The Review Smiths - Issue 29 - Xmas Special

Snow is falling, all around us...no wait that's just rain. but it doesnt matter because Christmas is still on the way!

This is one of our biggest mags to date, packed with wonderful tech and products and also featuring our Christmas Gift Guide with ideas for everyone from the kids to those awkard types, tech lovers and gamer addicts. We have some real corkers in here including a super smart robo vaccuum, an alarm clock that could wake the dead and the brand new Fitbit Sense 2. There's a cool bit of tech that can transform your bicycle into an electric bike allowing you to take the load off and a super clean, easy to feed robo pet.

So, we have given you all the tools to get the christmas shopping done early this year and that means you can use the rest of the time to enjoy plenty of mince pies and mulled wine.

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Editor and chief Emma Hilling-Smith

Senior Writer

Emma Hilling-Smith Managing Director Alex Hilling-Smith

Chief Mouse Stealer Master Hilling-Smith Writer David Hicks

TeNba DNa 16 slIm messeNger bag

This Messenger bag is part of the DNA range from Tenba and they are inspired by “New York City’s tenacious bike messengers”. Not exactly sure what a bike messenger would be doing with a satchel capable of holding cameras, laptops and tablets but hey, however you want to sell it! That aside, this is actually quite a versatile bag, ideal for many things but has been clearly designed with a photographer in mind.

It fits a camera and up to 6 lenses as well as being able to squeeze a laptop (up to 15”) and a tablet (up to 11”) in at the same time. Pretty handy if out in the wild and you need to upload those photos pretty quick or save the pics to your laptop from a memory card before getting back to taking photos. This isn’t the only thing that’s going to help however. The bottom 1.5 inches of the satchel is completely waterproof so you can confidently place it down on a wet surface with no worries of anything critical getting damaged.

The materials used to make this bag are super water-repellent, with a reflective panel for safer commutes in low light and a weather wrap is supplied for when the weather takes a turn for the worst. The trolley strap at the rear is super convenient to slide over the handle of rolling luggage and there is a cycling security strap included, enabling the bag to be anchored when using it on a bike.

It also has a ‘Whisper Hook’ clasp on the main flap so that you can open it silently and not disturb all that wildlife you’re carefully taking pics of. Alternatively, there is a top zipper so that you don’t need to open the entirety of the bag and is much easier to access. Also it keeps the contents of the bag hidden more easily – you don’t want everyone to know you’re walking around with an expensive camera and laptop after-all!

The internal container for the camera is removable which is where the versatility I mentioned earlier comes in. You can still make use of the sized compartments for the laptop and tablet and I suddenly like this bag a lot more! A decent carrying strap makes this a pretty good investment.

CoNTroller for XboX serIes X|s

It’s a rare thing these days to actually see or have a wired controller. Wireless ones are so much more reliable now, especially when you have rechargeable battery units. So, why the wire on this controller designed for the latest X-Box? Well, the idea here is that it’s meant to be smaller and lighter than your normal controller (just over half an inch shorter from the bottom to the top) and so brings all sorts of advantages such as less stretching with your fingers, less weight to carry about (about 166 grams as opposed to standard controllers at 280 grams) and still has all the normal functions you would associate with a regular-sized controller. Somehow they’ve fit in rumble pads to the handles too whilst keeping it light, a pleasant surprise.

It's good for longer gaming sessions as your hands don’t have to stretch to reach all the buttons, reducing those aches that tend to creep in when playing a marathon

sesh, something I personally appreciate. However, it does take a little adjusting to for those of us that have got used to the standard controller size - I made a few crucial mistakes when stretching too far for buttons that were much closer than I thought! This is something that can be overcome with a little use though, so it’s only a minor complaint really. The wire itself is 10ft long so most people should be able to play comfortably without having to hunch forward in your seat.

There are two mappable buttons on the underside of each handle, allowing you to tailor the controller to your usual playing style and they felt quite intuitive with their placing and easy to use. Finally, there is the standard 3.5mm headset jack. Not sure I would replace my wireless controller for it, but a good little controller none-the-less.

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Any gamer worth their salt will have multiple game titles to choose from and all of them will have their own style of play. This leads to different types of controller littered around your gaming area and the frustrating hunt to find them every time you game! You finally dig one out and are merrily gaming away when the battery dies at a crucial moment… You need something to keep them in one place and fully charged and the controller charging base for Nintendo Switch from PowerA does exactly this.

The slots at the back are for the Joy-Cons and they fit nicely too with an emphasis on ease of attaching and detaching them. You don’t need to use the connecting buttons like you do when you attach them to your Switch, making the whole process easier. The space for the Pro Controller isn’t quite so straight-forward as you need to

plug in the USB-C adaptor before settling it on its crib to rest. This comes with the kit but I’m not sure why this couldn’t just be built in to the charging base itself? Still, it’s not a major hardship and a minor gripe.

The charger itself is solid, well made and compact and has rubber feet to prevent it from sliding around. It also features a recess and a couple of cable clips to keep the power lead in control, a nice little touch. The LED lighting is simple too – red for charging, green for charged with the lights placed fairly obviously so you know what’s ready and the installation is a simple matter of plugging a USB cable in to the Nintendo Switch dock itself. Combined with the fact that PowerA have been doing licensed gaming accessories for more than two decades, you’ve got yourself a good solid, well-priced unit.

luPe Pure CorDless vaCuum

We have reviewed quite a few cordless vacuums over the last five years and the main issue with them tends to be they are simply not powerful enough to do the job a mains power vacuum can do, enter the Pure Cordless Vacuum from Lupe.

The founders of Lupe are Lucas Horne and Pablo Montero who met whilst working together in the research and development department of a leading floor care brand. It turned out to be a meeting of minds that culminated a shared vision: engineer class-beating cleaning products and in 2015 they founded Lupe. With their “do what we should, not what we could”, mantra in mind, they got to work, lots of blood, sweat and head scratching later they engineered a vacuum cleaner with strength and enduring power that’s resilient against dirt and grime as well as changes in future technology. In doing so they eradicated the things consumers found irritating about cordless vacuums - poor suction and short charge times.

The vacuum is comprised of eight main parts the brush bar head, motor body, dust collector, battery, handle, hose and two detail attachments. That might seem like a lot, but all the parts click into place with zero fumbling and all buttons, latches and controls are clearly highlighted. The vacuum is very easy to assemble and each part can be replaced for a cost effective price meaning you could potentially have this vacuum for the rest of your life.

Upon first use you can feel the quality you are paying for, it manoeuvres fantastically well and the suction is something I have never experience in a cordless vacuum. We used it upright at first and what’s nice is when the 5 month old starts crying you can leave it in its upright position rather than laying it on the floor or leaning it against something. Its power head is comprised of a soft black rubber front roller which snatches items while increasing suction power, and working in tandem with a reverse spinning rear brush which agitates the carpet, flinging debris into the extra large one-litre collection bin. To use the Lupe as a stick vacuum, simply remove the handle and plug in one end of the hose. You can now reach high shelves and do the stairs and cobwebs with the detail attachments. In essence this is doing the job of two vacuums. I must admit I did baulk at the price but having now used the Lupe for a month I think this brand is going to be creeping into a lot of houses over the next few years.

For more information on the Lupe Pure Cordless Vacuum click here

Just because its getting cold and dark doesn’t mean you should use it as an excuse to stop exercising, in fact it’s a great way to keep your body and your mind feeling tip top during the winter months, the Winter Insulated 10/10 jacket from Compressport will help get you out on those colder days. This jacket is made up of two halves that work together to provide an ultralight fit while at the same time insulating with gender-specific body mapping for targeted thermoregulation, protection and breathability in the areas that need it. This top layer is super light at just 206g and considering it has insulating properties it packs down into an impressively small piece allowing you to stuff it in a bag or belt. As we mentioned the jacket is made of two parts, the upper is an ultra-thin membrane, you can almost see through it, this keeps the wind and rain off the shoulders and chest, whilst the elasticated hood and zip up high closure protects the head and neck. It is super flexible with a four way stretch fabric that allows for complete freedom of movement, there are ventilation panels where the top half meets the bottom half as well as laser cut holes to let the heat and moisture you generate escape. The lower section has a quilted like design it uses just 40g of non-woven thermal insulation which keeps your core and back toasty warm, there is also a generously sized zip up pocket on the right side. All seams are thermo-welded to keep the heat in and the wind out, the sleeves come down over your hands and there are thumb holes to keep the wind out and skin protected. The rear has a longer cut for added protection by keeping the wind and rain out of the back of your trousers, there is also reflective detailing for better visibility in low light. This winter sports jacket is wonderfully clever, combining warmth, ventilation, lightness and flexibility, it is perfect for those chilly warm up and cool downs, winter exercising and outdoor adventures.

ruffwear hemP houND sweaTer

Even our pets are starting to feel the cold right about now with their lovely natural fur coats probably not able to keep as much of the colder weather out as they would like, especially for those smaller breeds of dog. But those cute little critters generally don’t know when to give up and go indoors, always eager to stay out and play one more game of ‘fetch’, even if it is chucking it down with rain... So why not give them a little helping hand with this equally cute hemp/cotton sweater?

