Monday 16 February 2015

JBL Clip

JBL Clip

The market for ultraportable rechargeable Bluetooth speakers is growing, I'm told. Some confirmation to this assertion came when my student daughter asked for one, so that her music can follow her around without the need for pesky headphones. This is exactly the sector that JBL is targeting with the 'Clip', a device which resembles an old style pocket watch, unaccompanied in this instance by a tardy white rabbit in a hurry.

WebSite X5 Evolution 11

WebSite X5 Evolution 11

An easy to use Web design package that doesn't need any programming skills

The last time I looked at WebSite X5 it had a somewhat dated look about it, with an interface badly in need of an overhaul. In fact the best way to describe it was, 'clunky'. However, I'm pleased to see that Incomedia are obviously a forward thinking company, because they've addressed some of these issues with a new release.

WebSite X5 is available in five different versions, each one designed to accommodate the different requirements of its users. These range from a completely free version - that allows you to create a simple website of up to 10 pages - to a professional version, incorporating over 1500 templates that are also mobile ready, and comes with 12 months free web hosting. In between these are Evolution. Compact and Home versions, with features and templates commensurate with their price.

Microsoft Lumia 635 on Vodafone

Microsoft Lumia 635

Vodafone pitches a 4G phone that most people can afford

I'm not sure why Microsoft bought Nokia. Whatever the reason, its masterplan appears to have face-planted, given the share of the mobile market the pairing has managed to grab. However, if we ignore that fact, and treat the Lumia products like Nokia's previous feature phones, they suddenly seem much more attractive. This thinking would also put the Microsoft (Nokia) Lumia 635 design at the very heart of Microsoft's mobile strategy because, having seemingly given up on ’flagship designs that can challenge the iPhone et al, the brand has been heading to the bargain end of the market at speed.

Raspberry Pi 2

Raspberry Pi 2

The new Pi appears to be a considerably tastier prospect...

The launch of the Raspberry Pi back in 2012 was something of a phenomenon. The first batch produced sold out in minutes, with demand crashing the website of manufacturer Farnell and retailer RS Components despite the early-morning launch schedule. Since then, the project - founded with the aim of producing low-cost computing hardware for educational and experimental uses - has gone from strength to strength, with the Raspberry Pi Foundation claiming world-wide sales of 4.5 million to date.

Make easy money from your old tech

Make easy money from your old tech

Out with the old and in with the new. David Crookes looks at the growth of recycling websites and explains how to maximise your gadgets' cash potential

We change our gadgets so often that, in the near future, we may cease to measure the passing of time in years but by the type of mobile phone we had in our possession. "Ah, I remember that Summer of iPhone 5 so well," we may one day gush, as memories of 2013 come flooding back. "It was certainly better than that Winter of the Nokia 3210. Oh my, do you remember that?"

It may seem silly but there is no doubting our insatiable appetite for the new. Tech changes are fuelled by the mobile phone service providers who chuck free phones our way when a contract comes to an end, sped up by the annual revisions to laptops, handsets and tablets, and driven by such overwhelming choice that - taking videogames as an example - you've barely got off level four before another eight or nine games queue up for your attention.

Sony a5100

Sony a5100

How does Sony’s smallest-ever lens swapper hold up against the big guns?

Smaller doesn't always mean less powerful, as Sony proves with the a5100 - the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera for its class at the time of writing. But while its size is diminutive, the camera is certainly big on features. The a5100's 24.3MP APS-C sensor is on a par with those found in most DSLRs. as well as being the same one used in the a6000. This is great news for image quality, enhancing low-light pictures with its ability to capture more light, as well as achieving fast shutter speeds for sharp action shots.

Olympus PEN E-PL7

Olympus PEN E-PL7

Olympus may be trying to catch the eye of young fashionistas with its latest CSC, but what does it have to offer a wider audience?

With its leather finish and metal detailing, the Olympus PEN E-PL7 is designed to be the perfect companion for the style-conscious shooter. In fact, it seems to be marketed mainly at female fashion enthusiasts as a practical accessory that will compliment any outfit. However, the silver M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-42mm 13.5-5.6 II R lens that the camera was tested with does not. in our opinion, co-ordinate particularly well with the off-white and beige camera body and actually seems to add quite a bit of bulk to the petite design. Having said this though, the camera does also come in black, or black with silver, for those who prefer a camera with a more simple and classic look. Another option would be the pancake lens kit, which is also available and should fit more comfortably into a handbag or coat pocket.