THE ONLY THING HOLDING THIS WATCH BACK

Man has Huawei been pumping out the watches lately.

I have to say, I'm not a massive fan of releasing frequent new models of a device with only incremental updates each time.

Although, I have been a fan of what Huawei has had on offer for my wrist.

So what's new? And is what's new new enough?...

It was love at first sight the second I opened the box. It's obviously just my opinion but the Huawei Watch GT2 Pro might just be the best looking smartwatch I've ever seen.

It's a lot to do with the colour. It comes in black, (doesn't everything?) but luckily I was sent the Nebula Grey version. This means a grey-brown leather strap, a titanium case and sapphire glass. Everything about this watch whispers premium build. The back casing has also been upgraded to a more skin-friendly ceramic.

I keep coming back to the colour. Over the years I've been told in no uncertain terms you can't wear grey and brown together. Repeatedly. Yet with the Watch GT2 Pro, somehow Huawei has created a hue that seems to be the perfect blend of the two. This means it matches pretty much anything; earthy tones through to bright, bold primaries. The stitching, the brushed metal finish, the matching buckle... this is a classy, classy accessory. Even the buttons have been enhanced, now raised, enlarged and with tactile, knurled edges.

The sapphire glass stretches right out to the very edges of the device and it seems to be extremely hard-wearing. I have an uncanny ability to scratch my watch faces within minutes of first trying them on - too many extravagant hand gestures I guess - but not this time. I've been wearing the Watch GT2 Pro for a couple of weeks now and the screen is still pristine. The 1.39-inch AMOLED display looks sensational in all light conditions, even outside in the sun, even with sunglasses on. I find the layout of the fitness tracking app particularly well set out and easy to read at a glance.

While there aren't thousands of watch faces to choose from as you might find on other platforms, the dozens on offer here are still more than enough for me - and new choices are being added every day.

This is all part of Huawei's own unique operating system - an interface I've come to really appreciate for it's elegant simplicity. Navigating around the watch is quick and silky smooth, useful shortcuts like alarms, settings and do-not-disturb are easily accessible as are widgets like weather, sleep and heart-rate data.

Sensors for blood oxygen and stress levels seem to do their jobs more efficiently than those I've used on other devices and sleep tracking is accurate, with plenty of insights and advice provided courtesy of the Huawei Health app.

Although you can receive notifications from any app on your phone, because the Watch GT2 Pro runs on its own software, you can't install any third-party apps onto the watch itself. This means you won't be using Strava, Map My Run or Endomondo to record your workout.

DON'T LET THIS PUT YOU OFF!

If I've learned one thing from Huawei's recent line of smartwatches, it's how great the fitness tracking is.

There really is an incredible number of activities you can monitor - the usual running, walking, cycling and gym workouts of course along with just about anything else, from squash to kite-flying (I'm not making that up). Huawei has now added golf and skiing too. I don't golf or ski but from what I've read, the golf option does a pretty good job of measuring your swing at the driving range so that sounds genuinely useful.

As I mentioned earlier, whatever you're tracking couldn't be displayed more clearly or more usefully - both on the watch and later in the app. The built-in GPS is as fast and as accurate as any I've used and it means you don't have to take your phone with you to track your workout. The route appears as a shareable map the moment you sync the watch back with your phone.

Oddly, the pace-per-kilometre generally displays as being a bit faster than it actually is. This is a slightly frustrating as each 1km split tends to show a slower pace than I thought I was doing. Hard to say why this happens when everything else seems so instantaneous and spot on.

If you choose the Nebula Grey version of the Watch GT2 Pro, you'll probably want a spare sports band to replace that beautiful leather strap when you work out. This is easily done with any quick-release 22mm band. Given the watch carries a 5ATM water resistance rating, you'll have no issue tracking swims or triathlons but you don't want to ruin the leather in the process.

Right, now for my problem. The one issue that prevents this device from being the best smartwatch I've ever worn; you can't reply. Sure, it's fantastic to get notifications from your SMS, email and social media apps but I've always argued, if you can't reply, then your smartwatch isn't actually all that smart. To be honest, even the notifications themselves, although prompt and reliable, are far too brief. Emails appear with the name of the sender and subject only - no body of text at all. Rich notifications from my security cameras appear with a preview snapshot on some smartwatches, not on the Watch GT2 Pro.

