How Smart Can a Speaker Get?

There must be a lot of pressure when you design tech gadgets... especially when everybody already loves the ones they already have. Commercially, it's understandable a brand needs to keep innovating and reinventing itself, otherwise sales will eventually slow to a standstill.

If the evolution of the smartphone has taught us anything, it's that many consumers aren't satisfied with owning a product that works - they want the newest version available, with the very latest features.

Of course, this phenomenon is nothing new. Take cars for example; some people are happy to drive their trusty, second-hand set of wheels till those wheels fall off, while others must have the new model the moment it comes out, every single year.

Other big-ticket items are more utilitarian. I've never heard of anyone rushing out to replace their perfectly functional dishwasher or clothes dryer just because the latest design has hit the shelves. Most normal people wait till those things break down or at least until they're redecorating.

My question is... does that apply to smart speakers too? Do you think of your sound system as a luxury sports car... or a toaster?...

Amazon has definitely taken an "if-it-ain't-broke" approach to its second-generation versions of the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8 smart speakers. Certainly, to look at, I was pretty confused when I first took them out of the box - without seeing them side by side, both devices look almost identical to their predecessors, other than the fact the Echo Show 5 is now available in Deep Sea Blue as well as Glacier White and Charcoal - although the blue version might be a bit hard to come by here in new Zealand. Whichever colour you choose, it's good to know Amazon is now using a lot of recycled materials in the construction of the devices which, when you're as big as Amazon, makes a massive difference.

To be honest, the colour isn't a major issue - if you've seen one of these Alexa-enabled smart displays before, you'll know the front is all screen anyway - albeit with fairly sizeable bezels. None of that has changed - although the screen quality has definitely improved somewhat - especially on the Echo Show 8.

Only trouble is, in New Zealand, there's not much to watch.

Don't believe everything you read on some retailers' websites - services like ABC iView are not available in this market and while you can stream audio from other devices to the Echo Shows, there's no way to cast video, so you're pretty much limited to Prime Video, Netflix and anything you can access via the built-in browser. (Please note, a previous version of this article stated Netflix was unavailable but Amazon has since updated the devices to enable it)

This will be fine if you ask Alexa to find you a recipe for lasagne, just don't expect to binge-watch your favourite show unless it happens to be on Prime Video or Netflix. To be fair, even the larger, 8-inch screen isn't really comfortable for a prolonged watch - although it turns out it's fantastic for video calling.

Now before you get too excited - I'm not talking about taking Zoom or Teams calls here - although once again, it seems Zoom may actually be an option in other markets - but if you have contacts with Echo devices themselves - or even just the Alexa app on their phone - you can ask Alexa to give them a bell. In fact, Alexa now offers a Group Calling function so up to seven friends or family members can be on the same call at once. In the coming months Amazon is also introducing in-call AR effects, so you'll be able to shower people with virtual confetti or lovehearts with a touch of the screen.

One very noticeable upgrade to these 2nd-gen devices is the camera quality - doubling from a paltry 1MP to 2MP on the Echo Show 5 but a massive improvement from 2MP to 13MP on the Echo Show 8. That's a pretty decent camera now and it also pans and zooms digitally to keep you as close to the centre of the frame as possible, even if you're moving around the room. Conversely, there's a physical privacy shutter for peace of mind and muting the mic turns the camera off too.

Don't be too hasty with that though, as the new Echo Shows will also appear in your list of Alexa devices as cameras - meaning you can access them remotely to check on things when you're not home. Unfortunately, this isn't super useful where I currently have the Echo Show 5 - on top of the microwave in the kitchen. Because of the angle of the screen, all I see when I activate the camera is the kitchen ceiling. Good to know the kitchen ceiling's still there, I guess?

The other significant improvement is sound quality - both speakers sound better to me, warmer and fuller. The Echo Show 8 now sports a stereo speaker array and provides a pretty decent, room-filling, ambient soundtrack. As always, you can literally fill your house with Echo speakers and group them easily for a cost effective, whole-home sound system. The on-screen interface has become more user-friendly too - especially for linked services like Spotify. There are now more easily accessible suggested playlists - perhaps a concession not everyone wants to subscribe to Amazon Music.

Interestingly, both new speakers have lost their 3.5mm AUX jacks - so you no longer have the option of connecting them to exterior speakers or headphones. Based on my own experience, I'd say Amazon realised nobody was using this feature much so it wasn't really worth continuing. 

Of course, other than streaming music, the other main purpose for devices like these is controlling your smart home. Again, this is something Alexa gets better and better at all the time. Small caveat here; not every smart device is Alexa enabled - just most of them. Make sure you double check before stocking up on bulbs or security cameras. Speaking of which, both the Echo Shows are a great way to monitor your cameras or your door-cam, just by asking Alexa to show you.

