Author Archive: Gareth

Seasoned tech blogger. Host of the Tech Addicts podcast.

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By January 8, 2017 Read More →

Benq GW2270H monitor review

p1030421What can £80 get you when shopping for a screen. When you are looking at the Benq GW2270H, it would appear, quite a bit!

Right out of the box you will notice there is a 100 x 100mm VESA mount for attaching to various fixings. This opens many possibilities, for a cheap second screen, a reading panel, security fixing or just a small office PC that needs a no frills screen setup.

The mount included does allow for a little adjustment, a little tilt back and forth, however. you cannot pivot the display into a portrait orientation or to the left or right.

The screen doesn’t have a high-end finish, everything is plastic. However, it does seem to be hard wearing and fairly tough.

Around the back are two HMDI ports and a VGA port. Unfortunately, there are no DisplayPorts or DVI posts.

The sound has also been omitted, GW2270H does not come with a speaker nor is there a headphone jack. This is entirely forgivable as I have yet to see any circumstances that require the monitor to emit sound.

There is an easy-to-use on-screen display, with quick access to brightness, switching input sources, low blue light modes. The main menus have plenty of options, however, there are no professional colour settings, it’s down to the user to tinker with colour balances and gamma, contrast, brightness controls.

The brightness on the GW2270 only manages around 244 nits, this isn’t entirely a deal breaker however it is a little concession that might both some. The 22-inch AMVA panel has a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000,000:1. The response time is  5ms and its maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 rounds up the more important specifications.

These are not spectacular features yet they are impressive for the price tag. Adding the VA panel makes for terrific viewing angles. There is noticeably good colour accuracy and range too. Whilst serviceable with an improved native contrast ratio we wouldn’t suggest blasting through the latest games expecting a world for realistic colours. The GW2270H performs adequately.

The BenQ GW2270H is impressive value for money. This is an office screen, over a gaming screen offering flicker free viewing over colour representation. A bargain price secures this is a highly recommend screen for sensible computing

You can pick the BenQ GW2270H up from Amazon for aroun £80.

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Reviews
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By January 6, 2017 Read More →

Sennheiser launch attractive headphones for everyday listening

hd_4_50_ae_bt_detail_rgb_redAt CES 2017, audio specialist Sennheiser is launching the HD 4.50BTNC, HD 4.40BT and MOMENTUM Wireless In-Ear – three new wireless headsets for brilliant, everyday listening pleasure.

The HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT closed back, around-ear headphones have been created to be perfect everyday companions for wireless listening on the move.

WIth NoiseGardTM active noise cancellation technology, users can enjoy music without any distractions. With the HD 4.50BTNC ambient noise is intelligently filtered allowing the detailed acoustic response of the proprietary Sennheiser 32mm drivers shine.

Alongside great performance, the new headsets offer ease of use, comfort and convenience.

Both the HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT use the advanced wireless technology and audio codec of Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX to deliver true wireless Hi-Fi sound. The new HD 4.40BT RRP are£169.99.

Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC

  • NoiseGard™ active noise cancellation
  • Audio codec of Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX
  • NFC for simple pairing with compatible devices
  • Integrated microphone
  • Battery life for wireless sound up to 25 hours
  • ANC enabled allows for up to 19 hours of wireless
  • Fold’s away compactly with a protective case

Sennheiser HD 4.40BT

  • Audio codec of Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX
  • NFC for simple pairing with compatible devices
  • Integrated microphone
  • Battery life for wireless sound up to 25 hours
  • Fold’s away compactly and stored in a soft pouch

 The new MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless combines a leading-edge acoustic design with Bluetooth 4.1, AAC codec support and Qualcomm® apt-X™.

With the MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless, Sennheiser now adds ear-canal headphones with Bluetooth connectivity to the acclaimed range.

The new neckband headphone has been designed to enhance the experience of listening to music on mobile devices – for the ultimate portable MOMENTUM experience.

The MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless RRP is £169.99 will be available from January 2017, while the HD 4.50BTNC RRP TBC will be available from February.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless

  • Bluetooth 4.1, AAC codec support and Qualcomm® apt-X™
  • Integrated three-button remote and high-quality microphone are incorporated into the neckband
  • Multi-connection with up to 2 devices at once, with 3-way calling support
  • Around-the-neck design and soft sheepskin nappa leather stitched onto the neckband
Posted in: Headphones, News
By January 4, 2017 Read More →

Tech Addicts UK Podcast – 4th January 2017 – Six times the Honor, five times the hosts

podcast-logo-600x600Gareth Myles, Brendan Arndt, Jay Garrett, Gavin Fabiani-Laymond and Leila Gregory

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

Direct Download.

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Tunein

Show Notes

Listeners:

Seasons Greetings from Canada. I have been a faithful listener to the podcast for a long time and would like to pose a question to the team. Who has tried the Tile Bluetooth tracker and what are your thoughts of the practicalities of the network of users helping you find, your keys for example? What daily use scenarios have you come up against? The Galaxy S7 Edge is my daily driver. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks for doing what you do. You run one of my top podcasts.

Albert Wilcox

Jay: I really like it – I actually have two (one on my house keys and another on my car keys). I’ve not had to use them ‘in anger’ but during my review I found everything worked as it should. The GPS is pretty accurate and I do like the ‘community search’ idea. It’s kinda like insurance, it’s always good to know it’s there but hope you don’t have to use it.

http://gadgetynews.com/tile-bluetooth-key-luggage-tracker-review/

The wallet version is available too – http://gadgetynews.com/tile-slim-tracker-slips-wallets/

News:

Honor 6X

LG’s new webOS-powered refrigerator has Amazon Alexa voice control

 

What have you been playing with?

Gavin

Jay

Brendan

Leila  

Gareth

 

Main Show URL: www.techaddicts.uk

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

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @garethmyles ; @gavinfabiani  ; @GadgetyNewsCom ; @JayGarrett ; @swanny ; @girlsngadgets ; @wildlime

Web: http://gavinsgadgets.com ; http://GadgetyNews.com ; http://swanny.me/
Google Plus: +garethmyles ; +gavinfabiani-laymond   ; +JayGarrett

 

Posted in: News, Podcast
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By January 4, 2017 Read More →

Griffin Powerdock 5 Unboxing

image26The Powerdock 5 is a device that only the most spoiled or organised will desire. It’s a costly accessory that is necessary for some. Powerdocks are a personal favourite of mine as, when done right, they can really enhance a desk or night stand whilst keep all your devices in the one place and full of juice.

Features:

Store and charge 5 iPads, iPhones or iPod touches simultaneously
Space-saving design for your countertop
Cables not included
Input: 100-240 V AC (Comes with UK and EU power cords)
Output: 10 watts (5 volts DC @ 2.1 amps) for each charging bay
Accommodates iPad tablets in their cases

You can pick one up from Amazon for around £60.

Or from Griffin’s official website.

Posted in: Accessories, Gadgets, Videos/Unboxings
By January 4, 2017 Read More →

THINKWARE has been awarded CES 2017 innovation award

THINKWARE’s CEO, Heung Bok Lee, announces today that global dash cam brand “THINKWARE DASH CAM” has received the “2017 Innovation Award” in the car audio/video category for the “DASH CAM 5800 Air”, from the world-renowned Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This has been the second consecutive year that THINKWARE has received the prestigious CES innovation award; reserved for only the best products in each category.

The THINKWARE DASH CAM F800 Air is the first model to feature a design compatible with IOT (Internet of things) technology for the realisation of a completely ‘Connected Car.’ The F800 Air model’s IOT connection gives drivers complete peace of mind with the ‘Emergency Alert’ feature. It sends location and status information via text message to your pre-selected emergency contacts when the system detects a crash, rollover or the SOS button is activated. It also has the ‘Parking Incident Notifications’ function, which, in real time, sends alerts if your vehicle is hit while parked, even subtle impacts such as door dings or a door closing. Furthermore, with THINKWARE’s patented LBS (Location Base Service) technology, all drivers will soon benefit from ‘Geo Fencing’, an alert system which informs you if your vehicle enters or leaves a designated area along with the ‘Driving Report Service’ a feature that analyses driving patterns of its drivers to support safe driving.

