Category Archives: Amazon

Amazon, Black Friday 2021

Amazon Black Friday – Favourite Deals of the Day

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Black Friday is upon us, the busiest shopping day of the year! Named after the fact that most stores end the day ‘in the black’, the internet is swimming with amazing deals.

Sitting at the front of the queue is the online giant that is Amazon.

I’ve listed a few deals below which I think are amazing value for money. If you do happen to order through my links, I may earn a small commission.

Have Fun!

Fire HD 10 tablet | 10.1″, 1080p Full HD, 32 GB, Black – with Ads – Black Friday price £79 (£89 without ads)

Fire HD 10 tablet | 10.1", 1080p Full HD, 32 GB, Black - with Ads
Fire HD 10 tablet | 10.1″, 1080p Full HD, 32 GB, Black – with Ads

Even at it’s normal retail price, this is serious value for money. A very high specification 10″ Tablet.

Great Value at £79 with ads (promotional offers on the unlock screen) or £89 without.

The Fire tablets run FireOS which is based on Android but without Google Applications. You can use it for Microsoft Office, Amazon Movies, Netflix, Disney+, NowTV, YouTube, Channel 4, Channel 5, BBC iPlayer, ITV and so much more.

A super bright screen, fast charge through USB Type-C with cable and charging plug. I recommend buying the fabulous ‘made for Amazon’ All-in-one Bluetooth keyboard

  • Fast and responsive: powerful octa-core processor and 3 GB RAM. 50% more RAM than the previous generation.
  • Up to 12-hour battery life and 32 or 64 GB of internal storage. Add up to 1 TB with microSD (sold separately).
  • Brighter display: vivid 10.1″ 1080p full HD display is 10% brighter than the previous generation, with more than 2 million pixels.
  • Enjoy your favourite apps like BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more through Amazon’s Appstore (Google Play not supported, subscription fees may apply).
  • Stay connected: download apps such as Zoom or ask Alexa to make video calls to friends and family.

Available in Black, Denim, Lavendar and Olive.

However, if you do decide to buy the tablet, we wholehearted recommend the..

All-new Made for Amazon Bluetooth Keyboard with detachable case | Compatible with Fire HD 10 (11th gen., 2021 release), Black. £49

All-new Made for Amazon Bluetooth Keyboard with detachable case | Compatible with Fire HD 10 (11th gen., 2021 release), Black
All-new Made for Amazon Bluetooth Keyboard with detachable case | Compatible with Fire HD 10 (11th gen., 2021 release), Black

Tablet keyboards can sometimes come up short, but this wasn’t the case with this made-for-amazon keyboard, it is a proper hard case and high-quality keyboard which effortlessly pairs with your Fire HD 10 tablet and can also detach by pulling gently and releasing the magnetic catches. Great for use on the go with super long use rechargeable battery which also charges via USB Type-C

Great quality and really good value for money., which gives you a high-end 1080 netbook for £129 using the black-Friday deal.

 

https://amzn.to/3CViCYm

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) – Smart speaker with Alexa – Charcoal Fabric – £18.99 Black Friday Special.

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa - Charcoal Fabric - £18.99 Black Friday Special.
Echo Dot (3rd Gen) – Smart speaker with Alexa – Charcoal Fabric – £18.99 Black Friday Special.

Who doesn’t love an Echo Dot? We do, they are now all over our home. This Black Friday special gives you the 3rd Generation model with charcoal fabric and superb sound quality for the price of a taxi fare. Really Really good value for money at £18.99!

  • Amazons most popular smart speaker: now with a fabric design and improved speaker for richer and louder sound.
  • Voice control your music: stream songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, TuneIn and others. You can also listen to audiobooks from Audible.
  • Bigger, better sound: pair with a second Echo Dot for rich, stereo sound. Fill your home with music with compatible Echo devices in different rooms.
  • Ready to help: ask Alexa to play music, answer questions, read the news, check the weather, set alarms, control compatible smart home devices and more.
  • Connect with others: call almost anyone hands free including UK mobile and residential numbers (from UK only), other Echo devices, Alexa app and Skype. Link your Vodafone account to make and receive mobile calls. Instantly drop in on other rooms in your home or make an announcement to every room with a compatible Echo device.
  • Alexa has skills: with tens of thousands of skills, Alexa is always getting smarter and adding new skills like tracking fitness, playing games and more.
  • Voice control your smart home: turn on lights, adjust thermostats, lock doors and more, with compatible connected devices.
  • Designed to protect your privacy: built with multiple layers of privacy protection and control, including a Microphone Off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.

