I have been using Ring cameras and doorbells around my house for a couple of years.

Then Amazon went and bought a little company called Blink who sells more affordable cameras and I got curious. Could they stand up or beat their Ring counterparts?

The Blink Outdoor 4

The Blink Outdoor 4 is a simple camera to install and use. To get up and running, you will pull out of the box the camera and the sync module. The camera gets installed outside somewhere using screws. There is heaps of movement with the camera on the base, so you can easily position it to the angle you need. The sync module you have inside somewhere which is needed to connect the camera to the internet, but also stores recording locally.

Then with the app, setting it up is easy as,  It walks you through the steps super easily, so there is no need for me to go through this. The main thing when it comes to installation is making sure you have your distances thought through.  The Blink Outdoor 4 camera has to be within 30m of the sync module. This is pretty far, but this is in ideal conditions. Anything from metal walls, to your microwave can reduce this. When I was testing around my house, it was pretty seamless, but there were a couple of spots where there wasn’t a large distance but was obstructed and it caused some issues with video quality.

One of the biggest things the Blink Outdoor 4 Camera offers is the insane battery life.

It runs from two AA batteries and promises to run for up to two years. Unfortunately, I haven’t been using the camera for two years so can’t say for sure how long it will last, but it’s still very full after a couple of months use.

The camera gives you 1080p quality video, and captures 143 degrees which is pretty damn solid. While the hub stores an offline copy of the videos, to get online storage, but to get features like people detection, you need to get the subscription.

That comes in at $5 (NZD) (NZD) a month for a camera, or $15 for as many as you have. I kinda wish this sub covered all Amazon cameras so you could mix and match, but it is what it is.

Blink Mini 2

Unlike the Blink Outdoor 4, the Blink Mini 2 is a cable only camera.

This one is pretty damn incredible for the price. It is an easy to install camera that can also be mounted to the wall, so long as you can run the cable to it.

Just like the Blink Outdoor 4 it offers 1080p video quality and 143 degrees which is really amazing given the size and price of the camera. Installing it is just as easy as the Blink Outdoor 4 as well, and adding it to the Blink app is a piece of cake. You will be up and streaming the content within minutes.The Blink Mini 2 also doesn’t require using the sync module, so it doesn;t come with one in the box. But if you want to store video recording locally you will need one.

The Blink Mini 2 itself is waterproof, but the cable it comes with in the box isn’t. This means that you can use it outside if you buy a Weather Resistant power adapter (more on that soon) but otherwise it’s an inside camera. This is kinda cool because if you plan to use it inside you can, and if you use it outside you can spend the extra moneys.

The Blink Mini 2 does offer something that the Blink Outdoor 4 doesn’t and that’s a little spotlight.

This LED spotlight is enough to light up a decent area giving you colour imagery at night. It’s really bloody cool.  The biggest weakness is the motion capture. The Blink Outdoor 4 has way better motion detection, having said that, the motion detection on the Blink Mini 2 was fine and still grabbed the majority of movement.

Blink Weather Resistant 4m Power Adaptor

The Blink Weather Resistant Adapter is great. 4m is a great length to reach up high or far.

If you have an exterior power plug you can get one of your cameras within 4m of it. Thanks to a piece in the middle with screws it’s super easy to keep the cable nice and tight against a wall to help when you are installing it.

Best of all, it means your Blink Mini 2 becomes an external security camera, and your Blink Outdoor can be set up so you never have to worry about the battery. It’s a fantastic add on for $20 (NZD) that makes complete sense to be separated so you only buy one if you’ll use it.

Should you go Blink?

Blink makes a damn good argument for checking them out.

The Blink Mini 2 for $80 (NZD), and the Blink Outdoor 4 for $170 (NZD) are incredibly reasonably priced.

If you are just looking at getting your first cameras then these ones would do you well.

The Blink subscription to add things like people detection and online video storage comes in at $5 (NZD) a month for one camera, or $15 (NZD) for as many cameras as you want.

This is reasonable but it would be cool if it could be lumped together so you can mix and match for the one fee.

The post Blink Outdoor 4 & Blink Mini 2 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon’s smart tv content streamer FireTV Stick 4K Max is a must have if you have a tele that just doesn’t have the smarts, or does but you want an alternative to its native OS.

Without re-reviewing the FireTV Stick 4K Max again, I’ll do a real quick recap.

Clearly it is 4K compatible, hence the product name, but will work on any scale TV. The FireTV Stick 4K Max connects in to your screen via HDMI and does require USB power (Amazon provide you with a AC adaptor).

