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Based in the UK - Phone: OnePlus 12 - Tablet: Samsung Tab S8 - Watch: Fitbit Sense 2

Philips Clothes Steamer Gets the Wrinkles Out

Gadgets, review,

While the office dress code has become more relaxed since the pandemic, I still have to wear a shirt that’s wrinkle-free at the beginning of the day. While my office-wear is supposed to be “non-iron”, the shirts do tend to need ironing to look their best after they’ve been through the wash. Interestingly, a colleague (shout out to Craig) suggested using a steamer rather than an iron to quickly get the creases out, so I thought I’d investigate further.

I purchased a Philips Handheld Steamer 3000 series (STH3000/26) from an online retailer and at the time, I paid a little over UK£30, though it’s currently available at a slightly lower price of £29.99 (April 25). There are other handheld ranges (5000 series, 7000 series) but they are more expensive and have more features. I thought I’d stick to the basics and this particular model comes in an inoffensive blue-green colour. Unusually, the colour goes all the way from the steamer and down the cable to the plug. It’s blue-green all over.

As you’ll see from the pictures, there’s nothing particular fancy here. There’s a folding handle below the main body with a detachable water reservoir on one end and steam jets on the other. The handle incorporates a sliding on/off switch at the bottom with a trigger higher up to produce steam. It’s very easy to operate – fill the reservoir with water, click it on the back, turn on the steamer, wait about 30s for the light on top to go out and then pull the trigger. Steam comes out after a wee gurgle. Easy-peasy. Although I don’t think the weight will bother anyone, the steamer has a bit of heft to it at a little under a kilogram once the water is added.

Using the steamer takes a little bit of getting used to. First of all you have to find somewhere to do the steaming. The clothes ought to be vertical, rather than being laid on an ironing board, so I tended to put the hangar over a door. It’s a bit unsatisfactory but that’s not the Philips steamer’s fault and I’d be very tempted to get something like this to make life easier – a garment overdoor steamer pad. It kind of replaces the ironing board as somewhere to do the work.

In practise, the steamer works and it works pretty well. Pull the trigger and gently move the steamer over the clothes to let the steam do its stuff and release those wrinkles. It’s fairly quick too, and with a bit of practice you begin to develop a technique so that you’re not going over the same area multiple times and you know how to tense the fabric to help pull it flat. If you are worried about scalding your fingers, don’t be as the steam gets absorbed by the fabric so it never really escapes. Clearly you can scald your fingers if you try hard enough but steam safely and it’s fine.

My only real gripe is the size of the water reservoir (100ml) as I found it only lasted a few shirts and then I’d need to refill. If you are serious about taking up steaming, look for a bigger water reservoir.

Obviously the big question is whether it’s faster than ironing….yes and no. It’s definitely faster for shirts because much of the time is taken up with undoing and doing up the buttons. With the steamer you can simply take the drying shirt and steam it on the hangar. For something like a t-shirt that has no buttons and you are likely to fold at the end, I think I’d stick with the traditional iron. Overall, I’m going to continue to use the Philips steamer and if it sticks for the long term, I might look to upgrade.

There’s more in my video below.

Refresh your TV with a new Roku Streaming Stick

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It’s been awhile coming but today Roku has announced updates to its streaming product line with the new Roku Streaming Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. These will be coming to the UK in early summer which is great news for Roku fans on this side of the pond. For those who don’t know about Roku, the company offers both streaming players that plug into an HDMI socket and Roku TVs, which builds Roku’s streaming experience into smart TVs. Don’t get confused by the Japanese gin of the same name.

The Streaming Stick provides HD resolution and the Streaming Stick Plus delivers up to 4K with HDR. Both models will come will with voice remotes which means you can simply talk into the remotes to start playing a show or open a channel. Rokus support all the major streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Paramount+ along with all the terrestrial broadcasters such as BBC’s iPlayer or itvX.

The new models replace the Roku Express and Express 4K+ in the product line which means that all models in Rokus portfolio are now of the stick variety. The Streaming Sticks are both only a little wider than the HDMI socket meaning they’re not going to block any adjacent HDMIs if it’s all a bit tight round the back of the TV. Further, the Sticks will happily power off a USB port, so if the TV has a spare one of those, it’ll reduce the cable clutter without the need for a power brick or wall wart.

