Sony WH-1000XM6 - Reigning Champion of ANC Is Back

For about three years now, Sony has set the standard for Active Noise Cancellation with the iconic WH-1000XM5 headset.

And that was after doing the same thing with the XM4.

Somewhere along the way Sony stumbled across a magical chip - known as the QN1 - that was able to sample the sounds of the outside world and reduce them to virtually nothing by the time they made it through the headphones and into your ears. With a couple of very high-end exceptions, most people agreed Sony was now the king of ANC.

If you're not convinced, take a quick look around the airport lounge next time you're on a business trip. I can pretty much guarantee the majority of regular travellers waiting for their flight will be wearing Sony.

The question then becomes, if you're nailing it, why try to upgrade it?

Luckily for us, Sony has not been resting on its laurels.

The WH-1000XM6 takes everything the XM5 did so well and gives you much more - or much less, if you're talking about noise.

The QN3 is Sony's latest HD noise cancelling processor and it uses an unbelievable twelve microphones to stop the outside world in its tracks, supposedly seven times faster than the previous generation. The result is close to perfect. From the outset, I can confidently claim these are the most effective noise cancelling headphones I've worn to date.

As such, it's well worth your time digging into the various settings and customisations on offer through Sony's Sound Connect app. There are plenty.

Let's start with the controls. The power/pairing button on the left earcup is now recessed, round and concave, making it much easier to find by touch. There's also an NC/AMB button just above it to toggle through Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound or ANC Off - or any combination of these three you choose. The XM6 can sense where you are and what you're doing and adjust the ANC automatically if you want it to.

The right earcup still works as a touch control pad for volume and playback and you can still cover it with your hand to instantly mute the music to hear what someone is saying, although the Speak to Chat function has been moved off the headset and onto the app only. This is great news for me because I always used to accidentally activate Speak to Chat while using my otherwise trusty XM5 headset to monitor the country's biggest radio show. That meant my headphone feed would cut out as soon as I started talking, on air. Not ideal. Now that simply isn't a problem. Thanks for listening, Sony.

There's a host of other controls you can activate or switch off from the Sound Connect app - like answering or rejecting calls by nodding or shaking your head.

You can also set your streaming services like Amazon Music or Spotify to start playing automatically when you connect the WH-1000XM6 to your phone or you can do this with double or triple taps on the NC/AMB button.

When paired with compatible devices, the XM6 can connect using the latest Bluetooth LE codec - this means better range and extremely low latency.

Which brings me to my favourite setting; Listening Mode. The three choices here are Standard, Background Music or Cinema. Background Music makes what you're listening to sound further away, as though heard from external speakers, either like a cafe, your living room, or your bedroom - the choice is yours.

The Cinema mode is where things get really crazy. Sony can now "upscale" your listening experience in much the same way 4K and 8K TVs can improve the quality of a lower resolution SD or HD video. They've called this 360 Reality Audio Upmix and it converts a standard, stereo input to spatial surround sound, ideal for gaming or Episode 8 of the latest season of the Handmaid's Tale I watched yesterday.

The tension created by the soundtrack was truly immersive and as June and her fellow Handmaids crept around in the dark, I could have heard a pin drop... Or a knife, as it turns out. Spoilers.

But make sure you go back to Standard if you're just listening to plain old music, because on these headphones, there'll be nothing plain about it.

"Some Kind of Love" by the Killers would have to be one of their more laid-back, atmospheric tracks. As such, the WH-1000XM6 creates a massive stage to set it on, almost as though the song continues on to the horizon in every direction.

By stark contrast, Ed Sheeran's "This" is so intimate and close; with just him and his acoustic guitar. Somehow, the WH-1000XM6 recognises this and tightens up the space accordingly. The effect is as though you're all alone with Ed in a small room.

"Last Hello" by Melissa Etheridge starts in a similar, small, close-up fashion, then builds and builds in the most ominous way, before a sudden rug-pull that leaves you with just her voice and nothing else. This is the perfect track to demonstrate how capably the WH-1000XM6 instantly switches its soundstage from wee and cosy out to bold and expansive.

There's been no real change in battery life, although at around 30 hours with ANC on, you'll make it through even the longest long-haul flight.

Which brings me, finally, to another dramatic upgrade; the case. Like the XM5, this year's headset folds flat but it also hinges just above the earcups which means it can curl up tighter than ever, to fit into a more compact and lighter hard-shell case, constructed from recycled materials. More compact and lighter? Exactly what any traveller or commuter wants to hear. The best thing about the new case is there's no zip - the magnetic clasp just flips securely in place when you close it.

