Twelve South HoverBar Tower and Compass Pro - The Long and the Short of It

Don't you love a great accessory?

I know I do. It's a bit like those people who have a thing about stationery, except for me, rather than buzzing about the perfect stapler, I love it when I find a quality cable that's just the right length.

Or a case that converts into a keyboard and possibly a lunchbox.

The key for me is a simple idea, well executed that makes my everyday life better.

This is something Twelve South excels at.

The HoverBar Tower and the Compass Pro are two quite different products from the Twelve South range and yet they do more or less the exact same thing; hold your device in the right place, just where you want it.

Starting with the Compass Pro, once again Twelve South has come up with an accessory that not only does its job very well but looks great too.

In a nutshell, the Compass Pro is a three-legged desktop stand for your iPad or tablet, which folds down completely for ultimate portability. It folds so flat it slides easily into the soft case provided in the box. Then it can be conveniently stuffed into your bag or briefcase so you'll have a stand for your tablet wherever you go.

There's a fair heft to this stand - it feels very durable and stable when it's all set up.

It has silicone feet so it won't slide around or scratch your desktop. There are two small brackets that fold out of the feet to hold your iPad and these are wide enough to cater for most tablets, even if they're in a case. Apart from the silicone coating on the lower part of the legs, there's also a silicone pad on the upper joint which is the third point of contact, guaranteeing no risk of scuffing your device.

The rear leg offers three different height options so you can adjust the angle at which your iPad is displayed. Extended to its longest setting, the Compass Pro converts your tablet into a secondary screen - something that's very easy to do with a Mac or another iPad - obviously you can set up your iPad in portrait or landscape to suit your viewing preference.

The middle-sized or default setting tilts your tablet up a bit more - perhaps best suited to keep you in shot for video chats.

Then a much shorter leg folds out from the main one to hold your iPad up just slightly, in a wedge configuration. This is more comfortable for on-screen typing or if you're sketching or taking notes with a stylus.

In any of the three positions, I've found my iPad stays securely in place, with no wobbling around. In fact, if you close the two front legs up a bit, the Compass Pro will happily accomodate your phone instead - again, this is ideal for hands-free video streaming on the go.

The portability factor can't be overstated here; if you're a MacBook user who prefers a dual-screen setup, adding an iPad and this fold-flat stand is about the most mobile two-screen solution you'll get.

Conversely, sometimes you just want to keep that screen in one place, at just the right height and just the right angle.

That's where the Twelve South HoverBar Tower comes in.

In many ways, the HoverBar Tower resembles a mic stand or a music stand. Actually, as a professional musician, my daughter uses an iPad Pro to display her music all the time. The HoverBar Tower can keep that iPad securely in place, in exactly the right position. Much more stable than balancing the iPad on a music stand.

I was surprised at just how tall this stand is - once fully assembled it can hold your iPad or tablet at any height between three and five feet. The assembly process really isn't much of a process at all; simply screw the three main pole sections together, screw them into the base, then add the articulating arm and iPad clip.

The spring-loaded clip is well padded and will hold any tablet up to 22cm wide, even with a case on. Thanks to its ball-shaped connection to the articulated arm it can be swivelled to pretty much any angle - so if you're wanting to use your iPad as an extra screen for your desktop setup, you should be able to get it just where you want it - even above your existing monitor (or monitors).

But just think of all the other places you use your iPad and all the times you wished you weren't having to hold it with one hand.

Stationary biking is a great home fitness solution - especially in the cold, wet winter months. Cycling apps like Zwift let you compete with other athletes from all over the world on any number of virtual courses - some real, some imagined. The HoverBar Tower is the perfect way to hold your iPad in your line of sight to keep the illusion going.

Other apps like Apple Fitness feature a wide range of home exercise classes, from yoga and pilates to kickboxing, rowing and even dance. Thanks to the versatility of the HoverBar Tower, you can follow your instructor on your iPad in any room, from any exercise machine or perhaps just the floor.

Or maybe you want you use your iPad hands-free in the kitchen, while you're following a recipe?

I know I've definitely wished I had a better way to hold my screen when streaming my favourite shows in bed. What's the point in getting all comfy if you still have to hold your iPad up with one arm? The HoverBar Tower solves that particular first-world problem in an instant.

I really appreciate the minimalist design. There are no bulky knobs to loosen or tighten the articulating arm - the joints are pre-set at just the right firmness to be easily adjusted while still staying firmly in place once you've got your iPad in the optimum position.

And yes, like the Compass Pro, the HoverBar Tower can also accomodate a phone if you'd like to use it as a tripod for your selfie videos. The base is wide enough to offer excellent stability, yet not so heavy you can't easily move the stand from room to room if need be.

Neither of these two stands are revolutionary - we've all seen similar ideas before. Yet what Twelve South has done with those ideas is the epitome of elegance and refinement. Each product identifies a problem and solves it effectively with a minimum of fuss and for me, that's what great design is all about.

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Click here for more information on the Twelve South HoverBar Tower.

Click here for more information on the Twelve South Compass Pro.

Apple Intelligence - Better Late Than Never

I'm so sick and tired of AI. Which is a bit of a problem given AI has been the focus of pretty much every single tech launch this year.

I wouldn't mind except for the hype.

