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A new spin on a classic. Whether adding music streaming to your existing hi-ďŹ setup or wirelessly connecting to MusicCast speakers throughout the home, the MusicCast VINYL 500 is designed for a new generation of audiophiles.

NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES FROM UNDER $140

2020 GADGET WISHLIST

Autumn 2020

RATED

• The tech you’ll need coming this year • Top TVs, audio, smart home & more • Why this year is a golden age for tech

MIRRORLESS CAMERAS Big pics, small body

HOT

F1 CHAMP

Is the most advanced phone in the world worth the price?

…tells us the tech he can’t live without

SAMSUNG S20 ULTRA

W LOW-PRICE SPEAKER

LEWIS HAMILTON TESTED

THE DUAL SCREEN FUTURE Asus Zenbook Duo ISSN: 1445-2901

UPGRADE TO SUPERB WIRELESS SOUND. Works with

Apple AirPlay

The Denon Home Wireless Speakers mark a new milestone in the development of best-in-class audio components, built on 110 years of audio excellence. Thanks to their Denon sound master tuning you can enjoy exceptional sound, seamlessly streamed from your favourite services via Wi-Fi, AirPlay2 or Bluetooth®, even in high resolution. With the HEOS Built-in technology you can group the speakers or connect them to Denon AV-receivers or sound bars.

THE DE

HOME 150.

Pure class in a compact style, playing music with the great sound you‘d expect from a Denon.

THE DENON HOME 250. This speaker impresses with an amazing sound stage taking your music into every corner.

ME 350. The flagship model of the family has the muscle to fill even large rooms with perfect sound.

EXCELLENCE IN EVERY BEAT. The Denon Home Wireless Speakers are built to deliver amazing audio quality. With their advanced acoustic hardware comprising high-class tweeters and woofers as well as class D power amplifiers they deliver excellence in every beat. Thanks to the built-in proximity sensor, the top display lights up as soon as you approach. Easily command the speaker by touch, e.g. store your favourite internet radio stations to enjoy them whenever you want, without the hassle of searching. Or you choose voice commands. With a smart speaker or your phone you can, depending on your region, use Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri. The set-up? All done in minutes, just by using your mobile phone and the HEOS app.

FEEL THE ENERGY OF A LIVE PERFORMANCE. My Baby, an Amsterdam based band, is at home at big festival stages like Glastonbury or Lowlands. The three piece is full of praise for the expertly tuned Denon Home speakers. “When it comes to sound, we‘re all very finicky.“ says Cato, the lead singer and guitar player. “The Denon Home Wireless Speakers let the energy of a recording come across in your living room.“

UPGRADE TO DENON WWW.DENON.COM.AU

SHOWSTOPPER Gadgets that showcase the very best that design and technology have to offer

MAKING WAVES The 1959 Porsche 356 Speedster inspired Hermes Speedster boat sports a luxurious handcrafted interior swaddled in premium leather that’s stitched on site in Greece, and has been fitted with analogue instrumentation and a wooden steering wheel

S E V EN S E A S H E R M E S S PE E D STE R B OAT The 1959 Porsche 356 Speedster is one of history’s most-loved sports cars, and this handsome boat is modelled on the look of that iconic Porsche, as well as ‘Gentleman’s Runabout’ boats from the 1930s. The Hermes Speedster fits five, and will glide through water up to a maximum speed of 45mph. The boat is crafted by architect Nicolas Politis and team in Greece, and has a convertible roof to protect you during different types of weather. If you’ll be driving it through colder months, you have the option of adding heating too. The Hermes Speedster has a low centre of gravity to boost stability on open water, and can carve through the water with a 72-degree access angle. That, combined with a hydrodynamic underwater hull, keeps the boat powering smoothly and calmly, whether you’re sailing or speeding. If you want to stand out in the harbour and look like you’re part of a Bond movie, this is the boat you’ve been looking for. $200,000, nicksboats.com

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AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 3

The team

Future Publishing Australia, PO Box 1077 Mount Street, North Sydney, NSW 2059 Tel: 02 9955 2677 Fax: 02 9955 2688 Email: ben.mansill@futurenet.com Web: www.t3.com/au | www.techradar.com Editorial Editor: Ben Mansill ben.mansill@futurenet.com Creative Director: Troy Coleman troy.coleman@futurenet.com Designer: Sharnee Swinnerton sharnee.brisbourne@futurenet.com Contributors Matt Bolton, Nick Odantzis, Claire Davies, Paul Dimery, Craig Stewart, Chris Barnes, James Jarvis, Warren Brown, Duncan Bell, Joe Branston, Alex Cox, Olly Curtis, Ian Evenden, Neil Godwin, Steve May, Steve Jarratt, Danny Phillips, Sam Taylor, Chris Barnes, Becca Caddy, Spencer Hart, Russell Lewin, Joby Sessions, Jordan Erica Webber, Michelle McLaren Photography All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected Advertising Senior Advertising Manager: Lewis Preece lewis.preece@futurenet.com Management Managing Director: Neville Daniels Sales Director: Paul Marttila Printed by Bluestar Distributed in Australia and NZ by Ovato ovato.com.au ISSN 1445-2901 About the magazine T3 is published by Future Publishing Australia. All articles in this magazine are copyright of Future Plc group company, UK 2018. All rights reserved. Distributed in Australia and NZ by Gordon and Gotch www.gordongotch.com.au. Printed by Webstar www.bluestargroup. com.au. All contents copyright Future Publishing (Overseas) Ltd, trading as Future Publishing Australia copyright 2018. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill holds full FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC certification and accreditation All contents Š 2018 Future Publishing Australia or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/ or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions. Privacy statement If you provide information about yourself this will be used to provide you with products or services you have requested. We may supply your information to contractors to enable us to do this. Future Publishing Australia will also use your information to inform you of other publications, products, services and events. Future Publishing Australia may also give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers and are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, Future Publishing Australia may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you of other products, services or events. If you would like to gain access to the information Future Publishing Australia holds about you, please contact us.

Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com

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Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244

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Welcome

The 2020 good news After spending a red hot week at the famous Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas, the T3 team was easily able to put together this issue’s main feature. Joyously easy, in fact. Our Gadgets Wishlist is a fine and hopefully inspiring list of gear and goodies that we’re especially excited about. We’ve tried very hard to spread things around and include bits that cover many different types of gadgets, as well as a whole lot that we don’t mind admitting we don’t actually need – but very much do want! And I wonder. Was CES 2020 the last actual tech event that the T3 team will attend this year? We were all hyped for the annual Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona (which everyone else on the team seems to have been to except me...). But that was cancelled. As will be others. The year ahead is certainly looking bleak in terms of lush media junkets. Thanks, coronavirus. But fear not, for the world is adapting and we’re getting more and more invites to ‘virtual events’, in which we sit in front of our PCs and watch live presenters talk about new stuff coming. There’s already talk of a booming ‘virtual presence’ industry taking off, where ‘attendees’ remotely control little robots with cameras, perusing things on stands in places far away. There’s no doubt 2020 is already insane in many ways. Let us take solace, then, in a steady stream of tech to occupy our minds – and you’ll find it all virtually, right here.

Ben Mansill, Editor ben.mansill@futurenet.com

T3’S MISSION T3’s mission is to help you find the best products for every area of your tech lifestyle. From traditional gadget buys like phones and TVs to connected home security and sports sensors, if it can make your life better, we’re here to make sure you get the right one for you. The products we feature are chosen by our expert writers, with years of experience in their key areas. We wouldn’t recommend something we wouldn’t be happy to live with ourselves – the tat is filtered out long before we print a page.

This goes for reviews too – you won’t us wasting your time with products you don’t need to know about. More than that, our aim is to make sure you get the most out of the things you buy, with in-depth guides to complex tech areas, tips on making better use of products, and recommendations for add-ons that make your favourite gadgets even better. We’re here to help you find things you’ll really love, and that make your life easier. Because we can all do with that.

OUR AWARDS

PLATINUM AWARD

THE DESIGN AWARD

BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE

BEST ON TEST

Only a five-star review earn a product our prestigious Platinum Award

We give this only to tech that stands out for stunning aesthetics or a clever build

This award, and others like it, are given for exceptional performance in a key feature

The winners of our group tests earn this accolade, showing them to be top tier

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AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 5

Contents

Contents 024

GADGET WISHLIST 2020

From jaw-dropping TVs to rotating soundbars to clever cooking helpers, here’s the best tech heading your way this year

046

LEWIS HAMILTON: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

T3 talks to the recordbreaking F1 racing champion about the tech he can’t live without, designing his own watch, and the future of watching car races at home

052

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES

They’re getting more affordable than ever, so here’s everything you need to know about ANC

038

STATE OF THE ART The latest mirrorless cameras bring DSLR quality to more portable (and affordable) bodies

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058

COMPLETE GUIDE Get the warmth of vinyl and the versatility of wireless audio with Bluetooth turntables Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Contents

TESTED 075 ALIENWARE 55 OLED 2IIHULQJ . D +] UHIUHVK UDWH and superb contrast, is the new monitor an essential addition to your gaming life?

076 SUUNTO 7

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HORIZON TOP 10

ASUS ZENBOOK DUO

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Double the screens, double the fun? Asus is ushering in a new era of computing, but is it worth the cost?

Whether you’re an audiophile or a rugged outdoorsperson, here DUH WKH EHVW $OH[D HQDEOHG VSHDNHUV IRU WDNLQJ \RXU tunes outside

019 STYLE

YAMAHA MUSICCAST VINYL 500

Loungewear for a more comfortable spring, plus eye-grabbing timepieces

The only turntable that can stream its sound to every room over Wi-Fi, or nearby over Bluetooth

016

081

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FITNESS & OUTDOORS

SAMSUNG GALAXY A90 5G

)URP $, ĆWQHVV WHFK IRU WKH WLPH SRRU WR HOLWH GRJ ZDONLQJ gear

A 5G phone for under $700? With Samsung level build quality and features? You’re not dreaming

GOOGLE PIXELBOOK GO

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THINKWARE Q800 PRO With 2K video, a suite of driver safety features and the option of a secondary rear-facing camera, this is the best dash cam we’ve gotten our hands on

BEST OF THE BEST

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070 SAMSUNG GALAXY S20 ULTRA 7KH ODWHVW XEHU ćDJVKLS IURP 6DPVXQJ smashes all challengers into submission. But is it worth the cost?

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088 YOUR IN-DEPTH BUYER’S GUIDE 2XU JLDQW EX\HUèV JXLGH KHOSV \RX ĆQG the world’s best gadgets, from sensational smartwatches, stunning VRXQGEDUV WR DZHVRPH DXGLR JHDU Ã¥ all tested by T3èV WHDP RI WHFK H[SHUWV

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Horizon

The best new tech heading your way Edited by Claire Davies

LENOVO THINKPAD X1 FOLD From $3,700 (approx), lenovo.com Lenovo is preparing to launch what it’s touting as “the world’s first foldable PC”. The result of a four-year collaboration with LG Display, and first unveiled as a prototype last summer, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is a (literally) flexible device that marries advanced multimedia capability with smartphone portability. Built with lightweight alloys/carbon fibre and sheathed in a smart leather cover, it can be folded out flat into tablet form, its vivid 13.3inch OLED display and Dolby Audio technology making it a dream for watching movies or box sets on the go. Or, if you need to do some work, you can fold it into a right angle, flip down the optional Fold Stand and use it like a laptop, Lenovo’s mode-switching software automatically adapting to your changing needs. You can split the display between apps for multi-tasking – for example, you could take a video call on one side and type a Word document on the other. And for added convenience, there’s even a wirelessly charged Bluetooth keyboard built in, so you can still type easily even when you have it opened flat, to use the full 13-inch space for documents. As yet, Lenovo hasn’t shared the full spec, but we do know that the ThinkPad X1 Fold is powered by Intel Core processors, always connected (hopefully with 5G), and offers around 11 hours of battery life. Will it be a success? It’s no open and shut case, but we’ll be able to judge for ourselves when it releases..

TECH-O-METER

If you want to create a full home office set-up, you can connect a full-size keyboard, and mouse to the X1 Fold, and even a monitor via its two USB Type-C ports. Plugging Lenovo’s device into a monitor will charge it at the same time.

“The ThinkPad X1 Fold will hopefully be the best of both tablet and laptop in one very cool body” Matt Bolton

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Top 10

X APPEAL To begin with, the X1 Fold will run on Window Win dowss 10 1 0 Pro Pro. Ho Howev wever er, Le Lenov novo o is is hoping to eventually offer the device with Windows 10X,, Microsoft’s new software designed specifically for folding/dual screen tech such as this. It’s due to be be launched later this year.

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IMAGE SOURCE: LENOVO

PIXEL POWER The X1 Fold’s OLED screen boasts a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels that’s not super-high res (it’s the same as the iPad mini), but should keep everything clear and easy to use.

EASY READ EASY READING ING One of the benefits of the device dev ice’ss flex flexibl ible e scre screen en is tha thatt y you ou can fold it in on itself while you’re reading an ebook, making it feel like a real book book. The software will fit the pages to the two sides of the screen accordingly.

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Horizon Top 10

LG OLED48CX $TBA, lg.com We’re constantly being told that bigger is better when it comes to TVs – but that’s not necessarily the case for people with smaller living rooms. LG has seemingly taken this into consideration by including a 48-inch model in its new CX range of 4K OLED panels (55, 65 and 77-inch versions are also available). It may be relatively humble in size, but the OLED48CX packs some cool features, including LG’s very latest Alpha 9 processor for smooth navigation, Dolby Vision IQ (which automatically adjusts the picture settings depending on the amount of light in the room), and a Filmmaker Mode that strips away motion smoothing, etc, so that you can watch a movie exactly as the director intended. The OLED48CX is being launched later this year – get your lounge ready.

TECH-O-METER

IMAGE SOURCE: LG

T3 SAYS: If your living room is on the smaller side, this 48-inch OLED panel is a top choice.

Q ACOUSTICS 3030i

IMAGE SOURCE: Q ACOUSTICS

$899, qacoustics.co.uk

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Many audio manufacturers seem to want to disguise their tech these days, blending it into everything from picture frames to table lamps. Not so, Q Acoustics – speakers in the British firm’s award-winning 3000i range look and sound like proper speakers. New to the line-up is the 3030i, a sleek and compact unit that contains some heavyweight audio smarts. Point-to-point bracing – introduced in Q Acoustics’ flagship Concept 500 speaker – minimises cabinet resonance for a sound that’s both clean and accurate. The woofer design is borrowed from 2018’s powerful 3050i floorstander. And a super-low 46kHz response will deliver deep, punchy bass wherever the 3030i is sat. Available in four natty finishes, it could be just what your home needs. T3 SAYS: The latest speaker in Q Acoustics’ 3000i range delivers great looks and sound.

TECH-O-METER

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Horizon Top 10

RING INDOOR CAM $99, au-en.ring.com Setting up a home security system doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Ring’s latest launch is a simple plug-and-play indoor camera that offers a raft of useful features for less than a hundred dollars. Working either on its own or in combination with other Ring cameras or doorbells, this palm-sized device will discreetly monitor what’s happening inside your home, broadcasting clear HD footage to an app on your smartphone so that you can get peace of mind while you’re at work or on holiday. It’ll send you a notification if it detects any motion – even in the dark, thanks to an effective night-vision mode. And in the unfortunate event that you are being burgled, a two-way talking function will enable you to reason with or threaten your intruder as you see fit.

IMAGE SOURCE: RING

T3 SAYS: A better-than-average home security system for the price of a meal out.

TECH-O-METER

BANG & OLUFSEN BEOPLAY E8 (3RD GEN) $510, bang-olufsen.com

IMAGE SOURCE: BANG & OLUFSEN

Some audio companies still haven’t managed to launch their first pair of true wireless earphones, and yet Bang & Olufsen is already on to the third iteration of its Beoplay E8s. The Danish company has made some notable tweaks to its acclaimed buds, making them better for listeners on the move. For a start, their size has been reduced by 17%, making them a better fit in the earhole (well, they were in ours, anyway). The battery life has doubled, with the earphones now providing around seven hours of play and the leather case offering a further four charges. And there’s also support for the latest Bluetooth 5.1 technology. Those other companies have some catching up to do. T3 SAYS: Big on battery, compact in size, these true wireless wonders are an enticing alternative to Apple’s AirPods.

TECH-O-METER

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Top 10

HP ENVY 32 From $2,300 (approx.), hp.com It’s nice to have a powerful computer that can do anything, but that doesn’t take up half your room – hence the long success of Apple’s iMacs. HP’s new all-in-one desktop machine is a big (31.5-inch) and brilliant beast that delivers vibrant 4K visuals at a contrast ratio of 6,000:1. The first all-in-one to offer HDR at 600 nits of brightness, the Envy 32 promises an immersive experience, helped by a built-in, fabric-covered soundbar that contains powerful Bang & Olufsen speakers. With each of these machines packing one of Intel’s latest 9th Gen processors (up to the eight-core i7-9700), an Nvidia GeForce graphics card (up to the RTX 2060) and a generous amount of RAM (up to 32GB), everything runs smoother than an otter’s back.

TECH-O-METER

IMAGE SOURCE: HP

T3 SAYS: With stunning visuals and a wealth of features, it’s hard not to be impressed by this multimedia powerhouse.

SONY WI-1000XM2 $449, sony.com.au Sony says the WI-1000XM2’s angled earphone design ensures a tight seal against the ear canal, and means the earbuds sit “deeply within the ear”. They certainly felt very comfortable when we tested them, although you’ll probably need to try a few different ear tip sizes before you find the perfect fit – and that fit is crucial in achieving the kind of seal needed for optimal noise cancelation. Overall, they felt very light to wear, and we could see ourselves comfortably wearing them for long periods of time. The functional aesthetic may not appeal to all, but for those who like a dose of minimalism with their music, the design will probably appeal immensely. T3 SAYS: Sony’s noise-canceling neckband earphones look like another impressive addition to this line of big-hitting buds.

TECH-O-METER

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AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 1 3

Horizon

NIKON D780 $3,899 (body only), nikon.com.au now good for 2,260 shots instead of 1,230. Elsewhere, the D780 boasts an impressive ISO range (extendable to a whopping 204,800), dual UHS-II SD slots and the same Advanced Scene Recognition feature as Nikon’s flagship D850. T3 SAYS: It’s time for Nikon’s trusty D750 to move over.

TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

IMAGE SOURCE: NIKON

Rugged and versatile, Nikon’s full-frame D750 DSLR – launched in 2014 – has been a massive hit with photographers. And its successor promises to be just as popular, upgrading many of the former camera’s features and throwing in a few new ones for good measure. While the 24MP CMOS sensor and 51-point AF system are much the same as before, the processor has been brought up to date with Nikon’s latest EXPEED 6, the 3.2-inch display is now touchscreen, video can be captured in 4K (at 30fps) rather than plain old Full HD, and the battery is

WITHINGS SCANWATCH

IMAGE SOURCE: WITHINGS

From $237 (approx), withings.com Withings is describing its new ScanWatch as “the most advanced health wearable ever designed”, and it’s hard to argue with that. Not only does it offer your standard fitness features such as GPS, altimeter (for step climbing), automatic activity tracking and waterproofing (to 50 metres), it’s also the first watch to offer an ECG and sleep-apnea detection. The ScanWatch will monitor your heart 24/7 and notify you if it spots any irregularities, which you can then properly check with the ECG, giving you data you can pass on to your GP. And throughout the

night, the watch’s SpO2 sensor will monitor your oxygen saturation to ascertain whether you’ve had any stirs during your slumber. Available in 38mm and 42mm, the ScanWatch offers 30 days of use off one charge. T3 SAYS: Nip those health problems in the bud with the help of this groundbreaking fitness watch.

TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

OPTOMA UHD50X $TBA, optoma.com With gaming monitor refresh rates soaring into the hundreds of Hz, Optoma has brought such silky smooth gaming to the world of projectors, with its new and fantastic UHD50X. It’s the world’s first 240Hz gaming projector, and that’s pro e-sports levels of performance. It’s also a very low latency beamer, at just 15ms input lag, which is fantastic for a projector. It’ll do 4K UHD resolution too, and do it properly bright with 3,400 lumens of gaming goodness blasting onto your wall. Optoma’s also got your image quality sorted with HDR 10, so those sunrises 1 4 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

in the game will having you believing it’s all so real you could weep with joy. Not into gaming much? That’s ok because movies look sumptuously glorious on this baby. You want smoothness and clarity on your wall of gaming godliness? You want this! T3 SAYS: The ultimate gaming projector that does it all, better.

TECH-O-METER COOLNESS INNOVATION FEATURES

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Horizon Fitness

Vibram’s Arctic Grip soles stick to icy and slippery surfaces with aplomb, leaving you free to enjoy long strolls with your furry friend.

$390, muckbootcompany.com

IMAGE SOURCE: SCARPA

MUCK ORIGINAL ARCTIC OUTPOST LACE-UP BOOTS

IMAGE SOURCE: MUCK BOOT COMPANY

DOG WALKING GEAR

RUBBER LOVER

SCARPA AR R Take the first steps to performance climbing shoes. $239, www.outdooragencies.com.au

No owner enjoys the sight of a rapidly-vanishing pooch. Keep tabs on your dog by attaching this sub-30g waterproof collar, rendering them fully trackable via the app for up to five days.

$95, amazon.com.au

IMAGE SOURCE: TRACTIVE

TRACTIVE GPS TRACKER FOR DOGS

Shoes are the most important piece of climbing kit to get absolutely right, and are basically all you need to get started in the sport. Usually they’re hilariously expensive, as they need to work naturally acting essentially as a robust, rubber-clad skin for your foot. The Scarpa Arpia nestle themselves in that lucritive space between beginning and intermediate climbers who are comfortable on the wall, and are looking to build on learned skills to push themselves further in their first “performance” shoes. For the most part, the Arpia deliver well. Build quality is classic Scarpa i.e. bombproof. There’s a micro-fibre and suede upper to keep everything comfy, while the V-Tension active band and Velcro Wave-closure keep the shoe

PERFECT SHOT

OSPREY TROPOS

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An AI powered, modular 360/4K rig with an invisible selfie stick, this is a serious step up from your old action cam

A360 IMAGE SOURCE: INSTA

$169, osprey.com/au/en

MAGIC ACTION MAKER

IMAGE SOURCE: OSPR EY

With 34 4L of space th here’s more po ockets and spaces in the Tropos than you could possibly y have things. Plus it’ll swa allow a mega 177in laptop. There’s an Airspeed d ventilation il i system to keep things cool plus an integrated kickstand. The Tropos is everything you need in a daily commuter or weekend hiker.

form-fit and as snug as you like. For performance, there’s a 2/3 length Vibram XS Grip 2 sole and hand-constructed heel with Vibram Grip 2. The Arpia’s combination of slightly downturned asymmetrical shape and 1.4mm mid-sole pushes ample power and stability to the toe for standing on smaller edges while still maintaining enough flexibility for smears. We would have loved another rubber panel on top for toe-hooking, and, as nice as the front-end feels, the handcrafted heel down the back is huge(!) and left cavernous dead space making for insecure heel-hooks. That said, the Arpia is still a solid climbing shoe for both outdoor and the gym that ticks off most intermediate climbers needs.

H Here’s a modular action camera that enables you to switch between 360 and 4K wide angle y enses like a pro photographer, but still weighs le n at a tiny 130g. The Insta360 ONE R also in packs in a laundry list of technical functions: p a FlowState stabilisation, voice control, slow motion, hyperlapse and an invisible selfie stick. Yes, that’s right, an invisible selfie stick. The 360 camera auto-removes the stick, giving you drone-like shots and impossible angles without the drone. Creating astonishing video just got much, much easier… Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

THE PUREST LISTEN Engineered with over 50 years of performance audio excellence

PX7

Adaptive Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones

"The Bowers & Wilkins PX7... offer a true luxury experience when it comes to audio quality, product design and overall comfort " Stephen Fenech, TechGuide

PX5

Adaptive On-Ear Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones

"Not too big, not too small, just right� TechRadar

Pi4

Adaptive In-Ear Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones

Pi3

Hybrid Dual Driver In-Ear Wireless Headphones

"Brilliant wireless buds from B&W" What Hifi

Bowers & Wilkins Australia (02) 9196 8990 | www.bowers-wilkins.net | info-au@bowerswilkins.com

BowersWilkinsAu

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JUST HANGING AROUND

We’re not quite into the cold season yet, but if you’re already feeling more hibernation than high energy, these are the loungewear pieces to laze

HAMILTON AND HARE HOODED SWEATSHIRT Hoodies are the ultimate in loungewear, and this one pairs perfectly with track pants and shorts. The slip pockets are roomy, and there’s a cosy towel backing. $232, matchesfashion.com/au NANUSHKA KIMO ROBE Feeling fancy? Then get familiar with this robe, enjoying its unique suede-like texture, flared sleeves and striking batik print. $525, matchesfashion.com/au

IMAGE SOURCE: MATCHES FASHION, MAHABIS, JOHN LEWIS

POLO RALPH LAUREN TRACK PANTS Off-duty style made easy. The cotton-blend jersey is super comfy and soft, plus the drawstring waistband is a little more forgiving if you’ve had a big breakfast. $142, matchesfashion.com/au MAHABIS CLASSIC Stay steady on hard flooring and swaddled in comfort with these TPU-soled slippers, designed with a cosy wool lining and flexible contoured footbed. $59, mahabis.com ORGANIC COTTON JERSEY LOUNGE SHORTS A baby-soft loungewear basic for those who hate wearing pyjama bottoms or trackies. Warm enough for late winter. $40, johnlewis.com

MONEY NO OBJECT

IMAGE SOURCE: SELFRIDGES

NuFace Trinity Supercharged Collection NuFace’s celeb-endorsed complete skin rejuvenation system is aimed at men and women looking to slow the signs of ageing. At the heart of the collection sits the award-winning Trinity Device, delivering different levels of an anti-ageing treatment called microcurrent, also known as the ‘5 Minute Face Lift’. Essentially, microcurrent sends a low-level current through the skin, tissues and facial muscles to stimulate production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which in turn boosts collagen and

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elastin, key proteins needed to help your skin look plumper and feel firmer. The treatment has an energising effect on your facial muscles, helping to create a more lifted appearance. Included with the Trinity Device are dual-sided Prep-N-Glow Textured Cleansing Cloths, a FIX Serum that works with the device to reduce lines and wrinkles around eyes, mouth, forehead and nose, and a Hydrating Leave-On Gel Primer that should be applied pre-treatment. $500, selfridges.com

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Style

WHICH WATCH

THE HOTTEST TIMEPIECES RIGHT NOW

ORIS BIG CROWN BRONZE POINTER DATE

A throwback to the legendary Swatch ‘Jelly Fish’ from 1983. A fully transparent case displays this watch’s technological core, while hands infused in blue, red and yellow finish the look.

