Swann MaxRanger4K Mini - Little Cam, Long Range

If you've ever looked into buying your own home security system, chances are you've ended up somewhat bewildered by the range of features offered by different cameras and confounded by how few of those features you get to use unless you pay a monthly subscription.

Ah, the subscription society in which we now live. Seemed like such a good idea at the time. Why buy a limited amount of music to keep when we can pay a relatively small monthly fee to listen to everything? Who wants to be told when to watch their favourite TV show, only to have it interrupted by commercial breaks every ten minutes? Not when a monthly payment lets you watch what you want, when you want, ad-free.

Fine.

But somewhere along the way, everything started to be offered on subscription. Weekly groceries delivered to your door. Printer ink magically turning up when you need it. The seats in your luxury car warmed for your comfort.

Hang on... what was that last one?

Yep - spend top dollar on a flash set of wheels but you only get to keep your bum warm if you sign up for the right plan.

Suddenly the first episode of the latest season of Black Mirror seems disturbingly true-to-life. Just how far away is the idea of pay-as-you-go medical implants? Or maybe that's already a thing? Scary.

So it's no wonder security cameras will only save your recordings if you're fully subscribed.

Not all of them though. Not yet.

As its name suggests, the Swann MaxRanger4K Mini is definitely one of the smaller security cameras I've reviewed and it's a fraction of the size of the MaxRanger4K Solar cameras I tested a year ago. Despite that, the Mini still offers most of the same features, starting with super clear 4K video. So clear, in fact, I have, on occasion been able to zoom in on the labels on packages to see who they're for. Obviously, faces and number plates are even easier to make out.

At night, you'll get excellent black & white footage, or if the blindingly bright motion-activated spotlights are set to come on, you'll have flawless colour video and images, just like daytime.

I was sent the two-camera system to review, which includes a versatile mount for each camera. These mounts are very easy to attach to walls, fences or ceilings and enable you to position the MaxRanger4K Minis at just about any angle you want.

The other very important item in the box is the Base Station - which is the real key to how good a MaxRanger4K system is.

Firstly, rather than connecting to your home Wi-Fi network, the Mini cams connect directly to the Base Station, which in turn is hardwired to your router. This not only has the benefit of freeing up bandwidth on your Wi-Fi but the 900MHz HaLow connection between cameras and base station is very powerful and free of interference. 

So yes, you get more range than your average home CC camera - up to 300 metres if the camera has direct line-of-sight to the base station or 100 metres with the usual walls and other obstacles in the way. That's pretty much guaranteed to get to every last corner of your property - unless you have a very large property indeed.

But for me, my favourite feature - and this has been true for all the Swann devices I've tried so far - is the ability to store your recordings without paying for the privilege. Not only does the base station have a USB-A slot so you can attach your choice of external hard drive, Swann even includes a microSD card in the box, so you're ready to go the moment you're all set up using the Swann Security app.

I love it. (The free local storage I mean, not the app). In fact, the app could use a little work. It's a bit hard to navigate, especially when trying to adjust the settings on individual cameras.

As with other Swann Security System packages, the Base Station also comes with a mouse and an HDMI cable, allowing you to monitor up to eight connected cameras on a bigger screen than just the one on your phone.

So essentially, the main difference between the Mini and Solar MaxRanger4K cameras is how they're powered - the Mini runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which lasts several weeks between charges (depending on usage). There's a charging cable in the box and it's probably a good idea to use that one because the weather-proof USB-C charging port is a bit fiddly to get to - it's recessed quite a long way into the rear panel of the camera.

If you decide taking cameras down every month or so is too much of a hassle, Swann also sells a solar panel which will keep the MaxRanger4K Mini running indefinitely.

Of course, if you really want a subscription, Swann does offer Secure+ - this includes cloud storage, 24/7 customer support, extended warrantees and even insurance for your devices.

For me, those are all nice-to-haves, rather than have-to-haves. However, I will mark Swann down for two features I still don't think you should have to pay extra for; rich notifications and people, pet, car and package alerts. It's frustrating to know you can get an interactive thumbnail notification on your phone but only if you're a member. By the same token, why pay for a camera capable of knowing the difference between a courier and a cat, if you then have to pay more to use that feature?

