Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 2 i GoPro Photography The Complete Manual

GoPro HERO8 Black The best ever (so far) addition to the HERO family; the GoPro HERO8 Black is the most well rounded GoPro on offer. You have design features such as an updated streamlined form factor and folding fingers giving you a built in mounting system. It also boasts features like HyperSmooth 2.0 video stabilisation that delivers footage so smooth you would think it was shot on a multi-axis gimbal rig. Add TimeWarp 2.0 and improved HDR features and you go way beyond next level. Capture huge detail with the 4K video mode at 60 frames per second or capture 8MP and 12MP stills with the SuperPhoto option controlled by a digital lens touch zoom feature. Benefit from automatic optimisation of your photos by intelligently applying HDR and local tone…

A new feature for the latest generations of HERO cameras is the addition of voice control. This is a newly implemented feature for the GoPro range and it is another method that allows you to control the camera without the need to actually touch any of its buttons or touchscreen. By default the Voice Control option is not enabled. To activate it, you’ll need to swipe down from the top of the touchscreen to open the utility drawer, scroll down to the Voice Control section, and then tap on the On Camera Voice Control tab. Once the voice command option is active, you can speak a number of commands that are all prefaced by the word ‘GoPro’. Even if the camera is in standby, it will still respond to your…

01 When you switch on your camera for the first time, you will be presented with the GoPro logo and then the welcome screen. 02 You will then be prompted to choose your language from the list of supported languages. Simply tap the correct one for you. 03 Next, you’ll need to set the date. All you do is slide the numbers up or down until you have the date set in MM/DD/YY format. Press the tick in the top right. 04 You can then set the correct time by sliding the numbers up or down as you did with the date. You can also choose a 24hr format. Press the tick to proceed. 05 Your camera will ask you if you want to turn the GPS function on in…

The cons First and foremost is the quality of the image you are able to shoot. Compare a shot taken with a GoPro and a mid-level DSLR and there is not really any argument. The DSLR should win with its larger sensor and lenses. Action cameras are fixed lens devices with a very wide field of view. The GoPro does offer modes that give you a narrower field of view but this is done digitally, not optically. Essentially, the image is just cropped. The HERO3 and HERO4 cannot shoot in Raw format and you will lose additional quality when you try to process your images taken with these two models. Video files A lot of new DSLR cameras have been able to shoot HD video for some time now and…

Photo modes is broken down into three capture options: Photo, Night and Burst modes. The three modes each have their own settings which can be altered. On older models of camera, the various modes and field of view settings often meant a drop in maximum resolution from 12MP to 7MP or even 5MP. The HERO5 Black and HERO6 Black shoot everything in its maximum resolution of 12MP (4000x3000 pixels). “The three modes each have their own settings which can be altered. On older models of camera, the various modes and field of view settings often meant a drop in maximum resolution from 12MP to 7MP or even 5MP.” Photo Mode This mode allows you to capture stills as a single shot or continuous capture. Press the shutter button once to…

The application has been designed to be as intuitive and as simple to use as possible. It can import your files from your GoPro camera automatically as soon as you plug in the memory card and it can scan your hard drive for any GoPro media from a GoPro device and list it all as a series of thumbnails. You can then move to the Create window where you can mark a number of your clips with a blue highlight dot that tells Quik to use the marked spots as part of its automatically edited video sequence. The Media view The Create view…

01 In the Quik Media view, select the video and other media you want to consider to use as part of your final clip. Highlight all the elements you’re going to need and then right-click their thumbnail and choose Open In Studio from the menu that appears. 02 Your selected files will be loaded into GoPro Studio and they will all be displayed in the media import panel on the left of the screen. 03 At the top of the screen, you will see that currently, the app is in its Step 1 View & Trim mode. This section allows you to sort through your clips and pick out the ones you want to put into your final edited sequence. 04 Click on any of your clips and it will…

Whether you are having fun at the water’s edge, at a swimming pool, mucking around in a stream or doing some serious sport on or below the water’s surface, then you know you have a camera that can follow you every step of the way. Older HERO3 and HERO4 models are not waterproof but they did come with a protective housing that meant they could be taken to depths of 196ft (60m). The new HERO5 and HERO6 don’t need a housing. They are waterproof right out of the box to a depth of 33ft (10m). If you are feeling adventurous and want to go deeper with it, there is the HERO5 and 6 compatible Super Suit dive Housing to get your camera safely down to 196ft (60m). If you trace…

