Author: Nicholas Webb

The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is not a huge upgrade over the original, but it is a compact, capable smart display with a built-in camera and Alexa.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen): $59 at Amazon.com.au →

Amazon’s smallest smart display gets a minor refresh, plus a Kids Edition

The Amazon Echo Show 5 (2nd Gen) is nice, compact, and powerful, just like its popular predecessor. However, it has entered a more saturated smart clock market with higher competition.

Currently, Echo Show 5 competes with the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen), its in-brand alternative, and one of the best smart home devices, the Amazon Echo Dot with clock. Although, the new Echo Show 5 is cheaper than Google’s latest smart display. Moreover, unlike the clocked Echo Dot, has a real screen, but it can’t track sleep and doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio output.

The Amazon Echo Show 5 is available now in three colors: Charcoal, Glacier White, and Deep Sea Blue.

PRO: Smart Home Features

• If you’re interested in smart home features, the Echo Show 5 is a better choice than the Amazon tablet. You can access the best Alexa skills using either your device’s display or microphone. The former method lets you see the best Alexa-compatible devices in your home in one combined interface.
  For example, you can turn on your Philips Hue lights with just a few taps.
• Amazon Sidewalk – Sidewalk is a Wi-Fi sharing protocol that allows things like Key Finder to connect to the cloud via Amazon devices over low-power, long-distance networks.
• Alexa Guard – Amazon’s Assistant notifies you when the display’s microphone detects a smoke detector or breaking glass. It’s not as comprehensive as the best DIY home security systems, but it’s a more affordable alternative.

PRO: Good audio quality & kids privacy

• Good audio quality for its size – A single 4-watt speaker doesn’t make the Show 5 one of the best Alexa speakers, but it does provide acceptable audio. Much like the Echo Dot sounds, the Show 5 is great for listening to the morning news or playing environmental sounds to help you fall asleep.
• Kids Edition has good privacy and warranty options. If you read our roundup of the best baby monitor, you’ll see why security more important than ever.

CON: No 3.5-mm audio jack

• The 3.5mm audio output previous models had, has been removed.

CON: Limited camera quality & not enough upgrades

• Don’t expect a device as small as the Echo Show 5 to appreciate camera quality and video calling options – It features a 2MP camera in comparison the the previous model which featured a 1MP camera.
• No significant upgrades from previous version – Camera quality for example is only updated by 1 MP from the previous model, while Amazon’s latest model features a 13 MP camera.

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Raycon Fitness Earbuds is comfortable, light and great for exercise. Additionally, they feature EQ presets and a continues playtime of 9 hours. Raycon Fitness Earbuds could be an attractive purchase if only the audio output could keep up.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

SELECTED FOR YOU: The Best Earbuds For Runners In Australia 2022 ►

Raycon Fitness Earbuds: $286.87 at Amazon.com.au →

Introduction header

Raycon Fitness Earbuds are the sports and fitness oriented headphones in this manufacturer’s lineup. There are no ear hooks, but they have a secure fit for workouts and are waterproof with an IPX7 certification. Like other Raycon headphones, they have a very intense sound profile, offering a lot of boom and thump, although some users find it very muddy. Although there is no companion app, there are several EQ presets that cycle through the control scheme.

The Raycon Fitness Earbuds come in several color variants: ‘Carbon Black’, ‘Electric Blue’, ‘Flare Red’, ‘Rose Gold’, and ‘Frost White’.

PRO: Performance

• Battery life- 9 hours of continuous playtime.
• EQ presets available – Cycle between various EQ presets through the control scheme.

PRO: Design

• Comfortable and well-built design – Very stable fit, suitable for sports and fitness purposes.
• Waterproof and sweat proof for athletic exercises.

CON: Too much bass and no ANC

• Bad passive soundstage – Because the bass and treble are over-emphasized, users may find sound overly muddy and penetrating.
• No ANC – Unfortunately, they have a hard time suppressing conversations around you, so you may hear your co-workers talking around you for instance.

CON: Lack of Features

• No multi-device pairing, so you can’t connect to multiple devices at once.

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The Bose QuietComfort 45 has all the pieces to be a great Active noise cancellation headset, but it’s not perfect. Even with the one of the best ANC available, its sound quality isn’t great.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

SELECTED FOR YOU: The Best Noise Canceling Headphones In Australia 2022 ►

Bose QC45: $339 at Amazon.com.au →

Introduction header

Bose’s ANC headphones are a bit typical, and for good reason.
They are very good at providing convenience and ease of use for most people. The Bose QuietComfort 45 is no exception. If there’s one big advantage that the QC 45 has, is that it looks nearly identical to its predecessor.