My main issue has been getting Alexa to listen to me. If there's been any improvement in the performance of the far-field mics I haven't seen it. The music doesn't have to be up very loud before Alexa simply ignores your voice commands and you're reduced to shouting across the room or having to actually touch the device to control it. How last decade.

But if that's my only gripe, it's certainly not a gamebreaker. The Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 5 are priced pretty fairly, especially given they have been upgraded in terms of screen and sound quality - not to mention the dramatically souped-up cameras. It's frustrating we still don't have access to the video streaming services other markets do but that could change in the future.

Have either of these devices been upgraded enough to warrant turfing your first-gen models out and replacing them? No, probably not. But if you're looking to expand your Alexa system into other rooms around your home, this is a good time to do it. And if you haven't jumped on the smart-display bandwagon yet, these are certainly great options to get you started.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Generation).

Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Generation).

The Greatest Buds Since the Last Ones

Back in 2019, when Sony released the WF-1000XM3 I was both impressed and confused. 

I think these were probably the first buds I'd tried to feature Active Noise Cancelling technology and being Sony's ANC, it set a pretty impressive benchmark few have managed to match since. Sony has been pushing hard to set the standard when it comes to ANC, with both its over-ear and in-ear headsets. Not to mention the brand has already established itself as a senior player when it comes to overall headphone sound quality - after all, who was really using earbuds to listen to music before the Walkman came along. What's a Walkman?... Shut up, kid.

Anyway...

Unfortunately, with the WF-1000XM3, I felt Sony had put so much effort into making the experience sound great and above all else, noise-free, they'd forgotten about some of the other stuff... like appearance, fit and durability.

In fact, for many consumers, how their wireless buds look, feel or last is even more important than how they sound.

So after setting the standard for ANC, it was time for Sony to lift its game...

Right off the bat, it's easy to see Sony went right back to the drawing board with the WF-1000XM4 buds.

For a start, they're buds - not weird, surfboard-shaped tabs like their predecessors. While balancing the previous, oblong models in your earholes left plenty of space for the Sony logo, it just felt plain odd.

Also, because there was no IP or IPX rating, wearing them out in any kind of weather or while exercising risked water damage which is not really what you want from a pricey piece of kit like this.

In fact, if asked I would have actively discouraged anyone from purchasing the older model if they were planning on using them while running or at the gym.

That's all changed now - and I do mean all.

The WF-1000XM4's carry an IPX4 water resistance rating, so you no longer have to worry about splashes or rain or sweating them to death. Today I actually went running in the rain to test this. Unpleasant, but there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Most importantly, the new form-factor is much more conventional, meaning the fit is much more secure - not to mention way less crazy-looking.

With a caveat... you have to know how to wear them. That may sound strange but it wasn't until I read about one crucial step in another review I realised I'd been using the WF-1000XM4's all wrong - so listen up, this is an important Public Service Announcement;

When I used to work on my dad's apple orchard, I used to operate a lot of very loud, heavy machinery. This meant wearing ear plugs to protect my hearing. For those of you who haven't tried them before, earplugs like that are made of a special kind of plasticky-foam material that you roll between your fingers to make them narrow enough to insert into your ears. Then you hold them there for a few seconds while they return to their original shape, thereby creating a virtually airtight seal against the noise.

Unbeknownst to me, the tips on the WF-1000XM4's work the same way. Before inserting them, you need to squash them a bit so you can get them in properly, then hold them in place for a moment while the tips expand again. Normally, I use the medium-sized tips most earbuds come fitted with straight out of the box but in this case, because I didn't know about the squashy-insert technique, the mediums were a fail and I went with the small tips instead. This was comfortable but not that secure. Because, as it turns out, they were the wrong size.

You see? I'm a medium after all.

Once I had the buds fitted properly, it was a whole new ballgame. There's no point offering the world's best ANC if your Passive Noise Cancelling is rubbish, due to a loose fit. Now what I can assure you is Sony's new Integrated Processor V1 does a simply incredible job of running the noise reduction, once again setting the standard for other manufacturers to follow.

This doesn't just mean cutting out all the noise all the time - although you can do that if you want. After pairing the WF-1000XM4's with your device, either manually through your bluetooth settings or via the automatic pop-up window on late model Android phones running the latest OS, you can then use the Sony Headphones Connect app to access a raft of settings and customisations. The WF-1000XM4 is one of the few earphones that can intelligently monitor your surroundings to alter the level of noise cancellation accordingly - these buds can even learn your locations and automatically adjust that way.

Personally, I prefer total noise cancelling all the time, so I've deactivated the auto sensing - there's also a voice detection option just like on Sony's over-ear models. This lets in ambient sound when you start speaking so you can have a conversation without removing the earbuds. People in offices find this sort of thing useful. I'm not a person in an office.

One feature I haven't turned off is Automatic Wind Reduction - this is because without it, I've found the WF-1000XM4's are particularly prone to catching the wind, possibly due to those small, bronze highlighted mic cavities you can see in the images. These protrude in a way I'm sure helps pick up your voice clearly on phone calls but as I say, if there's a breeze, you'll know about it. Just as well Sony's figured out a way to block that noise out.

