Wyze has introduced an upgrade to its outdoor battery powered security notification camera. This one is called the “Battery Cam Pro” and unlike is predecessor will operate without the need for a hub. You can see my unboxing short here on Amazon.
One of the things I like best about the new design is that it works with a removable battery. So you don’t need to bring the entire camera inside to charge it. The battery also has a USB-C port built in so no additional charger is required. Wyze also sells extra batteries so you can always have a charged one ready to go.
Unfortunately this new Wyze cam has all of the limitations of their other current models when it comes to using the device without an ongoing subscription. This is something we covered recently on the channel.
Without paying for a Wyze subscription the only thing the Battery Cam Pro will provide is a still image of what happened to set it off and access to a live feed that allows for two way communications.
While the camera does have an SD card slot Wyze has not yet implemented support for it. Wyze says SD card recording of motion events will come in September and that’s when I’ll review it. Until then the product is not yet complete – especially for people who don’t want an ongoing cost of ownership.
If you’ve ever used a Brother P-Touch printer, this device operates in a similar fashion except this one uses an app versus an on-device keyboard.
The printer itself is quite simple. It’s a basic thermal printer that prints in one color. It’s not designed for printing photographs, so it’s best to stick to clip art that you’ll find in the app. The ribbon with an adhesive backing is stored inside the printer. I used a white one that came with the printer, but there are other colors available.
The printer is equipped with a built-in battery, allowing it to operate wirelessly. It connects via Bluetooth to an iPhone or an Android device. The charge should last through a good organizational session, but you might want to plug it in if you’re planning an all-day project.
The app also offers the option to save your designs for future use. Even if you forget to save, the app keeps a log of everything that was printed, which is quite handy. However, it’s worth noting that the app doesn’t support barcodes or serialization.
Overall, I found the MakeID L1 Label Printer to be a useful tool for home use. While the printer itself is inexpensive the ribbons cost a bit more than I expected. In some cases you’ll pay more for ribbons on the L1 than you will on the P-Touch!
As the back-to-school season approaches, I will be exploring various sent to the channel on loan for review. The new Lenovo Yoga 9i is the first of a few you’ll see over the next couple of weeks and the subject of my latest review. This 2-in-1 laptop, powered by an Intel i7 1360p processor, offers the flexibility of flipping into a tablet or a display mode.
The upper-end configuration with a 4k display is currently $1,400 at Best Buy (affiliate link). The laptop I reviewed looks to be similar to the Best Buy configuration with a 14-inch 4K OLED display, 16GB of non-upgradable RAM, and a 1TB nvme SSD for storage. The display, with its deep blacks and vibrant colors looks great but is not as bright at 400 nits as other premium displays I’ve looked at.
The build quality of the Yoga 9i feels nice and premium. Weighing about 3 pounds, it has a sturdy metal design that feels very well balanced. The integrated speaker bar in the hinge delivers great sound quality, suitable for both music and spoken word. The keyboard, a typical Lenovo strength, is backlit and comfortable to type on, although the key travel is slightly shallow. The trackpad is responsive, and the laptop offers a decent array of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports.
The 1080p webcam will look nice for Zoom meetings and an improvement over 720p cameras in older laptops of this class. The camera also has a built-in physical shutter for privacy.
The battery life isn’t spectacular, however. Part of this is due to the high-resolution OLED display that will draw a lot of power. I estimate you’ll get about seven hours of battery life on basic tasks.
Performance-wise, the Yoga 9i didn’t disappoint. Web browsing was smooth, and it handled video editing tasks efficiently. The pen experience was also noteworthy, offering pressure detection and a natural writing feel. On the gaming front, I tried out Fortnite and Red Dead Redemption 2. While it’s not a gaming laptop, it handled these games decently.
I also experimented with Ubuntu on this laptop, and everything ran smoothly.
All in all, for someone heading to college and looking for a Windows laptop, the Lenovo Yoga 9i is a solid choice. It offers a blend of performance, design, and versatility, although one might need to keep the charger handy.
In my latest video I review the new HP Sprocket Studio Plus (affiliate link), a compact photo printer that prints high-quality 4×6 photos that are very close to the digital prints you might get from a photo printing service.
What sets it apart is its use of dye sublimation technology. This is a departure from the typical inkjet technology and even from HP’s other Sprocket printers that utilize the Zinc standard.
The printer is priced at $149, and the cost per photo comes to about 44 cents. This cost estimate includes the special paper and the unique ribbons it requires. Because it uses a ribbon to print photos the consumable cost is much more predictable vs. an ink printer.
The printer is very compact. The paper tray can be removed and stored on top of the printer to reduce its footprint when not in use. And because it doesn’t use ink the printer won’t get clogged up if it’s left to sit for weeks or months. It should pick back up right where it left off.
