A TALE OF TWO WATCHES

I was an early adopter when it came to smartwatches.

I was wearing them when they were big, clunky and to be honest, not that smart.

They've been around longer than most people think and in the last couple of years, they've got really good.

Nowadays for me, it's a hard call as to which is my most indispensable device; my watch or my phone?

Trouble is, which watch?...

Galaxy Watch Active on the left - Galaxy Watch 42mm on the right

This was supposed to be a review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, the latest in a long line of great wristwear from Samsung, going back further than just about anyone. In fact, they've been selling them as far back as 2013.

The reason I've turned this into a double review is it's actually pretty hard to separate the Active from the Galaxy Watch, released late last year. That's not a bad thing, as they're both amazing.

The Galaxy Watch is probably the more traditional-looking of the two, as it retains the rotating bezel controller, now fairly familiar on Samsung's last few generations of watches. We'll get into the practical advantages of this shortly, but cosmetically speaking, the fact there's a bezel and the fact the watch is round means the Galaxy Watch is probably the most "watch-like" looking smartwatch on the market. It's not oversized and you can swap out the band with any other 20mm strap you like. The 42mm version comes in black or rose gold, while the larger 46mm model is silver. (The 46mm requires a 22mm band)

So if you don't want people to know you're wearing a smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch might be the way to go.

The Active loses the bezel completely, so the whole operation is not only a bit smaller, but it's more streamlined and sporty. There's only one size but it comes in all three colours. Like the Galaxy Watch, the Active also features quick release 22mm bands and I've found mine looks surprisingly good with a leather strap. Living up to it's name, the Active definitey looks more like a fitness device than a conventional timepiece.

Turns out, the appearance of these two watches is probably the only significant difference between them.

Well... except for that bezel controller. The trick to a genuinely useful smartwatch operating system is providing all the functionality you need via the smallest screen possible - especially if you have massive, fumbling fingers like mine. The bezel on the Galaxy Watch lets you scroll easily between home screens, apps and options. It's also a natural way to raise and lower settings like volume and brightness.

In saying that, you can still do all those things with the Active, just by tapping and swiping instead. To be frank, if you've never used a Samsung watch with a bezel, you won't miss it at all.

Other than that physical control option, both watches now run the same Samsung One UI, which is just so easy to use. It features clear, clean icons and easy access to shortcuts and settings - including watch-specific ones like Theatre Mode and Goodnight Mode - preventing your watch lighting up or vibrating at the wrong time in the wrong places.

It's taken a while, but there's actually quite a bit of content to load onto your Samsung watch these days, more and more app developers getting on board with Samsung's proprietary Tizen OS. Health and fitness tracking is one area in particular where both these watches offer masses of options - all pretty great. That's apart from the common exercises both watches will detect automatically - including swimming, thanks to their 5ATM pool-proof rating.

Another massive advantage of choosing a Samsung watch is it'll work with pretty much any phone out there. Sure, it runs best with a Samsung device - especially when it comes to replying to emails or texts - but pair it with any Android or iOS phone and you'll still receive notifications and you can still use all the great fitness and activity tracking functionality.

The Active and the Galaxy Watch share many of the same specs under the hood too; both sport a 1.15GHz dual-core CPU, both offer 4GB of on-board storage and both run just 0.75GB of RAM - which doesn't sound like much and yet both these devices keep on ticking without missing a beat. (Not actually ticking obviously. You know what I mean) The only little discrepancy is battery life - the cell in the Active is a bit smaller and it definitely doesn't last as long, although both watches see out a long day with no issues.

And yet... I have this weird impression the Active works ever so slightly faster than the Galaxy Watch. I can't prove it scientifically and there's no technical reason for it, but I could swear things like light adjustment and app start-up seem to happen faster on the newer watch. Probably just a psychological thing knowing it's newer.

One thing drives me absolutely insane though. When you put either device on its wireless charger, a lightning bolt animation flashes around the screen to confirm it's charging. Okay, whatever. But then, after a few seconds, that same lightning bolt remains stationary on the screen and doesn't go out till the watch is fully charged. This is so stupid, especially in an otherwise pitch-black bedroom. Why can't I turn this off? I've spent a long time trying to solve this, including chatting online with Samsung techs and I haven't figured it out yet. If you do, please let me know.

