No Longer the New Buds In Town

Usually when I write an earbuds review, I start by complaining about how many earbuds reviews I've been writing.

This time though, weirdly, I feel like there's been a bit of a lull. Certainly a lot of the "big" brands seem to be in between flagship launches right now which means the market might just be ripe for the picking should another player decide to come along with its own premium offering.

That said, such an offering would have a lot to live up to; battery life, durability, sound quality and above all else, the fit would need to be spot on if a lesser known brand were to chomp up some market share and convince consumers to hand over $300+ for two tiny bits of plastic.

However, if that brand had a rock solid reputation for producing a wide range of other quality devices and accessories, that'd give them a pretty good head start...

Belkin definitely fired up its true-wireless earbuds department last year with the introduction of its SOUNDFORM range. I tested and reviewed both the SOUNDFORM Rise and SOUNDFORM Freedom models and they really surprised me with how well they performed.

Both were of a similar form-factor, a kind of hybrid sit-on/fit-in shape with external stems for the microphones. My main criticism of them was they looked a bit strange; slightly bulky and unconventional - perhaps too unconventional for people to try in favour of the tried and true.

Now there's a new, even more full-featured addition to the SOUNDFORM family; the SOUNDFORM Immerse. As you can see from the picture above, in terms of shape and size, these line up much more consistently with other popular high-end earbuds available right now. No stems here and the overall effect is much more subtle, although the buds are still on the large size comparatively speaking.

This doesn't mean they feel heavy or uncomfortable when inserted, however - quite the opposite. Not only are there three sizes of silicone ear tips in the box, there are also three wing tip options - these fit over the main body of each bud like a grippy sleeve, with a moulded tip to keep the bud firmly in place. I don't know what kind of silicone Belkin has used but it does an amazing job of holding each bud securely in my ears. I often find my left ear hole is slightly looser than my right and that bud will sometimes jostle out when I'm doing high impact activities like running. That simply hasn't been an issue with the SOUNDFORM Immerse. I put them in and they stay in.

They're also IPX5-rated for sweat and water resistance so between that and their ability to stay in no matter what, these are definitely a great choice for exercise.

That snug fit also definitely provides a decent amount of passive noise cancellation but the silencing story doesn't end there. The Belkin boffins seem to have quietly yet very successfully come up with some very effective Active Noise Cancelling tech too - like other similar devices you can cycle between ANC on, turning it off or a mixture with the Hear-Thru setting. This can be accessed via the SOUNDFORM app or using the tiny, physical buttons situated on the top of each bud. These are raised bumps that are fairly easy to find by feel, although because there are three settings, I found it hard to remember which of the three different tones meant ANC-On, ANC-Off or Hear-Thru.

The app gives you access to Belkin's most comprehensive list of features yet - from a good selection of customisable preset EQ's, to the ability to change which media controls do what in response to single, double, triple and sustained taps on the capacitive touch sensors. Yes, there are both physical and touch controls on each bud. You can't complain about a lack of on-board access here.

Belkin also seems to have a uniquely agnostic relationship with both iOS and Android manufacturers, as evidenced by the inclusion of features like Apple Find My to locate the charging case if you misplace it or Google Fast Pair, for easy one-touch setup with Android phones. Impressively, multipoint pairing works flawlessly across platforms too. I was able to swap between an iPhone 13 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra with no issues at all.

If you read my review of last year's SOUNDFORM buds, you'll know I was already surprised and delighted by the overall sound quality. As you can imagine, for this premium offering, Belkin certainly hasn't made things worse.

"Geek In the Pink" from Jason Mraz - apart from being a cool song - is a master class in pop production; driven by a moog-style bass line, juxtaposed with acoustic rhythm guitar and obviously pounded into submission by Mraz's rapid-fire rhymes... all the elements punch through loud and clear but only if they have enough space to do so. The SOUNDFORM Immerse provides that platform; space but also warmth and clarity.

As I settle into the stripped back acoustic comfort of Amos Lee's "Sympathize," I feel like there's something organic going on here - almost like the difference between listening to speakers with wooden cabinets and those made out of plastic.

In fact, if excess plastic is something that keeps you awake at night, rest assured the SOUNDFORM Immerse packaging is some of the most environmentally friendly I've encountered - in the earbuds world anyway. The charging case comes wrapped in a biodegradable bag, nestled in a squashable cardboard mould. Personally, I'm not worked up about these things but I appreciate the effort.

As you can see, Belkin has certainly swung for the bleachers with the Soundform IMMERSE - you really do get all the high-end features here - even battery life is on-par (or superior to) other "big name" rivals. Belkin's website suggests seven hours playing from fully charged buds with another 24 hours in the case - you've got to be happy with that. I'm also happy the case charges wirelessly; when you can just pop your buds down on the charger after coming in from the gym or walking the dog, they're always fully charged next time you use them.

