Naim’s Mu-so 2nd Generation all-in-one gets wood

Naim’s Mu-so Wood Edition promises to be a stylish addition to homes whose owners are looking for a lighter, more natural aesthetic from their audio equipment. As Spring seems to have finally sprung here in the UK, could this timber-wrapped Naim Mu-so 2nd Edition be just the thing to help lighten your musical mood?

Naim Audio’s Mu-so 2nd Generation is a great performing all-in-one wireless speaker that works great for music and also doubles up as a rather excellent soundbar to bolster audio from your TV via HDMI ARC. Understandably, then, it already has plenty of fans, but today the Salisbury-based firm has announced a rather eye-catching variant.

READ THE NAIM MU-SO 2ND GEN REVIEW HERE

The Naim Mu-so Wood Edition “blends superb performance with exquisite styling,” boasts the company. Dressed in sustainable Ayous hardwood that has been treated and lacquered to give the appearance of a Light Oak finish, this Mu-so appears a little softer than its more industrially chic siblings.

The iconic Mu-so heatsink has also been refreshed with a new anodised aluminium tint. Pulling all of this together is a neutral-toned, woven front grille.

This new Wood finish is an ideal match for lighter-look interiors – allowing you to seamlessly enjoy harmonious style and sound throughout your home, from the living room to the kitchen, home office to the bedroom.

Naim Product Manager, Stuart Brown, told GadgetyNews:

Blending class-leading performance and timeless design with a luxurious new finish, Mu-so Wood Edition is the perfect premium audio companion for homes with classic or contemporary interiors.

Business As Usual

Of course, underneath its more natural and neutral wrapping, you still get all the technology that has made the Mu-so 2nd Generation so popular such as superlative wireless streaming from your favourite music services. Using the Naim App, you have access to Spotify Connect, TIDAL and Qobuz, while Chromecast Built-in gives access to Deezer, Google Play Music and much more, including Google Assistant compatibility. AirPlay 2 support adds Apple Music streaming and Apple Home integration, including Siri voice control potential. It also works as a Bluetooth speaker.

Mu-so 2nd Generation Wood Edition is also Roon Ready adding to its already flexible multiroom skills.

Mu-so Wood Edition (Light Oak) is available now, at a suggested retail price of £1599 / €1799 / $2290. Mu-so 2nd Generation, Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation and Mu-so for Bentley Special Edition models remain in the range as additional or alternative options.

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We were in Berlin for the Honor Band 5’s launch at IFA 2019, and now it’s time to see what we think about the inexpensive fitness wearable.

Looking down at my increasing waistline I for one can do with being more mobile. Most gym-dwellers, pavement-pounders, and all-round fitness types will have some sort of fitness tracker attached. Those that mean business will no doubt have one of the pro-level trackers from a big-name brand. These generally cost big bucks.

But, what if I told you that there was a nifty little device that will cover most things for most people. Even better still, thanks to a recent update, it also monitors your Pulse Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) and adds remote music control of your phone. All for under £30.

Honor Band 5 design

The Honor Band 5 boasts a 0.95-inch AMOLED full-colour display, an upgrade on the previous iteration’s OLED screen.

Now, the colours are brighter and more vivid. Furthermore, and more importantly, the screen is even easier to read.

You also get 282 pixels-per-inch, which is pretty decent and, all-in-all, everything is easy to see, even in bright sunlight (we remember summer still, right?).

As a fitness band, it is a narrow wearable as well as having a slim profile. This makes it an ideal gym partner as you are unlikely to whack it into equipment – something that more chunky designs risk.

I haven’t the thickest of wrists; however, I was pleased to see the amount of range that the molded strap allows for. From slender to giant (more-or-less). I have tested fitness bands before, but they have been much more limited in the fitting. Nice one, Honor.

The compact Band 5 is also light and will not hamper your chosen torture – errrr, fitness regime.

