SMART HOME SPECIAL GADGETS / GAMES / GEAR
175 +++++
NEW GALAXY DISCOVERED Shiny new Samsung shoots for the stars Get HomeKit ready
Be lord of the Ring
GADGETS RATED INSIDE
Talk to me, Alexa
Watch the front door
0 2 0 2 E H T E M O H T R A SM 48
PLUS!
s g i d r u o y e s i t i g i d o d t a s e y h a a w e d a c e d e h for t Control all your kit
Action cams compared How to pick a VR headset Games console alternatives & planet-saving sneakers
Look who’s talking
Chat me up, Google £4.99 March 2019 www.stuff.tv
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Welcome
I’ve become obsessed with Fighter Pilot: The Real Top Gun on ITV4. The show follows the misfortunes of the RAF’s 207 Squadron as it attempts to get to grips with the new £9bn F-35 Lightning jets. Except, instead of being scrambled to intercept baddies, the pilots spend most of their time on the Tarmac trying to log in to the plane. It’s a stark reminder that, while the Internet of Things is very much a thing in 2020, so is the Internet of S*** (worth a Twitter follow), and not everything ‘online’ is good. In this issue of Stuff you won’t find any fighter jets requiring a firmware update – just the perfect platforms and essential tech for starting your smart home odyssey. And if you’re still hankering for something faintly ridiculous, don’t worry, we’ve found a wardrobe that does your laundry for you. Gamers, is the wait for a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X already starting to grate? Maybe it’s time to consider Google Stadia… or maybe it really isn’t – find out on p80. Alternatively, we size up subscription gaming services, like Apple Arcade, beginning on p66. Elsewhere in a packed reviews section, we compare action cams as the Insta360 One R muscles in on a three-way with DJI and GoPro. Kinky.
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Kelsey Media 2020 © All rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The Editor cannot guarantee a personal response to all letters and emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties. Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit www.kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy/ If at any point you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk
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Making Stuff up Editor-in-Chief James Day Hot Stuff Editor Matt Tate Online Editor Natalya Paul Contributors Andrew Williams, Craig Grannell, Andrew Hayward, Sam Kieldsen, Tom Wiggins, Matthew Griffin, Chris Rowlands, Verity Burns, Simon Lucas, Basil Kronfli, Jack Parsons, Leon Poultney, Kieran Alger, Marc McLaren, Matt Cabral, Alan Wen, Silas Greenback, Richard Purvis, Ross Presly
I FELT ELECTRICITY WITH A CLASSY SWEDISH MODEL Gothenburg ain’t the place to be in February if you want a tan. It is, however, exactly where you should be to learn how Volvo plans to make 50% of its cars electric by 2025 – in a country where running out of range could leave you stranded in one of the world’s harshest landscapes. I got behind the wheel of the pure-leccy XC40, played with a new Android infotainment system, and discovered Volvo has developed a special spooky sound for its electrified cars. More on this soon. James Day, Editor-in-Chief
I HAD A BIT OF A CLOSE SHAVE It started when an email landed that claimed to signal a new era in manscaping. With its SackSafe™ tech and a “nick your sack, send it back” guarantee, the Balls trimmer (£55, balls.co) sounded like it offered a revolution in gonad grooming, even if its name didn’t demonstrate quite the same level of imagination. But what turned up was barely any different to a standard electric hair clipper, like the kind you’d use for cultivating less delicate areas – so I used it to trim my kiwis instead. Not a euphemism. Tom Wiggins, contributor
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OUR MONTH
Gothenburg, Bucharest, London, Tom’s pants I USED FACEBOOK AS A GLOBAL PUPPY TRACKER Admittedly this isn’t the techiest thing anyone has done this month, but who cares when it gives us an excuse to print a picture of a puppy? And what a puppy she is! This is Maya, or Magglesby Wagglesby for short, and she was plucked from the streets of Romania by the Paws2Rescue charity before making her way across Europe by van (in the back, not driving) to her new English home. I was kept enthralled by live Facebook updates of the van’s progress, proving that social media does have a use after all. Richard Purvis, contributor
I STRETCHED TO 4K YOGA Not everyone can afford to visit an exotic yoga retreat in the Himalayas. So instead of heading for Heathrow, I visited Fly LDN for an hour-long vinyasa flow class set against a huge 4K display of relaxing ocean swells and forests. While yoga and technology might not seem like a natural pairing, being immersed in a video of rippling water at sunset in some indistinguishable paradise was definitely preferable to peering out at the East London concrete that we all knew was actually lurking behind the screen. Natalya Paul, Online Editor
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CON S ON THE COVER
P35
P14 p8 Okay zoomer
HOT STUFF 8
16 18 20 22 23 24 26 28 30
The Hot Four O Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra O Philips OLED 805 & 855 O Oppo A5 2020 O Lego Ideas International Space Station Vital stats Samsung AirDresser That’s it, we’ve arrived in the future: it’s a wardrobe that cleans your clothes for you Icon Ikea Frekvens Speakers, lamps and optional meatballs Best of Winter NAMM Things that make you go KER-CHANG!!! Apps New ways to boost your social awkwardness Wheels An Audi that doesn’t only smell of arrogance Games Demon-slaying and other important life skills Stream New Westworld… but Yul Brynner’s still not in it Start menu Finally, someone has invented the iPod Nano The futurist Urgh, put it away, says the Stuff soothsayer
p42 Google bugles
p44 Alexa flexers
p48 Glow shows 6
TESTS 35 First test Insta360 One R Meet the ingeniously modular GoPro that isn’t a GoPro… or even a DJI 59 Tested Toyota GR Supra Tokyo drifter with a strong German accent 60 Tested Google Pixelbook Go What have the Chrome ’uns ever done for us? 64 Tested Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III It’s really hard to write this bit for cameras 65 Tested Mobvoi TicPods 2 Pro Earbuds that reward vigorous headbanging 66 Group test Subscription gaming That console you’ve been pining for? You don’t need it! Just buy loads of Pom-Bears! 73 Tested Bose Portable Home Speaker Sonic the handbag 74 Tested Microsoft Surface Pro 7 The greatest hybrid since the wholphin? 76 Long-term test Google Stadia A controller, a dongle… and a passport to loads (not really) of top-class (not really) games 82 Games Journey to the Savage Planet, Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition
WIN! p31
03.20 P104
P40
FEATURES 40 Cover feature Smart home tech The gadgets that can help turn your pad into a Google/Alexa/Siri/whatevs wonderland 55 Mini meme Colouring apps Imagine what Rembrandt could have achieved with one of these on his iPad! 56 Upvoted Eco shoes Humanity hardly deserves saving, frankly, but don’t let that stop you going for a run 62 Beta yourself Making music Use the recording studio in your pocket to create a worthy sequel to No Jacket Required 78 Instant upgrades GoPro Hero8 Black The king of action cams and how to make it even more actiony 98 Random access memories Portastudio Four tracks and the truth
TOP TENS 88 Smartphones, apps, mobile games Hot handsets and dreamy downloads 90 Headphones, wearables In-ears, on-ears, smartwatches, fitness tech 92 Laptops, speakers Porta-powerhouses and music movers 94 TVs, soundbars, streamers All you need for a lazy night/day/year in 96 Tablets, consoles, games Swanky slates and gaming goodies 98 Tech toys, electric cars, VR Playing, driving, escaping from reality 100 Smart home, drones, action cams, compacts Comfort when you’re in, fun when you’re out 102 System cameras, budget buys ‘Proper’ cameras and the best tech bargains 104 How to buy… a VR headset
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Deep impact The front and back of the Ultra are both curvy Gorilla Glass 6. Maker Corning says this is twice as tough as Gorilla Glass 5, tested with 15 drops from 1m onto rough surfaces.
Warp speed The most advanced OLED ever seen in a Samsung, this 6.9in display updates 120 times a second, and the touchscreen registers your inputs 240 times a second.
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22 PAGES OF THE BIGGEST STORIES FROM PLANET TECH
HOT FOUR #1 WE’VE LOST OUR HEARTS TO A STARSHIP SNOOPER Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Time to meet the first Samsung phone of 2020, so packed with tech it might start seeping out of the SIM tray. The Galaxy S20 Ultra introduces Space Zoom, which lets you focus in 100x closer to your subject. Want to check the moon for the flag Neil Armstrong (supposedly) left there in 1969, or how your neighbour’s begonias are going? Sorted. This is also the first phone to shoot 8K video – and it’s not often we use mobiles that could give your 4K OLED telly a complex. These specs are part of the Ultra’s quad rear camera array – made up of a 108MP
primary sensor, 48MP telephoto with 10x “hybrid optical” zoom, 12MP ultra-wide and ToF depth sensor. And the photo boasts don’t end there. The new Bright Night mode promises ‘“ridiculous” low-light skills, mixing 30 frames using a clever algorithm. And the other bits? You get a 6.9in 120Hz OLED screen, up to 512GB storage, a new Exynos 990 processor with 25% more graphics power, 5G data and a plus-size 5000mAh battery. As hot as...the surface of Venus (a balmy 462°C last time we checked) £tbc / samsung.com 9
Flash hoardin’ Single Take mode uses all the Ultra’s cameras at once, snapping stills and videos with different fields of view and filters. Then you just pick the ones you want to keep.
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THE FRAME-US FIVE 1
ToF DEPTH SENSOR
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The ‘time of flight’ camera uses both infrared and a VGA image sensor to make a depth map of the world before you in real time. It makes your background-blurred portraits more realistic and has stacks of potential for AR. A very impressive bit of tech.
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108MP PRIMARY
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Let’s check the watch… yep, this is the highest-res camera you can get in a phone right now, clocking in at 108MP. Seems excessive, but in bad lighting the pixels gang up in teams of nine so you don’t end up with a hundred million pixels’ worth of noise.
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12MP ULTRA-WIDE
This phone is also an action camera. There’s a 120° lens for wide-angle stills and video. Good news: it doubles the effectiveness of the Super Steady stabilisation video mode. Bad news: it will make the most extreme BMX routes you’ve tackled look easy.
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48MP SPACE ZOOM
Thanks to a liberal sprinkle of algorithm-assisted digital zoom, the S20 Ultra can shoot at up to 100x magnification, double the maximum of the Huawei P30 Pro. If that ends up looking like scrambled eggs, you can use the more tasteful 10x hybrid optical mode.
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40MP FRONT
The front camera kicks the Ultra’s total megapixel count up to 208. Samsung hasn’t gone for any motorised selfie madness here, just a punch-hole, but it does tie together groups of four pixels in low light to ensure clear selfies at last orders. 10
Use the force You can have wireless charging if you want… but the 25W wired charger gets that 5000mAh battery to 50% in half an hour. And the optional 45W charger hits 68% in the same time.
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First contact Samsung has tweaked the in-screen fingerprint scanner. It’s now higher up for comfier ergonomics and the internal tech has been improved to make it faster and more reliable.
Inner space The hybrid SIM slot lets you use either two SIMs or one plus a microSD card of up to 1TB. Make it a work phone you don’t hate, or a micro PC with more space than your laptop.
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HOT FOUR #2 SQUAT THE DIFFERENCE Philips OLED 805 & 855
New tellies can be different to tell apart at the best of times. Once you’ve seen one big black rectangle you’ve seen them all, right? Well, Philips has got a game for you to play. Both its new TVs come with OLED screens in either 55in or 65in options. Both are capable of bringing glorious 4K HDR pictures to your living room, with support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, Ambilight on three sides, plus a 50W speaker system built in, so you should even be able to get away without adding a soundbar. Both run Android 9 and have the AI-assisted 4th-gen P5 Pro Perfect 12
Picture Engine inside, which means you get Google Assistant on board and Alexa compatibility, plus fancy machine-learning skills that analyse a database of clips to tweak the picture on the fly and make sure it always looks its best. So what’s the difference? Give up? They’re both completely identical except for what keeps them standing upright: the 805 has feet, while the 855 has a central T-bar stand. Both should be equally stable, unless you like to balance your television on a space-hopper. As hot as... the Olympic space-hopping final £tbc (due May) / philips.co.uk
HOT FOUR #3 QUAD IS A DANCER
Oppo A5 2020
MORE FILLIPS FROM PHILIPS
SH402
9235
FIDELIO X3
Ever find your ears overheating when you listen to music while you work out? These Bluetooth cans have cooling gel in the pads to reduce skin temperature by up to 5°C. €99
Fancy a smaller TV than the one on the left? The 9235 has a 43in LCD screen rather than OLED, but the stand is a 40W B&W soundbar, so it should sound better than most of this size. £tbc
Yes, they come with a cable, but with open backs, 50mm drivers and velour memory foam earpads, the Fidelio X3s are meant for luxurious listening, not taking the edge off your commute. €349
How much of an iPhone 11 do you reckon £179 would get you? Just the camera module? The screen? A shell without any of the actual gubbins inside? You certainly wouldn’t be walking out of an Apple Store with the whole thing in your pocket. Hand over the same amount of cash to Oppo, though, and they’ll happily exchange it for an entire A5 2020, with all the bits inside and everything. That means an octa-core Snapdragon 665 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and a hefty 5000mAh battery. It’s all sandwiched between a 6.5in display with teardrop notch (for an 8MP selfie-cam) on the front and a versatile four-camera setup on the back. That’s made up of a regular 12MP snapper, an 8MP ultra-wide 119° lens, and a pair of 2MP sensors: one for depth and a mono one to boost detail. Of course, there are compromises: the chassis is plastic, the screen is only 720p, and those four cameras can’t hope to compete with fewer-lensed but pricier alternatives; but if you don’t have the cash to splash on a flagship, the A5 2020 will at least make you look like a semi-pro nerd. As hot as… an iPhone shell filled with molten cheese £179 / oppo.com 13
ISS club party This mini ISS has been released to mark two separate occasions: the 20th birthday of the space station itself, and 10 years of the collaborative Lego Ideas project.
HOT FOUR #4 METEOR MAKER
Lego Ideas International Space Station
Cost in space At a cost of over $120bn, the ISS is said to be the most expensive object ever built, which makes the Lego version’s £65 asking price seem like a bit of a bargain.
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In 2012, two Canadian teenagers used a weather balloon to send a Lego man into space (well, the stratosphere, but it’s close enough for us). Eight years later, the Danish brick merchant has finally released something suitable for the pair to launch up there and join him. With 864 pieces, this version of the ISS is a little more manageable than the real thing, which remains the largest spacecraft ever built – try finding room on a shelf for that. That’s not to say this kit doesn’t require some skills to put together, though. When completed it’s 31cm long, with a poseable robotic arm, two rotating joints and eight adjustable solar panels. There are also three mini cargo ships and a dockable shuttle, although that’s not big enough for the two included microfigures, so you’ll just have to make do with dropping off a crew of imaginary astronauts. Lego has included a display stand, but we all know there’s only one place this plastic ISS is going: 80,000 feet up to meet that diminutive Canadian Major Tom. At least, it would be if his balloon hadn’t popped and sent him plunging back down to earth… As hot as… space curry £65 / lego.com
Arlo Smart Home Security Professional grade, self-installed protection for your property.
Arlo Pro 3
100% wire-free for simple self-install. Keep watch over your property with 2K video and colour night vision. Control and view on your smartphone via the Arlo app. Available at John Lewis, Amazon and Argos. The CES Innovation Awards are based upon descriptive materials submitted to the judges. CTA did not verify the accuracy of any submission or of any claims made and did not test the item to which the award was given.
V I
T A L S T A T S
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARDROBE Samsung AirDresser
£1999 / samsung .com
Describing something as ‘the most interesting wardrobe we’ve ever seen’ doesn’t sound like much. But when Samsung’s AirDresser wants to do our laundry for us… O Killing in the name of As much as we enjoy strolling out of the house smelling of flowery detergent, Samsung’s latest smart home invention is designed to reduce trips to the washing machine. The AirDresser is a wardrobe that uses jets of air to loosen and remove ingrained dust from your favourite garms, while a jet of steam kills bacteria and heat dries everything slowly. O A delicate subject Samsung isn’t saying throw out your washing machine, but fewer washes means less stress on fabrics, prolonging the life of your clothes. Suits, coats, wool, down, leather, denim, babywear, bedding and toys – it’s all good here, and a Wrinkle Care system will even smooth out creases. O Goodbye, Lynx Africa Clothes are culprits for gathering germs, but they can hum as well. So a deodorising filter eradicates stubborn smells that build up over time. And when the door is open, the AirDresser also doubles as a dehumidifier. O Fix up, look sharp After every 40 cycles it will remember it needs to freshen up and enter self-cleaning mode, where heat, air and steam deal with any germs and odours within the wardrobe itself. O Sound LCD system The door design incorporates a Crystal Mirror LCD touchscreen panel display for controlling cycles while you check out that reflection of yo’ fine self. It’s a soft-closing door too, meaning no loud slamming or trapping of fingers as you perfect ‘Blue Steel’.
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Like all of Samsung’s IoT devices, it can be connected to the SmartThings app.
Wax lyrical
STEAM SPIRIT O LG TrueSteam Washing Machine This uses steam to remove allergens, reduce wrinkles and soften clothes. The 6 Motion feature moves the drum in six ways to clean certain fabrics. £849 / lg.com
PHILIPS ST702 Gym types with questionable personal hygiene – the UV clean feature on Philips’ true wireless sports earphones is for you. Slide the buds into a charging case resembling the cryo-can from Jurassic Park, and 20 seconds later a sunbed session of ultraviolet rays has disinfected each bud, clearing them of bacterial nasties. Offering 18 hours’ play time, fast charging, tap controls, voice assistant support and Bluetooth 5.0, the ST702s are no substitute for cotton buds, but do form part of an impressive new Philips Sports collection. That includes the €129 SN503 wireless in-ears with the world’s smallest heart-rate sensor… but those ones you’ll have to clean yourself. €199 / philips.co.uk
O Philips ComfortTouch Plus Garment Steamer Removes odours, kills bacteria, smooths wrinkles and refreshes clothes with your favourite scents. No word on whether that includes Brut 33. £160 / philips.co.uk
O Tefal IXEO Iron & Steamer Smart Board Tefal’s featherweight all-in-one iron and steamer uses 1600W of power for wrinkle removal (not those wrinkles, Gramps). It’ll heat up in 45 seconds. £235 / tefal.co.uk
Snappy presser
FUJIFILM X-T200
JETS OF AIR REMOVE THE DUST WHILE STEAM KILLS BACTERIA
It can’t make phone calls, and frankly you’d look ridiculous if it did, but the X-T200 is a mega mirrorless camera that will take better photos than most smartphones. This beginner-friendly snapper with a 24.2MP CMOS sensor rocks a 2.5in vari-angle touchscreen, speedy face-detection and the ability to shoot 4K at 20fps. That’s a step up from the X-T100, which was limited to 15fps, and it processes data 3.5 times faster, boosting continuous shooting speeds to 8fps. It’s got all of our favourite film-simulation modes, plus on-sensor phase detection to help keep fast-moving subjects in focus. But just to be clear, you’ll still need a phone. £749 / fujifilm.com 17
I C O N
IKEA FREKVENS from £4 / ikea.com Four quid? That’s cheaper than a packet of the famous meatballs! It is indeed, although you might want to add some of those to your basket as well, because Ikea’s new Frekvens range is designed to party – and everybody knows you can’t have a party without some fried lumps of beef and pork, especially if you go full Swede and serve them with potatoes, cream sauce and lingonberry jam. Fortunately, the collection also includes a stoneware serving plate (£15), a melamine laminate tray
(£9) and a set of dishes and pots (£25) for condiments, tapas or snacks. There’s even a cajon drum (£25) in case you invite any white people with dreadlocks. Hang on, isn’t this a gadget mag? Oh, so you’re not interested in the waxed cotton ottoman (£150), the galvanised steel table (£50) with matching bar stools (£60), or the silver raincoat (£15) and tote bag (from £5) either? Your loss. Maybe the speakers will be more up your street. Teenage Engineering’s
OP-1 synth has previously graced the pages of Stuff, and that’s who helped out with the audio side of the Frekvens range. The standard Bluetooth speaker (£65) has a 10hr battery and removable coloured panels, but there’s also one with a subwoofer (£129) and a portable option (£19) with a belt clip. Is that it? I’ve been to rowdier christenings… No, that’s not it, actually. The speakers are modular, so you can build up your own combinations of
YOU CAN BUILD COMBINATIONS OF SPEAKERS AND LIGHTS TO SUIT YOUR ROOM
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sound and light to suit your room. There’s a light-up speaker base (£10) that can also be positioned on its own, an LED light (£29) that can respond to the music being played, and an LED spotlight (£25) with three modes: fixed, pulsating or in sync with the tunes. Finally, there’s a set of accessories (£15) that allow you to direct the spotlight and a tripod (£45) that can hold up to seven of the things for a proper light show. It’s basically everything you need for a party. Just add meatballs.
WTF IS APPLE CARKEY? Ingenious indoor illuminator
DYSON LIGHTCYCLE MORPH Our favourite lamp? Pixar’s Luxo. But as far as non-anthropomorphic types go, Dyson’s Lightcycle Morph could take some beating. An evolution of last year’s Lightcycle, the Morph’s headline feature is its ability to track natural daylight and adjust its brightness and colour temperature accordingly. It can rotate 360° to bounce light around the room, while an ambient mode emits a subtle orange glow with reduced blue light for bedtime. It can focus its output on desk-based hobbies or make-up application, or create dramatic effects to highlight artworks. Its six LEDs use Dyson’s energy-efficient heat-pipe tech, which ensures your lamp will last for 60 years. Just as well, given the price. from £500 / dyson.co.uk
We know Apple is building an EV, but what’s this? The beta version of iOS 13.4 has been released, and one of the features they’ve been testing for eventual consumer release is the ability to use your iPhone or Apple Watch to open and lock your car. That could mean doing away with your key-fob or physical key altogether. Which is just as well, because we’ve already lost them.
But a dead phone battery means being locked out and stranded? Nope. It’ll even work if you’re out of juice, because NFC chips harness the power of whatever device is reading them – in this case the car. You can adjust the settings for this feature in your Apple Wallet once you’ve paired your phone to unlock, lock and start your NFC-compatible wheels.
So if someone nicks my phone, they nick my car? Er… good point. We’re not quite sure how Apple is going to get round that one, but let’s say you probably shouldn’t carry a sticker with your reg number on it to alert thieves… unless you’re really, really thick, or really, really cocky.
Does Apple need the permission of my car maker?
Munchkin multimedia magic
YOTO PLAYER This is a card-swallowing smart speaker designed for kids that negates the need for screen time and should, at least momentarily, stop them dribbling over your phone. By using NFC-enabled smartcards, your adorable little buggers can play stories, music, games, podcasts, radio stations and more. The first-gen Yoto was Kickstarter-funded and sold like hot pork pies; its successor features an improved design and some key tech upgrades, including an integrated battery, magnetic charging, stereo sound, Bluetooth support, and colourful animations relating to each card – and the library is vast, including audiobook titles by Enid Blyton and Ronald Dahl, plus the Gruffalo series and more. £80 / yotoplay.com
Apple is said to be partnering with some already, but you’ll probably have to wait until an official iOS 13.4 release to find out which. There’ll need to be an NFC reader inside the car – put your phone or watch on top of it and that’s when the CarKey feature magically appears on your display.
Any benefits other than to the criminal fraternity? CarKey can be shared with others, just like time-limited electronic access on a smart door lock. You invite who you like through Wallet, and they’re subsequently granted access through their Apple devices. Look out for more at WWDC in the summer.
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Cheesy quavers The screen doesn’t just display sheet music – it’s a full Android interface complete with Alexa voice control.
