Spring finally arrived but Tech Trends has been closeted indoors testing and reviewing all sorts of cool gadgets and thingamabobs for you lucky readers!

Sphero Mini

The Sphero Mini follows in the line of the original Sphero, Sprk+ and the popular Sphero BB-8. The new Mini takes much of what its previous models so successful and shrinks it down to a smaller – and more economical – package.

Sphero Mini packs tons of fun into a tiny, app-enabled robotic ball. drive, play games, learn to code, and more.

The new Mini takes much of what its previous models so successful and shrinks it down to a smaller - and more economical - package
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Now the size of a snooker ball the Sphero Mini comes in a range of robust-coloured shells which open to reveal its components within (a gyroscope and accelerator). A few fun accessories are also enclosed in the package – including half a dozen colourful mini skittles and some cones so you can layout your own course and steer your Mini through it.

Initially, a little slow to charge -especially if you have children eager to play – the app intel is easy to download and boot up and once launched is quick to get going with a colourful simple interface which is very child-friendly and easy to navigate.

Packed with teeny tiny tech such as a gyroscope, accelerometer, and LED lights and almost an hour of play time, Sphero Mini is the next big thing.

The app intel is easy to download and boot up and once launched is quick to get going with a colourful simple interface which is very child-friendly and easy to navigate
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In the app you can choose between a variety of control methods: standard joystick, tilt control, slingshot and face driving – which although may prove fun for younger players is actually quite a frustrating experience. Apart from the standard tech toy drive modes, there are also a few arcade style games tucked within the app wherein you can use the Sphero as a controller. They’re a fun little distraction but compared to what kids can play on their phones nowadays they won’t amuse them for long.

Drive Mini using different modes with the Sphero Mini app, or just by using your lovely mug. This Ball is also a Video Game controller! Use Mini as a controller to shoot your way through space, race through a tunnel, or to destroy a polygon of bricks.

The app is a great introduction to the basics of programming and with a simple drag and drop approach even younger players can make their own programs or adapt provided templates
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But it’s the Sphero Edu coding app that raises this tech toy above that of your average remote control car. The app is a great introduction to the basics of programming and with a simple drag and drop approach even younger players can make their own programs or adapt provided templates. Once you’ve become familiar with the paths and blocks that represent code you can then write your own JavaScript text programs.

Program the Mini with Javascript. If you’re feeling extra clever, download the Sphero Edu app and program your robot using JavaScript. The SPRK+ robot was built for programming. What’s the difference?

Overall the Sphero Mini is a solid reasonably priced tech toy
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Overall the Sphero Mini is a solid reasonably priced tech toy. In some ways, it suffers from the general failure of many of the interactive educational bots in that you really have to encourage the child to explore its capabilities or they will just become an expensive remote control car and have a very limited replay value. Given proper guidance, however – if you have the patience – they are a great way to encourage a basic grasp of coding.

RRP: $49.00

Review by Ashley Thorpe, Animator & Filmmaker at Carrion Films and Film & Games Correspondent at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @CarrionScreamin

Dell Visor Windows MR Headset

The first thing that hit me when I popped on the Dell Visor was its weightless comfort. It is similar in design to the PS4 VR headset and puts the weight of the device on the top of your head but is just a bit easier to get used to wearing and less front-heavy.

The first thing that hit me when I popped on the Dell Visor was its weightless comfort
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After trying some VR headsets that clamp the screen onto the front of your face with straps I have been left in physical pain (especially around the nose and ears) and so have become a connoisseur of VR comfort (or lack thereof) and the Dell design gets top marks.  Read the full review here.

Carlton AR Children’s Books

Carlton Books are at the forefront of early stage, educational AR books and I can’t think of a better use for mobile AR tech. Visually exciting and interactive technology paired with real-world play and learning should draw kids into new subjects and areas of study in a new and exciting way. It is important to note how early stage this technology is but Carlton have thrown themselves behind AR with exciting results.

Carlton Books are at the forefront of early stage, educational AR books and I can’t think of a better use for mobile AR tech
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It is important to note how early stage this technology is but Carlton have thrown themselves behind AR with exciting results
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Last year I was very impressed with their more adult-focused Alien: Augmented Reality Survival Manual, it had some very engaging AR content and is still my benchmark for this hybrid publishing format, so I was keen to try out this new series of educational AR books Tech Trends picked up at the 2018 London Book Fair. I was particularly keen to see how easy they made the process of linking the technology, the AR content and the physical books as the interaction between paper and digital needs to be seamless, immersing the reader (or user?) in the content with minimal UI friction.

First up was iExplore Bugs, off the bat this should be good as who doesn’t love creepy crawlies! The first page had clear instructions showing you how to download the app and use it. The App icon and the printed AR activation symbols were the same, making it really clear how it worked but there was no printed QR code to take you straight to the app in the iOS or Android app stores, why not? I had to open the app store and search for the app, luckily the printed instruction had the correct app name so this was not too hard but it should have been much easier.

