Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 - Perhaps the Most Powerful Thing I've Ever Switched On

Although I've reviewed hundreds of gadgets over the years, every now and then something turns up on my doorstep that takes me by surprise. You'd think after all the phones, laptops and accessories, the neverending stream of earbuds, even electric bikes and actual cars, there'd be nothing I couldn't handle.

But that's technology for you, there's always something new just around the corner.

While I consider myself to be a creative person, I'm certainly woefully underskilled when it comes to some of the creator-focused tools available out there. In fact, the more I discover how people are using tech to make art and design, the more I realise what a know-nothing-bozo I really am.

And the new device from Wacom makes me feel like a total amateur.

The Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 pen display is a big unit - obviously, at 27-inches, the LCD panel itself is large enough, but there's literally a lot under the hood here; plenty of processing and fan technology adding up to quite a solid body behind the screen, all weighing in at 7.2 kilos - and that's before you add the stand.

The Cintiq Pro 27 can't stand up by itself, so you have the choice of using your own 3rd-party VESA 100-compatible arm or mount, or Wacom's own, ingeniously designed desktop stand. This latter option is also very large and heavy - but it needs to be, not just to support the display but to allow you to move it into your preferred position without slipping around on your desktop. This it does brilliantly - although you can't fully rotate the screen from landscape around into portrait, you can easily swivel it off the horizontal but more importantly, you can adjust the viewing angle from almost vertical to completely flat - ideal when working while standing, perhaps in a drafting or collaboration environment.

But back to the main event, the Cintiq Pro 27; as Wacom's first 120Hz, 4K pen display it functions extremely well just as a monitor. The 10-bit colour, 99% RGB screen has been Pantone Validated, which means the colours are about as true-to-life as you can get. The extra size is fantastic for productivity, allowing you to have multiple, large windows open simultaneously and the high refresh rate means video and gaming is super smooth. In short, everything looks great.

Initial setup is pretty much just plug and play - with a full range of connectivity options, from simple USB-C to USB-C, to DisplayPort and HDMI or even a combination. All the required cables are included. 

Once plugged in, you'll need to download the Wacom Center desktop app from which you can install the required drivers, update the device and get to work finding your way through the many, many menus of settings and customisations. For this is really what puts the Wacom pen display in a whole other league.

To begin with, there are the usual settings pertaining to the way the screen looks - brightness, contrast, that sort of thing. These settings themselves are accessible using the shortcut keys positioned behind each side of the screen - a bit like gaming controllers. These buttons can be assigned pretty much any shortcut or function you like - and they can be different shortcuts and functions for different apps. What's more, the buttons can also be used to launch radial or grid displays of on-screen shortcuts. Those shortcuts can then open more grids of shortcuts - shortcuts within shortcuts if you like. All of this is an effort to streamline your workflow - rather than pointing and clicking with a mouse - or even worse, endlessly typing on a keyboard, with a few well-programmed shortcuts you should be able to access any favourite functions in a split second.

The same basically applies to the Pro Pen 3, which is included, along with a detachable pen holder which can be quickly screwed into any of the multiple accessory mounts around the edge of the display. 

Wacom describes the Pro Pen 3 as "36 pens in one." This is because you can adjust the weight, thickness and button configuration to your exact preference, using your favourite combination of available accessories. The result is quite astounding; with 8,192 levels of pressure sensitivity and the ability to recognise what angle you're holding the pen at, it's easily the most natural and responsive digital stylus I've ever used. Whether you're using it as a paintbrush, a pencil or a pastel, the result is so realistic I quickly found myself forgetting it wasn't the real implement drawing on paper.

Best of all; no charging. No battery. Wacom's ingenious electromagnetic tech means everything works just by being in close proximity to the screen - even the three buttons are fully programmable. (Not to mention removable!)

The combination of such a customisable writing implement and easily accessible, physical shortcut buttons means your workflow is totally uninterrupted - whether you're manipulating 3D objects, animating or adding special effects, creating unique artworks or perhaps adding the finishing touches to some corporate design, with the right software and quick access to the settings you need, mouse and keyboard can be left aside n favour of a more tactile, hands-on experience.

An impressive suite of trial software offers is also included so even if you're already familiar with your favourite graphic creation tools, it might be worth giving a few new ones a go to see if they have anything else to offer.

Although using an enterprise business tool like the Cintiq Pro 27 is a long way above my usual skillset, because it's so infinitely customisable, I found it didn't actually take me too long to become reasonably proficient at a range of basic tasks. Intriguingly, every time I used it, I thought of more ways I could use it - it's been an amazing catalyst for my creativity. Suddenly I'm doing even mundane jobs - like rudimentary video editing - in a whole new way.

And I'm sure I've hardly scratched the surface of what this technological behemoth is truly capable of. Hopefully, I've been able to give you a little taste of what's possible though - there's a reason why creatives at the top of their game (think certain movie special effects studios in Wellywood, for example) are using Wacom's pen displays to work their magic.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27.

OSIN Loop - Shining a Light on Social Jet Lag

Have you ever had to get up in the middle of the night to go to work?

I do. Five times a week. The upside of breakfast radio is most days I'm home by mid-morning, sitting here writing these reviews. The downside? My alarm goes off at 2:52.