Although it's been a little while, I review a lot of earbuds. As a result, I have a few favourites I can't wait to get back to when I've finished writing about whichever new ones have just come across my desk. What's interesting about the Belkin SOUNDFORM Immerse is, I'm still wearing them.

Click here for more information on the Belkin SOUNDFORM Immerse wireless earbuds.

A More Portable Party

If there's one thing you can't criticise JBL for it's choice. Over the years I've been repeatedly amazed  by the sheer selection of products - not just different kinds of devices but how many kinds of each kind of device there are.

And I'm not just talking a range of different colours.

Do you want big or small? Plug-in or portable? Wired or wireless?

Oh, is the big a bit too big? Here's one that's still big but not quite as big as the really big one. Perhaps something more medium?

The PartyBox range is no exception; now there are at least seven different PartyBoxes to choose from. Let's see if the latest offering is the one you've been waiting for.

If you're not already familiar with JBL's PartyBox line, they're large, powerful bluetooth speakers with their own built-in light shows - and by large I mean up to 1100 watts of output and some of them even have their own wheels so you can move them around.

Ironically, the new PartyBox Encore Essential is at the other end of the scale.

As bluetooth speakers go, it's still a pretty hefty cube; measuring roughly 30cm a side and weighing in just under six kilos. It comes with a single carry-handle at the top and no shoulder strap, unlike some of its bigger siblings.

It's certainly easy enough to lug around and as you'd expect, it's fully rechargeable so you can literally take it anywhere. I had to point that out though, because some PartyBoxes are mains-power only. In saying that, the JBL website promises just six hours playback time. Now obviously if your party is lasting longer than six hours, you're either doing something seriously right or drastically wrong - but I've certainly used other speakers with much longer battery life. The battery indicator isn't particularly helpful either; it's a narrow, white LED line on the top between the bluetooth and power buttons that gives you a vague idea of how much power's left right up until crisis time when it starts flashing red. I'd prefer a row of dots for more accuracy.

The other controls include a BassBoost button, a light show button, a play/pause button and a volume wheel. This last one pleases me no end; there's something deliciously tactile about adjusting the volume with a wheel rather than a set of up and down buttons. Know what I mean? No? Just me? It can't just be me.

As I always do with any JBL speaker, I slap that BassBoost on and leave it on. Over-the-top, punchy bass is one of the things JBL absolutely excels at and in my opinion, it's not just useful to keep the party jumping at maximum volume. I believe warm, clear, powerful bass is key to playing your favourite background music at low level too. There are two reasons for this - bass is non directional, so a bass-heavy mix gives the impression of being more "backgroundy" - and secondly, bass-lines are just as important to the beat as drums and an even more essential component of the melody. How often have you been able to tell what song's playing from outside a building when all you can really hear is the bass?

Sure enough, I've really enjoyed playing my latest favourite Spotify playlist on the Encore Essential. It's called, "Cocktail Bar. Funky jazz & Lounge Music" and it makes me feel like my house is suddenly somewhere you can order pitchers of margaritas and yummy bar snacks.

There's no need to get carried away describing the setup process - by now I think we're all familiar with how to pair a bluetooth speaker. For convenience, you can also use a 3.5mm AUX cable or even play tracks directly off a USB thumb drive. Not sure who turns up to a party with actual music files on an actual USB stick anymore but I suppose it's reassuring to have the option.

There's a mic jack in behind that splash-proof back panel as well. Unlike the JBL PartyBox On-the-Go, the Encore Essential doesn't come with its own wireless mic, although JBL does sell a wired one that'll work here. If you do have a mic, this speaker is now your karaoke machine, with a solid amount of crowd-pleasing echo mixed in by default.

Unlike other PartyBoxes, the Encore Essential doesn't have a slot to stand a tablet or phone in so you can read your karaoke lyrics but that's hardly a dealbreaker if you're really in the mood to let your vocal cords loose.

What the Encore Essential does have in common with its siblings is its own light show, albeit on a slightly reduced scale, due to its smaller size. There's still a bright strobe at the top that blinks in time with the beat and a selection of coloured LED patterns behind the front speaker grille. You scroll through these with the light show button on top and I don't know if JBL has actually improved how the lights respond to the music or I've just got used to it - either way, I've found myself enjoying this feature more than ever. I also enjoy the fact you can turn it off completely.

Finally, the Encore Essential offers TWS connectivity; which makes more sense than ever at this end of the PartyBox price bracket - why buy just one when you can pair two wirelessly, resulting in a stereo soundstage that's twice as powerful?

Honestly, I don't remember the last JBL speaker I didn't like but the Encore Essential has really ticked off a lot of boxes for me; it's easy to carry, rechargeable and IPX4 splash-proof - so it's genuinely portable. The sound is roomy, clear and bass-heavy in a good way. And I actually don't hate the flashing lights.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the JBL PartyBox Encore Essential.

Take Back Your Connectivity

Port theft; it's an epidemic.

It seems like every time I set up a laptop or tablet there are less of them.

