I’ve not been a fan of screen protectors but after seeing a few people with matte finishes on their iPads I wanted to jump in with my 11”.

I picked up the iVisor and I have to say after a week in I’m impressed.

As you can see it’s a matte finish and installed bubble free as promised. You can take kit off to wash under the tap but I’m not ready to try that out yet.

The quality looks high and once I started to use it I can see why it’s more expensive.

With us being in summer now and even though we aren’t out and about I’m using it outside in the garden and the finish helps to keep off reflections. It does have an impact on clarity but not too bad to want to take it off. I now personally prefer a matte finish on my iPad screen.

Using the pencil also feels better to me than using the naked screen. There is a little more friction and the texture feels good, not like paper but again better than the glass.

I didn’t have a concern about scratches but that’s obviously a nice side effect of switching to a protector.

At over £20 for one it is on the pricier side but I recommend spending a little more to get the Moshi.

Lockne is a great little app that I can’t believe hasn’t already been done, it’s a really useful utility app that every iPhone user could do with. If you’re into changing up your wallpaper every 5 minutes (like me) then you need to check it out.

Developed by Jonathan Ruiz this is an app that lets you visualise what your home screen and wallpaper would look like in real time and then allows you to capture what you saw within the app.

The UI is simple and intuitive and for me the only place I would change it would be to move the settings icon somewhere else or make it smaller, other than it’s perfect for what the app is trying to achieve.

Once you are happy with how it’ll look then simply hit the circle to take a photo as you would within the camera app.

You can switch between lock screen and home screen by tapping on the far right icon, in this case above hitting the lock icon shows you what it might look like as a lock screen rather than the home screen as above. In my testing whilst writing up this overview I experienced no bugs and performance is really good. I’ll be using this app quite a lot going forward in my pursuit for that perfect wallpaper.

I think it’s great to see utilities like this still being made, one that feels like the creator wanted to use themselves so went out and did it. It’s important to support apps like this one and I gladly spent the £2.99 to support it.

I like to quickly write down my thoughts as I use a product rather than write up a big review so here are my first impressions of the Apple Magic Keyboard for the 11” iPad Pro. I’ve had the 2020 iPad for a couple of weeks and enjoying it but it didn’t feel complete as I was waiting for the keyboard to arrive and today it did.

Even on the smaller iPad Pro it’s got some weight to it but for me at least it’s fine to carry around with the iPad like I did my Smart Keyboard cover on my 10.5” iPad Pro.

Before even plugging it in the build quality feels amazing (as you’d expect for almost £300). The keys are good, more travel than my 12” MacBook so I’ll need to adjust but enjoying the typing experience. The hinge to hold up the iPad is stiff and that’s a good thing, the trackpad is also a little stiff to click - but it’s only day 1.

Here’s a summary of things I’ve spotted from my first hour with this new setup

• It really highlights the apps that embrace the setup, if your app doesn't have secondary click support I cant use it - I'm currently working out which of the apps I use are good or bad in this respect (would you be interested in a post about this?)
• My writing style means my hands are quite high so my nails are hitting the bottom of the docked iPad, I just need to adjust to this - no big problem
• I like the flexibility of using whichever method I feel like - keyboard, trackpad, undocked or pencil, it's one of the main reasons I love the iPad so much
• The trackpad is actually bigger than I was expecting on this smaller iPad and I'm enjoying using it
• The keys feel cramped to begin with but I'm getting used to it
• I miss the function row that I had with my MacBook
• It feels a little top heavy on the lap but totally doable for me I don't think it needs to be a desk only accessory on the 11"
• I wish the hinge had some more angle to it but understand why not - it would topple over...

Using this setup really makes me appreciate my choice to stick with the iPad and means that I have so much flexibility. I’m looking forward to seeing what iPadOS 14 brings up in terms of iPad support even more now.

Just a quick few thoughts on the new to iOS NetNewsWire RSS reader. I’ve been using Reeder for a little while and was a little unsure about testing out NetNewsWire but I I’m switching to it. The main reason is the performance and starred feature. Wow it’s quick and I found that with the Today and Starred article lists it helped me to engage more in reading blog posts.

The way that I’ve been using the app is to periodically check in with the Today view to see if anything is new and if there is something I want to go back to I’ll mark as starred and then pop into the starred view later to give it a read.

You can simply tap the star at the bottom to mark something to read later and then tap the arrows on the top right to move through your feed.

I don’t hook into a reader service but have an OPML export that contains all of my feeds, this can be imported into NetNewsWire.

