T3 Magazine

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Contents July 2013 / Issue 217

ON THE COVER Feel-good tech of the summer

56

Your new TV tested

109

Summertime, and the living is easy. But we’re gonna make it even easier with sunlovers’ essentials from cameras to speakers

It’s time to upgrade the telly. Make the wise choice; pick one of these super-smart sets

Samsung Galaxy S4

Pick your cycling tribe and get kitted out, from rad rides to gadgets and clothing

99

The latest Android superphone has landed, with a bigger screen and flashier features. Does it beat the HTC One or Sony Xperia Z?

Tech life: bike special Tech will make us superheroes

74

87

How to become a real-life Man of Steel/Iron

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Contents July 2013 / Issue 217

11

OPINION

15

Insight: Luke Lewis Silicon: Mark Prigg Truth: Duncan Bell Future: Peter Firth

Editor’s letter

RADAR Most Wanted: Microsoft IllumiRoom

Gaming breaks free of your screen, splashing the carnage up your walls 18

This month’s gadget musts, from TomTom’s latest satnav to Samsung’s Galaxy Mega 20

The sizzling cans that should be gracing your ears this holiday season Concept: PSH-M1 personal chopper

22

A crowd-funded flying machine and more Kickstarter/IndieGoGo success stories 4K’s big players

24

The first ultra-HD media players are here. Check them out, in VERY vivid detail Life on Mars?

26

No. But there might be on other planets, and this interplanetary cam will spot it Viewing recommended

28

Silicon Valley’s high-tech houses: desirable areas, good investment opportunities Spend: TomTom Multi-Sport

360 review: Samsung Galaxy S4

99

Upgrade

104

Group test: sports earphones

You just got served, by a robot tennis coach

106

Soundtrack your workout session with these sweat-proof, stay-put fitness ’buds Supertest: smart TVs

109

Twin-tuners, improved interfaces and access to more content than ever before… Group test: Bluetooth speakers

118

Free your music from headphone shackles with these pool-party essentials Review: Bowers & Wilkins Z2

120

FEATURES 56

Wherever you’re heading on your holidays, make it hotter with T3’s 50+ summer essentials, from waterproof cameras to barbecues to booze. Scorchio! Become a Superman

From zombie apocalypse in The Last of Us to retro revival in Donkey Kong Films

48

T3 investigates… Revisited

48

Updates on the biggest tech stories of the last two years, from Bitcoin to goal-line tech, by way of the Dreamliner and a mission to Mars

49

Shutdown

47

Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln and more… Music

The Child of Lov’s electro-stoner soul Apps, websites & ebooks

Touchfit: GSP gets you cage-fighting fit

Pulse: bike special

74

Bikes, clobber ’n’ tech for hip kids, speeding MAMILs and middle-of-the-roaders 77

Robot mowers evolve. Plus the ultimate garden-party paraphernalia 80

Cyber-enhanced Porsche Cayman, retro-tinged Honda superbike

THE GUIDE Smartphones Tablets Cameras Computers Gaming Televisions Home entertainment Home audio Headphones Accessories

124 125 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134

87

Remove that mild-mannered alter ego and start leaping buildings, flying and doing whatever a spider can, courtesy of tech

Games

73

Drive

120

Feel-good summer tech

45

Pulse

Home

35

We remove our helmets to listen to their new album, Random Access Memories

72

The best sunglasses money can buy

The motorcycle satnav that straps to your chopper for an easy ride

PLAY

70

All-seeing toddler monitors, hobby-horse bicycle, white noise for babies

Wireless multi-room audio going cheap. Are Sonos and Cambridge Minx sweating yet?

Review: TomTom Rider

42

69

Spiderwebs, hearts enscribed with “Mum”, anchors… None of those things are here

Review: Pure Jongo

32

The tech, games, films and events of 2013

The Essential: Daft Punk are back!

68

Tech Dad

T3’s inbox and updates on the big stories Incoming

How to…

Bigger screen, faster processor, more features than you can shake a stick at. Is this the best Android yet? Our verdict is in…

Designer AirPlay dock is an Apple fan’s dream – and Android fans can come too (sort of…)

Tech-related impulse purchases The Buzz & Stats

67

The new Artisan small-appliance range mauls your wallet but lifts your kitchen

Obsession: tattooing

RATED

30

Fitness tech meets GPS. Feel the burn Stuff

Gadget of the month: KitchenAid kit

Eat a killer fish; build a Steam Box PC

Need list

Hot, hot headphones

TECH LIFE 51 52 53 53

93

138

Ten techy things we do before going on hols

ON THE COVER JESSICA @VISION MODEL MANAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHED BY RICHARD GRASSIE STYLING BY MICHELLE KELLY MAKE-UP AND HAIR BY JOHANNI NEL @SUPERNOVA

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Editor’s letter July 2013 / Issue 217

Gameland is about to change. It promises to be a shift unlike anything we’ve seen since the Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox first equipped their then next-gen consoles with features well outside of the traditional gaming remit back in the early noughties. Sony has already showed its hand by teasing the PS4’s new abilities, now it’s the turn of the big M… By the time you read this, Microsoft will have announced its all-new Xbox. At the time of going to print, rumours were that it would redefine what a games console should be. A true game changer, so to speak. To get a taster of what’s in store, check out Microsoft’s IllumiRoom concept, previewed on p15. It aims to take your living room to the next level. Want more? We’ve got it. You can read all about the launch (and much, much more) in our tablet editions and online at T3.com. We think you’ll be amazed at what you find there. In other news, the sun has returned. We can’t be sure how long it’ll stick around, so we’ve quickly lotioned up, donned our shades and squeezed into our tiniest Speedos to set out in search of the best tech for your

summer lovin’. From the best poolside cameras (p56) and portable Bluetooth speakers (p118) to robo mowers (p77) and the finest garden tech (p78), no sun lounger has been left unturned. T3 was also given up-front access to what could be the soundtrack to your summer – Daft Punk’s new album, Random Access Memories. The return of everyone’s favourite robots – aside from Johnny 5, of course – should be on your music wish list. Read our album preview, then download immediately. Now, it can’t have escaped your notice that Samsung has launched a new phone. Well, it’s launched a couple actually – check the Galaxy Mega on p19 – but strewn across billboards, digital advertising hoardings and global media outlets worldwide, you’re likely to have noticed the Galaxy S4’s arrival. But do its new features and bigger screen live up to the unbelievable hype? Read our 360-degree review on p109 and then see how it fairs against its fellow Androids in the T3 Guide, p124. Elsewhere, saddle up on p74 for the T3 cycling special and find out which tribe you belong to – are you a hipster rider or an all-out MAMIL? Whatever your taste, we’ve got the bike, the threads and the tech for you. Fully kitted out in biking Lycra it’s now time to learn how to become a superhero. T3 investigates the scientific discoveries that could turn you into a Man of Steel. Finally, in a fit of nostalgia and to prove just how bang on we were first time around, we’ve updated nine of our biggest T3 investigations of the past two years. From Bitcoin’s rise and the growing threat of cyber warfare, to space tourism and goal-line technology, there’s a lot to catch up on. It’s a super-powered issue of T3. Enjoy! Luke Peters, editor Twitter: @lukepeters / Email: [email protected]

{CONTRIBUTORS}

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The new editor of the zeitgeisty UK wing of Buzzfeed.com has previously won awards overseeing the digital arms of both NME and Q. Here he looks at how the meme became mainstream. P51

Mark has superhuman illustrating skills. This month he’s been using them as a force for good, inking the drawings for our guide to how tech can turn you into a superhero. The fun begins on P87

Editor of Official PlayStation Magazine’s website, Leon has been a pro video-game journalist for eight years – a veteran. He goes hands-on with Sony’s newie The Last of Us on P46

LUKE LEWIS

MARK MITCHELL

LEON HURLEY

To subscribe to T3, point your browser at myfavouritemagazines.co.uk, or flick to p83. The next T3 is on sale June 20… J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 1 1

PPA INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR 2012 · PPA DIGITAL PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2012 · PPA DIGITAL PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR 2012 AOP DIGITAL PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR 2012 · AOP LAUNCH OF THE YEAR 2012 · GMA MAINSTREAM MAGAZINE WRITER OF THE YEAR 2012

Where are you going on your summer holidays? Editor Luke Peters [email protected] Baie des Trépassés

Senior art editor Matthew Kendall

Deputy editor Matt Hill

[email protected] Cornwall

Operations editor Duncan Bell

[email protected] [email protected] Greece London and New York City, and I take a little piece of Amsterdam… RIGHT!

News editor Andrew Wooden

Reviews editor Libby Plummer

Features editor Rob Temple

Sub editor Clare Sartin

[email protected] Harlow

[email protected] Youth hostelling with Chris Eubank

[email protected] Somewhere very British

[email protected] Salmon fishing in the Yemen

Deputy iPad art editor James Roff

Features writer Michael Sawh

News writer Jeff Parsons

[email protected] Carp fishing in France

[email protected] S.E.O World

[email protected] Benicassim 2013

Freelance staff writer Thomas Tamblyn

Freelance news writer Nick Cowen

Freelance writer Pete Dreyer

[email protected] Risa

[email protected] Paris

[email protected] Blackpool Pleasure Beach

{ONLINE} Editor, T3.com Kieran Alger [email protected] Canada

Website manager Holly Bowman

Website designer Jane Wan

Deputy Editor, T3.com Mark Mayne

Multimedia reporter Rhiain Morgan

Videographer Matt King

[email protected] Spain

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[email protected] A pop-up tent in my back garden

[email protected] ATP Festivals, various

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{T3 WOR LDW IDE}

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Radar

{ A L S O M A K I N G WAV E S }

The month’s coolest tech p18 Summer’s hottest headphones p20 4K media players arrive p24 NASA’s tech search for alien life p26 Silicon Valley real estate p28 Edited by Andrew Wooden

ESSENTIAL NEWS FROM TECH’S FRONTLINE

M OST WA N T E D

{MICROSOFT ILLUMIROOM}

YOUR SOFA’S UNDER ATTACK! Testosterone-fuelled Kinect add-on sprays the action all over your room, getting you deeper into the game than ever before… Warn the kids and the dog, we don’t want any friendly fire accidents…

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M OST WA N T E D

« MICROSOFT’S KINECT MAY ALLOW you to interact physically with games, but the big M’s latest concept, IllumiRoom, will take it one step further: making the game interact with not just you but your walls, coffee table, furniture, sofa and beyond. Currently in the early stages of development, IllumiRoom extends the game world beyond the confines of your TV screen, bleeding it into your living space. First, Kinect’s camera is used to map the dimensions of your lounge, noting the position of furniture and knick knacks. Once it’s cased and calibrated your gaff, a wide-field projector goes to work, extending the action around the room. It’s a little like Philips’ Ambilight tech, but with some very significant bells on. Not only does the widened viewing area allow you to spot things creeping up in your peripheral vision, if you’re walking down the dank corridors of a tense, first-person shooter, say, your room will become the corridor, adding to the feeling of claustrophobia. You can tinker with what’s projected too, so rather than extending the action, the room can be transformed into a grid layout that moves as you do, or give the impression of explosions literally sending shock waves up your walls using lighting effects – what Microsoft charmingly calls a “radial wobble”. Selective elements of the game can also be thrown out into the real world, breaking the fourth wall. So tracer fire streaks across the room straight at you as enemies attack, or radar indicators bleep in the corner of the wall giving you directional info and turning your lounge into mission control. It’s even possible for objects to “leave” the screen and interact with your soft furnishings. Grenades will bounce out of the telly, roll across your Ikea rug and come to rest menacingly against your sofa – resisting the urge to duck and cover may be tough. Clearly, this could have applications for more than gaming; TV and film hope to get in on the act, with the BBC’s R&D department already working on its own ‘surround video’ tech. Imagine that lank-haired goth woman from The Ring actually crawling out of your tellybox and across your lounge floor towards you, or David Cronenberg’s surreal perv-orama Videodrome spewing its choice brand of weird all over your living space. Or, you know, something for the kiddies. All you need to bring to the party are reasonably light-coloured walls for effective image projection, but don’t move your furniture around without recalibrating. Pair it with the new Xbox – check T3.com for details – and you’re looking at the future... £TBC, RESEARCH.MICROSOFT.COM, OUT TBC

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

IllumiRoom can extend the on-screen action to fill the room, painting rooftops, jungles and post-apocalyptic landscapes across your walls and furniture

NEWS BLIP ADOBE PLANS TO MAKE CREATIVE SUITE CLOUD-BASED AND AVAILABLE ONLY VIA SUBSCRIPTION

Radar

SHOOT TO THRILL

{EXTR A}

Instead of projecting the entire gaming landscape across your walls, you can pick certain elements of the game to break free of the screen – gun fire and explosions for instance

More gadgets that put you in the game…

JDOME

What’s better than a flat projector screen? A convex one, of course. Project your game of choice onto the back of this gaming bubble and you get a wraparound view that fills your peripheral vision – especially good for racing sims, with a windscreen-like look.

INCOMING!

Objects can leave the game and interact with your living room, so a grenade could bounce out of the screen, roll along the coffee table and tumble onto the floor. Time to evacuate

£2,111, SHOP.JDOME.COM, OUT NOW

MOTION SIMULATION TL1

They don’t have these down your local arcade. Made with help from car manufacturer Ariel, the TL1 is the last word in driving simulation, with a 180-degree wraparound screen that places you in the middle of a 7m-pixel driver’s paradise. Remember to check your mirrors. £POA, MOTIONSIMULATION.COM, OUT NOW

{SPEAK}

T3’s Andrew Wooden ponders IllumiRoom’s consumer future…

“Immersive gaming” is a term that’s over-used in the gaming business vernacular. It’s often associated with virtual reality headsets that never really caught on

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.COM

because, well, they weren’t good. IllumiRoom takes a different approach, spreading the game over your locale. Based on videos and images we’ve seen so far, it looks like it could do it very well. But these are just carefully staged examples. How well it

actually works out of the lab is key. If you’re going to have grenades flying out of your TV it’d have to be a smart lighting trick or it will look awful. Also, would game devs need to code additional information, as they did with Philips’ AmBX? Technology

PHILIPS AMBX

which, by the way, just turned on a coloured bulb in time with what appeared on screen. If there is extra coding involved, it could be a big ask and might be the deciding factor in whether you ever get to see Microsoft’s concept tech in your room.

Philips experimented with it back in 2005. It consisted of two large LED lights attached to the top of a surround sound speaker system that pulsated in time with on-screen action. Although discontinued, Philips is now working to integrate its Hue system with live TV content. DISCONTINUED, PHILIPS.COM

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M O S T WA N T E D PA R T 2

NEED LIST The tech that’s causing a disco inferno in T3’s pants

{1}

DRIVE TIME CLASSIC TomTom Go 2013

Those preferring a dedicated satnav over roadside fumbles with Google Maps will surely lap up the refreshed TomTom Go 2013 range. A redesigned user interface offers quick search options – your live map is shown in the background – and clearer traffic information. It comes in 4.3-, five- or six-inch screen sizes, all with a lifetime sub to TomTom’s real-time traffic service. You can also send traffic info to your smartphone via Bluetooth – ensuring safe journeys, even after you leave the car. A three-month speed camera trial will help you avoid the need for Chris Huhnetype fraudulence.

{2}

PORTABLE HYBRID

Toshiba Portégé Z10t Tablet or laptop? Lablet? Taptop? Quit your arguing, guys: this Windows 8 Pro Toshiba is the latest hybrid device offering a bit of both. Rip the detachable, full-HD, 11.6-inch touchscreen tablet from the splash-resistant keyboard dock and input switches from backlit keys to ten-finger multi-touch accordingly. An Intel Core processor – precise model unconfirmed as yet – two USB slots, HDMI and an SD card reader all feature, while a solidstate drive keeps moving parts to a minimum and the thickness to just 19.9mm. Sexy it ain’t, but the Z10t does feel reassuringly businesslike. £TBC, TOSHIBA.CO.UK, OUT JUNE

{3}

RAISING THE BAR Philips HTL5120

On a mission to improve your TV’s sound quality without adding any cable mess, Philips has loaded its Double Bass tech into this Bluetooth-connected soundbar. The wing-shaped profile has been engineered for either wall or table-top mounting, while an integrated orientation sensor works to optimise sound performance depending on its position in the room. Dual 60W speakers pump out soundtracks with aplomb, while Dolby Digital 5.1 helps with the Virtual Surround. It can also play as part of a surround-sound speaker team. £250, PHILIPS.CO.UK, OUT NOW

£TBC, TOMTOM.COM/UK, OUT TBC

{4}

TO PROJECT AND SERVE Asus B1M Projector

How can you make your PowerPoint presentation more impressive? One answer is star wipes, but for even greater classiness, there’s this wireless projector. It collects files straight from your network-connected laptop, tablet or smartphone and turns them into 51-inch images, with its LED light serving up 700 big lumens of brightness and a 1280x800 image resolution, while a 2W speaker provides a certain amount of sound. Are your Luddite colleagues not equipped to go wireless? The inclusion of a USB port and SD card slot means they can still get involved. £529, ASUS.COM, OUT MAY

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Radar

NEWS BLIP WINDOWS 8 UPDATE – CODENAMED BLUE – TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR

{7}

HOME HUB Acer Aspire ZC-605

This all-in-one PC wants to become your family’s new multimedia hub. With Intel Pentium or Celeron processors, integrated graphics and up to 16GB RAM it may not exactly challenge Deep Blue, but it does have mum-like multitasking powers, with Windows 8 home screens for everyone, a 19.5-inch, 1600x900 LCD screen and Dolby Home Theatre surround sound. £TBC, ACER.COM, OUT JUNE

{5}

TIME IS FLUID Ressence Type 3

Forget regular watch faces; what you want is a liquid-filled dome, with hours, seconds and days displayed as if you’re looking into an amphibian’s bulging eye. A thermostatic valve system allows for the addition and removal of liquid so the dome is always totally – but not overly – full. Basically, it’s a watch whose face is filled with fluid, and costs this much because that’s much harder to maintain than you ever dreamed. So you’ve learned something today. $35,000, RESSENCE.EU, OUT NOW

{6}

THEN THEY LIVED HAPPILY IN HI-DEF… Kobo Aura HD

Kobo’s latest ereader comes with a built-in backlight, putting it in direct competition with the Kindle Paperwhite. It’s easy on the eye, with its 6.8-inch e-ink screen boasting a crisp, 1080x1440 resolution. Kobo has been busily filling the shelves of its online bookstore, so you can now choose from a selection of 2.5 million e-tomes, storing them in the 4GB provided, or adding them via the miracle of microSD.

{8}

GET MASHUP! Numark Mixtrack Edge

This portable controller for DJs who prefer to travel light is the size of an iPad and festooned with jogwheels, faders and two FX dials, so you can mix Black Sabbath into Chrvches using just a laptop and the very smallest of trestle tables. You can connect directly to speakers and also via USB and MIDI, so it’s compatible with most existing PC and Mac DJ software. EQ controls have been mysteriously abandoned, so you can forget headlining the Ministry with this, but it does offer a cheap musical fix. £130, NUMARK.COM, OUT JUNE

{9}

VA-VA ZOOM

Sony Cyber-shot HX50 Go on, take a closer look; this is the first compact camera to feature a 30x optical zoom. Not content with above-average eyesight, it also includes tech borrowed from Sony’s high-end RX range, including a 20.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and Wi-Fi for uploading your long-lens shots of Prince Harry cavorting directly to social networks. It also shoots 50fps full-HD video, while a dedicated EV dial on the back lets you fiddle with exposure compensation like a pro, and a hotshoe means you can add an external flash. £350, SONY.CO.UK, OUT T NOW

£140, KOBO.COM, OUT NOW

{10}

ABSOLUTELY PHABLETULOUS Samsung Galaxy Mega

What? The Galaxy S4’s five-inch screen, or Note II’s 5.5-inch display not big enough for you? Samsung’s latest “phablet” or “tablone” – the Galaxy Mega – has a 720p, 6.3-incher, while a dualcore 1.7GHz chip and 1.5GB of RAM should deliver splendid performance. Also on-board: an eight-“mega”pixel camera, 4G, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC, plus Android Jelly Bean OS, overlaid with Samsung’s beloved TouchWiz. £TBC, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, OUT NOW

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.COM

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Radar

NEWS BLIP A 3D-PRINTED GUN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY FIRED, BLUEPRINTS ONLINE

NEWS

CANNED HEAT The sun shines brighter when you take your music with a stylish side of audiophile-grade headphones

{THE KIT}

B&O BeoPlay H6

Harmon AKG K712PRO

Designer Jakob Wagner has been studying the geometries of the human ear to ensure these Bang & Olufsen cans leak as little sound as possible, while their 40mm custom-designed drivers with angled neodymium magnets fire audio straight down your canal, no messing. They look good, too, in aluminium and leather.

Developed for owners of studio tans, these have a thinner, dual-layer diaphragm to deliver good vibrations, a better range of sound and less distortion. A detachable cable and lightweight design, with an additional cable and carry case, makes these ideal for when you go “on the road” to promote your latest “waxing”.

£329, BEOPLAY.COM, OUT NOW

£379, SOUNDTECH.CO.UK, OUT NOW

KEF M500

Onkyo ESHF300

Having won 2013’s Red Dot design award before they were released, these cans from the high-end speaker purveyor pack a smart hinge to rotate on two axes. Allied to a sweat-resistant memory foam headband, this means they’ll fit any bonce this side of Joseph Merrick. 40mm neodymium drivers with a copper-clad aluminium wire ensure top audio, an in-line remote lets you take calls and it folds up into a smart case when you’ve heard enough. £250, KEF.COM, OUT NOW

The home cinema specialist’s first set of cans are foldable, affordable, armed and dangerous. Downright filthy bass levels are summoned by 40mm titanium drivers, with bass reflex subchambers situated behind. Audiophiles will appreciate the 6N oxygen-free copper cable, straight from Onkyo’s home-audio component stockpile. £180, UK.ONKYO.COM, OUT NOW. AFTER SPORTIER, IN-EAR ’PHONES? TRY P106 FOR SIZE…

{UNEARTHED}

ONBUY

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WHO ARE YOU?

WHAT YOU PEDDLING?

I’m internet entrepreneur Cas Paton, 28, from Manchester, now living down south. I’m working on a new marketplace website that’s going to take on the big boys when it launches this summer.

OnBuy is an online marketplace based in Britain – we pay our taxes and they stay in the UK – combining eBay’s range of products with the slick user experience of Amazon. Importantly,

it’s cheaper for sellers, with no charges if your sale falls through. WHY WILL IT SUCCEED?

Because the world is lacking an online buy-and-sell solution that makes both sellers and

shoppers happy. We have a uniquely simple design and a bespoke filter system that will make shopping a breeze, while our management team will do all the hard work for our sellers, including small businesses.

T3 SAYS

Low seller charges and the promise of doing all the boring paperwork for you make this an attractive alternative to eBay, but usurping such an iconic rival is a big job. ONBUY.CO.UK

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

Radar

NEWS BLIP ORIGINAL IPHONE WILL BECOME OBSOLETE IN APPLE STORES BY JULY

CONCEPT

{EXTR A}

The three highest-funded tech projects 1 Robot Dragonfly Micro Aerial Vehicle Campaign goal: $110,000 Amount raised: $1,140,975 A palm-sized robot that flies like a bird and hovers like an insect, but we mainly like it because it reminds us of the micro-drones in Iain M Banks’ sci-fi Culture novels. Apparently it’s designed for aerial photography, AR gaming and security.

GET TO ZE CHOPPER!

Up, up and away in our beautiful, crowd-funded flying machine…

2 StickNFind

EVER DREAMED OF OWNING YOUR own Jetsons-style, one-chap ’copter? Well, you fanciful devil, you may be in luck if this IndieGoGo-funded concept gets off the ground. It’s called the PSH-M1. That we know. The rest of the details are sketchy as the Netherlands-based design team iron out a few thornier details. So far they’ve vowed that it will run entirely on electricity and be capable of an hour’s flight at a speed of 178mph – so you won’t be crossing the Atlantic in it, but it will make for a flash arrival in the Morrison’s car park. Operated by joysticks, it’ll have a headsup display to paint relevant info – speed, altitude, etc – onto the windscreen, while sensors placed around the craft will warn you if you’re veering near obstructions such as buildings, powerlines or childrens’ soft heads. Operation of functions such as cruise control via an iPad is also on the cards – what could go wrong with that?

Campaign goal: $70,000 Amount raised: $931,970 A tiny sticker loaded with Bluetooth technology. Stick it on your favourite tech, keys or child, then track them via an app on your smartphone. Lost your phone too? There’s nothing we can do for you… 3 MisFit Shine Campaign goal: $100,000 Amount raised: $846,675 Part of the recent surge in fitness tech, this titchy metal puck can be pinned to your sports kit and synchs with iOS and Android devices – just tap it to begin tracking distance, calories burned and more.

€200,000, INDIEGOGO.COM, EXPECTED (IF FUNDED) 2015

{FOCUS}

More unconventional forms of transport Renault Twin’Z concept car

Bubba Watson’s BW1 hovercraft

British designer Ross Lovegrove added an ed iridescent blue body, covered in green LED lights to this carbon fibre motor. The headlights look like a … human iris. Well, obviously…

Originally created for a viral marketing campaign, this is now being built on the reals. Designed by Oakley, it’ll do 50mph down the fairway, with club-space in the back.

£TBC, RENAULT.COM

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$50,000, NEOTERICHOVERCRAFT.COM

Hyundai E4U The battery-powered “egg car” concept is designed for urban driving, with a top speed of 18mph and room for one person – if we were driving a car that looked like this, we’d want to be able to get away faster than that. £TBC, HYUNDAI.COM

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

Radar

NEWS BLIP NEW “MICRO-BATTERY” TECH PROMISES 10X MORE POWER

NEWS

THE BIGGER PICTURE Hi-definition? Not-hi-enough-definition more like.

Panasonic P i DMP-BDT330 DMP BDT330

Redray R d 4K Ci Cinema Player Pl

Sony FMP-X1

Finally, Panasonic gets round the current lack of 4K content with a 3D Blu-ray player that upscales existing discs to 4K, intelligently adding extra pixels in the same way that existing players upgrade DVDs to 1080p. It’ll also stream content to your TV from an Android device using Wi-Fi-direct, Miracast tech. Further connectivity comes in the form of a brace of HDMI ports plus ethernet, USB and an optical digital audio out.

Winning the race, this is the first 4K player to hit shops. It’s not pretty and it sure is pricey, but it does have a 1TB hard drive ready for you to fill with whatever 4K content you can find – 7.1 sound and 4K visuals take up 2.5MB a second, so you’ll get roughly 100 hours on there. There are six HDMI ports, two of which are 4K-compatible and Red is putting finishing touches to its better-than-HD, YouTube-style distribution service Odemax.

Sony is now complementing its 4K TV sets with a puck-shaped media player. It comes loaded with a starter pack of 4K content from Sony Pictures Entertainment – classics such as Bridge on the River Kwai, Taxi Driver and not-quite-so-classics, like Battle: Los Angeles. A “fee-based distribution service” – or “shop”, if you prefer – is coming in time for autumn, with 4K titles from other studios promised.

£252, PANASONIC.CO.UK, OUT NOW

$1,450, RED.COM, OUT NOW

$699, SONY.CO.UK, OUT SUMMER

{RUMOURS}

TECH CHATTER WIRED TO T3’S BULL-O-METER* BUDGET IPHONE

BIO-PASSWORDS

WINDOWS WATCH

TIME TRAVEL INVENTED

This one won’t go away. Case-maker Tactus has “leaked” an image showing a white, plastic casing styled somewhere betwixt iPod Classic and iPhone 3GS.

Wearable tech will make text-based passwords redundant, say University of California boffins. Brainwaves will identify who we are.

Microsoft is working so hard on a smartwatch, it’s already ordered parts from Asia, says the Wall Street Journal. Apple, Samsung et al, be warned…

Iranian inventor Ali Razeqi’s machine lets you see up to eight years into the future using “complex algorithms”. We don’t predict a good outcome.

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MOTOROLA’S PHONES TO TOUGHEN UP

The next Moto wave will be ruggedised and waterproof with long-lasting batteries, Google boss Larry Page said in a recent interview.

NOKIA GOES PHABLET

It’ll follow the hefty 920 with a full-on Galaxy Note-style phablet, according to someone, “with knowledge of the company’s plans,” in the FT.

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

* 1 BULL = NO BULL, 2-3 BULLS = SLIGHT WHIFF, 4-5 BULLS = STEAMING!

Turn visuals up to 11 with these 4K, ultra-HD bad boys

Radar

NEWS

NASA’S EYE IN THE SKY I can see your planet from here… he Transiting Exo-planet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a whole new type of observational space tech, conceived at MIT and funded by NASA. It will watch the stars, scanning for Earth-like planets in order to “accelerate our chance of finding life within the next decade”. Of course, we’ll either hat, be thanking or cursing them for that, rns depending on whether said life turns head, out to be the passive, bulbous-of-head, s-withwilling-to-share-their-hoverboards-withooledus types, or generously toothed, tooledrds. up, overtly aggressive space bastards.

T

NEWS BLIP AMAZON HAS LAUNCHED AN ANDROID APP STORE IN CHINA

THE SEARCH BEGINS

Boldly looking where no one has looked before, TESS’s mission is to seek out new life and new civilisations. It aims to find exo-planets – those from solar systems outside of our own – from Earth-sized bodies to gas giants, with habitable, “super-Earths” a particular focus. TESS will analyse the atmospheres, densities and geographies of these new orbs and try to work out where any life might be. Further investigation can then take place from ground-based jumbo-scopes, as they’re technically not known, such as the James Webb Space Telescope. TESS is the successor to Kepler, a space-based curtain-twitcher that’s pinpointed more than 100 new worlds.

£200,000,000, NASA.GOV, OUT 2017

SAY “CHEESE”

An array of wide-field cameras will allow TESS to conduct the first “spaceborne, all-sky transit survey”. The boffins behind the project were able to devise a new “Goldilocks” orbit around the earth and the moon, close enough to allow high-speed data downlink rates, but far enough away from the Earth’s harmful radiation belts. As a result, the sensitive cameras stay within a stable temperature range that is “just right”. Minithrusters help the vessel do a mechanical double-take should a picture of a green, tentacled gentleman looking straight back up at us with a pair of binoculars appear on NASA’s screens.

ALIEN SPOTTING

As well as general mapping and data gathering, the over-arching goal of TESS is to find organic life on other planets. Now, that could be by sparking a galactic war with the Thrargians of Betelgeuse IX, by accidentally sighting the Thrargian King just as he settles down for a space-dump on his hyper-toilet. Or it could be by identifying celestial bodies with atmospheric conditions that could support life, even if it’s just single-celled organisms. At any rate, the chances of discovering “aliens” within the next decade will be accelerated, according to NASA.

{SPEAK}

George Ricker, senior MIT research scientist and principal investigator While the Kepler mission has recently reported two solar systems, Kepler 62 and Kepler 69, with potentially habitable planets, they’re 1,200 and

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2,700 light years away respectively. By comparison, the closest star systems for which TESS will identify transiting planets should

be less than 50 light years away. If a probe could travel at ten per cent of the speed of light, that would mean 500 years’ travel time. It’s focused on locating the transiting planets orbiting nearby bright stars, thus providing a set of

excellent targets to study for evidence of molecules such as H20 and CO2 in their atmospheres. Without the TESS discoveries, known targets are 30x to 100x too faint for such studies. The TESS mission is cost-capped at $200m and work has already

begun. It will contribute to answering the age-old question, “Are there other worlds where life might exist?” and point out the best places to look more closely in future, as technology improves. Ultimately, I believe we will be able to send a human being to another planet.

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

NEWS

THE HOUSES THAT TECH BUILT Unique, decidedly non-bijou accommodation in sought-after locations – well, California – designed for the world’s biggest brands to help them keep and acquire staff. Can we interest you in a viewing?

n Jose Samsung, Sa illion COST $300 m sq ft 00 ,0 00 1,1 ZE SI 2,500 ots S EE OY PL EM 144 bicycle sp 45 spaces, plus lar panels on car park PARKING 1,5 so f o et fe e and squar cafés, pavilion EXTRAS 94.5 , coffee shops, tre en c te ss da ne roof, fit s planted to , with 310 tree forest spaces fo MPLETE 2015 O C ON TI CONSTRUC C

EN-STOREY TORS, THIS T EN V IN G IN D other Nature FOR BUD e wonders of M th gs in g br re nt R&D ce t trees, runnin rden floors spor ga 0 ee 50 hr 2, T . to de insi ies for up eational facilit ies double paths and recr s parking facilit ou er en G . ts e is nt ie f sc entire roo of th Samsung ergy, with the en . of ng ce lli ur ne so pa a up as e of solar structure mad and vehicle-storing noramic views pa de vi o pr s w do in w Giant glass fice spaces. r numerous of natural light fo

Google Bay View San Francisco B , ay COST

$POA SIZE 1,100,000 sq ft BUILDINGS Nin e four-floor structu res EXTRAS Gardens on the rooftops, elevated bridges connecting each building, campin g facilities and vie of San Francisco w Bay CONSTRUCTIO N COMPLETE 20 15

THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OP PORTUNITY to own a fantastic piece of San Francis co’s stunning Ba B y View area. Ea ch of the nine, four -floor buildings come fully furnish ed in Google’s uniq ue style, with as-yet-undisclose d themed rooms. We’re expecting jelly-bean and prim ary colours to feat ure heavily. One building hosts a roof garden, offe ring workers the chance to unwi nd in the sun, with camping facilities for late-ni ght meetings and sleepo ovverss..

