Ipad Air: Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio review

Pros

-Classy design with front and back protection

-Easy to remove iPad when you want

-Clever magnetic stand design

Cons

-Keyboard takes a little getting used to

-Pricey in comparison to alternatives

Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air review

What is the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio?

As if to alleviate any doubt, Logitech seems determined to answer this question in full using just the name. As its title suggests this a folio case with a keyboard, while the 'FabricSkin' part refers to how the keyboard and outer shell are splashproof. It's Logitech's second attempt at such a case and it doesn't come cheap at £119, but it has a lot of plusses if you can overlook the price.

FabricSkin Keyboard Folio: Design

This version is a serious step up from the original FabricSkin Keyboard Folio. It still protects the front and rear of the iPad, but this version trades the soft touch material of the original for a hardier, more satisfying textile material over a hard plastic shell.

The combination gives the FabricSkin Keyboard Portfolio a more tactile feel, but just as important it's thinner and lighter than before. The old version, admittedly using a heavier iPad, weighed in comfortably over 1kg combined. An iPad Air and this Folio, however, are a more manageable 880g. It's a still a fair bit heavier than an iPad Air on its own, but it's far more in line with Logitech's popular Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air than before.

This makes the FabricSkin a far more viable solution for anyone who wants a Folio-style keyboard and case in one, but doesn't want to sacrifice too much portability. It helps, too, that in this incarnation the FabricSkin Keyboard Folio looks very classy. The textile exterior looks far more professional and smart, while the choice of either a white or a (rather fetching to our eyes) yellow interior gives you a little choice.

All these improvements are great and the Folio's best feature remains: the magnetic clasp. This holds the iPad in place when in typing mode, with the Bluetooth connection automatically engaging (or disengaging) when its activated. It's a neat, very user-friendly touch that means you're never left wondering whether the keyboard is connected or not and saves on battery life -- Logitech claims up to three months when used around three hours per day.

One final plus point is that's it's very

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Ipad Air: Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard review

Pros

-Great typing experience

-Doesn't slip around on flat surfaces

-Comfortable angle for typing

-Clips on and off easily

Cons

-Only covers screen

-Large hinge is unsightly

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air review

What is the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover for iPad Air?

Logitech's reputation for great accessories is well-established, and it has long held the title of 'best keyboard cover for iPad' thanks to the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover. This is the latest version, adapted and tweaked to fit with new narrower, lighter iPad Air. Surely Logitech can't have broken a winning formula? Clearly not.

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover: Design

We'll deal with the obvious questions first. Making the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover smaller to fit the iPad Air has had no meaningful impact on the quality of the keyboard. Most keys are the exact same size, with only the Tab and Caps Lock keys being slightly smaller than before.

That's good news, though we were a little surprised to discover that iPad Air version is no lighter or thinner than the original. It weighs 330g on its own, or just under 800g when combined with an iPad Air. It's still impressively thin and light compared to the alternatives, but perhaps not as much as original compared to the iPad Air.

This fact isn't helped by the fact the hinge is a little chunkier and more obtrusive, a necessary evil due to the slightly curvier frame of the iPad Air compared to the steeply tapered edges of preceding iPads. You just notice it more than on the original. It's not a deal breaker by any means, but the fussiest of owners may take offense. Likewise, the slightly jarring gap along the front edge when closed is a little ugly.

Logitech has made some subtle improvements too, though. The old Ultrathin had a habit of slip sliding around on some surfaces, so Logitech has added a couple of small rubber feet at the front and a rubber strip at the back that runs nearly the whole length of the hinge. We're not sure the feet at the front are much use, but the strip at the rear does a great job preventing the keyboard from sliding as you type.

New version in black, old in red

As before the iPad sits in a narrow ridge when in typing mode, and you must detach the iPad from the magnetic hinge to

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Sony SmartWatch 2 review

Pros

-Lots of apps available

-It does work

Cons

-Limited battery life

-Awkward to setup

Key Features: 1.6-inch display; Bluetooth and NFC; 200MHz Qualcomm M3 CPU

Manufacturer: Sony

1. Design and Setup

Sony SmartWatch 2 - Design and Setup

What is the Sony SmartWatch 2?

