Philips Hue Twilight sleep and wake-up light - The Bedside Lamp of Your Dreams

So after reviewing, buying and installing my fair share of smart lighting solutions over the years, I can confidently say Philips Hue deserves its position as the most well regarded of them all.

While they've recently added quite a few devices, Hue still isn't the biggest range. And it's definitely one of the most expensive. But when it comes to smart gadgetry, there's really only one thing that matters; reliability.

When you want it on, it needs to turn on. Even more importantly for lighting, when it's off, it needs to stay off. When it comes to preset routines and colour effects, you don't want to have to have a degree in quantum optics to be able to set it.

And that's what Hue seems to nail every time. Or so I thought...

I have to admit, I'd completely brushed over what the Hue Twilight truly is. I thought it was basically just a bedside lamp with a Hue smart bulb in it. But from the moment I took it out of the box, I was immediately impressed by how much more it has to offer - even before I turned it on.

Firstly, whether you go for white or black, the lamp itself is styley - in a low-key, subtle, retro sci-fi sort of a way. I like how curvy and rounded it is. I like how natural the cork-like base feels and it's helpful that the head of the lamp can rotate to different angles.

Why is that latter feature so important?

Because it turns out the back of the Twilight is essentially a second device altogether; I was pleasantly shocked to discover a Hue Play wall washer set into the rear panel. I recently reviewed the wall washer and found it to be a fine example of Philips Hue's unique ColorCasting ability, using overlapping LEDs to create that trademark gradient effect which makes them so perfect as backlights synced with your TV or computer monitor.

I also found the wall washers made fabulous feature lights to highlight your favourite plants, sculptures or even items of furniture around the house.

The genius of building one into the back of the Twilight sleep and wake-up light is it makes the ceiling lights in your bedroom redundant - particularly at bedtime when it's widely accepted exposure to overly bright, 100W bulbs just before bed can faff about with your natural circadian rhythms and make it difficult to drift off.

Conversely, the light emitted from the back of the Twilight is much more subtle and soothing, indirectly reflecting off the wall in whatever colour and brightness you set it to.

This is so brilliant, because often, just one or two bedside lights alone aren't enough to see your way around the rest of the room while you're carrying out your bedtime routine - be that tying your hair up, letting it down, choosing the right socks for tomorrow - whatever.

Now, thanks to the Hue Twilight, the soft light projected onto the walls behind and beside my bed provides all the ambient illumination I need.

Of course, being Philips Hue, there are infinite combinations of colours and animated themes you can set either the bedside spot, the rear wall washer, or both to - including cosy, flickering candle light.

All this can be controlled through the Hue app, or via the virtual home assistant of your choice. Samsung's much maligned Bixby has recently benefitted from a major overhaul and I've found it now works pretty well controlling Hue devices via SmartThings.

Helpfully, there are two actual physical buttons on top of the Twilight - the "Dot" and "Hue" buttons, which can be assigned to a variety of different functions, not just on and off - although in the middle of the night, that can be pretty helpful too.

Not sure why these buttons had to be made of that certain kind of rubber that seems to attract dust and debris more than any other surface known to man, but at least they're there.

Specifically tied to the name of the device, you can also use it to wake yourself up or actively help slip yourself into a slumber. There's a preset "Wake-Up" routine that mimics the natural sunrise, in an effort to prise your eyes open gently as the light slowly intensifies, supposedly a more calming visual alternative to the sound of a blaring alarm.

At the other end of the day there's "Go-To-Sleep" automation that can be fired off with the press of a button. This immediately dims and softens both lights and continues to do so over a duration of your choosing (the default 10 minutes seems to work for me). At the end of that time, complete darkness descends and I find myself quite naturally finishing with my book and drifting off.

If you prefer a slight nightlight - or perhaps you're thinking of using this in a child's room - Philips Hue is definitely the way to go; not only is it capable of bright, bright whites but it can dim down to the softest of comforting glows.

