Gadgethead 4.10

Issue 4.10

UK

£4.95

www.thegadgethead.com

Inspired By Your Success

Contents Simplehuman sensor trio mirror • Olight I1R EOS • Huel

GADGETHEAD Senior Writer Emma Hilling emmahilling@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Director Alex Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com Junior Copy Editor Alice Instone-Brewer alice@littlegatepublishing.com Junior Copy Editor James Lapping james@littlegatepublishing.com Junior Copy Editor Will Girling willgirling@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com

Page 10 XCEED Swimming Goggles

by MP • Thinktank Lens Case Duo 15 and 40 • ON Running Cloud X • El Camino Bracelets • Godox XT16 Trigger Transmitter and P90L Soft Box Page 20 KitSound Classic DAB+ Portable Radio • Thinkware Dash Cam F100 and GPS Tracker • Thinkware Rear View Camera • Godox SK 400 II Studio Flash Kit Page 30 RiutBag R15.3 • On Running Cloud Waterproof • KS BoomCube Bluetooth Speaker • Rhinowares Coffee Grinder with Adaptor for AeroPress • LifeSaver® Liberty™ Page 40 OKI Pro8432WT • Varidesk Exec 40 • WOW-Sound • LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle Page 50 ON Running Tank-T • Nuband Activ+ • Tile Pro Combo Pack • BISSELL CrossWave • ON Running Weather Shirt • AeroPress Coffee Maker

Simplehuman sensor trio mirror This is the second mirror I have reviewed from Simplehuman and as I loved the first one I had high hopes for this model. In all honesty I didn’t think there was much more that could be done to improve the last one, but I was wrong.

This 20cm mirror is the perfect size for any bathroom or bedroom.

This is a three in one mirror with its x1, x5 and x10 magnification faces. The x1 is ideal for checking your entire face at a true size in a very clear mirror.

The x5 magnification gives your face with an enhanced clarity. And for very close work you can view through the x10.

The mirror looks and feels quality with the brushed metal finish coupled with its heavy weight. Once the mirror is charged with the standard USB cable it will last up

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to 5 weeks. The light surround can be turned off however when the sensor is on it will detect when you are in front of it and light up.

The strength of light is touch changed with a range from 100 lux to 800 lux. The Tru-lux system illuminates in a nice natural light to ensure your make up goes on how you want it to be.

It has a mirror face on both sides and is easily flipped around with the use of a knob on its side to avoid finger marks on the glass.

This mirror isn’t the cheapest on the

market but then the best of anything often isn’t. It comes with a 5-year guarantee so if you break the cost down over these 5 years it becomes very affordable.

As a side note I love the way it will recognise my movement as I creep into the bathroom in the middle of the night. As I get older this happens more often and I don’t want to wake up my family using the full-blown bathroom light. The mirror will switch on a gentle light which shows the way and then turn itself off.

This is a lovely addition to anyone’s bathroom. RRP £279.99

www.simplehuman.co.uk Pros Attractive design Adjustable light Swivel knob Heavy

Cons Maybe it is expensive but not when it comes with a 5 year guarantee.

 Gadgethead Magazine

Olight I1R EOS I have an ancient car with an old fashioned, manual, key in the hole locking system - which is all well and good in the daytime - but attempted access at night has resulted in scratches all around the lock as i jab at it blindly in the dark, time for a torch.

Now, I could have settled for a ÂŁ2.99 jobby off eBay that would cast a faint glow for a few months before falling apart, but if you are going to do something you might as well do it right.

The Olight I1R EOS is a small but mighty flashlight with a built-in rechargeable battery, with two brightness settings to choose from, 5 or 130 lumens, it weighs just 12g and is super compact at 41mm (length) x 14mm (diameter), it comes with a little keyring, so you can easily attach it to your keys. A major

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plus is the rechargeable Li-ion battery with comes with a MircoUSB which saves you from having to continually replace with tiny batteries, the downside is that you need to unscrew the two pieces to find the USB port which risks you loosing on half, but on the plusside ensures the torch

has an IPX8 rating (making it suitable for submersion).

The Olight I1R EOS uses a Philips Luxeon TX LED paired with a TIR optic lens which happily produces a soft and balanced beam, to switch the light on you simply twist the light head clockwise, it will come on at its lowest setting then simply twist a little further to activate the brightest setting, this system maybe easier than finding a tiny button but there is a risk of forgetting which way to twist on and therefore accidently twisting the two pieces

apart if you aren’t paying attention. For a full charge it will take you just 1 hour 1 5mins (red and green lights will indicate when its charging/fully charged), the USB cable means you can charge it in the car through the cigarette charging adaptor, the lowest setting will provide you with 7hours of constant use whilst on the highest setting you get 20 minutes. You get a beam distance of 54m and light

intensity of 730 candela, perfect for close-up use, but will also flood a car or small tent with light.

This powerful little light is a great choice if you are looking to a compact and light weight torch for your keys, wallet or bag, the convenient rechargeable battery makes it ecofriendly and the Luxeon TX LED produces a satisfyingly bright light for its size. RRP £15.99

https://www. olightstore.uk/olighti1r-eos Pros Compact Lightweight Rechargeable Up to 130 lumens Charging indicator Two brightness settings IPX8 rating

Cons Twisting operation could result in unscrewing You have to remove the bulb head to charge

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Gadgethead Magazine

Huel Let me start off by saying this isn’t going to be a judgement or condonement as to whether a meal replacement diet, however extreme, is a healthy choice. There is a lot of conflicting information out there, so be sure to read up on the benefits and disadvantages of the ‘Huel diet’ before you start.

We received a wide variety of things from Huel, including the new Berry Granola, two bags of Huel Powder in new and improved Berry and Vanilla flavour, as well as three Flavour Boosts in Mocha, Mint Chocolate and Matcha flavour, two clear shaker bottles, two scoops, two t-shirts, two enamel mugs and reusable cloth tote bag.

So, what is Huel?

Well, their mission statement is, “To make a nutritionally complete, convenient, affordable food, with minimal impact on animals and the environment” - please note that nowhere does it say ‘delicious’, but more on that later. The Huel Powder is high in protein and fibre 8

(there are tips on how to ease into the new diet to avoid bloating and flatulence), made from sustainable ingredients including oats, pea, rice, flaxseed, sunflower seed, coconut and a vitamin and mineral blend, it is also 100% vegan with a shelf life of 12 months (6 months once opened), plus there are Gluten free powders available as well.

Huel claims most of their consumers use the Huel Powder to replace one or two meals a day. As well as the high fibre and protein content, it also has essential fats, 26 vitamins and minerals, complex carbohydrates and has less than 1% sugar. With convenience being one of its key benefits,

it is unsurprisingly very easy to make. A good place to start is to combine 400ml of cold water, three level scoops of Huel Powder then blend or shake in the shaker bottle for ten seconds, then top up with 175ml cold water, reshake and it is ready.

There are lots of ways to experiment with the powder including adding ice, reducing/ increasing the water for a different consistency, adding the different Flavour Boosts (3 tsp per 3 scoop), swap the water for milk or use it as a flour replacement in cooking.

The Huel Granola is the world’s first nutritionally complete cereal product (finally!) made with rolled oats, crunchy pea protein nuggets, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chicory roots fibre and more.

It looks a little like bird seed, but so do most granolas.

Obviously taste is

a subjective matter, but for me I was surprised by how tasty I found both the Berry and Vanilla: it is subtly sweet with an oaty under current. It tastes better with milk (almond milk especially) than water, but this will change the calorie content.

The Flavour Boosts work well and Huel provide a variety of flavours choices to play with; our favourite combination was Vanilla powder and Mint Chocolate Flavour Boost.

The Granola wasn’t very exciting on its own when served just with milk, but if you add some natural yogurt, fresh fruit and a little bit of honey it is quite pleasant.

Personally, I would struggle to have any more than one Huel shake a day, as I would simply miss solid food too much, it is also a pricey investment.

Yes, I know in the long run it might prove cheaper, but not everyone can afford the minimum £45 order at the time.

