I hate the way I use my phone. The problem isn’t the sheer amount of time spent on my smartphone , although an average of around three hours a day (plus eight hours on my work laptop and around two in front of the TV) isn’t exactly healthy. More so, it’s how I’m using it: mindlessly checking news sites, email, social media or even the weather, all for that quick hit of dopamine....

Before we begin, it’s worth emphasising that I’m not an AI hater by any means. The technology is genuinely helpful, and I end up using it one way or another. You can’t really avoid it since it’s built into almost every platform and device now, including smartphones . In fact, most manufacturers seem to have shifted their focus almost entirely toward AI instead of bringing meaningful hardware improvements. Every new phone launch, whether it’s your Google Pixels , Samsung Galaxys , or iPhones of the world, now revolves around AI as the main talking point rather than hardware....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict This well-built and inexpensive in-house camera is easy to use and has an excellent feature set. It works well and produces high-quality video, and the cloud solution is excellent value. The only knock on the Ranger 2 is that it isn’t powered by battery, a fact reflected in the discount price. Best Prices Today: Imou Ranger 2 In a world in which the Ring StickUp Cam costs only £89, the Ranger 2 is significantly cheaper, but lacks the true portability of a battery....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Portable and stylish design Impressive prints USB-C charging Decent range of editing options Cons Running costs add up over time App could do with some improvements QR codes on AR prints on the larger side Our Verdict The Instax Square Link has everything you need from a portable printer, with a sleek finish and a range of editing tools. However, the app could do with some refining....

At a Glance Our Verdict Evenly matched on price, cameras and performance, the HTC One wins on storage and display, whilst the iPhone 5c may just edge it on battery life. Build quality and software are of a similar quality but different. But if you have no strong feelings on design or Android/iOS, you need to opt for the HTC. Best Prices Today: HTC One HTC One vs iPhone 5c: UK price The iPhone 5C is the cheaper of Apple’s current smartphones , but it’s not cheap....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Great sound quality Impressive ANC Solid battery life Good companion app Cons Cheap-feeling case Annoying controls Price rise compared to Elite 3 Our Verdict Despite a few inconveniences, the Elite 4 are a great pair of affordable wireless earbuds. But the same can be said for plenty of other options at this price, and Jabra doesn’t do much to stand out here. Best Prices Today: Jabra Elite 4 When thinking about wireless earbuds, many of the leading smartphone companies come to mind first....

It might sometimes feel like everyone has an iPhone, but Android actually holds more than 70% share of the mobile operating system market worldwide. That makes it a huge target for cybercriminals who want to get their hands on your data and your money. You must make sure your Android phone or tablet is protected against malware. This danger comes in many forms, from keyloggers, viruses and other malware that run on your device itself, to all manner of hacking and phishing attempts that will attempt to catch you off guard and have you hand over your data on a plate....

What if I told you that you could be paid for a phone that you bought years ago, and you could still keep it? It sounds too good to be true, but that may become a reality for an estimated 29 million consumers in the UK. Consumer rights organisation Which? launched a major lawsuit against Qualcomm in January 2024, arguing that the US chipmaker had been engaging in anti-competitive behaviour. The first of two potential trials begins in London today, lasting five weeks....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict If what you want is a fast, fuss-free, flavourful espresso, look no further. The Idola is a sleek, quiet and high-quality capsule coffee machine. However, it doesn’t come with a milk frother, meaning that the Idola is all about black coffee options. As a bonus, the fact that Lavazza now produces industrially compostible coffee capsules means that the Idola is arguably among the most environmentally-friendly capsule coffee machines you can buy....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Great screen and speakers Useful built-in kickstand Battery just keeps going Durable, sleek metal body Cons Underwhelming productivity and gaming performance Only two major OS updates Our Verdict The Lenovo Tab Plus is a versatile tablet with impressive sound, a vibrant display and a practical kickstand. It’s the perfect companion for entertainment when you’re at home or on the go, though it’s not ideal for productivity or gaming....

