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Samsung confirms new Galaxy S21 FE with Snapdragon 888 for India
4:39 pm | July 3, 2023

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

Samsung confirmed today it will relaunch the Galaxy S21 FE in India with a new chipset. Initially launched in January 2022, the smartphone will reappear in the Asian-Pacific country with the Snapdragon 888 chipset. The platform comes with Adreno 660 GPU, and Samsung coupled it with 256 GB storage. The initial press release did not reveal the official launch date, but there is a link for those interested to register for more details, when they become available. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE was initially launched in India with the Exynos 2100 chipset, while other markets got the...

The Realme Narzo 60 Pro will have up to 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB storage
3:22 pm |

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

After showing off the Narzo 60 series design last week, Realme has updated the Amazon landing page for the upcoming phones with new details. This time it also shared an image that shows off the front of the device to help highlight some key details. The Narzo 60 Pro will have a curved display with 120Hz refresh rate and 2,160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. The bottom bezel of the display will measure 2.3mm. There are no details on the size and resolution, but (as we noted last time) there is a clear similarity between the Narzo 60 series and the Realme 11 Pro phones. Realme Narzo...

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 may not arrive with an IP58 rating after all
2:31 pm |

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

With the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 launch expected later this month, we can now look forward to some last minute spec leaks and clarifications. According to long-time tipster Ice Universe who holds a solid track record in terms of Samsung leaks, Galaxy Z Fold5 will not launch with an IP58 dust and water resistance rating. The latest tweet from Ice Universe comes after a recent report which suggested the Z Fold5 and Z Flip5 will launch with an IP58 rating which would be a first for foldable phones. The upcoming foldables from Samsung will likely retain the IPX8 rating for water resistance...

The advanced ambient sound update for Galaxy Buds2 Pro reaches Europe
1:31 pm |

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

On Global Accessibility Day Samsung released an update to the Galaxy Buds2 Pro that enabled Enhanced Ambient Sound, a feature that helps people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. The update was rolled out in South Korea initially but is now expanding to Europe. The firmware update is version R510XXU0AWF4. Here’s the changelog: A new feature has been added to the Labs menu Added “Sharpen call sound,” which is useful in noisy places Added “Extra-high ambient volume” for “Hearing enhancements” (when activated, the “Ambient Sound level” changes from step 3 to step 5) Stability...

Feathery review
1:23 pm |

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

Feathery is an online form builder that shines through with its advanced logic capabilities. Instead of simply collecting the data, it helps in building robust workflows. How? It plays a central role in arranging scattered data, simplifying login processes, and performing data checks. Feathery allows you to build a custom-designed form by using simple drag-and-drop controls. It’s an excellent option for product teams that want to establish flows for applications, user onboarding, payments, and sign-ups.

The platform has served over 1 million forms by enabling integrations with thousands of apps like HubSpot, Zapier, Webhooks, and more. Its product-grade features like beautiful visual layouts, fully customizable fields, drafts and previews, and extensible developer API make designing, building, and launching a form a piece of cake. Let’s dig deep to determine if Feathery can help you create best-in-class forms that resonate with your product and business requirements. 

Feathery: Plans and pricing

Feathery offers simplified price plans starting from a free subscription to more advanced upgrades. The Free plan is appropriate for individuals and small teams, offering 100 monthly submissions, basic integrations, up to 2 live forms, and unlimited styles and components. 

The Basic plan starts at $49 per month and suits businesses that are just starting to scale. Apart from everything in the free plan, you also get access to 1,000 monthly submissions and up to 5 live forms without the Feathery branding.

The Plus plan, priced at $99 per month, offers upto 10,000 monthly submissions and as many as 20 live forms. If you own a mid-sized business, this plan should be more than enough.

Next comes the Pro plan that works best for growth-focused businesses. At $190/month, you get 100,000 form submissions and 100 live forms. If you’re looking for premium integrations, this plan will do the job. 

