Can this business-focused website builder bridge the gap for novices in web design?

Sitejet is a versatile website builder that offers a well-rounded solution for web designers, agencies, and individuals. Their three pricing plans provide flexibility for managing multiple projects. While Sitejet’s powerful drag-and-drop editor may pose a learning curve for newcomers, Sitejet excels in collaborative and workflow features, SEO tools, and strong website security. Plus, thanks to its 14-day free trial you can test Sitejet for yourself before committing.

Pros

• +14-day free trial
• +Polished and sleek dashboard
• +Lightning-fast hosting with CDN
• +Integrated snapshot feature
• +Helpful customer support
• +Handy built-in project manager
• +To-do lists and project management tools
• +Useful step-by-step wizard for the drag-and-drop builder

Cons

• -No built-in marketing tools
• -The drag-and-drop builder is complex for beginners
• -Fewer templates compared to competitors

If you’re on the lookout for the best website builders to craft a captivating website for your entrepreneurial endeavor, Sitejet is a platform worth exploring. In this dynamic landscape, it has emerged as a robust platform catering to the needs of solo entrepreneurs and small business owners striving to establish a prominent online presence. So, If you’re on the hunt for a website builder that strikes the right balance between functionality and simplicity, Sitejet could be the game-changer you’ve been looking for.

At TechRadar, we understand the challenges entrepreneurs face when choosing the right tools for their digital journey. Our commitment to providing tried-and-tested tips has earned the trust of our readers, and in this hands-on review, we’ll unravel the intricacies of Sitejet to help you make a smart choice.

Throughout this exploration, we’ll delve into Sitejet’s core features, its usability for first-time website creators, and its potential to upgrade the online presence of small businesses. From design flexibility to ease of use, we’ll guide you through our hands-on experience with Sitejet, ensuring you have the information and insights needed to make use of this powerful builder.

Whether you’re stepping into the digital world for the first time or on the hunt for an improved solution for your current website, Sitejet could be the perfect platform for advancing your goals.

IS SITEJET THE RIGHT WEBSITE BUILDER FOR ME?

Choosing the perfect website builder is crucial for your online success. So, let’s dissect who Sitejet caters to best and who might discover it to be a less fitting solution.

Sitejet is solid for solo entrepreneurs, small business owners, and marketers looking for a user-centric website builder that combines project management and client collaboration. The “Business Center” provides an excellent dashboard, offering a swift snapshot of various website projects, client input, and revenue insights presented in user-friendly graphics. So, if you want features like to-do lists and project management tools, Sitejet is your go-to solution.

Although Sitejet is designed for ease of use, those who appreciate in-depth guidance in using the dashboard might find it a bit less hand-holding compared to a simpler website builder. While powerful, the builder can sometimes feel like navigating a maze, with a lot of options and levels to explore.

This level of complexity might be overwhelming for users who prefer a more straightforward setup. So, if you’re on the lookout for a builder who holds your hand every step of the way, you might want to consider alternative choices such as Wix or Weebly.

SITEJET FEATURES AND TOOLS

Like with most website builder, you just need to fill in a few basic details to get started with Sitejet.

Getting started with Sitejet is simple. You can kick off the registration process straight from the homepage by clicking on “Get Started” or “Free 14-Day Trial.” Simply enter the email address you want to use for your Sitejet login, and you’re on your way.

Within minutes, you’ll receive a confirmation email at the provided address. Don’t forget to check your spam folder if you don’t see it. Click on the confirmation link in the email, and you’ll be redirected to Sitejet to add some details about your business and set up your password.

Once you’re all done, you’ll arrive at Sitejet’s dashboard.

TEMPLATES

Sitejet offers a reasonable range of stunning templates to pick from.

Sitejet has a cool collection over 90 templates that come free with any plan you choose. While this number might not match the extensive libraries of some competitors, Sitejet promises more templates in the pipeline, so you can expect fresh choices now and then.

Though you can’t import third-party templates, we found that Sitejet’s existing templates cover a wide variety of industries, including IT and media, travel, education, culture, art, and so forth.

Customization is simple with Sitejet’s drag-and-drop editor, allowing you to start from scratch or modify existing templates. While the designs may not stun with complexity, Sitejet prioritizes simplicity, making the templates easy to personalize. Each template captures distinct moods with high-quality demo content, adding animations, hover effects, and other design elements.

The customization process revolves around a straightforward grid layout, offering lots of options for playing around with text, images, animations, and sizes. And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even add custom code to spice things up. All templates are fully responsive to various mobile screen sizes, and users can preview designs on multiple Apple or Android display dimensions.

SITEJET WEBSITE EDITOR

Sitejet’s website editor offers plenty of flexibility.

Sitejet’s drag-and-drop editor strikes a nice balance between simplicity and functionality. It allows you to modify designs and themes even after creating a website, offering access to a solid collection of customizable designs. The editor supports unlimited page creation and covers essential content elements like text, images, forms, and much more.

Built in tools make it easy to opimize your page for search engines.

With robust SEO integration, each page’s settings, including name and SEO details, can be customized for optimal search engine visibility. The platform also automates Google indexing, which will boost your online presence.

With mobile editor you can preview your website on various devices, adjusting it to look stunning in both landscape and portrait mode. Plus, there are presets and a plethora of customizable features, from headers and footers to forms, making the design process a joy.

Through your dashboard, you gain an overview of multiple websites, each with detailed status information. There, the customer view provides insights into customer interactions for simpler management.

However, while Sitejet’s editor provides some powerful customization, it might pose a challenge for newcomers. The complexity of the builder, with all its features and choices, may require a learning curve for those new to website creation.

Sitejet Website Builder Screenshot

AI tools can help speed up repetitive tasks when building your website.

Sitejet’s AI-powered text generator, currently in Beta, introduces a way to create content without a hitch. Accessible through the editor, this feature allows you to specify input and output language, provide a text description, and adjust additional settings such as word count, target group, author, and tone. With a simple click on “Generate text,” ChatGPT will work its magic, crafting content shaped by your preferences.

DOMAINS ON SITEJET

With all Sitejet plans, you can connect external domains or register new ones directly through Sitejet. It’s a worthwhile feature for web designers who want to showcase live websites to clients, allowing for quick feedback and collaboration.

For added convenience, domain management is centralized, meaning you’ll get an oversight of multiple websites. So, no need to worry about your domain name suddenly expiring.

The Team and Agency plans go a step further, allowing full branding of the Sitejet platform, including the customer portal, with your corporate identity. Moreover, you can operate the system under your custom domain for a more polished, professional touch.

To register a domain within Sitejet, access the domain manager, click “+ Domain,” follow the simple steps to check availability and complete the registration process. The pricing is transparent, with options like .com at $8.99, .biz at $18.53, and .app at $31.20 per year. Should you need a specific top-level domain (TDL) not listed, Sitejet’s support team will try to find a solution for you upon request.

SITEJET ECOMMERCE

Adding products to your Sitejet website is quick and easy.

Sitejet simplifies the ecommerce experience by seamlessly integrating Ecwid, one of the top ecommerce solutions. This built-in store functionality enables you to effortlessly set up and manage your web stores directly within Sitejet’s dashboard.

With Sitejet’s integrated ecommerce solution, you can establish your online store and embed it into their website with ease. The platform supports a wide range of products and allows for external management through its robust backend. You can showcase up to five products for free, making it a solid choice for small businesses and startups.

To create an Ecwid shop, access the “Shop” category in Sitejet’s website editor and follow the step-by-step instructions provided in Sitejet’s help articles. There are no setup or transaction fees associated with Ecwid, regardless of the plan chosen. This makes it an attractive choice for those looking to build an online store without any additional costs.

SITEJET MARKETING INTEGRATIONS

While Sitejet lacks built-in marketing tools, it compensates with seamless integrations to boost your online presence and marketing efforts. For SEO enhancement, Sitejet provides essential integrations (Webflow, AgencyAnalytics, Wistia, and more) giving you the tools to optimize your websites for search engines.

In terms of email marketing, Sitejet supports integrations with popular platforms such as Campaign Monitor, MailChimp, ConvertKit, and AWeber. This lets you connect your email marketing campaigns with your Sitejet-powered websites, ensuring effective communication with your target audience.

Screenshot of Sitejet’s App Store

Rather than building everything into the platform, Sitejet offers integrations, allowing you to seamlessly add some of the best tools on the market to your website. (Image credit: Sitejet)

Social media plays a crucial role in modern marketing and Sitejet acknowledges this by offering integrations with various social media platforms. You can easily link your X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts.

Beyond email marketing and social media, Sitejet provides a wide variety of in-app integrations designed to elevate your business’s visibility and popularity. So, while this platform may not have native marketing tools, its integrations can empower you to leverage third-party solutions to upgrade your marketing strategies.

