Sony has a new gaming gear brand INZONE. And if you’re gonna start a new brand, you need some new stuff for it. Well they have started off with three gaming headsets.

The INZONE H9, the INZONE H7 as well as the INZONE H3. The headsets include superior sound and 360 Spatial Sound for gaming. This new brand embraces Sony’s expertise as a pioneer of audio-visual technology, delivering features that will immerse gamers into the action with total focus. 

INZONE H9, INZONE H7 and INZONE H3 will be available in New Zealand from late July 2022 at the following price points:

• INZONE H9: $499.95 NZD
• INZONE: H7: $399.95 NZD
• INZONE H3: $199.95 NZD

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Fitbit has been getting all up in on your sleep. Not in a bad way, in a letting yo know how you are sleeping way. Well now they have taken it a bit further with a “Sleep Profile” feature.

I mean they have analysed over 22 billion hours of sleep. It makes sense to do something with the data being looked at.

The new longer analysis of your sleep patterns, Sleep Profile analyses your sleep across ten key metrics each month. These include sleep duration and restfulness as well as new metrics such as sleep schedule variability and disrupted sleep.

Providing a holistic month-long view of your sleep patterns and quality, users will be provided with the ideal range for each metric, along with one of six sleep animals – a fun new way to understand your sleeping style from Giraffes to Tortoises!

Sleep Profile has rolled out in the Fitbit app to Premium users with Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Charge 5, Luxe or Inspire 2 devices already.

Users will receive their first profile during the week of July 4. Then monthly profiles are delivered in the Fitbit app on the 1st of each month.

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Samsung has collaborated with Stranger Things for their latest ad for the Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The short film leverages the advanced Nightography camera features of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. 

The video is part of Samsung’s ongoing partnership with Netflix and is available to view below.

This lines up with season four of Stranger Things which recently dropped on Netflix.

We reviewed the Galaxy S22 Ultra and rated it highly.

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I have had a Chromecast plugged into my TV for many years. The ability to throw something to your TV from an app on your phone is an absolute godsend. This is especially useful when you are traveling and don’t want to miss watching the Warriors get thumped, as you can take your Chromecast, plug it into a TV, and boom. In seconds you can watch the Warriors dropping the ball, or scoring epic tries in a game we lose by 30 points in real time.

The bad news, it is going to be a long year for Warriors fans. The good news is the latest Chromecast lets you install apps and comes with a remote.

The justification

There is always the question of if you need something new, or need that upgrade. So in this case, why would you need this when you can install apps on your TV? The easy answer is Smart TVs go out of support all the time. My Panasonic has had a few apps already go out of support. With all the minor tweaks in OS and hardware variations, it isn’t surprising that app makers will only be able to support hardware for a limited time.  

As such, the ability to use a separate bit of kit that will stay in support for longer is pretty damn appealing. Consumer NZ and Fair Go covered this a while ago, where Hayden explained this better than I can. If you don’t trust me, surely you can trust Consumer NZ and Fair Go. Heck I would trust fair Go with my child, I tried, but apparently they don’t want to babysit.

There are a few options out there like SmartVu but when it comes to a device being supported, the actual makers of Android are pretty damn enticing. Here we have it, the  Google Chromecast (4th Generation) with Google TV which I will be calling the Chromecast 4 for the rest of this review.  

The remote

Current Chromecast users will first notice the biggest change. There is a remote.  

Previous Chromecasts were basically a unit to project what you were running from your phone. The Chromecast 4 is that streaming unit that is equipped with the remote will satisfy most of your streaming requirements.  

The remote itself is a tidy little unit that feels well built. It meets all the requirements, but for those Google Assistant fans out there, it comes with a button that will make you happy. Pressing the weird bubble symbol you can ask for what you are looking for. The show, movie, series, or weather. You ask, Google Assistant can find it. I found it worked well in testing. I’m not the biggest fan of those kinds of tools, so I stopped using it immediately, but it’s there if you want it.

The only real issue is the remote apparently appeals to 12 month olds. My little dude eyed it up the moment it came out of the box, and if you leave it within reach then your show is gonna change at random times.  

Setting it up

Speaking of out of the box, setting up a Chromecast is so damn silky smooth. Plug the Chromecast into an HDMI port on the TV and the power and the bad boy powers up.  

