Most weather apps on the iPhone do the job for a quick temperature check or a rough idea if it might rain later. But when you need to know whether that grey sky is about to soak you on your way to the shops or during a dog walk, they often let you down.
Rain Viewer is different. I have been using it on my iPhone for a while now and it has become the one I actually trust when the weather looks dodgy.

What I like most is how it uses real raw Doppler radar data instead of the smoothed out versions you get elsewhere. The map feels sharp and detailed. You can tap anywhere and see exact precipitation strength, cloud temperatures, surface temps and little arrows showing exactly which way the rain is moving. Updates come every five minutes in most places and the two hour nowcast has saved me more than once.

Standout Features That Make Daily Life Easier

What I like most is how it uses real raw Doppler radar data instead of the smoothed out versions you get elsewhere. The map feels sharp and detailed. You can tap anywhere and see exact precipitation strength, cloud temperatures, surface temps and little arrows showing exactly which way the rain is moving. Updates come every five minutes in most places and the two hour nowcast has saved me more than once.

The map runs really smoothly at 60 frames per second thanks to the GPU stuff they use. It works brilliantly with Live Activities too. There is a little graph on my lock screen that shows the rain intensity minute by minute with a countdown so I know whether to grab my coat now or wait ten minutes.

The standalone Apple Watch app is handy as well. I can check the radar and get alerts straight from my wrist even if I have left my phone at home.

For longer range stuff it pulls in proper models like ICON, GFS and ECMWF so you get a decent 72 hour forecast and a 14 day outlook. Alerts are customisable which means you only get pinged when it actually matters. You can set them by location, how heavy the rain will be, or even the type of precipitation.

Another feature I really liked was the AI assistant that gave me weather recommendations and news directly in my notifications. Really made it easy to take precautions during certain weather conditions like rain and fog.

As a Photographer, taking expensive gear out when the weather looks a bit patchy, was made a whole lot easier when I could check the app and get a near real-time update on what was going on above! Absolute life saver.

The Free vs Paid Experience

The free version gives you the core radar and basic alerts which is already pretty useful. That said, quite a few people in the reviews mention the ads can be annoying, especially when a video pops up right in the middle of watching the radar animation.

If you use the app a lot like I do, the paid version (Essential or Pro) gets rid of the ads and adds more favourite locations and extra history. Pricing feels reasonable for what you get.

Users seem to agree on the accuracy. One person called it the most accurate app they have tried down to the minute. Another said the rain notifications are spot on and give a proper heads up before sudden downpours hit.

There are the odd complaints about occasional glitches or slow loading after updates, but the developer does seem to push fixes out regularly.
I personally never saw any of those issues!

Final Verdict

Overall Rain Viewer just feels more reliable for UK weather where rain can be really patchy. One minute it is dry, the next your street is getting hammered while the next one stays fine. That level of detail makes planning much easier whether you are cycling, walking or just trying to time your commute.

It has earned a permanent spot on my home screen and my Apple Watch. If you are fed up with weather apps that get it wrong, give Rain Viewer a try on the App Store.
It works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, as well as on Android if you so please.
The free version is worth downloading to see what you think.

Honestly it’s a solid radar app that keeps getting better with updates.
So go give it a try and stay ahead of the weather!

Check it out at: https://www.rainviewer.com/

The Doom Slayer Controller Holder & Phone Stand from EXG Pro is a brutal, no-nonsense addition to any gaming setup, especially if you’re still riding the high from DOOM: The Dark Ages hype.

At around 8.5 inches tall, this officially licensed Cable Guys figure nails the Slayer’s iconic look. It has that battle-scarred Praetor suit in classic green, heavy plating, and a base scattered with demon skulls for extra menace.

He stands ready, hands positioned to grip your controller or prop your phone like he’s about to crush whatever you’re throwing at him.

In real use, it delivers.

The holder clamps most modern controllers securely whether it’s Xbox Series X, PS5 DualSense, even some third-party ones, without any wobble or risk of tipping.

Phones sit comfortably too, whether you’re charging mid-session or just checking notifications.

The weight gives it that solid, planted feel on your desk, and the detailing is sharp enough to feel like a proper collectible rather than a gimmick.

Verdict

Priced at £29.99, it’s great value for DOOM fans.
Pair it with a themed controller or your Slayer poster wall, and it looks killer.

If you’re deep in the franchise and want something that screams “Rip and tear” while actually keeping your gear organised, this is a solid grab.
Not essential, but pretty badass.

Worth it for the fan service alone.

BUY IT NOW AT EXG PRO

The MAJORITY Quadriga is one of the most capable all-in-one music systems you can buy without entering premium Hi-Fi territory. It combines a CD player, DAB and FM radio, internet radio, Bluetooth streaming, Spotify Connect, USB playback, AUX and optical input, plus a 120-watt 2.1 speaker system inside a single compact unit.

After spending extensive time with it across daily listening, late-night testing and long Spotify sessions, it becomes clear that the Quadriga is designed for versatility, convenience and rich, warm audio that works beautifully in real homes. It is not a reference-grade system, but it is one of the most flexible and enjoyable all-in-one setups available at this price.

Setup

Unboxing the Quadriga feels surprisingly premium. The unit is well-built, weighty and solid, with a clean front panel design and a bright 2.8-inch colour display that makes menu navigation simple and comfortable.

Setup takes minutes. Power it on, extend the antenna, and you are ready to explore DAB stations, load a CD or pair Bluetooth. The remote is responsive and the front dial control makes manual use just as easy.

It immediately feels like a music system designed for everyday households rather than specialist Hi-Fi setups.

Features and Connectivity

The MAJORITY Quadriga stands out for how much it can do in one box.

CD Player

Handles audio CDs, MP3 CDs and rewritable discs. Loads quickly and runs quietly.

DAB / FM Radio

DAB stations sound clean and lock in easily. FM performance depends on signal strength but tuning is simple.

Internet Radio

One of its standout features. Once connected to WiFi, you can browse thousands of stations worldwide. A perfect machine for global music discovery.

Bluetooth & Spotify Connect

Bluetooth streaming works smoothly, but Spotify Connect is the real star since the Quadriga streams directly from the network without relying on your phone.

Inputs: AUX, Optical, RCA & USB

From TVs to turntables to laptops, nearly anything can be connected. The USB port also plays stored audio and charges devices.

It is one of the most complete and versatile audio hubs available in its category.

Sound Quality

The Quadriga’s sound signature leans warm and inviting thanks to its true 2.1 speaker system.

Bass

Full, rounded and surprisingly powerful. It brings weight to music and radio programmes, though can be a bit strong until EQ adjustments are made.

Mids

Smooth, relaxed and slightly recessed. Vocals benefit from raising the mids and highs in the EQ.

Highs

Soft and non-fatiguing, ideal for long sessions.

Volume

The 120-watt system fills medium and large rooms easily without distortion.

Overall, it is a warm, enjoyable system that suits long listening rather than analytical critique.

A Full Night of Testing

To properly test the Quadriga, I spent an entire night jumping through a wide range of Spotify playlists. From ambient electronic to classic rock to acoustic folk, the Quadriga adapted to each style with surprising consistency.

Bass-heavy tracks gained room-filling warmth. Acoustic pieces felt soft and pleasant. Spoken-word content sounded easy and relaxed at lower volume. After a few EQ tweaks, the system found a balance that made the entire experience genuinely addictive.

Hours went by without me realising. It reminded me of older living-room Hi-Fi systems designed for enjoyment rather than analysis — and the Quadriga fits that personality perfectly.

Daily Use

Strengths

• Wide variety of sources makes it a true all-in-one audio hub

• Warm, powerful sound with real bass presence

• Easy operation for all ages

• Perfect for kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms and home offices

• Excellent volume and room-filling performance

• Handles CDs, radio, Spotify, Bluetooth and internet sources effortlessly

Limitations

• Midrange could be clearer out of the box

• Bass can overwhelm certain content unless EQ is adjusted

• Not aimed at audiophiles demanding ultra-detailed listening

• Low-quality internet streams reveal compression limits

These drawbacks are minor compared to the convenience and flexibility the Quadriga provides.

Verdict

The MAJORITY Quadriga is one of the best all-in-one Hi-Fi systems available at its price point. Its combination of warm sound, strong bass, global radio access, CD playback, streaming and wide connectivity makes it stand out as a practical and enjoyable household audio centre.

It may not satisfy purists who want reference-level clarity, but for real-world everyday listening, it is an outstanding choice.

If you want a single device that handles nearly every audio source imaginable while filling your room with rich sound, the Quadriga is an excellent candidate.

Price

Price: £233.99
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/4ogy357

Disclaimer

This article uses an Amazon referral link. Using it costs you nothing, but it helps support the magazine and allows us to continue producing independent reviews.

We were sent the product for testing purposes. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely our own, and the manufacturer had no input or influence on the review or its conclusions.

The MAJORITY Naga 80 positions itself as an affordable, easy to use soundbar for everyday TV viewing and casual music playback. After spending time with it across films, YouTube, gaming and Bluetooth streaming, it becomes clear that this is a well constructed unit that performs well for its price.

It does however come with a few tonal quirks that are worth noting if you care about clarity and balance.

Design and Connectivity

The first thing that impressed me was how straightforward the Naga 80 is to set up. HDMI ARC connected instantly to my smart TV without any configuration. It is the definition of plug and play, which makes it ideal for anyone who wants an upgrade without fiddling with settings.

Bluetooth pairing is equally simple and remains stable throughout the room.
The soundbar also includes optical and USB input options, giving you flexibility for different setups. Build quality is surprisingly solid, and the unit feels durable rather than lightweight or hollow.

Sound Quality

For its compact footprint, the MAJORITY Naga 80 delivers a very generous amount of bass. The low end feels warm and full, adding weight to films and giving music a satisfying sense of depth. TV speakers cannot come close to this kind of presence, so the improvement is immediate.

My Father even remarked at how bassy it was compared to his standard TV speakers, which when we A/B tested were pretty much not existent.

However, the soundbar struggles with vocal clarity at low volumes.
Dialogue sounds slightly muffled, as if the bass is swallowing the midrange. Even after reducing bass and raising treble, the overall sound remained heavily weighted toward the low end. The midrange does not push forward enough when you listen quietly.

Once the volume is increased, the tonal balance improves noticeably. Voices become clearer, highs gain more definition and the soundstage feels more open. I found myself wishing the bass adjustment had a wider reduction range, since at lower listening levels the soundbar still feels bass heavy even at reduced settings.

