Sennheiser and Apogee have joined forces. For those looking for the purest audio quality the combination of these brands should excite. What Sennheiser and Apogee have come up is an attractive bundle that’s nothing less than the best of both worlds.
The HD 650 studio headphones feature an open construction for a broad, authentic stereo sound that really brings your range and feeling to your music. Added is the Apogee Groove to the bundle a USB DAC (digital-to-analogue-converter) with AD/DA converters – no fewer than 4 per channel – ensure audio conversion that’s accurate to the bit.
We have been sent the phone by O2, to test if second-hand phones bought from online classifieds / auction sites on the internet are ‘like new’. We know nothing of the site this was purchased from, the price, description or history of the phone, only that it was described as “like new” in the listing.
What O2 are outlining here is a real problem with second-hand phones and the sites they are sold through. The buyer isn’t protected by much more than an easily manipulated blanket policy. Take a look at the video below and feel the pain that many are having to deal with on a daily basis when they think they are getting a good deal just to save a few £’s.
With summer in full swing we have been graced with only a few long hot sun filled days, so entertaining your kids on their school holidays can be quite a challenge. With the new Argos catalogue being released on the 16th July expect a wide new range of technology and toys to make their summer a memorable one.
Argos has sent us a 10-inch tablet from the Alba range which you can see the unboxing video below with Gareth.
Out of the box, this tablet has an impressive 10.1inch screen, with a resolution of 1280×800. Unfortunately, there is a disappointing 144 pixel per inch pixel density. The screen is not as sharp or as clear as you would like but one has to remember that this is a mid-range budget tablet costing only £89.99. There are a few options within the tablet with Miravision to help sharpen the image on screen.
While trying out various combinations within these settings the screen still lacks in comparison to more expensive tablets but it still serves its purpose.
Out of the box, the tablet comes with two silicone bumpers for extra protection and also has the added bonus of a screen protector. Taking off the silicone casing the shell of the tablet is hard plastic but feels sturdy.
Powering the tablet we have the MTK quad core 1.3 Ghz processor with 1GB RAM. The tablet runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with 16 GB storage expandable up to 32 GB by MicroSD.
With the tablet held landscape you two speaker grills on the left-hand side. On the right-hand side you have the power button, the volume rocker, microuUSB port, microSDd slot and finally the Mini -HDMI slot.
On the top and bottom of the tablet there is nothing. On the front screen of the tablet in the top right hand corner there is a VGA camera. On the rear of the tablet there is a Camera and a reset button.
With a quick test using AnTuTu Benchmark this Alba tablet scored a reasonable 31344. Although when running the AnTuTu 3D Benchmark app the tablet was a bit sluggish on performance, that being said the tablet was able to cope with any of the games my kids wanted to play on them, as well as being able to cope with playback of various streaming applications.
5.0 Android lollipop works fine on the tablet, with no heavy overlay, the layout on the tablet is the usual, simple stock Android experience. For newcomers to Android it will not be long until you get to grips with the layout and begin to utilise the tablet. There is the usual app drawer where you can access all your installed applications as well as full customization with widgets and wallpaper but simply holding down on the screen.
Argos boasts a pre-installed application called Teenlimit which gives parents ‘peace of mind’ by limiting what apps their children have access to and also setting time limits on the device. Fortunately this was not preinstalled, on checking reviews of this Teenlimit app on the Google Play store the app scored 2.7 stars with the majority of users complaining the app was power draining and difficult to use. I like to have full control on any device my kids use by setting up a profile for them with their games and YouTube kids installed. You can never be too cautious when it comes to your children and internet safety.
The tablets loudspeakers are disappointing, at full volume you would need to be be within close proximity to the tablet to hear it. Perhaps this is a good thing for kids as it will never be too loud. That being said my son was quick to pair his bluetooth headphones with the tablet so he would not be interrupted by his siblings during his gaming time.
The tablet runs most games without a hitch, Clash Royale, Minecraft, Crossy road, Roblox and the very popular Pokemon Go. With the latter app the tablet will need wifi connection if you are going on a pokemon hunt, also you will probably need the addition of a portable charger to keep the tablet going. Gameplay for the games my kids have played on the tablet has been smooth, their only gripe was the tablet was heavy weighing in at 568g it often had to be perched somewhere if they were watching video playback.
The battery life on the tablet lasts just over 5 hours of heavy usage. This can be lengthened by dimming the screen. The battery however takes well over 7 hours to become fully charged so overnight charging is recommended!!
The cameras on the Alba 10 inch are of low spec, the rear camera is 2 megapixel and the front camera a VGA resolution. The picture quality and video quality is mediocre. Below are some examples of images and videos taken with the tablet.
