Mobile reviews

Try as it may, digital technology hasn’t managed to replace the ease and convenience of being able to hand-write notes. The Rocketbook Fusion aims to change that with its high-tech paper that can be wiped and used time and time again, combined with an app that will scan and save notes for use. Cheaper than its digital-based alternatives, such as the Remarkable 2 E Ink tablet, this notebook feels much more like writing for real. A slightly limited number of pages and slow drying ink are minor issues but this is a handy high-tech way of replacing a low-tech item. Design and writing – Pretty much like paper but with slower-drying ink Rocketbook has several notebooks that use its technology, including the Core, which just has line pages, and the Fusion that I have here. This book is designed to replace many other notebooks, and contains pages with templates for tasks, two pages of weekly planning, a calendar, objectives, and then a decent chunk of pages with grids or lines. That giv...

We take it for granted that the iPad is the best tablet on the market. But really, it’s only the best for some of the people some of the time. For delivery drivers, manual labourers, construction workers, and those undertaking the kind of home projects that would have your average Apple Store employee scurrying for the microfibre cloth, no iPad is up to the task. The Samsung Tab Active 3 reckons it’s tough enough to take all the knocks and scrapes you can throw its way. The following review will try to figure out whether that’s true, and just as importantly, whether it can perform the even tougher task of being a decent tablet. Design – Chunky and suitably utilitarian Even without the hard-wearing shell case that ships with the Galaxy Tab Active 3, this is a tough, no-nonsense piece of kit. Its all-plastic build sports reinforced corners and a removable, flexible, hard-wearing rear panel. That last point matters, because it means that you can remove and replace the Tab Active 3’s ...

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 went on sale in the summer of 2019, and competition for the top spot in the noise cancelling headphone has only intensified since its release. Bose had led the market in the premium wireless headphone market, but recent years has seen a tit-for-tat battle emerge with Sony. The number of options at the higher end of the market is only set to expand with the emergence of the Apple AirPods Max . 18 months later, how do the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 shape up against their rivals? Related: Best noise cancelling headphones Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 design – A beautifully sculpted pair of headphones While the QuietComfort 35 II looked fairly ordinary for a pair of premium headphones, the same can’t be said for the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, which bring on the style in a big way. The Bose NC Headphones 700 have a look that’s sleek and minimalist, the focal point of which is the stainless-steel bar that encompass...

The FreeBuds Studio are Huawei’s first over-ear active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones, and follow hot on the ears of its FreeBuds True Wireless models. The Chinese giant may be Google bereft when it comes to smartphones, but it’s increasingly bullish about audio entertainment, recently partnering with French audiophile outfit Devialet for its Sound X Bluetooth speaker. Now it’s eager to wade deeper into what seems like a roiling sea of competing headphones. But is it out of its depth? It’s easy to see the reference points here. The nomenclature echoes Beats; the minimalist design channels Sony’s WH-1000XM models – but they sound like neither… Related: Best headphones Huawei FreeBuds Studio design – Plenty of style and a high-quality finish make these headphones a tactile treat Let’s enthuse over the design of the FreeBuds Studio. The clean lines are reassuringly minimalist, and there’s detail and texture to enjoy, from the soft ear pleather to the metallic headband. The soft...

The Elite 85t are Jabra’s latest wireless earbud, bringing active noise cancellation to this range of models. Both the Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t put in strong performances, with both awarded 4.5 stars in our reviews. However, competition in the wireless earbuds market is high, so brands can’t afford to stand still for long. With the addition of ANC, the Elite 85t are propelled alongside the likes of Bose, Sennheiser and Sony at the premium end of the market. Are the Jabra Elite 85t the wireless earbuds to get? Related: Best wireless earbuds Jabra Elite 85t design – Petite size and great comfort levels The Elite 85t are the first from Jabra to feature built-in active noise cancellation, and they claim they do so without compromising size or fit. They’re slightly bigger than the Elite 75t, but aside from a bulkier undercarriage (for lack of a better term), the difference between the two isn’t huge. Their size helps them to achieve a comfortable fit. Unlike some chunkier ear...

The QuietComfort Earbuds are the latest salvo from Bose in the battle between it and Sony for supremacy in the premium headphone market. It’s a tit-for-tat battle we’re rather enjoying, since it spurs each brand to reach greater heights. Unlike the battle between the two veteran film franchises in Alien vs Predator, no matter which brand wins this contest, we win too with even better headphones. While Bose isn’t shy of giving itself top-billing, the brand’s latest earbuds may actually live up to the hype. Related: Best wireless earbuds Bose QuietComfort Earbuds design – Fit makes them good for listening and workouts While there was a palaver about the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live kidney bean-shaped appearance, there’s something of a bean-shaped look about the QuietComfort Earbuds, too. Here though, the main body is slim and svelte in its appearance, made larger by a new iteration of Bose’s StayHear Max tip. The idea behind the StayHear design is that every surface that touches you...