It turns out the show has to start at 6 every day, no matter how sluggish I happen to be feeling on any given morning. I try to nap and go to bed early but no matter what I do, all ever want is to go to sleep. It's a cumulative thing, too; by Friday night I can barely talk in coherent sentences. By the end of the year, I'm starting lose my grip on reality.

I often tell people it's like working with radiation; I feel vaguely nauseous all the time and it'll probably kill me eventually.

From what I can gather, this is just a slightly more concentrated version of how many modern workers feel on a day-to-day basis - a sensation that's been labelled, "Social Jet Lag."

But what's the real cause? And is there a cure?

The team at New Zealand tech startup OSIN thinks so, which is why they, led by founder, Ralph Booth have developed the Loop, a circadian desk lamp.

While many of us have heard of the circadian cycle, the natural rhythm most living things develop in response to the daily fluctuations in natural light, the majority of us probably don't even notice how we inadvertently mess with that cycle, just by going about our everyday lives.

We often have to get up long before sunrise to get to work on time where we are likely to be stuck inside a building lit by artificial light, with little or no access to the blue sky outside. Even if we get home before it gets dark again, we then proceed to flood our homes with even more pretend light and spend our evening literally torturing our eyeballs with stacks of bright, glowing screens of various sizes.

And we wonder why we can't immediately drop off into a deep, relaxing slumber, the moment we hit the sheets.

This isn't just anecdotal, there's plenty of genuine data behind it too. OSIN's Head of Science, Dr. Nina Li draws on data from over two decades of study into circadian clocks and claims feeling tired isn't the worst result of depriving yourself of a natural light cycle. As an expert in biotechnology, she's seen how melatonin levels can be measurably disrupted and that doesn't just lead to fatigue and bad sleeping patterns but psychological disorders too. Dr. Li even suggests even certain cancers will take advantage of this kind of lowered immunity.

But we can't all just throw in our jobs and go and work outside. That's where the OSIN Loop comes in.

For starters, it's a pretty funky-looking lamp and I happen to think it makes my desk look modern and space-agey - before we even get onto how it works. The Loop has been specifically designed to stand at a height and angle to aim its light right towards you, in a unique shape to keep glare to a minimum.

There's nothing really to control, other than the simple on/off button at the back of the base. Setup is via the OSIN app, which I have to say, needs a little work. Certainly the iOS version I'm using on my iPhone uses a tiny font that's very nearly impossible to see. I'm sure the OSIN boffins will sort this out eventually but in the meantime, I really had to squint to set up my account, pair with the Loop and set it to the correct time zone.

That's all there is to it, though. Once the Loop knows where in the world it is, it then automatically proceeds to provide the "right" coloured light at exactly the right time. The morning and daytime is all about introducing a bright blue, "natural sky" colour to your workspace. This is designed to invigorate and energise, hopefully setting you up for a much more productive session at your desk.

Then, as evening sets in, the Loop slowly and smoothly transforms from blue, to white, to a much softer amber, helping your body and mind to start winding down as you head towards bedtime. In fact, you can even use the OSIN app to reduce the brightness manually at night to enhance its more relaxing effect.

It does all this absolutely reliably. You don't have to leave it switched on constantly all day if you're not at your desk - whatever time you turn it on the Loop instantly figures out which part of its cycle it's in and displays the appropriate light.

But does it actually have an effect? Hmmm. Good question. I've watched footage of several beta testers claiming they definitely feel more energised and that they have a better sense of "well-being" - whatever "well-being" is. I've been using the Loop for a week or so and I can't say I suddenly feel like Captain America or anything. Although, as I look back, I do wonder if my tendency to sleep terribly due to my weird hours has been alleviated somewhat.

Is this a direct result from my exposure to the Loop, or a more psychosomatic effect? Does it matter? Either way it's a good result. I also can't claim to spend eight hours a day with this thing shining in my face - I have it set up on my desk at home - I don't have another one in the radio studio where I spend most of my mornings, although that could be a good idea - although at NZ$499.00 for a single lamp, I'm not sure I'll be able to convince my boss to sign off on the expense.

What I can't argue with is very few of us get the right mix of natural light in our lives these days and the science certainly suggests this might be a big reason why so many of us feel so terrible all the time. The Loop simply seeks to bring that natural, circadian cycle back into your life and if it really does help - even just a little bit - even if it's only in your head - it might just be worth the investment.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the OSIN Loop.

Norton AntiTrack and Norton 360 Platinum - Total Defence

Cyber security is a complicated business.

In the "old days" all you really needed was a decent anti-virus program, set up to scan your emails and downloaded files for any nasties, nuking them on sight. As long as you kept this program up to date and changed your passwords from time to time, you'd probably be safe.

Sadly, things have become complicated.

As technology has become exponentially more sophisticated, so have the tools and techniques of the bad actors out there. In fact, the sheer number of bad actors out there has grown exponentially too.

According to the latest Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report, almost 2 out of every 5 New Zealand adults expect to have their identity stolen at some point while 29% have experienced some kind of social media hack over the last year.

This kind of thing has been well-publicised, of course. Publicised to death, even. Yet all this has really achieved is making us more worried than ever about losing all our stuff. In fact, over 80% of us admit we have no idea how to check if our identities have been stolen and two-thirds wouldn't have a clue what to do if(when) it was(will be).

