LG has announced a new smartphone in the form of the LG Q6. The device is being dubbed a mini G6 thanks to its FullVision display but how else does it compare to the flagship LG G6 handset?
We’ve put the new LG Q6 up against the LG G6 to see how the two devices differ based on their specs.
The Asus Zenfone Zoom S is another attempt by Asus to generate a midrange smartphone capable of flagship-level photographic prowess alongside some other nifty additions to separate it from the sea of Android devices we are seeing in the market today. The dual-camera smartphone by Asus brings you an optical zoom level of 2.3x, which is far more than your average smartphone in the market and even flagships are unable to match the level of zoom it offers. Besides the photographic prowess of the Zenfone Zoom S, it is also an endurance powerhouse, with a 5,000mAh battery under its hood to ensure you never run out of battery on the go. Is it worth the retail price of S$678, it’s hard to give it a definite yes, but it’s definitely not a bad buy?
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Read full post here: https://vrzone.com/articles/asus-zenfone-zoom-s-review/127975.html
If you think the Mont Blanc Summit is too expensive, you’re not the type of person the luxury Swiss watchmaker is trying to target with its first smartwatch.
Let us be clear: the Mont Blanc Summit is expensive. In fact, it’s really expensive when you consider that, functionality-wise at least, it does no more than rival Android Wear watches a third of the price.
Smartwatches haven’t exactly set the world alight, but Mont Blanc isn’t the only watchmaker exploring the sector, even though it’s currently still dominated by technology firms.
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Read full post here: https://www.techradar.com/reviews/mont-blanc-summit-review/3
The AS6302T is a mid level 2-bay NAS designed to be the central hub in a interconnected multi-device digital home or small business. It is one we’ve had our eye on for some time due to its comprehensive feature list. It really is chock full of features and capabilities: 60Hz 4K playback via HDMI2.0, USB Type-C, wake on WAN, Dual LAN with link aggregation, not to mention impressive encryption and cloud capabilities and a mega list of apps available within the Asustor Data Master software ecosystem. Not least among its features is an impressive current generation Intel Apollo Lake processor that we’ll go into later.
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Read full post here: https://vrzone.com/articles/asustor-as6302t-nas-review/127751.html
Here’s our Canon 6D Mark II vs 7D Mark II vs 80D comparison. Let’s see how the latest Canon 6D Mark II full-frame DSLR compares to the APS-c sensor 7D Mark II and 80D.
The EOS 7D Mark II is Canon’s most advanced APS-C camera. It is aimed at sports, wildlife and action photographers. Even the camera was announced 3 years ago, it has advanced features like Af system and burst speed.
Newer sensor on 6D Mark II should deliver better noise performance. As it comes with the latest generation sensor technology and image processing.
Here is our Canon 6D Mark II vs 7D Mark II vs 80D comparison for more details.
Differences between Canon 6D Mark II vs 7D Mark II vs 80D DSLR Cameras
If you’re trying to decide which one to buy as your first camera, here are the differences of Canon 6D Mark II vs 7D Mark II vs 80D. Our comparison table below covers all the important specifications like sensor, image size, shooting speed, lcd size etc..
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Read full post here: https://www.dailycameranews.com/2017/07/canon-6d-mark-ii-vs-7d-mark-ii-vs-80d/
The BMW 6 Series Coupe is a luxurious grand tourer that is surprisingly affordable to run as a diesel. Just don’t expect sports car handling.
You used to be able to say that the BMW 6 Series Coupe was effectively a more stylish 5 Series with fewer doors and a more cramped interior. However, with every model now costing a serious amount of cash and a long list of standard equipment, it’s fair to say the 6 Series Coupe has gone up in the world.
Not to be confused with the four-door Gran Coupe, the regular Coupe is a striking two-door that sits in its own little spot in the marketplace. A Mercedes E-Class Coupe or Audi A5 are both far cheaper while a Mercedes S-Class Coupe is a lot pricier.
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Read full post here: https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/6-series/coupe/review/n178
What better way to slay four birds with a stone than with the new SJ7 Sound Bar Flex from LG. You can enjoy this soundbar in not one, but three four ways. Clearly, this is not your average soundbar which makes it worthy of a review. Read on!
Build Quality and Design
It’s got an all-black matt finish that’s meant to blend in with your decor, rather than pop out from your furnishings. The system is relatively small and unobtrusive – a welcome trait for small homes and rooms. Still, the SJ7 comes in three separate parts – a 34cm left speaker with all the important connections, a similar right bar with just one power input, and a 33cm tall wireless subwoofer. Each bar has an array of four drivers comprising 2 mid-range and two tweeters. So as a complete sound bar, the SJ7 has 8 drivers in total.
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Read full post here: https://vrzone.com/articles/lg-sj7-sound-bar-flex-review/128040.html
Forum user Sulaylavsi is trying to decide between a fully loaded Dell XPS 2-in-1 and a specked-out Lenovo Yoga 910. Sulaylavsi would configure either system with a Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a high-res (3200 x 1800 on the Dell or 3840 x 2160 on the Lenovo) screen. While both systems are good choices, which you choose really depends on what’s important to you.
Size
At 11.98 x 7.81 x 0.54 inches and 2.7 pounds Dell XPS 13 is noticeably smaller and lighter than the Lenovo Yoga 910 (12.72 x 8.84 x 0.56 inches, 3.04 pounds). However, the Yoga 910 has a 13.9-inch display, compared to the 13.3-inch display on the XPS 13, so you’re getting more screen in exchange for the added heft.
The last time we saw Chinese startup Mobvoi it was for the Ticwatch 2, a keenly-price all-rounder of a smartwatch that impressed in many ways, but was let down by lack of apps. It was the single biggest bit of feedback Mobvoi got, and now it’s back with an answer in the Ticwatch S and Ticwatch E, both of which come running Android Wear.
It’s a significant departure from the company’s Ticwear OS, which we loved the design of, even if the overall ecosystem was wanting. It may not be such a surprise considering Google has invested in Mobvoi in the past, and that Ticwear was based on Android anyway, but it felt like Mobvoi was carving out a nice little space for itself in a market largely dominated by two main players. Although some of Mobvoi’s apps have been carried over to the new smartwatches, you’re very much getting the standard Android Wear 2.0experience here.
