Gadgethead 2.3

MAGAZINE

ISSUE 2.3

www.gadgetheadmag.com

Freebord Primal Bamboo Complete UK

£4.95

EARIN HEADPHONES

Magna Tiles

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

● Pod 2 - GPS Pet Tracker + Activity Monitor ● Bluelounge Backpack ● Tek Gear Twiddler 3 Page 10 ● Buffalo Ministation Air 2 500GB ● iHealth Edge Activity and Sleep Tracker ● Click & Grow Smart Herb Garden Starter Kit ● Magna Tiles ● Under Armour Raid Short Sleeve T-Shirt Page 20 ● Sound Oasis Deluxe S5000 ● Polar V800 GPS Sports Watch ● Amok Draumr 3.0 Camping Hammock ● Freebord – Primal Bamboo Complete ● ANKI Overdrive Starter Kit Page 30 ● SmartCharge LED Rechargeable Light Bulb ● Looftlighter ● Gymwatch Sensor ● Siva Cycle Atom ● Lapa 2- Bluetooth Object Finder Page 40 ● Earin Headphones ● BeatBuddy Mini ● Ausdom M05 Bluetooth Headphones

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POD 2 - GPS PET TRACKER + ACTIVITY MONITOR The UK Pet Register reports 1 in 3 pets will go missing in it’s lifetime and many pet owners can relate to the fear and anguish that come with their furry friend going for a walkabout. The Pod 2 promises to be the world’s smallest, lightest pet GPS tracker and activity monitor on the market designed to fit on your pet’s collar, track it’s activity and give you it’s location on demand.

The Pod is a cylindrical shape with no

corners, making it really comfortable for your pet to wear. It is waterproof for up to 30 minutes at 1 metre and is ultra-light at 29g - that’s just 6g more than a standard AA battery.

The app is very intuitive and you get 1 year’s free subscription which becomes $49 (about 34 pounds) thereafter. Instead of just being a GPS locator and activity monitor, the app creates an entire network where you

can enter into the Pet League to see if you have the fastest dog or the most adventurous cat. The Pod 2 enables you to leave the device on Standby Mode, giving you a battery life of 4-6 days. By pressing ‘Locate Now’ you can establish your pet’s current position on a map in real time, whether they are indoors or outdoors. A cool little feature is the ‘Safe Zone’ which means you can set an area you are happy to let your pet roam around in on the map and you will get an alert on your phone to notify you they’ve escaped when they stray out of that safe zone.

Using this feature gives you 1.5 - 3 days of battery life. You can also put it in ‘Adventure’ mode’ (6 - 8 hours of battery life) which tracks your pet’s location every 10 seconds, making it a handy tool for spying on roaming kitties. You can use these tools to keep your pet safe as well as monitor their activity and get a sneak peek into their private lives. The issue I had, however, was even though it is very light, it was too bulky for my fussy feline to put up with. It would sit on the back of his neck but as he walked about, it would slip down until it was under his chin.

At this point he was so appalled that I dared to try and accessorise him that he wiggled and fussed about until he pulled his collar off (a quick release cat collar). If you have a more obliging pet then this is a delightful product with some great easy to use tools that can help keep your pet healthy and safe.

RRP 139 pounds.

Rating

Pros • Light and cylindrical shape • Two interchangeable batteries • Attaches securely to the collar • Gives location and activity levels Cons • Some smaller pets may still find it irritating www.podtrackers.com

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BLUELOUNGE BACKPACK Bluelounge strive to create problem solving products by introducing innovative ideas to simplify and improve everyday life, one of their more recent designs is the Bluelounge Backpack. I was immediately impressed that the backpack was made from 100% PET recycled materials and solid aluminium, your basically walking around with a load of old plastic bottles on your back. This backpack wants to make our life easier by being a transitional bag ideal for both work and leisure, there are two sizes available, small 11 x 17.75 x 5.5 inches comes in green and black or large, 11.82 x 18.5 x 7.9 inches that only comes in grey. There are dedicated neoprene cushioned compartments suitable for both a 17inch laptop and a tablet, a small zip pocket on the inside and on the outside there is a large pocket on the front with two poppers for closure and a discrete pocket that rests on your back with a zipper. The top closes in a few different ways depending how much stuff is in the bag, it can be secured with poppers or rolled down and fastened with the strap and aluminium hook,

the sides can also draw in or loosen up depending how full the bag is. I like the look of the backpack but the outside pockets are all wrong in my opinion, I want more security than two poppers on the outside pocket if I am to use this on the commute, the pocket that rests on your back is very thin meaning that anything in there can be felt on your back. I found the roll down top method of closing rather uncooperative and the poppers where unnecessarily fiddly and would much rather a normal way of closing it. The straps are nicely padded and meet in the middle to form a handle, I found when wearing the bag that this bit would rub on my neck no matter how I had the straps set, if I was to carry this for a long time I can see it becoming quite sore. Although the backpack is hardwearing, waterresistant and good looking I didn’t find it user friendly, I certainly wouldn’t use it for travelling or hiking but with the padding inside it will look after your laptop and electricals but for the price there are better bags out there. RRP $149

Rating

Pros • Made from recyclable material • Water resistant • Visually pleasing • Generous padding inside

Cons • Strap rubbed on my neck • Pockets badly positioned and lack security • Main compartment awkward to close

www.bluelounge.com

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Rating

Pros • Innovative and practical design • Tactile, feels natural in your hand • Can increase typing speed • Compatible with a wide range of device www.tekgear.com/twiddler3

Cons • The mouse is sluggish • You will need to relearn everything you know about typing

