Logitech MX Brio - A More Natural Me

Logitech knows what it's doing when it comes to high-quality PC peripherals.

I've been using Logi mice and keyboards for years now and they still perform superbly, even after all this time.

So I was excited to try the latest edition to the Logitech Master Series, even if it meant looking into my own eyes for hours on end.

The MX Brio is a pretty solid piece of work, as webcams go. Although constructed in large part from recycled plastic, it has a classy, metallic look in either Pale Grey or Graphite and a genuine heft that gives you the confidence to use some of the special features I'll discuss shortly.

The mount is ultra-versatile, easily adjusted to provide a snug fit at the top of any screen, thick or thin. As an insurance policy, the supporting pad that holds everything in place is not just soft, it even has an adhesive backing if you wish to fix the MX Brio in place permanently. So far I've found it unnecessary to resort to the sticky pad - it's solid enough just like it is and besides, I wanted to try the camera on a few different devices.

There's another, even more innovative aspect to the way the mount works; the camera itself attaches to it magnetically. This allows you to easily swivel it in either direction or even take it off completely - perhaps if you want to show your viewers something specific that's not currently in shot. Obviously, it still needs to remain connected by its USB-C 3.0 cable but that cable is a generous 1.5m so it gives you a bit of freedom.

Then there's "Show Mode" - one last trick up the MX Brio mount's sleeve. This enables you to flip the camera forward a full 90 degrees to show your viewers your desktop (or benchtop or whatever top you're working on). When you flip the camera this way it automatically reorientates the shot (upside down) so anyone watching sees what you're doing from the same angle you do. You might be unboxing, sketching, assembling something or perhaps even cooking. Show Mode basically eliminates the need for a second camera shooting from above and means less editing too.

There's a satisfyingly physical privacy shutter which closes in a very cool letterbox style when you twist the lens. All in all, the MX Brio is a very well-built, nice-looking device.

So it's just as well what's inside delivers too. 

Logitech describes this as a 4K Ultra HD camera, an important and noticeable step up from the usually disappointing built-in cams on laptops, monitors and all-in-ones. These sub-par webcams usually top out at 1080p and even then perform badly in variable light conditions.

Conversely, the MX Brio shoots at the high frame rate of 60fps at 1080p and does a very satisfactory job of 4K at 30fps. You'll see the difference in fine detail right away in the video below - even though I've had to compress it somewhat to fit the formatting of this website, you'll still definitely get the idea. Unfortunately, those extra details will be the disturbing number of lines, blemishes and countless other asymmetries on my face... just think of it as a gory science experiment.

Actually, if I'm being totally honest, I don't mind the way I come across using the MX Brio - and it's mostly to do with the way the camera deals with light. Again, to quote Logitech, "AI face-based image enhancement keeps you looking sharp." As with most claims about AI, I have absolutely no idea what that's supposed to mean. What I do know is the MX Brio does a fantastic job of automatically adjusting to uneven lighting to come up with a really natural image.

Like most people who regularly post video online or attend a lot of virtual meetings, I've made it a habit to use extra lighting to ensure I don't appear as a backlit silhouette from the witness protection programme. I'm not saying the MX Brio eliminates the need for lights like these but if you're using them, you're far less likely to experience the washed-out, over-exposed effect you maybe prone to which is potentially even worse than the shadows you would have had if you'd left the lights off.

There are toggles for auto-exposure, auto white balance and auto-focus which seem to do a much better job than if I was tweaking those settings manually. That kind of fine-tuning is possible, although confusingly, the settings are accessed through a choice of three different Logitech apps.

This is my main gripe with an otherwise brilliant piece of tech; why are there three different apps that all do more or less the same thing? G Hub, Logi Options+ and LogiTune all seem to offer some fine-tuning controls - although the LogiTune app seems to present the most options in a more user-friendly way. I mean, you don't actually need any of them to get the camera working - you can just plug and play. But if you want to access firmware updates and make use of special features like Show Mode and RightSight, downloading the LogiTune app is definitely the way to go.

By the way, RightSight is Logitech's version of auto-framing - keeping the presenter in the middle of the shot utilising the MX Brio's digital crop and zoom functionality. This feature is itself tweakable - you can adjust the speed of the zoom and how tight you want to keep the shot.

