NEWER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER

The Onyx Studio 4 from Harman/Kardon is the best bluetooth speaker I've ever used. It looks amazing, has decent battery life, there are some extremely useful features (like the ability to connect to other speakers) and most importantly, it sounds incredible.

But that's not what this review is about...

There's a new speaker in town, the H/K Onyx Studio 5.

I am, of course, a massive Harman/Kardon fan. They make beautiful noises come out of exquisite objects, pretty much without exception. Accordingly, the Onyx Studio 5 is indeed no exception.

On initial purview, it could perhaps be mistaken for some kind of haute couture handbag as seen in the window display of Kate Spade or Louis Vuitton. Indeed, the fifth generation Onyx Studio is considerably more portable than its predecessor. Not only does it feature an obvious and easily-gripped handle to carry it around by, the base is now wide, flat and non-slip, as opposed to the slightly less versatile three-legged arrangement we saw on the Onyx Studio 4.

Available in black or blue, with a contrasting aluminium handle, the black version leans slightly towards the charcoal side of the equation - very attractive. As usual for a Harman/Kardon device, the controls are minimalist to the extreme - bordering on being hard to find. They're simple raised shapes at the top of the speaker, below the handle so even if you can't see them easily, you can feel them; plus or minus for volume, a play/pause button, a bluetooth connection button and a power button. Only one tiny LED indicator to show when the Onyx Studio 5 is turned on or pairing. I love this subtle approach so much. Who needs masses of buttons and flashing lights from a device designed to be listened to?

Sounds incredible, of course. The 120mm woofer provides an extremely rich and warm bass experience, without dominating the higher frequencies and muddying them which is something I often encounter on other devices. There's plenty of sheer volume, enough to fill a large living room. You also have the option of pairing two Onyx Studio 5's together, to double your coverage. This is not a stereo option though, just two connected speakers playing the same stream.

And this is where I start to get confused.

The Onyx Studio 4 could connect to other speakers too, but not just other Onyx Studio 4's. It had a dedicated HK Connect+ button so you could pair it with up to a hundred other H/K and JBL speakers, even setting speakers up as left and right if you preferred.

And that's not the only feature Harman/Kardon has removed rather than added.

There's no mic function on the Onyx Studio 5, so there's no ability to take phone calls through this device or use it to activate voice-controlled assistants like Google Now, Bixby or Siri. Maybe nobody was using those options, so they didn't bother including them this time round, but it seems weird to make something less versatile than its predecessor.

There's an interesting hidden difference between number 4 and 5 too - the newer device has half the speakers. Only one woofer and one tweeter as opposed to a pair of each in the older model. Admittedly the single woofer is twice the size, although the solo tweeter in the Onyx Studio 5 is only a little bit bigger.

So... things sound slightly different.

I've listened to both devices back-to-back and I can definitely hear a contrast. What I can't tell you is which setup is better. Given both are probably the two best bluetooth speakers I've ever heard, I suppose it doesn't really matter.

The Onyx Studio 5 comes with a slightly bigger battery, although the actual playback time seems to be pretty similar at around 8 hours depending on volume and content being played. Helpfully, it turns itself off after a period of inactivity to preserve as much battery as possible. What's more, I was impressed with how quickly the speaker automatically re-paired with its source device each time I turned it back on.

Rather than charging via a microUSB or USB Type-C cable, the Onyx Studio 5 has its own power adapter which unfortunately doesn't charge the device particularly quickly - none of this is any different to how the Onyx Studio 4 plugged in.

Make no mistake, the Onyx Studio 5 is a truly awesome speaker, more portable than ever, producing a full, rich sound with plenty of power. Only trouble is, it simply doesn't have as many features as the old version, which would be fine, if it weren't more expensive.

If you're still up in the air about which one to choose, my advice would be to try and find a retailer selling both models and give each of them a good listen.


Click here for more information on the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 5 portable bluetooth speaker.

