Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2016 i T3

MEET THE ROBOT THAT DOES YOGA! P41 AIDO AIDO is unlike anything we’ve ever seen here at T3: it’s a home robot that acts as an entertainment system, a smart-home controller, a kitchen assistant, a security system and, well, just an all-round friendly robot. The ballbot-based device will even scoot over to you when you call its name. So, is AIDO the future of home robots? Well, it certainly looks like a massive step (or should that be roll?) in the right direction. Entertainment-wise, it features a two-inch woofer, dual tweeters and a 10-watt amplifier for playing tunes, as well as a built-in projector for beaming movies onto your wall. It can even project game boards that you can interact with. This three-foot robot will patrol your house for you (you…

Wow, check out the screen on that phone! Erm, it’s not a phone – but you probably won’t be the only one who’s fooled by the massive 4.7-inch display on this high-res audio player – and to make things even more confusing, it packs the Android 5.1.1 operating system. We’ve seen Android-based audio players before, so what makes this so special? The XDP-100R is the only one to offer a full version of the Google Play store, giving you unfettered access to every available streaming service, as well as a bespoke music-playback app designed for locally stored high-res audio files. The inclusion of Tidal from the outset is key because even though it’s not HRA-certified right now, that’s all about to change… Sounds exciting, but how will Tidal be able…

NEXT MONTH TECHY FOOTWEAR ON SALE TUES 16 FEB 01 FISHERMAN’S FRIEND DRAKE’S WOOL DONEGAL WATCH CAP Hand-knitted in Scotland, and crafted from 100 per cent lambswool, the Wool Donegal Watch Cap by Drake’s boasts a strong fisherman feel thanks to its docker-style brim. A cosy, thick and warm, flecked beanie, it comes in six different colours, including navy (shown here), red and natural. £45, drakes.com 02 OPULENT CASHMERE MR QUINTESSENTIAL BARK SCARF Luxurious and soft as a baby, this Mr Quintessential creation is ideal for those people who love classy knitwear. Made from the plushest, silkiest cashmere, the light-blue Bark Scarf features a contrasting grey hem and a fine ribbed trim, and looks great when worn with winter layers. £80, mrquintessential.com 03 FIT FOR PHONE USE PROPORTA TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES…

Got an Apple Watch and wanna make that bad boy ‘way pimp’? Head to ullushop.com for some seriously nice strappage. Prices start at $99 (£67) for leather (plain or dyed) and go up to $399 (£270) for alligator – and they also do stingray and ostrich. It’s like dinner round at Guru’s house! Gibson used to be known for making guitars – and for all Guru knows, it still is. But hot on the heels of its excellent Trainer running headphones come the Philips SHB8850NC cans (left, £90). Yes, Philips audio is now a subdivision of Gibson. These headphones serve up both Bluetooth connectivity and active noise cancelling, which makes them something of a steal, especially if you’re looking for both of those things. GaGu’s favourite launch this month was…

Apple iPad Pro Skype your work clients in style with the iPad Pro’s 12.9-inch Retina Display, fourspeaker design and an improved sensor on the FaceTime HD camera for better-quality video calls. With an A9X CPU, Apple says this hybrid (available with 32GB or 128GB) is faster than 90 per cent of PCs, so it’ll keep up with your workload. Throw in a Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil stylus, and you’re set for creating on the go. From £679, apple.com WD My Passport Ultra Available in sizes from 500GB to 3TB, this portable drive is the easy way to safeguard work files, thanks to its 256-bit hardware encryption, password feature and Western Digital back-up software. From £42, westerndigital.com aircharge Koncept This stylish, low-energy output lamp will charge your smartphone as…

1 ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND Gamers come in every flavour, from stuffy businessmen to adrenaline junkies. Don’t jump to conclusions. Keep an open mind and you’ll earn friends, which can only help your gaming experience. 2 LEARN ABOUT THE GAME Watch tutorials, read online forums and analyse other players. Every game has its proplayers, and they can always teach you a thing or two. You’ll be owning the scene in no time. 3 FLUIDITY IS KEY A good gamer relies heavily on fluid movements, smooth rotations and precise decisions. Try hard to relax – the more tense you are, the more likely you are to make a mistake. 4 WHAT WORKS ? TEAM WORKS! Being a team player is key in both casual and competitive gaming. Listen to your…

LIKE SEASONED DRINKERS WATCHING TIPSY PUBESCENTS, GPS SPORTS WATCHES CHUCKLED PATRONISINGLY WHEN THEY SAW THE EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING THE FIRST SMARTWATCHES AND FITNESS TRACKERS. BUT THEN THEY COPIED THEM. Does a serious runner honestly care about an activity tracker that records how many steps they take between their desk and the kettle if they’re going to be running 15km later? And as their workout might be the only time they get to block out the incessant white noise of email and social media, do they really want notifications on their watch? The answer to both questions is probably not. But, afraid to miss out on a new market, the big boys have adopted these features. And surprisingly, it works. Well, some of it… If you’re serious about exercising, you need a…