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Read full post here: https://www.wareable.com/android-wear/ticwatch-s-review
Gone are the days when the stylus is still the holy grail of phone accessories to get stoked about. Or are they? Probably not. Because recently, LG has made a comeback with its Stylus series of smartphones. Nostalgia much, we know. But before you get excited about this phone and decided to buy one, let’s dig a little deeper on what LG Stylus 3 has to offer and see if it’s worth the bucks. Shall we begin?
Design and Construction
LG Stylus 3 sports a 5.7-inch IPS display, which is akin to the previous LG Stylus 2. Situated on the front panel are the 8MP front camera, call speaker, notification LED, and four on-screen buttons. The device only weighs 149g and yes, at first usage, it may seem a bit odd to hold, especially when you’re accustomed to carrying hefty phones. What’s also good about this phone is its thin bezels, which leaves more room for screen.
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Read full post here: https://www.yugatech.com/mobile/lg-stylus-3-review/#tY3Zrwv5ZJBzGdBg.97
Announced in May 2017, the AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.4E ED is Nikon’s latest FX full-frame wide-angle lens to offer a fast maximum aperture of f/1.4, slotting in between the existing 24mm and 35mm f/1.4 lenses. The AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.4E ED lens features a Nano Crystal coating to reduce reflections, a nine-bladed blade rounded diaphragm, dust- and drip-resistant build quality and a Silent Wave Motor (SWM) for quiet focusing. Boasting 14 elements in 11 groups with three aspherical elements that virtually eliminate coma, aberration and distortion and two ED glass elements that minimize chromatic aberration, the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.4E ED ED is available for £2,079.99 / €2,479.00 / $1,999.95 in the UK / Europe / USA.
Ease of Use
For such a short prime, the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.4E ED is a rather big and heavy lens, weighing in at 645g and measuring 10cm in length. While you can use it on a DX body for a 42mm equivalent angle of view, it won’t balance very well – as demonstrated by the images below, it can even make the professional-grade, full-frame D750 feel rather front heavy.
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Read full post here: https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_afs_nikkor_28mm_f_1_4_e_ed_review
Ducati always has had this insanity in them to time and again bring up machines that push the boundaries of two-wheeled glory, a boundary that will make every other manufacturer look like a speck of dust. For this alone, we must hand it to the Italian with all pomp and flair that they can literally pull off a true bloody special edition.
And this expression was very much evident with their flagship model, the Panigale ever since it broke covers in 2011. It is one of the world’s most powerful twin-cylinder motorcycle, and Ducati is giving the world one last taste of the L-twins by unveiling the 1299 Panigale R Final Edition. This will mark the end of the L-twin Italian superbikes.
Under all this is what I call a ‘Brobdingnagian’ twin Superquadro powerhouse that can scare the daylights out of most seasoned riders. If that still does not fit your bill, the electronics package on this, one would need a Master’s degree and a PhD to understand the concepts of it, and by the time you do understand, you would stop caring about it because your brain is gizzing already.
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Read full post here: https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/ducati/2017-ducati-1299-panigale-r-final-edition-ar177003.html
Audiofly is an Australian headphone specialist that has gradually worked its way into the UK market over the past five years or so.
The Audiofly AF100Ws are the first pair of the company’s wireless earphones we’ve reviewed. At £110/$165, they’re a little more affordable than alternatives from Beats or Sennheiser.
Build and coomfort
The AF100W’s earpieces look like those of higher-end earphones. With large plastic enclosures and cabling designed to trail over the ear, rather than hanging straight down from it, they could almost be cousins of the Shure SE425s.
A flexible part by the earpiece can be molded to form a hook, to suit the shape of your ear. Unsurprisingly, the earpieces themselves are just like those of the wired AF100s.
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Read full post here: https://www.whathifi.com/audiofly/af100w/review
The Audi A8 has long been considered as chauffeur to the stars; a cushy place to sit in luxury when being carted around. In its 2017 guise, the new A8 elevates that concept to new heights, not only for passengers but driver too.
For the 2017 Audi A8 is the company’s next big footstep in autonomous driving, delivering what the German brand describes as level three Audi AI – providing the ability to take your hands off the wheel and pedals and let the car drive you. Now the driver becomes chauffeured in safety and comfort, thanks to a huge array of sensors and applied algorithms.
SME has quite some pedigree. It was founded in 1946 and originally known as the Scale Model Equipment Company.
As the name implies, the company designed and manufactured intricate models for the exhibition and model engineering trade. It then expanded into producing precision aircraft parts for the likes of Rolls-Royce and Hawker. Even today, a large part of the business involves precision engineering for the medical, automotive, Formula 1 and aerospace industries.
This is no ordinary hi-fi company. Take the Model 15A out of its wooden crate and there’s no mistaking that fact.
Build
If you’re the kind of person that loves engineering, you’ll love this deck. We can’t remember testing a turntable so well made or finished.
The styling and ‘black with more black’ finish won’t appeal to all, but there’s no denying the hewn-from-solid feel to the build. Or the feeling this is something that will still be working for your grandchildren.
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Read full post here: https://www.whathifi.com/sme/model-15a/review
Many people who once would have chosen a traditional ‘family car’ are now buying SUVs and MPVsinstead.
However, that doesn’t mean the family car market is dead; it still accounts for a huge number of sales and is very competitive, so there are some great buys out there – and some great deals to be had.
But what makes a good family car? Well, it has to be practical, cheap to run, good to drive, well equipped and good value for money; in other words, it needs to be good at everything. Here we count down the top 10 and reveal the models that are best to steer clear of.
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Read full post here: https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-and-worst-family-cars-2018/n16996
Tough and durable are only some of the words that describe the Blackview BV700 when you first hold it in your hand. With its rugged, tactical design and very grippy texture at the back. The Blackview BV7000 feels solid as a rock.
The Blackview BV7000 has a 5-inch Full HD IPS display and though it’s clear and the colors are vibrant, the screen-to-body ratio could be better.
However, it does get a Full HD display that has a pixel density of around 440ppi, as well as a 5MP front camera.
The BV7000 uses rubber flaps to cover the ports, which might not be too reliable in the long run. Having said that, the fitment on the rubber flaps are super tight and it’s actually hard to open at times. This is good because the BV7000 is a waterproof (IP68) phone. At the top side of the phone, covered by a rubber flap, is the 3.5mm audio jack.
