Technology reviews

I've just found this thread.
I'm debating with myself whether to cancel Sky and have a YouView + box instead. I'm not a technophobe and I wonder what the +'s and-'s are.
At the moment I have Broadband Infinity and telephone line from BT and Sky for TV. The 2 bills come to over £100 per month.

I've read so many mixed reviews about BT and recently had a bad experience when they 'didn't turn up' for a planned appointment. Also you can never get through to them to discuss problems.

I could go to Sky and ask them to take over the Broadband but then I think I would lose Infinity - whatever that is!

The only thing we watch on Sky is sport. Can you still get Sky sport on BT?

It's a minefield for someone like me who just wants to cut down on her costs.

HELP please,

Devolo, dLAN LiveCam - overall rating 9/10

(From ticktock)

(2013) I received this product free of charge as part of an honest product review.

I found this camera slightly awkward to install. It didn't really come with any instructions, and relied on a single piece of paper with diagrams. I'm not very visual and would have done better with words, but I guess it's for people who usually tend to skip the heavy manuals. It only took me two attempts to fully install - so I guess in hindsight, it wasn't too difficult.

Once it was all plugged in, I downloaded the app for my phone. This was particularly difficult to track down, as when you type in the name of the product in the AppStore, it doesn't come up. After a few attempts, I managed to find it on my desktop computer and connected my iPhone to it, and dragged the app across.

The installation of the app was straight forward. Once you log in, it remembers your registration. The camera needs to be adjusted to get the right focus, this is done by turning the focusing ring on the actual camera.

I've viewed this camera from the app using my Wifi connection and a 3G connection in another town - both very quick and hardly any lag time. The clarity is amazing; obviously when it's bright the image is much better, but it has infrared so you can also see in darkness.

I only had one camera, but there is the option to have more than one linked up in your house.

You can use this camera to monitor a property, as a camera for interior spaces, or as a video extension to a baby monitor - I used it for the latter, but I will also be using it to monitor my house when I go abroad for a week.

A few things I would improve: I think there should be the option of sound, and the ability to move the camera around using the app. I also think there should be a recording facility.

Humax, YouView - overall rating 9.7/10

(From gillybob)

(2013) I am extremely impressed with the YouView box of tricks. It was so easy to set up and even easier to use. I am now able to catch up on the TV that I always missed and have a catalogue of childrens programs at my finger tips whenever the little ones get bored. I am marking this product 9 out of 10 as my only "gripe" is that the box is quite large and my daughter (who bought one on my recommendation) has one that is almost half the size.

(From vampirequeen)

(2013) How long did it take you to understand how to use YouView?

It is so simple. The machine takes you through the set up one step at a time. The remote looks complicated but is actually quite easy to use. It took a few minutes to master the basics then we worked through the other bits over the next couple of days when we wanted to try something.

~ Has your child/children used YouView? How long did it take them to understand it and get used to it?

The children found it so easy. They almost instinctively know what to do.

~ Which programmes have you most enjoyed watching on YouView so far?

The HD programmes. The picture quality is amazing.

~ Which of the following services have you most enjoyed so far? Live TV/ on-demand/7 day catch up

All of them.

~ Who in your family has used your YouView box the most?

Me

~ What have you found YouView most useful for so far? Catching up on

shows you've missed/ entertaining the kids/finding something to watch to pass time/ watching TV live/ listening to the radio/ search functionality, backwards 7 day programme guide, on demand players, record functionality

All the functions are brilliant but I particularly like the green button option on advertised programmes so that you can set them to record there and then.

(From grandmac)

(2013) When I got the email to say I was going to receive the YouView box I was sooo excited! And it has not been a disappointment.

The set up is very simple, easy to follow pictures and instructions. I had it up and running in about 10 minutes. It is packed with useful features, all of which are easy to access and use.

You can browse through the TV guide, then play 'catch-up' for programmes shown over the previous 7 days. There is also an 'on demand' feature showing a selection of programmes by genre or by provider,and you can also search for specific programmes which I find particularly useful. This box also lets you record 2 programmes at the same time (you know how there are always several unmissable programmes on at 9!)while watching something else on 'catch-up' or 'on demand'. A really useful feature. Of course it has programme reminder and series record functions too. Subtitles are easy to switch on during a programme, another feature I find really useful. At the push of a button you can record what you are currently watching, and it is easy to find,watch and delete recorded programmes. There are also pause, rewind and fast forward functions for recordings or live TV. An unusual but extremely good feature is the zoom button for enlarging on screen text in the menus and guides. There are other functions I haven't needed to use, such as parental control, but I am sure they work just as well as the ones I have used.

I can't think of any feature that I need that this box doesn't have! It is just magic and I love it! Go out and get one!

I was picked by GNHQ to review this product, which I received for free. This review is in my own words and reflects my true opinion.

Apologies I did not recognise the format so have done a S2B and reported all and sundry!!!

However, I don't like this format! What was wrong with a SINGLE thread headed Reviews?
Now HG1 seems to be taking over everything

Nexus 5, Google - overall rating 10/10

(From cazthebookworm)

(2014) This is an Android smartphone and I have it in red. It is beautiful. The case is made of soft matt plastic with curved edges, slim and extremely light and feels so comfortable in my hand. The screen is clear, the interface is easily accessible and it responds quickly to commands. The camera is excellent and produces lovely photographs. It compares favourably with an Apple iPhone, but costs much less and I would recommend to anyone. Extremely good value for money.

My Rewards App - overall rating 10/10

(From NorthernSwifty)

(2014) This app is like an online sticker reward chart. www.myrewardsapp.co.uk. You need an iPad or iPhone to use it, but if you have one of those it is great. My mum looks after my little lad once a week and she has this app on her iPad. If he does something really good she can click on it, and it gets recorded. I get an alert in my email to let me know that she has done this, and it is nice to know that he is being good. We decided what things we should reward and what the rewards should be. It's a very clever app really and it's great that it allows multiple users, so we all use it together.

Gigaset E500 phone - overall rating 10/10

(From spotification)

(2013) This is a really excellent phone for your landline. It is the easiest phone I have ever used. The keys are large, well separated (which with my banana fingers is very important) and illuminated.

The sound quality on this phone is great and you can adjust it up and down. The name of the caller displays on the handset - or the number if you haven't added your contacts - and is large enough to read without running off for my glasses.

One of the things I like is that you can save your four favourite numbers to direct dialling buttons on the base. This means I can call the DS and DD by pressing one key.

You can also use the phone hands-free, which I have done while typing and googling.

The base has a built in answering machine, which is great.

It took me a bit of time to work through the setting up instructions but these are no more complicated than usual. The print is a decent size and although bits of it are muddling (the menu tree) you can easily make sense of it if you bother.