Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic - The Bezel's Back, Baby!

At the risk of sounding like a complete nerd, I've been wearing Samsung smartwatches for years.

As I often tell people - and this really exacerbates the nerd thing - when it came to the introduction and mass-marketing of smartwatches, Samsung definitely led the way.

Now, in very much the same way as phones have, the development of the smartwatch has plateaued somewhat. Recently, the new model hasn't necessarily been all that different from the previous year's offering - and this isn't peculiar to Samsung, I'm talking across the board.

However, as I always say; Just because things haven't changed much, doesn't mean it's not still one of the best pieces of tech available.

And that's never been more true for Samsung's 2023 smartwatch range.

I've been sent the Galaxy Watch6 Classic in black (it also comes in silver) and interestingly, the 43mm model instead of the 47mm one. Now whether the person who sent it to me thinks I've got particularly delicate wrists, I'm not sure - but luckily the Hybrid Eco-Leather band just fits and I've been able to test the Watch6 Classic over the last week or so.

There's actually a surprising amount of stuff to unpack in that previous paragraph - starting with the size of the watch itself. Although most years Samsung releases its watches in two sizes, I've always thought the smaller size really was too little for me. This isn't me going off on some misguided attempt to assert my manliness by trying to convince you I have uber-masculine arms of steel. It's just an aesthetic thing; a bigger watch face seems to look better on me.

However, this year Samsung has managed to enlarge the display, so proportionally you get more screen real estate which creates an illusion of a larger watch.

Secondly, there's the return of the "Classic" moniker - this was missing last year and it simply indicates the physical rotating bezel is back. Most Samsung smartwatch fans (like me) were utterly mystified by the decision to get rid of this feature in 2022. For several generations this rotating controller was the very thing that set Samsung watches apart from the pack. Users weren't limited to screen swipes and button pushes to navigate their way around - widget tiles could be selected, lists and messages scrolled through, timers and alarms set - all using the intuitive rotating bezel.

The rotating gesture became a virtual, on-screen version on the non-bezel models but a fat lot of good that'll do you in the shower or the pool. So yes, I'm stoked to see the bezel has made a comeback and what's more, it's slimmer than ever, making the Watch6 Classic seem just that much more elegant.

Which brings us to another upgrade, the Hybrid Eco-Leather band. I really have no idea what Hybrid Eco-Leather is but it looks like leather, which is good. More importantly, you can get it wet, which is even better. If you've ever made the mistake of swimming or exercising wearing a watch with a leather strap, you'll know things get pretty gross, pretty quick. Not the case here.

But the big band news here is Samsung has come up with a whole new one-touch quick release mechanism. To be honest, I never found that little spring-loaded lever thing on the previous bands all that taxing to slide across when swapping out various straps but I have to admit, the new system is a complete doddle. Oh - and don't worry if you've built up a collection of bands for your previous Galaxy Watch - they'll still fit too.

The other major modification in 2023 is under the hood. The CPU has been upgraded which is just as well. Not only are you likely to be pushing the Watch6 Classic to perform more complicated tasks than ever before but a more efficient chip means battery savings - something to bear in mind given the larger display.

And yes, I've found operating the Watch6 Classic to be a very smooth experience and while I haven't been blown away by the battery life, it lasts a day easily - even using Always On Display - and charges nice and quickly.

In terms of tracking and sensors, I don't think I've encountered another device that can monitor quite as many metrics as this watch does. Exactly how accurate things like heart rate and distance travelled are will always vary from device to device but I always think what's more important is consistent results; as long as my regular route records the same way every time I run it, it's not super important if the distance is being measured to the exact metre.

Recent updates to both Samsung's sensor technology and the Wear OS software experience mean you can track more vitals than ever - now checking for irregular heart rhythms is easy and you can even calibrate the watch with a blood-pressure cuff to keep an eye on your BP too.

Samsung has also done something to improve the NFC performance on the Watch6 Classic - I never have any issues with contactless payments via Google Wallet whereas it was always a bit hit and miss on previous models and often ended up being more of a time-waster than a time-saver.

Wear OS seems to be slowly coming of age as a wearable operating system; initially app availability was more limited than I had expected but now there's not much I can't do with the Watch6 Classic - even my favourite podcasting app, Pocket Casts, now has a Wear OS version - although oddly it's subscription-only - unlike the phone app itself.

There are other fun tools too - Camera Controller not only gives you remote access to your phone's camera but even shows a preview of your pic on the watch face. And sleep tracking - which has always been a strong point for Galaxy Watches - has become even more in-depth. Using the Watch6 Classic I can monitor my blood oxygen levels, skin temperature and in tandem with my Galaxy phone, even my snoring. Turns out, I snored for 1 hour and 54 minutes last night. How lucky is my wife, eh?

