We're definitely into a weird new age of technology now.
Some things are becoming obsolete before most people have mastered them.
How many times have you heard someone mention how much more powerful the average smart phone is compared to the combined computing power used to put a man on the moon?
Makes sense to make that phone work a bit harder...
I'm writing this review using Samsung's DeX docking station for the Glaxy S8 (and S8 Plus)
That means I'm sitting in an armchair in my lounge, typing on a wireless keyboard with this web page open on my TV.
While that scenario alone would literally blow my mum's mind (she's still struggling with the idea her laptop doesn't have to plugged into anything to work) the point of all this is there's no computer or tablet involved here. I'm creating this whole review on my phone.
The Samsung DeX is certainly an elegant piece of minimalist design. At first it looks a bit like some kind of fancy cupholder. Actually, that's not true, there's nothing particularly fancy about it. It's round. It's black. There aren't any flashing lights. (I LOVE no flashing lights, by the way. Like I always say, "I'll know if it isn't on, because it won't work.")
In fact, when I first plugged the DeX in, it didn't work.
This is mainly due to the fact the only thing that comes in the DeX box is the DeX. There are no USB or HDMI cables included and significantly, no wall charger either.
I foolishly assumed any old charger would suffice, but it turns out the DeX will only run on a 12 volt fast charger like the one included with the Samsung Galaxy S8. This is a slight inconvenience because if you're not using the DeX as your primary phone charger, you'll probably have to go out and buy a seperate one.
Anyway, once that minor hurdle has been overcome, you simply connect to any display (computer monitor or HDMI TV), plug in a keyboard and mouse (also not included, obviously), slide the top of the DeX up so it becomes a stand, slip your S8 or S8 Plus into the dock and the DeX takes over.
In a few short seconds, you're presented with the DeX desktop on screen, which any Windows PC user will find strikingly familiar.
Apart from the USB-C charging port I mentioned earlier and the full-sized HDMI port for display, the Dex sports two standard USB ports. This means you can now plug all kinds of neat stuff into your phone you never really could before.
For instance, while you can use a bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo to navigate around your DeX, I went with wireless ones which connect via a USB dongle. This still leaves another USB socket for things like flash drives or even larger external hard drives. Of course, the real beauty of connecting a mouse to your phone is the ability to right-click which to me, always seems so much more accurate than holding your finger down on the phone screen.
All that potential for external storage means this docking station can easily convert your phone into a media controller, playing anything you have stored directly onto your connected display without the reliability issues you often encounter streaming via WiFi. Initially I didn't think this was a viable option because while the picure quality from my phone's video apps was excellent, the sound simply played from the phone's speaker at the base of the dock instead of through my TV's sound system via the HDMI connection.
Turns out, you can switch the sound output settings using the Samsung Connect app - a bit of a convoluted process, but at least it's doable.
Unfortunately, the DeX is not yet your one-stop home entertainment soloution, because most apps have not yet been modified to work properly in this new desktop (or "DeX-top") format. Online TV apps like Netflix and Lightbox work perfectly well, but there's no option to expand them out to full-screen size like there is with apps like Microsoft Word, Google Chrome or Samsung's stock Video player. Let's hope, in time, everyone comes to the party because then we certainly would be dealing with a geniune PC replacement.
The DeX has one other significant socket; an ethernet port so you can plug directly into a high speed router or office network. This really does take any wireless interference or lag concerns out of the equation. How ironic though... Samsung has developed a piece of cutting-edge technology that literally wires your formerly mobile phone back in again.
The point is, DeX works. With the easy connection of display, keyboard, mouse and external storage, Samsung's new docking station offers exponentially more functionality than you would achieve by simply mirroring your phone to your telly.
At under $250, the Samsung DeX is certainly an economically sound alternative to carrying around a separate laptop or tablet - obviously heaps lighter and smaller too. The only reservation is the current lack of content, but I assume that's on the way.
In the meantime, I got this review written using it.
Let's get some more apps optimised to make the most of a larger display and we'll really be getting somewhere.
Click here for more information and pricing details for the Samsung DeX docking station
We often measure how significant our first times are by how clearly we can recall them later on.
The first time you laid eyes on the love of your life, for example. Probably still pretty vivid, even after decades.