For me this is now the default RSS reader you should be using on iOS. It’s free and you should do what you can to promote the open web and share your favourite blogs. (Note to self, I need to share more links!).

I picked up the Pitaka Air for my iPhone 11 Pro on 26th November 2019 and it’s become an essential part of my daily tech. I hate cases in general but everytime I’ve gone back to a naked iPhone I come back to the Pitaka and feel it’s improved the experience of using it.

The case itself weighs almost nothing and is constructed of a carbon fibre type material that gives it a great look and feel. I’ve also tested it on several accidental drops and it’s protected my device both times.

You can see a slight white mark and dent in the camera surround that it look when I dropped on concrete.

Even though I’ve taken it on and off quite a few times it still fits tight and there’s no fear about it coming off on it’s own.

It’s also pretty unique and personally I’ve not seen anyone else with one.

All of the buttons are easily accessible and access to the charging port is also great.

So it’s light, protected my iPhone on a couple of drops and adds grip. I really can’t recommend this case highly enough. As someone that hates cases it’s something I now can’t imagine not using.

This might seem like a strange post for someone that lives on iOS but I’ve been using my MacBook a little more lately due to the battery issues I’ve been experiencing on my iPad Pro. It’s been sat on my work desk so if I’ve needed to check my to do app or play some music I’ve been reaching for the MacBook.

Durability

It’s been in my camera bag and been on holiday with me but in general gets used around the house. It’s showing some signs of wear around the edges but overall if I took the stickers off you’d think it was less than the 3 years I’ve had it.

That keyboard...

I don’t love it, I make typing mistakes but it’s been reliable. I might be in the minority but as someone that usually has issues with gear the keyboard has worked fine. I did have a sticky tab key for a hour or so but tapping on it a few times seemed to remove whatever was stuck below it. I don’t have Apple Care for it anymore but hoping Apple would honour any repairs given this keyboards sordid history. I definitely prefer typing up posts on my iPad Smart Keyboard though.

Performance

This is where I notice it the most, it’s slow. My 10.5” iPad Pro never stutters but this feels slow and more than a 3 year old machine. I’ve got the base model so expected it to slow a bit but on the latest version of macOS I’m getting a little frustrated at the rate apps load, lag in Notes and general slow background iCloud sync.

I’m actually going to refresh back to the original OS it came with and see what happens to performance.

Battery

Battery still seems good, no issues and a factor for me picking it up over my iPad Pro that can’t get through a few hours at the moment.

Overall

As a part time machine the MacBook works well for me but only for basic tasks. I wouldn’t be able to do much video on it but for music production it’s been fine to be fair. Logic Pro runs ok on it and in my use recording guitar it’s also ok. I wouldn’t recommend anyone picking one up now though unless it’s a bargain and not your main machine.

Saying no to something isn’t always easy but with the Decline sticker pack it makes things a little easier to select the right response.

I use sticker packs a lot and having another one to pick from is something I’m always going to take a look at.

There’s a good selection of responses and the artwork is clean and stylish. Personally I’m looking forward to more sticker packs, no pressure!

Great work from Alyssa and Tim, well done. Check out more at their site here.

Two things I’m into are space and watches and more recently I’ve gotten into researching watches that have ended up in space or on the moon. The most obvious watch that comes to mind is my dream watch to own, the Omega Speedmaster but at over £3000 it’s a little out of my price range for now. The good news is that one of favourite watch brands has ended up in space, lots of times - Casio.

The g-shock 5600 series had been worn into space multiple times and is a great everyday watch.

The model I picked up to review was the 5610, tough solar for £74. It looks big when you see images but in reality it’s not that big on the wrist so first off don’t be put off straight away.

This model has a couple of cool additions on top of the 5600, solar powered and the ability to update itself via atomic timekeeping.

On using it for a week here are some of the takeaways

• The buttons are recessed so can't be hit accidentally
• The strap is typical Casio resin and super comfortable
• It's light enough to forget you're wearing it
• The illumination is the best I've used on a watch
• It'll take a beating

This has to be the best value for money in terms of having a daily watch you can wear anywhere.

If you’re looking for an everyday watch with a great history then the g-shock is hard to beat, especially if you’re into space. Until I save enough for an Omega, this is my number one space watch.

I’ve been using the Pitaka Air for a few days now and wanted to share my thoughts on what I’m it’s like to use day in day out. I came across this case whilst listening to a podcast and after checking some details on the case immediately knew it was one I wanted to check out.

