It's hard not to love Dyson.
It's all about design. You only have to listen to a Dyson engineer describe one of their products to realise these men and women are truly passionate problem solvers.
But when it comes to the air quality in Kiwi homes, is there even a problem to solve?...
Like every other Dyson product I've ever used, the Dyson Pure Cool purifying tower fan exudes design excellence. This ain't no ordinary fan and it certainly isn't a dehumidifier.
It's so far beyond any of that.
Turns out, there's a lot wrong with what we're breathing, even inside - perhaps especially inside. Odours, moisture, pollen, dust - that's just the beginning. If you have an internal garage you're wafting a fair dose of Nitrogen Dioxide through your humble abode every time you drive in or out.
And you don't want to know what microscopic civilisations are flourishing inside your pillows, bedding and furniture cushions. I've been told and I really wish I hadn't been.
Stands to reason then, removing all that invisible - yet potentially harmful - gunk out of the air could have a lot of benefits.
For starters, not having to wake up to a house that smells like last night's curry has definitely got to be a bonus. Yes, the Pure Cool helps eliminate cooking smells - but not just because they're smells. Turns out when I make my famous pumpkin and potato vegetable soup, I'm actually gassing the whole house.
The Pure Cool is equipped with both particle and gas filters, which clip easily into place on the base of the unit. Not only does Dyson's clever tech detect levels of particle and gas pollution in your home, it can adjust its fan settings automatically to clean the air as efficiently as possible. This resulted in the Pure Cool really ramping things up once my soup started bubbling.
Of course, Dyson's blade-free fan design is now almost as iconic as its bagless vacuum technology, and the top three-quarters of the device is one of those very fans. It runs very quietly on the lower settings, but once you get above level 4 out of 10, you'll definitely know it's in the room with you. The fan isn't just for distributing fresh, filtered air around the room - it obviously works just like a... well, just like a fan. You know, to cool you down when it gets hot.
There will, however, be times when you'd rather not have a fan blowing air around. Dyson's thought of that too. With a push of a button the airflow is diffused more subtly over the back of the tower instead - still purifying the air but now you can't feel it.
Another thing the Pure Cool is constantly tracking; temperature. Humidity too. There's a small display on the base you can scroll through using the remote. This will show you the current air quality and specifically which bits of the air need work. Obviously the tiny screen also displays fan speed and your oscillation setting - from 45 to an impressive 350 degrees. Although the display is small, its bright - luckily night mode will dim it for use in the bedroom and it's easy enough to set a timer to turn the whole thing off after you're asleep.
The remote is simply laid out and even magnetically fixes itself to the top of the tower if that's the easiest place for you to find it.
But you might prefer to use the Dyson Link app instead. Not only are all those same controls available, you can also set up schedules for different times of the day (like soup cooking time) and control multiple devices in different rooms.
Even more impressive is the data available to you - the app is a much easier way of seeing what's happening with your air quality right now and you can also look back over historical information to identify trends or see if you've managed to make any improvements. This is being collected constantly - the Pure Cool stays connected and keeps monitoring even when it's off, as long as it's still switched on at the wall.
Yes, there's a lot of clever stuff going on inside the Pure Cool - which is what justifies its relatively steep price tag.
This is not a miracle cure for hayfever or asthma of course, but every particle removed from the air surely must help. That's the funny thing - it's really hard to say if the Pure Cool has a dramatic effect because you don't tend to notice smells, irritants and pollutants that aren't there.
If the Dyson Link app is to believed, any of those things that do get into your home are all but eliminated, in pretty short time too.
Makes you wonder what I'm putting in that soup...
Click here for more information and pricing on the Dyson Pure Cool purifying tower fan.
I can't wait to tell you about these.
When you come across something that does everything you ever wanted it to, you have to shout it from the rooftops.
Here goes...
The WH-1000XM3 wireless noise cancelling headphones from Sony were a love-at-first-listen affair from the second I put them on.
Never before have I worn headphones that feel this good, straight out of the box. The padding, the balance, the weight (or lack of it) all combine perfectly to achieve a fit so comfortable I honestly didn't want to take them off. I'm not making this up. I experienced waves of pleasure simply because I could hardly feel these things against my ears or head.