Finally, you have the Enterprise plan for large-scale usage. With advanced conversion tools, access control, and priority support, this plan requires a special pricing inquiry. 

Feathery: Features

Feathery, with its excellent custom form capabilities and flexible integrations, is a power-packed form builder. In addition to Zapier integration which allows you to connect to various tools and applications, you can leverage Stripe for error-free payment processes. 

Not only logic but also the Feathery design flow helps fine-tune the form by controlling the page's colors, element positions, and hover properties. Read on for more depth in Feathery features. 

Login and signup flow

You need minimum developer resources and just a few minutes to build your login flow with Feathery’s solid integrations and flexible visual editor. You can even allow social logins through Facebook, Discord, Google, LinkedIn, Amazon, and so on. 

Apart from adding various custom elements such as text boxes, dropdowns, buttons, and SSNs, you can connect your form with an authentication provider like Stytch or Firebase. All of this and more can be done through Feathery’s robust visual editor. 

User onboarding 

Want to create a flawless user onboarding process? Feathery’s conditional logic, integration list, and visual editor make a perfect combination for that. You can use conditional logic to route your users via certain personalized steps – hide specific fields and create custom validation to avoid spam. 

You can integrate with different applications for your specific needs and track user metrics. For instance, Google Analytics can be integrated to track down user behavior and demographics of the audience filling your forms. Similarly, Gmail integration will send an email confirmation to your users upon form submission. 

User application flow

Feathery, unlike other form builders, is capable of designing specific applications for loans, insurance, and mortgage. Its flexible styling and Fintech integrations make it possible to build powerful financial applications without writing a single line of code.

You can also include application flows in your custom site with the help of Feathery’s embedded SDK or software development kit. It helps developers integrate different apps and tools and change the form behavior based on specific requirements. Besides, it’s also extensible and lets you transfer data to your backend or any other part of your site. 

Payment integrations 

I like how you can build a custom payment flow in your form with Feathery’s functionality-enriched features. Products, subscription plans, and prices can be pulled directly from Stripe for a dynamic display. The field calculation can be used to create logic such as “quantity x price.” 

You can also collect payments from users through Stripe’s pre-built checkout flow or custom-designed PCI-compliant UI  – a security standard that helps ensure the security of credit card transactions. 

Privacy and security 

Feathery prioritizes user data privacy and takes necessary steps to safeguard the confidentiality of the information collected. The implementation of access control and authentication mechanisms prevents unauthorized access to user data. Besides, Feathery complies with privacy regulations and standards like General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

Feathery does allow third-party integrations but follows secure practices while doing so. It ensures that user data is handled following privacy policies and consent requirements. The additional regular security audits and assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities or risks are a nifty plus.

Website screenshot for Feathery

(Image credit: Feathery)

Feathery: Interface and in use

If you, like me, value simplicity, you’ll love Feathery’s user-friendly interface, which offers unmatched ease of use. You can choose from the different pre-built templates and themes, which cover a variety of use cases, like registrations, surveys, and feedback.

Feathery has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to easily add or remove different form elements like text fields, checkboxes, dropdown menus, and whatnot. 

You can experiment by adjusting colors, fonts, backgrounds, and layouts to create your own style. You also get real-time previews to see how the changes impact the form’s appearance.

The intuitive interface eliminates the need for coding or technical expertise. However, you can still do so if needed.

Feathery: Support

Feathery offers a comprehensive list of documentation, tutorials, and other resources to guide you through its form-building process. You can use the product updates section to learn about the latest additions and improvements. For instance, the latest Feathery AI has garnered about 3,000 users since its launch. 

It also has a diverse range of blogs – from conditional logic to how to better your signup flows for an enhanced experience. For more comprehensive solutions, post your queries on Feathery’s community, which helps you share experiences, ask questions, and seek advice. And, of course, there’s standard email support for your queries, requests, and problems too.