I can't deny that if you take a quick look at the Watch6 Classic, you might be hard-pushed to differentiate it from the previous Samsung smartwatches of the last couple of years. But look closer and you'll discover, as I've outlined here, there have been quite a few little tweaks and upgrades, the sum of which result in a great-looking, durable watch that's about as versatile as it possibly can be.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic.

Nespresso Vertuo Creatista - In Search of a Genuine Double-Shot

I have never bought into the capsule coffee hype.

I know George Clooney is a very cool, good-looking guy but it takes more than that to influence me. In fact, if you want me to use your coffee machine, I'd prefer it just makes good coffee.

I've definitely been impressed with some of the technology Nespresso has brought to the table - there's no denying how quick, easy and mess-free it's always been, even from day one. 

It was also a Nespresso machine that introduced me to automatic milk frothing at home - eliminating the frustratingly hit-and-miss nature of manually steaming your own milk with a wand and a jug.

And yet, I rarely achieved the full-flavoured, strong, hot coffee I was looking for. Like any self-respecting New Zealand caffeine addict, I wanted it like I get it at the cafe; a big latte in a mug - or even a bowl.

Until now, I've never had anything like that from a capsule. Until now.

The Vertuo Creatista is a whole new kind of machine for Nespresso, claiming to cater specifically to Kiwi consumers and their tendency to prefer larger, stronger, milkier coffees.

If you've ever travelled overseas you'll know it's virtually impossible to order our infamous "Flat White" (except perhaps in Australia). In fact, I know people who've tried to explain what a flat white is, only to be presented with a neverending selection of poor imitations or even worse, thrown out of the cafe.

Now Nespresso's Vertuo machines introduce a Coffee Creations mode; double-clicking the coffee button results in a more concentrated extraction, leaving plenty of space for milk without diluting the desired effect from the caffeine.

The Vertuo Creatista takes this to genuine cafe-level heights, as the machine sports its own steam wand - not an automatic frothing tank the likes of which I've used in the past. I was nervous about this design at first; in many ways, the Creatista looks like a "traditional" espresso machine. The stainless steel finish is quite timeless - although it does require a bit of maintenance to keep it smudge and fingerprint-free. There's no flashy electronic screen and the steam wand and metal milk jug look just like any other.

Initially.

However, as I soon discovered, this is no ordinary steam wand, it's actually automatic after all - fantastic news as I can only be trusted to steam my own milk correctly about once in every three attempts. Conversely, the Vertuo Creatista gets it right every time and that's what I want more than anything; consistency.

What's more, not only are there three different settings for texture but there are also three settings for heat; yes, this is the first home espresso machine I've used that automatically produces hot - actually hot - frothy milk. That's worth the purchase price on its own.

But then we come back to the capsule side of the equation, which as I mentioned earlier, has also been revamped - quite dramatically. The Vertuo pods are a totally different shape to the original Nespresso pods - five different shapes, in fact.

There are a number of reasons for this - and not just the fact bigger pods mean more coffee - although that's definitely part of it for some of the brews. The range is quite impressive, from quite traditional espresso blends of varying intensities through to vanilla, chocolate and even fruity or nutty flavours if that's your thing. 

Or you can try the Craft Brew selection - the result here could be a simple cold brew or a carafe pour-over. Yes, you read that right; an entire carafe of coffee from a single extraction. Admittedly these XXXXL pods are only seven to a sleeve (as opposed to the usual ten) but at most that still works out to just $2.35 a capsule. I think that bears repeating; a carafe of coffee for under $2.50. You may never go to a cafe again.

But only if it's any good, right?

Most of the other pods work out to between $1.05-$1.55 a capsule. I've done some rough arithmetic on this and even when my favourite beans are on special at the supermarket, I'm pretty sure going with the Nespresso option works out about the same if not slightly cheaper.

But again though, only if it's good.

Well let me put it this way; I just finished a bowl latte while writing this review. Here's how I made it. I extracted a single pod of Bianco Forte into my favourite bowl. I then frothed a jug of milk to top it up. That's two button-presses. (I didn't need to adjust the milk temperature or texture or it would have been a whole four button-presses).

The result was strong. It was hot - all the way through. The milk was velvety - not bubbly. And I got a whole bowl from just one pod.

Best of all, I know that if I want the same thing tomorrow morning it really will be the same. Exactly the same. Every time.

Bliss.

