TESLA S ON TEST

HI-DEF? SO PASS

YOUVE GOT ALE

So much fun to drive, the

electric bits just a bonus

The three best quad-HD

TVs money can buy

Brew the perfect pint

with your smartphone

GADGETS / APPS / GEAR

ANDROID
WEAR
WORN
A smartwatch
you actually
need p80

THE 230
SUPERPHONE
OnePlus One tested:
So long Samsung,
adios Apple p96

VR GETS REAL

www.stu.tv / September 2014 / 4.60

Holodecks, armchair
tourism, 360 films &
VR Attenborough p51

THINGS
...and theyre
here, now

PLUS!
Turn your
phone into a VR
headset... for 25

CONS
ON THE
COVER
p16

p62

p80
Talk to the
wrist

HOT STUFF

TESTS

12 The Hot Four

O Google Glass Explorer UK Edition
O Harley-Davidson LiveWire
O LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live
O Samsung Galaxy Tab S
18 Vital stats Amazon Fire
The other Big A gets in on the smartphone
market with a tempting 3D-effect screen
20 Gigapixel Icon A5
Fancy a (relatively) inexpensive and
stress-free piloting experience?
24 Apps
Why youll soon be saying FuseMe!
28 Icon Denon CEOL Carino
Smarter-than-it-looks mini audio system
32 Games
First play of the terror-tastic Rainbow Six
36 Choice Wallets
Stylish stuff to stick in your back pocket
40 Names to drop Elon Musk
The techie tycoon behind Tesla and PayPal
44 Our month
You need to know what weve been up to so
you can strive to be just like us, obviously
46 Your month
Head to the Edinburgh fringe for some
funny, or watch Sin City for some gritty

62 First test Tesla Model S

We play around with the dash-screen in
the electric car that isnt just an electric car
64 App:roved Stuff-certified apps for
Planet busting, footie training, ocean
exploring and trying out skater tricks
68 Tested Samsung Galaxy Tab S
The incredible screen on Samsungs new
tablet is sure to make it a bestseller
69 Tested SeeMeCNC Orion Delta 3D Printer
A new shape for printing new shapes: Stuff
gives the Orion Delta a good going over
80 First test LG G Watch
Its the dawn of the Android Wear era but
is LGs smartwatch up to the job?
83 Group test 4K TVs
Three ultra hi-def tellies inspected up close
86 Tested Games
O Grid Autosport
O Valiant Hearts: The Great War
96 Versus OnePlus One vs Oppo Find 7
Two of the best new Chinese smartphones
battle to be the ultimate hipster handset

p96
OnePlus
vs Oppo

p51
This is
unreal

p83
4K TV
me

09.14

WIN!
p49

TOP 10

OF
EVERYTHING
p114

Been away for a

while? There are
three more Stuff
Top 10s nowadays:
Games machines,
Wearable tech and
Connected home.
Check them out
from p119

p51

FEATURES

PROJECTS
108 Beta yourself Climbing
Kit up, chalk up and, er, go up. From ice to
boulders, well show you the ropes
110 Playlist Online courses
The problem with evening classes is that you
actually have to go to them. Not any more
112 Super geek Homebrewed beer
Five quid for a pint!? Forget it. Ill brew my
own craft beer and be everyones best friend
114 Instant upgrades Golf
As Team Europe and Team USA tee off at the
Ryder Cup, its time to turn bogeys into birdies
116 Gadget doctor
Tech-buying ailments solved and this mag
costs less than an NHS prescription!
117 5-minute hacks If nothing else, at least
Streamline your fitness apps O Keep track
of Amazon prices O Get a quick check-up

51 Reality 2.0
Weve been here before, and it didnt stick,
but will it be different for the new generation
of virtual reality devices? Yes, it will
71 Chinese takeover
The wave of affordable indie superphones
zooming over from the Far East look too good
to be true. We find out if they are
90 Stuff picks Photography setups
We share tips and helpful tech to help you
when snapping specialist shots, from super
starry skies to macro shots of caterpillars
99 Fashion Trainers
A selection of fancy footwear for the
modern geek-about-town
138 Next big thing? HPs time machine
OK, not actually a time machine, but HP
is upping its game with memristor chips
p90

p108

OUR PRICES
Prices in Hot Stuff
are RRPs. Prices in
features, tests and
Top 10s are the best
we could find from
a reputable online
retailer at the time
of going to print.

WELCO
Reality is fine, really it is. Im not planning to give up
cycling on real roads, watching real bands or having
meals with my real family just yet. But in the not-toodistant future Ill augment my existence with a dose of
unreality and I expect life to be better for it. Thanks to the likes
of Oculus VR, the escapism of the non-corporeal is going far
beyond gaming: soon it will be possible to learn in virtual classrooms,
watch movies from the inside and go on virtual tours of the
wonders of the world, all from the comfort of your Sofa Workshop
three-piece. Virtual reality is set to be realitys more interesting
cousin. Read all about the fantastic possibilities on p51.
Realitys also about to be shaken up for some of the established
players in the smartphone game. Theres a shadow spreading from
the East, cast by a squadron of massive-screened, super-powered
smartphones that carry improbably small price tags. We have the
full story on p71, and a test of two of the best on p96.
In fact, this issue is drowning in world-changing tech. Weve
tested Android Wear, the first smartwatch that matters, on p80,
and the Tesla Model S, the electric car that sets the bar, on p62.
Real or unreal, lifes about to get a lot more interesting. Enjoy.

THIS MONTH
IN STUFFS iOS
APP EDITION
Q Exclusive 360-degree
photography of the new
LG G Watch
Q More stunning hi-res
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and the sweetest gear
Good news! Stuff is also
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Zinio, Exact Editions and
various other services.

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11

12

HOT
FOUR
#1
FACE TIME FOR BRITS

Google Glass Explorer UK Edition

[ Picture Pete Gardner ]

27 PAGES
OF THE BIGGEST
STORIES FROM
PLANET TECH

The future arrived on our shores this month.

Probably bumped down on our Atlantic-facing
cliffs from Project Loon balloons. Probably
swept up the A303 in a fleet of cloaked
self-driving bubble cars, conducted by
fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.
Probably piled up in a pop-up boutique in
Londons Kings Cross, where dis erning
celebrities and futurologists were invited
to buy it. Actually, that last bit is true: we
went along. In addition to the DvF designer
versions of Google Glass you see here,

several developers were showing off their

Glass apps. Shazam had one that would
identify a song then scroll the lyrics down
in your eyepiece. The Zombies, Run! people
had one where encouraging narrative
animations took place in your field of view.
All very fascinating and yet just over the
page a whole load of new smartwatches
just flew in from the other horizon. The
future, as ever, comes in several forms.
As hot as a glassblower in a heatwave
from 1000 / google.co.uk/glass
13

HOT
FOUR
#2
GET YOUR MOTOR
HUMMIN
Harley-Davidson LiveWire

Now just hold on a YouTube-bufferin

minute. We werent surprised to see
mainstream car manufacturers getting
involved in electric cars it helps to lower
their range-wide CO2 levels. And as for the
electric motors turning up in limited-run
cars such as the Porsche 918 and McLaren
P1, well, that instant-on hybrid torque makes
them go like stink. So thats explainable.
But when a belts-and-braces motorcycle
manufacturer launches an electric bike
even if it is just a technology demonstrator,
and even if it does still hit 62mph in under
four seconds we start to think that
maybe, just maybe, theres something
to all this fossil-fuels-bad talk
As hot as... zero-emission kicks on the A66
tba (concept) / harley-davidson.com

14

HOT
FOUR
#3
THE COMING OF
THE G WATCHES
Samsung Gear Live,
LG G Watch

Actually, the hot topic at this years Google

I/O conference was not the arrival of the
Android Wear OS in the form of the LG
G Watch, Samsung Gear Live and soonavailable Motorola Moto 360. As this was
mostly a developers confab, discussions
were about the possibilities of the Android Fit
and Android Auto platforms and the newest
version of the Android OS itself, the so-called
L release. But for us physical gratification
types, the watches were terribly exciting.
Weve got a review of the LG one on p80, and
its the rollout of Wear-compatible apps (see
right) that will really make them desirable.
As hot as... sweaty anticipatory wrists
160 (LG), 170 (Samsung) /
play.google.com

Fitness tracking

Task tracking

Android Wear watches

have step-counting, but
Runkeeper and Runtastic
will give you more tasty
data at a glance.

