Monthly Archives: August 2017

Leica TL vs Leica TL2 Review

Leica Camera have just announced the launch of the Leica TL2 – a mighty mirrorless camera that follows on to the original Leica TL, bringing with it some noticeable updates, while retaining that signature Leica design.

Leica TL vs TL2 Review

If you’re considering the new Leica TL2, you’ll want to know how it compares to the original – what’s changed and is it worth the upgrade. In this review, we’ve compared both cameras for you. In this review we’ve compared the key differences between the Leica TL2 and TL including megapixel count, video quality, focusing speed and accuracy, processing speed, and connectivity to determine whether the latest camera is worth the upgrade or purchase as your first Leica mirrorless camera.

Read full post here:
https://blog.parkcameras.com/2017/07/leica-tl-vs-tl2-review.html

ASRock X299 Taichi Motherboard Review

Finally we are able to bring you the first of our reviews of Intel’s new X299 High End Desktop (HEDT) platform. The release of Skylake-E CPUs with core counts from the 4 core i5-7640X all the way up to the as yet unreleased 18 core i9 7980XE means a new chipset, new socket and a full range of super impressive, though expensive motherboards.  The first in our series of X299 motherboard reviews is the ASRock X299 Taichi. We’ve been impressed by ASRock’s Taichi boards in the past. It’s unique looks, updated feature set and relatively affordable price should see it end up on many buyers shortlists. How does it stack up? Read on to find out.

Introduction

Its taken some time to bring this review to you. Intel were  unable unwilling to work with VRZone so we had to rely on sourcing a CPU from one of the motherboard partners before we could bring this review to you. We have to say we are really disappointed by this. We have received no platform or CPU information from Intel. We can accept that the entire launch might have been rushed for strategic reasons, but this is no reason to ignore the people they need to promote their product to you. Nevertheless, here we are, and its full steam ahead.

Read full post here:
https://vrzone.com/articles/asrock-x299-taichi-motherboard-review/128452.html

Asus ZenPower Slim Hands-on Review : First impressions

Asus Philippines released their newest powerbank over the week-end. Aptly called the Zenpower Slim, this super thin and light powerbank carries a capacity of 3,000mAh. So we bought a couple of units from the Lazada listing and it arrived the next day.

Unlike the other Zenpower before it, the Zenpower Slim is made of polycarbonate material instead of metal. It still looks like metal due to that two-tone polished and and brushed-metal finish. Actually, we liked the look and design of this one better.

The 3,000mAh capacity is just about enough for a one full charge of most smartphones out there. So yes, it will not be a heavy-duty powerbank but if you’re more concerned about the form factor, this is a good candidate for those times when you just need to bring a powerbank that can incospicuously fit in your back pocket.

Read full post here:
https://www.yugatech.com/accessories/asus-zenpower-slim-first-impressions/#YuJ6p8F0URbXBB8R.97

New Range Rover Velar (2017) vs Range Rover Sport

The new Velar is Land Rover’s latest luxury SUV, but how does it stack up against the larger Range Rover Sport?

The Range Rover brand is synonymous with luxury SUVs and, whether you’re looking at the full-fat Range Rover, the smaller and nippier Range Rover Sport or the entry-level Evoque, each has its own appeal. The new Range Rover Velar, though, is a different proposition.

It’s targeted towards buyers who want a more stylish SUV and bridges the gap between the Evoque and Sport models – a gap worth around £30,000/$39,000. It’s also the most road-biased Range Rover ever and goes up against competition including the BMW X4 and Porsche Macan.

Is the Velar now the de facto Range Rover, though? Or is the more expensive Sport still the more capable all-rounder? Here, we’ve compared the models side by side.

Read full post here:
https://www.whatcar.com/news/new-range-rover-velar-vs-range-rover-sport/n15820

Urbanears Stammen Wireless Speaker review

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Portable Bluetooth speakers are great for when you want to take your music on the go, but you’ll probably want more substantial speakers for using around the house. For multi-room streaming, Sonos has been the king for years.

