Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 2 i Gadget

One of the most exciting toys of the year is BB-8, the unofficial mascot for StarWars: The Force Awakens. However, unlike R2-D2 or C3PO from the original movies, BB-8 is not just a man in a suit or even CGI trickery, but an actual working droid that you can buy. You can control BB-8 with your smartphone and use augmented reality to recreate the iconic ‘Obi Wan, you’re my only hope’ scene. The tennis-ball-sized bot also responds to voice commands, shout ‘it’s a trap!’ and watch her run away. She can also sense her environment through bumping and mapping, just like the Roomba robot vacuum. Packed with so many features, we couldn’t resist taking the BB-8 apart to find out how she works, so read on for a full teardown.…

There’s no shortage of smartwatches out there at the moment, but the Shammane has still managed to catch the attention of hundreds of backers on Indiegogo. Its main selling point is its subtle elegance — sure, it’s going to show your smartphone notifications, but the Shammane isn’t going to make a song and a dance about it. A built-in pedometer for counting your steps, IP67 waterproofing (enough to survive a heavy rainstorm), three days of battery life (more than most smartwatches on the market) and a choice of removable straps all add to the appeal. What’s more, it’s compatible with both iPhones and Android handsets, so you’re not restricted by your choice of smartphone. Plus, you can keep on using your watch if you decide to switch between Apple and…

01 Always ensure you never fly your drone anywhere near people’s bodies or faces. 02 Be sure to switch off the drone’s motor before you turn off the controller handset or remove the batteries. 03 Remember to remove the rotors when you’re not using the drone. This way, it can’t do much on its own. 04 Don’t risk flying unless the weather conditions are good and you know that this is going to continue. 05 Follow instructions for recharging Lithium Polymer batteries as they need better care than regular ones.…

If you were learning to drive a human-sized vehicle for the first time, you wouldn’t rush straight into the driver’s seat; you’d probably want to take a few lessons first. The same goes for remote-controlled vehicles. Battery-powered RC cars are best for beginners, letting you get the basics down with little maintenance or cost required to find the fun times. Petrol-powered, on the other hand, demands a lot more upfront cash and skill to run, not to mention patience as you get your head around the increased engine refuelling and tinkering for best results. Nevertheless, the payoff is a faster and more versatile experience – great for petrolheads.…

RC vehicles go nuclear Air Hogs does it again with the Skywinder, a stunt rocket that uses counter-rotating blades to stay airborne and let the user pull off easy indoor tricks. Air Hogs Skywinder £20 | $30 airhogs.com The future of Lego is remote-controlled Lego Mindstorms EV3 is the future of building incredible stuff with little blocks and a little imagination. These sets let you build and program functional RC robots. Lego Mindstorm £300 | $350 | Lego.com On the offensive with Combat Creatures Attacknid Built to resemble a creepy robotic spider, this six-legged RC vehicle will blast your foes with foam bullets on your command. Combat Creature £70 | $100 CombatCreatures.com Alien-inspired night flying The UFO ball copter will let you tackle the night sky with its built-in LED…

“As she bumps into objects, she will turn and move in different directions” 01 ROLLING IS COOL From the main menu, tap the Drive option. Use the circular navigation panel on the left to move around and the BB-8 icon on the right of the screen to swivel. Slide to steer Gently slide your finger across the driving pad to guide BB-8 in different directions Point and hold If you hold your finger down for more than a few seconds, BB-8 will automatically set off Add some expression As you drive, enter the Droid Commander menu to add some expressions to the BB-8 droid 02 SEND HER ON PATROL Enter Patrol mode From the main menu, tap the Patrol option and you will be taken to the Patrol mode dashboard.…

No paint required While pink may not be your favourite colour, it is already done and dusted for you. It also makes finding the rocket in the weeds (or a tree) much easier More power! Cesaroni Technology Pro29 reloadable motors provide an element of economy in what are very expensive toys. You can reuse the casing, but that’s only if your Prowler doesn’t land in the top of a tall tree Use epoxy glue More power requires stronger sticky stuff. Epoxy glue makes for faster building too. After all, waiting for glue to dry is basically watching paint dry Mid-power rockets are much more like the real deal. They are big, make lots of noise, use propellant related to the Space Shuttle’s Solid Rocket Boosters, fly higher and, as you’d…