We keep being told AI is the answer to all our prayers. It'll boost our productivity. Give us more free time. Answer all our emails and make our dinner reservations for us.

Unfortunately, from what I've seen so far, most people seem to use it to generate funny pictures, compose terrible music and answer questions they could have figured out themselves with a basic Google search.

And to compound the issue, every day it seems like there's a different story about how AI got something wrong. Really wrong.

All that being said, it can't be denied there seems to be a big demand for AI and many have been surprised at how long it's taken Apple to roll its version out.

Well, the wait is almost over. In New Zealand, with the iOS 18.2 update in early December, compatible Apple devices will finally become sentient. Well... you know what I mean.

You may or may not be aware that before leading up to a big iOS update, Apple releases Beta versions users can try at their own risk to help iron out any last minute bugs before the more public release. Even before then, there's a Developer version (or more often, several developer versions) primarily to allow app makers to test their own updated products in the new environment.

Over the last week or so, I've boldly jumped into this experimental universe in order to try out the forthcoming suite of Apple Intelligence features on your behalf. Some are so silly they don't interest me at all. Some are so good, they're scary. Many are just Apple's version of existing features we've already seen from other manufacturers and a few have become essential tools for me that I now use pretty much every day.

While it's easy to think of Apple Intelligence as just an iPhone thing, it's also coming to the M1 and later iPad Airs and iPad Pros, the just released A17 iPad mini and any Mac powered by an M1 chip or later.

Right now there are just six iPhones that'll run it; last year's iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and all four 2024 iPhone 16-series handsets. This is because unlike a lot of AI out there, a big chunk of Apple Intelligence happens on device, using the Neural Processor (NPU) built into the latest "A" or "M" chips.

Not only does this mean a more integrated, faster and smoother response from any AI functions but it also guarantees a better degree of privacy, something Apple seems to prize more highly than many of its competitors.

Even when Apple Intelligence needs to access larger, server-based models for more complex tasks, Apple has assured users its Private Cloud Compute protocols mean your data is never stored anywhere except on your device.

What I've noticed so far with a lot of the new features is many of them aren't all that obvious, even when you're using them. For example, the new Clean Up tool in the photos app just appears as another editing option. This is for when you need to remove something from your shot, like that photo-bombing bystander in the background. In many cases, Apple Intelligence will identify what you're trying to do automatically as soon as you press the Clean Up icon. If not, you can do it manually as I demonstrate in the video below.

The question is, is this an AI feature, or just a photo editing feature? Who cares? It works pretty well and you don't have to go hunting through a special AI menu or app to access it.

In fact, although the new-look Photos app took a lot of iPhone users by surprise when it appeared in iOS 18, the way you can now use Apple Intelligence to search your library for certain people, locations and other things - perhaps to create your own instant album or montage - is a smooth and seamless evolution.

The same can be said for Siri. In fact, you could argue Siri has always been a form of AI but now it's really been levelled-up, taking more notice of the context in which you're using it. Things like where you are and what apps you have open will affect Siri's responses and thanks to Apple's ever-increasing compatibility with more and more IoT devices, I definitely feel like I can depend on Siri to run my smart home more effectively than before.

There are still some inconsistencies. Ask Siri to take a screenshot? No problem. Ask Siri to start a screen recording? It refers you to the Apple website. How weird is that? At least you can now use text prompts to talk to Siri by double-tapping the bottom of the screen.

Another integration feature brings two AIs together. In the new Apple Intelligence menu you can toggle on Chat GPT to work with Siri, even signing into your Chat GPT account if you have one. I love this kind of cross-platform collaboration and I look forward to more of it in the future.

Writing Tools is going to save a lot of people a lot of time. Basically, anywhere you use text, Writing Tools can help you proof-read, summarise and even suggest small changes to change the tone and style of what you write.

This works hand-in-hand with other features like Visual Intelligence, which makes recognising and capturing text with your camera easy - even translating and reading it out loud if you want.

Of course, an AI isn't an AI unless you can use it to create silly pictures and yes, Apple Intelligence comes to the party here too. Image Wand utilises the power of Apple Pencil to turn your rough sketches into professional illustrations. On the other hand, Genmoji is just a way to create your own, bespoke emojis. I never use emojis, but I'm sure it's great. (Insert boomer joke here)

Image Playground is perhaps the most creative way to use Apple Intelligence - whether you use existing photos or drawings to create new enhanced concepts or simply describe an image to bring it to life.

But probably my favourite of the new Apple Intelligence features is the way both emails and notifications are now organised and prioritised. I'm not usually very trusting when it comes to letting AI decide what I need to deal with now and what can wait till later but even I have to admit, not having to sift through a dozen press releases from PR companies and today's great offer from Nespresso in order to get to my actual work emails has been a godsend.

And that's just a taste. Every day I'm discovering more tweaks Apple Intelligence can make to the way I use my phone, my Mac and my iPad - in many cases it was so well integrated I didn't even realise it was happening at first... and that's just the way I like it.

    

Click here for more information about Apple Intelligence.

Swann SwannBuddy 4K - Subscription Not Compulsory

I've reviewed a fair few video doorbells in my time.

