As the world's most popular producer of activity trackers, Fitbit has been flirting with the idea of a genuine smart watch for a while now.
The closest we've seen so far has been the Surge, boasting a standalone GPS and the Blaze, an eye-catching wristwatch with a colour screen to display a wide selection of notifications.
While they were great devices, both of these stopped short of a full-featured smart watch.
Now Fitbit has moved a step closer to bridging the tracker/smart watch divide...
The Fitbit Ionic, apart from anything else, is the most watch-looking thing Fitbit has ever come up with. For some reason, though I've never understood it, Fitbit has never made any real attempt to disguise any of its wearables as an ordinary, every-day watch.
That's fine, if you're a technophile like me and you don't care who knows what a colossal nerd you are. It could also be argued Fitbit, being the most widely sold brand of activity tracker, has attained a certain coolness factor, especially within the gym-going community - the "Fitbit look" if you will.
However, there are plenty of people who want a watch that looks like a watch, no matter how many other nifty tricks it can perform.
The Ionic is most definitely a nifty trickster, and while you still couldn't claim it resembles any kind of classical time-piece, it certainly leans towards the futuristic end of watchy fashion. What I'm trying to say is, most people would probably be happy to wear this thing out at night without feeling like too much of a geek.
In fact, the slightly curved face, seamlessly molded into the elegant stainless steel body is really quite beautiful. Definitely more streamlined than the octagonal corners of its predecessor, the Blaze. The strap is also easily swapped out if you prefer a different colour to match your outfit.
Although Fitbit has evolved the software for the Ionic from the OS used in previous Pebble devices (Fitbit bought up Pebble late last year) at first the user experience seems quite familiar to previous Fitbits like the Alta HR, Charge 2 and most of all, the aforementioned Blaze.
However, it's the promise of features to come that makes the Ionic such an exciting breakthrough.
There are new apps like Weather and Strava(fitness tracking) installed and the new operating system has been opened up for developers to come up with more content for the Ionic and future devices. It's yet to be seen how effectively those developers will rise to the challenge but at least the opportunity is now there.
There are a few minor teething problems around exactly how smart the Ionic really is. For example, while I reliably received all my chosen notifications with the attention-grabbing vibration of my choice, I kept getting my emails twice. After an intensive Google session and a solid perusal of the Fitbit forums, it appears this is a common problem among users who've paired their Ionics with Samsung Galaxy phones. I'm sure it's something that'll be worked out in an update somewhere along the line. Slightly annoying though.
And unfortunately, while you can choose to receive notifications from practically any app installed on your paired phone, you still can't use the Ionic to answer back. Nor can you take calls or reply to texts. These functions are pretty much commonplace on other genuine smart watches so in some ways, the Ionic is still an imposter.
Except, it can do things a lot of those other watches won't.
The Ionic sports NFC functionality, so touchless payments (payWave) are now a reality, although at this point ASB customers are the only New Zealanders who can utilise this service. Here's hoping other banks will be on board soon.
Obviously the range of activity tracking is still excellent and accurate. In fact, for the first time I really trusted the automatic tracking functions. Instead of telling the Ionic I was going for a run or doing an Attack class, I just let it figure it out for itself - which it always did without fail.
The Ionic is the first smart watch I've been able to wear swimming (it can track your swims too). While other devices on the market have limited water resistance, the Ionic claims to withstand a 50m dive which makes it a hell of a lot more than just shower-proof. I was also relieved to find the touch screen impressively responsive when wet.
That's the kind of feature which tempts you to wear it constantly, so I have been. Running, working, going out, gardening, the gym - what's surprised me is the quality and durability of the construction. I've had the Ionic on my wrist for a couple of weeks straight and I can't find a scratch on it. It's not just pretty, it's tough too.
Sleep tracking is becoming more and more of a focus for Fitbit all the time. Here again, the Ionic is a big improvement over the bulkier Blaze and Surge devices because it's just so much more comfortable to wear. What's more, with a simple right-swipe you can access the Screen Wake and Notification toggles so you're not disturbed by a blazing display or unexpected vibration in the middle of the night. What's more, there's a new kind of sensor built into the Ionic that measures blood oxygen levels. Some time in the near future, these guys are hoping to detect sleep apnea, possibly saving lives in the process. Crazy.