However, just about everyone’s getting into the multi-room speaker game with the likes of LG and Samsung creating their own speaker ecosystems that can all talk to each other. Unfortunately, most multi-room speaker setups can’t touch Sonos for ease of use and sound quality. Sure, Sonos is expensive, but you pay for the headache-free experience and good sound quality.

Urbanears, most known for its minimalistically styled headphones like the Urbanears Plattan II, has taken a crack at creating multi-room speakers with the Urbanears Stammen and Baggen, and while we like their versatility, the company’s boxy-speakers just aren’t very good and cost too much money.

Read full post here:
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/urbanears-stammen-wireless-speaker

Garmin Approach S60 Review

Admittedly, I’ve been a skeptic of GPS golf watches, always finding a range finder to be more precise and convenient — and less expensive. And quite a few of my golf buddies share my point of view. However, after wearing the $400 Garmin Approach S60 for a handful of rounds, including a 36-hole day, it might be time to leave the range finder at home. The latest golf-specific smartwatch from Garmin offers all the features avid golfers and fitness fanatics need to navigate their way around the course.

Getting Ready: Setup and Configuration

It took me less than 10 minutes to complete the initial setup of the Approach S60. I followed the on-screen prompt to download the Garmin Connect app to my phone, created a free account and used a Bluetooth connection to sync the S60 with my new Garmin Connect account. From this point forward, just about every setting is controlled from the watch.

Read full post here:
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/garmin-approach-s60,review-4546.html

SteelSeries Sensei 310 review

The SteelSeries Sensei is one of the most popular gaming mice in history next to the legendary Logitech MX518. Over the last decade it’s been updated with the addition of its own CPU, and has seen a wireless edition released alongside the traditional wired version.

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However, this year we’re getting a completely redeveloped version with the SteelSeries Sensei 310.

Not only has the Sensei 310 gotten a visual makeover, it also features an advanced sensor that you won’t find in other gaming mice. Despite being such an ambitious revision, the Sensei 301 returns to it roots as an affordable, professional-grade gaming mouse with a price tag of only $59 (about £45, AU$70).

At this price point, the new and improved Sensei 301 enters the crowded market of other ambidextrous gaming mice. It sits between the $69 (about £69, AU$99) Logitech G Pro Gaming Mouse and $49 (about £49, AU$79) Razer Abyssus V2. While it is surrounded by rivals, we can confidently say it has no equals after spending a few weeks with the Sensei 310.

Read full post here:
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/steelseries-sensei-310

How to Reset a Mac

Does your MacBook seem a little long in the tooth? Is there an issue you can’t seem to solve no matter how you try? Or do you want to sell your MacBook without a trace of personal data on it? Resetting a Mac can solve any of those issues.

Below, we explain how to completely wipe your MacBook (or iMac) and reset it to a like-new state. The instructions below (with a few minor changes here or there) will work going all the way back to mac OS Before you do this, be sure to back up your data. If you’re selling your MacBook, also make sure to sign out of iMessage, iCloud and any other accounts before you reset. Here’s how to reset a MacBook:

1. Hold down the Command and R keys on the keyboard and turn on the Mac. Let go when the Apple logo pops up.

Read full post here:
https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/reset-mac

2018 Range Rover Velar First Drive: The Midsize SUV to beat

Velar is an very old name for a very modern Range Rover. Automakers mining their history for neglected nameplates isn’t new, of course, but all the same few spend so long in the cold as Velar did. Used, nearly five decades ago, on the first “hiding in plain sight” prototype Range Rovers, the badge is back to usher in a very British reinvention of the midsize luxury SUV. No small challenge ahead, then, as Land Rover explained when it invited me out to Norway to experience the 2018 Velar in action.

Design is subjective, but I’m of a mind that it’s Range Rover’s best looking car in years. Side by side with a Range Rover Sport, and the Velar leaves the bigger, older car looking fussy and overly sculpted. If the full-size Range Rover looks as though it’s been built up of layers of the very rock strata it can scale so adeptly, then the Velar is the smooth stone shaped by the flow of rivers and fjords (and yes, it can wade through those, too).