In fact, it's got to the point these days I feel a little sympathy for the couriers who come to the door. I wonder if they do a bit of a double take when they go to press the button and it's not the same button as the day before?

Who am I kidding? Couriers pick up and deliver hundreds, if not thousands of packages every day - as if my front door is going to stand out.

Still, I can't help imagining the conversation back at the depot; "You ever been round to that Hart guy's place? I swear he's had three different doorbells this week."

Of course, what they don't know - at least I hope they don't - is some of those video doorbells are a lot more useful than others.

To begin with, the SwannBuddy 4K is a very capable security camera, before you even get to the doorbell part. As the name suggests, you'll get extremely clear, zoomable 4K footage in full colour. You may not think that kind of video quality is essential but take it from someone who knows; if you want to post identifying tattoos on social media to identify the thug who stole your package, the clearer the better. (It'll be pretty helpful for the police if they decide to show up too.)

The 165° vertical viewing angle and the 1:1 aspect ratio ensures you'll capture pretty much every corner of the average entranceway, from floor to ceiling, although there is a considerable amount of wall-eye distortion around the edges.

As you'd expect, setting up the SwannBuddy is very straightforward, with the Swann Security app guiding you through every step. If you already have other Swann cameras in operation, the feed from the doorbell will simply be added to your dashboard. I'm not sure about other smart home ecosystems but I discovered there's a Swann Security skill that can be added to Amazon Alexa, although the SwannBuddy will only appear as a camera, not a doorbell, which is a shame as you can't create a routine for what happens when the button is pressed.

On the other hand, there's a wireless chime unit included the box, powered by two AA batteries. This is easily paired with the SwannBuddy, can be placed pretty much anywhere around the house and has six different chime options - from common bell sounds to barking dog and cuckoo clock sound effects. If you have a larger house, you can purchase extra chime units, pairing up to five with a single doorbell.

The SwannBuddy itself runs on a built-in 6500mAh lithium battery - quite a large cell for a device like this and it can last up to three months before you have to take the doorbell down and spend a few hours recharging it via its USB-C port. Although this is a bit of an inconvenience, the supplied wall bracket is sturdy and well designed. Simply loosen the security screw at the base and the SwanBuddy lifts off easily. Alternatively, you can hardwire it in if you're replacing a mains-powered doorbell.

Like other similar devices, once set up, you can customise which specific area you want to monitor as well as the sensitivity of the True Detect heat and motion sensor. You can also set schedules for Home, Away and Night modes and these modes can be quickly accessed and changed manually via home screen widgets for both iOS and Android devices.

None of this particularly sets the SwannBuddy apart from other, similar devices - although I will say I quite like the robust look and feel of the device and because the centrally-located button lights up around the edges when it detects motion and starts recording, there should be no confusion for visitors when it comes to figuring out which bit they're supposed to press.

Where the SwannBuddy really stands out is how many features you get before having to invest in a monthly Secure+ subscription.

Let's start with storage. Not only is there a microSD slot tucked away behind the weather-proof flap at the back, you'll find a 32GB card already in there, when you take the device out of the box. Admittedly, this isn't the most secure option should someone decide to rip your doorbell off the wall, although I've never heard of that happening. Even if it does, you get 24 hours of rolling cloud storage as a backup. This "free" feature alone is a compelling reason to consider the SwannBuddy.

As you'd expect, you can communicate with your visitors via the app in real time. But what if you're not around and you're too busy to let the courier know they can just biff the package over the gate because it's not fragile?

That's when you can let the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant speak for you. This isn't just a selection of pre-recorded quick replies - although you can use them too. SwanShield is much more clever. When you're in Away or Night mode, you can set SwannShield to be Polite, Assertive or Disinterested. Then, if someone rings the bell and waits for a response, SwannShield will talk to that someone as if it's a resident of the house, giving the impression somebody's home - or at least closely monitoring the camera. 

I've tried it out and it seems to work, although unfortunately, the SwannShield AI only speaks with an American accent. I note this feature is still in "Beta" and I'd definitely like to see the response time reduced and I'd also like to hear the AI's voice on the captured recordings. In saying that, there's a full transcript of any SwannShield conversations available on the app within seconds of them finishing.

Pretty clever stuff and all yours, free of charge.

That's not to say there aren't significant benefits to subscribing to Secure+ - longer cloud storage, package, pet and vehicle detection, rich notifications with thumbnail previews and even free replacement in the unlikely event your SwannBuddy does get nicked - just some of what your sub gets you.

However, with easily accessible and shareable local storage and the SwannShield AI Voice Assistant, there's no doubt the SwannBuddy 4K offers some of the best value, subscription-free features around.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the SwannBuddy 4K wireless video doorbell.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th generation) - Icing On the Cake

In some ways, this review will be quite challenging.

Today I'm featuring a device that has been upgraded... but not much. In saying that, it was already pretty great device. The trick will be figuring out if it's been made much greater.

In other ways, this will be an easy review... because I've pretty much already done it once before.

So I'm going to cheat.

For today's Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th generation) review, I'm going to go through the features I outlined in my previous review of the 11th generation - from December 2021.

Let's start where I started then; with the screen itself. This is a genuine upgrade. Not only have we gone to a full 7-inch display, up from 6.8-inches but the contrast ratio is Kindle's best yet, meaning the black bits are blacker than ever. Great news for people like me who prefer to use dark mode.