Still, for me, the free local storage and extraordinary range are the most important things and as long as those are included in the purchase price, I'll always be a Swann Security fan.

    

Click here for more information on the Swann MaxRanger4K Mini Long-Range Wireless Security System.

Logitech Flip Folio - A Bonafide Alternative

Now that every iPadOS update has Apple's touch-screen tablet working more and more like a Mac, it makes sense to look for a keyboard to pair it with.

Sure, Apple produces these kinds of accessories but they cost an arm and a leg. You can also find cheap and nasty third-party options but they might end up being more frustrating than having no keyboard at all.

Meanwhile, I've been using Logitech wireless keyboards for years.

The reasons are simple; great design, ergonomically friendly, excellent battery life and reliable multi-point connectivity.

Now Logitech has a product specifically for the latest iPads, it could be a match made in heaven.

The Logitech Flip Folio takes the basic idea of a keyboard case and gives it a bit of a twist.

Available in Lilac or Graphite, the Flip Folio comes in two different sizes to cater for both 11 and 13-inch iPad Air and iPad Pro. It has a durable, soft-touch surface that effectively protects your iPad front and back. Like other, similar, folio-style cases, Logitech's version is designed to attach magnetically to the back of the iPad, while the front cover opens up and then bends into a stand to hold the iPad at the angle you prefer.

It took me a while to figure this out as the folding part is quite stiff (that's good, it keeps your iPad securely in place) and it makes a strange crease on the cover's surface - almost as though it isn't supposed to be bent that way. Even though it is. I only raise that because I worry if this will be a weak point, prone to wear and tear over time. I'll show you what I mean in the video below.

When standing up, the iPad sits firmly on a little contrasting ledge. This is quite nifty as it means you can pull the iPad off and sit it against the stand in portrait mode as well. This makes quite a bit of sense given a lot of people use their iPads this way around - in fact, that's probably a big reason why they went with an iPad over a laptop in the first place. With the iPad standing up in portrait, there's room for your phone on the little ledge too. This might be handy if you're exchanging files between devices or maybe just looking out for phone calls while you work.

Where Logitech has got really creative is with the keyboard. It also magnetises onto the case and by the same token is completely separate when you take it off.

That means a lot more freedom for where you can place your iPad. For example, now there's nothing stopping you using the keyboard on your lap while your iPad is sitting on the coffee table in front of you. Always good to have more flexibility and you definitely get that with this device.

Although the keyboard is perhaps the slimmest I've ever used, it's still full-sized with plenty of space between the keys and there's a surprisingly clicky feel to those keys, given how little travel you're getting. This is an Apple-focussed device and as such, the key selection is very Mac-like; no Home, End or Backspace keys but you do get media and brightness controls. I'd have loved to have seen a fingerprint sensor for secure login but given you have that on the iPad anyway, it's no great omission.

Of course, as I mentioned at the top, Apple makes a similar device; the Magic Keyboard - and I wouldn't normally introduce a competing product into my review except it's kind of the clear choice you're making here.

The Magic Keyboard does offer a couple of things Logitech's Flip Folio doesn't. It has a built-in trackpad and an extra USB-C port for charging (both the keyboard and the attached iPad).

The trackpad is certainly an advantage - although if you're anything like me, you'd prefer to pair a mouse anyway. As for the charging slot, the Flip Folio doesn't have one at all. Instead, it's powered by four coin batteries that slide out on a little drawer. Depending on how much you use the device, Logitech suggests you might get as long as two years use before you need to swap batteries.

I'm a bit confused where Logitech stands on batteries-VS-rechargeables - some devices do it one way, some the other. I thought we were all supposed to be moving away from disposable batteries but at least 3/4 of Logitech products are made with post-consumer recycled plastic.

What the Flip Folio has that Apple's Magic Keyboard doesn't (apart from the fact it's a totally separate component, obviously) is the ability to pair with three different devices. This is probably my favourite thing about all the Logitech keyboards and mice I use. There are three contrasting function keys in the top left corner and swapping from device to device is as easy as pressing one of those buttons.