Super deals on Smartphones, Wearables from, Samsung, Nokia and more

Samsung Galaxy M12 Smartphone Dual SIM Android Mobile Phone Green [Amazon Exclusive] (UK Version)

Samsung Galaxy M12 Smartphone Dual SIM Android Mobile Phone Green [Amazon Exclusive] (UK Version)
Amazon is offering a wealth of special offers an a massive range of mobile devices.

One notable offer is the 38% discount on the Samsung Galaxy M12 Smartphone Dual SIM Android Mobile Phone Green [Amazon Exclusive] (UK Version).

Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote (includes TV controls) £24.99 (50% off) Black Friday.

Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote (includes TV controls)
Fire TV Stick 4K with Alexa Voice Remote (includes TV controls)

The Amazon firetv stick  4k is amazing value, simple to set up and really snappy to use. Currently available at half price of £24.99, it’s hard to ignore.

  • Cinematic experience: watch in vibrant 4K Ultra HD with support for Dolby Vision, HDR and HDR10+.
  • Home cinema audio with Dolby Atmos: feel scenes come to life with support for immersive Dolby Atmos audio on selected content with compatible home audio systems.
  • Endless entertainment: stream hundreds of thousands of films and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Now, Disney+ and more, plus listen to millions of songs. Subscription fees may apply.
  • Live and free TV: watch live TV, news and sport with subscriptions to BT Sport, Eurosport, Sky News and more. Stream for free with ITV Hub, All 4, PlutoTV, YouTube and more.
  • Alexa Voice Remote: search and launch content with your voice. Get to favourite apps quickly with preset buttons. Control power and volume with one remote.
  • Control your compatible smart home: ask Alexa to check the weather, dim the lights, view supported live camera feeds, stream music and more.
  • Simple and intuitive: quickly access your favourite apps, live TV and things you use most, all from the main menu.
  • Easy to set up, compact enough to stay hidden: plug in behind your TV, turn on the TV and connect to the internet.

Kindle books with HUGE DISCOUNTS of up to 95%, starting at 99p

Kindle books with HUGE DISCOUNTS of up to 95%, starting at 99p
Kindle books with HUGE DISCOUNTS of up to 95%, starting at 99p

If you are a fan of reading books, you can’t go wrong with a Kindle, the lightweight device which revolutionised the ready book market.

Start off your collection with some amazing Kindle deals starting at 99p

Looking for something to read them on?

Kindle | Now with built-in front light—with Ads—Black £49.99

Kindle | Now with a built-in front light—with Ads—Black
Kindle | Now with built-in front light—with Ads—Black
The With Ads option (also known as Special Offers) displays sponsored screensavers on your device’s lock screen and in sleep mode.
  • Adjustable front light lets you read comfortably for hours, indoors and outdoors, day and night.
  • Purpose-built for reading, with a 167 PPI glare-free display that reads like printed paper, even in direct sunlight.
  • Distraction-free reading. Highlight passages, look up definitions, translate words and adjust text size, without ever leaving the page.
  • Select from millions of books, newspapers and audiobooks. Holds thousands of titles so you can take your library with you.
  • Prime members read for free with unlimited access to over a thousand titles.
  • A single battery charge lasts weeks, not hours. Learn more in Technical Details below.
  • Enjoy more books with Audible. Pair with Bluetooth headphones, or speakers, to switch seamlessly between reading and listening.

As an Amazon Influencer, we may earn a small commission, should you decide to buy their products through these links!

Alexa, Amazon, Smart Curtains, Smart Devices, Smart Home

SwitchBot Curtain – How I made my curtains ‘Smart’ in just a few minutes

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So, I’m now the proud owner of a pair of ‘Smart Curtains’… Yes, you read that right! After a simple installation, our living room curtains can now be controlled by the flick of a screen gesture, a Google Home or Alexa command, temperature, a timed opening and closing or it can even be triggered (and charged) by light!

SwitchBot can be installed onto a range of curtain rails
SwitchBot can be installed onto a range of curtain rails

All of this came courtesy of the SwitchBot Curtain, a nifty set of kit that allows me to all of the above and more!