I don't know exactly why this is - especially when you can make and receive phone calls via the Watch GT2 Pro with no issues at all. I assume it comes back to the unique operating system but proprietary programming doesn't prevent other watches replying to messages. I also assume it's the reason the music controller doesn't work consistently either. I can use it to pause, skip and adjust the volume on media that's already playing on my handset but the watch can't seem to start anything, which is a bit frustrating if you're wanting to listen to something while your phone is secured firmly in a sports armband or tucked into your handbag. Yes, you can load songs straight onto the watch and pair it directly to your earbuds but that's not the setup I prefer.

That lack of two-way communication is my only reservation with the Watch GT2 Pro. Everything else about it is simply stellar - especially the battery life. It'll last you a week on a single charge without any issues at all - much longer if you're not regularly tracking workouts or have some other features disabled. Best of all, there's a new charging puck; completely wireless and magnetic so it no longer requires you to place the watch a certain way round to charge. Far more convenient.

As a fashion accessory, the Watch GT2 Pro is perfect. As a sports and health tracker, it's up there with the best of them. If only I could answer my emails and messages, then this would easily be the smartwatch of the year.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Huawei Watch GT2 Pro.

THE SHAPES KEEP COMING

Some gadgets are important. Useful. Necessary, even. Maybe there was a desperate need. A gap in the market.

Someone needed something. Someone invented it. Someone got in the middle and sold it.

Great.

Then there are things you just want. You see it and although you never even knew it existed, now you just have to have it.

Nanoleaf Shapes are more like that second thing.

Meet the Triangles. Or to be specific, the Triangles and Mini Triangles.

Now, there's a couple of things you might be thinking right away that might be wrong. Firstly, "Haven't you reviewed Nanoleaf Triangles before?" Secondly, "They look boring."

Yes, I have indeed had a go with an earlier version of this product but things have come a long way since then. And no, they are not boring because these are not just static, white bits of plastic, they are of course part of the new Shapes range of smart LED lighting panels.

Oh, thirdly... if you were thinking, "Hey, don't these just do the same thing as those Hexagons you reviewed a while back?" then this time you're actually right. But the exciting thing is you can use the Triangles, Mini Triangles and Hexagons all together.

So just to recap; Nanoleaf Shapes are modular lighting panels that are easily connected using Linkers - electronic clasps that allow you to create any geometric design you fancy - and I do man any. Use as many or as few shapes as you like - there are even Flex Linkers so you can extend your Shapes around corners. A single controller unit (included with each "Smarter" kit) can run up to five-hundred panels, so you can cover a fair amount of wall space (or even the ceiling I suppose).

When you've decided on your final design, you can connect it to your WiFi network using the Nanoleaf app for either Android or iOS. Everything is very well designed, very well thought through and very user friendly. There are three ways to pair, via QR, NFC or manual entry of a unique code - each step guided by the app. You can even browse configuration suggestions if you're feeling a little stumped, creatively.

Once your shapes are up and running and you're generally happy with the layout, it's time to hang them up using the redesigned mounting plates attached to each panel. These can be stuck to the wall using the included mounting tape or if you're really happy with how things look, you can screw them in permanently. Although you probably won't know exactly how happy you are with your shapes until you've given all the options a try.

I don't mean all sixteen-million possible colours, that would take quite some time. But there's a whole world of preset colour scenes to choose from - static, changing, responding to music - all fully customisable via the app. The panels will also respond to touches, taps and swipes, again these can be set up to your preference.

But we knew all this. Well, we did if you read my Hexagons review. What I didn't know is there's now a downloadable desktop app too. This gives you access to any of your connected Shapes arrays with the same functionality as the phone app and it offers an amazing new feature; Screen Mirroring.

Somehow Nanoleaf has figured out how to replicate the colours you're seeing on your PC or laptop screen to display them on your shapes. This means if you're streaming from your computer to your TV, Shapes can be mounted behind your telly to highlight the action on screen. Even more exciting, you can create the ultimate gaming environment by mounting shapes around your PC monitor. The crazy thing is, although these are Hexagons and Triangles, they duplicate your on-screen colour palette instantly - it works incredibly well.

