11 May
Blog

Microsoft Surface Go 2 Review: The Awkward Teenager

Microsoft Surface Go 2 review 05

"The Surface Go 2 still doesn't live up to its infinite potential."

  • Nice, bright screen

  • Light but robust

  • Runs a full version of Windows 10

  • Intel Core m3 offers solid performance

  • Too expensive

  • Using tablets is still difficult

  • The battery life is missing

The Surface Go 2 is the clumsy teenager in the Surface family.

The Surface Pro is grown up, confident and goal-oriented. The upcoming Surface Duo and Surface Neo are the children of the family, full of promises that have yet to be proven. But the Go 2 surface? It pushes in between. It's smart and has an idea of ​​what to do, but it doesn't seem to be sure.

Starting at $ 400, the iPad is the most direct competitor at $ 329. However, you will have to pay an additional $ 70 for the Type Cover keyboard connector. My updated Surface Go 2 test device with Type Cover costs $ 700.

Has Microsoft optimized the formula so far that Go 2 finds its place?

Design and display

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

The Go 2 is the latest in a long line of Microsoft attempts to make a small Surface device. The Surface Go was first launched in 2018, but preceded the original Surface, which started in Windows RT in 2012.

The size of the screen is the most notable change in the formula. It now measures diagonally at 10.5 inches, grown by 10 inches. It's only 5% more screen, but on smaller devices every half inch counts.

The screen itself is beautiful, especially for a device for $ 399.

Microsoft did this by adding only 0.05 pounds to the weight of the device, which is important. The Go 2's portability differs from the Surface Pro and allows it to compete with the iPad. The ability to hold and operate the device in one hand is crucial.

To avoid enlargement, the Surface Go 2 has slightly smaller side panels than its predecessor. I like this change, although I want more. I am spoiled by the current number of tablets and laptops, which do much more to improve the screen-to-body ratio. The lower panel of course allows the Type Cover keyboard to sit at its angle.

From the port's perspective, nothing has changed. Like the original, the Surface Go 2 has a USB-C port, a Surface Connect dock, a headphone jack and a microSD card slot. You can charge using either the USB-C port or the Surface Connect dock. This is useful if you want to charge when connecting USB accessories.

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

The screen itself is beautiful, especially for a device for $ 399. A laptop for this price is probably not even 1080p and is likely to be dark and saturated. Not the Surface Go 2. The 1,920 x 1,280 panel is lively, bright and sharp. There are laptops and tablets with more accurate colors or higher contrast, but none at this price.

That is, of course, with the exception of the 10.2-inch iPad for $ 329. The 2,160 x 1,620 display has a higher pixel density and is also a bit brighter. But let's be honest – the real advantage of the iPad over the Surface Go 2 is not the build quality or the display. It's in the software department.

Software problems galore

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

The Surface Go 2 is delivered with "Windows 10 in S mode". This is the tablet's first software problem. Not many Windows devices sell a lot with this unfortunate version of Windows 10, which prevents you from installing EXE files from the Internet.

Do you think it doesn't concern you? I quickly reached the limits of S mode when I called out about zoom after our morning hustle and bustle. The Surface Go 2 comes with a 1080p, 5 megapixel webcam that is perfect for video conferencing. However, I found that S mode was preventing me from downloading the app and instead referred me to the Microsoft Store.

Fine. I click on the store and of course find that zoom is nowhere to be found. It is such situation ties that make S mode a problematic idea.

And yes, just get out of S mode. A restart is not even necessary. But "S mode" is not a phrase most tech-savvy people know, and they certainly don't know why they should turn it on or off. The warning Microsoft is giving about performance and battery life is enough to keep most people from switching to normal Windows 10.

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

Except for S mode, the status of Windows 10 tablet mode has not improved in the past five years. It's still not a touch-friendly software experience. Most of the gestures are not intuitive. It works, but it is rough.

Obviously, Microsoft has no interest in improving tablet mode as it is actively working on its replacement Windows 10X. The company recently announced that the touch-friendly interface for single-screen devices will be available before the more experimental two-screen devices.

The Surface Go 2 is in a strange transition from Windows 10 to Windows 10X.

A computer is only as good as the software it runs. The Surface Go 2 is unfortunately stuck in the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 10X.

Keyboard and touchpad

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

The Surface Go 2 was introduced in the middle of the change of the iPad. Apple's tablets now offer full cursor and mouse support and a fancy Magic Keyboard attachment. This makes the iPad Pro feel more like a serious laptop replacement.

In terms of price, however, the real competition for the Surface Go 2 is the $ 329 iPad from 2019. If this iPad could use the Magic keyboard, the Surface Go 2 would be in trouble. However, this doesn't mean that the $ 329 iPad doesn't have the old smart keyboard, which lacks a touchpad. Alternatively, you can try a third-party keyboard case, such as the Logitech Combo Touch.

Because of its small size, typing feels a little uncomfortable when touched.

The Surface Go 2 has a solid keyboard, but is not perfect. For example, typing with the touch feels a little uncomfortable. The layout of the QWERTY line is a little too far to the left, making it difficult to reach the "R" key without lifting the rest of my fingers. This is exactly where the T button should be.

I had the same problem with the original Surface Go, although I was able to re-familiarize myself within a few hours. The solution? I hover my fingers over the buttons instead of resting them on a standard layout.

The touchpad isn't huge, but it does respond. Other Windows 10 laptops at this price usually have textured plastic touchpads that are nowhere near as smooth as the Type Cover.

Although the Surface Go 2 doesn't come with the Type Cover, Microsoft currently only charges $ 70 for the attachment. Apple charges $ 160 for its Smart Keyboard and Magic Keyboard from $ 250.

The Surface Go 2 is also compatible with the $ 100 Surface Pen, although Microsoft hasn't bundled it with our review sample. I was satisfied with the Surface Pen in the past and I assume that this will also be the case with the Surface Go 2. For some, this may be a primary reason to buy the device because the Surface Go 2 is the cheapest compatible device with the Surface Pen.

performance

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

The Surface Go 2 is available in two versions. Both have dual-core processors, but the big news is the more expensive variant, which is powered by an Intel Core m3-8100Y. This is a premiere for the Surface Go, which in the past only offered Intel Pentium Gold chips.

It's a big change for the better. The Surface Go 2 is almost 50% faster than its predecessor in benchmarks. Apps load faster, multitasking is smoother, and finding the performance cap is much more difficult. It is not impossible, but now beyond what many people want to do with this device.

The best part? The Surface Go 2 is fanless, stays quiet and surprisingly cool with a variety of workloads.

However, the Core m3 model costs $ 630. It also comes with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. That's not a terrible price for the specs, but you can buy an Intel Core i5 or a new AMD Ryzen 7 chip for the same price. Just don't expect it to be as slim and slim as the Go 2.

The Surface Go 2 is fanless and therefore remains completely noiseless and cool.

The new MacBook Air is a good reference. It was recently updated with a 10th generation Core i3 processor that only contains two cores and four threads. The air benchmarks are 15% faster in the single-core area and 20% in the multi-core area than in the Surface Go 2. This is not a big gap, and the launch of the Air is much more expensive at $ 1,000 .

It's a pity that the Intel Core m3 is not a standard. The basic Surface Go 2 comes with the Pentium 4425Y, a small step up from the Pentium 4415Y in the original Surface Go. I haven't tested it yet, but expect performance similar to the original Go with some issues.

This is the version most people are likely to buy, and that's a problem. It offers less headroom for multitasking, especially if you want to connect an external monitor. If you match memory and storage, the Intel Core m3 option is only $ 80 more expensive, but offers a significant increase in performance.

Battery life

Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

There are situations when the Surface Go 2 is a fantastic companion. It is the perfect size to use recipes and videos in the kitchen or to travel as a work and media device. However, these tasks require long battery life, and the original Surface Go lacked endurance. It only took about five hours on a single charge.