So which watch can help improve your sporting performances the most? And what are they all like to use? The V800’s sleep data is limited and it does little for running dynamics without an additional stride sensor and foot pod – though these won’t be key features for most. Its USB cord for charging and syncing with the Flow Sync desktop software is very fiddly. However, the V800 does boast, among others, a VO2 max test. This determines your body’s ability to recruit and utilise oxygen while exercising. It’s as good as stipulating the marathon time you’re capable of, and until recently required a coach, a treadmill and a lot of breathing into a mask. Orthostatic testing gives a score to your current health condition, Jump looks at explosive strength…

01 GARMIN CONNECT IQ Check out a host of watch faces. As well as numerous sporty options, there are ones designed to make you laugh, and a word display. Free; apps.garmin.com/en-GB 02 COMMUTE TRACKER Get feedback on how effective your commute has been, with all manner of stats. The idea is that you’ll learn the best time to leave work. Free; apps.garmin.com/en-GB 03 FIND MY CAR This is key (pun intended) for that crowded multistorey car park on a Saturday afternoon. It directs you to your car and keeps tabs on ticket-expiration times. Free; apps.garmin.com/en-GB 04 CAMERA REMOTE Take photos or even shoot video on the Garmin Fenix 3 with this versatile app. It’s currently only compatible with Android, but an iOS version is imminent. Free; apps.garmin.com/en-GB 05 MINUTECAST This…

“You need to be able to run 10km before you’re ready for most obstacle courses. [The Nuts Challenge], because it’s so obstacledense, doesn’t have a lot of opportunity to open your legs up for a good run. So 5ks and fun runs are good preparation for the general fitness you need. “You need some upper body and core strength, too. Go to a gym and do some hanging and pulling on an assisted-pullups or lat-pull-downs machine. Alternatively, go to your local park and find something to hang from. Pulling yourself up is useful, but slowly lowering yourself is even more useful – that eccentric motion builds ideal strength and the right muscles for obstacle courses. “Bouldering is excellent, as it builds grip strength. I do a lot of kettle-bell workouts,…

01 WATCH LIVE SPORTS LIKE NEVER BEFORE NextVR is the latest app designed specifically for watching sports via virtual reality, recreating the sights and sounds of some of your favourite events (including NASCAR, the US Open and the NBA). It’ll be a premium service, but being there, live, as a match or game unfolds will be truly groundbreaking stuff. 02 TRAVEL THE WORLD, FROM HOME Ever wanted to visit some of the world’s far-flung wonders but struggled to find the time or cash? Well, VR is providing the tourism industry with a perfect way to show off some incredible locations. For instance, The Wild Within (pictured) recreates the experience of rafting and hiking through the wilds of British Columbia. 03 TURN YOUR HEADSET INTO A HOME CINEMA In an age…

KEEP TALKING AND NOBODY EXPLODES Party games will never be the same again. Devilishly simple in design, and extra tricky in execution, KTANE places one player in a VR headset. Before them is a bomb, its timer slowly counting down. The other players have a real-life ‘How to disarm a bomb’ booklet in front of them, and must explain to their isolated teammate which wires to cut and more. Oculus Rift/PlayStation VR; released 2016 EVE: VALKYRIE Perhaps one of the most eagerly anticipated virtual-reality games (and one that’s been raking in the acclaim in both PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift forms) is actually a spin-off. Drawing inspiration from real-time strategy game and space economy simulator EVE, Valkyrie trades in the spreadsheets for all-out warfare in a starfighter’s cockpit. The first…

APPLE IPAD PRO Apple’s super-sized tablet doesn’t have a desktop, but it’s still pitched as a device equipped equally for coping with work and play. Its display, speakers and Pencil are particularly impressive. $679, www.apple.com/uk HP SPECTRE X2 Similar in design to the Surface Pro 4, the Spectre x2 sports a sleek metallic design, decent battery life and a unique metal kickstand. Just watch out for those chunky bezels $749.97, www8.hp.com/uk DELL XPS 12 This upcoming 12-inch device will be the smallest Windows 10 tablet boasting a 4K display – and if you’re into comfortable keyboards, the XPS 12’s will be like typing on down-feather pillows. $TBC, www.dell.com…

ON TEST THIS MONTH THE GADGETS WE ’RE LIVING AND BREATHING PAUL DIMERY BLACKBERRY PRIV Finally, BlackBerry joins the ‘proper’-smartphone party with an Android-equipped phablet. But is it up to scratch? Yours truly is going to test it to find out… ROB CARNEY OPTISHOT 2 Playing golf in the winter is no fun at all, so I’m chuffed to try out this simulator, which will enable me to practise my swing in the comfort of my own living room. NICK ODANTZIS RECON JET Last month, I scratched the surface of these techy cycling goggles (not literally). But as well as making me look cool, can they improve my daily commute? CLAIRE DAVIES JR ULTRA 8000 WHOLE JUICER I’m a self-confessed juice junkie, so when the JR Ultra 8000S hit the…