While the MX Brio does a wonderful job of reducing image noise, it's designed to keep the noise you hear down as well. The dual beam-forming mic array uses AI to eliminate as many background sounds as possible, which is crucial if you're a work-from-homer like me. Unfortunately, while the mic is sensitive enough and does an acceptable job of clearly transmitting your voice to your audience, I've still found the end result a bit echoey - more like that of the built-in laptop mics we all know and loathe. If you're serious about decent sound on your online content I'd suggest adding a dedicated microphone to the mix - perhaps even something from Logitech's own Yeti range.

At NZ$359.95 the MX Brio is definitely not a cheap option but then, who wants a cheap-looking video? If you're passionate about your camera content and want to give it a more professional edge, you could do a lot worse than this.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Logitech MX Brio.

JBL Spinner BT - Bridging the Generation Gap

Vinyl isn't just back; it's dominating. All data shows physical album sales continue to break records - sorry about the dad pun - and that trend is unlikely to slow down any time soon.

Despite this, there are a lot of people out there who have absolutely no idea why you would buy a record or what you would do with it if you did. My youngest daughter is one of those people. She's 20.

Her: "So this is all people had to listen to music with?"

Me: "Yes, pretty much. Then came cassettes, then CDs, then bluetooth and streaming."

Her: "What's a cassette?"

How quickly they forget.

Let's just say, when I brought an actual record player home, she was pretty intrigued.

The JBL Spinner BT is not an earth-shattering innovation. In fact, I first reviewed a bluetooth turntable back in 2021.

In saying that, the concept has really grown on me - especially since my reliance on smart speakers for my entire home sound system has become all-encompassing. 

Thanks to Wi-Fi and bluetooth connectivity, not to mention regular advances in wireless charging, the thought of plugging something into something else to make it work seems decidedly archaic.

Especially to daughter.

Her: "You mean, you have to connect it to another thing to listen to it?"

Me: "Well, yes. But this one connects via bluetooth. No wires."

Her: "What did they used to plug into?"

Me: "An amp."

Her: "What's an amp?"

I give up.

In fact, because of smart speakers and Hi-Res streaming services, to be honest, I get how the idea of reintroducing any separate components into the mix seems a little superfluous.

However, there's one thing that can't be denied. Records are cool.

The covers, the sleeves, the tactile experience of placing them gently on the turntable, lining up the tonearm and dropping the needle - it doesn't get more retro than that.

And it's those retro feels JBL is hoping to cash in on with the Spinner BT - released late last year along with its excellent new range of vintage-looking Authentics speakers.

In fact, I've paired the turntable with the Authentics 500 - my favourite speaker of 2023 - for this review. Pairing couldn't be easier; press the Bluetooth button on the Spinner BT, press the bluetooth button on the speaker and the rest happens automatically. At that point, you can use the smart capabilities of the Authentics 500 to adjust the volume via Alexa or Google Assistant.

I say pairing couldn't be easier... but that's not quite right. The Bluetooth button on the Spinner BT is tiny and it's tucked around the back of the turntable, in the middle of the panel with the power button, pre-amp switch and RCA output terminals. That's fine, except it's at the back; not particularly accessible and too small to find easily by touch. Why isn't it a big, friendly button on the front like the two speed controls?

Perhaps JBL's design team thought that would ruin the minimalistic, retro look of the turntable, which I admittedly find very pleasing indeed. The dark colour scheme of the MDF plinth and smoky dust cover are only contrasted by the dim gold colour of the JBL logo on the front and the aluminium platter. (There's also a version with orange logo and platter, although this is currently unavailable in New Zealand)

JBL walks a fine line between entry-level user-friendliness and advanced audio features. I found the setup instructions easy to follow, although I've read some user reviews complaining they were a bit complicated. Sadly, these same users were also surprised to discover the Spinner BT needs to be connected to some kind of speaker system to be heard. Why on earth were they buying a turntable in the first place?

Anyway, the fiddliest bit of setup is probably pulling the drive belt into place, using the attached ribbon to pull it over the drive mechanism. The cartridge ships with stylus already in place, meaning the only thing you have to do is insert it into the tonearm.