And while you can stream all your favs and do movie or series marathons with Prime, Netflix, Disney and more, Xbox has recently released an app for the FireTV Stick 4K Max.

You’ll need a GamePass subscription, and once you’ve got that you can start streaming gameplay.

Get yourself a Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S gamepad, sync it up via Bluetooth and start gaming – without a console.

While there can be some delays in connecting to Xbox Cloud (or there was in my experience) and a few attempts at syncing up the Xbox controller, once your connected, you’re good to game, without the need of an Xbox console.

Having played games via GamePass on the Firestick 4K many times now, I can say that gameplay is fluid without any framerate drop or connection problems (once in-game).

With Xbox now available on Amazon’s FireTV Stick 4K Max places the smart streaming device an all-round entertainment hub.

The post Amazon FireTV Stick 4K Max Xbox GamePass Gaming Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Amazon is on point this year with their new range of Alexa Echo smart home assistant devices.

Recently I covered off their new Echo Show 5, and hot off the heels from that is this year’s Echo Spot.

Designed to fit subtly in any decor, the new Echo Spot is almost half touch screen and front facing 1.7 inch directional speaker.

Still retaining the same round shape it is slightly tilted upwards, so that no matter what angle, the 2.83-inch screen is always visible.

The top of the all-new Echo Spot has the usual volume control toggle buttons.

Connecting up you will need to use the Amazon Alexa app.

Once you go in to ‘Add a Alexa device’ the app will automatically pick up the new Echo Spot and it’s seamless from there.

You can opt to set up manually from the touch screen – but this is fiddly. Use the app.

Customizable, the new Echo Spot boasts a few clock options and also has some very unique animations on screen, whether you’re using Alexa to entertain or streaming music.

The volume and clarity of the speaker is phenomenal.

Slated as being a bedside smart device, you can easily rock out in a small to mid sized room just with this tiny Alexa powered device, which also be used as a Bluetooth speaker.

Taking up minimal space, the Echo Spot is a worthy entry level smart home assistant if you have not gotten yourself in to any Alexa device before. Same if you currently own the last gen of Echo Spot. This 2024 model is a worthy upgrade.

Alexa is THE AI assistant to have, quick with wit, humour, info and more, Alexa is the AI that others hope to be when they grow up.

The new Echo Spot is the perfect side-kick to keep you organized, give you reminders, play your fav tunes or sleep next to.

The post Amazon Echo Spot (2024) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ready when you are, Amazon’s Alexa has got the tunes, the info, the news and entertainment, as well as answers to most of your questions.

Alexa is the primary A.I. smartdevice to have in your home, and now Amazon has released a new third generation of their Echo Show 5.

With a brighter and sharper screen than their last model, The unit is roughly the same size with the same display bezel, but the overall body and sound has definitely had a makeover.

Still rectangular in shape the rear of the housing is more contoured. The camera (which can be turned off) has a squared housing.

From the box, connecting up the Amazon Echo Show 5 is super easy. Almost plug and play once you power it up.

If you already have an Alexa in your home, this process will be familiar.

You can set it up via the device’s 5 inch, 960 x 480 touchscreen manually, but easier if you have the Amazon Alexa app.

The app will auto discover the new Alexa device and begin pairing, once connected your WiFi, it’s a few clicks of ‘Next’ and you’re basically done.

Other than being an A.I. that you can converse with, the Echo Show 5 itself can be used as an intercom in your house, if you have another Alexa device.

The 2MP front facing camera also allows you to take video calls and if paired up with a smart doorbell, or security camera’s you can interact with those too (providing that they are compatible with Alexa). The top of the device houses basic audio controls and camera toggle.

The booming crystal clear audio from the Echo Show 5 is louder than it should be from a device of this size.

You can opt to have the Echo Show 5 as a Bluetooth speaker, but if you subscribe to an audio streaming service, sync that up in the app, create a new Skill and have your playlists or podcasts playing with a voice command, ‘Alexa, play my favourite podcast’.

Alexa is able to integrate with most home smart appliances, and is a super reliable alarm clock (which the Echo Show 5 is the perfect size for), reminder assistant and more.

Set skills and routines to personalise Alexa within the app.

The Echo Show 5’s price point is such that it is affordable to anyone to upgrade their home with some A.I. smarts.