Setting up the printer was straightforward. It does require the HP Sprocket App that runs on Android and iOS devices. Even though it operates over Wi-Fi it can’t be directly printed to without running the photos through the app first.
The app can pull photos from your phone’s gallery, Instagram, Facebook, and Google Photos. Printing a photo is as simple as selecting it in the app and hitting print. The entire process takes about 90 seconds, with the printer laying down colors layer by layer. The result? A nice, high-quality photo.
I printed several photos to gauge the printer’s quality. While the contrast wasn’t as deep as on my phone’s OLED display, the photos were still impressive especially when compared against similarly priced ink jet printers. As you’ll see in the video some details might appear softer when viewed up close, but for a 4×6 print, the quality is more than satisfactory.
The app offers some fun features, like creating photo collages. You can also add labels and text to your photos. There’s also a photo booth mode and an option for taking passport and ID photos.
The HP Sprocket Studio Plus is a good choice for those who love printing 4×6 photos. While it costs a little more than a photo lab print, having the convenience of printing similar quality photos at home might be appealing.
Disclosure: HP sent the printer to the channel free of charge however they did not sponsor this review, provide any additional compensation, or review or approve this review before it was posted.
I recently had the opportunity to review the new Google Pixel Fold smartphone, and I must say, it’s an intriguing piece of technology. This is the first foldable device I’ve tested and I really like what Google has put together here. The downside is that it costs a ridiculous $1799. See my full review here and you can find the phone for sale at Best Buy here (compensated affiliate link).
The Pixel Fold is powered by Google’s tensor G2 processor, the same chip that can be found in their more traditional phones like the entry-level Pixel 7A. It boasts 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. There is no SD card slot for storage expansion unfortunately.
The displays are impressive. The front display is a 5.8-inch OLED, while the inside reveals a 7.6-inch OLED. Both displays offer a 120 hertz refresh rate, ensuring a smooth user experience.
One thing that stood out to me was the phone’s compactness. I am a “small phone” guy and prefer a more compact device that’s easily pocketable to a larger one. The Fold fits comfortably in my pocket, and when unfolded, it offers a larger display, which is great for browsing and multitasking. It’s close in size to an iPad mini or other 8 inch tablet. Unfortunately, there’s a visible crease down the middle of the screen, which some might find distracting. I noticed it, and while many say you get used to it, I found it constantly catching my eye.
The Pixel Fold’s dual-display design offers a unique opportunity for app developers to enhance the user experience. Some apps have been optimized to recognize the device’s foldable nature and adjust their interface accordingly. For instance, the YouTube app adjusts the video playback area when the phone is partially folded, nudging the content to fit perfectly above the fold, essentially turning the bottom half into a stand. Similarly, productivity apps like Google Docs and Photos can run side by side, allowing users to drag and drop content between them.
However, not all apps have been optimized for this dual-display setup, and some might require manual adjustments to fully utilize the available screen real estate.Like other Android tablets and phones, most apps can run split screen even if they’re not optimized for larger screens.
The camera system is versatile. The back of the phone houses three cameras: an ultra-wide, a telephoto, and a standard 48-megapixel lens. The photos I took were sharp, detailed, and the colors were vibrant. There are two front facing cameras, one for when the phone is folded and another when unfolded. The folded selfie cam is the better of the two. Google also has a neat mode that turns the rear camera system into a selfie cam.
Gaming on the Pixel Fold was fun. From Android games to retro gaming, the experience was smooth. The larger screen real estate made gameplay more immersive. However, when compared to devices like the iPhone, the Pixel Fold’s gaming performance could be better.
In conclusion, the Pixel Fold is a promising device. Its foldable design offers a unique user experience, and while there are some areas of improvement, it’s a solid first-generation attempt by Google. The price might be a deterrent for some, but if you’re looking for innovation and a fresh take on smartphones, the Pixel Fold is worth considering.
I hope the industry finds some ways to bring the price point on these foldables down to make the technology more accessible. Smartphones have become quite stale these last few years so anything new and exciting would be a welcome boost to the industry.
Disclosure: Google provided the phone free of charge for my review. However they did not review or approve the content before it was uploaded nor did they offer any additional compensation.
Recently, I received another package from TEMU (affiliate link), an online store known for super cheap stuff including tech gadgets. Although I was excited to explore the contents given our relative success on our first experience, this haul didn’t quite meet my admittedly low expectations. You can see it all in my latest video but here’s a rundown of my experience with the items I received:
1. Key Finder Device ($1.89) The first item I unpacked was a key finder device. Unlike popular key finders that work with Apple’s Find My network or the Samsung and Google equivalents, this one operates with its own app. After downloading the app and pairing the device, I found its functionality to be quite basic. It relies on signal strength to determine proximity, and if the device gets disconnected, it emits a loud alarm. However, I had reservations about the app constantly running in the background and its less-than-stellar reviews on the Google Play Store.