Keeping your digital footprint to a minimum seems like an excellent idea. Do you know what that means? Or how to do it?

Don't worry. Norton will make it all better.

I've relied on Norton 360 to keep my devices (and me) safe for some years now. 

Features like Real-Time Threat Protection, Password Manager and Secure VPN have become essentials but Norton 360 Platinum really ups the ante, making it potentially the most feature-packed cyber-safety package on the market.

Add your social media accounts to monitor them for takeovers or other weird activity. Norton will keep an eye on the Dark Web to make sure your details aren't floating around down there. School Time gives you the ability to keep your kids focussed on the "right" kind of internet usage and Norton's PC Cloud Backup means even if everything literally melts down, you can restore your essentials and be back up and running in no time.

There's even an option to stop anyone else accessing your webcam. That sounds like a very bad scenario and one I'd like to avoid at all costs.

But the major benefit of 360 Platinum is access to Norton's team of Dedicated Identity Restoration Specialists. This service springs into action should the worst happen and you discover your details are being traded on the dark web. A dedicated Restoration Specialist will be assigned to your case from start to finish, to resolve your identity theft issue. This can involve the complicated and sometimes sensitive business of having to deal with third parties like credit card companies, banks, government agencies and even collection services.

If you've had to go through this process alone, you'll be well aware of how stressful it can be and the risks involved - and you'll be super-determined to avoid it ever happening again.

If you're lucky enough to have evaded any major cyber-trouble so far, a comprehensive protection suite like Norton 360 Platinum is a good way to ensure you stay lucky.

And if you want to whittle that digital footprint down even further, Norton LifeLock has another new service called AntiTrack.

As its name clearly spells out, AntiTrack offers an extra layer of anonymity on top of any VPN or private browser settings you may already be using. This protects user data and keeps browsing habits private with the simple installation of a browser extension.

These "Anti-Fingerprinting Capabilities" mask what you're doing online by sending "dummy data" back to the sites while you carry on with your legitimate business.

Unlike many VPN services (especially the risky "free" VPNs) Norton AntiTrak protects your privacy without slowing anything down. In fact, because it blocks the tracking functions of webpages before they even load, potentially your browsing will speed up instead.

There's an easily accessible dashboard that shows you just how much of your info is being blocked from prying cyber-eyes and enables you to let your guard down deliberately if you're using a site you trust implicitly.

Unfortunately, at the present time Norton AntiTrack is a little bit fussy about which browsers you can add it to, depending on which OS you're using. For example, my preferred browser is Microsoft Edge - especially since its recent AI-powered Bing integration. I use it on MacOS as well as on Windows devices so I can sync all my preferences and settings no matter where I am and what machine I'm reviewing.

But when I tried to install AntiTrack on my MacBook Pro, I could only choose from Safari, Chrome or Firefox. I'm assuming Norton will sort this out in a further update.

The really good news is it only costs NZ$6.99 a month. (That's for one PC, MacOS or iOS device - there are bulk savings for 5 and 10-device subscriptions)

Both Norton 360 Platinum and Norton AntiTrack are simple to use but more importantly, easy to install - it's just a matter of visiting Norton's website and following the instructions. Oh, and by the way, this is not a trick. But you'll just have to trust me on that.

    

Click here for more information on Norton AntiTrack.

Click here for more information on Norton 360 Platinum.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless - No Sting In This Tail... No Tail

Nothing makes me feel more like I'm living in a futuristic, sci-fi world than wireless technology.

At the risk of making myself sound absolutely decrepit, I actually remember when the family VCR had a remote control... a wired remote control. I'm not making this up. You could Play, Stop, Fast-Forward and Rewind (perhaps even Record) but the controller was on the end of a very long lead that snaked its way across the living room floor.

Just imagine my sense of awe and wonder when we eventually upgraded to a machine with a wireless remote. What do you mean you don't know what a VCR is? Shut up.

There was even a time (before mobile phones obviously) when cordless home phones - you know, landlines? - were new and exciting. Now they barely exist either.

Jumping forward into this century and I quickly became obsessed with wireless charging. Phones, earbuds, watches - I really am at the point where I hate having to plug anything into anything.

But it's only relatively recently technology has made it possible to game wirelessly. The main issue; lag. A wireless controller has to shoot the instant you push the button or you're dead. Strangely, the console manufacturers figured this out quite some time ago and we haven't been tethered to our PCs or consoles for a fair old while.

On the other hand, lag-free listening has taken longer. Hearing the action is just as important as controlling it and yet it's only the advent of 2.4GHz wireless connectivity that has made this possible.

Now HyperX has made it affordable too.

The Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless is not the most blinged-out headset in the store. And I like that. If there's one thing I'm even more passionate about than cord-cutting, it's keeping annoying flashing lights in my life to an absolute minimum. I realise some people - especially gamers - are into flashy colours and tricking their gear out with as much RGB lighting as possible but I'm more of a function-and-form-first kind of a guy.

It's the no-frills simplicity of the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless I find so appealing. It comes in black or black, with the HyperX logo embossed across the top of the headband in - you guessed it - black. I don't mind the one small flash of colour - the contrasting volume control on the righthand earcup - but that's because it's red. The best colour.