Both models will be available on 2nd June from all the usual retailers in the UK. Pricewise the Streaming Stick will come in at £29.99, with the Plus version selling for an extra tenner at £39.99. As far as I can tell, the existing Roku Streaming Stick 4K remains in place at £49.99 and offers Dolby Vision.

Rokus are a great way of continuing to use older TVs or where an existing smart TV is missing certain otherwise-expected apps (I’m looking at you LG). They have a  really great user interface that’s very simple to use (and there’s a complementary Roku smartphone app), so it’s much easier and cheaper to upgrade a TV with a Streaming Stick than it is to buy a whole new TV, plus you’re not contributing to e-waste, which is definitely a good thing.

 

The Lazarus Heist Podcast

bbc, Hacker, ,
Photo by Steve Barker on Unsplash

With sources indicating that North Korea’s Lazarus Group were behind the recent cryptocurrency theft from Bybit, it’s worth revisiting the BBC’s series of podcasts, “The Lazarus Heist“.

Originally produced in two sets for 2021 and 2023, these podcasts are both entertaining and educational as to the activities of hacking groups and how they achieve their goals. These are highly trained, well-prepared and patient state-sponsored groups needing hard currency to fund their country’s regimes.

Series 1 begins with the hack of Sony Pictures all the way back in 2014 and follows the trail all across the world to an audacious bank theft partially foiled by a spelling mistake. Series 2 continues with millions in cash stolen simultaneously from ATMs all round the world.

Geek News Central has covered many of the newsworthy events in the episodes but the Lazarus Heist podcasts brings several of those outwardly unconnected events into a joined up narrative that illustrates how dangerous this group can be. Their strength isn’t necessarily their hacking skills, but rather how they organise and think things through. Definitely worth a listen to better understand the motives behind them and the tactics involved.

Having trouble with your Motorola or Lenovo smartphone? Use Software Fix

smartphone, ,

If you are the owner of a Motorola or Lenovo smartphone, you really ought to know about Motorola’s Software Fix app for Windows. This is a fantastic support app that will do its very best to get your phone up and running again without needing a trip to the local phone repair shop. No, it can’t fix a cracked screen but it can fix bootloader issues and OTA upgrade problems.

I’ve used it to repair a Moto G-something where the bootloader had become unlocked and every time the phone rebooted, there was an imperious warning in red lettering before the phone started booting. It wasn’t really a big deal but I wanted to sell the phone and make sure it was all in good working order for the buyer. Software Fix sorted it out, upgrading the phone to the latest Android version and relocking the bootloader.

Previously known as RSA (Rescue and Support Assistant), it’s been rebranded as Software Fix and works with Motorola and Lenovo phones, tablets and headsets. On the whole, the software is straightforward but it can be a little intimidating as Windows and the phone can sometimes throw up warnings when installing software such as the ADB drivers. You need to power through.

Overall, it’s a case of install the software, connect the phone via a cable and get busy. A connection through WiFi works for some of the tools, but I prefer the greater certainty of a USB cable. One of the early steps in the process is to enable Developer Mode by tapping on Build multiple times and Software Fix takes you though what needs to be done.

In addition to repairs, hardware tests can check the phone is operating normally.

One word of warning. If you do any low level work such as upgrading the OS, these actions are destructive as it’s effectively a factory reset (although it remains tied to the Google account). Make sure you have all the backups and uploads done before you start work.

Finally, if you do have a Motorola or Lenovo device, I’d recommend taking a look at this now even if you don’t yet have a problem. It’s worth figuring it all out before you have a problem, so that when you do, it’s an easy fix as you’ve got everything ready.

The Best Mechanical Pencils? Uni Kuru Toga

writing,

If you come from any kind of scientific or engineering background, I’d be fairly confident that a pencil is your writing implement of choice, specifically a mechanical or propelling pencil. For most people, it’ll be a 0.5 mm lead but if you come from a draughting background, you’ll have two, one with a 0.3 mm lead and the other with 0.7 mm. I’m kind of partial to 0.7 mm myself: the extra width gives the writing more weight, especially with a softer lead.