PRO: A familiar design

• Comfortable and easy to use just like previous Bose headphones. The Bose QC 45 feature big earcups but are reasonably light weight at 240 grams.
• The Bose QC 45 jumped from the outdated micro-USB port, the previous models featured, to USB-C.

PRO: Features

• Awareness Mode allows you to modify how you hear what you hear. Substantially lower your music volume and turn off noise cancellation without removing your headphones.
• The Bose QC 45 does a great job of blocking out external noise with its latest ANC system. In particular, it blocks mid- and high-frequency noise surprisingly well.
• In-app EQ – You can now download the Bose Music App and tweak your headphones to your liking to deal with the shaky default sound profile.

CON: Con header 1

• ANC can’t be adjusted – No true “off” listening mode as the only way to turn ANC off is to turn Aware mode on.
• Not the best sound quality on the market.

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In the world of headphones, only a handful of companies have released products worth looking at and Sony is one of the most famous. Today we’re reviewing the latest update to the company’s flagship Active Noise Canceling (ANC) headphones. Sony WH-1000XM5. Completely redesigned, this is one of the best ANC headphones out there, but they are expensive.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

SELECTED FOR YOU: The Best Earbuds For Runners In Australia 2022 ►

Sony WH-1000XM5: $548 at Amazon.com.au →

Similar features but some upgrade

Available in black or silver, the Sony WH-1000XM5’s over-ear construction is sleek and attractive, with a leatherette headband that matches the ear cups in terms of color and matte finish. The cup folds flat and fits easily into the included zippered carrying case. The over-ear fit is extremely comfortable, even during long listening sessions. The only downside is the higher price point compared to previous models some consumers might not like.

PRO: High Quality

• Noise Cancellation Performance – The WH-1000XM5’s eight microphone array provides powerful, state-of-the-art adaptive noise cancellation. Sit next to a fan, turn your head slightly, and the microphone blocks the noise.
• Audio Quality – Hugely musical, and entertaining sound. More detailed than the WH-1000XM4. Excellent sense of rhythm.
• Automatic noise-cancelling optimisation for the first time

PRO: Battery

• The WH-1000XM5 can last for up to 30 hours with Bluetooth and noise-cancellation on, or 40 hours with Bluetooth and noise-cancellation off. With a ten-minute charge, they can last for five extra hours of playback.

CON: Pricey

• More expensive than the previous model (WH-1000XM4) at launch. Some rivals offer high quality at lower prices.

CON: Feels less premium than previous models

• The plastics used are nice to touch, but the previous model feels a bit more premium.

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The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is a revamped Galaxy Note with a faster built-in S Pen, many camera improvements, faster charging and a brighter display. It’s a great phone overall, but it is pretty expensive and battery life could have been further improved.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

Samsung S22 Ultra: $1,919 at Amazon.com.au →

Performance updates but less RAM

The new Samsung S22 Ultra offers an S Pen built-in, but with Samsung looking to top the list of best phones, this flagship has a lot more going for it.

First of all, the S Pen is more responsive because Samsung made it 70% faster with less lag. The display is also the brightest and most colorful of anything Samsung has released so far, and it’s capable of fast charging at 45W.

Samsung, on the other hand, is asking a lot ($1,919) for a phone with less RAM than the previous model.

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra comes in black, white, green, but also has a burgundy option.

PRO: Ultra Performance

• Faster S Pen built in – Samsung has improved the S Pen by 70% as it has dropped its latency from 9 milliseconds down to 2.8. Moreover, you don’t have to buy a special case to store the pen as it has a build in holder on the phone itself.
• Cameras offer better low light performance – Samsung says it’s calling the experience “Nightography” because of the much-improved low-light imaging capabilities. The S22 does better than the S21 in low light, but not by a lot.

PRO: Bright Display

• As before, you get a dynamic refresh rate of 120Hz, which makes scrolling smoother during hands-on time. It also has his 240Hz touch polling rate that gamers will appreciate.
  However, there are two notable display upgrades here. First, the screen has a peak brightness of 1,750 nits, possibly the brightest we’ve seen so far. Another display perk is the new Vision Booster feature, which lets you easily adjust screen brightness on-the-fly throughout the day. This means that you can use the S22 Ultra outdoors without any problems, even in very strong sunlight.