2. Portable Mini Thermal Printer ($16.49) Next up was a portable mini thermal printer. After setting it up and connecting it to its designated app, I took a picture and printed it. The result? A grainy, one-bit image reminiscent of old faxed photos or the Game Boy Color printer. While the print quality wasn’t impressive, the speed at which it printed was pretty good and I could see how this might be a fun gadget for kids. I do wish it printed on stickers vs. the thermal paper it came with, however. That said the consumable cost is quite low, a pack of five replacement paper rolls costs less than $4.
3. X6 Drone ($37.39) The most expensive item in the haul was the X6 drone. While the drone looked promising, it proved to be a challenge both in its configuration and operation. After charging its battery and attempting to fly it, I quickly realized it was nearly uncontrollable. It didn’t stay in place, constantly veered in different directions, and the Wi-Fi connectivity for the camera didn’t work. Ultimately, the drone ended up in the woods, and I decided it wasn’t worth retrieving until the winter when the poison ivy goes away.
This TEMU haul was a mixed bag. While the thermal printer had some potential, the key finder raised privacy concerns, and the drone was a complete miss. Stay tuned for the next one and in the meantime you can visit Temu using my affiliate link here.
Disclosure: TEMU sent the items to review free of charge but did not review or approve the video before it was uploaded.
These are GAN chargers, known for their compact size yet powerful output. My initial interest was piqued by their competitive pricing, especially when compared to some of the other Gan-based alternatives on the market.
Both chargers I tested have three USB type-C charging ports and one USB type-A port. The power strip model brings with it a short extension cable and two additional AC outlets on either side, making it a handy companion for travel. However, a point to note is that this model is designed for 120-volt outlets, making it suitable for use in the U.S. only. The other charger is compatible with both 120 and 240-volt outlets.
Oraimo claims that each of these devices can output up to 120 watts across their USB ports. In my tests, when a single device was plugged into the USB-C port, it could draw up to 100 watts. However, when a second device was added to the mix, the power distribution changed, with each port delivering a maximum of 60 watts.
The power strip model offers an added advantage with its AC outlets. It can pass through up to 1250 watts, making it suitable for devices like gaming laptops. I tested this feature, and it worked seamlessly.
However, things get a tad more complicated with the third USB-C port. Unlike the first two ports, which can deliver up to 60 watts each when both are in use, the third port maxes out at 30 watts. Power reduction on each of the ports reduces further when three or more devices are attached.
Oraimo has this helpful set of images on their Amazon product page that delineates the distribution combinations:
One other challenge I encountered with the small “wall wart” GAN chargers is their tendency to fall out of outlets due to their weight and density. The Oraimo version here is no exception. This can be particularly problematic when traveling. My solution? Use a small extension cord. This ensures the charger remains securely in place, especially when plugged into older or looser outlets. Oraimo’s power strip version does not have this problem as it has an integrated cord already.
In conclusion, I’ve been quite pleased with the performance of these Oraimo chargers, especially given their price point. They’re efficient and versatile, though it’s important to understand their power distribution nuances especially with high performance computers. If you’re in the market for a reliable charger that won’t break the bank, these might just be worth a look.
Disclosure: Oraimo sent the products free of charge but did not review or approve this before it was uploaded
As the computer component market is becoming less and less constrained we’re starting to see A LOT of cheap but nicely performing Mini PCs flood the market. We looked at a couple of “Ace Magician PCs” over the last couple of weeks and my latest review is of another sub-brand of theirs called Kamrui. This particular model is geared for gaming.
The Kamrui Mini PC is priced around $500, which can vary based on promotions, coupon deals, etc. For this price, it’s impressively equipped with a Ryzen 7735HS processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and 512GB of NVMe storage. The device is user-friendly when it comes to upgrades. You can easily swap out the NVMe or upgrade the RAM to 64GB. Additionally, there’s a SATA storage area for adding a 2.5-inch notebook hard drive.
In terms of ports, it offers a good variety, including USB-C, USB 3, HDMI outputs, and more. However, the USB-C port isn’t full-speed USB 4, and while it supports video output, it doesn’t support an external GPU. The device also features 2.5 gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth.
Upon booting, I was pleased to find a clean, licensed copy of Windows 11 Pro. The Mini PC has RGB lighting on top, which currently can’t be turned off, but software adjustments are expected soon. There’s a performance rocker switch on the device, allowing users to adjust between performance, auto, and silent modes. This switch slightly adjusts fan noise and performance. While the fan isn’t overly loud, it does run almost constantly.
In terms of performance, web browsing is swift and responsive. However, I did notice minor frame drops when running 4K 60fps videos on YouTube. Video editing on DaVinci Resolve with a 4K 60 video project showed some stuttering, especially with cross dissolves. For live streaming, I tested vmix, which worked decently for 1080p projects but struggled with 4K.