There used to be plenty; USB-A's, card readers, display adapters... I even remember back in the day when I had a laptop with separate 3.5mm jacks for audio-in and audio-out. What a time to be alive.

But now they've taken them all away. And let's be honest, if it's an Apple device we're talking about, they've never exactly been generous with providing ways to plug other things into your thing.

I know in theory our lives should be completely cable-free by now but like clean energy and cheap, functional public transport, not all theories have quite come to fruition just yet.

Fixed LAN lines are still generally faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi. Connecting to a monitor with a cable still means better image quality and less lag. And no matter how big your internal drive is, it's never enough storage.

Like it or not, you're gonna need a hub.

The USB-C On-the-Go Multiport Adapter from Satechi is probably all you need.

It's all very well plugging your laptop into a dock at the office or in your study at home - that means a nice big monitor, hard-line internet and full sized keyboard and mouse, right?

Not much use if you're somewhere else though. The Satechi On-the-Go Adapter gives you access to much of that functionality wherever you end up.

It's about the size of a small phone, perhaps a little thicker, but much, much lighter. In fact, at only 125 grams you're pretty much guaranteed to not even notice it in your handbag, satchel or briefcase.

Before we go on, let me quickly list what the On-the-Go Adapter brings to the table; USB-C PD charging, 2 USB-A data ports, another USB-C data port, gigabit ethernet, reader slots for both full-sized and microSD cards, an HDMI port and perhaps most interestingly of all - a VGA port.

Yes, old-school I know but I've used quite a few of these USB-C hubs now and this is the first one I've encountered with a VGA connector. I happen to think this might be pretty useful for a lot of work-from-homers who might have an old monitor sitting around, gathering dust - I know I have one.

What you may not have realised is it's not just laptops that can utilise the extra ports the On-the-Go Adapter offers - I've used it with iPads, phones and even my Chromecast.

Don't look at me like that. A hub like this is a great way to add ethernet connectivity and extra storage to a streaming dongle like a Chromecast - pretty useful if your Wi-Fi is a bit dodge. Just one caveat here; if you are adding a LAN connection to your TV dongle, it'll probably require a power source with a bit more juice than the one supplied with your streaming stick. Satechi does sell higher-wattage wall chargers but there isn't one included with this device.

However, in most cases, charging is possible via your connected gadget's usual power brick - you just plug it into the On-the-Go's USB-C PD input, then use the onboard USB-C cable to connect to your primary device. This lead is just a short one, cunningly concealed inside the adapter when not in use. Satechi has also included a longer, high-quality USB-C cable in the box.

That means if you love using your iPad (or some other kind of tablet) but find the on-screen keyboard limits your productivity, this is a fabulous way to add other input methods and yes, even a larger screen. You might be surprised how many devices you can add things like keyboards and mice to. What's more, given how much it costs to upgrade storage on an iPad or MacBook, simply plugging in an external drive via USB-C or USB-A might prove a lot more budget-friendly.

I'm not suggesting Satechi's USB-C hub is necessarily more useful than any other similar product - after all, there are more and more options on the market every day. However, after using several different variants, there are a few things that make the On-the-Go stand out. Firstly, as I've mentioned, it's incredibly light, meaning it really does live up to its "On-the-Go" moniker. 

Secondly, it's the first hub I've come across with a VGA option. Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily mean you can run a dual monitor configuration with one connected via HDMI and one on VGA. Every time I've tried this, the HDMI screen seems to disconnect the VGA one by default. Perhaps this is a limitation of the source device (I tried this with both a Huawei laptop and an iPad) but it's probably something to bear in mind if that's what you were planning on setting up.

Lastly, like most Satechi gear, it just looks really cool. The brushed aluminium finish, the rounded corners, the concealed cable - this is not a massively expensive device but it certainly has a premium appearance and will make a classy addition to any out-and-about desktop.

    

Click here for more information on the Satechi USB-C On-the-Go Multiport Adapter.

Action... Camera... Action!

This review has taken me a long time to put together because I've just been having so much fun using the device.

I came to the GoPro game pretty late in the piece, having really only used them fleetingly until a year or so ago. However, once I had one of my own to play with, I quickly realised how brilliantly singleminded GoPro has been with its design strategy; Doing something interesting? Want to film it? Use this.

I was quite simply stunned at how professional the footage looked, whatever the situation. The wide angle abilities, the digital stabilisation and even the post production software experience of the relatively new Quik app - all so easy and yet so effective.

That's all on top of GoPro's most basic premise of all; this thing is waterproof and shock-proof. Take it anywhere, do anything. This is the camera to capture it all.

And now, once again, they've made an even better one.

While the GoPro HERO10 Black appears to be an identical size and shape to the preceding HERO9, in reality it represents a whole new era for GoPro.

This is because for the first time in several generations, the HERO10 sports a newly upgraded processor, the GP2. Thanks to the vastly superior performance of this chip, the latest GoPro offers improved functionality in almost every department, from higher frame rates to better digital stabilisation to a significant jump in photo quality.