Ironically though, I quickly ran into a problem which did the exact opposite. Night after night - in the middle of the night - the Hue Twilight would flick on for a few seconds, blasting the room with searing bright light, costing me, and far more importantly, the Domestic Manager, precious sleep and causing serious nocturnal consternation.

After several similar rude awakenings I was about ready to yank the thing out of the wall and chuck it in the bin. Meanwhile, Domestic Manager appeared to be considering the same fate for the guy who'd installed the thing in the first place. Gulp.

Then, after a lot of Googling and some intensive AI consultation, I figured it out. It wasn't the Twilight's fault at all - or indeed anything to do with Philips Hue. Evil Alexa was to blame.

Because I'd linked the Hue Twilight with my Amazon Alexa account, it was now subject to a "feature" of Alexa's called "Hunches". Unbeknownst to me, I'd enabled Hunches which gave Alexa the power to do things like turn off all the lights if it thinks everyone's asleep.

Trouble is, what happens when you send an on/off command to a light that's already off?

You got it.

Apparently, there's also another helpful setting called, "Away Lighting" which will turn lights on and off at random if Alexa thinks there's nobody home. This has also been causing issues with other smart light users.

So just to clear that up; All Alexa's fault, not Hue's. And nothing that couldn't be solved with a deep dive into the settings menu of the Alexa app.

That colab confusion aside, I love this lamp. Again, like every other Hue product I've tried (and usually, ultimately owned) the Twilight does what its told, when it's told and even better, helps me get a good night's rest. And what wouldn't you pay for a decent sleep?

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the Philips Hue Twilight sleep and wake-up light.

JBL Tune 780NC - Pretty Damn Premium

You've seen them. Those cool people with their cool headphones. Whatever they're listening to, it doesn't matter, because they're flexing so hard, having spent many hundreds of dollars on a set of cans they could easily leave on the bus by mistake.

Who has that kind of cash?

Luckily, thanks to JBL, you don't even need to spend TWO hundreds to wear something that sounds almost that good.

The Tune 780NC wireless over-ear headset is one of JBL's latest offerings and is available right now for just NZ$179.95.

To get it down to that price, JBL has definitely cut a few corners - but maybe not any particularly important corners - so you won't be making too many compromises to get premium sound quality in your head and the JBL logo on your ears.

The first concession is the size. Technically, these are over-ear headphones - but only just. There's also a Tune 680NC that's even smaller and is described as ON-ear. To be fair, the 780's do fit over my wildly asymmetrical ears but I have to say after a few hours non-stop use monitoring the breakfast show on Newstalk ZB, I do start to feel ever so slightly claustrophobic.

That's not only due to the smallish size of the ear-cups, the headband is also very narrow and perhaps not as padded as some other headsets. In fact, there's no denying there's a slightly plasticky feeling to the whole design. I haven't had any breakages or other issues but I'm not sure I'd trust them to survive a fall onto hard steps or being accidentally sat on.

This is exacerbated by the lack of any carry case, hard or soft, included in the box. On the other hand, the Tune 780NC does fold quite flat so you can slide it fairly easily into  a bag or backpack when not in use.

Unlike just about any other JBL product I've ever reviewed, there's no charging cable in the box either. This doesn't concern me at all - after all, I have approximately 7,463 USB-C cables lying around that'll do the job - but it's certainly more evidence JBL is making a concerted effort to keep these cans affordable.

Despite that, I was relieved to discover an AUX-to-USB-C audio cable IS included. Interestingly, although JBL has moved away from a 3.5mm audio jack on the headphones themselves, they've realised many of their users still like to plug into more analogue devices. I wish the cable was a bit longer but at least it's one of those tangle-resistant flat ribbons.

If you prefer to connect via hardwire to reduce lag - using the Tune 780NC to game with, for instance - that may no longer be an issue, as they're Bluetooth 6.0-enabled with LE Audio - some of the lowest-latency wireless tech around - as long as whatever you're pairing with is compatible of course.  Regardless, you can use Fast Pair (with Google/Android devices), Swift Pair (by Microsoft) or just do it through your plain old bluetooth settings menu - connect to two devices at once and switch between them easily.