This wireless charger powers three of your Apple devices at once. The vertical stand on the left holds – and charges – your Apple Watch. The charger is built-in. You don’t have to use the one that came with your watch like you do with some charging stands, so you can keep that for travel. In front of it is a recessed area where you place your AirPods (2nd gen or Pro). On the right of the unit is a regular wireless charger for your smartphone, as long as it’s wireless-charging compatible. Three chargers in one. Unfortunately, there’s no USB port around the back for cabled charging. The charger is available in both black and white. The black model has a premium Ultrasuede fabric finish, while the white one boasts…

You can’t fault the price. For less than 60 notes, the Kami Indoor 360 Smart-Home Camera offers 340° rotation and 90° tilt, dual band wi-fi, two-way audio, night vision and 1080p high definition recording. It’s not at the expense of quality either. It’s robust and stylish, with an understated profile that sits discreetly wherever you wish to position it; and its recordings are sharp and smooth. It has to be used indoors, of course. The camera is not weatherproof or waterproof, so it cannot be set up outside. It has to be reasonably close to a plug socket too. A long USB lead is supplied so you can power it from the mains plug provided or a computer’s USB port but there’s no battery option. The Kami Indoor 360 Smart-Home…

Your brand-new smartphone might well be the pinnacle of mobile phone gaming but is your controller up to speed? Do you even have a controller? If not, this amazing, pocket-sized add-on could be just what you’re looking for. The Kishi folds down when not in use for easy storage and portability. When opened up it stretches out to accommodate smartphones of all sizes. A Lightning connector plugs into your phone and a through-port lets you plug in your Lightning cable and charge while you play. There’s no need to cut your gaming short because your smartphone’s battery is almost drained. There’s a free app too but this is just for firmware updates and information; there’s no heavy setting up to do. Its comprehensive control set will prove familiar to anyone…

If you remember the review we did of the devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi Starter Kit back in Issue 2, you know that powerline adapters are a great way of extending the reach of your cabled and wireless network using your house’s electrical wiring. A powerline setup consists of at least two plugs, which fit in your household mains sockets. By connecting one of them to your router using a supplied Ethernet cable and plugging the other into any mains socket in the house, you create a cabled connection between your router and the second adapter. This unit can offer a wireless access point for your network, Ethernet ports for cabled connectivity, or both. devolo’s Magic 2 LAN Triple powerline adapter starter set doesn’t offer Wi-Fi access, but it does have…

Here at AppleUser, we’re big fans of DxO Labs’ PhotoLab image editing software. A high-end image editing suite, it’s aimed firmly at the high-needs user; photography professionals and very keen amateurs. It’s not for the casual snapper but those who are serious about photography will find it a comprehensive and feature-packed suite that really brings out the best in your photographic art. This, the fourth version, introduces some great new features. The most significant is DeepPRIME, an artificial intelligence technology that learns from the millions of photos DxO’s laboratories have analysed over the last 15 years. This learning is used to better process photographs taken in the RAW format with regards to digital noise reduction and demosaicing (yes, that is a word). As a result, images look more natural. It’s…

Back in the day, you could gather your snaps in the Photos app, design a calendar, a book, greetings cards and more; and order them in print directly from Apple. You can’t do this any more but several third-party services have stepped in to fill the gap. Motif is one such service. Using the free Motif app for your Mac, iPhone or tablet, you can use your photos to create exciting books and calendars directly from your Apple device. On a Mac you can also create and order greetings cards but this feature has yet to make it to the mobile apps. Your pictures are curated automatically so your favourite memories and pictures are easily to hand; and it’s easy to make impressive, professional-looking designs. There are ready-made templates and…

Now here’s a useful app to have on your phone. It can translate typed text into and out of 103 languages, as long as you've got an Internet connection. If you're offline, it can still translate 59 languages. If your typing finger is getting tired, you can simply point your smartphone’s camera at a piece of text and translate it between 90 languages, or 50 languages at a higher quality if you use a photo. It can handle 95 languages using handwriting recognition and translate conversations in 43 languages. You can save translated words and phrases for future reference too. Naturally, it caters for all widely spoken European languages. It’s a real boon for travellers. Not only can it make communication easier, if you're confused by signage or instructions, just…

