Clover is a POS system that launched in April 2012. The company behind the product was incorporated in 2010 and was acquired after two years of existence by First Data Corporation, a well-known payments processing company. Early backers included venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Sutter Hill Ventures..
Under First Data’s ownership, Clover launched its first hardware solution, Clover Station, a point of sale terminal that allowed retailers to receive payments with ease. In 2016, First Data unveiled a second product called Clover Go, a card reader that works with smartphones. Clover’s point-of-sale products have earned a significant market share in the U.S. and abroad; the company processed over $200 billion in transactions in 2022.
In 2019, Clover’s owner, First Data, was acquired by Fiserv, another payment processing giant. Clover has remained under Fiserv since then but operates as an independent subsidiary.
Clover POS: Plans and pricing
The Clover Station Pro is the brand's most powerful point-of-sale system yet. (Image credit: Clover)
Clover offers four types of point-of-sale hardware; Go, Station, Flex, and Mini. You can either pay outright for a device or rent it on a monthly basis. Renting Clover Station costs $120 per month for the one-screen version and $130 monthly for the two-screen version. Flex costs $35 monthly, while Mini costs $45 monthly. The Clover Go card reader costs $49 one-time (there’s no monthly pricing option for it).
The pay monthly option allows you to get the POS system for your business with no money down, and you can cancel your subscription and return the device at any time. But, if you wish, you can also pay in full ($1,349 for the one-screen Clover Station; $1,649 for the dual-screen Station; $799 for the Mini; and $449 for Flex). The upfront costs are relatively expensive compared to the competition, which is why renting can be a better option for small businesses.
If you use Clover to process payments, then you'll pay a separate 2.3% + $0.10 or $2.6% + $0.10 for all successful card transactions depending on your monthly plan.
Clover POS is able to help you process all types of payment (Image credit: Clover)
Clover POS: Features
Hardware
Clover offers five hardware options:
Station Solo: An all-in-one POS terminal with a single 14-inch touchscreen, cash drawer, and printer. It lets you accept payments from all major credit cards.
Station Duo: The same Station POS systems but with two screens (one for the seller and the other for the customer).
Go: A compact card reader that works together with the Clover mobile app. It uses Wi-Fi or a cellular connection.
Flex: A handheld POS system with a 6-inch touchscreen, built-in printer, camera, and barcode scanner.
Mini: A full point-of-sale system yet in a compact package. It features an 8-inch touchscreen, a card slot, a contactless card reader, and a built-in receipt printer.
Clover POS can be tailored to suit multiple retail and restaurant uses (Image credit: Clover)
Point-of-Sale System
The most important part of using Clover is the software system that works with the hardware. This system makes it easy to collect payments and run your business regardless of what type, e.g., restaurant, hotel, brick-and-mortar retailer, etc. It manages every aspect of processing payments, including organizing inventory and collecting money from customer cards.
This POS system is cloud-based, so you can track your sales, deposits, refunds, and sales reports from anywhere as long as you have the correct login details. It features integrated sales reporting, so you can use real-time or past data to track your business performance and visualize it with customizable reports.
Depending on the hardware you select, your POS system can be handheld, portable, or countertop-based. Besides, you can purchase Clover-approved third-party accessories for your POS hardware, e.g., a weight scale, barcode scanner, and cash drawer. There are also many third-party apps developed for Clover’s point-of-sale hardware, e.g., a customer discount app and accounting software.
Payment Processing
You can use Clover’s payment processing system for your hardware or choose a third-party processor (Clover does not restrict its devices to its own payment system, unlike many other rivals).
If you choose Clover's payment processing platform lets you accept payments from credit cards, debit cards, or gift cards. Customers can insert their card chip, swipe the card, or tap it to pay for your products or services. You can also scan and submit paper checks or add a cash drawer to collect and record payments as easily as you would digitally.
Clover POS gets highly praised for its user-friendly terminals (Image credit: Clover)
Clover POS: Interface and in use
One of the major complaints we observed when researching for this review is that Clover can be difficult to set up initially and the user interface can be confusing at times. You may face some difficulty trying to configure and use the POS system, but with time, you should get used to it.
Clover POS offers a range of inventory and reporting options (Image credit: Clover)
Clover POS: Support
Clover offers customer support through email and telephone. There's a single support email, while telephone support lines vary depending on your country. There’s no live chat option, which we consider a disadvantage, but many customers speak highly of the company’s customer service offered via email and telephone.
Clover POS has a range of terminals at your disposal including the Mini (Image credit: Clover)
Clover POS: The competition
The Stripe Terminal and GoDaddy Terminal are two major competitors to Clover’s point-of-sale systems. Stripe offers its hardware upfront at a significantly cheaper price than Clover’s, but it has higher payment processing fees.
GoDaddy offers cheaper hardware systems and lower transaction fees. But, customers can only use GoDaddy’s payments processing software, unlike Clover which allows you to use other payment processors.
Clover is a reliable point-of-sale system to run your business with. It lets you accept payments with ease, and you’re free to choose whichever payment processor you want despite using Clover’s hardware. However, Clover’s hardware is expensive to purchase upfront and the user interface can be confusing to new users.
If you still love print magazines, then Readly makes it supremely easy to get all your favorites in one digital place for an affordable price. The advantage of this platform is you don't need to subscribe to each magazine separately – you just pay the one fee and get access to every single title available on Readly from around the world... which now numbers around the 6,000 mark!
Yes, there are magazines in several languages available on Readly and they’re all mixed in, although you can filter by language if you wish. If you don’t filter, there seems to be no apparent order in which the magazines are presented to you the first time you sign up, or when you’re browsing to discover new content.
Finding new magazines to read is remarkably simple. While Readly will throw up suggestions on what you’ve previously read, the search feature is very quick and filters only the specific category you’ve searched for, no mix-ups there. No matter what platform you’re using Readly on – PC, tablet or phone – the user interface is simple and smooth, with no apparent latency when turning pages.
Readly seems to have been specifically designed for use on handheld devices like a tablet or smartphone. You can select individual articles within a magazine, which also increases the font size, and also allows you to scroll to read through completely. This feature, however, is missing on the browser application and makes it a little harder to read on a larger screen like a laptop or desktop PC.
All in all, the ability to read as many magazines as you can digest for a small monthly fee makes Readly one of the best platforms for consuming print content in the digital age.
Double-page view on a desktop browser (Image credit: Readly)
Readly free trial and price
In comparison to subscribing to individual print editions of magazines, Readly works out to be far more affordable. As of January 2023, a subscription will cost you $11.99 / £9.99 / AU$11.99. That's a major change to the previous prices of $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$14.99 a month, with the US and UK subscribers now paying more than their Australian counterparts.
However, it's still a lot cheaper than signing up for several individual magazines that you might want to read. That monthly cost gets you access to around 6,000 magazines in different languages, plus a handful of newspapers from a few countries.
Importantly, Readly offers a free trial period, which is usually 30 days. Occasionally, however, we’ve found the trial period to be two or three months, which makes it an even better value option. There are no contracts to lock you in, so you can cancel your membership any time.
Page thumbnails and scrollbar on Android (left) and iPad (right) (Image credit: Readly)
Readly catalogue
Over 5,000 magazines
Few newspapers
Kids and adult content
Readly claims there are over 5,000 magazines in its catalogue and we didn’t stop to count. That number in itself is staggering, and offers options for every kind of reader – anglers to audiophiles, kids to pensioners, high-flyers to home-makers.
At the time of writing, we couldn’t find any gaps in topic or category. There are trashy supermarket tabloids alongside the likes of National Geographic, and you can find reads on special topics like bird watching and trains. You’ll even find bookazines that teach you about a specific topic, like coding or photography, and there are plenty of puzzle issues as well.
During our testing, we didn't find any delays in new issues of subscribed magazines arriving on Readly, at least for the titles we picked.
Comics have their own category on Readly, with titles like The Walking Dead and Commando included.
There are several kids and young adult magazines also available, like The Beano, National Geographic Kids and so on. However, there are no parental controls, so the kids' titles are sharing shelf space with trashy tabloids of the "A POLTERGEIST had SEX with our DOG" variety when you’re doing a general browsing of all the magazines available on Readly.
Single-page view on an Android tablet (left) and an iPad (right) (Image credit: Readly)
Readly apps
Available on Android, iOS, Kindle Fire, web browser
Simple, easy-to-use interface
Readly apps are available for the usual suspects of iOS and Android – for smartphones and tablets – as well as an app for the Kindle Fire tablets. You can even read on a web browser via go.readly.com. All apps are free to download.
The mobile and tablet apps, irrespective of platform, are very similar, displaying thumbnails (or tiles) of each magazine’s cover art. You can browse the Discover section to start getting some ideas of what you could read, and any title you’ve tapped on begins to download automatically for offline reading. The progress of this download is visible via a thin yellow line at the bottom of the screen on tablet and mobile (note that there is no download option when reading on a browser). If you happen to be just flicking through an issue, the download stops, and then picks up where it left off when you open the same issue again at another time. Once downloaded, you’ll see a green down arrow below the specific issue’s thumbnail.