The original Oris Big Crown Pointer Date appeared in 1938, and today the latest model is a bronze beauty, treated with a special transparent matt lacquer with an incredible unique finish.

$155, shop.swatch.com

$3,000, oris.ch

HUBLOT BIG BANG INTEGRAL

ORIS LAKE BAIKAL LIMITED EDITION

The first Big Bang to feature an integrated bracelet – this watch has been designed to flow seamlessly from the case to the clasp. Available in black ceramic, King Gold or titanium.

Celebrating the largest freshwater body of water in the world, this variation of Oris’ classic Aquis diver’s watch is limited to just 1,999 pieces, with proceeds helping fund Lake Baikal research.

$18,520, hublot.com

$3,350, oris.ch

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IMAGE SOURCES: SWATCH, ZENITH, HUBLOT, TAG HEUER

SWATCH BIG BOLD JELLY

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T3’s always game boy plays with your tech queries for the win

JASON SIMMONS, BONDI

What’s the best solution for portable PC gaming? You would likely expect Guru to suggest a hoofing great gaming laptop here, right? Wrong as usual, reader: that’s a dumb and incredibly expensive idea. A gaming laptop can be a great thing if you’re lugging it from place to place, and there are indeed some absolutely superb examples out there, but they’re best used on a desk. That fits one definition of portable, but not all of them. Perhaps you’ve seen Alienware’s Concept UFO prototype, waved around at CES to great excitement. Ignore comparisons to the Nintendo Switch (they’re about as

ILLUSTRATIONS: STEPHEN KELLY

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relevant as comparing its horizontal layout to that of the Atari Lynx, really) and look at the meat of it, and it seems like a pretty decent little thing, a promising idea for the future of portable PC games. You can’t have one, though. You can’t even have the neat little GPD Win 2, which does actually exist, because stock seems to have run out

ABOVE To be fair, in the LAN party days, this wasn’t that weird a sight…

There’s no good answer here. So here’s Guru’s slightly out there suggestion: a cheap tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 10

– expect an announcement and a Kickstarter for the Win 3 and/or Win MAX some time very soon. Basically there’s no good answer here. So here’s Guru’s slightly out there suggestion: a cheap tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 10 (from $279). Admittedly you’re not going to be playing PC games on the bus, but if you’re in network range of your existing gaming PC, you can hook up a Bluetooth controller, sideload the Steam Link app, and get playing in seconds. Maybe even grab a controller adapter for around $15 and clamp it to your Android handset? Presto: you’re playing The Witcher III on the toilet.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: INBOX@T3.COM OR FACEBOOK.COM/T3MAG 2 0 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

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Gadget guru

L OWENS, MELBOURNE

Why can’t I just use any lens on any camera? Let it be clear, Guru is no photography expert. A man from Boots keeps trying to put one of those passive-aggressive oval ‘it wasn’t our fault’ stickers on your author’s phone screen just to cut out the middle man. Guru is, though, a master of mashing things onto other things, so he can offer a few general clues here. It may be tempting to suspect that manufacturer-specific lens types are just a way to tie you into an ecosystem and, over time, a way to ensure that the money firing out of your wallet towards your expensive DSLR habit lands directly in that manufacturer’s pocket. Not (entirely) so: a camera system is a delicate balance of sensor, connector, electronics and optics. For the body of your camera to work perfectly with its lens, the latter needs to be sitting at just the right flange focal length from the sensor in order to focus properly.

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Converting the threading and focal length of a foreign or vintage lens isn’t actually that tricky – there’s a vast variety of converters out there that can help you attach one thing to another. They’re not cheap, however, because they generally need to use complicated bridging lenses to tweak the focal distance; turning those sparkling junk shop optics into something you can use could end up costing you bnitime. If you can’t convert the electronic side of things, you may lose automatic control of a number of lens features – and if the lens you’re trying to use doesn’t have a manual aperture ring you’ll be stuck at maximum aperture, which isn’t ideal. Thankfully some converters use what are called dandelion chips to convert the communication protocols between lens and camera. These, again, add another layer of cost, because of course they do.

ABOVE Don’t worry, it’s just a defence mechanism against being put in a nice stew

GADGET GURU’S MAGIC BOX Perhaps technology cannot solve every problem, perhaps it can. GaGu is in a rare state, one in which he is completely out of his depth and positively afraid: the household has gone positively renovation crazy, with the kitchen and bathroom now on the (pricey) rejuvenation docket. This means Pinterest mood boards, reams of upsetting cost-tracking spreadsheets, project management by the inimitable Mrs Guru and her specialist software tools. The thing that worries Guru most is that he can’t just whip out a gadget or an app to make this all run smoothly. He’s supposed to think for himself, make decisions, and control the thick local accent which only spills out of his mouth when workmen are allowed through the gates of Guru Towers. Absolutely awful. If any reader knows of a technological solution for this one, drop GaGu a line – consider it payment for the years of stupid questions Guru u has been forced to answer.

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Google’s s Nest Wifi mesh m system ($229 for a two-unit setup) cros ssed Guru’s desk k this month, and d it’s very good. In some ways GaGu reckons it s a d downgrade k it’ d from the original Google Wifi, particularly because its Point satellites don’t include any Ethernet, but they make up for it with Google Assistant support. It’s child-simple to set up, too, though GaGu can’t see it beating out his trusty home-blanketing Netgear Orbi setup. So what might replace it? Not the redesigned Orbi ual-Band Mesh system, which Du alsso drops Ethernet, that’s for sure. But there’s a significant mount of drool pooling on am aGu’s t-shirt over the Orbi Wifi Ga 6, which includes 802.11ax networking and is likely to be ne astonishing when it launches.

OLIVIA WEST, DARLINGHURST

How do I chop onions without crying? GaGu would, were it not for the restraining order, come round and cauterize your tear ducts for you. Presuming that’s not something you want (it rarely is) you may wish to instead don a pair of special onion-proof goggles: half gag gift, half useful way to make yourself into the dorkiest chef in the room. Really, you may as well grab KitchenCraft’s Dame Edna-style goggles to get the full effect. Rather than isolating your eyeballs, why not isolate the onion? Peel it, half it (with your eyes closed) then wallop it into Kenwood’s CH180A Mini Chopper ($54) to keep all those fumes safely contained. And let’s be realistic: that’s basically the same price as Kmart’s Food Processor ($49), which is going to be a lot more useful in the long run. Alternatively, do as Guru does and buy bags of pre-chopped onions for the freezer, a slightly more expensive and wasteful exercise which eliminates all of this nonsense entirely.

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NEW MEDIA

NOW PLAYING Guru finds the best media you need on your various screens

BOJACK HORSEMAN Simultaneously the cleverest and most miserable tragicomedic animation ever made, Bojack’s post-stardom tale comes to its sure-to-be harrowing conclusion on Netflix.

ROSS JORDAN, BRISBANE

What’s good for adventuring? You’re probably fully capable of lobbing the essentials into a bag, so it’s most important to break down those things that don’t immediately spring to mind. Some method of communication is a must – depending on just how wild you’re likely to get, Garmin’s inReach range (around $474) could prove important. Take a good knife (the Victorinox Fieldmaster, from $49) because, frankly, you’ll need it. If you want to save space and weight, Guru has a strange fascination with the VSSL Camp Supplies kit (US$129), a tube which mixes torch and compass with a bunch of individually-tinned survival essentials nestled in its shaft.

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MIKE BIRD, NEWPORT

STAR TREK: PICARD He’s back! This mysterious show has turned out to be a kind of space noir, but with Patrick Stewart giving principled speeches at key moments – an irresistible combination.

ELEVATOR MUSIC FOR AN ELEVATED MOOD Cory Wong’s new album is a big syrupy delight, in parts funky, in others twee, with Wong’s signature guitar noodling slathered over every surface.

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Are speed camera detectors legal? Do they work? Yes, they are legal, but only in WA, and yes, for the most part, they work. Guru will make no comment on the fact that you shouldn’t need one given that you’re definitely not going to be driving like an idiot, and there are certainly ongoing court rumblings to try to stamp them out, but if you want a radar detector on your dashboard you’ll be fine as long as you don’t go driving anywhere east of WA. But why bother? Navigate with something like Waze and (thanks to the community) you’ll likely get plenty of warning that a camera’s coming up. And if you don’t, and you get stung? Well, that’s on you…

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ABOVE As long as the sardines don’t mind being given the heaveho, all is good

If you want to save space and weight, Guru has a strange fascination with the VSSL Camp Supplies kit

STEVEN HENNEYS, PENRITH

Can I control my smart home with no cloud? It’s possible, of course, though with fewer features. GaGu recommends you pick up a solid Zigbee/Z-Wave compatible hub, which can work with a huge number of devices. Take your pick: the Hubitat hub (around $275) only requires connecting to register it; the Athom Homey ($599) promises absolute minimum online interaction. Or if you like things hard try rolling your own, with the masochistically difficult Home Assistant (hass.io), a Raspberry Pi, and a Zigbee dongle.

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Opinon

Duncan Bell is licensed to thrill Did James Bond’s gadgets shape today’s tech landscape? Not really, but I wish they had…

ike a lot of men my age, and probably no women, I’ve seen al t Bond films. I starte at a young age, and despite now b ng a full-grown adult, I am still loo ng forward to the new one. Bond has had a huge impa on how people (men) perceive th such as tailoring, luxury lifesty s and cars. Would Aston Martin even still exist were it not for Bond The other thing Bond has stamped his mark on in the popular imagination is tech. Really though, when I say ‘tech’ here, I am thinking of a less fashionable word: ‘gadgets’. Tech is sexy, serious and worthy. Gadgets are fun… and frequently ridiculous. Gadgets defined the early years of T3, when technology was a far more niche interest, and the tech was considerably more fun. Or crap, depending on your degree of rose-tinted hindsight. Certainly, 007’s gadgets weren’t for mundane tasks such as setting a kitchen timer with your voice, or using Instagram. They were, on the whole, for killing people. Or at least saving 007 from certain death. They set the pulse racing because they followed one of Duncan’s Laws of Tech: stuff that hasn’t come out yet is always way more exciting than things that actually exist. Right now, people cannot read enough about the Galaxy S20. They’re riveted by every leak, rumour and iffy render. As soon as it’s in shops, everyone will yawn and say, ‘Oh, it’s just another phone.’ Bond’s gadgets were the ultimate example of not being out yet, because not only were they not available to the public, they were generally impossible devices that

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uld never availab anyon

Premium Bo nsider the crazy zmos Bond has deploy er the years. ve and Let D , Roger Moore uses a wat ntaining a powerful magnet, a chainsaw in the beze n you imagine how dangerous tha ld b to wea t e least, Moore’s safari-influenced suits would have been cut to ribbons. Oh, and the magnet would have rendered the watch incapable of telling the time. Later, Pierce Brosnan had a watch with a bloody grappling hook in it. And an invisible car! Little wonder, then, that when Bond was hard rebooted with the arrival of Daniel Craig, Bond’s tech

Q could always start a crowdfunding project if he’s made redundant from MI6… arsenal was slimmed down to a very modestly souped-up Aston and… a Sony camera phone. Even when Q was reintroduced in Skyfall, the young upstart openly mocked the idea of exploding pens and espoused using a Windows laptop instead. You can’t keep a good gadget down, though. By the time Spectre rolled around, the ‘gritty’, ‘rebooted’ Bond was again using an exploding watch to take out a bad guy

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esse i ll j ket Is possi e make a watch that can cause an explosion big enough to destroy an underground laboratory? No. But it’s still more plausible than Nehru jackets coming back into fashion. This was all done with a knowing wink to the past, and no wonder. Bond is a has-been, and his gadgets are never-weres. The sad truth is that the serious, grown up tech world took all its cues from nerd staple Star Trek, not problematic old 007. Still, some of that Bond spirit lives on, on crowdfunding sites. Q could always move there if he’s made redundant from MI6. The pages for his products would all start with enthusiastic and helpful comments such as, ‘An exploding pen, what a great idea! Could you make it have a laser in it as well?’ Then once all the pledges had poured in and the project was 500% funded (‘Early bird offer: buy exploding pen in colour of your choice and receive a FREE badge that fires tranquilliser darts!’) the comments would be full of punters saying, ‘My pen arrived and I immediately accidentally blew up my expensive jacket by mistake. I want a refund!’ Now that is how to give tech back its licence to thrill. AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 2 3

2020’s gadget wishlist

2020’S GADGET WISHLIST Discover the coolest tech coming your way this year, from bezelfree 8K TVs to 5G laptops to an instant stain remover to an air purifying lamp. Your next great buy is here! Words: Alex Cox

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*

2020’s gadget wishlist

ALIENWARE CONCEPT UFO

XBOX SERIES X X

Wh shouldn’t Why h ld ’ PC gaming i be b properly l portable? And we’re not talking OXJJDEOH ODSWRSV KHUH Ã¥ ZH PHDQ WKH sort of thing you can play on the bus. Taking more than a few design ideas from the Nintendo Switch (to the point that we imagine a few furrowed brows at Nintendo HQ), Dell’s concept device suggests the company could be set to PDNH WKDW D UHDOLW\ ,WèV QRW D ĆQLVKHG product just yet but expect an eightinch display, detachable controllers, USB Type-C monitor connectivity and syrupy-smooth (if slightly dialled-back) PC games on the go. $TBC, alienware.com

Th PlayStation 5 is coming too, but we The know a little more about the new topend Xbox model than Sony’s console (at the time of writing, at least). Next-gen processing and graphics tech promises mind-blowing visuals, including ray tracing support, which is a tech for realistically recreating the physics of light, so worlds look much more life-like. It will offer frame rates up to 120fps (great for racing or fast arcade games), and even promises 8K output, but we’ll believe support for actual 8K games when we see it. Expect it just before Christmas. $TBC, xbox.com

BELKIN SOUNDFORM ELITE HI-FI SMART SPEAKER + WIRELESS CHARGER A Google Assistant smart speaker with a little groove to place your phone. How neat. Oh, but there’s more: that groove houses a Qi charger, juicing up that device while you get on with something else. And that’s not all: Ludicrously, Belkin has teamed up with the high-end audio wizards at Devialet to create the vibration-reducing dualZRRIHU DXGLRbSDFNDJH LQ D VSHDNHU IDU PRUH DIIRUGDEOH than Devialet’s usual fare. This promises to be the best VRXQGLQJbVSHDNHU %HONLQ KDV HYHU PDGH Ã¥ DQG ZH ZRXOGQèW EHW DJDLQVW LW UXIćLQJ VRPH IHDWKHUV DURXQG WKH UHVW RI WKH wireless speaker world. US$299, belkin.com

TCL X915 Expect to see a lot more of this company in 2020 as it breaks into the Australian market in a big way, and this TV will be one way it makes waves. It’s an 8K TV with a QLED panel and local dimming for dramatic contrast Ã¥ EDVLFDOO\ PDWFKLQJ WKH WHFK LQ RWKHU . 79V EXW LWèOO OLNHO\ DUULYH DW DQ extremely aggressive price. Available in 65-inch or 75-inch sizes, it also includes 'ROE\ 9LVLRQ DQG +'5 DQG ,0$; (QKDQFHG FHUWLĆFDWLRQV ZLWK DXGLR IURP KL Ć VSHFLDOLVWV 2QN\R PDNLQJ LW DQ DOO URXQG SUHPLXP VHW $QG LW KDV D EXLOW LQ camera that rises and hides automatically if you use a video-chat app through the Android OS. $TBC, tcl.com

AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-ANC300TW Smaller, faster, cheaper sound processor and microscopic surface-mounted microphones mean it’s no wonder that active noise cancelling is fast becoming a standard feature in headphones, but trust Audio-Technica to take the ball and run with it with this set of tiny and super-powerful true wireless buds. Its QuietPoint tech brings with it threelevel hybrid noise cancelling, tweakable depending on the environment you’re in. And the incorporation of Qualcomm’s TrueWireless Stereo Plus means a compatible device can stream to both of these earphones simultaneously, making for better battery and lower latency. Could this be a new true wireless benchmark? $TBC, audio-technica.com 2 6 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

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2020’s gadget wishlist

CANON EOS 1D X MARK III Though priced out of the enthusiast market – Canon’s newest flagship DSLR is over $3,000 more than its 2016 predecessor – this is a pro camera with some truly special features. There’s a touch-sensitive smart controller on the AF-ON button useful for quickly shifting your focus point, a lighter-weight body, full weather sealing, and a new Digic X processor. The latter means some seriously fast computation, allowing 20 frames per second burst shooting in a string of up to 1,000 raw images, and an autofocus that’s near-instant. Oh, and 4K 60fps shooting, including 10-bit 4:2:2 support. $10,998, canon.com.au

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2020’s gadget wishlist

HP ELITE DRAGONFLY H How do d you improve i th the llaptop t that th t already l d h has pretty tt PXFK HYHU\WKLQJ" ,I \RXèUH +3 \RX WDNH WKH WKLQ OLJKW GHOHFWDEOH OLWWOH H[HFXWLYH IRUP RI WKH (OLWH 'UDJRQć\ DQG PDNH LW HYHQ PRUH VXLWDEOH IRU OLIH RQ WKH URDG ,PSURYHPHQWbRQH LV 7LOH WUDFNLQJ RQ ERDUG VR WKH 'UDJRQć\ FDQ FRQQHFW ZLWK WKH 7LOH QHWZRUN DQG UHSRUW LWV ORFDWLRQ LI LW JRHV PLVVLQJ ,PSURYHPHQW WZR" * ,Q D ODSWRS 7KDWèV DEVROXWHO\ EDQDQDV 8SJUDGLQJ WKH /7( UDGLR RI WKH SUHYLRXV HGLWLRQ +3 KDV PDGH D LQ ODSWRS WKDW SURPLVHV WKH SLQQDFOH RI FRQQHFWLYLW\ Ã¥ QR GRXEW LWèOO DOVR VKDUH LWV SUHGHFHVVRUèV XOWUD IDVW :L )L FDSDELOLWLHV From $3,139, hp.com

DANBY PARCEL GUARD

JABRA ELITE 45H

$V ZH PRYH WRZDUGV RUGHULQJ everything RQOLQH SRUFK SLUDWHV DUH HYHU\ZKHUH %XW JHWWLQJ \RXU SDFNDJHV more securely delivered with smart ORFN VHUYLFHV OLNH $PD]RQ .H\ PLJKW ZRUU\ \RX :LWK WKH 3DUFHO *XDUG \RXU GHOLYHU\ JHWV GURSSHG LQWR DQ DQWL WKHIW WRS VHFWLRQ WKHQ PDNHV LWV ZD\ LQWR WKH ODUJHU ORFNHG ERWWRP ER[ å ZLWK VPDUW IHDWXUHV OLNH DQ LQWHJUDWHG FDPHUD PRWLRQ VHQVRU WDPSHU DODUP DQG D ZHLJKW PRQLWRU WR WHOO \RX ZKHQ VRPHWKLQJèV EHHQ GURSSHG RII LWèV WKH QH[W EHVW WKLQJ WR VWD\LQJ KRPH DOO GD\ SHHULQJ WKURXJK \RXU SHHSKROH US$399, danbyparcelguard.com

:LWK JLJDQWLF PP GULYHUV DQG DQ LQWHQVHO\ WXQDEOH VRXQG -DEUDèV ODWHVW ORRNV VHW WR EH D EDQJHU å WKH FRPSDQ\ LV DLPLQJ WR GHOLYHU SUHPLXP DXGLR TXDOLW\ DQG PD[LPXP EDWWHU\ SHUKDSV UHDFKLQJ DV IDU DV KRXUV SOD\EDFN DW DQ DIIRUGDEOH SULFH 6HULRXVO\ KRZ IDU KDV -DEUD FRPH LQ WKH SDVW IHZ \HDUV" 7KLV LV DQ RQ HDU KHDGVHW ZLWK VW\OH WR ULYDO WKH ELJ QDPHV LQ SRUWDEOH DXGLR ZLWK WZLQ PLFURSKRQHV WR HQVXUH \RXU %OXHWRRWK FDOOV DUH KHDUG ORXG DQG FOHDU LQWHJUDWLRQ ZLWK PRVW YRLFH DVVLVWDQWV VRUU\ %L[E\ DQG D IROGDEOHbFRQVWUXFWLRQ IRU EDJ VWDVKLQJ RU QHFN ZHDULQJ $140, jabra.com

PHILIPS OLED 805 èV 2/(' 79V ZRQèW QHFHVVDULO\ EH VKRZFDVHV RI EUDQG QHZ WHFKQRORJ\ å WKH\èOO EH PRUH DERXW DGYDQFHG SURFHVVLQJ 3KLOLSV LV VWLFNLQJ WR LWV JXQV LQ WHUPV RI GHVLJQ ZLWK WKH FRPSDQ\èV VLJQDWXUH PHWDO IUDPH ORRN VWLOO SUHVHQW DQG FRUUHFW EXW LW FHUWDLQO\ VHHPV WR KDYH GLDOOHG WKLQJV XS LQ WKH EUDLQV GHSDUWPHQW 7KH WK JHQ 3 SURFHVVRU RI WKH 2/(' DGGV $, SURFHVVLQJ WR LWV VXSHUE LPDJH KDQGOLQJ DELOLWLHV DQG LW FDQ JLYH \RX IHHGEDFN RQ ZKDW LW WKLQNV LWèV VHHLQJ DORQJ ZLWK D VSOLW VFUHHQ FRPSDULVRQ RI WKH UHVXOWV 1LIW\ å DQG ZLWK $PELOLJKW QDWFK \RXèUH VXUH RI D ZDUP bFRORXUIXO H[SHULHQFH $TBC, philips.com

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2020’s gadget wishlist

COOKINGPAL JULIA

L’OREAL PERSO

2QH PDFKLQH WKDW FRRNV FKRSV PL[HV EOHQGV NQHDGV ZHLJKV ERLOV VWHDPV JULQGV JUDWHV ZKLVNV DQG HPXOVLĆHV" <RXU RYHUEXUGHQHG NLWFKHQ VXUIDFHV ZLOO WKDQN \RX IRU WKDW Ã¥ DQG \RXU IDPLO\ PD\ ZHOO WKDQN \RX IRU WKH IDFW WKDW -XOLDèV LQWHJUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH &RRNLQJ3DO QHWZRUN KHOSV JXLGH \RX WKURXJK FRRNLQJ WKH PRVW GHOLFLRXV PHDOV 8VLQJ &RRNLQJ3DOèV 6PDUW .LWFKHQ +XE RU MXVW RSWLQJ IRU WKH DSS \RX FDQ FRQWURO WKH ZKROH FRRNLQJ SURFHVV DZD\ IURP WKH NLWFKHQ DQG LI \RXèUH VWXFN IRU PHDO LGHDV LWèOO WXUQ D SKRWR RI \RXU IULGJH LQWR D IXOO VXJJHVWHG PHQX 'HOLFLRXV $TBC, cookingpal.com

:KR NQRZV \RXU VNLQ EHWWHU WKDQ \RX" 3HUVR PLJKW 8VLQJ D WKUHH VWHS SURFHVV Ã¥ ĆUVW DQDO\VLQJ D SKRWR RI \RXU VNLQ ZLWK $, WKHQ VQLIĆQJ RXW WKH SUHFLVH HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV LQ \RXU ORFDO DUHD WKHQ OLVWHQLQJ WR \RXU SHUVRQDO VNLQFDUH FRQFHUQV Ã¥ LW FDQ XVH LWV FDUWULGJH EDVHG V\VWHP WR PL[ WRJHWKHU D VLQJOH GRVH RI D WLQFWXUH SUHFLVHO\ IRUPXODWHG WR ĆW \RXU IDFH RQ WKH GD\ ,WèOO HYHQ DGMXVW WKH PL[ IRU PRUQLQJ RU HYHQLQJ DSSOLFDWLRQ DQG LI \RXèUH JRLQJ RXW DQG DERXW \RX FDQ GHWDFK WKH PLUURUHG WUD\ RQ WRS DQG WDNH LW ZLWK \RX 0RUH IHDWXUHV VWLOO DUH SODQQHG WR be added in the next year. $TBC, loreal.com

JBL L82 CLASSIC 7KH PXFK ODUJHU / &ODVVLFV GURSSHG ODVW \HDU DQG EOHZ XV DZD\ ZLWK WKHLU VRXQG TXDOLW\ DQG XQLTXH UHWUR VW\OLQJ å QRZ WKHVH FKHDSHU IURQW SRUWHG ERRNVKHOI VSHDNHUV ORRN VHW WR EULQJ WKDW YLQWDJH H[SHULHQFH WR IDU PRUH OLVWHQLQJ URRPV &ODG LQ ZDOQXW YHQHHU ZLWK D YHU\ FRRO VHJPHQWHG 4XDGUH[ IRDP IURQW JULOOH LQ HLWKHU RUDQJH EOXH RU EODFN WKHUHèV OLWWOH DUJXLQJ ZLWK WKHLU VW\OH å DQG WKH VRXQG VKRXOG EH QR VORXFK HLWKHU (DFK VSHDNHU KDV DQ LQGLYLGXDO DWWHQXDWRU IRU OLWWOH WZHDNV DQG -%/èV H[SHULHQFH DQG SRLVH LQ WKH HLJKW LQFK ORXGVSHDNHU ZRUOG VSHDNV IRU LWVHOI US$2,500, jblsynthesis.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

