Combined with your existing Smartphone, the Archos VR glasses technology are designed to to transport you to a deep 360° world where your can fly, visit imaginary worlds and explore the ocean floor from the comfort of your sofa. Priced at a mere £24.99 these goggles are certainly cheaper than Samsung’s offering however providing a better quality build than Google Cardboard.
Designed to be as compatible with as many devices as possible the Archos VR has the a lot of options to increase immersion with adjustable straps and optics to keep the user engaged throughout. Here we have a look at how this operates.
Gareth takes a look at the Logitech MX Master, Logitech’s flagship mouse. This peripheral boasts to be the designed to give power users the ultimate comfort, control and precision. It offers a newly crafted, hand-sculpted contour, advanced features and is optimised for both Windows and Mac. MX Master is equipped with a precision wheel that auto-shifts from click-to-click to hyper-fast scrolling, a unique thumbwheel for side-to-side scrolling, the Darkfield laser sensor for flawless tracking – even on glass – and a rechargeable battery with up to 40 days battery life.
The Samsung Galaxy Gear S2 will be unveiled during a major press conference on the 3rd of September at IFA in Berlin. A video has popped up showing a rather sexy device that bears little resemblance to it’s predecessor. The new interface really looks to be the middle ground between Apple’s Watch and Android Wear. More than likely running Tizen the Gear S2 should really be the most mature smartwatch out there as no other company has tested the water more than Samsung in the last couple of years.
We hope to be reporting live from the Press conference and will post a little hands on experience with the wearable in a fortnight.
Droidlife have successfully captured, what is now know as, Android 6.0 Marshmallow’s boot screen in the Youtube video below. A lovely animated intro sequence is either an impressive fake or a lucky early leak. The animation does manage to capture Google’s colourful and smooth nature and helps this writer lean toward the authentic option.
The name Android 6.0 Marshmallow was revealed yesterday outside Google HQ and Tweeted by @davey_burke after a few days of teasing.
We have around two months to go before the new hardware and software are launched so check back for most up to date information.
Our third selfie stick is again from Olixar, this time devised for the pocket with a simple mirror to assist in using the larger rear camera on your phone. Recently we have seen manufacturers increase the optics on the front facing camera to help create more tolerable pictures. Olixar have taken a very simple step to reverse the camera utilising an age old trick of a simple convex mirror mounted to the selfie stick. If you have been using mobile phones for a few years you might remember back in the day a phone had a small silver nubbin that would help the user take a self portrait instead of using the rubbishy VGA camera on the front, if you were lucky enough to have one.
Taking this a step further is the true genius behind the Olixar Pocketsize Selfie Stick, as a small mirror about the same size as a larger postage stamp, gives the user a better illustration of what is happening as the screen would normally do if you were using a traditional selfie stick. The mirror is a piece of reflective plastic that, whilst being being subject to fingerprints, manages the job very well. Running the line of being a little on the small side once fully extended, the mirror is actually just right as any larger would increase the overall size of the stick and therefore the footprint required to store it.
The quality of this stick is not as high as that of the Olixar Selfie Smart Pole or the Olixar Ninja Katana Selfie Stick however the price is notably cheaper and thus the quality cannot remain. As illustrated in the video above, there is a notable bend in when the stick is fully extended and a phone is in place. This isn’t a deal breaker by any stretch, merely a consideration as the other sticks we have look at recently will endure much more day to day abuse than this, the little brother. In saying that, this is when the stick is fully extended, when in compact mode and being tossed around in a bag the Pocketsize will take a licking. Everything fits away and it becomes a sturdy lump.
This is yet another handy stick to have and maybe more of a consideration for those on the fence of selfie sticks. They have their moments and this little stick can help you test the waters, if only to throw in a back and forget about until a moment presents itself. You can purchase the Pocketsize selfie stick from Mobilefun for £7.49.
Capture the perfect selfie
No need to recharge!
Easy to use, no Bluetooth pairing required
Built-in button to capture an image in comfort
Built-in mirror to use your phone’s higher quality rear facing camera
Retractable mini pole for portability, small enough to fit in a handbag
Our second look at a selfie stick again comes from Olixar. This time around they have gone a more novel approach with a Ninja look and feel. Driving the craze into a more preposterous form and with all the right intentions.
Can the Olixar Selfie Katana Stick help assist my quest to the perfect selfie or will it prove to be a gimmick product that i just do not need?
The selfie phenomena has taken over the world, from celebrities to your gran everyone has gone selfie mad. Most mobile phone devices manufactured now are equipped with a half decent front facing camera for the selfie addicts worldwide. Up until now I have never used a selfie stick so this being my first experience of using one I can say it definitely say it has been memorable.
