Tag Archives: Review

iOS Games updated for game controller support – details

November 26, 2013Apple, Reviews, Tech Newsios games supporting controllers, logitech powershell, Moga Ace Power, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

iOS game controllers from Moga and Logitech have just been announced. So at present the list of games supporting these controllers is small, but expect the number of games to explode in a short period of time.

Moga has set up a page here which gets regularly updated with all games that support iOS. They also have a list for android games that support is android game controllers.

Logitech also has a page of compatible games, click here which seems to include extra games over the Moga. However, I’m sure the Moga will work with all these one too.

However, I’ve compiled a list too.

Airwings
Airwings Intergalactic
Asphalt 8
Aztec Antics Bouncing Ball
Bastion
Blastron
Bike Baron
Brothers of Violence 2
Bugdom 2
Call of Duty Strike Team
C.H.A.O.S.
Cro-Mag Rally
Dead Trigger 2
Death Worm
Fast & Furios 6 – The Game
Graalonline
GunnerZ
Ice Rage
Into the Dead
King Oddball
Lego The Lord of the Rings
Lilli
Limbo
Metalstorm Aces
Minigore 2 Zombies
Muffin Knight
Nanosaur 2
Neon Shadow
Nimble Quest
Nitro
Nucleus
Oceanhorn
Otto matic
Pacman
Paint it Black
Phoenix HD
Ravensword Shadowlands
Real Steel – World Robot Boxing
Scribblenauts Remix
Silverfish
Silverfish Max
Spiral Episode 1
Stealth Inc
Strikewing Raptor Rising
Super Lemonade Factory 1 & 2
Tennis in the Face
The King of Fighers i 2012
Touch Tanks 5 Online
Trials Xtreme 3
Trouserheart
The Walking Dead The Game

Nokia Lumia 1020 update

November 21, 2013Reviews, Tech News, WindowsNokia Lumia 1020, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

I haven’t written anymore on the Nokia Lumia 1020, partly because I was involved in a car accident a few days ago, and suffering from that. So what does the 1020 have to do with the accident.

Well, it was a very reassuring moment following the accident when I realised that photographic evidence would be needed. I quickly took the 1020 and started taking photos. I now have 34mp pureview shots of the scene and damage which can be zoomed in with incredible detail and accuracy.

And I have a feeling that the other party involved in the accident will not expect there to be such detailed photographic evidence!

As the saying goes, it is the camera in your pocket that often counts to capture that moment.

Day 2 with the Nokia Lumia 1020 – part 2

November 14, 2013Reviews, Tech News, WindowsNokia Lumia 1020, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

Ok, so part 1 looked at bright power sunrise photo shooting. So how about no sun and very overcast. In my mind this is where I started to get really impressed with the 1020. Also, I was able to reframe and zoom in on the cows. The iPhone 5S had no chance in hell getting the level of detail on the cows when zoomed in.

So below is the first shot from the 1020.

And now a crop of the cows in the distance.

And now the same shot from the iPhone 5S. But zooming in on the cows wasn’t really that great to view at all.

So do you agree with my verdicts?

My view of the 1020 is that it really is all about the camera. In some bright light situations it doesn’t in my opinion offer a night and day difference but as soon as the lighting changes, or you need to use some of the pro features it comes into a world of its own. In fact the advanced camera features are brilliant. I took a few pitch black shots and was impressed by the results.

My only disappointment is that the new Nokia Black update is not due to arrive until 2014, and I would have loved to have been able to install this now. Not that it is available in any event.

Using the 1020 as a phone is fine. It’s the Lumia 925 in polycarbonate and with all the weaknesses and strengths of a windows phone.

Day 2 with the Nokia Lumia 1020 – part 1

November 14, 2013Apple, Reviews, Tech News, WindowsNokia Lumia 1020, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

It was a great sunrise this morning and so I thought I would take a few photos with the Lumia 1020 and iPhone 5S. Later on in the afternoon the sun faded and the light wasn’t very good. So what I have found is that while the 5S takes very good shots, as soon as the light fades, the 1020 can still take really good shots. Also in every shot the 1020 appears to have more detail, and the proof is on the reframing and zooming in on a photo even in poor light. In fact the level of detail possible was impressive on the 1020. And don’t forget the iPhone 5S has hardly any controls for the camera. The 1020 has a wealth of options to help take a stunning photo.

The photo above was taken with the 1020. Below is the same shot using the iPhone 5S, normal and the other in HDR mode.