Believe it or not, I've been typing this whole review using the Flip Folio - but on my Mac, not on my iPad. That's the kind of inter-device productivity we should all expect from our tech these days. 

But I suppose the thing that matters most here is, is the Flip Folio cheaper?

It costs NZ$299.95 for the 11-inch iPad version I've been using. Sounds like a lot, right?

Except Apple's Magic Keyboard costs even more. A lot more. Twice as much more, in fact. The Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro is NZ$599.00. Ouch. Three-hundred bucks extra for a trackpad and a second USB-C port? You'd have to really want those at that price.

Personally, I'll take the flexibility of a separate keyboard that can connect to other devices at the push of a button thanks.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Logitech Flip Folio.

Oclean X Lite - No App Required

First things first; what's the difference between an electric toothbrush and a sonic toothbrush?

Essentially, one rotates while the other vibrates. So instead of mercilessly scouring your teeth with a circular head, sonic toothbrushes vibrate the plaque away and this is generally considered to be much more effective.

These days you can get pretty carried away with toothbrush technology. Paired with an app (yes - after all, what isn't these days?) you can track your brushing habits and even perfect your technique.

Overkill? Perhaps.

While Oclean does offer smart, blutooth-connected devices, it also has a less over-the-top option that can still help you make dramatic improvements to the way you brush.

The Oclean X Lite is smart - both in its abilities and the way it looks. Available in white or electric blue, it has a matte finish which I definitely prefer over more glossy toothbrushes I've tried previously. Glossy also means slippery and slippery is never something you want in the bathroom.

Interestingly, unlike other rechargeable toothbrushes I've used in the past, the X Lite doesn't come with its own wireless charging cradle. Instead, you flip open a waterproof compartment at the base to reveal a USB-C charging port. Although there's no charger included in the packet, most people would have one somewhere so in many ways this is a more universal and convenient way of charging. There is a charging cable included but it's very short so I'm not sure how useful it is.

The good news is the X Lite has quite a large battery so a single charge will last up to 40 days.

You can monitor charging progress on the large, colour screen and it's this screen that really sets the X Lite apart from other toothbrushes.

Thanks to its 6-axis gyroscope sensor, the X Lite tracks your brushing over the left, right, upper, lower, inside and out areas of your teeth and it can tell if you have cleaned each of those eight sections thoroughly. If you have, you'll hear a short, congratulatory ringtone and a sparkly set of chompers appears on screen to let you know what a good job you've done.

On the other hand, if you've merely "brushed over" a section or two, the screen shows you which area you've missed and you can then follow up with some targeted supplementary brushing. This is more or less how other bluetooth-connected brushes I've used work but they all relied on an app on my phone to guide me through my brushing routine. The X Lite's built-in screen is a much less cumbersome way of doing pretty much the same thing.

Like other electric brushes, the X Lite pauses for a split-second after every thirty to remind you to move on to the next area. This is a bit confusing though because the total time allocated to three of the five brushing routines is two-and-a-half minutes, which doesn't really divide into eight very evenly.

Those five brushing modes are; Daily Cleaning, Deep Cleaning, Whitening Cleaning, Massage Soothing and Sensitivity Gum Care. I feel like I'm a Deep Cleaning kind of a guy, which scores four out of five stars on Oclean's intensity scale.

The brush head itself is a little larger than I'm used to - it's a DuPont Diamond brush head apparently. I guess if anyone knows how to make bristles, it's the paint people. Its twin curve or "W-shape" design is supposed to be a better fit against your teeth and I like the fact there's a tongue-cleaner on the back because I feel that's an area that's often neglected. I've also been reliably informed that a clean tongue is the key to nice, fresh breath. So there you go.

Oclean uses something it refers to as "Patented Maglev Power" to make the head vibrate at up to 72,000 movements per minute, which is definitely more than I could manage manually. The only other time I've heard the term "Maglev" was when I caught the train from Shanghai Airport into the city. That was also extremely fast.

So there's a lot of tech bundled into this toothbrush and I have to say, it's refreshing not having to consult an app on my phone every time I clean my teeth. In saying that, I'm not sure it's worth the NZ$259.00 it was originally launched at back in April. Perhaps its New Zealand retailer, Shaver Shop has agreed, as they've currently slashed the price to NZ$99.00 which feels more in line with competing products from other brands.

