I think we're all agreed aren't we?
When it comes to cordless vacuums, Dyson is pretty much in a class of its own. There are plenty of imitators out there but other than the people who make those other machines, I haven't heard anyone claiming they perform anywhere near the level Dysons do.
This is largely due to the culture of design innovation Sir James Dyson and his team have established. I've met some of the Dyson engineers over the years and they're fanatical in their dedication to making their already great products even better.
Last year's V11 cordless vacuum had it all; intelligent sensors to automatically adjust suction for different surfaces. Unprecedented battery life, with a crystal clear LCD display to show you how much charge remains to the nearest second. And of course, the freaky little heart of it all, Dyson's patented Radial Cyclone technology and Hyperdymium motor, spinning at almost supernatural rates to provide more suction than you can shake a stick vacuum at.
So yes, the 2020 model is even better. But this time the improvements are so simple, they may be the most ingenious yet...
I've waxed lyrical many times before on the captivating design prowess entwined into any Dyson device. None more so than the last few generations of stick vacuums. So the prospect of trying out the new Dyson V11 Outsize was positively mouthwatering. Trouble is, I can't get my hands on the damn thing!
I don't know what it's like in your bubble, but living in lockdown has meant a massive spike in housework rates at the glennzb residence. Desperate for something, anything to do, even my kids have taken up some cleaning duties - although doing a terrible job of most of them obviously.
Not the case with the vacuuming though. Very difficult to get that wrong with a Dyson as part of the equation. Especially one with a 25% wider cleaner head. Yes, this year's first stroke of genius from the boffins at Dyson was to take that already amazing, auto-sensing, High-Torque head and stretch it... quite a bit. This means a significant time-saving of course, as you're covering more floor area with less strokes. It's still as manoeuvrable as ever, still knows the difference between carpet and hard floors - it's just wider.
As usual, there's an alternative "fluffy" head, specifically tailored for wood and tiles included in the box but if my experience with the original V11 is anything to go by, the auto-sensing head is so effective, the fluffy will probably stay in that box. Unlike the other five tools you'll also find in there, two of which you can carry around with you, snapped securely into the wand storage clip.
The second big innovation of the year is the other reason the Outsize is called the Outsize. The bin now has a generous 1.9 litre capacity - 150% bigger than before. Most weeks the V11 could handle me vacuuming my whole large family home without having to empty the bin halfway through... most weeks. Let's just say between three long-haired women, two medium-haired cats and Dyson's unparalleled suction power, you'd be amazed how much gunk can be sucked up on any given Friday morning. Now the V11 Outsize has plenty of room to spare. See? Simple but genius.
There's a third major upgrade which isn't really about size at all but will still be music to any Dyson fan's ears. The V11 Outsize features a replaceable battery - the feature some people have been waiting for before they purchase a Dyson at all. For a device of this size and power, the battery life is impressive anyway; up to sixty minutes on Eco mode. However, it does take a few hours to charge so running flat in the middle of your vacuuming can definitely put a dampener on things. Now you have the option of purchasing a spare click-in battery, which can be left charging in the same drop-in wall dock you store the V11 Outsize in. There's a simple, one-button release mechanism to swap out batteries in a matter of seconds. Of course, this goes a long way to reassuring prospective owners their $1399.00 purchase will definitely last them years, with a user-friendly battery replacement always an option if charge times start to fade down the track.
I love how Dyson refuses to rest on its design laurels with further little tweaks here and there. The power trigger has been modified to make it more comfortable to use for long periods and that outsized cleaner-head now has a revamped release mechanism so you can take it to bits for cleaning far more easily than before.
This is why using any Dyson product is always such a joy; design, design, design. You could simply say the V11 Outsize is pretty much the same, just bigger. That alone would be a pretty good reason to try one. But it's all those other little things, the tweaks and upgrades that mean I keep coming home to a freshly vacuumed house. I wonder if I'll ever get to have a turn?
Click here for more information and pricing on the V11 Outsize cordless vacuum.
When it comes to earbuds, there's one thing that matters more to me than anything else.
It's not how they look. It's not the case they come in. It's not what they're made of. It's not the battery life.
It's not even the way they sound.
Don't get me wrong; I have some definite thoughts, opinions and preferences about all those things but there's something I need even more than any of that...
They have to fit....
Cards on the table; when I was sent the JBL Reflect Flow true wireless sport headphones, I was suffering from a severe case of bud fatigue. I mean, how many pairs of earbuds can you really try? How different can they really be?
I even considered just copying and pasting bits from my other earbud articles and shuffling them around in a different order.
Joke. That was a joke.
