Gadgethead 1 7

MAGAZINE

.

ISSUE 1 7

www.gadgetheadmag.com

Phil&Teds Smart Lux BAGOBAGO The MTV Ampfly Phone Case

UK

£4.95

INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

DriveStation™ Quad Direct Attached Storage USB 3.0

HD-QHU3/R5

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tation Quad

Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Director Alex Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Team

● Alex Smith ● Emma Hilling ● Suzie Warman ● Steve Warman ● Zak Harper

● Pipewerx ● The MTV Ampfly Phone Case ● PDP Afterglow Prismatic Wired Controller ● Silvercross Simplicity Car Seat Page 10

● Bagobago ● Silvercross Pioneer Pram ● Lumie Arabica Light Box ● Digital Habits Cromatica ● Phoenix Gold Iron Page 20

● Phil&Teds Smart Lux ● On Cloudsurfers ● Medela Swing Breastpump ● SweetDreamers Ewan The Dream Sheep ● Slow Mo 04: All Gold Steel

HD-QHU3/R5

Gadgethead Magazine

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Pipewerx.com bikes@pipewerx.com 01704 89 52 52

Pipewerx

I have owned many motorbikes over the years and throughout this time I have had some realisations about the unsaid rules of owning one.

Firstly, always buy the best you can because you get what you pay for and cheap is always rubbish. Secondly, always nod to other riders even if they don’t nod back, thirdly, get yourself on courses to keep yourself sharp and lastly get a nice, louder than standard, exhaust to be safe.

All of my bikes have had after market cans and one of the most memorable was a Honda Fireblade with an exhaust from Pipewerx. It made the Blade sound beautiful throughout the whole rev range and stood out with the distinctive X in the outflow. This has always been one of my favourites as I love a bit of branding in my outflow pipes.

Imagine my delight when Pipewerx agreed for GadgetHead magazine to test their latest offering, a new exhaust that hadn’t even been released yet.

Allow me to introduce to you the Titanium Tri-Oval R11 street legal exhaust. This pipe is a quality piece of workmanship from the boys in Lancashire who have been producing Street Legal or Race cans with a lifetime guarantee since 2006.

Exclusively, the Pipe is so new that these are the first pictures of it.

The official launch date for the R11 outlet will be at on the 28th November at the Motorcycle Live Show at the NEC so this is an exclusive for all you petrol heads. The 1st cans are being used in the BSB Superstock.

We will be writing a follow on piece with a full review and video in the winter/Spring when the pipe is fitted so you will see and hear it in all its glory!

The R11 Ti Tri-Oval’s are a steal at just £300.

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Pros Easy to operate Practical size and shape Strangely sturdy Cons Could be cheaper (RRP £14.99) Doesn’t amplify as well as expected Rating

www.ampflysound.com

The MTV Ampfly Phone Case Considering the case is pretty chunky, I was impressed with how practical it is. You might not want to use it all the time, but it doesn’t get in your way as much as you might think- just don’t wear skinny jeans. Being a biker, I was quite astounded that I could still manage my volume controls through my leather gloves and waterproof trousers (don’t wear earphones on a motorcycle,

kids- it’s dangerous). It’s also very easy to connect your earphones and phone charger. Thumbs up for that.

There are a bazillion phone cases out there, so what makes this phone case special?

Well, being musicoriented and developed from a love and inspiration of acoustic sound, this phone case amplifies the sound coming from your phone, without the need for

batteries. Playing Ludovico Einaudi’s “Le Onde,” there’s a noticeable difference in sound level, but it certainly doesn’t amplify the sound to three times the normal level, as the packaging claims- ask the decibel meter.

Build quality? I won’t lie, it does feel quite cheaply made, but then how much would you want to spend on producing a phone case? That said, it didn’t break when I dropped it from a normal height (sorry, Ampfly), so you’re pretty safe on that front. Price-wise, there are one or two more expensive sound-amplifying phone cases out there, but most are actually cheaper than the MTV Ampfly.

Overall, it’s ok. Definitely more practical than you’d think.

Gadgethead Magazine

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PDP AFTERGLOW PRISMATIC WIRED CONTROLLER Rating

www.pdp-eu.com

A Controller should be all about functionality, it needs to be user friendly, ergonomic and responsive – the PDP Afterglow Prismatic Wired Controller impresses on all three fronts.

I am not too fussed about appearance but when it is wrapped up in perhaps the funkiest design I have seen it has to be a win win. The Afterglow has the look of a modern day Juke box with its lights glowing and I really like it.