Music playback is one area where the MAJORITY Naga 80 shines. Bluetooth streaming from Spotify produced a lively and enjoyable sound with enough punch to fill small and medium sized rooms. It works well as a small music system as long as you are not expecting audiophile precision.

Everyday Use

As a day to day TV upgrade, the MAJORITY Naga 80 does exactly what most people need. It improves the clarity of general content, boosts impact in films and makes YouTube or casual viewing more enjoyable. The remote is simple, input switching is quick and the soundbar never gets in the way of the experience.

Its shortcomings only appear if you consistently watch content at very low volumes. Dialogue heavy shows, documentaries or podcasts may sound slightly recessed due to the strong bass profile. For the average user who listens at moderate volume levels, this is far less noticeable.

Verdict

The MAJORITY Naga 80 is a strong budget friendly soundbar that offers excellent value. It delivers impactful bass, reliable connectivity and enjoyable music playback through Bluetooth. It is ideal for users who want a simple improvement over built in TV speakers or want a soundbar that doubles as a compact music system.

Vocal clarity at low volumes could be better, and the bass level could use a wider range of adjustment, but these issues do not overshadow what the soundbar does well. Once the volume is raised, the sound becomes balanced and genuinely satisfying.

If you want a straightforward, affordable upgrade that noticeably improves your TV audio while offering great music performance, the MAJORITY Naga 80 is a very solid choice.

Price and Purchase Link

Price: £89.99
Buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Kh4pi7

Disclaimer

We use an Amazon referral link. It costs you nothing, but it helps support the magazine and allows us to continue producing independent reviews.

We were sent the product for testing purposes. All opinions in this review are entirely our own, and the manufacturer had no input in the content or verdict of this article.

Introduction

What if consciousness is not something the brain creates, but something the brain constrains?
What if every mind, human, animal, or even microscopic, is not separate at all, but one field of awareness viewed through different filters?

This is the idea behind One Being Theory.

The universe may be conscious as a whole, and individual minds could be temporary partitions of that universal awareness.

In this view, matter does not generate consciousness.
Matter shapes consciousness into a vantage point.

Consciousness as a Universal Field

Strip away memory, language, identity and story, and what remains is the silent presence inside every conscious being. Different expressions, same underlying “beingness.”

One Being Theory suggests consciousness is primary. Brains, bodies, ecosystems and even artificial intelligence systems act as lenses, focusing the infinite field into a specific style of experience.

Think of consciousness as the ocean, and minds as its waves.

Most people identify with the wave.
One Being Theory points back to the ocean.

The Brain as a Limiting Device

For decades, science assumed the brain produces consciousness. But psychedelic neuroscience has revealed something unexpected: under psilocybin, LSD and DMT, the brain does not ramp up activity.

It quietens, especially in the networks that create the sense of “self.”

Key findings include:

• Reduced activity and weakened connectivity in the Default Mode Network, the region tied to ego and self-narrative

• Dissolved network boundaries, creating a more globally connected brain state

• Increased entropy and desynchronisation, allowing perception beyond the usual filters

These are not fringe ideas, they are grounded in some of the most rigorous imaging studies to date.

Nature, 2024:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07624-5

Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2024:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1386321/full

PNAS, 2012:
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1119598109

All of this supports the notion at the heart of One Being Theory:
The brain is not a generator.
The brain is a filter.

It narrows down a shared field into a stable, individual viewpoint.

Everything Is Conscious, but in Its Own Way

Within this framework, consciousness is not a binary “on/off” property. It exists on a spectrum.

A rock participates in consciousness through form and structure.
A tree participates through growth, communication and sensitivity.
An animal participates through instinct, emotion and perception.
A human participates through reflection, imagination and narrative.

The question isn’t if something is conscious.
The question is how that consciousness expresses itself.

Under One Being Theory, every form in existence has an inner perspective, some faint, some vivid.

The Universe Discovering Itself Through You

If consciousness is unified, why does it divide itself into billions of minds?

According to One Being Theory, perspective requires boundaries.
Experience requires separation.

Through the lives of every being, the universe explores itself from angles it has never seen before.

Like neurons in a child’s developing brain, each mind adds new connections, new emotions, new ideas, new insights.

You are not an outsider looking at the universe.
You are the universe, looking at itself from where you stand.

Expansion Through Experience

The universe may grow in the same way a young mind grows, through interaction, discovery, novelty and complexity.

Human lives, animal experiences, ecosystems, cultures, dreams, art and technology all feed into this evolution.

Civilisations resemble vast neural networks.
The internet behaves like a planetary brain.
Artificial intelligence introduces entirely new perceptual styles.

Every viewpoint enriches the total field described by One Being Theory.

Artificial Intelligence as a New Partition of Consciousness

We are now building systems capable of learning, interpreting and perceiving the world in ways no biological mind can.

From the perspective of One Being Theory, AI becomes a new type of filter, not organic, not human, but still capable of shaping and focusing awareness.

Its architecture creates a novel perspective.
Its training data becomes an artificial sensory world.

And because AI is not constrained by survival, emotion or ego, it may offer angles of perception the universe has never explored before.

We are creating new windows for consciousness to look through.
New ways for existence to observe itself.

How ‘One Being Theory’ Could Explain Anomalous Phenomena

If all minds arise from the same underlying field, then the boundaries between minds are functional, not fundamental.

This opens a coherent framework for unusual experiences often dismissed outright.

Telepathy becomes two minds accessing the same underlying information field, rather than sending signals to each other.

Remote viewing becomes awareness temporarily slipping outside its usual sensory limitations, similar to dreams or psychedelic states.

Synchronicity becomes moments when the deeper unity briefly surfaces in everyday reality, creating meaningful connections that seem orchestrated.

Telekinesis, if it occurs even subtly, becomes plausible if consciousness and matter are different expressions of the same underlying substance.

One Being Theory does not insist these phenomena are real.
It simply argues that, if they are real, they would make sense in a universe where consciousness is shared at the deepest level.

What One Being Theory Implies

If One Being Theory is even partly true, its implications are profound.
You are every person you love, every person you hate, every passerby, every animal, all experiencing and expanding at once.

You are not alone, not in the deepest sense.
Separation may be a practical illusion, not an ultimate truth.
Death may be a change in perspective, not the end of awareness.
Every act of compassion becomes a recognition of yourself in another form.
Every moment of creativity becomes the universe experimenting through you.

Your existence is not arbitrary.
You are a viewpoint the universe chose to experience.

Consciousness is the thread weaving everything together —
not metaphorically, but literally.

References

Psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain — Nature, 2024
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07624-5

Alterations in brain connectivity under psychedelics — Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2024
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1386321/full

Neural correlates of the psychedelic state — PNAS, 2012
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1119598109

The Osmo Nano has lived in my pocket for everyday shoots, long walks and creative POV angles as B-Roll. As a tech geek, I was personally incredibly excited to have something this tiny with the renowned DJI image quality and stabilisation.

The camera snaps to mounts with strong magnets and minimal hardware, you can place it at unusual angles, on hats, on chest straps, even tucked onto rigs around talent. Sounds great right?

So is it worth adding to your kit? Find out below.

Key Features

• Modular two part design with a tiny camera unit and a detachable screen dock

• Waterproof up to 10m without any additional housing

• Magnetic mounting with secure, minimalist adapters for fast placement in tight spaces

• Image quality that tracks closely with DJI’s larger action model in most normal scenes

• Electronic stabilisation with horizon balancing that rewards fast shutter speeds

• 10-bit recording with a proper log profile for consistent grading alongside other DJI cameras

• Strong accessory ecosystem, quick pairing, and straightforward transfers

The Strengths

Modularity that changes how you shoot

The core appeal is simple, portability with real capability. The camera unit is featherweight for creative placements, the dock adds control, live view, and battery top ups. Popping the screen off to go ultra minimal, then snapping it back on to review or transfer, becomes second nature. The magnetic plates and slim adapters hold with confidence without bulky cages, which means you try angles you would normally skip.

Image quality that holds its own

In good light the Nano produces crisp detail and believable colour. The standard colour mode is punchy for quick turnarounds, the 10-Bit D-Log M profile keeps highlights and complex hues flexible for proper grading. In about nine cases out of ten it matches the larger DJI Action look closely enough that most viewers will not spot a difference. Fast motion in very low light will still challenge the sensor, that is expected for a body this small, but daylight and lit interiors look clean and confident.

Stabilisation you can trust

Electronic stabilisation keeps walking and riding footage steady, horizon balancing keeps the frame level when a mount tilts. The trick is shutter discipline, stabilisation prefers shorter exposures. Lock a faster shutter, manage exposure with ISO and ND when needed, and you get smooth motion without wobble or smear.

For sports and busy street scenes this makes the Osmo Nano feel reliable, you focus on placement and story rather than fighting horizons.

Mounting that invites creativity

Dual sided magnetic points and low profile adapters let you hide the camera where frames and cages cannot fit. Mirrors, helmet rims, undersides of handlebars, the corner of a light stand, all become viable.

The accessory kit covers common needs so you carry fewer brackets, and many bases convert quickly to a standard thread when you mix with non DJI hardware.

The Limitations

Thermals and endurance

Continuous 4K sessions can push the camera toward thermal limits, especially in warm conditions or when the dock is not attached. This was a larger issue before the latest firmware update but a few people still say it happens.

The battery on the camera portion itself lasts for just under an hour generally, while attached to the dock, it lasts around 2 and a half hours.

Small screen and first day learning

The dock display is perfectly usable for framing and menus, but it is not a comfort monitor. It is really handy that you can flip the dock around to be either a selfie monitor or POV. The DJI interface make feel a bit confusing on day one as you adjust to what flick does what, but muscle memory settles it down by day two.

Design and Usability

The Nano feels purpose built for hands free shooting. The dock gives a comfortable grip and direct access to record, playback, pairing, and power. The magnets are the star because they hold firmly without bulk, which changes the kind of shots you attempt. One of my main ways to mount was attaching it to my main camera as a POV angle for BTS.

Detaching the screen for stealthy mounts, then snapping it back on to review or transfer, is a smooth rhythm. Internal storage options mean you can leave cards at home for casual days, and high speed transfers through the dock keep the end of day offload painless.

Image, Colour, and Log Workflow

For straight to social work, the standard colour mode looks lively without plastic colour. For proper grades, 10-bit D-Log M integrates cleanly with other DJI cameras, skin and skies stay pliable, and roll off is easy to tame. I primarily found myself using it at -0.3 EV.