If you are looking at meal replacements and

have the money, I think Huel would be a good choice. It’s quick and easy to make (the shakers are easy to clean too), with loads of flavours to choose from and they leave you feeling full, allowing you to closely monitor your calorie and nutritional intake whether you are trying to maintain, gain or lose weight. RRP minimum order spend of £45 (Huel Powder – 28 meals {£1.61 per meal}); £7.50 per flavour (Flavour Boosts); £4.75 per box (Berry Granola); £4.00 (Huel Shaker Bottle)

https://uk.huel.com Pros Versatile Nutritionally complete Less than 1% sugar Tasty Quick and convenient Ethical and sustainable Gluten free options (at a higher price) Cons High one-off payments

 Gadgethead Magazine

XCEED Swimming Goggles by MP The partnership brand of Michael Phelps and Aqua Sphere

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time: winning no fewer than 28 medals during his career, 23 of which were gold. He competed in his first Olympic games at the tender age of 15 and set many world records during his career. If anyone should know what makes decent swimming gear, it is him.

In August 2014, Michael Phelps, Bob tBowman (Phelps’ long-time Hall of Fame coach) and swimming equipment brand Aqua Sphere joined forces

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to begin the process of creating the perfect competition kit. The brand is called MP and its XCEED goggles have been developed in close collaboration with

both Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman.

Michael has even said that they are “the best goggles I’ve ever used”, but he probably would say that wouldn’t he?

The XCEED have patented curved lens that provide a wide field of vision, which is important in competitive swimming as it lets you keep a beady eye on your

competitors, it’s also important at the local public swimming pool to prevent you smacking into those gossiping old ladies that never get their hair wet. These goggles have been engineered with Exo-Core technology, which combines two materials for the best possible performance and the ultrasoft gasket is made from Softeril, this creates a comfortable leak-resistant seal and a low profile the sits close to the face. The semi-rigid exoskeleton ensures structural durability and stability, the hydrodynamic, low-profile head buckle makes for quick and easy adjustments in the pool, whilst the flat silicone strap has a textured grip which securely holds the googles in place, ideally on a swimming cap but it is also effective on hair and skin. The polycarbonate lenses have an anti-fog coating, and there are four

http://michaelphelps.com/uk/goggles/xceed Pros Wide peripheral visuals

lenses

Quick nose bridge replacement

Straps hold firmly in place

Polycarbonate

Anti-fog

Low profile

Cons Not the most comfortable

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interchangeable nose bridges included for a customised fit and these are easy to swap in and have been created to be ergonomic and ingrate smoothly with the rest of the googles.

These aren’t the cheapest googles out there, but they certainly aren’t the most expensive. What you get are a thoroughly well-thought-out pair of goggles that provide excellent peripheral vision. I could see two lanes over on both sides of me and the anti-fog worked perfectly.

The only downside is low profile gaskets aren’t the most comfortable I have tried, but not enough to put me off from wearing them again. All models are FINA approved and start at RRP £26.99 for the entry level clear lens versions up to £45.99 for the top-of-the-range as-wornby-Phelps harder-than-nails titanium versions with ultra cool titanium coated mirrored lenses for enhanced sun and glare protection

Gadgethead Magazine

Thinktank Lens Case Duo 15 and 40 If SLR photography is one of your hobbies, chances are you have at least one camera bag, it might be a small case just to hold the body of your camera, a full-size backpack with all your accessories and lens pack inside, but a third option (and my preferred option when travelling) is a lens case.

The benefits of a lens case are that you can keep the camera in your hands with one lens on and another lens in the case, a wide angle or zoom lens for example, this frees you up from carrying loads of gear and are able to just bring along the essentials, or you can put the lens case in the any ordinary bag you own and discretely carry your expensive gear around.

The Lens Case Duo from Thinktank comes in six different sizes the 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40, this new range will accommodate all size lenses up to 100x400 and is

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available in either a Black or Green design, we received both the 15 and 40 to review.

All the Lens Case Duo bags are made with a durable water-repellent (DWR) coating on the exterior finished with a Polyurethane coating, it features YKK RC zippers, rubberised laminate, 3-ply bonded nylon thread and 420D velocity nylon, the interior has a soft 3-layered nylex liner, high-density foam for protection and uses the same tough 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

Sizes 15-40 come with a handy removable shoulder strap for easy of transportation and

weight distribution, the cool thing about these bags is the dual access.

Most lens cases have a zip up lid for access which of cause the Duo has but when it is attached to your belt via the integrated belt loop it is awkward to open the zip close to your body so the guys at Thinktank have added a second zip which runs across the top and down the bar vertically, this also make getting small lenses out easier.

There are two Ultra stretch front pockets which are useful for storing the lens cap as well as other small accessories including spare cards and batteries. The 15 will house(without lens hood) a Canon/ Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6, Canon/ Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6, Tamron 18-

400mm f/3.5-6.3, Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6 and Nikon 105mm f/2.8 just to name a few, with interior dimensions of 3.4” D x 6.7” H (8.5 x 17 cm) and exterior dimensions 4.1” D x 7.1” H (10.5 x 18 cm) and it weighs just 0.2 lbs (0.1 kg). The 40 will take (with hood attached and reversed) a Canon/ Nikon/Sony 70-200mm f/2.8, Canon/Sony 100400mm f/4.5-5.6 and Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 with interior dimensions of 4.5” D x 9.9” H (11.4 x 25 cm) and exterior dimensions of 5.3” D x 10.2” H (13.4 x 26 cm) it weighs 0.4 lbs (0.2 kg) when empty. We liked the versatility and thoughtful design of these cases, there is even a soft barrier to prevent the lens meeting the zip when putting it in or taking it out. The reasonable price means you can get one for all you lenses if needed and the provided reliable protection whether they are on you hip or in your bag. RRP Duo 15 £25, Duo 40 £30

https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/ lens-case-duo-series Pros Protective High quality construction Versatile Dual opening system Integrated belt loop Removeable shoulder strap Dual outer stretch pockets Reasonable priced

 Gadgethead Magazine

ON Running Cloud X The Cloud X from ON Running are the world’s lightest fully-cushioned shoe for Running Remixed, after a little research we still aren’t sure what Running Remixed is, but believe it has something to do with the training that surrounds the running, with mixed workouts…or something.

The Cloud X is available in men’s and women’s designs both with seven different colours to choose from (sadly most of the girls feature the typical “girly” colours, pastels, pink and purple…yawn), and they come in full and half sizes. Featuring the unmissable ON look, the Cloud X has dual-density sock liner for comfort, as well as a thin, seamless shoe tongue which reduces bulk and protects the top of the foot, there is also a new-generation inner material which claims it can’t easily be seen but definitely will be felt. The new performance uppers

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include and engineered lightweight mesh to ensure breathability whilst allowing the foot complete freedom of movement at the same time. In the heel there is a precisionmade heel cap with a mould cushioning pad to provide you with stability when turning corner or running over uneven terrain. The Cloud X features ON’s Zero-Gravity Foam which is superlight, keeping the shoe at 229g (US M 8.5) as well as using abrasion pads ensure for a good grip that lets you run with confidence on wet surfaces. The CloudTec is employed to offer cushioning

during the landing phase and as soon as you strike the ground, the individual clouds (those lumpy bumpy bits on the bottom of the shoes) provide a strong foundation and returns the energy back into the take off. Other specs include a heel to toe offset of 6mm, 28mm heel height and neutral support, they have thin and slightly stretchy laces which makes them feel fragile but after a fair bit of use they proved to be reliable. We tested the Cloud X out over a couple of weeks, they were immediately comfortable straight out of the box and throughout the entire workout, the moulded heel cup is snug and secure, after four runs (two 2ks and two 10ks) and three HIIT style workout classes we have decided

these would be suitable for slow/medium paced, short/ medium distances, both our testers prefer lots of cushioning due to reoccurring knee injuries, the heel has a good amount of cushion and there is a good response, but for faster runs with higher impact or runs of 6+ miles our testers felt the toe and midfoot needs more cushioning (especially for forefoot running) and the firmness in the sole could potentially cause an issue.

This was most noticeable during the workout classes whilst performing high knees and tuck jumps, however they handled everything else the classes threw at them thanks to the good lateral support and flexible upper.

Pros Very comfortable straight away Super light Cushioned heels Good energy return Breathable Half sizes Spacious toe box

Cons Firm sole and reduced cushioning in toe and midfoot Thin laces could be fiddly for larger hands Lame girl colours in women’s selection

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Gadgethead Magazine

El Camino Bracelets The El Camino Bracelet was thought up by Tom (from England) and Candace (from Canada), whilst hiking along the coast from Barcelona to Monaco. On their return to England, they created a few bracelets for themselves and friends with a man down the road engraving the little metal Steps. As demand grew due to word of mouth, the pair decided to name their creation El Camino, which is a nod to the Spanish roots where they first thought up the idea and means, rather appropriately, route or path in Spanish.