This is Ruffwear’s first product to include hemp that I am aware of and I’m glad they have decided to go for the sustainable element here. The mix of materials is about 55% Hemp and 45% cotton, making this dog sweater more sustainable than something made from pure Cotton (estimates suggest at least 4 times more water is used to process and farm cotton than hemp). The natural odour-resistance and breathability of hemp generally helps to make sure this sweater doesn’t end up being too uncomfortable for your four-legged friend also, taking advantage of hemp’s natural properties.

Obviously, coming from Ruffwear, it is reassuringly rugged, hard-wearing and well made, hardly a surprise there! But they have also concentrated on making this sweater suitable for hard-to-fit dogs such as those with broad shoulders or thick chests/necks. They’ve done this by having open cap sleeves on the leg-holes to minimise chafing and increase comfort and a full-length zipper that, when combined with the sleeves makes it surprisingly flexible when fitting it to your dog. The sweater is available in three colours, slate blue, heliotrope purple and fired brick.

P ros well ma De Durable a DJ usTable su IT a N y Dog T y Pe

For more information on the Ruffwear Hemp Hound Sweater click here

harNess Combo

There was a time when having a little jacket for your dog was generally reserved for those kind of people that you felt spoilt their pets and carried them around everywhere. Literally. Afterall, they’re born with coats on aren’t they, why do they need a jacket? Well, it seems that the rest of us have finally caught on to what is actually a pretty good idea! And who doesn’t mind a little bit of extra protection against the elements, fur coat or not?

Ruffwear, along with their usual focus on durability and toughness, have taken this jacket to another level by combin ing the abilities of a harness with it. The front of the jacket goes over the dogs head as is normal for a harness and the strap underneath clips in on the side of the jacket. The clip is conveniently hidden up behind the lining so there is less chance of an accidental unclipping or catching it on something while out walking, as well as providing a clean line for the jacket itself. Speaking of the lining, it’s fleece, just to give your pooch a little more luxury and comfort! The outside of the jacket has a water-repellent coating too so light moisture won’t soak in and weigh the coat down.

To be fair, sounds just like a good jacket so far. But, the way the jacket fits across the chest and the fact that you have 2 lead attachment points (an aluminium V-ring on the back and a reinforced webbing loop on the chest), gives you good control, especially with dogs that tend to strain on their lead. And, the final thing to top it off is the essential pockets! Whether it’s poo bags or a favourite toy, there’s one either side to stash the small essentials.

English is the third most spoken language in the world, however, you can almost guarantee the person you stop to ask for directions on holiday doesn’t understand a word, phrase books are great but only if you want to ask where the library is. The Pocketalk Translator is a dedicated translator with its own built in 2-year cellular data plan that provides coverage in over 130 countries/regions, this means you don’t need to worry if your mobile doesn’t work abroad and risk incurring roaming fees. It also means you don’t have to whip out an expensive smart phone in public where potential thieves might be eyeing it up, from a distance it looks like a basic cheap telephone. Basic and cheap it certainly is not, there are two main functions to the translator voice translation and image translation. The Pocketalk can translate 82 different languages by using the best translation engines around the world making it recognise local dialect and slang, this device can translate 61 voice bilaterally (the sentence is read out in the chosen language), 21 voice-to-text bilaterally (the sentence is written on the screen), and up to 37 more obscure languages voice-to-text unilaterally to help you muddle through. The built in camera can be used to take a photo of a sign or a menu for example and it can translate what is written in 55 languages, it will automatically register the language so you don’t need to select it before taking the picture which is handy if you have no idea what language it is written in. The Pocketalk is super intuitive, just follow the on-screen prompts when setting up, then simply select the language you speak and the language you want to translate it into. Press and hold the large button at the front of the device and speak into the device, the noisecancelling microphone does a good job at picking out

your voice in a noisy room. When you release the button, your phrase will automatically be read out or displayed on the screen, or you can type your phase if needed although the small touch screen keyboard isn’t easy in larger hands. The large screen is bright and clear allowing you to easily show the person you are with, designed for conversations you can speak naturally in full sentences and it can handle up to 30 seconds of speaking per translation. A conversation with someone will always be slightly stilted but it beats attempting mime or sitting in silence. After the two years of complimentary global data is up you can renew the SIM for $50 for another year or you can connect to Wifi or a hot spot to continue using it. The Pocketalk will store up to 10,000 translations letting you scroll through the most popular, “two beers please” for example and tap it to have it read out again. When testing the Pocketalk out it handled some surprisingly odd sentences with ease, it managed “I want my snake hat back” in Lithuanian, Japanese and Spanish but when I tried “make the Vikings leave my socks alone” it came back “so please see the Vikings to measure my socks weather”. The awkward thing is you will have no idea what you have said so if you receive an offended look it might be worth running it through google translate on your phone to avoid a difficult situation. So, why use the Pocketalk instead of your mobile phone? it’s cheaper to replace than most smartphones if it goes walk about and it doesn’t hold your valuable data, it is also so simple to use, it works in 130 countries, it won’t drain your phones battery and believe it or not, not everyone owns a smartphone.

My recently-turned-18 child is, as I’m sure any of you other parents of teenaged spawn out there can empathise with, far more fond of their bed in the morning than actually getting up and making something of their day! Light tapping on the door and gentle verbal persuasion over time mutates in to thumping on the door and shouting “Get up you lazy %*~@!” the older they get… However, they’ve recently got themselves a Monday to Friday full-time job! A new alarm clock you say? I gleefully agree and with a name like the Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock, how can I go wrong?

Firstly, this thing is loud! 85dB’s loud to be precise. To give you an idea of how loud that is, it’s about the same level as a food blender. Imagine that suddenly blaring out at your lugholes first thing in the morning! If that doesn’t wake you up I don’t know what will. But, the Sonic Bomb doesn’t stop there. It also has an external vibrating pad designed to be placed somewhere on your bed. Under the pillow, under the mattress or between the sheets, wherever it goes, it adds an extra dimension to early morning wake-up calls ensuring even the heaviest sleeper should be roused. The snooze function can be set up for up to 30 minutes after the alarm has initially gone off and the button is placed on the top for ease of access.

The final thing to note on the Sonic Bomb alarm clock are the LED’s. These lights also flash on and off when the alarm activates so you have a visual cue as a last-ditch effort to wake you up. If you’re a deep sleeper, hard of hearing or just a lazy teenager, this alarm clock should get you up every time!

My one single claim to fame in the skateboarding world is that I went to the same school in the same year as Dan Cates. If you know skateboarding in the UK, chances are you’ve heard of him. We weren’t friends or anything but a name-drop every now and then doesn’t hurt does it?

Anyway, these handy little pair of adapters basically help to give you a smoother experience due to the urethane bushings that help to dampen the vibrations. The advantage of urethane is that, unlike rubber, it lasts a lot longer and so does a much better job of soaking up all those vibrations and keeping everything in alignment so that the rest of the components can do their job. However, this product is more about the two components combined. The front wheels of the skateboard have the Surf Adaptor and trail a leading pivot, just like the front wheels of a car. The Rail Adaptor on the rear wheels stabilises the turning and so makes the rear wheels all about grip. Overall, this improves the handling of your board and allows you to focus on what you’re doing with more responsiveness as a result, even over rough surfaces.

