Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2018 i T3

MATT BOLTON Editor The natural instinct of an editor is to fit more stuff into smaller stuff, so Matt was the natural choice for creating a perfect mini 4K setup (p16). Also because he knows about tellies and stuff. MICHE LLE MCL AREN Art Editor We promised Michelle a fun day away from the office, directing an on-location photoshoot of cutting-edge tech. As you can imagine, she was delighted to learn the tech was hoovers and mops. PAUL DOUGLAS Global Editor-in-Chief, T3.com Paul’s never jumped on the smartwatch train, but the long battery life of the TicWatch Pro (p98) tempts him. “It’s rugged and reliable, just like me,” he claims. ROB JONES Tech & Gaming Editor, T3.com Rob got his hands on Samsung’s latest opus, the Note 9, for us…

THE JACKET Bomber jackets are a timeless classic, integrating beautifully with a wide range of looks. Jeff’s Saint Laurent Sequin Bomber (£5,135, farfetch.com) is so strong it elevates his entire outfit in one swift move. THE TROUSERS Jeff often tones down his bold shirts and jackets with simple trousers. ASOS’ Design Slim Fit Black Trousers (£20, asos.com) give you a similar look without the movie star price. THE SHOES A simple black boot is a great way to lend an edge to your outfit. The Office Heron Chelsea Boots (£54.99, office.co.uk) provide a similar vibe to Jeff and can be worn with black jeans and trousers.…

ASTON MARTIN DB5 Even if you’re more Johnny English than James Bond, you can still rock a car like 007’s. First driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger, the iconic DB5 made a comeback in recent Bond movies. Just don’t expect it to fire bullets. BUGATTI VEYRON 16.4 It must be so frustrating to know you’re driving the fastest street-legal car in the world (254mph!) and not being able to take it above 70. But no matter – it’s luxury beyond your wildest dreams. TESLA MODEL S P100D Tesla’s top dog doesn’t look that sporty – it could easily be mistaken for a Toyota or a Mitsubishi. But with a 0-60 time of 2.4 seconds, it feels more like fighter jet than car. And it’s bursting with cool tech, too!…

DRIBUDDI AIR DELUXE No garden to dry clothes in? Fret not, as the bijou DriBUDDI will dry your washing indoors. Using a 900W motor, it cleverly circulates hot air around the clothes contained within (up to 14kg of them), ensuring they get a quick, even airing. PHILIPS PERFECTCARE ELITE If you’ve ever scorched your clothes while ironing, read on. Equipped with Philips’ OptimalTECH, this steamer will select the optimal temperature for whatever it is you’re de-creasing. And it switches itself off too, so you won’t burn the house down. SIEMENS IQ700 WASHING MACHINE Doing the laundry has never been smarter. Not only will this Wi-Fi-enabled washing machine automatically dispense the correct amount of detergent for the size of your load, it can remove 16 different types of stain. Red wine,…

Many of us dream of visiting far-flung places, but the thought of learning a new language can be pretty daunting. It seems that the team behind iLi, “the world’s most advanced offline translation device”, have the same issue. The pocket-sized, rechargeable translator enables you to translate your voice into another language, and doesn’t need to be connected to Wi-Fi. At present, iLi (£199, selfridges.com) can translate English into Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese in as little as 0.2 seconds, with more languages to follow.…

INOV-8 TERRAULTRA G 260 British brand inov-8 already has an excellent reputation for its running shoe grip, and by using graphene, it’s now durable too. The upper is no less rugged, infused with Kevlar. A wide toebox makes the shoes breathable, while zero drop aids natural running form. At just 260g, the shoe is also insanely light. ALTRA MEN’S LONE PEAK 3.5 Altra, huge in US trail-running and new to the UK, offers a wide toebox, zero drop and ample cushioning. The shoes are comfortable and rugged. Grip is good, but less sticky than the Terraultra’s. The cushioning will feel luxurious to some but excessive to others, and the size and weight negates dexterity.…