Read full post here:
https://www.slashgear.com/2018-range-rover-velar-first-drive-the-midsize-suv-to-beat-01493447/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motorola Moto G5 vs G5 Plus vs G5S vs G5S Plus: What are all these Moto phones?

Lenovo has already announced nine Motorola smartphones this year. Yes nine. Four of those sit in the Moto G range with the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus released at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and the newer, “special edition” Moto G5S and Moto G5S Plus announced more recently at the beginning of August.

The kings of budget return yet again but the device that started as the humble Moto G, is now far from, changing a simple, easy decision into a much more complicated one.

Which Moto G is right for you? Here is the difference between the Moto G5, Moto G5 Plus, Moto G5S and the Moto G5S Plus.

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TomTom Golfer 2 SE review : TomTom’s back for more Golfer action

The TomTom Golfer SE is a great quality golf watch that offers a mature and honed take on TomTom’s shot detection, in an affordable package. While far from perfect, TomTom’s mix of shot detection and manual scoring makes its post-round analysis with the new Golfer app much more useful, while still offering accurate distances and great detail on hazards. TomTom is back in the game.

TomTom Golfer 2 SE

The new TomTom Golfer 2 SE GPS golf watch couldn’t have come soon enough here at Wareable, after the issues we had in our original Golfer 2 review.

Our main problem with the original Golfer 2 was the price hike for the shot tracking features, which we found intrusive, inaccurate and unwanted – yet priced at a premium. The new Golfer 2 SE perseveres with the automatic shot detection, but at a more wallet-friendly £169.99/$221. It’s not cheap, but comes in alongside the Garmin Approach X40 and Approach S20.

But does it make a better fist of things? We’ve taken it out on the course to see whether it can register a birdie or whether it’s back-to-back blobs for TomTom.

Read full post here:
https://www.wareable.com/golf/tomtom-golfer-2-se-review

Nokia 6 vs Lenovo P2 vs Moto G5 Plus: A brutal mid-range mobile battle

We compare the new Nokia 6 smartphone with two of its closest rival handsets: the Lenovo P2 and Motorola’s Moto G5 Plus. Which great-value mobile is best for you? We examine the design, performance, battery life, camera tech and other features in our full comparison.

The Nokia 6 is one of a trio of new Nokia Android phones which have just been released in the UK, offering a clean, vanilla version of Google’s mobile OS and some respectable specs for an affordable asking price.

At just £200/$260 for the base model, the Nokia 6 is a clear rival to the Lenovo P2 and Moto G5 Plus. These three handsets all serve up a Full HD display, capable cameras, reliable performance and a satisfying user experience, all for a price that won’t sting.

Which of course makes deciding between these three wallet-friendly handsets pretty tricky. So here’s our Nokia 6 vs Lenovo P2 vs Moto G5 Plus comparison review, to help you decide on your next portable pal. And don’t forget to check out our guide to the best budget phones in 2017 for more great-value handsets.

Read full post here:https://recombu.com/mobile/article/nokia-6-vs-lenovo-p2-vs-moto-g5-plus-specs-camera#

SteelSeries Rival 310 Review: Ergonomic and Esports-Friendly

Kết quả hình ảnh cho SteelSeries Rival 310

SteelSeries’ Sensei 310 (left) and the Rival 310.

Competitive gamers need a mouse that can keep up with fast-paced action. At $60, the right-handed, ergonomic SteelSeries Rival 310 promises to deliver responsive performance for the esports crowd, as well as most other gamers.

The Rival 310 doesn’t have the Sensei 310’s ambidextrous design or its eight programmable buttons (the Rival has six), but both use SteelSeries’ new TrueMove 3 optical sensors and feature a dots-per-inch (DPI) sensitivity of up to 12,000. The solid SteelSeries Engine software also allows gamers to easily control lighting effects and set up game profiles. Given its ease of use and consistent operation, I found the Rival 310 to be an enjoyable and reliable peripheral for both serious gaming and day-to-day use.