Tek Gear Twiddler 3

When this thing landed on my desk I started looking around for the product it was so obviously a remote for…wrong! This mad looking device is actually a carefully designed keyboard and mouse in one, promising to be the world’s most mobile keyboard. It is created to be used in one hand and uses a system similar to that of a short hand type writer in that you use the 16 keys individually and in chords to type the words rather than spelling out the letters individually. To give credit where it is due there are tutorials on the website to help you learn how to use it but my goodness is it tricky, this is like learning to type and play the guitar at the same time. I think you would need a really good reason to persevere with the Twiddler 3(I’m not sure about the name, “I only need one hand with my Twiddler” people may get the wrong idea) which doesn’t mean there isn’t an audience there. It can be programmed to be completely personal to you, your own language or slang, you can store blocks of text that can be typed with a single chord and making for a much faster word per minute rate. According to the manufacturer with standard chording codes the average person can type up to 30 wpm, however with the Twiddler 3 (and a lot of practice) the user to key in anything up to 260 wpm.

The Twiddler 3 connects via Bluetooth so you can link it up not only to your laptop or netbook but also your phone, tablet or wearables (Samsung Gear, Apple Watch and google glass compatible), I like this idea because if you have a compact little tablet the accessory keyboards normally doubles the size of it plus with the Twiddle 3 you don’t need to have a flat surface in front of you to lean on. I would prefer it if the mouse was more responsive but the keyboard element is actually a great idea, you just need to take the time to learn how to use it but once you have mastered the Twiddler 3 it could completely change the way you use your devices. RRP $199

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DriveStation™ Quad Direct Attached Storage USB 3.0

HD-QHU3/R5

Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage Huge Capacity Direct Attached Storage

Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay Direct Attached Storage device perfect for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 comes fully populated with high-reliability Buffalo Technology’s DriveStation™ WD Red™ drives in total capacities of up to 24TB.

Quad (HD-QHU3 series) is a 4-bay

™ The DriveStation Quad is RAID-enabled customised Direct Attached Storage deviceforperfect redundancy and capacity depending on your specific needs for demanding SMB. The HD-QHU3 and also comes with 10 licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP comes Essentials fully populated Business software. with high-

reliability WD Red™ drives in total

The DriveStation™ Quad features the capacity, redundancy, capacities of required up to 24TB. and performance for any demanding user – the perfect solution for backing up large servers, multimedia files, or databases. The HD-QHU3 series is sold fully populated with WD Red drives and total capacities of 8, 12, 16, or 24TB. HD-QHU3/R5

Features and Benefits • 4 bay Direct Attached Storage fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives - Available with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities

• RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD

• Perfect for Server, PC, and/or Database Backup

Features and Benefits

- Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBackup Business Essentials

• Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer

4-bay Direct Attached Storage •• SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0

fully populated with WD Red™ hard drives with 8, 12, 16, or 24TB capacities • RAID-enabled for performance and reliability - Supports RAID 0/1/5/10/Spanning/JBOD • Perfect for ™Server, PC, and/or Database Backup - Also includes 10 free licenses of NovaStor NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials • Power Saving – Auto Power feature turns on and off automatically with your computer ched Storage • SuperSpeed connectivity with USB 3.0 • 3 year warranty - Available • 3 year warranty

tation Quad

BUFFALO MINISTATION AIR 2 500GB The Buffalo MiniStation Air 2 is a Wifi enabled and USB connected portable hard drive which as well as mains can also be battery-powered which enables users to expand their storage capacities without the hassle of annoying wires and cables, while also being usable on the go.

The hard drive has a very nice feel to it, it is a good size and feels reassuringly made, this is coupled with a 3 year warranty which always confirms quality.

The unit has a battery indicator, power, Wifi and WPS/AOSS light on the front. AOSS is Buffalo’s “Air Station

HD-QHU3/R5

One-Touch Secure System” which in short is their own secure system to connect wirelessly by pressing just one button.

The unit can be charged by the supplied plug or USB and the suggested battery life is around 12 hours and in our tests this seems accurate.

It does have a slightly higher price tag than some of its competitors however shopping around you can get a deal which then makes it very competitive.

For your money you get a very capable and good looking portable hard drive.

RRP £115 www.buffalo-technology.com

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iHealth Edge Activity and Sleep Tracker As more and more activity trackers flood the market it is hard to know where to start, the iHealth Edge is offering all the tech for half the price but is it true that you get what you pay for? Let’s take a look at what you get with the iHealth Edge, as you would expect this activity monitor tracks your steps, sleep, calories and measures it against your personal goals, it also displays the time and can tell you how you have performed with feedback display. Out of the box you get two adjustable wrist bands (black and grey), a waist clip, a sleep wrist band, a charging dock and the device itself, this is more than you would get from

some of its pricey competitors, the sleep wrist guard is a really nice touch as I never enjoyed wearing my Fitbit at night. The waist guard is another good idea so there is another way of wearing it for example you don’t have to worry about tan lines or dunking it in the washing up bowl. The iHealth Edge app which works alongside the tracker is compatible with iOS and Android and has a simple self-explanatory interface and I liked the characters that are used to represent different aspects of your activity like a little frog that tells you how many steps you are away from your goal, so far so good. The problems started with trying to get the app and

tracker to talk to each other, sometimes it would connect and sometimes it wouldn’t, sometimes it would simply freeze, I felt the stepper was a little over sensitive also as when comparing it to my other pedometers it was going over and giving me inaccurate results however the sleep monitor seemed to be fairly reliable. I was really routing for this to work but I am afraid you really do get what you pay for here, it doesn’t matter how cute the icons are or how many extras are included it is just too inconsistent which renders it fairly worthless no matter how little money you may pay for it. RRP $69.95