Small, ready to tell you the weather, the news through to entertaining the kids and more, Amazon’s Echo Show 5 takes up less of a footprint in your living room, home office or bedroom while retaining the same smarts and wit as it’s larger siblings.

The Amazon Alexa Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) is a definite recommend.

The post Amazon Alexa Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Alexa goes Pop!

Right on the doorstep of Xmas 2023 Amazon has released a bite-sized Alexa pod for your home – their Alexa Echo Pop.

Small but mighty on audio, the near to all-speaker smart device comes with Amazon’s AI assistant Alexa built-in, ready to help out with every question you ask, ready to entertain, inform and even sing original songs.

If you’ve already adopted Alexa in to your household you’ll already be familiar with the setup.

But if not, getting your first Alexa device up and running is real easy.

You will need the Amazon Alexa app (Android and iOS).

Once installed you’ll need to get the Alexa Pop sync’d to your app by adding a new device.

Your smartphone or tablet must be connected to your home’s WiFi.

After a few prompts and letting the Alexa app know exactly where in the home it is in, you’re set.

Alexa allows you to integrate your fav music streaming service (Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and more), stream podcasts, get news and traffic updates and you can get Alexa to learn skills, routines as well as control most other smart devices you have in your home.

The Alexa Echo Pop is mains powered and has three tactile buttons on top for volume and mute. The light bar at the top is that of a notifier that Alexa is listening, connected to WiFi or has a message or update for you.

If you have more than one Alexa in your home, you can group them together for room to room audio playback.

The Amazon Alexa Echo Pop would suit a bedroom, study, gaming room or similar. However given the max volume that the Echo Pop is capable of you could place in a larger lounge and have wall-to-wall audio.

Alexa is my fav AI Assistant… try asking Google Assistant or Siri to yodel.

Built with a sense of humour but always good to go with serious stuff to, Alexa is the ultimate in-home and on the go AI.

Amazon’s Echo Pop is priced just right at under $50 for a festive gift for yourself or someone that could do with a bit of Alexa in their life. And comes in a few colour variations too.

The post Amazon Alexa Echo Pop appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you happen to still be rocking a 10+ year old flat screen TV, then it’s likely it doesn’t have the smarts of a new model.

If that’s the case, there’s no need to head out and replace when Amazon has the perfect solution to bring your tele in to 2023 with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

In the box you’ll get everything you need to get yourself up and running in no time.

Set up requires you to power the Fire TV Stick 4K Max via USB and plug it in to one of the TVs spare HDMI ports.

I recommend here that you get the Alexa App for your smartphone. This makes set up easier and future customisation by way of features and options ensured.

You’ll need to use the Fire TV Stick 4K Max’s remote to go through the onscreen guide, get the unit connected to your home’s WIFI and before you know it, your aging but still good tele has all of the smart features of a new one, in 4K.

Now it is true that you ideally should have a 4K TV to actually get that crispy high res picture. And while most 4K TVs are already newer smart TVs, 4K monitors aren’t. So yeah, you can use a monitor just as effectively as you use a home TV.

On offer is a smorgasbord of apps with streamable content. Netflix, YouTube and of course Amazon Prime.

Whichever you subscribe to, log in and begin your content streaming.

There’s more to the Fire TV Stick 4K Max though.

With built-in Alexa you can control your Fire TV Stick 4K Max with voice, and as mentioned, if you get the Alexa app you can integrate the Fire TV Stick 4K Max with your phone.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max also has Ambient mode. You can have artwork across your screen when the TV is not in use for series or movie marathons. There’s Alexa Widgets too, which offer up nuggets of info that pertain to you. Again it is up to you to personalise the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (and Alexa app) to your liking.

For only around a hundred bucks the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a fantastic device that’s designed to breath new life in to older or cheaper non-smart flat screen TVs or stream content on 4K monitors.

Stream like you mean it and give Alexa the control of your TV time with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

The post Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Get scribing with Amazon’s newest upsized Kindle.

Amazon has recently released the Kindle Scribe. A full sized 10.2 inch 300 ppi display eReader, with a difference.

With past Kindles you could always upload Word docs and PDFs as well as of course keep a large library of eBooks for reading on the go.

The Kindle Scribe takes this many steps further. Sure it’s an eBook reader with a matte anti-glare screen that also has non eye burning lighting options.

But now you can sync up text documents as you’re working on them and carry on editing and writing, or marking up via the Kindle Scribe.

There are two ways to do this. Either via the Kindle browser app, or using the Share function on the Kindle mobile app. Either way you can transfer wirelessly.