WEBSITE SECURITY

Through our experience, we’ve found that incorporating SSL into your website with Sitejet is surprisingly straightforward. A simple click in the Domain Manager activates SSL, creating a secure HTTPS connection for your website. The SSL certificate is automatically generated for the website and extends to all connected subdomains.

Sitejet strengthens website performance and protection through the integration of a content delivery network (CDN) and distributed denial of service (DDoS) mitigation. These not only make your pages load faster but also provide a protective shield against potential cyber threats.

Sitejet takes the trouble out of website backups with an integrated snapshot feature. The system automatically saves backups of your websites, providing a safety net in case of unexpected troubles.

Screenshot of Sitejet’s Security Features

Backups can be a lifesaver if anything ever goes wrong with your website.

If you’re craving collaboration and additional features, the Team plan at $29 per month (on annual billing) is a step up. It’s a solid choice for web designers managing multiple projects.

Taking it to the next level, the Agency plan, priced at $69 per month (on annual billing), caters to agencies and teams. With it, you’ll get extra perks like website export, multi-user permissions, white-label tools, and API access. However, it’s a significant spike in price.

Thinking about adding additional websites? Solo users can add extra websites for $15 each month, Teams pay $8 monthly per additional website with an annual plan, and Agencies enjoy the most cost-effective solution at just $5 per month per additional website with an annual commitment.

All Sitejet plans come with an array of features, covering essentials like web hosting, SSL encryption, CDN and DDoS protection, and automated backups. Benefit from continuous CMS updates, seamless domain connection or registration, unlimited email accounts, and generous allowances for website analytics and storage per project.

To explore Sitejet’s features, you can take advantage of the 14-day free trial which gives you access to the mid-tier “Team” plan’s functionalities. When the trial runs out, you’ll be downgraded to the Solo version, which you can continue to use for free. No credit card info is required, and you won’t be charged until you decide to publish or export your website.

To delve deeper into Sitejet’s pricing details and explore which plan matches your needs best, check out Sitejet’s pricing page.

SITEJET HELP AND SUPPORT

Having live chat support can be really helpful when you need a little advice.

Sitejet has got your back with a blend of email and live chat support, all aimed at making your experience smooth. While their support hours are a bit mysterious, they try to respond even beyond working hours. Also, online chat availability can be a bit elusive.

If you’re planning to send them an email, anticipate a reasonable two to three-hour response time, which isn’t that bad. The support team, although occasionally fashionably late, is known for being friendly and helpful. Convenient links to their help desk are sprinkled across the dashboard, and a chat widget pops up when the live chat stars align.

For those who prefer a hands-on approach, Sitejet offers an array of resources, including user-friendly step-by-step guides and straight-to-the-point video tutorials. Don’t miss their comprehensive demo video – a crash course in mastering Sitejet. While live support may face occasional challenges due to popularity, Sitejet’s support team compensates with a Slack group for user-to-user support and the option to schedule a one-on-one demo whenever you like.

It’s worth noting that the Solo package includes regular chat and email support, while the upper-tier plans feature priority email support. Additionally, Sitejet offers so-called “success support” for their partners, covering tech, sales, and web design.

SITEJET: WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED? WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

While Sitejet offers an excellent website-building experience, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Firstly, there aren’t built-in marketing tools, so if you’re looking for an all-in-one solution for SEO, social media, and email marketing, you‘ll need to explore additional third-party tools.

Another consideration is the complexity of the drag-and-drop builder, especially for beginners. While powerful, the learning curve might be steeper compared to more beginner-friendly alternatives.

Also, while the template library is growing, it’s not the largest out there. You’ve got some superb options, but it might not have the sheer variety you’d find with other builders.

SITEJET REVIEW: FINAL THOUGHTS

To conclude, Sitejet offers a robust website-building platform tailored for web designers, agencies, and solo entrepreneurs. While it may not be the most intuitive for beginners, its drag-and-drop editor and extensive feature set make it a powerful tool for professionals. The collaboration features, like the customer portal, enable seamless interactions with clients, enhancing the overall workflow.

Although Sitejet isn’t the most budget-friendly choice, it provides superb value for money. If you’re also willing to invest time in mastering its features, Sitejet can be a powerful ally in crafting stunning and professional websites.

SITEJET WEBSITE BUILDER FAQS:-

Is Sitejet free?

Sitejet is not free but they offer a 14-day trial period during which you can explore all the features of the Team plan, aside from the export feature. After the trial, your account moves to the Solo plan. However, to publish or export a website, you’ll need to pick out a paid plan.

Can I host a website with Sitejet?

Yes, Sitejet provides built-in, high-speed hosting, and each plan includes hosting for one website. You can publish your website on any domain, either registered through Sitejet or externally connected. The Team and Agency plans offer the flexibility to export websites, and additional websites can be published at additional cost, including essential features like SSL encryption, CDN, and DDoS protection.

Where does Sitejet host my website?

If you choose to host with Sitejet, your websites will be hosted on their robust GDPR-compliant server infrastructure powered by Hetzner. There are no limits on storage or bandwidth, which should provide an efficient hosting environment for your websites.

The post Sitejet Website Builder Review appeared first on Review Products.

Often left me peachless.

Endlessly creative and adorably cute, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an uncompromising but approachable adventure that’s an absolute blast for kids and adults alike.

Pros

• +Adorable visuals
• +Fantastic boss fights
• +Approachable difficulty

Cons

• -A slow start
• -Occasionally choppy performance

Princess Peach: Showtime! is an action-adventure game that’s overflowing with the boundless creativity and charm characteristic of some of the best recent mainline Super Mario outings like Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Despite its more linear design and basic control scheme compared to those games, it’s packed with memorable stages and mechanics that make the most of the charming theatrical theme in truly imaginative ways.

The simplicity means that it’s one of the most approachable first-party games on Nintendo Switch making it a super choice for younger or more casual players, though seasoned gamers will still find plenty to enjoy in its brilliant boss fights and tricky challenge modes. Wrap it all up in an attractive art direction and throw in a raft of collectibles hidden throughout each stage and you’ve got an impressively well-rounded package that ranks among some of the best Nintendo Switch games available to play right now.

Setting The Stage

Princess Peach: Showtime!

The action kicks off in the sprawling Sparkle Theater, nestled in the little bay far from the Mushroom Kingdom where Princess Peach has been trapped by the malevolent Madame Grape and her legion of purple minions. Grape has corrupted the theater’s plays with her malign influence and caused all of the lead actors to disappear, leaving it up to Peach and the theater’s magical guardian Stella to save the day. It’s a simple setup that is conveyed through an introductory cutscene that is lavishly animated but rather jarringly relies on text dialogue rather than any kind of audio narration.

Still, it’s only a minor omission that is quickly forgotten once you’re thrust into the hub world of the theater’s foyer. It’s divided into five floors, each containing doors leading to different levels, and sits above a mysterious basement. There are thirty main stages in total, arranged into groups of three with each trio representing the entirety of a specific play. They’re spread out evenly across the floors, though each ends with a final stage that is accessed through the basement.

The plays all follow unique themes, ranging from a lighthearted Wild West romp to more unconventional additions like a sci-fi action thriller. They’re all brought to life by the cartoon-like visuals that are filled to the brim with theatrical details and flourishes. The scenery has a distinctly hand-crafted look, with floating clouds that are suspended from visible wires. They cast prominent shadows on the backdrops behind them which, while a simple effect, helps lend everything a wonderful sense of depth.

Despite the side-on perspective, stages are also fully three dimensional and allow for back-and-forth movement in addition to side-scrolling traversal. Bright cones of stage lighting highlight important objectives and follow Peach as you explore – likely to be a huge help for players who are less experienced in traversing 3D environments. This, in addition to an optional item that grants three extra lives and can be obtained from a non-player character (NPC) in the foyer, intelligently incorporates more forgiving elements in a manner that feels both natural and unintrusive.

Dress Rehearsal

Aside from the rare brief platforming segment, the overall pace of Princess Peach: Showtime! is more pedestrian than more traditional Super Mario adventures. Peach has slow movement speed and all of her actions are controlled entirely with just three buttons. You tap the A button to jump, hit the B button to interact, and occasionally press ZL or ZR in order to travel to secret areas when you’re standing on special spots hidden throughout each level.

In her default getup, Peach is armed with a magical ribbon that can defeat Grape’s minions, trigger key items like lamps or doors to progress, or inspire any dejected supporting actors that you stumble across. Running around mindlessly tapping that button on almost everything that you see isn’t the most engaging or subtle formula and the very early sections of the first few stages suffer as a result.

You’re soon given a transformation, however, which is where Princess Peach: Showtime! is at its absolute best. Modeled after the costumes of the missing lead actors, each play has its own unique transformation that grants Peach a wide range of special abilities. Every new arrival feels remarkably distinct, spicing up the basic formula with elements drawn from entirely different genres. The Ninja Peach transformation, for example, incorporates elements of stealth games, allowing you to hide in tall grass and quietly take down unsuspecting foes with a quick kunai slash.

