Jason, Author at Thumb Culture

1Jul

By JasonNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Soundcore Sleep A30 Earbuds Review

Finding a decent pair of sleep earbuds is surprisingly difficult. Traditional wireless earbuds tend to stick out too far, making them uncomfortable for side sleepers, while basic earplugs often block sound without offering any additional features. Enter the Soundcore Sleep A30, a pair of earbuds designed with one goal in mind: helping you get a better night's sleep. Soundcore, the audio arm of Anker, has built a strong reputation for producing feature-packed products at competitive prices. With the Sleep A30, the company is taking aim at restless sleepers, light sleepers, frequent travellers, and anyone who has ever been kept awake by a snoring partner. My wife is staring at me as I type this. The Perfect Night's Sleep? Unlike conventional earbuds, the Sleep A30 focuses less on delive...

26Jun

By JasonNo Comments

PC Reviews

The 7th Guest Remake – PC Review

Back in 1993, The 7th Guest was a massive deal. I was only 13 years old, and it felt completely groundbreaking. At the time, seeing real video footage of actors overlayed right on top of those drawn graphical backgrounds was mind-blowing; nobody had ever seen a hybrid mixture like that before. Because it was such a product of its time, I was honestly really unsure how The 7th Guest would come across in a modern remake. Old man Stauf built a house... It's tough to capture that lightning in a bottle twice, especially when the original relied so heavily on tech that was considered black magic back then. But stepping back into this world on PC, I was pleasantly surprised. Gameplay The core setup puts you back in the shoes of an unnamed spirit wandering the dark, forgotten halls of an e...

26Jun

By JasonNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

Scapade Travel Accessories Review

Modern travel demands more than traditional luggage and standard accessories. It requires a seamless integration of security, organisation, and efficient power distribution. Scapade has built a reputation for designing lifestyle gear specifically catered to digital nomads, tech-focused professionals, and frequent flyers. I have been lucky enough to take a look at three of Scapade's flagship products: the Scapade AirPack Travel Backpack, the Scapade MagCard Pro Magnetic Card Holder, and the Scapade MagPower Max Magnetic Powerbank. By integrating Apple's Find My tracking capability and advanced Qi2 charging infrastructure directly into everyday carry items, this ecosystem for iPhones presents a clever solution for the modern commuter. Scapade AirPack Travel Backpack - RRP £124.99 Th...

15May

By JasonNo Comments

PC Reviews

Whirlight: No Time To Trip – PC Review

There’s something comforting about a good point-and-click adventure game. Maybe it’s the weird characters, the ridiculous puzzles, or just the fact that they let you slow down and enjoy the world instead of sprinting between explosions every five seconds. Whatever the reason, Whirlight: No Time To Trip absolutely nails that old-school adventure feeling while still managing to feel modern enough to avoid becoming stuck in the past. After checking out the preview a while back, I was already interested in what the Willy Morgan devs, ImaginaryLab, was building. The humour landed well, the art style looked fantastic, and the puzzles showed real promise. Now that the full game is here, I can happily say the final result delivers on pretty much everything I hoped it would. Time For Adventure!...

11May

By JasonNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

iFi Audio GO link 2 DAC Review

In the rapidly evolving landscape of portable audio, the transition from dedicated bulky stacks to "dongle DACs" has been nothing short of a revolution. Among the titans of this industry, iFi Audio has consistently carved out a niche for itself by blending quirky British engineering with high-fidelity performance. The original GO link (review here) was a runaway success, praised for its affordability and surprisingly mature sound signature. Now, with the release of the iFi GO link 2, the company aims to solidify its dominance in the entry-level ultra-portable market. The Ultra-Portable Powerhouse Redefined The GO link 2 arrives at a time when competition is fiercer than ever. With rivals from FiiO, Moondrop, and Hidizs flooding the market with sub £100 options, a sequel needs to be more ...

7May

By JasonNo Comments

PC Reviews

Global Rescue – PC Review

If you have ever sat in traffic on a local road thinking, "I could run this town better if they just gave me a blue light and a siren button," then developers PeDePe GbR have heard your prayers. Global Rescue is the latest "save the world from your swivel chair" simulator to hit the PC, and it is a weirdly personal journey into the heart of emergency management. Thunderbird Two to Thunderbird One, do you read me? Most games of this category tuck you away in a fictional metropolis like "Night City" or "Liberty City." But PeDePe GbR, the mad geniuses behind City Bus Manager, decided that was not enough. They wanted us to suffer, or thrive, in our own backyards. Naturally, I did not pick London or New York. I picked my old hometown of Folkestone. Why manage the NYPD when you can manage the ...

17Apr

By JasonNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

be quiet! Dark Power 14 PSU Review

Let’s be honest, the Power Supply Unit (PSU) is the unloved middle child of the PC building world. Most people pour their budget into a flashy GPU that glows like a neon sign or a CPU that could simulate the weather in real-time, only to pair them with a "budget-friendly" metal box of sparks. But when you are building a high-end rig, you aren't just looking for power; you are looking for stability, efficiency, and, if you value your sanity, absolute silence. Pure Watts, Total Stealth Enter the be quiet! Dark Power 14 PSU range. There are the options of 850W, 1000W and 1200W. I was kindly sent the be quiet! Dark Power 14 1000W to test out. It is a high-end, ATX 3.1-compliant beast that refuses to make a scene. It is designed for the enthusiast who wants their PC to handle a massive overcl...

18Mar

By JasonNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

TerraMaster F2-425 NAS Review

We live in an age where our lives are scattered across the cloud like digital confetti. Photos on Google, documents on Dropbox, and that one weird spreadsheet on a thumb drive you haven’t seen since 2019. If you are tired of paying monthly rent to tech giants just to keep your files "safe," it is time to look at a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. Time to Take Control The TerraMaster F2-425 is here to change that narrative. It is a two-bay powerhouse that promises to be the brain of your home network without requiring a PhD in computer science to operate. Priced at around £210-280, it aims to deliver prosumer speed and "set it and forget it" reliability for the rest of us. Design & Features TerraMaster has a very specific "look," and the F2-425 sticks to the script with i...

25Feb

By JasonNo Comments

PC Reviews

The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy – PC Review

Released February 12th, the Royalty & Legacy expansion for Sims 4 doesn’t simply layer crowns and capes onto familiar gameplay; it restructures the very foundation of social hierarchy and generational storytelling. Where past packs flirted with fame or influence, this one formalises power into a living system that reshapes how families rise, fall, and endure. Heavy is the Crown Set in the sweeping new world of Ondarion, there are windswept cliffs of rebellious Verdemar, steeped jungles of Dambele and the gleaming marble capital of Bellacorde; the expansion feels expansive in both scale and ambition. More than just a picturesque backdrop, Ondarion responds to whoever holds the throne: taxes shift, festivals erupt in royal celebration, and townsfolk bow or whisper as your monarch passe...

3Feb

By JasonNo Comments

Hardware & Tech

ifi GO blu Air Review

If you are the kind of person who still carries a dedicated wired setup because "Bluetooth just doesn't hit the same," prepare to have your world gently shaken. We have all seen those bulky portable stacks that make your pocket look like it is carrying a vintage scientific calculator. But what if you could shrink that fidelity down to the size of a matchbox and clip it to your lapel? Going Wireless with Your Favourite Wired Device The ifi GO blu Air is the slimmed-down, ultra-portable sequel to the legendary GO blu. It is designed for the audiophile who wants to cut the tether to their phone but refuses to sacrifice the soul of their music. At £129, it is a lighter, more affordable gateway to high-resolution wireless audio that manages to be both a tool and a toy in the best possible way...