The Headphones Connect app also lets you do things like choose your voice assistant, change your EQ settings and test the fit (just in case you haven't got the squish-and-insert thing right yet). If you subscribe to a streaming service that supports 360 Reality Audio, the app will even guide you through a setup process that actually takes pictures of your ears to optimise the results.

What I like is how you can customise the touch controls on each earbud - I'm using the left one for volume and the right for playback - but you can choose to toggle noise reduction or turn off the controls completely if you prefer. You can access your voice assistant too but only Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant - Siri doesn't seem to be supported.

If the sound quality on the previous model was standout, needless to say, it hasn't got any worse two years later. Thanks to the sealed fit, bass response is even better than ever. When listening to "It Hurts!" by San Holo, its weird electro bass track almost makes it sound like you're inside the speaker - weird in a good way. There's also a convincing sense of space - even without 360 Reality Audio. "Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop" is a fun instrumental jump back in time, packed with fantastic technical production, lots of stereo effects and some truly wild guitar licks. I turned it up real loud and blew my brains out. Good times.

Battery life is another first class feature here - up to eight hours from the buds themselves and two more full charges in the case. I consider anything around that 24-hour level to be excellent - especially given the relatively small size of the buds and the dramatically smaller charging case. The previous model was bordering on ridiculous - and ugly. This year's is about as compact as it can be and is easily pocketable. It supports fast charging and will also charge wirelessly. There's an LED display that changes colour to show you when charge is getting low and usefully, you can see exact percentages of battery levels on the app - for each bud and the case.

With the WF-1000XM4, there's no doubt Sony has ironed out the imperfections of the WF-1000XM3. These are now a good option for exercise, thanks to their vastly improved fit, more compact form factor and improved water resistance. The app, noise reduction and customisations are more comprehensive than ever and the charging case has also evolved out of sight. At a rather steep RRP of NZD$499.95, this has simply got to be a premium product and yes, I think Sony has delivered the goods, albeit in a somewhat underwhelming, recycled cardboard (but oh so sustainable) package. Once again, they've set the standard for the others to live up to. Just don't forget to squish.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless noise cancelling headphones.

A Smarter Smile... but at a Price

How much are you prepared to pay for a better oral hygiene solution?

Now, before you answer, take a moment to really think it through. If there was a way to significantly reduce all those mouth nasties we don't like to think about; plaque, tartar, bad breath, yellow teeth... surely that means less time at the dentist, right?

And less time at the dentist means more money in your pocket - that's just basic economics.

But still... who in their right mind would pay over $700 for a toothbrush?...

Yep, the Oral-B iO 9 Series has an RRP of NZD$769.00.

When I read that, I assumed it was a typo but no, that is indeed what some retailers have been selling it for, although there are some pretty drastic specials around if you stop and do a bit of comparison shopping.

What you're dying to know is; what could this brush possibly do that others don't?

Actually, as it turns out, a few things.

Firstly, there's no doubt the Oral-B iO 9 Series is a premium personal appliance. From the thick, printed cardboard packaging to the weight and solid feel of the device itself, everything seems well thought through and extremely durable. Oddly, this isn't always the case with bathroom accessories. When you're surrounded with water and hard, slippery surfaces, you'd think more items would be built to look and feel as good as this does. 

The matte finish makes the brush easy to hold, even when wet. The heads slide on and off easily, yet stay securely in place. And while the black colour may not be everybody's cup of tea (not very patriotic of you if it isn't) believe it or not, you can customise the LED ring that lights up around the collar of the brush to the colour of your choice - but more on that stuff later.

I don't love everything about the build though. Yes the magnetic, wireless charging base has its advantages - it takes up very little bench space and because it's convex, rather than a container you sit the brush in, it doesn't get quite so dirty and mucky, filling up with disgusting, excess, toothpasty/drool stuff over time. However, because it's convex, rather than a container you sit the brush in, I keep knocking it over. I'm a klutz that way. Perhaps Oral-B could go with a slightly stronger magnet for the 10 Series?

My other main gripe is the size of the head. Compared to other electric and sonic brushes I've used before, the stem between the body and the brush seems quite a bit thicker and it took me a few days to get used to jamming it in my gob without the urge to gag. Maybe I don't have a very big mouth, although I've been reliably informed I have... on multiple occasions. I do worry if you have a more petite puckerer, you might struggle with this one.

Although, it's probably worth the struggle because other than visiting the dentist, my teeth have never felt cleaner than after the very first time I used the iO 9 Series. Yep - right from the first time. You know that sensation you have after the dentist, when your teeth are suddenly super smooth and you feel as though you can almost run your tongue through the gaps between each tooth? Like that.

