Music Streaming Gets Real

There are certain songs that get you every time.

Often, it's because you're instantly transported to when you first heard that song... where you were... who you were with... what you were doing.

When I was a teenager, my brother left behind his Pye stereo when he moved out. He'd put it to pretty good use over the years but it was still in perfect nick. The veneer on the wooden speaker cabinets wrinkle-free and the turntable still turned.

I was one of those nerds who claimed vinyl was superior to CDs and I insisted on buying all my music in record form.

I honestly don't think audio quality had anything to do with it. I just liked doing the opposite of everyone else.

Either way, listening to the three disc set of Led Zeppelin's Remasters from beginning to end was revelatory. This was obviously the greatest rock band in history and I was listening to it on the best stereo in the world.

In my bedroom.

That was a good day.

Decades later and the way we consume music is probably one of the things that's changed more than anything else in that time. Oh god, I just said, "We consume music." Whatever happened to listening to it? Ick.

Cassettes. Gone. Big, wooden speaker cabinets. Gone. Turntables. Gone. CD's. Gone. Turntables. Back again. Bluetooth speakers. Everywhere.

And smart speakers. So convenient. So clever. Not just your portal to pretty much all the music aver recorded but of course, now you can use them to operate everything else in your house too.

Sound-wise? Good enough for a party, right?

Oh, there's definitely still some high quality gear out there... but is there anything left to play on it?

If you're the type of person who prefers to listen to music instead of just consuming it, thankfully the new breed of streaming services has arrived.

As uncomfortable as I am about using the term Audiophile... (surely nobody would be as annoying enough to describe themselves as one) apparently it's these people Qobuz (pronounced koh-buzz) was established to serve, in France in 2007. Even before then, many music-lovers - artists and fans alike - had become concerned about how great songs were being digitally squashed in order to fit into people's phones and to be streamed online without swallowing up too much data.

Yes, it's amazing to be able to load the latest top fifty onto your smartwatch to listen to on your run - but compression comes at a cost.

Qobuz claims to be "The world's best Hi-Res music streaming and download service." How you measure that exactly is up for debate but the fact is, there aren't that many competitors out there.

The other main option in New Zealand is Tidal but I haven't tried it so can't compare it. Spotify claims it's launching its own Hi-Fi service later this year. This is something I can speak about with a lot more authority as it's the default music streaming service in the glennzb household.

First things first. Does Qobuz sound better?

Tough question, actually. Because guess what? That really depends on what you're listening to it on.

While there are apps for PC, Mac, iPhone and Android, if you listen to music on any of those devices it ain't going to sound like the Royal Albert Hall. So what's the option? Half the phones these days don't even have a headphone jack, so you'll be connecting to a bluetooth device and there you go, compressing the sound again.

Meanwhile, the soundcards in PC's and laptops are notoriously unreliable, prone to interference and loose connections even when you hardwire speakers into the headphone/audio out jacks.

Luckily, there are a couple of decent options left. You can use an external DAC (Digital-to-Analogue Converter), Sonos has just joined the Qobuz party and then there's good old Chromecast.

DAC devices usually connect via USB and come in all shapes, sizes, configurations and prices, depending on how carried away you want to get. If you're running Qobuz from your computer, any connected audio outputs will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of the app, including any Google Chromecast devices on the same Wi-Fi network. Choosing your output is as easy as checking the box next to your preferred device. Using a DAC or Chromecast takes the computer's soundcard out of the equation; the external device decodes the digital signal supplied by the Qobuz stream, ensuring no loss of quality.

The Sonos situation is more fiddly as in order to use your Sonos speakers to stream Qobuz directly, you have to add Qobuz as a streaming service within the Sonos app. I assumed once the two accounts were linked, my Sonos speakers would appear alongside my Chromecast devices in the Qobuz app, like they do with Spotify. Unfortunately, this isn't the case and instead you have to navigate your way through a kind of poor-man's version of the Quobuz menus within the Sonos app itself. Told you it was fiddly. It's a shame, because my Sonos system are easily the best speakers I have for enjoying the Hi-Fi (CD quality) and Hi-Res audio Qobuz has to offer.

And yes, there is a noticeable difference. Although many modern audio devices claim to have built-in tech to reconstitute the sound from compressed files, this is obviously limited compared to hearing Dave Gilmour's nylon strings doing their thing on the intro to "Wish You Were Here" in its unadulterated original glory. No-one cared about audio production like Pink Floyd did. There's just something cleaner, clearer and more present about this higher-resolution listening. Julia Stone has a new album out featuring a track with Matt Berninger. When he comes out of nowhere with his booming, Leonard Cohen-like gravel tones, it's as though he's snuck up behind you. And "Boilermaker" off Royal Blood's latest release is just a banger - loud, jangly but you can hear it all. If you can listen to music at this higher quality - you probably should.

