Pro Dell headset range helps block out annoying co-workers

New in the world of work devices is a new pro-level headset range from Dell, including a wireless model that blocks out noise from your annoying co-workers.

For a work headset, your needs are likely simpler than what you want in a pair of good headphones for music. Ideally, you want crisp audio, a clear microphone, and something that lasts a while. On that front, Dell seems to tick multiple boxes, with its Pro Wireless ANC Headset (WL5024) and wired equivalent (WH5024) packed with several premium features.

Both pro-level headsets include active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out unwanted noise, while Dell claims its AI-processing model helps better isolate human voices. The wireless model advertises up to 78 hours of battery life, needing only 15 minutes to charge enough for a full day’s work. They’re made for comfort, too, using a leatherette headband and memory foam ear cushions.

The modern workplace means noisy colleagues could be coming from inside the house. Image: supplied.

Plenty of headsets have flip-to-mute microphones, but Dell’s wireless model takes things slightly further. Via the device’s smart sensors, it detects whenever you take them off, automatically muting the conversation. Putting the headset back on turns the mic back on, handy for when you forget to flip up the boom arm.

If you’ve got a compatible Dell PC, you can easily connect the wireless headset via the brand’s Dell pair software. It also serves as the hub for controlling audio settings so you can adjust the sound to your liking. The Dell Pro Wireless ANC headset uses Bluetooth 5.3 and comes included with a USB-C adapter for computers without the wireless technology.

Dell Pro headset release date and price

Dell’s new work headsets firmly sit in the premium category, with the wired WH5024 model listed online for $228, while the wireless WL5024 version costs $518. They come above the brand’s existing 3000 series range which costs $120 and $239 respectively.

Several companies have rolled out new work-centric headsets to start the year. Just recently, Belkin revealed its $79 SoundForm Adapt headphones, made specifically for work use. Regardless of whether you work in an office, remotely, or a hybrid of the two, you have plenty of headset options in 2024.

Read more headphone news on GadgetGuy

The post Pro Dell headset range helps block out annoying co-workers appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

This clever travel device doubles as a wall charger and power bank

Made to make charging your devices easier while travelling, the new Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger is a clever piece of kit that also houses a built-in power bank.

At the best of times, needing multiple different chargers and cables is a pain while travelling. It’s even worse when going overseas, trying to remember which converter to use in each country. Belkin’s answer to this is a smart one in the form of a charger with a long-winded name: BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger + Power Bank 5K with Travel Adapter Kit.

What does the Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger do?

For starters, it can plug into wall outlets, including swappable plugs compatible with popular destinations, including Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US. When plugged into a wall outlet, it supports 25W Power Delivery 3.0 Programmable Power Supply charging for USB-C devices. In other words, it supports fast charging while maintaining battery health. It also has a USB-A port, letting you charge two devices at the same time.

When you’re on the move and away from a wall outlet, the BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger also doubles as a 5,000mAh capacity power bank. In this mode, it charges at up to 20W.

Handily, Belkin’s new hybrid charger comes with multiple common travel adapters. Image: supplied.

Belkin also smartly includes a one-metre USB-C cable in the box. I like the idea of leaving my regular cables at home and keeping a separate charger aside specifically for travel – less fuss all around. Plus, the hybrid charger is made from at least 72% recycled plastics, continuing Belkin’s sustainable approach to product design.

Available now, the Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger + Power Bank 5K with Travel Adapter Kit costs $119.95, including a two-year warranty. If it’s the sort of thing you might find helpful on your travels, you can pick one up from JB Hi-Fi, Belkin’s website or other tech retailers. Belkin also recently announced its new Qi2 wireless charging range while launching the latest SoundForm headphones.

Pocket-sized, the new charger should reduce the number of different plugs and chargers needed when going on a trip. Anything that takes up less luggage space is a win in my books.

Read more mobile accessory news on GadgetGuy

The post This clever travel device doubles as a wall charger and power bank appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

Cheapest NBN plans – February 2024

Are you looking for the best value or cheapest NBN plans? GadgetGuy has done the searching for you.

It’s a good time to shop around and save money on your internet, as recommended by the ACCC, with changes to wholesale NBN coming into effect, impacting prices. Australians are downloading more than ever, so it’s important to find the cheapest NBN plan that suits your needs.

• What you need to know
• Which NBN plan?
• Cheapest NBN plans – February 2023
• NBN 12 plans
• NBN 25 plans
• NBN 50 plans
• NBN 100 plans
• NBN 250 plans
• NBN 1000 plans

What you need to know

If you want broadband internet in Australia, your main and most reliable choice is via the National Broadband Network (NBN). Although the NBN provides the internet backbone, it does not sell plans directly to the public. Instead, telecommunication vendors package up retail and business plans, which include different features and levels of customer support.

NBN availability

The NBN is available to all Australians, but the way you access the NBN may be different. This might include a fixed cable into your home, wireless access via an antenna on your roof or a satellite dish. To see what technology is available to you, start by visiting the NBN getting connected page. After entering your address, you will be shown the technology available at your address. You will also see which providers or NBN retailers sell access in your area. In Sydney alone, we were presented with 123 different retailers.

Speed and reliability

It is important to understand that the speed and reliability of your NBN plan can differ by retailer. Each buys internet capacity from the NBN. This capacity is then shared with a certain amount of the retailers’ customers. This means that a retailer may have faster speeds in one suburb versus another based on how many customers are accessing the overall capacity. It’s always good to ask your neighbours who they are with and their experience with a particular NBN retailer.

It’s also worth checking the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) website regularly. They publish quarterly broadband performance results, measuring how well telcos deliver on advertised internet speeds. You want to be certain that you’ll get the speeds you pay for, so this is a good starting point.

For those customers looking for an NBN alternative, we suggest the following GadgetGuy guides: How does 5G fixed-wireless stack up as an NBN alternative and Caravanner’s guide to connecting to the internet anywhere.

