Innholdsfortegnelse for Awards 2017 i T3

If you’ve been reading for a long time, you might notice that we have many more categories this year than before. That’s because the world of tech is changing – now sensors and wireless components are so small and cheap, pretty much everything is becoming smart and connected. And if the tech industry’s horizons are widening, then its most prestigious awards need to follow suit. The expanded category list is made to reflect the new world of smarter living in everything we do, and I hope you enjoy reading about all these fantastic award-winning (and strong runner-up) products. This year is the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and Apple’s pulled out something really special for it (as well as a bunch of other great-looking new products). You can read all…

Says... Make bettersounding music at home and on stage with high-tech upgrades to your rock star setup CHRIS BARNES THE READER George Evett ➝ Aspiring rock star George is looking for a great-sounding, easy-to-use home recording rig. He’d like to join a band eventually, too, so anything to help him sound great on stage would be a bonus. THE EXPERT Chris Barnes ➝ Chris is a tech-loving guitarist with years of experience making music. To help George in his quest, Chris has pieced together the ultimate recording and performance setup. 01 2017 GIBSON LES PAUL STANDARD HIGH PERFORMANCE Nothing ruins a wailing solo more than an out-of-tune guitar, but that’s no issue with Gibson’s self-tuning axe. Built into the headstock of every High Performance model, the G Force auto-tuning controller…

SUPER SHOOTER The iPhone X has dual 12MP cameras (one 2x telephoto, one wide angle), just like the 7 Plus, except now both lenses feature optical stabilization tion, and the sensor is much improved, letting in 83% more light, for sharper pics with less noise. And now Portrait Mode lets you change the lighting of a person’s headshot digitally, which is just bonkers. FACE TIME Apple ’ s Touch ID fingerprint sensor is gone, replaced with face recognition for security, including unlocking your phone, and Apple Pay. Face recognition doesn ’t have a great rep on phones, but Apple’s tech is more advanced (see across), so we’ll have to see if it’s really better when we can try one at length. The 3D tech is also used to add Portrait…

STREAM TV SHOWS AND MUSIC INFINITELY WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF EXCEEDING YOUR DATA LIMIT Q I keep maxing my data watching video and streaming music on my commute. What can I do? A Sit back, relax and stop worrying, that’s what. You could change your habits and pack your phone’s storage with media – most streaming services have some kind of download option – but you don’t always know what you’ll be in the mood for before you go. Mobile entertainment doesn’t have to take up all your data, though: opt for Three’s Go Binge option (three.co.uk/go-binge) when you sign up for one of its 4GB and above advanced plans and you’ll be able to enjoy streaming services including Netflix, Deezer, TVPlayer and SoundCloud infinitely without using up your data. Scare yourself…

Don’t know the winner of our Lifetime Achievement award? You should. Asus Chairman and Chief Branding Officer Jonney Shih is one of the most entertaining, enthusiastic and downright tireless executives in the tech world, pumping out high-energy presentations at trade shows packed with positivity and panache. But it’s not just his stage presence that’s made Shih a legend; since joining the company in 1994, he and his team have built Asus from a niche motherboard manufacturer into the fourth largest PC vendor in the world, a leader in home internet kit, and even a player in the smartphone market. Now Asus is looking forward and in a field that could push tech even further. For the T3 Awards, we caught up with Shih to talk robots, AI, future-thinking and building…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... BANG & OLUFSEN BEOSOUND SHAPE THE CONTENDERS TAG Heuer Modular 45 ➝ There’s a smartwatch to suit all tastes and budgets within TAG’s Modular 45 range, whether you prefer a titanium or calfskin strap. The water resistant, Android Wear-toting timepiece includes built-in GPS and other sensors to transform your workouts and customisable faces place alerts and stats front and centre. SimAudio Moon 888 ➝ Inside this immense monoblock amplifier sits a herculean power supply alongside a massive 8kW capacity output section designed to drive up to 888-watts of nextlevel audio. Motorsport-grade cast-aluminium heatsinks and integrated, vibration-free circuitry ensure every track is recreated with supreme detail and clarity. Range Rover Velar ➝ Range Rover’s latest SUV is the perfect marriage of luxury, technology and utility. In…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... SONY A1 THE CONTENDERS Panasonic EZ952 ➝ World-beating colour fidelity is the name of the EZ952’s game. In fact, this is one of the best sets for reproducing lush colours and putting in a stellar near-black performance. Panasonic’s EZ952 UHD TV has a wide-ranging smart TV platform, too, meaning you can watch anything while enjoying sumptuous picture quality. LG W7 ➝ A serious contender at this year’s T3 Awards, the 4K HDR10 LG W7 comes with a hefty price tag but puts in a hefty performance to compensate. LG’s ‘wallpaper’ TV boasts a semi-flexible 2.75mmthin screen and produces cinema-quality surround sound thanks to a Dolby Atmos-capable external speaker system. Samsung Q7 ➝ Is QLED really a match for OLED? Samsung reckons so, putting its money…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... Q ACOUSTICS M3 THE CONTENDERS ➝ Bose Soundtouch 300 The petite, driver-packed Soundtouch 300 immerses viewers deep inside the world on screen thanks to PhaseGuide technology, which cleverly beams sound to every corner of the room. Pair your Soundtouch with the thunderous Acoustimass 300 wireless bass module and an array of films and TV shows will pop from the screen. ➝ Sonos Playbase A wonderfully simple TV audio solution that pumps out big-screen sound with ease. Out of the box, ten internal drivers kick out clear, bass-rich audio, or you can fine-tune your Playbase to the room using Sonos’ Trueplay calibration system. The flat design means you can sit your telly directly on top, too. ➝ Samsung HW-K950 There’s a whopping 15 speakers built into…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... OPTOMA NUFORCE BE SPORT3 THE CONTENDERS Apple AirPods The amazing battery life, seamless connectivity and fantastic audio of the AirPods more than make up for Apple’s controversial ditching of the iPhone 7’s headphone jack. Touch controls on the earbuds themselves are smooth and intuitive and Siri is always on hand to line up your favourite tunes. Jabra Elite Sport Jabra’s wireless Elite Sports are secure, comfortable and waterproof for long sweaty gym sessions, while integrated heart rate monitoring analyses fitness to help you hit your goals. Audio clarity is impeccable too, whether you’re grinding out reps or taking advantage of the four-microphone technology on a phone call. Sennheiser Momentum Simple one-touch pairing and ten-hour battery life make the Momentums a great choice to fit and…