SmitchBot Curtain is a motorised device that sits on your curtain rail or pole and simply moves your curtains open or closed upon your command or wishes. It can also integrate with an additional SwitchBot hub that connects it to other SwitchBot gadgets and talks to your favourite cloud assistants via the internet. This allows you to control your curtains remotely. More importantly, this allows this to happen via a schedule, so you can be away on holiday and your curtains can open and close deterring unwanted visitors and stopping your houseplants from scorching in the hot sun.

SwitchBot can be installed onto a range of curtain rails
SwitchBot can be installed onto a range of curtain rails

All of this is achieved by (in my case) a pair of SwitchBot curtain, one for each side on the window, a pair of plug-in solar chargers which keep the batteries topped up (although you can do this with the included USB Type-C cables,

Set up was a breeze, I installed the SwitchBot app on my Android phone (iPhone app also available) and it took me through every single step without missing a beat! Within a couple of minutes, I was up and running. There were some simple steps to teach the devices when to stop and when opening and closing the curtains, but we were good to go after that!

Our curtain pole is extendable, so by design has two different sized poles connected, SwitchBot provides a nifty little adapter that allows the SwitchBot Curtain to easily move over this uneven without issue.

As well as using the app to close and open the curtains, you can also tug them gently in either direction, which will trigger then to do the rest, very useful if you forget that you don’t have to open and close them manually!

Our curtains run on a pole, however, SwitchBot is also available for I Rail and U Rail fittings in either white or black, basically suiting most tastes. The device also sits neatly behind our curtains, so you don’t actually see them at all. Out of sight, out of mind!

Also available in black
Also available in black

So now, the Gadget-Household are smart-curtain enabled, giving one more thing for Alexa to do and hopefully improving our lives just a little bit more.

SwitchBot is available on Amazon at the link below, keep an eye out for upcoming Prime Day deals which are listed below!!

 

SwitchBot Amazon Prime Day Deals

SwitchBot Curtain Rail

SwitchBot Curtail – U Rail – was £79 now £55.30

SwitchBot Curtain – I Rail – was £79 now £55.30

SwitchBot Curtain – Rod – was £85 now £59.30

Amazon Links Here:

SwitchBot’s hero product and a bestseller on Amazon, the SwitchBot Curtain is a small wireless robot that makes any curtains motorized and smart with a 30-second installation. After attaching to your curtain, you can open and close it with your smartphone. Or, just set a schedule to automatically open or close the curtain. For any type of curtain rail – no matter if it’s Rod, U rail track, or I Rail track, SwitchBotCurtain can always fit. Make sure to measure the dimensions of your curtain rails, so it can work smoothly on your curtains.

 

SwitchBot Bot  – was £25 now £17.50

Amazon Link Here

SwitchBot Bot lets you retrofit all existing appliances or light switches in your home, instead of replacing them. It mechanically turns device switches ON/OFF working as a robotic finger. There’s a 5-second installation, tape it right next to a rocker switch or button with a 3M sticker. No swapping, no tools required. Easy App operation. With SwitchBot Hub Plus/Mini (only support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi), control your SwitchBot Bot remotely from anywhere and enable voice control. Works well with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri and IFTTT.

 

SwitchBot Meter – was £18 now £12.60

Amazon Link Here

SwitchBot Meter is a sensor that monitors your environment reliably and around the clock. Manage the temperature and humidity in the most accurate way. The Meter maintains the most recent 36 days of data while you are away. With SwitchBot Hub Plus/Mini (only support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi), unlimited data could be stored on the SwitchBot cloud.

 

SwitchBot Hub Mini – was £35 now £24.50

Amazon Link Here

The SwitchBot Hub Mini connects and streamlines the control of your SwitchBot products/  most household devices, including your TV, air conditioner and anything else that would usually be controlled by a remote. Easy set up in the SwitchBot App. With “Smart learning” mode, it can mimic your existing remote control in 5 seconds. USB-powered and portable, you can take & place it everywhere.

 

  • SwitchBot Remote – was £18 now £12.60

Amazon Link Here

Compatible with the SwitchBot Curtain and SwitchBot Bot, this device lets you turn the products ON/OFF at the press of a button. For example, the concave button can be used for switching the SwitchBot Curtain ON/OFF and the convex button can be used for switching the SwitchBot Bot ON/OFF.

