Review

If you’re a Sony speaker enthusiast, you may look to the left and think that design looks familiar.  That’s the Sony SRS-X55, which looks exactly similar to last year’s SRS-X5. However, just like a new car, looks can be deceiving.  The extra year has given Sony the chance to re-evaluate last year’s successful design and make it even better.  The results include better sound quality and a longer battery life.  Keep reading on to find out more!

One of the most used features on any smartphone is its camera. Photo sharing site Flickr published stats showing the three most frequently used cameras among its members for 2014 were Apple iPhones. And if you own a smartphone, you are no doubt aware of the cloud-based photo storage and sharing your platform offers for free. You’ve also likely heard about related security concerns. Enter the Lyve Home, an innovative device/app combo that automatically backs up all your digital photos (and videos) to a secure hard drive, organizes them into a single library, displays them (think digital photo frame) and lets you share them as well.

It’s oddly the smarthome device I’ve wanted most to see come to Canada, and it’s just about here! The Belkin WeMo Crock Pot is your traditional slow cooker with a 21st century twist.  You can keep track of your meal while it cooks using the handy app, and even set and reset timers. Come take a look!  

One of the more popular Windows Ultrabook options in recent years has been the ASUS Zenbook series. Thin and lightweight, with instant visual appeal, Zenbooks offer a premium portable computing experience at a reasonable price. ASUS sent me their latest, the Zenbook UX303LN—with its ultra high resolution 3200 x 1800 pixel display—and a powerful Core i7 CPU. This is one handsome Ultrabook with features and performance that ensure it stands out for more than just looks.

    At CES earlier this year, quantum dot technology was touted a big thing in TV technology for 2015. Although quantum dot TV technology has been around for a few years, it hasn’t really been produced in TVs yet. LG is about to release a couple of new 4K UHD models, one of which is a quantum dot TV. What was great is that I got to test them out side-by-side and see the difference this makes. Both models were excellent sets with extremely clear pictures as you would expect with 4K sets, but the UF9500 with quantum dot technology did have better colour.

If you’re excited about the pending arrival of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge with its curved display, you aren’t alone. But it was only a few months ago that Samsung released the Galaxy Note Edge, the flagship phablet that paved the way for the Galaxy S6 Edge. I spent several weeks putting Samsung’s curved display phablet through its paces. It does take some getting used to, but the curved glass looks great, feels great and bodes well for the Galaxy S6 Edge—which puts that curve on both sides instead of Note Edge’s one.

The Canon 7D MkII is a tough, weather-resistant unit packed with a ton of features. And it can shoot frames at a rate that will surprise even the most seasoned of photographers.

The age old adage that “bigger is better!” can finally be put to rest once and for all. Roland’s mighty might of an acoustic guitar—and more—amplifier, the AC-40 is versatile enough to fill many different needs and wishes.

With winter almost officially over, it’s time to think about those spring and summertime activities, and might I recommend flying a drone?  They’re portable, compact and can turn a few heads.  In fact, I drew a crowd one afternoon while I doing nothing but minding my own business and flying the DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus for this review.  Let’s take a look at it.

Once in a while, Nintendo does some weird and experimental things with the Kirby Franchise.  Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a kickback of sorts to 2005’s Canvas Curse for the Nintendo DS.  With no controlling mechanics outside of momentum, drawing lines and a few taps, you’re definitely in for a challenge with this game.  Let’s take a look!