Category Archives: Reviews

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless In-Ear Headphones – THE REVIEW – AirPods finally de-throned! + Comparisons with Bose, Jabra & Sony

Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News
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Welcome to my review of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless In-Ear Headphones. It has taken Sennheiser a while to release true wireless earphones, but finally they have and blown ALL the competition out of the water. The retail price is £279.

The earphones feature a brand new 7mm driver. The key focus on the earphones is the sound quality. And this is where Sennheiser have hit gold. But there is more to earphones than just the sound quality, so let’s take a look at the key features.

The Key Features/Specs

– Control your music, calls, volume and voice assistant simply through the touchpad technology built into both earbuds
– Transparent hearing mode keeps you aware of your surroundings, allowing you to easily listen and chat without having to remove your earbuds
– 4 hours of listening becomes 12 with the compact charging case that gives you two full extra charges
– durable, tough, splash resistant materials, IPX4 rated
– AAC and APT-X codecs, and APT-X Low Latency, SBC
– Bluetooth 5, class 1
– USB C for Charging
– 4 Hours battery plus 2 further charges via the case
– iOS and android Smart App
– MEMS microphones

The Sennheiser Momentum are also smart in ear headphones. Music pauses the second you remove an earbud, then starts again the second you put them back in. They also feature auto on/off. Place them back in the case, and they start charging. Sennheiser have clearly looked at how easy AirPods are to use and copied everything they did, and then added even more options. They also looked at all the other earphones from Bose, Sony, Jabra and more.

Another feature is transparent hearing mode keeps you aware of your surroundings, allowing you to easily listen and chat without having to remove your earbuds. High-quality noise pick up even in the noisiest environments, thanks to the two-mic beam technology and the MEMS microphones.

You can fine-tune your audio just the way you want to hear it through the integrated internal equaliser, by using the Sennheiser Smart Control App. The app also controls firmware updates.

So now let’s take a closer look at the earphones, talk more about the sound quality,pro and some of the cons,usability, comfort, noise cancellation, call quality and comparisons with other competitors including AirPods, Bose, Jabra and others.

Main Review

Conclusion

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless in-ear headphones are simply the best true wireless earphones available. Period. Grab a pair on Amazon UK.

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Lindy NC-60 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review – A Budget King

Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my review of the Lindy NC-60 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones review. What makes these headphones stand out is the budget pricing of around £53, along with all the accessories included.

Key Features

– Active Noise Cancellation technology delivers up to 85% reduction of ambient noise
– 40mm high output drivers with neodymium magnets
– Adjustable headband and soft cushioned earpads
– Rotatable earpieces for safe storage in the supplied, hard durable vinyl carry case
– Flexible 1.5m audio cable with 3.5mm jack, adapters for connecting to dual plug in-flight entertainment systems and hi-fi are also included
– Lindy’s 2 year warranty

Main Review

Conclusion

At this price point, Lindy have produced a good noise cancelling headphone that is comfortable to wear.

Latest pricing on Amazon UK

Focal Spark Wireless Earphones Review

Audio, Headphone, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my review of the Focal Spark Wireless earphones. The Focal Spark Wireless earphones retail for £89.99.

Key Features

– Lightweight and comfortable
– Fastening system for sports use
– Available in Black, Silver & Rose Gold
– Exceptional performance / price ratio
– 3-button remote control with omnidirectional microphone – works with windows, android & iOS
– Bluetooth 4.1
– Impedance 16 ohms
– Sensitivity 103db
– Battery – up to 8 hours

Main Review

Conclusion

Focal have produced a lovely wireless earphone, using their hi-end audio pedigree.

Latest pricing on Amazon UK

iFi Audio xDSD Review – Bluetooth Hi-Res DAC & Amplifier with MQA

Audio, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my review of the iFi Audio xDSD. The iFi Audio xDSD retails for £299.