Download speed varies, depending on the size of each individual issue, but is very quick for newspapers. Storage demands aren’t excessive – after downloading four magazine issues and two newspapers, Readly took up 516MB of space on our iPhone. If you don’t think you’ll be reading offline, there is a toggle switch in the app’s settings to disable mobile data for when you’re out and about or abroad. You can, of course, remove anything you've downloaded to free up space.
(Image credit: Readly)
In fact, Readly gives you a lot of control over how you want the app to function – you can set the maximum number of issues you can download, enabled or disable background refreshes of pages, have page-turn animations switched on and even have a sound accompany that animation, both of which are wonderful just from a nostalgic point of view when reading a digital edition.
Titles and issues you’ve read – even if they haven’t finished downloading – get added to the Recently Read section under My Content. You can Favorite any title you want for easy access later and you can even bookmark specific pages within a magazine if you need to revisit it later. Your favorites, recently read magazines and bookmarks are all listed in the My Content tab across all platforms.
If you’re reading across several devices, your content gets synced almost immediately, including which page you stopped on. If you notice the sync hasn't happened, a quick refresh of the app will do the trick. We tested Readly in a desktop browser, an iPhone, an iPad and an Android tablet and every device synced smoothly.
The display options in Readly for mobile and tablet means you don't need to zoom and scroll around (Image credit: Readly)
Reading experience
Designed for handheld devices
Not perfect on desktop
Browsing and reading on Readly is fast and fluid: it's just like swooping around a photo library, and a thumbnail viewer with a scroll bar pops up for easy navigation. If your device is in portrait mode you'll see single pages full screen, and in landscape you're given the choice of single page view and double page view. On a browser, though, you only get the double-page view, with a single zoom option via double-clicking on a page.
Two-page views on any device have very small font sizes making them exceptionally difficult to read (practically illegible on a phone). We tried reading on both a 16-inch laptop as well as a 24-inch monitor and they both were hard to read. Zooming in isn’t a great experience on desktop either as that requires a lot of scrolling up and down, as well as left and right to get the full page experience.
One-page views on mobile and tablet, though, require no such zooming. You can pinch to zoom if you wish, but there is a yellow 'page' icon below each magazine page that opens up a full article in a single file. This removes some formatting aspects of the article (although images remain untouched), as well as any background colors, but it offers a smooth scrolling and reading experience for individual articles.
Interestingly, the Readly app is intuitive enough to recognize an advertisement from the real articles, and the page icon disappears for ad placements and covers. This feature lets you read either on a white background or switch to dark mode for a black background and white text. If there are multiple articles on a single page, a pop-up is presented asking you which one you want to read.
Unfortunately, this article view feature isn’t available when reading on a browser and is our only complaint about the Readly experience.
Readly on a desktop browser (Image credit: Readly)
Verdict
If you love your magazines, we can’t recommend Readly highly enough, particularly since it offers such great value. Not only are you getting access to thousands of magazines you likely wouldn’t be able to get in your country, it also doesn’t cost much at all. You only need a couple of magazines to justify the monthly Readly subscription.
A simplified user experience, the ability to read offline and switch across different devices without losing your spot makes Readly a great experience… as long as you steer clear of the platform’s browser interface, which is missing some of the mobile and tablet app features.
Formerly known as Xenmobile, Citrix Endpoint Manager is a unified device management system that provides a simplified platform for IT departments to monitor and administer hardware of all types.
With features beyond the scope of standard Mobile Device Management (MDM) products, Citrix Endpoint Manager supports all commercially available mobile operating systems and desktop OSs. Offered stand-alone or as part of a more comprehensive selection of Citrix business software, Citrix Endpoint Manager aims to be seamless for the end user and effortless for the IT department to manage.
Citrix Endpoint Management is a feature-packed MDM solution (Image credit: Citrix)
Features
Citrix Endpoint Manager is an upgraded version of Xenmobile, offering additional features.
In addition to the usual MDM functionalities like compliance management and application control, Citrix Endpoint Manager provides all the necessary tools for end-users to carry out their tasks. It offers a comprehensive BYOD management system with hassle-free enrollment and supports handheld scanners and similar endpoints.
The system enables easy tracking and identification of both devices and users, allowing for managing content viewed on devices (whether online or on corporate servers), deployment of software and apps, and assignment and withdrawal of permissions. The comprehensive inventory can be managed and grouped by device and other parameters, and policies can be applied and adjusted across hardware and users, all from the admin screen of Citrix Endpoint Manager.
Installation and setup
The Citrix Endpoint Manager is a powerful tool that operates seamlessly within a standard Citrix Workspace environment. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools and features for managing devices and applications within an organization.
With the ability to integrate with existing workspaces, the Endpoint Manager makes it easy to enroll devices and manage app distribution or restrictions across the network. To enroll devices, a console with all the necessary tools is provided, and end users can use the AutoDiscovery feature for enrollment, making the process simpler and reducing the workload on the MDM administrator.
An Apple Push Notifications developer account is required for Apple hardware, while Android devices require an organizational Google account and a Google Play account.
With the Citrix Endpoint Manager, organizations can streamline device management processes and improve productivity and security.
Citrix Endpoint Manager works with most mobile and desktop operating systems (Image credit: Citrix)
Compatibility
Citrix Endpoint Manager offers integrated administration of Android and Android Enterprise, Chrome OS, macOS, iOS, tvOS, iPadOS, and Windows 10 devices. Only macOS and tvOS cannot be found on mobile hardware. Linux is only supported by a Citrix Ready workspace hub compatible with the Raspberry Pi 3.
Citrix Endpoint Manager can access and control these devices' management systems. So, for example, the Unified Endpoint Management capability in Windows 10 can be used to enroll and manage Windows 10 tablets and hybrids. Similarly, Citrix Endpoint Manager can access mobile device data, app information, and control security and other aspects in iOS for iPhone and iPadOS for the Apple iPad.
Additionally, Citrix Endpoint Manager supports Alexa for Business, making it the ideal choice for managing and administering mobile IoT devices and integrating those with the usual MDM hardware. Need to start a projector or dim the lights in the conference room? Those integrations can be handled from a permitted mobile device across the Citrix Endpoint Manager environment.
Usability
Citrix Endpoint Manager prioritizes both hardware and user compatibility. Rather than restricting users to specific devices, it takes a flexible approach, allowing organizations to determine the best machines, apps, and software vendors for their IT, colleagues, and overall business needs.
Citrix Workspace is a unified platform that can be accessed across devices and profiles, ensuring that users have the necessary tools on the hardware they use. Enrollment is simple and usually doesn't require repetition.
From an administrative perspective, each user and device can be easily managed through a user-friendly interface that provides analysis data. This interface allows you to monitor compliance information device statistics by platform and carrier and manage device security, apps, and permissions.
Citrix's price calculator can be quite handy for larger organizations (Image credit: Citrix)
Plans and pricing
Are you looking for pricing options for Citrix? They offer different packages that can be scaled according to the needs of your business.
The Stand-alone package integrates with other Citrix products and supports major platforms and hardware. This package costs $4 per user or $3 per monthly device.
Workspace Premium is a more comprehensive solution that costs $18 per user per month. This package offers a secure interface to access apps and files, including Citrix Endpoint Manager and other notable Citrix products.
Workspace Premium Plus costs $25 per user per month and includes hybrid deployment options for Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, with cloud management.
To know how much Citrix Endpoint Manager may cost, visit their website, which provides a helpful calculator. Simply choose a plan, usage type, and quantity to get an estimation (actual prices may vary).
For instance, if you have 500 users and choose the Stand-alone package on a one-year contract, it would cost $4.83 per user per month. If you choose a three-year contract, you could save 20% and pay only $3.87 per user monthly.
Final verdict
When selecting a mobile device management (MDM) solution, many factors must be considered. One important consideration is the offerings provided by established players in organizational collaboration networks. Citrix Endpoint Manager is a strong contender in this space due to its wide assortment of features and tools and its straightforward device enrollment process.
If your network is already utilizing Citrix Workspace or requires an upgrade, then choosing Citrix Endpoint Manager would be a sensible decision. The necessary operating systems and server software have already been installed, and the server hardware is operational. If your budget permits, transitioning to Citrix Endpoint Manager within an existing Citrix environment may be your most appropriate option.
With its powerful management capabilities and user-friendly interface, Citrix Endpoint Manager can help streamline your organization's mobile device management processes, allowing you to focus on what matters - your business.
Whether managing a small team of mobile workers or a large enterprise with thousands of devices, Citrix Endpoint Manager has the tools and features you need to succeed. So why not try it today and see how it can help take your mobile device management to the next level?
This is a review of Sage Business Cloud Accounting for North America. The product, and its features may vary depending on the country you're in. We will soon update this review to reflect the differences with the UK version which includes Payroll.
Sage is the British company that has been offering accountancy software solutions for many years. The business currently has its latest incarnation of Sage Business Cloud Accounting that, as the name suggests, offers the flexibility and dependable edge provided by a cloud-based solution.
The service was originally called Sage One but has morphed into a beefier package that differs from Sage’s 50cloud option. The most obvious benefit of Sage Business Cloud Accounting is that you gain the flexibility and scalability provided by having a cloud back-end.
