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Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) launches in North America with an improved stylus
7:41 pm | May 9, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Motorola's mid-range stylus-carrying smartphone range has a new member starting today. Meet the aptly named Moto G Stylus 5G (2024). This phone got leaked all the way back in January, and it's now official for North America. It comes with an improved stylus, which has a new design, a larger contact area, and improved software to make using it faster and easier. Latency has been reduced, note-taking simplified, and there's also a new UI for accessing stylus-related features. You can choose from any number of apps and your favorites will appear the moment you pop out the stylus. With...

OnePlus 12R is now available in North America and Europe
8:53 am | February 14, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , | Comments: Off

The OnePlus 12R, unveiled last month, went on sale in India a week ago and is now available in North America, Europe, and the UK through OnePlus' official website. The OnePlus 12R comes in Iron Gray and Cool Blue colors in the US and Canada with two memory options - 8GB/128GB and 16GB/256GB. In Europe and the UK, you only get the 16GB model, with the latter only having the Iron Gray version. You can check the table below for the prices. Model US Canada Europe UK 8GB/128GB USD499.99 CAD669.99 - - ...

Samsung Galaxy S24,S24+ to be cheaper in EU; North America really coming with SD8 Gen 3
3:20 pm | December 28, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Samsung is expected to introduce the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra on January 17 with a similar design but improved chipset performance, leaks revealed earlier this month. The latest report from the Netherlands revealed the S24 and S24+ will be slightly cheaper. At the same time, an allegedly leaked specs sheet suggested the two non-Ultra flagships will come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 only in the US and Canada, all the other markets are getting the Exynos 2400 treatment. The image above could be a presentation slide prepared by Samsung's marketing department for...

Samsung Galaxy S24,S24+ to be cheaper in EU; North America really coming with SD8 Gen 3
3:20 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Samsung is expected to introduce the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra on January 17 with a similar design but improved chipset performance, leaks revealed earlier this month. The latest report from the Netherlands revealed the S24 and S24+ will be slightly cheaper. At the same time, an allegedly leaked specs sheet suggested the two non-Ultra flagships will come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 only in the US and Canada, all the other markets are getting the Exynos 2400 treatment. The image above could be a presentation slide prepared by Samsung's marketing department for...

Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 may get separate launch event for North America in August
1:58 am | June 10, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Samsung has confirmed that it's holding its next Unpacked unveiling event in its home of Korea, in the last week of July. However, the plot now thickens, as a new report claims there will be a separate Unpacked event for the North American markets (the US and Canada), which will take place in August. Or rather, on August 11, to be precise. That would be a bit over two weeks after July 26, which is when the initial Unpacked is rumored to happen in Korea (Samsung still hasn't confirmed the actual date, for whatever reason). Unfortunately the source of this information hasn't shared...

Motorola Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra go global, will be called Razr and Razr+ in North America
9:16 pm | June 1, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Mere hours ago Motorola unveiled the Razr 40 and Razr 40 Ultra foldable smartphones in parent company Lenovo's home market, China. Now the duo has also been announced for global markets, with a twist - the Razr 40 will be called Razr, and the Razr 40 Ultra will go by Razr+ in North America. The phones are the same that we've already introduced in our initial announcement post. Over in the Eurozone, the Razr 40 will go for €799, while the Razr 40 Ultra is priced at €1,199. The Razr 40 Ultra is available today in Europe, and will roll out across Latin America and Asia in the coming...

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit review: taking PC gaming to the ultimate level
8:00 am | March 28, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit: Two-minute review

Gaming immersion can only take you so far until your RGB starts to plateau. Luckily, the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit, Govee's latest addition to its smart lights line, picks up the slack. 

I want to preface this review by saying that I am a big fan of the brand and a proud owner of some of its products including the Glide Hexa Light Panels and the Govee TV Immersion Kit, which has truly elevated movie nights at my apartment. But, I honestly do think that the brand has outdone itself with this new release.

With the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit, it takes its immersion technology to the next logical place - PC gaming, and it's taking it to new heights. 

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit displaying Psychonauts 2 colors. (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

While the Govee TV Immersion Kit in its early iteration was a little rougher around the edges, using a simple camera to essentially capture the colors being displayed on your TV and sending those signals back to a control box that then tells the lights what colors to display, this AI Gaming Sync Box Kit has elevated the system in such a way that you're getting more accurate colors and faster, real-time light synchronization.

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

HDMI AI Sync Box ports in the back (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Like the TV Immersion kit, it comes with a light strip designed to stick to the back of your display and two light bars that sit on either side of that display. What's different here is that instead of a camera and a small control box, you're getting an HDMI AI Sync Box. This sync box connects to your gaming PC or gaming laptop via HDMI then to your monitor, also via HDMI, to ensure near-perfect, low-latency light synchronization.