I imagine there'd be many other useful applications for this mirroring ability - not least of which might be accentuating display screens in reception areas or retail spaces.

Personally, when I heard the word, "Triangles," obviously I immediately thought, "Christmas tree." I mean, what is a Christmas tree if not just a bunch of triangles on top of each other, right? So I got planning permission from the Domestic Manager to assemble an illuminated tree for our entranceway just in time for the festive season - this was my first attempt...

It received a lukewarm response, to say the least. 

I was informed it looked more like a spaceship than a tree. Luckily, Shapes are easily taken apart and reassembled - even while turned on - that's part of the fun of it. So I gave it another go and here's the result. This got the final signoff and it's now up on the wall. I'm using the "Jungle" profile, which cycles various shades of green across all the panels but there are any number of options I could go with instead - including colour schemes created and shared by other Nanoleaf users.

You can schedule Shapes to turn on, off or change colours and modes at whatever times you like and because they're Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit enabled, you can control Shapes with your voice or automate them with other IoT devices. For example, my entranceway Christmas tree is set up to turn on as soon as anyone rings the doorbell.

I still wish the panels lit up all the way to the points instead of rounding off all the corners - maybe whichever Shape comes next will do that - but as smart lights go, you'd be hard-pushed to find any smarter than these Triangles, Mini Triangles and Hexagons. 

Click here for more information on Nanoleaf Shapes.

GET THE BIG PICTURE FROM A LITTLE DASHCAM

It amazes me more people don't use a dashcam. In fact, I'm surprised they don't come as standard in all new cars.

For a few hundred dollars you can effectively eliminate any dispute over any incident you should ever be involved in while driving.

Of course, some cameras are more user-friendly than others. And some have features you might never even have realised you were missing out on...

Depending on what device you're reading this on, the Nextbase 422GW is probably smaller than you think. In fact, it might even be smaller than this photo. There are many useful features I haven't come across before, starting with the magnetic mounting system. That front panel with the Nextbase logo on it just flips out letting you fit the camera to the mount via a surprisingly strong magnet. This means it's very easy to remove the camera if you're worried about opportunist thieves spying it through your windscreen.

The Click&Go PRO GPS mount included in the box attaches via a 3M adhesive pad (a spare also in the box) or you can go with the suction mount accessory. Whichever method you choose, everything is pleasingly compact meaning I've been able to tuck the whole setup pretty much out of sight behind my rear-vision mirror, leaving my windscreen virtually unobstructed. I only wish the ball-and-socket joint on the mount swivelled in every direction, not just up and down - this would have provided even more flexibility in where you can position the camera.

The 422GW comes with a generous four-metre power cable allowing you to mount it pretty much anywhere although it is reasonably thick, making it a little tricky to tuck away along the edge of your windscreen or into door-seals. Luckily there's also a plastic cable fitting tool in the box to help you wedge the wire out of sight. It plugs into the mount or directly into the camera.

I would have preferred a USB/charger setup to the moulded lighter plug - that would provide more flexibility to use other accessories, although Nextbase does sell an optional hardwire kit instead.

Unlike other dashcams I've used, the 422GW runs on a rechargeable battery which opens up a lot more accessibility when it comes to setup and transferring video. This is because you can easily snatch the camera off its mount and it will keep running while you're using it so you can set it up sitting on a comfy chair rather than leaning awkwardly over your steering wheel.

A lot of the setup you can do using the touch screen on the camera itself, although the Nextbase app makes it a bit less fiddly. I find connecting your phone to devices like these is usually pretty tiresome but things happen relatively quickly and smoothly with the 422GW. The obligatory initial firmware update takes forever (when doesn't it?) but thanks to Nextbase's AutoSync and QuickLink WiFi systems, your phone is constantly connected to the camera whenever it's on so configuring settings and transferring files is fairly seamless.

The 422GW is one of the new range of Alexa-enabled Nextbase devices. You may be thinking you haven't got much to say to your dashcam other than, "Stop recording," or "Start recording," but once you've connected your Amazon account there's a world of voice-activated actions on offer - place calls, answer messages, fire off your favourite playlist - all hands-free.