The Detective Peach transformation plays much more like a story-driven adventure, where you solve crimes by chatting to NPCs and using your magnifying glass to track down hidden clues. The Mermaid Peach transformation is something akin to a puzzle game, as you guide schools of fish through maze-like gauntlets under increasingly strict time limits. Although I enjoyed my time with each and every transformation, the button-mashing cookie baking and rapid cake decoration challenges of the Patissiere Peach transformation were a personal highlight that absolutely oozed that Mario Party minigame charm.

Unfortunately, some transformations do push the game’s uneven technical performance to the fore. Loading times are long and a few levels suffer from noticeable framerate dips in busy moments. By far the worst example was one particular Figure Skater Peach stage that involved careful timing to pull off ice skating tricks. The choppy framerate made it frustratingly difficult to get into a definite rhythm and caused me to miss a fair few jumps the first time around which is disappointing, especially in a first-party release.

BEST BIT

Not only are the appearances of each of Peach’s transformations very cutely designed, but they feature distinct animations that further help set them apart. I especially appreciate Patissiere Peach’s adorable little back-and-forth skip whenever you stand still.

This shortcoming aside, each floor concludes with a boss fight, all of which are definite highlights. The boss designs are memorable and each encounter involves some strong mechanics. One sees you defeating a genuinely quite creepy projector-themed cat as it tries to swat you away with attacks that are represented by 2D projected images, while another has a giant disco-ball bird that can flip the entire stage into its mirror image in order to crush you with falling blocks. There are also separate challenge levels, called rehearsals, that offer reimagined versions of past stages with difficult special conditions. These are some of the hardest challenges in the game and make for a delightful diversion.

The same is true of the unlockable outfits for both Peach and Stella, which can be purchased from a small stall in the foyer using hidden stars collected from each level, obtained by rescuing a top-hat-wearing character hidden in each level, or are awarded for finishing certain stages. There are loads to discover, giving you plenty of reasons to comb over past environments for anything that you might have missed.

It’s a fantastic way to round out an overall package that’s already got plenty to offer. Whether you’re a long-time Super Mario fan or a complete newcomer to the series, Princess Peach: Showtime! is an excellent adventure that’s easy to recommend.

The post Princess Peach: Showtime! Review appeared first on Review Products.

Edit and customize PDFs in a flexible easy-to-use working environment.

Adobe Acrobat Standard offers all the tools you’d need to edit and manipulate a PDF file (more advanced options are reserved for the Pro version). As it stands, it’s a well designed multi-platform app, with a wealth of easy-to-use features. If you’re looking for a versatile tool – and don’t mind subscribing to it – it’s definitely worth checking out.

Pros

• +Multi-platform
• +Wealth of options
• +Easy to use
• +Flexible and customizable

Cons

• -Not the cheapest of subscriptions
• -Some high end tools reserved for the Pro version
• -Not all formats are supported

Adobe Acrobat – the original PDF reader and editor – today comes in three distinct versions for a variety of different use-cases. But Acrobat Standard with the broadest appeal for document management.

In our Acrobat Reader review, we explored Adobe’s basic PDF viewer, while our Adobe Acrobat Pro review looked at the best-for-business option. Adobe Acrobat Standard sits in the middle of this line-up, as PDF creation and editing software capable of delivering most tools for most users, in both casual and professional settings.

We’ve long-rated Acrobat as the best PDF editor – but how does it compare to the competition in 2024? We put Adobe’s top tool to the test.

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: PRICE & PLANS

Subscription-based software that’s pricier than some of the competition.

As with most Adobe products, you’ll need a subscription to get the most from Acrobat. But it’s not like the the Reader and Pro versions.

As mentioned in our Adobe Acrobat Reader review, Adobe’s basic PDF viewer is free, while Acrobat Pro offers you a free trial. To get to grips with Adobe Acrobat Standard, however, you have to subscribe. There is no free trial, no free anything. Thankfully, you can request a refund after 14 days, but that still requires effort on the subscriber’s part to remember to cancel in time when trying an app out.

Alternatively, you can opt to get Pro’s free trial to get a sense of the Standard offering. Aside from a handful of features such as bulk e-signature requests, and admin tools to manage teams, the toolset is virtually identical.

If you decide Adobe Acrobat Standard is for you, you have a choice from the usual Adobe subscription plans: annual paid monthly, monthly, and annual plans are available (and, as you’d expect, paying upfront for the year is the cheapest option).

The price is quite a lot more expensive than some of its competition, such as Easeus PDF Editor, FoxIt PDF Editor, or ILovePDF, but you get a good amount for your money if you’re a PDF power-user.

Pricing & plans: 3.5/5

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: INTERFACE

Simple, and easy to find the tools you’re after, while offering you a soupçon of customization

If you’re familiar with Adobe Acrobat Reader, you’ll feel right at home in Adobe Acrobat Standard, and the same will be true should you ever jump to Adobe Acrobat Pro. But unlike Acrobat Reader, all the tools on display actually work – rather than a bid to entice you to upgrade. It might be the one of the best free PDF readers for now, but for any real document management, Acrobat Standard or Pro are all but essential.

Acrobat’s sidebar on the left gives you quick access to your files, those you’ve recently worked on or read, those that reside in your online Adobe Cloud Storage, any Agreements you’ve signed or requested a signature for, and files stored on your computer, some support for some of the best cloud storage services, such as Box, Dropbox, GoogleDrive, OneDrive and SharePoint.

Click on ‘Recent’ to see a handful of available tools, like ‘Edit PDF’, ‘Create PDF’, and ‘Combine Files’, but if you want to see all available options, click on the ‘Tools’ tab, to the right of the ‘Home’ tab, top left of the interface. If you’re already in the ‘Recent’ section, you also have an ‘See All Tools’ button to the right which does the same thing.

These tools are listed by category, depending on what you need to do, and their titles are self explanatory: ‘Edit & Create’, ‘Forms & Signature’, ‘Share & Review’, etc. To the right you’ll find a sidebar with another list or commonly used tools. That sidebar is totally customizable: reorder the list by dragging items up or down, remove tools you don’t need, and add some not currently displayed by selecting them from the main list. This helps you focus on the main tools you find yourself using all the time.

Interface: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: TOOLS

An example of good design – a wealth of tools are well-organized, versatile, and easy to use, coupled with a flexible interface designed to work the way you do

You may think that Adobe Acrobat Standard only lets you work on one particular function at a time, but this would be to misunderstand the underlying elegance of the software. Sure, each tool has its own icon, and you can customize the sidebar to the right as discussed above, but that doesn’t mean the functionalities are segregated.

Take the ‘Combine Files’ tool for instance. As its name implies, this is where you import multiple PDFs and merge them into one. But what if you’d like to remove some pages, or reorder others? Do you have to click on another icon for that? Well, no. Once you’re in the editing section, you are actually free to do pretty much whatever you like with your PDF. So you can reorder and delete pages from the ‘Combine Files’ section. You can also annotate, or even edit the existing text and images, without having to select another tool. All your editing options are available via the toolbar at the top.

Some tools will reveal another toolbar, like the ‘Edit Text & Images’ icon, but you can do everything you need to do without having to interact with the right sidebar… unless you want to of course.

Access a tool like ‘Combine’, and notice you can use others right from its interface, offering you great flexibility in the way you work (Image credit: Adobe)

It’s this kind of flexibility of working that we love in a well designed app: you’re offered multiple ways of performing the same action, and it’s up to you to decide which one fits your workflow best, without that being forced upon you by a developer.

So, Adobe Acrobat Standard is an incredibly well-designed and flexible software, which aims to help you manipulate, annotate, and edit PDFs. You’re able to do the simplest things, from transforming a PDF into a variety of other formats, such as Word, Excel, JPG, HTML and a few others, to creating a file from scratch, and everything in between, including filing in and signing PDFs. The list is pretty extensive and what’s best is how easy and intuitive the tools are to use.

Considering Adobe created the format, it’s little surprise they’d design a best-in-class application to manipulate it – even in the face of some of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives. It’s obviously far better than Acrobat Reader which mostly felt to us like an advert for this software. This is Acrobat as you expect it to be, with a wide array of tools to help you work in the PDF format and achieve what you need to achieve – mostly.

There are a few limitations, most of which are covered by the ‘Pro’ version, such as converting files into the PDF format, redacting information, and comparing two versions of a PDF. Such functions are deemed by Adobe to be higher end, and should not be needed by the vast majority of its target audience, unless of course they do, which is where Acrobat Pro comes in.

SHOULD I BUY?

Adobe Acrobat Standard during our review process.

You can transform a PDF file into a wide number of other formats, from Microsoft, to HTML, to images and more besides (Image credit: Adobe)

BUY IT IF…

You need a well designed piece of software that allows you to work with a PDF file, from basic management, to filing in and signing documents, to creating some from scratch.