The first time you tried a California sushi roll? Perhaps a little more hazy.
For me, using a really innovative piece of technology gets me excited and there are definitely some first times I'll never forget; first smart phone. First iPod. The first time I was brave enough to open up my PC to upgrade the ram and hard drive.
But what has technology done for me lately?
Pretty sure I'll remember my first experience with the Microsoft Surface Studio for a fair old while.
Recently I had the opportunity to put the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft's latest (and greatest) transformable tablet through its paces. To describe this process as pleasurable is an understatement. The Surface Pro 4 actually made my life better - due in large part to the device's incredible design standards. Not only does the Surface Pro 4 look cutting edge, its functionality is so close to perfect, you'd have to wonder exactly how much Microsoft can improve things on the Surface Pro 5 due out some time this year.
Everything about the Surface Pro 4 makes it easy to use; the quality of the keyboard, the design of the convertible cover, it's slimness and lightness... oh, and of course the fact it's a fully functional Windows 10 computer.
Yes that's right, I'm completely biased against Apple products. While some of them are pretty to look at, I find the software so damn bossy. I want to use my computer MY way, not how IT thinks it should be used. And why is it so hard to get Apple devices to talk to other devices? I don't even mean other brands - I've regularly struggled to connect two different APPLE machines. Forget about plugging in any accessories, of course.
Yet, for so long, if you worked in any kind of digital production, visual, audio - your go-to was an iMac.
The Microsoft Surface Studio has arrived in New Zealand to blow that theory out of the water.
The mesmerising effect of the Studio's design ethic strikes you before you even take it out of the box. It's the cleverest box I've ever opened, keeping every component of this giant gadget secure, safe and sound, yet easily accessible for the fastest and most straight-forward installation of any PC I've ever fired up.
Essentially an all-in-one desktop PC, but with one breathtaking trick. While most computer displays can be tilted a little, you've never encountered anything quite like this. The Studio's unique hinge arrangement means the screen is easily pushed down, almost flat, into a drafting desktop configuration. You might think this would require a massive amount of desk space, with the Studio having to be positioned well away from the wall but no, the hinge design is much cleverer than that. All you really need is the area of the screen and you can start using this desktop like a... desktop.
The Surface Studio is an absolute beast, to be sure. The screen is massive - very thin of course but a whopping 28" of PixelSense display. Whatever PixelSense means, the picture is amazing; sharp, bright... but not too dazzling for close-up work. At the same time, plenty big enough to enjoy a movie from across the room. If the corner of your lounge also doubles as your study, the Surface Studio could easily serve as your telly too.
The box with the brain in is super subtle, bordering on boring. If you didn't know this was an all-in-one, you could easily mistake it for the base of the monitor. There are 4 USB ports, a headphone jack and a full-sized card reader - the only downside is these are all at the back, presumably to keep everything looking nice. There are built in speakers there as well, although where they are exactly I have no idea. I also have no idea how they work, given all I can see is a relatively small, flat aluminium box. They do work though, I found the effects and music on games and movies very clear and there was plenty of volume.
The nifty packaging also contains the bluetooth keyboard, mouse and Surface Pen, all constructed from the same aluminium casing giving everything an extremely solid feel. The keyboard has all the buttons you could wish for, including a separate number pad. Interestingly, I didn't find the response of the keys to be quite as nice as the smaller keyboard of the Surface Pro 4 - not that there was anything wrong with it, it just wasn't as right.
Superb design is everywhere with this setup. Both keyboard and mouse feature battery compartment doors that are simply magnetised closed. No special knack to getting them open, they just open.
The Surface Pen is the same stylus used with the Surface Pro 4 - just click the end to access any available features. That end also works like an eraser on a pencil, which is fun. With an optional accessory pack, you can even swap out the nibs for a wider range of drawing effects.
Another optional extra is the Surface Dial, a new innovation to help get the most out of this splendid machine. Again, made from aluminium, the Dial is roughly the size of a can of tuna and can be used either on your physical desktop, or you can bung it on the screen itself. The base is some kind of slightly sticky, rubbery substance which keeps it from sliding around. (In fact, try not to drop it on the carpet. There's definitely a fluff factor here) What does this dial do exactly? Depends on which program you're using at the time. Pushing it down gives you the available options; another scrolling device when you're browsing, pen/tool selection in drawing apps, shuttling back and forth for video production etc.