Gary Numan brought synths and dark lyrics about tech to the late ’70s charts, to a mixture of wild excitement and, it must be said, a fair bit of hostility. He’s since sold millions of records, and influenced everything from the hip-hop scene to Nine Inch Nails to, erm, the Sugababes. T3: How did people react to you using synths and singing about technology, back in the late ’70s? GN: Very different to now. I remember when the stuff first came out the resistance to it was… striking. People were really hostile, y’know? I think people actually saw it as a dangerous thing… That it was gonna change the world order of music – that guitars were gonna be thrown out the window, almost. I’ve got friends now who are…

SPONSORED BY T3 AND THE WINNER IS... NETGEAR ARLO PRO THE CONTENDERS Nest Cam IQ ➝ Enhanced facial recognition, speakers that are “seven times more powerful than the original Nest Cam” and a new camera that comes equipped with three microphones… No wonder the Nest Cam IQ was nominated for a T3 Award. We just love its Supersight dual display live feed and detailed, Full HD images. Yale Conexis L1 ➝ Lost your door keys? That’s a big problem… unless you have a Yale Conexis L1 smart lock installed! Pair it with the Yale app on your smartphone, and your handset becomes both your key and your mobile command centre, from which you can monitor lock activity and share mobile keys with your friends and family. Y-Cam Protect ➝ Enjoy…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... GARMIN FORERUNNER 935T THE CONTENDERS T3 HIGHLY COMMENDED Fitbit Charge 2 ➝ You don’t need a degree in biometrics to understand the awesome data captured by Fitbit’s Highly Commended do-it-all tracker with automatic activity tracking. You can use it to easily keep tabs on sleep patterns, steps taken and calories burned, and to measure your heart rate or set health targets. Polar A370 ➝ The water-resistant A370 is your ticket to a healthier lifestyle. Accurate wrist-based heart rate monitoring keeps an eye on heart health, while Smart Coaching guides you through workouts and sets goals to help you reach peak fitness. At night, Sleep Plus tracks shuteye, providing feedback on how to optimise your time in bed. TomTom Spark 3 Cardio ➝ The waterproof Spark…

Broadcasting veteran and author Johnny Ball’s frenetic, unique presentation of science and maths shows like Think of a Number and Johnny Ball Reveals All made him an icon to an entire generation of impressionable TV viewers in the ’70s and ’80s. We catch up with our Personality of the Year award winner to talk safety (or lack of it), living with today’s technology, and what comes next. T3: What are some of your fondest memories of creating kids’ TV? Johnny Ball: We were not scared of doing anything. When we did a programme on jewellery, I had a quarter of a million pounds’ worth of jewellery just for the last shot. It was the greatest insurance for any one event that the BBC ever took out. We said we were…