Sage is constantly evolving too, with the UK market having its own products dedicated to small business including specific accounting, payroll and HR packages. Equally, Sage also covers the medium-sized business arena with Sage Intacct, Sage200cloud and the more specialised cloud-based ERP Sage X3. Professional accountants and bookkeepers are, of course, also catered for with partner accounting and payroll options with an increasing focus on automation.
Competitor software services worth considering include QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books, Kashflow and FreshBooks. All practical options in light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting offers both a starter plan as well as a more advanced plan that includes invoicing and cash flow management (Image credit: Image Credit: Sage)
Sage: Pricing
If you like the look of the most recent edition of Sage Business Cloud Accounting then the good news is that there’s a free trial available. This is a great way of experiencing the cloud-based accountancy service head on, but if you want to get stuck into its products full-on then there are two options. Sage One Start is $10 per month, while Sage One Accounting is $25 per month. The Accounting package is the one to go for if you like the sound of access to over 100 connected apps that enable you to boost the potential of the Sage cloud-based service.
The other offering for small business accounting is the Sage 50cloud Accounting software. This combines “the convenience of cloud with the power of desktop accounting software.” This solution is able to integrate the Sage bookkeeping with Office 365 Business Premium and the Microsoft Small Business Productivity Suite. This enables key cloud based features, such as backing up to OneDrive, generating financial reports in Excel, and accessing Outlook contacts.
This starts at the Pro Accounting tier, via a monthly subscription of $46.83 per month, with the limitation that it only supports a single user at a single company, with the option to add Microsoft 365 for an annual subscription of $150 per year. It can also automate bank feeds, and can be remotely accessed by your accountant.
You can easily connect your bank accounts to Sage Business Cloud Accounting (Image credit: Image Credit: Sage)
Sage: Features
Sage Business Cloud Accounting gets regular updates and its latest version is perfect for small businesses that need a relatively straightforward solution. Once you’re signed up Sage Business Cloud Accounting lets you tackle accounting, but it’ll also simplify sales tracking, reporting and pull contact together. You’ll be able to accept and receive payments, create and send invoices as well as stay on top of bookkeeping chores all within the space of a cloud-based service.
The additional benefit of Sage Business Cloud Accounting is that it lets you enjoy the same powerful features on your computer, tablet or phone. That way you’re on top of your accounting no matter where you happen to be.
Users in the UK get a variation on the theme. Sage offers small businesses an Accounting package, which lets you handle invoicing, cash flow, tax, payments and more. It also has a Payroll option, which allows you to pay up to 50 employees and is fully HRMC-compliant. Sage even takes care of HR issues with its refreshed Sage HR package, which used to be called CakeHR. It is a constantly evolving picture to stay in line with new rules and regulations, along with the changing face of business.
Sage: Performance
Sage has been around long enough to realize the potential of offering a product that can be used by the many and varied users that need accountancy solutions. As a result, there are versions available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad plus the web-based edition for anyone with access to a browser.
As you’d expect from a cloud-based solution, it depends on an internet connection but all data is stored in the cloud. Sage delivers a reliable service in that respect and the performance has been carefully honed over the years to help you enjoy a pretty decent experience.
Sage: Ease of use
Sage Business Cloud Accounting is quite a dry experience in that it’s less easy on the eyes, but certainly offers a comprehensive suite of features and functions. If you’re a newcomer to its functionality then you might find it a little hard going as there’s quite a lot to get through during initial setup. This is done via a Getting Started screen, which incidentally can be switched off if preferred.
You can, of course, import a lot of your data as well as connect to your financial institutions, which means that most of your accounting figures will self-populate the various categories. Nevertheless, there is still quite a lot to digest within the Sage Business Cloud Accounting interface, though once you’ve become familiar with it progress is much more streamlined.
Sage has done an impressive job at shoehorning the same experience into its mobile apps too, with iPhone and Android experiences surprisingly good. You can even get it for the Apple Watch.
The Sage Business Cloud Accounting layout is functional but lacks the flair of other cloud-based options (Image credit: Sage)
Sage: Support
You’ll find plenty of options available to you if you need to call upon some support. Sage has got this aspect of its business down to a fine art, with email, phone and also live support options all available.
For ongoing issues that can’t be resolved with a quick answer then there is also the provision for raising support tickets, whereby your query will be put into a queuing system and hopefully resolved as quickly as possible. You also get the benefit of a healthy community spirit within the world of Sage, while easily accessed and comprehensive FAQs also get to the bottom of many everyday questions and quandaries.
Support comes in a range of options including a powerful knowledge base for FAQs (Image credit: Sage)
Sage: Final verdict
Sage Cloud Business Accounting has been a reliable option for quite some time and proves consistently popular with many sole traders and smaller businesses. However, the interface can seem rather uninspiring even though it does offer an expansive range of features.
Some elements of the workflow seem unduly labored and with missing features such as time tracking and payroll options Sage Cloud Business Accounting is at risk from the competition. While everyone might instantly know the name of Sage this cloud-based accountancy solution doesn’t satisfy in quite the same way as something like QuickBooks Online.
We find the lowest Accounting Start tier, while well priced, somewhat limiting, and only useful for a true micro business. On the other hand, the upper Accounting tier is quite a bit more capable, and the 50cloud variant has deep integration with Microsoft365, although the cost rises considerably from the lowest plan. For a medium to larger small business, without dedicated accounting resources, these higher plans become an affordable solution.
Read our review of the latest all-in-one communications platform from 8x8: the 8x8 X Series. The name Virtual Office Pro has been retired by 8x8.
With 128 patents under its belt and over 40,000 customers, 8x8 is a force to be reckoned with in the cloud-based communications department.
Please note
This is our all-in-one roundup looking at the 8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service. On this page, after our brief intro, you’ll find
(a) an overview of the available pricing plans
(b) a detailed breakdown of the key features users can expect
(c) a look at how the 8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service compares against the competition
(d) we examine 8x8's security credentials
You can jump to the review section that interests you most by clicking on the links in the bar at the top of this page, but bear in mind that this article is really designed to be read all the way through, as businesses will benefit from assessing the service in its entirety before deciding if it meets their needs.
What started out as a small-time seller of semiconductors has slowly but surely evolved into a sweltering behemoth in the Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, market.
Nowadays, 8x8 offers products that appeal not only to small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs), but it’s also branched out to more mainstream enterprise companies and call centers.
8x8 Virtual Office Pro in particular leans more toward mid-sized business customers. It once existed as an add-on for the three base editions of Virtual Office, including the $25 (£19.26) per user per month X2 Edition, the $35 (£26.96) per user per month X5 Edition and the $55 (£42.37) per user per month X8 Edition.
That said, a customer service agent confirmed to us in an online sales chat that Virtual Office Pro is now considered a legacy product unavailable to new customers. Its unique features – call recording, web conferencing and internet fax – are now folded into the X5 Edition and X8 Edition of the service. So with that, let’s take a look at the distinctions among this trio of Virtual Office packages.
Even at the baseline price of $25 (£19.26) a month for each user, you can expect a lot of meat from the 8x8 Virtual Office X2 Edition plan. For one, every user gets their own phone line, complete with their own exclusive phone number and a virtual extension for receiving rerouted calls. On top of that, they get unlimited calling to 14 countries including Canada, Australia, the UK, and the United States.
Unlimited internet fax, which was originally found only in the Virtual Office Pro add-on, now comes with the Virtual Office X2 Edition as well. You can also count on an auto-attendant, voicemail and integration with the Salesforce, ZenDesk and Netsuite CRM services. There’s some integration with Microsoft Outlook, too, though it’s mostly limited to pinging people with alert emails and scheduling meetings. Purchasing the Virtual Office X2 Edition gives you 1GB of media storage.
Next up is the $35 (£26.96) 8x8 Virtual Office X5 Edition, which packs everything you’ll find in the X2 Edition but then ups the ante with Virtual Office Pro’s call recording, and an operator switchboard. Instead of unlimited calling to 14 countries, the count is more than doubled up to 32. Therefore, if you need to make frequent calls to China, Denmark or South Korea, you’ll probably want to opt for at least the X5 Edition. Media storage is bumped up to 5GB.
Key features
Lastly, the 8x8 Virtual Office X8 Edition introduces a host of additional features absent from the other service packs. It’s $55 (£42.37) per user per month, but it justifies its loftier price tag with call quality reporting and analytics, an analytics supervisor and a wealth of contact center trappings. You get inbound contact center support, outbound contact center support, 2,000 contact center minutes, 3 months of contact center recording storage, contact center IVR and contact center recording and analytics.
Along with all of that, 8x8 Virtual Office X8 Edition takes unlimited calling up to 47 countries, a list which comprises all 32 of the countries you get with the X5 Edition plus India, Japan, South Africa and a few others. Also, the media storage bounces up to 10GB with the X8 Edition plan. All three of these Virtual Office Editions are compatible with a standard (but optional) desk phone, the Virtual Office desktop application and the Virtual Office web browser client, so you don’t have to worry about a lack of flexibility when it comes to the hardware you’re using.