This unique little bracelet will be different for every traveller, as you get to choose all the individual elements.

To get started, you will need to select either a single or double bracelet - the double wraps around twice and will fit about 16-24 Steps and Spacers (more on those in a bit), whereas the single will take 12-16.

After measuring up and choosing your size (details on how to do this are found on the website), you then need to choose you bracelet colour: Black, Chestnut Brown, 16

Purple or Turquoise.

The material used is a closely-guarded secret, all we know is that it’s an extremely strong El Camino Cord; it feels tough and durable, like it will be around for years and years to come, plus it is also quite stiff, which provides a strong foundation for all your Steps.

Next comes the really good bit: choosing all your Steps.

There are Country Steps, Small Steps and Region Steps.

Setting politics to one side, there are the 240 Countries to choose from, for example

instead of a single ‘United Kingdom Step’ there is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each beautifully engraved with the country’s name by the same bloke down the road.

The Small Steps are an ever-changing range that represent popular destinations including London, Paris and New York City, as well as famous landmarks like Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China and the Great Pyramid of Giza - there are currently 41 Small Steps to choose from. Both the Country Steps and Small Steps come with a free coconut space, which adds a different texture and colour to the bracelet. This tastefully compliments the hand-polished surgical stainless steel (316L) the Steps are constructed from.

Fancy forming your own country? You can

get custom engraved Small or Large Steps, you can put anything on it within 32 characters, your name, or home town, anything! Lastly there are the glass Regional Steps, with 12 to choose from including the Middle East, North America, Oceania, all with different colours representing each region.

They are simply engraved with the El Camino logo instead of the region - this is the only improvement we would like to see; it’s hard to remember which colour represents which, and these Steps add another material and a splash of colour to your El Camino. You can customise your El Camino further with extra coconut or wooden spacers (all engraved with the logo), the spring-loaded clasp is strong, and is made from the same shiny surgical steel, and due to the stiffness of the cord it can be easily attached with one hand.

We simply adore the El Camino, everything

about it from the quirky country “facts” on the website to the tasteful packaging, high-quality materials and just the right size font to keep things sophisticated. The materials and colours used compliment each other in any combination; I can see collecting these steps will become as addictive as travelling itself! RRP £21.99 (single bracelet) & £31.99 (double bracelet); prices of the ‘Steps’ varies (see website)

https://elcaminobracelets.com/ Pros Beautifully designed and perfectly executed

Excellent gift for travel enthusiasts

High grade materials and construction

Complimentary colours and materials

Create a unique history of your adventures

Personalised engraving option Hand made in England

Cons Regions don’t have the region engraved on them

 Gadgethead Magazine

Godox XT16 Trigger Transmitter and P90L Soft Box The XT16 is a shoe-mounted, wireless, powercontrol flash trigger transmitter that provides remote triggering and up to eight stops of wireless power control for flashes equipped with the XTR16 receiver.

Featuring a 2.4 GHz radio connection with a range of up to 328’, along with the option of 16 individual channels

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to play with, you can sync at speeds of up to 1/250 second, with multiple power settings to tweak when working

with speedlights or studio flashes. Powered from two AA batteries, it is super light and compact at just 60g (without batteries) and 97.6 x 49.9 x 37 mm. The channels are identified by numbers 0-9 and letters A-F - some of the buttons are teeny tiny,

XT16 Trigger: RRP £37.00

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godox-WirelessControl-Trigger-Receiver/dp/B01I91NNUK Pros 16 channels Compact 328’ range Speeds up to

P90L Soft Box: RRP £80.00

1/250 second syncing Cheap and cheerful

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godox-LightweightParabolic-Softbox-Monolight/dp/B074PS68NM Pros Soft flattering light

Lightweight

Deep Parabolic Box Design

Portable

Wind, crush and fall resistance

so you may need to grow your nails a little bit if you have sausage fingers.

Again, it is another low-cost product from Godox and as such it has a lower build quality, but it still works as it should.

New on the scene, the P90L Soft Box has a deep parabolic design that works like a massive reflector and can be used to add light and play with different light effects. The

Easy to set up Suitable for both indoor and outdoors

light it produces is saturating and soft with an even consistency. It is also wind, crush and fall resistant.

Featuring 16 lightweight premium fiberglass rods, it takes a little time to put it all together, but it is easy enough and portable when packed down - it even comes with its own carrying bag and weighs just 1.5kg in total. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor shoots, features a Bowens mount, and has a 90cm diameter and is 69.4cm deep. The kit includes 16 rods, outer diffuser, inner diffuser, reflective liner, softbox adapter ring, carrying bag and Andoer cleaning cloth. This is one of the pricier items from Godox but it still won’t break the bank. It is easy to use, versatile as well as conveniently portable and produces a flattering soft light.

Gadgethead Magazine

KitSound Classic DAB+ Portable Radio The Classic DAB+ Portable Radio with Bluetooth is a low budget digital radio that can also function as a speaker to stream audio via Bluetooth, Aux or Micro SD. The box includes the radio and USB charging cable.

It has a classic vintage design with a sweet little handle, it looks good but if feels exactly how much it costs: kind of cheap. I’m not sure what is going on inside there, but it rattles when you turn it over, like something maybe broken inside.

This is probably just a fault with this unit and didn’t affect the performance. With so many channels to chose from (unless you live in Norfolk where DAB, WiFi and phone signal get swallowed up in the Broads), you can save up to 20 preset stations for quick accessibility.

The Classic

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is powered by a rechargeable battery which provides up to 7-hours play time off of one full charge.

The alarm function means you can wake up to your favourite station, the LCD display with backlight will display your radio station or mode and the telescopic 360° FM antenna helps to ensure you get a clear and stable connection. The Classic is super portable due to its lightweight and compact wireless design, you can listen to the footy when you’re in the garden or play some tunes on a camping trip. The

radio signal proved to be clear and crisp 100% of the time when we tested it. The large buttons mean it easy to select different Modes and Pre-set stations, however the sound quality isn’t great; when listening to Bluetooth steamed music or even via the Aux, the audio is flat and compressed, the bass is quite weak, and the high tones are sharp, and it could do with being about 20% if you want to use it at parties.

Having said all that, in its primary function as a low-cost digital radio, it works well enough and looks cute at the same time. Not one for the audiophiles but a handy little radio to have around. RRP £49.99

https://www.kitsound.co.uk/product/speakers/ docking-and-radios/classic-dab-portable-radiowith-bluetooth Pros 20 pre-set stations available

Micro SD

Clear signal

Attractive design

Portable

LCD display

Connect with Bluetooth, Aux or

7-hour battery life

Easy to use

Low cost

Cons Cheap build quality

Low sound quality

Low volume

 Gadgethead Magazine

Sur f 3 Inspired by mountain bike technology Why choose between a four-wheel urban pushchair or a three-wheel trekking pushchair. With Surf 3 you can have both, uniquely adaptable it can switch between city and trekking modes with ease.

Whether you’re in the town or country the unique suspension ensures a smooth ride.

4 wheels for urban use

silvercrossbaby.com

Trekking wheel for multi terrain use

ENTER THE WORLD OF ZWIFT.

© ZWIFT 2017.

An immersive digital cycling experience, Zwift makes indoor riding, training or racing, fun and rewarding.

Available on Try for free at

PC/ Mac

iPad iPhone

ZWIFT.COM

Thinkware Dash Cam F100 and GPS Tracker The F100 is a budget friendly, front facing Dash Cam from Thinkware, featuring CMOS Image Sensors that aim to provide constant full 1080p HD resolution recording during both daytime and night time, utilising the FAT (File Allocation Table) system, meaning the proprietary Format Free Technology eliminates the need for periodical manual formatting of recorded video files on the microSD memory card.

The first thing you may notice that might put you off is the lack of a screen, to view recorded video files you will need to put them on you PC. The pack contains the Dash Cam Unit, mount with 3M tape (1ea), Cigar Jack Adaptor, Adhesive Cable Holder, 8GB MicroSD memory card with adapter (it is compatible with up to 64GB) and Quick Start Guide/Warranty Card.

The F100 has various recording modes and automatic switches between modes, this includes Continuous Recording

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Mode which does as it sounds and uses one-minute segments with an auto-looping mechanism. The Event Recording Mode will automatically store video data ten seconds prior to and after a collision registered by the 3-axis G-Sensor (the triaxial acceleration sensor (3D, Âą3G)). The Manual Recording Mode lets you manual recording events in front of your car even if you are stationary.