LG SIGNATURE ZX 77 7KH . ZDU LV ZHOO DQG WUXO\ RQ /*èV ćDJVKLS SDQHO LV DQ 2/(' ZRQGHU DOO FRQWUDVW DQG EULJKWQHVV DQG FRORXU $W LQFKHV FRUQHU WR FRUQHU ZLWK VXSHU VOLP EH]HOV DQG RQH RI WKH WKLQQHVW SURĆOHV \RXèUH HYHU OLNHO\ WR VHH LW PLJKW HYHQ ĆW LQWR \RXU KRXVH 7KH WKLUG JHQHUDWLRQ RI /*èV D SURFHVVRU SURPLVHV DQ LPSHFFDEOH SLFWXUH WRR ZLWK IRXU VWHS QRLVH UHGXFWLRQ LQFUHDVLQJ VKDUSQHVV 'ROE\ 9LVLRQ VXSSRUW IRU DPD]LQJ +'5 DQG $, EDVHG XSVFDOLQJ WXUQLQJ OHVVHU SLFWXUH VRXUFHV LQWR D YLVXDO IHDVW 7KH =; HYHQ VXSSRUWV 1YLGLD * 6\QF DQG )UHH6\QF IRU D PDVVLYH JDPLQJ H[SHULHQFH $TBC, lg.com

LG CORDZEROTHINQ A9 WITH POWER DRIVE MOP

LULUPET AI SMART LITTER BOX

0RSSLQJ" 9DFXXPLQJ" *HW D GHYLFH WKDW FDQ GR ERWK 6ZLWFK RXW WKH 3RZHU 'ULYH 1R]]OH KHDG IRU WKH QHZO\ GHYHORSHG 3RZHU 'ULYH 0RS RQ /*èV VXSHU VWLFN DQG \RX FDQ JR IURP FDUSHWHG ćRRUV WR KDUG VXUIDFHV LQ DQ LQVWDQW 7KH GXDO SXUSRVH 6PDUW ,QYHUWHU 0RWRU SURPLVHV VXSHULRU VXFWLRQ WR JHW WKH MRE GRQH DQG D VPDUW FKDUJLQJ VWDQG PHDQV FRQYHQLHQW VWRUDJH IRU WKH &RUG=HUR LWVHOI DV ZHOO DV LWV DFFHVVRULHV Ã¥ RQH RI ZKLFK LV DQ H[WUD EDWWHU\ SDFN HQVXULQJ \RX FDQ NHHS FOHDQLQJ XQWLO WKH MREèV GRQH $599, lg.com

This is no ordinary litter box. It’s “the ZRUOGèV ĆUVW OLWWHU ER[ ZLWK EXLOW LQ VWRRO DQG XULQH LPDJH >UHFRJQLWLRQ@ DQG H[FUHWRU\ EHKDYLRUDO DOJRULWKPVë :KDW GRHV WKDW PHDQ" %DVLFDOO\ HYHU\ WLPH \RXU FDW SRSV LQVLGH WR GR LWV EXVLQHVV WKH 6PDUW /LWWHU %R[ ZLOO JDWKHU GDWD DERXW \RXU FDWèV EHKDYLRXU DQG WKH DSSHDUDQFH RI LWV SRR 2QFH LWèV FUXQFKHG WKH QXPEHUV LWèOO EH DEOH WR PDNH MXGJHPHQWV RI \RXU FDWèV KHDOWK DQG ZHOO EHLQJ JLYLQJ \RX D VOLJKWO\ RGGO\ JOHDQHG LI ZHèUH KRQHVW KHDGV XS RQ LI \RXU FDW PLJKW QHHG D YHW WULS $TBC, lulupet.com.tw AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 2 9

2020’s gadget wishlist

MOTOROLA BOLT SMART SAFE

HONOR MAGICWATCH 2

E Essential ti l ffor any security-conscious it i smart home, Motorola’s wallmountable Bolt can be opened from anywhere, it can alert you to tampering attempts, and it’ll even tell you if you’ve forgotten to secure your valuables. Perfect for keeping those precious items locked away from snooping visitors, but designed to offer easy access when and if you need them, the Bolt can be opened through its app, its keypad, or by using a key. And if you’re going to stick one in a cupboard, the Flex (also $129) is the same thing, just with extendable bracing wings. US$129, smartsafe.com

$ ĆWQHVV IRFXVHG VPDUWZDWFK IXOO\ ZDWHUSURRI DQG VHQVRU ĆOOHG IRU a bargain price. Honor leans more WRZDUGV ĆWQHVV KHUH EXW WKRVH functions are out of this world. Modes for triathlon and open water swimming make good use of the heart rate tracker and calorie burning stats, and when you go running you get a whole raft more, complete with a built-in performance coach and post-run feedback. The latter can tell you what work you’ve done, yes, but also advise on how much you’ve improved and how long you’ll need to rest between sessions. Neat. $271, hihonor.com

DELTA DORE ONSEN Depending on your household, this will either elicit a ‘Why?’ or a ‘Why on earth didn’t they think of this before?’. The Onsen is an AI-powered hot water manager that integrates g hot water heater. It uses that AI brain with y your existing to recognise how much hot water your family uses and at ZKDW WLPHV ĆULQJ XS WKH ERLOHU ZKHQ LW WKLQNV \RXèOO QHHG it to ensure there’s always enough of the warm stuff to go around. Yes, there are boring energy-saving functions and monitoring abilities to allow you to set a budget, but the fact that you’ll never be forced to take a cold shower even LIb\RXèUH ODVW LQ WKH EDWKURRP WUXPSV DOO RI WKHP $TBC, deltadore.co.uk 3 0 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

MSI CREATOR 17 We’re sick of gaming machines taking all the limelight. As is MSI, it seems: this Intel Core i7 laptop for creators packs a huge amount of power, the option of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, and squeezes it into a thin, beautiful brushed aluminium package. Tough enough to live in your bag, and heavy enough in the battery department to see you through a solid seven hours of hardcore creativity, the real boon is the screen, a huge 17-inch 4K Mini-LED display with localised dimming and full 1000HDR rating – it’s basically a high-end telly on your laptop. The world’s best movie and creative laptop? Looks like it‌ $TBC, msi.com

ARLO PRO 3 FLOODLIGHT

NIKON COOLPIX P950

There’s no arguing with Arlo’s ability in the security camera market, and this revision of the Arlo Pro 3 doesn’t stray too far from its source material. It’s still packing colour night vision, a 2K HDR sensor and completely wireless operation (including battery power) – but now there’s a massive 2,000 lumen ćRRGOLJKW RQ ERDUG JLYLQJ \RX DQ H[WUD (and highly customisable) security boost. You can set it to come on when the internal sensor notices it’s turned GDUN ćDVK RU SXOVDWH WKDW OLJKW EDVHG on custom automations, link it to the motion sensor, or even hardwire it for an extra 1,000 lumen boost. $TBC, arlo.com

Making a solid case that a bridge camera is all you actually need when you’re out and about, the CoolPix P950 is just about the most versatile all-inone we’ve ever seen. It’s capable in the shooting department thanks to a 16MP sensor (with raw output), and has great video options (4K at 30fps, time-lapse, a built-in microphone jack, et al), all backed by Nikon’s advanced vibration reduction. Handy considering how far you’ll be able to see: that massive lens totes a huge 83x optical zoom, doubled to 166x if you use a little digital trickery. That’s just ridiculous: there is no wildlife you won’t be able to shoot. $1,399, nikon.com.au

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2020’s gadget wishlist

CELESTRON STARSENSE DX 130 $FWXDOO\ ĆQGLQJ \RXU ZD\ DURXQG WKH QLJKW VN\ ZLWK D WHOHVFRSH FDQ EH D UHDO GUDJ 7KH SURFHVV RI PDQXDOO\ DOLJQLQJ D VFRSH RU GLDOOLQJ LQ HYHU\ OLWWOH WKLQJ DERXW \RXU ORFDWLRQ" 1R PRUH &HOHVWURQèV '; LQ FRQMXQFWLRQ ZLWK WKH 6WDU6HQVH ([SORUHU DSS ZLOO GR LW DOO IRU \RX 3RLQW \RXU SKRQH DW WKH VN\ DQG LWèOO DQDO\VH WKH VWDUV WR ZRUN RXW ZKHUH \RX DUH WKHQ LWèOO WHOO \RX ZKDW \RX PLJKW EH DEOH WR VHH Ã¥ HYHQ LI \RXèUH VWXFN LQ WKH LQQHU FLW\ 7DS \RXU WDUJHW DQG LWèOO KHOS \RX JXLGH WKLV VFRSHèV JHQHURXV ĆYH LQFK UHćHFWRU WR SUHFLVHO\ WKH ULJKW DQJOH 6PDUW $TBC, celestron.com

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2020’s gadget wishlist

FOCAL AL CHORA 826 826-D D

VIZIO ELEVATE SOUNDBAR

Pouring its extensive knowledge of speaker tech – and the vast success of the Chora Hi-Fi range – into the home cinema sector, French audio brand Focal is now set to transform your living room with a set of Dolby Atmos loudspeakers made for the small screen. Combining the company’s precise aluminium/magnesium alloy 71) WZHHWHU ZLWK LWV XQLTXH 6ODWHĆEHU cones in the mid- and low-range, you get the same sound Focal is famed for ZLWK WKH DGGLWLRQ RI XSĆULQJ VSHDNHUV for a three-dimensional upgrade. Check RXW )RFDOèV ORZ SURĆOH &KRUD 6XUURXQG speakers to complete the package. $1,506 (pair), amazon.com

Making the most of the small amount of real estate a soundbar has to play with, Vizio’s engineers have added a literal twist to the form. Fire a Dolby Atmos source through the 48-inch Elevate and the speakers on either end rotate to face your ceiling for that added height element; at other times they move to face forward, adding additional punch to standard 5.1 or stereo sources. There’s also automatic voice assistant detection, meaning you can hook up your Echo or Assistant device through the Elevate and have it respond no matter what source is currently routed through it. $TBC, vizio.com

OMRON COMPLETE Both a blood pressure monitor and an ECG in a single device (hence the name ‘Complete’), Omron’s all-in-one heart health tracker is perfect for those keeping close tabs on their cardiac condition. The addition of that ECG, accessed by using the two touch-based electrodes on the base unit, means it can monitor a whole host more statistics. Bluetooth connectivity to the accompanying Omron Connect app (which feeds into Apple Health and so on) makes storing your results absolutely straightforward, for sharing with your doctor or reviewing over time. $87, omron-healthcare.com

PANASONIC HZ2000 Panasonic recently announced it is pulling out of the Australian TV market, bit we’re hoping this model makes it here before that fateful day. When you’re watching the latest blockbuster on your bright, contrasty, colourful and HDRORYLQJ 79 DUH \RX DFWXDOO\ ZDWFKLQJ WKDW ĆOP WKHbZD\ LWèV PHDQW WR EH VHHQ" 3DQDVRQLFèV QHZHVWbćDJVKLSb2/(' GRHV WZHDN WKH SLFWXUH slightly from last year’s GZ2000, with a natural colour tone and a whole load of HDR support (including Dolby Vision IQ), but it’s the Filmmaker Mode that promises the most perfect results. Cutting out motion processing and setting the levels just as they were intended to be, you’ll see the movie exactly as the director wanted it to look – through a great looking, extremely well appointed 4K TV. $TBC, panasonic.com

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2020’s gadget wishlist

ORAL-B IO 2UDO % KDV EHHQ UHĆQLQJ VPDUW WRRWKEUXVKHV IRU D ZKLOH LQFOXGLQJ ODVW \HDUèV $, SRZHUHG *HQLXV ; 1RZ LWèV JRLQJ HYHQ IXUWKHU WKH L2 ZLWK D ZKROH QHZ VHW RI $, VHQVLELOLWLHV EXLOGV D VPDUW DVVLVWDQW ULJKW LQWR WKH EUXVK LWVHOI VPLOLQJ DQG ZLQNLQJ DW \RX LI \RX GR D JRRG MRE VFUXEELQJ WKRVH SHDUO\ ZKLWHV RU IURZQLQJ VKRXOG \RX SUHVV WRR KDUG +HDG WR \RXU SKRQH IRUbDQ H[SDQGHG H[SHULHQFH ZLWK UHDO WLPH WUDFNLQJ DQG FRDFKLQJ RI \RXU WHFKQLTXH KRZHYHU \RX XVH LW WKH IULFWLRQOHVV PDJQHWLF GULYH RI WKH EUXVK KHDG SURPLVHV LPSURYHG UHVXOWV $TBC, io.oralb.com

ATGAMES LEGENDS ULTIMATE :LWK JDPHV RQ ERDUG FRYHULQJ FRQVROH DQG DUFDGH FODVVLFV $W*DPHVè IXOO VL]H DUFDGH FDELQHW LVQèW VKRUW RQ IXQ ,WèV FDSDEOH WRR ZLWK D FRQWURO SDQHO FRYHUHG LQ EXWWRQV VSLQQHUV DQG D WUDFNEDOO DORQJ ZLWK +'0, DQG 86% H[SDQVLRQ SRUWV :KDWèV VSHFLDO WKRXJK LV KRZ PXFK IXUWKHU \RX FDQ WDNH LW \RX FDQ SOXJ LQ D GULYH WR DGG \RXU RZQ JDPHV KRRN LW XS WR WKH VXEVFULSWLRQ EDVHG $UFDGH1HW VHUYLFH WR VWUHDP H[WUD JDPHV IURP $W*DPHVè RZQ VHUYHUV RU HYHQ VWUHDP WLWOHV \RX DOUHDG\ RZQ RQ 6WHDP RU 2ULJLQ US$600, atgames.us

PRINKER S $ ERQNHUV FRQFHSW IRU VXUH WKH 3ULQNHU 6 EDVLFDOO\ WDNHV WKH LGHD RI DQ LQNMHW SULQWHU GRHV DZD\ ZLWK WKDW SHVN\ SDSHU DQG DSSOLHV SULQWV GLUHFWO\ RQWR WKH VNLQ 8VH WKH DSS WR VNHWFK RXW \RXU GHVLJQ RU XSORDG VRPHWKLQJ IURP \RXU FRPSXWHU VHQG LW WR WKH 3ULQNHU 6 VZLSH LW RYHU \RXU VNLQ DQG LWèOO DSSO\ ZDWHU UHVLVWDQW EXW VRDS VROXEOH WHPSRUDU\ WDWWRRV ZKHUHYHU \RX ZDQW WKHP $QG LWèV LQVWDQW å \RX PRYH LW RYHU \RXU VNLQ DV LI \RX ZHUH EUXVKLQJ DZD\ VRPH OLQW *UHDW IRU WHVWLQJ D GHVLJQ \RX PLJKW ZDQW SHUPDQHQWO\ DQGbWKH\èOO ODVW D FRXSOH RI GD\V US$269, prinker.us Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

MSI OPTIX MAG342CQR &XUYHG VFUHHQV DUH HYHU\ZKHUH EXW WKDW FXUYH LV RIWHQ TXLWHbVXEWOH 1RW VR ZLWK 06,èV TXDQWXP GRW HQKDQFHG [ SDQHO ZKLFK KDV D 5 UDGLXV FXUYH WKDW ZH FDQ RQO\ GHVFULEH DV çYHU\ VWURQJè 06, UHFNRQV WKLV ERGDFLRXV EDQDQD EHQG PDWFKHV WKH FXUYDWXUH RI WKH KXPDQ H\HEDOO VR HYHU\ SDUW RI WKH VFUHHQ ZLOO ORRN QDWXUDO ,WèV XVLQJ D 6DPVXQJ PDGH LQFK 6XSHU 39$ SDQHO ZKLFK VKRXOG OHDG WR VRPH H[WUHPHO\ KLJK FRQWUDVW DQG ZKLOH ZH GRQèW \HW NQRZ ZKLFK FRORXU VSDFHV 06, ZLOO EH DLPLQJ WR PDWFK WKH FRPSDQ\ VD\V WKH 2SWL[ 0$* &45 FDQ GLVSOD\ RYHU D ELOOLRQ FRORXUV DFFXUDWHO\ $TBC, msi.com

KOHLER AQUIFER REFINE

SAMSUNG NOTE 10 LITE

,I \RXèUH XQOXFN\ HQRXJK WR EH LQ RQH RI WKRVH DUHDV ZKHUH WKH ZDWHU LVQèW YHU\ DSSHWLVLQJ VWUDLJKW RXW RI WKH WDS .RKOHUèV VPDUW QHZ XSJUDGH RI LWV $TXLIHU SXULĆFDWLRQ V\VWHP FRXOG EH MXVW ZKDW \RXU WDVWH EXGV KDYH EHHQ ORRNLQJ IRU ,QVWDOO LW XQGHU WKH VLQN DQG LWèOO JLYH \RX WKUHH VWDJH ĆOWHUHG ZDWHU FXWWLQJ RXW VXFK QDVWLHV DV OHDG PHUFXU\ EDFWHULD DQG HYHQ VHOHFW SKDUPDFHXWLFDOV ULJKW ZKHQ \RX ZDQW D UHIUHVKLQJ JODVV ,W FRQQHFWV WR :L )L PHDQLQJ \RX FDQ NHHS WDEV RQ ĆOWHU OLIH DQG ZDWHU XVDJH WKURXJK \RXU SKRQH DQG LW FDQ HYHQ DOHUW \RX RI SUHVVXUH GURSV DQG OHDNV $TBC, kohler.com

/DWH LQ WKH 1RWH èV OLIH WKLV PD\ EH EXW WKLV /LWH YDULDQW LV VHW WR EULQJ WKDW 6 3HQ ORYH WR WKH PDVVHV FRPLQJ LQ DW D FKHDSHU DV \HW XQNQRZQ UHWDLO SULFH 7KHUH DUH WLQ\ FRPSURPLVHV EXW GRQèW EH IRROHG LQWR WKLQNLQJ WKLV LVQèW D ZRQGURXV SLHFH RI SKRQH KDUGZDUH WKH VFUHHQ KDV ORVW LWV FXUYH DQG GURSSHG IURP 4+' WR )XOO +' EXW LWèV VXSHU EULJKW DQG FRQWUDVW ULFK WKH 6b3HQ KDV ORVW LWV PRUH JLPPLFN\ UHPRWH FRQWURO IHDWXUHV EXW LV VWLOO DPD]LQJ IRU SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG QRWH WDNLQJ LWèV UXQQLQJ D 1RWH HUD FKLSVHW EXW WKDWèV EDFNHG XS E\ D PDVVLYH EDWWHU\ $899, samsung.com AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 3 3

2020’s gadget wishlist

D-LINK DCS-8000LHV2 MINI FULL HD WI-FI CAMERA

SHINE BATHROOM ASSISTANT

Mini is absolutely right, as D-Link has somehow squashed a whole lot of camera into a very slender and (barring the 138º lens) discreet cylinder. It has a Full HD sensor along with motion detection, sound detection and night vision – and it also marks the debut of D-Link’s AI-powered person detection algorithm, perfect for keeping a secure eye on pets. Tuning into what the camera is seeing is easy as it conforms to the ONVIF IP camera standard, but 128-bit encryption means nobody else will be spying on your home. $TBC, dlink.com

Hands up who loves giving the toilet a good old clean? We thought as much: thank goodness the Shine Bathroom Assistant will soon be here. Fill its tank with water and it’ll sense when WKH WRLOHW KDV EHHQ ćXVKHG LWèOO WKHQ ĆUH WKDW ZDWHU WKURXJK D VSHFLDO HOHFWURO\VLQJ ĆOWHU DQG EODVW LW LQWR \RXU toilet bowl, cleaning and deodorising things without any detergent, soap, bleach or (crucially) intervention from you. And if there’s a problem with your toilet it’ll let you know – and even tell \RX KRZ WR Ć[ LW $TBC, shinebathroom.com

SAMSUNG Q950TS While Samsung could have gone utterly nuts with the GHVLJQ RI LWV . ćDJVKLS 4/(' WKH .RUHDQ JLDQW KDV VDYHG PRVW RI WKDW LQVDQLW\ IRU WKH YHUWLFDO 6HUR KHUH LW KDV LQVWHDGbRSWHG IRU EHDXWLIXO UHĆQHPHQW (YHU\ SRVVLEOH micron has been shaved from its bezels so it looks like the VFUHHQ LV ćRDWLQJ DQ LQWHJUDWHG VLGH WRS DQG EDFN ĆULQJ VSHDNHU DUUD\ UHSODFHV WKH LII\ GRZQĆUHUV RI LWV SUHYLRXV 4/(' ELJ ER\ D QHZO\ XSGDWHG 4XDQWXP 3URFHVVRU JLYHV even better upscaling, and there’s even integration with the Samsung Health app. At just 15mm thick, this is a TV that will attract attention before you even switch it on. $TBC, samsung.com

TECHNICS EAH-AZ70W TWS Promising the most advanced noisecancelling setup going – with what Technics is FDOOLQJ 'XDO +\EULG DQ DSS DGMXVWDEOH PL[ RI feedforward, feedback, analogue and digital ĆOWHULQJ å WKHVH WUXH ZLUHOHVV EXGV ORRN VHW to offer some impressive sounds. They’re powered by a huge 10mm graphene driver, with a special acoustic chamber able to alter DLUćRZ DQG H[DFWO\ VKDSH WKH DXGLR JRLQJ to your ears. They support simultaneous left and right transmission, which should prevent signal loss for those with particularly Bluetooth-proof bodies. $TBC, technics.com

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TOSHIBA SMART MICROWAVE If you’re clattering around the kitchen, the chances are your hands could be covered with something you don’t want slathered on all your appliances. No worries: Toshiba’s as-yet unnamed microwave can take voice direction IURP ERWK $OH[D DQG WKH *RRJOH Assistant, allowing you to start, stop, pause or set cooking times just by asking nicely. That’s not its only smart function, either. There’s a built-in sensor which will take a look at your food and react to the level of humidity it’s emitting, adjusting cooking times and power levels to ensure your beans don’t go nuclear. $TBC, toshiba.com

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2020’s gadget wishlist

PANASONIC SC-HTB01 GAMING SPEAKER Designed in conjunction with game publisher Square Enix for use with both a PC monitor and a TV, the SX-HTB01 clearly takes its visual cues from the standard soundbar layout. But it’s more than that: the virtual surround capabilities of the 2.1 channel system can be tuned to suit the game you’re playing. Hit up FPS mode, for example, and you’ll get accurate sound location so you know exactly where those footsteps and gunshots are coming from, and there are RPG and voice modes too. All this plus Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and DTS Virtual:X support, so it’ll be just as at home when playing a film. $TBC, panasonic.com

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2020’s gadget wishlist

W’AIR Stains are an inevitability. Bacteria builds up over time. Sloshing your tired clothes around in a washing machine won’t always get the job done – but shelling out for dry cleaning just to revive that favourite T-shirt simply doesn’t add up. W’air is a new take on clothing refreshment and stain UHPRYDO ĆULQJ D PLFURQLVHG VSUD\ of air, water and detergent from its ZDQG WKDW JHQWO\ EODVWV DZD\ WKH bad stuff and leaves your clothes or trainers clean. Good science – and because there’s minimal water usage, your freshly freshened garments will DLU GU\ LQ PLQXWHV $155, justwairit.com

WALABOT HOME If you’re caring for an elderly person, how do you know they’re okay? There are wearable alert devices and buttons, ZKLFK DUH ĆQH DV ORQJ DV WKH\ FDQ EH reached – or as long as the wearer is conscious. You might install a camera system, but that’s a massive invasion of privacy with no alert mechanism. Walabot HOME is a third way; it scans a room using radar imaging. If it detects a fall, it automatically gets in touch with emergency contacts to let them know. Nothing to wear, nothing to press, and nothing to worry about. A great idea. From US$99 plus subscription, walabot.com

PURIPOT AIRLAMP L PuriPot’s double-action tech allows you to clean the air DURXQG \RX ZLWK QR WLUHVRPH ĆOWHU UHSODFHPHQW DOO ZKLOH disguising itself (and, indeed working rather well) as a handy and not unattractive table lamp. Good riddance, clunky REWUXVLYH SXULĆHUV ,WV ZDVKDEOH SRO\HVWHU ĆOWHU PHWD GRSHG with a special photocatalyst, can apparently extract 50% PRUH GXVW WKDQ WUDGLWLRQDO +(3$ ĆOWHUV DQG WKH VHFRQG SDVV through a blue light sensitive chemical promises to break down volatile organic compounds. Perfect for keeping the air clean in your bedroom – and the airLamp can also extract unwanted odours, too. $TBC, puripot.com 3 6 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

WACOM ONE There’s a disconnect between pen and screen when it comes to creating art with a standard graphics tablet, and a disconnect between wallet and money where Wacom’s prolevel Cintiq displays are concerned. The One looks to strike the perfect balance between price and performance, giving you a scribble-happy 13-inch 1080p display suitable for Windows, Mac and even certain Android devices at a pretty attractive price. A matte display, coated in anti-glare material that positively enhances the drawing experience, means this is perfect for those who hate that pen-on-glass feel. $599, wacom.com

MSI AEGIS TI5

MOON ULTRALIGHT

Could MSI’s fully-loaded gaming desktop be the most Tron-esque PC ever? We’re not just talking the illumination, which makes this look a lot like an angry light cycle, but the futuristic specs: there’s a 5G modem, Wi-Fi 6 communication, outrageouslyequipped GPU and an interesting LCDequipped gaming dial on the front of the case that lets you quickly monitor stats. The cooling’s pretty, er, cool too, with the processors, video card, voltage regulator and power supply sectioned off for optimal chillage. $TBC, msi.com

Front-facing cameras are often unkind. You can be transformed into a washedout monster – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Some may see this light DWWDFKPHQW DV D OLWWOH VHOĆH LQGXOJHQW (sorry) but Moon’s cool accessory, happy to sit atop any modern smartphone or laptop, is just the ticket for front-facing snaps that really pop. It’s bright, with its brightness adjustable to suit the conditions, and you can tweak the colour temperature of its LED too, all by tapping or touching the edges of the UltraLight’s back. US$50, moonultra.com

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2020’s gadget wishlist

SONY 48-INCH A9 While we don’t yet know what it’ll cost, the realistically-sized 48-inch edition of Sony’s incredible A9 series looks set to be the company’s most affordable OLED TV yet. Don’t be fooled into thinking it skimps on the features, because what we do know is that 2020’s A9 is an even stronger screen than ever. Ambient Optimization adjusts the picture to match the atmosphere of your room, there’s Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on board, Sony’s Picture Processor X1 Ultimate chip handling upscaling and picture sharpening, and a pair of dedicated engines working on boosting contrast and smoothing motion. $TBC, sony.com.au

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State of the art

Mirrorless marvels

There’s a huge amount of mirrorless choice right now. These three new models are vying for your attention Words: Amy Davies Photography: Neil Godwin e’re now over a decade into the mirrorless revolution. They’ve all but overtaken the old DSLR for non-pros, with a diverse range of options to suit every need, budget and skill level. Standing out in this crowded market is no easy task. With every major manufacturer offering at least one line of mirrorless cameras, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. To that end, we’ve selected three models that are all interesting in their own ways.