Another unique feature is Emergency SOS. Once enabled, the 422GW can call the emergency services on your behalf if it detects you've been in an accident, providing location and contact information - even your personal medical details. I couldn't get this working because for some reason, no matter how many times I tried, I never received the SMS confirmation code. Maybe Nextbase has decided I'm not worth saving. If it works for you, you get the first year free then you'll have to pay a subscription.

Enabling Intelligent Parking Mode puts the 422GW to work even when you're not driving. If you're vehicle is moved or otherwise interfered with, the camera will start recording which might be prove useful should you want to figure out who car-doored you in the mall parking lot while you were inside.

There's actually a pretty good chance the camera will pick most things up, thanks to its wide 140-degree viewing angle and 1440p high-res recordings - although both high and low resolution files are saved simultaneously to make transfer even faster if you want to share videos in a hurry. Nextbase has its own desktop editing app too and it shows everything; GPS location, speed, time, all the stats you need.

Perhaps my favourite feature is one I haven't tried yet - the 422GW is modular - you can connect other Nextbase cameras to it so you can integrate rear-view, rear-window and cabin-view footage into your recordings. That'll have to wait for another review.

Overall, I couldn't be more satisfied with the 422GW. It has a lot of cool, added-extra features (even if I couldn't get Emergency SOS to work) the battery and mounting system make it easy and convenient to remove and above all else, it's tiny, so it doesn't get in the way.

What are you waiting for? A dashcam like this one is just the insurance you need when it's time to claim on your insurance.

Click here for more information on the Nextbase 422GW dashcam.

THE MASSIVE COMPUTER YOU CAN FOLD UP AND TAKE WITH YOU

Look, I get it, that headline was ridiculous. What I was trying to do was relay my first impression of the Dell XPS 15 9500. It felt huge, enormous. Not in a bad way. More like a, "Whoa! I bet there's nothing I can't do with a laptop like this!" kind of way.

The picture won't do it justice...

See? You can't really tell how awesomely large it is there. You need something for scale, like an elephant, or an Empire State building, or a rugby field or something.

I want to make it clear; the XPS 15 is not ugly or clumsy. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's not even bulky. But it's really big. Although it's slim even when closed, it weighs in at over two kilograms so you probably won't won't to be carrying it around all day.

In saying that, it's beautiful - especially in Frost White as pictured here. This is the first complete redesign on the XPS 15 in five years and it actually means that despite the 15.6-inch display, the device is more like the size of most other 14-inch laptops. This is thanks to the Infinity-Edge nature of the screen - the bezels are truly tiny, just a few millimetres thick. Everything about this machine exudes a premium build quality - aluminium lid and chassis, soft-touch carbon fibre palmrest. The hinge mechanism is rock solid and the keyboard is nicely spaced out with impressive travel and response for laptop keys.

Dell has added a fingerprint sensor under the blank power-on key, top-right. This works quickly for Windows Hello logins - but so does the camera for face unlock which I find even more convenient.

Some have criticised the camera quality on the XPS 15 but I think these people were just desperate to find something negative to write about. Sure, I've come across the odd laptop with a better camera than this one but not many. You may not end up with the clearest image at your next video meeting but at least the lens is positively miniscule - virtually invisible on that tiny top bezel. One genuine downside is there's no physical privacy shutter as found on some other machines. Personally, this doesn't bother me at all but I know some people fear being spied on by Big Tech. To those people I have some simple advice; type, "turn off camera" into the search box. It's not difficult, folks.

The display is now taller; 16:10 as opposed to the 16:9 of the previous model. These more square aspect ratios seem to be taking over and it's not surprising - a taller screen is reflected on the other half of the device with more palm space and room for a larger trackpad - and to be sure, the trackpad on this laptop is by far the biggest I've ever used. This means more accuracy and control - which is ideal with all the extra screen real estate you now have to play with thanks to that 16:10 aspect.

The huge screen is simply breathtaking the first time you open the XPS 15 up. I immediately felt like I was sitting at a desktop, not a portable PC. My review device is configured with the UHD+ 3840x2400 touch display and it's outstanding. It'd better be - it costs another $600 to upgrade from the FHD+ 1920x1200 non-touch option. The viewing experience is unrivalled - combine the sheer size of the screen with the quad speaker array and you have the best portable Netflix viewer money can buy.