The Sony SmartWatch 2 is among the latest wave of wearable tech, arriving alongside the Samsung Galaxy Gear. It’s a Bluetooth-enabled watch, and it costs around £150.

It’s a little more accessible than the Samsung Galaxy Gear, being much cheaper and offering much wider phone support (most phones Android 4.0 or newer). However, it does show why the smartwatch is one of the most maligned areas in tech. They claim to be devices of the future, but in-use too many elements feel like retrograde steps into the past.

Sony SmartWatch 2 – Design and Setup

Conscious, perhaps, that smartwatches are at risk of being dismissed as gimmicky toys, Sony has made the SmartWatch 2 feel very sturdy. The front panel remains very gadgety-looking like the first-gen SmartWatch, with a chunky square fascia, but the strap we got to test is a chain of black metal links. It’s the sort of watch strap worm by men who like manly pursuits and dream of owning sports cars.

The Sony SmartWatch 2 is also quite large and heavy. Not only is everyone around you going to notice it on your wrist – you’re not going to forget it’s there either. We also had some trouble altering the size of the strap. It’s not a standard, easily-adjustable plastic strap, you need to manually remove links with a tool.

However, you can buy other straps, including less chunky, non-metal ones. And the look isn’t all bad. The SmartWatch 2 looks more upmarket than the first Sony SmartWatch, and the bevelled silvery edge of the watch face is a nice touch. Still, it has won few fans among our team.

The watch is rated to IP57 weather resistance, meaning it can be submerged in water and is dust-proof. However, you’re not meant to take the watch swimming.

The one potential fail point that could let water in is the microUSB charge socket on the side, which is covered by rubber-sealed flap. Any water resistance disappears along with its integrity, and as the watch needs to be charged regularly, there’s a decent chance you’ll end up causing minor damage to the seal after time.

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Startup Meta Challenges Google Glass With Sleek, $3,000 Smart Glasses

Prototype of the metaPro which is slated to ship in June for $3,000; image via Meta

Google GOOG +1.3% Glass has raised the profile of glasses as a new form factor for computing, and in its wake has come a raft of startups with their own interpretations how of computers could sit on the bridge of your nose. One of the most ambitious is Meta, a Silicon Valley startup that aims to outdo Google on two fronts: its technology uses gesture recognition to let you manipulate the digital objects the glasses show in front of you, using augmented reality. It also want to avoid turning its early adopters into geeky, “glassholes,” designing its device to  look as stylish as your average pair of sunglasses.

The first iteration of Meta’s glasses, the Meta 1 and 2, were actually more of a headset than glasses, and more bulky than stylish. They featured block-like frames and a strap that went around the head. On Tuesday Meta unveiled metaPro (pictured above), an upgrade to its glasses design that looks sleeker overall and does away with both the strap and block-like look. It weighs 180 grams and boasts of a virtual display that’s 15 times larger than that of Google Glass, optics that are 2 mm thin and a 40 degree field of view aligned for stereoscopic display.

Sensors that were previously on top as a detachable block have now been built into the brow of the glasses. Co-founder Meron Gribetz says for the next series of metaPros after this, sensors will shrink even further to the size of a stick of gum. The metaPro goes on sale on the Meta website Tuesday, and the company says it will ship to consumers this June 2014.

The glasses are not wireless like Google Glass, though Meta wants them to be eventually. Instead when wearing the device, a single cord runs down the wearer’s back and plugs into a rectangular, mini computer in their pocket. This mini computer is slightly larger than an iPhone, and takes care of all the processing power and wireless connectivity for the glasses. Meta expects early customers to use the metaPros primarily at home, virtually connecting to their smartphones which might be in another room, so that while holding out their bare hand in front of them they can see a virtual manifestation of the phone and use it to take calls or

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Nest Protect review: smoke detector for the generation of the smartphone

Pros

 -Remote control via a mobile app

-Gesture control

-Clever uses of color notifications

-Sleek design

Cons

-Expensive for a smoke detector

Back in 2011, Nest did the impossible: It made thermostats sexy. Apple veterans Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers applied their iPod-designing expertise to the largely utilitarian world of home-climate control, creating the Learning Thermostat, an appliance aimed squarely at the gadget-obsessed citizens of the smartphone age. And then, earlier this year, Fadell and Rogers took on another traditionally banal (but utterly important) aspect of home life: the smoke detector. The conceit of the Nest Protect was to bring some of the same aesthetics and smart features that made the company's first product a success.