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Read full post here: https://www.yugatech.com/mobile/blackview-bv7000-first-impressions/#HFj7FiygPMl3thxy.97
Seagate has been known to have a wide portfolio of portable hard drives in their Backup Plus Family line. And now they are looking to change the competition by introducing the World’s Largest Capacity portable drive.
Meet the newest member of the Backup Plus Family Line — the Seagate Backup Plus Portable 5TB.
The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR is one of a twin set of lenses released at the same time, both featuring a stepper motor and a 70-300mm focal length, but one of which doesn’t have the VR mechanism inbuilt.
The fact that this lens is a stepper motor lens is indicated by the AF-P in the lens name. It’s important to note that AF-P lenses are not compatible with every Nikon model (mostly older models) – so make sure your camera is before buying one of the lenses. It is designed for DX (APS-C) DSLRs, and as such has an equivalent focal length of 105-450mm in 35mm terms. A maximum aperture range of f/4.5-6.3 is available.
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Read full post here: https://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_afp_dx_nikkor_70_300mm_f_45_63_g_ed_vr_review
HP’s impressive Spectre x2 is a clear sign that it’s looking to seize the detachable 2-in-1 laptop throne from Microsoft’s Surface Pro. But while the Spectre x2’s got the look down pat, how do its performance and endurance stack up?
Design
The Spectre x2’s black-and-copper machined aluminum design and its sparkling black ash finish make it one of the most beautiful detachables on the market. Also, when you set these notebooks kickstands to their widest angles, the Spectre x2 provides sturdiness, while the Surface Pro’s kickstand wavers a little.
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Read full post here: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/hp-spectre-x2-vs-surface-pro
Vodafone’s new £160/$208 Smart V8 follows in the footsteps of provider’s first 2017 handset; the N8, and that means plenty of bang for your buck with a Full HD screen, 16-megapixel camera and great build quality.
Design
We commended last year’s Smart Ultra 7 for offering a sleek design at a great price but one aspect that did let it down was its predominantly plastic finish. Thankfully, Vodafone heard our criticisms and as such the Smart V8 looks a feels like a significantly pricier handset than it is in actuality.
The tall, narrow metal body is a mix of brushed surfaces and chamfered edges with plastic caps at the top and bottom for the antennas being the only exceptions. The design bears more than a passing resemblance to ZTE’s newly launched V870, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when you learn that it served as the donor device when Vodafone was creating the V8.
The phone feels well-built and sturdy with pleasing symmetry; from the dual grilles on its bottom edge (only one of which actually contains a speaker) to the centrally positioned fingerprint sensor on its back, which feels decidedly snappy for a phone at this price point. You also get metal hardware controls, although we wish they’d placed the power button on the phone’s right side, rather than its left (this, from the perspective of a right-handed user).
Around the front, you’re also given a layer of pillowed Dragontrail Glass, which not only feels nice under-finger but also repels fingerprints surprisingly well (not always a given on more affordable smartphones), as well as offering comparable resilience to the likes of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4.
Screen
Behind that cover glass lies a 5.5-inch LTPS display. It offers excellent colours and contrast head-on with minimal colour distortion at more extreme angles and only really suffers from brightness issues. At full tilt, it could offer a little more illumination, whilst there’s mild drop-off as you twist it away from face-on, too.
You’ve got 401ppi (pixels per inch) to play with thanks to its Full HD resolution, which is a pretty tried and tested panel if you look at most mid-range and (some) premium handsets from the last 18 months, but that simply means text looks crisp and iconography is clean and clear.
OS
Despite its affordable nature, Vodafone has kept pace with the latest Android releases, meaning the V8 comes running version 7.1.1 Nougat, packing all the mod-cons including native split-screen multitasking and enhanced background power management.
As ever, Vodafone has also made some small but considered alterations to the base Android experience of its own. There are a number of features we’ve encountered before, like lockscreen shortcuts, not just to the camera but also the flashlight, voice input and the option to tweak and change additional actions as necessary.
We wouldn’t consider Vodafone’s own apps as bloatware for the most part either, with genuinely useful inclusions like Call+ and Message+ that include a web portal for desktop access, a Tips app, FM radio app and the Private Space app – a new offering that includes an encrypted photo and video gallery, file manager, app locker and password keeper, all under a secondary pattern lock.
Jump into the settings and you’ll also find new options for smart cases/covers and gesture-based actions like Flip to Mute and a three-finger tap to snooze your alarm, as an action.
In short, V8 owners will get much more out of the Android Nougat experience this smartphone packs versus a stock version of the same OS, thanks to Vodafone’s unobtrusive but intelligent additions.
Performance
Out the gate, the V8 feels like a significantly snappier handset compared to its predecessor and the switch from a MediaTek SoC to one of Qualcomm’s latest 435 chipsets should stand the phone in good stead over the length of your average 18 to 24-month contract, with regards to performance degradation.
Most 3D games run without issue, split-screen multitasking didn’t seem like a particularly big ask and jumping from one app to another only occasionally had you waiting before interaction was possible again. It’s an unexciting but wholly competent internal setup that the V8 is working with.
There’s also an ample 3GB of RAM and a usable 32GB of internal storage, so long as you’re aware that just over 9GB of that is occupied by system files out-the-box. What’s more, you can throw up to a 128GB microSD card in there if you need extra room for your media collection.
As for battery life, the 3000mAh non-removable cell should see you through a day and a half without too much trouble when paired with general mixed usage, however, another alteration Vodafone has made to the software experience gives users the option of both a ‘Smart Power-saving’ and ‘Ultra Power-saving’ mode – the latter of which promises to almost double longevity at the expense of high-demand services and features.
It even gives you app-by-app permissions control, so you can tailor app behaviour around power usage to an impressive degree.
Camera
Our Vodafone Smart V8 camera review will give you the full skinny on the phone’s photographic capabilities but in a nutshell, the handset’s 16-megapixel primary snapper and 8-megapixel front-facer both perform admirably, with a penchant for accurate colours and well-balanced contrast.
The shutter feels fast and responsive but we’d suggest shooting in HDR to minimise the challenges of photographing higher contrast scenes, even if they take almost a second to capture each time. The dual-tone LED flash on the back also colours subjects well whilst only the finest details really suffer, should you crop in.