THE FEELGOOD HEADPHONES

When you review gadgets, they fall into two categories; some things are fun to review for a while, you use them, write about them, then maybe never think about them again.

The other kind of thing, the rarer kind, is the kind you use and want to keep using forever.

I think I've just found my forever headphones.

In fact, the Exodus headset from House of Marley is actually helping save the planet.

I'm a cynical guy and as such, I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact human beings are the single biggest threat to their own existence and by this stage there's probably not much we can do about it. In saying that, I suppose we should probably at least try.

This is the first product I've reviewed from House of Marley, so I had to do a little bit of homework. But before I got that far, I already knew this was something different, just from the packaging.

Tied up in a hessian sack (not sealed in cellophane), nestled in cardboard (not moulded into an impenetrable blister pack) and wrapped in paper (not polystyrene) the Exodus headphones were already sending a message... and I hadn't even seen them yet.

The moment I did lay eyes on them I was convinced these were the hippest things in town.

Stainless steel, recycled aluminium and plastic, natural leather and most obvious of all, wood. This is not the usual combination of tech components I'm used to. The wooden earcups alone would have been enough to create a unique cool-factor here, but combined with a very retro, almost 80's-style shape these are the kind of headphones for people who want to stand out, not follow the rest of the crowd.

I had to know more.

Turns out the House of Marley philosophy is not just about creating superior sounding audio devices, but it's massively focused on sustainability too. This is evident in almost every aspect of the Exodus, from the packaging right through to the REWIND fabric the carrybag (or "Stash Bag") is sewn from. Even the silicone and plastic components are crafted from recycled materials. What's more, by supporting One Tree Planted, House of Marley is responsible for planting 168,000 trees - and counting.

But I don't care about any of that.

Oh sure, it's nice to know you might actually be helping the environment rather than harming it, just so you can listen to your favourite podcast on the bus - but what's the point if you can't hear it properly?

Well let me tell you, not only are these the most guilt-free cans I've ever worn, they may well be the best designed.

To start with, for over-ear headphones they're surprisingly compact - the earcups rotate flat and also fold up towards the headband with a satisfying clump. This makes them convenient travel companions once bundled into the Stash Bag, which is small enough to bung in most briefcases or handbags.

The headband is a combination of stainless steel for durability and leather for comfort - come on, nothing breathes and wears like leather. The cushions are some kind of premium memory foam and I'm pretty sure they're the softest, most comfortable things I've ever worn. What's more, because they're so soft, they achieve a fantastic seal blocking out a lot of outside sounds and keeping most of what you're listening to in.

This is important, because there's no Automatic Noise Cancelling here - although it's a feature that may be on the way in future models.

As far as on-board controls, there are next to none - which I love. A single power/pairing button on the left cup, a single play/pause/volume rocker on the right (which can also be used to skip tracks and answer calls). The configuration couldn't be simpler or more stripped back - which is great because you wouldn't want to ruin the natural effect of that sustainably grown bamboo with a bunch of unnecessary buttons and blinking lights.

The headset is charged via an attractive, braided USB Type-C cable - great news as the majority of phones are now charged the same way. It also allows the Exodus to be charged surprisingly quickly given its incredible 30-hour battery life - more than enough to last even the longest of long haul flights. Not that you have to listen via bluetooth of course - there's a nice, long aux cable you can plug in, also braided to help prevent tangles.

Only one box left to tick - how do these puppies actually sound? I'll be completely honest by saying great, but not perfect. The first thing I want from my headphones is sheer volume, after all, sometimes you just need to rock out, right? The 50mm drivers in the Exodus provide all the power I need. Secondly, it's all about that bass. Whether it's something to do with that wooden casing, or it just comes back to those big speakers, the bass booms along - in fact, "boom" might be the operative word because, and I'm starting to nit-pick here, some tracks do have a tendency to sound slightly roomy, with the mid to high tones more muddy than punchy. If your device has the option to EQ what you're listening to, you can probably correct a lot of this to suit your preference. Interestingly, I noticed quite a bit of that upper-register blurriness disappeared when listening via the cable instead of bluetooth. Personally, I'd prefer things to be set up that way than have too much top which always lends itself to sibilance and distortion issues.