The result is a smoke/carbon monoxide detector with mobile device connectivity and a range of expressions that go far beyond the old beeping alarms, as well as a unique gesture feature that lets you silence the device with the wave of a hand. Admittedly bummed at the inability to test the Learning Thermostat in my prewar New York City apartment building, I happily jumped at the opportunity to review the Protect. So Nest sent along two devices, a can of something called a "smoke detector tester" and, thankfully, thorough instructions on how one goes about testing smoke detectors without accidentally burning the house down.

Hardware

Given Nest's origins, it's not especially surprising that the company managed to make even the product's box a thing to behold. The message is pretty clear: If Apple ever saw fit to produce a smoke detector, it would look something like this. It's a well-designed bit of packaging that looks more suited for a Best Buy vending machine than a dusty hardware store shelf. Inside, you'll find a wall mount, a set of four screws embedded directly into the cardboard packaging and an awful lot of paperwork -- after all, making sure the device works properly could be a matter of life or death. As for the Protect itself, you've got two options, both at the same price point: a battery-operated model, and a wired version for those who want to tap into their home circuitry. Seeing as how I won't be using the detector permanently, I opted for the latter, which comes with six AA Energizer Lithiums pre-installed. 

Like most current smartphones, the Protect comes in either black or white. Nest sent me two white devices, thankfully --

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Octa Tablettail Monkey Kit review

Pros

  -Extremely versatile

  -Very robust

  -Strong suction cup

Cons

-Heavy

-Sags with heavier tablets (over 600g)

Octa Tablettail: Monkey Kit

What is the Octa Tablettail: Monkey Kit?

Tablets are great devices to use but the lack of a dock or stand often means you end up bodging ways to get them to sit just the way you want it to so you can watch a movie or read a book. Some cases let you stand your tablet upright but even then you need a reasonably flat surface - no good for a duvet or any other awkward base.

For £50 the Octa Tablettail: Monkey Kit aims to resolve all these issues by providing a versatile, but stable, stand for your tablet to rest on. 

How does the Octa Tablettail: Monkey Kit work?

A heavy-duty suction cup, called the vacuum dock, grips the back of practically any smooth tablet. This then connects to a modular locking mechanism that can lock on to a number of bases, in this case the MonkeyTail.

It’s clear where Octa got the inspiration for the name. The tail flexes and bends just like a monkey’s would. It’s almost a meter long and soft touch black silicon covers the bendy metal beneath. It’s a weighty and solid piece of kit at 1.5kgs, which makes it a product for the home and the car, rather than for the commute.

Bending the MonkeyTail requires a satisfying amount of force, and once you get it into the right position it stays there. It does take a little while to get the knack, though. Band it in one direction and it’s very stable, bend it in the wrong direction and it quickly sags. We got to grips with it after a few tries and you know by how much force you're applying as to whether you’ve got it right.

The vacuum dock worried us initially. Can we trust the Octa TabletTail to keep our expensive iPad upright and not just have it pop off and fall to the floor? After a couple of weeks of use we can safely say that yes we certainly can. The suction cup grips the tablet well enough, but a few quick presses of chunky button on the dock expels any residual air and creates a very solid vacuum seal.   

We tried hard to get our iPad Air, Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 to come off by

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Apple iWatch release date: October 2014

The Apple iWatch could benefit from wireless charging when it launches in October next year.

According to new information, the Apple iWatch will feature wireless charging functionality, something that has yet to be included in any Apple product so far.

If this is true, it would allow you to charge the iWatch from up to one meter away from the charging pad, making a little more convenient to charge overnight.