Feathery: The competition

While Typeform and Jotform have emerged as renowned competitors for Feathery, some key differences exist. If you have simple needs like collecting contact details for a mailing list or generating a customer feedback survey, Typeform and Jotform are excellent options. These platforms are ideal for small businesses having simple form creation and data collection needs. 

However, professionals, enterprises, and product teams who need a higher level of customization, logic, integration, and analytics will benefit from the advanced Feathery. It’s better suited if you want to create bespoke and powerful forms with advanced branching logic and collect and verify user financial data in real time. 

Feathery: Final verdict

While Feathery was built for product teams, it has proved equally good for tech forwards. It’s ideal for someone wanting to build powerful shortcuts for data and logic in a short period at low costs. Many form builders become complex as they keep on adding advanced features – but not Feathery. It’s still as versatile as it was on launch, and its user-friendliness makes it a joy to create custom forms. 

There’s no lack of sophistication, product-grade features, or cutting-edge logic, making Feathery superior to its competitors. Take it for a test run with its free plan to gauge its effectiveness and usability for your business before you commit to a paid subscription.

We've listed the best survey tools.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, Watch 6 Classic appear as Google Play Supported Devices
12:32 pm |

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

Samsung will host the summer Unpacked event in Seoul, South Korea, and we expect to see two new foldables, a couple of tablets as well as the Watch6 and Watch6 Classic wearables. The smartwatches have already leaked multiple times, and today another bit of info appeared online. Codenames and model numbers were revealed on Google Play Supported Devices, opening the doors for finding more details on the models in one month until they become official. The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 with codename fresh6bs and model number SM-R930 is expected to be the 40 mm variant, while fresh6bl and...

Smeg Personal Blender review: a fun retro-styled blender for making single serve drinks to-go
12:17 pm |

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

One-minute review

Smeg is an appliance brand that needs little-to-no introduction. But, with that being said, when you’re thinking of buying one of the best blenders, it might not be Smeg that springs to mind first. 

However, this is the go-to brand for some of the best-looking retro-style appliances including some of the best juicers and best espresso machines. And with a big range of matching 50’s style appliances, you can invest in several products in the range to keep your countertops looking coordinated.

This is Smeg’s only personal blender, though the brand does offer a full-size model and you can read the full review for that here. The Smeg personal blender comes with two to-go cups with leakproof lids. There are two blending speeds to choose from and the cup simply needs to be pressed down to initiate blending. It’s a pretty simple appliance.

On test, I found it easy to use and easy to clean. Blending was a bit hit-and-miss though, not all drinks were completely smooth and lump free. But a second one-minute blending cycle will usually do the trick to get rid of most remaining chunks. However, considering its okay performance, it’s an expensive choice - you’re paying for the appearance and brand name rather than a top performer.

Smeg personal blender

(Image credit: Future)

Smeg Personal Blender review: price and availability

  •  List price: $169.95 / £109.95

The Smeg Personal Blender is widely available direct from the Smeg store on Amazon or via other independent retailers. The price is a bit steep in comparison to leading brands such as Nutribullet and Ninja. To some extent, you’re paying for Smeg's signature retro style.

On the plus side, the brand sells a whole host of small appliances styled to match, so you can kit out your kitchen with coordinating retro appliances in your favorite Smeg color.

  • Value score: 3/5

Smeg Personal Blender review: specifications

Smeg personal blender

(Image credit: Future)

Smeg Personal Blender review: design and features

  • Two 20oz / 600ml cups
  • Two blending speeds
  • BPA free Tritan Renew cups 

The overall size of this personal blender was around what I expected. It measures 13.2 x 5.6 x 5.4 inches / 33.5 x 14.2 x 13.6cm (h x w x d). And at 4lb / 2.5kg it’s easy to move around, so if you’d rather keep it in a cupboard than out on your counter you won’t struggle to move it.