The WH-1000XM6 still comes in Black, Midnight Blue and Platinum Silver. Platinum Silver still isn't silver, by the way. It's more of a beige, flesh-tone colour. Seems popular, whatever it is.

The soft, squidgy ear cushions and headband are more comfy than ever and at just 255grams, you can wear these headphones all day with no problem. And I do. In fact, they're so good, I'm reluctant to take them off.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless noise cancelling headphones.

Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 - Premium Speaker with Almost No Features

Harman Kardon is one of those brands with "stop and stare" credentials.

By that I mean pretty much every H/K device I've come across has made me do a double-take - and that's before I've even turned it on.

These things are works of art. They may not be to your personal taste but at least they make an aesthetic statement.

Then you DO turn it on and wow... Every time. Just wow.

So, looks astounding. Sounds incredible. What more do you need?

Well... nothing - if the latest Harman Kardon is anything to go by.

The Go + Play 3 is a further refinement of an excellent speaker that first launched way back in 2009. Originally, it was designed as an iPod dock, had its own remote control which was stored in a pop-out compartment and was powered by, wait for it, eight D-size batteries.

Oh, if you don't know what an iPod was, ask your parents.

Now, sixteen years on, certain features have been upgraded quite dramatically. Others, not so much.

The general shape of the Go + Play 3 still resembles a bowling bag, with its tapered, oval shape and distinctive brushed aluminium handle. It looks sleek and streamlined but even without eight D-size batteries in it, it's still quite heavy, weighing in at almost 5kg.

As you would expect, the Go + Play 3 is now powered by a 25.92Wh rechargeable cell that will provide around 8 hours playback on a full charge. Otherwise you can leave it plugged into the mains via the standard figure-8 power cable included in the box.

That cable plugs into a panel around the back where you'll also find a USB-C slot for charging connected devices and an AUX input if you've prefer a hard-wired connection over a bluetooth one.

Pairing via bluetooth is incredibly straightforward... and this is where things start feeling decidedly retro. No app is required to set up the Go + Play 3 - in fact, there isn't a companion app at all. A simple press of the bluetooth button on the tempered glass control panel puts the speaker into pairing mode, then you just select it from the list of available devices in your bluetooth settings menu.

No app means no firmware updates, no EQ options (either preset or customised) and no ability to add the Go + Play 3 to a group of speakers.

You can connect with another Go + Play 3 to create a stereo pair by double-pressing the bluetooth button, but there's no way to connect with any other kind of speaker. This seems weird to me when Harman Kardon's sister brand, JBL, seems to be including an Auracast button on every new device these days, allowing wireless connectivity between all shapes and sizes of speaker.

This app-less configuration seems to fly in the face of pretty much every other device out there by contemporary standards and obviously, with no Wi-Fi connectivity you can't use the Go + Play 3 with smart home assistants like Alexa, Gemini or Siri.

Although...

If you can control your source device with a virtual assistant, there's a workaround. Likewise, you can probably tweak the EQ in your phone, tablet or computer - although pre-mixing audio before it gets to the speaker is an unusual way of going about it.

Not that I've felt the need to do that. I've found the way Harman Kardon's audio boffins have tuned the Go + Play 3 is perfect as it is.

You get a 160W of pristine power from two mid-range transducers, a couple of tweeters, a passive front-facing radiator and a mighty, downward-firing, 5-inch subwoofer.

"Never There" by Cake is potentially a challenging song for a portable speaker that packs the bass punch the Go + Play 3 does. The stop-and-start nature of the bass line is matched on the drums and I could imagine it being left somewhat exposed to distortion and rattle on an inferior speaker. However, the Go + Play 3 is a superior product and as such, when the bass and kick drum stop, so does everything, giving extra punch to Cake's quirky track.

Air's trippy instrumental, "La femme d'argent" sounds so organic through this speaker. In the foreground, the jazzy keyboard riffs bubble over the steady bongo/bass backing like a meandering mountain stream. Meanwhile, more ethereal string and synth sounds fill out the background and the Go + Play creates a space for every sonic ingredient, positioning them perfectly.

H/K says by using its dual built-in far-field mic array, the Go + Play 3 senses its surroundings and automatically adjusts to create the most room-filling mix possible. This claim seems to hold up. I tested the speaker in different rooms, different spots in those rooms and I placed it on different surfaces. Whether it sat on a table, a shelf, even carpeted or hardwood floors, the result was essentially the same; fabulous, crystal clear sound over a wide range of frequencies with booming-yet-accurate bass response.