Other than that, I love both these watches equally, please don't make me choose. Your choice will probably come down to looks; bezel or no bezel? That's the question. Oh, and the Active is $150 cheaper, so that could well sway things too.


Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Watch.

PLAYING IN THE NOISE-CANCELLING BIG LEAGUES

People can get pretty serious about their headphones.

One way you can tell how serious they are is how much they are prepared to pay.

Up to $100? Not very serious.

Over $200? Pretty serious.

Over $500? Serious as a heart attack.

If you're expecting someone to hand over that much cash, you really need to deliver, especially if you're not a "traditional" headphone brand.

Actually, given Jabra's been around for 150 years, it's not really fair to describe them as, "not traditional." What I really mean is not Sony, not Bose, not Bang & Olufsen and not Beats.

The Elite 85h is Jabra's attempt to join the ranks of the flagship headsets from those so-called "big" brands. It's a pretty damn successful attempt.

The audio experience is great - not perfect, but I've yet to find the perfect listening experience in a set of headphones, as opposed to a high-end speaker system. Interestingly, with the Elite 85h I've actually found listening to podcasts and movies more pleasurable than music - which is not to say music reproduction is below par - far from it. I've just been extra impressed by the clarity and surround sound when listening to a mixture of music, dialogue and sound effects.

If I had to criticise my overall listening takeaway, I'd describe the sound as a little clunky. Not so much when listening to acoustic or classical music, but when things rock out a bit more - for example, the latest Black Keys album which is pretty electric guitar-centric - there's less separation of the different elements and everything gets mashed together slightly. There's plenty of bass punch (without it dominating the mix like it does in some other headsets) and plenty of sheer volume available from the 40mm drivers too.

As far as that slightly clunky EQ goes, it's actually pretty hard to complain because Jabra's Sound+ is one of the most comprehensive companion apps I've ever used with a headset.

We're getting to the real hero feature of the Elite 85h, but first, we can easily tweak any EQ issues using the app. This isn't unusual for high-end cans like these, but the interface is a lot more user-friendly than some. Choose between a selection of pre-sets or fiddle with highs, lows and mids to your satisfaction. Then you can save your own setup so you can come back to it with a single tap.

Right, now for the game-changer; Jabra's take on ANC is out of this world. There are
plenty of noise-cancelling headphones out there, but I've never seen anything quite like this. Not only do you get the option to turn ANC on or off, you also have a pass-through mode which actually pipes your surroundings into the mix - an important safety feature if you're wearing the Elite 85h in traffic and would prefer not to be run over.

This is all made possible due to an incredible eight-microphone array, constantly sampling your soundscape to either block it completely or let it in as you desire. Jabra's SmartSound technology takes things a step further by detecting if you're in a quiet room, part of a crowd or on a train or bus, automatically increasing or decreasing the level of noise blocking as required. I've found this works amazingly reliably - even when you're in the same room but it goes from being quiet to noisy. If you do have SmartSound activated, best to turn the voice prompts off. Having the Jabra lady interrupting your movie to tell you the ANC mode has changed just because a bunch of noisy teenagers have barged into the room is doubly annoying.

The Sound+ app doesn't even stop there. The Elite 85h is the first noise cancelling headset I've come across that gives you the option to listen to more noise. Rain, crowd noise, waterfalls - there's a host of atmospheres you can use to block out the rest of the world if that's your thing.

What's more, thanks to all those microphones, call quality is noticeably outstanding - especially for the people on the other end. Mic sensitivity during phone calls is often the downfall of wireless headsets but that's definitely not the case here.

So big tick for sound quality. Massive, golden, diamond-encrusted tick for noise cancelling options. But does this look and feel like $500? At first glance, to be honest, the Elite 85h seems kind of boring. There are four colour combinations, all pleasant enough - but don't be fooled; Titanium Black is in fact, still black. What sets the Elite 85h apart is more how it feels rather than how it looks. The build feels solid, sturdy and well balanced. While it's not the lightest headset around, the padding on the earcups and headband keeps things very comfy, even after hours of prolonged use. And if you take a really close look, you'll see the earcups are actually covered in fabric, not plastic, which gives them a much cosier, softer vibe.

I've read other reviews that have suggested this fabric covering is more prone to picking up dust and debris, but personally I haven't found this to be the case. If anything, I appreciate the lack of greasy fingerprint action.