Key Features/Specifications

– Wirelessly connect any smartphone or digital audio player to wired headphones.
– APT-X and AAC Bluetooth streaming receiver.
– USB type A OTG/CCK connector.
– 3.5mm coaxial/TOSLINK combo S/PDIF input.
– Sensitive IEMs are super quiet using iFi Audio Cyberdrive circuit design (incorporates the iFi exclusive OV4627 ultra low noise FET input Op-Amp and W990VST digitally controlled stepped attenuator) which puts the analogue volume under digital control.
– Natively playback Hi-Res audio with iFi Audio signature Burr Brown digital to analog converter chip. Supports native PCM 384, quad DSD 256, and MQA.
– 3.5mm balanced output works with single ended connections and cuts crosstalk in half.
– XBass – cleans up and restore a rich, deeper bass line.
– 3D Matrix- recreates the recording’s original sound field.
– Two modes – speakers or headphones.
– Up to 10 hours battery life.
– MQA included. Stream Tidal with ease.
– True Native® playback of all music formats from MP3 to DSD512, PCM768 and 2xDXD.
– Separate power input (micro USB) to charge its own internal battery, it does not draw from your smartphone
– Dynamic Range > 113dB (A)
– Output power – 2.82V/500 mW @ 16 Ohm, 3.7V/270 mW @ 50 Ohm, 3.8V/48 mW @ 300 Ohm, 3.8V/24 mW @ 600 Ohm
– Line out Level – 2.1V @ 0dBFS
– Dimensions 95(l) x 67(w) x 19(h) mm
– Weight 127g

Main Review

Conclusion

The iFi Audio xDSD is a cracking versatile piece of kit and highly recommended.

iFi Audio xDSD on Amazon UK

Huawei Mate 20 X Review – 7.2 inch OLED Goliath of a Smartphone

Android, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my review of the Huawei Mate 20 X smartphone.

My review is split into several parts. A comparison with the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, usability and UI, Audio, Camera and final verdict. The audio section includes a loudspeaker shootout between the Mate 20 Pro as well.

Key Features

– 7.2 inch OLED 1080p screen
– Kirin 980 Processor 7nm
– 5,000 mAh battery with TÜV safety-certified HUAWEI SuperCharge
– GPU 2.0 Turbo Technology
– Dual symmetrical speakers at both ends of the device, plus a super high dynamic range up to 40 db
– The world’s first liquid multi-dimensional cooling system with Vapour Chamber (VC) and Graphene Film used in smartphones.
– 40 MP main RGB lens captures great details in everyday photos, while the 8 MP telephoto lens will focus on your distant shots and the whole new 20 MP Leica Ultra Wide Angle Lens is perfect for the landscape photos and macro shots.
– 24 MP front camera
– AI Video Modes
– AI Cinema Mode and Directors Cut
– M Pen stylus (optional)
– Wireless Projection, Desktop mode

Main Review

Conclusion

The Huawei Mate 20 x is an incredible media machine and highly recommended if you can live with its footprint.

Huawei Mate 20 X accessories on Amazon UK

Pixel 3 Camera Review with 40 amazing photos!

Android, Photography, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my Pixel 3 Camera Review.

For this review I have focused on the photo quality as this is the Pixel 3 forte.

The Pixel 3 or 3 XL feature a camera that in auto mode delivers a good photo pretty much every time. Video quality is good but Google decided not to include 4K 60fps. Also the video audio quality is sub par compared to its major competitors like the iPhone Xs, Samsung Note 9 and Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

The Pixel 3 manages to use its single rear lens to great effect but ultimately the super res zoom cannot compensate for proper optical zoom. It also is competing in a world where phones are having 3 or more lenses on the rear which translates into extreme flexibility.

Despite this, for portrait/people shots it really performs exceptional well. Take a look at the video review. There is a front camera shot at night. The level of detail was astonishing. The front cameras include a normal and wide lens to allow you to get more people or more of the background in the shot.

The Pixel 3 Camera also takes shots with fantastic detail and dynamic range. The new night sight mode turns darkness into daylight.

Pixel 3 Camera Review

Conclusion

If you predominantly take photos, you cannot go wrong with the Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL.

Pixel 3 / 3 XL cases on Amazon UK

Huawei Mate 20 Pro Review vs iPhone Xs/Xr, Samsung Note 9 and Pixel 3 XL

Android, Reviews, Tech News, , ,

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro review. This is my review after using the phone for one month.

Key Features

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro features the new Kirin 980 7nm chipset, with its dual NPU. This is so important as it ups what’s possible in the photography field, but does this translate into video as well? More in my video review below. The video options extend to some flashy Video AI options eg Video AI colour which keeps the person(s) in colour and everything else in black and white.

In terms of connectivity, the phone has Cat 21, that’s 1.4 Gigabits per second. The latest Bluetooth 5 is now included with the respective codecs. the Mate 20 Pro has a huge 4,200 maH battery. Not only that it has “Reverse Wireless Charging” – a first for a phone to share power wirelessly.

Unlike Apple, Huawei include a supercharger in the box. This is the new 40Watts supercharger that can recharge the huge battery to 70% in just 30 mins. Qi Wireless is now included at 15 watts which is double the industry standard. Both charging methods have been safety certified by independent company.