This is a great controller that is officially licensed for the Xbox One so you can relax that you are buying a tested product and has an RRP of £38.99

The device includes: • Premium ALPS analog sticks • 3.5mm audio jack/controls • Compatible with the Afterglow Xbox One Configuration App • Full range Prismatic™ LED - for custom colour selection.

• Rumble and Impulse enabled onboard LEDs. • Dual Multi-Function Wheels™ with 6 programmable action.

• Full audio support (Game and Chat).

• Innovative new way to control audio.

• Removable 3 Metre Cable.

SILVERCROSS SIMPLICITY CAR SEAT The prospect of fitting a car seat can be a task that strikes fear into new parent’s hearts but with a Simplicity Car Seat, as the name would suggest, it’s simple. Silvercross have designed this car seat to be used with the ISOFIX Simplifix base (RRP £120) as well as being compatible with all the combination prams (the Pioneer included) however it can also be safely attached with the seatbelt, with bright blue guides to show you where it needs to go. The seat itself is 0+ rated so it can be used from birth up to 13kg and comes with a removable Comfort wedge that allows new born babies to lay at a more comfortable angle.

The baby is secured into the seat with a 5 point padded harness that keeps both upper and lower body held and can be tightened or loosened with a push of a button. I was really hoping Silvercross had solved the problem of putting baby into the seat and then having to fish the straps out from underneath them but alas no. There is extra padding on the sides of the seat that keeps the baby comfortable and acts as an extra safety measure.

The Simplicity Car Seat is everything we would expect from Silvercross, beautifully designed to incorporate style, safety and ease of use.

Pro • Safe • Simple to use • Comfortable • Compatible with other Silvercross products Cons • Straps can fall under baby when you put them in Rating

www.silvercrossbaby.com

Gadgethead Magazine

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Rating

www.bagobago.com

BAGOBAGO

Bags have been around forever and to offer a bag that is different is a pretty hard task, however Bagobago have done exactly this.

They have designed a bag that does everything your ordinary rucksack will and then some. The unique selling point is that they have manufactured it in a way that there is a hidden stool and It is changed from a bag to a seat in seconds. When I first started testing it I was unsure how often I would need this sitting option however it surprised me, particularly waiting for trains – no more sitting next to the weirdos on the benches! I now also use this bag as a change bag for my young kids and carry it all day without chaffing or rubbing. With small kids its amazing what you have to take along with you and how many times a day you or they have to sit down, be it for feeding, shoe laces that need tying or just a comfy rest.

This is a simple idea and really well executed by Bagobago. Well done on an ingeniously simple and effective bag and at a reasonable price of â‚Ź129.

Storage volume

1,342.5 cu in (5.8 gallons) (22 l)

Dimensions of the backpack in closed position

20.87“H x 13.78“W x 7.87“D (h.53 x w.35 x d.20 cm)

Maximum weight limit of stool 287 lbs (130 kg) Total weight of the backpack

3,53 lbs (1.6 kg)

Size and sex

UNI

Material

Kortexin 100% PES

Water proof

Level 5

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SILVERCROSS PIONEER PRAM Nobody has more experience to draw on than Silvercross when it comes to prams, with over 138 years behind them and their founding father William Wilson being the inventor of the first ever baby carriage. This is a high end pram with an RRP of £695 but you cannot expect to get RollsRoyce quality for Skoda prices, this is a beautifully designed luxury product and reflects a reasonable price for what this model has to offer especially when comparing it to other travel systems on the market. However there is no point in having a handsome product if it doesn’t work and nobody The Pioneer comes with everything you need for a new born all the way through to toddler, the new born lie flat carrycot is suitable for overnight sleeping and then as the baby grows it can be switched with the multi recline seat that can be positioned in either forward facing, so baby can see the

world, or rear facing, so you can keep an eye on baby. The seat can be set to three different reclining positions and has an adjustable footrest to make sure the baby is as comfortable as possible as they grow. The mattress and apron are both well padded and teamed with the suspension and oversized wheels my nephew always looked snug as a bug and didn’t get bounced about too much even when we went off road. I find it handles fairly well, it isn’t perfect and I found myself getting stuck now and then whilst going up the curb and on uneven pathways but no more than any other pram we have used. One of the best features is how narrow it is so I wasn’t finding myself getting caught on things whilst I was in the shops and talking of shopping it has a generous space underneath the pram for all your shopping bags. Another important thing is how simple it is to use at each stage, the carry cot clips into place on

the chassis and is equally as easy to detach, the hood can be pulled up and folded down with one hand whole chassis quickly folds down to L86.5cm W60cm H33cm which will comfortably fit in a boot. As a side note here I found it was a two handed job to fold down the chassis where as some prams can be packed down with one, this could be an issue for some people but I didn’t find it a problem. Everything has been well thought out to give the best experience for both parent and child with details like the green indicator that will show the brake is engaged at a glance, SPF 50 hood and even a cup holder. This is a multi-award winning pram that comes in a variety of colours and gorgeous accessories that is wonderfully practical as well as stylish.

