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LG Google Nexus 5 Smartphone

19/1/2015

Comments

 
Having been so delighted with the Nexus 4, I ordered a Nexus 5 from the Google Play store on the day it was launched.  When launched it was a massively powerful phone, and at £340 for the 32GB model, competed head-on with the Apple iPhone 5S which was nearly double the price (£630) and exceeds it in most respects.

After the Nexus 4, the big bright 1080p screen was a dramatic improvement, and it certainly felt quicker, but it also feels cheaper after the lovely glass body of the 4, and I certainly wouldn't want a phone any bigger than this.  Battery life remained disappointing although the Lollipop Android update in late 2014 improved this.

The official LG Quickcover transformed the phone.  If you get one of these, you can change the screen timeout to 2 minutes or more, because when you flip it shut/open it controls the screen, which is very handy indeed.  It also works with the handy wireless charger.  

Update June 2015 : The phone remained fast until the end, despite approaching 2 years old.  The end you say?  Yes, I dropped it while getting out of the car.  Just about 2 feet, but it was enough to smash the super-fragile screen.  The battery life had also become fairly appalling by this point.  This fragility, and the poor battery life, has reduced its score.

3.5 marks out of 5
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Netgear N600 Router (WNDR3700v2)

18/1/2015

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Bought 2nd hand on eBay, this is connected to my BT Plusnet "Up to 80 mb" service, and gives me very nearly that speed.

It successfully competes with umpteem other wireless networks in close proximity, and is wired up, via a switch, to my xbox 360, my youview box, my PC, printer and NAS.  The Android Apps for the router are excellent too.

5 out of 5

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XBox 360 (both of them...)

18/1/2015

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My first white 20GB Xbox lasted a couple of years before dying with the dreaded 'Red Ring of Death' but I'd been enjoying it so it was replaced in 2012 with a 120GB model - the newer black, quieter model.  This is still working OK in 2015.
Used initially mainly as a Windows Media Center extender, but also for Netflix, catch up TV, the odd game, and the brilliant on-demand Xbox Movie rental.
At the time of writing (January 2015) I have no desire for an Xbox One, because I'm not sure what it can offer me that the 360 doesn't already do...


5 out of 5
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Creative Gigaworks T40 Series II Speakers

18/1/2015

Comments

 
When you open the box and feel the weight of these, you know they'll be good, and they are!  Perfect for the living room of my flat.  16W RMS per channel, impressive given their size.  You can plug a source in at the back, and at the front.  Very highly recommended.


5 marks out of 5
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Humax DTR-T1010 YouView Smart 1TB Freeview+ HD Digital TV Recorder

18/1/2015

Comments

 
I got this after deciding to give up on my beloved long-lived Windows Media Center setup, which Microsoft is not supporting after Windows 8, and hasn't improved for years.

The box mostly works well, smooth HD playback, even while simultaneously recording 2 HD programmes.  The app on my Android phone is excellent, and the on-demand internet services are good, if a bit sluggish compared to using the Xbox - in fact they're painfully slow sometimes, but always OK once the programme starts playing.

Some reviews have been less than glowing, but that's because its not aimed at gadget fans, its aimed at people that want a simple single box solution and for this it delivers very well indeed.

Update : The first box overheated and failed, and had to be replaced under John Lewis' warranty.

4 marks out of 5

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Sony NEX-3 Camera

18/1/2015

Comments

 
I bought this in a rush in 2011, to take with me to Dubai to photograph QE2. I bought it because it has a large DSLR-sized sensor, making it perform very well in low light.  I've mostly been very happy with it, but it is quite heavy, so I tend to not take it out with me much!  Also I only have the standard 18-55 lens, which is only about a 3x optical zoom, which is a bit disappointing.  It also takes excellent videos in HD with stereo sound, including with the external microphone that I purchased for it.   I'd definitely recommend the NEX range of cameras.
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LG Google Nexus 4 Smartphone

18/1/2015

Comments

 
After having problems with the Samsung Galaxy S3, I decided I'd had enough messing around with it, and opted for the Nexus 4 'Pure Google' experience, and I didn't regret it!  

The Nexus range of phones is to Google, what the iPhone is to Apple.

The phone 'just worked'.  It doesn't have all the Samsung clutter, or all the Vodafone clutter, its just the way Google intended it to be.  Its fast, beautifully made, nice to hold and just a real quality item through and through.

The only downside is the relatively poor battery life, and the overly quiet speaker, but that doesn't stop me giving it top marks.

5 Marks out of 5
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    I have been into the latest gadgetry and technology since a young age and enjoy trying out the latest tech.

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