Toy Story first brought the idea of our toys coming to life to the big screen in 1995. This became the highest grossing film of the year and if anyone tries to tell you that they didn’t imagine their favourite stuffed animal alive and talking, then you will probably be able to smell some smoke from their burning underwear. This wish is almost certainly why Toys to Life has become the most entertaining and exciting development in the videogame world since Wii Sports let you become a champion tennis player with a flick of your wrist and no sign of sweat. The concept is so simple yet brilliant. You buy the game that comes with a couple of characters to get you started, then you pop a toy on the…

An arcade machine in the home is a dream for many of us, but a reality for far fewer. Today, it’s actually quite achievable and you can even build it for yourself, whether you want the classic stand-up style or the cocktail-table type that was popular in pubs back in the Eighties. It’s also perfectly possible to run elaborate multi-game emulation machines with MAME or grab the authentic circuit boards without the battered cabinets they used to live in. So the only limit to the games you can now run at home is your imagination. There’s no single best approach to building a cabinet, but we can certainly help to get you started by making sure you’ve considered all of your options – and of course, avoided the common pitfalls.…

As the highest ranking woman in the UK Pinball League, Kate Morris is always enthusiastic about this long-lived pastime and its unique physical feedback. “You press a button and an actual flipper moves, while a small silver ball gets hurled around a playfield. Couple that with flashing lights and cool sounds and it’s difficult not to be drawn in!” Lord Of The Rings “I love the books [and] films so completing modes where you help the Ents attack Isengard make it much more fun for me.” £4,220 | $6,499 AC/DC “It has a different kind of strategy to many others. It’s about building up a song jackpot, then trying to cash it in.” £4,995 | $5,699 TRON: Legacy Pinball “It flows well, the music is great and the final goal…

“Turns any paper plane into a smartphone controlled weapon” Paper planes get a futuristic upgrade Paper planes might have been great back in secondary school when trying to hit someone in the back of the head, but the lack of accuracy makes them somewhat useless and you may end up hitting the teacher instead. Introducing PowerUp 3.0, a handy little module that turns any paper plane into a smartphone controlled weapon of accurate annoyance. PowerUp 3.0 £40 | $62 firebox.com How to steer Download the app and tilt your smartphone left and right to steer your paper plane Crash proof The carbon-fibre body protects the motor and propeller from heavy crashes 10-minute flight Fully charged, you can fly the plane over your teacher’s head, just out of their reach, for…

Plex Avid film buffs can use the Plex app to store and stream the movies you have on your iPhone or iPad. Airbnb Users are able to browse, rent and leave feedback for rooms and apartments in countries all over the world. YouTube As well as managing videos uploaded to your own channel, it’s simple enough to create a playlist of videos. CNN Want the latest headlines on your TV? CNN will provide you with all the stories you could ever need. VLC Dodgy file extensions can be a problem for many apps, but VLC makes streaming these movies easy.…

Griffin Twenty Twenty is a digital amplifier that can receive music via Bluetooth or NFC and then stream it directly to any speaker. £98 | $149.99 griffintechnology.com Rocki Specifically targeting Spotify users, the Rocki connects to your speaker and enables you to wirelessly stream personalised or automated playlists. £29.99 | $49 myrocki.com Beep The Beep is a dial-shaped hub that connects to any speaker and adds full wireless support so users can fully control their music from their smartphone. £97 | $149 thisisbeep.com…

What was the biggest challenge you faced when shrinking down the Chord Hugo’s technology for the Mojo? Its all about power. We wanted Hugo sound quality, but with a smaller size unit, it meant reducing power for two reasons – battery life and thermals – a small box means less power dissipation. Every megawatt of power within Hugo was analysed, and reduced – except for when it had an impact on sound quality. What was the inspiration behind the illuminated ‘bubble’ buttons? This came from John Franks, Chord’s CEO, who designed the exterior. He’s been using backlit power switches on Chord power amps for some time. Are there any features you would have liked to include in the Mojo but couldn’t? We will be offering plug in modules in the…

Tender meat By applying a small amount of heat through the metal cooking pot, the Cuisine Companion’s in-built slow cooker gradually breaks down the fibres in cuts of meat, giving them a tender taste without hitting your electricity bill the way a full-powered oven would Knead to know By combining water with yeast, flour and whatever else you fancy in order to make different types of bread, the kneading or grinding tool that comes with the Cuisine Companion agitates the mixture enough to produce an even and consistent dough (perfect for pizza bases) Let off some steam After pouring water into the base, the device heats it up enough to channel steam into a separate compartment where it heats the food. You can alter the pressure of this chamber for…