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Radar

NEWS BLIP THE UK RELEASE OF SONY’S XPERIA TABLET Z HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL THE END OF MAY

Nvidia, Santa Clara COST $POA SIZE 1,045,440 sq ft EMPLOYEES 2,5 00 PARKING 3,60 0 spaces EXTRAS Built in an innovative tes sellating pattern with huge inter-c , onnecting platform s that link the two floors and va rious offices and labs CONSTRUCTIO N COMPLETE 20 15

A SCULPTURED ROOF OF INTERCONNECTING polygons covers th is R&D powerhous e, where the next generation of grap hics cards and mob ile processors will be built to ultim ately power everyth ing from games consoles to Hollywood special effects. Standout ffeatures include a central glass roof co re, filling th build bu i ing with natural hee light; curtains are pr ovided for those who prefe fo r a computer-screen glow.

, Apple Campus 2 Cupertino COST $5 billion sq ft SIZE 2,800,000 charging points , plus 279 electric gh to PARKING 2,296 panelling – enou lar so of ft sq 0 um EXTRAS 700,00 corporate auditori at -se 00 1,0 A s. power 4,000 home a fitness centre and for presentations C N COMPLETE TB CONSTRUCTIO

DGET, APPLE’S NNING OVER BU CURRENTLY RU , with enough tually save money tech city will even ely selftir en t make it almos solar panelling to und the rro su lls ent glass wa sufficient. Cold-b s completing ed, concrete ceiling building, with curv R&D labs, th t look. Replete wi the expensive donu rium, this to di au at and a 2,000-se rs be am ch ng sti te e citadel. ilding as a corporat is not so much a bu

Facebook West , Palo Alto COST $POA SIZE 433,555 sq ft EMPLOYEES 2,8 00 PARKING 1,499 EXTRAS Undergr ound tunnel con necting new and old Facebook bu ildings. So-called “world’s largest room” and a rooft op forest CONSTRUCTIO N COMPLETE 20 15

DESIGNED BY FR ANK GEHRY, TH E ARCHITECT behind the Guggen b heim in Bilbao, this space has a more restrained look, bu t is still incredibly in novative. The desks are movable d , as are the walls, m aking setting up and destroying office spaces for pr ojects and meetings easy. A gia nt, state-of-the-ar t caféteria is complemented by an array of mini-k itchens, while a rooftop forest runs the entire length of the building should you need to walk off heavier lu nches. J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 2 9

Radar

NEWS BLIP INSTAGRAM HAS NOW ADDED A FACEBOOK TAGGING FUNCTION

SPEND

10 REASONS TO BUY...

TOMTOM MULTI-SPORT In the school sports day of life, this new wrist-based activity tracker from the GPS kings wins every race and boasts about it online. Here’s why you should join its team… £TBC, TOMTOM.COM, OUT SUMMER

{WHY TO BUY}

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TRACK AND FIELD

UPHILL STRUGGLE

LOOKING HOT

ACCURATE GPS

TOUGH GUY

Keeps tabs on your speed, distance, cadence and, via Bluetooth-compatible sensors, your heart rate

Pesky elevation making things tough? MultiSport’s altimeter knows and notes the difficulty

A range of colours and a large touchscreen provide aesthetic pleasure when “down the gym”

TomTom’s GPS and GLONASS satellite tech make sure you won’t get lost on your weekend jog

With scratch- and impact-resistant glass, Multi-Sport will withstand a (light) scrape

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ON YOUR BIKE

DIVE IN

GYM BUNNY

SHARE YOUR PB

GO THE DISTANCE

A dedicated mount straps it to your handlebars so you can check your stats with but a glance

Waterproof to 50m, it tracks laps, strokes, time and speed when you’re taking on the local lido

Prefer running on a treadmill to the park? Sensors track strides, so distance is still recorded

Multi-Sport analyses your stats and shares successes and personal bests across Facebook, Twitter et al

With GPS activated, it goes for up to ten hours, enough for three marathons if you get a bit of a shift on

3 0 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

UNDER THE RADAR

STUFF The oddments corner of the tech world where Time Lords rub shoulders with trays , 10W GS IN ITH S W T FITT B L BU IGH OM 5W UR L SA.C KER T, YO NU PEA T LAS MOTIO S .A LB IO BU THEM , AUD HT LIG KER IN . £300 S S A U ELE SPE K YO WIR ELESS Y ROC WIR TRUL CAN

IGN DES EN AIC S. TH RCH HOUR S.COM A N ER UR EAK OR FO EATIO SP R LE VITY. F RNIC B A I T FU RT PO NNEC £125, T. ALL CO ND OOTH RGE I E K A NI UET CH FUR TS BL TO RE E ME NEED U YO

URE E N S KE ORS ING LI M T O .CO IN R OTH TW IS N ARTH DIS H I S TE TAR ON, T NMEN G IN ANG RTAI H FLY E HO N D … E N T R W ING A ! £59, O T Y DIS C L F O D BLE TAR STA REAL THE

S” G OD N R P NDI M NSO NS, SE MO.CO E S “ ITIO TAT O W N T OND 1, NE TIO R C . £15 G STA DOO ER OUT ID THIN H D O AT WE OR AN ANDR O M NDO OR I S TAT NE NITOR UR IO O MO A TO Y DAT

D ROI RD; AND OA HZ KEYB .UK G 2 . D H, 1 N AN GO.CO E INC EN- SCRE 99, MY V E CH . £ ,S GET H TOU A TON D I BU WIT ER MIN E T E U N D TE , REPL FOR NO N GO B O O K G F U N NET PUTI M CO

E, STS SAF BOA OU ET EPS Y OM M HEL . KE TS.C I K E E R I N G ELME DB IRE IR FILT ARK-H P S -IN SH DA JET IT AN 190, K .£ TER IGH TOOTH LISTS F C AW UE CY K R ED BL LOW L AR SH EGRAT ES FE T T A IN IMID INT

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Radar R S FO Y KET “X-RA M OC 2 P EEN IN ST.CO 2 VE KET T S AC EN NO COTTE RJ ME S. WH £97, S R O E . PIF R WIR IALLY T RO T T G FO SEN VES UCTIN LE, ES E T OT ND D AGOU C S HA AC TEC ” IT’S W VIE

, EEN SCR S CH HAND N I E H UK HRE DIS O T , C H I L OM/ NE .C ET IVALS UNG K T C S PO R FES , SAM XY O C AL A O D F £ T B G G M, GO ING. N U CA SAG MS SA -MEG IT MES O TW ILLIC AND

ITH N, W E FU F OR ISK O M M O RR OT T G IGHE AND.C H L JUS E D A N D A KKER B I N I T K AST MEN . £12, AKF AIN R BRE TERT SASTE D I N E E D D B AD GE IPA ED IP PILLA ADD FEE-S F O C

F LE O HE OTT URN T RB OU WILL T M Y B ED .CO PEN EYFO YBOX Z LY O IS K FUL Y? TH , PREZ S S CE AIR . £7 SUC IT L ILE PA G A B JECT ZAP ETTIN I PRO P CA R? G A MIN BEE INTO CAP

O, -3P EC AS E 5 C H TH A.COM E ON OUG ER IPH , TH POW ION CCA 20, DIT EWBA PLE. £ E CH AM TED IMI ER OR RPET S SL AR H VAD E A CA W T R IK R STA D2, DA OKS L R2- TER LO T A L

S NG BRI R HT LIG OF OU O.UK D LOO TRES ADIO.C PF D-U E ME DAR WIN QUAR NEVA T H S 40, LIG 4 0 HT P TO URS. £ U O RIG A B ION TO O 12 H D T T VA NE M I N A R U P O ILLU NET F A L P CK AN STI SB T IT C SU U LAS YOU, B G HIS TO OM IS T ’S UP NG.C U CK T STI ? THA O-KY B TY US , YO RY F EMP . £48 L A MO ME OR HA F DAT Y T O P L EM F FUL O 4GB HAL E UP T TAK

WWW FOR MORE NEWS NEW GO TO T3.COM

SE /CA D ARD ITY AN O B KEY CTIV .COM ACT ONNE HNCO MP CO OTH C HATC S I , O H Y T U E T £80 INN , B L E T ! -SK HTING . SWE 2 E O &C CKLIG RY LIF A E TCH HA LED B BATT R S HA -HOU A 12

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Email [email protected] Tweet @t3dotcom Facebook /T3mag Letters T3 Magazine, 2 Balcombe Street, London, NW1 6NW

Radar

I N B OX

THE BUZZ

Online stories, debates and harsh lessons igniting the tech world this month

THE T3 ENDOMONDO CHALLENGE

A simple, direct layout – reminds us of the new gov.uk site

Which OS has the fittest fans? 20,223 entrants have burned 192,040,960 calories, and the results are in…

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? {INTERNET}

{LEGA L}

{MOBILE}

CERN recreates first ever webpage

Nokia vs HTC One

Are you 4G connected?

Then: 20 years ago, Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher at CERN, now home of the Large Hadron-Collider, created the world wide web. He then gave it to the world, free of charge. Now: CERN has made the first ever webpage available to the public – info.cern.ch/hypertext/ WWW/TheProject.html

Then: Nokia discovered that HTC’s flagship phone uses microphone components designed, it believes, for Nokia by STMicroelectronics. Now: Nokia has secured an injunction from the Amsterdam District Court, which prevents the mics being sold to HTC, effective worldwide, not just in the Netherlands.

Then: EE announced its first-in-the-UK 4G service last year, ahead of network competitors, with the tantalising promise of 20Mbps download speeds. Now: High contract costs and limited availability in the UK’s rural expanses mean EE has so far lured just 130,000 users from other networks.

Android Army Recruits 12,274 Calories 114,528,509 Average burn 9,331 kcal Team Apple Recruits 4,295 Calories 46,850,857 Average burn 10,908 kcal WP Warriors Recruits 1,755 Calories 12,670,932 Average burn 7,220 kcal BlackBerry Brigade Recruits 1,202 Calories 11,752,614 Average burn 9,778 kcal Symbian Squad Recruits 697 Calories 6,238,048 Average burn 8,950 kcal

T3

We’ve been nominated for Consumer Media Brand of the Year at the 2013 PPA awards. Fingers crossed, everyone… WHATSAPP

Nokia’s new Asha 210 phone features a dedicated WhatsApp button for instant messaging. First step to challenging the Facebook phone? CURVY TECH

The world’s first curved OLED TVs, made by LG, are now on sale in South Korea. Fancy buying one? The 55-inch model will cost you £8,725, less shipping fees. {WINNING}

THE T3 WINDEX

What’s going up and down in the land of tech {FA I L I NG}

YOUR MAILS, TWEETS AND POSTS about Microsoft’s latest innovation. Will the new Xbox match it? Have a Powerskin PoP’n battery case while you wait to find out…

STAR LETTER Microsoft vs Sony It makes me laugh that whilst Sony is experimenting with touch-sensitive areas on its controller, Microsoft is toying with the amazing IllumiRoom concept and previously released Kinect. Sony is seriously losing out in the gaming tech wars!

FYI… In issue 216 you correctly advised readers that you do not need a TV Licence if you only ever watch shows downloaded from the internet. I would like to add that a Licence is required if you use a set top box to watch or record shows at the same time they’re shown on TV, however they are received. TV LICENSING VIA EMAIL

DEAN WEBLEY VIA FACEBOOK

The Galaxy S4 lands…

Take a look at our preview of IllumiRoom (p15) to learn more

Awkward. That moment when T3’s #GalaxyS4Party is trending

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.COM

and I’m still here rolling on Galaxy S2. *Sighs*.

WII U

Nintendo has sold more of its – now a bit of a bargain – original Wiis than its new GamePad-toting Wii U consoles this year. Can Mario save them?

@LALACOMFIIE VIA TWITTER APPLE

Are the Galaxy S4’s software tweaks just a gimmick or do they have a real-world use?

The big A’s reported quarterly profits have dropped for the first time in a decade – to a piffling $9.5 billion! Rubbish!

@IAINTHEORACLE VIA TWITTER

Our in-depth review is on p99.

How many Galaxy S4 phones would it take to crush a midget?

FACEBOOK HOME

The social hub has been downloaded 500,000 times from Google Play, netting a not-sogood average review score of 2.2.

@JAMESLOCKWOOD9 VIA TWITTER

SEND MAIL, WIN THIS

The Powerskin PoP’n case attaches, limpet-like, to the back of your smartphone for a 100 per cent battery boost. £52, POWERSKIN.CO.UK

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VOTE NOW AT T3.COM/AWARDS

T 3 AWA R DS 20 1 3

Radar

Vote for your favourite tech

The T3 Gadget Awards 2013 are coming… Make your voice heard! VOTE AND WIN AN iPAD MINI!

In association with

Vote now at T3.com/awards Official media partners

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.COM

J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 3 7

Radar

NEWS BLIP PIZZA HUT’S NEW XBOX APP LETS YOU PICK TOPPINGS AND BUY VIA KINECT

NEWS

Left: Epigenesis in award-winning action. Above: the judges included gaming legend Peter Molyneux, T3’s Matt Hill and Nvidia’s Phil Wright. Below: Epic’s Mike Gamble hands Dead Shark Triplepunch the prize

EPIGENESIS IS THE FUTURE OF E-SPORTS Dead Shark Triplepunch takes the Make Something Unreal Live crown as T3 joins Epic Games in celebrating the best student games makers ake Something Unreal Live, the international student game-making competition organised by Gears of War maker Epic Games, has been won by Sweden’s Dead Shark Triplepunch. The fantastically titled team from the Blekinge Institute of Technology nabbed the top prize of commercial Unreal Engine 3 and 4 development licenses for its unique sports game Epigenesis (pictured above), which is now set for a full release. Based on the competition’s theme of Mendelian genetics, the five-on-five, multiplayer-only game is a mix of first-person shooting, 3D platforming and basketball that has you marking your territory literally by growing strategic defensive or offensive flora. The live final, in which the Swedes

M

saw off Staffordshire University’s Kairos Games, Bournemouth’s Static Games and the University of Abertay’s Team Summit, extended over the week of Gadget Show Live at Birmingham’s NEC, with the teams taking on feedback from the public and mentors including Ninja Theory, Climax Studios, Lucid Games and Splash Damage. Games industry gurus such as Sensible stalwart Jon Hare, Grand Theft Auto creator Dave Jones and Sports Interactive’s Miles Jacobson also aided the teams’ development. The judging panel included Populous and Theme Park creator Peter Molyneux, Epic Games’ Mike Gamble, The Wellcome Trust’s Iain Dodgeon, UKIE CEO Jo Twist, Nvidia’s Phil Wright and T3 deputy editor Matt Hill.

{SPEAK}

T3’s Matt Hill reports from the MSUL judging room

The final judging decision was fairly unanimous, across both the panel and the public vote. While all the games had real promise, and could be commercially viable in time and with polish, Epigenesis was the one that I wanted to take back to T3 Towers immediately for some in-office multiplayer. Uncompromising

in its approach (read: hardcore) and rewarding experimentation, the unique combination of Unreal Tournamentstyle first-person shooter chaos and Speedball-like futuristic fun is sure to capture the imaginations of LAN parties and e-sports enthusiasts. Of course, having five-on-five multiplayer running so smoothly in a live environment was also very impressive. It’s practically ready for a beta release as is.

FACEBOOK.COM/MAKESOMETHINGUNREAL

{FOCUS}

MAKE SOMETHING UNREAL’S PLUCKY RUNNERS-UP POLYMORPH

MENDEL’S FARM

BEINGS

Kairos Games from Staffordshire’s very professional 3D platformer nabbed second with its excellent Avatar-esque visuals and impressive presentations, even though its science was a bit lacking.

The most strictly Mendelian game (his name’s in the title, after all), this Theme Hospital meets Farmville chicken-rearing sim by Bournemouth’s Static Games had free-to-play iOS glory in mind but fell short.

Part Pokémon, part Tokyo Jungle, this cutesie ‘breed to survive’ curiosity from the University of Abertay’s Team Summit could be at home at Nintendo with a bit more focus. Epic says it will take care of introductions.

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WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

Radar

NEWS BLIP SAMSUNG IS WORKING ON A BRAIN-CONTROLLED GALAXY NOTE

S TAT S

THE MONTH IN NUMBERS Take stat and party! XXXX

Rewind, selector

“THIS TWEET WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY…” $$

$$

$$$582,800,000

£120m

Twitter’s predicted ad revenue 2013 (BUSINESS INSIDER)

2013: £111m

1997: £108m

£100m

£80m

CAR CONNECTIVITY

20ll% cars

£60m

of a will be

£40m

d app-connecte

by

2006: £23m

£20m

2017 (JUNIPER RESEARCH)

£0m 1998

1996

2006

are WORLD OF WARCRAF WARCRAFT, LEAGUE OF LEGENDS, RUNESCAPE, WORLD OF TANKS and MINECRAFT GLOBALLY THEY TH ARE PLAYED BY

(GAME)

330

Get your ass to Mars

MILLION GAMERS M S THAT’S

FUEL EFFICIENCY FUSION DRIVE FUEL PELLET THE SIZE OF 1 GRAIN OF SAND HAS THE ENERGY OF 1 GALLON OF ROCKET FUEL

118 TIMES S (AVG)

Size is everything?

1m

APP VENDORS BY NUMBER OF APPS

900k 800k 700k

of all digital data in the world has been created in the last two years (IBM)

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SHANGHAI

THE POPULATION OF TH SHANGHAI – THE WORLD’S SHAN LARGEST CITY

(NASA)

90%

2014

TOP 5 PLAYED GAMES

BECAUSE TOMB RAIDER, RED ALERT AND, ER, CRASH ASH BANDICOOT ALL LAUNCHED IN THIS YEAR. HMM… …

ONLINE OVERLOAD

2010

(IFPL)

THE GOLDEN YEAR OF GAMING G ACC ACCORDING TO UK GAMERS.

ESTIMATED TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO GET TO MARS WITH A FUSION-DRIVEN ROCKET

2002

WORLDWIDE VINYL SALES

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GOOGLE PLAY

UNDERGROUND

130,000

A A

APPLE APP STORE

Dipper alert!

WINDOWS BLACKBERRY PHONE STORE WORLD

(APPLE, WIKIPEDIA, WINDOWS, BLACKBERRY)

50% of which are iPhones (MOBILEINSURANCE.CO.UK)

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.C O M

Radar

NEWS BLIP LOVEFILM NOW OFFERS HI-DEF FILMS AND TV SHOWS FOR THE PS3

INCOMING

WHAT’S ON YOUR RADAR?

Revelation and speculation for your edification over the next 12 months…

Oculus Rift 3D and VR headset backed by gaming ledge John “Doom” Carmack to hit shops? Q4

Transistor

TE LA

Action-packed, sci-fi arcade-style slasher from the makers of Bastion. 2014

R? Killzone 4 PS4 launch title will feature human-hating foes and eyepleasing graphics. Q4

Only God Forgives

O SO N

Drive’s Gosling and Winding Refn bring the stylish ultraviolence to Bangkok. July 19

W NO 300: Rise of an Empire

Nike Fuelband 2 Updates could include waterproofing so you can track swims as well as runs. Q4

More expansively pec’d Spartans fighting Persians, this time at sea. August 8

iPhone 5 nano Anchorman: the Legend Continues

Low price and iMac G3-style translucent colour design? Er… Maybe (no). October?

Ron Burgundy is back. Will he stay classy? December 20

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Cap’ and Black Widow fight evil in Washington. 2014

Less sneaking about, more blowing sh*t up. August 23

Tech Films Games

{THE HIGHS A ND LOWS OF T3’S COMING MONTH}

YEAH!

T3 rolls up to Los Angeles en masse for annual gaming expo E3 wondering if there’s anything left to reveal after all the next-gen console leaks and pre-event events. Oh yes: 3D Mario on Wii U, that’ll keep us going for a week…

MEH!

4 2 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

As festi-season begins in earnest with the Isle Of Wight on June 13, Team T3 gears up with summer tech (p56), toilet roll and hand sanitiser, and heads out to mud-drenched fields to “have some”

June 21 is the Solstice. June 24 is the start of Wimbledon (see p73). As such, we’re off to Stonehenge to sacrifice a virgin, to appease the tennis gods and end the UK’s barren run in SW19. It’s bad news for the intern, but there we go…

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.COM

EDITED BY MATT A T HILL

Play

This month… Last of Us at last/ t/ Zero Dark Thirty: Bin Laden huntin’ huntin’/ ’/ Child of Lov’s funky electro soul / Apps to get cage-fighting fit

TH E CONTENT FOR YOU R K IT

THE ESSENTIAL

RETURN OF THE ROBOTS

Daft Punk conquered social media in spring. Their next target: your summer… rending across Twitter for days, becoming the most streamed track ever on Spotify and topping the iTunes Store in 50 countries, Daft Punk’s comeback has been as sleek and tech-fuelled as expected from two robots done up in Saint Laurent. Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manyel de HomemChristo, the men beneath the masks, first teased Random Access Memories, their full-length follow-up to 2005’s Human After All, via shorts on Saturday

T WORDS MAT T H I LL

Night Live and live at California’s Coachella Festival. Now, T3’s heard the album in its full, 80-minute glory at Sony’s London offices, and it’s a belter. While single Get Lucky, featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, hinted towards a disco revival, the album’s more prog-rock journey than dancefloor-filler. “Electronic music right now is in its comfort zone and it’s not moving one inch,” Bangalter told Rolling Stone recently. “That’s not what artists are supposed J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 4 5

Play

GAMES

It was Pharrell’s dream to sing with The Power Rangers

« to do. We wanted to do what we used to do with machines, but with people.” Daft Punk have stayed good to their word, with only the last track, Contact, containing any samples – The Sherbs’ We Ride Tonight – the rest built around an ever-shifting roster of musicians, including Gonzalez, Panda Bear, DJ Falcon and dazzling percussionist Quinn. At its most lightweight, RAM is just plain catchy. The sure-to-be-a-single Instant Crush with Julian Casablancas sounds like Air remixing The Strokes covering Last Christmas, while insistent clap-along Lose Yourself to Dance includes Pharrell’s falsetto rising over a chorus of digital “Come ons”. There’s real experimentation here, too, as ’60s, ’70s and ’80s music-tech excesses

“ELECTRONIC MUSIC IS MADE IN AIRPORTS AND HOTEL ROOMS. IT’S NOT THE SAME” overlap, from Frampton-esque voiceboxes to “world” drum wigouts and slap bass. Giorgio by Moroder features the titular Italian music legend talking for nine minutes, before Oscarwinning composer Paul Williams takes on the OTT double-header of Touch and Beyond, the former a broadway tune referencing Bowie and The Beatles before a choir-packed climax. “These are songs that travelled into five studios over two and a half years,” says Bangalter. “Today, electronic music is made in airports and hotel rooms, by DJs travelling. It’s not the same vibe.” This shunning of their digital past could have tripped up lesser duos, but it actually keeps the album new, rather than wading in nostalgia. With the PC-referencing title – “drawing a parallel between the brain and the hard drive,” as Bangalter puts it – and the endless remixes it will clearly spawn, it’s the techiest musical comeback of the year. RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES BY DAFT PUNK, £10 CD, £9 MP3, DAFTPUNK.COM, OUT NOW ON COLUMBIA

4 6 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

THE LAST OF US

I only nipped out to the corner shop for a Cornetto…

Not just another zombie game, Uncharted creator Naughty Dog’s crafted a post-apocalyptic pleaser eenagers, eh? Even after the fall of man they still cause trouble. In the case of The Last Of Us it’s 14-year-old Ellie getting into a scrape, with our hero Joel having to transport her safely across a postapocalyptic America full of infected mutants and opportunistically murderous survivors. What lifts this above trad zombie fare, though, is the pedigree of the studio and the monsters it’s created. Uncharted developer Naughty Dog knows how to tell a story and this grim tale is more akin to The Road than Dead Island, with a downbeat weariness weighing down the atmosphere.

T

Then there are the Clickers. Once human, fungus has grown from their faces turning them feral and leaving them to hunt using echolocation. The combination of whistles, clicks and barks that chase you through dark corridors is Grade A nightmare fuel. It’s also harshly violent in a way that may surprise – get caught and Joel’s throat is torn out in close-up before a black screen abruptly silences the screams. Anyone after another jaunty Nathan Drake adventure is in for a shock, but those looking for a masterfully told storyy should be first in line. £40, THELASTOFUS.COM, COM, OUT JUNE 14 ON PS3

{FOCUS}

The “Balance of Power” AI system has computer enemies adapting in real-time to shifting situations – such h as characters becoming isolated, cover appearing or ammo running out ut

{BEST OF THE R EST}

Memory loss, shooting, speed and retro thrills…

Remember Me PS3, X360

Big Brother-isms and action combos collide in this striking future thriller set in Neo Paris. Beat characters up, then rewind their memories to change the course of events. £38, CAPCOM.COM, OUT JUNE 7

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon

Grid 2

PC, PS3, X360

Codemasters’ high-octane racing game is graphically gorgeous. Happily, the feast of online multiplayer innovations on offer is equally attractive.

3DS

Ubisoft pastiches its own franchise with this ace, tongue-in-cheek shooter. Dragons, cyborgs and Michael Biehn feature. FROM £12, FC3BLOODDRAGON. UK.UBI.COM, OUT NOW

FROM £22, GRIDGAME.COM, OUT MAY 31

£30, NINTENDO.CO.UK, OUT MAY 24

PC, PS3, X360

Intuitive platforming meets excellent visuals and nostalgic audio, with some proper tricky bits thrown in.

FILMS

MUSIC

New “parallel parking fail” video causes mirth outbreak on YouTube

CHILD OF LOV

No (spelling) mistake about it: this is the funkiest Dutchman ever e’s straight outta the Netherlands. His voice is like Prince being impersonated by Grover from The Muppets. His music is a jacking mix of horny horns and synthy bass. He is The Child of Lov, and he is funky. Damon Albarn and MF Doom guest, and while the ingredients may be familiar, the way CoL bakes them in his Dutch oven is hella fresh. File alongside Jamie Lidell in your “electro-soul” collection.

H

ZERO DARK THIRTY

Troubling examination of the hunt for Bin Laden is somewhat more enjoyable than being waterboarded n the post-Homeland world, Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning War-on-Terror treatise suffers somewhat from being rooted in that boring old place, reality. As ultra-motivated yet conflicted Carrie, sorry Maya (Jessica Chastain), searches desperately for terror leader Abu Nazir, sorry Osama Bin Laden, the excitement is reduced by the fact we know perfectly well how this story pans out: a raid, a brief shootout and the cold corpse of a dangerous man being “buried at sea”. Along the way, there’s a lot of “enhanced interrogation” (torturing people), but ZDT is nowhere near deep enough a film to make that feel like anything more than an incidental detail. However, as always with Bigelow, the action scenes and the everyday details of people doing extraordinary jobs, from Navy SEALs to CIA interrogators, do ring absolutely true.

I

{HD MOMENT}

The raid on Bin Laden’s house is brilliantly handled; tense despite the outcome being literally a foregone conclusion

£15 BLU-RAY, £14 HD DOWNLOAD, OUT JUNE 10

£8 CD, £7 MP3, OUT NOW

{BEST OF THE R EST}

Old punks, young guns, future men SIGUR RÓS

Kveikur Just in time for the summer solstice, here’s just shy of an hour’s-worth of the sensitive Icelanders’ usual brand of soaring melancholy. Sweet! £14 CD, £8 MP3, OUT JUNE 17

THE FALL

Re-Mit The righteously slurring Mark E Smith is back. Expect grinding, alien pop, replete with barked instructions and gargled slogans from MES.

{BEST OF THE R EST}

Abe, Arnie, Ralph and… Bang!

£9 CD, £8 MP3, OUT NOW

MOUNT KIMBIE

LINCOLN BLU-RAY, HD DOWNLOAD

THE LAST STAND BLU-RAY, HD

WRECK-IT RALPH BLU-RAY, SD DOWNLOAD

Blowout

Cold Spring Fault Less Youth Do you remember and cherish 90s Essex experimentalists Disco Inferno? Then you’ll like this. What’s that, you don’t? Shame on you.

BLU-RAY

£10 CD, £8 MP3, OUT MAY 27

Overlong, perhaps, but this makes 18th century politics seem urgent and contemporary, with the mastery of director Spielberg and super-thesp Day Lewis shining bright.

Arnie looks older than God here, as a small-town cop leading a rag-tag, plucky bunch against heavilyarmed baddies. A Western updated efficiently enough; nothing more or less.

This wants to be “Toy Story with video games,” but after a bright start devolves into “Cars with video games,” then melts into a trite puddle of “be yourself/ follow your dreams” clichés.

This ’81 classic stars John Travolta as a sound tech who accidentally records an assassination. Director Brian De Palma pushes the “style and referentiality” meters deep into the red.

£15 BD, £10 HD DL, OUT JUNE 10

£16 BD, £14 DL OUT MAY 27

£16 BD, £10 SD DL, OUT JUNE 3

£24 BD, OUT MAY 27

EMPIRE OF THE SUN

Ice on the Dune The synth duo FROM THE FUTURE – okay, strictly speaking, Sydney – return in usual, non-understated style. Their shtick’s still entertaining. £15 CD, £9 MP3, OUT JUNE 1

«

J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 47

APPS

{IOS}

Apple’s latest little gems Sportstream iOS 5.0+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

Sport-related social media chatter, from athlete/pundit tweets to play-by-play commentary. Will soon cover Premier League football. FREE, SPORTSTREAM.COM

HowDo iOS 5.0+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

A social network for crafty types, where users share guides, tips and tricks to making all their latest creations. All beautifully presented. FREE, HOW.DO

Cut The Rope: Time Travel iOS 4.3+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

You are the candy man again, but now you have to feed two monsters by dragging sweets through six time periods and inter-dimensional gates. £0.69, ZEPTOLAB.COM

ArtHunter iOS 4.3+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

Scottish T3-ers: admire art, then get off your arse and head to the gallery to unlock bonus content including hi-res images and extra info.

App of the month

FREE, NATIONALGALLERIES.ORG

TOUCHFIT: GSP

Moxtra

Want to get cage-fighter ripped? Reigning UFC champ Georges St-Pierre has an app for that… s routes to well-being go, being fit enough to defend yourself from facial pounding whilst locked in a cage isn’t bad. So it follows a bloke who’s won multiple cage fights is a good fitness role model. Canadian beefcake Georges St-Pierre is the mixed martialarts welterweight world champ, and this smart app channels his plyometric- and gymnastics-fuelled success into a rounded workout for you, sir. It does a pretty good job, too, with 500 video exercises, plus input from trainer Patrick Beauchamp and nutrition coach Dr

A

iOS 5.0+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

Manage and share your projects, with everything stored in the cloud for easy access. Whether it’s a family reunion or a work merger, it’s sorted.

John Berardi, covering everything from supplements to stock up on to recovery routines, with the app responding to real-time user feedback and “tailoring each individual workout to your current level of fitness,” as St-Pierre explains it. While this will reap major rewards for serious gym bunnies with an unwavering focus on rock-hard legs and core, there’s also plenty here for the casual user. For one, the exercises mostly require minimal equipment, so you won’t need to buy an entire home gym to feel the burn. We suggest you leave actual cage fighting to the pros, though.

FREE, MOXTRA.COM

Badland iOS 4.3+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

Combining puzzles and local multiplayer, this Limbo-meets-World of Goo adventure has you floating through a trap-littered forest. £2.49, BADLANDGAME.COM

Shine On Raw iOS 4.3+: iPAD, iPHONE, TOUCH

The latest food craze: raw. As in no cooking, or even heating. With hundreds of recipes to browse, there’s more to this than celery sticks. FREE, SHINEONRAW.COM

FREE THREE WEBSITES ROCKING T3’S BOAT

Playgodsrule.com THE GAME

Taking on in-app purchase big cheese Clash of Clans, Sega’s Godsrule: War of Mortals is a real-time strategy MMO with a plan. Cross-platform play across web browsers and iPad is particularly applaudable.

4 8 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

Thank-you-for-playing. com THE SHOW A new kind of gaming series from the ex-Inside Xbox team that splices Brookerlike satire with game-like functionality. You “play” the Kickstarter-funded show’s world, unlocking extras as you view.

Music.twitter.com THE TUNES

Twitter’s music-biz foray is big on fanfare, light on substance. Listen to clips of music suggested by mates or trends, or full tracks via Spotify – it’d work better if embedded in the latter. Also available as an iOS app.

A free premium app every month!