Ok, another view from the 1020 below.

And now the iPhone 5S , in normal and HDR mode.

So which do you prefer?

From what I can notice the 1020 does sharpen and saturate the colours more. The 5S is more natural in its results. But there is no denying the 1020 delivers more detail.

Netatmo Urban Weather Station for iOS, android and Windows Phone

October 23, 2013Android, Apple, Reviews, Tech News, Windowsnetatmo urban weather station, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

I have written 2 previous articles on this weather station. Click here to recap https://gavinsgadgets.wordpress.com/?s=netatmo&submit=Search

After owning the Netatmo Urban Weather Station for over a week now, I am writing my full review. Before I start I will just say this is one of those products that does exactly what it says on the tin. If you look back at the previous two articles you will see screen shots of the functionality from the iOS app, web app, WeatherPro and baratmo mac app. Below is the indoor sensor.

Rear of indoor sensor. Outdoor sensor looks identical, except one inch shorter.

It comes in a box with two sensors, the indoor sensor is taller than the outdoor one by about an inch. You also get a micro usb cable, UK plug, startup guide/installation of sensors, a screw and raw plug, strap for indoor sensor and that is it. Oh, there was also 4 AAA batteries. I downloaded the app, created a user ID and password, after which then took me into the setup. So all you do, is install the 4 batteries into the base of the outdoor sensor, drill a hole in to an outside wall, where the sensor wont be exposed to direct sunlight and rain, screw the screw into the raw plug and then slide outdoor sensor onto the screw. 5 mins after completing that task, I then connected the indoor sensor to the mains. I then continued to follow the iOS app instructions for setup. At each turn you get a pretty picture of what to do and written instructions. Really, really simple and clear instructions. You next connect your phone directly to the indoor sensor and it updates the sensors firmware, reads your wifi setup and copies it across. The indoor sensor then talks to the outdoor sensor and voila. The screenshots below give you a clear idea of what data you can obtain but this includes indoor and outdoor temperatures, CO2 indoor, humidity, air quality (via CiteAir), mbar, sound levels, weather forecasts (provided by MeteoGroup), graphs plotting data over a given period and more. As an example the rain mode gives you: the amount of rain per 3 hour period (represented by blue bars) and the probability of rain (represented as a red curve). By touching on the icon button on the air quality gauge, you may switch between background air pollution index,
traffic air pollution index and complementary information about the main pollutant.

Screenshot from iOS app which will look the same for android. The Windows Phone app takes on the tile look of Windows Phone.

This displays details of the indoor and outdoor sensors. Buy scrolling down or flicking up you can reveal more data.

You can also go in to the settings and retrieve information on the sensors and their battery and wifi strengths. Turning the phone horizontal will allow you to show graphs on all the different measurements. Pinch and zooming allows for the data to be expanded or shortened depending on your requirements. The web app is excellent and shows nearly everything across one page.

It is great that you can integrate the Netatmo Urban Weather station into other apps. So far I have found WeatherPro on iOS and Baratmo for mac. Screenshots below.

and for the mac, Baratmo provides a quick list of data from the status bar.

The key aspect of this solution is that it all has to be linked to your home network via wifi and logged in to Netatmo servers. You need 4 AAA batteries in the outdoor sensor which requires installation on a wall, preferably not in direct sunlight and directly exposed to rain. i.e.. perhaps under the eaves. And apparently the batteries last one month, but at present I cannot provide confirmation of that as I have not had the product long enough. A caution, if Netatmo’s servers go down, you will not get any data.I have had this a week, and for 2 hours last Wednesday they were updating their servers so I received no data.

The sensors send data every 5 mins, can provide notifications for high levels of CO2 or weather warnings from sensors, you can manually check for a CO2 reading immediately update by pushing the top of the indoor sensor. When measuring on demand, the indoor module displays the CO2 level using the following color code:
– Green = Good
– Yellow = Could be improved
– Red = Room should be ventilated.

You can also invite friends into the Urban Weather Station to share you data too. You can also act as a contributor for your outdoor readings. This is still a work in progress, but this is a map of what people would see.

All in all it is an impressive experience, albeit expensive at £139. Additional indoor sensors, up to another 3 can be added to the system too. There is also a PDF manual that you can download which is seriously comprehensive.

So far I have really enjoyed using the Urban Weather Station, and is probably my favourite gadget of the year.

Update – after a week, the following notifications appeared.