Spout As the wine is poured into your glass, you’ll want to tilt the spout increasingly upwards, letting the wine hit the needle and travel to the glass without applying too much gas Needle A sharp, thin needle pierces the cork without letting any oxygen into the bottle, consequently preventing the wine from reacting with exterior chemicals Trigger As the bottle decreases, you’ll have to add more gas to the inside of the bottle, replacing the wine you eventually transfer to your glass Gas If the wine was extracted, the bottle would crack. So instead the Coravin replaces the wine with an inert gas that gives the wine nothing to react with Seemingly a superfluous accessory at first, the Coravin is now a favourite in our kitchen. It lets you…

“You can have up to six family members sharing your iTunes library” In the bad old days, if you wanted to give your family access to the apps, music and videos you had downloaded through iTunes you could use Home Sharing, but it was difficult to monitor and anyone could download anything using your card details without your knowledge. Surprise, suprise, this often ended up being very expensive. However, all this has changed with iOS 8 and Family Sharing. Now you can have up to six family members sharing your iTunes library, but each one uses an Apple ID and you (as the main family organiser) have complete control over what they download – so you can block that download of Little Mix you really don’t want to hear playing…

Jack Parsons Editor The Makita Autofeed (page 104 ) looks like a machine gun, but it‘s really a supercharged screwdriver. Dan Hutchinson Editor in chief The all-new Apple TV (page 64 ) is set to reinvent mobile gaming for the big screen at home. Adele Jordan Production Editor My favourite is Pepper the robot ( page 29 ). It’s useful, unbelievably clever and just plain cute! Duncan Crook Senior Art Editor Grabbing a Nerf blaster (page 42 ) and shooting an innocent bystander can be very satisfying. Harriet Knight Assistant Designer It has to be the Rocket Skates ( page 50). They take some mastering but are ridiculously cool.…

Mini computer screen The HD LCD touchscreen is used for everything from showing your emails to displaying the pages of a children’s storybook Size of a kettle The final version of Jibo will be about 11 inches tall with a 6-inch base. The estimated weight is 5 pounds Smartphone-friendly Jibo works with both iOS and Android devices, and there’s also a web interface in development. What’s more, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are supported Jibo is a little like Apple’s Siri in physical form: this friendly, artificially intelligent, rotating pod raised millions of dollars on Indiegogo last year and is scheduled to finally go on general sale in 2016. From taking pictures to reading bedtime stories, it’s designed to make your domestic life easier in all kinds of ways. It marks another…

Amazing camera With over 16 million pixels, the camera provides clear images, good enough for daily use Wi-Fi connected The Czur Scanner is connected to Wi-Fi to send scans to your laptop, smartphone or tablet Plug it all in The Czur Scanner is fitted with various export slots, including HDMI and USB ports 01 20 times faster According to its inventors, thanks to the powerful processor fitted inside the Czur Scanner, it can scan pages up to 20 times faster than a traditional scanner. 02 Street smart After scanning the pages, the Czur applies its special set of algorithms to compensate for any page curves, wonky edges, fingerprints and other distractions from the main text. 03 Flexible scanning The Cruz Scanner is capable of handling books, single sheets of paper…

Keep flipping the switch So the fan can properly regulate power, a switch must be flipped to indicate the surface that you are trying to traverse Stay on target Specially designed skirting around the perimeter of the vehicle ensures that the vacuum seal is kept intact Wall-climbing technology Air Hogs developed a special system whereby a powerful fan acts like a mini vacuum, generating suction to cling to surfaces Air Hogs Zero Gravity Laser Racer £30 | $40 | airhogs.com Not all great RC cars have to be supersized behemoths. At just 5.8 inches long, the Zero Gravity Laser Racer is a tiny car that’s designed to defy gravity and take RC racing across your walls and ceiling. If this sounds like a way for your kids to replace dirtying…

“What looks like R2-D2’s cute cousin is sure to be a must-have this Christmas” Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you can’t have failed to notice the massive influx of new Star Wars-themed toys as The Force Awakens edges ever closer to the cinema. Amid the massive influx of gadgetry, however, one toy has stood out more than any other: Sphero’s awesome remote-controlled BB-8 droid. Ever since she first rolled onto the stage at the Star Wars Celebration event in Anaheim, BB-8 has captured the imagination of those both struck by her lovable disposition and in awe at the practical effects, as up until then pretty much everyone had assumed it to be a result of CGI effects. Nope, it’s the real deal and now you can buy…

