GADGET
gadget wish list
WISH LIST On the pages that follow are 15 of the hottest gadgets in the world right now. Filling your life with them will make you happier, healthier and more physically attractive. Well, happier at least...
01 Apple iPhone 4S THE MOST DESIRABLE MOBILE EVER
US$710 | apple.com/ae Let’s not pull any proverbial punches here - the iPhone 4S did not arrive as we imagined (on a 4in-screened horse with an all-new aluminium chassis). But despite that, the phone Apple introduced to awed gasps in 2007 has evolved faster and further than its competition. The build quality is unsurpassed. Its screen is - at 326ppi - still one of the crispest of any smartphone display. And the App Store, Apple’s iOS trinket shop, is the finest emporium of mobile software in the tech world. And did we mention Siri, Apple’s scarily accurate voiceassistant that intelligently understands your commands? Sure, it may be a marginal upgrade over its predecessor, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still one of the most lust-worthy phones out there.
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gadget wish list
02 Meridian M6 THE HI-FI PIONEER THAT LOOKS GOOD, SOUNDS BETTER
US$7,100 | meridian-audio.com A hugely sophisticated hi-fi system or an overblown, overpriced speaker dock? Either way, we can’t help but love Meridian’s new monolithic M6 speakers. They are just the latest in a long line of serious audiophile kit, with an equally serious tech pedigree, from the British audio specialists. Each M6 has an aluminium halo: a light under the cap that glows white when the speakers are playing or blue when it’s switched to standby, and Meridian claims its M6 speakers sound eight times bigger than
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their physical dimensions (that’s a bit like having speakers taller than a giraffe in your living room). And they sound sensational, defying physics with their weight and depth. For such a funnyshaped system, it’s remarkably full and potent-sounding, powering out deep, muscular music in even the largest of rooms. Meridian suggests serving the speakers with an Audio Core 200 (US$2,350)an OLED-display-toting pre-amp and hi-fi hub that bridges the gap between your tunes and your ears.
gadget wish list
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Galaxy Tab 8.9
US$700 | samsung.com/ae Apple spent years giving birth to a single iPad, but Samsung’s Galaxy Tab family is expanding with all the thought and consideration of a hutch full of bunnies. The latest tablet to pop into life is its best by far, and the mid-sized 8.9in screen, high-def display and motion-sensitive goodies that lay within are enough to make any would-be gadgeteer grin. And while the plastic 8.9mm body is a whisker thinner than the iPad’s, we can’t help but feel this screen is the size tablets were always meant to be.
audio core 200 + M6: in detail ● Halo, is it me you’re looking for?
Each M6 has an aluminium halo: a light under the cap glows white when the speaker’s playing, or blue when it’s switched to standby.
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Lavazza A Modo Mio
US$195 | lavazza.com Orange, isn’t it? This colourful compact coffee machine will serve up full-bodied creamy espressos while an included steam arm allows you to enjoy milky lattes and cappuccinos. It works using Lavazza capsules; pop one in the top, push a button and out comes a cup of joe - it really is that simple. This 15-bar megatron packs cutting-edge extraction tech, meaning it makes the most of every ground bean in the capsule, and it doesn’t take up much space on a crowded tabletop. But mainly we want it because it’s orange.
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Fujifilm X-Pro1
US$1,700 | fujifilm.com Fuji’s first interchangeablelens camera in six years follows on from the rampantly successful retrostyled X100 and X10. Make no mistake, the X-Pro1 is a serious beast, with an aluminium alloy body and retro-tastic stylings that would make a Leica blush. And thanks to Fujifilm’s freshly-built APS-C-sized X-Trans sensor, it takes shots with a more natural, film-like colour with bags of detail. The best bit? The X-Pro’s hybrid viewfinder gives you a nice crisp view of the world, overlaid with Terminator-esque readouts. Oh, we want one so.
6
Swatch Touch
US$155 | swatch.com In case you haven’t clocked it, until the Smell-O-Vision revolution takes place - and trust us, it will - touch is the interface du jour for the discerning gadget. Realizing this, Swatch has kitted its latest range with a big, friendly display complete with touch-sensitive control zone in place of buttons. Available in six colours, and with a backlight and massive Arabic-style font, it’s also kind on your peepers. Nose fans will have to wait a little longer for wiff-emiting watches, but until then, this is our top techy timepiece.
● Size matters
Meridian claims its M6 speakers sound eight times bigger than their physical dimensions. That’s like having speakers taller than a fully grown giraffe.
● Taste my base
The M6 is an active design. Each speaker has one 100W amp and another 150W bass amp inside its base – no wonder they weigh 18kg apiece.
● Core blimey, guvnor
Meridian’s serving suggestion for the M6 speakers is an Audio Core 200 – an OLED_display-toting pre-amp and hi-fi hub that bridges the gap between your tunes and your ears.
● On the source
The Audio Core 200 upsamples whatever you feed it, whether its from your CD player, iThing, DAB or computer via USB.
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gadget wish list
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Pioneer X-SMCS-K
US$315 | pioneer.com Pioneer has stormed the evergrowing AirPlay speaker party with this sweet looking iDock. Able to connect to a network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, the system will serve up your entire iTunes music library on a 2.5in colour LCD display, with the ability to share playlists with other Pioneer-friendly gadgets after that. There’s a nifty pull-out dock connector too (for those missing an iPhone or iPod), making this one of the best-looking hi-fi systems on the block. Android and BlackBerry fans will be happy to hear that it supports Bluetooth, with a 3.5mm output for your headphones (like those found on p44).