Mounting was a simple process and the included adhesive cable holder helps to keep things tidy,

however there is only an adhesive mount include no suction cup options. The simplicity of this camera might win people over, no complicated settings to play with or lengthy menus to trawl though, the downside is the lack of Wi-Fi makes it harder to ensure the camera is pointing in the right direction when first installing and prevents instant view (unless you have your laptop in the car).

On the computer you can playback and download recording as well as route history and speed record, you can also change the dash cam settings, format the memory card, or install updates.

Other features include the built-in thermal sensor that protects the device and data from intense heat by

automatically turning it off to prevent overheating, and if the power is disconnected, the fail-safe recording uses the Super Capacitor for backup power to ensure safe storage of any recording in progress but doesn’t continue recording. The GPS Tracking is an optional extra but well worth the extra pennies, yes, it is another unit to install but it will record your driving speed and will provide precise location and route identification on the map, you can assess the details of the surrounding area by providing you with the vehicle speed and the time of a collision, and the severity of impact.

The F100 is compact and discrete at 78 x 34 x

31.5mm and just 42.4g (0.1lbs) but the 1080p Full HD (1920 x 1080) with footage being recorded in MP4 format at 30fps and 10Mbits/sec produces a mediocre image quality, the lack of stabilisation and added compression means signs and number plates are mostly possible but not easy to read.

Best suited for people looking for a low budget, basic camera, possibly a technophobe you just want to plug in and forget about it, there are limited functions but tailoring your dash cam with the added GPS Tracker (plus rear-view camera and internal and external infrared cameras make it a kit you can personalise).

RRP £149

https:// thinkwaredashcam. uk/thinkware-dashcam-f100/ Pros Easy to install Small and discrete Budget friendly Customisable with add-ons G-Sensor Fail Safe recording storage

Cons Poor image quality Limited functions No screen or Wi-Fi for instant reply No image stabilising Doesn’t have internal battery to record if power is disconnected

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Gadgethead Magazine

Thinkware Rear View Camera Internal and External Infrared Camera F100 External Rear View Camera To work alongside the F100 Front facing Dash Cam the F100 External Rear View Camera is an optional extra that will give you both front and rear surveillance, straight forward to install, it is mounted at the rear window it has a 135˚ view angle

(diagonally) and a viewing angle of 45˚, it records HD-quality video, 1280 X 720 with 30fps and can detect motion at the back of the vehicle, you can use the Mobile App with this camera to view front and rear video simultaneously on a single display for added

parking assistance. The image quality is lower than that of the front facing camera which isn’t amazing either, but it is low cost and adds another level of security to your car.

When using it with the front camera you will get just over 2hours recording on a 16GB before it loops over old footage.

 F100 Internal Infrared Camera The Infrared Internal Camera has been designed to record events inside the vehicle in very low light conditions, the IR sensor and LED let you keep track of your

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vehicle during the night or in dark environments like car parks and the garage. Features include resolution HD (1280 X 720) with 30fps, a 125˚(diagonally) and 60˚ viewing angle it

comes with a 2m cable for easy installation.

This time we were impressed with the image quality in low light but bare in mind it does need a little light for a good image, it is also reasonably priced.

F100 External Infrared Camera This External Infrared Camera has been created to provide rear view surveillance of the outside of your car, it is installed on the rear of the vehicle, it has a viewing angle of 135° (Diagonal), 108°

(Horizontal), 57° (Vertical), it records in HD 720p (1280x720) at 30 fps. It features motion detection, is waterproof, it can be mounted anywhere on the exterior to get the best view of the back and side

of the car, it comes with a 15m cable for flexibility of positioning. The image quality is acceptable but not great for the price, low light images are good and it offers an extra level of safekeeping for your car.

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Gadgethead Magazine

Godox SK 400 II Studio Flash Kit There are people who say they are ‘into photography’ because they regularly take selfies and are a dab hand at swiping their favourite filters in place, and then there are those who understand the principles of the F stop scale and have more than one lens. This is something for the latter style of photographers.

The SK 400 II studio Flash Kit comes from Godox, a Chinese company founded in 1993 that specialises in photographic equipment and it

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comes with a built-in Godox 2.4G wireless X system. The ‘SKII Series’ is a low budget option for budding photographers setting up a studio for the first

time and this compact flash strobe is for e-commerce product shooting, portrait and lifestyle photography.

It would work well in small or medium studio shooting and can be used as a high light, background light or hair light.

The SK 400 II is quick and simple to set up and it easily installs

http://www.godox.com/EN/Products_Studio_ Flash_SKII_Series.html Pros Easy to install Bowens mount light accessories Built-in Godox 2.4G wireless X system 150W modelling lamp adjusts from 5% to 100% Clear LCD panel

Anti-preflash function No more than 2% shifts when under the same output Auto memory Compact Low cost

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various Bowens mount light accessories, such as softbox or filters for different effects. You get a clear output display on the large LCD panel, 40 steps from 1/16*1/1, it has an anti-preflash function, enables synchronization with cameras that have a one-preflash firing system and has a good output stability - no more than 2% shifts when under the

same output. Other features include the 150W modelling lamp that adjusts from 5% to 100%, auto memory and recovery of adjusted panel settings, colour temperature of 5600+/-200k, Rycle time of 0.4-3s and flash duration of 1/2000 to 1/8000s. The SK 400 II can be triggering with a sync cord, test button, slave triggering and wireless control port. In the kit you get the SK400II Flash Head, power cable, lamp cover and modelling lamp.

Overall, this is great budget option to enter you into the world of portrait or still-life photography. It performs well considering its price and is compact and straightforward to use. RRP £130.00

Gadgethead Magazine

RiutBag R15.3 Whether you are exploring new countries or walking through your home town or city, there will always be that small percentage of people who are on the look out for any opportunity to help themselves to your belongings. The RiutBag range comes from the mind of Scottish born, Sarah Giblin with the aim of ensuring the utmost security whilst you are out and about by designing all the access points to lay up against the body.

The R15.3 is an all-purpose standard sized backpack suitable for daily commutes, overnighters and air travel carry-on, with a purpose-built compartment that can house a 15” laptop along with its 15 litre capacity. The sturdy bag is rather weighty at 1.23kg when empty but it is handmade with a thick black waterproof Cordura and anti-abrasion TPU as well as EVA and foam padded straps.

The main compartment opens all the way round suitcase style and has a bright yellow

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lining which helps you locate smaller items, especially nearer the bottom of the bag, the double zipped 15” laptop compartment is lined and cushioned with strong Lycra to protect your laptop.

To keep your gear organised there are zipped inner mesh pockets, an extra compartment for holding documents straight, separate top pocket, zipped D-pocket at base of spine for access to mobile phone and passport on the fly, as well as a trolley suitcase strap and adjustable, removeable

chest strap, large comfortable top handle, top loop for hanging, and four attachable reflective RiutBands for high-visibility are included in the price.

The 15.3 also has two external 750ml bottle holders built into the sides of the bag so when loaded up it doesn’t add to the profile of the bag; the downside is that theses compartments take up space inside the main compartments even when they are empty. There is the option of purchasing an attachable and removable waist strap, which is rather cheeky when you are already spending £119 on the bag so surely that could be thrown in, it provides extra support and stability for cyclists and longdistance travellers. The RiutBag has a great

high-quality look about it, it is well made with plenty of padding that makes it comfortable to carry around for long periods of time, all that padding, and lack of ventilation means you will probably end up with some attractive sweat patches on your back. We love the high security it provides by keeping all the zips out of sight, but it does mean accessing your belongings may take a little longer, the straps and fabric is also quite stiff which can make access a bit more awkward, but this might soften up over time with use. RRP £119

https://www.riut.co.uk/products/riutbag-r15-3 Pros High security Comfortable Adjustable, removeable chest strap Airline carry-on safe Looks great Bright yellow lining Lots of pockets Tough, durable construction Integrated laptop back and bottle pockets

Cons Water bottle pockets take up interior space Waist strap sold separately Heavy Rigid materials

 Gadgethead Magazine

On Running Cloud Waterproof As we move into autumn it is easy to rack up the excuses as to why going for that run is a bad idea, dark, cold and worst of all - wet, there’s nothing quite like the prospect of soggy socks to really put you off pulling on those trainers. Luckily, On Running is here to help force those feet out of the door with the On Running Cloud Waterproof running shoe. Falling into On Running’s Active Life category these are lightweight running shoes for regular running in urban areas but will happily protect your feet whilst you pop to the shops or explore new places on holiday thanks to their attractive design.