Balancing the tonearm using the counterweight and anti-skate control might also seem a bit daunting at first but again, as long as you follow the instructions it shouldn't pose too much of a challenge.

The result is fantastic. Or at least, as far as I can tell it is. I don't really know what separates a $3000 turntable from a $749.95 one like this - I'm far too deaf to be an audio expert that discerning. All I know is I'm sitting here listening to the landmark Fat Freddy's Drop album, Blackbird on my JBL Tour Pro 2 TWS earbuds and I'm loving every moment.

I'm not even in the same room as the turntable and the connection is flawless. Without getting too bogged down in the various bluetooth connection protocols offered by the Spinner BT and whatever device you're connecting it to, while it's still true that precious analogue signal created by needle on vinyl is being digitally compressed and unpacked the moment you listen wirelessly, the technology has come a long way in a short time and surely it's only the true hi-fi snobs who would have a major issue with the sound quality here.

It's not all fun and games. The Fat Freddy tracks tend to run a little long which means there are only two songs on sides A, C and D of this double-disc masterpiece. So now I have to get up, go back to the other room and flip the disc. What a delightfully first-world problem.

Less delightful is the lack of an auto-return function - you can set the turntable to stop automatically at the end of each side but the tonearm doesn't return itself to its rest and there's certainly no auto-start either. That's not good enough when there are far cheaper devices on the market with those automations built in.

But the most annoying design omission by far is the lack of multi-connectivity. You can only pair with one device at a time which means fiddling around for that little, inaccessible bluetooth botton every time you want to swap from speaker to headphones. Again, I'd expect a little better for 750 bucks.

That being said, I can't help loving the way this device looks... blending in perfectly with my oh-so-retro JBL Authentics 500 speaker. The combination is the perfect mix of old-school aesthetics, smarts peaker useability and traditional JBL audio know-how.

Am I going to let my daughter use it? Are you crazy? She can have a listen though.

        

Click here for more information and pricing on the JBL Spinner BT.

Quik - Now on Mac

For years now I've been repeatedly impressed by Quik, GoPro's companion app which is not just a convenient way to keep your camera(s) up-to-date and adjust settings. More importantly, it's a brilliantly-designed, on-device video editor.

Not only can you use Quik to import video and picture files from your camera but you can access A.I.-suggested edits from GoPro's cloud storage and of course, edit your own package of action-packed highlights.

Quik may not offer all the bells and whistles some other editors do but it's remarkably efficient and I'm always amazed at how quickly it can generate new, shareable videos on-the-go.

Although when I first started using Quik on my phone, GoPro also had a desktop app of sorts, that quickly went away, leaving a gap for those of us who wanted to bring our raw action vids home and craft them into something a little more polished.

Now, some considerable time later, GoPro has reintroduced its desktop app - at least for MacOS anyway...

The Mac version of Quik is not at all what I was expecting. If, like me, you were hoping for a powerful alternative to other desktop video editors, complete with the ability to mix and match multiple shots from different cameras adding a variety of transitions along the way... that's not what this is.

Instead, the desktop version of Quik is almost a carbon copy of the mobile app. This has certain advantages but also means quite a few restrictions.

On the plus side, just like the mobile version, when you have your GoPro set to "Auto Upload," any footage you shoot is zapped up to GoPro's cloud servers as soon as you put your camera on to charge. These files are then available for import and editing in Quik as soon as they are uploaded.

Of course, it's even more efficient to plug your camera straight into your Mac. It will then instantly appear within the app, with files ready for action straight away.

However, the other advantage of uploading your footage to the cloud is you'll get an A.I.-generated highlights package sent back to you. Again, just like the Quik app on your phone, this auto-edit will be waiting for you in the "Suggestions" tab. This will include music, filters and transitions and not only is it immediately ready to share but you can also edit it yourself if you're not entirely happy with what the A.I. has come up with.

I've found these suggested highlights make a useful starting point, kind of like a catalyst for you to craft a final product from - a bit less daunting than staring at the blank slate of a whole new project.