Competition
Overall, the best value and the most similar product to the now-defunct Virtual Office Pro is the 8x8 Virtual Office X5 Edition. At $35 (£26.96), it costs more than the $24.99 (£19.26) RingCentral (For Business) Standard plan, but it’s also more comparable to RingCentral’s $34.99 (£26.97) Premium plan since they both offer call recording and CRM integration.
One advantage of RingCentral (For Office) Premium over 8x8 Virtual Office X5 Edition is the integration it has with Microsoft, Google, Box and Okta products. RingCentral also promises 24/7 customer support. In many ways, the services are similar, which makes sense considering how closely they’re priced. If you go for the 8x8 Virtual Office X8 Edition, you’re obviously signing up for the contact center aspects that don’t show up in RingCentral’s plans.
Security
(Image credit: 8x8)
The adoption of more digital services has brought untold efficiency benefits to businesses in all industries - with VoIP solutions playing a key role in this. It has, unfortunately, also introduced additional vulnerabilities into the corporate environment that cyberattackers are all too willing to take advantage of. If this gives business leaders pause for thought, the good news is that many VoIP providers are shoring up their defenses to remain one step ahead of the attackers. This is certainly the case with 8x8’s VoIP offering.
The company proudly shares its long list of security credentials, which include being compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Federal Information Security Management Act, and the EU-US Privacy Shield framework. In addition to these credentials, 8x8 is also independently audited each year.
With more individuals working from home than ever before, VoIP solutions like 8x8 are not only being used to transmit audio signals. For example, 8x8 also supports video conferencing tools and office messaging apps. Again, 8x8 scores well here in terms of keeping customer data secure. Its VoIP platform has been developed with a security-first mindset, which means that 8x8 constantly scans its own infrastructure for emerging vulnerabilities before resolving them as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, it’s not just n terms of security that 8x8 impresses. Its VoIP platform also takes business continuity extremely seriously. Its communication solutions are available through any browser, calls can be forwarded to other websites, and IP phones can be moved anywhere as long as there is a working internet connection nearby. A mobile app provides additional reliability benefits. So if users are looking for a VoIP platform is that is both secure and reliable, the 8x8 Virtual Office Pro VoIP service ticks all the boxes.
Overall verdict
Ultimately, if you’re deciding on a new VoIP service for your business, the best product depends on your needs. The good news is that 8x8 Virtual Office has a lot of things going for it. It’s as easy to set up as hooking up the phones to an internet connection, and there are three different methods to use the service if the classic desk phone isn’t your style. Although newcomers can no longer subscribe to 8x8 Virtual Office Pro, its functionality lives on in the form of the X5 Edition.
If you’re in the market for a new VoIP service with par-for-the-course pricing and a multitude of compelling features, 8x8 Virtual Office is worth a look.
Not too long ago, being able to remotely upload content and store and retrieve the data as and when you needed it seemed like a futuristic dream. But today, the best cloud storage services offer you that and so much more. If you’ve been thinking about storing your data in the cloud, Internxt - a cloud storage service with a focus on privacy and security - is a viable option.
We’ve explored the service’s pricing, features, interface, security, and support so that you can decide if it’s the right cloud storage service for your needs.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Internxt: Plans & pricing
Internxt’s basic free plan offers 10GB of storage - and one of our picks for best free cloud storage providers. However there is a large emphasis on “up to”, here. All accounts start with a 2GB allowance, while more storage can be added for free by completing certain tasks. These include installing the Internxt mobile or desktop app (1GB each), sharing a file via a link (1GB) and inviting up to 5 friends (1GB each).
Beyond that, seven other pricing plans are available for individuals and for businesses.
One popular approach to tiered subscriptions among cloud drive services is to offer varying degrees of functionality for both personal and business users. Internxt has decided to offer single personal and business plans with access to the same features, instead focussing purely on the amount of storage available.
Personal customers can subscribe to 20GB, 200GB or 2TB for $1, $5, or $10 a month - annual subscriptions and lifetime or ‘perpetual’ licenses are also available, giving you a great amount of flexibility for any budget.
Business customers can gain access to larger amounts, including 200GB, 2TB and 20TB. These require a minimum of two users, and prices start at $5, $10, and $95 a month. However, business plans don’t feature a lifetime license.
Like its competition, Internxt offers discounts for annual commitments. Payments are taken in euros, which may present some difficulties with certain banking platforms.
Internxt also has an Enterprise plan for an unlimited number of team members. You’ll have to contact the support team for a quote based on your needs. It’s also easy for you to upgrade your plan at any time - you’ll never have to worry if your storage requirements change.
All plans offer complete use of all of Internxt's secure services, including Internxt Drive, a zero-knowledge file storage service, Internxt Photos, which enables you to store photos privately and securely, and Internxt Send, a platform for you to send files safely and seamlessly.
Internxt's pricing, even when converted to other currencies, is especially competitive when compared with some of the key players in the game, including Apple iCloud and Google Drive.
An exclusive deal for TechRadar readers means you can save 50% of all plans, too. Just use the code TECHRADAR at the check to save even more money.
All plans come with a 30-day money back guarantee and given that you need to already have an account to sign up, we recommend trying out the free features first before handing over your credit card details.
Internxt: Features
As a relatively new offering, Internxt’s features are pretty basic. We’ve broken down some of the key ones here.
Internxt is available on desktop, mobile, or tablet, so you can conveniently access your files on any device. With its automatic syncing capability, Internxt ensures your information will be updated and saved regardless of the device you’re using.
It offers its users handy offline access to their files. This means that you don’t have to frantically search for a network connection in order to access your documents out of range. You can enable selective offline access to all the files in your inventory.
One of the company’s strong points is its commitment to security, however a lot goes on behind the scenes. Internxt wants to make the process as normal as possible while maintaining the best protocol.
For business users, the service enables you and your team to store files with total security. You can collaborate privately with other members and toggle your admin features. You can even decide how many times you want a given link to be valid/shared so that your file won’t be accessible outside of its intended audience. This is particularly useful for sensitive documents.
All plans have derestricted file sizes, which is great for people working on videos and other large media types.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Internxt: Interface & experience
Choosing a plan and creating an account on Internxt is quick and fuss-free. In fact, of all the cloud storage providers we reviewed, this is by far the fastest sign up. Simply enter your e-mail address and chosen password to log in immediately to the web interface.
Upon doing this, you’ll find a handy introductory guide that you can access to get a quick tutorial on how the service works, which we thought was a nice touch. You can also click your account profile at the top right to download the desktop app for the device. You’ll receive 1GB extra storage for your trouble.
Internxt’s interface on mobile, web, and desktop is clean, intuitive, and user-friendly. On its main page, you can view all your files at a glance. You can also easily customize your folders with different colors and icons similar to the native tagging features in macOS and Windows. A useful search function helps you quickly locate files without having to spend time scrolling through your entire drive.
Uploading new files onto the cloud is also a breeze with a drag-and-drop interface. Similarly, you can easily share your files through a link. Overall, Internxt’s intuitive dashboard is easy to use and streamlines your workflow.
There are two aspects to the desktop client. First is the tool that sits in the status bar, allowing a certain degree of control and an insight into your syncing activity. Unlike many competitors, there is no option here to throttle bandwidth usage, which would be useful for companies and individuals processing large amounts of documents alongside other streaming activity.
The second aspect is the built-in support for your computer’s native file management system - in our case, Finder for macOS. You can use the newly created 'Internxt' folder in your home directory to continue life as normal with plenty of dragging and dropping, while keeping things synced.
You can also use the desktop client to launch the web interface, which is necessary for certain operations. On first launch the screen is grayed out except for the "upload files" button. During our tests we noticed that this also happened even when we'd already uploaded some files, forcing us to click the button, then 'cancel' on the explorer window that opened. This was a small bug but could prove irritating if you have to upload many files.
While Internxt’s primary focus is on cloud storage, there is a cloud backup service available to all free and paid accounts too - though remember the limitations of free accounts. You can also pick which folders to sync and any changes made in these will be updated online. We have previously complained about cloud drives that occupy a single folder, so being able to sync multiple folders across various locations is kindly welcomed.
Internxt: Support
In terms of support, a pop-up live chat box will instantly appear when you navigate to Internxt’s site. Chat support is pretty responsive—we got a reply in eight minutes. If you’d prefer to troubleshoot on your own, you can access Internxt’s Help Centre from the same pop-up box as the live chat function. On the search bar, type any keyword that you’re looking for and you’ll be greeted with dozens of helpful articles from the team.
If you still can’t find what you’re looking for, Internxt’s support team is contactable via email 24/7 and provides support in English, Spanish, and Russian.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Internxt: Security
Security is where Internxt shines. The zero-knowledge file storage service is based on absolute privacy and uncompromising security. When you upload a file on Internxt, it’s instantly encrypted on your device. Unlike other mainstream services that encrypt customer data in transit or at rest, the service encrypts all your data before it leaves your device. When data is downloaded from the file to your device, it's also automatically decrypted.
Additionally, Internxt doesn’t store user data in any central location. Instead, data gets fragmented prior to being uploaded, and the encrypted file shards are then uploaded onto servers based in different locations around the world. A single server never holds a whole file, making the cloud storage very secure, robust, and private.