Make sure the Google home app is on your phone and then you follow the simple instructions on the app and TV.  This part was easy as hell, and even with all of the extra capabilities of the Chromecast 4 it threw up no challenges. One new step has you choosing the make of your TV to sync up the remote. I told the Chromecast it was a Panasonic, and it tried to sync up. The power button on the remote turned off my TV, but wouldn’t turn it back on. After choosing the option saying it didn’t work, the Chromecast tried a second time and voila, the Chromecast remote can turn on and off the TV, and volume settings.  

What surprised me the most, after this, my TV remote also worked on the Chromecast. All of a sudden I have two Chromecast remotes.

What if two remotes aren’t enough

I figured that a unit made by Google surely had to have an app that would let me put passwords into apps from my phone. A quick Google search later and I discovered that in the Google Home app there is a remote function, but it wasn’t available for me. The Google troubleshooting gave a list of minimum requirements, as opposed to checking and confirming for me the issue.  

I did everything from updating the software, uninstalling and reinstalling apps, everything before I almost gave up in frustration. Almost, until I found one last thing. It turns out that if you swipe down on your android phone, and expand that to see hidden icons, there is one for Remote. Enabled that and Boom, I was in action again.

Learn from me. Enable that now and never have to spend far too long being annoyed.  

The UI and apps

Booting I was kind of expecting to start it up and be presented with a classic App screen. Instead the Chromecast 4 presents you with a Home which includes a bunch of recommendations from multiple streaming services.

I have a love-hate relationship here. Ideally I would personally rather be given a generic app screen on the front page but I am sometimes an old fuddy duddy. I decided to try embracing it, and I honestly found some gems being recommended, and over time it gets better. Annoyingly it would recommend stuff on services you aren’t subscribed to. I even uninstalled the Disney+  app to see if that would stop it but I still got Disney+ recommendations

Having said that, when you search for a show using the Chromecast search, it is handy showing other services so you can see where you can find the show you want. Maybe there is a streaming service you didn’t know about that has the show you need. So again, love it at times, hate it at times. In reality, pressing the right button gets you to the screen with your apps, so it isn’t a major problem. Also you can turn this off and make it show apps and a few ads in the settings if you don’t get used to it.

What I was hoping for was a Sky Go app that would mean I could take my Chromecast 4 with me and watch the Warriors lose in style. Well that or watch the Phoenix win in style, in Talay we trust. Unfortunately there isn’t a Sky Go app on there yet, so you will need to keep casting from your phone for now. Not a major, but it would be a good thing to have.

The games

I know what you are thinking, this is for watching TV right? Well yeah, but you can also install games. Don’t worry, you aren’t going to try to play games on your remote. All the ones I saw asked for a gamepad.  

But where will I find a Gamepad, you ask? Well do you have any bluetooth controllers? Like your PS4, PS5, Xbox, or a PC one? Pairing my DualSense controller to it took seconds and I was off playing a below average rally game.

There may be some value here playing the actual decent games on the Play Store. I was only playing a below average rally game because I was testing with the first free game I found. If you spend a few bucks there are amazing mobile games to be played. The real strength here will be if they get the Xbox Game Pass app on there and you can Cloud Stream to it. All of a sudden your Chromcast will become an awesome little Xbox you can take on your holiday. For now the Steam Link one there if you have a gaming PC.

Should you get one?

Absolutely. At $110 it is a pretty damn good value way to make you turn any TV into a smart TV. The small form factor means it stays hidden away behind the TV, and is super easy to transport so you can take your apps with you on holiday.  

I am absolutely enjoying the hell out of using it, and it is a justifiable upgrade from an older model.

The post Google Chromecast (4th Generation) with Google TV Review appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

The 2nd Gen ASTRO A10 has been released and it looks tidy. The old A10 looked like a cheaper headset, this one looks gorgeous. The blockier shapes and light yet bold colour schemes look damn snazzy.

I mean look at that Lilac beast, she is gorgeous.

This one features an industrial design inspired by the brand’s roots. It blends the advanced technology with the style and design needs of a modern player.

Some of the key features are:

• Unofficially ‘rage quit’ certified – a rugged durable construction with a handsome finish
• Step into your comfort zone – a feather light and pillowy soft headset designed for long lasting comfort so much so that your ears will outlast your thumbs
• Flip-to-mute microphone – muting made easy; you’ll never have to hear ‘I think you’re muted’ again
• Tuned with ASTRO Audio – crystal clear audio because when it comes to your enemies on the field, faint footsteps matter!
• Sustainable – ASTRO’s most sustainable wired gaming headset produced to date, the A10 Gen 2 is CarbonNeutral

It’s out now with a RRP of $119 at PB Tech, EB Games, JB Hi-Fi and Mighty Ape. You can actually nab it at Mighty Ape for $108.