As accessories go, I'm not sure the Surface Dial is essential, but then, I'm not a draftsman.
What I can tell you is after spending a few days with the Surface Studio, I was left in no doubt of its sheer processing power. There was no task it struggled with and having a display that size was such a luxury, it was really annoying having to go back to a smaller desktop.
I've seen other reviews claim this is not a gaming machine, but with this much brute force and a display of this size, you'd have to be some kind of professional World of Warcrafter to demand anything more.
It's not cheap though. In fact, you could say it's the opposite of cheap. Even the base configuration will set you back well over five grand. But remember, there's nothing basic about the base configuration. This is probably more of a business tool than a home PC of course and from what I've seen, it justifies the premium price tag.
Click here for more information and pricing details for the Microsoft Surface Studio
Click here for more information and pricing details for the Microsoft Surface Dial
When you've spent the last few years setting the standard for wearable activity trackers, it must be hard to know what to do next.
Fitbit's strategy seems to be identifying small gaps in the market and filling those gaps one or two features at a time.
The Alta HR is Fitbit's latest gap filler, adding to what is now a somewhat overwhelming range of products.
It seems like there really is a tracker for everyone.
There are skinny little bands like the Flex 2 that pretty much just record your exercise without displaying it anywhere until you check the app. Then there are the rather oversized almost-smartwatches, the Blaze and the Surge, offering a full range of notification options and even GPS tracking capabilities.
So the question is; who is the Alta HR for?
To answer that, let's look at what it can and can't do.
The obvious feature here is in the name - the HR means this iteration of the Alta boasts Fitbit's PurePulse heart rate monitoring function. This "always-on" heart-rate reader means you can check your pulse at any time, with a simple glance of your wrist. I find this certainly keeps me honest when I'm at the gym; if I see that number start to drop, I know I need to up my effort.
That's assuming you've chosen a watch face that displays your heart rate - one of the other cool things about the Alta is the selection of faces. Because of the rectangular, skinny screen, you can decide between either vertical or horizontal faces, a face that just tells time or one that shows your progress towards your daily exercise goal. (This can even be represented by leaves on a little flower, if that's your sort of thing)
The screen is a black and white OLED display. which you tap to scroll through various stats - steps, heart rate, distance covered, calories burned etc. That all works great... until you get outside. Then I encountered the exact same issue I had with the screen on the Fitbit Charge 2; it's too reflective so you can't read anything in bright sunshine, especially if you're wearing sunglasses. This meant although the Alta HR did a great job of tracking my runs and walks automatically, I couldn't get the same heart-rate motivation I achieved at the gym because I simply couldn't see it. I guess I'll stick to the Blaze or Surge for outdoor activities.
That display setback is a bit of a shame, because the general functionality of the Alta is very good. You can even set up call and text notifications with the texts scrolling across the screen to save you having to grab your phone. This is a feature that worked well and I found very useful.
The Alta HR is also slim enough and comfortable enough to wear all night to make full use of its sleep tracking abilities and the silent alarm function.
In fact, Fitbit calls the Alta HR its "slimmest, most stylish heart rate tracker." It certainly lacks the rather masculine bulk of some of Fitbit's other devices and there's a selection of bands in different colours, including leather options. The bands can be changed very easily and apparently the straps from the original Alta will also fit, although using them may affect the accuracy of the heart rate monitor. This is because the HR bands use a more conventional buckle to ensure a tighter fit.
As usual, the Alta HR comes with its own wacky charging cable that isn't compatible with any other device. This means if, like me, your household now owns several Fitbits, you probably have a dedicated box or drawer just for crazy chargers.
At least you won't have to plug in the Alta HR very often - the Fitbit website claims a full charge will last about a week and I'm pleased to say they're not exaggerating. This is an improvement of several days over the original Alta.
So who is the Alta HR for? This is one of the more elegant and subtle Fitbits, ideal for people who need to monitor their heart rate when they exercise indoors... with the added bonus of being able to read incoming texts on your wrist.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Fitbit Alta HR
