If only the world of YouTube reviewers would learn the value of tested-in-the-field reviews. "I've been using this for a week and I give it five stars" is so dumb. I've used a pretty good phone screen protector from Gadgetshieldz for over six months now and here's my damn-sight-more-useful review.

My newish Nokia 8 needed protection. I buy devices for their aesthetics and function, so I hate covering them up with chunky cases, but I don't want them scratched to hell by being naked. I found some positive reviews for the Gadgetshieldz product in a few places (YouTube and XDA) and thought it was worth giving a go after discovering that the Nokia 8's screen was too curved for the usual tempered-glass screen-protector strategy.

screen protector with no marks
Gadgetshieldz screen protector after six months. All you see is the reflection of the wall; no scratches to be seen... almost.

...continue reading "Review: Gadgetshieldz phone screen protector is great until it isn’t"

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sample banknotes with colour changesUntil the release of the new $10 note a few months ago, I'd never really thought about the colour of banknotes. I guess all the countries I've visited (except the USA) have had adequately different notes. But Australia's new note tore up my complacency, as I discovered that I couldn't tell it apart from the newish $5 note unless looking at the actual images and numbers on it.
...continue reading "Banking blind: new Australian notes are useless for the colour-blind"

Some people love Airbnb. Some don't - though mostly you hear about disgruntled owners after their property has been trashed, rather than hearing about unhappy guests. That's a bit strange, given that sites like Tripadvisor and Booking.com are rich in descriptions of negative experiences at hotels. Can Airbnb accommodations really be so much better?

I've used Airbnb about six times around the globe. With one exception, I've never come away feeling like it was an awesome, flawless experience. There were often basic issues that (1) must have affected other guests, and (2) could easily have been avoided. ...continue reading "Only with reservations: Airbnb"