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Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the UK, Germany, the US, Canada and the Netherlands
5:03 pm | February 19, 2023

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

Samsung started regular sales of the Galaxy S23 series this week, so the pre-order bonuses are no longer available. But there are still plenty of good deals to choose from. Just like last week the Google Pixel phones offer a premium experience for less money than most flagships these days, for example. We also picked out a number of refurbished units – you don’t have to buy a brand new phone to get a premium experience. Use the links below to jump to the region that’s relevant to you: Germany The Netherlands The UK USA Canada India Germany The...

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the UK, Germany, the US, Canada and the Netherlands
5:03 pm |

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

Samsung started regular sales of the Galaxy S23 series this week, so the pre-order bonuses are no longer available. But there are still plenty of good deals to choose from. Just like last week the Google Pixel phones offer a premium experience for less money than most flagships these days, for example. We also picked out a number of refurbished units – you don’t have to buy a brand new phone to get a premium experience. Use the links below to jump to the region that’s relevant to you: Germany The Netherlands The UK USA Canada India Germany The...

Polar H10 Heart Rate Sensor review: Better than a smartwatch for accuracy
9:01 pm | February 16, 2023

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

Polar H10: Two minute review

The Polar H10 is a heart rate monitor mounted on a chest strap designed as a multisport tracking solution, made for regular use by athletes such as cyclists, long-distance runners, triathletes and the like, who want to work out with as little strapped to them as possible. To record your workouts and view their insights, you’ll have to connect it to the Polar Beat app, which certainly isn’t our favorite workout app out there. 

For one, there are no clear instructions in the app to tell you how to connect the H10 or access the list of trackable activities. We found it exceptionally frustrating at times, especially since the app didn’t always find the H10 right away. Another gripe we had with the app was its limited activity-tracking options. It misses some of the slightly more obscure sports that some people might do from time to time. 

On the plus side, the Polar Beat app has some added functionality over just simple workout tracking, which makes it a worthy addition to our best heart rate monitors list. There’s the option to assess your VO2 max and general fitness level, for example. 

And if you’re not a big fan of the app, the H10 is pretty versatile in that it’s also compatible with a host of popular third-party fitness apps including Cardio Mapper, Endomondo, and Runtastic.

Performance is where the Polar H10 really triumphs, though. It does a perfect job of capturing heart measurements and therefore provides users with super-accurate results. It’s also waterproof, boasting the ability to be worn underwater to an astonishing depth of 30 meters, a feature that you won’t find on many of its rivals, and something swimmers will love. 

In terms of battery life, the H10 will record data for an astonishing 400 hours. Although it’s worth noting that this is only a rough estimate: in real-world terms, we’d expect that to work out at about 100 weeks (two years) of use if you’re wearing it to track an hour-long training session three-to-four times a week. 

Overall, it’s hard to fault the hardware of the Polar H10, especially when it comes to performance. It’s a reliable device that’s comfortable to wear and provides super accurate results for anyone using it in their training. It’s just a shame this is let down somewhat by the counterintuitive interface of the connected Polar Beat app.

Polar H10: Price and release date

  • Available to buy now in the US, UK and Australia 
  • Priced at $89.95 / £79.50 / AU$139 RRP
  • Cheaper on Amazon 

The Polar H10 originally hit the market way back in January 2017. However, a new and improved model has since been released and is now available to buy for $89.95 / £76.50 in the UK, $89.95 in the US and AU$139 Down Under. It can be bought worldwide, direct from the Polar site, or from online retailers for a little cheaper in some instances, such as Amazon UK, where it can currently be picked up for £67. 

Polar H10 heart rate monitor

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Polar H10: Design

  • Unoriginal design 
  • Comfortable to wear for long periods
  • six strap size options available: XS-S or M-XXL
  • Available in two colours: black or grey

The H10 comes in a choice of six strap colours and two size options: XS-S for a chest size of 51-66 cm (20-26 inches) or M-XXL for a chest size of 65-93 cm (25-37 inches). Weighing 60g, it offers a snug fit that feels pleasant throughout most workout types. If it’s a unique design you’re looking for in a chest strap, then you won’t find that in the Polar H10: it comprises your bog standard heart rate monitoring chest strap design that we’ve seen time and time again from numerous brands over the years. The reason behind this probably boils down to that old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. 

As long as it’s comfortable, adjustable and works fine just the way it is, that’s all that should matter, right? Maybe so. And since it’s hidden under a t-shirt and bra for most during exercise, then it could be argued that design shouldn’t be a massive focus. 

Still, for those who do have the guts to work out topless or in a sports bra and want to express themselves, then at least Polar offers a choice of six strap colours and designs to choose from. There’s black with grey “track it, wear it, crush it” graffiti-style text (as featured in our review), green camo, grey camo, red with “do it with heart” text, plain black, or turquoise. In the US you can also opt for a melange-style grey one similar to that found on the Polar Verity Sense.

These straps, which attach to the central node with two simple press studs, can also be switched out if you fancy buying other colours, or want a spare to wear while the other is in the wash, for instance. 

That leaves us with one major question: is the Polar H10 comfortable to wear? It all comes down to personal preference but in our time using it, we can attest that it offers a snug fit that feels pleasant throughout most workout types. 

Weighing 60g with the strap in tow, the Polar H10 is heavier than most of its rivals (the Wahoo TickR X comes in at just 8.5g), but this isn’t something we noticed during daily wear. All-in-all, it feels well made and of high quality.

When it comes to sizing, the H10 comes in two sizes, XS-S for a chest size of 51-66 cm (20-26 inches) or M-XXL for a chest size of 65-93 cm (25-37 inches). Our model was the latter and found to be the perfect fit for an average male build with a 42-inch chest.

