Vital stats Zepp Z

ONE ZEPP BEYOND

Zepp Z

€350 / eu.zepp.com

Zepp is a partner brand of Amazfit and a sub-brand of Huami, which is itself part-owned by Xiaomi. Not confusing at all. So what’s its Z got to offer?

● Skip to the blood bit Six months ago nobody cared how much oxygen was in their blood; but after Apple made such a song and dance about it, if you release a smartwatch that can’t measure SpO2 now, nobody will give it a second look. So while the Oppo Watch basically cloned the Apple Watch design, Zepp has chosen to copy its features instead by offering SpO2 tracking. Everything is displayed on what appears to be a lovely 1.39in always-on AMOLED touchscreen with GPS and built-in Alexa.

● I can ski clearly now The Z is made from a single piece of polished titanium alloy and has a 340mAh battery, which lasts up to two weeks with typical use or 30 days if you just use it to tell the time. Despite its serious threads it’s waterproof to 50m and can track up to 12 different sports, including running, cycling, swimming and skiing. It works with both Android and iOS devices and will also alert you to an abnormally elevated heart rate – which could come in handy if somebody tells you they’re thinking of buying a smartwatch without SpO2.

● Samsung got me started When it comes to the design, the Z clearly has another leading smartwatch in its sights: the Samsung Galaxy Watch3. This take on a more traditional-looking wristwatch is a departure from its previous Zepp E model, which was far more Apple Watch-like. Well, we did warn you things were a little confusing.

A nano-tech coating makes the TC4 titanium alloy even more scratch-resistant.

APPLE WATCH CLONE WARS

● Oppo Watch

Although arguably the most strikingly derivative Apple Watch ‘tribute’ in existence, Oppo’s wearable does come with a bigger 1.91in display. £230/oppostore.co.uk

● Amazfit GTS 2

Given Amazfit and Zepp are close cousins, it’s no surprise to see the SpO2-tracking GTS 2 and GTR 2 matching the dual designs of the Zepp E. €170 / amazfit.com

● Wyze Watch

A 20-dollar Apple Watch copy sounds iffy… so while the Wyze offers blood oxygen monitoring, we’re not suggesting this is a solid investment. $20 /wyze.com

DESPITE ITS SERIOUS THREADS IT’S WATERPROOF TO 50M

Baby loader NERF AMBAN PHASE-PULSE BLASTER

Nerf has perfected the art of making toy blasters that are devoid of lasers but still impossibly entertaining, and now it’s bringing us a certain special rifle from a galaxy far, far away. This elongated foam-flinger is a faithful recreation of the Amban sniper rifle from The Mandalorian, featuring accurate sounds, an electronic scope with an illuminated lens, a breech-loading mechanism and a wood-textured butt. Bad news is there’s no chance of updating your arsenal in time to ruffle relatives at Christmas, as this blaster won’t be shipping until January; but if you’re looking to rule the office with the ruthless precision of a Beskar-clad bounty hunter when ‘the foam wars’ recommence, this is the way. $120 / hasbropulse.com

The birdie throng BIRD BUDDY

Tweet, tweet, who’s there? The Bird Buddy is like a Ring doorbell for your feathery friends. Every time a hungry beak approaches, the motion-activated camera captures 5MP photos and 720p video, with a 120° lens ensuring it can fit every feather in shot (unless you often get ostriches or albatrosses in your garden). The app then uses AI to identify each one and create a rogues’ gallery of winged visitors, so you know exactly which species are stopping by and when, plus it’ll give you tips on what to fill the feeder with to attract each one. The 6040mAh battery lasts about a month between charges and you can add a wall-mount or fence-mount when it goes on sale next year. £125 / mybirdbuddy.com