So the Ionic is a watch with a lot of potential, some of it already accessible, some not so much. Let me show you another new feature...
Meet the Fitbit Flyer. (I don't know why it's Flyer and not Flyers. I mean, most of us have two ears, right? Anyway...)
The Flyer is Fitbit's own bluetooth listening solution, enabling you to make full use of the Ionic's standalone GPS by leaving your phone at home when you go for a run. The Ionic has over 2GB of on-board storage which is plenty for your favourite playlist. I tried pairing the Ionic with a few other sets of bluetooth earbuds but I'd recommend the official Flyer for a couple of reasons; I don't know why, but the non-Fitbit buds seemed to drain the Ionic battery more and secondly, the Flyer is probably the most customisable earphone arrangement I've ever encountered.
We've all experienced the inconvenience of buds that either don't fit, fall out or are just too uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods. Sometimes you're expected to pay hundreds for something you're not even sure will make it to the end of the driveway without bobbling out of your earhole.
The Fitbit flyer offers 3 sizes of eartips along with a choice of wings or fins, large or small. It may take a bit of experimentation, but all these options virtually guarantee a snug, comfortable fit - even if one ear is weirder than the other. I always thought I was a medium eartip, large wing guy. Turns out, I'm more of a small eartip, fin man. And I don't care who knows it.
Oh, and the sound quality is incredible by the way. Bass response almost the best I've experienced in an earbud. Boom.
One problem... getting your sounds onto the Ionic. I really wish they'd kept it simple. Why can't you just plug the watch into your computer and drag the sound files into it? Nope. Instead you'll need the desktop app (not the browser dashboard) and you'll have to connect the Ionic to the same network your computer is on. Already too complicated? We're not even halfway there. Then, in the app, not on the watch, you either create a playlist or drag one in, to transfer to the watch.
Not finished yet.
Then...
You need to open the music app on the Ionic itself, select the transfer function and hope the computer starts talking to the watch. Which it probably won't until you've restarted either the watch, the app or the computer.
Works really well once the music has synced though. Nothing like the freedom of running without a phone. It's a bit like streaking.
In all seriousness, Fitbit needs to sort this process out, it really is too hard - especially when using the media controller on the Ionic to play music on your phone seems to work better than ever. Why would you bother with all that other palaver?
At least we finally have a user-friendly charging cable. Oh, obviously it's different to every other Fitbit charging cable that's ever been produced because they ALWAYS ARE... but this one's magnetic so it pretty much attaches itself. Massive improvement on the take-the-whole-watch-apart-to-charge-it design of the Blaze which was pretty bamboozling.
As always, you'll get excellent battery life from the Ionic - several days. The tricky thing is, with it being so comfortable, so stylish, so durable and so water resistant, it's hard to know when you're supposed to take it off to charge, especially if you're tracking your sleep as well.
Talk about your first world problems.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Fitbit Ionic
Samsung has been making smart watches for a while now.
I know you think I'm biased. You think I'm a Samsung sellout. I've drunk the Samsung Kool-Aid and all I ever talk about is Samsung.
But here's the thing; Samsung just does some stuff better. The reason is simple - they've been doing it longer.
While their latest watch is just a logical progression in Samsung's line of wearable accessories, remember, it's now a very long line.
I've been using the Samsung Gear S2 since its launch in 2015. It's probably the device I've come to rely on most and it's definitely proven to be the most surprisingly useful. The S2 was Samsung's reinvention of the boxy, square, oversized Star Trek-style devices that preceded it. When it introduced the unique bezel controller and with its round face and wireless charger, the Gear S2 made smart watches more accessible than ever before.
The only thing missing was the ability to take and make calls like I could with previous versions.
The Gear S3 Frontier has that feature, due to its speaker, but it takes it a step further with its independent, built-in sim.
This means the watch retains full functionality even when out of range of the phone it's paired with. You can receive and compose emails and texts while you're out and about. In fact, at one point I literally called my mum on the run. That sure confused the hell out of her, but what does she expect when she texts me while I'm exercising?
The S3 Frontier is bigger and I guess (to compound sexist stereotypes) more masculine than the S2. What's more, it feels a bit more rough and tumble too. The bezel controller is more tactile and the watch is quite a bit heavier. In short, the S3 Frontier is definitely more solid, but perhaps a little less comfortable than the S2.