The Mate 20 Pro is all about its camera and I am sure that is what you are all most interested in. Co-engineered with Leica and taken up to the next level. On board is a 40mp RGB f/1.8 lens, 8mp telephoto with OIS, 20mp f/2.2 ultra wide sensor, dual tone flash. As the main sensor is so good now, there is no need for the monochrome sensor. Front camera is 24mp fixed focus.

The Mate 20 Pro features new photo AI modes. Super macro gets as close as 2.5cm from subject. On the P20 Pro, it could identify 500 scenes and scenarios, but now with dual NPU that has risen to 1,500. The AI knows how to keeps the right stuff in focus too. There is so much to cover on the cameras, so I have created to separate videos so far on the camera. See below.

Part 1 – Camera Review includes the Camera App UI with explanations, tips and tricks and sample footage from all modes

Part 2 – Based on new firmware, another look at the video improvements and new features

Security has been improved with a new 3D Facial dot matrix unlock. It can be used to secure information on the device as well. An under the screen finger print sensor is also included. Huawei’s backup now extends to NAS systems for extra versatility.

Moving over to productivity, you can now print seamlessly to a wifi printers. PC Desktop mode is now wireless enabled using a miracast enabled screen/TV. This also means you can use desktop mode indepently of the phone.

The design of the phone and camera setup is distinctive and easily identifiable. It has glass with a textured pattern to aid grip, resists fingerprints. Beautiful and practical. It is also IP68.

The sound and audio functionality of the Mate 20 Pro has been improved with some neat tricks. Below is an in depth look at the speakers, bluetooth, USB C earphones and more, plus some headphone recommendations.

Main Review

Let’s move to the main review now, where I will cover off all my key findings and recommendations after using the phone for a month.

Conclusion

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a fabulous phone from Huawei feature packed to the gills with technology and innovation.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro on Amazon UK

Huawei Mate 20 Pro Audio Review – Bluetooth, Loudspeaker, USB C Earphones, DACs & Dongles

Android, Audio, Reviews, Tech News, ,

Welcome to my Huawei Mate 20 Pro Audio review. This review looks at the audio quality covering bluetooth, loudspeaker, the included USB C earphones and USB C to 3.5mm dongle, using other USB C dongles and DACs and which headphones are best.

Key Audio Features

– 32-bit/384kHz audio
– Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
– Bluetooth 5.0, BLE, SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and HWA Audio
– USB 3.1, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector, USB On-The-Go
– DivX/XviD/MP4/H.265/WMV player
– MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV/FLAC player

So how does all the above specs translate into audio quality. Lets take a close up look now.

If you wish to get a Huawei Mate 20 Pro and all accessories, check out the options on Amazon UK

Huawei Mate 20 Pro Camera Review – all modes photos & videos

Android, Photography, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my Huawei Mate 20 Pro Camera Review. In this review I have tested all the photo and video modes, explained the camera app interface and UI, sort of a mini tutorial, plus you get to see what the max resolutions are per mode.

So what lenses does the Mate 20 Pro have? 4 in total. 3 rear lenses, a 40mp main sensor, a 20mp ultra wide and a 8mp telephoto lens. The front camera is 24mp. The camera system is co-engineered with Leica.

Below are some photos from the camera.

A very windy day, but I still managed a close up of a bee feeding.

With the sun behind the church entrance, the ultra wide lens created a lovely effect.

My camera review includes shots of the moon, high action, pitch black, low light, all video modes, Video AI, stabilisation tests, zoom tests and much much more, plus my honest verdict on the whole phone from just a camera point of view, and then compared to the iPhone Xs Max and Note 9.

Of course, the Mate 20 Pro has many other unique or great features, like fast wireless charge, reverse wireless charging and did you know the bottom speaker is integrated into the USB C port!

The Main Event

Get the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and all accessories on Amazon UK.

Huawei Watch GT – First Impressions incl Full Walkthrough of UI

Reviews, Tech News, Wearables, ,

Welcome to my First Impressions and Hands on with the Huawei Watch GT.

The Huawei Watch GT compliments Huawei’s wearable family. It runs Huawei’s own operating system, Lite OS. The Watch GT is an extension of Huawei eco system.

With the Watch GT, Huawei wanted to create something similar to Garmin and Fitbit. However, they also wanted the watch to look like a sports watch.

