Immedia Blink

Though it may not look like it, this is in fact a security camera. Simple and compact, this camera alone costs less than a S$100. Though lacking features that puts it up on a different level compared to other security cameras, I feel that this is forgiveable considering that it falls into the category of a low-budget camera

The device is cordless and battery operated. Despite its relatively low price, the Blink definitely does not neglect performance for its price. It had a solid connection with Wi – Fi and did not have interruptions. Though, the application for the camera was not flawless and gets frequent lags due to its system being busy.

Being in the shape of an exact square, the Blink measures approximately 7cm on each side. Along with the camera, two AA lithium batteries, a stand and mounting hardware will also come along with it. Made to be placed indoors, the Blink isn’t exceptionally durable largely due to the fact that the device is made from plastic. The lens has a 110 degree field of vision and has image quality worth 720p. It is also equipped with a motion sensor, infrared LED made for night vision and a micro-USB slot.

Together with the Blink, customers would also get a Sync Module, a white square accessory which includes a power adapter and performs various rather unique functions. For example, it would communicate with the Blink servers to prevent extensive draining of battery. Whenever the uses wishes to stream live videos, the Sync Module will change the performance mode of the Blink in order to maximize its performance via a radio channel. Furthermore, the Sync Module also has a USB port which can be used to install updates and setup the Blink application on the user’s phone. The application is relatively simple to set up. All you need to do is connect the Sync Module to any device and with Wi-Fi, the setting up should only take a moment. The Sync Module does help with connection and ease the camera of having a USB port but at the same time, this is at the cost of carrying the two devices around. In my personal opinion, I feel that the camera would do just fine without the Sync Module and it would actually be much simpler if everything was done on the Blink itself.

Though it has a pretty eye-catching price tag, its features aren’t really that much to brag about as it just lacks more unique functions to put itself in a league above the rest. There is also minor flaws in the motion sensor as it is unable to differentiate between a person, a pet or any other moving object. Compared to its rivals in its price range, there really isn’t much that sets the Blink apart from the rest but do expect more from the camera in future as Immedia has stated that more features and functions would be added to the Blink. However, as it is right now, the Blink does not stand out. Therefore, if you’re looking for a budget security camera, don’t take the Blink out of your consideration but taking a look at others would not be an unwise decision. With that said, I honestly would not put the Blink at the top of the list of budget security cameras.

Photo courtesy of : http://prefundia.com/uploads/home/ecd66c05fb1696eecdbb07ea03cff832.jpg

Logitech Wireless Mouse M280

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M280 is a compact mouse with comfort in mind. Usually when companies try to make compact mice, they usually make it too small for people with larger hands which would be uncomfortable if used for long periods of time. However Logitech made this mouse just the right size for both travel purposes and comfortable usage.

Logitech said that the mouse has a battery life of 18 months depending on the user’s usage and would go to sleep when not in use to conserve battery life. It uses an AA battery so having one on standby would ensure that the mouse never runs out of battery. It comes with a nano receiver where all you have to do is plug it in one of your computer or laptop’s USB port and forget all about it afterwards. The mouse also comes with a small compartment to store the nano receiver if you want to store it after using. Of course, it is quite easy to lose the nano receiver due to its size and would cause inconvenience as the mouse would be practically useless without it.

This mouse is designed only for people who use their right hand and not left as the left side of the device comes with a natural curve and soft rubber grips for the comfort of your hand. The mouse also works on almost every surface other than glass and works at long distances up to around 25 metres. It comes in 3 different colours, black, red and blue so you get to choose which colour suits your taste best.

In conclusion, this mouse would be great for both office work and playing mostly casual games. It is not too expensive as it only cost around S$32.00 at retail price. With the battery and comfortable design, users would not have much to complain about. Although it lacks the thumb button at the side, it is expected from simplistic mice like this. Thus, I would really recommend this mouse to people who are on a budget but still want a decent mouse for use.

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Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse

The Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is a special type of mouse. Unlike other average computer mice, it has a flexible design. The flexible design allows the mouse to be curved to suit to what you think best and can be flattened after use for packing.

Another unique feature is that it does not have a mouse wheel. Instead it comes with a touch-sensitive scroll wheel, where all you require is a quick flick and a hyper fast vertical scrolling for smooth, intuitive navigation. However, the mouse wheel tab is easy to lose track of and might cause some minor annoyance.

It comes with the usual two physical buttons for both the left-click and right-click functions. The mouse comes with the BlueTrack Technology which allows you to track on almost any surface, from your office desk to your living room floor. However, it doesn’t work on clear glass or mirrored surfaces.

A Plug-and-go Nano Transceiver is provided where it can either be stowed magnetically in the mouse or it can be plugged into your computer’s USB 3.0 port, but it does not support Bluetooth. By flattening the mouse, it turns off the mouse to avoid draining its AAA batteries with a green light to show the battery working.

In conclusion, the Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse is a great mouse for people who are required to travel a lot and need an easily portable mouse. It also has a variety of surfaces that you can use it on. However, it is said to have a slightly unresponsive scroll tab and it is easy to lose track of the scroll tab, making it slightly inconvenient. The price of it is around S$59.95 depending on the retailer price. Thus, I would recommend this mouse if you find the price affordable and need to travel frequently.