I'm glad I didn't because the Reflect Flows had a massive surprise in store for me.
These are not the most styley looking earbuds I've ever seen. Oh, there's nothing wrong with them, it's just there's no particular curveyness or streamlining going on. Yes, there's a choice of four different colour options but at the end of the day, they're quite large, round and boring.
Likewise, the case is fairly industrial. It's a rectangular box that, while the corners have been rounded off, is still pretty boxy. Yes, it fits in your pocket but it will definitely leave a bulge. In saying that, everything certainly feels super sturdy. The lid snaps shut securely. The buds themselves are held in place magnetically, although they are slightly fiddly to get into place as the compartments are shaped to fit exactly.
So first impressions? Everything seemed a bit clunky and nothing looked particularly sexy.
Downer.
Then I started using them.
First things first. There's a good selection of tips and Freebits. (Most manufacturers call these fins, but if JBL wants them to be Freebit enhancers, I guess that's what they are) Three sizes of tips and three sizes of Freebits pretty much guarantees there'll be a combination that works for you. I usually start with the default configuration (which is generally medium) and adjust things as necessary from there.
So I worked the Reflect Flows into place and the world went away.
What I mean by that is I experienced an almost perfect seal, instantly. There's no Active Noise Canceling function built into these earbuds but there doesn't have to be; the seal is so good almost all ambient noise is blocked out. In fact this works so well, JBL has included TalkThru and Ambient Aware modes if you do need to let some of the outside world in. TalkThru mutes what you're listening to and feeds you everything else so you can have a conversation with someone, while Ambient Aware adds outside sounds into your mix which is a good safety feature if you need to listen out for traffic or hear commuter announcements. Both these modes are easily toggled through by single-tapping the left bud.
A good, tight seal usually means powerful bass response and JBL certainly doesn't disappoint in this department. In fact, there's an impressive "roominess" to the way the Reflect Flows sound, a feeling of space that belies the fact you're listening to a couple of pretty small speakers. If I had to make a criticism, I'd describe most tracks as sounding a little flat rather than rich and full, so it's a shame there's no companion app with which to adjust the EQ.
The battery life is certainly impressive, comparing extremely well with some of the best earbuds I've tried - up to ten hours worth on a single charge, with another twenty hours waiting in the case. Charge them up before you go away and you'll probably have enough battery to last your whole trip. Unlike many other wireless earbuds, the Reflect Flow case has a very clear battery indicator leaving you in no doubt how much charge you have left every time you put the buds back in the box.
The on-board controls are relatively limited, with no way to alter the volume other than from the source device itself. You can access your preferred voice assistant with a long press of the right bud though, so that's something.
But none of that matters at all because then I went for a run. 7kms. Up and down hills. Concrete, gravel, grass. I never had to touch the Reflect Flows. Not once. No adjustment necessary. These are the most secure, comfortable earbuds I've ever worn, straight out of the box. I've been on many runs since and the experience is the same every time. So secure. So comfy.
I think this is partly due to the well designed fins (sorry, Freebits) and mostly due to how waterproof they are. The Reflect Flows carry an IPX67 rating so they're not just sweat and splash-proof, but absolutely weatherproof. This means absolute peace of mind you're not ruining your $250 earbuds by getting a bit sweaty. It also means they don't start slipping and sliding around once you get hot.
I can't stress strongly enough how impressed I've been by how secure these earbuds feel, no matter what level of activity I attempt. If you exercise regularly, these are the ones.
Click here for more information on the JBL Reflect Flow true wireless sport headphones.
There are two general options when it comes to home security; do it yourself or pay someone else to do it.
Here's the problem... or actually, here are the problems...
Paying someone else to do it is obviously way more expensive and you can easily end up being talked into installing a lot of over-the-top equipment that is too complicated for you to use.
Doing it yourself?
Yes you can shop around for different devices that will meet all your needs - and your budget - but does that mean wiring? Drilling? Pairing? And trying to get different gadgets from different manufacturers to work in unison for a complete home security solution can be a nightmare... sometimes even impossible.
Helpfully, D-Link has bunged a few useful bits in a box for you...
The Smart DIY Security Bundle (DCS-8331KT) includes the DCS-8330LH Full HD Camera, the DCH-B112 Door/Window sensor and the DCH-B122 Motion Sensor. That might not sound like much but it actually offers a surprising amount of smart home security functionality.
The key to this is the DCS-8330LH camera, by itself a great security cam but it also serves as Smart Home Hub, to which you can add other Smart DIY devices. Obviously this is the device to set up first, which - as is now standard for all D-Link devices, involves a few quick steps guided by the mydlink app. Basically, scan the QR code, enter your WiFi password and you're in business.