Well, did you call them?

What about now? Watchsmashingly convenient
reminders from Trello
project cohorts.

Weather tracking

Seduction tracking

Because your cursor is

on the book now button
and you want the very
latest updates in your
eyeline: the 1weather app.

Philips Hue letting you

undim the lights in the
upstairs study. Again.
Your son and his friend are
supposed to be studying.

15

HOT
FOUR
#4
TO INFINITY
AND BEYOND

Samsung Galaxy Tab S

Samsung has revealed its Galaxy Tab S, and
its Super AMOLED display. Woah there,
buster dont go. This is the 2560x1600
super-slate that could finally make buying an
iPad the second option (unless you really like
Apple). Available in 10.5in and 8.4in variants,
running either souped-up Snapdragon or
Exynos chips, both will have 3GB of RAM
along with 16/32GB of internal storage and
either a 7900mAh or a 4900mAh battery.
Both tablets feature a fingerprint-scanning
home button with PayPal and multi-user
support. Its also the first Android gadget on
which you can download Stuffs digital
edition. Read the full review on p68.
As hot as... your matching titanium bronze tan
320 (8.4in), 400 (10.5in) / samsung.com

16

V I

T A L S T A T S

YOUR PHONE
IS ABLAZE
Amazon Fire
tba / amazon.co.uk

Already battling other tech

giants with its Fire HDX
tablets and Fire TV media
streamer, Amazons now
taking on the smartphones
O Its got 3D. But not to worry.
Its not the awful lenticular display
that plagued the HTC Evo 3D. The
Fire instead makes use of four
front-facing cameras and infrared
LEDs, which can track your face,
producing a 3D effect. Like iOS 7s
parallax effect, but supercharged.
Apart from offering pretty 3D lock
screens, it could pave the way for
innovative 3D games. Imagine
peeking around corners in an FPS,
or controlling a car with your head.
Whether this will go beyond a
gimmick or dissuade buyers with
its paltry 4.7in 720p spec remains
to be seen. But we give Amazon
points for daring to be different.
O 3D is not its only party trick.
That makes up just one part of the
Dynamic Perspective feature set.
Accelerometer-driven one-handed
gestures including auto-scrolling,
tilt, swivel and peek are all possible.
Amazon has released an SDK that
will enable developers to take full
advantage of these features. Heres
hoping they do, because the Fire
does have potential. It just needs
some clever coders to show us
what its really capable of.
O Meet Firefly
Holding down the Fires camera
shutter button brings up the
Firefly app, which can recognise
phone numbers, email addresses,
URLs, QRs and barcodes. Scan
a book, DVD, game or CD and itll
take you straight to Amazons
online store. Useful? Absolutely.
Dangerous? Definitely.
O One for your mums mum.
If youre stuck, the Mayday feature
will put you in direct contact with
an real human being (remember
those?), who can annotate your
screen and take control of the Fire
remotely. Wed buy one for our
non-tech-savvy relatives for this
reason alone, as now theyll have
someone else to bug. Result.

18

THIS COULD
PAVE THE
WAY FOR
INNOVATIVE
3D GAMES

The Fire is powered

by Qualcomms
quad-core 2.2GHz
Snapdragon 800
processor

H O

Watch and learn

SWATCH SISTEM51

404: ANDROID
NOT FOUND

Theres a pattern to human endeavour that involves simplifying

what once was complicated in order that more people can make more
of them. What the mighty Swatch group has done is apply that theory
to mechanical watchmaking an industry that apparently abhors
simplicity and made an automatic watch with just 51 parts. It still looks
like a battery-powered Swatch watch, in its four designs, and it ought to
be as reliable as one its timekeeping is set by laser at the factory, thus
negating the need for extra adjustment parts and regular servicing.
100 / swatch.com

O What, no droid fun?

Well, sort of. The Fire is running

Amazons Fire OS v3.5, which is a
very heavily modified version of
Android. Its so heavily modified,
in fact, that you wont even see
a glimpse of Googles OS in use.

O Goodbye Google

The downside is that Google

apps like Maps, Gmail and
Chrome are all missing, as is
the Play Store. Sure, Amazons
own app store has a fair number
of virtual goodies on its shelves,
but it still cant provide the full
offering of the official Play Store.
Tech-smart users can of course
sideload apps, but if youre in it for
the Google experience then this
(as with all of Amazons tablets)
could be a deal-breaker.

O A Prime deal

In the US, Amazon is offering

12 months of Prime with all Fire
purchases. That includes Prime
Instant Video, and access to
millions of songs and books.
Hopefully, this deal will make
it to the UK.

Look not to the horizon

OLYMPUS PEN E-PL6

As we get older, so our horizon of desire grows more distant. It begins
with the kid next doors toys. At some point its the working hours of the
Italians. And then its the Olympus PEN E-PL6, the interchangeable-lens
camera model only available in Japan. So delight at the news that it has
now arrived in the UK, with its tiny pancake lens, the M.ZUIKO Digital Ed
14-42mm (1:3.5-5.6) complete with its 16.1MP Live MOS sensor and
TruePic VI image processing, and bundled Wi-Fi SD card.
380 / olympus.co.uk

19

The bigger picture in tech

STRESS-FREE PILOTING
There are several reasons why
more of us are not pilots. One is
the exorbitant cost of acquiring
a licence, then buying and running
a plane. But theres also the very
real concern that the plane will
plummet out of the sky like a
stone, leading to bruised knees
and spilt G&Ts all round. The
amphibious Icon A5 (iconaircraft.
com), though, costs less than
US$200,000 and can be flown
on a Sport Pilot licence, yours for
about US$5000. And, as you can
see, it has a parachute, so youll
be able to fly like an idiot until it
breaks, then float serenely to
the ground and buy a new one.

20

H O

STREAMING TV IS
SO TOMORROW

Today were more interested

in this standalone Freeview
digital tuner that can share
a TV connection with
several phones or tablets
using Wi-Fi. No need to
use tricksy, costly data
to watch TV on the go: you
can record stuff via its app
too. The Tvman Mobility is
70 (maplin.co.uk).

THE BEATS SOUND

BETTER WITH YOU

Way more people are

buying decent headphones
for their phone or audio kit.
Hooray! But to truly level
up, take Philips free online
Golden Ears Challenge,
which tests your ability to
recognise changes in range,
compression and timbre
(goldenears.philips.com).

OHMYMAPS

Last month we featured

Marc Khachfes ace
night-time maps. We
even pointed out that
you could buy your very
own hand-created map of
your very own city. But the
crucial bit of info that you
could do so at etsy.com, by
searching for Ohmymaps
somehow got lost. But
you can, and you should.