The sound is genuinely top-class, thanks in no small part to Dell moving two of the speakers to the left and right of the keyboard. This vastly beefed-up, upward firing array creates a convincing 3D soundscape with plenty of volume and bass response.

But really, what the new XPS 15 is all about is the 10th-Gen Intel i7 processor running the whole show. My configuration teams the i7 with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe solid state drive and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 1650 graphics card. That's a lot of letters and numbers and abbreviations but what it all boils down to is the new XPS 15 simply sails through any task (or multi-tasks) I throw at it. Think hot knife through butter. There's been a lot of hype lately about Intel's competitors challenging its position as the benchmark chip-maker to beat but if the sublime performance of the XPS 15 is anything to go by, Intel has nothing to worry about just yet.

Browsing, streaming, gaming, launching apps, downloading, uploading, editing - this is a creative's dream portable workstation. There are 2 USB-C Thunderbolt ports and a USB-C 3.1 port - and you can plug the 130W charger into any of them - very convenient being able to connect from either side. What's less convenient is the battery life - it's always going to be an issue running a display this big and this good. Sure, you can turn things off and limit various processes to squeeze a few extra hours out of it but nobody's shutting down their WiFi to save a bit of battery. It's far from the worst I've used but it's not going to last you through a long-haul flight either. Luckily, there aren't really a lot of long-haul flights happening right now so that probably doesn't matter. The power supply (also all white) isn't particularly compact but it does come with a nice long lead. Again, very convenient.

If you're worried about a lack of USB-A connectivity, don't - Dell includes a very nice adapter in the box with a full-sized HDMI port on it too. There's still a full sized SD card slot - great news for you video editors out there - and an audio jack as well.

In short, there is absolutely nothing I have wanted to do with this computer I haven't been able to. We're talking top-of-the-line build quality, faultless 10th-Gen Intel performance and above all else, a massive, stunningly beautiful screen - oh, and let's not forget the biggest trackpad I've ever seen. If I could dream a laptop up, it wouldn't be too different to this one.

In the configuration I'm using, the XPS 15 will set you back $4698.99 - that ain't chicken feed but it might be the most powerful, all-round best looking and best performing laptop on the market.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Dell XPS 15 9500.

YOU MAKE IT SO DAMN EASY

Well here we are, trying to get the WiFi working again.

Just when you think everything's humming along nicely, you install another smart device that just won't connect. Or working from home means you need better coverage in the attic where the kids can't find you. Or worst case scenario, you've moved and your old gear just doesn't cut it anymore.

Or really worst case scenario - your ex-partner was the one who had all the tech know-how and now you don't know why the internet isn't working.

Can there not just be something that basically sets itself up and above all else, works? Is that too much to ask?...

"What is that featureless white blob?" you may well be wondering. Believe it or not, it's a WiFi router and it may be the best one I've used yet.

The Google Nest WiFi router is not new. In fact, it's been available in many markets around the world since last year. It is new to New Zealand though and after using it for a week or so I'm pretty miffed we've been missing out for so long.

The Google Nest router takes what was already working pretty well with the original Google WiFi system and beefs things up considerably - which might seem surprising given this thing isn't much bigger than a softball. The claim is the Nest router offers up to 25% more coverage at up to twice the speeds of its 2016 predecessor and the really good news is, like the original, this is a mesh-capable device and it's fully backwards compatible with those original Google WiFi systems.

But let's keep it simple; plug it into your modem, power it up and look for it using the Google Home app on your phone. This is the same app you will have used to set up your Chromecast and any other smart devices you control with Google Assistant. From that point it's pretty foolproof; the app provides a few easy-to-follow instructions in plain language and a friendly font. Not only does the the Nest router fire up quickly, setup is done in just a minute or so. It really is the most efficient installation you could ask for.

In fact, if you're on fibre, Google has configured its New Zealand Nest devices to plug directly into the Chorus network terminal in your home, eliminating the need for a separate modem at all. You see, everything they do is focused on ease of use.