Winter NAMM Thank you for the music, the songs we’re singing… and thank you for these gems unveiled at the annual noise-making tech show in California ROCK’N’ROLL ANIMALS
Boss Waza-Air Headphones? Don’t be silly – this is quite clearly a guitar amplifier. Oh, and also a sort of sonic VR headset. Working in tandem with a wireless dongle that plugs into your guitar, and the Boss Tone Studio mobile app for editing virtual amps and FX, the Waza-Air ’phones use gyro sensors and 3D ambience to make your ears think they’re listening to a real amp in the room. There’s even a ‘virtual angry neighbour’ option for realistic wall-banging effects. (No, there isn’t really.) £378 / boss.info
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Fender Maverick Dorado When Fender discontinued its 12-string Electric XII model in 1969, there were a load of unused parts left over. Rather than building a giant bonfire to cry around, Fender’s canny designers did some 21st-century-style upcycling and created the six-string Maverick instead. And now, from the Parallel Universe range, comes an update on that hippy-age oddity – complete with giant ‘hockey stick’ headstock designed for 12 tuners. £2279 / fender.com
Anasounds Spinner
LR Baggs Soundscape
Got to be honest – we’ve spent hours trying to work this one out and still don’t really understand the point of it. What we do know is that it’s a new kind of expression pedal for controlling the rate of your Anasounds tremolo (compatibility with other stompboxes is promised soon), using a magnetic system inspired by fidget spinners. So you kick the spinny bit, and the speed of its rotation controls the rate of the effect. Might be absolute genius, might be an apocalyptic fail. €116 / anasounds.com
We’d love to do this without mentioning the ginger gimp, but it’s just not possible – because if Ed Sheeran is the first chapter of How Acoustic Guitars Became Hip, this clever little stompbox might just be the last. Getting a good sound from an amplified acoustic remains notoriously difficult, so the Soundscape works with an app to capture your guitar’s natural response for sending out to every PA you plug it into. Goodbye forever to plasticky pickup tones? £tbc / lrbaggs.com
METAL MACHINE MUSIC
Korg ARP 2600 FS “There’s a remake of the Korg ARP 2600 coming in the new year,” said Jean-Michel Jarre back in December. “SHUSH!!!” said Korg. But now the official cat is out of the official bag… and its limited production run has already sold out. In case you’re not down on your synth history, this is the great ’70s analogue monster that created the voice of R2-D2 in the original Star Wars films. It can also be used for, y’know, music. Tell them to make some more, Jean-Michel! £3399 / korg.co.uk
Roland GPX-F1 Facet Grand Piano Well, we’re pretty sure this is the first ever concept grand piano to feature in the pages of Stuff. Roland’s angular marvel was actually revealed at the CES show a couple of weeks before NAMM, but nobody noticed it there because they were all too busy looking at sex robots. It’s digital, of course, with a frame designed to project the sound out to the audience from speakers hiding in the base. £N/A (concept) / roland.co.uk
Arturia KeyStep Pro
Blipblox After Dark
Our favourite French company is Danone, maker of the vanilla Danette and various other, less spectacular dairy products. Our second-favourite French company is almost certainly Arturia, maker of a whole range of crazy synths… and now an ‘all-in-one sequencing solution’. The KeyStep Pro has a 37-note keyboard, four polyphonic sequencer tracks and an integrated drum machine. It’s also available in chocolate and caramel flavours. No, sorry, that’s the Danette. €399 / arturia.com
You might argue that the very act of making music is fundamentally childish. Why else would we talk of playing an instrument, rather than working it? So there’s no need to be embarrassed at being discovered hunched over this, an ‘adult’ version of the Blipblox synth toy. And it’s not just the moody colours that are new: unlike the kids’ version, it has a multi-mode resonant filter and multi-tap stereo delay. Hooray for thoroughly grown-up squelchy fart noises! £tbc / blipblox.com
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A P P S This month’s mobile must-downloads 1
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
AI DUNGEON
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1 Beats and Loops
2 Miary
3 Recordart
£2.99 / Android, iOS Like a set of virtual guitar pedals, this app has you swing your foot above the screen to trigger beats and record loops. Just don’t forget you’re not using an actual pedal and stamp on your phone.
£free (IAPs) / Android, iOS Almost the flip of Moodflow, this app combines mood-tracking and journalling but focuses on the latter. So as you jot down events, you add mood icons for each one that can later be tracked and perused.
99p / Android Like vinyl’s artistry? Find it tricky to lug an actual record deck around? Then try this app, which sticks a spinning disc of joy – complete with art – on your home screen, updating as tracks change.
4 Lego Building Instructions
5 Hey Metronome
6 Mineblast!!
£free / Android, iOS Disaster! You made that amazing new Lego kit, but someone dropped it and your manuals are nowhere to be seen. Turn your plastic parts into model joy again with this app’s help.
£1.99 / iOS Instead of “Hey Siri”, you can bellow “Hey Metronome” at this app to adjust tempo, time signature and sounds. Top stuff when you’re furiously strumming away at your instrument and don’t want to stop.
£free / Android, iOS You’re stuck in a mine. Bother. Luckily there’s loads of dynamite lying around, and you can blast bits of scenery to make bridges and inch your way to freedom. Just avoid the psychotic wildlife.
7 Blockbusters
8 Cecconoid
9 Star Jolt
£1.99 / Android, iOS Do you get the giggles on hearing “I’d like a P, please”? Then you’re likely a fan of Blockbusters… though perhaps not kitted out with the smarts to win it. Still, you can now go for the Gold Run on your phone.
£1.99 / Android, iOS Some of us here still get Cybernoid flashbacks. This tribute echoes the 8-bit original’s visuals and punishing gameplay as you blast evil enemies to bits. Not enough destruction? Try the Robotron-style extra.
£free / Android, iOS Flappy Bird’s heart meets visuals inspired by ancient arcade games. Blaze through a tunnel, avoid the sides, and munch dots. Games last mere seconds – and it’s infuriatingly compelling.
£free / Android, iOS We’ve seen algorithmically generated endless runners, but what about an endless text adventure? That’s AI Dungeon, more or less – and it comes across like a group of drunk coders and writers live-creating a sequel to Zork as you play. It’s baffling and brilliant. With an AI trained by reading the internet, it’s never short of responses to your inputs; but it flirts with incoherence, frequently upending the entire story on a whim. That can be frustrating, but as an insight into the future of generative storytelling, AI Dungeon is dreamlike and fascinating.
Audi AI:ME
Audi’s latest tech concept wants to be your friend and douse you in perfume on special occasions.
WHEN YOU WHIFF UPON A CAR
£N/A (concept) / audi.co.uk What’s going on here? The CES exhibition can be a bit embarrassing for the big car brands. It’s the trade-show equivalent of your dad trying to lecture you on the current drill music scene. Mercedes-Benz, for example, released a concept car based on Avatar that featured 33 ‘bionic flaps’. Because, you know, we all need bionic flaps in our lives.
[ Words Leon Poultney ]
And so Audi has fallen for the same totally awks trap? Not quite, because this little AI:ME concept not only looks like an autonomous electric vehicle we’d happily spend money on – it also boasts some neat tech inside. Tech that can transport us to the mysterious world of Pandora? No, that’s in the Merc… probably. The Audi will check your vital stats and state of mind in order to set up the car perfectly, including blasting
NEWS DASHBOARD
the interior with a mood-boosting scent. It also has a 3D head-up display, courtesy of Samsung, which projects driving information on the road so it appears up to 70m ahead – meaning your eyes no longer have to refocus. I’m guessing it’s not a diesel. It’s electric, of course, and capable of fully autonomous driving. This is a vehicle in which to kick back and relax, with occupants only required to gaze at menu screens in order to browse websites or order food. That’s right, it’s got eye-tracking tech. Where do I sign? Easy, tiger. This is purely a concept, but the exterior styling could be a great indicator of what’s to come from Audi. Plus, the 3D display is likely to filter down to production models… which is surely more than you can say about those bionic flaps.
IT’S CORSAS FOR COURSES
IT’S ROAMERS FOR ROVERS
IT’S BULLY FOR CULLI
The first Corsa-e electric models are now hitting Vauxhall dealers, offering up to 209 miles on a single charge for under £30k. And somewhat more excitingly, Vauxhall is already busy conducting durability tests for an e-Rally Cup version – the first ever battery-driven rally car.
Jaguar Land Rover has announced that its new Defender will be the first production vehicle to feature dual LTE modems, allowing it to roam across multiple networks in different regions. This means no more in-dealer updates, and uninterrupted Toto playlists even when traversing the wilds of Africa.
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan is a divisive creature. Some see it as the pinnacle of SUV luxury, while others believe it’s an obnoxious box of poor taste. Whatever your opinion, the Cullinan has become the best-selling Roller ever, with 5152 delivered to buyers in over 50 countries last year.
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OUT 20 MAR
FIRST PLAY DOOM ETERNAL PS4, XB1, Switch, Stadia, PC
[ Words Matt Tate ]
Fast, gory, deafeningly loud and unapologetically old-school, 2016’s Doom reboot was a demon-breath of fresh air. Anyone who enjoyed creatively slaughtering evil things in the last game will be happy to learn there are twice as many this time, plus a host of new weapons to shoot them with. You’re almost certainly not coming to Doom Eternal for a compelling narrative, but the basics are that the diabolical forces of Hell have moved on from Mars and are now invading Earth. Once again you step into 24
the scum-stomping boots of the voiceless Slayer, as you begin a cross-dimensional mission to save humanity. It’s definitely Doom, and it thinks other FPS games are wimps. Crouching? Cover? Regenerating health? Standing still for even half a second? Bah, babyish ideas. No, this is all about constant movement and getting right up in the deformed faces of your enemies. New is the Flame Belch, a flamethrower that allows you to BBQ the demon onslaught. Doing this gets you additional
armour shards – essential for taking on the bigger beasts, many of which have weak points that you’ll need to target before finishing them off. Keep moving, keep killing, and Doom Eternal transforms into a grotesque but satisfying ballet of combat. It doesn’t look or feel drastically different to 2016’s triumphant return… but when there’s nothing else quite like it, that hardly matters. More Glory Kills, better weapons and new moves are enough to make this feel like a worthy sequel.
FIRST LOOK THE ZOMBIES: THIS WILL BE OUR YEAR
RESIDENT EVIL 3 PS4, XB1, PC
The RE2 remake was one of 2019’s best games, taking the beloved survival horror classic and amplifying every inch of it using modern tech and genre enhancements. And now Capcom is making the most of a very good idea by rapidly
applying the same formula to the PS1 successor Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Launching in April, RE3 transforms the original into a modern horror affair, ditching the clunky ‘tank’ controls and 32-bit graphics for a truly immersive and responsive third-person action fest. As before, you’ll take control of
Jill Valentine and Umbrella agent Carlos Oliveira as they try to escape Raccoon City. It’s not in the title any more, but the towering Nemesis remains a persistent threat in the game, tailing Jill as she sprints through the zombiefilled wreckage of what used to be a functional city. And if you experienced Nemesis in
the RE2 remake, then you’ll know exactly how tense that can be. If RE3 can maintain that magic, then we could have another serious horror gem this spring. We’re also eager to try the Project Resistance 4v1 asymmetrical online mode, which was newly created for the remake.
BEST OF XBOX SPRING EXCLUSIVES
ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS
BLEEDING EDGE
GEARS TACTICS
XB1, PC The original Ori and the Blind Forest was gorgeous, lovely and heartbreaking – and this sequel is set to continue that emotional approach. Expect more side-scrolling action in a dreamy world, this time with new attacks and massive bosses plus plenty more in the mix. Be ready to weep.
XB1, PC Hellblade maker Ninja Theory is on some raucous energy with Bleeding Edge, a 4v4 team-based melee brawler with a wildly diverse cast (including a granny) packing a wide array of abilities. It looks like the Overwatch version of an arcade beat-’em-up.
XB1, PC Gears 5 gave the franchise fresh life, and now Tactics is coming to take things in an entirely different direction. Rather than run-and-gun, you’ll strategise moves in a turn-based campaign that can’t help but remind us of X-Com. It’s not the Gears we know, but that might be a good thing.
INCOMING MARCH O ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS O HALF-LIFE: ALYX O POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON: RESCUE TEAM DX APRIL O FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE MAY O IRON MAN VR O THE LAST OF US PART II
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Sinister kill-bots, sinister body-swappers, sinister ghosts, sinister spies… can you detect a theme to this month’s best streaming TV?
Altered Carbon
Spirited Away
The premise behind this visually stunning cyberpunk series – that we can digitise our consciousness and transfer it between different bodies to live forever – means recasting its main character between seasons is no big deal. So Anthony Mackie replaces Joel Kinnaman as ruthless private dick Takeshi Kovacs. S2 / Netflix, 27 February
It’s wonderful news for any cinema lover: Netflix has bagged the streaming rights to all Studio Ghibli’s movies, including Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece Spirited Away. Telling the story of a young girl drawn into a world of spirits, it’s a truly beautiful, life-affirming piece of work that everyone should see – animation fan or not. Film / Netflix, 1 March
Spenser Confidential
Amazing Stories
Intelligence
This Netflix action comedy stars Mark Wahlberg as an ex-cop fresh out of jail for – you guessed it – a crime he didn’t commit. His plans to move on are put on hold when a pair of ex-colleagues are killed, dragging him back into the world of crime-busting. But this time he has Winston Duke’s aspiring MMA fighter as his unlikely partner. Film / Netflix, 6 March
Spielberg has revived his mid-’80s anthology series exploring all things weird and wonderful for Apple TV+. And while we don’t know exactly what to expect (there hasn’t been so much as a teaser trailer at time of writing), we do know it’ll involve a bunch of different directors and different tales spanning the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres. S1 / Apple TV+, 6 March
GCHQ was ostensibly set up to stop terrorist plots and other nefarious goings-on, but many suspect these snoopers spend more time listening in on takeaway orders and sifting through browser histories. This sitcom, in which David Schwimmer plays a haughty NSA agent seconded to the UK, seems likely to reinforce that impression. S1 / Now TV, 21 February
Godzilla: King of the Monsters Yep, it’s big monsters punching each other. Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown provides the human perspective as a host of towering beasts rise from their slumber and set about wrecking the world. The only thing that can stop them from wiping us all out? The titular lizard, now working for humanity. Film / Now TV, 28 February
We’re not in Westworld any more, Toto. In this third season of the mind-bending sci-fi show, the cowboy theme park full of sexy killer robots fades into the background as the ‘hosts’ break out into the real world and spark off all sorts of mayhem. Look out for a WWII-themed subplot, lots of musing on the nature of AI and consciousness, fresh faces in the form of Aaron Paul and Vincent Cassell – and a return for Ed Harris’s enigmatic Man in Black. Fans of intelligent (and gory) sci-fi, get ready for some violent delights.
DO M N TH ISS ’T IS
Westworld S3 / Now TV, from 16 March
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S T A R T M E N U ST KIC AR K TE R
The latest startups, crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas
Jukebox jewellery
SHANLING Q1 There’s a whiff of iPod Nano about the Shanling Q1, but Apple’s music player never looked this cool. Eschewing minimalist tech, the Q1 instead draws inspiration from the 1950s with a playful design that’s all smooth edges, chrome-like accents, physical buttons and gorgeous colours. But what of the audio? Well, it’ll happily play hi-res files, which are loaded via microSD, and there’s Bluetooth support so the Q1 can pair with wireless headphones or become a transmitter for an ancient PC. Digital USB output should please audiophiles, and the 21-hour battery life is almost enough to get you through half a Pink Floyd guitar solo. $89 / en.shanling.com BACK IT STACK IT
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ST KIC AR K TE R
ST KIC AR K TE R
ST KIC AR K TE R
I GONDI GOE-
SACK IT
Knob’s full house
Give us a mew
Take your pic
The golden bot
AZIO FOKAL
EBO
SHUTTERGRIP 2
This mechanical keyboard, with Gateron switches to make you feel like Hunter S Thompson, is inspired by classic cameras. The housing is aluminium with a leather surround, but the standout feature is the Fokal Control Knob. It can be clicked, has infinite spin, and waggles like a joystick – ideal for editing, multimedia or Pac-Man. £142 / aziocorp.com
This ’bot will supplant you as your cat’s best friend – which is fair enough when you see what Ebo offers. It blazes about, teases kitty with a laser pointer and adapts to play styles via AI. You can also capture snaps, add silly hats and post them online. Mind you, embarrass your cat once too many and you’ll find Ebo face-down in the litter tray. £136 / enabot.com
Afraid of dropping your phone down a ravine when shooting that perfect pic? Then shove it into a ShutterGrip 2 instead. Looking like the sawn-off end of a DSLR, this Bluetooth gadget gives you something to grip, a built-in selfie stick, a detachable remote and the means to attach tripods and lights. $35 / just-mobile.com
GEEEK CLUB DIY ROBOTICS KITS There are loads of tiny robots knocking about these days, but these start out as tiny PCB components. By way of some soldering and engineering skills, you can quickly fashion a mini-army of light-sensitive walking bots with motors, blinking LEDs and some very arresting designs. from $59 / geeekclub.com
DROP EVERYTHING & DOWNLOAD Nurvvy performance
NURVV Nurvv has got your back… plus your ankles and feet, by detecting poor running habits before you go and injure yourself. Through its connected insoles, which pair with an app, it uses 32 sensors to ascertain a ‘running health’ score based on training load, pronation, cadence and balance, capturing data 1000 times per second. It provides coaching while on the run to keep you motivated, and pointers on stride length and pace. The insoles can stand rain, mud and puddles, so there’s nothing stopping you from an off-pavement session – plus the battery life of five hours will see you through most runs. Each pack provides two insoles, two GPS trackers and access to the app. £250 / nurvv.com
Byte £free / Android, iOS Remember Vine? Without its six-second video loops the world might never have been introduced to the haunting Duck Army, Limmy’s Frosty Jack’s series, or this shocking revelation about what really powers Tesla’s Model S. When are you going to come clean, Elon? Vine shut down in 2017, but its co-creator has spent the past couple of years working on Byte, hoping it’ll challenge TikTok as the go-to place for short, quirky videos. It’s just a pity the name sounds like a TV show about tech aimed at pensioners. Rebyting is like retweeting, so you can amplify the clips you like most, and it keeps the old tap-to-record mechanic. That makes creating your masterpiece simple, which was always Vine’s greatest strength.
Help me, doctor beat
POLAR H9 If you’re serious about proving you’re not a vampire, you might find that the so-so heart-rate sensor squashed into your smartwatch doesn’t cut it for accuracy. That’s where dedicated monitors like the Polar H9 come in. A premium heart-rate chest-strap that won’t break the bank, it aims to deliver instant thumpiness readouts alongside accurate calorie-burn data, and can hold enough juice for the exhausting prospect of 400 hours in the gym. That means the battery should last for around a year if you train an hour a day, which doesn’t sound much better. Bluetooth and ANT+ tech make syncing the strap a doddle, so you won’t miss a beat. £60 / polar.com 29
even use these same systems to quantify your character, your personality, and tell me if you’re healthy or if you’re lying. Cameras these days can pick up much more than you think, including your blood pressure, from a distance. I can also use an AI firmware update to spy on you in your home in the same way, using your Wi-Fi router by turning it into the equivalent of a radar device in your home. Who needs cameras anyway?
THE FUTURIST
YOUR PRIVATE PARTS EXPOSED
Stuff ’s crystal baller, Matthew Griffin, pulls our digital pants down on privacy It’s time to let it go. It’s time to admit it. What little digital privacy you think you had faded a long time ago. Give me two data points about you and within a couple of minutes I’ll probably be able to tell you more about yourself, your passions and neuroses, and your life, than perhaps even your partner knows. Give me another 20 or so minutes and there’s a high likelihood I can crack all of your devices and identify your login details too. As for your biometric passwords? I’ll throw cracking those into the mix just for fun. Then I’ll send your connected home crazy, while I check in on your home cameras to make sure you fed your pets this morning… before holding your connected pacemaker, and perhaps the city you live in, to ransom. Ah, the world of privacy and security. It isn’t what it used to be – and the ways in which cyber-criminals can hack into 30
your particulars are becoming ever more sophisticated and ever more sneaky. U OK, hun? You’re worrying us… Look, all I’m saying is that, online, your privacy died a long time ago. And offline, thanks to so-called touchless biometrics, I can use hi-def cameras, CCTV and machine vision to identify you from your face, your fingerprints, your heartbeat, your voice, and even the way you dance – even if you’re walking around in a sheet in a crowd. Although that sort of look has troubling connotations attached to it these days, whether it’s Halloween or not. Er… how can this be possible? Let’s just say sensors and AI have got much better recently. I can
Great, so you’re watching us right now, you little pervert? Just to be clear, I’m speaking hypothetically, and I’m not a spy; but using ultra-wide-band Wi-Fi radio waves for this purpose definitely exists. As for bypassing your biometric security, AI has got very good at creating synthetic biometric master keys – one fake fingerprint or faceprint to unlock all your devices. It’s very fast and very accurate at guessing and cracking passwords – so before you know it, everything is connected to criminals lurking everywhere at the end of a wire. Excuse us for a moment while we wrap everything in tin foil… but what about bots? Well, take robo-hackers like Mayhem, used by the Pentagon for cyber-defence. They can hack systems hundreds of millions times faster than human hackers. And then there’s your biometric identity. With a deepfake-like AI, I could use just a minute of audio to copy your voice and all your intonations perfectly. Recently this tactic was used to con the CEO of an unnamed UK energy firm out of £200,000. The CEO believed he was on the phone with his boss, the chief executive of the firm’s German parent company, and followed his orders to immediately transfer the money to the bank account of a Hungarian ‘supplier’. So yeah, that means access to your bank account isn’t too tricky to achieve either. Another cheery thought for you. Thanks, Matt out.
I COULD USE A MINUTE OF AUDIO TO COPY YOUR VOICE; THIS TACTIC HAS ALREADY BEEN USED TO CON A FIRM OUT OF £200K
FANCY ROUTIN’ The only thing multi-functional about the average Wi-Fi router is that it makes a decent bookend, but that could be about to change. True wireless charging, where 2.4Ghz radio frequencies travel through the air to boost devices, is just one application. Here’s another: the indoor radar router being used to spy on you has been patented by Qualcomm to be used as a burglardetection system. Indoor radar can differentiate between people, pets and objects; and because it can detect breathing and heartbeats too, it could double as a health alarm.
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Total prize value £1295
WIN ONE OF FIVE ULTION SMART LOCKS WORTH UP TO £259 EACH! The Ultion Smart Lock from Brisant-Secure can really open doors. Whether you prefer automatic entry using your smartphone, a keypad that can hold up to 20 PIN numbers or a small, serrated metal object called a ‘key’, playing a different game of smart home open sesame every day is terribly good fun. There’s a serious side too. The multitude of entry options is there to make your life easier, but also for visitors if you’re an AirBnB landlord or need to let in the cleaner, carer, friends or family. Using the lock’s app, you can issue time-limited electronic access, or manage the PINs accepted by the keypad so there’s no need to dish out spares. In fact, the only thing being freely handed out here is the lock itself – because we’ve got five to give away. Also be sure to check out our smart home feature on p40 to find out why the Ultion Smart Lock is our favourite digital door opener, and visit ultion-lock.co.uk to discover more.
HOW TO ENTER Want a door lock with enough entry options to spark a Craig David song? Go to stuff.tv/win and answer this:
IN THE SONG ‘7 DAYS’, WHAT DID CRAIG DAVID DO ON TUESDAY? A … Make love B … Go for a drink C … Use time-limited electronic access
HURRY!
COMPETITION CLOSES 26 MARCH 2020
Terms & conditions: 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or over. 2 Entries close 11.59pm, 26 Mar 2020. 3 Prizes are as stated. 4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person. Full Ts & Cs: kelsey.co.uk/competition-terms-conditions/ Promoter: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6AL.
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Go Beyond
DALI’s IO6 wireless, noise cancelling headphones enable you to fully immerse yourself in music. Designed in Denmark, these stunning headphones allow you to hear your music exactly as the artist intended. With 30hours battery life, these durable, comfortable headphones are built for extended listening, with a natural transparent sound that never tires.
DALI iO | Go with Music www.dali-speakers.com
F I R S T T E S T I N S TA 3 6 0 O N E R
Little rad booster Prepare to add another name to your action-cam shortlist: the Insta360 One R has three secret weapons to improve your fearless shooting from £300 / stuff.tv/InstaOneR
atch out, GoPro and DJI – the world of action cameras is moving mighty fast, and you’re no longer the only companies making big moves or modular models. The Insta360 One R is a perfect example: a tiny camera with clever software, great image stabilisation and,
[ Words Sam Kieldsen ]
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depending on how much you’re willing to spend, up to three modules that drastically change the way it shoots videos and still photos. The modular three-section design is key to the One R’s appeal. The camera consists of a core (featuring a touch display, card slot and USB-C port for charging), a camera
module (with three mods to choose from) and a battery base, all of which push and snap easily together. There’s a lot to be said for this sort of user-friendliness and versatility in an action camera, and the One R promises to deliver on both fronts. It’d take us a month or two to really explore everything this camera
can do – especially with the firmware and app being frequently updated, and even more features and shooting modes to be potentially added in the near future – but for now, how does this flexitarian approach work out in practice? We braved the winds of winter down on the south coast to find out just that.