With its AES-256 CTR encryption model, no one else other than you holds the key to your data. If Internxt were to be hacked, intruders wouldn’t be able to access your data either.
On the consumer’s end, two-factor authentication (2FA) is easy to enable. There is no support for SMS authentication. This can be handy for people with phone and computer integration and autofill but is actually a point in Internxt's favor as SMS messages are much easier to intercept than codes generated by legitimate authenticator apps.
Even users without an account have access to the company’s free virus scanner which works by uploading a document - up to 1GB in size - to the website in order for it to be checked.
Internxt also provides a free password checker, which shows any relevant information such as that it is a frequently used or easily guessed, as well as the amount of leaks that this password has been found in and how long it would take for somebody to crack your password. It also lets you know if your password has been leaked in any public hacks recently.
There’s some handy guidance, too, for creating the ultimate password, though we still recommend using six or more words generated by Diceware.
One of the best security aspects of Internxt though is its commitment to open source. This means that the company has released the source code used to make its app so knowledgeable programmers can verify that end-to-end encryption has been set up correctly, as well as the fact that data is split into multiple clusters.
Internxt: Alternatives
We found Dropbox gives Internxt a run for its money thanks to its advanced file-sharing capabilities and software integration. Similarly, Microsoft OneDrive is a great alternative with its files-on-demand feature.
The two competitors offer a range of useful tools and great functionality at about the same price point. To enjoy these features, however, you may have to compromise on privacy and security: Dropbox and OneDrive do not offer zero-knowledge encryption. Unlike other products which do claim to offer 'zero knowledge' Internxt is also open source, which means you don't have to take your word for it that your data's safe.
Internxt: Our tests
We ran three key tests for Internxt, measuring sync speed, file recovery and versioning.
Our tests were done on a Windows 11 virtual machine running the Internxt desktop client. The VM was connected to the internet via fiber broadband via VPN server, which in our speed tests consistently showed an average upload speed of 70 Mbps Measuring metrics like upload speed, results can sometimes vary depending on factors including how many share the broadband connection, how busy the cloud providers servers are, and your connection speeds.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Test 1 - Sync speed
After closing all third-party and internet apps, we copied a 650 MB folder of Sherlock Holmes audio books from the Internet Archive into the application directory and measured how quickly the desktop client was able to sync the files to the cloud. The folder contained 22 files including MP3s, images, metadata files and a PDF.
Initially we tried to use the web interface to upload the folder containing our test files. Unfortunately, this didn't work as the interface doesn't seem to allow uploading folders - only one or more files.
Instead we copied the test folder to the 'Internxt' folder in our device's home folder. The desktop client started syncing files, showing each one as it was successfully uploaded. This is where we saw the files being encrypted as each upload took place.
We were particularly impressed to see the encryption process didn't impact at all on speed. The whole upload of 625MB of data on our 70Mbps connection took only 1 minute 55 seconds. This is comparable to other cloud storage services we've reviewed that don't use encryption.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Test 2 - File recovery
In this test we simply deleted the audiobook folder from the application directory, removing it from the device. We then checked to see if the files had been removed from the cloud drive and if it was possible to recover them.
If the cloud provider offers you a way to store files in the cloud without keeping them on your device, we test this feature too.
After we deleted the test files from the 'Internxt' folder we were surprised to see that the data still counted towards our data quota in the desktop client.
On logging into the web interface, we immediately saw the Trash option with the deleted folder. With two clicks of the mouse, the data was decrypted and downloaded back to the device within 90 seconds.
(Image credit: Internxt)
Test 3 - Versioning
If you're working on long or important documents, the last thing you want is to make changes you can't undo. Some cloud providers prevent this by regularly saving different versions of a file. This means if you change something you shouldn't have, you can just roll the file back to before this happened.
To test this we copied a Microsoft Word (.docx) file of the public domain story 'The Purple Cloud' to the cloud application folder. Once it synced, we then deleted all the text except the introduction, then saved and closed. We then tried to restore the document back to its original form, complete with all chapters.
We did place our test document into the Internxt folder and deleted some text but there was little point. When we logged in to the web interface we saw there was no 'file version' feature, so clearly Internxt doesn't save multiple copies of edited files.
We did take this opportunity to try out the 'Preview' feature. However, this didn't work for the Microsoft Word document or an MP3 file we tried opening.
Internxt: Verdict
Internxt’s affordable pricing plans, intuitive interface, and reliable support make it a great cloud storage service to consider. It doesn’t offer the same advanced features like file versioning that you’ll find with Dropbox and OneDrive. But personal and business users prioritizing security will enjoy the cloud service provider’s advanced security features and commitment to privacy.
We rate Internxt highly for its range of useful features, including its interface which most users will find already familiar, the option to backup folders elsewhere on your computer, and the free, out-of-plan virus and password tools.
• Original review date: July 2021
• No new model has been launched since
• Launch price: $299 / AU$399 (unavailable in the UK at launch)
• Now available in the UK as well for £269
Updated: March 2024. When Hydragun launched as a company, it was with just one product going by the same name – a premium massage gun that didn't come with the high-end price tag like a Theragun. While a smaller Hydragun Atom Mini is now available for $199 / £179 / AU$349, the original is still better value and we stand by our original review below.
Hydragun massage gun: One-minute review
Massage guns are all the rage now and Hydragun is claiming a piece of that pie. In the recent working-from-home culture, it doesn’t take very much for us to feel sore by the end of day, and taking on the muscle fatigue after a workout is additional stress on the body. While there’s nothing like a long massage by an actual person, we don’t usually have that luxury – and that’s where massage guns come in.
Hydragun is similar to most other massage guns on the market, shipping with six different attachments to target different muscle groups, with six different speeds to choose from. And it does exactly what it says on the tin – kneads muscles to try and get to deep tissue knots to relieve soreness and fatigue by stimulating blood supply to the inflamed areas.
While it works marvellously well on most large muscle groups, it can feel quite aggressive in some others. For example, if you use it along the curve of the neck and shoulder, it may feel like your brain is vibrating, even on the lowest setting, making it an uncomfortable experience. If you can bear it for a few minutes, though, there’s nothing like a little kneading with the Hydragun to remove the soreness you feel after an entire day in front of the computer or relax sore muscles after a particularly strenuous workout.
What we like about the Hydragun is the ability to reach that annoying corner of the shoulder blade that gets sore after using a mouse at a desk. Used with the bullet attachment, it can dig into the muscle there to relieve pain, but if it’s a chronic issue, something like a specialist trigger point tool is far more effective.
That said, when it comes to combating the everyday aches and pains of working at a desk all day, or relaxing after a strenuous workout, the Hydragun is more than a match for those. It might be an expensive investment at full price, but a part of that cost is justified by the premium materials used to make the product and how well-balanced it feels when using. It’s also pretty quiet for a massage gun.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hydragun massage gun review: price and availability
Available direct to consumer
List price: $299 / £269 /AU$399
The Hydragun isn’t available in retail stores. Instead, you get it online, directly from the company. Hydragun has online storefronts for the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States, the last one also catering to the rest of the world if the product needs to ship elsewhere.
At $299 / £269 / AU$399 a pop, it is expensive, but comes in cheaper than the likes of the Theragun Pro and the Theragun Elite, although these two premium models offer more features than the Hydragun.
Shipping is free in the countries with a local version of the online store (the product ships around the world from the US), plus there’s a 30-day risk-free return policy if you’re not happy with the product. Return shipping, however, is at your personal cost. If you’re worried about the longevity of the massage gun, there’s a 1.5-year warranty available as well.
Several other cheaper options are usually listed on sites like Amazon, but these brands may not have worldwide availability.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hydragun massage gun review: design
Familiar gun-like design
Ergonomic grip
Several attachments
Like most massage guns currently available, the Hydragun ships in a semi-soft travel case that also encloses some extra freebies like a protein bar, eye gel, nasal spray and curated playlists to help you relax.
The massage gun itself is made from premium, futuristic materials like aerospace-grade aluminum and nano silica gel (used in the grip), which might explain why it costs as much as it does. The six attachments that come with the gun, however, don’t share the premium materials, but they look good and are pretty sturdy.
The attachments are two stainless steel flatheads, one plastic flathead, one soft ball head, a fork and a bullet – most target the larger muscle groups, but some can be used for deep-tissue massage and bony areas like ankles. Also in the case is a charging cable and, depending on where the product is being shipped to, a couple of adaptors so you can use the Hydragun anywhere in the world.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The massage gun feels heavy – weighing 2.3lbs/1.04kg – but is very well balanced and you soon get used to the heft, with absolutely no strain on the wrist. The weight might be due to the battery (2,600mAh that lasts up to 6 hours) and motor, both of which are better performers than the Theragun options. For example, the Theragun Pro uses replaceable batteries that promise up to 150 minutes per battery, while the motor pumps at a top speed of 2,400rpm as compared to the Hydragun’s 3,600rpm.
The single control button for the Hydragun is on the back panel of the device, which is also made of the same silicone as the grip. The power button in the middle not only turns the gun on and off, but also cycles through the six speed settings. Arranged horizontally and vertically around the power button are the LED indicators for speed and battery level.