Setting up is easy because there isn't any. Plug in the wireless dongle - to anything - and you're good to go. Assuming the headset is all charged up of course. This is the other crucial element of wireless gaming; battery life. While the Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless doesn't excel in this area, at up to 20 hours use on a full charge you should be good to go for most sessions. Seriously, if you're gaming for more than 20 hours in one go, it may be time for some kind of intervention.

Back to that dongle for a minute. One suggestion for the engineers at HyperX; can we have a USB-C adapter, please? USB-A is just so 20-Tens, don't you think? These days my charging cables frequently come with an adapter attached and USB thumb drives are often reversible so they can be plugged into either kind of port. And many laptops only have USB-C slots on offer. Just saying.

Because of its mostly plastic construction, some critics have claimed the Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless feels somewhat cheaply made. I disagree. I've been using these cans for a fair old while now and I've found no reason to doubt their durability whatsoever. In fact, I consider the lightweight materials nothing but a bonus; even after hours of prolonged use, the headset never starts to feel heavy, tight or off-balance.

In fact, the headband in particular feels extremely robust and firm to adjust - aided by a clear number scale in a window on each side to ensure you have it set up just the way you like every time you put it on.

Like any other HyperX headset I've tried, the combination of leatherette and memory foam on the earcups and headband doesn't just mean a squishily snug and comfortable fit, it also breathes well, even on my old, greasy, bald head.

Keeping things simple, there are only three onboard controls to worry about; the aforementioned volume dial on the right cup, the on/off button on the left and the mic boom, which turns off the mic when you swivel it up out of the way.

When I say there's no setup, that's technically true - although because the Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless is compatible with DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio, there is some tweaking you can do using HyperX's NGENUITY software to make the most of its 3D audio abilities. However, this mostly involves downloading the appropriate drivers in order to use DTS.

As I've already pointed out, even if you just plug and play, the sound really is very good - a believable sense of depth and space and although bass beats and big explosions aren't perhaps as brain-meltingly boomy as I've heard on some headsets, overall there's a nice balance across the sonic spectrum - highs, mids and lows all get a reasonable share of the aural pie.

What I found to be surprisingly exceptional is the mic quality. I literally recorded one of my podcasts using the Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless for my microphone the other day and it sounded great. I'm not claiming the quality compares to the studio mics I usually use but nobody complained about my voice track on that episode and that's saying something; people always complain.

You get a lot of performance here for well under NZ$200.00 - admittedly without the flashing lights. But as I've made clear, I don't want to see bells and whistles, I just need to be able to hear them, instantly with zero lag. That's something the Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless absolutely nails with no fuss.

    

Click here for more information on the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 Wireless.

Apple HomePod (2nd generation) - All In On Apple

We never got it.

The original HomePod - Apple's first Siri-enabled smart speaker - it was never marketed here in New Zealand, most likely because at that time Siri was still struggling to understand our accent.

After all, it was way back in 2018. Five years is a long time in tech.

Somewhere along the way they must've figured it out because when the HomePod mini was released in 2020, Apple decided Kiwis were finally ready to incorporate smart speakers into their ecosystems - assuming they were already iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV users of course.

HomePod mini was indeed impressive; a big, clear even bassy sound from a surprisingly small device. This was indeed the speaker many Apple users had been waiting for - small enough and cheap enough to place all over the house if you really wanted to.

So now the question is... would you like to upsize?...

I can't really compare the 2nd generation HomePod with the original because I don't think I've ever even seen one in the wild - let alone listened to one. All I really know about them is what I've read. The general consensus seemed to be excellent sound quality with somewhat limited smart-home abilities, at a pretty steep price tag.

What I do have plenty of experience with is the HomePod mini - I've been using a couple of them for some time. Originally I had them set up in my living room as a stereo pair; there's nothing more satisfying than asking Siri to, "Play something I like," and for him to get it right every time. (I prefer a male-sounding voice for some reason - always feel a bit uncomfortable ordering a woman around) 

However lately, Apple has been getting a lot better at integrating with my IoT devices - lights, cameras, aircon, etc. In fact, in the race between the Big Three virtual assistants right now I feel like Siri really gets me. By that I mean when I make a natural request like, "Hey Siri, cool the room down," he understands I want my aircon on and makes it happen. This is partially due to Apple now supporting Matter - a relatively new universal protocol for better connecting smart home devices. It's also partly thanks to a recent software update that has activated built-in temperature and humidity sensors.

This has meant I've broken up my HomePod mini pair so I can have one in the bedroom to control my lights, set alarms and turn the heat on and off without me even having to roll over in bed.

So it was good timing to try out the new, full-size HomePod.

Like many Apple devices, the HomePod is heavier than it looks; 2.3kg - but there's a lot of cool gear packed inside, notably a 4-inch high-incursion woofer and a fistful of horn-loaded tweeters. This is all wrapped up in a soft, "sonically transparent" fabric mesh in either White or Midnight.

Unlike the mini, the new HomePod has a removable, figure-8 power cable which gives you a bit more flexibility when it comes to positioning it somewhere ideal, while the touch controls on top are pretty much unchanged - complete with a light-up display to signify things like volume and when Siri is listening.

The user experience is very much like that of the mini, only more so. And while you could use a pair of HomePod minis as a home theatre solution for your Apple TV, it would've been fairly underpowered compared to most half-decent soundbar options. On the other hand, for about the same price as a good soundbar, two nice, big, new HomePods do a brilliant job of your favourite Marvel Movie or the new season of Ted Lasso.