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F I R S T T E S T I N S TA 3 6 0 O N E R
1
Rad dwarf
No matter which mod you’ve got fitted, the One R is small, lightweight and pocket-friendly. It comes with a cage and mount adaptor allowing you to fit it to the same harnesses and mounts as a GoPro – a smart choice given the sheer number of them out there.
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2 Rad of iron The small, boxy, sturdy design means you don’t have to treat this thing with kid gloves. Two camera modules have built-in scratch-proof lens covers, while the other comes with a tough rubber slip cover. The camera is waterproof to 5m.
4 3 Pimp my rad The feature list is epic. A lot of the shooting modes revolve around AI, where the mobile app takes the editing reins and hands them over to a robot. As long as you shoot within certain parameters, you can achieve cool-looking clips using very little effort.
4 Rad awakening Other smart features include limited voice control, 5G Wi-Fi (which is best used to link the camera up to the phone running the app), a microSD slot able to accommodate cards up to 256GB, and a USB-C port for charging and file transfer.
5 Raddy for anything Choose from a dual-lens 360° camera, a 4K wide-angle, and a wide-angle with a 1in sensor made in partnership with Leica. This offers ace quality… but costs £520. You can shoot in a wide range of resolutions and frame rates depending on the module.
Good Meh Evil
T sn he l ap itt to le In ge s th ta3 er 6 … 0 On …a so nd eR m it’ is uc s G aj hs o oy en Pro to se -r e . ad T ym fo rans rp p ou ro are nt te n sm ct t le ion n ak s … c e ov …b er im ut sa ag sh re e q oo inc ua tin lud lity g t ed . D hro on ug I’ ’t b h th m n ot the is ot he m th p r. ru ing lan ins w nin th ou g e ldn to ’t m get It’ to s s ind we po o s . t to i int m da p th le y, e c to bu am us t er e – aw y he ou re on yo ly h u w av In an e ev fac en t, t. w ne it ed h t to he do 36 th 0 m at o Im ! d tru ag ule ly e q yo st ua ud un lit on nin y i s ’t g… d ec en tr at …b he en ut rt ou re ha gh su n fo lts f r a ee na lp ct len ion ty ca co m lou . rfu l
24 hours with the Insta360 One R
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F I R S T T E S T I N S TA 3 6 0 O N E R
Tech specs Video 4000x3000 @ 30fps, 3840x2160 @ 60fps Stills 12MP Display 1.3in touchscreen Connectivity USB-C, 5G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 Battery 1190mAh Dimensions (with 4K module) 72x48x32mm, 121g
Flexible fiend Ready to nail the gnarl? Here are our top shooting tips to get the best out of the versatile One R…
3
Q Make things happen
Q Make things even
With the 4K wide-angle camera, you’re able to shoot in up to 4K (duh!), which actually looks sharper than the 360° 5.7K footage as it points in just one direction, with a narrower field of view.
The image stabilisation is great and so is the auto-stitching, as long as you don’t film things too close to the 360° camera. The ‘invisible selfie stick’ makes for compelling movie clips.
Q Make things out
Q Make things better
Image quality is fine, with the sort of detail we’d expect from a small action camera. There are HDR and night modes, which add some processing jiggery-pokery to improve clarity in tricky conditions.
The Leica module provides a sharper, cleaner image than the other two, but we think the 360° and 4K modules are good enough. You can of course edit the files, with RAW stills and flat log videos available.
W ta ow ke , s nw o ith man th y f e s ea to tu I’v p- res e iss e m . I’ ue xp ot m s w er ion re i e ith nc ef ally e fe th d ct e a so . M pp m e up ind . r eli da yo ab te u, ilit s s so y ho ftw uld a se re a T e t nd be he L ha fir st ei tr m im ca igh wa ag len t. re eq s ua rea lity lly of doe Th th s th at e l of e b ’s ot fe a as lo . r th ic t m e m o od re el, th th an ou th gh e . £3 00 of
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As a GoPro alternative, the One R is a strong shout – particularly if you see yourself shooting a lot of 360° videos or photos. We suspect GoPro’s reputation for reliability and all-round performance will keep it as the go-to choice for most – but if Insta360 continues to support and improve on its products, it may overtake the leader – and DJI – soon. @samkieldsen
STUFF SAYS +++++ A versatile and powerful action cam that’s absolutely stuffed with features
24hrs 37
F I R S T T E S T I N S TA 3 6 0 O N E R
The alternatives: The action cams to beat For filming outdoor escapades, it’s a two-horse race… or at least, it was until Insta360’s little gadget came galloping around the corner
DJI Osmo Action £329 / dji.com
£339 / gopro.com
What’s the story? Drone maker DJI wants to dethrone GoPro with its familiar design, comparable video specs and a handy front display. It also has RockSteady, DJI’s answer to GoPro’s HyperSmooth tech, which claims to provide the smoothest footage on the block.
What’s the story? GoPro isn’t going anywhere, having stepped things up with its Hero8 Black. Combining 12MP stills with a range of wide angles, waterproofing, next-gen stabilisation and the smartest timelapse recording we’ve used, it’s a big improvement on the Hero7 Black.
Is it any good? DJI’s action cam succeeds in a couple of key areas. The stabilisation is great and the face-optimised metering makes it an ideal choice for vloggers wishing to capture 4K footage at 60fps with HDR, or equally cracking slo-mo and timelapse videos. It does have some idiosyncrasies, but the mix of buttons, voice controls and dual displays makes navigating menus an easy series of taps and swipes on a cam that can handle extreme environments. This is a smart shooter that captures great footage without faff.
Is it any good? The Hero8 Black has serious competition in the shape of the DJI Osmo Action and now the Insta360 One R, but this is very much the OG of action cams. The mounting system with folding feet is a real highlight and the level of image stabilisation on offer is frankly bonkers: you shake it, they stay still, and it grips onto detail like a dog with a bone. We’d have liked a bigger screen and better low-light performance, but the nuts and bolts of the Hero8 are just as they need to be, making this a fantastic bump over the old model.
KEY SPECS Video 4K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 240fps Stills 12MP Displays 2.25in rear touchscreen, 1.4in front Connectivity Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C Battery 1300mAh Dimensions 65x42x35mm, 124g
Stuff says +++++ Top video quality and stabilisation make this a superb cam
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GoPro Hero8 Black
KEY SPECS Video 4K @ 60fps, 1080p @ 240fps Stills 12MP Display 2in LCD touchscreen Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, mic input Battery 1220mAh Dimensions 66x48x28mm, 126g
Stuff says +++++ Our favourite action camera is a very stable genius
BackBeat FIT 3100
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plantronics.com
SMART HOME TECH
ASSISTANTS ARE DOIN’ IT FOR THEMSELVES We live in an age where you can update the firmware of a toilet and get praised by your toothbrush… but maybe, just maybe, tech giants and voice butlers are beginning to get the smart home right. So clear some shelf space for the essential connected devices, lights and security tech to turn your pad into a future-proofed fortress. [ Words Jack Parsons, James Day ]
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AMAZON The largest selection of smart home kit, the most affordable own-brand devices and a palatable AI assistant in Alexa make Amazon the current top of the crop.
APPLE HomeKit and Siri may have their limitations, but Apple’s smart home ecosystem is built on the pillars of privacy and protection for the digital age.
GOOGLE Hot on Amazon’s heels, Google Home has tens of thousands of devices and a voice assistant harnessing the search engine’s encyclopaedic database of knowledge.
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SMART HOME TECH
Handy Mandy Getting the jitters about Google listening in to your Barry Manilow karaoke sessions? The camera and mic can be set to offline by flicking a switch on the back.
Even now The 1280x800 display doesn’t look all that sharp up close, but it’ll do fine for YouTube videos – something Amazon displays can’t muster. But Netflix still isn’t supported.
New York gritty rhythm The Max’s speakers might be its best feature, with two 18mm tweeters and a 75mm woofer making it more than capable for most people’s daily needs.
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SMART HOME TECH
OK GOOGLE! Like a butch dominatrix, Google Home will wear the trousers in your house and make sure you get your facts straight
NOW ADD THESE
Google Nest Hub Max £219 / store.google.com The Google Home platform won’t just boss your connected abode – it’ll be an incessant pedant/nagging know-it-all when it comes to trivia thanks to its unrivalled Google Assistant voice search capabilities. It can’t match Alexa for the sheer number of integrated devices, but is still compatible with a bewildering 10,000-plus gadgets – and if you happen to be an iOS user there’s a dedicated app for you too. The tech giant hasn’t had it easy when it comes to hardware, but bringing Nest branding to the fore for its current smart-home line-up feels reassuring, and no more so than on the Nest Hub Max. The smart display acts as a dutiful central control point without forcing you to reach for your mobile and wrestle with an overwhelming number of apps. My friend Goo A worthy home for Google Assistant, the Hub Max has beefy sound for barking out facts, a large 10in display and ambient settings for matching screen brightness to the room’s lighting. The built-in camera is good for video calls and intercom use – and with a Nest Aware subscription it becomes a surveillance machine with motion detection. If that sounds too sensible, you can jeff about with singalong karaoke lyrics as long as you’ve signed up for Google Play Music. Alternatives include the cheaper 7in Nest Hub, which is arguably more suited to dotting multiple screens around the house, or one of Lenovo’s capable Smart Displays.
Stuff says ++++, A model smart display for embarking on your Google Home odyssey
O GOOGLE NEST WIFI
O GOOGLE NEST MINI
O NEST THERMOSTAT E
Refreshing the parts routers can’t reach, this is a simple mesh network that drapes a blanket of broadband over your property. The idea is to eliminate black spots and get your connected tech working efficiently. Nest WiFi also adds Google Assistant thanks to an integrated speaker. £129 / store.google.com
If you’re comfortable chatting away to a small fabric blob, this louder, smarter version of the old Home Mini is a tiny speaker for checking the weather, playing podcasts, listening to recipe instructions or searching Google. It’ll also help you instruct other smart home devices to go about their business. £49 / store.google.com
The only thing getting frosty with this smart thermostat in place is its display. Offering an easier install procedure than the original Nest, the E blends in with its surroundings and curates a pre-set heating schedule based on big data. The only downside is there’s no hot water support. £199 / store.google.com
HEY GOOGLE, ONE MORE THING…
Sonos Move A smart speaker acts as a home control hub without visuals. While the Sonos One and Beam have Google Assistant built in, the Move has mains-free portability. £399 / sonos.com
TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Arguably the easiest way to turn a ‘dumb’ device smart, Wi-Fi plugs like this one let you control lamps and kitchen appliances from anywhere. £15 / tp-link.com
Lenovo Smart Clock
Neato Botvac D7
Too adorable to punch when shutting the alarm off, Lenovo’s clock is really a mini smart display for the bedroom where you can “OK Google” your way to a lie-in. £80 / lenovo.com
Instructing a vac to clean up your filth is one of the smart home’s most satisfying wins. Neato’s flagship sucker has Google Assistant to set it rolling. £799 / neato robotics.com
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SMART HOME TECH
ALEXA!
Discover the voice-controlled essentials to turn your swanky abode into an Amazon-powered Echo chamber
NOW ADD THESE
Amazon Echo Show 8 £120 / amazon.co.uk
O AMAZON ECHO DOT
O RING VIDEO DOORBELL 2
O iROBOT ROOMBA i7+
This entry-level Echo is the easiest way of adding Alexa to your home. It’s great for newbies looking to get a taste of the automation action or to extend Alexa’s reach to another room. It has only middling sound quality, but there is an aux output if you want to connect a better speaker. £50 / amazon.co.uk
You never need to ask who’s at the door again. Even before someone presses this doorbell it’ll send HD video to your phone or Echo Show, and you can even chat with them. It should be said, however, that Ring shares your data with third parties including Facebook and the police. £179 / ring.com
After the robot uprisings, the words “Alexa, tell the Roomba to start vacuuming” will be used against us as proof that we enslaved early droids. But it’s one of the most satisfying Alexa skills there are.… and few robo-vacs are better at cleaning carpets than the layout-learning i7+. £1200 / irobot.co.uk
HEY ALEXA, ONE MORE THING…
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Kohler Moxie Showerhead
HP Tango X Smart Printer
Viewsonic X10-4K
Yale Smart Delivery Box
Do you like to sing in the shower? You can add a backing track with this smart speaker. The audio from Harman Kardon is tuned to cancel out water noise. $159 / kohler.co.uk
This is the printer the smart office deserves. The Tango X is sleek and quiet, and orders its own ink when needed. You just ask Alexa or Google Assistant to print what you want. £180 / hp.com
This portable short-throw projects a 120in UHD display you could get lost in. Yes, it’s got Alexa, but built-in Wi-Fi also means you can stream films directly to it. £1049 / viewsonic.com
Put off porch pirates from pilfering your Prime parcels with this treasure chest. You can remotely unlock it when you get a notification that a courier is there. $229 / yalehome.com
The Echo Show 8 makes good on the promise of The Jetsons that the videophone would be a fixture of future living. Its 8in screen is sharp and bright, making it easy to read. We would only recommend it for casual viewing rather than watching proper TV and movies, though. So maybe it’s for the best that Netflix and YouTube apps aren’t available… although, of course, Amazon Prime Video is. With Alexa’s brains all based in the cloud, Amazon has filled the Show 8 with speaker drivers. This gives it a surprisingly beefy sound for its budget price – at least at a medium volume. If you prefer to listen loud without distortion, there’s a 3.5mm audio output to hook it into your hi-fi setup. Get looky The prospect of a 1MP front-facing camera might make you think of smartphones circa 2014. But in practice, the picture looks better than it does on the Show 10, which has a 5MP shooter. You can video-call mobile devices and other Echo smart displays, and the Drop-In feature makes it easy to use the Show 8 as an intercom connecting all your rooms. You can also use this smart display to see who’s at the door if you have a doorbell security camera. Mind you, it’s worth noting the Show 8 doesn’t have a Zigbee receiver like the Show 10, so you can’t connect some devices directly to it. Still, with Alexa now queen of the smart home and so widely supported, this is less of an issue than it once was.
Stuff says +++++ Another smart display from Amazon that offers a lot of tech for the money
SMART HOME TECH
It’s great when you’re 8 Amazon might be known for churning out new devices, but the Show 8 isn’t named for its version number but its display size: 8in at a resolution of 1280x800.
Peep of faith The Show 8 has a slider that turns off the mic and blocks the camera, should you want to avoid incoming video calls or have wider concerns about your privacy.
On with the Show An ambient light sensor dims the screen almost completely at night, so it works fine as a bedside clock. But during the day it’s always on, which can be distracting.
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Holding out for a hearer The HomePod is packed with six mics so it can pick up on a “Hey Siri” without you having to raise your voice, even if you’re across the room or already have music playing.
Against wall odds The HomePod works out where it is in a room by bouncing sound off the walls like sonar. It’ll then adjust its sound according, directing audio in different directions.
You ain’t scene nothing yet As well as being able to control individual HomeKit devices with the HomePod, you can set up ‘scenes’, triggering multiple gadgets with one command.
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SMART HOME TECH
HEY SIRI!
Apple’s approved tech roster is small but mighty, with an emphasis on privacy protection and ease of use
NOW ADD THESE
Apple HomePod £279 / apple.com It’s a mistake to think the HomePod is Apple’s answer to the Amazon Echo. Yes, Siri can answer your questions and control your gadgets. But with the emphasis on audio quality, it’s more like a Sonos-slayer. Clear and evocative, it’s sound is outstanding. This is thanks to seven tweeters and a hefty woofer. The A8 chip also teases out subtleties from every song, from breathy vocals to thudding bass – and this speaker’s so loud when you try to crank the volume, Siri asks if you’re sure you want to do that. The monster mesh This is all wrapped up in a curvy, mesh-coated design that screams Apple minimalism. And the HomePod’s assault on Sonos doesn’t stop there, going for its ‘king of multiroom audio’ title too: it can link with any speaker that uses AirPlay 2, and that includes Sonos, Naim and Bang & Olufsen. But that’s the limit of the HomePod’s ‘play nicely’ nature. You need a subscription to Apple Music to listen to anything, unless you’re happy just streaming stuff from your iPhone. And it has to be an iPhone or iPad because the HomePod doesn’t use Bluetooth. The HomePod’s smart home controls are similarly restricted: it only works with devices in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem. In fairness, these are all high-quality and include some of the most popular products out there. But if you want to be free to tailor your tech to your taste, the HomePod is not the hub for you.
Stuff says ++++, The best musical smart speaker you can buy… if you’re an Apple Music fan and iPhone/iPad user
O APPLE TV 4K
O TADO V3+
O AUGUST WI-FI
Does your telly have more pixels than you know what to do with? This set-top box can help, with 4K and HDR smarts. It also works with Dolby Atmos systems for cinematic sound. But it’s not just for watching eye-popping films and TV: you can play Apple Arcade and Apple Music through it, and control your HomeKit with built-in Siri. £179 / apple.com
Tado might not be the hot name in thermostats that Nest is, but this Apple-approved option still offers all-you-can-heat smarts. It learns your habits over time to find your optimal temperature, and you can pair it with smart radiator valves for control over individual rooms. It also gets on with Alexa and Google Assistant. £200 / tado.com
Do you like the idea of opening your door with your phone, but prefer the security of a physical lock? This one fits onto your existing deadbolt and allows you to keep using your old key when you (or your landlord) want. The latest version has built-in Wi-Fi, so you can ask Siri to lock up without needing a socket-hogging hub. £tbc / august.com
HEY SIRI, ONE MORE THING...
Avia Smart Lock
Withings Body+
Nanoleaf Remote
Avia’s 256-bit encrypted Bluetooth lock is British-made and has even had UK government recognition for its secure spec. We await a Downing Street install. £320 / aviasmart.com
Dieting is never fun. Cake! But this smart scale can at least make your weigh-in less tedious. It’ll update your fitness app of choice, so you don’t have to. £90 / withings.com
If you’re fed up with giving voice commands, this Bluetooth blob can help. Each of its 12 sides can be assigned to control a different device or Apple HomeKit scene. £50 / nanoleaf.me
Netatmo Weather Station Still not forgiven Michael Fish? Make your own forecasts using this kit, and automate your windows to close when it detects air pollution. £150 / netatmo.com
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SMART HOME TECH
LIGHTS ON!
The sun is already programmed to switch on and off once a day, but you can do more than that with your own lighting
NOW ADD THESE
Philips Hue Starter Kit from £60 (white) / meethue.com
O IKEA SYMFONISK
O LIFX SWITCH
This lamp looks and sounds great. Created by Ikea and Sonos, it has a built-in Play:1 speaker that can fill a room and will work with your wider audio setup. Available in black or white, its design blends easily with most modern rooms, though the low wattage means it’s only good for bedtime reading or accent lighting. £150 / ikea.com
This wall-mounted accessory understands that you can’t necessarily afford to replace all the lights of your house at once, so the four-way bank of switches can control both smart and dumb bulbs. A built-in control module let’s you use cloud-based features like scheduling and voice commands. $119 / lifx.com
O NANOLEAF LEARNING SERIES Rather than having to tell your lights to turn on, Nanoleaf thinks truly smart bulbs should know when you need them. Its new range will adapt to your behaviour, learning when you get home from work and when you go to bed. Sounds clever… and it’s due for launch in September. $100 / nanoleaf.me
MORE LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT…
LIFX Filament If you want a futuristic home with vintage chic, LIFX’s Filament lights launch this spring. These Edison bulbs come in a choice of smoky, amber or clear glass, and support all voice assistants. $30 / lifx.com
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Nanoleaf Unified Light Panels For spectacular wall art, try these LED shapes. As well as Nanoleaf’s triangles and squares, new six-sided panels are set to arrive this summer. from £180 / nanoleaf.me
Eve Strip Light You don’t need a fancy TV to enjoy a brilliant backlight: this strip has a Movie Night mode that syncs with what you’re watching. It’s flexible and can be cut to measure. £70 / evehome.com
Fibaro Motion Sensor Fed up with overeager movement detectors turning your lights on at random? It might look like the Eye of Sauron, but this one can be adjusted to suit your needs. £44 / fibaro.com
No smart home is complete until you can dim your lights with your voice – and Hue is the leading light in intelligent illuminations. This is because, rather than wasting the last eight years basking in the glow of its early success, Philips hasn’t stopped. The Hue line now has a vast array of options, from LED strips to ambient spotlights, even hi-tech table lamps. Your best bet is a starter kit. Ignore the plain bulbs and go for a colour-changing set (from £130) – the brilliant thing about Hue is playing with its 16 million pigments. And this includes setting them to shine white if you want. A kit includes two bulbs, two dimmer switches and a hub to plug into your router. This doesn’t sound like a lot when you’re paying out three figures, does it? A steep price tag is the biggest downside of Hue – every extra bulb costs £50. But Philips makes it worth your while. Lighten app An intuitive app makes setting up your lights and adding new ones easy. You can use it to automate your lights and muck around with multicoloured ‘moods’. Hue also gets regular security updates – which doesn’t sound very exciting but stops hackers from co-opting your bulbs. This is something less expensive smart lights often don’t bother with. But really, the best feature of Hue is Philips’ commitment to work in harmony with all your smart home gadgets. Rather than locking you into one ecosystem, Hue integrates with everything. Seriously, even Cortana.
Stuff says +++++ In practically every way this is the Sonos of smart lighting, and that’s a mighty compliment
SMART HOME TECH
Light the power There are downsides to controlling everything with your phone – not least for your guests – so the bundled wireless dimmer switch can control up to 10 Hue bulbs.
Old boys’ hub The Hue Bridge hub might seem redundant now that next-gen bulbs have Bluetooth chips built-in. But it makes your new lights backwardscompatible.
Bayonet fix and chill A wide selection of Hue bulb fitting types, even in the starter kit range, means there’s an option for you no matter what light fixtures your smart home has.
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PIN machine With GPS and Bluetooth, the door can automatically unlock on approach and lock behind you. A wireless keypad with PIN access is also available for £120.
Goldie lookin’ chained The lock comes in gold, black, white, chrome or this new rose gold finish. You can choose between Alexa, Zigbee, or HomeKit with Siri and Apple Watch support.
Break-in Stevens If someone manages to snap the lock, BrisantSecure will cough up a cool grand by means of an apology – but it’s confident you won’t need to call that favour in.
HOME ADVANTAGE Security tech tips from Help Locks
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Smart locks
Video doorbells
Connected cams
Fitting a smart lock should make your house harder to break into and give you greater control over access. On the deadbolt side, make sure the lock cylinder meets TS 007 3-star or SS312 Sold Secure Diamond Standard. And on the digital side, opt for at least 128-bit encryption.
Smart doorbells can often capture better images than CCTV, because they’re at just the right height for faces rather than being fixed high up and pointing at tops of heads. Check T&Cs closely to work out when your preferred brand will start charging a subscription for cloud storage.
Pick a camera with cloud storage and 128-bit encryption. Ensure video resolution is 720p minimum, 1080p preferable, or even 4K. Night vision is essential – if it doesn’t work in the dark it’s doing half a job. Point it towards a fixed object so police can judge the height of anyone filmed.
SMART HOME TECH
UNLOCK!