Having good internet speed is more than just a fast broadband connection. For more, be sure to check out GadgetGuy’s guide to improving your internet for more information.

Which NBN plan?

When evaluating an NBN plan, consider the following criteria:

• Data Limits – Is there a monthly download limit of data, or is the plan unlimited?
• Download Speed – Best measured at its busiest in megabits per second (Mbps) typical evening speed. Is it enough to watch Netflix? (Netflix requires 10-25Mbps depending on resolution quality.) Larger households with members using the internet simultaneously will require higher download speeds.
• Cost – How much do you pay each month, and is there a connection fee?
• Contract – Are you locking yourself to a retailer for a period, or is it month to month?
• Telephone – Is a fixed-line telephone service bundled into the plan?
• Customer service – What hours are supported, and is it an Australian-located call centre?
• Upload speed – Important for people who save large files online, like photos and videos.

Changing providers

If you wish to change internet providers, the process involves signing up with the new retailer in-store or online. You may receive a new Wi-Fi router, and you may have to return your old router to your previous retailer. The retailer-provided router is generally low quality but provides a fixed-line telephone connection if selected.

Your retailer might offer you an email address. Still, we recommend using a non-telco-specific email address such as Gmail or Hotmail, allowing you to easily change NBN retailers.

The NBN changeover process can take less than an hour, but depending on the location and NBN technology, it could take a few days. To take advantage of introductory offers, you could swap your provider every six months.

Suppose you do not wish to leave your existing provider. In that case, you may be able to negotiate a better rate by comparing it to cheaper offerings.

Cheapest NBN Plans – February 2024

Here are the cheapest NBN plans at the time of writing. We update this article monthly, but the prices listed in the tables update in real time, giving you up-to-date and accurate information.

Many of the retailers display promotional prices aimed at new and returning customers. These offers generally involve paying a discounted rate for six months before reverting to a standard price. To view the details of promotional offers, click on the green text labelled ‘deal’, which will also show the standard price.

Each plan featured here includes unlimited data. Some providers let you save a few dollars every month by choosing a plan with a data cap. If you know you don’t need much data, use this search tool to find plans with monthly data allowances.

NBN 12 plans

Aimed at people who only need the internet for browsing online and checking emails, an NBN 12 plan isn’t blazingly fast but saves money. Prices recently increased across the board as a result of the new wholesale pricing structure. You could previously find plans for less than $50 but no more, unfortunately.

Pretty much every NBN 12 plan costs around $65 per month, with no standout deals currently live. You’d be better off scrolling down and looking at faster speeds available for the same price or less.

NBN 25 plans

Suited for streaming videos in HD in addition to basic online tasks, an NBN 25 plan gives you a bit more flexibility and much more value for money. Tangerine (using Vocus Group infrastructure) has the cheapest NBN 25 plan this month, with a $49.90 monthly offer for six months, which then increases to $64.90.

For literally nine cents more, Exetel comes runner-up with a near-identical deal. Exetel and Tangerine are currently the only retailers offering sub-$50 NBN plans.

Superloop also has a nice deal active, with its NBN 25 plan down to $59 for the first six months, down from $65. Another decent deal comes from Kogan, bringing the price down to $53.90 per month for the first three months. Afterwards, it reverts to $63.90, which is similar to most other providers.

Most retailers hover around $65 when not discounted. Despite Aussie Broadband being one of the first to increase the cost of the NBN 25 tier, its competitors have so far held firm.

NBN 50 plans

One of the most popular tiers, the NBN 50 plan supports 4K video streaming and is better for multiple simultaneous users. Unfortunately, this speed tier was hit hard by wholesale pricing changes, increasing prices en masse.

Tangerine and Exetel again duke it out for the best price, with the slimmest of margins separating them. Tangerine has a $59.90 deal for the first six months, down from $79.90, while Exetel sits at $60.99 for the first six months.

Spintel, Superloop, and Dodo are also good options price-wise. Outside of discounts, Kogan Internet claims the cheapest NBN 50 plan at $68.90 per month for its Silver Unlimited tier. For the first three months, it’s down to $58.90.

NBN 100 plans

NBN 100 plans let your household stream multiple videos at once and still have bandwidth for online gaming.

Competition for the cheapest NBN 100 plan in February is tight. Tangerine currently leads the way with its $64.90 for six months offer, down from $84.90. Dodo, Exetel, Spintel, and Superloop are all close behind with various six-month deals below $70 per month. Kogan is the only provider that offers a sub-$80 plan outside of discounts.

Of the currently discounted plans, Dodo, Exetel, and Spintel advertise typical evening speeds of 100Mbps, while the others report slightly slower 95Mbps speeds during peak time.

NBN 250 plans

Not content with just streaming videos, NBN 250 plans significantly reduce the time waiting for large downloads. Whether you want to download the latest video game or save a whole bunch of media for offline viewing, this gets it done quicker.

Spintel currently has the cheapest NBN 250 plan at $75 a month for the first six months. It’s even one of the cheapest plans at its standard $85.95 pricing. However, Spintel’s advertised typical evening speeds are 211Mbps, slower than many of its competitors.

During February, you can get an NBN 250 plan with Tangerine at a monthly $79.90 rate for the first six months, normally priced at $104.90. For the best speeds, Superloop advertises speeds of 240Mbps in exchange for $85 per month.

Faster tiers like NBN 250 are among the major beneficiaries of the changed wholesale pricing. Retailers have dropped pricing in general, so there will be plenty of competition in the coming months.

NBN 1000 plans

You don’t like waiting for downloads to finish, that’s why you’re looking at this section. As long as you don’t expect to hit full speeds during peak periods, NBN 1000 plans are for households that live on the internet.