What's more, this sync box uses Govee's AI technology called CogniGlow, which processes "images and the voice information of millions of audio-visual entertainment scenes and combines information to create corresponding lighting effects." As a result, the colors being projected are incredibly accurate and matche what's being displayed on your monitor for the ultimate immersion. 

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Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit assembly and setup (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

If you think you're not techie enough to set up the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit, don't fret. Govee provides clear and simple instructions in the manual, and the process is pretty easy as well. I think that the hardest part is sticking the light strip to the back of your monitor (it's just long enough to fit 27- to 34-inch displays), which could mean some careful measuring and a lot of reaching over if you don't have a lot of space to work with. But, the rest is fast and easy if you follow the instructions.

After the physical setup, you just need to download the Govee app on your phone, add the smart light kit as a device, and you're all set. Govee also provides instructions for that.

Besides, you’re not really in any danger of breaking something if you’re a gaming backlighting newbie. The strip light is pretty robust, and light bars, though made out of plastic, are sturdy as well. Each light bar has a stand that keeps it upright – although neither is heavy enough to keep wobble at bay. Just be mindful that if you’re shaking your desk, these will dance around like stiff skydancers.

 The HDMI AI Sync Box comes with its own lighting as well, one that matches the rest of the backlighting, naturally, and has all the ports you need in the back (three HDMI inputs, one of which has ARC support, one HDMI out, and two USB-C out that you use to connect the light strip and the light bars). There’s an HDMI input button in front that you use to switch input sources, and a power button. This is the one thing I find annoying about the kit – it doesn’t turn off when you turn off your input source so you have to manually turn it off as well. Luckily, it works with Alexa and Google Assistant so you can do so without lifting a finger. Or you can use the app on your phone. 

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Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit displaying LoL colors. (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit displaying LoL colors. (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
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Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit displaying LoL colors. (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

The whole Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit has 24 individual LED lights (not including the lights on the sync box), 14 on the light strip, and 5 on each light bar. So, you’ll definitely get the full immersion here, especially since each one is customizable via the app. You can set the color on each, apply different scenes (lighting effects) on the whole kit, or even sync to the music playing from an outside source (it has a built-in mic for this very purpose).

The best thing about this is that when in video mode, the kit syncs its display colors to the ones on your monitor. This isn’t just reserved for games as it works perfectly with videos as well. I played some amazing videos on YouTube (video credit to UltrawideVideos, Armadas, and Ronald Soethje) during testing, and those lights display incredibly accurate colors with practically zero lag. The colors overall are so bright and vibrant, they’ll display beautifully even when the room it's in isn’t completely dark.

It’s with PC games where this kit really shines, however. Apart from using AI for its lighting synchronization, it also boasts real-time content-reactive syncing that’s responsive enough to keep up with games running at up to 240fps. 

In addition, it offers more than 30 customized game lighting effects per game so that the kit lights up during game highlights. In League of Legends, for example, it lights up every time I use an ability or when my team kills an enemy, which not only adds to my immersion but also makes the whole thing all the more fun.

The only thing about this specific feature is that currently, the kit only has support for two games: League of Legends and Apex. Support for more PC games to come later, with Valorant and Overwatch 2 slated for release soon, but it’s just LoL and Apex for now.

For all other titles, you’re still getting that content-reactive syncing. I tested the kit with vibrant games like Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Sable, and Psychonauts 2, and it delivered the same level of immersion as with the YouTube videos. 

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit: Price & availability

  • How much does it cost? $299.99 (about £245 / AU$450)
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US

The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit is now available in the US for $299.99 (about £245 / AU$450), which is pretty steep considering that the Govee DreamView T1 Pro TV Backlight, the newer version of the immersion kit, is under $200/£200. But considering its gaming integration and intuitive AI technology, it makes sense that it's pricier.

If you're in the UK and Australia, unfortunately, it's not yet available in those regions. However, it's available for purchase now in the US.

  • Value: 4 / 5

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit: Specs

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit testing images

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit displaying the colors on North America 21:9 4K video by Ronald Soethje. (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Should you buy the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit?

Buy it if...

You want full gaming immersion
This bathes your monitor in lights displaying matching colors, which increases your immersion.

You love RGB lighting
Take your gaming setup's RGB lighting to the next level with this RGBIC kit, which reacts and syncs to the content on your display in real time using AI, delivering more dynamic lighting.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
It's not cheap, but it's worth the investment if you can afford it.

Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit: Also consider

How I tested the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit

  • I tested the setup for a little over a week
  • I used it for gaming and media consumption
  • I tested it with several different games, including LoL, and with the Govee app

I set up the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit in my gaming laptop kit, testing it for about a week and using it while gaming and streaming videos. I also tested the different customizations and effects available on the Govee app as well as its game integration on League of Legends.

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2023

Sage Business Cloud Accounting review
2:52 am | July 27, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: , | Comments: Off
  • 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

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

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.

Sage Business Cloud Accounting

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.

Sage Business Cloud Accounting

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.