£180, AMAZON.CO.UK Why I bought it I’ve been a late arrival to the wireless Bluetooth speaker bandwagon. I never really appreciated the appeal until I attended a friend’s party recently and saw how convenient they are. Hers is a Bose SoundTouch 20, but that one was beyond my budget, so I looked for something cheaper. I already had an Orbitsound soundbar for my TV, which produces great audio, so the Spaced360 seemed a good choice. What I like about it It’s tiny, which means it’s super-portable; even taking it away on day trips is no problem. I was worried that the size of the thing might equate to tinny sound, but it provides nice bass and spacious acoustics, no matter where you are in the room. Battery life is decent,…

01 DARIO Aimed at diabetics, this pairs with a phone-inserted glucose meter to give personal information and support. Free; Android/iOS 02 CALORIE COUNTER & DIET TRACKER This keeps tabs on the calories you consume, to help you eat better. There’s also a supportive community. Free; Android/iOS 03 CARDIOGRAPH Excellent for keeping tabs on your heart rate, this uses your Apple device’s camera to ‘read’ your pulse. £1.49; iOS 04 UHEAR uHear comes with a number of safe tests to help determine if you have the potential for hearing loss. Free; iOS 05 TACTIOHEALTH A comprehensive monitor that keeps track of your weight, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and more. Free; Android/iOS 06 HEALTHSOME This tracks your blood pressure, glucose, weight, BMI and more, to monitor how healthy (or not) you are.…

You get more screen A curved TV isn’t just a gimmick. There are actual tangible benefits: you’ll see a tiny sliver of extra screen real estate when viewing an angled panel straight on, as long as you’re close enough. Your peripheral vision also plays a part; unscientific, perhaps, but there’s little arguing that the more picture filling your eyes, the more immersive your viewing experience will be. In larger panels, this leads to a perceptible difference in picture sharpness at the corners. They’re pretty Aesthetics can be just as important as functionality, especially when it concerns the big, black rectangle dominating your lounge. Don’t buy a TV because it’s cheap or because of the number of pixels it’s packing; make sure it’s something you could put up with seeing for…

Laptops 01 DELL XPS 13 www.dell.com PRICE £1,060 TESTED N/A The XPS 13 is brilliantly designed and outperforms its rivals under the hood. The infinity display gives you the expanse of a 13.3-inch screen on an 11.9-inch laptop. T3 SAYS With its fantastic performance and build, it’ll serve you well for years to come. 02 MACBOOK PRO 13-INCH WITH RETINA DISPLAY www.apple.com/uk PRICE £749 TESTED T3 227 Apple’s lightweight laptop boasts improved performance and battery life. It’ll delight road warriors and coffee-shop loungers alike. T3 SAYS A reliable, powerful and practical MacBook, this is Apple’s best laptop. 03 ASUS ZENBOOK UX 305 www.asus.com PRICE £650 TESTED N/A Thin, light and attractive, with excellent build quality, the Zenbook UX305 offers a great balance of components, a perfect 1080p screen and an…

Monster Adidas Sport Response These boast massive sound and are just about impossible to dislodge accidentally. You’ll pay an extra £20 for an inline mic, but if you’re making calls while you’re running, you have bigger problems. £40/£60, monsterproducts.com Jabra Sport Pulse There are no pesky wires (so they won’t get yanked out of your ears) and they have a built-in pulse-rate monitor that can, via an app, give you audible feedback as you move. It’s like having a personal trainer in your ears. £199, jabra.co.uk Bose Soundsport II Bose’s audio pedigree is inarguable, and if you’re the type to be critical of sound quality even when you’ve worked so hard you can hear yourself sweat, these offer the most stimulating output of any pair of sports earphones. £115, bose.co.uk…

Connected home 01 3D ROBOTICS SOLO www.3drobotics.com PRICE £979.95 TESTED T3 250 If you’re planning to use a drone for more than just skimming your neighbours’ gardens, this is the drone for you. The Solo is fast, capable and future-proof. T3 SAYS It’s expensive, but perfect if you’re serious about aerial photography. 02 NEST LEARNING THERMOSTAT www.nest.com PRICE £180 TESTED T3 242 Stylish and easy to use, this smart thermo integrates with other connected-home gadgets, and learns your heating habits. T3 SAYS Nest’s thermostat is a great first step in creating a smarter home. 03 HUSQVARNA AUTOMOWER 330X www.husqvarna.com PRICE £2,575 TESTED T3 242 The Automower 330X looks incredible and offers a great, even cut, which it executes very quietly indeed. T3 SAYS An expensive option, but the Husky is…

CUSTOMISE YOUR RIDE One of the coolest things about the Zero SR is its app (iPhone and Android), which enables you to customise your ride over Bluetooth. You can adjust the level of regenerative braking and acceleration, as well as the top speed. The app also gives you a wealth of battery data, such as how much juice is left and how long it’ll take to charge. You can even find out handy stats such as how many watts you’re using per mile. SILENT BUT VIOLENT This bike’s party piece is its electric drive. With 67bhp and 106 lb-ft in a 188kg frame, as well as instant shove, it’s lightning fast: 0-60 comes in 3.3 seconds. There are no gear changes to fluff, either FAR OUT As well as oodles…