BETTER CALL SAUL One of the greatest TV tricksters returns to Netflix in the new season of Better Call Saul. We can’t wait to see what Jimmy gets up to as it creeps toward the start of Breaking Bad. GIDEON FALLS Echoes of Twin Peaks haunt this new comic from the creative team behind Old Man Logan, which sees a young man and Catholic priest drawn to the dark town of Gideon Falls. DONUT COUNTY In this quirky, colourful game for PC/Mac/PS4/iOS, you play a hole that must get bigger and eat everything in its path. It sounds daft, but suspend all scepticism and jump in.…

XOLORspace SMARTOOO 23051 We’ve now got a range of 4K HDR streamers, games consoles, Blu-ray players… but a lot of TVs only have a couple of 4K-capable ports. You need a high-speed HDMI switch, and this is it. Five inputs, one output: all sorted. Logitech Harmony Elite Control your telly and smart home from one touchscreen-programmable remote. A single press can turn on the TV and the Blu-ray player, set the input, and dim the smart lights. You can also control it from your phone or using Alexa. Chromecast Ultra This tiny streaming box dangles behind your TV, adding an easy way to beam 4K video over to it from any Chromecast-enabled app on Android or iOS, including Netflix and YouTube. Browse on your phone, watch on your TV. Easy,…

1 Expressive E Touché Synth Controller If your idea of a good time involves listening to music or creating your own, then you’re going to love the E Touché. It’s an expressive instrument that lets you control electronic sounds using touch. Soft and hard gestures will influence the intensity of the sound you hear and even the slightest pressure will have an effect, which means there’s lots of scope to be creative. The E Touché is USB-powered and also has built-in MIDI and CV ports for direct connection to your favourite synth. 2 Z Scooter The first self-balancing scooter, this shiny vehicle may have been designed with vintage styling, but with zero emissions, its own app and a Tesla Model S long-lasting battery, it’s a modern take on the classic…

Duolingo A popular app for learning languages, Duolingo teaches you through different levels, badges and topics in a range of ways that’ll keep you on your toes. With more than 30 languages to choose from, you’ll be like a local in no time. It also has social features, for practicing with others. Rosetta Stone If you’re serious about learning a new language, buy a subscription for Rosetta Stone. You’ll then get access to the service’s fantastic app, which is full of lessons and has speech-recognition technology built-in to improve your pronunciation. Lessons can be downloaded for offline learning. Memrise If you’re having fun, you’re likely to develop lasting skills faster. That’s why Memrise mixes real-life content with language learning. There are lots of languages to choose from and a handy…

VORWERK KOBOLD VG100 Achieve gleaming, streakfree windows in seconds. The VG100’s microfibre pad applies cleaning solution to the glass, before removing the grime and sucking away dirty water. NEATO BOTV AC CONNECT ED D7 The Wi-Fi-enabled Botvac maps your floors for supreme, autonomous hoovering. Use the Neato app to plan a thorough cleaning schedule. PHILIPS AVANCE CENTRIFUGAL JUICER A 1,200-watt motor, centrifugal extraction system and a F ibreBoost setting ensure you get the maximum goodness from your fruit and veg. VORWERK KOBOLD SP 600 This upright mop/hoover hybrid takes no prisoners when it comes to cleaning hard floors. The SP600 uses 50 times less water and cleaning product than a mop and bucket. UV-C LIGHT PRODUCT S PORTABLE WAND Give surfaces a b last of short-wave UV radiation from this…

01 GRAB THE APP Once you’ve decided which room to position your Echo Spot in, plug the device into the mains. While your Spot is optimising itself for setup, download the Alexa app (iOS / Android) to your smartphone or tablet. If you don’t have an Amazon account already, now would be a good time to register at amazon.co.uk. 02 BEGIN SETUP At this point, you’ll need to head to the Spot’s touchscreen to continue setup. You’ll be asked to connect to your home Wi-Fi and log-in to your Amazon account. Once you’re in, your Spot will play you a short video highlighting what it can do. It’s a useful intro and a great way to experience the screen in all its glory. 03 CUSTOMISE Time to make the Spot…