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a skateboarder, I can’t imagine these wouldn’t be accepted favourably, just don’t expect to see them for a while as they go get these things fitted as soon as they can!

gT eCh CombI Dr Ill bu NDle

I seem to recall power drills being absolutely massive things that required arms like tree-trunks to wield for any period of time back in the day. Nowadays, thankfully, they have advanced enough that a decently powerful drill such as this one becomes a perfectly acceptable 1 ½ Kg and someone like me who doesn’t have arms like tree-trunks can happily make use of this without worrying about slipping a disc! Although I have no excuse for avoiding the DIY around the home now so, swings and roundabouts…

This Combi Drill Bundle includes the drill itself, a battery, a charger and 9 drill bits. Of course, being Gtech, the battery unit is compatible with all the other power tools in their range (No idea if these guys came up with the idea of a universal power source for their tools but it’s a good one!) and gives you a run time of about 40 minutes use, plenty of time for most tasks around the home. The drill bits

consist of 3 masonry bits and 6 for wood and metal. The chuck is keyless and can be turned by hand to get the aperture you need for the drill bit you’re using with the size ranging from 2mm to 13mm, again covering most of the tasks you’re likely to need around the home. The drill itself has 3 modes – drilling, screwdriving and hammer and switching between the 3 is a matter of flicking a switch.

Ordinarily, you would need to buy the charging unit separately, along with the drill bits so if you’re considering this as a gift for someone who likes their power tools, it may be a good idea to see if they have a Gtech charger already and save yourself a little bit of cash! Although no true DIY’er will ever say no to spares.

You’re probably looking at this, like me and wondering, “what’s the bundle bit then? Looks like just a light…”. To answer this, you simply have to realise it’s from Gtech and all becomes clear. Allow me to explain. Gtech came about from a want to make things easier for people at home. Part of that philosophy is a universal charger for all their products. You could buy the lamp all by itself if you already have a battery pack from another Gtech tool and happily power this light all you want. You could also use a universal charger to charge the battery up. So, this is why this is a bundle deal, even if it looks like just one thing. as you get the light, the charger and the battery pack for a reduced cost compared to buying them all together.

Now that that is out of the way, let’s look at the light itself. It can knock out an impressive 2000 Lumens when switched to the max setting or you can have a more moderate 900 Lumens for the minimal setting. If using the more conservative setting, the battery will last about 5 hours or so and about half this for the maximum setting. Given 900 lumens is still pretty bright, you can probably get away with the lower setting in most cases.

The design of the frame holding the light is clearly made for maximum stability in a busy environment with a wideframe stance to help it stand up where you may not have a completely flat surface and the knobs on the side allow you to tilt it with a range of 100 degrees so it’s easy to angle it up or down depending on if you’re doing late night ceiling painting or skirting board touch-up’s once the sun has set.

IsTorage DaTashur bT flash DrIve

With data (and the sharing or otherwise of it) digital security is paramount nowadays. It’s not like back in days of yore where we all memorised phone numbers (usually an area code and less than 6 digits…) and (SHOCK!) actually wrote important things down with a pencil and paper (pens were fer t’posh folk!). No, these days data protection is everywhere and rightly so!

Which is why I’m quietly impressed with these little flash drives. It feels like they’ve taken the protection to a whole other level. Not only do you have your standard 7-15 character password to access whatever you have stored on there, you can also link it to your phone (either Android or iOS – it’s not fussy) via Bluetooth so that it can only be unlocked using the biometrics on your phone (Face ID, Eye scan, thumbprint, however you’ve done it). They can even be remotely managed! So, if it goes missing you can instantly lock it, you can ensure someone only gets access to it at a certain time (perfect for little surprises like Happy Birthday videos) and you can even only allow it to work in certain areas if you so wish. The remote management does require a subscription service I should say but, from the point of view of running a business, this would be a small price to pay given that you can restrict access to sensitive information for work hours only or set it so that the drive doesn’t operate if taken elsewhere by an employee – both fantastic ways to keep data safe if you have work from home staff dealing with sensitive customer information.

There is a lighter side to this also – imagine setting a treasure trail for kids using the above features or timing a congratulations message to be available on cue? There’s a lot you could do with these innocuous little bits of tech, let your imagination run wild.

TImekeTTle TraNslaTor earbuDs wT2

Instant translation of languages has long been a dream of Sci-Fi writers everywhere. Douglas Adams with his Babel Fish in Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy to communicators in Star Trek, the ability to instantly understand a foreign language instantaneously is a valuable commodity and now, it seems, we actually have something that ticks the boxes and makes steps towards what we hope will be a Universal Translator. I reckon we’ll get the Enterprise in my lifetime at this rate!

The Earbuds can translate 40 languages and 93 dialects so far and sure, as far as the amount of languages and dialects across the world goes, it’s a small drop in the ocean but it’s still an incredible feat that has been achieved none-the-less. Of course, it doesn’t just work instantaneously, you need to get the app for your phone and tell it what languages you’ll be talking in before you go ahead and make use of it. As well as this, you will need an internet connection for most

of the languages although 8 of the most common ones are available in a downloadable package. As well as this, there are 15 different servers dedicated to making this system work meaning translations come through in as little as 0.5 seconds and at most 3. This allows conversation to flow much more freely and for language barriers to really start coming down.

As well as the translation abilities, it also includes noisecancelling technology, leading to even more clarity for those meetings. And, to top it all off, if you have a bud and someone you’re speaking to doesn’t, you just need to talk with the app open and it will talk in the right language for you. Holidaying made easy! I can’t see how anyone could do without these buds if your dayto-day work involves speaking to clients with different languages.

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I wonder if the design brief for this said something like “BB8 from Star wars - in miniature!”? It’s the first thing that sprang to my mind, I must admit, although we’re probably quite a ways off from getting that head to stay in place… Of course, this is ignoring the golf-ball aesthetic but hey, my mind goes off on tangents too easily, what am I to do? Focus on the tech, that’s what! The Sphero Mini Robot Ball has a gyroscope and accelerometer built in as well as LED lights and is controlled via the Sphero Play app. The app allows you to control the ball in several different ways. You can tilt your mobile device to direct it, use a joystick button on your touchscreen or use slingshot (what you do when playing Angry Birds) to propel the ball where you want it to go. As fun as all the above is, this just seems on the surface to be a fun kid’s toy but it’s real worth comes in to play when you download the Sphero Edu app. This contains more then 100 computer science lessons, activities and programs to help educate your child, all aimed at sparking their curiosity and creativity. The games themselves then lead on to learning the basics of coding and suddenly this ‘toy’ becomes an educational tool. As well as that, the app has a com munity that shares their games and activities that they have created via submission to the app so you have plenty to choose from and to stoke further ideas of their own. Another nice touch is the ability to change the shell of the ball for various colours, further endearing this to the young ones in your life. An enjoyable toy or an educational tool, this is a really great, affordable gadget.

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An advent calendar for the tea lovers out there, every day you can enjoy a different tea, you can choose between pyramid teabags or loose leaf when purchasing. Each tea is individually wrapped and pre-portioned for one cup of tea, they are all gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan-friendly and have no added sugar.

Click here for more info

RRP £24

for T he game a DDICTs

lego h arry PoTT er a DveNT CaleNDar

It’s not too late! You have a few weeks left to get your hands on this year’s Lego Harry Potter advent calendar, suitable for ages 7 and up it comes with 7 minifigures including Moaning Myrtle, Sirus Black and Nymphadora Tonks. The first 3 toys make a scene from the first film, the next 3 toys make a scene from the second film, and so on, once it’s complete it becomes a board game, a wonderfully magical way to enjoy the build up to Christmas.

Click here for more info

RRP £29.99

Brio Advent Calendar

Well this is a little bit adorable, your small human can count down the days before Christmas with this sweet Brio set. The front of the box folds down to reveal a Christmas scene then day by day, each door features a toy that is compatible with the BRIO World railway system. The calendar features 24 pieces, including tracks, animals, accessories and exclusive seasonal items such as Santa Claus himself and a unique gingerbread Christmas Train. Suitable for ages 3 and up.

Click here for more info

RRP £34.99

T he T eC h fa Ns

r ePreseNT ow N ers Club

hooDI e

No one is keen to put the heating on this year so this warm and stylish hoody from Represent Owner Club is a great shout, it comes in a range of colours and has an oversit fit for snuggly, super comfortable wear (plus room for xmas dinner). The heavyweight jersey cotton feels a bit like wearing a hug and who wouldn’t want that this winter.

Click here for more info

RRP £150

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Our furry friends deserve a treat this Christmas, so why not spoil your pup with the Huck a Cone, the knotted rope handle allows for a game of tug of war and for throwing long distances. The cone will bounce erratically encouraging an exciting game of fetch, it is also good to know it is made from natural latex rubber that comes from a renewable resource. It comes in three different colours.

