Roy Smyth

Associate Editor and part of the team of gadget reviewers at DroidHorizon. Also been known to dabble in software development to pay the bills.

9.2

Amazing

8.7
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Review: iControl Piper NV Home Automation

If you’re interested in remotely monitoring and controlling your home then iControl have a home automation camera / hub which can be viewed and controlled from your Android or iOS device. Piper NV Available in a choice of black or white, Piper NV is a relatively large (5.5” x 3.5”) plastic-shelled unit which sits on it’s own stand and provides a 180° Wi-Fi 3.4MP 1980 x 1080 camera (with night visi...[Read More]

7.6

Good

7.8
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Review: August EP715 Noise Cancelling Earphones

Noise cancelling earphones tend to be expensive, but August have been able to include this feature in their EP715 earphones at a very reasonable price. These metallic in-ear earphones come well packaged along with instructions, an Apple Lightning adapter and a special micro USB AAA power bank. You don’t get any alternative sizes of ear tips, which is very unusual even for the very cheapest earphon...[Read More]

6.1

Fair

5.5
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Review: August MS515 Bluetooth Speaker Pair

Most Bluetooth speakers we encounter are either mono, or have stereo speakers squeezed together in the same small box. However if you prefer a little separation in your stereo then August offer these pair of separate speakers for around the same price as many mono speakers. When you open the box of the MS515s you find a couple of triangular wedge speakers, instructions and a few cables. While the ...[Read More]

6.6

Fair

1
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Review: Penclic Mouse R3

Penclic reckon the world needs a new computer mouse and they want to sell it to you with their pen / mouse hybrid, the R3. The R3 comes packaged in a fancy plastic cylinder, along with instructions, a rechargeable AAA battery, a pouch, a USB wireless receiver and a retractable micro USB charging cable. The design is basically a stylus pen with a small mouse-like base, and the device seems well mad...[Read More]

7.8

Good

8.9
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Review: PROBOX2 Z Android 5.1 TV Box

Probox2 have been in the Android mini PC game since 2013, with some highly acclaimed TV media players such as the ULTIMATE, EX and EX+. These smarten up your TV so it can play or stream media, and run loads of Play Store apps just like a tablet. Their newest mid-range model called the Z has just been released running Android 5.1 Lollipop. Build Quality & Design The Z has adopted the familiar b...[Read More]

7.2

Good

Review: Hi-Tec Trek Go Activity Tracker

We’re probably all aware that the major technology companies want to sell us a smartwatch, but not everyone is ready to part with the significant cash required to buy one. If you just need the fitness tracking functionality then you can get cheaper bands like the Fitbit or Nike Fuelband. Most recently sports gear manufacturer Hi-Tec has entered this arena with their Trek range. Hi-Tec gives you th...[Read More]

6.8

Fair

5.2
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Review: Verbatim Nano 32GB USB Drive with Micro USB Adapter

We’ve reviewed quite a few different flash drives that (as well as having a standard USB connector) plug directly into the micro USB port of your Android device allowing you to expand the storage or transfer data via OTG. Verbatim used to be a big name in old school removable media such as floppy disks and writable CDs and DVDs, but I haven’t heard their name in a while. It turns out they’re still...[Read More]

9.2

Amazing

7
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Review: Shoulderpod S1

For me 2015 has been the year we’ve really seen a major leap forward in Android smartphone cameras. The performance of many high-end handset shooters is finally good enough that most people won’t feel the need to carry a separate camera. Have said that, the smartphone experience still lacks some of the finesse of a dedicated camera. Tripod use is out the window and one-handed point-and-shoot can b...[Read More]

6.8

Fair

7.6
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Review: Gear4 Soundwave Bluetooth Speaker

Home audio company Gear4 have their products available from a few major high street stores here in the UK. I was interested to see how their Soundwave speaker compares since I’ve found major chains often charging more for under-spec’ed products, assuming bricks-and-mortar shoppers will be less tech-savvy than online bargain hunters. Build Quality & Design Likely taking their design cues from t...[Read More]

8

Great

Review: Luxebell Tablet Stand

Tablets can be great for watching videos, but holding them for extended periods or propping them up at just the right angle can be a real pain. What you really need is a good adjustable stand that will hold your tablet up for you at whatever angle you choose. Unlike a lot of the plastic solutions available, this stand from Luxebell is made from sturdy aluminium which gives it a reassuring weight. ...[Read More]

7

Good

7.7
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Review: iClever 4-Port USB Charger

If you’re going on a road trip – maybe navigating with the phone GPS, kids in the back on their tablets – the last thing you want is a flat gadget battery. iClever have you covered making 2-port, 3-port and even 4-port versions of their car USB charger. Unlike some other adapters, even with something plugged into every port each one still outputs a full 5V 2.4A. Using a charger that ou...[Read More]

6.4

Fair

5.6
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Review: Western Digital WDTV Media Player

A lot of technology companies are scrambling to provide the winning solution that will make our TVs smart and capture the heart of our living rooms. Hard disk manufacturer Western Digital have been in the game longer than most, but how well does the latest (2014) incarnation of their media player compete in this competitive marketplace? Build Quality & Design The WDTV is a small black plastic ...[Read More]