It’s available in six colors; black, pastel blue, pastel green, pink, red, and white. In the UK there’s a cream option instead of black. I was sent the pink color for the review, which is definitely a love-it or hate-it color. Meanwhile, the curvy shape has a distinctly retro vibe that’ll suit some kitchens more than others.

It comes with two clear plastic blending cups that have a screw-on cap with a large drinking spout. A lid with a silicone seal can be screwed on top to seal the cup. The lid has a looped top that can be clipped to your bag, or it acts as a handle.

The cups are made from BPA-free Tritan Renew - so they’re shock and breakage resistant as well as made from 50% recycled content. There is something about the look of the bottle and spout, that reminds me of a baby's bottle though.

Smeg personal blender

(Image credit: Future)

A blade assembly is attached to the bottle and then it’s upturned and placed on the base. A dial on the base of the blender offers two blending speeds. There’s not a start/stop button though - the blender starts when you push down on the bottle and stops when you release it. It’s not too hard on the arms for short bursts, though anyone with arm or wrist mobility issues will probably be better off getting a blender with a start/ top button.

The manual advises not blending for more than 60 seconds at a time, with 60-second breaks between each blending cycle. It can’t blend hot liquids, and only 4 ice cubes in a drink are recommended. It makes no mention of how much frozen fruit can be used though. But it does say hard ingredients should be cut into 0.4 inch/ 1cm pieces. 

  • Design score: 4/5

Smeg personal blender

(Image credit: Future)

Smeg Personal Blender review: performance

  • Doesn’t liquidize seeds
  • Mixes powders well
  • Simple to operate

For my first drink, I chose a simple combination of mixed frozen berries including raspberries, blackberries, and blackcurrants, and I blended these with almond milk and a scoop of protein powder. Opting for the higher of the two blending speeds, I pressed down on the upturned cup and blended for the maximum allowable time of 60 seconds.

The resulting bright pink drink was pretty well mixed, but the texture was somewhat gritty because it hadn’t succeeded in pulverizing the tiny berry seeds. What’s more, pieces of blackcurrant skin were also floating around in the drink. 

For me, the drinking spout was comfortable to drink from and the bottle was comfortable to hold too. I also left the drink on its side for ten minutes to check the lid didn’t leak and thankfully nothing came out.

I tried a banana and chocolate shake which I made using milk, one sliced banana, a scoop of protein powder, four ice cubes, and 1 tbsp cocoa powder. This time, since it was mostly soft and powdery ingredients, I blended it at a lower speed and stopped it after 45 seconds when it looked like everything was well mixed. 

I think because you’re having to push down on the top, the temptation is to stop sooner than you otherwise might. In hindsight, I should have left it blending for a bit longer, because when I got to the bottom of the drink there were some chunky banana pieces. The ice had been pulverized though and the powders were thoroughly mixed in too.

Smeg personal blender

(Image credit: Future)

Lastly, I made a smoothie that we make in all of our blender reviews, it contained pineapple chunks, greek yogurt, fresh spinach, apple juice, and banana. This time I blended it for the full 60 seconds on the higher speed setting.

Afterwards, there were still some lumps in the cup so I blended for a further 60 seconds. The finished smoothie had a fibrous, pulpy texture but no lumps and no unblended pieces of spinach leaf. It wasn’t super silky smooth but had a thick texture that I think most people would be happy with.

On the lower speed, the noise level is about 80dB, and although the pitch changes at higher speeds, my noise meter didn’t record a louder decibel figure. Naturally though, if you're blending hard frozen ingredients it’ll be louder.

  • Performance score: 4/5

Smeg personal blender

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Smeg Personal Blender?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

Also consider...

If you’re not sure about the Smeg Personal Blender, here are a couple of other options to consider...