Click here for more info

RRP £23.95

ruffwear

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If your dog is more motivated by treats the Gnawt-a-Rock toy might be better suited, this durable throw toy is made with natural latex rubber, featuring a faceted surface, and an irregular shape to keep pup guessing. It’s designed to be durable and chew resistant (note not completely chew-proof) and the internal chamber dispenses small treats to keep your doggo’s interest.

Click here for more info

RRP £26.95

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Got a family member or friend who’s recently been inspired by Bake Off? Well, those bakers were using the iconic KitchenAid Artisan Mixer and what better than to treat them to the beautiful Blossom edition. Featuring a stunning hammered copper bowl that pairs strikingly with the soft thyme green colour of the main body. It has all the things that make the Artisan great including the quiet and efficient mixing motor, tilting head and 4.7L capacity, it also comes with a solid stainless steel whisk, dough hook, flat beater and pastry beater. perfecting pulling technique –their reward; an authentic cafe-quality espresso that will rival any expensive high-end machine.

Click here for more info

RRP £749

sT eel NoN- sTICk muff IN &

Cu PCake TIN

Sticking with the cooking theme why not give someone the gift that keeps giving, this 12-cup tin from KitchenAid can produce large fluffy muffins, mini buns and cupcakes or even Yorkshire puddings. The non-stick surface provides quick and easy food release, it is freezer safe and measures up at H4 x W28 x D40.7cm. It’s made from a high-quality aluminised steel ensuring an even heat and years of reliable use. Even better it’s dishwasher safe so no need to get roped into the washing up.

Click here for more info

RRP £30

k ITCheNa ID bakeware Cake TIN

It’s Christmas cake season so whether this is a gift for yourself or someone else you can feel safe in the knowledge your cake is going to cook perfectly in this KitchenAid non-stick springform cake tin. It is constructed from a high-grade scratch and corrosion resistant aluminised steel; it has a 0.8mm base for even heat distribution and no bending or warping. The non-stick surface provides good baking results and makes things easy to clean, it is also dishwasher friendly.

Click here for more info

RRP £24.99

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We are big fans of Tracklements, in fact they were a big hit at the many summer BBQs we had, this set comes with the Hot Chilli Sauce 230ml, the Fresh Chilli Jam 250g and the Spitfire Chilli Mustard 140g (my favourite). These big flavour condiments compliment all sorts of different food. Go wild and experiment or treat some one who likes a little heat in the kitchen.

Click here for more info

RRP £15.65

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Here’s one for the sports fans…well tennis fans, it wouldn’t be much of use to a swimmer, this racquet in now in its eighth generation, perfect for those players looking for precise control and the ultimate spin. It produces a punchy attack with a tighter string pattern, the added flax fibres in the frame gives more feel and a clearer impact letting you lead the rallies more effectively. The aerodynamic frame integrates into the bumper whilst the grommets increase your racquet head speed and spin generation. So, there you go, you can’t lose… literally. Click here for more info RRP £244.99

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PhoNo

This affordable phono pre-amp lets music fans enjoy a purer listening experience by providing the connection between the record cartridge/pickup (stylus) and the amplifier. It has a clean symmetrical channel layout and offers ultra-low noise letting audiophiles hear every drop of detail against a super-quiet background. It also features precise RIAA equalisation to satisfy the vinyl enthusiasts and a sophisticated subsonic filter setting for warped records.

Click here for more info

RRP £99

I f I au DIo zeN a I r Ca N

The ZEN Air CAN is an amplifier pure and simple; it will take an input signal from an analogue source such as your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet, streamer or TV and creates a larger copy of the original signal before it’s sent to your headphones improving both the clarity and the volume. There are three gain settings to play with letting you adjust the gain depending on the sensitivity of the headphones or iEMs.

Click here for more info

RRP £99

I f I au DIo zeN a I r blue

This little device lets you get the maximum sound quality from Bluetooth audio, it can convert Bluetooth audio streams from smartphones, computers or tablets into an audio stream suitable for headphones, amplifiers and active speakers (speakers that run on their own DC power). It’s also an easy way to add Bluetooth streaming to an existing set-up or upgrade the sound quality of any speaker or system that uses standard Bluetooth.

Click here for more info

RRP £99

a lCoseNse lIT e 2

Let this award-winning device keep you safe this Christmas season, this pocket sized breathalyser is easy to use and will provide clear results in seconds, it will let you know if you are close to or over the legal limit. It has an adjustable drink drive limit for any UK or Irish limit and you will get calibration reminders every 12months or after 300 tests, whichever comes first, ensuring you are always getting accurate and reliable results. Click here for more info

RRP £44.99

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ame CoNT roller

This is officially licensed by Xbox for Xbox cloud gaming on Android smartphones, it provides an Xbox-quality controller letting game play happen anywhere, anytime, for anyone. There are unlimited customisation options to set the layout and buttons you like. It features two additional back buttons, Hall Effect analogue triggers, Alps 3D joysticks and Kailh Microswitch bumpers, there is also one month free Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with each purchase.

Click here for more info

RRP $79.99

NgT Dy Nam IC sTove

Got an outdoorsy to shop for? How about the NGT Dynamic Stove for some outdoor cooking, this compact stove has quick folding locking legs, a Piezo Ignition for automatic lighting, a large stable hob to put your pots and pans on. The nine inches of ground clearance means you don’t have to sit on the floor whilst prepping your meal and it works with the popular 450g Butane gas. A handy hard carry case is included for storage and transportation.

Click here for more info

RRP £49.95

a N yshar P X bla De P rofessIoNal

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You have heard the saying that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, this knife sharpener from Anysharp will guarantee your knives are in tip top condition. It is very safe and offers hands free sharpening, well you have to hold the knife, but the sharpener is held firm on a flat surface thanks to the Powergrip suction. It self-adjusts for the angle and pressure of the blade and can sharpen any steel knife from 12.5° to 22.5°, or hardened steel knives. A few strokes and the carving knife will be ready for the turkey. Click here for more info

RRP £69.99

I NTI m INa balmy

This one might be best suited as a little gift to yourself, the body friendly lotion has been specifically designed for intimate hydration and moisturising that can be used during every life stage. It soothes the external skin and restores optimal comfort and softness and can be used to treat the dryness and itching caused by shaving rash and sensitive skin. It’s delivers a long-lasting protection, that won’t affect your natural pH balance.

Click here for more info

RRP £12.90

loll IPoP smarT baby Camera

Help new parents keep an eye on their little one with this smart baby monitor, it is possible to monitor your baby’s breathing by AI technology and view baby’s respiratory rate and sleeping position history. There are also notifications for crying and crossing virtual barriers, you can chat and play baby soothing music and take snap shots and videos of them looking oh so adorable. You can check in on them via your smartphone even when you are away from home.

Click here for more info

RRP £125.98

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r aveNsburger sTar wars (Power of T he Dark sIDe) vIlla

The bad guys in stories always seem to have more fun so why not jump right into the dark side and play this entertaining strategy board game as some of the greatest villains of all time, Kylo Ren, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, and Moff Gideon. Each Villain has a unique objective and abilities based on their story and will force opponents to face off against the Jedis. This game is based on the award-winning Villainous game system with added elements to please the biggest Star Wars fans. Suitable for ages 10 and up.

Click here for more info

RRP £39.99

r aveNsburger DIsN ey

g argoyles: awakeNINg

Who remembers this gem from the 90’s, the Gargoyles have returned, stone by day, warriors by night, they were betrayed by the humans they had sworn to protect and frozen in stone by magic for a thousand years. Now they are back in Manhattan, the spell is broken, and once again they become the defenders of the night. This coop strategy game brings the players together to defend Manhattan with each characters unique abilities. Sustainable for ages 10 and up.

Click here for more info

RRP £28

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sTarT er s eT

The starter set allows you to build action-packed track systems for hours of fun, this STEM toy harnesses the power of gravity and will teach kids about magnetism, kinetic energy and fun. Freestyle track design or use the tasks and blueprints included to get started in the world of GraviTrax. Will the gravity spheres stop or go flying off the track before reaching the end target? This encourages problem solving and it can be extended indefinitely with extra track packs and add-on’s sold separately. Suitable for ages 8 and up.