21

Its pretty face will make your body hot

WITHINGS ACTIVIT
Doesnt that look like a lovely watch? But its more than
just a pretty face. The smaller activity dial is the only
visible clue to the Activits secret fitness tracker agenda.
It lets you know how far you are towards completing your
fitness goals for the day. No distracting blinking LEDs, no
screen flashing up messages mind you, no smartwatch
features either, such as message notifications or phone
calls. The Activits built-in accelerometer can track your
steps, distance, swim lengths and sleep. An accompanying
iOS app (sorry Android fans) will track its data via
Bluetooth 4.0, and let you set vibro alarms so that
the watch can get you up for a morning jog. The pice
de resistance is that it uses a regular watch battery,
and itll last around a year. Not too shabby.
320 / withings.com

Cordless crease canceller

TEFAL FREEMOVE
Oh, take that look off your face. We can hear you
sneering at the idea of a cordless iron, as if youve
never been impeded by a tangled cable as you and
your iron dance around the board like a steamy Torvill
and Dean. As if youve never dropped the plug on your
slippered toe while trying to fill Christopher at the sink.
Well, were not as perfect as you, and damn our eyes
if we dont quite like the idea of a free-roaming iron
especially this years newly updated versions with
more power and more steam output than before.
from 90 / tefalironing.co.uk

? WTF IS TEQBALL?

That ping-pong table is fubar.

In order to avoid historical trademark

infringements, we prefer to refer to the
game to which you are referring as wiff-waff.
Although to refer to it as a game belittles it
somewhat, as Wiff-Waff capitalised now
to show respect has been in the Olympics
since 1988, so probably classifies as a sport
rather than a game. Then again, the Olympics
are often referred to as the Games, which
just goes to show that the nomenclature
of things is a bag of old toot.

Can we get back to the matter at hand?

Backhand, is it? Waff! Guard your lines, boy,
me to serve! Actually, no hands required, nor
allowed, for Teqball, which is a kind of incredibly
constrained game of headers n volleys with
22

no goal. Well, there is a

goal, and that is to display
exemplary levels of ball
control, but theres no actual
goal, no hallowed netcave in
which to blast ones bladder,
sort of thing.

Oh, so its a football thing.

Foot, knee, chest, face,
whatevs: the idea is that
two or four players pass the
ball between them, having
pre-ordained a specified number of touches
and/or bounces. The curvature of the surface
ensures that the ball always comes out
towards the player, and the point of having
the Teqboard at all is that it stops the game

getting wilder and wider and fun and that. If

youre excited by this appearing on a common
or in a recreation station near you, then youve
got until 11 August to point your moneyed nose
at their Kickstarter page.

This months mobile must-downloads

24

1 Sorcery! 2

4 Leafnote

7 AlertsPro

from 2.99 / iOS, Android

Steve Jacksons you-are-the-hero
app has been on iOS for a while but
has now made the jump to Android.
Its innovative use of text and
animation has made it a favourite
among Fighting Fantasy fans and
norms. A third part is on the way.

2.99 / Mac
We dont cover many Mac apps, but
we couldnt resist this. Its a supersimple text editor that allows you to
organise your docs in a lovely tree
structure. Just the thing for budding
authors unless you like to blame
MS Word for missing deadlines.

1.49 / iOS, Android

Up to something for which severe
weather would be a disaster?
Building a house? Training for
a triathlon? AlertsPro will give
you up to 48 hours warning of
a thunderstorm, gale or other
Mother Nature mishap.

2 Citymapper

5 Kiwanuka

8 Urban Trial Freestyle

free / iOS, Android

Popular get-me-somewhere app
Citymapper has added its Meet
Me Somewhere feature to the
Android app. Previously available
on web and iOS, this pings chosen
friends with easy directions to
your location. Minimum faff. Like.

from 0.69 / iOS, Android

A little bit of Lemmings, a little bit
of new and a whole lot of weird
sounds like a delicious recipe. You,
a magician, must use your humble
disciples to create disciple spans to
allow you to get to the other wizard
trapped somewhere on the level.

1.49 / iOS
If Ubisofts Trials: Frontier annoyed
the merry hell out of you with its
cynical money-grabbing in-app
purchase nonsense like it did
us then UTF might be the
return to trials game simplicity
you have been craving.

3 FuseMe

6 Timbre

9 Caribu 2.0

free / iOS, Android

The thing about WhatsApp is
that there are too many syllables.
A parting call of FuseMe! is one
whole syllable less than WhatsApp
me!. And its messaging, SMSing,
video chats and feed reading, with
split-screen operation, seem solid.

free / iOS, Android

UK music ticket reseller Seatwave
has bought this band discovery
app. Which is OK by us, as Timbre
looks classy and intuitive. But this
market is as crowded as a moshpit:
Bandsintown, Yplan and Songkick
are also vying to get you to the gig.

free / iPad
Mommys away doing a six-month
stint on the ISS and Dads in Brixton
Pen for Bitcoin forgery. But no
worries, either can read you to sleep
via this app that syncs you up with
a video call and a book an IAP
funded by paters ill-gotten gains.

APP SPOTLIGHT
GARMIN VIAGO
1.16 / Android
The Garmin team are
gambling youll pay a series
of 10 in-app purchases to
download regional maps,
or get traffic alerts, or be
annoyed by speed camera
warnings. Will you, though?
Is it enticing enough to go
a couple of jumps up the
premium navigation ladder
from Google Maps or Waze?

H O

Apple addeth, Apple taketh away

APPLE IPOD TOUCH

Not everything that comes out of Cupertino is
accompanied by noise and excitement and live
worldwide keynote feeds. The iPod Touch range has been
quietly refreshed. The 32GB and 64GB versions are now
50 and 80 cheaper, while the baby of the bunch is now
all grown up the 16GB gets the colour combos and 5MP
iSight camera of its counterparts, despite also getting a
40 price drop. Tempted by an Android smartphone but
worried about missing out on iOS-exclusive apps?
This might be your quietly awesome solution.
from 160 / apple.com/uk

Its a small Galaxy

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5 MINI

Say gday to Samsungs minified version of the S5.
It has a 4.5in 720p screen, a smaller 2100mAh battery
and a half-gig drop in RAM from the S5s 2GB. Looked
at from the glass-half-full side of things, it still has
a decent per-inch resolution, the fingerprint-scanning
home button and the heart-rate sensor. The Mini
is still water-resistant, still has Android 4.4 with all
of Samsungs TouchWiz trickery, and still has the
delightfully dimpled derriere. In fact, the only reason
you wouldnt buy one were you in the market for a
miniphone would be the ace Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.
tba (due autumn) / samsung.com

Pistons all over the law of gravity

CANYON STRIVE CF
What goes up must come down were not Newtons
full words. They were: What goes up easily and with
minimal pedal-induced suspension bob must leave
the rider full of beans to come down like a mountain
goat fired from a gun. It was a startlingly accurate
prophecy of the issues facing mountain bike designers
of the modern age. Canyon has solved it with a
handlebar-lever-actuated piston that moves the
rear shock angle just enough to make uppity-up on
the ups and yippity-skip on the downs. Sir Isaac
would have ridden it like gravity hadnt been invented.
from 3200 / canyon.com

25

Geek Force 4

VAAVUD WIND METER

That guy sure knows which way the wind is blowing,
is something you sometimes hear being said. And
Ahh! you can reply, but does that guy know how
hard its blowing, between two and 20m/s with a
precision of +/-4%? No, he doesnt. But you do,
with your handy wind meter that uses your iPhone
or Android phone headphone socket as a holder, but
actually works via your phones magnetometer.
So the device doesnt need power, which is neat.
Whats more, the company is just about to Kickstarter
another product that does know which way the
wind is blowing. So then you can be that guy.
45 / vaavud.com