CON: RAM & Battery Life

• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra features 8GB of RAM compared to its previous model (Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra) which offered 12 GB
• 5,000 mAH battery – Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra’s battery lasts for approximately 10 hours compared to the 11 hours and 25 minutes of its previous model, and 12 hours of its competitor iPhone 13 Pro MAX.

CON: Pricey

• Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is more expensive by $100-300 difference compared to its competitors.

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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 marks Samsung’s foray into smartwatches. While it’s not that different from their previous model, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5’s battery life is up to 10 hours longer. On the contrary, the skin temperature reader does not function that well.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

SELECTED FOR YOU: The Best Smartwatch In Australia 2022 ►

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: $445.99 at Amazon.com.au →

Small, yet attractive improvements with an unusable feature

While Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 was a great smartwatch, their new model offers a little bit more. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 offers 13% bigger battery, stronger scratch-resistant and water-resistant Sapphire crystal display and a new skin temperature feature you cannot yet use.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is available in four colours.
Graphite, silver, sapphire (44mm only), pink gold (40mm only). It comes with a silicone strap, but Samsung sells a variety of interchangeable straps.

PRO: Versatile and Durable design

• More accurate results – The Galaxy Watch 5’s newly sculpted curved bottom increases the surface area of ​​contact between the watch and your skin. Samsung says this contributes to the accuracy of the data collected by the biometric sensor.
• Water resistant and scratch resistant – Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 offers water resistance up to 5ATM with a IP68 rating. Additionally, it features a sapphire crystal glass. Samsung claims it’s 60% more scratch resistant than the previous model.

PRO: Powerful Fitness features & App selection

• 3-in-1 BioActive sensor – According to Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy watch 5 comes with: 1. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Sensor (BIA) which measures everything from body fat to skeletal muscle weight. 2. Electrical Heart Sensor (ECG) which measures your heart rate and rhythm for any irregularities. and 3. Optical Heart Rate Sensor Monitor which monitors your heart rate and blood pressure to track your cardiovascular health.

• Tracks over 100 workouts and offers improved sleep tracking and guidance.

CON: New feature not yet functional

• Samsung’s new skin temperature feature is not yet functional as of the time of writing this review.

CON: Mostly optimized with Samsung phones

• For the smartphone app, you will need to download the Galaxy Wearable app and sync your Watch 5 to your smartphone – If you’re running Google’s Wear OS, your Watch 5 won’t work with the Wear OS app.

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Modern society is based on multitasking. That’s exactly what Roborock’s latest hybrid vacuum and floor mopping robot, Roborock S7, does. On the contrary, dividing spaces on its companion app can be glitchy. This is why we review it for you.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

Roborock S7: $605 at Amazon.com.au →

A Hybrid Robot Cleaner for Multiple floor types

Until now, unmanned hybrid robots have never been allowed to run amok through a house with a full water tank. But the Roborock S7 is smart enough not to mop when it detects carpet, making it an interesting solution to a longstanding hurdle.

PRO: Vaccuming and Mopping Performance

• The Roborock app lets you choose between a standard mop that vacuums and mops at the same time, or deep cleaning. If you choose deep cleaning, the Roborock S7 moves in a tighter pattern, covering the designated area twice.
• Smart Mopping – Roborock S7 is smart enough to avoid mopping most carpets. Its mopping plate raises itself 5 millimeters to avoid wetting the rugs. Keep in mind, thicker rugs, such as door mats, might feel a bit damp after the S7 travels across them.

PRO: Mapping, Cleaning, Charging

• Mapping takes less than 5 minutes to complete – Roborock S7 is a relatively quick and intensive cleaner that offers robust overall performance. It uses Lidar for mapping. Once done, it starts cleaning methodologically, outlining the edges of a room. Moreover, it offers an auto-empty dock setting that works relatively well.
• Battery – The Roborock S7 will automatically return to its charging station if its battery levels drop low. It can run up to 3 hours on battery before it needs to be recharged.

CON: Dividing The Rooms

• Dividing spaces in app can be glitchy – You’ll have to create a new map if you moved it to a new location. This adds a bit of a confusion as you will have to tell your S7 which map to use for the cleaning route. Additionally, once you create a map on the app, Roborock will try to divide it into rooms which can get hectic especially with open floor plan houses.