Read full post here:
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/steelseries-rival-310,review-4555.html

Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins (Volvo S90) review

We’ve managed to escape the confines of our test rooms to get behind the wheel of Volvo’s S90 saloon (and its B&W-designed audio system)…

The standard audio system for the S90 is a 10 speaker, 330W set-up, which Volvo calls its “high-performance” offering. In contrast, Premium Sound by Bowers & Wilkins is a £3000/$3900 option using 19 speakers, a 12-channel amp and 1400W of power. On paper, it seems pricey for a boost in power and a sprinkling of extra speakers, but this is only half the story.

Specs

The drive units in the S90’s standard system are limited to the front and rear doors, plus the rear parcel shelf. The rear doors only have one driver in them, whereas the B&W system (pictured above) covers all bases, with an aluminium tweeter, Kevlar midrange driver and bass unit in all doors, (and a separate, carbon-fibre subwoofer in the rear).

There’s also B&W’s party piece, the tweeter-on-top, which protrudes proudly from the middle of the dashboard.

Read full post here:
https://www.whathifi.com/features/premium-sound-bowers-wilkins-volvo-s90-review

Amazon Echo Show vs Amazon Echo: The battle of the Alexa-powered flagships

It’s time for show or tell

For a long while, Amazon Echo speakers were just that – speakers. All you could do with Alexa is talk to her, and then she’d respond in kind purely by audio. You talk, she listens, she talks, you listen. Simple.

With the introduction of the Echo Show, that’s all changed. Alexa can now show you things too, and you can even touch and manipulate her responses. The one big problem with all of this, however, is that it makes the decision of which Alexa-enabled Amazon device you should buy even more difficult.

Amazon Echo v Echo Show

So which should you get? Which is more attuned to your particular needs? Does the screen make the Alexa experience that much better? Read on to find out.

Read full post here:
https://www.the-ambient.com/features/amazon-echo-vs-amazon-echo-show-157

Leica Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4 ASPH review – a magic combo of wide angle and shallow focus

Introduction

Leica has five of its super-fast Summilux lenses for the M system now that this 28mm has joined the f/1.4 club, alongside a 21mm; a 24mm; a 35mm; and a 50mm. Unless you’re prepared to step in to the £7,000/$9,100+ category of the Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 Asph, f/1.4 is as fast an aperture as you can expect from modern M lenses.

Kết quả hình ảnh cho Leica Summilux-M 28mm f/1.4

This new lens is the fastest 28mm that Leica has ever had for the M system, and as well as being proposed as an ideal lens for low-light work – documentary particularly – the company says its edge to edge sharpness and excellent drawing (curvilinear distortion) make it just as useful for architecture and landscapes.

It’s quite surprising that Leica has left this focal length until last for the Summilux treatment – 28mm makes a very popular wideangle for M users, as the cameras suit street photography and documentary so well. That the new Q compact has a fixed 28mm lens is, perhaps, testament to that fact.

Read full post here:
https://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/reviews/lenses/leica-summilux-m-28mm-f1-4-asph-review

Nissan X-Trail (2017) review: Great value SUV gets premium updates

When Nissan talks about the X-Trail, it’s talking about a car that it has designed for “family adventures”. While the Qashqai is the urban crossover that’s ferrying thousands to school every day, the X-Trail is the car that’s roaming a little further afield, if you stick to Nissan’s marketing message.

The X-Trail expands the Qashqai’s dimensions, making for a more rugged car, a slightly more versatile car, and one that plays much more to 4×4 heritage; although it’s still called a crossover, it’s less of a softroader and altogether more meaty all round.

Moto G5 Plus vs. E4: Battle of the best budget phones

Australian millionaire Tim Gurner caused a social media storm earlier this year when he criticized millennials for buying avocado toast and four-dollar coffee instead of saving money. But if you like such edible amenities, giving them up to save money is difficult.