The Surface Go 2 is even worse thanks to the faster Core m3 chip and the 27 watt-hour battery. With light use, it took about four hours and thirteen minutes. With my standard mix of multitasking, streaming music, web apps and office, it was less than four hours. I even tried my normal routine in Microsoft's new Edge browser, but that didn't help.

My local video playback test was the only bright spot. It took an impressive eleven hours and fifteen minutes, and even exceeded Microsoft's own ten hours. Unfortunately, if you do something more essential, that number will drop significantly.

Budget laptops often don't offer much more battery life, but the iPad is a longer-lasting device that offers seven to eight hours in many situations.

More expensive Surface devices also do better. While consuming more power, they make up for it with much larger batteries.

Our opinion

The Surface Go 2 is a device that I want to love. In many ways, it's the 2-in-1 I've always wanted. With the right software running, a more comfortable keyboard, thinner bezels, and better battery life, I can consider using both a tablet and a laptop to ensure the life of a single device.

This dream device is a completely different device than today's Surface Go 2. The next iteration may be the one that reaches the next level, but the Surface Go 2 doesn't make the cut.

Are there alternatives?

Among the tablets, the iPad is the best alternative for $ 329. It's lighter, has a better screen, and destroys the Surface Go in its software experience.

Good alternatives for laptops are the $ 650 Pixelbook Go, which offers a better laptop experience, and the $ 650 Acer Swift 3 with Ryzen, which offers a lot more power.

How long it will take?

The Surface Go 2 may feel chunkier earlier than other laptops and 2-in-1 devices you can buy in 2020. The installations were already a year or two ago. Microsoft grants a standard one-year warranty on its Surface products.

Should you buy it

No. It's a solid device for people who want Surface functionality at low UVP, but most people will be better off with the Surface Pro, an iPad, or a Chromebook.

Editor's recommendations




11 May
Blog

Tag Heuer Connected Review: Indulge Yourself, It’s Worth It

Tag Heuer connected 2020 smartwatch review 02 face

Tag Heuer Connected (2020) Review: Go ahead, treat yourself

"The Tag Heuer Connected is a desirable smartwatch that is easy to love at first glance."

  • Nice design and comfortable to wear

  • Sapphire crystal over the screen

  • Good battery life

  • Heart rate sensor and custom fitness app

  • Naturally expensive

  • No way to make or receive calls

Is there a difference between putting on and wearing a Tag Heuer smartwatch compared to another WearOS smartwatch? The answer is yes – but it has nothing to do with technology. With the Tag Heuer Connected we get a Swiss smartwatch that is not only suitable for loyal watch freaks, but for everyone who has a piece of disposable income to spend something special.

design

It is so pretty. So, so pretty. The Tag Heuer Connected shown here has a stainless steel case, a solid ceramic bezel made of brushed steel and a rubber strap. It is reserved and yet noble, fits stylistically to everything and is obviously still a Tag Heuer. You can buy versions with metal bands and with a matt black PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating. I was a little worried about the size of the new version before seeing it in real life as it is a substantial 44mm wide and 13.5mm thick case, but my worry was not necessary.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

It is exactly right. This is the minimal bezel thanks to the nice screen, the slim buttons and the reasonably large horns. Sapphire crystal covers the screen and fits directly into the bezel. This is important for ergonomics, as this makes the touchscreen more comfortable to use. There is no bezel on the screen itself and the display takes up the entire dial.

The sapphire with its characteristic sheen is wonderful to look at and offers scratch protection. The strong metal buttons – new for a Tag Heuer Connected Smartwatch – have a positive effect. The strap is thick, yet soft, strong but pliable, and I like the bevelled edge of the bezel, which gives just the right amount of shine in sunlight. The rubber coating on the crown is a great move as it increases grip as you scroll through the menu system.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

However, the watch is quite thick, which is optically balanced by a clever rejuvenation of the heart rate sensor. It does not stop that it is painful to fit under tight shirt sleeves. The heart rate sensor protrudes from the body to ensure good contact with your wrist and increases the profile of the watch when worn.

At least it's not a heavy watch and the rubber band stays comfortable. I happily wore the smartwatch all day without feeling uncomfortable. It feels close to a traditional high-end luxury watch.

Tag Heuer has given up modularity, which means that none of the main components are interchangeable, including the horns. It has accepted that this is a smartwatch and therefore has to be suitable for everyone, not for an additional purchase that will be picked up by its established customers alongside a Tag Heuer Monaco Golf worth $ 6,350. This gives the watch more focus and makes it nicer to own, not only for those who want to have the cache with the name, but also for those who want to wear a luxury smart watch and use it every day.

software

The last WearOS watch I wore for a long time was the Suunto 7, and the software experience was better than many others. I am happy to say that the Tag Heuer has been similarly improved over older (and cheaper) WearOS watches. General use, such as notifications, the use of Google Assistant and fitness tracking, is smooth and fast, making the watch comfortable to use every day. There are some delays when using online services like the Play Store, but I haven't used them regularly enough to notice this.

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Tag Heuer's watch face collection is pleasantly diverse, but strangely limited. There are two classic Tag Heuer faces that look great, but I'd like to have more options than abstract faces. These graphically heavy faces, called carbon and orbital, look fantastic, especially the way the moving stars on the orbital face represent the second hand. but they're not exactly saying Tag Heuer, which is probably important for anyone who buys this watch.

The initial WearOS setup process is slow and cumbersome. You need to enter passwords, agree to various agreements, and install updates. It takes up to 45 minutes. In many cases, the watch must be in the charger. Compare this to the faster and less lengthy setup required for an Apple Watch, and the introduction to your Tag Heuer watch isn't ideal.

However, this is more of a problem with the software than with this watch and occurs regardless of the WearOS model purchased. After that, you still need to install some important apps, including Google Maps and Google Fit, which are not standard, but will significantly improve the user experience.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

There are several pre-installed Tag Heuer apps. The excellent golf app, previously seen on the Golf Edition Tag Heuer watch, now uses the buttons on the case for faster navigation on the watch. It takes the Tag Heuer Golf app on your phone, and I've found that the course list is still out of date. It shows my local course as open but has been closed for many years. Apart from that, the app is a great companion on the golf course.

There's also a beautifully designed custom timer and stopwatch app, as well as a new sports app. It offers settings for golf, running, cycling, walking, fitness and a general fitness tracking mode. As with the Golf app, the physical buttons are active to make stopping and stopping easier, and the display shows time, calorie and heart rate data.

However, the app still needs to be polished. For example, the rotating crown does not work when entering your personal data, but somewhere else in the app. Otherwise, it is well designed and can be quickly synchronized with the Tag Heuer Sports app on your mobile phone. The data are not complete and are only intended for occasional fitness fans.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Google Fit is available, but again, the crown doesn't work with the software. By default, the hardware buttons are configured to enable the Tag Heuer apps. However, they can be changed to the apps of your choice. I like the helpful Google Assistant screen, which is swiped from the left and clearly shows the weather, appointments and other assistant functions such as delivery dates.

Notifications can be answered with predefined responses or with a tiny keyboard. The former is preferable. I received fewer repeated notifications than some other WearOS smartwatches, but found that some notifications were not delivered at all. Again, the inconsistency of notifications is more of a problem with WearOS than with this special smartwatch. WearOS works well here, but even then it doesn't come close to the robust reliability of Apple's WatchOS.

Screen, connectivity and performance

The 1.4-inch OLED screen has a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels, so you can see information clearly. The lack of a bezel gives it an ultra-modern style, especially when reading text. The detail is razor sharp, the colors are striking and the visibility of the sunlight is good. This is supported by a decent automatic brightness function. It quickly adapted to indoor and outdoor lighting conditions and stuck to its choice, rather than accidentally increasing or decreasing the level like some other WearOS watches. The constantly active screen is another success. It shows the time with an animated second hand at a glance, without you having to lift your wrist and without noticeably affecting the battery life.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

This comes in part from the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform that powers the watch. This is a massive improvement over the old Snapdragon Wear 2100 platform, and the advantages in terms of efficiency and speed are obvious. There is almost no stuttering, and even connecting to the Google Play Store – often a speed issue – is acceptable. Google Assistant is easy to use with your voice and is activated after a long press on the crown. It answers the same questions you would easily ask your phone. However, I would still not use it in public.