Not that is ever really much of an issue when using Quik. From the moment you import your raw footage - and remember, that doesn't just have to be images and video you've shot with a GoPro - you can easily create a complete edit, with music and titles.

You can choose a specific length and Quik will auto-edit your shots accordingly. Another feature I really like is "Beat Sync" - this trims your clips to change in time with your music track.

As always, Quik offers a selection of different "Themes" you can force your footage to fit with - this means music, filters and transitions will all follow a certain style.

But perhaps Quik's neatest trick is the way it syncs between devices. Your GoPro subscription means wherever you log in - on phone or on Mac - your edits, files and suggestions will all be there waiting for you and you can pick up right where you left off.

That's all fantastic. And it means you can create a genuinely professional-looking (and sounding) video in minutes - not hours.

However...

That convenience comes at a cost. Control. Because this is technically a GoPro review, that means an obligatory Extreme Dog Walking video. As I just suggested, I crafted my latest instalment by waiting to see what the A.I. came up with then taking out a few shots, adding others and creating some titles. Have a look and see if you can spot the main issue.

No, my issue is not how unflattering the GoPro Chesty harness looks on me. I filmed this short vid using three different cameras. Unfortunately, using Quik, there's no easy way to intercut between each one, even in the edit. This is why even the A.I. chose to use shots from the stationary camera, followed by footage from my chest-cam and finally the unique on-dog perspective offered by the camera attached to Jerry himself.

If I'd been putting this video together using a different video editor, I'd obviously switch perspectives in real-time - not run shots from each camera sequentially. But the only way to do that in Quik is to import multiple copies of the raw media into the edit file and edit shots out of each one. There's no real splicing option here, you see?

In any other editor I've used, you'd simply cut the footage where you want and move it into place on the timeline - usually dragging it with the mouse or perhaps cutting and pasting it. That option simply doesn't exist in Quik which means it would never be my first choice for multi-camera editing.

It's all very odd because the latest GoPro HERO 12 Black gives you the option of syncing timecodes between multiple cameras when you're on location - not a tool that would be of much use in Quik.

There's also no way to strip the audio track off your clips which also limits how much intercutting you can do. Usually, you'd use the audio from your best shot under all the rest - again, it's not an option here. However, at least you can choose the original audio, music or a mix of both in each section of your video.

Don't let these limitations put you off. They're there to make life easy, so you don't get bogged down worrying about which technical editing tool you need for every shot. Quik is definitely still the easiest and most efficient way to get your GoPro footage looking slick and up online - especially if you've only been shooting with a single camera.

Why not use it like I do? As a catalyst. It might give you a taste of video editing and end up being the gateway to a more advanced movie-making hobby.

    

Click here for more information on Quik.

D-Link Aquila Pro AI - A Whole New Form of Mesh Wi-Fi

If you're still suffering from Wi-Fi dark spots at your place, it's past time you did something about it and invested in a mesh system.

While many of us now take it for granted, some people may still not understand the benefits of extending their home coverage using a single network name (or SSID) spread seamlessly over two, three or even more Wi-Fi access points positioned around the house.

Even relatively small homes can pose Wi-Fi connectivity issues, especially if those houses are multi-storey, contain a large number of electrical appliances or are constructed of a lot of concrete and steel. That's when it becomes necessary to extend your Wi-Fi coverage beyond the source router and in recent years, mesh technology has meant you can do this seamlessly, without creating a new network for every access point.

D-Link has been offering home mesh Wi-Fi solutions for about as long as anyone and now it has refined that solution to be as environmentally friendly, aesthetically-pleasing and as compact as possible.

The Aquila Pro AI AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 smart mesh system is certainly eye-catching. Available in both two and three-unit packs, each station resembles some kind of small stingray, with its extremely flat profile curving up into "wing-like" shapes on each side.

The small size of these units combined with the white and light-grey-blue colour scheme means they're quite inconspicuous in most places around the house. In fact, the unusual, curvy shape almost gives the impression of some kind of arty ornament - much more so than the square or rectangular boxes of D-Link's previous mesh networking routers.

Mysteriously, D-Link has rebranded its home-mesh systems three times in as many years. We started with COVR AX, evolved to Eagle Pro AI and now it's the turn of Aquila Pro AI instead. Those other systems are still available and if I'm completely honest, I'm still not sure of all the differences between them.