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Sony NEX-VG10E
US$2,000 | sony.com Quite possibly the geekiest, and so one of the best, camcorders around, the NEX-VG10E is the world’s first camcorder to have a swappable eye - like a DSLR. It uses E-mount lenses like Sony’s NEX-3 and NEX-5, and A-mount (as seen on Sony’s Alpha range) with an adapter. But the thrills don’t stop there, as well as shooting in full 1080p-flavoured HD, the Sony CMOS sensor is nearly 20-times bigger than a conventional camcorder, allowing for pro-like effects, suck as bokeh (that’s artilyblurred background to you).
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BenQ JoyBee GP2
US$680 | benq.com In the fast-growing and wonderfully gadgety world of pocketable projectors, BenQ’s JoyBee is king. It’s about as portable as a hardcover book, but unlike your paperback it’ll project screens up to 80in in size. And that’s just the start of a surprisingly long list of attractions. For instance, beneath the striking black-andwhite colour scheme and glossy finish lies a headphone jack, HDMI and USB port, along with BenQ’s secret weapon; a topmounted iPod dock that will turn your game of Angry Birds into a massive-screened spectacle.
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Lomo La Sardina
US$80 | lomography.com Lomography and its range of charmingly quirky film cameras has always been pretty high on our wish list of gadgets, but its latest lomo is its most lust-worthy yet. A 22mm wide-angle lense is complemented by Lomo’s most powerful flash, which should be perfect for some wacky snaps on a night out. The camera plays nice with 35mm film and the case comes in various fish-inspired designs - although there are many more faceplates to choose from. Guaranteed to stand out from the boring black SDLR crowd.
gadget wish list
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Philips 21:9 Cinema 3D Smart TV
US$3,900 | philips.com When Philips first outed its 21:9 Cinema screen back in 2009, we were in TV heaven. But our excitement went up a notch when we saw this, an updated model with, you guessed it, Smart TV. Not only can you kick back and take in a movie sans those pesky black bars, but you can also enjoy your flicks in the glorious third dimension. One of its best feature, though, has to be its full-screen, two-player gaming skills, allowing two players to game in full screen when donning special 3D specs. Awesome.
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Parrot AR.Drone 2.0
US$315 | ardrone.parrot.com The new AR.Drone looks set to blow the old one out of the air, and win a place in our hearts as one of the coolest big boy’s toys out there. There’s an improved 720p HD video camera and onboard barometer which makes it more stable and easier to fly using your Android or iOS phones and tablets. There’s a new control app too, which lets you save flight data, access your mates stats, and record epic videos of the time you chased your cat around the living room. Jokes.
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Panasonic SC-BTT775
US$815 | panasonic.com One of the most tech-filled home theatre systems ever produced, Panasonic has packed its Blu-ray player with twin HDMI inputs, integrated Wi-Fi, USB and SD card ports along with a builtin iThing dock hidden behind the fascia in a smart little pop-out dock (much slicker than the cabled ‘puck’ provided by some rivals). There’s 3D support, and Panny’s excellent Viera Connect online portal that includes Skype, YouTube, Twitter and more. Pair it with one of Panasonic’s latest TVs for excellent picture and lusty, high quality audio.
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Sony PlayStation Vita
US$325 | playstation.com Form an orderly cue and stake your claim on the hottest thing in portable gaming. Sony’s PlayStation Vita is the most powerful portable gamer ever made. For ‘proper’ gaming on the move, the Vita is simply unbeatable thanks to its finger-friendly design, dual touchscreens (front and back), analogue sticks, and all new OS. The Vita’s 5in OLED display is sharp and punchy, while the four-core CPU and GPU make gameplay look and feel both slick and beautiful. But the jewel in the Vita’s gaming crown are its games, including Uncharted, Little Big Planet and more.
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gadget wish list
15 Bowers & Wilkins P5s HEAD CANS FROM THE GUYS WHO TURNED ‘iPOD’ INTO ‘HI-FI’
US$390 | bowers-wilkins.com B&W has become an audio behemoth in its quest to make the world’s best audio kit. It’s produced diffraction-free, zero-distortion seashell-shaped cabinets (like the US$86,000 Nautilus speakers to the right), bulletproof speaker cones and even tweeters made of diamond. And considering that its Zeppelin iPod docks made the hi-fi world sit up and take notice of the iPod, is there any surprise that
the B&W P5s are some of the most beautifully designed headphones ever made? Lovingly crafted from soft leather and elegant brushed aluminium, even the carry case (the P5s fold flat for portability) screams luxury. Most importantly, the P5s deal out some lovely audio. Treble is clear without being overly bright, while the bass is powerful but controlled and neutral. They look and sound the part, as you’d expect.
10 more brilliant things we want D-M38 1 Denon US$475 | denon.com
One-box micro system that does high-fidelity justice
Multiroom 2 Sonos US$810 | sonos.com
Wall-friendly sound at the touch of a controller
Nexus 3 Galaxy US$810 | samsung.com
The first Android 4.0 phone also sports a stunning screen
Lumia 800 4 Nokia US$600 | nokia.com
Nokia’s Windows Phone 7 flagship is a triumph
Xoom 2 5 Motorola US$650 | motorola.com
Lighter, thinner and faster than the original
Prime 6 Transformer US$790 | asus.com
Asus’ tablet comes with a powerful portable keyboard
IE 80s 7 Sennheiser US$435 | sennheiser.com
These quality earbuds can make anything sound nice
D8000 8 Samsung US$2,105 | samsung.com
Top-specced telly with 3D smarts
Model pictures David Venni Gadget pictures Pete Gardner, Matthew Beedle Art direction Alex Fanning Stylist Arabella Boyce Hair & makeup Emma White Turle Model Sophie Porley @ Storm Words Thomas Shambler, Matt Priest
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Aspire S5 9 Acer US$tba | acer.com
It’s the slimmest, sexiest Windows PC out there
Panasonic Lumix FT3
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US$395 | panasonic.com Our favourite rugged camera that can take a spill