Gaming is where this device truly shines. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, No Man’s Sky, Doom Eternal, and Ace Combat 7 performed well at 1080p with low settings. Emulation, such as the PS2 game Outrun 2006, also ran smoothly. It performed well in my benchmarks but the 3DMark Stress Test indicated potential performance reduction during extended gaming sessions.
I also tested Linux on the device, using the latest version of Ubuntu. Everything, from audio to video, was recognized and performed well.
In conclusion, the Kamrui Ryzen 7735HS Mini Gaming PC offers good value for its price point, especially considering its RAM and processing power. However, potential buyers should be aware of its limitations, especially during extended gaming sessions. While the quality level I’ve seen from this company so far is good, long-term support for such no-name brand PCs can be a concern. Still, for those seeking a well-performing secondary or primary PC at a low price, this is a solid choice.
Disclosure: Kamrui provided the PC to the channel free of charge for this review.
Unlike the Amazon tablet that runs a custom Android derived operating system, Walmart’s offering runs Google’s official Android 13 operating system, allowing use of Google’s apps and the Google Play store for finding others.
The $159 tablet has an 11-inch display running at 1200 by 2000 resolution. The display is essentially 1080p, although a bit wider, which gives you a lot of screen real estate for browsing through web pages, documents, and books. The text looks very nice and legible on this display. I did find the color temperature of the display was a little on the colder side vs. the Amazon offering.
The tablet is well-constructed, weighing about a pound or 490 grams. It has a metal back and glass front, giving it a premium feel. Inside, it’s powered by a MediaTek MT8781V/N A processor, has 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Additionally, it has an SD card slot for expandable storage.
The tablet doesn’t have a fingerprint reader for unlocking, so you have to type your PIN code in every time. However, it does have a headphone jack, which is a nice addition. It also has a USB Type-C port for charging and data devices. But that port only runs at 2.0 speeds.
The tablet has two cameras, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. The camera quality is passable for the price point, but don’t expect it to rival more expensive tablets. The front camera is good enough for doing conference calls with Zoom and other apps.
The tablet supports split-screen, allowing you to have two apps open side by side. It also has a kids interface, which is age-appropriate and gives parents a lot of control over what kids can and can’t do on the tablet.
In terms of performance, the tablet handles basic tasks like web browsing quite well. It also runs games like Roblox and Minecraft smoothly, although the visual quality is reduced to ensure smooth frame rates. The tablet also does a great job of streaming games from services like Xbox Game Pass. I was also able to run some less demanding Gamecube games using the Dolphin emulator.
The battery life is decent, with Walmart claiming about 16 hours of battery life. In reality, you’ll probably get around 12 to 13 hours of battery life if you’re sticking to basic tasks.
After posting my review many viewers asked about whether or not it has GPS built in. In a follow-up that I posted as a YouTube Short I found that it does indeed have a GPS radio on board allowing it to pinpoint its location even when away from an active Wi-Fi connection. In the past many cheap tablets relied upon WiFi based geolocation vs. having dedicated GPS radio receivers on board.
Overall, I’m really impressed with what $160 can get you in 2023. This tablet feels more expensive than it is and is quite functional. It offers a very pure Android experience, with no unnecessary Walmart stuff thrown at you. If you’re looking for a budget tablet that’s functional and offers good value for money, the Walmart Onn 11″ Tablet Pro is definitely worth considering.
One of the challenges of setting up a low cost security camera setup is the mounting and installation. Of late manufacturers have been looking to solve this problem by repurposing existing outdoor lighting fixtures as mount points. My latest review is of the Wansview G6, a camera that screws into a lightbulb socket.
It boasts a 2K resolution with night vision and audio recording. The built in speaker isn’t very loud, but it’s sufficient for someone in your vicinity to hear and hold a conversation through their app remotely. It’s a pan and tilt camera, meaning the camera swivel in 360 degrees as well as up and down. There’s also an SD card slot for continuous or motion event recording which allows you to avoid their subscription fees.
The camera plugs into a socketed light bulb and supports 120 and 240 hertz outlets. It’s designed to hang upside down, which is how many light fixtures are configured. However, it can work in the other orientation as well but you’ll need to adjust the setting in its app to flip the image. It’s IP63 rated, meaning it’s relatively weatherproof, but it’s best to have some covering or housing around it for optimal protection. The camera does have a built-in light for illumination but it’s not nearly as bright as the bulb you’re replacing likely is.
The visual quality of the camera is good in regular light and it can deliver about 15 frames per second at its 2k resolution. It feels very similar to the Wyze and Blink cameras we’ve looked at earlier.
It has a two options for night vision. The color night vision mode works well in areas with some ambient lighting although it will be very grainy. The infrared night vision mode provides a clearer black and white image, although the camera’s infrared illuminators don’t reach very far.
To use the camera, you need to install and run their app. The app allows you to control the camera’s position, turn the lights on and off, and communicate with someone in front of the camera. The app also has motion detection features but I found the alerts come much later than the actual event took place.