Rob Carney EDITOR As we write this, Rob is jetting off to Detroit for the International Motor Show, where he’ll be testdriving some of the world’s best new cars. It’s a tough job but we think he’ll cope. Nick Odantzis DEPUTY EDITOR Nick went to CES in Las Vegas this month, where he drank champagne, quaffed oysters and gambled away his borrowed Nissan GTR. He also explored the very latest in cutting-edge tech. Duncan Bell LIFE STYLE TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Because his Fitbit scales told him he’d put on a stone over Xmas, Duncan attempted to go vegan. But then he realised his fridge was full of cheese and charcuterie, so he didn’t bother. Claire Davies ASSISTANT EDITOR Claire’s been using the new Vitastiq to discover what vitamins she’s deficient in,…

Are we going super-high-end now? Indeed we are! Astell&Kern really doesn’t mess around when it comes to creating serious audiophile-level equipment. But to get the best out of high-end portable players of that ilk, you need the right headphones to go with them, and that’s where these new AK T1p cans come in. What makes these so good for portable listening, then? The headphones were made in collaboration with Beyerdynamic and, like the German company’s outstanding T1 cans, they use groundbreaking Tesla transducers to offer more power but with a precise frequency response and distortion-free sound. And the portable listening part? Well reminded! So while the T1s are seen as home headphones (their 600-ohm impedance means that a separate amplifier is recommended to get a truly satisfying experience when listening…

Are you about to save me money, T3 ? Perhaps, if you behave. Look, we know smart thermostats aren’t the most exciting piece of tech, but the money they can save you is exciting. And that’s exactly what the Momit Home Thermostat offers you – the ability to shave up to 30 per cent off your energy bills. Mmm, I could buy a bike with the money saved. Always thinking about yourself, aren’t you? Tsk! Anyway, this battery-powered, wireless thermostat with an LED display learns your energy-consumption habits to automatically adjust the temperature in the room it’s positioned in. The Momit also has a geo-location feature and a presence sensor. The latter means it knows when you’re out and will turn off the heating, and the former knows to switch…

SCOPE FOR EXPANSION 01 MEADE POLARIS 130MD EQ “The truth is out there,” claimed the tagline for the original X Files TV series. But exactly how far out there is anyone’s guess – which is why we suggest Fox and Dana equip themselves with a Meade Polaris 130MD EQ telescope. It offers magnification up to 103 times, a slow-mo function for tracking ‘unusual’ movements in the sky (it’s a bloody plane!), plus a DVD guide to over 10,000 celestial objects. £179, meade.com SHADY DEALINGS 02 iCAPTURE SMART GLASSES Although David Duchovny was treated for sex addiction in 2008, we are in no way suggesting that his character Fox Mulder would want to use a pair of shades fitted with a secret video camera for anything untoward. No, the iCapture Smart…

Undoubtedly, technology is super. It brings people closer together, makes us more informed and keeps us entertained, through the medium of screens of various sizes, encased in rectangles of plastic. But it’s not all golden, is it? On any given day, I’m annoyed at least six times by tech, and these are my techy pet hates right now… 1. Fanboys I dislike everything about fanboys, including the word ‘fanboys’ itself. Being a football fan is one thing. With that, I can at least see that there’s a strong element of supporting your home town, and I like the way it lets you share cathartic, communal experiences – like shouting, “You’re so shit, it’s unbelievable” at people from a different town. Being a ‘fan’ of specific tech brands – and hence…

IS THIS WHAT I THINK IT IS? No, mate. You will not be ‘beaming up’ anywhere, any time soon – and Guru would think twice about using a crowd-funded matter transmitter anyway, given that he quite likes his organs and atoms where they are at present. No, this Teleport, on Indiegogo, is a virtual-reality camera. WHAT’S ITS USP? It IS a USP. Nobody’s made a VR camera for the domestic market before. They usually require rigs with multiple pro-grade digital cameras, which need to be carefully placed so that you can’t see the operator. Even then, a fair amount of post-production work is needed to make the footage look the part. Teleport, by contrast, is a dual-lens smartphone accessory that clips over your blower’s camera. WHAT’S GOOD HERE, GAGU? With…

1 IMPROVE YOUR RUNNING STYLE Keep your torso in an upright position, and lift your heel and knee simultaneously in a cycling motion during each stride. Always ensure that you’re making contact with the ground underneath your hips. 2 MAINTAIN YOUR BODY To help keep your body in its best shape after a run, spend time on a foam roller. Slowly rolling over the muscles you’ve just used will help lengthen and relieve tension in them. 3 SLOW DOWN YOUR PACE To run longer distances, focus on going slower – this will help you to maintain a constant speed for a longer period of time. It will also help you to avoid physical and mental burnout. 4 GET MORE OUT OF NUTRITION You can get all of your nutritional needs…