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WIRELESS OUTDOOR SECURITY CAMERAS… PLACE IT WELL All of these cams cope well with light level changes, but to get the best footage possible you’ll want to avoid placing the sensor facing direct sunlight which might dazzle it – stick to the shadows if possible. This might mean installing beneath the eaves of your house, or high inside a window opening. The higher you go, the more difficult the process of recharging becomes, but better a good picture than a blown-out image that does you no good. PROTECT IT Some security cameras come with theft protection, so if a sneaky intruder happens to abscond with your outdoor cam – these cameras are all easy to detach from their brackets – you’ll be…

ust as your wardrobe undergoes a seasonal transformation for autumn, certain aspects of your home need tailoring in order to be match-fit for the colder months. So now is the time to sort out your smart heating, and to ensure that whatever gadgets you use at home are energy efficient – you don’t want any nasty surprises in your gas and electricity bills. Smart thermostats are the obvious starting point. When used correctly, they keep your home warm and in the smartest way. How so? The majority of these thermostats use geofencing tech, so they can tell when you’re due home or are approaching the house. The thermostat then turns the heating on so that your home is warm when you arrive. Smart radiator valves play into this further. Following…

EGO POWER+BLOWER Your garden will soon begin its autumn transformation, dropping leaves and general debris onto the lawn and path. Blast it all into a neat pile, ready for composting, with EGO’s powerful leaf blower. It runs on a 56V li-ion battery, equipping you with the clout of a petrol blower but without the noise. PHILIPS HUE TUAR OUTDOOR PEDESTAL Connect the app-controlled Tuar to your existing Hue bridge and take advantage of its geofencing and scheduling smarts, so that it switches on when you’re returning home in the darker evenings. Place one along your driveway to bathe you in light as you potter around outside. BOSCH EASYCUT 12 Use this mini chainsaw to pare back overgrown hedges and remove garden tree branches in danger of breaking off in harsher…

MULTI-ROOM SPEAKERS SONOS ONE Pound for pound, this is a hell of a lot of speaker for your money, easily filling a room, and expandable through the versatile Sonos speaker range. Built-in Alexa support clinches it for Sonos. £199, sonos.com PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKER CAMBRIDGE AUDIO YOYO M These portable speakers are made for wireless stereo sound and come as a pair (though you can use one on its own). They offer punchy audio in an impressively wide sound field, and look great, too. £249, cambridgeaudio.com WIRELESS IN-EAR HEADPHONES BOSE SOUNDSPORT FREE These are great all-rounder headphones, with the bonus of true wireless freedom. They sound great, are sweat-proof for exercise, have a healthy five-hour battery life per charge, and are a good price. £179, bose.co.uk WIRED IN-EAR HEADPHONES KEF M100…

FAMILY CAR VOLVO XC60 Well-appointed and exquisitely designed, this mid-size hybrid SUV has all the entertainment options you need, the poise to make those long journeys smooth and enjoyable, and is safe as houses. From £35,655, volvocars.com/uk CITY ELECTRIC CAR BMW I3 The i3 is a responsive, highly practical electric runabout packed with connectivity options and enough power in its 170bhp motor to hit 62mph in just 7.3 seconds. Perfect for a daily commute. From £30,250, bmw.co.uk SMART CONNECTOR LOGITECH ZEROTOUCH Transform your Android phone into an Alexa-powered voice assistant for your car. This car holder connects to your phone over Bluetooth to provide voice and gesture control when driving. £49, logitech.com DASH CAM GARMIN DASH CAM 55 Constantly watching the road, the Dash Cam 55 does more than record…