CON: High Price

• Slightly expensive – While the Roborock S7 offers a variety of features, there are cheaper alternatives for those who don’t want to spend as much.

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Bose may be known for its noise-cancelling headphones and home audio products, but the brand’s outdoor-focused Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speakers aim to bring that same quality to the trail.
Although, it features a robust exterior, as well as waterproof utility, and good sound performance, its companion app doesn’t offer any EQ settings.

Some may say it is the perfect piece of kit for any adventurer, while others think there are better options in its price range.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

Bose Soundlink Flex: $195 at Amazon.com.au →

Flexing

The Bose Soundlink Flex is small, portable, durable, waterproof and has good sound quality. On the contrary, its utilizing Bluetooth 4.2 instead of 5.1, its app functionality is not the best, and it features mono audio with no AUX input.

PRO: Good Performance

• Powerful audio performance with rich bass depth and clear highs. Bose suggests the SoundLink Flex is capable of delivering ‘room-filling sound’. PositionIQ technology ensures the Flex always sounds like it should, whether it’s laid flat, flipped up, or dangling from a loop.
• Up to 12 HRS of playtime.

PRO: Sleek, waterproof design

• Available in four color options – Black, Smoke White, Stone Blue, and Carmine Red– Bose Soundlink Flex is dust and waterproof IP67 rated. It can even flow on water and play under water.
• Bose has a slim profile and a low weight of 600g, so you can carry it with one hand or put it in a bag.

CON: Bluetooth 4.2 & no AUX

• Bose Soundlink Flex comes with Bluetooth 4.2 instead of 5.1. This seems unusual as most new Bluetooth speakers use Bluetooth 5.1.
• There is no AUX input available if you want to overcome the shortcomings of codex in general.

CON: Mono audio and lack of features in companion app

• Flex has a mono driver with no channel separation, and its companion app has no EQ settings.

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The Dyson V10 Stick Vacuum is the best vacuum cleaner Dyson has ever made. Dyson’s engineering intelligence and design ethos work in perfect harmony to deliver a premium product. But some features may be deal breakers for customers at a $900.00 price point.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

SELECTED FOR YOU: The Robot Vacuum In Australia 2022 ►

Dyson V10 Stick Vacuum Cleaner: A powerhouse of tech with a price to match – $915.00 at Amazon.com.au →

Say goodbye to corded vacuums forever

The Dyson V10 has great suction power and a wide range of accessories and attachments. Its light weight and 2-in-1 functionality add to its overall versatility.

Dyson’s vacuums have led the industry in design, portability and performance for many years. With the new Dyson V10 cordless vacuum cleaner, they have certainly taken their flagship product to the next level. Dyson’s new digital V10 engine is a truly impressive engineering feat, capable of reaching 125,000 rpm versus the V8’s 108,000 rpm.

In fact, Dyson is so confident with their new V10 that they stopped developing corded vacuums going forward. 

PRO: Great Design

• Front-facing barrel

Dyson’s V10 features a front-facing barrel that mounts all attachments directly to it.

• Digital motor

Dyson’s expanded cyclone array (featuring 14 chambers in total), is followed by the new Digital V10 engine – the smallest and smartest the company has ever developed.

In fact, it is said to be intelligent enough to recognize variables such as altitude, pressure and temperature and adjust accordingly to increase efficiency. Dyson says it can even recognize the difference between a table and a floor.

• Smart filter

At the rear end is the V10’s filter, which can be easily removed with a counterclockwise twist for easy cleaning. An LED indicator at the bottom of the vacuum cleaner also lets you know when it’s time to wash it.

Again, Dyson’s filters are said to capture 99.97% of airborne allergens. Even allergens as small as 0.3 microns cannot escape the new V10.

PRO: Excellent Performance

• Great cleaning performance on all floor types

It works very well in almost all dry vacuuming scenarios, with a few exceptions. Fortunately, there are attachments available for each of these scenarios.

• Dyson’s V10 battery life

The V10 features three power settings: low, medium and maximum. How you use it will depend on the surface (or dirt) you’re cleaning and how much charge your device is holding (visible with the LED indicator while in use).

Luckily, the V10 has a much more energy-dense battery than its predecessor, allowing it to vacuum continuously for up to 60 minutes on the lowest setting. This setting is generally strong enough to lift any dirt.

