http://www.seagate.com

The Seagate Wireless Plus allows you to wirelessly stream your media and files to tablets, smartphones, Mac computers and PCs. The drive is specifically designed for mobile and tablet devices and at 1TB it provides enough space for up to 500 HD films.

I absolutely love my iPad and having only purchased the 16GB model I often require more storage space for my movies, TV shows, music and photos. So when I was asked to test the Seagate Wireless Plus, I was delighted as it is an ideal solution for me.

To get started I needed to get the free Seagate Media app for iPad. This was simple and easy to obtain. This app provides quick access to the drive’s files. The wireless plus has a built in Wi-Fi network making it really easy to connect the hard drive to the device and a great feature of the software is that it also allows you to still connect to your device to the internet, so you do not have to keep swapping Wi-Fi connections, however there is a bit of a speed drop using this method.

I found moving files back and forth between my iPad and the Wireless Plus very easy. I also found streaming media files from the drive to my iPad very straightforward.

Seagate claim you can stream HD video to 3 devices at once, and I was curious to test if that was the case, I connected to an iPad, an iPhone and a Galaxy tab 2 and it worked perfectly, exactly as stated even using 3 different videos at the same time.

The files you can stream on your device need to be supported by the device itself, the software does no form of conversion, so for example you could not play an mkv file on an iPad as the iPad does not natively play mkv files.

The Seagate Wireless Plus is stated has having a 10 hour battery so is ideal for taking with you on long journeys. In our tests we averaged around 8 hours which was very impressive.

Using the Seagate Wireless Plus has given me a great deal more storage on my iPad. It is a handy portable hard drive that allows me to stream all my media with a great battery life, making it an ideal addition for long journeys. The only downside would be the speed drop using Wi-Fi however this isn’t too much of an issue as you cannot watch and video and use the internet at the same time, and depending on the internet connection speed you may not notice much of a speed drop.

Seagate Wireless Plus at a glance:

• Wirelessly stream your media and files to tablets, smartphones, Mac® computers and PCs
• Carry 500+ movies or thousands of songs, photos and documents
• Free Seagate Media app for iPad®, iPhone®, Kindle Fire and Android® devices
• Stream up to 3 different HD movies to three devices at the same time
• Up to 10-hour battery life*

The available at www.amazon.co.uk.
The RRP is £159.99.

http://uk.tp-link.com

When I got the opportunity to test the TP-LINK AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter TL-PA551KIT I was very excited. Being a lover of all things ‘tech’ and having a home that is completely wireless, I was very interested in seeing how the Gigabit Powerline adaptor compared.

The AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter is described as being able to turn your existing electrical circuitry into a high-speed network with no need for new wires or drilling. It did do exactly this.

The AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter set consisted of two adaptors (one to connect to a modem and one to place into another area around the home), 2 network cables, a resource CD and an installation guide.

One of the first things I noticed about the AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter was how easy it is to set up. The first adapter is connected to a plug socket with a network wire connected from the adapter to a router/switch. The second adapter is than placed into another plug socket near the laptop/computer you want to connect to the internet with a network cable connecting the adapter to the device. Once both adapters are plugged in and powered up, they need to be paired up. This is very easy to do. All I had to do was press the pairing buttons underneath the two adapters and they were paired up. It was as simple as that and just worked. There was nothing else to fiddle with or configure.

Once the adapters were paired and working I could test their speed. I connected my laptop to the internet using my wireless at home and then connected it using the AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter. My initial thoughts were that it would be slightly faster than the wireless on the computer. After testing I was very impressed by the speed of the adapters, which was over three times faster than my wireless connection. The wireless on my laptop gives me a constant 2Mb connection as it is wireless G, whereas using the powerline adapters the speed went up to 6.5-7Mb, pretty much as fast as if the laptop was connected directly to the router (This was tested using Sky fibre broadband).

I also tested streaming a couple of HD movies via the powerlines, on the wireless 720p movies stream with few glitches, 1080p movies would not stream at all, at most they’d stream for a minute or two. Throught the powerplugs 720p and 1080p streamed with no issues at all which was very impressive.

The AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter is also very convenient for your home as it comes with an Integrated Power Socket. This integrated power socket allows an additional device to be connected to the adapter as though it were a normal wall socket. Therefore, you do not lose a plug socket when the AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter is in use.

In my opinion the AV500+ Gigabit Powerline Adapter is definitely worth having in the home. It gives the speed and stability of a cable connection but can be used anywhere around the home near a plug socket.

