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Affordable alternatives to Sonos speakers
Sonos dominates the multi-room audio market but its high entry costs make it inaccessible for budget-conscious consumers, with the cheapest models starting at £179. More affordable alternatives exist that can deliver satisfactory audio quality for casual listening without the premium price tag. The Google Home speaker, priced at £99, offers compelling value for those seeking…
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Cat7 vs. Cat6 Ethernet cable: Which is better for your home network?
Cat7 appears to be an obvious upgrade from Cat6 due to its higher frequency rating and additional shielding, but it rarely offers practical benefits for most home networks. Cat6 remains the sensible choice for residential installations, capable of delivering Gigabit Ethernet over 100 metres and supporting 10Gbps over shorter distances. Cat6 operates at 250 MHz,…
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Education giant Pearson rocked by $17.3million fraud claims: How a Melbourne royalties manager allegedly siphoned a fortune from the company
Pearson’s former royalties manager for its Australian operations, Paul Anthony Adlard, has been charged with allegedly stealing A$17.34 million through bogus transactions between June 2021 and June 2024. The suspected fraud was reportedly uncovered by staff at the company’s Melbourne office and referred to police. The alleged amounts included A$8.89 million taken through transactions over…
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Technics debuts magnetic fluid drivers in flagship noise-cancelling headphones
Technics has unveiled the EAH-A1000, its next generation flagship over-ear adaptive noise cancelling headphones, introducing magnetic fluid drivers to reduce audio distortion and vibrations. This represents the brand’s first use of this magnetic fluid technology in an over-ear headphone model, marking a significant innovation in the company’s pursuit of audio fidelity. The development aims to…
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Buy a graphics card with at least 16GB of VRAM for longevity
The article argues that graphics-card buyers should favour more VRAM, potentially buying sooner as demand from AI data centres is tightening memory supplies and pushing prices up. It says 16GB is a sensible minimum for people hoping to keep a card for around five years, though the right amount depends on resolution and settings. Tests…
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Ember Mug 3’s unreliable app and short battery life weaken its appeal
The Ember Mug 3 is a well-made, self-heating mug that keeps drinks at a chosen temperature for hours, which could appeal to people who sip slowly. However, the reviewer finds it difficult to recommend at $150 because unreliable app controls and limitations with charging undermine the convenience it promises. The 14-ounce mug feels sturdy and…
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Expensive Ethernet cables aren’t a guarantee of higher speeds: Here’s why
Expensive Ethernet cables do not guarantee faster network speeds, as the actual data transfer rate is limited by the slowest component in the network chain, not the cable alone. Price and speed are not directly correlated, making cable selection more about matching specifications to existing hardware and actual requirements rather than simply purchasing the most…
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The midrange Dell XPS 13 is the one you actually want
Dell’s midrange XPS 13 with 16GB of RAM delivers a noticeably better experience than the base model, which has 8GB. The reviewer argues that 8GB is too little for Windows 11 in 2026, leaving limited memory for everyday apps and potentially slowing the system when it relies on storage as virtual memory. In testing, the…
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Wi-Fi extenders can slow speeds and leave larger homes with patchy coverage
Wi-Fi extenders can be a cheap, simple way to improve reception in one small room, but they often reduce speeds and provide patchy coverage. The article argues that they are usually a poor choice for larger homes or several weak-signal areas, where a better-placed or upgraded router, or a mesh system, may work more effectively.…
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Is the Google Pixel 8 still worth buying in 2026?
The Google Pixel 8 may still be a good-value phone in 2026 for buyers who want strong cameras, a clean Android experience and long software support. Its refurbished price of under $300 is well below its original $700 launch price and the $500 starting price of the Pixel 10a, though whether it is worthwhile depends…