One of the features of the Wansview G6 I was most excited about is its support for RTSP & ONVIF. This means it can work with other security recording systems, adding a layer of versatility to its usage. For instance, during my testing, I was able to connect the camera to my Synology NAS using their surveillance station software. The camera was automatically detected on my network due to its ONVIF standard support.
But prepare for disappointment. The camera still needs to phone home to Wansview’s servers first, even when using RTSP. Also, the pan, tilt, and zoom controls do not work with third-party applications, only with the Wansview app.
Overall, the Wansview G6 is a nifty little security camera, especially given its price point. But I’m concerned over its insistence on phoning home even when using it with other security software.
I recently picked up the Turbo Everdrive Pro and EDFX, two new products from Krikzz that work with NEC’s Turbografx 16 & PC Engine gaming consoles. The Turbo Everdrive Pro is a flash cartridge that can load HuCard games but also CD-ROM based titles without the need for a CD add-on device. You can see my full review here.
The EDFX plugs into the back of PC Engine and Turbografx consoles, providing a super clean component RGB or composite video output along with stereo audio.
The US Turbografx lacked any built in A/V output but it does provide it through some of the pins on the rear that the EDFX connects to. On the US Turbografx 16 CD audio from the Turbo Everdrive Pro will not work without an A/V connection like the EDFX attached.
The EDFX’s video output connector follows the standard Genesis 2 pinout making it compatible with high quality cables like those from HD Retrovision (affiliate link).
One of the games I tested was the largest Hucard game ever released: Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition. This Japan-only release booted up without issue on my American hardware through the Everdrive. The video output was clean and the audio was pretty good, with only a slight bit of noise in the background when reading from the card.
The Turbo Everdrive Pro supports save states for card games which allows a system snapshot to be taken so you can return to the saved point at any time. Krikzz says that not all games are compatible with this feature but I didn’t come across any that didn’t work in my testing.
But where the Turbo Everdrive Pro truly shines is in its support for CD games. I loaded up Rondo of Blood, a Japanese-only CD-ROM game, and it worked flawlessly. The game loaded up quickly, and it can even saves games to the SD card. Each CD game gets its own memory space for save games.
Another game I tried was Sapphire, another Japanese-only game that required the Arcade Card, an add-on that added additional memory to the system. The Turbo Everdrive Pro handled this without any pre-configuration. It automatically let the game know that there was an arcade card in there for that RAM expansion, and the game loaded up quickly and played perfectly.
The Turbo Everdrive Pro and EDFX have allowed me to explore a system that I didn’t appreciate back in its day. Although the PC Engine outsold the Sega Mega Drive by more than 2 to 1 in Japan its sales were weak against the Genesis and SNES here in the USA. As a result we didn’t get many ports of some the amazing Japanese titles that appeared on the PC Engine during its run.
The Turbo Everdrive Pro can help you explore these games on original hardware even if all you have is the American Turbografx 16. While it does carry a price premium vs. emulation or a MiSTer, there is something special about playing these games on the actual hardware they were written for.
In my latest video I take a look at Philo, a budget-friendly TV streaming provider. Philo offers a selection of popular cable networks with DVR functionality for only $25 a month, significantly less than other services. However, it does not include local or sports channels.
Philo’s interface is user-friendly and consistent across the major TV platforms, including Google/Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Apple TV. It also offers a mobile app for Android and iOS. The service allows up to 10 profiles on an account, but only three people can watch TV simultaneously.
One of the unique features of Philo is that when you tune into a show in the middle of its broadcast, it starts you off from the beginning. This is due to the Philo servers recording everything that’s being broadcast across its channel offerings.
Philo also supports the TV Everywhere protocol, allowing users to log in directly to a TV provider and watch shows through the provider’s app. This does not count against Philo’s three simultaneous live streams. It also works with the Channels App that allows for viewing and recording shows from your own locally hosted server.
While Philo may not offer the full breadth of channels available from some of the competing service providers, it is a cost-effective solution for cord-cutters who are looking to bridge some gaps from their old cable service plan – especially for those who already receive their local channels through an antenna.
The price point of the T8Plus is around $199, but with a coupon on Amazon, it can be brought down to $150. Inside, it houses an Intel N95 processor, a lower-end chip that is not as powerful as the Ryzen version we looked at a few weeks ago but still fast enough to be useful. It comes with 8GB of RAM, which is soldered on, and a 256GB NVMe that can be replaced. There’s a slightly more expensive version that has 16GB of RAM soldered on. Both versions boot to Windows 11 Pro which is licensed and pre-installed on the unit.
The T8Plus has three HDMI outputs capable of delivering 4K at 60 frames per second out of each independently. It also has three USB 3 ports, two gigabit ethernet ports (powered by Realtek chipsets), a headphone/microphone jack, and a Kensington lock slot. Unfortunately there are no USB-C ports.