The headband has been subtly but significantly redesigned since previous models. It seems more robust but more padded and has a more elliptical shape which leads to a much more secure, snug fit. As for the ear cups themselves - it's like pouring warm butter over your ears... except not gross. Terrible, terrible metaphor. The cushions are the softest yet, which doesn't just mean sublime comfort, but a tighter seal - the first part of Sony's masterful noise cancelling solution.
They've developed a whole new chip dedicated solely to keeping noise out and it's pretty astounding. Whether it's office hustle and bustle, traffic or a crying baby on a plane, these things are all but eliminated as soon as you turn the WH-1000XM3's on. If you find this a little too isolating, you can switch to ambient mode, either by pressing the dedicated button on the left cup, or by merely placing your hand over the right cup.
I've been told by my 15 year-old monster Sony isn't a cool brand like it used to be, but I think these headphones look pretty cool - either in black or silver. Weirdly, the silver isn't silver at all - I'd describe it as "nude" - kind of a neutral, natural colour that seems to match pretty much everything. They fold flat into their own compact carry case and come with an audio cable for hardwired listening, an aeroplane adapter and a very welcome USB Type-C charging cable, making these much more compatible with late model phone chargers.
The battery life, which was already astounding on the previous generation, has been significantly improved again. I wore the WH-1000XM3's on a recent trip to Sydney - that means hours of airport time as well as flight time - and got there and back without coming even slightly close to running them flat. House of Cards Season 6 sounded amazing by the way. Using Sony's Headphones Connect app, you can customise your sound preference in all kinds of ways, not just the EQ. For example, because I was watching video on my phone, I was able to move the focus to the front. The surround effects were truly surreal.
As far as music appreciation goes, I'd previously accused Sony of being a bit bass-obsessed, to the detriment of a more full-frequencied soundscape. Even at the default settings, they seem to have addressed this with most tracks sounding far less hollow and boomy. If you're still not satisfied, the app really does have heaps of options for tweaking things the way you want them. You can even use it to activate Google Assistant so you can ask your headphones for a weather forecast or to call your mum.
I found phone quality to be just as clear, by the way. As you would expect, the WH-1000XM3's are packed with the very latest in bluetooth connectivity tech.
The only flaw to be found on these otherwise flawless bits of ear gear is Sony's insistence on gesture controls rather than physical buttons. Swiping up or down on the right cup controls volume, forward or back skips tracks, double taps play and pause. Theoretically nifty, but in practice, it takes quite a while to train yourself to get your swipes in exactly the right places. What's wrong with a couple of extra buttons?
That aside, the WH-1000XM3's are simply the best. In my job, I have to wear headphones for hours on end and these make that a pleasure, not a chore.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless noise cancelling headphones.
Tech.
I love it. The innovation. The advances. The new features. Just when you think there's a gadget for everything, another one appears to do a job you didn't even realise needed doing.
Either that, or something you're already using is made obsolete because the new version has a whole lot of flash, extra things your one doesn't.
Phones for instance.
Add a camera. Add the internet. Add GPS. Add just about everything you can think of.
On the other hand, some things work better the less complicated they are. When you're presenting, you just want everything to work... preferably without thinking about it so you can concentrate on presenting...
The Logitech R500 wireless laser presentation remote is just about the most straight-forward thing I've ever reviewed... and that's great.
When it comes to presentation tools, the less setup and fuss involved the better - so what could be easier than plugging in the R500's wireless USB receiver and you're ready to go? That receiver fits snugly into the end of the remote when you're not using it. Best of all, given many devices don't actually have full-sized USB ports anymore, you can also connect the R500 via bluetooth. This too is quick and easy, just hold down the Back and Laser Pointer buttons simultaneously to put it into pairing mode.
I found both connections totally reliable - even in environments with a lot of competing wireless and bluetooth activity. Surely that's the most important element of any presentation - a remote you can depend on.
The R500 fits very comfortably in the hand, with its rubber-feel surface keeping it extremely secure. The central Next button is larger and concave, so your thumb naturally returns to it without you having to look at the device. This also makes the Laser Pointer and Back buttons just as easy to find of course and the whole thing small enough to be practically invisible to your audience. Each button responds with a reassuring click to leave you in no doubt you've pressed it.