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The Nikon Z 50 comes hot on the heels of its full-frame siblings, offering a more affordable, mass-market product that is ideal for travel. The Fujifilm X-Pro3 comes to the market without a main rear screen, promising to make you a more considered photographer and stop you endlessly checking your shots (there’s a hidden screen you can reveal if you need to), and finally the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III brings an attractively retro body, enticing specs and a neat little package inside a mature system.

These aren’t the only models that you might consider - far from it - but they’re all what could reasonably be called ‘mid-range’ cameras. These may or may not be your first serious or ‘proper’ camera, but they offer a decent range of specifications at a fairly affordable - or good value - price. You can find cheaper, but you can equally also find more expensive options. Without further ado, we take a closer look at what each of these mirrorless cameras has to offer.

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Brilliant Brightness. Crisp Colour. Dramatic Detail.

Home Theatre Projection Perfected. 4K PRO-UHD uses proprietary dedicated processors to deliver up to 300 inches of big screen entertainment right in your home, with the latest 4K experience*, razor-sharp images and DCI-3P cinema standard colour.

www.epson.com.au/4KPROUHD

*4K Enhancement Technology (4Ke) shifts each pixel diagonally to double the native panel Full HD (1920Ă—1080) resolution. Resolution is Full HD in 3D Mode.

State of the art

WHAT’S ON TEST…

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Fujifilm X-Pro3 A hidden screen, a hybrid electronic/ optical viewfinder, a well-regarded sensor from the X-T3 and a range of other interesting specs make this one of the most unusual mirrorless cameras of recent times. But will quirky design make for great results? $2,295 (body only), fujifilm-x.com

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Nikon Z 50 Available at a great price and with lots of features to like – including decent build quality and good handling – the Z 50 might be the newest APS-C mirrorless system on the block, but it’s easily one of the best out there. $1,579 (including kit lens), nikon.com.au

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Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III A versatile, well-rounded system that benefits from being in the market for some time. A wellrounded spec sheet makes it very appealing, but the Four Thirds sensor is smaller than the other two here, though. $1,798 (body only), olympus.com

SPECS

SPECS

SPECS

SENSOR 26.1MP APS-C BSI CMOS LENS MOUNT X Mount SCREEN Fold down hidden rear 3.0inch touch-sensitive LCD, 1.28-inch sub monitor VIEWFINDER Hybrid electronic & optical finder VIDEO 4K 30fps

SENSOR 20.9MP APS-C (DX format) CMOS LENS MOUNT Z Mount SCREEN 3.2-inch tilting TFT touchsensitive LCD VIEWFINDER 0.39-inch OLED electronic viewfinder VIDEO 4K 30fps

SENSOR 20.4MP Live MOS Four Thirds LENS MOUNT Micro Four Thirds SCREEN 3.0-inch vary-angle touchsensitive LCD VIEWFINDER 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder VIDEO 4K 30fps

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Mirrorless cameras PRODUCT 01:

FUJIFILM X-PRO3

FUJIFILM X-PRO3 With a hidden main screen, this camera aims to appeal to traditionalists here are generally two styles of Fujifilm mirrorless cameras. There’s those that look a little like smaller DSLRs, with the viewfinder centrally mounted and offering a large, deep grip. By contrast, the X Pro series is a flatter, rangefinder style design, with the viewfinder in the left-hand corner. The X-Pro has always been the model most beloved by traditionalists, but for the X-Pro3, Fujifilm has taken that one step further by removing the main screen from view altogether. Aiming to give a similar to experience to shooting with an analogue camera, the only thing you’ll see on the small rear screen on the back of the camera is a selection of shooting settings (such as film simulation mode, battery life and remaining shots). Aiming to stop photographers from ‘chimping’ (constantly looking at your images in playback in between shots), you can access a screen by pulling the back down to reveal a hidden device. It’s one of those things that you’re either likely to think is completely insane, or you’ll fall in love with it. One thing’s for sure - it’s different - and it’s hard to say that about any other current mirrorless camera. The viewfinder is another oddity too, offering both electronic and optical via the flick of a switch - something for both traditionalists and those with more modern sensibilities.

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You can access a screen by pulling the back down to reveal a hidden device

It takes a bit of getting used to working with the X-Pro3, but if you’re someone who likes the idea of getting back to photography’s roots, you’ll likely love it Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Aside from this unusual feature, there are plenty of other specifications to like too. It’s unlikely to be picked up by sports and action photographers, but with up to 20fps available (or 30fps with a crop), fast shooting can come in handy in certain situations. As we’ve come to expect from Fujifilm, images directly from the camera show excellent colour, and with plenty of different film simulations available, there’s something to suit every taste, too. Detail is very nicely rendered, while exposures are generally well balanced in most situations. On the whole, handling is good, with a good amount of direct access dials for settings such as shutter speed, exposure compensation and aperture. Other settings can be accessed via the ‘Q’ button - but you will either need to look through the viewfinder or flip down the screen to see the menu. A small joystick comes in handy for changing the AF point. This is probably not a camera we’d recommend for first-timers, but anybody with a little experience especially Fujifilm fans of course - will find a lot to like. AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 41

State of the art PRODUCT 02:

NIKON Z 50

NIKON Z50

A new baby for the Z system that’s particularly ideal for travel ikon has already proved its worth in the mirrorless market, with its fantastic fullframe Z 7 and Z 6 cameras introduced in 2018. The natural next step was to bring out a more consumer-friendly mass market option, which now appears in the form of the smaller sensor (APS-C) Z 50. A 20.9-megapixel sensor is at the heart of this camera, which essentially distils everything we liked about its full-frame siblings, but puts it in a smaller and lighter body. Importantly, it has the same lens mount as the Z 6 and the Z 7, so you can share lenses between the cameras. Handy if you want to pick this up to use as a backup or travel camera to your full-frame ‘main camera’. Alternatively if you later decide to upgrade to a full-frame Z series model, you’ll be able to take along any glass you’ve accumulated along the way. As well as shrinking the body, the price has also been dramatically reduced - good news if you’re putting your cash towards your travels. Despite its small size, the Z 50 still handles well, with a useful number of dials and buttons across its diminutive body. A small section of the screen is blocked off for virtual touchscreen options too, so that helps with the feeling of it being uncramped. All three of the cameras in this round-up have completely different screens. The Z 50’s 3.2-inch LCD is touch-sensitive but it only tilts up and down. This is great for quickly adjusting for awkward framing, but it’s not so

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Detail is very well rendered, with accurate, well-balanced exposures handy for portrait-format images. On the plus side, it tilts all the way down to face forward - useful for selfies. When not using the screen, you’ll probably want to work with the 0.39-inch, 2360k-dot electronic viewfinder. It’s not quite as bright and clear as the Fujifilm X-Pro3’s, but it’s still very useable nonetheless. Other useful features of the Z 50 include a micro-USB charging port, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for using the camera with the free Snapbridge app, and a single SD card slot (Nikon has ditched the more expensive and harder to find XQD cards for its cheaper model). Despite the smaller sensor than its full-frame siblings, the Z 50 is still very capable of producing excellent imagery. Detail is very well rendered, with accurate, well-balanced exposures and vibrant colours. It isn’t the world’s best camera for action sequences (none of these cameras is), but it’s more than enough for capturing relatively easy-to-follow subjects, such as pets, kids and sedate sports. For static subjects, autofocusing in general is quick and accurate in most scenarios. 4 2 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

The Nikon Z 50 brings the quality of Nikon’s bigger and more expensive cameras down to a more pocket- (and wallet-) friendly model Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Mirrorless cameras OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5 MARK III

PRODUCT 03:

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5 MARK III A well-rounded, easy to transport model – but with a smallish sensor fter being one of the pioneers of mirrorless, Olympus has been a little quiet of late. Still, it’s been plodding along in the background making reliable and decent all-rounders, with a respectable set of useful specifications. The OM-D E-M5 Mark III is awkwardly named, but it brings with it a number of high-end specifications including best-in-class five-axis image stabilisation, swift autofocusing and a light body that’s weather-sealed. Being a Micro Four Thirds camera, this model has a smaller sensor than the others in this group. There are both upsides and downsides to that. While image quality in lower light conditions might not be on par, and it’s harder to create very shallow depth of field effects, it means that the overall system is pleasingly dinky. It’s easy to pack the OM-D E-M5 Mark III and several lenses in a small bag, giving you lots of flexibility for shooting in a variety of different shooting situations. Despite the small body, the control layout is fairly well-spaced, with a retro design which is likely to appeal to those with a penchant for the traditional. That said, the rear buttons are a little on the small side.

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The design may appeal to those with a penchant for the traditional

The electronic viewfinder is impressively bright and offers a clear view of the scene. You can even switch on an optical viewfinder simulation if you like Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Again, this is not really a camera which is likely to be picked up by sports enthusiasts, but with up to 10fps available with continuous autofocus, it’s not too shabby for some moving subjects. One of the most impressive aspects of this camera is the five-axis image stabilisation, which gives you scope to shoot handheld for very slow shutter speeds. This gives you the option to keep the ISO nice and low for pleasingly noise-free images, helping somewhat to overcome the fact that the sensor is smaller than the other two models here. Vloggers may also like it. It can shoot in Cinema 4K, and with a fully articulating a screen which faces all the way forward you can frame yourself to perfection. The most important aspect of any camera is how well it delivers images. Here, the OM-D E-M5 Mark III does very well, but it’s slightly behind in the low-light stakes. How often you shoot in low light may depend on how much this bothers you - and it’s still very possible to take attractive low-light shots so long as you don’t obsess over every pixel. AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 4 3

State of the art VERDICT:

1st

THE OVERALL WINNER IS…

BEST ON TEST

NIKON Z 50 $1,579, nikon.com.au

WE’RE IMPRESSED Same lens mount as other Z cameras; easy handling including a deep grip; tilting touch; VHQVLWLYH VFUHHQ YHU\ XVDEOH YLHZĆQGHU JRRG YDOXH IRU PRQH\ FDQ XVH H[LVWLQJ '6/5 OHQVHV YLD DQ DGDSWHU WE’D IMPROVE Only a single card slot; tilting screen can’t be XVHG ZLWK WULSRG UHODWLYHO\

OLPLWHG QXPEHU RI QDWLYH OHQVHV IRU QRZ THE LAST WORD The newest mirrorless system here is also LQbPDQ\ ZD\V WKH PRVW ZHOO URXQGHG *RRG KDQGOLQJ DQG H[FHOOHQW SLF TXDOLW\ DUH HQWLFLQJ – when more lenses become DYDLODEOH LWèOO EH HYHQ EHWWHU

OLYMPUS OM-D E-M5 MARK II

FUJIFILM X-PRO3

$1,798, olympus.com.au

IXMLĆOP [ FRP

2nd

3rd

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FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A CAMERA 01 LENS RANGE Take a look at a company’s website to see which optics they offer, especially if you’re after something specialist, such as an ultra-wide angle or macro lens. Newer systems will offer fewer options – of our cameras, that’s most relevant to the Nikon. Adapters are available, but these can case issues with automated lens features.

02 VIEWFINDER Not all mirrorless cameras DUHbHTXLSSHG ZLWK EXLOW LQ 4 4 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

YLHZĆQGHUV ,I \RXèUH MXPSLQJ from a smartphone, you might not be that bothered, but a YLHZĆQGHU LV WKH SUHIHUUHG ZD\ to compose for many. The vast PDMRULW\ RI PLUURUOHVV FDPHUD YLHZĆQGHUV DUH HOHFWURQLF (meaning they’re tiny screens), compared to the optical versions found on DSLRs.

03 SCREEN How the screen operates is worth considering. Some VFUHHQV DUH Ć[HG DQG GRQèW move, while others tilt or fully

articulate. The latter is the PRVWbćH[LEOH IRU VKRRWLQJ DW DOO different kinds of angles and still seeing what you’re actually shooting, and is also useful for YLGHR ZRUN DQG VHOĆHV

04 VIDEO 9LGHR VSHFLĆFDWLRQV DUH DQ important selling point for many cameras now. They pretty much all offer 4K video, but if you’re seriously into your videography, you might want to check out frame rates, limitations for length of recording, whether or

not the camera offers Cinema 4K (which captures a slightly higher resolution) and so on.

05 BATTERY LIFE One area where mirrorless cameras haven’t yet caught up with DSLRs is battery life. That said, they’re getting better and better all the time. If you’re someone who likes to shoot lots of frames in any given day, pay DWWHQWLRQ WR WKH TXRWHG EDWWHU\ life - and think about investing in a second battery or an on-thego charger option.

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Mirrorless cameras

5

ESSENTIAL ADD-ONS

Some extra goodies to help you make the most of your new mirrorless camera

01

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BILLINGHAM HADLEY SMALL PRO

You’ve got the camera, maybe a set RIbOHQVHV DQG DFFHVVRULHV å QRZ \RX QHHG something to put it in. The classic stylings of a British-made Billingham bag has timeless appeal, and is highly durable to boot. Available in a range of colours, you’ll be able WR ĆW ORWV RI JHDU LQ WKH +DGOH\ 6PDOO $371, billingham.co.uk

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LEXAR PROFESSIONAL 256GB SDXC UHS-II

All of the cameras in this test accept 6' FDUGV *R IRU D 8+6 ,, FDUG IRU WKH fastest speeds. Plenty are available, but for reliability, well-known brands give you peace of mind. This 256GB card will give you plenty of space for all your pictures and 4K videos. $118, lexar.com

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BENRO GOPLUS TRAVEL FGP18A+B0

4

ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD PHOTOGRAPHY PLAN

5

MATIN NEOPRENE COMFORT STRAP

04

Once you’ve taken all those fantastic photos, editing them is the next task. With a Creative Cloud subscription you’ll always have the latest industry-standard software to hand. 20GB of cloud storage is included, or you can pay extra for 1TB. From $29.99/month, adobe.com/au

05

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Want something more comfortable than the camera strap that comes bundled into the box? Try this strap with its thick and ćH[LEOH QHRSUHQH QHFN SDG 7KHUH DUH DOVR quick-release clips that you can use to transform a neck strap into a hand strap. $29.95, amazon.com.au AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 4 5

IMAGE SOURCES: BILLINGHAM, LEXAR, BENRO, ADOBE, MATIN

,I \RXèUH VHULRXV DERXW \RXU VQDSSLQJ but still want to keep it (relatively) light, then this tripod is a fantastic portable option. Not the smallest, but it also includes a built-in monopod for extra versatility. $169, benroeu.com

T3 talk

T3 TALK

LEWIS HAMILTON

The record-breaking F1 driver (and 5G ambassador for Vodafone) tells us about the tech he can’t live without, designing his own watch, and how watching races will change Interview: Matt Evans Photography: Nathan Gallagher

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Lewis Hamilton

WHAT PERSONAL TECH DO YOU RELY ON THE MOST WHEN TRAVELLING THE WORLD? “I need my phone. I can never go anywhere without it. It’s naturally the single most important thing I have. It connects me, it keeps me going… within my business, but also connecting me with my friends and family, which is really difficult otherwise, particularly as I travel as much as I do. “My headphones. I travel with my Bose [Noise Cancelling Headphones] 700 everywhere I go. Honestly, I listen to music every single day. I don’t know if I could live without that.”

WHAT OTHER TYPES OF TECH DO YOU TRAVEL WITH? “Otherwise, I travel with a game case. I’ll have a games console – I travel with my PlayStation everywhere – so that when I get back to my hotel, if I’ve got time, I’ll play Call of Duty online with my friends. One of my friends is in LA, and one’s in Toronto, and one’s [in London] as well. So we just always link up on that.”

CLEARLY YOU LIKE GAMING. DO YOU THINK 5G WILL ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF MOBILE GAMING?

And I love watching movies. So I think gaming and a higher download speed. “I remember being on – I know it keeps going back to flying – but I’ve been on a flight trying to download a movie to my iPad just as it’s taking off, and it’s stopped with 10MB to go or something like that. Then I’m on a 12-hour flight without a movie, which is frustrating. So I guess it’s the connectivity, and everything being faster. I think people don’t appreciate just how much happier [5G] is going to make them. It’s going to become the norm.”

IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO A WILL.I.AM AND CREATE YOUR OWN TECH COMPANY, WHAT KIND OF THING WOULD YOU MAKE? “A technology company? Everything’s already been pretty much created. The easy thing for me would be to build a car, or design a car. I know everything there is for that. But how do you make a car that’s sustainable? How can you make it reliable? And also, a different kind of battery tech. “So battery technology is probably key right now. I think whoever gets that right is going to be the king. Battery technology is somethin they’re continuously workin on,

“I THINK THAT WHOEVER GETS BATTERY TECHNOLOGY RIGHT IS GOING TO BE KING”

“Massively. I was playing last night and my home internet went down. So I ended up using my phone. When a phone has 4G, it just has a bit of lag, especially when I’m connected to my friend’s server in California. So I get killed more. They’re so much quicker than some of the people they end up playing with. My friend tells me it’s because of the lag. So that’s always been a big issue with us. “I remember playing with my brother. We’d play racing cars. We used to always play online racing games, and there was so much lag. We always wanted the fastest internet we could get. To hear this is coming out is going to be a game-changer in terms of how smoothly that runs.”

ARE THERE OTHER ADVANTAGES OF 5G THAT YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO? “Gaming is definitely the biggest one for me, given that I travel as much as I do. But also, as I’m travelling all the time, the phone is really where it’s at. I’d love to be able to stream movies off my phone… When you’re in the airport and you’re having to wait as long as you do, or if you’re in a hotel – you know, I’d say 92% of hotels usually have crap movies. Or don’t even have movie services. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

and it’s quite damaging, the process of making these batteries still. “If I had the money, and I had the backing, and if I found the most intelligent people, I think it’d be that. On the one hand, what I’m most interested in is naturally making a car that looks cool and is, you know, the most efficient car around.”

SPEAKING OF LOOKING COOL, WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE WATCHES AT THE MOMENT? “So I actually partnered with [Swiss watchmaker] IWC, and I have a watch that’s just about to come out. It’s taken a long time

to develop. I’m massively into watches. My first watch was like a Mickey Mouse watch from, I think, Disneyland. And then I had calculator watches when I was at school. “What’s kind of crazy is that timing is what I’m chasing in my job. I’m chasing time, so it’s quite a cool synergy. I think it’s the ultimate accessory for an athlete, you know? That’s why I have a few watches.”

HOW INVOLVED WERE YOU IN THE OVERALL DESIGN PROCESS FOR THAT WATCH? “Basically, to design a watch from scratch takes a long time. There’s up to 500 pieces in there, for these watches. So they weren’t open to me completely starting from scratch. I had to take one of [the existing designs] that I liked – it’s called the Big Pilot’s Watch – and then I got into the detail of changing the overall look of the watch, and changed the colour of the face. I wasn’t able to change the movement, but in some of the backing I was able to alter the weighting for the charging and that kind of stuff. “Generally, when I’m getting involved in projects, I like to get as heavily involved as I can, so I can learn. It’s super-easy to come in and they just say, ‘Here it is. Smile with it.’ But I really enjoy the whole collaboration. Working with a watch engineer is different to working with a race engineer. And that’s been quite an interesting experience. It’s beautiful. I look forward to you seeing it.”

YOU OBVIOUSLY LOVE FASHION, AND EVEN HAVE YOUR OWN LINE WITH TOMMY HILFIGER. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE SNEAKERS RIGHT NOW? “I grew up on Timberlands, but sneakerwise, as a kid, it was Jordans, which I have a collection of. I’m still a fan of Michael in general, as an athlete. He was just a legend. When I’m training, I only ever train with my Pumas, particularly for running. “Otherwise, the ones I wear most of the time, I really focus quite a lot on the ones I made with Tommy. They’re sustainable, which I really love. It’s something that’s quite a priority for me right now – really focusing on how I can help that. “So with my whole collection, I’m pushing towards being 100% sustainable. So, no leather. I’m not using any fur, for example. It’s all recycled down, and no plastic. The trainer that came out in the last collection is probably the most comfortable trainer I currently have. And it’s got a little extra height in it as well, which is always good when you’re running around.”

YOU’RE BIG INTO SUSTAINABILITY. WITH CARS, THIS IS BECOMING EVER MORE RELEVANT. DO YOU OWN AN ELECTRIC CAR? AND IF SO, AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 47

T3 talk

Above: Hamilton wears the Lewis Hamilton Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition Right: The watch from the rear, with mechanisms visible. There are only 100 available, so get your $90,000 ready

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Lewis Hamilton

“YOU COULD ACTUALLY RACE ME IN THE RACE, BUT VIRTUALLY FROM HOME” WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THIS SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY? “I have an electric Smart, which is a practical version of it. It’s fucking amazing. I’ve literally just ordered a new one. It’s super nippy. It’s easy to park anywhere. “I’m just waiting for more cars to be available with that kind of battery technology. I’ve not driven a Tesla, for example, but I know that Mercedes is coming out with some new cars. And next year, for example, I think the Maybach will have a hybrid engine. “But I like the full electric. So there’s a new EQC that Mercedes have just brought out, which I’m waiting for delivery for. So that’s going to be here in the UK, replacing the car that I usually use here.”

DO YOU EVER EXPERIENCE ANY ‘DISTANCE ANXIETY’ WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ELECTRIC CARS? “I’m staying at hotels all the time, so [the challenge] is finding an outlet to charge overnight. But currently, where I live in Monaco, where I currently charge it, it’s just in my garage. So to park it and plug it in is super-easy. “And then, yeah, I think it’s becoming more and more common. People are starting to install those at home regularly. I’ve actually bought a new place in the States. It had one of those charging ports, so I need to get an electric car there now.”

WHAT’S THE ONE PRODUCT IN YOUR HOME ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM THAT YOU CAN’T ACTUALLY LIVE WITHOUT? “In my home entertainment system? Well, I mean, I watch a lot of movies, so I can’t live without the TV. Watching Netflix on that. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

But then probably my sound system, I think. I stick it on a laptop and play music.”

YOU GO FOR THE WHOLE HOME CINEMA SETUP? “Yeah. And I’ve got a piano. Those are my most valuable things.”

OF COURSE, YOU’RE PRETTY MUSICALLY INCLINED. TELL US ABOUT THAT… “Yeah. I just love playing. Well, trying to play, and learning new songs. That keeps me super-entertained.”

HOW DO YOU THINK NEW TECH, SUCH AS 5G, WILL CHANGE HOW WE WATCH LIVE SPORT? “I’ve always imagined… I remember I used to

play this [racing] computer game when I was younger on the PC, with a massive monitor. I remember I would go down and watch the start of a real race, and then I’d go back up. And often, I’d start that race. “You could do the full hour-and-a-half race distance in this game. Not connected to the real team, but it was on a game, Formula 1. And I imagine the future being some sort of virtual reality. You could sit and watch the Grand Prix, and pull your visor down or your headset down, and you could immerse yourself in the actual race that I’m doing. You can actually be in the race. “I imagine with faster technology, that’s something that’s going to come around in the future – especially with gaming. So you can actually race me in the race, but virtually, from your home.” AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 4 9

Feature

GET BIG GAINS NOW ,I \RXèUH UHDG\ WR PRYH RQ IURP WKH EHJLQQHU ĆWQHVV VWDJH WKLV LV ZKHUH \RX FDQ VWDUW PDNLQJ ELJ JDLQV LQ \RXU FDUGLR VWUHQJWK DQG RYHUDOO SK\VLTXH Statistics show that the two most common New Year’s resolutions are: to get in shape and to lose weight, in that order. While resolve is a powerful thing, it’s far from a guarantee of success; the Journal of Clinical Psychology suggests that only 46% of resolutions bear any fruit. So how can you ensure you hit your new ďŹ tness goals this year? It’s a combination of dedication, continuing to show up for yourself, and drafting in some nifty pieces of tech to maximise your eort. When starting out it’s beneďŹ cial to work on general ďŹ tness and weight loss before upping the intensity of your workouts – working so hard that you injure yourself does more harm than good. So, assuming you’re past that introductory phase now, let’s look at how you can start making big gains this year‌ Diet plays an important role, so make protein a priority, taking in at least 20g per day for each kilogram of your bodyweight. Creatine is a useful tool, giving your muscles a performance boost, and you only need a tiny amount each day. There’s a litany of bodyweight exercises and calisthenics routines to help transform your body, and a number of apps to lead you through them. Bodyweight Warrior, founded by YouTube strength and ďŹ tness 5 0 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

expert Tom Merrick, oers both online coaching (bodyweightwarrior. co.uk) and a tremendous app which, even without a membership, walks you through a number of high-intensity workouts designed to enhance strength, muscle and exibility. Even focusing only on bodyweight, it won’t be long before you need to put at least some money in. Your initial investment should be on a solid multi-sport watch like Garmin’s stunningly capable Fenix 6 Pro ($979, garmin.com), which throws up a host of cool body metrics as well as coaching you through a full training plan, be that at home, in the gym or when hitting the streets.

FASTER, FITTER, STRONGER Next, look towards resistance equipment because this opens up new exercises and enables you to tweak existing movements to make them much tougher – WODFitters’ resistance bands are tough and versatile, starting at $40 (wodďŹ tters.com). Put the band around your upper back when performing pushups, over your upper thighs while squatting; use it for convenient pullup motions without a bar, or attach a resistance band to a high point for dip resistance. Installing a bar is the core of the modern calisthenic revolution, becoming commonly known as a ‘street workout’. This is where

things get really hard and really eective: muscle ups, a combination of pull up and dip, work the biceps, triceps and back in one theoretically smooth movement; Korean dips, performed with the bar behind your back, will rip your triceps a new one; and there’s no more eective ab exercise than a hanging leg raise. Take a look at the Gravity Fitness Portable Bar and Pullup Rack ($160, amazon.com) for starters. For a full-bore cardio workout in your home, step onto the Peloton Bike ($2,245, onepeloton.com). It’s one of the world’s most popular and eective indoor cycling and spin class workouts, helping you to burn calories, blast fat and take your cardio to the next level. Join in over 14 live rides a day to get inspired to keep hitting your new ďŹ tness goals. And you can record your progress in the FitNotes app – it’ll cook up graphs and stats, serving as a reminder of what you can achieve when you put your mind to it. Finally, to boost your recovery, treat your muscles to a percussive massage courtesy of the Theragun Liv ($300, theragun.com). This handheld massager dishes out deep muscle treatment to increase blood ow to support your body’s recovery and release tension.