  • Design rating: 4/5

Polar H10: App and features

  • App design is too simplistic and not very intuitive 
  • Limited activity tracking
  • Compatible with heaps of third-party apps

The Polar H10 has been designed as a multisport tracking solution, made for regular use by athletes such as cyclists, long-distance runners, triathletes and the like, who want to work out with as little strapped to them as possible.

However, the H10’s limited onboard memory means it can only cache a single workout at a time, so you’ll need to sync your exercise data with the Polar Beat app before you record a second workout, which is annoying. Still, most users will be using the H10 alongside the connected Polar Beat app anyway. All that this involves is ensuring you track your workout via the app then you can leave the phone behind and the H10 will cache it automatically.

The Polar Beat isn’t our favourite workout app to use, though. It's simple in design - an attribute we’d usually commend - but in this instance, it’s not very intuitive. There are no clear instructions in the app to tell you how to connect the H10 or access the list of trackable activities. You have to tap here and there to discover it yourself. We found it exceptionally frustrating at times, especially since the app didn’t always find the H10 right away. Once it’s connected, there are no clear messages telling you so, either. 

Some simple “your Polar H10 is now connected” pop-up dialogue would have been nice and reassuring. We often found ourselves trying to connect just before a workout class or training session, scrambling to attach the monitor, grab our smartphone, load up the app, make sure it's connected, find the activity we wanted to track from the list and tap start. There’s certainly a lot of faffing around to do. Although, of course, this all depends on personal preference and if you think the awkwardness involved in getting a chest strap to record your exercise data is worth the hassle. You’d have to be really dedicated. For us, a wrist-worn smartwatch and a simple tap of the “start workout” button is preferable over this any day.

Another gripe we had with the Polar Beat app was its limited activity tracking options. It misses some of the slightly more obscure sports that some people might do from time to time. There’s no squash or rugby tracking, for example, and so we found ourselves frantically looking for close alternatives just before doing these sports in the hope to track them as accurately as possible. 

On the plus side, the Polar Beat app has some added functionality over just simple workout tracking. In the weirdly named Upgrades tab, there are options to perform a fitness test to assess your VO2 max and general fitness level as well as two coaching modes called Benefit Target and EnergyPointer. These let you set specific goals for your training alongside more tailored coaching, which is a nice touch.

And if you’re not a big fan of the app, the H10 is pretty versatile in that it’s also compatible with a host of popular third-party fitness apps including Cardio Mapper, Endomondo, iSmooth Run and Runtastic.

  • Features & app rating: 3/5

Polar H10 heart rate monitor

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Polar H10: Performance

  • Super accurate 
  • Gold standard in heart rate monitoring
  • Can be a bit of a faff to operate 

So why would you even bother with a chest strap when it can be way more awkward to operate than a smartwatch? The bottom line is, they generally provide very accurate results as they feature an electrocardiography (ECG) heart-rate sensor, usually with a 99.6% accuracy. 

Wrist-worn devices, which rely on optical sensors that shine light through your body tissue and read the refractions, are far less precise in their monitoring. If you want real-time heart rate monitoring but aren’t too fussed about point-to-point accuracy, then a smartwatch will do just fine. But chest straps are popular, especially among fitness enthusiasts and serious athletes, as they provide super reliable results that can help them adapt their training accordingly.

The Polar H10 is renowned for being the gold standard in heart rate monitoring thanks to its  super accurate results. It does a perfect job of capturing heart measurements and we found zero issues in this area while testing.

The Polar H10 is also waterproof but, unlike most of its rivals, can be worn underwater to an astonishing depth of 30 metres. By comparison, the Wahoo TickR X and the Garmin HRM-Dual are both only moderately waterproof to 5 metres. Great news for swimmers. 

So what about battery life? Thanks to its Bluetooth Low Energy support, the H10 can soldier on for a whopping 400 hours. Although it’s worth noting that this is only a rough estimate as alleged by Polar. In real-world terms, we’d expect that to work out at about 100 weeks (two years) of use if you’re wearing it to track an hour-long training session 3-4 times a week. By comparison, the Wahoo TickR X claims to boast a battery life of about a year, so it seems to be pretty decent by those standards.

Since it’s pretty impossible to review how accurate this is in just a few weeks of testing, we’ll just have to take Polar’s word for it and update this review later down the line if we spot worrying. Our device still reads as having a full battery on the Polar Beat app after a few weeks of intermittent use so there’s always that. 

Polar H10 heart rate monitor

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Polar H10: Buy it if...

Polar H10: Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the UK, Germany, the US, Canada and the Netherlands
5:10 pm | February 13, 2023

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

This week Samsung starts shipping its Galaxy S23 smartphone flagships and the new Galaxy Book3 series of laptops, both series feature heavily in this week’s deals. Meanwhile, the prices of the Pixel 7 duo has fallen to well below what the S23 cost so the Pixel experience is alluringly cheaper. Use the links below to jump straight to your region: Germany The UK USA Canada The Netherlands UK Amazon has bundled Samsung’s new S23 phones with a free pair of Galaxy Buds2 and a free Clear Slim Case. Also, the phones come with three years warranty. Like...

Dyson Gen5 Detect review: a heavy-duty vacuum in more ways than one
9:21 am | February 9, 2023

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Dyson Gen5 Detect: two-minute review

The Dyson Gen5 Detect ushers in a new era for the brand’s cordless vacuum cleaners. Not only does it steer away from the more familiar V-series naming system, it improves on what the V15 Detect offers.

While it still resembles all the other Dyson V-series handsticks, the old trigger mechanism to power the vacuum has been replaced by a traditional on/off button like in the V12 Detect Slim. This is a welcome relief as the new flagship cordless vacuum cleaner is heavier than any of the previous models.