Flying the Dragons around the room was serious fun and the quality or the AR was excellent
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After activating the AR there was a clear prompt on what to do next, look through the phone's camera and point it at the app symbol on each page to bring the bug to life
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The app is pretty large and took a while to download and install but when opened offered a taste of what was to come with a friendly animated cricket, instructions and links to other apps in the publisher series. After activating the AR there was a clear prompt on what to do next, look through the phone’s camera and point it at the app symbol on each page to bring the bug to life. My Galaxy S8 would not focus the camera inside the app and so detecting the symbol was a bit tricky, everything was permanently out of focus so the camera was not quick to activate the AR. However when it popped up the AR quality was great and the in-app bug controller, information and mini test were well designed and fun to use. The only niggle was the juddery bugs, when they were standing on the page they juddered constantly as the app calculated the ground level. This was a bit distracting but when the bugs took off and flew around the room under my control it improved a lot. This was serious fun and the quality or the AR Dragons was excellent.

The flying creatures got even better in Dragons Come to Life (so cool) where the Dragons from Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon leap off the page and let you fly them around the room. The book’s instructions and app were just as clear and the AR dragons and little human characters were really very cool. You could also swat up on the Dragon’s special powers and its Top Trumps style, abilities followed by a little knowledge test. Again the S8 camera would not focus in the app so it failed completely to activate some of the dragons, even in very bright light, quite annoying.

Carlton Books have done a really good job here and the books and apps are fun to use and very reasonably priced considering the background work this AR tech requires
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All in all Carlton Books have done a really good job here and the books and apps are fun to use and very reasonably priced considering the background work this AR tech requires. The books absolutely must have printed QR codes to take you to the right app or Carlton need to issue one app that works across all their books in a series. The friction of looking for the right app to go with the right book is simply unnecessary and easily fixed. The in-app camera failing to focus was a big issue but an app update should fix this and my only other minor niggle is the visuals and text in the books, particularly the covers. They are overselling the concept with too many images and too many mixed up fonts and bold graphics, it all looks too busy and hectic on the page. However, with publishers like Carlton pushing the Print & AR format I can see other publishers getting onboard but for now, none match the quality on show here from Carlton.

RRP: Individual books £9.99 and the Carlton AR range is here.

Aukey Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

If asked to sum up Aukey’s products I would have to say ‘best bang for your buck’ is the phrase that comes to mind. They are invariably much better quality than the price suggests, solidly built, practical and reliable. In the case of this 16W, SK-S1 wireless Bluetooth speaker I can also add, attractive.

The SK-S1 is surprisingly solid for its size. When you first pick it up gives off a feeling of quality and confidence, and the sound is very good
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There are some wacky and expensive looking portable speakers out there but this one just looks smart and modern, blending into my office, kitchen and garden. It is also surprisingly solid for its small size and when you first pick it up gives off a feeling of quality and confidence. The curved metal grills and the brushed steel top ooze a stylish simplicity and the silicone base promises to keep it clinging to any surface. Read the full review here.

ZeroWater Filter and TDS Meter

This 12-cup water filter jug from ZeroWater looks much like every other water filter out there but what makes it a more high-tech drinking solution is its patented, 5-stage Ion Exchange Filtration system, which removes virtually all dissolved solids from your water. These solids may include minerals, salts, metals, chemicals and runoff. Mmmm runoff, my favourite non-specific dissolved solid!

It removes virtually all dissolved solids from your water. These solids may include minerals, salts, metals, chemicals and runoff. Mmmm runoff, my favourite non-specific dissolved solid!
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The ZeroWater filter is also the first in its class to benefit from a sealed lid and reservoir, which allows filtered water to be poured while water, which hasn’t yet been, filtered remains in the reservoir. This adds a further 2 cups of capacity to the 10 cups of filtered water in the jug. It also features a very cool one-handed, pull and pour button spout for easy pouring from the fridge or for filling bottles. Four additional stages of water filtration ensure larger particles and other impurities are removed.

Well, I used the laboratory-grade Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter provided on our unfiltered tap water and got a reading of 078. I then filled up the jug and measured the filtered water and… dum dum duuuum! Got a reading of 000. So this seems to do a fine job of removing those unpleasant impurities from your water, and that can only be a good thing. Our water normally tastes fine if a little chloriney and after filtering through the ZeroWater tasted very different. It’s difficult to describe the taste but it is not unpleasant and definitely better than straight out of the tap.

I used the laboratory-grade Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter provided on our unfiltered tap water and got a reading of 078. I then filled up the jug and measured the filtered water and got a reading of 000
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• Certified* to reduce Lead, Chromium, & Mercury
• Premium 5-Stage Dual-Ion Exchange filtration system
• Ion-Exchange system that removes virtually all dissolved solids in your water
• The FDA requires the TDS level in PURIFIED bottled water to reach 000-010ppm. ZeroWater is the only filter in its class to achieve this level.

RRP: £39.99

Dell Precision 7720 VR-Ready Mobile Workstation

It was love at first sight when I unpacked the top spec Dell Precision 7720 VR-Ready Mobile Workstation last week. Cupid’s bow twanged and his poison arrow thudded deep into the meat of my heart, I was a gonna. She was over £7k of laptop and I was a drooling geek, palms sweaty at the prospect of an Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6 server processor, Nvidia Quadro P5000 and a Samsung SM961 M.2 SSD. My shaking hands slowly peeled off her cardboard clothes, plugged her straight into the mains and turned myself on So how was it? Well, it was sweet while it lasted but she soon left me and drove away with the same cheeky UPS driver! Read the full review here.