4K for 0.6k

SEIKI SE50UY01UK
Look, can we have a word? We were speaking
to Dave and, well, he said that you said that you
didnt see the point of 4K. We know you dont
really believe that. If its about the money, then
maybe have a look at this its a Chinese-made
50in 4K TV. No need to be proud: Seiki TVs have
been selling like hot cakes in America, where
theyve achieved over 20% market share.
So you wouldnt be the only one. Yeah,
it might not have all the bells and whistles,
but with this I dont need more than 1080p
thing, youre not just embarrassing yourself.
Youre embarrassing us.
600 / seiki.com

Your 3D printer just got obsoleted

ORANGE MAKER
HELIOS ONE 3D
Well, this is exciting. An entirely new 3D printing
technology has just appeared on the horizon. Its called
heliolithography and the developers are keeping pretty
schtum about how it actually works; suffice to say itll
be quicker, less wasteful and much higher-resolution
than current industrial stereolithographic systems.
And certainly much, much better than the heatedplastic-splodge printer youve just bought, having
waited patiently for the prices to drop under 500.
Oh well. This wont be out until next year and will cost
thousands of pounds. So its not like it just popped up
and made your printer look ridiculous. Not at all.
tba (due 2015) / orangemaker.com

26

I C O N
THE CARINO
EMBRACES NEW
TECH LIKE THAT
AUNT YOU ONLY
SEE AT CHRISTMAS

DENON CEOL CARINO

[ Picture Pete Gardner ]

300 / denon.co.uk

28

Nice. Hardly iconic though, hmm?

Hear that? Its a big-ass clock, and
its striking wrong loudly enough
that all the geeks in the land will
gallop across hill and dale on their
electric skateboards and Segways
to see the cause of such a kerfuffle.
A kangaroo court will find you
guilty of Hilarious Assumption and
demote you to Level 2 Windows
Vista, Administrated User. The
shame! Now lets take a look at
where you went wrong, shall we?

Please do. Im feeling put-upon.

Denon, as anyone knows, is the
decorated master of the mini
system. The things it doesnt know
about the three-box music-maker
formula could be written on the
back of a carbon nanotube. And if
you think that sounds impossible,
then its no matter, because
there is nothing Denon doesnt
know and so the writing on the
nanotube is a non-problem. Zing!
But hush now and listen, for this is

no formulaic, done-like-wealways-done disco drone the

Carino embraces new technology
with the ferocity of that aunt you
only see at Christmas.

wireless streaming, arranged

super-conveniently by a simple
NFC tap of your music, podcast,
audiobook, radio and DJ
app-streaming smartphone.

Oh yeah, like what technology?

Like, its got a USB connection,
so your comput-o-choons
can entirely bypass that nasty
integrated soundcard and go
straight to lovely external DAC
handling. Its got AptX Bluetooth

No CD player, then?
Oh no, youre only making things
worse for yourself, you know. CDs!
If it had a CD drive, would it be able
to stand vertically and horizontally?
OK, yes it would but the Carino
can anyway.

H O

Back on two wheels

ARIEL ACE
The Ariel Atom is a stupendous stripped-out sports car, as anybody cool already
knows, and holder of one of the fastest times on the Top Gear test track. But what
not many people know is that Ariel is also well respected for its history of building
motorcycles. And its at it again, with the Ace handbuilt in limited numbers
in the UK. You can pick and choose from myriad components to get the bike you
want, be it a cruiser, streetfighter or whatever. And you can swap bits out too.
What you cant change is the engine, Hondas smooth shaft-driven 1200cc V4.
from 20,000 / arielmotor.co.uk

START MENU

Playing tag

POM

The months best concepts, start-ups,

crowdfunded projects and plain crazy ideas

Tie me up, tie me down

STRAPMOUNT

Listen up

EARIN

from US$25 / totalpom.com

US$14 / indiegogo.com

160 / earin.se

We thought this campaign must be an

Australian mickey-take, suggesting us Poms
are so ditsy we need a Bluetooth, cellular or GPS
tag on us to keep track of ourselves. But no,
its actually an American campaign, and in true
American fashion, POM is a cheesy acronym:
Peace Of Mind. Choose from POM tags just
local Bluetooth tracking or Total POMs that
have cellular and GPS built-in too.

Zip ties infinitely useful fixer-uppers of things.

Used by bikers, stylists, gardeners, people
who post lost cat signs and zip-tie collectors.
And now also you, in your quest to find yet more
original positions for your GoPro videography.
Your pennies earn you a rubber-based mount
and depending on your pledge some
zip-ties too. Such a simple idea, yet so useful,
yet at time of writing, only marginally funded.

Paff! youll think when we tell you the battery

life of these tiny Bluetooth earphones is less
than three hours. But how long do you really
listen? Maybe an hour to work and an hour
back? Or a couple of hours out on your
rollerblades? The Earins come with a capsule
container that also gives them a wee charge,
are truly tiny and have balanced armature
drivers. Wed give them a go.

Status
Seeking funding (Kickstarter)

Status
Seeking funding (Indiegogo)

Status
Funded (Kickstarter)
29

H O

When Im four-by-four

FORD EDGE
Id like to be, in the Ford Edge SUV, in an octopuss
garden, in the shade. Ringo Starr sure had it going
on, back in those crazy days. What hasnt quite
stood the test of time is the other song he wrote
about how the Edge has been designed to rival
the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, and how its absolutely
jam-packed with tech including a Front Split View
Camera, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive
Steering, Torque Vectoring Control, Curve Control
and airbag-equipped seatbelts. By this time
everyone, young and old, had mostly stopped
listening and wondered instead how Ringo made
money from singing about this nonsense.
from 30,000 (approx) / ford.co.uk

Be the toastess with the mostess

DUALIT BRUSHED ARCHITECT

FOUR-SLICE TOASTER
Dangerous territory, this. Dualit owners tend to take their toast
terribly seriously, and something called Perfect Toast Technology
is going to put the willies up them. But, on paper, it looks like a
superb idea: a young brainiac from Imperial College London has
been employed to develop a toasting algorithm that takes into
account the ambient temperature of the room, and the toaster,
and how busy it has been. The result, says Dualit, is perfectly
golden-brown toast every time. Time to take the Perfect Toast
theory from the paper to the plate, we think its available in
both this and the 85 Stoneware Lite Four-Slice.
100 / johnlewis.com/dualit

Chromachronology

COLOUR OCLOCK
Way back, numbers were merely a property inherent
in the things lying around. Enough rocks and pointy
sticks to repel that other tribe, should they come
looking to steal lots of our dried berries. Unless
said rival tribe turned up with a truckload of fighters
and totally pwned the defenders. No numbers, see.
Hence, no clocks. Time was told by the light level and
colours of the sky. And that is a blessed simplicity
we could return to with British designer Duncan
Shottons clock, which also has no numbers but
does have a colour spot that makes its way through
a whole spectrum of colours throughout a 12-hour
period. And yes, it has hands, but consider those a
training tool to be ripped off once the colour pattern
has become second nature. Or first nature, possibly.
22 / dshott.co.uk