Rating

Pros • Comes with some cool accessories Cons • Unreliable step count • Inconsistent connection to the app • Both the app and device need improvement www.ihealthlabs.com

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Click & Grow Smart Herb Garden Starter Kit I can already see my dad rolling his eyes at this one but I don’t care, there are two types of gardeners, people like my old man who can grow anything, anywhere and then people like me who can’t keep a cactus alive. The Click & Grow is aimed at the latter type, with a simple idea that can turn the gloomiest of places into a secret garden and the most hapless gardeners into a budding Alan Titchmarsh. In the smartly packaged box you get three Basil cartridges, the Click & Grow Smart Garden with a lamp that is designed specifically for faster germination with optimum spectra at 10,000 Lux. The lamp can be adjusted to three different heights to allow for plant growth and has a built in timer that runs for 16 hours a day to encourage the fastest growth. The cartridges sit in a large reservoir that holds up to a months’ worth of water, so there is no need

to worry about forgetting to water them, the seeds in the cartridges are of a professional grade with 100% germination rate so nothing is wasted, these seeds sit in Click & Grows Smart Soil that release nutrients, oxygen and water when your plants need it without the use of pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, plant hormones or any other nasties. The attention to detail is impressive with even the use of smart power that consumes a mere 6 watts, roughly £2.10 of electricity per year, all this clever tech allows you to simply pop the cartridges in, fill with water and plug in and that’s it. You can’t set the timer yourself so to line up the 16hours of light you need to plug it in at the right time, I happened to get up to use the bathroom at 5am the other morning so I made a point of unplugging it and then plugging it back in again so It will switch off at 11pm and the light

wouldn’t disturb us at night and that is probably the only thing I had to do the rest was up to the Smart Garden. It has been an absolute joy watching these little seeds germinate then sprout and

grow in my office which might as well be underground for the amount out of sunlight I get in there and I can’t wait to experiment further with flowers and different herbs. RRP $69.95

Rating

Pros • A choice of 20 different fruits, herbs and flowers to grow • Will grow three plants at a time • Uses technology to get the best out of your plants • Extremely low maintenance • Fool proof- ideal for children, busy lifestyles, gardenless homes, poor sunlit rooms, and the un-green fingered

Cons • Can’t set the times yourself it starts when you plug it in • Refills are pricey

www.clickandgrow.com

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Magna Tiles I am aware that these are made for children but my goodness are they addictive, the joy is in their simplicity, Magna Tiles are colourful, translucent, small hand friendly, plastic shapes with magnets along the sides that allow you to connect them together to produce 2D and 3D shapes. Suitable for children ages 3+ it encourages creativity as well as critical thinking and stimulates the right side of the brain, it can help children learn about shapes, numbers and colours whilst having fun. Not only did these entertain the

grown-ups but they provided hours of amusement with our test subjects aged 5-8 they played with the Magna Tiles individually and worked together to create structures, we had competitions on who can make the tallest tower and the biggest 3D shape and they couldn’t get enough. One thing that could put me off getting these is the price, but when you compare it to another well known building block brand that rhymes with Jego it isn’t that that high, plus it is easier and quicker

to put together and pull apart. It was great to see the kids get so excited with something that doesn’t need batteries or charging and gets them interacting with each other rather than locked on to a screen, it was clear they felt a sense of accomplishment when they built something too and couldn’t wait to show us before they pulled it all apart and started again. RRP $120 (Clear Colors 100 Piece Set)

Rating

Pros • Fun, creative and stimulating toy • Colourful • Suitable for small hands • Tactile • Addictive Cons • Pricey www.magnatiles.com

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UNDER ARMOUR RAID SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT My partner never understood why men would need specially designed tops for exercise until one incredible cold and wet half marathon in a cotton t-shirt, that transformed his nipples into something that resembled two bleeding pieces of pepperoni (TMI?), after that he decided there was perhaps a need for a proper sports top, enter the Under Armour Raid Short Sleeve T-Shirt. Although the HEATGEAR material is designed for 20 ยบC and above, it is ultra-light and can easily be worn as a base layer but

my hot blooded boyfriend only ever tends to run in one layer anyway. The Polyester/Elastane combo material feels lovely and soft against the skin, it is highly breathable with a mesh on the back and under the arms that wicks away the sweat to keep you dry and comfortable. The Raid is a fitted cut and tailored in a way that is very flattering to the figure but it also has a 4-way stretch fabrication that allows greater mobility in any direction making it suitable for weight lifting or playing squash, tennis whatever you like. After

a long sweaty work out there is often a chance you may end up not smelling your best but the Raid anti-odour technology prevents the growth of odour-causing microbes and genuinely seems to have a desired effect as my boyfriend didn’t end up smelling half as bad as he normal does (I truly am a lucky girl). I would love to see a little reflector detailing just for some added safety for running in low light and the colour did fade a little after the first few washes (we had high-vis yellow) but not enough to put us off, other than that this top is a thoughtfully designed, high grade constructed sports apparel, reasonably priced and available in 18 colours and sizes S-XXL. RRP £25

Rating

Pros • Comfortable to wear • Lightweight • Breathable • Reduced odour • Wicking • Ultra-flexible • Good value for money Cons • Faded a little in the wash www.underarmour.co.uk

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Rating

Pros • Good quality sound • Lots of features and controls • Voice record memo • Improves sleep