In fact, it seems like every little niggle and frustration I encountered with the HERO9 (and there weren't many - it's a fantastic device) has been addressed and dealt with - if not eliminated completely.

Take the 2.27-inch rear LCD display, for example. Sure it looked great on the previous model but it was annoyingly sluggish to respond to touch controls - especially for someone like me, coming straight from the world of high refresh-rate smartphone screens. The improved touch sensitivity on the HERO10 is like night and day; my clumsy mitts now have no issue when it comes to swiping between vids or adjusting the shooting angle. What a welcome relief.

The upgraded GP2 chip also enables much faster file transfers, via both wireless and wired connections. This means you can put together a video like this in less time than it took to shoot the raw footage...

As you can see, GoPro's Quik app does a phenomenal job of selecting mostly just the interesting bits from your vids. The music, filters and transition effects are all automatic. The only thing I edited was the title frame - although the app makes customising, managing and sharing your video super easy too.

While the consistent form-factor of the HERO10 Black means any mods you already own remain fully compatible, there are a few you may decide you no longer need. For example, while the Media Mod adds the the wind-reducing benefits of a foam-covered external mic, as you'll hear in my biking video at the bottom of this article, wind noise has been greatly reduced on the built-in HERO10 mic anyway.

The Light Mod - previously an essential for indoor and after-dark shooting - may now also be left behind more often. Low-light performance is yet another noticeable boost on the HERO10 which you might be able to pick up on in this little highlights package of my recent rainy weekend in Christchurch...

This is also a Quik-generated vid and you can see how good the footage from the HERO10 now looks even when shot in gloomy conditions and indoors.

Another feature that absolutely bowled me over when I first started using the HERO9 was the HyperSmooth 3.0 digital stabilisation. Combined with the ability to level the horizon up to an angle of 27-degrees means I've even taken footage from a speedboat bouncing across open water that looks as smooth as can be. Now the HERO10 has next-generation HyperSmooth 4.0 and can sort out crooked horizons up to an insane 45-degrees out of whack. Just check out my silky (unedited) mountain bike footage at the bottom of this review to see how good this technology is. It really is hard to believe.

Apart from the full range of mods I alluded to earlier, the list of high-quality accessories keeps growing too. My current favourite is the Volta, the hand-grip that also charges your GoPro while you're out and about. In fact, this might be my favourite accessory of any kind ever - not only does it serve as an extra power supply, it transforms into a tripod with its concealed, fold-out legs and also a remote, with one-handed, weatherproof controls on the handle. These work both over the wired connection or you can pair the Volta via bluetooth for long-distance controls.

Which brings me to GoPro's greatest trick of all; instant recording. If you're not familiar, you just push that record button (either on the camera or on the Volta) and you're capturing all the action, right from the git-go. Now thanks to that GP2 processor, that function truly is instant - I reckon it takes about a second from the button press to recording that crucial, mustn't-miss moment (like my dog doing a funny poo).

It's no wonder this is the camera vloggers, adventurers, thrill-seekers and fun-lovers keep coming back to the world over. Point. Shoot. Share. Simple. Brilliant. And now even more simple and brilliant than ever.

Click here for more information and pricing on the GoPro HERO10 Black.

The Final Piece of the EAGLE PRO Puzzle

The question is, why isn't your Wi-Fi working as well as it used to?

Back when you signed up with your ISP, they sent you a new router which seemed to do the job at the time. Depending on your plan and provider, they may have even thrown in some mesh extenders to ensure your home network definitely blanketed your whole house.

But a few years on, it seems like things aren't quite so reliable anymore.

The gamers in the house noticed the issues first, complaining of "lag". Nothing worse than being stabbed by some kind of sabre-wielding alien because you couldn't get your melee going in time.

Next, the Work-From-Homers start looking blurry on their video calls or even worse, their VPN connection to the office drops in and out, making it virtually impossible to access the shared files they need.

Worst case scenario, everybody's trying to stream their favourite show all at once and only some are playing without buffering. Nightmare.

What happened? Well.. all that stuff happened. Your congested Wi-Fi isn't likely to magically get less crowded, quite the opposite. What's worse is your neighbours are all suffering the same issues - no wonder your IoT cameras and sensors keep dropping out too.

Sounds like your Wi-Fi is no longer smart enough. Time for an AI upgrade.

When D-Link introduced its new range of EAGLE PRO AI home networking devices, it promised not just a move to Wi-Fi 6 but a machine-learning system that analyses the available bandwidth, the demands of connected devices and allocates the space accordingly.

Unfortunately, I stumbled across the EAGLE PRO range sort of the wrong way around - starting with the M15 mesh extenders. While it's possible to use these as a standalone network, setting up one as primary router, in my testing the result wasn't as reliable as I was expecting; too many devices connected still seemed to result in dropouts, even between the M15 extenders themselves.

