Archive for July, 2016

By July 29, 2016 Read More →

Broken Appliance: Is it more cost effective to repair or replace it?

Appliances are essential when it comes to everyday household chores, however they’re not indestructible and it can be extremely irritating and costly when they begin to fault.

Some of the most common faults are pretty straightforward to put right. However, when the problem is out of your control then it’s time to face the tough decision whether to call in repair specialists or to invest in new model and cut your losses on expensive repairs.

To help make the decision for you, Glotechrepairs.co.uk have produced a handy infographic which they’ve put together with their own research and data to show you whether it’s best to fork out on repairs or whether it would be more affordable to buy a replacement model.

Scroll along the infographic below to see whether you should repair or replace your appliance.

Posted in: Editorial
By July 28, 2016 Read More →

Sennheiser introduces its new flagship gaming headset PC 373D

image001With 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.

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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

By July 28, 2016 Read More →

O2 investigation shows three-in-four people get ripped off when buying a second hand phone online

 

2000px-O2_logo.svgO2 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:

  1. Battery – ensuring the phone takes and holds a charge
  2. Audio – getting clear and crisp sound from speakers and microphones
  3. Screen – checking typing, rotation and pinch to zoom functions
  4. Interface – checking the buttons, security features and cameras all work
  5. 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.”

Find more about O2 like new handsets at: www.o2.co.uk/shop/like-new.

Posted in: News, Press Releases
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By July 28, 2016 Read More →

ADATA i-Memory Flash Drive Review

productGallery4496Even 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

By July 27, 2016 Read More →

Tech Addicts UK Podcast – 6th July 2016 – Note 7 Fiction Makers

Podcast logoGareth Myles, Gavin Fabiani-Laymond and Jay Garrett

RSS Link: http://mobiletechaddicts.libsyn.com/rss

Direct Download.

iTunes

Audioboom

Google Play Music

Show Notes

What have you been playing with?

Gareth:

Jay:

Gavin:

Discussion: Amazon Prime Day –

Discussion:  Samsung Galaxy Note 7 rumours

Discussion: Amazon Prime Air drone trial given UK go ahead

Discussion: Apple says it sold its billionth iPhone device last week

Main Show URL: www.techaddicts.uk

Join the Discussion: https://goo.gl/spaces/6FF6jraF9KHiPUyA6

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani ; @samjpullen ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett

Web: http://gavinsgadgets.com ; http://GadgetyNews.com

Google Plus: +garethmyles ; +gavinfabiani-laymond  ; +samjpullen ; +JayGarrett

Posted in: News, Podcast
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By July 26, 2016 Read More →

Best Games to Experience Vegas from Home

You don’t have to travel all the way to Las Vegas for a gambling experience. Of course, it cannot be denied that the glittering Vegas experience is unique and cannot be reproduced. You have to go to Vegas to enjoy the Vegas casino experience, complete with free drinks and charming croupiers. Despite this, several successful attempts have been made to take Vegas right up to players’ doorsteps, totally eliminating the need for players to travel to Sin City.

Play Casino Games Online

The easiest way to experience Vegas at home is to sign up at an 온라인카지노, load your account, and start playing online casino games for real money. One of the best casino sites in the industry is Slots Heaven, which runs on a sophisticated software platform and offers an impressive portfolio of online pokies.

You won’t get any free drinks while playing at Slots Heaven, but you can surely enjoy brilliant graphics, entertaining animations, and realistic sound effects along with enormous bonus offers, cashback offers, and rewards for loyalty. Playing casino games online with magic jackpot casino is like experiencing Vegas away from Vegas.

Live Dealer Games

Not all online casinos offer live gaming services, but some of them do and it is not at all difficult for players to find them at Don99 singapore. If you want to play a game that is actually being played at physical locations, you should play at live casinos, which usually form parts of online casinos’ product portfolios. Usually, online casinos like https://onlinepokiegames.net offer games such as Live Casino Hold’em, Live Poker, Live Baccarat, Live Roulette, and Live Blackjack.

You don’t even need computers and software programs to create a Vegas-like atmosphere at home. Simply organize a casino night or a casino-themed party. Decorate your house like a casino, invite your friends, and play immortal casino games such as poker, blackjack, and darmowe gry jednoreki bandyta.

Posted in: Apps & Games
By July 26, 2016 Read More →

Albird Uoplay Review

ImageuAre 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.

 

http://www.aibird.com/en/products.php

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262485617083

By July 25, 2016 Read More →

Archos 50 Power Unboxing

Image13Archos have sent over another cheap and cheerful mobile, the Archos 50 Power. This £139.99 phone has 4G/LTE compatible, a 5” IPS HD display running on a Mediatek Quad-Core 1 GHz processor, with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. In addition, its 13 MP back camera make the ARCHOS 50 Power a fully equipped smartphone for intensive use. Under all that is the key feature, a 4000mAh battery to that see you handle two days on the trot easily.

  • CPU – MT6735P Quad-core @ 1GHz Cortex A53
  • GPU – Mali 720
  • RAM – 2 GB
  • Storage – 16 GB +  Micro SD card, up to 32GB (when formatted to fat32 standard)
  • Screen – 5 inches IPS 1280 x 720 pixels HD
  • Operating System – Android 5.1, Lollipop
  • Dual SIM – 1x micro SIM + 1x nano SIM or 1x micro SIM + microSD card
  • GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
  • 3G/ WCDMA freqs 900 / 2100 MHz
  • LTE frequencies 800 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz
  • Data Rates HSPA + 21 Mbps / 5.76 Mbps
  • Rear camera – 13 MP* AF + Flash LED
  • Front Camera – 2 MP
  • Video – 720p
  • Battery -4000mAh Li-Pro
  • Audio – 3.5mm Jack
  • USB – Micro USB V2.0
Posted in: Phones, Videos/Unboxings
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By July 14, 2016 Read More →

Biisafe buddy Unboxing

Image11What amounts to a smart keyring is the Biisafe Buddy. This little £29.99 device as a little piece of mind you some of your precious possessions. Attach the Buddy to your belongings, for example your keys, bags, wallets and track them via the BiiSafe Buddy app on your smartphone or tablet.

Mislaid your keys? Then open the app, hit the button and provided they are in range you will here the chime. similarly, if you have misplaced you phone you can use the Biisafe to trigger a ringtone to help locate it.

  • Keep track of your belongings
  • Locate your lost phone
  • Up to 50 metres operating range
  • Share your location with friends and family
  • Small, discrete and stylish
  • Energy efficient
  • Up to 6 month battery life
  • iOS and Android compatible

Here we have a look at the simple setup. You can purchase from:

http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/biisafe-buddy-location-bluetooth-tracker-device-black-p57024.htm

By July 13, 2016 Read More →

Adata i Memory Flash Drive UE710 Unboxing

Image9A flash drive for Apple devices is a simple idea however they are not as easily available as other platforms.

The UE710 accommodates a wide audience by combining Apple-certified Lightning and USB connectivity. It supports iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, enabling data transfers as well as Ultra HD 4K video – freeing users from limited network bandwidth with direct content sharing and enjoyment. For large files and social engagement, premium USB Flash drives such as the UE710 are still superior to moving content via the internet.

You can purchase from Adata’s site here.

 

https://www.ukmeds.co.uk/surgical-face-masks