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Top home gym tech

TOP HOME GYM TECH Boost your cardio and increase your body strength and muscle mass with these brilliant home workout buys 1

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This bit of ďŹ tness kit can help you get bigger ‘everything’ – just add eort (and weights) Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

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THE INDOOR TRAINER

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Providing you’ve got a corner to put it in, the Steelbody Power Tower and Bench ($1400, amazon.com) ticks so many boxes. Depending on your workout goals, it could become the centrepiece of your home gym. There are high bars for pull ups

and dips, with an angled construction that enables you to reposition your wrists to target different muscles. Plus there are straight mid-level bars perfect for leg raises. Then there’s a fold-up multi-position bench, and weight cradles that make it

suitable for use as a bench press or squat rack. The latter are all adjustable to suit your KHLJKW DQG VSHFLĆF QHHGV All you need to add is a barbell set.

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Noise cancelling headphones

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO…

Noise cancelling headphones Active noise cancelling enables you to block out the world and melt into your tunes. It feels like magic, but how does it really work? And what should you look for when buying a pair? Words: Alex Cox Photography: Neil Godwin

cience is no stranger to noise cancelling. Dr Paul Lueg submitted his first patent for wavecancelling technology way back in 1933, designing a system that could be used to reduce vibrations in loudspeakers; the theory was sound, but the technology of the time did not allow for the equipment to be made. In the ’50s and ’60s, Dr Laurence Fogel continued similar research and issued patents for the first viable devices, designed to cancel the potentially harmful frequencies of helicopter cockpits. This time the tech was transferred from speakers to ear directly, using earphones to reduce the risk of more damaging audio feedback. Fogel, though considered the inventor of active noise cancellation, was not alone. Around the same time the US Air Force was working on a project to protect air crews’ hearing, culminating with the design and testing of an active noise cancelling project of its own. PD Wheeler’s design was the first to

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escape the lab, seeing its first experimental use in the then-new (and extremely loud) Hercules transporter. The tech focused on attenuating low frequencies, since the enclosed nature of a flight helmet already deflected a majority of high-pitched sounds. And it worked, slashing 18dB of noise from its intended range.

FLIGHT OF FANCY These are the seeds, but we need to move further along the timeline to really see ANC come of age. The story goes that Amar Bose, irritated by the inadequate headphones he was offered on a 1978 international flight, decided he could do better. Pulling out a pen and paper, he sketched out his own noise cancelling design right there. Bose, an inventor known for flashes of inspiration (“These innovations are not the result of rational thought; it’s an intuitive idea,” he told Popular Science in 2004) had already popularised active equalisation in the company’s directional speakers. Bose’s ANC

design – more practical, affordable and effective than previous attempts – soon made itself comfortable in cockpits the world over. The tech accompanied Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager on the first round-the-world flight in 1986. Still, technology took its time to catch up; it was not until the early 2000s, over 20 years after that hasty in-flight sketch, that Bose brought ANC to the consumer. Now look at it: noise cancelling is very big news. Miniaturisation, innovation and refinement means we’re in a new, more peaceful world. And everyone’s at it. Bose’s foothold has been eroded by countless other companies. ANC is now not so much a case of technological advancement but of finding the right finely-tuned algorithm. The right combination of microphone, driver and software. There might be tiny variations between different implementations, but the principle of ANC stays the same whatever kit you buy. Now, here comes the science: sound is a waveform, travelling through air with peaks and troughs of AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 5 3

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WIRED ANC WONDERS On a budget? No problem! Here’s how to get in-line noise cancelling without breaking the bank 01

RAZER HAMMERHEAD USB-C ANC An absolutely superb set of earphones which power their ANC-capable DAC (and pull in audio) from a USB-C connector. Not so great for iPhone users, perhaps, but if you’re on Android they’re an incredibly effective way of cutting out the noise. $149, razer.com

TAOTRONICS ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES For this price, don’t expect high-end build quality or insane noise cancelling. Do expect good build quality, remarkably effective ANC, and a battery that keeps things quiet for a solid 15 hours on a full charge. $69, amazon.com.au

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BEOPLAY E4 Expect quality sound here, with B&O’s earphones offering great music playback and a quick transparency mode to let the outside in. The ANC box is a little large, though, so look elsewhere if you want to run. $297, bang-olufsen.com 5 4 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

compression and rarefaction. Play the same sound at the same time and you amplify that original waveform… but switch the phase – invert the second waveform, turning its peaks into troughs and vice versa – and the two waves begin to counteract each other. Get the amplification of the inverted waveform correct and you can effectively cancel any unwanted sound by opposing it. That’s the simple overview, but the chaos of reality isn’t quite so kind. Inverting a live waveform is fundamentally very difficult, since to do it perfectly you’d need absolutely no latency between the sounds of the real world and what’s pumped out of that speaker. Most often, ANC won’t generate an exact opposite of the sound it’s blocking out, instead creating an approximate muddling tone – this is why noise cancelling headsets are great at blocking out droning sounds that don’t change frequency much, like road noise or aircraft hum, but can’t deal quite as well with sudden sounds. It’s also hard to cancel noise without overwhelming any other signal you might want to put through that speaker. For this reason, most ANC focuses on lower end frequencies, those which are most likely to penetrate the closed backs of cans or ear buds, and relies on isolating materials to squash the rest of the sound. There’s also, despite the broad term ‘Active Noise Cancelling’ (also referred to, in some cases, as ‘Active Noise Reduction’) not one single form of the technology. In fact, there are three. Feedforward, the most common variety, places a microphone on the outside of the earcup or earpiece, catching the noise before it reaches your ear. It then pipes that signal into the ANC processor, before spitting out the antinoise within the ear cup. This has its advantages – notably that brief microsecond extra it has in which

to perform its duties – but also has a couple of disadvantages. Improper angling of the microphone could, in some cases, cause the ANC engine to actually amplify unwanted sounds rather than muting them, and captured wind noise can be problematic. Feedforward also has no ability to correct itself – it must make assumptions about how to work with that outside noise, without knowing what real effect its actions are having on the sound inside the ear cup. Feedback ANC moves the mic inside the earpiece. This certainly solves the selfcorrection issue (the microphone cannot help but pick up what’s coming out of the loudspeaker) and means the ANC engine can adapt itself to precisely what the user is hearing, even if the headset is sitting at an odd angle. It does require very precise calibration of the ANC engine, though, as overzealous cancellation can cut frequencies from the music playing through the loudspeakers or – as its name might suggest – cause a painful feedback loop. Hybrid ANC combines the two, with a pair of microphones working in tandem: one outside the earpiece, one inside. This allows the system to pick up exact frequencies from both the real world and the tiny ecosystem close to the ear and react on both, but it requires strong processing and a very exactly tuned algorithm to get the ANC right

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Noise cancelling headphones T3 recommends...

THE BEST ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING ’PHONES If you want to enjoy the silence, allow us to point you in the following directions…

TRUE WIRELESS HERO

APPLE AIRPODS PRO Even outside of the addition of noise cancelling, these are a remarkable upgrade over the standard AirPods, with a better fit, incredible sound quality and supremely low latency. Bring the strong hybrid ANC into the mix

and things get even better: the inner mic doubles as a conduit for Apple’s excellent adaptive EQ, and the transparency mode sounds natural despite the fact you’ll have silicone tips wedged in your ears. $399, apple.com/au

Noise cancelling is everywhere, but not all ANC is made equal. Some is, frankly, absolutely rubbish, adding more hiss than it removes. Some is so intense that it drains whatever battery it’s pulling from in minutes. Some isn’t even ANC at all – it’s just a constant burst of anti-noise within a certain frequency range, or it’s passive cancelling with a devious and misleading label on it. You have to be choosy about what you go for. If you really want to indulge in noise cancelling tech, you’ll need to shell out a little – but trust us, once you’ve tried one of these audio masterworks, you’ll never want to go back.

ABSOLUTE BARGAIN ANC

AMAZON ECHO BUDS Forget the gimmicks like Alexa integration (even though that’s very cool) and look towards the noise cancelling expertise on display here – it’s Bose-tuned, and uses three microphones per earbud (two outer, one inner) to

drive a particularly sharp hybrid ANC. For the price you won’t find anything stronger or more convenient; if you’re running low on juice, 15 minutes in the case will get you a full two hours’ playback. $135, amazon.com.au

SARTORIAL SOUND

THE BEST EVER ANC

B&W PX7

SONY WH1000-XM3

If it’s style you’re after, Bowers & Wilkins’ latest take on noisecancelling cans absolutely hits the mark. Great-looking (and, of course, awesome sounding) the PX7s may be, but don’t overlook the quality of the ANC. With three

levels of cancelling easily selected by tapping an ear cup, you can switch from just a mild block of the outside world to some of the strongest silence you’re ever likely to hear in the sector. $599, bowerswilkins.com

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Sony has been working hard and refining its ANC chops in recent years, but the latest cans in its line hit the mark better than ever before. Massively comfortable, structurally strong and perfectly portable, this is just about peak

ANC. Sony’s new QN1 processor does an impeccable job, and enables you to customise cut frequencies, upscale the resolution of your tunes and more. We can’t wait to see what’s next from Sony. $388, sony.com.au AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 5 5

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A better solution, and one which is becoming increasingly more common (and effective), is some level of audio passthrough, often called ‘transparency mode’ or similar. The presence of passthrough is no guarantee that it’ll work – we’ve heard some absolute stinkers in this department, devices which have turned the sounds of the outside world into a robotic mess while destroying the main audio signal – but that’s not the norm. Recent advancements seem to have ironed it out. But it’s worth testing the passthrough functionality before purchasing if you can. If that’s not possible, we’d highly recommend looking for something with a number of levels, so you’ll be able to find a balance that

without ruining the sound. And it’s more expensive than single-mic alternatives. ANC requires power. While this can be drawn from a USB or lightning cable, it’s not possible to supply enough juice through a 3.5mm jack. Given that they already carry a battery, you’ll more commonly find ANC on wireless audio devices; if you’re looking at a wired solution, check to see where that battery is located. Sometimes, particularly on older devices, you’ll find it sharing space with the ANC hardware in an awkward module mounted on the headphone wire, which can mess with the balance. Even if you’re going wireless, bear in mind that activating the ANC engine will increase your device’s battery draw, and so cutting the between-charges lifespan of Bluetooth headphones.

Beware, when shopping, that ‘noise cancelling’ can also (somewhat deviously) refer to non-active noise cancellation. Some kind of passive blocking is, as we have discussed, part of just about every active system – from silicone or foam earbuds to the solid closed back of ANC cans – but some sell these natural baffles alone as a feature. You’ll generally be able to sell by the price if something includes an active element. It is, at least in theory, feasible to run an ANC system on open-back headphones. The problem is that a vast amount more filtering and cancelling needs to be done, over a wide range of frequencies, since the passive noise cancelling element so critical to other systems has been removed. That heavy processing tends to ruin the quality of the source audio, so open-back ANC isn’t common.

Beware that ‘noise cancelling’ can also refer to non-active noise cancellation suits you. Passthrough is, if anything, a neat side effect of ANC, using technology that is already there to add a useful new function to your headphones. The final critical element of an ANC setup is the form factor. Passive noise cancelling is an essential part of the equation, but how well is it executed? How much sound will the foam earpieces of your noise cancelling cans let leak in? How much baffling can those tiny true wireless earbuds really perform? This is something that varies wildly; only when every element of an ANC device is properly balanced will it be truly effective.

TECH WARS: ANALOGUE VS DIGITAL VS ADAPTIVE Because there’s more than one way to skin the noise cat Just as there are three places to put the microphone in an ANC setup, there are three ways to do the cancellation itself, and each have their own benefits and drawbacks. Analogue ANC is the method that seems to make the most sense, because it removes latency from the equation. Using an analogue setup means devices can react instantly to changes in sound around them, meaning a theoretically more accurate anti-noise system. But the engineering required to create the perfect analogue ANC solution is astronomical and can be incredibly expensive. Analogue also drains far less battery than digital ANC – but digital ticks many more 5 6 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

boxes. Because it generally employs a sophisticated DSP to do the grunt work, it gives you far more control over the sound mix than an analogue system. The performance of digital devices can also be changed over time; if you’re sure to keep up with firmware updates, you may find that better algorithms improve the overall experience. Some digital setups can, however, add some 30ms lag between the input sound and the signal to the ear. That’s where adaptive noise cancelling comes in. A slightly more advanced (but not entirely distinct) form of digital ANC, it adapts its anti-noise signal both to the

surrounding environment and, predictively, to match the sounds it presumes it will have to cancel once its latency period has passed. There’s certainly an argument to be made that analogue ANC, with its lessened latency, is the tech that achieves its stated goal best. But, particularly since adaptive algorithms have become more commonplace, the digital variety puts in a strong showing. It’s also far more common – the vast majority of modern devices carry a digital package. Pick the headphones that work for you. Choose based on style, construction and substance. Throwing money after the word ‘analogue’ could turn out to be a poor idea. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

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Wireless turntables

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Wireless turntables

These hard-working wireless turntables aren’t the dusty old record players you might remember from your parents’ attic – and the right model can make your favourite vinyl truly sing Words: Olivia Tambini Photography: Neil Godwin

e are in the midst of a musical revolution, with innovations in digital music, streaming and wireless connectivity dominating the world of home audio over the last decade. However, many of us are looking to the engineering of the past in our quest to achieve audio nirvana, hoping to find the perfect way to combine modern convenience with old-school cool. The answer? Wireless turntables. These incredible audio gadgets give you all the palpable charm and sonic fidelity of vinyl, without the need for complicated setups and annoying cables, using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to stream the music from your record player to your speakers or headphones wirelessly. That means these days, you don’t have to be an expert to indulge your passion for vinyl, with super simple setups making record players accessible to everyone from tech-savvy teens to those who remember the first time turntables came into vogue.

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WHY VINYL? Lovers of vinyl will often talk about its ‘warm’ sound; music played from a record often sounds richer, and more immersive than digital MP3s and even CDs. This is because vinyl is a truly lossless format – in other words, you don’t miss out on the tiny details and subtleties of the original recording, which most digital music files can’t fully convey. Lossy files like MP3 are compressed, making it possible to download them quickly, and store lots of them on your laptop, mobile phone or portable music player – but for all that convenience, you lose a great deal of the information stored on the original recording. As such, vinyl is a truer representation of the exact conditions in the recording studio, and a better likeness of the artists’ true intentions – every scratch of the guitar, every breath, and every rhythmic nuance. Of course, the record players of old could never measure up to the convenience of digital music streaming, with all those

complicated setups and annoying cables – that is, until Bluetooth turntables came onto the scene. These wireless record players cut out the cords, transmitting your tunes to your speakers or headphones over Bluetooth – some modern turntables are even capable of broadcasting your music to your speakers over your home’s Wi-Fi network, offering an even better quality wireless connection.

HOW IT WORKS So, how do turntables – Bluetooth or otherwise – actually work? To the modern music lover, turntables can be something of an enigma: how can such rich sound be conjured up by a needle tracing a plastic disc? All modern turntables are descended from Thomas Edison’s phonograph, a sound recording machine the inventor devised in 1877. This early sound recorder featured a sheet of foil wrapped around a hand-rotated wooden cylinder; pressed against it was a needle attached to a horn. As Edison spoke into the horn, the resulting

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WIRELESS SPEAKERS No turntable is complete without some kick-ass speakers to blast your tunes – here are our top picks 01

KEF LSX WIRELESS SYSTEM These modern-looking wireless stereo speakers provide excellent sound quality without the need for annoying cables – and despite their compact size, offer enough bass to pack a punch. $1,995, kef.com

02

BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION DUO These snappy wireless stereo speakers showcase the best of British brand Bowers & Wilkins, with tight bass, precise trebles and multi-room functionality. $6,400, bowerswilkins.com

03

SONOS MOVE Prefer to listen solo? The Sonos Move is one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy right now, with an expansive, multidirectional sound and algorithmic smarts that adapt its audio to its surroundings. $649, sonos.com 6 0 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

vibrations moved the needle up and down, creating a groove on the foil that recorded the frequencies of his voice over time. When repeating the process, the needle traced the pattern, vibrated, and the noise was amplified by the horn, recreating his voice exactly. Today’s turntables follow a very similar principle, with the needle (or stylus, if you prefer) following the grooves in a vinyl record as it spins to recreate the sound of the recording. However, instead of a giant horn to amplify the sound, modern record players convert the vibrations from your record into electrical signals, which are then amplified by a preamp or phonostage. This powers the speakers or headphones connected to the turntable, creating a louder (and far cleaner) sound than the phonographs and gramophones of the early 20th century. Bluetooth and wireless turntables swap the physical cables that connect the record player to your speakers or headphones for a wireless connection, transmitting the electrical signals from the phonostage over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Without the need for cables, wireless turntables are easier to set up than their wired siblings, and are often cheaper too, as many manufacturers aim to lure in vinyl novices with lower prices and the convenience of Bluetooth connectivity. There are a few downsides to opting for a Bluetooth connection, however; while the technology has advanced tremendously in the past few years, some believe that the audio quality still can’t match that of a wired setup. This is because Bluetooth transmission compresses audio files to fit in as much data as possible over a low bandwidth, which leads to a slight loss of detail. Connections can also drop out, particularly if you have a lot of Bluetooth devices being used in the same area. Saying that, newer Bluetooth codecs like aptX HD and aptX Adaptive offer

lower rates of compression and are capable of transmitting Hi-Res Audio files over a wireless connection – they’re also much better at offering a stable connection. Worried about a loss of quality? Wi-Fienabled turntables allow for compressionless audio transmission thanks to Wi-Fi’s higher bandwidth compared to Bluetooth, and drop outs are far less common – however, you may find that you have to pay a little more for wireless turntables that offer Wi-Fi connectivity, as opposed to those that only offer Bluetooth pairing.

CHOOSING THE BEST So, how do you go about picking the best wireless turntable for your needs? And what exactly should you be looking for in your new record player? Well, there are a few key features you should look out for when making your decision. First up is price. Like all home audio gadgets, Bluetooth turntables vary massively in price, ranging from sub-$200 decks to top-of-the-range players that cost well over $2,000. While you might have to sacrifice the premium finish and materials you’ll find in expensive models, budget Bluetooth turntables are often better suited to beginners. That’s because cheaper record players usually come pre-assembled, so you

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Wireless turntables T3 recommends...

THE BEST BLUETOOTH TURNTABLES From premium record players to budgetfriendly beginner decks, these are our faves

RETRO SIMPLICITY

PRO-JECT JUKE BOX E Looking for a simple way to play your vinyl? The Pro-Ject Juke Box E could be the perfect solution. This nifty audio gadget combines minimalist retro looks and eyepopping primary colours with all the mod cons you could want from

your Bluetooth turntable, including a built-in phonostage, pre-amplifier and line amplifier. Just connect it to your wireless speakers (or hook it up with a phono/line out), and you’re good to go. $719, project-audio.com

Whether you’re a complete novice or a seasoned audiophile, choosing the best Bluetooth turntable for your needs can be tricky – especially with all those complicated names and daunting spec lists. Everyone’s needs are different, and while some will be looking for the most premium, high-fidelity listening experience they can afford, others will want a simple, user-friendly set-up the whole family can enjoy. That’s why we’ve picked a selection of Bluetooth turntables to get you started on your quest for audio nirvana. From value record players for beginners to all-in-one streaming solutions, we’ve picked best-in-class options for every situation.

QUALITY SOUND

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA TT No sacrifice in audio quality here. The Cambridge Audio Alva TT comes with support for aptX HD Bluetooth, which means you can stream your vinyl in hi-res 24-bit/48kHz. This is a premium record player and looks it, thanks

to a stunning smoky grey finish and solid construction. Despite being highly specced, the Alva TT should be a breeze to set up; its built-in phonostage means you won’t need an external amplifier.

$1,874, cambridgeaudio.com

OLD MEETS NEW

FOR BEGINNERS

YAMAHA MUSICCAST VINYL 500

AUDIO-TECHNICA AT-LP60XBT

As well as spinning your records, the MusicCast Vinyl 500 can stream your favourite tunes, thanks to built-in support for Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal and Deezer. In terms of wireless capabilities, you can cast your vinyl to your

wireless speakers over Bluetooth or your home’s Wi-Fi network using Yamaha’s MusicCast standard. The icing on the cake? If you have an Alexa speaker, you can control this turntable totally hands-free.

$695, yamaha.com

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Home audio equipment can be expensive, but buying a Bluetooth turntable doesn’t have to be. Created by respected Japanese brand Audio-Technica, the ATLP60XBT is a budget-friendly deck that’s ideal for vinyl beginners,

thanks to its fully automatic design and built-in phonostage. Sure, it’s not the most luxurious turntable we’ve used, but its simple design and great price won’t put off fledgling record collectors.

$299, audio-technica.com AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 6 1

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you opt for a cheaper model that isn’t particularly well-damped, you can also purchase your own damping kits that consist of rubber-like strips of material that fit into the recess beneath the platter. Lots of modern turntables also come with cool extras like built-in support for streaming services, and USB outputs that allow you to record your vinyl directly to your computer or laptop. Bear in mind, these additions will often bump up the price. Last but not least, the look of your turntable is a really important consideration; after all, the right model could be a stunning ornamental addition to your home. Lots of modern turntables sport sleek, minimalist

can pretty much play your records straight out the box; the further up the price band you go, the more likely it is that you’ll need to set up your turntable yourself. If you’re set on ditching the cables, you’ll need to look at the kind of wireless connectivity you want your turntable to offer. Want something cheap and cheerful? Just be aware that the connection to your speakers or headphones might not be flawless. Concerned with preserving audio quality above all else? Look out for Bluetooth codecs like aptX HD and aptX Adaptive, or search for a wireless turntable that can be hooked up to your home’s Wi-Fi network. For both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turntables, you’ll need to make sure you have compatible speakers – some Wi-Fi turntables in particular are only compatible

with speakers from the same brand that use the same wireless technology. You should also consider whether you want a belt-drive or direct-drive turntable. The latter are often used by DJs, as they allow you to move the record back and forth to cue and sync tracks, without damaging the mechanisms of the turntable. For most people, a belt-drive will be sufficient, as they reduce the risk of noise from the motor that spins the platter being picked up by the needle and messing up your record’s sound. It’s also well worth looking into how well damped a Bluetooth turntable is before you buy it. Damping is how manufacturers reduce unwanted vibrations; this can be done in a number of ways, including the use of rubber feet to prop the base of the turntable up and absorb these vibrations. If

Turntables can come with cool extras like built-in support for streaming services designs, with burnished metallic finishes and glossy controls that wouldn’t look out of place in any smart home. However, you can still find plenty of familiar retro designs – look out for suitcase record players from brands like Crosley and Victrola if kitschy vintage decor is your jam. Whatever kind of Bluetooth turntable you opt for, the choices really are endless – and that’s incredibly comforting to anyone who misses the tangible physicality of vinyl, and the mildewy solace of browsing a quiet record shop on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

PLAYERS 101: THE PARTS OF THE TURNTABLE These are the terms you need to know to master your new Bluetooth turntable While most modern Bluetooth turntables are very much ‘plug and play’ affairs, all those moving parts can be a little daunting. This is especially true if you need to set up your record player. Most modern turntables, particularly at the lower end of the price scale come pre-assembled, but as they get more expensive you can expect to set them up yourself. Even if your new turntable comes assembled right out the box, it’s important to have a basic idea of the different parts that make up the record player; after all, you may as well embrace the geeky goodness of getting to know your latest gadget. 6 2 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

Plinth – this is the base of your turntable. Be sure to place it on a level surface to avoid the mechanisms of your record player being thrown off kilter. Platter – the circular part of the turntable that spins. Belt drive – a thin rubber strap that rotates the platter. Tonearm – this is the part of the turntable that holds the cartridge, guiding the stylus (or needle, if you prefer) through the tiny grooves on your vinyl. If your turntable doesn’t come pre-assembled, you’ll need to balance the tonearm so the stylus sits at the correct point on your record.

Cartridge – this is the small box-like appendage that sits on the end of the tonearm and contains the stylus. As the platter spins the record, vibrations travel through the stylus and into the cartridge, where a magnetic field converts this kinetic energy into an electrical signal. The stylus is usually made by a tiny piece of diamond attached to a flexible metal strip. Preamp or phonostage – this isn’t always included in the turntable itself (some models require an external phonostage). It amplifies the electrical signal from the cartridge, so you can hear the music when it reaches your speaker or headphones. Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

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HOW WE TEST In T3, we feature only the finest gadgets out there, and we believe that you – our loyal reader – deserve only the best tech in your life. We don’t want you to waste time, and money, on inferior products, and that’s exactly why our Tested section exists. In here you’ll find only the latest and hottest tech. Each product has been handpicked and tested by T3’s experts.

We only choose people with specialist knowledge for each test, so you know you’re going to get an outcome based on many years of experience in their respective field. As well as our traditional five-star rating system (right), we also give out awards to particularly exceptional gadgets, using the line-up below - so when you spot one of these, you’ll know you’re onto a good thing.