To achieve this, it seems Oral-B has combined several technologies to create the ultimate brush head; from the unusual twisted bristles with their "high-density tuft-in-tuft" configuration, to the quiet-yet-powerful linear magnetic drive, to the fact it doesn't just oscillate, or rotate, or vibrate - it does all three.

There are only two controls on the brush, with these you can choose from a wide selection of brushing intensities - from a gentle tongue clean right up to... well... INTENSE. This ultimate setting is kind of brain-rattling - in a good way - and this is where the iO 9 Series really starts to smarten up.

Over-brushing is a real issue - even with manual toothbrushes. People can damage gums and enamel if they get too carried away and brush too hard over time. The iO 9 Series senses this and the LED indicator flashes to let you know if you're getting too into it so you can immediately lighten up.

Like most electric brushes, the iO 9 Series guides you through a two-minute routine, pausing briefly every 30 seconds to remind you to move on to the next quadrant. Unlike other brushes, it'll keep going after two minutes until you switch it off - although by that stage you will have earned yourself a nice, friendly smiley-face on the colour screen.

Oh, didn't I mention this brush has a full-colour display? And you thought it was expensive.

The screen is actually pretty useful - you can track your progress with the quickest of glances in the bathroom mirror. It also shows you a precise readout of your battery level. This is important, because battery-life on this thing isn't great. Ironically, that's probably due in no small part to the fact it has a colour screen on the handle! Maybe I'm being overly critical here - Oral-B reckons you'll get up to two weeks on a full charge but I like to brush three times a day and I'm struggling to get through one full week. Not an issue if you've got the power-point space to leave it plugged in and on the stand - it's designed to be used this way and won't over-charge the battery.

There's also a pretty fancy travel case included in the box, with its own power cord. You get a spare head too, so two people can share the same device if you like, keeping both heads in the included stand with a lid. Interestingly, there are no other accessories - no specific tongue-cleaning, denture or braces heads. Perhaps this is a one-head-fits-all solution - I don't have braces or false teeth so I'm not sure.

But if simply being a really amazing toothbrush isn't quite enough to justify its expense, maybe all the built-in AI is.

I've used brushes that connect to apps before but nothing anywhere near as comprehensive as this. The Oral-B iO app isn't just a way to log the frequency and duration of your brushing, although it will do that without you even having to ask it to. It has an incredibly well designed, guided brushing routine, with easy-to-follow graphics that leave you in no doubt exactly where you have and haven't brushed. This is why you can keep going past two minutes - which, let's face it, is just an arbitrary number we've all signed up to for some reason. There's no point brushing the inside of your back left molars for the full two minutes and then stopping, right?

With the iO app, you can clearly see when to move on and where to. There's a selection of challenges to target things like fresh breath, whitening and gum care. These incorporate prompts to floss or mouth-wash as well as just brushing.

The app will remind you to charge your brush or replace your heads and yes, there are medals to be earned, if that's your thing.

All of this makes one of life's most mundane tasks more challenging, rewarding and yes, possibly even a little bit fun. Certainly achieving that "post-dentist' feeling in your own bathroom is amazing and if it leads to less actual dentist time, perhaps the iO 9 Series won't take as long to pay for itself as you might think.

Click here for more information on the Oral-B iO 9 Series rechargeable electric toothbrush.

Keeping Sound Simple

I was a late adopter when it comes to soundbars. There's a couple of reasons for that; a) for years I had my TV plugged into a reasonable multi-speaker home theatre system and b) I didn't really believe they worked very well.

Other than providing a bit more bottom end and perhaps more sheer volume, what was it a single soundbar was likely to offer I wasn't already getting from the TV's own built-in speaker array?

Then a few things happened to change my mind. First, TV speakers got bad. Really bad. This was due largely to the push to develop ever more slim displays, creating the illusion of a screen and nothing else. If your telly is all picture, that doesn't leave much room for decent speakers. This meant if you chose cutting-edge vision, you'd be pretty much forced into investing in a soundbar to beef up the audio side of things to match.

Another advance that made soundbars more appealing was the evolution of wireless technology, enabling us to our own create multi-room sound systems without having to conceal wiring in walls or under the floor. Incorporating a quality speaker by my TV into a system like that meant I could achieve a great ambient soundtrack in my home, wherever I happened to be.

Also, the worse built-in TV speakers became, the better soundbar technology got and now beamforming has become quite an art - creating the illusion of stereo, space and height from one central source.

I was still sceptical... then I heard it. There's definitely some good gear out there but as always, it comes at a price. Or does it?...

The first thing that struck me about the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam was its size... or lack of it. I've certainly been blown away by several soundbars recently but they've all been massive things - usually over a metre wide and sometimes too tall to fit neatly under the TV they're connected to.

The Bar 5.0 Multibeam measures in at just over 70cm and is just 2.3-inches tall. This means it should fit anywhere and would be a great companion to a smaller-screen. After all, just because your TV is little, it doesn't mean your soundscape has to be. There's some wall-mounting hardware included in the box and again, it'll be quite a relief to be able to conserve as much wall-space as possible with this compact option.