Almost three months after Qualcomm revealed its latest flagship laptop processor, we finally know the first device it’ll power. The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 will make its debut on the ThinkPad X13s, a brand-new laptop announced by Lenovo at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022. Qualcomm says its latest chip delivers big performance improvements over the previous generation , without compromising 5G connectivity or great battery life. It combines with the company’s Adreno GPU here, alongside up to 32GB of RAM and a maximum 1TB of SSD storage – so performance shouldn’t be an issue....

At a Glance Our Verdict This is a solid incremental update to the Yoga line that takes what was already pretty great – the design, build quality, and top tier spec options – and adds the latest Intel chips and Alexa support. We’ll be looking forward to testing it out more thoroughly for a full review soon. Best Prices Today: Lenovo Yoga 730 Lenovo’s Yoga range welcomed a couple of new members at Mobile World Congress 2018 , in the new Yoga 730 and 530 2-in-1 laptops....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Affordable Long Type-A and Type-C cables Hardware encryption Cons Lacks NVMe level performance Needs a carry pouch Our Verdict It might not have the all-out performance of NVMe designs, but the SL200 has a desirable price and features including encryption and even rare-sighted long cables. Best Prices Today: Lexar SL200 From 2006 onwards Lexar was owned by the giant memory makers Micron until it sold the business to Longsys in 2017....

At a Glance Our Verdict Close calls must be made. The G6’s screen is stunning, and the extra height but manageable width make it an intriguing choice. But the OnePlus 3T’s fast charging edges it, as does its fingerprint free design for some. Both phones have the same processor, and can’t be split when it comes to performance. And it’s unavoidable that if you’re buying SIM-free, the OnePlus 3T is a whole £300 cheaper (yes, £300!...

With much attention focused on the flagship launches for 2016 – the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5 to name but two – it’s easy to overlook what else is on offer. LG is keen to have a range of phones with prices that will attract buyers looking for top-end features in a phone that doesn’t cost top-end money. Here’s what we know about the LG X cam and X screen release date, price and specifications....

The biggest problem with smart home gadgets is that they all use their own app and you have to invest in extra devices, such as a smart speaker with Alexa or Google Assistant, to tie it all together. So if you’re planning to buy some smart lights, it pays to stick with one brand if you can. LIFX isn’t quite as well known as Philips Hue, but it’s certainly one of the best if not the best choice for smart lights....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Good speeds and coverage Competitively priced Ethernet backhaul supported Cons No dedicated wireless backhaul Basic parental controls only Our Verdict The Linksys Atlas 6 provides fast and reliable whole-home coverage for a sensible price. The user-friendly app makes it easy to manage your network, and to add more nodes in larger homes, increasing coverage if it’s needed. Best Prices Today: Linksys Atlas 6 (MX2000) What’s more, each ‘node’ (each router) in the three-pack device has four Ethernet LAN ports, which means you can hook up PCs, TV set-top boxes and any other devices that don’t have Wi-Fi but do need to be connected to the internet....

With an estimated $2.7 billion (£2.12 billion) spent on gaming peripherals in the US in 2018, it’s clear to see that gamers are spending serious cash to improve their gaming setups, and manufacturers have responded with increasingly advanced accessories. While wireless mice were once bulky, heavy, laggy and expensive, companies like Logitech have worked tirelessly to reduce size and weight, improve the wireless capabilities and make them more affordable for gamers....

Marvel’s Avengers is the biggest superhero game since Spider-Man on PS4, but it’s a very different beast: this is a multi-superhero spectacular with a mix of solo play, online co-op, and loads of unlockables and replayability. Developed by Crystal Dynamics, the devs behind the rebooted Tomb Raider games, it’s a sort of third-person, superhero take on Destiny. The game lets you play as any of the Avengers either solo or in online co-op, across an expansive original story....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Maxoak Laptop Power Bank is the highest-capacity battery we’ve ever tested, and ideal if your power needs are great (and land-based – this is too powerful to take on a plane). With 11 adaptors in the box chances are the Maxoak can charge your laptop along with all your other electronic devices, and still have juice to spare. But while it’s a highly functional power bank with premium looks, there’s really nothing here to justify the expensive price tag....