The magic is in the specially engineered mesh upper which is 100% water and windproof, the water will simply bead off, just like the sweat on your face, and the cold wind cannot penetrate to freeze your hardworking feet. They have even ensured you don’t have time to change your mind when lacing up with the easy step-in heel loop and lacing system, with an elastic lace instead of traditional laces you can slip your

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feet in and out without having to even touch the laces, no more picking at soggy laces with cold fingers after the run. If you plan on running through some shoe stealing mud, then you can always use the traditional laces included in the box and for a little extra visibility in those dark evenings, there is reflective safety detailing on the toe caps, heel and cloud elements.

These shoes have a heel to toe offset of 6mm and weight just

216 g (US Women’s size 7), they are available in both men and women’s options with half sizes available, they are only in the Black and Lunar design, although there is only one style to choose from they look great and won’t show the effects of muddy puddles. The Cloud Waterproof are comfortable straight out of the box, easy to slip into, those little clouds on the bottom of the shoe create a firmer landing than some of On Running’s other line but it hasn’t caused me any problems in the shin or knees.

The grip isn’t great on softer grounds, but they easily handle wet tarmac, probably best avoid it you plan to do a mixture of trail or grass alongside urban running. They provide a good amount of support around

the foot, there is plenty of room in the toe box and those elasticated laces provide the perfect amount of tension to keep your foot firmly in the shoe whilst allow it to flex naturally and remain comfortable as it expands with heat and pressure.

The water and windproof worked well, it allows you to keep your head up, so forget about avoiding puddles, get out and embrace the bad weather and earn some winter miles. RRP £140

https://www.on-running.com/en-gb/products/ cloudventure-waterproof-black-dark-w Pros Water and windproof

Slip on/off with elastic laces

Reflective detailing

Spacious and supportive

Cool design

Springy energy return

Comfortable straight out of the box

Cons Poor grip on grass or trail (however they are sold for urban running)

Slightly firmer cushioning than other On Running

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Gadgethead Magazine

KS BoomCube Bluetooth Speaker The BoomCube from KitSound (KS) is a compact little Bluetooth speaker that comes in three designs: black, grey and rose gold. Measuring up at 7 x 7 x 7cm, it is super portable and looks cute at the same time.

The BoomCube is straightforward to set up: press the on/off button, which lights up to indicate when its switched on and ready for pairing, then simply find it on your device, pair and you are away! When you turn it on and off, it creates a rather ominous booming noise which we rather liked, but the sound when your pair is kind of annoying, especially as we kept switching uses in the office. Once connected, I picked the first song at the top of my playlist which just so happened to be the best song in the world Benny Benassi ‘Satisfaction’,

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you know the one with the super feminist video about all the girls who managed to get construction jobs but forgot to wear their clothes?

I didn’t expect too much from this tiny speaker, but I was actually rather blown away by the powerful sound that came out of it! Thanks to the Passive Radiator that gives the bass a real boost and not just in volume, it is rich and full, the mid tones are clean and even; the only area that could do with improvement is the high tones, which can be a little sharp at times but that’s only

if you are being picky.

The BoomCube takes two hours to receive a full charge and this will provide you with up to six hours’ worth of playtime. The 45mm driver allows you to push up the volume although, sadly, there are no volume controls on the actual speaker… or controls of any kind other than the on/off switch.

Although there are speakers on two of the sides, the majority/ clearest part of the sound comes from the top of the speaker, but it can still fill up a room. The BoomCube is a great choice if you are looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker, with good quality sound (especially bass) and with its low cost, it’s really a no brainer. RRP £19.99

https://www.kitsound. co.uk/product/ speakers/bluetoothspeakers/boomcubebluetooth-speaker Pros Impressive sound Loud Compact Portable 6hour playtime Low cost Easy to connect

Cons No volume control on the speaker

 Gadgethead Magazine

Rhinowares Coffee Grinder with Adaptor for AeroPress If you are a coffee lover you don’t want to be limited to only drinking your favourite coffee at home, the Rhinowares Hand Coffee Grinder allows you to grind coffee on the go, it has been constructed with a compact size that fits inside an AeroPress, allowing you to pack the complete coffee making kit without taking up too much space.

It is made from a quality food grade stainless steel making it easy to clean and it also helps to reduce static, it has been tested and certified as ‘food safe’

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by an independent laboratory.

This Coffee Grinder uses conical ceramic burrs to ensure a clean grind and powerful grind, the burrs stay

sharp longer than metal ones and don’t suffer from rust, it is also easier to clean.

You can adjust how fine or coarse you grind the coffee beans by simply twisting the nut at the base of the grinder, allowing you to choose between French press, AeroPress and Espresso Machine.

It has the capacity to hold up to 42 grams

of coffee beans at any one time, the grinding hand just sits on the top, it can be removed for ease of transportation, the grinder also comes with a convenient, protective carry bag. A compartment slips onto the bottom of the grinder to catch your grounds, but it is easy to grip that by mistake when grinding and I worry about accidently opening it, it would be more secure if it screwed on. The attachment for the AeroPress works well, it is essentially a funnel that ensures the grounds go straight into the AeroPress, personally I still found it easier to pre-grind and then tip it into the AeroPress as I’m clumsy and it gave me less components to arrange.

Overall, the Rhinowares Coffee Grinder is easy to use and provides a smooth grinding motion and quickly grinds your coffee beans to various levels of coarseness. RRP £39.99

https://rhinocoffeegear.com/rhinowares-compacthand-grinder-with-aeropress-adaptor.html Pros Food grade stainless steel housing Conical ceramic burrs Compact- body fits inside an AeroPress.

Adjustable grind size holds up to 42 grams of coffee beans Carry bag.

Smooth grinding motion

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Gadgethead Magazine

LifeSaver® Liberty™ Many of the gadgets that come through our doors are useful, but few can claim to be lifesaving. Liberty™ from LifeSaver (see, there’s a clue right away in the brand name) can do exactly that: this is the worlds’ first and only portable water purifier bottle with an inline pump combination.

This bottle can remove 99.999% of viruses, 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.99% of cysts because, let’s be honest, you probably don’t want to be drinking that if you want your guts to remain on the inside of your body. It uses advanced filtration technology packed into a robust bottle that is easy to use. It comes with a 5ft scavenger hose for drawing water directly from the source, allowing you to avoid getting your hands and bottle wet, convenient accessibility to water, and filters large volumes in one go & filters directly into additional containers.

Ideal for Bear Grylls

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types who would rather avoid doing that thing with the rubber tube and an orifice that couldn’t be further away from your mouth if it tried. It has been independently tested to exceed full NSF/ANSI P231 and WHO2011 ‘Highly protective tier’ drinking water standards. The Liberty™ can hold up to 400ml at a time and the filters can purify up to 2,000 litres of water (the filter is replaceable), there is also a replaceable Activated Carbon Disc for the removal of chlorine, taste and odour and helps to make the water taste clean and pleasant.

No, it doesn’t taste like your favourite spring

water, but you will be surprised by how good it tastes, plus there are no nasty chemicals or electricity required, making it truly portable and kind to the environment.

The ‘FailSafe’ technology means that when the filter membranes are blocked, water cannot pass through, keeping users safe. It has a fast flow rate of 1.2 L/min and is made from ‘SteriTouch’ antimicrobial materials.

Other features include the Flow Valve that lets you control the flow rate, the transparent windows let you see water level, there is a hook on the lid for a carabiner and all the materials are both BPA and BPS free. Quick and easy to use, you can simply fill the bottle by dipping it straight into the water source, screw the base back onto

the bottle, pump twice, unscrew lid, turn the valve and it is ready to drink.

If you use the hose, you open the lid, turn the valve and pump continuously to fill your chosen container.

There are also accessories available to let you pump into an additional bottle and/or water bladder. The filter replacements are expensive at £49.99, but when you consider we are recommended to drink 2-litres of water a day, one filter would last you 1,000 days if you are simply using it for yourself.

The Carbon Filters are reasonably priced at three for £19.99.

The Liberty™ is a wonderfully thought-out product. With versatility that could potentially get you out of a sticky situation, it is probably a bit over-kill for a picnic in the park and quite bulky for day trips, but for longer adventures or group trips it is a great choice!