The Honor Band 5 is available in Midnight Navy, Coral Pink, and Meteorite Black – choose carefully as the band is not interchangeable. What you can do, however, is change the watch face design – and there are plenty to choose from. Can’t find anything that tickles your fancy from the installed selection? Well, there’s even more to download.

Overall the design has been well thought out with the textured strap and everything. However, I guess you’re also limited to what you can do and it would be difficult to pick out the Band 5 from a line-up of other sports bands, to be fair.

Honor Band 5 features

For less than thirty notes, the Honor Band 5 is packed with all kinds of fitness-focused tech. For instance, you get an always-on heart-rate monitor, sleep tracking, multiple workout modes, and so much more. 

The Band 5 links up with the Huawei Health app, which also gives you more information and a way to track your progress.

Compared to the Band 4, there are even more exercise modes. Added to the already fairly comprehensive list including favourites such as running, cycling, swimming (the Band 5 is waterproof to 50m), is Rowing Machine and Cross Trainer. 

Naturally, there is also Step tracking which features as default on most of the watch faces. As you would expect at this price, there’s no GPS.

Heart rate tracking has been made more accurate with Honor boasting that it’s almost as good as a traditional chest-mounted heart rate monitor. Not having such a monitor to compare the Band 5 with, I will have to take Honor’s word for it – although I am sure that if you are really serious about this kind of thing and its accuracy, you will be looking to spend more than £30.

Being pretty rubbish at sleeping, I like the new-and-improved sleep-tracker. It also dishes out advice, as the Honor Band 5 can identify your sleep structure and monitors your changing patterns. Additionally, this brings me on to the way the Honor Band 5 tracks your heart rate. Unlike some other monitors, the Band 5 uses non-visible light, meaning it won’t irritate you as you’re trying to nap.

Latest update

The latest update for the Band 5 has brought along Blood oxygen saturation monitoring. This measurement is a vital indicator of the oxygen supply to cells and tissues. 

Proper blood oxygenation is necessary to supply energy to your muscles to function well. Blood oxygen levels between 90% and 100% are healthy, while a SpO2 value below 89% could be a signal to stop exercising or seek medical attention. 

Additionally, Honor added Music Control. This requires you to flick the function on in the Huawei Health app. Once that is sorted, you can then use the Band 5 to view and control your music apps right from your wrist. Apps supported include Tidal (thankfully as that’s what I use), Google Play Music, Spotify, YouTube, Shazam and many more.

The Honor Band 5 smartwatch skills

You can also use the Band 5 as a regular ol’ smartwatch. Yes, it tells the time but, when not working up a sweat, you can access other nifty things. Firstly, it will display the weather, notifications and that kind of thing.

As well as SMS and Facebook messages, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that you can add Twitter, Snapchat and even Discord to that list. Granted, emojis and the like won’t display so you will get the occasional blank message, but still, a handy thing to have.

I also like the fact that you can control your phone’s camera shutter from the Band 5. Whether its Star Trails or similar long-exposure shots or Selfies, having the Band 5 as a remote trigger is another bonus.

Honor Band 5 battery life

With the message notifications on, as well as the heart-rate monitor, the Honor Band 5 was clocking in about 5 days battery life from a charge. To me, that’s not bad. Naturally, if you were looking to use it purely as a fitness buddy, then some of the juice-draining options can be stopped and so increase the band’s stamina.

Still, I think a working week between charges is fair, especially when being used as a smartwatch.

Honor Band 5 review conclusion

The Honor Band 5 is undoubtedly worth your money in my opinion. It’s more than a fitness tracker thanks to all its health monitoring skills. Furthermore, it can even out-smart some smartwatches.

The screen is responsive although there were moments where I must not have been tapping the Home button in just the right way. The less said about that, the better.

Also, for £29.99, you’re risking less than a month’s gym membership and are more likely to still be using the Honor Band 5 in six months. 

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The Optoma UHL55 LED projector was already an intelligent choice for your home, now it’s got a lot smarter.

Thanks to a whole raft of apps to stream music, movies, TV shows and clips now available on the Optoma UHL55 LED projector, the Optoma UHL55 4K UHD is now a smarter choice.