The selfie katana stick extends from 21cm to 67cm, and has an adjustable clamp to hold your phone in place, you can adjust the angle of the clamp easily with a screw. Once your phone is attached you simply connect the shutter remote cable into your 3.5mm jack and you are ready to shoot at the touch of the button. Assembly is easy although my phone has the power button on the side so beware not to clamp this as it will turn of your device. Using the katana stick was fun, my son thought I had a ninja sword when he first seen the stick and instantly took to walking about the house and garden taking selfies as well as using the rear camera.
I believe that the selfie stick may be more than just a gimmick product. People are trying to create original more creative ways to take a selfie and a selfie stick really does provide new heights to selfie photos.. The olixiar stick is a selfie stick with and added fun feature of looking like a ninja sword. I could see myself using this selfie stick in the future, I recently had a family party and left the katana stick sitting on the table with my phone attached. It was soon lifted by family members who took their selfies and had great fun posing for the camera. This gave the party a relaxed atmosphere as people where not hounded by a designated photographer to smile and say cheese. My mother who is a self confessed techno phob found herself asking people to take pictures with her.
I could imagine that an estate agent could find a selfie stick to be an essential tool for taking angled pictures of rooms to make even the most undesirable house more appealing.
The Olixar Katana Stick is well built and does exactly what it aims to do. With no batteries or pairing needed you are taking selfies in no time out of the box. I would definitely recommend this stick to anyone who has never owned a selfie stick. At £24.99 this may seem a bit pricey but you get what you pay for a no fuss great looking katana selfie stick.
Inateck have sent over a waterproof case to fit most devices. Here we have a look at this no frills approach to device care and a handy accessory if you are heading away to a beach somewhere or just to lounge by the pool. For £10.99 the Inateck Waterproof case does a lot however it won’t increase your chances with the opposite sex.
Perfect Waterproof Companion for Your Phones Take your smartphones anywhere you like, go swimming, boating, rafting, diving and snorkeling without worrying about water damage.
Survive Your Devices Underwater IPX8 waterproof pouch with secure swivel lock allows submerging your devices for at least 30 minutes.
Easy Access to Touch Screen Designed with crystal clear film on both sides, texting, taking photo and recording videos just work the same as without using the case.
Universal Waterproof Pouch Design Specifications: 17cm*10cm, fully compatible with devices up to 5.7″ screen displays and provide universal protection for keys, credit cards, ID cards, MP3 players, all iPhone, Samsung and other smartphones.
Compatible Models Apple iPhone: iPhone 6 Plus/ 6/ 5s/ 5c/ 5/ 4s Samsung Galaxy: Samsung Galaxy S6/ S6 Edge/ S5/ S4, Note 4/ 3/ 2 Others: HTC One X, Nexus 4, Nokia Lumia 920/ 820 and so on
Please refer to the dimension of waterproof bag before you purchase it for your large screen smartphone with protective case together
Note: Lock the top to make sure the case is fully sealed. Open the bag upside down in order to avoid water intrusion after using.
Picking a compact camera on a budget should be a simple task if there wasn’t such a huge number on the market. No matter your budget there is always a model for you however there is a slightly nicer feature included for a couple of pounds extra on a different model. Limiting yourself to a budget is a difficult thing as one can very easily see the line drawn becoming blurred when you try to get the best value for money.
The Polaroid iE826 has received some negative press of late with a couple on Honeymoon having dropped a whopping £80 on the snapper and expecting the world from the output. The outlet purchased from merely deflected the issue with a “you get what you pay for” excuse.
Oddly, in the case of the Polaroid iE826 we see a camera that obviously suffered from a price conscious feature set yet also a victim of shrewd pricing from some retailers. QVCuk sell the camera of £44.88, the couple claim the the camera was reduced from £80, you have to wonder if they are more annoyed that the camera was available cheaper elsewhere and if they would have kicked up quite a stink if the price had have been as low it is on QVC’s website.
The camera is however not as bad as the couple has made out. Certainly it won’t take home any prizes however if does take some workable images in the right light. Everything is almost good here. Not quite good, but getting there.
The camera looks nice, the colour array available is very attractive and that is the best thing it has going for it right now. The fascia is bright and popping. Aside from the colour scheme the setup is very much standard, the layout of these compact cameras is so tried and tested that it is impossible to get wrong.
The build is quite light and plastic. Whilst solid it would not survive a few night of brutality in a nightclub and a couple of drops would likely have a detrimental effect on something inside. This is a disposable camera, you won’t be dusting this off next summer to capture those treasured moments taking the kids to Disney.
The optics inside are where we are let down, the crucial part of the camera. Whilst serviceable in daylight the camera ISO of 400 really leads to less than acceptable low level light shots, the flash only adding to the disappointment. Just avoid using this indoors and forget about taking it to a nightclub.
Outdoors the images captured are pretty good, nothing pops but at the same time we have seen worse over the years. Setting everything to Auto isn’t the best idea, if you stay on top of the settings you might be able to salvage many of the shots and produce something quite commendable. Fast action also leads to disappointing results, sports days and skiing will become a blurry memory.