T3 are pleased to offer a full priced app every issue for no money at all. First up is Tiny Troopers, the excellent, Cannon Fodder-esque strategy shooter from Angry Birds publisher Chillingo. All iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch users rocking iOS 5.0+, head here, download and get gaming… BIT.LY/XZSXPO

WWW FOR MORE NEWS GO TO T3.COM

Play

{ANDROID}

{W INDOWS PHONE}

{BLACK BER RY}

Google’s pure gold

Live tile treasures

Berry good apps

Lions Official

F1 Connect 2013

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5+

BLACKBERRY 10.0.0+

Keep up to date with this summer’s Lions rugby tour, and get exclusive behind the scenes content, as well as the latest news come match time.

Info on this year’s drivers, teams and cars as well as rankings, qualifying and race results. The option to share all that info via BBM is a nice touch.

FREE, LIONSRUGBY.COM

£1.50, CAMERONHIRBODI.COM

Fragger

Neatly for Twitter

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5+

BLACKBERRY 10.0.0+

300 levels of explosive insanity make this a great time killer. Get the power and angle just right on your grenades to blow up your enemies.

Customisable Twitter client. Colourcode updates from certain accounts, filter out the riff-raff and get the tweets you need. Very neat indeed.

FREE, MINICLIP.COM

£2.00, NEATLY.F16APPS.COM

Wikipedia

360 Panorama

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5+

BLACKBERRY 5.0.0+

The winner of Windows Phone’s Next App Star contest finds articles relevant to your location and lets you share them via NFC. Superb.

The camera on the Z10 is more than good enough to pull off a panorama shot. Good thing this photo app is now available on BlackBerry, then.

FREE, RUDYHUYN.COM

FREE, APPWORLD.BLACKBERRY.COM

App in-depth

Wisepilot

eBay

SO.HO Social Launcher

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5+

BLACKBERRY 10.0.0+

The ultimate backseat driver tells you when you’re in the wrong lane or going too fast, but makes up for the attitude with great 2D and 3D maps.

Everyone’s favourite e-marketplace makes the jump to BB10, complete with total control over everything you’re buying and selling.

FREE, APPELLO.COM

FREE, EBAY.COM

Golf Live

Soccer Ticker

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5+

BLACKBERRY 10.0.0+

Round-up of all the latest golfing news and results from around the world, including scoreboards, rankings and video highlights.

Live footie app with stats, fixtures and commentary for all major Euro leagues plus integrated BBM chat, social sharing and even players’ Twitter feeds.

FREE, WINDOWSPHONE.COM

FREE, INSPIRIA.WEB.ID

Acedia: Indie Horror

Ruzzle

WINDOWS PHONE 7.5+

BLACKBERRY 10.0.0+

Slender for Windows Phone, basically. Get your torch out and locate relics scattered around the woods before something finds you…

It’s Boggle for BlackBerry, with added points bonuses. You can take on your mates at speedy wordplay via Wi-Fi. Not at all bad for an Android port.

FREE, WINDOWSPHONE.COM

£2.00, RUZZLE-GAME.COM

Fitbit

Zeebox

WINDOWS PHONE 8+

BLACKBERRY 4.6.1+

Gorges on sleep pattern and activity data from your Fitbit device, then analyses it and creates pie charts and graphs to track your progress.

T3’s App of the Year in 2012, Zeebox is the perfect mix of interactive TV guide and social media hub. Now available on BlackBerry handsets.

FREE, FITBIT.COM

FREE, ZEEBOX.COM

ANDROID 4.0+

Not strictly an app, SO.HO is more like BlinkFeed, or a slicker alternative to Facebook Home, turning your home screen into a social hub and collating all your Facebook and Twitter activity. As a result you can favourite, tweet and like without switching apps. It’s not customisable to the extent of TweetDeck or HootSuite, but it looks elegant and is simple to use. Currently in beta, it’s only compatible with a select few devices – Android 4.0 and up, no tablets – but there’s hope it will be on all Android devices soon. FREE, INQMOBILE.COM

Libon GAMES AND WEBSITES: LEON HURLEY, MATT HILL. MUSIC & MOVIES: DUNCAN BELL, BOOKS: CLARE SARTIN. APPS: MATT HILL, PETER DREYER

ANDROID 2.2+

Free messages and calls to other Libon users is great, with customised voicemail greetings for different callers an added bonus. FREE, LIBON.COM

Google Keep ANDROID 4.0.3+

The Big G’s answer to Evernote, for quick note-taking using photos, voice memos or good, old-fashioned written words, all saved to Google Drive. FREE, GOOGLE.COM

eToro Social Alerts ANDROID 2.2+

Live updates on major share indices, currencies and commodity prices, plus the option to share tips on social networks. Buy! Buy! Sell! Sell! FREE, ETORO.COM

Swizzle Drink Recipes ANDROID 2.2+

Widen your alcoholic horizons with thousands of cocktails, homemade liquors and hot beverages. Save your favourite recipes for future boozing. FREE, SPLASHPADMOBILE.COM

FOUR EBOOKS TO READ

1 3 2 4

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Jacob’s Folly

NEIL GAIMAN

One protagonist, two settings: 18th-century Paris and 21st-century America. An exploration of fate vs free will. Decent love story, too.

Like all good fairy tales, this one has a dose of horror. A lodger steals the family car and commits suicide in it, beginning a run of bad luck.

REBECCA MILLER

£9.35, OUT JUNE 6

£8.49, OUT JUNE 18

The Boys in the Boat

Talking Cock: a Celebration of Man and his Manhood

Napster

DANIEL JAMES BROWN

VARIOUS

Faster and more dashing than ever, Napster has the song catalogue and features to match Spotify, also benefiting from tighter curation.

Joe Rantz left Depressionera America to row with his friends and win gold in front of Hitler at the 1936 Olympics. This is his story.

The male equivalent of The Vagina Monologues or a grand compendium of penis gags? It’s a bit of both…

FREE, NAPSTER.CO.UK

£11.64, OUT JUNE 6

£7.16, OUT MAY 31

RICHARD HERRING

J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 4 9

Opinion

{THIS MONTH}

Luke Lewis is a meme master Mark Prigg’s early adopter envy Duncan Bell debates in-app policy Vote Peter Firth to live on Mars Edited by Matt Hill

TA L K IN G T EC H W IT H T 3’S E X P E RT AL L IES

LUKE LEWIS

{INSIGHT}

MEMES FOR THE MASSES Buzzfeed UK’s editor reckons the geeks have inherited the earth, with news delivered via internet sound bites becoming the social norm… here was a moment, a few weeks back, when it seemed like the whole of the internet was talking Balls. Ed Balls, specifically. The whole thing’s too daft to explain in detail – it started when the Shadow Chancellor tweeted his own name accidentally – but what began life as a Twitter in-joke snowballed into a collective obsession. Peak Balls was reached on April 28 – now to be known as Ed Balls Day. The MP’s face was crudely Photoshopped on to endless pictures. Celebrities piled in with gags. It was such a popular reference, The Guardian launched a liveblog to chronicle the silliness. You could argue this was nothing but a weak joke stretched beyond breaking point, and you’d be right, but it also represented something quietly profound. Namely, the triumph of LOL-laden web culture, and the moment memes went truly mainstream. Now, meme is a slightly annoying word. It actually predates the internet – Richard Dawkins coined it in 1976 – but it’s come to mean a reference, usually a photo, that can be endlessly remoulded for comic purposes, while maintaining its underlying structure. This kind of playful creativity has always been popular on the web, but it has become «

T

ILLUSTRATION RYAN GILLETT

J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 5 1

M A R K P R IGG

« super-charged in the social-media age. It used to be the preserve of nerdier corners of the web, communities such as Reddit, 4chan and its British counterpart B3ta. Until recently, putting your own spin on a meme required, if not coding expertise, at least some skill with Photoshop. Nowadays sites such as Quickmeme enable you to pick a photo and type in your gag, it’s all about shareability. The meme has become democratised. When chancellor George Osborne joined Twitter with a smug photo update, the meme that arose was stoked by contributions from Metro and the New Statesman. It’s a social phenomenon, and one advertising execs are very keen to jump aboard. Every agency dreams of harnessing the runaway quality of the “viral”, trying desperately to create one from thin air rather than letting them gestate naturally. Sometimes they reverse-engineer this, too. Last year, Virgin Media billboards appeared around the UK that showed a baby clenching his fist – he was already known to millions online as Success Kid. But there’s an interesting paradox here. Just as traditional media is becoming more

INTERNET MEMES ARE BREAKING FREE OF THE WEB AND INTO MAINSTREAM NEWS meme-friendly, the web’s biggest repository of memes, Reddit, is evolving into a news outlet. US President Barack Obama submitting to an “AMA” (Ask Me Anything) interview with the site in August 2012 was effectively its mainstream coming-out party. Since then it has become ever more central to the social-media conversation around breaking news. There’s still a way to go before the site achieves broadsheet-style respectability – when Redditors “identified” the Boston bombing suspects, they got it very badly wrong – but the point remains. Memes now travel at such breathtaking velocity, it’s tough keeping up with them. Remember the Harlem Shake? It went from “hottest thing on the planet” to “lamest cliché imaginable” in the space of two weeks – or two seconds, depending on your tolerance – with the Question Of Sport crew’s version less jumping the shark, more vaulting the whale. So next time you make a point online by referencing Grumpy Cat, or Ned Stark from Game Of Thrones, be careful. It might already be yesterday’s meme. Luke is editor of Buzzfeed.com/uk 5 2 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

{SILICON}

NO POINTS FOR 2ND Early adopters are no longer a secret cult, they’re becoming walking billboards, as tech firms harness the power of being first n a city full of well-paid geeks, keeping up with the latest tech trends isn’t just a matter of financial survival, but social and cultural, too. San Francisco is a city inhabited almost entirely by those muchreferenced-on-sales-sheets “early adopters”, where brandishing the latest, greatest and yet-to-be-fully-released smartphone, app or gadget is as status-worthy as the password to a pop-up bar or having Larry Page’s personal secretary’s au pair on speed dial. While this has, until recently, been a relatively underground cult, with furtive showings-off confined to certain bars and restaurants, it’s now well and truly out in the open. A series of very public beta tests, waiting lines and orchestrated leaks have used the world’s ever-tech-focused glare

I

to its true commercial potential. Google’s Glass AR specs are still well away from a consumer release, yet are arguably the most talked-about gadget on the planet. Being the earliest of early adopters now grants street cred – or gets you banned from bars, depending on where you frequent – as only Google employees and a select few developers have a pair. Sure, these lucky few have already, somewhat harshly and perhaps a bit jealously, been dubbed “Glassholes”, but it’s still going to be next year before the rest of us can pretend we’re in Star Trek and boldly go reading Groupon email alerts without taking our phone out of our pocket. It’s not even a phenomenon reserved for hardware. Sure, your phone better not be a day out of date, but then the operating system under the hood is important, too. Both Apple and Google are clever in dripfeeding beta versions, and in Google’s case final software, to select devices, with a small portion of the public happy to pay to become devs just to get hold of the latest kit. Even apps are having a go. Mailbox, a new email organisation service, is the current king of the early-adopter jungle, implementing a queue system that’s part democratic admin, part marketing masterstroke. Apps such as Tempo, a calendar replacement, have followed suit, requiring users to wait their turn – and rewarding those who hear about it first. With all this openness it would be easy to believe that there are few secrets left in Silicon Valley, but of course the truth is very different. Apple employees developing the latest version of iOS are rumoured to have been given special screen filters so they alone can see what’s on their displays, while many firms refuse to say what they’re working on, claiming to be in “stealth mode”. After all, openness is just another part of a tech firm’s marketing arsenal, a tease for your wallet. In the case of Google Glass, it’s a ploy that’s likely to reap big rewards. Mark is technology editor for the Daily Mail

{G E T I N VO LV E D}

HAVE YOUR SAY… Are you an early adopter? Would you be happy to be used as a tech guinea pig in the name of beta testing and bragging rights? Or, do you prefer your gadget releases with a bit of mystery? As part of our drive to get even more of your views into the hallowed pages of T3, we’ve set up a brand new hub at T3.com/opinion for you to comment. You can also remark, as ever, on facebook.com/t3mag and “on the Twitter” @t3dotcom…

DUNCAN BE LL

P E T E R F IRT H

{TRUTH}

{FUTURE}

MUGGER IN MY POCKET People wasting hundreds on “free”

LIFE ON MARS

Opinion

games may be funny but should it really be allowed to happen? It’s consumerism gone literally mad…

Would you apply for a reality show handing out one-way tickets to the little red planet? Maybe not, but you’d probably watch…

nce in a while, a news story comes along that perfectly captures the zeitgeist. This month’s involved a rather miserable-looking, tattooed man in a Rab C Nesbitt vest, holding a wildly cheerylooking, Rastafarian banana. As you probably read, Henry Gribbohm of New Hampshire, USA – though let’s not kid ourselves that this couldn’t happen in Hampshire, UK – won this slightly sinister, dreadlocked fruit after burning his entire life savings of about two grand, attempting to win on a fairground game. The game? Something to do with chucking a small ball in an evidently not-much-bigger box. The top prize? A Kinect… Worth about £100. Inevitably, the response to this was the kind of exaggeratedly straight-faced reporting that newspapers ONLY employ when conveying a story they know to be piss-your-pants funny. Nobody penned any thunderous editorials calling for the banning of fairgrounds. No blogger demanded the fairground folk be forced to pay the hapless mister Gribbohm back his life savings. That’s odd, because apart from the Jah-worshipping, curved, yellow chap, this story was, in essence, exactly the same as the flurry of reports over previous months on in-app purchases. Someone got momentarily, insanely hooked on a game, became determined to “complete” it, and spent a ludicrous amount of cash doing so. That’s why, to my mind, this is THE most thought-provoking story involving a ganjaliking plantain and a fat man in a vest that I have ever read. Now sure, as smart people, we can all have a good laugh at dumbos wasting vast sums of dosh. Many will take the view that adults should be allowed to spend their money on whatever they like; in fact that this story is different to the in-app

e’ve seen reality TV give people the chance to eat live bugs, score a record deal, re-animate a dead career and pretend to be a cat. But now, thanks to the Dutch, reality TV is going to select two would-be space colonists from a crowd of hopefuls and fire them at Mars. Mars One is a not-for-profit organisation that’s devised one of the most ethically questionable media events ever conceived. By crowd-sourcing colonists in a Britain’s Got Talent-style show it will generate the interest and funding needed to establish the first permanent settlement on Mars by the year 2023. At the time of writing, 30,000 people have paid the necessary $30 to be considered for the first two available spacesuits. Unmanned drones will be sent up to build the beginnings of a home in the years before the manned mission. After that, the competition winners will just have to hop in a space capsule and arrive at the pre-fab, droidmade Big Brother space house. Sounds easy, but there’s a catch: they’ll never return. Not only would it be far too complicated to re-launch a return mission from the surface of Mars, but after a few years in the planet’s reduced gravity, the colonists’ bodies will have irrevocably changed. “The human body will have adjusted to the 38 per cent gravitation field of Mars, and be incapable of returning to the Earth’s much stronger gravity,” Mars One’s website warns. “This is due to the total physiological change in the human body, which includes reduction in bone density, muscle strength and circulatory system capacity.” Even Ant and Dec announcing that in their cheery, Geordie accents won’t make it any less terrifying. Pete writes for LS:N Global, the news network for tech trend agency The Future Laboratory. Read more about space tourist on p96

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purchase stories because it involves an adult and not a child using their mum’s credit card. However, despite being generally opposed to nanny-state meddling, I’ve got to admit I take a different view on “freemium” games, and it’s this: they are a disgrace. Like payday loans at 3,000% APR they’re designed specifically to exploit vulnerable people whilst pretending to empower them; the fact they’re allowed to be sold at supposedly reputable app stores beggars belief. Games can put people in an altered state where their judgement is flawed. Having a mechanism to extract repeated payments from players that can eventually total large amounts is pure, spivvy exploitation. Yes, the people who suffer most are generally stupid, but what are governments and bodies such as the OFT for, if not to protect stupid people from themselves? In-app purchases that make it possible to spend more than, say, £20 during the entire time you own a game shouldn’t be allowed. It’s bananas. Duncan hosts the T3 Podcasts every Friday

{G E T I N VO LV E D}

HAVE YOUR SAY… Are in-app purchases just a fun and, crucially, optional way to get more out of a game? Or should there be a cap on how much you can spend on them. Or are they just EVIL and deserving of immediate banning? Put down that Freemium game for five minutes and let us know your thoughts at T3.com/opinion, Facebook. com/t3mag and @t3dotcom on Twitter. Comments are free, but you will be charged for likes. Just kidding.

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Feel Good Tech of the 40 essential gadgets for owning all occasions now the sun’s decided to put a shift in…

Photography Richard Grassie Styling Michelle Kelly Words Joe Svetlik, Rob Temple Tech Beats By Dr Dre Pill, £170, ukbeatsbydre.com

ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS

ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS

SUMMER

Makes scents to us…

Colonia by Acqua Di Parma £50, selfridges.com

Jo Malone Oud and Bergamot £95, jomalone.co.uk

Givenchy Play Sport £41, givenchy.com

1 Urban Ears Baggis Creed Virgin Island Water £87, creedfragrances.co.uk

Has your neighbour beaten you to the punch and got a Robomower (right) before you? Block out its jealousy-inducing sound with these noise-isolating buds. They stick together when not in use, hanging round your neck rather than getting tangled in, for instance, the aforementioned mower. £25, urbanears.com

2 Gloster Fusion Sling Four back positions make this ideal for chilling out in style. Pass us another G&T and fire up the barbie (p60), will you? £1,699, gloster.com

3 Nikon 1 J1 This chic, simple, compact system cam has no viewfinder, but a built-in flash means you can snap away after dark. Ten-meg stills and 1080p video are superb for the price and size. £350, nikon.co.uk

4 Damson Oyster A curvaceous body, gut-punching sound from four amps and Bluetooth for wireless playback mean this brings the party-funk to your yard, in no uncertain terms. £180, uk.damsonaudio.com

5 Robomow RS630 This will mow your lawn while you relax, then return to its base and charge itself; gardening, T3-style. The hardened Further sward-tending robo-slaves are on p77. steel blades reach to the borders of Want more Bluetooth its base for precision edging. speakers, including a £2,500, robomow.com grenade-shaped one? P118, then…

1 Remington MB4550 Control Touch

2 Aspinal of London men’s hanging wash bag

The world’s first touchscreen beard trimmer – yup – has 175 length options, helping you get your style just right for some summer lovin’. £40, uk.remingtoneurope.com

Water-resistant yet leathery, this elegant “sac de toilette” will keep your gels, unguents and scents safe during well-earned weekend escapes. £175, aspinal oflondon.com

3 Dermalogica After Sun Repair

4 Colgate ProClinical A1500

5 Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale

This repairs damage done by UV rays, so a few afternoons in the sun won’t ultimately leave you looking like a Cuprinol’d Ronnie Wood. No artificial fragrance or colour is used in its creation. £29, dermalogica.com

An electric toothbrush with built-in sensors that adjust the speed and direction of the strokes depending on how you’re holding it, ensuring perfectly pearly whites for summer. Smile! £165, colgate.co.uk

Lets you track your ballooning weight, BMI, and fat percentage as the season’s barbecues take their terrible toll. Even better, it auto-shares your physical decline with online chums. £100, fitbit.com «

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1 Weber Summit S-670 Gas BBQ Six gas burners and an infrared rotisserie are just the start of the good things on offer here. Our favourite feature? A sear station that ensures your meat looks as good as it tastes and vice versa. £2,900, weber.com

2 Salter Heston Blumenthal precision meat thermometer Not sure if your meat’s ready? Pierce it with this silicon-gripped analyser; if blood spurts out and hits you in the face, it’s not ready. £10, salterhousewares.com

3 Joseph Joseph Rinse and Chop Plus A space-saving, non-slip, folding chopping board that doubles as a colander. At last! £15, josephjoseph.com

4 Bodum Bistro electric table grill One side does crêpes and bacon, the Get your grub sorted other meats, fish, veg, at your table. Et indoors with the kitchen tech on p67. viola: mains and dessert, all served up. Sporty in-earphones are £130, bodum.com reviewed, exactingly, over on p106

1 Dyson AM02 Mini

2 Gallotti & Radice Milano

3 Herman Miller Aeron Executive

This may look just like Dyson’s much-loved tower fan but it stands only 87cm tall. It’s like the iPad Mini, basically, except with cool, refreshing air rather than web browsing and time-passing apps. £300, dyson.co.uk

Finish options are natural ash, black or tobacco stain. The 15mm glass top adds boardroom class to your spare room and could double as a ping pong table at a push. From £3,420, fcilondon.co.uk

The office classic’s mesh back keeps you cool in every sense, while a huge range of adjustments suit any body shape, so you won’t be a hunchback by the time you retire. £1,113, herman miller.co.uk

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4 Apple iMac The 2013 model drops the DVD drive to slim down to the same depth as an iPhone 5. Compared to a laptop it offers more screen and less microwaving of your scrotum. 20-inch from £1,099, 27-inch from £1,499, apple.com/uk

5 Inadays InaTrap Electronic Insect Killer The best-looking bug zapper around, this resembles a mushroom designed by Philippe Starck. As well as keeping your deskspace free of midges, it doubles as an LED lamp. $75, amazon.com

ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS 5 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite The ebook market-leader’s eight-week battery life will keep you in pages to turn, while the e-ink screen is readable in the bright sun of backyard barbies or the cool darkness of man sheds alike. Wi-Fi £109, 3G £169, amazon.co.uk SUMMER

Danger: overly hot, hot sauce

Pure Capsaicin $89, hotsauce.com

Pepper Palace Hottest Sauce in the Universe $15, pepperpalace.com

Blair’s 3AM Reserve, $47, firehotsauces.com

Pain 100% £5, hotsauceemporium.co.uk

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ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS 1 Olympus Tough TG-2

SUMMER

Tipples, snifters, boozes

Pimm’s jeroboam £100, anyoneforpimms.com

Jacques Selosse Brut Rosé £126, selfridges.com

Old Raj Dry Gin £26, wmcadenhead.com

Aperol £18, aperolspritzuk.co.uk

This 12-megapixel, 4x zoom snapper is waterproof so you can dive into the pool with it, as this lady has here, without fear of knackerage. It’s also freezeproof, although that hopefully won’t come in handy. £350, olympus.co.uk

2 Aqua Sphere K180 Swim more freely and keep tabs down below with these goggles, replete with “red clear” lens. A 180-degree viewing angle forewarns you of flanking shark attacks. £17, proswimwear.co.uk

3 Sony Xperia Z You can dunk this in the drink for half an hour and it’ll still work. It’s a slice of next-gen Android loveliness in many other ways, to boot – see its high ranking in our Guide, p124, for proof. £500, sonymobile.com

4 Speedo Aquabeat 2.0 Music for swimming, courtesy of this 4GB, waterproof MP3 player. Party playlist not doing it for you? Dive to the bottom of the pool and listen to Ween’s The Mollusk. £100, store.speedo.co.uk

5 Riemann P20 Once A Day Don this in the morning and it’ll shield you from the ravages of UV for up to Use the fear of physical pain to get you fit and ten hours, even if you go swimming. improve your game with Which is quite likely, at a pool party. the pro-level, ball£25, p20.co.uk propelling robot tennis coach on p73

1 Mountain Hardwear Way2Cool This T’s “Cool.Q ZERO” tech means it actually lowers your body temperature as you sweat, while wicking moisture and being all antimicrobial and that. £50, mountain hardwear.com

2 GoPro Hero 3

3 Camera Demon

This tiny, light action cam now has Wi-Fi for remote control and easy upload. It can capture every bone-crunching fall in excruciating detail not just in HD but also at perhaps excessively vivid 4K resolution. £360, gopro.com

GoPro a touch outside your price range? The budget alternative is this, which fits any compact point-andshoot you fancy to your helmet, ready to film your summer adventures in an only slightly ungainly way. £25, camerademon.com

4 Adidas Boost This trainer’s midsole is thermoplastic polyurethane, offering excellent energy return, so impact is reduced and you can run longer. Alas, it looks a bit like the stuff your hi-fi came packed in, but results are king. £110, adidas.co.uk

5 Jawbone b Up This had a few teething troubles on its original launch, but now it’s back, and it’s bad in the hip-hop sense. It tracks your movement and sleep quality, Nike Fuelband-style, with the usual associated app and social gubbins. £100, eu.jawbone.com «

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1 Apple iPad Mini 1

This 7.85-inch screener is the perfect commute companion, fitting apps, movies, games, and more into even the most bijou manbag. You’ll never go back to full size. From £269, apple.com/uk

2 Citrus Zinger water bottle A built-in juicer gives your water a more sophisticated, continental, lemony taste – just squelch a fruit, top up with H2O and enjoy instant refreshment of the citrus kind. £15, firebox.com

3 Rapha Short Sleeve Shirt This cycling shirt’s lightweight, breathable, gingham-style fabric keeps you cool as you power uphill, Wiggo-style, while back pleats prevent unsightly over-stretching. £80, rapha.cc

4 Sennheiser CX890I What’s that? Can’t hear you mate, we’ve got these in, and let us tell ya, the noise isolation is epic. They let you take calls hands-free, too. £120, sennheiser.co.uk

1 Mophie Juice Pack Powerstation Duo Charges two devices simultaneously via USB, from laptops to mobiles. With 6,000 big milliamp hours, you need never lose juice halfway through a film or Skype chat again. £80, mophie.com

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Summer’s coolest sunglasses are on p72. Three pages of cycle gear, from “reality trainers” to a tweed cap, start on p74

2 Urth Hydra Therapy

3 Hamilton Flight Timer Quartz

4 Nook Simple Touch

After eight hours on a plane, subjecting your skin to cholerainducingly hot air laced with recycled flatulence, you’ll want to freshen up. This moisturiser’s calming gel formulation works a treat. £54, selfridges.com

Pilot’s watch, replete with a logging function to record details of up to 20 flights. It’s also waterproof to 100m, should you crash into the sea – reassurance, we think you’ll agree. £980, hamilton watch.com

This ereader bargain gives you two months of reading on a full charge and you’ll get a glare-free experience when you finally hit the beach, too. There’s also in-built Wi-Fi. £79, barnes andnoble.com

5 Knomo Padstow slim satchel briefcase Made of cotton canvas twill with a raw-edge leather trim, this will withstand being chucked about, without losing any of its executive panache. £155, knomo bags.com/uk

ESSENTIAL SUMMER GADGETS

SUMMER

Tech eb books for the trip

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K Dick, £4.99

The Facebook Effect David Kirkpatrick, £5.98

The New Digital Age, Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen, £12.99

5 Revo Windspeed sunglasses Moisture and dirt roll right off the oleophobic lenses on these stylish shades, while the nose pads adjust for schnozz sizes from Carey Mulligan to Gerard Depardieu. The bike? What, don’t all magazines have a vintage Vespa in their stationery cupboard? £140, revo.com

Information is Beautiful David McCandless, £8

Edited by Duncan Bell

M A N UA L

YOUR MONTHLY EXISTENCE ENHANCER

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TECH G A D G E T LIFE OF T M O NTH HE

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JUSTIFY THE KITCHENAID COST TO YOURSELF…

This month...

HOW TO PREPARE KILLER FISH, BUILD YOUR OWN STEAM BOX PC P68

THE TOASTER MECHANICALLY LOWERS COOKED TOAST TO KEEP IT WARM! THE FOOD PROCESSOR COMES IN EMPIRE RED, ONYX BLACK, ALMOND CREAM, MEDALLION SILVER, CANDY APPLE RED AND FROSTED PEARL! THE KETTLE HAS ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL FROM 50°C TO 100°C! THE HAND BLENDER HAS ACCESSORIES (COSTING AN EXTRA £60) INCLUDING THREE BLADES, TWO BLENDING ARMS, (20CM & 33CM) AND WHISK!

OBSESSION: TATTOOING SAY IT WITH INK P69

TECH DAD ALL-SEEING BABY MONITORS P70

UPGR ADE SUMMER’S HERE. SELECT YOUR SHADES P72

PULSE NOW A ROBOT CAN BEAT YOU AT TENNIS P73

PULSE: CYCLING SPECIAL TECH AND ATTIRE FOR ALL CYCLIST TRIBES P74

HOME ROBO MOWER, AL FRESCO DINING ESSENTIALS P77

DRIVE CYBER-ENHANCED PORSCHE CAYMAN, RETRO SUPERBIKE P80

PUTTING THE KIT IN KITCHEN KitchenAid launches mastercheffing, small-appliance assault

Mate! We know the KitchenAid Artisan range has cracking stand mixers in it. They’re iconic. The Mona Lisa of blending stuff. But what about smaller appliances? Cooking equipment retail sectors do NOT get more pressured than that! [Annoyingly long pause] Mate, I am knocked out by this kettle, toaster, cordless

hand blender and food processor. They’ve got a big flavoursome armful of tech touches, from the temperature gauge on the kettle to the food processor’s ExactSlice system, which lets you cut veg like a pro. Luvverley, mate! [Grins like idiot.] Toaster £169, kettle £119, blender £139, processor £389, kitchenaid.co.uk

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HOW TO U HACK YO UR

LIFE WITH TE

3

CH

PR EPAR E PUFFER FISH WITHOUT KILLING YOURSELF Kaoru Yamamoto of SO (sorestaurant.com) ensures no FUBARs when it comes to fugu

1/ Cut off the fins using a deba boho knife (£55, kinknives.com) and strip the fugu of its skin. Then put the knife into its mouth and eviscerate all the offal. You can eat the skin, fins, meat and milt, not the offal or the ovaries. 2/ Fugu poison is a thousand times more toxic than cyanide and has no smell or taste, so put the poisonous parts on a different tray. If you are poisoned, you’ll need mouth to mouth and gastric lavage (stomach pumping). 3/ Serve raw as sashimi, or put chunks of it in a miso soup. Fugu has an elastic texture, so it’s chewy, and can taste bland at first, but its umami is quite strong. 4/ To cook, have it battered and deep fried as tempura or karaage. Alternatively, try fugu chiri (hot pot) or hire shu (sake served with grilled fins). 5/ Fugu season is from October to April. Serve with warmed sake and enjoy safely, people.

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BECOME TOP OF THE TOPIA R ISTS Bosch Lawn and Garden’s Geoff Hodge offers advice on trimming your bush

1/ Use a drawing as a guide. Ideally, buy a wire guide to prune around to get an exact shape. 2/ Stand back to get a full view before cutting. Go steady; don’t rush. Look twice, prune once. 3/ Craft a pyramid shape by holding your pruners at 45 degrees and go straight up to take a little off at a time. 4/ Privet or buxus bushes are best. They’re both thick with small leaves, hence easy to shape. 5/ Ideally sized bushes are 1.2m high, 0.9m wide and 30cm deep. Newbies may struggle with more. 6/ Remember the base of the bush needs to stay wider than the top. Otherwise it will die. Excited? Buy yourself a hedge-trimmer. See p78…

insert here

TOOL OF THE MONTH

DREMEL 8100 This 7.2v, cordless multi-tool’s “EZ Twist” action means you can switch accessories without tools or wrist-sprains. One-hour quick-charging and a soft grip mean you can cut, shape and engrave in comfort for hours. £80, dremeleurope.com/gb

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BUILD YOUR OWN “STEAM BOX” PC

TECHQUATION Organise your music collection

Don’t wait for Valve’s gaming rig; make your own, sub-£300 one – prices aren’t RRPs; shop around

1/ Case Antec’s New Solution VSK-3000E is black, basic and cheap. £25, deep-signal.com 2/ Motherboard Gigabyte GA-H61M-HD2 – it’s got USB 3, no less. £43, uk.gigabyte.com 3/ CPU An Intel Pentium G840 dualcore performs very similarly to the Intel Core i3, but is half the cost and has a more nostalgic name. £55, intel.co.uk 4/ GPU Zotac Nvidia GT 640 2GB. Needs no external power, so your rig stays cool. £70, zotac.com 5/ RAM Kingston Value 4GB DDR3 1066 Low-Profile does the job here. £34, kingston.com 6/ Hard drive Go for the reliable, 500GB, 7,200rpm Western Digital Blue. £42, wdc.com 7/ Power supply Cooler Master Geminii M4. £26, coolermaster.co.uk 8/ OS Linux! No, just kidding. Move your Windows licence from another PC to your makeshift Steam Box. Free, microsoft.co.uk

TuneUp Bloom.FM Fixes names – it’s Beyoncé, not Scan CD barcodes to add to your Bloom.fm Beyonce! – fetches CD art, shows lyrics, etc. $50, OS X, Windows playlist. From free, iOS

What a (smug) feelin’! Your tunes are now omni-available and, critically, “correct”

N7Player Zoomable tag editor allows for tweaking on the go. Free, Android

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POW ER-UP OF THE MONTH

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Vita Coco

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I TRIED THIS!

Matt Hill, Deputy Editor

This fat-free “natural coconut water” is thirst-quenching and health-giving. It contains naturally-occurring electrolytes and more potassium than a banana – “Don’t tell the monkeys!”, Vita Coco’s promotional material sagely counsels. £18 for 12x 330ml pack, vitacoco.com

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MY GIRLFRIEND GOT ME INTO VITA COCO, WITH ITS LACK OF BIG CHUNKS – A COCONUT WATER NO-NO – AND ULTRA-HIGH REFRESHMENT LEVELS. YOU GENUINELY FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN DUNKED IN WATER AFTER DRINKING IT, PARTLY BECAUSE IT DOESN’T HAVE A STRAW, SO YOU’RE FORCED TO GORGE ON ITS SLIGHTLYTOO-BIG OPENING, WIDE-MOUTHED, FINISHING IT IN ABOUT FIVE SECONDS. THEN YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE.