For those who aren’t pencil fans, you need to look again at them as writing implements. They’re some of the best tools to get emotion down on the page as the darkness of the line reflects the pressure of your hand.

Obviously pencils wear down as you write and if you hold the pencil in the same grip, the lead can become chiselled with a flat side and sharp point, which can all too easily tear into (cheap) paper. The solution to this is Uni’s Kuru Toga range of propelling pencils which have an innovative mechanism to rotate the pencil lead every time the pencil touches down onto the paper, keeping the tip of the lead in more of a dome shape that won’t rip the page. I’m a big fan.

As they’re mostly produced for the Japanese domestic market, it can be difficult to see the whole range in an English website. There’s broadly three types available; smooth, gel or knurled grips. Although there’s a wide range of pencils (and all typically costing less than US$20 / GB£20), my personal favourite is the Uni Kuru Toga Elite. It’s a tasteful silver, with a metal knurled barrel enhancing both the grip and its engineering kudos.

If you haven’t used a pencil since school, I’d suggest you pick one up and give it a whirl. Try and support your local specialist writing store if you can, otherwise they are available online.

 

Pantone Color of the Year 2025 is Mocha Mousse

design,

For 2025 Pantone has announced Mocha Mousse as the Color of the Year. Officially PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, the colour is “a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.”

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, explains, “Underpinned by our desire for every day pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence. Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe. Infused with subtle elegance and earthy refinement, Mocha Mousse presents a discrete and tasteful touch of glamour. A flavorful brownshade, Mocha Mousse envelopes us with its sensorial warmth.”

This year’s Mocha Mousse follows on from last year’s Peach Fuzz and for the full story on this year’s color choice, there’s a comprehensive Pantone feature on the Color of the Year. I’d suggest that this year, going from Peach Fuzz to Mocha Mousse is more of a evolution in color rather than the distinctive breaks that are more usual.

It’s also 26 years of the Pantone Color of the year. Back in 2000, it was PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean and for those paying attention, that was the colour namechecked in The Devil Wears Prada when Andy gets a dressing down from Miranda on her choice of jumper.

As with previous years, Pantone has worked with other partners to transform Mocha Mousse into more than just colours. Continuing the existing relationship, Motorola has introduced two special edition smartphones, the edge 50 neo and the razr 50 ultra. They’re currently out of stock but you can be notified when they’re ready. In addition to this year’s Color of the Year, there are other Pantone color choices for the phones such as Poinciana and Nautical Blue.

Although there doesn’t seem to be a formal arrangement with Microsoft which was in place for 2022’s Very Peri, there are plenty of Mocha Mousse wallpapers to download. Stay bang on trend in your next online meeting.

If you are a designer, all the colour standards are on Pantone’s site, including some downloads for Adobe products. The codes for PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mouse are sRGB: 164 120 100 and Hex: #A47864.

Mocha Mousse imagery courtesy of Pantone. Edge and Razr photos courtesy of Motorola.

Nank Runner Diver2 Pro Bone Conduction Headphones

audio, headphones, review, , , ,

The Nank Runner Diver2 Pro (henceforth RD2P) headphones are a little bit different from your usual Bluetooth headset or earbuds. Instead of sitting over or in your ear canal, the RD2Ps use bone conduction to get sound into your ears, with the “speakers” sitting a little in front of the ear, resting on the top of your jawbone. The vibrations pass from the RD2P into your skull and then on to the auditory sensors buried deep in your ears: it’s a little bit like how you hear yourself. What are my first impressions? They’re great and I wish I’d discovered them years ago.

The RD2P headphones come in a small box with a little pile of accessories aimed at getting the most out of the RD2Ps. There’s the RD2P headphones themselves, which hook over the ears with the loop going round the back of the head rather than over the top. There’s a bit of spring in the band, making sure that the headphones stick firmly to your head. On the right hand side, there are three control buttons, ostensibly volume up, down and play/pause but combinations of multiple presses change the operating mode of the device. On the inner side, there’s a magnetic pogo pin connector where the data transfer and charging cable connects. The cable is included in the box.

Battery life is stated at 10 hours and I’m not going to quibble with that. I fully charged the headphones when I got them and I’ve still to charge them after about two weeks and a good bit of exercise.