It’s on the expensive side (around £50 at the time of writing) but based on my experience it’s up there with the official Apple cases in terms of quality so it’s somewhat justified. It’s also the first case in a while I’ve not thought about taking off once.

The case itself is super thin, like a few pieces of paper thin and weighs hardly anything. It’s a snap on case and is easy to apply, just make sure you have wiped off your iPhone before putting it on.

It’s made of a carbon fibre type material that feels tough and the finish hasn’t scratched up at all. It’s got a nice amount of grip and because it’s so thin it doesn’t feel like you have a case on the phone particularly. The finish of the case adds just the right amount of grip and getting it in and out of pocket is easy.

All of the buttons, some of the top and some of the bottom are exposed. This makes using it easy, no rigid plastic over the existing buttons. I like this approach but it’s no Otterbox, this doesn’t look a particularly drop proof case. I’m perfectly fine with this, I’m looking for something that adds grip but no bulk, this case does that. If you’re after something that gives you more confidence on big drops you’ll want to look elsewhere.

If you worry about screen scratches you’ll still want to apply a screen protector. There isn’t a lip around the case, which I love. I hate cases that restrict gestures of actually using the device.

For me this is the perfect case, price aside (an included screen protector would have been nice) it’s the first case in a while I forget is on there. Personally I like the carbon fibre look and the extra grip it adds is all I need really in a case.

As someone that is usually caseless I’m always looking for something as thin as possible. This case gives a good balance of being barely there.

If you are ok spending £40+ on an iPhone case and want something to give basic day to day protection then this case really is the one to get.

I’ve been wearing my trust Casio F-91w on and off for a few weeks now but been looking over at the G-Shock wondering what I’m missing. I don’t need to go into the background of these tough watches but as a fan of space travel it’s the only “space watch” I can afford, yes it’s certified for space travel. The Omega Speedmaster isn’t within my reach anytime soon but this astronaut approved Casio was.

First off the time and illumination is spot on. Easy to read and lights up the entire screen, something the much cheaper F-91w struggles with. I can see the time clearly at any angle and checking the time in the middle of the night is easy.

The case is sturdy but not too big but the buttons are harder to press.

The strap is made of the familiar Casio resin, which I find to be great. Doesn’t get clammy in the summer and is light. The strap on the 5610 is thicker and more rigid than the F-91w so bear that I’m mind. I find the F-91w disappears when I’m wearing it, the 5610 not so much.

If you’re after a hard wearing digital then you can’t go far wrong with the 5610 but for me it ended up being a little too big for my tastes and I went back to wearing my F-91w.

It’s hard to have grown up in the 80’s and not have a love for Casio watches. It’s what most of us would have been using when you had your first proper watch. I’ve still got my Master of the Universe and Star Wars watches I had when I was a kid but as soon as I got a little bit older Casio was my jam. Back in the 80’s I had an F-15, which I’ve lost over the years but the F-91w (released in 1991) became my go to watch. This also got lost but fortunately to this day Casio still manufactures them.

When I was looking at a break from my Apple Watch it was the obvious choice for me. At less than £15 it’s a no brainer if you want a classic.

I’ve also flirted with a G-Shock but I always come back to the F-91w. It’s so light and comfortable you forget you’re wearing it. I wear it pretty much 24x7 and even at this price point it’s durable. The screen will scratch being plastic but the body holds up surprisingly well.

The time and date are easy to see and all the buttons are logically laid out.

The only downsides of this watch are the strap durability and the light. The watch will easily outlast the strap, which tends to crack over time and at this price point it’s often cheaper to get a new watch rather than strap, which isn’t great for the environment. Then the watch light only illuminates from the left hand side making the minutes harder to see.

Otherwise this is one of the best watches ever made.

Be careful though and make sure you buy from a reputable store, there’s lots of fakes around. Yes it’s hard to believe but there are lots out there, this watch truly is an icon so I guess even at a low price point there’s money to be made from forgeries.

I’m no big watch collector (I wish I had the disposable income to be one) but everyone should have one of these in their collection.

I tend to write about my hardware when I get it and at the half way point in the year. I like to do this to see how my feelings have changed over time and see how it’s holding up to the daily wear and tear. For this post I’ll be looking at my silver 256GB iPhone XS.

Durability

I’m on my second XS (read about that in a later section) so the wear and tear will be less than if I’d used it since the launch version I had. I don’t use a case day to day so as expected my stainless steel band shows scratches. I don’t mind this, in fact I like the worn in look. They’re only really there if you look closely but overall the construction that Apple went with for with the X models seems to hold up.