Not that the Qobuz app is perfect itself. It looks great and is easily toggled into dark mode. I've been able to find pretty much all the content I've searched for and via the Discover tab, there's a good selection of regularly updated, featured new releases, Qobuz-curated playlists and even news articles and editorials.

That's great. And if you really start to dig down into some of the menus, you'll find hidden gems like the Listening With... section - playlists supplied by famous artists. Here you'll discover Bono likes to listen to both Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga. There's also a decent amount of kiwi music on show - including a whole NZ Music Month playlist currently rotating on the homepage of the app.

But the glaring omission is the lack of a "station" option - automatically creating a playlist based on a single artist or a particular song.

I've found this is a great way to find new music on Spotify - if I like a certain song, I can get Spotify to play other songs like it, some of which I may never have heard before.

Qobuz is much less proactive... it's all there, you just have to know what you're looking for. Yes, you can create your own playlists but if all you ever listen to is what you've already listened to, won't that get stale after a while? Even at CD quality or higher.

What Qobuz does let you do is buy the tracks, directly through the app, iTunes style. This means you can have the file to keep and store wherever you like, not just for playing with the Qobuz app. What's more, with a Qobuz Studio Sublime subscription, you'll get significant discounts on your purchases if you are one of those old-fashioned types who thinks actually having the music is still important.

Starting at NZ$23.33 per month for an annual subscription, Qobuz isn't crazily expensive, especially if you decide to make it your sole music streaming service. Besides, as with most things, there's a free trial period anyway so you may as well give it a shot. But if you do, be prepared to learn a new way of doing things. New doesn't have to be scary by the way. And a new way of listening might make the choice very clear. 

Click here for more information and pricing on Qobuz.

Things Look Bright for Intel

Chipageddon. It's happening. Everything from phones to gaming consoles... even cars are being delayed. But one thing I'm starting to see plenty of is Intel's latest generation of CPU's.

There's been a lot of smack-talk directed at Intel over the last couple of years with competing products gaining a lot of ground where Intel used to be the gold-standard.

But I'm writing this review on Dell's new XPS 13 2-in-1 and a lot of the reasons I love it are directly due to the 11th-gen Intel i7 core running it. Not all... but a lot...

First things first; the XPS 13 (9310) 2-in-1 is extremely pretty to look at. This is no surprise - every XPS device I've had a bash on has always been a sterling example of fine design and precision engineering and this is no exception at all - despite its transformable form factor. In fact, other than a slightly bulkier hinge mechanism, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between this device and its clamshell-style stablemate without looking at them side-by-side.

If I had  a criticism of last year's clamshell model it was a bit fiddly for my clumsy meat-fingers to actually open the lid - that's the kind of fine-detailed engineering we're talking about here - yet this year, on this device, the lid is much more easily pried apart, without losing any stability around the hinges, be it in laptop, tent or tablet mode. 

I have to admit, I'm a bit confused by anyone who wants to turn their laptop into a tablet. Yes, there's a stylus accessory you can use with the XPS 13 2-in-1 (although not included in the box) but no matter how tidily things fold together - and here they do indeed fold very flat - it still feels super weird wandering around holding something this heavy with an unused keyboard underneath.

On the other hand, tent mode makes complete sense to me. Because the stereo speaker array on the XPS 13 2-in-1 is underneath, it actually sounds better to watch your Netflix this way than with the device on your lap. If you're using it as an online TV in your bedroom or the kitchen, tent mode is a no-brainer.

I've got to mention the brightness of the display. Honestly, I've never seen anything like it. When I'm working at home, I prefer to sit on a couch in my living room. Unfortunately, my favourite couch has a window behind it which means I'm usually forced to sit on the other one so I can actually see what I'm typing. Simply not a problem with the XPS 9310.

It's a 13.4-inch touch screen - odd size - with a 16:10 aspect ratio - odd shape. You can choose between FHD+ or UHD+ WLED displays, either way you won't be disappointed although obviously the UHD+ option offers a higher pixel density. The bezels are impressively narrow - especially considering this is a 2-in-1 and also considering there's a Windows Hello infra-red camera tucked ever-so-discreetly into the skinny top frame.