How I tested the Smeg Personal Blender

  • I used it to blend a variety of drinks
  • I checked the noise level
  • I assessed how easy it was to clean

I used the Smeg personal blender in my own home for a week to make smoothies, protein shakes, and milkshakes. And while the pink color isn’t to my taste, I can see the appeal of the pastel colors and curvy design. Especially when so many other personal blenders are black or metallic colors

Aside from using it as a blender, I assessed the overall ease of use, ease of cleaning, and noise levels. And I drank every drink from the cups provided to check they were comfortable to drink from and didn’t leak.

I’ve been reviewing home and kitchen appliances for over 10 years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on when assessing how well a product such as a blender performs. 

Read more about how we test.

[First reviewed June 2023]

Honor Magic V2 new teaser emerges
10:54 am |

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

With the launch of the Honor Magic V2 set for July 12, we finally received our first teaser for the upcoming foldable. The device is positioned as the next leap in mobile phones next to a smartphone and a basic feature phone. The title of the poster reads "From progress to evolution". Honor CEO George Zhao already proclaimed that Magic V2 will “revolutionize the foldable experience” so we can expect some major changes compared to the Magic Vs. Magic V2 is expected to get an upgraded LTPO AMOLED main screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and high-frequency PWM dimming. The device will in two...

Wufoo review
10:15 am |

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

Wufoo is an online form builder that allows you to design and customize online forms to collect data, set up payments, and automate workflows. It has 400+ customizable web templates and streamlines existing business operations with its registration, application, survey, contact, and payment forms. With more than 40% of its templates focusing on surveys, Wufoo is an ideal pick for businesses.

We like Wufoo’s cloud database, which allows it to host everything. All you need is your web browser, and you can launch and customize your form without any coding. You can link your forms with popular payment gateways such as Stripe and PayPal with intuitive drag n’ drop tools, ready-made templates, and more. 

Additionally, you can sync Wufoo to automate and manage your documents using these integrations. Not to forget, there’s also the option to collaborate on forms with other team members to collect data and permissions effectively.

Wufoo: Plans and pricing

In addition to a free subscription that allows you to build and share primary forms and collect limited responses, Wufoo offers four paid plans. You can easily switch between these subscriptions to access different utilities. 

The Starter plan, available at $19 per month on the monthly plan and $14.08 per month on the annual plan, allows you to customize branding, send confirmation emails, and automate your workflows.

The most popular plan is the Professional plan which lets you collect payments, create unlimited forms, add additional users, and secure your records. It’s priced at $39 on the monthly package and $29.08 on the yearly one.

Now, if you want to increase your max entry intake, users, file storage, and API requests, go with the Advanced plan. It’ll cost you $99 every month but $74.08 if you go for annual billing.

The most expensive of the lot – the Ultimate plan – offers the same features as the Advanced plan but with increased limits, perfect for extra large enterprises. You can get it for either $249, paying month to month, or $183.25 on the yearly plan. 

Wufoo: Features

Wufoo offers several features allowing you to make the best online forms in minutes! You just need to follow the prompts to collect data, set up online payments and automate your business workflow for maximum efficiency. 

Build and customize online forms from scratch

Wufoo offers a range of intuitive features to help you design appealing and purpose-driven forms without writing a single line of code. Its drag ‘n drop form builder helps in form-building and theme designing. 

You can also use ready-made templates or customize existing themes to match your aesthetics. And the best part? You can insert your company logo and other brand elements into your online forms for branding. 

Accept bulk data collection and set up online payments

Apart from data collection, you can integrate Wufoo forms with payment portals like PayPal, USAePay, and many more for secure online cash transfers. Embed your form onto your website, or share it using a direct link to reach a large audience. 

For this, you can go ahead with a JavaScript code, iFrame code, or WordPress shortcode. However, you might require technical expertise to embed these forms on your site. 

Receive real-time notifications

Wufoo gives you the option to receive trigger notifications whenever anyone completes and submits your form. This’ll help you follow up promptly on the entries.