Q WHAT ARE THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF SITTING AT OUR DESKS FOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY? A “When you’re thinking about sitting all day at a desk, it’s the ‘all day’ part that’s the problem – staying in one static position for too long is not what our bodies were designed for. Research has shown that too much sedentary time can lead to serious ailments, including heart disease and increased risk of premature death. A recent study in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine recommended standing for a minimum of two hours during the workday to combat those effects. You can also burn up to 52,000 calories a year!” Q ARE THERE ANY KNOWN WORKRELATED BENEFITS TO USING A STANDING DESK IN TERMS OF GREATER PRODUCTIVITY OR CREATIVITY? A “Yes,…

All of the watches in this test record GPS and heart-rate data with impressive accuracy – nothing does it better. So it’s the other features they offer that will be the key weapons in this battle for supremacy. These sports watches will give you at least three bits of information – of your choice – on your screen at a time. That could be your distance, pace (or average pace), speed (or average), ascent, descent, cadence (useful for runners trying to adapt to a more efficient technique), exercise duration, heart rate (or average), calories burned, lap times and even mapping of sorts. All three watches offer features for swimming, too – stroke count, laps and distance. Meanwhile, key navigation features include barometers, altimeters and compasses. You can import gpx files,…

1st Garmin Fenix 3 PRICE: From £380 URL : garmin.com/en-GB T3 RATES: As well as looking the business, Garmin’s Fenix 3 just does so many things. It’s a de facto activity tracker, smartwatch, GPS watch, not to mention a rugged and classy gadget to have on your wrist. The clear, colour screen is best in class, and the battery life is peerless. T3 SLATES: It’s pricey. Plus vibration alerts whenever your watch and smartphone Bluetooth disconnect or connect again are annoying. T3 SAYS: It’s not cheap but you get a serious piece of top tech. Simply the best GPS sports watch there is. 2nd Suunto Ambit3 Sport HR PRICE: From £290 URL : suunto.com T3 RATES: It’s a comfy and effective, high-tech gadget, with good nav and swim tools. T3…

01 GOOGLE CARDBOARD You can’t write about smartphone-based virtual reality and not talk about Google’s very own companion app to its Blue Peter-esque headset. Google Cardboard costs nothing, so don’t expect too many premium features, but do expect a tutorial on how to (quite literally) get your head around virtual reality, not to mention the ability to explore the world via Google Earth and Street View. Free; google.co.uk/get/cardboard 02 WAR OF WORDS VR Arguably the best – and certainly the most poignant – VR app available for smartphone-based headsets right now, War Of Words VR is bound to bring a tear to those isolated eyes of yours. The app centres around the controversial poem The Kiss by Siegfried Sassoon, who fought on the Western Front during the First World War.…

Google Chromecast COOL, PACKED WITH FEATURES AND CHEAP AS CHIPS – SURELY, THERE MUST BE A CATCH? £30, GOOGLE.COM FEATURES The Chromecast lacks a physical remote – you control it via a smartphone app. Its killer feature, Cast, enables you to beam the screen from your Android device to a TV with a press of a button. Chromecast offers super-fast 801.11ac Wi-Fi. DESIGN Kudos to Google for creating something that doesn’t look like it was designed by an accountant. The Chromecast is fresh and funky (with three colours to choose from), and the design gives greater connection flexibility. INTERFACE The Chromecast doesn’t have its own interface. Essentially, the phone or tablet app acts as the menu. This works superbly, giving you a preview of what’s on each channel. The question…

Free; Android/iOS Running is one of the best ways to keep fit, and Runtastic sets out to optimise the benefits of your pavement pounding. It uses your smartphone’s GPS to track the duration, distance and elevation of your runs, as well as the number of calories you’ve burned. If that’s not enough to keep you motivated, the app creates a personal workout diary for you, and a built-in voice coach ensures that you don’t stray from your goals. Your friends can track your progress – and send virtual cheers to reward your efforts – and there’s even a leaderboard feature so you can ascertain which of your group has run the furthest during a particular month. There’s also a wider online community at Runtastic.com, where you’ll get inspiration, tips and…

Lifeproof FRĒ Lifeproof is an apt name: the FRĒ is absolutely hard as nails. Surround your handset in this shell and it’ll withstand a 2m drop, resist snow and dirt, stop scratches, and even stay waterproof for up to an hour at a depth of 2m. £69.99, lifeproof.co.uk Otterbox Defender Otterbox has built itself a serious reputation for device protection, and the Defender – a mix of hard shell and rubberised slip cover – does nothing to harm that. You can even mix and match colours for a custom rugged look. £49.99, otterbox.co.uk Optrix XD5 It’s definitely not the sexiest on offer, but if you’re prone to dropping your phone from a height of 20ft, then running over it with a truck and dunking it in 15ft of water, this…