There's no doubt this brush is smart and yes, my teeth feel clean but without a charger, a travel case or even a spare brush head included, there's only so much I'm prepared to pay.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Oclean X Lite.

ECOVACS DEEBOT X8 PRO OMNI - Their Best Effort Yet

Of all the devices I've reviewed over the years, apart from the actual EVs, robot vacuums are probably the most complicated.

In fact, maybe they're even more complicated than cars; after all, cars just have to have wheels that go around. Robot vacuums do that - and clean at the same time.

So it's no wonder I've yet to meet the perfect robot vacuum; there's just so much to it. Although the latest effort from ECOVACS gets a lot closer.

The first thing working in the DEEBOT X8's favour is its appearance - it got the thumbs-up from the Domestic Manager. Well, to be specific, she said no robot vacuum looks good stationed in the middle of the living room but if we absolutely had to have one, she supposed black was better than white or silver.

The OMNI auto-cleaning station is more compact than other OMNI stations I've used in the past. This is also a pleasing consideration for all Domestic Managers out there. The opaque clean and dirty water tanks are just see-through enough to be able to tell when they need filling or emptying - a very fuss-free process ECOVACS got right with its earlier OMNI models.

Despite touting the ZeroTangle 2.0 main brush, complete with "3V Anti-Tangle Technology," its V-shaped spiral brush and comb system is still unable to battle the dog and several long-haired humans in my house. Sadly, every few vacuums I have to "de-tangle" the ZeroTangle with a pocket knife.

Unfortunately, it also seems there's still some debate on the best way to empty a DEEBOT's dust container. Some models have had a single exhaust outlet while others have had a dual version, which I definitely found more effective. For some reason, on the X8 PRO they've gone back to single exhaust vent and in my testing, this just doesn't do the business. Thanks to the aforementioned dog and hairy humans, the dust container seems to clog up before the vacuum can return to empty itself. So in effect, the X8 PRO is a victim of its own success; it's phenomenal 18000Pa suction power is so good, it fills itself too full, too fast. Luckily, there's a solution.

The ECOVACS app gives you the option to change many settings - both on the robot and the cleaning station. Hidden amongst the station's advanced settings is one labelled, "Dust Collection Power." There are two options - Standard or Quiet Mode and it seems Quiet Mode is selected by default. Now I've figured this out my auto-emptying might be noisier but at least it'll be emptier.

The ECOVACS app was already comprehensive but with this device, things have moved up several notches, especially when it comes to mapping your home. In the past, I've complained how fiddly it is to customise the map once the robot makes its initial, automated pass through all your rooms. I have quite a few floor-level windows, glass sliders and french doors - all of which robot vacuums tend to see through and assume whatever's on the other side is another room waiting to be vacuumed. Not very helpful if it's a deck or a balcony.

Now the combination of the latest app and the X8 PRO's AI abilities makes all this stuff a doddle to sort out. Rooms that aren't actual rooms can be sliced off and deleted in seconds while the app itself suggests no-go areas (like stairs) for a more efficient clean. Carpets and mats of all kinds are also auto-detected and if you prefer, you can tell the robot to clean those first before it starts mopping.

Oh... I may have buried the lead here somewhat; This is the first DEEBOT I've used that can vacuum and mop hard floors, then move onto carpet without having to manually swap out a dedicated mopping attachment.

It's all due to the new OZMO ROLLER, a self-cleaning mopping system that might just be the most ingenious piece of tech I've ever come across. Previous DEEBOTs have used either vibrating mopping pads or spinning, circular ones but now the OZMO ROLLER is soaked with an array of 16 water nozzles for mopping, then any wastewater is scraped off to be expelled into the dirty water tank back at the OMNI station.

Although it looks a bit like a paint roller, it spins at 200RPM, applying its high-pressure, always-clean surface to all hard floors - detecting any major or more stubborn spills and going back for an extra pass when required.

What's even more clever is the X8 PRO knows when its cleaning up against a wall and actually extends the roller out to mop as close to the edge as possible. ECOVACS calls this technology TruEdge 2.0. I knew it did this but when I actually saw it in action, I was spellbound.