Cons • Large (8.2 x 5.8 x 6.5 inches) • No Bluetooth • Costly www.soundoasis.com

Sound Oasis Deluxe S5000

You would be forgiven for looking at the Sound Oasis Deluxe S5000 and assuming it is just a radio but it is actually a sleep therapy system that uses sound to relax the body and mind to help you get to sleep as well as improving your quality of sleep. It has been proven that sound machines (or white noise machines) work, by playing sounds that coax your brain into matching these frequencies and enter healthier states of sleep and relaxation. The Sound Oasis Deluxe S5000 claims to be the best and most advanced sound system in the world and provides 145 different sound possibilities, 24 main sounds & 5 mix sounds allowing you to customise the sound and create a unique atmosphere. With a set timer the sounds, including white noise, heartbeat, bird song, thunderstorms and bonfire, will gradually reduce in volume until it switches off which will help lull you into a deep slumber. One cool little function is the voice recorded memo which is a great tool for setting reminders in the morning or leaving soppy notes for each other. You can also play your Mp3 through the speakers, listen to AM/FM radio whilst saving three of your favourite stations. When it comes to the alarm clock I like that you can set multiple alarms so I can use one during the working week and another at weekends, it also starts off at a low volume and slowly increases to wake you up gently. The Sound Oasis Deluxe S5000 produces high quality audio with its 3 speakers (including a sub) that is a pleasure to listen to, you can also use headphones if you don’t want to disturb you partner however there is no Bluetooth compatibility which is a shame as I hate trying to sleep with headphone wires tangling you up. I enjoyed using this noise machine and genuinely found myself getting to sleep quicker and I felt more rested in the morning but for the money you have to pay I would still consider downloading a free app to my phone and using my Bluetooth headphones, but yes I would have to put up with a reduction in quality. RRP $199.99

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POLAR V800 GPS SPORTS WATCH I am ashamed to say I have overlooked Polar in the Sports watch arena until recently as I was a Garmin fan. I guess I was like many people and I liked what I liked! However, thankfully Polar have been doing some smart marketing which is necessary to inform people like me of their great stuff. I was delighted to see posters, product stands and displays for Polar in my local running shop. I have been using Polar for a while now and I am gob smacked at how awesome this stuff is, when you buy a Polar you can expect a top quality and easy to use product for your money.

The new Polar V800 is the next model on from the M400 and it feels a class above. Whilst the M400 is a very capable watch and offers incredible value for money, it isn’t a watch I would want to wear 24-7. This is no real slight on Polar as I also have a couple of Garmin’s latest offerings that I feel exactly the same about. The V800 is altogether different and looks so good that it looks good with a t-shirt or poking out of a business shirt sleeve.

There are a variety of face displays to choose and the analogue hands look

cool with a suit. What I was surprised to discover was that the V800 could be an everyday watch that I choose to wear all the time. I personally prefer the black option as I often have to dress smart and it is less conspicuous than the blue one but saying that they both look great.

The first impressions of the V800 are very good as the box is excellent, It is hinged and can be used time and time again. The instructions are simple and the V800 watch looks and feels top of its field, its case is brushed stainless steel with scratch resistant glass. It is very well made, rugged and hardy. I love the way the face and the strap are bent around the wrist rather than the other style of a pin connecting the strap to the face which feels less complete.

This watch has all the features of the M400 such as GPS tracking, heart rate monitor and a bundle more thrown in.

You can add a running stride sensor and a bike speed sensor. This watch is ideal for multi disciplines such as triathlons as there is a setting which when paused and started again automatically will be on the next discipline.

The V800 is waterproof to 30m and feels more designed for swimmers than the M400.

They battery life is brilliant giving me a good 7 days before recharging.

So once a week I connect the watch to my computer via the provided USB and it automatically downloads all my week’s activities and charges the watch quickly for the next week.

This pairing can be done whether via this USB or Bluetooth.

In my mind Polar have produced an affordable game changer with the V800. This is an incredibly capable sports watch that looks really good. I believe this to be ground breaking as all my previous sports watches have been very capable but they only ever donned my wrist when I was clad in Lycra.

Well done Polar. RRP ÂŁ354.50 www.polar.com

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AMOK DRAUMR 3.0 CAMPING HAMMOCK When you think about hammocks the first image that comes to mind might be a large net hammock hanging between palm trees on a sun kissed beach but lately it has become a growing trend to exchange the traditional tent for a sleep hammock. Norwegians have a wonderful relationship with their countryside and camping is very popular out there so when we received the Norwegian designed Amok Draumr 3.0 hammock I already had high hopes and I wasn’t disappointed. It is clear this has been designed by outdoorsy types and has been repeatedly tested in the tough Norwegian wilds, it exhibits a high grade construction and its innovative design allows you to lay flat or in a seated position as well as comfortably on your front and sides. The Draumr 3.0 comes with, the hammock, suspension straps, bug net and waterproof tarp which all packs down into its own compact stuff bag, we were a little disappointed to find

that the inflatable sleep pad doesn’t come with it as you need it to set up the hammock correctly, Amok don’t actually produce them but there is plenty of information on the website to help you get the right make and size to suit your needs. After a few hiccups with the first test run we found the hammock fairly simple to erect, the only real issue was finding a suitable spot close to camp.