Yes, this is great looking computer. And thanks to its 11th Generation Intel i7-1165G7 (Tiger Lake) processor, it has all the performance required to back up those good looks too.

Sure, we expect a boost in power year-on-year from Intel - and unfortunately that often goes pretty unnoticed due to the inevitable (and usually pretty relative) increase in demands from various apps, games and accessories. The difference here is the introduction of Intel's Iris Xe graphics card. While this is still integrated into the i7 CPU, the jump in graphics abilities on the XPS 13 2-n-1 is night and day. No, this is not a gaming PC - you still need a suped-up, dedicated card to run the really high-end titles and yet... I was able to install and play games like Dirt 5, the Falconeer and Gears 5 with no issue at all. In fact, between the i7 chip, the Iris Xe graphics functionality, the 16GB of LPDDR4x memory and the very quick 512GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage, I've found games and other apps fire up lightning fast and performance is smooth, consistent and reliable.

There seems to be some consternation floating around over how the keyboard feels on the XPS 13 2-in-1. I don't get it. I'd rather have a nice, skinny device than a little bit of extra travel on my keys. I don't particularly love the way the Delete, Backspace and blank power/fingerprint reader keys are all squished together in the top right corner but it's something you get used to eventually and after a while don't even think about. The touchpad is accurate and responsive and the textured carbon-fibre palm rests are comfy and... and... and I really don't understand what the complaining is about.

My complaint is pretty standard for a device like this; why so few ports? Just two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, a headphone/mic jack and a microSD slot. That's it. Come on - would it be so hard to include at least one full-sized USB? Or maybe we're just all supposed to have access to external USB-C hubs to plug our bits and pieces into these days. At least there's an SD slot - many similar devices don't even have one of those anymore - and at least you can use either of those Thunderbolt ports for charging.

The XPS 13 2-in-1 charges very quickly, by the way and I've found battery life exceeded my expectations - especially given how bright the display is. Lately I've come across one or two laptops that offer genuine all-day performance but not many. This machine is probably the best one yet. I open it. I use it. I pause. I do other stuff. I come back to it. I get everything done without having to worry about charging. That's how it should be... but it never really has been up until now.

That 11th-gen Intel chip helps reduce power consumption of course and there's some kind of new-fangled, dual-fan, vapour chamber cooling system that not only works well, it's very quiet too.

Look, most people agree Dell's XPS laptops have been great for ages. What makes this year's crop a cut above is what you can't see; the new gear from Intel. More processing power and much, much improved graphics capabilities ensure this smart looking 2-in-1 is worth every penny.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Dell XPS 13 (9310) 2-in-1.

Huawei Keeps Getting These Things Right

I'm constantly surprised and impressed by the gadgets Huawei produces.

Admittedly, we're not seeing a lot of Huawei smartphone action here in New Zealand which is a great shame because they've always been some of the best phones available... when they were available.

Meanwhile, there's been a steady stream of other cool stuff; watches, laptops, speakers, headphones and now a couple more accessories that might be just what you've been looking for...

Today I've got something for your wrist and something to stick in your earholes. The Huawei Band 6 and the Huawei FreeBuds 4i.

If you're a regular reader of these reviews, you'll know I've been consistently blown away by the recent line of Huawei smartwatches. Although they're limited in terms of third-party app options (ie; there aren't any) the functionality, build quality and battery life are all absolutely outstanding.

So what does that have to do with the Band 6 - isn't this just another cheap fitness band?

Yes, it's fairly cheap - just $129. But I think I can make a pretty convincing argument this is a fully fledged smartwatch, much more than just a fitness tracker.

Make no mistake, it does a great job of the fitness tracking. Like all Huawei wearables, you set it up using the Huawei Health app. If, like me, you already have an account, you simply login and you'll have access to all your previously stored workouts and other health info. Setting up any Huawei watch is very quick and easy, although I've been prompted to update the Band 6's firmware several times since I've been using it and these updates do take a while.

There's not much in the way of exercise the Band 6 won't track - from fencing to frisbee - belly dancing to laser tag - you can add it to your list of workouts. Maybe it's time I gave sepak takraw a go? (That's kick-volleyball in case you didn't know) You can set goals and customise distance, heart-rate and workout-stress reminders. Oh yes, for sure this is definitely a full-featured fitness device.

Everything is shown clearly on the 1.47-inch AMOLED FullView display - it doesn't sound big but I found it easy to control and navigate around, even when wet. Unfortunately, I did manage to scratch the screen on something (probably with an extravagant hand gesture of some sort) and while it's not super obvious, it's a shame the glass isn't quite as tough as that on some of Huawei's higher-end watches.

