ALEXA AS, BRO

I'm an Alexa guy. Sure, there are other voice assistants out there but over the last couple of years Alexa has served me best. My speakers, my doorbell, my security cameras, my lights - even my TV - these days all of it pops up in my Alexa app the moment it's connected to my WiFi.

That's all very well, and for the most part everything works a treat. I have automations set up to turn lights on and off at various times or when motion sensors are triggered. I can ask Alexa to play may favourite playlists out of whichever speaker is nearby.

I even use Alexa in the car - she helps me organise my day, tells me the weather and replies to messages - all hands-free.

But you know the real problem with virtual assistants? They're just not Kiwi enough...

Well, now Amazon has come to the party... or to the barbie on the deck anyway.

We all know our smart speakers should be able to tell us the weather for our local area, play local radio stations and provide us with domestic news headlines. But if your speaker isn't prepared to sing God Defend New Zealand on demand, you need to give it a bit of a rark-up.

For starters, shouldn't any Kiwi speaker worth its salt should be able to answer your, "Kia Ora!" with a hearty "Kia Ora!" of its own?

Does your virtual assistant know what our real national treasure is? Or what the Treaty of Waitangi is all about? If you ask for its favourite city, bird or beach and you don't get New Zealand answers, well... strike a light, nek minnit you'll be gutted you didn't choose an Amazon Echo device.

I'm not just taking the piss here either; there's quite a list of Kiwi-isms you can try out to impress your mates and make the olds think your sound system is possessed by Lyn of Tawa.

You'll be stoked to hear what Alexa's favourite ice cream flavour is - not to mention what she thinks of Pineapple Lumps.

Of course, any little Kiwi tacker knows what the world's longest place name is... but Alexa actually knows how to pronounce it!

If you have foreign rellies visiting, get them to ask Alexa what her favourite football team is. They'll be gobsmacked. She has a favourite cricketer too and if they need a bit of a jandal explanation, Alexa can definitely handle the jandal.

There's only one bit of a bugger... in order for all these fun Kiwi-isms to work, there's one crucial setting that needs to be changed for any Echo device you're yakking with - and that's the language.

When I was first trying these tricks for myself, none of them worked at all and I thought someone had been yanking my chain. Unfortunately, there's no option to set Alexa to speak in English with a New Zealand accent; not yet anyway. The closest you can get is Australian. I know - yuck, right? That's why I'd opted for the far more sophisticated UK English instead.

What really sucks is UK Alexa doesn't know anything about Pineapple Lumps or Hockey Pokey. Strangely, it's Aussie Alexa who's been brushing up on her Maori pronunciation... and it's actually pretty bloody convincing.

So remember, if you want to be able to ask your smart speaker, "What's a kiwi?" you'll need to set your Echo to English-Australia to find out the real answer. The accent might be slightly off but it's a fun way to make your sound system sound more like one of the whanau.

Pretty choice, eh?

Amazon Echo smart speakers are available at good appliance stores nationwide - and there's a new range coming soon.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

Sometimes I feel like I've spent most of the year reviewing earbuds.

I suppose that's partly due to the fact I am actually wearing them most of the time - or at least one. There's this masochistic side of me that's determined to try and keep me up to date with all the podcasts I subscribe to. Right now I'm running about a month behind. The stress is killing me.

My point is, even when I'm not reviewing new buds, I'm using them for hours a day anyway. I've commented before about the sheer proliferation of wireless earbuds on the market and how overwhelming the choice can be. Especially given they're all basically the same, do the same thing and in many cases, look the same too.

So when something genuinely different comes along, it's a real breath of fresh ear...

(Please tell me you realised that was a deliberate spelling mistake)

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Live have certainly made a splash in an overcrowded market. Nothing else looks like them. Why Samsung didn't just call them Galaxy Beans is a mystery because now it's only a matter of time before someone else replicates the shape and steals the name for themselves.

As you can see from the image above, there's a lot going on for something so small; three built-in mics, Voice Pickup Unit, air vents, bass duct and of course, the 12mm speakers themselves. They really are about as tiny as they can be, any smaller and I'd honestly be worried about inserting them in my ear holes and never seeing them again

Confusingly, Samsung has opted for a glossy finish on the Buds Live - black, white and even the new Mystic Bronze. The reason I'm confused by this is it draws attention to something I would have thought was designed to be basically invisible. Maybe Samsung is betting that someone who is prepared to spend $349 for earbuds wants other people to notice them.