In addition to the innovative technologies, the aesthetics of the F800 Air has been designed with an attractive and modern look with a slim frame design, aluminium materials for the round camera module, and an overall ‘U’ shaped body that integrates the entire design.

The F800 Air’s breakthrough innovations and bold designs certainly helped it achieve the CES 2017 innovation award.  The dash cam is currently in its final stage of development and is scheduled for a global launch next year.

THINKWARE stated, “With the innovative “connected car” technologies, the dash cam will take on an important role in providing both driver convenience and safety and the continued evolution of the capabilities of the dash cam seem boundless with IOT.”

This year will be THINKWARE’s 6th consecutive presence at CES 2017, reinforcing their global position as the world’s top dash cam company in global sales and market influence.  Last September, THINKWARE established their Chinese branch along with a ‘premium offline store’ in the city of Simchun to expand their B2B market in China.  Also, in Singapore, THINKWARE has been offered sales partnership programmes at Toyota dealerships and at branches of car accessory brand, Autobac. Additionally, with the success of their partnership with BEST BUY distribution channels in the United States, THINKWARE plans to continue their sales expansion into Europe, South America, and other Asian countries and is expecting to more than double 2016 sales figures.

The CES 2017 Innovation award is awarded for outstanding design and technology through evaluation by the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) and IDSA at CES (Consumer Electronics Show), one of the world’s top 3 recognised technology exhibitions.

Posted in: Cameras, News
By January 3, 2017 Read More →

Venturer EliteWin S Notebook Review

image25Venturer has very kindly sent over a 2 in 1 Mini Windows Notebook for our appraisal. This low-cost tablet and laptop combination ticks a lot of boxes for the cost conscious whilst packing a smooth experience inside the interesting external design.

  • HDMI, USB, Bluetooth and wifi
  • 11.6” 1366 X 768 Display
  • 2GB/4GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • 32GB Internal Memory 64GB Micro SD
  • 4 Core Intel Atom Processor @ 1.83 GHz
  • 8 Hrs Battery 
  • Smart Keyboard with Trackpad
  • Foldable

Grab one from Amazon for around £249.99.

Posted in: Laptops, Reviews, Tablets, Videos/Unboxings
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By December 29, 2016 Read More →

Building a computer for £300 – Part 8 – The Test

vlcsnap-00028reichelt have sponsored a challenge to build a computer for £300. With a budget of only £300 I have to source the best bits of computer equipment for a main central processor unit (CPU) to build the most competent computer I can.

In part eight we take a look at how well things run. A little stress test and install of Skyrim Enhanced Edition.

Inter-Tech K-11 midi-tower including SL-500 – £34.17

Desktop hard drive, 1 TB, WD Blue – £44.66

AMD FM2+ A6-7400K, 2x 3.50GHz, boxed – £51.33

ASUS GF GT730 – 2 GB – passive – £55.19

GIGABYTE GA-F2A88XM-D3HP (FM2+) – £60.10

8 GB DDR3L 1333 CL9 Kingston Fury, black, twin pack – £63.61

Added to the computer for testing purposes, however not included in the £300 budget, is a Benq GW2270H 21.5 inch LED Monitor available from Amazon for £79.99

And a Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 costing £12.99

Hit the subscribe button as tomorrow we will be looking at the main board into which this processor slots.

Check out reichelt.co.uk, an online electronics retailer…many products up to 20% cheaper than elsewhere in the UK!

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Videos/Unboxings
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By December 28, 2016 Read More →

Building a computer for £300 – Part 7 – The Build

image24reichelt have sponsored a challenge to build a computer for £300. With a budget of only £300 I have to source the best bits of computer equipment for a main central processor unit (CPU) to build the most competent computer I can with the help from experts from Managed IT Services in Belleville IL.

The Custom PC Builder tool automatically tries to filter out parts that would be incompatible with any you’ve already selected. We always recommend you do a little research and double check just to be safe.

In part seven, we throw the parts together and hope for the best. Here is a summary of the parts, prices and links used in the video.