COFFEE MAKER SAGE BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL THE ORACLE TOUCH A sleek machine bringing barista-level coffee making to your home, with the hard part handled automatically. You can also go manual and the results are just as tasty. £1,999, sageappliances.co.uk COOKER RANGEMASTER ELISE 110 Want the versatility of gas hobs and the reliability of an electric oven? This dual-fuel range is the ultimate in kitchen convenience, with six solid burners, two ovens and a grill with glide-out action. £2,379, rangemaster.co.uk DEHUMIDIFIER MEACO 25L ULTRA LOW ENERG Y DEHUMIDIFIER This small unit can drag 25 litres of water out of the air in a day, perfect for drying clothes indoors without the risk of mould or condensation ruining your windows. £299, meaco.com WASHING MACHINE AEG 9000 SERIES L9FEC966R This fantastic cleaner introduces a…

ENTRY-LEVEL DSLR NIKON D5600 The 24-megapixel camera here takes top shots, supported by a snappy 39-point autofocus system. Snapbridge wireless support beams photos to your phone for sharing, and it’s flexible and easy to use. From £569, nikon.co.uk MIRRORLESS CAMERA SONY A9 It’s so expensive, but it earns every penny by packing an incredible 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, with 20fps shooting while tracking autofocus the whole way. It’s a technical and imaging marvel. £4,299, sony.co.uk ACTION CAMERA GOPRO HERO 6 BLAC K The most advanced action camera on the planet can shoot stunning 4K video at 60fps, with advanced stabilisation making footage super-smooth and realistic. It’s also waterproof to 10m without a case. £399, gopro.com RUNNING WATCH GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC Garmin is the king of sports watches. Fast GPS and…

I love putting together our Best Tech for Everything list each year, because we always give ourselves licence to let the rope out a little. Yes, it’s full of laptops and phones and shavers and important stuff everyone needs, but we also like to go a little broader with it. We get to explore the fringes, from the unsexy-butuseful (HDMI switch boxes that support 4K HDR), to the things few people would consider but might actually find a godsend (high-tech treatments that make you look fresh after even the roughest nights), and the fun (great gadgets for luxury glamping, or a drone you fly in first-person). I was also really excited for us to finally get our hands on the Brompton Electric this issue. They’ve been well and truly beaten…

Late summer through early autumn is an odd time for clothes. We’re not quite ready to let go of the tees and lightweight chinos of summer, but it’s still too warm to embrace the heavier knits of autumn. So, how can we shift into the new season both comfortably and stylishly? Ellis Ranson, stylist to the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Peter Andre, suggests running an inventory on your existing wardrobe, then carefully adding in new pieces, rather than splurging on a total fad closet overhaul… “Men can get away with spending more on fewer pieces, avoiding too much throw-away fashion,” says Ellis. Take a look at your jeans and how these could be paired with a new sweatshirt, or give your favourite summer tees a new lease of life…

Potholes in the road do your car no favours (why do you think you’re constantly having to get your suspension fixed?). Thankfully, help is on its way – or, at least, it is if you plan to buy a Ford Focus… The 2019 model will feature 12 high-resolution sensors, designed to detect pesky craters before you reach them. As soon as they spot a pothole, they’ll communicate the message to your hatchback’s dampers, which will adjust to ensure your wheels don’t sink so deep into the hole. Et voila, a smoother ride (and less time spent at the garage).…

1 BLACK DIAMOND VAPOR HELMET This helmet is so ultra-light you forget you’re wearing it. Extremely breathable too, so you can climb harder. 2 ARCTERYX AR 395A HARNESS If you want a lightweight harness that feels like it was made for you, this is it. We use it at Original Wild, and it’s one of the best I’ve owned. 3 MONTANE PRISM JACKET When securing your climbing partner, things can get chilly. A quality synthetic jacket that fits over your harness and gear is essential for exposed moment 4 DMM PIVOT BELAY DEVICE A bombproof guide belay device used at Original Wild. Enables you to secure a climbing partner in different modes, with single or double ropes. 5 BOLDRINI APACHE 5 These climbing shoes aren’t the cheapest, but they last.…