If you've played the original Life is Strange, you'll be instantly at home with this sequel. The game mechanic hasn't changed; it’s still a narrative-driven graphic adventure with the story interrupted – and guided – by regular multiple choice options. These choices define the path the storyline takes and directly affect how it plays out. Like the first game, it’s episodic, with the story split into five, self-contained chapters. However, this Mac version bundles all five together; we don't have to keep waiting for the next one to be released, as did console and PC gamers when it came out on those formats. It features a protagonist with a supernatural ability too. But for all its similarities, there’s plenty that’s new here too. The title no longer centres on college…

The First Tree had an unusual inspiration. Its developer, David Wehle, used it as a ‘creative outlet’ to deal with his becoming a father for the first time; and also losing his own dad. So naturally, family ties play a large part in this third-party exploration game. It centres around two parallel stories; a fox (the playable character) trying to find her missing family, and through narration, a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Along the way, you uncover artefacts and stories from the son’s life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree. Graphics are simple but enchanting, giving a real sense of being there when combined with the melancholy music. As you run through the snow-kissed plains of Alaska, a beautiful fern…

All the major manufactures produce action cameras of one sort or another. Canon has the PowerShot D30, Nikon the Coolpix W100 and Olympus the Tough. They can all take stills that range from around 8MP up to 16MP and can shoot HD and Ultra HD video. Even SatNav company TomTom have an action camera called the Bandit capable of 4K video and 16MP stills. There is however, one brand that has become synonymous with recording outdoor action and sports. GoPro, with its action camera range. It would seem that it has become the daddy of them all, beloved by anyone who likes to climb on a bike, scale a mountain and hit the powder on a snowboard. It was the brainchild of Nick Woodman, who on a surfing trip to…

HERO4 Black main layout HERO4 Black status screen To access the various modes available to the HERO4, press the Mode button to cycle through each mode. Once in the required capture mode, you can press the Settings button to open the settings for that particular mode. Press the Mode button to cycle through the settings and then press the Shutter button to alter the values for the currently highlighted settings. To exit hold the Shutter button for two seconds or cycle through to the Exit option and press the Shutter button. Menu map Guide to symbols Auto Low light Auto Off Beeps Burst Photos Colour Continuous Photos Date/Time Default Mode Delete Exposure Compensation Field Of View Frames Per Second Interval ISO Limit Language LEDs Looping Megapixels Multi-Shot Mode Night Lapse…

Karma Grip Compatibility: Versions for HERO5 + 6 Black, HERO4 (using optional harness) Handheld or wearable stabiliser Use it to capture incredibly smooth video Battery life of 1 hour 45 minutes Comes with Grip handle, Stabiliser and mounting ring Filters Compatibility: Versions for HERO5 + 6 Black, HERO4, HERO3+ ND8, ND16, ND32, ND8/PL, ND16/PL Only 4.7-6.7 grams for gimbal use HD glass ensures image clarity Secure slide-on design Dive Filters Compatibility: Versions for HERO5 + 6 Black, HERO4, HERO3+ Provides colour correction in blue water Scratch-resistant, optical-grade glass Quick, tool-free installation Includes a tether and a microfibre bag For use with Dive Housings Macro Lens Compatibility: Versions for HERO5 + 6 Black, HERO4, HERO3+ Glass lens for razor sharp close-ups Reduces camera’s focal point Secure push-on design Lifetime warranty Dive…

The pros So your average pro shooter is not necessarily going to use a GoPro but the action camera does have its strengths. If you gear your shooting experiences to that, then you will be very happy with the results. However, as we mentioned earlier, the HERO3 and HERO4 models are not able to shoot in a Raw format; that has all changed now with the latest HERO5 Black. It is the first GoPro model to support a Raw format and it also features WDR, which is a Wide Dynamic Range feature; two functions that are a very welcome addition to its various features. Photos captured in GoPro Raw format will have a. GPR extension, which is based on the DNG format. Manual Control It is not the kind of…