The extra weight comes from two other improvements – an integrated crevice tool and a bigger battery. The former is now built into the tube of the Gen5 Detect and is accessible via the press of a button, then pulling the tube down. The battery is slimmer and longer as compared to what we saw on the V11 and V15 models, but it’s the one that adds significantly to the weight of the machine – you now get up to 70 minutes of runtime.

Dyson has also improved the brightness of the laser light on the Fluffy floor head, which is also most welcome as the beam is now easier to see in bright daylight.

Another design change is the way the dust data analysis is displayed on the LCD screen. Instead of the vertical bar graph on the V15 and V12 models, it’s now horizontally displayed, with numbers replacing the lines once the vacuum has been powered off.

Where it counts is the new motor which, Dyson says, is a ‘Gen’ model rather than the older ‘V’ one, hence the change in nomenclature of the device itself. This new Hyperdymium motor delivers up to 262 air watts of suction compared to the 230 air watts delivered by the V15 and 210 delivered by the Samsung Bespoke Jet. As impressive as the number is, we didn’t see any significant difference in performance between the Gen5, V15 or the Samsung flagship vacuum cleaner – they all suck really well. Interestingly, the Gen5 Detect is quieter in its Auto mode than the V15 Detect… significantly quieter.

As impressive as the improvements are on paper, the added weight makes the Gen5 Detect difficult to use for long periods of time and, in handheld mode, even a few minutes can cause arm fatigue. And while we understand that upgrades come with a higher price tag, the Gen5 Detect’s cost just makes it that much harder to recommend over its predecessor.

Dyson Gen5 Detect standing beside a bookshelf

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Dyson Gen5 Detect review: price and availability

  • Announced October 2022
  • List price starting at AU$1,499 (about $1,040 / £865)
  • Available now in Australia, TBC for US and UK

Although Dyson announced the Gen5 Detect back in October 2022, it is currently only available to buy in select markets. In Australia, the starting price of the new flagship is AU$1,499, but US and UK release date and pricing information is yet to be confirmed (converted that’s about $1,040 / £865 at the time of writing).

As with every Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner, the Gen5 Detect also comes in different versions – two in Australia. Called the Gen5 Detect Complete and Gen5 Detect Absolute (which is our test model for this review), the only difference between the two is the color scheme used and the number of tools they each ship with. The former is the full package that includes eight tools and accessories in the box, setting you back a whopping AU$1,549 (about $1,075 / £890).

While the price of the Gen5 Detect is in keeping with what Dyson has typically done with each new release, it is a steep price to pay for a vacuum cleaner. In comparison, Samsung’s flagship Bespoke Jet, which can also mop and comes with a lot more bells and whistles (and is lighter too) has a starting price of $1,035 / £629 / AU$1,299.

  • Value score: 3/5

Dyson Gen5 Detect in handheld mode

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Specs of the Dyson Gen5 Detect review unit

Price: from AU$1,499 (about $1,040 / £865)
Bin volume: 0.77L
Speed modes: 3
Filtration: Whole-machine HEPA filtration system
Suction power: up to 262 AW
Battery: up to 70 minutes runtime
Weight: 3.5kg
Additional tools: up to 8 accessories

These specifications are for the Australian model of the Gen5 Detect Absolute.

Dyson Gen5 Detect review: design and features

  • Power button replaces trigger
  • Integrated crevice tool
  • Brighter laser on the Fluffy Optic floor head

For the most part, the Dyson Gen5 Detect looks like any other Dyson vacuum cleaner, with a similar form factor. However, there are some noticeable differences between the older models and the new, starting with the traditional trigger to power the machine being replaced by a power button on the top of the LCD display, much like in the V12 Detect Slim.

A few other minor differences in design – noticeable when seen side by side with other V-series models – is a red streak along the side of the handle added for some trim and the battery pack now looking slimmer and longer. Look a little harder and you’ll find that the HEPA filter housing on the top of the Gen5 Detect is a larger cylinder (previous models were smaller and angled outward slightly), while the petal-like design for the motor is shorter.

Speaking of the filter, this is washable, so there aren’t any ongoing costs to replace it, and this is now printed on the filter housing. Also washable is the soft roller inside the Fluffy Optic floor head, and this now has a brighter laser that is easier to see in daylight as compared to the Laser Fluffy on the V15 and V12 models.

The button to reveal the integrated crevice tool on the Dyson Gen5 Detect's tube

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Let your eye drift below the dust canister (which is the same as in the V15 Detect) and there is now a new button on the tube of the machine. Press this and pull the tube down to reveal the new integrated crevice/dusting tool. This is really handy as it converts the handstick to a handheld unit in seconds without you needing to switch attachments. Since it’s housed within the tube, this new crevice tool is slimmer, but the original combination tool also ships in the box if you prefer that.

While the addition of some extra plastic on the machine from the built-in crevice tools adds a little bit of overall weight, the bigger battery pack – which is replaceable as before – makes the Gen5 Detect extremely top heavy. We had a similar complaint with the V15 Detect and, although the weight difference between the two is just 400g (3.1kg versus 3.5kg for the new handstick), you will feel it in your arms while using the machine. The motorized floor heads glide smoothly over hard floors and carpets, so as a handstick it’s still quite alright, but the Gen5 Detect is unwieldy as a handheld – one of the reasons a Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner has been so popular for so many years. And for that, the Gen5 Detect loses some marks.

  • Design score: 4/5

Dyson Gen5 Detect features a new power button and another to change modes

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Dyson Gen5 Detect review: performance

  • Improved motor with better suction power
  • Dynamic suction
  • Comparatively quiet

Like its predecessors, the Dyson Gen5 Detect has some impressive vacuuming skills. The new motor on board now offers up to 262 air watts of suction, although you’ll be hard pressed to see the difference between the V15 Detect and its successor in the Auto mode. There’s a significant improvement in Boost mode though, which puts it on par with the Samsung Bespoke Jet’s max suction setting (called Jet mode) despite the lower 210 air watts of suction on the competition. Still, the Gen5 Detect is an excellent sucker, whether you need your really hair-entwined carpet cleaned or a quick one on a hard floor.

