Wi-Fi is both a blessing and a curse. We’re forced to use it on our phones, tablets and any other connected device that doesn’t have an Ethernet socket. It’s great because it means your phone or laptop is truly wireless, but it’s far from reliable and can be slower than a stable, wired connection. If you’re having problems and are considering upgrading your router or are simply curious to know what the numbers and letters all mean, then allow us to explain....

Pierce it We watched with horror as some lovely LG employees told us that if they pierce this battery, it could well explode. Unperturbed by our reaction, they did it anyway. Reckon it blew up? Inspect it Of course it didn’t (boo). Here, an LG engineer checks out the results of the penetration test. It’s a good thing it didn’t explode – LG has been conducting tests like this for years, and prides itself on the G6’s safety in the pockets of consumers....

Windows 11 is the focus for most laptop manufacturers right now, but Acer is continuing to invest heavily in Chromebooks. The Taiwanese company just launched four new Chrome OS devices at its Global Press Conference, aiming to cater to all potential users. The pick of the bunch is the Spin 514, Acer’s flagship convertible Chromebook. This 2021 refresh focuses on performance and video calling, both of which are crucial to effective remote working....

Last night Apple unveiled the AirPods Pro 2 alongside a raft of other new devices. They’ve arrived with a number of handy upgrades but despite the new H2 chipset, there’s still one key feature missing. And that is Hi-Res lossless audio, something that Apple doesn’t even offer on the high-end AirPods Max, yet rivals including Samsung and Sony do. Apple had lots of things to show off about when it came to the AirPods Pro 2 , including double the noise cancelling performance and 33% better battery life from the buds....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Nice display Premium design Easy to use Cons Infrequent notifications Doesn’t work well with iOS Zepp companion app is a mess Our Verdict The Amazfit GTR 3 is an attractive smartwatch offering a host of head-turning features for its price, but minor on-watch bugs and a poorly laid-out mobile app stop it from being an instant recommendation Best Prices Today: Amazfit GTR 3 In 2021 we find the smartwatch market fragmented and in a state of flux....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict With a better selfie camera and more storage the 2019 Fire 7 is improved, albeit only slightly. And you can’t really expect any more at this price. Price & availability You get 16GB of storage as standard now, but you can have 32GB for £10 / $20 more. As always, you’ll get lock-screen adverts unless you opt for ‘Without Special Offers’ when choosing your options before buying....

This means there’s a choice to make and also a selection of plans for Unlimited users to choose from. Here we’ll explain them all so you can see the difference between Prime and Unlimited tiers. Amazon Music Free Amazon Music Prime Amazon Music Unlimited You can play any song on demand, offline and with unlimited skips on all-access playlists – skips are on other parts of the platform As mentioned earlier, Music HD has now been made free for Unlimited users effectively making it just a part of that service....

Just like clockwork, Google is back with another major version of Android. Android 13 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, opting for iterative updates to the Material You redesign we saw with Android 12 . However, there are still plenty of new features and improvements worth talking about, covering privacy, security, gaming and battery. As of right now, the final version is only available if you have a recent Pixel phone. But plenty more devices are eligible for the beta, and eventually most Android 12 phones and tablets will get the free upgrade....

At a Glance Our Verdict With the same Material Design at the heart of Android M, it’s not a big OS update but the tweaks and new features are all welcome. Stay tuned for more on Android M as we approach the full launch. Best Prices Today: Android M At Google I/O 2015 , the internet giant predictably gave us our first look at the next version of Android, its mobile operating system for smartphones and tablets....

Nintendo’s new mobile game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp , available now for Android and on iPhone , is an addictive little number but frustrating at times. There are lots of built-in delays and there never seem to be enough of the necessary resources, whether wood, steel or coconuts. In this article we offer 10 tips that will help you to do well at Pocket Camp. Play regularly (but for short periods) The Animal Crossing games have all tended to suit a ‘little but often’ approach – they are perfect for dipping in, catching a couple of butterflies, moving some furniture around and popping out again....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict Fast, portable, high in capacity and affordable. There are some boxes the Anker PowerCore Speed 10000 QC power bank does not tick, yet you’d be pushed to find fault with it at £25. A recommended gadget for the upcoming festival- and holiday season. Best Prices Today: Anker PowerCore Speed 10000 QC It’s that time of year when a power bank should top everyone’s gadget wishlist....

