Tag: home

HTC shares suspended as Google takeover rumours persist

With the Pixelbook leaking, we’ve already seen a bit of what Google will be announcing on October 4th. However, there’s much more.. Leaks suggest a new Pixel, cunningly named the Pixel 2. These pictures have been found on the internet and there’s rumours that the HTC-built phone will …

Somfy Security Camera – Review

I have been recently sent through the Somfy indoor security camera for review. Good Points: Design. Ease of Setup. Picture Quality. Ability to digital pan and zoom Built-in in alarm. (Very loud alarm) Motion alerts. Ability to talk back to the camera. Key fob arm/disarm. Door and window …

Home, Sweet Home. NAS and WiFi picture backup

At home I have a NAS box. I originally purchased one of these because I’ve somehow used all the storage that my cloud provider had available and the cost to upgrade was nothing short of insane. I’d tried other providers, however the cost, the reliability, and the fact …

Vaux – Amazon Echo Dot Powered Speaker – Review

Like many households here in the UK, or in fact all over the world now, we have an Amazon Echo… hey it’s the future, it’s… like talking to your house …and it answers back. Our Echo sits in our kitchen and now has replaced our radio, our kitchen …

EE announced as exclusive network partner for Google Home

We review one of these home helpers recently and, although it still has a little way to go (I still find I have to rephrase the odd request), it impressed me greatly. Now, although the magical Google Home speaker will sit on your fridge and connect to your …

Cutting the cord. Trying to kill off my landline.

Now, I’ll admit, I’m a penny pincher at times. If there’s a cheaper way of doing something, even if it’s a bit geeky, I’ll give it a go. Stick with me on this one, because it involves something that Virgin have just announced which I think is a …

Google Home – Review

Something is happening in your home. We’re already totally lost without the internet inside the house, and we fully expect the same connectivity out of the home too. Trouble is, we’re all turning into phone zombies. We’re staring down at our screens and there’s lots of dangerous driving …

A remote controller actuator. What could be greater?

So, I’m pretty geeky guy with the home automation gadgets. I started off with a Nest thermostat, which a lot of even my non-geeky friends are getting into. It’s a simple and clever way to save cash on your heating bills. Put simply, it knows when you’re not …

Excuse me, but my dog is calling

So. I’m not totally sure where to begin with this one. I’ll sum it up in one sentence if I can. It’s a camera that you stick fairly low down on your wall that will let you video call your dog. Yeah. Not only that, but if you …

Yet more Black Friday Deals – Nest joins in the fun

Thinking of getting a smart home? The clever learning thermostat, Nest, and the indoor camera, Nest Cam Indoor, have both been reduced in price this weekend. From today until 8AM on Monday both items have been reduced by £30. That brings the thermostat, which we reviewed here, down …

Three Home Broadband Router review

Three have had mobile broadband available for a long time now, and with each device upgrade comes more enhanced connectivity options with quicker speeds and more flexibility. On visiting the official Three site you’ll find USB Dongles, Tablets, MiFi and more recently RoadFi – a MiFi plugged into …

Pixel Prices Published. Pretty Premium.

Morning. Last night Google unveiled the phones we all expected them to unveil. The Pixel and the Pixel XL – a phone and a slightly bigger phone. From a distance, from far, far away, it’s like the Apple launch in a way. Two phones, one a big larger …

Watch the Google Pixel launch – Live

Yes, we kinda know what we’re going to see now. The two new Google handsets leaked all over the place yesterday so the Pixel and Pixel XL are going to be no surprise when the event starts at 5PM UK time. If you’re elsewhere in the world, don’t …

Controlling my home from my phone

We’ve seen a number of companies approaching us lately who want us to promote their smart gadgets. A lot of these gadgets now relate to the “Internet of Things” or a “Smart Home”. Whilst they’re all great, you can find that they’re a little disjointed – using their …

Twitter for Android goes Material Design

The Twitter app for Android has gone Material Design (and we really do like it). In case you don’t know, Material Design is Google’s design language for web and native applications. Since Android 5.0 (Lollipop), Material Design has also been the design language of Android. Google’s own apps …

Canary – Smart home security for everyone – Review

Canary is more than a simple surveillance camera for your home. From the very moment you purchase your Canary for £159, you’ll instantly notice the quality. Canary was launched back in July 2013 on crowdfunding site Indiegogo. There was clearly a market demand, as within a month over …

Vodafone get into the home phone and broadband game

Want broadband at home? Mine is from EE and the fibre broadband connectivity has been OK. Sadly I can’t say the same about the home phone service, which was completely broken for well over a month. Anyhoo, now Vodafone are getting in on the action with broadband and …

Smart alarm products! When did we start covering this?

I can feel things slipping now. First this site covered Microsoft smartphones, then Android, Apple and perhaps a few accessories. Now we’re getting all manner of connected gadgets. This particular pitch is from an operation called Response Electronics, who want you to know about all their rather clever …

Edifier M3280BT Home Audio Bluetooth Speakers – Review

This aren’t your usual Bluetooth speakers. You can’t carry them around in your pocket for a starter – they’re just too big. The box alone weighs in at 7KG when it arrives, so these are definitely home speakers which will take up space on a table, cupboard or …

Archos enters the Connected Home scene

The Connected Home is the ability to connect to various devices in your house. For example, cameras, movement sensors, temperature sensors which can then be controlled remotely. Archos are the latest company to get involved in the connected home scene and are offering up a range of products. At the …

Is Technology Taking Over House Buying?

Is it just me? Every time I pick up the iPad I find that my wife has been on some estate agent website looking at house. She tells me that she doesn’t want to move, and if we’re honest here the real reason is just to have a …

Everything.me Home – The dynamic Android Launcher

Now and again something different comes along. An app or service that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, well this app is a bit like that. Yes we’ve seen many many Android Launchers over the years but I’ve never seen one like this. Everything.me Home basically adapts …

Facebook Home updated

Facebook Home is Facebook’s own launcher that allows you to easily see your friends Facebook posts and updates from the homescreen. It will shortly its first major update and includes the following new features: ·         The ability to change who can see something you’ve shared ·         Sending multiple photos in …

HTC First looks to be last – AT&T to kill handset

Let’s strap Facebook into a phone. That’s a winning idea. People will buy that. Everyone loves Facebook, don’t they? Sadly no, according to BGR the HTC First is actually about to be kicked out. LThe “Facebook Phone” is said to be an official flop in the USA. Prices …

Make your phone all Facebook-like with “Home”

We’ve seen the HTC First, an Android-powered device which will be available exclusively on Orange in France and EE here in the UK from the Summer. In the USA it’ll be available from April 12th and across the rest of the world soon after. But hey you lovely, …

Orange bundle mobile calls into their landline deals

So, you know how it is. You’ve got one of those home phone and broadband packages but, when you call a mobile phone, it’s not included in the deal. Somehow, every month, you go way beyond the “headline figure” that got you hooked into the deal in the …