Aukey Powered USB 3.0 Hub

Like Apple, PC motherboard makers seem to be on a crusade to limit external connections. I suspect this might be due to the variety of new superspeed connections users expect every board to have pushing out the more practical and proven connections such as USB 3. I have never had the need for an expansion card or hub like this one from Aukey before but with only six USB 3 ports on my PC (four on the rear and two on the front) and a wealth of USB dongles and devices I was struggling. Sure I tried a few small two or three port extenders that did the job but a mains powered, six-port hub like this provided a much-needed connectivity boost.

I have never had the need for an expansion card or hub like this one from Aukey before but with only six USB 3 ports on my PC and a wealth of USB dongles and devices I was struggling
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The hub adds six SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports to your laptop or desktop computer, plus Aukey threw in one Smart Quick-Charging Aipower port and a Gigabit Ethernet port capable of accessing superfast network speeds of up to 1000Mbps. With the palm-size and lightweight design the CB-H17 Powered USB hub retains high-speed access to all of your devices without overloading your pocket or desktop. With USB data transfer rates of up to 5Gbps, you’ll be able to sync files and interact with your Mac or PC more efficiently than ever.

This hub adds six SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports to your computer, plus one Smart Quick-Charging Aipower port and a Gigabit Ethernet port capable of accessing superfast network speeds
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This is a very robust little hub from Aukey and is a worthy addition to your home computer, you won't know how you survived without one
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Powered by a 12V/3A mains adapter you can use your all external USB hard drives and even charge your smartphone or tablet when your computer is turned off (except for the iOS system), that could come in pretty handy! This is a very robust little hub and is a worthy addition to your home computer, you won’t know how you survived without one.

• Compact and slim design effectively saves your desk space and expands your connectivity
• One 2.4A output smart charging port provides full-speed and sufficient powers to charge all Apple and Android Smartphone, tablets and other USB charged devices
• The Ethernet port supports 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet. Support WinXP/ 7/ 8/ 10, Linux, Mac OS
• Package Contents: AUKEY CB-H17 Powered USB Hub, 3.3ft USB Cable, 12V/3A Power Adapter, User Manual, 24 Month Warranty Card

RRP: £19.99 reduced from £24.99 on Amazon UK

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post April 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

Another month packed with products to review, March saw a range of practical and affordable gadgets drop into our postbox for evaluation.

Tech21 Phone cases for the Galaxy S9 – Evo Check & Pure Clear

Finding the right case for your bankruptcy-inducing new smartphone is a very personal decision. Some people like strong, hard, utilitarian cases that feel bulletproof and some more tactile rubbery cases that stick to your hand like glue and promise to bounce when dropped. Well, Tech21 have sent me one of each to test here. Tech Trends has yet to get its hands on the new Galaxy S9 (get your act together Samsung!) but our S8 is only millimetres different in size and for testing purposes fitted perfectly into these Tech 21 Galaxy S9 cases.

Tech Trends has yet to get its hands on the new Galaxy S9 - get your act together @SamsungUK - but our S8 is only millimetres different in size and for testing purposes fitted perfectly into these Tech 21 Galaxy S9 cases
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I personally can’t understand anyone who flaunts their expensive phone sans case and naughtily take great pleasure spotting such dottards who have cracked their screens and not been flush enough to replace the handset. A good case is not a cheap thing and I fully expect to pay £30-50 for one. Both these Tech21 cases are pleasingly at the bottom of this price bracket and represent very good value. The Pure Clear model is hard plastic and rated for 10’ drop protection, more than anyone should need, and while the rigid plastic is not to my taste it feels very sturdy and looks good. Tech21 also address the issue of clear plastic ageing ungloriously to a vile, sweaty, yellow colour and promise the Pure Clear is ‘anti-yellowing’ so should stay looking new for longer.

These Tech21 Samsung Galaxy S9 cases are very good value at £29.95
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The Evo Check case has a wonderful sticky feel to it that means it won’t slip out of your hand easily. Our sample has a nice smoked clear finish (other colours are available) and with its more rubbery texture is rated with a mighty 12’ drop protection! The quality is really good and this case would be my choice simply for the fact the rubbery texture means it won’t easily slip off canted surfaces and would stay gripped snuggly in my hand, even in the rain. The back is decorated with a cross pattern and the edges claim three layers of FlexShock material and a patented ridge design for better impact resistance. These are good solid cases at a great price.

RRP: Evo Check £29.95 and the Pure Clear £29.95

TeckNet USB 3.0 and Ethernet hub

You can never have enough USB 3 sockets! This TeckNet hub comes with three USB 3.0 and a Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 LAN connection, which is super useful for connecting a NAS to your PC or Laptop. TeckNet promises up to 5Gbps through each USB port, that is ten times faster than sad old USB 2.0 but is still backwards compatible with both USB 2.0 & 1.1 connections.

TeckNet promises up to 5Gbps through each USB port, that is ten times faster than sad old USB 2.0 but is still backwards compatible with both USB 2.0 & 1.1 connections
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The Ethernet port should provide superfast 10/100/1000 Gigabit speeds and support IPv4/IPv6 protocols, dual channel transfer, auto transfer and data stream reversing regulation. All round it is a simple and practical hub with a useful 30cm connecting cable and the only real drawback is that it won’t work with high power consumption devices such as external hard drives and it won’t charge phones or tablets. This is a bit of a pain and means the USB ports are limited to Keyboards, Mice, Dongles and flash memory keys. Apart from this it is a solid, reliable product and is ready for travel with a sturdy metal shell.