Speaking of hair-entwined carpets: the Motorbar cleaner head has 56 detangling vanes that effectively get rid of any entanglements, keeping the attachment clean and easy to maintain. Of course, the Hair Screw Tool is included in the box, but its footprint is too small to make it worth using on floors.

As before, suction power here is dynamic when using the Digital Motorbar tool, so if the Gen5 Detect senses more dirt or realizes it’s moved from hard floor to carpet, it will automatically boost suction, thus reducing the amount of time you spend vacuuming. 

It should be noted that neither of the main cleaning heads (Motorbar or Fluffy) are effective at edges and both struggle to pick up larger debris. For example, dust along skirting boards was hard to suck up during our testing and unpopped corn kernels were just scattered away while moving the vacuum along the floor. Even grains as small as rice can scatter instead of getting sucked up. The only way to make sure you pick these up is to lift the vacuum and place the cleaning head directly over the debris. We even found the cleaning heads struggling to pick up small bits of paper. 

Dyson Gen5 Detect displays dirt data horizontally on the round LCD screen

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

We do need to talk about the dirt detection expertise of the updated Fluffy tool. Dyson says it has “re-engineered” the laser to be twice as bright and the beam to be broader to illuminate more floor space. We thought the Laser Fluffy was a gimmick when it arrived with the V15 Detect as we didn’t find ourselves using it very much – the Motorbar was more than enough on both hard floors and carpets. Now, though, we think the brighter light on the Fluffy tool is worth using as, even in well-lit rooms, you can see the beam and the dust particles on the floor more clearly.

As with the V15 Detect, you’ll get a visual representation of how much the vacuum cleaner is sucking up. While it’s nice to have, we thought the bar graph was gimmicky too and our opinion hasn’t changed as we really don’t find ourselves registering what the data represents. The display, though, is really handy as you will get real-time updates on battery life and a notification alerting you to clean the HEPA filter when it’s time.

Dyson claims the Gen5 Detect can capture particles as small as 0.1 microns (compared to the claimed 0.3 microns that the V15 Detect is able to capture), which is virus territory. Don’t get too excited about thinking it might help with the fight against illnesses – it’s not a disinfectant – but it will help clean up microscopic allergens lying around on your floor.

One improvement we really appreciate is how comparatively quiet the Gen5 Detect is. Depending on the suction mode, the new model clocked up 60dB on Eco mode, 64.5dB when in Auto and 78.6dB in Boost mode. In comparison, the V15 hits 73dB in its Auto mode.

Again, as impressive as its cleaning prowess is, the weight of the machine can make it difficult for some users, particularly when you convert it to handheld mode. Also, isn’t it about time Dyson offered a cordless vacuum cleaner with a mop attachment now?

  • Performance score: 4/5

The new thinner and integrated crevice tool of the Dyson Gen5 Detect

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Dyson Gen5 Detect review: battery life

  • Up to 70 minutes runtime
  • Replaceable battery pack

It’s been a while since Dyson upped the ante when it comes to battery life – after three generations of V-series vacuums offering up to 60 minutes of runtime, we finally have one that gets you up to 70 minutes. In fact, we managed to squeeze out 75 minutes during one test run.

The bigger battery (Dyson doesn’t specify the capacity) is great for making sure larger homes are cleaned up in one go. Using the Digital Motorbar on a relatively clean hard floor, we got about 62 minutes on Eco mode, 45 minutes on Auto and just 8 minutes on Boost. Swap over to the Fluffy Optic cleaning head and you’ll get more, which is good news for those with predominantly hard floors – on a relatively clean tiled floor, we actually got a smidge under 75 minutes on Eco mode, 65 minutes on Auto and 15 minutes on Boost.

It should be noted that runtimes will vary due to the dynamic nature of the suction. You will likely eke out a lot less if your floors are particularly dirty.

Dyson says the battery can take about 4.5 hours to recharge from zero to full, but we found it took just three hours at the mains after it automatically shut down due to lack of juice.

  • Battery score: 5/5

The brighter Fluffy Optic that ships with the Dyson Gen5 Detect

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)

Should I buy the Dyson Gen5 Detect?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

Also consider

If you’re not sure about the Dyson Gen5 Detect, here are a couple more options to consider...

How I tested the Dyson Gen5 Detect

I’ve been using the Dyson Gen5 Detect twice a week for five weeks as my main vacuum, while also running the Dyson V15 in some patches of floor on the same day. The Gen5 Detect has been used in all three suction modes on hard floors (tile) and on carpets. We’ve also allowed the carpet to accumulate significant amount of hair and dust for a couple of test runs.

On hard floors, we’ve also scattered different sized grains, such as rice, cereal and corn kernels, to test the Gen5 Detect with both the Digital Motorbar and the Fluffy Optic cleaning heads. I’ve used an iOS app to measure sound.

I’ve actively been testing and reviewing vacuum cleaners of all kinds for the last five years and have learnt what’s important when choosing one, and what features are best for different kinds of homes. I also put high importance on value for money in any appliance I test.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed January 2023]

UK regulator: Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision will hurt gamers
8:11 pm | February 8, 2023

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

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision has been a hot topic for the last year or so, but regulatory hurdles are still preventing the two companies from finalizing the deal worth $68.7 billion, which is the biggest takeover in tech history. The latest regulatory body to express its concerns is the British Competition and Markets Authority. Analysts believe that Microsoft's acquisition will hurt gamers in the long run because titles such as Call of Duty may become exclusive to Microsoft's Xbox console. This would lead to higher prices, reduced range, market dominance, lower quality and worse...