You cannot make or receive calls from Tag Heuer Connected. When a call comes in via the watch, you are notified, but the answering machine immediately switches it to your phone. While speaking with your watch is the same social acceptance issue as speaking with Google Assistant, it is sometimes a practical feature. Given the price of the Tag Heuer Connected, it's a shame it isn't included. The vibration is subtle but strong enough to be felt.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

It is also the first Tag Heuer smartwatch with a heart rate sensor. Compared to the Apple Watch Series 5, it constantly reads two or three beats faster. I trust the Apple Watch for several reasons, but mainly because my heart rate is the same for many months, while others vary more.

battery

Compared to the watch itself, the included charging base is rather shabby and made of plastic. It attaches magnetically to the back of the watch and takes up to an hour and 30 minutes to fully charge. It feels very slow, now we have smartphones with significantly larger batteries that can be charged in an hour or less.

The 430 mAh battery easily lasted a whole day with moderate use and recorded about 45 minutes of training with Google Fit or the Tag Heuer app. Movement restrictions have made it impossible to test the effects of using more extensive fitness features. Without fitness tracking and just notifications, the Tag Heuer Connected took one and a half days. Not that bad.

Price, availability and guarantee

The Tag Heuer Connected is not expensive for luxury watch standards, but expensive for smartwatch standards. The steel case and black rubber strap model shown here costs $ 1,800 or £ 1,495, but you could pay at least $ 2,350 or £ 1,950 for the titanium versions. The collection is now available in Tag Heuer's own online shop. Tag Heuer grants a two-year guarantee, which however does not cover the battery or the crystal.

Our opinion

With the new Tag Heuer Connected, Tag Heuer is fully committed to developing a real smartwatch. Forgetting the modular functions has resulted in a better made, more focused, and more portable smartwatch than any other version before. While it doesn't offer any additional functionality over many other WearOS smartwatches, its design, construction, and materials outperform everything else and ensure that it offers the luxury required by a Tag Heuer. WearOS is not frustrating and also performs well. All of this surpasses the ownership experience of many smartwatches under $ 300.

Is there a better alternative?

There are two ways to look at this question. If you're looking for an alternative luxury smartwatch, there are few options available to you. The $ 995 Montblanc Summit 2 Plus is a similarly compact, beautifully designed WearOS smartwatch. Apple's Apple Watch Series 5 Hermés Edition, worth $ 1,400, is also something special, especially because of the beautiful bracelets and unique dials. Then there is the Movado Connect 2.0 for $ 795 and even the Alpina AlpinerX, which is characterized by the fact that it does not use WearOS.

If you want a smartwatch and don't really care if it comes from a luxury brand, there are many more options. We like the $ 295 Fossil Gen 5, the $ 280 Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, and the awesome $ 275 Diesel On Fadelite.

These are all WearOS watches that work with Android and iOS phones. However, if you have an iPhone, you should only buy a smartwatch – the Apple Watch Series 5 for $ 400.

It should be noted here that the functions of all WearOS watches are largely identical, regardless of whether you buy a luxury smartwatch or not. When you choose a luxury model, you pay more for the materials, the build quality and the brand name than for additional functions.

How long it will take?

A smartwatch should last for about two to three years, and that goes for any smartwatch, luxury, or otherwise. This is due to the deterioration of the battery, technological advances and the availability of software updates. The Tag Heuer Connected itself is water-resistant to 50 meters, has a stainless steel case, sapphire crystal and a ceramic bezel, which means that it is very hard-wearing.

Tag Heuer has also reduced modularity so that you cannot swap the smartwatch case for a mechanical case, which will keep your strap and horn options when the digital part is no longer optimal. The cost was high, but it may have added value to Tag Heuer collectors and justified the initial price.

Should you buy it

Yes, but just know what you're buying. You buy a Tag Heuer smartwatch and have to accept the enormous additional cost and importance of it compared to spending around $ 300 on another smartwatch.

Editor's recommendations




11 May
Blog

Discovering Escapability in Olympic Weightlifting

This is one of the issues that rarely come up in weight lifting discussions, but it can turn out to be a cause of problems. One is that it can prevent a lifter from making the best effort to complete a lifelong PR. I unwittingly developed my ability to escape when my parents enrolled me in judo classes as a teenager.

In judo sport there is a constant double to get into a more favorable position and to overcome the opponent. An athlete can be thrown by the opponent, but can position the body so that a full point is not scored.

This can ultimately result in the mat reversing. This ceaseless jockeying for position and leverage continues throughout the game until a fighter is declared the winner or the timer ends the game. A key skill acquired in judo is the ability to flee – the ability to get out of a dangerous situation, often in a very short space of time.

Rediscover escape

So I knew I had this ability when I started lifting weights. I haven't given much thought to it, put any emphasis on it, and until recently never thought about coaching it. However, I discovered the value of it one day when I got into a situation that could be dangerous.

It was a normal training session in the old downtown LA YMCA. There were about 6 or 7 of the regular lifters there with coach Bob Hise II, and we worked in Clean & Jerk singles.

My legs were always behind my clean one, but everything I could get up with was jerky with an excellent elbow lock. This special opportunity was intense training at the end of a week and we were probably more tired than we thought.

I came to 110, which corresponds to a weight of 90%. I cleaned it with some difficulty and brought a typical mill to a standstill. At that point, I thought I had nailed the jerk. I pushed the weight straight over my head and, to my surprise, my elbows could not block and the weight started to fall from above.

In many cases it would have been normal to lose weight forward or backward and just step out from under it, but this time it could only come straight down. And it did! It actually hit my head. In a flash I realized that if I did nothing I could be seriously injured.

Adrenaline hit and it was a lifesaver. I immediately pancake and went to spread out. I knocked the bar down to make sure I wasn't holding the bar anymore so I wouldn't risk wrist injury.

On the way down, I found my head was deeper than it was wide and turned my head to the side instead of planting on the face when I fell to the floor. It's amazing what goes through your head at a time of extreme danger.

The bar landed on the floor, hurt nothing and just rolled forward, barely turning my head. The whole incident was more embarrassing than an indicator of failure.

I walked away relieved, but still more certain of my ability to escape the danger.

encounter

I haven't thought about it at all during much of my coaching career. Most of the time, most of the lifters I trained were juniors and seniors. Most of them had started their athletic careers at a young age and learned many general athletic skills. I've seen a series of harrowing escapes made possible by the escape ability of some exceptional athletes.

I have recently worked with more master athletes, many of whom started their athletic careers after the age of 40. They were not involved in grappling or physical contact sports because escape skills were developed.

As a result, they hesitate to descend to the lower position of the zipper and are less likely to split the jerk. In the case of the Snatch, conventional thinking was that there was a mobility problem, but since then we have all found that many who are reluctant to get into the Snatch can do a real squat overhead. So it's not a mobility problem.

I assume that some of my top athletes who are reluctant to get into the full snap position will be hampered by a lack of confidence in their escape skills.

I have no strategy to deal with this problem. My first observation is that escape is achieved during a certain time window in younger years. I suppose someone could find a way to acquire these skills, but I'm not sure if many of our traditional practice protocols would be very effective.

I only identify one situation here. I think that coaches who work with inexperienced master athletes should take this into account when dealing with this population. Some of them may never be able to descend to a lower position without leaving an escape route for themselves.

This also applies to athletes with good shoulder mobility, who prefer not to put their head directly under the bar in the back. Ah great. Another dilemma to think about!