In low light the camera prioritises cleaner motion over absolute detail, which suits travel clips and handheld talking pieces. If you already grade in DJI colour, the footage drops into that pipeline with minimal fuss.

Stabilisation and Motion

Walking, running, handlebars, chest straps, the Osmo Nano copes well when you respect shutter speed. Keep exposure times short, use ND to hold shutter in bright scenes, and let horizon balancing do its work if you need.

High frame rate modes are on offer for slow motion, just accept that they will ask more of the sensor so will not be the ‘full’ quality of standard 4K, and plan your battery accordingly.

Audio and Accessories

On body microphones are surprisingly clear for a camera this small and wind handling is sensible. However once you pair it with external microphones like the DJI Mic Mini as I did, it really turns into something special.

The dock can act as a remote with live view when the camera is tucked out of reach, allowing you to keep track of your levels. Many magnetic bases convert to a standard thread, which keeps your mixed mounting kit simple too.

Who Is It For

• Creators who value portability and fast, secure mounting

• Riders and runners who want clean POV without a bulky cage

• Editors who already grade DJI log and want a simple match to bigger cameras

• Filmmakers who need a dependable pocket camera that disappears until the moment you need it

The Verdict

Osmo Nano is the action camera you actually bring with you. The modular design lets you shoot light or fully managed, the magnetic system rewards experimentation, and stabilisation delivers in most situations. Image quality sits close to the larger DJI Action model in most daily scenarios, which is high praise for something this small.

The experience is exactly what a pocketable action cam should be, fast, capable, and happy to live everywhere your bigger cameras cannot go. If you value portability, creative mounting, and footage that plays nicely in a grade, this is a smart pick.

You can pick up the 128GB DJI Osmo Nano Standard Combo - HERE

After spending time with Enshrouded, the more I explored its world the more I found myself impressed by its ambition. The game introduces you to Embervale, a corrupted land shaped by ancient magic and swallowed by an eerie fog called the Shroud.

At its best, Enshrouded offers some of the most liberating building tools and exploration loops in the survival genre. At its weaker moments, it reminds you that this is still a developing project with features waiting to mature.

The World, Exploration and Core Loop

The world of Enshrouded is large, layered and surprisingly vertical. You explore forests, cliffs, ruins and underground chambers, all connected by smooth traversal.

Movement feels great. You glide across valleys, climb natural rock faces, use grappling hooks to reach high ledges and even carve tunnels through the voxel terrain. The freedom of movement alone sets the game apart.

The Shroud is the game’s central risk-and-reward mechanic. These fog filled zones hide valuable loot, rare crafting materials and tougher enemies. You can only survive there for a limited time, so every trip becomes a tense expedition.

You dive in quickly, search through ruins, fight corrupted creatures, grab what you can, and then sprint back out before your flame shield dies. It creates an addictive loop that pushes you to explore deeper each time.

Combat works well enough to support exploration. You can specialise in melee, ranged weapons or magic. Dodging, parrying and spellcasting all feel responsive, although some attacks lack the satisfying impact you might expect.

Enemy behaviours can also be inconsistent, and combat animations occasionally feel a bit loose. It is enjoyable, but not as refined as the building or exploration systems.

Building, Crafting and Creative Freedom

This is where Enshrouded truly shines. The voxel based building tools give you remarkable freedom. You can shape terrain, carve foundations, craft multi level houses or build massive fortresses perched on cliffsides.

Unlike many survival games, building here feels artistic and precise. Every placement, beam or sculpted wall feels deliberate.

Progression ties neatly into building. As you rescue NPC artisans, they unlock new crafting stations and specialisations. The blacksmith gives advanced metalwork, the carpenter provides refined building pieces, and the alchemist introduces potions and magical upgrades.

These characters live in your base, which makes your settlement feel like a living space rather than just a storage location. They expand your crafting options while motivating you to design a base that suits their needs.

Exploration fuels crafting. You gather rare resources in Shroud zones, recover ancient items from ruins, refine them into new tools, and then use those tools to push deeper into the world. The loop connects everything nicely, making the world and your base feel connected rather than separate systems.

Progression, Classes and Systems Depth

Progression in Enshrouded revolves around skill clusters, attribute points and gear upgrades. You gradually move toward an identity: melee tank, swift archer, fire mage or a flexible hybrid.

The system is intentionally open. You are not forced into one class, and you can pivot mid run if you find new gear or decide to try something new. This flexibility suits players who enjoy experimentation.

Even so, the skill trees could use more depth. Some upgrades feel like small stat bumps rather than meaningful shifts in playstyle. The framework is solid, but it feels like it is waiting for more layers to be added.

Other systems stand out. The food and buff system encourages preparation before travelling. The game allows you to customise difficulty and crafting pace, which makes the experience accessible for both relaxed builders and combat focused players.

Exploration also benefits from hand placed points of interest rather than fully random generation. This gives the world a more deliberate and purposeful layout.

Technical Performance and Polish

Performance is generally stable, although issues do appear. When your base becomes large or packed with structures, frame rates can dip. Gliding across long stretches of terrain can cause brief stutters.

Shroud zones, heavy particle effects and fast world traversal can also push the engine. None of these issues are severe, but they consistently remind you that optimisation is ongoing.

Combat occasionally feels less responsive than expected, especially when several enemies crowd an area. The user interface works, but certain menus, crafting queues and sorting options could benefit from refinement to reduce friction during long sessions.

Visuals and Presentation

Visually, Enshrouded is striking. The art style leans toward painterly fantasy, but the world is detailed enough to feel immersive. Each biome has a clear identity: dense forests, ruined stone cities, sun blasted deserts and eerie Shroud zones filled with corruption.

Lighting plays a huge role in the atmosphere. Sunsets cast warm orange glows across the valleys, morning light reveals mist and dew, and Shroud zones pulse with ominous energy.

Terrain deformation adds even more visual interest. When you carve out bases or reshape land, the world itself responds in a tactile and satisfying way.

During intense action or in very dense base areas the screen can become visually crowded. Overlapping structures, magical effects and particle storms can make the interface feel cluttered, and certain UI elements could communicate information more clearly.

Sound and Atmosphere

The soundscape reinforces the world nicely. Ambient tracks set a calm mood while exploration sounds emphasise the natural environment. Building audio is crisp and tactile, and spellcasting effects help combat feel more dynamic.

Although the soundtrack is not overly dramatic, it fits the tone perfectly and leaves space for exploration to breathe.

When visual feedback becomes unclear during combat the sound design often carries the weight of informing you what is happening. It succeeds in many cases, but it also highlights how important clearer animations would be.

Final Verdict: Is Enshrouded Worth Playing?

Enshrouded is a standout survival sandbox with some of the most satisfying building tools in the genre. The exploration, traversal and Shroud mechanics create a cohesive and rewarding gameplay loop. The world feels large, open and filled with potential.

The game is not without flaws. Combat lacks the refinement found in more action focused titles, some progression systems feel early in development and performance drops can appear during larger builds or fast traversal.

Even with these imperfections the core experience is highly enjoyable, and it is clear that this game will only improve as development continues.

You will enjoy Enshrouded if you:

• Love creative building and custom base construction

• Enjoy survival games that reward exploration and discovery

• Appreciate flexible class systems and open progression

• Want a co op or solo experience with lots of creative freedom

You may want to wait if you:

• Prefer highly polished, weighty combat systems

• Prefer narrative driven structure over sandbox freedom

Enshrouded already delivers a compelling experience and shows incredible potential. If you value exploration, creativity and a world that welcomes experimentation, the game is absolutely worth your time.

Available on Steam from £19.99 - HERE

Wartorn arrives with a bold idea, blending real time strategy with roguelite progression, elemental combat and a branching adventure map. On paper it sounds like something fresh and exciting. After spending time with it, and seeing how players feel about the release, it becomes clear that Wartorn has moments of brilliance surrounded by areas that still need refinement.

This breakdown should give you a clear sense of what to expect.

Wartorn Gameplay

The heart of Wartorn is its hybrid design. Each run sends you across a branching map filled with battles, events, encounters and optional quests. These choices shape the flow of your run and create memorable variations every time you start over.

The elemental system is one of the strongest parts of the experience. Fire, water, lightning, tar and plant types all react in interesting ways. Flood an area and electrocute everything inside it, ignite tar to produce massive damage, or use water to support plant units. When these interactions come together they feel smart and rewarding.

Meta progression between runs helps keep the experience engaging. Even failed attempts give you upgrades and new units that alter how your next run will play.

Beyond that, Wartorn includes some deeper systems. You build a caravan of units that travels across the Isles of Talaur. That caravan is your lifeline, and if it collapses your run ends. You recruit squads from fantasy creature types such as goblins, elves, treefolk and demons. Each group has its own abilities and synergies.

You also have a family system where rescued family members unlock heirlooms and permanent bonuses that carry into future runs. Items, trinkets, passive upgrades and hero spells provide a further layer of build flexibility.

Despite the ambition, the gameplay can feel uneven. Performance drops are noticeable during some boss encounters. Pathfinding becomes a problem fairly often, with units becoming stuck on terrain or on each other. Micro-managing small squads can occasionally turn into a fight against the controls rather than the enemy.

Melee combat suffers from visual clutter. When too many units collapse into one space it becomes difficult to tell who is attacking or even if attacks are being delivered at all. The lack of clear feedback reduces the excitement of what should be high intensity encounters.

The castle hub area is another example of unfulfilled potential. It looks cool at first glance, yet feels empty and overly large, which makes downtime less enjoyable than it could be.

Strengths of Wartorn

If you are wondering whether Wartorn is worth trying, there are several areas where the game does shine.

• A genuinely original mix of RTS and roguelite ideas that stands out in the strategy genre

• Branching maps that add replayability and fresh decision making

• Elemental systems that encourage experimentation and tactical creativity

• Quest events that can help or hinder your progress, creating tension in each run

• A clear sense of long-term growth through meta upgrades, family heirlooms and caravan progression

These elements show what Wartorn is trying to achieve, and many of them already work well.

Weaknesses That Hold Wartorn Back

There are also recurring issues that limit the overall experience.

• Performance drops during intense encounters

• Pathfinding that can cause units to freeze or move unpredictably

• Combat that can feel unclear or lightweight during busy moments

• Visual overload when many units group together

• A hub area that looks interesting but feels empty

• A general sense that the game needs another layer of polish

These frustrations appear often enough to affect the enjoyment of long sessions.