There's definitely nothing like that going on here, generally the sound is warm and snuggly - especially on tracks featuring acoustic bass and guitar.

Call quality was pretty great too - I experienced no issues from either caller or call-ee.

In short, the Exodus is probably the best looking headset I've worn. It's definitely the most comfortable. It has crazy, crazy battery life and if it's not among the highest echelons of audio accuracy, it's only a step or two down.

What's more, you feel like you're saving the planet every time you wear them. 


Click here for more information on the House of Marley Exodus over-ear headphones.

Available from Noel Leeming, PB Tech, JB Hi-Fi and MightyApe.

THE BEST TV EVER... AGAIN

Well, Samsung has gone and done it. They've created a television so advanced, we don't have anything to show on it yet.

8K is here.

But if we don't need it, why should we buy it?

Perhaps more importantly, who in their right mind would shell out the price of a pretty decent second-hand car for one?

Whether you go with the 65", 75" or 82" model, the Samsung Q900R QLED TV is one of those aspirational tellies most normal people only dream of owning.

It's the TV you see in the store and you think, "Okay, that's top of the line... where's the budget, imitation version?"

Only trouble is, only Samsung does QLED and these are the only 8K capable sets currently available. 

First things first; there's a battle raging between QLED and OLED technology and it's a pretty technical one that gets pretty boring pretty quickly. To summarise, many experts are of the opinion OLED does better blacks, but QLED does better colour. Samsung has put a lot of effort into making its 2019 screens capable of truer black than ever and I'm here to tell you, when I watched the Long Night episode of Game of Thrones recently, it was pretty darn black.

In fact, I couldn't see anything. This was pretty disappointing because this was the battle the world had been waiting for; the armies of the North versus the undead white walkers. I could hear it fine - in fact, it sounded fantastic because for this review I've paired the Q900R with the latest Q70 soundbar. Samsung (in conjunction with Harman/Kardon) makes great soundbars and this one, (complete with its massive, wireless subwoofer) is no exception. More on that later.

"Oh no," I thought, "This TV doesn't work in daylight - I'll have to shut the blinds."

Turns out, everyone was having the same issue. The makers of Game of Thrones thought it would be cool to make their night battle look like a night battle, ie: black as. Idiots.

Things took a considerable turn for the better two weeks later as the Red Keep found itself being razed to the ground by an angry dragon. This battle happened in the daytime and it looked... incredible.

The picture quality is so clear. In fact, due to the large screen (I'm reviewing the 75" model) extreme close-ups can be quite disturbing in their clarity. If you thought Meghan Markle has perfect skin, you haven't watched Suits on a Q900R.

This is where Samsung's upscaling technology really shines through (pun intended). Although I'm watching Suits in lowly 4K via the Q900R's built-in Netflix app, there's no doubt things appear even clearer. This upscaling algorithm is promised to get even better with future firmware updates. Clever, innit?

I have some other viewing recommendations. Seal Team features a lot of sneaking around in enemy territory at night. The Q900R doesn't miss a trick.

David Attenborough's, Our Planet is simply spectacular. Bummer about everything going extinct.

Just a picture of the picture. Still looks awesome, right?

But finding yourself halfway up a 3000 metre rockface on Free Solo probably takes the cake. I almost felt dizzy with vertigo.

Now, I could list off the technical reasons behind all of these dazzling effects; the motion rate, how many million pixels there are, talk about nits and quantum dots, but those are just specs and you can look them up on the website.

The visceral responses I felt while watching those shows were due mainly to an undefinable sense of depth. That's what stands out most for me with the Q900R - never before have I experienced a television image I felt like I could physically reach into. It's almost a 3D effect - without the goggles.

