Posts Tagged ‘reviews’

Accessory Review: Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-C Cables

Monday, July 11th, 2022

Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): Need rugged and durable USB-C cables with USB-A or USB-C connectors for your Android devices or PCs? Check out these two cables from Belkin.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-C to USB-A Cable (S$34.90) and USB-C to USB-C Cable (S$39.90) are available at Belkin LazMall and Belkin Shopee Mall.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-C to USB-A Cable (S$34.90) and USB-C to USB-C Cable (S$39.90) are available at Belkin LazMall and Belkin Shopee Mall.

When I got the BoostCharge Pro 4-Port 108W GaN Charger from Belkin, I also got two USB-C cables along with it, for charging my Android smartphones, tablets, PCs and other gadgets like smartwatches and earbuds.

  1. Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-C to USB-C Cable (S$39.90)
  2. Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-A to USB-C Cable (S$34.90)

These cables are more durable and flexible compared to generic cables – they are supposedly up to 30x more durable and are more resistant to tangling, fraying and kinks.

They have been tested to survive more than 30 thousand bends.

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Accessory: Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex Lightning to USB Cables

Sunday, July 10th, 2022

Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): Need charging USB cables with Lightning connectors for your Apple devices? Check out these two cables from Belkin.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB to Lightning cables are available for S$39.90 each at Challenger stores and online, Belkin LazMall and Belkin Shopee Mall.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB to Lightning cables are available for S$39.90 each at Challenger stores and online, Belkin LazMall and Belkin Shopee Mall.

Over the weekend, I got these two cables for my nephew who is an Apple fan.

  1. Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-A Cable with Lightning Connector
  2. Belkin BoostCharge Pro Flex USB-C Cable with Lightning Connector

Why use these cables instead of those generic cables that came with the devices?

Because of greater durability and flexibility.

Belkin boasts that the BoostCharge Pro Flex USB cables are up to 30x more durable than ordinary cables, so that they are more resistant to tangling, fraying and kinks.

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TUCU Review: Belkin BoostCharge Pro 4-Port 108W GaN Charger

Saturday, July 9th, 2022

Tech-U-Can-Use (TUCU): This compact and fast GaN charger takes care of the charging needs of all my smartphones, tablets and laptops at home and on my travels.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro 4-Port 108W GaN Charger is available for S$149 at Challenger stores and online, Belkin LazMall, Belkin Shopee Mall.

The Belkin BoostCharge Pro 4-Port 108W GaN Charger is available for S$149 at Challenger stores and online, Belkin LazMall, Belkin Shopee Mall.

I’ve been using this BoostCharge Pro 4-Port 108W GaN Charger from Belkin since it hit shelves in Singapore last month and it has become the charging “hub” for my electronic gadgets.

The charger includes 2x USB-C and 2x USB-A ports to power a laptop and three additional devices, using USB-C PD and GaN technologies to provide a high-powered and efficient charge.

Combinations for simultaneously charging different devices on the four ports.

Combinations for simultaneously charging different devices on the four ports.

It can charge my Asus laptop at full speed or fast charge a Samsung S22 Ultra and an iPad while charging two additional devices such as the Sony LinkBuds S earbuds and the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro smartwatch.

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Review: Huawei Sound Joy Wireless BT Speaker with Devialet

Monday, July 4th, 2022

Huawei has just launched its latest wireless Bluetooth speaker in Singapore. Co-engineered with audio expert Devialet, the Sound Joy offers good punchy sound, long playback battery life and IP67 waterproofing/dustproofing rating to deploy the speaker in the fun outdoors.

The Huawei Sound Joy will be launching exclusively on Lazada at an introductory promotion of S$168 (U.P. S$188). Available from 11 July 2022.

The Huawei Sound Joy will be launching exclusively on Lazada at an introductory promotion of S$168 (U.P. S$188). Available from 11 July 2022.

The Huawei Sound Joy is targeted at the young who are active outdoors and need a portable and chic wireless speaker that produces powerful sound and which can withstand the elements.