The JBL Headphones app does all the stuff you expect it to; firmware updates, preset and customisable EQs, onboard control tweaks - the latter including the Adaptive Noise Cancelling toggle that lets you adjust how much of the outside world you let in.

The ANC is excellent and works for both wired and wireless connections. This is great for me at work because it means I can tune out my boss and my producer yelling at each other so I can focus on editing audio for the show.

However, it was the most essential requirement of a pair of headphones that really impressed me with these; plain old sound quality.

JBL lists both Hi-Res Pure Bass and Spatial Sound as headline features and from my testing, it's hard to argue. "xanny" by Billie Eilish is a classic example. As usual for her (and her brother), the production standard is exquisite. The extra-low and deliberately distorted synth bass punches through like a slow-motion sledgehammer. Meanwhile, the lead vocal and solo piano are both stripped bare, left hanging on their own in crystal clarity at various points throughout the song.

The Lawrence track, "Freckles" is another bouncy, bassy tune that makes the most of the Tune 780NC's ability to create a sonic space inside your head plenty big enough for every quirky sample, sound and instrument in the mix.

Same with "Avengers - LOCK IN" by Fat Freddy's Drop. One of their many perfect tracks; a lot of instruments, each not-playing at just the right times. It really does sound like you're right there with them as they recorded it.

If you're considering laying down four or five-hundred dollars on a really decent headset, maybe have a listen to a pair of these before you do. From the speed-charging, to the 76 hour battery life (50 with ANC on) to the very full and clear vocal quality produced by the dual beam-forming mics, this is a set of headphones - okay, OVER-ear headphones - that brings a lot to the table at a very reasonable price.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the JBL Tune 780NC.

Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Gen 10 Aura Edition - Big Promises Delivered

When in the market for a laptop, all too often we make the critical mistake of selecting the one that will get the job done TODAY - as opposed to the device that will perform just as well tomorrow, next month and next year too.

By that I mean there's no point saving a few bucks on a machine with the bare minimum memory, storage and processor, when you'll only end up having to upgrade again in a few months' time because you've run out of space, or your budget PC no longer has the power to run the things you need it to.

When it comes to RAM and storage space, my general rule of thumb is to buy at least twice as much as what you think you'll need and as far as the chip goes, never settle - go for the absolute best you can afford.

Basically, choose something like the latest Yoga Pro from Lenovo.

The Yoga Pro 7i Gen 10 Aura Edition definitely means business - especially the pimped-out variant I've been sent to review, complete with the Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor.

It immediately meets my "double-it-up" future-proofing requirements, with a hefty 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a decent-for-a-laptop 1TB SSD.

Essentially, in terms of memory, storage and power, the 7i Gen 10 Aura is about as speedy as they come.

I don't know that you'd necessarily describe it as setting any trends in terms of style; sure, it's slim, and relatively light for its size - but the aluminium casing is still grey. Luna Grey. But grey is still grey.

That less than memorable appearance might be deliberate, because once you power it up, the 7i Gen 10 Aura is breathtaking and any thoughts of the physical world melt away as the user experience of this powerful thoroughbred takes over.

Whether you want to think of this as an Intel AI PC or a Windows Copilot+ PC, rest assured whatever artificial intelligence you prefer to integrate into your workflow, this machine can handle it.

In fact, there doesn't seem to be anything it CAN'T handle. For example, when I'm writing these reviews I often cut and paste them into a blank Word document in order to check the word count - just to make sure I haven't dribbled on too long. I know that sounds like a simple operation but it always surprises me how there's a significant delay while Word organises itself enough to total up the count. Not on the 7i Gen 10 Aura. It now happens instantly.

That's obviously a minor thing but I thought it was illustrative of just how this machine powers through its work. Editing pictures, sound and video just happens faster and smoother. Apps download quicker and websites open more efficiently - probably also due in no small part to the Wi-Fi 7 adapter.