Some of the feature highlights includes a superb battery life. It has the potential for 22 hours with continuous everything. This is with GPS on and continuous heart rate monitoring. More realistic and what most people will achieve is up to 2 weeks with general usage. Or if you restrict the background activities the battery will last up to 30 days.

Apart from Huawei using their own OS, it also has their own chipset with a low and high power core, which will kick into action, depending on what’s needed by the user. Some of the fitness features include real time performace when running, a heart rate system now uses a 6 system light system to read heart rate. It uses the sensors and AI to understand where the watch is precisely placed on your wrist to give you more accurate readings. GPS location is derived via 3 different GPS systems to help triangulate more accurate and faster tracking. The Huawei Watch GT also includes an altimeter.

In terms of compatibility, the Huawei Watch is compatible with iOS and android. Data is synced and displayed using the updated Huawei Health app.

Huawei Watches on Amazon UK

Huawei Mate 20 Pro – First Impressions plus Camera UI & Samples

Android, Reviews, Tech News

The Huawei Mate 20 Pro is the new flagship phone from Huawei. I am very excited about this new phone, having spent some early access time using it.

Key Features

First up it features the new Kirin 980 7nm chipset, with its dual NPU. This is so important as it ups what’s possible in the photography field. Now the Huawei Mate 20 Pro can recognise the skeleton form of a human being, not just photos, but in videos in precise detail. This means it can optomise parts of images live even during video. See my video below with the sample of Video AI colour.

In terms of connectivity, the phone has Cat 21, that’s 1.4 Gigabits per second. The latest Bluetooth 5 is now included with the respective codecs.

What’s a phone without a decent battery? Well the Mate 20 Pro has a huge 4,200 maH battery. Not only that it has “Reverse Wireless Charging” – a first for a phone to share power wirelessly.

Unlike Apple, Huawei include a supercharger in the box. This is the new 40Watts supercharger that can recharge the huge battery to 70% in just 30 mins. Qi Wireless is now included at 15 watts which is double the industry standard. Both charging methods have been safety certified by independent company.

The Mate 20 Pro is all about its camera and I am sure that is what you are all most interested in. Co-engineered with Leica and taken up to the next level. On board is a 40mp RGB f/1.8 lens, 8mp telephoto with OIS, 20mp f/2.2 ultra wide sensor, dual tone flash. As the main sensor is so good now, there is no need for the monochrome sensor.

The Mate 20 Pro features nNw photo AI modes. Super macro gets as close as 2.5cm from subject. On the P20 Pro, it could identify 500 scenes and scenarios, but now with dual NPU that has risen to 1,500. The AI knows how to keeps the right stuff in focus too. There is so much to cover on the cameras, so much so, I will be creating two special posts.

The AI now extends to video with special video modes eg AI Colour video. This keeps the person in colour while the res of video is in black and white.

Security has been improved with a new 3D Facial dot matrix unlock. It can be used to secure information on the device as well. An under the screen finger print sensor is also included. Huawei’s backup now extends to NAS systems for extra versatility.

Moving over to productivity, you can now print seamlessly to a wifi printers. PC Desktop mode is now wireless enabled using a miracast enabled screen/TV. This also means you can use desktop mode indepently of the phone.

The design of the phone and camera setup is distinctive and easily identifiable. It has glass with a textured pattern to aid grip, resists fingerprints. Beautiful and practical. It is also IP68.

Accessories

Huawei are bringing a selection of cases with the new phones as well as the new fast 15w Qi charger.

First Impressions

Conclusion

I am genuinely bowled over by the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and can’t wait to explore if further!

Huawei Mate 20 Pro on Amazon UK

iPhone Xs Max Camera Review & Showcase

Apple, Photography, Reviews, Tech News,

Imagine taking just your iPhone Xs Max with you, filming video and taking lots of photos.

Then using all the video and photos and being able to create, edit and upload a video without ever using another device.

Well what you are about to watch was produced completely on the iPhone Xs Max, edited, and then uploaded.

For video editing, Luma Fusion app was used.

Headphones are recommended.

iPhone Xs Max First Impressions + Camera

Apple, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my first impressions of the iPhone Xs Max.

Before I get to my first impressions, I came across a little gem of a case that got delivered yesterday by DPD. It’s a silicone style case that’s a copy of Apple’s own silicone case except it has protection on the bottom edge, whereas Apple’s own design is exposed. It also costs £40 less. MoKu Case

The new iPhone Xs Max in theory is just a minor update to last years X. In fact with Apple supporting iPhones up to 5 years old currently, there’s no excuse to upgrade unless you’re on a iPhone 6.