On the top edge of the circular rear panel is also a ‘stall’ indicator that detects torque pressure and lights up if you’re pressing too much. While it’s good to have that option, we didn't see it come on during out testing as we didn’t push hard enough to trigger a warning – it hurts plenty on sore muscles even when lightly held. That said, you’ll obviously never see the stall indicator come on if you happen to be using the Hydragun on your back or neck.
And that’s it – there’s no companion app, like the one for the Bluetooth-enabled Theragun Pro and Elite models that allow you customize precise speeds, or the OLED digital display on these premium models.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hydragun massage gun review: performance
Up to 6 hours of battery life
Vibrations rather than pulsing movements
Quiet for a massage gun
The Hydragun can be used at any stage of your workout routine – you could do a quick massage before, during your exercise routine, or a more prolonged session after. It’s easy enough to fit a flathead or the soft ball head to the gun and carry in your gym bag. Being battery operated, with a pretty impressive battery life, means you can use it away from any mains.
The best part about using it anywhere is how quiet it actually is. If you’re in a locker room, it won’t be louder than someone talking. It registers at about 30dB on a decibel meter, which is about as much as an electric toothbrush. In contrast, some Theraguns are pretty loud, buzzing as loud as a vacuum cleaner.
The motor offers six different speeds ranging from 1,200rpm to 3,200rpm and even the lowest setting can provide relief, although it depends on the specific use case. After a particularly intense workout, we found the middle 2,000rpm or 2,400rpm setting to be the most effective on 2-minute sessions, but the lowest speed can also feel very intense on areas like the neck. When we used the bullet attachment on the low 1,200 rpm setting to knead out the effects of 8 hours spent at a computer, it was still vigorous enough to make it hard to breathe. That said, not everyone will be so sensitive to vibrations and the Hydragun will work on most muscle groups without any side effects.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
You’ll need to be careful when using the Hydragun on or near bony areas – like along the spine or near the ankle – as the gun tends to bounce off the harder surfaces. While it doesn’t hurt if you accidentally move over a bone, the thrust away from the body can be a hard jolt that may cause you to drop the pulsating device.
Speaking of pulsating, you can see this happen only at the lowest speed of 1,200rpm. Anything above that looks and feels more like vibrations which, if you really want to go deep tissue, doesn’t always provide relief, like the corner of the scapula where many of us suffer from muscle contraction caused by using a mouse for days together.
For the usual aches and pains, and sometimes for even more severe muscular injuries, the Hydragun does a brilliant job of reducing soreness and pain. Using the Hydragun for a few minutes each day helped reduce the pain of a particularly nasty calf muscle injury considerably during our testing, allowing the area to heal fully.
Note that the Hydragun switches off automatically after 15 minutes of constant use, which is an excellent failsafe because it’s very tempting to keep massaging a sore area for longer only because it feels so good.
• Original review date: July 2021
• No new model has been launched since
• Launch price: $299 / AU$399 (unavailable in the UK at launch)
• Now available in the UK as well for £269
Updated: March 2024. When Hydragun launched as a company, it was with just one product going by the same name – a premium massage gun that didn't come with the high-end price tag like a Theragun. While a smaller Hydragun Atom Mini is now available for $199 / £179 / AU$349, the original is still better value and we stand by our original review below.
Hydragun massage gun: One-minute review
Massage guns are all the rage now and Hydragun is claiming a piece of that pie. In the recent working-from-home culture, it doesn’t take very much for us to feel sore by the end of day, and taking on the muscle fatigue after a workout is additional stress on the body. While there’s nothing like a long massage by an actual person, we don’t usually have that luxury – and that’s where massage guns come in.
Hydragun is similar to most other massage guns on the market, shipping with six different attachments to target different muscle groups, with six different speeds to choose from. And it does exactly what it says on the tin – kneads muscles to try and get to deep tissue knots to relieve soreness and fatigue by stimulating blood supply to the inflamed areas.
While it works marvellously well on most large muscle groups, it can feel quite aggressive in some others. For example, if you use it along the curve of the neck and shoulder, it may feel like your brain is vibrating, even on the lowest setting, making it an uncomfortable experience. If you can bear it for a few minutes, though, there’s nothing like a little kneading with the Hydragun to remove the soreness you feel after an entire day in front of the computer or relax sore muscles after a particularly strenuous workout.
What we like about the Hydragun is the ability to reach that annoying corner of the shoulder blade that gets sore after using a mouse at a desk. Used with the bullet attachment, it can dig into the muscle there to relieve pain, but if it’s a chronic issue, something like a specialist trigger point tool is far more effective.
That said, when it comes to combating the everyday aches and pains of working at a desk all day, or relaxing after a strenuous workout, the Hydragun is more than a match for those. It might be an expensive investment at full price, but a part of that cost is justified by the premium materials used to make the product and how well-balanced it feels when using. It’s also pretty quiet for a massage gun.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hydragun massage gun review: price and availability
Available direct to consumer
List price: $299 / £269 /AU$399
The Hydragun isn’t available in retail stores. Instead, you get it online, directly from the company. Hydragun has online storefronts for the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States, the last one also catering to the rest of the world if the product needs to ship elsewhere.
At $299 / £269 / AU$399 a pop, it is expensive, but comes in cheaper than the likes of the Theragun Pro and the Theragun Elite, although these two premium models offer more features than the Hydragun.
Shipping is free in the countries with a local version of the online store (the product ships around the world from the US), plus there’s a 30-day risk-free return policy if you’re not happy with the product. Return shipping, however, is at your personal cost. If you’re worried about the longevity of the massage gun, there’s a 1.5-year warranty available as well.
Several other cheaper options are usually listed on sites like Amazon, but these brands may not have worldwide availability.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hydragun massage gun review: design
Familiar gun-like design
Ergonomic grip
Several attachments
Like most massage guns currently available, the Hydragun ships in a semi-soft travel case that also encloses some extra freebies like a protein bar, eye gel, nasal spray and curated playlists to help you relax.
The massage gun itself is made from premium, futuristic materials like aerospace-grade aluminum and nano silica gel (used in the grip), which might explain why it costs as much as it does. The six attachments that come with the gun, however, don’t share the premium materials, but they look good and are pretty sturdy.
The attachments are two stainless steel flatheads, one plastic flathead, one soft ball head, a fork and a bullet – most target the larger muscle groups, but some can be used for deep-tissue massage and bony areas like ankles. Also in the case is a charging cable and, depending on where the product is being shipped to, a couple of adaptors so you can use the Hydragun anywhere in the world.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
The massage gun feels heavy – weighing 2.3lbs/1.04kg – but is very well balanced and you soon get used to the heft, with absolutely no strain on the wrist. The weight might be due to the battery (2,600mAh that lasts up to 6 hours) and motor, both of which are better performers than the Theragun options. For example, the Theragun Pro uses replaceable batteries that promise up to 150 minutes per battery, while the motor pumps at a top speed of 2,400rpm as compared to the Hydragun’s 3,600rpm.
The single control button for the Hydragun is on the back panel of the device, which is also made of the same silicone as the grip. The power button in the middle not only turns the gun on and off, but also cycles through the six speed settings. Arranged horizontally and vertically around the power button are the LED indicators for speed and battery level.
On the top edge of the circular rear panel is also a ‘stall’ indicator that detects torque pressure and lights up if you’re pressing too much. While it’s good to have that option, we didn't see it come on during out testing as we didn’t push hard enough to trigger a warning – it hurts plenty on sore muscles even when lightly held. That said, you’ll obviously never see the stall indicator come on if you happen to be using the Hydragun on your back or neck.
And that’s it – there’s no companion app, like the one for the Bluetooth-enabled Theragun Pro and Elite models that allow you customize precise speeds, or the OLED digital display on these premium models.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
Hydragun massage gun review: performance
Up to 6 hours of battery life
Vibrations rather than pulsing movements
Quiet for a massage gun
The Hydragun can be used at any stage of your workout routine – you could do a quick massage before, during your exercise routine, or a more prolonged session after. It’s easy enough to fit a flathead or the soft ball head to the gun and carry in your gym bag. Being battery operated, with a pretty impressive battery life, means you can use it away from any mains.
The best part about using it anywhere is how quiet it actually is. If you’re in a locker room, it won’t be louder than someone talking. It registers at about 30dB on a decibel meter, which is about as much as an electric toothbrush. In contrast, some Theraguns are pretty loud, buzzing as loud as a vacuum cleaner.
The motor offers six different speeds ranging from 1,200rpm to 3,200rpm and even the lowest setting can provide relief, although it depends on the specific use case. After a particularly intense workout, we found the middle 2,000rpm or 2,400rpm setting to be the most effective on 2-minute sessions, but the lowest speed can also feel very intense on areas like the neck. When we used the bullet attachment on the low 1,200 rpm setting to knead out the effects of 8 hours spent at a computer, it was still vigorous enough to make it hard to breathe. That said, not everyone will be so sensitive to vibrations and the Hydragun will work on most muscle groups without any side effects.