There are quite a few little tweaks that make this telly just that much more fun to use. If you're sitting it on a cabinet, the new leg configuration lets you decide between wide or narrow positions. Alternatively, if you're wall-mounting the Q900R, the legs can be tucked away in storage slots in the back of the TV itself, guaranteeing you won't lose them if you decide you need them later. Samsung's "No Gap Wall Mount" will allow you to fit this skinny, but oh-so-wide telly flush against the wall.

Another little feature that caught my eye is the three new buttons on the remote. As with previous versions, you can use voice commands through the remote and these actually work pretty well. The remote is also universally programmable - especially for common New Zealand set top boxes including Sky TV and now Vodafone TV, which I've struggled to get universal remotes to talk to before. But there are now dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video and the web browser.

I'm all for keeping the remote clean and simple, but to be able to access Netflix instantly with one push of a button is damned convenient. The only problem is, I kept getting them mixed up - pushing the www button instead of the pause button, yanking me away from what I was watching and presenting me with a browser window instead. I believe that is technically known as "fat finger."

Samsung TV's run their own Tizen-based operating system, so there certainly isn't the range of apps available compared to Android devices. However, because the apps you can download have all been specifically designed for this O.S. the integration is seamless and favourites like Netflix, Spotify and YouTube are all a joy to use.

Once again Samsung offers the option of Ambient Mode - turning the screen into a work of art or camouflaging it as part of the wall when you're not watching it. This year there are more galleries, effects and options than ever. Feel free to pop a picture of me up there if you like.

Depending on your source device, you can cast directly to the Q900R, Chromecast obviously works like a charm and now late model Samsung TV's are more versatile than ever, recently introducing Apple TV and Air Play so iPhone and iPad users can make the most of this exquisite screen... and this excellent soundbar.

Although the Q70 is only one central bar and a wireless subwoofer (pre-paired, just turn it on) the latest Samsung Acoustic Beam technology fires sound into every corner of the room, high and low. You can choose Standard, Surround or Gaming mode and now there's an Adaptive option, that works it all out for you.

This thing is almost as smart at the TV itself. Ironically, the Q900R doesn't actually sound too terrible minus the soundbar, although you'll soon miss the grunt of that subwoofer once there's an explosion or a half-decent bass line.

The Q900R is very smart indeed - to perform all the amazing tricks I've listed requires a pretty big brain and to be honest, the One Connect Box is significantly larger than last year's, although, as usual, because it can be placed anywhere connected by the oh-so-subtle One Clear cable, a bigger box is no major drawback. I've noticed it does get reasonably warm though, so you'll probably want to keep it somewhere reasonably well ventilated.

To be honest, I could talk about this TV forever. Yes, the pricetag is ridiculous and so is the fact we're probably years away from being able to access much 8K content. But I can assure you, even 720p video upscales brilliantly. There's no logical argument for buying something this over-the-top - but if you're feeling like doing something totally illogical, you may as well treat yourself to something all your friends will be jealous of. Serious TV envy guaranteed.


Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung 75" Q900R 8K QLED TV.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Q70 soundbar.

BORING IS BEAUTIFUL

You can spend a lot of money finding the right headphones.

It's probably a good idea to decide what really matters to you; how they look? Sound? Lots of bass? Lots of volume? Good wireless connectivity? How's the battery life? Perhaps durability is key?...

Maybe you don't have to spend as much as you thought...

The Jabra Move Style Edition wireless headphones might just be the perfect balance of features versus price... although they do look a bit boring.

Personally, I don't really care what my headphones look like at all. They should all be red, obviously. But if you can only get them in Titanium Black, Gold Beige or Navy Blue, they better do the job.

They do.

Although I've worn, reviewed and used many in-ear and over-ear headphones, I've never really delved much into the on-ear situation. This is more due to ill-informed prejudice than any experience-based preference. I'd foolishly assumed having something pressed against your ears would be much less comfortable than having that thing completely enclosing them or nestled snugly inside them. My other misassumption was I'd be sacrificing sound quality due to the lack of a tight seal - background noise would be able to encroach on my listening experience at will.