Next I tried the EAGLE PRO AI G415 - the 4G router capable of supplying wireless internet to a whole house. This was more like it. I was very impressed with how full-featured the G415 is - dual external antennae to ensure decent coverage, multiple ethernet ports to connect devices without Wi-Fi - in combination with those M15 extenders I was able to run my whole home network on 4G without any major issues at all. Fantastic.

Now the EAGLE PRO AI R15 completes the picture; a genuine AX1500 router designed to be the basis of your new, more intelligent Wi-Fi network.

Like the other EAGLE PRO products, the R15 is a soft white colour with a pale blue base. This colour-scheme - combined with the fact the whole router is not actually particularly large - means it's certainly one of the more subtle Wi-Fi routers out there. There are still four adjustable external antennae but as they're white as well, so even if you mount the R15 on the wall they're probably not going to be too in-your-face.

As usual, setup is simple and efficient, through the EAGLE PRO AI app. It literally shows you which cables you need to plug in where and automatically configures your network settings based on the ISP you're connecting to.

The app also offers typical features like parental controls, (scheduling network access, restricting certain sites) prioritising connected devices and my absolute favourite; the ability to turn off the status LED's at the front of the router. Have I mentioned how much I hate little flashing lights?

I was a bit surprised to find just three ethernet ports on the back of the device for LAN connection (not counting the internet-input port) - most D-Link routers I've used in the past have had at least four. I'm a fan or more connectivity options, not less but I guess it's not the end of the world.

Once the R15 was fired up and running, I was immediately impressed with its speed, power and coverage - while this is still not the all-conquering beast you might find at the more expensive end of D-Link's line of gaming-focussed routers, it still came very close to covering my whole large, two-storey home with useful amounts of Wi-Fi - almost.

What I've found particularly encouraging is how much more stable the connection seems to be with my IoT devices. I've found they tend to prefer the 2.4GHz band over the 5GHz one and somehow the R15 seems to be able to sort this out for them. If you feel the need, by clicking the "Advanced Settings" button in the app, you'll open the more traditional browser-based interface where you can really go to town tweaking things, like assigning different network names for the 2.4GHz and 5Ghz bands, to guarantee they stay separate.

Back on the EAGLE PRO app, you can test your speed and there are even weekly reports on your internet usage. Yeah, it's pretty smart.

As I mentioned, my house is probably just a bit big for this router to cover completely - especially including exterior devices like my doorbell and security cameras. That's where the M15 extenders come in. Pairing them with the R15 was a simple matter of pushing the WPS button on both devices. The range for a "good" connection between router and extender isn't as far as some other mesh accessories I've tried but it has certainly proved far enough to provide reliable, fast Wi-Fi everywhere it needs to be.

The really good news is the EAGLE PRO R15 is far from the most expensive router on the market. You're getting all that great, bi-directional, MU-MIMO, beamforming technology to ensure as many devices can perform at their maximum simultaneously, for not much more than NZ$200.00. 

If your Wi-Fi is starting to feel a little stale, this could be the AI spruce-up you need.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the D-Link EAGLE PRO AI R15 AX1500 mesh router.

The Watch that Saved My Life

Okay, a bit dramatic. Let me explain.

I'm a 48 year-old dude with the usual bad habits; I eat too much, don't exercise enough and on top of all that, because I work in breakfast radio, I get a lot less sleep during the week than most other people.

As a result, slowly but surely my body's started falling to bits, one bit at a time.

As a typical bloke, I mostly ignore the aches, pains and stiffness and have just accepted these days the simple act of getting out of bed is more of a mission that requires a certain amount of planning and careful execution in order to avoid total disaster. Kind of like a space launch.

Unfortunately, there's a point where the complaints get a little more serious - or at least annoying enough to be moaned about to family members.

Then you get told to go to the doctor of course. Like that's ever going to happen.

Sometimes that should definitely happen. So how can a smartwatch let you know it's time to swallow your pride and book that appointment?

Huawei has actually just launched three new wearables; the Band 7, Watch Fit 2 and the totally new Watch D. Over the last couple of weeks I've been testing out all three - starting with the Band 7.

While it would be easy to class the Band 7 as a simple fitness tracker rather than a fully-fledged smartwatch, the line between the two has been seriously blurred here. It's light and thin like a fitness tracker but the 1.47-inch display is full colour AMOLED and surprisingly easy to navigate - even with my clumsy digits. 

The Band 7 comes in Graphite Black, Nebula Pink, Wilderness Green and (YES!) Flame Red. What other sports band offers more than 4000 different faces for download? And of course, it does do a splendid job tracking all kinds of stuff - not just 96 different forms of exercise but also sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen and even stress.

Like any other Huawei wearable, this is all set up and monitored via the Huawei Health app - straight-forward if your on iOS, just install the latest version from the App Store. It's a tad more complicated for Android users - for boring technical reasons you'll need to install the App Gallery app first. The latest Health app is then easily downloaded from there.

What you might not be expecting is the Band 7's more interactive features - not only will you receive notifications from any app you select on your phone, you can even set up quick replies to messages and control media playing on your handset.