Thanks to the beamforming abilities of the new speakers, the Dolby Atmos effect is genuinely room-filling.

Best of all, as always, setting up the system this way is pretty much automatic; power up the speakers, hold your iPhone next to them and you'll be guided through the pain-free process in no time. You have to hand it to Apple, nobody handles this part of the equation better.

I genuinely rate the performance of the HomePod stereo pair as a home theatre - within its obvious limitations. With no option to pair rear speakers or a dedicated subwoofer you're not going to achieve a full-featured surround-sound experience, no matter how cleverly these new speakers manage to bounce sound off your walls and ceiling. I wonder if a clever software upgrade in the future could convert my HomePod minis into wireless rear speakers? Just a suggestion, Apple.

Meanwhile, a stereo pair of HomePods really is about the best way to enjoy Apple Music's selection of Spatial Audio offerings. As I listen to the The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights,' I'm hearing some elements of the track for the first time - not just how spooky and airy his vocals are but the constant bass drone that keeps pulsing through the whole track. Thanks to those beefy woofers this booms around my living room clear as day.

The same kind of thing happened with "Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man. This is a song I've heard in all sorts of places about a million times but once it's set free in my lounge through the wonders of Spatial Audio and a set of HomePods, it's a whole new experience. It's a hard thing to describe but it's almost as if each instrument and vocal is completely separated out and given its own space somewhere in the room.

The effect is not only fascinating, I find it a much more aurally comfortable way to listen to music. There's a warmth and clarity to this extra space that means you can enjoy your favourite tracks at a lower volume and still get everything out of them. 

Not that you can't wind these babies up to 100 if you like - distortion free. To be honest, I was expecting a little more sheer volume from not one, but two HomePods, jam-packed with woofers and tweeters as they are. Not that I have had any reason to max them out other than for the purposes of this review - watching my silly sci-fi at about 50% is usually plenty. However, be aware these are probably not the ultimate sound solution for a warehouse rave.

That's not what they're meant to be, of course. Like the mini before it, the new HomePod truly impresses with the soundscape it produces, both by itself and as a stereo pair. There's plenty of bass when required and as I've described, the sense of space for every frequency being played is a bit of an audio miracle.

I do wish the Home app included an EQ option for the HomePod - but then Apple always has taken a "Don't let them tweak it, they might break it" approach to things. And to be fair, there's not much I would tweak about this speaker anyway. It's one of the best.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Apple HomePod (2nd generation).

Intel NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon - Never Underestimate NUC

It seems like most of my reviews are about working from home these days - or at least hybrid working. This is probably because I've been a hybrid worker for decades now, without even realising it. My gadget addiction means I've had a pretty high-functioning desktop setup at my place for a fair old while - inevitably it's become more productive and more sophisticated as I've reviewed more and more devices. 

For someone like me, it's easy to get carried away with all the latest and greatest tech on offer when, to be perfectly honest, all I'm really doing is filling out a few text boxes on the backend of a website. 

I could probably do it on my phone. (In fact, I have done it on my phone)

But for most people, realistically if you're only now committing to a genuine WFH or hybrid lifestyle, it makes sense to use the tools available to you and just upgrade the essentials. You don't have to be a tech addict to have accumulated peripherals like keyboards, mice and monitors over the years.  

So if it's just a brain in a box you need, I've got a big brain for you in a very tiny box.

The Intel NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon really is genuinely small; not even 12cm X 12cm. At first glance, you could easily mistake it for some kind of streaming box you plug into the back of your TV.

But closer inspection reveals there's a lot more to this NUC (Next Unit of Computing) than that.

For starters, there are ports galore on this thing; starting with four USB-A (Full-size) ports - two USB 3.2 on the front for easy access and another on the back along with a standard USB 2.0 slot. There are two high-speed USB 4 (Type-C) Thunderbolt ports around there too, as well as an ethernet socket for a hardwired LAN line. There's not one, but two full-sized HDMI 2.1 slots - also on the now rather crowded back panel while the standard 3.5mm headphone jack is on the front - again, very easy to access.

That's assuming you put the NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon somewhere easy to access. That's the true beauty of this little box - you can stash it anywhere. In fact, it even comes with a bracket and hardware to attach it to the underside of your desk or even to the back of your monitor, essentially converting it into an all-in-one PC.

Of course, if you choose not to screw it down, the NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon is actually quite portable; it's much smaller than a laptop and significantly lighter. If there's an available screen, keyboard and mouse where you're heading to, why not just take it with you?

Depending on how you decide to configure your NUC, you can create a very powerful computer indeed - it'll support up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM and accommodates two slots of superfast M.2 storage. The review unit I was supplied with is kitted out with 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD card. But what comes as standard is the most important component; the 12th-Gen IntelCore i7 processor - capable of up to 4.70 GHz. This is actually one of the most powerful Intel chips I've come across.

While obviously there's no room for a discrete graphics module, the integrated Iris Xe technology is up to the task for most use cases - even when it comes to gaming. No, you won't be able to wind the display settings all the way up but so far everything I've downloaded onto the NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon has loaded up and hummed along without a single pause or stutter.