You also get Full HD video recording at 30fps from both the front and rear cameras but where the V8 really shines is with regards to each camera’s functionality. You’ll find a wealth of modes at your fingertips including long-exposure capture and manual control, along with options to watermark shots, use gesture-based shutter control and more.
[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/gZnIwYAumF8″]
All we’d suggest is that selfie fans use the beauty slider sparingly, as things start to fall apart at higher levels, and don’t be surprised if your footage retains all of the micro-tremors and twitches from your hands when shooting video, the phone lacks any form of image stabilisation, which is a shame.
Verdict
With numerous affordable mid-range phones packing similarly-sized batteries and 5.5-inch Full HD displays, the Vodafone Smart V8 has a fair bit of competition to square up to, but for £160/$208 you’re actually getting a good-looking, fast and fluid mid-ranger with a competent enough camera and some very smart software tweaks from the off.
What’s more, this phone leverages Vodafone’s super speedy 4G network, so you can stream and game online without worry. All in all, the V8 has what it takes to stand alongside some of the bigger players in its class, almost giving the likes of the Moto G5 Plus cause for concern. We just wish it wasn’t a carrier exclusive so more people could enjoy what Vodafone is offering with the Smart V8.
Key Specs
5.5-inches
Full HD (1920×1080)
166 grams
Android 7.1.1 Nougat
16-megapixels
8-megapixels
1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435
3GB RAM
32GB. Expandable via microSD up to 128GB
Yes
FM Radio, advanced power saving, fingerprint sensor
The Good:The LG Gram 15 is one of the lightest and thinnest laptops available with a 15.6-inch display. It has good components and performance for the price and gets nearly 10 hours of battery life. Port assortment includes USB 3.0 Type-C and a full-size HDMI output.
The Bad: The keyboard is shallow and somewhat spongy-feeling. The speakers are weak and tinny. The webcam is on the hinge, which basically means positioning it is always going to be a problem. Some might not like the overall flimsy feel to the body.
The Bottom Line:The LG Gram 15 is an ultraportable that doesn’t make you sacrifice screen size or some runtime for less weight.
With ultraportables, you typically sacrifice screen size to shave something off from the overall size and weight. But as LG showed us with its 13.3-inch Gram laptop, it’s possible to get a larger screen into a smaller and remarkably lightweight body, and still get solid everyday performance and battery life.
The 2017 Gram models — available in 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch sizes — start at $1,000 for a non-touchscreen 13.3-inch Gram, but climb up to $1,500 for the 15.6-inch version reviewed here (approximately AU$1,990 or £1,185 in Australia and the UK, respectively) with a full-HD IPS touchscreen and an Intel Core i7-7500U processor, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD.
The price is certainly fair for those components in a laptop that’s a touch less than 2.5 pounds (1,080 g) and is only 0.6 inch thick (15.5 mm). The bigger screen in the smaller, lighter body is the main selling point, though, so if those aren’t crucial to your needs, you might want to consider something else such as the 15-inch HP Spectre x360 or the Dell XPS 15.
LG Gram 15 (2017)
Price as reviewed
$1,499
Display size/resolution
15-inch 1,920×1,080 touch display
PC CPU
2.7GHz Intel Core i7-7500U
PC memory
16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,133MHz
Graphics
128MB dedicated Intel HD Graphics 620
Storage
512GB SSD
Networking
802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.2
Operating system
Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
For as much as I love how little the Gram weighs, the look and feel is not as easy to like. The magnesium alloy body just doesn’t have the same sturdy feel as a premium aluminum-chassis ultraportable. The lid in particular has a lot of flex to it. However, this doesn’t mean that it won’t stand up to the day-in-day-out abuse of a commute or getting dragged around from class to class.
Also, while anyone who picks it up will be amazed by its weight, the Gram likely won’t wow them with its looks. The chassis is dark silver inside and out with the exception of the chrome LG logo on the lid and below the display. Politely put, it is unassuming and will blend into any environment, be it boardroom, classroom or cafe.
Bigger, but not necessarily better
The Gram 15 is essentially just a larger version of the Gram 13. That, unfortunately, means that a couple issues I had with the 13.3-inch version are found on the 15.6-incher. For example, the Gram 15 has a slim bezel around the screen like the Gram 13, which is great because it means you’re looking at almost nothing but display when you open the lid. A side effect of this, however, is LG moved the webcam to the screen’s hinge so it shoots straight up your nose while also placing the camera so low that the screen has to be at a 90-degree angle to keep you entirely in the shot.
As you might expect from a company that makes TVs and displays, the screen on the Gram is nice. It’s sharp with very good color and excellent off-angle viewing. It gets reasonably bright, too, but you still might struggle with some of the glare from the glossy touchscreen. LG also includes a Reader mode setting that lets you quickly reduce blue light.
While watching TV and movies on it is a good experience, listening to any sort of audio through its weak speakers is not (the Gram 13’s speakers were similarly disappointing). To be fair, few laptops this thin have good speakers and LG built-in DTS Headphone: X processing for improved audio quality through the headphone/mic jack. Other ports and connections include two USB 3.0 ports (Type-A), a microSD card slot, HDMI output and a USB 3.0 Type-C port that supports video out, high-speed data transfer and Ethernet via an adapter.
Another carryover from the Gram 13 is the short travel on its keyboard keys. If you hammer hard when typing like I do, it doesn’t make for the most comfortable experience. Plus, while most of the keys are reasonably large, the Enter and Backspace are just a little too small, which led me to occasionally miss them. Not a deal-breaker, but something you might have to adjust to. On the upside, it does have two levels of backlighting available.
The touchpad is responsive without being jumpy and its software allows for a lot of fine-tuning for multitouch gestures and taps. Oddly, though, LG dropped the fingerprint reader that’s built into the Gram 13’s touchpad.
Everyday performance, all-day battery life
With a seventh-gen Intel Core i7-7500U processor, 16GB of memory and integrated Intel HD Graphics 620, you get enough power to get you through average computer tasks like word processing, web browsing and email, and it won’t get bogged down if you have a dozen tabs open in Google Chrome with some other applications running in the background. Streaming video and music are no problem either, but I wouldn’t recommend it for anything more than casual photo and video editing.