Everything about the physical design of the Bar 5.0 Multibeam errs towards minimalist, bordering on industrial. There's a metallic theme, both in appearance and feel - no fabric speaker coverings, all metal speaker grilles instead. In fact, it's mostly speaker grille with one of the smallest control panels you're likely to see set into the middle of the top. 

Even the accompanying remote control is nothing flashy; as few buttons as possible in a subtle matte finish which actually feels quite pleasant to hold.

There's not much of a visual display on offer here either, which suits me. A non-intrusive, white LED readout lights up when the soundbar turns on or you are adjusting the settings then it quickly disappears - with no other distracting lights or indicators to be seen. Me likey.

But enough of how this thing looks. It's not a lookbar. Let's fire it up.

Setup can be as easy as plugging it in and connecting it to your TV via the HDMI eARC socket which should let your TV remote take over its operation. There's another HDMI port if you want to add a further device or you can connect via optical instead.

There's no dedicated app for the Bar 5.0 Multibeam, so if you want to avail yourself of its Chromecast, Alexa or AirPlay abilities, you'll have to set it up via the Google Home app. This is very straightforward and once its connected to your home Wi-Fi network it'll appear on any Alexa, Chromecast or AirPlay compatible apps. Obviously, you can also connect to the soundbar via bluetooth too.

What's less straight-forward is adjusting the settings after that. I'm not big on instruction manuals but it'll pay to keep yours handy as many of the controls for the Bar 5.0 Multibeam are almost hidden, relying on pushing buttons for a certain amount of time or pressing a combination of buttons simultaneously. Good luck learning each combo off by heart.

For instance, to calibrate the multibeam performance to your room, you'll need to hold down the HDMI button on the remote for 5 seconds. How would anyone know to do that without reading this review? (Or the instructions)

Be sure to do that though, as this is really the only way to get the most out of any stereo or height effects. Which are, as it happens, very good. If you'd shown me a picture of the Bar 5.0 Multibeam I'd never have believed how well it manages to fill a room, from top to bottom, bass to treble. This is mostly because it's literally jam-packed with speakers; five racetrack drivers and four 3-inch passive radiators combine for a beefy 250W output with plenty of boom.

That's not to say you're emulating anything like the bass performance of a decent subwoofer but there's plenty of oomph here for things like car crashes, gunshots and explosions, not to mention more than enough of a big beat to dance to - and bass is one of the few settings you can control.

While there's no way for a single speaker unit, placed below the TV to match the surround effect of physical, rear mounted speakers, while using the Bar 5.0 Multibeam, I've often caught myself being completely caught up in the action of what I'm watching, without thinking about where the sound's coming from at all. I'm of the view that's exactly what you want from your speaker system - if you're noticing it, you haven't set it up right.

While the lack of physical controls is slightly frustrating while you're setting things up, I haven't missed anything once up and running and I really appreciate JBL's set-it-and-leave-it approach. The Virtual Dolby Atmos isn't just a sticker on the box, it really works. The 3D effects are genuinely convincing and while the dynamic range and frequency response may not quite match the separation and definition offered by higher-spec devices priced a thousand dollars more... or more... I really have no complaints with what I'm hearing here.

For NZD$599.95 RRP, the Bar 5.0 Multibeam offers a lot of features, great compatibility with other multi-room systems and best of all, it doesn't take up much space.

Click here for more information on the JBL Bar 5.0 Multibeam.

Solving the Parents' Smartphone Dilemma

It's a question most parents struggle with and have been since mobile phones became affordable; at what age does my kid really need a phone?

Obviously, for every child it's different.

If they're involved in a lot of extracurricula activities - music practices, dance classes, sports training - you can't always arrange a fixed time for mum or dad's taxi service to arrive. That can mean putting a phone in their little hand a lot earlier than you might have planned.

Then there's the peer pressure... damn that rich best friend who always seems to get the latest generation handset for Christmas. That can be a tough thing to explain to an 8, 9 or 10 year-old.

The real question is; do they actually need a phone?

What if there was another way to keep tabs on them - even contact them - without an actual phone and all the inevitable, unavoidable evils (ie: social media) that come along with it?...

I can't lie, the Spacetalk Adventurer is not as cool as a "real" smartwatch - not to my eye anyway. But then again, I'm not the target market. So who is? That's complicated.

Like any product designed for children, given it's usually the parents doing the purchasing, the Spacetalk Adventurer has to appeal to both tech-savvy 5-12 year-olds and their respective money-makers as well.

I am not well placed to comment on the wristwear desires of a modern pre-teen. When I was that age, digital watches were still pretty cool. One friend of mine even had a tiny little calculator on his. Pretty high-tech.

I could be wrong but I feel like these days, kids are demanding a bit more. So here's my test; it's Christmas day and it's time to open the presents. When they pull the Spacetalk Adventurer out of its box, are they going to be genuinely excited or is this a pretend-you-love-it then stash-it-safely-in-the-bottom-of-the-wardrobe kind of a present?