RRP £89.99

https://iconlifesaver.com/product/lifesaverliberty-bottle/ Pros Worlds’ first and only portable water purifier bottle/inline pump combination Removes- Virus - 99.999%, Bacteria - 99.9999%, Cysts - 99.99% Independently tested Water tastes pleasant 5ft Scavenger Hose Filters up to 2,000 litres (replaceable filters) 5 colours to choose from Pump directly into containers Easy to use Fast flow rate FailSafe technology Flow Valve

Cons Bulky

 Gadgethead Magazine

OKI Pro8432WT The OKI Pro8432WT claims to be a break-through in printing technology, it is an A3 white toner printer that prints in any colour including white, and suitable for creative use, graphics arts use and prints on a wide range of media. It uses a combination of High Definition digital LED technology and OKI white toner technology to allow for non-restrictive creativity, as a member of OKI’s White Toner (WT) portfolio it is part of the first digital printer range that lets you print with white toner. Designed for a graphics based industry this print can provide the same speeds as one of OKI’s standard colour digital LED printers and is straight forward to use.

The Pro8432WT utilises digital LED printing technology and a hassle free, flat paper path for ease of printing, it uses Microfine High Definition toner and ProQ Multi-level output quality with 1200 x 600dpi print resolution, it has printing speeds of 35ppm for A4 plain paper and 20ppm for A3 plain paper.

The Pro8432WT hopes to remove the issues that arise the

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in traditional CMYK printing processes letting you print solid white, it can also be used in a combination with transfer media to let you print onto dark backgrounds, dark coloured garments and other hard surfaces as well as producing white graphic and lettering onto transfers.

Suitable for in-house printing, you can make merchandise as well as graphics, it can print on paper sizes from A6

to A3 and weights of up to 256gsm and has a standard 400-sheet paper supply. We found the OKI Pro8432WT straightforward to set up, it takes up some space with 44.9cm x 55.2cm x 36.0cm dimensions, you can print a good-sized image on a t-shirt or tote bag, and sharp graphics on other media.

The t-shirts it produces aren’t perfect after a few washes cracks in the graphics began to appear and during the print there were a few occasions when there were little blobs of ink in the image, as a regular printer it worked just fine but don’t rely on it to create yourself long last, high quality merchandise. RRP £2995

https://www.oki.com/ie/printing/products/ colour/graphic-arts/white-toner-series/ pro8432wt/index.html Pros CMYW - A first for digital printing Bright sharp graphics on paper Versatile media Straightforward to set up

Cons Garment print quality diminishes over time large

 Gadgethead Magazine

Varidesk Exec 40 With many of us spending way too much time on our backsides, it is important to try to be as active as possible in day to day life to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but how do you do that when your life style consists of 7-9hours-a-day sat at a desk at work?

Varidesk has made it their mission to tackle this problem head on but creating active workspaces, allowing the user to work either standing or sitting and to quickly change between the two positions.

The Exec 40 has been designed for the taller user, currently available in just black it will accommodate users of 6’1” and taller (I will need a step ladder). The 40 in the name represents the 40inch width desk space you have to cover in half drunk cups of coffee and out of date paper work, it has a 28inch depth and will raise up to a max height of 19.5inches with nine different height settings to choose from and it will hold up to 35lb in weight. One of the best things is that the

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Exec 40 arrives fully built so, no awkward construction manuals or fiddly assembly to content with, the downside to this however is that the package is very big and heavy, you will need to grab a work mate or two to help you get it into the office and in position.

Once popped on top of your existing desk the Exec 40 is very stable thanks to the weighted base, you won’t need to modify your original desk use screws, clamps or bolts of any kind, even when fully extended it feels

completely stable. It features a two-tiered design with space for dual monitors on the upper or a laptop and monitor while the slide out lower surface can be used for a full-size keyboard and mouse.

To adjust the height, you simply squeeze the dual handles either side of the desk and lift or push down, the springloaded mechanism makes light work of whatever clutter you have on you desk and moves it with smooth motions that won’t risk spilling your cuppa.

The Varidesk Exec 40 isn’t the most elegant of office furniture, but it is super practical and can completely shake up working day, get on your feet and use your body as well as your brain. RRP £495

https://uk.varidesk. com/en-gb/products/ tall-standing-deskexec?o=Size:40%20 inch;Colour:-%20Black Pros Arrives fully assembled Two tires Dual monitor compatible 9 height level Quick and easy to adjust height Sturdy even at full height Smooth spring-loaded mechanism

Cons Only available in black Not the most attractive

 Gadgethead Magazine

WOW-Sound WOW create a whole host of water based inflatable fun, the majority of products being things you have to grip onto for dear life whilst being pulled along the water by a boat, any crazy outdoor party needs to be accompanied by some awesome tunes and WOW have got you covered.

The WOW-Sound is made for all the hazards of the outdoors, it is fully waterproof, shockproof and dustproof (IP67

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definition is it is totally protected against dust ingress and protected against short periods of immersion in water, waterproof for up to 30

minutes at a depth of one meter.

It has a unique 360-degrees omnidirectional shape, it looks slightly alien putting me in mind of the little creatures from the film Batteries Not Included, this shape isn’t just for fun however it means it will float as well as fit

in any of WOW products cup holders. It has four 2” active speakers spaced evenly around the unit to ensure the sound reaches you no matter where you are floating at the time and it also has one 4” passive radiator on top to ramp up the bass.

To provide a little illumination and increase visibility in low light the WOW-Sound includes a 360-degree LED lamp with three brightness settings, it also comes with a sweet little inflatable holder (like a rubber ring you would put a child in) for rough waters or busy pools and a little inflatable phone holder which is also waterproof (IPX8), snow-proof, dust-proof and sand-proof with full touch screen capabilities and clear front and back allowing to take pictures and videos. Other features include a carry handle, over 50+ hours of battery life from a single charge, maximum Sound Level of 100dB, Bluetooth connection and multi connection ability so you

https://wowwatersports.com/shop/tow-ropespumps-accessories/wow-sound-speaker/ Pros Powerful bass

smartphone case

Loud

50+ hour battery life

Waterproof, dustproof and shockproof Inflatable ring Inflatable, waterproof

Can be left outside all year round Floats LED Light

Cons Flat mid tones, sharp high tones Multifunctional buttons counterintuitive

 can link up more than one WOW-Sound. There are large buttons on the unit that can be used to play, pause or skip songs as well as adjust the volume, i liked the idea of multifunction buttons but in this case it cause a bit of a issue as if you press the “+” or “–” too quickly it will automatically skip the song, it is counterintuitive and friends and family will probably end up skipping songs when they want to change the volume, two extra buttons would be better in this instance. Lastly, the sound quality, the WOW-Sound provides some serious volume and powerful bass however the mid-tones are a little flat (possible due to the Bluetooth compression) whilst the high-tone are quite sharp at times. Not one for the audiophiles but this robust speaker will provide decent enough background tunes whilst you enjoy your day out. RRP $229.99

Gadgethead Magazine

With more than 300,000 designs created since 1932, there’s a Zippo lighter for every personality and style.

For further information and to see the new 2018 collection visit www.zippo.co.uk PJ21508-GadgetHeadAd_v02.indd 1

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LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD - We normally save all our toy reviews for the end of the year, but we are making an exception because: one, this is not a toy; it is so much more; and two, Harry Potter is for life, not just for Christmas.

As a life-long fan of Harry Potter, my heart was pounding when the Hogwarts Castle arrived ahead of the release date, it has what I have been waiting for since the release of the first movie and I wanted to move to Hogwarts. So, let’s get the obvious bit out of the way: yes, it is expensive, but if you break it down over a year it is just £6.70 a week, that’s like two pints of beer and you should probably be cutting down anyway, so it is really helping you achieve a healthier lifestyle. Thanks LEGO! Your scrimping and saving will be well rewarded with this ultra-detailed 6,020 set, making it the second largest LEGO

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set to date, only beaten by the iconic LEGO Millennium Falcon. It is split over 37 helpfully numbered bags (plus a few unnumbered ones with larger pieces) with roughly 150-200 pieces in and four clearly illustrated assembly manuals (with some fun facts about Harry Potter and the Creation of the Hogwarts Castle LEGO set). It is the perfect level of challenge and can easily be broken down over a number of days. We enjoyed drawing the building process out and doing a bag here and there as a reward for making it through a day at work or finishing all of our vegetables, although it was had to resist doing

it all in one sitting the building process is definitely part of the fun.