What's also a shame is I couldn't get GPS tracking to work. When you start a workout you get the option to wait for the Band 6 to pair with your phone's GPS or just kick on. Maybe I'm too impatient but I'm only prepared to stand on my front doorstep in my running gear for a minute or so before feeling self-conscious. I've been on a lot of runs and walks and haven't managed to save the route for any of them yet.

This doesn't worry me hugely as the distance tracking seems to stack up with what I've measured with other devices and besides, I know where I went. I was there.

I've talked about the Huawei Health app at length in the past - in a nutshell, it's fantastic. Lots of info, clearly displayed. Not only does the Band 6 measure your heart rate but it does stress and blood oxygen (SpO2) as well - that's all-day tracking by the way, not just on demand.

As usual, sleep tracking is excellent - enhanced by the Band 6's fabulous battery life. I've always thought there's not much point in a sleep tracker you have to take off to charge every night. I've been wearing the Band 6 for eight days non-stop and the battery is still showing 19% - that's fantastic. It charges quickly via a proprietary magnetic dongle.

But there are two reasons I think this device blurs the lines between tracker and watch. It looks great and it really is pretty smart. 

It comes in Graphite Black, Sakura Pink and Forest Green with a metallic-looking, fiberglass-reinforced polymer body - the whole band only weights 18 grams. There's a selection of faces that's growing all the time to suit your tastes.

And just like Huawei's larger watches, you can receive notifications from any app on your phone. I found this to be completely reliable and never missed a call, message or notification from my security system. No, you can't actually make or take calls on the Band 6 itself but I have been perfectly content to use it as my primary smartwatch over the last week or so.

The one feature I do miss is an ambient light sensor - it's a real pain having to manually increase the brightness before you go outside for your run but it's essential because you can't see anything in the sun otherwise. In saying that - at just $129 it's something you can probably get used to.

The FreeBuds 4i also push the boundaries when it comes to value-for-money. These days we're expected to hand over in excess of three-hundred dollars for a premium pair of true-wireless earbuds, while the FreeBuds 4i clock in at just $159. Best of all, you can get them in Honey Red, not just Ceramic White and Carbon Crystal Black.

At this price point, it's hard to believe you get Active Noise Cancelling - and while it doesn't block out the whole world, it's certainly effective. You can turn ANC on or off - or allow background noise through in Awareness Mode - either by using the touch controls or via Huawei's AI app. In fact, you can even customise the controls to a degree - choosing to Play/Pause, Next/Previous or Wake Assistant with a double tap. Sadly, no on-board volume controls but because you're limited to a double-tap or a long press to toggle ANC, there's not much that can go wrong... and it doesn't.

Sound quality is bright and clear, with good definition across all frequencies, although perhaps a little light on bass - something you can probably boost a bit if there's an EQ setting on the device you're playing from.

Battery life is first-rate - up to ten hours with another twelve in the case and what a case - shaped like a smooth pebble it's one of the most compact charging cases I've used to date. The downside of that is it's quite fiddly getting the buds in and out of it - still, at least your unlikely to knock them out accidentally.

For me, the greatest feature of all is the fit - the FreeBuds 4i are part of a very exclusive club of buds that just never move once they're inserted. What's more, they're light and very comfortable. The mic quality sounds great on phone calls too.

Both these devices are compatible with any brand of phone - you don't need a Huawei to work them. In fact, they're so easy to use, you don't want to stop using them. And they both have far too many features for the price.

Click here for more information on the Huawei Band 6 available from The Warehouse, PB Tech, JB Hi-Fi and Noel Leeming.

Who Knew?

Be honest. Did you have any idea Fujitsu makes laptops? Nope. Me either. And I review laptops.

So given I didn't know they made any, it was a real shock to discover there's a whole range of Fujitsu laptops... and desktops... and convertibles.

What's more, the newest of these is one the most remarkable devices I've come across...

The Fujitsu Tablet LIFEBOOK U9311X is red. So that's a fantastic reason to buy it straight away. I don't know why all laptops aren't red but hardly any of them are. The LIFEBOOK U9311X is red, so you should get one. It's a particularly cool red too, rich, deep and metallic. It's a very matte, kind of powder-coated finish which feels amazing and resists fingerprints quite well, although I've noticed I have managed to leave a few greasy smudges since I've been using it. Maybe it's the excitement.