The 4K home projector already boasted Alexa and Google Assistant voice control, but Optoma has now added much more.

Optoma UHL55 New Apps

The UHL55 now has access to YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, TED, Amazon Prime, MyCanal, Hulu and many more. Its InfoWall app can be scheduled to turn on at set times, display the weather, videos and social media feeds. Furthermore, TapCast allows wireless mirroring from a mobile device to share video and photos on your big screen.

Not everyone has space for a dedicated home cinema, but the UHL55 is small and light enough to move from room to room. The projector is also packing integrated speakers and a host of connection options such as WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI and MHL.

Bluetooth functionality means external speakers, headphones or a keyboard and mouse can be connected cable-free. It can even play content directly from a USB memory stick via its 4K UHD media player.

Optoma UHL55 Skills

Fitted with the latest LED tech, you get consistent brightness and colour performance. Also, the perceived brightness from LED can be twice that of an equivalent lamp-based projector, so no need for a totally blacked-out room. Additionally, the LED technology delivers 118% Rec.709 for accurate, true to life colour rendition – perfect for recreating the big-screen experience at home. Moreover, it also has a light source lifetime of up to 30,000 hours.

Set-up is simple with autofocus and auto keystone for fuss-free positioning and a host of connection options such as two HDMI 2.0 ports.

Naturally, the Optoma UHL55 boasts High Dynamic Range (HDR) compatibility, HDCP 2.2 support and PureMotion frame-interpolation technology to produce stand-out images.

Capable of decoding Dolby 5.1, it even supports pass-through via an S/PDIF out port for connection to an external surround sound system.

Price and availability

The Optoma UHL55 4K UHD projector is available now for £1,499.

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Canton has announced the Smart Soundbar 9 which they hope will become the starting point of your wireless home cinema speaker system.

German-based home cinema superstars Canton is ready to unleash its next generation of top-notch soundbars, equipped with a slew of sonic smarts including Wi-Fi streaming.

Smart Soundbar 9

First up is the Smart Soundbar 9. The slender soundbar has Chromecast built-in, allowing you to stream from Spotify, Tidal, Google Play Music, Deezer and TuneIn over Wi-Fi. Native support for Spotify Connect also enables direct streaming from Spotify.

Additionally, through the magic of Wi-Fi, you can connect the soundbar to other speakers to create a wireless multi-channel home cinema system. For instance, you could add a Canton Smart SUB 8 subwoofer to make a powerful 3.1 system. You could then add a pair Smart Soundbox 3 speakers for full 5.1 surround sound – all wirelessly.

2.4GHz and 5GHz WLAN connections are supported, while the addition of aptX Bluetooth enables you to stream directly from Bluetooth-equipped devices without connecting to the Wi-Fi network.

The Smart Soundbar 9 packs a host of high-quality audio tech including 300 watts of amplification powering eight drive units. The driver line-up includes four bass drivers and two midrange drivers – all with 50mm aluminium cones – plus two 19mm fabric-dome tweeters. A pair of passive drivers with 147x57mm diaphragms further augment the bass to deliver impressive depth and punch.

These drivers work in tandem with DTS TruSurround to deliver a spacious and immersive performance. There is also support for Hi-res audio, up to 24-bit/96kHz.

Connectivity is catered for by four HDMI ports – three inputs and one output, all HDCP 2.2-compliant and supports 4K Ultra HD video. Additionally, the HDMI output supports ARC.

Two digital audio inputs – one optical and one coaxial – provide further connectivity, together with a stereo RCA analogue input. A dedicated subwoofer output is also present.

The Smart Soundbar 9 measures 89x7x10cm (WxHxD) and is quite the looker too. The main cabinet is fashioned from reinforced MDF, embellished with a heat-treated glass top and integrated metal grille.

Price and availability

The Smart Soundbar 9 is available from late July in a choice of black or silver at an RRP of £699.