This end-user-first philosophy is definitely borne out in my real-world testing so far. When I first measured connection speeds they were fast but nothing to write home about. Except, they were fast everywhere - all over my large, two-storey, four-bedroom home. The coverage is pretty exceptional - especially given the subtle, uber-minimalist design of this device. No external antennae required.

Not only is my home two levels but it's built on a sloping section which means there's actual dirt between the router and some of the places I want the WiFi to reach. Not ideal. And although the coverage from the Google Nest is outstanding, it still struggles to penetrate literal hillside. Luckily, as already mentioned, like its predecessor it's a mesh device and you can add other WiFi points to the same network to extend your coverage. I've set up other mesh networks before and it can involve complicated pairing processes involving lots of plugging, unplugging and rebooting.

The Google Nest Wifi experience makes mesh networking laughingly easy. Plug in the extra router where you need it, switch it on, find it on the Google Home app and it will pretty much do the rest for you. With just two Nest routers I have all the WiFi I need in every corner of my house; from my deck upstairs to my security cameras out the front.

You could argue this is not the most future-proof device - already a year old and no WiFi-6 capability. My counter-argument (and Google's) is there aren't all that many WiFi-6 devices in your average household yet and Google has pledged to push through software updates as often as required. Speaking with a member of the Google design team, he claimed the router quickly learns which connected devices need WiFi priority, without giving out too many technical details about exactly how this works. The important thing is, it does indeed work. I know because I've used it.

Google also sells a Nest Wifi Point, which not is not only a mesh extender but works as a smart speaker too but unfortunately it's not widely available in New Zealand yet so I haven't been able to try it. This means shelling out for another Nest WiFi router to create your own mesh network although there is another way.

Later this month Orcon will be supplying all its naked fibre customers with Google Nest WiFi as their default router. What's more, if you decide you need to mesh things up, you'll be able to add a second Nest device for just $5 a month. Not bad going for the most user-friendly WiFi I've ever experienced.

Finally, I can't emphasise enough how good-looking this thing is - and by that I mean hardly noticeable at all. Not only is it very small, it's completely white (or "Snow") as is the power cable and included ethernet lead. This means if it's sitting on a white cabinet or against a white wall, it's virtually invisible. Sadly, there is a small LED status light at the base. Yes, you can adjust the brightness of this little dot using the app but for some reason you can't turn it off completely. I hate little lights. The power plug is slightly oversized too, which might cause issues if you're trying to fit it in next to other plugs on a multiboard. Which you probably will be.

A couple of weird design flaws given how sublimely everything else looks and works. If you're looking to upgrade your router, get this one. If you're looking to change ISP's - go with Orcon and you'll get one for free. This isn't an ad, it's an honest recommendation. In terms of range, ease of use and plain old good looks, Google Nest WiFi is the best I've used.

The Google Nest WiFi router is available from leading retailers for $299.

THIS WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE SENSE

When it comes to fitness trackers, I've been a Fitbit fan for years.

Not that that makes me very unique - Fitbit basically invented the smart wearable category and as a result, millions of people around the world have come to rely on Fitbit devices to stay on top of their exercise routines and goals.

The Fitbit app is surely one of the most well regarded. It's evolved into a user-friendly mine of  health and fitness information, constantly updating with every sync from any paired device.

I have one slight hesitation though. Since Fitbit has introduced a smartwatch variant at the top of its range, it's impossible to avoid comparisons to watches from other manufacturers and for a long time it's been fair to say in terms of high-end smartwatch functionality, the Fitbit options have often fallen a bit short.

Great trackers. Average smarts. Is 2020 the turning point?...

There couldn't be a more aptly named device than the Fitbit Sense. Fitbit has thrown in about every sensor possible, yet this is still a very compact, slim device, attractive enough in its Versa-like squircle form factor available in Lunar White/Soft Gold or Carbon/Graphite as pictured above - both options featuring surgical-grade stainless steel bezels. Size-wise, they've probably hit a bit of a sweet spot with this one; not too oversized for a narrow wrist, not too delicate for those of us with more thickset limbs. This negates the need for a choice of two sizes as offered by some other brands - don't worry, both small and large strap options are included in the box.