SPONSORED BY SAFE BANKING Internet banking is incredibly handy when you’re travelling, but you need to make sure you’re completely secure when logging on – which is where a VPN comes in. It creates a secure connection to your bank’s website from your computer. With a VPN, you can be certain that no one else is going to steal your password KEEP YOUR WORK SECURE Are you travelling for business? If so, a VPN is essential, especially if you are accessing important data from your company’s servers. Using a public network for working on is a huge gamble if you’re unprotected. Instead, a VPN can ensure that your work files and confidential emails remain completely secure STREAM SHOWS FROM HOME Services such as iPlayer are locationbased, so you can only…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... SONY A9 THE CONTENDERS T3 HIGHLY COMMENDED Fujifilm X-T2 ➝ Deservedly earning our Highly Commended badge, the glorious Fujifilm X-T2 has been reeling in the five-star reviews all year. Slick handling, gorgeous Film Simulation modes, an intelligent hybrid AF and a 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS sensor band together to make this flagship Fujifilm mirrorless camera a true asset to any photographer. Canon EOS M5 ➝ At the top of Canon’s mirrorless camera crop sits the EOS M5, reasonably priced and incredibly portable. It’s packing a 24.2MP APS-C size sensor and offers a slew of mighty useful features including a Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Digic 7 processor, plus Full HD video capture and 7fps shooting. It’s a superb package. Nikon D7500 ➝ We have a lot…

Matt Bolton iPAD PRO 10.5-INCH £619, APPLE.COM/UK ➝ This came in just too late to make our shortlist, but it would’ve been a really strong contender for Gadget of the Year. This is a genuine marvel, from its laptoplevel power to its 120Hz ProMotion screen, which makes everything else you own instantly look outdated. And the size is just perfect for me, especially with iOS 11. Dan Grabham SAMSUNG GALAXY S8+ £779, SAMSUNG.COM/UK ➝ Your phone has to be good, because it’s probably the thing you use most in your life. And the Galaxy S8+ is so good. The design is just amazing, and wins you over the second you try it. And I love having a big 6.2-inch screen in a handset I can hold without needing a spotter.…

1 EMFIT QS A sleep tracker you slide under your mattress, the Emfit QS uses sensors to collect data about your sleep stages by monitoring your heart rate, breathing and how much you move throughout the night. No need to switch it on because it tracks everything automatically. €299.94, shop-eu.emfit.com 2 ZEEQ SMART PILLOW An all-singing, all-dancing pillow that can play music, monitor snoring with a built-in microphone – and reacts with gentle vibrations – analyses sleep, wakes you up at the best time for you, and displays all the data on a handy graph that you can access within the Zeeq app. £199, shop.rem-fit.co.uk 3 S+ SLEEP SENSOR This sensor sits on your bedside table and uses ultralow power radio waves to measure your breathing and movements throughout the night. It syncs…

Matt Bolton EDITOR Matt was on Apple duty this issue, collecting everything you need to know about the new releases on p37. Now he talks like he’s presenting a product launch all the time, in an Alabama drawl. Jo Gulliver SENIOR ART EDITOR Jo’s been working on something a bit special for us recently, and this month was crunch time. You can get a sneak peek on p104 – but next issue is where you’ll see the results. Andrew Westbrook OPERATIONS EDITOR Andy’s got his eye on the sleep tech in our Man vs Tech feature (p108), to see if it’ll help him get better rest. Not for health reasons – he just wants to binge Netflix past 2am. Nick Odantzis DEPUTY EDITOR This issue, Nick had the job of…

Becca Caddy, tech guru Gadget-writing veteran Becca knows everything about using tech for wellness and fixing up your lifestyle, so she took a look at the many kinds of smart sleeping aids out there on p108. Steve May, AV expert Steve took a break from judging and attending the T3 Awards (p46) to give us his verdict on the ingenious Sony A1 TV (p120), which uses its screen as a speaker. It’s better than it sounds! Chris Barnes, gadget man Musician Chris picked out the best kit to make you an instant rock star on p26, before stretching his wider tech knowledge to help us put together our giant T3 Awards feature of the year’s top gadgets.…

£200, sony.co.uk SMART HOME HUB Built-in Bluetooth 4.2 tech enables you to listen to your favourite music, audiobooks and more from a range of smart devices. One-touch NFC pairing makes connecting easy. You can also turn the Sony LF-S50G into a smart home hub, controlling your smart lights, heating and other compatible connected home gear SMALL YET SHAPELY Sony’s LF-S50G leans on 2017’s popular cylindrical speaker shape (see also: HomePod). It’s relatively small, with a 110mm diameter, but also reasonably heavy at 750g. Underneath its mesh exterior shines an LED clock display Vital stats IPX3 The speaker has a water-resistant coating 750g The weight of the speaker, which stands at 162mm tall 360° The LF-S50G offers an immersive sound experience all over 10 The maximum range, in metres, of this eight-watt speaker Let me guess... It’s another smart speaker,…

This month saw the launch of something truly momentous. Something terrifyingly expensive, admittedly, but also palpably, thrillingly new. A quantum leap forward from a brand with a long, proud history of innovation. That was Miele’s Dialog oven, a triumph of Teutonic engineering that cooks with ‘magnetic waves’ and will revolutionise how we prepare food… once it costs less than eight grand, and we’ve all read the manual. Apple? Oh, they put out a nice phone that costs £800 and a really nice phone that costs a grand. One thing the two launches had in common was a very theatrical launch event. You can’t put out anything new and expensive these days without employing an elaborate mix of West End musical-grade lighting and FX, OLED screens the size of Windsor Castle…