When you start using your GoPro to shoot video or take stills, you will become aware that there are a lot of references to either ‘megapixels’ (MP) or things like ‘4K’ or ‘720p’. These are various units of measurement that describe how large a frame of video or a photo is in lines of pixels. As an example, a frame of 720p video measures 1280 pixels wide by 720 lines deep. This equates to a total of 921,600 pixels or 0.9 megapixels. The latest GoPro HERO5 Black and HERO6 Black can shoot in a number of video resolutions as well as capturing 12MP still photos. If you’ve never encountered certain video and stills terminology before, you might wonder what it’s all about. To help you sort out your megapixels from…

01 The selfie stick The selfie has become something of an online phenomenon and the advent of the selfie stick has taken them to new heights. Love it or hate it, the arrival of the selfie stick does offer some useful filming opportunities over and above a simple shot of you and your grinning buddies. When used in conjunction with your camera it allows you to get great perspectives of yourself; or can be flipped around to get shots of others whilst you ski down a slope or just walk along a favourite clifftop path. The length of the selfie stick also acts as a damper to smooth out your video, because you are holding the stick, your own muscles actually work a little bit like a Steadicam. 02 Spare…

01 Insert your memory card into a card reader on your computer. The installed Quik app will open when it detects GoPro media. A screen will appear where you can import your files to a directory on your computer. We have a number of scenes to choose. 02 You can specify a new directory if you wish as the destination for your media. You can simply click on the Camera Import Location tab and specify a new location and folder name. Click Import Files to begin transferring files to your preferred destination. 03 The files on your GoPro’s memory card will begin to transfer. Depending on the quantity and size of files, this can take some time. The process of the import will be displayed on the screen. It will…

What can you do with a GoPro? Perhaps the question should be: what can’t you do? The action camera for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities is tough enough to go anywhere with you and record those moments as stills or video. As we’ve pointed out before, it can go where DSLRs fear to tread and because it is so versatile, we thought we should compile a little list of some of the many ways you can use your GoPro outdoors. We’ll show you some great ideas on how to use it on land, in water and in the air. One thing the GoPro has going for it, is that it can take the visually ordinary things we take for granted in our everyday life and elevate them into something more…

For many years, if you wanted to indulge in aerial photography, you had no choice but hire an aircraft of some description to get you, and your expensive camera gear, aloft. Helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft are hideously expensive to hire. There are also all the complex and time-consuming issues of permissions, flight plans, regulations, safety, weather and certification. Only the most highly-trained, well-paid professionals with a big budget client were able to explore this unique area of photography. Essentially, aerial photography was strictly off-limits to your average casual photographer. This was a shame, as aerial work provides such a rare view of the landscape. With the advent of very small, lightweight cameras like the GoPro range, getting you own camera airborne has become a much easier prospect. There are a…

With its ability to capture stills at up to 30 frames per second, shooting an action sequence and firing off a burst means you are more likely to get that one frame where the action is perfect for your needs. Before you decide to throw the rest of the sequence away, why not combine all the shots in that sequence into one image. It is a great way to show action and movement over time. We have a sequence of a horse riding by. It was shot in burst mode at a rate of 30 frames over 6 seconds. The camera was mounted on a tripod to keep it stationary during the capture. Back on the computer, we then picked out the best shots and were ready to make our…

groov-e SportBuds groov-e, www.groov-e.co.uk Price: £39.99/$49.99/43,99 € Do you like to watch videos or listen to music on your tablet while using your cross trainer, exercise bike or other such workout equipment? These sporting true wireless earbuds from groov-e feature an ear hook design to keep them in place while you work out and are rated IPX4 sweat resistant. Their carry case is a 1800 mAh Power Bank which lets you charge other mobile equipment as well as your earbuds. They’re a great price too. Kanex MultiSync Aluminum Keyboard Kanex, www.kanex.com Price: £59.95/$59.95/59.95 € Like Apple’s own desktop keyboards, this one’s made of aluminium but unlike Apple keyboards, it can sync with up to three Bluetooth devices and switch between them at the touch of a button. Just the thing…

Unlike most of AVM’s range of wireless routers, the FRITZ!Box 4060 lacks a built-in modem. This means regardless of how your network interacts with the Internet, you can use the 4060 by connecting it to your existing modem, which was probably supplied by your ISP. Whatever your type of Internet connection (be it ADSL, fibre, cable or mobile data), even if your Internet Service Provider forces you to use their own modem hardware, you can switch off the router section of your ISP-supplied device and connect the FRITZ!Box 4060 instead. But what advantages does this bring? As you’d expect, the router’s wireless capabilities include compatibility with the new Wi-Fi 6 protocol, which gives faster speeds, and is much better at dealing with multiple, simultaneous connections. If you’re working on your…