1977 Vintage Star Wars Talking Alarm Clock This talking alarm clock featuring C-3P0 and R2-D2 is a great example of Star Wars merchandise. 1978 Han Solo Blaster For the bad-boy that didn’t want a lightsaber, this pistol had a ‘secret’ button so it produced a two-speed laser sound. Cutting edge in its day. 1979 Kenner Give-A-Show Projector This came with 112 colour slides and 16 strips depicting various scenes from A New Hope. 1980 Kenner’s The Force Lightsaber The successor to the poor-quality inflatable model, the sound effects helped make this the first lightsaber you were glad to own. 1981 Kenner Slave 1 Boba Fett’s personal ship, this classic Kenner toy gave as much joy to kids of the Eighties as it put terror in the bounties’ hearts. 1983 Darth…

Come home safely The Riptide has a 12-inch plastic parachute that, if cared for properly, should bring the rocket back gently to the ground for another flight A new alphabet Letters determine the power of the motor. The Riptide can handle B, C or D 18mm motors. Bs are the place to start as each letter down the alphabet doubles the power. So C equals twice the strength of B and so on Straight fins equals a straight flight Tricky fin alignment is sorted for you in this set, as it is probably the most challenging part of any DIY rockets Airplanes are so 20th century, but model rocketry is the 21st century space-age hobby for budding astronauts or grown up kids. What’s more, there’s no easier start to the…

Give yourself some space Depending on the size of your motor, you need to be at least two to five metres away from your launch pad. Also, you need a clear and safe place to land; where this is depends on the size of the motor, the wind speed and its direction. Heads up Make sure every one around you in the launch area is paying attention – that’s what a countdown is for! Rockets are meant to go straight up and away, but you still may need to be aware of what’s going on in case something goes wrong. Do your homework You should know that your model is structurally sound and stable, that the motor is powerful enough, that the parachute ejection delay is correct and that the…

N-Strike Jolt Blaster Range: 40ft / No. darts: 2 £4.50 / $5 Action Blasters Big Bad Bow Range: 40ft / No. darts: 3 £13 / $20 Vortex Diatron Blaster Range: 60 feet / No. discs: 2 £16 / $20 N-Strike Elite Rough Cut 2X4 Blaster Range: 75ft / No. darts: 8 £18 / $20 N-Strike Elite Crossbolt Blaster Range: 90ft / No. darts: 12 £20 / $24.99 N-Strike Mega Series RotoFury Blaster Range: 90ft / No. darts: 10 £28 / $35 Zombie Strike Zed Squad Longshot CS-12 Blaster Range: 50ft / No. darts: 12 £30 / $35 Nerf Reactor Range: 25ft / No. balls: 4 £6.50 / $10 N-Strike Strongarm Blaster Range: 75ft / No. darts: 6 £13 / $13 Zombie Strike Crossfire Bow Toy Range: 50ft / No. darts:…

No batteries needed The Disney Infinity Base is plugged into the console via USB. This is how it is powered so there’s no need to buy any batteries Step onto the portal When you place the figurine on the Infinity Base, its chip communicates with an NFC reader in the Base, which sends the data to the console Character building Game and character data is stored on an RFID chip, so the game knows exactly who the character is and what level they are currently at Go figure The figurines themselves are purely decorative, with all the tech crammed into the circular bottom of the toys…

Why does the ZX Spectrum console remain so appealing? Its quirkiness helps. That might be because it was incredibly popular in an era before games had become big business, so people were just inventing computer games when the Spectrum was king. Arcades aside, there was nowhere to go for ideas so people had to be very creative with their game designs. I don’t know whether the Spectrum’s simplicity is a factor in that, but innovation does appear to have stuck with the machine’s developers ever since. The Vega includes some of your games, and you’ve optimised more since it’s been released – what draws you to the device? The Vega is a really convenient [console] for gaming. It’s easier than messing around with Spectrum hardware, you can even take it…

Funspot Family Fun Center Laconia, New Hampshire, USA funspotnh.com As well as contemporary machines, the world’s largest arcade features a great selection of the most vintage tables. Pinball Hall Of Fame Las Vegas, Nevada, USA pinballmuseum.org The biggest collection of pinball games available anywhere in the world with over 200 machines! Hungarian Pinball Museum Budapest, Hungary flippermuzeum.hu Opened in 2013, this central European pinball paradise boasts 130 machines for visitors to enjoy.…

“Let’s not forget that the Chromecast is substantially cheaper than the Apple TV” A staggering 20 million units of the original Chromecast were sold globally and based on initial sales, it’s believed that Google’s latest Chromecast device will far surpass that. The HDMI stick has been improved in multiple areas with it being faster and more capable to hold a Wi-Fi connection, not to mention its streaming times have been cut almost in half. Let’s not forget that the Chromecast is substantially cheaper than the Apple TV and for the most part you’ll find they have the same features. While the added benefit of a voice-controlled remote may please some, the Chromecast has a radically improved app that makes it easier to manage and stream the content that matters to…