During GaGu’s regularly mandated trawl through the crowdfunding world, he stumbled upon a thing that will change his life forever: the $380/£296 Cubiio. By day, an unassuming cube. Also by day, a cube with a stupidly strong laser in it that can burn custom-generated patterns into whatever you point it at. Supremely dangerous in (and, indeed, on) the wrong hands, but very cool if you want to etch your child’s latest drawing onto a pancake, scorch your name into fine leather goods, or leave an indelible black mark just about anywhere. Please do not mention to Guru the fact that this Kickstarter project falls squarely into the ‘rather unlikely to work properly’ category. A pyromaniac can dream. Very interesting to see the HTC Vive getting a price cut to £599,…

➝ Apple’s face-reading tech includes a projector that beams out 30,000 invisible dots onto your mug, mapping it in 3D, which the camera can then read. This means a photo won’t work, and Apple even had film SFX experts copy people’s faces in 3D, but it wasn’t fooled by that, either. You set it up once with a thorough scan of your face, and it actually then learns about small changes to your look over time, so if you lose weight, it’s not confused. It can work around glasses and two-day-hangover stubble too, thanks to machine learning smarts and the A11 Bionic chip. And your face data is stored only on the phone, encrypted, and never sent to Apple.…

The latest generation of Apple Watch takes the next logical leap and removes its need to be tethered to an iPhone, with an optional 4G connection, starting from £329 for non-4G models, or £399 with 4G. That’s not the only change, of course. The Series 3 Watch includes a barometric altimeter, meaning it can detect your elevation for the first time, which is great for getting a more accurate view of the effort you put into a day – if you climb a mountain, that’s kind of a big factor. There’s also a new faster wireless chip for getting information into the Watch, and a 70% more powerful dual-core processor, so that apps run much zippier, and which enables Siri to speak on the Watch for the first time. It…