Update 2 – last night mapatmo tweeted me and invited me to be part of the Public World Netatmo World Map. More details here – http://www.mapatmo.com

IPhone 5S impressions

September 23, 2013Apple, Reviews, Tech NewsiPhone 5S, ReviewGavin Fabiani-Laymond

So on Friday I ended up queuing to buy my wife a 5S to replace her ageing 3GS. Her 3gs would not get iOS 7 so she felt it was time to update. She was all geared up for the gold 5S. Alas by the time Apple got to me in the queue only space grey or silver was available. I got 2 tickets. One for the pink 5C and one for a silver 5S. However, even though the 5C looks nicer the pink was a unpleasant salmon pink. So silver it was.

So I have used my wife’s iPhone 5S for 3 days. The last time I had an iPhone was with the 5 back in March before I sold it for the HTC One. Regular readers will know that I have a Sony Xperia Z1.

So on paper the 5S is a 5 with a few extra bits and labelled a 5S and with iOS 7. First up what a shock that was seeing a totally different look. In fact it has taken nearly 2 days to get to grips with the new look.

The 5S screen feels small. Every time I hold the Z1 it just oozes appeal in its screen size and hardware. Shame Sony didn’t spend the time making sure it released its flagship with a camera that could take photos correctly.

And here’s the reality. Yes the 5S has a small screen compared to its competition. But it’s the most powerful and pocketable device out there. It is also extremely comfortable to hold and use in one hand. It is faster to enter text than the Z1 or even my nexus 4. The keyboard is so fast and it’s auto correction is fantastic.

The new features in iOS 7 make a big difference. Background syncing is so overdue. The control centre, spotlight search and notification centre is so well implemented. Apps are far more polished and often slightly more feature rich. What iOS lacks is the full sharing capability of its android phone counterparts. I like seeing badges on my apps. I know at a glance what has activities.

The 5S finger print scanner just works. The improved camera makes the 8mp camera probably the best and easiest to use. It’s auto mode just gets a great shot most times without any effort. Slo Mo mode on video is hilarious. No idea what the improved A7 processor and co processor M7 does for the phone but it’s super smooth and fast with no slow downs. The camera is very fast at taking shots which is where the processor is making a difference.

My Sony QX10 which was meant to be used with the Z1 also works really well with the 5S. And strangely it looks like Sony designed it with the iPhone in mind.

So my summary views on the 5S. It is probably the most polished phone with the best hardware and software integration. Everything just works. But to get the most you need to use Apple’s own services and Eco system. I’m not saying you can’t use Google or a combo of both but more and more if you commit to using the Apple Eco system you will get more from the phone.

The phone is so perfect it sometimes feels mundane. But my wife is happy. She is not a tech person. The phone just works and that is what most people want.

Sony Xperia Z1 views a week later

September 23, 2013Android, Tech NewsReview, Sony Xperia Z1Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Just some thoughts a week later.

First up the whole hardware is gorgeous. I love the finish and style. I also like that it is water and dust proof. The addition of the magnetic charge point is also a nice touch.

The sound via headphones or using bluetooth is excellent.

I have had a few reboots and a permanent freeze requiring a hard reset. I wasn’t impressed by this. Why is a phone being released in this manner?

The camera. It takes poor photos compared to what you would expect being its main selling point. Out of several hundred photos only a few were passable. Blurred. Heavy noise. Lack of focus on the sides of the photo. My wife’s old iPhone 3GS has been able to take more consistent and better photos. The same goes for the HTC One. Samsung Galaxy S4 and so on.

The Z1 flies. The S800 processor clearly works a treat. And the battery life goes a proper 24 hours with heavy use.

So as long as you don’t need the camera it is a reasonable piece of kit. My view is that in this market a sub par camera is not really acceptable.

Available from Clove Technology.

Sony Xperia Z1 – Roxfit Desert Tan Book Case review

September 22, 2013Android, Reviews, Tech NewsReview, Roxfit Book Case, Sony Xperia Z1Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

The other day I received a Roxfit Desert Tan Book case for my Sony Xperia Z1. Roxfit are the official case makers for Sony Xperia phones.

The finish is lovely, the Z1 fits snugly into the case. Fully closed, you can still see the notification light and speak on the phone too with the case closed.

Opening the case up, reveals a credit card slot, access to all the ports too. The rear has a cutout for the camera.

The magnetic charging area on the Z1 is accessible with the case open, but it wont work inside the DK31 dock. When closed you can open the micro sd flap and charge the phone.