Performance-wise, the T8Plus is surprisingly snappy. Basic tasks such as loading up Microsoft Word or browsing websites are handled with ease. It also performs well for media playback either locally or via streaming services. Because it has an Intel chip with Quicksync on board it should perform well as a Plex server.
For gaming, the T8Plus can handle older games like Half-Life 2 which we were able play at 30fps at a 4k resolution. However, it struggles with more modern games like No Man’s Sky, which could barely get 15 frames per second at 720p. Ryzen Mini PCs do much better and often deliver playable framerates with AAA titles.
But due to its video processing prowess the T8Plus exceled at game streaming, delivering a 4K 60 stream from the GeForce Now service.
The T8Plus also performs well with Linux, with Ubuntu 23.04 running smoothly on it. All the hardware was detected successfully, and the performance feels snappy, making it a great solution for those looking to experiment with Linux as a desktop.
The AceMagician T8Plus is a capable and inexpensive mini PC worth considering. It offers good performance for its price point, making it a suitable choice for basic tasks or even as a mini server. However, if you’re shopping around, it might be worth looking at some of the Ryzen mini PCs, which may offer significantly better performance for just a little more money.
My latest video takes a look at the new Google Pixel tablet. Unique to this product is the included speaker charging dock that turns it into a Google / Nest Home assistant when the tablet is attached.
The tablet comes in three different color options and sells for $499 for the 128GB storage variant with a 256GB version available for $100 more. All models come with the speaker dock so there is not a tablet only SKU available at the moment.
The tablet’s 11-inch display, while not OLED, offers a very crisp image with a decent contrast ratio. It comes in at a resolution of 2560 by 1600 which translates out to a 16:10 aspect ratio. This makes it a little wider and narrower vs. an iPad display. It’s adequately bright at 500 nits.
The tablet is powered by the Google Tensor G2 chip, the same chip found in Pixel 7 phones, and comes with 8GB of DDR5 RAM. This combination ensures a responsive performance for various tasks and applications. It’s also great for Android games and emulators as detailed in the video. The interface feels just as polished as Google’s Pixel Phones do.
The Pixel Tablet supports USI 2.0 stylus pens, which can be used for note-taking or sketching. It also offers a multi-user feature, allowing different users to have their own profiles and experiences on the tablet. In the video I demo’ed the kid interface that is easier for children to navigate and gives parents more control over what they can do on the device.
But there are some limitations. It lacks a headphone jack and only has a USB-C port, meaning users will need to use Bluetooth headphones or connect a dongle. It also lacks an SD card slot for expanding its onboard storage. Additionally, Google’s commitment to only three years of OS updates (from 2023) and five years of security updates means that they’re not all that committed to this platform. Apple supports even its entry level iPads for longer.
All in the new Pixel tablet is the nicest Android tablet I have tested to date. I would have preferred Google offer a version without the speaker dock at a lower price for those that just need a tablet.
In my latest video, I review the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED. It’s a compact yet powerful laptop that’s marketed towards creators. The loaner Zenbook in the video came equipped with an RTX 4070 GPU running at 85 watts and an Intel i9-13900H CPU, all packed into a lightweight frame of about three and a half pounds.
As its name implies, The Zenbook Pro 14 OLED features a nice 14.5-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2880 by 1800, offering a vibrant and immersive viewing experience with the deep black levels we’ve come to expect from OLED technology. As it’s geared towards creators, the Zenbook’s display supports 100% of the DCI P3 color range and is Pantone certified. Although it can run at up to 120hz the display does not support Nvidia G-Sync which might be a deal breaker for some gamers.
Despite the impressive specs, the laptop’s performance has a notable limitation that gamers will no doubt experience: The RTX 4070 GPU, while powerful, is constrained by its 85-watt power limit. This results in performance that matches an RTX 4060 on a Lenovo gaming laptop we’ll be looking at soon running at 140 watts.
But for creators it delivers more than adequate performance for photo and video editing along with live video production. In the video I demonstrate it successfully rendering out a complex live Vmix production, compositing five 4k video sources simultaneously in realtime. The system still had plenty of resources left to spare too.
One unique feature of the Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is its multipurpose dialpad built into the trackpad. In the video I demo it working as a shuttle jog in a video editing application but it can be configured for different applications and tasks.
The laptop’s battery life is decent, offering around six to eight hours for basic tasks. However, using the GPU or the display at full brightness and 120Hz mode can significantly reduce the battery life. This is far short of the longevity many are experiencing with the Apple Silicon powered Macbook Pro’s that are much more power efficient.
In conclusion, the Asus Zenbook Pro 14 OLED is a powerful and compact laptop that offers excellent performance and a gorgeous display, making it a good choice for Windows-based creators on the go.