The Kindle Scribe is compatible with TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, DOCX, DOC, HTML, EPUB, TXT, RTF, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP through conversion.

Lasso, convert handwritten to text, and integrate in to your Microsoft Word desktop app, if you have it, to keep you going from computer to Kindle Scribe. You can edit and write as you would on any PC or Mac based text editor.

There are two versions, one with a Basic Pen and the other has the Premium Pen.

What’s the difference? Asides from cost, the Premium Pen has an eraser (this is real handy) and a shortcut button.

If you’re looking at one of these my advice is go for the Premium option, that’s the one reviewed here. Using the Kindle Scribe for work I’ve used that eraser function a lot.

The Kindle Scribe model that we were sent for review is the 16GB version. So, that doesn’t sound like a lot of space, but let me assure you, it’s likely to be more than you’ll need.

Given most eBooks and documents range from a few kilobytes up to perhaps 1MB you’re going to get a massive library of great reads and editable docs stored on the tablet.

So your eyes don’t get burned out there are varying display modes and with VoiceView you can have the text read out for you, like an audio book.

Being that the Kindle Scribe is built for creating and working on documents the screen feels natural, like paper with the Pen being just as fluid and immediately responsive as a real ink pen.

You have differing levels of hardness when it comes to your digital ink and same goes for text options too.

Battery life is beyond amazing. If you give the Kindle Scribe a full charge up you can expect up to 12 weeks of average daily use. 12 weeks!

I’ve not had the Scribe for 12 weeks yet, but from the box I did a full charge up and two weeks on, the battery icon has not decreased.

I have been using the Kindle Scribe for editorial work, the stuff you read on this very website and of course reading books. My average is likely to be 4 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Both the tablet and pen have a natural hold feel with both being super light-weight. Weighing almost nothing actually.

There is a case you can get – this I would also recommend as it doubles as a stand and will magnetically hold your Pen as well.

Whether you’re a student, take notes in meetings, an aspiring novelist or you just like to kick back with a good read, Kindle Scribe is the all-rounder and covers all bases.

It is truly the best eReader with multi-functionality you can get right now.

The post Amazon Kindle Scribe Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Short drive or an epic road trip, Alexa is good to go with you on the road with Amazon’s newest Echo Auto.

Back in 2020 Amazon released the first version of their Echo Auto. Enabling intuitive and entertaining A.I. in your car.

While this new version is fundamentally the same, the design has changed, for the better.

First up there’s a few bits in the box.

The main processing unit, cabling, 3.5mm AUX cable (incase your vehicle does not have bluetooth capabilities) and a charger adaptor with both USB-A and USB-C options.

The main Echo Auto unit has now separated the microphone, now cabled and placeable almost anywhere.

This is to improve voice detection, from the first model, as in a vehicle your voice needs to compete with road noise, passengers, rocking out to your fav playlist and more.

Until receiving the new model, I’ve had the first model in my car since first receiving it three years ago.

Doing a comparison of the two (old vs. new) having the microphone separated from the processing unit and mountable closer to where your voice maybe directed was an excellent decision.

At times I’d see myself yelling at Alexa to disarm my home smart security as I pulled in to the driveway, or out on the open road voice commanding / shuffling through Spotify or Apple Music playlists.

The new Echo Auto is a vast improvement when it comes to voice detection. No need to raise that vocal volume. Alexa can hear correctly over environmental noises and now, to other drivers on the road, it only looks as though I’m talking to myself in the car, as opposed to yelling at myself.

So how does it all work?

First up you’ll need the Alexa app for Android or iOS.

Plug the Echo Auto in to your car via USB-A (use the provided adaptor if you need), then on the app ‘Add Device’.

The app will sync Alexa to your phone. So no, Echo Auto is not independently autonomous, it does still need to pair with your smartphone.

Cable management can be a thing, so make sure you set it up where it’s not going to obstruct from driving controls. Safety first.

The new Amazon Echo Auto is the ultimate smart assistant for your vehicle. Improved detection over the first model and if you have other smart devices in your home you can sync these up with Alexa to control on the road and even teach Alexa new skills for schedules.

Coming home late from work? No worries, ask Alexa to turn on the lights at home. Have a smart garage door, Alexa can sort that too.

Alexa is prepped and ready to accompany you on your trips, and she won’t argue over the music choice either. Amazon Echo Auto is the best smart co-pilot to have with you on the go.

The post Amazon Echo Auto (2023) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Who says bigger is better?