While we're talking tactility, I love the controls. There aren't many, but they're all easy to find - especially the play/pause/answer and volume/skip buttons on the right cup - an obvious indent and equally prominent bumps respectively. No vague swipes or taps required. The only control that had me feeling insecure is the one that's missing; no on/off switch. The headphones turn themselves on when you put them on, then turn off again when you lay them down flat. This is pretty much the way most wireless earbuds work these days so I got used to it eventually.

The carry case is also a solid, premium affair, with the Elite 85h folding flat into it for maximum protection.

I'm a bit confused by the included audio and charging cables though. While everything else about the headset absolutely screams high-end, premium quality, the audio cable is thin, flimsy and easily tangled. Meanwhile, the USB Type-C charging cable is so short, you'd struggle to find a place to put the headphones down that's close enough to a wall socket you can actually connect a charger to. This is a bit of a let down compared to the classy, braided cables that come with other headphones.

Mind you, chances are you simply won't need those cables very often as the latest bluetooth standard is supported and even with ANC activated, you'll still get up to 36 hours use on a full charge. The Elite 85h charges damn fast too, which hasn't always been the case with other headsets I've tried.

One last feature worth a mention is rain-resistance - there's a nano coating over all the internal components to keep rain (and sweat) from ruining your parade. Good news if you're one of those weirdos who insist on wearing massive, over-ear headphones while working out. Seriously, how is that in any way comfortable - even with a headset as well-balanced as this one?

As you can see, what the Jabra Elite 85h may lack in brand recognition, it more than makes up for with its long list of features - with the most customisable Active Noise Cancelling system I've come across yet. If you're prepared to hand over hundreds for a premium headset, definitely add this one to your list to try.


Click here for more information and pricing on the Jabra Elite 85h wireless noise cancelling headphones.

ALEXA'S SHOWING OFF AGAIN

There are two kinds of gadgets...

Gadgets that are fun and gadgets that are useful. Toys or tools, if you will.

Sometimes, if you're lucky, a gadget can be both; a tool that's still fun to use.

That kind of gadget needs to be user-friendly, easy to set up and reliable, otherwise the fun can dissipate pretty quickly and then you're just left with a boring - and frustrating - tool.

Alexa has always been fun to have around and the Echo Show 5 takes the usefulness of this toy/tool to a whole new level.

The Echo Show 5 is about the size and shape of a standard bedside clock radio. That's no coincidence, because it makes a really great bedside clock radio. It features a decent 5.5" touch screen which does a lot more than just show you the time - but of course, you can do that if you want.

Interestingly, you read right; it's a touch screen. This manifestation of Alexa can be controlled with swipes and taps, not just with voice commands.

This is just somewhat of a relief, because while there's no doubt in my mind Alexa is still the most intuitive and accurate voice assistant around, even so there are plenty of things she just doesn't get.

For example, when I asked her to play Ed Sheeran's new album, No.6 Collaborations, she had no idea what I was talking about. It is a stupid name for an album though.

Part of the fun of Alexa is finding out what she does and doesn't understand - although you can certainly help her along via the Amazon Alexa app. This is the best way to connect to your favourite music streaming services like Amazon Music, Spotify and iHeart Radio.

Unfortunately, unlike Alexa herself, the Alexa app is not particularly intuitive. There are a lot of settings you can play with, linking email and calendar accounts, not to mention all those nifty "Alexa-enabled" devices you've been connecting to your home network. The problem is, there are just too many settings, too many things you can let Alexa control. It's actually a bit overwhelming.

If you can't get something to work, a quick google will usually sort it. The confusing thing about the Echo Show 5 is that although it looks a bit like a smart phone, it's important to remember it doesn't really operate like a phone in any way. It doesn't have apps loaded on it per se - you're just using it to access those services and devices.

And there's a lot you can access. You can ask Alexa to show you any security camera feeds you've connected to your account. Set alarms or reminders just by saying so - then they'll be listed on the screen, far more convenient than a Post-It note. You can even make Skype calls - the camera quality is surprisingly clear.

The camera on the Echo Show 5 isn't just for video calls and the occasional selfie, it also helps Alexa know when somebody's in the room. That's right, not only is she always listening, now she's always watching too. This doesn't bother me at all - anything that leads to a more prompt and accurate response is fine by me. But if you're uneasy about having an always-on camera around (especially in the bedroom!) there's a physical shutter you can slide across to block it for complete peace of mind. (There's a button to turn the mic off too)

Any pictures you upload to your Amazon Alexa account are available for the Echo Show 5 to show, so not only is this a really clever bedside clock, it's a super smart digital photoframe too. In saying that, you don't have to have anything on the screen at all; just ask Alexa to turn it off.