While I think Spacetalk has got a lot right here, there's one important thing that seems a bit off to me - how the Adventurer looks. It looks like a kids' watch. It's oversized and plasticky - in fact, it's so large, I think some littlies would find it quite uncomfortable to wear. The colours are okay - Ocean (light blue) Coral (light orange) and Mist (lime green) but at almost 1.5cm thick and with SPACETALK written across the bottom of the screen in reflective letters, there's no mistaking this for an Apple Watch, Fitbit or Galaxy Watch - and I'm pretty sure most kids know exactly what those are, even at age 5.

That doesn't necessarily mean they won't want a Spacetalk Adventurer though - and I suppose what Spark (the retailer) is hoping for is that Spacetalks will become all the craze at primary schools throughout New Zealand. ...and they might, because they actually do what they do pretty well.

The colour LCD screen works a lot like the ones on those big brand smartwatches, although you have to double-tap the display to wake it up - there's no gyro-enabled lift-to-wake option here. Other than that, you swipe to navigate your way around the limited number of apps and settings on offer.

The Spacetalk Adventurer contains its own standalone sim card, which means it can literally be used like any other phone to call or message. Because it has both mic and camera, you can even send and receive photos, videos and voice recordings - but not to just anyone. Whoever sets up the device initially chooses which contacts the watch has access to. Those contacts can be called by the watch, even it they don't have the Spacetalk app installed, so for example, if Nana is on pick-up duty, the wearer of the watch can ring her when they need her if her contact details have previously been loaded onto the device. The app is required for sharing messages, photos and videos though - and when I say sharing, I mean sharing amongst the designated Spacetalk contacts; there's no easy way to copy any media created with the watch to another device or social media app.

In fact, that's the main attraction for parents here; you get to create and control your own, private social network - no outsiders allowed. In this way, you're giving your kid the feeling that they're creating and sharing content, just like professional streamers do on YouTube, Twitch or Facebook Live - the only difference being you know every member of the audience.

This is by no means a fully functional fitness tracker, although there is a simple fitness app that measures heartrate and the number of daily steps walked or run. What the Adventurer does have is a built-in GPS, so you can keep a close eye on the exact whereabouts of your beloved little monsters at all times - whether they've gone off to the park or you dropped them at the mall. What's more, you can use the Spacetalk app to send you regular location updates and also set up "Safe Zones," so you'll be notified every time they leave or enter any areas you've specified. Basically, if they aren't where they're supposed to be, you'll know about it and you can contact them to find out why.

As much as I've tried to stop myself, I can't help comparing the Spacetalk Adventurer to other smartwatches I've used and owned. This way madness lies, as there are limitations everywhere. There's no ambient light sensor, so kids will need to go into the settings and adjust the screen brightness manually if they want to be able to use the watch outside in bright sunshine. Some of the on-screen controls are simply tiny - almost impossible for my adult-sized fingers to accurately access, especially once you open certain apps,

Meanwhile, other things are great. There's an alarm, a stopwatch, weather forecasts and an enormous list of notification tones to choose from. Weirdly, there are only three (quite boring) watch faces, although you can use your own pictures as a background. Importantly, the device is IP67 water resistant, so it'll survive the shower or any accidental dunkings with no issues. It also comes with a tailor-made screen protector included in the box to try and keep scrapes and scratches to a minimum.

I have to say, I was expecting a bit more from the battery - it'll survive a day with no issues... perhaps two but realistically, it needs to be charged nightly via its own, unique magnetic cradle.

At $379, this is certainly no toy and there are definitely some pretty functional smartphones out there for around that price. However, at a young age, a phone can be more like a Pandora's box, a mobile gateway direct to the internet and all its perils. The Spacetalk Adventurer gives you the calling, messaging and location data a phone would, while keeping all the online weirdness at bay for a little while longer.

There is an ongoing monthly subscription but it's nowhere near the cost of running a phone - especially given the ability to group chat and send and receive multimedia messages.

Honestly, I don't think too many self-respecting 12 year-olds are going to be keen on wearing one of these, no matter which colour you choose - but your 5-8 year old might just think it's the smartest watch they've ever owned.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Spacetalk Adventurer Kids Smartphone Watch.

Now It Has a Laser!

Okay, okay. It's Dyson time again and yes, inevitably, yes I'll be pretty gushy about it. You've been warned. What can I say? I'm a fan.

It's fair to say, since Dyson began selling stick vacuums capable of cleaning a whole house, my housework experience has been completely transformed.

Let's forget all the other innovations Dyson has become famous for over the years - and to be sure, there are many indeed - just let me remind you how good the batteries are on these things.

I live in a relatively large, two-storey, four-bedroom family home. I can vacuum it cordlessly, with the legendary power of a Dyson, on a single charge. No plugging and unplugging. No lugging a long central-vac hose around, damaging paintwork and knocking things over. Just a lightweight, perfectly balanced, agile cleaning machine in my hand.