I have found these to be about the most comfortable earbuds I've ever used - primarily because they weigh nothing and there's nothing hanging out anywhere. There are two sizes of wing tip supplied to ensure a secure fit. I say secure and yes, I can run in them but it's not an air-tight seal so I do have the feeling they may pop out if someone slapped me on the back. That hasn't happened, mind you. It just feels a bit like it might. They are IPX2 water resistant, so a bit of sweat shouldn't be an issue anyway.

Amazingly, the Buds Live could probably have been even smaller if they didn't need to charge or fit snugly in your ear - that's really all the top half of each bud is for; there are two copper terminals there that connect magnetically to the charging case. This feels similar to Samsung's previous cases but it's square, rather than pill-shaped - still small though and still works the same way, charging wirelessly or via USB-C. There are two pin-prick LED's - one inside the case for the battery level of the buds and one outside to show how much charge is left in the case. Fully-charged, the buds will last up to six hours out of the case, twenty-one with it. This isn't the longest battery life on the market but it's certainly right up there.

There are some disadvantages to such a small form factor - especially when your fingers are as fat and as clumsy as mine are. Because the touch controls aren't physical buttons, I find it very challenging to remove the Buds Live from my ears and place them back in the case without un-pausing my podcast or in the worst-case-scenario, skipping it with an accidental double-tap. There's simply not enough extra bud to get a grip on. This is probably a muscle-memory thing I'll eventually get the hang of but it's certainly something to be aware of if fine motor skills aren't your strong point.

In saying all that, the touch controls work fantastically well when the Buds Live are actually in. You have the usual play/pause, skip, previous, answer or end-call options of course and you can also choose what touch-and-hold does; like the Buds and Buds+ previously, you can use touch-and-hold to access your voice assistant or adjust the volume. There's now a third option of course; Active Noise Cancelling.

We've seen this feature in over-ear and on-ear headphones for years now and it's been starting to appear in more and more true-wireless buds like these. I'm not convinced ANC will ever be as effective for in-ear devices, especially ones like the Buds Live that don't achieve any kind of tight seal. On the other hand, because there's no tight seal, there's not really any passive noise cancellation, so any bit of extra tech helps. I've found the Samsung ANC definitely blocks out things like other conversations and the neighbour's barking dog, without any of the ambient hiss like the more aggressive ANC I've encountered elsewhere.

Whether you want to turn this on or off, access preset EQ's, install software updates or tweak any other setting, Samsung's Wear app is the place to go. Obviously the Buds Live will work best with Samsung devices - especially features like Seamless Connection that allows you to use the same pair of earbuds with multiple devices; phone, tablet, TV - all without having to unpair and re-pair each time. 

So how do these things sound, anyway?

When listening to "Time Machine" from the new Alicia Keys album, I really feel like there's not much more I can ask for. The rotating, surround sound sample the song starts with immediately conjures up a sensation of incredible depth and space. When the bass and drums kick in, they do it with palpable force and precision - no muddying of other frequencies though. The vocals are crisp and clear without being piercing or too sibilant. On a more sonically-crowded track like "Sunny" by the Stereophonics, again space is the word that keeps coming to mind - there's a lot going on in this song; strings, piano, rock guitars, yet there's room for everything.

Samsung has put a lot of effort into the mic technology too. Recordings and calls are certainly extremely clear - the Buds Live are a great option for video chatting and because the bluetooth range is excellent, you can definitely use these as an external mic when shooting film clips with your phone.

The good news here is, Samsung hasn't just come up with something different for the sake of it, the Buds Live are genuinely great earphones too. They're definitely the smallest and most comfortable I've worn, they sound great and have more features than I can use. They'll work with any Android or iOS device - laptops too - but if you have a Samsung handset, these are definitely the best you can buy.

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

THE WATCH TO WATCH

When it comes to wearables generally and smartwatches specifically, we seem to have some pretty established, trusted brands by now.

If you want to break into that market, you're going to have to turn up with the goods or you probably won't make much of a splash.

We've seen OPPO make big inroads in terms of gaining a decent share of the smartphone market, largely due to innovative photography tech and fast charging capabilities.

Can they pull off the same trick with a watch?...

Well, if looks are anything to go by, yes they can.

Hard to avoid the obvious comparisons to another top selling, square-shaped watch, with the only significant cosmetic difference being two physical buttons on the side instead of a crown controller. We're actually dealing with two OPPO watches; a 46mm model and a 41mm version. There are more differences here than just screen size, so they're worth listing. Not only is the 41mm display smaller, it's simply not as nice. The 46mm AMOLED flexible dual-curved display is a joy to look at and to use - it slips down around the sides, top and bottom like liquid. The smaller one is still AMOLED but it's flat - in fact, almost recessed into the edges. This not only doesn't feel as good but gives the impression the bezels on an already small screen are wider than they really are. In short - if the 46mm isn't too big for your wrist, get that one.

