Every two weeks we share all the stuff we’ve recently enjoyed – from the latest TV shows to must-try foods, gorgeous makeup products and the most exciting spots to visit in New Zealand.
SmartVU Dongle
Dee Collins: I think my darling mum is related to Marie Kondo because they both have the same decluttering mindset. I, on the other hand, am the opposite and don’t like throwing things out if they are still useful. I call this the sustainability gene which can be applied to small things such as tea towels and every kitchen utensil that was ever made. It also applies to electronics which is the reason we don’t have the latest TV set with all the bells and whistles or why I am typing this on a computer that has a few buttons missing. I mean, why chuck something out if it still works, right?
What can I say?
I digress!
The universe obviously decided I needed to broaden my television and movie viewing and that I needed more apps other than Netflix. I was gifted a SmartVU dongle and, lo and behold, our old TV has been given a new life. It’s come at the perfect time as I was getting bored with free TV – the repetitive ads are nauseating – and I was finding it harder and harder to find anything I actually wanted to watch on Netflix.
A dongle is simply computer hardware on an adaptor that plugs into a port on your computer or, in our case, our TV set. You don’t need any aerial or satellite dish, but you will need a fast and reliable broadband connection (and plan) and a power source.
The instructions are easy to follow (even easier if you have an android phone) and before you know it you’ll have access to a myriad of channels – Freeview, Neon, Disney+, TVNZ On Demand, ThreeNow, Google Play, Netflix, YouTube, Sky Sport Now, etc. Some of the apps are pre-loaded – with others you can download them on Google Play.
The SmartVU system comes with a small remote with dedicated buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and Freeview so you can start streaming with one quick click. Another cool feature on the remote, which you can set up via Google Assist, is the microphone button so you can tell it what you want to watch, for example, “movies with Ryan Reynolds” or, “what’s the weather like in Wellington?”
The SmartVU has Chromecast built-in which means you can stream directly from your phone or laptop and is capable of streaming 4K HDR (if you have an Ultra HD TV) so you can experience the stunning detail.
Although we had a few minor issues trying to connect our WiFi to the dongle and it did take a while to upload the software, we are delighted with everything. You will still have to pay to watch content from apps such as Netflix or Neon but at RRP $149 the SmartVU dongle is a really effective and cheap way to making an older TV smarter.
Pacific Harvest BBQ seaweed seasoning
Kseniia Spodyneiko: Pacific Harvest seaweed has been a permanent resident in my pantry for quite a while now. It’s an easy and delicious way to get your fix of iron, potassium, magnesium, iodine, calcium, fibre, zinc and other nutrients. I use their seaweed salt instead of usual salt in my soups and add their Smoked Dulse or Power of Three in salads.
This BBQ Seaweed Seasonings Gift Box, priced at $27.95, includes my long-time favourite Smoked Dulse and two other interesting flavours. In my case, Citrus Seaweed & Sesame and Kelp Sea Salt.
Citrus Seaweed & Sesame is on its way to become my new favourite, as it gives the food that amazing, restaurant-quality zing that automatically elevates the dish.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott winning New Zealand’s first gold at Winter Olympics
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott made history at the Winter Olympic Games in Bejing the other week by becoming THE FIRST KIWI to win a Winter Olympics GOLD medal! Her breathtaking performance in the women’s slopestyle competitions was absolutely unforgettable.
With an incredible level of difficulty – we mean, two 1080s back-to-back?! WOW! Just WOW! – a relaxed style and her signature blinding smile, Zoi’s performance was one for the textbooks.
We look forward to Zoi’s performance in Big Air on 14 February! She already brought home a bronze medal in this discipline four years ago. We hope this year Zoi won’t leave Beijing without the Big Air medal as well!