The form factor was my next big surprise. While there is a LIFEBOOK U9311, which is a more conventional clamshell design, the U9311X has a 13.3-inch touchscreen which folds right around flat to use as a tablet or you can bend it over backwards to use in tent mode. It weighs in at just a smidge over one kilo - pretty amazing for a device like this. Most of the housing is lightweight magnesium but there's nothing flimsy or floppy about it at all. In fact, the hinge mechanism is very firm and there are even a few nice little touches like small, rubberised bumpers on the palmward corners which also help the device stay in place when in tent mode.

But the thing that really blew me away with the LIFEBOOK U9311X is all the bits and pieces. I've become so used to laptops and tablets with virtually no physical connection options at all, I was frankly taken aback when I pulled this one out of the box. Not only are there two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, there are two USB-A's as well. Not to mention an SD card reader, an HDMI port and even a slot for smart cards! (This is for two-factor login security - not buying groceries online)

But wait! There's more!

It seems like everywhere you look, there's another slot - including a pullout ethernet connecter. Yes, although the LIFEBOOK U9311X isn't actually thick enough to support a full-sized LAN port, you just slide it out and unfold it when you need it. I'm not sure how durable it is but I haven't broken it yet.

Oh, did I mention the palm reader?

That's right. This computer literally reads palms - not to tell your fortune but as a secure login alternative to the Windows Hello camera, which it also has of course. I found the palm option to be a little fiddly and not as consistent as the face-unlock - which probably means it's more secure. Oddly, I had to download the software to set it up from the Fujitsu website too - it wasn't pre-installed. In fact, there was little to no bloatware to be found on this device at all. Just a few useful utilities like Intel's Graphics Command Center which lets you tweak your visual settings to make the most of the integrated Iris Xe graphics abilities and a very basic app from Dirac, the sound experts responsible for tuning the on-board speaker array. Dirac Audio offers a couple of preset EQ's or you can customise your own. The sound from the side facing stereo speakers is generally clear and bright, with a reasonable amount of space, although not particularly bassy or powerful. Fine for a touch of bedroom Netflix though.

Which brings us to the 13.3-inch, full HD, IPS, anti-glare display. Anti-glare is right - and it gets nice and bright too which also helps combat any reflection. In saying that, I found colours on the display's default setting perhaps a little flat, which actually makes things seem a bit more realistic when watching video. Because the screen's surface is not particularly shiny, it feels strangely grippy to touch - even more so when drawing with the popout stylus. Oh, did I forget to mention that too? Yes, there's a stylus included and even a little dedicated Windows Ink button above the function keys so you can get straight into your sticky notes or whatever else you want to draw. As I say though, drawing takes a bit of getting used to as the sensation is feels more like scratching on glass than using a pen and paper.

All of these myriad functions happen instantly, on demand. The LIFEBOOK U9311X I'm using is powered by Intel's very latest 11th generation i7 processor and is jam-packed with 32GB of RAM. When it comes to productivity, there'll be no stopping it - especially given its impressive battery life. Now, I know trying to assess the battery life of any computer is a fool's errand as it varies so wildly depending on what you're using it for but I can assure you, this is much more of an all-day option than just a few hours then plug in. And even when you do need to charge, it's great to have the USB-C option as well and the included charging brick (which is actually relatively compact as power bricks go).

Yes, between its light weight, versatile form factor, plethora of ports and impressive battery life, the LIFEBOOK U9311X if portability personified... and yet, if you're using it to work from home, I found something else in the box; the USB Type-C Port Replicator, a self powered hub offering even more connectivity - VGA, DisplayPort, another HDMI port and yes, still more USB slots - not to mention pass-through power to the LIFEBOOK itself of course.

So many options, so many surprises. I feel like I discover another feature every day I use it.

Click here for more information on the Fujitsu Tablet LIFEBOOK U9311X.

All the Bells and Whistles... and Chimes

In Ring's usual style, to look at, there's nothing all that new about the Video Doorbell Pro 2. To be honest, even the name is confusing - the Ring team has really painted itself into a corner with their naming strategy. For example, the difference between the Video Doorbell and the Video Doorbell Wired is pretty clear. So how is the Video Doorbell (2020 Release) different from the Video Doorbell Elite? And why is there a Video Doorbell 3 Plus and a Video Doorbell 4.

Seriously, Ring. You do amazing doorbells but your names aren't helping.

Anyway, there's a new wired option and yes, it's called the Video Doorbell Pro 2. No matter how confusing its name is, it's undoubtedly the most full-featured Ring device I've tested to date.