I'm just a dummy, basically.

Comfort-wise, I couldn't really ask for more. For starters, the Jabra Move is small, so it's light. This combined with the incredibly soft, leather-like ear cushions really created a featherweight feel to the whole setup. Although the stainless steel headband appears somewhat industrial with its minimalist, fabric-covered padding, it too ends up being extremely comfortable. At first I thought it might be a bit stiff, the arc squashing the earcups against my skull a little too firmly, but after a day or two the band stretched ever so slightly to suit my massive cranium better and its been secure without being tight ever since.

Best of all, because your ears aren't all hermetically sealed up, there's no risk of getting all hot and clammy - which is great for someone like me who has to wear headphones for hours at a time to do my job.

Sound quality is perhaps the most important consideration for most people and to be honest, I've been blown away by the punch the Jabra Move packs. The bass really thumps out; you can almost feel the thud of the kick-drum as I listen to the Kooks and in terms of sheer volume, Shihad rocks with plenty of power.

There's a definite impression of roominess - something I wasn't expecting from a headset with smaller earcups. This gives all frequencies a chance to breathe, which is crucial when listening to more acoustic artists like the Wood Bothers.

The only areas I found slightly fiddly, due to the Jabra Move's diminutive stature are the on-board controls - although there aren't many. There's a power/bluetooth connection switch on the right cup and a combined answer, play/pause, skip/back, volume control on the left side. These all work fine, they're just tricky to find because they're so tiny. 

There's a subtle beep to let you know you're changing tracks or volume which is fine, but I could do without the lady telling me when I'm connected or not. Too intrusive.

Battery life is absolutely stellar - the Jabra website claims 14 hours of play time. I'm not prepared to listen to anything for 14 hours, but I can confirm one full charge lasts a hell of a long time. This makes the Jabra Move a great option for travelers, despite the fact the headphones don't actually fold up. They're small enough and tough enough to stick in any bag or even large pockets.

Call quality is my only significant concern. I can certainly hear well enough from my end, but because there's no noise-cancelling seal like you can achieve with over-ears or earbuds, the microphone will pick up the caller if you have the volume up too loud and send an echo of themselves back down the line. This is easily fixed by bumping the volume down a bit.

The real revelation is I think on-ear might now be my favourite way to go. Earbuds usually just get annoying after a while and no matter how good they are, they'll never sound like a full-sized set of cans. Of course, the Jabra Move isn't a full sized set of cans, but somehow they've squeezed in drivers that certainly provide a full-sized sound - and that's all I really care about.

I started by lamenting how much you have to spend to get high class ear-wear, but coming in under $200, Jabra Moves Style Edition proves that's not necessarily the case. And when I said it looks boring... I really meant understated.


Click here for more information on the Jabra Move Style Edition wireless headphones.

MAKING COLOURS INTO MUSIC

I've had the pleasure of reviewing some pretty cool tech over the years, but this might be the first time I've ever made music with any of it.

Question is... is this an instrument, an educational tool or just a toy?...

Now there are a few different things in the picture above - any idea what I'm actually reviewing here? The product is called Specdrums from Sphero, the company that sells those little round robots you can control with your phone.

Let's take a closer look...

See? Now you know exactly what we're dealing with. Right?

Believe it or not, that's a ring. Like, put it on your finger. And that is Specdrums.

There's a hell of a lot of technology bundled into that wee chunk of medical-grade silicon; a microUSB charging port, a Li-Ion battery, an accelerometer, a bluetooth transmitter and most importantly, a magical light sensor that can differentiate between thousands of colours.

But why?...

It's hard to explain.

By using the Specdrums MIX app on your iOS or Android device, you can pair your Specdrums ring and start tapping it on things. Depending on the colour of that thing, you'll start playing music out of your phone or tablet.

Told you it was hard to explain.