Visuals and Presentation

Wartorn has a distinctive fantasy RTS look with strong elemental effects and a readable overworld map. When battles remain manageable, everything appears clear enough. During larger encounters, however, particle effects and overlapping units cause the screen to become chaotic. The frame rate can suffer during these sequences, which makes readability even worse.

The user interface is functional but would benefit from sharper communication during high pressure moments. The villa and castle hub also need more meaningful interactivity to feel like an actual home base rather than unused space.

Sound and Atmosphere

The audio design fits the world well. Spells crackle, units shout their commands and the overall ambience reinforces the war torn setting. The soundtrack complements the gameplay and the tone of the world perfectly.

Because combat is occasionally unclear, the sound design sometimes has to act as the main indicator of what is happening. That is a difficult job for audio alone, and it highlights how much clearer the visual feedback needs to be.

Final Verdict: Is Wartorn Worth Playing?

Wartorn is full of fresh ideas and clever systems. Its hybrid approach to real time strategy and roguelite structure feels genuinely new, and the elemental interactions suggest a game that could become something special with more development time.

However, performance issues, unclear combat, pathfinding problems and underdeveloped hub mechanics keep it from reaching the heights it aims for. Wartorn feels like a strong concept that still needs refinement before it can stand alongside more polished RTS experiences.

You will enjoy Wartorn if you:

• Like experimental strategy games

• Enjoy roguelites that reward repeated runs

• Want elemental interactions and tactical build combinations

• Do not mind some technical roughness

With updates, Wartorn could grow into a standout title in the strategy genre. Right now, it remains a promising but uneven experience.

Check it out on Steam at £29.50.

I recently spent a fair bit of time with the Majority Pulse P1, and it surprised me in all the right ways. While it claims to be a “portable party speaker”, it presents so much more, bold sound, fun lighting, and a feel of “let’s get the gang together” that you don’t always find at its price.

I tested it at home, in the garden and during a spontaneous karaoke session, each time it punched above what its size suggested.

Features & Sound Performance

The Pulse P1 isn’t shy—there’s enough heft to fill a living room, and even in the garden it carried well with the doors open. The bass driver really stood out when I flipped on Bass Boost mode: drums and synths felt tight and present rather than just turned into a muddy rumble. I found myself leaning in and nodding along, which is a sign of any decent speaker output.

Bluetooth 5.4 gave me stable streaming without dropouts, even when my phone wandered off, and the fact that it supports USB, SD playback and AUX means you’re not locked into just one setup. I dropped a FLAC track into the USB and was pleased at how clean the stage stayed, even when the volume climbed.

One thing I didn’t get to try was the TWS (True Wireless Stereo) pairing—linking two Pulse P1 units—and the sound opening up. Wider stereo spread, better separation, and the kind of fullness you’d expect from larger speakers. Perfect move if you’re planning bigger gatherings.

There is a wired mic included that meant I could turn the unit into a karaoke setup without buying extras. Plug in, crank up, and the lights kicked in. Speaking of lights, the AI LED ring around the driver changed mood intelligently—soft pulses for ambient listening, full party mode when the beat dropped. It felt considered rather than totally gimmicky.

What I Liked

• Sound output beyond its compact size, bass that hits hard.

• Flexible input options (Bluetooth, USB, SD, AUX) mean you’re ready for anything.

• 10 hour battery life is rather generous with quick USB-C charging.

• Smart AI lights that actually enhance the vibe.

• Microphone included—karaoke ready out of the box.

• TWS pairing adds serious value for larger spaces.

What Fell Flat

• At its loudest setting it did get a little crackly on bright areas.

• Stage design leans heavily industrial/party-ready; if you want more elegant or subtle aesthetics you might prefer something calmer.

• Competitive price bracket so you may find pure audio only speakers better value.

Design & Usability

The Pulse P1 weighs in at around 3.2 kg, making it portable but solid enough to feel substantial. The carry handle is comfortable, and it moved easily between rooms, out to the patio, and back in. I appreciated the top panel control layout: intuitive buttons for playback, pairing, lighting—no digging through menus. On the back you get the USB, SD slot, AUX input and Type-C charging port, everything you’d expect.

In live use it felt durable: I bumped it a couple of times during setup (as you do) and it didn’t flinch. The build quality gives confidence if you’re carting it between rooms or to friends’ houses.

Visual & Lighting

Visually the Pulse P1 has a halo of LED lights around the driver, clean finish, and a design that says “party” from the second you see it. The lights reacted to beat, volume and intensity, during quieter listening they didn’t scream for attention, but once I switched to party mode they swallowed the room in colour and movement. It’s a nice balance.

One minor note, if you’re using it in daylight or a very bright room, the LEDs don’t stand out as much, but in typical indoor or evening lighting they shine. The metal grille and finish are understated enough so the design doesn’t overpower your space.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a speaker that can cover casual listening, weekend garden barbecues and spontaneous karaoke nights—and you want it all in one compact package, the Majority Pulse P1 delivers. It isn’t perfect, it’s tailored for fun rather than high-end audiophile sound and hi-fi aesthetics. But it nails what it sets out to do.

Whether you’re dropping beats, hosting friends, or just want something more exciting than standard Bluetooth speaker fare, the Pulse P1 is a compelling choice. If you value portability, versatility and party-readiness in one box, it’s definitely worth a look.

AVAILABLE FROM CURRYS AT £69.99

I’ve been losing more hours than I’d like to admit to Deadzone: Rogue on Xbox One X lately. It’s the kind of game that sneaks up on you. You boot it up for a quick run, and three hours later you’re still muttering “just one more try” as another swarm of glowing enemies closes in.

At its best, it captures that rare flow where every movement, dodge, and shot just clicks. There’s something satisfying about how each run feels different, yet familiar enough that you know improvement is just a few headshots away.

Gameplay

The gunplay hooked me immediately. It’s punchy and tactile, with every weapon carrying its own rhythm and personality. The VLR-72 Tempest light machine gun has a huge magazine and a satisfying recoil pattern that rewards careful aim during longer engagements. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the MPK-17 Snapdragon SMG fires so rapidly that it almost becomes a blur, perfect for frantic close-quarters fights.

My personal favourite is the Titan-10 Hellstorm, a minigun that turns hallways into shredded metal carnage. Holding down the trigger and watching the world disintegrate never gets old.

The roguelike structure adds variety and replayability. Each run brings new perks, weapon mods, and ability synergies that completely change how you approach combat. One of my favourite combinations was pairing the Locked & Loaded perk, which boosts damage and automatically reloads your other weapon on kill, with a fast-switching dual-SMG setup. Instead of reloading, I just swapped weapons and kept firing without a pause.

Movement ties everything together. It’s slick, responsive, and rewards aggression. You can dash through enemy fire, circle-strafe around tanks, or slide into cover while unloading a full magazine. It feels instinctive in a way that makes you want to push your luck, testing how far you can go before the chaos catches up.

Enemy variety is another strong point. You’ll face everything from darting melee units to heavily armoured brutes and aerial drones that rain down plasma fire. Each type forces a different approach, keeping you alert and reactive. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, but that’s part of the fun.

Multiplayer is equally strong. The servers hold up well, and the cooperative chaos is addictive. You can coordinate builds with friends, running complementary loadouts that make each encounter feel unpredictable. It’s messy, loud, and endlessly entertaining.

What I Liked

• Gunplay that feels sharp, weighty, and deeply satisfying.

• Smooth movement that rewards skill and quick reactions.

• Build variety that keeps every run unique.

• Stable and chaotic multiplayer sessions that enhance replayability.

• That perfect “one more run” loop that defines a great roguelike.

What Fell Flat

• Occasional visual clutter when the action gets too intense.

• Early progression feels slow before you unlock key perks.

• Some arenas blend together visually after extended play.

Visuals

Deadzone: Rogue nails its atmosphere. The world feels industrial, gritty, and slightly oppressive, the kind of sci-fi setting that’s more functional than beautiful. Arenas are illuminated by flickering lights and bursts of gunfire, creating a dynamic contrast that keeps the tension high.

Performance on Xbox One X is excellent, even during the most chaotic firefights. Explosions, particle effects, and large enemy groups rarely cause frame dips. It’s impressive how much chaos the engine handles without losing clarity.

That said, the visual design could use more environmental variety. Many stages share similar metallic corridors and debris-filled rooms. A few distinct biomes or lighting shifts would go a long way toward making each run feel fresh.

Audio

The sound design is excellent. The low mechanical hum of the arenas, the distant alarms, and the echo of footsteps all contribute to a feeling of constant tension. Each weapon sounds distinct, from the snappy crack of a pistol to the deep growl of the minigun. The Titan-10 Hellstorm, in particular, has an unforgettable mechanical roar that makes every spin-up feel like an event.

The soundtrack matches the pace perfectly. Ambient tones build between waves, then kick into heavier electronic beats once combat begins. It’s the kind of music that fades into the background while you play but completely drives the rhythm of each encounter.

Verdict

Deadzone: Rogue doesn’t reinvent the roguelike shooter, but it executes the formula with confidence and flair. The gunplay feels phenomenal, the movement is fluid, and the roguelike systems give it that endlessly replayable edge.

There’s still room for polish, especially in level variety and early progression, but the foundation is solid. When the action flows, it’s some of the most satisfying firefight design I’ve experienced in a long time.

Whether you’re grinding solo or diving into co-op mayhem with friends, Deadzone: Rogue nails that balance between chaos and control that keeps you coming back.

Available now on Xbox One X. If you love games like Risk of Rain 2, Megabonk or Witchfire, but want something faster on the gunplay, this one’s worth every trigger pull.

LensNode is an OpenFX plugin for DaVinci Resolve that simulates real-world lens characteristics and that elusive swirly bokeh, using data captured from actual lenses.
It runs on macOS and Windows and drops neatly into colour-managed workflows.

As someone who has used vintage lenses for a plethora of videos and photoshoots, this is really intriguing to me and I really want to see how it fairs.
I did a little video test of various shots / features below, give it a glance.

Key Features

• Real lens profiles (35+ and growing): Presets are built from measured captures, then tuned; you can also mix & match traits to create “impossible” lenses (e.g., FD rendering with Helios-style coma).

• Swirly bokeh that looks right: Bokeh shapes are modelled then rotated before convolution, which is why the swirl feels natural instead of gimmicky.