See? Sports band or smartwatch? Hard to tell. You get great battery life either way - well over a week and closer to two if you don't use all the features on offer.

As for the Watch Fit 2, there's no doubt this is a proper smartwatch, which is why it's the one I keep coming back to for everyday use. 

While a casual glance might fool people this is a slightly more well-known watch with a square face, the Watch Fit 2 is a fraction of the price of that other watch, yet with a lot of its functionality. Obviously it can do everything the Band 7 can do but on a much grander scale - also on a bigger 1.74-inch screen.

Aesthetically, you have an almost unlimited selection of colour and style choices - although the base model Active Edition is Sakura Pink, Isle Blue or Midnight Black, there's a Silver Frost Elegant Edition too - along with an incredible range of swappable bands available which are easy to change over.

While the display is quite a bit larger than the original Watch Fit, the whole device is feather-light and definitely comfortable enough to wear to bed for sleep-tracking. The raft of sensors underneath each of these new watches has also been upgraded into a module that nestles more snugly into the wrist, thereby avoiding any annoying light leakage in the dark of night.

The genuine premium smartwatch features really stack up here; you can take bluetooth calls on the watch itself, you can control music on your phone or load music onto the Watch Fit 2 and play from there if you want to leave your phone at home.

Like the Band 7, the Watch Fit 2 carries a 5 ATM water resistance rating so you can track your swims in complete confidence. This combines well with guided Quick Workout animations and Huawei's classic, super-clear layout of workout stats.

Unfortunately, as I've found with previous Huawei devices, auto-detecting workouts is not to be relied on. I tried it with all three of these devices and for a start, none of them ever realised I was walking - even after considerable time and distance. Runs were recognised but only after about 1km in and there's no route-tracking before then. It's a shame because manually activated workouts function brilliantly.

Once again, there are literally thousands of watch face options and you can load your own photo to use as a background too.

And yes, battery life is standout on the Watch Fit 2 - I can cruise through a week even working out every day. What's more, it charges very quickly via the two-pronged magnetic USB dongle.

Unfortunately, I hate the two-pronged USB dongle. This is the same charging cable the Band 7 and other, previous generations have also relied on.

The problem is the magnet is not very strong and it only fits on the watch in one direction. This means you have to position the watch in just the right way on just the right angle or the charger will just pop off again. Time for an upgrade here Huawei - preferably to something far more wireless and universal.

Something like the charger for the Watch D perhaps.

The Huawei Watch D is unique among all smartwatches right now, not because of its much more user-friendly wireless charging cradle but because it measures blood pressure. Of all the health metrics modern wearables provide, this one is truly a potential lifesaver - in fact, it genuinely was for me.

The sheer engineering genius involved in building a blood pressure sensor into a wristwatch deserves an award - if not all the awards. Basically, if you picture that inflatable armband thing the doctor uses to take your blood pressure, that's what Huawei has built into the strap of the Watch D. I know it sounds hard to believe and I was certainly incredulous when I first heard about it but take it from me, it works and works well.

After ensuring you've adjusted the Watch D's band correctly so it's snug but not too tight around your wrist, you simply press the red "Health" button, select "Measure" on the screen, support your arm at heart level and over the course of about a minute, the airbag inside the strap inflates as if by magic, giving you a genuine blood pressure reading which then appears in shareable form in the Huawei Health app.

It was with considerable trepidation I took this test repeatedly over a few days, only to be told my pressure was indeed on the high side - indeed, some readings were "severely high."

This indicated it was time for me to stop talking about visiting my GP and actually visit my GP. Although he seemed skeptical about my fandangled new piece of wrist-wear, sure enough, his "official" blood pressure readings matched up with the Watch D's and he immediately prescribed some medication to bring my pressure down.

This may sound like a minor health concern but it really couldn't be more serious. According to research carried out by the New Zealand Stroke Foundation, 9,500 strokes happen every year in this country and there are currently over 64,000 people living with the after effects. Hopefully now, thanks to the Watch D, I've taken some important steps towards staying out of those statistics.

And that's before you even get to the heart attack side of the equation.

The Watch D also has ECG functionality and monitors for unusual changes in body temperature too.

When I'm wearing it, I feel a bit like I'm carrying my GP around on my wrist for protection.

For around the same price as any other premium smartwatch, the Watch D offers unprecedented health monitoring which, while it doesn't replace professional medical advice, certainly prompted me to do something about issues I was in denial about.

Oh, and yes it does sports tracking and yes it receives notifications and yes it has media controls and yes the battery life is also amazing - all the more so given the battery is powering the mini-pump that inflates that little airbag.

You actually get two material covers for the airbag in the box, so you can wash and dry one while you're wearing the other. The airbag itself is also removable if you're planning on doing any really full-on exercise - you literally just unplug it from the watch and insert a water-resistant cover in its place. I fear I have already lost that little plug though - I knew I should have kept it in a dedicated box.