DON’T BUY IT IF…

You’d rather save money with the best free PDF editors, or your document modifications are more modest – Acrobat is full of features, and you may not need them all.

ADOBE ACROBAT STANDARD: ALTERNATIVES

We’ve tested a range of Acrobat substitutes – and our top-rated apps include:

pdfFiller, a surprisingly feature-rich web-based editing tool.

EaseUS PDF Editor, which offers a low-cost annual subscription compared to PDF24 Creator, which is our favorite, feature-filled PDF tool you can use completely free.

The post Adobe Acrobat Standard (2024) Review appeared first on Review Products.

This rugged laptop has been designed for professional workspaces away from the comfort of office life.

The Durabook S15 is a rugged laptop designed for professionals needing a computer that will work in environments that aren’t always ideal for normally delicate computing equipment, and it can do this without compromising on performance. Its robust construction, complying with MIL-STD-810H standards, ensures reliability in challenging environments, while the high-performance Intel Core processor offers decent computing power. The large 15.6″ FHD DynaVue sunlight-readable display enables easy outdoor screen visibility. Unlike other rugged laptops, the Durabook keeps things lightweight and relatively slimline, making it highly portable, especially with the carry handle. Overall, the S15 is a versatile, durable, and powerful enough computing solution for field and industrial professionals.

Pros

• +High-end performance
• +Durable design
• +Bright display for outdoor use

Cons

• -Not waterproof
• -Average camera
• -Limited processing power

DURABOOK S15: 30-SECOND REVIEW

SPECS:-

• CPU: Intel Core i5 (12th Gen)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe; Optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000
• RAM: 32GB – Up to 64GB (4800 MHz DDR5)
• Storage: 500GB (256GB-2TB NVMe PCIe SSD; Optional 2nd/3rd storage)
• Rear Ports: Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 (Type A/C), HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, Serial, Nano-SIM, DC-In
• Front Ports: Audio in/out, microSD card
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth V5.3; Optional GPS, 4G/5G
• Audio: Integrated microphone, High Definition Audio, Speakers
• Camera: Optional 2.0/5.0 MP; IR for Windows Hello
• Size: 375mm x 273mm x 29.5mm; Weight: 2.6kg
• OS installed: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
• Accessories: Various, including SSDs, Docking Stations, Adapters

The Durabook S15 strikes a fine balance between rugged durability and a sleek, slimline design. Its build quality is reassuring and reinforces its capability to withstand challenging conditions; it’s also a reflection of its rugged aesthetics.

WIth plenty of experience testing the best rugged laptops, one aspect that really stands out is how this model is impressively adaptable, offering customisation options, including CPU and GPU variations at the time of purchase. Our test of the base model, equipped with an Intel i5 CPU and Intel Iris XE GPU, demonstrated sufficient flexibility with ample RAM, 32GB, and storage expansion options. Despite not being waterproof, its IP5X rating highlights its resilience in tough environments.

In use, the S15 effortlessly handles office tasks and internet browsing, with Windows operating smoothly across various applications. However, its base GPU does show limitations when pushed with graphically intensive tasks, a gap filled by the optional NVIDIA Quadro T1000 variant for those needing extra power. Durability tests, including repeated drop tests, underscore its robustness, easily surviving falls from typical working heights.

In essence, the Durabook S15 very much feels like that link between the refined style of the best business laptops we’ve tried and the durability of full-on rugged models. While it may struggle with high-end gaming or demanding CAD applications, its core strength lies in its tough build and operational flexibility. Durabook offers enhanced versions if you are looking for additional power, which makes the S15 a versatile choice for professionals who require a durable yet capable laptop.

DURABOOK S15: PRICE & AVAILABILITY

The Durabook S15 Semi-Rugged Laptop is available online from both the official Durabook site and elsewhere. Expect prices of around $2000 / £1800 plus.

Score: 4/5

DURABOOK S15: DESIGN & BUILD

The Durabook S15’s design is instantly recognisable as rugged, with the style highlighting the durable nature of the machine and how it is tailored to demanding field environments. Its exterior is notably tough, featuring a large, easy-to-use lever lock on the lid that ensures the laptop remains closed even when dropped, and it’s designed in such a way that it’s unlikely to be accidentally released.

The laptop’s build quality is reflected in design elements such as the toughened corners and overall sturdy construction. It is designed to withstand a significantly higher degree of physical stress compared to standard laptops, including resistance to knocks, scratches, and bashes, of which it sustained quite a few through the test.

This durability is not just superficial; the attention to detail extends to the protection of vital components. All ports on the S15 are safeguarded by strong plastic doors, ensuring they remain free from dust and damage. This includes the expansion slot, which is versatile enough to accommodate traditional optical drives or a range of other drive types, such as NVMe SSDs. The laptop even supports RAID array configurations, demonstrating Durabook’s commitment to providing flexible and practical solutions for field use.

One user-friendly feature is the inclusion of a convenient carry handle, making the laptop extremely easy to transport. This may seem like a minor addition, but for professionals working in field conditions, such convenience is invaluable. Overall, the Durabook S15’s design and build quality clearly reflect a deep understanding of the challenging environments it is intended for, offering a highly functional and robust computer for on-site professionals.

Design: 4.5/5

DURABOOK S15: FEATURES

The Durabook S15 is a decent blend of rugged durability and computing power, designed to meet the needs of professionals in demanding field environments. One of the standout features of the S15 is its incredibly thin and light profile, which is unusual for a rugged laptop. Despite weighing just 2.6kg and being only 29.5mm thin, it does not compromise on strength. It can endure a 4-foot drop and is both IP5X and MIL-STD-810H certified, ensuring reliability in challenging field conditions.

When using laptops outside, being able to see the screen clearly is essential, and here, the S15 features a 15.6-inch Full HD DynaVue sunlight-readable display, offering up to 1,000 nits brightness, making it perfect for outdoor use. Inside powering the graphics is Intel Iris Xe graphics, offering the average graphics processing speed that’s required for standard Windows operation. For professionals needing more graphics power, such as in rendering or CAD applications, there’s an option to upgrade to the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 at the time of purchase.

Mobility is a key aspect of the S15’s design, with options for 4G LTE or 5G cellular connections, along with Bluetooth V5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E. For remote workers, the optional built-in GPS is a great addition, providing accurate location tracking. The laptop also features a long-life battery, capable of operating up to 12 hours of standard use, and the option of a bridge battery for swapping in the field, which is crucial for many industries.

Beyond just being a laptop, the S15 can transform into a mobile workstation. It can be equipped with up to three storage drives, supporting RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. The flexibility extends to its media bay, which can be converted into an ExpressCard 54 slot, broadening its use.

The connectivity and security features of the S15 include an array of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Type-A/-C, HDMI, and VGA, ensuring easy connection in any work setting. Security is paramount, with multi-factor authentication options like Windows Hello webcam, RFID/NFC, smartcard, and fingerprint readers safeguarding sensitive data.

The ergonomic design of the S15 includes a 98-key membrane keyboard with a dedicated numeric keypad and optional LED backlight. Finally, the S15 offers expandability, and it can be configured with a dedicated graphics card for specialised tasks like graphics rendering and CAD programs and configured with additional connectivity options like a 2nd RJ-45 and a 2nd RS-232 port, making it an adaptable tool in an evolving mobile work environment. These are all added at the time of purchase and are not additions to the laptop you can make later.

Features: 4/5

DURABOOK S15: PERFORMANCE

BENCHMARKS

• Crystal Disk Read: 3647.40MB/s
• Crystal Disk Write: 2200.13MB/s
• GeekBench CPU Single: 3970
• GeekBench CPU Multi: 1871
• GeekBench Compute: 8727
• PC Mark: 4314
• CineBench CPU Multi: 4147
• CineBench CPU Single: 1374
• Fire Strike Overall: 2581
• Fire Strike Graphics: 3053
• Fire Strike Physics: 9825
• Fire Strike Combined: 791
• Time Spy Overall: 929
• Time Spy Graphics: 830
• Time Spy CPU: 2895
• Wild Life: 5757
• Windows Experience: 8.1

The Durabook S15 delivers a robust performance across various benchmarks, indicative of its capabilities in handling a range of tasks from basic to moderately demanding applications.

In terms of storage performance, the Crystal Disk scores are quite impressive. The read speed of 3647.40MB/s and write speed of 2200.13MB/s suggest that the S15 is more than capable of handling large files and data-intensive operations swiftly, making it suitable for applications that require quick data access and processing.

The Geekbench scores offer a glimpse into the CPU’s capability. A single-core score of 3970 and a multi-core score of 1871 demonstrate that while the S15 is competent in handling everyday tasks efficiently, it might face some limitations in heavily multi-threaded applications. The computed score of 8727 further underscores its adequacy for general computing tasks.