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We are excited to finally be able to share the news with about the new KEF LSX – a fully wireless stereo music system. We were at the unveiling of the KEF LSX compact two-speaker wireless music system at an exclusive event held in central London. Even though the situation was far from perfect, the LSX both looked and sounded impressive.

KEF LSX speakers

The LSX builds upon the success of the LS50 Wireless. KEF sees the new, compact wireless speakers as part of their continued development of cutting-edge technologies and innovative, high-performance audio products.

Naturally, the speakers feature KEF’s Uni-Q driver array, a 4-inch version is found here in each speaker. Additionally, there is KEF’s highly advanced Music Integrity Engine (MIE). MIE is a cutting-edge collection of bespoke Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms that ensure accurate time alignment and phase coherence.

LSX – totally wireless

LSX is totally wireless both from source and between the speakers. Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 with Qualcomm’s aptX codec enable streaming from Spotify, Apple Music (via AirPlay 2, coming in the new year) and Tidal.

With Spotify Connect built in, you get access to the entire library directly from the cloud.

Furthermore, LSX is DLNA compliant and boasts TOSLINK Optical and Auxiliary connections making it ideal for use with TV. Finally, setting-up is taken care of in a few minutes thanks to KEF’s Control app, which also manages firmware updates as they become available.

LSX – packing tech

The new LSX sports four Class-D amplifiers (2 x 30W + 2 x 70W), one for each of the drive units. Also under the hood are dedicated twin DACs providing a pristine signal path of up to 96kHz/24bit (using an Etherner connection between the two speakers). Alternatively, if you go totally wire-free, you’ll get 48kHz/24bit.

The gently curved cabinets of the LSX employs extensive use of elements reserved for KEF’s high-end products. For example, you’ll find constrained layer damping, as well as the use of Finite Element Analysis.

LSX – design

The speakers are cosseted in luxury fabric by Danish textile maker, Kvadrat. The overall design was overlooked by Michael Young who’s signature is found emblazoned on the fronts of the LSX. 

The LSX is available in five colours – Black, Blue, Maroon, and Olive. There is also a striking Gloss White option.

Availability and price

The KEF LSX is available now exclusively from Selfridges for £999.

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French hi-fi brand, Triangle, has announced their AIO 3. The AIO 3 is a lovely looking speaker that comes with an equally beautiful list of up to the minute features. The wooden cabinet features anti-vibration reinforcement, and the entire speaker is wrapped in a high-End finish using Scandinavian fabrics from Gabriel as well as brushed aluminium.

Triangle AIO 3 streaming speaker

You can stream music to the speaker wirelessly using aptX Bluetooth, AirPlay, wi-fi or UPnP. Additionally, you are able to access internet radio and Spotify Connect.

Also, the AIO 3 boasts physical inputs, including a USB port that both charges as well as plays from mobile devices, an optical input, and a 3.5mm analogue input. There’s also an ethernet port to go alongside the built-in wi-fi.

The optical input lends itself t the AIO 3 being used as a TV soundbar if you so desire.

Output is rated at 2×45 Watts from the 196 x 360 x 150 mm speaker. The AIO 3 weighs in at 5.1 kg.

Audio file support is extensive, including high-res 24-bit/192kHz FLAC, WAV, APE, ALAC, AAC & MP3 files.

Control of the AIO 3 comes by way of a new app for iOS and Android devices developed by LinkPlay. Through the app you can control all aspects of the AIO 3, including accessing thousands of internet radio stations, selecting a streaming service and setting alarms.

The app also offers Deezer, Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal streaming services.

Triangle AIO C

Along with the AIO 3, Triangle is also announcing its AIO C.

The AIO C is a kind of streamer that allows you to hook up your TV or amplifier and play music using the AIO 3. Moreover, the AIO C enables you to breathe life back into your old system and enjoy their music through the Triangle App.

Price and availability

The Triangle AIO C can be pre-ordered for £159 and the AIO 3 for £599.

Both are available from Elite Audio.

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French company Audirvana has just announced a Windows 10 version of their reference hi-fi audio player Audirvana Plus. This new version features a totally redesigned user interface that will change the way PC users enjoy and organise their music.