Pros • Elegant • Light • Durable • Adjustable • Comfortable • Accessories available: Parasol, seat liners, changing bag and car seats.

• Large storage space Cons • Minor issues with curbs and lumpy terrain Rating

www.silvercrossbaby.com

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LUMIE ARABICA LIGHT BOX

I love this time of year with the buzz of Christmas in the air and the joy of snuggling up at home in the warm whilst the world outside is cold and dark, however the short days and lack of sun light don’t love me. I can normally make it through Christmas okay but shortly after, every year, I crash big time. I mope about the house like a grey mist, not wanting to do anything, starting arguments with everyone, from my boyfriend to the toaster, I am not nice to be around. I have heard about light boxes before but always thought It was a placebo effect for hippy types but after my long suffering partner brought one home I thought I would give it a try. The idea behind the Lumie Arabica is a simple one, the 2 x 24W daylight spectrum bulbs replicate the sunlight in the summer to help boost your mood in the darker winter months and help you feel more awake. Lumie Arabica recommend you use this lamp 30-60 minutes a day to feel the effects which is easy to achieve, I made a routine of turning it on as soon as I got up, as recommended, for about 10-15mins whilst I drank my coffee.

I was pleasantly surprised how quickly it woke me up, so much so I was even able to function on a cup of herbal tea rather than coffee

in the mornings. I would then use it for another bust in the late afternoon after work. Now who’s to say that there isn’t a slight placebo effect happening here but it has been independently verified and there is evidence to suggest that light therapy really works so what’s to lose. I was feeling more awake and less gloomy until stupidly I went away for a week and I didn’t think to take this with me and without realising why I started to feel cranky, it was only when my partner put two and two together I realised how much it had been having an effect on me, so I am now a convert.

The only down side is there is no option for battery use so you become restricted as to where you can have it.

Pro • Improves mood and energy levels • Simple to use Cons • No option for batteries Rating

www.lumie.com

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Digital Habits Cromatica “If ambience is your thing, Cromatica can make your office space more bearable transforming your work area into any color you wish.” The Telegraph The Cromatica is crossing the hybrid borders as both a lamp and a wireless speaker now when I try and do two things at once I usually fail quite epically so how does this fair? Firstly as a lamp it offers around 16 million mood colour variations, more than the four mood colours I can change to and I enjoyed watching this. As a speaker the sound quality is good and is in the middle range of the Bluetooth speakers I have tested this year. This operates as a great bedside lamp and when your alarm rings a gentle light to help you wake up is a great selling point and works really well.

The Lamp is fully controlled by your

phone allowing you to play music, change the colour, adjust the tones and even recharge devices.

It also makes a brilliant kids night light as the colours you can chose can be warm and reassuring.

Before I tested this I had a night lamp and a radio with an alarm. All too soon my alarm would ring, startling me into the day. Now I am gently woken and I come around a lot more softly but when I rise I don’t feel as if a Sargent Major has been shouting in my face to get me up and at ‘em.

Rating

www.digitalhabits.it

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Rating

www.jmldirect.com

PHOENIX GOLD IRON GadgetHead Magazine gets to test and play with all manners of great tech. Imagine my delight when on a beautiful summers morning a delivery driver dropped off a nice big package from JML. What could it be to play with! A hover board, a remote controlled plane, a Segway, oh no its an iron, brilliant!

This one went straight in my backpack and on my my way home I phoned my wife saying I had a great present for her. I then told he I would need a review on her present. I think she really likes surprises like this.

My husband is an ass. He comes home excited that he has a present for me so I am thinking diamonds, flowers even but no, an iron! Does he really think that I can get excited over an iron. And then I have to write a report on an iron!

The Phoenix Gold iron from JML is heavy and well made. I fired it up to take it on its first test run and I must admit I was genuinely surprised at how good this iron is. I tend to wash the clothes and then tumble dry them so when it comes to ironing they are usually very crumpled at the bottom of the laundry bin. This iron is definitely the best iron I have ever used. With a built-in steam generator and a ceramic sole plate, it glides across your fabrics to push out even the stubbornest wrinkles and leave you with smooth crease-free clothes. I have realized that a good iron can make ironing an easier chore.