The screen shows some light scratches but nothing that bothers me. The back glass has a few deeper scratches but on the silver model you can’t see them easily and again they don’t bother me.

I did drop my last one onto concrete and although the corner had a scratch the glass held up fine.

Camera

The camera has been good this year a definite step up from the X, especially in low light. I can’t make my mind up on smart HDR but tend to leave it on. I found especially when comparing to the Pixel 3a they were over brightened to my eyes but with some editing you can get really great shots. The camera is the only reason I upgraded last year and I’m pleased that I did it for the outlay. Remember I sold my X for a good amount so moving to the XS cost me a couple of hundred pounds. This was worth it for me to get the improved camera.

Any replacements?

I tend to get the Apple curse and need replacements, I always get Apple Care+. I’m on my second XS currently, the first being replaced due to the SIM tray keeping working it’s way out all by itself. This was sorted easily over the phone with Apple shipping a replacement.

Performance over time

The only lag I’ve found is when I take a picture then go to look at it. I see a slight delay in rendering the image. I’m not sure if this is iOS or my processor but it’s something I’ve noticed on and off over the last year.

Battery life

Battery life has been fine, I wouldn’t say any better or worse than my X or 7 before that. I get through a day fine but as I’m home based I don’t tend to need to worry about it. I do make sure though that background app refresh is turned off for almost everything.

FaceId

I’ve come to accept that we aren’t getting TouchId back so embraced FaceId this year and on the whole it’s fine. I do get frustrated when I’m in sunlight outside with a hat and sunglasses on and it works maybe half the time.

My major niggle

Is a software one. I’ve written about this before but I’ve been calling my emergency contact a lot from my pocket with the XS. I’ve got an open radar with Apple on this one and need to give them some system info to look into it. I’m hoping working with Apple I can help influence getting it fixed.

Overall thoughts

I’m glad I upgraded to the silver XS, I like the colour and the camera. It’s holding up fine and I’m not feeling the need to change it.

I’ve not normally actively reached out for review units and apps but in light of testing the Pixel 3a it reminded me how much I like to play with new stuff. If you have a product be it an app, device or accessory please drop me a note via my contact page and I’d love to take a look.

I’m not a huge fan of cases but the fabric finish of the official Google case hooked me in.

I picked up two colors

• Fog
• Seascape

Unboxing these is fine, good to see the packing almost all recycling friendly.

The inside of the case is soft microfiber that will keep your Pixel in top condition.

We then have plastic buttons with the same colour accents as the phones.

There are cutouts for the camera and fingerprint reader.

The only downside with this case is that hole for the fingerprint reader. It’s actually deeper than it needs to be and not big enough. I’ve come to like swiping down on the reader to show notifications. This is tricky with the case on. It’s also not so comfortable to unlock.

For £35 it’s not a bad price for these cases, I really like the fabric finish and maybe it’ll soften over time. It’s going to offer drop protection and protect the screen as it has a raised lip on the front.

Switching back and forth between the iPhone and Pixel I was struck with how much narrower the Pixel felt to me when going back to my XS.

Now here’s the Pixel 3a

They are both great displays to my eyes but the aspect ratio of the Pixel and on visual inspection with the 5.8” of the iPhone, the iPhone is both wider and taller. For me this makes it more comfortable to type on.

What helps Android though for me here is the fact I have a swipe keyboard so I’m not tapping keys but still I prefer the screen real estate of the iPhone XS over the Pixel for general day to day comfort.

Colour wise they both looks excellent to my eyes and I’m not seeing the price difference.

You can’t go wrong with the Pixel 3a at £399 for the quality of the OLED it’s packing in my opinion.

To preface this review I need to state up front that I’m new to Android and haven’t been hooked into the assistant for long so your mileage may vary. This is a review from someone that’s lived on iOS for the last 10 years but is gaining new perspective on mobile operating systems.

When I picked up the Pixel 3a I took advantage of the offer to get a free Nest Hub. I didn’t really know what to expect with it to be honest being a heavy iPad user I didn’t know where it would fit it.

Setting up is easy and all you need to do is turn it on and manage the setup from the Pixel Home app.

The construction is great for the price but I would have liked a black front option rather than white. On top we have a couple of sensors and the screen although not huge is clear and looks great when displaying photos.

On the back there’s a manual switch to disable the microphone if you want to make sure you’re not always being listened to.

