection, offering customisable motion zones – that you can draw on screen in the app – as well as human detection. There is no facial recognition though – you’ll need the Nest Hello doorbell for that.
The Pro has two-way talk with noise cancellation and it is also compatible with Alexa so you can ask the Echo Show to present your front door. It also has a 160-degree FOV and night vision so you’ll get the same picture quality as the Video Doorbell 3.
Read the full Ring Video Doorbell Pro review
zatznotfunny
Arlo Video Doorbell
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Features: Motion detection, two-way talk and listen, Quick Responses, Siren, Direct-to-mobile video calling, 1:1 aspect ratio, Google Assistant, Alexa compatible
Camera specs: 180-degree FOV diagonal, 1:1 aspect ratio, night vision, HDR, 1536 x 1536 video
Requirements: Wired
Subscription: Three-months free Arlo Smart, then from £2.49 a month for 30 days cloud storage
The Arlo Video Doorbell is slim and sleek, like the Nest Hello and Ring Video Doorbell Pro, as a result of it being another wired option so fine for those with a wired doorbell, but a little more hassle for those without.
There is a camera at the top and a button at the bottom and the Arlo Video Doorbell features a siren, that can sound automatically during an event, or be triggered remotely to deter intruders. As with the Nest Hello, the Arlo Video Doorbell has a number or pre-written responses that can be sent from the app if you aren’t home to answer the door, and there is two-way audio on board too.
Where the Arlo Video Doorbell differs from others on this list is it’s viewing angle. Rather than a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio, the Arlo Video Doorbell has a 180-degree field of view with a square aspect ratio, designed to allow you to see a person from head to toe, as well as any packages on the doorstep, for example.
The Arlo Video Doorbell will also video call your phone when someone has pushed the button, reducing the response delay found with some video doorbells when the notification has to go through the app. There’s no facial recognition like the Nest Hello, but the Arlo Video Doorbell has night vision, motion alerts and HDR video. It is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
There’s no longer a free tier on the subsciptions – if you want cloud storage after the initial trial finishes, you’ll need an Arlo Smart plan.
Netatmo
Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell
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Features: Alerts for attempted theft of doorbell, weatherproof, Apple HomeKit compatible, person detection, video call on smartphone when doorbell rings
Camera specs: HDR, infrared night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Wired
Subscription: MicroSD storage, no subscription required
Netatmo revealed its Smart Video Doorbell at CES 2019 but it’s not yet available to buy. It has a compact and elegant design – rectangular in shape and a little larger than the Nest Hello.
The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell is compatible with Apple’s HomeKit so you can ask Siri to show you your front door on your iOS device and it offers person detection too. Despite Netatmo’s Welcome camera offering facial recognition however, the Smart Video Doorbell doesn’t have this on its list of features.
It will alert you if someone tries to tamper with it though and it will video call you on your smartphone when someone rings the doorbell, like the Arlo Video Doorbell. The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell is wired so it will need to replace an existing wired doorbell or will need professional installation.
Battery-powered video doorbells
Ring
Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus
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Features: Pre-roll video capture, two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, adjustable motion detection, Alexa compatible, interchangeable face plates, quick-release removable battery pack
Camera specs: 160-degree FOV, night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Battery or wired
Subscription: £2.50/month or £25/year for up to 30-days recorded video
The Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is designed to be battery powered, for easy installation wherever you want to put it. In this latest version of the Ring, you get all the features you get elsewhere, but with the addition of pre-roll video.
Pre-roll video captures 4 seconds of video before the motion alert was triggered. That means you can look back a little further and see what happened before that person reached the door. The idea is to remove the potential for something to be missed because that person didn’t make it to the door, for example.
Otherwise, the feature set is the same as the Ring Video Doorbell 3. That includes the option for two-way conversations, adjustable motion detection zones, interchangable face plates and the option to run it from battery, or hook it up to existing wiring. Installation is really easy for battery-powered operation, with everything you need in the box.
Where the Video Doorbell 3 Plus (and 3) differ from the Video Doorbell 2, is that they offer 5GHz Wi-Fi in addition to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, but otherwise the quality of the video is the same at 1080p, with a 160-degree lens. Again, you get more options for storage with a Ring Protect Plan.
Read the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus review
Ring
Ring Video Doorbell 3
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Features: Two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, adjustable motion detection, Alexa compatible, interchangeable face plates, quick-release removable battery pack
Camera specs: 160-degree FOV, night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Battery or wired
Subscription: £2.50/month or £25/year for up to 30-days recorded video
The Ring Video Doorbell 3 replaces the Video Doorbell 2. As we said above, it’s basically the same device, but it offers additional Wi-Fi connectivity so will likely give you a more reliable connection, as well as offering improved motion detection. The 3 doesn’t get the pre-roll function of the 3 Plus, however.
Elsewhere, the features, functions, design and installation are all the same as the Video Doorbell 3 Plus or the Video Doorbell 2. As we said, this is essentially a replacement for the older device and while it will offer some slight changes, it is likely to be more expensive than the older model as a result.
Ring
Ring Video Doorbell 2
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Features: Two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, adjustable motion detection, Alexa compatible, interchangeable face plates, quick-release removable battery pack
Camera specs: 160-degree FOV, night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Battery or wired
Subscription: £2.50/month or £25/year for up to 30-days recorded video
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is the successor to Ring’s original Video Doorbell but has now been replaced by the Ring Video Doorbell 3. That might mean that you can find this model for cheaper than some other options, but the Wi-Fi might not be as good and the motion detection isn’t as good.