WORDS JOE SVETLIK ILLUSTRATION MARK MITCHELL

Eat killer fish, get a tat

IOON ESE S OBOS G F... IN K ME TH

TECHlife

O

GET INKED!

BEC

Expert advice from Paul Hill, owner of

#22 TATTOOING All a man needs to create his own body-art studio. Please note: a sound grasp of hygiene and actual artistic ability are also generally required if you’re to advance beyond knuckle-based invective…

Vagabond tattoos, iamvagabond.co.uk

1/ If you’re serious about tattooing as a profession, make sure you do an apprenticeship with a professional tattooist – see below. This usually takes three years. 2/ Work hard on a body of work that establishes your own style. Tattooists require as unique a portfolio as any designer looking to be noticed in a highly competitive industry. 3/ Always tattoo under Ecozone Biobulbs. Producing a quality of light similar to sunlight, these give a beam equivalent to a 100W incandescent bulb from a 25W one and are a necessity when working in fine detail on skin.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED…

4/ In my experience, Intenze inks (intenzetattooink.com) are the best quality in the industry. They have a wide variety of colour options and stay looking vivid on the skin for much longer.

1/ Tattoo Ink Chair Full Flagship V2 From chair to bed in seconds, this throne has swing legs, tapered backrests and a 360-degree base for inking those hardto-reach areas. £749, tattooinkchair.com 2/ Diablo Rotary Swiss tattoo machine With a Swiss-made motor this offers near-silent operation, so you and your customers can relax. £220, diablorotary.com 3/ Saturn Digital power supply Runs two tattoo machines at once, with

WORDS MATT HILL

an LCD viewer that lets you fine-tune speed, duty cycle and voltage. £100, powerlinesupplies.co.uk 4/ Powerline sterile tattoo needles Vacuum-sealed for single use and fully disposable, with smooth ink flow. £8.50 for 50, powerlinesupplies.co.uk 5/ Anglepoise Type 1228 table lamp Designed by Kenneth Grange, this versatile steampunkesque light can attach to desk clamps, wall brackets or floor poles. £164, anglepoise.com

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INSTANT INK: GET STARTED NOW… THE UK OFFICIAL TATTOO ACADEMY IN ESSEX OFFERS INTENSIVE, TWO-WEEK TRAINING COURSES COVERING EVERYTHING FROM MECHANICAL OPERATION AND HEALTH AND SAFETY KNOW-HOW TO DESIGN SKILLS AND SKIN PRACTICE. AS WELL AS CERTIFYING YOU, IT ALSO HELPS FIND YOU A SUITABLE APPRENTICESHIP TO FURTHER HONE YOUR NEW SKILLS. £1,999, UKOFFICIALTATTOOACADEMY.CO.UK

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BABY’S ON VIDEO

D, HTHDE A K I DS TTE’SC R O T F NES I

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Samsung’s latest hi-tech toddlersurveillance system trains an unblinking eye on your offspring… The Samsung SEW-3037 with 3.5-inch, colour LCD is your baby’s new Big Brother. It keeps a watchful 2x-zooming eye on your babe, while pan and tilt will check twins or scan the playroom for hidden axe-wielding madmen. Just kidding, obvs. A two-way radio with talk-back lets you and your other half argue remotely over whose turn it is to change Junior. £170, samsung.com/uk

THE TECH Samsung’s SEW-3037 in detail

1/ Babies should be seen… Resolution on the “parent hub” monitor is only 320x240, but it’s clear enough even in low light. When lights go out the unit automatically switches to black-and-white, night-vision mode. 2/ …And also heard Switch to Vox mode and the screen will switch off if all’s quiet. As soon as the wailing begins, the screen switches itself back on. 3/ Even a one-year-old could use it The screen isn’t a touchscreen, but the menu system is easy to navigate and allows access to all camera options and sound settings. 4/ Surveillance state You can connect up to four cameras at a time for full, round-the-clock coverage, with each cam promising to be interference-free up to 300 metres.

TECH DAD SELECTS

I’LL ONLY TELL YOU ONCE!

More baby monitoring gadgets…

With decades of gadget experience, Tech Dad has the solutions to all your pedagogic conundrums

Dear Tech Dad, I’m looking for a good-quality beginners’ bicycle for my four-year-old. ERIC, ST IVES Watch & Care A278 Poor hearing or heavy sleeper? This pillow tech vibrates when baby stirs. £130, actiononhearingloss.org.uk

Normally, the best way to teach a youngster to ride is by removing the pedals and turning the bike into a hobby horse. Micro scooter’s G-Bike Plus takes just that approach, with adjustable seat and handlebars. £80, micro-scooters.co.uk

vacuum cleaner has been proven to emulate the ambience of the womb. Alternatively download White Noise Baby from the iTunes store and let its selection of soothing sounds – including car noise and the sound of a conch – do the trick. £0.69, Apple App Store Dear Tech Dad, We are looking for something our twoyear-old can scoot around the house on. HUGH & DIANE, FROME

Snuza Hero Concerned about baby’s breathing? This monitor gently rouses the child if no chest movement is detected for more than 15 seconds. £67, snuza.com

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Dear Tech Dad, Help! I’m having serious trouble getting my new-born to go to sleep. ALEX, THETFORD ST CLEMENTS

The sound of a consistent noise, such as a

Hippy Chick’s Wheelybugs are colourful, ladybird-shaped vehicles fitted with multidirectional casters, letting baby follow you anywhere. A looped handle lets you pluck ’em from the path of mischief. £60, hippychick.com WORDS DEREK ADAMS

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SHADY SUMMER It doesn’t really matter if it’s raining or it shines, just as long as you’ve got time… to get sharp p 1/ Gucci Young Aviator You can’t go wrong with Gucci. These specs are loud and proud, thanks to oversize teardrop lenses and frames that manage to be simultaneously bright red yet not frightful. £149, gucci.com/uk 2/ Persol PO3047S Plastic frames and metal earpieces combine for sunnies that are light yet sturdy, modern yet timeless. Classic Persol. £285, persol.com/uk 3/ Maui Jim Hideaways PolarizedPlus 2 lenses offer excellent colour and contrast enhancement, complete UV protection, stopping glare whilst attracting stares. Maui Jim has umpteen well-executed frame styles, including these razor-sharp, titanium Aviator variants. Prescription lenses? It’s big into them, too. £216, mauijim.co.uk 4/ Oakley Fast-Jacket XL A blend of typically aggressive, sporty, Oakley styling and functionality, with lenses that can be

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easily switched in and out as lighting conditions ns change. £190, oakley.com m 5/ Ray-Ban RB3025 The vintage Aviator is a wonderful thing and still ll the exact same shape ass those issued to US fighter ter pilots in the 1930s. Heree, the iconic teardrop frames get a hip twist, with electric blue lensess for a stare that’s literal blue steel. £135, ray-ban.com/uk 6/ Orgreen Carter 350 0 with Transitions lenses es Orgreen’s titanium frames look the bollockss, while the lenses go from clear to dark in the blink of an eye as you saunter from beach-hut shade to sun-drenched sand. From £309, transitions.com 7/ Spitfire Techtonic Strikingly retro biker shades offer UV resistance and d leather eye-shields for or maximal sun protection. n. A polycarb sweat at bar – mmm – mops ps yo your brow as you roar do dow wn the dusty high hways of Arizona, or Nantwich. £18, spitfire-design.com design.com

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TOM DAVIES BESPOKE WANT SPECS TO YOUR EXACT SPEC? LONDON-BASED BASED TOM DAVIES IS YOUR MAN. HIS HAND-MADE FRA A MES MES ARE TAILORED TO YOUR MEASUREMENTS, FACE SHAPE, COLOURING AND EVEN PERSONALITY, USING LUXURY TECHNIQUES SUCH AS COLOURING THE METAL WITH ELECTRIC CURRENTS, FOR AN ENTIRELY CHIP-RESISTANT FINISH THAT’S 100 PER CENT BEACHREADY. £5,000, TDTOMDAVIES.COM

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WORDS DUNCAN BELL

Sunnies. Smash!

YOU GOT SERVED Robo tennis coach that ruthlessly exposes your feeble backhand

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Lobster tennis ball machines are widely used by tennis pros and facilities around the world to “groove their ground game” and what have you. Its Phenom 2 is as close as you’ll find to an automated tennis coach (that resembles a large, red bucket). It can recreate anything from ponderous, time-defying moonballs to fizzing passing shots, and is programmed with drills to simulate every type of opponent, from “power baseliner” to “the grinder”. As a final tech flourish, built-in Wi-Fi means you can control your robot coach with your Android or iOS device, though presumably not while it’s powering the ball at you at 80mph. £3,995, apolloleisure.co.uk

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PRO R ACQUETS Arm yourself like the world’s top men...

1/ NOVAK DJOKOVIC Head YouTek Graphene Speed Pro £185, head.com 2/ ROGER FEDERER Wilson BLX ProStaff Six.One 90 £180, wilson.com 3/ RAFAEL NADAL Babolat AeroPro Drive 2013 £190, babolat.com …or get patriotic with the racquets of Britain’s top stars

1/ ANDY MURRAY Head YouTek IG Radical Pro £175, head.com 2/ LAURA ROBSON Wilson Blade 98 £170, wilson.com 3/ HEATHER WATSON Dunlop Biomimetic M3.0 £160, dunlopsport.com

ROCK IT, WIMBLEDON STYLE Oh, I say!

WORDS PETE DREYER PHOTO PIXELEYES

1/ Dunlop Biomimetic six-racquet thermo bag £59, dunlopsport.com

2/ Adidas adiZero Bermuda £36, adidas.co.uk

3/ Nike Zoom Vapor 9 Tour £125, nike.com/uk

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RIDE-ON KIT LIST Picked your cycling tribe? Now add some innovative technology, perfect for canny riders of every type, from pro-level training to fixing a flat…

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REVO LIGHTS THESE BLAST LIGHT THROUGH YOUR TYRES. SENSORS MEAN THE LIGHTS ONLY SHINE WHEN THEY’RE POINTING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OR BEHIND, SO ALTHOUGH YOUR WHEELS ARE MOVING THE LIGHTS DO NOT. LITERALLY BRILLIANT. FROM $139, REVOLIGHTS.COM

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1/ Suunto Ambit2 S Stylish GPS watch offers analytics and customisation via 1,000s of apps and supports cycle-friendly ANT+ gizmos. From £275, suunto.co.uk

2/ Lezyne Alloy Pump CFH Effortless manual or really effortless CO2 inflation. Looks sci-fi fly. £45, evanscycles.com 3/ Elite Realpower CT Trainer Simulates rides with gradients up to 20 per cent, with video. Analysis is beamed wirelessly to your PC. £1,350, elite-it.com 4/ Biologic Bike Mount Plus Well’ard case/mount for your iPhone 5,

on which you really should have Cycle Meter (£2.99), the ultimate bike training app… £45, thinkbiologic.com 5/ Knog Blinder Road 2 and Road R A massive 200 lumens front, 70 lumens rear, clad in industrial silicone rubber. That’ll do you. $85, $60, knog.com.au 6/ Gotham Defender Aluminium, 50-lumen light screws on with unique tool, warding off opportunist thieving toe-rag bastards. $65, bikegotham.com 7/ Abus Bordo Granit X-Plus 85cm of locking, hardened steel, folds down to easily-carried rectangle. £90, abus.com

WORDS DUNCAN BELL

Bike tech, robo gardener

MOWER DROID The best-looking lawn tamer to date takes the effort out of fighting summer’s turf war

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The Honda Miimo HRM500 is visibly – and audibly – influenced by its ASIMO robot, and should be let loose on your greensward a couple of times a week, cutting little but often. Using a fan to suck the grass towards its flexible steel blades, it doesn’t so much mow the grass as shave it, producing 2mm-3mm grass cuttings that don’t need to be raked or collected, just allowed to mulch back into the soil. It moves quietly, in a random pattern – so as not to plough furrows into your lawn – returning obediently to its charging base when juice runs low while you get on with setting up the barbecue – see next page… £2,235, honda.co.uk/garden

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FANCY A CHEAPER ROBOMOWING ALTERNATIVE? LIKE ITS HONDA RIVAL THE BOSCH INDEGO DICES YOUR GRASS INTO FRAGMENTS SO IT GOES BACK INTO THE TURF AS COMPOST. UNLIKE IT, THE INDEGO CUTS IN PARALLEL LINES. IT’LL KEEP GOING FOR UP TO 50 MINUTES ON A SINGLE CHARGE BEFORE HEADING BACK TO ITS BASE FOR A BIT OF A SIT DOWN. £1,299, BOSCHGARDEN.CO.UK

OBJETS D’ART A couple of future classics from the Design of the Year 2013 exhibition (until July 7, designmuseum.org) and a terribly tasteful radio

WORDS DUNCAN BELL

1/ Ruark Audio R1 MKII limited edition £180, ruarkaudio.com

2/ Faceture vases £POA, philcuttance.com

3/ Medici Chair £810, conranshop.co.uk

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS Get your food, music and stylish lounging on, al fresco. Cos there ain’t no party like a garden party… 1/ Ikea Ammerö gazebo and seating, Arholma seating From Fight Club upwards, Ikea takes a lot of stick but its best stuff is unbeatable for the price. It makes good, modernist design available to everyone, so long as they can stomach its admittedly “eccentric” stores. This fine, fine gazebo will shelter you, your guests and your tech from summer showers, blocks 97% of UV rays and is machine washable. Gazebo £160, armchair with pad £70, position chair £36, Arholma outdoor seating and table/stool from £40 2/ KEF Ventura 6 Yes, these outdoor speakers do come in pairs. The tweeter is liquid-cooled, but the units as a whole are impervious to liquid and cool. Isn’t it ironic?! (No). £300, kef.co.uk 3/ GrandHall T-Grill Titanium Is this gaspowered BBQ the sexiest you’ve ever clapped eyes on or what? It’s also packed with bleedingedge tech, including ultraefficient, infrared burners. Vertically mounted for a uniform cooking area, they offer the potency of charcoal with the cook, cook, cookability that is the beauty of gas. £999, grandhall.com 4/ Moon Chair Great value, fibre-glass, weather-resistant orb

seats you in considerable style. Also in black, orange and bronze. £349, made.com 5/ John Lewis JL4-2013 GrandHall a bit out of your price range? This compact gas barbie is a typically understated, reliably well-built product from the nation’s most middle-class store, with “flame tamers” evenly dispersing heat from its four burners, while the gas bottle lurks behind the cabinet doors. £429, johnlewis.com 6/ Ikea Klasen What’s that? John Lewis is also a bit out of your price range? Yeesh. Okay, head back to your favourite Swedish vendor of furnishings and food that only rarely has horse in it, for this excellent, charcoal-burning ovenette. £190, ikea.co.uk 7/ Hunza NPS Outdoor, dimmer-compatible, LED spot-lighting. Add either a spike, wall or tree mount as you desire. Multiple finish options are available. From £95, engineeringwithlight.com 8/ Cuisinart GR4CU The rain’s a-comin’ down horizontally and there’s talk of flooding. Best retreat indoors, but let the barbecue-style fun continue with this four-way griddle and grill with removable, easy-clean plates. £100, cuisinart.co.uk

IMAGE COURTESY OF IKEA.CO.UK

BAR BECUE ESSENTIALS It’s time to flame up that barbie, probe that steak for done-ness and spin off a few token lettuce leaves for the unfortunate vegetarians present

1/ Zippo Flex Neck £18, zippo.co.uk

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2/ Weber er digital pocket thermometer the £18, 8, weberbbq.co.uk weberbbq.co.

3/ Chef’n salad spinner £20, chefn.com

Garden tech par-tay

TECHlife

HOME IMPROVEMENT #19: GAR DEN-PARTY DJING FOR BEGINNERS Mix and mashup your choons professionally adequately, with minimum effort 1/ Line up your next track tempo-wise before you start mixing – use a software or hardware BPM counter, or do it by ear if you’re hardcore. Then execute the mix over either four or eight bars. Or just crash-mix it. 2/ Don’t mix vocals over vocals. Nothing sounds worse. Ideally, you want to be mixing outro beats over intro beats and nowt else. 3/ Alternatively, premix your set using Ableton Live or Traktor, then just randomly twiddle knobs to give a “live” feel.

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GR ANDER TURISMO Porsche’s new Cayman delivers digit to digital, overly-smoothed-out driving,

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but also takes the “anal” out of analogue. It’s a car to please both the purists and the PlayStation generation and we love it…

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PRICE OF TEST CAR £44,360 TOP SPEED 165MPH 0-62MPH 5.7 SECONDS ENGINE 2,706CC FLAT-6, NATURALLY ASPIRATED GEARBOX SIX-SPEED, MANUAL POWER 271BHP TORQUE 214LB/FT FUEL CONSUMPTION 34.4MPG CARBON EMISSIONS 192G/KM WEIGHT 1,320KG

ROUTE MASTER

1/ Inverness

The hills are alive with the sound of Porsche. From sunny Inverness to Loch Torridon on Scotland’s west coast, we filled the valleys and mountain passes with a flat-six symphony. Car: stunning. Roads and scenery: quite possibly the best in Britain. Not a bad afternoon, all told…

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Porsche Cayman

Slip on your stay-creased action slacks, grab your string-back driving gloves for extra purchase, and perfect your Alan Partridge impression: the all-new Porsche Cayman can still be had with a manual gearbox and classic flat-six petrol engine. The car is the bitch and you’re the queen. The most anal of driving purists will approve. But hang on. Porsche’s tin-top take on the open-air Boxster, itself recently refreshed, is also a technological tour de force, available with a dual-clutch robot transmission and active everything. It’s a 165mph digital-to-analogue converter. Is this cool? Well is it? IS IT?! Actually, yes. From the hybrid steel-andaluminium construction, which shaves about 30 to 40kg from the old model to the panoply of active drive-enhancing systems, this is very cool indeed. Pretty much everything from the gearbox and suspension to the rear differential can be optionally enhanced with cyborg powers. Want active engine mounts that soften or stiffen according to your level of driving arousal? It’s got ’em. Likewise, those little wriggles and writhes you get through the steering wheel rim are, in part, simulated by software, with gamesconsole-style force feedback. It’s a purist’s nightmare, but the Cayman’s

TECHlife

THE TECH INSIDE 1/ Touch me Porsche Communication P Management – PCM, if you will – is based on a seven-inch touchscreen s in the centre console, with an extra screen in the instruments. 2/ Feeling feisty? H Hit the Sport Plus button to unleash sharper t throttle response, stiffen t suspension, firm up the t engine mounts and – the yes! – log lap times. 3/ Force feedback If a single feature sums u the new Cayman, it’s up t software-generated the steering feel. Porsche purists are aghast but the simple fact is that tthe new car’s helm is as smooth as honey.

EVERYTHING FROM GEARBOX TO REAR DIFFERENTIAL CAN BE CYBER-ENHANCED array of digital tricks pull together in a seamless, harmonious package that flatters your driving. It’s like the “magic realism” of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, in automobile form. As Alan Partridge would probably not put it. It’s astonishingly rapid, too. Even the little 2.7 is a 271bhp, 165mph car. Spec up a 321bhp 3.4 with big wheels and all the kit and the result is a motorised missile. Don’t forget, you can still option one with a manual gearbox and passive suspension, and whatever the car’s digital enhancements, that soulful, naturally-aspirated flat-six engine is the real analogue deal. If you’re any kind of car enthusiast, the high-rev howl will plunge deep into your chest and shake your heart to bits. If that isn’t enough, the new model does it all while significantly improving fuel efficiency and emissions. Go with the dual-clutch PDK gearbox and you get both start-stop and a sailing mode that disengages the clutch on coast-down. Result: nearly 50mpg on the extra-urban cycle. A-ha! FROM £39,694, PORSCHE.COM/UK

WORDS JEREMY LAIRD

THR EE TO TEST DRIVE Summer’s zappiest run-arounds

1/ Volvo V60 Plug-In Probably the quickest diesel-electric you can buy, this hits 60 in 5.8 seconds and does 78mph on electric alone, with a theoretical 155mpg.

2/ Renault Clio RenaultSport 200 Turbo The new Clio has come over all digital: robot gearbox, synthetic engine sounds, e-diff, the works.

3/ Kia Procee’d 1.6GDi Do the Koreans now make the best-looking mainstream cars? This three-door hatch is a picture. The warranty is best-in-business, too.

£48,775, VOLVO.CO.UK

£19,995, RENAULT.CO.UK

£17,495, KIA.CO.UK

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GREASY LOVER Honda’s CB1100 disguises some very modern machinery as a two-wheeled retro throwback

Brand new, you’re retro 1/ Air, hellair! What’s this? An air-cooled engine? In the harsh, unforgiving future-world of 2013? Yup. Actually, on a bike air-cooling isn’t that crazy and for the CB1100 it’s been given a modern makeover, with cooling fins so closely stacked, Honda had to come up with a new manufacturing method. 2/ Details, details Break out the magnifying glass and tweezers: Honda has gone to a lot of effort to achieve such effortless, retro cool. The fuel tank, for instance, has been designed to be just narrow enough to give the rider a tantalising glimpse of the chrome-clad, four-cylinder engine below. 3/ Historic performance Don’t be fooled by the throwback threads, this cruising hunk of burning chrome cranks out 85bhp thanks to quad cams and four valves per cylinder – enough to zap the CB1100 to 60mph in just 4.8 seconds. In the real world it’ll rub out all but the quickest modern supercars.

LOW-CAR BON CRUISER Obliterate the 100mpg barrier with VW’s diesel-electric XL1

1/ Carbon-fibre two seater weighs just 795kg 2/ Two-pot diesel engine produces a measly 27bhp, but 5.5kWh lithium pack means it’ll hit 60mph in 12 seconds 3/ Net result is 21g/km carbon emissions and 127mpg 4/ May or may not be named after Pete “Buzzcocks” Shelley’s 1983 solo LP. Goes into production “later this year,” says VW £TBC, volkswagen.co.uk

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With its 50s-style look and feel, Honda’s CBR1100 is like photographing a modern sports bike with Hipstamatic. The cooling fins on the four-pot engine measure a super-slim 2mm because that’s what you need to achieve those characteristic pings and ticks as the engine chills after a good thrashing; the inlet valves are carefully engineered to give the motor a lumpy, old-school feel when running. One thing that’s not so old skool: 0-60 in under five seconds. Right on, man. £8,950, honda.co.uk

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Hot T3 in p offer on you rint and just £10r tablet for . three m99 every onths

The latest and best gadget news and reviews, plus a tablet keyboard dock With T3’s All Access subscription you get every edition delivered to your door AND directly to your iPad or Android tablet for £10.99 every three months or £43.99 for the year. And, for a limited time only, you’ll also get this splendid, Bluetooth-connecting keyboard dock for tablets.

Subscribe today! GO ONLINE myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/T3AP18 CALL US 0844 848 2852 QUOTING CODE T3AP18 Lines are open 8am-9.30pm weekdays and 8am-4pm Saturdays Live outside the UK? For fantastic savings visit myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/T3

YOURS WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE! TABLET KEYBOARD DOCK

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL START WITH THE NEXT AVAILABLE PRINT AND DIGITAL ISSUE AND YOU WILL RECEIVE 13 ISSUES. £5 OF THE ANNUAL PRINT + TABLET SUBSCRIPTION PRICE COVERS ACCESS TO OUR DIGITAL EDITIONS. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL VERSIONS OF ALL PRINT ISSUES PUBLISHED WITHIN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TERMS FREE OF CHARGE. IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED IN ANY WAY YOU CAN WRITE TO US OR CALL US TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AT ANY TIME AND WE WILL REFUND YOU FOR ALL UNMAILED PRINT ISSUES. YOUR ACCESS TO ANY FUTURE DIGITAL ISSUES WILL BE CANCELLED BUT YOU WILL STILL BE ENTITLED TO DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL ISSUES YOU RECEIVED PRIOR TO CANCELLING YOUR SUBSCRIPTION. FUTURE PUBLISHING RESERVES THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW ACCESS AT ANY TIME. OFFER ENDS JUNE 26 2013.

The science in your bathroom Looking good isn’t an art. It’s a science. Take your grooming routine to the next level with these hi-tech bathroom essentials

1) Brushing: Shift up to 100 per cent more plaque than manual brushing with the Oral-B TriZone 5000. It looks and feels like a manual brush but the clean is a whole lot better. “Sweeping” bristle tech pairs manual motion with power pulsations, while three separate areas on the head take on everything from hard-to-reach back teeth to interdental cleaning, while adapting to your own, individual style of brushing. The wireless Smart Guide acts as a dental satnav, ensuring you never miss a sector of your mouth. RRP £199.99, ORALB.CO.UK

2) Wet shaving: All told, you spend 32.5 days of your lifetime on facial deforestation. Let the Gillette Fusion ProGlide SilverTouch, endorsed by the British Skin Foundation, help you out, there… With 60 per cent of men claiming to have sensitive skin, it’s good to know this shower-safe stubble slayer is fortified with carbon and Teflon for strength and shaving comfort. The Thin Uniform Telomer coating process means hair is removed with less tug and pull*, while Gillette’s largest ever Lubrastrip boosts glide and a streamlined Snowplough Comfort Guard keeps blade contact at optimum pressure levels. How precise is the construction? Well put it this way, Gillette uses more welds in its blades than many car manufacturers do in their motors. RRP £14, GILLETTE.COM

3) Dry shaving: Within 18 months, you’ll cut an average of 6,000,000 hairs with a Braun Series 3-380.

ALL PRICING IS AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE RETAILER. *COMPARED TO GILLETTE FUSION

Designed specifically for uncompromising grooming enthusiasts such as yourself, sir, the 3-380 is waterproof, so you can use it with foams and gels or even in the shower. With an improved Triple Action Free Float system, with two SensoFoils and one middle trimmer all working independently, it’s proven to deliver better performance on three-day beards – great if you prefer a shaving break at the weekend. Improved ergonomics and a soft elastomer grip make it a doddle to get to grips with, while the Precision Setting Switch offers greater control and less irritation. RRP £139.99, BRAUN.COM/UK

4) Hair cleaning: Head & Shoulders Itchy Scalp Care 2in1 Shampoo analyses levels of histamine in the scalp, helping to reduce itchiness more effectively. This daily conditioning shampoo is full of tech, partnering its signature HydraZinc formula with ProClean technology and H&S’ anti-dandruff nous. Result: you look your best and feel more confident. Easy. RRP 250ML £2.79, HEADANDSHOULDERS.CO.UK

5) Fuller, thicker looking hair: 83 per cent of people concerned about thinning hair were satisfied that the tech in the Nioxin Hair System Kit 1-6 protected their barnet from damage. Getting a tad thin on top? Nioxin cleanses, optimises and treats, making hair look and feel thicker so you make the most of what you have. RRP £27.99 EACH, NIOXIN.COM

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T3-STEP GUIDE TO GROOMING #1

USE YOUR HEAD Shampoo and condition your hair daily, obvs, but remember to massage your scalp as you wash to stimulate blood supply and clear dead skin cells. Rinse with cool water, then use a squide of conditioner about the size of a five pence piece and work it through to the ends of your hair. Bonce fact! Longer hair – more than 6cm – will be at least six months old, so keeping it in good nick is a must.

#2

TAKE IT ON THE CHIN As beard hair can have the strength of copper wire, soaking first is a must, but no need for a bronze, Edwardian brush; a bit of soaping and a splash of warm water is fine. Use a fresh blade with a sensitive gel to keep your skin hydrated and lubricated. Rinse with cool water and pat dry to close pores, then add a balm to help restore moisture levels. Beard fact! Whiskers grow at an average rate of 6.35mm per month.

#3

Bristle fact! 75 pe per cent of people in the UK cur currently brush incorrectly.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

ALL SMILES Floss first – no moaning, now – then apply a thin strip of fluoride toothpaste to your electric brush. Divide your mouth into quadrants – upper-left, upper right, lower left, lower right – and concentrate lef on one at a time exclusively, gently movving the brush head up towards mo the gum line at a 45-degree angle. Don’t brush your gums as such – let Don’ the brush do the work. When the brush vibrates, move on to the next quad ant until all four are done. quadr

I, SUPERMAN

YOU CAN BE A…

SSUPERHERO NOT BEEN BITTEN BY A RADIOACTIVE SPIDER, EXILED F R O M A N A L I E N P L A N E T O R M U TAT E D I N A N O D D LY U S E F U L WAY ? F E A R N O T, T E C H C A N S T I L L G I V E YO U POWERS. AS MAN OF STEEL READIES TO HIT CINEMAS, T 3 R E S E A R C H E S T H E S C I E N T I F I C A D VA N C E M E N T S T H AT COULD TURN YOU INTO A RE AL-LIFE SUPER-BEING WO R D S J O N A X WO RT H Y I L LU ST R AT I O N S M A R K M I TC H E L L

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SUPERMAN’S X-RAY VISION & HOUSE LEAPING SEE THROUGH WALLS. THEN JUMP OVER THEM IS IT POSSIBLE? X-ray technology already exists and caused controversy when it was introduced in the form of airport scanners in the US, in 2009. So effective were they in being able to see through things, they raised privacy issues. “Backscattering”, the tech employed in such scanners, allows you to see with X-ray

vision in real-time through glasses, which are sensitive to the rays from a light source emitting X-ray radiation. These rays then scatter at different levels of intensity according to the different materials they come into contact with and the result is a reasonably detailed image with the look of a chalk drawing.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS The only thing that can stop the Man of Steel is Kryptonite, a radioactive element from the planet Krypton. However, we earthlings have regular radiation to worry about and although the levels from backscatter are minimal – less than you would be exposed to when flying at altitude – each exposure is additive, so there is a cumulative cancer risk. It’s because of these safety concerns that the next generation of X-ray vision devices will instead rely on terahertz radiation, or T-rays. “T-rays are not energetic enough to strip electrons from atoms, making them safer for humans,” explains MIT electrical engineer Qing Hu, “but they are exceptionally sensitive to chemical structure so the images they create would be more detailed and defined.” There is also the option of wideband radio waves, which when sent out from a handheld sensor can form an image based on how quickly the waves bounce back. It can see what’s on the other side of an eight-inch concrete wall, or up to ten feet underground, and has already been used by the US military.

ADDITIONAL POWERS: LEAP SMALL BUILDINGS The US Army’s R&D wing, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has been working on that, too. The weapons boffins have registered a patent for a device that can shoot SWAT teams and emergency workers on to the rooftops of tall buildings. “A four-metre launcher could put a man on the top of a five-storey building in less than two seconds,” a DARPA representative boasts.

HOW LONG UNTIL WE HAVE THESE POWERS?

X-ray goggles: for Men of Steel in search of Tins of Beer

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“The launcher is still in development but a possible operational date is five years’ time,” reckons DARPA. As for Superman’s super sight, the California Institute of Technology believe you could have it on your smartphone in no time. “We have developed a silicon chip that can operate at nearly 300 times the speed of a microchip found in a regular phone or tablet,” says Ali Hajimiri, a Caltech electrical engineer. This speed means the microchips are able to emit terahertz signals more than 1,000 times stronger than past methods, and you are able to direct the signals to focus on a particular area. “The technology could be perfected within five years,” adds Hajimiri.

I, SUPERMAN

Spidey-sense… tingling… Should have gone to loo… before starting job…

SPIDER-MAN’S WALL SCALING & STRENGTH WHEN WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO WHATEVER A SPIDER CAN? IS IT POSSIBLE? Two separate research teams at SRI International and Stanford have already succeeded in putting robots on the side of buildings, using a combination of electrostatic charges and minute sticky hairs that mimic the way a lizard crawls. However, once again it’s DARPA’s tooled-up brainiacs that have come closest to giving humans Spidey-like climbing ability. To do so they looked not to spiders, but to the Floridian leaf beetle. It uses microscopic pores in its feet to secrete a fluid that creates extreme surface tension, bonding to any surface. The adhesion is so strong, the beetle can carry a load 100 times its own weight. A DARPA-funded team at Cornell University is developing an electrically

THE SUPER POWERS WE’LL NEVER SEE SCIENCE WILL ALWAYS STRUGGLE WITH THIS LITTLE LOT

charged pad, called a Switchable ElectronicallyControlled Capillary Adhesion Device (SECAD). Made up of three layers and a nine-volt battery, the pad’s top layer is filled with microscopic perforations. The electrical field created by the battery forces water through the three layers until droplets are squeezed out of the minute perforations, creating surface tension. “It’s the same principle as when you take two wet glasses from a dishwasher that are stuck like glue,” explains Professor Paul Steen, the university’s biomolecular engineer.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS “At the moment, each hole in the SECAD is ten microns across, about the size of a red blood cell,” explains Steen. “If we can further shrink this to one micron across then each pad could support a weight of 280lbs.” By our calculations, that means four of DARPA’s Spidey pads would easily affix a human to any surface.