For early adopters of a Ring doorbell or security camera, you may have been left a little flat by the one-size-fits-all approach to monitoring. Early on, your options for monitoring specific spaces within the camera's line of sight were pretty much limited to everything within the camera's line of sight.

A lot of the advances Ring has made in recent new generations have been around the ability to customise exactly where and what your monitoring. These days, your Video Doorbell can tell the difference between a person and a car and you can easily instruct your device exactly which areas need monitoring (eg: the path up to your front door) and which areas you'd prefer to ignore (eg: everybody walking past on the footpath).

With the Video Doorbell Pro 2, Ring has enhanced these capabilities even further - literally, now detecting movement up to thirty feet away (more than nine metres). The aspect ratio has changed too, letting in more picture top and bottom. Ring calls this Head-to-Toe detection and it makes positioning your doorbell easier in order to keep an eye on packages left on the ground or perhaps higher windows.

But the most unique feature of all is the all new Bird's Eye View. I honestly thought this was too crazy too believe but it actually works. Ring now offers an aerial view of your visitors (or intruders) in a small cutout screen when you play back your recordings. This view traces the movements of the person with a set of disappearing dots so you can see exactly where they went. This is made possible with the combination of Ring's 3D radar-sensing technology and actual satellite imagery of your property. You have to take a few moments to calibrate this feature if you want to use it but it's not difficult and it's pretty clever when you do.

In fact, setting up the Video Doorbell Pro 2 is straight-forward all round - as I've found it is for all Ring devices. As usual, there's a useful amount of hardware included in the box, including the option of a convenient plug-in power supply which will come in handy if you don't already have a wired doorbell you're replacing. This includes several metres of white power cable (and ten screw-in cable tidies to keep things neat). I actually installed my Video Doorbell Pro 2 on my front gate so I could have done with another metre or two but I made it work. Especially given there's also a corner mount in the box which was perfect for my situation; the gate is at the end of a curved path, so if the doorbell was mounted flat, the path wouldn't be in the middle of the shot.

Oddly, Ring has modified its screwdriver tool. It used to have a removeable double head, standard Phillips on one end and Ring's more unique Torx on the other. Now you just get a fixed Torx screwdriver and you have to find your own Phillips for most of the installation; attaching power wires to the terminals, mounting to your wall or door. The tiny Torx screw is just a security measure to keep the cover in place. Maybe the single-use screwdriver is cheaper for Ring to produce but it seems strange to provide only half the tools required.

That being said, adding a device to the comprehensive Ring app takes mere moments from which point you can link the Video Doorbell Pro 2 to any other Ring devices you may own, like the Ring Chime, a plug-in device that absolutely guarantees you'll hear the doorbell anywhere in the house. The Ring Chime features a selection of different tones and you can adjust the volume too. I can assure you it gets very loud if you want it to - I can usually hear it from the back of my section, which is great.

Don't forget, Ring devices are Alexa-compatible too, so you can set notifications to be announced on any Amazon Echo speakers you have set up and view your visitors on any Echo Show.

It's quite the view too - now in  crystal clear 1536p HD with colour night-view as well - including the pre-roll footage. This is an upgrade from when Pre-Roll was initially introduced and was lower quality black and white.

Unfortunately, my only bugbear with the Video Doorbell Pro 2 is the same as it is with any Ring device - most of the features are only available by subscribing to a Ring Protect Plan. This is because Ring stores your video footage, you can't do that locally. So anything that involves a saved recording - Pre-Roll, Bird's Eye View etc. - you have to pay Ring for the privilege. In fact, because this doorbell has more features than ever, that's more you're missing out on if you don't wish to cough up a monthly fee. Sure you can still use this device for live footage and as just... well... a video doorbell... but you may as well opt for one of the more basic models if that's all you want it for.

Make no mistake, I'm blown away by how feature packed the Video Doorbell Pro 2 is - I just think if you're already paying over $400 for the device in the first place, I'd at least like the option of storing the video on my own local or cloud-based server. However, Ring certainly isn't the only brand using this business model and of course, subscription services are everywhere so I'm probably just being a stick-in-the-mud.

Meanwhile, I can assure you, the Video Doorbell Pro 2 delivers on what it promises - notifications are prompt, accurate and reliable and video quality is great, even at night and in poor weather. Once again, Ring has set a new benchmark.

Click here for more information on the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2.

Simple Ideas, Expertly Executed

If there's one thing I appreciate, it's good design.

But what does that mean? Is it the way something looks? Or how it works? Which is more important? Maybe durability is also a factor?