Integrate, automate, and streamline workflow

The integrations available on the paid subscriptions allow you to easily automate workflows to optimize resource allocation and boost your company’s productivity. You can seamlessly transfer your form data, like contact info gathered through forms, to the CRM and marketing automation systems like Salesforce or Mailchimp. By integrating these systems, a new lead or contact will be automatically added to your Salesforce or Mailchimp list as soon as someone fills out the form. 

Also, Wufoo has a CSS/HTML to Image tool that allows you to convert several lines of code into JPEG or PNG images for a more attractive form.

Branching and logic to improve user experience

With Wufoo, you can easily set rules to personalize your respondents’ form-filling experience. And this is also a great way to appease your audience to encourage more survey entries.

You can use field rules to present or hide fields. For example, you can choose to hide section breaks or file upload fields if your form doesn’t need them. You can also apply form rules to set up how you want to follow up with your respondent – send them email confirmations or redirect them to another webpage.

Organize and analyze your data

Easily organize and analyze your data with filters or export it to spreadsheets or tables. With these built-in features, you can generate insights to understand your data or custom-build reports. 

The highest degree of security 

The SurveyMonkey and Wufoo collaboration in 2011 has taken the security standards one step ahead to keep your data safe. With 256-bit SSL encryption, all your information is protected before it’s sent and stored in secure cloud servers. 

However, Wufoo does not use CAPTCHA, which makes it challenging to prevent spam submissions, especially when it comes to payment-integrated forms, and result in a massive spam influx. 

For instance, a non-profit organization using Wufoo for 14 years experienced 35,000 bot-generated credit card transactions/submissions in about 8 hours period due to the missing CAPTCHA feature. This could be a deal breaker for some.

Wufoo dashboard

(Image credit: Wufoo)

Wufoo: Interface and in use

Wufoo’s interface looks basic, and its simplicity makes the editor easy to use and intuitive. 

However, in terms of navigation, Wufoo’s interface isn’t the best. The lack of an in-editor navigator makes it challenging to get by, especially in the beginning. Also, it takes some time to understand the editor and apply pre-made templates to your form. However, its drag-and-drop features make it manageable and easier.

Although the editor is not one of the most beginner friendly, you will get the hang of things if you spend enough time. There are tutorials and guides on the Wufoo website that will help you with navigation. 

If this is your first time building an online form and you want to do it without any advanced coding, Wufoo can help, but there are better alternatives too. However, once you've played around, it’s pretty straightforward to use. It can help you create highly engaging and user-friendly forms. 

Wufoo: Support

Wufoo offers excellent customer support – its Help Center offers quick answers, plus you can also use its search bar to look for keyword-specific results. There are tons of well-compiled guides and a robust blog section to keep you updated on their demo tutorials. 

You can expect expedited support according to the plan you’re on – you’ll receive priority support if you’ve subscribed to either the Advanced or Ultimate plan and expedited support with the Professional plan. 

For other plans, you can contact their customer support through email. They generally get back within two business days, almost twice as long as other form builders, but there’s also quick support for three of the four paid plans, so overall, there’s not much to complain about. Their working hours extend from Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.

Wufoo: The competition

There are several form builders offering similar features and functionalities. Some of the most popular competitors for Wufoo are Typeform, Google Forms, JotForm, Formstack Forms, and Microsoft Forms. 

Wufoo and Typeform are some of the most popular online form builders. While both platforms offer excellent value for money on the features front, Typeform has a better survey builder and templates. However, you can get more custom fields, branching logic, and embedded forms with Wufoo.

Like Wufoo, Formstack too allows third-party integrations to enhance your forms and add to your organization. Both are excellent for looking at advanced report generation and workflow automation features. If you want to try these integrations at decent pricing, try Wufoo. Moreover, Fromstack doesn’t have a free plan, unlike Wufoo.

Wufoo: Final verdict

Wufoo is an online form builder that allows you to integrate and automate your workflows. It has a decent interface, and its intuitive drag-and-drop features make designing easier. With more than 140 survey-oriented templates, Wufoo is built for business use. 