Obviously, it took a little experimentation to get to this point but the learning curve with the Vertuo Creatista is not arduous. In fact, the other three members of my household mastered this machine within a day or two of it arriving in the house. I just sent them a link to Nespresso's introductory video and they did the rest. And then proceeded to tell me how amazing the results were and how easy it was to use. I've never had that kind of universal appreciation for any other gadget I've brought home. Never.

Even setting up this machine is a doddle - just download the app and follow the step-by-step instructions to do things like pre-rinse, test your water hardness and connect to the Wi-Fi. This last step is crucial because unless you keep the Vertuo Creatista up to date, it may not recognise which capsule you're using.

Oh, didn't I mention that part? This machine is so smart, it reads the barcode on the underside of every pod and customises the extraction accordingly. Again, just like with the milk, take my judgement out of the equation and I'm far more likely to get a consistent brew every time.

It's been a while since I seriously tried the capsule coffee thing. I'd given up on it as all too often the results were weak and watery - usually requiring at least two capsules to achieve a robust, long cup of full-flavoured coffee. Admittedly, the system has always been fast and efficient but I always ended up reverting to beans for a more authentic taste.

After the bowl I chugged down this morning I've realised I'm now officially a capsule convert. A pod-person. And this time I don't see any reason to go back.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Nespresso Vertuo Creatista.

HP Smart Tank 7305 - Fill Your Own Without the Mess

 A printer is a printer is a printer and certain rules will always apply.

- You'll always be out of paper when you go to print.

- Your device won't be able to find your printer on the network... even though you only just printed something yesterday.

- And cartridges are not only super expensive but they're also terrible for the planet.

Well, those used to be the rules anyway.

Admittedly, that first one - about the paper - that's not really the printer's fault. It's your job to make sure you have plenty of paper. That hasn't changed.

However, as far as improving connectivity and sustainability goes, HP has certainly been making some changes.

The latest 5000-series Smart Tank printers from HP combine every great feature I've come to appreciate about other recent HP all-in-ones and introduces the most welcome innovation of all; an end to the constant cartridge crisis most home users find themselves in.

In many ways, the Smart Tank 7305 looks pretty much the same as my previous HP printer; similar paper feed drawer below. Simple row of controls on top. Auto document feeder above while relatively compact with a modern, two-tone colour scheme.

But this time setup was dramatically different.

While logging into the HP Smart app (or creating an account and then logging in) is still the first step, once you've powered up the Smart Tank 7305 the next step is to fill each of the four ink tanks - black, yellow, magenta and cyan - using the ink containers included in the box.

Do not let this put you off choosing one of HP's Smart Tank printers.

Thanks to some absolutely brilliant design, the process of filling the tanks is virtually foolproof and I didn't spill a single drop, even though I'd never used this system before. I have filled other ink tanks and it's always been a minor disaster, at the very least resulting in ink-smeared fingertips, at the worst permanently staining surfaces that should definitely not be stained. This experience couldn't be more of a contrast. Not only are the Original HP Ink containers ingeniously engineered to clip onto the top of their corresponding tanks upside down, held securely in place while they automatically drain themselves, the caps also clip firmly back on for mess-free disposal - and by disposal I mean recycling.

While he entire printer itself made from at least 45% post-consumer recycled materials, the Original HP Ink bottles are also recyclable through the HP Planet Partner program. This is a win-win situation. Think about it; traditional inkjet cartridges - especially "tricolour" ones - are complicated devices in themselves, made from many different materials. They must be very difficult to repurpose and you're forced to replace the tricolour cartridge when only one of the three colours runs out.

Wasteful and expensive.

Alternatively, with HP's Smart Tank system, although you still have just two printheads - one black and one colour - there's a separate tank for each colour, meaning you only need to replace exactly what you use.

Cheaper and much more environmentally-friendly.

Another common frustration when unboxing a new printer is you often find it ships with lower-than-usual capacity ink cartridges, meaning you'll have to fork out for replacements all too soon after the initial setup. That certainly isn't the case with the Smart tank 7305. With up to 8000 colour or 6000 black pages of Original HP Ink included in the box, you literally start saving on ink the moment you start printing. Depending on your usage it might be years before you need to purchase a refill.

Once the tanks are full, the printheads are in place and you've connected to your Wi-Fi network, the Smart Tank 7305 is good to go - at this point functioning like any other HP inkjet, all-in-one home printer.

Scanning and printing from any device connected to your network is fast and reliable - as I mentioned earlier, the 7305 sports self-healing Wi-Fi technology and in my experience this really does mean an end to your paired printer mysteriously disappearing from your network when you need it most.