If you would like to learn more about Takano weight lifting or would like my help with your weight lifting programs, please contact me on the gym's Facebook page or website.

11 May
Blog

Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight Review: A Bright Choice

Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight

"You won't find a more intelligent and useful solar safety light on the market."

  • Adjustable brightness

  • Can connect to other smart devices

  • 1200 lumens of white light

The Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight is the answer to your outdoor security requirements, especially if you don't know anything about wiring and don't want to hire an electrician to install security lights outside your home. This lamp is easy to assemble and is powered by a solar panel. You don't have to worry about batteries or wiring, and installation takes an amazingly quick 5 to 10 minutes. Even better? With the Ring app you have full control over this intelligent light. Really, there is nothing you don't like

about this ring product.

Brighten the night

This writer's back yard gets as dark as a mine shaft at night, so I need a floodlight that can really turn off the light. I wasn't sure if a solar light would do the job. But when I tried the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight on a cloudy night, it lit up most of the 4-acre lot behind my house.

If you need a little less power for your cottage, you can control the brightness with the Ring app.

It is also adjustable. If you need a little less power for your holiday home, you can use the ring app to control the brightness as you wish. In total, the light provides up to 1,200 lumens of white light (3500K color temperature).

App functions

Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight in the Ring app

You'd think that a simple spotlight wouldn't have too many app features. Just on, off and maybe a brightness control, right? Well, the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight offers a lot more functions in the Ring app. In addition to changing the brightness, you can also enable a motion detection option that turns on the light when it detects something is moving in the area. You can also choose whether or not to receive a warning on your phone every time a movement is detected.

It was really only recognized when my dogs were moving and not seeing any insect movement, which can be a lot here in Texas.

You can also adjust the sensitivity so that the light doesn't come on every time a moth floats by. I set the light to medium sensitivity and then left my dogs in the back yard for a few hours. A look at the "Event History" section of the app showed me that the light only came on a few times, which means that it was really only recognized when my dogs were moving and not detecting any insect movements, which can be a lot here in Texas .

Ring Smart Lighting solar floodlight and blue skyAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

The app also gives you the option to set your floodlights on a schedule. You can connect it to other lights in your house or set it on your own schedule. I have set it to turn on only from dawn to dawn, which gives it time to turn the battery on fully during the day. The combination with other devices such as the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is also a good idea. For example, each time your floodlight detects motion, it can be set up to automatically turn on the camera on your video doorbell. This ensures that if someone tries to sneak around your property, you have a better chance of capturing video footage of the person – and it's a wonderful deterrent.

Power from the sun

Ring Smart Lighting solar floodlight and solar panel Alina Bradford / Digital Trends

By far my favorite feature of the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight is that it is solar. You don't have to wire anything or replace batteries. As long as you set up the 2 W solar panel in a sunny place, you can get started. My garden has a lot of shade, but the battery is still well charged. The solar panel is fantastic, but it is dedicated to light so it cannot be used with other products.

It takes a buddy

Ring bridge in handAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

An important thing to remember is that you have to buy one Ring bridge In order for the floodlights to be connected to the app and to be coupled with other lights and intelligent devices in your home, the WiFi in your home is less used. The ring bridge costs $ 50 and is about the size of half a deck of cards. So it takes up very little space in your house. Unfortunately, it cannot be used with devices that were not made by Ring.

Our opinion

I really can't say enough good things about this light. The Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight ($ 90) is affordable, easy to install, and maintenance-free. The app gives you the control you've ever dreamed of when it comes to outdoor lighting. This product really met all of my outdoor security lighting requirements.

Is there a better alternative?

Not really. There are some solar powered floodlights on the market at prices between $ 35 and $ 600, but there are very few that can be controlled with an app, and probably none that can be connected to other lights in your home. The next light that the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Floodlight can be compared to is the Link2Home Security Solar Floodlight ($ 40): It is programmable, but not really "intelligent" and cannot be connected to other smart devices.

How long it will take?

I think it will stand the test of time. It is designed for a temperature of -20 ° C to 50 ° C and is weatherproof with protection class IP66. There is also a 1 year limited warranty.

Should you buy it

Yes, there really is no reason why you would not love this light.

Editor's recommendations




11 May
Blog

Discovering Escapability in Olympic Weightlifting

This is one of the issues that rarely come up in weight lifting discussions, but it can turn out to be a cause of problems. One is that it can prevent a lifter from making the best effort to complete a lifelong PR. I unwittingly developed my ability to escape when my parents enrolled me in judo classes as a teenager.

In judo sport there is a constant double to get into a more favorable position and to overcome the opponent. An athlete can be thrown by the opponent, but can position the body so that a full point is not scored. This can ultimately result in the mat reversing. This ceaseless jockeying for position and leverage continues throughout the game until a fighter is declared the winner or the timer ends the game. A key skill acquired in judo is the ability to flee – the ability to get out of a dangerous situation, often in a very short space of time.

Rediscover escape

So I knew I had this ability when I started lifting weights. I haven't given much thought to it, put any emphasis on it, and until recently never thought about coaching it. However, I discovered the value of it one day when I got into a situation that could be dangerous.

It was a normal training session in the old downtown LA YMCA. There were about 6 or 7 of the regular lifters there with coach Bob Hise II, and we worked in Clean & Jerk singles. My legs were always behind my clean one, but everything I could get up with was jerky with an excellent elbow lock. This special opportunity was intense training at the end of a week and we were probably more tired than we thought.

I came to 110, which corresponds to a weight of 90%. I cleaned it with some difficulty and brought a typical mill to a standstill. At that point, I thought I had nailed the jerk. I pushed the weight straight over my head and, to my surprise, my elbows could not block and the weight started to fall from above. In many cases it would have been normal to lose weight forward or backward and just step out from under it, but this time it could only come straight down. And it did! It actually hit my head. In a flash I realized that if I did nothing I could be seriously injured.

Adrenaline hit and it was a lifesaver. I immediately pancake and went to spread out. I knocked the bar down to make sure I wasn't holding the bar anymore so I wouldn't risk wrist injury. On the way down, I found my head was deeper than it was wide and turned my head to the side instead of planting on the face when I fell to the floor. It's amazing what goes through your head at a time of extreme danger. The bar landed on the floor, hurt nothing and just rolled forward, barely turning my head. The whole incident was more embarrassing than an indicator of failure.

I walked away relieved, but still more certain of my ability to escape the danger.

encounter

I haven't thought about it at all during much of my coaching career. Most of the time, most of the lifters I trained were juniors and seniors. Most of them had started their athletic careers at a young age and learned many general athletic skills. I've seen a series of harrowing escapes made possible by the escape ability of some exceptional athletes.

I have recently worked with more master athletes, many of whom started their athletic careers after the age of 40. They were not involved in grappling or physical contact sports because escape skills were developed. As a result, they hesitate to descend to the lower position of the zipper and are less likely to split the jerk. In the case of the Snatch, conventional thinking was that there was a mobility problem, but since then we have all found that many who are reluctant to get into the Snatch can do a real squat overhead. So it's not a mobility problem.

I assume that some of my top athletes who are reluctant to get into the full snap position will be hampered by a lack of confidence in their escape skills.

I have no strategy to deal with this problem. My first observation is that escape is achieved during a certain time window in younger years. I suppose someone could find a way to acquire these skills, but I'm not sure if many of our traditional practice protocols would be very effective.

I only identify one situation here. I think that coaches who work with inexperienced master athletes should take this into account when dealing with this population. Some of them may never be able to descend to a lower position without leaving an escape route for themselves. This also applies to athletes with good shoulder mobility, who prefer not to put their head directly under the bar in the back. Ah great. Another dilemma to think about!

If you would like to learn more about Takano weight lifting or would like my help with your weight lifting programs, please contact me on the gym's Facebook page or website.

09 May
Blog

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus Review: Complacent in a Sea of Innovations

"Live breakdowns and a few missing functions make this doorbell a dubious choice."