If you’re searching for straightforward and highly cost-effective online form builders, Wufoo is the one for you. You can explore some of its features with a free signup before taking the plunge. But to take advantage of its premium features like integrations, you must upgrade to one of its four paid plans. 

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Bird Buddy Smart Bird feeder review
9:00 am |

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

Two-minute review

Originally a Kickstarter project that was actually successful, the Bird Buddy is beautifully crafted, and designed to make watching the birds visiting your garden a fun experience.

Out of the box, there is little to do in terms of assembling the product – you simply need to decide if you want to hang the camera via the included cord, or screw the post holder onto the bottom. This holder allows you to mount the Bird Buddy to the top of a pole that’s around the diameter of a broom handle. You can also purchase a wall mount for $24, which is a simple L bracket that attaches via the pole mount. It’s a shame that there isn’t an option to attach the feeder to a tree trunk via a strap, as you can with the Netvue Birdfy, but I guess the logic is that you can just as easily hang it from a tree branch using the cord. 

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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder camera hanging from a garden tree

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder camera hanging from a garden tree

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder camera closeup of its roof

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder camera hanging from a tree

(Image credit: Future)

Installing the camera is simple. It has a built-in battery, which charges via USB-C, and it slots neatly into a housing in the Bird Buddy and is held in place with a magnet. The magnet also tells the app that the camera is installed in the feeder and is ready to record. It’s worth saying at this point that the Bird Buddy does not double up as a security camera. It won’t record unless it’s mounted in the feeder, and it doesn’t notify you of every instance of motion that occurs in the vicinity, only bird visits. To help conserve battery life, there’s a Deep Sleep mode in the app that switches the camera off one hour after sunset, and switches it on again one hour before sunrise, with these times calculated based on the location you enter when you set up the feeder.

Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Price and release date

Bird Buddy costs $199 (approximately £157 / AU$298), while it’s also available as the Bird Buddy + Solar Roof for $269 (approximately £212 / AU$403. It ships from the US, with shipping costs to the UK around £35. Prices as listed from the official website mybirdbuddy.com.

I also received the optional Solar Panel roof. This simply clicks onto the top of the Bird Buddy’s roof, and you then plug the USB-C power cable into the back of the camera. It does a reasonable job of keeping the battery topped up; however, it’s mounted on one side of the pitched roof, so you’ll need to think carefully about which side you place the solar panel on for it to catch the most sun, especially if you’re hanging the Bird Buddy from a branch.

The solar panel is a neat addition and should help keep your battery topped up, if not completely full, although this is obviously dependent on the weather and season. Bird Buddy says the 3800mAH battery will last between five and 15 days, and I found it lasted around a week without the solar panel connected. The solar panel extends the battery life considerably – it might never run down if the panel is placed optimally and you’re blessed with hours of sunshine. It takes two to four hours to charge the battery via a regular charger, depending on the power source.

Setting up the camera via the Bird Buddy app is straightforward. It took a couple of minutes to pair the device with my iPhone via the Bird Buddy app and allow it to access my Wi-Fi network. With the Bird Buddy placed outside around 30ft / 10m from the nearest Wi-Fi router in my house, the signal strength to the feeder was ‘Medium,’ which seemed to be sufficient. Unlike on the Netvue feeder there’s no additional Wi-Fi antenna, which keeps the design looking slick, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re planning to position the Bird Buddy a fair distance from the nearest Wi-Fi spot. 

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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder smart remote in the hand

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder smart remote in the hand

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder smart remote in the hand

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder smart remote in the hand

(Image credit: Future)

The best way to describe the app is ‘cute’. Rather than motion notification alerts, you receive ‘postcards’ from the visiting birds, and you can then watch a short 9:16 orientation video of the visit, and various still images the camera has captured. The camera captures images in portrait orientation which fill a typical phone screen, making them ideal for sharing, though not ideal if you plan to view the footage on a TV or computer; although with the camera being just 720p you probably won't want to view images on anything other than a phone or tablet.