The laser pointer works like any laser pointer does - however, as more and more presenting takes place on LED TV's rather than projected screens, there is a visibility problem for laser pointers; shining a light on something that's shining light back at you is not very effective and I've found the laser dot doesn't show up at all on some screens. Inventors, get onto this please! We need a new kind of laser.
Once you download the Logitech Presentation software, the R500 stops being about merely "Forward" and "Back." This is a very stripped-back but powerful app that lets you customise the buttons on the remote so long presses can do things like blank the screen or begin your presentation in the first place. The Presentation utility even features a customisable timer which will appear on your device (but not on your projected screen) so you can keep track of how long you've been talking. Again, simple but brilliant.
The app also keeps track of the remote's battery life, so there's no risk of everything grinding to a halt mid PowerPoint.
I've been using it with a number of devices in several different environments and it hasn't let me down yet. Making your presentation do what it's supposed to when it's supposed to is really all that matters.
And that's pretty much all there is to say, because the R500 does its job, end of story.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Logitech R500 wireless laser presentation remote.
As more and more devices around us smarten up, we're led to believe everything will eventually become voice activated... not just the speaker playing our music, but our phones and even appliances like TV's and fridges.
It's a good theory - but if you've ever had a conversation with your telly when someone else is in the room, you can start to feel pretty self-conscious pretty quickly.
For me, the good old, trusty keyboard is still the most efficient way to get a lot of information into my machines as fast and as accurately as possible.
How about a good new keyboard?...
The Craft wireless keyboard from Logitech is so much more than just another bluetooth input device; it's a powerful tool that I'm finding thoroughly indispensable the more I use it.
The most unique and obvious feature of the Craft keyboard is its "Crown" - the programmable controller on the top left corner. This works in a similar fashion to the Microsoft Surface Dial, a standalone device ideal for scrolling, zooming or panning functions. The crown on the Craft works the same way. It can be turned, pressed or turned and pressed simultaneously - each of these three actions able to be programmed to perform separate tasks.
Not only that, but those tasks can be different tasks for different programs; you might want to play/pause by pushing the crown in your audio editor, but in your browser, it might be more useful to push it to swap between tabs.
These kind of shortcuts are usually only accessible through a complicated combination of multiple key presses. Now that's totally simplified and you don't have remember the shortcuts because the Craft keyboard remembers them for you.
This is all easily configured with Logitech's Option's app, which downloads automatically when you pair the keyboard with your computer. It's a very clear, user-friendly app and while the options are almost limitless, they're all very easy to access and set up. There are even pre-programmed profiles available for most Microsoft Office and Adobe Editing apps, to save you the trouble of creating profiles yourself.
Personally, I've found the crown fantastic for zooming in and out in my audio editor as usually I'm restricted to repeated presses of the up and down keys - twisting the crown left and right is much more intuitive.
The top row of function and shortcut keys can all be reassigned to your favourite jobs as well. This really is a keyboard you can set up just the way you want.
The Craft charges via a USB Type-C cable - so you can probably use the same one you use to charge your phone (don't worry, there's also one in the box) I've been absolutely blown away how long a full charge lasts. I've been using the Craft several hours a day for more than a week now and still no flashing warning light from the battery indicator. This is despite the fact it's a fully back-lit keyboard that lights up before you even touch it - somehow it knows when you're fingers are close enough to type, it's that smart.
Another standout is the Craft's versatility. It can be connected via bluetooth or USB wireless dongle to PC or Mac, Windows, iOS or Android devices. Better still, the craft can be paired with three different devices at once - for example you can swap between your desktop and your phone with a single push of a button.
This is the first keyboard I've used that gives you on-screen notifications when you do things like activate the Caps Lock or use one of the shortcut keys. For the most part this is quite helpful, although there are times I wish I could deactivate this function as these pop-ups can obscure part of the screen I want to use.