The allure of a new iPhone is a strong one. If you’ve decided to take the plunge, using Three’s Trade-in program (three.co.uk/trade-in) to bring in money for your old handset could boost your bank balance after the sting of a new phone. For example, an iPhone 7 Plus in perfect nick could net you as much as £460 – and if you don’t like the price Three is quoting, they’ll send it back to you for free. Three also offers a much more benevolent option in the form of Three Reconnected (three.co.uk/reconnected). Send in your old phone and it’ll be wiped, upgraded and sent out to organisations such as The Good Things Foundation and Business in the Community. These groups then make sure the phones will benefit individuals who really…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... AMAZON ECHO THE CONTENDERS ➝ Samsung Infinity Edge display Just when we thought they’d reached their full potential, Samsung went and turned phones into screens with its Infinity Edge display. Not only does it look incredible, giving you more screen real estate than ever, it actually makes a big phone much smaller. ➝ Oculus Touch The Kickstarter that created a VR market was usurped in last year’s awards. Now, Oculus Touch adds motionsensing control and a second motion-sensing camera, so you can move individual fingers in your games. Seriously clever. ➝ Apple MacBook Pro Touch Bar There are those who love it, and those that don’t. The MacBook Pro was already a capable machine, but the Touch Bar’s instant access to commonly used functions within apps makes…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH T3 AND THE WINNER IS... NETFLIX THE CONTENDERS Now TV ➝ Highly commended at this year’s T3 Awards, Now TV is one of our long-term faves. Like Netflix it’s the one to get started with. Choose from one of four passes - Entertainment, Sky Cinema, Kids, Sky Sports - or grab all four and settle in for all the TV, film, sports and Peppa Pig mayhem you could want from a streaming service. Amazon Instant Video ➝ An improved user interface and a greater array of original content helped Amazon Instant Video find its feet this year. Hit shows like American Gods and Preacher attracted new customers in their droves. There’s also more choice in how you watch and pay for content – either subscriptions or on-demand…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... SONY MDR-1000X THE CONTENDERS Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless ➝ Highly commended at this year’s T3 Awards, the shapely P7 Wireless are steeped in classic British styling. Connectivity is an issue with some wireless headphones, but not with the aptX Bluetooth P7 Wireless. Charge ’em up to enjoy B&W’s advanced acoustic tech and tailored sound for up to 17 hours. Marshall Monitor ➝ The legendary guitar amp company knows how to create quality sound, and that heritage shows in the Monitor Bluetooth on-ears. Marshall took the high-octane audio attitude of its Mid headphones and amped it, making the Monitor a no-brainer for hard rock and metal fans craving stadium-standard sound. Audio Technica ATH-SR5BT ➝ Audio alchemy at its best. We love everything about the Audio…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... DENON HEOS 7 HS 2 THE CONTENDERS Urbanears Baggen ➝ While the Baggen’s minimalist design and muted colour options might scream ‘retro’, there’s actually lots of cool tech inside. Use it as a standalone Bluetooth speaker, hardwire it to your turntable, or connect multiple speakers and access internet radio or streaming services, via AirPlay or Google Cast. Sonos Playbase ➝ It didn’t win, but it came close. Although its primary function is to produce epic home cinema sound, the Playbase integrates with other Sonos multi-room speakers so you’ll never be far from your favourite jams. Load up the Sonos app to access streaming services, plus internet radio stations, podcasts and audiobooks. B&O Play M5 ➝ Linking multiple speakers is no problem with the M5’s built-in…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... AMAZON ECHO THE CONTENDERS T3 HIGHLY COMMENDED Hive Home (Starter Pack) ➝ There’s no easier way to jump into the connected home way of life than with a starter kit, which is exactly what Hive Home offers. Highly Commended at the T3 Awards 2017, this starter pack is compatible with Alexa and includes a window/door sensor, a motion sensor, smart plug and a smart bulb. Netgear Arlo Pro ➝ One of the home security tech highlights of the year, revamped with a rechargeable battery, two-way audio comms and a 100-decibel siren. So of course it was nominated for a T3 Award. You can position the wireless, waterproof cameras anywhere, and keep tabs on your home via night vision and motion detection. IKEA TRÅDFRI ➝ IKEA…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... HIVE ACTIVE HEATING THE CONTENDERS TP-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug ➝ Winter is coming and so your energy bills are likely to rise faster than you can say ‘Daenerys Targaryen’. The T3 Award nominated TP-Link app-controlled Smart Plug will help you keep real-time tabs on energy consumption in your home, producing weekly and monthly logs to help you slash those bills. Tado Smart Thermostat ➝ Never come home to a chilly house again – Tado’s locationbased, energy-saving Smart Thermostat knocks the heating off when you leave the house, and kicks back in when it detects you’re home. Fire up the Tado iOS/Android app to set heating schedules, manually control your boiler and to view usage stats. Nest Thermostat 3rd-generation ➝ Trust us when we say, smart…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... GOOGLE WIFI THE CONTENDERS Netgear Orbi ➝ Blanket your entire home, from the uppermost room to the outermost corner of your garden, with reliable, fast and secure Wi-Fi. The Netgear Orbi’s tri-band home Wi-Fi system works to eliminate dead zones, covering up to 5,000 square feet. Need extra coverage? Add an Orbi Satellite to expand your Wi-Fi reach. Linksys AC1900 Modem Router ➝ If getting on the Wi-Fi in your house results in a bigger scrum than a rugby league match, draft in an AC1900 Cable Modem Router from Linksys. This two-in-one device utilises two dedicated Wi-Fi bands to deliver combined speeds of up to 1.9Gbps. Goodbye, bufferface, and hello mega streaming! Devolo dLan Duo 1200+ Starter Kit ➝ Inject some star power into your…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... HONOR 9 THE CONTENDERS OnePlus 5 ➝ With such a drool-worthy spec, it’s difficult to fathom how OnePlus was able to get away with the 5’s sub-£500 price tag. A Snapdragon 835 processor processor and 8GB of RAM make it one nippy multi-tasker, and dual cameras, a Full HD 5.5-inch display and all-aluminium chassis are the icing on the cake. Huawei Nova ➝ Why fork out around £700 on a premium handset when the Nova is such a compelling package and at less than half the price? The Snapdragon 625 processor, 4K camera and 3D fingerprint sensor are all killer features, but it’s the monumental two-day battery life per charge that really seals the deal for us. Samsung Galaxy A3 ➝ The smallest phone in…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... HP SPECTRE 13 THE CONTENDERS Apple MacBook Pro ➝ The latest Pros bring serious power in a really thin and light case that’s perfect for travel. The Touch Bar adds something totally new – way beyond similar tech from other PC makers – but you can go for a more traditional key layout. Plus you get get the stunning Retina display, and battery life is most generous. Dell XPS 13 2 in 1 ➝ The market for convertibles is thriving, and Dell’s own take is the XPS 13 2 in 1. What you get is the same, much-loved XPS with a bezel-free InfinityEdge 4K display, but with added rotating goodness, making this one of the lightest, thinnest and most attractive convertible laptops on the market…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... RAZER BLADE STEALTH THE CONTENDERS Asus ROG GX800VH ➝ The Asus ROG GX800VH has extreme power needs, which requires a pretty extreme airflow system. Dock it with its liquidcooling base and you’ll unlock the full potential of this behemoth, with automatic overclocking of its innards. It’ll serve all your highend 4K gaming needs wherever you go – but bring the charger. Acer Predator 17X ➝ Acer’s Predator 17X gaming laptop might not be the easiest thing to throw in a bag, but this machine is totally decked out, with a quad-core i7 processor, a whopping GeForce GTX 1080 GPU and 32GB of RAM. You also get a luxuriously large wrist rest and a fully customisable keyboard, with multi-coloured backlighting. Omen by HP 17T Gaming ➝…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... INSTAX SQUARE SQ10 THE CONTENDERS GoPro HERO5 Black ➝ If your life is one big adventure, you’ll want GoPro’s flagship camera to capture the action. Rugged and waterproof to 10 metres, the HERO5 shoots clear, digitally stabilised 4K footage with stereo audio. Voice control means you can still shoot, even when your hands are clinging to handlebars or a cliff edge. Samsung Gear 360 ➝ The nifty Gear 360 is designed to capture and broadcast 360-degree views of your most memorable moments. Inside are two 180° wide-angle lenses that stitch images together to create crisp 360° 4K video or 30MP stills, perfect for viewing with a VR headset. Use the app to switch lenses and edit shots. Sony FDR X3000 ➝ Another camera nomination for…