How does it get better than that?

Well, to be perfectly honest, the first time I used the Dyson V15 Detect Total Clean (very long name, so I'll just be calling it the V15 from here on in) it didn't get better.

Dum-duh... (Dramatic pause)

Not in terms of battery life that is.

Everything else was utterly amazeballs.

And to be super perfectly honest, the battery only ran out with two minutes to go... and there's an explanation.

So let's start there before we get onto the really cool stuff; the V15 has the same size 3600mAh battery as its predecessor, the V11 - both promising up to an hour's use if set to Eco-mode on hard floors. So what's the difference?

Here's my theory; the V15 is too clever.

One of its flagship features is its piezo sensor. Believe it or not, this sensor detects the size and amount of particles entering the vacuum, by listening to them. And it listens to them really fast - about 15,000 times a second. If there's a lot of dust, or there are a lot of larger bits, the piezo sensor instructs the V15's Hyperdymium motor to lift its game and increase the power automatically. If this sounds more like the kind of thing you'd find on a spacecraft... it is.

You can actually see what this NASA-style sensor is up to on the V15's colour LCD screen. It gives you a real-time update on just how microscopic your household dust and detritus is.

But that, as they say, is not all.

When in Auto-mode, the V15's High-Torque cleaner head monitors resistance against its brush bar 360 times a second, sensing different floor types, again applying more power when it gets to carpet and rugs.

So basically, the V15 took one look at my floors (which obviously took just a fraction of a second) and decided they were so disgusting, a seriously deep clean was in order. Sure, if I'd manually set the vacuum to Eco-mode, I would have coasted home with plenty of battery to spare - but where's the fun in that?

By the end of my first vacuuming session, I was mortified by the magnitude of what the V15 had sucked out of my floors - check it out...

Bear in mind, I'd previously been using an older Dyson which I'd thought was doing an awesome job. Turns out, the V15 is even awesomer.

Now, if you can bring yourself to take a really good look at that pic, you'll notice something pretty significant - other than the sheer volume of gross stuff I mean. See all the hair? That's a lot of hair in there right? I feel like not much of it is mine but then I'm not the only creature in the house.

The point is; the hair is in there and not wrapped around the brushes on the cleaner head which was previously the case. This is due to yet more Dyson engineering brilliance. Not only is there a smaller Anti-tangle hair screw attachment included in the box (something I was so impressed by, I've reviewed it separately) but the High-Torque cleaner head now has a detangling comb built into it to keep the hair off the brushes and straight into the dust bin. Life-changing.

Whoops... nearly forgot the laser.

Oh, doesn't your vacuum have a laser? Oh well. Never mind. Mustn't judge.

Yes, the other reason I probably spent a bit longer vacuuming first time out with the V15 was its laser, built into the "Fluffy" cleaner head, specifically engineered to cast a green light across hard floors so you can easily spot every single speck of dust by the shadow it casts. This is particularly revealing (disturbing) in places like under shelf units, beneath tables and along the base of kitchen cabinets. Luckily, the new Laser Slim Fluffy head is extremely flexible and can be used at an almost horizontal angle to get right under low furniture. 

One place that really surprised me was in bathrooms around the loo - microscopic particles of toilet paper fluff was literally coating the floor tiles and I'd never really seen it before the laser picked it up. Too much information? Hmmm... the things we reveal in the name of tech journalism.

The point is, all those areas required a lot of extra attention once the precisely angled laser revealed how truly filthy they really were.

No wonder my battery ran out just before the end.

On the bright side, my floors have obviously never been cleaner and the next time I vacuumed, the laser showed me where I no longer had to vacuum, as well as where I needed to do a bit more, actually saving me time. What's more, you now have the option of a click-in battery, so you can keep a spare charged up and ready to go if you get really carried away like I did first time out.

It must be noted, with the V15, Dyson has returned to a more conventional size - both with its cleaner heads and bin capacity. No sign of an Outsize version like there was with the V11. Not yet anyway.

Some devices get a little bit better with each generation. This time round, Dyson has taken another giant leap - never happy to rest on its laurels, packing about as much new tech as possible into the V15 to make it yet again, the most impressive floor cleaning machine on the market.

No more tangled hair? You've gotta love that.

Click here for more information on the Dyson V15 Detect Total Clean stick vacuum.

Printer Reality Check

Come on, it's time to get real. We can't keep using printers they way we have been.

Something got seriously out of whack somewhere along the way and it suddenly became cheaper to buy a new printer than to replace the cartridges.

Obviously, that kind of printer is not a high quality printer but if all you're doing is printing off the occasional greeting card, a few recipes and the kids' homework assignments, something cheap and nasty might just do the trick.

Until it runs out of ink.