My biggest issue with this device is the strap. I don't exactly know why, but the default band is just too hard and rubbery and I find if I think about it too much I develop a serious case of wristy-claustrophobia. Luckily, you can easily swap it with any other 22mm band, so it's only a minor problem.
Performance-wise, there's a definite improvement in the speed and smoothness of operation, which you'd expect given it now has twice the processing power. In saying that, in terms of navigating your way around, the S3 Frontier works pretty much the exact same way as it's predecessor. Samsung have stuck fast to their Tizen OS (which you'll now find running other products in their range, like TV's). This is a double edged sword. As an OS, Tizen totally rocks. Everything is smooth and clear and so, so stable. The downside? A lack of content. There just aren't anywhere enough developers creating stuff for Tizen devices, or even adapting existing apps... especially compared to the endless armies queuing up to create software for Apple or Android. Don't let this put you off though, because it's really a kind of quality control and it means only high-performing apps end up making the grade.
For example, due to a partnership with Under Armour, their range of fitness apps including stellar performers like Map My Run and Endomondo have all been formatted for Samsung Gear devices.
The big upgrade with the S3 Frontier is the independent sim - something the latest Apple Watch is promising in some places, but NOT New Zealand. This may be because currently the Spark network is only the one that can support these kind of devices.
This is where it gets a bit complicated, but stay with me, I'll try and make it worth your while.
Because the S3 Frontier connects directly to Spark's mobile network, you'll get all your notifications wherever you are. As I've already said, (but it's important, because very few wearables have this kind of functionality) you can answer back too. Emails, texts, phone calls - not a problem. The catch? Obviously you need to pay for that connection. In saying that, given you're not consuming video, or uploading pictures, that connection doesn't need to cost very much at all.
But what if, like me, you're not with Spark already?
This is where it gets really complicated. There's now a function in the Gear app that lets you forward calls to your watch when it's not connected to your phone.
Trouble is, I couldn't get it to work. I have absolutely no idea why. I got emails. I got texts. Ironically, I even got missed-call notifications. Even more ironically, when I received those missed-call notifications, I could call the missed caller back - so really, no dramas. Odd though. Maybe it's something that'll be sorted with a future update.
I'm assuming everything's a lot more seamless when paired with a Spark mobile.
Other than that, this watch delivers. It has its own GPS, so you really can map those runs. There's also 4GB of internal storage which is plenty for a workout playlist or two. Pair some bluetooth earbuds and you're good to go. Transferring music from your phone to the watch is pretty straight-forward, but I'd love someone to come up with a dedicated podcast app for Tizen, because exporting them for a one-time listen is a bit more labour-intensive.
Basically, if you're sick of lugging your phone with you everywhere you go, especially running, hiking or biking, the Gear S3 Frontier is the obvious choice. It works, it works well, it's totally reliable and best of all - it looks like a normal watch.
Well, a really cool watch.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier
Okay, embarrassing confession time.
I don't own a smart TV.
I know, I know. What kind of self-respecting tech reviewer doesn't have his own 4K telly hardwired into the matrix?
Strangely, and you might find this hard to believe, but not everybody in the glennzb household thinks a man's existence is defined solely by his diagonal screen measurement and the number of online streaming services he has access to.
Turns out, Domestic Manager seems to think other trivialities like food, heating and clothing our children should take precedence over setting up the ultimate home theatre experience.
So what if my dream TV didn't have to look like an elephant in the room?...
Samsung have been pushing the boundaries of television tech for some time now, really shaking things up a couple of years ago with their cool, curvy, 4K screens.
The curve wasn't the only thing to set this new breed apart. By introducing a separate control unit(or "One Connect Box") these TV's created the illusion of being a super thin screen and nothing else. In fact. with only one power lead and one AV cable from the One Connect Box, you ended up with something that was almost as pretty from behind as it was from the front.
This was a major breakthrough because for too long TV's had been getting bigger and bigger while doing almost nothing to make them more aesthetically pleasing to the eye of the interior decorator - or Domestic Manager, for that matter.
At least a crazy-slim curved television with virtually no cable cluster was a step in the right direction - although all too often any TV still becomes the main focus of whatever room it inhabits - even when it's switched off.
So Samsung went back to the drawing board - or in this case, the easel.