Superloop remains the cheapest NBN 1000 plan in February, offering its ‘Lightspeed’ tier for $99 a month for six months. Without discounts, its $109 price point is still good value, especially considering Superloop advertises one of the fastest evening speeds at 600Mbps. It also comes with a bonus Amazon Eero6+ router (normally $249.99 by itself) if you connect for 18 months.

Both Tangerine and Exetel also offer sub-$100 plans, albeit with slower advertised speeds. Tangerine lists typical evening speeds of 350Mbps, while Exetel is slightly faster at 400Mbps.

---

As well as the cheapest NBN plans, make sure you check out the cheapest pre-paid SIM plans to save the most amount of money.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

The post Cheapest NBN plans – February 2024 appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

Cheapest SIM plans in Australia – February 2024

Are you looking to save on your phone bill? We’ve rounded up the cheapest SIM plans from a range of different carriers to help you find the best price. If you’re unsure about whether a SIM-only mobile plan is what you need, our quick guide to SIM only mobile plans will get you up to speed.

Generally speaking, if you don’t want a new phone or a lock-in contract, a SIM plan is the way to go. It’s easy to get what you need without paying for excess features. Unlimited phone calls and text messages usually come standard, with data and international roaming the main points of difference.

We update this article monthly, so bookmark this page to keep up to date with the cheapest SIM plans. Prices update in real-time, meaning you get the latest deals available in Australia right now. You can also use a custom search to choose a plan that suits your exact needs. All of the plans featured in this article include an expiry period of at least 28 days. You can purchase a SIM plan with a shorter recharge window, ideal for travellers who only need a bit of data while visiting Australia.

Want to save on your internet bill too? Check out the cheapest NBN plans to save even more money. You can also compare the best Telstra SIM-only plans, Vodafone SIM-only plans, and offerings from Boost Mobile.

Contents

• What you need to know
• Phone number portability
• Cheapest SIM plans
• Cheapest 5G SIM plans
• Cheapest 365-day SIM plans

What you need to know about SIM only plans

It’s fairly easy to change your SIM plan provider. However, you’ll need to add a new SIM each time. eSIM technology is emerging as an alternative that sees you store details on your device, instead of a small physical card.

Irrespective of which service provider you go with, the actual network used will be either Optus, Telstra or Vodafone. Many of the cheapest SIM plan providers are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). This refers to carriers that use the network infrastructure of another company.

Boost Mobile is a popular MVNO that has full access to Telstra’s network, reaching 99.5% of Australians. Not every MVNO includes a network’s full coverage, so it’s worth checking a company’s website to ensure your area is serviced.

In terms of how much data you should choose, data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that Australians generally pay for more than what they need. On average, Aussies use 10.2GB of phone data per month, so it’s likely you could get away with a smaller allowance that costs less. It also depends on how much you stream and download content using your phone. If you mainly use home or office Wi-Fi and don’t stream much, stick with a cheaper plan.

Postpaid versus prepaid

There are a couple of slightly different SIM plan options to choose from. Postpaid refers to plans that operate on a monthly billing cycle, where you pay at the end of each cycle. Postpaid SIM plans generally don’t involve a lock-in contract, so you can freely swap if your needs change or a better deal comes along. If you hit your data cap for a month, your telco might limit speeds until the next cycle or charge extra costs, so check the fine print beforehand.

Prepaid, on the other hand, sees you pay at the start of each cycle for a fixed number of days. Most prepaid SIM plans have a 28-day expiry cycle instead of a full month. Shorter expiries are also available if you need a SIM while travelling, making it a flexible option. The upside is that if you go over your data limit, you won’t incur extra costs. A lot of prepaid plans don’t automatically recharge by default but you can set up auto-recharge manually, with some telcos offering discounts or bonuses if you do so.

Phone number portability

The SIM changeover process takes about 10 minutes of your time. You will receive instructions to visit a website, provide your details, prove your identity (online) and then insert your new SIM. Note you will have a choice to migrate your existing mobile number or choose a new one. About 15 minutes later, you should be up and running. However, the documentation will indicate it may take up to 24 hours and be affected by working hours.

Cheapest SIM plans

Postpaid

Both iiNet and Dodo have the current cheapest SIM plans at $10 a month. iiNet, a Vodafone MVNO, has a half-price discount on its 8GB plan for the first six months, bouncing back to $19.99 afterwards. Dodo, on the other hand, only includes 2GB of data but it stays at a flat $10, offering a cheap Optus connection for anyone who doesn’t use much mobile internet.

If you need more data, iiNet’s 16GB plan costs just $12.50 per month for the first six months, normally costing $24.99. Another decent option comes from Spintel on the Optus network, offering 25GB of data at $14 a month for the first six months. Afterwards, the price goes up to a still-reasonable $22.

As always, Kogan is another one of the cheapest postpaid SIM plan providers. For $15 a month, you get 10GB of data via the Vodafone network. Postpaid SIM plans on the Telstra network start at $20 via Numobile with 10GB of data. It only uses parts of Telstra’s network, so check the coverage map beforehand.

On a slight tangent, both iiNet and TPG started offering eSIM products. Alongside plenty of other providers, it makes it easy to swap plans and save money in a matter of minutes, as long as you have a compatible handset.

Prepaid

On the Prepaid side, the current cheapest SIM plan comes from TPG (Vodafone 4G network). Its plans are half-price, with the normally $20 12GB plan just $10 for the first six months. One perk to note here is that the TPG prepaid plans operate on a monthly cycle, not the 28-day or 30-day expiry of other products. You can also pay an extra $5 for unlimited international calls to 37 countries including New Zealand and the UK.

Yomojo (Optus), Lebara (Vodafone), and Lycamobile (Telstra) all sit around $15, although Lycamobile has a 28-day expiry compared to the others’ 30-day window.

Cheapest 5G SIM plans

As 5G rolls out to more parts of Australia, and compatible phones become cheaper, it’s easy to take advantage of higher download speeds. 5G SIM plans cost more, so are better suited to users who need the extra speed or perhaps don’t have reliable NBN connections.