ADDITIONAL POWERS: SUPER STRENGTH Not content with the ultimate windowcleaner’s CV entry? The SECADs could also, theoretically, give you the ability to smash through doors and split solid rock. “The surface tension created when you pack millions of holes into a very small space is enough to create a huge electrical charge,” adds Steen. “This would give the user the ability to administer a powerful explosive charge, using just a standard 9V battery.”

WOLVERINE’S HEALING POWERS ADAMANTINE CLAWS ARE COOL, BUT WE WANT TO SURVIVE ANY SCRAPE IS IT POSSIBLE?

Well, we haven’t reached James Logan’s mutant ability to recover in seconds from any flesh wound, but it is now possible to regrow muscle using the “extracellular matrix”: the structure that positions the cells which make up muscle tissue and organs. The matrix can also stimulate the body to grow and repair tissue, and scientists are now using matrices taken from pigs to remodel replacement tissue in injured US servicemen. In order to work, the patient’s scar tissue must be removed, then the matrix implanted surgically into healthy tissue to expose it to

Wolverine’s shaving nicks: more frequent but also quicker to heal. Swings and roundabouts…

HOW LONG UNTIL WE HAVE THESE POWERS?

INFINITY’S OMNISCIENCE The ability to know absolutely everything will remain out of reach, despite the best efforts of Google and other search engines.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

Those hoping for more spontaneous healing have been thwarted by the p21 gene, which separates humans from amphibians able to grow limbs at will. In normal adult cells, p21 prevents DNA damage, stopping cells becoming cancerous. However, in 2011, laboratory mice bred without the p21 gene were able to regrow damaged tissue in their ears within weeks. The next stage of this research, being carried out at The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, would concentrate on a human subject, turning off the p21 gene in the area around the wound during healing.

HOW LONG UNTIL WE HAVE THIS POWER?

“With unlimited funding, SECAD pads that would allow you to climb a building could be perfected in two to three years,” Steen assures us. “Five years max.”

FLASHBACK’S TEMPORAL DUPLICATION The ability to summon up past or future versions of yourself. Would you really want your ’80s self back, even if it was possible, anyway?

the bloodstream. You then need to get active. One early beneficiary was a US Marine wounded in Afghanistan. An IED blew out most of his upper-left thigh, leaving him unable to move his leg without swinging it bodily forward. Soon after matrix surgery he was able to take a full stride without exaggerating his movement.

According to Wistar, this trial could be up to ten years off. Till then, stock up on plasters.

GHOST RIDER’S SPONTANEOUS FIREBREATHING We’re not talking circus-act fire spouting, but instant fire balls. Even after ingesting a lamb phall, this is very difficult.

AMELIA VOGHT’S SUBLIMATION The ability to morph into a gas. And sorry, but the ability to break wind on demand does not qualify.

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You can’t get better than an Iron Man-suited tyre fitter…

IRON MAN’S ARMOUR A HIGH-TECH, MIND-CONTROLLED, AIRBORNE POWER SUIT FOR ONE? IS IT POSSIBLE? When Tony Stark suits up in Iron Man 3 it’s with the XLII upgrade that allows him to command the suit using his billion-dollar brain. “To operate a suit that sophisticated Stark uses a chip implanted in his skin which enables him to control it using his central nervous system,” reveals Dr E. Paul Zehr, professor of kinesiology and neuroscience and author of Inventing Iron Man: The Possibility of A Human Machine. Right now, the closest thing we have to a suit that thinks for itself is the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) 5, made by Japanese tech firm Cyberdyne. Just like Stark, the person inside HAL 5 has a sensor attached to their skin, which sends biosignals from the

brain straight to the user’s muscles. Using a power unit, the sensor moves the exoskeleton and exaggerates the movement. HAL 5 is actually an anti-disaster suit, enabling first responders in earthquake-hit areas to lift heavy objects. It doesn’t make you fly, but it does increase your strength tenfold.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS? Our Tony has the super-lightweight ARC reactor in his chest to power the XLII suit. In contrast, HAL 5’s battery is still a lumpy 10kg and lasts a maximum of three hours per charge. At present, batteries can be made only so powerful before effectively turning into a bomb – not something you necessarily want on board when flying at Mach speed.

The XLII manages to get all the information needed from Stark’s brain to control the suit’s many different functions, from flight to emitting electromagnetic pulses. This level of sophistication presents a further range of, shall we say, “issues”. “There are more than 100 billion neurons in the human brain,” says Zehr, “and we’re still trying to understand how to mine all that information. At the moment we can probably only record the information from 500 neurons, so we’re a long, long way off.”

HOW LONG UNTIL WE HAVE THIS POWER? Don’t hold your breath, Zehr suggests: “I think we’re looking at a 40-year timeline before we have a suit like Iron Man’s.”

REAL-LIFE SUPERHEROES: WE FEEL SO MUCH SAFER KNOWING THEY’RE OUT THERE THE PETOSKEY BATMAN AKA MARK WAYNE WILLIAMS Petoskey, Michigan’s Dark Knight, tried to catch thieves, but when caught himself faced a 15-year prison spell. He avoided the clink by penning a letter of apology to the city.

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PHOENIX JONES AKA BENJAMIN FODOR Wearing a black and gold suit and a bulletproof vest, this MMA pro took to crime fighting after his car was broken into. He pepper sprayed two women in 2011, slightly less superheroically.

SHADOW AKA KEN ANDRE A martial artist who patrols the streets of Yeovil, Somerset, dressed like a ninja. Ken once left a car thief tied to a lamp post and “has developed a special roaring war cry to help disperse crowds of youths”.

Current flying-cape tech lets you fly like a real bat (that has just been shot dead in mid-flight)

SUE STORM’S INVISIBILITY

I, SUPERMAN

HIGH-TECH KIT TO MAKE YOU A LITTLE BIT SUPER: HOLY INEXPENSIVE ACCESSORIES, BATMAN!

HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT LIKE THE FANTASTIC FOUR’S HEROINE IS IT POSSIBLE? The Invisible Woman’s power is down to her ability to bend light waves with her mind. In real life, scientists are trying to do something similar with “metamaterials” and “metascreens”. These man-made fabrics work by interrupting the flow of light so that waves are bent around objects. “The only reason we are able to see an object at all is because of the light rays bouncing off its surface,” says Professor Andrea Alu, physicist at the University of Texas. However, a new method, pioneered by Alu, called “mantle cloaking”, uses an ultra-thin metallic metascreen to cancel out the waves as they are reflected off the cloaked object, so our eyes never see the returning light rays.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS? The difficulty comes when you try to disguise larger objects. Professor Alu admits, we’re not quite there yet. “Current techniques work best with objects of comparable size to the wavelengths they’re trying to hide from,” she says. “The make up of light waves means that only microscopic objects can be rendered invisible.” Now, correct us if we’re wrong, but microscopic objects are generally n t they? quite hard to see anyway, aren’t

HOW LONG UNTIL WE HAVE THIS POWER? ER? “Large-scale invisibility is stilll 35 re’s years away,” says Alu, but there’s ific always the chance of a scientific breakthrough. However, her invisibility rival, Hyperstealth ts Biotechnology Corp, claims its e Quantum Stealth camouflage nvisible can already render a wearer invisible d them, by bending light waves around gles fooling even night-vision goggles without the use of cameras, EO batteries, lights or mirrors. CEO eople Guy Cramer, says that “the people ks that need to know that it works e have seen it”. Ah, but do those people know they’ve seen it…? ?

BATMAN’S FLYING CAPE GLIDE INTO BATTLE – OR YOUR OFFICE, OR ODDBINS – LIKE THE DARK KNIGHT IS IT POSSIBLE?

The Applied Science division of Wayne Enterprises is always coming up with cool new toys for Batman, none more so than Bruce Wayne’s cape made of “memory cloth”. It uses an electrical charge, which makes it instantly stiffen so that Batman can glide from tall buildings. For Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight franchise, a new type of fabric was invented which, according to Stephen Westgate, member of the production design team, “was a hybrid mix of parachute-grade nylon and velvet pile, which lo looked great but was also light enough to be able to li c catch the air beneath it”. The production team b borrowed a technique pioneered by the Ministry p o of Defence, called electrostatic flocking. It e rreduced the cape’s night-vision profile but, n a adds Westgate, “also made it look really cool”. “Currently, the use of electroactive polymers is e tthe closest thing we have tto memory cloth,” says P Peter Hutton, a research s scientist at Bayer Material S Science. “The polymers fform a thin material that rreacts in five milliseconds tto electrical current and c can expand or contract b based on how much charge rruns through it.”

PPOTENTIAL PROBLEMS? “At last, I can shop in Lidl without shame…”

O of the questions One concerning researchers at

the University of Leicester is whether Batman would ever be able to survive the landing if he flew using just his Batcape. Based on calculations taken from the Dark Knight’s memory cloth cape, it was calculated that the impact of hitting the ground would be similar to hitting a car travelling at 50mph; you’d need some hefty Bat armour to survive that. There are alternatives, however. For the last six years the Special Parachute and Logistics consortium have been developing the Gryphon, the very latest thing in wingsuit technology. This bad boy gives the wearer a 2m, rigid wingspan and a glide ratio of 5:1, which compares favourably to the Caped Crusaders’s 4.7 metre one with a glide ratio of 2.33:1, equating to a 350m glide from the top of a 150m building. If someone was to jump from 30,000 feet using the Gryphon they could glide for around 30 miles at an average speed of 60 miles an hour. When completed, the Gryphon will be fitted with AR navigation and automatic guidance for a smooth landing.

HOW LONG UNTIL WE HAVE THIS POWER?

“For electroactive polymer techniques that could turn a soft, material cape into a rigid flying suit, we need to wait another 20 years,” laments Hutton.

JTT CHOBI CAM PRO 3 Evil lurks in the darkness, so night vision is essential. This thumb-sized camera can take 11-megapixel stills and record full 1080p video in the pitch black, up to a distance of 1m. $110, JTT.NE.JP

LED LENSER F1 FLASHLIGHT This lithium powered, pocket-sized torch will light up the bad guys to the tune of 400 lumens. You’re a superhero without pockets? Good job it’s got a belt clip, then. £69, TORCHDIRECT.CO.UK

VIDEO HEAD HELMET CAM Protect your do-gooding dome with this crash hat. Its built-in camera will capture the moment you take down the bad guys in 1080p at 60fps. £TBC, VIDEOHEAD HELMETS.COM

TITANIUM UTILITY RING Put the bling into your vigilantism by wearing this ring made from titanium plates that folds out into a straight blade, saw, serrated blade, bottle opener and handy comb. £32, COOLMATERIAL.COM

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T3 INVESTIGATES

I N V E S T I G AT E S Revisited

UPDATING YOU ON NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE IN-DEPTH TECH STORIES WE BROUGHT YOU BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WORDS JON AXWORTHY

BITCOIN DREAMLINER IN-APP PURCHASING

THE DUQU VIRUS

GERMAN TECH CENSORS GOAL-LINE TECH

SPACE TOURISM iDOCTOR

First covered in T3 December 2011

THEN A LICENCE TO PRINT MONEY?

“A revolutionary electronic currency is shaking the global money tree. It began as a toy for geeks but is now making millions for investors – and criminals. T3 follows the virtual paper trail…”

NOW STUCK IN A BOOM AND BUST CYCLE

Although we’re no nearer to finding out the identity of the enigmatic “Satoshi Nakamoto”, the mysterious inventor/s of Bitcoin, its value has continued to rise. And fall. And rise. If you’d bought just one Bitcoin back when T3 looked into it in December 2011, it would have set you back $15 (about £10). In April 2013, it was worth an incredible $260 (£170). In May 2013, however, it was down to $144 (£93). The e-currency has climbed to heights not imagined by financial forecasters, outperforming market expectations but, woah boy, is it unpredictable. One of the main reasons for this virtual currency hitting headlines is the failure of traditional ones. The recent financial meltdown in Cyprus sparked fears that high-earning, domestic bank accounts would be raided. In Cyprus – and in Spain, which potentially faces similar problems – punters began trading Euros for Bitcoins. This panic buying inflated the currency’s value, creating a classic bubble: suddenly there were plenty of Bitcoin buyers, but little availability. Of the 11 million Bitcoins currently in circulation – 10 million shy of the total number there will ever be, due to the mathematically created currency’s selflimiting nature – more than three-quarters are stockpiled by investors, with J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 9 3

ILLUSTRATION PETER CROWTHER

KICKSTARTER

THE RISE OF VIRTUAL CURRENCY

« the most high-profile hoarders being Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook foes, who hold one per cent of the global supply. A study by Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science found that 78 per cent of Bitcoins are being kept under a virtual mattress, taken out of circulation as investors hold on to them rather than exchange them for services. According to the currency’s online transaction log, the only place that Bitcoins are being spent in any great number is on the gambling site SatoshiDICE. This void in availability has encouraged a surge in cyber crime as hackers target private investors and the online exchange Mt. Gox, which handles much of the worldwide Bitcoin trade. The Tokyo-based platform was hit by a cyber attack in April 2013, with hackers

WORLDWIDE ECONOMIC INSTABILITY LED TO SPEEDY INVESTMENT IN VIRTUAL CASH seemingly bent on encouraging “panic selling”, so they could buy up cheap Bitcoins before waiting for the currency to recover and cashing out. This would almost certainly have worked, because Bitcoin was suddenly earning mainstream media column inches, attracting a flood of new investors. However, bent investors would have needed to cash in their chips promptly as this new-found popularity sparked a market crash in April – the second in the currency’s four-year history – and its value on Mt. Gox plunged 70 per cent. “The rather astonishing amount of new accounts opened in the last few days made a huge impact on the overall system that started to lag,” read a Mt. Gox statement. “As expected in such situations, people started to panic, selling Bitcoin en masse, resulting in an increase of trade that ultimately froze the trade engine.” The computer glitches provoked frenzied selling that forced values to plunge. However, Bitcoin rallied and at the end of the most eventful week in its life stabilised at around $100 per unit – still six times its 2011 worth. As long as the currency remains difficult to spend, it will continue to follow a boom and bust cycle. In one attempt to get the currency moving, media entrepreneur Jeff Berwick plans to install Bitcoin ATMs in Los Angeles and Cyprus, where there is still serious distrust of government-backed money. The new holes in the wall will convert your cash into Bitcoins, stored in a virtual wallet. Yet it is a currency that remains exciting because it is not controlled by any government. Former Facebook exec Chamath Palihapitiya has described it as “Gold 2.0… a huge, huge, huge deal”. For the same reasons, Nicolas Pottier, CEO of Nyaruka – a company that focuses on bringing software expertise to developing nations – sees it helping developing-world businesses thrive. Bitcoin may still have a way to go before it makes an impact on the established stock exchanges, but it’s certainly no longer just funny money for the geeks. 9 4 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

DREAMLINER REMAINS NIGHTMARISH FOR BOEING First covered in T3 March 2012

THEN THE GAMBLE THAT COULD BREAK BOEING

“It’s the carbon-fibre superplane built to revolutionise air travel, but safety worries and the recession have caused turbulence. Ladies and gentlemen, brace for a bumpy take-off…”

NOW FLEET GROUNDED; FUTURE REMAINS IFFY

The 787 is unique because it is a twin-engine craft made from composite materials rather than aluminium. That

means that it’s lighter and can operate on long-distance routes, even when demand is down, without incurring huge losses. It can fly intercontinental routes over water, sometimes ranging up to three hours away from the nearest airport. Problem is, it’s so different to existing aircraft that multiple elements of its construction are needing to be reworked, all under the unflattering glare of public and regulatory scrutiny. The 787’s biggest customers to date have included All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines, both of which operate long-haul routes to the US and Europe. In the States, United Airlines has taken delivery of 787s, while British Airways ordered 24 and

IN-APP PURCHASES UNDER INCREASED LEGAL SCRUTINY First covered in T3 Christmas 2012

THEN PUSH THE BUTTON?

“It’s not just kids who are blowing more than they should on in-app purchases; app addiction could swallow you, too…”

T3 INVESTIGATES

CYBER WORLD WAR: STILL A THREAT First covered in T3 April 2012

The Dreamliner shrouded in smoke, for once not due to a battery fire

hoped to be operating four of them by the end of the year. Because of the Dreamliner’s construction, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) was even considering lengthening its Extended Range Twin Engine Operational Performance (ETOPS) certification range. Normally, this allows the plane to fly routes three hours away from the nearest runway. The FAA was all set to change this to five and a half hours, letting it fly less crowded skies, such as those above the North Pole, and greatly increasing the value of the plane to long-haul airlines. For a time, things were looking rosy for the 787 after its lengthy gestation. Then, in January 2013, flames were seen licking the undercarriage of one as it sat parked at Logan International, Boston. Later that month, an ANA 787 bound for Tokyo had to make an emergency landing after error messages and smoke in the cockpit indicated a problem with the plane’s batteries. Days later, the FAA grounded the entire fleet of 50 planes worldwide, at an estimated cost to Boeing of $450 million in lost income and compensation to airlines. One of those airlines hit hard was

NOW CALL YOUR LAWYER!

The Office of Fair Trading is currently investigating the legality of purchases that lurk inside free-to-play apps aimed at children. Apple

Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic. The firm had 16 Dreamliners lined up for delivery from summer 2014. “The 787 has been an unbelievably painful experience,” said Branson at the time. “We have had to scramble in planes we hadn’t intended and keep ones we hadn’t planned to.” Boeing began working with the FAA in February to fix the problems and in April revealed that the testing of a redesigned battery system had finished and was nearing full approval. However, many analysts believe that the 787 will now not receive an extended ETOPS certification, at least in the short term. “You can understand their thinking,” says Scott Hamilton, analyst at aerospace consulting firm Leeham Co. “The loss of a battery to other planes isn’t critical, but the highly electrical make-up of the 787 means that if there is a battery fire you would need to land that plane immediately.” It appears that the FAA will allow the Dreamliner to keep its original three-hour ETOPS. Even so, if Boeing was expecting an end to the turbulence that’s dogged its revolutionary craft since its conception, it looks like it’s going to remain disappointed.

has already refunded two parents from Bristol after their eight-yearold spent £980 buying virtual donuts in Simpsons: Tapped Out in January. In the same month a five-year-old, also from Bristol, spent £1,700 on ammo in

Zombies vs Ninja and similarly received a full refund. Meanwhile, in the US, Apple’s handing over £66 million in compo to parents who brought a successful class-action suit against it when their kids ran up massive in-app bills.

PHOTOGRAPH REX FEATURES, RICHARD GRASSIE

KICKSTARTER First covered in T3 December 2012

THEN START ME UP!

“You’ve had the light bulb moment. Now you’ve got an idea, but no money to make it happen. That’s where crowdfunding comes in… And Kickstarter is leading the charge.”

NOW OPEN FOR UK BUSINESS AND TAKING ON HOLLYWOOD

Within a month of Kickstarter’s high-profile arrival on these shores, more than 400 projects had set up shop, with £2 million already pledged to UK inventors – about £48 per minute. Before the European launch, the only way to get funding on the site was to set up a business in the US, or partner with an existing firm across the pond – a fairly formidable bureaucratic barrier. The first British Kickstarter project was a retro-arcade machine, powered by Raspberry Pi and called the Picade. “It seemed right that we should be supporting another very British project, the Pi,” says co-inventor Paul Beech. “We were successfully funded with £74,000 – double our funding goal.” The majority of that funding is from overseas – of the 50,000 people that backed a UK project in the first month of trading only 39 per cent were from the UK – and it’s this global reach that is the main cause of Kickstarter’s success. “That’s very attractive to someone looking to get wide, global exposure for a fledgling product,” says Beech. Meanwhile, with Scrubs star Zach Braff getting $2 million funding for a new movie within a few days, it seems we’ve only scratched the surface of Kickstarter’s potential uses.

THEN DUQU THE DESTROYER

“A computer worm with the power to take down governments, bringing the world closer to the brink of cyber warfare.”

NOW NORTH KOREA GETS INVOLVED

Duqu has thus far failed to destroy the world, but state-sponsored cyber skirmishes continue. North Korea is accused of using malware to target South Korea’s banks and media outlets, and the issue is deemed serious enough for Nato to have requested a convention on the threat of cyber war. It warns of the possibility of future attacks on hospitals and nuclear plants.

GERMANY BACKTRACKS ON GAMES CENSORSHIP First covered in T3 Christmas 2011

THEN NO TECH PLEASE, WE’RE GERMAN…

“Tablets, video games, even Facebook likes have fallen foul of one of the world’s most heavily restricted states.”

NOW SEVERAL BANS LIFTED

Games that have joined Doom in having their bans retrospectively lifted by censors include Harvester, Mortyr, Mortal Kombat 1-3 and Wolfenstein 3D. It’s all great news for retrogaming Deutschlanders.

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PHOTOGRAPH MARK LEECH / REX FEATURES

T3 INVESTIGATES

First covered in T3 January 2013

GOAL-LINE TECH IN FOOTBALL GETS THE GREEN LIGHT

THEN THE iDOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW

“Rather than going to hospital, you’ll soon be able to receive diagnosis and treatment via your phone.”

NOW “EYE PHONE” TRIALLED IN KENYA

First covered in T3 July 2012

The EYE phone, a small ophthalmoscope fitted to a smartphone, is part of a five-year eye-health study of 5,000 people in Kenya. “I’m currently training a team of 15 to use the world’s leading hospitalbased equipment to test the 5,000 patients,” reveals EYE phone inventor Dr Andrew Bastawrous. “We will then compare the results against that of a non-medically trained healthcare worker using the EYE phone, charged using a solarpowered backpack, as he moves between villages.”

THEN THE REFEREE’S A SENSOR!

“With Euro 2012 on the horizon, how many more ghost goals do we have to put up with before technology is introduced? We nearly received a second yellow for demanding an answer, but we got one…”

NOW PREMIER LEAGUE AND INTERNATIONAL FOOTIE GETS TECHY

Once again, Germany has come out on top after a dispute over the goal line. This time it wasn’t a disallowed goal by England’s Frank Lampard that helped the Germans limp to a 4-1 win, but a decision by FIFA. Hawk-Eye, the British company bidding to provide goal-line tech for football’s big matches, has lost out to German challenger GoalControl4D. The fight to be the official goal-line tech provider began in February 2013, when all four companies involved made presentations to international football’s governing body and demonstrated their systems at some of the Brazilian World Cup stadiums. Reps saw how GoalRef and CAIROS used magnetic fields around the goal line and a chip inside the ball to determine whether it had crossed the line, while GoalControl and Hawk-Eye both used multiple cameras and 3D imaging to plot the location of it at any given moment. Despite only receiving a licence to tender a month before the final rounds of testing, GoalControl was the winner, impressing FIFA with its tech, which employs seven high-speed cameras per goal-line. The German system will now be trialled at the Confederation’s Cup in Brazil in June, before getting the final stamp of approval. Hawk-Eye, meanwhile, is already used at Wimbledon and in cricket test matches, and has now been selected by the English Premier League for the 2013-14 season. Can it silence critics of its cost and reliability? It’s a game of two halves, Gary… 9 6 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

SMARTPHONES HEAL THE WORLD

You don’t need tech to tell you this one went over the line

SPACE TOURISM: NEXT STOP, P MARS! First covered in T3 March 2013

THEN PREPARE FOR-LIFT OFF!

“Virgin Galactic plans to make space tourism a reality, breaching the Karman line and offering regular people the chance to experience zero-G.”

NOW HOLIDAY ON THE RED PLANET

The Moon and suborbital space is so 2012. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Xcor’s Lynx still plan to make astronauts of multimillionaires and celebs by early next year, but attention is now shifting its ass to Mars. PayPal supremo Elon Musk has already declared his, some would say ambitious,

dream of colonising Mars by 2028. Now, Dutch entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp intends to establish his settlement on the Red Planet five years earlier. For anyone thinking of hitching a ride on the Mars One project, there’s just one catch: it’s a one-way ticket. According to Lansdorp, we have the know-how to get paying pioneers to Mars, we just don’t have the means to bring them back. “To land the advance party, probably no more than four astronauts, on the surface of Mars would take around seven to eight months and cost an estimated $6 billion,” reveals Lansdorp. “After that it would be more economical, costing $4 billion per crew.” Mars settlers would erect inflatable domes compartmentalised into living and working spaces, as well as a plant production unit, which would sustain future astronauts. Mars One is currently looking for capital, but Lansdorp hopes the main source of funding will be from broadcasting rights, as he plans to turn the entire project into an interplanetary reality TV show (see p53). Lansdorp and Musk aren’t the only players in the trip-to-Mars biz. Dennis Tito, who funded his own trip to the International Space Station in 2001, has announced a venture called Inspiration Mars Foundation. He believes we can bring people back, and plans to send a married couple on a 501-day round-trip in 2018. Any takers?

Edited by Libby Plummer

RATED THE LATEST TECH FROM THE T3 TEST LAB

{RAT {RATINGS} A INGS} {ALSO REVIEWED THIS MONTH}

Pure Jongo S3 p104 Sporty earphones p106 Big-screen smart TVs V p109 Bluetooth speakers p118 TomTom Rider p120 Bowers & Wilkins Z2 p120 A MUST-HAVE A

VERY GOOD

ABOVE AVER AVERAGE A AGE

MEDIOCRE

OH DEAR

Space-age smartphone sensation IN ANDROID’S GAME OF THRONES, CAN SAMSUNG’S GALAXY S4 CLAMBER OVER THE BODIES OF SONY’S XPERIA Z AND HTC’S ONE TO REACH THE TOP?

WORDS DAVID PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY PIXELEYES

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It’s here: the most anticipated smartphone of the year. However, since the hype machine for the Samsung Galaxy S4 first revved its engine, we’ve seen new Android upstarts – the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z – shoot to the top of the T3 charts (see p124). Can the S4’s innovations help it wrestle back its crown? Time to find out… The design, for a start, is a very gentle upgrade to last year’s Galaxy S3. If you felt the S3 looked too plasticky, you’re unlikely to be impressed, but with straighter lines and a subtle texturing effect beneath the glossy plastic, it’s not a bad looking phone. It’s the same height and 0.7mm thinner than the S3. Despite that, there’s a bigger screen – it’s five inches instead of last year’s 4.8 inches – and it now boasts a full-HD resolution. Thanks to Samsung’s skill with Super AMOLED technology, the screen delivers rich, vivid, bright colours – those colours don’t look as over-saturated as they can on some other Samsung screens, either. In fact, this is one of the best phone screens yet. The HTC One’s screen is marginally sharper, but that’s because it’s packing the same number of pixels into a smaller space. Many smartphones, {SPECIFICATION} especially high-end ones, prefer sealed battery units DISPLAY 5-inch, 1080x1920, – you can squeeze in more Super AMOLED OS Android Jelly Bean power when you’re not PROCESSOR/RAM 1.9GHz wasting space on the cases quadcore/2GB removable batteries need STORAGE 16GB REAR CAM 13-meg/1080p – but not the Galaxy S4. It’s at 30fps stuck with a removable back, FRONT CAM 2-meg/1080p meaning the phone creaks CONNECTIVITY N Wi-Fi, 4G, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, IR sensor, when flexed. Yes, you can GPS, microSD slot swap batteries for extended BATTERY LIFE Not quoted use, but who does that? {DIMENSIONS} There’s another benefit to the removable back: you can replace it with an S Cover, which wraps the phone and closes over the screen with a magnet. There’s a window in the front cover, with the screen displaying the time and other important information through the gap. So far, so safe. It’s the new, innovative features that really make this phone stand out, though. Last year’s HEIGHT 136mm Smart Stay technology, WIDTH 70mm where the front-facing DEPTH 8mm camera monitored your WEIGHT 130g eyeballs and dimmed the screen when you weren’t looking directly at it, has «

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360° R A T E D

{DETAILS} 1 SCREEN

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A bigger, better five-inch Super AMOLED display using all of Samsung’s knowledge to deliver vivid, punchy colours 2 CAMERA

The 13-megapixel sensor on the rear cam doesn’t have the low-light shooting prowess of the HTC One, but is still an impressive snapper 3 IR BLASTER

With this built in the S4 now functions as a remote for your telly, or any other AV kit. Just download a universal remote app and get zapping 4 DESIGN

Superficially similar, but sleeker than the Galaxy S3. It replaces scooped curves for straight lines and a textured back

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WWW FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO T3.COM

been enhanced. Now, if you’re watching video and your focus strays, Smart Pause stops playback until you look back again, at which point it smoothly restarts. It works splendidly and the same principle is used, in conjunction with the accelerometer, to control scrolling on web pages – when you reach the bottom of the page, tilting your head prompts the phone to scroll back up for you. This is called Smart Scroll and, though it is more gimmicky and jittery than Smart Pause, it’s still fun to use. It’s all part of a new wave of features that mean you don’t have to touch the touchscreen. Pass your hand near the phone when it’s in standby and the screen gently wakes, shows a speckled background with motes floating through light, and calculates how many texts, emails or missed calls you have before turning off again. Similarly, if you hover your fingers near an address book contact, more details are revealed, although only in Samsung’s Email app, not the Gmail one. It’s handier than opening individual mails and gives you a six- or seven-line preview of communications. You can also turn pages by waving your hand over the screen. If you use your phone when cooking, on the beach covered in sun tan lotion or just have an extreme aversion to screen smears, it’s a nice (non) touch. Like some Nokia Lumias, you can also use the S4 with gloves on. With your hands now free, Samsung wants you to get active. To this end, a builtin pedometer tracks your steps, sending a notification reward when you reach a set goal. It knows whether you’re walking, running or climbing stairs and there are temperature and humidity sensors. It’s all part of S Health. There’s also S Voice – Samsung’s slower sister to Siri – and S Translator where you speak a phrase at the phone to hear it parroted back in another language. A good data connection is needed for this and clear diction helps, too. The S4’s 13-meg camera delivers strong shots and is easy to use, although it has familiar struggles shooting in low light – of its smartphone rivals, only the HTC One, with its “fewer-but-better pixels” strategy, really thrives in low light. Again, there are features galore, including the ability to shoot with the front and rear cameras simultaneously, squeezing a tiny headshot into your panoramic vistas. You can also add a short audio clip to photos, or cluster a burst of action shots in one picture. The 1.9GHz Qualcomm quadcore chip manfully handles anything you throw at it, never slowing down or hesitating, no matter how many programs you have running at once. It’s efficient, too. The battery keeps going for the whole day with ease. As with all heavily used smartphones, though, a nightly «

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R A T E D 360° {KILLER FEATURES}

THE S4’S INNOVATIVE TOUCHES (NO TOUCHING)…

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The S4’s screen demands your attention. Look away from a video that’s playing and Smart Pause freezes the action. Smart Scroll flicks through web pages without you touching the screen – great for people with mucky jobs. Smart Rotation switches the screen to landscape when your head lolls. Careful how you look at it, now…

Hover your finger over a picture gallery and it pops open, swipe through the pages of an ebook or online recipe without touching the screen. Point at a contact’s name and it shows speed dial numbers. The S4 has an incredibly responsive touchscreen, but Samsung is very eager for you not to touch it. It’s a whole new approach.

Struggle beyond asking for “Dos cervezas, por favor?” The S4 can help. Touch the microphone icon and speak, slowly and clearly. The words appear in English and your chosen language. Not good at pronunciation? It will speak the phrase for you. It’s not the first app to do this, and eats up data, but it is well executed.

SMART SCREEN

A removable back makes the Galaxy S4 more creaky than its competitors

AIR GESTURE

S TRANSLATOR

{RIVALS}

THE ULTIMATE ANDROID THREE-WAY

« recharge is essential. The Android Jelly Bean OS again helps with smooth running. Samsung claims a choice of 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage, but only 16GB is currently available in the UK – not much for £600. Connectivity is up there with the best, including 4G – ready for action on any of the

THE S4’S A FIVE-STAR SUCCESS, BUT IT’S NO LONGER THE KING OF THE ANDROID PHONES upcoming 4G networks – plus NFC, Bluetooth and an IR sensor, which means you can use the S4 as a universal telly remote. So, is this the best Android smartphone yet? Its combination of power and innovation certainly puts it amongst the Android elite, but for our money it falls just short of the HTC One, while its camera is bested by the Xperia Z, which also boasts waterproofing. In a year of unparalled Android success – Android phones now hold the top six places in the T3 Guide – the Samsung Galaxy’s star has faded slightly, but there’s still no denying its wow factor. A big, powerful smartphone that’s not afraid to innovate, it’s a five-star wonder.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 HTC ONE

SONY XPERIA Z

PRICE/URL

£600, SAMSUNG.COM/UK

£500, SONYMOBILE.COM

DISPLAY

This Super AMOLED screen The same resolution as the is the brightest and sharpest S3 packed into a 4.7-inch five-incher around. screen means more detail.

Another five-inch screen. This one uses Sony’s Bravia TV tech to great effect.

PROCESSOR

The 1.9GHz quadcore is plenty fast and powerful enough. It copes with apps, games and Samsung’s new features without slouching.

A 1.7GHz quadcore chip, this isn’t as lightning-fast as Samsung’s processor, but the difference is barely noticeable. It’s still quick.