Just as before, there's still an auto-sensing front light so you can carry on reading in the dark. Conversely, the screen is still also anti-glare, which is essential for when you're reading out in the sun.

Although Amazon claims there's a much more powerful processor, promising 25% faster page turns, this isn't something I've particularly noticed or been able to verify. To be honest, the pages on the previous generation turned plenty fast enough for me.

Oddly, there's been no storage increase. You still get 32GB which doesn't sound like much in smartphone terms but given your average eBook is only about 2 or 3 MB, you're unlikely to use it up any time soon.

Like the Gen 11, the Gen 12 Signature Edition can charge via both USB-C and wirelessly - although, if you don't opt for the bespoke Kindle charging stand, it can be a bit fiddly getting your charger in exactly the right place.

Apparently, there's been a significant increase in battery-life but I have no idea how to test this. Amazon says you should get around twelve weeks use on a full charge. Does that mean 30 minutes reading a day? Or four hours? See what I mean? Rest assured, the battery lasts a very long time indeed.

And yes, this Kindle is also waterproof, making it your ideal beach or poolside companion.

That's one of my greatest arguments for using an eReader instead of traditional books by the way... Ever dropped a book in the pool? Good luck reading it after that. 

The easiest way to download books to the device is still via the Kindle Store, although these days there's a very simple-to-use desktop app called Send-To-Kindle. You can use this to drag any document or book onto your device. There's even a web-based version, so it couldn't be easier.

Seriously guys, by this stage I hope I'm not still having to convince you eBooks are so much better than old, heavy, (potentially soggy) "traditional" books. Think about what I just said. As long as you have Wi-Fi, you have access to just about every book ever written. Finish one of a trilogy, start the next one right away. All the while taking up almost zero space in your luggage.

Admittedly, the minor improvements I've outlined here are not really enough to justify upgrading if you're already using the 11th Generation Paperwhite Signature edition. But if you have a lesser device or even worse, no eReader at all, then this is about as good as it gets.

For those of you into graphic novels and Manga, Kindle now offers the Colorsoft - Amazon's first colour Kindle - although I'm yet to try it so can't recommend it with any authority. The entry-level Kindle has also been updated this year, as has the Scribe - the Kindle you can write on.

But for me, the Paperwhite Signature Edition has been the only eReader I ever needed - until now. Now the Paperwhite Signature Edition is STILL the only eReader I ever needed, just a bit bigger, a bit faster, with a slightly nicer screen and a much better battery.

Oh... and if you're after a case for it, there's a lovely leather one I can recommend. When I first took it out of the box I was impressed by how genuine the "leather" felt. I then tried to discover exactly what it was made of, because it really did feel like leather. Eventually, after squinting at the fine-print on the side of the box, I discovered it was in fact, 100% leather. Like, for real.

I then proceeded to accidentally scratch the cover somehow. Multiple times, really scuffing it up. At first I thought, "Damn, that looked so cool." But after a week or two of daily abuse, I look at the well-and-truly worn-in leather and think, "Damn, that looks cool."

See? Just because Kindles are a new way of reading, doesn't mean they can't still be vintage.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (12th generation).

Apple Hearing Assistance - The Free Hearing Aid No-Brainer

For a long time now I've been paranoid I'm going deaf.

It wouldn't be a major surprise. When I was a teenager I played and listened to a lot of noisy music as loudly as possible. Headphones, speakers, car stereos, guitar amps... all turned up all the way.

There's been a fair share of heavy machinery in my past too; tractors, orchard sprayers, chainsaws... and although I was more careful to wear ear plugs or protectors, a noisy environment is a noisy environment.

The last few years have been more peaceful, although I'm always listening to something - especially since the invention of True Wireless earbuds.

I pump a busy breakfast radio show into my brain via my headphones three hours a day and oh yes...

I'm not getting any younger.

As a result of all this (or perhaps not) when I struggle to hold up my end of a conversation in a busy room, or miss at least half of what the Domestic Manager is telling me when we're walking down a bustling street, it's easy to blame my failing auditory abilities.

Trouble is, turns out I'm not as hearing impaired as I thought.

If you were paying close attention to Apple's September product launch, you would have noticed there was no new generation of AirPods Pro. Instead, quite a bit of time was spent discussing forthcoming updates to the AirPods Pro 2's firmware - and how, in combination with Apple Intelligence, the full potential of the H2 chip inside the AirPods Pro 2 was about to be unleashed.

Not only did this mean a new level of mic isolation that ensures anyone on the other end of your calls or video chats only hears you, without any wind noise, traffic racket or office hubbub, you'd also be able to use head gestures to communicate with Siri. Want to accept the call? Nod. Dismiss the notification? Shake.

This was all great stuff. Useful stuff. Then came the potentially life-changing stuff; an entirely new feature called Hearing Assistance.

Turns out, since 2019, Apple has been investigating, scientifically, the feasibility of AirPods users conducting their own hearing tests with the end goal of using the AirPods themselves to help ameliorate any hearing loss detected.

In short, could AirPods Pro 2 be used as hearing aids?