The Frame is one of those, "Why didn't I think of it?" concepts that is so elegant in its simplicity, there is no doubt it's a work of art in its own right.
By combining some innovative tech solutions with a unique wall-mounting system, Samsung has once again done what should have been done years ago.
The Frame is a high spec 4K UHD TV anyone would be happy with. Its 55" or 65" screen is flat, not curved, but it still features the latest enhancements Samsung has to offer.
The difference with The Frame is you might not even know it's there. I'm not even joking. And it's not because it's got so skinny it's disappeared completely. It's because when The Frame is off, it displays a piece of art of your choice, essentially becoming just another picture on the wall.
If you think it sounds too good to be true, like I'm exaggerating the effect, let me give you a bit more detail. Samsung uses a few clever little tricks that make this thing a lot cooler than a glorified digital photo frame.
Firstly, by sensing the ambient light, The Frame automatically dims or brightens the artwork on display so there's no artificial illumination blaring out into the room, resulting in a surprisingly natural effect.
Combine that with your choice of mattes (to match the either the artwork or your decor) and your choice of frame (walnut, beige-wood or white) and the illusion is complete.
Best of all, you have a large choice of art available, either via Samsung's Smart View app, or online using the options menu on the TV itself.
While there's a wide selection of images you can choose for free, ranging from landscapes to abstracts to photography and more, you can also subscribe to Samsung's ever-expanding Art Store. Here you can choose from hundreds of pieces by artists from all over the world for just $7 a month.
This thing is literally the artwork you will never tire of.
Or, just put your own family photos up instead.
The idea is executed brilliantly, with great attention to detail. The frame you choose to fit around The Frame is one of the most cunning parts of the equation. We've recently repainted with what is basically a white on white colour scheme. As a result, a black telly is just a bad look. So I chose a white frame for The Frame and it looks fantastic. (How many other white TVs have you seen recently?) What's more, the wood-look frame is very easy to attach, as it comes in 4 separate pieces that magnetise easily to the TV itself. The pieces are precisely engineered and fit together exactly. This took me a total of about 64 seconds.
There is a basic stand (or rather, two subtle, slide-in feet) included in the box, as well as the genius wall mount which lets you fit The Frame completely flush with the wall, or you can choose to tilt it out slightly, just way a real picture would hang.
If you want to get really carried away, you can go for the Studio Stand, which looks like a painters' easel.
Another nice touch is Samsung's Clear Connection cable, which is almost transparent and very skinny. How this nearly invisible lead transfers all the data it needs to between the screen and its One Connect Box is a mystery, but combined with the light-coloured power cable, setup is very inconspicuous indeed.
As far as the operation of the TV itself? It's just about the best available, so it'll do pretty much what you expect. As I've already admitted, I've never owned a smart TV so I've been like a kid in a streaming candy store.
Even Samsung's universal remote is a thing of beauty.
This telly doesn't sound too bad either. Somewhere (don't ask me where, because you definitely can't see it) is a 40 watt speaker array which pumps out enough volume. Unfortunately, my home theatre is as old as my existing TV, so it wasn't particularly compatible with such a thing of technological grace.
And it really is beautiful, before you even turn it on. Could this be the bigger television even Domestic Managers wouldn't mind upgrading to?
At just under $4000, The Frame is at the higher end of the mainstream TV market but what price art? Especially a work of art you can change every day.
Click here for more information about The Frame by Samsung
I guess I'm what they call an early adopter.
Hard to say if this is due to a serious Fear Of Missing Out, or I just like to have all the toys.
Maybe I figure if I try to keep as up to date with new gadgets as possible, I won't be first against the wall when the robots take over.
But when something is easy to use, is pretty cool and actually works, I feel like I should spread the good word...
With the new edition of the Gear 360, Samsung has finally brought the virtual world to the real world.
Early adopter I may be, but I'm the first to admit Virtual Reality hasn't exactly taken off. I think this is mostly due to the tech industry's run-before-you-can-walk approach. If you've put on a decent VR headset recently, you'll know it's a pretty mind-blowing experience. As fun as it is to float through space, instantly transport yourself to famous landmarks around the world or just blow the heads off a few rampaging zombies, VR still has a couple of massive problems.