Highlights:
• Integrated power socket to allow additional devices access to power
• HomePlug AV standard compliant, high-speed data transfer rates of up to 500Mbps
• No new wires, Easy Plug and Play operation, No configuration required
• Patented Power-Saving Mode automatically reduces power consumption by up to 85%*
• Twin Pack design helps establish a basic powerline network

The RRP is £85.99

www.stonemarketing.com/caran-dache

Caran D’ache have a reputation for making excellent quality pens and pencils. Their new 849 Zebra pens certainly live up to this reputation.

When I was sent the Caran D’ache pen I was instantly struck by its ultra-flat, modern case. The pen was encased in a gloss white metal case, with a magnetic clasp. The pen sits comfortably into the black interior, showcasing its fun fashionable design.

The 849 Zebra pens have a daring, irresistible style. This Swiss made ballpoint pen comes in five new shades; red, yellow, grey, watergreen and violet. Each pen has matte black Zebra stripes and a transparent lacquer finish. I have the watergreen pen and absolutely adore the colour. It is definitely a fashionable, funky looking pen.
When I first used the pen, I was amazed how smoothly the pen glided on the paper. Now I know some of you probably think a pen is just a pen, you write with it and it does its job. This is true to a certain extent as any pen can be used to fulfil its purpose of being able to write, but the 849 Zebra pen makes writing a real pleasure. It is very comfortable to hold, and as the pen glides smoothly on the paper, it makes writing effortless and actually improved my handwriting- something I wasn’t expecting.

Overall I think this pen is chic and fabulous and would definitely recommend it.

The RRP for the 849 Zebra pen is £TBC.

Another luxurious pen from Caran D’ache is the Zivago Limited Edition pen. This writing instrument draws its inspiration from the famous novel ‘Doctor Zhivago’ by Boris Pasternak. To pay tribute to this masterpiece, the Zivago limited edition is coated in black Chinese lacquer, decorated and produced in strict conformity with the traditional rules of this ancient art. Delicate stars, engraved then lacquered in white, represent the snowflakes that cover the vast Siberian landscape. The pen is completed with Boris Pasternak’s signature, delicately engraved into its lacquered body. As an ultimate tribute, the nib is crafted in 18-carat gold. This pen not only looks beautiful but is a cultural symbol representing the free spirit of man.

The RRP for Zivago Limited Edition pen is £TBC.

Caran d’Ache also pays tribute to Chinese culture in creating an exceptional limited edition that displays the full glory of Chinese lacquer: The Year of the Snake Limited Edition. This pen beautifully combines the ancient technique of Chinese lacquering with the expertise of the Maison de Haute Ecriture. The contrast of colours and materials is striking. The gold plating that forms the body of the Snake shines out against the deep intensity of the dark but brilliant Chinese lacquer. The body of the pen is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, with lacquer applied in several coats, patiently dried one after another, and then the top coat is delicately polished by hand to create its fascinating sheen. The Snake is meticulously engraved into the lacquer with exquisite precision in the smallest detail, producing the effect of natural movement in relief and incomparably enhanced with gold.

The “Year of the Snake” Edition is limited to 888 pieces, a number that is an ultimate recognition of Chinese culture.

The RRP for The Year of the Snake Limited Edition fountain pen is £2500 and the RRP for The Year of the Snake rollerball pen is £2250.

www.thewhiskyexchange.com and www.whiskyshop.com.

Suntory Whisky’s award winning Hibiki 12 year old is the perfect gift for fathers who appreciate the finer things in life.

The Hibiki 12 years old is now available in a 50cl gift size. This new beautiful riveted glass bottle is presented in an exclusive wooden gift box, along with a special Hibiki glass. This glass is mouth blown by craftspeople in Japan made to showcase the whisky and its gorgeous subtleties. The design of the ‘blossomed glass’ accentuates Hibiki’s aroma.

In my opinion, the luxurious gift box, the beautiful glass bottle and the wonderful glassware are absolutely exquisite. When I first opened the gift box I was taken aback as to how elegant and luxurious the bottle and glass appeared. This gift will definitely show any father how much they are loved and appreciated.

The Hibiki 12 not only looks stunning but its taste is something out of this world. I’m not a great lover of whisky but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed drinking this drink. The Hibiki 12 is rich and smooth, with a long sweet yet spicy finish.

The Hibiki Whisky Gift set offers a sense of luxury to whoever receives it. A truly elegant gift for a special father on Father’s Day.

The RRP for the Hibiki 12 gift set is £50. The RRP for the Hibiki 12 50cl bottle is £35. Both are available from The Whisky Exchange and The Whisky shop or online at www.thewhiskyexchange.com and www.whiskyshop.com.

www.amazon.co.uk

Bosch have created a wonderful tool for the summer for all barbeque lovers. The Bosch IXO BBQ is an attachment to the bestselling Bosch IXO cordless screwdriver. The IXO BBQ pumps oxygen into the BBQ‘s fuel, helping to build a strong flame quickly.