By the same token, the TruEdge 3D Sensor also controls the side brush, which is now on an extendable arm. The result? No dust or debris left behind, even in the tightest corners.

The ECOVACS tech boffins obviously love to give every part of the DEEBOT cleaning process a nifty name and the obstacle detection is no exception - or rather, AIVI 3D Omni-Approach. All I know is this is the best incarnation yet. The robot avoids people and pets as they go about their business and as you'll see in the video below, the X8 PRO also knows to avoid any pesky power cables.

It's still not perfect; I have had to rescue the odd fluffy dog toy and a throw rug with tasseled edges but this is easily the smartest robot vacuum I've used to date - it rarely gets trapped or snagged and more often than not I come home to find it back in its station after another gleaming, scheduled clean.

The OMNI station is also where the roller mop is cleaned and dried of course - which happens between 40-75° depending on the room type and how dirty it's got. The roller is then rotated under hot air and is completely dry and odour-free after just two hours.

Although the mopping results are excellent (especially on bathroom tiles) I did notice some streaks on the floor here and there where the robot had to manoeuvre in tight spaces. However, I then splashed out (excuse the pun) on a bottle of ECOVACS cleaning solution. This is poured into its own tank in the OMNI station, next to the dust bag compartment. It's then added to the clean water at a 200:1 ratio to improve the cleaning result and reduce streaking. I was instantly impressed with the results and at that ratio, I reckon it'll be fair while before I need another bottle.

Speaking of maintenance, there is now a removable mop washing tray in the bottom of the OMNI station which makes the six-monthly cleaning process a lot easier - you just pull it out, rinse it off and shove it back in. No more poking around with damp cloths and little brushes.

The ECOVACS app is more advanced than before and even YIKO, the ECOVACS voice-assistant, has evolved into YIKO-GPT, now capable of responding to more natural commands - either spoken or typed.

It's this kind of hands-off, user-friendly design that makes the DEEBOT X8 PRO OMNI the best robot vacuum I've used yet. It finally delivers on the promise of what a device like this should be; a home appliance that does its job automatically, with as little input from you as possible. By mopping the hard floors in the same session as vacuuming the carpet, everything is more efficient and the extendable roller and side brush mean you no longer have to go around cleaning up after your cleaner.

    

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the ECOVACS DEEBOT X8 PRO OMNI.

HP OfficeJet Pro 9120e - Boring Is Better

Even after all these years and all the technological advances we've made, there are still certain problems yet to be solved...

Why isn't the office air-con working properly? Why does the jug take so long to boil? And perhaps the greatest mystery of all; why can't I get this to print?

Between paper jams, toner or ink issues and network connectivity dropouts, it seems we'll be more likely to land humans on Mars before we can just get the printer to print.

Until now...

The HP OfficeJet Pro 9120e isn't going to win any beauty contests. Oh, there's nothing wrong with the way it looks - especially if you're into mostly featureless beige boxes with grey lids. But if you were to picture a generic printer in your mind, that's pretty much what you're dealing with here.

On an initial run-through of the 9120e's features, you're not really seeing anything new; it can connect via Wi-Fi, USB or ethernet. You can print directly from an external USB-A memory source. It has a document feeder and can do high-resolution scanning and copying. You can do double-sided (duplex) printing and it's Instant Ink enabled.

To be fair, it would be more surprising if it didn't do all those things.

In saying that, features like Instant Ink are at least unique to HP. I've covered this off before; it's an automatic subscription service that sends you discounted replacement ink cartridges right before you need them. It's a fantastic option if you do a lot of printing at your place - there are different price points to suit your usage although if you're a very light user, you may be better off just buying cartridges as you need them. Probably not though; the compatible cartridges are NZ$54 for each colour option and NZ$86 for the larger black one. That means replacing a whole set will cost you more than the original price of the printer. Phew! See? Some things never change.

Not only do you get three months of Instant Ink free with the purchase of the printer, depending on your usage, you could save up to 50% over time. What's more, the cartridges turn up on your doorstep without you even having to order them.