There's no doubt AirPods Pro 2 are right at the cutting edge of personal audio technology. The Active Noise Cancellation is extremely effective and unlike most other earbuds, you can opt to use ANC even when you're only wearing one AirPod, something I do frequently when listening to podcasts around the house.

The personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is also industry-leading - making the AirPods Pro 2 one of the best ways to enjoy movie and gaming soundtracks.

There were already a lot of fantastic features; Adaptive Audio, Transparency Mode, intuitive stem-based controls... not to mention the exercise-friendly sweat resistance and the convenient, trackable MagSafe charging case.

And now, yes, Apple has thrown in Hearing Assistance for free.

The whole process takes mere minutes. Simply open your AirPods Pro 2 settings menu on your paired iPhone or iPad and you'll discover the option to take a hearing test.

You'll then be guided through the test step by step, starting with a fit-test - checking you've selected the right-sized tips to ensure a tight seal. It turns out, if like me, you have one AirPod that falls out all the time it might not be that the tip is too small. In fact, by trying an even smaller option, the AirPod was able to nestle further inside my ear canal, resulting in a much more secure fit.

Once you've sorted that out, you'll then hear a series of three tones, played at different volumes and different pitches. All you have to do is tap the screen when you hear them.

Eventually you'll be presented with your results - both in written form and represented graphically. If it's bad news, it's probably still a good idea to consult a hearing professional but either way, the AirPods Pro 2 can now be customised to your unique profile, becoming actual hearing aids.

This means in one fell swoop, Apple has tackled (and triumphed over) three major hearing aid pain points.

1) People don't like wearing hearing aids. There are many reasons for this, some irrational, some practical but all valid. Nobody wants to admit they're getting older and for some people, being seen wearing hearing aids is a bit too much of a reality check. AirPods are much cooler.

2) Swapsies. While some hearing aids can also work as bluetooth earbuds, few offer the features that AiPods Pro 2 do. This means if you want to use both there's an inconvenient amount of swapping back and forth. Who needs that?

3) Money. AirPods Pro 2 are not cheap. But they don't cost thousands, that's for sure. Hearing Assistance now means you get hearing aids for free. You can't argue with that.

In my case, I was surprised to find my hearing was still okay, although, thanks to Media Assist, my AirPods Pro 2 have now been customised to tune my content to my specific requirements, compensating for some of the frequencies that I struggle to hear.

There's just no way this isn't a win-win situation. Buy the AirPods Pro 2. Take the test. If you're in the clear, you now own what are perhaps the most full-featured in-ear headphones on the market - tuned to your individual requirements. If the test results are more concerning, you're already wearing the hearing aids that can help - at no extra price. It's hard to find a reason not to take advantage.

Click here for more information on Apple AirPods Pro 2 and Apple Hearing Assistance.

Glenn Hart's 2024 Gadget Gift Guide

Surprise! It's Christmas time again. No, I didn't see it coming either.

A few of the following gift ideas a seasonally appropriate, while others are just some of my favourite gadgets of the year.

But if you really want to make the whole family's Christmas morning, why not treat them to a new telly?...

1. Panasonic Z95A with Fire TV

The Z95A is the flagship of Panasonic's new Fire TV range and it's clear proof that in one fell swoop, those old, retro settings menus are officially dead and gone.

Physically, it bears a striking resemblance to other, recent Panasonic OLEDs; once again the panel itself is super slim but the whole TV is actually quite bulky by modern standards.

This is mostly due to Panasonic's enduring (and endearing) commitment to providing quality sound to match premium picture quality. I've been pretty complimentary of the sound from previous Panasonic TVs and things have only gone up another level here. There are a lot of  built-in speakers of various sizes and abilities, pointing in many directions. Most notably, the soundbar-like array across the bottom which obviously pretty much eliminates the need for an actual soundbar.

I've been using various Fire TV sticks in various TVs for a while now and like most Amazon devices, I've found them to be nicely-designed, easy to use and most importantly, they work really well. In other markets, particularly in the U.S., its not uncommon to find televisions for sale with Fire TV built-in but this a first for New Zealand.

Finally, lets talk about the most important thing of all; the picture.

OLED panels have crossed a rubicon in the last few years. Until relatively recently, they weren't the best option for daytime viewing in a bright room. That just isn't true anymore and the Z95A is a prime example. 

At first I thought, "What a great TV." Then I soon stopped thinking about that and just enjoyed the show. That's how truly immersive the viewing experience is with the Z95A. An experience that has been enhanced immeasurably by the addition of Fire TV, finally, a user interface that is now only helpful and hardly ever frustrating.

        

Click here for more information and pricing on the Panasonic Z95A with Fire TV.

2. WiZ Smart Outdoor String Light and Smart Fairy Light

WiZ has a wide range of smart lighting for most situations but it seems like a good time of year to focus on the Smart Outdoor String Light and Smart Fairy Light.

The String Light is specifically designed for outdoor use, with the lights carrying an IP65 rating for weather resistance and the power adapter rated at IP44.

Both sets of lights are rated for about 15 years use. The String Light seems particularly robust, with a solid moulding above each light complete with convenient hole for hanging on a hook or nail.

As for the Fairy Light set - 20 metres is fairly generous and I was able to trim pretty much my whole deck with those.