The Bosch IXO BBQ comes in a stylish, silver casing. The cordless screwdriver and the BBQ attachment sit comfortably in the top of the box. Underneath the cordless screwdriver and the BBQ attachment is the home for the charger and instruction booklets.

Once I used the Bosch IXO cordless screwdriver, I understood why it is one of their bestselling models. It is small, compact and a handy size. It is ideal for DIY screw driving applications, using all types of screws and has an ergonomic design, a soft grip and a two trigger switch. The screwdriver also has a long lasting Lithium-Ion battery so is always ready to use.

The IXO BBQ fan attachment is easy to put onto the cordless screwdriver. In an instant your screwdriver is transformed into a wonderful BBQ gadget. Using the IXO BBQ attachment, lighting a BBQ is made much easier. Also as the gadget has a Lithium-Ion battery the IXO BBQ can be relied upon to be long lasting for camping trips, outdoor festivals and even on the beach.

The Bosch IXO BBQ is a multifunctional and versatile. A brilliant cordless screwdriver is available when doing DIY and when enjoying al fresco grilling, a fabulous BBQ accessory is available. A must have for all BBQ lovers.

The Bosch IXO BBQ is available from www.amazon.co.uk

The RRP is £47.49

www.avery.co.uk

The new Avery All-in-One Executive Desktop Organiser has some fabulous storage features that help you organise all the smaller items that can clutter your home or office. I have the All-in-One in our home office and love how easy it is to keep my desk organised and tidy. There are lots of discreet storage spaces to organise all the stationary that every office needs. Pens and pencils are stored neatly in the compartments at the top of the organiser.

All our paperclips, staples, pins, USB sticks and the like are stored neatly in the smaller sections. Each of these sections has a black cover so all the little accessories are hidden away-a feature I love! The All-in-One also has designated space to keep papers and documents. Gone are the days of having piles of paperwork cluttering my desk. There are three sections for paper and documents which not only helps keep the desk neat and tidy but also keeps the paperwork organised.

CDs and phones can also be stored neatly in these sections. The All-in-One is not only practical but also looks great. It has a stunning contemporary design which will compliment any modern home or office. It is also built to be long-lasting and is superbly fully recyclable. The All-in-One Executive Desktop Organiser is a must have for any home that needs organising in a stylish, ultra-modern way.

The All-in-One Executive Desktop Organiser is available from http://www.avery.co.uk

The RRP is £29.99

www.gigaset.com/uk

I was given the chance to try the new digital cordless phone from Gigaset and in a word… WOW. This is one seriously stylish home phone, however it not only looks slick and stylish but has many unique, amazing features compared to other home phones.

Being the first touch screen home phone, the Gigaset SL910A has a generous sized screen as no space is required for the buttons. Messages and missed calls can be seen clearly on this home screen.

Another great feature is that you can store up to 500 contacts onto the phone and can save 8 numbers for each contact, a total of 4000 numbers! You can save birthday dates, which is a feature I love as I am then reminded of friends and families’ birthdays. Photos can be added to each contact too helping you personalise your home phone. Favourite photos can also be uploaded to the handset so when it is not in use, it can become your own stylish digital photo frame. This phone also has bluetooth so you can sync your contacts from outlook or by vcard!

There are 3 main home screens on the phone. A home screen for the key pad, one for messages with a clock and calendar and one for your applications.

There is a 55 minute answering machine with 2 different modes, the announcement mode allows people to hear a recording and then leave a message while the advisory mode allows people to hear a message but there is no option to leave a message.

The Gigaset SL910A can also receive text messages. A feature that I find very convenient, so I can just read messages rather than listen to the BT announcement.

The Gigaset SL910A is sold as a single device but additional devices can be purchased. Up to 6 additional handsets can be used off the one base unit. If you own additional devices, the home phone can also double up as a baby monitor so you can hear your child in another room. I think this is an absolutely brilliant feature as additional baby monitors would not be needed in a home.

The Gigaset SL910A comes with many accessories. Each box includes a stylish silver Gigaset base station and Gigaset handset, a power adaptor for the base, a phone cord, a battery, a battery cover, a charger with a power adaptor and a user guide.

The latest handset from Gigaset is definitely worth taking a look at for anyone looking to purchase a new home phone.

Features at a glance:

• Answering machine with up to 55 minutes of recording time
• Large, user-friendly, 3.2” capacitive touchscreen
• Full-touch user interface for quick, easy navigation
• High-quality, genuine metal handset frame and charger
• Three home screens: dial centre, message centre and customizable info centre
• Call lists with direct, one-touch operation and picture caller ID
• Easy-to-use, scrollable address book for up to 500 vCard entries
• Bluetooth® and mini-USB for synchronization, downloads and wireless headset connection
• Customizable ringer melodies and screensaver picture show through easy downloads of sound and picture files
• Talk/standby time of up to 14/200 hours offers 3-day standard usage time without recharging
• Calendar, alarm clock and room-monitoring functions

The Gigaset SL910A is available from John Lewis, Currys, Amazon and Ligo.