Click here for more info RRP £54.99

r aveNsburger h arry PoTT er

labyr INT h

This was one of my favourite games growing up, part luck and part strategy but now it has been brought into the Harry Potter universe and I couldn’t think of a better combination. Collect your favourite characters whilst moving around the Marauders Map, however, much like the staircases in Hogwarts the routes can change in an instant, what was once an open corridor becomes a dead end. Keep exploring to be the first one to gather up all your fellow wizards and witches and get back to safety. Suitable for ages 7 and up.

Click here for more info

RRP £24.99

DIsTIl wally ageNT

The wallet has been a classic Christmas gift for a long time, up there with socks and a good book, the Wally Agent from Distil is an attractive slim billfold that has the capacity to hold 12 cards and up to 30 or more bills. There are two quick-access slots, and two Wally Pull-Tab pockets help organise cards, the fabric-lined bill section accommodates notes up to 92mm tall. The rich full-grain leather is wonderfully crafted and will only get better with age.

Click here for more info

RRP £69

DIsTIl wally euro

The Wally Euro aims to combine your wallets contents into one streamlined solution, with a slim profile and functional touches, it has the signature Wally Pull-Tab for easy card access, an adjustable money clip, and a handy squeezelock pocket. It will carry notes up to 81mm (3.2in) tall and has the capacity to hold 8 cards, coins, up to 30 bills. The contents stay securely inside thanks to the patent pending FlexLock pockets. Just like the Agent it is constructed from a Rich full-grain leather and is available Ink (black), Hickory (brown) and Slate (grey) finishes.

Click here for more info

RRP £69

bamboo CloT h INg 73 zero

DeNI m s h I rT

This attractive denim shirt will suit most frames with its relaxed fit, it can be worn comfortably over a T Shirt, it has plenty of stretch allowing you all the freedom of moment to dance the night away at the Christmas party. It is styled with patch pockets, a classic point collar and contrast stitching. Hidden away in the chest pocket is stitched the outline of the global temperature rise from 2006 to 2020. The denim contains 20% recycled cotton and uses 74% less water than conventional denim whilst the take back scheme ensures the shirt will be recycled without a thread going to waste.

Click here for more info

eksT er Car DholDer

for a I rTag

For a wallet with a difference look no further than Ekster, this cardholder is made with space-grade 6061-T6 aluminium and is built for quick access. It will fan out the cards at the click of a button and the expandable metal backplate allows you to carry more while keeping a slim profile. It features the custom silicone Apple AirTag holder to keep track of it all and comes in a choice of Black and Graphite times

Click here for more info

RRP £71

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er walleT for a I rTag

If a full wallet is needed then this version will be better suited, this flagship leather smart wallet, is perfect for slim storage and quick card access. It too will fan out the cards when needed and made to work with an AirTag. It will hold 1-12 cards and notes, it can block RFID and is constructed from an environmentally certified leather which will increase in beauty as is ages. It is available in either Nappa Black or Classic Brown. Click here for more info

RRP £71

eksT er k ey holDer

This compact key organiser keeps all your keys in one secure place, it can hold 3-8 keys and ensures they are all quick and easy to access. It's made from the same robust space-grade aluminium as the card holder and comes with a magnetic ring attachment useful for attaching more keys or car fobs. A key tracker can be added at point of purchase which allows the owner to find their keys no matter where they have left them.

Click here for more info

RRP £31

myP Illow ClassIC P Illow

Is there anything better than the gift of a good nights sleep? This super soft pillow comes with a 100% cotton cover, soft to touch and offers three fill profiles - low, medium and high, it is fluffable, shapable and breathable. It is hypoallergenic and non-toxic, machine washable and dryable and even comes with a 60-night satisfaction guarantee.

Click here for more info

RRP £29.95

ru NNINg soC ks

Not your ordinary Christmas socks, they are composed of extra-fine yarn to provide plush protective cushioning for running mile after mile. These socks offer ultimate protection and impact resistance with a plush, dense cushioned and 200 needle-count fabric, the enhanced elastane provides additional non-slip security, whilst the extra-deep heel pocket ensures the perfect fit. Your feet will be kept cool and dry thanks to the proprietary Drynamix moisture wicking fibres and the specially constructed, reinforced microfibre mesh ventilation panels.

Click here for more info

RRP £15

bamboo ClassIC fa I r Isle PaC k soC ks

Another classic gift, these Classic Fairisle socks come in a pack of four, two featuring snow flakes designs with the other two in bold colours. These socks are perfectly soft and comfortably to wear, and because of bamboo’s natural moisture managing your feet stay feeling fresh, dry and odour free all day long. The be sure these socks will last the have both a reinforced heel and a reinforced toe which also adds a little extra cushioning in these areas. Click here for more info RRP £15.60

NIghTsearCher Nav IgaTor

620 r r eChargeable

flashl IghT

The powerful Navigator-620R has been designed for professional use with a 175 metre spot beam and powerful 620 lumens light output. The brightness memory function means it will instantly find your preferred light mode when switched on, whilst holding the on/off will dim or brighten the beam. There is a colour battery status and charging indicator so you can see power levels and the tough type III anodised aluminium housing is impact resistant to 1 metre and water resistant to IPX7 rating.

Click here for more info

RRP £39.95

Ever wanted to feel like one of those people up on stage with one of those funky little microphones attached to the side of their face? That’s how this makes me feel! Alright, I’m not broadcasting my voice out to a packed venue but it does lend an element of “I look cool!” to my calls. Well, that’s what I tell myself anyway…

But it’s not all about the looks of course! The fit is good and comfortable with the frame coated with silicone so it feels good on your skin and I could see being able to wear this quite comfortably for long periods of time. It also only weighs 33 grams so there’s no real weight to worry about either. Technically, Shokz have done a pretty good job. They have used DSP (Digital Signal Processor) technology to make use of noise reduction algorithms so that your conversations can take place with minimal background noise and, combined with the noise-cancelling boom microphone, makes for trouble-free and clear speech.

On the other side of the conversation, the ear-piece is equipped with something they refer to as ‘7th bone conduction technology’. Quite simply, the headset makes use of vibrations pushed along your bone structure and so it heads straight to the inner ear bones for translation and avoids going through the air, leading to a very clear sound. Pretty clever stuff If I’m being honest and it’s the clearest sound I’ve heard on a headset without a full ear-covered set-up. Maybe unsurprisingly, it uses Bluetooth to connect to your PC and the range is good for up to 33 feet so feel free to make yourself a cuppa while chatting!

It's pricey but, if you’re involved on lots of calls, I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find something better.

a

rTIPhoN orba 2

At the Review Smiths we love it when tech comes along to produce something fun and creative, this super dinky device is in fact a musical instrument, actually it is ALL musical instruments, the Orba 2 is the second generation of Artiphon’s award-winning synth, looper, and controller. It fits in the palm of your hand at 3.14" (diameter) x 2" (height), it has a USB-C port, 3.5mm (1/8") TRS Analog headphone stereo output, it has a 3W built-in active speaker system and uses Bluetooth LE MIDI (MIDI only) it is worth noting that Windows 10 does not currently support Bluetooth LE MIDI. The Orba 2 works alongside the Orba App to allow you to capture and import your own sounds to create your own personalised instrument, sample guitars, keyboard or drums but why stop there, play with vocals, birdsong, car alarms, anything that strikes your imagination. You can record loops right on the device itself, using Drum, Bass, Chord, and Lead, you can then layer sounds to create songs, these can be downloaded and shared with friends.

The quantize feature lets you snap your musical phrases to the beat so that it all fits together perfectly to create songs up to 128 bars (3-5mins). The touch and motion sensors work together to capture even the most subtle micro – movements, the playing surface simultaneously responds to the nine simple gestures, Tap, Press, Radiate, Tilt, Shake, Spin, Vibrato, Move, and Bump. Each gesture can control the onboard synth engine or your MIDI music software of choice making a hugely versatile instrument. The Orba 2 can be used to control MIDIbased software and hardware instruments (via USB - C or wirelessly via Bluetooth MIDI) and it is compatible with GarageBand, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, FL Studio, as well as any MIDI - compatible mobile app, it is also fully compliant with the new standard for MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE), making it capable of multiple independent note expressions. This new and improved Orba 2 is a small but mighty piece of musical tech offering a world of creativity at your fingertips.