 

photo courtesy of: https://www.microsoft.com/hardware/en-us/p/arc-touch-mouse#details

Post By: Tan Yong Jian

Apple Mac Mini

There are only two ways of getting a computer that runs the OS X, by either buying the Mac Pro or the Mac Mini. Many budget-minded Windows PCs cost almost the same as the Mac Mini.

It has a unibody aluminium design and is said to work almost as well as the MacBook Air laptop, which is a community favourite. Instead of post-purchase upgrades, you are required to plan for your upgrades at the time of purchase but the upgrades are not cheap. A simple RAM upgrade from 4GB to 8GB already costs US$100.

There is some competition from Windows devices like the Alienware Alpha and the HP Pavilion Mini with increasing attention towards Small desktop PCs. The Mac Mini still has no physical redesign and is surprisingly small for a desktop computer. It is around 19.5cm square and is about 1.1kg.

Despite it not coming with packed-in accessories, the Mac Mini comes with many software extras which are also found on the Mac Pro. Other than that, the Mac Mini can be used on any display thus it is not limited to the screens built into the IMac desktops.

The side of the Mac Mini comes with a plentiful selection of ports and connections, including four USB ports, and three video outputs (one is HDMI while the other two are shared Thunderbolt/mini-DisplayPort Jacks) and Ethernet.

It comes with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive which is generally not that great in comparison with other specifications, but is nonetheless acceptable as it is just S$688. It has surprisingly good performance as it runs almost as fast as Apple computers that cost twice as much as it.

In conclusion, if you’re not looking for a high end computer that requires upgrades but still need to get normal office work done, then the Mac Mini at the price of S$688 is a really good choice for you. Although there is still room for improvements, such as lowering the price of the expensive upgrades and more configuration options, it still worth the price as it performs as well as Apple computers that are significantly more expensive.

photo courtesy of: http://nl.hardware.info/productinfo/128439/apple-mac-mini-server-mc936fna/fotos#open

Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480

The Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is a computer keyboard that works with not only your computer but also your tablets and smartphones.

The Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 has a rubberised groove stand where you are able to slide in your devices. Above the ‘esc’ button is a dial that allows you to select the devices that you would like to connect to by Bluetooth. They’re labelled as 1, 2 and 3 so if you have many devices, you just have to remember which number is assigned to which device.

The device is 2cm by 29.89cm by 19.5cm which said to be rather compact width-wise and is longer in depth. However by placing your device in the groove stand, it would not take up much space on your desk.

The device weighs 821g and is not exactly the lightest keyboard to be bringing around. It also comes with 2 AAA batteries which are included with the keyboard and it is said to last up to two years depending on one’s usage.

The Keyboard is also compatible with almost every operating system and platforms such as the Windows 7/8 or later. However Windows Phone is not compatible although Windows PCs are.

The well-spaced keys and comfortable keys to type on make the device a much better keyboard than others. The keyboard contains shortcut keys like a Home button that works for all mobile operating systems.

In conclusion, the Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 is a really good keyboard with a cheap price of S$59.00 and long battery life. You can easily switch up to 3 devices with a dial and is compatible with almost all devices. It adds simplicity to one if you’re not comfortable with the keyboard that comes with your device. I would recommend this device as it is really a great edition to your digital life.

 

Photo courtesy of http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/multi-device-keyboard-k480

 

Post by: Tan Yong Jian

AD Viso HP50

The NAD Viso HP50 has a few excellent features. It is very well – designed and comfortable to wear. The device also can be folded straight for easy storage. The headphone also has a clean and accurate sound. On the wire, you would be able to find a microphone/remote which is Apple friendly. Another unique feature it possesses is that it has a straight cable. However, Android might not support some features that this device has to offer and this headphone is a little costly.

You would be able to choose from three different colours when choosing the headphone, black, red and white. It can be considered quite lightweight for an over – ear headphone at 226 grams. When buying the headphone, it comes with two 1.3m cables which are detachable, a carrying case and a separate accessories bucket case to hold the cables and airline adapter. One of these two cables comes with an Apple – friendly three – button remote and microphone. Unfortunately, Windows and Android phones are not compatible with some of the remote’s features. The carrying case has a eye – catching design and is well – made to suit the headphone’s design.

The ear cups has a squarish shape, which might not suit everyone’s comfort and preference. The headphone’s ear cups are also plushly padded with memory foam and although the headphone does not offer noise cancellation, the ear cups does a great job at sealing out ambient noise.

The headphone is not extremely aggressive and would be very ideal for audiophiles finding an accurate sound balance as the headphone’s sound is really clear. Compared to other headphones, its sound covers a lot of details at a softer volume. However, the bass on this headphone might not be as strong as the ones on others.

Overall, this is a headphone made for audiophile which does not adore a specific genre of music and its great detail and sound quality makes it an ideal headphone. However, it might not be the best headphones at its sound price of around $400 and you might be able to find headphones of higher quality.

 

Photo Courtesy of : http://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/tech-news-nad-viso-hp50-headphones-makes-its-local-debut-mook-headphone-festival