31

G A M E S

DUE
2015

FIRST PLAY RAINBOW SIX PS4, Xbox One, PC

Ubisoft told us it began planning
the new Rainbow Six with two
words in mind: multiplayer and
destruction.
There are people who have
spent years just on de_dust
and de_italy in Counter-Strike.
Those maps remain interesting
because no enemy AI can beat
the unpredictability of a human
opponent. And even with a
limited number of maps, we can
imagine Rainbow Six attracting
a similar cult following.
Before each round, the bad
guys vote on where to hide
their hostage. Then theres

32

a preparation stage: fortifying

walls and barricading windows.
Meanwhile, the SWAT team
sends camera drones into the
house for reconnaissance.
We played two rounds as the
bad guys and, although they took
place in the same house, with the
same teams, they were entirely
different games: in one, our team
hid the civilian in a bedroom, blew
out a wall or two and each covered
a potential entry-point. On our
second round we hid our hostage
in the basement, sealed up
several walls and used the
building more like a fortress,

but the SWAT guys blew a hole in

the ceiling, poured in flashbangs
and wiped us all out.
This is real strategy: not just
finding the one way to win a fixed
map, but constantly having to
adapt your plan to what the other
team is doing by checking your
CCTV or drones.
Playing as the SWAT team is
also huge fun: again, you can only
win by planning well and then
adapting. You get more use of the
highly destructible environment
too. We can imagine this fairly
simple concept playing out into
a huge variety of scenarios.

H O

2-UP SEQUEL VS SORT-OF-SEQUEL

DYING LIGHT

PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC

Remember Dead Island, the game with that trailer with
the zombie girl dying in reverse that got everyone really
excited and then really disappointed when the game
arrived and actually had nothing to do with the trailer at
all? That was by Techland, which isnt making Dead Island
2 (below). Instead its making a zombie game that looks
even better. Its open-world and involves first-person
dismemberment of the undead, but theres also Mirrors
Edge-like parkour and faster, more knicker-wettingly
scary zombies that only come out at night.

VS

DEAD ISLAND 2

PS4, Xbox One, PC

Grasping the fetid Dead Island reins is Yager, the
studio behind shooter-with-a-conscience Spec Ops:
The Line. But there seems to be no conscience here at
all. This is about killing zombies in glorious Californian
sunshine with the kind of gusto Gregg Wallace
reserves for pudding. Kill them with homemade
weapons, kill them with customised vehicles, kill
them with up to seven (!) friends. Theres even a fully
motion-captured cat. No, were not sure why either.

FIRST-PERSON 2.0: NO SHOOTERS ALLOWED

MIRRORS EDGE

PS4, Xbox One, PC

Freerunning in a game isnt new but to do it
in first-person, and for it to be such a major
part of the games dynamic, is brave indeed.
Our tattood lady Faith can slide, jump, spin
and somersault not only as a defensive
manoeuvre but also in order to drop like
a kung-fu death-kat on adversaries.

HELLRAID

PS4, Xbox One, PC

OK, a first-person slasher isnt far from
a shooter, but where swords-and-sorcery
game Hellraid will hopefully prove innovative
is in the diversity of melee weapons
available, and also its promise that youll be
able to use architecture and objects to cut
a swathe through the hordes of the dead.

[UNTITLED CRITERION GAME]

tba
No, this isnt humourlessly post-ironic; its
some way off and they dont have a name
for it yet. Nor much in the way of gameplay.
But the cornerstone for this extreme
sports game is GoPro-style POV footage,
so everything you fly, ride or drive, youll be
behind the controls. Sounds like a blast.

INCOMING
AUGUST
O DIABLO III: REAPER OF SOULS
ULTIMATE EVIL EDITION
SEPTEMBER
ONHL 15
OFIFA 15
ODISNEY INFINITY: MARVEL SUPER HEROES
NOVEMBER
OHALO: THE MASTER CHIEF COLLECTION
OFAR CRY 4

33

She seems to have a movisible Touch

VERTU SIGNATURE TOUCH

Smartphone prices are going down but it appears no-one told
Vertu. The luxury companys latest flagship, the Signature
Touch, is an eye-watering 6750 but at least it competes with
this years flagships: you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.3GHz
processor, 2GB RAM, a 4.7in 1080p screen, 64GB of memory,
NFC, Qi wireless charging, and 13MP and 2.1MP cameras. For
travelling types, you get 10 bands of LTE, while the speakers are
tuned by Bang & Olufsen with Dolby Digital Plus virtual surround
sound. This is, in spec terms, a good phone. But what youre really
paying for is the 24-hour concierge, club and VIP event entry
accessed by tapping a (real) ruby button on the side of the phone.
6750 / vertu.com

Scoots manoeuvre

PEUGEOT SPEEDFIGHT
125 DARKSIDE
Having had your trilby knocked off by oiks on
scooters, you decide to get revenge the only
way you know how capitalism. You breeze into
a dealership and buy this. Parked up in the estate,
where you know theyll see you, you review your
choice. Among scooters, the Speedfight is the dogs
danglers. Performance brakes and suspension, sports
profile tyres and, of course, this is the tuned-up 125cc
version that those young uns can neither legally ride
nor insure. This limited-edition Darkside colourway,
well, that just puts this another 100 out of their
reach. Here they come now, probably to show their
grudging respect Oi! Come back with that!
2400 / peugeotscooters.co.uk

The circle is closing

YAMAHA SRT-1000
Soundbases probably mark the penultimate step
in the process that has taken us from using the
speakers in our TVs to once again using the
speakers in our TVs via multi-channel home
cinema systems, wireless home cinema systems,
virtual home cinema systems, soundbars,
soundbars with subwoofers and now soundbases.
This one has Yamahas Intellibeam tech to create
surround effects, along with two subs, a learning
remote and a chassis capable of supporting up to a
55in TV. Shame its not built into your TV, really.
500 / uk.yamaha.com

34

C H O I C E

WALLETS

[ Pictures RGB Digital ]

Because your homemade

duct-tape money bag is
wearing a little thin

36

1 Chester Mox
Wiry Wallet

4 Herschel
Roy Wallet

Handcrafted from French

calf leather and with room
for five cards, this sophisticated
wallet with flap closure is the
gentlemans choice.
US$80 / chestermox.com

The speckle pattern and

red pinstripe lining on this
poly-cotton wallet make it the
smart casual choice. And it will
match your Herschel backpack.
30 / surfdome.com

2 Band-it

5 Ogon RFID Wallet

Hate walking around with lumpy

pockets? The leather and elastic
Band-it wallets are about as
minimal as you can get without
resorting to wrapping your
cards in clingfilm.
from US$18 / amagpoc.com

This wallets aluminium shell

is designed not just to be
shiny, but also to protect
your contactless cards
from being accidentally
(or maliciously) scanned.
from 28 / firebox.com

3 Incase Leather
Zip Wallet

6 Alpinestars
Arena Wallet

If your iPhone bears scars from

keys and coins, this wallet/case
combo is for you. Its zip closure
and soft suede compartment will
keep your phone scratch-free.
60 / goincase.co.uk

Does its dimpled design help it

fly like a golfball? No, but it has
plenty of space inside, with one
of those thumb-holes so you can
easily slide out your gym pass.
US$20 / alpinestars.com

H O

TOM WIGGINS

MEDIA
HOARD

Dont you wonder sometimes

bout sound and vision?