It does, however, offer the same quality of video capture and pretty much the same set of feautres, working through the app and offering you longer online storage of video with a Ring Protect subscription.
Read the full Ring Video Doorbell 2 review
Ring
Ring Video Doorbell
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Features: Two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, adjustable motion detection, Alexa compatible, interchangeable face plates, built-in battery pack
Camera specs: 155-degree FOV, night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Battery or wired
Subscription: £2.50/month or £25/year for up to 30-days recorded video
Ring has released a new version of its entry-level device, but has given it a technical upgrade. The Ring Video Doorbell supports 1080p video, so that’s the same resolution as other devices in the range and it also supports the same range of smart functions, along with the need for a subsciption if you want to access that captured video in the cloud.
Again, you get everything you need in the box and it connects wirelessly to your home network (2.4GHz only) and is battery powered. The big difference here is that the battery is part of the main unit, so rather than just removing the cover and swapping the battery, you’ll have to take it off and recharge, so you might be without a doorbell while that is happening. It’s more affordable as a result, however.
Ring
Ring Door View Cam
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Features: Two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, impact sensor, glass viewer, privacy zones, smart alerts, Alexa compatibility
Camera specs: Infrared night vision, 1080p
Requirements: Battery powered
Subscription: £2.50/month or £25/year for up to 30-days recorded video
The Ring Door View Cam adds a viewfinder, with the idea being that you replace your existing door viewer with the Door View Cam turning it into a security device. It’s really designed for those living in appartments or those who are renting.
The Door View Cam comes with many of the same features as other Ring video doorbells, including two-way talk and listen with noise cancellation, HD video and motion detection, but it adds a few extras too. An Impact Sensor will alert you if someone knocks on your door rather than pushes the doorbell for example, and Privacy Zones allow you to turn off audio recording, as well as block out certain zones in front of your doorbell.
Read the full Ring Door View Cam initial review
Arlo
Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell
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Features: Motion detection, two-way talk and listen, Quick Responses, Siren, Direct-to-mobile video calling, 1:1 aspect ratio, Google Assistant, Alexa compatible
Camera specs: 180-degree FOV diagonal, 1:1 aspect ratio, night vision, HDR, 1536 x 1536 video
Requirements: Battery
Subscription: Three-months free Arlo Smart, then from £2.49 a month for 30 days cloud storage
The newest addition to Arlo’s selection is the the Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell. It offers similar functionality to the wired version of this bell – except that you’ll need batteries to power it.
That will make installation easier, while still giving you at 1:1 view and access to Arlo’s AI features via a Smart subscription.
A note about price, availability and subscriptions…
Just buying a doorbell isn’t quite the end of the story. Arlo, Ring and Nest all offer subscription packages that you’ll want to consider, while Netatmo (when it finally launched) stores video locally meaning there are no extra charges with that device.
Ring offers video functions for the retail price, but you’ll need the Ring Protect subscription if you want to see recorded video or download video. At a basic level (£25/$30 a year or £2.50/$3 a month) it will save video from one camera for 30 days so you can review it after the fact (otherwise, if you don’t answer, you don’t see the video). The Protect Plus option covers you for unlimited cameras, but costs £80/$100 a year (£8/$10 monthly).
Nest offers video functions for its retail price too, but as with Ring, you’ll need a Nest Aware subscription to download videos, as well as access features like familiar face detection and activity zones. Otherwise you only get 3 hours of video you can look back at.
Nest Aware starts at £4/month or £40/year for storing 5 days of video. For £8/month or £80/year, you’ll get 10 days of video history and £24/month or £240/year will give you 30 days. The cost will add up if you have more Nest cameras too so be mindful of that.
Arlo has now scrapped its free cloud offering, so after the initial 3-month trial, you’ll have to have an Arlo Smart subscription or you’ll lose access to any sort of cloud storage. You’ll still be able to live view and answer calls, but there will be no record of what happened if you’re not paying. Arlo Smart costs from £2.49/$2.99 a month.
Conclusion
The Nest Hello has the strongest feature set of the smart doorbells being compared here, with facial recognition and visitor announcements both excellent elements. It also has a good aspect ratio for a wider shot, great video quality, HDR, and it offers extra features too, like quiet mode and scheduling.
Hello also has the most expensive subscription package though and it requires hardwiring, which makes it an expensive option, especially with professional installation. Still, for those with Google Home devices, it’s the option we’d recommend.
Ring’s Video Doorbell 3 is a cheaper alternative to Hello and though it lacks some of Nest’s features, it has the benefit of interchangeable plates, as well as running on batteries so installation is significantly easier. The Ring subscription options are also cheaper and it is Alexa compatible so for those with an Amazon Echo Show, it’s certainly the obvious choice. It’s likely to be the most popular device for those wanting a battery-powered video doorbell.
The Arlo Video Doorbell offers some great features including compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Home. It also has a 1:1 aspect ratio field of view, direct to mobile video calls and a nice design. The wire-free version is so new, it’s not widely available to buy yet.
The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell also goes back to hardwiring, meaning installation may not be that simple but if you’re an Apple HomeKit fan, it’s one of the only video doorbells compatible. It has some good features like person detection, a simple design and it stores videos locally so no need for any subscriptions. Only downside, you have to wait for it to be available.
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Chris Hall.
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