Postpaid

You can currently get a postpaid 5G SIM plan for less than $20 a month via Moose Mobile, which is one of the cheapest options seen in recent times. Moose runs on the Optus network, including 15GB of data on its cheapest $16.80 monthly plan. It’s $3 off for the first 12 months, after which, it’s still the cheapest by some margin at $19.80. For only a few dollars more, you can get even more data, making it a decent 5G option.

With Telstra, the cheapest postpaid 5G SIM plan is Belong’s 25GB tier at $29 per month. Download speeds are capped at 150Mbps, which is still pretty fast. If you’re an AGL customer, you can get a 20GB plan for $25 per month using the Optus network.

You’ll need to pay more for 5G on the Vodafone network, however, with the cheapest monthly plan coming in at $49, with 50GB included. Both Telstra and Optus MVNOs offer more data at cheaper rates as far as postpaid SIM plans are concerned.

Prepaid

On the prepaid side of 5G, most of your cheapest options are starter packs. For $15, you can grab a SIM from Amaysim or Vodafone. With Amaysim, you get 50GB for the first renewal (up from 32GB), before the equivalent recharge starts at $30. Vodafone also has its $30 starter pack for $15. It usually includes 20GB of data but is up to 45GB for the first three recharges. Plus, if you enable automatic recharges, you get $5 off.

Boost Mobile currently has one of the cheapest prepaid 5G SIM plans outside of starter packs at $22 for each recharge, lasting 28 days, albeit only with 7GB of data. Until 5 February 2024, you can pick up a $45 SIM card for just $17, which comes with 60GB for the first three recharges. An advantage Boost has over other Telstra MVNOs is full network access, meaning it provides more comprehensive coverage than those that only use part of the network.

Speaking of which, Aldi Mobile costs $29 per 30-day renewal and includes 25GB, plus an additional 25GB for the first three recharges. It uses parts of Telstra’s network, so check that your location is included on the coverage map.

Optus also has a couple of discounted starter prepaid SIM packs, starting from $20. They also include bonus data for the first six recharges (28-day cycle), with 60GB a healthy amount. Keep in mind that you’ll pay the usual price for each recharge, with the $20 starter pack giving way to $45 recharges, and so on. Meanwhile, Optus’ $35 prepaid 5G SIM plan includes 40GB for the first six recharges, up from 20GB.

Cheapest 365-day SIM plans

If you know what you need over a longer period and want to save money in the process, a 365-day SIM plan might do the trick. Simply pay once per year, and get a bank of data to use with unlimited calls and texts. It’s a cost-effective way of paying your phone bill for basic internet users who aren’t big downloaders.

At the top of the list is Catch Connect (Optus network) with a $119 365-day SIM plan including 120GB, down from $150, a promotion valid until 6 February 2024. Kogan follows closely behind with its $120 plan with 120GB to use throughout the year, with subsequent recharges including 80GB.

For more data, Vodafone has $100 off its long-term Prepaid Plus Starter Pack. Down to $150, it gives you 5G access and a sizable 240GB of data. Live until 5 February 2024, this plan normally costs $250 and includes 150GB.

On the Telstra network, Woolworths’ Everyday Mobile long-expiry SIM plan costs $170 for 125GB. If you want the full Telstra network, however, you’ll need to pay $230 for the Boost Mobile plan, including 170GB. This still works out to be less than $20 a month, so it’s reasonable value for 5G connectivity.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

The post Cheapest SIM plans in Australia – February 2024 appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

Apple Vision Pro review roundup: a dazzling headset display

Built to ring in the era of “spatial computing”, the Apple Vision Pro is about to launch in the US, which means it’s review time.

Available exclusively in the US starting on 2 February, the mixed-reality headset is Apple’s bet on the next big thing. From our hands-on (or face-on) experience at WWDC last year, it’s undoubtedly a remarkable piece of technology.

Now, reviews from major overseas publications are landing, offering glimpses of what the Apple Vision Pro is like away from heavily-curated demos. So, what’s the overall consensus?

Predictably, Apple’s hardware is impressive and it seamlessly fits into the company’s software ecosystem. However, there’s still a way to go before it replaces conventional computers. And not just because it costs US$3,499.

What the Apple Vision Pro reviews say

Kicking off the Apple Vision Pro review cycle, The Verge’s Nilay Patel praised the device’s crisp Micro OLED display that cleverly uses the space around you. He recalled opening apps and windows in different rooms of the office, walking away, and then returning, with each window as he left it. And the way the Vision Pro integrated with other Apple devices enabled working on a massive virtual screen anytime, anywhere.

See Also

17/01/2024

Forget the Apple Vision Pro release date, its killer app is here

Although the gesture-based controls improve on attempts from competing headsets, Patel regularly encountered frustrations. Virtual typing was slow and cumbersome, while the need to look directly at controls to use them created friction. Above all else, Patel described the headset as “such a lonely experience” that makes it tricky to share what you’re seeing with others.

Image: Valens Quinn.

Over at the Wall Street Journal, Joanna Stern felt like she was in the future as depicted in Minority Report. Like Patel, she enjoyed easily swapping between large virtual screens just by looking around the room. Stern’s review also reinforced that you’ll want to use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse for precise inputs like word processing.

Other things that stood out in the WSJ review were the cinema-like experience of watching 3D movies with spatial audio, and viewing lifelike spatial videos shot by an iPhone 15 Pro. A cool use case involved transforming the kitchen into a virtual command centre, using video passthrough to place timers above different pots on the stovetop.

Stern concluded her review by recognising that while the Apple Vision Pro is the best mixed-reality headset, it’s very much the first public iteration. Heaviness, short battery life, lack of app support, and the high price were all drawbacks.