Even games download, install and open at warp speed.

This is not, strictly speaking, a gaming laptop. In saying that, the sumptuous, 14.5-inch, 3K PureSight Pro OLED display has a 120Hz refresh rate and as I smash-cut my way through the opening sequences of High On Life 2, everything looks incredibly crisp, clear and smooth - with the new version of the game resplendent in its more 3D-like rendering. Notably, for an OLED panel, it's not nearly as reflective as most others I've tried in the past.

It's a touch-screen too, which definitely gives this device an advantage over certain other competitors.

The four-speaker sound system is full and rich - for a laptop. We're talking woofers as well as tweeters and Dolby Atmos, which creates a convincing illusion of immersive space. And because you can connect headphones via Bluetooth 5.4, you can get a virtually lag-free wireless connection too.

There also four mics, which can create a spatial recording or stream depending on what software you're using.

Even if it's just an online meeting you're joining, you won't just sound your best, you'll look sharp too - thanks to the 5MP camera which offers all the usual Windows Studio Effects, like portrait blur and automatic framing. There's no physical privacy shutter - but there is a physical slider on the side of the laptop to control an E-shutter instead.

But it's actually the little things that impress me most about the Aura Edition of the Yoga Pro 7i Gen 10 - things like the keyboard, for example. Not only are the keys nicely spaced out, with a surprising amount of travel for a laptop this slim, they're also comfortably concave and are oil-resistant - so you don't end up with that embarrassing greasy feeling after a torrid typing session.

Although there's no fingerprint reader, the IR camera works for Windows Hello secure logins anyway. What there IS a lot of is ports. Two USB-A 3.2 high-speed slots. Two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 options - both PD and DisplayPort enabled. An SD card reader and a full-size HDMI port for an external display.

There's no ethernet port but with that speedy Wi-Fi adapter, you probably won't miss it.

When running in full performance mode, you'll need to be prepared to put up with some significant fan noise - which is obviously a big part of keeping everything cool and running at its optimum. Of course, this will absolutely scythe into your battery levels if you're not plugged into the relatively compact 100W power brick.

What can I say about battery life? I've still yet to find a Windows PC that'll set any records when it comes to hours operating on battery only, but this is definitely one of the better ones. Of course, a lot of that comes down to how you use it - which is where Lenovo's Vantage App and Smart Modes widget come in.

While none of us love to discover a pile of pre-loaded bloatware on our shiny, new laptop when we first fire it up, other than the ever-present and always pushy McAfee security software you definitely didn't ask for, and Lenovo's bespoke AI assistant, AI Now, Lenovo Vantage is really the only other utility you might be tempted to uninstall as a matter of standard practice. But I'd suggest you give it a try first.

Lenovo Vantage is one of the best laid-out examples of this sort of system maintenance app I've come across. It certainly makes scanning for any updates or hardware issues very straight-forward, although it does give you the option to run a "Performance Check" which is really an ad for a subscription-only utility that will fix any issues automatically. There's also an icon labeled, "Lenovo Smart Lock" - another subscription service designed to combat the physical theft of your PC. I hate being advertised to within apps like these - but other than that it's quite a useful way to keep an eye on how the Yoga Pro 7i 14 Gen Aura Edition is running.

It'll be running pretty damn well, by the way. It may just be the smoothest Windows PC I've tried yet.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Gen 10 Aura Edition.

ESR MagSafe Accessories - These Guys Offer More for Less

Although I've only been recently acquainted with the ESR range of Apple accessories, I've quickly come to realise just how extensive that range is - and what quality products they are.

After my recent review comparing several choices of ESR iPad cases, I was excited to give some of the other gear a go - particularly some MagSafe options.

First up, I was somewhat intrigued by the Geo Magnetic Wallet Stand (Grip). Not a particularly catchy name, but undoubtedly a genius bit of design, combining all the elements you could wish for when it comes to keeping your cards safe.