The camera is small, light and comes with both stick-on and screw-in mounting options. It can be rotated and swiveled to face almost any direction and you have the option to invert the image once up and running if you want to mount it on the ceiling or underneath a shelf.
In fact, when it comes to options, the DCS-8330LH camera offers more than ever before; great HD 1080p picture day or night, time stamp and a variety of recording options (microSD, cloud or ONVIF). You can monitor several user-specified zones at once, detect when specific boundary lines are crossed or you can set up a special Priority Zone and be notified when someone moves in or out of it. Like other D-Link security cams, the DCS-8330LH has a microphone for sound detection too - very versatile indeed for such a small device.
Which makes the next step all the more surprising. The camera has a D-Link Smart Home Hub built in, so any Smart DIY devices you add don't need to be connected to the WiFi at all - they all run through the camera, taking the pressure of directly managing extra traffic away from your router. One such Smart DIY gadget is the DCH-B112 Door/Window sensor, a two-piece magnetic switch that can notify you when a door or window is open or closed. It can also be used to turn lights on and off, set off alarms or trigger recordings from connected cameras. If you have a cupboard you wish worked like the fridge - you know, open the door and the light comes on - this sensor can literally make that happen. It happens pretty quickly too - virtually no lag as the message is relayed through the D-Link hub and WiFi router.
The DCH-B122 Motion Sensor is fairly self explanatory and like the door/window device, works consistently and quickly. It's very small and can be stuck or screw-mounted practically anywhere. Both these sensors are Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT enabled, so if there aren't enough automation options available to you via the mydlink app, or you want to control a different kind of smart device, there's nothing stopping you.
Both sensors are battery powered, claiming up to two year's battery life and you can track how much charge is left via the app. No wires means super easy installation - and that's really the whole point of this bundle; whether you choose to stick on or screw mount, the only cable required is a simple microUSB power lead for the camera/smart hub unit.
Between that great indoor security cam and the two sensors, you can protect a lot of territory, either by recording video, sending rich notifications, sounding a siren or activating any other compatible smart plug, light or appliance.
It's easy, streamlined, and great value at just $349.99 for the whole box. Not much to pay for peace of mind security you can do yourself.
Click here for more information and pricing on the D-Link Smart DIY Security Bundle.
FOMO.
That's basically why I review gadgets. I can't stand the thought of missing out on the very latest technology... even when it might be something I don't need or didn't even really know existed.
But sometimes it makes sense to do a bit of future-proofing. Although you might not need something now, there's no harm having it ready to go for when everybody else catches up.
Amazon is sort of here in New Zealand, but not really. But when it does land, oh boy - have I got the device for you...
There's no denying the Amazon Echo Show 8 is basically just the middle-sized member of the Echo Show family. We've already seen the original ten-inch Show, the more bedside table-friendly five-inch Echo Show 5, now we have an eight-inch display. So is it, to quote Goldilocks, "Just right?"
Now, just because it's not that different to the other models, that's no reason not to buy one - especially if you don't have any Echo Show yet. Let me just quickly remind you what's so cool about all the Echo Shows...
Firstly, these are great looking devices. The footprint is really only as big as the display, with the speakers tucked discretely away in the back section of the wedge. That back section is covered in a pleasant two-tone fabric and the rubberised base ensures the Show stays put, even on slippery benchtops.
Alexa is pretty clever. I'm not sure if she's still the most intuitive virtual assistant around but she's certainly on top when it comes to controlling enabled smart devices like security cameras, plugs and the like. The big advantage with the Echo Show range is you can "see who you're talking to," so to speak. You can see what song's playing, you can view security or door-cams live and you can show the day's calendar and weather forecasts.
As smart as smart speakers can be, for some ancient reason, there's still something more reassuring about receiving a visual response to your spoken commands, even when those commands are to play music.
Like all Amazon speakers, via the Alexa app you can designate one of a variety of streaming services to be your default player; Spotify, iHeart Radio or of course, Amazon Music. Unfortunately, the video side of the equation is decidedly more restricted. Amazon Prime Video is really your only option here in New Zealand - not that there isn't some great content on that service. It would just be nice to have access to all the content so you can really put that screen to use.
The Echo Show 8 will play video from Vimeo and Daily Motion though. So when you ask Alexa to show you a recipe for fish tacos, that's where she'll get it from. Just a bit of a shame we can't get a bit more YouTube or Netflix action happening.
Another fun video trick to try is Dropping In. If you have two or more Echo Shows connected to the same network, you can ask Alexa to "Drop In" on another room. This allows you to video chat directly with anyone in that room - a high quality video intercom connecting your home or your workplace.