STEAM: Dumplings Make sure you have lots of cling film handy for dumpling dishes – wrapping them up beforehand ensures the mixture stays compact as the steam seals the film during the cooking process. BREAD: Pretzels You’ll only be using the Cuisine Companion for about three minutes on the pastry setting, but it’s vital to submerge the cooked pretzels in boiling water for five seconds to retain their shape. SOUP: Pea soup Once your vegetable preparation is done (in about two minutes), the Cuisine Companion’s ultrablade knife will practically make the soup for you at the touch of a button. Easy peasy. SLOW COOK: Thai curry By cooking the onion in any curry dish or 10 minutes before you add the rest of the ingredients into the mixing bowl, you…

Always know where you are You’ll never find yourself going dangerously off piste with the Snow2 as your companion. There are more than 600 resort maps preloaded and packed with useful points of interest like lodges and lifts. Keep track of friends No, not in a creepy way. If you’re mates download Recon’s Engage app for their smartphone, you can all see your GPS position loaded on the HUD. Just be sure to meet in the bar after. Boast to your friends No piece of modern day tech is worth its weight in gold without the ability to post a boastful Facebook message to celebrate your achievements. Snow2 ticks that box. The need for speed Think you know how fast you’re going? Well now you know for sure. Thanks to…

“The temperature is brought down via convection from the steel rod” Pourer Pouring this might not have an impact on how wine tastes, but it prevents mess, and when it comes to red wine, that’s invaluable Aerator By letting air into the bottle, the wine is oxidised (activating more desirable compounds in the liquid) and negative elements are evaporated Steel rod By freezing the rod first, you let it slowly chill the wine around it, bringing down the temperature to an ideal level that fridges tend to miss by cooling too much We loved this chill rod – at first glance, we thought it didn’t make too much difference, especially to white wine. But after comparing a bottle of regularly chilled wine with a Vinenco-chilled one, we definitely noticed a…

Know how cold your wine is It’s always important to know the precise temperature of your wine – especially if you want to get the best taste out of it. Sticking this to your bottle ensures you’ll always get the best taste. Vignon Wrap Around Wine Thermometer £27/$35 wineware.co.uk Minimise the risk Manual screwdrivers serve a purpose, but no matter how good you are at popping those stoppers, there’s always a chance you’ll cork it. The electric screwdriver minimises that risk and makes sure a good bottle of wine never goes to waste. Bosch IXO Vino Cordless Lithium-Ion Screwdriver with Corkscrew Attachment £50/$112 bosch.com Add some flair Want to open your bottle of champagne in the most dramatic way possible? Want to make a statement with your celebratory drinks? Well,…

Black & Decker BDL 120 £15 | $33 blackanddecker.com Cheap and cheerful, this laser level has to be held up on the wall to project the line, but it does have a spirit level to keep things nice and straight. DeWalt DW088K Self-Levelling Line Laser £140 | $135 dewalt.co.uk If you’re looking for something a bit more professional then the DeWalt Line Laser is pricey yet perfect. Stanley Cubix Cross Line Laser £36 | $70 stanleytools.co.uk Strong and sturdy, despite the low price, Stanley’s laser level comes with its own clamp and has a range of up to ten metres. Silverline Mini Laser Level (210mm) £10 | $20 silverlinetools.com If you’ve secretly always desired a laser level, but price is an issue then they don’t come cheaper than this one.…

Man Wrap £5 | $8 themonsterfactory.com Take the hassle out of wrapping with the one of a kind Man Wrap. The foil wrapping paper design means that all you need to do is roll out the amount you need, rip it off, press it together and it’s done. Christmas made easy peasy! Sellotape On-Hand Dispenser £3 | $5 sellotape.com A simple solution that’s guaranteed to make wrapping a breeze, the Sellotape On-Hand Dispenser slides over your fingers to give you two hands completely free to wrap. You can even get patterned tapes for crafting too. Scissortape £6.50 | $10 awesomeinventions.com An idea so obvious and brilliant that you’ll kick yourself for not thinking of it sooner – although if you’re in the UK it’s not easy to come by. As…