And so you see, although this speaker has very few high-tech addons, I'm not really missing any of them. I haven't felt the need to meddle with any EQ settings, which is lucky, as there aren't any. Sure, it would be nice to be able to summon Alexa or Siri with a spoken command but let's be frank, even now those virtual assistants don't always get the message, which can be a frustration in itself.

There IS a phone button on the control panel which means you can take handsfree calls through the Go + Play 3 and your connected phone, which is potentially useful if your phone is what you were already streaming from.

The one thing I'd like to be able to do and can't is pairing with other speakers. I don't have another NZ$400 for a second Go + Play 3 but I do have several other devices that could provide decent multi-room coverage if only there was Auracast or similar interconnectivity on offer.

That's my only major gripe though, because this yet another fantastic-sounding Harman Kardon speaker. And personally, I think it looks pretty funky too.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ - Keeping the Fans Happy. Again

When it comes to Android tablets, Samsung rules the roost - and has done for a while now.

By combining powerful, late model chips with Samsung's renowned display panel technology and the streamlined One UI operating system, the flagship Galaxy Tabs are hard to beat.

All that high-end tech comes at a price, of course.

So - just as Samsung has recognised with it's Fan Edition handsets, there's probably a market for an FE tablet too...

The key to a successful FE device is finding the balance between including enough of the latest features to meet your requirements while compromising on certain nice-to-haves in order to keep the price down.

And just as it has done with its FE handsets, Samsung seems to have nailed it again with the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+.

I've been fortunate enough to trial both devices simultaneously and the first thing I can report is there's no real difference between them, other than screen size.

The base model has a 10.9-inch display while the plus version scales things up to a hefty 13.1-inches. Other than that, the only disparity is battery size, although I'm not sure you get much of a bump in time between charges as a bigger screen takes more power to run, obviously.

In saying that, I was impressed by the battery life of both devices and I've literally used them for several days without having to charge them, depending on how I've been using them. With the right charger, you'll also juice up pretty fast - at 45W - just like the flagship Tab S10 machines.

Both Fan Editions have identical processors and storage options and although the in-house Exynos 1580 chip is described as merely "mid-range," I've certainly had no issues when it comes to gaming, multi-tasking or anything really.

You also get plenty of AI features bundled in here and I won't go into all of them as I've spent plenty of time explaining these in my recent Samsung phone reviews. Rest assured you can do things like Circle to Search, either with your finger or S-Pen. The stylus is also a great way take notes, especially when the on-device AI can tidy up your handwriting and even solve any maths problems you scribble down.

I'm not sure you'd choose the 13MP rear camera instead of the one on your phone but it's certainly an improvement over the 8MP sensor on previous generations. The 12MP front-facing cam is excellent though and will serve you well for any online meetings or social-media vids.

Interestingly, even at this more affordable price, the Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+ are both IP68-rated against dust and water. That kind of durability is still rare with tablets and gives good peace of mind if you're using one for your travel computing or holiday poolside entertainment.

As I've admitted many times before, I'm not really a regular tablet user but recent updates to Samsung's DeX mode mean using these Tab S10 FEs as laptops is not only possible but in many cases, practical too. By simply pairing a bluetooth mouse and keyboard, I suddenly have a very slim and portable computer at my fingertips; one I'm using to type this review with, in fact.

DeX mode transforms the One UI home screen from the giant phone-like experience any Samsung user would be familiar with, to a more PC-like desktop display. You can open multiple apps in multiple windows and there's even a taskbar at the bottom of the screen. The larger Tab S10 FE+ is more suited to be used this way but there's nothing stopping you doing the same thing with the 10.9-inch model.

When it comes to using these tablets as a streaming solution, I'm torn.

There's definitely a noticeable difference between the display quality of the FE versions and the sublime viewing experience on offer from the much more expensive Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. This is no surprise - after all, you're comparing a TFT LCD panel with a full Dynamic AMOLED one and Samsung's widely-lauded anti-reflective technology hasn't quite made it this far down the Tab S10 range. The refresh rate also tops out at 90Hz which might be an issue for super-serious gamers and creatives.

On the other hand, at up to 800nits, the screen gets pretty bright. What's more, the audio quality is sensational. As far as I can tell, there are only two speakers, one one each side, but the result is quite room-filling. The first time I dialled up an episode of the latest season of Andor, I couldn't believe what I was hearing; music and sound effects flying all around me. I don't know how Samsung has achieved this but colour me impressed.