Down to the nitty gritty: the castle comes with all the towers, turrets, and classrooms you would expect. It includes the Chamber of Secrets (with live in Basilisk and Tom Riddles Diary), the Whomping Willow, Hagrid’s hut and five boats to bring in the first years. The Great Hall takes centre stage with wonderful detail, it has stain glass windows, flaming torches and house banners but that’s not all! There are moving stair cases, the Potions classroom, Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, there is a Chessboard Chamber with chess piece elements, the Room of Requirement, Gryffindor common room, Professor

Dolores Umbridge’s and Professor Dumbledore’s office, all with thoughtful and fun little details…I don’t want to give away all the surprises just in-case you are like me and enjoy discovering them as you build.

You can’t have a school without students and teachers, but fear not: there are 27 microfigures, including all your favourite students, professors and a few statues, plus five Dementors (because the wizarding education system isn’t gruelling enough without constant fear of having your soul sucked out of your body).

Guarding their precious school are the four founders in Minifigure size: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw, an exclusive release from LEGO and not even featured in the films. The Hogwarts Castle measures up at over 22” (58cm) high, 27” (69cm) wide and 16” (43cm) deep, it has the fun and quality that LEGO consistently offers with all the magic of the Harry Potter world on

top, the perfect combination beautifully executed.

One final cute fact: the number of pieces (6,020) is the same number as the classic LEGO set released in 1993 containing LEGO’s very first wizard mini figure, a clever detail we think JK herself would be pleased with. RRP £349.99

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Hogwarts-Castle71043?CMP=KAC-SAHCSEU8&&HQS=71043&s_ kwcid=AL!933!3!104883403710!!!g!296303633 664!&ef_id=WZ1HSwAAAFq8zFu8:20180921084 736:s Pros Wonderfully designed and detailed 6,020 pieces 27 micro figures 4 mini figures Just the right amount of challenge to assemble Lots of interesting and different types of assembly Personal favourites - the stained-glass windows, the moving stair cases, the Whomping Willow and the Hungarian Horntail dragon

 Gadgethead Magazine

ON Running Tank-T As part of the ON Runnings new and expanding line of work out apparel, the Tank-T is their only current work out vest, it comes in three colours Coral/Navy, Denim/White and Grey/White in sizes XS-XL, it is also available in a men’s Malibu/Navy and Navy/ Black in sizes S-XXL, we will be looking at the Women’s Coral/Navy in Medium at closer detail.

First impressions the Tank-T is extremely light, if you had your eyes closed you could be forgiven for thinking you had nothing on, it is just 54g, I have G-strings heavier than that (that’s a lie but my husband does). It has a racer style back design with large cut outs for ease of movement across the shoulders, it has been created with the idea that ultralight equals ultrafast, I usually wear a medium when it comes to tanks and vest but Tank-T was quite baggy on me, and baggy doesn’t help you go fast so it might be worth ordering a size down if you are looking

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something speedy.

This stripped back tank has been made for wearing over the top of another sports top, we decided to use it alongside sports bras or crop tops throughout our testing, it features a lightweight Japanese knit fabric that is almost transparent when you hold it up to the light which provides excellent ventilation and transports sweat quickly away from ski, it also dries extremely fast when needed.

The Tank-T has taped seams pretty much everywhere apart from down the sides, this helps to avoid chafing, there is a strip of

small holes along the spine for some extra ventilation, and it also features a dropped hem for a little extra coverage. We tested the Tank-T with a 5k run as well as a yoga and HIIT class, although the baggy fit probably didn’t do much for aerodynamics it was very comfortable, it was cool and moved effortlessly with my movements, it also performed admirably during yoga, but it is worth wearing fitted top underneath unless you want to bare all during your downward dog. It didn’t fare as well during the HIIT class as it was just too loose for activities like mountain climbing and burpees as it kept riding up, however it’s a good choice for runners if money’s no object.

RRP £60

https://www.on-running.com/en-gb/products/ tank-t-coral-navy-w Pros Super light Soft on the skin Breathable Flexible Taped seams

Cons Line runs a little large

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Gadgethead Magazine

Nuband Activ+ With many activity trackers slowly evolving into smart watches, it can be overwhelming with the amount of information and functions available.

The Nuband Activ+ is a back-to-basics low budget activity tracker that focuses solely on steps and sleep, that’s it.

The rather large unit comes in a choice of seven attractive silicone wrist bands that easily attach around the wrist.

The wrist strap is quite wide, so it does get quite warm under there if you are working out or in warm weather.

The Activ+ uses step counting to estimate your calories burned and calculate the total distance covered, it will also record the quality and length of sleep.

After unpacking, we charged up the Actic+ - it takes 3hours for a full charge and this will last you between 5 and 7 days of continual use. We downloaded

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the app and input some basic details: height, weight, age and gender, and then came the insanely frustrating bit…pairing.

After about 15 attempts with it repeatedly failing to connect, I gave up and went to bed. I can only assume elves got to work in the night, because in the morning it paired and synced straightaway and we didn’t have another problem from there.

The app displays how close you are to achieving your goal in % (number of steps per day you want to hit), calories burnt,

steps and distance, as well as your sleep hours. To activate sleep mode, you will need to press the button twice.

You can still check the time when it’s in this mode, and simply press it twice when you wake to activate sport mode again. However, if you forget, it will automatically activate when it recognises you have been moving for 15-minutes. You can track all this in your history and tweak your goals and settings.

You can set the silent vibrating alarm, and reminder to move alerts, you can also scroll through your stats on the display screen by pressing a button - it will display the battery life, time and date with one press.

It would be a great

https://amzn.to/2OMXfR0 choice for someone looking for a very basic activity tracker, however the step counter isn’t sensitive enough and consistently counted between 1000-1500 steps short. On the plus side, this will encourage you to keep moving and as long as you are aware it is coming up short it is still functional. This is a cheap and cheerful, bare-bones activity tracker. It has its charms but won’t win over anyone looking for accuracy. RRP $29.99

Pros Clear display Straight forward to use Sports Reminder Smart Alarm Sleep tracker 5-7day battery life Low cost

Cons Step count off by 1000-1500 Limited functions Large tracker Issues with initial set up

 Gadgethead Magazine

Tile Pro Combo Pack I like to think I’m a pretty chilled person, it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers but there are three things that will immediately send me into an instant melt down, traffic jams, when the computer/phone/app freeze or crashes for no reason and when I lose my stuff, sadly the last happens way too often as I never pay attention to where I put my stuff down. The Tile is a stylish little…well…tile that can be attached to you bag, purse, keys or whatever to help you find them when you brain turns against you and refused to remember.

This Pro Combo pack contains two Tiles the Tile Style and Tile Sport, there are very few differences between the two designs other than looks the Style is has a

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shiny Champagne and Satin White finish that puts me in mind of a teeny tiny handbag, whilst the Sport has a Dark Slate and Graphite finish that offers a little more discretion but

with the same highquality finish. The Sport is slightly larger at 40 x 40 x 5.9mm to the Styles’ 37.5 x 37.5 x 5.9mm which weighs 11g where as the Sport weighs 15g but that’s where the differences end. The Tile connects via the Tile app with a straightforward Bluetooth pairing, once connected you will have up to a 200ft range, the most powerful Tile yet, it is also waterproof up to 1.5meters for 30 minutes as well as

being dust resistant with a rating of IP68. The Tiles’ don’t come with a keyring or sticker to help you attach your Tile which is a shame as the don’t exactly come cheap, there is a loop in on corner where you can fix your own attachment. When you need to locate your item, the first step is to open the app where it will tell you if you are in range, when it is you press Find and it will sound the 98 decibel, cheerful little melody to help you pin point your property, if it isn’t in range you can open the map to see where it was last located and at what time, if you can’t get back to this area or it has already gone you can report it to the Tile community, every app updates the location of each Tile device it detects and with more than 10 million Tiles sold this network is the largest of its kind helping you to become reunited with your belongings. It even works the other way around, you

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-gb/store/tiles/ pro-combo Pros Attractive design

locations

98 decibel melody

find items via, ring, map or community help

Compact Strong works well and provides accurate

find your phone even on silent 99% recyclable

Cons No attachments included

High price tag

Battery life only lasts one year

 can double press the Tile to locate your phone, even if it is on silent, you can log into the website to find it on a map or make it ring.