60 is new cost of sensible

BEANCO MOBILE HOME

So, heres the scenario. Youre in your car. Your iPhone is connected,
via Bluetooth or some such, to your in-car audio system. So far, so
awesome. But looking for your phone, or trying to balance it in your
hand, puts you outside the law. This simple device takes the Apple
home button and puts it wherever you need it: on your sun visor,
door pocket, or wherever. Now, regardless of where your actual
phone is, you can answer calls or activate Siri and do whatever it
is that Siri can do for you. How terribly sensible.
60 /drivewithsiri.com

Pi has new filling; essentially still a Pi

RASPBERRY PI B+
Its probably an exaggeration to call the Raspberry Pi B+ new: it uses
the same BCM2835 processor and has the same 512MB of RAM,
but there are a number of exciting changes. Power consumption has
been cut by 30%; the card slot is now push-push microSD; audio has
been improved; USB 2.0 ports have doubled to four; the GPIO header
now has 40 pins rather than 26 (so you can use the B+ to control
more real-world objects such as LEDs); and the design has been
tweaked to make it neater while keeping the same tiny form factor.
The good news is, despite the changes, the price remains the same.
26 / element14.com

OI have a set of gig rules that

cannot be broken. Gig Rule #1
says you must not listen to the
band youre going to see on the
day. It makes you that little bit too
familiar with the songs and spoils
the enjoyment. Well, it does for
me. After the gig, though? Knock
yourself out. And use The Set
Listener to do so. It uses data
from Setlist.fm to create Spotify
playlists based on a bands most
recent gig, so in theory you could
be listening to the set youve just
heard on the way home from the
gig. And Ive got absolutely no
rules against that.

OIn a month of excellent Spotify

tools, Roadtrip Mixtape helps
you to make route-specific
playlists for car journeys. Just
tell it where youre driving from
and to and itll pick artists from
along the way. And it doesnt do
a bad job (although we had to skip
some terrible drum n bass from
Croydon). For a trip from Balham
in south London to Brighton it
began with Turin Brakes, offered
The Cure as we passed Crawley
then a Brett Anderson solo track
near Haywards Heath, finishing
on British Sea Powers triumphant
Waving Flags for arrival at our final
seaside destination.

37

Light transmogrified into music

SOULRA RUGGED RUKUS

Yes, yes we know those fold-out pocket solar panels are
frustratingly rubbish at charging anything. But the panel
on this Bluetooth speaker looks bigger than most and, if
youre going to the trouble of lugging a water-resistant
speaker about, then one that might extend its own life by
an hour or two has got to be worth a look. And you can also
charge it via USB. The Rukus measures 16x15x4.5cm, and
is willing to sacrifice its own ability to play tunes by giving
its laboriously stored energy to charge your phone.
90 / soulracorp.com/uk

Whats that under your phone? A gamepad?

RAZER JUNGLECAT
Thy knife is blunt, would say Ray Mears. Thy racquet is
unsprung, would say Andy Murray; and Lewis Hamilton,
too, would shake his head. Thy aero package is way
not boss, hed remark. Theyre all right, too. You arent
ever going to win large on the online gaming scene
unless you sharpen up your act. How? By getting
a slidey-out gamepad iPhone case complete
with custom config and compatible game launcher
app from the not-too-gamey Razer. Now thats
a whip, would say Xzibit.
80 / razerzone.com

DROP EVERYTHING
AND DOWNLOAD...

Hostelworld free/iPad

A long time ago when intercontinental travel was slow, expensive and dangerous about
2010 Airbnb was just a fledgling website. And yet budget travellers found somewhere
to lay their unwashed heads. How so? Mostly via Hostelworld, the internet hostel booking
site. It lists tens of thousands of places to stay, with a huge up-to-date library of reviews.
It now has a new dedicated iPad app, designed to run slickly on the big screen. Airbnb
might be zeitgeisty, but dont forget Hostelworld if youre scrimping.
38

Autonomous driving will come in

the next year or so.
We want AutoPilot [Teslas
self-driving platform] to go from
highway on-ramp to highway offramp without touching any controls.
Googles self-driving car is not
very attractive.
I havent seen it in person, but its
only going to go 25mph and it has
two feet of foam bumper on the
front. Im not sure if its sending
quite the right message. I hope
they put an Im feeling lucky
button on the dash, which you can
press and itll just go somewhere.
Teslas self-driving auto is going
to be the car that you see now.
The radar will be hidden inside
the bumpers and the cameras are
packaged into quite a small space,
where the mirror is.

NAMES TO DROP #10

Elon Musk

THE MAN BEHIND

TESLA, PAYPAL
AND SPACEX
We sit down with the co-founder
of PayPal, Tesla and SpaceX to
talk about how he electrified
car-making now that Teslas
Model S is available over here (see
page 62) and how he plans to
build a city on Mars. Well, he does
have roughly a thousandth of the
worlds money in his pocket.
If somebody orders a Model S
now, by the time it arrives theyll
be able to travel anywhere in
southern England.
The British launch of Tesla will bring
a network of Superchargers that
can add 200 miles of range to the
car in half an hour. By the end of
2014, its the bottom two-thirds
of the country; by the end of 2015,
youll be able to drive anywhere in
the British Isles without having to
dramatically divert your route.
The next car after the Model X
SUV will be mass-market.
Were aiming for 20% smaller and
half the price, and itll be coming
in about two and a half years.
40

I think the UK should be Teslas

biggest market in Europe.
UK consumers make a decision
based on the car itself, not for
nationalistic reasons. Germany
and France tend to be a bit parochial.
Theres so much engineering
talent in the UK. Our head of vehicle
engineering, Chris Porritt, is from
Aston Martin. About half of our
engineering team is European,
with British engineers the biggest
single constituent, and were
making plans to establish an R&D
centre in the UK. It wouldnt just
be modifying cars for Europe:
to attract the top talent, theyve
got to be part of the core design
process. In the longer term, we
expect to have a UK factory as
you get more affordable, it makes
sense to move to local production.

Big companies promote people

who dont rock the boat.
The incentive structure tends to
reward incremental improvements,
which is why most of the worlds
car manufacturers arent taking
electric cars seriously. When you
look at the underlying reality, its
maybe 0.2% of new cars made.
There were almost 100 million new
cars made this year, and 2 billion
cars on the road. So even if all new
cars instantly became electric, it
would take 20 years to replace the
fleet. That said, I think what BMW
has done with the i3s carbon-fibre
chassis is interesting, and Im
impressed that they can make it at
a non-crazy cost. I applaud anyone
whos trying to do something new
and interesting.
I see us going to Mars in ten years.
[Googles Larry Page recently said
hed rather bequeath his immense
fortune to Musk than to a charity,
because hed do more with it]
Mostly what I would use it for is
building a base on Mars. Because
theres an initial cost to establish
the essential infrastructure thats
quite high, and you dont have an
immediate return, because you
cant charge people a billion dollars
each to go there. So youve got
to carry it to the point at which
someone can sell their house on
Earth, move to Mars and get a job
at that point, I think it becomes
a self-sustaining business.

I WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE

SOMEONE CAN SELL THEIR HOUSE ON
EARTH, MOVE TO MARS AND GET A JOB

LICENCE
TO THRILL

Hero or villain, theres

no doubt that Musk
lives life like a Bond
movie, to the extent
that he recently
bought the Lotus
Esprit submarine
that 007 drives in
The Spy Who Loved
Me. His intention, of
course, is to make
a real one: In reality,
it doesnt transform.
Theres no way those
pods could possibly
turn into one another.
So were going to
create a submarine
that looks just like
it, and that does do
a transformation. Itll
have to be about 10%
bigger, because we
cant fit everything
in, and itll use the
Model S motor and
battery pack. Its not
something well sell.
Weve joked about
having a submarineplane-car.