However, the new A12 Bionic processor, iOS 12, larger full screen with gestures, enhanced stereo speakers, stereo video recording and more, the iPhone Xs Max could be something special which I’ll cover off in my full review.

I’ll say this now. The camera kicks ar*e. And is substantially better than last years X in every mode.

Yamaha MusicCast 50 Wireless Multiroom Speaker with Amazon Alexa & AirPlay – Unboxing & First Impressions

Audio, Reviews, Tech News

Welcome to my unboxing and first impressions of the Yamaha MusicCast 50 wireless speaker with Amazon Alexa voice control built in. The Yamaha MusicCast 50 retails for around £449.

The MusicCast 50 offers a wide range of options to listen to your favourite sounds with ease. It can be used as a standalone speaker, paired, or acting as surround speakers with a compatible MusicCast AV receiver or sound bar. The MusicCast 50 is one of the new speakers from Yamaha released in August 2018. Other features include –

– Music streaming services built-in
– MusicCast multi-room technology
– Alexa voice control compatibility* (*Availability varies by region)
– High-Resolution Audio
– Connect to a TV for upgraded sound
– Stereo pairing (requires 2 units)
– Ability to be used as surround speakers with an AV receiver or sound bar* (*Select MusicCast models only)
– Soft-touch, simple presets for instant playback
– Alarm

Built in streaming services include Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Pandora, Napster, SiriusXM and qobuz. Apart from the multi-room options, Yamaha provide an app that allows full control of the speaker, its nultiroom options and more. MusicCast takes the headache out of multi-room audio. Simply connect all MusicCast devices to the same network and start sharing audio throughout the home. Apart from built in WiFi, it has bluetooth and Apple AirPlay. With all this functionlity, this really makes this speaker a great offering. It also puts out a respectable 70W of music.

Video

Conclusion

The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is an extremely powerful wireless speaker. It is extremely versatile too offering tons of different ways to connect to it, Amazon Alexa voice control, bluetooth and AirPlay. It is also available in black and white finishes.

Buy from Amazon UK – Click HERE.

Huawei Mate 20 Lite – Tips and Tricks plus Camera

Android, Reviews, Tech News, ,

Welcome to my Huawei Mate 20 Lite Tips and Tricks plus Camera.

Key Specs

– Dimensions 158.3 x 75.3 x 7.6mm
– Weight 172g
– 6.3 inch IPS display, resolution 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio, 409 ppi density
– EMUI 8.2 ,Android 8.1 (Oreo)
– Chipset Hisilicon Kirin 710
– Internal 64 GB, 4/6 GB RAM
– Rear AI Camera Dual lesnes, 20 MP, f/1.8, PDAF + 2 MP, depth sensor
– Front AI Selfie CAMERA Dual lenses, 24 MP + 2 MP, depth sensor
– 3.5mm jack
– Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
– NFC Yes
– Radio FM radio
– USB 2.0, Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
– Sensors – Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass
– Battery – Non-removable Li-Ion 3750 mAh battery

The Huawei Mate 20 Lite features automatic AI beautification. This makes your selfies stand out and is achieved as the front-facing camera has a 24 MP lense + 2 MP lens that provides the bokeh. The AI optimises the photo based on eight scene categories to capture a stunning selfie.

In addition, AI-enhanced HDR technology allows for real-time previews of HDR images and video recordings, delivering true colour images and vivid recordings even in backlit environments.

Fancy a bit of fun, You can animate yourself with AI-powered 3D Qmojis that recognise and imitate your facial expressions, movements, and voice. Create personalised Qmoji GIFs and videos for easy social media sharing. I had a blast using these features.

The rear 20 MP + 2 MP dual-camera with f/1.8 aperture allows for creative flair to be achieved for your photos with optical bokeh. The AI provides 22 categories of object and scene recognition–based optimisations that make your photos look more professional.

Slow motion. No problem. Slow down time with 16x Slow-Mo, at 480 frame per second, in 720p resolution.

The Huawei Mate 20 Lite has a 3750 mAh battery with HUAWEI Quick Charge helping keep you on the move. All phones should have decent sized batteries like the Mate 20 Lite.

When it comes to the essentials of connectivity, the Adaptive AI-driven connectivity cleverly adjusts to your environment to keep you in touch. Elevator mode quickly recovers 4G signal and optimises network performance, while HUAWEI GEO provides more accurate positioning service and improves performance even in tunnels. AI also optimises ambient noise cancellation in loud and windy environments.

Video

Huawei Mate 20 Lite latest pricing on Amazon UK – Click HERE.