Twelve South has a reputation for making excellent Apple peripherals that are both useful and decorative. Unfortunately, TimePorter is not such a device. An accessory travel case and charging stand for your Apple Watch, TimePorter is the same size and shape as a spectacle case but with a hole on the top for you to fit your watch’s charging cable. You have to supply your own – there’s no Apple Watch cable in the box. So what you’re left with is a metal case with space for your spare watch bands and a rubber interior frame for wrapping your charger. Is this enough to justify the price? Not really. You could just as easily keep your cable and watch straps in a real spectacle case (who doesn’t have a spare?)…

If you’re lucky enough to have a FRITZ!Box router with DECT compatibility, you can connect up to six wireless phones and position them anywhere in the house. They connect to the phone line through your router, so they don’t need to be plugged into a telephone socket. FRITZ!Fon C6 is such a phone and it’s had an impressive makeover. The body of the phone is pleasingly ergonomic and although it’s pretty minimalist in design, a clever interface makes it easy to access its unique features such as Internet radio, answer machine, email, podcasts, RSS feeds and even a baby monitor. If you have more than one FRITZ!Fon in the house, you can make internal calls between them. The new C6 model has an excellent hi-res colour screen and you can…

Universal Purchases are awesome. Rolled out earlier this year, the feature lets developers bundle iOS, tabletOS and macOS versions of an app into a single purchase. Instead of having to pay once on the Mac App Store and again on the Mobile App Store, a single payment unlocks the software on all your Apple devices. GoodLinks is a read-later app that syncs your links across all your Apple gear and being a Universal Purchase isn’t the only thing it gets right. Using GoodLinks is very straightforward. When surfing the web in Safari or a third-party browser, you might come across an article you’d like to save for later perusal. Sure, you can bookmark it or add it to Safari’s Read Later list but GoodLinks gives a more comprehensive and flexible…

What a lousy start to the day. You wake up in a strange apartment, stark naked and covered in blood with a wound to your ribs and a dead body in the bathtub. You have no idea where you are or how you got there. What are you to do? Unmemory, the first game from a small team in Barcelona, offers a great new take on the text and graphic adventure. There’s a lot of reading to do but don’t let that put you off. The story is well written and engaging; and really draws you into the strange world of the protagonist. Every few paragraphs, the text is interrupted by a graphic of something nearby. You can frequently interact with these graphics, sometimes immediately, sometimes later in the story…

The GoPro range has come quite a waysince those first prototypes back in 2002 and the first commercial model in 2004. The range really hit its stride with the release of the HERO3 and HERO3+. Full HD video and 12MP stills were now possible in a package that measured only 41 x 59 x 30mm. The release of the HERO4 and the HERO5, HERO6, HERO7, HERO8, HERO 9, HERO 10 and HERO 11 has given us some great advances in image quality and features. But which model is the correct one for the beginner, which balances price, functionality and value? Over the next few pages, we’ll take a look across our picks from the range. Although many models are not to be found on the GoPro website any more, older…

You’ve unboxed your GoPro camera, set it all up and you’re ready to get started. Before you dive in, it’s a good idea to make sure you are familiar with all the main parts of your camera. The main form factor of the camera has not really changed over the years. The lens is placed in the top right corner of the front of the camera body and the status screen sits on the left. With each new version of the camera, the placement of things such as the battery compartment has altered and with the advent of the latest generation of HERO cameras, the back panel now sports a built-in LCD touchscreen. We’re going to take you through the design of the HERO models and tell you a little…

HERO3 Black main layout HERO3 Black status screen To access the modes available to the HERO3, press the Mode button until it displays the Setting icon (Spanner). Then press the Shutter button to enter the Settings menu. You can then use the Mode button to cycle through all the various Settings options available. Press the Shutter button when you reach the setting you want to change. Use the Mode button to scroll through the settings options in that menu and the Shutter button to alter/select a new value. To exit hold the Shutter button for two seconds or cycle through to the Exit option and press the Shutter button. Menu map Guide to symbols Video Mode Photo Mode Photo Burst Mode Time Lapse Mode Playback Video Resolution Photo Resolution Continuous…