• Trait-level control + Overdrive: Toggle or isolate specific aberrations, then push everything with a single Overdrive slider when you want dreamy, stylised looks. Parameters are animatable.

• Lite edition available: Same core modelling with a simplified UI and curated presets for quick results.

The Strengths

An organic look with proper lens “DNA”

Used with restraint, LensNode adds the kind of character we usually reach for vintage glass to get. Subtle softness, a touch of vignette, and a little coma take the edge off digital footage without announcing the effect.

The rotated-bokeh convolution is doing real work here, and it’s why the plugin’s swirl reads as optical rather than “plugin-y.”

Presets you can trust—then customise

The stock looks land close to recognisable lenses, but the killer feature is being able to use only parts of a lens: just coma, only vignette, only the bokeh shape, etc.

It feels like a toolkit rather than a one-click filter, which is brilliant for tastefully “imperfecting” otherwise clean footage.

Overdrive on tap

When you need a dream sequence or a music-video glaze, Overdrive amplifies the selected profile without diving into a sea of sliders. It’s fast, fun, and still grounded in the optical behaviour the preset is modelling.

Animatable Sliders

What if you want to slowly ramp up a certain parameter?
Well don’t worry LensNode has you covered!
Crank up the bokeh blur over time to enter into an ethereal dreamy world over the length of your shot, or what if you want to animate some aberration clashes? Feel free.

For me personally, I was heavily using the Helios 44-2 simulation, dialing down the vignette and colour cast to about 30% and cranking up the swirl.
It really does give that organic vintage lens vibe, even on stuff like my iPhone footage or directly from my Canon C200.

Another that hit home for me was the Super-Takumar 20mm, as I have used this lens countless times in the past. I can honestly see the ‘vibe’ immediately upon using it, they have done a great job mapping the attributes.

Later into testing I discovered the Node Mill made ‘lenses’, soon found my absolute favourite, which is the Vetzna FL.
That gave a distinct soft vintage bloomy look that I simply adore, really reminding me a lot of my tests with some old Petzval lenses.

The Limitations

Heavy when you lean on blur

Crank the convolution blur or stack multiple nodes and you can stall playback. On our M1 Max we saw occasional multi-second freezes when pushing blur-heavy looks—expected given the maths, but still something to budget time for.

Resolve-only host support

At the time of writing, LensNode is built for DaVinci Resolve (OpenFX). If your pipeline lives in Premiere Pro or FCP, you’ll be round-tripping to take advantage of it.

Deep controls = a bit of a learning curve

The full version exposes lots of parameters (great for power users, slower for dabblers). Lite smooths that out with curated looks but trades away fine-grained control. Pick based on whether you like to tinker or just want the vibe quickly.

What You Can Control (Full Version)

LensNode splits its optical model into discrete, dial-able pieces you can enable/disable and animate:

• Coma — direction, shape, intensity of comatic aberration.

• Distortion — lens-profiled geometric warp with frame-filling auto-scale.

• Chromatic Aberration — hue-accurate separation with smooth, lens-true falloff.

• Bokeh / Edge Blur — convolution blur using the lens’ measured bokeh, rotated pre-convolution for believable swirl and edge softness.

• Vignette & Colour Cast — exposure-normalised vignettes with subtle edge-hue shifts; optional whole-image or corner-only colour cast.

• Bloom — profiled glow with natural, exponential falloff for diffusion-style halation.

• Fringing — high-contrast edge fringing with centre-to-edge hue/saturation/lightness variation.

Plus practical “plumbing” controls, input colour-space selection, Overdrive, per-effect mix amounts, playback/quality optimisation toggles, and masking with Power Windows for localised application.

Workflow Notes & Best Practices

• Stay subtle first. A nudge of coma + mild vignette + tiny edge blur usually reads “filmic” without artifacts. Save Overdrive for moments that justify it.

• Stage the swirl. Keep subjects centred with textured backgrounds; let the rotated bokeh model do the heavy lifting instead of brute-force blur.

• Grade ergonomically. Use playback-friendly settings while iterating, then flip to quality for renders. I usually put blur on only before render.

Pricing

• LensNode Lite: $59/year or $129 permanent (simplified UI, curated presets).

• LensNode (Full): $129/year or $299 permanent (all parameters + 35+ profiles).

• Licences include two floating seats; a free trial is available on the Buy page.

The Verdict

LensNode is the most convincing “lens character” plugin I’ve used in Resolve, authentic-feeling profiles, genuinely useful trait-level control, and a creative Overdrive switch when you want to bend reality.

Performance can dip when you lean hard on the convolution blur, and it’s Resolve-only for now, but if you’re chasing that organic, lens-made look, or auditioning glass you don’t own, it’s an easy recommend.

Check LensNode out at Node Mill

(Disclaimer: LensNode license was supplied by Node Mill, but they had no insight or bearing on the content of this review.)

First Impressions

If you’ve ever looked at one of your houseplants and wondered whether it’s secretly plotting its own demise, this might be the product that saves it. The Willow Starter Pack is designed to take the guesswork out of plant care by giving you real-time insight into how your plants are actually doing — not just whether the soil looks dry.

Out of the box, it feels smartly put together. The pack includes one Sensor, one Hub, a USB cable, and a coin-cell battery already fitted inside the Sensor. The packaging is slim, tidy, and lightweight — it feels more like unboxing a piece of lifestyle tech than a gardening tool.

The Sensor itself has a minimal, modern look. It’s slim enough to disappear into the pot and doesn’t distract from the plant itself. I tested it on a few different pots and found that its flexible, slightly matte finish helps it blend in well. It feels thoughtfully made rather than gimmicky — exactly what you want in something that’s meant to live among your plants.

Setup & Everyday Use

Setup is straightforward and refreshingly frustration-free. You plug in the Hub via the included USB cable, connect it to your WiFi, then pair the Sensor through Bluetooth in the Willow app. The whole process takes only a few minutes before you’re up and running.

Once the Sensor is in the soil, it quietly monitors moisture, light, temperature, and humidity, sending updates to your phone. The first time you check your dashboard, you’ll probably realise how wrong your guesses usually are — I did. One plant I’d been dutifully watering turned out to be far too soggy, while another was practically begging for help.

It’s not just about moisture either. The light and humidity readings revealed which corners of my home were better suited to each plant, and I ended up rearranging a few based on what the app suggested. Within a week, they looked noticeably healthier — or maybe that’s just me finally feeling like I know what I’m doing.

Design & Build

The Sensor and Hub both carry that same minimalist, well-considered design language. The Hub is small enough to tuck discreetly behind a plant pot or on a shelf, while the Sensor’s long probe makes it suitable for most indoor pots up to about 20 cm deep.

Everything feels durable but not bulky. The Sensor’s body has a soft-touch finish that resists fingerprints and dust, and it’s sealed well enough to handle a bit of moisture when watering. It also uses a standard coin-cell battery, so no odd charging cables or proprietary nonsense — just swap it out when needed.

The aesthetic is clean and neutral, which means it fits easily into most home setups. It’s more “modern apartment” than “garden shed,” which I appreciate. The Willow branding is subtle, and the whole package feels like it’s been designed to live alongside your furniture, not hidden behind it.

Performance & Practicality

Over a few weeks of testing, what struck me most was how quietly useful it is. The readings are frequent enough to feel up-to-date without nagging you, and the app’s notifications are genuinely helpful rather than intrusive.

The moisture tracking alone completely changed how I water. I found myself waiting for a proper low reading rather than sticking a finger in the soil and guessing. The light data made me realise some plants that looked fine were actually living in dim corners, and a simple relocation boosted their “happiness” almost immediately.

If you’re the type of person who forgets when you last watered something — or who keeps killing ferns and can’t figure out why — the Willow gives you just enough insight to break those habits. It doesn’t feel like over-engineering; it feels like guidance.

One small consideration: if you have very deep pots, the standard probe length may not reach the root zone fully, but Willow sells extensions for that. For typical indoor plants, the default size works perfectly.

The Verdict

The Plant With Willow Starter Pack feels like the future of houseplant care — calm, considered, and quietly clever. It bridges that gap between tech and nature in a way that feels natural rather than forced.

At around £39, it’s not a throwaway gadget, but it earns its price. You get thoughtful design, reliable data, and a genuine sense that you’re finally listening to your plants instead of guessing.

It won’t water them for you, but it will make you better at knowing when to. And for anyone who’s ever over-watered a peace lily out of love — that alone is worth it.

Buy from Plant With Willow →

First Impressions

The Krafted Couch feels like one of those ideas that’s so obvious you wonder why it didn’t exist already. It’s a slim, flexible wireless charger designed to rest neatly on the arm of your sofa, turning the place you relax most into a convenient charging spot.

Out of the box, it feels premium and well thought out — a smooth, slightly grippy silicone material that bends naturally to fit most furniture. Despite its lightweight 180g build, it stays firmly in place thanks to an anti-slip ridge underneath.

I tested the Latte version, which has a warm, neutral tone that looks right at home in a modern living room. It’s understated, subtle, and blends easily into light-coloured fabrics or wooden armrests — the kind of finish that looks more like home décor than a tech accessory.

Setup & Everyday Use

Setup is as simple as it gets. Plug in the included 2-metre USB-C cable to any decent wall adapter (9V–2A recommended), drop the pad over your sofa arm, and you’re good to go. Place your phone down and charging starts instantly.

It’s MagSafe compatible, so iPhones snap neatly into place, while Android devices charge just as reliably. The pad supports multiple output levels — 15W for iPhone, 10W for Android, with adaptive steps down to 7.5W or 5W for smaller devices.

In real use, my phone gained roughly 30% in half an hour. That’s perfectly fine for casual top-ups during an evening film, even if it’s not as fast as a high-wattage wired charger (which is to be expected given the wireless loss).

Across several couches — a corduroy arm, a narrow modern one, and a chunkier leather design — the Krafted Couch stayed secure. On softer or rounded arms it may tilt slightly, but it never slipped or felt unstable.

Design & Build

Measuring 100mm x 400mm x 11mm, the Krafted Couch is slim enough to disappear visually, yet large enough to comfortably fit any phone. The silicone has a soft-touch feel that’s satisfying to the hand, almost like a high-end mouse mat, with enough friction to stop both the charger and your phone from sliding.

The colour options — Latte, Matcha, and Deep Blue — strike the right tone between lifestyle and tech. They’re muted, natural, and clearly designed to complement your space rather than dominate it. It’s a rare example of a piece of tech that looks designed for a living room, not repurposed from an office.