Shiny door-securers, biometric burglar-beaters and other smart security tech for paranoid Android or Apple users
NOW ADD THESE
Brisant-Secure Ultion Smart from £229 / brisant-secure.com Brisant-Secure believes being the smartest sometimes means not telling everybody you’re the smartest. Given Donald Trump has described himself as “smart”, “like, really smart” and “a very stable genius”, the lock maker might be onto something. It’s also why its Ultion Smart door lock has no digital display, purposely looks like any other door handle from the outside, and even accepts that most old-school of entry options: a key. Deft clunk is playing at my house Behind the contemporary design you’ll find Danish-developed tech for automatic entry using GPS and Bluetooth with your phone or watch, time-limited electronic access for guests, support for multiple smart platforms, and military-grade encryption. That last part aims to future-proof you if current 128-bit encryption methods are somehow broken. The connection between the lock and your phone is also encrypted, while the digital keys authenticating everything are stored in a crypto-processing chip. Life used to be so simple, didn’t it? This means nothing if the physical door lock isn’t double-hard, which is why Brisant left it up to Danalock to deal with the digital side while it focused on testing the Ultion Smart to every lock standard available, even getting the support of the rozzers. That includes 20 points of drill protection and Lockdown Mode snap protection – so the moment it detects a forced entry, a second ‘attack lock’ is activated.
Stuff says +++++ An extremely clever door lock designed to keep out criminals of all IQs
O SWANN WIRE-FREE SMART CAMERA
O ARLO VIDEO DOORBELL
O MASTER LOCK BIOMETRIC PADLOCK
This Swann won’t attack intruders, but it can catch them in the act, indoors or outdoors. It features 1080p video, 180° viewing and facial recognition for up to 10 people at no extra cost. There’s two-way talk for ‘communicating’ with trespassers and it’s all wire-free without the need for a separate hub. £130 / swann.com
Arlo’s new video doorbell will capture whatever’s on your porch with a 1:1 aspect ratio. There’s HDR video and night vision, high-res live footage, two-way audio and video calls from anywhere in the world. Arlo bundles three months’ free cloud storage and claims never to sell or share your data. £tbc / arlo.com
Whether it’s the garden gate, shed or marijuana farm, Master Lock has updated its connected Bluetooth padlock with biometric security for fingerprint unlocking. It can save up to 10 prints so access can be shared between your family, allotment buddies or drugs cartel. £89 / masterlock.eu
WE SHOULD BE SO LOCKY…
Nest Hello
Ring Alarm
This doorbell offers superb HD video day and night, and can be added to Nest’s app alongside security cams, thermostats and more. The seasonal chimes are a laugh too. £229 / store. google.com
The next-best thing to a pro alarm installation, this kit includes a base station, keypad, contact sensor, motion detector and range extender for fitting your own DIY intruder deterrent. £249 / ring.com
Hive Window or Door Sensor These sensors send you a notification if they’re opened while you’re away. You can also pair them with Hive’s smart cameras and thermostats. £29 / hivehome.com
Arlo Ultra Expensive, yes, but then Arlo’s range-topping security cam offers 4K HDR image quality with enhanced night vision, an integrated spotlight and a panoramic field of vision. £450 / arlo.com
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SMART HOME TECH
TURN ON... Finally, take a look beyond the usual suspects to tailor that smart home to your own needs
NOW ADD THESE
Logitech Harmony Elite £250 / logitech.com
O SAMSUNG SMARTTHINGS HUB
O BELKIN WEMO SWITCH
O NETGEAR ORBI VOICE
This smart hub has some serious automation skills. You can get any of 5000 compatible devices to work together, and this can be based on the time of day, someone’s location or the status of a device (like a window opening). Plus it’s wireless, so you can put it anywhere and not spoil your feng shui. £79 / samsung.com
Make dumb devices smart with this plug. Connected to your Wi-Fi and fitted to a mains outlet, it will remotely control any appliance you plug into it. You can even set a schedule so your lamp comes on at set times. It works with Belkin’s other Wemo modules plus Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT. £39 / belkin.com
A dull design disguises the potential of this hi-tech hybrid – a winning combo of Alexa, Harman Kardon speakers, and mesh networking from Netgear’s Nighthawk gaming routers. So you could set up multiroom audio while boosting Wi-Fi wherever it’s needed. Yes, it is a tiny bit expensive… £430 / netgear.co.uk
THE SMARTEST BUYS IN THE ROOM…
Flic 2 Flic is like an Amazon Dash button but for doing stuff. You can set up these wireless knobs to do virtually anything, from turning smart lights on and off to skipping tracks on Spotify. $160 / flic.io
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Hive Active Heating This handsome thermostat might not learn your homely habits like Nest, but it’s IFTTTprogrammable via an app… and compatible with Alexa. £180 / hivehome.com
Ikea Fyrtur
Mui
The latest in the Swedish giant’s range of smart home essentials, this blind rises with the sun and goes down at night. You can control it via Google Home, but you’ll need a Tradfri gateway. £129 / ikea.com
If you find glass and metal too cold, try the Mui wooden smart display. This short plank is far from thick, working as a hub for your home. Touch-controlling timber feels like witchcraft. £450 / mui.jp
Logitech’s universal remotes have been smartening up homes for years. Now its Harmony Elite lets you govern all kinds of gear. With one tap you can turn on your TV, crank the subwoofer, load up Netflix and dim the lights. If you’re getting rid of all your other remotes, you want the one you’re left with to look good. The Elite doesn’t disappoint, with a glossy black finish and reassuring heft. It has a few physical buttons, but the real feature is the touchscreen. It lets you control individual devices in depth and trigger automated ‘Activities’ – like the seamless Netflix-and-chill scenario described above. Blaster of puppets Beyond the clever clicker, the Elite includes a Harmony Hub that communicates with all your IR, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth gizmos. And it comes with two extra IR blasters– so you can hide your ugly cables and receivers in home cinema cabinets while staying in total control. There’s also an app for PC and mobile. This is how you integrate your devices and create Activities; it makes light work of setting up, though the phone version is a little buggy. You might question the cost of this remote. There’s no denying it’s high, especially when the Hub is sold separately for £100 – and you can still use Activities with that via the app. But the Elite works with 15 devices and the Hub only controls eight. So it’s a must-have for wrangling truly complex AV setups and bringing your home cinema to heel.
Stuff says ++++, A true luxury for those who are especially interested in building a futuristic home cinema
SMART HOME TECH
Clicker conspiracy You can create custom Activities to control multiple devices with one click. These can also be scheduled for set times, while IFTTT support opens up more options.
Free range The Elite works with Alexa and Google Home, so you can turn on your TV or console without pressing a button. Plus you can change the channel and trigger Activities.
Popcorn double reacher The rechargeable battery will last a few days unless you’re a heavy boxset binger. The charging stand makes a handy holster, so you can easily keep it topped up.
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APPS
Mini meme
O Pigment A giant of the genre, Pigment has plenty of pages to attack if you take out a sub – over 5000 for £55 a year – and a decent selection of freebies if you don’t. Art varies from dour landscapes to Disney stills (a sister Marvel app exists if you think you can do better than comic colourists). The colouring bit is solid, with suitably authentic tools, and endless zoom without any loss of line detail. £free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
SHADERS OF THE LOST ART
Prepare to be distressed by multiple uses of the American spelling ‘color’… and then de-stressed by this fine selection of colouring apps
O Lake This one’s in a similar space to Pigment, giving you a smattering of freebies or a pricey sub (£53). There are key differences, though. The interface is more playful and faster when selecting colours and tools, and there’s more emphasis on individual artists, promoting collections by creators rather than deluging you with piles of anonymous patterns and illustrations. £free (IAPs) / iOS
O April Coloring
O Color Therapy
O Zen Studio
O Tayasui Color
If the thought of having to select hues fills you with dread, try April’s ‘painting by numbers’ approach to digital colouring. Tap parts of the pic, scribble away, and before long you’ll have virtual coins lobbed in your general direction, later used to unlock new galleries. (Yes, this is gamified colouring-in!) Too much effort? Happy Colour does much the same but with tap-based flood fills. £free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
This app borrows from Pigment and April, giving you the option of freehand colouring or painting by numbers. As you scribble and tap, piano music plinky-plonks away in the background. We’re not convinced that’s especially therapeutic, but the app does have creative smarts, letting you add a filter, funky lines and frames prior to exporting your artwork (for printing out and hanging in the Saatchi Gallery). £free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
If you lock down IAPs to avoid the risk of a nasty subscription surprise, there’s no reason kids can’t use the other apps on this page. But Zen Studio is a mesmerising alternative for younglings – and adults, for that matter. Its stencils have you tap to bring colour to the screen while driving an ambient audio soundtrack. In the free download, stencils are limited in number; a one-off IAP removes restrictions. £free (IAPs) / Android, iOS
While the other apps in this round-up mostly double down on quantity, this one’s all about the feel. It’s presented as a virtual flip-book of original illustrations to colour with a small range of tools that look, feel and even sound much like the real thing. So as you swipe away, your virtual pencil makes scratching noises, all while soothing birdsong propels you further into the chill-out zone. £2.99 / iOS 55
ECO ALL-ROUNDERS
PLANET-SAVING PERFORMERS
GREEN GAME-CHANGERS
UPVOTED
The post-petro plodder
The smart skier
The recyclable runner
Veja Condor For a future free from petro-chemical plastics, the Condor is aimed at everyday runs rather than record attempts. It mixes 53% bio-based and recycled materials with virgin plastic and rubber. The uppers are 100% recycled bottles; the outsole is made from wild rubber and rice husk. €130 / veja-store.com
Salomon Concept Like the Adidas on the right, Salomon’s ‘eco concept’ road-runner is made from one type of plastic, making it much easier to recycle. But at the end of its time pounding pavements, this one will be reincarnated as a ski boot. The first shoes are due on sale this year, the first ski boots two years later. £tbc / salomon.com
Adidas Futurecraft Loop 2 Made from the same TPU plastic you find in regular Adidas Boost shoes, these running kicks can be ground down to pellets when no longer needed and reborn as new. They look and perform like normal shoes and may even be part of a Netflix-style shoe subscription service in the future. £tbc / adidas.co.uk
ECO SHOES The graphene gripper Inov-8 Mudclaw G 260 The average lifespan of a running shoe is 4-6 months. But what if we had footwear that performed for longer? Inov-8’s graphene-coated trail shoes do just that: the treated outsoles are validated by the National Graphene Institute to be 50% more hard-wearing. More miles, less waste. £140 / inov-8.com
The haddock’s hero Adidas Ultraboost X Parley Made in partnership with ocean clear-up experts Parley for the Oceans, each pair of these shoes packs 95% recycled plastic, most of it marine junk purged from oceans and beaches. There’s a fistful of recycled 500ml bottles in each one – and you won’t find a better-performing eco shoe. £105 / adidas.co.uk
The woolly wonder
The bottle bouncer
The dustpan dynamo
Allbirds Merino Wool Runners With uppers of temperature-regulating but not weather-proof merino wool, Allbirds Runners won’t cut it in all conditions. But if you do most of your sweating indoors, they’re a comfy and sustainable option. The laces are made from recycled plastic bottles and the insoles from castor bean oil. £95 / allbirds.co.uk
Timberland Brooklyn EK+ ReBOTL Timberland has a tilt at eco fitness footwear with uppers, padding and laces made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. The soles also feature 34% recycled rubber and lightweight midsole cushioning, making these a good multipurpose option for lower-intensity activities. £110 / timberland.co.uk
New Balance Test Run Project 3.0 Instead of plundering the planet for fresh materials, these limited-edition runners repurpose the waste that falls to the factory floor when other shoes are made. That partly explains the lively look – and because everything is formed from leftovers, no two pairs are the same. £140 / newbalance.co.uk
HOW TO DECIDE 56
Around 300 million shoes head to landfill in the UK every year… so Kieran Alger sniffs out chic sneaks that’ll leave a lighter footprint on the planet
1 Cotton on Not all bio-based materials are necessarily better for the planet. Organic cotton, for example, can leave an eco footprint as large as recycled plastic. So do your research.
2 Style it out Stop being such a fashion victim, dammit. Go for evergreen styles that won’t be ‘bang off trend’ in a few months and pick designs that you know you can love long-term.
UPVOTED
The minimal mover Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Bio Vivobarefoot’s ‘back to evolutionary basics’ approach favours simple shoes that free your feet. And not only is this 70% plant-based runner made from eco-smart materials like corn, natural rubber and algae foam – it also uses 10% less material than the average running shoe. £120 / vivobarefoot.com
3 If the shoe fits… Shoes that fail to deliver end up in the bin fast, so you still need to put performance first. Eco or not, you need your footwear to do the job – as ever, try before you buy.
4 Settle for silver Having said that, don’t expect perfection. The evolving materials and tech in eco-friendly shoes don’t always match the very best alternatives, so compromises are inevitable.
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STUFF PROMOTION Rubber-ly stuff Nano tech has allowed Toyo to create innovative composite materials for better performance.
JUST KEEP ROLLIN’ How Toyo Tires is using the power of nano technology to improve your drive Tyres are just chunks of rubber, aren’t they? Far from it, as they provide the main contact between a vehicle and the road. Not only do good tyres improve stopping power and grip to prevent accidents; they can also decrease road noise inside the cabin, improve fuel efficiency and reduce harmful emissions. What’s the science behind it? All tyre manufacturers are different, but Toyo has been developing technology that allows it to look at a tyre at molecular level, using its state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation facilities and X-ray observation tech to get to the bottom of how a tyre behaves in the real world. Woah, that sounds extreme. Has it been worth it? It sure has, because the 3D imagery provided by this nano-level research has allowed Toyo to create a Nano Composite Polymer that reduces the energy loss of previous-generation tyres and improves rolling resistance by around 6%. Meaning lower fuel bills.
Great, but that all sounds very expensive… Quality lasts. Toyo’s research has been focusing on the ‘cross-linked chain ends’ of its rubber compound, which is the joint of the polymer chain formed by a chemical reaction. Being able to control this has allowed the team to create a stronger, more wear-resistant tyre that’s designed to last longer, saving you dosh. On top of this, Toyo’s rubber is stronger and longer, so it can reduce the amount of raw material used in each tyre, which is better for the planet. Crikey! Next you’ll be telling us we soon won’t even need to fill our tyres with air. Funny you say that, because in 2017 Toyo became the first company to present a non-pneumatic tyre that doesn’t require air to operate. The use of X-shaped resin spokes that are alternately crossed inside the structure (rather than old-fashioned air) means punctures could soon be a thing of the past. For more information, scan the QR code below or visit toyo.co.uk
HOW A.I. HELPS INNOVATION One Toyo’s T-Mode tyre structure analysis system boasts huge computing power. Two This lets Toyo analyse the aerodynamic characteristics of tyres and vehicles. Three 3D modelling of tread pattern design means innovations can be tested quickly. Four Even different types of snow can be computer-simulated.
The long run The elongated high-strength rubber design saves resources, reduces overall weight and improves fuel efficiency.
T E S T E D T O Y O TA G R S U P R A
Last achtung hero The legendary Toyota badge is back, but wait just a second – is this super Supra a German coupé in Japanese clothing? from £54,000 / stuff.tv/Supra
Fritz like a glove Adjustable seat bolsters ensure a bespoke fit every time you get in – so long as you don’t gain loads of weight.
Q While some children of the ’90s had Ferrari posters on their walls, wannabe boy racers and Japanese drifters had a Toyota Supra. It’s been 21 years since the Supra badge has surfaced, and this reboot seven years in the making has all the styling hallmarks of the legendary coupé… even though underneath it’s kind of a BMW Z4. Q As well as the same platform, you get the same engine, gearbox and sections of the interior. This isn’t a basic rebadge, though: Toyota has retuned BMW’s three-litre straight six to 335bhp with a rear-wheel drive 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds. Q My, it’s fun to drive. The body feels rigid, the car well-balanced and planted. It makes a terribly naughty noise and it’s mighty quick; but while all you want to do in the Z4 is pose, in the sexy Supra you simply want to get the hammer down. Q The cabin is pure BMW. That means material and fitting are top-quality, but you forfeit any Japanese cult coolness. Still, the low driving position makes you feel mean behind the wheel and the seats are pleasingly side-hugging.
Q Dash ist gut
Q Hans across the sea
There’s a 9in touchscreen infotainment system high on the dashboard, with free Apple CarPlay for four years (something BMW charges for). Android Auto users aren’t so lucky, but can still use Bluetooth to stream.
The car’s graphics, USB slots, switchgear, steering wheel and more are all shipped in from Germany. A wireless charger for your phone comes as standard; sadly, the 12-speaker JBL audio system does not.
Q The infotainment system is ace, plus you get 10-speaker audio, sat-nav, a rear camera, electric Alcantara seats, adaptive LED headlights, adaptive suspension, an active differential and cruise control as standard. The head-up display is an optional extra.
Tech specs Display 9in touchscreen Connectivity Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, USB Engine 3L straight six twin-scroll turbo, 335bhp Gearbox 8-speed sports auto
STUFF SAYS The Supra’s Japanese drifter looks can’t hide its German roots ++++, It’s a fair Klopp: this isn’t the real Japanese icon it appears to be James Day
Take one look at the aggressive styling of the new Supra and the warm fuzzy feeling of four-wheeled nostalgia comes flooding back. It’s definitely a looker, and on the outside at least, quintessentially Japanese – even if pretty much all of the air intake vents are fake. The balance is just too much in BMW’s favour for this to ever be a true Toyota Supra… but that doesn’t mean we don’t want one.
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TESTED GOOGLE PIXELBOOK GO
New Chrome antics Google wants to redefine what you can do with its desktop OS – and if the Pixelbook Go is as talented as it looks, it could be a cloud-computing contender
1
[ Words Natalya Paul ]
from £629 / stuff.tv/PixelbookGo
3
The Pixelbook Go is an ode to minimalism, and Google’s latest attempt to convince creatives that Chrome OS has a place. A limited operating system with a lack of pro software has essentially ruled out the likes of 3D animators and videographers; but with editing apps like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop Express on offer, perhaps there’s life in it for us non-nerdy lightweights. Ignoring the entry-level model, we’re focusing on the next step up – with 8GB of RAM, an 128GB SSD and an Intel i5 – which is the one we’d probably recommend anyway. With only 64GB of storage and an inferior CPU in the base model, and a terrifying price-tag on the 4K range-topper, this £829 model represents the sweet spot. A non-clackity keyboard and supposed 12-hour battery round off what could be the perfect Chrome OS device for your work/life balance.
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Go-getter This is one good-looking laptop, with a magnesium body (1) rather than aluminium – Google says this requires less material and is therefore lighter. Underneath you’ll find a textured ripple effect for an easier grip, and a rubber strip on either side to stop it sliding across tabletops.
GOOD MEH EVIL
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Deeply desirable design
Go with the flow It opens like a standard laptop, with no spinning screen tricks in sight. It’s still a touchscreen, but compared to the disastrous Pixel Slate this is back-to-basics stuff and we’re delighted. The backlit keyboard barely makes a sound and feedback is decent (2). You also get a trackpad.
Battery life is extremely good
Top-spec machines are pricey
Go for gold The 13.3in 1080p display (there’s also a 4K option) is vibrant and colours feel natural without looking overly saturated (3). This is especially useful as the Go lends itself so well to photo editing, with on-board Adobe Lightroom and Google Photos to store albums.
Look, it’s got a webcam!
Stealthy keyboard is a top typer
Chrome OS has serious limitations
TESTED GOOGLE PIXELBOOK GO
Go wide The wide 16:9 aspect ratio can feel cramped when reading docs or browsing websites, but it’s good for watching videos.
Tech specs Display 13.3in HD/4K touchscreen Processor 8th-gen Intel Core m3/i5/i7 RAM 8/16GB Storage 64/128/256GB SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 2x USB-C, 3.5mm Battery life Up to 12hrs Dimensions 311x206x13mm, 1.3kg
Go deep Right, pay attention, it’s time to take a closer look at the technical features of Google’s Chrome OS cutie
4
Q Go without
Q Go on record
This thing doesn’t offer ‘flagship laptop’ levels of connectivity. You’ll find two USB-C ports and our old friend the 3.5mm headphone jack – that’s your lot. An SD card slot would have been nice, for expandable storage alone.
The front-facing webcam might only get business types excited, but it’s great for video calls with family and friends. And its 1080p resolution, with video recording at 60fps, is sharper than you get on a MacBook Pro.
Q Go quiet
Q Go large
There are front-firing speakers either side of the keyboard. They’re not awful – fine for a few funnies on YouTube – but won’t cut the mustard for music. Predictably, they lack bass and just don’t go very loud.
We’ve grown attached to our 1080p model, and are not convinced you need anything more given the rest of the specs… but maybe, just maybe, we’d still like a go on the top model with its 4K display. It’s a mere £1329.
5
Go-faster stripes Performance-wise, the Go didn’t struggle with the daily tasks we threw at it – but don’t expect mad levels of grunt. Downloading apps from the Play Store (4) is simple and familiar, and feels like ecosystem bliss. Google Assistant is present too, although there’s no fingerprint sensor.
Go on (and on) A claimed 12hr battery life (5) is not to be sniffed at, and over a few days of heavy use – downloading apps, sifting through emails, editing work docs and tweaking photos – we only had to plug in our Pixelbook Go twice. It lasts about an hour longer than a 2019 MacBook Air, and that’s fine by us.
The Pixelbook Go is a luxurious touchscreen Chromebook, and we’d recommend it to anyone who travels because of its long-lasting battery and easy portability. Great design and Google’s familiar suite of apps are obvious plus points too, and business types will appreciate the webcam for video calling and conferences. @NatalyaPaul
STUFF SAYS ++++, A light and stylish touchscreen laptop built for those who like to live and work in the cloud 61
BETA YOURSELF
MAKING MUSIC You used to need real instruments and a studio to turn your musical ideas into actual tunes; today, says Craig Grannell, you only need a phone, some apps and – optionally – talent THE BASICS
very handy; and as great as virtual guitars can sound, nothing touches the real thing.
Q Keep it simple If you’ve never written a song before, don’t think you’ll become Brian Wilson overnight. Start slowly and play around, figuring out how to make interesting snippets that sound good. Ignore condescending musos who insist you should avoid automation and loops – make use of whatever tools you have to hand, and gradually build your skills.
Q Slow it down Tempo is an important part of any song. Although you might want to craft insanely fast rock or head-thumping dance tracks, don’t forget it’s slower tracks that often brim with atmosphere. So set your tempo to less than 100 at least some of the time. Also,
Q Learn me right Want to break all the rules? You need to know what they are first. So make use of apps that help you compose using scales – and find out what scales actually are using Khan Academy. Keen to actually tickle the ivories or get your strum on? Try Yousician. remember that you can temporarily slow everything down to record tricky bits.
Q Move some air Although you can go from blank canvas to published song entirely on your phone, that doesn’t mean you should eschew real-world kit entirely. For noodling around when composing at home, an external keyboard can be
Q Set your sights Although we said to keep things simple to begin with, do figure out where you want to end up with your music. There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious. You’re probably not going to headline Glasto, but there’s nothing to say you and your phone aren’t capable of crafting a tune that gets friends’ heads bobbing… or even an airing on 6 Music.
AXE MURDERER Q Amp it up
Screenadelica A phone is good for music; a bigger phone is better. Got a tablet? Use it. A larger screen affords more space for twiddling virtual knobs and tapping notes.
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Modern virtual amps and stompboxes sound barely distinguishable from the real thing. Using AmpliTube or GarageBand, you can rapidly craft setups that would cost a fortune in the real world, as well as requiring loads of room and cables.
Q Get a riff idea If you lack access to a stringed instrument (or the skill to play it), try GarageBand’s Smart Guitar. Sure, the riffs are canned, but they sound pretty good – ideal for sketching out ideas, or adding a quick guitar part to an existing song.
HANDY HARDWARE
iRIG When you want to unleash your axe but don’t want to deafen the neighbours, plug it into your phone with an iRig. Just make sure you buy the right model for your device. IK Multimedia also does some neat mics and MIDI keyboards. from £35 / ikmultimedia.com
SENNHEISER MOMENTUM WIRELESS 3 LAY IT DOWN Q Split the difference
MAD SOUNDS Q Twiddle and tweak
If the recording software you use lets you, separate your sounds. So instead of your drums all being on one track, have one for each drum. This allows you to individually mix them and control effects.
Some synths have amazing presets – Poison-202 is a Stuff fave, mimicking classic dance hits with eerie precision. But don’t just settle for built-in sounds – you can use the sliders and knobs in Korg Gadget, Caustic and other synths/DAWs to create custom noises.