Not only does this wallet look great, it fits more cards than others I have tried. Technically, you can get five cards in without too much difficulty - three in the rear slot and two in the internal pouch with the see-through window for your ID.

After spending a few weeks with these accessories, I've learned if there's one ESR does well, it's magnets. If you're sticking your wallet to the back of your phone, you want to be confident it's not going to come UNstuck unless you want it to. ESR claims this wallet clings to your phone up to 4 times more powerfully than other, similar products - requiring as much as 3kg (or even more) force to remove it.

That secure feeling also gives you the confidence to use it as a very stable stand - either for viewing content or joining an online meeting - or even to capture a selfie. After all, not many of us carry a tripod around wherever we go.

The Geo Magnetic Wallet Stand (Grip) attaches just as powerfully in either portrait or landscape and folds back nice and flat when the stand is not required. In fact, I was surprised at how little bulk I felt when sliding my phone into my pocket with this wallet attached - despite the addition of the "durable grip" loop that also slides flat when not in use.

ESR has thought of everything; your cards are RFID protected against skimming - but perhaps the best feature of all is you can add this wallet to your list of Find My devices under your Apple profile.

This is possible once you charge the wallet with the included cable and pair it with your iPhone. Charging takes just 90 minutes and lasts for 6 months.

A wallet that's essentially impossible to lose. Surely a must for regular travellers.

Next we have the rather Sci-Fi sounding Cyber FlickLock Magnetic AirPods case.

Other than getting a cooler colour than old-fashioned Apple-white, I'd never really seen the point in a case for your case before.

But again, unlike other AirPods cases, here ESR brings a lot of extra features to the table.

Firstly, as you can probably see from the pictures, this is about as rugged as a case can get, constructed from a shock-absorbing polymer and featuring the added protection of Air Guard corners.

What's even more crucial is the FlickLock itself. If you've ever dropped your AirPods case onto a hard surface, you'll know 9 times out of 10 the lid will pop open and in all likelihood, your precious pods will eject themselves and go flying.

True to form, ESR's strong magnets keep this from happening. The lid simply can't open unless you slide the lock across - then it springs up in a very fun and convenient way. And although your AirPods case is now protected from every angle, there are still access cutouts for charging port, speaker and status light.

Obviously, you can charge wirelessly and magnetically via a MagSafe charger and as an added bonus, you also get a secure carabiner clip to attach your AirPods onto your bag or belt loop. There's even a cleaning brush to help keep your pods free from ear gunge and other detritus.

Finally, it's not really MagSafe - although it is still magnetic; the Geo Digital Pencil is definitely worth a look.

After just 30 minutes charging, the Geo Digital Pencil will be good for around 12 hours use and although it doesn't have some of the pro-level abilities of Apple's own latest stylus (like squeeze-based shortcuts) it still has a lot going for it at a fraction of the price.

Compatible with every iPad from 2018 onwards, you get a natural-feeling, lag-free performance, complete with tilt-sensitivity for different widths when sketching or colouring.

Palm Rejection means you can rest your hand quite comfortably on your iPad screen while you're drawing and the shortcut button on the end of the pencil takes you to your home page or to multi-tasking view with a single or double-tap.

For those iPads with a magnetic strip on the top edge, that'll work just fine with the Geo Digital Pencil and as its name suggests, this is another ESR accessory you can add to your Find My inventory. You can even get it to sound off using Find My if you've lost it down the side of your seat cushion.

Unfortunately, it doesn't charge wirelessly like Apple's pro pen does and I worry the little rubber plug that protects the USB-C charging port will definitely go missing one day, as it isn't attached at all.

On the plus side, you get three spare nibs in the box, really underlining what good value this stylus is.

In fact, I don't think anyone could complain they're not getting bang for their back with any of these accessories - or any of the ESR products I've tried to date. They're cleverly designed, seem superbly manufactured, and offer a lot of extra features you simply won't find on your run-of-the-mill, 3rd-party products.

      

Click here for more information and pricing on the ESR Geo Magnetic Wallet Stand (Grip).

