Ted's Salmagundi

It's a long time since I had a new Motorola phone. In fact, since 2020 and the Edge Plus - now abandoned by Moto in terms of security updates, but let's not go there again! The Edge+ (2020) remains close to me however, still the best sounding speakers on a phone I've ever had. For those who want to remember that one, here's a link to my review from 2020 . Meanwhile, I'm excited to explore the new Edge 30 Neo. When phones have 'Neo' attached to them, we expect them to be cut-down, 'lite' versions of flagships (or even mid-rangers). The lower-end versions with compromises left, right and centre, making them less attractive to buy for us nerdy types! However, the major Chinese manufacturers are changing that landscape, slowly and surely over time - adding more and more mid-range (and in some cases flagship) features which defy their position in the plethora of possible choices for the consumer. And Motorola have caught on, it seems! Caught on, because t

Galicia is an independent Spanish province in north-west Spain and the setting for this film set in a small community amongst the mountains and hills. French director Oliver Laxe takes the helm and produces something worthy of the many awards and accolades the film has received. It's a real slow-burner of a film, the irony being that it is ultimately about wild fires and centred around a man who, two years before we join the story, had been put into jail for 'burning down a mountain'. Whether he was guilty of this or not we never find out, but two years later he arrives back at his mother's house to continue with their slow life. A slow life which is about small-time farming with their three cows and small crop of vegetation, looking like they provide for themselves and a bit more to sell in order to pay their bills. Whilst Amador has been away in prison it is clear that his elderly mother, Benedicta , has struggled to make ends meet - continuing with the heavy workload

...a roundup of our month of podcasting. Links to the team, communities and podcast homes on the net at the foot, so scroll down! Phones Sho w Chat Episode 715 -  All Power, All Connection Saturday 1st October Steve and I are joined again by  Jeremy Harpham this week as we talk power - and tinkering with tech off-grid. Plenty more too, with the latest thoughts on phones as Steve goes all Xperia and I get the Nothing Phone 1 in. Tech Addicts Podcast Algorithms and Ballix Sunday 2nd October Gareth is back holding things together a for a Pod this week carrying me, still functioning at about 70% I'm afraid. Anyway, we're here, catching up with the stuff that's caught our eye in tech this week. Lots of new hardware, apps, gaming and OS news, mopped up with some bargains in the basement. Projector Room Episode 122 -  Blonde Lou Wednesday 5th October Gareth, Allan and I are back again for our fortnightly roundup of all things film, cinema and TV. This time we head for Turkey

The evolution of the Xperia range from Sony has been fun, if expensive, to take part in and follow. In my case, particularly, the smaller of the current range - the 5-series. I am already the owner of a 5 Mk.II and although I wasn't able to get my hands on a 5 Mk.III, I thought that a comparison with the former might be a useful way to go on this as I have the II and IV in-hand. Thanks to Sony PR in the UK for sending over this delayed but just-released unit for Phones Show Chat to review, though to cut to the verdict to some degree, I liked it so much that I bought one! I managed to find one second hand, mint, for two-thirds of the new price as the new price is not cheap, £949 in the UK. As to whether it's worth that money, dip in and find out with me. The first thing to be said is that as the line has evolved. It has indeed followed the principles of evolution, small changes and improvements - so much so that the Mk.I, II, III and IV in some ways are difficult to tell apart