Perhaps the Craft's greatest strength of all is also its biggest weakness... and that's literally its strength! The Craft is solidly built. In fact, so solidly built, it's quite heavy. It's also definitely full-sized with dedicated cursor keys and a separate number pad. Yes, it's fairly slim, but that crown on the top left corner sticks up about the same thickness of the keyboard itself. So although it's wireless, I'm not really convinced how portable the Craft is. In saying that, I can slide it end-on into the front pocket of my laptop bag which is great, because I definitely prefer using the Craft to the squashed up little keyboard on my notebook. Who cares if I look like a dork with a full-sized keyboard sticking out of the top of my bag? The Craft keys aren't mechanical, but like everything else about the design they feel extremely durable and they're both hollowed out and matte-finished for maximum finger comfort and accuracy.
At $369.90, you're paying an absolute premium for a mere keyboard... but there's nothing "mere" about this keyboard. It's feature-packed, precision engineered and solid as a rock. If you're a premium user, you won't regret paying that premium price.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Logitech Craft wireless keyboard.
There's a big difference between installing a surveillance camera inside and putting one up outside.
Not only does an outside camera need to be weather-proof, it needs to be people-proof. No point having a camera that can be yanked off the wall or ceiling or even just unplugged.
But that kind of industrial-grade surveillance doesn't come cheap... does it?
The D-Link DCS-4633EV has an appropriate nickname; Vigilance. It gives it an air of solid dependability and from what I've seen, it more than lives up to that name.
Not only does it carry an IP66 weatherproof rating, it also has an IK10 vandal-proof rating. The cool thing about that is I didn't even know there was a rating for how vandal-proof something is. Now I know, I won't settle for anything less than IK10. The DCS-4633EV is certainly one tough little puppy. The viewing dome is thick and strong but crystal clear and the whole unit feels extremely robust, despite its compact form factor.
Not only is this camera hard to smash, it'd be fairly tricky for your casual crim to break into it. Everything is locked up tight (including any screws used to mount the camera) with four of those fiddly star-shaped screws you need a special tool to undo. (Luckily, there's one included in the box)
It really is quite weather-tight to boot. Not that I've tested it in hurricane conditions or anything, but all the connections are weather-proof and there's even a soft rubber seal around the lens that presses tight against the viewing dome as an extra protective measure against any moisture or condensation.
Installation is the tricky bit here. Although the DCS-4633EV is being marketed as an affordable option for private homes or small businesses, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to put it up yourself. For starters, this is not a WiFi capable camera so you'll need access to an ethernet connection at your installation point. Also, although the camera is Power Over Ethernet (PoE) enabled, it doesn't necessarily mean your data cable is - so you may need to add a 12-volt power source into the equation. (If you don't think you have one of these - check again. Many modems and routers run on 12-volt transformers, so if you have an old one you're no longer using, you might be in luck)
It goes without saying this means one if not two holes in the ceiling or wall you're fixing the camera to - and that's not the end of it. You'll need to use that special tool I mentioned earlier to remove the cover so you can access the mounting holes, insert your SD card (for local recording) and set the lens at your preferred angle.
Remember, although the DCS-4633EV provides a clear and detailed 3MP HD image night and day, this camera doesn't pan and tilt, it's fixed in place. Except... maybe it does.
There's also a setup DVD in the box which is something of a rarity these days. Most computery things provide a link or QR code for any accompanying software - but for this camera, D-Link provides more than just a driver, you get a whole surveillance interface.
After following the setup wizard on a computer connected to the same network as the camera, you can then go ahead and install the D-Link software, which is so customisable, it's kind of overwhelming. You can add any number of cameras, adjusting every setting imaginable - from brightness and resolution to creating unique recording schedules and motion detection zones. What I really liked is even with a fixed-lens camera like the DCS-4633EV, the D-Link control-room interface lets you zoom in and pan in any direction digitally, making full use of the 105 degree field of view - plenty of angle for most rooms or medium-sized outdoor spaces.
The software has a slightly chunky, turn-of-the-century look about it and it's got way too many options to be described as user-friendly, but once you've set up everything the way you want, it's a very powerful tool indeed. It looks a bit like every security guard's surveillance room you've ever seen in a movie.
Alternatively, you can log into the camera using it's IP address from any web browser - but that interface isn't nearly as fun.