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greeNPaN PremIere 28Cm fryINg PaN

There are few things in life that are worth investing in and cookware is one of those, a decent frying pan will loyally see you through many years of breakfast, lunch and dinners. The Premiere Collection from GreenPan is their newest showpiece, that has been constructed with a high-tech multiply stainless steel. The entire collection has a healthy non-stick coating, this Thermolon Infinity Pro non-stick coating is enhanced with diamonds, yes actual diamonds, it is extremely durable, scratch-resistant and completely PFAS-free. The professional grade heat distribution helps spread the heat evenly and quickly across the entire surface thanks to the aluminium core, the ceramic coating means you need less oil to cook and makes cleaning much easier. The Thermolon coating also releases 60% less CO2 compared to traditional non-stick coatings, whilst the stainless-steel outer with its Evershine finish not only looks great but is wrapped over the rims for optimal impact protection and silhouette rivets keep a low profile on the interior. This pan is ideal for professionals and beginners alike, it’s hard to go wrong with this pan, it is suitable for a range of heat sources, ceramic, electric, gas, halogen, induction and oven. We received the 28cm Frying Pan to take a closer look at, it has a comfortable weight to it at 1.38kg and has a base diameter of 21.5cm, the handle is made from an over safe stainless steel and is oven resistant up to 220°C. This pan is dishwasher safe but like most good cookware it is recommended that it is handwashed to keep it in its best condition, but the occasional dishwasher wash won’t do it any harm. The initial price might put some people off, but it is well worth it considering the quality and durability, this will be a pan that sticks (or non-sticks) with you for years to come.

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For more information on the GreenPan Premiere 28cm Frying Pan click here

DuuX ThreesIXTy 2

People are just starting to get their cold weather gear on: gloves are coming out, scarves are being wrapped, jumpers are being aired and this is just when you’re indoors! The colder weather is slowly creeping up on us and as a result, items like this end up being more sought after. A little electric-powered heater that does the job and does it quickly.

The Threesixty 2 can heat up a space of up to 30 square metres in half the time it takes a conventional heater and it does this by firstly utilising a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heating element. This means that the resistance increases significantly with temperature, a kind of inbuilt thermostat if you will. This helps the heater maintain a consistent temperature. Secondly, the way the outlet is designed ensures the heater spreads out the warmth evenly in a 360 degree radius. Certainly something to put in the centre of the room then!

This heater can also be controlled via your mobile phone, using the Duux app. Indeed, there are very minimal buttons on the heater itself, giving it a very clean appearance. And at only just under 22cm tall (about 9”) it’s not really going to be sticking out like a sore thumb. It’s relatively quiet too, hitting 46 dB’s at worst (about the same as a decent fridge) so really can be rather unintrusive. It does come with a ‘tip-over’ feature which makes it automatically turn off if it’s accidentally knocked over as well as a safety switch on the bottom so it can’t be turned on accidentally, both of which significantly reduce the risk of fire or heat damage, especially if you have young ones or pets. Finally, there is overheat protection to really put your mind at rest and with voice control available via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, it’s quite the neat little package.

PeToI bITTle DeveloPer kIT

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Last week Petoi launched the Bittle V2 Stem Kit which is a cost-down version of Bittle - RRP $269 for the con struction kit and $289 for the pre-assembled kit. And there is only a black-yellow-blue color option available. Compared to the Bittle V1, the STEM Kit contains plastic-gear servos instead of metal ones and thus making it lighter and more flexible with different movements. It is more suitable for general STEM education and those who want to enjoy some robotics fun. You can hardly tell any difference between the appearance of V1 and V2, except for the colors of the servo cables.

Back when I was a kid, there were these toys you could get called Zoids. They were made of plastic and were meant to represent giant robots, mainly based on dinosaurs, with humanoid pilots. They were either wind up or battery driven and you had to build them using all the plastic components provided. Turn them on and off they walked. Endless hours of fun, if a little limited. Well, this thing has totally knocked the spots off of those!

It's pretty much Zoids for the 21st Century with this robotic dog kit. This version comes with extra servos and an additional battery pack to give you more flexibility with construction. The other two versions are a pre-built one (why lose out on all that fun and sense of satisfaction?!) and a kit without the extra servos. The end result is your very own (small) robot dog that you literally have built yourself. And of course, you can do far more with it than just wind it up and let it go!

For those that are in to their coding, there’s a wealth of information provided with the online manuals where they go right in to the nitty gritty of computer programming and teaching the Bittle new behaviours so you can literally train your robot dog if you’re familiar with what you’re doing. For those of us who are not quite so savvy or are still learning, the Bittle is perfectly viable to play with using the remote provided. It’s a little fiddly to set up but worth the effort. There is also a Bluetooth chip included so you can control it from your mobile via an app.

It's an expensive toy but it really does make you feel like you’re involved with technology when you’re literally building your first robot.

Being an ex-chef, I can instantly see the practical use of this in a busy kitchen environment. The ability to have consist ently sized slices of whatever you need knocked out at an alarming rate when you’ve got a coach-load of covers turn up is priceless. Better still, it’s manual. I’m always a little suspicious of relying on electric goods in a professional kitchen, they’re just hazards waiting to happen if you ask me…

But this is nice. I love the look of it, love the bamboo board that comes with it and what’s more fun than using a food slicer?! Well, plenty of things actually but there’s something quite satisfying about this – there’s minimal effort and getting this slice of cut the same size every time? Not likely with a traditional knife without a lot of practice! So, for those that work in a kitchen, it’s fantastic.

Suction feet will keep the appliance in place as you work, avoiding any mistakes made from bumping or knocking it, and generally making it much safer to use. It is made of sturdy materials, as well as materials that give it a traditional and attractive look. The metal body is hardy and also easy to keep clean, and the beech wood handle is comfortable and, as I said, traditional-looking. There’s something timeless about this piece of kit that makes it an experience as much as a convenience.

All in all, this appliance is easy to use, easy to clean, and produces exactly the result I’d hoped for. Think carefully about whether you would like a hand-powered food slicer or an electric one, but personally, I like that this doesn’t use any power and doesn’t need to hog one of the sockets in the kitchen. It feels more traditional, too, and that’s fun in itself..

blue yeTI usb mICroPhoNe

My own experience of microphones is pretty limited – yelling at one in something vaguely resembling Darth-Vaderwith-a-sore-throat kind of voice when a teenager was about as good as it got. At least that’s what I thought, but I wasn’t asked back… Of course, these days microphones aren’t just for teenage-aged Dave’s espousing their insecurities via a tone-deaf medium in the loudest voice possible – they are far more ubiquitous and accessible than back then. Arguably more in demand too…

The Yeti microphone is an adaptable device designed for the modern microphone user. It comes with different modes that allow you to use it for a range of activities from podcasting to broadcasting live music, conducting interviews or duetting while singing karaoke. Each mode focusses the ‘listening’ part of the microphone in different directions so giving them each a distinctive ‘feel’. Want to make your listeners feel like they’re actually at the live gig? Use the ‘Omni-Directional mode to soak up all that atmospheric sound. Need to conduct an interview and don’t want to keep moving the mic around? Use the Bi-Directional mode. As an aside to that, the microphone position and angle are fully adjustable so once it’s set up, you can do what you need to do with confidence.

The mic connects up to your laptop via USB and you also have access to the Blue VO!CE software which allows you to utilise all sorts of vocal affects. Speaking of vocal effects, there is room for a 3.5mm jack on the microphone too allowing practically zero latency so you can hear whatever you’re playing as you play it once you plug your favourite headphones in. Combined with the ability to fiddle with the gain, volume, pattern selection and even instant mute, why would you want more than this? Could have had my own band if I’d had this, could have been a contender.