Click here for more information and pricing on the ESR AirPods Pro 3 Cyber FlickLock Magnetic Case.

Click here for more information and pricing on the ESR Geo Digital Pencil with Built-in Find My.

OPPO Watch S - Lite on Features but Also Wonderfully Light

I've been a smartwatch guy for many years.

I've worn a lot of them. Many shapes and sizes. Different brands. Various operating systems.

Some were basic activity trackers. Some have so many features it's more like wearing a flagship phone on your wrist.

So yes, I'm a fan.

And yet there are still many people out there who aren't into smartwatches at all.

These people have deprived themselves of all the fabulous features today's smartwatches have to offer; activity tracking, health monitoring, notifications on hand...and why?

Perhaps because most smartwatches are huge and nerdy-looking?

Maybe because so many smartwatches can't even get through a full day and night without having to be charged?

Okay. There are arguments. But OPPO makes some pretty convincing counter-arguments.

From the second I put OPPO Watch S on, I thought, "Yeah, this is a pretty nice watch." Note; I didn't say, "SMARTwatch" - just "Watch."

At just 8.9mm thick and weighing in at only 35grams (minus the strap) it's possibly the most unobtrusive smartwatch I've ever worn. Because it's so light and thin, it's one of those watches that's so comfortable, you forget you're wearing it. Even in bed at night.

This is a plus, because OPPO does a creditable job of sleep-tracking - but there's not much point if the device doing the tracking is keeping you awake because it feels too big and clunky.

There's also not much point if the device doing the tracking is on the charger on your bedside table. Not an issue with the Watch S; its battery life is pretty stellar. I'm getting four or five days on a single charge effortlessly, without resorting to any power-saving measures or opting for a less power-hungry, non-animated watch face.

It also charges very quickly on its proprietary magnetic wireless cradle - so I tend to just plonk it on there for a few minutes every day for a speedy top-up, thereby ensuring I never really get much below 80%.

I happen to think it's a pretty styley-looking bit of wrist-wear too. My review device is the Silver Gleam option, which features a shiny stainless steel casing and an eye-catching yellow/green/blue woven nylon strap. Unlike other fabric bands I've worn in the past, this water-repellant strap dries off very quickly after showering or swimming and I don't end up with a weird wet patch on my sleeve. Nobody likes a wet patch.

The woven strap is also extremely comfortable, adding to the overall pleasurability rating of the Watch S wearable experience.

There's a Phantom Black option too - and while that one has a more conservative black fluororubber strap paired with its black casing, that strap is curved for extra comfort.

Don't be afraid to get it wet, by the way. The Watch S carries a 5 ATM / IP68 water resistance rating, so you're all good there.

In the meantime, there a few limitations to this watch that stop it competing head-to-head with some of the other premium flagship watches, including OPPO's own Watch X2.

Firstly, the operating system. It runs ColorOS Watch 7.1 - which looks and feels very familiar to anyone who's used a WearOS device before but unlike WearOS, there's no ability to use Google apps here; so no Google Maps or Google Wallet.

This is a bit of a dealbreaker for me personally, because one of my favourite flexes in life is to pay for things using my watch to tap and go. Oddly, the Watch S does have NFC capability - you can add non-confidential access cards, for example. This is pretty fun - although it's hard to know which systems it'll be compatible with and which it won't. I can unlock my front door with it but it doesn't work on the card-readers at work. I guess those ones are too confidential?

However, there are some things the Watch S can do that even smartwatches five times the price can't.

For example, the large 1.46-inch AMOLED display gets incredibly bright - up to 3,000nits in fact. That means you can read it easily, even on the sunniest days, even wearing shades.

I've already mentioned the crazy-good battery life but how about the fact you can pair it to two different phones simultaneously? Why would you want to do that? - unless you're a gadget-addicted tech reviewer like me, obviously - Anyone who has a work phone as well as a personal one can answer that question right away. Get notifications from both handsets on a single watch.