The Ethernet port should provide superfast 10/100/1000 Gigabit speeds and support IPv4/IPv6 protocols, dual channel transfer, auto transfer and data stream reversing regulation
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• Expands your PC with three USB 3.0 ports and one RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port, an especially flexible solution for Ultrabooks, notebooks and tablets featuring USB interfaces
• Three USB 3.0 Ports: Enjoy data transfer rates of up to 5Gbps, 10 times faster than High-Speed USB 2.0. It also allows you to connect 3 USB devices simultaneously. Backwards compatible with USB 2.0/1.1 devices
• RJ45 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter: Gigabit port gives access to a superfast network, backward compatible with 1 0/100 Ethernet. Supports IPv4/IPv6 protocols, dual channel transfer mode, auto transfer and data stream reversing regulation
• Supports Hot Swap and Plug & Play on most USB ports. Built-in surge protection keeps your devices and data safe. LED indicates normal operation. Compatible with Flash Drive, External Hard Drive, Mobile Phone, Tablet, Card Reader, MP3, MP4, Mouse, Keyboard, wireless Adapter and any USB Peripherals
• Compact, Lightweight, Portable, Tecknet USB 3.0 hub with Ethernet port ensures a neat and uncluttered arrangement of all connections making sure that plugs and cables do not interfere with each other.

RRP: £12.99 in UK & $19.99 in US

Aukey HDMI switch

If like me you have used up all the HDMI inputs on your TV this neat little Bidirectional HDMI switch from Aukey might solve the problem. You can hook up two sources to one HDMI display or split one device between two displays and toggle between them, with only one monitor displaying the input at a time.

You can hook up two sources to one HDMI display or split one device between two displays and toggle between them, with only one monitor displaying the input at a time
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This is a really valuable little box to have in your home cinema or multi-monitor office setup plus it is small and as with most Aukey products just works! It supports HDMI v1.4 and high res pictures up to 4K @ 30Hz plus 3D video with a high bandwidth of 3.4Gbps data transfer speeds. Good cables are a must but it will be an indispensable asset as new devices pile up under the living room TV.

This is a valuable addition to your home cinema or multi-monitor office setup. It's small and like most Aukey products, just works! It supports HDMI v1.4 and high res pictures up to 4K @ 30Hz plus 3D video
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• Bidirectional HDMI Switch: Connect two HDMI sources to one HDMI display, or connect one HDMI source to toggle between two displays (only one monitor will display)
  High Resolution: HDMI v1.4 (HDCP 1.4 Protocol Compliant)
• Supports high resolution, up to 4k@30Hz, and 3D video
• High bandwidth 3.4Gbps data transmission speed wise
• Compatibility: Compatible with most devices with standard HDMI interface
• Input: computer, set-top boxes, DVD, PS3 / PS4 etc. Output: TV, monitors, projectors etc.
• Convenient to Use: Plug and play, don’t need to install any hard drivers; the device will work as long as it is plugged in; lightweight and compact, you can take it with you anywhere
• Package Contents: AUKEY HA-H04 2-Way HDMI Switch, User Manual, 24-Month Warranty Card

RRP: £12.99 on Amazon.co.uk

Aegis Padlock SSD

The Aegis Padlock SSD’s resilient design makes it perfect for travel, in fact, it has joined me on trips to Dubai, New York, Paris and well… Bristol
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This super tough, ultra-compact SSD is pretty fast. I got 176MBs write and 185MBs read which is more than most people will need for anything except 4K video editing. IP56 certified against water, dust and grit, with a crush-resistant aluminium enclosure and built-in USB 3.0 cable, your data is protected well beyond just encryption. The Aegis Padlock SSD’s resilient design makes it perfect for travel, in fact, it has joined me on trips to Dubai, New York, Paris and well… Bristol, and has served as my main backup drive for media on recent photo and video commisions. Read the full review here.

BakkerElkhuizen SRM Ergonomic Mouse

Be gone Carpal Tunnel syndrome! This funny looking handshake mouse might help the strains and pains of the modern worker. If you are glued to your computer 24/7 then no doubt you enjoy the misery of RSI but this offers a possible solution, at least for your tired hands. This is definitely the strangest mouse I have tried but it is also the best! No doubt it has eased the strain on the back of my wrists. It is always holding up of my fingers above the keys and mouse buttons that causes me the most pain from my wrist up to my elbow and with the handshake design my palm is almost vertical to the desktop so keeping my fingers off the buttons uses different muscles and tendons.

It's holding my fingers above the keys and buttons that causes me the most pain but with the handshake design my palm is almost vertical to the desktop keeping my fingers off the buttons naturally
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“Thanks to the “handshake” position when using a vertical mouse the wrist doesn’t bend sideways too much and the lower arm needs less inward rotation (Schmid et al., 2015). There is less muscle activity in the lower arm than when using a standard mouse.” (Quemelo & Vieira, 2013)

At first it was uncomfortable to use as my hands got used to it but after a couple of days I am seriously thinking this might become my go-to mouse (that’s not a phrase you write every day!) As a tech reviewer I have a plague of mice in my office and can barely get to the door without treading on one so singling out a favorite would enable me to purge the rest. If you suffer like I do I recommend you give it a go and if it works for you like it did for me then you will be a little happier sitting at your desk than before.