This is what you said… “I’ve never seen so much emphasis put on the intricacies and technicalities of how my favourite gadgets work. I also liked how advice was given on how I can improve my own experiences with various devices.”sinclairuser, via email “I enjoy How It Works, All About Space and World of Animals, and a general tech mag from my favourite publishing company is ace!”Mike, via email Katie Kilford Southampton Definitely something that I would commit to buying long term! It’ll save buying several different genres of magazines. The previews look great and I love that it covers sports, gaming, cars and tech! :) Scott Silver Newcastle upon Tyne I already subscribed weeks ago!! Looks fab! Not just a catalogue of unaffordable tech! The ‘other’ mags just show…

Be a part of the family Jibo can take group shots of your family and friends, track faces automatically and direct video calls through to the dinner table. Order takeaway Jibo is always connected to the web, so it is capable of ordering some takeaway food for you whenever you ask it for a menu. Read bedtime stories Jibo can help keep an eye on your kids (it recognises faces, remember) and even take over bedtime reading duties if you fancy a night off. Read out messages Because Jibo is connected to your smartphone, it can read out your messages when you’re busy doing something else – like cooking.…

01 Hover your drone Keeping the drone close to the ground without it crashing is notoriously difficult. Get some experience by raising it to 1.5 metres above the ground and practice holding it still. 02 Take short hops Learning the basics of moving backwards and forwards may seem easy, but make sure you practice moving around without your drone stuttering or failing. 03 Counteract the wind The wind will be your biggest annoyance when it comes to controlling your drone. Gently push against the wind on your controller to level your drone. 04 We have liftoff! Learning to take off with your drone can be difficult. With the drone on the ground, gently press forward on your joystick until you’ve reached a height of around two metres. 05 Travel long…

Accelerometer An electronic instrument used for measuring acceleration on a given path. Attitude If you’re new to flying, don’t mix this up with altitude or bad behaviour on the drone’s part. It is the orientation of the UAV – whether it’s tilting forward or flying upside-down. Autonomous Not subject to outside control, this refers to when a drone is flying by itself on a set path using GPS or other means, rather than actively steered with a controller. Bind This is connecting your controller to your drone. It is like pairing your phone to your earpiece, except it doesn’t normally use Bluetooth, of course. CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) This is the UK body that’s in charge of all flight issues and licences. When you read American forums or books, you’ll…

Traxxas Rustler XL-5 £159 | $250 Range: 10 minutes Dimensions: 44.5cm x 17.7cm Red Cat Racing Tornado EPX Pro £333 | $260 Range: 10 minutes Dimensions: 40cm x 16cm Exceed RC Mad Pulse Brushless Drift Car £60 | $100 Range: 20 minutes Dimensions: 24cm x 7.5cm 2015 Ford Mustang V100-S £179 | $300 Range: 15 minutes Dimensions: 37.1cm x 11.2cm HPI Racing Baja 5B £749 | $900 Range: 45 minutes Dimensions: 81.7cm x 25.5cm HobbyZone Sport Cub S £135 | $130 Range: 8 minutes Dimensions: 41cm x 12cm Blade 360 CFX £330 | $500 Range: 6 minutes Dimensions: 67cm x 21cm i-Heli T40C £130 | $150 Range: 9 minutes Dimensions: 81cm x 31cm ParkZone Ember 2 £150 | $100 Range: 10 minutes Dimensions: 33.5cm x 12.7cm Flyzone Tidewater EP Seaplane…

Up and away! The Hydrofoil can be separated from its nautical base in order to fly on its own Smooth ride The four propellers help to keep the drone two inches off the surface, and enable better agility and stability Sharp turner The Hydrofoil is capable of travelling at 6mph (9kph) and it is able to turn sharp corners without capsizing Not content with tackling just land and air, Parrot has now taken to the sea as well, presumably in its bid to make the coolest drones imaginable across all terrain. The Minidrone Hydrofoil consists of two components: a main non-powered body and a Parrot aerial Minidrone. Connect the Minidrone to the Hydrofoil deck via a hinged mount and you’ll notice that instead of flying straight into the air as…

Magnets Two magnets at the top hold BB-8’s head in place, enabling it to move as BB-8 rolls along Head screwed on The stem attached to the magnets in BB-8’s head helps keep her upright, preventing her from tipping over Gyroscope The gyroscope determines which way is down, with two wheels moving the internal mechanism to keep it the right side up All systems go The main systems board contains much of what makes BB-8 tick: like the Bluetooth chip, gyroscope and battery charger Outer shell The inside of BB-8 is protected by a hard polycarbonate shell, which makes it a tough little droid to break Batteries The batteries are connected to an inductive charging system that effectively lets BB-8 recharge wirelessly when placed on the charging base Charging plate…