TVS 01 PANASONIC TX -50CX 802B www.panasonic.co.uk PRICE £1,799 TESTED T3 246 Incredible 4K imagery, matched to 4K services from Netflix and Amazon, plus the combination of Firefox OS and Freeview Play, make this masterpiece a dream to use. T3 SAYS As modern as screens get, this TV will future-proof your lounge. 02 SAMSUNG UE55JS9000 www.samsung.com PRICE £3,099 TESTED T3 243 This beautifully designed TV is capable of an amazing picture and clear sound. It needs its settings tweaked to get the best picture, though, and standard def looks horrid. T3 SAYS This 55-inch is amazing in Ultra HD, but also brilliant in regular HD. 03 PANASONIC TX-50AX802 www.panasonic.co.uk PRICE £1,299 TESTED T3 236 Great looks, as well as superb picture quality and motion handling. Upscaling isn’t as spectacular as…

Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter Simple one-button pairing makes this a straightforward party accessory, and its RCA output means compatibility with any hi-fi or speakers. Basic, but it’ll stream any audio your phone can play. £30, johnlewis.com Homespot NFC Bluetooth Stereo Adapter With memory of eight devices and a claimed 20m of Bluetooth 4.0 range, this is a heavyweight receiver, made even better by the fact that it can pair and connect with a tap of your NFC device. £24, amazon.co.uk Denon Professional DN-200BR Jumping up a level, this pro-grade receiver can route your Bluetooth audio through unbalanced split l/r jacks and through balanced XLR. Overkill? There’s no such thing, surely? £95, denonpro.com…

Smartwatches 01 PEBBLE TIME STEEL www.getpebble.com PRICE £229.99 TESTED T3 249 De-throning the Apple Watch, the Pebble Time brings with it ease of use, a devastatingly funky colour interface, Android support and great battery life. T3 SAYS All the features of previous Pebble smartwatches, but even more impressive. 02 APPLE WATCH www.apple.com/uk PRICE FROM £299 TESTED T3 242 Apple’s wearable is packed with features and offers a wide range of customisation options to give you some individuality. The only real downside is the limited battery life. T3 SAYS The wearable that properly kickstarted the smartwatch revolution. 03 PEBBLE STEEL www.getpebble.com PRICE £199 TESTED T3 240 The always-on, monochrome e-ink screen might not be for everyone but it works brilliantly, and you get up to seven days’ battery. There are loads…

You don’t always have to spend big money to get something you’ll love to bits. That’s why we’ve put together a list of our favourite products for £100 and under. Some of our chosen gadgets also happen to be the best things you can get in their particular category, others are great-value alternatives to bigger ticket purchases, but all are brilliant products we’d be happy to use ourselves. So next time you get paid and there’s spare cash burning a hole in your trouser pocket, make sure you consult T3’s £100 Hotlist! THE SUPER SIX 01 TOBYRICH SMART PLANE www.miragetekshop.co.uk PRICE £32.99 A curious mix of Bluetooth smartphone control, clever AI and highly manoeuvrable, slow-speed flight, with a 1g li-po battery for up to 15 minutes of air time per…

SAVE 62% on a new T3 subscription p82 I’m glad we’ve got that sorted. What I’m referring to, of course, is our cover feature this month – namely, the T3 Power List. These aren’t your ordinary gadgets. These are by no means run-of-the-mill. These are the best, most excellent items of tech for transforming your life. Hyperbole? Maybe a little, but if you want to run harder, cycle faster, work smarter, play better and even live longer (while we can’t verify the latter, we think it’s true), this is a top-spec selection of tech for you. Flick to p46 right now. Go on, I dare you. “Hall, you filthy maggot, get your arse through that water!” That’s the sound of Man Vs Tech this month, where we put our (brave…

What do we have here, T3? It’s a Bluetooth wearable with a stylish, minimalist design and brains engineered by Hewlett-Packard. The Motion is perfect for peeps who don’t want an intrusive, heavy-duty smartwatch, or for those who like the style of the Withings Activité. With a black analogue face and white dial, quartz movement and a silicone strap, it’s a handsome one, right? Yeah, it’s a looker. What can it do? Well, apart from tell you what time it is (obviously), it can track your steps, giving you feedback (via its app) on how many you take each day. Via the app, you can also set daily step goals, with the watch notifying you on your progress in real-time. What about texts and emails? Because the Movado Bold Motion has…

THE READER Paul Stevens IT specialist Paul is a keen walker and birder who wants to get serious about taking pictures of nature. He feels he’s being let down by his current kit and is ready to invest. THE EXPERT Marcus Hawkins Formerly editor of Digital Camera magazine, Marcus has a passion for nature photography, and knows his telephoto lenses and outdoor-photography tech inside out. 01 PÁRAMO HALCON JACKET Field-tested by outdoor photographers and wildlife cameramen, this jacket offers premium all-weather protection and more pockets than a pool table. The Nikwax Analogy Waterproof fabric and generous cut allow for easy, rustle-free movement, while a fleecelined collar and hand-warmer pockets, a wire-rimmed hood and reinforced shoulders offer enhanced comfort. £330, paramo-clothing.com 02 MANFROTTO 290 XTRA CARBON TRIPOD Telephoto lenses are hard…