If you suffer like I do I recommend you give it a go and if it works for you like it did for me then you will be a little happier sitting at your desk than before
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It has two buttons and a scroll wheel. Using this mouse correctly reduces muscle tension, reducing the symptoms and causes of RSI within the workplace. The SRM Mouse is designed for small and medium-sized hands (hand widths of up to 9 cm, excluding the thumb). The SRM Mouse also has a powerful laser sensor and the option to choose between 400/1600/3200 DPI.

BakkerElkhuzien is a Gold-certified Microsoft partner – Gold certification is the highest accreditation that Microsoft awards. The SRM Mouse is available as wireless or corded. More information can be found at BakkerElkhuizen

Üllo Wine Purifier

Check the label on 95% of wines in your average shop and you will see “Contains Sulfites”. Whilst the addition of sulfites to wine as a preservative is useful during the transportation and storage of wine in order to prevent against oxidation and bacterial spoilage, they are no longer needed once the bottle is opened. It has just become part of the process for most international wine producers and might not be a bad thing if it means the wines stay good for longer, however, if you want to enjoy your wine without these additives Üllo’s Selective Sulfite Capture technology is the answer.

Adding sulfites to wine as a preservative is useful during the transportation and storage of wine in order to prevent against oxidation and bacterial spoilage, they are no longer needed once the bottle is opened
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“Here at Üllo we believe the best things in life are simple and pure, especially when it comes to the things we eat and drink. It is for this reason that we developed Selective Sulfite Capture technology to purify wine and ensure that wine lovers can enjoy wine in its natural state. We understand that the UK is a nation of wine lovers so we hope that our product offering will help Brits enjoy wine in its very best form!”

This Üllo filter is a cool looking, reusable kitchen gadget and as Tech Trends is a very busy place we all like to unwind at the end of the day so we bought a few sulfite packed wines, popped a few corks and gave in to bacchanalian excess. To be perfectly honest I rarely drink the same wine twice so comparing a filtered to an unfiltered vino wasn’t an option but I am keen to put fewer chemicals in my body whenever possible and I do know a good wine from vinegar so can safely say that the Üllo Wine Purifier did not ruin the taste of the red and white wines I tested and I hope it saved my liver the miserable job of absorbing all those nasty sulfites, only my mortician will ever truly know.

It not only purifies any wine by removing sulfites and sediment, it also aerates electively with the on/off aerator switch and rests gently on top of any wine glass or can be handheld
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It not only purifies any wine by removing sulfites and sediment, it also aerates electively with the on/off aerator switch and rests gently on top of any wine glass or can be handheld. It stores beautifully in its display base and includes Ullo Wine Purifier, Travel Bag, (4) Selective Sulfite Capture Single Bottle Filters easily disassembles, Dishwasher Safe, Hand Wash Recommended, Made from Food Grade BPA-free materials! Each filter purifies 1 (750 Milliliter) bottle of wine.

RRP: £69.99

DBPower RD-810 Mini LED Projector

You can pay a packet for a home cinema projector, but what about the other end of the spectrum – cheap and functional?
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You can pay a packet for a home cinema projector. Remember the Sony VPL-VZ1000ES? Admittedly that is one of the finest short throw projectors out there, but it costs circa £20k ($28k), not including the Sony 4K Advanced SXRD screen… Well, what about the other end of the spectrum – cheap and functional? Read the full review here.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post March 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.

Blast away the February blues, keep your data safe and all your devices charged with Tech Trends’ latest product reviews!

Aukey 20,000mAh Power Bank

Has Tech Trends found the best power bank ever? Well, we just might have! Sure it is big but it is deliciously slim and rounded so it will slip effortlessly into bags and briefcases.

Has Tech Trends found the best power bank ever? We just might have!
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It isn’t one of those sharp cornered bricks that end up blocking satchel pockets and making itself a flipping nuisance, this power bank will sit comfortably between your laptops and folders of paperwork. Its smooth, slim shape is not its only practical feature though, as it also packs 20,000mAh of juice to charge an iPhone 7 around seven times or your Samsung Galaxy Note 8 four times over.

This smooth, slim power bank will sit comfortably between your laptops and folders of paperwork, and it packs 20,000mAh of juice
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I challenge you to find a cable this won’t work with! It has all the standard connections for Apple and Android users, Lightning IN, USB-C IN and Micro USB IN mean you can charge it up whichever flavour of smartphone or tablet you prefer. The three standard USB and one USB-C OUTs mean you can drain all that lovely power into your devices, be it an iPhone X, an iPad, an Honor 7X or a Samsung Galaxy S8 or, charge all four devices at the same time!

It is deliciously slim and rounded so it will slip effortlessly into bags and briefcases. It isn’t one of those sharp cornered bricks that end up blocking satchel pockets and making itself a flipping nuisance
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It comes with Aukey AI Power which supports healthier battery function and faster-charging speeds as well as automatic charging, so just plug in your tech and it will start charging
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Of course, there are LED indicators and a small power button one side but that won’t get much use as it also comes with Aukey AI Power which supports healthier battery function and faster-charging speeds as well as automatic charging, so just plug in your tech and start charging. Currently reduced on Amazon this power bank is the boss, and no mistake.