ONE: It's not cheap. A quality VR experience really starts with a high-end ($1200+) phone like a Samsung Galaxy S8 or Google Pixel - then you need a decent headset on top of that. If it's just gaming you're after, there's the PS4 option. Again, at least $1300 for the console and VR gear. Those are just your entry-level choices. Oculus is the big name in VR of course. Great headset but you'll need an even greater PC to run it with. Think thousands. And it's not even widely available in New Zealand yet.
PROBLEM TWO: Content. Now Playstation's on board, VR gaming may become more widely accepted. But while TV, film and sports producers keep promising it, the floodgates haven't exactly opened when it comes to putting us virtually inside the action. I thought we were all supposed to be sitting courtside next to Jack Nicholson by now.
Time for us amateurs to take over.
Samsung's 2017 Gear 360 makes producing VR content as easy as pushing the record button. But this year's really significant upgrade is the ability to stream your 360 vids live.
I've been using the original Gear 360 for a while now and I've loved it. Not only has it been easy to use, I've been impressed with the quality produced by it's simple, dual-lens design. As opposed to other clumsy devices with many lenses pointing all over the place, the Gear 360 utilises just two fish-eye cameras and stitches it all together. The resulting pictures and videos aren't perfect, but they're certainly good enough. While you can record directly onto a memory card in the device itself, you can also fire everything off using a compatible Samsung device, saving the recording straight to your phone.
The main downside? Stitching the two feeds together into one 360 image or video takes time - the longer the video, the longer it takes.
The 2017 Gear 360 streamlines the process by allowing live-streaming. This is a game-changer because not only can you now give your Youtube or Facebook followers a live VR experience, the content is instantly accessible the moment you've finished broadcasting. The big practical example I like to use is the idea of an island wedding ceremony; now even people who couldn't make the trip can be sitting in the front row of the service, from anywhere in the world.
Outwardly, the 2017 device itself is quite different to last year's. It's smaller, but now has a handle configuration built in. While this is weighted so it will stand up on it own, a leash accessory is included which attaches by a rubber ring which can be used to provide more stability at the base. The whole thing can screw onto a standard tripod anyway... or a helmet... or handlebars... or whatever.
The key to the latest Gear 360's functionality seems to rely on how good your internet connection is. You can choose to live-stream to Youtube, Facebook or Samsung's own VR page. I tried all three and had most success with Youtube. I don't know why live-streaming is always so complicated, but I found I needed to wait a couple of seconds after the camera told me I was broadcasting to ensure I was definitely online. The same routine applied at the end of each broadcast and even then, sometimes when I went back to view my video, it was only a minute long when it should have been four. Whether this means only one minute actually streamed, I don't know, because I was always at the other end. I experienced these sorts of problems pretty much every time I posted to the Samsung site, fairly often when I posted to Facebook and hardly ever on my Youtube channel. I suspect this is all something to do with available bandwidth rather than anything to do with the camera itself. Roll on 4.5G.
Of course, there's nothing stopping you recording your video onto microSD and posting it later - but that's just so 2016. The only other major fault in the process seems to be a slight audio delay, meaning my motoring mouth doesn't quite match up with my audible utterings. No biggie if you're taking someone to the top of a mountain, or on a mountain bike ride, but a little disconcerting for a talking-head show like glennzb TV. It's a minor bug I'm willing to suffer for the convenience of being able to stream my madness from my studio in 360 degrees.
This is not IMAX cinema, but it's bloody fun, easy to use and for a few hundred bucks it's well worth it.
Click here for more information and pricing on the Samsung Gear 360 (2017)
In these troubled times, reliable CCTV is more important than ever.
But for small businesses, set-up costs can definitely be a barrier, let alone if you're just trying to keep an eye on things at home.
Now D-Link has a surveillance solution that covers every angle... with just one camera.
If you've watched as many B-Grade '80s detective movies as I have, you may still be thinking surveillance cameras are big, square metal boxes connected to a stack of VHS machines in a darkened security room.
The DCS-2530L from D-Link is kind of the opposite of that.
While it must be pointed out this is not the smallest camera out there, I don't think it was designed for covert operations. Versatility is probably the key adjective here, which starts with the stand/bracket. Because the camera itself can rotate a full 360 degrees within the bracket and the stand is hinged, there are so many ways you can mount the DCS-2530L. Suspend it from the ceiling, attach it to the wall or just sit it on the counter, whatever works for you.