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Sony has announced 3 more members to its portable speaker family. The very catchy names are the SRS-XG300, SRS-XE300 and SRS-XE200. 

They promise to be packed full of high-quality expansive sound, powerful sound pressure and deep, punchy bass.

All of this while maintain the easy to carry aspect so you can share the joy no matter where you are.

The SRS-XG300, SRS-XE300 and SRS-XE200 will be available from July 2022 for the following prices:

• SRS-XG300 – SRP: $519.95 NZD – Available in Black & Light Grey

• SRS-XE300 – SRP: $399.95 NZD – Available in Black & Blue

• SRS-XE200 – SRP: $299.95 NZD  – Available in Black

The post Sony has announced 3 new wireless speakers appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Pre-orders for the new Surface Laptop Go 2 have commenced. You can now lock in your order from authorized retailers and the Microsoft Online Store from $1299. 

The new Surface Laptop Go 2 is crafted to deliver Surface signature premium design and features in an  ultra-portable format. Jump right into the flow with an effortless lift of the lid, Instant On, and Windows  Hello through the fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. Featuring a vibrant 3:2, 12.4”  PixelSense touch display and an improved HD camera and dual Studio Mics, users can look and sound  their best when making video calls. The first-class Surface typing experience is uncompromised with 30%  more key travel than a MacBook Air and complemented by the large precision trackpad.  

The Surface Laptop Go 2 weighs only 2.48 pounds!

With that it still packs in the power of the Quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor. Add to that the all-day battery life1 and fast charging – Surface Laptop Go 2 is the perfect  companion for class, the office, the coffee shop, or wherever life takes you.

Surface Laptop Go 2 is now available in a fresh Sage color. The calming yet edgy addition to the Surface color palette. Inspired by subtle nature tones, Sage carries green and gray notes with a hint of blue. Surface Laptop Go 2 will also be available in Ice Blue, Sandstone, and Platinum, all in a durable, cool metal finish2

While fashioning a beautiful product, Microsoft remained committed to sustainability. In addition to SSD,
replaceable components now include the C-Cover (Keyset and Trackpad), AB Cover (Display) and battery3,
and Surflink cable helping to extend the use of the device.

Beneath the sleek exterior, Surface Laptop Go 2 is the first Intel-based secured-core PC from Surface. With
innovation from chip to cloud, customers at home or work can enjoy new levels of security. Whether
deploying for a large-scale enterprise or your home business, Surface Laptop Go 2 offers a lightweight,
manageable, and functional device for any employee.

The device is available for pre-orders starting 2 June via authorized retailers such as PB Tech, Noel
Leeming, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman and the Microsoft Online Store. Orders will begin shipping on 2
June and will be available in the following configurations in New Zealand:

Surface Laptop Go 2 – Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD $NZ$1,299
Surface Laptop Go 2 – Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD $NZ$1,499

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If you’re haven’t been convinced to ergonomic yet, well Logitech wants to Lift you into a new one. They have Lifted the game…

There is something in there, Leave that with me. For now check out the trailer for the new Ergonomic vertical mouse.

Introducing Lift, Logitech’s latest ergonomic mouse designed to improve workspace wellness.

Key features:

• Designed to lift you up with a unique 57-degree vertical design that takes the pressure off the wrist for a more relaxing grip and natural forearm posture
• Featuring a smaller ergonomic shape, soft rubber grip and cosy thumb rest, Lift is engineered for the comfort of smaller hands
• Easy pairing – connect up to three different devices via Bluetooth or Logi Bolt USB receiver
• Uninterrupted flow – manage workflow and move files between devices seamlessly using Logitech’s Flow technology
• Less noise, more focus – whisper quiet clicks and seamless SmartWheel scrolling

Logitech Lift launches late June 2022 and is available at all major NZ retailers for an RRP of $149.90.

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Sony today announced their newest addition to the LinkBuds whānau: LinkBuds S.

This new model is touted to bring a new experience through Sony’s sensing technology and partner collaboration. This and to maintaining a “Never Off” wearing experience.

On top of this they are supposed to be super light and super comfortable. And in this tiny package they supposedly pack some sweet sweet noise cancelling.

The tiny, light, noise cancelling bests are looking to shake things up with their slick design.

LinkBuds S will be available in White & Black in selected retailers across New Zealand from mid June 2022.
The price will be a sweet: $379.95 NZD

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Sony hasannounced the newest 1000X series headphones, the WH-1000XM5 wireless, noise cancelling headphones.