DaTaColor sPyDer PrINT

When it comes to perfect colour, Datacolor has your back and now they have just added the Spyder Print to their col lection, designed to meet professional printing needs, it come with the SpyderPRINT Spectrocolorimeter and base, a 6' USB cable, the SpyderPRINT Software CD, guide and quick start guide. Aimed at pro photographers and fine art printers, it gives you accurate screen matching colour, the software is user friendly, you can set up custom profiles to ICC standards, it supports both colour and black and white printing. The Spyder Print will work with any RGB driven printer, ink and paper combination including photography and fine art, post card printers and more. The software supports two readings modes either the individual colour patches or strips of colour patches for flexible control over the way you work. The Extended Greys Target is included to let you measure precision grey and near grey patches, bringing out the depth and quality of tinted and black and white prints. The exclusive SpyderProof (soft proof) feature will give you a series of images to help evaluate the printer calibration results whilst the SpyderGuide provides ease in reading the printed targets to help you create profiles. Getting started is easy enough however creating the profiles can be a bit time consuming it is achieved by printing out a series of test patterns with colour management turned off and measuring the colour patches with a measurement tool (spectro photometer) which range from 225 patches to 729 unique patches plus an additional 238 patches near the grey axis. Saying that it’s like anything that’s worth doing it’s worth doing it right, you wouldn’t be purchasing the Spyder Print if you weren’t a perfectionist. The Print isn’t a cheap investment, and it may take a little bit of your time to get going in the beginning but the results are well worth the effort for the flawless, true to colour results you receive.

a QualIT y PI eCe of T eCh T haT DelI vers ProfessIoNal gra De Pr INTINg .

fITbIT seNse 2

Fitbit has come along way since it released its first device 2009 when it was not much more than a wrist worn step counter, 13 years later and we have just seen the release of the Sense 2 but with its hefty asking price is it worth the money? The Sense 2 is firstly a very stylish device with a slim profile that is comfortable to wear all day and looks good dressed up or dressed down, it has a bright, full colour touch screen display which can be customised with a range of clock faces. It currently comes in a choice of three colours Shadow Grey / Graphite Aluminium, Lunar White / Platinum Aluminium and Blue Mist / Soft Gold Aluminium, with a flexible and secure wristband. Just like the original Sense it has a huge range of features and sensors to keep track of your health and wellbeing, including heart rate tracking, built in and connected GPS, SmartTrack Automatic Exercise Recognition as well as providing a fitness score. It is water resistant so you can take it in the shower and swimming, it will also track your sleep and sleep stages, give you a quality score based on how long you spend in each stage and there’s a silent wake alarm option too. When it comes to looking after your health the Tracking SpO2 tells you how well blood oxygen is distributed in your body, there are also irregular heartbeat notifications as well as high or low-rate notifications. The Sense 2 will also give you feedback about sick temp, breathing rate and there is menstrual tracking via the app. Focusing more on wellbeing there are options to log your daily mood, guided breathing sessions and while you do a mindfulness session, the EDA Scan app can detect your electrodermal activity which can help you build your mindfulness practice and improve your mental well-being. The Sense 2 is first and foremost a fitness device which to remain competitive has integrated a lot of smart features too, however, a few of these as still ‘coming soon’ so currently it has Fitbit Pay, Alexa built in and text, call and app notifications. It has promised to deliver on wrist calls (already available on the original Sense), Google Maps, Google Wallet at some point in the future. The only thing it currently offers over the Sense is the All-day body-response tracking with notifications, this uses a cEDA sensor to help identify when your body is experiencing signs of stress giving you the chance to bring you into the present and take action to calm your body down. There are also a bunch of extra features available if you are willing to sign up to the Premium Membership, this includes a much more detailed breakdown of your sleep, skin temp, health and fitness stats, as well as a stress management score, daily readiness score, trends over time and Premi um workouts, it’s an extra £7.99 a month but you still get plenty of great data without signing up. So, back to that big question, is it worth the money, well if you are looking for predominately a smart watch or already own the Sense put that wallet away, however if you want an up to date, comfortable and high performing fitness watch with additional smart capabilities this will tick all your boxes.

The Nautilus Lifeline Marine Rescue GPS is up there with fire extinguishers and air bags, you hope you will never need it but if a situation arises when you do use it, it could be the difference between life and death. The lifesaving devices has been designed to be less than half the size of the original radio, it is a GPS locator accurate to 1.5 meters in the event of becoming thrown overboard. What we love about the Marine Rescue GPS is its simplicity - the last thing you need after being thrown into cold water is any complicated actions to perform because your brain won’t be working at full capacity. All you need to do is undo the latch, turn on, remove the antenna retainer and press the red button and it is activated, this process also protects against accidental activation. Your GPS position will then be available, and a ‘man overboard’ distress message will be broadcast to all AIS equipped ships up to a radius of 34 miles. A special DSC message will also be sent to the marine radio on your own vessel and if permitted, it will alert the rest of your crew to your situation. The Nautilus GPS floats and is fully waterproof in all sea conditions. There is no need for MMSI, licences and regis tration needed to get set up, the dive depth goes all the way up to 425 feet (with cap closed) and the whole unit re quires minimal maintenance - just keep the o-ring clean and replace the batteries every five years (batteries not includ ed). The Nautilus works in temperatures from -25°C to +55°C, it is lightweight at only 131g with batteries inserted and has a compact size at just 2.9 x 3.8 x 1.5 inch (75 x 97 x 39 mm). To ensure the device is always ready for action, there is an idiot proof colour coded light system that lets you know if its activated or on test mode. I would be great if the batteries, a carry-case or wearable attachment system were included in the price, but it isn’t a deal breaker considering that this product has the potential to save your life.

$199

oofos oomg eezee low shoe

With a name like OOFOS these shoes immediately sparked our interest, turns out the name is inspired by the noise you make when you put them on because they are “ooo” so comfortable. These shoes are the original active recovery footwear brand which have been designed to support your feet post run and workouts, however they are suitable for anyone looking for a comfortable supportive shoe for all day wear. All the OOFOS are powered by the proprietary OOfoam which absorbs 37% more impact than a regular shoe designed to help you recover without slowing you down. We received the women’s OMGG EEZEE Low Shoe in the Sage, they are also available in Black, White, Pink, Orange, Taupe, Yellow and Platinum and come in sizes 4-8, nothing about them screams that they are a recovery shoe but the moment you put them on you realise they are something special. They really do make you go “ooo”, the foam insole cradles the arch of the foot, this has a direct impact on reducing stress in the foot, up the ankle, to the knees and other joints, the upper is made from one piece of a 4-way stretch woven canvas with a reinforced heel. The minimal seams mean these shoes can comfortably be worn without socks and the closed-cell foam is machine

washable and designed to minimize odour. The heel-totoe drop in all OOFOS is 6mm, but due to the heel cup and elevated arch, the traditional approach to measuring drop does not translate from performance footwear. The outsole has a curved design that encourages the foot to roll from heel to toe for even less effort from your muscles and joints, this makes them a good choice not just for recovery but also for those suffering with plantar fasciitis or those on their feet all day long at work, nurses for example could benefit from the comfort these shoes provide. The sizing felt a little tight across the top of the foot and unfortunately half sizes are not available, but this could be because I was wearing sock plus they should contour to the feet the more you wear them. It wasn’t uncomfortably tight, just tighter than I am used to, but it is probably worth trying a size up too, just to make sure you have the right fit. Overall, the OOMG EEZEE

Low Shoes are seriously comfortable shoes, perfect for post recovery days and long days on your feet, oh and for more than just a feel-good feeling in your feet, a portion of each sale is donated to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity resulting in £25,349.76 donated so far.

Cycling, one of the most efficient individual modes of transport out there and all powered by the rider. Not to men tion it’s quite fun too! A great form of exercise and a great way of sharing time with family and friends as well. It’s also great from a practical point of view too, for those short commutes to work or trips to the shop. So, at first, I struggled to see the advantage of having an e-bike, doesn’t it take away from what a bike is for? Well, no, not really.

If you’re a courier, regularly cycle to work or are just starting and haven’t yet built up the fitness needed to rely purely on yourself, this device turns your regular cycle in to an ebike and can be very useful in helping you to conserve energy. It can fit on either the front or back wheel and uses a wireless sensor to activate. The battery is good for about 24 miles so is ideal for short to medium journeys and it only takes about 4 hours to charge up. You can also download the Zipforce app so that you can control it with your phone mounted on the handlebars to save you having to reach forward and adjust while riding (there’s an assistance level function on there that allows you to tamper with how much help you’re getting from the Slim) and it will allow you to go up to the heady speed of 15.5 mph (the legal maximum for an ebike). I’m not being flippant, you really do feel like you’re going super-fast!

Given that brand new ebikes clock in at over £1000 for a half-decent model, this is a good choice if you’re looking to reduce travel times and conserve energy. Plus, you get to keep your own bike!

Chea Per T ha N buy INg a whole ebI ke , T h Is Is a gooD way

To CoN verT your e XIs TINg bI ke a ND save yourself some eN ergy for T he Day ahea D.