Of course, there is one crucial limitation; while the DCS-2530L connects wirelessly to your Wi-Fi router, it still needs a power supply. Frustratingly, the microUSB lead supplied is only 1300mm long, which means you're likely to require an extension of some kind. On the bright side, the microUSB connector is at least in a right-angle configuration, adding to the versatile nature of the bracket.
Setting up the DDCS-2530L was annoyingly complicated. I can handle complicated - what annoyed me was the initial impression that it would be easy. Using the mydlink Lite app, you just follow a step-by-step wizard to start up the camera, connect it to your Wi-Fi network and make changes to the configuration.
Sounds simple?
Right up to the point none of the "easy steps" really match up to what's actually happening with the camera, its indicator lights or your router.
In the end (and I've found this to be the best technique with many devices in the past) I resorted to pushing buttons at random until something happened. This worked well, until I unplugged the DCS-2530L to try it in another room. Then I had to start all over again and because I couldn't quite remember what I'd done, there was some swearing.
I'm over dramatising of course (slightly). In reality, what should have been a 5 minute setup probably took 8 minutes instead. Call the time cops.
The ultimate result though... totally worth it. Because what I haven't mentioned about the DCS-2530L yet is the most important feature of all; the view. Not only can you choose to record and view right up to 1080p HD, but the DCS-2530L does it in 180 degrees. That means you can watch an entire room, even a sizeable one, with a single camera. This means the DCS-2530L is a great option for lobbies and entranceways too (although only recommended for indoor use).
To bring back that word, "versatile" again, this camera also features built-in infrared LED's for clear night vision recording. You can set the camera to day or night modes, or leave it on auto (which can also be configured to a light level you prefer). The difference is black and white, literally. Daytime mode is crystal clear colour, nighttime means monochrome. Weirdly there's an audible click when the camera changes mode. Maybe that's just to let the burglars know they're being watched.
The other nice trick the DCS-2530L performs is onboard recording. There's an easily accessible microSD slot so if you're not monitoring the camera live via the app or the mydlink website, you can set it to record when it detects motion, sound or a combination of either. Or you can record constantly, overwriting old videos once the microSD card is full. Using the website, you can even set up schedule for recording (eg: only after-hours) - again, "versatile" seems to be this device's middle name.
Using the mydlink Lite app, not only can you live view and listen, you can access the time-stamped recorded footage and even record to your phone's storage if you see something good. You know, like an overweight burglar getting stuck halfway through the window. That kind of vid needs to be uploaded to social media immediately.
Even when you're not actively monitoring the DCS-2530L, you can opt to receive push notifications the moment the camera sees or hears anything.
While the setup is a bit fiddly, you'll get there in the end and discover the DCS-2530L is a highly efficient way to keep an eye on things when you can't be around... a 180 degree eye on things which means less cameras to cover the same area. With HD resolution, motion detection, night vision and audio monitoring, you're getting a lot of bells and whistles in one small package.
Click here for more information and pricing on the D-Link DCS-2530L Wi-Fi camera
Recently I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 4. I declared it to be the death knell for the iPad as it was such a joy to use. Basically you get a genuine PC experience combined with an amazing transformable design ethic, realising Microsoft's original tablet-meets-laptop concept perfectly.
The latest Surface Pro realises that concept even more perfectly. Trouble is, Microsoft now offers the Surface Laptop, which is also reasonably perfect. Which to choose? Which to choose?...
I figured the only fair way to sort this out was to pit both devices against each other - laptop vs tablet/transformable... who would come out on top.
Trouble is, I really liked them both.
When I reviewed the Surface Pro 4, I enjoyed it so much I wasn't quite sure how Microsoft would be able to improve the experience. It was one of those rare devices that just does all the things it's supposed to, straight out of the box. And if I'm being totally honest, the new version isn't a dramatic step forward.
For starters, it's not the Pro 5. Apparently Microsoft has decided to stop numbering them for some philosophical reason that made perfect sense when I read about it but now can't remember at all. So a bit like buying a car, you can choose this year's model or a 2016 version. Cosmetically, there's not much to differentiate the new model either, although one clear move up is the addition of the Windows Hello login system.
Hello uses facial recognition to start up your desktop and while this may sound like a gimmick, I've found it actually works pretty effectively, unless you've got brightly-lit windows behind you, making your face difficult for the Surface to see.