Perhaps the most used feature of this device, obviously, is its smart speaker capabilities. The whole rear casing of the Echo Show 5 is covered in an attractive fabric, either charcoal or sandstone. The built-in speaker is small, but produces a warm, clear sound. If you need to beef things up, you can connect to any external speaker, via bluetooth or a standard 3.5mm aux cable. I've gone with the cable because for some reason the bluetooth was interfering with my other wireless speaker connections.

The big advantage the Echo Show 5 has over Amazon's other screen-free speakers is not only will the display show you what's playing, you can control it from the screen which is useful if you're playing music too loud for Alexa to hear your voice commands.

Again, you need to remember, just because you're playing from Spotify, don't expect to see the full Spotify interface on the screen - this is not the app, just a media controller accessing the app. Complicated actions like creating and sharing playlists will still need to be done via your phone or PC.

I've found this takes a bit of getting used to, as before I started using the Echo Show 5, I'd created a sort of mock-up, with an old phone permanently connected to my sound system to access my music streaming services. As a result, I keep forgetting the Echo Show 5 isn't a phone and I can't actually do phone stuff with it... or can you?

Not only can you Skype people with this device, you can video call friends who also have a similar Amazon gadget with a screen. You can link email accounts via the Alexa app and as I've already mentioned, calendar entries and reminders are easy.

To be honest, the only major shortcoming I've found is video content. This seems to be due to a combination of what services are available in New Zealand and the fact this feature is relatively new. Alexa will show me things like music videos but only from Daily Motion and only with very long ads at the beginning of them. Frankly, I'm not hanging out to watch vids on a 5.5" display from across the room, so this is by no means a deal breaker.

I do find it a little strange the Echo Show 5 isn't slightly more portable. It's only little, so if there was a rechargeable battery built in, you could grab it off the bedside table to use as a digital recipe book in the kitchen. There's also a mysterious microUSB port between the power and aux jacks at the back. From what I could find out online, with the right adapter, this can be used to connect the Echo Show 5 to an ethernet port for faster, more reliable internet access. That seems like overkill to me as I haven't experienced any issues via WiFi.

Quite the opposite in fact. Like most other Alexa-based devices I've used, the Echo Show 5 works extremely well, is extremely useful and is pretty damn fun too. It's a tool and a toy in equal measure and at just $149.99, it seems like a no-brainer.


Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Echo Show 5.

STRONG. FAST. RELIABLE.

Hands up who's Tech Support at your place?

Mum? Dad? Let's be honest, it's not unusual for the youngest child to know more about how the WiFi works than anyone else in the house.

And if you're in charge of all reboots and updates, that means you're looking after at least one Nana as well.

It's largely a thankless task, as most things are if they involve any teenagers. But when something goes wrong, it's definitely all your fault.

"Dad, the WiFi's not working again!"

"I was halfway through Stranger Things!"

"How'm I s'posed to get my homework done?" (Due tomorrow, left till the last minute)

"Why didn't you return any of my messages?"

"I didn't get any of your messages."

Worst case scenario, you're not even home and you're having to explain how to reboot the modem over the phone.

"No, the modem. The modem. The thing by the TV. With the lights. No, that's a lamp. The modem!"

Give me strength.

Actually, just give me a decent bit of gear....

Compared to some other D-Link modem/routers, the DSL-3900 Viper doesn't actually look like much. There's no brightly coloured shiny casing. There are only four external antennae (not six or even eight) And best of all, it's small enough to fit in my network cupboard.

As funky as those giant technicolour models may be (and it turns out, maybe only tech nerds like me actually think they're funky, some other people I know have even suggested they're weird and ugly and definitely aren't going where anyone can see them) anyway, as "cool" as they are, some of them are pretty huge and oddly shaped and to be honest, don't fit anywhere next to anything.

The DSL-3900 on the other hand is compact, rectangular and black. There's a small D-Link logo embossed on the top - but it doesn't light up or anything silly like that. In fact, there's just the usual row of status indicators and they're not particularly sparkly. In short, this probably isn't a device that's going to make someone say, "What the hell is that?" when they get home to see you've replaced that slow, entry-level modem/router your ISP sent you for free.