SPONSORED BY THE CONTENDERS Samsung Galaxy S8 ➝ Although it didn’t quite take the honours in this category, the S8 claimed the top spot in 2017’s Phone of the Year. Its Infinity Edge Display, which made the shortlist for Innovation of the Year, proves that smartphones still have new design frontiers to explore, and it didn’t forget to be a fantastic phone as well. LG G6 ➝ LG has learned from its past mistakes with last year’s LG G5 – instead of quirky upgrades, its G6 focuses on the phone essentials. The result? A mature device with a classy all-metal body and classleading stretched display. It’s proof that you’re only down, never out, in the phone world if you’ve got great execution. Google Pixel ➝ Considering Google owns the Android…

01 FINISTERRE + RNLI DOUGLAS ROLL NECK This season, Cornwall-based surf and outdoors clothing company Finisterre has released a line in collaboration with RNLI, donating 10 per cent of sales to the organisation. Do your bit by purchasing the Douglas Roll Neck, a ribbed-stitch knit made with Merino wool yarn and designed with raglan sleeves. £110, finisterre.com 02 VANS ULTRARANGE RAPIDWELD Find your stride with one of Vans’ most hi-tech trainers in years, designed with a Vulc Lite construction and durable rubber outsoles. Available in four colours, the UltraRange Rapidweld are perfect for everyday wear. A LuxLiner sock-fit reduces rubbing, no matter how long you’re on your feet, with fully breathable mesh uppers keeping bacteria at bay. £75, vans.co.uk 03 HAIR PUTTY BY NEVILLE Supercharge your hair and get dastardly…

WHAT IS IT? It’s a stick thing that gets a bit warm. It has Wi-Fi. FACETIOUS AS EVER, GURU. All right, all right. The Wave is the latest in Nise’s line of sous-vide cooking devices. If you’re unfamiliar, sous-vide – ‘under vacuum’ – is the cooking technique whereby you put your ingredients in a little air-sealed bag and leave it in specifically tepid water for a long time. SO THAT’S GOOD? Sous-vide certainly imparts a unique texture and level of flavour to your food, but Guru can’t help but feel that treating a steak to a nice warm bath for half a day is somewhat less appealing than subjecting it to fiery burnination for a couple of minutes. The Wave takes even more of that aggression out of mealtimes; leave…

The dazzle coming off the iPhone X might outshine iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, but don’t ignore them, because they look like great phones, starting at £699 for 8 and £799 for the 8 Plus. They’ve got the power of the new A11 Bionic chip, wireless charging and upgraded 12MP cameras that let in 83% more light (same as the X). As with the 7 models, the 8 Plus’ dual camera is the real gem, because it works with the new Portrait Lighting feature (though only one lens features optical stabilisation, unlike the X, where both do). the X, where both do). The design is similar to previous iPhones, with the back curving into the hand, allowing it to feel as premium as the cost suggests – they may be…

➝ The new app-enabled Apple TV has had a bit of a rocky life – initial excitement about its apps and cool Siri features eventually gave way to disappointment in its untapped potential, especially in the UK, where some major services still don’t have apps (All 4, we’re looking at you), and others that are way too basic (Now TV, it’s your turn). But with the new Apple TV 4K, the little box gets renewed purpose – it’s maybe the best way to watch 4K movies. For a start, 4K films are coming to iTunes, and they won’t cost any more than current HD movies to buy (so, about £20 max, with many potentially cheaper – there’s no word on rentals just yet). Even better, any you’ve bought already get…

The best celebrities, the finest locations and booze that never seems to stop flowing. The T3 Awards is a particularly special occasion in the calendar year, highlighting the best that’s come over the last 12 months – its winners walking away with a weighty piece of metal in the form of the T3 gong, while runner-ups walk away with a slight headache. 11 years seems like a lifetime, and in the tech industry a lot changes in that sort of time frame. Look at it this way – the iPhone has only just reached 10 years mature, and what did we do for fun on the go before then? Funnily enough, a year before the world would witness the first iPhone, there was the very first T3 Awards event, and…