In the CineBench tests, which are more focused on the CPU’s rendering capabilities, the S15 scores 4147 in multi-core and 1374 in single-core tests. These scores reflect its ability to manage moderately demanding rendering tasks, although it may not be the top choice for highly complex rendering work.

The graphics performance, as indicated by the Fire Strike and Time Spy benchmarks, shows a decent capability with overall scores of 2581 and 929, respectively. The laptop seems to handle standard graphical tasks well, but it might not be optimal for high-end gaming or advanced 3D rendering. The Wild Life score of 5757 further reinforces this perspective.

Lastly, the Windows Experience score of 8.1 is a good indicator of the laptop’s overall capability to provide a smooth user experience for most typical applications and tasks.

The Durabook S15 appears to be a solid performer for everyday professional tasks, including data management and basic graphical applications. It offers quick storage speeds and decent CPU and GPU performance, making it a reliable choice for professionals who require a rugged laptop with balanced performance features. However, for highly demanding graphical or rendering tasks, it might be worth considering models with higher-spec CPUs and GPUs.

As well as the standard computing performance test, this is a tough laptop, and as such, the durability of the S15 also needed to be tested. In the product description, Durabook highlights that the laptop is IP5X rated and drop-proof to 4 feet.

In the first test, the laptop was used in a CNC, laser and 3D print workshop, left between the Bambu Labs A1 and the SnapMaker Artisan with CNC tooling. It was left open to the debris created by the two machines. While most laptops will withstand this amount of dust, it can render keys and ports blocked. Here, due to the design of the keyboard, the dust was not an issue, and a quick shake and vacuum quickly returned the machine to an almost new condition. Likewise, the plastic port covers did their job of keeping dust out.

The next test was to see how the laptop would cope with being used in light rain. It’s worth noting that this is not a waterproof laptop, so time in the rain was kept to five minutes. Here again, the laptop functioned without issue and continued to work after the product shot without issue.

The final test was the drop test here, measuring four feet off the floor. The laptop was dropped, then dropped again, rotated, dropped, etc. and aside from a nasty crack as it hit the stone and then the wooden floor on countless occasions, it seemed to be absolutely fine.

Performance: 3.5/5

SHOULD YOU BUY THE DURABOOK S15?

Deciding whether to purchase the Durabook S15 hinges on your specific needs. Its rugged design, MIL-STD-810H and IP5X certifications make it an ideal if you’re a field professional working in uncontrolled environments, workshops, warehouses and factories.

The inclusion of a 15.6” Full HD DynaVue display and options for Intel Iris Xe or NVIDIA Quadro T1000 graphics make it versatile for a range of professional tasks. Moreover, its lightweight and slim profile defies the typical rugged laptop stereotype, enhancing portability.

However, the S15 might not be the best fit for those requiring a machine for advanced gaming or intensive multimedia tasks like high-end video editing or 3D rendering nor should it be as that’s not it’s key market. While it performs well in standard and moderately demanding applications, its capabilities in handling extremely graphics-intensive tasks are limited. Additionally, the investment cost, which starts relatively high, should be considered, especially if your requirements are more aligned with general computing rather than rugged field use.

Buy it if…

You’re working in the field.

If you’re a professional working in demanding field conditions or rough environments, the Durabook S15 is an excellent choice. Its rugged design, reliable performance, and durable build make it ideal for handling the rigours of outdoor or industrial work.

You have expansive storage needs.

If you require a laptop with versatile storage options, the Durabook S15 is a great choice. It supports up to three storage drives, including options for NVMe PCIe SSDs and traditional SATA SSDs, providing ample space and fast data access.

Don’t buy it if…

You need a machine for advanced gaming and graphics.

The Durabook S15, while robust and efficient for standard tasks, isn’t built for advanced gaming. Its graphics capabilities are limited, making it unsuitable for high-end gaming experiences.

You’re creating complex multimedia projects.

Professionals in fields requiring intensive multimedia creation, like high-resolution video editing or 3D rendering, might find the S15’s performance restrictive. It’s designed more for durability than for high-end creative tasks.

The post Durabook S15 Review appeared first on Review Products.

Rural internet users rejoice – fast internet’s now available for a fair price.

Starlink’s satellite service is easy for subscribers and you can set up the hardware in minutes. Be prepared to spend more time and money for optimal performance though.

Pros

• +Less expensive than mobile data
• +Hardware rental
• +Easy Setup

Cons

• -May require additional hardware
• -Potential speed throttling

After moving to the countryside and experiencing repeated issues with traditional broadband, we decided to give Starlink’s residential service a try. Here’s what we learned about how Starlink’s residential service works and if it delivers on its promise of high-speed internet.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been in the news frequently of late – and the service is improving all the time. The ‘portability’ feature makes it possible to deploy satellite internet elsewhere for a small monthly fee, plus Starlink hopes to provide an off-grid cellular service in the next few years. Still, Starlink is best known for offering a solution to people living in areas outside the scope of high-speed broadband or fibre optic internet. True, such people can rely on a mobile data (4G or 5G) connection but this is usually very costly and not very reliable.

But does it deliver everything it promises? Or is it pie-in-the-sky stuff? We put Starlink to the test.

STARLINK: PRICING & COVERAGE

One of the big caveats of using Starlink is that it’s not yet available in every area of every country. Fortunately, the main website immediately prompts you to enter your address, to check if coverage is in place or planned for your area, then lists various subscription plans.

Starlink Subscriptions

Given the huge cost of launching satellites it’s hardly surprising that the cost of a basic subscription has risen in recent years: currently it’s $120 per month for a ‘standard’ plan which offers ‘unlimited data’.

There is a caveat here however, in that ‘Standard’ data usage is subject to a ‘fair use’ policy. Full details of expected performance for various plans are available on the main site but in brief these are a download speed of 25 – 100 Mbps, an upload speed of 5-10 Mbps and a latency of 25-60ms.

If you find this too restrictive you can also pay for a certain amount of ‘Priority’ data. For instance paying an extra $20 per month ($140) will net you 40GB of ‘Priority’ speeds. While latency is no different, the expected performance of ‘Priority’ data is much greater with download speeds of 40-220 Mbps and upload speeds of 8-25 Mbps. If you’re looking for the best small business router and ISP, Starlink for Businesses offers separate subscription plans.

Unlimited ata

Starlink warns that it tries to allocate data for its Standard Plan in a ‘fair and equitable manner’, and if you’re found to be exceeding this they may seek to restrict your network speed. The examples given in the fair use policy include streaming, video calls or online gaming, though puzzlingly enough the same policy also promises to treat all traffic neutrally.

After one month and nearly 400GB of data, we experienced no issues with this policy, although this may be because we use the best VPN on all devices, encrypting traffic so Starlink can’t distinguish specific content like streaming video.

Hardware

The other caveat when signing up for Starlink is hardware costs. Traditionally, this has required you to pay in order to sign up but Starlink has clearly responded to customer feedback. There are special promotions in place. For instance, users in rural Canada can currently benefit from over 70% off hardware prices. Customers in certain countries can also choose to rent the hardware instead of buying. This is the route your reviewer went down, which required payment of a small activation fee of around $50 then an extra $10 per month.

When placing your order, you can also choose to purchase an Ethernet adapter for an extra $40. This is because the supplied Starlink Router has no Ethernet port of its own. Do this if you want to connect devices directly to it via Ethernet or if you wish to attach an alternative router. Starlink subscriptions come with a 30-day free trial. You can cancel your subscription at any time. This also applies to any hardware you’re renting, though we assume in that case it would need to be returned to SpaceX.

STARLINK: UNBOXING

When we placed our order for Starlink, the package took only around a week to arrive – though due to a small addressing error it was picked up at the local post office.

Even for a standard residential connection everything you need to get up and running is in the box, including:

• A rectangular Starlink satellite ‘dish’
• Small plastic stand for said dish
• 75ft connecting cable
• Starlink Wi-Fi router
• 10ft power cable for the router

To make things even simpler, setup is handled by a free smartphone app that walks you through the process.

This is one area where Starlink truly shines, though we were luckier than most as we had an outside power socket and an open lawn. The dish slots into the stand effortlessly and after that, like any of the best Wi-Fi routers, it’s a simple matter to connect the cable to the device. We would warn users though, to check that the white LED at the base of the router is illuminated to make sure that it’s powered on.

When it comes to placing the dish, we recommend using the Starlink app’s built in ‘obstructions’ tool, which can scan the sky to check if there’s anything in the way of the dish receiving signals from SpaceX’s “low earth orbit” satellites.

When the dish first powers in, the app warns that it may take around 15 minutes to establish a reliable signal. We found it did this much sooner (around 5 minutes) and used the helpful interface to create a custom Wi-Fi network for other devices to connect.

STARLINK: PLACEMENT

It only took us less than ten minutes between unboxing the Starlink hardware to going online. Still, there’s a catch.