As you would expect, the Watch S does an admirable job when it comes to exercise tracking, thanks in no small part to its dual-band GPS. I've found this to be very accurate and what's more, it locks on within seconds of starting your workout.

The Watch S can be set to auto-detect workouts like running, cycling, swimming and walking but perhaps more importantly, it can also auto-pause during a workout - like when you're waiting at the traffic lights, for example - then resuming once you're on your way again.

My only criticism here is the lack of customisation on the workout display - when doing an Outdoor Walk I'd prefer to have a live reading of my current pace and perhaps my cadence. Instead, I get my step total and calories burnt - along with duration, distance and heart-rate of course. Unfortunately, you can't play around with these metrics like you can on some other devices. Yet your pace IS shown when you do an Outdoor Run. Odd.

On the bright-side, you can pair the Watch S with other Bluetooth-capable exercise machines like treadmills and stationary bikes, so they'll display metrics like heart-rate and workout zones.

What's more, once your workout syncs back with the O-Health app on your phone, you can then dig into all the metrics you could possibly desire, and then some.

This is exactly what the Watch S does itself when you get it to run its 60s Wellness Overview - this holistic health check requires you to touch your finger to the electrode sensor on the side of the casing while ten different readings are collated, including an ECG, sleep tracking, blood oxygen levels and more.

If you're overtired and stressed out, you might be told to slow down and recharge.

On the other hand, if you managed to delete all those unimportant emails and fit in an afternoon app, you'll probably get some words of encouragement and a smiley face instead.

While you can't add an eSIM to use the Watch S independently of your phone, you can take Bluetooth calls on it and you'll receive notifications from any app you've got installed on your paired device. In saying that, this is a one-way stream - you can't respond to those notifications, even if they're texts, emails or direct messages - you can only read them.

So yes, there are a few limitations - but not many. Meanwhile, what the Watch S does, it does expertly. the screen is bright and responsive, the battery life is nuts and being able to pair with two phones at once will be a godsend for a lot of you. Oh, and did I mention it works with both iOS and Android handsets? What a great little watch. And I do mean little.

    

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

ESR iPad Cases - An Option for Everyone

Amazing how quickly you can go from not knowing anything about a brand to becoming one of its biggest groupies.

There are a lot of iPad accessories out there and it goes without saying, there's a wide variety when it comes to quality and price.

Founded in 2009, ESR has quickly become a trusted fan favourite in the world of accessories like cases and chargers. In fact, ESR has led the world in many categories - like when it introduced the first MagSafe wireless car mount charger in 2020.

So in a year when Apple is rumoured to be releasing more new devices than ever before, it might be a good idea to keep an eye on the ESR website to see how you can best protect those devices.

There are an awful lot of ESR products I could feature today, but let’s keep things simple and focus on iPad cases. After all, with everyone back at school and university now, it’s a great time to consider how to protect those devices we’ve become so dependent on.

The great thing about the ESR options I’ve tried so far is the way they take what Apple already has to offer and expands on it to make it even better. The Shift Magnetic Case is a perfect example.

I’m sure we’ve all seen various examples of the “basic” folio-style case; your iPad clips in to one side and the other half is a flap that protects the screen. Most of the designs like this also allow you to prop your iPad up for a better viewing angle. Not sure if they offer the choice of nine different angles like this ESR version does.

The two small lugs at the base of the fold-out kickstand are - as the name suggests - magnetic, so they’ll hold your iPad at your desired angle come what may. Perhaps that’s a more upright angle for watching video, or a flatter profile when creating with a stylus. Speaking of which, there’s a stretchy pouch on the back to keep your stylus in - not all iPads or variations of the Apple Pencil (or other compatible drawing tools) are magnetic, so this is the ideal way to make sure it’s always handy.

But there’s a lot more to the Shift Magnetic Case than that. What may not be immediately apparent is this is actually a two-piece accessory; the stylish, leather-feel cover/stand makes up half the equation while the iPad itself fits snugly into its own back cover, which protects the edges and corners of your iPad as well, while still giving easy access to volume controls and speaker grilles. Due to the sturdy thickness of its rubber, shock-absorbing edges, I did find I had to be quite deliberate when using the fingerprint sensor to unlock the iPad but I soon got used to having to press just that little bit harder.