In my latest video I take a look at Amazon’s newest tablet, the Fire Max 11, which is a significant improvement over previous models in terms of performance and quality. You can find it here (compensated affiliate link).
The tablet is priced at $229 for the entry-level model with 64GB of storage, subsidized by advertising on its lock screen. A version without ads costs about $20 more. It features an 11-inch IPS display with a 2000 by 1200 resolution. The display is bright and colors are vibrant.
The Fire Max 11 is powered by a MediaTek MT8188J processor and comes with 4GB of RAM. It has a metal backing, giving it a more premium feel over the plastic backs on prior models. The tablet is equipped with a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, although it doesn’t support high-speed power delivery and is limited to USB 2.0 speeds for data. The Max 11 also has a fingerprint reader integrated into the power switch for quick unlocking.
It supports an SD card for up to 1TB of additional storage. The battery life is around 12-14 hours for basic tasks, but it takes a long time to charge due to the lack of high-speed charging support.
The Fire Max 11 has a Wifi 6 radio on board but I found its bandwidth constrained to about 400 megabits per second. But I found it was good enough to maintain a 1080p game streaming session just fine.
The tablet has two 8-megapixel cameras, one on the front and one on the back. The picture quality isn’t spectacular but passable. Both cameras can shoot video at 1080p at 30 frames per second but the camera system lacks a stabilizer. But the high resolution video should look great on conferencing apps like Zoom.
The tablet also supports USI 2.0 compatible pens for note-taking and drawing, although there’s noticeable latency compared to more expensive tablets. Amazon’s recommended pen is very affordable and will work with other devices that support the USI 2.0 standard too.
The Max 11 can also function as an Echo device, with an always-on display in Show Mode or voice commands in regular tablet mode even when locked.
Performance is much improved over prior versions, putting this tablet on par with other mid-range Android tablets. I was even able to get some playable frame rates out of the Dolphin Gamecube emulator – something that wasn’t possible on prior Fire tablets.
The Fire Max 11 runs on Amazon’s version of Android, which doesn’t support the Google Play Store. There are ways to shoehorn Google Play and other Google apps onto the tablet but it’s not supported by Google or Amazon. However, it does support split-screen mode and has a decent selection of apps available from Amazon’s own app store.
Overall, the Fire Max 11 is a great value tablet with improved performance and quality, making it a good choice for basic consumption and some gaming. However, the lack of Google apps might be a drawback for some users.
I explore the ASUS ROG Ally in my latest review, the first handheld gaming machine produced for mass market retail. It’s currently a Best Buy exclusive (affiliate link) selling for $699. Despite its rough edges, the Ally’s performance is undeniably impressive, thanks to its AMD Z1 Extreme processor.
The Ally’s standout feature is its ability to run games at 1080p with decent frame rates, something that sets it apart from competitors like the Steam Deck that run at 720p. The 7″ display runs at 1080p 120hz with freesync support at 500 nits of brightness. The display looks great with vivid colors. But its rather slow 7ms response rate negates some of the advantages of the fast refresh rate.
I tested several games, including Forza Horizon 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Death Stranding, all of which ran smoothly at 1080p. The device also handled emulation well, running GameCube games without any hiccups.
I found the sweet spot is to run the games at 720p on the native display which will deliver greater than 60fps performance in most games. Most of the 1080p detail is lost on a small display like this so not much is sacrificed turning the resolution down. But it’s nice to know it can deliver decent 1080p performance when connected to an external dock through its USB-C port.
Because it runs Windows 11 as the underlying operating system it is compatible with a bulk of the Windows games on the market including compatibility for nearly all popular gaming platforms – including Xbox PC Gamepass downloads.
The Ally isn’t without its drawbacks, however. The device’s control surface feels clunky with huge dead zones on the analog sticks and the triggers. The directional pad is even worse, registering false diagonals and feeling a bit cheap for the price point.
While it has a full service USB-C port, it’s running on the older USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard vs. a USB 4.0 port that would allow for Thunderbolt device compatibility. Asus opted instead to use their own proprietary expansion port designed for their mobile GPU product. Those mobile GPUs start at around $799 – more than the cost of the Ally itself! USB 4 would have been much better as just about any PCI Express card could be used in an expansion box. See more about that USB 4 Thunderbolt compatibility in this video.
And of course the Windows 11 operating system isn’t ideally suited for a handheld gaming device. Asus attempted to compensate for this with their Armoury Crate software and launcher, but it often has to dump the user back to a Windows interface for accessing gaming platforms and other configuration items. Users will also spend a lot of time updating the device, having to do so in Armoury Crate and Windows Update to get it working at peak performance.
The Ally also fell short on the 3DMark Stress Test, indicating potential throttling issues under heavy load. But I didn’t notice any significant slowdowns during gameplay.