You won’t need to recharge the Tile or ensure it is switched on, but one downside to this is the battery lasts just one year from shipment and you cannot replace it yourself, on the plus Tile offers a replacement program but at a cost. Both Tile’s look great, and work well at locating the things, the online community is a great idea to allow equally forgetful people to help each other, however there are similar products available albeit not the same quality that allow you to replace batteries and come with attachments, if Tile could just throw in some attachments that would probably be enough of a compromise. RRP £50

Gadgethead Magazine

BISSELL CrossWave The BISSELL CrossWave claims to do it all by simultaneously vacuuming and washing hard floors and area rugs in one simple step. This 3-in-1 product can clean multiple floor types in one action, it has a digital touch control, a pivoting head and can move between, hard surfaces, rugs or carpet seamlessly.

There are two actions at work here: first, the suction is used to remove dirt, dust and hair whilst the multi-surface brush roll scrubs the floor.

The CrossWave can be used on rugs, tiles, sealed wooden floors, laminate, lino and vinyl, but it is not suitable for carpet. When used with the multi-surface formula (included) it powers through stains and sticky messes and provides a streak-free finish. When using it on your rugs, the CrossWave device injects a solution of warm water with the multi-surface cleaner

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into the material, whilst the rotating brush dislodges and removes dirt.

The design of the CrossWave is a bit clumpy looking, but it is quite tall which helps manoeuvre it around and the narrow body is handy for storage (dimensions 115.5H x 31W x 31D cm) and weighs 5kg, putting it somewhere in the middle of the vacuum weight category and light enough to move around or carry up/ down stairs. The cord length could do with being a bit longer; at just 7.5m, you feel a bit tethered to the wall. The

body can be laid down flat to let you get under furniture and you can choose between hard & soft surfaces at a touch of a button, as well as switching it to wet washing and adding a little extra water on particularly grubby surfaces. The suction is adequate but isn’t amazing, it is strongest in the centre of the cleaning head but not great around the sides, which means getting to dirt along skirting boards or into corners is difficult. Using the wet and dry functions is easy enough: it has an 828ml clean-water capacity and will hold 620ml of dirt, which can be quickly emptied at the end of your clean.

The brush head can also be accessed to be cleaned or replaced.

The wet clean works

https://www.bisselldirect.co.uk/bissellcrosswave-all-in-one-multi-surface-cleaningsystem-1713 Pros Washes and vacuums simultaneously well, again it isn’t going to blow you away - you may need to go over some areas a few times, but it isn’t really an issue.

The CrossWave is a good choice if you are looking to avoid multiple products and save space.

It isn’t the most powerful vacuum out there and it has limited functions and tools. Best suited for larger surface areas. RRP £249.99

Compact Low cost Straightforward to use Easy manoeuvre Suitable for hard floors and rugs

Cons Limited features Tethered by cord Suction could have more power Difficult to get into corners and edges

 Gadgethead Magazine

ON Running Weather Shirt This year we have had an unbelievably long and hot summer, thanks global warming (just kidding, we all know it’s not real and made up by celebrities to sell more movies) but sooner or later all good things come to an end and its time to bring the winter clothes out of retirement.

There is nothing quite like good oldfashioned exercise to help fend off the winter blues and with items like the Weather Shirt from ON Running you can ensure you look cool whilst you keep warm.

Available in Storm/ Navy, Stone/Shady and Navy/Black (the sample we received) in sizes S-XXL, as well as women’s designs Storm/Navy and White/ Grey in sizes XS-XL. We will be focusing on the men’s version in this review.

The Weather Shirt is a long-sleeved, breathable WeatherShirt that is created to be a year-round

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shirt, to keep you cool on chilly mornings or throughout the winter, made from a highly breathable fabric with micro-ventilationpatterning that aims to make the shirt like a second skin, that draws the moisture away from the skin and pushing onto the outer layer of fabric to evaporate, keeping you cool and dry. The combination of yarns also help to provide the perfect amount of warmth, keeping you at a cosy temperature before you set off and as your body warms up, the shirt breathes to keep a regulated temperature, even when you push it hard (although you

may want to roll your sleeves up or unzip the collar for a little extra ventilation). The Weather Shirt has a stretchy, flexible fit thanks to the Polyester/ Elastane combination, it feels smooth and soft when worn directly on the skin and is thin enough to layer up without creating bulk and ensuring you still have a full range of movements.

Moving on to pure vanity, we loved the a-symmetrical design of the Weather Shirt, there is a large zip pocket on the chest, due to potential jiggling around and rubbing of item we would much rather see a smaller pocket on the back, however it was ok to use for a single door key, tissues or handful of sweets (forget gels we are all about the jelly babies). Other

aesthetic features include the laser-cut ventilation in the back, the adjustable V-neck collar mould, there is a pretentious little label about how being cold isn’t really being cold or something (we are too uncultured to understand it) which will only bring ridicule and confusion from your workout pals. Pointless labels (how about swapping that for a high vis panel) and awkwardly placed pockets aside, we not only loved the look but found it a versatile piece, a flexible and breathable single, base or mid layer suitable for a comfortable outdoor workout. RRP £100

https://www.on-running.com/en-gb/products/ weather-shirt-navy-black-m Pros Stretchy Breathable Warm when you need it Thin Light Thumb loops to keep hands warm Attractive design Adjustable zip collar

Cons Large front pocket might be better suited at the rear or reduced in size No high vis



Gadgethead Magazine

AeroPress Coffee Maker If you were to read some of the reviews online, you could conclude that this little gizmo makes your coffee, brings it to you in bed with a plate of biscuits and that day’s newspaper; honestly, people seem to be losing their heads!

This could be due to the creator: Mr. Alan Adler. This guy is famous for deciding to create the world’s best flying ring (you know the thing with a brand name that rhymes with thrisbee…), so he did with the recordbreaking Flying Ring Aerobie. When he decided to design the best single cup coffee maker (following that traditional step from outdoor toys to kitchen appliances), did people just assume it would be the best?

So, lets put it to the test. First off, I like my coffee but will often put convenience before quality and if it involves using more than two devices, chances are I’m only going to get it out when I have guest’s round, and

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that’s mostly to show off (actually its entirely just to show off; half my friends hate coffee).

AeroPress brags to be a revolutionary way to make the perfect coffee every time, and due to its simplicity will turn you away from instant coffee forever.

The AeroPress uses gentle air pressure which it claims creates a smooth, rich flavour with lower acidity and without bitterness.

Regular coffee makers drip hot water onto the coffee grounds, which can result in over extraction from the centre of the coffee grounds and leaves the edges under-utilised.

However, the AeroPress performs a uniform extraction across the entire surface of the ground coffee.

The AeroPress comes with 350 filters, a scoop, funnel and stirrer along with the two parts that make up the AeroPress.

It is very easy to use: instructions are included, plus there is a world of information online about the perfect timings and techniques by die-hard fans. The long and the short of it is you pop a filter in the cradle, add you favourite ground coffee, add the hot water and plunge straight into the cup. Even better, it is wonderfully easy to clean: you press the plunger all the way down to compress the ground coffee, pop them out of the bottom and rinse.

So, the big question, what was the coffee like? It was nice, plain and simple. It isn’t going to change your life but it’s smooth, grit free and devoid of any bitterness. It is better than my regular mid-

range instant coffee, there I said it! When comparing it to our French press, it is easier to clean but you can only make one cup at a time. I felt more conscious of the cup slipping underneath the press (this hasn’t happened yet, but I am super accent prone), so the French press feels more stable but the AeroPress is so durable and compact that it makes it more convenient for travel and camping.

Although the main unit is made from a tough BPA free plastic it doesn’t leave a taste (this will still turn off serious coffee drinkers who would never dream of using plastic in their coffee making process), however the accessories feel cheap and might not withstand the same pressures as the AeroPress.

What is the final verdict then? Well, it does make

a good cup of coffee there is no disputing that. For me, it doesn’t beat the French press but it is a healthy equal - it has some qualities that will make it more suitable in certain situations, seeing as it costs so little if you love your coffee you might as well give it a go. At the least, you won’t be disappointed with what ends up in your cup, at best (or possibly worst) you will join all the cool coffee kids in your new obsession. RRP £29.99

https://www.aeropress.co.uk/ Pros Easy to use Produces a good cup of coffee Quick Straightforward to clean Portable

Cons Low quality accessories

 Gadgethead Magazine

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