Griffin Technology PowerDock 4 Review

If you have more than one iPod or iPhone in your household, keeping them all juiced up can be a chore. If you want a device that can charge up to four dock connecting devices, then check out the video review below of the PowerDock 4 from Griffin Technology.

Product: Griffin Technology PowerDock 4
Price: £26.99 (Amazon) : $49.98 (Amazon US)
Supplied by: Griffin Technology
Contact: +1 (615) 399-7000

 

Fujitsu Scansnap S300M Document Scanner Review

I have been falling in and out of love with the idea of document scanning for a long time now. I loved previous iterations of Fujitsu Scansnap scanners, but hated the support for the Mac platform. The software just did not cut the mustard. However, things have changed, the Mac software has got a lot better and gone are the high premiums for Mac versions of the hardware.
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Nikon D90 Digital Camera Review

With the aim of trying something a little different... the Nikon D90 digital camera review is brought to you by two new hosts. Bobby and Stevie from PuppetNation are a little nervous on their first outing, but hang in there, give them a chance.

Nissin Speedlite Di622 - Camera Flash Review

As an alternative to paying Nikon and Canon prices, this professional camera flash from Nissin certainly looks the business. It performs almost identically to the more expensive offerings from Nikon and certainly in the value for money arena it wins hands down. I was particularly impressed by its accuracy, four second recycle time and build quality. For outstanding performance and budget beating price it wins our Gold Award. We don't hand these out very often, so it should go without saying that the Nissin Speedlite Di622 comes highly recommended. Check out the video review below.

Product: Nissin Speedlite Di622
Price: £156.58 RRP : £89.99 Best UK Price
Supplied by: Kenro Limited
Contact: +44 (0)1793 615836

Lowepro Vertex 200 AW - camera backpack review

I purchased a Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Backpack about two weeks ago for just over £100. Intended to be a bag that I carry all of my photo gear in, on those longer journeys or on holiday. Yes, that amount of money is a lot to spend, but if you have expensive camera gear it really needs good protection.

So, the Vertex 200AW has a lot going for it. It can accommodate two SLR cameras, plus lots of lenses. It has a main compartment that takes all of your main kit which is divided up by padded pieces that attach in the place you choose with velcro. The flap of this main compartment has some extra pockets for accessories too. It is amazing how much you can fit in. The main compartment gobbled up my Nikon D90 with an 18-105mm zoom lens attached, two macro lenses, one zoom lens and a small prime lens. Add to that my flash and there is still loads of room. It also sports a weather-resistant quiet zip.

In front of this is another zipper of the same style. This reveals a laptop compartment which will take up to a 15-inch screen laptop. I have tried my MacBook in there with loads of room to spare. This section could quite easily be used for papers and a book or two. Then there are extra smaller pockets for memory card, plus a really cool strap down on the front. This slides up and down into position, and allows you to strap a tripod on, you even get a foot support supplied too (shown left). There is also a little pocket on the bottom of the bag, inside which you find a waterproof cover, that pulls out and covers the whole backpack. It is great and protects your kit from heavier rain and sand, this is a superb inclusion.

The shoulder straps are nice and padded. There is also a chest and separate waist strap too. These add extra stability, but it is a shame they cannot be removed from the bag.

Now, it is very comfortable to use and I am very happy, but there is a but. The bag is very heavy even without any kit inside. Add a camera and some lenses and it becomes extremely heavy to use. So, my advice is to buy this one for longer journeys, or if you need to take ALL of your kit with you. Lowepro make loads of different bags and I hope you bring you a review of their Slingshot 200 AW soon, which could be used to travel light (as an everyday bag). That said, the Vertex 200 AW is superbly made and worth every penny. It still amazes me how much kit you can fit into it.

Note: Prices are due to change on this product on 1st May 2009, so get in at this price whilst stocks last.

Product: Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Backpack
Price: RRP £160 : £109.97 Best Price
Supplied by: Morris Photographic
Tel: 0845 430 2030

Sennheiser CX 95 Style Earphones Review

If you want to get the most out of your iPod (or other MP3 player if you dare), then throw out those old earphones and check out a pair of Sennheiser's CX95. You can get the lowdown in the video review below.

**NOTE** This model has now been replaced with the CX 550 Style II. This is more or less the same earphone, except in silver metal finish.

Product: Sennheiser CX 95 Style Earphones
Price: £50 (average UK)
Supplied by: Sennheiser UK
Contact: +44 (0)1494 551551

Olympus SP-565UZ Digital Camera Review

Impressed? well, to say the least, yes. The SP-565UZ just feels so right in my hand. It is one of the first products that I have had to review that will DEFINITELY become part of my day-to-day kit. Just below you can see my video review and at the end of this article some sample photos for your perusal. This camera rocks!