The first feature of the DSL-3900 that had me smiling was the number of ethernet LAN ports; four of them, not including the WAN-in. Sounds like a little thing, but there are often only two or three ports to spare on more basic devices and if, like me, you're using the Viper as your base unit to distribute high-speed connections throughout the house, any port in a storm is truly welcome.

Once I had the DSL-3900 up and running, there was a noticeable bump in speed on every device connected, all through the house - either via WiFi or plugged in directly. Although my UFB plan promises me 100Mbps I don't think I've ever actually seen anything like that speed, even on my hard-wired desktop until now. 

What's more, due to it's MU-MIMO capabilities, the DSL-3900 can deliver those great speeds to multiple devices simultaneously. If you've found streaming HD video gets a bit patchy if someone else in the house is doing it too, or in my case add in some pretty full-on online gaming as well, you simply must upgrade to a device like this.

If you've set up a D-Link device before, you'll be pretty familiar with the browser-based interface. It gives you the option of a set-up wizard, which walks you through each part of the process step by step, or you can just input your settings manually. This is usually what I end up doing because for some reason, UFB connections seem to be slightly complicated but never fear, most ISP's provide a list of settings you need on their websites.

Apart from setting up your internet connection and creating your home WiFi network, the other great feature you can access via the browser interface is the USB media server. There's a USB 3.0 port on the front of the DSL-3900 which means you can plug in as much external storage as you like. Then you simply enable the DLNA Media Server and Windows File Sharing options and you can access your storage from any device connected to the network; phones, tablets, PC's or even smart TV's.

I've used this feature (or features like it) on other routers, but they've always been strangely unreliable. The server would be discoverable one day, but not the next. Or it would disappear when rebooting the router. I haven't had any issues like that with the DSL-3900. I simply plugged in my external drive, it appeared in the settings and it's been working perfectly ever since. Happiness is an easily accessible media server, don't you think? (Such a nerd)

Reliability really is the big thing that keeps shining through with the DSL-3900. I haven't had to reboot it since I connected it, it just keeps working. I have about 45 devices that regularly access my home network one way or another. If you think that sounds like a lot, it's actually only slightly above average. Start counting all the phones, iPads, laptops, speakers and tellies at your place and you might be surprised. The last thing you need with all that traffic is a choke point at the router - after all, it's no use having UFB or VDSL connection if the flow from that pipe is getting clogged up as soon as it enters the house.

Installing the DSL-3900 has cleared the way at my place, with faster, more reliable access all over my house. I love not having to reboot.


Click here for more information on the D-Link DSL-3900 Viper 2600 Modem Router.

VERSATILITY IS RING'S THING

Parcel theft is on the up and up.

Nobody wants the inconvenience of coming home to one of those annoying the-courier-came-but-you-weren't-here-so-tough-luck cards. But nobody wants to come home to discover their package has been stolen off their porch either.

The obvious answer is a reliable security camera, preferably in plain sight so any would-be pilferers will know they'll be caught on film if they get any ideas.

Sounds complicated though...

Ring is in the business of making home surveillance easy, and the Stick Up Cam Wired is a classic example.

The camera itself is a tiny thing - smaller than a can of beans, even including its extremely adaptable stand, but it arrives in a mysteriously large box. This is because it includes absolutely everything you'll need for installation - and I do mean everything.

Not only does the box contain the camera, power adapter and a generous 2.5 metres of USB power cord, but you also get a PoE (Power over Ethernet) adapter with its own power supply, an incredible 6 metre PoE cord and more than enough screws and fasteners to hold everything in place. You even get your own screwdriver and drill bit.

If this seems a lot for one little camera, it's only because there are so many ways you can use it.

It's sturdily constructed and weatherproof,  but also attractive enough, in either white or black so you can use it indoors or out.

The mounting stand bends in two places and also rotates, so there really is nowhere you can't put it. There's even a little spirit level inside the mounting stand so you can get everything dead straight. Or, boringly, you can just sit the thing on a table or shelf.

Your only limitation, because this is the wired version, is how far the cord will reach. That's why I was impressed with the six metre PoE cable included - other cameras I've tried usually leave that part up to you to source and although not every preferred location will be within six metres of an ethernet port, it's a pretty good start.

Obviously the Stick Up Cam Wired can connect via ethernet, but I didn't realise it would be fully WiFi functional as well - so you can forget ethernet connections altogether and just power it with the included microUSB charger.