Created by Damien Plisson and acclaimed by users and audio specialists around the world, Audirvana Plus is the reference player of choice for many Mac-based music fans.

When questioned about creating the Windows 10 version, Plisson told us:

After abandoning Windows for several years, I have to admit that I rediscovered this operating system with great pleasure to create this new product. I always keep in mind the same objective as for the Mac version — to obtain the best possible sound quality.”

The way that Audirvana Plus improves the sound quality is twofold. Firstly, it significantly shortens the audio signal path, and removes all noise and other electromagnetic interferences to deliver pure sound. Secondly, the player employs very high-quality algorithms, far superior to those used in digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) chips. Additionally, it performs the necessary digital processing before conversion to analogue in order to deliver perfect audio fidelity.

New features of Audirvana Plus for Windows 10

Audirvana Plus for Windows 10 hands you the same benefits as Audirvana Plus 3.2 for Mac. However, it also offers PC users a new, intuitive and fluid interface.

Additionally, Audirvana Plus for Windows 10 also offers the latest developments, such as ‘View by Artists’ in addition to View by Tracks and Albums. Further additions include direct selection of the audio device on the main interface, a redesigned search engine, a new mini-player, and a choice of ASIO or WASAPI playback modes.

Naturally, you still benefit from playback of all popular audio formats. This means that Hi-Res audio files such as FLAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD, and MQA are all good here. There is also integration of Qobuz, Tidal HiFi, and HRA-Streaming streaming services. Finally, there is also compatibility with network players that properly use the UPnP/DLNA standard.

Audirvana Plus for Windows 10 pricing

You can start with a 15-day free trial version and then move to the full version for €64 excluding taxes. Currently, the Beta version of the Windows 10 software is available through the Audirvana forum.

More information at audirvana.com

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The all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is here. Building on the success of its predecessor whilst setting new benchmarks for design, quality and, equally importantly for us here, tech.

I spent a day with the new A200 and A180 d and it is fair to say that the new Mercs are certainly impressive.

Whilst the badge up front will be a serious selling point, this family hatchback has plenty more to offer.

Mercedes A-Class review

I remember the original A-Class landing in 1997/8. I was very tempted, but it was a car you bought with your head, not your heart. The new, lower, sleeker A-Class followed and offered different reasons for purchase. It wasn’t perfect, but it did look good on the road.

The latest A-Class looks different again.

This fourth generation of Mercedes-Benz’s compact hatchback takes on an even sportier stance than its predecessor.

The bonnet is 50mm lower than the outgoing car and the roofline is also lower. Moreover, It doesn’t bear any resemblance to the MPV-styling of the A-Class Mk1 at all.

Additionally, it sits on a totally revised platform and boasts a new interior, tech and engines.

Inside is a new story too. Every model has dual digital displays, one being multitouch enabled but both can be customised and controlled using steering wheel-mounted sensors. That’s all very neat, but it’s the tech powering these screens that really impresses.

Mercedes A-Class MBUX

Mercedes is pretty pleased with itself for installing MBUX (Mercedes Benz User Experience) in to the premium family hatchback. Rightly so too, as they tell me that it’s more technologically advanced than their S-Class flagship. Impressive stuff considering the latter starts at £72,000 – more than double the cost of the £25,800 A-Class.

The elongated Nvidia Tegra X2-powered dual 7-inch displays (cockpit and dashboard) come as standard. You also get the option to add one, or two, 10.25-inch screens. The displays are lag-free and vibrant. The screens housed behind a seamless and slender glass front were developed with LG rather than sourcing them from motoring display makers, as usual. This certainly brings more of a familiar consumer experience to anyone with a smartphone or tablet.

In use

I really like the navigation system. Here you are able to pinch to zoom and manipulate the 3D map to make it easier to see where you’re going.

Standout features includes the added augmented-reality tech that overlays images from the car’s camera with direction arrows, street names and house numbers. It activates as you approach junctions and proved surprisingly useful on the test route that was programmed in to the system for me. You know how the UK loves roundabouts.