The trees need to be a minimum of 2.5 m / 8 feet and a maximum of 6 m / 20 feet apart and clear of brambles or any undergrowth that could damage the material, the suspension straps are colour coded to make life easier and you keep the hammock in the bag at this stage to stop you from getting all tangled up. From there you simply pop in your sleep mat and adjust the straps to get the right balance, we struggled with this at first as we kept over adjusting but after setting it up a few times it became easier and quicker to get the right balance each time. The

tarp also stress-free to attach and will give you some protection from rain, wind or bright sunlight. We found this really comfortable and a great addition to the campsite but as a replacement for a tent it would probably suit the more minimalist outdoor adventurer

and this is where I think its weight will go against it as with the tarp and stakes it weighs a hefty 2053g. Still this is a wonderfully innovative idea and great alternative to the standard tent/sleep mat bringing a whole new dimension to outdoor sleeping. RRP $400

Rating

Pros • Good construction • Easy to use • Storage pockets • Sleep flat on your back, front or sides or relax in a seated position

Cons • Heavy • Sleep mat not included www.amokequipment.com

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Rating

Pros • Great build quality • Looks great • Fun, fast and unique ride • Good value for money Cons • Difficult sport to begin (helmet, knee and elbow pads are a must) • Need to find a large, safe, hard surface place to practise www.freebord.com

Freebord – Primal Bamboo Complete

My first impression was, “this is how I will die”, my boyfriend being a skateboarder in his youth thought I was over reacting, until he stepped on and immediately wobbled straight off. The trick with the Freebord is to not try and ride it like anything you may be familiar with because you haven’t ridden anything like this before. Freeboards were first created in 1996 to replicate the ride of a snowboard where there is no snow and since their creation Freebord remains one of the largest producers of freeboards in the world. Freeboards have six wheels in total, with two trucks at either end and two spring-locked wheels that are just behind the trucks, these pivot 360 degrees permitting the board to move horizontally across a run provided none of the four corner wheels are touching the ground.

A freeboard is smaller than a snowboard measuring in at roughly 7.5 to 9 inches wide and between 29 and 36 inches long and are traditionally made from maple or bamboo which is a tough hardwood without a lot of flexibility, the movement comes from the wheels. There are two “binding” type of things on top of the board that you just slip your feet under and this is where it rides more like a snowboard than a skate board in that you need to use your hips and carve down the hill rather than point the nose of the board straight down like a skateboard, if you do that the board becomes really hard to control. As I have some snowboarding experience I took to it a little easier than my ex skateboarding partner but I still found it a very different ride, as soon as you relax into it the control becomes a little easier but it does take some practice, you are looking at a few weeks’ practice to get used to the Freebord or maybe with nerves of steel you might take to it quicker. The Freebord is a fast, nippy thing and after seeing videos of some experts at events and competitions it makes me want to persevere because not only does it look like a lot of fun but it would also give you masses of cool points if mastered. RRP $244.99

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ANKI Overdrive Starter Kit Warning! Warning! Before you get yourself all excited about the ANKI Overdrive, and trust me it is worth getting excited about, please check their website for compatible devices, ANKI have tested and validated iOS versions 8 or higher / Android versions 5 or higher, I have seen too many people giving this product unfair reviews based on the fact their phone or tablet wasn’t compatible so to avoid disappointment please check first. Now that ugly business is out of the way let’s take a proper look at the Starter Kit, the ANKI Overdrive is the bigger and better brother to the ANKI Drive, allowing you to build your own tracks and resolving the bugs and issues the previous app had, basically the Overdrive is what you would get if Scalextric and Mario Kart had a baby together. In the box you get a ten piece track set, six 90° curved track pieces, four straight track pieces and two arches to raise the track off the ground. These can be used to build eight different style tracks, they clip together in seconds using magnets, making it easy to pack away when not in use and without discouraging you from getting it all out again (I remember my dad taking forever putting the Scalextric track together only for us to

get bored with it after an hour and he would swear never to get it out again).

You get two cars with the Starter Kit, Skull and Groundshock each featuring different special features for example Groundshock is faster whilst Skull is better at attacking, making for a more unpredictable game that requires skill rather than luck to win. The cars charge up in 8-10 minutes giving you about 20mins race time with the app control warning you when your battery is draining, once they are charged you simply need to download the app and follow the tutorials to pair with your cars Bluetooth and set up your profile. The cars will follow the track without you needing to steer but you do need to control the speed and you can tilt the screen to move the car into different lanes so you can attack opponents with various weapons or overtake them on the corners, you can level up and get new weapons for your car as you progress through the game. You can have up to 4 cars on the track in any race and play against the AI or your friends, provided you all have compatible devices. There are plenty of expansion packs available to extend the track and 6 cars in total to choose from, however this can become

Rating

Pros • It is like a computer game that has jumped right out of the screen • Simple and attractive UI • Different gaming modes • Expansion bundles and extra cars available • Quick and easy to set up • Lights on the car and audio through the app increase game interaction

a rather expensive affair with one car costing a whopping £50 which could have people thinking twice, however although this is a starter pack there is plenty here to keep you entertained without the need for expansions (just don’t let the kids know they exist). I really enjoyed playing with

Cons • Only 20 mins of game play per charge (although it is very quick to recharge) • Expansion packs are expensive • Not compatible with older devices www.anki.com

this, it is a highly addictive game, that ignited the competitive flame inside of me, it has a simple and attractive UI but with enough complexity and different gaming modes to keep things interesting suitable for kids and big kids alike. RRP £149.99

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SmartCharge LED Rechargeable Light Bulb I have really fond memories of power cuts when I was a kid, my dad would come out of the office, my teenage sister would creep out of her bedroom and mum would light lots of candles, make some hot chocolate on the stove and we would play cards, wonderful.