Ironically, I probably wouldn't choose either of these devices for eReading. Not because of any display quality issues - quite the opposite - my books have never looked so good. It's a size thing; I've found even the smaller Tab S10 FE is too big to comfortably hold in bed.

At NZ$949.00, you can't argue the Tab S10 FE isn't great value - especially given the S-Pen stylus is included in the box. Meanwhile, the FE+ starts at NZ$1,249.00 which I guess is about what you'd expect for the jump in display size. While the pen is included, there's no keyboard case or charger but as I've explained, there's nothing stopping you pairing any bluetooth mouse and keyboard you may already own.

Compare those prices to the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra at NZ$2,449.00 and you'd have agree, there's a reason they call these Fan Editions. Obviously the Ultra has ALL the extras and an even larger display again, but unless you were using one of the FE devices right beside it, I think you might struggle to come up with too many shortfalls.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Tab S10 FE+.

Dyson OnTrac - Who Knew They'd Get This So Right?

It's no secret I'm a massive Dyson fan. (No pun intended)

As I've often discussed, Dyson's function-before-design approach has always appealed to me. Over the years I've met actual Dyson engineers and it's obvious they all have a shared passion for producing the best performance possible. Things like how the device ends up looking come later, although that philosophy itself has resulted in some of the most unique designs in home cleaning appliances, hair care devices, heating and cooling.

That "Performance First" mindset doesn't always pay off.

A lot of time and money went into developing a Dyson EV that never ended up going anywhere. Both metaphorically and quite literally.

Meanwhile, the Dyson Zone actually made it into stores. This was the combination of noise-cancelling headphones with a detachable, air-purifying face mask. I'm not making this up. The Zone sucked air through its filtered earcups and blew cleaned-up air into your face, keeping out nasties (and noise) while travelling or just out and about in the city.

I don't have any information on how well this device sold (it's still available on the New Zealand website but no longer in some other markets) and you'd have to think wearing a headset that makes you look kind of like Boba Fett wearing his beskar helmet isn't for everyone.

But what if we forgot about the weird face-fan and just focused on the headphones?

Like most Dyson products, the OnTrac headphones are priced at a premium; NZ$849.00 - this puts them squarely at the upper end of the consumer headphone market. At that price they have to deliver in every aspect; comfort, aesthetics, battery life and above all, sound quality.

That's a tall order for a brand best known for making vacuum cleaners.

Well, right off the bat, I can tell you the Dyson OnTrac definitely has all those bases covered. In fact, Dyson even goes one unique step further. But we'll get to that.

Unboxing the OnTrac is unique in itself. The headset comes bundled inside a kind of flattened cardboard egg, which I assume is more environmentally friendly than foam or plastic. Unusually, for a set of cans in this price bracket, there's no zip-up hard travel case. Instead, you get a kind of elasticised sandwich to slide the headset into. This is a more compact way to protect your headphones when stashed in your bag or briefcase and it has a little stretchy storage pocket for accessories like the braided USB-C charging cable.

Any space saved by the Slimline Case is a welcome benefit because these might be the largest headphones I've ever worn. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing - oversized over-ears have been their own fashion statement for a while now.

However, the OnTrac is also heavy; 451grams. This means a comfy headband and ear cushions are essential and the device must be perfectly balanced to keep fatigue to a minimum over long listening sessions. Somehow, Dyson has got it right. The microfibre ear cushions and small, central pad on the headband are snuggly soft yet still breathe well.

Dyson's engineers have done a lot of research on the right amount of "clamp force," that's how hard the headband squeezes the OnTrac together. I have a massive head and while this headset sits firmly on it, there's nothing claustrophobic or uncomfortable going on. I've been wearing these headphones at work for five or six hours every morning and I've experienced no fatigue at all.

In order to monitor the breakfast radio show I work on, I need a headset with a wired connection. Although the OnTrac has no dedicated AUX-in port, you can use an AUX cable with a USB-C plug on one end. Dyson sells an In-Flight Adaptor Kit for NZ$49 that will work but when you hand over $849 for a set of cans, you'd think they could throw in the cable other manufacturers include for free.

The Dyson tradition of redesigning existing devices from scratch is also evident with the onboard controls. There aren't many - only three in fact - a power/bluetooth pairing button on the left ear cup, double-tapping the left cup cycles through your ANC settings and then there's a little joystick on the back of the right cup.

Why wouldn't you go with a joystick? Press to play/pause, toggle up or down for volume, and forward or back to go, well, forward or back. It's intuitive. It's genius.