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from the US, the UK, Germany and India
7:01 pm | February 4, 2023

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This week was pretty quiet, save for the Galaxy Unpacked event on Wednesday – there were a few other launches, but most companies gave Samsung a wide berth. So, of course, this week’s deals post features the new Galaxy S23 series (and we have a special deal for US buyers), but we found solid discounts on plenty of 2022 phones as well. Use the links below to jump to your region: USA The UK Germany India USA Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 series this week and started taking pre-orders, shipping is scheduled for a couple of weeks from now (though some might...

Weekly deals: the best smartphone deals from Germany, the UK, the US and India
4:04 pm | January 29, 2023

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January is an interesting time in the smartphone world – the first next-gen flagships are just starting to hit the market, others are yet to come. And with their replacements months (or even weeks) away, older flagship and premium phones are about as cheap as they are going to get while still being somewhat current. We have picked out deals from several regions, and included some tablet, smartwatch and headset offers too. Use the links below to jump to your region: Germany The UK USA India Germany The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max will probably never see a...

Canon EOS R6 II review: hybrid just got better
8:00 pm | January 27, 2023

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

Two-minute review

If you’re buying into Canon’s EOS R mirrorless system, you might well be weighing the do-it-all EOS R6 II against the more expensive and high-powered EOS R5. Plenty chose the original EOS R6 for its price, low-light capability, burst shooting and video features, and the R6 II removes one remaining barrier – the original model’s 20MP resolution. 

The Mark II’s resolution increase will may not make much difference to the detail rendition, but it’s an important psychological bonus which puts the Canon on a par with rivals like the Lumix S5 (and now the S5 II), Nikon Z6 II and Sony A7 III (though not quite the A7 IV).

Canon EOS R6 II camera on a tripod  with no lens and image sensor visible

(Image credit: Future)

The R6 Mark II’s burst mode frame rates are doubled to 40fps with the electronic shutter but stay at 12fps with the mechanical shutter, and while the AI-powered AF subject recognition has been extended with more subject types, the original was pretty good already.

Canon EOS R6 II specs

Sensor: 24.2MP full frame CMOS
AF points: 4,897 point Dual PIxel CMOS AF II, 100% coverage
Video: 4K UHD up to 60p, FHD up to 180p
Viewfinder: OLED 3.69m-dot
LCD: 3-inch vari-angle touch 1.62m-dot
Memory card: 2x SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II
Max Burst: 12fps mechanical shutter (1,000+ JPEG, 110 RAW/1,000 CRAW), 40fps electronic shutter (190 JPEG, 75 RAW/140CRAW)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mic, Headphone, HDMI Type D, USB 3.2
Size: 138.4 × 98.4 × 88.4mm
Weight: 670g (inc. battery and SD card)

For video, the original 30-minute recording limit has been scrapped and Canon reckons the R6 II can shoot for over 40 minutes at 4K 60p, and up to 6 hours at 4K 30p. It also has Canon C Log 3 and can capture 6K ProRes RAW over HDMI.

These things are all great, but they are incremental rather than revolutionary improvements, and they make for a pretty expensive camera that’s only worth it if you need everything that it does.

The EOS R6 II is nice to use and captures very attractive stills and video, but the 8-stop IBIS system will not necessarily deliver that in real life and does not have the fluency for smooth camera movements in video. The EOS R6 II feels like one of the better cameras in its class, but not necessarily the best and definitely not the cheapest.

Canon EOS R6 II: release date and price

  • About the same price at launch as the old R6, which is welcome
  • Much more expensive in the UK than the US
  • Seems expensive compared to the Sony A7 IV and Lumix S5 II

New Canon cameras typically arrive with premium price tags relative to the competition and take a while – sometimes a very long while – to move back down to a more competitive price point. Launch price for the Canon EOS R6 II is $2,499.99 / £2,799 / AU$4499 body only, and $3,599.99 / £3,999 / AU$6399 bundled with the RF 24-105mm F4 lens.

It’s no surprise then, that the EOS R6 II immediately looks expensive compared to its rivals. These include the Nikon Z6 II, Sony A7 II and the brand new Panasonic Lumix S5 II, all of which are around $500 cheaper. Indeed, even the 30MP Sony A7 IV currently costs less than the Canon. And if you’re thinking of getting the R6 II and 24-105mm f/4 lens bundle, that’s almost the price of an EOS R5 body.

Canon EOS R6 II in the hand of reviewer

(Image credit: Future)

So is the EOS R6 II good enough to make it worth the extra compared to its direct rivals? At this level, you commit to a system rather than a specific camera, and if you’re starting from scratch you’ll need a lot of trust in the Canon brand to pay the extra for the R6 II. If you’re a Canon shooter, the R6 II might make a logical upgrade for existing kit, but if you already use Sony, Panasonic or Nikon gear, it’s hard to see why you would switch.

  • Price Score: 3.5/5

Canon EOS R6 II: design

  • Curved shapes and smooth materials make it nice to handle
  • Very good EFV and rear display
  • Some minor control niggles

Canon does make very nice-handling cameras. When other makers seem to be favoring hard-edged rectilinear designs, the EOS R6 II has comfortable curved contours and soft, grippy surfaces. Your little finger is still left dangling at the bottom of the grip and it does feel overbalanced by bigger lenses – we tested it with the RF 24-105mm f/4 – but it’s more comfortable than its rivals.

The three-dial control layout does take some learning, since the dial functions depend on the mode and in some modes two dials do the same thing, but it’s all part of learning a sophisticated camera.

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Canon EOS R6 II video and photo mode dial close up

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II top plate from above

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II shooting mode dial and controls close up

(Image credit: Future)

It would have been nice to have had dedicated ISO and WB buttons, and why doesn’t the stills/video lever on the far left of the top plate have a continuous shooting option? It’s something this camera is especially good at, so it’s a bit annoying to have to dig around the the interface to find it.