Amazon has recognised some people have fears around privacy, either founded or not. As a result, the Echo Show 8 includes a physical slide, to shutter the camera off if you don't want to use it. There's also the usual mute button for the microphone if you don't want Alexa listening out for your commands. Trouble is, then she can't listen out for your commands.
Which she does well enough, although I've found the far-field mic array on the Echo Show 8 is not quite as sensitive as the Echo Studio for example. Certainly if you have music playing loudly, there's usually a bit of shouting involved to get Alexa's attention.
But that might just be because you can play your music nice and loud. Of all the Amazon speakers I've tried, the sound quality from the Show 8 is second only to the Echo Studio - which is certainly impressive given its relatively small size. Without going into too much detail about cone size and wattage, rest assured the Show 8 can blast out a rich, room-filling signal with plenty of warm bass tones, all of which can be EQ'ed via the Alexa app.
To be honest, if I didn't already have a smart display/speaker, this would be the one I'd probably consider first. While it doesn't occupy too much shelf space, the screen is big enough to show off your photos and to display video from a reasonable distance away. The sound is really first rate and of course, all the Alexa functionality is built in, raring to go.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Echo Show 8.
Bluetooth. It's everywhere.
Or is it?...
There's certainly a massive selection of bluetooth headphones available. In fact, it's increasingly common for your earwear to be bluetooth only, especially when it comes to in-ear options like true-wireless earbuds.
Great for running. No use at all for in-flight entertainment systems.
Good for watching your smart TV in private. For a less smart TV, you're out of luck.
Until now...
The Twelve South AirFly Pro is my favourite kind of gadget; brilliant for its simplicity.
Here's the concept; plug this into anything to make it bluetooth enabled.
That's exactly what the AirFly Pro does, with a minimum of fuss but with maximum reliability and sound quality.
Shortest review ever.
Oh, alright. I'll give you a bit more.
For a start, the AirFly Pro is an elegant sort of thing, if a device so small can be considered elegant. In fact, one of the biggest problems you're likely to encounter with it is losing it. Luckily it includes a key-ring attachment to plug it into when you're not using it, although, given my experience with 3.5mm sockets over the years, they often get loose over time and I worry eventually this might not be a very secure way to carry the AirFly Pro around.
There are only three controls to worry about; the main on/off/pairing button, a tiny reset button and one quite magical switch we'll get to shortly.
At first I was confused about how you can pair two devices, neither of which have any kind of display. So I just tried it.
I put my headphones into pairing mode, switched on the AirFly Pro and it was done. That's literally how easy it was to make anything with a 3.5mm jack bluetooth-capable. The primary use for this ingenious magic trick is of course, in-flight entertainment systems. For years air travelers have had the inconvenience of having to pack a pair of wired earbuds or headphones or be restricted to the disgusting (and usually terrible) default sets provided by the airline. For anyone who's had to face the prospect of a long-haul flight with a cheap pair of cans only working in one ear, this is obviously no option at all.
Frustratingly, given the rise and rise of true-wireless earbuds like AirPods, bluetooth listening just hasn't been an option on planes till now. The AirFly Pro changes that instantly, eliminating the horrendous tangle of cords and armrests that usually happens when someone has to get up to use the loo.
While this is fantastic news for frequent fliers, there's another major advantage to using the AirFly Pro in your everyday life; you can plug it into anything - your laptop, your smart speaker at home, your TV - and you're instantly bluetooth-enabled. You don't have to go through a separate pairing process for each device because you're already paired. Just plug in, turn on and you're good to go.
Once I saw how well this worked, I got a bit excited and tried it to monitor the breakfast radio show I work on every morning. Let's just say, while the latest bluetooth codecs have come a long way towards reducing lag, there's still just enough of a delay to make monitoring your own voice too uncomfortable to use in a live radio environment. Damn it.
But you can pair the AirFly Pro with two devices at once - very handy for silent two-player gaming.
Now, about that magic switch. Mysteriously, it's labeled TX-RX. Less mysteriously, that just means Transmit or Receive. That's right, the AirFly Pro works both ways, transforming from a transmitter to a receiver with the flick of a switch.
One place this kind of instant connectivity comes in handy is in the car. If you travel a lot or frequently use car pool business vehicles, it's usually too much hassle to pair and then unpair your phone, just so you can keep listening to your favourite podcasts. Most cars (even pre-bluetooth models) have an AUX input so once again, just plug in the AirFly Pro and you're good to go.
Battery life seems very good, as much as 16 hours on a single charge, according to the Twelve South website. This happens conveniently enough via the USB-C port.