Navigating the MyDyson app is also slightly unusual - and no, I don't necessarily mean bad. If you own other Dyson products, this is the same app you use to change the settings on your desklight or update the firmware on your hot and cold fan. To Dyson, the OnTrac is just another connected device, so why would you need a different app?

Here you can choose from preset EQs or create your own, adjust the Active Noise Cancellation settings - even find out how long you've been listening and whether you've exceeded recommended decibel limits.

Dyson also takes a unique approach to multi-point connectivity. Rather than seamlessly switching between two or three paired gadgets automatically, once you pair with a device it's added to a list in the app. Then you can just choose any device on that list when you want to switch. This is a bit more hands-on but it means more devices without having to re-pair every time.

Two new modes have just been added to the ANC options too; Reduced Isolation and Reduced Transparency. I'm an all-or-nothing kind of a guy, so I prefer complete silence or a feed of all external sounds. Still, it's nice that Dyson is catering to consumers who like a mix of both.

But it's the exquisite sound quality that has impressed me most. Dyson created it's own purpose-built sound testing facilities when developing the Zone headset and that work hasn't gone to waste here.

Ray LaMontagne sings a driving wee track called "How Come?" Acoustic rhythm guitar is mixed to the right while electric lead and bongos appear out to the left. LaMontagne's husky vocal track floats through the middle while every other element - drums, bass, occasional tambourine - all find their own space in my mind. That space, the space created by the OnTrac headset, is big but not hollow at all.

"GLT" by Kimbra and Erik the Architect is a sonic work of art, as most Kimbra tracks are. The pulsing, monotonous bass hit that features throughout has to be big and proud or the song doesn't work. When heard through the Dyson OnTrac, this song definitely works.

Neil Finn's writing and production genius shine through on Crowded House's "Walked Her Way Down." This is another track where different guitars are mixed to one side or another and Finn makes use of dramatic changes in dynamics to pull the aural rug from under you just when you think you know where the song is going. Sometimes it sounds upbeat and hopeful, the next minute there's a more menacing undertone forcing its way through. Again, the OnTrac finds space for each of these elements.

I have a suspicion Dyson is underselling the OnTrac's battery life. The claim is up to 55 hours on a single charge. As I said earlier, I've been using the headset - with ANC on - for 5-6 hours every morning at Newstalk ZB, then running it for at least an hour once I get home. It's been a week and the MyDyson app tells me I'm still on 62%. I've only charged it once. The fact you can set Head Detection to pause your music every time you take the headphones off probably helps but still... I guess all those years refining stick vacuum batteries has really paid off.

Finally, perhaps the OnTrac's most ingenious trick yet; a range of mix-and-match ear cushions and cup covers are available for you to customise your headset in dozens of possible combinations. Both the caps and cushions twist off and on with a single easy click. The OnTrac already comes in four different colour combinations, while there's a choice of seven different colours for the caps and cushions.

Whatever colour combination you go with, everything feels durable and extremely well manufactured - just like every other Dyson product I've ever used.

A greater frequency range, superior battery life, impressive and tweakable ANC, a comfy, beautifully balanced fit and a colour combo to match your mood, your outfit or maybe just your eyes... I'm starting to think Dyson hasn't just shaken up the headphone market, it's created a whole new category. Again.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Dyson OnTrac.

WiZ Smart Flex Strip - Bending Light

Of all the smart home devices available today, the various lighting options might just be my favourite.

How cool is it to have preset lighting scenes activate automatically when you walk in the room, or at a scheduled time, or at a spoken command?

Admittedly, my home is only partially lit by such technology. If I was really serious about it, I'd take the time to train the other members of my household in how all my smart lights work. That's just never going to happen. Mainly because some of those members aren't as excited about it as I am.

Anyway...

While it's certainly handy to have lights turn on by themselves when you need them to, I've found the smart lights I really like are lighting strips. The standout is the one I have on the back of my TV to project colours on the wall in sync with what I'm watching. But it's also fun to use lighting strips elsewhere - especially under shelves and behind furniture to create an ambient effect in the colour of your choice.

And now thanks to WiZ, there's nowhere I can't go...

WiZ gets no points for the way it names its light strips. Today I'm reviewing the Smart Flex Strip... although it's just called the Flex Strip 5m on the WiZ website. That's not to be confused with the LED Strip (which comes in various lengths) or the Neon Flex Strip (which looks similar but is shorter).

What the Smart Flex Strip gets maximum points for is - as its name suggests - flexibility. 