THE SCORES EXPLAINED Forget it Below average Good for the price Very good all round An exceptional, best-in-class product

OUR AWARDS Only the best products – those that score five PLATINUM stars – receive our AWARD Platinum Award

6 4 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

This is given to winners BEST ON of our group tests, so TEST you can see which is the best at a glance

BEST FOR BATTERY LIFE

This accolade, and others like it, show you which gear is best for specific features

THE DESIGN AWARD

For kit with exceptional industrial design and refinement, in addition to being a great buy

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Sonos One SL

ONE LOVE

Sonos One SL The cheapest-ever Sonos speaker is a slam-dunk for starting a multi-room system, even with no Alexa $269 sonos.com he pitch here is very, very simple: this is a Sonos One, but without any of the tech that powers Alexa or Google Assistant. Which means that while a regular Sonos One is around $280, this comes in at $269 (or often a little cheaper online). That makes it pretty much the cheapest multi-room Wi-Fi speaker actually worth buying, but crucially, it doesn’t sound or feel cheap. One area Sonos has almost totally nailed is the setup – it’s so easy to follow the instructions in the app and get it on your network (and to add more than one). Why “almost” nailed? Because the one slightly annoying bit is tuning the sound for its exact placement in the room. To do this, you have to wave an iOS device – no Android support – around the room while loud annoying tones erupt from the speaker. The Sonos Move does this automatically, but then it does cost more than twice as much as this. Once it’s on the network, it’s easy to assign it to a specific room, or even to pair with a Sonos One (or another SL). It also works in a Sonos

T

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wireless surround-sound setup. You can play music either through the Sonos app, which works with music stored on your device, internet radio and a smorgasbord of streaming services. The app is one of the best of its kind, making it pretty easy to access anything you need – though some services’ interfaces work better than others. Apple users get an extra bonus from full AirPlay 2 support, which means you can play any sounds you like to it, ignoring the app. This also works as a multi-room system, which you can mix and match with other brands’ speakers. The one streaming option that’s missing is Bluetooth, which has long been a Sonos trait. It’s a shame not to have the flexibility, so make sure you’re happy with the services Sonos offers. Most importantly, it sounds excellent. Treble is precise and natural, the mid-range has plenty of richness without instruments feeling like they overwhelm each other, and there’s a good amount of bass. The low end is the one area where it’s maybe a little lacking, but that’s only compared to much more expensive speakers. For anyone who already has Alexa or Google Assistant, or doesn’t want them due to privacy concerns, getting a speaker that’s sonically identical to the T3 Award-winning Sonos One for less is a no-brainer. This is easily the best small Wi-Fi speaker.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Detailed, crisp and accurate sound; really easy to set up; great service support; AirPlay 2. WE’D IMPROVE Bass is a little thin for audiophiles; we wish it had Auto Trueplay; no Bluetooth. THE LAST WORD It might not be quite ‘budget’ territory, but this is the best bang-for-buck for Wi-Fi speakers. If you want a small Wi-Fi speaker, the Sonos One SL is unbeatable right now.

AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 6 5

Tested

OS Windows 10 Home Processor Intel Core i7 1.8GHz Graphics Nvidia GeForce MX250 2GB Memory 16GB Screen 14-inch 1920x1080 (main), 12.6-inch 1920x515 (ScreenPad Plus) Connectivity 2x USB 3.1, USB-C, HDMI, audio jack, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5 Dimensions 323x223x20mm Weight 1.5kg

DYNAMIC DUO

Asus ZenBook Duo A novel concept for a laptop that unfortunately can’t quite pull off its grand ideas

From $1,999 asus.com.au hile the idea of dualscreened devices is still interesting, it’s a far cry from being original. Apple’s recent foray into slim Touch

W

6 6 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

Bars on MacBooks is fundamentally a very selectively implemented second screen; Microsoft’s promised Surface Neo is the final extent of the concept. With that in mind, we tried to repress our childlike wonder when Asus revealed the Zenbook Duo. Maybe we shouldn’t give bonus points for doing what Nintendo did in 2004, but when something looks this cool, it’s hard not to get swept up.

But while using the Zenbook Duo does prove it to be an exciting prospect, in practice the idea of a dual-screened laptop hasn’t fully formed yet. The Duo is a surprisingly chunky beast for a 14-inch laptop, weighing 1.5kg. Most of this is due to the secondary screen, a 12.9-inch touch-controlled rectangle that acts as an extension to the main display itself. A full touchscreen pressed on top of a processor and a discrete graphics card means there’s a lot of heat to be dispelled, so the Duo has to be thick enough for sufficient cooling. Despite this, heat management inside the chassis is handled by two tiny fans and a single metal heat spreader, so the Duo can get pretty hot at times. If you’re using it for extended periods, heat buildup is

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A

kD o

FEEL UPLIFTED The ‘ErgoLift’ hinge tilts the keyboard and lower screen by 5.5 degrees, and the keyboard being pushed to the bottom of the chassis means that your wrists can rest comfortably on the table

iinev vitab able, paarticul u ar arly if yo o ’re re usi sing g demanding d de mand n ing software. software In our u tests tests, the the processor’s heat often spiked. There’s plenty to like here, though. The exterior design of the laptop is beautiful, from the circular milled pattern on the back of the screen to the robust feel of the keys. The laptop opens on an ergonomic hinge that pushes the keyboard up towards the user at an angle for more comfortable typing. The lower screen (named the ScreenPad Plus) occupies half of the laptop’s lower segment, with the trackpad then pushed to the side next to a somewhat truncated keyboard. The ScreenPad Plus is a proper high-res touch display, and the Duo comes with a nice Bluetooth stylus for precision touch controls. It’s not really ideal for digital artists, as the display is only about three inches tall, but it acts directly as a second screen, enabling you to shrink open tabs down and neatly fit them there. It’s something of a shame that the upper screen - also an LED-backlit 1080p panel - doesn’t have touch functionality, as the slender nature of

tthe Sc S een enPa P d Plu makes it feell cramped use. rather cra ramp m ed to to us u e

From top to bottom There are other issues with dualscreen integration too. The lower display links directly to the top, meaning that your cursor can move seamlessly between the two. When using the device, this means that it’s easy to miss the taskbar at the bottom of the upper screen by ‘overshooting’ with your mouse or trackpad. It’s a minor frustration only amplified by the tiny size of the trackpad - which doesn’t contain a hidden numpad, like the larger Zenbook Pro Duo. A few good design choices do shine through. There’s a function key dedicated to locking keyboard input, so you can rest your hand on the keyboard while using the touchscreen. The included software is also pretty good: use it to independently control the brightness of the lower screen, act as a digital numpad, or open a number of apps with quick taps. The ScreenPad Plus desperately wants to make itself useful here, but

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e trr k bit i on t e

di a ll id

ca ’ t t ta t users wi us willl make mak ke frequent freq fr e ue uent nt use use of of the the function button that deactivates the bottom screen. With regard to the internal hardware, it’s all fairly bog-standard stuff for a modern laptop. A 10thgeneration Intel Core i7 processor adds up to decent computing power capable of performing at the same level as anything else in its price bracket, while 16GB of RAM can handle most tasks. An M.2 SSD means that file transfer speeds are super fast; not quite up to spec with comparable laptops, but not by so much that most users will notice the difference. The one strange inclusion here is a discrete GPU, specifically the GeForce MX250 from Nvidia. While the MX250 is a modern graphics chip, only a year old, it’s already fallen out of favour thanks to Iris Plus, the integrated graphics solution now available on certain 10th-generation processors from Intel. The CPU in this laptop is not one of those processors, leaving the question of why Asus didn’t simply go with Iris Plus. AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 6 7

Tested

MILITARY TOUGH The overall build quality is excellent, achieving the military-grade requirements for durability in laptops. It feels it, too; this is a laptop that can handle some rough and tumble

The graphical power of the MX250 barely surpasses Iris Plus, and does so at the cost of more heat generation, space and power. It’s a dubious inclusion at best, especially considering that the CPU inside the Zenbook Duo is already equipped with Intel’s slightly older UHD 620 integrated graphics. In graphical tests, the Zenbook Duo wasn’t able to signiďŹ cantly outclass any ultra-light laptops using Iris Plus, such as the new line of Dell XPS 2-in-1 devices. Other than graphics, the hardware performs to expectations. It’s perfectly competent at video editing

We wish the keypad and the touchscreen ZHUHbELJJHU

and rendering work, although anything beyond casual gaming isn’t really an option on the Zenbook Duo, even if the dual-screen setup didn’t pose potential control issues. Turning down the graphics signiďŹ cantly will make most older games playable, but new triple-A titles are deďŹ nitely out.

Hide and sleek Background apps is deďŹ nitely where the ScreenPad Plus excels. We’ve all had Spotify or YouTube open in another hidden tab when working on something particularly dull, and being able to drop those open

windows down onto the lower screen is delightful. Reaching up from the keyboard and using a ďŹ nger to swipe through songs is a particular small joy. A lot of what the ScreenPad Plus does are also features seen in Apple’s Touch Bar, which fulďŹ ls its purpose without obstructing the keyboard and trackpad. Honestly, it’s hard to tell who the Zenbook Duo is designed for. Video editors could make good use of the touchscreen, but the lack of a 4K display and shrunken keyboard will discourage many professionals. And for mobile productivity, the usefulness

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A must-have for any touch-screen laptop, particularly since the anti-glare coating on the Zenbook Duo’s lower display seems to amplify WKH HIIHFWV RI GLUW\ ĆQJHUSULQWV .HHS RQH RI these cloths stashed in your laptop case. ĆYH SDFN DPD]RQ FRP DX

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Asus ZenBook Duo

ALL LIT UP The cool white keyboard backlighting looks great, and the key press response feels particularly good. The edges of the keyboard are a bit squished, though, making some keys uncomfortably small

SOUND THOUGHT Audio design by Harman Kardon means that music and videos sound good, although not beyond what is expected from a laptop of this size; the speakers are fairly small

of the screen is tempered by the extra thickness and weight. The bottom screen also doesn’t seem capable of matching the brightness of the main display, either, which is disappointing. Battery life takes a hit. The Duo can’t keep up with other laptops in that regard, and was unable to make it past six hours on full brightness with both screens active in our tests. There are other features beyond the ScreenPad Plus, of course. The Zenbook Duo has a handful of nice security features built in, from a manual webcam power button to a quick lock function key, which is perfect for thwarting a nosy family member or colleague. An infrared camera setup means you can use Windows Hello to unlock your Duo with your face, even in dimly lit spaces. Fully integrated Alexa support in Windows 10 is also a pleasant addition to the omnipresent Cortana. Physically speaking, the Zenbook Duo has all the connectivity most users could want. Two standard USB ports are joined by a high-speed USB-C port, MicroSD card reader, and audio jack. There’s even an HDMI port for linking a second (or third, in this case) display. There’s also 802.11ax high-speed Wi-Fi 6 connectivity,

providing the fastest in wireless connections to make up for the lack of a standard Ethernet port. While both screens do have their drawbacks, the upper display is still a decent LED panel; colours are vibrant and sharp, surrounded by a superslim bezel. The viewing angle is fantastic, with a 178-degree field-ofview that makes it great for multiple viewers to crowd around and watch. We wish it was a bit bigger, though Asus has released a supercharged, 15.6-inch model of the Duo: the Zenbook Pro Duo. Unfortunately, it feels like the Zenbook Duo is doomed to remain in the shadow of that big brother. The Pro model is almost twice the price (depending on the model you opt for), but the larger form factor makes it better suited to the double-screen design. It also packs a 4K main display and ScreenPad Plus, along with a far superior GPU and the aforementioned integrated numpad. Yes, this version is significantly cheaper; $2,000 isn’t a slender asking price, sure, but performance-wise the Zenbook Duo is worth the money. With a unique selling point as significant as the ScreenPad Plus, it feels like Asus could’ve priced this

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Colours on both screens are vibrant and sharp

laptop higher without incurring too much wrath from consumers. But that lower price comes at a cost, and in this case it took the ZenBook Duo a point where we just can’t quite heartily recommend the product. It has its merits for sure, and there will be plenty of people who could make great use of such a gigantic touch bar, so we can’t disparage it too much. If the twindisplay gimmick doesn’t sound like a gimmick to you, then you might be better off buying the Pro edition.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Sturdy, ergonomic build; Wi-Fi 6; lower screen is a good concept. WE’D IMPROVE Thick and heavy; cramped keyboard; touch screen has design issues. THE LAST WORD A decent laptop with a supersized touch bar, but it’s not a no-brainer.

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Tested

Processor Samsung Exynos 990 Screen 6.9-inch OLED, 120Hz, 1440x3200 HDR10+ Memory 12GB/16GB Storage 128GB/512GB Battery 4,200mAh Cameras 108MP, 48MP, 12MP, Time-ofFlight camera rear; 40MP, PDAF front OS Android 10.0, One UI 2.0 Dimensions 167x76x8.8mm Weight 221g

From $1,899 samsung.com he Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is, technically, the best Android phone on the market today. It is a phone with an impressive, versatile camera system, hyper-premium internal hardware suite, futureproofed, next-gen 5G connectivity and a huge and immersive screen. How it achieves its dominance, though, is quite base. These tech weapons are wielded in a rather unrefined way, and in some cases feel powerful but a bit rough round the edges and/or complete overkill. The price of this tech is also incredibly high, making it a bit of a niche proposition to our minds. The S20 Ultra’s camera system is probably its biggest unique selling point, and so we will begin our analysis of the phone here. Samsung speaks about its rear camera array as a “signature design element” – something that helps make the phone’s overall look and allows it to be easily identified. And, when you flip the phone over, the one thing it does is stand out.

T

NE PLUS ULTRA

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra A bludgeoning hammer blow to Android rivals – that comes with a hefty price tag 70 T3 AU T U M N 2 0 2 0

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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

SELFIE-CENTRED Samsung has bet big on the S20 Ultra’s cameras; even the front facing snapper can capture sumptuous pictures with a seriously powerful 40MP sensor

SMOOTH OPERATOR The S20 Ultra is a bezel-free beauty that has an even bigger screen than the huge Samsung Galaxy Note+. On top of this, its 120Hz display is smooth as silk, leaving all of its rivals in the dust

The noticeably pronounced rectangular array (which will have to be protected by a case to avoid scrapes and nicks in our opinion) houses a seriously powerful quad-camera system, with a 108MP wide-angle main snapper joined by 48MP telephoto, 12MP ultra wide and time-of-flight DepthVision lenses. And, while we’re talking about the rear array’s selection of lenses, the phone’s new Single Take shooting mode makes use of them all. In this mode all the lenses are used when a shot or video is taken and then, post shot, the user is presented with a variety of differing options (10 shots and mini-videos), which sit all under one entry in the phone’s image gallery. The S20 Ultra also comes with some pretty impressive zoom functionality. From the furthest out ultra-wide setting to 1x, through 5x, 10x, 30x and up to 100x, you have plenty of range at your disposal when shooting. And fidelity remains decent at most zoom levels aside from 100x, which seem to take on a soft-focus watercolour finish. With a proper

tripod, we’re sure you could get some half-decent images from it, but we question its everyday usability. Elsewhere, though, the S20 Ultra’s camera system really does flex its muscles. The amount of shooting modes on offer is quite remarkable. As well as a maximum freedom Pro shooting mode, you’ve got a strong panorama option, as well as dedicated settings for food, nighttime and live focus. As you would expect, you can shoot in a variety of aspect ratios, too. In terms of video, you can shoot at a wide variety of resolutions up to 8K, while the Ultra also delivers a Pro video shooting mode, as well as slow-mo, super slow-mo and hyperlapse options. But while the 8K video shooting is a technical achievement, and very nice to have, the vast majority of people will not get to enjoy it, as you’d need an 8K screen to play it back at full fidelity – though creating 4K video from this 8K source looks just excellent. As you would absolutely expect, the S20 Ultra delivers very strong camera images, no matter what

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The S20 Ultra delivers excellent quality camera images – naturally

you’re shooting. Colour balance in particular seems to be a strong point and vibrancy is good, although there is no getting away from the fact that Samsung still seems to be leaning towards quite heavy post-processing. It’s a tad clumsy in our opinion and can lead to sharp edges appearing a little soft. Lastly, in terms of camera system, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra comes with a 40MP front-facing selfie camera. This bad boy can, if you so wish, capture your lovely mug in 40MP glory with or, for the brave, without beauty mode activated.

The big screen Pick up the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and the first thing that you notice is how large its screen is. At 6.9 inches, it is a match for even the gargantuan Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, which comes with a 6.8-inch screen. Side-by-side these two phones look essentially the same in terms of size; however when you pick them up there is a noticeable weight difference, with the Ultra feeling AU T U M N 2 0 2 0 T3 7 1

LARGE AND IN CHARGE A gargantuan 5,000mAh battery means you can run the Ultra’s 120Hz screen for between a day and a day and a half on a single charge CURVY BEAUTY While outweighing siblings like the Note – coming in at 221g to the latter’s 196g – the Ultra has softer lines, having inherited the S-series frame curves

heavier (2 g) g) a d e se ser th thaan the e kin -ssize ize Note te ( g) g). In terms of design, though, we’re very much in the same ballpark. The main visual dierence, at least from the front, is that the Galaxy S20 Ultra has more S-series wider frame curves, giving it a slightly softer look. When it comes to the display, you cannot but be impressed by the size and clarity of the Dynamic AMOLED screen. It has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which even outguns the gorgeousness of the OnePlus 7T and OnePlus 7T Pro panels, which are 90Hz, and that along with HDR10+ and a sharp

Demanding Android games FDQbEH UXQ ZLWKRXW any problems

14 440 0x 200 0 reesolutiion means n tha h t anytthiing you u disspl p ay loo okss stu unn nin ing. g That 120Hz refresh rate means that scrolling, app switching, UI navigating and all animated elements are liquid-butter smooth, and in partnership with the slickness of Android 10.0 and Samsung’s best-inclass One UI 2 skin it truly delivers a top-tier general usage experience. Overall, the phone looks damn good from the front – even though there is basically no lovely waterfall curve to its screen – and pretty ropey from the back, largely thanks to that bulky rear camera array.

ms In term m of internal hardware, as yo y ou wo w ul u d expect from the rangetopping new hotness in a fresh Samsung phone line-up, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is stacked. It comes with Samsung’s rapid Exynos 990 CPU (a Snapdragon 865 in the US), an Adreno 650 GPU, a simply incredible 16GB of RAM (in max-spec) and a chunky 512GB of internal storage space (which can be expanded by microSD). Despite not being a dedicated gaming phone, it has more than enough power to run even the most graphically demanding Android games without breaking sweat.

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With more expensive phones, you face the dilemma of wanting to show it off while keeping it safe. This case is the perfect compromise, offering a slim form factor and showing off your screen while defending it from drops. $19, amazon.com.au

6DPVXQJèV *DOD[\ %XGV 3OXV DUH ZHOO ĆWWHG have improved mics for calls and offer an amazing 11 hours of battery. Even better, you can tweak the ambient sound, EQ and touch controls through the app. No ANC, though. $299, samsung.com

Given its power-hungry 120Hz screen, this capacious power bank makes the perfect companion for the Ultra. And thanks to its spritely size and incredibly reasonable price, it’s pocket friendly in several senses. Around $60, ravpower.com

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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

BIG SHOT The Ultra’s quad-camera system is both its biggest strength and weakness; its astounding snaps come at the cost of a very bulky array

Of course, such a ginormous phone needs a large battery, too, and thankfully Samsung has actually made a decent stab at handling this, as the S20 Ultra comes loaded with a very large 5,000mAh battery. This is one of the largest battery capacities on the market today in a mainstream phone. So if you use it on its fresh out of the box settings, which lock the screen at a 60Hz refresh rate, with medium usage you get a solid day-and-a-half to two days usage out of the phone on a single charge. If you turn on the Ultra’s 120Hz mode, though – and you really will want to – then that battery life is reduced. With 120Hz on, you’re very much looking at a day to a day-and-a-half usage on a single charge with medium usage. Other tech of note included an underscreen fingerprint reader that works just as well as these Samsung units have been doing for the past few phone releases, 5G support (there is no just 4G version of the Ultra, with the one handset supporting all network connections up to and including 5G) and AKGtuned stereo loud speakers. And, finally, before we reach the verdict, let’s talk OS. The S20 Ultra

comes running Android 10 and Samsung’s own One UI 2.0 skin. The One UI remains the best-in-class Android skin on the market and, as you would expect, when partnered with the super-slick and streamlined Android 10 delivers a superb mobile usage experience.

Loadsa money As you’ve probably realised by now, this really isn’t a phone for everyone, and for more users than not, it will simply be too much phone and too much money to be worthy of serious consideration. Unsurprisingly, you really don’t need to spend north of $1,899 (max spec is $2,247!) to get a quality smartphone experience. To beat the Ultra up due to its very high price point seems to miss the point somewhat. Shock horror, a super expensive phone targeted at Android phone enthusiasts isn’t for everyone! But when you compare what the S20 Ultra delivers to the other hyper-premium and flagship handsets on the market, and for what cost, it crashes into the real world somewhat. These phones offer over 95% of the experience that the S20 Ultra delivers and do so for less money. This takes

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This is a fantastic phone – and the SULFH UHćHFWV WKDW

nothing away from the S20 Ultra’s abilities, but it does raise the important question of just how much money one is prepared to pay for that last few per cent. Overall, it’s impossible not to recommend the S20 Ultra, which sets a new benchmark for 5G Android phones. But we’d also say this is one of the most niche variants of a mainstream product Samsung has ever made, and only tech enthusiasts and serial first adopters should consider it.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Huge 120Hz screen; premium hardware; feature-packed camera. WE’D IMPROVE The price; 120Hz impact on battery life; may be better off with a Note 10+. THE LAST WORD Rivals can’t stand mano-amano with it; recommended if you can afford it.

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Tested Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl 500

STREAM GENIE

Yamaha MusicCast Vinyl 500 This highly skilled wireless-turntable-cum-musicstreaming hub has only minor niggles $739 au.yamaha.com amaha has updated the traditional hi-fi, belt-driven record player with wireless connectivity via Bluetooth, but it can also work as part of a Wi-Fi Yamaha MusicCast multi-room system. And it can act as a music streaming hub that can add Spotify, web radio and more to any existing hi-fi setup. There’s a lot going on here. First up, this is one of the most convenient turntables we’ve ever encountered. Placement is easy, especially if you’ll use it wirelessly – we just plonked it on a sideboard. The belt drive, cartridge and counterweight are all simplicity itself to attach, for once. Even better, it’s easy to pair Bluetooth speakers, because Yamaha has an app, unlike rivals from Cambridge Audio and Pro-Ject. You can even switch between 33rpm and 45rpm with just a button. As well as the Bluetooth connectivity, there are phono level and line level outputs. The former is great if you have a pre-amp, which will tend to give better sound, the latter if you value convenience. The sound quality of the deck in general is very good – not one to get

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audiophiles purring, but there’s plenty of oomph and decent handling of dynamics. If Yamaha had stopped here, you’d have a near-perfect turntable for the 21st century, although the absence of aptX Bluetooth, let alone aptX HD, may concern some users. However, Yamaha has also included compatibility with its MusicCast platform, and here some slight frustration creeps in. If you have MusicCast speakers or receivers, you can beam the sound of your vinyl across the house over Wi-Fi, and get noticeably improved sound compared to Bluetooth. If you don’t, the app also lets you use the Vinyl 500 as a streaming hub into your wired stereo setup, so you can listen to Tidal, Amazon Music, Qobuz, Spotify and more. It can also receive AirPlay 2 streams, and can be controlled over Alexa. This is all great in principle, and audio and connectivity are excellent over Wi-Fi. But the MusicCast app is slow and buggy. And we know lots of people would like to output to AirPlay 2 (or Chromecast or Sonos), but for a variety of technical and other reasons, that’s not possible. No matter. What you’re getting here is a record player that, in terms of performance and build quality, is worth its asking price before you get on to all the streaming embellishments – but they could be a tad more polished.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Easy setup; great sound; wide range of connectivity options. WE’D IMPROVE Shame it can only receive AirPlay, not transmit; no aptX Bluetooth; app is slow and a bit buggy (on iOS). THE LAST WORD First and foremost an excellent record player, with some potentially very handy wireless and streaming extras – a bargain at this price.

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Alienware 55 OLED

THE BIG GAME

Alienware 55 OLED This huge gaming monitor is a thing of true beauty Around $6,000 dell.com ake this monitor/TV hybrid out of the box – which is actually quite hard considering that the top half is exposed wafer-thin, super-light OLED and the bottom is weighty chassis stuffed full of silicon (total weight without stand is 25.5kg) – and the first thing that hits you is how aesthetically pleasing it is. A product of the maker’s new Alienware Legend Industrial Design, the monitor boasts a series of gentle but pronounced lines, which are contrasted sharply by the scarily thin, incredibly flat, near-bezel-free OLED panel, which at certain angles looks literally pressed to the monitor’s chassis. Overall the build quality on this monitor is absolutely first rate, with everything about it showcasing an immaculate fit-and-finish and radiating a sense of dense, well-made quality. Classy just about sums it up. But the reason this monitor costs so much isn’t primarily because of its future-industrial design; rather it’s that it comes with a simply stunning 4K OLED panel that boasts a wide

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colour gamut of 98.5% DCI-P3 (in layman’s terms, super strong, vivid and accurate colour reproduction), and “infinite contrast”. The latter means it features OLED’s signature pixel-by-pixel lighting and, as a result, an incredible contrast ratio (130,000:1 here). On that point, though, it is necessary to mention that the peak brightness on this monitor is 400 nits. Currently the top OLED TVs and HDR monitors on the market boast peak brightness ratings of around 1,000 nits, so if true HDR performance is a must then this monitor doesn’t quite tick that box. At this price (and size) this is obviously not the gaming monitor that the vast majority of gamers are going to ring up. The 55-inch bulk means that only those who essentially need a gaming-focused TV-sized screen in their setup should apply. And even if you do need that, this monitor is about to be seriously challenged by a raft of new cheaper products like the recently announced LG CX OLED, which will offer the same sort of features like 120Hz refresh rates and Nvidia G-Sync, with better brightness. But, the thing is, the 55 OLED actually delivers, at least in our opinion, the absolute best performance in its (admittedly rather niche right now) product class – it is truly top technology embedded in a premium design.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Stunning design; impressive OLED 4K panel; 120Hz refresh rate. WE’D IMPROVE A lot of money; not an ideal HDR screen; could buy a TV with gaming features. THE LAST WORD If you want a very large, TV-sized gaming monitor, this is what you should buy. It will be too much (in size and price) for many gamers, but that takes nothing away from its stunning build and image quality.

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Tested

Screen 454x454 AMOLED Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 Battery Training: 12 hours; Smartwatch: 2 days OS Wear OS Glass Gorilla glass Case Glass fibre reinforced polyamide Strap Silicone Dimensions 50x50x15.3mm Weight 70 g

TRACK OF ALL TRADES

Suunto 7 Is the Suunto 7 a smartwatch, a running watch, a fitness tracker or maybe all of the above?

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From $799 suunto.com

rap the Suunto 7 around your wrist and what catches your attention straight away is the huge screen. We’re used to big screens – think the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro – but the Suunto 7 still surprised us with how vibrant the display looked. The Suunto 7 offers more than just a large screen: it comes with downloadable offline maps, over

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70 sport modes, music control and all the smart functions you’d expect from a Wear OS powered watch. The catch? For one, you’ll have to pay$800 for the privilege. It’s going to have to work to justify starting at more than the latest Apple Watch. The Suunto 7’s hardware is all about the touch-screen AMOLED display, which is housed under a Gorilla Glass screen. The display has a 454x454 pixels resolution, good enough to see images that have been sent to you through WhatsApp and with enough contrast and brightness to be sharp under most lighting conditions.

