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Let’s Test the Honor 8 Camera! | Review

honor 8 cameraTesting the Honor 8 Camera in real London life situations

Does anyone actually remember a time before smartphones? No, me neither. As much as we all hate to admit it, our phones are a big part of our lives. I for one will admit that I feel lost without mine. That isn’t because I feel the need to constantly be doing something with my fingers. No. It’s because I feel disorientated if I don’t have a camera on me. That may be confusing, so let me explain myself…

The Honor 8 Camera: A Review

When I’m buying a new phone there’s only one thing I care about besides calls/text. The camera. Honestly, truly (anyone who gets that reference is my new BFF). I can’t live without a camera, and luckily nowadays I don’t have to, because every phone has one. However not all camera phones are created equal. So when I heard about the new Honor 8 and all of it’s shiny camera features, I just had to test it out!

Check out my review, and I photos took with the Honor 8 camera below.

The Tech

Following with previous models, the device holds a dual camera with two 12 MP sensors; one RGB sensor to capture colours and one monochrome sensor for detail. Minus an optical filter, the monochrome sensor captures three times more light than normal, improving the dynamic range of the image and reducing noise – even in darkness – delivering unparalleled picture quality.

On top of this, the Honor 8 camera supports an extensive set of functions and filters, from light painting and beauty mode to panorama frames, slow-mo, food mode, HDR, super night and water mark.

The Photos

We could talk tech all day, but does the Honor 8 camera pay off? Well I took the Honor 8 out for the day around East London to test it out. I took colourful photos, food photos, close-ups, even photos of moving water. I really put the camera through it’s paces.

The big screen was really helpful in framing my photos, and tapping on the screen brought up a selection of editing tools to help get the perfect shot. I was a little worried that the screen would show a preview of an image that wouldn’t actually translate to the photos. However the photos came out clear and sharp. The Honor 8 camera captures colour in an amazing way. The colour you see in front of you, is exactly what you see in your photos too. That’s not something a lot of camera phones can do. Probably the most remarkable was the photo I took of moving water. The image was ridiculously sharp; capturing every ripple and bubble. Colour me impressed.

Final thoughts?

The Honor 8 camera is seriously a massive contender for the best camera on a smartphone right now. I was blown over by the sharpness of the photos, and how crisp the colour was. And that’s just the basic camera! I don’t really take selfies, but the beauty feature is definitely a bit of fun. As is the ‘food camera’, which brightens and saturates images slightly – to bring the most out of your food photos. The pro camera is definitely useful for those who already know their way around an SLR. However it might be confusing for those who are new to these kind of tools. The night mode and water mark features are also quite exciting, and I’ll definitely be checking them out.

If you’re after a new phone and a camera is a big part of your decision, you should definitely be considering the Huawei Honor 8.

You can buy the Honor 8 at Three.

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The Huawei Honor 8 was gifted to me by Honor, however all views, photos and words are my own.

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honor 8 camera

Honor 8 Camera

honor 8 camera

bloomzy /

Review: Guess Connect Smartwatch | Style & Tech

guess connect smartwatchGuess Connect Smartwatch *

I love technology. Whenever something new and innovative comes out I’m the first one to jump on the bandwagon. As geeky as it may sound, wearable tech has found it’s way into our everyday lives. The smart watch is no longer something you’d only see in a James Bond movie. It’s a reality. In fact it’s so common now that it’s become a part of people’s personal style. The future is here!

The Guess Connect Smartwatch: Review

As much as I love smart watches I have never actually invested in one. Why? Well I already carry a ton of tech products on me, and I like to switch my watches depending on my outfit. There wasn’t much choice either, and I like to have my pick of the best tech out there. So when I was recently sent the Guess Connect smartwatch I was eager to try it out, and see what the fuss was all about.

The Look

This smart watch is the perfect combination of old and new, with a 41mm analog face. You can find it in 4 colours, one of which is a striking blue and rose gold. Personally the black and gold combo was right up my style alley. It’s definitely something I’d look for in a regular watch. That said, the watch itself is quite chunky for my taste. But this is a general problem for me with my oddly tiny hands and wrists. However my friends told me that as chunky as it was, it didn’t look out of place, which was a relief to hear.

The Tech

Tech-wise, this has all the basics you’d expect from a smart watch: connected via bluetooth, call and voice command, the ability to receive notifications, camera and music control, as well as other features. I tested the watch out and it synced up with my phone easily; I was receiving notifications in no time. I personally like the scrolling text and email feature. It allows me to preview my messages before checking them on my phone later. Not to mention the weather, music and camera functions, which are great. You can’t download apps onto the watch, but then this smartwatch isn’t about that.

Final thoughts?

As an introduction to the world of smart watches, this is perfect for any style driven person. At £250 it may seem expensive, but if you’re after a smart watch then this one certainly won’t break the bank. Plus it does pretty much everything you’d expect a fashion forward smart watch to do. It’s interesting that Guess have been one of the first designers to jump on the smart watch bandwagon. And I don’t think they’ve done too bad a job. Think along the lines of style-meets-tech, that’s when you’ll start to understand what the Guess Connect smartwatch is all about.

You can buy the Guess Connect smart watch at Debenhams.

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Introducing The HP Spectre | Lifestyle

hp spectreHP Spectre – The World’s Thinnest Laptop

Remember how mobile phones started off massive, and then got smaller and smaller? Well I think it’s fair to say that laptops have made it through their awkward teenage years too, and are now going through their own transformation. I’m personally sold on the current thinner is better laptop-trend. I want something I can easily carry around with me, which simualtaneously does everything I need it to do. For me that means plenty of storage for my photos, music streaming and photoshop. I’m a relatively cheap date.