Fortunately, you don’t have to fork over a lot to buy a great phone like the Moto G5 Plus — or the even cheaper Moto E4. Instead of paying say, $650 for a top-tier phone, you could pay $300 for the G5 or $130 for the E4. With the dough saved, you could buy a lot of avocado toast.

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Both of these phones are cheap, but each has its own appeal and benefits. Read on to see how they stack up against one another.

Read full post here:
https://www.cnet.com/news/motorola-moto-g5-plus-vs-e4-battle-of-the-best-budget-phones/

Anker SoundCore Boost Review: Big Bass for a Bargain

Kết quả hình ảnh cho Anker SoundCore Boost

Anker — which started as a battery manufacturer — has made a name for itself in the budget Bluetooth speaker market by delivering good sound at a good value. With the $79 SoundCore Boost, it ventures out of the “cheap” category and tries to compete with brands better known for audio quality. The result is a speaker that offers excellent bass for the price, but not the overall fidelity of its more seasoned competitors.

Design

The SoundCore Boost is a fairly standard-looking black rectangle speaker. At 8 x 2.8 x 2.7 inches, it’s less wide but thicker than the 8.8 x 3.5 x 1.8-inch $80 Fugoo Go, and larger than Anker’s 6.5 x 2.1 x 1.77-inch $46 SoundCore 2.

Read full post here:
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/anker-soundcore-boost,review-4557.html

ASUS ROG XG Station 2 Review: The External GPU Dock You’ve Been Waiting For?

It’s a great solution for people with deep pockets

The idea of slapping a discrete graphics card on a thin and light notebook is not a new one: you can actually do that right now if you have the right tools, moxie and technical know-how, but for many the dream of putting the latest GPU on their skinny notebook has been just that – a dream. But there’s been a few solutions that have cropped up that allow people with enough cash and technical know-how to plug in a graphics card to get the best of both worlds – a skinny notebook during the day, and a kick-ass gaming machine at night. ASUS’ ROG XG Station 2 is one such option, but because of its technical quirks and high price tag, it’s not a solution that’ll work for everybody.

It’s like a mini-desktop for gamers

For what the XG Station 2 does, it’s pretty huge. Easily the size and width of a compact desktop, the ROG XG Station 2 is basically a receptacle for a GPU, and can handle teeny-weeny ones like the GTX 1050 all the way up to the GTX 1080 Ti. It has its own 600W 80 Plus Gold power supply to keep both the notebook that you’re using and the GPU you’re connecting fed and supplied with power.

Read full post here:
https://www.unbox.ph/gadget/asus-xg-station-2-review-the-external-gpu-dock-youve-been-waiting-for/

Seagate DJI Fly Drive Quick Review

Seagate has partnered with a DJI, a leader in drone technology, to provide a portable drive to match your airborne shooter.

Say hello to your drones new best friend –the Seagate DJI Fly Drive.

On the fly Storage

The Fly Drive has 2TB of onboard storage and a built-in Micro SD card reader. Seagate estimates that you could store up to 60+ hours of footage in the drive based on the battery life of a DJI drone and the file size of a 1-hour 4k video. Sadly, unlike most of Seagate’s products, the dashboard software is not supported by the Fly Drive.

Storing and transferring files from your drone to your PC or Drive is made easier due to the built-in Micro SD card reader. A fair warning though the drive only comes with a USB Type-C to Type-C connector, you would have to buy an adapter if your devices do not have a Type-C port.

Read full post here:
https://www.yugatech.com/personal-computing/seagate-dji-fly-drive-quick-review/#xWPQsJEHgVm55ZGv.97

Cherry Mobile Desire R8 Review

In April, Cherry Mobile announced their new Desire series of smartphones that run on MediaTek processors and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box, and leading that line is the Desire R8. With its dual rear camera setup and sub-Php10K price tag, can the Desire R8 compete with the big names in this budget? Let’s find out.

Design and Construction

At first glance, the Desire R8’s design reminds us of some of the popular smartphones from international brands. On the front, it reminds us of the OPPO F1s with its 5.5-inch display mounted with 2.5D curved glass.