Similar criticisms came from Apple Vision Pro reviews published on CNET and Tom’s Guide. It’s an awe-inspiring headset with plenty of cross-device functionality, albeit hampered by affordability and limited third-party support at launch.

---

Like with any first-generation hardware, there are kinks to iron out. We’ll know more about the device’s future once it launches in the US later this week.

Read more wearable technology news on GadgetGuy

The post Apple Vision Pro review roundup: a dazzling headset display appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

M2 MacBook Air 15″ tested: is it a good laptop for students?

As the school year starts up again, so does the unenviable task of choosing a decent laptop. Making the decision painstakingly difficult are various factors, capped off by the near-limitless options to choose from. At the more premium end of the scale, Apple’s MacBook Air, which now comes in 15 inches, presents as a lightweight and powerful machine. However, is it suitable for school students?

When choosing a school laptop, you need to weigh up many different things. Price is a major consideration, as is durability. What good is any device that can’t hold up to the rigours of the schoolyard? Plus, it needs to be powerful enough to handle different subjects, some of which need more computing grunt than others.

Before you commit to buying anything, first check with your child’s school. Some schools provide loan devices, while others adopt a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy. In the latter case, your school will provide a list of requirements that a laptop should meet so it works nicely with other school technology.

As for whether to choose a Windows laptop or a MacBook, there are no explicitly wrong choices. Generally speaking, Windows devices are more affordable. MacBooks, on the other hand, cost more but come with a range of other benefits.

Important criteria for school laptops

Contrary to many popular sayings, size does matter – when it comes to laptops. Your child needs to carry it to and from school and in between classes, so avoid anything too heavy. Some schools recommend you get a device that weighs less than 2kg. Complicating matters, you also want a decent-sized screen that’s easy to read. Anywhere between 13-15 inches is a good sweet spot to aim for.

MacBook Airs live up to their name: they’re thin, light, and easy to carry. Image: Chris Button.

Next, you want to find a laptop that’s powerful enough to handle day-to-day use. If your child only needs something capable of basic word processing, emails, and web browsing, you can get away with a lower-powered machine. Conversely, more processing power is needed for any subjects involving photo and video editing, digital art, music production and so on.

While a good CPU is not the be-all and end-all, it certainly helps. A recent Intel i3 or AMD equivalent CPU is fine for basic tasks but struggles under more complex loads. Since Apple moved to its M-series chips, starting with the M1, its laptops have combined impressive performance with class-leading battery life.

Many schools recommend 8GB of RAM or memory, which many laptops include as standard. If your budget stretches far enough, 16GB will help future-proof the device, lasting through high school and beyond as your child’s computing needs increase.

As for storage, a 128GB solid-state drive (SSD) should be the bare minimum. Much of modern schooling and work relies on cloud storage, like Microsoft OneDrive, so drive space isn’t as important as it perhaps once was. But you’ll still want more storage space for local files, particularly for photo and video projects that take up more space. 256GB is a safer bet, while 512GB offers more breathing room. Worst case scenario, you can get an external storage drive if the laptop fills up.

Another important factor for any school laptop is connectivity. Check how many ports a device comes with, and what wireless technology it supports. Aim for at least Wi-Fi 5 support, which supports dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) technology. An HDMI port makes it easy to connect to external displays like TVs (although this can also be done wirelessly), while you’ll want multiple USB ports to connect other devices such as storage drives, headphones, etc.

Of course, this all falls in a heap without a battery capable of lasting the school day. Anything with six hours or more is good enough, but laptops with longer-lasting batteries will cause fewer frustrations in the long run.

Why consider a MacBook Air?

There are many good laptops suited to students, across all brands. For those who can afford it, Apple’s MacBook Air stands out for a few reasons: its premium build quality, a good balance between power and portability, and excellent battery life.

After using a 15-inch M2 MacBook Air as my main work laptop lately, it’s an easy device to recommend. While it’s not as powerful as a MacBook Pro, its versatility is impressive. My work involves a combination of word processing, countless browser tabs, and occasional photo editing – all of which the MacBook Air handles without trouble. Even when editing podcast audio and video, it gets the job done without fanfare.

Often, I don’t need to plug the laptop in for charging until well into the next day. Plus, it’s extremely light and fits easily into a backpack. My only complaint is that the Midnight finish is an absolute fingerprint magnet. I’m a sweaty guy, so the laptop is covered in smudges after not much use. It’s nothing a microfibre cloth can’t solve – you’ll just need to wipe it regularly. Notably, it doesn’t have an HDMI port, although two Thunderbolt 4 ports let you connect to a docking station instead.

Smudges show up easily on the Midnight-coloured MacBook Air. Image: Chris Button.

One of my colleagues mentioned that an entry-level MacBook Air has lasted far longer for her kid than any laptop before it. Some cheaper laptops are made from flimsy materials, with the hinges giving out before the school year ends. Not so with the Air. Its aluminium chassis has withstood the kid’s school life with both the hinges and screen intact.

What about the price?

Look, any Apple device costs more than its competitors. That does put it out of reach of many families hamstrung by the plethora of other school expenses. Despite its up-front cost, a MacBook Air delivers on its investment.

Apple, like other companies, offers education pricing to students, teachers and staff to help make its hardware more affordable. For example, the 13-inch M1 MacBook Air starts at $1,349, while the M2 model begins at $1,649. With the education discount, the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air costs $1,999 for the base configuration instead of $2,199.

What you need to look out for, however, is that the cost quickly increases when choosing a more powerful configuration. The 15-inch M2 MacBook Air I tested costs a total of $2,799, including a memory upgrade of 8GB up to 16GB, and a 512GB SSD. With the education discount, it’s $2,569, which is still a fair bit of money for a school laptop.

In return, you do get longevity. It’s an excellent and durable device with one of the longest-lasting batteries I’ve encountered in a laptop. You can absolutely get a laptop for less than $1,000 or even under $500. While some devices may not last the distance, a MacBook Air is a long-term investment that will serve your child through school, university, and even into the workplace.