The Specdrums MIX app gives you access to a library of sound packs featuring loops, samples, beats and tones that all fit together when fired off from the multi-coloured keyboard on screen. But the fun really begins when you use your Specdrums ring to play those same sounds.

You can do this by tapping it against the included Play Pad, which conveniently rolls up into a little bag. Or you can just go crazy and start tapping any colourful thing around you.

Don't worry if you're not a musician. Specdrums is kind of a gateway instrument. It doesn't really take any special technique to use, but in a short time you can find yourself recording and playing back your own dance groove or hip-hop jam.

If you can't find the right colours around to match up with the sounds you want to play, don't worry, everything can be customised. If you have a particularly stripey cat for instance, you could conceivably play Happy Birthday by tapping it with your Specdrums ring. I'm not saying you should do that. I'm just saying you could. (Good luck getting it to stay still long enough... it'd make a good YouTube vid though)

Speaking of YouTube, Sphero has created a suite of helpful instructional snippets to coach you to get the most out of your Specdrums - and the results are really only limited by you're imagination... and your patience.

Not only can you customise which colours you can use, you're not restricted by the sound packs provided either - although there's quite a selection with the promise of more to come. Instead you can record your own samples. Feel free to sing, shout, play... whatever. The app works much like a simple soundboard or drum machine, but like I say, the fun part is controlling it all with the ring on your finger.

Or fingers. Specdrums comes in single or double packs, but depending on your device you can actually pair up to six rings at once. This means you can play simple chords or have multiple people using Specdrums simultaneously.

The developers have even told me of kids creating their own colourful instruments to be played with rings on several fingers at once. The combination of colour, sound and tactile cause-and-effect definitely brings out your creative side which is why Sphero sees Specdrums as a valuable educational tool - the ideal first step towards learning to read music or playing an instrument - a more traditional instrument that is.

The Specdrums MIX app is simple and user-friendly and charging and pairing the rings couldn't be more straight-forward.

You'll get about two hours of playing on a full charge but there is one technical drawback. Because it's a bluetooth connection, there's a slight lag. A lag which becomes dramatically more pronounced on some lower-spec Android devices. The more zoopy-doopy flagship phones and recent Apple products have the latest generation bluetooth brains, but I've found keeping exact time is certainly a challenge. The Sphero people tell me they're working hard to get this latency down all the time but of course, if you then monitor your musical masterpieces via bluetooth-connected speakers or headphones, you're adding yet another potential pause into the process, so I'm not sure we'll be seeing Specdrums being played in concert halls or arenas any time soon.

There's no denying how fun and addictive this is though. In fact, it's been reported to me one teenage wannabe D.J. recently described Specdrums as "sick as". You can't ask for a more glowing endorsement than that.

All I know is music most definitely soothes the savage beast and if we all spent more time making it, playing it and listening to it, the world would be a better place. Specdrums makes all that easy to do for anyone. Hats off.


Click here for more information and pricing on Sphero Specdrums.

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT

With so many wireless earbuds hitting the market, it can be somewhat overwhelming choosing which ones are right for you.

Because everyone's different, there's no perfect solution - but let's look at the latest option from JBL...

The JBL Free X "truly wireless" earbuds follow the template we've seen from several other brands in recent months; a pair of small in-ear monitors you keep in their own charging case when you're not using them.

Cosmetically, the Free X buds are far from the worst I've seen. When it comes to the form factor of the earbuds themselves we've seen the emergence of two basic styles - the weird stick-hanging-down shape Apple is responsible for, or the more logical let's-keep-it-all-in-your-ear style I prefer. Thankfully, JBL's gone with the latter.

In saying that, they're definitely on the larger side of the scale, but rather than sticking straight out, the earbuds are kind of long and when I first saw them I wondered how they would balance once inserted in my ears. There's a loud and proud JBL logo on each bud, so people won't be in any doubt which brand you've chosen.