Still a quadcore processor, but the slowest here at 1.5GHz. Don’t be fooled, it’s still a class act, with no discernable slowness.

BATTERY

A big phone with room for a 2600mAh battery. It will easily last an entire day.

The worst longevity of these Decent battery life, matched three, but it’ll still keep going by clever eco settings that while the sun’s up. further eke out battery life.

CAMERA

13-megapixel sensor and plenty of camera features, but average low-light shots.

Just four megs, but they Also has a 13-meg sensor, deliver the best shots here. with the clarity of shots Amazing results in dim light. narrowly beating the S4.

DESIGN

Yes, it’s plasticky, but it’s also slim, glossy and manages to feel premium despite the removable back.

Premium styling, with an all-aluminium back and edge-to-edge screen. Almost Apple-like aesthetics.

This is Sony’s best-looking phone to date, in a case that’s slim, discreetly solid and helpfully waterproof.

STORAGE

Only the 16GB model is currently available in the UK

Choose between 32GB or 64GB, with no microSD slot.

There’s only a 16GB version, but it has a microSD slot.

T3 VERDICT

Great screen, innovative Despite a challenge by the Bringing up the rear in this features and power. The S4 is S4, a killer camera and strong strong trinity of Android a formidable Android force. look keep the One on top. superphones. Still a champ.

£520, HTC.COM

RATING

£600, SAMSUNG.COM/UK

LOVE Spectacular, high-resolution display. Cool gesture-control features. New camera tricks HATE Plasticky design. Features are sometimes more gimmicky than essential. Better phone cameras exist T3 SAYS Samsung’s finest smartphone yet, even if it’s no longer the best Android money can buy

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{THE FINAL WORD}

LIBBY PLUMMER, REVIEWS EDITOR

The S4 had a lot to live up to but its speedy chips, big, friendly screen and gesture controls leave us in no doubt that this is Samsung’s best yet. However, it can’t topple the HTC One, which sports a slightly better camera, tank-like build quality and – call us shallow if you will – just looks sexier. Android owners are spoiled for choice right now though, that’s for sure.

WWW FOR MORE REVIEWS GO TO T3.COM

R A T E D Review 1

Jongo unchained

HEAD OVER TO T3.COM FOR AN EXTENDED REVIEW

PURE’S JONGO S3 OFFERS MULTIROOM, WIRELESS JAPES VIA WI-FI OR BLUETOOTH, AT A PRICE THAT’S SEXIER THAN ITS LOOKS

Colourful, well connected and able to form a wireless multiroom set-up: the Pure Jongo S3 is more than just a bizarre name. 3

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SONIC ARSENAL

WORK THE LOOK!

INFO SCREEN

The Jongo’s compact body is stuffed with four 0.75-inch tweeters and one 3.5-inch neodymium midrange driver. Feel the bass kick! A bit!

No, it’s not the sexiest device ever, but Jongo also comes in black, with speaker grills in yellow, green, black or white – they’re £13 each if you like to swap about

Hidden around the back, it shows battery life, sound mode and source input. It’s not huge, but it beats the “Press twice, hold for three seconds” approach

{PURE JONGO S3}

POINTS OF INTEREST {SPECIFICATIONS}

DISPLAY 1-inch LCD POWER 4x 2.5W + 10W CONNECTIVITY G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth via USB dongle, ethernet, 3.5mm audio in FORMATS WMA, AAC, MP3, MP2, Pure Audio QUOTED BATTERY LIFE 10 hours

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{SIZE/WEIGHT}

131x139x135mm/ 1.25kg with battery pack

{FOCUS}

Pure Connect app At the heart of Pure’s multi-room plan lies the Pure Connect app, letting you stream music stored on your phone or tablet over Wi-Fi. It also gifts you more than 20,000 free internet radio stations and an impressive selection of podcasts. Splash out on a £5-a-month subscription to the Spotify-rivalling, Pure Music and access a further 15 million tracks. Pure Connect also lets you play music on multiple Jongos. It’s currently only compatible with iOS, but will support the A2 and T6 Jongos when they hit the UK. Unlike Sonos you’ll need multiple devices running Pure Connect to play different music in each room. If you want the same tune everywhere – and you probably will – this’ll do the job.

With both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Jongo S3 has the flexibility to play content from just about anywhere. Streaming over Wi-Fi, via the Pure Connect app for iOS, with Android compatibility “coming soon” – see bottom left – allows you to control multiple Jongos, creating an ad-hoc, multi-room setup. Setup is fiddly over Wi-Fi, requiring you to enter a lengthy URL into your mobile browser before navigating the Setup Manager. Connecting via Bluetooth and the bundled USB dongle is much simpler. The five-speaker battery packed into the Jongo’s miniature casing delivers a solid sound that punches effectively at volume and beats the majority of similarly-priced Bluetooth speakers, although it can’t compete with something like Sonos’ Play: 3 or B&W’s Z2, reviewed on p120. The choice of four audio configurations, including an “Outdoor Boost” one for garden parties – see p78 – adds a bit of versatility. More importantly, the battery life is good enough to ensure the party won’t end abruptly. Jongo may not offer seamless setup, nor audiophile-grade sonics, but costing nearly £100 less than a Sonos Play: 3 it is a sound option for those wanting wireless tunes, plus multi-room, without breaking the bank. £170, PURE.COM

LOVE Good sound for the cost. Decent battery life HATE Fiddly Wi-Fi syncing. Multi-room via iOS only T3 SAYS With looks, brains and better-thanaverage sound quality, the Jongo S3 is a great introduction to multi-room audio



WORDS CHRIS HASLAM PHOTO PSC PHOTOGRAPHY

Summer’s hottest sounds SWEAT-FIGHTING, SPORTSFRIENDLY EARPHONES KEEP YOU MOTIVATED IN MID-SUMMER

01 FOR CARDIOAND DANGERLOVING CYCLISTS

FOR MONTHS YOU’VE BEEN PACKED INTO a gym, but now it’s time to liberate yourself from this musk-soaked arena and take your workout outdoors. It’s okay: these sporty headphones will keep you company on the long road to fitness, offering – so we hope, anyway – decent sound, a fit that stands up to the vibration and bumps of running and resistance to your ruggedly, manly ear-sweat. 01 FOR CARDIO- AND DANGER-LOVING CYCLISTS

SENNHEISER ADIDAS PMX 685I £60, SENNHEISER.CO.UK

We were big fans of Sennheiser and Adidas’ neckband-style PMX 680 in-ears, so with a slimmer frame and remote this update feels even lighter as well as being easier to use under a cycling helmet*. Despite the streamlined look, it still feels very durable. As the remote is connected to the left side of the headphones, you might notice a bit of a

pull if you thread them underneath a jacket, but the buds do stay put. On the sound front it’s the same 120dBs of power as before, but the frequency response has improved, giving a richer, more detailed sound. The bass remains lacking, though. T3 SAYS Slimmer and better sounding followup to the 680i

02 FOR GOING THE DISTANCE

YURBUDS INSPIRE DURO £50, YURBUDS.COM

Using “TwistLock” technology Yurbud claims these will not fall out and, after testing, we couldn’t argue with that, though the fit doesn’t always feel secure, which can be a tad off-putting. The shape of the flexible buds apparently means they “avoid nerve-rich areas” – so that’s good – but their sticky, silicone surface picks up scum like nobody’s business.

However, a quick wash under a tap cleans them. Unlike many of its rivals, the Yurbuds let in ambient noise, which is good if you like to know what’s going on around you. However, the trade-off is that the audio can lack vibrancy. T3 SAYS Good if you favour safety over audio fidelity

02 FOR GOING THE DISTANCE

*WE DON’T RECOMMEND CYCLING WITH EARPHONES IN BUT HEY, THEY’RE YOUR BRAINS

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WORDS MICHAEL SAWH PHOTOGRAPHY BARRY MAKARIOU

Sports earphones R A T E D 03 AEROBIC AUDIOPHILES

SONY XBA-S65 £79, SONY.CO.UK

03 AEROBIC AUDIOPHILES

TEST WINNER

On these excellent buds lasso-style hangers adjust around your ears. Along with a choice of four sizes of silicone bud, this provides a secure fit during intense running seshes. Weighing just 10g, they’re barely noticeable in your lugs, although part of the reason they’re so light is that there’s no remote control included. The narrow earpieces

use armature drivers instead of dynamic drivers, producing a crisp, clear sound with strong vocals and bass that doesn’t distort even at higher volume levels. Some of the bestsounding sports headphones around. T3 SAYS Sporty headphones with high quality sound – result!

04 LONE RUNNERS

MONSTER ISPORT VICTORY £130, MONSTERCABLE.COM

Yes, these are pricey, but in our view you get enough features to warrant the extra investment. The tangle-free cord actually lives up to its billing – many don’t – and while the SportClip design has been modified from the previous model, it still offers a secure fit even when worn under a cycling helmet*. Sound is even better

04 LONE RUNNERS

than before, keeping the excellent noise isolation and deep, intense bass of yore, but with added detail and clarity. Last but not least, with a hygienic, anti-microbial coating and sealed housing, they’re easy to keep clean and sweat free. T3 SAYS These great sports ’phones live up to their steep price

05 FOR THE EXTREME SPORTSTER

PIONEER SE-E721 £40, PIONEER.CO.UK

Pioneer’s “skull fit” design lives up to its billing: these earhooked ’phones clamp around your ears with no intention of letting go until you’re ready to take them off, yet are comfortable at the same time. The adjustable buds mean you have control on the fit and the amount of sound that fills your eardrums. The 9mm speaker units produce a

supremely bassy sound, making them ideal for uptempo workout music. They’ve been designed with extreme sports enthusiasts in mind – hence the rugged build and suction-like grip – but they’re also suitable for a jog around the park. T3 SAYS Adhesive and bassy, these are great for adrenaline junkies

{FOCUS}

UPCOMING RUNS…

MONT BLANC MARATHON, CHAMONIX, JUNE 28-30

Three days and 42km of trail-running and hill-climbing will make your calves wish they were never born SPARTATHLON, GREECE, SEPTEMBER 27-28

05 FOR THE EXTREME SPORTSTER

Emulate original Marathon man Pheidippides and his feat of running 153 miles from Athens to Sparta in under 36 hours BUENOS AIRES MARATHON, ARGENTINA, OCTOBER 13

Sweat your way through forests, lakesides and past the River Plate football stadium HONOLULU MARATHON, HAWAII, DECEMBER 9

Run amidst volcanic craters in this scenic sprint VIRGIN ISLANDS MARATHON, DECEMBER 15

Escape Xmas shopping with a run by the Caribbean seaside. When you’re done, have a chat to the locals about tax

WWW FOR MORE HEADPHONE REVIEWS GO TO T3.COM

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Smart TVs R A T E D

Tellies with talent WE PIT THIS SEASON’S SMARTEST TVS AGAINST EACH OTHER IN A PRIME-TIME BATTLE ROYALE

This year’s must-see TVs are smarter than ever, with catch-up telly, on-demand shows and apps given centre stage. But which is the smartest investment? To find out we’ve gathered the five most promising panels for an audition. They range in size from 42 to 47 inches, and in price from a grand to two. We appraised the amount of web TV content available, the sharpness of the picture, the accuracy of the motion handling, the effectiveness of their 3D performance and their ability to sing a Jessie J track with conviction. The talent on offer this year has been incredibly high, but we believe we’ve found this year’s big TV star. Read on. «

{CONTENDERS}

Five screen stars, but only one can scoop the award for best picture…

WORDS STEVE MAY PHOTOGRAPHY PSC

LOEWE CONNECT ID 46 £1,995

PANASONIC VIERA TX-L47DT65 £1,699

SONY BRAVIA KDL-47W805A £1,399

PHILIPS 42PFL6188S £1,000

SAMSUNG UE46F8000 £1,999

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LOEWE CONNECT ID 46 £1,995, LOEWE.TV

3 {SPECIFICATION } SCREEN 46-inch 1920x1080 edge-lit LED LCD TUNER Freeview HD, DVB-S2 3D Active, no specs included WEB TV BBC iPlayer, Daily Motion, Vimeo, TuneIn Radio, Box Office 365, Cartoon Network AUDIO 40W CONNECTIONS 3x HDMI, WLAN, Ethernet, 2x USB, digital audio, VGA

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{DIMENSIONS}

HEIGHT 674mm WIDTH 1064mm DEPTH 78mm WEIGHT 21.9kg

{DETAILS} 1 REMOTE CONTROL

The Connect ID’s controller is as well designed as the set, with a metal look 2 TUNER

There’s a comprehensive choice of Freeview HD or Freesat channels, with the option of adding a motorised satellite dish 3 DESIGN

Pick and mix the colours of your Loewe telly; there’s an estimated 4,320 colour combinations

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The Saville Row suit of the telly world, designed for you… The Loewe Connect ID is the world’s most customizable LED TV – the ID stands for Individual Design, don’t’cha know. Beautifully built, it comes with a choice of cabinet, wraparound and grille finishes that can be mixed and matched, from glossy black or white to silver, orange, green or beige. Loewe reckons no fewer than 4,320 different design options are possible. For an extra, bespoke touch you can add an integrated 500GB PVR, although this adds £300 to the price. Picture clarity is high, with rich colours and a pleasingly naturalistic look. Contrast is also good, with deep blacks. Motion resolution, however, is limited, which doesn’t make this telly a top choice for sports fans or action movie addicts. There’s active 3D shutter tech onboard and it does a fine job; very little ghosting on display here. No specs are included, so you’ll need to fork out an extra £90 for every viewer. The Connect ID’s audio performance is another highlight. Forward-facing stereo speakers are backed up with shouty amplification and excellent woofer support. There’s a Freeview HD tuner built-in, plus a satellite alternative which gets you all the

{SMART TV} Freesat channels, albeit without the ease of either Loewe Media Freesat or Freeview’s simple Portal Scant on-demand and UI. Instead you get Connect catch-up available on this ID’s interface, a much set, with only BBC iPlayer, blander affair than you’d Daily Motion and Vimeo worthy of your attention. expect. There’s built-in Wi-Fi You can access streamed for on-demand content, but content from your PC and so far only a very limited USB downloads here, too choice – BBC iPlayer, Daily Motion, Vimeo and TuneIn, but no YouTube. On the plus side, multimedia file compatibility is excellent, with all key formats playable from both USB and across a network. With top image quality and audio chops the Connect ID doesn’t trade entirely on its looks, but more on-demand content is needed for this to warrant its high price tag.

LOVE High-end design. Audio is class-leading, with quality stereo speakers and generous amplification HATE Limited on-demand TV and no YouTube. Motion resolution not ideal for sports/action T3 SAYS Bespoke TV tailoring, but a choice of colours doesn’t excuse a lack of on-demand

WWW FOR MORE TV REVIEWS GO TO T3.COM OR HEAD TO P130

Smart TVs R A T E D

PANASONIC VIERA TX-L47DT65 £1,699, PANASONIC.CO.UK

3 {SPECIFICATION } SCREEN 47-inch 1920x1080 edge-lit LED LCD TUNER 2x Freeview HD, 2x Freesat tuners 3D Passive, 4x specs WEB TV BBC iPlayer, YouTube, DailyMotion, Netflix, BBC News, Sport Acetrax, Vimeo AUDIO 18W CONNECTIONS 3x HDMI, WLAN, Ethernet, DLNA, Bluetooth, USB, digital audio, composite video, SD

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HEIGHT 627mm WIDTH 1067mm DEPTH 35mm WEIGHT 15kg

{DETAILS} 1 REMOTE

The tablet-like Bluetooth Touch Pad remote features an integrated microphone to control the TV using the sound of your voice 2 TWIN TUNERS

With two TV tuners you can watch one channel whilst recording another to USB, or watching on the go via the VIERA Remote app 3 DESIGN

A narrow aluminium bezel makes the screen the star

The big screen television that moonlights as a PVR Check out the futuristic features on this tellybox: voice interaction via a Bluetooth remote, an entirely new style of userorganised TV interface, and twin tuners that turn it into a PVR of sorts. Phwoar! The set’s star turn is My Home Screen, a customisable interface that you can theme or personalise with your favourite apps and streaming TV services, filtering out the stuff you don’t want and making the bits you do more accessible – catch-up is limited at the moment, with just BBC iPlayer signed up. The dual Freeview HD or Freesat HD tuners mean you can make do without a separate PVR if you wish, recording to an external USB hard drive whilst watching a different channel. Alternatively you can stream TV shows to a smartphone or tablet running Panasonic’s VIERA Remote app for Android and iOS. Multimedia file support is solid from the USB reader, with all key formats playable. It also supports a new version of Swipe & Share, Panasonic’s DLNA content-sharing tech. Back panel connectivity is less radical, comprising three HDMIs, component AV, Ethernet, an SD card slot and a trio of USBs, one of which is a fast 3.0 variant. Wi-Fi is built-in.

{SMART TV} Picture quality is impressive, with scads of My Home fine detail and high contrast Screen Personalise your – HD TV channels and on-demand and catch-up Blu-ray discs look TV viewing, plus all your particularly terrific. However, smart TV apps with this user-organised interface. the set’s black levels aren’t You can even choose the as profound as we’d like and, background wallpaper to improve motion resolution, 1600Hz BLS (backlight scanning) is used. 3D is of the passive variety, so significantly more affordable – four sets of specs are included – and works well, provided you sit square on to the screen. The screen itself is a looker, too. Thin, at 35mm, it also has a distinctive aluminium trim. Audio could be improved and some of the features are gimmicky, but it’s good to try new things.

LOVE Customisable smart TV interface. Twin tuners let it work as a PVR. Looks stylish HATE Lacklustre blacks limit cinematic appeal. Limited catch-up TV selection T3 SAYS On-demand TV organised the way you want it. Great! Now we just need more content…

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R A T E D Smart TVs

SONY BRAVIA KDL-47W805A £1,399, SONY.CO.UK

{SPECIFICATION } SCREEN 47-inch 1920x1080 LED LCD TUNER Freeview HD, DVB-S2 3D Passive, 4x specs WEB TV BBC iPlayer, YouTube, LoveFilm, Netflix, Viewster, Crackle AUDIO 20W CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLAN, 3x USB, component, composite, optical digital

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HEIGHT 639mm WIDTH 1083mm DEPTH 64mm WEIGHT 14.6kg

{DETAILS} 1 REMOTE

There’s this plain ’mote or a One Touch one which enables NFC sharing between the main screen and a mobile device 2 RECORDING

One USB port is designated for recording to an external hard drive. There’s only one active tuner, though 3 DESIGN

The Sony’s circular base is sturdy, holding up one of the chunkier TVs on test

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Sony’s ditched XrossMediaBar and added a whole lotta content With a loop stand and bezel that glints emerald green, Sony’s KDL-47W805A is distinctive, but it’s what’s happening on screen that’s the big change here. Sony has dramatically overhauled its user interface; out goes dusty, old XrossMediaBar and in comes a swish, graphical menu tree. It mixes catch-up services – including BBC iPlayer and Demand 5 – with games and apps from Google Play and streamed content from Sony’s ondemand Entertainment Network. There’s loads to explore, it’s one of the most contentrich sets on test, but it’s all a bit of a jumble. Sony has refined its smartphone interaction, too. The new TV SideView app is a handy EPG extension for your phone – check your evening’s viewing on the loo – while Screen Mirroring wirelessly apes your mobile screen – it’s optimised to work with the Sony Xperia Z, but any NFC-enabled smartphone can get in on the action. One thing that hasn’t changed significantly from last year is picture quality: this Bravia still offers outstanding HD clarity, with motion resolution a particular strength. Sony’s X-Reality Pro picture engine delivers crisp, clear images that make the set a winner for

{SMART TV} avid viewers of both action movies and sport. Sony Internet 3D is of the passive TV This new do-it-all hub persuasion, and the set mashes Video Unlimited ships with four pairs of and Music Unlimited – glasses. The stereoscopic £9.99 per month – Video Unlimited – films from images on offer have real 99p, blockbusters £3.49 depth but are extremely – catch-up TV and apps directional – any wriggling from Google Play all in one giant content casserole around whilst watching and you’ll experience a bit of pesky ghosting. Aside from the online content you also get the choice of a Freeview HD or satellite tuner. They’re single tuners, unlike Samsung and Panasonic’s sets, so you’ll still need a set-top box. With great picture quality and a wealth of web TV this is a great TV, but it’s outsmarted by rivals.

LOVE Crisp, involving picture that’s great for action and sports. Jam-packed internet TV portal HATE Interface is a jumble of content. Single tuner makes a separate set-top box essential T3 SAYS Outstanding motion handling makes this a great telly for action junkies

WWW FOR MORE TV REVIEWS GO TO T3.COM OR HEAD TO P130

Smart TVs R A T E D

PHILIPS 42PFL6188S £1,000, PHILIPS.COM

2 {SPECIFICATION } SCREEN 42-inch 1920x1080 edge-lit LED LCD TUNER Freeview HD, DVB-S2 3D Passive, 4x specs WEB TV BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Acetrax, Blinkbox, Viewster, iConcerts AUDIO 24W CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, 3x USB, Ethernet, component, digital audio. Via adaptor: Scart

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3

{DIMENSIONS}

HEIGHT 953mm WIDTH 562mm DEPTH 32mm WEIGHT 12.5kg

{DETAILS} 1 REMOTE

Flip the remote over to discover a full QWERTY keyboard for searching web-TV content 2 AMBILIGHT

Philips two-sided XL Ambilight floods your room with coloured light, making your screen appear larger than 42 inches 3 DESIGN

Edge-to-edge glass and a frameless look make this a classy TV set

This Philips set glows, but its online content fails to shine Minimalist and understated, Philips’ 6000 Series LED TV is a 42-inch feast of edge-toedge screen – plastic, not glass – with almost no picture border to interrupt your view. Philips is also continuing to plug its Ambilight mood lighting system. You can use it dynamically, mimicking the colours displayed on screen, or fix a permanent red, blue or green glow. It’s a little MTV Cribs, but used sparingly does have a certain appeal. Concentrate on the screen, rather than the lightshow going on around it, and you’ll be treated to images that appear preternaturally crisp. Perfect Natural Motion mode needs to be enabled to obtain a reasonable level of motion clarity, but all settings do tend to contribute motion artefacts. That said, black level performance is noirish, with shadow held in detail. The set also offers passive 3D and comes with four pairs of glasses. Provided you sit square on, the 3D effect works well. There’s a choice of a Freeview HD tuner or DVB-S satellite connection – a single tuner means no recording one channel whilst watching another, sadly – and a smattering of IPTV services, primarily BBC iPlayer, Netflix, YouTube, Blinkbox, Viewster and iConcerts.

{SMART TV} Nothing you fancy watching on either of those? Philips Multimedia file support from Smart TV What this set lacks in both local USB and across catch-up TV it makes up LAN is good, with all key for with porn – well, the video formats playing. company is based in Amsterdam. You’ll find four Miracast is included, letting adult content services you stream photos and vids – Hustler, Brazzers, Private from tablets and phones and Forno straight to the TV screen. Philips TVs tend to be complicated to set up, and the 42PFL6188S is no exception to that rule. While the main interface is reasonably intuitive, the picture menu offers a baffling amount of options. A 24W sound system boosts your TV’s audio and the price tag is affordable, but a greater selection of content would give this set more to shout about.

LOVE Edge-to edge glass. High quality audio system. Ambilight trickery. Relatively affordable HATE HD can look overly processed. Basic EPG, but confusing array of picture options T3 SAYS Fantastic design and an Ambilight glow, but more online content is needed

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SAMSUNG UE46F8000

TEST WINNER

£1,999, SAMSUNG.COM/UK

2 {SPECIFICATION } SCREEN 46-inch 1920x1080 edge-lit LED LCD TUNER 2x Freeview HD, 2x Freesat 3D Active, 2x specs WEB TV BBC iPlayer, ITV player, YouTube, DailyMotion, Netflix, Lovefilm, Acetrax, Spotify AUDIO 40W CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLAN, 3x USB, component

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{DIMENSIONS}

HEIGHT 599mm WIDTH 1033mm DEPTH 35mm WEIGHT 14kg

{DETAILS} 1 REMOTE

In addition to this trad zapper there’s a Bluetooth Touch Pad remote that allows you to swipe through listings and issue voice commands 2 CINEMA BLACK

Switch the Cinema Black mode on to prevent backlight intrusion when watching 21:9 ratio movies 3 DESIGN

The crescent stand looks cool, but takes up a lot of space in your lounge

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This Samsung set is smarter than your average connected TV This is Samsung’s second generation voiceand gesture-controlled Smart TV. It may still struggle to understand what you’re asking it, despite being tutored to comprehend conversational English, but its Smart Portal interface, now in version 2.0, is vastly improved. It links with smartphone apps, with Dual View and Smart Mirroring, and the TouchPad remote makes it easier than ever for you to find what you want to watch. With simplified graphical icons and a new S-Recommendation engine, which suggests shows based on your monitored viewing preferences – think of it as Tivo without the Virgin Media subscription – Smart Portal 2.0 really impresses. Internet TV support is wide and includes big hitters like BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, Netflix, LoveFilm and Acetrax. The screen also boasts twin Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners – take your pick. Beneath the hood, the F8000 packs a quadcore processor for faster browsing and better interactivity. Picture quality is equally terrific, once you’ve invested time playing with settings – none of the presets make this screen sing. Chores done, you’re rewarded with sharp, contrast rich HD. We particularly

{SMART TV} like the Cinema Black mode Samsung which turns off the top and Smart Portal bottom edge-lighting when 2.0 watching 21:9 movies. All the main IPTV providers The set’s 3D performance are on hand here, with is also surprisingly clean and catch-up from BBC iPlayer and ITV and on-demand bright. It uses active shutter from Netflix and Lovefilm. tech, though, so if you The new S-Recommend require more than the two feature picks out things it thinks you’ll like, too included pairs of specs it will cost you dearly. Extra content from web sources is treated kindly, with all popular codecs playable from NAS and USB. The end result is a properly smart TV. The design may cause some users a little consternation, the F8000 has a crescent-shaped stand that takes up more than its fair share of space, but we think you’ll make room for it.

LOVE Smartphone apps, twin tuners and the new Smart Portal 2.0 mean it’s easy to watch what you want. Outstanding HD and 3D picture HATE Striking but impractical design T3 SAYS Samsung’s slickest smart TV yet; fantastic picture quality and plenty to watch

WWW FOR MORE TV REVIEWS GO TO T3.COM OR HEAD TO P122

Smart TVs R A T E D SPEC SHOT

LOEWE CONNECT ID 46

MAKE AND MODEL

PANASONIC VIERA TX-L47DT65

SONY BRAVIA KDL-47W805A

PHILIPS 42PFL6188S

SAMSUNG UE46F8000

PRICE

£1,995

£1,699

£1,399

£1,000

£1,999

WEBSITE

LOEWE.TV

PANASONIC.CO.UK

SONY.CO.UK

PHILIPS.COM

SAMSUNG.COM/UK

SCREEN

46-inch, 1920x1080 LED LCD

47-inch, 1920x1080 LED LCD

47-inch, 1920x1080 LED LCD

42-inch, 1920x1080 LED LCD

46-inch, 1920x1080 LED LCD

TUNER

Freeview HD, DVB-S2

2x Freeview HD, 2x Freesat

Freeview HD, DVB-S2

Freeview HD, DVB-S

2x Freeview HD, 2x Freesat

3D

Active, no specs included

Passive, 4x specs

Passive, 4x specs

Passive, 4x specs

Active, 2x specs

WEB TV

BBC iPlayer, Daily Motion, Vimeo, TuneIn Radio, Box Office 365, Cartoon Network

BBC iPlayer, YouTube, DailyMotion, Netflix, BBC News, Sport Acetrax, Vimeo

BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Acetrax, Blinkbox, Viewster, iConcerts

BBC iPlayer, YouTube, LoveFilm, Netflix, Viewster, Crackle

BBC iPlayer, ITV player, YouTube, DailyMotion, Netflix, Lovefilm, Acetrax, Spotify

AUDIO

40W

18W

24W

20W

40W

CONNECTIONS

4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLAN, 3x USB, component, composite, optical digital

3x HDMI, WLAN, Ethernet, 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLNA, Bluetooth, USB, digital DLAN, 3x USB, component audio, composite video, SD

4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, 3x USB, Ethernet, component, digital audio. Via adaptor: Scart

4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLAN, 3x USB, component

DIMENSIONS

674x1064x78/21.9kg

627x1067x35/15kg

639x1083x64/14.6kg

953x562x32mm/12.5kg

599x1033x35mm/14kg

LOVE

High-end design. Audio is class-leading, with quality stereo speakers and generous amplification

Customisable smart TV interface. Twin tuners lets it work as a PVR. Looks highly stylish

Crisp, involving picture that’s especially good for action and sports. Jam-packed internet TV portal

Edge-to edge glass makes for an attractive look. Good audio and reasonable price tag. Ambilight trickery

Smartphone apps, twin tuners and the new Smart Portal 2.0 mean it’s easy to watch what you want

HATE

Limited on-demand – no YouTube! Motion resolution not ideal for sports/action

Lacklustre blacks limit cinematic appeal. Limited catch-up TV selection

Interface is a bit of a mess. Single tuner makes separate set-top box more essential

Overly processed hi-def image. Basic EPG, confusing picture options

The design is striking but also a little impractical

T3 SAYS

Bespoke TV tailoring, but a choice of colours doesn’t excuse a lack of on-demand

On-demand TV organised the Outstanding motion handling Fantastic design and an way you want it. Great! Now makes this a great telly for Ambilight glow, but more we just need more content… action junkies online content is needed

Samsung’s slickest smart TV yet; fantastic picture quality and plenty to watch

RATING

{REASONS}

Why Samsung’s UE46F8000 is our top telly…

1

Offers astonishingly sharp HD imagery. Feed it a good Blu-ray and the results are cinematic.

2

Twin tuners means you can record one channel to an external USB drive while watching another. It’s a built-in PVR.

3

The most developed content portal out there,

with a massive choice of catch-up from the main channels and ondemand extras too.

viewing habits and suggests shows.

4

Sleek and minimalist, this 46-inch screen looks every bit the future-proof television.

Samsung’s new eye-candy menu makes onscreen navigation much more intuitive.

5

Lost for something to watch? Samsung’s S-Recommendation engine learns your

6

7

Samsung offering buyers a hardware upgrade path. Come 2014, if you want to upgrade to the brand’s latest multi-core processor, you can.

{FOCUS}

Universal remotes HARMONY ULTIMATE

DEMOPAD DEMOCONTROL

IR-TOUTING PHONES

DEDICATED REMOTE APPS

Sits in a networkconnected dock, and offers swipe and tap touchscreen control as well as IR, RF and Bluetooth mastery.

Control Wi-Fi-connected devices via this iPad app. Add an optional IP2IR blaster (£100) and you can control other AV kit too.

£230, LOGITECH.COM

£28, DEMOPAD.COM

The HTC One and Galaxy S4 both arrived with builtin infra-red, allowing them to function as remotes for all your AV kit. Expect new apps to follow soon.

For non-IR smartphones there’s still the option of controlling your TV via WiFi using the set’s branded remote app. Our favourites are Panasonic and Sony.

{FINAL WORD}

T3’S PREMIUM TV GUIDE… All of these TV sets have an above-average IQ and membership to MENSA, but only one of them can be top of the class. This year that television is the Samsung UE46F8000. With a re-organised content portal that picks out shows it thinks you’ll enjoy and dual tuners, allowing you to record one channel to a USB hard drive and watch another, its shown real innovation and potential. It’s a close call for second and third place, with the Panasonic set offering dual tuners and a great interface – worryingly short on content at the moment – and the Sony showing off its outstanding range of ondemand content, catch-up TV and apps. The class award for best dressed goes to the Loewe Connect ID. The chance to customise the colour of the set is attractive, but it needs more on-demand and catch-up content to compete with other sets. Finally, there’s the Philips 42PFL6188S, which is getting a letter sent home to its mother entitled “must do better”. Picture quality is great and the design is eye-catching, but again a dirth of on-demand content and apps leaves it bottom of this bright class.