• Large Capacity: 20000mAh to charge your iPhone 7 6.8 times, or 9.7-inch iPad Pro 1.8 times, or Samsung Galaxy Note 8 4 times
• Universal Charging: 3A total output to charge a USB-C device and three USB-A devices simultaneously (the USB-C port can supply a powerful 3A by itself). Recharge your power bank via USB-C, Lightning, or micro-USB port
• Refined Design: Slimline form makes it comfortable to hold and matte surface keeps it free of fingerprints. Minimalist LED indicator shows remaining battery level at a glance
• Safety Features: Built-in safeguards protect your devices against excessive current, overheating, and overcharging
• Package Contents: AUKEY PB-Y14 20000mAh Power Bank, USB-A to USB-C Cable, User Manual, 24-Month Warranty

RRP: £34.99 reduced from £54.99, wow!

TeckNet Raptor Wired Optical Gaming Mouse

The wired, desktop mouse might feel old school nowadays when digital artists and illustrators use pens & tablets for line drawing instead. But for fine cursor control and ease of use, nothing has really beaten the mouse. It also allows you more finger controls than a pen and this lovely USB optical mouse from TeckNet has 8 buttons to keep your digits busy. It also has shifting coloured LEDs meaning you can find it in the dark and frankly it looks quite cool, definitely not retro.

This mouse just feels more natural, squeezing the whole mouse from the side with your thumb to left click is much more comfortable for me
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After testing this out for a few weeks I can safely say that I don’t need all 8 buttons but the options are there for those who need them. The one button that has changed the way I navigate my PC is the extra thumb button that acts as a second left click option, it just feels more natural, squeezing the whole mouse from the side with your thumb is much more comfortable for me. The super accurate scroll and click wheel with its rubberised edge is also really comfortable and does exactly what I want, when I want, unlike many other scroll wheels I have used.

This lovely USB optical mouse from TeckNet has 8 buttons to keep your digits busy. It also has shifting coloured LEDs so you can find it in the dark
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The next most useful additions are the two Back and Forward buttons that also sit by the thumb. You need to consciously articulate your thumb to reach them but having those common navigation functions right there in your hand is awesome for surfing the web. ‘Built for winners’ and ‘developed with gamers in mind’, every component from the really nice braided cable and tactile surfaces to the gold-plated USB connector is constructed from high quality materials and the 8 buttons also boast a 7 million click lifespan so both gamers and regular users will get more bang for their buck. What’s more, by adding 40g of extra weight to the mouse and a nice ergonomic design, this mouse can be used for hours in total comfort. When it comes to mice, evolution is everything.

• Accuracy is everything: The RAPTOR’s features exclusive TeckNet TruWave gaming sensor optimizations for high-accuracy cursor control. Whether zipping across the screen or honing in on a single pixel, the TruWave gaming sensor responds accurately to your hand movements. This mouse also can be used on any surface, including transparent glass
• Premium Eight Buttons: Bear up to 7 million times click with clear and crisp sound. The unique fire button enables triple clicking at one press and keeps you on top of your game, all the time.
• Fits Like a Glove: Ergonomically designed to fit snugly under the palm of your hand with intuitive button placement for the most comfortable gaming experience yet.
• Be ready in an instant: Make the right moves in any game situation. Shift through up to three DPI settings, from pixel-precise targeting to lightning-fast manoeuvres with a single button press, conveniently located behind the scroll wheel
• TeckNet 18 Months Warranty: At TeckNet, we believe in our products. That’s why we back them all with an 18-month warranty and provide friendly, easy-to-reach support
• Compatible: Win 98/2000/ME/XP/Vista/7/8 /10

RRP: £8.99 in the UK & $13.99 in the US

Aukey USB C Cable to USB 3.0 Type A – 5 Pack

The adoption of USB-C is almost complete. The majority of smartphones and laptops have this superfast connection as standard now and it won’t be long before external drives make use of its fast bus speeds to connect computers to the next generation of SSDs whose transfer speeds far outpace USB 3.0. USB-C ports are even popping up on ATX Motherboards alongside USB 3.1 Gen2 connections so it in your interest to have a few cables to hand.

The majority of smartphones and laptops have this superfast USB-C connection as standard now and it won’t be long before PCs join the new Apple Macs, sporting it as default
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Again Aukey is on hand with an insanely well priced and high-quality option. This 5 pack of (different length) USB 3.0 to USB-C cables is only £16.99 on Amazon here in the UK and claim Data Sync and Charging for Samsung Note 8 / S8+ / S8, MacBook Pro 2016, Nexus 6P / 5X, Google Pixel, LG G5 V20, HTC 10 among others. I had no problems transferring data with these cables but it is important to note that in the emerging and confused world of ‘fast charging’ standards, different smartphone manufacturers vary a lot so it would be foolish to guarantee these would fast charge all devices. The fact the phone manufacturers all recommend you only use their branded cables for fast charging is a bit of a hint that they have different standards so be aware of this. However, these Aukey cables fast charged my Samsung Galaxy S8 without an issue using the a Quick Charge USB 3.0 Mains Charger.

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Data transfer to and from Android devices is a bit of a pain in the arse and I had no luck connecting my S8 to a MacBook Pro with either the supplied Samsung USB-C cable or these Aukey cables. Android and MacOS famously don’t get on and even Google’s Android File Transfer app failed to get the two devices connected. However, on a Windows 10 PC, there was no problem and no extra drivers needed. Transfer speeds over the Aukey cables were stunning – Read 492MBs & Write 231MBs with 4GB files. That is quick!