The other differences between the two models aren't quite so dramatic - the bottom case on the large one is ceramic as well as polycarbonate - I can't say I could feel the difference. Both come in black, with a Glossy Gold version of the 46mm and a Pink Gold choice for the 41mm. There's a slight difference in water resistance; 5ATM versus 3ATM so you can still swim lengths with either. Battery size is a bit more significant, 430mAh against 300mAh - but to be honest, I had no issue getting either watch to last through the day which is all I really need. The magnetic charging cradle does the job fast but to be perfectly honest, it's a bit large, quite ugly and the cable isn't very long.

Everything else is the same; same processor, same sensors, same software - so the user experience is basically identical.

And on the whole, that experience is pretty great. I haven't used a WearOS device for years so I'd forgotten how user-friendly a wrist-worn extension of the Android ecosystem can be. If you haven't tried it, basically most things on your phone can be accessed by one degree or another via the Watch. Receive notifications from any app - the rich notifications from my security cameras look incredible, an instant snapshot of whoever's at the door.

For things like texts and emails, you can reply directly from the Watch - typing is a bit fiddly on the tiny keyboard so I use Google Assistant instead - it's fantastic. There are media controls which can be set to launch automatically whenever you play anything on your phone. Even better, you can install apps like Podcast Republic directly onto the Watch so you can start it from there. 

The top button is the shortcut to your apps, as well as your go-back button. The lower button (with the green highlight on it) is programmable; fire off a workout, bring up your heart-rate, launch your media controls, whatever. Of course, you can swipe your way around the Watch too - down for shortcuts, right for Google Assistant, up for notifications and left for Tiles, which are basically widgets for things like weather, exercise and agenda.

Everything is fast and smooth and because this is basically an Android watch, there's an endless amount of content you can load onto it.

Weirdly, tracking is where it all starts to fall over a bit - but I don't think the Watch is actually to blame. Both models are jam-packed with sensors; barometer, geomagnetic, optical heart rate and gyroscope - there's even built-in GPS. Despite all this, tracking workouts and even sleep is rudimentary at best - not because the watch can't do it but the apps just don't cut it. And yes, I said apps plural as you seem to need a collection of them to run the OPPO watch. Because it's a WearOS device, you'll need the WearOS app to set it up. But then OPPO has its own companion app called HeyTap Health - which is where you go to see the results of your workouts and customise your watch faces. Although you can also customise watch faces back in the WearOS app. Or just download new ones directly from the Play Store on the watch itself. Oh, and all the Google fitness apps are pre-installed on the Watch as well - so you've basically got at least two of everything before you even start.

Yes, software-wise, things get messy pretty fast.

Back to tracking though... This is definitely a device comfortable enough to wear to bed; it's curved, light and the fluororubber strap is soft. Unfortunately sleep tracking only shows deep, light and awake, no REM. What's more, the Watch often thinks I'm asleep when I'm reading or watching TV. There are no comparisons given between recommended sleep cycle durations and what you're doing so basically, don't worry about it and charge it overnight instead.

GPS seems to lock on fast and it's as accurate as any other device I've tried. Heart-rate monitoring is also consistent. Trouble is, the Google Fit app is just plain terrible to look at - so don't use it. The Watch's native fitness app does show most of the info you'll want; duration, distance, pace, heart-rate etc but it displays it in a very narrow, green font. This is hard to see in bright conditions, especially if you're wearing polarised sunglasses. Of course, one of the big advantages of this being a WearOS device is there are plenty of other third-party fitness apps you can go with instead, Strava, Endomondo, Map My Fitness... although I've had mixed results trying to use Endomondo - the app measured my route, pace and distance but refused to display a heart rate until after I'd finished my workout. I assume bugs like this are software glitches that will be ironed out over time - the pitfalls of launching an entirely new device. 

What is quite cute is the selection of five-minute workouts, complete with video-guidance. These range from full body workouts through to bedtime stretches and like everything else on the Watch, they look absolutely fantastic.

In fact, most things do. The Watch itself is certainly attractive - even in boring old black. And there are already third-party alternative straps available online. These can be easily swapped out with a push of the quick-release mechanism. Okay, so the tracking and fitness app situation is a bit all-over-the-place but don't let that put you off because with a bit of playing around, you'll find something to do the job for you - after all, this is WearOS so chances are your favourite app will work on this device just fine.