The 9120e has a user-friendly, full colour, touch control screen. This can tilt up at an angle and here you can access most settings and other useful information - like ink levels for example.

Obviously, these options and details are also accessible via the HP Smart app, which is the easiest way to set the printer up and connect it to your network. Where it will stay - reliably - thanks to it's dual-band, self-healing Wi-Fi ability. I don't know how this works but because I've owned other HP printers with this feature I can assure you it does. If you've ever been confronted with a "Printer is currently offline" or "No printer found" message, you'll definitely appreciate a printer that's always ready to go, no matter what.

There's a 35 page document feeder and the print quality is great; high resolution and good detail in both colour and black and white.

In the past I've usually reviewed printers from HP's Home Office range. The 9120e loses the "Home" designation and belongs to the Office selection instead. Make no mistake, these classifications are pure marketing. Regardless of your office being at home, I can thoroughly recommend this printer to you too.

Everything is just that little bit better with this printer that means "business."

The paper tray holds 250 pages - that's half a ream. 

You'll print faster too - up to 22 pages-per-minute in colour.

It also makes no difference what device you're printing from - I've found it just as easy to print directly from my phone as it is on my laptop or desktop. There are also HP Smart apps for every platform.

And there are some other nice touches that make this one of the most easy-to-use printers I've tried.

When it's time to change ink cartridges, you don't have to open the top of the printer completely; instead there's a front-facing access panel that brings the cartridges into view where they can be easily swapped out.

However, if for some reason things go wrong (I haven't had a single paper jam yet but it's only been a week or so) then when you DO open the 6120e up, it really opens all the way, giving you full access to anywhere things may have come a cropper - including a removable paper-feed component that snaps easily out and back in again.

It's this kind of straight-forward, user-focussed design that makes the OfficeJet Pro 9120e my new favourite pinter - it overdelivers in terms of speed, paper capacity and network reliability and makes tasks that used to be tiresome (like ordering and replacing cartridges) a total breeze.

Click here for more information and pricing on the HP OfficeJet Pro 9120e.

Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch) - Not All Updates Are Improvements

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Easy to say. Sometimes hard to do - especially if you're a multi-national tech company under constant pressure to release new and exciting products on a regular basis.

By the same token, change isn't always bad but sometimes it's a challenge to get people on board.

Microsoft has never shied away from launching less conventional devices to a mass market in a "let's see how it goes" sort of approach.

So how are the this year's Surface devices faring so far?

The latest iteration of the Microsoft Surface Laptop is the thinnest and lightest yet. That doesn't mean this is the skinniest 13-inch laptop on the market but for those Surface fans who are looking to upgrade this year, the new slimmed-down model may attract customers who've previously gone with the tablet version of the Surface to save a little weight and space.

Starting from NZ$1,999.00, in many ways the Surface Laptop represents better value than its sister product, the 12-inch Surface Pro - because by the time you add a keyboard and a power adapter (that's right, for the tablet, the adapter is now an optional extra) even the base model adds up to hundreds more.

Available in Violet, Ocean or Platinum, the 13-inch Surface Laptop not only looks great, it has some other very useful features, starting with a decent selection of ports.

All too often these days we consumers are left out in the cold when it comes to adding peripherals or even just charging. Thankfully, this year's Surface Laptop has foregone the weird, proprietary magnetic chargers of the past and now charges via USB-C, like any other device. There's a 45W wall-charger included in the box and you'll get excellent battery life.

You won't get the 23 hours of local video playback Microsoft claims on its website, because nobody is turning off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and every other background process in order to do that. But you should make it through a typical work day with no issues.

Not if you're a gamer though - but we'll get to that.

Back to those ports though; not one but two USB-C 3.2 slots, capable of fast data transfer via Thunderbolt 4 accessories and also DisplayPort 1.4a-enabled which means you can run two external 4K monitors at up to 60Hz.

On the other side, a headphone jack and amazingly, a full-sized USB-A port because although some manufacturers refuse to admit it, we all still own plenty of things that plug in via USB-A.

The keyboard is nicely spaced out and the keys have a nice, clicky travel to them that you don't always get with a laptop. There's a Windows Hello fingerprint sensor under the power key for secure login. This works well - the device remembers your fingerprint when you first turn it on so you don't have to scan again once it has booted to the login window. Oddly, the built-in Surface Studio Camera is not Windows Hello compatible so you can't log in via facial recognition.