There's no doubt the DCS-4633EV is a quality product capable of taking a few knocks. $399.99 is pretty good buying for this kind of technology, especially taking into account the powerful software bundled with it - although you may need to track down someone good with a drill to help with the installation.
Click here for more information and pricing on the D-Link DCS-4633EV surveillance camera.
Just so there's no misunderstanding, I'm a cat person.
It's a matter of basic intelligence.
Cats can look after themselves. Dogs can't.
Cats keep themselves clean. Dogs don't.
Cats can't be trained. Dogs can.
Well... as it turns out, some cats can't be trained - even when it's in their best interests.
Microchip activated pet doors have been around for a while, but now Sure Petcare have merged theirs with the internet, with the Sure Cat Door Connect.
If you've ever had an issue with a strange cat sneaking into your house to nick food, mess up the place or just cause general mayhem, you've probably considered a microchip powered door. This is a simple but foolproof way of making sure only your cats can come in or out as the door will only recognise their unique chips.
Of course, this means your cat or cats have to be chipped in the first place, which might be something you want to do anyway as once they're registered on a national database, they can be identified if they become lost. Chipping your cat doesn't have to be super expensive, but you'll need to shop around as I found the cost varied dramatically from vet to vet.
Alternatively, for $25 you can buy a pair of RFID Collar Tags - assuming you've ever been able to persuade your cat to wear a collar. Good luck with that.
Next step?
Installation. This is pretty straight-forward if you're replacing an existing cat door and Sure Petcare has some great how-to videos on its website. However, if you're planning on installing your Sure Cat Door Connect into a wall or god help you, double-glazing, be prepared for a shock. Obviously, depending on the wall, you'll probably need to organise a specialist installer. I had the worst case scenario; who knew you can't just cut a hole in a double-glazed window? Turns out, you have to get an entirely new pane made to order. We're talking several hundred dollars-worth before you even buy the door itself. Ouch. This thing better work.
Once you actually have a hole, the attaching-the-door-to-it bit is very simple. Sure Petcare offers a variety of mounting adapters to suit both wall or glass situations and thankfully, these are not expensive at all.
Then comes the really fun part; registering your cat with the door. Technically, the process couldn't be easier - a simple push of a button, then put your cat through the door. Done. I have two cats. One likes me. The other... it's kind of a state of war. Luckily, getting their head against the door is enough to do the business. Unluckily, even though the evil cat has used cat doors before, she has decided she prefers not to use this one.
Obviously there's a mechanical element to how the Sure Cat Door Connect works, with a small plastic lock lowering itself out of the way the instant the door recognises a registered cat. Unfortunately this makes a distinct clicking sound and it seems to be this noise that puts evil cat off. She'll walk right up to the door, but the second she hears that click, she's goneburger. Meanwhile, good cat comes and goes as he pleases. A lot. Almost to spite her. Suck on that, evil cat.
Anyway, assuming your cat is not evil, the door itself works like any other; you can set it to let your cats in, out, both or neither. But here comes the smart part - add the Sure Petcare Hub and you control all those things with your phone. From anywhere.
And that's just the beginning.
With the Sure Petcare App, you can create individual profiles for each of your pets, including using their cutest photo for their profile pic. (Or maybe an image of a demon for an evil cat?) Then you can choose to keep each individual pet in or out, or you can even set a curfew for them if you don't want them out roaming at certain times. The great thing about this IoT connectedness, is if you're away and someone else is only stopping by every now an then to feed your cats, you can still tell if they're coming or going, from anywhere in the world.
What's more, if anything changes while your away - perhaps your cat has started bringing in "wildlife" and your mother-in-law would rather not clean that up, you can change the settings on the door to let the offending pet out, but not in. Simple, but genius.
The only real limitation is the Hub has to connect directly to your router via ethernet cable, which does restrict its placement. Sure Petcare recommends having it reasonably close to the door for optimum reception, but mine's in the next room and I've had no connection problems whatsoever.
I did struggle to set up the Hub initially though - and I consider myself (perhaps wrongly) to be reasonably tech savvy. The app provides very clear, step-by-step instructions on how to do this but try as I might, I couldn't get it to work. (Bearing in mind the door still works without being connected to the Hub, you just can't use the app with it)
In desperation, I contacted the Sure Petcare support team. Within 24 hours they'd reset my Hub remotely and it worked straight away. I love good service like that.