I've mucked around with a few light strips over the years and this one is easily the bendiest. That's because the designers seem to have taken a normal strip and put the lights along its edge, making the whole thing very thin and malleable.

If you haven't used them before, light strips come in several forms - some are quite literally just a line of LEDs stuck on a backing strip, often grouped into short sections, each of which may or may not be able to change colour in contrast to the section on each side.

Some strips like these treat each LED individually, creating what's known as a "gradient" effect - so dynamic, moving patterns become possible as one colour fades into another.

A further step up puts a cover over the LEDs so the whole strip then appears to be one long light, potentially still using its gradient abilities to create dynamic, moving patterns.

The WiZ Smart Flex Strip falls into this last category. The non-lit part of the strip is white and it comes with some very slim-line white mounting brackets which can either be screwed in or stuck to the wall with double-sided adhesive pads.

It's all very minimalist and subtle when not switched on and five metres is more than enough length to create some pretty cool shapes - in fact, you'll find a pamphlet full of suggested patterns in the box. 

However, rather than making a feature of the light strip itself, I decided to accessorise my desk. The generous five metres was more than enough for me to attach the Smart Flex Strip underneath the main work area, the back shelf and even behind my monitors. No screws were required; those 3M guys really know what they're doing when it comes to sticky stuff.

I have got a lot of random bits and bobs on my desk - all absolutely necessary of course. Normally, installing the amount of lighting I'm talking here would have involved me taking nearly everything off my desk to get to all the places I needed to go, assuming I had a light strip flexible enough to even be able to twist and turn that way.

Clearing my desk just wasn't necessary with the Smart Flex Strip. It's so narrow and bendy I was able to easily thread it through holes and between other devices with a minimum of desk disruption. I was stoked with the final effect, as you'll be able to tell from the video below.

The clever abilities of the Smart Flex Strip don't just stop at the ease of installation. You can control the it from the WiZ app, via your preferred voice assistant or perhaps most boringly, using the actual button on the control unit at the beginning of the strip. Although, that button only turns them on and off. In fact, when setting up using the WiZ app, you're supposed to be able to choose a colour or pattern that starts with a single click and a different one with a double click. I've tried this and it doesn't work. Some kind of firmware update will probably fix this eventually but in the meantime, WiZ also sells a remote control which might be handy if you have several WiZ devices to operate.

I prefer to use Alexa or Siri to turn my lights on and off - the Smart Flex Strip is Matter-enabled so that works well enough, although you can't access the more complicated themes and dynamic patterns without using the WiZ app.

Like other WiZ lights, you can set up automations to kick in at scheduled times and if you have more than one WiZ product in the same room, thanks to SpaceSense, they can also act as motion sensors, turning on when you walk in.

One of the weirder features is Music Sync. This lights up the Smart Flex Strip in time with your favourite playlists but there's a catch; there's no microphone built into the controller - it uses the mic in your phone instead, so that'll involve you leaving your handset next to a speaker, which seems like a bit of a faff to me.

The WiZ line of smart lighting is owned by Signify, the same outfit that produces Philips Hue devices. Don't be fooled though, there's no real compatibility between the two brands. So you can't control the WiZ Smart Flex Strip with the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box for example. That said, WiZ has just launched its own version of the sync box - it's not as feature-packed but it is much, much cheaper.

Regardless, the Smart Flex Strip is perhaps the most versatile light strip I've used yet. Thanks to its super-slim profile and subtle mounting system, there's almost nowhere you can't install it, quickly and easily. Wherever you end up using it, it'll look great and there's no doubt it's created a vibrant, fun atmosphere around my cluttered desk.

    

Click here for more information on the WiZ Smart Flex Strip.

Ring Outdoor Cam Plus - One of the Best Security Cameras I'd Never Buy

The rise and rise of subscription services over the last decade or so is lamentable although predictable. Once we consumers demonstrated how willing we were to pay a monthly fee for access to music, TV and movies, it was only a matter of time before there was a subscription on offer for almost any aspect of modern life.

These days we ask, why cook when your meal can be delivered? - either as just the ingredients or the finished product, piping hot.

Be it petfood, contact lenses or coffee, if it's something we "need" regularly, let's set up a subscription so it'll arrive at our door before it runs out.

Fine. We were going to buy those things anyway.

But when you purchase a car with electric seat warmers, wouldn't you expect to be able to use them without having to fork out each month for the privilege?

Personally, I'd rather pay a higher up-front cost to keep my bum warm than an ongoing fee.

That'd be like paying someone else to store your security footage for you.