Mum however remembers it rather differently, my dad tripping over his bag in the kitchen, my sister panicking because she hated the dark and wax melting all over the coffee table, not so wonderful. For other people the lack of light is more than just an inconvenience, for the elderly, disabled or someone in a mousetrap factory it could be downright dangerous so the idea of a lightbulb that will stay on even in the event of a power cut is very exciting.

The SmartCharge LED Rechargeable Light Bulb aims to do exactly that, simply replace your existing bulb with the SmartCharge bulb and in the event of a power cut and the SmartCharge will use its battery back-up power to give you 3.5 hours of light. The battery charges up during normal use and will hold its charge for up to 17 days but works best in a place where it will be used regularly, ideally every day. The bulb we tested was 8 watt (replaces a 40 Watt bulb), produced 630 lumens and a warm white 2700k, it is actually

a little cooler than our usual bulb but not unpleasant. We tried it out in a few spots and found if the light hadn’t been switched on for a while, say a few hours, it would flicker when It comes on like the old school energy saving bulbs, not really a problem but a little annoying. It is only suitable for a single light fixture not multi light fixtures, it cannot be used in enclosed fixtures without ventilation and is larger than the average bulb, 3 x 7 x 10 inches so it sticks out over the top of my little table lamp lampshade, it is also heavier weighing in at 11.2 ounces instead of the average 1.8 ounces so this may also be something to consider. It does do what it says on the tin, we have a mini power cut test by tripping the fuse and it stayed on, the same level of brightness without even a flicker, you can then use it like a normal light by turning it on and off on the wall. This is a new product that will get better with time, maybe I am greedy but I would like to see it last longer, give me 7 or even 12 hours then perhaps it makes the price a little more reasonable when it comes to replacing all the bulbs in the house but as it stands in the event of a blackout we can at least huddle in one room for 3.5 hours. RRP $24.95

Rating

Pros • Use like a normal bulb • Holds charge for 17 days • Stays on for 3.5 hours • Energy efficient • Innovative idea

Cons • Feels cheap • Heavy • Big • Flickers when we turned it on • Only works in single light fixtures and unenclosed ventilated fixtures www.smartchargelight.com

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Rating

Pros • Quick way to start fire and get the BBQ ready • Eliminates the need of firelighters, lighter fluid and matches Cons • Not portable as needs to be plugged in • No safety switch (maybe I am over cautious) www.looftlighter.com

Looftlighter We have friends, who shall remain nameless, that invite us over for a BBQ every summer, and every year without fail we all end up starving, we now prepare by having something to eat before we even leave ours. The issue is that they wait for everyone to arrive, make everyone drinks, sit down, have a catch up and then say, “should we start the BBQ?” Why isn’t it already lit? It then takes ages for the coals to light, burn down and then for the food to cook and EVERY year they will say, “we really should have started it sooner” but they never learn. Well this year I am prepared, I will be taking the Looftlighter, the what I hear you ask, it looks like a curling iron, it acts like a hair dryer and works like a lighter. You pile your charcoal up, touch the Looftlighter to one lump of charcoal and hold the button down, the Looftlighter then blows out hot (really hot) air out onto the coal and quickly you will see sparks, at this point you move the Looflighter off the coals and hold it a few inches away from the same spot for at least 60 secs to ignite the charcoal. If you want to get it BBQ ready you need to use it for 4-5

minutes until the charcoals are white hot, this is by far the fastest way of lighting a BBQ or hearth fire and eliminates the need for lighter fluid or matches. I like the idea of not needing naked flames or chemicals to start the fire, we did have to dig out the extension cord to test it out so make sure you have a suitable way of using it outside. As it does produce a lot of heat I would like to see a safety catch on this, just in case it does fall into the wrong pair of hands and as for the bottle opener…no…just no, I don’t think this should be left lying around after it has been used although it does cool down quickly I know our BBQs often end up rather boozy and it is just asking for trouble. Also if there is ash in your fireplace just be aware of where you are pointing the Looftlighter when you turn it on as it will blow ash everywhere. Other than that this it is a fast and safe way to light a BBQ or fire, an eco-friendlier way with less smoke and stress involved. RRP £69.95

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Gymwatch Sensor At first look you may mistake this for just another activity monitor but the Gymwatch Sensor is like having a personal trainer attached to your body, it’s not about what you ate that day or how many steps you need to take this is aimed at a more serious workout in the gym, specifically using weights.

The Sensor comes with two different sizes of Velcro straps to use on either your arm or leg and has a companion app that is necessary to work alongside the Sensor as there is no screen. The Gymwatch Sensor measures strength and motion across fitness exercises, including machines, free weights and bodyweight, records the full range of motion of an exercise, determines every strength component, all repetitions and will give you feedback in real time as to whether you are performing the exercises correctly. With so many apps and trackers out there specifically for running or cycling it is good to see something has been created for the weight lifters, being a crowd funded project it has had some problems with

the app, slow starting, freezing and so on but most of these issues seem to have been ironed out. It is fairly easy to set up and use and seems to work best with the preloaded work outs, you can also use more than one sensor at a time so you can monitor both left and right at the same time. We enjoyed working out with this Sensor It helped me in particular to have the confidence to use the free weights as it would correct me if I was moving wrong or doing reps too fast and my boyfriend who cotested found that it made him work harder in the gym, took more care over his reps and made him want to surpass his previous work out. This is a smart device but in an age where we are used to multifunction devices is it too limited? Perhaps we do need the steps and calories and sleep too instead of another individual device to lug about, I hope as this product develops we see extra tools that can work alongside it.