01 GO FASTER WITH EXTREME WINTER SPORTS 02 GO FOR A SPIN ON AN ELECTRIC SKATEBOARD 03 FUTURE-PROOF YOUR COMPUTER OR LAPTOP 04 READ, COOK AND DO YOGA WITH A ROBOT 05 BEAM AND SCREEN VIDEO ON THE GO 06 ROCK OUT WITH IRON MAIDEN 07 EARN MONEY AS YOU MOVE 01 GO FASTER WITH EXTREME WINTER SPORTS Carve up some powder this winter with a spot of indoor snowscooting, airboarding or extreme sledging, and track the effect it has on your vitals with Polar’s swish new activity monitor, the A360 Do you enjoy snowsports but want something a little different to skiing and snowboarding? If so, how does extreme sledging grab you? Centres such as Chill Factore in Manchester are serving up a range of exciting, extreme snowsports –…

1 HUDWAY GLASS HUD Want to add the power of a heads-up display to your car? Well, HUDWAY Glass looks ace. When paired with HUDWAY’s apps, it provides loads of details on the dash for very little cash. £33, hudwayglass.com 2 EE BUZZARD 2 4G WI-FI This nifty device from EE brings Wi-Fi to your car – so everyone can surf the Web on their tablets or phones. Just sign up for a plan and plug it into your dash. Neat. £20, ee.co.uk 3 GARM IN NÜVICAM LMT-D The nüviCam adds Tesla-like driver assistance to your car – warning you of collisions and lane departures, as well as recording your entire drive and offering navigation. £310, garmin.com 4 PIONEER AVIC -F77DAB Boost your car’s entertainment system to the max with…

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF A GREAT NIGHT’S SLEEP? “Every organ in our body is at work while we sleep, regenerating and restoring. One of my favourite benefits is improved memory. Studies have shown the relationship between a lack of sleep and the development of Alzheimer’s and other conditions.” HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR SLEEP QUALITY? “Here at Eight [eightsleep.com], we recommend building the right environment for sleep by reducing the amount of light and noise in your bedroom, and by adjusting the thermostat to the right temperature. In addition, watch out for your routine before bedtime: avoid eating heavy foods, drinking alcohol, using your computer or phone, and falling asleep with the TV /light on.” HOW CAN THE EIGHT MATTRESS COVER HELP US CREATE THE PERFECT SLEEP ENVIRONMENT?…

4 SALOMON S-LAB SENSE 4 ULTRA Great grip is key for muddy courses, and the Sense 4 Ultras have lugs that get stuck in. The shoes are light and breathable, meaning there’s less chance of blisters in warm weather. It also means that water escapes more easily. £145, salomon.com/uk 4 SALOMON ENDURANCE TIGHT Clobber that won’t stay wet, makes you cold and pushes you into hypothermia is essential for when you’re tackling obstacle courses. These are comfy and quick-drying, while compression aids muscle endurance. £49.95, salomon.com/uk 3 33SHAKE ALLIN-ONE SHAKE Ever wonder what’s in that sports drink or gel you just downed? Each ingredient in a 33Shake is natural. The shakes taste ace, come in three flavours and give a sustained energy boost rather than a short-term fix. £6.99, 33shake.com…

01 UNLOCK PREDATOR VISION Here’s one for the Arnie fans among you. Glitcher VR uses your smartphone’s camera to create weird and wonderful views of the world. There are nine different filters you can activate to give your POV a peculiar sheen, including a black and white, noirstyle filter and a body-heat-esque version that’ll have you whispering “Any time” like a madman. 02 TAKE A RIDE ON A ROLLERCOASTER The Oculus Rift’s rollercoaster sim has gained notoriety for its nausea-inducing immersion, but the Rift certainly isn’t the only VR headset with a fairground spectacle to its name. The Google Cardboard version (Roller Coaster VR) is CGI rather than actual footage, but it’s just as scary (especially when you track your head around the cart). 03 HIT TOP SPEED IN A…

Get involved We’d love to know about any tech you’ve bought. Tell us about it at inbox@t3.com – and please include a pic of yourself ZX Vega REVIEWED BY GARY MALDON FROM BATH £90, FUNSTOCKRETRO.CO.UK Why I bought it Being in my 40s, I was around when the Sinclair ZX Spectrum took the gaming world by storm back in the 1980s. So when I heard that a new handheld console had been released that plugs straight into your TV and packs a thousand old Spectrum games, a lightbulb marked ‘nostalgia’ immediately switched on in my head! What I like about it The styling of the thing is very retro – taking it out of the box was like unwrapping a Christmas present in 1983! With so many old Speccie games…