Despite these issues, the Ally is by far the best performing PC handheld on the market. Nothing comes close. If performance is all that matters to you I’d choose the Ally over the Steam Deck. But the Steam Deck feels like a much more cohesive product overall despite the Ally’s performance advantages.
The AM06Pro stands out with its ability to output to four 4K displays simultaneously, a feature not commonly found in mini PCs. It also sports dual Ethernet ports, one of which supports 2.5Gbps, providing ample connectivity options.
As expected given its hardware specifications it handled tasks like web browsing, word processing, and even light 4k video editing without any issues. Gaming performance was also satisfactory, with games like No Man’s Sky and Red Dead Redemption 2 running smoothly at lower settings.
Given the price point there are a few areas that aren’t perfect. The fan noise can get quite noticeable when the device is under heavy load although it doesn’t ramp up and down constantly like some others I’ve looked at. I’m also a little weary of the generic-looking NVMe SSD which may not offer the same reliability as more well-known brands.
On the software side, the device comes bundled with Windows 11 Pro, and it also runs Linux distributions like Ubuntu without any issues. However, as with any product from a lesser-known brand, potential buyers should be aware of the risks involved – especially when it comes to after-sale support.
In conclusion, the AceMagician AM06Pro is a capable mini PC that offers good value for its price. Its unique features and solid performance make it a good option for those in the market for a compact computing solution.
YouTube TV is quickly becoming a popular alternative to cable television services, offering a comparable channel lineup for sometimes less money than a cable provider. In fact some cable TV companies have ditched their own services and partnered up with YouTube TV instead. That’s what happened with Frontier here in Connecticut who offers YouTube TV as their television service.
In my latest video I take a deep dive into the service to see how it works.
YouTube TV offers a robust channel lineup, including all local affiliates and a wide range of popular cable networks. However, I noticed that the service includes a lot of sports channels, which may not be of interest to non-sports fans. YouTube TV also offers family sharing, allowing each family member to have their own unique experience on the platform. However, it does limit users to three simultaneous streams unless they upgrade their service for an additional $10 a month.
The interface is user-friendly across all supported platforms, with top picks based on your viewing history front and center, filtering options, and a channel guide. It also offers a recording feature with unlimited storage, but recordings do expire 90 days. YouTube TV can be accessed via most popular smart TVs and set top boxes, phones, tablets and web browsers.
Despite its benefits, I must point out that YouTube TV follows the same failing business model as traditional cable providers, forcing users to subscribe to channels they may not watch. The service has seen significant price hikes over the years and now costs $73 a month for the basic plan. This price increase is largely due to YouTube having to pay broadcasters and cable TV networks much like traditional cable companies do.
For those of you who are tech-savvy, I suggest using the Channels DVR server, a self-hosted solution that allows users to record and watch channels through their own server. This service costs extra but offers more control over the viewing experience.
While YouTube TV offers a comprehensive solution for those looking to cut the cord, its rising costs and lack of a la carte channel selection could be potential drawbacks for many. As always, I recommend doing your research and considering your viewing habits before making a decision.
In this latest edition of my series auditing my mother’s cable bill, we’ve decided to make the switch away from Comcast/Xfinity and opt for Frontier fiber optic paired up with YouTube TV. This decision was driven by the desire to save money and the availability of competitive services in the area. You can see the full video here.
Frontier’s offering is a better deal compared to Comcast. They don’t charge any rental fees even for the modem, no term contract, free installation and they even provided a free Eero Wi-Fi extender. The basic plan we chose is faster than even the highest tier Comcast plan on the upstream: 500 megabits up with the same speed downstream. The total cost comes to just under $150 a month, including YouTube TV and their unlimited telephone service. This is significantly lower than the best deal Comcast could provide, which was $186.20 a month after taxes and required a term commitment.
However, the transition wasn’t entirely smooth. I placed the order for service online and there was no option to port her number back over from Comcast. When the tech showed up they had assigned her a new phone number and couldn’t port the existing one over unless we opened up a new order.
As of this writing the old account is still active and they haven’t yet closed it out. I have heard similar issues from others – if there’s any kind of hiccup it’s very hard to get a resolution quickly without multiple contacts.
The Frontier fiber optic service comes with an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and a router. The ONT is a more robust device than what my Dad got from them at his place, with multiple Ethernet ports and a coax connection for MOCA. The router provided works fine, connecting all devices in the house via WiFi without any issues. In fact I didn’t even need to use the EERO to get her all of her Roku’s attached.
Overall the switch from Comcast/Xfinity to Frontier fiber optic and YouTube TV has proven to be a cost-effective decision for my Mom. Despite some customer service issues, the service quality and reliability of the Frontier fiber optic service have been satisfactory. The next project will be to explore the possibility of cutting the cord further with over-the-air TV and looking for a less expensive TV provider. Because YouTube TV has no term commitment we can leave it at any time.
I’ll cover more about YouTube TV in my next video where I’ll do a full review. Stay tuned!