When I say, "hum" I have to admit, there is a bit of fan noise when the NUC is performing some heavy lifting. Each side of the device is basically all ventilation grille. I'm just impressed they've figured out how to fit such a powerful fan in there.

Speaking of fans, I definitely am one. It's been a few years since I've reviewed one of Intel's mini-PC's and I'd forgotten what a well-put-together bit of kit they are. In the time I've spent with the NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon, I haven't really found any limitations at all - only opportunities. The twin HDMI slots mean you can run a dual display setup and even 8K monitors are supported. In fact, using the USB-C ports you can actually run four screens simultaneously; hard to believe.

Although there are no built-in speakers, you can easily plug in a surround system via HDMI or USB-C to take advantage of Intel's HD Audio Technology and of course, all bluetooth accessories - like controllers and headphones - are easily connected.

Even the Wi-Fi is next level on this thing; literally. The NUC supports the very latest Wi-Fi 6e protocol - and I can attest to very fast and stable downloads when connected to an equally late-model router.

As you can see, you're getting pretty much all the tech in this tiny case. If you already own a lot of the peripherals, a mini-PC like this makes a lot of sense - it's not just a space-saver but potentially a cost-cutter too.

    

Click here for more details and pricing on the Intel NUC 12 PRO Wall Street Canyon.

Jabra Speak2 55 - Turn Your WFH Office Into a Conference Room

So you're all ready to fire up your Work From Home setup. You're a hybrid worker now. Your computer at home is just as good as the one in your office. You've got great internet and a nice camera for online meetings.

Only one thing you really miss.

Actual conversations.

And I don't mean meetings. Nothing ever got done in a meeting. It's those casual conversations in passing where the real ideas and information are exchanged. That's where you learn genuinely useful stuff and also where you can subtly push a few of your humble opinions and ideas into a few people's heads.

But how are you supposed to have that kind of a chat online? Maybe you'll have to head back into the office more often than you thought. Unless...

The new Jabra Speak2 range of portable speakerphones has been designed with exactly that purpose in mind. Jabra has recognised when a group of people talk, they don't necessarily queue up to do it one at a time in an orderly fashion.

In fact, expecially when it comes to creative, problem-solving situations, there's often a lot to be gained with an unfiltered flood of ideas coming from all directions. Ever tried doing that online? Good luck.

The Speak2 55 features Jabra's all-new "full duplex audio" engineering solution - the idea is to allow everyone to be heard, even when overlapping with each other. This means if your hybrid office is a mobile one, you can set up an impromptu meeting room wherever you go.

The Speak2 55's four beamforming mics do a fine job of picking up speech from any direction, making it a great solution for one of you or a whole group. 

Conversely, the noise cancelling tech is crazy-good. As an experiment, I used the Speak2 55 to record some voice tracks for a podcast the other night, using the speakerphone to monitor the music bed I was speaking over. When I played back what I recorded I couldn't believe how clean it was - no spill from the music track whatsoever. This means you'll never encounter that weird echo-back you often run into when using the built-in speakers and mics on many laptops. Nice work, Jabra.

Setup couldn't be much easier, the Speak2 55 is the dictionary definition of plug-and-play. In fact, the USB cable (which conveniently wraps around the lower half of the speakerphone when not in use) comes complete with it's own USB-C to USB-A adapter, so it'll slot in pretty much anywhere.

While I'm not usually a fan of LED lighting effects on accessories, in this case I have to concede the circular display around the edge of the speaker mesh is genuinely useful - not just letting you know when the Speak2 55 is on or off, but also showing volume and battery levels and other important info at a glance - like when you have the mic on mute. These touch controls are arranged clearly around the edge of the speaker - although not backlit so they are a little hard to make out in a dimly-lit room.

There is a companion app for both MacOS and Windows and while this is useful for firmware updates, I was able to use the Speak2 55 pretty much to its full capacity just by plugging it in.

It connects via bluetooth too - this means you can even use it with your phone - you don't even need to take a laptop with you. This seems like a business traveller's dream - especially given it comes in its own attractive, soft travel pouch and has a very generous 12-hour battery life.

If you're connected to your phone and your computer simultaneously, the computer will take priority when it comes to notifications and other audio but yes, you can stream your favourite playlist from your phone while you're putting the final touches on that PowerPoint presentation.

What I wasn't prepared for is how great the sound quality is from this speaker - just as a speaker. Often laptop speakers are pretty underpowered and can sound quite tinny. Alternatively, if you've set up your home office with a desktop - perhaps even a convenient, space-saving mini-PC, you probably don't have any speakers at all and you might be relying on headphones or earbuds to monitor any audio.

The Speak2 55 instantly solves this issue and it actually sounds really good - I'm not just talking about for online meetings, I mean for anything; streaming music, watching video - even gaming. I'm not suggesting this a viable replacement for a decent set of gaming speakers but if you don't already have a mic and speakers for your WFH setup, you can certainly save some cash by using this as an all-in-one solution.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Jabra Speak2 55.

GoPro HERO11 Black Mini - Too Small to Kill

I transformed from a complete GoPro ignoramus into a total fan in a relatively short time. I've often written about this conversion; how I never used to "get" the point of action cameras but now the latest GoPro is the first thing I pack - whether I'm going on a week-long holiday or just on an active day trip.