Transfer speeds over these Aukey cables to my Samsung Galaxy S8 were stunning - Read 492MBs & Write 231MBs with 4GB files. That is quick!
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• Compatible Devices: Samsung Note 8 / S8+ / S8, MacBook Pro 2016, ChromeBook Pixel 2015, Nexus 5X / 6P, OnePlus 3 / 2, HUAWEI P10 / P9, Lenovo Zuk Z1 and other type c supported devices including PC, Tablets, and other Smartphones
• USB Type C: USB C reversible connector design (plugs in both ways) allows you to conveniently connect cable in any orientation
• Data Sync and Charging: USB C cable to USB A cable enables up to 5Gbps USB 3.0 super-speed data transfer, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0. Built-in 56k Ohm, it protects your device
• Durable and Convenient: Nylon braided cable with reinforced aluminium shielding is designed to withstand every-day wear and tear, and five cables with different lengths can satisfy all your daily needs
• Package Contents: AUKEY CB-CMD2 Three 3.3ft A to C Cables + One 6.6ft A to C Cable + One 1ft A to C Cable, User Manual, 24-Month Warranty Card

These are sturdy, stylish and fast cables for a very low price. The connectors are solid and attractive and the woven cable cover is a nice upgrade from rubbery plastic. Great product.

RRP: £16.99

Aukey USB C to Micro USB Adapter Grey Aluminum – 2 pack

As a cheaper option to the cables above you can simply adapt your old Micro USB cables and chargers to fit your new USB-C smartphone. You won’t get the fast charging or the fast data transfer speeds but you will be able to charge your phone using any of the thousands of old Micro USB cables modern households have kicking around.

You won’t get the fast charging but you will be able to charge your phone using any of the thousands of old Micro USB cables modern households have kicking around
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These little, beautifully made, aluminium, USB-C to Micro USB adapters are super smart and solidly built and at £7.59 on Amazon are a steal. I tested them out and they did exactly what they were supposed to do. Personally, I scattered them around the house on the old charging cables I keep handy and reserve fast charging to my office desk and bedside.

These little beautifully made, aluminium, USB-C to Micro USB adapters are super smart and solidly built and at £7.59 on Amazon are a steal
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• USB C Male to Micro USB Female: It allows you to charge USB C devices and transfer data from micro USB devices to USB C devices with a micro USB cable
• Data transfer: USB 2.0 transfers data at a speed of up to 480Mbps; equipped with a 56-kilo-ohm resistor to ensure the safety and reliability
• Supports USB OTG: Plugin and you can use those computer peripherals like a flash drive, keyboard, hub, or mouse with your USB C equipped phone or tablet
• Easy to Use: Lightweight and compact, with aluminium alloy design, you can take it with you anywhere; plug and play, don’t need to install any drivers; the reversible USB C connector that plugs in either direction
• Package Contents: AUKEY CB-A9 Two USB C to Micro USB Adapters ( Grey ), User Manual, 24-Month Warranty Card

RRP: £7.59

Apricorn Aegis Fortress USB 3 Secure Drive

Here we have a rugged, portable, USB 3 external drive from Apricorn, boasting incredible data security, with FIPS 140-2 level 2 Validated Encryption Module, the Aegis Fortress is a 1TB beast! Tough on the outside, FIPS-validated on the inside, and pocket-sized portability to safely carry your data anywhere you go.

Available in a wide variety of storage capacities in both HDD and more speedy SSD models the Fortress is Software-Free, 100% hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encrypted, onboard keypad PIN authenticated, with ultra-fast USB 3 data transfer speeds. As with the other Apricorn drives Tech Trends has tested, all data is encrypted on the fly and all PINs and remains encrypted while the drive is at rest so relax, your data is safe!

Available in a wide variety of storage capacities in both HDD and more speedy SSD models the Fortress is Software-Free, 100% hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encrypted
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This beauty will work wherever you work, it’s completely cross-platform compatible and OS agnostic. The Fortress thrives with Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and Chrome. It also works where software-authenticated encrypted devices can’t function, such as embedded systems and equipment in possession of a powered USB port and storage file system, but no keyboard. All internal componentry is protected from physical tampering with a layer of hardened epoxy, and the firmware is locked down to prevent any modifications making it impervious to malware attacks such as BadUSB.

This beauty will work wherever you work, it’s completely cross-platform compatible and OS agnostic. The Fortress thrives with Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and Chrome
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The Aegis Fortress comes with IP56 Certification, meaning it is dust and water resistant with a durable ABS housing and membrane keypad preventing the drive’s most commonly used buttons becoming visible through use. The drive is unlocked by entering a PIN on the keypad and not the host computer’s keyboard. Until the device is unlocked via its keypad, it remains invisible to the host. Tough enough to go anywhere, the Aegis Fortress’s resilient design makes it perfect for travel and generally well protected against physical damage but the tamper-evident external plastic shell does feel less sturdy than some of their other products.

The Aegis Fortress comes with IP56 Certification, meaning it is dust and water resistant with a durable ABS housing and a membrane keypad
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Self-Destruct PIN:
When Programmed and Activated, Performs a Crypto-Erase and Becomes New Access PIN. The last line of defence for data security when the device’s physical security is at risk. The Self-Destruct PIN defends against these physically compromising situations by erasing the drive’s contents, leaving it in normal working order appearing yet to be deployed

Drive Reset Feature:
All Apricorn Devices can be Reset and Redeployed Over and Over. Drive reset clears both the User and Admin PINs, destroys the data, creates a new randomly generated encryption key and allows the drive to be reused repeatedly, with an infinite number of randomly generated encryption keys, allowing the admin and or user to reset the drive as often as is needed.

