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Two minute review Ulefone has added yet another handset to its bulging portfolio; the Armor 12 5G is the cheapest 5G rugged handset we have tested to date but that doesn’t mean that it lacks unique selling points. Ulefone innovated by radically changing the design of the Armor 12 to something a bit more refreshing, at the same time, it added an antibacterial product (composite silver ion) as well as adding two speakers for improved audio performance. Add five camera sensors, wireless charging and a larger than average battery and you have a rugged smartphone that’s worthy of interest. Its low resolution and the use of the slower Dimensity 700 processor are the two potential blots on an otherwise great spec sheet. As for the competition, other than the fabulous Nokia XR20 (far more expensive and a tad slower but also protected by a three-year warranty), there’s the Doogee V10 ($260 at the time of writing and next on our review list) and the Oukitel WP13 ($240). Also check out our...

The portable power storage scene has witnessed a mini-revolution since the beginning of the pandemic. The price per watt has fallen significantly thanks to fierce competition from many newcomers in the industry. Zendure, a company launched in 2013, is one of them and has recently introduced its first high-power battery-based generator. Their products are targeted towards an ecologically conscious younger audience on a tight budget. The 2000W SuperBase Pro is equipped with a 2kW inverter, a 2.1kW/hr battery capacity, and includes plenty of USB ports as well as DC and AC outputs. It is different from the competition by being a connected device thanks to 4G and Wi-Fi radios. The companion app also gives plenty of options not available through the front panel. Features such as a Power Factor indicator and lots of USB Type-C sockets make it stand out from the crowd. Pricing and availability Zendure is running an IndieGogo campaign to launch this new power station in October. For the sp...

Two minute review It’s been nearly three year since the first 1TB microSD card launched. Since then, large capacity MicroSD memory cards have come down in price in a spectacular fashion and Teamgroup has played a big role in making that happen. The challenger storage brand has been one of the most aggressive players in the market over the past few years, delivering some storage deals for price sensitive consumers. Its flagship microSD card, the Elite A1, aims to extend this competitive trait to an audience that looks for performance as well. And this card delivers, in spades, with some of the best benchmark numbers we’ve seen on a 1TB microSD card to date. Add in lifetime warranty and you’ve got a pretty good deal; just bear in mind that there were slightly cheaper options available elsewhere at the time of writing which may sway those looking for the absolute cheapest offer. Pricing and availability This microSD card is on sale at Newegg for just under $155 (about AU$214, £114) ...

Two minute review The Portege has a long history of innovation in the world of ultra compact business laptops and while the Toshiba brand that is associated with it is gone, Dynabook, its successor, promises to keep the product line ticking. The Portege X30L-J1337 (otherwise known as the X30L-J-13R in the UK) is an ultraportable business laptop that weighs just over 1Kg. It faces some tough competition from established brands such as Lenovo, Dell and HP as well as rival brands like MSI, Acer, Asus and Gigabyte. Part of the challenge is to differentiate itself from other ultra portable laptops that have gone down the same route and use identical hardware, leaving only design, after sales support and price as the only major differentiators. But plucky Dynabook scores well with a 3-year onsite warranty bundled as standard and a nice balance between features, pricing and performance. The only sore point is the battery life. Pricing, availability and competition The Dynabook Portege X...

The Ceaeva W81H is a product that warrants its own category. Windows tablets are not a rarity per se but rugged versions with 4G connectivity area and a surprisingly low price tag definitely are. We decided to do a hands-on review rather than a standard review to highlight the differences between this tablet and the rest of the market and try to explain some of the decisions taken by the Cenava team. Also check out our roundup of the best rugged laptops Pricing and availability The W81H rugged tablet is available from online Chinese retailer Banggood for a mere $379.99 (about £, AU$). Note that the price doesn’t include shipping and courier fees. Note that an Android version of the device - the A81G - is available for a slightly higher price and comes with a Snapdragon 625 CPU and Android 9.0 OS. Want to buy tech from online Chinese retailers?  Read this first .  (Image credit: Future) Design There’s not a thousand ways of designing a tablet if you want i...

Two minute review Teamgroup has quietly established itself as a capable alternative to the bigger brands out there and the PD1000 is certainly the best example of what it can achieve. This external solid state drive is not only IP68-rated and shockproof, it is also one of the fastest USB 3.2 Gen 2 storage devices we’ve tested on sustained read speeds. If that wasn’t enough, its aluminum enclosure is scratch resistant and acts like a giant heat sink as well which keeps operating temperatures under control and may be one of the factors that explains why the PD1000 has a three-year warranty. Best of all though, it is one of the most affordable external SSDs on the market regardless of performance. The 1TB model we tested retails for just under $130 at Amazon while the 2TB is even cheaper (per unit storage) at $234 (or $117 per TB). A 512GB version is also available but we’d give it a wide berth. Note that you can add a 3-year data recovery plan on Amazon for a mere $14.99, which is ...

In the quest to find a new niche, one of the more daring rugged smartphone vendors, Blackview, came up with an answer. The BL5000 is pitched as a rugged gaming phone, because… why not? After all, one can expect field workers and warehouse operators to enjoy a bit of casual gaming during their time off at work. At least, we guess, that’s the rationale behind launching such a device. Pricing and availability The Blackview BL5000 is on sale at Blackview’s website for $299.99 (about £216, AU$406) or $279.99 (about £194, AU$378) from the company’s official Aliexpress store thanks to a one-off $20 voucher. In both cases, the price excludes shipping costs and other associated fees (like courier handling costs or local taxes); we strongly advise you to read our guide on buying tech in China to find out what to expect. (Image credit: Future) Design The BL5000 sports a refreshing design that’s vaguely similar to the Nokia XR20 we reviewed recently. Our sample had a green border...

One minute review The Polaris 4K is a first attempt at the higher end of the market by Bomaker as it launched on Kickstarter. It fits the bill as a basic 4K ultra short throw projector with claims of being the world's widest color gamut projector (thanks to its RGB laser technology) to be taken with a pinch of salt. Businesses will love its ability to handle 4K content natively, delivering punchy colours even in a brightly lit room. While it delivers on that side, it still lacks the all-roundedness of a more mature platform and that’s simply not excusable at this price point, especially with rivals queuing up. Where to buy The projector is available directly from Bomaker from just under $1900 with an $800 discount when you use the coupon code POLARIS800 at checkout. Note that the price doesn't include shipping or any extra fees you may have to pay for courier handling and local taxes. The offer ends on September 18th. How does that compare to the competition? The VAVA ...