Personally, at $599 I think the 46mm OPPO Watch is a bit expensive given the first-generation teething issues I've outlined but there are some pretty generous gift-with-purchase offers floating around at the time of writing and it really is very nice to use. Most importantly, this is a smartwatch that's compatible with any half-decent Android phone, which ironically, makes it pretty much the opposite of that other watch it looks so much like.

Click here more more information and pricing on the OPPO Watch.

ALL SEEING, ALL SENSING, ALL WEATHER

We tend to make some strange compromises when it comes to home security, don't we?

We'll put up a security light but not a camera.

Or if we put up a camera, will it record? Or just show live images?

And even if it does work at night... why does the image have to be black and white?

Maybe, just maybe, given it's the security of your home that's at stake, let's not cut so many corners. Maybe there's even a camera that can listen for suspicious activity too?...

It's a wee little thing really but it might be the most full-featured security camera I've tested yet. The D-Link DCS-8630LH is one of those rare pieces of tech that delivers on pretty much every promise it makes.

In terms of installation, being small is a big advantage - it means you can place it in the perfect position without having to worry too much about ruining the general aesthetic of your outdoor decor. It's a pretty subtle piece of hardware - mostly lens and motion sensor. Even the LED spotlight is miniature in size given its 400 lumen output. If you're worried this camera could be too inconspicuous to be much of a deterrent (the bad guys might not even notice it) there's a "Protected By D-Link" sticker included in the box for you to place somewhere obvious.

While the DCS-8630LH is a WiFi camera, it isn't wireless, it still needs to be plugged into your mains power supply. Yes, some cameras come with rechargeable batteries instead but that usually means taking the whole camera down to charge every few months which is a bit of a pain - and it leaves you unmonitored. At least with a hard-wired device, once you've put it up you just leave it up. The DCS-8630LH comes with an ample seven metres of cabling, divided in two between the camera and power adapter for ease of installation. The two sections of the lead are connected by a weatherproof socket and D-Link claims the camera itself carries an IP65 weatherproof rating, operating anywhere between -25 to +45 degrees.

The mounting bracket is very versatile, swiveling and rotating in all directions making it suitable for both wall and ceiling. There are cable ties included should you prefer to attach it to a pole or downpipe. If D.I.Y. makes you nervous, I can assure you I had this installed in minutes. Two small screws for the mounting bracket then I easily ran the cable through the top of my garage door and along the wall to my nearest outlet. Easy.

Next comes WiFi setup which is easier than ever thanks to the recently overhauled mydlink app. The step-by-step instructions are pretty foolproof and the DCS-8630LH was connected to my home network in next to no time. The new version of mydlink solves many of the issues I had with my existing arrangement of D-Link devices by simplifying the Automation and Schedule process. Previously it was impossible to run more than one Automation at a time - now you can set up multiple profiles involving multiple cameras, sensors and plugs. There's also a new option called Scenes, which allows you to change the state of your entire surveillance system by selecting a single option on the app.

The new app is laid out clearly and simply and most importantly, with a device like the DCS-8630LH, you have the option to choose where you save your video recordings, in the cloud or on a microSD card inserted in the weatherproof slot on the camera itself. This is open to tampering from any intruders of course but it does mean you're not having to pay a subscription to store your own footage like you're forced to with many other camera brands. Even if you do decide to sign up for D-Link's cloud service, you can still opt for a free plan that only keeps one day's worth of videos. That plan can be applied to up to three cameras though, so if you're checking your footage regularly it's a pretty attractive option as you can still download any video you want to keep straight to your phone. Video is very clear, night or day and I'm very impressed with the angle of view; 150 degrees at 1080p is more than enough to capture the entire front area of my house. This is the first camera I've used that's offered colour night vision - made possible thanks to the spotlight.

Amazingly, given the camera is so small, it also has a Smart Home Hub built in. This means you can use it to control other D-Link devices like motion sensors and smart switches.

Of course, the DCS-8630LH is its own motion sensor too. You can customise the detection zone to exclude areas like busy streets if you need to. This camera goes a step further though, with the introduction of edge-based person detection. This means you can restrict your notifications and recordings to visitors and intruders, ignoring vehicles or trees blowing in the wind. One frustration here though; the app won't let you set up two different automations, one for motion detection, one for people - it has to be all one or the other for some reason. Hopefully this is something D-Link can change with a future software update.