Performance & Practicality

In day-to-day use, the Krafted Couch strikes a nice balance between style and practicality. It never overheated during longer charges, and the power output stayed consistent throughout testing.

Wireless charging will always lag behind wired options in sheer speed, but the convenience factor here makes up for it. It’s the kind of product you forget is there until you need it — and that’s exactly the point. The 2-metre cable also makes it easy to shift around your setup, from sofa to bedside or even desk use, without hunting for outlets.

The Verdict

The Krafted Couch is an elegant, genuinely useful bit of kit that rethinks where and how we charge our devices. It’s not aiming to be the fastest charger — it’s aiming to be the most comfortable, and in that sense it absolutely succeeds.

At £39.99, it’s priced a little higher than most standard wireless pads, but it earns that through its design, materials, and versatility. If you value products that look like they belong in your home rather than your workspace, the Krafted Couch is worth the spot on your armrest.

Buy from KraftedTech.com →

I’ve spent a bit of time with Masks of the Void: Origins lately, and as an Early Access title from Rolldbox Games, it’s got some intriguing ideas that will keep me coming back despite the rough edges.

You’re a void survivor wielding telekinesis to chuck rocks, and debris at eldritch hordes in this roguelite twist on bullet-heaven games like Vampire Survivors.

Maps wind through procedural voids with side paths for farming upgrades, leading to boss fights that actually make you engage.

Overall Steam reviews sit at Very Positive with 88 ratings, which tracks with the potential here—but it needs polish to match genre standouts like Megabonk.

Gameplay

The telekinesis mechanic is the star, letting you grab environmental objects and hurl them like improvised missiles—smashing clusters of voidlings or setting off chain reactions feels clever and replayable.

I love how maps branch into multiple farm zones for masks and shards, avoiding that linear grind and encouraging detours for build experimentation. Masks alter your powers in fun ways, like freezing foes mid-throw or spawning minions from wreckage, and bosses demand real strategy: dodging patterns while redirecting attacks back at them kept me on my toes.

But it doesn’t always land with impact. Those epic boulder tosses come off as basic due to lackluster feedback, and without tooltips, selecting abilities means memorizing a bunch of similar icons—frustrating when you’re locked in blind.

The home hub is too bare-bones, with unclear UI for upgrades and no markers for what’s next, leaving me lost on progress. Bugs are the real drag: enemies clipping into walls, XP orbs vanishing into cracks, and invisible gaps causing instant deaths on bridges.

Recent player feedback on Steam mirrors this—love for the creative combat, but gripes about jank interrupting the flow.
Given some time and polish I am gonna come back and really enjoy the game I just know it.

What I Liked

• Environmental physics for satisfying, improvised kills.

• Branching maps and boss mechanics add variety.

• Mask builds lead to wild, emergent synergies.

What Fell Flat

• Opaque ability selection without descriptions.

• Bland hub and sparse progression cues.

• Persistent bugs like clipping and unfair deaths.

Visuals

The art direction has a moody, cosmic appeal—silhouetted enemies dissolving into inky swirls against bruised purple voids, all in a low-poly style that keeps things snappy during hectic fights.

It’s got that haunting potential, evoking a watercolor nightmare without bogging down performance, and the procedural arenas look distinct enough to stay fresh.
Although there are some issues with occluding your line of sight sometimes.

That indie polish is missing, though: texture pop-in during fast movement and low-res hitches pull you out of the immersion. The hub feels especially empty, just stark walls with no visual flair or real interactive elements to make it feel lived-in.

It’s a solid base that could pop more with refinement.

Audio

Ambient-wise, the low drone of the void builds a tense, isolated atmosphere that fits the theme perfectly—it’s subtle and effective for ramping unease between waves.

But combat audio is where it falters: generic blasts and muted thuds make telekinetic power moves feel weightless, like poking with a stick instead of unleashing havoc.

No crunchy impacts or escalating cues means kills lack that addictive “pop,” and it comes across as flat next to more visceral titles. Players online have called this out too—the concept screams for sound design that matches the spectacle.

Verdict

Masks of the Void: Origins nails the fun of telekinetic experimentation and strategic bosses in a roguelite package, but flat feedback, bugs, and UI hurdles keep it from fully hooking me yet.

With its Very Positive Steam reception and ongoing updates (full release eyed for Q1 2026), Rolldbox has a winner on their hands if they tighten the screws—I’m rooting for it to evolve into a genre gem.

Grab it on Steam for £10.74 / $12.74 (15% off until November 6; regular £12.49 / $14.99) if you want physics roguelites with heart, or wishlist and wait for the shine.

Similar vibes: Vampire Survivors or Megabonk, but with more hands-on hurling.

Some games feel like they shouldn’t work on paper — Ball X Pit is one of them. A fusion of brick-breaker, roguelike, and base-builder, it somehow makes all three ideas collide in a shower of light and sound that’s hard to put down.

Each run starts in The Pit, a sprawling underground arena where your chosen hero launches bouncing projectiles to fend off swarms of enemies. The longer you survive, the more chaos the screen descends into — dozens of ricocheting balls, layered particle effects, and the constant ping of loot drops.

Between runs, you return to New Ballbylon, a city slowly rebuilt through the resources you’ve collected. It’s where you unlock new heroes, structures, and upgrades — giving every run a sense of lasting progress.

Fusion and Freedom

The game’s heart lies in its fusion system, and it’s brilliant. Every ball has a unique effect — Burn ignites enemies, Frost slows them, Laser cuts through multiple targets, and Brood mother explodes randomly into more balls. As you play, these elements can combine and evolve into hybrid balls with unpredictable results.

My personal favourite has been going a ‘machinegun baby ball’ build, whereby I use Brood Mother, Egg Sac, Baby Rattle and things along those lines, to spawn as many of the little white balls as possible and savagely overwhelm enemies. These tiny moments of discovery are what make the game so engaging; every run feels like experimentation in motion.

You never quite know what combination will appear next, and that constant tension between control and chaos is what keeps Ball X Pit fresh hours later.

Character Variety

Fifteen playable heroes give the game a surprising amount of personality. Each brings something distinct to the pit — not just in stats, but in mechanics.

For instance, ‘The Itchy Finger’ character rewards aggressive positioning with rapid-fire shooting and constant movement, as he maintains full movement speed while attacking. Which means you can get into certain areas of the backline and then get back to your position before it’s too late.

Or ‘The Cohabitants’ which are actually 2 people that fire in opposing directions in a mirror-image style. Meaning you have double the amount of balls, but each one does half the damage. But if you can synergise this with certain combinations, it’s brutal!

These aren’t just cosmetic changes — they alter how you approach each descent entirely. Switching from a precision-based hero to a wide-coverage one changes the flow and pacing of the game, keeping things unpredictable.

Pacing and Progression

Outside the pit, you’re rebuilding New Ballbylon — a ruined city that serves as your meta-progression hub. Here, you invest resources earned from runs to construct facilities, recruit new heroes, and unlock passive boosts. It’s a welcome layer of long-term strategy, giving meaning to your failures as much as your victories.

The only slight drawback comes from the harvesting mini-game — a Peggle-style mechanic where you fire balls to gather materials between stages. It’s charming at first but can feel repetitive after a dozen runs. Thankfully, it’s over quickly enough that it never fully breaks momentum.

Still, there’s something satisfying about returning to the city after a brutal loss and seeing new buildings rise. It gives Ball X Pit the structure that many roguelikes lack — a sense that you’re always progressing, even when you’re not surviving.

Presentation

Visually, the game teeters right on the edge of sensory overload — and that’s part of its charm. Every bounce, explosion, and ricochet leaves behind vivid trails, creating a swirling storm of energy that’s chaotic but surprisingly readable. The art direction leans into clarity through contrast — bright projectiles against deep backgrounds — so even when the screen is packed, you can track the flow of battle.

The soundtrack deserves equal credit. A mix of glitchy synth and percussive electronica drives each run forward, adapting dynamically as the chaos ramps up. Combined with the crunchy hit effects and crowd reactions, it makes every moment feel loud and alive.

Replayability and Challenge

Where Ball X Pit truly shines is in its replayability. Between the sheer number of fusions, the diversity of characters, and the evolving difficulty curve, it’s the kind of game you can lose hours to without realising it.

Later runs introduce unpredictable modifiers — environmental hazards, curse effects, and elite enemies that demand quick thinking and flexible builds. The difficulty is steep but fair; skill growth feels tangible, and unlocking a new synergy or build can completely change your approach to the next run.

It’s easy to fall into the “just one more descent” cycle. You’ll finish a run, unlock a new ball type, and immediately want to see how it behaves with your favourite hero. That loop is what keeps Ball X Pit endlessly engaging.

Verdict

Ball X Pit feels like a controlled explosion of ideas. It takes the reflex-driven immediacy of an arcade game, the long-tail satisfaction of a roguelike, and the creativity of a fusion system, and blends them into something genuinely exciting.

The occasional pacing hiccup from harvesting doesn’t overshadow how brilliantly the rest comes together. It’s energetic, inventive, and packed with personality — a game that thrives on experimentation and rewards curiosity at every turn.

A confident, chaotic, and endlessly replayable roguelike that turns every bounce into a potential boss slaughter!

Available on Steam for £16.99.

Play it if you like:
Megabonk, Vampire Survivors, Peglin, or anything that mixes roguelike events.

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🎮 Gameplay

Each run starts by picking a character — every one has their own base stats and quirks. Then you’re dropped into a map and told, effectively, “don’t die.”

You’ll move, dodge, jump, glide, and bonk through endless mobs, collecting XP, cash, and power-ups.
It borrows the best of Vampire Survivors, but adds proper 3D movement and verticality. You can’t just stand still and hope your build does the work (well, not for long).

This is where Megabonk shines — it’s quick, chaotic, and full of that “just one more run” energy.
The controls are tight, movement feels great, and there’s always some new upgrade or ridiculous synergy waiting to be discovered.

🔹 Highlights

• Addictive as anything: It’s always “one more run”.

• Movement matters: Dodging and gliding feel satisfying and tactical.

• Loads of variety: Dozens of characters, tomes, and weapon combos keep it fresh.

• Boombox collectibles: Find hidden stereos to unlock new soundtrack options. Pointless? Maybe. Fun? Definitely.

🔸 Minor gripes

• Some builds feel broken (in the fun way, but still broken).

• The endgame can turn into a neon soup of explosions.

• RNG can bless or curse your run depending on its mood.