Perhaps the only little niggle is the sole LED indicator, which might be the tiniest light I've seen on any device ever. Now, as I'm always saying, I'm no fan of unnecessary flashing lights but in the case of the AirFly Pro, Twelve South has gone completely the other way. If you need strong reading glasses, there's a chance you might not be able to see the pin-prick sized light at all. It changes colour to show you when the device is fully charged, when it's on, when it's pairing and when it's connected. The little white light also turns orange when battery gets low, but there's no other way to know how much charge is or isn't left. Thankfully, you can still use the AirFly Pro while you charge it, so you shouldn't be caught short.
Other than that, the AirFly Pro could well be the perfect solution to a problem you didn't even know you had... until next time you're stuck with in a plane with faulty headphones that is.
Click here for more information on the Twelve South AirFly Pro.
How's your smart home coming along?
Got your light bulbs? Got your power plugs? Got your security cameras?
Got your locks? Your temperature sensors? Oh, and of of course, obviously you've got your speakers.
Now... if only you could make do what you want them to...
A lot of those things can be set up as a one-off device and will run independently. But the situation can get complicated pretty quickly if you want a light to come on when a motion sensor is activated. Some smart speakers are smart enough to co-ordinate all your connected toys, but the Samsung SmartThings Hub might make things easier still.
Now in its third generation, the SmartThings Hub is more straight-forward to set up than ever, thanks in part to the SmartThings app, but also due to the fact you can now connect to your home network via WiFi. This means so much more versatility as to where you can place the hub, now it doesn't have to be within ethernet-cable distance from your router or access point.
Not that you really need to hide the SmartThings Hub away - it's small and unobtrusive, almost to the point of being nondescript. The best reason to move it around is to ensure the strongest connection between it and your connected devices. In fact, that's the best reason to use a hub like this at all; the more devices you can run through the SmartThings Hub, the less pressure you're putting on your router, because the hub is directing all the traffic.
So just what exactly can the Samsung SmartThings Hub control?
Turns out, most things.
From TP-Link, to Ring, to Philips Hue, to Yale, there's quite a range of devices and brands the SmartThings Hub will gladly incorporate into its web - and that's before you get to Samsung's own range of smart devices, including the Motion Sensor, Button and Multipurpose Sensor, all of which I've been able to give a go.
The Motion Sensor is pretty self explanatory but the great thing about it is its size - or lack of it. In fact, another advantage of hub-connected devices like these is because they're not having to power WiFi connectivity, their batteries and general shape can be very small indeed. The Samsung Motion Sensor comes with its own super-versatile magnetic ball-mount, allowing you to place it just about anywhere at all.
The Multipurpose Sensor is also tiny. It's a two-piece, stick-on sensor that can tell if doors, windows or cupboards have been opened or closed.
Both these sensors can send notifications to any mobile device connected to your SmartThings account. But the real fun is setting up automations to turn lights on or off, sound alarms, record video or even turn on TV's and speakers. You can do this via the SmartThings app, or via Google Assistant, Alexa or even IFTTT(If This Then That), a program that allows you to invent your own routines for the smart devices you own.
Samsung's Smart Button is simple, yet brilliant, yet I have absolutely no idea what to use it for. It registers both single and double presses, as well as being held down. I'm sure at some stage I'll discover something I desperately need to operate remotely, but only while I hold a button down. Then I'll have just the button to do it.
All three of these little devices also measure the temperature, so that might come in useful if you have a smart air-conditioner or fans or heaters connected to smart plugs.
Creating automatic rules via the SmartThings app is pretty easy, although some options simply aren't available. For instance, I'd like to be able to simply turn the sensors off at certain times of the day, but that doesn't seem to be possible.
And this is why a Terminator-style Judgement Day isn't about to happen any time soon.
The robots are not about to take over because as smart as they are, they're still pretty stupid. The SmartThings Hub recognises a lot of devices but not all of them. For example, I have several D-Link gadgets connected to my home network and the only way I could get the Samsung sensors to trigger them was to create my own IFTTT routines.
I'm not criticising Samsung for the Hub's limitations, it's all my fault. As soon as I get some functionality, I want more. When I get more, then my imagination really swings into gear and I come up with even more demands. Why isn't there a device that turns on my shower the moment my alarm goes off so I don't have to wait for the water to heat up? For that matter, why do I have to wait for the water to heat up?
See? SkyNet isn't taking over any time soon.
However, if you are looking for one device to control them all (well, most of them, anyway) the Samsung SmartThings Hub is an attractive, versatile and well-priced option.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung SmartThings V3 Hub.
Click here to learn more about other Samsung SmartThings things.