Data transfer? Yes. Not only can the RD2P work as Bluetooth headphones, it also includes a media player with 32 GB of storage, which is fantastic if you want to listen to music while swimming. Obviously you don’t want have your smartphone at the side of the pool and Bluetooth radio waves really don’t transmit well through water, so having a built-in mp3 player is essential. Three presses of the middle button switches between the Bluetooth and media player (TF) modes.

Also in the box are some ear plugs in a little case: I’m not an earplug person so I didn’t use them. Let’s be honest, the whole point of bone conduction headphones is to avoid sticking things in your ear. In addition to the ear plugs, the RD2P comes with what Nank calls “sound quality enhancers”. They’re in pairs, one for each ear, and come in small, medium and large to sit inside the outer part of your ear – have a look at the picture. They did work – I’ll talk about audio quality shortly – but I’m not convinced they’ll be used much. These headphones are aimed at active people doing running, biking, swimming and the enhancers are a bit fiddly and something to lose.

Rounding out the box contents is a small silicone strap for, say, connecting the headphones to swim googles, and of course, some instructions. There’s no carrycase included though one is available from Nank’s store for an extra £15. Probably worth it if the RD2Ps are going to be lugged round in a gym bag and you don’t want to trash them.

The Runner Diver 2 Pro headphones are aimed at people doing sport and I think they do this job admirably especially as they’re IP69 rated which means they’re properly waterproof – according to the spec it’s up to 10 m deep for 5 hours. I tried them running, biking and swimming and for swimming, they’re a total audio revelation. Let’s talk about running and biking first….in terms of fit, the RD2Ps stayed in place really well. The combination of the over-ear loops and springiness of the neckband works well, and no issues with wearing glasses either. They’re very easy to wear generally as there’s no tiredness that sometimes comes from wearing headphones over or on the ears or earbuds in the ear. With cycling you do have to figure out how they’re going to work with your helmet straps which come down round your ears. I had to put the RD2Ps on first and then my helmet, otherwise the helmet strap blocked where vibrating pads rested on my jaw.

An advantage of bone conduction of headphones is that as they don’t obstruct the ears, other sounds can be heard clearly. This is handy if you need to be aware of a car coming up behind your or even if you simply need to hear someone talking to you. Nank advertise a noise cancelling capability with the RD2Ps which is engaged by tilting the earpads backwards closer to the ear canal. The effect isn’t as pronounced or as convincing as ANC earbuds so I wouldn’t rely on them for a transatlantic flight.

When it comes to audio quality, don’t expect these to be IEMs, but it’s still good. Music is detailed and clear, a little bit brighter, perhaps a bit thinner and the biggest difference is a reduction in bass. There’s not that “oomph” at the low end that can be expected from air-transmitted sound. Don’t get me wrong, I was delighted when I heard these for the first time simply sitting at my desk – they’re very clear and you can hear great detail. And we haven’t even talked about swimming…getting in the pool with these on is revelatory experience when your head is under the water. The music suddenly becomes richer and fuller: I couldn’t stop grinning for my first few lengths and I was amazed that other people didn’t hear the music as I swam past. They’re truly brilliant. It’s crazy being at the bottom of the pool (2.6 m) bopping away to your favourite mixes.

I’ve used other products with waterproof earbuds which were supposed to seal the ear canal and keep the water out. However, as soon as water got past the seal the sound became all muffled and there was never any fixing the problem while in the pool. You still do get odd effects with the RD2Ps depending on whether your head is in or out of the water as the liquid drains in and out of the ear but you can still hear the music or podcast. Wearing the earplugs helps with that but I’m quite happy doing the crawl with one ear occasionally out of the water. I honestly can’t see myself doing lengths without the RD2Ps ever again.

Any problems? The female voice that announces functions like “Pairing” or “Bluetooth mode” is a bit, err, vibrate-y and gives me the tingles, which doesn’t happen when listening to a podcast.

Pricewise, the full price is around UK£155 but there’s discount on at the moment which brings the price down to about £125 and they’re available directly from Nank’s online store. The Runner Diver2 Pro headphones were supplied to me for review by Nank but I can genuinely say that I’d spend my own money on these for the swimming performance alone. Definitely recommended.

Thanks to Nank for supplying the Runner Diver2 Pro bone conduction headphones for review.