Tablets aren’t quite a laptop replacement, but they’re brilliant devices in their own right. The portability factor makes them an excellent choice for streaming and reading on the go, while some apps on powerful devices make them perfect companions for students and professionals alike. Like smartphones, there are many options out there, and it can be hard to know what’s best for you. Fortunately, we here at Tech Advisor have tested a range of tablets across the year and have cherry-picked the best three models....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Large 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display A18 chipset delivers superb performance Excellent battery life Useful Camera Control button Cons No 120Hz refresh rate Incomplete AI features at launch Starts at only 128GB storage No telephoto zoom lens Our Verdict The iPhone 16 Plus delivers exceptional performance with its A18 chipset, Camera Control, and brilliant display. These same features also place it close to the Pro Max for the first time in years, and it offers almost everything people want from a large-screen iPhone at a much more affordable price....

The aim of the new products is to recreate the convenience and versatility of American fridges, but built to a scale that’s more realistic for UK homes. An average fridge in the UK may be 600-700mm wide, while an American fridge can be up to 1,000mm. It’s just not possible for most UK kitchens to accommodate them without significant remodelling and loss of space elsewhere. But that hasn’t stopped people in the UK from wanting luxury American appliances of this kind....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Privacy shield offers peace of mind Small dimensions Great quality video capture Cons Expensive for an entry-level product Some features locked behind a monthly sub Privacy Shield is fiddly in use Our Verdict The Arlo Essential Indoor camera is well-built, offers great capture quality and boasts a user-friendly app experience, but a high price and hiding features like AI object detection behind a monthly subscription may frustrate some....

After Valve announced Artifact at the 2017 International, the world’s largest Dota 2 tournament, some eyebrows were raised. Valve has been quiet about the development of the game, but that’s coming to an end now as several members of the press were invited to their offices in Seattle to have a look at the new digital trading card game. When is the Artifact release date? Following a period of silence after the initial reveal of Artifact, Valve confirmed that the card game made by Richard Garfield will be released on Steam on 28 November 2018 ....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Great performance Excellent keyboard Good port selection Cons Average screen Iffy trackpad Our Verdict The Asus VivoBook is a solid laptop, and if you can look beyond a handful of compromises it could be a great everyday device for many years to come. Best Prices Today: Asus VivoBook S14 (S433) If you’re in the market for a Windows laptop, it’s highly likely you’ll be considering something from Asus....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Distinctive, compact design Fantastic battery life Strong specs Excellent low light photography Cons Overheating issues Only two Android updates promised No mmWave support Our Verdict The Zenfone 9 is a full-force flagship in a small size, and with remarkably few compromises for it. The design is distinctive, the battery lasts well over a day, and performance is solid – albeit limited by the phone’s cooling skill....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Audiomax HB-8A Bluetooth Headphones are a high-quality product, yet comes at an affordable price. You get all the features you would look for in a pair of headphones: great sound performance, comfort, long battery life and a stylish design. Best Prices Today: Audiomax HB-8A Bluetooth Headphones The Audiomax HB-8A Bluetooth Headphones caught our eye with their elegant design. Following the ‘less is better’ fashion trend, these Audiomax Headphones adopt a minimalistic style and yet nothing is left to chance – all the details have been carefully considered....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Aukey offers brilliant value as a high-capacity power bank, but it may be too high in capacity for some users – some airlines might not let you carry that much portable power in hand luggage, and apart from anything else this power bank is really quite heavy. We like the Quick Charge 3.0 support, plus the Lightning input for iPhone and iPad users, but in other respects the Aukey has few advanced features....