Placing Starlink’s standard rectangular dish on a front lawn as we did with cables snaking from it onto your porch simply isn’t sustainable. In the first case it can lead to obstructions, as in our case given that the house was directly between the dish and the satellites. Putting the cable and dish on the ground also exposes the hardware to the elements. Ideally the dish should be fixed permanently in a location with an unobstructed view of the sky.

The Starlink website can come to the rescue here. Aside from selling more advanced satellite dishes, you can also buy a standalone ‘pipe mount’ or various wall/roof mounting kits. In our case, this was unnecessary as there was already a vacant satellite mount on our roof where the dish could be slotted in. Not every subscriber will be so lucky.

The other issue of course is that of the router. It’s very difficult to store outside safely, so unless you’re very comfortable with DIY, you’ll need to do as we did and shell out to have a man come and drill holes in the wall to stow the router safely inside whilst still connected to the dish.

STARLINK: SPEED TEST

The Starlink website warns that connection speeds can vary depending on many factors like the placement of your dish, the number of other people using the service at the same time and your chosen activity.

One particular concern for us when putting Starlink through its paces is that most speed tests can’t account for the latency between a device and the wireless router. Fortunately this isn’t an issue for Starlink’s ever-useful mobile app, as it delineates clearly between Wi-Fi and Starlink speed, if you choose to run an ‘Advanced Speed Test’.

In order to avoid the issue of network congestion we ran our tests around 23:00 at night using the Starlink app running on an iPhone 14 Max Pro. The ‘Starlink Speed’ for downloads was 71 Mbps and the upload was 15 Mbps. This was entirely consistent for the promised speeds for a ‘Standard’ plan of  25 – 100 Mbps (downloads) and 5-10 Mbps (uploads).

STARLINK: FINAL VERDICT

After spending some time with Starlink, we can say we’re absolutely delighted with the residential plan. In many cases it works out to be more cost effective than using mobile broadband. Advanced speed testing also shows the download speeds compare very favorably to fixed-line internet in his particular rural area, though you’ll need to do your own research to discover if this is true where you live.

The introduction of hardware rental is particularly welcome, as previously the upfront cost of buying the dish, mount and router was a major criticism of Starlink’s service.

The only warning we’d offer before you sign up today, is that you’ll probably need some additional hardware and expertise to install the satellite dish permanently.

During our research, we did find users who found very inventive workarounds such as using zip cables to attach the dish to the top of a tree. Still, you’ll probably gain the best signal from purchasing a roof mount, as well as enough cabling to fix the dish there safely.

The post Starlink Review appeared first on Review Products.

You no longer have to choose between memory foam and down-alternative pillows.

The Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow contains memory foam and down-alternative fibers. I love both, so I consider this the best thing to happen since Hershey’s combined peanut butter and chocolate in a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The ComfortFit comes in three options – Classic, Curved and Ultimate – so you can get a pillow that perfectly fits your needs, whether you’re a back, side, or stomach sleeper.

Pros

• +Memory foam plus down alternative
• +Two sizes and three models
• +Great for all sleep styles
• +Breathable and hypoallergenic

Cons

• -Spot clean-only
• -Non-adjustable loft

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW

I love to sleep, and I also love to sleep comfortably. As a result, I also love to test bed pillows, since they play a significant role in determining how comfortably I’ll sleep. And I could tell at first glance that I was going to enjoy testing the Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillows. Some pillows arrive compressed, and when they’re expanding, it’s a wait-and-see process. Will the pillows be flat, or will they be nice and fluffy?

Since the Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillows aren’t compressed, I knew as soon as I opened the shipping box that they were going to be a pleasure to review. As I unzipped the individually packaged pillows from their stylish fabric bags (with handles, no less), I knew this level of detail in packaging would probably extend to a high level of detail in making the pillows as well.

And I was not disappointed. The pillows were thick and plush (my favorite two adjectives when describing something that I’m going to lay my head on). The fill is made of memory foam and also down alternative fibers for a cushy experience that’s still firm enough to provide support. They’re available in three shape options: Classic, which is recommended for stomach and back sleepers; Curved, which fits to your contours and is best for side and back sleepers; and Ultimate, which features three removable inserts that can be configured for every sleeping position.

I tested a pair of the Sleep Number ComfortFit Classic Pillows for over two weeks to see how they compare to the rest of the best pillows on the market. And if you’re looking for ways to really boost your sleep comfort further, take a look at our guide to this year’s best mattresses for all budgets.

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW REVIEW: PRICE & VALUE FOR MONEY

• Premium pillow, premium priced
• 100-night trial period, 1 year warranty
• Currently buy one, get one 50% off

At $99.99, the classic Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow in the standard size is considered a higher-end pillow – although there are competitors with pillows that cost significantly more. However, it’s not a cheap or mid-range pillow. Having tested dozens of pillows, I consider the price to be fair, considering the quality design and materials – in fact, I think it’s a good value for what you get.

The Classic king size pillow is $119.00. Also, the various models have different prices as well. The standard Curved pillow is $119.99, and $139.99 for a king. And the Ultimate pillow, which has three removable inserts so you can find your perfect fit, is $139.99/standard, $159.99/king.

At the time of publication, the pillow was being sold (in every size and shape) as buy one, get one 50% off.

A relatively-comparable alternative is the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow, which is regularly priced at $139 but on sale for $70. It has a microfiber gel fill, and a breathable cover made of 100% cotton. It’s a fluffy, squeezable pillow like the Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow, and while it’s on sale, can save you quite a few bucks. However, it’s not available in different shapes and sizes

If you’d prefer a foam pillow and/or you tend to sleep hot, the Nolah Cooling Foam Pillow has cooling features, as well as a stylish design that allows it to be used without an additional pillowcase. In addition, the cover can be washed. It’s supportive, but not as squishy soft as the Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow.

Sleep Number provides free shipping for the pillow. There’s also a 100-night trial, and a 1-year warranty. In comparison, GhostPIllow provides a 101-night trial period and a 5 year warranty, and Nolah provides a 30 day trial period and a 2 year warranty.

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW REVIEW: DESIGN AND MATERIALS

• Memory foam and down alternative fibers
• 3 shape choices for side, back, and stomach sleepers
• Breathable Lyocell blend cover

I chose the Classic shape, which is recommended for stomach or back sleepers. However, there’s also an option to get the Curved pillow, which provides enhanced support and works best for side or back sleepers (I’m testing the curved pillows in a future review). In addition, the Ultimate shape has three removable inserts, which can be used for any type of sleeper since the inserts can be taken out (or left in) to customize the pillow.

The Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow includes a blend of memory foam pieces and down alternative fibers. The memory foam pieces are moldable, so they fit the shape of my head and neck, and also bounce back when I move your head. The down alternative fibers are designed to imitate the luxurious feel of down. However, alternative or faux down tends to cost less. It’s also a great choice for people who may be allergic to down.

Delivery was uneventful, and set-up was quick and easy, since the pillows were not compressed, so they didn’t need time to expand, and I didn’t have to deal with any potential off-gassing. However, I do want to note that Sleep Number takes presentation very seriously. I was impressed with the individual cloth bags inside of the delivery box. These zippered bags added an extra layer of hygienic protection, and were convenient when storing or transporting the pillows.

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW REVIEW: CARE AND ALLERGIES

The pillows cannot be machine washed (only the Ultimate shape pillow has a removable cover that can be machine washed).

Spot cleaning is recommended for the classic and curved shapes.

The down alternative material is quite suited for someone with allergies, since it’s not actual down – which serves as an allergen for some people. In fact, the pillows are actually hypoallergenic.

The pillow contains CertiPUR-US certified foam, which means that it was made without formaldehyde, ozone depleters, phthalates, mercury, lead and other heavy metals, and meets the low VOC emissions standard for indoor air. It’s also screened to be free for fire retardants and other chemicals that have been classified as mutagens or reproductive toxins, or carcinogens.

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW REVIEW: COMFORT & SUPPORT

• Thick and plush, but not too plush
• Best for side or back sleepers
• Bounces back and does not need refluffing

For over two weeks, I slept on a pair of Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillows to see how comfortable and supportive they were. The pillows were very plush, akin to sleeping on a cloud. As a result of the memory foam, the pillows molded to the shape of my head and neck, and when I changed positions, they quickly bounced back and proceeded to cradle me in my next position. And since the pillows contains down alternative, they felt luxurious, and were breathable.

The pillows are a mid-loft version that’s not too high and not too low. In side and back positions, it supported me well. However, it may have been too high to provide consistent support for someone who always sleeps on their side. (The Ultimate shape would do a better job for side sleepers).

I did not need to re-plump the pillows, due to the combination of fill contents in it. This pillow would be great for the average customer who sleeps on their back or side. It may be too high for petite sleepers.

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW REVIEW: TEMPERATURE REGULATION

The Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillows have a breathable Lyocell blend cover. Since neither the fill nor the cover trapped heat, the pillows didn’t get hot while sleeping – even though, as you can see from the photos, I was underneath plenty of bedding.