I am very pleased with this case and just wish Apple made this finish for its 5S.

Final Thoughts on the cameras of the Sony Xperia Z1 vs iPhone 5S

September 22, 2013Android, Apple, Reviews, Tech NewsCamera, iPhone 5S, Review, Sony Xperia Z1Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Over the last few days, and maybe a few days before that I have uploaded camera samples from both the above phones. They are totally different animals, but here are my thoughts. The good news with both of these phones is that they can both be used with the quirky Sony QX10 hub lens.

Sony Xperia Z1 –

This is a newly released phone for Sony. It has software bugs. The phone has rebooted for no apparent reason about once a day and the camera frozen once too. The photos are focused in the centre of a shot, but out of focus around the edges. Bright days, the photos seems over processed. Low light can be dreadful. It just depends on the type of low light. However, the camera options are extensive. 61 shots in a second and 20.7mp photos too. I am keeping the Z1 because I really like it and I reckon after at least 2 software updates from Sony will be once amazing phone and camera. That probably will take 3 months at a guess. Panoramic photos seem to be low resolution affairs. I don’t understand why that it. I also believe if Sony had included Optical Image Stabilisation, this phone would be unbeatable in the camera department. The photos I have taken show incredible depth as well.

iPhone 5S –

Less is more is the moto here. High quality shots every time practically with no effort. It is just auto mode. Apple offer a square box option and very high quality panoramic photos. The photos show more natural colours too. I have taken some amazing photos of my dogs. There are other options, but not that many. I would call the 5S camera gimmick free just fast quality photos. Currently, in terms of quality I would pip the 5S ahead of the Z1. But I am keeping both phones, so will revisit the camera test as Sony updates the firmware.

In summary, don’t buy the Z1 for its camera

Review Part 2 – Sony Xperia Z1

September 20, 2013Android, Reviews, Tech NewsReview, Sony Xperia Z1Gavin Fabiani-Laymond

Welcome back to part 2. To read first impressions and earlier articles on the Z1 click here.

The weather has been constant rain but the sun did appear briefly, for long enough to run outside in to my backyard. The above photo snapped on the Z1 was taken in superior auto mode.

So as you can imagine I’ve been using the Z1 non stop. In fact last night it was downloading all my games. During the day yesterday it was downloading my Sony Entertainment movies. I now have all my apps and games installed.

I have setup all my folders and kept a fairly simple homescreen. For the time being I’m using the Sony launcher but at some point I will setup Apex Launcher as my default.

The Z1 out of the box can be configured to work with a Sony Ps3 Dual Shock Wireless Controller. And it works really well. I also connected my Moga Pro Game Controller and that works fine too. Good news for gamers.

The Z1 also has small apps that can be sitting on the screen. These are selected using the running apps menu button.

The default Sony keyboard is the only keyboard you will need, so hold off downloading any third party offering. When you first use it after setting up the phone you will see a magic wand icon. This takes you through layouts and options and more. In the system settings you can change the skin/theme too. Talking of themes, the Z1 has the option for changing the theme. There are automatic themes to choose from, that when applied alter the look throughout the whole phone.

I also opened the Sony Privilege app to get my free films and 60 day music unlimited trial. The deal from Clove Technology also includes the Sony SmartWatch 2. These are due to be posted out at the end of the month.

I also had a look at the apps pre installed. Fortunately, Sony don’t go too crazy. There was an anti virus app which I unistalled first. The rest seem ok. There is a diagnostics app, which allows you to test hardware and software performance. Box, the file storage app which is similar to Dropbox. Setting up Box on the Z1, gives you 50gb storage for life. If you want this too, let me know in the comments. I will be able to see your email only when you reply. I will then send the referral link to you via Box.

Photo editing options include the basic photo editor and Pixlr Express. The Z1 includes a FM radio too with RDS. There is also a sketch app which I have yet to explore.

On the subject of audio, Sony include a pair of Sony Mh750 headphones / headset. These retail at around £22 and are one of the best quality cans I’ve seen packages with the phone. The Z1 produces great audio reproduction via the headphone jack.

It’s early days to discuss battery life but from what I’m seeing one whole day hammering the phone is possible. I would imagine 2 days if average usage.
Now that I have pretty much setup the phone I will start to look at all the other software and hardware features.

On a negative note, the Z1 has rebooted twice since I have had it for no apparent reason. Other than one of the times I was multitasking over 28 apps, many of which were games.

Until tomorrow…..

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Tech Reviews & Photography