The features really do keep coming. As I've mentioned there's an LED spotlight you can automate to turn on under certain conditions and an alarm that can be set off manually or automatically. The alarm is not particularly loud or scary - it sounds a bit like a reversing truck - but any prospective crims would probably get the message. You can make use of two-way audio as well - allowing you to speak to visitors or create sound-activated automations. There's even the option to detect breaking glass and I know this works because it was activated the other day when my recycling was collected. The breaking glass was detected and I ended up with a nice, clear video of the truck driving away.

WiFi connectivity is great and notifications come through to my phone quickly, complete with colour preview snapshots, even on my smartwatch.

I'm struggling to come up with something this camera doesn't do. If you need a simple, D.I.Y. home security solution in a single device, this is the camera, recorder, alarm, spotlight and front-door intercom for you.

Click here for more information and pricing on the DCS-8630LH full HD outdoor WiFi spotlight camera.

THE MEMORY GAME

You syncing everything to the cloud yet?

Didn't think so.

In terms of data storage and file transfer we're definitely at one of those theory-meets-reality points, aren't we?

Sure, ideally our phones, tablets and computers would be nothing more than a way to interface with the cloud, a mere portal. But life doesn't quite work that way. Mobile data is expensive and sending and receiving large files is often a laborious process involving a confusing number of shared logins and links.

If only there was a more hands-on approach to all this... some kind of physical thing you could quickly write your files to and then simply give it to the person who needs it.

Maybe a little stick you can just plug in?...

Ah, the humble USB thumb drive. Wait...

glennzb, are you really about to review a memory stick?

Don't be silly.

I'm about to review four memory sticks.

Admittedly, there's nothing particularly ground-breaking about HP's new range of flash memory products other than it exists. This is a new product-line for HP and there are quite a few options to suit everybody's different requirements.

To start with, let's have a look at the v150w. This is a fairly standard design, featuring a sliding sleeve in lieu of a cap or lid. There's a key loop at the end so you can attach it to something bigger to avoid losing it. While this only transfers at USB 2.0 speeds, it does come in a selection of sizes, from 16GB to 128GB. I like the way it stays firmly extended when inserting it into a USB slot - I've used other similar designs that have a habit of pushing themselves back into their sleeves when they meet any resistance, which can certainly be a bit frustrating. Of course, as a result, it's a bit stiff to retract when you do want to - although if you have attached it to a nice big keyring you can just give that a decent yank instead.

Next we have the rather sporty v245w. This is a completely rubberised USB 2.0 device that comes in bright purple or orange. It's available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB variants and despite its fairly full-on, water and shock-resistant outer coating, it's actually still pretty tiny - it'll take up virtually no space at all in your pocket, purse or wallet. I'm not usually a fan of sticks with removeable caps; invariably I lose little lids within moments of removing them, which would be a bit of a bummer in this case as without the cap, you won't have much water or shock resistance. Luckily, that T-shaped HP tag isn't just for show, it's a convenient holder for the cap when your not using it. Clever.

The x760w winds things up a bit. It's USB 3.1, so transfer speeds will be significantly faster - assuming you're plugging it into a USB 3.0 port of course. This one is the smallest of the bunch - in physical size I mean, although in terms of storage capacity, it starts at 32GB and goes right up to an impressive 256GB. That's big enough to do a complete backup of many laptops. Unfortunately, because it is so tiny, I'm bound to lose it before I even finish writing this review. Thankfully, the spring-loaded clip on the end means it can attach to just about anything, even belt loops. Ah, well... I haven't lost it yet.

If you're serious about performing big back-ups on a small stick, then the x796w is probably the best option. Admittedly this is the most boring looking choice, but it comes in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 512GB and even an unbelievable 1TB version. Its all-metal casing suggests durability and solidity. The push-pull mechanism is reassuringly clicky and once again, I've experienced no issues keeping the USB extended when plugging it in. Obviously, with that much storage space on offer, this is also a USB 3.1 device but even at that speed, it'll take you a while if you're transferring a whole terabyte.

That's the advantage of small form-factor USB storage like this though; it's the ultimate in mobility. You can perform backups on the go, without bulky external drives or pricey mobile data and cloud storage plans. These new offerings from HP look great, work reliably and all attach easily to keyrings and the like.

Next time you need to get a large file (or selection of files) from your device to someone else's, if they're in the same office, maybe just pass them a stick. Pretty old-school but it might still be the most efficient thing to do.

Just tell them to slide it into that little rectangle hole on their computer. They'll probably figure it out from there.