It goes without saying this will rely on strong WiFi reception, after all, nothing is as reliable as hard-wired.

What is reliable is the setup process. While setting up any smart device like this is more or less the same process, not every app makes it as straight-forward as the Ring app does. It really does take you though it step by step, giving you the option to name your device and its location.

Once connected, you can customise when you'll be notified of movement in the monitored area and you can also isolate up to three motion zones to monitor. This is really user-friendly because you're not limited to a rectangle shape, you can draw the specific area you want to monitor which might even be an angled view of a door or gate.

The other feature that had me impressed straight away is the size of the view from one small camera. You'll get 150 degrees horizontally and a really surprising 85 degrees of vertical coverage. Again, this just adds to the versatility of the device because you're far less restricted by where you can place it - whether you have it on a high or low shelf, you'll still be able to see the whole room.

Alerts come through with only a second or two's delay, which means you should definitely have opportunity to warn off any would-be package thieves via the two-way communication function. The audio from the camera is extremely sensitive, picking up the slightest sound of a door opening. On the other hand, sound quality heard through the camera tends to be a bit distorted - we're dealing with a pretty small speaker after all. I guess if the purpose of the exercise is to let any bad guys know you're watching, it certainly achieves that. If not, just sound the siren - it's not ear-splittingly loud, but they'll get the message.

On occasion, I did notice the picture would tend to blur when the sound function was being used in both directions - even with a good WiFi connection. One other little bug I discovered; at the time of my review, initially I couldn't communicate from my phone to the camera. After a brief online chat session with a very helpful Ring techie, he discovered I'd enabled a new feature in the Ring app called Event History Timeline. Turns out, this feature isn't quite ready for late model Android devices. Once I disabled it, everything worked perfectly.

The picture quality is excellent. Nighttime shots are bright and clear - although a little grainy. But daytime footage is brilliant, certainly no trouble identifying faces or number plates if required.

There is a catch. If you want to record and save your videos, you'll need to subscribe to Ring's Protect Plan. To be fair, it'll only set you back $4.50 a month, but it's slightly irksome when other brands give you the option of linking your own cloud storage account so you don't have to pay any extra. You'll get this save-and-share functionality free for the first 30 days to try.

Like Ring's other devices, the Stick Up Cam Wired is also Alexa enabled, so you can just ask her to show you the entrance-way and the live stream will appear on your Alexa device.

This is not the cheapest home security camera on the market, but it might be the most versatile. You really can mount it anywhere, inside or out. The easy-to-follow app makes setup super simple and what's more, with the option of an ethernet connection or WiFi, it should fulfill just about any requirement.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Ring Stick Up Cam Wired.

PROVIDING FOR THE ANDROID TABLET MARKET

Somewhat convoluted headline there - but it's a funny old space. Between the Apple iPad and the Microsoft Surface there's not much room for somebody else to do something useful.

Although apparently...

Some people are just Android people...

Over the years there have been a lot of terrible tablets, but the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e isn't one of them.

Hot on the heels of last year's successful Tab S4, Samsung has shaved things down a bit, (including the price) and come up with a device genuinely worth considering if you've decided a tablet is something you need.

If my house is anything to go by, the number one use for a device like this - outside school or work hours anyway - is watching stuff. That means you'll be needing a great screen and awesome speakers. That's where the Galaxy Tab S5e definitely delivers.

Samsung screens are generally some of the best on the market, and this one is no exception. The 10.5" sAMOLED display is sharp and bright. What's more it stretches almost to the very edges of the device, leaving just enough room to hold the tablet without making any accidental touches.

As for the speakers, they really blew me away. It's an AKG tuned quad-speaker setup that adjusts automatically when you change from landscape to portrait. I couldn't believe the richness and depth as I watched my first show on the Tab S5e. There's just no comparison to the somewhat tinny experience I've come to expect from most mobile devices and even many laptops. Obviously there's still no abundance of booming bass, but there's enough.

It's just as well the speakers are so good as there's no dedicated headphone jack, although there is a USB Type-C adapter included in the box. The no-headphone jack thing doesn't usually bother me at all... on a phone. This is because I always listen to my music or podcasts via bluetooth anyway. However... the tablet situation is a bit different because you're likely to be watching content with headphones so you're not subjecting other people in the room to your particular brand of YouTube idiocy. Try that with anything but the very latest bluetooth headphones or earbuds and the audio lag is going to be major pain. I guess my advice is, don't lose that dongle.