That logo actually covers physical control buttons which trigger different operations on each bud, depending on how many times you tap them. There's a definite, physical click with each push which certainly reduces the risk of accidental pushes as I've encountered on other touch-based controls. The buttons are not customiseable though, so you'll have to refer to the quick setup guide and familiarise youself with the controls if they're not intuitively what you thought they'd be. One push of the right-hand bud to play/pause or answer calls makes sense. A double press on the left-hand bud to skip back a track perhaps less so. I certainly like the tactile nature of these controls, but I missed the ability to adjust volume up and down - you'll have to do this on the connected device itself.

The Free X's address a few common issues I've had with other wireless earbuds. For starters, they're IPX5 certified, meaning they're splashproof so you can go running in the rain no worries. Why anybody would want to go running in the rain is more of a mystery, but at least you can do so knowing your earbuds won't die if you do.

The other thing that won't die is the battery. JBL claims you'll get up to four hours of continuous use and I've certainly had no issues reaching close to that mark. Four hours isn't the longest listening time out there, but a big bonus with the Free X setup is the charging case - and I do mean big. The case is certainly one of the larger ones I've come across, but presumably this is because of its superior battery life. While other cases carry enough juice for one or two extra charges on the go, the Free X case will charge the buds another five times! That'll keep you going for a full 24 hours, which could serve you well on your next long-haul Netflix binge.

Long-term listening shouldn't be a problem comfort-wise, as despite my initial concerns, the Free X buds are surprisingly balanced once inserted and feel almost weightless. There is a "but" though... I found getting the right fit somewhat challenging. The Free X comes with three sizes of eartips and two sizes of something I've never seen before; gel sleeves that alter the size and shape of the whole earbuds themselves, not just the tip.

This seems like a good idea in theory, as no two ears are the same shape. Trouble is, making the already large Free X buds bigger isn't a great solution. As it turns out, not only are my ears different to everyone else's, they're different to each other. I ended up using a sleeve on one side but not on the other. This provides a secure enough fit to get me through my 7km run with only a minimum amount of fiddling around to keep the earpieces in place. However, during more rigorous activity, like digging holes, I actually had earbuds fall out from time to time which is not ideal given they're "truly wireless."

Of course, the tricky thing with any earbuds is what fits perfectly for one person, might be completely wrong for someone else - and vice versa. The first company to offer a try-before-you-buy option might be onto a winner.

Perhaps the most important thing is sound quality though and here, as usual, JBL delivers a solid performance. Unlike many of its other devices, the playback isn't particularly bass-heavy, although this might be partly due to my lack of a really tight seal with the way the Free X buds fit. This also means background noise does get in a bit, although you can wind up the volume plenty loud enough to drown most things out. (Even complaining teenagers, I've discovered)

I found call quality to be very clear. For some reason the Free X defaults to mono on the right side when making or taking a call. The JBL website lists this as a positive "more natural" feature. I'm not sure what's more natural about having a conversation in only one ear but maybe I'm missing something.

Where the JBL Free X really wins out is price - available for around $200 at many retailers, the compromises on perfect fit and ultimate audio could well be worth making if you're looking to save a hundred bucks or so. Especially if you've got good-sized ear-holes.


Click here for more information on the JBL Free X truly wireless in-ear headphones.

A WATCH TO WATCH

While Huawei goes from strength to strength with its smartphone releases in New Zealand, we haven't seen much from its line of accessories... until now.

Right off the bat, the Huawei Watch GT is a fine looking timepiece. Even if it was just an "ordinary" watch, you'd be impressed by its modern colouring and superior build quality. The titanium grey casing features bronze accents making it a versatile match with almost anything. This is carried through to the design of the dark green band, which (as the above picture would suggest) tends to the blue end of the scale. It's sporty but still elegant and the whole package really does blend in with both casual and dressy ensembles.