But these aren't just any decorative lights, of course. Being smart lights, you have all the colours in the world to choose from, at any level of brightness. There's a host of preset static and dynamic themes too - everything from Candlelight and Sunset to Christmas and Diwali.

Even smarter again, both the Fairy Light and String Light are compatible with just about every smart home system known to humankind; Google Home, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings, IFTTT, Apple HomeKit - in fact, because they are Matter enabled, there aren't many IoT hubs that won't control them. This means I can use voice commands with any smart speaker, phone or even my watch and my new party lights on the back deck will respond accordingly... even if I'm not home.

If you're considering updating or adding to your Christmas light collection this year, I'd definitely consider smartening up your nightscape with either or both of these options. At around NZ$180 each, they may be a little more expensive than your standard set of lights but they're very durable, super easy to set up and they're pretty much guaranteed to be compatible with any existing smart home.

Click here for more information and pricing on the WiZ Smart Outdoor String Light and Smart Fairy Light.

3. HoverAIR X1

The HOVERAir X1 had my full attention before I even opened its box.

I knew I was being sent a drone to review... but what sort of drone would fit in such a small package? I've made toasted sandwiches bigger than this thing. When it's folded up, it literally fits in my jacket pocket.

The HOVERAir X1 comes in white or black and has its own soft carry-bag, a spare battery and a double charger included in the box.

Amazingly, this drone, this tiny little drone, is quite capable of flying itself. There are only two buttons to worry about; the big one turns it on and the little one toggles through the six Flight Modes; Hover, Zoom-Out, Follow, Orbit, Bird-Eye and Custom.

Choose one, rest the HOVERAir X1 on your palm, push the big button again and away it goes. Yes, you can be filming yourself from a flying drone in a matter of seconds. The first time I used it it seemed far too easy but the results spoke for themselves.

Once the HOVERAir X1 is flying in the selected mode, it starts recording - as indicated by the LED above the camera turning red. The camera is on a fully automated gimbal mechanism that always keeps you in shot and makes up half of the hybrid image stabilisation system which guarantees the smoothest footage possible - even in fairly gusty conditions.

Furthermore, once you've flown the HOVERAir X1 a bit, you'll unlock several custom flight modes, including Dolly-Track, Side-Track and manual control.

As a first-time droner, I couldn't have asked for a better option than the HOVERAir X1. The wide range of automated flight modes accessible at the touch of a button make a potentially over-complicated device so damn easy to use. The fact you can literally take it out of your pocket and have it up and flying and filming in under a minute, makes this my favourite gadget of the year to date.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the HOVERAir X1.

4. Dyson Airstrait

This is what the Dyson Airstrait promises; regardless of whether your hair is wet or dry, two or three passes should be all you need for a shiny, healthy, salon-straight result.

As excited as my willing lab-rats were to try the Airstrait out, I think it's safe to say they were pretty skeptical about Dyson's claims. After all, even I know hair takes time. I know this because I'm usually spending that time waiting in the car when we're supposed to be going out.

At first I was hearing comments like, "It just doesn't seem to get hot like my other straighteners."

I couldn't argue. It doesn't. In fact, the Airstrait doesn't have any hotplates at all. As usual, the Dyson team looked at the problem from scratch, quickly realising that a controlled, high-pressure flow of air can achieve the same straightening effect as sandwiching your precious tresses between two scorching pieces of metal.

This means no heat damage and certainly no risk of scorching your precious locks.

As usual for Dyson, this device has been rigorously tested for durability and is likely to outlast cheaper alternatives. And of course, once you add up the time you've saved drying and styling your hair - not to mention less of a need to visit the salon for pricey chemical treatments - this is one Christmas present suggestion that will pay for itself pretty quickly.

It almost makes me wish I had hair.

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

5. Samsung Music Frame

The Music Frame also looks like a picture in a frame. But in this case, that's because it is.

The piece of art on display is not a screen... it's an actual piece of art. Each music Frame comes with a couple of choices in the box but of course there's nothing stopping you using your own. The front panel simply pulls off revealing a high quality, reusable matte with a sturdy backing that allows you to slide different pictures in and out.

But let's not get distracted, because, just like the Frame TV, the Music Frame is not really about the art - whatever you decide that to be. This is also a bloody good speaker.

You can connect a source device any number of ways; bluetooth, Apple Airplay or even as a Google Chromecast.

Believe it or not, because the Music Frame is so powerful and has excellent bass response, it's actually not a half bad soundbar - although with no HDMI port you only have the option to connect wirelessly or via optical cable. But if you want real magic, grab yourself a late model Samsung TV with the Q-Symphony feature.

Q-Symphony lets you add any combination of Samsung speakers, soundbars and subwoofers to the TV's own, built-in speaker system to create the ultimate, surround-sound home theatre listening experience. This isn't just room-filling audio, it'll reach absolutely every corner.

If you love your Frame TV because of its ability to morph into a beautiful piece of art, pairing it with a couple of Music Frames seems like a bit of a no-brainer.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Music Frame (HW-LS60D).

6. Oppo Watch X

Available in Mars Brown (with silver stainless steel case) or Platinum Black (with dark stainless steel case) the Watch X has a classic style to it. Although the bands are made of a substance known as "fluororubber," they look like leather from a distance, yet they're far more comfortable and totally waterproof.