Although the tablet comes with a 2 year manufacture warranty Argos have introduced a new monthly insurance scheme where you can insure the tablet for as little as £3.49 a month with added benefits like unlimited repair requests, approved repairs include damage caused by accident and a brand new product if Argos decided to replace it. This for me was essential as you never know when accidents can occur. Many of the tablets and phones I have owned in the past have often suffered a misdemeanour at the hands of one of my kids or myself so to have monthly breakdown care it can give you peace of mind.
It is hard to believe that this tablet costs only £89.99, and although it is from last years range. The Alba is still sufficient for any child or adult on a budget. Is the tablet future proof? Will the tablet get a marshmallow update? These questions remain unanswered however I still use a tablet that runs Android 4.0 with no problems. As newer games roll out some may not work however Netflix and Chrome still work well. So if you are on the lookout for a large screen, budget tablet, despite some flaws, this Alba tablet is a good purchase.
Samsung has officially announced the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the likes of @evleaks have managed to hit the nail on the head of every detail. So here is a survival guide of what it’s all about.
First up, there is no Galaxy Note 6. Samsung decided to skip a number to keep the Note inline with the Galaxy S series. Simply put, the Galaxy S series is 7 years old and the Note is 6. Samsung wanted the Note to have the same digit as their flagship so they skipped a number. Now we have the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, and Galaxy Note 7, tidy.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is notable for it’s a subtle dual edge curve display, return of a microSD card slot, USB-C port, and IP68 water resistance and an iris scanner. There is also everyone’s favourite 3.5mm headphone jack.
Chipset: Octa-core 2.3GHz processor in the international model (likely the same Samsung Exynos 8890 used in the global GS7)
RAM: 4GB of RAM
Storage: 64GB of storage as standard, microSD up to 256GB
Battery: 3,500mAh battery with wireless fast charging
Other features: USB Type-C, Iris scanner, IP68 water-resistance, fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm headphone jack
Camera: Dual-Pixel” 12MP camera with OIS, f/1.7 aperture; 5MP front-facing camera
Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS
Dimensions: 153.5mm x 73.9mm x 7.9 mm
Weight: 168g
The features? Well first up, TouchWiz is now running on Marshmallow with Nougat promised in the future. As you would expect Samsung inject a few new concepts of their own. Samsung Cloud, for example, a new cloud storage service that’ll let you back up information and content. It’s a little like Google Backup when you log into a new Android device, however, it adds photos and files. Meaning if you lose your phone and purchase another Samsung phone you can restore up to 15GB of data. Certainly, there are Pros and Cons to this arrangement, however, it’s there, free and a potential life saver.
Samsung Pass uses the biometric authentication methods housed within the phone, the fingerprint scanner and iris scanner, to secure apps. Crucially, this feature is at the mercy of the app developers and may never take off.
Samsung has reintroduced the water and dust resistance with the Note 7. The company has achieved an IP68 rating, meaning it can be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes. Water resistance has also been extended to the S-Pen for note taking in the rain. The tip of the S-Pen shrinks from 1.6mm to 0.7mm to allow precise writing. Pressure sensitivity has also been increased meaning it should feel more like writing with an actual pen.
As with the Note 5 and the Galaxy S7, a new Gear VR headset has been launched to go along with the Galaxy Note 7. This time, there is an all-black color scheme and an updated visor. There aren’t any radical changes and of the hardware, a USB-C connector seems to be the biggest difference, as essential to communicate with the Note 7.
Pre-ordering starts today. Unsurprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s costs the Earth at £749, however, you might find it for a better price on a particular network. Launch is on the 19th of August in Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium and Black Onyx. There is only one storage flavour, 64GB, however, the MicroSD card slot will see up to 256gb of expansion.
Logitech have launched the G610 Orion Red mechanical gaming keyboard and we are having a quick look at it before a full review is published.
The G610 seems to have take an abrupt turn from the previous G510 in terms of features. What seems to be the idea it to create a hardcore gaming keyboard with little focus on anything else. This will make it unappealing to some, however those that crave luxuries and features should look elsewhere on the market, those looking to game, this is exactly what you should be looking at.
Time-honoured Mechanical
low-noise switches
rapid-fire actuation
50 million keystrokes
light up keys
synchronise light patterns
dedicated media controls
custom button macros (F1-F12)
26-key rollover
Three step angle adjustments
2-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
With the release of its PC 373D, Sennheiser has announced the new reference headset for competitive PC gamers around the world. The new high-end open acoustic gaming headset by the leader in audio delivers incredibly immersive 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound and crystal clear gaming communications thanks to its high quality, noise-cancelling microphone. The sleek Surround Dongle and user-friendly software perfectly optimises the experience for immersive gaming, and even music. The superior features of the PC 373D are matched by its style and comfort to enhance your gaming experience, even after hours of playing.