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Suunto 7

The watch uses a hybrid touchscreen/four-button navigation, which needs a little time to get used to. You can swipe in either direction from the main screen to access dierent areas of the software. To return, you swipe the opposite direction, but if you went into any sub-menus, you will have to swipe right to return to the previous menu and then the opposite direction to return to the home screen. The buttons on the right are also used for accessing menus and to move up/ down in the menus as well. If it sounds confusing, let us assure you: it is.

Worse for wear The new Suunto 7 is dierent from previous Suunto watches because this is the ďŹ rst model to feature Google’s Wear OS, a move that brings along a range of smart functionalities, integrations and features, as well as many of the frustrating aspects of the operating system. It is not standard vanilla Wear OS, of course, and Suunto has included a really potent feature as well: maps can be downloaded into the watch and

used oine, making navigation more convenient. Naturally, you get the Google Fit/Assistant/Pay/Play integrations as well as many other handy apps. The duality of the Suunto 7 is probably best explained by how you can change and access information about the watch on the phone: Wear OS features – the tiles, watch faces, integrated apps etc – can be changed in the Wear OS app while sport activities are fed into the Suunto App. It’s not impossible to get used to all this but it gives one the impression that Suunto launched the watch before they managed to fully esh out how to integrate Wear OS into the Suunto ecosystem. The watch has over 70 sport modes and this is an area where it really shines. Granted, we haven’t tried every single one of the modes, but during cycling and running, the sensors gave us precise readings. The GPS isn’t hyper-precise: following our path on the map in the Suunto app, it seems like we ran through buildings here and there without noticing.

THE ALTERNATIVES APPLE WATCH SERIES 5

GARMIN FENIX 6 PRO

With its cheaper price, excellent design, IDQWDVWLFbKHDOWK IHDWXUHV DQG EURDG ĆWQHVVbRSWLRQ WKLV LV WKH SHUIHFW ĆWQHVV VPDUWZDWFKbDOO URXQGHU for iPhone users. $649, apple.com/au

Another mammo running watch, t edges out the Su thanks to its exce build quality, hig precision and su menu system. $1,049, garmin.c

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A sharp display will show off things like the heart rate sensor and maps

When you add it all up, it has plenty to oer: the sharp display, lots of smart functionality, a good heart-rate sensor and built-in GPS, not to mention the oine maps. Yet it occupies a strange space on the ďŹ tness wearable market: it is too expensive and overpowered to be a ďŹ tness tracker and, to some degree, too casual to be taken seriously as a running watch. It is more expensive than many of the latest Apple Watch models and also its direct competitor, the Garmin Venu. We doubt many people would choose a Suunto over an Apple Watch. Once the price has dropped slightly, we’ll recommend this strongly. But right now, others are better.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Large screen; downloadable maps; Wear OS smart functionality. WE’D IMPROVE Short battery life; expensive; laggy touchscreen; confusing dual-app control on phone. THE LAST WORD While we were impressed with the huge GLVSOD\ WKH RIćLQH PDSV DQG WKH sensor precision, the Suunto 7 doesn’t fully compensate for the shortcomings of its user interface.

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Tested

Wireless smart speakers With their premium quality audio and voice assistants, these speakers are shaking up audio on the go Words: Josh Russell Photography: Phil Barker

BIG AND CLEVER

PORTABLE AND PUNCHY

SONOS MOVE

ULTIMATE EARS MEGABLAST

$649, sonos.com

$349, ultimateears.com

At 3kg, you certainly won’t be taking a Sonos Move on a camping trip: it’s more in its element at pool parties. But what this Alexa and Google-capable smart speaker lacks in portability, it more than makes up in sonic precision. Exuding bass with real substance, its presence manages to outstrip its already ample size, while it handles treble with real finesse. The Move’s frequency response is also very impressive: cue up some classical or jazz and each instrument sounds crisp and distinct. And its Automatic TruePlay truly feels like sonic magic: each time you move the speaker, it recalibrates to its new surroundings, shrugging off echoey spaces and negating nearby surfaces with ease.

Too often getting a more mobile, rugged speaker means compromising on sound. Not so with Ultimate Ears Megablast. While it’s not able to go toe-to-toe with the Sonos Move or Bose Portable Home Speaker for pure quality, this wireless speaker provides serious punch while being able to withstand both puddles and being shoved in a pack. It’s not as warm as its larger rivals, but its excellent transient response means it can rapidly shift between burbling bass and clicky trebles without the muddiness that so often affects bassy speakers. It’s also obedient, with Alexa hearing and acting on commands without fuss.

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Wireless smart speakers

ireless speakers have been a fixture at garden parties and campouts for years. But taking audio outside no longer means tolerating tinny treble and wrestling with pig-headed pairing procedures.

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Not only have companies been upping the quality from standard Bluetooth alone – switching to the aptX codec and offering Wi-Fi connectivity – but many are making use of the brains embedded in your home’s smart speakers to offer you voice

control over your audio on the go, via Alexa or Google Assistant. We’ve brought together a selection of the best, whether you’re looking for a voice-ready speaker that’s accident-proof or one that has sumptuous sound with smarts to match.

AFFORDABLE AUDIO

PRO TONES ON THE GO

JBL LINK PORTABLE

BOSE PORTABLE HOME SPEAKER

$179, jbl.com

$449, bose.com.au

By far the most affordable in our selection, the JBL Link Portable is a solid option for anyone looking for a smart speaker they can take on the go. Its build is sturdy and IPX7 waterproof, yet it’s lightweight enough you could easily toss it in a bag and forget it’s there. When it comes to sound, the Link Portable is a bit flimsier in the mid-range compared to rivals in higher brackets and certain elements can get lost when there’s a lot going on. We also had a few issues during set up: despite being connected over AirPlay, the speaker resolutely wouldn’t make a peep for several minutes. One to go for if price and Google Assistant matter more to you than really robust sound.

Thanks to its IPX4 water resistance and relatively trim 1.06kg frame, it’s clear Bose is intending this to spend far more time outdoors than the Move. And yet it makes very few compromises in terms of sound: it’s warm and smooth, offering resonant bass tones and producing very organic mids and trebles. It doesn’t quite have the guts or the brains of its rival: the low end is slightly less well-rounded, while the lack of space-sensing smarts means it’s only as good as its placement. It was also occasionally let down by its Alexa integration; the smart assistant responds to some commands with HAL-like obstinacy. But for the best combo of flexibility and fidelity, this is the one to go for.

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Tested Thinkware Q800 Pro

CAM DUNK

Thinkware Q800 Pro This do-it-all dash cam shoots in 2K and offers a wide range of driver safety systems From $559 thinkware.com ash cams come in all shapes and sizes, and the Thinkware Q800 Pro is certainly one of the largest on sale today. It doesn’t have a display, but makes up for this by offering QHD resolution video, a wide range of driver safety features, and the option of a secondary rear-facing camera. Video quality is where the Q800 Pro sets itself apart from much of the competition. Unlike most other dash cams, which record video at 1080p Full HD, the Q800 offers QHD. This means a resolution of 2560x1440, which in turn means sharper, higher-quality video with key details like number plates being easier to see than with an HD camera. The Q800 Pro we were provided for review came with an optional rear-facing camera, which increases the price from $559 to $689, and increases the included memory card from 16GB to 32GB. The secondary camera records 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second, so isn’t quite as sharp as the front camera, but is perfectly adequate for recording footage through the rear windscreen.

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The Q800 Pro has a large footprint compared to most dash cams, but its relatively low profile means it is subtle and neatly out of sight once fitted to the windscreen using the included 3M adhesive. It should fit neatly behind the rearview mirror of most cars, but if yours already has a camera there for its own lane departure warning system, then the dash cam might have to sit in a more prominent position. Despite its lack of display, the Q800 Pro has a wide range of driver safety and assistance features. These include its Super Night Vision 2.0, which brightens nighttime footage without blowing out the highlights. Meanwhile, its integrated GPS antenna means your location and speed can be added to every video recorded, along with the time and date. The camera can also warn you about red lights and speed cameras, as well as alerting you if you drift out of your lane, or if it thinks you are going to run into the vehicle ahead. Ultimately, it depends what you want from your dash cam. If all you want is a way to record video in the event of a collision, there are many cheaper, smaller and simpler options. But if you want all of the driver assistance and safety features offered by the Thinkware Q800 Pro, then few others that fit the bill so well.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED QHD video recording; great build quality; packed full of features. WE’D IMPROVE Won’t fit neatly on every windscreen; too many features for some; expensive. THE LAST WORD The Thinkware Q800 Pro is packed full of features. It records at 2K resolution and can be used with a second rear-facing camera. But the high price and huge feature set might put some buyers off.

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Tested Samsung Galaxy A90 5G

BUDGET 5G

Samsung Galaxy A90 5G As the affordable 5G race heats up, Samsung storms ahead with this really wellrounded handset $689 samsung.com/au he selling point of this phone might be to get 5G for a mid-range price, but while it doesn’t quite have the specs to match Samsung’s flagships, the A90 5G is still a very capable phone in its own right – it’s not just 5G connectivity that it’s got going for it. A good place to start is the bright and crisp 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, which is just as impressive as you would expect from Samsung. You get a decent triple-lens rear camera, and plenty of internal storage (128GB), plus the option to expand storage via memory card. Samsung makes some very smartly designed phones, and the A90 5G continues the trend. The only complaint you might have about this new handset is that it’s too big – this isn’t a phone for people with small hands. The resolution is 1080x2400 pixels, one of the very few mid-range specs in what is otherwise a premium-level phone. There’s a small teardrop notch at the top of the display, and the bezels are pleasingly thin. We also like the single strip of camera lenses on the back of the device. The fingerprint sensor is under the screen. It’s worth mentioning the colours that the Galaxy A90 5G is available in: as well as the black that our review unit came in, there’s also a white option with a rainbow-ish tinge – it’s a really nice look and probably the one we prefer. We like the split-texture on the back, too.

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The Snapdragon 855 chip running the phone was last year’s flagship, and combined with 6GB or 8GB of RAM, you’re going to get many years of service out of this phone. It sped through everything we threw at it, from games to photo editors, very smoothly indeed. Battery life was also impressive – we always had plenty left at the end of the day. The triple-lens 48MP+8MP+5MP rear camera impresses too, though there’s no telephoto zoom here. It’s a little behind more expensive phones (especially in low light), but you’ll still get bright, detailed snaps almost all of the time. And yes, there’s that 5G support which is just as fast as you’d hope, when you’re in the right spot. If you’re right in the middle of a city that already has coverage, the A90 5G offers excellent value for money for taking advantage of those super-high speeds. But if you won’t be in a 5G area as much, we’d be inclined to look at the OnePlus 7T for the same money, or even the upcoming Samsung S10 Lite.

VERDICT WE’RE IMPRESSED Affordable way to get 5G; stylish, premium design; has a headphone jack! WE’D IMPROVE 5G networks still growing; camera could be better; not the sharpest screen. THE LAST WORD If you want 5G speeds right now, the Samsung A90 5G should be somewhere near the top of your shortlist – especially when it comes to the price and the overall design quality.

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Tested

4K video streamers Upgrade your TV with access to new services and lush 4K HDR content with these streaming-ready boxes Words: Matt Bolton, David Nield Photography: Neil Godwin

THE AUDIENCE-PLEASER

THE APPLE AUTEUR’S CHOICE

ROKU STREAMING STICK+

APPLE TV 4K

$148, amazon.com.au

$259, apple.com/au

This will get 4K HDR video from just about every service up on your screen for not much money at all – and it’s notable for not being linked to Google, Amazon or Apple, so its search shows no bias towards particular apps. It has a smooth and clean menu, effortless setup and a familiar remote design. The HDR support is only regular HDR10 – not the more dynamic HDR10+ or Dolby Vision, so it’s not quite the picture-quality nerd’s choice. But with support for just about every stream you could want (including Apple TV, Disney+, Now TV, Netflix, Amazon, iPlayer…

iTunes has the biggest digital catalogue of 4K HDR movies (with support for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos too), and this used to be the only way to play them on your TV, making it a natural choice for movie lovers. But you can now get the Apple TV app, which includes that library, on other devices, so the price of this box is hard to justify. It has great app support, excellent image quality, and a friendly interface… but so do the others. It does tie into your iCloud photos and Apple Music, and it can play games that are (occasionally) console-like, but it’s still so expensive compared to the competition. It does nothing wrong, but only hardcore Apple fans should go for it.

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4K video streamers

hough most new TVs have every streaming service imaginable built in, we don’t all have new TVs. Updates with new apps can be hit and miss for existing TVs, so a streaming box can be the best

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way to upgrade which services you beam to your home. We know you’ll want to watch in the best possible image quality too, which is why we’ve taken a look at great boxes with 4K and HDR support, so you’ll get rich and detailed pictures.

The Roku and Amazon sticks plug straight into your HDMI port (but need additional power), while the Apple and Nvidia boxes require HDMI cables – the Nvidia doesn’t come with one, mind. All are good, but which is right for you?

HIGH-END VIDEO, LOW PRICE

THE UPSCALING SUPERSTAR

AMAZON FIRE STICK 4K

NVIDIA SHIELD TV

$79, amazon.com.au

$410, nvidia.com

This is very similar to the Roku, but with more high-end HDR options: you’ve got Dolby Vision and HDR10+ here, so provided you know whether content supports these (the latter is thin on the ground and not well-signposted), you can watch in the best quality. The app selection is excellent, including all the major services, plus Apple TV as a recent addition. The search function is geared towards promoting Amazon content, rather than the more neutral search of the Roku. Rather obscenely, though, this Amazon product is of no use for Australians wanting to watch Amazon Prime content. For other services it works fine, for Amazon’s own, forget it...

The show-piece here is an AI-powered upscaler, which converts HD footage to sharp 4K incredibly well – if you have a mid-range or lower TV, this high-end end processing could be a revelation, and can make this worth the high price, since so much stuff is still in HD. And there’s Dolby Vision and Atmos support. It also works with GeForce Now, Nvidia’s cloud gaming system. But it’s all powered by Android TV, which is solid for apps (though there’s no Apple TV) and has Chromecast support, but isn’t our first choice when it comes to the interface. It leaves it feeling like a niche buy overall – excellent if you want its specific features, but unnecessary for most people.

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Tested

Processor Intel Core i5 OS Chrome OS Screen 13.3-inch Full HD 1920x1080 (166 ppi) touchscreen display Battery up to 12 hours Memory 8GB Storage 128GB Dimensions 309.9x205.7x12.7mm Camera 1080p (60fps) Weight 1,061g

CHROME IMPROVEMENT

Google Pixelbook Go Google aims high with its new laptop – and it looks like it might have come up with something a bit special…

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From US$649 store.google.com he Pixelbook Go is here to dethrone the original Google Pixelbook – now more than two years old – as Google’s flagship Chromebook, the device that shows off Chrome OS at its best. It aims to be for Google what the Surface Laptop is for Microsoft, or what the MacBook Pro is for Apple, and it hits very close to this target. First and foremost, it’s a stylishlooking computer made from tough yet light magnesium. We like the

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overly curved corners, the matte finish, and the ribbed, textured underside of the laptop, which adds extra ‘stickiness’ for moments when the Pixelbook Go is sat on your lap or on a table. You can buy the Pixelbook Go in black or light pink, depending on the model you order. The 13.3-inch display that Google has attached to the Pixelbook Go is top-notch, too: bright and sharp, and able to display photos and movies with a real punch. We wish the bezels were a little smaller, but they’re fine as they are. Four different Pixelbook Go models are available: three with a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel Full HD display, and the top-tier model with a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel 4K display.

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Google Pixelbook Go

Those screen options all operate at a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is distinctly dierent from the 2017 Pixelbook aspect ratio of 3:2. The widescreen look is better for Netix and YouTube, but anyone upgrading from the original Pixelbook is going to miss the extra depth for browsing the web and working on documents. Unlike that Pixelbook predecessor, the Google Pixelbook Go doesn’t have a display with a full 360-degree hinge. You can’t fold it into a tent conďŹ guration for video watching, or fold it at so that it doubles as a tablet – it’s just the standard laptop hinge. We’re big fans of the backlit keyboard, which is elegantly designed and a pleasure to type on. Specs-wise, you can opt for 8GB or 16GB of RAM, 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, and your choice of 8th-gen Intel Core m3, i5 or i7 processors. Any of those should be able to run Chrome OS comfortably, but the more you spend, the better able the Pixelbook Go will be to cope with multiple browser tabs and more complex web apps. Chromebooks are able to run Android apps now too, which is

another area where some extra oomph can help – in mobile games and photo editing apps, for example. Still, even the base Pixelbook Go spec should be able to cope with everything you can throw at it.

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Fast mover Our review laptop was an Intel Core i5 model, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and it proved snappy and responsive to use. Web apps and Android apps alike whizzed along, and one of the pleasures of using a Chromebook is that it doesn’t really slow down over time as hard drive space shrinks and bloat increases. Sound from the stereo speakers is decent: it lacks a little bass but is ďŹ ne for movies and videos, and at a push a few tunes as well (though really any proper speaker sounds better). Battery life was solid too, with our Pixelbook Go lasting around nine hours between charges after some pretty intensive use. The only question left is whether Chrome OS is for you. Essentially it’s just a web browser, but with web apps getting more advanced, oine support improving, and Android apps

THE ALTERNATIVES SAMSUNG GALAXY CHROMEBOOK ,I \RX ZDQW WR JR KLJK HQG ZLWK \RXU &KURPHERRN FKRLFH WKH RQ VDOH VRRQ *DOD[\ &KURPHERRN IURP 6DPVVXQ X J V DQ H[FH FHOO HOOOH HQ QW FK KR FH H ü MXVW ORRN DW LW LWèV DOVR DYDLODEOH LOO EO LLQ JUH\

$TBC, samsung.com Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

ACER R13 AC 0 \EH \RX GRQèW ZDQW WR VSHQG ORDGV R D &KURPHERRN NĂĽ WK \èUH RQO\ UXQQLQJ KURPH DQG D IHZ Z $ GURLG DSSV DIW U DOOO DQG LI WKDWèV WKH FDVH WKH $FHU 5 5 )XOO ĂĽD K $ ZLWK L KD) OO + GLVSOD\ WKDW ćLSV RYHU LV D QHDW FKRLFH +' $599, acer.com

now available on Chromebooks, that’s not as limiting as it once was. You don’t get access to programs such as Microsoft OďŹƒce, Adobe Photoshop or advanced music or video editing tools on a Chromebook; but you don’t need to worry about software updates, antivirus programs, or backing up your work because everything lives in the cloud anyway. Cheaper Chromebooks are available, but we think the extra polish and power of the Pixelbook Go make it worth the additional cost – certainly at the basic level. A Pixelbook Go purchase gets harder to justify at the higher price points, however.

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BEST OF THE BEST The world’s best tech, all in one place Edited by Matt Bolton

If you’re looking for the very best tech available today, you’ve GHĆQLWHO\ FRPH WR WKH ULJKW SODFH %HVW RI WKH %HVW LV WKH PRVW useful gadget-buying guide you ZLOO HYHU HQFRXQWHU 7R FUHDWH LW we’ve extensively tested the best tech the world has to offer, to bring you rock-solid UHFRPPHQGDWLRQV IRU \RXU KRPH OLIH GDLO\ FRPPXWH DQG WKH WHFK \RX XVH DOO WKH WLPH ,Q PDQ\ GLIIHUHQW FDWHJRULHV ZHèYH FKRVHQ WKH WRS IRXU SURGXFWV VR \RX FDQ FKRRVH RQH WKDWèV MXVW WKH ULJKW PL[ RI features and budget for what you QHHG 7KHVH UDQNLQJV FRPH IURP UHDO WHVWLQJ E\ RXU WHDP RI H[SHUWV Ã¥ WKH\èUH WKH SURGXFWV we’d choose for ourselves, and ZH FDQèW UHFRPPHQG DQ\ KLJKHU WKDQ WKDW

INSIDE Smartphones and smart watches

87

Watches

88

Soundbars and gaming consoles

89

Streaming and AV devices

90

Bluetooth devices and headphones 91 Headphones

92

Laptops and tablets

93

Drones and action cams

94

Cameras

95

Smart home gear

96

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Discover m ore a t techradar.co m/au

Best of the best

SMARTPHONES APPLE iPHONE 11 PRO From $1,749, apple.com/au Packing the best screen and camera on any phone, plus the fastest processor and a beautiful highquality build, and you’ve got a phone that earns its Pro name. It’s a totally polished package.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S10+

CHEAP SMARTPHONES SAMSUNG GALAXY S10E From $999, samsung.com/au The modestly sized and pocket-friendly 5.8-inch screen on the S10e is a breath of fresh air. With Samsung’s impeccable levels of ĆW DQG ĆQLVK JUHDW software and top specs, it’s a deal.

MOTOROLA ONE ACTION

SMARTWATCHES APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 From $649, apple.com/au This truly straddles the line between tech and fashion; it’s not just the bestlooking smartwatch, but its health and ĆWQHVV IHDWXUHV always-on screen and good apps PDNH LW HVVHQWLDO

SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH ACTIVE

From $1,499, samsung.com/au A premium build, LQFUHGLEOH ,QĆQLW\ 2 screen with HDR10+, brilliant rear triple camera system and blazing performance in Samsung’s slick new One UI make this the Android king.

From $289, motorola.com One of the most exciting budget smartphones to have launched in... forever. There’s a massive 6.3-inch LCD screen on the front, a triple camera on the rear and 128GB RI VWRUDJH LQVLGH

From $299, samsung.com Sleek and powerful, this is the best smartwatch for Android users. The screen and design are on par with the Apple Watch, while a collection of new watch faces give it DbPRGHUQ HGJH

HUAWEI P30 PRO

GOOGLE PIXEL 3A

SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH

From $1,299, huawei.com A revolutionary 5x optical zoom (with 10x lossless hybrid zoom) meets a 6.47inch OLED screen, big battery, and ultra-fast processor for one of the smartest Android phones available.

ONEPLUS 7 PRO From $829, oneplus.com :LWK D ZRUOG ĆUVW in screen tech and the fastest wired FKDUJLQJ \RXèOO ĆQG this is an ambitious phone, designed to prove that OnePlus can make higher-end ćDJVKLSV DV ZHOO DV mid-range marvels.

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$649, store.google.com 64GB of storage, always up-to-date Android with no extra cruft, snappy performance and a truly brilliant camera, all in a SDFNDJH WKDW GHĆQHV ‘cheap and cheerful’ – it’s great value.

HONOR PLAY From $485, hihonor.com Pitched as a gaming phone, but it’s just an all-round brilliant Android phone that’s a stone-cold bargain. It has a high-end processor, 6.3-inch screen, good rear cameras and a fantastic design.

From $399, samsung.com/au The circular screen with innovative rotating bezel is the best way to control a smartwatch, and the slick Tizen software is easy to use. It looks good too, and a battery life of up to six days is ace.

FOSSIL SPORT From $249, fossil.com Fossil’s fourth generation of smartwatches serves up what’s probably the best Wear OS smartwatch available to buy today. Capable and wearable, with good app support.