One minor feature I miss on this model is the dual-size paper drawer I've enjoyed on previous printers, allowing for A4 paper and smaller, photo quality paper to be loaded simultaneously. It's not a massive imposition but having to remove all your A4 to print one or two photos is a bit of a pain.

In saying that, in terms of print quality I've found the results to be excellent - at least as good as any other standard HP inkjet printer I've tested, if not even better. Whether printing the PDF from IRD to change my tax code or simply running off a glossy print of my cute dog, I've been very satisfied with the results - and not just the way they look but how quietly the Smart Tank 7305 runs and how fast it prints. 

Ultimately, you're getting a much more economical and a significantly more environmentally-conscious printing solution for your home or small business with absolutely no compromise in quality - it's an undeniable formula that's pretty much impossible to ignore.

Click here for more information and pricing on the HP Smart Tank 7305 all-in-one printer.

HyperX Cloud Earbuds II - For Gamers Only

I fell into a trap.

Usually when reviewing earbuds I'm automatically comparing them with all the other options out there; wired, wireless, noise-cancelling... and it took me a few days to realise that's not what this review is about.

This isn't really a review of an audio device at all - this is a review of a gaming device and as such I need to shift my frame of reference.

However, some comparisons still need to be made.

There's no denying the HyperX Cloud Earbuds II look pretty cool. I was stoked to be sent the red version for review because obviously red is the best colour and black is just... well... boring. I like the HyperX logo and it looks pretty cool slashing across the back of each earbud in metallic red. 

The long, ribbon-style cable is also red. I quite like flat cables like these as they tend to avoid tangling pretty effectively. That's important with the Cloud Earbuds II because they also include a very premium-feeling hard shell case. If you're going to zip the earbuds into this case, it's certainly preferable if you don't have to spend five minutes untangling them when you take them out. Thanks to that flat cable, this hasn't been an issue.

In fact, just in terms of sheer hardware, for around NZ$69.00 you're getting pretty good value - a very smart-looking, well manufactured set of earbuds, a classy case and not three but four sizes of eartips - more on these in a moment. The only thing missing is a USB-C to 3.5mm audio jack adapter.

This is something to take into consideration if you're planning on using the Cloud Earbuds II with a device that doesn't have its own 3.5mm headphone jack. While most laptops do, most high-end smartphones and devices like iPads don't. I happen to have a USB-C to 3.5mm dongle which works fine with my Android phone but because it isn't a genuine Apple product, it doesn't work at all with my iPad. Buyer beware.

On the plus side, the 3.5mm plug is right-angled - which means a lot less wear and tear on the cable, regardless of whether it's plugged into the laptop in front of you or the phone in your pocket.

It's been a while since I've used a pair of wired earbuds like these and I have to admit, the lack of any setup required is kind of refreshing. Just plug them in and you're good to go. The only onboard control is a single multi-function button which will play and pause media on the source device or accept and hang up phone calls.

This button is situated on a contrasting black module on the cable to the left-hand earbud, which also houses the built-in mic. The mic quality is frankly rather impressive. I wasn't expecting much from a tiny hole, dangling down in front of my neck but as you'll hear in the video below, my low expectations were totally unfounded and I'm confident you'll have no issues being heard - either on phone calls or by your team mates when gaming online.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the way the Cloud Earbuds II sound. This is where I really have to remind myself these are not $400 premium TWS earbuds - they're an affordable alternative to bulky, heavy, over-ear headsets - with an emphasis on comfort and portability over absolute sound quality.

To be fair, as I type I'm listening to Paul Simon's "Me and Julio" and all the stereo, percussive guitars and vocals come across clearly but if you're looking for a genuine surround-sound experience with big bass booms for explosive sound effects and EDM beat drops - these are not the buds for you.

Part of the reason for this is the design of the eartips; my impression is these have definitely been developed for comfort and endurance, not for a tight, snug fit. There are two issues here; firstly, it's almost impossible to get a decent bass response from 14mm earbud drivers unless you have a good, tight seal. These eartips offer anything but - sitting on your ear canals rather than screwing down into them.

The second, more troublesome issue with a loose fit like this is they fall out. Even mild exercise like walking (and believe me, I'm not a fast walker) causes one or both of the earbuds to bobble out - no matter which eartip size I try - usually before I've gone much further than the first block. Therefore these are not an option for exercise and probably not even for your daily commute.

Then I remind myself; that's not what they're for.