The Sapphire Crystal Glass covering the 1.43-inch AMOLED display is extremely tough. I'm famous for bashing up my watches due to my congenital klutziness. In fact, I managed to put a big scratch in my first Oppo Watch back in 2020 within about five minutes of putting it on. Not this time. 

In fact, when it comes to durability, the Oppo Watch X stacks up toe-to-toe with other so-called "Ultra" smartwatches on the market. It carries an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, can handle depths of up to 5ATM in pressure and also carries the 810H Military Standard which means it can withstand extreme temperatures and mountainous heights.

And being a Wear OS device, you have access to a whole world of other apps if the native fitness monitoring isn't what you're used to.

It's the smart stuff that impressed me the most about the Watch X; rich notifications including thumbnails from my security cameras. Google Wallet set up in no time for contactless payments. The ability to reply to texts, emails, Messenger and WhatsApp, right from the watch itself. And yes, a media controller that will start, stop, fast-forward and rewind my podcasts without having to open my phone.

Best of all, it doesn't have to be paired with an Oppo phone - any Android device will do.

   

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oppo Watch X.

7. motorola razr 50 ultra

The motorola razr 50 ultra is the answer to all my foldable complaints; it's durable, it has good battery life, an excellent camera setup and above all else; a fully functional exterior display.

Durability is not an adjective I thought I'd ever use to describe a clamshell phone but Motorola seems so confident in the razr 50 ultra's new hinge design, they're literally encouraging people to flip the handsets open with one hand, Captain Kirk communicator-style. It also carries an IPX8 water resistance rating, so it should survive most accidental splashes and dunks. The outer screen is Corning Gorilla Glass Victus - one of the most scratch and crack resistant options around. And the lower-rear panel is vegan leather - so not a single fingerprint to be seen.Oh, and it even has a case included in the box.

The decisions Motorola has made with the camera setup are interesting. While some folding phones have been a little under-done in the photography department until now, the razr 50 ultra sports a 50MP main shooter, just like most other flagships on the market these days. But instead of teaming that up with an Ultra-Wide lens of some sort, they've gone for a 50MP telephoto sensor instead. This means while you'll miss out on those expansive landscape shots, you'll get 2 x optical zoom instead, bringing the action much closer, in crystal clarity.

But it's the outer screen on the razr 50 ultra that has really stolen the show for me. While other clamshell-makers insist on limiting what you can do with the smaller display, Motorola has gone completely the other way. Any widget from any app can be added to the scrolling home screen on the outer display. That long list of pull-down shortcuts is all available here as well. In fact, you can use any app on the 4-inch display. Read and answer emails, scroll your socials, browse your photos - whatever. This is exactly what I've been asking for all along. Sure, some apps aren't very practical on such a tiny screen but I'd rather the decision to use them was left up to me - not forced on me arbitrarily.

It's the first foldable I've reviewed that I could imagine using as my "every day" device. There's no compromise in camera performance, battery life is more than sufficient and that outside screen does exactly what it should; everything.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the motorola razr 50 ultra.

8. Sony WF-C510

The Sony WF-C510 earbuds had me the moment I put them in - before I even started listening.

Not only is it a snug and secure fit, because the WF-C510 buds are so small and light, it's a super-comfy fit as well. This means you can wear them for hours and hours without any discomfort.

Of course, being so small, I naturally assumed the battery life would be average at best. I couldn't have assumed more incorrectly. Sony claims up to eleven hours continuous use on full charge with another eleven hours in the case. When I first read that, I thought it must have been a typo. If memory serves, I've never tried any other buds capable of reaching double figures when it comes to continuous playback. Eleven is literally off the charts.

Oh, did I mention the price? RRP: NZ$149.95 - right down the bottom end of the scale for a pair of premium earbuds.

So you would assume there's no Active Noise Cancelling here. Which is true. Well... sort of. Because these buds fit so well, the Passive Noise Cancellation is actually better than the ANC I've experienced on many other (much more expensive) earbuds. Which is why instead of ANC, Sony has gone with AMS instead - Ambient Sound Mode.

So rather than turning ANC on to block traffic and other noise, you activate AMS when you want to hear the outside world.

You still get options for 360 Reality spatial audio and DSEE to help reconstruct the fidelity of compressed files.

The WF-C510 sound great, have fantastic passive noise cancellation, unprecedented battery life and above all else, they fit beautifully.

Click here for more information on the Sony WF-C510.

9. JBL Auracast Speakers

The Go 4, Clip 5 and Xtreme 4 are all excellent JBL speakers in their own right.

As JBL's smallest portable, the Go has been a favourite little powerhouse of mine for a few generations now and this latest model steps things up with even more surprising bass response than ever before - I still can't figure out how they squeeze so much power from such a tiny package. A speaker of this size should sound thin and tinny but the Go 4 just doesn't.

Like the Go 4, the new Clip also comes in six colourways and it's equally water and dustproof.

The Clip 5 packs quite a bit more punch than the smaller Go 4 and I found it to be a very useful travel companion on a recent overseas holiday. The totally redesigned carabiner at the top now opens wide enough to fit the Clip onto pretty much anything, from handlebars to shower heads.