 

  • SwitchBot Solar Panel – was £23.99 now £16.79

Amazon Link Here

The SwitchBot Solar Panel is a charger for the SwitchBot Curtain. Once plugged into the SwitchBot Curtain, you will never have to recharge again. Works with U/Rod/I SwitchBot Curtain models.

Don’t forget, we are an Amazon affiliate, so may earn a small commission through our links

Alexa, Amazon, Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) – Smart speaker with Alexa is currently under 20 quid with Prime on Primeday

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Heads-up!  The Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) is currently on special offer for Prime members on Prime day.

Amazon is stating this is a 62% saving on the RRP.  Which sounds like a great bargain.

Available in four colours, displayed below. Amazon has asked us to let you know that you can order via our links, when you do and you complete the purchase, we earn a very tiny amount of commission.

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa

Echo Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with AlexaEcho Dot (3rd Gen) - Smart speaker with Alexa

 

  • Amazon’s most popular smart speaker a choice of 4 colours with a fabric design and improved speaker for richer and louder sound.
  • Voice control your music: stream songs from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, TuneIn and others. You can also listen to audiobooks from Audible.
  • Bigger, better sound: pair with a second Echo Dot for rich, stereo sound. Fill your home with music with compatible Echo devices in different rooms.
  • Ready to help: ask Alexa to play music, answer questions, read the news, check the weather, set alarms, control compatible smart home devices and more.
  • Connect with others: call almost anyone hands free including UK mobile and residential numbers (from UK only), other Echo devices, Alexa app and Skype. Link your Vodafone account to make and receive mobile calls. Instantly drop in on other rooms in your home or make an announcement to every room with a compatible Echo device.
  • Alexa has skills: with tens of thousands of skills, Alexa is always getting smarter and adding new skills like tracking fitness, playing games and more.
  • Voice control your smart home: turn on lights, adjust thermostats, lock doors and more, with compatible connected devices.
  • Designed to protect your privacy: built with multiple layers of privacy protection and control, including a Microphone Off button that electronically disconnects the microphones.
Amazon, Dashcam, Gadget Man, Matt Porter, Review, Technology, The Gadget Man

NextBase 422GW Dash Cam with Emergency Service Notification and Alexa

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Dash Cams have become a hugely popular and important piece of in-car technology. Not only do they act as an independent witness in court by recording everything that happens both in front of your car as well as behind (if you have a rear-view camera), in fact, Tesla has recently updated their vehicles to support ‘Sentry’ mode to monitor all around the car using their multiple cameras.

422GW Dash Cam
422GW Dash Cam

The increase in Dash Cam use has by recognised by insurance companies and police as an extremely helpful accessory in the event of both accidents and other investigations where individuals have gone missing and have been picked up on dashcam.

In the UK, the law states that a Dash Cam must NOT distract the driver or obscure the view of the road. If you decide to share the footage, faces and number plates should be blurred and unrecognisable. so bear this in mind if you decide to upload some footage to Facebook or YouTube.

422GW Dash Cam
422GW Dash Cam

NextBase 422GW with the rear camera module.

I have spent the last couple of weeks reviewing the NextBase 422GW a dashcam bursting with so many features, it would be impossible to list everything here!

Out of the boxes, the main dashcam and the additional rear camera module are both solidly built devices with a comforting amount of weight about them that feels durable. I also had a NextBase MicroSD card to store my footage. You also receive a very long power cable with 12v connector and the option of using either suction or sticky mount to affix the camera to your windscreen.

422GW Dash Cam
Nextbase App connected to 422GW Dash Cam

The 422GW’s features rely heavily on the use of an iOS or Android App which connects over both Bluetooth for general communication and WiFi for downloading videos to your device. It also supports Alexa and Handsfree calling which was quite useful as it allows voice instructions to download the recorded video to your mobile device (if that’s your thing!). You can also enter emergency information into the app which allows the device to automatically contact the emergency services if it detects an accident. Don’t worry, it won’t do this immediately, you do get to intervene before Police or Ambulances are summoned.

The most obvious feature of a dashcam is the quality of the video that it takes. The 422GW packs a F1.3 sensor recording at 1440p at 30 FPS or 1080p at 60 FPS. The quality of the video is excellent even in low light and darkness, I was seriously impressed. If you (like I did) installed the additional rear camera, the unit records both videos at the same time and you can set the rear camera to either record inside the cockpit or the rear window. I was unsure how this would turn out, but again I was really impressed with the results.