Click here for more information and pricing on HP's new flash memory products.

THE MOST SURPRISING WATCH OF THE YEAR

Wearables are here to stay and by now there are more designs, more models, in more price brackets than ever.

As a result, choosing the right one for you can be a bit overwhelming.

Because the selection is so comprehensive, rather than trying to match yourself to a watch or tracker, it might be more helpful to qualify exactly what your personal needs are and find the watch that matches you instead.

And your budget, of course.

Especially when there are devices out there you never saw coming...

I didn't even know the Huawei Watch Fit existed until it was sent to me to review.

So when I fired it up and discovered what it can do, it was kind of a love-at-first-sight situation.

To set up the Watch Fit, you'll need to download Huawei's Health app, which you can do on any Android phone. Then it's simply a matter of looking for the device under "watches" - not "smart bands." This is an important distinction because although the Watch Fit has a long, narrow screen, I was about to find out this is more than just a step counter, it's a genuine smart watch.

But it's a watch in a super slim package - not only is the screen narrow but the whole body is very slim and everything seems super light. There's a gentle curve to both casing and display so it really feels like it's wrapped ergonomically around your wrist. The band is a fairly standard silicone-feel affair - quite boring but also comfortable enough to wear while sleeping. While it looks like there are two tabs underneath you can press to change out the strap, I tried pushing them and nothing happened, so maybe you can't.

I feel like it's an attractive enough device as it is, especially well suited to more narrow wrists. If the big, bulky round and square watches out there have been putting you off, definitely try this one on.

I was amazed to discover most of the same functions on offer here as you'll find on the very capable Huawei Watch GT 2, especially given how much smaller it is. To start with, there's a similar selection of watch-faces available - dozens in fact with more being added all the time, many displaying your health and fitness stats along with time and date, some customiseable with things like your own photos as a background.

The 1.64inch AMOLED display is full colour and very clear in all light conditions, although I've found when the brightness is set to auto, if you're wearing long sleeves sometimes the Watch Fit fails to register the change in light when you raise your wrist and stays dim which makes it hard to read if you're out and about.

This isn't called the Watch Fit just because it fits well, there's a full gamut of fitness tracking, coaching and other health options to choose from - and I do mean full. Dozens and dozens of activities can be tracked, from body combat to belly dancing to dragon boating. I'm not making it up. There are even twelve guided workouts, including running, stretching and strength options. Obviously more common activities like walking and running can be tracked too - in fact, these will be auto-tracked after 10 minutes if you haven't set them off manually.

Unbelievably, again, the Watch Fit has GPS built in, so any runs, walks, cycles etc will be mapped out for you, even if you leave your phone at home.

I've found the GPS tracking to be fast, accurate and reliable, although auto-tracking isn't quite as good because tracking only begins after the first ten minutes and although the workout auto-starts, you have to stop it manually.

Post workout, there are stats galore on offer. Many of them can be displayed on the Watch Fit itself but for a deeper dive, referring back to the Health app on your phone tells the whole story; pace, cadence, length of stride - not to mention heart-rate and VO2Max levels.

I've always liked the way Huawei Health recommends a post-workout recovery time too - something too many of us forget about in our endless quests for better bods. In fact, mindfulness and wellbeing are priorities for the Watch Fit too. You can measure blood oxygen and stress levels and there are guided breathing exercises if you don't like what you see.

Sleep tracking is pretty in-depth too and as I've already mentioned, this watch is definitely comfortable enough to wear to bed. Most wearables track sleep these days but unless they have good battery life, you'll probably put them on the charger overnight instead. No such issue here; the Watch Fit claims a long battery life and it certainly delivers. I can squeeze five days out of it with no worries at all - and that's with continuous tracking enabled, tracking a daily workout and notifications all enabled. The two-pin magnetic charging dongle is pretty clumsy, especially as it only fits on one way but charging is extremely fast, so I can put up with it.

And yes, I just said, "Notifications." This really is a very smart watch - I receive notifications from any app on my phone - from Messenger to my security cameras. They're simple text notifications and I can't reply from the watch but at least they come through quickly and reliably.

For me, a key feature on any smart wearable is the inclusion of a media controller. I've become very dependent on being able to start and stop my music and podcasts from my wrist, the Watch Fit delivers here too.

About the only thing conspicuous by its absence is the ability to make and take calls but if you're not a secret agent, you possibly won't miss talking into your watch.

I honestly didn't expect such a long story from such a small package but man, this is one wearable that's full of surprises. Did I mention it's waterproof? I forgot to tell you it's waterproof! Track your swims and your showers. Brilliant.

