myOurReview

HomeGuard launched in 2007, a Chinese brand which sells a broad range of security devices in 30 territories that includes the UK (after being reintroduced here this year). The company has put together this all-in-one solution for easy and instant four-way surveillance suitable for a small to medium-sized business. The HomeGuard Wireless Full HD CCTV Kit (HGNVK88304) comprises of four waterproof bullet cameras with Wi-Fi built into each one. There’s also an NVR (network video recorder) with 1TB of internal storage, negating the need to take out a subscription for a cloud-based recording service. HomeGuard has even included the screws you need to attach the camera brackets to a wall or ceiling. This system is also expandable to eight video channels by purchasing up to four more IP cameras . The hardware can be either wired, or wireless with instant Wi-Fi connectivity, and video is captured in Full HD as the product name suggests, which makes the price of £499.99 (around $660, AU$910)...

For many people, the prospect of turning their regular, boring home into a smart one still seems a little bit scary and very time-consuming. Luckily, the Hive Active Heating 2 is looking to change all of that and make upgrading your home easier, quicker and worth it in the long-run. One of the main reasons why building up your smart home can seem scary is because there's an assumption that you have to go 'all in' and upgrade everything to really see the benefits. This isn't how it works. At least not anymore.  Smart systems like Hive allow you to start off small and then gradually add some smarter devices to your home one step at a time. That means you don't blow your budget and can choose the products that suit you - rather than being caught up in the hype. A key component to any smart home, in our opinion, is a smart heating system. Over the years we've seen a number of these hit the market – including, most famously, the Nest series of smart thermostats – ...

Wireless speakers are on the rise. With the growing popularity of smart speakers, like the Amazon Echo and Google Home , and tons of great-sounding wireless speakers like the Sonos One , the future of home audio is clearly wireless.  Yamaha may not be the first company you think of when you think of wireless audio,  but the company is proving that it has something to add through the introduction of its Yamaha MusicCast ecosystem.  The latest entries into the list of MusicCast-enabled devices include the Yamaha MusicCast 20 (reviewed here) and more powerful MusicCast 50.  At over $230 (£199, AU$349)  the MusicCast 20 speakers aren’t necessarily cheap – especially when you consider the fact that they’re not as smart as the likes of the Echo or Sonos One – so are they still worth investing in?  We put the Yamaha MusicCast 20 to the test to find out. Design and setup Like other wireless speakers, the Yamaha MusicCast 20 is designed to fit neatly on...

The A/V receiver is nothing new, but what is new is the fact that A/V receivers are now getting smart features, better connectivity, and more features for the money.  That’s great news for consumers, who might want receivers with support for surround sound and wireless standards like AirPlay , without having to shell out the cash that would have been required a few years ago. The latest company to give its lower-cost receivers an upgrade is Yamaha, which recently took the wraps off of Yamaha RX-V 85 series of receivers.  At the top, you’ve got the Yamaha RX-V2085, which offers support for 9.2 channels of audio, dual ESS Sabre DACs, and so on. More interesting, however, are the lower-end models, like the Yamaha RX-V485, which brings features you would normally expect in far more expensive receivers to a price of under $400 (around £300, AU$550). But with all those features, is the Yamaha RX-V485 ultimately worth buying? We put it to the test to find out. Design A/V recei...

Multiple hot new features and innovations have been rocking the PC monitor market recently. For BenQ’s latest large format and gaming-centric model, therefore, standing out isn’t going to be easy. It’s tough out there. Luckily, the new BenQ EX3203R offers an intriguing mix of features and capabilities. Highlights include 144Hz refresh, a curved panel, USB-C connectivity and adaptive sync support, all wrapped up in a 32-inch package.  The kicker, arguably, is VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. That’s a pretty compelling core proposition and will tick a lot of gamer’s boxes.Those looking for a more general purpose display might like the look of that feature set, too. However, at this relatively competitive price point - and arguably at almost any current price point - you can’t quite have everything. Notably, the EX3203R is what you might call a 2.5K rather than 4K or UHD monitor.  It also lacks support for Nvidia’s particular take on adaptive syncing and, if you’re a fan of...

Silent, deadly and constantly evolving, ransomware is never far from the headlines. You might expect McAfee to want to boast about its free McAfee Ransomware Interceptor , then, but instead it's buried deep in the security company's website. One reason could be that the Interceptor is still listed as a 'pilot', more of an experimental anti-ransomware tool than a full-strength product. There doesn't seem to be much experimenting going on, either, as the last update at the time of writing was May 18, 2017. You can sign up for McAfee Ransomware Interceptor here The official Interceptor FAQ page points out another problem: Interceptor isn't covered by McAfee's technical support. If you have any issues, you could be on your own. This doesn't necessarily mean Interceptor has no value. The website explains that it "leverages heuristics and machine learning" to identify threats, rather than using simple signatures, which could allow the progra...

True wireless headphones are a dime a dozen nowadays but rather than doing what everyone is doing, Master & Dynamic took a different approach: With the MW07, the company’s first pair of truly wireless headphones, Master & Dynamic focused on the music listening experience, design, and materials.  On paper, the Master & Dynamic MW07 seem like a poor value. Why spend $300 (about £230, Au$414) when you can get the excellent Jabra Elite 65t (or the work-out focused Jabra Active Elite 65t ) for almost half the cost?  Having used the MW07 for a month, however, we came away loving what the company has done for its first pair of true wireless headphones – the sound is addictive and the headphones just work, which can’t be said about many true wireless headphones on the market.  Sure, you can get better value elsewhere but for the person looking to stand out from the crowd or simply wants excellent audio quality, the Master & Dynamic MW07 is worth its premium p...