The laptop’s battery life doesn’t quite hit the 11.5 hours that the 13.3-inch Gram reached (putting it in the top five of laptops we’ve tested with the longest battery life), but it’s not disappointing either. In our streaming video test, the Gram hit nine hours and 42 minutes. On a full charge with the screen brightness at 50 percent, I had no problem getting through an entire work day, including a one-hour commute on both ends.
You’ll forget it’s in your bag
In case this review didn’t hammer it home enough, without a doubt the best thing about the LG Gram 15 is its weight. Lightweight 15.6-inch laptops are a rarity to begin with, but finding one that’s less than 2.5 pounds is, well, this is the only one at the moment. (Samsung’s Notebook 9 comes close, though.) If you want a big-screen laptop that you won’t mind carrying around all day, everyday (and can look past the meh keyboard and speakers and bad camera placement), the Gram 15 is worth the expense.
System configurations
LG Gram 15 (2017)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-7500U; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 128MB dedicated Intel HD Graphics 620; 512GB SSD
Samsung Notebook 9 (15-inch)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-7500U; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce 940MX; 256GB SSD
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
Apple MacOS Sierra 10.12.5; 2.9GHz Intel Core i7-7820HQ; 16GB DDR3 SDRAM 2,133MHz; 4GB Radeon Pro 560 / 1,536MB Intel HD Graphics 630; 512GB SSD
Dell XPS 15 (2017)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ;16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,400MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050; 512GB SSD
HP Spectre x360 (15-inch, 2017)
Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-7500U; 16GB DDR4 SDRAM 2,400MHz; 2GB Nvidia GeForce 940MX; 512GB SSD
Your Amazon Echo has just arrived and you might have glanced at the quick-start guide, but beyond the basic setup, do you know what Alexa can do or what services you want to integrate with your device?
Read on as we run through our list of the top things to do to get started.
Use the browser interface
Your Amazon Echo guide will tell you to download the Alexa app from iTunes or Google Play, but plenty of people have been struggling to set-up this way and we’ve had more success using the browser interface.
You can use this link to setup a new device, whether that’s setting up your Echo in the first place or adding other devices such as the Tap and Echo Dot, or adding other services.
Although the Alexa app is great for general use, we’d highly recommend using the browser interface for the initial setup and if you’ve got any problems with connecting your Amazon Echo to a BT Home Hub. It also makes the other things we’re going to cover in a minute a breeze too.
Setting a default music service
With a speaker built into the Echo, it makes for a good Bluetooth speaker alternative. Out of the box, your Amazon Echo will have access to your Amazon music library, i.e., anything you’ve purchased from Amazon and, if you have a subscription, Amazon Prime music.
If you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription, no need to worry because there’s also TuneIn radio, which is free, and the ability to connect with Spotify.
Spotify too requires a subscription, but if that’s your usual music provider then setting it up as a service is easy through the interface. Just go to settings > music and media and click to authorise Spotify. This is one area people have had difficulty with when using the mobile app, especially on Android, so if you’re having problems, using the browser might fix it.
It’s also worth noting that your Amazon Echo will read books to you by simple commands “Alexa, read my book” for Audible playback or “Alexa, read my Kindle book” for reading your Kindle library.
Changing your Echo flash briefing
Alexa, play my flash briefing” or “Alexa, what’s new?” will start your Amazon Echo reciting news updates. By default, your Amazon Echo is set to use Sky News and while there’s nothing wrong with that, you may choose to get your news from a different source.
Under settings > flash briefing you can pick from a range of different news services including BBC World Service, The Guardian, The Telegraph and more.
Syncing with your Google, iCloud or Outlook Calendar
Your Amazon Echo is pretty handy at helping you keep on top of your to-do list, but it’s also able to help you manage your day-to-day activities. By connecting to your Google, iCloud or Outlook calendars you can get Alexa to check what’s happening today or at a specific hour on a day in the future.
To do this simply go to settings > calendar in the browser interface. You’ll need to authorise access to your calendar, but otherwise setup is easy.
Getting more Echo skills
Alexa is pretty smart and there’s a lot of things she can help out with, but you can further improve the usefulness of your Amazon Echo by adding relevant skills.
Skills are essentially plugins that allow you to do a variety of things such as ordering your last meal from Just eat or listening to UK radio. Just pop into the skills section and search for anything that fit your needs.
You can find some ideas of other skills that are fun to try in our Amazon Echo tips and tricks article.
Connect Alexa to smarthome devices
It might seem obvious, but Alexa is compatible with a range of different smarthome devices, giving you the power to control everything from your heating to your lighting if you have suitable technology in your home.
Activate and connect the relevant Smart Home skills in the interface to get started.
Changing your Echo wake word
This one isn’t necessarily essential, but you might find it handy especially if you have someone called “Alex” living in your house.
Under the device settings you can choose to change the wake word to something else, though the choice is pretty limited. Alas, there’s no option for “Hal”, but you can get your mini sci-fi nerdgasm by changing it to “computer”, imagine you’re Jean Luc Picard and order yourself a cup of hot Earl Grey tea (presuming you have a connected smart tea maker). Other wake words include “Alexa”, “Echo” or “Amazon”.
Random and fun things to try
Now you’ve setup all the important things, why not try out something dafter and get Alexa to entertain you? There’s plenty to play with in this list.
[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/divfyJ2eKfw”]
Expand the experience
If you like it in one room, you’ll want Amazon Echo in other rooms. Buying the Echo speaker over and over again could get expensive, but you could opt for an Amazon Echo Dot. The dot is the smaller, and cheaper version of the Amazon Echo that while coming with a small built-in speaker, doesn’t come with large tube speaker that the Echo sports. You can though plug it in to a speaker you already own either via a 3.5mm jack or via Bluetooth.
The Ford Fiesta has been the best selling car in the UK for eight years straight. That’s a long time to hold the top spot and a lot of pressure for an all-new model to have on its pillars.
So the question is, how does Ford make Britain’s favourite car even better without destroying its legacy? With a face lift (or several faces if you consider all the models as individuals), plenty of customisation options and a whole lot of connectivity and driver assist technologies. That’s how.
Ford Fiesta (2017) review: Design
The all-new Ford Fiesta is everything a Fiesta fan would want it to be in terms of design. Its charm is retained, as is the bold styling – but things are more refined in the seventh-generation model with a more elegant appearance, with straighter, simplified lines and a softer sculpture.