ELITE: DANGEROUS Travel through a huge, persistent universe with pals, exploring, trading and fighting through a 1:1-scale openworld galaxy. With support for VR devices, it’s sci-fi escapism at its finest. £29.99; Mac OS, PC, PS4, Xbox One STEEL OCEAN This free-to-play multiplayer pits you against an army of other players in World War II. You can choose your ship and take part in epic sea-based battle. Free; PC ARK: SURVIVAL EVOLVED You awake on an island, naked and alone. To survive, you’ll need to hunt for food, build a shelter and more. The island is home to many dangers, including nasty creatures and other players. £22; Mac OS, PC, PS4, Xbox One GLADIATORS ONLINE: DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR Fight as a ruthless Roman gladiator and bring your house to victory. Boost…

Free; iOS Riding your bike is a great way of keeping fit, but it’s not always possible to hit the road, especially now that the days are shorter and the weather more miserable. Enter Zwift, a cool app that, with a bit of help from some extra hardware, can turn your regular bike into an indoor machine. As well as the app, you’ll need a compatible trainer that lifts the wheels of the bike from the floor while you pedal, plus an ANT+ dongle. The app not only counts the calories you burn as you pedal, it also hooks you up to the Zwift game, which lets you cycle virtually with other Zwift users from around the world. This gives you an extra incentive to jump on your bike, pedal…

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THE VERY BEST TECH AVAILABLE TODAY, YOU’VE DEFINITELY COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. T3 Elite is the best gadget-buying guide you’ll ever encounter. To create it, we’ve ruthlessly filtered all the categories that count, to bring you rock-solid recommendations. We’ve selected a Super Six of elite gear for each of the categories listed below. If something’s not included, we don’t rate it – it’s that simple. Each Super Six is ranked in order, and the number-one product makes it into The Elite (p118), which is our pick of the 12 best products you can buy today. To make your next purchase as straightforward as possible, we’ve also included useful buying advice, and highlighted the hottest gear you can get for £100 and under. Stay up to…

Smartphones 01 SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE/EDGE+ www.samsung.com PRICE FROM L760 TESTED T3 243 As well as that gorgeous ‘infinity pool’ build, you get a brilliant camera and pin-sharp QHD display. Larger Edge+ is a 5.7-inch beauty. T3 SAYS We love the glass-and-metal body, stunning screen and fantastic camera. 02 APPLE IPHONE 6S/PLUS www.apple.com/uk PRICE FROM L539 TESTED T3 249 The best iPhone ever, now with 3D Touch technology, a beefed-up 12MP camera with 4K video, and added processor power. Also comes in a bigger, 5.5-inch Plus unit. T3 SAYS The best iPhone ever made – it’ll make you consider giving up your Android. 03 HUAWEI GOOGLE NEXUS 6P consumer.huawei.com PRICE L449 TESTED T3 251 Huawei’s super-sized phone offers an incredible package – a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen, a brilliant camera and…

AS US X102BA With its 10.1-inch form, you’d be forgiven for dismissing this as a toy. But look closer: that’s a 1,366 x 768 touchscreen, backed by 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and AMD’s battery-friendly A4 CPU. It’s no powerhouse but it’s ideal to carry. £199.97, tesco.com Toshiba CB30 If you’re looking at laptops from a cost-concious point of view, a Chromebook like this is a great choice – provided, that is, you don’t need access to Windows or OS X applications. It boasts a 13.3-inch screen and a 16GB SSD. £199, amazon.co.uk Acer Aspire ES1-331 This is a proper laptop running full Windows, but it’s right on the edge; with only 32GB of eMMC storage, you won’t be downloading huge media collections, while the Celeron N3050 processor…

Home audio 01 HEOS BY DENON www.denon.co.uk PRICE FROM £199 TESTED T3 245 With its unique design, great audio performance and affordable price tag, HEOS by Denon is the system of choice for multi-room audio in the home. T3 SAYS Upgrade your home audio experience with great sound in any room. 02 ACOUSTIC RESEARCH M2 www.acoustic-research.com PRICE £900 TESTED T3 246 A portable high-res player that boasts incredible sound, support for all file formats, and stylish looks. The Androidpowered five-inch screen is a bonus. T3 SAYS Want to get the best from your music on the move? This is the way to do it. 03 YAMAHA YSP-5600 uk.yamaha.com PRICE £1,600 TESTED T3 251 The world’s first Atmos-enabled soundbar, giving you cinema-authentic sound in your front room. It’s also MusicCast-, AirPlayand…

Hacker skills Just about every device that maintains a persistent connection to the internet is, or will be, a target for hackers. Not necessarily in a malicious context – usually, the challenge for the hacker is simply to gain full access to a device to be able to run commands on it; they’re unlikely to be able to glean much useful personal information from your connected lamp. Embedded software lockouts mean the vast majority of device hacks must be performed on the device directly, usually by disassembling it and probing its circuitry. The dangers Your lamp might not be a target, but there are devices in your home that could be. IP cameras, for instance, could give criminals information about your comings and goings, or the kit that’s in your…