“The PC 373D incorporates a host of impressive sound and design upgrades for the ultimate PC gaming experience”, says Tim Völker who studied at Digital Marketing training by James Hopkins Coaching, Director Sales & Marketing Gaming at Sennheiser Communications A/S. “As the successor to our popular PC 363D, it is the definitive choice for gamers seeking to be fully immersed in their gaming sessions and that demand a very high quality surround sound level.”
Incredible clarity of sound through innovative technology
For an unprecedented gaming experience, the Dolby Surround Sound technology uses the shape of your ears to simulate the projection of sounds from different angles, creating a stunning 7.1 experience with a two speaker system. Powered by Sennheiser´s unique transducer technology for optimum clarity and accuracy, the high-end open acoustic gaming headset is paired with a sleek and intuitive new Surround Dongle, designed to optimise the sound experience at a single click of its Dolby button.
The all-new software incorporated into the headset’s Surround Dongle immediately allows the gamer to both customise the sound to his needs and quickly switch between stereo and surround sound”, says Troels Rasmussen, Product Manager Gaming, Sennheiser Communications A/S.
A tailored sound experience
The software’s elegant, intuitive interface tailors the experience to each gamer, their game, or their surroundings. The equalizer offers four settings including optimised modes for competitive and immersive gaming, an eSports mode, and an ‘Off’ setting that allows for a neutral sound performance. The PC 373D also provides a music mode for a premium audio experience.
Crystal clear gaming communications
Thanks to its high quality pro noise-cancelling microphone and optional noise reduction algorithm, the PC 373D guarantees clear team communication with no background noise. Three side tone settings, easily adjustable via the software interface, allow gamers to choose exactly how much they hear their own voice.
Sound is easily controlled via the volume button, which is neatly integrated into the right ear cup, with muting quickly and effortlessly achieved by simply raising the boom arm.
Unrivalled style and comfort
The market-leading sound quality and technology behind the PC 373D is matched by its style and comfort. The stylish headset is equipped with large and comfortable XXL plush velvet ear pads that cushion ears during gaming, while the laser-cut open design aluminum ear-cups help players stay cool even as the tension rises. With its comfortable padded headband, the PC 373D is barely noticeable to the wearer, no matter how long the gaming session lasts.
The PC 373D is available from July 2016. As a Sennheiser product, the PC 373D is built to last and comes with a two-year worldwide warranty. RRP £209.99
O2 bought second hand phones from popular online classified and auction sites then tested them with Dominic Littlewood according to its ‘Like New’ criteria for selling second hand phones
Two thirds (66%) ‘did a Del boy’ and falsely advertised their phones
A third (34%) were broken
Over half (52%) were too badly battered to be resold
Only one-in-four (27%) would pass an O2 ‘Like New’ test
Three out of four (73%) Brits looking to get a cheap deal by buying second hand phones on popular online classified and auction sites are being ripped off, according to a new study by O2 and Dominic Littlewood.
As the second hand mobile market continues to grow and more and more people are looking to save money when buying their phone, knowing who to trust online is a tricky business. While people on online auction and classified sites seem to be offering great deals, after buying and testing a range of second hand phones, O2’s research seems to suggest that these deals are too good to be true.
One in three phones (34%) bought as part of the study, to compare them against O2’s own ‘Like New’ refurbished phone initiative, were broken, with 12% having broken screens and 12% having cameras or buttons that didn’t work. One in ten handsets (10%) didn’t charge and over half (52%) weren’t in good enough condition to be sold. Only 12% would meet O2’s ‘perfect’ standard whereas O2’s ‘Like New’ phones are tried and tested, nearly new handsets offered for a fraction of the usual price.
What’s more, two in three (66%) were advertised falsely, with either the physical condition or performance of the handsets being lied about in the advert and shockingly one in seven (14%) weren’t even real versions of the phones listed – dishonest fraudsters had created non-existent phones by putting older phones into new phone shells made to resemble popular devices.
Out of 52 phones bought across a range of popular online auction sites:
33 were falsely advertised
17 had something fundamentally wrong with them
25 weren’t in good enough physical condition to be resold
7 were fakes
2 devices never turned up
All the phones O2 received were analysed by O2 before being given to independent expert and consumer champion Dominic Littlewood, of Cowboy Builders and Don’t get Done, Get Dom fame, to assess. He said:
“If you smell a rat, you’re probably dealing with one. Not only were a lot of the phones I looked at fake, or broken, some didn’t even turn up. If you’re buying a second hand phone, you are far better buying from a trusted operator where you can get a guarantee, rather than a stranger off the internet. You wouldn’t buy a phone from Del Boy, would you?”