Smash the Kessel Run all over again! Powered by four propellers, take control of the fastest heap of junk in the galaxy with this remote-controlled drone. Star Wars Millennium Falcon Radio Control Flying Drone £99.99 | $109.99 smythstoys.com Steer like Solo You can spin and flip in midair, and pretend you’re being chased by TIE fighters… Smooth flight There are four propellers to aid the stability when the Falcon’s in flight R2-D2 in your living room With over 1,000 action combinations possible, finally you can bring the saga’s diminutive hero to life like never before! Star Wars Interactive R2-D2 Robotic Droid £139.99 | $239.99 smythstoys.com Hear the heir to Vader speak! This deluxe version of The Force Awakens’ newest villain has 31 points of articulation, is poseable and repeats a…

It’s stronger than it looks It may be cardboard, but it’s very good cardboard. The cylindrical shape makes it very strong in compression, which is the force it experiences during flight. Cardboard toilet rolls aren’t quite as resilient Tear a hole in the air The sleek, low-weight plastic nose atop the payload bay is key to achieving good altitude and a straight flight Safe journey home Protected from the hot gases in the motor’s ejection charge with copious wadding, the 15-inch plastic parachute is capable of bringing your new rocket gently home. If you have an expensive payload (there‘s a maximum load of 50g) then you might want to invest in a larger nylon parachute Flight stability The fins must be securely attached and precisely aligned on both stages to…

No pets in the payload bay No living payloads, but we don’t expect you’d want to risk turning your pets into pâté anyway. The 40G lift off means you need a very resilient mini DV cam or model-rocket altimeter The rocket for those who think size matters The Firebolt is a tall one, 927mm tall or over 36 inches in old money. This means a thicker 5.5mm launch rod is required. A simple mod of the Astron II pad can accommodate this, but a safer bet would be a bigger launch pad like the Estes E pad or a Klima Air Launcher This one needs a big motor More propellant means more go power. The 24mm motors needed for the Firebolt can have double or more power than smaller rockets.…

For some people it may be hard to believe, but there was a legitimate time where if you wanted to play a racing game it wasn’t as simple as wrestling away some television time and sticking on an Xbox One or PS4. You had to venture into the attic, pull out a dusty box full of Scalextric toys and then spend hours building tracks only to realise you didn’t have any batteries for the car controllers. Thankfully, Anki is here to revolutionise the racing game. Following up on the success of Anki Drive – a physical track-based racing game controlled by a smartphone app – was never going to be easy, but the company has succeeded by making a number of major improvements to the core design. For starters, the…

Disney Infinity £14 | $14 infinity.disney.com REASONS TO PLAY Third generation Disney has already reached its third wave of figurines, including a series of Marvel superheroes Never-ending toy box Infinity is less of an adventure and more about building. Create new in-game worlds to explore Power up Any character can use any power, so you can instruct Aladdin to ride Pegasus Amiibo £11 | $130 nintendo.com REASONS TO PLAY Nintendo only Amiibos are exclusive to Nintendo consoles, so they only work with Wii U and 3DS games Spoilt for choice There are over 60 toys available, including Mario and Pikachu, with even more on the way Tap and play Amiibo is different in that you can tap the figure on the hub, rather than keeping it there Skylanders £13 |…

Ristar Mega Drive This guy might not be as famous as Sonic, but his platform game is just as good – give it a go! Streets Of Rage 2 Mega Drive An obvious choice? Maybe, but it’s the best scrolling beat-’em-up ever made, without a doubt. Warlords Atari 2600 You’ll need a couple of sets of paddle controllers for this game, but you’ll have hours of four-player fun. Solaris Atari 2600 Not only is this space shoot-’emup fun, it’s a great example of how far you can push Seventies hardware. Nifty Lifty ZX Spectrum Dodge lifts, grab items. It sounds simple, but in practice it’s a tricky – yet compelling – task to master. Deflektor ZX Spectrum This brainteaser is a high-pressure test of wits – use your laser to…

Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick them in a current Look, no batteries! Behold the power of vegetable-electrolyte power with the potato clock. Two simple spuds that connect up to make a circuit, it is an easy way to demonstrate how a basic circuit works. It’s sure to make the mantelpiece look that little bit quirkier if nothing else. 4M Potato Clock | 4m-ind.com | £11 | $6 Hydraulic air and water-powered mini buggies This small vehicle utilises a pneumatic hydraulic engine that runs on good old water. Containing both air and water powered systems, it’s a really cool toy to race around indoors and out. There are 30 types of models available along with a colour instruction book. We’re far too excited about this one. Air+Water Power Plus thamesandkosmos.com |…