Oculus Go The latest VR headset from Oculus works all on its own, without added devices or an expensive computer. It’s a lightweight design with a clear lens, and has surround sound audio and access to more than 1,000 VR games and apps. GoPro Fusion 360 Camera A GoPro especially for capturing 360-degree videos and photos in all kinds of conditions. It has an 18MP camera with built-in stabilisation for a super-smooth shot, and you can create fully immersive VR experiences in 5.2K video. Lenovo Star Wars: Jedi Challenges If you’ve always dreamed of becoming a Jedi, then now is your chance. This augmented reality game arms you with a headset and a lightsaber controller so you can battle Darth Vader and Kylo Ren as you use the Force.…

1 Samsung Galaxy Note9 Samsung’s biggest phone yet is ideal for working on the go, because it has a bunch of features that make the most of its 6.4-inch 2960x1440 AMOLED display. The S Pen is now Bluetooth-connected, with 4,096 levels of pressure detection and a button you can use to control the phone. It’s also got clever split-screen controls, which let you pair apps to launch side-by-side, so it’s easy to bring up your calendar and email together, for example. Plus, you can get it with 512GB of storage, and then at another 512GB SD card for a whopping 1TB. 2 BeyerDynamic Fox Professional USB Studio Microphone This professional microphone is the ideal choice for podcasters, gamers, YouTubers, content creators, musicians, singers, songwriters and anyone else who relies on…

Oak Whether you’re after a quick and simple breathing exercise or a guided meditation that’ll last half an hour, Oak has all your relaxation needs covered. It also plays soothing sounds and white noise for those who have trouble going to sleep. If you can’t get out of your own head enough to relax, this might be just what you need. Hexologic Some people like to switch off to calm down, others like to distract themselves. If you’re in the second group, Hexologic is for you. It’s a refreshing spin on Sudoku that also serenades you with relaxing music while you play. It’s chilled out, without time pressure, so is ideal for winding down gently. Sway - Mindfulness in Motion Practicing mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting in silence with…

GET THE WEATHER Head over to IFTTT.com and log in. Make sure you’ve previously registered your bulbs with the service – it’s happy with most makes. Click ‘My Applets’, ‘New applet’, ‘+this’, and find ‘Weather Underground’ in the list. PICK A CONDITION We’ll use WU’s ‘current condition’ trigger, which fires on one of four specific weather types. You could get more specific if you wanted to. Click it, select ‘Rain’ in the dropdown box, then ‘Create trigger’. Now click ‘+that’. COLOUR IT UP Find your smart bulbs (using the search box makes this much quicker) and set an action to change the colour – avoid the ‘switch on’ option, so you’re not woken up by a blazing bulb if the sky’s clear. Then repeat for each other condition.…

Though the Tern Vektron is relatively big among its folding compadres, it’s still a weeny machine compared to a typical road bike, with a smaller frame and smaller wheels. The knock-on effect of this style is that the ride isn’t as gracious as a full size bike. But if you’re in the market for an electric folder, you don’t have to go small. Montague (montaguebikes.com) makes fine full-size folders, its USP a patented F.I.T. folding system, in which the frame uses a tube within a tube design, offering the strength of a non-folding bike (if not its looks) with the ability to fold on demand. The Montague Boston ZE marries the firm’s folding prowess with a Zehus Bike+ all-in-one hub with regen – the same type found in the Vello…

If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you have definitely come to the right place. Best of the Best is the most useful gadget-buying guide you will ever encounter. To create it, we’ve ruthlessly filtered down to the biggest groups, to bring you rock-solid recommendations for your home life, daily commute and the tech you use all the time. Within each of those groups, we’ve got a dozen categories for key tech buys. We’ve picked one product for every category that we think is the best you can get on balance, taking into account price, quality and features, so it’s easy to know what you need in your life. You should also check out T3.com, where you’ll find even more categories, if you’re looking for something that…