  • A variety of motion controls

  • Pre-roll preview function

  • Compatible with Alexa and Ring devices

  • easy installation

  • Doesn't recognize boxes

  • Glitchy live view

  • Distorted video

We already love ringtones. With the ring app, you can see who is at your door, wherever you are, and even talk to visitors in real time. We love Ring so much that Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Ring Video Doorbell Pro made our list of the best video doorbells for 2020. Now the company has launched the next model in its line, the Ring video doorbell 3 Plus ($ 229.99). Will we love it as much? That's how it went.

Doorbell Plus 3 is ringinginstallation

Setting up the doorbell is fairly easy since the doorbell app guides you by connecting the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network. It is even helpful to set up security and usage settings. The installation kit also includes everything you need, including a drill, in case you need to drill new holes for the mounting bracket.

As soon as this is complete, you can connect your new doorbell to other Ring products such as the Ring Solar Floodlight, Solar Path Lights, the various intelligent light bulbs from Ring or Solar Step Lights. With this connection to other devices, you can set up tasks. For example, you can set up a task to automatically turn on your smart lights during the night when the doorbell detects motion.

Ring video doorbell 3 plus cover platesAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

If you have color preferences, the 3 Plus comes with two different front panels: you can choose between silver and black to better match your home. Replacing is as easy as snapping a case onto your phone.

I recommend combining bell 3 with the bell signal. It will work without it, but if someone comes to your door and you don't have your phone nearby, you probably won't hear the doorbell ringing. It is not very loud. I could barely hear it and was only a few yards from the front door. The carillon sounds in your house.

Outstanding functions

The bell 3 has so many functions that it looks almost overwhelming. Fortunately, the app is intuitive and it's easy to set everything up.

One feature that I like is the pre-roll option. This allows the camera to record a four-second preview video to see exactly what triggered a motion alarm. The footage is shot in black and white to conserve the battery. In the event of a possible break-in or tampering with the package, this additional four seconds can help law enforcement. Unfortunately, pre-roll does not work with the night vision of the camera. That means you won't get this nifty feature at night.

I was disappointed that there was no box detection technology.

The motion detection is fully customizable. You can adjust the area of ​​the motion detector, for example, by specifying how many feet from your door it detects motion. If your home is near a sidewalk or street, you will not be notified by the doorbell every time something goes past your home. If you want to take a nap, you can turn off motion alerts for 30 minutes to four hours. You can even adjust the sensitivity of the motion detector to reduce warnings.

Ring video doorbell 3 plus app

There are options to change what the doorbell also recognizes. You can choose whether the doorbell detects some kind of movement or just people. I was disappointed that there was no box detection technology like the Nest Hello doorbell. I get a lot of packages and want to know when a package is on my porch. For some reason, this doorbell does not contain the box identification A.I. Feature. It has the same field of view as the nest at 160 degrees, so it's a shame it doesn't support this feature.

In addition to these options, you can also customize various modes that can be set up with specific behaviors when you are at home or on the go. In home mode, for example, you can set the doorbell so that no movement is detected and deactivate the live view function.

Do you want to stay up to date? The Ring app sends you real-time crime and security alerts reported by your neighbors or local law enforcement agencies. The app shows you current activities on a map of your neighborhood, weekly safety reports and more. I think it's a very useful feature. For example, a neighbor was shot down the street by her boyfriend. I could see the location of the incident on the map. The app also reports information about missing children near you so you can keep an eye out for them.

Ring neighborhood warnings

Works with Alexa

Although the app works great, you can connect other smart devices outside of the ring ecosystem to your doorbell using the Alexa app. You can also control the doorbell with voice commands. For example, you can say commands like this:

  • "Alexa, speak to the front door."
  • "Alexa, turn off the motion sensor on the front door. "
  • "Alexa, set the motion sensitivity on the front door to low."

If you have an Alexa-compatible smart display like the Amazon Echo Show, you can see who is at the door on the screen. You can also speak to them for even more flexibility when using the 3 Plus.

Video and audio

The Bell 3 Plus has 1080p HD video, which means that the quality has not changed since the Bell 2. Still, the video was nice and clear, but there was a problem.

Things are just a little rounded.

There's fishbowl-like distortion for everything you see through the camera. However, this doesn't seem to affect how visible a person is in the video, regardless of where they stand on the porch. Things are just a little rounded. I'm a little disappointed because other video doorbells like the Arlo video doorbell have figured out how to get great video quality without the fishbowl look.

Ring video doorbell 3 plus live videoAlina Bradford / Digital Trends

The live video can also be faulty and it can take a minute for a connection to the app to be established. This can be annoying when trying to speak to someone at your door. You can go before you get the app up and running. Shutting down and restarting the app fixed the problem, but it was an annoyance. It's hard to say what is the culprit behind the problem, as the 3 Plus has both 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity.

While the 3 Plus is doing a great night video, I wish it had a built-in floodlight like the August Doorbell Cam Pro. There are dozens of situations where a little more light on your porch can be useful. August also records color night videos, and the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus only records in black and white.

You need a cloud service plan to save your videos. With Ring Protect, you can review and share videos and photos for up to 60 days. It costs $ 3 a month per device or $ 100 a year for your entire household. This price is comparable to other video doorbell video storage plans like Nest Aware, but Ring Protect gives you a lot more storage days. August, on the other hand, offers its customers its video memory for free.

The audio quality when you talk to someone through the app is very good. The 3 Plus has noise cancellation technology that makes voices stand out from all the noises in your house, which is very helpful.

privacy

Ring has been in the news many times for privacy concerns related to their cameras. However, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus has some features that can help you calm down. For example, there is a two-step confirmation to access the app or your account online and protect your personal information. You can also turn off the microphone to prevent it from hearing things you don't want to hear. If certain parts of your garden are not to be recorded, e.g. For example, your pool or your children's play area, you can set up privacy zones that limit the visibility or recording of the camera. In the video you can see a black box in which the data protection area has been set up in the app.

Our opinion

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is a decent intelligent doorbell. It has a lot of great features, but it's not the best option we've come across. The video specs could have been updated to keep up with the competition, and I don't like the live video glitches. However, there are many great features that allow you to customize how the doorbell detects things around your door. Finally, I really appreciate how easy it is to integrate into a larger smart home ecosystem to work with other smart products that are compatible with Alexa and Ring. When it comes to price, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is $ 300 compared to other major providers in the high-end video doorbell market.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. The Arlo video doorbell ($ 149) is cheaper and offers many great options, including Alexa integration. The August Doorbell Cam Pro ($ 171) is also cheaper and has a fantastic lighting feature.

How long it will take?

The whole doorbell is made of plastic. The thinness of the cover plate affects me. I'm not sure if it will withstand rigorous use, but a one-year limited warranty is given. In the unfortunate event that it is stolen, Ring will replace it free of charge.

Should I buy it?

If you already have a lot of ring products in your house, I would absolutely say so. The best thing about the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is how it interacts with other Ring products and the great Ring app features like crime warnings. If you are not a ring fan, I would choose a different video doorbell.

Editor's recommendations




09 May
Blog

Roborock S6 MaxV Review: This Robotic Vacuum Has Eyes

Roborock S6 MaxV lifestyle

Roborock S6 MaxV Review: It can find and avoid your socks

"It's not perfect, but the Roborock S6 MaxV can detect and avoid clutter when cleaning."

  • Efficient cleaning

  • Strong suction power

  • Long battery life

  • Accurate map layouts

  • Has trouble recognizing some obstacles

  • It is expensive

Robotic vacuum cleaners save time, which we could all use. In the world of robot vacuum cleaners, innovations have become more and more convenient, including bots that empty their trash bins themselves and two-in-one models that wipe. Despite all these advances, some lack the intelligence to intelligently avoid clutter in the home.