What I do know is instead of one, unifying D-Link app to set them up with, each rebrand has meant a whole new app to download and this year is no different. Unfortunately, the Aquila Pro AI app is no more efficient than its predecessors and setup seems to take a very long time as you wait for the units to power up, then reboot once you've named your network and assigned the appropriate passwords.

At least the second (and third) unit pairs automatically out of the box and what I like about these routers is unlike some other options out there, there's no master unit with more ports etc. - each router is identical and whichever one you pick up, power up and set up first becomes the primary device.

This also means you have four Gigabit ethernet ports available on each unit, wherever they are around the house. Effectively, you can now have up to twelve devices hardwired into your home network for the utmost reliability. I recommend a hardwired LAN connection for streaming devices like PCs, smart TVs, gaming consoles and set-top boxes and the Aquila Pro AI is the perfect system to accommodate these gadgets in several rooms around the house.

The unique ray-wing design isn't just aesthetic - it's built that way to accommodate the five redesigned internal antennae - including an extra one dedicated solely to the 5GHz band to increase the range where previous models have struggled a bit - especially once you hit walls, floors and ceilings. D-Link has labelled this "360° Spherical Coverage" and while I don't think this quite means you can expect good reception from an Aquila Pro AI router stashed in the basement if you're on the second floor, I certainly had no connection issues with my two-unit review set all around my large, four bedroom home.

This is because the D-Link website claims 465sqm of coverage for the Aquila Pro AI 2-pack, and a whopping 650sqm with three units.

D-Link promises up to 3Gbps of performance, although I certainly haven't managed to get anywhere near that as my internet connection is somewhat choked by my house's now-obsolete data cabling from my UFB cabinet in the garage. I'm never going to get more than 1Gbps but to be fair, that would be more than enough for most activities in my house.

However, in my testing, I never got anything like that fast and I'm really confused by the results. I think this might be something to do with the various auto-optimising features built into the Aquila Pro routers - the "AI" part of the equation if you will. Because a speed test is not a particularly taxing activity in itself, my theory is the router is only dedicating the bandwidth it needs to get the job done.

Using the Aguila Pro AI app, you can adjust the priority for each connected device manually, via the QoS settings but I actually think the routers did a better job when you just left them to their own devices.

The important thing is they work and work well.

In saying that, what's really interesting about these new devices is they still use the same Wi-Fi 6 protocol as the previous two generations - D-Link has yet to make the leap to Wi-Fi 6e or even Wi-Fi 7 - although to be fair, there are very few devices capable of Wi-Fi 7 just yet but regardless, while these routers are fast enough today, they're perhaps not very future-proofed.

What they are doing to preserve the future is being constructed from post-consumer recycled materials - for me, this alone is not a reason to choose the Aquila Pro AI system over any other but in a close contest, why wouldn't you help the environment if you can?

Perhaps a better reason for going with these ones is they just look so cool - they definitely perform as advertised and they're really very small. So if you're looking for whole-home coverage but you're a bit short on shelf-space, the powerful and reliable 360° spherical output of the Aquila Pro AI might be just the ticket.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the D-link Aquila Pro AI AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 smart mesh system.

Laptop Accessories from Twelve South and Satechi - Finessing Your WFH Experience

Working from home, or at least hybrid working, is well and truly here to stay.

That means by now you should be way past making do with a laptop perched on the kitchen counter. There's no point trying to improve your productivity by staying home if your work environment is less comfortable and no more user-friendly than the resources you have available back at the office.

A small investment in the right accessories can make all the difference.

As usual, Twelve South and Satechi are here to help.

The first step most of us will take when setting up our home office is adding an external monitor - probably a mouse and keyboard too. This is especially helpful for hybrid workers who want to keep using the same laptop wherever they go, yet prefer a larger display and the more ergonomic control offered by a separate keyboard and mouse.

Adding those peripherals is easy - however, to truly simulate a desktop experience, you'll want to tuck your laptop out of the way. That's where the BookArc Flex from Twelve South comes in.