RRP $149

Rating

Pros • Simple to use • Innovative idea • Long battery life

Cons • Limited use • Expensive www.gymwatch.com

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SIVA CYCLE ATOM Ever since I saw Fifteen Million Merits (A Black Mirror episode), a terrifying dystopian future produced

by Charlie Brooker where everyone has to use exercise bikes to produce the countries energy, I have wondered how much energy one person could produce through pedal power. The Siva Cycle Atom is a clever little device created for this very purpose, to store clean kinetic energy and reuse to charge your iPhone, Android Phones, GoPro, bicycle lights, GPS, Bluetooth speakers basically any USB charging device. Essentially this is a portable battery pack which can be used like any normal external battery pack that can be charged up at home and then taken out on the go. The added extra that makes The Atom special is that you can attach it to your bicycle and charge it up on your daily commute, mountain ride or any cycling adventure. The Atom uses a lithium-polymer battery

pack (rated for 2-4 years of use from the manufacturer) and is housed in a weather proof case that will withstand up to 25 mph speeds. It is compatible with fenders (may need a small 5mm spacer), racks, panniers and most frames. For someone like me who uses a knackered old hybrid just to get about on the resistances created by the Atom wasn’t an issue but if you are concerned with what it feels like, whilst in full generating capacity, you are riding with your tires at 70 psi instead of 90 psi, or pedalling up a 0.3% grade hill. I managed to attach it to the bike without too much hassle and without a tool, it took me about 10 minutes which means it would take a normal person less than 5 minutes. I love that I can plug my phone in whilst I’m cycling meaning if I am using GPS my phone won’t be dead when I arrive

at my destination, but you may need to consider what sort of cyclist you are, the average cyclist rides at about 9-10 mph but with The Atom you will get roughly 1% charge for every minute you ride at 12 mph, so that means approximately 1 hour 40 mins ride at 12mph to charge a smart phone from 0-100%. On the whole I was impressed with The Atom, there are elements that could annoy the more hard-core cyclist (my brother in law being one of these picky types) like the resistance and even the noise it makes (I tuned out but my brother in law said it was annoying) but that aside it encourages me to cycle harder as I can see the direct impact it has whilst charging my phone up and anything that is trying to produce clean electricity gets a big tick in my book.

RRP $199.99

Rating

Pros • Easy to install • Produces and stores a good amount of clean energy • Can charge devices on the go • Donates one Atom for every 10 sold Cons • Adds resistance to the ride (this is how the energy is generated) • Makes a noise www.sivacycle.com

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Rating

Pros • Waterproof and bi-injected with polycarbonate and EPDM making it tough • You can replace the battery • Register an unlimited amount to one account • Safety mode feature • Collar and wrist accessories available for pets, children or even drunken friends Cons • Only 3 colours available • Report lost function will only work if this product becomes really popular • Can take a while to find signal to connect • Range can be reduced due to environment www.findlapa.com

LAPA 2- BLUETOOTH OBJECT FINDER We have had similar products to this before with the CHIPOLO which at the time was a let down due to the app failing to connect with any consistency, so I started my test of the Lapa 2 with a degree of scepticism.

I downloaded the app (compatible with iphone 4 +, ipad 3rd gen + and Android 4.3 +) synced the Lapa 2 and attached it to my keys without any difficulty, the free app provides a simple enough walkthrough. I gave my boyfriend my keys to hide them up in the house then switched on my Bluetooth to attempt to find them, it took about 15-30 secs to find signal and then it will ask you to move around until it is in range then it’s a case of “close”, “closer”, “almost there” until you find it. it has a range of 60 metres in eyesight but that will be greatly reduced in certain environments, objects and walls can block the signal but when you are in the same room it will let you know.

As well as the app playing a game of hot and cold with you the Lapa device with also emit a 90 decibel tuneful jingle and a flashing LED light to help you find your missing object, you can also check in on the map to see

where it was last detected. There are two features we love about the Lapa 2 the first is that you can report an item missing and receive an updated location report when another user passes your item (obviously this will only become successful if the Lapa 2 becomes really popular but it’s an innovative idea) and the second is the safety mode that you can activate and it will let you know if your item goes out of range meaning you have either walked off without it or it has walked off with someone else. Unlike other trackers you can register as many as you like with your account, share devices with other accounts (for example the car keys can be registered to my account and my partners) and you can change the battery when it dies (a common CR1632 watch battery, life expectancy- 1 year) so you don’t have to replace the entire device. So all in all I was pleasantly surprised with the Lapa 2, sometimes it took a little while to find signal which can be frustrating if you are in a rush, but most importantly it connected every time we tested. RRP $69

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Earin Headphones THEY’RE HERE!!! We have been waiting for these beauties to hit the shelves for a while and we weren’t disappointed, the Earin Headphones are one of the first completely wireless headphones to hit the market, along with Bragi’s Dash they are taking on the difficult task of being the FIRST. Earin was founded in 2013 in Sweden and wanted to create a fully wireless headphone without compromising on the sound quality and in three years they have delivered these smart little things.

