Category: Multimedia

  In part 1 of this follow-up I discussed what you might call the “cosmetics” of the Marshmallow update. It’s time now to delve into the more profound changes under the covers. The Adoptable Storage Story. The concept of “adoptable storage”, introduced in the Marshmallow update, appears to have originated from Google’s initiative for budget phone designs that use only a minimum of storage.  One gig of RAM and eight of flash is enough for basic… Now read on…

I wound up my 5 part review of the nVidia Shield TV at the beginning of this year. But it was clear at the time that this useful device would be a key player in living room entertainment, and if nVidia had any sense we’d see further developments. The Shield I’d been reviewing was running Android Lollipop. But no sooner had I (sadly) sent the machine back to the PR company than nVidia issued an upgrade… Now read on…

I was somewhat dismissive of headphones in my review of the room-filling Yamaha RX-V679. My point being that rather than using music to open up new worlds to us, we tend these days to pipe music direct into our ears to shut out the world when we travel and when we work. But I do use headphones, particularly at home at night to avoid disturbing the family. Wireless headphones, when they’re good, are my preference. And… Now read on…

Winding up the previous part of this nVidia Shield review I wrote “So now, I think, we’re at last ready to get on with Part 3—the actual review!” We aren’t.   WE’RE WAITING FOR THE GAMES CONTROLLER to be FedExed back from the nVidia European base in Holland, where it’s been on a hospital visit to get one of its buttons repaired. Well, of course, I won’t get back the one I sent; the RMA (Return… Now read on…

I ended the last part by failing to lament the absence of DAB on the Yamaha RX-V679 Receiver. What the device does have wireless-wise—not counting the wireless network capability we’ve already discussed—are Bluetooth and (a limited version of) Apple’s Airplay. I wind up the adventure with this useful extra connectivity. Bluetooth and Airplay THE RX-V679 IMPROVES ON THE RX-V677 model it replaces with the welcome addition of Bluetooth. (A plug-in Bluetooth accessory was available for… Now read on…