Including the Sure Petcare Hub, the Cat Door Connect is $325 which might seem a lot for a pet door - but if you've ever come home to the smell of a rogue tomcat spraying all over your house, you'll know it's an investment worth considering.
The only feature missing is the ability to turn all the features off. I can't help wondering if I could just unlock the door completely for a few days, maybe evil cat would start using it (without the clicking) then I could switch everything back on once her entries and exits had become habit. Weirdly, Sure Petcare have assumed there are no evil cats and this just isn't an option.
Ah well, she's only drawn blood a few times. I'm sure we'll get there in the end.
Click here for more information and pricing for the Sure Cat Door Connect.
Do it.
Do it now.
Don't wait another second.
If your PC or laptop is still running on a hard drive instead of an SSD, stop what you're doing right now, go and get the latest SSD from Crucial and swap them out.
Immediately.
Well... as soon as you've read this review anyway...
The BX500 is the lightest SSD I've come across, weighing virtually nothing. If you're replacing a steel encased HDD in your laptop, you've just lightened your load.
But let's back things up a bit - maybe you're not a geek like me and you don't understand the difference between an HDD and an SSD. In fact, maybe you don't know what either of them are. That's okay - you just need to know SSD is better and you need to find out if you have an HDD, because if you do, you need to replace it. Don't argue. Just do it.
The last "D" stands for Drive - as in where your computer stores all its stuff. Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are an actual disc that spins around super fast. The computer reads the information on that disc, or adds to it, as quickly as it can. Late model, super-duper HDDs can read and write very quickly indeed, but nowhere near as fast as an SSD.
SSD stands for Solid-State Drive, which is just a nerdy way of saying it's all circuit boards and microchips and no moving parts at all. This means almost instant access to all the storage space at once - so an SSD like the Crucial BX500 can read and write at least 300% faster than even the fastest HDD.
Sounds cool right? But what does it really mean in practical terms?
Swapping your HDD for an SDD will speed up your computer more than any other improvement you might make, simple as that.
Boot times, loading times, even download speeds and file transfers all improve when you have storage space your computer can access faster.
And that's not the only benefit.
A spinning hard drive makes a lot of noise. SSDs don't.
A spinning hard drive gets really hot. SSDs don't.
A spinning hard drive needs more power to keep spinning. An SSD isn't spinning anything, so its electrical footprint is dramatically smaller.
Oh... and moving parts wear out and break. The BX500 comes with a three year warranty. Case closed.
Okay, so how do you actually do it? If everything I've just told you is news to you, chances are the thought of taking a screwdriver to your computer gives you chills. Take a breath and watch this 30 second video. It really is that easy. Crucial provides a link that walks you through the process step by step.
Even I (and I really am a geek) was a bit reluctant to swap out the main storage drive in my PC. My big issue was I had too much stuff. I was trying to replace a 1TB hard drive with the 480GB BX500 (the largest capacity available).
Thankfully, I already have a separate 4TB hard drive installed for extra storage. I use a great utility called TreeSize Free to show me what's taking up all the space on my computer. Usually, by moving all your photos, videos and music to another drive, you'll be amazed how much space you've freed up.
In my case, I have a 14 year-old gamer in the equation - so it was her game folders hogging most of that 1TB drive. Once I transferred those to my secondary HDD, I was more than ready to follow the instructions Crucial provided with the free cloning software. I'm begging you here; this is not a complicated process at all - just time consuming.
If, like me, you've got several hundred megabytes of stuff to move, you'll need to set aside a whole morning or afternoon or evening for the process, but its so worth it.
The instant boost in my PC's speed is a revelation and I'm kicking myself for not doing this months ago.
If you've ever sat at your computer chanting, "Come on! Come on!" while waiting for it to boot up, surely $150 and a few hours of your time isn't too much to spend to solve that once and for all.
Do it. Do it now. You won't regret it.
The BX500 SSD will make your computer run faster. It's that simple.
Click here for more information on the Crucial BX500 SSD.