I've never understood why Microsoft would produce a device with a camera that doesn't do Windows Hello. But then, Microsoft does a lot of things I don't understand.

Like this whole ARM / Snapdragon thing.

I realise there are more devices running on ARM architecture than any on other system. But the vast majority of those devices are phones and tablets. And yet, right from the very first Surface RT, Microsoft has dabbled with ARM. Over the years, the odd Surface has been ARM while others have been based on a more conventional Intel setup.

Now, again, Microsoft seems to be all in on ARM - this time running the Surface Laptop with the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor. It's fast. It's efficient. But it still doesn't play well with others. 

Last year I was prepared to cut Microsoft some slack. When you release new technology - especially new hardware - it can take third-party developers a while to catch up and provide compatible products. But as I said, this isn't the first time Microsoft has gone this route and yet popular tools like Adobe Audition still can't be downloaded onto this device.

That's the audio editor I use every day at Newstalk ZB, by the way. Who's to blame here? Microsoft or Adobe? Other Adobe apps work via emulation so who knows what's going on?

Then I tried to install some games, some via Ubisoft, some via Steam. Some worked, some didn't, some booted up but then couldn't find a suitable video driver so performance was pretty scratchy. I certainly couldn't recommend this device as a gaming machine - not least of all because as soon as you start running anything too graphically intensive it starts eating battery life like a Pac-Man eats dots.

Meanwhile, the 13-inch PixelSense display has its pros and cons - it's great having a 10-point multi-touch screen - I always find that pretty much eliminates the need for a mouse. I'm a fan of the 3:2 aspect ratio too. The taller shape always gives me the impression there's more space to arrange different windows on. 

However, the refresh rate maxes out at 60Hz and 400 nits of brightness is fine but certainly not dazzling. Like I say, this ain't no gaming rig but I found it perfectly adequate for streaming my shows.

Where the Surface Laptop excels is with its video capabilities. The mic/camera/speaker combo is excellent and there are some genuinely useful settings for your next online meeting, like the new Portrait Blur option, which washes a gentle, soft-focus filter over whatever's in your background. You can see me demonstrate this in the video below.

This is also a Copilot+ PC. That means a dedicated Copilot button on the keyboard which gives you instant access to the latest incarnation of Microsoft's built-in AI. Copilot's integration into products like Office 365 and Edge makes it very useful when it comes to summarising web-pages and messages or organising data. It's actually a great way to learn how to use the Surface Laptop itself. Can't remember the keyboard shortcut for screen recording? Ask Copilot.

Another exciting Windows 11 feature has been a long time coming but it's finally here; Recall, the ultimate undo. This utility constantly saves full-system snapshots over time and when you open it, you get a timeline and preview of all your previous work on the device. This is more than just the ability to restore back to your last update - you can literally revisit forgotten webpages or go back to the first draft of your big presentation.

Tools like this and other native apps like Clipchamp (which I used to edit the video below) work seamlessly, which makes the frustration of dealing with third-party compatibility issues all the more acute.

As a business tool, the 13-inch Laptop Surface is a powerhouse. The integrated AI tools, excellent battery life and sublime video-call performance are all more typical of a much more expensive machine.

If only all the software developers were as onboard with ARM as Microsoft certainly seems to be.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Microsoft Surface Laptop (13-inch).

OPPO Watch X2 - Not Perfect, But Most of It Is

Smartwatches have come a long way. What were originally clunky devices with limited functionality and poor battery life have quickly evolved into stylish status symbols, capable of almost everything your phone is, plus a whole range of health and fitness tracking features.

Still bad battery life probably.

That aside, the modern smartwatch is no longer a gimmicky gadget only the nerdiest of early-adopters would be prepared to wear in public. These days they're a genuine fashion accessory, not to mention a bonafide productivity tool, with the ability to monitor all your online comings-and-goings right there on your wrist.

Because New Zealand's smartphone market is a bit of a two horse race, it would be easy to assume the choice of watch is just as limited.