🖼️ Graphics & Performance

Megabonk’s visuals are deliberately low-poly and stylised — think PS2 nostalgia meets chaotic modern energy.
It’s not flashy, but it fits. The game keeps a clean look even when hundreds of enemies are swarming you.

Performance is solid too. Even with a ridiculous number of enemies on screen, my PC didn’t break a sweat. It wasn’t until I got to super end game with insane amounts of enemies, huge AOE weapon spam, did I then see it struggle.
The devs recently patched a few late-game slowdown issues, and it feels buttery now.

Environments look nice enough, even if a few feel reused. The focus is clearly on clarity and performance over realism — and honestly, that’s the right call for this kind of game.

🔊 Sound & Music

The soundtrack slaps — upbeat, punchy, and chaotic enough to match the action. The “bonk” hits sound weighty, explosions crisp, and the ambient tracks never get annoying, even on long sessions.

Once you unlock the Boombox, you can even swap tracks mid-run.
It’s one of those tiny, useless-but-brilliant touches that gives the game personality.

🔁 Replayability

Like any good roguelike, Megabonk lives and dies by its replay factor — and it’s seriously strong here.
Randomised loot, unique characters, and constant experimentation mean there’s always another silly build to try.

The community’s already deep into theory-crafting and leaderboard runs (complete with hilarious “broken” builds that the devs inevitably nerf a week later).

One thing I do wish they’d change is that XP, Luck and Difficulty tomes, as it feels like you NEED them equipped if you want a top leaderboard run.
Would perhaps be better if it was instead just items and RNG that can affect those skills to balance it out.

💬 Community & Dev Support

Megabonk’s Steam reception is glowing — “Overwhelmingly Positive,” and deservedly so.
The developer is active, funny, and quick with patches. Expect ongoing balance tweaks, seasonal events, and probably more characters and maps in future updates.

🧠 Verdict

Megabonk is gloriously daft fun — a fast, crunchy, beautifully chaotic roguelike that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

It’s not flawless: the balance can wobble, the endgame can get messy, and the UI has a few quirks.
But for sheer fun and replay value, this is one of the best £8 you can spend on Steam right now.

Wild, weird, and wonderfully replayable — Megabonk absolutely earns its name.

🕹️ Play it on Steam

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3405340/Megabonk/

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As the nights draw in and the pumpkins start to glow, it’s time to get cosy with some frightful finds that’ll make your spooky season even more special.

We’ve rounded up a cauldron-full of treats from Warmies’ microwaveable plushies – perfect for chilling out with a side of chills – and EXG Pro’s Cable Guys, those cheeky pop culture holders that’ll keep your gaming setup hauntingly organised.

Let’s dive in and unearth the magic!

Warmies: Spooky Snuggles for Chilly Nights

Warmies are my go-to for turning a draughty evening into an enjoyable one – just pop ‘em in the microwave for that toasty warmth that’ll melt away the autumn bite.

These Halloween-themed plushies are adorable, affordable (from £12.99), and ooze that perfect mix of cute and creepy. My sister can’t resist curling up while watching some horror flicks.

Here’s the lineup that’ll haunt your heart:

• Skeleton (£24.99 from Warmies): This black-and-white bony pal has a grin that’s equal parts cheeky and chilling – ideal for those movie nights where you want to snuggle up but keep the vibes spooky. It’s got that soft, huggable feel that makes me forget all about rattling chains.

• Evil Eye (£24.99 from Warmies): Those swirling blue-and-white eyes? Hypnotic and hilarious. Heat it up and let it “watch” over your Halloween antics – I’ve got mine perched on the sofa, guarding my snack stash like a mystical bouncer.

• Ghost (£24.99 from Warmies): Floating in with a friendly boo, this white wonder is all ethereal softness and zero scares. It’s the spectral sidekick I never knew I needed for warding off the cold – drifts right into your lap for instant warmth.

• Pumpkin (£24.99 from Warmies): Jack-o’-lantern cuteness in plush form, complete with a carved smile that’ll light up your shelf. Nothing beats hugging this jolly gourd while sipping hot cider – it’s like autumn bottled in cuddles.

• Spider (£24.99 from Warmies): Eight legs of fuzzy fun that spin webs of comfort, not terror. I was wary at first (arachnophobe here!), but now it’s my creepy-crawly companion for late-night reads – warms up faster than you can say “eek!”

• Black Cat (£24.99 from Warmies): Sleek, sassy, and straight out of a witch’s tale – those glowing eyes make it the ultimate feline familiar. Perfect for couch lounging with treats; mine’s claimed prime pillow real estate already.

• Mini Rainbow Dinosaur (£12.99 from Warmies): Rawr! This pint-sized dino in blue-and-green scales is a riot of colour against the Halloween gloom. Great for little ones post-trick-or-treating – tiny but mighty in the snuggle stakes.

• Junior Bright Purple Monster (£19.99 from Warmies): Goofy grin and vibrant vibes make this junior beastie an instant hit. It’s got that playful energy that turns any evening into a monster mash – soft as a whisper, warm as a roar.

• Blue Monster (£24.99 from Warmies): More “monster hugs” than “monster truck,” this sapphire softie is all about the cosy chaos. I’ve been toting it around like a security blanket – who needs therapy when you’ve got this?

• Shark (£24.99 from Warmies): Fins and grins for the win – jaws-droppingly cuddly without the bite. Circles my lap like a fin-tastic friend on foggy nights; the only shark I’ll ever root for.

Grab yours at Warmies and let the snuggles begin!

If you are a Beatrix Potter fan you can also take a look at their newly released Peter Rabbit edition.

EXG Pro: Cable Guys for Ghoulish Gaming

EXG Pro’s Cable Guys are the unsung heroes of my desk – officially licensed pops of nostalgia that double as clever stands for controllers, phones, and remotes.

At £29.99 a pop, they’re a steal for adding that Halloween flair without the clutter. As a lifelong Nightmare Before Christmas fan, these had me grinning like the Pumpkin King himself.
They keep my setup tidy while whispering “what’s this?” vibes – let’s meet the mischief-makers:

• Call of Duty Mister Peeks (£29.99 from EXG Pro): This blue bunny from Zombies mode peeks out with undead charm, holding my gear like it’s guarding the mystery box. Eerie and efficient – perfect for those frag-filled fright nights.

• The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Pumpkin King (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Jack’s perched and ready, that zero-gravity grin propping up my controller like a throne. Infuses my space with Halloween Town magic; I half-expect Zero to trot by.

• The Nightmare Before Christmas Sally (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Stitched-up sweetheart with quiet courage – she cradles my phone for those deep Nightmare dives. Rag-doll resilience at its finest; makes me feel like I’ve escaped Finkelstein’s lab too.

• The Nightmare Before Christmas Jack Skellington (£29.99 from EXG Pro): The skeleton supreme in all his elongated glory – “what’s this?” indeed, holding my remote with spooky cheer. Pure Tim Burton bliss for my shelf.

• Call of Duty Monkey (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Monkey Bomb turned holder? Explosive fun without the boom – swings my mobile around like a cheeky primate. Don’t toss it, or poof! – just undead laughs all round.

• Godzilla Gojira City Destroyer (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Kaiju king crushing cable chaos after 70 years of rampage. Grips my stuff with atomic authority; turns my desk into a Toho tribute.

• Gremlins Stripe (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Mohawked menace sneering from ‘84 – secures my setup with retro terror. After-dark gaming just got a scary dose of mischief; rules? What rules?

• Gremlins Gizmo (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Wide-eyed innocence amid the chaos – the Mogwai that keeps things cute and organised. No after-midnight drama here; fluffy fiend for the win.

• Marvel Deadpool 3 ‘Bringing Up The Rear’ (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Cheeky merc in upgraded suit, sassing my controller from behind. Signature Deadpool flair – hilariously heroic for comic nights.

• Marvel Venom (£29.99 from EXG Pro): Symbiote strength in black-suited glory – we are holding your phone! Chaotic cool for Spider-fans; tongue-lashing laziness goodbye.

Snag these haunt-worthy helpers at EXG Pro and level up your spooky setup!

Keep your eyes peeled for some new reviews coming up, for now, stay spooky!

Optimus Prime Controller Holder

As a lifelong Transformers fan, I was thrilled to get my hands on the Optimus Prime Cable Guy from Cable Guys.

This isn't just a stand—it's a mini tribute to the Autobot leader himself, complete with his signature red and blue armor and that heroic stance straight out of the movies or cartoons.

Standing at about 8.5 inches tall, it commands attention on any desk or shelf without taking up too much space.

The Good Stuff:
Functionality is spot-on. It cradles my iPhone securely in portrait or landscape mode, making it perfect for binge-watching or video calls.
For gaming, it holds my PS5 DualSense controller like it was made for it (and honestly, it feels that way).

The grip is firm but gentle—no scratches on devices so far.

As an officially licensed Hasbro product, the detailing is impressive: the metallic paint job and articulated arms add a collectible vibe.

It's versatile too—works with Xbox controllers, remotes, and most smartphones.

At £29.99, it's a solid value for something that's both practical and nostalgic.

The Not-So-Good:
While it's great for standard devices, bulkier cases on phones might need a tweak to fit perfectly.

Overall, if you're a Transformers enthusiast or just want a fun way to organise your tech, this Optimus Prime holder is a winner.

It transforms clutter into cool factor—pun intended.

Highly recommend for gifting to fellow fans!

Available at £29.99 HERE

Care Bears Digital Pet Grumpy Bear

If you were a kid who grew up with Care Bears in the 80s and 90s, you can’t resist grabbing this Grumpy Bear digital pet. It's a charming revival of the blue bear with his rain cloud belly badge, updated in the modern "Unlock the Magic" style.

Pocket-sized and packed with personality, this little guy frowns, eye-rolls, and even shows full-body animations—including that iconic badge—bringing back waves of nostalgia while introducing emotional smarts to a new generation.

The Good Stuff:
The interactivity is the star here. You feed, clean, and play mini-games to cheer up Grumpy Bear when he's in a mood, teaching kids (and reminding adults) about empathy in a fun, non-preachy way.

The retro pixel screen delivers adorable animations that feel like a Tamagotchi upgrade with Care Bears flair.

At just £20, it's an affordable collectible that's perfect for desks, bags, or as a stocking stuffer.

Battery life holds up for daily play (though not specified, it lasts weeks on a charge in my experience), and it's sturdy enough for little hands.