IfI auDIo zeN aIr DaC

I’ve reviewed a few of ifI’s products in recent times, most of them being linked directly to (shall we say… less modern?) systems of music enjoyment such as a turntable or wired headphones. This is the first one I’ve seen that seems to be designed to go with digital forms of music. It’s built for tablets, mobile phones and your computer and is essentially an amp for those things.

“And?” you may ask. All these things are easily capable of emitting sound and playing the music, why bother with an amp? Well, it’s a bit like (some of you young’uns may have to look some of these up!) the difference between Tapes or CD, VHS or DVD or even regular TV and HDTV. It just sounds better! The reason for this? Well, it’s external and so there’s less interference from all those electronic components for starters. And ifI do a particularly good job of keeping those components as quiet as possible

within the DAC itself. Mostly due to their use of an OV Series Operational Amplifier, the use of which has been fine-tuned over multiple systems – they know what they’re doing here!

The DAC has multiple features. It can support different file formats ranging from PCM to DSD and MQA (CD’s, Bu-Rays and such all fall in to the first category so don’t worry if those letters make no sense at all!), it has an analogue volume control rather than a digital one so you don’t lose quality of music as the volume gets lower (no need to take chunks of data out of the file to reduce that volume) and you can also tailor the gain for your headphones as well as being able to make use of an adjustable bass so you can tweak it to suit your headphones.

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With many of us still using video chat in our work and social lives having a decent webcam is a necessity, the Logitech Brio 500 is packed with features to make virtual interactions an enjoyable and productive experience. This webcam is full HD 1080p has with light correction, Show Mode and auto-framing, this requires Logi Tune, it is worth noting it is not available on Chrome OS, it is compact at 110w x 31.5d mm. The Auto Light Correction uses RightLight to automatically adjust to the environment, so you appear well-lit even in poor lighting, the Advanced Image Quality uses the 1080p resolution and AI-based face image for a crystal clear, so your personality comes across over the screen. The Auto-Framing is powered by RightSight and centres the camera on you, this means when you stand and move around it will follow you keeping you in shot during meetings, when it’s time for a bit of privacy simply rotate the integrated shutter to completely block the camera. The built-in mic has a range up to 1.22m provides noise reduced audio and it also enhances your voice, so you're heard clearly and not the washing machine or kids in the other room. The new Show Mode lets you tilt the camera down and present sketches, notes, or work in progress on your desk, the included mount has a micro-suction pad that secures the webcam to the back of your monitor, so you can make quick adjustments with one hand. The Logi Tune app provides additional features that let you to adjust the field of view, mute the microphone, adjust colour and image resolution, the camera can be set to 1080p/30fps (1920x1080 pixels) or 720p/60fps (1280x720 pixels). The Brio 500 is a good little camera, ideal for those who regularly work or socialise over video, the image is great, and the auto framing is great for anything active like work out classes.

eDge beaTers

With the Great British Bake Off final just around the corner and not to mention Christmas on the horizon we are well and truly in the baking season, and what better brand to trust your creamy peaks with than KitchenAid. This hand mixer comes in two beautiful glossy finishes, the Onyx Black and the iconic Empire Red, it comes with the Flex edge beaters, an 8-wire pro whisk and an integrated storage clip. The Hand Mixer is compact at 150 x 80 x 200 mm and it has a nicely balanced feel to it with 1.36kg weight, the cord is fairly generous with 153cm and can be locked to the right or the left of the mixer, giving you freedom to move about your workspace. There are six speeds to move between and the speed adjustment button is easily accessible with the thumb whilst mixing your ingredients, you can gently stir in dried fruit, chocolate chips or other chunky ingredients at speed one and then

push it all the way up to whipping up double cream or mashed potatoes.

The flex edges on the beaters have been designed to provide twice as much contact with the bowl, which means there less time wasted having to stop and scrape down the edges of the bowl. The beaters pop out with satisfactory ease thanks to the single-handed press of a button, the 8-wire whisk accessory adds plenty of air to your ingredients, perfect for whipping up egg whites to fluffy peaks for the perfect meringue. There’s a lot to love with these mixers, they are fast and powerful but at the same time quiet and controlled, when you are finished the beaters can be put in the dishwasher and the cable clips underneath for compact storage, a fantastic kitchen companion.

sealskINz all-weaTher leD CyCle overshoe

It’s coming up to that time of year again. The weather is cooling down, leaves are falling off the trees and torrential downpours out of nowhere tend to plague the average cyclist’s life. Not only during but after too – how the hell do you avoid those massive puddles when you’ve got machines weighing in at over a ton bearing down on you whilst on the road? Safer just to plough on through and deal with the wet feet later! As you can probably tell, I quite like this product…

These overshoes keep your expensive cycling shoes (and, by extension, your feet!) warm and dry no matter the weather conditions. It’s got a very specific mix of materials with 90% Neoprene, 7% Nylon and 3% Kevlar (mainly in use at your toes and on the heel. OMG Bulletproof toes! Not really of course, that would be silly. But still cool.) that combine together to make an easily washable, waterproof overshoe. Added bonus being that you don’t need to clean this in any weird or wonderful way, you just sling it in the washing with everything else! DON’T tumble dry, just leave it to drip dry and don’t forget to take the LED light off first of course…

Speaking of which, the LED light is situated in the heel and has a battery life of up to 240 hours with a range of up to 500 metres so should help to keep you safe on the road. You also have different settings for the light (fast & slow intermittent flashing and solid beam) and the battery is replaceable so no need to worry about buying a new pair when the battery runs out. As well as this, with maximum visibility in mind, the Overshoe also has reflective taping near the zipper and the logo itself is reflective.

shark sTyle IQ IoNIC haIr

Dryer & sTyler

Shark are well known for their ability to create powerful suction so it only makes sense they should be able to flip that energy to go in the opposite direction and go from suction to blowing. The Shark STYLE iQ Ionic Hair Dryer & Styler is their first hair dryer, it comes with a rather hefty price tag so is it worth the investment? It comes with the Hairdryer, a concentrator, diffuser and small filter cleaning brush, it has a black and rose gold design, measures up at 7.5 x 12 x 25cm and features a 2.5meter cable. It is heavier than the average hair dryer at just under 500g, this might get a little tiring on very thick hair, but it shouldn’t have too much of an impact as the ergonomic handle makes it comfortable to hold. The iQ Technology uses rapid air power with next-generation intelligence, that generates high-velocity heated ionised air for fast drying with no heat damage. You can dry and style at the same time, the STYLE iQ will intuitively select the optimum heat and airflow when the accessory is attached to the hairdryer. The recommended heat and airflow settings removes the guess work to dry and style your

hair there are three temperatures to choose from and three airflow options too. The settings can be manually adjusted if needed to experiment with different results, there’s a cool air button that can be held for a hit of cold air. The included 2-in-1 concentrator delivers controlled, smooth drying, the wider opening can be used for fast, gentle drying whilst the extended nozzle provides a narrow airpath that smooths and shapes hair. The adjustable diffuser circulates airflow from root to tip to enhance naturally curly hair, the extendable prongs can reach and lift roots while the deep bowl offers maximum coverage and even drying. The hair dryer does leave the fair looking glossy and feeling smooth with no little fly away hairs, you can get a good amount of volume in the hair too whilst styling. The Shark STYLE isn’t a hair dryer for some who simply wants to dry their hair after a shower, it is better suited for those who like to regularly mix up their style and more importantly know how to use all the attachments and setting effectively.

easy karaoke smarT blueTooTh karaoke sysTem

The Easy Karaoke EKS468BT Smart Bluetooth® professional family karaoke party system is the ideal present this Xmas, suitable for karaoke at home or for a party with its 100W output. With 6 built in speakers multiple flashing LED lights and disco ball it is an all-inone party system, including four microphones and holders. Incorporated is a universal phone/tablet cradle with charger allowing all the family access to the smart karaoke app for access to thousands of free HD quality karaoke songs through the QR code. The fact that it comes with four microphones really does make this a monster of a machine. Not only that but It's fully portable weighing only 8kg and can be powered by USB or battery (battery life four hours). The microphone cable length is two metres allowing you to strut your stuff on both the stage and your living room.

Functions include record, allowing you to repeat that hideous version of Mr Brightside your uncle did whenever you feel like it, you can also mess around with the voice button allowing you to change your male voice to female voice or vice versa, or making your mum sound like a robot or your wife like a baby. You can add echo onto the output and turn down the microphones if someone is absolutely butchering a group song. A really impressive piece of kit, well worth the money.

a musT have T h Is X mas