This feature is also available on the Surface Laptop of course, so as far as our "Microsoft Device-Off" goes, there's no clear advantage yet.
As usual, the Surface Pro can be paired with the Surface Pen which features enhanced handwriting recognition and new shading options. Fantastic, but again, equally fantastic on the Surface Laptop which will do all that stuff too. I'm going to come out slightly in favour of the Surface Pro here though, because if you're seriously drawing on these devices, it's quite an advantage to be able to detach the screen from the keyboard so you have unhindered access to all areas of the display. The Surface Laptop doesn't even open out completely flat, which makes it difficult to draw or write accurately at the bottom of the screen.
Where the Surface Laptop does come out on top, of course, is screen size. 13.5" may not sound dramatically larger than the Surface Pro's 12.3" display, but side by side it's actually pretty significant. Without getting too bogged down with resolution and PPI figures, I found the viewing experience to be virtually identical.
With the Laptop being a tad bigger than the Surface Pro, you get a few more buttons on the keyboard too. Both keyboards are a pleasure to use; very responsive with the soft surrounds I first encountered on the Surface Pro 4. If I had to choose a winner in this department I'd award it to the Laptop - primarily because of the stability the more traditional laptop configuration offers. Make no mistake, there's nothing wrong with the Surface Pro's keyboard performance, it's just that the Laptop is more right.
Both devices feature just one USB 3.0 port, as well as the standard headphone/mic jack and a mini DisplayPort. Both offer built-in stereo mics with the Laptop's Omnisonic speakers a discernible step-up.
Interestingly, there are two things you'll find on the Surface Pro the Laptop doesn't have at all. Firstly, while both devices sport a front facing camera for selfies, video chat etc, the Surface Pro is the only one with a rear-facing camera. However, this is not an excuse to take the Surface Pro to the next school prize-giving to film your little angel, thereby obscuring the view of everyone sitting behind you. If I see anyone doing this anywhere, I reserve the right to confiscate your device immediately.
Secondly, and more mysteriously, there's a microSD slot on the Surface Pro, but no option for memory expansion on the Laptop. This is a bit of a pain, because not only is it nice to have the ability to increase your storage space down the track, I've found microSD's to be a very efficient way to transfer large files between devices. There are USB card readers you could use for this purpose of course, but the Surface Pro's tiny micoSD slot is a much more elegant solution.
Other than that, it's hard to tell the performance of these machines apart. They're both available in similar processor/storage configurations and they both run fast and smooth.
The biggest difference really, is the money. While both devices with the same processor and storage sell for the same price, it's another $279.95 for the Surface Pro's detachable keyboard cover that makes this thing so damn cool. Also, it's only available in three colours (Cobalt Blue, Burgundy or Platinum) Meanwhile, you can also order the Surface Laptop in Graphite Gold if that's more your style.
Not sure if any of that helped make the choice any easier, especially when I found both of these devices to be premium Windows machines capable of everything I threw at them. I guess if you're a tablet person, it could well be worth the extra $280 for that form factor. Otherwise, I can assure you, the Surface Laptop won't let you down.
Click here for more information and pricing on the 2017 Microsoft Surface Pro
Or...
Click here for more information and pricing on the Microsoft Surface Laptop
There are a lot of gadgets out there.
So there's got to be a good reason to choose one over another.
Price is always a good reason... but there might be others...
The Huawei Fit looks a bit like a smartwatch, but acts more like an activity tracker... although it does have a few more functions than your average pedometer.
The design is very sleek, due to a total absence of physical buttons. While the Fit sits up off your wrist a little, it's very comfortable to wear - important when one of its stated functions is sleep monitoring.
The round casing is uniquely bowl shaped which I found caused a tendency to knock the edges of the bezel against things more than I would normally be aware of. Going by the odd nick and chip in that bezel when I received the Fit for review, I'd say I wasn't the first person to try this device out.
The bands are interchangeable, available in black, blue and orange, although you could replace them with any band of a similar size. I wouldn't describe them as stylish, more like sporty. Again, certainly comfortable enough to wear to bed and during extended workouts.
The screen is a conundrum.
As I mentioned, while the metal casing seems a little prone to knocks around the edges the display itself is made from Corning Gorilla 3 glass and appears to be extremely scratch resistant. The trouble is, given it's a touch screen, I found it to be a little touch resistant as well.