On setting up I was immediately struck with how useless this product might be for me. No Apple Music, only Spotify and Google Music and without my entire photo library in Google Photos it meant my picture frame options were limited.

I put it in my office and thought I’d see what it can do for me in my day.

Well, all it became was a clock for me. I asked it to play my YouTube subscriptions but it couldn’t. The only way is either to ask for specific videos or cast from your Pixel. This was ok but my iPad has a bigger screen and is already hooked into my YouTube account.

After looking at the photos for a bit I realised this is a £119 fancy clock that tells me stuff about the weather.

Remember this is my experience if you’re totally hooked into Google then I’m sure it’ll be good as a photo frame but I couldn’t get the use out of it and now it’s sat in the box and I’m wondering what I do with it.

It’ll go back with the Pixel if I ultimately decide to return the whole package.

I’m trying to get better at being more productive and keeping an eye on what’s happening over the coming week. I tend to focus on the current day and not look ahead and plan for things happening over the week. Staying in the moment is great but sometimes I feel more relaxed or prepared for the week if I know what I’m up against.

For the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying out an app called Eventail.

When I say app I actually mean a supercharged Today widget.

It’s completely configurable and for me I use it to display just my Calendar events for the next 5 days. It doesn’t give me times but just an order of what’s happening each day.

I can also tap on any of the days to give me a view of the day in detail if I’d like.

What’s even better is nothing leaves your device so privacy isn’t an issue.

There are also options for showing Reminders but I’m yet to dig into this one at the moment.

If you’re using iCloud for your Calendar then I’d definitely recommend giving Eventail a look.

I picked up the series 4 Apple Watch at the end of September 2018 and now at a few weeks before 6 months with it I wanted to share my longer term testing thoughts.

I picked up the silver aluminium model, 44mm. I was going to treat myself with a stainless steel version but couldn’t justify spending almost double the price. It’s frustrating that Apple force cellular on the stainless now adding to the overall price. To change things up though I went for silver rather than my traditional space grey.

Durability

One thing to bear in mind here is that I’m on my second one due to warranty replacement. The issues I had was around heart rate tracking on a workout, it just couldn’t keep it locked. My new one is probably 3 months so not going to be a full view of the durability over the whole time period. Mine has held up well, shows no signs of wear on the body and the screen is scratch free. With the addition of a ceramic back it is also scratch free. I’ve had the original watch and series 2 and they both showed scratches on the back and the screen. In theory the screen is the same glass but in my experience it has held up better.

New screen size

The immediate thing you notice when trying on your new series 4. If you’re coming from a 42mm I didn’t notice any difference to the way it felt on my wrist but I did notice the increase in screen size in use. You quickly get used to it however and it’s not large enough to force an upgrade from a 42mm series 2 or 3 in my opinion. The new watch faces are ok but I haven’t really settled on them. It also makes the older ones worse, the rounded complications on the bottom don’t sit well with me and I end up having less data than on my series 2. I’m hoping we get a better range of options soon.

Speed

Wow, it’s a fast watch. Massive upgrade from my series 2, which felt laggy almost every time I used it. Having skipped series 3 it was the main reason I upgraded. There’s no lag in anything I’m doing even after 6 months of watchOS. I’m not seeing any need to upgrade this year based on the performance of the processor in the series 4.

Bands

The only new band I have is the white one that came with it. The good news though all of my old 42mm still work so it’s not been an expensive six months for me in terms of picking new ones up.

Is it worth upgrading?

From an original or series 2, yes. From a series 3 then no. I wouldn’t upgrade for the slightly bigger screen but I would for the performance gain, that’s if like me you use your watch every day.

If you are considering an upgrade or even a new purchase then get into a store and try both sizes. I went 44mm so that older bands wouldn’t go to waste and I think the size looks fine on me but with the old 38mm becoming 40mm maybe that would suit you best.

You might also want to shop around a bit as there may now be deals given we are around 6 months from an update and series 5 potentially. (And don’t forget you can trade in your old one directly with Apple).

I’ve had a love hate relationship with cases for years and always end up using the iPhone naked but I might have found my perfect case (not quite, see my update at the end of this post). I’ve been aware of thin cases for a while and used the cheaper ones on Amazon on and off but always felt they lacked quality control or were slippery. I’ve also been aware of Totallee but they weren’t easily available in the UK. Well now they are on Amazon UK and I picked one up straight away.