Click here for more information on the Huawei Watch Fit.

ONE ROUTER TO RULE THEM ALL

Where's your choke point?

Most homes have them, in fact, some households have several.

I'm talking about the weak link in your connectivity chain that slows everybody down, interrupts the streams and downloads and renders your smart speakers dumb.

Maybe you're hanging on at the end of an extender, with only a fraction of the bandwidth and processing power you could be accessing if you were connected directly to your primary router.

Or perhaps that very router is the source of all your problems. If it can't handle multiple connections and can't pump out a decent WiFi signal, it doesn't matter how many Mbps you've signed up for with your ISP.

When your hose has a kink in it, you ain't waterblasting nothin'...

Behold, the D-Link DIR-X5460.

As you can probably guess from its "spidery" aspect, yes, this is one of those top-of-the-line D-Link routers that will pretty much blow the socks off whatever it is your service provider sent you for free.

And that's pretty much my main issue with the device, so let's address it straight away; I hate the way it looks. The six external antennae are massive and the simple fact is, there's nowhere you can put this thing where it won't be utterly distracting. It's not even a cool colour.

My suggestion? On top of a tall shelf or cupboard. Not in a cupboard mind you, because there's no point in having all those unwieldly antennae if you're not going to let them do their work - and that work is all about providing you with the most comprehensive, powerful and consistent WiFi signal I think I've ever encountered from a single access point.

The DIR-X5460, for all its latest-tech wonder-features is unnervingly easy to set up. My phone connected to it by scanning the QR code on the base and then I just followed the wizard in the browser-based setup-window. There's also a D-Link WiFi app which makes things even more straight-forward but lately I've found the app is slower than the web-version - there are arbitrary, "Please wait while the device reboots" graphics that take about three times longer to run than the device does to reset.

In fact, that's the first thing that blew me away with the DIR-X5460 - it's fast. I don't mean internet speeds - we'll get to that in a minute - I mean just powering the thing up. If you've become used to a five minute wait for all those little lights to turn white, this is quite the wake-up call. I don't know exactly what kind of chipset is running the operation here but it's definitely quick. Setup, reboots and firmware upgrades take a fraction of the time I'm used to.

There's the full range of connection options here; a USB 2.0, a USB 3.0, four Gigabit LAN ports and of course, every kind of WiFi technology available.

You've got your classic MU-MIMO smart steering of course and the more recently introduced OFDMA - both helping prioritise your bandwidth to the devices that need it most, as they need it - even when several high-demand devices are working simultaneously.

D-Link has also introduced something called BSS Colouring which works to prevent any interference from other WiFi signals in your area. Add in the fact this is a WiFi 6 device and you'll be hard-pushed to find more powerful, stable or faster connectivity.

The website claims the DIR-X5460 is capable of delivering six simultaneous streams and from my usage the reality seems to match up. Admittedly, I only have a 100Mbps fibre plan at my house and yet when I ran speed tests on two separate devices at the same time, they both clocked up at least 100Mbps download speeds. I don't know how that's possible, but I love it.

The DIR-X5460 is so full of features there are some I don't even need; for example, in my experience Quality-of-Service (QoS) can cause more issues than it solves. This is the feature that lets you manually select which of your smart devices get the best connection. Unfortunately, I've discovered the router does a lot better job of monitoring this than I do. So I've left it on automatic.

This is an EXO router so you can create a mesh network with compatible EXO extenders - but as we've established, the coverage on offer here is is already unprecedented, so I've left the extender in the drawer.

And as for voice control... I'm not against it but I've just never thought of anything I want to say to my router. 

See? More features than you can use. This really is the internet gateway that's more of an internet floodgate-way - unkink your hose and let your connection flow freely.

Click here for more information and pricing on the D-Link DIR-X5460 mesh WiFi 6 router. 

THE OTHER STICK

I think we're all agreed stick vacuums are the way to go these days aren't we?

Okay, there might be one or two hold-outs who complain the rechargeable batteries don't last forever but that's just a fact; batteries don't last forever.

For the ultimate convenience and portability of a vacuum you can hold in one hand, not a cord in sight, I'm prepared to shell out for a new battery every five years or so.

If you're anything like me, once you've used a decent stick vacuum there's no going back to anything else. Even the hassle of having to plug in and unplug a central vacuum system seems like something from another age now.

But if you're still not convinced, there's a new kid on the block with a few surprise accessories that might sway your opinion...