Amazon prove that solid, reliable tech does come in small packages with their eero 6+ WiFi Mesh kit.

You can opt to buy singularly, but if you’re wanting full cover for home, no black spots (and mine has a few) then the three pack of eero 6+ routers is the way to go.

My home is a smart home. Which means my bandwidth is choca loaded with devices all screaming out, demanding an IP address.

The routers that telco’s hand out just don’t cut it.

Having so many smart devices, lights, security, entertainment and more all connected swapping out a router can be a nightmare.

But Amazon have made it super easy with the eero 6+.

Your eero app (iOS or Android) is your go to. It will guide you through the set up assist with reconnecting devices and even tells you what is connected.

First the app is going to need to use Bluetooth on your smart device. Once one of the eero 6+ units is plugged into your existing modem it’s simple as from there.

If you already have an Alexa device in your home an Alexa skill is automatically added (providing you log in to your Amazon account during setup). This allows you to have some voice control over your eero 6+ mesh.

The three pack has a trio of tiny sized eero 6+ routers. One to be the main device and the other two extenders. Brilliantly, you do not need to use a specific eero 6+ to be the primary – they are smart enough to know what’s connected and who’s the boss.

Each unit has two 1GBps ethernet ports. This might be a bit of a downer if you’re someone who prefers to hardwire your gear in, but for WiFi it’s not going to matter.

Spreading the eero 6+ devices throughout your home will see the end to those annoying dead zones – and it did for me.

Upstairs has always been a bit iffy. After setting up the eero’s I was getting full and same coverage anywhere in the house.

They are dual band  WiFi 6 @ 160 MHz and also backwards compatible for those older connected devices. The eero 6+ are smart enough to distribute the load accordingly. Honestly once set up, there’s nothing you need to do but chill, game, stream and more.

There’s some security too. You can block apps, block ads and create rules via profiles (if you set these up) and of course see your in-home data usage which can detail individual devices connected to your eero 6+ network.

When compared to similar kits the Amazon eero 6+ is value for your dollars, coming in at near to half the price of competitors (for the three pack).

Give your home based devices the freedom and connectivity that they deserve with Amazon’s eero 6+ and stream content in your home like a pro.

The post Amazon eero 6+ WiFi Mesh Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The days of expensive set top boxes cluttering your TV unit are well and truly over.

As we all progress in to smart TVs in our homes and gaming dens, depending on your particular model, you’ll find there’s an App for everything.

But not all smart TVs have all of the apps, and cannot install everything – or do not have any apps at all.

Amazon have the answer here with their Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

Yep, it’s 4K, but if your tele isn’t 4K don’t stress it will still work at a lower resolution.

From the box you’ll have all of the bits you need. The Fire Stick 4K Max, an HDMI extender, remote and USB AC power adaptor.

I recommend setting up using the HDMI extender as most TVs HDMI ports are notched in to a hard to reach and sometimes fiddly placing.

Plug it in to a spare HDMI port and power the Fire Stick 4K Max up.

The Fire Stick 4K Max has a built-in 1.8GHz Quad-core processor which prevents any lag (Android based smart TVs can be notorious for needing full restarts), it’s quick and super responsive.

Setting up is via an on-screen guide, recommend you use or get the Amazon app, and Amazon have embraced the future of home WiFi and added WiFi 6.

In a few clicks you’re good to go and now turned perhaps an ageing tele in to a whole new device of smarts.

Your usual suspects are already there, Netflix for example and of course Amazon’s very own Prime. And Alexa is your smart assistant. Mirror from your Android smartphone and even play mobile games on the Fire Stick.

You can use the Fire Stick 4K Max to watch local channels digitally, these are generally free.

Visual enhancements such as Dolby Vision, HDR 10, HDR10+ are built-in as well as Dolby Atmos to bolster sound. For Dolby Atmos though, I do recommend using an external soundbar or similar that is compatible to really get the audio experience.

If an app that you want isn’t already there, most likely you’ll be able to download it from the store real quick.

My setup included using WiFi 6 and with that and due to the processing power of the Fire Stick 4K Max I’ve not had any lag, drops or needed to restart the device at all.

If your TV has an ARC3 port, use that. As the remote will then be able to control your TV as well as the onscreen entertainment.

The Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max comes in at around $100 (NZD) and is super charged, super quick and not only breathes new live in to an older flat screen TV, it also offers up a wealth of options and features that your current model may not offer.

The post AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K MAX REVIEW appeared first on Shane the Gamer.