01 The box for the HERO5 Black can be opened at the bottom and the entire package with the camera on its mount can be slid out of the outer display box. 02 Inside the main compartment of the box you’ll find the battery, USB-C cable and two adhesive mounts for the camera. 03 Set these to one side for the moment. You’ll need the battery in a short while. 04 On the other side of the packaging is a smaller compartment that contains a quick start manual, safety instructions and some GoPro stickers. 05 et’s take a look at the camera itself. The camera can be removed from the display box mount by lifting the rubber stop. 06 You can then squeeze the two mounting clips together and then…

If you are a beginner, enthusiast photographer or videographer, the question about whether you could possibly choose to go out and shoot with an action camera like a GoPro rather than a DSLR is not cut and dried. If you are going to be shooting in the great outdoors, are you better off leaving your bigger, traditional digital camera at home and just gear up with a GoPro? There is no denying that GoPros and their action camera siblings have a lot going for them. For one thing, they are small enough to fit in your pocket, for another they are certainly robust; and the latest versions of the GoPro, the HERO5 and HERO 6, are waterproof without the need for a protective case. They aren’t that difficult to use…

It can be argued that the GoPro range of cameras are video capture devices first and stills photography devices second. That could certainly be seen as the case with the range up to, and including, the HERO4 Black. The quality of stills images were considered on a par with cameraphones. It was a useful feature but for many it was never going to match DSLR quality. In fact many were happy to only shoot video and grab stills off the video footage instead, since they were only likely to be shared on social media where resolution and quality were not so important. Now though, with the advent of the GoPro HERO5 Black and the new HERO6 Black, the quality of stills capture has taken an important step forward with its…

01 Near or far? As we’ve mentioned, the lens on a GoPro camera behaves a lot like a fisheye lens with a lot of distortion making horizons curve and straight verticals appear to bend outwards. It also means that its wide field of view makes objects appear small in the frame. If you are shooting a large landscape and want to get as much detail in as possible, this is not such a concern; but if you have a subject that is your point of interest in the shot, then unless you get in close, they will appear very small and insignificant in the final composition. That’s when you need to get in closer to your subject. Even from a short distance, you’ll be surprised just how much background you…

If you fancy yourself as the next Stephen Spielberg or just want to have a go at assembling your video footage into a more concise and cohesive story, then you have a few options to enable you to turn your assortment of video clips into something altogether more interesting for the end viewer. The video files created by your GoPro are saved in MP4 format and these can be used in any number of video editing programs such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, Corel Video Studio and Cyberlink Power Director to name a few. Whilst the more top end programs like Final Cut and Premiere offer a host of powerful editing possibilities, they are not free. If you want to dip your toe into the world of video…

GoPro Studio is a more traditional video editor in that it relies on more of your input to choose, trim, edit and colour grade the sequences you want to use as part of your final clip. There is little that is automated and it does require some skill to learn. The editing process is broken down into three stages. Stage 1 is where you pick your images and convert them ready for final editing. Stage 2 is where the main editing is done on a simple audio and video timeline. You can add effects and alter video, framing and image parameters. Stage 3 is where you export the final assembled video sequence.…

From snowy slopes, vertiginous cliff faces and muddy woodland bike trails to just taking the dog for a walk on the beach, the GoPro is at home in any of these environments. For day to day outdoor capture of video and stills, the GoPro range is unparalleled. Their portability, weight and the range of accessories that you can use to put your camera in places and achieve compositions, means that you can get the most visual impact from almost any land-based activity you can think of. It’s certain that if you wanted a riders point of view on a mountain bike caroming down a hill, you’re going to want something light and tough but with good enough quality to get great shots for sharing later. Moreover, if you want stunning…

It’s amazing how far display prices have fallen, while their quality continues to rise. Take this one, for example. It’s a specialist, quad hide-finition (QHD) gaming monitor with a giant 31.5-inch screen. It runs at 165Hz, has a 1ms response time and a 300 nits rating, yet it costs well south of 400 notes. The AOC CQ32G2SE Gaming Monitor features a tool-free setup. You can get it up and running out of the box in five minutes flat, without having to root around for the right spanner or screwdriver. Just snap the display onto the stand and fit the foot using a finger-turned screw. It’s no hassle at all. Around the back of the display are two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort. There’s no Thunderbolt connectivity (though you can use…