I suppose it's a combination of all those things but at the end of the day, if there's a problem and somebody makes something that solves it, that's probably the kind of design I'm into most of all.

Twelve South seems to be a place where you'll find nothing but good design... even some solutions for problems I didn't know I had...

One problem I was definitely aware of was the port problem. It seems like the more devices I review, especially laptops and tablets, the less holes they come with for sticking things into. And that's before you get to the Apple range of products which have never been super into connecting to other things via plugs and cables.

Well, Twelve South has that issue sorted with the StayGo USB-C hub.

It doesn't matter if it's a MacBook, iPad Pro or any other laptop or tablet... even a phone for that matter... when it comes to inserting a thumb drive or SD card, connecting to a monitor or even the internet via an ethernet cable, most manufacturers are making this more difficult with every new generation of device.

Sure, there are plenty of external USB hubs around but in Twelve South's usual style, there are a few little tweaks here that make this one stand out above the pack. Mostly, it's about build quality - not only does the StayGo hub feel solid - it's hefty without being oversized - but every port is snug and secure. Everything you insert, be it a USB plug, SD card or ethernet cable, slides firmly into place, with a satisfying click where appropriate. Given the very nature of devices like these, designed to be portable and to be used in non-desk-based locations, a secure connection is paramount. Ironically, this isn't always the case with other hubs which can feel cheap and nasty by comparison.

There are three USB 3.0 ports, two UBC's, which can be used to provide up to 85W pass-through power to your device, separate SD and microSD slots, a gigabit ethernet socket and a 4K HDMI port. This is everything I could ask for and more. Yes, I know other hubs might offer VGA and displayport options but I certainly no longer need those as I've found any external displays I use these days all have HDMI anyway.

The one option I would like to see on a hub like this is separate audio in and outs, something you never find on any laptop anymore. As someone who edits audio every day, the composite headphone mini-jack that is standard issue these days just doesn't cut it and I generally have to use an external soundcard instead. At least, with the StayGo I've got plenty of USB ports to plug that soundcard into.

Not only does the StayGo hub come with a generous metre-long USB-C to USB-C cable, so you can tuck all your accessories and peripherals well out of sight but there's a shorter cable slotted into the device itself for compact and convenient travel purposes. Both cables are high quality, thick and sturdy and the longer one has a right-angled plug on one end, another piece of detailed design to help you keep things tidied away. The four rubber feet on the base keep the StayGo staying, (not going) on your desk and in short, I can't think of too many ways this accessory could work any better.

At roughly $130RRP, it's definitely a cut above the host of entry-level products out there but it's worth every penny to give you MacBook, iPad Pro or laptop the full functionality it deserves.

Then Twelve South offers an even more simple enhancement for those same devices; the ParcSlope.

If you're not sure why you need a stand for your laptop or tablet, just try it.

The case for iPad and tablet use is pretty obvious - it's so much easier to operate or draw on a touch screen that's angled towards you rather than lying flat on the table, pointed up at the ceiling. That's just logic.

When it comes to elevating your MacBook, there are even more reasons. For starters, it's generally accepted an angled keyboard is more ergonomically beneficial than a flat one, meaning your wrists won't tire so quickly. A device lifted up from the surface of a desk or table is better ventilated so runs much cooler but the most significant benefit for me personally is being able to raise the height of the display.

While the ParcSlope was designed with Apple products in mind, it works just as well for the laptop I use at work... in a radio studio... amongst a bunch of other PC's and monitors everywhere. The monitors are all on stands, closer to my eye level but before I started using the ParcSlope, I had to look down every time I needed to use my laptop. Not anymore. It sounds like a small thing but on a live radio show, split-second timing makes a big difference, so being able to flick my view more easily between screens is actually a bit of a lifesaver.

Again, as I've now come to expect from Twelve South, the build quality and attention to detail is spot-on with the ParcSlope. Constructed from sturdy aluminium, it's light yet rock-soild, maintaining its optimum 18-degree angle at all times. The rubber rests keep your device firmly in place - even for a manic typer like myself - and the rubber feet guarantee the stand won't slide a millimetre. In fact, this strength is also the ParcSlope's only weakness; once you've put your laptop or tablet in place, it's actually quite hard to adjust the position of the stand on your desk without lifting everything right up together - sliding simply isn't an option.

There's a square gap at the back of the stand Twelve South has labelled "cable management." That's a bit of a stretch but yes, if you feed the wires from any connected accessories through there, it probably will help keep things a bit tidy.