That "Infinity" band is indeed "velvety soft" as described on the website, easy to put on and take off, lightweight and comfortable in all conditions; heat, moisture and importantly for any Fitbit, comfy enough to wear to bed. The release mechanism has been improved again, making swapping out the strap for something more sporty - or more elegant - a total breeze.

For all the new sensors on board, which we'll come to shortly, there are no actual buttons on the Sense, just a capacitive receiver on the left-hand side. Actually, to be specific, this virtual button (more of a recessed slot) is on the lower half of the left-hand side. This guarantees no accidental presses but I've found I've really had to train myself to almost lift the watch off my wrist with my right thumb to access it consistently - fine for single presses (go back) but to hold down (customiseable shortcut) or double-tap (bring up a screen of four favourite shorcuts) is definitely a bit more fiddly.

Other than that, navigation is all about swiping and tapping the AMOLED display. In my experience the screen hasn't always been ultra-responsive, although not laggy enough to be frustrating and as usual for a Fitbit, it's always super clear and easy to read the full-colour display in all lighting conditions, inside or out.

Fitbit's smartwatch operating system has persistently been its weakness; in the past slow, clunky and not much content. I sat down with Fitbit's Regional Director, Shaun Colligan to work through some of the new features the Sense brings to your wrist and I complimented him on the dramatically improved software experience...

"The core to everything we do is really about those health outcomes... ...Our whole operating system is all about innovating and evolution and it's something we're getting better at all the time."

It's true - generally when setting up a new Fitibit smartwatch you're first faced with installing an update - this used to be via bluetooth but even once you were able to connect directly to your WiFi, it was still excruciatingly slow and would often fail halfway through meaning you'd have to start all over again.

Yes, I had to update the Sense before doing anything else but the process is definitely smoother than ever. In fact, the connection between the device and my phone is now totally reliable and notifications come through consistently and promptly. These should be minimum expectations from a $580 smartwatch of course but it hasn't always been that way.

Installing clock faces and apps has historically been a bit painful too.  Colligan says there are now more choices than ever...

"We have 720-plus apps in our store, there's over 10,000 clock faces... ...but the primary focus of our devices is about delivering those health insights and outcomes for our customers."

You can now install five favourite clock faces at once, meaning you can swap between them instantly. That's good. Some you have to pay for - fine. But don't say you might charge me for a watch face, let me install it without charging me, then tell me I can use it for an hour before I'll have to pay to keep using it. That's just plain annoying.

But let's not get bogged down with which face to choose, let's talk about all the hardware packed into the sense. There's a redesigned multi-path heart-rate sensor, altimeter, 3-axis accelerometer, ambient light sensor and built-in GPS.

That GPS is probably the fastest and most consistent on-board GPS I've used to date - accurately mapping my workouts complete with 1km splits, colour-coded workout zones and different pace zones all clearly displayed in the Fitbit app. This wealth of data is recorded whether you have your phone with you or not.

There's a gyroscope for swim tracking - the Sense is water resistant to 50 metres - and for ASB customers you can use NFC to make contactless payments. I wish my bank would sign up with Fitbit too.

All this stuff is a logical evolution of what I already considered to be the most versatile and accurate sports tracking technology available. But Sense has now transcended mere fitness and is firmly focused on general health and wellbeing.

This is immediately evident through prompts to conduct regular EDA scans and manual logging of your stress levels - a mindfulness exercise that immediately makes me feel more centred and focused on important things we often forget... like breathing. Yes, there are guided breathing exercises too.

Fitbit has always led the pack when it comes to sleep tracking and the Sense goes several steps further. By wearing it overnight you can also track fluctuations in skin temperature and blood oxygen. Over several nights the Sense creates a baseline so you can watch out for any major variations; given the current health crisis, this is a pretty great early warning system when you may be suffering from symptoms you're not even aware of.

Unfortunately, Fitbit has yet to receive approval from local regulatory authorities to activate the Sense's ECG functionality in New Zealand, although this has now gone live in Europe and the U.S. For now, Colligan assures me features like this aren't far away in this part of the world.

I get the feeling this is a very futureproofed device indeed. There's a speaker and mic. In theory, this not only allows you to communicate with Alexa to set timers, start workouts and operate any enabled smart devices but Google Assistant is also scheduled to be added as an option soon.