It's pretty fun opening the box the Samsung Jet 90 pet comes in. There's a lot of gear in there - not only the vacuum itself, complete with telescopic pipe and Turbo Action brush but you also get a mini motorised tool, a combination tool, an extension crevice tool and a flexible tool too. If that sounds like a lot of bits, I haven't even got to the Z-Station charging stand yet.

This is the first bit of genuine innovation. Samsung has included an easily assembled, free-standing charging station that holds not only the Jet 90 pet itself but your two favourite tools and an extra battery. The spare battery isn't included but at least Samsung has recognised "up to one hour" might not be quite enough for some people's vacuuming tasks so you can simply unclip one battery and replace it with a fully charged one when you need to.

Of course, this also means if your battery stops holding quite so much charge a few years down the track, it's no drama to replace it completely.

The tools, fittings and accessories all seem very robust and durable, although when fully assembled, the Jet 90 pet still seems light and well balanced - easy to hold. One feature I find very user-friendly is the power button; it's not a trigger, it's just a button, easily accessed by your thumb when holding the vacuum. This means you're not constantly having to squeeze a trigger the whole time you're vacuuming - it's either on or off. There are also up and down buttons to control LOW, MID or HIGH suction. I've found medium gets the job done in most places around the house.

There's also a "WET" option but this seems to be reserved for use with the optional Spinning Sweeper Tool, designed for cleaning hard floors with dual spinning wet pads. I don't have one of these but it looks pretty groovy.

Whichever mode you're in is clearly displayed on a digital screen just above the controls. Any blockage lights up a red icon and there's also a three-LED battery level display on each side of the device which is clear enough but in an ideal world I'd prefer a more accurate "minutes left" readout.

Thanks to Samsung's Jet Cyclone system, there's certainly plenty of suction power - up to 200W which seems to be more than enough to coax most debris out of the rug. The Turbo Action brush does a great job on both carpet and hard floors although it is prone to getting quite clogged up with long hair. As I have three people afflicted with long hair living in my house, this is a common issue. Luckily, the rotating drum detaches with a single click making it relatively easy to de-tangle. Samsung also offers a Soft Action Brush specifically for hard floors but again, this is an optional extra I wasn't supplied with and I can't say I've really missed it.

There's a five-layer HEPA filtration system which is what you want to hear these days when extreme cleanliness is top of mind for all of us.

Using the Jet 90 pet is a real pleasure; as I've mentioned, it feels light and well balanced and the head swivels a full 180-degrees, so it's pretty easy to access most areas. I've found Samsung's "up to one hour" battery claim to be a bit optimistic, presumably that's if you're running on the LOW setting the whole time. Even so, I've been able to vacuum my large, two-storey home in one burst without having to change over to the spare battery. Great to have the option of popping the other one in if you want to carry on doing the cars though.

Unfortunately, there's no on-board tool facility, so you have to go back to the Z-Station to grab any extras you need which is a slight inconvenience. On the plus side, the telescopic pipe doesn't connect to the base of dust bin so the bin can be removed for emptying without having to disconnect the pipe. The bin isn't huge - just 0.8l - so just as well it's easy to take off and click back in.

Which brings me to my personal pain point with bagless vacuums of any kind; emptying them. Sure, it's great not having to buy replacement dust-bags all the time and the bin and filter is completely washable - even the multi-cyclone system can be detached and submerged - but it always seems to be just my luck a gust of wind comes along the moment I'm emptying the bin into the rubbish. This invariably results in a faceful of dust. Funny for you, annoying for me.

Samsung has a solution. The Clean Station is perhaps the most over-the-top accessory for any device I've ever encountered. It's basically a whole other vacuum cleaner in a box. It comes with a specialised dust bin to replace the one on the Jet 90 pet. Strangely, at just 0.6l, this one is even smaller but it fits into the top of the Clean Station where it is automatically opened and the contents are instantaneously sucked out, completely dust free. Awesome. Although, there is a catch...

The Clean Station is not bagless, so you're sacrificing the convenience of not having to replace bags for the pleasure (and tech coolness) of dust-free emptying.

To be honest, this seems like a bit of an extravagance for most users, although I can definitely see the merits for apartment-dwellers and allergy or asthma sufferers. Priced at just over two-hundred bucks, it's probably not a bank-breaker if you're already prepared to spend over $900 on the Jet 90 pet itself.

You certainly can't deny the innovation here and at the end of the day, the result is an efficiently vacuumed home, done with comfort and convenience. 

Click here for more information on the Samsung Jet 90 pet.

Click here for more information on the Samsung Clean Station.