Despite the low resolution, both video and still images from the Bird Buddy look great. Colors, contrast and sharpness are all good, making for images that are pleasing to look at and fun to share.

In the app you can see the most recent postcards you’ve received, and you can also view Collections, where all the visits from a single species are found, allowing you to see, for example, all the visits from robins or finches (or squirrels, which will inevitably come calling looking for food to steal) in one place. There’s even Bird Buddy TV, where you can see footage from other people's Bird Buddies worldwide (you need to submit your videos for inclusion; they aren’t automatically uploaded), and you can help the Bird Buddy community out by helping to identify birds the AI doesn’t recognize. I found that the AI worked perfectly for wood pigeons, robins, and other common species (and squirrels). 

Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder video sample

The feeder fared well during its week in my garden. Thanks to some overzealous squirrels I needed to refill it a couple of times, which is a simple matter of opening the hatch at the back and pouring the feed in. It rained during the week, but there were no issues with water ingress. The only issue I encountered was a lack of notifications and ‘postcards’. The camera’s sensor detects movement within a cone-shaped field emanating from its center, and if a bird doesn’t creep into that zone in the center of the perch, or perhaps if a visit is too fleeting to register, you won't get a postcard from the Bird Buddy. I watched several birds land on the feeder, briefly peck at some seed, and then fly away without triggering a notification. Apparently, the Bird Buddy works behind the scenes to capture and create interesting postcards, so perhaps images of some birds weren't deemed interesting enough to warrant a postcard – which is odd given the huge volume of photos I did get that are close-ups of squirrel fur. This feature might be useful for saving battery and ensuring that you don’t get hundreds of motion notifications daily, but equally it’s a little disappointing to have missed some visits; it would be nice to have some customization options to give users more control over the type and frequency of notifications they receive.

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Bird Buddy Bird Feeder camera app screenshots

(Image credit: Future)
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Great tit bird on the perch of the Bird Buddy Bird Feeder camera

(Image credit: Future)
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Bird Buddy Bird Feeder camera app screenshot

(Image credit: Future)

Accessing the camera to see a ‘live view’ isn’t as straightforward as doing so from a security-style camera. Instead, you have to go into the camera settings and check the live view option, and it then takes a few seconds to start the feed. Presumably, this is a battery-saving feature, with the camera remaining in standby mode in between bird visits rather than being always on. While the camera is in live View mode the Bird Buddy cannot record and create postcards for you, and you can’t access live view when a postcard is being created.

Overall the Bird Buddy is a user-friendly device that won't bombard you with notifications; but equally, don’t expect every visit to be recorded, although the most interesting ones should be. The bird identification works well based on the small sample of birds that I had visit my feeder, and it’s also fun, and rather relaxing, to see birds visiting other people's gardens worldwide – what’s common somewhere else may be exotic to you, and it’s interesting to see non-native birds close up. The camera could do with a slightly wider-angle lens, although the upside of the narrow-ish field of view and 9:16 aspect ratio is that birds are featured prominently in the frame. It would be nice to have a natural-looking or camouflage color option for the feeder; while I like the very on-trend English mustard yellow finish, it does stick out if you prefer a more discreet look.

 Should I buy the Bird Buddy Smart Bird feeder? 

Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder camera hanging from a garden tree

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder camera

  • I mounted it to a tree for one week
  • I tried different sensitivity settings 
  • I used the Solar Roof for charging

I mounted the Bird Buddy to a tree in my garden and tested it for a week – it’s worth noting that it may take a day or two for birds to discover the feeder and get used to it, so don’t expect to start receiving notifications right away. The weather during the test period included a thunderstorm, which proved a good test of the device’s weatherproofing.

Over this time, I had the chance to test the battery life, and see how this was improved by the addition of the solar panel roof, which wasn’t always in full sunlight. I used the app's various features to view and manage my growing collection of bird photos and videos.

First reviewed June 2023

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