Gadgets • November 2014
Six gadgets on a tech geek’s wishlist
Stuck on what to buy the gizmo addict in your life this Christmas? Jonathan Margolis – technology writer for the Financial Times – picks six shiny new gadgets that he would like to unwrap this coming holiday season
iPhone 6 and 6+
Apple’s new iPhones, the 6 and 6+ (from £539), deserve their place at the top of anyone’s Christmas wishlist. Moving into the trendy realm of bigger mobiles, Apple has taken its competitors’ best points and come up with products that outperform everything else and feel superb. The only way to experience how good these phones are is to try them in store. There, you can decide whether the broad acreage of the 6+, with its 5.5-inch screen, is ideal – or too big. It’s the great tech talking point of the moment. For your chance to win one, see offer below
Dynaudio Xeo 6
The biggest problem if you want serious hi-fi at home is that stacks of amplifiers – and, worse, speaker cables – are ugly and intrusive. These new Dynaudio speakers (£3,000) from Denmark not only sound and look exceptional, but a pair is all you need. They have powerful built-in amplification and connect wirelessly with a discreet black hub. Standing 84cm tall, they are sizeable for Santa’s sleigh – but he’ll understand.
Anki Drive
Anki Drive, a racing game based on the latest Bluetooth technology, will help you find your inner Lewis Hamilton. Anki’s rollout track is flat, and the cars – controlled by iPhone or Android – can drive anywhere on it. The cars also have artificial intelligence, so you can play on your own against a ‘real’ nasty opponent. A starter set is £150.
Ted Baker Finisterre combined DAB radio
While other high-end fashion companies have toyed with technology successfully, making special editions of things like headphones and cameras, Ted Baker has gone the whole techie hog and designed stylish products from the ground up. The Finisterre, with its decorous brushed aluminium-and-leather finish, combined DAB radio and Bluetooth speaker (£199), is the latest.
Canon PowerShot G1X Mk II
DSLR cameras now produce as good or better quality photos than film cameras did at their best, but they are huge and heavy. The Canon PowerShot G1X Mk II (£800) produces DSLR, professional quality pictures with a near compact body. It’s slightly above pocket-size, but as a travel camera it is already many professionals’ choice. Its f/2 lens makes it great in low light, and the ultra-wide angle to medium telephoto lens covers almost any situation.
Master and Dynamic MH40 headphones
These striking headphones (£319) from US company Master and Dynamic will feature on many technology nuts’ gift lists. They combine a fashionable retro look with a rare ability to handle both big, bassy rock and more delicate folkie or classical music. The sound quality is pleasingly natural, which is not always the case when many headphones process the sound to emphasise bass and treble. The sound seal also means the noise won’t disturb people.
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