What is worrying is that Apple is reportedly testing a prototype iWatch with a rather measly 100mAh battery. To put this into perspective, the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch has a 315mAh battery and will only last a day at a push.

Of course,

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Moga Ace Power review

Pros

Gives you physical keys to play games, extra battery to charge your phone on the go, works with iPhone 5S and 5C.

Cons

Feels cheap, not all games support the controller, can't map keys to the games.

The Moga Ace Power transforms your iPhone into a gaming controller so you can get the most out of analogue, off-screen controls for those many titles available in the app store.

Compatible with the iPhone 5, 5C, 5S and fifth-gen iPod Touch, the Moga is the first game controller for iOS 7 - made possible due to changes in the latest version of the Apple mobile OS.

If you’re a ken gamer then the ability to transform your phone into a more tuned gaming device sounds like an ideal solution. Priced at £80, is it a worthy investment compatible with enough games, and is it easy enough to use that you’ll want to carry it with you everywhere? We've been button-bashing like crazy to find out.

Design

The Moga Ace Power looks like a stubby Xbox 360 controller without an Apple device mounted up: it features two analogue sticks, a d-pad, four buttons comprised of A-B-X-Y and a further four shoulder buttons.

You then

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Best headphones to buy 2014

1. Urbanears Humlan

Brand spanking new ‘phones look great and sound better, hence are idea for musos. Available in a range of colours, there’s a Humlan for every human. The washable parts ensure you can get these dirty, then bung them in the wash and there’ll be right as rain.

Price: £39

2. Focal Spirit One

Clearly not the pair of ‘phones to buy if you’re looking to blend in with the crowd, these are colourful and chunky, really quite chunky. No matter though, the sound is the most important part and they have a real hit of punchy noise, extremely balanced bass and great volume. Another nice touch is that they are foldable, making them nearly in your bag.

Price: £139

2. KEF M500

Boasting highly detailed sound, memory foam constructed ear pads for extra comfort and a design that just reeks of style and sophistication we have to say these cans are easily some of our favourites. The lack of sound leak is also highly welcomed – both by us and others who may wear them.

Price:

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Apple iWatch Price, rumours, release date and leaks

The Apple iWatch is rumoured to be in some form of production right now – we round up the news and speculation on its specs, features and potential release date.

If Apple is going to follow the likes of Samsung and Sony and release a smartwatch, the company could do it tomorrow at the iPhone 5S launch event. We'll be covering the event live over on our Apple iPhone launch event: Live blog page, so stay tuned to see what Cupertino has in store.

The most recent development suggests that Apple is now hiring large numbers of designers and technical experts to help the company reach its goals in creating a wrist-based Apple device, the rumour comes from the Financial Times who also report that there are concerns over whether Apple has the know-how to create such a complex device to their own extreme standards.

Supposedly a team of ‘about 100 product designers’ are working on the iWatch – including managers, marketers and software and hardware engineers who previously worked on the iPhone and iPad. That’s according to two people ‘familiar with the company’s plans’, which puts them in a remarkably small category.

According to the two in the know, the project is ‘beyond experimentation phase in its development.’

Apple iWatch will be called....

iWatch

In case you were wondering, which we're sure you weren't Apple will almost certainly be calling its Smartwatch the Apple iWatch. This comes after confirmation came in that the tech giant had filed iWatch trademarks in Japan and Russia.

What you may not have been expecting however is the news that Apple may not be able to call its product the iWatch in the UK, instead having to come up with a different name after it was revealed that iWatch has already been trademarked in the UK, US and in Europe.

Apple iWatch price

Sadly there hasn't been much talk about what Apple's iWatch will cost, but thanks to other companies jumping on the bandwagon we can get a rough idea of what the cost will be.

The Sony SmartWatch 2 is set to land in September this year with a price tag of around £150, that means that if Apple applies its usual premium price tag you could be looking at between £180-£220 for your very own iWatch.

