Latest posts
With rising processor prices, it’s time for phones to stop focusing on performance
Flagship phones are already expensive enough, but with component prices continuing to climb, 2027’s top-end smartphones could get even pricier – and for what? A slightly faster processor that most people will barely notice in everyday use? With Qualcomm confirming that Snapdragon chip prices are going up, it might be time for phone makers to…
Plug-in solar is coming, but the lack of battery support means that you might want to wait
It’s now official: plug-in solar will be legal to install in the UK from 27 August 2026. Thanks to the amended Plugs and Sockets regulations, we’ll now be able to buy solar panels and connect them directly to a plug socket, generating electricity from the sun. As we covered in our guide to when plug-in solar will…
Evaporative coolers are worth it – but only under certain conditions
It’s hot, hot, hot, and we’re all looking for ways to keep cool. While portable air conditioners are the simplest way to lower the temperature of a room without requiring professional installation, it’s hard to miss the alternatives that are pushed: evaporative coolers. Also known as air coolers, or misting fans in the UK, and…
Apple’s Mac and iPad price hikes have me worried about the iPhone 18 Pro
Apple might not have hiked the price of the iPhone 17 range this week, but the same likely won’t be true for the iPhone 18 Pro later this year. Earlier this week, the multi-billion-dollar company jacked up prices on everything from budget iPads to workstation‑class Macs, blaming what it calls an “extraordinary surge” in the…
Could active speakers spark a resurgence in hi-fi?
Every year in the hi-fi and home cinema world there are trends – some you see from the start of the year, others start to develop over the course of a few months. This type of convergence can almost be an act of serendipity – all these products launching around the same time – what…
The social media ban might be coming, but you still need parental controls, here are my top tips
Whether you’re for it, against it or indifferent to it, the social media ban for under-16-year-olds is due to come into force next year. Regardless of how that might work, the ban is not a substitute for parental controls on devices and your home network. With two kids of my own, here’s what I’ve learned.…
I’m so conflicted about Snap’s new high-tech Specs
It’s no secret that Snap has been working on a pair of AR-powered smart glasses for quite some time now – the dev kits for the hardware have been available for the past few years, and CEO Evan Spiegel always claimed that they’d be available by the end of 2026. Well, we’ve just had our…
The Dali Vega has a shape-shifting party trick, but I think there’s another that could be even better
The world of premium all-in-one music systems has grown significantly in the past few years, with some of the biggest names in hi-fi adding their own take into their line-up. Dali is the most recent of those brands, with its announcement of the Vega all-in-one wireless system. Now, I’ve had the chance to have a…
Moderns TVs are getting lost in the weeds of measurements and specs
When you buy a TV, what motivates the purchase: Picture quality? Value? Screen size? Brand loyalty? Is brightness in nits, dimming zones and Delta E colour accuracy among those ‘needs’. I’d hazard a guess and say ‘probably not’. Which is not to say that these areas are not important, but I’d make an assumption that…
I ‘upgraded’ to Gemini for Home, but wish I hadn’t bothered
After finishing up the Amazon Alexa+ review, I suddenly had an email that Google Gemini for Home was ready. I fished my Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) out of the drawer where it’s been languishing, upgraded and then set about performing some simple tasks. Could Gemini convince me to move away from Alexa? Not a chance. In fact,…