How often have I said, the key to great design is simplicity? The BookArc Flex encapsulates this philosophy perfectly.

Available in black, white or chrome, this is a modern-looking stand with which to store your laptop vertically, so you can tuck it tidily out of the way - even behind your monitor if you wish.

The true genius of the BookArc Flex is the way it "flexes" to fit snugly against your laptop, holding it securely in place, regardless of its size. Twelve South claims it can accommodate any laptop -from those with a 16-inch screen right down to the very slimmest. Even laptops less than an inch thick will happily sit in place, held in position by rubberised pads on each side that won't damage the surface of your device in any way.

Then, when it's time to head back to the office, you can just lift your laptop out - no knobs, screws, clamps or straps required. Elegant. Simple. Brilliant.

So now you've created all this extra space by stashing your laptop away on its side, let's make your tabletop look more like a desktop, with the Twelve South DeskPad.

This is a vegan leather mat specifically sized to be wide enough to accommodate an extended keyboard with touchpad or mouse, yet shallow enough to fit in front of your monitor. This is important because the DeskPad has a soft, padded backing which makes it very comfortable to use, but potentially not so stable for standing a heavy screen on.

The leather-like material really does feel quite luxurious and it has a practical aspect too - it's a far more responsive surface to operate a mouse on than say, a glass-topped desk or a polished stone benchtop.

What's more, DeskPad comes in both black and dove grey, so there should be an option to either blend in or contrast with your existing colour scheme.

However, this newly spruced-up workspace isn't much use unless you can make the most of the latest technology when it comes time to add storage, transfer files and connect other accessories. Enter the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro.

I don't know about you but I find I never seem to have enough USB ports - especially if I'm trying to use my laptop as a WFH workstation.

By connecting the Slim Hub Pro via a single cable, not only will you keep your laptop fully charged, you'll also have instant access to a full-sized USB 3.2 Gen 2 data port - capable of transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps - and three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports which can run at a sizzling 40Gbps.

This is all wrapped up in a very stylish - and compact - little box, with friendly-looking chamfered edges.

Because the Slim Hub Pro is so small, it's a great option to carry around with your laptop - although it does come with a separate, external 21W mains power supply, which bulks things up a little.

The advantage to that is not only will you get up to 96W of Power Delivery to your host device, but this doubles as a 150WGaN charger - with each of the three Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of a 15W charge.

The latest Thunderbolt protocol means incredibly fast data transfer - ideal for backing up to external storage or importing large files from devices like phones, card readers and cameras. Importantly, it also means high-definition video output. The Slim Pro Hub will support two 4K displays or one 8K monitor - so although there's no HDMI port, you'll still be able connect a nice, big screen, no problem.

There's also a 28-inch Thunderbolt 4 cable included in the box, which should be plenty long enough to reach from wherever you've stashed your laptop.

Altogether, these three accessories are a great way to instantly make your WFH space feel more professional. The DeskPad provides a more comfortable and responsive surface. The Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro brings a host of ultra-fast ports and charging options into the frame while the BookArc Flex keeps your laptop out of the way.

At this rate, you may never go back to the office.

    

Click here for more information on the Twelve South BookArc Flex.

Click here for more information on the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub Pro.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South DeskPad.

Norton Genie - Keep One Step Ahead of Scammers

Hands up if you've never received a scam text, email or phone call?

No-one?

Not surprised.

These days scamming is such a widespread, global industry it's practically mainstream. Apart from the usual barrage of unsolicited spam emails we're all subjected to on a daily basis, you really have to be vigilant from moment to moment.

While many of the worst and most widespread scams receive plenty of publicity and we're likely to receive fair warning before receiving our own nefarious solicitation to click a link or share our details, I also get plenty of messages that are probably totally legit... but I'm too scared to follow up because there's no easy way to tell.

And there are new ones that nearly get me every time. For example, the text claiming I hadn't paid my toll the same day I used the new motorway. Or the Facebook message warning me my account was about to be suspended due to copyright infringement.

Both had links to follow in order to avoid fines or even worse; a loss of social media access!

Luckily I refrained from clicking at the last moment, blocked and deleted thoroughly.

I really hope those messages weren't the real deal.