What I no longer fear though is a severely high risk of stroke or heart attack - thanks to my prescribed meds my blood pressure is already down considerably and now I can monitor it regularly I have real peace-of-mind.

I wholeheartedly recommend this device to others who might be high-risk too. None of us should ever put off going to the doctor and this watch might be the catalyst that gets you there just in time.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Huawei Watch D.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Huawei Watch Fit 2.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Huawei Band 7.

All Charged Up and Going Places

I am a wireless guy.

In fact, it's become a bit of an obsession. My first smartphone wasn't an iPhone. It wasn't a Samsung Galaxy. It wasn't even an Android. It was a Nokia Lumia running Windows Phone OS. What can I say? I was new at this then. Good camera though. A bit ahead of its time even.

Even more ahead of its time was its wireless charging capability.

Yep; a million years ago I owned a weird phone that could charge without a cable. Sourcing an actual wireless charger to do it with proved a bit of a challenge but eventually I did find one and the rest, as they say...

Except, it took a weirdly long time for the wireless charging thing to catch on.

I kept saying to people, "What are you doing? Fiddling around plugging in and unplugging that cable? Get with the programme! The future is now! Go wireless, baby!"

Those people would generally smile and nod. Then walk away super quickly.

Even when I got my first Galaxy, I soon discovered you could remove the back and insert a wireless charging pad. That was a good day.

Of course it wasn't till Apple started doing wireless charging that everybody finally realised what they'd been missing out on. Then, in Apple's usual style, they went one better and added magnets into the equation as well.

What a time to be alive...

Satechi prides itself on manufacturing tech accessories that are not only functional but are also stylish and elegant - an especially good fit alongside the Apple devices so many Satechi products have been specifically tailored for.

The 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger is a classic example - in fact "classic" is an appropriate adjective; from the high-gloss charging base to the gleaming stainless steel stand itself, this device can't help but add a touch of class to your desktop.

As is usually the case with any Satechi product, functionality meets aesthetics - starting with the rubberised recess in the top of the stand to keep your headphones free from wear and tear (and securely in place). There's also a subtle hook halfway up the stand to help wind cables out of the way - that's if there are any cables of course.

If you like to charge wirelessly like me, you may also prefer a wireless headset. The 2-in1 Headset Stand is ideally set up for this as it has two USB-C ports at the rear of the base - one for the power cable and one for a charging cable out. This makes it a tidy and convenient place to put your headset down to charge.

The wireless pad on the base is your other charging option obviously. While this is actually a magnetic pad to support MagSafe handsets from the iPhone 12 and 13 ranges, it'll charge other phones too - not to mention earbuds if their cases also support wireless charging.

MagSafe is probably a bit of overkill here - unless you're prone to sweeping your phone off your desk with extravagant hand gestures perhaps.

Overall, this is a simple device but expertly and beautifully executed. I do wish Satechi included the 20W power adapter in the box however, especially given Apple no longer includes power pricks with its iPhones either. 

That's my major criticism of the Satechi Magnetic Wireless Car Charger too - no power included. In this case its the USB-C car charger that's missing. Obviously Satechi would argue you might already own compatible power adapters and car chargers so you're effectively saving money by purchasing these products without them. Satechi sells them separately of course - luckily I did indeed already own the required hardware.

Other than that, the Magnetic Car Charger is definitely my kind of device; it's as stripped back and as minimalistic as it can possibly be. Not only is it extremely slim, because it is also MagSafe compatible, when your iPhone is attached to it, you can't even see it. Invisible gadgets rule.

There is a slight issue, however.

The air vent mounting system features a cunning three-pronged padded clamp to securely hold the charger (and your phone) in place... as long as the fins on your air vent run horizontally. In my car those fins are lined up vertically. That means the clamp has nothing to rest on and simply pulls out with the slightest bit of weight.

All is not lost though. The ball-and-socket system at the rear of most car phone cradles is pretty universal. Up to this point my previous car cradle was stuck to the windscreen - not my air vents - and I was able to use that mount instead. I'm surprised Satechi hadn't thought this through but I'm more than happy with the final result.

If you are green with envy because you don't have a groovy MagSafe phone like mine, don't stress. Satechi also sells stick-on magnetic patches for non MagSafe devices. (You can even buy them from the Airpoints store!)

While it's true neither the Satechi Headphone Stand or Wireless Car Charger are totally unique, I'd challenge you to find a comparable product that does the job in such a classy way - and you might find they're not as expensive as you think.

Click here for more information on the Satechi 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger.

Click here for more information on the Satechi Magnetic Wireless Car Charger.

The Best TV Keeps Getting Better

Okay, so nobody really needs an 8K telly. They've been around for a while now and there's still not much 8K content available - especially when most of us are using streaming apps that provide up to 4K at best.

But it turns out there are other reasons for choosing 8K than just the content. 

The trend has been for our screens to get bigger and bigger. 50-inches used to be a large TV; not anymore. Even my 65-inch panel is starting to look a little underwhelming compared to the 75, 85 and even larger options out there.