The Roborock S6 MaxV hopes to change this with a pair of cameras equipped with reactive AI obstacle detection and a Qualcomm chip. Can it actually dodge and weave? Or is it still getting upside down in trouble?

Avoid hit-or-miss obstacles

When I gave the Roborock S6 MaxV a whirl for the first time, I was curious whether it could intelligently bypass or clean obstacles.

It definitely looks like this. First, there is a raised window on top that stores the bot's lidar navigation system, which is used to map rooms. From there it goes on to the vacuum floor, while two cameras in the front take pictures at 30 frames per second (FPS) to avoid obstacles.

I usually spend some time pre-cleaning before cleaning – lifting dog bowls off the floor, putting clothes away, and making sure the charging wires on all my devices are tucked away properly. However, the new Roborock wants to eliminate this process.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

I was glad that I managed to clean a small box that I left in the middle of the floor. In another case, it crept slowly to a sneaker and then sucked around it.

To really test his ability, I left a few whoppers on the floor to simulate what could happen if your pet left a surprise on the floor. The first two piles were cleaned perfectly around them, but not the third – it was run over instead. So it could avoid your four-legged friend's accidents … or not.

Robotic vacuum cleaners also have problems in closed, confined spaces. They often pinch themselves in a position that they cannot leave. With a Qualcomm APQ8053 processor that works behind the scenes in conjunction with its stereo cameras, I was hoping that the Roborock S6 MaxV would avoid such complications.

I was disappointed to see that it got stuck in the small crack under my entertainment center and forced me to get in to save the day. I was even more annoyed that it was having trouble recognizing the beveled edge of my side table – so it kept dancing back and forth as it moved along that beveled edge. This is actually not uncommon since all of these vacuum cleaners have difficulty cleaning these oddly shaped devices.

I was disappointed that it got stuck in the little crack under my entertainment center.

Overall, object detection appears to be a hit or miss. The Roborock S6 MaxV didn't seem smart enough to work without supervision. However, future firmware updates that optimize learning skills may make it smarter. Other robotic vacuum cleaners don't have this luxury, including more expensive bots like the iRobot Roomba S9 Plus and the Neato D7. You will just run over everything on your way.

An efficient cleaner

Thanks to its lidar navigation system, the Roborock S6 MaxV is an efficient cleaner. Seriously, it doesn't waste time. It tends to follow an S-pattern when cleaning open spaces and go through for quick and efficient coverage. That's the beauty of the technology used by some other vacuum cleaners worth over $ 500, like the Eufy RoboVac L70 and the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 930. It is practically a matter of course that these vacuum cleaners perform well thanks to the integrated lidar navigation.

Corners are also not suitable because the single rubber brush sweeps up dirt in the direction of the underside brush. It's worth noting that unlike the bristle brush used by most vacuum cleaners, it's rubber, so it lasts longer. In addition to the exceptional cleaning capabilities, the model's 2500 Pascal (Pa) suction power is the strongest in Roborock's product line. It collects almost everything on its way.

Carpets are firmly cleaned thanks to the strong suction power, but long strands of hair can sometimes clump together and get tangled in the roller. Fortunately, it can be easily removed as there is a cleaning tool to remove these tangles.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

In addition to vacuuming, you can also wipe with the S6 MaxV by attaching the supplied pad and filling the removable water tank on the back of the robot. The best thing about it is that it saves time having to do separate cleansing, so you vacuum and wipe at the same time. As dirt collects through the front, these vacuumed surfaces are wiped off during movement. The wiping performance is no different from other vacuum cleaners I have tested. Water splashes from below and is then evenly distributed by the pad on the floor as the robot moves forward.

The Roborock S6 MaxV is an efficient cleaner.

I am impressed with how well it is able to clean rooms. In places where there may be more dirt, such as near the litter box, a second pass is required to completely cover the area, but that's all.

Because of its efficiency, it is able to clean my entire apartment without needing to charge it – it has been cleaned with a lot of battery for 50 minutes without interruption / the battery life is also better than many of its competitors – it is designed for 180 minutes would be more than enough to vacuum and wipe my place twice. For comparison: The iRobot Roomba i7 has a maximum runtime of 75 minutes.

App that rocks

The Roborock app offers a wealth of useful tools and insights into cleaning the Bot Vac. I am particularly amused by the card they created for my apartment. It intelligently recognizes spaces on its own. I can clean a specific room by selecting it on the map.

It also shows what objects it comes across when cleaning. Do you remember the "shit" it could see? Well, it is clearly visible where it was found on the map. Small details like this make the app better than others I've tested. It doesn't happen often that an app helps me track down a missing pair of socks.

The app provides insight into maintenance and how many hours are left before the filter, side brush and main brush need to be replaced or cleaned.

While the Roborock S6 MaxV can clean independently, I can take full control of the robot vacuum cleaner manually using the screen control with the app. It's like operating a remote-controlled toy. Useful? Maybe not, but it's definitely fun.

It's like operating a remote-controlled toy.

If the app is not your thing, there is always voice control. It supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. I can order him to start cleaning – or return to his charging station.

Our opinion

There is still work to be done before I can trust this robot vacuum to be cleaned by itself without me having to oversee it. On a positive note, it's a two-in-one bot that can suck and wipe – something that works very well. It's expensive at $ 749, but it's better than another robot with a camera, the $ 1,150 Deebot Ecovacs 960.

Are there any better alternatives?

Yes, but you won't find many that include object detection cameras. The Deebot Ecovacs 960 is a similar option, but more expensive.

Roborocks S5 is a combined vacuum and wiping robot that costs less than $ 500. It's worth a look if you don't (or don't want) high-end room allocation and object detection features.

How long it will take?

There's a lot of technology in this, so it wouldn't be a surprise if people were worried about longevity. As long as proper maintenance is carried out, e.g. For example, removing tangled cables from the brushes and removing the various sensors, the Roborock S6 MaxV should work in perfect condition. In the event of a manufacturer defect, there is a 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor.

Should I buy it?

Yes, if only because it is much cheaper than its closest rival.

Editor's recommendations




09 May
Blog

Clean & Clear Lemon Gel Facial Cleanser with Vitamin C Review

Price $ 5.99

My experience

Lemon is one of the most important ingredients for the production of detergents in the old days. It looks like Clean and Clear used the same age-old concept and brought back the goodness of the lemon in their latest facial detergent.

This new facial detergent with lemon extract and vitamin C is the reason why I wanted to try it. When someone like me, who has spent all his childhood admiring my grandmother's beautiful DIY facial cleanser with lemon, sees a product that contains lemon as the main ingredient that you know the purchase is emotional.

I've been using it for over a week now and I can tell you that this lemon gel wash really cuts through the oil and your skin feels clean and soft. Also, removing oil and makeup made my skin look refreshed and clean (I always use a makeup removal wipe to remove the makeup first). It didn't dry out my skin like some oil-removing facial cleansers. I can still see some of my little angry spots around my jaw even after using this for two weeks, but I don't expect this facial wash to do anything about my acne. I am very happy that Clean & Clear did not advertise it as an acne facial detergent. I mostly use this face wash in the morning and my Clarins face wash at night. I'm still not sure if there is such a thing as a perfect face wash. Detergents and moisturizers should be purchased depending on your skin texture, location, lifestyle, and weather.

This facial detergent has a nice lemon scent and won't let you smell of lemons, I assure you

Who will like it

  1. Beauties of oily skin
  2. Those looking for an affordable face wash.

Who can avoid it?

  1. Those who don't like products with parabens.
  2. The one with very dry skin
  3. Those who think this is an acne clearing facial wash.

Final judgment:

The scent is nice. The foam is gentle. After cleaning, my skin doesn't stay dry and I think it will be a nice summer skin care product!

BnB rating: 4/5

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09 May
Blog

New Year, New You: 6 Tips to Better Skin in 2019 with Non-Toxic Products

As soon as 2018 started, it seems to have ended …

And with the end of one year, another begins. No better time to start over and make changes in your life!