It's staring at me right here on the HyperX website; "Comfortable mobile gaming audio." Nobody was promising the Cloud Earbuds II were your ideal outdoor training companion. On the other hand, if you're looking to settle in for several hours gaming on your laptop, phone or tablet, this is about as comfy as you're going to get. No heavy, sweaty headset claustrophobically sealing you in. Instead, a lightweight, hardwired option that never runs out of battery and stashes away tidily in a pretty natty little case. All that and surprisingly great mic performance at a very affordable price.

This isn't about high-end audio, this is about an easy-to-wear, ultra-portable gaming peripheral. If that's specifically what you're looking for, HyperX has nailed it.

    

Click here for more information on the HyperX Cloud Earbuds II.

Jabra Speak2 75 - Boost Your Meetings on the Move

I think we're past setting up our hybrid or work from home offices now aren't we? We're either back to being office-bound or we've embraced the evolution of modern business conversation, allowing for easier collaboration, education and information, regardless of physical location.

Over the last year or two, I've had greater access to more experts than ever before, simply because we no longer have to be in the same neighbourhood, city or country to have a constructive interaction.

So now we've definitely moved into the "upgrade phase" of our mobile office setup. Yes, it's easy enough to join an online meeting from your laptop, tablet or even your phone - but not so much if you're not the only one joining... perhaps you've met other collaborators at a shared workspace, or cafe, or... their family room.

Making sure everyone gets their say in this situation requires something extra; can we get the kind of online conferencing tech we've become used to in our office meeting rooms out and about as well?

Jabra thinks so.

The Jabra website describes the Speak2 75 as "your personal pocketable device for the coffee-table-conferencing, dining-room-dialing, hotel-hot-desking meeting rooms of a hybrid world." This is a great way to put it - other than the "pocketable" part - yes the Speak2 75 is small and portable but I don't have any pockets big enough for it to fit into. In fact, at 132mm across, it's definitely a size larger than the Speak2 55 I reviewed earlier in the year - but that's a bonus, not a drawback.

This is because the larger model packs a lot more punch; the latest Bluetooth 5.2 codec, bigger full-range 65mm speaker, Super-wideband audio and much more impressive battery life - up to 32 hours of talk-time as opposed to the already generous 12 hours on the 55 version.

Like the 55, the Speak2 75 uses a 4-mic array to hear anyone in the room - although the 75 offers an even greater pick-up range of up to 2.5 metres. What's more, not only does Jabra's state-of-the-art noise reduction come into play, eliminating most background distractions but there's built-in reverberation reduction too - to combat the echo of hard surfaces in meeting rooms that are surrounded by glass or have wooden or exposed concrete floors.

As we saw (or more accurately, heard) with the Speak2 55, the full duplex audio abilities of the 75 also set it apart from other online audio solutions. This is the technology that lets your conversations flow more naturally - without the main speaker completely cutting out the side-comments and interjections that are part of everyday same-room meetings. All too often these can be reduced to a frustrating series of, "What was thats?" "Can I just interrupts?" and "Going back to what you were saying earliers." Many video meeting solutions now automatically change focus to whoever is speaking. However, that often means nobody else really gets a say until they've finished - or at least paused. Jabra's full duplex audio is the answer to this.

To that end, the Speak2 75 also sports a Microphone Quality Indicator. The 360-degree light ring around the edge of the device glows red if it's having trouble hearing you and green if you're coming across loud and clear. Very clever.

Again, like the 55 model, the Speak2 75 is a pretty decent standalone bluetooth speaker - an excellent option to pair with your phone, tablet or laptop when streaming video, gaming or listening to music. Obviously the single driver isn't going produce any stereo effects or bone-shaking bass boom but it's definitely significantly less tinny than your typical phone speaker array and stays distortion free, even at full volume.

What's really surprising is is the Speak2 75's IP64 rating against water and dust - there aren't many desktop gadgets built with that kind of real-world durability in mind. The robust, brushed aluminium finish combined with dust and liquid resistance means you really can just "chuck the puck" in your bag or briefcase without fear of damaging it in transit. In saying that, it does come with a fabric case for added protection, complete with an internal pouch for the USB bluetooth dongle.

Yes, there are many ways to connect; bluetooth, USB-C or USB-A - the easily stowed USB cable comes with the Type-C to Type-A adapter attached and the included bluetooth dongle means even devices with no built-in bluetooth can still connect wirelessly.

It's this combination of versatility, portability, outstanding battery life and enhanced audio features that make the Speak2 75 such an essential tool for anyone who needs to join or host meetings from a variety of locations. No, it won't fit in your pocket (not quite, anyway) but it will go wherever you do.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Jabra Speak2 75.