Am I trying to compensate for something? Probably.

The point is, the larger the screen, the higher definition required to keep things looking nice and crisp. And if it's higher definition you're looking for, jamming in a heap more LED's would be a pretty good start too.

As I say every year, this is one of my favourite reviews; Samsung's latest top-of-the-line offering; in 2022 that means the Neo QLED 8K QN900B.

In terms of how the TV looks before you even turn it on, Samsung has been setting the standard for a fair old while. If you haven't checked out the infinity screen on one of these incredible tellies, next time you're walking past an appliance store, grant yourself five minutes to pop in for a look. How Samsung manages to cram one of the world's most advanced displays into a screen that's just 15mm thick is truly a wonder of modern engineering. Not only that but its Infinity One classification means there's basically no bezel at all. The final effect is picture and nothing else, suspended on your wall or hovering on its minimalistic, silver stand.

To be honest, assembling the stand is a bit of a mission - it comes in three parts in the box and there are quite a few screws to be inserted before it's securely in place. However, when all else fails, follow the instructions and you should be good to go pretty smartly.

I was a little worried last year when Samsung introduced the option of attaching the One Connect control box to the stand itself; for me, the One Connect box is such a genius innovation - taking all the connection points and processing electronics out of the TV and letting you hide them away somewhere else - I couldn't quite understand why anyone would want to stick it back on the telly. Mine certainly gets stuffed rather unceremoniously into a cupboard in my entertainment unit - the less boxes and cables I can see the better. However, Samsung has persisted with the stick-on-the-stand option this year and I suppose it might actually be more subtle if you have the QN900B set up on a table with a power point directly behind; there's a shorter One Connect cable for this option and you would then have the illusion of a cable-free TV from the front.

Regardless, the One Connect box is similar to last year; four HDMI inputs including an eARC for your soundbar, optical out for digital audio, a mini-jack for non-digital audio, three USB-A slots for external storage or perhaps powering accessories like Chromecasts and a USB-C for Samsung's Slim Fit Cam - a web cam that magnetises to the top of the TV so you can make video calls or perhaps check your form while working out.

Once you're all plugged in and you've fired up the QN900B for the first time, you'll need to pair the remote; again similar to last year's with the enviro-friendly solar panel on the back, although now there are four dedicated shortcut buttons; Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and the new (and quite weird) Samsung TV Plus. No batteries doesn't just mean you're saving the planet, it also makes the remote very light - but be sure to leave it face down so that solar panel can keep it charged. (There's a USB-C charging port if you get desperate)

From there you can set up using the remote or via Samsung's Smart Things app on your phone - if you're migrating from an earlier model Samsung TV, the latter would be the way to go as some of your settings can be restored. However, the new Tizen OS looks quite different this year. The home button brings up a full screen of shortcuts, no more scrolling icons along the bottom of the display. The QN900B will remember the last app used to make it easier to jump back in where you left off.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about this years OS update is the addition of the Xbox app. Incredibly, this means just by signing in with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you'll be able to play the full Xbox Cloud Gaming library on this incredible TV without having to connect an actual Xbox. All you need is a compatible bluetooth controller and you're away. This is a very smart telly indeed - it knows when you're gaming and will adjust its settings accordingly, utilising its Motion Xcelerator Turbo+ to bring you the best of 4K, 120Hz gaming.

That's just the beginning when it comes to the exceptional picture quality on offer here. Call it AI, call it the Neural Quantum Processor, call it whatever you want - Samsung has figured out how to control 33 million pixels to achieve unparalleled brightness, contrast and clarity. I have the QN900B set up in my living room which is frustratingly bright during the day yet that makes no difference at all. This TV won't let a little thing like sunlight get in the way of a premium viewing experience. All that built-in processing means you can safely let the television optimise your picture for you or now there's even a Filmmaker Mode which does quite the opposite; stripping away much of the artificial enhancements to let the picture display the way the director and cinematographer intended. How wonderful to have the choice.

I have to admit though, I expect nothing less. This is why these TV's keep being the best.

What did surprise me a little was how good the sound is; not only has Samsung upgraded its rather cunning Object Tracking feature to Pro status, there's quite a bit of woofer action built into the rear of the TV for genuine bass boost. And yes, the 3D effects of Dolby Atmos are definitely discernible. Look, I'm not trying to claim this speaker array will out-perform a half decent soundbar/surround/sub setup but if you've already stretched the budget to stump up for the best telly in the world, you might be relieved to hear you won't have to rush out for a new sound system too - at least not straight away.

Yes, the QN900B costs a pretty penny - especially if you go the whole hog and have the space for the 85-inch model - but it really is the best you can get right now; it looks incredible before you even switch it on and once you do, the brightness, clarity and contrast are unbeatable. And thanks to the app, it now basically comes with Xbox built in. I'm not sure what more you can ask for and that's why it's worth top dollar.

Click here for more information on the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900B.