My attitude to ironing has changed for the better, my attitude to my husband hasn’t, he is still an ass!

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Phil&Teds Smart Lux Being a fairly young company phil&teds (not to be confused with Bill and Ted) have managed to achieve a lot in a short space of time, they pride themselves on being slightly wacky inventors who put the parent first when it comes to their products. So having said that we were pretty excited about getting our hands on their Smart Lux Pushchair to see what it had to offer, a sound proof hood perhaps or nappy changing robots? Sadly not but what we were supplied with didn’t disappoint. The Smart Lux Pushchair is a sturdy stroller with 21 different riding options, front facing, rear facing or flat and multiple seat recline positions, suitable for a newborn right through to four years old. For such a solid four wheel stroller it has very nippy steering, it handles well up and down curbs and on uneven terrain as well due to its air-filled rear wheels and front wheel suspension. It has a large hood that can be extended with a UV mesh to protect baby from the sun whilst allowing air flow however when the seat is in the

lie-flat position it doesn’t pull over far enough to keep the whole seat in the shade so a sun cover maybe be a necessary additional purchase. All the adjustments to the seat and foot rest are simple to perform but it was a disappointment to find that with all the different positions you can have baby in there is only one position to have the handle so if you are a little shorter or taller than the average person this might not be the stroller for you. It does take a little bit of time to get the hang of folding the stroller up and down but with a bit of practice it becomes easier, it isn’t overly compact either so the size of your boot or storage space will be something to consider, another issue is that It’s fairly weighty at 11.9kg. It is a strong and sturdy stroller that will see a child through the first four years, because of that you have to be prepared for something a little heavier and bigger when folded up but with the fantastic handling and multiple seat positions it’s a good contender for anyone’s ideal pushchair with a modest RRP of £349.

Pros • Adjustable seat positions • Smooth handling • Narrow • Good amount of storage room • Accessories available, Bassinet, Sun cover, Storm cover, Parasol, Seat liner, Travel bag and more.

Cons • Handle set at one height • Long and bulky when It folds down Rating

www.philandteds.com

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On Cloudsurfers As a runner with a love/hate relationship with the actual running element I find myself easily steered towards gimmicky products that promises to improve the exercise. I shamefully admit my first impression of the Cloudsurfers with their 13 individual “Clouds” (4 on the heel and 9 on the forefoot) lining the soles was that it was a gimmick to stand out from a very crowded and competitive market, however after a little research I soon discovered that the Patented CloudTec System was a very carefully designed piece of kit. To start with these shoes are wonderfully light as the soles have been streamlined down to just the bare essentials, the “Clouds” themselves are designed to absorb impact no matter what the runners gait is and due to the oblong shape they easily roll forward and spring you forward with each step. The simplistic construction flows through to the upper part of the shoe with an open mesh material that gives you a roomy toebox and no unnecessary over lays or garish frills.

We had a pair of men’s shoes to test so I stuffed my dad in them and sent him out for a jog, at 63 the man could

out run an 18 year old and he recently kicked my butt in a steeple chase race so he was more than qualified to try these out. After 3 months running and racking up 20-30km a week they have kept their bounce, although he runs predominantly on soft ground there are small stretches where he runs on concrete and this is where the shoes perform the best, my ever sceptical father was surprised how they genuinely increased his pace and returned the energy step after step or in his words, “it kept my feet moving forward”, (there is a reason he isn’t writing the review).

There was a concern as to whether they would collect stones and sand in the Clouds but surprisingly they didn’t and the general verdict is that they are comfortable high performing shoes. Only downside we found was that the grip wasn’t as good as other shoes we have tried so when it came to wet grass or wood it was sliding about a little which meant he lost trust in them a little. On the whole these are innovative running shoes perfect for road running that get extra points for looking awesome too.

Pros Light Fast Comfortable Original design Cons Reduced grip on wet surfaces Rating

www.on-running.com

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Pros • Components that come into contact with breast milk are BPA free • Comfortable • Expresses milk quickly • Discrete • Lightweight Cons • Higher end of the market (but we believe worth it) • Only comes with one size breast shield, larger or smaller sizes must be bought separately Rating

www.medela.com

Medela Swing Breastpump As new parents things that you have never knew existed can quickly become a salvation, for my best friends it was the breast pump. It appeared the mother, the baby and the breast had all very different ideas about breast feeding and she quickly became exasperated with the situation to the point of tears.