Like I say, this is minimalist design but that doesn't mean it isn't useful - especially if you're doing a lot of stylus work on your tablet, long periods of sustained typing, you have a multi-monitor work environment like I do, or you simply want a better camera angle for your next Zoom call.

Just two more brilliantly simple devices from Twelve South I now can't live without.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South StayGo USB-C hub.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South ParcSlope.

Headset History Repeats... Without the Cord

For around five years now, the HyperX Cloud II has been one of the go-to gaming headsets. Super comfy, pretty stylish, awesome sound, great build quality. Perhaps most importantly, not too pricey.

It's a hotly contested market right now, with more choices than ever offering more features than ever.

Although there was a time when serious gamers might have been a bit leery of wireless accessories, due to the lag time involved, the technology has improved and so has battery life.

That meant it was definitely time for HyperX to cut the cable.

Now don't get too excited. The new HyperX Cloud II is called the HyperX Cloud II Wireless. No surprises with the name and no real surprises with the result either. This is not a criticism. If the original was a fabulous headset everybody loved, let's not cock it up by tacking on a whole lot of stuff no-one asked for. It seems HyperX has resisted that temptation.

Like its predecessor was, the Cloud II Wireless is perhaps one of the smartest looking headsets available today. Red is my favourite colour, so I was always going to be drawn to the brushed aluminium yolks, the HyperX logo on each earcup and the contrasting stitching on the headband which lends the whole design a certain organic, hand-made feel that really appeals. The over-ear cups are only as big as they need to be and the whole device actually looks quite compact when you're wearing it.

In a world of plastic, the metal yolks and springy headband feel super-durable - not even a hint of a stress click when taking on and off or adjusting for size. I'd bet this headset will last longer than my head will. The leatherette and memory-foam ear-cushions are like luxury pillows; a pleasure to wear although I did find they're not quite as breathable as some other headsets I've worn and things do get a little hot and sweaty after prolonged use. Other than that, the balance is perfect - the Cloud II Wireless doesn't feel heavy at all and the headband holds things together snugly without being tight.

I also really appreciated the simplicity of the onboard controls - just three; a volume dial on the right can with the power and mic buttons on the left. All three are exactly where you expect them to be and the power button is concave while the mic button is rounded, making them instantly recognisable, even in the heat of battle.

Setup really is also as easy as it possibly could be; plug in the 2.4Ghz USB dongle (the surprisingly large USB dongle), power up the Cloud II Wireless and they'll pair right away, no waiting. You don't even need to download the companion HyperX NGENUITY desktop app, as all this really offers is an on-screen display of the controls you can access on the headset itself and the ability to save favourite combinations of settings if you want to run things differently for different games or programs. Obviously, the app isn't an option if you're using the headset with a Playstation or Nintendo Switch.

Given you can even toggle between stereo and 7.1 surround sound with a quick press of the power button, there's really not much of a reason to use the NGENUITY app anyway, although it will give you an accurate display of your remaining battery percentage - something you can only estimate by what the small LED is showing on the back of the left cup otherwise. Solid green means fully charged, flashing medium, red - time to plug in. You can still use the Cloud II Wireless while charging but the USB-C cable provided is far too short to reach to your head - perhaps the only design fluff to be found here.

Battery life is insane - the website suggests up to thirty hours on a single charge, although obviously this will vary depending on volume etc but still... if you're gaming thirty hours non-stop, get a life.

The sound quality is also very impressive - particularly in 7.1 surround mode. There's a great feeling of depth and space, with good dynamic range - plenty of volume too. Right now I've got a track by Big Data called, "Dangerous" thumping its catchy bass riff directly into my brain. I've only got the volume at 50% and that's plenty. And I'm old and deaf.

If I'm going to be super critical, I'd describe the overall tone as coming across a little flat and sterile - this is more noticeable when listening to music than when gaming or watching video - then the soundscape just seems spacious and realistic, which is exactly what you want. But then, this isn't a headset for music-lovers, right?

That's why there's a detachable mic of course, complete with subtle "on-air" red LED ring, to let you know when you are or aren't muted. I've found the mic quality to be well above average - not quite podcast quality but you'll definitely be miles ahead of your work colleagues at the next online staff meeting if they're only using earbuds or the built-in mics on their laptops.

What I'm getting at here is the Cloud II Wireless is exactly what fans of the previous wired version will be looking for; nothing too fancy or over-the-top, just a solid build, with excellent sound and standout battery life. Oh... and don't forget the cool red highlights too. Yep, the Wireless is a winner.

Click here for more information on the HyperX Cloud II Wireless gaming headset.