To be honest, I'm not even sure the Tab S5e is thick enough to support a headphone jack even if they wanted one on there. This tablet is so light and skinny, it really feels more like an oversized phone than a fully-functioning laptop substitute. It weighs next to nothing, so you won't even notice it if you're carrying it around tucked into your handbag, briefcase or schoolbag. It basically feels like a 10.5" screen and nothing else.

The matching book cover keyboard is sometimes bundled with the Tab S5e for free. This should be par for the course for any tablet. I've always found it a complete rip-off to be sold a thing as essential as the matching keyboard as an "optional extra." Keyboard cases aren't optional, they're vital. I started writing this review using the on-screen keyboard, but it's simply too frustrating to deal with something that covers up half of what you're working on.

The keyboard cover gives you the option of tilting the Tab S5e up on your lap, notebook style which is certainly helpful when you're using both hands to type like I am now. I've read comments from some users complaining the keyboard feels a bit cramped, which is hardly surprising given it's only as wide as the tablet itself. The other main moan seems to be a lack of backlit keys, making typing in the dark more challenging. I'd suggest this is compromise well worth making in the interests of conserving battery life. I actually found the tactile response from the keys to be pretty sturdy, although if I typed too fast, sometimes the occasional keystroke got missed. I also would prefer to see a couple of extra keys - it's great to have four arrow keys to move the cursor around with, but I could really have done with an Escape/Go-Back key as some apps don't show that option on screen.

I'm also pretty keen on Home and End keys - although these are less essential when you have a touch screen in front of you. The whole thing magnetises into place, although the magnets could be just a tad stronger as I've accidentally pulled the cover off more than once when opening and closing the device.

The battery is fantastic by the way - it's about twice the size of many smartphone batteries and lasts for ages. This has always been a major hurdle for non-iPad makers to compete with when it comes to getting through a whole day's work in the office, on the road or at school, but the Tab S5e's claims of up to nine hours of screen time seem pretty fair. It charges nice and quick for a battery this big too.

While this is technically an Android device, in effect, you have the choice of two different operating systems. If you feel more comfortable using the Tab S5e as a giant phone, you can stick with Samsung's familiar and brilliant One UI, surely one of the most user-friendly and stripped-back Android-based O.S.'s around.

On the other hand, the Tab S5e also offers Dex mode - a far more desktop-like experience. Rather than a notification bar at the top of the screen, you get a task-bar across the bottom and the ability to open apps in multiple windows you can resize and drag where you want on the screen.

This means you can easily cut, copy and paste from email to browser to Messenger etc. It really is very PC-like, but be warned; not all apps are optimised to be used this way and I have come across one or two that won't even open in DeX mode. In saying that, Chrome, Microsoft Office 365 and obviously all the native Samsung apps worked beautifully.

Camera-wise you get about what you'd expect from a tablet. While the photos and videos from both front and rear-facing cameras were far from the worst I've ever seen, they were by no means prize-winning either. But then, nobody ever bought a tablet to take great pics.

For me, the only area the Tab S5e stumbled at all was under-the-hood hardware. The 64GB of internal storage is probably about as low as I'd be prepared to go for a device like this although you can expand up to 512GB via microSD card. Also, 4GB of RAM is, to be honest, not quite enough. When you have a device that offers the awesome multitasking ability of DeX mode, I'd suggest at least 6GB of RAM is needed to keep things running quickly and smoothly. I didn't have any major crashes or stumbles, but apps often seemed slow to start or install and I'm not convinced this is a device suitable for high-level gaming - especially if that gaming is online gaming.

Weirdly, the WiFi reception on the Tab S5e seems a little spotty at times. This seems to be something to do with exactly how you're holding it it - if your hands cover certain corners, suddenly streams can drop out or web pages refuse to load. Luckily I've been using the 4G version and ironically, it seemed connectivity was generally more stable using mobile data than when connected via WiFi. A minor anomaly on an otherwise very reliable device.

The Tab S5e offers both face and fingerprint unlocking, although I found the fingerprint sensor (built into the power button on the side of the device) to be far less consistent than the facial recognition which worked in both portrait and landscape. I also found the power/fingerprint button a bit tricky to find sometimes, as it's recessed slightly into the frame, rather than sticking out of it like the volume rocker just below it. This meant I've often turned the volume up instead of the screen on.