She had a manual breast pump as a backup plan but it quickly became something else that stressed her out as she found it uncomfortable and the repetition hurt her hands, enter the Medela Swing Breastpump. After a few weeks they came back to me with their views on the product and couldn’t praise it highly enough, the first and most important thing for the mother was how comfortable and natural it felt. She was a bit worried about “plugging herself into the mains” as she described it but said the option of different vacuum levels meant she could pick what worked best for her at the time and increased the vacuum as her nipples began to heal. The breast shield that came with the product was the standard Medium size, 24mm, but there are 5 sizes available ranging from 21mm-36mm as having the right size is an important

factor when it comes to comfort and efficiency of the pump. The fact that this pump felt comfortable and natural is no spot of luck as Medela, the world’s leading breastfeeding brand, has been supporting breastfeeding mothers for over 50 years, producing not only research based but the most technologically advanced breastpumps on the market. Using innovative and revolutionary technology Medela is not only recognised as a leader in its field but Medela breastpumps are also found in 94% of hospitals nationwide and have discovered that babies nurse in two phases, stimulation and expression. The Medela Swing Breastpump replicates these two phases to express more milk in less time and this state-ofthe-art technology is what sets the Medela apart from other pumps.

Due to the pumps small size, battery operation option and reduced noise it is incredibly mobile and discrete as well as user friendly by being easy to assemble, use and clean. My friends believe this product is well worth the money and have been recommending to friends.

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SWEETDREAMERS EWAN THE DREAM SHEEP Ewan, yes he has a name, is not just a cute, soft toy but he is also a clever sleep aid that plays soothing sounds to help lull restless babies and toddlers to sleep. Unlike the traditional Mobiles that play lullabies, ewan uses sound and light to replicate the experience a baby would have in the womb making for an easier transition from womb to world. I gave ewan to my nephew when he was a few weeks old and we found the combination of the soft pink light and the real heartbeat sound (similar to that of a sonogram) really helped settle him even at his most restless times. There is also the option of harp, rain and vacuum sounds (which has proved most popular with my friend’s toddler) to mix things up as they get older. ewan can attach securely to the crib but is also portable so he can keep baby company on car journeys or in the push chair, you can even attach a dummy to his tail. ewan will gently fade out and switch off after 20

minutes which research has suggested is the optimum amount of time a baby requires to fall asleep, however there has been times when my nephew will start to stir once it switches off and someone will have to enter the room to switch it on again which then disturbs him further, it would help if there was on option to change it to continuous play. Another thing that could become a problem is that due to the battery pack it is only surface washable so if this does become my nephews favourite toy it could become and a bit of a mess in the future. SweetDreamers have managed to combine a sleep aid, soft toy, comforter and night light all in to a beautifully designed product at a reasonable price that both mother and child will adore, with a few minor flaws that certainly would not stop me from buying another with a low RRP of ÂŁ29.99.

Pros • Comforting for baby (and parents) • Nightlight • Portable Cons • Drains Batteries Quickly • No Option Of Playing Sounds Longer Than 20mins • Only Surface Washable Rating

www.sweetdreamers.co.uk

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SLOW MO 04: ALL GOLD STEEL Slow watches have given themselves a very difficult remit with their company to change the way we perceive our time.

In a hectic world where every second counts they want us to slow down and enjoy every second of our lives. Their watches differ from the usual 12 hour face with 2 hands to having just one hand and the dial represents a full 24 hours. The hand moves half the speed of a normal watch and you can see the progress of your entire day at a glance.

They feel we shouldn’t focus on the seconds or the minutes rushing but look at how big a full day can be, which is a great philosophy to take and one I should take on board.

Slow does not describe a speed but they feel it is a mindset that most of us somehow lost. As a result of our busy lifestyles, we often forget that we actually have a choice of how to live.

The slow watch is a subtle reminder that time is the most precious thing we have so we should enjoy everything we do and stop chasing every minute.

They use a Swiss precision GMT movement so quality is very high. There is no doubt that they have produced a selection of lovely looking watches which feel great on the wrist.

Did I feel my life had somehow changed because of the watch I was wearing, of course not. However,

the single hand 24-hour face did seem to give me a strange feeling of understanding my busy day and where jobs fell into the day.

I did find it tricky to tell the time at first and spent more time trying to figure that out than I would with my old watch. And it is harder to get a definite time but that is the idea, does it matter to get time right to the minute or the second or does life become easier just kind of knowing the time.

I like the concept of reintroducing the watch. I did a quick test in my office and I am the only member of staff who always wears a watch which is a huge trend change from years ago.

Rating

www.slow-watches.com

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Roberts Radio WhatHiFi Advertorial.indd 1

06/05/2015 15:48