Q Keep your powder dry
Q Arp it up
If you’re working on a song and it doesn’t sound right, don’t be afraid of radically altering the arrangement, or even mashing together bits from several songs. The beauty of digital is that you can experiment at speed.
If your synth app has an arpeggiator, mess around with it. Arps are essentially sequencers that fire off loops of notes. They can be a great way to craft soundscapes, basslines and melodies.
Recording a live instrument? If possible, do it without effects. There’s no way to reduce the reverb or delay levels on something that’s been recorded ‘wet’, but you can easily play with software effects on a ‘dry’ track later.
Q Shake it up
MONEY MAKER
Earbuds? AirPods? Maybe on the bus, but when you’re crafting your next hit you need cans on your lugs. These sound superb, and come with a 3.5mm cable so you can go wired and avoid any latency issues. £349 / sennheiser.com
Q Go camping Essentially a fairtrade music store, Bandcamp makes it easy to upload songs for sale. Should you be fortunate enough to get a following, earnings are paid daily. You can also add physical items to your catalogue.
Q Share your genius If you lack a distributor, you’ll need a third party to get your music onto Spotify and Apple Music. TuneCore is a popular option, but costs £24 per album per year. DistroKid costs less, and RouteNote has a free tier… but takes a cut of your royalties.
RUARK MR1 Mk2 You probably won’t be splashing out several grand on monitors; but if you get into mixing and mastering, you’ll need more than headphones. These are quite dinky but pack a punch, and give you the option of Bluetooth or wired input. £330 / ruarkaudio.com
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T E S T E D O LY M P U S O M - D E - M 5 M A R K I I I
Dial hard with a vengeance Olympus’s OM-D E-M5 Mark III is finally here, with ace smarts and twiddly bits galore crammed into a tiny package
Viddy well The E-M5’s video capabilities have been massively improved, and you now get 4K shooting in true C4K resolution at 24fps.
£1049 / stuff.tv/EM5MkIII Q Things have really moved on since the OM-D E-M5 Mark II launched in 2015. With Sony and Canon pushing things forward, Olympus was starting to look like Disco Stu at grime night… but the new Mark III packs a lot of tech into a tiny body and serves up images as good as the best of them. Q This Micro Four-Thirds camera will slip easily into a small bag – it feels light and portable even with a lens on. The only downside: Olympus has used un-premium polycarbonate for the body. Q Thanks to a host of well-placed manual controls, it’s dead easy to handle. On top there’s a nice big mode selector with a locking button and two customisable dials for shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation or other settings. A handy little switch lets you toggle between two modes. Q The tech stuffed inside this thing is astonishing. It has one of the most effective image stabilisation systems we’ve used, meaning you can shoot handheld down to 1/4s or even slower with good results, and in murky conditions. And the AF has been upgraded to 121-point phase-detection. Q Battery life is so-so – Olympus claims 310 shots or an hour of video. There’s no built-in flash, but it does come with an external one that can flip and rotate. This does a great job in most situations.
Tech specs Sensor 20.4MP Micro Four-Thirds Displays 3in LCD touchscreen, 2.36m-dot OLED EVF Video 4K/C4K @ 24fps, Full HD @ 30fps Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, SD card, HDMI, USB, 3.5mm mic input Dimensions 125x85x50mm, 414g
Q Flower power
Q Girl power
The E-M5 Mark III inherits the 20.4MP sensor and TruePic VIII processor/sensor combo that’s also found in the range-topping E-M1X and E-M1 II. Both jpegs and RAW files are impressively sharp and colourful.
There are 16 arty filters, and some of them are actually good rather than gimmicky. The only real criticism we have of this camera’s shooting skills, in fact, is that it struggles slightly to keep up with fast action.
STUFF SAYS A classic all-rounder that’s pretty good at just about everything ++++, This is a very small camera with a very big skillset Marc McLaren
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The days when Micro Four-Thirds lagged behind bigger sensors are no more, and for the most part the new EM-5 happily keeps pace with its rivals – it’s capable of taking fantastic images in the right conditions, with excellent image stabilisation and nimble controls. It’s not cheap, but if you’re looking for a small system camera that doesn’t skimp on the smarts, the OM-D E-M5 Mark III is a fine choice.
TESTED MOBVOI TICPODS 2 PRO
Nod gave rock’n’roll to you Mobvoi’s latest true wireless buds are stuffed full of AI trickery… and you can even control them by headbanging £108 / stuff.tv/TicPods2Pro Q Mobvoi’s TicPods Free used to be a fine cheap alternative to Apple’s AirPods; but with the market for true wireless buds now getting crowded, the TicPods 2 and 2 Pro have a lot more to prove. Can some fancy AI-powered features keep the flagship Pro model competitive? Q This is a tech-packed pair of earbuds. The headline feature is AI, powering two new technologies: TicHear and TicMotion. The first, as you’ve probably guessed, is voice control – letting you perform basic functions like pausing, skipping and accepting a call, with no wake word required. Alas, our buds regularly failed to recognise voice commands. Symphony of distraction Noise-cancellation is active when you’re on a call, but it’s not very effective, and you don’t get it at all for audio playback.
Q TicMotion lets you accept or reject calls by either nodding or shaking your head. Useful in theory and very cool when it works… but for us, the motion sensors required nodding like a sweaty punk in a moshpit in order to work. You don’t want to do that at the bus stop. Q You also get more traditional touch controls: double-tap either bud to skip or pause (this can be customised in the app), long-press to wake your voice assistant, use the sliders to adjust volume.
Q Hear I go again
Q Runnin’ with the devil
The buds ship with a charging case that’s 42% smaller than the old one. Looking at the chunky cases that accompany buds from the likes of Sony and Amazon, this is a win for Mobvoi – and so is USB-C charging.
An IPX4 rating for sweat and dust means these earphones are good for a workout… as long as they stay in your ears, that is. Mobvoi promises roughly four hours of juice between charges, which held up during our testing.
Q Although they’re notably low on oomph, the 13mm drivers perform well enough for the price. They’re fairly well balanced, even if treble gets most of the attention. But the open-fit design brings a lack of noise isolation: escaping into your music while walking beside traffic just isn’t possible.
Tech specs Connectivity Bluetooth 5.0, aptX, USB-C charging Controls Touch, voice, motion Battery life 4hrs, 20hrs with charging case Weight 4.4g each, case 30g
STUFF SAYS A mixed bag, but smart enough to be a credible AirPods alternative +++,, Can AI play with madness? No, but it can’t half be infuriating… Matt Tate
You’ll struggle to find another pair of true wireless earbuds that offer this many control options. Mobvoi has thrown everything at the wall here – it’s just a shame only some of it sticks. And while audio quality is perfectly acceptable, there’s no noise reduction and the loose fit could be an issue for some. These remain a decent alternative to the AirPods, but the standard TicPods 2 (£86) are an even bigger bargain.
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GROUP TEST SUBSCRIPTION GAMING
Clash of plans These four console-free subscription gaming services dare to think different… but which one should you sign up to?
[ Words Craig Grannell ]
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What’s the story?
Is it any good?
Apple succeeded in gaming seemingly by mistake. From the dawn of the iPhone, it blundered along, annoying developers with oddball App Store review decisions, making a mess of controller support and setting fire to Game Center. Race-to-the-bottom pricing created a mobile gaming landscape filled with freemium tat – and too few people ever discovered the rare gems. The idea that this could all be fixed with Apple Arcade was met with scepticism – even derision. But Apple really has made a swish premium gaming service that seamlessly works across iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. Games work offline, support controllers, use iCloud to sync progress, and aren’t on other subscription services – nor Android. Given that it costs just a fiver a month for a family subscription, it sounds too good to be true…
In a word, yes. But not just in a “We’ll give Apple a grudging pass” manner, nor a “This will do until we get some proper games” way. Apple Arcade is a showcase for the best in mobile gaming – and everything’s new. You don’t get a reheated selection of old games (although there is the odd sequel), but over 100 titles you won’t have played before. Doubtless some will grumble at the lack of AAA fare, but that’s kind of the point. Arcade is the flip-side of subscription gaming – a place where small-scale ideas and bold experiments rub shoulders without fear of being overshadowed by last year’s mega-hit. Snags? A dozen or so of the games are rubbish, and many of the best ones take up loads of space. Otherwise, Apple’s cracked it – and on purpose this time.
Price £4.99/month / apple.com Devices iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS
STUFF SAYS Superb stuff from Apple – at the very least, use the free trial to see what all the fuss is about +++++
B QUEST TI AL FO TL IT R ES Y
Apple Arcade
NOW PLAY THESE
Sneaky Sasquatch Like Yogi Bear meets Metal Gear, this game has you steal grub, hide from rangers and acquire exciting new possessions from your klepto raccoon pal. Right from the off it’s a joy, from the messy way Sasquatch stuffs his face to the beautiful way he tiptoes around humans. Stick around and you unlock all kinds of silly adventures. And how can you not love a game where a cartoon bigfoot steals a golf cart, drives it into a tree and gets ticked off next morning by the raccoon who’s had to hire a wheelbarrow to trundle him home to safety?
Grindstone Recalling the iPhone classic Dungeon Raid, this is a match game where you draw a snaking path to remove items from the board. Only in this case, you’re scything your way through hordes of bloodthirsty creeps. As you work your way up the mountain, increasingly intricate layouts demand think-ahead tactics – you’ll need brains and brawn to survive.
Lego Builder’s Journey Quite the contrast to Lego’s other Arcade game (a mindless brawler), Builder’s Journey is a contemplative, beautifully realised puzzler. As with the toy range it’s based on, you’ll have to fiddle with pieces – and break the rules – to continue on your brick-built journey. Parents may be strangely moved by the narrative too.
Sayonara Wild Hearts This one’s recently shown up on other platforms – for a price that’d net you two months of Apple Arcade. It’s top-notch stuff from one-time iOS darlings Simogo. But instead of their usual oddball puzzling, this is a blisteringly fast neon rhythm action romp of bikes, lasers and dance battles that whiffs of Rez and requires a controller.
Mutazione The trick with point-and-click adventures is to immerse you in another world. Mutazione nails this as you direct Kai, visiting relatives in an isolated community mutated after an asteroid strike. It’s gentle, meandering and full of minutiae. And if the quiet world-building doesn’t win you over, in-game custom generative musical gardens just might. 67
GROUP TEST SUBSCRIPTION GAMING
BEST FOR FREE GAMING
Hatch
NOW PLAY THESE
What’s the story?
Is it any good?
“What I’d really like is a service that streams Android games to my Android phone,” said precisely no one, but that’s what Rovio Entertainment built anyway. “150+ premium games in one app? You must be streaming,” puns the website, promising a pile of classic titles and a handful of exclusives. The Hatch app acts as the entry point, and is the only thing that takes up space on your phone. Games are bundled into a few categories, and bafflingly there’s no search facility; but you can at least get at recently played titles via a ‘recents’ tab. Leaderboards are built in, enabling you to take on other Hatch players. The included games are not prepared to communicate with gamepads, although you can actually turn your phone into a buttonless controller when Hatch is played on Android TV.
There’s no doubting Hatch has quite a few mobile classics within its library. Beyond the three on the right, there’s also RPG shooter Death Road to Canada, Sonic-alike Leo’s Fortune and superb racer Horizon Chase. You can even sample some for nothing if you don’t fancy signing up. The problem’s in the playing. During our testing, Hatch was very glitchy. This is less annoying for relatively static titles, but does make the experience feel unpolished. Lag is at least minimal, but that doesn’t matter when the screen often goes squiffy. Also, the few exclusives are throwaway, the best being a half-hearted neon Arkanoid remake. It’s not awful, if you’ve the data; but Hatch is going to be eaten alive when Google Play Pass makes its way across the Atlantic.
Price from £free / playhatch.com Devices Android, Android TV
STUFF SAYS An odd idea that doesn’t click – glitchy execution makes Hatch really difficult to love ++,,,
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Mini Metro
The Tube map is imprinted in the mind of anyone who’s ever lived in London. It’s a fantastic design, bordering on high art. In Mini Metro, it – and other underground metro maps – come alive as you attempt to route tiny trains between stations that pop up, managing scarce resources. Your actions produce a generative soundtrack of plinky-plonky noise, and it’d all be quite sedate if the game didn’t eventually squash all hope by ramping things up until your inevitable failure.
Threes! Ripped off by a billion 2048 games, Threes! remains the finest one-thumb puzzler on mobile. It’s simple: you swipe numbered cards around, trying to merge them into ever higher numbers. But your claustrophobic confines demand cunning tactics if you’re to survive.
Space Invaders Infinity Gene This one briefly echoes the 1978 original, but rapidly evolves into something else entirely: a mash-up of refined retro visuals, Japanese bullet-hell blasting and thumping techno beats. This really isn’t your father’s Space Invaders.
GROUP TEST SUBSCRIPTION GAMING
BEST FOR iPHONE CLASSICS
NOW PLAY THESE
GameClub Forget-Me-Not
An overlooked mobile gem, Forget-Me-Not feels like the distillation of a dozen arcade classics – and is the equal of any of them. There are hints of Pac-Man, Wizard of Wor, Rogue and Gauntlet as you roam procedurally generated mazes, gobbling flowers and avoiding/blasting enemies. However, it turns out your foes are as interested in obliterating each other (and the maze) as they are in catching you. Before long, the dungeon descends into anarchy…
Mikey Hooks GameClub has more famous and prettier platformers (like Super Crate Box and Hook Champ), but Mikey’s grappling-hook antics are more… gripping. This is down to superb level design and responsive controls that let you partake in exhilarating, fluid speed-runs.
Wooords Visually, Wooords resembles the magnetic letters you sometimes find clinging to fridge doors; but this is no cutesy offering, instead having you rearrange letters at speed to find as many words as you can. Tactile and engaging, it works especially well on iPad.
What’s the story?
Is it any good?
In 2017, Apple set fire to 32-bit app support on iOS. This instantly eradicated hundreds of mobile gaming classics from its ecosystem, developers being unable or unwilling to update them for modern devices. GameClub is effectively a preservation effort, reworking such titles for modern kit and asking you to cough up a fiver a month to play them. There are plans for GameClub exclusives, and Android support is coming in “early 2020” (which is now, isn’t it?); but for the moment, the catalogue comprises over 60 games from the early years of iPhone gaming. The GameClub app acts as a kind of hub, tracking what you’ve played and pointing you towards more games. Rather generously, if you’ve previously paid for any game you keep the new version forever, entirely free of charge, without having to subscribe.
If a gaming subscription service lives or dies on the basis of the quality of its titles, GameClub has a fair shot at survival. Sure, some of the older efforts have a certain awkwardness about them, but the majority of what’s included is objectively solid. What’s also interesting is the manner in which these games have been brought back. GameClub isn’t in the business of quick and dirty 64-bit updates – instead you get optimisation for new screen sizes, remastered visuals for higher-resolution displays, and the beginnings of widespread controller support. Arguably, Apple Arcade still remains a better bet for iPhone or iPad gamers. But GameClub is well worth the odd fiver now and again to dip into the best of iOS gaming’s history.
Price £4.99/month / gameclub.io Devices iOS, iPadOS
STUFF SAYS A mix of heritage preservation and business that respects gamers and games equally ++++,
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GROUP TEST SUBSCRIPTION GAMING
Antstream
NOW PLAY THESE
What’s the story?
Is it any good?
The sheer number of tiny takes on classic consoles you can buy these days (notably the two on p103) suggests that emulation is a massive faff, and that quite a lot of people like the idea of playing old games without the associated hassle. Antstream takes a different approach: instead of giving you a lovingly crafted piece of plastic tethered to your telly, it provides hundreds of retro games for you to play anywhere. We say ‘anywhere’, but right now that means on a Windows PC or Mac, an Xbox One console or an Android device. There’s no iPhone or iPad support – which is in part down to Antstream opting to stream games, rather than having you download files and run them locally. Still, as long as you have the right hardware, the ‘experience’ surrounding these old games has been carefully considered, with save slots, high-score tables and bespoke challenges.
We’ve seen Antstream called the Netflix of retro gaming. That’s apt: the catalogue is bulked out by dross, and discoverability is all over the place. You’ll end up using the search a lot to see whether old favourites are present. If you’re British and want to revisit the past, your luck’s in: there are loads of superb Amiga, C64 and Spectrum titles. But it’s patchy elsewhere, with no Nintendo, only obscure Mega Drive games, and limited arcade fare. Despite this – and the service’s data-hungry and sometimes glitchy streaming – Antstream is a lot of fun. It’s fast and responsive (even the touchscreen controls aren’t bad), has a great community feel and, most importantly, lets you immerse yourself in hundreds of old-school hits.
Price £9.99/month / antstream.com Devices Android, Android TV, macOS, Windows, Xbox One
STUFF SAYS Verging on greatness, Antstream just needs fewer glitches and more famous faces on board +++,,
BEST FOR RETRO LARKS
Now add one of these
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iPega PG-9087s Red Knight
Sony DualShock 4
A touchscreen’s all very well, but retro games really need a physical controller. So transform your Android blower into a sort-of PSP or miniature Switch with this wireless wonder. The stretchy expanding rear ensures it’ll fit almost any phone; and although the Red Knight is inexpensive, the controls are responsive and solid rather than feeling cheap. £25 / amazon.co.uk
Lightweight and comfortable yet robust, the PS4 controller is an excellent buy… and it’s a good bet beyond your PS4. It’s our favourite controller to use with Apple Arcade – even with an iPhone, if you grab a cheapo clip from eBay – and it works nicely with Antstream (and other games and services) when battling for a high score on your Mac or PC. £50 / sony.co.uk
Metal Slug This seminal run’n’gun title gave the genre a real shot in the arm when it arrived in 1996. Packed full of beautiful visuals and comedic touches, it features a brave soldier out to take down a rebel army, entirely on his own, because videogames. It’s hard as nails, although away from a real arcade it only eats into your time rather than a pile of coins. But as you take down massive bosses and leap into tanks to unsportingly blow away nearby soldiers, you can’t help but realise not every great shooter needs to be in 3D.
GROUP TEST SUBSCRIPTION GAMING
Wizball Avoid the Amiga and Spectrum versions, and load the C64 take on this fab horizontal blaster. The aim is to blow up all the things, Defender-style, but also use a ‘catellite’ to grab falling paint drops and bring colour to a grey world. Tip: start slowly, shoot the grey blobby things, and upgrade the first weapons slot twice to attain full movement.
Rod Land It doesn’t matter how many times you type Bubble Bobble into the search field – the game isn’t on Antstream. But Rod Land is, to scratch your single-screen platformer itch. It’s amusingly violent too, with fairies using wands to repeatedly slam cartoon foes into the ground, occasionally pausing only to blast huge missiles their way.
SWOS FIFA vs PES? Pfft! This is where it’s at: Amiga classic SWOS depicts football as it feels in your head, rather than how it looks on the telly. The fast action is like footie meets pinball, as dinky players blaze about the pitch, but this version adds a layer of management to tweak your strategy buttons and unleash your inner Pep.
Paradroid This one has you take on a ship full of deranged droids. You start out as a feeble ‘influence device’, but can temporarily cling onto your foes and use their weapons. Ahead of its time, Paradroid has lashings of atmosphere… and a pseudo-3D viewpoint that means you can’t see what’s around corners, further ramping up the tension.
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8 stores nationwide
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T E S T E D B O S E P O R TA B L E H O M E S P E A K E R
Handled messiah Bose’s portable powerhouse is easy to swing around the house… but does it offer serious competition to the Sonos Move? £330 / stuff.tv/BosePortable Q Gadgets throw new innovations at us all the time, but few things get us as excited as a built-in handle. And it’s the fabric-wrapped grip that really gets to the crux of what Bose’s Portable Home Speaker is bringing to the crowded Bluetooth audio market: a wireless smart speaker with 360° sound that you can carry around the house. Q This is, of course, a near-identical pitch to the Sonos Move, and that five-star speaker is a very difficult act to follow. But Sonos can have no more worthy rival than Bose; and we’ve enjoyed our time with the PHS, as it will now be known.
Here comes the drain again Bose says the battery will last around 12 hours between charges, and we found this to be pretty much accurate.
Q The smooth top part of the aluminium shell contrasts nicely with the grille around the bottom. As with any smart speaker, the top is where the action happens. The buttons sit within an Echo-style light ring that illuminates when updating, responding to a voice command or changing the volume. Q You can use it as a Bluetooth, AirPlay 2 or Spotify Connect speaker, but to get the full range of features you’ll need the Bose Music app. Here you can choose between Alexa and Google Assistant, at which point it works like any smart home speaker.
Q We pair a lot
Q Big for your mutes
The Bose Music app lets you pair the PHS with other Bose smart speakers. So if you happen to need the loo halfway through an episode of Pointless and don’t want to miss an answer, you can take the TV’s audio with you.
The speaker sports buttons for on/off/standby and Bluetooth pairing, plus play/pause/volume controls, a voice assistant button and a mute option for the impressively responsive microphone array.
Q The PHS is a solid all-round mono performer. It does an impressive job of pinging sound in every direction, and both the bass and treble response show real finesse. It’s very Bose: accomplished, if not hugely rousing.
Tech specs Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, USB-C, Alexa, Google Assistant Battery life 12 hours Water/dust-proofing IXP4 Dimensions 192x119x104mm, 1kg
STUFF SAYS Not perfect and not cheap, but feature-packed and easy to like ++++, A classy hi-fi performer with nifty smarts (and a handle) Matt Tate
If you’re looking to invest in a high-quality smart speaker that doesn’t need to be kept on a leash, there’s a lot to admire about Bose’s PHS. It looks and sounds good, the smart stuff works as well, and – need we remind you – it has a handle. Sonos’s Move still tops this category, but pick up a PHS for around £30 less and we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
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T E S T E D M I C R O S O F T S U R FA C E P R O 7
Because I got hybrid Microsoft has stayed true to the Surface Pro formula for its latest 2-in-1… but do better connectivity and more power make the Pro 7 worth the upgrade?
[ Words Andrew Williams ]
from £799 / stuff.tv/SurfacePro7 The Surface Pro is back with a revolutionary new design, better screen resolution, epic battery life… well, no, it isn’t. But Microsoft’s flagship tablet/laptop hybrid does finally have a USB-C port and a gaming-friendly Intel processor. For a new model launch, Microsoft hasn’t done a huge amount here. But while that’s rubbish for headline writers, it’s testament to the success of the Pro 6 – which was an inspired design. And if we can handle endless incremental tweaks from Apple, we can’t grumble when the competition follows suit. For the uninitiated, the Surface is an ultra-thin magnesium alloy tablet with a lovely magnetic keyboard cover. But you’ll need to budget an extra £120 for that Type Cover – so in reality, to get the true Surface experience you’ll need to budget £900 or more – and we should point out that our review model is actually specced up to £1449.
3
Hy score This hybrid gets the latest 10th-gen Intel Core processors. Ours has the Core i7-1065G7, which uses Intel’s higher-end Iris Plus graphics – ever so nearly enough to push a few games, including the likes of Grand Theft Auto V and Skyrim, into ‘properly playable’ territory.
GOOD MEH EVIL
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1
Really smart look and feel
Hy resolution Microsoft hasn’t updated the screen from the Surface Pro 6: it’s still a 12.3in IPS LCD (1) that looks extremely sharp thanks to its 2736x1824 resolution. The 3:2 display ratio is better for apps than entertainment, as you’re left with huge borders when watching moves in cinema ratio.
Slick hybrid design
At last, there’s a USB-C port
Hy time You get the sense Microsoft didn’t feel the need to be too dynamic when speccing up the Surface Pro 7. A USB-C port (2) is really the only external hat-tip to the tech progression we’ve seen from other makers – and the Pro 6 really should have had one of them already.
Type Cover is a joy to use…
Battery life is worse than before
…but you pay extra for it
T E S T E D M I C R O S O F T S U R FA C E P R O 7
Hy contrast A powerful backlight is important for a portable device like this. Colour is excellent, and so are contrast and maximum brightness.
Tech specs Display 12.3in 2736x1824 LCD touchscreen Processor 10th-gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7 RAM 4/8/16GB Storage 128/256/512GB/ 1TB SSD Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, USB-A, microSD, Surface Connect Battery life Up to 10.5hrs Dimensions 292x201x8.5mm, 790g
Hy-end design The Surface Pro 7 has been built for a slick, flexible, comfortable user experience. Does it deliver?