The centre bulge found on the 2008 model’s bonnet has been removed for a smoother finish that highlights the new model’s wider grille and the wrap-around headlights, while the side profile is less wedge-shaped with a play on light reflections and shadows to create lines.
The 2017 Fiesta is longer and wider – 71mm and 13mm respectively, if you’re counting – for a more serious stance, while the rear sees new horizontal lights with a C-shaped pattern rather than the 2008 model’s vertical lights.
The overall appearance is a fuss-free uninterrupted design that oozes premium appeal.
Ford Fiesta (2017) review: Which model and extras?
There are several variants of the new Fiesta available: Style, Zetec, Titanium, ST-Line and Vignale. There is also a performance ST model and a more rugged Active model coming at the beginning of 2018.
All of these come in three and five-door variants. Unlike the new Nissan Micra, the five-door Fiestas have normal handles on the rear doors rather than integrated ones. But the finished look isn’t comprised as a result.
There are personalisation options too. These aren’t as vast as the likes of the Fiat 500, but you can select contrasting roof and door mirrors to make your Fiesta standout from others on the road, with a total of 29 two-tone options available. Wheel trims range from 15-inch steel wheels with covers to optional 18-inch alloys.
Opt for the ST-Line, which is our favourite, and you’ll find yourself with a sportier finish compared to the Style, Zetec and Titanium models, a Ford-Performance inspired grille, rear spoiler and a more angular and aggressive look with a 10mm lower ride height. The ST-Line also features metallic 17-inch alloys as standard. However, it’s important to note it’s not a fully-fledged ST, i.e. the ST-Line doesn’t get an engine upgrade.
The top-of-the-range Vignale model, meanwhile, features the Ford Vignale bespoke grille (which looks like it is made up of small flying seagulls), foglamp surrounds, a smiling bumper feature line, 17-inch 10-spoke alloys as standard and an all-round more luxurious finish inside. It’ll cost more, but it looks great.
Ford Fiesta (2017) review: Interior, infotainment and audio
The interior of the new Ford Fiesta has been streamlined, too, on all models. There are almost 50 per cent fewer buttons compared to the 2008 Fiesta, delivering a much cleaner finish from a drivers’ point of view. It’s far more user friendly.
On the Titanium models and above, you’ll find an impressive 8-inch touchscreen as the star of the show, which soaks up many of those extra connectivity and entertainment buttons. Influenced by consumer interactions with smart devices, Ford claims the 8-inch tablet-looking touchscreen is twice as bright as competitors. Although it gets very hot – hotter than it should, we feel – there is no denying it’s good screen. It’s extremely responsive too – impressively so for an in-car infotainment system.
Ford’s SYNC 3 is on board, which is nice and simple to use, offering a tile-like interface for various settings and features. DAB radio, emergency assistance, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and two USB ports are also all present from the Zetec model upwards (the Zetec has a slightly smaller 6.5-inch touchscreen). There is an additional 4.2-inch TFT screen in the driver’s dash from the Titanium model upwards, while other models simply feature a trip computer
Sound is dependant on which model you buy. There is a standard six-speaker setup in most models, but there is a 10-speaker B&O Play system which can be bought as a £300/$450 option in models excluding the Style, but comes as standard in the Titanium X, B&O Play Titanium and B&O Play Zetec. This more premium sound system has a mid-range centre speaker that is mounted on the instrument panel – which looks a little out of place to our eyes – combined with two tweeters near the A-pillar, two mid-range woofers in the front doors, two integrated tweeter and mid-range woofers in the rear and a subwoofer in the spare wheel. The sound delivered is great and well-balanced, although the cost to upgrade means it won’t be justifiable for everyone.
Ford Fiesta (2017) review: Seats and storage
Seat upholstery is also dependant on the model you select. Partial leather seats start from the Titanium X model. The ST-Line has sports-style front seats, as well as a flat-bottomed steering wheel. The Vignale is all about the leather: its seats (with their special pattern design) and steering wheel both feature it.
There’s plenty of storage in all models, too, with a one-litre media bin within the centre console, cup holders in the rear doors and centre of the front seats, as well as a 20 per cent larger glovebox compared to the 2008 model. These cup holders in the centre are even illuminated from the Titanium model upwards, matching the dials within the driver’s dash, which is a nice touch.
Ford has made the tailgate wider for easier access to the boot, which is ultimately quite small, but rear seat passengers do get an extra 16mm more knee room – even if this still doesn’t make the back huge.
Overall, the front cabin is spacious and comfortable, while the materials used thankfully avoid cheap, tacky plastic in the most part. As you would expect, the interior of the new Fiesta is more luxurious the higher the grade model, but even at the lower levels, you get soft-touch materials on the main dash and a premium feel throughout.
As per the exterior, personalisation options are also available for the interior of the new Fiesta, with decorative elements available for the central instrument and passenger-side instrument panel, door pulls and rear-view mirror cap. There are five colour options, including Race Red and Chrome Copper.
Ford Fiesta (2017) review: Engine options, performance and drive experience
The new Ford Fiesta is available in numerous powertrains, comprising petrol and diesel engines and five-speed manual, six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions. Engines range from a 1.1-litre petrol five-speed manual with 70hp and emissions of 101g/km CO2 to a 1.5-litre TDCi six-speed manual with 120hp and emissions of 89g/km CO2.
We drove a Titanium model with the 1.5-litre TDCi six-speed manual 120PS engine which accelerates from 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds, as well as an ST-Line and a Vignale model, both of which had the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, offering 140hp, emissions 102g/km CO2 and acceleration from 0-62mph in 9 seconds. All three models were a pleasure to drive and fun, though the ST-Line was our preferred model.
All models have 10 per cent more cornering grip than the 2008 model, supported Electronic Torque Vectoring, which uses the anti-lock brake and ESC sensors to detect if the car is drifting, gently applying the brakes on the inside or outside of the rear wheels respectively. The Titanium diesel felt more grounded than the Vignale petrol, which gave us greater confidence when taking those sharper corners on the winding Spanish roads.
The ST-Line petrol model offered firmer suspension than both the Titanium and Vignale models, ultimately delivering a more exciting ride, which is why it was our favourite. It delivered the perfect balance between sporty and comfortable, soaking up enough of the uneven surfaces so that even a longish drive was no drama.