(Image credit: TechRadar)
You’ll need to be careful when using the Hydragun on or near bony areas – like along the spine or near the ankle – as the gun tends to bounce off the harder surfaces. While it doesn’t hurt if you accidentally move over a bone, the thrust away from the body can be a hard jolt that may cause you to drop the pulsating device.
Speaking of pulsating, you can see this happen only at the lowest speed of 1,200rpm. Anything above that looks and feels more like vibrations which, if you really want to go deep tissue, doesn’t always provide relief, like the corner of the scapula where many of us suffer from muscle contraction caused by using a mouse for days together.
For the usual aches and pains, and sometimes for even more severe muscular injuries, the Hydragun does a brilliant job of reducing soreness and pain. Using the Hydragun for a few minutes each day helped reduce the pain of a particularly nasty calf muscle injury considerably during our testing, allowing the area to heal fully.
Note that the Hydragun switches off automatically after 15 minutes of constant use, which is an excellent failsafe because it’s very tempting to keep massaging a sore area for longer only because it feels so good.
• Original review date: July 2021
• Launch price: $99 / £99 (approx. AU$185)
• Official price now: $89 / £99 / AU$119
Update: February 2024. Stock seems to be running down on the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 in some countries, and these days these earbuds have been largely surpassed by more advanced entries among the best budget wireless earbuds. You can get fantastic sound and solid active noise cancellation (something the Lypertek lack totally) from the Sony WF-C700N at around the same price, or you can get ANC and a bunch of other smarter features from the Earfun Air Pro 3 for cheaper than the Lypertek. However! The battery life here remains fantastic – these noise cancelling buds can only dream of 10 hours from the buds, and 80 hours in total including the case. So they still have something to recommend them, but generally we'd suggest looking to the Sony or Earfun options. The rest of this review remains as previously published.
Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0: One-minute review
When we first reviewed the original Lypertek PurePlay Z3 true wireless earbuds (then known as the Lypertek Tevi), we were blown away. We couldn’t believe that a pair of headphones that sounded as good as they did, with the battery life they offered, could be sold so affordably and be the product of a company we’d hardly heard of. They were so good, we made them our headphone product of the year, as well as including them in our look at the best true wireless earbuds.
Dial the clock forward a couple of years, and we’re now looking at their successors, the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 true wireless earbuds. They’re very similar to the originals, with a few key improvements, and yet still come in at the same affordable price point the originals did – $99 / £99.
This gets you everything we loved about the original PurePlay Z3 (detailed balanced sound, a whopping 80 hours total battery life from its petite USB-C charging case, and a comfortably fitting bud with physical buttons), and adds wireless charging, a powerful new LDX Audio mode, improved app functionality and a hear through ambient mode. This is one of the best cheap headphones to buy in 2022.
(Image credit: Future)
For the most part, it’s an improvement across the board and one of our top picks of the best wireless earbuds, as well as the best headphones. LDX Audio adds a well-tuned, full bodied sound for those that want more oomph than the near-reference default, wireless charging works a treat, EQ features respond well to tweaks and battery life remains stellar.
However, app connectivity is patchy at best, and the ambient hear through mode is pretty much useless in comparison to the competition from the likes of Sony’s noise cancelling WF-1000XM4.
And yet, with the price still rock-bottom low, and nothing to detract from the quality standard the originals set out, with a few notable improvements, they remain must-have earbuds, more than a match or headphones two or three times the price. Get them.
Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 review: Price and availability
The Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 is out now, priced at $99 / £99 (about AU$185). That’s not a penny more than their predecessors, despite a raft of new features being included. And though they don’t feature active noise cancellation, they more than challenge rivals many times the price. That includes the Apple AirPods Pro ($249 / £249 / AU$399) and Sony WF-1000XM4 ($279.99 / £250 / AU$449.95). They are a total steal.
Design
From the outside, not much looks very different about the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 compared to its 1.0 predecessors, and that’s indicative of the product as a whole in many respects – this is a refinement on that top-notch original, rather than a revolutionary new direction.
Again, you’ll find ovoid, stemless earbuds sitting within a pill-shaped, fabric covered case, complete with a removable carrying strap. Both white and black versions of the PurePlay Z3 2.0 are available, and each features USB-C charging and four LED indicator lights to show battery levels. The earbuds securely fit into the case with a magnetic snap, which will start them charging from the case’s own internal battery – removing them from the case will start the Bluetooth pairing process, and once they’ve been paired once, you won’t have to perform the process again unless you’re looking to pair additional devices with the headphones.
(Image credit: Future)
The case (being just a touch too big for a comfortable trousers pocket fit), is quietly attractive, and makes use of its size to fit in a gigantic battery. You’re already getting a solid ten hours of playback from the buds themselves, but there’s an additional 70 hours to be had by recharging them in the fully-juiced charging case. That’s a whopping 80 hours total battery life before you’ve got to plug the cable back into case. And, in a first for the line, there’s wireless charging support too here. These are top-class battery specs, in case you were in any doubt.
In terms of the earbuds themselves, they’re lightweight and comfortable in the ear. Each can be paired with small, medium or large silicone ear tips, or Flexifit foam tip that expands slightly in your ear for a tighter seal and better passive noise cancellation. That’s worth pointing out as, due to the budget nature of the earbuds, there’s no active noise cancellation here. Still, with strong volume levels and a snug fit, ambient noise was very rarely a concern with the PurePlay Z3 2.0. IPX7 waterproofing makes these safe for a quick splash in the shower, though note that the case is not similarly protected.
(Image credit: Future)
Both earbuds also feature physical buttons, controlling volume, track selection, play, pause, call response and hear-through mode activation. They’re far more reliable than touch-sensitive buttons (and preferred here as a result), though pushing them without driving the earbuds further into your ear takes some practice.
Internally there is an improvement too, with the introduction of Bluetooth 5.2 support. This allows for SBC, AAC and aptX codecs to be handled without fuzz, with the Qualcomm QCC3040 chipset allowing for improved battery life even to offset the introduction of the afore-mentioned LDX Audio mode.
The original Lypertek Tevi, or PurePlay Z3, excelled when it came to bringing a clear, neutral sound to your ears. Just shy of what we’d consider reference or audiophile quality, they were revelatory when considering their price point. And that base-level, out of the box tuning remains present here. Making use of 6mm graphene drivers, there’s an identical level of clarity to the Z3 2.0, presenting an unbiased sound that favours studio intentions rather than ramping up any individual frequencies. As a result, we’ll point you to our original Lypertek PurePlay Z3 review for a detailed rundown of the out-of-the-box sound of the Z3 2.0.
However, despite it being a preferred way of listening for audio connoisseurs, it’s not always the right tuning for every scenario. What about if you’re down the gym, and want a little more bass? Or generally want a punchier, more-powerful sound, even if that’s at the expense of balance?
(Image credit: Future)
That’s where the PurePlay Z3 2.0’s new LDX Audio mode comes in, accessible from the also-new accompanying app. Switching on LDX Audio in the app is a bit like hitting an overdrive button – raising the volume of less-present frequencies (particularly bass tones), widening the soundstage.
It results in a more energetic, dynamic delivery, and one that certainly is a noticeable departure from the stock tuning. They are two very distinct sound profiles, and both have their merits – I found myself switching between the two depending on the listening situation, favouring LDX Audio when out and about, while going for the stock tuning when indoors and intently listening to songs and albums. What neither is lacking in is clarity – the PurePlay Z3 2.0 does well to highlight details, and does well to avoid distorting when even at high volumes. They’re simply a pleasure to listen to.
Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 review: Features
It’s more of a mixed bag when it comes to new features.
First the good – the LDX Audio mode, as mentioned, is excellent, and is accompanied in the app by an equally-impressive EQ option. As well as a number of presets, from Rock to Jazz, Pop to R&B, there are also presets that favor Bass or Treble response. That’s in addition to two custom slots for your to save your own tunings. They make a noticeable impact, really letting you refine the sound to your tastes.
(Image credit: Future)
But other features aren’t as impressive. A "Hear Through" mode, which is intended to let you hear more of your ambient surroundings via the earbud mics without interrupting playback, is pretty much useless, not making anywhere near the impact needed to make you comfortably more aware of what was going on around you. A Find my Earbuds feature was similarly patchy, while the app itself sometimes struggled to identify and connect to the headphones at all – even without any nearby wireless devices to potentially cause confusion.
Despite some failings here, it’s hard to be too critical of the PurePlay Z3 2.0 though. Managing to bring more to the table than earlier models (mostly positively too), and still retaining the same price point, they remain an overall improvement to an already-impressive package.
Should I buy the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0?
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Looking for the best earbuds? Check out where the PurePlay Z3 2.0 rank.
Update: February 2024. Zygo is still unopposed three years on as the best premium option for in-pool workouts. The Zygo Solo vs H20 Audio Tri versus feature we did last year has a lot of points that remain relevant one year on: the FM radio transmitter means if you want to stream, Zygo Solo is the best option, especially if you want to stream guided workouts. The continued limited availability in the UK and AU is a big frustration, but otherwise for US swimmers, Zygo is the premium headphone set for you. The rest of this review remains as previously published.