With rumours circling that Nike could be launching a new Fuelband as well all eyes will be on

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Beats Studio review

Pros

    -Comfortable

    -Mix of noise cancellation and isolation works well

    -Head-hugging look an improvement

Cons

    -Thick sound harms separation

    -Harsh upper mids

Key Features: Active noise cancellation; Folding cups; Removable cable; 20-hour battery; Over-ear design

Manufacturer: Beats by Dr Dre

Beats Studio review

What are the Beats Studio headphones?

The Beats by Dre. Studio have, for years, been the top-end model in the highly-recognisable Beats range. And now they've been given a refresh for 2013 and beyond.

The price hasn't changed, £269.99, and for that you get a pair of great-feeling, good-looking headphones that feature active noise cancellation to make them even more commute-friendly. These are the best-sounding Beats headphones we've tried, too, but as ever with Beats headphones the sound quality doesn't entirely match the price.

Beats Studio - Design and Comfort

Beats by Dre. has simplified the Beats Studio look in this new reincarnation. Where the previous model had cups that stuck out a way from the side of your head, these stick pretty close.

Any design suggestion that these are headphones for the music studio seems to have vanished, besides the name, as the design here is clearly formulated with the commuter in mind. And really, that's no bad thing.

These are reasonably light ANC full-size over-ear headphones that are quite streamlined and classy in their lines, but there are enough loud Beats design inflections to let them sit happily among their brothers.

The trademark mix of black and red colouring is here, along with the classic 'b' Beats signifier on the rear of each cup. Their entire outer part is glossy plastic. It's eye-catching, but doesn't entirely fit with a £270 pair of headphones. And it attracts more fingerprints than a CSI crime scene.

That said, build quality seemed

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Top 10 best Earphones

Call them what you want - in-ears, in-ear-monitors or inter aurals - these tiny earbuds are among the most common gadgets around. The most obvious upgrade for anyone with a smartphone whose bundled in-ears are about as dynamic as George Osborne, a good pair of earbuds can take tunes to a higher level for relatively low spend.

We've included models from across the range of current selling prices, of course, though there are obvious differences. Pricier pairs generally offer more detail, range and bass, and better noise isolation (handy on trains and possibly even planes), though even £50 / US$60 / AU$70 buys a pretty high-end experience.

Almost all now include an in-line remote for tweaking volume, changing tracks and hands-free calling, though most are primed for iOS devices. The remote button sometimes works with Android phones, but the volume keys don't. Almost all models come with a choice of tips, where which one you choose is crucial for sound quality, noise isolation and comfort, so don't be afraid to ditch those default tips.

1. a-JAYS One+ - £40/US$50/AU$60

Tangled earphones are the bane of every commuter's morning, and it's doubtful many of us even get to the bus stop with cables in-situ. Swedish design takes a stab at this ungodly problem with the completely flat cables of the a-JAYS One+, which are also a great value attempt at bringing hands-free options to the wider smartphone community.

Connecting to any brand of phone using a neat L-shaped 3.5mm jack, it's a cinch to operate volume and

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5 Top iPad cases

If you just picked up a new iPad Air or an iPad Mini, or if you're shopping for someone who has, you'll probably want a case for it to make sure it's safe on the go, in your bag, or on your desk. Whether it's a rugged case you need, a soft case with pockets, or a keyboard case, you have options. Here are five of the best, based on your nominations.

Earlier this week we asked you which iPad cases were the best to keep your tablet safe while you use it or while you travel. You had plenty of nominees, but we could only pick out the top five. Here's what you said, in no particular order:

DODOcase

Cases by DODOcase don't come cheap, but they're some of the best handmade, sharp looking cases you can put your iPad into. Prices vary depending on the design and materials you want used to make the body of the case, but almost all of DODOcase's offerings provide full folio-style protection with a wooden body that your iPad rests comfortably into and a firm board cover that flips over the screen to keep it safe when it's not in use. The cases are also flexible enough to be used in portrait or landscape mode, both standing up or resting on their back. Ideally though, this is the type of case that makes your iPad look like a book and easy to slide in and out of a bag or briefcase without damaging the tablet itself.

Prices on the iPad Air

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