The Sound Joy comes in two colours, the boring Obsidian Black and the lovely Spruce Green which I prefer.

 

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The coloured light circle on top of the Sound Joy jazzes up the wireless speaker and complements the vibrating passive radiators.

With a length of 202mm and diameter of 73mm, and mass of 680g — the speaker is about the size and weight of a water bottle.

Co-engineered with Devialet, it features the audiohouse’s 2-way speaker system and its Devialet SAM technology which produces good sound quality for any audio type.

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Review: Huawei P50 Pocket Fashionista Folding Smartphone

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022

The Huawei P50 Pocket is part of the latest flagship P-series lineup of smartphones from the Chinese phone maker. The folding smartphone offers a large display when unfolded yet offers a compact form factor when folded into half.

When folded, the Huawei P50 Pocket becomes compact and fits snugly in the trouser pocket or a ladies purse.

When folded, the Huawei P50 Pocket becomes compact and fits snugly in the trouser pocket or a ladies purse.

The design of top-end smartphones is fraught with trade-offs between desirable characteristics that tend to contradict each other in terms of manifestation.

Most of us desire a large display and long battery life yet baulk at the resultant bulkiness and weight.

My Take

The Huawei P50 Pocket is a head-turning flagship smartphone that offers a large display when unfolded and a compact form factor when folded – along with a stunning design that befits any fashionista.

We desire powerful performance and beautiful design yet keel over at the higher price tag.

So the design process by the phone maker and the buying decision often comprises a set of trade-offs between the things we desire in a smartphone.

The Huawei P50 Pocket removes the need for some of these trade-offs.

It offers a large 6.9-inch display when unfolded yet folds into a compact form factor that fits snugly in the trouser pocket without poking at uncomfortable places and threatening to slip out.

At 190g, it is not particularly heavy and has a large 4000mAh battery with 40W Huawei SuperCharge capability. Only wired charging is supported.

And as a flagship smartphone, has top-tier hardware for top-notch performance, including Huawei’s forte in smartphone cameras.

 

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Freshly unboxed Huawei P50 Pocket. Even the box is exquisitely designed.

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New Arrival and Review: Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

Tuesday, February 15th, 2022

Google Pixel 6 (S$999) and Google Pixel 6 Pro (S$1,299) have arrived in Singapore. They are now available exclusively on the Google Store online, together with a selection of phone cases and accessories.

Google Singapore had sent me both the Pixel 6 Pro and the Pixel 6 to try out prior to today’s launch, so I’ve been playing with both phones for a while now.

Google Singapore had sent me both the Pixel 6 Pro and the Pixel 6 to try out prior to today’s launch, so I’ve been playing with both phones for a while now.

Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro ship with Android 12 installed and come with 128GB storage.

Powered by Android 12, Google has given the new phones a new user interface (UI) they call “Material Me”, which provides themed UI skins and widgets that are supposed to be highly customised to your you needs.

The Google Pixel 6 Pro is available in Stormy Black and Cloudy White with cases (S$49) in Stormy Sky, Soft Sage, Light Frost and Golden Glow.

The Google Pixel 6 Pro (S$1,299) is available in Stormy Black and Cloudy White with cases (S$49) in Stormy Sky, Soft Sage, Light Frost and Golden Glow.

The phones are powered by Google Tensor, the company’s first processor that’s basically a mobile system on a chip designed specifically around Google’s AI engine.

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#tech4WorkFromHome: ApeosPrint C325 dw Printer by FUJIFILM Business Innovation

Friday, January 21st, 2022

What’s the home printer of choice for my #WorkFromHome setup? It’s the ApeosPrint C325 dw colour laser printer from FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.

The compact ApeosPrint C325 dw single-function duplex and wireless colour laser printer from Fujifilm Innovation Corp makes a suitable printer for a #WorkFromHome workspace and at front-facing counter-tops of businesses.

The compact ApeosPrint C325 dw single-function duplex and wireless colour laser printer from FUJIFILM Innovation Corp makes a suitable printer for a #WorkFromHome workspace and at front-facing counter-tops of businesses.