This seperate back panel magnetises firmly onto the cover, to ensure your iPad is fully enclosed when stashed into your bag. And because that part of the case is seperate, it can also be attached at a much higher position - a bit like how you might use a laptop stand to raise your screen up closer to eye-level. This applies to both landscape and portrait orientations and certainly makes for a much better camera angle when it comes to online meetings or streaming.

ESR even suggests you can use this cunning magnetic rear casing to stick your iPad to the fridge door, effectively upgrading your fridge to one of those smart hubs that cost thousands.

The Shift is a very versatile case, expertly manufactured and is available in a wide range of colours.

And it’s also available in a whole other model; the Shift Keyboard Case.

While this version of the Shift shares many of the features I’ve just described, it adds an excellent bluetooth keyboard to the equation, which instantly makes the iPad feel more like a laptop than a tablet.

That’s not to say you can’t still use your iPad in portrait mode if you prefer; while the keyboard also uses powerful magnets to attach itself to the back half of the case, once paired and charged, there’s no need to keep it connected and the fold out kickstand on the back has an angled edge so you can prop your iPad up longways.

Conversely, both Shift cases also have a smaller, upper flap that folds out to raise your iPad to the slimmest of “studio” angles - again, best-suited for graphic work or note-taking with a stylus.

But back to the keyboard. It has so many features you simply won’t find on other similar products. It has a physical on/off switch at the side and three status LEDs at the bottom right-hand corner to indicate power, caps-lock and battery level.

I was amazed to discover the keyboard is backlit when powered on, it has a full row of function keys at the top for things like media controls, screenshots and brightness and the keys themselves have a remarkable clicky-ness and travel to them that belies how slim this part of the case is.

Then there’s the enormous trackpad - 4.4 x 2.8-inches and fully clickable, much more like a trackpad you’d find on a laptop than on a keyboard case. Because it’s bigger, you can be more accurate, scroll and zoom more smoothly and click more confidently.

And the battery life is impressive. If you choose to leave the backlighting off, it’ll run for around 130 days before your next 2hr charge.

Or there’s another option. It seems with ESR, there’s always another option.

The Flex Keyboard Case has a similar keyboard with the same feel and the same XL trackpad but doesn’t have backlighting or a physical on/off switch at the side.

Like the Shift version, the magnetic keyboard can detach for remote use but this time there’s no real way to rotate your iPad into portrait mode.

Instead, using the Flex really does feel much more like operating a laptop - down to the little rubber feet under the keyboard. In fact, it’s what I’m using to type this very review with.

There’s no stretchy pouch for a stylus either. Instead, there’s a click-in cavity at the top of the screen for your Apple Pencil or similar device. This means there’s quite a gap between that edge and the volume controls on your iPad but not to worry, ESR has found a way to transfer those controls across.

The way the Flex stands up is its true genius; a double thickness magnetic strut snaps into place when you open out the rear kickstand, as if by magic, providing an ultra-stable viewing angle of 65°. For writing or drawing, simply rotate your iPad around and it will now be angled at the much more shallow 20° position.

All three of these ESR cases are fine examples of meticulous design and build quality, yet typical of ESR’s “keep it simple” approach.

For added protection, there’s even the option of a military-grade, UltraFit Amorite screen protector, which can be applied to a professional, bubble-free standard using ESR’s all-in-the-box, 2-step process.

Take it from a parent who’s had to get his kid’s broken iPad fixed in the middle of a school term before, any device defence you can get will save a lot of tears and strife along the way. ESR offers an excellent standard of protection. I’d check them out if I were you.

Click here for more information and pricing on the ESR Shift Magnetic Case.

Click here for more information and pricing on the ESR Shift Keyboard Case.

Click here for more information and pricing on the ESR Flex Keyboard Case.