MacBook Air M2 15″ specifications

Display	15.3-inch Liquid Retina display 2880 x 1864 resolution
Processor	Apple M2 8-core CPU 10-core GPU 16-core Neural Engine
Memory	16GB (up to 24GB)
Storage	512GB (up to 2TB)
Price (RRP)	$2,799 (with the above configuration) (from $1,999 with education discount)
Warranty	One year
Official website	Apple Australia

Is the MacBook Air a good laptop for students?

Without a doubt, a MacBook Air is an excellent laptop for students, whether they’re at school or university. It’s even a great device for work. Best suited to those studying any form of media or creative industry, a MacBook Air is a versatile laptop for school and beyond.

Its base configuration, even with the older M1 model, is more than enough for everyday schoolwork. With more powerful internals, the MacBook Air does get a bit pricey, but its longevity increases accordingly.

Read more laptop news on GadgetGuy

The post M2 MacBook Air 15″ tested: is it a good laptop for students? appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

MacBook Air M3 and overhauled iPad Pro devices to arrive soon

Synonymous with the tablet form factor, Apple’s versatile iPad range is set for a big shakeup soon, with new devices expected to arrive by the end of March. Alongside the tablets, the MacBook Air will soon get the latest M3 processor.

It’s been a busy start to the year for the Silicon Valley company, having recently overtaken Samsung as the world’s top phone seller and preparing to launch its new mixed-reality headset. Add in the European Union-compliant App Store changes and you’ve got a recipe for a full-on January.

On the hardware side of things, new iPads and MacBook Airs are nearly here. As reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, iPad Pros and MacBook Airs equipped with Apple’s latest M3 chip have hit production lines. They’re expected to launch by late March, meaning an official announcement is just around the corner.

MacBook Air M3 and iPads to usher in big changes

Although the current tablet range, including the iPad Air and M2 iPad Pros, are great devices, tablet fatigue has set in among consumers. IDC figures from November 2023 indicated that worldwide tablet shipments dropped by 14.2% year-on-year. Apple still leads Samsung, its nearest competitor, by a sizable margin, but there’s less demand overall.

As tipped by Gurman, the iPad Pro will get “its first major overhaul in half a decade”. In addition to wielding the more powerful M3 processor, the Pro line-up will feature OLED displays, moving away from Mini LED technology.

Some competing tablets, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, already use OLED. It means that Apple’s high-end tablets will benefit from better contrast and colour representation – great for digital artists who use iPad-exclusive apps like Procreate and Dreams.

More hints lie within the release notes for the iOS 17.4 beta, referencing new iPad peripherals. Chief among them is an upgraded Magic Keyboard designed to offer more laptop functionality, aided by an expanded trackpad. The M3 iPad Pros may also have a landscape Face ID camera.

Gurman also reported that a new iPad Air is on the way, updating the existing M1 model. At the same time, M3 versions of both the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops are imminent. Apple first introduced the larger 15-inch model at WWDC 2023, equipped with the M2 chip.

Keep an eye out for official announcements in the coming weeks, as Bloomberg’s reporting is usually on the money.

Read more tablet news on GadgetGuy

The post MacBook Air M3 and overhauled iPad Pro devices to arrive soon appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

Biggest Android 14 features worth using on your phone

Modern smartphones are far more than their components. Cutting-edge hardware is only half the equation, with good software equally as important to a good user experience. For this reason, it’s worth paying attention to Android 14, the latest major software platform for many of the most popular phones around the world.

Unlike Apple’s iPhone ecosystem that runs on a single version of its software – currently iOS 17 – Android is a little more complicated. This is mainly because many different phone manufacturers use Android software, while only iPhones can use iOS. Although Apple is currently the best-selling phone manufacturer, more phones use Android than any other operating system.

Further complicating things is that just about every brand then has its own version of the software. Samsung has One UI, Oppo runs ColorOS, and so on, with each adding device-specific features to the Android 14 recipe.

Not every Android 14-compatible device gets access at the same time, either. The software update officially launched in October 2023 to coincide with the Google Pixel 8 launch. Among its main additions were features aimed at expanding customisation, privacy, and accessibility. Samsung followed soon after, rolling out One UI 6, to its flagship phones, while plenty of other handsets are yet to receive the update.

Regardless of whether your device has the update, here are some of the major features worth using.

Android 14 features to look out for

More ways to personalise your phone

Even though aesthetic features may seem frivolous, we spend that much time on our phones, so we may as well make them look nice. Android 14 streamlines the process of swapping wallpapers and choosing what you see on your phone.

One of the most helpful additions is the ability to set custom lock screen shortcuts, letting you immediately access handy controls without unlocking your phone. It ties in with some of the Google Home updates coming soon so you can control other smart devices right from your lock screen. You’re no longer bound to the default lock screen widgets – just add your own.

Not just for function, the lock screen customisation also extends to looks. Android 14 gives further control over the clock size, font, and colour. In the future, when you check the time, only to quickly forget and then check it again, it’ll look just how you like it. That even now includes a monochrome theme to add a minimalist vibe.

Android 14 introduces Ultra HDR support, a new image format that looks good on both HDR and non-HDR (or SDR) displays. There’s a fascinating in-depth explanation of Ultra HDR on Android Police. As for the short answer: images captured in the format will look nice regardless of the display they’re viewed on.

Building on the Google Pixel 8’s AI kick, wallpapers can made on the latest phones using generative AI. Via text-to-image diffusion models, you can tweak your phone’s wallpaper however you see fit.

Security and privacy

With the sheer amount of data we keep on our phones, you want to be sure it’s as secure as possible. Android 14 adds additional security measures to help protect your privacy and make informed decisions when sharing data.