422GW Dash Cam
422GW Dash Cam – what’s in the box

If you are looking for a dashcam with Crash Protection, Emergency Service Alert, Auto-Sync, Intelligent Parking Monitoring, Alexa and the tool for installing the cable in your vehicle, you won’t go far wrong with this device! At £129 it’s great value too.

Matt Porter
www.thegadgetman.org.uk

 

 

Amazon, GPS, Review, The Gadget Man, tracking devices, Vodafone

Half Price Alert! Vodafone V-Multi Tracker, a Multi-Use Lightweight GPS Tracker with Bluetooth and Data Connection

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This is a bit of a heads up for those of that are prone to putting things down and forgetting them, those that might be carrying around valuable items and usefully, those who are flying drones and would like to be able to track a fly-away!

Vodafone V-Multi Tracker
Vodafone V-Multi Tracker

The Vodafone V-Multi Trackers keep an eye on your possession using a simple iOS or Android app. I reckon the current price of £22.50 + £2 per month for your data plan is a no-brainer.

The tracker also gives you speed alerts if your things start moving and will notify you through the app on your smartphone.

There’s also an emergency SOS button which can be set up to notify a loved one of the trackers current location.

At just 39mm wide, 12mm high and weighing less than 20g, it can be attached to items using the variety of included accessories, such as USB charging cable, Hard case, Carabiner, Pouch, Clip and built-on V-Sim.

Setup was reasonably painless using Vodafone’s V app and TrackiSafe’s app.

I’ve tested it and can confirm it will send the current location using the built in Vodafone data connection and will use with GPS, WiFi or Cell Tower triangulation to get the coordinates, which it sends back to the app and shows on an interactive map.

You can purchase the Vodafone V-Multi Tracker for £22.50 (until the 31 January 2020) using this link or the link below!

Amazon, Gadget Man, Mark Murphy, Matt Porter, Smart TV, Speakers, Technology, The Gadget Man

Gadget Man – Episode 141 – Amazon Alexa is now providing NHS Medical Advice

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The UK Government’s ‘Department for Health and Social Care’ have today announced a collaboration between themselves and Multi-Billion Dollar tech firm Amazon to provide NHS website information via the popular Alexa platform.

Amazon Dot running Alexa next to a pill
Amazon Dot running Alexa can now assist with NHS based medical information

With immediate effect, UK owners of the Alexa based devices such as the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot will now be able to request medical information by asking their devices.

This morning, I spoke to Mark Murphy from BBC Radio Suffolk about the devices and their potential uses in health. You can listen in via the link about. Don’t forget to Like, Share, Subscribe and Comment!!

[videopress NgjTfiDu]

The press release is as follows:-

Press Release – 10 July 2019

The NHS is collaborating with Amazon to provide reliable health information from the NHS website through voice-assisted technology. 

The technology will help patients, especially the elderly, blind and those who cannot access the internet through traditional means, to get professional, NHS-verified health information in seconds, through simple voice commands.

Amazon’s algorithm uses information from the NHS website to provide answers to voice questions such as:

  • “Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?”
  • “Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?”
  • “Alexa, what are the symptoms of chickenpox”

The technology has the potential to reduce the pressure on the NHS and GPs by providing information for common illnesses.

Voice search has been increasing rapidly. By 2020, half of all searches are expected to be made through voice-assisted technology.

NHSX will look at ways of making more NHS services available to all patients through digital technology. The announcement supports the commitment in the NHS Long Term Plan to make more NHS services available digitally.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said:

We want to empower every patient to take better control of their healthcare and technology like this is a great example of how people can access reliable, world-leading NHS advice from the comfort of their home, reducing the pressure on our hardworking GPs and pharmacists.

Through the NHS Long Term Plan, we want to embrace the advances in technology to build a health and care system that is fit for the future and NHSX will drive this revolution to bring the benefits to every patient, clinician and carer.

Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX, said:

The public need to be able to get reliable information about their health easily and in ways they actually use. By working closely with Amazon and other tech companies, big and small, we can ensure that the millions of users looking for health information every day can get simple, validated advice at the touch of a button or voice command.

Part of our mission at NHSX is to give citizens the tools to access services and information directly, and partnerships such as this are an important part of achieving this.