CERTINA DS PH200M As part of its Heritage Collection, Certina resurrected a dive watch from the 1970s. Inspired by the depths of the ocean, it combines timeless design with a modern automatic movement. OM EGA SEAMASTER 1948 SMALL SECONDS Released to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Seamaster, Omega’s latest watch is full of retro touches, from the opaline silvery domed dial to the embossed vintage Omega. CHRISTOPHER WARD C65 TRIDENT BRONZE SH21 This classic 1960s dive watch is underpinned by Christopher Ward’s thoroughly modern in-house movement. The bronze edition is limited to 150 pieces.…

A kitchen is a useful place for creating shopping lists, menu plans and cooking schedules. But ditch the food-stained bits of paper and make notes directly on your walls by painting in a patch of chalkboard paint. Try Johnstones Magnetic Paint for Blackboards (£14.99, homebase.co.uk). Making over cabinet doors pays huge style rewards, too. If you have wooden doors, sanding them down and painting them can instantly transform the look of your kitchen. Or, for a faster, more affordable style change, swap in new handles. We like the understated class of the Murano Hand Blown Glass Square Turquoise Cupboard Knob (£10, pushkahome.com). Next, transform your pans into a design feature by hanging them on a rack, such as the Hahn Classic Rectangular Ceiling Rack (£195, wayfair.co.uk). This has the added…

GOPRO HERO6 BLACK The best choice for capturing extreme watersports footage, the HERO6 Black is small and versatile, offering 4K video at up to 60fps – stick to 30fps for image stabilisation. It’s also waterproof to 10 metres without additional housing. OLYMPUS TOUGH TG-5 The Tough TG-5 utilises an f/2.8 maximum aperture, letting in as much light as possible when underwater. Pro Capture Mode lets you zoom in on details, plus there’s 4K video, Wi-Fi and GPS. PANASONIC LUMIX FT7 31-metre waterproofing makes the Lumix FT7 ideal for diving. There’s also a 20.4MP sensor, paired with a 4.6x zoom lens, for capturing detailed shots underwater. The electronic viewfinder’s mighty handy too.…

SMARTWOOL MERINO 150 SHORT SLEEVE Core Spun technology (merino wool wrapped around a nylon core) combines comfort with durability. But where this tee really impresses is temperature regulation. Perfect for an early autumn hike when the wind could be feisty at the top of the climb. ICEBREAKER COOL-LITE MOMENTUM LONG SLEEVE ZIP Cool-Lite fabric aids comfort, nylon aids durability, and Lycra makes the top pleasingly stretchy. A zipper chin guard and storm flap prevent chafing, offset shoulder seams stop pack rub, and the odour resistance is unbeatable. DHB MERINO SLEEVELESS BASE LAYER Here, the lightweight, super-fine material wicks away sweat and resists body odours, with excellent thermal regulation keeping you cool. This soft vest is a good choice for a base layer, or as the first layer of your base…

This summer’s heatwave led GaGu to place himself in front of the barbeque, turning ever-more lobstery under the burning sun. Turns out (or at least this is the story he told Mrs Guru) that the grill was definitely broken. While the price of getting a Lynx Smart Grill express-shipped from the States didn’t quite match up to the immense value of its Wi-Fi connectivity, rotisserie features and app-directed meat-placement advice, Guru did at least get a Big Green Egg (£625 for too small to £2,950 for ridiculously big). Inside, a Meater (£79) beams the meat’s internal goings-on directly to GaGu’s phone. Guru is a little alarmed at the ability of his youngest child to wiggle his little brain into any tech put in front of him – particularly if that…

Nebula Capsule Watch movies, TV shows and anything else from your phone in the middle of nowhere with this portable projector. It delivers a great picture up to 100 inches, and the 100 ANSI lumens brightness looks fab in dimmer light. Heininger 5995 Portable Fire Pit If you like sitting around fires but not the way your hair and clothes smell of smoke afterwards, this portable fire pit is for you. It burns smokeless and it’s easy to carry, making it ideal for the campsite or your patio. Olight X7R Marauder You want to see in the dark? The X7R Marauder has a maximum output of 12,000 lumens, which means it’s one of the brightest flashlights you can get. It’s also dust-proof and waterproof, so can survive a rainy walk…