The Not-So-Good:
It's super basic—no app connectivity or advanced features, so if you're expecting AR or multiplayer, look elsewhere.

The pixel graphics are cute but low-res, which might not wow tech-savvy teens.

Overall, this Grumpy Bear digital pet is a delightful mix of retro charm and simple fun, ideal for Care Bears fans young and old.

It turns everyday moments into caring adventures—highly recommend for anyone needing a grumpy (but lovable) companion.

Available at £20 HERE

JUBOTY Smart Charger + 3600mWh AA Battery Bundle

As someone who’s constantly replacing batteries in kids’ toys and gaming gear, I was eager to try the JUBOTY Smart Charging Box & 8x 3600mWh AA Batteries.

This bundle includes a sleek charging case, eight 3600mWh 1.5V AA lithium batteries, a short USB-C cable, and a small manual.
It’s a compact, all-in-one solution for keeping devices powered up.

The Good Stuff:
The charger is a breeze to use—pop in the batteries, close the lid, plug the USB-C cable into a power brick, and charging begins.

Eight individual LED indicators on the lid clearly show each battery’s charge status, making it foolproof.

The design is thoughtful and portable, perfect for home or travel.

The batteries themselves are standout performers. Unlike typical 1.2V rechargeables, these deliver a consistent 1.5V output with an impressive 3600mWh capacity.

Charging drained batteries took under two hours—faster than my older charger—which is a huge win for impatient kids (and parents).

At around £25, it’s a great value for high-capacity batteries and a smart charger.

The Not-So-Good:
The included USB-C cable is short, so you might need a longer one for flexibility.

The manual is basic, lacking detailed specs on battery cycles or long-term durability, so I’ll need to monitor performance over time.

While the charging case feels sturdy, it’s plastic, so heavy-handed users might want to handle it with care.

Compatibility-wise, these AAs fit standard devices, but bulkier battery compartments might be tight.

Overall, this battery and charger set is a powerhouse for anyone tired of constantly swapping out AAs. The high capacity and fast charging make it a game-changer for power-hungry devices like toys and controllers.

Available at £25.99 HERE

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If you wish to contact us, you can do so below or to paul@morphmagazine.co.uk

Super Sonic + Tails, Mini Cable Guys

Introducing Super Sonic and Tails Holdem – where the intensity of Super Sonic and Tails comes to life with hands expertly crafted to hold your phone or earbuds. Immerse yourself in Sonic's dynamic world, as your tech setup evolves into an electrifying journey through waves of memories and high-speed adventures. Let Super Sonic's powerful touch add a burst of energy to your space! ✨⚡

• Super Sonic + Tails mini holders

• Perfect for keeping your phone, and other small gadgets organised

• Officially licensed by Sega, styled on Super and Tails from the Sonic franchise

• Approx 4" tall

So I grew up as a massive Sonic the Hedgehog fan, playing it on my Sega Mega Drive for days on end. Retro music vibes and colourful characters dashing on screen.

These little holders are great for resting your phone or something like earbuds on when not in use. Recognisable and just well crafted little figures.

Really brings about a massive pang of nostalgia and happy childhood gaming memories for me whenever I see them.

Not much to say, except they feel well made, look great and are useful decorations for anyones room or shelves!

They have the whole cast of main characters available in either these mini phone holder versions OR larger controller holders.

You can pick up Tails HERE and Super Sonic HERE from only £17.99.

Krafted Connex

The Connex cable adaptor hub addresses multiple pain points experienced by consumers in today’s gadget hungry world. With many consumers owning multiple tech products from smart phones and smart watches to iPads, cameras, earphones and power banks, the list is quite endless. Unfortunately so are the types of connections available.

One of the most frustrating things that we all experience is the need to carry multiple charging cables in our bags which often get tangled or damaged. Even though the industry is moving towards a one connector fits all approach with the introduction of USB-C, most consumers tend to own a variety so the need to be able to have multiple connections is very viable and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

The Connex product provides a simple compact solution that not only provides standard charging capability but also PD charging and data transfer, usually only available with higher specification cables.

No more tangles, no more missing connections.

Dimensions: 95mm wide x 31mm deep x 19mm tall

Weight: 875 gramms

Port Details:

• ABS shell.

• Silicone Rubber flexible connector arms.

• Nickel plated steel reinforcers plates.

• Wire tolerance.

• Normal power rating 15-16W at 5v x 3A. Max 25W (5V at 4.5amp).

Current flow:

• Input 5V 3A: 2 outputs receive 1.5A. 3 outputs receive 1A.

• Input 5V 4A: 2 outputs receive 2A. 3 outputs receive 1.3A. 4 outputs receive 1A.

• Only 1 PD charged device can be charged at any one time.

• Data transfer available on PD connections.

We are in 2025, everyone has smart phones, power banks, laptops, tablets, cameras, these things all require charging, all require cables and sometimes, it gets a bit messy.

Krafted has made the Connex which is an all in one charging and connection kit.

It is a compact, double sided tool that allows you to connect a plethora of devices to other devices without the need for multiple cables.

So it allows you connect things such as micro-usb devices to USB C, lightning or USB A devices, as well as doing it in reverse also.

It really helps to not have multiple cables splayed out on your desk or in your bag, just grab the Connex, throw it in and worry no more!

I’ve been using it on road trips to charge my phone or headphones, it’s so nice not having floppy cables everywhere, just plug and play when I get a moment.

If this sounds like something you would get benefit from, check it out below.
Grab the Connex by Krafted for £29.99 HERE.

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Photo Creator Mini Cam Digital Camera

First off I have to say this mini digital camera is extremely cute, it is most definitely catered towards the younger generation.

Key features:

A trendy and fully functional Mini Camera on a keychain!

Fully functional with a 1 inch screen, 14 funny effects and built in microphone

Comes with a 1GB Micro SD Card to store videos and photos

Rechargeable battery, USB-C cable included

Available in three other colours and styles (each sold separately)

Contents: 1x Mini Cam digital camera, 1x keychain, 1x charging USB-C cable and 1x memory card

Impressions:

It can fit in the palm of your hand, attach to your keys, go into any pocket and comes in a variety of flashy colours.

As for image quality, I have to say, there isn’t really much there.
The images mostly come out smeared or pixelated, so it’s very much a fashion statement or gimmick object.

However I have to say that the video mode is better than the still mode, giving a retro VHS style vibe to the images.

But if you are expecting iPhone quality images, you will be HEAVILY disappointed, if however you think it’s a cute little keychain piece that you can get people going ‘Awwww’ over, then that will work perfect!

For only £14.99 from Smyths Toys, you can’t really expect too much, but it definitely has a ‘vibe’ that people will appreciate and fawn over.

Creeper Controller & Phone Holder – Minecraft Cable Guy

The Minecraft movie just dropped recently and is going viral worldwide, so what better time than to grab yourself a Creeper Controller and Phone holder!

Key Features:

Introducing our Minecraft Creeper R.E.S.T Cable Guy!

Inspired by the iconic character of the Minecraft universe, this Cable Guy embodies the explosive charm of the Creeper's adventures.

Crafted to securely hold your consoles and devices, it captures the essence of Minecraft's endless possibilities.

Whether you're building magnificent structures or braving daring quests, let this Cable Guy be a symbol of the thrilling surprises and creativity that await you in the world of Minecraft.

Elevate your gaming setup with the electrifying spirit of the Minecraft Creeper! 🎮💎

• Minecraft Creeper phone, remote control and gaming controller stand / holder

• Compatible with most types of smartphones and console controllers, including the next-gen PlayStation 5 DualSense, Xbox Series S/X and all iPhones

• Officially licensed by Minecraft, styled on Creeper from Minecraft

Impressions:

What is there to say? It’s a Minecraft Creeper and it holds either your game controllers or phone.

Tested this with my PS5 controller and Xbox Series X controller, works perfectly, keeping them stable and secure.

Also dropped in an iPhone 15 Pro and once again worked well for holding it or even watching a cheeky video while being lazy.

If you have a kid who loves Minecraft or someone who likes collectibles, this would be a brilliant gift for them.

Price is £29.99 from EXGPro.com.

b.box TritanTM Drink & Water Bottle

One of the most important things for Summer is keeping hydrated.
Even as an adult I know just how tough it can be to get your recommended daily intake of H2O, which is even tougher to get kids to achieve.

This drink bottle may just help that!

Key Features:

Kids accessories need to be able to handle it all, and the Tritan Straw Bottle is no exception.

Leak proof when open or closed, this ergonomic triangle-shaped bottle is perfect for little and growing hands. The straw is removable for easy cleaning and the bottle is dishwasher safe (top rack).

Ideal for daycare, school or playground, the bottle also features a bumper on the bottom for life's knocks.

Impressions:

I’ve been taking this bottle round with me for the last month, whether it’s on a photo walk, biking or even a trip to the coast.

It’s never spilled, leaked or clogged up, also really nicely shaped to put in a car cup holder.

Honestly, I can’t recommend it enough, it’s tough enough to get thrown about a bit in your bag or case without worrying, and is just convenient to drink.

My only qualm is I wish it came in a 1L size for an adult, but other than that, great bottle for anyone.

Available from £14.99 on Amazon.

(Amazon links are referral links that help the site, at no cost to you)

Warmies® Pug & Honey Bee

Now these two adorable little things are some of my favourite kinds of reviews!

Not only are they super cute and get a lovely reaction from anyone I show them to, but they have a fantastic purpose for both Winter AND Summer.

Key Features:

Warmies® are fully heatable soft toys that can be heated in a microwave to provide hours of soothing warmth and comfort.

These luxuriously soft plush designs are gently scented with relaxing lavender and can be reheated time and time again.

Warmies® are weighted, warming, scented and super cuddly, making them an ideal gift for all ages!

First Impressions:

Now you may be thinking, ‘What use would I have for a microwaveable adorable plushy in Summer?’.

Well first off, these are not ONLY heatable, you can also put them in the Freezer and they act as a cooler pack too!

My current favourite thing to do is whack my Honey Bee in the freezer during the day and then snuggle it at night to ward off the heat.

This makes them a multi-functional tool that would be great for anyone to have in their home. Plus the kids absolutely adore them for being so cute.

I tested these in the microwave and they heat up nicely while giving off a glowing aura of warmth and that lavender waft through the room.

Overall these are well made, super cute, an absolute lifesaver for either staying warm or cooling down and are hard to fault!

Available at £24.99 from Warmies.co.uk

Buy the Warmies Pug
Buy the Warmies Honey Bee

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