2
Hy-handed Microsoft has ‘done an Apple’, asking an extra £100 for the Surface Pen (3). But it is filled with tech, like 4096 pressure levels and an eraser. It’s a fine stylus, but we noticed some latency when doodling in Paint 3D. You’ll want to invest in better software to make the most of it.
Hy maintenance Oddly, given the usual ‘making things better’ approach to new tech, the Pro 7 has worse battery stamina than the Pro 6, down to 10.5 hours of normal use from 13.5 hours. And the reality in our testing was even more disappointing, with just 6.5hrs of video streaming.
Q We shell overcome
Q We could be suede
The casing is magnesium alloy, and it’s one of the best-feeling pieces of tech made using this kind of metal. Magnesium tends to feel less ‘metallic’ than aluminium, and this tablet has an almost soft-touch finish. It’s stroke-able.
The whole of the Type Cover, bar the keys and touchpad, is covered in Alcantara, a synthetic suede used in some fancy headphones and some even fancier yachts. It’s hard-wearing but has the softer feel of fabric.
Q We all stand together
Q We can work it out
Magnets keep the Type Cover locked onto the screen at a slight upward angle for comfier typing. Without a keyboard, the metal kickstand keeps the Pro 7 upright at any angle you like, from virtually straight up to almost flat.
In most work situations the Pro 7 is a dream to use. The keyboard is just about stiff enough to make typing feel like a ‘proper’ laptop, and the keys themselves are excellent. Even the trackpad is alarmingly good.
The Surface Pro 7 is no revelation. Aside from the no-brainer addition of a USB-C port, the only real progress here is down to Intel’s new chipsets. We’d like significantly longer battery life – and a lower price would really start to tempt us away from a more conventional laptop – but this hybrid does work perfectly well as a ‘real’ computer. @wwwdotandrew
STUFF SAYS ++++, It is similar to the last Surface Pro, but this is still one of the few tablet hybrids we’d be happy to work all day on 75
DIGITAL EDITION
Available online from Readly or Pocketmags
VERSUS BUDGET SMARTPHONES
TES WI T NN ER
Cheap blue The Moto’s display has vivid colours but struggles for brightness with outdoor use
Cheap purple The Realme’s screen looks pretty vibrant, and you can customise the colour temperature to your tastes.
Rolling in the cheap Moto E6 Play The E6 Play is the cheapest phone Motorola makes yet it has a design in keeping with much pricier handsets, with a polished rear, 18:9 screen and minimal branding. Only the chunky bezels around all four sides give the game away. It doesn’t have the most extensive feature list, with no NFC, microUSB rather than USB-C, and no real water-resistance. There’s a single rear camera, a fingerprint sensor and a decent 5.5in LCD display. The E6 Play is the slowest phone we’ve tested in some time. Simply typing can be an exercise in laggy frustration, and 2GB of RAM is barely enough to keep Android feeling functional. Battery life is also poor, and photos aren’t great.
Screen 5.5in 1440x720 LCD CPU MediaTek MT6739 with 2GB RAM Storage 32GB + microSD Cameras 13MP rear, 5MP front Battery 3000mAh Dimensions 147x71x8.3mm, 140g
VS
1. DESIGN
Barely half a year since the Realme 3 Pro wowed budget phone fans, the 5 Pro arrives with a design that punches well above its weight. The teardrop selfie-cam notch keeps the bezel minimal, and there are four rear cameras.
2. FEATURES
The 6.3in display is plenty sharp, while a Snapdragon 712 with 4GB of RAM should see this phone outperform most of the £200 competition. The main camera, meanwhile, is the same one you’ll find in the mighty OnePlus 7T.
3. IN USE
Like the Moto, this phone makes do without waterproofing or NFC… but very much unlike the Moto, it offers fluid and responsive performance, good battery life (with USB-C charging) and detailed, well-exposed photos.
1 2 3
[ Words Tom Morgan ]
O Price £89 / stuff.tv/E6Play
++,,,
Realme 5 Pro
Screen 6.3in 2340x1080 LCD CPU Snapdragon 712 with 4/8GB RAM Storage 128GB + microSD Cameras 48MP+8MP+2MP+2MP rear, 16MP front Battery 4035mAh Dimensions 157x74x8.9mm, 184g
O Price from £199 / stuff.tv/Realme5Pro
STUFF SAYS
++++,
The Realme offers fantastic value, while the Moto skimps on just about everything 77
FI R TH ST ES AD E… D
GOPRO HERO8 BLACK
78
ONE GOPRO MEDIA MOD
TWO AUKEY POWER BANK
One of the key differences between the Hero8 and Hero7 is that the latest GoPro is modular, so you can boost its already stellar action-cam capabilities. Pick up the Media Mod for improved audio capture; and if you’re buying your cam for vlogging, the Display Mod can even flip the screen so you can watch yourself gurning as you shoot. £80 / gopro.com
The Hero8 Black can be hooked up to power while it’s shooting, which is a useful feature for non-stop action sessions where one battery won’t cut it. Aukey’s giant 20,000mAh power bank is a perfect on-the-go charger, using the same USB-C cable as the Hero8. It packs over 10 times the charge of a standard GoPro battery. £23 / aukey.com
THREE GOPRO 3-WAY GRIP/ARM/TRIPOD Action cams are great at getting everything in frame… and that includes selfie sticks. If you’re a vlogger who doesn’t fancy sharing centre stage with your equipment, GoPro has a solution: its 3-Way mount. This thing is a grip, an action-friendly bendy selfie stick and a tripod all in one – genius. £60 / gopro.com
NO TH W T IS RY …
TH TH EN ES GE E… T
INSTANT UPGRADES
GOPRO
1 GET SOME BACKUP
2 DO THE TIMEWARP
3 KNOW YOUR PRESETS
Unlike older GoPros, the Hero8 Black can be mounted on a helmet, handlebar or bonnet without a separate housing. As handy as this is, it means moving parts… which means potential wear and tear. If you want extra peace of mind, sign up for GoPro Plus (£4.99 per month). It includes unlimited cloud backups, and GoPro will replace your camera if it breaks, no questions asked.
TimeWarp 2.0 creates the most dynamic sped-up footage we’ve ever seen from an action camera. You’ll find it by cycling through shooting modes with the power button; select Time Lapse, tap the icon in the bottom centre and pick TimeWarp. Unlike traditional high-paced timelapse footage, GoPro’s version adjusts speed based on motion, lighting and scene detection.
Spend a bit of time getting comfortable with your GoPro’s presets and you can jump to them in the heat of the action, saving critical seconds. To call up the default presets, tap the icon in the bottom centre of the screen when in Time Lapse, Video or Photo mode, then pick the option that best defines what you’re capturing. Tap the ‘+’ at the bottom of the presets menu and you can edit them.
GoPro’s free app is the gateway to uploading footage to your GoPro Plus cloud storage. It also has a remote viewfinder, letting you control the camera from your phone or tablet. £free
YOUTUBE STUDIO
[ Words Basil Kronfli ]
If you’re getting a GoPro to boost your YouTube cred, this app is a must. Upload custom thumbnails, edit tags and descriptions, and set content live. £free
4 USE THE FOUR-CE
5 GO HYPERSMOOTH
6 SHOUT IT OUT
The Hero8 Black has ‘digital lenses’, giving this single cam the power of four. SuperView makes sure all of the action is captured, Wide gives a more natural shot with plenty of detail, Linear captures a distortion-free picture with a flat horizon, and Narrow shoots with the same kind of wide angle you’d expect from a phone. To swap between the four, tap the symbol at the bottom left of the display.
The higher the HyperSmooth level, the tighter the crop. When it’s turned off, you’ll get wobbly footage but no cropping – use this when shooting on a tripod. Ramp it up to On or High and it will crop into the frame by about 10%. Now fire up Boost and cropping is even tighter… but this only works with 4K video at 30fps, not 60fps. Activate Boost by tapping the ‘wobbly camera’ icon on the right.
There’s a touchscreen, but what about when your hands are clasping onto a rope as you dangle over a ravine? Start talking and the Hero8 Black will start listening. To activate voice control, pull the menu down from the top of the screen and tap the ‘talking head’ icon at the top left. For a full list of voice commands dive into the cam’s preferences, tap Voice Control, then scroll down and select Commands.
LIGHTROOM The GoPro app may be capable, but its photo editor is limited. Seeing as the Hero8 Black can take ace stills, Lightroom is the obvious choice for editing and syncing with Adobe’s cloud services. £free
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TWO WEEKS WITH GOOGLE STADIA
Cloud pleaser Is Google’s Stadia game-streaming service a genuine console-killer? Matt Tate, the fragging fraggle, goes multiplayer and multi-screen for a sleepless fortnight… £119 / stuff.tv/Stadia
Stream Connect lets you monitor the screens of up to three teammates in online multiplayer.
DAY 01 Google’s vision for videogame streaming sounds great. Why buy a console when you can play on your phone, PC and TV with one account, letting its data centres do the heavy lifting? But since Google began rolling out packages, the road has been bumpy. From pricing issues (you have to buy each game at full whack) to a small and uninspiring list of titles, Sony and Microsoft shouldn’t feel too nervous just
yet. All of that said, we’ve finally got our hands on a review unit… and while we have reservations about Stadia’s business model, it’s hard not to be impressed by the basic tech. I flick open the box to find nothing more than a gamepad and a Chromecast Ultra – but they’re all you need to start playing. Plug the Chromecast into your TV’s HDMI port and use the Google Home app and
Google claims 120 more titles will be added this year; but without knowing what they’ll be, it’s hard to get excited
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Wi-Fi-enabled Stadia Controller to set it up. The process is painless, except that signing in on a friend’s home network and then returning to my own requires me to do the pairing all over again. The Controller looks like a PlayStation/Xbox mashup. It’s well-built, with decent enough triggers and a clean overall look. As well as face buttons, D-pad and sticks, there’s a button for capturing screenshots and gameplay on your phone, and a Google Assistant button, whose functionality at the time of writing is limited to launching games from Stadia’s home
screen. The round Stadia button between the thumbsticks is the one you’ll use the most. A short press brings up the home menu and a long press starts and exits a game. While Google intends to make the controller wireless with any supported device, it’s currently only possible on the TV with the Chromecast Ultra. Switch to a Pixel (the only supported phone) and you’ll need a USB-C to USB-C cable. Open Stadia on a laptop Chrome browser and it’s a USB-A to USB-C cable. It works well for me… but only because I have a drawer full of cables.
LO N G -T E R M T E S T
01
Donut of Truth™
06
05
02
03
04
01 It works, most of the time, and basic operations can be pleasingly seamless 02 The buttons and triggers are in all the right places 03 Clean and colourful UI
04 The games aren’t new enough and there aren’t enough of them 05 You pay for games plus the subscription – baffling 06 Too many cables
Tech specs Controller: Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm, USB-C Dimensions 163x 105x65mm, 268g Chromecast Ultra: Max resolution 4K HDR Connectivity Wi-Fi, microUSB, HDMI, Ethernet Minimum OS Android 4.2, iOS 9.1, macOS 10.9, Windows 7 Dimensions 58x 58x13mm, 47g
DAY 03 Getting to grips with the UI, it’s clean, bright and nicely designed. On the homepage you can scroll through all your games, illustrated by chunky cover art. Tapping the top right takes you to your Stadia profile, where you can change your name and avatar, browse your friends list, check notifications and manage subscriptions. Stadia struggled with a paltry 22 titles at launch and that’s barely expanded since. Google claims 120 will be added this year, with Stadia-first titles running into double figures; but without knowing what they’ll be, it’s hard to get excited. You stream games at whatever resolution you’re willing to pay for and buy each game as if they were full-price console titles, even though all you’ll actually own is the right to play on Google’s servers. The £9/m Stadia Pro tier gets you ‘additional free games released regularly’, but Xbox Game Pass this is not. You might argue a 4K HDR 60fps game you can play on any screen you like is better value than one tied to a specific console, but that initial pitch is still a way from materialising, and Google could pull the plug altogether – it wouldn’t be the first time.
DAY 04 Right, I’ve finally found the time to put in some serious gaming hours. At 55-65Mbps, Stadia performs admirably, and creepy horror adventure Gylt – the only current exclusive – looks great. Red Dead Redemption 2’s online mode on a 4K HDR set also runs smoothly, and you wouldn’t know it was running off a remote server.
DAY 09 I’ve been focusing on Rage 2 and Destiny 2 for a few days. Things appear a little muddier than their console counterparts and suffer from minor lag. Hopping between a 1080p TV, a Pixel 4 XL and a MacBook Air to play Rise of the Tomb Raider, you really notice the difference in visuals. Well, you’re essentially just renting each device’s screen.
DAY 14 Stadia is clearly still in its infancy, with many headline features yet to arrive – including 4K gaming on the web and support for more phones. So this is still a glorified beta – and until we get a clearer idea of when the other features will arrive, it’s hard to recommend no matter how swish the tech is.
STUFF SAYS Cloud gaming is exciting, but Google’s take is half-baked and far from user-friendly +++,,
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TESTED GAMES
PS4, XB1, PC / stuff.tv/SavPlanet
Journey to the Savage Planet The clue’s in the name: this sci-fi exploration game combines fantastic beasts and mysterious alien landscapes with a certain amount of… well, horribleness he first creature you meet in Journey to the Savage Planet is the Pufferbird. Bouncing about like a bunny rabbit and gazing at you with its big eyes, it’s positively precious... right until you boot it to death. You see, this adorable beast contains a resource needed to craft your pistol – so given the choice of ‘cuddle or kill’, you’ll find somewhat reluctantly letting loose on its beaky little face. Mind you, by the time you meet the Pufferbird’s armoured friends later
T
in the game, you won’t think twice about not only ending them, but using explosives and acid to ensure the job’s done right. It’s not all brutality, though. This is an exploration-based adventure that puts you in the boots of an interstellar pioneer tasked with finding a potential new spot for earthlings to squat. You scan and collect data on the planet’s flora and fauna, dig into its many mysteries and continually upgrade your character to hasten your progression. The lure of new
gear and goodies will have you uncovering every nook and cranny of this open-ish world. But while the promise of a new grappling hook, jetpack upgrade or buff to your pistol will see you shaking every tree and provoking any beast that crosses your path, pimping your intrepid explorer with new toys is only half the fun. As you add more tools, you’re given opportunities to dig deeper into the world, both literally and figuratively. The game riffs on the popular Metroidvania formula,
encouraging you to revisit areas that were previously inaccessible. A series of unreachable rocks spied early on in the game, for example, might become a brand new playground once you’ve got the proper gear. All this makes it an unexpectedly addictive affair, if not necessarily every gamer’s cup of tea. Those sticking to the main path might find this budget title a bit too brief, but completionists will find plenty of optional tasks to keep them busy. Matt Cabral
STUFF SAYS A refreshingly unique, personality-packed take on the sci-fi genre ++++, 82
TESTED GAMES
Now ad this…
It’s a strange, frightening, unpredictable realm… like certain parts of north Wales.
See, this is what happens to Brussels sprouts if you don’t cook them properly.
This game world of Journey to the Savage Planet is a visual stunner. Vibrant, varied, and packed with secrets and surprises, it’s a genuine joy to explore. Whether you find yourself navigating a lava cave, picking a bioluminescent flower to light a dark path, or using gooey bait to lure a clueless creature to its death, this world – and the clever ways in which you interact with it – will keep stretching a smile across your face. And even if seeing a bird shredded by a hungry flower doesn’t make you laugh, the game’s satirical ads should do the trick. Played on screens back at your grounded spacecraft, the short videos bitingly skewer consumerism and capitalism with gut-busting results. Everything from obnoxious in-app purchases to phone sex lines is targeted with sharp wit and imagery. There’s really no preparing yourself for the sight of a pulsating blob gurgling sweet nothings into a handset while splayed out on pink satin bedsheets. Mind you, if you’re not excited by Meat Buddy, a cuddly companion crafted from reconstituted fat, gristle and beef scraps – “the hottest slimeform in the galaxy” – then you’re clearly too desensitised for your own good.
83
TESTED GAMES
Slam on the breaks To whet players’ appetites throughout the seven-year development of Kentucky Route Zero, developer Cardboard Computer also released free short interludes between each act, and they’re included in this edition. While each interlude serves as a kind of teaser for the next act, usually introducing a theme or a new character, they’re arguably a highlight of the package. Diverging from the main game’s already unconventional styles, each one offers weird genre-defying moments that make them all fascinating standalone experiences. These include a visit to an in-game art installation, being on the set of a tiny community TV station, and a student theatre production seen from the perspective of an on-stage actor,which was originally made as a VR experience for Oculus Rift. Breaking from its reliance on text, the most beguiling scene of all places you in front of a telephone that dials you into a switchboard that’s both serene and surreal to listen to. Its many options include listening to an assortment of bird sounds or tips on what to do if you happen to find yourself holding a snake in your hands.
84
Look, he hasn’t even put his hazards on – and that dog should be on a lead. Tsk…
Either this house is a boat or they’ve got some serious subsidence issues.
TESTED GAMES
PS4, XB1, Switch / stuff.tv/KentuckyRZ
Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition The cult indie PC game finally comes to console formats – all five parts of it at once – and with its luscious artwork and genre-twisting gameplay, it proves to be the trip of a lifetime hen boxset binges are the norm, it’s easy to forget the pleasure of taking your time to appreciate a good story. That said, where the instalments of an episodic game can be months apart, fans of Kentucky Route Zero have been the most patient: this indie has taken seven years for its five-act tale to be told. The finale is an opportunity for the cult PC title to reach new console audiences, with the TV Edition bundling all five acts
W
together. It would be tempting to binge it all in one go, but you really owe it to yourself to take your time with this slow-burning road trip through Americana. To say much about its story would be to spoil it, although there’s little in the way of plot beyond a truck driver called Conway who’s trying to make his last delivery by way of the eponymous highway. Indeed, for a game made with just a few grand of Kickstarter funds, it’s full of ambitious, uncategorisable ideas. It’s a point-and-click
adventure game without obtuse puzzles; a text adventure narrative without branching paths; a game where scenes are almost always in extreme wide shot but invested in its characters’ interior lives; a road movie with influences that range from literary fiction to theatre to poetry, and music that spans experimental electronica and traditional folk. Much like any good road trip, it’s less about the destination and more about the friends you make along the way. Still, anyone who’s
been following the game will be far from disappointed by its short but sweet denouement. Kentucky Route Zero is a rare delight – a meditative and elegiac depiction of a post-recession America that’s strange but affecting. As an indie game, it seems ideal to play on Switch in handheld mode; but when almost every scene is framed like an exquisite piece of art, it simply begs to be experienced on the biggest screen you have. Alan Wen
STUFF SAYS A surreal, poetic indie masterpiece that deserves to be quietly savoured +++++ 85
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TOP TEN
This gadget has leapt straight outta testing and into our rankings.
NEW
OF EVERYTHING
HOT BUY
Time changes everything, including Stuff Top Ten entries.
BARGAIN BUY UPDATE Searing with techy genius, a product that’s set our hearts aflame.
A solid gold bargain. Worth owning, regardless of cashflow.
Smartphones Apps, mobile games Headphones Smartwatches, fitness tech Laptops Speakers TVs Soundbars, streamers Tablets, consoles
88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96
Games Tech toys, electric cars VR headsets & games Smart home Drones & action cams, compact cameras System cameras Budget buys How to buy… a VR headset
97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104
HOW TO USE THEM
TOP TENS SMARTPHONES
88
1
HOT BUY
Apple iPhone 11 You’re getting a really neat package with the iPhone 11 – and crucially, it’s not silly-expensive. The new Bionic A13 chip packs some serious power, the cameras are near-faultless for a smartphone and the battery will last all day. The lack of an OLED display could be an issue for some, but if you can bring yourself to get over that, it’s time to say hello to the new everyman iPhone… and start thinking about what colour you might opt for.
TIPS & TRICKS Swipe-typing makes writing messages much smoother: just run your finger over the keyboard letters.
Stuff says +++++ Wow – an affordable Apple handset that doesn’t scrimp on specs
Haptic Touch means pressing longer instead of harder to enable shortcuts like taking a selfie.
O NOW ADD THIS Ted Baker Wireless Power Bank A mix of cabled connections and Qi wireless charging means this bank can fuel up two devices at once. £80 / proporta.co.uk
Dark mode works with many third-party apps, so browsing Insta at night is now easier on the eyes.
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OnePlus 7T
Apple iPhone 11 Pro
£549 / stuff.tv/OnePlus7T
from £1049 / stuff.tv/iPhone11Pro
Significant upgrades bring a price hike over the OnePlus 7, but for your extra dosh you’re getting better-than-flagship features for a lower-than-flagship price. As well as an improved camera, it has stacks of power, great battery life and a dreamy new design.
This is Cupertino’s elite handset, with a triple-camera array that’s up there with the best we’ve tested (including an excellent night mode), an A13 Bionic chip that brings about untouchable speeds, and finally the godsend of fast charging.
Stuff says +++++ Smooth, slick and still bargainy, this is the latest Android to beat
Stuff says +++++ The best phone Apple has ever made, but it’s just too pricey to top our list
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OnePlus 7T Pro +++++ £699 / stuff.tv/OnePlus7TPro This Pro shares some key specs with the basic 7T but boosts the screen size, battery and storage.
Huawei P30 Pro +++++ from £700 / stuff.tv/P30Pro Heaps of power and the best phone camera you can buy… but the Google issue makes it a risky choice.
Samsung Galaxy S10 +++++ from £799 / stuff.tv/S10 A well-rounded Android with a versatile camera, a gorgeous display and truly ace performance.
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G +++++ £1099 / stuff.tv/S105G This 5G hardware will have you future-proofed with sensational snaps and a stunning screen
Oppo Reno 10x Zoom +++++ £580 / stuff.tv/Reno10x A wondrous camera-phone that gets a lot right despite its overbearing software.
Moto G8 Plus +++++ £200 / stuff.tv/G8Plus Classic Moto: a smart, well-equipped and capable smartphone for just £200.
Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro +++++ £360 / stuff.tv/Mi9TPro Makes all the right sacrifices to become the most desirable phone you can get for under £400.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW PHONES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTPHONES
O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated
from £729 / stuff.tv/iPhone11
TOP TENS MOBILE APPS
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MOBILE GAMES TOP TENS
89
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HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Pixelmator Photo
Data Wing
Apps like Snapseed revolutionised photo editing on mobile, making the process user-friendly and fast. Pixelmator Photo takes this to a whole new level. By way of a machine-learning algorithm trained on 20 million pro snaps, it’ll try to fix your photo with a single tap. Amazingly, this mostly works, resulting in balanced, natural tones. And should you want something more personal or creative for your photographic chef d’oeuvre, there are plenty of manual controls too.
This game starts off as if Asteroids had a baby with a top-down racer: your triangular craft blasts around circuits, gaining speed when its bum scrapes neon track edges. Soon you discover you’re part of an OS ruled by a deranged AI. Story and game quickly expand, as you glimpse the world beyond the screen and battle gravity in cavern-based sections that recall 8-bit classic Thrust. Rarely do mobile titles pack in so many hours of clever, thoughtful narrative. Pretty much never are such games free.
Stuff says +++++ A first-rate picture editor – only avoid if you don’t have an iPad… or hate making your photos look nice
Stuff says +++++ A mobile game we’d happily recommend if it cost a fiver – for nowt, it’s an absurdly generous bargain
£4.99 / iPad
4 5
£free / Android, iOS
Korg Gadget 2
Jumpgrid
£19.99 / iOS When making music, there’s GarageBand for iOS and Caustic for Android, but we remain smitten with Gadget. Its instruments ape everything from classic synths to game consoles, and workflow is silky-smooth. Stuff says +++++ This could turn you into the next Kraftwerk
£2.89 / Android O £2.99 / iOS Pac-Man and Frogger meet Super Hexagon and buckets of adrenaline in this superb game, a twitch/arcade/punishment crossover masterpiece. It’s a stunning ride that will leave you a quivering wreck. Stuff says +++++ The best twitch arcade game on mobile
BFT – Bear Focus Timer
Oddmar
£1.19 / Android O £1.99 / iOS It’s too easy to be distracted by your phone, so BFT trains you to put it out of reach. You define work/break sprints, but the timer only works when your phone’s face-down. Try to cheat and the bear scowls at you. Stuff says +++++ The best app for more responsible phone use
£free (IAPs) / Android O £4.99 / iOS Oddmar looks like it could have breezed in from a PS4. Now available on Android as well as iOS, it’s packed full of superb level design and lush animated visuals, as a beardy Viking oaf sets out to save his tribe. Stuff says +++++ Touchscreen platformers can be great after all
Moodflow: Year in Pixels
GRID Autosport
+++++ £free / Android, iOS Track moods, find patterns and change your life with this simple self-improvement app.