From the outset, the latest Android update introduces a distinctly Apple-flavoured data security feature. You now receive pop-ups when apps request permission to access data. Here, you can deny apps access to your camera, microphone, and location, or allow temporary access. These pop-ups also explain why an app requests access, so you can better decide whether to grant permission or not.

It adds to the Privacy Dashboard that shows which apps have recently accessed sensitive data. No longer want an app to use your phone’s camera? Simply switch it off via the dashboard.

Adding to the increased privacy settings in Android 14, your health data also gets a new home. Health Connect, the central hub for all your health metrics, now lives within Android 14’s settings. A one-stop-shop for all things health and fitness, it stores your data and manages which apps get access. No matter your preference of workout app, you can use Health Connect to securely share data of your choosing. Plus, it’s all encrypted and stored locally, so no one can read it – even in the event of a hack or a cloud breach.

Accessibility

Often, some of the most substantial upgrades with new operating systems focus on accessibility. Android 14 adds several features aimed at helping people who have low vision or are hard of hearing.

For low-vision users, the default magnifier is better, enabling pinch gestures to zoom in and out as needed. Additionally, the new Magnifier Settings panel lets you change the magnifier’s size and how much of the screen it magnifies. Via the accessibility settings, you can also set the magnifier to stay on between apps instead of it automatically switching off.

Android 14 makes it easier to adjust font size via a new Quick Settings tile. It also uses what’s called “nonlinear font scaling” to help keep font at a manageable size without distorting text layout.

Hearing aid connectivity also improves with Android 14. Accessibility settings now house a dedicated hearing aid setup section, while you can map controls to a shortcut for quick access. To help people who miss notification sounds, flash notifications are a recently added option. Enabled via the Accessibility and Notifications settings, your phone will flash upon receiving notifications, making them easier to notice.

Android 14 features coming soon

Several other features are also coming in future Android 14 updates. When the feature lands, you’ll be able to use your phone as a webcam via a USB cable with any computer – including Macs.

Supporting the expanded webcam functionality, an auto-framing feature will also come soon. Like Apple’s Centre Stage, it will automatically keep video callers in shot, panning and zooming to follow the subject.

Expect to see more smart home controls available soon too. With compatible devices, you’ll be able to access Google Home controls directly from your phone’s lock screen or quick settings menu. It’s designed to reduce the number of menus you need to navigate, letting you turn on smart lights or adjust temperature control even without unlocking your phone.

Read more phone news on GadgetGuy

The post Biggest Android 14 features worth using on your phone appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

Google Pixel 8 gets clever Circle to Search feature and fresh colour

Looking fresh with a new Mint colour, the Google Pixel 8 also benefits from a whole bunch of new features focused on search, generative AI, and sharing cute pet pictures with friends.

In a big recent feature drop, Google announced that both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones are now available in Mint, adding to the existing range of colours. It’s a slick new look for an already-sleek device but there’s more than just an aesthetic refresh.

When the phones first dropped last October, Google focused far more on AI features than hardware changes. It sparked a trend continued by Samsung with its AI-centric Galaxy S24 handsets, working with Google to deliver some of its most notable features.

See Also

8.9

12/10/2023

Google Pixel 8 Pro review: photo finish

Now, the intuitive Circle to Search feature is coming to Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It’s a novel search method that lets you look up anything on your phone’s screen without needing to open a separate app. Once activated, Circle to Search automatically Googles any subject via clever gesture-based controls.

See something in a photo you don’t know the name of? Just circle it and see immediate search results. It also works with text too.  When watching a video accompanied by text, simply highlight the words to Google it, saving you from manually typing in complex phrases.

Circle to Search isn’t the only immediately useful feature coming to Pixel devices. Again working with Samsung, Google has revamped its quick file-sharing technology, rebranding Nearby Share to Quick Share. Like Apple’s AirDrop feature but for Android devices and PCs, Quick Share lets you easily transfer photos, text and files from a Pixel to a compatible device.

Google Pixel 8 gets Shakespearean

If you have a Google Pixel 6 or newer, you’ll also get Magic Compose, a generative AI editing tool. Like the Samsung Galaxy S24’s Chat Assist, it rewords drafted messages to fit different tone suggestions.

For example, Magic Compose can edit your message to sound more professional when contacting a work colleague. Verbose texters might benefit from the concise tone option: “why waste time say lot word when few word do trick?” Or, if you’re in the mood for being a bit dramatic, you can even convert your message into Shakespearean.

Magic Compose uses Google’s Gemini Nano AI model, processing all requests locally on-device. Also tapping into on-device AI technology is Photomoji, a way of transforming your photos into emoji reactions. Naturally, the suggested use for this is to quickly react to friends’ messages with a neat cut-out of your cat. Which, in my professional opinion, is the objectively correct reason to use Photomoji.

Google also highlighted its temperature-taking feature on the Pixel 8 Pro. Only available in the US for now, the addition to the Thermometer app acts as a way of monitoring your health. Although no consumer device should replace expert medical advice, it could help identify when you’re running a fever.

Some of the features are available now, while Circle to Search comes to the Pixel 8 range starting on 31 January. You can check out the full details via Google’s official announcement.

Read more phone news on GadgetGuy

The post Google Pixel 8 gets clever Circle to Search feature and fresh colour appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More

Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit review: rain or shine

9

A totally wireless camera with an ultra-wide viewing angle, the solar-powered Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit is an all-seeing eye.

The rise of Wi-Fi-enabled security cameras made it much easier to install them anywhere around your home, but power still remains a challenge – especially outside. If you can’t place the camera within reach of a power point then you face the hassle of regularly taking the camera offline to recharge the removable battery, or else risk it running flat when you need it most.

This is where solar power can come to your rescue, with a solar panel charging the camera’s battery when the sun shines – so you can install it practically anywhere and know it will stay up and running, night and day.

Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit review

• First impressions
• Specifications
• Features
• Quality
• Who is it for?

First impressions

The camera is bigger and heavier than most, not to mention more expensive, but that’s because it packs in two lenses and a built-in spotlight. 