The quick-fit band can be easily swapped out with other similar-sized straps, but I haven't found many as comfortable as the Huawei-branded band supplied. In fact, the Watch GT is extremely comfortable generally. It's significantly slimmer and lighter than most smartwatches I've worn which not only makes wearing it while working out so much more pleasurable, but it's the first full-sized watch I could stand to wear to bed to take advantage of its sleep-tracking functionality. There's even an easily accessed do-not-disturb setting to prevent the screen lighting up in the dark.

That's good news, because once paired with the Huawei Health app, which is very straight-forward by the way, I found the information gleaned from my nights' sleep very accurate and enlightening. Based on Harvard University research, the Watch GT tallies up your deep, light and REM cycles to let you know exactly what you're missing out on... or getting too much of.

Turns out, waking up in the middle of the night to go and work at breakfast radio is slowly killing me. That's pretty much what I've always suspected.

Of course, the Watch GT is much, much more than a sleep tracker - its primary function is recording your exercise. From walking, running and cycling to swimming and even triathlon, there's a good selection of activities able to be tracked and saved to your Huawei Health profile. A good selection - but not great. Unlike other app-based trackers, while the basics are well covered, relatively common exercises like aerobics, martial arts and football are not. It's possible more sports will be added with future software updates. Here's hoping.

Because the activities the Watch GT does track, are tracked beautifully. I've found the GPS to be one of the most accurate I've come across, probably due in part to its ability to support all three Satellite Positioning Systems. The 1.39inch AMOLED screen is large enough to display a lot of information at once; heart rate, pace, distance and more. I've also found the screen extremely easy to read in all lighting conditions, although sometimes I wish it would dim a little more in the dark. The display is surrounded by a ceramic bezel which helps give everything a very durable feel. I've been wearing the Watch GT pretty much 24/7 for almost a month and have yet to notice any scratches or dings.

Navigation is fairly straightforward and intuitive, via a combination of the two side-mounted buttons and screen-swipes. This way you can quickly fire off workouts or review brief summaries of your activities to date.

All these things respond very quickly, if not instantly and I've found operation smooth and reliable.

But...

There's not much else to talk about.

Unlike previous Huawei smartwatches which ran the same Androidwear operating system found on many watches from various manufacturers, this time Huawei has gone with its own OS. The advantage is slick operation, making the most of its unique double chipset. The disadvantage - and it's a hefty one - no outside apps. Unlike other smartwatches, you won't find your favourite fitness, music or banking apps on this one. In fact, there are some fairly serious omissions across the board. The function I miss the most is any kind of media controller. I've become quite dependent on being able to play and pause my podcasts with my watch, but not with the Huawei Watch GT.

And while it does an excellent, reliable job of displaying notifications from any app installed on your phone, there's no ability to reply to emails or texts from the watch itself.

Given you can control some functions, like dismissing alarms on your phone, I'm holding out hope some of those other functions may magically appear in future software updates.

Maybe Huawei has simply decided if you can't do it perfectly, don't do it at all. Certainly what it does do, it does flawlessly. Apart from accurate activity and sleep tracking, and easy-to-read notifications, there are also plenty of useful tools, like the stopwatch, timer, compass and weather widget.

But battery life is probably the star of the show. While the Huawei website claims up to two weeks on a full charge, I've found mine lasts more like 10 days, probably due to longer, more regular workouts. That's right, I'm a fitness freak. (Yes, that is a joke) That being said, I've never owned a smartwatch with a screen this good that lasted more than a day or two, so ten days is blowing my mind. While the charging cradle isn't strictly wireless, the magnetic connection is pretty foolproof.

The Huawei Watch GT has a RRP of $349 and although this is less than some smartwatches on the market, you can't ignore it simply doesn't offer the same level of functionality as many of those devices.

On the other hand, this is perhaps the most comfortable and attractive smartwatch I've ever worn. Add in its remarkable battery life and maybe that justifies its premium price tag.

One thing's for sure; if you received the Huawei Watch GT as a bonus for pre-ordering your P30 or P30 Pro, its definitely worth taking out of the box and giving a go.


Click here for more information on the Huawei Watch GT.