The 3D mapping is provided by renown online map experts, HERE. The 3D view is my favourite and, again, you are able to rotate, zoom, and drag the map around using MBUX’s slick multi-touch tech.

Also, tapping into the settings menu can bring up a 3D model of your car. Here you can control the headlights by tapping on the relevant icon and adjusting the settings accordingly. Not only does this look great, but it is totally intuitive to use. No more the multi-layered menus of old found on other cars.

Alexa meets K.I.T.T; becomes Christina

As if all the neat digital display goodness wasn’t enough, you can also chat to your A-Class.

Thanks to Nuance’s voice recognition software, dubbed Linguatronic in the Merc, you can ask the platform’s AI assistant, called Christina, to help you out.

It can give you directions, play music and even change the temperature. Just say “Hey Mercedes, I’m cold” and the AI assistant will increase the in-car temperature. Christina will also tell you what the temperature is outside, or where best to grab a coffee. I am also told that there will be some ‘Easter Eggs’ coming soon too, for a bit of fun. Expect witty replies to “Hey Mercedes, tell me a joke” and Christina’s opinions of another German car brand.

Mercedes me connect

With the multimedia system MBUX, there’s new Mercedes me connect services. These are integrated into the MBUX display and accessed via the Mercedes me tiles. Mercedes me enables you to link your car with your Mercedes me account via a QR code. Here you can check the status of your services, all while sitting in your car.

The services include the navigation functions on the basis of Car-to-X Communication (information from vehicle to vehicle on events recorded by sensors, e.g. emergency braking, ESP intervention, or a manual system message by the driver, e.g. on an accident). Additionally, there is Vehicle Tracking, which makes it easier to find your parked car. It will also let you know if your parked car has been bumped or, heaven forbid, towed away.

In-Car Office allows access to important data and use of certain office functions directly in the vehicle, including easy participation in telephone conferences (without having to search for dial-up information). Appointments can be displayed and read aloud.

Mercedes A-Class performance

The A-Class is available in three trims in the UK: SE, Sport, and AMG.

All variants have air-conditioning, DAB radio and alloy rims. The size of the latter is dependent on spec – Sport comes with 17-inch wheels, for instance, while the AMG gets the slightly larger 18-inch rims. Of course, much like every new car on the market, there are various packages you can choose from to fit your individual requirements.

The Mercedes A-Class is one of the most expensive hatchbacks currently on the market. Saying that, when you sit in one, it is difficult to knock the interior design and comfort.

Here you’ll find soft leather seats, a lovely sports steering wheel, and very retro-futurist vent grilles on the dashboard. Granted, older Merc fans will mourn the lack of wood and chrome, but this is part of why Mercedes has approached the A-Class differently. They are looking for a younger, or young at heart, audience here. From what I gather, the outgoing model succeeded in this somewhat, and brought the average Mercedes owner’s age down. I dare say that this new version will continue the trend.

Engines

The A180 d is equipped with a diesel engine and starts at £25,580. Alternatively, you can choose from a pair of petrol models (A200 and A250), these cost £27,500 and £30,240, respectively.

I hear that Mercedes is planning to launch a cheaper A180 petrol variant in the Autumn for the UK. Next year, we should see a couple more powerful diesel variants (A200 d and A220 d) too. All engines are mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox. For stick-shifters, you will be happy to know that manual models are due to come in at the end of this year.

Test drive

At the UK’s press launch event, I drove both the A200 Sport and A180 d AMG Line through the glorious Cotswolds countryside. It was a lovely, warm and clear, sunny day.

The routes given to me took in single track roads as well as Motorways, A-Roads and B-Roads. All these were interspersed by quintessentially English villages.

I found the cars to be comfortable to drive around the twisty-turnies. The cars have a light, yet well-balanced feel. Both felt sure-footed but perhaps lacked the thrills of something sportier. Neither were slouches mind, but adrenaline junkies should perhaps look elsewhere for a more engaging ride. However, this is not a fault of the design nor engineering. Mercedes intended the A-Class to give you a comfortable ride that will eat up those motorway miles. I can attest that it does this with aplomb. Moreover, at a fair rate of knots if you take your eyes off the speedometer.