Give your old speakers a 21st century update Audio perfection Users can also find an included stereo-line driver to help keep tracks as close to lossless quality when being streamed Dual-core power To help keep your tracks sounding awesome, the ARM Cortex-A7 links in with the built-in media processor Never be without signal To prevent signals being lost or dropped, Google has opted for a multidirectional antenna to be implemented into the Chromecast Audio Connected in every way There’s a single chip included in the Chromecast Audio that holds all of the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC connections in one place Powered by USB The rear USB port is used primarily for keeping the Chromecast Audio powered whenever it’s in use The concept of adding smart functionality to an ageing speaker…

ViewSonic PJD7830HDL 1080p Home Cinema Projector A home projector that prides itself on its light-filtering Super Color technology to make streaming in any situation foolproof. £580 | $1,150 | viewsonic.com Optoma X600 XGA With a simple HDMI-based connection, projecting through the Optoma X600 can take minutes instead of hours to set up. £1,160 | $1,420 | optoma.com Sony VPL-HW40ES Look past its price and the Sony VPL is the ultimate home projector, packing in a 20w lamp and native 1080p support. £1,666 | $2,500 | sony.com…

There are a few reasons your standard MP3 or AAC audio files don’t sound as good as they should, but it all boils down to compression. Compressing music files makes sense, especially when streaming as nobody wants to have to deal with 50MB songs when they’re on a shaky 3G connection. However, narrowing the dynamic range of a file (that’s reducing the volume of loud sounds and amplifying quiet ones) to make it smaller means you end up losing many of the finer details.…

BE SAFE WITH ABS AVALANCHE PROTECTION An ABS Vario base with an 18 litre zip-on pack is practical and might just save your life if you’re caught in an avalanche. Two airbags in one provide additional protection and the base pack has enough room for a probe and shovel too. If you like to go off-piste, you need one of these! ABS Vario Base Unit + 18l Zip-on £499 | $734.91 | abs-airbag.com GET BEATS IN YOUR WINTER SPORTS HELMET The POC Receptor bug looks awesome and is super-safe too, with its dual-overlapping shells for sharp object protection, closable vents and an EPS liner. Add in the communication neck roll accessory for Beats by Dr. Dre speakers and a microphone that connects to the 3.5mm port on your phone and…

Body Some glasses come with widgets on the bottom that achieve a similar effect by activating particles in lager or beer – think of those as analogue counterparts to the Sonic Foamer Head As the head is formed at the top it brings the more delicate aromas and tastes of the brew to the surface–foaming activates the more subtle notes of most beers Bubbles The Foamer makes ultrasonic sound at such a wavelength that perfectly sized bubbles are formed to produce a creamy head on beer (or a frothy one on lager) Basin By pouring two teaspoons of water in the basin, you create a channel for the ultrasonic sound the device emits to pass through If you’re under the impression that getting a big head on your beer isn’t…

Not only does the Haier WS50GDBI freestanding wine cellar have a polished design that’s complete with stainless steel and natural oakwood shelves, it can also store up to 50 bottles and is packed with technology to keep your Friday evening treat perfectly chilled. In fact, the cooler contains distinct temperature zones so that red and white wine can be stored together at different temperatures. What’s more, it has a humidity control mechanism and a variety of preset options to adjust the cooler’s core temperatures from five to twenty degrees Celsius. This can be done using an LCD touchscreen, so you don’t have to even open the door. You also don’t have to worry about this fridge making that usual annoying hum you get from your average fridge, as Haier uses…

Call a taxi If you’re on a night out and Floome says you’ve had too much to drink, the app can detect nearby companies and call a taxi for you Keep a drink diary By telling the Floome your weight, height and gender, it can accurately measure your alcohol intake and make an easy-to-read chart Keep you fit Floome can even tell what you’ve been drinking and can provide calorie counts for those drinks. It can also say exactly how many calories you drank in a night Anyone hungry? Need to sober up? Floome’s app can locate nearby restaurants and give you directions…

Fibre-optic fist Fibre optic tubes tracked finger movement. If light was unable to get through the tubes, the system knew your fingers were curled. A smart idea, but reportedly not very accurate Cheap components The Power Glove cost $75 in 1989, around $150 in today’s money. However, Mattel struggled to make the device even this affordable and was forced to use low-quality parts to save money. This minimised cost, but maximised user frustration with the glove offering an erratic performance Limited games Despite being designed for the incredibly popular NES console, only two games – Super Glove Ball and Bad Street Brawler – were released that used the device Wired for sound The Power Glove emitted a noise that humans can’t hear, but two receivers attached to your TV could.…