And you might wish there was some quick way to disable the subject-recognition system for when you want to choose the focus point – though you could do that with the C1, C2 and C3 settings on the main mode dial.

It does feels as if Canon has gone away from the idea of a camera that has buttons and dials you can see, to a camera you customize and program yourself.

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Canon EOS R6 II in the hands of reviewer

(Image credit: Future)
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Reviewer taking a picture with Canon EOS R6 II looking through the viewfinder

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II with memory card door open and SD card

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II ports door held open revealing USB-C and HDMI out ports

(Image credit: Future)

The EVF offers superb clarity, definition and contrast, though it can also be a bit jittery as you move the camera, and while the vari-angle rear screen is equally excellent, could Canon not have stretched to a 3.2-inch display rather than 3-inch?

If you like cameras with power levers around the shutter release, right where your forefinger is, you won’t like the R6 II’s big Off-Lock-On lever further back on the top plate. There must be some ergonomic reason why you should need one hand to hold a camera and another to switch it on and off. Answers on a postcard.

There’s no status panel on the top plate, but the menu system, although extensive, is very clear and easy to navigate. The video record button on the on the top plate looks to be in a random position but it’s actually quite easy to find with your index finger.

  • Design 4/5

Canon EOS R6 II: features and performance

  • Really good AI autofocus and tracking
  • Operation all-round is smooth, responsive and satisfying
  • We didn’t get Canon’s claimed 8-stops of IBIS

Canon’s latest AI autofocus system is very impressive – mostly because you can set its subject-recognition to auto and let it get on with it. Almost always it figures out what your subject is and focuses on it without you having to do a thing. It’s especially effective with animals and humans, but it’s also very good at identifying cars.

If you choose Zone AF or single point AF, it will still show you what it’s recognized in the EVF or on the rear screen, but it will respect your area/point AF choice, which saves you getting into a fight with the camera over what to focus on.

Canon EOS R6 II profile and outside on a tripod

(Image credit: Future)

The eye AF and tracking is very good, and ideal for one-person vlogging crews filming themselves. In our tests it tracked us doggedly as we walked about talking to the camera, and only failed with sudden frame entries for fast and erratic movements. Basically, as long as you’re not deliberately trying to trip it up, it doesn’t put a foot wrong.

It was also excellent for tracking squirrels in our local park. With a squirrel face-on it didn’t quite figure out the eyes, but with the squirrel sideways it got the focus bang on.

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Canon EOS R6 II rear screen with subject tracking AF active

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II white balance menu on rear screen

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II subject tracking AF menu on rear screen

(Image credit: Future)

The 8-stop (claimed) IBIS is less convincing. It’s quoted with the RF 24-105mm lens at 105mm, which is just how we tested it. We got an acceptable hit rate at around 4-stops compensation, but pretty poor results after that.

We didn’t find it great for video or long lenses, either. For static filming it’s excellent, but for any kind of camera movement it does too many ‘jump-resets’ for reliable footage in the hands of all but the most skilled operators. We tried it with the RF 800mm f/11 super-telephoto and got the same results – if you can’t keep this lens’s movement under tight control, the stabilizer just jumps from one ‘stable’ position to another, making accurate framing very difficult.

  • Features and performance 4/5

Canon EOS R6 II on a tripod outside with no lens and sensor protector active

(Image credit: Future)

Canon EOS R6 II: image and video quality

  • Very attractive color rendering for both stills and video
  • Excellent high-ISO image quality
  • 24MP resolution enough for most but unremarkable

The JPEGs we got from the R6 II are really attractive. The auto WB seems to judge the lighting and the colors of the scene perfectly, and the evaluative exposure metering seems to know exactly how you would want a scene rendered. We shot both JPEG and raw, but the exposure system and the JPEG rendering proved so effective that the raw files were largely superfluous.

The resolution was no better and no worse than we’d expect from a 24MP full frame camera with an anti-aliasing filter. For resolution, the EOS R6 II is good but utterly unremarkable. At least it’s not at a megapixel disadvantage compared to most rivals, unlike its predecessor.

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Canon EOS R6 II gallery seaside town reflected in the ocean on calm sunny day

(Image credit: Future)
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canon eos r6 II gallery season toiwn reflected in ocean with overcast weather

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canon eos r6 II gallery dilapidated pier on a sunny day

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canon eos r6 II gallery squirrel in sharp focus

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Canon EOS R6 II wildlife squirrel picture with back focusing

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canon eos r6 II gallery close up of colourful graffiti

(Image credit: Future)
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canon eos r6 II close up of buddhist statue

(Image credit: Future)

The low-light, high-ISO performance is extremely good. We set up a test scene with the same subject shot at a range of ISOs with the camera on a tripod and operated with the self-timer to eliminate any possible shake. The results were very good indeed right up to ISO 6400, when it was possible to start seeing some loss of detail and image smoothing, but it wasn’t until ISO 12,800 when we felt there was any significant quality loss.

This was all done by comparing JPEGs. The danger of comparing raw files is that different raw converters handle noise differently.

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Canon EOS R6 II sequence of studio images of a Leicameter this one at ISO 100

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II sequence of studio images of a Leicameter this one at ISO 400

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II sequence of studio images of a Leicameter this one at ISO 1600

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II sequence of studio images of a Leicameter this one at ISO 6400

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II sequence of studio images of a Leicameter this one at ISO 25600

(Image credit: Future)
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Canon EOS R6 II sequence of studio images of a Leicameter this one at ISO 102400

(Image credit: Future)

The video quality was very impressive too. We shot 4K 30p and 4K 60p in-camera in standard mode (no log flattening) to see what the R6 II could do straight out of the box. Detail was sharp, the color rendition was rich and natural and the exposure – as with stills photography – gave enough dynamic range for most needs and lighting conditions. The AF kept up well too, with smooth shifts for changing subject distances.