The pillows didn’t necessarily feel cool to the touch, but I was satisfied that they were not making me hot either, since they were breathable, which allowed any heat to escape. I tested the pillows during the fall season, which in Birmingham, AL is comfortable enough to turn off the HVAC.

SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW REVIEW: SPECS

• Fill:Memory foam pieces and down alternative fibers
• Cover: Fabric
• Dimensions (WxD) Classic Standard: 26 x 20” Classic King: 36 x 20”
• Loft: Medium
• Care: Spot clean
• Trial period: 100 days
• Warranty: 1 year
• Price bracket: Premium

SHOULD YOU BUY THE SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW?

Buy it if…

You want the best of both worlds: The pillow contains both memory foam and alternative down for a unique experience. It’s luxurious and smooth, while also being squishy, soft and supportive.

You prefer down alternative to down: If you’re allergic to down, you’ll appreciate that the pillow mimics down, but it’s hypoallergenic, so it doesn’t have any of the allergens that may cause you discomfort. Also, it doesn’t have any feathers to protrude and poke you.

You want a luxurious feel: These high-end pillows aren’t as expensive as many other types of high-end pillows, so this is an opportunity to upgrade your existing pillows without breaking the bank. You can get a pair of pillows that you won’t have to replace every year.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re strictly a side sleeper: The pillow works best for back sleepers and stomach sleepers. If you always sleep on your side, you might not find the height to provide the right combination of support and comfort. (However, the Curved shape is designed for side or back sleepers and the Ultimate shape is adjustable, so it can be customized for side sleepers as well.)

You like to adjust the fill: If you get the Classic shape, you won’t be able to unzip the cover and remove or add fill. So, if you don’t think the amount of fill is suitable for your needs, keep in mind that you’re stuck with that loft. The Ultimate shape pillow is adjustable, but if you want another option try the Layla Kapok Pillow.

You like to wash your pillows and covers: You can’t wash the pillow, and you can’t even unzip the cover and wash it (although I used to toss the pillows in the dryer on the sanitize setting and it didn’t appear to affect performance). The cover is hypoallergenic if that helps, but if you want a fully washable option the GhostPillow Faux Down Pillow could be a good alternative.

HOW I TESTED THE SLEEP NUMBER COMFORTFIT PILLOW

I slept on the Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillows for over two weeks, testing for performance, comfort, and support. These tests were conducted during the fall season. Since I tend to sleep hot – but I love all of the stylish fall and winter bedding – I slept with the HVAC off to avoid getting overly hot in my mild climate.

The post Sleep Number ComfortFit Pillow Review appeared first on Review Products.

Read and annotate PDFs for free.

If you’re looking for a free PDF reader which allows you to read such files, fill in and sign forms, and even annotate documents, all while remaining within the Adobe ecosystem, then this app is for you… shame about all the prompts to constantly entice you to upgrade to Acrobat Pro.

Pros

• +Free
• +Multiplatform
• +Easy to use

Cons

• -Disruptive prompts to upgrade
• -Advanced tools are a carrot for Acrobat Pro subscription

The PDF format was created by Adobe Systems, and introduced at the Windows and OS/2 Conference in January 1993. It became an open standard in 2008, which enabled other companies to make PDF-compatible software. However, Adobe Acrobat Reader remains the venerable original – but is it still one of the best free PDF readers we’ve tested? We’re going to take a look.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: PRICE & PLANS

It’s totally free, but there’s a price to pay in the form numerous prompts urging you to try out Acrobat Pro

There are multiple versions of Acrobat: Reader, Standard, and Pro. Each offers an increasing number of features, each comes in its own dedicated application, and we’ll therefore review them separately.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC at Amazon for ₹234.82

Reader is the simplest of the bunch, offering the most basic functions, and is designed to be accessed by as many people as possible. As a result, it is offered completely free of charge. Shame about the constant prompts to get you to upgrade, though. It does distract from the otherwise pleasant workflow.

Pricing & plans: 3.5/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: INTERFACE

The software’s main window is clean and simple showing you a handful of tools, while reminding you to upgrade to Acrobat Pro

A large clear interface offering you tools which you can’t actually use unless you log on or pay

The interface looks clean and simple. To the left you’ve got a sidebar showing links to various functions, such as any recent documents you’ve worked with within the app, access to your Adobe Cloud Storage, any Agreement documents you’ve dealt with, and links to file storage, either on your hard drive, or via many of the best cloud storage providers, such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and SharePoint.

The bulk of the interface to the right will depend on which menu is selected in the sidebar, with ‘Recent’ offering you some tools such as adding comments to a PDF, request an e-signature, or fill and sign a document yourself. You can also open a PDF and simply read it.

The ‘Online Cloud Storage’, which takes up a fair chunk of the sidebar, is only effective when you’ve signed in with your Adobe ID. Top right and lower left are also permanent adverts for you to “try Acrobat Pro, free for 7 days”. You’ll also find a small ‘Create’ tab, top left. This is where you’ll find one of the best Word to PDF converters – but it also works with images. It’s a great tool, for sure… except this isn’t actually available for free: you would have to upgrade to either Standard or Pro to take advantage of such a feature.

But that’s not the only hidden prompt to upgrade you’ll find dotted around the interface. There are many enticing tools offering you to Convert a PDF into a Microsoft format, or Edit a PDF for instance, but none are actually available unless you pay for Standard or Pro.

All of this must be great from a marketing point of view, but is far from user friendly. In fact, the interface feels way too big for the small amount of features you actually have access to with Acrobat Reader.

Interface: 2/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: ONLINE ADVANTAGES

Once you’ve logged in, you can easily set up documents and send them for others to fill in and sign – all for free

A generous amount of online storage, and an easier way to request e-signatures. What’s not to like?

Adobe Acrobat Reader really wants you to sign in, so let’s sign in. This can be done any time you select a tool that cannot work without being online, or simply by clicking on the ‘sign in’ button, top right of the interface, just above the large blue ‘Try Acrobat Pro’ button.

The most obvious bonus is gaining access to your ‘Adobe Cloud Storage’. Adobe very generously offers you 2GB of free storage. It’s yours forever. No need to pay for anything in order to get it. So that’s great.

We have to say, though, this is some of the best eSignature software in a PDF reader. Once you’ve signed up and signed in, it’s really easy to add text and signature fields to a document which can then be sent to other people, all handled through Adobe’s Cloud Storage. The recipients do not need an account themselves. This can be most useful.

Online advantages: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: FREE TOOLS

Reading a PDF, annotating it, drawing on it, inserting notes, it’s all very easy to achieve.

Let’s take a look at what you can actually do with Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can of course open and read a PDF. This is a very simple function, which offers you the ability to scroll through the document and even search for specific words.

On top of that, you can add comments, make annotations, draw on the page, add shapes, that sort of thing. It’s all incredibly easy to use. You’re even able to change the colour and thickness of what you’re applying to the page.

To the left you’ll find a sidebar, containing tools, most of which you can’t use without paying – again. The little blue asterisk is there, but only when you hover over the menu you’re interested in, so as to hide the fact you can’t actually have access to what’s on offer.

Acrobat Reader can detect fields that need to be filled in, making it easy for you to complete and sign a digital form

When it comes to filling in and signing a form yourself, Adobe Acrobat Reader will automatically highlight the sections that are designed for you to fill in, and if they haven’t been set for you by the sender, you can click on a button and Acrobat Reader will detect the fields automatically. We found this saves a lot of time – your mileage may vary, but we found that automatic detection to be almost flawless.

It’s a shame that many of the other best free PDF editors and readers offer more tools without charge. Apple Preview for instance allows you to combine PDFs, reorder pages, take pages out, place pages into new documents, and convert any file it can open into a PDF. These should be seen as basic functions, not premium ones. Sadly, Adobe thinks you must subscribe in order to gain access to those.

Free tools: 4/5

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: PAID TOOLS

Why offer tools you can’t actually use unless you upgrade to a different piece of Adobe software?

Adobe Acrobat Reader showcases 28 different tools, which sounds fantastic, but the vast majority of these can only really be accessed by upgrading the app to Standard or Pro. Very useful tools like ‘Scan & OCR’, ‘Convert to PDF’, ‘Redact a PDF’, ‘Combine Files’ and many more are there for you to look at, but not for you to use. This is exceedingly frustrating.

Thankfully, those ‘premium’ tools have a small blue asterisk next to their icon to help you discern them. Puzzlingly, ‘Request a Signature’ has such an icon, yet you can use it for free. This leaves 7 tools (8 if you count ‘Request a Signature’) free for you to use. It is frustrating to see this, especially since Adobe’s professional tools are so exceedingly good. Such tactics shouldn’t be needed.