As a result of two lenses looking out to the sides, you get an impressively wide 170-degree field of view. Unlike your typical single fisheye lens which tries to give you a wide view of the world, the image from these two lenses is smoothly stitched together to ensure minimal distortion.

The camera’s bulk makes it quite conspicuous, along with its large Wi-Fi antennas, and this might make it difficult to find a good spot to install it. It’s not designed to sit on a shelf, but rather up very high so it can look down on things.

Thankfully it comes with a very flexible mount, which can attach to a screw hole on the top or bottom of the camera so you can mount it on the wall or the ceiling.

The two lenses provide an ultrawide horizontal view without the distortion of a fisheye lens.

When it comes to power, the Uniden camera has a short USB-C cable on the back. If there’s a wall socket handy, you can connect a USB-C cable (supplied) and AC adapter to power it, but of course, the point of the Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit is that you don’t need this.

You’ll also find a 10-inch solar panel in the box, with its own mounting arm so you can install it in just the right spot to catch the sun. The solar panel features a 3.6-metre USB-C cable for connecting to the camera.

To switch on the camera you need to unscrew a small panel on the camera to access its power switch but, before you do, it’s worth installing the Uniden smartphone app first. Otherwise, you’re stuck listening to the camera’s talkative installation assistant repeatedly asking you to “please run the app, add the camera and set it up”. 

From here, the setup is pretty straightforward thanks to the use of QR codes. Once it’s up and running, you can see the camera’s battery level in the app, along with an icon indicating if it’s charging and whether it’s running on AC power or the solar panel.

Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit specifications

Video	Dual lens 3K (6MP) resolution 170-degree viewing angle Night vision & thermal
Spotlight	440 lumens
Onboard storage	microSD slot
Cloud storage	Free 7-day rolling backup
Charging	USB-C from AC power or supplied solar panel
Battery	120 days standby
Wi-Fi	Dual-band 2.4/5 GHz
Ruggedness	IP65 weather-proof
Dimensions	195 x 103 x 56 mm
Weight	700 gm
Price	$599.95 RRP
Warranty	1 year
Official website	Uniden Australia

UnidenApp Cam Solo Pano kit features

The Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit has a few impressive extra features that help it stand out from the crowd.

Firstly, those dual lenses offer a very wide yet still sharp and clear view of the world.

The trade-off is a relatively narrow vertical viewing angle, which means your best view will likely come from installing it up high looking down. Even then there’s a decent-sized blind spot directly below the camera.

As such, it’s probably best suited for outdoor installation such as a big backyard – where you want to keep an eye on things in the mid-ground and distance, rather than up close. A single-lens camera might suffice if you can install it in the corner of your yard, but dual-lens is great if you need a good view left and right.

Secondly, the inclusion of a spotlight is rare on a battery-powered camera, as they generally do everything they can to conserve power and extend the time between recharges.

Realistically, a 440-lumen spotlight isn’t going to match the light you get from a proper floodlight, but it certainly helps when trying to make out details at night.

The solar panel is great for installing the camera in hard-to-reach places.

Thanks to AI-powered smart alerts, the camera can distinguish between people, pets and vehicles when sending you alerts as smartphone notifications and/or emails. Some rival camera makers only unlock such features if you pay a monthly subscription.

As you would expect, the camera supports night vision so it can see in the dark, but its “thermo sense” feature is also used to reduce false positives. If it thinks it sees a person move, night or day, it also checks for a heat signature before sending you an alert.

The camera is not designed to record constantly, only when it is triggered by an event. It stores video clips to an SD card, but Uniden also includes free seven-day rolling cloud backup which you can access remotely – handy if the camera is temporarily offline.

When watching the live view you can take advantage of the built-in speaker and microphone to talk to people on the other end. The camera can also play customised recordable voice alerts or sound its built-in siren when it detects events.

The camera is also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, if you’re looking to integrate it into a smart home.

Quality

Thanks to the dual lenses, the Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit offers a very sharp and clear picture even when you zoom in. It provides good colours and plenty of detail in the shadows, coping well with difficult lighting conditions.

Even better, you have a lot of granular control over the brightness, contrast and even the image stitching between the two lenses, to ensure it’s perfectly tuned for your chosen location.

The Undien app feels a little clunky in places, but in return, you’ve also got a lot of control over sensitivity, notifications, schedules and how the camera behaves in different situations. 

When it comes to power, the solar panel outputs enough juice to top up the battery, even on an overcast day. You shouldn’t have trouble with the battery running flat unless it’s waking up constantly to record events, at which point you might want to fine-tune the settings to reduce false positives.

Who is the Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit for?

There are quite a few cameras in Uniden’s App Cam Solo wire-free camera range, so it’s important to think through exactly why you need a camera and where you’ll place it.

The standout feature of the Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit is the ultra-wide but still sharp viewing angle, thanks to the twin lenses which naturally drive up the price. If an ultra-wide view is important to you then this is a great option, although you should weigh it up against pan and tilt cameras which let you move the camera to look around.

Likewise, you’re paying extra for the solar panel. If you’ve got easy access to a power point, there’s a cheaper AC-powered Uniden pano model with an ultrawide view and an even sharper picture.

If you don’t need the ultrawide view, you could save some cash with a single-lens solar-powered Wi-Fi camera – perhaps taking advantage of wider vertical viewing angles if you need to see more of the ground in front of the camera.

Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit

With an ultra-wide viewing angle and solar panel, the Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit sees all.

Features

10

Value for money

9

Performance

9

Ease of use

8

Design

9

Positives

Ultra-wide viewing angle and clear picture

Truly wireless: Wi-Fi and solar powered

No monthly subscription for advanced features or cloud storage

Negatives

Expensive

Limited vertical viewing angle

9

The post Uniden App Cam Solo Pano kit review: rain or shine appeared first on GadgetGuy.

Read More