For most people (80% indeed!), The resolutions passed in the new year already fail in the second week of February.

Regardless of your resolutions for the coming year, we have one that you can easily stick to …

How about if you start the new year with a new, non-toxic you?

One of the simplest changes you can make in the coming weeks that will benefit not only your skin but also your overall health is what you keep in your skin care arsenal.

In this article, you will find 6 simple switches to help you reach the skin of your dreams in 2019.

Getting clean with mud: Osmia Black Clay Facial Soap

Don't worry, we don't think you should run outside and literally grab a handful of mud! This black clay facial soap contains black Australian clay and Dead Sea mud to balance and firm the skin and make it cleaner than ever. Trust us!

If you cleanse your skin with a detergent that goes deeper than your old one, you can expect clearer and happier skin in 2019!

Finally, try a vitamin C serum: 100% pure vitamin C serum

If you haven't tried vitamin C serum yet, make 2019 your year for it!

Nothing brightens the skin like it does, but the benefits of vitamin C don't stop there. This beauty vitamin helps to reduce inflammation (bye problem skin!) And to increase collagen production for a firmer, plumper and more youthful skin.

Go deeper with the peeling: Eminence Yam and Pumpkin Peel

Are you afraid to try microdermabrasion or a chemical peel?

We don't blame you, but why not go deep with a scrub formulated with all natural enzymes made from creamy yam and pumpkin?

This brightening peeling helps to fade hyperpigmentation, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and make the skin glowing and radiant. It is also a great natural way to treat blackheads.

Treat your skin once a week: May Lindstrom be the problem solver

If you haven't shown your skin the love it deserved in 2018, apply it in 2019 by treating it with a weekly face mask like this antioxidant-rich beauty that treats all of your skin care problems!

Add a toner to your routine: Rose Hibiscus Hydrating Toning Mist

Toners don't get enough credit, but if you really want to take your current skin regime to the next level, we recommend adding one to your routine!

This beautiful rose toner offers a tremendous breakthrough in hydration and is so much more than just a beautiful pink shade! (although we love the color of this!)

Try a multi-purpose product: Ursa Major 4-in-One Face Tonic

Skeptical? Do not be so!

As long as you buy the right products like this great toner from Ursa Major, you can't go wrong! This cleans, exfoliates and hydrates everything in one!

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09 May
Blog

Huawei P40 Pro Review: The Best Camera on a Phone

huawei p40 pro review back jacket

"The Huawei P40 Pro has the best camera in the industry, but many will find it quite difficult to get the apps they need."

  • Outstanding design and comfort

  • Raised OLED screen with a refresh rate of 90 Hz

  • Brilliant, versatile camera

  • Long battery life

  • No Google services or apps

  • Audio is not great

There is a risk in everything. From mountaineering over the road to buying a used car, some decisions can go either way, good or bad. It often pays to take the risk and we are better people for it.

This is an analogy that fits the Huawei P40 Pro. If you buy it, you'll need to disconnect from Google and try something else.

I spent several weeks with the Huawei P40 Pro. The following happened when I took the risk.

design

This phone is beautiful. After juggling the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, the OnePlus 8 Pro and various other modern smartphones over the past few weeks, the Huawei P40 Pro stands above everyone in terms of perfect design, clear identity and sensible design decisions.

The best thing is the choice of matt, matt glass on the back. Yes, the OnePlus 8 has something like the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro, but they don't look as fabulous as the P40 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

My favorite section? The way the Huawei logo is reflected deep in the glass. The curved sides of the body catch the light, and the matte silver paint shown here changes between blue, gray, white, and silver.

The elegance is affected by the bumpiness of the monster camera, which gives the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra a run for its money when it comes to how big it is. Calls. It sticks out a few millimeters and although the lenses and sensors are neatly arranged, it distracts attention from the simple beauty of the frosted glass.

It is one of the most convenient phones I have ever held. It's not sharp on the sides and all corners are rounded to make sure they don't dig into your palm. The real triumph, however, is the rounded glass at the bottom of the screen. Swipe-based gesture control means you always swipe up from the bottom of the phone. This is a tactile nightmare if there is a bezel, comb, or sharp edge there. The P40 Pro has nothing but a cascading piece of glass that smoothes the progress of your finger on the screen.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

This makes the P40 Pro really feel different from any other Android smartphone you can buy today. Only the Apple iPhone 11 Pro can keep up with the ergonomics of the P40 Pro.

It is less positive to note that the P40 Pro – admittedly due to the camera sensors and the battery capacity – is chunky with a thickness of 9 mm and a considerable 209 grams. Though strong, it's well balanced and many other big phones this year are even heavier. For comparison, the Galaxy S20 Ultra weighs 222 grams and is 8.8 mm thick, while the iPhone 11 Pro Max is 226 grams and 8 mm thick.

Yes, the P40 Pro is a bit slippery at the edges. Apart from that, the P40 Pro is professionally designed, has real stylistic flair and manages to obscure part of its weight.

Display quality, security

There is a 6.58-inch OLED screen on the front of the P40 Pro. It has a resolution of 2640 x 1200 pixels and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. There is a built-in fingerprint sensor and a face release. There is a very narrow border around the display and a slight curvature on the sides. The selfie camera with two lenses is punched on the top left of the screen and may be three times the size of a standard pinhole camera with a lens. This means that valuable space on the screen for notification icons is eliminated and is always recognizable when watching videos.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

How is the video YouTube looks great, although I had to look through the Firefox browser (no Google Apps, do you remember?). It still supports 2160p video with no problems, but features like double tap to advance 10 seconds don't work.

Amazon Prime videos, like Netflix, can be viewed via the browser with a resolution of up to 4K. However, the user interface is not as intuitive as a native app. Everyone looks great, and the screen of the P40 Pro can match the details and balance of the iPhone 11 Pro, while the Galaxy S20 Plus lives up to that of the Galaxy S20 Plus. It is wonderful.

Unfortunately, the great viewing experience is diminished by the sound. I found the same problem with the Huawei Mate Xs, a device that's even more video-focused than the P40 Pro. There's a single main speaker on the bottom of the phone that's fairly thin and uninspiring. This is not supported by the fact that the sound to the right of the phone is biased. When the screen looks as good as it does, the overwhelming audio is even more noticeable, especially if the competing Oppo Find X2 Pro manages to do both aspects just right.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The fingerprint sensor is located high up on the screen and makes it easier to find when holding the phone with one hand, although it wasn't quite as reliable as some others I've used, including the physical button on the Apple iPhone SE. The face unlock is excellent and usually still hits me for the fingerprint sensor. I also like the way the screen stays active when you look at it.

Camera performance

The outstanding function of the P40 Pro is the camera. The P30 Pro's camera is difficult to track, but the P40 Pro is definitely up to the task. A 50-megapixel 1 / 1.28-inch sensor is the headline grabber, followed by a 40-megapixel ultra-wide angle sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera. Finally, there is a 3D depth sensor. The telephoto camera enables a 5x optical zoom and a 10x hybrid zoom as well as a 50x digital zoom.

Extras include image stabilization controlled by optical and artificial intelligence, 4K video at 60 fps and the improved XD Fusion image signal processor from Huawei. Huawei also worked again with Leica to produce the camera on the P40 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The P40 Pro has a powerful zoom function. All others simply follow Huawei here, up to a maximum of 50x digital zoom. The app prompts you to use the 5x and 10x zooms, and there isn't a big difference in quality between the shots you take with both. This is proof of the excellent A.I. and camera tuning.

In reality, this means that you can safely use 5x and 10x zoom without questioning whether the results are reasonable. Huawei A.I. then miracle works with 50x zoom. No, you don't want to share the photos taken at this magnification level very often, but it is impossible to deny how good they are compared to the catastrophic photos that were taken a few years ago with even moderate zooms. The stabilization at long zoom is excellent and holds the subject with little movement on the screen in the viewfinder.