The diesel is much slower off the line than the petrol, but the 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel can return up to 68.9 mpg. It was showing 56.9 mpg thanks to my enthusiastic driving in sports mode. It can hit 62 mph in 10.5 seconds from standing.

The 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol was much more eager. It has a 0-62 mph time of 8 seconds and will run up to 139 mph. It does need a heavy foot to get it going but it doesn’t actually sound like it enjoys that very much.

I didn’t get to play with the A250 but this model shaves a couple of seconds off the 0-62 time of the A200 and has legs up to 155 mph thanks to its 2.0-litre lump.

Inside

It is certainly a nice place to be and even the rear passengers look to be well appointed.

Boot space is better than I expected too, if I am honest.

I reckon I could get my bass gear to rehearsals without issue and perhaps even give my guitarist a lift with the rear seats folded down for his rig. The weekly shop shouldn’t be a problem, nor a set of golf sticks and the likes.

Plus points to Mercedes-Benz for fitting the car with USB-C ports. We were handed adapters but, as I am currently rocking an Honor 10, it was perfect as is.

Bluetooth connection to the phone was also seamless. I even received a call whilst on one of my test runs and, again, I was able to take and end the call without issue, or prior training. The call was clear and they didn’t seem to have any difficulty in hearing my Northern dulcet tones.

Regarding music, I was told that Tidal integration could well be on its way. Great news for those of us that enjoy streamed high resolution music. As it stands, the infotainment system will read metadata from music stored on USB – I am assuming this will be the same for music stored on drives and phones too.

Mercedes A-Class review conclusion

The MBUX interface will certainly give you bragging rights in the pub. Furthermore, this eye-catching slab of tech is ultra-responsive. I am truly impressed by Mercedes’ approach and implementation on this side of things. The overall fluidity is excellent. Also, Christina deserves a mention too. As with all voice activated AIs, the more you chat with her, the better she will become. Additionally, as this is just the first installation, we can expect more skills being added down the line.

The car itself has a more purposeful stance than the outgoing model. It handles well, but not particularly in a way that will have you chucking it in to corners. However, its light feel and comfortable, well-appointed cabin will have you reaching your destination relaxed. However, it would be good if the same option of adaptive dampers available on the German A250 was offered over here, too.

I love the styling and there is a good amount of room inside. The fit and finish of the interior is arguably the best in its class. I can see it setting a definite benchmark, not only for the class but, perhaps, classes above too. I have heard whispers that BMW has delayed its new 1 Series, I think I may know why now.

Price and availability

The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts at £25,800 for entry-level A 180 d SE. The three engine types in three trim levels are available to buy now with the first cars arriving this month in the UK.

The sedan version was also unveiled recently but I couldn’t get a firm date or confirmation as to if and when it will make it over to the UK. There are plans for an AMG A45 version of the new A-Class but, again, people were being tight-lipped about it.

The post Mercedes-Benz A-Class 2018 review: youthfully tech forward appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Remember the Essential PH-1, the Android handset that was the first phone with the notch? Well, it’s just added Master-Quality Audio to its feature-set.

Essential Products was founded by Android co-founder Andy Rubin. The company has now partnered with MQA to deliver Master-Quality Audio (MQA) studio quality sound to the Essential Phone.

This boost to the handset’s audio capabilities follows Essential’s commitment to deliver new software features and updates to its community.

Essential MQA

Essential customers will be able to stream MQA music via TIDAL. The number of ‘Master’ quality tracks on the streaming service is ever growing.

The decision to add the ability to a phone falls in-line with a recent study by IFPI. Their recent Music Consumer Insight Report “Connecting With Music” shows that 90% of paid audio streamers use a smartphone for music listening.