I've filmed tramps, kayak adventures, beaches and mountains. I've taken GoPros swimming, biking, zip-lining and driving. I've captured stingrays flying beneath the ocean's surface and my dog hitting a ball with his head while trying to catch it in his mouth.

Like I say, I'm a fan.

Yet when GoPro launched an additional version of the HERO 11 Black, I have to admit, at first I was a bit confused.

As its name indicates, the HERO11 Black Mini (I'm just going to call it the Mini for the rest of this article) is significantly smaller than the latest GoPro flagship. The most obvious reason for this is there are no screens - well not on the front or back like there are on the full-sized model. This is what had me scratching my head; a no-screen GoPro seemed like a major step back in time. The early GoPros had no screens and that's precisely why they had me so perplexed... how can you film something if you don't know exactly what you're filming?

Then I got my hands on a Mini and things immediately started to make sense.

I could tell right away this was one tough little puppy. Although GoPros are notoriously difficult to destroy, apparently the more common breakages are to do with the LCD screens - so without those weak points, the Mini is instantly more durable. 

To say it has no screen is not strictly true - there's a tiny one up on top, just by the flashing red recording light. Both of these are bright enough to be seen even in bright sunshine and by using a combination of the one-touch record button, also on top, and the status/pair button on the front, you can scroll through various settings which will be displayed on that wee display in black and white.

There's an easier way of course; via the GoPro Quik app on your phone. This is definitely one of my favourite apps - not only does it help you set up your GoPro and give you easy access to its settings and firmware updates, as I've written previously, Quik is also a powerful, efficient and yes, speedy photo and video editing tool.

Not that the Mini takes still shots, only video. Although when filming at 5.3K, it's easy enough to save some pretty high-quality screen grabs. (Up to 24.7MP in fact)

Yes, that's right, the Mini boasts pretty much all the high-performance camera features of its full-sized sibling; up to 8X slow-mo, 10-bit colour, 60FPs and the exact same, larger 8:7 sensor. You can play around with Star Trails, Light Painting and Vehicle Light Trails at night and the Mini comes equipped with the new Enduro battery built-in, which delivers much better performance, especially in extreme temperatures.

Perhaps most importantly, the Mini also uses GoPro's latest HyperSmooth 5.0 digital stabilisation technology which, as far as I'm concerned, is one of the craziest magic tricks around when it comes to videographic technology.

So you're not missing much by going with the Mini. In fact, in some areas, you might even be winning.

Unlike the full-sized HERO11 Black, the Mini sports two sets of mounting fingers; one at the bottom and one at the back. This makes it more versatile than ever when it comes to attaching it to helmets, frames and even pets.

Another feature unique to the Mini is one even GoPro doesn't highlight and yet I think it's great; the door to the charging port/microSD compartment is significantly more straightforward to open than the one on the bigger model. There have been times I've literally bent my nail back trying to pry the side door loose on other GoPros but the Mini has a little toggle which is so much easier to access and operate. I hope they keep this on all future generations.

Something else that surprised me about this smaller package is it can still be set up to pair with your Wi-Fi to take advantage of GoPro's Auto-Upload feature. This sends your recently shot footage straight to the cloud as soon as you put the camera on to charge and then an AI-generated highlights package is sent back to your phone through the Quik app. That's right, you don't even need to edit your own video if you don't want to. (You'll need to be a GoPro subscriber for this - but you get a free one-year subscription when you purchase the camera)

If you're looking for a tougher yet lighter, more compact camera - perhaps to use as a second POV in tandem with a full-sized GoPro, it's pretty hard to beat the features built into the HERO11 Black Mini.

In the video below you might hear me comment "There's probably a proper harness for this..." and yes, as it turns out, there is. And like so many GoPro accessories, it's surprisingly well-priced. The Fetch Dog Harness is only NZ$74.95 - cheaper than many standard dog harnesses. I wish I'd looked that up before we went to the beach. Oh well. Next time.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the GoPro HERO11 Black Mini.

Apple MacBook Pro (M2 Pro) - More Power Than I'll Ever Need

In the world of laptops, be they for personal or professional use, there are certain names, brands and models that stand out above the rest. Their reputation precedes them and those in the know clamour to get their hands on each new generation as it's launched because of a loyalty born of years of proven performance. Apple MacBook Pro is one of those names.

Superior speed, class-leading battery life and just boring old reliability are the main reasons when most users turn to MacBook Pro they never look back.

Since Apple has focussed on its own silicon to power these devices, the jump in performance has been even more rewarding for MacBook fans.

Let's jump again, together.

Now I'm just going to come right on out and say it; the MacBook Pro is not the world's most sexy-looking laptop. (Cue gasps of horror from Apple acolytes across the globe) It just isn't. It's only available in Space Grey or Silver - so none of the fun colours we often see with iPads or iMacs. It's not a particularly cool shape - the rounded corners are very Apple-esque but it's actually quite thick and boxy by modern laptop standards. While the lid and screen are super slim, the main body of the MacBook Pro is not and unlike the MacBook Air, it doesn't taper away to a narrow edge when closed.

Oh, and it's pretty heavy. I'm used to reviewing laptops that claim to be the lightest thing going. MacBook Pro does not make that claim. It's 1.6kgs - but you know what?...