I’d always loved my iPhone 5C and have been after something that gave me that look and feel. This case gets me 80% of the way there. It’s thin, adds hardly any bulk and apart from the metal buttons looks like it’s part of the iPhone. It feels in hand just like my 5C did, that’s if you go for the jet white or black finish.

All ports and switches are easily accessed and I haven’t experienced any issues with wireless charging.

I’m not brave enough to drop test my iPhone XS but looking at the protection prospects it should be ok from low level drops and will definitely protect it from scratches.

I love the feel of the iPhone without a case but it’s so slippery with the glass back. Sometimes it’ll even come off the wireless charger overnight or fall of a sofa. This adds a nice texture for both holding and keeping it put where you leave it.

UPDATE (15th Jan 2019)

It’s broken so I’ve done an Amazon return, another thin case problem as with the cheaper cases out there. Can’t recommend unless you NEVER take the case off.

UPDATE (4th Feb 2019)

I used the Totallee 2 year warranty to make a claim and got a new one posted out to me, great customer service.

Amazon link.

Over the holidays I’m juggling the XS with no case, the Otterbox and the Apple Leather case. After using the Otterbox constantly then going back to no case and back to leather I think the leather one offers me the best grip and size compromises of using a case.

Two things that are downside of the Otterbox, slippery back so it spins around on tables, buttons are stiff and the lower part of the case restricts the up swipe for multitasking.

The leather case offers a smaller footprint, is grippy and no restrictions on the bottom of the case.

Took a while to get here from the states but I’ve had through the Otterbox Marvel series case. This is the Symmetry series of cases but with an Infinity War flavour, which I’m loving.

These cases are a little bulkier than an Apple silicone but offers much more protection.

The only slight downside to the bulk is it’s a little harder to use the swiping up gesture on the X series but the width for me makes typing easier.

If you’re into Marvel or like style of case I recommend picking one up before they are discontinued.

I even did a little video.

I’ve never been a fan of big cases and to be honest never really looked at an Otterbox but when I saw the Star Wars edition whilst searching on Amazon I was intrigued. I read up, watched a few videos and decided to give one a go. They looked to be more minimal than their usual heavy duty cases so as a day to day case looked doable for me.

The presentation is good and all materials appear to be recyclable, which is great to see.

The case itself has a large outer shell with a impact protected inner one that is a softer rubber. The case is quite stiff when you first use it but once I’d taken it on and off a few times seemed easier. Oh quick word of warning, if you’re looking for an included screen protector then it doesn’t have one. This isn’t a knock on the case but just be aware.

The design I went for was R2 and Leia but there are other designs available including Vader and BB-8.

Although a bit thicker than the Apple silicone case it’s not too bad for a protective case. I find the Apple silicone case texture to be horrible to hold after a while, no such problems here. It’s a softer material so won’t get that sticky feeling I hate so much. It also doesn’t collected lint and slips easily into your pocket. There’s enough grip to let is sit on sofa cushions etc. This is one of the reasons I’m not using my XS ‘naked’ it feels great in the hand but not for sitting down places.

All the buttons are easily pressed and have a satisfying click to them.

Ports are all accessible and wireless charging is fine.

Value for money wise it’s around £35, which is on the expensive side but a lot better value than the official Apple ones. I noticed though that the Star Wars ones are more expensive so if that’s not your bag just pick up a standard Symmetry one. They do them in loads of different colours.

So overall I didn’t think I’d like a more heavy duty case but otterbox have really done a great job of balancing protection with a more minimal design and come up with a good compromise.

Amazon Link. (All associate revenue goes towards the purchase of stuff to review for the site).

I used to test a lot cases on my blog but fallen off the wagon with settling on Apple cases. I thought it was about time I picked up some third party cases and let you know what I thought.

First up is the Elago Slim Fit.

This case is a plastic shell that snaps onto the back of your iPhone. It has coverage on all of the buttons and leaves them with the pretty much the same nice click as before.

It’s very minimal and doesn’t add a lot of bulk.

The main downside for me is the slippery finish they have used. It’s a light matte finish but leaves it hard to hang onto. This kind of defeats the object of having a case in the first place.

This is a case to avoid.

I’ve been testing a number of screen protectors for the iPhone XS over the last couple of weeks and have come to the decision on which is best.

I picked a number of cheapish tempered glass ones on Amazon through to the Belkin gorilla glass version available at Apple stores.

First off I found tempered glass ones such as the ESR brand on Amazon to be generally terrible. They fit poorly and have a negative affect on the touch sensitivity of your screen. If you can live with this pick any of the tempered ones, they are all the same.