Product: Olympus SP-565UZ Digital Camera
Price: £245 (average UK)
Supplied by: Olympus UK
Contact: +44 (0)1923 831100

 

Ay Up Lights up your Mountain Bike tracks

Getting out and about this winter is a great way to stay fit and fresh. There is nothing like buring off the Christmas turkey with an off-road ride. With the days very short, we wake up in the dark and before we even finish our evening meal it is pitch black again. Lighting up not only keeps you safe from other bikers and traffic, but is essential for anything off-road. There is a lot to choose from, with bike specific lights and torches like the Fenix we looked at last week. However, AyUp Lights offer the ultimate solution which they kindly sent to me for review.
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Univega Alpina HT-550 Mountain Bike gets you onto the rough stuff

After many years of absence from the UK market, Univega have come back with a slew of new offerings. One of these include the Alpina HT-550 and I was lucky enough to be sent one for our Christmas reviews. This particular mountain bike sits somewhere in the middle of the company's range and offers you the opportunity to get hold of something that looks a little bit special for just over £500. Again, as in my previous MTB review, the HT-550 offers a lot more than those cheap off-the-shelf bikes. With its Shimano component mix, including an XT drivetrain and SLX shifters, when you catch your first glimpse of the bike you will know you have something special. This is a hardtail, so no rear suspension, but up front you get a Rock Shox Tora-SL fork with 100mm of travel. The Rock Shox really does eat up the bumps and is very responsive. The Concept SL saddle, seatpost, stem and handlebar are a nice match and feel very well made. They are not that heavy either, all adding up to a pretty decent weight bike. Avid Juicy 3 hydraulic disc brakes serve up your stopping power and in my rides out on the HT-550 they performed very well. They provide a no fuss solution really and provide more than adequate braking ability.
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Fenix Torch and Lockblock Holder - MTB Review

For many a biker, adequate lighting for dusk or night time riding is often overlooked. For the serious MTB enthusiast, having good, powerful, directional lighting with the right type of beam is essential. Dedicated bike lights start at very cheap and not that effective, right up to £500 for a pro set-up. There is another option though and it is one that could please many a gadget lover this Christmas. Personally, I really like LED torches. Don't ask me why, but my fascination over how such a vast amount of light can be produced by some of these torches amazes me. I keep one in my car and another under my sink. Then I stumbled across the Fenix range of torches and the kind guys at The Photon Shop kindly sent us a Fenix L2D Q5 plus a little gadget called a LockBlock for attaching the torch to my mountain bike.

So, let's take a look at the LockBlock first. This little device costs just under £9. It is very simple, but works very well indeed. It comprises of a double-sided U-shaped rubber mount, with two velcro loops threaded through. You attach the LockBlocks to your handlebar, tighten the velcro. Then get your torch, tighten the second velcro loop and voila, your torch is rock solid on your bike. On my rides with this set-up attached things stayed firmly in place. The torch bounced around with the bike of course, but did not budge from the LockBlock mount. Very impressed with this product, simplicity in design paid of and at £9 it is a bargain.

Onto the Fenix torch. This is the first LED flashlight I have reviewed, so my comparisons are made against a £30 Cateye bike specific light. The Fenix L2D Q5 is a lot longer than a regular light, measuring just under 15cm. Even though this is quite long, it does not get in your way when riding. The diameter is 2.1cm, so as mentioned before, it fits nicely in the LockBlock, but if you do use it off the bike, then it is very pocketable. On the bike on night time trails it is awesome. At its highest output you get 180 lumens of output. Running on two AA batteries I was also amazed that it kept going for almost two hours. The beam is very concentrated too, with little spill, so seeing ground hazards was very easy. When I ventured onto the road, cars and other vehicles gave me plenty of room, so I must have been very visible. You can also soft touch the rubber on/off button which changes the brightness, plus you can turn the bezel very slightly to change modes from general to turbo mode. In general mode you get three different brightness levels and an SOS mode. In turbo mode, you get the full 180 lumens plus a fast flashing strobe mode.

Wow, what a torch... lifetime warranty on the LED, waterproof to IPX-8 standard and a toughened optical glass lens. The build is superb and the body of the torch is a hard anodized finish. Dropping it (although not recommended) had not effect and it remained unmarked throughout reviewing it.

The Fenix L2D Q5 is so solidly built and such a useful tool that I just hope that it does not have to go back. This is really a great deal. You get two presents in one. A nice solid torch with awesome light output for the ultimate gadget lover. Plus, you have the ability to use it an a very effective bike light. For this sort of money, what more could you ask? If you buy this particular Fenix torch and a LockBlock it comes to just under £50... highly recommended.

**More photos to follow**

Product: Fenix L2D Q5 Flashlight Torch
Price: £38.95
Product: Twofish LockBlock Bike Mount
Price: £8.94
Supplied by: The Photon Shop
Contact: 02920 407203