I don't care. I don't care about any of that stuff because that stuff is fluff. The main thing you need to know is this is the best laptop I've ever used.

You now have the choice of a 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro powered by either Apple's M2 Pro or M2 Max. I'm reviewing the 14-inch model with M2 Pro silicon, 16GB of RAM and 1TB storage. I can only imagine the processing power of the M2 Max version - in fact, I'm not sure I can because in the time I've been using this Pro, I haven't even come close to putting it under pressure.

Oh, I've tried. I've connected accessories both physically and wirelessly - via WiFi and bluetooth - then run them all at once while transferring files, casting screens and streaming online content.

The MacBook Pro barely raised a sweat - and I mean that quite literally. I can't get this thing to warm up at all, even when it's actually on my lap. I've read reports of a little bit of fan noise when the computer is really working hard but I haven't heard a thing. Either I'm not making it work hard enough or I'm a bit deaf. Probably both.

It's easy to think this is more power than you'll ever need or use but what the awesome M2 Pro chip allows you to do is run your MacBook the way all computers should work; responding smoothly, effortlessly and instantly to every command, regardless of how many different processes are running simultaneously or how many apps you have open.

I can export my video file in MovieMaker (which only takes a few seconds of course) but while I wait, and can come back to writing this review, looking up specs on the Apple website, AirDrop some files to other devices all the while listening to music - none of these things is affected by the other.

Of course, this is the very least of what MacBook Pro is capable of - whether you're creating in Final Cut, Adobe Premiere or any of a host of other video, photography or audio editing environments, this computer slices through it all like a hot knife through butter.

I use Adobe Audition for the majority of my audio mixing, partly because of its ability to share files between devices via Adobe Creative Cloud. While this feature works pretty well on most computers, I've never seen anything handle the complicated task of accessing files, downloading and reorganising them into my project like the MacBook Pro does it. This isn't just due to sheer processing power - fast write speeds come into play as well as the latest Wi-Fi 6E connectivity - I've definitely noticed stuff seems to download and open quite a bit quicker than I'm used to on this device.

Apple claims the M2 Pro with its 12-core CPU offers up to 20 per cent greater performance over the M1 Pro. I don't really know how anyone can verify a statement like that but from what I've seen so far, I have no reason to question it.

Let's talk display and graphics too - speaking of cores, the GPU on this model boast 19 of them. Again, who really knows what that means but the results I've seen on the legendary Liquid Retina XDR display are absolutely first-class. And yes, that does mean superb gaming performance. Think about it; unprecedented CPU and GPU power combined with a fantastically bright display and a six-speaker sound system - if only Apple Arcade offered a few more triple-A titles. There is a hack for this of course; thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming. If you have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription you can play most of your favourite Xbox games on this MacBook Pro - pairing controllers is no issue and gameplay is smooth and lag-free.

But it's the creators out there, both professional and otherwise who'll benefit most from this year's MacBook Pro upgrade. Not only are tasks like 3D and even 4D rendering now able to be performed on the go in real-time but the connectivity options on offer should also cater for most eventualities. The advanced HDMI port enables you to link with an 8K external monitor if required, there's an SDXC card reader for convenient file transfer from cameras and three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports - that means fast data transfer, easy connection to external displays and the option to charge via USB-C from either side of the device. Hooray!

That's assuming you're not using the included MagSafe charging cable and 96W charging brick - this provides one of the faster charging experiences I've come across on a laptop, especially given the truly standout performance of the 70-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery. Apple people take this stuff for granted but anyone who uses another brand of laptop or tablet is faced with the constant daily challenge of finding somewhere to plug in - perhaps even multiple times throughout the day.

Not with this puppy. I always say claims of hours of video playback or Wi-Fi web usage are a bit meaningless because there are so many different factors in play when it comes to power drain on a laptop. However, and again, you'll just have to take my word on this, I've never used a laptop that comes anywhere close to the battery life on the MacBook Pro. I'm talking hours different.

There are a host of other little tweaks and upgrades - too numerous to mention them all here. The fingerprint unlock is fast, reliable and hasn't failed me yet. There's no face unlock which is kind of odd, given I can literally access my bank accounts on my iPhone with my face. On the other hand, if I'm wearing my Apple Watch it unlocks the MacBook Pro automatically so I haven't really lost anything there.

But while we're talking camera, the 1080p FaceTime HD shooter has also been zooshed up, thanks to "an advanced image signal processor with computational video." Again, absolutely no idea what that means other than the fact it now does an excellent job of keeping me clear, well lit and in focus, regardless of lighting conditions. I've found the triple-mic array is also quite superior and that all adds up to an excellent out-and-about online-meeting solution.

In fact, the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro silicon is an excellent solution for pretty much anything you care to throw at it. I've enjoyed working on it so much I keep trying to find new reasons to use it. I'm thoroughly looking forward to upcoming accessory reviews because I can connect them to this laptop and rest assured I'll be editing all my videos on the MacBook Pro from now on. Just like the one below.

This configuration is certainly pricey; the 14-inch, 1GB M2 Pro model I'm using right now is NZ$4,599. In saying that, from what I've experienced so far it's definitely a "you get what you pay for" situation. Yes, that's a lot of money but man-oh-man, this is a heck of a lot of computer.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Apple MacBook Pro (M2 Pro).