We reviewed the WH-1000XM4 headphones and adored them! So who knows what is in store for the latest edition. well you can with all the info below!

Better noise cancelling

The WH-1000XM5 have two processors controlling eight microphones to dramatically reduce noise. An Auto NC Optimiser automatically optimises noise cancellation, depending on the environment.

With the help of the Integrated Processor V1, the WH-1000XM5 unleash Sony’s HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. At the same time the specially designed 30mm driver unit enhances noise cancelling.

Exceptional sound engineered to perfection

The WH-1000XM5 headphones promise to set a new standard for high quality audio.

They have a light and rigid dome using carbon fibre composite material. This will improve high frequency sensitivity for more natural sound quality.

You can now enjoy premium, High-Resolution Audio, with and without the wires, thanks to Sony’s industry-adopted audio coding technology, LDAC. All your music will be restored back to high range sound with the use of DSEE Extreme that upscales digital music files in real time. This allows you to appreciate all the fine-details the artist injected into your most-loved tracks.

These new headphones are also 360 Reality Audio Certified!

Call quality

No location is off limits for taking calls with the WH-1000XM5 headphones. Sony’s precise Voice Pickup technology uses four beamforming microphones and an AI based noise reduction structure to isolate your voice with perfect precision, while a newly developed wind noise reduction structure minimises wind noise during calls. So now a busy street or a noisy work environment can be the perfect place for a quick catchup call with friends or colleagues.

Brand new design with improved wearing comfort

For those familiar with the iconic design of the WH-1000X series, the WH-1000XM5 introduces a beautifully crafted evolution in the style for the range. An all-new noiseless design is beautifully finished in a newly developed soft fit leather with a stepless slider. The new synthetic soft fit leather material fits snugly around the head taking the pressure off your ears and blocking out external noise, so you can keep listening all day, free of discomfort.

The headphones with effortless control

Sony knows you’re moving through the world at a fast pace. Sometimes you finish a busy workday and arrive at the calmness of your own home. The WH-1000XM5 make this transition seamless using Adaptive Sound Control. 

This automatically tailors sound to suit your situation, recognising your most frequented locations and adjusting the ambient sound settings accordingly.

Sony also helps you listen to your music safely with the Sony Headphones Connect app, comparing sound pressure data recorded by your headphones with guidance of the World Health Organisation (WHO). You will receive instant OS notifications when listening levels are too high.

The WH-1000XM5 also come with smart features to help you effortlessly sail through each day. Thanks to Speak-to-Chat you can stop for a quick conversation. Your headphones will automatically stop the music and let in ambient sound. Once your chat is over, the music plays on. With the help of instant pause your personal soundtrack will stop playing as soon as you take the headphones off.  

Effortless pairing

Staying connected has never been easier, as these Bluetooth headphones can be paired with two devices at the same time. When you receive a call, your headphones know which device it’s coming from and instantly connect you to the right one. You can also quickly switch between devices with just the touch of a button.

The WH-1000XM5 support Google’s helpful new Fast Pair feature, allowing you to effortlessly pair with your Android devices. You can also locate where you last left your headphones. Swift Pair makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones to your Windows 11 or Windows 10 laptop, desktop PC or tablet.

Made with the environment in mind

Sony have designed these headphones with the environment in mind. There’s no plastic in the WH-1000XM5 packaging, which is designed based on low toxicity design principles and a ‘Made to be Remade’ philosophy that’s more socially responsible. The product box is produced using recycled and sustainable materials developed specially for Sony. WH-1000XM5 also uses recycled plastic materials from automobile parts.

All day power and portability

Sony want you to tune in and enjoy hours of your favourite artists, making sure nothing gets in the way of your listening experience. The WH-1000XM5 comes with an impressive 30 hours of battery life, so you can enjoy superlative sound even on long travels, and if you’re in a rush you can now get a remarkable 3 hours’ worth of charge in just 3 minutes using USB Power Delivery.

The WH-1000XM5 comes with a handy collapsible carrying case. This means you can slot them in your bag while you are enjoying your music.

Collapsible carrying case

Partnership with global superstar Khalid

Sony has partnered with Khalid on storytelling around how WH-1000XM5 headphones provide premium listening for music.

“As an artist and music fan, quality listening is important to me and Sony’s new WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver quality music experiences in a big way,” says Khalid. “The noise cancelling really makes you feel closer to the music and hear all the details in a song, transporting you to a different world which is how I love to experience music.”  

Availability

The WH-1000XM5 headphones will be available in New Zealand from late June 2022 at an SRP: $679.95 NZD

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