THE CONTENDERS T3 AND THE WINNER IS... TILE SLIM T3 HIGHLY COMMENDED Beeline ➝ Cycling is fun. Getting lost is not. The Beeline smart compass has helped us get around smarter on our bicycle, which is why it’s Highly Commended in this category. When you download the companion app and set a waypoint, the Beeline displays the direction and distance to your destination. Amazon Fire TV Stick with Alexa ➝ One of the world’s best streaming sticks made even better by the addition of Alexa Voice Service. Amazon’s 8GB stick offers super-fast Wi-Fi and accurate voice search. Use it to access over 7,000 apps, games and Alexa skills, and watch content from Amazon Video, Prime Video, Netflix and other services.. TomTom Touch Cardio ➝ The wearable hits just keep on coming…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... ANKI OVERDRIVE FAST & FURIOUS THE CONTENDERS DJI Mavic Pro ➝ Getting creative with aerial photography has never been easier. The compact Mavic Pro is equipped with a top-notch stabilised 4K camera, handy obstacle-avoiding sensors and autonomous flight modes to help you nail your shots. You’ll get an impressive 27 minutes of airtime with each battery charge too. GoPro Karma Drone ➝ Send your HERO5 action camera skyward aboard GoPro’s adventure-seeking drone. Fly up to 35mph with the gaming-style Karma Controller, complete with a 5-inch 720p screen, and share the view via GoPro’s Passenger app. Back on terra firma, remove the Karma Grip to shoot handheld, gimbal-stabilised footage. Lego Caterham ➝ 68 years since its invention, LEGO still thrives. T3’s 2017 pick is this faithful…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... BT TV YOUVIEW 4K THE CONTENDERS ➝ TalkTalk Talk Talk’s compact box enables you to pause and rewind live TV, store up to 180 hours of content and record two shows at the same time. HD channels come as standard and telly addicts won’t miss a second of their favourite shows thanks to Talk Talk’s integrated seven-day catch-up system and TV Planner app. ➝ Sky Q Store up to 1,000 hours of TV and record six shows at once while you watch another with Sky’s 2TB Q box. Want to watch an episode of The Defenders or the football in Ultra HD while the family’s glued to Strictly? A Sky Q Mini box means you can watch the match in a different room without disturbing…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... CAMBRIDGE AUDIO YOYO M THE CONTENDERS Ultimate Ears Wonderboom ➝ Fight for your right to (house) party with the Wonderboom, Ultimate Ears’ one-stop sound machine and runner up at this year’s T3 Awards. This ten-hour playback portable Bluetooth speaker might be small enough to sit in your hand, but it will melt your face off with its 360° fat bass sound. Bang & Olufsen P2 ➝ We heart all things B&O, and the pocket-sized, splash-resistant P2 is no exception. We’ve been rocking this Bluetooth beauty for months now, enjoying its rich B&O Signature Sound, supported by an improved mid-woofer driver and 2 x 50-watts of power, and digging into the B&O app for customised controls. Monster Superstar Blaster ➝ Wake up the neighbourhood with the…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... YAMAHA WXAD-10 THE CONTENDERS Arcam rPlay ➝ The rPlay Hi-Fi Network Music Streamer has brought Arcam enviable success this year, and we’re not surprised as this understated device houses many epic audio smarts. Want to add network streaming services and internet radio stations? The rPlay can do it, using DTS PlayFi, Apple AirPlay or UPnP-enabled sources. Technics SL- 1200GR ➝ In the 1970s, the Technics SL-1200 ruled the dancefloor, becoming a true icon of the industry. Technics rebooted the turntable in 2016, following it up this year with the release of a standard version, the SL-1200GR. This is half the price and has spec and style in spades. We’re not giving ours back! Bowers & Wilkins P9 ➝ Drawing upon 50 years of audio excellence,…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... PHILIPS HUE T3 HIGHLY COMMENDED THE CONTENDERS LIFX ➝ A close runner-up, the LIFX Wi-Fi-enabled LED smart bulbs are an enjoyable way to add swathes of colour to your home! Each is Wi-Fi-connected, with no hub required, so you can just pick up one to start with. The LIFX app enables you to tweak the colours in your chosen room to enhance the living vibe you’re creating. IKEA TRÅDFRI ➝ Hats off to IKEA for developing one of the most affordable connected lighting ranges we’ve seen this year. Smart lighting at any budget is now a reality with the TRÅDFRI wireless remote control lighting range, comprising dimmer kits (a bulb and remote dimmer switch), motion sensor kits and individual LED bulbs. Osram Lightify ➝ At…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... PHILIPS AVENT UGROW THE CONTENDERS Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition ➝ Children and tech don’t mix well. Happily, the Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition comes in a case designed to withstand bumps and drops. It’s also integrated with Fire For Kids Unlimited – all the shows, apps, books, videos and games your child loves – and has a kid-safe browser and parental controls. Bugaboo Bee5 ➝ When you’re commuting with a pushchair, a fast, one-handed folding mechanism is a priority feature, which is what the customisable Bugaboo Bee5 delivers. That, plus a padded seat, with various recline positions, for bambino to chill out in, and a smooth suspension to avoid waking baby during nap time. Summer Infant Wearable Monitor ➝ Of course we were going…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... APPLE WATCH SERIES 2 THE CONTENDERS Samsung Gear S3 ➝ Classic design meets future smarts with Samsung’s newest, TizenOS-powered timepiece. The S3’s 1.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen is sharp and bright, while the interactive bezel makes light work of answering calls, reading messages and navigating apps. The battery can also deliver four days’ usage on one charge. TAG Heuer Modular 45 ➝ This Swiss-made smartwatch is customisable to your tastes, however outlandish they are. Whether you opt for diamonds, titanium or calfskin, each Modular 45 is built around an Android Wear 2.0 watch with a tasty 400x400 pixel, 1.39-inch AMOLED display. Built-in GPS and Wi-Fi mean it works without your smartphone. Huawei Watch 2 ➝ You don’t need to carry a smartphone with the 4G, GPS, Wi-Fi…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH TECHRADAR PRO T3 AND THE WINNER IS... IPVANISH THE CONTENDERS VPN Unlimited ➝ Here’s a sledgehammer of an option for those looking at a VPN. Download/upload speeds are exceptionally strong, there’s a client for virtually every kind of device going, you get access to over 1,000 servers in over 50 countries, and a wide variety of payment plans means there’s an option for everyone. Vypr VPN ➝ Vypr VPN is located in Switzerland due to its favourable privacy laws. Specs are impressive: 73 server locations, unlimited data usage, various auto-connect options for ease of use, apps for every device, and much more. Factor in the superb performance in use, and it’s easy to see how Vypr VPN ended up here. Tunnel Bear ➝ Networking noobs – fear…