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Best of the best

HYBRID SMARTWATCHES WITHINGS STEEL HR SPORT

WATCHES TAG HEUER AUTAVIA 3DUW RI 7$*èV Heritage range, the Autavia was favoured by racing GULYHUV LQ WKH V The vintage silver dial features a retro Heuer logo, and is encircled by a black DOXPLQLXP EH]HO

Featuring a heartrate monitor and the ability to track 30 different exercises, this is ideal for ĆWQHVV IDQDWLFV ,WèV water resistant to 50 metres, and the battery lasts around GD\V

WITHINGS MOVE ECG $255, withings.com Think a pricey Apple Watch is needed to take an ECG reading of your heart? This can do that, plus activity tracking and sleep monitoring, with a 12-month battery life, for a UHDOO\ ORZ SULFH

MONDAINE HELVETICA 1 $428, mondaine.com Mondaine is most famous for producing watches which resemble its classic Swiss Railways clock, but the Helvetica UDQJH LV GLIIHUHQW ,W includes activity and VOHHS WUDFNLQJ

KRONABY SEKEL $545, kronaby.com Looking for more than a pedometer? The Sekel vibrates to alert you to QRWLĆFDWLRQV RQ \RXU SKRQH DQG WKHUHèV a button which can be programmed with ,)777 WR GR ORDGV

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VICTORINOX I.N.O.X V $585, victorinox.com

$7,200, tagheuer.com

$254, withings.com

WATCHES UNDER $1,000

TUDOR BLACK BAY GMT $5,610, tudorwatch.com Sporting a bold 41mm steel case and distinctive blue and burgundy bezel, the Black Bay GMT can keep track of three time zones, making LW LGHDO IRU WKRVH who often travel LQWHUQDWLRQDOO\

OMEGA SEAMASTER 300

Having undergone 130 durability tests, this watch will stand up to anything you WKURZ DW LW 7KH paracord strap hints at its adventurous KHULWDJH DQG LWèV great for all wrist VL]HV

HAMILTON KHAKI FIELD $595, hamiltonwatch.com This is a faithful recreation of its original 1960s forebearer and is WUXH WR +DPLOWRQèV PLOLWDU\ KHULWDJH 7KH PP VWDLQOHVV VWHHO case is paired with a GXUDEOH 1$72 VWUDS

TISSOT QUICKSTER CHRONOGRAPH

$7,970, omegawatches.com The 300 recalls its iconic namesake, but has been updated to include 2PHJDèV PRUH modern watch tech, including the antimagnetic Master Co-Axial mechanical PRYHPHQW LQVLGH

$625, tissotwatches.com This packs a Swiss quartz movement with 1/10 of a second counters, central 60-seconds chronograph hand, and add/split IXQFWLRQDOLW\ 7KH FDVH LV ĆQLVKHG ZLWK D VOHHN 39' FRDWLQJ

BREITLING NAVITIMER B01 CHRONOGRAPH

CHRISTOPHER WARD C5 MALVERN MK III

$6,510, breitling.com

$740, au.christopherward.com This sleek dress watch retains its classic British design cues from older models, but features a new 39mm stainless steel case with Fluid ‘lightFDWFKHUè OLQHV DQG KRXUV SRZHU UHVHUYH

The Navitimer is %UHLWOLQJèV PRVW LFRQLF FROOHFWLRQ This model boasts a 43mm stainless steel case with a transparent back, showing off the selfZLQGLQJ PRYHPHQW

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Best of the best

SOUNDBARS SONOS BEAM

STREAMERS ROKU STREAMING STICK+

CHROMECAST ULTRA

$1,429, samsung.com A soundbar, subwoofer and rear surrounds, this is as painless a way to get Dolby Atmos as you’ll ĆQG ,WV FKDQQHOV are driven by 512W of amp, and the new sub gives plenty of UXPEOH

$799, vizio.com

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We love the Switch, which brings Nintendo’s great gaming pedigree to genuinely stylish, premium-grade KDUGZDUH )RUJHW WKH specs: it’s all about the sheer joy of JDPLQJ

4K HDR for under $100 isn’t to be VQLIIHG DW ,WèV EHVW suited to Prime subscribers and Google apps are absent, but it’s a very capable and affordable streamer IRUb79 DQG PRYLHV

APPLE TV 4K

MICROSOFT XBOX ONE S

$249, apple.com/au With a sound as big as its name is long, this is your best affordable Dolby $WPRV '76 ; RSWLRQ Also known as the SB36512-F6, it ticks all the right boxes in WHUPV RI IHDWXUHV

NINTENDO SWITCH $429, nintendo.com.au

$63, amazon.com.au Want superb sound without a big price and unnecessary extras? Q Acoustics’ M3 combines great simplicity and great VRXQG ,PSUHVVLYH affordable, and it wasn’t hit with the XJO\ VWLFN

VIZIO 36-INCH 5.1.2 HOME THEATER SOUND SYSTEM

It’s still overkill if you don’t have a 4K 79 EXW ZLWK S HDR gaming, the PS4 Pro delivers incredible visuals and is smoother and faster than its non3UR VLEOLQJV

The Chromecast Ultra is a receiver for phones and laptops and depends on them for control and content – but it’s simple, versatile and compatible with iOS, Android, Windows DQG 0DF

AMAZON FIRE TV STICK 4K

$339, qacoustics.co.uk

SONY PLAYSTATION 4 PRO $389, playstation.com

$75, store.google.com

Q ACOUSTICS M3

With 4K, Dolby Atmos, Ultra HD Blu-ray and a fairly FRPSDFW SURĆOH this is the best ;ER[ HYHU ,WèV HYHQ more powerful than the PS4 Pro and also a great home HQWHUWDLQPHQW KXE

The Swiss Army Knife of streaming delivers 4K HDR, isn’t locked to a particular ecosystem, has tons of available apps and is a joy to XVH ,WèV WKH EHVW streamer for many SHRSOH

If it were just a soundbar, the Beam’s great audio would still make it top – but with Amazon Alexa, Apple AirPlay 2 and support for a billion streaming services, it’s fantastically ćH[LEOH

SAMSUNG Q90

MICROSOFT XBOX ONE X $479, xbox.com

$145, roku.com

$479, sonos.com

GAMES CONSOLES

$269, xbox.com iTunes has the biggest source of 4K HDR and Dolby Atmos movies, and lots of other services have apps KHUH WRR <RX FDQ also easily stream to it from Macs and L26bGHYLFHV

The S is smaller, whiter and much cheaper than its big brother, and while you don’t get its sibling’s superpowered specs you still get Ultra HD %OX UD\ $ ĆQH KRPH HQWHUWDLQPHQW KXE

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Best of the best

TURNTABLES PRO-JECT ESSENTIAL III $475, project-audio.com Really sounds great for the money, with an expansive and enjoyable sound across a range of genres and volume levels. It also looks very pleasing, in a variety of high JORVV ĆQLVKHV

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO ALVA TT

STREAMING DACS YAMAHA WXAD-10 $219, au.yamaha.com

TECHNICS SL-1210GR

ARCAM RDAC

$8,495, mcintoshlabs.com This beautifully ĆQLVKHG GHFN LV perfect for vinyl addicts. It’ll wring an incredible amount of detail out of your records, without needing to be plugged into a crazily pricey system.

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$2,499 naimaudio.com

GOOGLE CHROMECAST AUDIO $49, google.com

MCINTOSH MT2

NAIM MU-SO 2ND GENERATION

This Yamaha lets you stream everything from Bluetooth to hi-res audio, with support for AirPlay, most of your favourite streaming services and, of course Yamaha’s own MusicCast.

$2,799, cambridgeaudio.com This Bluetooth turntable is a real game changer. It uses an exhausting array of analogueto-digital trickery, plus aptX HD to give hi-res/better-thanCD-quality sound, and all wirelessly.

$3,499, technics.com/au The iconic DJ turntable reimagined as a lustworthy slab RI KRPH KL Ć :KLOH we wouldn’t take this out clubbing, it’s the ultimate deck for gently maturing ravers, and sounds excellent too.

MULTI-ROOM SPEAKERS Mu-So 2 crushes its competition. An awesome, thumping wall of sound and reliable, versatile software platform and streaming support make for the perfect 21st-century music experience.

SONOS ONE $259, sonos.com

A somewhat less audiophile solution perhaps, but so simple and so cheap. Suddenly, all your Android phone’s music (plus Google’s apps on iOS) can be beamed to your audio setup.

Sonos One is compatible with every music service ever, multi-room connectivity is fab, and Alexa comes built in as an added bonus. Many pricier Sonos speakers then await you…

RUARK R5

$849, arcam.co.uk For those who stream via AirPlay and UPNP, this is ever so hard to beat. It’s essentially a very high quality DAC, and gives a real boost to any decent TXDOLW\ DXGLR ĆOHV beamed its way.

$1,999, ruarkaudio.com Like a mini system for the 21st century, Ruark’s R5 chucks in a CD player, DAB and FM radios and two extra inputs, including one preamped for use with a turntable. There’s even Bluetooth too.

BOWERS & WILKINS FORMATION DUO

iFI NANO iONE LĆ DXGLR FRP Just want to wring the very most out of Bluetooth? This fagpacket-sized DAC is your new friend. Even the shonkiest MP3 gets a polish, and your higher TXDOLW\ ĆOHV DQG streams will shine.

$5,800, bowerswilkins.com These may look like Bender from Futurama but sound like God yodelling in your ear. The only wireless choice for any real audiophiles out there: highly specced, but not exactly affordable.

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Best of the best

BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS BLUESOUND PULSE FLEX 2I $539, bluesound.com More than a Bluetooth speaker, with Wi-Fi and ethernet included this is more like a portable Sonos. It’s AirPlay 2 compatible, and works with streaming services and internet radio.

AUDIO PRO ADDON C3 $499, audiopro.com

BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES AUDIO-TECHNICA ATH-M50XBT $299, audio-technica.com Long battery life and sound that’s closer to the more neutral WRQHV RI KL Ć FDQV (though still with a slight extra kick of bass), plus great comfort levels, make these ideal for losing yourself in music.

AKG Y50BT

ULTIMATE EARS MEGABOOM 3 $199, ultimateears.com The best waterproof speaker – it even ćRDWV å RIIHUV hours of battery life and a hefty sound, perfect for outdoor parties. It works great for kitchen audio duties, too.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO YOYO M $435, cambridgeaudio.com The best Bluetooth solution for audiophiles’ audio ĆOHV WKLV LV DV \RX can see, a stereo pair. As such it’s more like a classic KL Ć V\VWHP EXW ZLWK the convenience RIbZLUHOHVVQHVV

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BEATS POWERBEATS PRO $295, beatsbydre.com If you want true wireless buds with quality audio, there’s almost nothing to match these, and the ZD\ WKH\ ĆW PHDQV they cannot fall out and get lost. Beats KDV NQRFNHG LW RXW RI the damn park.

JABRA ELITE 65T $199, jabra.com.au

$199, au.akg.com $ ĆQH EOHQG RI classic Bluetooth portability, highquality audio and Scandie style. Thanks to Wi-Fi, you can stream higher quality sounds indoors, then revert to Bluetooth in the garden.

TRUE WIRELESS HEADPHONES

Jabra has solved most of the problems that bedevilled earlier true wireless buds. Sound is great, connectivity is rock VROLG WKH ĆW LV VHFXUH but comfortable, and they’re discreet.

If you want an on-ear alternative to the Marshalls, these ’phones from AKG remain a great option. The sound is punchy and the styling is pretty cool without WU\LQJ WRR KDUG

OPTOMA NUFORCE BE LIVE5

APPLE AIRPODS PRO $399, apple.com/au

$107, optoma.com

Great active noise cancellation, a super-secure in-ear ĆW VZHDW SURRĆQJ adaptive EQ, good battery life and excellent audio quality make these pricey but technically brilliant buds.

These slick earphones offer incredible sound for the price, taking everything from pop to classical in their stride. They’re made to stay comfortable for their eight-hour battery life.

SOUNDMAGIC E11BT $125, soundmagicheadphones.com These are as good as buds that cost twice as much. Audio is brilliant, connectivity is rock solid, the necklace-style band stays stable, and the ĆW LV FRPIRUWDEOH DQG secure enough for exercise.

LYPERTEK TEVI $134, lypertek.com These are unbeatable at this price – a discreet design, decent battery life, good ZDWHUSURRĆQJ VWDEOH connectivity and good sound make these one hell of a bargain.

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Best of the best

NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES SONY WH-1000XM3

WIRED IN-EAR HEADPHONES FLARE AUDIO FLARE PRO 2HD ćDUHDXGLR FRP

$395, sony.com.au

These are both wired and wireless – the in-ear bit has a cable to a DAC box, which you can then play music through over Bluetooth or by plugging in. The sound is fantastic – huge and nuanced.

With 30-hour battery life, very quick charging, Google Assistant, amazing bass response and an incredibly clever noise cancellation processor, these are superb headphones.

BOWERS & WILKINS PX $399, bowers-wilkins.com With useful motionsensing features, the stylish PXes have variable noise cancelling and accurate B&W sound. We think the Sonys are slightly better, but you may well disagree.

SONY WH-1000XM2 With the XM3 model replacing these, you PLJKW EH DEOH WR ĆQG them cheap – and if you can, you’ll get impressive noise cancellation and brilliant sound in a comfortable body. They’re still ace.

BEATS STUDIO3 WIRELESS $399, apple.com/au These Beats deliver exceptional noise cancellation that reacts very well to all kinds of environments, they get three hours of charge in 10 minutes and they’re the best sounding Beats so far.

BOWERS & WILKINS P9 SIGNATURE $1,249, bowers-wilkins.com The P9s don’t just sound wonderful with hi-res audio. They do a stellar job with poor quality music, such as compressed MP3s. You can have any colour you like as long as it’s brown.

AUDIO TECHNICA ATH-A1000Z

NOLSVFK FRP A more comfortable alternative to in-ear monitors, the R6i IIs deliver lots of bass and a lively, HQJDJLQJ VRXQG It’s maybe a little bass-heavy for older music, but it’s great for modern stuff.

FLARE AUDIO FLARES JET 3

DXGLRWHFKQLFD FRP Forget about MP3s or EDM: these headphones don’t ćDWWHU RU VDFULĆFH sound quality for bass. But if you give them a good amp and a good sound source they do incredible things.

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 2.0 AROUND EAR VHQQKHLVHU FRP

ćDUHDXGLR FRP

$389, sony.com.au

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KLIPSCH R6I II

WIRED OVER-EAR HEADPHONES

Maintaining the quality of the Flares Pro (see Bluetooth headphones), removing the DAC element and thereby slashing the price, these audiophile inear headphones are a tremendous option.

SOUNDMAGIC E11C VRXQGPDJLFKHDGSKRQHV FRP Can we really be recommending a pair of headphones for under $100? Yes we can! The grown-up sound quality and exemplary comfort of the 11c make them the sonic bargain of the year.

The best sub-$350 over-ear headphones aren’t too picky about sonic sources. They don’t quite have the frequency range of our more expensive picks but they’re well built and good for the price.

BOWERS & WILKINS P5 SERIES 2 $199, bowers-wilkins.com The little sisters of the mighty P9s deliver a beautifully warm and spacious sound for a lot less money, and their closed backs mean they’re less likely to annoy other people when you commute.

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Best of the best

LAPTOPS DELL XPS 13

2-IN-1 LAPTOPS MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2 $1,757, microsoft.com

From $1,698, dell.com

Pull the screen away from the keyboard and it’s a tablet. Connect them for more graphics power and battery life. A premium, fantastically portable, and supremely versatile system.

The Dell XPS 13 is thinner and more powerful than ever. Up to 1TB of SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, a 4K screen and fast Intel chips help make it a top quality all-rounder.

MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2 $1,757, microsoft.com

HP ENVY X2

HUAWEI MATEBOOK X PRO $1,993, consumer.huawei.com This marries style and function, delivering incredibly capable internal hardware in a form factor that also matches Apple’s MacBook range in terms of looks and feel.

ALIENWARE AREA-51M From $3,999, alienware.com A gaming laptop packed with power, from the ninth-gen i7 processors, to the newest Nvidia mobile GPUs. The performance you get back is worth the substantial outlay.

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APPLE iPAD PRO 12.9 (2018) From $1,529, apple.com/au The biggest iPad Pro is unbelievably powerful and slick, ZLWK DQ H[FHOOHQW screen, thin and compact design, great battery life and support for the Apple Pencil. Pricey, but worth it.

APPLE IPAD PRO 11 (2018)

From $899, hp.com Available in 13- or 15-inch sizes, with a 3:2 screen that gives you more height than other laptops, and plenty of power, this is a light and fast machine that’s also UHDOO\ ćH[LEOH

TABLETS

The big sell here is the monstrous battery life, with up to 22 hours on one charge. This is because it makes use of ARM architecture, with a Snapdragon 835 CPU powering everything.

DELL XPS 15 2-IN-1 From $2,549, dell.com With a big screen and great specs, ZKDWèV QRW WR OLNH about this 2-in-1? Well, the price is steep, but if you can afford it then this is undoubtedly one of the best touchscreen options.

ASUS ZENBOOK FLIP 13 $1,299, asus.com

From $1,449, apple.com/au Despite its smaller size, the internals of the 11in iPad Pro are the same as the bigger version: it’s supremely powerful, it’s incredibly versatile, in short, it’s an absolute beast of a tablet.

APPLE IPAD AIR (2018) From $547, apple.com/au With a sharp, vibrant 10.5-inch screen, Apple Pencil support, mega-powerful A12 processor and thin, light body, this a Pro in all but name, for a bargain price. The best all-rounder tablet.

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S6 $999, samsung.com

The Zenbook Flip 13 might be the best laptop Asus has ever released. Tooled up with an eighth-gen Intel Core processor, the tablet mode feels great to use, thanks to a responsive touchscreen.

7KH ĆQHVW $QGURLG tablet, this delivers D V\VWHP ZLWK a sharp OLED screen, S Pen stylus, H[FHOOHQW DXGLR credentials, powerful internals, and a neat laptop-aping DeX mode.

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Best of the best

DRONES DJI MAVIC MINI

ACTION CAMERAS GOPRO HERO8 BLACK

$599, dji.com

$529, gopro.com $UJXDEO\ WKH ĆUVW high-quality cameracarrying drone for WKH PDVVHV WKH 0LQL LV VXUSULVLQJO\ IDVW QLPEOH DQG VWDEOH LQ ćLJKW DQG ZHLJKV J VK\ RI WKH &$$èV J UHJLVWUDWLRQ regulation.

DJI MAVIC AIR

*R3URèV ODWHVW VHHV XSGDWHV HYHU\ZKHUH )RXU YLUWXDO OHQVHV get you the ideal ĆHOG RI YLHZ IRU ZKDW \RXèUH VKRRWLQJ DQG QH[W JHQ YLGHR VWDELOLVDWLRQ NHHSV LW VWDEOH DQG FULVS

$529, gopro.com 7KH 0DYLF $LU LV D VXSHU SRUWDEOH . camera drone. Video quality from the camera mounted on D WKUHH D[LV JLPEDO LV H[FHOOHQW DQG LWèV VR VLPSOH WR FRQWURO EHJLQQHUV JUDVS LW IDVW

RYZE TELLO

DJI MAVIC 2 PRO

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$395, dji.com With a cool front GLVSOD\ EXW PLVVLQJ 6XSHU9LHZ PRGH DQG OLYH VWUHDPLQJ '-,èV FDP LV LGHDO IRU H[WUHPH VSRUWV W\SHV DQG YORJJHUV ,PDJH VWDELOLVDWLRQ LV H[FHOOHQW DQG LWèV HDV\ WR XVH

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YI 4K $124, yitechnology.com &DSWXUHV KLJK TXDOLW\ IRRWDJH HYHQ LQ ORZ OLJKW WKDQNV WR DQ /&( VHYHQ OD\HU DOO JODVV OHQV DQG 6RQ\ ([PRU 5 ,0; VHQVRU ,W VKRRWV . DW ISV EX\ D VHSDUDWH FDVH IRU ZDWHUSURRĆQJ

OLFI ONE.FIVE WHITE ROĆFDPHUD FRP

$320, amazon.com.au :KLOH WKLV GRHVQèW RIIHU WKH VDPH VL]H WR SRZHU UDWLR DV WKH $LU LWV . YLGHR DQG VWLOOV FDSWXUH DUH VHQVDWLRQDO WKDQNV WR DQ RQ ERDUG +DVVHOEODG FDPHUD DQG IDQWDVWLF VWDELOLVDWLRQ

AKASO V50 X

7KH ZDWHUSURRI +HUR %ODFN PDNHV FDSWXULQJ SUR ORRNLQJ VKRWV HDVLHU WKDQNV WR +\SHU6PRRWK electronic VWDELOLVDWLRQ . LPDJH TXDOLW\ LV H[FHOOHQW DQG WKHUHèV VOLFN ISV UHFRUGLQJ

SJCAM SJ8 PRO

$2,299, dji.com

7KH ZDOOHW IULHQGO\ +HUR :KLWH ERUURZV SUHPLXP IHDWXUHV from the Hero7 Black. ,GHDO IRU SDUW WLPH DGUHQDOLQH MXQNLHV QHHGLQJ D VLPSOH +' FDPHUD WKDW VKRRWV YouTube-ready footage.

$265, akasotech.com

DJI OSMO ACTION

$169, ryzerobotics.com 7KLV LV D EDUJDLQ å LW XVHV '-, WHFK LQVLGH IRU ćLJKW VWDELOLW\ KDV D FDPHUD WKDW WDNHV +' YLGHR RU 03 VQDSV DQG KRYHUV VWLOO IRU VHOĆHV ,W FDQ ć\ LQGRRUV RU RXW WKRXJK LV WRR OLJKW IRU ZLQG\ GD\V

GOPRO HERO7 WHITE $299, gopro.com

GOPRO HERO7 BLACK

$1,299, dji.com

CHEAP ACTION CAMERAS

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7KLV FDPHUD PLJKW ODFN . EXW S ISV DQG S ISV YLGHR SOXV 03 VWLOOV DUH SOHQW\ IRU ZHHNHQG ZDUULRUV 7KH 2QH )LYH :KLWH DOVR FRPHV ZLWK Db P ZDWHUSURRI FDVH

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Best of the best

DSLR CAMERAS NIKON D850

MIRRORLESS CAMERAS NIKON Z 6

$3,199, nikon.com.au

SONY RX100 VII

$2,699, nikon.com.au With a highresolution 45.4 megapixel sensor, 4K video capture, a 153-point AF system, and a sturdy body, you’ll never be disappointed with what the D850 can create for you.

CANON EOS 7D MARK II $1,455, canon.com.au

$1,598, sony.com With a full-frame 24.5 megapixel sensor, 12fps continuous shooting, phenomenal lowlight performance and fantastic handling, this creates incredible images for a reasonable price.

SONY A9

Trading up from an entry-level camera? The 7D Mark II is the camera of your dreams. A superb all-rounder with a 20.2-megapixel sensor and a host of features to suit D YDULHW\ RI QHHGV

$905, panasonic.com The A9 is expensive but earns every penny by packing an incredible 24.3MP full-frame sensor capable of 20fps shooting with tracking autofocus the whole way. It’s a technical marvel.

CANON EOS R

$2,148, nikon.com.au

$1,095, canon.com.au The EOS R is classic Canon, but with some useful twists, such as the touch-sensitive multi function bar. Image quality is also fantastic, thanks to the full-frame 30.3 megapixel sensor.

PANASONIC S1R

$1,285, nikon.com.au

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This full-blown overhaul of the G5 line brings a oneinch 20MP sensor and a 5x optical zoom, plus 4K video recording, USB-C battery charging and burst shooting up to 30fps. Versatile.

FUJIFILM X100F IXMLĆOP FRP

$3,859, panasonic.com This has the same sensor and image processor as the D500 for less. You still get fantastic pics, but with a slightly slower autofocus (and a few other changes). A superb all-rounder.

This might be the ideal travel companion, with a versatile zoom lens up to 15x, and a fantastic one-inch sensor that captures bright, sharp images. It’s also stylish and pocket-friendly.

CANON G5X MARK II

$2,699, canon.com.au This solidly built camera is the SHUIHFWbFKRLFH IRU those who like to shoot a little bit of everything, thanks to a brilliant autofocus system and glorious image quality from its 20MP sensor.

NIKON D7500

For the best image quality in a pocketfriendly body, look here. The RX100 VII continues to build on Sony’s reputation for high-quality premium compacts, and does so without breaking the bank.

PANASONIC TZ200

$6,699 sony.com.au

NIKON D500

COMPACT CAMERAS

Panasonic’s leap into full-frame is bigger than other mirrorless systems, and for now is fairly limited on the lens front. But with 47.3MP to play with, it’ll be interesting to see it develop.

7KH )XMLĆOP ; ) is as beautiful as it is capable. If the retro ORRN ćRDWV \RXU ERDW then the X100F is a thing to behold. It’s compact, but packs a large APS-C sensor and a lovely 35mm f/2.0 lens.

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Best of the best

SMART SPEAKERS AMAZON ECHO PLUS $229, amazon.com.au Thanks to its integrated Zigbeecompliant smart home hub, the Plus is a great smart home starter. Never pay the RRP, though: Amazon discounts Echos every time LW KDV D VDOH

SONOS ONE

SMART THERMOSTATS

PHILIPS HUE

NEST THERMOSTAT E

From $14, meethue.com Hue dominates the smart lighting sector for good reason: it’s a superb system with the widest range of bulbs and a simple, useful app. Rivals may be cheaper but they can’t compete with Hue’s variety.

LIFX

$299, sonos.com The Sonos One is a superb standalone speaker with integrated Alexa, EXW WKH UHDO VHOOLQJ SRLQW LV LWV ćH[LELOLW\ use it as part of a stereo pair or in a multi-room Sonos audio system.

AMAZON ECHO STUDIO $329, amazon.com.au

GOOGLE NEST HUB MAX $349, store.google.com A big 10-inch screen, plus good-quality VSHDNHUV WKDW FDQ ĆOO a room, make this a Google Assistant device that can really do anything. There’s a camera for video calls, and it’s a smart home hub.

$305, nest.com This cheaper Nest PRGHO GRHVQèW ĆW DV much information on its screen and doesn’t feel as premium, but that’s it. Same algorithm, same Alexa and Google Home compatibility.

TADO SMART THERMOSTAT

From $29, lifx.com.com If you fancy a Hue system but don’t want to spend so much, LIFX has a strong product range and integrates with your favourite personal digital assistant. Philips still wins, but only just.

IKEA TRÃ…DFRI

$249, tado.com Tado is very sociable: it works with 95% of the systems out WKHUH ,WèV ćH[LEOH clever and supports a wide range of accessories too. Price cuts have made it even PRUH HQWLFLQJ

NEST LEARNING THERMOSTAT $300, nest.com

From $49, ikea.com With support for the Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio – as well as Alexa, Amazon got serious about sound here. Five drivers give your music really rich, meaty audio power.

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SMART BULBS

Nest made smart thermostats sexy and this third-gen model looks great. It’s simple to use with good Google Home and Amazon Echo integration, but a tad pricey, especially with installation.

Ikea’s Zigbeecompatible system doesn’t have the range of Hue, but if you prize control over colour options it’s stellar value for money and has some great controllers DQGbGLPPHUV

EUFY LUMOS WHITE From $99, eufylife.com Eufy is just entering the market, so right now there’s only a white bulb out, but it’s great: simple, with a polished app and Alexa support for smarts. And no hub needed – just pay for one and go.

HIVE HEATING CONTROL $339, hivehome.com Hive is great: it’s affordable, works well, and is part of a larger smart home system that includes bulbs and security options. This is an ideal way to jump in.

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LUXURIES Exclusive gifts to seriously spoil yourself

IMAGE SOURCE: VISHNUDEEP DIXIT, PEXELS

TH E N E W S E V EN WON DE R S If you could visit one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (that’s the ones voted for by the public in the early noughties, as opposed to the ancient ones), which would you choose? Would it be the historic ruins of Rome’s Colosseum, the imposing majesty of the Taj Mahal, or perhaps the enduringly fascinating Great Wall of China? Well, if you’ve got 70 grand to spare, you can explore all seven Wonders during an epic 27-day trip, curated by travel operator Truly. The tour – which includes Business Class flights, four or five-star accommodation, a personalised itinerary and private tours of each landmark, for two people – stretches across three continents and culminates in a visit to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. A once in a lifetime trip, dripping with luxury touches on every leg of the journey. $70,000, trulyexperiences.com

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Luxuries

FLOR DE C A NA V GEN E R AC ION E S There’s no shortage of rum in the world (thankfully), but there is short supply of this limited edition tipple by Flor de Cana, an award-winning distiller located a mere 8km from the base of San Cristobal Volcano in Nicaragua. V Generaciones is a sumptuous 30-year-old rum created to celebrate the brand’s 130th anniversary, and has been ageing in a single barrel since 1988. Only 411 bottles have been made available, each individually numbered and bearing the signatures of the five generations of the familyowned Flor de Cana. It would make a superb gift for rum connoisseurs, and comes in a black leather presentation case with a replica of the 1902 volcano postal stamp of Nicaragua, while the bottle itself is topped with a cap crafted from black volcanic rock. $3.000, flordecana.com

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