The IBIS was less convincing, failing to properly smooth out walking footage and not handling long focal lengths or smooth camera movements (or as smooth as we could make them) particularly well.

The IBIS could get you out of a hole if you’re shooting handheld and you don’t have your tripod or gimbal but, realistically, you need those supports to really get the best from this or any camera.

  • Image and video quality 5/5

Should I buy the Canon EOS R6 II?

Don't buy it if...

Canon EOS R6 II outside on a tripod with 24-105mm lens attached

(Image credit: Future)

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

If our Canon EOS R6 II review has you wondering about alternatives, here are three rivals to consider.

Canon EOS R6 II: testing scorecard

First reviewed: January 2023

Suunto 9 Peak Pro review
2:07 pm | January 26, 2023

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

The Suunto 9 Peak Pro has been given a powerful upgrade internally when compared to its almost identical-looking predecessor, the Suunto 9 Peak. There’s a new processor, new GPS, new optical heart rate sensor, and way more battery life. In terms of looks, though, not much has changed aside from a slimmer 10.8mm thick chassis and lighter 64g weight. 

The biggest drawback here is the fact that Suunto decided not to upgrade the watch’s screen. Measuring 1.2 inches, the monochrome sapphire crystal display has a relatively low 240 x 240 pixel display. While there is an LED backlight, it can sometimes prove difficult to read in some instances as the text isn’t as crisp as you’d expect on a smartwatch - especially one of this price.

On the plus side, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro is super comfortable to wear for longer workouts across all types of activities. It’s also made more sustainably than most other wearables on the market, as it claims to have been built from 100% renewable energy with a 7.5kg CO2e carbon footprint. 

When it comes to features, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro is teeming with fitness-tracking tech, boasting 95 trackable activities - from the more popular running, cycling, and swimming to the more obscure, such as snorkeling mode. As you’d expect from a sports watch of this caliber, there’s way more included than activity or step tracking. You’ll also find insightful training tools such as peak training effect, training load, and recovery time recommendations. All of your data is presented clearly in the connected Suunto app, which offers you heaps of post-workout data to sift through ideal for measuring your performance and helping you to track improvements over time. Although it has to be said - the suite of fitness and recovery insights on offer here, while comprehensive, doesn’t live it to those you’ll find on Garmin or Polar devices. 

Performance-wise, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro ticks most boxes as a premium activity-tracking smartwatch. Despite a few instances where the interface feels sluggish - especially when you’re asking a lot of it - it can handle commands with ease while providing decent accuracy. 

As for battery life, the 9 Peak Pro easily outperforms its predecessor. In our tests, the device lasted just over two weeks before needing a recharge. That was using it to track some kind of workout activity almost every day, sometimes with GPS monitoring enabled and sometimes not, alongside smartphone notifications.

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Price and availability

  • Out now in the UK, US and Australia 
  • Priced from £419 RRP in the UK, $549 in the US and AU$759 in AUS
  • Also comes in a more expensive but lighter titanium model

The Suunto 9 Peak Pro is available to buy now in the UK, US and Australia, with a starting price of £419, US$549 and AU$759, respectively. That’s a “starting” price because the 9 Peak Pro comes in two models. There’s the cheaper non-titanium offering, which we are reviewing in this article, and a more expensive but lighter and more durable Suunto 9 Peak Pro Titanium. The latter retails for £110 / US$150 / AU$200 more than the standard model at £529 / US$699 / AU$959.

In most instances, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro comes in at just a bit pricer than its predecessor, the Suunto 9 Peak, which currently retails for £349 / US$469 / AU$999. (Yup, for reasons unknown, the older, less feature-rich model costs more Down Under.)

When it comes to colorways, there are four options available for the standard Suunto 9 Peak Pro model: black, blue, gold and green, and sand or slate options for the titanium version. 

Suunto 9 Peak Pro smartwatch

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Design and screen

  • Slim and lightweight for a rugged sports watch
  • Planet-friendly design and manufacturing process
  • Disappointing display 

If you’re already familiar with the Suunto Peak range, you’ll probably be aware that the 9 Peak Pro is almost identical in physical design to its predecessor, the Suunto 9 Peak. In fact, side-by-side, you’d struggle to tell them apart. The real update is reflected in the sports watch’s innards, where it packs an array of significant improvements over the 9 Peak, including a new processor, new GPS, new optical heart rate sensor, and bigger battery life.

While it is slimmer and lighter than Suunto’s last Peak release, measuring just 10.8mm thick and weighing a super light 64g (which is pretty slender for a rugged smartwatch), those unfamiliar with the Suunto 9 family’s design should be aware that it doesn’t boast anything particularly inspiring in terms of aesthetics. It’s handsome enough, sure, but as a rugged sports watch designed for the super active, fitness enthusiasts and athletes, it’s a bog-standard design that won’t get you excitedly showing it off to your mates. Those less fussed about looks will be pleased to know it touts military-grade durability, and so has been designed to withstand all manner of knocks.

The biggest downside for us is the Suunto 9 Peak Pro’s display. Measuring 1.2 inches, the monochrome display is a 240 x 240-pixel display made from sapphire crystal glass. While it does offer an LED backlight, it can sometimes prove difficult to read as the text isn’t as sharp as you’d expect from a watch of this class. The display is touch-enabled, though, so can be controlled by either tapping your fingers or via the physical buttons on the side, which is a nice touch (literally). 

However, it goes without saying that the lack of color and brightness in this display makes the Suunto 9 Peak Pro a no-go for those looking for an attractive- or expensive-looking smartwatch that can be worn every day, especially outside of fitness. 