Finally, for a bigger, boombox-like experience, the Xtreme 4 steps in - also rugged and rubbery, also IP67.

This is quite a feature-packed (and power-packed) device.

There are two woofers, two big drivers and dual bass radiators, so if you're after a bit of woomp woomp woomp in your life, the Xtreme 4 can definitely deliver.

But for me, the big news here is Auracast, a whole new way of connecting bluetooth devices together which could well revolutionise the way we think about multi-speaker and multi-room setups.

Just a press of the triangular Auracast logo on any (or all) of these speakers and they're instantly paired, playing the same song. This means when you use Auracast to connect the Go 4 and Clip 5 together, suddenly you have a much bigger, room-filling sound. Add the Xtreme 4 into the mix and suddenly all that extra power and bass response is also at your disposal.

    

Click here for more information on the JBL Go 4.

Click here for more information on the JBL Clip 5.

Click here for more information on the JBL Xtreme 4.

10. Twelve South Butterfly

The Twelve South ButterFly is worth its over-the-top price tag. It'll cost you around NZ$240.00 or thereabouts which is obviously kind of insane for a travel charger and I get that.

Except...what if it's the best charger you've ever used?

It's certainly the smallest - when the two are halves magnetise closed together the whole thing isn't much larger than an Oreo cookie - if that Oreo was made of anodised aluminium layered with vegan leather. Yes, despite its small size, the ButterFly - like all Twelve South accessories - certainly looks and feels like the premium product it is.

Oh sorry; did you want to know what it actually does? Fair enough - it's a 2-in-1 MagSafe charger - specifically designed for charging an iPhone with one half and an Apple Watch with the other.

This is the most compact dual-charger I've ever come across. It looks fantastic, feels very durable and as I've outlined, it's amazingly versatile given its small form factor. Is it worth almost two-hundred and forty bucks? If it's the best there is... maybe so.

    

Click here for more information on the Twelve South ButterFly.

11. Amazon Echo Pop

While pretty tiny, it turns out the Echo Pop is just as clever as any other smart speaker

What's more, it comes in a selection of colours; Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavendar Bloom and Midnight Teal.

I'm not going to do a deep dive on all the various ways this speaker can help you access information and connect to the vast majority of IoT devices you have in your home. We've already been there and done that for many Echoes in all their various shapes and sizes.

All you need to know is the Pop works exactly the same way, controlling smart lights, air conditioners and countless other devices by following your voice commands.

But probably the best way to use the Pop is as an add-on speaker. If you're already using a larger Echo Show device, or maybe the truly excellent Echo Studio, which is a big speaker with genuinely decent bass response, adding a Pop or two into the mix will give you a much more room-filling sound. Recent updates to Alexa's ability to group several Echoes together mean this feature is much more dependable and really makes creating an affordable, multi-speaker system very easy.

In fact, with two Echo Pops you can create a stereo pair and I imagine the result is a much bigger sound overall. (I haven't tested this myself but I'm confident in recommending the setup as I've tried it with the slightly bigger Echo Dots and it works insanely well)

For around NZ$85.00 you can add onto your existing Alexa setup very easily and affordably. I've found the Pop does everything you'd expect it to, sounds better than you'd expect it to and I do believe, given its prompt responses demonstrated in the video below, it may even be the best listener of all the Echo devices to date.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Amazon Echo Pop.

12. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Just when I thought I had a handle on how smartphone cameras work, Samsung has blown my mind by taking out the 10X zoom lens and replacing it with a 5X one. Don't panic, this has actually resulted in better close-ups. That's because last years zoom sensor was only 10MP - the 5X one on the S24 Ultra is 50MP. That significant jump in resolution combined with the sheer processing power of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip adds up to some spectacular photographic wizardry.

Because of the way the S24 Ultra now uses multiple images from multiple sensors to create the absolute best photo possible, terms like "optical" or "hybrid" zoom have kind of lost their meaning. Enter the age of Galaxy AI.

The really impressive thing about this new Galaxy AI is how fast it works on this phone. Not just when taking photos - and to be sure options like nighttime shooting are noticeably quicker - but also when editing.

The large, flat, bright screen makes the S24 Ultra a fantastic gaming phone and it's one of the few to offer ray-tracing via its improved GPU for the most convincing graphics response you could ask for. Samsung has also completely revamped the cooling system, combining several layers of different cooling techniques to ensure maximum performance over even the longest gaming session.

But the big star of the S24 launch was Galaxy AI - and justifiably so. Want a live transcript of your meeting or lecture? Just select the shortcut from the pulldown menu on the notification bar.

Need a translator? There's another shortcut for that. Simply download whichever language pack you require and you'll have instant access to both written and spoken translations. There are currently 13 languages on offer, presumably with more on the way and thanks the the S24 Ultra's NPU, the translation happens on the phone itself - no data connection required. This might be pretty handy if you've just arrived in a strange country and you're trying to find out where to buy a local sim card. You can even live-translate your phonecalls which makes dealing with international business partners so much smoother. The potential productivity gains are pretty obvious.

While Samsung's latest flagship may not look dramatically different from its predecessors, its new Galaxy AI capabilities combined with the latest, most powerful Android SoC available mean the performance and useability of this device are worlds ahead of where we were twelve months ago. 

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.