[ Illustration Alexandre Efimov ]

H O

? WTF IS

EZEECUBE?
Well, thats a cute um, what now?

Scootcommuter

SWIFTY SCOOTER
Hang around on the rush-hour streets of London for long enough and
youll see a grown-up wearing a suit and riding a micro-scooter. These
die-hards are doggedly continuing a city craze whose time has passed.
Or so it seemed The demand for squeezing every minute out of the day
has not abated, while the fashion for artisanal transport has never been
stronger, and these two have combined to form a resurgence in the
commute-scoot. With bigger wheels that flow faster on broken
pavements and adult-friendly geometry, the Swifty is available in
several respectable finishes. Now are you brave enough to get in
at the beginning of something, or will you wait for ubiquity?
from 350 / swiftyscooters.com

The larger unit on the bottom is the

EzeeCube, a new media centre currently
being crowdfunded on Indiegogo, which
has a dual-core A9 processor, 1GB of
RAM and 1TB of storage. The thinner box
on the top is the EzeePlay Blu-ray player,
but there are also 2TB EzeeDisk boxes.

You just stack them and it all works?

Indeed, up to four of the EzeeDisks can
be stacked (via small built-in connectors)
to complement the storage in the main
EzeeCube unit, allowing up to 9TB total
storage space for your myriad files.

What might I use that storage for?

The EzeeCube features a built-in XBMC
media centre app, allowing you play back
all sorts of locally stored digital media
and stream media from your computer
or mobile device. Its also an automated
photo backup, using a paired mobile app
to wirelessly save photos from your
device(s) and auto-remove duplicates,
plus it creates a media cloud bank.

Wow, quite a bit of stuff going on.

And theres quite a bit more. Optional
attachments will allow you to stack
on an open-source EzeeGame unit
that features Super Nintendo and
Sega Genesis cartridge slots via XBMCs
emulator. Meanwhile, a USB attachment
allows you to watch and record live TV.

Sounds like a bit too much, maybe.

Pianist envy

YAMAHA U1TA
Piano players like to play pianos actual pianos, not digital triggering
devices that look a bit like a piano, sound a bit less like a piano and feel like
Hungry Hippos. So heres an actual piano. Nice, eh? Switch to TransAcoustic
mode, however, and the lines blur. The keys still operate the hammers
and your plonking is still amplified by the soundboard no speakers here
but the sounds are digital samples, fed to that soundboard via a pair of
direct-mounted transducers. Its a genuinely piano-like experience, but
with one massive advantage over the real thing: a volume control.
10,600 / yamaha.com

Right, thats one of the negatives about

the campaign this system is designed
to be easy and approachable, yet there
are so many configuration options and
confusing backer levels that some folks
might get scared off. There are great ideas
here, though, so we hope it has a chance
to be refined before its widely available.

How do I get stuck in?

By the time you read this, the campaign
will have closed. Turn that frown upside
down because its already passed its goal!
Get in the queue with US$300

43

OUR MONTH
I ORDERED
COCKTAILS
IN MY POD

at the pop-up
cinema at Battersea
Power Station. The
films are shown
under the iconic
towers while you
chill on a squishy
beanbag. Or, like
me, in a luxury pod
complete with
waiter service.

Sophie Charara
reviewer/ very
smug viewer

I TRAVELLED
THROUGH A
V6 ENGINE

using an Oculus
Rift. Its a virtual
tour created by
Shell, with Murray
Walker yapping
about the benefits
of its V-Power
fuel. Looking down,
I realised that my
avatar didnt have
any arms a bit
of a problem for
a racing driver.

Stephen Graves
online deputy ed /
(h)armless geek
44

I WATCHED
WAY TOO
MUCH
CYCLING

as Le Tour winded
its way through
Yorkshire, London,
the cobbles of
northern France
and the high
Alps. All while
simultaneously
designing this
magazine. The
Eurosport Player
app is well worth
3/month for one
month of the year.

I FILMED MY
OWN 4K
WORLD
CUP

with Sonys
Xperia Z2 while
I played football
against a team of
local kids round
the corner from
the Maracana. They
were so good all we
could do was film it.

I RODE AN
ELECTRIC
MOTORBIKE
AT THE TOP
GEAR TRACK

but only for a few

laps, because (a)
motorbike journos
had flattened the
80-mile batteries
and (b) I scared
myself going too
fast. Get your
Brammo Empulse R
at goingreen.co.uk

Tom Wiggins
deputy editor /
not quite Neymar

I MEASURED
TORTURE

with a Garmin
Edge 1000, training
for the Prudential
RideLondon 100,
a 100-mile bike
self-flagellateathon. Strava-style
segments plus real
navigation mean I
know where Im
going and precisely
how much faster
others got there.

Fraser Macdonald
consulting editor /
scaredy-cat
Ross Presly
deputy art editor /
saddle bore

Will Findlater
editor-in-chief /
tortured soul

[ Picture Getty ]

YOUR MONTH AUG

Because youre too old to spend all the holidays playing conkers in a treehouse

01
EDINBURGH
FRINGE
FESTIVAL

In which you
discover that
a lot of talented
fledglings (such as
therubydolls.com,
pictured) have
Kickstarted and
Indiegogoed their
way out of the
Fringes classic
cardboard
production and
into technicolour
awesomeness.

46

14
Bryan Lee
OMalley

In which Bryan
releases that tricky
second book. Well,
thats not really
true because
Scott Pilgrim
was episodic, and
actually he released
some stuff before
that. But you know
what we mean. All
eyes on Seconds.

17
RED BULL
AIR RACE
Ascot

In which you have

a lovely day out at
Ascot watching
some lovely deathdefying aeroplane
racing. Whats
more, our Brit lads
Paul Bonhomme
and Nigel Lamb
could potentially
tip Austrian Hannes
Arch off the top
of the table. Have
at im, boys!

22

25

LUCY

In which you spend

a goodly amount
of time wondering
whether writer and
director Luc Besson
(Lon, The Fifth
Element) actually
named this film Luc,
but was convinced
to change it to Lucy
and cast Scarlett
Johansson. Either
way, SJ as a superhuman drugs mule
will be a must-see.

In which you are

glad you brought
your Dyson along to
suck the grit out of
your ears and eyes.
Author Frank Millers
got a hand on the
tiller and Mickey
Rourkes involved,
so this second Sin
City instalment,
long-awaited,
should be a treat.

31
MOTOGP
Silverstone

In which you watch

international stars
including Bradley
Smith engage in
wheel-to-wheel
breakneck racing.
All for a fraction
of the price of the
Formula 1, and
without anyone
complaining about
the lack of proper
engine noise.

W I

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a truly immersive 3D experience.
You want more? Well, how about enjoying all your
favourite shows without subscriptions with the
BT YouView+ HD recorder? An essential in any
busy home, it lets you pause and rewind live TV
and store programmes for up to seven days.
Currys & PC World has teamed up with LG and
BT to offer Stuff readers the chance to win one
of three prize packages, each consisting of an
LG 27MT93V TV (worth 350) and a BT YouView+
box (worth 200). Heres how

HOW TO ENTER

For a chance to be one of THREE winners

of this awesome entertainment package,
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WHERE IS EMMERDALE SET?

A In Buenos Aires
B In the Yorkshire Dales
C In a dystopian future where
humans are nothing more than
slaves to an all-powerful race
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HURRY!

COMPETITION
CLOSES
10 SEPT
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Terms & conditions 1 Open to UK residents aged 18 or over.