Bloom: 10 Worlds +++++ £7.99 / Android, iOS Control Brian Eno inside your phone as you bend an organic art/audio project to your will.
4 5
+++++ £9.99 / Android, iOS The best racing game on mobile is an astonishing achievement.
Bring You Home +++++ £3.19 / Android O £2.99 / iOS Make your own future with this imaginative, brilliantly designed and devious puzzler.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS IN-EARS
1
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HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony WH-1000XM3
The original WF-1000XMs had an easy job in the early days of noise-cancelling in-ears, because there simply wasn’t much in the way of competition. That’s all changed now – yet the way the XM3s serve up sound quality as spectacular as this while being truly wireless, while effectively cancelling background noise and while remaining comfortable in the ears, is quite something. So, just as it was with the original XMs, it’s job done for Sony.
Sony’s WH-1000 series was already a top performer, and the WH-1000XM3s make for an even more compelling package. With Bluetooth wireless and great noise-cancellation, they’re the ultimate public transport stress killer… well, aside from a chauffeur or a lottery win that lets you retire. The leather pads make them incredibly easy to wear, not unlike sitting in one of those ultra-comfy leather chairs, and most importantly of all the sound quality is fantastic.
Stuff says +++++ Outright winners on design, build, specifications and, most importantly of all, performance
Stuff says +++++ Great wireless headphones with effective ANC and a sound that nails just about everything
£169 / stuff.tv/SonyWFXM3
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ON/OVER-EARS TOP TENS
90
5
£243 / stuff.tv/SonyWHXM3
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless
Bowers & Wilkins PX7
£250 / stuff.tv/MomentumTW Everyone wants to sell you a pair of true wireless in-ears, but not many companies can compete with Sennheiser. You’ll find daintier options, and cheaper ones, but nothing that sounds better at this price. Stuff says +++++ They’re big and they certainly are clever
£349 / stuff.tv/PX7 B&W’s second ANC headphones place greater emphasis on comfort and are all the better for it, while the noise-killing is as effective as you’ll find anywhere. Oh, and they sound flipping good too. Stuff says +++++ B&W takes on the best with top-class cans
Libratone Track Air+
Bose NCH 700
£163 / stuff.tv/TrackAirPlus These distinctive wireless buds are excellently designed and sweatproof, provide up to 24 hours of battery life, offer active noise-cancelling, and are neat in all senses of the word. Stuff says +++++ Ace design, sound and versatility
£350 / stuff.tv/BoseNCH700 You won’t find a better voice pickup system than Bose’s, while the company’s already exceptional noise-cancelling tech is now even better. Other features, such as the slick touch controls, are also winners. Stuff says +++++ As all-rounders these are hard to beat
Apple AirPods Pro
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3
+++++ £249 / stuff.tv/AirPodsPro Not really ‘Pro’, but still excellent wireless in-ears for iPhone users.
Urbanista Athens +++++ £119 / stuff.tv/UrbanistaAthens Rugged, punchy and with great stamina: a lot of buds for your money.
4 5
+++++ £293 / stuff.tv/MomentumWireless These noise-killing cans give an enjoyable listen regardless of your musical tastes.
B&O H9i +++++ £329 / stuff.tv/H9i Offering luxury for your ears, these are some of the best noise-cancellers you can buy.
TO READ THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/IN-EAR-HEADPHONES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HEADPHONES
TOP TENS SMARTWATCHES
1
FITNESS TECH TOP TENS
91
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Apple Watch Series 5
Moov Now
There’s no great secret to Apple’s continuing smartwatch domination: it’s all down to a seamless relationship between hardware and software, plus impressive health features that other makers still haven’t been able to match. But while the Series 5 isn’t as significant an upgrade as the previous model, it does have one key addition: an always-on display. Also new is a compass, while the watchOS 6 update adds a host of tricks that make the Watch even smarter than it was already.
Slow and steady wins the race, and the Moov Now has gone on to prove that with a marathon-like pace helping it climb to – and then stay at – the top of this list. We’ve long considered this tracker a bargain, but further reductions have helped it enter the realm of ‘downright steal’. OK, so it doesn’t have a screen or smartphone skills, but with guided voice coaching, a six-month battery and solid waterproofing, it has everything you’d ever want in your perfect fitness tracker.
Stuff says +++++ This is a minor upgrade on S4, but an always-on display makes the best smartwatch even better
Stuff says +++++ A bargain-tastic fitness band that does more than just track your steps
from £379 / stuff.tv/WatchS5
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Apple Watch Series 4 from £349 / stuff.tv/WatchS4 Series 5 is the new king, but the old model remains a great option. The big screen, fast processor and punchy speaker mean it’s easier to do stuff on it than any previous Watch, and it has superb health features. Stuff says +++++ Still a sleek and sophisticated wearable
Samsung Galaxy Watch from £279 / stuff.tv/GalaxyWatch A sturdy and stylish smartwatch with plenty of power and a truly lovely user interface. Those with an iPhone are still likely to get a better experience and more functionality from an Apple Watch, though. Stuff says +++++ The best smartwatch for Android users
Garmin Fenix 6 +++++ £475 / stuff.tv/Fenix6 The best fitness-orientated smartwatch, offering incredible levels of detail.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 +++++ from £200 / stuff.tv/Vivoactive3 It’s cheap, it looks good and it’s a fine all-round smartwatch for sporty types.
£46 / stuff.tv/MoovNow
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Fitbit Inspire HR £90 / stuff.tv/InspireHR Fitbit’s latest is a great little tracker. As well as step-counting, it’s surprisingly capable for proper run-tracking if you go out with a phone. Add notifications and that’s just about everything we want in a low-key band. Stuff says ++++, All the tracking skills that most people need
Huawei Watch GT 2 £179 / stuff.tv/WatchGT2 A tracker that thinks it’s a smartwatch, the Watch GT 2 has impressive design, tracking skills and battery life; only the lack of third-party app support will rule it out for serious fitness fiends. Stuff says ++++, The best-looking tracker money can buy
BlazePod ++++, $399 / stuff.tv/BlazePod This reflex training system transforms your workout into a fun game of Whac-A-Mole.
Stealth Plankster ++++, £89 / stuff.tv/Plankster Slot your phone into this balance board and play a range of ab-scorching arcade games.
FOR THE FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMARTWATCHES & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/FITNESS-TRACKERS
TOP TENS LAPTOPS TIPS & TRICKS
A Touch ID button at the top right of the keyboard saves the agony of forgetting your password.
92
Apple charges a hefty premium for extra storage, so consider a cheaper external SSD.
1
HOT BUY
Apple MacBook Air from £1099 / stuff.tv/MacBookAir13
With the ‘basic’ version of the MacBook Pro no longer in Apple’s line-up, last summer’s update to the Air model (including a £100 price drop) saw it power to the top of this list. And justifiably so, because in 2020 this is absolutely the go-to MacBook for most people. It looks every bit as premium as the Pro, and the fantastic screen represents a substantial leap from the old generation’s basic panel. That keyboard is a treat for your fingers too.
Stuff says +++++ Its stunning design, screen and features make this the perfect MacBook O NOW ADD THIS Satechi Type-C USB 3 Combo Hub Two ports not enough? This hub adds loads more and sits snugly against the MacBook Air’s side. £40 / amazon.co.uk
2
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Microsoft Surface Laptop 3
Apple MacBook Pro 16in
from £949 / stuff.tv/SurfaceLap3
from £2399 / stuff.tv/MacBookPro16
The Surface Laptop 3 seems plain on paper: no second screen, no graphics card, no hybrid hinge, no fingerprint scanner. But Microsoft has put so much attention to detail into every part that matters, this ends up being one of the best Windows laptops at any price.
The new 16in Pro doesn’t look much different from its 15in predecessor, but all doubts fade away when you start using it. The keyboard is better, the screen is superb, the speakers are great, it only rarely gets warm, and even the battery lasts longer.
Stuff says +++++ Forget frills and gimmicks: this is everything a laptop should be
Stuff says +++++ A top upgrade that bodes well for the next-gen MacBooks
8 9
Dell XPS 13 +++++ from £1399 / stuff.tv/XPS13 Style, portability, performance… there’s nothing else out there that’s quite so well rounded.
Huawei MateBook X Pro +++++ £1300 / stuff.tv/MateBookXPro Not massively better than the 2018 model, but this is a real powerhouse of a Windows laptop.
Apple MacBook Pro (2019) +++++ from £1299 / stuff.tv/MacBookPro13 The entry-level Pro grows up with a revamped screen, a Touch Bar and more powerful innards.
Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 +++++ from £1899 / stuff.tv/XPS2in1 A powerful, portable and versatile hybrid, but with a hefty price tag to match.
Razer Blade 15 Advanced ++++, from £2279 / stuff.tv/BladeAdvanced Razer’s Blade models are our favourite gaming laptops, and this is a worthy flagship.
Asus ZenBook Pro 14 ++++, from £1258 / stuff.tv/ZenBookPro14 A capable multimedia laptop with a clever gimmick: a second screen instead of a trackpad.
Acer Swift 5 ++++, £799 / stuff.tv/Swift5 A capable and extremely portable laptop at a tempting price.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW LAPTOPS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/LAPTOPS
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TIPS & TRICKS
You can control your Move with the touch controls on top, the Sonos app, Google Assistant or Alexa.
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Auto Trueplay adapts the Move’s sound to different rooms, while the app offers additional EQ tweaks.
SPEAKERS TOP TENS HOT BUY
Sonos Move £399 / stuff.tv/SonosMove
The Sonos range of wireless speakers had been crying out for a battery-powered portable model for ages – and finally our favourite multiroom audio specialist caved in. Luckily, the Move was worth the wait. Its adaptability and sound quality mean it’s fine value for money, and a no-brainer for anyone who’s already a fan of the brand. Not only is this the speaker Sonos should have launched years ago – it’s one of the best products of its type and price that we’ve heard.
Stuff says +++++ Sonos finally gets up to speed with the portable speaker craze, and in style O NOW ADD THIS Primephonic Bringing sexy Bach, this is streaming for classical music. Niche, yes, but its not-on-Spotify film and game scores offer a great way into the genre. from £9.99/month / primephonic.com
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Sonos One
Naim Mu-so 2
£199 / stuff.tv/SonosOne
£1299 / stuff.tv/Mu-so2
The Sonos One is now a more well-rounded device than it was at launch, supporting Spotify with voice control as well as Amazon Music and TuneIn Radio, while the early Alexa hiccups seem to have been fixed. It’s a class apart from the competition.
The Mu-so 2 is a fuller, richer, more detailed and louder listen than the model it replaces, with lots of added functionality, and it’s every bit as handsome and decorative. Too expensive? You can still get the original Mu-so for several hundred pounds less.
9
Stuff says +++++ A great balance of sound and smarts for forward-thinking audio nerds
Stuff says +++++ Naim’s luxury wireless speaker sequel is an improvement all round
10
8
B&W Formation Wedge +++++ £900 / stuff.tv/BWWedge Pricey, weird-looking… and a brilliant illustration of what a wireless speaker is capable of.
JBL Xtreme 2 +++++ £189 / stuff.tv/Xtreme2 A hefty portable speaker that growls with confidence whatever you play through it.
Small Transparent Speaker +++++ £450 / stuff.tv/Transparent Uniquely stylish, easily portable and plenty loud enough for any bedside table.
KEF LSX +++++ £999 (pair) / stuff.tv/KEFLSX Convenience and fine sound at a real-world price, and in some vivid colours.
Marshall Tufton +++++ £350 / stuff.tv/Tufton Huge power, 360° clarity and long battery life make this the perfect portable party speaker.
Urbanears Ralis +++++ £170 / stuff.tv/Ralis A pretty speaker with great battery life, and it sounds superb when cranked up.
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 +++++ £170 / stuff.tv/Megaboom3 You’ll struggle to find a better, or more fun, portable Bluetooth speaker.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW HI-FI, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HI-FI-STREAMING
TOP TENS TVs TIPS & TRICKS
We prefer to keep most picture processing off, but the P5 chip is great for upscaling.
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Flitting between the Movie and ISF Day/Night presets gives the best picture out of the box.
1
Choose to have Ambilight’s colours match the picture, stay static or move to the music.
HOT BUY
Philips OLED+ 984 £4499 / stuff.tv/OLED984
The OLED+ 984 offers outstanding picture performance with universal HDR support, and goes above and beyond what we expect from TV sound thanks to a custom-made speaker system from British hi-fi brand Bowers & Wilkins. Plus it looks gorgeous, particularly with that four-sided Ambilight in full effect. Above all, this is the best picture we’ve seen from a Philips yet, and the best audio we’ve heard from any TV.
Stuff says +++++ Going big on design, performance and sound, this is the best Philips TV yet O NOW ADD THIS Sky Q Once you’ve got a 4K TV, you’ll want access to the best 4K content. Sky Q is a good bet for watching and recording all your favourite shows and films. from £20 + £22/month / sky.com
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BARGAIN BUY
6
Panasonic TX-55GZ1500
LG OLED55C8
£1699 / stuff.tv/GZ1500
£1200 / stuff.tv/LGC8
This isn’t the biggest or most expensive OLED in the Panasonic range, but on a ‘quality versus price’ basis it’s definitely one of the best you can buy right now. It’s a 4K screen equipped to deal with any HDR standard you care to mention, and its handling of contrast has to be seen to be believed. Colour and dynamism are as good as you can get, and even the little integrated soundbar does admirable work. The GZ1500 is the complete package.
The current LG flagship television doesn’t appear to be a huge upgrade on the old model, but some clever tweaks to the processor have turned this into one of the finest OLED screens you can get. Sure, the E8 has a more jaw-dropping design and more immersive audio, but the C8 offers the exact same picture quality at a less premium price. For this reason, it’s our top pick from LG’s impressive range.
Stuff says +++++ An excellent TV with superb HDR picture quality – worth every penny
Stuff says +++++ Small improvements make this LG’s best OLED television yet
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Samsung QE65Q90R +++++ £1999 / stuff.tv/Q90R Samsung has stuck to QLED… and upped its game to rival OLED in virtually every way.
Sony KD-49XG9005 +++++ £899 / stuff.tv/XG9005 Other Sony TVs are bigger and slimmer, but none can match this one for value.
Samsung UE43RU7020 +++++ £350 / stuff.tv/RU7020 Way better than its place in the Samsung pecking order suggests, this is an unassuming cracker.
Sony KD-65XF9005 +++++ £1200 / stuff.tv/KD65XF9005 It may have a mid-range price, but this Sony’s 4K LCD panel is still a proper belter.
Panasonic TX-58GX800 +++++ £695 / stuff.tv/58GX800 Not the last word in picture excellence, but this is a lot of TV for the money.
Panasonic TX-50GX700 +++++ £499 / stuff.tv/GX700 It’s not perfect, but then it is very affordable and very nicely put together.
LG 65SM9800 ++++, £1999 / stuff.tv/65SM9800 Among the best backlit TVs around and a fine OLED-dodging compromise.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW TELEVISIONS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/TVs
TOP TENS SOUNDBARS
STREAMERS TOP TENS
95
1
HOT BUY
Sky Q
from £20 + £22/month / stuff.tv/SkyQ Sky Q works flawlessly and could change the way you watch TV – especially now 4K’s arrived. With Sky Movies’ huge range of films and Sky Sports in stunning Ultra HD, along with the new addition of Netflix, there’s something for everyone to treat their eyes with. And 2TB of storage means you can record 350 hours’ worth of entertainment, so you’re unlikely to be sweating over which show needs deleting. Factor in its multiroom skills, and Sky Q is undoubtedly the best TV experience you can get.
Stuff says +++++ You’ll have to cough up for a subscription, but this is the best box for watching both live and recorded shows
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Sonos Beam £399 / stuff.tv/SonosBeam Sonos’s great-value Alexa-equipped soundbar offers fine audio quality, comes with loads of features and is compact enough to fit into the average living-room AV setup without taking over. Stuff says +++++ Compact, affordable and packed with smarts
Vizio SB36512-F6 £587 / stuff.tv/Vizio36512 An intriguing 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup with a wireless sub and rear satellite speakers, all for under 600 nicker. Not bad… and the quality of its delivery, from film dialogue to thrumming helicopters, is deeply impressive. Stuff says +++++ A bargain Dolby Atmos upgrade
Q Acoustics Media 4 +++++ £179 / stuff.tv/Media4 This is a whole lot of under-telly hi-fi for the money.
Sky Soundbox +++++ from £249 / stuff.tv/SkySoundbox The best-value upgrade ever… as long as you’ve already got Sky.
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4 5
Amazon Fire TV Cube £110 / stuff.tv/FireTVCube The Fire TV interface is easy to use and all the big catch-up services are available via this tidy box – and best of all, Alexa voice control works brilliantly. You’ll never have to worry about losing the remote again! Stuff says +++++ A marvel of voice control for your telly
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K £50 / stuff.tv/FireStick4K Amazon’s latest streaming stick offers 4K plus a faster processor than its predecessor, and comes with the Alexa Voice Remote. It is very Prime-centric, but the selection of third-party apps is excellent. Stuff says +++++ The best 4K streaming stick you can buy
Roku Streaming Stick+ ++++, £50 / stuff.tv/RokuPlus This simple all-rounder is a great choice for the open-minded telly watcher.
Apple TV 4K ++++, from £179 / stuff.tv/AppleTV4K Streaming boxes might be on the way out, but Apple’s 4K version still has its uses.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE PRODUCTS IN OUR TOP TEN LISTINGS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS TABLETS
1
CONSOLES TOP TENS
96
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Apple iPad Pro
Sony PlayStation 4 Pro
The iPad Pro isn’t cheap, but it’s a mobile powerhouse like no other, with a diverse and rich app ecosystem, tons of power, a gorgeous screen, and the kind of focus on creativity and productivity that just doesn’t exist on other tablets. If you just want to faff on Facebook or Netflix it’s massive overkill, so we’d recommend going for the iPad Air instead; but even if you don’t actually need the new iPad Pro, you’re going to want one if you have it in your mitts for five minutes.
As a gaming platform, PlayStation 4 is the best around – which makes the PS4 Pro the best of the best. Games optimised for the new console look stunning on a 4K HDR TV, and are substantially improved by the extra grunt inside this slightly bigger machine. Sure, it can’t match the Xbox One X for sheer power or resolution, but it makes up for that with an impressive line-up of games – including Uncharted 4, Horizon Zero Dawn and Bloodborne – and virtual reality support.
Stuff says +++++ Once again Apple blasts ahead of the pack, with a stylish, powerful tablet full of creative potential
Stuff says +++++ The system for console gamers who have a 4K TV and want the best catalogue of games on offer
from £769 / stuff.tv/iPadPro
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4 5
Microsoft Surface Go from £349 / stuff.tv/SurfaceGo Having this slinky Windows tab up your sleeve (not quite literally) is like carrying a mini PC on you at all times. The processor is adequate for everyday tasks and the 10in screen is lovely. Stuff says +++++ An affordable, ultra-portable workmate
Apple iPad from £349 / stuff.tv/iPad2019 If all you want a tablet for is consuming media and typing up the occasional Word doc, this is still the best option. iPadOS’s arrival also makes this an ideal time to invest in a new tablet if you haven’t done so in a while. Stuff says +++++ The basic iPad remains the best entry-level tab
Amazon Fire HD 10 ++++, from £150 / stuff.tv/FireHD10 Amazon obliterates the competition at the lower end of the tab market.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 ++++, from £619 / stuff.tv/TabS6 This is the Android tablet to get if you like doodling or gaming.
£326 / stuff.tv/PS4Pro
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4 5
Nintendo Switch £279 / stuff.tv/NintendoSwitch Nintendo’s console earned a promotion in our list after it impressed us with a growing list of fantastic games. Plus, no other device here offers the joy of portable gaming. Train journeys will never be boring again. Stuff says +++++ This 2-in-1 console is the real deal
Microsoft Xbox One X £450 / stuff.tv/XboxOneX There’s no doubt the Xbox One X is the most powerful console here, capable of producing stunning 4K visuals… but it simply doesn’t have the line-up of games to usurp the PS4 Pro from top spot. Stuff says +++++ A 4K monster held back by its game catalogue
Sony PlayStation 4 +++++ £250 / stuff.tv/PS4 Haven’t got a 4K TV? This is the best way to enjoy PlayStation’s brilliant exclusives.
Microsoft Xbox One S +++++ £250 / stuff.tv/XboxOneS No longer our Xbox of choice, but the One S remains a serious affordable option.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/HOME-CINEMA & STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES-MACHINES
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GAMES TOP TENS
HOT BUY
Red Dead Redemption 2 from £25 / PS4, Xbox One
Believable characters, a world to lose yourself in, top-class voice acting and a story that intrigues all the way through. Warts and all, with improvements from other games ignored, this is Rockstar at its most arrogant but also its most powerful. Red Dead Redemption 2 trusts you to explore, to grow, and to let its world seep into your consciousness. This is a special game and one that was entirely worth the wait.
TIPS & TRICKS Make sure you talk to strangers more than once – you never know what they’ll reveal.
Stuff says +++++ Ultra-addictive gameplay in one of the greatest open worlds ever created
Regularly brushing and feeding Arthur’s horse will increase their bond. It’s what all good cowboys should do anyway.
2
O OR PLAY THIS Zelda: Breath of the Wild If you’re after a different kind of open-world experience that’s just as expansive and has a lot of heart, this is the one for you. £48 / Switch
3
4 5 6 7
God of War
Resident Evil 2
£15 / PS4
from £14 / PS4, Xbox One, PC
A lot has changed for PlayStation’s god-slaying champion, Kratos. He’s acquired a beard and a new magic axe… but while the action is as breathtaking as ever, it’s the surprisingly mature storyline that’s the draw here, with Kratos learning the ropes of parenting.
Top to bottom, nothing in this game feels like a mere upgrade on an old formula. As polished and defining as recent favourites like God of War, RE2 will inform not only the future of the survival horror genre, but the interactive entertainment medium as a whole.
9
Stuff says +++++ The epic return of Kratos is yet another phenomenal PS4 offering
Stuff says +++++ Highly polished and much more than a remake – the series’ best entry yet.
10
8
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate +++++ £44 / Switch Smash is well and truly back, and it’s bigger and better than ever before.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice +++++ from £24 / PS4, Xbox One, PC A brutally punishing action adventure that will get your heart a-pumping.
Forza Horizon 4 +++++ from £23 / Xbox One, PC This is a bar-raising sandbox-racing game experience that’s worth buckling up for.
Gears 5 +++++ £18 / Xbox One, PC Huge, thrilling and luxurious at every turn – this is absolutely essential.
Super Mario Maker 2 +++++ £40 / Switch One of Nintendo’s smartest ideas in years feels perfect for the Switch.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 +++++ £40 / Switch Luigi finally gets a blockbuster hit that would make his brother proud.
Devil May Cry 5 ++++, from £16 / PS4, Xbox One, PC A strange blend of world-class combat and old-fashioned design.
FOR UP-TO-DATE NEWS AND REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW GAMES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/GAMES
TOP TENS TECH TOYS
1
ELECTRIC CARS TOP TENS
98
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Sphero RVR
Jaguar I-Pace
The RVR pulls off the balance between serious coding and knockabout fun perfectly: it’s a fast, fun all-terrain vehicle that you can throw about without worrying about it breaking; but it also has serious hi-tech chops, being compatible with the best low-cost programming machines around. That means playing with the RVR can be as simple or as complicated as you want: spend hours constructing the most intricate driving routine imaginable, or just gun the motor and tear it up.