1 DrinKup Bottle Stay hydrated with this smart water bottle, which recommends how much you need each day based on your height, weight and daily activities. It’ll also show you your hydration level on the lid throughout the day and vibrate when you need to drink more. It comes with an app, which bugs you to hydrate, keeps tabs on how often you drink so you don’t have to and lets you know how well your hydration habit is coming along. 2 Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer One of the best hair dryers on the planet, the Supersonic has 1,600W of power, with amplification tech tripling the amount of air it pushes out. There are three different speed settings, as well as heat-control smarts. That means it might be super quick…

Thule Vea BackPack 25L Thule creates tough bags and cases that keep your gear and your tech safe. This backpack is designed to keep a 15-inch MacBook/15.6-inch PC protected with padded pockets, padded straps and compartments for everything else. Satechi Type-C Pro Hub Adapter If you get the MacBook Pro recommended above (or on p102), you’ll notice it only has USB-C connections. This small adapter gives you every port you could need: Ethernet, HDMI, 2x USB 3, microSD card, and power. Western Digital My Passport A good-looking and reliable portable storage system that you can take with you wherever you go. It’s ideal for those who rely on smaller laptops that lack space and need a simple, secure way to back up their work.…

AMAZON ECHO SHOW The Echo Show (£199.99, amazon. co.uk) delivers the same smarts as the Spot, but on a much bigger, seven-inch screen. A pair of two-inch speakers add extra, Dolby-powered audio punch. LENOVO SMA RT DISPLA Y With Google Assistant built-in, and generous eight and 10-inch display options available, Lenovo’s Smart Display (from $199.99/£156.59, lenovo.com) is always on-hand. A 10-watt full-range speaker takes care of audio. LG WK9 THINQ The retro-looking WK9 ThinQ ($299.99/£234.89, lg.com) might resemble an old handheld telly, but this is LG’s first foray into the screen-toting smart assistant world. Behind that eight-inch touchscreen is Google Assistant and Chromecast. SAYS… “Echo Spot makes a great smart alarm clock, but it’s handy all around the house. I keep mine in the hallway, so I check whether I’ll…

Smart weather stations keep tabs on what the weather is like where you’re located in real time. They’re fitted with sensors to give you more information about humidity, air quality, rainfall and more. You can then use these readings to automatically trigger your lights, thermostat or other smart home devices. The Netatmo Smart Home Weather Station (£139.99, shop.netatmo.com), for example, has indoor and outdoor modules and keeps tabs on the temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and weather forecast outside, which it serves up to your phone. Powered by a solar panel, the Bloomsky Sky2 (£299.99, weathershop.co.uk) tracks rainfall, humidity, temperature and pressure, with an added HD camera on top for real-time snaps of the sky throughout the day.…

01 CHARGE YOUR DEVICES The Brompton Electric comes with a USB connector in the top of the battery pack, meaning you can charge your phone on the go, as long as you have a cable that’s long enough and a handlebar mount – which will be handy when you get a load of the next thing in this list… 02 GET THE APP Though it wasn’t available at the time of writing, Brompton has promised to release an app this year that allows owners of the Brompton Electric to connect to the bike over Bluetooth and check your speed and mileage, as well as adjust individual riding modes on the fly. 03 SPEED UP CHARG ING TIMES The standard charger included with the Brompton Electric is a 2A unit, which…