T3 AND THE WINNER IS... STEELSERIES ARCTIS 7 THE CONTENDERS Nacon Revolution PAro ➝ This thing isn’t cheap, but it is – hands down – the best PS4 controller in the world. The Revolution Pro offers unparalleled accuracy and performance, with the ability to tailor its setup exactly to your digits’ liking, making it ideal for serious gamers wanting to take their finesse to the next level. Astro A50 ➝ It’s easy to see why the Astro A50 gaming headphones made the grade in this year’s awards: they’re dripping with high-end, T3-worthy features. Totally wireless, they offer up to 15 hours of untethered gaming goodness. It’s the Dolby 7.1 surround sound that clinches it, though, giving great positional audio in any game. Corsair lapdog ➝ Any accessory that brings PC…

SPONSORED BY T3 AND THE WINNER IS... SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 THE CONTENDERS LG G6 ➝ Just when you thought phone screens were getting bigger all round, LG went and made them taller instead. The G6’s elongated 18:9 screen not only gives you a wider viewing experience, Dolby Vision compatibility through Netflix grants you even more spectacular picture quality than other HDR handsets. HTC U11 ➝ If you can’t beat them, do something… different, and that’s exactly what you get with HTC’s latest handset. Its headline feature is Edge Sense; squeeze the sides and you’ll be able to capture photos and much more. Its Liquid Surface design oozes appeal, making this one phone you’ll not be able to keep your hands off. Huawei P10 ➝ Photography is a major part of…

SNAP TO IT The rear packs dual-lens 12MP cameras, while the front is 8MP. 4K recording is included, naturally, and you can take 9MP stills from the rear camera at the same time as recording in 4K at the same time as recording in 4K PENNED IN The S Pen has a fine nib and 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, for the phone artists out there, and is well integrated into the operating system. It slides away into the Note 8 when not in use BATTERY CHECK The screen is pretty much the same as the S8’s, including a lush 2960x1440 resolution and HDR video support MAKING MEMORY The Note 8 comes with 64GB of storage, but can take microSD cards up to 256GB, in case you need to add…

PAIR WORTH £2,000! Pretty much every company under the sun makes some kind of speaker these days, but if you want the best-possible music reproduction, you need to go a hi-fi company with years of experience. But that doesn’t mean you have to be dealing with extra cables and added components to drive them properly; KEF’s LS50 Wireless pack everything you need, including amazing-sounding drivers, top-quality amps and the latest streaming tech, right into the speaker units themselves. It starts with the award-winning LS50 speaker design. The unique Uni-Q (see what they did there?) driver places the tweeter at the exact centre of the mid-range driver, providing a natural sound, wide dispersion and perfect timing, thanks to a new digital signal processor. And with an individual amp and DAC for…

01 EUCLIDEA Solve problems using Euclidean geometry, creating exact angles, bisections and perfect circles. It’s not really like schoolwork though. Free, App Store, Google Play 02 DOTS & CO Dots & Co adds a smattering of charming adventure and a stack of magical companions into the well-honed dot-joining puzzle formula. Free, App Store, Google Play 03 MINI METRO Link up stations and create transport lines to cart passengers around a virtual city. Keep everybody happy, and you’ll unlock tunnels, bridges and more. £4.99, App Store, Google Play 04 HOOK Retract the hooks without letting any of the lines touch. It isn’t a long game, or overly challenging, but it’s perfect for getting away from the world. 99p, App Store, Google Play 05 BRAIN IT ON! A collection of physics-based puzzles…