The best one I’ve tested and therefore my recommendation is the Belkin Invisiglass Ultra. I’ve included my Amazon link (any kick back I get goes into product reviews or paying for hosting costs) but I actually got it at the Apple Store. I paid my £29.95 and the staff fitted it for me. I’d recommend this, it’s at no extra cost and comes out perfectly. The touch sensitivity isn’t any different and the glass feels like glass, not slippery like the cheap Amazon ones.

I’ll update on long term durability over the coming months.

I’ve been using the series 4 since launch so feel I’ve had enough time to write up some thoughts on using it compared to the series 2 it replaces. I went for the 44mm in silver, it’s the aluminium non cellular version.

Luckily all my 42mm bands fit fine so I’m good on that front. So coming from an existing watch you’ll be ok band wise.

I also picked up Apple Care + because I smashed my series 0 and it came in handy back then saving me a load of cash to buy a new one. Quick note on this, I had to call Apple to sort mine out as there was a bug for some people that bought the series 4 + Apple Care on day one. Mine showed that I hadn’t purchased it even though I had the order receipt. A quick call to Apple sorted this out.

I almost got stainless steel this time around but couldn’t stomach the extra money, especially when I had no intention of using cellular. With the creep up in Apple prices over the last few years I wanted to spend as little as I could to upgrade.

Size

Coming from a 42mm I naturally went for the 44mm. This is because I wanted the biggest screen available and also to make sure my bands fitted. On my wrist I feel it’s looks fine, in use it doesn’t feel any different to the 42mm.

The screen is just stunning on the series 4. The extra real estate makes tapping so much easier. I didn’t feel the series 2 was cramped until I tried this new one and couldn’t go back. I actually find myself using apps on my watch more than I ever have in the past. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I could play a game or view images but in day to day use it’s a lot easier on my (ageing) eyes!

As with most reviewers I’d love to see an always on low power display mode to show me the time.

Watch faces

There are a couple more watch faces to choose from, both provide a good amount of complications but I find myself still wanting more. Already spoke about at length on various blogs including this one by Marco Arment they are actually quite hard to read. I’ve found myself settling on modular so I can see the time quickly. I really do feel that it’s time to open up the ecosystem to third party watch faces.

The one above in particular looks amazing but when you use it day to day it’s hard to quickly see the time and it blows your eye balls out when you check the time in the middle of the night, make sure you use the black options for the dials.

Performance

Wow, it’s how the Apple Watch should have been all along. Technology has caught up with expectations. No more lag when tapping to start a workout or switching watch faces. It just does everything when you want it to. I’ve experienced no lag in anything I’m doing. I can’t vouch for series 3 but coming from a series 2 it’s such a big leap for me.

As with the screen it makes the Series 4 a joy to use and I find myself using more apps.

Should you upgrade?

You rarely have to update every year, especially a watch but for the series 4 I’m making an exception. If you have some spare cash or can sell your existing watch it’s a no brainier to update to a series 4. The screen and performance improvements alone makes the Apple Watch experience more enjoyable, therefore a must buy for fans of the watchOS.

Tip: if you’re looking to get one for Christmas, order now. They are always pushed to back end of November.

I’ve had mixed experiences with third party watch bands for my Apple Watch and therefore kept with Apple ones. After browsing leather cases on Instagram (as you do!) I spotted a nice leather band for Apple Watch. On inspection it was by Nomad. I did a quick search on Amazon and saw the modern strap was reduced in price so thought I’d give it a test.

The packaging and presentation was everything I’d expect from a high end brand. Well packaged and a good use of cardboard. The only thing I’d mention is that the strap is quite tightly secured so you end up marking it getting it out. This isn’t a problem, remember leather will pick up marks very easily.

First impressions was the lightness of the band and the quality of the build.

You can see the workmanship in the product, it’s all very precisely cut and any stitching is clean and straight.

The lugs used are well designed and give the watch a little more bulk.

On first use it’s stiff, this is leather though. It’ll soften up and after a few days of use it had already started to do this.

After a week of use I ultimately decided that as good as this strap is leather isn’t for me. I find that it didn’t give my skin any breathing room and became a bit sticky, especially when used in exercise.

I’d gotten used to my leather loop (which is thinner and more flexible) or a sports loop.

So if you’re into leather bands then this is a strap that should be top of your list offering great value for money and quality. If like me you’re on the fence about leather straps then looks elsewhere.

