Digital Reviews Network

The Genie is Out of the Bottle: QNAP Put it in the QGenie Mobile NAS

StorageWritten by Martin Regtien on 31 January 2015.

The QGenie is the smallest of all the NAS units we have ever reviewed. It's positively tiny and probably is smaller than your smart phone!

Yet, it contains a lot of functionality not seen in its bigger siblings: let's get the genie out of the bottle or rather, let's get the QGenie out of the box and see what magic happens if we put it to use.

NAS is for sharing, and we all know that. So expect file sharing but also Internet sharing and even power-sharing. And more.

Let's see how it all works.

Cyberlink PowerDirector 13 Ultra - Taking Video Editing to New Heights

SoftwareWritten by Martin Regtien on 16 January 2015.

We have been following Cyberlink's ascendancy in the video world over many years and have reported on earlier editions of their flagship product PowerDirector.
Now, having taken quite a few videos with our Phantom Vision drone recently, we want to go beyond what the likes of Microsoft Video Maker could offer and opted to have a good fresh look again at the most recent edition of PowerDirector.

Let's mention a few highlights and show you how easy it is to produce some pleasing results.

The T1 Bluetooth Speaker by 4Cabling – Cheap and Small but Unconvincing Sound.

AudioWritten by Martin Regtien on 13 January 2015.

Portable sound has come a long way since the days of the 'ghetto blaster'. Now it's easier and cheaper than ever to play some tunes anywhere you like. All you need is a phone and some wireless bluetooth speakers. And there are plenty of bluetooth speakers to choose from.

4Cabling has just issued a new and very cheap model, the T1, which it claims is the thinnest bluetooth speaker in the world. Not only is it very thin at 12mm, but it's smaller than most smartphones, measuring a tiny 100mm by 50mm, not much bigger than a credit card. Priced at $25 they certainly are very affordable too.

The big question is: how is the sound quality?

Have a look at the findings of Roel Verhoeven below.

The Recon Visenta Wireless Foldable Laser Mouse: Slim and Comfortable?

AccessoriesWritten by Martin Regtien on 12 January 2015.

I can't say that I've been looking for a new mouse since the Logitech MX Revolution which we reviewed eons ago, is still calling my office desk home. It is a most comfortable extension of my hand.
When we were asked to review the Recon Visenta there was one outstanding feature that appealed to us from reading the specs: it's a foldable 9 mm thin device. Ideal for travelling.
But can something that thin also be comfortable?

Superb Video Stability with the New DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus Version 3.0 - Part II

VideoWritten by Martin Regtien on 06 January 2015.

This follow-up article on our Phantom review of a few weeks ago is focused almost exclusively on demonstrating the fantastic video capabilities of this much improved platform. We have flown the Phantom 2 Vision in extreme gusty weather and it performed impeccably.

Check it out on the videos.

Dakota Dreams: Stay the Night in the World's Coolest Flight Simulator in an Authentic C- 47

MiscellaneousWritten by Martin Regtien on 03 January 2015.

The Dakota and its military version the C-47, is one of the most iconic aeroplanes of all time. Some of the 70-year-old aircraft are still in active service today! But most of the thousands produced have faded away in history.

Such was almost the fate of PK-GDC until craftsman extraordinaire Pleun Hitzert rescued the carcass from total demise by converting it to a unique accommodation for two persons.
And, he added another exclusive feature: a Dakota flight simulator that works with the aircraft's own controls!
Come and check this out...

Quality NAS -- QNAP TS-431 Reviewed

StorageWritten by Paul Moons on 31 December 2014.

It's a network attached world and after our Synology and Thecus reviews, its time we put the spotlight on QNAP's latest offering, the TS-431.

Cool just got cooler. And Quieter - Dyson AM06 Desk Fan Review

AppliancesWritten by Paul Moons on 17 December 2014.

While Dyson's crazy air multiplier design has been around since 2009, it still boggles the mind of most who has sit before one. Where there should be fan blades, there is nothing but a large hole! Does it run on mains power or on voodoo?

After two months, we're still not entirely sure.

A Great Update: The New DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus Version 3.0 - Part I

VideoWritten by Martin Regtien on 11 December 2014.

There is excitement in the air and quite a buzz this time before Christmas as thousands of props are stirring and whirring as drones take to the skies...
It will be a lot busier after Christmas when thousands of new drones join the swarm. Many of these cost just a few hundred dollars or much less still. But for people with serious photography or video in mind there are very capable UAVs available today from the likes of DJI and their Phantom range.

Today we're looking at what is probably the best upgrade of the Phantom Vision since we reviewed this model about a year ago.
Let's have a look at what is new in this segment which will be followed up a few weeks later with some video footage to show off its capabilities.