Then it's moral dilemma time, isn't it? You know you're not supposed to throw whole printers away... especially when they're in perfectly good working order - but sometimes it's literally cheaper to replace the whole thing.

Maybe you can get rid of the old one on TradeMe?

There's got to be a better way. Well, HP thinks so anyway...

By now, surely you have become a subscription-based consumer of some type - if not many types. From our music and TV streaming services, to food delivery and even transport, it seems there's not much you actually have to own these days; you can just subscribe to it.

HP has jumped on board with its Instant Ink service.

The subscription model here is simple; you create your Instant Ink account, add your compatible printer (or printers) to it, then you never really have to worry about running out of ink again. As soon as one of your cartridges gets low, you'll be sent a replacement automatically. You don't have to do a thing... except pay the monthly fee obviously.

This varies depending on your usage. Plans start from as little as $1.99 a month... but that's assuming you're only printing around fifteen pages over that month. If that's all you need, it's going to be a while before that next cartridge arrives at your door. At the other end of the scale, super heavy users or even small businesses might choose the 700 page-a-month plan at $49.99 - but there are several in between - HP reckons most households will probably go for the $9.99, 100-page option.

Whichever plan you choose, you can easily monitor your progress via the HP Smart app - or just log into your account via browser. Here you'll get real-time updates on how many pages you've printed, whether your cartridges are getting low and you can track both past and future cartridge deliveries.

HP has put a lot effort into making this as user-friendly as possible. You get a free-trial period when you first sign up which lets you print up to 700 pages regardless of which plan you've chosen - this gives you a chance to tweak things before you start getting billed. You'll also be sent an introductory pack of cartridges when you register. This will be a relief if you've just set up a brand new HP printer like I had as the included cartridges have only a small fraction of the capacity of the ones you'll be sent as part of your Instant Ink subscription.

In fact, HP reckons you'll save about 50% by signing up. They provide higher capacity cartridges, in less packaging and you can also return your used ones for recycling. No question that's considerably better for the environment than throwing out a whole printer every few months.

One of my favourite features is the monthly rollover - if you don't use your page allowance within the month the balance will rollover into the next month - up to three times your quota if you have a few lighter months in a row. Of course, it works the other way too; print more than what you've subscribed to and you'll be charged extra per page - so you're definitely better off over-estimating your usage - especially given you can change or cancel your subscription at any time.

The key to it all? Owning a compatible HP printer, of course. Given there are currently about fifty different models to choose from, I think you'll probably find one that suits your needs.

I've been giving the Envy Pro 6430 a bash.

This is an entry-level all-in-one that has plenty of pros (as the name suggests) but admittedly, a few cons as well.

Setup is incredibly straight-forward, via the HP Smart app but I must say, after using printers with an LCD screen for a few years now, it was a bit weird going back to one with only six LED symbols to let you know what's happening. Again, this is where the app comes in - it's a lot easier to tell what's going on with the Envy Pro 6430 on the app or by logging into your HP Smart account online than it is by looking at the printer itself.

As I say, firing it up, connecting it to my Wi-Fi network and installing the cartridges is all a total breeze. It's certainly a compact device and quite subtle in its attractive, off-white finish. It'll handle a few different paper sizes, from A4 down, including photo paper - and double sided printing works well. There's a top-mounted document feeder and I've found it scans, prints and copies surprisingly quickly.

I do get a bit nervous when handling it though - everything seems kind of flimsy - from the paper tray itself through to the output tray extender, which flips out then unfolds but seems way too thin to last. And when opening the Envy Pro 6430 up to replace cartridges or remove a paper jam, there are a lot of disturbing clicks and clunks that make you feel like you're pulling the whole thing apart.

Yes, I said paper jams. Unfortunately, I've experienced rather too many of these in the month or so I've been using the device although luckily, every time it's been easy enough to access the blockages and get back to printing - I'm not sure if these misprints count towards your monthly page allowance on the Instant Ink plan but I hope not.

Also, using the HP Smart app to adjust the settings like Paper Size, Auto Off and Energy Saving is a cumbersome business - on a mobile device the app opens a browser page to do these things, so you may as well just log in from your PC or laptop instead. What's more, certain settings require you to enter a long pin number which can only be found inside the printer - on the chassis by the toner cartridges.

Yes, I certainly miss that LCD screen. If that sounds like it would be frustrating for you too, I'd recommend you spend a few extra bucks on a slightly more advanced model.

As far as print quality goes, it's about what I'd expect from a machine in this price range - and I must say I really am impressed how quickly it prints - even full pages in colour.

But Instant Ink is the real star of the show here; there's an obvious cost saving and it makes no difference if your pages are black-and-white or colour. What's more, who doesn't love getting their cartridges sent to them without even having to ask? It's definitely a cost-effective, elegant step in the right direction when it comes to printer ink frustration.

(Note, toner plans are also available)

Click here for more information and pricing on HP Instant Ink.

Click here for more information and pricing on the HP Envy Pro 6430 All-In-One printer.