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Journeys through sound IF WE TOOK A HOLIDAY (WITH THESE PORTABLE BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS) IT WOULD BE SO NICE

YOU CAN’T WEAR YOUR HEADPHONES FOR two weeks in the sun – just think of the tan lines. But hey, now you don’t need to, thanks to the growing army of portable, wireless speakers with surprisingly punchy audio. Just lie back, fire up the coolest holiday hits and quite literally “ring-rang-a-dong for a holiday” as you enjoy “senoritas by the score” and “push pineapple”. Hey, Macarena! 01 STYLISH SOUNDS

NATIVE UNION SWITCH

01 STYLISH SOUNDS

£130, NATIVEUNION.COM/UK

This elegant, simple, stylish, Lego-brick of a Bluetooth speaker boasts a 14-hour battery life, USB charging and better-than-average hands-free chat. It lacks a bit of warmth musically, with a tendency to sound a little shrill, though never to an extent that’s outright unpleasant. Those who demand volume will be disappointed, especially

considering the relative size of it, as the decibel count is more boutique hotel than Benidorm bender. Still, in a choice of five colours and with the option of a high-gloss finish, it’s a good-looking, if overly discreet, travelling companion. T3 SAYS Stylish, lasts all night, but lacks a bit of va-va-voom

02 JAMMBOCKS

KITSOUND HIVE £75, KITSOUND.CO.UK

“Inspired”, shall we say, by Jawbone’s Jambox, this is a rubbery brick with a natty honeycomb finish. It offers wireless music, hands-free calling, the battery lasts for up to ten hours per charge, and it costs £45 less than the Jambox. Not entirely surprisingly, it wants for a bit of sonic polish but it’s solid enough, with the clear mid-range making

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the most of vocals, even if the bottom-fired bass won’t unduly perturb the pensioners in the room next door. For the price, the Hive is hard to knock, even if it’s also hard to get in a pre-Disney World-style frenzy of excitement about it. T3 SAYS Decent value Bluetooth box does the job respectably enough

02 JAMMBOCKS

WORDS CHRIS HASLAM PHOTOGRAPHY PIXELEYES

Portable speakers R A T E D 03 THE BEAT MEISTER

DAMSON OYSTER £180, DAMSONAUDIO.COM

The musical equivalent of an over-sized flyer who has to pay for a second seat, the Oyster is a bit on the chunky side. However, if you’re someone who likes to get totally on one, matey, it’ll ensure good vibes on whatever your party island of choice happens to be, provided you can front the high entry price. Designed for devotees of dance music,

the Oyster’s 3D speaker configuration pushes the bass right up in the sound mix, giving it plenty of boom at the expense of anything resembling subtlety. That’s not really meant as a criticism; this is what holiday sound should be like. T3 SAYS Bulbous, Balearic-bound bassbin brings the boom

04 TOUGH AND TINY

BRAVEN BRV-1 £150, BRAVEN.EU

03 THE BEAT MEISTER

Drop-proof, splash-proof, exceedingly lightweight and, we’d venture, somewhat easier to get through security than the Philips “grenade”, this is the best of this fine bunch of holiday-makers. All of its physical connectors are safely sealed behind a big screw cap, while it also offers Bluetooth connectivity, hands-free compatibility and up to

12 hours of life, with charging via USB. Sound is solid, too. It may lack the room-filling projection of the Oyster, but it can’t be faulted when it comes to pumping pool-side playlists. A very portable, hard-as-nails music player. T3 SAYS Super-rugged build and decent sound make this a holiday hit

05 THE BOMB!

PHILIPS SBT30 £40, PHILIPS.CO.UK

And the award for the most inappropriately shaped travel speaker goes to… We seriously don’t advise trying to take this through most airports, so it pretty much fails at the first hurdle as a travel speaker. However, for staycations, this excellent, grenadeshaped, Bluetooth boombox is just the job, being small, light (38g)

04 TOUGH AND TINY

and cheap, with support for hands-free calling and a respectable, eight-hour battery life. Most importantly, while the single-driver audio performance won’t drop any jaws, it does have a price-defying punch and plenty of volume. T3 SAYS Great VFM, portability and price… Shame about the look

TEST WINNER

{CONTENT}

MISERABLE SUMMER PLAYLIST

05 THE BOMB!

WWW FOR MORE SPEAKERS GO TO T3.COM OR P132

Who Loves the Sun? The Velvet Underground Summertime Blues Eddie Cochran God Damn the Sun Swans Every Day is like Sunday Morrissey There’s a Riot Goin’ On Sly and the Family Stone Cruel Summer Bananarama Ain’t No Water in the Well Hüsker Dü Rain The Beatles Buckets of Rain/A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall Bob Dylan Here Comes The Rain Again Eurythmics I Can’t Stand the Rain Ann Peebles Mosquito Yeah Yeah Yeahs Too Darn Hot Cole Porter

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Reviews R A T E D

BOWERS & WILKINS Z2

TOMTOM RIDER

This designer speaker dock is a diminutive relative of the Zeppelin Air, with simple-to-use AirPlay streaming, an added Lightning connector and, at least by B&W’s standards, a reasonable price tag.

Built for bikers, this satnav is tougher than an old-skool courier, waterproof to one metre, with a baseball cap-like peak to keep sunlight reflections off the screen. It’s ready for the open road.

£330, BOWERS-WILKINS.CO.UK

£349, TOMTOM.COM

{SPECIFICATIONS} POWER 2 x 20W CONNECTIVITY Lightning connector, G Wi-Fi, AirPlay, ethernet, 3.5mm jack SIZE/WEIGHT 180x320x100mm/2.6kg

Steering away from the wireless-only route of many competitors, such as the Jawbone Jambox and the Bluetooth speakers reviewed on p118, B&W has added a Lightning connector for hooking up your iPhone 5 – there’s no iPad compatibility, for whatever reason. Generally you’ll want to stream your iDevice over the very reliable AirPlay connection. There’s no Bluetooth, so if you don’t have an iOS device you’re not invited to the party. What’s that? You insist? Okay, there is a 3.5mm line-in tucked around the back, but your attendance will be frowned upon. The Z2’s connectivity might be a little idiosyncratic, but its audio quality is very hard to quibble over. Two fullrange drivers provide clear mids and highs, while the same patented B&W Flowport tech that you find boosting the bass in the Zeppelin Air adds depth. Volume is also plentiful – with a total of 40W on offer, it’s got impressive lungs for such a compact speaker. There are niggles – the top notes don’t sing with the clarity of the bottom ones – but anyone looking for a simple, effective and stylish AirPlay/Lightning dock for the kitchen, bedroom, orangery or saloon could do a lot worse than this noisy, little upstart. LOVE Simple operation. Excellent bass, borrowed from the Zeppelin Air. Tasteful aesthetics and compact footprint HATE No Bluetooth or iPad docking T3 SAYS AirPlay nuts will love the simplicity of the B&W Z2. Android rockers do get a line in, at least

WORDS DAN SUNG AND DAVID JONES

{SPECIFICATIONS} SCREEN 4.3-inch, 480x272 STORAGE 4GB CONNECTIVITY USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 QUOTED BATTERY LIFE Up to 6 hours SIZE/WEIGHT 130x101x53mm/353g

The 4.3-inch touchscreen has a serviceable, 480x272 resolution. More importantly, you can use it wearing gloves, with a simplified interface keeping buttonpressing to a minimum – anything beyond basic commands is a tad awkward, mind. Bike-specific features include the option of taking routes with more corners so you can really “get your knee down”. Bluetooth connectivity sends turn-by-turn instructions to your headset or helmet intercom and you can make and receive calls too, if you roll that way. Map services from TomTom are reliably accurate; there are no Live services for realtime traffic updates, but you do get a free, updated map every year. Battery life is six hours, or you can hook it up to your bike for constant power. A time-saving power up/down function turns the Rider on when you twist the ignition. It’s a nifty little device, all told.

FOR THE EXTENDED REVIEW HEAD TO T3.COM

LOVE Well thought-out, bike-specific features. Rugged, weatherproof build. Comprehensive mapping HATE No Live services, relatively low-res screen T3 SAYS The best satnav for two wheels rather than four, the Rider is good, if a little primitive

FOR THE EXTENDED REVIEW HEAD TO T3.COM

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TheGuide {THE BEST OF EVERYTHING}

Smartphones p124 Tablets p125 Cameras p127 Computers p128 Gaming p129 Televisions p130 Home entertainment p131 Home audio p132 Headphones p133 Accessories p134

Top tens THE place to start researching your next gadget-buying jaunt. For an even more up-to-the-minute snapshot of our latest wish lists, check out t3.com/best-gadgets. Scores The products featured in The Guide are reassessed regularly against what’s new, hip and happening. As a result, we will re-rate older products to reflect the current market. Prices We scour the web for the best prices we can find at trusted retailers. Even so, check the most up-to-date deals before getting out your Solo, Access or Diner’s Club card. AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

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{BUYING TIPS}

Smartphones

Bluetooth call kit for drivers 1

3

Links to two smartphones for in-car conference calls and hooks to your visor.

Announce “Minikit” at any time to wake this slinky-looking, voiceactivated hands-free kit.

SUPERTOOTH BUDDY

£45, SUPERTOOTH.NET

£70, PARROT.COM/UK

2

BT EASY BLUETOOTH CALL KIT

HTC ONE

01

£520, HTC.COM, TESTED JUNE 2013

06 6

LOVE Chic metallic design. A fantastic, innovative camera. Great audio, with front-facing speakers HATE Average battery life. No expandable memory T3 SAYS A thing of beauty with brains to match. It’s the new Android champion

NT

RY

£600, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED JULY 2013

NEW

03 3

04

5 05

E

JABRA CRUISER 2

Very basic, but eight hours’ talk time and a budget price tag add appeal.

Two mics and Noise Blackout technology make for clear phone calls.

£20, SHOP.BT.COM

£55, JABRA.COM

HTC ONE X

£379, HTC.COM/UK, TESTED JUNE 2012

SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR 1.7GHz quadcore SCREEN 4.7-inch, 1920x1080 CAMERA 4-meg/1080p STORAGE 32GB or 64GB

SAMSUNG GALAXY S4

4

LOVE Really strong, thoughtful design. Very solid build. L Immaculate display. Speedy and slick HATE Big screen might make it too bulky for some users T3 SAYS Stunning design, great feel, amazing screen and strong battery. Cheaper than the One X+ (below left)

SPECIFICATIONS

02 2

PARROT MINIKIT NEO

PROCESSOR 1.5GHz quadcore SCREEN 4.7-inch, 1280x720 CAMERA 8-meg/1080p STORAGE 32GB

07

APPLE IPHONE 5

FROM £529, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

LO LOVE Spectacular high-resolution display. Cool gesture features. New camera tricks HATE Plasticky design. Features more gimmicky than essential T3 SAYS Samsung’s best smartphone yet, but no longer the best Android money can buy

LOVE Bigger screen. 4G capability – if you’re on an EE contract. Better front-facing camera for video. iOS 6 very smooth HATE Battery life could be better. Lacks features of other OSs T3 SAYS The best iPhone to date and iOS is still slicker than Android. However, it’s also less fully featured

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR 1.9GHz quadcore SCREEN 5-inch, 1920x1080 CAMERA 13-meg/1080p STORAGE 16GB

PROCESSOR A6 SCREEN 4-inch, 1136x640 CAMERA 8-meg/1080p STORAGE 16GB, 32GB or 64GB

SSONY XPERIA Z

£500, SONYMOBILE.COM, TESTED APRIL 2013

08 8

GOOGLE NEXUS 4

FROM £279, PLAY.GOOGLE.COM, TESTED JANUARY 2013

LOVE Smashing, full-HD display. Superior camera. Great styling. Excellent performance all round HATE It’ll be too big for some. Fiddly waterproof connectors T3 SAYS Stunning and waterproof. Sony’s best smartphone yet and a top Android

LOVE Nice ’n’ low price. The 4.7-inch screen is tasty indeed. Fluid performance. Wireless Charging. Android Jelly Bean HATE Incredibly dull design. Just 8GB or 16GB, no microSD slot T3 SAYS LG and Google serve up cutting-edge specs at a price that’s very hard to beat

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR 1.5GHz quadcore SCREEN 5-inch, 1920x1080 CAMERA 13-meg/1080p STORAGE 16GB, microSD

PROCESSOR 1.5GHz quadcore SCREEN 4.7-inch, 1280x768 CAMERA 8-meg/1080p STORAGE 8GB or 16GB

SAMSUNG GALAXY S3

FROM £393, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED AUGUST 2012

9 09

BLACKBERRY Z10

£480, UK.BLACKBERRY.COM, TESTED APRIL 2013

LOVE Bright, bold and big screen. Long battery life. LO of innovative features. Power aplenty Fine selection s HATE It I really is fairly big. Slightly plasticky build T3 SAYS S A mighty phone that’s powerful, feature-packed an and very desirable

LO LOVE BlackBerry Hub and improved BlackBerry World. Excellent touchscreen keyboard. Bright screen E HATE Average camera. Not different enough to really appeal T3 SAYS BB10 is a move in the right direction, even if the Z10 is more competent than exciting

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR 1.4GHz quadcore SCREEN 4.8-inch 1280x720 CAMERA 8-meg/1080p STORAGE 16GB or 32GB + microSD

PROCESSOR 1.5GHz dualcore SCREEN 4.2-inch, 1280x768 CAMERA 8-meg/1080p STORAGE 16GB, microSD

HTC ONE X+

£470, HTC.COM/UK, TESTED JANUARY 2013

0 10

NOKIA LUMIA 920

£529, NOKIA.COM, TESTED JANUARY 2013

LOV Fast, quadcore processor ensures smooth operation LOVE aand gaming. Massive 64GB storage. Comparatively cheap HATE Bigger battery, but you’ll still need to charge every day T3 SAYS The HTC One X’s smarter, longer-lasing brother is the power user’s HTC phone

LOVE Slick, customisable OS. Bright, colourful, 4.5-inch screen. 32GB storage. Very handy Nokia Maps app. Reasonable price HATE Bulky body. Overall lack of apps. Average battery life T3 SAYS Bigger and brighter, the Nokia Lumia 920 is easily the best Windows Phone handset to date

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR 1.7GHz quadcore SCREEN 4.7-inch, 1280x720 CAMERA 8-meg/1080p STORAGE 64GB

PROCESSOR 1.5GHz dualcore SCREEN 4.5-inch, 1280x768 CAMERA 8.7-meg/1080p STORAGE 32GB AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

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{BUYING TIPS}

Tablets

T3’s top four ebook readers 1

3

PAPERWHITE

The cheaper, lighter Kindle with an improved screen is a nailed-on bargain.

AMAZON KINDLE

The best ereader screen around, now backlit for late-night edification. FROM £109, AMAZON.CO.UK

2

02 2

03 3

04

5 05

FROM £269, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED JANUARY 2013

06 0 6

4

KOBO EREADER TOUCH

Great, backlit screen. Book store rivals Amazon’s. £109, BARNESANDNOBLE.COM

£80, WHSMITH.CO.UK

NOOK GLOWLIGHT

APPLE IPAD MINI

£69, AMAZON.CO.UK

A top quality e-ink screen with added touch control, plus access to one million free ebooks and libraries.

BARNES AND NOBLE

01 1

AMAZON KINDLE

AMAZON KINDLE FIRE HD

£159, AMAZON.CO.UK, TESTED JANUARY 2013

LOVE The pocket-friendly, 7.9-inch screen with ultra-slim bezel looks fantastic and works great. 4G LTE version available HATE Pricey. Screen resolution is not the best T3 SAYS Slim and stunningly designed, this takes the world’s best tablet and proves that smaller is even better

LOVE Amazon’s simplified Android is extremely user-friendly. Plenty of content on offer. Great screen HATE Processor can struggle. No Google Play store T3 SAYS A great tablet for media consumption, and it’s eexcellent value to boot

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS S

OS iOS 6.1 PROCESSOR 1GHz dualcore SCREEN 7.9-inch, 1024x768 STORAGE 16GB, 32GB or 64GB

OS Android 4.0, customised by Amazon PROCESSOR 1.2GHz dualcore SCREEN 7-inch, 1280x800 STORAGE 16GB or 32GB

APPLE IPAD (4TH GEN)

FROM £399, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED JANUARY 2013

07

GGOOGLE NEXUS 10

£319, GOOGLE.COM/NEXUS, TESTED JANUARY 2013

LOVE Retina Display looks stunning. New A6X processor bolsters speed. 128GB and 4G LTE models now available HATE Pretty minor, as upgrades go. Battery life could be better T3 SAYS Full-sized version, now a little bit better – make sure you get enough storage for that Retina-ready gear…

LOVE Outstanding, super-HD display. Jelly Bean OS is L eexcellent. Smooth operation. Solid build H HATE Lack of dedicated tablet apps. No 3G option yet T3 T SAYS Like the Nexus 7 this gives power on the cheap, b lack of tablet-specific apps makes it less desirable but

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS S

OS iOS 6.1 PROCESSOR 1.4GHz dualcore SCREEN 9.7-inch, 2048x1536 STORAGE 16GB, 32GB, 64GB or 128GB

OS Android 4.2 PROCESSOR 1.7GHz quadcore O SCREEN 10.1-inch, 2560x1600 STORAGE16GB or 32GB S

GOOGLE NEXUS 7

FROM £159, GOOGLE.COM/NEXUS, TESTED JANUARY 2013

08

AASUS TRANSFORMER INFINITY £599, UK.ASUS.COM, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

LOVE Superb VFM, with plenty of power, a premium build and great screen. Features like Google Now add excitement HATE Limited, non-expandable storage. Wi-Fi only T3 SAYS In terms of bang for your buck, the Nexus 7 is by far the best Android tab on the market

LOVE Sharp full-HD screen. Keyboard dock. Heavy on storage HATE More expensive than the equivalent iPad. No USB charging. Optimised apps are lacking. Reduced battery life T3 SAYS Beautiful full-HD screen aside, there’s no reason to buy this over a Prime. Tasty trophy gadget, though

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

OS Android 4.1 Jelly Bean PROCESSOR 1.2GHz quadcore SCREEN 7-inch, 1080x800 STORAGE 8GB or 16GB

OS Android 4.0 PROCESSOR 1.6GHz quadcore SCREEN 10.1-inch, 1280x1200 STORAGE 32GB/64GB, microSD

APPLE IPAD 2

FROM £329, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2011

09 9

ASUS TRANSFORMER PAD TF300T

LOVE Decent battery, power and graphical oomph. Thin, lightt and now even cheaper, with iOS 5 and apps galore HATE Rear camera is poor. New iPad is better T3 SAYS Slimmer and cheaper than the new iPad, this is still a mighty alluring tablet in its own right

LOVE Fantastic price with keyboard dock included HATE Flimsy keyboard, plasticky build. Average screen H T3 SAYS Sibling of the Prime. More affordable, less sexy

SPECIFICATIONS

SP SPECIFICATIONS

OS iOS 5 PROCESSOR 1GHz dualcore SCREEN 9.7-inch, 1024x768 STORAGE 16GB, 32GB or 64GB

OS Android 4.0.3 PROCESSOR 1.3GHz quadcore SCREEN 10.1-inch, 1280x800 STORAGE 32GB, microSD

AMAZON KINDLE HD 8.9

FROM £229, AMAZON.CO.UK, TESTED JUNE 2013

£428, UK.ASUS.COM, TESTED JULY 2012

10

GEMINI JOYTAB 9.7

£139, GEMINIDEVICES.COM, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

LOVE Very sharp 8.9-inch screen. Easy to use, carousel-style interface with Lovefilm and Amazon content HATE No 3G option. Limited app selection T3 SAYS The best Kindle yet, faster and sharper, but not quite as portable as its seven-inch sibling

LOVE Matches the iPad 2’s screen resolution. Plenty of storage plus a microSD slot. Google Play access HATE Single core processor T3 SAYS A rare, shining gem in the manure pile that is the budget, full-sized tablet market

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

OS Android 4.0, customised by Amazon PROCESSOR 1.5GHz dualcore SCREEN 8.9-inch, 1920x1200 STORAGE 16GB/32GB

OS Android 4.0 PROCESSOR 1.2GHz A8 single core SCREEN 9.7-inch, 1024x768 STORAGE 16GB or 32GB, microSD AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

1 2 5 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

TheGuide

{THE BEST OF EVERYTHING} {FOCUS}

Cameras

Photography competitions 1

2

INTERNATIONAL PORTRAIT COMPETITION

PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS ENTER BY SEPTEMBER 8

MONTHLY

Compete 12 times a year for the chance to get your shot featured in art-snap magazine Blur, plus $300 towards your next bit of camera gubbins. It costs $10 to enter a photo, so choose carefully.

Choose a category – nature, people, patterns, animal kingdom – and get stuck in. The overall winner receives a full-time, professional photography course worth £3,295. Entry is free, but you need to be over 18, for obvious reasons.

SHOOTTHEFACE.COM

LSPAWARDS.COM

SHOOT THE FACE

01

CANON EOS 650D

£567, CANON.CO.UK, TESTED OCTOBER 2012

06

03

04

05

CANON EOS 7D

£1,213, CANON.CO.UK, TESTED JUNE 2012

LOVE Brilliant 1080p video and sharp 18-megapixel shots, with a solid, easy-to-use set of features HATE Price will put off less serious snappers T3 SAYS A workhorse of a DSLR, which delivers broadcast-quality video and fantastic stills

LOVE Superb image quality and great low-light shooting thanks to fine high ISO performance HATE The RRP is quite high, so shop around T3 SAYS An impressive DSLR with great image quality and swift, touchscreen control

02 2

2013 LONDON SCHOOL OF

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SENSOR 18-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 18x55mm SCREEN 3-inch touchscreen WEIGHT 575g

SENSOR 18-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 18-135mm zoom SCREEN 3-inch WEIGHT 820g (body only)

PANASONIC LUMIX LX7

£355, PANASONIC.CO.UK, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

07

SONY ALPHA SLT-A37

£320, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

LOVE Fast autofocus, excellent pictures, manual aperture ring HATE High ISO performance could be better. Smaller sensor than rivals. No touchscreen T3 SAYS Easy to use for beginners, plus plenty on offer for pros. The most advanced compact around

LOVE Semi-transparent mirror means faster shooting and focusing. Exceptionally good video recording HATE Reduced quality at high ISOs T T3 SAYS Consistent performance across stills and video; Sony’s not-a-DSLR is a fine camera vi

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS S

MEGAPIXELS 12.7 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 24-90mm ZOOM 3.8x VIDEO 1080p at 50fps WEIGHT 298g

SENSOR 16.1-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 18-55mm SCREEN 2.7-inch WEIGHT 506g (body only)

SAMSUNG NX300

£600, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED JUNE 2013

08 8

SAMSUNG EX2F

£300, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

LOVE DSLR-quality photos. Tiltable AMOLED touchscreen. Manual controls aplenty. Built-in Wi-Fi HATE No viewfinder or built-in flash T3 SAYS Cutting-edge camera features in an attractive, compact package – a winner

LOVE Dashing metal build and larger-than-average sensor that comes into its own in low lighting. Smartphone-style controls HATE Need to dial down exposure in bright sunlight T3 SAYS Near pro-quality shots without the bulk of a DSLR. A point and shoot with class

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SENSOR 21.6-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 18-55mm SCREEN 3.31-inch AMOLED touchscreen WEIGHT 284g

MEGAPIXELS 12.4 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 24-80mm ZOOM 4x VIDEO 1080 at 48fps WEIGHT 286g

CANON EOS 600D

£449, CANON.CO.UK, TESTED JULY 2011

09

SONY CYBER-SHOT HX20V £233, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012

LOVE Superb still image quality. Pro-quality manual controls. Video Snapshot recording mode HATE Jerky autofocus that’s audible on video T3 SAYS With excellent results across stills and video, the 600D remains an excellent choice

L LOVE Broad zoom range. Sharp shots achievable at maximum zo zoom. Solid build. Versatile mode dial and features galore HATE HA Minor issues with stills. Pricey for a point and shoot T3 SAYS Hefty feature set and rock-solid build plus con consistently sharp results. A champion travel zoom

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS SPEC

SENSOR 18-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 18x55mm SCREEN 3-inch WEIGHT 570g

M MEGAPIXELS 18.1 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 25-500mm ZOOM 24x VIDEO 1080 at 50fps WEIGHT 221g

FUJIFILM FINEPIX F660 EXR £92, FUJIFILM.CO.UK, TESTED JANUARY 2013

10

CANON EOS M

£500, CANON.CO.UK, TESTED APRIL 2013

LOVE Wide, 15x zoom. Decent stills, with good low-light performance and smooth 1080p video. Cheap as chips HATE No touchscreen. Controls could be simpler T3 SAYS The best camera in the £100-£150 price bracket delivers an awful lot of functionality for not much money

LOVE Large sensor. Superb shots. Lightweight yet solid build. A wealth of compatible lenses HATE No handgrip, viewfinder, Wi-Fi or built-in flash T3 SAYS Canon’s first compact system cam delivers A-grade results that justify its high-ish price

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

MEGAPIXELS 16 SCREEN 3 inches LENS 24-360mm ZOOM 15x VIDEO 1080p at 30fps WEIGHT 217g

SENSOR 18-megapixel/1080p KIT LENS 18-55mm EF Mount SCREEN 3-inch WEIGHT 298g AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 1 2 7

{FOCUS}

Computers

Free security for your Mac or PC 1 3 FOR PCS

FIREWALL

AVAST! 8

ZONEALARM FREE

The interface has been improved, making repelling viruses more pleasing.

Won’t unduly drain resources but does provide protection from phishing.

AVAST.COM

ZONEALARM.CO.UK

2

4

SOPHOS ANTIVIRUS

MALWAREBYTES

Runs in the background for low-key protection.

No real-time protection, but added peace of mind.

SOPHOS.COM

MALWAREBYTES.ORG

FOR MACS

01

02

03

04

DELL XPS 15

£695, DELL.CO.UK, TESTED OCTOBER 2012

06

ACER ASPIRE S3

£475, ACER.CO.UK, TESTED APRIL 2012

LOVE Amazing screen. Excellent build quality. Top performer thanks to powerful processor and graphics card. Good VFM HATE Weighty. No SSD T3 SAYS The best designed and most powerful laptop in its price range gives any MacBook a run for its money

LOVE A speedy Core i7 processor and meaty 500GB hard drive at a very affordable price tag HATE Short battery life. Chunkier than other ultrabooks T3 SAYS High-end processing power at a low price, even if style and battery life suffer a bit as a result

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 15.3-inch, 1920x1080 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i7 2.1GHz/8GB STORAGE 1TB HDD QUOTED BATTERY 8hrs

SCREEN 13.3-inch, 1366x768 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i7 1.7GHz/4GB STORAGE 500GB HDD QUOTED BATTERY 6hrs

ASUS ZENBOOK UX31

£800, UK.ASUS.COM, TESTED APRIL 2012

07

APPLE MACBOOK AIR 11-INCH £929, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

LOVE Elegant design conceals a throbbing, 1.8GHz Core i7 processor and 256GB solid state drive. Quick boot-up to boot HATE Slimline build means no optical drive T3 SAYS The king of the ultrabooks to date combines plenty of power with spunky aesthetics

LOVE Same slimline, aluminium looks. The power of an ultrabook with the added brilliance of OS X HATE Lacks storage and connections T3 SAYS Of the new ultra-portable breed this still has the best design and the most fluid experience

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 13.3-inch, 1600x900 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i7 1.8GHz/4GB STORAGE 256GB SSD QUOTED BATTERY 5hrs

SCREEN 11.6-inch, 1366x768 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i5 1.7GHz/4GB STORAGE 128GB SSD QUOTED BATTERY 5hrs

APPLE MACBOOK AIR 13-INCH £1,249, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED OCTOBER 2012

08

ASUS ZENBOOK UX32A

£700, UK.ASUS.COM, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

LOVE Classic Air design, now with next-gen power. 256GB SSD for the same price as many 128GB ultrabooks. Top screen HATE Middling battery life. No longer the thinnest laptop T3 SAYS Same great design with even more remarkable performance. Apple has improved its winning formula

LOVE Slimline design matches the Zenbook UX31 at #2. Solid spec, although admittedly not outstanding HATE Relatively poor battery life T3 SAYS Attractive and powerful, this Zenbook is a very solid, good-VFM option that also has a touch of style

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 13.3-inch, 1440x900 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i5 1.8GHz/4GB STORAGE 256GB SSD QUOTED BATTERY 7hrs

SCREEN 13.3-inch, 1600x900 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i5 1.4GHz/4GB STORAGE 500GB HDD QUOTED BATTERY 7hrs

APPLE MACBOOK PRO WITH RETINA DISPLAY 13-INCH

09

ACER C7 CHROMEBOOK

£199, ACER.CO.UK, TESTED MARCH 2013

LOVE Best laptop screen around. Ultra-fast SSD storage HATE Expensive T3 SAYS Amazing screen and a sky-high price tag

LOVE Incredible price tag. Decent screen and acceptable processor. 100GB of cloud storage p H HATE Chrome OS lacks support. Requires web connection T3 SAYS Incredible cheapness makes this a good second machine, or one for undemanding users ma

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS SPE

SCREEN 13.3-inch, 2560x1600 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i5 2.5GHz/8GB STORAGE 128GB SSD QUOTED BATTERY 7hrs

S SCREEN 11.6-inch, 1366x768 PROCESSOR/RAM 1.1GHz dualcore/2GB STORAGE 320GB HDD QUOTED BATTERY 3hrs

£1,449, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED MARCH 2013

05

ANTI-MALWARE

HP SPECTRE XT

£685, HP.COM/UK, TESTED MARCH 2013

10

DELL XPS 13

FROM £999, DELL.CO.UK, TESTED APRIL 2012

LOVE Attractive and sturdy all-metal design. Seriously thin and portable. Great battery life. Beats Audio. Reasonably priced HATE Tricky touchpad. Screen could be better T3 SAYS The smartest ultrabook. What it lacks in power it makes up for with style and portability

LOVE Core i7 processor and 256GB solid state drive create a quick performer. Gorilla Glass screen. Comfy keyboard HATE Fewer connections than our #1, the XPS 15 T3 SAYS With its slinky aluminium case, this is another credible, Windows-based MacBook alternative from Dell

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 13.3-inch, 1366x768 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i5 1.7GHz/4GB STORAGE 128GB SSD QUOTED BATTERY 7.5hrs

SCREEN 13-inch, 1366x768 PROCESSOR/RAM Core i7 1.9GHz/8GB STORAGE 256GB SSD QUOTED BATTERY 8.5hrs AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

1 2 8 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

TheGuide

{THE BEST OF EVERYTHING} {CONTENT}

Gaming

iPad mags to get your game on 1

3

T3 ’s sister title is the games mag where you’ll most often see the word “tropes”. Well-considered interactivity nowadays, too.

US retailer GameSpot’s monthly is the biggest games mag in the world. Great for exclusives.

£2.49, EDGE-ONLINE.COM

4

EDGE

GAME INFORMER

2

ATOMIX

Clever iOS-focused read pools content from 52 sites.

This Mexican mag is beautifully designed, though needs new issues.