HP Spectre – The World’s Thinnest Laptop

Seriously though it can be difficult to find a laptop that handles these simple things, whilst looking good at the same time. Enter the world’s thinnest laptop – the HP Spectre 13. Boasting both style and substance – the matte black and copper finish is beyond gorgeous – the HP Spectre has it all. We were lucky enough to be shown the only prototype in the world right now, and it was pretty damn amazing. The laptop itself may have been even lighter than my tablet, but I was assured that it didn’t compromise on power. Perfect for storing all my photos, and the various programmes I use to edit them.

For those who love getting down and dirty with specs:

  • A carbon fibre bottom creates a thin profile that is both durable and lightweight, keeping the total weight of the notebook at just 1.1kg (2.45 pounds).
  • High gloss copper accents reflect a hand-polished, jewelry like finish and an innovative hidden piston hinge creates the illusion of a hinge-less design to offer an unmatched premium look-and-feel.
  • Full HD IPS (5) edge-to-edge display featuring Corning® Gorilla® delivers a superb viewing experience for editing photos, perfecting a presentation or watching a movie.
  • 6th generation Intel® Core™ i5 and i7 processors(2) and a lightning fast PCIe SSD with storage up to 512GB(7) with up to 8GB of memory for maximum performance. Integration of Intel® hyperbaric cooling system keeps the machine running cool even with powerful processors in a small package.
  • Stereo speakers by Bang & Olufsen with HP Audio Boost technology, a combination of hardware and software to give customers the depth they want.
  • Three full function USB Type-CTM connectors, including two of which support ThunderboltTM, to provide a fast, versatile I/O connection.

HP Lounge: Music Streaming

Music streaming is also covered on the new HP Spectre, thanks to HP Lounge – a new streaming service exclusive to HP laptop owners.

HP Lounge is a truly immersive platform for music fans. You can enjoy specially curated content from HP and Universal Music including behind-the-scenes news, making-of videos, artist interviews and album reviews. Of course that’s not all, because HP loves to spoil their users. You also have the chance to win gig tickets, and gain access to exclusive experiences such as meet and greets, record studio visits and VIP packages. With 12 months of ad-free, unlimited web radio streaming you can listen to your favourite artists, or discover new ones, via a variety of stations grouped by genre, artist or mood.

HP Lounge: AlunaGeorge and Jack Garratt

Oh HP you do spoil me! After we were given the chance to exclusively check out the new HP Spectre, we were treated to an HP Lounge gig; with none other than AlunaGeorge and Jack Garratt! I actually listen to both on the music streaming service I currently use, so it was pretty fitting that this was my introduction to the HP Lounge.

If you have lived in the UK since 2013, and don’t know ‘White Noise‘ then I am seriously judging you right now. It’s such an anthem, and it was even more amazing watching AlunaGeorge perform it live. The highlight of the night though was watching Jack Garratt (check out Phase) do what he does best – which is apparently play every single instrument known to man whilst melodically singing. Seriously though, this man is talented! I was in awe of his music skills.

The HP Spectre will be released in June 2016. Follow #ReinventObsession to find out more!

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This post is in collaboration with HP, however all views are my own. Photos courtesy of HP.

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ASOS #BeautyChat and AW14 Beauty and Fashion

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ASOS know how to throw a party. The HQ building itself (a glorious combination of art deco and cats) is the perfect indicator of the decadence awaiting you inside. I headed there with Brogan. Walking into the beautiful building we were greeted with cocktails and nail art (by Reecey Roos) – thanks to the lovely ladies at ASOS. As we headed further in we bumped into some of the people behind Google Glass. Combining tech and beauty is a sure fire way to get my attention, so of course I had to pop a pair on and have a go. I think the glasses have a little way to go before the consumer will fall for them, but I like the idea. After staring at one tiny screen it was on to another as I snapped away at the beauty products and fashion that will be on offer this Autumn and Winter at ASOS. I was excited to see some opulent accessories sitting alongside some divine beauty products. I can’t wait for everything to hit the site. Finally it was time for the beauty chat! We gathered around as Patricia Bright took to the adorned stage and answered our questions and gave us some beauty tips. The first question of the night? From yours truly of course! Watch the video below to see what I had to ask Patricia.

bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Birthday Celebrations

Left: Victoria & Albert Museum, 
Right: Homa Restaurant, Church Street
 
Birthday/Anniversary meal, at Homa
 
Birthday present from the fiancé 
 
I had an amazing birthday this year, thanks to my wonderful family & friends.
I wanted to do a separate present post so this is just a short photo diary of my birthday.
I spent my birthday at the Victoria & Albert museum, and then continued to a restaurant in the evening.
It wasn’t that important to me that it was my birthday, but I did like being able to make the time to do the things I love, and using that excuse always seems to work. The restaurant we choose in the evening was Homa – a place we had passed a few times and wanted to visit. The food was lovely. I choose Duck & Foie Gras Terrine, Crab Linguine and Yoghurt Panacotta with Rhubarb Sorbet. My birthday also happens to fall on mine and the fiancé’s anniversary, and this year we celebrated 4 years!
I only received one present from the fiancé this year, but oh boy was it a big one!
He bought me a Macbook Air, because he wanted to help support me in my career choices, and so I could blog more.
Now if that isn’t true love, I don’t know what is! Seriously though, I’m a very lucky lady.
I’ll be continuing my birthday celebrations tonight (Saturday) with my lovely ladies too!