As always, when reviewing a tablet, ultimately I ask myself if it'd be better value for money buying a full-sized laptop for the same price. In this case, the answer is definitely no. The Tab S5e is far more portable, due to its tiny form factor. It offers both phone and desktop functionality via its choice of two great operating systems and the multi-media experience in terms of speaker and display quality is pretty much unmatched - certainly in this price range.

Great battery life seals the deal. So maybe there isn't a lot of demand out there for Android tablets, but if that's what you're demanding, the Galaxy Tab S5e should do the job for you.


Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e.

AH JAMES, YOU'VE DONE IT AGAIN

Who doesn't love a Dyson?

Sir James and his boffins have been setting the standard in fine tech design for decades.

But when you have a vacuum as sublime as last year's V10, how do you make it better?...

The V11 is everything the V10 was, but smarter.

The V10 was a real coming-of-age for stick vacuums; finally a device to clean your whole home, completely cord free. The combination of Dyson's precision-engineered digital motor and cutting-edge battery technology meant enough power and running time for a full vacuum of my two-storey, four-bedroom house. Not to mention an array of ingenious cleaning heads and other attachments to make my weekly chore most un-chore like.

Obviously, the V11 does all that too.

But what Dyson has done this time round is taken two minor pain points from the V10 experience and turned them into bonuses.

Firstly, the high torque cleaner head has its own digital motor and intelligently senses what sort of surface you're vacuuming. So if you're on carpet, the power automatically increases, as more suction is required to pull all the yuckies out of a cut pile than off a hard-wood floor. By the same token, the second you hit the tiles (or the boards), the V11 dials things down a bit to conserve battery life.

Oh don't worry, the V11 "Absolute" package still includes a soft roller cleaner head (or fluffy) designed specifically for hard floors, but I no longer feel the need to use it, thanks to this nifty, new auto-sensing technology. This obviously means a lot less stopping and starting as I just continue from one surface to another without changing heads.

Interestingly, the sensor is so... sensitive it even swaps settings on the same surface if required. My garage is carpeted, but like marine carpet, the pile is not deep at all. The V11 still knows it's carpet though and uses a relatively strong suction right up until it gets to where the carpet is more worn from the car tyres, then it eases back. How does it know?

The other major development is the LCD screen, conveniently situated on the top of the V11. The primary function of this display is to show how much charge time you have left, down to the second. Previously you were restricted to three simple lights which went out one by one as the batter ran down. Now you know exactly how long you've got to get the job done. Obviously this time changes dramatically, depending on which setting the V11 is running at - and although this can happen automatically as I've already described, it doesn't have to. A simple push of the button below the screen changes mode between Eco, Auto and Boost (20 percent more powerful than the V11, by the way).

So no more wondering if the battery's about to run out. But that's not the only thing the new screen is good for. Obviously it tells you how far you are from 100% while you're charging and there's one more clever trick in store... If you've used a Dyson for any length of time, you'll know sometimes they just stop. This is on purpose. If the battery needs charging, or the bin needs emptying, that's kind of obvious. But if there's a blockage somewhere or the filter's overdue for a clean, this isn't necessarily quite so clear - except now it is because not only does the V11's LCD screen tell you exactly why it's stopped, it'll then show you a little video on what to do about it.

So clever.

There's one more bit of design brilliance to highlight, but this one doesn't involve a motor, a sensor, a screen or even electricity... The V11 comes with a wand storage clip. 

This means you can bring two of your favourite tools with you on your vacuuming tour of the house.

So simple.

So genius.

So expensive.

As you can imagine, if you come up with a machine that works even better than the one before it, you're probably entitled to charge a bit more for it.

The V11 Absolute includes seven different heads and attachments, although if you're keen on the Flexi Crevice tool, the Extension hose and the Mattress tool, you'll have to pay even more for the website-only Pro edition. That one comes in gold, so you know how flash it is.

Luckily, the V10's tools and attachments are compatible with the V11, so if you're only upgrading, you can probably save yourself a few bucks.

True to form, the superb usability of Dyson design will set you back a pretty penny, but if you can afford it, do it, because this is, once again, undoubtedly the best vacuum money can buy.


Click here for more information and pricing on the Dyson V11 Absolute stick vacuum.