There is in built social networking tools allowing the user to share directly to YouTube, Facebook and MySpace. Yes, MySpace.
Perhaps because the battery was new the charge didn’t last too long. Having charged the camera for an hour before use the battery had dropped to three quarters taking the test pictures and video content for the unboxing video before. There is a lot of motor noise coming from the lens as the auto focus attempts to ‘lock on.’ This likely drains the battery quite a bit so ensure you have a spare or a charging solution before you go on a full day excursion.
It is amazing cameras at the bottom end aren’t improving like the modern Smartphone. For the very little extra you might be able to get a better camera built into a smartphone however this bleeds into the budgeting conundrum of not wanting to spend a penny more than £44.88.
I couldn’t recommend the Polaroid iE826 to anyone unless they are back into a corner, the Daily Mail may have covered the camera with a more negative light then the camera is due however that’s the modern media, it is bad but not THAT bad.
Thanks to QVCuk for the review sample. When purchased from QVC an Essentials Kit is provided, we will be having a look at this tomorrow.
A GoPro is a pretty expensive item and whilst they are designed for high octane action there is no getting past the idea that there is always a knock that would kill the camera regardless of the housing, skin or durability of the build. A GoPro is for a serious enthusiast, but what if you are looking to dip your toe in the water of extreme sports and don’t know if you would use a camera very much, or don’t want to risk destroying a £400 GoPro?
The Kitvision Rush feels good right out the box. It’s well weighted, features a brushed steel finish and looks the business when attached to a helmet, handlebar or just in hand. There are a large amount of features that one cannot ignore and the potential for use it immense. I was full of great ideas looking through the different mounts.
From here on everything was going to become a headache. You really appreciate a screen when you don’t have one. All the vibrations and light flashes in the world can happen however that doesn’t necessarily mean things will go the way you want them too. Especially if the bundled software is trash.
As you can see from the unboxing video the Kitvision Rush gives pretty good results when in use. The picture is clear and crisp, the audio, whilst hardly cinema quality, doesn’t offend and the camera itself impresses for the money. When it works.
The footage captures was a third attempt. The first, at the gun range, didn’t work well. Partly my fault, the camera arrived in the morning, I grabbed it on the way out the door on the way to the range after a quick unboxing expecting to be able to shoot right away. Instead I got home to a blank memory card after a confusing collection of buzzes and light flashes.
The manual was required. Not a particularly bad thing however I was a bit annoyed reading the manual to find a how to, instead of looking for extra features. I downloaded the suggested apps and got things working.
A couple of days later I figured I would attached the camera to the car for some exciting close to the road footage from various vantage points. However, this led to 30 mins of getting in and out of the car adjusting, pressing buttons, lost connections and laggy apps. On the odd occasion I managed to view the camera footage however I never managed to capture any footage.
A week later I begrudgingly picked up the camera to attach to the bike, I spent 5 minutes with manual, phone and camera and got it to work sporadically. I put the phone away and relied on what I had learned from the buttons and just recorded a bunch of footage to took a load of photos. No streaming, no clicking around the features, no ad-hoc wifi. A painless as possible left me really happy.
Most of the footage did not make the clip as it is more personal however what is there is great for a £130 camera to throw around. I have only charged it once and haven’t run out of battery yet. Documentation shows 2.5 hours however I must be approaching that soon. However, you have to take another cable with you if you are planning a trip, you cannot share with your micro USB you might have for a phone or tablet.
Specs
Micro SD / Micro SDHC up to 32GB (not included)
Auto rotation (G-sensor)
Dual file video recording
Built-in high quality microphone
Rechargeable built-in battery
Battery life: up to 2.5 hours
Weight: 134.4 g
In a nutshell:
Pros
Great build quality
Great video footage
Looks swish
Tonnes of flexibility with the adapters
Cons
Software is pig ugly, slow and frequently doesn’t work
Wifi implementation is slow and sometimes non-existent
Uses MiniUSB in 2015.
Conclusion
Most of the problems with the Kitvision Rush can be fixed fairly easily and I would not dissuade anyone from purchasing one for this. If seeing what you are recording is important you might need to look elsewhere unless you have incredible patience. At £130 I would be pleased with the quality of the camera itself.
Inateck have kindly sent over their latest USB hub, an aluminium variant on something we have seen before and this is a change for the better.
The original USB3.0 Hub with Ethernet was a handy addition to the Road Warrior’s bag and this aluminium version looks to the every bit as good with addition build quality. With only a £2 price difference, this is easily the hub to pick up.
Combined with your existing Smartphone, the Archos VR glasses technology are designed to to transport you to a deep 360° world where your can fly, visit imaginary worlds and explore the ocean floor from the comfort of your sofa. Priced at a mere £24.99 these goggles are certainly cheaper than Samsung’s offering however providing a better quality build than Google Cardboard.
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