Unattended Auto Lock:
Programmable Length of Time of Inactivity Permitted Before Drive Locks Itself. All Aegis Secure Drives will automatically lock once disconnected from a computer’s USB port or the power to that USB port is interrupted or after a pre-programmed period of inactivity.

Two Read-Only Modes:
Global, All Access Settings Controlled by Admin, and User Mode Controlling Individual Settings. Employed in situations that require the drive’s contents to be kept intact and unaltered for later examination. The two Read-Only modes are as follows: Universal Read Only is set by the admin from within the admin mode and can’t be modified or disabled by anyone but the admin. The second read-only mode can be set and disabled by a user but can also be enabled or disabled by the admin as well.

FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Inside:
Meets the U.S. government standards for information technology and computer security. NIST FIPS 140 is the cryptography standard program required by the US federal government for protection of sensitive data.

Advanced Security:
The Aegis Fortress’s FIPS 140-2 validation covers 11 areas of its cryptographic security system, including physical security, cryptographic key management and design integrity. The Aegis Fortress’s FIPS 140-2 Level 2 encryption validation encompasses both the Fortress’s physical tamper-resistant features as well as its identity-based authentication. Tested and validated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for use by the Federal governments of the USA, Canada and others, the Aegis Fortress Drive is based on Apricorn’s FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validated encryption module as indicated by certificate #2835. The Fortress’s security policy is located on the NIST site at this link.

If it is worth saving it is worth protecting and we strongly recommend the Aegis Fortress and the other Apricorn products we have tested, they prove that security doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to work
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If it is worth saving it is worth protecting and we strongly recommend the Aegis Fortress and the other Apricorn products we have tested, they prove that security doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to work.

RRP: Sizes 500GB – 2TB HDD (£155-£225) & 128GB – 8TB SSD (£135 – £3,425)

Dot Creativity Kit

Essentially the younger sibling of the Cue robot ‘Dot’ – part of Wonder workshops Creativity kit – is a chatty little robot equipped with a wide range of accessories to encourage children to both play and learn via a picture based language the basic mechanics of robotics and programming.

Less mobile and obviously aimed at a younger audience than its counterpart (6+) Dot nevertheless comes with three core downloadable mobile apps that give access to projects that range from crafting and active play to storytelling and construction.

Essentially the younger sibling of the Cue robot ‘Dot’ - part of Wonder workshops Creativity kit - is a chatty little robot equipped with a wide range of accessories
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Blocky – Playing with Dot’s lights, sensors, accelerometer, and sounds, Blockly introduces advanced concepts of coding through playful projects and puzzles. Turn Dot into a ticking time-bot, or use Dot as a robot remote control for sending Dash on adventures.

Go – Go is the first step to getting to know all that Dot can do. Give Dot a new name, change the colour of the lights, blink a robot eye, and more! It’s your mission to teach Dot how to play. Act out storybook characters, and explore the world together.

Playing with Dot’s lights, sensors, accelerometer, and sounds, Blockly introduces advanced concepts of coding through playful projects and puzzles
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The project cards provide games and challenges that direct creative play with each of the kit accessories and turn Dot into - among other things - a Disco ball
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Wonder – Wonder can power all of the Do-It-Yourself projects in the Dot Creativity Kit. Start with Wonder and discover how the picture-based language allows kids to explore and code adventures with the Dot Creativity Kit.

Dot itself is very dependent upon the apps and it is advisable if possible to use a tablet to play with them rather than a mobile as we found it very fiddly and hard to control on the relatively small screen of a smartphone. Younger children may also need a little direction to help get them up to speed and embrace the interface and how the picture language works. When things get a little baffling, on-screen prompts show the child exactly where to move each module to complete the code.

Add in Lego style connectors and a variety of stickers and ‘dress-up’ accessories to personalise your Bot and Dot transcends your usual ‘tech toy’ to become both a source of endurable fun and creative learning
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Unlike Cue – which came to life very quickly and was racing around the room in no time at all – Dot takes a little more effort and involvement before the surprises really begin. It is the project cards that really bring Dot to life and show off its varied capabilities. The project cards provide games and challenges that direct creative play with each of the kit accessories and turn Dot into – among other things – a Disco ball, a fortune telling Magic 8 ball, a talking dice or even (our favourite) a friendly programmable mood lamp.

Add in Lego style connectors and a variety of stickers and ‘dress-up’ accessories to personalise your Bot and Dot transcends your usual ‘tech toy’ to become both a source of endurable fun and creative learning.

What Comes in the Box:

• Dot the robot with attachable stand
• 2 building brick connectors
• 2 plastic to cardboard connectors
• 20 project cards with games & activities
• 10 costumes
• 1 squishy case
• 1 constructible mood lamp
• Over 100 stickers
• Multiple project accessories
• 1 charging cable
• 3 free downloadable mobile apps (Wonder, Blockly, & Go) with dozens of challenges, puzzles, and hours of free play

RRP: £76.39

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

Ashley Thorpe is Film and Games Correspondent at Tech Trends, award-winning director and animator at Carrion Filmsand full-time dad with an interest in educational toys that can entertain and educate lively young minds. Follow him on Twitter @CarrionScreamin

The post February 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.