Words

Mike Jbara, MQA’s CEO stated,

This partnership sees MQA working with a truly innovative tech team. Our goal is to deliver the best audio quality to as many music fans as possible, and this collaboration with Essential represents a further step towards this ambition.”

TIDAL Chief Operating Officer Lior Tibon added,

TIDAL is proud to partner with a company that values superior sound quality. We strive to provide fans with elevated listening experiences, and our partnership with Essential illustrates how we’re committed to this mission.”

Price and availability

The Essential PH-1 costs $499 direct from their website. You get 3 months free TIDAL access after which you will have to subscribe. TIDAL Premium costs £9.99 per month but for high fidelity lossless, including ‘Master’ quality, it’s £19.99 per month.

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Following on from the news that Xiaomi has now landed in France and Italy, Vodafone has announced that it will be stocking the Mi Mix 2, exclusively for Vodafone subscribers.

We were excited when we first saw the Mi Mix. This phone certainly gave everyone a glimpse of what was possible. Additionally, it managed to defy everyone’s expectations about phone design as well as pioneering the full screen smartphone.

Then, the Mi Mix 2 raised the bar. Packing a 5.99-inch screen and a 18:9 full screen display, it delivers a stunning appearance with the screen almost entirely filling up the front surface.

Furthermore, it allows for surfing on the Internet at a download speed of up to 600Mbps and an upload speed of up to 100Mbps.

Now, through this most recent launch, Vodafone has became the first operator in the Spanish market to sell a product by Xiaomi.

Mi Mix 2

As you may recall, the Mi Mix 2 was jointly designed with world-renowned designer Philippe Starck. The phone represents Xiaomi’s efforts in pushing ahead with the use of ceramic.

It has a beautiful ceramic back and a four-sided curved design that transitions smoothly into the aluminium frame.

It’s loaded with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and comes with 6GB RAM and 64GB memory. It also uses the latest Sony IMX386 sensor in its 12-megapixel camera. Also, the camera comes with 4-axis OIS for sharper images free of shaky-cam.

Words

Wang Xiang, Senior Vice President of Xiaomi, said:

This new partnership with Vodafone allows us to tap on an even wider consumer group that we believe will truly benefit from our amazing products at honest prices. Vodafone is a leading player and I am truly excited to further grow our business in Spain in partnership with them.Mi MIX 2 showcases Xiaomi’s abilities to push boundaries, and be at the forefront of innovation, while making cutting-edge technologies accessible to everyone.”

Nuno Taveira, Director of the Terminal Business Unit of Vodafone Spain, commented:

We want our customers to have at their fingertips the best smartphones in the market to enjoy with the best 4G + network and that is why this exclusive distribution agreement of the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is essential. In addition, our clients have added advantages such as the elimination of the commitment  of  permanence,  payment  in  instalments  without  interest, free mobile insurance for 3 months and after-sales repair service in less than 5 days in our stores”.

Availability and price plans

Mi MIX 2 is available from this week in Vodafone stores and the Vodafone Onine Store. It benefits from the following Vodafone advantages:

• No commitment to remain in tariff
• The best price in the free market at € 399 for the 6 GB + 64 GB version
• Installment payment without interest
• Mobile insurance “Total protection” 3 months of gift
• After-sales service: repair in 5 days with original parts and replacement smartphone

Mi MIX 2 is available with One M and Red M plans (or higher) without commitment. There’s € 0 initial cost and € 16.5 per month for 24 months. This comes with a 3 month mobile insurance gift (€ 4 / month for subscription afterwards).

With Vodafone One M 120Mb, customers will have benefits such as symmetric fiber at 120Mb, 10GB of data. Additionally, they get Chat Pass and Social Pass unlimited calls and roaming from the smartphone in the EU and the United States, calls to landlines and mobiles from a landline and between family members. Rounding things off with a 1 year free TIDAL Premium, and an additional line with 500MB, Chat Pass and calls at 0 cent / min., for € 76 / month.

And with Vodafone SuperPass you can enjoy unlimited data volume to stream video, music and maps apps for additional € 14 / month.

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