• 140 AW (air watts) of suction power in max

Thanks to its new digital motor and 14-cyclone array, the Dyson Cyclone V10 has incredible suction power. Dyson’s Cyclone V10 is as powerful as any corded vacuum the company has released so far. 

CON: Expensive

• Dyson’s V10 has a fairly high price point

CON: Short Max Power Session & Occasional Blockage

• Unfortunately, the maximum power setting will completely drain the battery after roughly five minutes of usage. 
• There might be occasional clogs that seem inevitable with a stick vacuum. It turns out that tissues and wrappers are a common cause of the V10 getting stuck. The only solution is to clear the blockage immediately.

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The 2022 update to Dyson’s Airwrap Complete Styling Tool comes with some clever new features; it may not be for everyone.

Although, the Dyson Airwrap Complete Styling Tool works very well on long straight to wavy hair, it is extremely expensive, and results vary between hair types and lengths. If you have shorter hair or tight curls, it would be most preferable to save your money.

This article is updated for the Australian market regularly to include price changes and product updates.

Dyson Airwrap Complete Styling Tool Review: $1,202.79 at Amazon.com.au →

The “Coanda Effect” and the 2022 updates.

While traditional curling irons use heated metal barrels to shape hair into curls, Dyson’s Airwrap uses a phenomenon known as the “Coanda Effect“. This is where a high-speed airflow attaches itself to the surface that it’s blowing across. This causes the hair to wrap itself around the Airwrap’s barrel, where it dries into the desired curly shape.

Compared to traditional curling methods, the use of air instead of direct heat reduces breakage and damage to the hair. Additionally, it allows you to style damp hair instead of dry hair, which is in fact reducing the time it takes to style your hair.

Basically, the biggest difference with the Dyson’s Airwrap 2022 is that the curlers have a new switch that allows you to change the direction of the airflow. This makes it easy to choose the curls that best suit your face, with the ability to alternate between clockwise and counterclockwise curls accordingly. The new tool also features improved airflow for faster drying and styling, as well as a selection of new accessory packs.

PRO: Attachment updates are a big improvement from previous models

• Direction-changing Airwrap barrels

Four barrels total—two of each size, one for clockwise curls and one for counterclockwise curls – were included with the old Airwrap. However, there are only two curlers in the new Airwrap design.

The new curlers come in a 1.2″ and 1.6″ diameter barrel that you can use for both clockwise and counterclockwise curls by just changing the setting at the cool-touch tip of each curler instead of physically switching.

You can also opt to buy the set with long barrels or short barrels, whereas the original at first, Airwrap was only sold with short barrels.

• Coanda smoothing dryer (also known as rough dry attachment)

The newly designed hair dryer attachment is the most significant change. What appeared to be a hollow oval, reminiscent of Dyson’s signature fan design, has now been replaced by a cylindrical blow-dryer head that blows air from wet to damp. Acts as both a “pre-styler” to dry and straighten your hair instantly.

• Improved firm and soft smoothing brushes

The upgrade also includes a paddle brush, which has more movement and noticeably stronger suction.

• Wide-tooth comb

The soft-tipped comb shapes add volume and length to your hair as it is specifically designed for coils and curls.

PRO: All Dyson Airwrap Attachments Are Universal

Moreover, the Airwrap Complete comes with accessories, which Dyson sells separately too. If for some reason you need to use the newer attachments with the older Airwrap base model, or the older attachments with the newer Airwrap Complete, you can easily mix and match. Attachments can be easily replaced by purchasing them individually online. Alternatively, you can try the updated attachments on your old device if you already have one at home.

CON: Expensive and Hard to Purchase

• Technological advancements and outstanding performance demand a higher price.

While the new Dyson Airwrap Complete Styling Tool exceeds performance expectations, it comes with a cost. This is due to the innovative technologies within the product. If you are hesitant to spend money, you might want to start with a blowout tool as a cheaper alternative to get the most out of it.

• Usually out of stock

Dyson Airwraps are rare to find in stock as they are usually sold out both on the official Dyson website as well as on alternative websites.

CON: There’s a Fairly Steep Learning Curve

• Despite numerous tutorials (including those provided by Dyson on their website), it requires a lot of trial and error. Ultimately, the best Air strategy for your hair will depend on your hair type, thickness, and styling preferences.

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