The RRP for the Gigaset SL910A is £139.99

www.musicalfidelity.com

When I first opened the EB-50 box I was very impressed with the presentation of the headphones. The inner packaging was very stylish and had a lovely magnetic clasp. The headphones came with many accessories which were nicely presented in a black pouch and a black box.

The pouch contained a jack adapter that allows you to plug the headphones into your hi-fi. It also included silicone ear tips and an airline adapter that allows you to use the headphones on aeroplanes so you can watch their screens and listen to their music in comfort. The pouch is also useful to carry the headphones around. The accessories in the box were very nicely presented and I appreciated the great attention to detail.

The box contained more ear tips which was a pleasant surprise. I counted seven pairs of ear tips altogether, which is a very generous amount. The ear tips come in many different sizes including some that can go further into your ears which is very good for preventing sounds coming in from outside and is good for isolating sounds.

A polishing cloth is also included in the box, as well as ear hooks and a clip so you can clip the cable out of the way when in use. The audio quality of the headphones was very good, a lot better than expected. The audio quality on bass and mid- range and especially high frequencies, was very good. The earpieces were extremely comfortable and are nicely constructed. They are made from metal and are surprisingly light so are very comfortable in the ear.

Another great feature of the EB-50 headphones is that they can be plugged into a phone and used as a hands free kit.

I have used them numerous times in this way and outgoing quality from the ear pieces was excellent as was the incoming quality from the microphone. Overall I was very impressed with the audio quality and appearance of these headphones. If you are looking for a pair of high end headphones that are well engineered and produce excellent sound quality, the EB-50 are ideal.

Before you purchase something else, definitely check these out.

Musical Fidelity EB-50 are available from www.musicalfidelity.com

The RRP is £149.

www.babybjorn.co.uk

Any father would love to spend more time with their little one on father’s day, so the Baby Bjorn Carrier would be an ideal gift Baby Bjorn have a new baby carrier on the market; the Miracle. This has a new and unique design with a generously padded adjustable waist belt, comfortable back support and wide shoulder straps.

These features allow you to choose whether to take more weight on your hips, waist or shoulders and allow you to carry your baby with both ease and comfort. The baby carrier has an ergonomic waistbelt that can easily be adjusted to ensure a comfortable fit. The waist belt can also transfer the weight of your baby to your hips to relieve your back and shoulders. The Miracle carrier has an adjustable back support which provides comfortable stability for the lumbar region.

Its wide shoulder straps are also brilliant for maximum comfort.

The carrier comes in three different materials, durable cotton mix, breathable mesh fabric and pure organic cotton. You can therefore choose the material best suited to your baby. Another great feature of the baby Bjorn Miracle carrier is that it can be used from birth. It does not need an extra insert, inset or pillow. To ensure the baby’s neck is always supported the carrier has a vital head support built in.

Carrying your baby in this carrier from birth allows him or her to feel close to you and close to the comforting sound of your voice and heartbeat. From 5 months, your baby can then face outwards allowing them to take in the sights of the amazing world around them. The Baby Bjorn Carrier is suitable for babies up to 15 months old (12kg, 26lbs). Its innovative design allows the carrier to ‘grow’ with your baby.

Bjorn Miracle Carrier is an ideal gift for anyone who enjoys experiencing the great outdoors with their family in a free and easy way.

Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Miracle is available at www.babybjorn.co.uk and many other stockists including House of Fraser. The RRP is £114.99

www.gltc.co.uk

The large charging station from GLTC is ideal for storing many electrical devices such as mobile phones, cameras, consoles and iPods.

Like many people in the UK, my home is full of electrical devices which use unsightly wires. This charging station is ideal for organising your home as wires can be kept hidden, ensuring your home looks neat and tidy.

I use the charging station in our home office and it is perfect for keeping wires out of site and neatly tucked away. The wires are fed through the holes in the back of this cleverly designed organiser to the cradle shelves at the front. The electrical devices can be plugged into the front of the organiser and sit comfortably on the ridge.

The panel on the top of the organiser can also be removed and other things such as keys, change can be neatly stored there.

This charging station is not only ideal for organising your home but also looks very slick and stylish. It is made from sturdy MDF and comes in a gorgeous brilliant white colour.

The charging station is a definite must have for those who like to keep their homes oraginsed in a stylish practical way.

The Large Charging Station is available from www.gltc.co.uk

The RRP is £28