In practice, when I first set up my Sense, Alexa responded very well and I was able to do things like turn lights on and off just by talking to my wrist. Since then sometimes it works, sometimes I get a "connection lost" window, so it looks like there are a few bugs to work out there before we can go a step further, making and receiving phone calls directly via the Sense itself - another feature apparently on the way.

Colligan talked about a six day battery life and yes, that's probably possible depending on which features you keep turned on and how many workouts you're tracking. I've found battery life in the real world is more like a full two or three days if you want to stretch things out - but a daily topup is probably your best bet as it charges extremely quickly so it's no inconvenience to pop it on the user-friendly magnetic charger while you're doing something that doesn't need tracking - like taking a shower. (I don't think it tracks your showers yet... maybe in a future update?)

Yes, the Sense is definitely built for the future, broadening Fitbit's focus from exercise and fitness to a much wider emphasis on health and wellbeing - certainly a timely progression given the current challenges we all face. It's a pity not all the functionality has been activated for us here in New Zealand yet but given this is the most feature-packed Fitbit I've ever used, there's certainly plenty to be going on with in the meantime.

Click here for more information and pricing on the Fitbit Sense.

ALEXA AS, BRO

I'm an Alexa guy. Sure, there are other voice assistants out there but over the last couple of years Alexa has served me best. My speakers, my doorbell, my security cameras, my lights - even my TV - these days all of it pops up in my Alexa app the moment it's connected to my WiFi.

That's all very well, and for the most part everything works a treat. I have automations set up to turn lights on and off at various times or when motion sensors are triggered. I can ask Alexa to play may favourite playlists out of whichever speaker is nearby.

I even use Alexa in the car - she helps me organise my day, tells me the weather and replies to messages - all hands-free.

But you know the real problem with virtual assistants? They're just not Kiwi enough...

Well, now Amazon has come to the party... or to the barbie on the deck anyway.

We all know our smart speakers should be able to tell us the weather for our local area, play local radio stations and provide us with domestic news headlines. But if your speaker isn't prepared to sing God Defend New Zealand on demand, you need to give it a bit of a rark-up.

For starters, shouldn't any Kiwi speaker worth its salt should be able to answer your, "Kia Ora!" with a hearty "Kia Ora!" of its own?

Does your virtual assistant know what our real national treasure is? Or what the Treaty of Waitangi is all about? If you ask for its favourite city, bird or beach and you don't get New Zealand answers, well... strike a light, nek minnit you'll be gutted you didn't choose an Amazon Echo device.

I'm not just taking the piss here either; there's quite a list of Kiwi-isms you can try out to impress your mates and make the olds think your sound system is possessed by Lyn of Tawa.

You'll be stoked to hear what Alexa's favourite ice cream flavour is - not to mention what she thinks of Pineapple Lumps.

Of course, any little Kiwi tacker knows what the world's longest place name is... but Alexa actually knows how to pronounce it!

If you have foreign rellies visiting, get them to ask Alexa what her favourite football team is. They'll be gobsmacked. She has a favourite cricketer too and if they need a bit of a jandal explanation, Alexa can definitely handle the jandal.

There's only one bit of a bugger... in order for all these fun Kiwi-isms to work, there's one crucial setting that needs to be changed for any Echo device you're yakking with - and that's the language.

When I was first trying these tricks for myself, none of them worked at all and I thought someone had been yanking my chain. Unfortunately, there's no option to set Alexa to speak in English with a New Zealand accent; not yet anyway. The closest you can get is Australian. I know - yuck, right? That's why I'd opted for the far more sophisticated UK English instead.

What really sucks is UK Alexa doesn't know anything about Pineapple Lumps or Hockey Pokey. Strangely, it's Aussie Alexa who's been brushing up on her Maori pronunciation... and it's actually pretty bloody convincing.

So remember, if you want to be able to ask your smart speaker, "What's a kiwi?" you'll need to set your Echo to English-Australia to find out the real answer. The accent might be slightly off but it's a fun way to make your sound system sound more like one of the whanau.

Pretty choice, eh?

Amazon Echo smart speakers are available at good appliance stores nationwide - and there's a new range coming soon.