Ford Fiesta (2017) review: Safety features
Like the Kia Rio and the Nissan Micra, the new Ford Fiesta offers plenty of extra safety technology and driver assist options. There are two cameras, three radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors on board, all of which contribute to the car being able to monitor 360-degrees around itself and scan the road ahead by up to 130 metres.
A total of 15 driver assistant technologies are available, including Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Traffic Sign Recognition, Auto High-Beam, Blind Spot Information System, Cross Traffic Alert, Driver Alert, Lane Keeping Aid, Distance Indication and Adaptive Cruise Control.
The Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection will even work at night, while another technology called Active Park Assist with Perpendicular Parking will not only help you park, but it will apply brakes if you don’t respond to system guidance and proximity warnings, stopping you hitting any other cars’ bumpers (or anything else). There is also Park Out Assist to get you out of a parallel parking space with ease.
Many of the assist packages are available as options rather than standard. The bottom-end Style does still offer the NCAP pack that includes Lane-Keeping Alert and Lane-Keeping Aid. The Titanium model adds Traffic Sign Recognition, Auto High Beam and Driver Alert. The other assistant technologies come as option packs, with prices ranging from £200/$300 to £500/$750 per pack.
Keyless start and Cruise Control are available as standard on the Titanium model and above.
Verdict
The new Ford Fiesta cements its position as a truly fun car to drive.
The customisable exterior offers a more premium design that is softer and simpler than its predecessor, while the interior is just as great, with lovely materials that continue the premium trend set by the exterior.
The streamlined controls, fabulously responsive touchscreen and plethora of technology on board – in both connectivity options such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and driver assist technologies (some of which you’ll have to pay extra for) – make this car the one to beat in its segment.
We’d recommend the Titanium or the ST-Line X model, which start from £16,145/$24,218 and £17,495/$26,243 respectively, in order to get a good selection of some of the great features, like the 8-inch touchscreen, 4.2-inch TFT instrument cluster and some of the more advanced driver assistant technologies.
Ultimately, though, any of the 2017 Fiesta models are likely to win hearts all over Britain once again. It’s a fantastic supermini that proves it’s a very big deal.
The Good:The Samsung CF791 34-inch curved display is a great size for gaming, and the combination of a 100Hz refresh rate and FreeSync pairs well with midrange Radeon cards. Plus, its color is pleasing.
The Bad: It only has two USB ports and the integrated stand makes life awkward for VESA mounters.
The Bottom Line:Big, bright and reasonably accurate, the 34-inch curved Samsung CF791 is a bit expensive for a FreeSync monitor but offers a generous feature set and solid performance for the money if you’re a Radeon gamer.
I have enough ambivalence about curved monitors to fill a 34-inch screen. For games? No question it’s good. For movies and work, though, it gives pause. Most movies use a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio so at best they float in the middle of a 21:9 screen. And, for example, you can comfortably fit three windows side by side, but if you only need two neither one is directly in front of you — you’re staring at the space between them.
Keeping those caveats in mind, the 34-inch Samsung CF791($949.00 at Jet.com) (the C34F791WQN, to be precise) is an excellent option in this class.
It’s great for gaming, with sufficiently fast response times, a solid AMD FreeSync implementation (with a 100Hz max refresh, you’ve also got some leeway on lower-power Nvidia GPUs), vivid colors and a reasonable amount of configuration flexibility. Field of view, people.
It’s not cheap, but I don’t think its $950 price tag is unreasonably high for what it offers. In the UK it costs £800. I don’t see it offered in Australia, at least not yet (for reference, the US price directly converts to AU$1,050). Samsung also offers a less-expensive display — Samsung prices it higher but it has a lower street price — the SE790 (technically, the LS34E790CNS). However it doesn’t support FreeSync or use the company’s Quantum Dot($42.39 at Amazon.com) technology, and it’s less curved.
Basic specs
Price (MSRP)
$949.99; £799
Panel type
VA/QD LED
Degrees of curvature (smaller is tighter)
30
Size (diagonal)
34
Curve radius
1500R
Resolution
UWQHD (3,440×1,440)
Aspect ratio
21:9
Pixel pitch (mm)
0.23
Maximum gamut
125 percent sRGB
Rotates vertically
No
Typical brightness (nits)
300
HDR
No
Sync standard
FreeSync
Maximum vertical refresh rate (at HD or higher resolution)
100Hz
Gray/gray response time (milliseconds)
4
Release date
December 2016
Setting it up is dead easy, mostly because the stand is integrated. It rises or lowers as it slides along a track that simultaneously tilts it. In other words, at its highest, you’re viewing it directly ahead. At its lowest, it tilts back so you’re looking down at it. You can adjust the amount of tilt, giving it a cockpit feel that’s a comfortable way to give your neck and upper back a change. It’s probably a really good fit for standing desks.
You can configure the HDMI and full-size DisplayPort inputs to display simultaneously in Picture-in-Picture or Picture-by-Picture modes, and there’s an HDMI out for passing the signal through to another monitor or TV.
Connections
HDMI
2×2.0
DisplayPort
1×1.2
USB Type-A (out)
2xUSB 3.0
USB 3.0 (in)
1
Built-in speakers
2×7 watts
Headphone jack
Yes
Since they’re positioned on the left side and not blocked by the arm, the connectors are really easy to reach. And while I’m not crazy about the white and silver, it’s much easier to read the connection labels than with many of the dark cabinets.
I also like Samsung’s single-control joystick design for navigating the onscreen display and options. But it means there’s no way to map custom presets or FreeSync modes for direct access. The Samsung Magic Bright setting actually refers to its preset modes rather than brightness, and its “Basic” mode is sRGB. In fact, there’s a lot of ambiguity in the OSD: Gamma choices are Mode1, Mode2 and Mode3, for example. But there’s a respectable set of options, including dynamic contrast, HDMI black level (which I believe is necessary to compensate on Quantum Dot panels). Magic Upscale basically oversharpens everything.
No surprises
Like most consumer displays, the CF791 comes out of the box ready to show every color it can so that scenes pop, accuracy be damned. If you’re sensitive to colors you might want to choose the Basic sRGB setting, since its gamut exceeds sRGB. It tests out at about 125 percent as rated, pushing out significantly into the less saturated greens and a little in every other direction.