The activity, linked to a document, will show you who has read it and signed it – an easy to follow digital paper trail

BUY IT IF…

You want a PDF reader that offers you a few basic functions that work well, while constantly reminding you its paid-for alternatives have more advanced tools available.

DON’T BUY IT IF…

You don’t want to be constantly reminded of other Adobe apps you can purchase that would allow you to use most of the tools Acrobat Reader displays, but restricts.

ADOBE ACROBAT READER: ALTERNATIVES

We’ve tested the best PDF readers for Windows, the best PDF readers for Android, and the best PDF readers for Mac. So, if you’re looking for an alternative to Reader, we know what to look out for.

First, check our Adobe Acrobat Standard review (or our Acrobat Pro review for business use). This full-featured PDF editor is a vastly superior proposition, packed with all the tools you’ll need for creating, editing, and collaborating on PDF documents.

In our experience, the closest competition – a free PDF reader with a good set of tools – we recommend checking out our Apple Preview review for macOS users and our PDF24 Creator review – it’s one of the best PDF editors on the market and doesn’t cost anything.

The post Adobe Acrobat Reader (2024) Review appeared first on Review Products.

A flippable, adjustable pillow with a dedicated cool side.

The Emma Premium Pillow contains three foam inserts that offer a personalised feel. One side uses a firm cooling foam, another a softer foam, and you can remove sections to adjust the loft from high to low. During my hands-on time I found it had a firmly supportive feel and I was impressed with the cooling potential, although the price is a little hard to justify given that competitors offer similar features at a lower cost.

Pros

• +Adjustable height
• +Two firmness profiles
• +Cooling foam side
• +Removable, washable cover

Cons

• -Cheaper alternatives available
• -Perhaps too firm for most

EMMA PREMIUM PILLOW REVIEW: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW

The Emma Premium Pillow is a foam pillow that contains three inserts. One side is a firm, ‘ThermoSync’ foam designed for hot sleepers, the other is a softer foam, and there’s a layer in the middle that can be removed to adjust the loft to suit your frame and sleep style.

I haven’t been able to sleep on it yet, but I did get a chance to poke, prod, and lie on it during a visit to the Emma HQ. In this hands-on review I’ll go through my first impressions, who it might suit, and how it compares to the rest of the best pillows on the market.

The overall feel is one of firm, uniform support. The two sides do feel different: the ThermoSync side is a little firmer and slower moving; the other side is a little softer and bouncier. However, neither side is particularly plush, so this isn’t the right choice if you want a pillow you sink into.

I was impressed with my first impressions of the cooling properties. It’s not possible to assess temperature regulation properly without sleeping on a pillow, but I’ve also tested this ThermoSync foam more thoroughly for my Emma Premium topper review and was impressed with the cooling there.

With all inserts inside, the loft is high – I suspect too high for most situations. However, the inside sections can be removed to lower the loft, which means it could theoretically suit anyone, from a broad-shouldered side sleeper to a petite back sleeper.

Price-wise, we’re in the premium bracket here. While the adjustability, along with extras like a 30-night sleep trial, help justify that price, there are plenty of lower-cost options that tick similar boxes if it’s out of your budget. Read on for my full Emma Premium Pillow hands-on review.

EMMA PREMIUM PILLOW REVIEW: PRICE & VALUE FOR MONEY

• Premium price bracket
• RRP of £115 for standard size
• Free delivery, 2 year guarantee and 30-night trial

At £115, the Emma Premium pillow sits firmly in our premium price bracket. The extras do help amp up your value for money – you’ll get a 30 night sleep trial, for instance. Trials are common with mattresses but rare for pillows. There’s also free delivery and a two-year guarantee.

Still, there are plenty of cheaper, great quality alternatives, which makes the pricing here a little hard to justify. If foam pillows are your thing, our top-rated Rem-Fit 500 Cool Gel pillow is typically around half the price, and the Levitex Sleep Posture pillow is a fair bit cheaper too.

EMMA PREMIUM PILLOW REVIEW: DESIGN & MATERIALS

• 3 foam layers, including one cooling foam and one softer foam
• Layers can be removed to adjust height
• Removable ‘UltraDry-Plus’ cover

The Emma Premium Pillow is an all-foam design with three internal layers. On one side is grey ‘Premium ThermoSync’ foam, which is designed to be cooling. The other side isn’t specifically temperature regulating, and it’s softer than the ThermoSync foam, for those who prefer a more plush feel. Sandwiched between the two is a layer of ‘HRX (High Resiliency Extra) Foam, which is really just there for extra height.

The idea is that you can flip the pillow to give different feels and functions, or remove layers to adjust the height.

On the Emma website, these foam layers are shown in individual casings, but on the pillow I tried out, these were absent – it was just the bare foam. We’ve noticed inconsistencies with these protective casings when testing other Emma Pillows; it seems to be a bit of a lucky dip whether you get them or not. When they’re not there, I think the bare foam feels a little too delicate, and if you were taking the foam inserts in and out, I’d be concerned about them getting damaged, or snagged in the zip.

The whole thing is wrapped in a cover made from ‘UltraDry-Plus’ fabric, which is 98 per cent polyester and 2 per cent elastane). It looks and feels like the fabric used on Emma’s mattresses, and my opinion is that it’s fine and functions well, but doesn’t seem especially luxurious. The cover can be zipped off and washed at 60C, which is hot enough to kill dust mites. The interior foam layers can’t be washed, but that’s standard for foam pillows.

EMMA PREMIUM PILLOW REVIEW: COMFORT & PERFORMANCE

• Very high loft with all inserts inside
• Both sides really quite firm (although soft side is a bit more plush)
• ThermoSync foam is cool to touch

The idea is that you can flip this pillow to give two different feels, thanks to the different foam layers. So let’s start with the grey ThermoSync side. I judged this to be a really firm foam. Concentrated pressure – for example from an elbow – went in easily, but if I pressed my whole hand (or head) against it, I struggled to make much of an indentation.

The feel is fairly responsive; you won’t sink into it, but it does take a moment to return to its original shape once pressure is removed. This side was a bit too solid for my preferences.

However, I was more impressed with the temperature regulation properties. There are lots of claims made about cooling foams, but Emma’s ThermoSync really seems to work. The surface of the foam actually feels cool to the touch, and beneath my head on when I lay on it in the Emma showroom. The real test of this is to sleep on it, of course, but I’m optimistic based on what I saw during my hands-on time with this pillow, and also based on my time reviewing the Emma Premium topper, which uses the same foam.

The other side doesn’t have these thermoregulating properties and promises a softer feel. The difference in firmness is noticeable compared to the grey side, although I’d still consider it to be medium-firm – don’t expect something ultra-squishy. It’s also springier and more responsive than the other side. When you remove pressure, it returns to shape immediately.

There’s nothing on the cover to indicate which side is which, so you’ll need to figure it out based on touch, or unzip the pillow to peek inside.

With all three foam inserts in place, this is a high-loft pillow. I found it far too high when lying on my back and stomach, and also too high for side sleeping. For context, I’m 5ft 8, not especially broad shouldered, and I tend to just sleep with one pillow. Broad-shouldered side sleepers might need a pillow of this depth for proper support, but I suspect most people will want to take the central insert out to get it to a comfortable height. The fact that this pillow is easily adjustable is a win, though.

Because it’s foam, it doesn’t need re-plumping, and should provide consistent support all night.

EMMA PREMIUM PILLOW SPECS:-

1. Fill: Foam
2. Cover: ‘UltraDry-Plus’ (98% polyester, 2% elastane), removable
3. Dimensions: 70x40cm
4. Loft: Adjustable
5. Care: Cover washable to 60C; inner not washable
6. Trial period: 30 nights
7. Warranty: 2 years
8. Price bracket: Premium

SHOULD YOU BUY THE EMMA PREMIUM PILLOW?

Buy it if…

You sleep hot: The ThermoSync side of the Emma Premium pillow shows a lot of promise when it comes to keeping the sleeper cool. That’s not the case with all foam pillows.

You prefer a firmly supportive pillow: Although one side is a little plusher than the other, the overall feel here is of firm, consistent support.

You’re a broad-shouldered side sleeper: With all the foam inserts in place the Emma Premium pillow is pretty tall. It can be adjusted to make it suitable for different body frames and sleep positions, but should appeal in particular to those seeking a chunky pillow.

Don’t buy it if…

You prefer a squishy pillow: One side of the Emma Premium is softer than the other, but neither is particularly plush. Something like the REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow has more give, and you still get those cooling features.

You prefer a traditional pillow: Moulded foam isn’t for everyone. If you want a plump-able pillow, check out the Emma Premium Microfibre pillow, which is filled with down-alternative stuffing. You can still remove inserts to adjust the height.

You’re on a budget: If the (admittedly high) price tag is a bit much, there are plenty of cheaper options that offer similar features and cost less. Our best pillow guide is a good place to start.

The post Emma Premium Pillow Hands-on Review appeared first on Review Products.