Plus points? It’s super comfortable. We wore it for several hours during longer workouts, across all types of activities, from yoga to squash and running, and we hardly noticed it was there. It’s also made more sustainably than most other smartwatches on the market, thanks to its green energy claims. A great step forward for the wearables market. 

Overall, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro is a robust and fairly decent-looking design let down by a disappointingly cheap-looking display.

  • Design and screen rating: 2.5/5

Suunto 9 Peak Pro smartwatch

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Features

  • Tracking for 95 sports activities
  • A comprehensive suite of training tools 
  • Easy-to-use and insightful app

The Suunto 9 Peak Pro is teeming with fitness-tracking tech. Take, for instance, how it boasts a whopping 95 supported sports activities, from the major ones like running, cycling, and swimming (as well as a multisport triathlon mode, which is always nice to see) to the more “exotic” shall we say, such as snorkeling mode, which offers up metrics including depth and dive time, although not quite to the same extent as Apple Watch Ultra's Oceanic+ app. We also found a mode for Squash, which Garmin doesn’t have, although Polar does. 

The core sports tracking experience is overall very good and works well most times, but this is hampered somewhat by a sluggish interface and the watch’s relatively small, monochromatic display, which can often put a damper on things. Still, the suite of training tools, fitness, and recovery insights on the Suunto 9 Peak Pro is fairly comprehensive, but still not on par with the likes of Garmin or Polar, though. 

As you’d expect from a sports watch of this caliber, there’s way more included than just tracking your workouts or steps and telling you how many calories you’ve burned. You’ll also find insightful training tools such as peak training effect, training load and recovery time recommendations. It’s also possible to let it monitor your daily stress levels, find out your estimated fitness age and check out what your VO2 Max fitness level estimates are. Bundled in with this is a built-in SPO2 sensor so you can keep tabs on your blood oxygen levels and as well as acclimation. 

All of your data is presented clearly and immersively in the Suunto partner app, which has seen some vast improvements over the years, with heaps of post-workout data to sift through—ideal for measuring your performance and tracking improvements over time. 

Those who are looking to use the Suunto 9 Peak Pro as a navigation tool will be able to take advantage of its ability to plan, upload and follow routes using breadcrumb-style and turn-by-turn navigation. Although we found the watch’s low-quality display made this tricky to make use of when running. 

Other features include sleep tracking, which is pretty standard on smartwatches these days. Although the accuracy of this on the Suunto 9 Peak Pro doesn't quite seem to be quite on par with dedicated sleep trackers, such as the Withings Sleep Analyzer tracking mat.

As with most modern smartwatches, the Suunto Peak Pro 9 is able to feed notifications to your wrist straight from your smartphone. There’s also a stopwatch, an alarm clock, automatic daylight saving updates, calendar sync, and weather information. You can also control the music of a paired phone, but there is no offline music for apps like Spotify or Deezer, nor are there contactless pay features - both of which you’ll find with most modern Garmin smartwatches. 

  • Features rating: 4/5

Suunto 9 Peak Pro smartwatch

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Performance

  • Super easy to use 
  • Somewhat sluggish interface 
  • Decent battery life 

So how does the Suunto 9 Peak Pro stack up performance-wise? Well, one thing we loved about using the watch was how easy it was to use. Even as a complete Suunto newbie, we can imagine it’s really easy for anyone to pick up and watch and start tracking activities right away. 

When using it for fitness, the Suunto 9 Peak Pro does exactly what you’d expect it to as a more premium activity-tracking smartwatch. Despite a few instances where the interface feels sluggish—especially when you’re asking a lot of it, for example, controlling music while activity tracking and using GPS—it can handle most commands with ease while providing decent accuracy. 

Take GPS performance, for example, which seemed decent for the most part despite taking a little longer than we’d like to find a satellite signal. You can expect it to lock onto a signal within about 15-20 seconds or so but that really depends on your location. This is by no means slow, just not on par with the best the industry has to offer, like the German Fenix 7. The 9 Peak Pro’s optical heart rate performance seems pretty solid, too. 

  •  Performance rating: 4/5 

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Battery life

  • 21 days in smartwatch mode
  • 40 hours in GPS mode
  • 300 hours in battery-friendly GPS

So what about the 9 Peak Pro’s battery life? Suunto has certainly given it a boost in this regard, especially when comparing it to its predecessor, the 9 Peak. In smartwatch mode, which is basic activity tracking and receiving phone notifications, Suunto claims the 9 Peak Pro will offer 21 days as opposed to the 9 Peak’s seven days. GPS mode is now 40 hours, up from 25 hours, and in the battery-friendly GPS mode, you’ll get 300 hours as opposed to 170 hours. While these are some impressive improvements on paper, do they stack up in the real world?

In practice, we found the 9 Peak Pro just about lives it to its claims. Using the device to track some kind of workout activity almost every day, sometimes with GPS monitoring enabled and sometimes not, alongside smartphone notifications, lasted us just over two weeks before needing a recharge. 

It’s also pretty quick at re-juicing itself, too, powering up from 0-100% in just over an hour.

  • Battery life rating: 4/5

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Buy it if…

Suunto 9 Peak Pro: Don't buy it if…

Also consider

First reviewed January 2023

How we test

We test all our smartwatches in real, sweaty conditions. We wear them for multiple workouts, testing functions such as the heart rate monitoring and calorie counting functionalities and comparing them to other market leaders. We'll wear them while we sleep, eat and train to wear down the battery, ensuring the watch lasts as long as it claims. For example, we wore the Suunto 9 Peak Pro for over three weeks to check it lives up to those 300 hours.  

When it comes to GPS tracking, we'll often run or cycle while wearing another watch, and use the GPS tracking on a phone-based app to check for discrepancies. 

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