Quantum Dot backlights tend to be cooler than standard white LEDs. The High Bright setting controls that. Normally, the blue is pulled back a little, which allows the CF791 to deliver a color temperature of about 6300K and a maximum contrast ratio of 1704:1. In High Bright, the color temperature tests out to 6600K and the contrast ratio rises to 2600:1.
I find High Bright uncomfortable to use, and it’s less accurate than the standard modes. Overall, the monitor is accurate enough for casual photo and video editing in sRGB. The display’s maximum brightness reaches 290 nits, which won’t win any awards, but I’ve got the brightness down to 17 percent as I write this and gamma matters a little more for most current games and HD streaming video.
The display is really viewing-angle sensitive, however. Brightness drops off dramatically, making it look low contrast in off-axis areas, so you have to either ignore that or position it carefully. The theory is that with a curved display you’re always sitting in the sweet spot so off-axis artifacts don’t matter, but that’s not always the case. I’ve seen complaints about vignetting (dark corners) and backlight bleed, but my evaluation unit didn’t suffer from either.
There were no surprises with respect to FreeSync performance. Using the Standard Engine running on an RX 570 and forcing Doom (Vulkan) to frame rates below 60fps made it look good. It looked better in Ultimate, but when the frame rate dropped into the 48-53fps range and the low frame-rate compensation kicked in, there was noticeable flicker. Bioshock Infinite had lots of tearing in the opening cut scenes which went away with Ultimate, but that’s probably Bioshock’s fault.
Its built-in 7 watt stereo speakers sound… OK. They’re good enough to indicate that something exploded, but not the best for music or surround.
Buy or no buy
Samsung’s 34-inch curved Quantum Dot display is one of the best I’ve seen thus far thanks to its broad color gamut and relatively accurate color. When you toss in its solid FreeSync implementation and a native refresh rate of 100Hz it wins the day for Radeon fans, too.
In my Beelink SEA I review, I’ve put Beelink’s new Android TV box to test, checking how well it performs in media playback, movie streaming and more. Is the Beelink SEA I worth it? Read my Beelink SEA I review to find out.
What is the Beelink SEA I?
The Beelink SEA I is the company’s latest Android TV box powered by the quadcore Realtek RTD1295.
Running Android 6.0, the Beelink SEA I allows you to connect it up to your TV, run Android apps on the big screen (including installing Kodi), stream movies and more.
It also features a HDMI In port so you can record from devices connected via HDMI such as game consoles. An internal hard drive bay also allows you to significantly increase the onboard storage, letting you install more games, apps and movies.
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Read full post here: https://hometheatrelife.com/beelink-sea-i-review/
Our 2017 Mid-year series of devices continues! We won’t call this a list without everyone’s favorite price segment: phones of different shapes and sizes priced just under five thousand.
Given that most of the brands have already unleashed their new budget devices this past Christmas and the weakening peso-dollar conversion surely affected a lot of devices’ prices coming into the country, there are only very few smartphones that made it on our list, unlike last year.
As with the other lists that we’ve published previously, those listed here are released in the Philippines on January 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017. Phones are arranged in no particular order.
For starters on a budget
For those who want to get a taste of Android but does not have that much to shell out, these are some of the top smartphone picks you can get for cheaps. First, the Cloudfone One is the most affordable smartphone released this past summer, bearing very basic specs with a good build for Php1,199/$24. It’s not that powerful, but this phone does suffice for ‘lite’ app use.
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Read full post here: https://www.yugatech.com/mobile/top-smartphones-under-php5k-mid-2017/#IqvMOtxJ6DGuhuUo.97
Meike is one of the new breeds of independent lens manufacturers, providing low cost, innovative designs, unusual specifications and rapidly finding a niche for themselves. This new 28mm f/2.8 is available for APS-C and MFT mirrorless cameras, providing a “35mm format equivalent” of 42mm and 56mm respectively. That is, a wide standard or long standard lens depending upon format. Tested here on the Panasonic Lumix G6 body, let’s have a closer look at what this new lens has to offer.
Handling and Features
The lens comes nicely packaged in a glossy, printed box, and also includes a soft pouch and a cleaning cloth. It is very tiny, weighing in at a minuscule 102g. The version reviewed is for MFT cameras and it makes a very compact piece of kit when fitted to the Panasonic Lumix G6. This could easily fit into a large jacket pocket and could be a useful combination for street photographers.
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Read full post here: https://www.ephotozine.com/article/meike-28mm-f-2-8-lens-review-31149
Being the latest member of the Speak series, the Jabra Speak 710 is a portable sound system that is both designed for professional and personal use. Now, let’s see what it has to offer.
Just by simply looking at the design of the new Jabra Speak 710, we can say that it stays true to its claim. Weighing only 298 grams, its lightweight design makes it perfect for people who are always on-the-go.
It also comes with a protective travel pouch so you won’t have to worry about scratches while traveling with it. What also captures our attention is its capacitive buttons and its metal speaker grille, which we think is what gives it a premium and sophisticated look.
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Read full post here: https://www.yugatech.com/audio/hands-on-jabra-speak-710/#SzbPZYceXberJWVp.97
Laptops with 15-inch screens are the most popular size, but most are way too heavy to carry on a regular basis. Most truly portable 15-inchers on the market, such as the MacBook Pro and the Dell XPS 15, tend to cost well over $1,000. Enter the Asus VivoBook S510, a 15-inch laptop that weighs just 3.57 pounds, starts at a reasonable $699 ($799 as tested) and packs compelling features like a colorful, 1080p display, narrow screen bezels, an attractive aluminum lid and optional dual-storage drives. If you can live with drawbacks that include short battery life, a shallow keyboard and a blurry webcam, the VivoBook S510’s premium design and good performance make it a solid choice.
Design
The Asus VivoBook S510 has a subtle but attractive champagne gold-colored chassis, with a brushed aluminum lid and matte plastic sides and deck. The narrow “NanoEdge” bezel around the display measures just 0.3 inches on either side, but has a slightly thicker 0.4-inch top bezel.
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Read full post here: https://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/laptops/asus-vivobook-s510
The AF100W’s earpieces look like those of higher-end earphones. With large plastic enclosures and cabling designed to trail over the ear, rather than hanging straight down from it, they could almost be cousins of the Shure SE425s.
If you’re the kind of person that loves engineering, you’ll love this deck. We can’t remember testing a turntable so well made or finished.