But I'm here to tell you, the third-placed phone brand offers a pretty decent watch as well.

There's no denying the OPPO Watch X2 is an attractive timepiece, straight out of the box. I was so stoked to discover they'd sent me the Summit Blue variant and not the more boring (but potentially more practical) Lava Black model. The blue one features a hybrid leather strap with contrasting stitching, while the black strap is fluororubber - very comfortable and more durable but, you know... still black.

The casing is stainless steel, the bezel is titanium alloy and the crystal is extra-thick sapphire glass - basically this thing is very hard to break or even scratch.

In fact, the Watch X2 carries the renowned MIL-STD-810H durability rating that means it can survive knocks and drops, extreme cold, high altitude and of course it shrugs off water and dust.

When it comes to GPS tracking the Watch X2 now uses dual-band satellite connectivity for more accurate activity mapping and what's more, it seems to connect instantly which means you can chart your run the moment you're out the door.

Speaking of maps, being a Wear OS device, you can use Google Maps on the watch no problem, not to mention summoning up Google Assistant for spoken commands.

Wear OS also means access to a bewildering number of apps and watch faces, all of which look amazing on the 1.5-inch AMOLED display. It's worth noting High Brightness Mode goes up to 1000nits, which is impressive for any mobile device, let alone a smartwatch. Even more impressively, it will crank things up to a peak brightness of 2200nits in strong sunlight. You won't have any trouble reading it, even in the snow or at the beach.

Whatever activity you're tracking - and the Watch X2 can do dozens and dozens - you can customise the data to display the stats you're most interested in. For example, if you want to monitor your pace and cadence, you can prioritise those over things like heart rate and duration. This watch can even keep an eye on your running posture.

To be honest, there's not much the Watch X2 can't track; blood oxygen, Heart Rate Variability, snoring, wrist temperature, breathing rate during sleep - even vascular health, which turned out to be a bit depressing for me.

Every so often you'll be prompted to fire off a 60-second Health Check-In. This runs an ECG, tests your circulatory system and alerts you of any major issues. Unfortunately, I couldn't hide my "arterial stiffness" and although my risk is listed as "low," it's definitely something I'll keep an eye on as I'm already taking heart medication to lower my blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Despite that, the Watch X2 is both a joy to wear and a pleasure to use. This is partly due to the rotating crown which allows you to scroll through what's being displayed and even do things like adjust the volume in the media controller.

But it's battery life that gives OPPO's flagship watch a distinct advantage over its competitors. OPPO claims you can squeeze up to 16 days out of a full charge but I assume in order to do this you'd have to be running in power-saving mode the whole time, which would mean deactivating high-drain features like continuous heart monitoring and animated watch faces.

However, in my more realistic, everyday use I still managed to get three or four days in between charges which is significantly better than what you'll get with some other high profile smartwatches. The only drawback is you need to use a specific wireless charging cradle and I'm not sure if there's the same range of 3rd-party charging accessories as there are for those more widely-sold brands.

My biggest frustration with the Watch X2 is there's no eSIM capability which means unlike other high-end smartwatches you can't use it as a standalone cellular device with the addon plans now available from some New Zealand telcos. This doesn't mean it suddenly stops working when it's out of bluetooth range with your phone. You still get GPS tracking etc - you just won't get any notifications, messages or phone calls.

When it IS connected to my phone (any Android phone - doesn't have to be an OPPO) I've been surprised and impressed by how well I can access and interact with apps like Outlook and Messenger. When using other smartwatches I often think I'm reading, reacting to or deleting messages and emails only to discover they're still on my phone and my reply didn't go through. Not with the Watch X2. The connectivity is reliable and very functional.

All this combined with an impressively powerful Snapdragon chip means the performance is smooth, fast and dependable - which is important when using functions like Camera Remote or making contactless payments with Google Wallet.

I've come to lower my expectations when reviewing smartwatches from "minor" brands - not that OPPO is a minor player internationally, of course. So it's little wonder the Watch X2 has impressed me so much I'm in no particular hurry to go back to my "usual" watch.

Short of adding eSIM functionality, there's really not much OPPO could do to make this one better.

Click here for more information and pricing on the OPPO Watch X2.