Now Norton has a user-friendly tool to help identify what's a scam (and what's not).

While Norton Genie is accessible from any browser - just Google it or follow the link at the bottom of this article (No really, you can click it. It's totally fine) - it works even better as an app on your Android or iOS device.

Best of all, it's free.

Once you've installed the app or brought up the webpage, there are several ways to use Genie, all of them very straightforward.

If there's a link in the message, you can simply copy and paste it into the appropriate box in the app. Alternatively, you can just screenshot whatever it is you're suspicious of - even if it's a website you're already on - and paste that into the image box. Or you can just copy any odd text you've received and set Genie to work on that instead.

A push of the Scan Now button is all it takes to bring Norton's vast database of cyber-security to bear, along with some pretty whizzy AI that's learning about scams at an exponential rate.

In just a few seconds, one of three things will happen; Genie will tell you you're not being scammed, you are being scammed or it will ask for more information before it makes a call. This last response might mean Genie has detected a link in the image or text you've copied into the app and will then give you instructions on how to copy that link for a more detailed result.

I was surprised how long some of the searches took - not minutes but often quite a few seconds. However, this kind of gave me a sense of security - as though my search really was being compared with hundreds of thousands of known threats to make sure I'd end up with the most accurate and up-to-date result.

Norton claims because Genie is constantly learning, it'll only get faster and more effective as time goes on.

Only today I received an unsolicited email from an unknown sender, coincidentally containing a link to a whitepaper on AI. However, because of its rather formal language and unfamiliar, non-New Zealand address, I was responsibly skeptical and ran it through the Genie just to be safe.

Initially, Genie wasn't sure so asked my permission to conduct a "deeper" investigation, warning of possible "side effects." When I asked Genie what this meant it explained it might mean the link no longer works as expected and may need to be re-sent if it turns out to be legitimate.

I assume what this really means when you grant permission, Genie goes away and effectively opens the link in some kind of protected environment to check it for nasties. If it's a link to an encrypted document or a password protected folder, that will sometimes be a one-use-only address for security purposes. However, if what you've been sent is that important, usually you'd expect some detailed instructions from the sender - and they'd likely be someone you already know.

Whatever the potential side effects, a few seconds later Genie was of the opinion my weird email was probably okay and I could go ahead and read the report.

And just like that, my day became more productive - and a little bit safer.

    

Click here for more information on Norton Genie. For reals. Trust me.

Apple Accessories from Satechi and Twelve South - Make the Most of Your Great Gadgets

The recent launches of the iPhone 14 series, M3-powered Macs and new Apple Watches were exciting in themselves but features like the upgrade to USB-C charging on the iPhones opened the door to a whole range of accessories to enhance the performance of those devices.

So whether you're trying to use your new Apple toys at their full potential or just want to bling them up a bit, as usual, Satechi and Twelve South have come to the party.

The first item on my little accessory must-have shopping list is the 200W USB-C 6-Port GaN charger from Satechi.

I've reviewed GaN chargers before and as a result, I'm totally converted. Just to recap, gallium nitride (GaN) is a safer, more efficient alternative to silicon. This means you can now have a higher wattage charging brick with more ports and most importantly, it'll be smaller.

This latest offering from Satechi is a classic example; 200W split between as many as six different devices. If one of those devices is a MacBook (or any other laptop for that matter) it can draw up to 140W to remain fully charged while still leaving 60W to juice up other devices like phones, tablets, smartwatches and earbuds.

Obviously, this makes for a convenient, one-stop-shop charging solution when you're travelling - even with family members - everyone can plug into one charger, dramatically reducing the need for adapters and available wall sockets.

But it also means an instant cleanup for your desk - either at home or in the office. No more double plugs or multi-boards required. What's more, there's a little stand included in the box so you can use the 6-Port GaN charger on its side, taking up even less space.

Take it from me, once you go GaN, you'll never go back.

However, to make to most of all that charging power, you need the right cable. Or cables plural.

Again, Satechi is here to help with the USB-C to USB-C 100W charging cable or the USB4 C-to-C cable.

Both of these are attractive, braided cables of the absolute highest quality and are both capable of carrying up to 100W of charging grunt.