FREE, SWIPE-MAG.COM

FREE, ATOMIXMAG.COM

SWIPE

01

MICROSOFT XBOX 360 25 250GB £190, XBOX.CO.UK, TESTED NOVEMBER 2011

06

LOVE Xbox Live remains #1 for online gaming. About level pegging with PS3 for classic titles. Also has the T3 Awardwinning Kinect to play with and great XBLA budget gaming hub HATE No Blu-ray drive. About 97 in gadget years T3 SAYS A slick and powerful games and media machine

£229, UK.PLAYSTATION.COM, TESTED JANUARY 2013

PROCESSOR Core i5 4.6GHz GRAPHICS 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX670 RAM/STORAGE 16GB/1TB HDD and 120GB SSD CONNECTIVITY 8x USB, 2x HDMI, DVI, VGA, eSata, ethernet

07

LO A Blu-ray player, media server that’s 3D-ready and LOVE supports the rather nifty Move controller (£24). Oh, and you supp can play pl games on it, too, with some very good exclusives HATE Horrid plasticky quality to new model HA T3 SAYS Great film/gaming option if you can bear the build

04

05

FROM £249, NINTENDO.CO.UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

£1,199, ALIENWARE.CO.UK, TESTED JUNE 2012

SPECIFICATIONS

P PROCESSOR Core i7 2GHz GRAPHICS Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M RAM/STORAGE 4GB/256GB CONNECTIVITY 4x USB, 4 HDMI, eSATA, Blu-ray reader

STORAGE 320GB BLU-RAY/DVD Yes/Yes CONNECTIVITY HDMI, 2x USB, ethernet, G Wi-Fi, AV out

NINTENDO WII U PREMIUM

ALIENWARE M17X R3

LOVE Fantastic screen. Manages 3D gaming at up to 32fps HATE A bit light on storage and RAM T3 SAYS Gaming fanatics wanting 3D graphics on the go need look no further. It’s not cheap, though

SPECIFICATIONS

03 3

£999, PCSPECIALIST.CO.UK, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

SPECIFICATIONS

STORAGE 4GB BLU-RAY/DVD No/Yes CONNECTIVITY HDMI, 5x USB, ethernet, N Wi-Fi, AV out

SONY PS3 SUPER SLIM

VANQUISH ECLIPSE 670 MKII LOVE Incredible specs for under a grand, including a 4.6GHz i5, 16GB RAM and a cooling chassis to keep it running at full pelt HATE Little to grumble about at this price T3 SAYS Solid specs and decent gaming at a fair price

SPECIFICATIONS

02 2

£2.99, GAMEINFORMER.COM

0 08 8

APPLE IPOD TOUCH

FROM £249, APPLE.COM/UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

LOVE Genuinely revolutionary platform. Tactile, useful GamePad. Full-HD graphics at last for Mario and co HATE Needs more games desperately, ideally exclusive ones T T3 SAYS Nintendo’s again reinvented the way we play. Affordable, fun and truly innovative, but needs games

LOVE Beautifully designed and newly colourful. Bigger, bolder Retina Display. A5 processor and iOS 6 HATE Pricey, especially for the 64GB model T3 SAYS A modern gaming portable that’s spawned a new generation of games and gamers

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

STORAGE 32GB CONNECTIVITY N Wi-Fi, 4x USB, HDMI, NFC GAMEPAD Touchcreen 6.2-inch, 854x480 BATTERY 3-5 hours

SCREEN 4-inch, 1136x640 touchscreen CONNECTIVITY N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 BATTERY 8hrs (video), 40 hrs (audio)

PLAYSTATION VITA

FROM £217, UK.PLAYSTATION.COM, TESTED MARCH 2012

09

NINTENDO 3DS XL

£165, NINTENDO.CO.UK, TESTED OCTOBER 2012

LOVE Quality five-inch OLED touchscreen and quadcore power. Dual analogue controls. Good games. PS4’s new best-pal? HATE Pricey games and memory cards. Battery life only fair T3 SAYS The best, most powerful handheld yet, though the high running costs may put off less hardcore fraggles

LOVE Bigger screens look great and the 3D sweet spot is much larger. Curved design is very ergonomic. Boosted battery life HATE Looks cheap. Heft makes it cumbersome. No AC adaptor T3 SAYS Big screens and range of games impresses, but for those with a 3DS there’s little incentive to upgrade

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 5-inch, 960x544 OLED touchscreen CONNECTIVITY N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, USB, SD, NFC BATTERY 5 hours

SCREEN 4.88-inch 800x240 3D/4.18-inch 320x240 touch CONNECTIVITY G Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio BATTERY 4 hours

CHILLBLAST FUSION FIRESTORM £1,415, CHILLBLAST.CO.UK, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

LOVE Powerful i5 processor overclocked to 4.8GHz and Nvidia GTX 680 graphics deliver fast, fluid gameplay HATE Expensive… but worth it T3 SAYS Bone-crushing specs for serious PC gamers SPECIFICATIONS

PROCESSOR Core i5 4.8GHz GRAPHICS 2x Nvidia GTX 680 RAM/STORAGE 16GB/2TB HDD and 240GB SSD CONNECTIVITY 10x USB, 3x HDMI, DVI, VGA, ethernet

10

NINTENDO WII

£129, NINTENDO.CO.UK, TESTED NOVEMBER 2010

LOVE Cheap. A few really classic titles HATE No Blu-ray or even DVD. No HD graphics. Too many overly simple party games. Outgunned by the Wii U T3 SAYS This underpowered cutesie is still a hit for family-friendly gaming, and cheaper than ever SPECIFICATIONS

STORAGE 512MB SSD BLU-RAY/DVD No/No CONNECTIVITY 2x USB, G Wi-Fi AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

J U LY 2 0 1 3 T 3 1 2 9

Televisions

{CONTENT}

Catch-up TV on Blu-ray 1

BREAKING BAD S1-5

This drugs epic is almost at an end, so what better time to get all but the last half-dozen episodes on Blu-ray? Or maybe wait. FROM £14 PER SERIES, OUT JUNE 3

2

meta-comedy about a middle-aged, divorcee, stand-up comic – ie: him in real life – is a very funny mix of awkwardness, sharp edges and pathos. £19, OUT NOW

3

VEEP S1

LOUIE S1

The new Curb Your Enthusiasm, Louis CK’s

The Thick of It, in the USA: essential. Series 2 hits Sky Atlantic this month… £22, OUT JUNE 3

SSAMSUNG UE46F8000

01

NT

RY

£1,999, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED JULY 2013

E

NEW

LOVE Pristine high-def images. Outstanding motion resolution. Entertaining net portal. DLNA content sharing HATE 3D crosstalk. Mediocre audio and file support T3 SAYS A great looking hi-def LED TV that offers phenomenal 2D images and loads of great web content

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 46-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DLAN, 3x USB, component

SCREEN 55-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, scart, component, PC, 2x USB, Wi-Fi, optical digital audio

NT

RY

£1,699, PANASONIC.CO.UK, TESTED JULY 2013

NEW

E

RY

NT NEW

04

£1,392, PANASONIC.CO.UK, TESTED JULY 2012

LOVE Excellent HD and 3D visuals. Well stocked and laid out web portal. Reliable multimedia streaming. Attractive looks HATE 3D specs not included. Blacks are a little crushed T3 SAYS A thoroughbred performer, offering superior HD and 3D image quality and strong smart features

SPECIFICATIONS SP

SPECIFICATIONS

SC SCREEN 47-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 3x HDMI, WLAN, DLNA, Bluetooth, USB, digital audio, composite video, SD DL

SCREEN 47-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, scart, component, PC, 3x USB, Wi-Fi, SD slot, optical digital audio

£1,399, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED JULY 2013

E

PANASONIC VIERA TX-L47DT50

07

LOVE Customisable smart TV interface. Twin tuners lets it work as a PVR. Looks highly stylish HATE Lacklustre blacks. Limited catch-up TV selection T3 SAYS On-demand TV organised the way you want it. T G Great! Now we just need more content…

SONY BRAVIA KDL-47W805A

03

£1,650, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED JULY 2012

LOVE Smartphone apps, twin tuners and the new Smart Portal 2.0 mean immediate content is abound HATE The design is striking but also a little impractical T3 SAYS Samsung’s slickest smart TV yet; fantastic picture quality and plenty to watch, anytime

PANASONIC VIERA TX-47DT65

02

SONY BRAVIA KDL-55HX853

06

LG 55LM960V

08

£1,900, LG.COM/UK, TESTED AUGUST 2012

ction LOVE Crisp, involving picture that’s especially good for action and sports. Jam-packed internet TV portal HATE Jumbled interface. Single tuner T3 SAYS Outstanding motion handling makes this a g great telly for action junkies

LOVE Bold design, beautiful build. Excellent Smart TV content and app store. Seven pairs of 3D glasses included HATE Over-stressed black levels. It’s also bloody expensive T3 SAYS A real looker with a great content hub but there are a few issues with LG’s pursuit of contrast

SPECIFICATIONS S

SPECIFICATIONS S

S SCREEN 47-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, Fi, Fi Ethernet, DLAN, 3x USB, component

SCREEN 55-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, S 3x USB, component, digital audio out, PC, scart, Wi-Fi 3

PANASONIC VIERA TX-P50VT500 £1,390, PANASONIC.CO.UK, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012

PHILIPS 42PFL6188S

09

£1,000, PHILIPS.COM, TESTED JULY 2013

LOVE Outstanding HD image quality. Sophisticated design. Strong 3D. Excellent networked features HATE Bulky design. Price also somewhat cumbersome T3 SAYS An astounding plasma telly with a feature set and picture quality worth shouting about

LOVE Edge-to edge glass makes for an attractive look. High-quality audio system. Ambilight trickery HATE Overly processed HD. Basic EPG T3 SAYS Fantastic design and an Ambilight glow, but more online content is needed RY

SPECIFICATIONS

05

SAMSUNG UE46ES8000

£1,519, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED JULY 2012

NT

SCREEN 50-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi,, VGA, 3x USB, SD, Bluetooth 3.0. Via adaptors: scart/componentt

NEW

10

E

SPECIFICATIONS S

S SCREEN 42-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, Wi-Fi, 3x USB, Ethernet, component, digital audio. Via adaptor: Scart

LG 47LM660

£1,002, LG.COM/UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

LOVE Crisp picture quality courtesy of powerful image processing. Superb file support. Bright, sharp 3D HATE Voice and gesture control are nice but inessential T3 SAYS A beautifully made smart telly capable of reallyy excellent pictures. A proper Wi-Fi media hub, too

LOVE Content-rich internet portal and excellent multimedia playback. Slimline and stylish design p HATE Picture processing artefacts and visible crosstalk H T3 T SAYS Attractive, feature-packed slimline set, but im image quality could be improved

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS SP

SCREEN 46-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 3x HDMI, scart, component, PC, 3x USB, Wi-Fi, optical digital audio

SCREEN 47-inch, 1920x1080 CONNECTIONS 4x HDMI, SC Wi-Fi, 3x USB, composite, component, ethernet AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

1 3 0 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

TheGuide

{THE BEST OF EVERYTHING}

Home entertainment

{BUYING TIPS}

T3’s top projectors 1

3

Great video + high contrast + engaging 3D = plenty of bang for your buck.

Bargain projector that punches above its weight in 2D and 3D, despite slight lack of black detail.

EPSON EH-TW5900

£939, EPSON.CO.UK

£870, BENQ.CO.UK

2

SONY VPL-HW50ES

Motion resolution is best in class for stunning action sequences. The 100,000:1 contrast ratio doesn’t hurt. £3,600, SONY.CO.UK

01

02

03

04

05

SKY+ HD 2TB

£149, SKY.COM, TESTED JANUARY 2013

06 6

BENQ W1070

4

EPSON EH-TW8100

Another high-end classic with splendid 2D and 3D picture and quiet operation. £2,250, EPSON.CO.UK

FOCAL BIRD

£800, FOCAL.COM, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

LOVE Unbeatable content. Massive 1.5TB storage, plus 500GB for on-demand. Now includes BBC iPlayer and 4oD HATE Subscription cost is high T3 SAYS Still the best PVR choice with a slick interface, 2TB hard disk, 3D, on-demand aplenty and great apps

LOVE Powerful stereo sound that’s crisp, no matter what it’s playing, 80W subwoofer and a high-end finish HATE No surround sound, and “a bit” pricey T3 SAYS A good-looking, high-end 2.1 system with stunningly pure sound quality. Worth the entry fee…

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

TYPE Satellite HD CHANNELS 65 TUNERS 2 STORAGE 2TB/350hrs HD recording

POWER 2x 35W + 80W CHANNELS 2.1 CONNECTIONS Analogue, digital, wireless Kleer connectivity

SONY BDV-N590

£399, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

07

YOUVIEW HUMAX DTR-T1000 £239, YOUVIEW.COM, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

LOVE Five satellite speakers, a sub and net-connected, 3D Blu-ray player with great performance, at a groovy price HATE Satellites are a touch on the small side T3 SAYS A full 5.1 cinema system and Blu-ray deck for £400? That’s a bargain in anyone’s book…

LOVE Retrospective EPG mixes catch-up and live telly. Excellent image quality and ease of use. All the big UK channels on board HATE No integrated Wi-Fi. Noisy running. Pricey T3 SAYS Making this much content available without a subscription is a winning deal

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER 1,000W CHANNELS 5.1 CONNECTIONS 2x HDMI, Wi-Fi, 2x USB, optical, audio, composite, ethernet

TYPE Freeview HD HD CHANNELS 5 TUNERS 2 STORAGE 500GB/125hrs HD recording

SONY BDP-S790

£199, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013

08

LG BP420

£100, LG.COM/UK, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013

L LOVE 4K upscaling means amazing HD visuals at an affordable pr Built in Wi-Fi leads to a stack of web content price. HATE Full internet browser is nice, but awkward to navigate HA T3 S SAYS A feature-packed, 4K-ready, future-proof B Blu-ray deck at a reasonable price

LOVE Neatly designed, fast-loading deck offers great HD and 3D visuals plus handy web apps at a budget price HATE No built-in Wi-Fi T3 SAYS A great value Blu-ray deck, especially if you’re not bothered about Wi-Fi connectivity

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

CONNECTIONS Wi-Fi, 2x HDMI, 2x USB, coaxial digital audio out, line out, ethernet SIZE 430x193x42mm

CONNECTIONS HDMI, USB, composite, audio out, optical out, ethernet SIZE 430x188x41mm

ONKYO TX-NR515

£249, UK.ONKYO.COM, TESTED APRIL 2013

09

PANASONIC DMP-BDT220

£191, PANASONIC.CO.UK, TESTED OCTOBER 2012

LOVE Bombastic, 130W-per-channel oomph. Slick interface. Eight HDMI inputs. Can upscale images to 4K resolution HATE No AirPlay, unlike some rival receivers T3 SAYS A polished multichannel AV receiver with all the modern trimmings, at an affordable price

LOVE Exemplary hi-def pictures in 2D and 3D. Slick operating system and a comprehensive set of connections HATE Limited web content. Tricky NAS streaming H T SAYS Unimpeachable, 2D and 3D picture quality T3 places this Blu-ray deck amongst the top decks

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER 130W per channel CONNECTIONS 8x HDMI, 2x USB, 5x composite, 4x digital audio, 5x analogue audio. Wi-Fi via dongle

CONNECTIONS Wi-Fi, HDMI, composite, optical digital audio out, ethernet, 2x USB, SD SIZE 430x179x38mm

VIRGIN MEDIA TIVO

£199, VIRGINMEDIA.COM, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

0 10

SONOS PLAYBAR

£599, SONOS.COM, TESTED MAY 2013

LOVE Built-in modem. Recommends shows you might like HATE Expensive. Interface not completely intuitive. Occasional buffering and box glitches T3 SAYS State-of-the-art hardware, Tivo’s intelligent programming, a huge content library and three tuners

LOVE Simple design looks stylish parked under your telly. Delivers a real boost to TV sonics HATE Pricey. Virtual surround effect could be better T3 SAYS An excellent soundbar with added streaming skills. A decent all-rounder

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

TYPE Cable HD CHANNELS 36 TUNERS 3 STORAGE 1TB/250hrs HD recording

CONNECTIONS Wi-Fi, ethernet, optical audio in SIZE 85x900x140mm AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

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Home audio

{BUYING TIPS}

T3’s top portable speakers 1

3

Small, brightly coloured and great sound quality. Bluetooth pairing is easy and reliable, too. Winner.

This 3D speaker pushes the bass to the fore. Ideal for rave dads on the Costa.

£160, JAWBONE.COM

4

JAWBONE JAMBOX

2

02

03

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MINX AIR 100 £330, CAMBRIDGEAUDIO.COM, TESTED MAY 2013

BRAVEN BRV-1

The trainer-like design won’t suit all tastes but this is one LOUD mini-speaker. £149, JABRA.COM

£150, BRAVEN.COM

BOWERS & WILKINS A5

06

£454, BOWERS-WILKINS.CO.UK, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013

LOVE Powerful, detailed sound quality. AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity. Rugged, sleek design. Handy web radio buttons HATE Multi-room is less straightforward than on Sonos T3 SAYS Sounds great and packs more features than any other wireless speaker system on the market

LOVE Unfussy design and highly impressive sound. New app makes iTunes syncing easy HATE Bass wobbles at higher volumes T3 SAYS Elegant audio executed excellently. The A5 is the little black dress of speakers

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS S

POWER 100W CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm SIZE 354x182x118mm

POWER 4x 20W CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi, auxiliary analogue, Ethernet, AirPlay, 3.5mm out SIZE 300x180x120mm

DENON CEOL PICCOLO

£244 WITHOUT SPEAKERS, £319 WITH, DENON.CO.UK, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013

PHILIPS AW9000

07 7

£320, PHILIPS.CO.UK, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013

LOVE Denon’s ditched the original Ceol’s CD player but kept AirPlay, an iPod dock, 24-bit support and web radio H HATE Very dull looks T3 SAYS Multi-format mini marvel at a decent price

LOVE Six high-class drivers deliver outstanding sound quality, while the wood veneer speakers look classy HATE DLNA set-up needs to be made simpler T3 SAYS Buxom chunks of wireless sonic bliss. A fine alternative to the one-box streaming norm

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER 2x 65W CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi, USB, optical in, audio in, AirPlay, 3.5mm out SIZE 180x90x234mm

POWER 100W CONNECTIVITY N Wi-Fi, analogue, digital coaxial, digital optical, 3.5mm in SIZE 300x210x350mm

PHILIPS FIDELIO SOUNDSPHERE £450, PHILIPS.CO.UK, TESTED JANUARY 2012

PURE JONGO S3

08

£170, PURE.COM, TESTED JULY 2013

LOVE Good sound for the cost. Decent battery life. Can be linked for an easy, wireless multi-room system HATE Fiddly Wi-Fi syncing. Multi-room via iOS only T3 SAYS Looks, brains and better-than-average sound, the Jongo S3 is a great introduction to multi-room audio

LOVE Powerful and articulate 100W sound, a classy design and a strong wireless connection for AirPlay streaming. Add the free Fidelio app and you get internet radio, too HATE No LCD display means setup is awkward T3 SAYS Quality speakers with added AirPlay? Love it RY

SPECIFICATIONS

05

PIONEER X-SMC3

£138, PIONEER.CO.UK, TESTED JANUARY 2012

NT

POWER 2x 50W CONNECTIVITY Line in, AirPlay SIZE 265x410mm

04

£180, DAMSONAUDIO.COM

Drop-proof, splash-proof, small, light and good for 12 hours of poolside play. See more on page 118.

JABRA SOLEMATE

01

DAMSON OYSTER

NEW

09 9

E

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER 4x 2.5W + 10W CONNECTIVITY G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth via USB dongle, ethernet, 3.5mm audio in SIZE 131x139x135mm

SAMSUNG DA-E750

£499, SAMSUNG.COM/UK, TESTED DECEMBER 2012

LOVE AirPlay and DLNA streaming, USB media playback and internet radio, plus excellent audio quality HATE Not much of a looker T3 SAYS A no-nonsense slab of audio power, with a massive dose of features for not much money

LOVE Crisp, punchy sound quality with built-in valve amplification. Android/Apple docking, DLNA, Bluetooth HATE USB playback is hit and miss. Pricey T3 SAYS Stunning sound quality without Apple or Android prejudice. A wireless dock everyone can enjoy

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER 40W CONNECTIVITY USB, ethernet, AirPlay, line in, RCA SIZE 520x218x155mm

POWER 100W CONNECTIVITY AirPlay, AllShare Play, iOS/ Android dock, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, USB SIZE 450x148x240mm

SONOS PLAY:5

£321, SONOS.COM, TESTED MARCH 2010

10

ELIPSON PLANET LW

£1,200, ELIPSON.COM, TESTED JUNE 2013

LOVE Superb, multi-room sound. Spotify and Last.FM support. You can control it all using your smartphone HATE Go properly multi-room and the costs pile up T3 SAYS A simple, effective and classy way to pump well-rounded audio into every room

LOVE Superb sound. Wonderful ease of use and simple wireless setup. Great, well-rounded look HATE Expensive. Can’t be linked to other hi-fi kit T3 SAYS Bold design, easy wireless streaming and great audio go some way towards justifying the LW’s high price

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

POWER N/A CONNECTIVITY Wireless, ethernet (Sonos proprietary streaming), line in SIZE 217x365x123mm

POWER 2x 50W CONNECTIVITY Proprietary wireless streaming via 30-pin or USB dongle SIZE 290mm circumference AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

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TheGuide

{THE BEST OF EVERYTHING}

Headphones

{BUYING TIPS}

T3’s top four PMPs 1 3 APPLE IPOD TOUCH

APPLE IPOD NANO

This combo of music, apps and games oozes quality each time it’s redesigned.

New, larger 2.5-inch touchscreen. Now only available as 16GB model.

FROM £249, APPLE.COM/UK

£129, APPLE.COM/UK

2

4

NWZ-Z1060

WI-FI 4.2

Slightly better than the Touch on audio; slightly worse on everything else.

Another excellent, Android-powered PMP, though only 8GB storage.

£249, SONY.CO.UK

£80, SAMSUNG.COM/UK

SONY WALKMAN

03 3

04 4

05 05

£169, BOWERS-WILKINS.CO.UK, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012

URBANEARS PLATTAN

06 6

£39, URBANEARS.COM, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2011

LOVE Looks better than the P5 below, and is cheaper, more compact and lighter. Comes in huge colour range: black or white HATE Head grippage could be overly firm for some T3 SAYS Highly refined headphones with stunning sound quality. The sign of a true audio gent…

LOVE Good noise isolation and crisp, full-bodied audio. A simple, colourful design and great value for money HATE Sound is powerful rather than subtle T T3 SAYS Bold audio and an equally punchy look at aan affordable price. A great hipster’s choice

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS S

IMPEDANCE 34 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 10-20,000Hz CORD LENGTH 1.2m

IMPEDANCE 60 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 20-20,000Hz CORD LENGTH 1.2m C

PARROT ZIK DESIGN BY STARCK £280, PARROT.COM, TESTED NOVEMBER 2012

SENNHEISER CX 890I

07 07

£119, SENNHEISER.CO.UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

LOVE Great audio. Swift, reliable Bluetooth pairing and activee noise-cancelling. Excellent on-ear touch controls HATE Battery life not brilliant. On the heavy/expensive side T3 SAYS With innovative controls and excellent sound these wireless cans are a bit of a tech design classic

LOVE Copes well with all genres of music. Great noise isolation from snug in-ear fit. Minimal commuter-perturbing leakage HATE Maybe a bit pricey for in-ears T3 SAYS Consistently good sound quality and noise T iso isolation make these perfect for the daily slog

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS SPE

IMPEDANCE 32 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 10-20,000Hz CORD LENGTH Wireless

IMPEDANCE 32 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 17-23,000Hz CORD LENGTH 1.2m

PHILIPS FIDELIO L1

£200, PHILIPS.CO.UK, TESTED JUNE 2012

B&W P5

0 08 8

£249, BOWERS-WILKINS.CO.UK, TESTED NOVEMBER 2010

LOVE Clear, transparent audio with meaty bass and nicely retro retr stylings. An anti-tangle cord adds further niceness HATE Luxury, as ever, doesn’t come particularly cheap HA T3 SAYS Super comfort and the highest audio quality lity justify the higher price tag. A muso’s delight

L LOVE Outstanding audio with good noise isolation HATE HAT A E Bested by the cheaper P3s at #1. The looks are self-consc self-consciously “premium” and consequently a bit naff Y The T P5 has a high-end look, feel and price, with T3 SAYS swanky sound quality to match

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS SPECIF

IMPEDANCE 26 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 10-25 000Hz CORD LENGTH 1.1m

IMPEDANCE 26 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 10-20,000Hz IMP CORD LENGTH 1.3m CO

BEATS BY DR DRE EXECUTIVE

£269, UK.BEATSBYDRE.COM, TESTED FEBRUARY 2013

URBANEARS ZINKEN

09 9

£80, URBANEARS.COM, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2012

LOVE Loud Lo but precise sound quality, ideal for pop and rock. Extremely Extrem effective noise cancelling. Foldable design HAT A Noise cancelling requires AAA batteries HATE T3 SAYS Exceptional sound quality, but when the batteries run out the music dies

LOVE Fetching, Play-Doh-like design. Well-rounded sound with plenty of bass and the ability to block out most noise HATE Plasticky ear cups can cause clamminess T3 SAYS Striking design in a wide spectrum of colours, with punchy, bass-loaded audio

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

IMPEDANCE Not quoted FREQUENCY RANGE Not quoted CORD LENGTH 1.36m

IMPEDANCE 85 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 20-20,000 Hz CORD LENGTH Not quoted

AIAIAI TMA-1

£163, AIAIAI.DK, TESTED JANUARY 2011

SONY XBA-S65

10

£79, SONY.CO.UK, TESTED JULY 2013

LOVE Sensitive speakers, properly punchy bass and a stylishly rugged, branding-free, matt black design HATE Overly laid-back treble at times T3 SAYS The team behind these cans consulted 25 top DJs to get them sounding right. Evidently, it worked

LOVE Lasso-style hangers keep buds securely in your ears. Lightweight. Crisp sound, even at higher volumes HATE No remote control T3 SAYS Sporty headphones with high quality sound – exercise just became more enjoyable

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

IMPEDANCE 32+/-15% Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 20-20,000Hz CORD LENGTH 1.7m

RY

02 2

B&W P3

NT

01

SAMSUNG GALAXY S

NEW

E

IMPEDANCE 24 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 6-24,000 Hz CORD LENGTH 1.2m AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

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TheGuide

{THE BEST OF EVERYTHING} {FOCUS}

Accessories

Android cases and covers 1 3 GOOGLE NEXUS 7

INCIPIO SLIM KICKSTAND

Fitted leather folio case props up your beloved ’droid tab for video viewing. $30, INCIPIO.COM

2

SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 FLIP COVER

Slimline bumper-and-flip job protects your S4’s bountiful, five-inch screen. £27, MOBILEFUN.CO.UK

01

GARMIN 3490LMT 3490LM

£235, GARMIN.COM/UK, TESTED AUGUST 2012

£73, MUGENPOWER BATTERIES.COM

LOGITECH PERFORMANCE MMOUSE MX

07

£50, LOGITECH.COM, TESTED JULY 2011

LOVE Great build quality. Customisable. Very comfortable. a two ways of charging it There are HATE A little expensive HAT T3 SAYS A versatile mouse that’s built like a tank

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

IMPEDANCE 48 Ohms FREQUENCY RANGE 20Hz-20KHz

REQUIREMENTS Windows 7, XP, Vista, Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later

FITBIT ONE

£80, FITBIT.COM, TESTED MARCH 2013

EPSON PX830FWD

08

£348, EPSON.CO.UK, TESTED JANUARY 2012

LOVE A pedometer on steroids with added sleep assessment and compatibility with other apps and Aria scales HATE Not one for pro athletes, clearly T3 SAYS Growing app support gives the Fitbit the edge over its equally sporty competitors

LOVE High-quality prints from six colour ink cartridges. Easy Wi-Fi setup and simple printing from iPhones HATE Prints are more expensive than average T3 T SAYS It’s not cheap, but for more demanding photographers this provides top quality prints

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth 4.0 BATTERY LIFE 5-7 days SIZE 48x19x10mm WEIGHT 8g

CONNECTIONS Wi-Fi, USB, ethernet RESOLUTION Up to 5,760dpi SIZE 465x458x198mm WEIGHT 11.4kg

JOBY GORILLAPOD SLR-ZOOM JOB £42, JOBY.COM, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2011

NIKE+ FUELBAND

09

£129, NIKE.COM/PLUS, TESTED MARCH 2013

LOVE Flexibility adds creative freedom. Lightweight L enough to carry anywhere. Reliably stable HATE Lacks height T3 SAYS A solid yet flexible tripod for every imaginable surface, this grips and bends to suit your needs

LOV LOVE Free iPhone app. Ups your activity all-day, giving you motiv motivational Fuel to burn HATE Not as good as Fitbit, although arguably more “blokey” T3 SAYS This snazzy bangle does exactly what is says on the tin: reminds you to be more active on a daily basis

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SUPPORTS Up to 3kg SIZE 250x60x60mm WEIGHT 241g

CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0 BATTERY LIFE 4 days SIZE 147-197mm circumference WEIGHT From 27g

TOMTOM GO LIVE 1005

£260 + £47 PER YEAR, TOMTOM.COM, TESTED MARCH 2011

TOMTOM RIDER

10 0

£349, TOMTOM.COM, TESTED JULY 2013

LOVE Larger screen. Crisp menus. One year of TomTom’s Live services free. Accurate mapping HATE Live subscription adds to the cost after year one T3 SAYS Mapping and IQ is more accurate than ever and everything looks stunning on the big, five-inch screen

LOVE Well-thought-out, bike-specific features. Rugged, weatherproof build. Comprehensive mapping HATE No Live services, relatively low-res screen T3 SAYS The best satnav for two wheels rather than T fo four, the Rider is good, if a little primitive

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SCREEN 5 inches CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth SIZE 143x88x19mm

RY

05

MUGEN BATTERY & COVER

Doubles the battery life. Adds a kickstand. Pow!

REQUIREMENT USB port, 2x AA batteries

NT

4 04

GALAXY NOTE 2

SPECIFICATIONS

LOVE Top-notch audio quality with Dolby 7.1 surround sound from a wireless, noise-cancelling headset HATE The cost may cause a little anxiety. Xbox 360 playerss will have to wire it to their controller d T3 SAYS THE accessory for gamers, with excellent sound quality across PC, Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360

03 03

4

£23, LOGITECH.COM, TESTED SEPTEMBER 2011

SCREEN 4.3 inches CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth SIZE 122x74x9mm

£249, ASTROGAMING.CO.UK, TESTED CHRISTMAS 2012

£30, OTTERBOX.COM

LOVE Works with PC and Mac. Good key spacing and battery life L HATE Some might find the designs a bit garish HA T3 SAYS Place the USB receiver in your desktop and type from anywhere on this comfortable keyboard

SPECIFICATIONS

ASTRO GAMING A50

OTTERBOX DEFENDER

Protection against drops and dust without too much excess bulk.

LOGITECH K360 WIRELESS KEYBOARD

06

LOVE Slim, sleek, smartphone-like design. Simple-to-navigate maps and a responsive touchscreen. Free traffic updates HATE With map updates gratis, there’s little to dislike here T3 SAYS The ultimate co-pilot, this is small, slick, reliable and won’t steal your boiled sweets

02 0 2

HTC ONE

NEW

E

SCREEN 4.3 inches CONNECTIVITY USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 SIZE 130x101x53mm AVAILABLE ONLINE @ T3.COM THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE

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CG AWARDS

2013

THE BEST OF THE CG INDUSTRY

WHO SHOULD WIN? Make your voice heard! 3D World invites nominations for the only awards to celebrate the year’s best CG work in effects, animation, games and arch-viz

Last year’s award winners ran the gamut from independent animators to Hollywood giants

THE CATEGORIES Send us your nominations for as many categories as you like Only products or work released between 1 May 2012 and 30 April 2013 are eligible

Technology Awards New Application of the Year Software Update of the Year Plug-in of the Year Software Innovation of the Year Hardware Innovation of the Year

Creative Awards CG Animated Feature Film of the Year CG Animation Short of the Year VFX Feature Film of the Year VFX Film Short of the Year CG Commercial Campaign of the Year

Make your nominations now! Closing date: 14 June 2013

@3DWorldMag #3dwawards www.facebook.com/3dworldmagazine www.3dworldmag.com/cgawards Brought to you by 3D World, the magazine for CG artists. www.3dworldmag.com

Arch Viz Still of the Year Arch Viz Animation of the Year CG Videogames In-Game Award CG Videogame Promotion Award 3D World Hall of Fame Award

SHUTDOWN

NO.53

The 10 tech things… you only do before a holiday 1/ Charge every single gadget you own

and anywhere that delivers your meal to your table before you’ve returned from ordering it at the bar is unlikely to be featured in the Michelin Guide. But hey, first photo of the holiday: sat on a slippery brown sofa throwing a double thumbs-up over a £16 full English (lukewarm, served with a side order of regret) and an 8am pint of Carling while a group of football enthusiasts sing a rude song about Ashley Cole.

You plugged in your camera, Kindle, laptop, shaver, toothbrush, phone, portable phone charger and spare portable phone charger before heading to bed, only to find in the morning that you didn’t turn any plugs on. The reason? Because, like everyone the night before a trip to the airport, you caved in to the overpowering urge to drink every last drop of booze in your house, including the ouzo and that bottle of mint-flavoured grappa you’ve had for 12 years. Airports have multisockets, right?

8/ Hunt for Wi-Fi Fancy a pre-boarding check on the early kick-off or last-minute insults from the office? Well, 3G stopped working as you passed through security, so you’ll have to sign up for 12 months with a provider called something like ¡Hola Télécommé! at a cost of roughly £50 per goal/ email. F*ck it, start as you mean to go on…

2/ Visit an internet café You forgot to print off your boarding pass at work, your home printer hasn’t contained black ink since 2011 and you don’t trust that boarding pass app, as your phone has barely enough battery to last the Heathrow Express journey. The only thing for it is a trip to the local internet café, where you find the only seat without a suspicious stain, next to a bloke who smells of a thousand B&H and who clearly sleeps under the desk. Now, how does Windows 95 work again, exactly?

3/ Weigh your suitcase In a moment of belttightening frugality you decided to fly with Ireland’s best budget airline, so if your luggage weighs more than two bags of Monster Munch you’ll have to hand over a month’s salary. While

1 3 8 T 3 J U LY 2 0 1 3

9/ Use a travelator

the glass scales in your bathroom don’t seem to want to recognise your suitcase, the fact that they shatter on impact at least indicates that you should probably remove another T-shirt.

4/ Try to outwit burglars… …by setting a timer light to turn on and off randomly, at night. This always dupes everyone,

so long as they accept that you’re the kinda guy who likes to hang out in his hallway all evening, every evening. If you’d paid attention to Home Alone you’d know you’re better off placing all of your old Micro Machines by the door, anyway.

5/ Buy an SD Card at an airport And then immediately shred your hands to

pieces attempting to rip apart its plastic casing, which is somehow harder than steel, and develops edges sharper than a Stanley knife when finally penetrated.

6/ Forget to clear your history With your belt in one hand, your shoes in the other and your trousers hanging on to your arse for dear life, you neglect

to remove your laptop from your carry-on bag. You soon regret that when security spot it on the X-ray and open it up to reveal to the family of holidaymakers behind you the last website you visited last night after all that ouzo… oh dear.

7/ Take a photo in The Red Lion Sure, it’s the departure lounge’s soulless pub,

It’s only 20m to your gate, but you’re damned if you’re going to be the social outcast seen strolling alone when there are these genius walking aids, which have been very slowly gliding millions to their destinations for the past 53 years. The thrilling moment of danger as you adjust between normal and assisted walking modes when you get on and off can be the highlight of some breaks.

10/ Switch to Airplane Mode And declare, for the tenth holiday in a row, that you think it should be called “Aeroplane Mode” as this is Britain, damn it! Yep, still funny. Happy holidaying…

WORDS RO B TEMPLE IL LUSTRATION MORTEN MORLAND @ DEBUT ART