If you’re serious about your gaming, you have to get a decent controller. A joypad that feels comfortable in the hands, with all its buttons and inputs within easy reach. Something with a full range of controls, including four face buttons, a D-pad, two analogue sticks and twin shoulder buttons; a now-standard setup as used by recent Xbox and PlayStation consoles. A joypad like the GameSir G4 Pro. You can connect your G4 Pro to a Windows PC using a dongle that fits in the back of the joypad when not in use or via the USB-C charging cable supplied. Unfortunately, it’s not Mac-compatible and nor can it be used with an Apple TV set-top box. You can use it with your smartphone or tablet over Bluetooth and even with…

WaterField Designs makes deluxe bags for connoisseurs. They’re not cheap, but the quality is outstanding. You could use a WaterField bag every day of your working life, then give it to your grandchild and it would still be in good condition. This particular WaterField Designs product, the Zoom Crossbody Laptop Bag, is available in two sizes. The Compact version fits devices up to 11 x 8 inches, and is ideal for your tablet Pro and a Magic Keyboard. The Tall version can handle notebooks up to 12.75 x 8.75 inches such as Apple’s 13-inch range, including the new M1-powered MacBook Pros. It’s available in a range of colours, and sports a comfortable shoulder strap that holds your Apple gear in a portrait position. The main body of the bag is…

Risers for your computer or monitor aren’t exactly thin on the ground but as you’d expect, this model from Twelve South goes that extra yard with careful planning and design. As well as raising your iMac or external display to a more comfortable height, it features a handy space underneath for all your bits and pieces. The shelf, which is perforated for airflow, is the perfect size and shape for a Mac mini too. If you use Apple’s small form factor Mac with a monitor, Curve Riser is the ideal way to keep them tidy on your desk; saving space. Alternatively, use it for a USB optical drive, Thunderbolt hub, audio interface or just about anything else you can think of. The space underneath the riser is a good fit…

This home security camera is a different beast from the SWANN model covered elsewhere on the page. It lacks heat and noise detection, but it can detect motion at up to 16 feet. When it does so, it records 30 seconds of footage and uploads them to the cloud or your Dropbox account. It has a 130-degree angle-view and a fixed focus from between just under two feet to infinity. You can watch live too, of course, and, unusually for a security monitor, there’s a privacy shutter you can activate when you don't want the camera to record you. Video quality is excellent and it works well both night and day. It’s designed to stand on a flat surface. If you want to wall-mount it, you have to buy a…

Multiple award-winning Things is widely regarded as the best task management app for Apple devices. Those with power-user needs might prefer OmniFocus but for the vast majority of us, ease of use and a clear, Apple-like interface make Things the ‘getting things done’ (GTD) app of choice. But what makes it so good? Things is designed to help you organise every aspect of your life, from daily routines to long-term goals. When you first launch Things, there’s a tutorial project you can keep or delete. If you’re new to the app, it’s best to work your way through it; in ten minutes, you’ll have a decent understanding of how it all works and how to get the most from the app. You can then delete it when you’re done and…

JustStream is an excellent alternative to AirPlay. It can stream video from your Mac to any AirPlay or Chromecast compatible device, as well as smart TVs from Samsung and LG, Roku boxes, Apple TV and Sony devices. It’s great for viewing slideshows of photos with the family, for example, and as it can mirror your Mac’s screen to the television, it’s good for presentations and demos too, as well as playing movies and videos. You can queue videos and play them in sequence, no need to keep running to your computer room to load the next five-minute holiday movie. Subtitles are supported, and the entire app runs from a menu bar icon and is never in the way while you're streaming. It’s very straightforward to use. Click on the Just…

This is more than just a racing game. It’s an entire online community. Three years in the making, the multiplayer-focused Street Kart Racing lets you race with other kart drivers from 60 different countries and keep up with the latest goings-on in a very well populated Facebook group dedicated to the game. Just the thing if you’re a competitive racer who likes going up against human beings rather than AI drivers. That’s not to say you can’t race computer-controlled opponents, though. You build your career by racing them in Cadet Karts. It’s not for the faint-hearted. Street Kart Racing is a serious simulation game designed with the help of professional kart racers to be as realistic as possible. Don’t expect to drop bananas on the track or fling turtle shells…