Above it is the receiver, the sensor, the 8MP front camera and the LED flash. Down below is the physical/capacitive home button which also functions as the fingerprint scanner. Placed on its sides are a couple of capacitive keys for navigation. It can be confusing at first since you don’t have a visual indicator which one is for Back and for Recent Apps, but you can customize it under Settings.

Read full post here:
https://www.yugatech.com/mobile/cherry-mobile-desire-r8-review/#IE81vMqjIjO8y6R7.97

Billion BiPac 8900AX-2400 router review

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Billon’s BiPac 8900AX-2400 router continues the company’s reputation for creating affordable-yet-solidly-performing devices. Aimed at small businesses and home users who don’t mind doing a bit of tweaking in complicated user interfaces, if you’re after a simple and stylish plug-and-play router, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

At £280 (around $360, AU$470), this is a reasonably-priced router considering its specifications. It delivers a throughput of 2400Mbps – making it the fastest router Billion has produced, and it does this over two bands – both 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

It also includes a built-in ADSL2+ modem – something many routers do not include (and the ones that do are usually more expensive).  This gives the Billion BiPac 8900AX-2400 router more flexibility, and means you don’t have to have two boxes taking up space – as you can use it to replace the modem.

Read full post here:
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/billion-bipac-8900ax-2400-router

2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 Sedan Review: Borrowed excellence

Deja-vu. That’s the first thing I felt behind the wheel of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E300 4MATIC sedan, and not just because it had only been a matter of weeks since I drove its E400 Coupe sibling. No, what’s striking about the E300 is just how much of the S-Class experience it offers.

That’s no bad thing, of course. In the automotive arms race that is the luxury car segment, companies like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi treat their line-ups as a cascade. The cutting-edge makes its debut on the most expensive model, then those same features trickle down through the cars until it’s attainable at prices you could consider almost reasonable.

That may not be new, but the pace at which that inheritance happens is unprecedented. Perhaps it’s the increasing pressure – not least technological – from fast-moving rivals like Tesla; maybe it’s the same commoditization that has democratized smartphones, blended with the increasingly rapid refresh cycles modern cars face. Pick your reason, pay your money, drive away your mini-limousine.

Read full post here:
https://www.slashgear.com/2017-mercedes-benz-e300-sedan-review-borrowed-excellence-31493385/

 

Samsung MU7000 4K TV review: Bucketloads of features for the price

While Samsung took to the world’s technology shows to demonstrate its QLED family of flagship tellies, the MU range has been more quietly introduced, so you’d be forgiven for not knowing that TVs such as the MU7000 sit a step below QLED in the wider Samsung line-up.

QLED is the third-generation Quantum Dot TV panel technology from Samsung, while the MU uses what Samsung calls Dynamic Crystal Colour. But just because it’s a technological step below doesn’t mean the MU7000 isn’t fully capable. Indeed, it’s fully affordable too, which is where its real appeal lies.

2018 Honda CRF250R First Look

Honda’s 2017 CRF250R has been a perennial contender that has come up just shy of its peers when in the engine performance and suspension departments. With an all-new, electric-start, DOHC engine and a chassis layout that mimics the 2018 CRF450R, the 2018 CRF250R is poised to make a serious run at 250cc motocross class honors.

Honda’s all-new 2018 CRF250R mates the proven chassis and suspension of the 2017-2018 CRF450R with a DOHC, dual exhaust port engine designed for high-rpm power delivery.

Honda’s all-new 2018 CRF250R mates the proven chassis and suspension of the 2017-2018 CRF450R with a DOHC, dual exhaust port engine designed for high-rpm power delivery.

Although Honda showed the American moto press the CRF250R while we visited the GEICO Honda motocross shop in Corona, California, two weeks ago, Honda swore us to secrecy until it could officially unveil the 2018 CRF250R to the world today at the 36th Annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, presented by Lucas Oil.

Read full post here:
https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/honda/2018-honda-crf250r-first-look.html