Link to Amazon listing

I’m not a huge fan of cases but when I do use one it has to be minimal. I’ve used the iPhone X both naked and in an Apple silicone case but I’ve found one that might suit all of your minimal lovers.

I’m talking about the Tozo PP Ultra Thin. It’s only .35mm thick and covers the entire phone, leaving small openings for the ports. What I like about it is that it obviously adds very little bulk but adds grip. It also adds some plastic around the camera bump so adds some protection to the camera glass, although being sapphire it’s going to be hard to scratch the glass anyway.

I find the glass back of the X to be pretty grippy anyway but it’s the sides that I find slippery.

Drop protection should be fine for the back and sides stopping dings but (like any case) drop it face down and you’ll break the front glass. I still recommend Apple Care + to everyone with an X given the cost to repair.

One major downside is though if you want to take it off again it can be tricky, I managed to break mine when I took it off but if you are careful it’ll be fine.

Buy it here: TOZO® for iPhone X Case, PP Ultra Thin [0.35mm] World’s Thinest Protect Hard Case for iPhone 10 / X [ Semi-transparent ] Lightweight [Matte Black]

I’ve seen Infinity War twice now and wanted to share my thoughts on it now that I have had some time to digest everything. First off I’ll come straight out say it’s in my top 3 MCU movies along with Winter Soldier and Civil War - these are in no particular order by the way.

To me as someone that is somewhat familiar with the comic story line I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in front of me, it really is like a comic book coming to life. Massive fight sequences mixed with humour and a diverse set of characters make this a really enjoyable movie. It has to be seen at the cinema, it’s that huge a deal. Not many movies like this come along and it’s up there with Empire Strikes Back and The Lord of the Rings trilogy in terms of it being that epic (to me).

Not everyone is going to be pleased but I am glad that Disney backed the Russo brothers and pulled out something amazing from a crazy amount of characters.

If you haven’t seen any MCU movies then it’s going to be difficult, you have to see at least the 3 Captain America’s, first 2 Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy and previous Avengers.

I finally got around to watching The Dark Tower yesterday, not having any knowledge of the books. I know about the popularity of them and been encouraged to read but never had the time. I also know that the movie has been a little panned, especially from fans of the book.

For me overall I mostly enjoyed it, not a film of the year by any stretch of the imagination but for something to let me switch my brain off for a bit it was fine. I’m also glad I didn’t spend over £40 watching it at the cinema and only spent £9.99 getting it via 4K iTunes.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

First off I enjoyed The Gunslinger character and Idris Elba’s acting was solid as usual. They seemed to CG most of the stunts, which was a little disappointing and it wasn’t as slick as a lot of modern CG. The baddie played by Matthew McConaughey wasn’t really that menacing and just felt lifeless and dull to me. They also relied on CG for his end scene, again not done that well.

It just doesn’t feel like it had a big enough budget, brought production time or commitment from it’s backers.

I liked the premise of the movie, bright kids being picked up by the baddies henchman to be brought into his world in a bid to find the one that can bring down the Dark Tower (don’t want to spoil it too much for you).

Problem is, even though I don’t know the books I can’t see how 8 books fit into a 1.5hr movie. I don’t know how it even got signed off.

If this had an established director, a big budget and at least 3 films it might have served fans of the book. As it stands I feel it doesn’t serve either fans of the book or the general public looking for an interesting film.

I’m glad I didn’t pay to see it at the cinema and can only recommend watching it if it’s £10 or less or on a streaming service for free.

With every new Star Wars movie I’ve gotten into the habit of buying two books

• The visual dictionary
• The art of Star Wars

I enjoyed both books for The Force Awakens so picked up The Visual Dictionary on Amazon for £11.99.

These books are a great reference if you want to know a bit more about the characters, vehicles, weapons and worlds. The great part about them is that they show characters that appeared in the background and smaller parts. One that I was keen on was the commander of the dreadnought at the beginning of the movie.

They are full of rich images showing costume design and details that you just can’t get from watching the movie alone. For each of the images you’ll find accompanying text descriptions showing details of a costume or item in a scene.

One difference with TLJ (The Last Jedi) vs TFA (The Force Awakens) is it doesn’t seem so rich, it’s also thinner. I’m not sure if that’s because we know more of the characters or there’s less background stuff going on.

A larger portion of the book is around the casino based planet, a lower point of the movie for me. So, apart from reading about a few characters flipped straight past (it’s a bit prequel for me).

So, at £11.99 it’s on the expensive side. Wait until after Christmas and pick up when it gets to £5.99 or less.