They come packaged in a cool magnetic box with the instructions printed on the inside, all looking rather futuristic and that is carried into the design of the charge/carrier capsule which looks remarkably like the Neuralyzer off of Men In Black (I did test this out on my partner to wipe his memory of me eating the last of the biscuits but sadly it didn’t work). This cool little case charges and stores the headphones, a little draw that slides with two brackets to pop the ear buds in, I found the bottom bracket could be a little fiddly but nothing too troublesome, its tactile and weighs in at 42g so it will sit in your pocket or bag very comfortably, each 75min charge will then charge the earbuds three times (the earbuds take 70mins to charge from 0-100% in the capsule). A red light comes on to let you

know its charging and switches off to say when it is finished, an improvement here could be another light or signal to let you know that the charger itself has charge as the red light going off could also indicate that it has run out of juice and isn’t charging your earbuds at all something I imagine they will change in the second generation. The earbuds themselves are 3.5g, 14.5mm by 20 mm smaller and lighter than any other wireless headphone, and give you just shy of three hours’ stereo playback time, with two sizes of Comply foam tips as well as one standard tip and stabilizers for extra stability whilst active. Personally I found the foam tips more than enough to keep the earbuds in place whilst running, I am a big fan of Comply foam anyway as the secure seal isn’t just more comfortable than the regular rubber tips but also it reduces background noise so you get a better quality of sound. As for the sound the Earin headphones use two dedicated amps driving high-precision balanced armature speakers which create a clear and detailed sound with decent mid and high end and a well-adjusted base (as you would hope for the price) that comes together to generate an enjoyable audio experience. I have

heard rumours of the right ear cutting out occasionally as the left ear is the Bluetooth receiver and then pushes the audio for the left ear to the right and can sometimes lose connection as it travels through/around your head, perhaps suggesting I haven’t got as much in my head as others this was not a problem I faced. To top it all off there is an app that works alongside the earbuds that allows you to play with the bass and the balance as well as telling you the charge levels (only for the earbuds). As the first generation of a brand new type of headphone these are definitely a brilliant attempt with a few little bumps that will be ironed out overtime, over all very impressed.

RRP $249.99

Rating

Pros • Great sound • Completely wireless • Comfortable and light • Portable capsule charger • Companion app to get you more control over the sound Cons • No visible signal that the capsule is out of battery • No external controls or microphone www.earin.com

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BEATBUDDY MINI When we first tested out Singular Sound’s original BeatBuddy, we were really impressed with the product and had a lot of fun with it. So when presented with the chance to review its baby brother, the BeatBuddy Mini, we were interested to see what Singular Sound was offering with its new pedal at such a dramatically reduced price.

The BeatBuddy Mini is a reliable drummer that you can strap to your pedal rack—it will never miss a beat (or rehearsal), and like its older brother, it gives you real-time control of the beat, allowing you to insert fills, transition from verse to chorus and back again, bring in accents and breaks, and more, all with the tap of your foot. There is a built-in metronome to help you keep time and improve your rhythm, and it is still compatible with the original BeatBuddy Footswitch.

At 4.4 x 2.3 x 1.3 inches, it is definitely smaller than the original BeatBuddy’s 3.7 x 6.2 x 2.5 inches.

Naturally, you do lose some of the elements that made the original BeatBuddy unique: for example, you can’t download additional content, it is not compatible with USB, and there is

no SD card or MIDI Sync. There is not a headphone jack either. There are still plenty of options regarding songs and genres (100 songs in 21 genres), but this is definitely less than the original BeatBuddy’s 200 songs, and there are now only two fills per song. The sound has also been reduced from 24-bit resolution stereo sound to 16-bit mono sound and the visual display is now monochrome instead of full colour.

All in all, we found the BeatBuddy Mini to be a much simpler machine, focusing on playing along with a drum beat without overcomplicating things.

Although the functions are reduced, this does not reduce the enjoyment and the more simplistic setup, and the affordable price is sure to make it even more appealing than the original.

The only thing really lacking was the ability to add additional songs.

Without the option of expanding, the BeatBuddy Mini becomes a bit limited, but for the low price and awesome remaining functions, we are willing to be forgiving and accept it into our instrumental accessories flock with open arms.

RRP $149

Rating

Pros • High quality 16-bit sound • 100 songs included • Give you real time control over the beat • Good value for money

Cons • Not compatible with USB, SD cards, MIDI or headphones • No upgrade or additional information options www.mybeatbuddy.com

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Ausdom M05 Bluetooth Headphones These headphones try to give you everything all at once for a low price but do they deliver? The Ausdom M05 are wireless Bluetooth headphones with a built in microphone that allows you to take calls. Starting with aesthetics I was impressed with the build quality for the price and they are pleasant to wear with sufficient padding around the ears and on the adjustable headband, the ear pieces also pivot all the way round so you can lay them flat in your bag which is convenient. They sit over

my ears securely but I do have little ears and your ears wouldn’t need to be much bigger for them to sit on the ear which could become irritating.

Connecting them to my phone was simple enough and I was surprised to hear a little voice in my head telling me they are connected rather than a hellish BEEEEEEP that you get with most Bluetooth headphones and it had a good range allowing me to be two rooms away from my phone without interference. As for the sound quality

Rating

Pros • Comfortable • Inexpensive • Wireless • Long Battery life Cons • Leaks noise • Low quality sound • Not suitable for large ears amzn.to/1Xhs2mh

it’s a tough one, for the price it’s reasonable and for some maybe acceptable but for me the 40mm drivers produce a base heavy sound with mid and high tones verging on the tinny side. There is no noise isolation which means the leak out noise and allow distorted external noise in, this quickly made me self-conscious on the train to the point that I would turn my music down low (reducing the levels of the mid and high tones) to avoid being the “tisk tisk tisk” person that everyone hates. Again the microphone quality is acceptable but not great so if you need to take important calls often I would save up a few pennies for a better quality pair.

You get all the leads and batteries you need including a jack to jack so you can use it with non-Bluetooth devices and the batteries do give you an impressive 20 hour play time. If you are looking for some semi decent headphones on a budget these could be right for you but if you are really into your tunes the sound quality could be enough to put you off. RRP £59.99

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Roberts Radio WhatHiFi Advertorial.indd 1

06/05/2015 15:48