Inter-Tech K-11 midi-tower including SL-500 – £34.17

Desktop hard drive, 1 TB, WD Blue – £44.66

AMD FM2+ A6-7400K, 2x 3.50GHz, boxed – £51.33

ASUS GF GT730 – 2 GB – passive – £55.19

GIGABYTE GA-F2A88XM-D3HP (FM2+) – £60.10

8 GB DDR3L 1333 CL9 Kingston Fury, black, twin pack – £63.61

Added to the computer for testing purposes, however not included in the £300 budget, is a Benq GW2270H 21.5 inch LED Monitor available from Amazon for £79.99

And a Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 3000 costing £12.99

Hit the subscribe button as tomorrow we will be looking at the main board into which this processor slots.

Check out reichelt.co.uk, an online electronics retailer…many products up to 20% cheaper than elsewhere in the UK!

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Videos/Unboxings
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By December 26, 2016 Read More →

Building a computer for £300 – Part 6 – Storage

image23reichelt have sponsored a challenge to build a computer for £300. With a budget of only £300 I have to source the best bits of computer equipment for a main central processor unit (CPU) to build the most competent computer I can.

In part six, we grab some storage. A Western Digital Blue 1000GB, 64MB Cache, SATA3 and costing only £44.65 incl. VAT will do the job cheaply and reliably.

Cool, quiet and fast. WD Blue drives offer superior performance and reliability. This makes them ideal for business or private desktop computers.

WD Blue WD10EZEX – hard drive – 1 TB – SATA-600
• Type: hard drive – internal
• Capacity: One TB
• Form factor: 8.9 cm x 1/3H (3.5″ x 1/3H)
• Interface: Serial ATA-600
• Data transfer rate: 600 MBps
• Buffer size: 64 MB
• Spindle speed: 7200 rpm
• Features: IntelliSeek, NoTouch ramp load technology
• Dimensions (width x depth x height): 10.16 cm x 14.7 cm x 2.54 cm
• Weight: 440 g

Hit the subscribe button as tomorrow we will be looking at the main board into which this processor slots.

Check out reichelt.co.uk, an online electronics retailer…many products up to 20% cheaper than elsewhere in the UK!

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Videos/Unboxings
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By December 24, 2016 Read More →

Building a computer for £300 – Part 5 – Graphics Card

image22reichelt have sponsored a challenge to build a computer for £300. With a budget of only £300 I have to source the best bits of computer equipment for a main central processor unit (CPU) to build the most competent computer I can.

In part five, we pick a graphics card. The Asus GT730 is a low-end passive card designed for silence and costing only £55.17 incl. VAT.

GT 730 is the fantastic new graphics card from ASUS. Engineered with a highly-efficient 0 dB thermal design, it dissipates heat in complete silence — making ASUS GT 730 the perfect choice for your slimline home-theatre PC (HTPC) build. Advanced EMI shielding reduces electromagnetic interference by up to 66% for a stable signal, pin-sharp images and safer and healthier computing. Users who love to customise can enjoy the integrated GPU Tweak software, enabling them to control video memory, voltages and cooling fans and even stream live gameplay in real time!

Details:
• Chip: GK208-301-A1 “Kepler”
• Chip clock: 902 MHz, boost: N/A
• Memory: 2GB DDR3, 900 MHz, 64 bit, 14.4 GB/s
• Shader units/TMUs/ROPs: 384/16/8
• Processing power: 693GFLOPS (single), 58GFLOPS (double)
• Process technology: 28 nm
• Power consumption: 23 W (TDP), not specified (idle)
• DirectX: 11.0
• OpenGL: 4.4
• OpenCL: 1.1
• Shader model: 5.0
• Interface: PCIe 2.0
• Design: Dual-slot
• Cooling: passive
• Connections: VGA, DVI, HDMI
• External power supply: N/A
• Dimensions: 137 x 69 x 30 mm
• Special features: low profile

Hit the subscribe button as tomorrow we will be looking at the main board into which this processor slots.

Check out reichelt.co.uk, an online electronics retailer…many products up to 20% cheaper than elsewhere in the UK!

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Videos/Unboxings
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