To control the Huawei Fit, you swipe up, down and sideways, occasionally pressing a virtual button on screen (to start/stop workouts etc). Two issues here; it was mostly guesswork and trial-and-error on my part to figure out how to access which functions with which gesture and secondly, even once I figured it out, the Fit didn't always respond first press which meant I assumed I'd used the wrong gesture. At that point I'd try a different gesture, which would be the wrong gesture, and I'd have to start all over again.
On the bright side (deliberate pun) the screen is spectacularly easy to read. No problems in bright sunshine through sunglasses. It also features a backlight which can be set to automatically activate in dark conditions. The Fit's ambient light sensor did a great job of keeping the display visible at all times.
On the downside, it's only black and white, with a limited number of fairly basic, always-on watch faces to choose from and no option to adjust text size.
In short; easy to read, but nothing much to see.
As the name suggests, the Fit's primary goal is to track your workouts and in many ways it does an excellent job of this. The heart-rate monitoring seems reliable, accurate and again, easy to see on screen. As for distance covered and steps taken, as usual, very difficult to comment on accuracy but like I always say, the main thing is a consistent reading from one workout to the next and I certainly found the Huawei Fit's figures to be within a margin of error with other trackers I have used.
Again, however, there's a down-side. While the Fit does an excellent job of tracking running, walking, biking and swimming... that's it. Apparently no other kind of exercise exists as far as Huawei is concerned. No treadmill option. No aerobics. No sport. Not even weights or circuit training. At least most other devices give you an "Other" option.
Speaking of "Other", the other major problem I had with the Fit was recording those workouts once completed. For some reason you need two separate apps to run this watch, Huawei Wear and Huawei Health. Huawei Wear is for controlling the settings on the Fit, while Huawei Health is where you set your fitness goals, create training plans and, in theory, record your results. I say, "in theory" because sometimes the workouts I recorded with the fit would sync with the app, but sometimes not. Sure I could have entered them manually but that's kind of not the point of the exercise. (That pun wasn't quite as deliberate, but still a goody)
This sync issue seemed weird to me, because the connectivity of the Fit with my phone was truly excellent. Any adjustments I made to alarms or notification settings applied themselves instantly - something I have found to be a bit sketchy on other devices I have tried. Let's talk alarms and notifications then.
A crucial advantage the Huawei Fit has over more basic trackers is the ability to show notifications - not just incoming calls and texts, but notifications from any app on your phone. While you can't reply to emails or Instagram posts using the Fit, it's handy to be able to read them on your wrist. This functionality is usually reserved for devices in a much higher price range, so that's a definite win for the Fit.
You can also set silent (vibrating) alarms which is useful for someone like me who gets up in the middle of the night to go to work and would prefer not to wake up the entire house with any kind of klaxon. What's more, due to the Fit's sleep monitoring ability, you can set a smart alarm which will wake you during light sleep close to your alarm time instead of wrenching you from the deepest slumber.
Believe it or not, this actually seemed to work. Bizarrely, the sleep tracking worked too - unlike my workouts, my sleeps synced across to the Huawei Health app no worries at all.
In case you missed it, one of four exercises the Huawei Fit does track is swimming. There aren't many devices I'm aware of that'll do this due to that whole not-working-underwater issue. Due mostly to its seamless, buttonless design, the Fit is IP68 certified and 5 ATM water resistant - that means it'll survive pools as well as bathtubs.
For me, battery life was a disappointment. Huawei's website makes asterixed claims about six days battery life and I've read other reviews that backed this up. Unfortunately, my actual experience was two full days at a stretch. I don't mind bunging it on a charger every second day, especially when the Fit charges pretty quickly and the charging cradle magnetises into place very easily - just don't tell me six days and deliver two. I'm sure I could have squeezed more out of it if I'd made adjustments to heart-rate monitoring, backlight and connection settings, but that's not how most people would use this device.
So it's a good news/bad news story for the Huawei Fit. Definitely smarter than your average tracker, and pretty good value in its low-to-mid-range price bracket. Standout features like the easy-read screen, swim tracking and reliable heart-rate monitor are all great reasons to buy, as long as the things not to like, such as the tricky interface and exaggerated battery life aren't big issues for you.
Click here for more information on the Huawei Fit