To see all of the shortlists our judges voted on, please visit: t3.com/awards…

SPECIFICATIONS Screen 6.4-inch 1440x2960 AMOLED Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Memory 6GB/8GB Storage 128GB/512GB Cameras 12MP telephoto/12MP dualaperture wide-angle rear, 8MP front Battery 4,000mAh Dimensions 76.4x161.9x8.8mm Weight 201g Samsung has always gone big with its Note handsets, and we don’t just mean the 6.4-inch screen on offer in this year’s model. They’ve always pushed ahead on features and premium build, and the result is a phone that comes close to the iPhone X’s high price. So, is it worth it? Built better The Note9 feels dense and classy in the hand, without the plasticky feel some flagships have had this year. It’s no surprise that it feels solid, considering just how much is packed into a thin 8.8mm frame and more substantial 201g weight. That’s no doubt thanks in part to…

OLED 4K TV SONY AF8 Sony’s next-gen 4K HDR TV looks fantastic thanks to its OLED display and advanced image processing. Because of ingenious tech that uses the screen itself as a speaker, it also sounds superb. From £2,499, sony.co.uk TOP-END 4K TV B&O ECLIPSE Bang & Olufsen’s fantastic TV features a gorgeous OLED panel and a colossal 450 watts of speaker through its integrated soundbar. The Eclipse comes in different finishes to match your room perfectly. From £7,495, bang-olufsen.com VALUE 4K BLU-RAY PLAYER XBOX ONE S Yes, this is primarily a games console, but it’s a damn good UHD Blu-ray player too. Budget 4K players from other brands still cost around the same as this, but you can’t stick a game in them. £199, microsoft.com 4K STREAMER APPLE TV…

ANDROID PHONE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOT E9 The huge 6.4-inch screen on this phone is perfect for productivity, thanks to splitscreen apps and the S-Pen. It’s really fast, has great battery life, a fantastic camera, and you can fill it with 1TB of storage! From £899, samsung.com MID-RANGE PHONE HONOR VIEW 10 The Honor View 10, essentially, is the very well-reviewed Huawei Mate 10 Pro, which costs almost twice as much. For this amazing price you get a high-end display, fast processor and great camera. £419, hihonor.com/uk SMARTWATCH APPLE WATCH SERIES 3 Nothing in the smartwatch market does more than the Apple Watch, and this third generation can do it all without a tethered phone – perfect for keeping your life in order whatever you happen to be doing. From £329,…

VOICE ASSISTANT AMAZON ECHO Alexa is everywhere these days, but nowhere is Amazon’s AI more at home than in its Echo. It couples an awesome array microphone with pleasing design for the perfect assistant experience. £90, amazon.co.uk SMART DOORBELL RING VIDEO DOORBELL 2 Part motion-detecting security camera, part ring-anywhere doorbell, the Video Doorbell 2 alerts you via your smartphone when you have a visitor – and you can two-way talk even if you’re not home. £179, ring.com LIFESTYLE WI-FI CAMERA LOGITECH CIRCLE 2 WIRED No smart home cam is as fun to use as this – instead of CCTV, it’s more like a Fitbit of home monitoring. It provides a sped-up ‘brief’ of the day, two-way communication, has a 180° camera and Alexa control. £149, logitech.com DOOR & WINDOW SENSORS…

ULTRAPORTABLE LAPTOP HP SPECTRE 13 4K An incredibly thin, light and beautiful laptop, with a dense, high-end 4K panel. Despite being 1cm thick, it doesn’t skimp on the power either, thanks to an Intel Core i7 processor. From £1,599, hp.com GAMING LAPTOP ASUS ROG ZEPHYRUS GX501 This is an amazing piece of engineering. Despite being incredibly thin and light (2.2kg), it packs insanely powerful Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics, a quad-core processor, and a 120Hz 1080p display. £2,799, asus.com ALL-IN-ONE APPLE IMAC WITH 5K RETINA DISPLAY There’s never been a screen like this. Big enough for every task, detailed, bright, colourful, and it happens to have a Mac stuffed in the back of it as well. From £1,749, apple.com/uk GAMING HEADSET STEELSERIES ARCTIS PRO WIRELESS This brilliant PC and PS4…