Two-minute review
Is this the Peloton of the pool? With the success of that workout streaming service clearly in its sights comes Zygo Solo, a unique audio gadget for swimmers.
We’ve seen waterproof headphones and bone conduction headphones before, but not like this. Since Bluetooth can't penetrate water, all other swim headphones are little more than waterproof MP3 players (pretty much that music file format’s last stand). The Zygo Solo is different, and is able to stream content from a smartphone through water using an FM transmitter that can penetrate water.
It’s something of a 'hallelujah!' moment for swimmers, many of whom have by now experimented with the Sony Walkman NW-WS413 and then the Aftershokz Xtrainerz, both of which are good at what they do, but only play MP3s. Does anyone even have any MP3s anymore?
The Zygo Solo kit consists of a headset, FM transmitter, stand and charging case, plus a pair of earplugs (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
A four-piece set consisting of headset, FM transmitter, stand and charging case, the Zygo Solo has a lot more hardware than your average pair of super-slim swimming headphones.
It works like this: your phone connects to the FM transmitter via Bluetooth and the transmitter to the headset via radio frequency. It’s easy to set up, though there’s definitely more physical equipment to deal with. It also means taking a lot of gear poolside. Fine in a private swimming pool, but not so great in a public pool where you’ll have to keep one eye on your stuff while you swim.
Nevertheless, committed swimmers with the right environment will adore the Zygo Solo. A long overdue audio upgrade for the pool, it’s surprisingly easy to use, offers great FM-quality sound and has hundreds of excellent on-demand workouts that can really change how you approach your swimming fitness. Or you can just listen to your own music, audiobooks or podcasts without having to drag-and-drop MP3 files prior to a swim.
How does Zygo Solo compare to its underwater MP3 player competitors? It blows them out of the water, of course – and it’s priced accordingly.
Zygo Solo price and availability
Out now
Costs $299 / £218 (about AU$400)
Available in the US, Canada and the UK in two sizes – standard and large – the Zygo Solo costs $299 / £218 (about AU$400) for the full package. A replacement headset costs $99 / £72 (about AU$150), while an external mic costs US$30/UK£22 (about AU$40), and is useful if a coach wants to use the FM transmitter as a hands-free walkie talkie.
If you want Peloton-inspired streaming swim workouts (comprising short and long audio workouts delivered by instructors and paired with music) then you also need to take out a Zygo All Access Monthly Plan, which costs $14.99 / £12.99 (about AU$20) per month after a 14-day trial.
In future Zygo tells us it’s planning metric tracking similar to that offered by the best running watches, leaderboards, and truly Peloton-style live classes. On Zygo’s website you can purchase an app gift certificate for an entire year for $149 / £108 (about AU$200), which gives you two months free.
Zygo Solo design
Headset weighs 66g
Waterproof to 2ft / 60cm
FM transmitter streams to 55yds / 50m
The Zygo Solo is, technically speaking, by far the most ambitious set of swimming headphones available. Predictably that means it comes with some baggage. The package consists of an IP68-rated waterproof headset, an IP67-rated (waterproof for 30 minutes) FM transmitter and stand, a pair of earplugs and a charging case.
While the Sony Walkman NW-WS413 and the Aftershokz Xtrainerz weigh 32g and 29g, respectively, the Zygo Solo headset weighs 66g. Why? It’s got a radio receiver as well as a battery inside that makes it possible to receive audio from the FM transmitter connected wirelessly to a smartphone.
The 101g FM transmitter itself is a figure of eight-shaped device that’s also waterproof, so it’s fine to leave it close to the water. Also included is a small 25g holder for the FM transmitter that keeps it upright, which extends its range.
The Zygo Solo is considerably heavier than other swimming headphones due to its radio receiver (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Meanwhile, the charging case itself weighs 450g, and 623g with both the headset and the transmitter inside. Resembling the kind of case you might find housing a pair of the best noise cancelling headphones, it’s rounded and compact, and fairly easily fits inside a swim bag. The headset also has an accelerometer inside, so expect activity tracking soon.
Zygo Solo setup
Connects via FM transmitter
Streams any audio from a smartphone
Despite a slightly convoluted hardware arrangement compared to MP3 swim players, the Zygo Solo is always easy to set-up. It takes a bit of getting used to. If you’re used to entering the pool with just a pair of goggles, or even if you’re used to donning an MP3 swim player, the Zygo Solo seems a lot to get used to.
The headset feels reasonably solid and unwieldy at first – it is, after all, more substantial than a basic swim MP3 player – partly because it’s designed to stay firmly in place during underwater turns. It’s chunkier because it’s got more hardware inside.
The robust, chunky design of the Zygo Solo helps it stay in place during underwater turns (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
What’s really different about the Zygo Solo compared to MP3 swim players is that you have to have the FM transmitter and your smartphone poolside. That FM transmitter works to a range of 50 meters – so the size of an Olympic swimming pool – which is generous enough (it can also transmit to an unlimited number of headsets). However, if you’re used to leaving your phone in a locker and entering a neighborhood pool deck with just a towel, having to take a smartphone and an FM transmitter is a bit of a change.
The 50m limit applies only to swimming pools, with a half-mile range promised in the great outdoors. So you could get away with wearing a Zygo Solo while open water swimming, surfing, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing and even sailing.
Zygo Solo sound
Bone conduction works well
Sounds best with earplugs
Only the FM transmitter has playback buttons
Make no mistake about what Zygo is trying to do here; streaming live audio underwater is not easy. In fact, the tech it took two years to perfect. The Zygo Solo’s sound is good. Out of the pool it sounds a little tinny, but in the water it suddenly gets a lot of bass.
Let’s not overdo it; this is not audiophile quality, and overall the impression is (not surprisingly) of FM radio-like sound, with a little crackle and hiss now and again. However, at all times it sounds much better than any waterproof MP3 player. That is, if you remember to use the earplugs.
The Zygo Solo uses bone conduction to send vibrations to your auditory nerve (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
Like the Aftershokz Xtrainerz the Zygo Solo are bone conduction headphones, using a technology that employs an open-ear design and transmits audio through vibrations in the cheekbones directly into the inner ear.
You don’t need to use the included earplugs, but if you don’t you’ll find that every time your ears are not immersed the quality of sound drastically changes. So for a more consistent experience it’s best to use the earplugs.
It’s possible to tweak the volume using + and - buttons on the headset’s right temple, and the FM transmitter has some too. It just about goes loud enough, but only the FM transmitter has skip track and play/pause controls, which is a shame. It means you have to make sure you have lots of songs/podcasts/content queued up, or keep the FM transmitter accessible by the side of the pool.
Play, pause and skip controls are all on the FM transmitter, not on the headset itself (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
We found the headset to be reasonably comfortable when worn for long periods, largely because the bone conduction design leaves your ears alone, though it did begin to feel slightly tight after about half an hour. The advice is to put the headset on, followed by a swim hat, goggles and then earplugs.
As a nice bonus the transmitter doubles as a walkie talkie, so a coach can speak to a swimmer directly as they swim in the pool. What the headset doesn’t have is a microphone, so you can’t answer back … or make hands-free calls from the pool.
Zygo Solo companion app
Huge choice of pre-recorded workouts
Excellent instructors and lots of music
Live classes and activity tracking promised
The Zygo app for iOS and Android has had a lot of investment in it and is arguably the best reason to invest in Zygo Solo. It’s not free, but there’s a huge choice of classes and activities inside. As a few random examples we found a 20-minute beginner-level tutorial in learning backstroke, an intermediate 30-minute HIIT workout and a ‘fun’-grade 25 minute DJ drill set to music.
Each one has excellent instructors and a lot of music, the latter the result of various licensing deals struck between Zygo and the music industry.
We counted over 50 drills, which seems good value, which can be browsed on a timeline but also by specific genres, such as ‘strengthen and lengthen’, ‘5 days of fitness’ and ‘your first sprint triathlon’. It’s best to download them on WiFi within the app before hitting the pool.
The Zygo Solo mobile app includes instructor-led workouts, with licensed music (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
However, the app does need a queue so that lessons and drills can follow-on from each other. Since some are only a few minutes long you can easily find yourself completing a drill and then swimming in silence.
In future Zygo tells us it’s planning to go full-Peloton and add live classes and leaderboards, with new software incoming that will use the built-in accelerometer to track your activity in the pool.
The app works independently of the device, so in theory you could just subscribe to the app and use all the workouts … though the Zygo Solo is so far the only way to stream content underwater.
Zygo Solo battery and charging case
Headset lasts for three hours
Charging case uses micro USB not USB-C
Charging case doesn’t hold a charge
Inside the Zygo Solo headset is a battery that lasts for three hours, and the transmitter lasts for around six hours. Sadly the hard-sided charging case itself doesn’t hold a charge, but if you snap both gadgets into place in its molded interior, both nestle up against precisely-placed connectors and begin charging automatically if the case is hooked up to power via a micro-USB cable.
The headset and transmitter are charged by placing them inside the case, which is powered by a micro-USB cable (Image credit: Jamie Carter)
It’s a shame the case doesn’t contain a battery of some kind, and micro-USB also feels slightly outdated given the popularity of USB-C.