I am also impressed by the bokeh of the P40 Pro – both the artificial bokeh mode in aperture or portrait mode and the natural bokeh generated by the large sensor. Edge detection is great in artificial modes. In normal mode, you can also get close to small objects like flowers and achieve a strong natural bokeh effect. I am also glad that there is a standalone monochrome mode that gives your photos the atmospheric Leica look.

What about night mode? It has been a mainstay of Huawei cameras for several years and not the mainstay for night shots here because the standard camera is incredibly good in and of itself. You have to experiment with the camera, as night mode sometimes provides a brighter and more detailed picture. However, if you often leave it in normal mode, you'll get amazingly good pictures in low light.

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All of this happens before you start looking at the video, where you can not only take wide-angle and zoom shots, but also 4K resolution at 60 fps and slow motion at 7,860 fps. The stabilization is excellent, the colors are vivid and an extensive video editing mode is integrated in the standard gallery app.

Does the P40 Pro camera have anything bad? Shots with different lenses look different. Exposure, color balance, and atmosphere vary in a scene depending on whether you take the photo with the wide-angle or standard lens. However, this does not only apply to the Huawei phone, as this is the case with all smartphones with multiple lenses.

It is difficult for me to complain about something else, since most people do not notice tiny inconsistencies in dynamics and colors. It's the new smartphone camera to beat.

software

You want the camera, don't you? Of course you do. But to get it, you have to make some compromises.

No Google Mobile Services (GMS) are installed on the Huawei P40 Pro. This means that neither Google Play nor Google Pay, Google Maps or other apps or services supported by Google are used. Instead, the phone uses Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) and the Huawei App Gallery App Store, which are all based on Android 10 and have Huawei's own EMUI 10.1 user interface.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

If you've used the Mate 30 Pro, the P30 Pro, or previous phones like the P20 Pro, the software is a familiar area. With Huawei, you can either hide apps in an app drawer or spread them across multiple home screens. There's a great dark mode and plenty of great Huawei apps instead of the Google apps. For example, Huawei's email client and calendar are excellent, as is Huawei Health's fitness tracking app.

Using the P40 Pro is very fluid, quick and easy. Huawei has refined EMUI so much that it comes close enough to the standard Android that it doesn't require much learning for newbies, but it's still quite obvious that Huawei overall has its own design experience. I haven't encountered any of the annoyances I found on the Huawei Mate Xs and found the P40 Pro's software to be polished and reliable.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

However, the app gallery does not meet all of my app requirements and possibly not all of yours. I've explained in detail what was missing and why it affected me when using the Mate Xs, and the situation with the P40 Pro is essentially the same.

There is good news. Maps is now officially available in the app gallery and is an excellent alternative to Google Maps, even if you cannot simply import all saved places from the Google app. The navigation is effective, although I haven't been able to test it much due to movement restrictions. The swipe-in ​​newsfeed on the start screen contains links that not only lead to websites behind a paywall, but also significantly increase their usefulness.

By using the Phone Clone app, the Amazon App Store, and some APK files to install most of my required apps, the P40 Pro can be fully used for users who are not deep in the Google ecosystem. But that's still the problem.

I can't easily access my files in Google Drive, so importing / saving WhatsApp and Line conversations is not possible. I can't use Google Pay, my Google Smart Home devices can't be controlled by an app, and my YouTube Premium subscription is less fun when I'm forced to use the browser to access the website. Using the browser as a replacement for apps is generally not the best experience, but you'll need to get used to it with the P40 Pro.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

I doubt some of the decisions that Huawei's app ecosystem has made. When I open the app store I am often greeted by an ad that cannot be skipped for a few seconds, which I think is unacceptable. Opening the music or video app leads me directly to the new Huawei content stores and pushes me into the payment areas instead of immediately to my own saved files. Huawei is still learning and finding its feet, but these actions won't help many make the transition to the App Gallery and HMS easier.

There is another issue with the random installation of apps outside of the app gallery, with notifications. For example, Twitter and Instagram are installed through the Amazon App Store, and the arrival of notifications is incomplete. Then there is an update of apps that does not happen automatically if they come from multiple sources and I have security concerns when installing apps from unofficial sources. All of this makes using the phone more time consuming and cumbersome than many prefer.

Bottom line? If you use Google’s services on a daily basis or rely on certain apps that are not available through the app gallery, you will encounter some problems when switching to the P40 Pro. If Google is not essential for your mobile life and your apps are available in the Huawei App Store, life with the P40 Pro is easier. Huawei is confident that the app gallery will improve in the future, but we can only assess today's app situation.

The software, more precisely the app store and the availability of apps, is the risk when buying and using the Huawei P40 Pro every day.

Performance and battery life

Huawei's own Kirin 990 processor, an octa-core chip based on the ARM Cortex A76 architecture with a separate Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for artificial intelligence tasks, is in the P40 Pro. It also has a built-in 5G modem instead of a separate modem for improved reception and efficiency. Due to movement restrictions, I was unable to test the 5G connection on the P40 Pro, but found it excellent on the Mate Xs. It has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

Depending on your taste, there is a healthy selection of games in the app gallery. Asphalt 9 is available and is rendered flawlessly in high quality display and performance mode. Games can also be downloaded from the Amazon App Store. Although those that I tried out were played perfectly, I found that the selfie camera with two lenses disturbed the user interface by hiding the buttons on the screen. Benchmark tests downloaded as APK files gave the following results:

3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 5,303 (volcano)

Geekbench 5: 755 single core / 2,993 multi core

These values ​​are far below the Oppo Find X2 Pro, which contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, and cannot keep up with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus with Exynos 990 drive. Since the apps had to be installed outside of an official store, there might have been compatibility issues affecting the results as there was no sign of slowness during my time on the phone.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends.com

The battery life is great, just like you'd expect from a Huawei P-series device, and the 4,200 mAh cell easily lasts two days. It has both a quick wired charge that took an hour and 10 minutes to get the battery from 5% to full and a quick wireless charge.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Huawei P40 Pro is now available in the UK via Huawei's own website and the Carphone Warehouse. However, it was not officially released in the United States, but could be obtained as an import. It costs £ 900, which is about $ 1,120. Huawei grants a two-year warranty against manufacturing defects on its phones in the UK.

Our opinion

The Huawei P40 Pro has fantastic hardware and a dreamy camera with a long-lasting battery so you can get the most out of both. You have to compromise on software that is not in the Google Play Store through no fault of Huawei. This means that you may need to find new work and communication methods to enjoy the P40 Pro.

Is there a better alternative?

Yes. Let's start with Huawei's own alternative, the P40 Pro Plus, which will come on the market sometime in June or shortly after. The camera promises to be even better because it has a state-of-the-art 10x optical zoom. So if you want to use life without Google, it might be worth waiting for the best model of the P40 family to do so.

If you spend $ 1,000 to $ 1,100, you should go for the Apple iPhone 11 Pro at £ 1,000 or £ 1,000, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus at £ 1,200 or £ 1,000, the Oppo Find X2 Pro at £ 1,300 or £ 1,100 or so $ 900 or £ 800 OnePlus 8 Pro. All of these phones have great cameras and impressive screens, as well as better access to all the apps they want.

You can even turn the clock back and find Huawei's flagship for 2019, the P30 Pro, which is still outstanding today, costs less, and has Google Mobile Services installed on it.

How long it will take?

The P40 Pro is IP68 waterproof, but is not particularly durable because it is made of glass. A case is recommended to keep it safe. The hardware itself will be fresh in the coming years and there will certainly be no shortage of skills. Interestingly enough, there is a big chance that the App Gallery – the biggest disadvantage of the P40 Pro today – will get better over time and offer more apps that we want.

Should you buy one?

No, I say that with a heavy heart, because the Huawei P40 Pro has a lot to offer. However, access to apps is currently too limited for the majority of people.

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