First off, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp is actually the new name for the former Fuji Xerox after the joint venture company (between FUJIFILM and Xerox) came under FUJIFILM.

As you may know, Fuji Xerox was a global leader in laser printers, especially for enterprises and business users.

My Take

The ApeosPrint C325 dw single-function laser printer is a suitable printer for #WorkFromHome and small businesses.

Its print quality and speed, ink economy, ease of use, as well as compactness, duplex and wireless capability make it a versatile printer for the home and at customer-facing counters.

The ApeosPrint C325 dw single-function printer is the smallest and lightest printer model in their lineup and is targeted towards counter services, clinics and small businesses.

I have been using the printer for the past few months and find it a suitable printer for the #WFH workspace considering its performance, economy, ease-of-use, reliability and compact footprint.

The key requirements I have for a home printer (for work) is print quality and compactness, as well as the ability to print colour, double-sided, and from a wireless network.

Naturally, factors like print speed, ink/toner economy, and maintainability also weigh in.

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#tech4WorkFromHome: Dell Latitude 9520 2-in-1 Laptop Computer

Sunday, January 2nd, 2022

The core of most #WorkFromHome workspace is the computer, around which everything else is built around. It’s important to start on the right foot and get a good computer that has the performance and connectivity to anchor your entire #WFH setup.

The Dell Latitude 9420 2-in-1 is a great desktop replacement for #WFH that can be brought on the road with its compactness, long battery life and 5G LTE connectivity.

The Dell Latitude 9420 2-in-1 laptop is a great desktop replacement for #WFH that can be brought on the road with its compactness, long battery life and 5G LTE connectivity.

What does one look out for in a home computer for #WorkFromHome?

For me, it must have the performance to handle most work-related activities, ranging from basic tasks like word processing and surfing the Web (for accessing emails, research and other cloud-based activities), to more demanding photo editing and video editing for content production.

 

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Dell Latitude 9520 2-in-1 laptop freshly unboxed. Included is a 90W power supply. Dimensions: H: 0.71″ (18 mm) | W: 13.4″ (340.3 mm) | D: 8.49″ (215.8 mm)

I eschewed desktop computers a long time ago, in favour of notebook computers for space saving and the flexibility of bringing them on the road.

The disadvantage of a small display is easily overcome at home with an external large monitor.

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Review: Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) Speaker Display

Friday, December 24th, 2021

The second-generation Google Nest Hub (S$139) goes beyond being a speaker and display to monitoring your sleep with Sleep Sensing to help you get a better night’s sleep.

The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is available online for S$139 on Google Store, as well as Courts, Challenger, and Shopee.

The Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) is available online for S$139 on Google Store, as well as Courts, Challenger, and Shopee.

I’ve been using the first generation Google Nest Hub at home for years, and it’s brought hours of entertainment to the family.

The second-generation Google Nest Hub reprises many of these same functionalities.

 

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Unboxing the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen).

It is a speaker/display to stream music/videos from music services such as Spotify and YouTube Music, and shows from Netflix and Disney+ etc; or to cast music/videos from the smartphone.

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tech4xmas Gift Idea: FLO Diffuser Home Christmas Bundle

Sunday, December 19th, 2021

tech4xmas: Beautifully crafted aromatherapy diffusers for the home, with a wide selection of relaxing and fragrant essential oils for Christmas. S$218 with free delivery.

FLO Diffuser Home Christmas Bundle (S$218 with free delivery)

FLO Diffuser Home Christmas Bundle (S$218 with free delivery)

The essential oil nebulising diffuser is waterless and heatless, works silently, powerful enough to spread the scent up to 800 sqft within the first two minutes.

My own diffuser at home.

My own diffuser at home.

It is suitable for medium-sized areas such as the living room and bedroom.

There is an LED light with changing colours to serve as mood lighting.

I like how the knob allows me to control how strong a nebulising effect.

This is a fantastic Christmas for the home.

The FLO e-shop offers a wide selection of oils and nebulisers with some in the form of Christmas trees and angels.