Not content with simply making an electric vehicle that can get you from A to B with minimal fuss (and fuel bills), Jaguar has created something desirable, fun to drive and impressively capable when the going gets tough. This car offers Amazon Alexa integration, smartphone connectivity and a 10in touchscreen on the upper deck. With the I-Pace, Jaguar can happily claim to be the first mainstream brand to really give Tesla something to worry about.
Stuff says +++++ If you’re turned off by the mere mention of the word ‘coding’, the RVR might just convert you
Stuff says +++++ Fun, fast and practical, the I-Pace is the greatest thing to happen to electric cars in a long time
£260 / stuff.tv/SpheroRVR
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4 5
Lego Boost Creative Toolbox £150 / stuff.tv/LegoCreativeToolbox Building Lego is already ridiculously good fun, so think what great a time you’ll have when the completed model turns into a functioning robot. You can use simple coding to make it move, fire projectiles and play games. Stuff says +++++ This programmable Lego kit is hard to beat
Sphero Bolt £140 / stuff.tv/SpheroBolt This little rolling ball of tech is great fun, and educational to boot. We hope your skirting boards are up to taking a few knocks, but if your kids have any curiosity about coding it’ll keep them entertained for months to come. Stuff says +++++ Proves that learning really can be fun
Kano Harry Potter Coding Kit +++++ £100 / stuff.tv/KanoHarryPotter A magical way to make coding accessible and fun to learn.
Nintendo Labo VR Kit ++++, from £35 (+ Switch) / stuff.tv/LaboVR An irresistible mash-up of cardboard-folding adventures and lo-fi VR entertainment.
from £60,995 (with PiCG) / stuff.tv/ipace
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4 5
Nissan Leaf from £26,345 / stuff.tv/NissanLeaf Nissan has really got it right with the latest Leaf – an accomplished family car that packs some serious range and performance, and acts as a flagship for the company’s most advanced driver assistance gizmos. Stuff says +++++ A strong candidate for your eco-conscious cash
Tesla Model S from £78,690 / stuff.tv/TeslaS This sleek saloon re-writes the rules for all-electric performance and offers advanced autonomous driving tech that most of the other makers are only just beginning to explore. Stuff says +++++ A true groundbreaker among high-class EVs
Volvo XC90 T8 +++++ from £66,645 / stuff.tv/XC90T8 This plug-in hybrid 4x4 looks great and can tackle the twistiest routes.
BMW i8 Roadster +++++ from £127,105 / stuff.tv/i8Roadster The electric motor turns this stunningly futuristic convertible into a genuine supercar.
FOR UP-TO-DATE LISTINGS AND FULL REVIEWS OF ALL KINDS OF GADGETS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS VR HEADSETS
1
VR GAMES TOP TENS
99
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
Oculus Quest
Beat Saber
The Quest offers all manner of fully interactive, roamable virtual worlds that you can throw in your backpack without a single wire. That’s a mindblowing technical feat. Yes, the battery life is average, but the inside-out tracking and total absence of any cables make this the best all-round VR headset to date. It also ships with the Oculus Touch motion controllers included, which means you can play fully fledged Oculus Rift titles without being anywhere near a PC.
Most VR games equip you for immersive combat, but Beat Saber’s dual laser swords aren’t meant for slicing and dicing foes. Instead, you’ll gleefully swing them to chop blocks that are flung your way to the thumping beat of a song. This game has reinvented the rhythm genre for VR and it is glorious indeed, turning the power fantasy of dual-wielding lightsabers into an exhilarating modern music experience. And add-on packs keep the beat going for longer.
Stuff says +++++ If you’ve been waiting to board the VR bandwagon, the Quest might be the best reason yet to go for it
Stuff says +++++ A mesmerising musical melee that’s at its absolute best when played on the cable-free Oculus Quest
from £399 / stuff.tv/OculusQuest
2
3
4 5
HTC Vive £499 / stuff.tv/HTCVive There isn’t much difference between this and the much cheaper Oculus Rift, in all honesty. But if you’re thinking of upgrading to the Vive Pro in the future, this is a great gateway headset. Stuff says ++++, A solid choice for immersive virtual reality
HTC Vive Pro £599 (headset only) / stuff.tv/HTCVivePro This high-end headset offers the best virtual reality experience by a long way, but its sky-high price means you should only really buy it if you’re a VR obsessive with a super-powerful gaming PC. Stuff says ++++, This hardcore headset is overkill for most
Oculus Rift ++++, £329 / stuff.tv/OculusRift Still the best affordable VR headset, and you get the Touch Controllers thrown in.
PlayStation VR +++,, from £226 / stuff.tv/PSVR It can deliver incredible experiences, but the PSVR is held back by niggling issues.
from £25 / Oculus Quest/Rift, Vive, PSVR
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4 5
Superhot VR from £16 / Oculus, Vive, PSVR There’s something really cool about hiding behind a desk before blitzing your opponents with streams of bullets as if you were starring in your very own Matrix movie. A wonderfully action-packed title. Stuff says +++++ A superb 2-in-1 VR puzzler and shooter
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission £20 / PSVR This 3D platformer serves up a heaped helping of Mario-esque magic, but in a built-for-VR world that uses that unique perspective to create fresh challenges and surprises. You can’t help but grin. Stuff says +++++ A wonderfully charming PSVR essential
Blood & Truth +++++ £15 / PSVR A rollicking PSVR-exclusive action thriller with brilliant set-pieces and terrific gunplay.
Star Wars: Vader Immortal ++++, £24 / Oculus Quest/Rift Step into a galaxy far, far away… and yes, swinging a lightsaber is as cool as it sounds.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS SMART HOME
100
1
HOT NEW BUY
Amazon Echo Show 8 £120 / stuff.tv/EchoShow8
This could be the right smart display for a lot of people. It’s big enough for comfortable video chatting, and to fit in drivers that can fill rooms with music. Its display may not look as refined as some, and the sound won’t worry Sonos, but it is good enough in every area to justify its price. We just wish Amazon could find a way to iron out the politics that mean we don’t get YouTube and Netflix app compatibility.
TIPS & TRICKS Multiple Echo Shows can act as video walkie-talkies for communicating with lazy housemates.
Stuff says +++++ The Alexa home invasion continues apace with this superb smart display
There’s no YouTube or Netflix app support, but you can access both services via the device’s Silk browser.
O NOW ADD THIS Neato Botvac D7 Connected Say “Alexa, do the vacuuming” and Neato’s latest robo-vac will clean up all your dead skin cells. £799 / neatorobotics.com
Creating a ‘routine’ lets you trigger multiple smart home devices with a single voice prompt.
2
3
4 5 6 7
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
Amazon Echo (3rd gen)
£60 / stuff.tv/EchoDotClock
£90 / stuff.tv/AmazonEcho
Amazon’s Echo Dot smart home assistant has for a long time been one of the best bargains in tech; now you can get one with a clock on it for a few quid extra. And with solid Alexa performance, the Echo Dot with Clock is really difficult to fault at this price.
The 2nd-generation Echo was a great-value smart speaker… right until you asked it to play music. But that shortcoming has been thoroughly addressed in v3, which is basically an Echo Plus without the ZigBee connectivity. It’s a fine listener and a fine speaker.
9
Stuff says +++++ It’s hard to see how the Echo Dot could get much better than this
Stuff says +++++ For a smart speaker under the £100 mark, you can’t argue with this Echo
10
8
Google Nest Mini +++++ £49 / stuff.tv/NestMini Louder and cleverer than ever… and it’ll only improve over time with updates.
Tado Smart Thermostat +++++ from £200 / stuff.tv/TadoV3Plus This heating system roasts the competition with its blend of simplicity and smarts.
Netatmo Welcome +++++ £155 / stuff.tv/NetatmoWelcome A neat security cam with loads of features and storage options.
Nest 3.0 +++++ £195 / stuff.tv/Nest3 A simple and mess-free smart thermostat with Alexa compatibility.
Philips Hue Starter Kit +++++ from £60 (white) / stuff.tv/PhilipsHue Become an indoor god with the smartest way of lighting up your home remotely.
Brisant-Secure Ultion Smart +++++ from £229 / stuff.tv/UltionSmart Tradition and tech partner up in a smart lock to please everyone.
Google Nest Hub Max ++++, £219 / stuff.tv/NestHubMax A fine smart display… and see also the non-Max version for a whole £100 less.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF THE BEST SMART HOME DEVICES, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SMART-HOME-DEVICES
TOP TENS DRONES & ACTION CAMS
1
101
COMPACTS TOP TENS
1
HOT BUY
HOT BUY
DJI Mavic Mini
Sony DSC-RX100 V
The Mavic Mini definitely won’t be for everyone. If you want maximum control over your footage, have no qualms about registering your drone, need 4K capture at 60fps, are OK with spending the best part of a grand and consider object-tracking a must-have, you’ll want to look elsewhere. If, however, you just want to get a fantastic balance of user experience, features, convenience and quality at a stomachable price, the Mavic Mini is the most accessible premium drone we’ve used to date.
We wouldn’t recommend buying this camera if you already own the old IV model, but a few improvements have ensured Sony remains the top dog in our compacts list – and we’re keeping this model above the newer RX100 VI simply because of the huge price difference. It remains one of the finest point-and-shoots we’ve ever seen, with a flexibility that few pocket cameras can muster. While it’s still not exactly cheap, we reckon this is the cam to buy if you want fantastic-looking snaps from your holidays.
Stuff says +++++ Dinky drones don’t come more feature-packed, and bigger drones than this need to be registered. Win!
Stuff says +++++ Only a small improvement over the RX100 IV, but this Sony is close to premium point-and-shoot perfection
£369 / stuff.tv/MavicMini
2
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4 5
GoPro Hero8 Black £339 / stuff.tv/Hero8Black GoPro fends off the DJI challenge by giving its latest flagship action cam even better stabilisation skills plus 4K 60fps video, a range of wide angles, waterproofing and fast/slow timelapse capture. Stuff says +++++ Then most stable action cam we’ve ever used
DJI Osmo Action £329 / stuff.tv/OsmoAction The image stabilisation is sensational and the face-optimised metering makes DJI’s action cam an ideal choice for vloggers. It has some idiosyncrasies, but this is a smart shooter that captures great footage without faff. Stuff says +++++ Despite a few quirks, this is a stellar cam
DJI Mavic 2 Pro +++++ £1349 / stuff.tv/Mavic2Pro Superbly responsive in the air, this is the gold standard in portable flyers.
DJI Mavic Air +++++ £769 / stuff.tv/MavicAir A cracking gadget that combines the best bits from the old Spark and the Mavic Pro.
£799 / stuff.tv/RX100V
2
3
4 5
Panasonic Lumix TZ200 £549 / stuff.tv/TZ200 This Panasonic compact is a significant upgrade from the TZ100, offering extra reach with the zoom lens, better colour reproduction, and an improved experience when using the electronic viewfinder. Stuff says +++++ Small, neat and not dramatically overpriced
Sony DSC-RX100 VI £899 / stuff.tv/RX100VI A true all-rounder that shoots 24fps at full resolution and has stunningly fast autofocus, topped off with a whopping 8x zoom lens that’s quite spectacular for such a tiny camera. Stuff says +++++ A dinky yet luxurious point-and-shoot
Panasonic Lumix LX100 +++++ £449 / stuff.tv/LX100 One of the most capable compacts on the market, with superb stills and HD video.
Fujifilm X100F +++++ £999 / stuff.tv/X100F The best street shooter around if you don’t need the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.
FOR FULL REVIEWS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE OF THE STUFF TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS SYSTEM CAMERAS
102
1
HOT BUY
Fujifilm X-T3 It’s really hard to find anything bad to say about the X-T3 – it’s just consistently great in so many ways. Fuji has looked at virtually every feature on the X-T2 and upgraded it. With substantial tweaks made to the pro-level video options, the high-res EVF, the super-fast autofocus and the burst shooting, what you’re left with is an all-round beast of a camera in a small, beautiful form. As APS-C shooters go, it’s the best there is.
TIPS & TRICKS Pre-shot ES mode starts taking photos and adding them to the buffer as soon as you half-press.
Stuff says +++++ An incredible stills shooter with video smarts to match
Sports Finder mode’s display enables you to see what’s about to come into frame for moving shots.
O NOW ADD THIS Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon Fibre Tripod You no longer have an excuse for wobbly photos with this carbon-fibre tripod. It weighs just 1.8kg. £279 / wexphotovideo.com
Tapping an area on the 3in touchscreen will let you set the focus point or take an instant shot.
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4 5 6
Sony A7 III
Fujifilm X-T30
£1754 / stuff.tv/SonyA7iii
£839 / stuff.tv/XT30
The A7 III manages to pack in a lot of technology and desirability for less than £2000. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s well suited to a bunch of shooting scenarios, coping well with landscapes, portraits, and even a little bit of high-speed sport shooting. As a camera design it’s admittedly not the prettiest thing we’ve ever seen, but it handles well for its compact size.
While the X-T3 is a more powerful camera, particularly for video, the X-T30 does a brilliant job of distilling the pricier model’s essential appeal into a cheaper, more compact body. Not only is it richly equipped when it comes to both video and stills shooting options, but it’s designed so that photographers have lots of control at their fingertips… and the image quality is superb.
Stuff says +++++ A fantastic all-rounder that excels in low-light conditions
Stuff says +++++ Versatile, compact, powerful, stylish and not insanely expensive
7 8 9 10
Panasonic Lumix G9 +++++ £999 / stuff.tv/LumixG9 The G9 is the best Lumix camera to date and a fine choice for wildlife or action photography.
Sony A6500 +++++ £819 / stuff.tv/A6500 A cracking system cam for action photography, but stick with the A6300 if your budget is tight.
Fujifilm GFX 50R +++++ £3999 / stuff.tv/GFX50R The ultimate image quality in a medium-format camera that’s not too ridiculously huge to carry.
Canon EOS 80D +++++ £980 / stuff.tv/80D The 80D is so easy to use that even a toddler would get some great shots with it.
Nikon Z6 +++++ £1599 / stuff.tv/Z6 A top-notch and reasonably sized mirrorless camera from the optical experts.
Nikon D850 +++++ £2499 / stuff.tv/D850 This super-cam has enough fantastic features to excel in pretty much any situation.
Sony A6100 +++++ £679 / stuff.tv/A6100 Fine features make this mirrorless Sony an ideal first step into ‘serious’ photography.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE BEST NEW CAMERAS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10/SYSTEM-CAMERAS
O Prices quoted are for body only unless otherwise stated
£1249 / stuff.tv/FujifilmXT3
103
1
BUDGET BUYS TOP TENS HOT BUY
Sega Mega Drive Mini £59 / stuff.tv/MegaDriveMini
TIPS & TRICKS
There’ll be playground rows and online feuds over whether Nintendo’s or Sega’s games are better, but the Mega Drive Mini wins the miniature retro console war in terms of the faithful recreation of both hardware and software – especially as there are 42 games included. It’s taken a long time to get here, but as the saying goes, to be this good takes ages – and the Sega is the must-buy console of the moment.
Dip into the display settings to switch from the standard 4:3 aspect ratio to fit your widescreen TV. Switch the language settings to Japanese and you can play vastly different versions of games.
Stuff says +++++ Sega’s back – and this really is the ultimate mini gaming machine
Struggling with the old-school difficulty? Hold down the start button to use one of four save slots.
2
O NOW ADD THIS Retro-Bit Official 6-Button Controller A must for fans of fighting games, this six-button USB pad is also compatible with PCs, Macs and even the Switch. £18 / amazon.co.uk
3
4 5 6 7
SNES Classic Mini
Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
£145 / stuff.tv/ClassicMini
£60 / stuff.tv/EchoDotClock
Why splash out over £200 on a games console when you can get the SNES Classic Mini for so much less? You get 21 titles pre-installed on this nostalgia-inducing little machine, including the likes of Super Metroid, A Link to the Past and Super Mario World.
Amazon’s Echo Dot smart home assistant has for a long time been one of the best bargains in tech; now you can get one with a clock on it for a few quid extra. And with solid Alexa performance, the Echo Dot with Clock is really difficult to fault at this price.
Stuff says +++++ Retro-minded Nintendo fans won’t find better value anywhere
Stuff says +++++ It’s hard to see how the Echo Dot could get much better than this
8 9 10
Moto G8 Plus +++++ £200 / stuff.tv/G8Plus Classic Moto: a smart, well-equipped and capable smartphone for just £200.
Raspberry Pi Zero W +++++ from £9.30 / stuff.tv/PiZeroW The Pi Zero was already a brilliant mini-computer; wireless add-ons make it even better.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 +++++ £90 / stuff.tv/Wonderboom2 A rugged little wonder that’ll bring a sonic boost to any occasion.
Moov Now +++++ £46 / stuff.tv/MoovNow The best budget tracker you can buy – gives most Fitbits a run for their money.
SoundMagic E10 +++++ £20 / stuff.tv/E10 We love the E11s, but the previous model is still available for real bargain-sniffers.
Google Home Mini ++++, £29 / stuff.tv/HomeMini You can grab this little smart speaker for next to nothing now that the improved Nest Mini is out.
Ryze Tello ++++, £79 / stuff.tv/Tello Rule the skies without breaking the bank with this affordable toy drone.
FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THESE GADGETS, AND TO EXPLORE MORE TOP TEN LISTS, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10
TOP TENS HOW TO BUY
104
HOW TO BUY A VR HEADSET
Let’s be honest, real reality is rubbish. If you haven’t already jumped into the other kind, it’s time…
FOV ‘Field of view’ refers to the area you can see while wearing the headset. A big FOV means great immersion.
Head tracking This refers to the sensors that read the movement of your head and adjust the images to match.
Latency If your processor isn’t beefy enough the visuals will struggle to keep up with motion, which can be nauseating.
JARGON BUSTER
UNREALLY GOOD 1
Quest of the fields
Most high-quality VR systems require extensive hardware, but the Oculus Quest is self-contained… and it’s awesome. The fully wireless headset offers the best all-around VR experience today, with immersive games, stellar graphics, excellent motion controls, and no need for a PC or console. It’s also very nicely priced. O Get this: Oculus Quest from £399 / oculus.com
NOW ADD THESE…
UNREALLY CHEAP 2 Green Pro the rushes
3 Pretty PlayStation
Don’t mind paying for the highest of the high-end experiences? Go with the HTC Vive Pro. It’s an enhanced version of the original Vive, and you’ll need a pretty powerful gaming PC to bring this one to life. Still, it’s worth the scratch if you’re keen on a room-scale VR experience with a wide range of games available to play. O Get this: HTC Vive Pro £599 (headset only) / vive.com
If you already have a PlayStation 4 console, then the PSVR is a no-brainer. It’s not the most polished experience around, and the motion controls aren’t as responsive as some; but Sony’s headset has one of the best VR game collections around. Plus you’ll often find it on sale cheaply or as part of a bundle for excellent value. O Get this: PlayStation VR from £227 / playstation.com
4 Do Go back to Rockville The Quest is much better, but if you want a taste of standalone VR on the cheap, then consider the Oculus Go. It’s not capable of truly high-end experiences – this is somewhat closer to phone-powered VR in quality. But for the price, it’ll let you dabble in games, apps and media before you invest in something better. O Get this: Oculus Go from £139 / oculus.com
5 Fold leader pretend Even the Nintendo Switch can be turned into a VR headset via a Labo VR Kit. You build the cardboard shell… and also goofy attachments like a blaster gun and an elephant trunk. O Get this: Labo VR Kit from £35 / nintendo.co.uk
O A POWERFUL PC
O A HEADSET COVER
If you can’t be bothered building a super-powered gaming PC for your HTC Vive or Oculus Rift (remember the Quest doesn’t need one!), plump for a VR-ready Alienware Aurora PC instead.
A well-used headset can quickly get gross with all the sweat and dirt that builds up. Go to vrcover.com to find easily-cleaned attachments for all the major headsets, helping you stay fresh and yuck-free.
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Back in time Your four tracks were recorded across the entire width of a standard cassette. If you flipped the tape over, you could record music (or Satanic messages) that would play backwards in the mix.
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES 1979
h great – a cassette player. Has Stuff suddenly gone full hipster? Don’t worry – we’re not about to start petitioning record labels to release albums on the worst medium imaginable. But the Tascam Portastudio, first launched in 1979 as the TEAC 144, was special. Rather than recording your band’s garage sessions with a standard cassette deck, resulting in a distorted horror-show, a four-track gave you the chance to make something that people would one day have eBay bidding wars over. Well, maybe if you were Depeche Mode or something.
O
And if you weren’t Depeche Mode…? That was kind of the point. In the 1980s, a Portastudio was cutting-edge consumer kit that radically democratised the process of recording music. Prior to that, you needed access to a studio to commit your genius to tape. Now, with the ability to record overdubs and adjust relative levels, everyone had a shot. These units were like miniaturised mixing desks, with knobs, buttons, and level meters that blazed red when you were being too loud… assuming your neighbours hadn’t already made that quite clear by cutting the power to your flat.
And then computers showed up, letting you do all this properly. The end. Hang on. Even today, a Portastudio is a solid bit of kit for solo song-building – and if you fast-forward a few years down the line from that 1979 original you’ll find four-tracks (like the 414 model pictured) with noise reduction, MIDI support and simultaneous recording across all four tracks. If you still scoff at that, pointing at the non-destructive digital smarts of modern DAW software, remember Bruce Springsteen recorded the Nebraska album on a TEAC 144 – so it might just be enough for your own masterpiece too.
DON’T MISS THE NEXT ISSUE! ON SALE 19 MAR
[ Words Craig Grannell Photo Richard Purvis ]
Tascam Portastudio
7KLV 21( &DVW LV FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK $LU3OD\ L26 RU ODWHU LV UHTXLUHG
A new era of
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Cast ONE SERIES from Cyrus is ƚŚĞ ĚĞĮŶŝƟǀĞ ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ƐŵĂůů͕ ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƚĞĚ ŚŝͲĮ ƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͘ ůů ƵƐĞ ŽƵƌ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ĂŵƉůŝĮĞƌ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJ͕ ŐŝǀŝŶŐ ĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ ƐĐĂůĞ ĂŶĚ ƌĞŵĂƌŬĂďůĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŵƵƐŝĐ͘ TM
dŚĞ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ůƵĞƚŽŽƚŚ ƐƚƌĞĂŵŝŶŐ͕ ďƵŝůƚͲŝŶ ƉŚŽŶŽ ƐƚĂŐĞ͕ ĚĞĚŝĐĂƚĞĚ ŚĞĂĚƉŚŽŶĞ ĂŵƉůŝĮĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƐĞĂŵůĞƐƐ s ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƟŽŶ͘
dŚĞ ĂĚĚƐ ŚŝŐŚͲƌĞƐŽůƵƟŽŶ ĚŝŐŝƚĂů ŝŶƉƵƚƐ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ Ă ďĞƐƉŽŬĞ ϯϮďŝƚ͕ ϭϵϮŬ ŝŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ĂƐLJŶĐŚƌŽŶŽƵƐ h^ ͘
“Simple to use, ŝŶĐƌĞĚŝďůLJ ǀĞƌƐĂƟůĞ and blissfully enthralling.”
Cast dŚĞ ĨƵƌƚŚĞƌ ĂĚĚƐ ƚŽ ƚŚŝƐ ĂůƌĞĂĚLJ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ǀŽŝĐĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů ĂŶĚ ͚ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ĨƌŽŵ ĂƉƉ͛ ŚŝŐŚ ƌĞƐŽůƵƟŽŶ ƐƚƌĞĂŵŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞŐƌĂƟŽŶ͘ /ƚ ĂůƐŽ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ ĂŶ , D/; Z Ϳ ŝŶƉƵƚ͕ ŵĂŬŝŶŐ ŝƚ ĂƐ ƐŝŵƉůĞ ƚŽ ƵƐĞ ĂƐ Ă ƐŽƵŶĚďĂƌ͕ ďƵƚ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ds ĂƵĚŝŽ ƚŽ LJƌƵƐ ůĞǀĞůƐ ŽĨ ŵƵƐŝĐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͘
ONE SERIES www.cyrusaudio.com