The Ring Outdoor Cam Plus is another in a long line of top-quality home security products. We'll get to all its features and benefits shortly but I'm going to get my usual Ring whinge out of the way first this time.

You can't record using the Outdoor Cam Plus unless you sign up to one of Ring's subscriptions. That annoys me. Especially when there are other cameras out there that allow you to store your recordings for free. Perhaps you can insert an SD card into the camera itself or the camera might save recordings to a storage drive of some kind attached to a central hub. In fact, some camera manufacturers let you link to the cloud storage service of your choice. Imagine that.

Not Ring.

And it's not just storing your videos. Most of the features I'm about to describe are only fully usable for a 30-day trial period and then you'll have to pay. Admittedly, from as little as NZ$49.95 a year, a Ring Home plan probably won't break the bank and maybe I should just get over it like I did when TV streaming services came along.

I guess that depends on just what a device like the Outdoor Cam Plus has to offer, and whether it really is the Netflix or Apple TV+ of the home security world.

Previously I've discussed how confusing Ring's naming policy is. I mean, can you tell me the difference between the Video Doorbell Elite and the Wired Video Doorbell Pro Plug-in off the top of your head? Me neither.

So whatever you do, don't get the Outdoor Cam Plus confused with the Stick Up Cam Elite or the Spotlight Cam Pro.

The Outdoor Cam Plus I've been sent to review is the battery version. There's a plug-in model too, which comes with an Indoor/Outdoor power adapter instead of a Quick Release Battery Pack, although you can purchase the power adapter separately and plug it into the battery version if you want. Alternatively, Ring also sells a Solar Panel which can power the Outdoor Cam Plus too.

See? Told you it's confusing.

So let's stick with what I've got. A camera, a battery and an extremely versatile mount - which can attach at the base to act as a stand or screw in at the rear for wall or even ceiling installations. As usual, Ring has included all the screws you'll need and attaching the Outdoor Cam Plus is very easy, it just slides on and off the mounting plate and can be locked into place with a screw.

The advantage of running a camera like this on battery is that you can install it anywhere within Wi-Fi range. No cable means you can position it on a fence or high on a wall, without having to worry if a power outlet is close by.

Although the rechargeable Quick Release Battery pack looks the same as all the others I've come across when reviewing Ring doorbells and cameras in the past, it's got a new model number so I'm hoping that means its charge will last longer than the couple of weeks I usually get. The base of the camera just unscrews to access the battery which is nice and easy although disappointingly, it still uses a microUSB to charge.

Hardly anything charges via microUSB anymore and sure, there's a cable in the box but it's quite short so isn't necessarily a particularly convenient option. What's really weird is you can remove a waterproof lug from the back of the camera to run it off the aforementioned power adapter or solar panel - both of which connect via the much more common USB-C. In fact, if you leave the battery in the camera you can just plug in a USB-C charger and juice it up that way. More confusion.

What's less confusing is the improvement in picture quality. The Outdoor Cam Plus is one of Ring's new range of 2K cameras which is a step up from HD, although not a full jump to 4K as we've seen from other manufacturers.

More impressively, the viewing angles have been widened out to 140° horizontal and 80° vertical and Ring has introduced a new feature called Low-Light Sight. This enables the Outdoor Cam Plus to shoot in crystal clear colour, even at night without having to rely on a built-in floodlight, as long as there's enough ambient light - perhaps from nearby streetlights. This works very well indeed and I have to say the nighttime footage I'm getting is quite impressive.

As with other Ring devices, you can set up multiple detection zones and adjust the sensitivity so you're only monitoring the exact areas you need to and there's the option of two-way communication via the camera's mic and speaker. You'll also get preview gif notifications on your phone which can be helpful when it comes to deciding whether you need to respond or not.

The new feature I'm most excited about is the AI-Powered Smart Video Search. If you've used a home security camera like this before, you'll know how tiresome it can be sifting through recorded footage to find out exactly what time those unexpected visitors arrived or when that package was delivered. Now the Ring App has a browser-like search bar at the top of your saved videos and this is where you can type specific phrases like "red car" or "delivery man" to filter out non-related content. Every time I've used it I've been amazed by the results. This could be one of the only truly useful things I've seen AI do to date.

But...

As I said at the beginning, all this comes at a cost. An ongoing cost. At NZ$179.00, the Outdoor Cam Plus is not outrageously expensive but after the first month, unless you subscribe, the only thing this camera will do is send you motion notifications and provide a live feed.

Because subscriptions are just what we do now.

 

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus.

Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box 8K - My Favourite Thing I Definitely Don't Need

The things I review for the Newstalk ZB website can be loosely categorised under one of two headings; Tools or Toys.

Occasionally, if I'm lucky, there's a small intersection in the Venn diagram where the tool is so fun to use, it feels like a toy. I think that's what all tech should aspire to.

On the other hand, sometimes there's a gadget that doesn't really serve any purpose at all, but once I get in the habit of using it, I can't imagine life without it.  That's all very well until a) I'm somewhere where I don't have it or b) it doesn't work properly for some reason. Then I have to do life without it.

Stop being so oblique, Glenn. Say what you really mean.

Okay.

I really like having backlighting that syncs with my TV. Is that too much to ask?

Of all the gizmos I've ever reviewed, the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box might be the most overpriced - except for one important fact; nothing else works quite as well.

In 2021 it cost around NZ$550 and for what? To make your Philips Hue lights glow the same colour as whatever's on your TV.

To be clear, the lights are not included. The Philips Hue range features various options that can be paired to the sync box - not just bulbs but bars and flexible light strips too. The latter options can be positioned behind your TV, pointing at the wall, creating a kind of borderless effect to the image on screen.

So they cost extra.

Oh, and Hue lights need a Hue Bridge to connect to by the way - this keeps the traffic down on your Wi-Fi router but yes, that's extra too.

Even after all that. After hundreds and hundreds of dollars spent, what do you get? That's right. Pretty lights on the wall.

I could never argue that it's worth it. But I love it. I really love it. And I've been surprised at how many ways it's enhanced my viewing experience - not just providing extra atmosphere for when the cinematography gets artsy - but also extra fire and explosions, bigger skies and landscapes, even extending the size of sports fields way beyond the screen itself.

The most optional of optional extras and yet now, as I said before, I wouldn't do without it.

But the 4K version of 2021 had its limitations. I mean, it's 4K and my TV is 8K. The HDMI ports are HDMI 2.0 - not 2.1. It doesn't support devices that play at 120Hz refresh rate. And for some reason, when I run my Apple TV box through it, the remote won't turn my TV on like it's supposed to.

I know. Boo-hoo sucks to be me, right?

Thank god Philips now makes an 8K sync box.

First things first. There is no 8K content. Well, virtually none, anyway. However, that doesn't mean a TV like mine doesn't do a pretty decent job of upscaling what's being fed to it. This is also where the HDMI 2.1 ports come in. Just like USB cables, not all HDMI ports and plugs are created equal. The later versions have a dramatically higher data capacity and that ability to exchange more information faster is crucial when it comes to displaying higher definition video at a higher refresh rate.

As for that last issue, as far as I can make out, I'm the only person in the world this happens to. I push the home button on my Apple TV remote. My TV turns on like it's supposed to, I get a blank screen followed by the spinning buffer wheel for a bit, then I get a message that the source isn't powered on. Even though it is.

For those of you not quite following what I mean - and I don't blame you - the other spinoff benefit of using the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box 8K is that you can plug up to four different devices into it - for example, perhaps your Sky TV box, a gaming console, a Blu-ray player and yes, maybe even an Apple TV. All this takes up only one HDMI port on your TV (which will have to be an HDMI 2.1 port for everything to work properly).

Switching between sources happens automatically - pushing the home button on your Sky remote will put that on screen, while the Xbox button on your controller will switch over to your console.

You can also use the Philips Hue app to select a source and start syncing manually - which is what I've been doing with my Apple TV. There used to be a separate Hue Sync app to set things up with but that's all been incorporated into one now.

Anyway, given most of my issues seemed likely to be solved by upgrading to the 8K version, I reasoned my last, weird, apparently un-Google-able issue might work itself out too, so I decided to give it a try.

Boom!

Well, first I had to figure out the position of the HDMI ports was different on the new box and I'd plugged some things into the wrong place but eventually...

Boom!

Improved high-def viewing. I could ramp up the refresh rate on my Xbox. And mysteriously, my Apple TV remote made everything work again. (Who really knows why?)

All this for just NZ$799.99!

Oh... did I not mention that? The new, 8K sync box costs a bit more. But come on, it's a bit bigger, has faster HDMI ports and four more K's... whatever they are.

It also now has a manual reset button if everything goes horribly wrong and you're unable to restore the device via the app. I can't imagine what that would be though because this thing works like a charm.

And in all seriousness, that's why Philips can charge a premium. There are other similar systems around but in my experience, none are as bulletproof as what Hue has to offer.

You didn't NEED this anyway. You may as well get the best.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box 8K.