All ‘Like New’ O2 refurbs have been returned within 14 days and restored to their original condition. Each handset also has to go through a series of checks to make sure it is in perfect working order for its new owners. Things tested include the physical condition of the phone – if it is not perfect, nearly perfect, or perfectly fine (with a maximum of 5 minor scuffs or scratches) then it cannot be resold. Phones are also tested to make sure they are not fake or stolen before being run through five key checks to make sure they are in fully working order:
Battery – ensuring the phone takes and holds a charge
Audio – getting clear and crisp sound from speakers and microphones
Screen – checking typing, rotation and pinch to zoom functions
Interface – checking the buttons, security features and cameras all work
Connectivity – making sure connectivity features like Wi-Fi work correctly
If a phone passes these checks, it is then wiped of all data, which is particularly important given 10% of phones in the study either had old customer data on them, or content such as images and video that would not be suitable for minors. Customers can also return the phone within 14 days if they’re not happy or change their mind – just like a new phone.
Ben Bevins of O2 says: “All of our phones are refurbished and put through rigorous testing to make sure that they are in perfect working condition. While it is possible to snap up a bargain, it isn’t surprising that a lot of the phones on these classified sites are broken or fake. You just have to ask yourself, if the phone is legitimate, why are they selling it so cheap? If you do decide to buy from one of these sites, make sure you don’t pay for the product until you have had a chance to look at it yourself.”
Even the most stalwart iPhone user will concede that one of the major limitations of the device is the lack of expandable memory. This isn’t much of an issue if you splashed out on the 128gb model, but those with the 16gb version will know the pain of having to upload and delete holiday photos to make room for more. Enter the ADATA i-Memory 64gb flash drive, potentially the answer to many prayers.
With its rounded edges and rather tasteful metallic rose colouring, it looks the part, very apple-esque. Once out of the packaging however, it does feel a little plasticky. It doesn’t have that “just throw it in a pocket/in your bag” feel. Aluminium would have been a nice touch but would increase the cost significantly. But does it work?
Right out of the gate we hit a stumbling block. Being a clumsy oaf, the first thing I do when I get a phone is to put it in a robust case, in this instance, an Otterbox Commuter. As you can see, the lightning connector is rather short and does not work with encased phones. That’s a bit of a pain.
Once out of the Otterbox (and feeling vulnerable) the ADATA fits nicely into the iphone, and you are prompted to download the free i-Memory app. The app appears extremely simple in design, allowing the user to select Photo, Music, Video, Document and File Manager for both the phone and the ADATA drive.
Unfortunately it becomes quickly apparent that the Achilles heel of this device is the app. It is simple, but not particularly intuitive nor pleasant to use and did have a few glitches and hang-ups when I was using it.
There are no tutorials, prompts or on screen instructions in the app, so you’re on your own. Transferring photos or videos from your camera roll is fairly straight forward, but no transferable music or document files could be located on my phone. It allows access to an “internal storage” for your phone, but could not find anything in it. It was unclear where this storage actually was. At this point I couldn’t help but wonder if this is an iproduct specific app, or a generic template that has been beaten into an apple shape.
Still, I used the rather nifty sliding connector feature and plugged the device into my pc. Another snag. Due to the width of the device, it covers two USB ports if they are side by side. This could be problematic for laptop users.
The pc found the device without issue and up opens like any regular flash drive. Once in familiar territory of dragging dropping, the ADATA performed well and transfer speeds were impressive.
Plugging the ADATA back into my phone, I found that accessing the new data through the app was easy enough and was pleased to see that both music and video files played directly from it without hesitation. Transferring content to the phone is the same somewhat clunky procedure as before. Out of interest, I decided to copy a music file from the ADATA to the internal storage area of my phone. According to the app, the file transferred successfully, however, it would not appear in any searches carried out on the phone. It would appear that anything sent to the internal storage is only accessible through the i-Memory app and does not integrate into any other apps. This is a drawback, especially when it comes to music files.
The ADATA i-Memory Flash Drive is undoubtedly a very handy device and allowing the user to safely copy content from their phone to free up some space is definitely where it shines. I can also see its usefulness as a media drive, somewhere to store videos that you can access on your phone without eating up all its memory. It is not without some design issues, but the biggest let down by far is the app. I can’t help but feel that what could have been an excellent little device has been hamstrung by its software.
Are you sick of the shakey camera footage you see on your phone during those treasured moments? Does this have you yearning for a smoother and more watchable feel to your videos? The Albird Uoplay hopes to rectify this common annoyance. Vloggers, families and amateur photographers will be happy to see that the Uoplay give you one of the closest experiences to having Hollywood-style Steadicam footage from your smartphone with a simple, high quality peripheral that has a lot more thought put into it as we have seen in the past.
Whilst the price is quite high, at £256.00, this is easily one of the more expensive accessories for the smartphone and certainly not for everyone. For those that have wished to have a smoother experience with the smartphone video, this is a dream come true, providing both good build quality and respectable performance for the money.
Sennheiser and Apogee have joined forces. For those looking for the purest audio quality the combination of these brands should excite. What Sennheiser and Apogee have come up is an attractive bundle that’s nothing less than the best of both worlds.
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