Now, you may be thinking any USB-C cable can do that but over the last year or so I've learned this is far from the case. There are many, many different kinds of cables out there and just because they fit into a USB-C socket, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll do what you want them to. In fact, in the world of tech, the phrase "You get what you pay for" has never been more appropriate than when it's applied to the bewildering selection of USB-C cables.

If you're trying to charge a MacBook or other laptop, a basic two-dollar-shop phone cable probably isn't going to do the job and it's certainly unlikely to offer much in terms of data transfer - if anything at all.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are both capable of charging at 30W - but only with the right charger and cable combination. 

Not only will the Satechi USB-C to USB-C 100W carry that high-speed charge without breaking a sweat but it's also 2 metres long. This makes it significantly more useful than the standard cable Apple includes in its iPhone boxes.

Then the USB4 C-to-C option takes things a step further.

USB4 is the latest protocol offering an unreal data transfer speed of up to 40Gbps - as opposed to the 480Mbps of a standard iPhone cable. That means high-definition video output and lightning-fast file exchange - or to be more accurate; way faster than lightning - the old Lightning cables Apple devices used to rely on anyway.

So if you're recording straight to an external storage device, performing regular backups or just moving a lot of large files around, this is definitely the cable for you.

It's also the perfect cable to connect your MacBook, laptop or tablet to an external hub or dock - high-capacity Power Delivery and plenty of bandwidth for a fast ethernet LAN connection. The only real limitation to this beast of a cable is its length - or lack of it. At only 10-inches, you'll have to be pretty close to whatever you're plugging into.

However, cool accessories aren't always about tech specs. Sometimes they're just cool.

Like the Satechi Vegan-Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand.

This is a classic example of combining two good ideas to create a single brilliant one. The Magnetic Wallet Stand comes in black, dark blue, brown or orange and works exactly the same way as any other MagSafe wallet does, holding up to three cards - two in the compartment at the back and one tucked away in the internal slot. Then it can be conveniently attached or detached from the rear of your iPhone thanks to the magic of magnets. In fact, I reckon this wallet sticks even more securely to my phone than my previous Apple-branded MagSafe wallet.

But that, as they say, is not all.

This is also a solid, fold-out stand so you can prop your phone up for selfies, video calls or even to watch your favourite streamers. It works just as well in either portrait or landscape mode and its leather-like look and feel is extremely classy.

While the Wallet Stand is a little bit bulkier than a standard MagSafe wallet, because the card slot on the back holds just two cards with the third card concealed inside, it's actually not as thick as you might think. It's certainly still quite pocketable and definitely takes up less space than carrying around a tripod or selfie stick.

My final entry on today's accessory roundup is courtesy of Twelve South.

The TimePorter is for the Apple Watch wearer who has everything... well, who has a lot of Apple Watch bands anyway.

Almost without really meaning to, I seem to have accumulated a lot of different straps for my Apple Watch over the years. Not just a selection of colours but different styles too - some designed specifically for working out while others are more of a fashion choice.

The trouble is, they used to just float around in my bedside drawer, meaning some would get used more often while others would be pretty much forgotten about.

Like so many other Twelve South accessories, the TimePorter is so simple, it's genius. An attractive, glossy white wall rack for your Watch band collection, precisely engineered so you can just push one end of your band into the slot and it's held firmly in place until you need it again. There are a couple of adhesive strips on the back allowing you to attach it to the wall in just a few moments. It also includes a convenient joiner for connecting multiple TimePorters if you have more than six bands to hang up.

Despite the Twelve South website stating you can only fit seven bands on each TimePorter, I can actually put seven in mine without any trouble. The best thing is, now all my bands are tidily on display where I can easily access them, I tend to swap them out far more regularly.

This is the great thing about all these accessories - they take my Apple products, which were already fantastic - and make them even better.

    

Click here for more information on the Satechi 200W USB-C 6-Port GaN charger.

Click here for more information on the Satechi USB-C to USB-C 100W charging cable.

Click here for more information on the Satechi USB4 C-to-C cable.

Click here for more information on the Satechi Vegan-Leather Magnetic Wallet Stand.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South TimePorter.