2 Entries close: 11.59pm on 10 September 2014. 3 Prize is as stated.
4 Prizes are non-transferable. 5 Only one entry per person.
6 For full Haymarket terms and conditions see: www.stuff.tv/legal
Promoter: Haymarket Media Group, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 9BE

49

VIRTUAL REALITY

When it was announced in 2012, the Oculus Rift kickstarted a virtual reality
revival thats now on the cusp of exploding. But what makes VR dierent
this time? And why will it succeed now when all its ever known is failure?
51

VIRTUAL REALITY

umping US$2 billion on something

youre not entirely sure about is either
incredibly brave or incredibly stupid
especially if its something thats
failed many times before. But when
Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg bought
Oculus VR the company behind the
Kickstarter-funded Rift headset it
became clear that 2014 was set to be
the year virtual reality finally delivered.
In the reception of 3D production
company Inition, a five-minute
walk from East Londons Silicon
Roundabout, an old View-Master
stereoscope arguably the original
virtual reality headset sits on
the table. Inside is a disc showing
rudimentary 3D scenes from
the Trooping of the Colour. The
companys basement is a funfair
of VR experiences: a moving wingsuit
simulator (complete with fans),
a 50-foot high-dive through
three rings of fire, and a terrifying,
Knightmare-esque vertigo challenge
that uses Kinect to track your
movement across a chasm of
nothingness. A bowl of fruit and
creative director Andy Millns are

about the only real things in sight.

In the past, whether you put on a
10,000 headset or a 50,000 one,
what you got was disappointment,
says Millns. The only hi-res displays
were for camera viewfinders so it was
impossible to make an image that filled
your field of view. What you got was a
screen surrounded by black. It was like
looking through a window.
So whats different this time?
In a word, smartphones. Early
prototypes of the Rift used displays
taken from Samsungs Galaxy S4,
while the previously pricey motion
sensors required to track your head
movements are now ubiquitous
and cost just a few dollars. That
combination of factors means
disappointment has been replaced
by astonishment and for a fraction
of the price. Oculus founder Palmer
Luckey recently told Stuff: Whatever
it costs us to make, that is what were
going to sell it for.
You lookin at me?
Aldin Dynamics makes games
exclusively for VR. The difference
between virtual reality and a regular
monitor really cant be overstated,
co-founder Hrafn Thorri Thrisson
tells us down the phone from the
companys base in Iceland. Its a
whole new medium and entirely new
experience. Everything from how the
game is designed to how its played
changes. People behave completely
differently because even the
most mundane details become
interesting and exciting.
Thrisson and his co-founder
Gunnar Steinn Valgardsson know VR
isnt just about the visual impact, but

Philco Corporation develops

the first head-mounted
display, known as Headsight.

52

NASA creates the Virtual

Environment Workstation,
an early example of VR.

SONY
PROJECT
MORPHEUS

These lights on the

outside arent just for
show. They help the
PlayStation Eye
camera track your
head movement, like
the Move controllers.
what it can do for the mechanics of
gaming. As well as allowing you to look
around the world, their game Asunder:
Earthbound (above), an adventure
game set on a plane in an alternative
1930s, uses the Rifts head-tracking
sensors to detect whether you nod
or shake your head in response to
questions asked by non-playable
characters. If you stop looking at them
while theyre speaking theyll notice
youre not paying attention and yell
at you, explains Thrisson. People
in the environment will also notice if
you stare at them. Stuff like that really
adds to the feeling of presence, and
that the characters are actually there
and aware youre there too.
Voices in your head
Thrisson and Valgardsson have
been experimenting with these head
gestures for everything from player
commands to menus. A nod of the
head could indicate where the players
squadmates should move to in a
team-based shooter, for example,
while doors to different rooms in a
house could be used to launch chapters
or modes of a game.
Theres still plenty more testing to
be done until VR gaming is ready for
the masses. Pro headsets such as
those made by Sensics are able to
track where your eyes are looking,
while Thrisson believes voice control
is a very promising direction: The best
speech recognition today is on phones
rather than desktop machines but
whats most interesting is when you
combine all of these together.
With its roots in smartphones
theres no reason why these wont
filter down to the Rift by the time its
ready for release. The original dev
kit was a $300 headset with features

Nintendos Power Glove

accessory converts motion
into game movement. Badly.

VIRTUAL REALITY

Despite its fledgling

status, Project
Morpheus looks
more finished than
the face-mounted
military lunchbox of
the Oculus DK2.

A cable connects
the headset to the
console. Being
tethered can spoil
the fun, so expect
Morpheus to be
wireless at launch.

that only a year previously would cost

thousands of dollars, says Thrisson,
and the DK2 is a huge leap from that,
especially the refresh rate and the way
it updates frames. Essentially your brain
is interpreting this as the real world so
motion blur can make you feel like youre
drunk or youve been poisoned.
An interesting tool for game designers,
perhaps? Or at least a useful tool against
VR piracy. Whats clear is that the
mind-blowing experiences weve seen
so far are just the tip of techs biggest
iceberg. Were at the beginning of virtual
reality and theres a lot the world is yet to
see its gigantic, says Thrisson.

The term virtual reality

is coined by former Atari
programmer Jaron Lanier.

DISAPPOINTMENT HAS
BEEN REPLACED BY
ASTONISHMENT FOR A
FRACTION OF THE PRICE
California comes to London
Inside an anonymous-looking office just
off Londons Oxford Street, the Golden
Gate Bridge stretches away into the
distance. The sky is the colour of
liquidised Smurfs. Over my shoulder
I can hear some tourists chatting about

Sega VR console announced

but never released. Sega
claims its too realistic.

the view, so I turn my head to glare at

them for puncturing the tranquility. If
it werent for the Oculus Rift headset
covering half my face I could almost feel
the Californian sunshine. This time virtual
reality isnt just about gaming, which
is why Scott Broock, VP of content for
Jaunt, is demo-ing the firms cinematic
VR experiences for me.
Before I arrived in San Francisco I stood
in front of an orchestra while it played, and
then at the bottom of a bowl in a skate
park. Traffic roared from an unseen road
behind me, getting louder as I turned my
head to watch the dude on a BMX glide
around behind me, before turning to the

Virtuality 1000CS virtual

reality games machine
starts to appear in arcades.

53

VIRTUAL REALITY

OCULUS
RIFT DK2

This part isnt a

webcam; its to track
the position of your
head while you play,
so the game knows
when you lean in for
a closer look.

opposite shoulder to see him reappear

from the other side.
These virtual tourism experiences
are just one aspect of Jaunts cinematic
VR, inspired by founder Tom Annaus
failure to recapture the full experience
of a trip to Utahs Zion National Park
using traditional photography.
Rather than using the more common
dual-lens stereoscopic camera, Jaunt
films its 3D experiences using a
custom-made rig formed of 14 cameras
arranged around a central point, with a
microphone capturing a complete sphere
of audio. Every point in space has at
least three eyes on it, which gives you
the sense of depth, explains Broock.

The Lawnmower Man

starring Pierce Brosnan
is released. VR is now evil.

54

Its easy to forget

the DK2 is still
only meant for
developers, so the
finished product is
likely to look different
to this.

The Rifts 100 field

of view is slightly
wider than on
Morpheus but the
960x1080 pixels
offered to each eye
are the same.

JAUNTS PROTOTYPE
WAS BUILT FROM
A GOPRO ATTACHED
TO A LEGO BASE
The first prototype was built from a
GoPro attached to a Lego base, while
a subsequent one looked like a spiky
naval mine (pictured opposite).
Secret cinema
Rather than stitching the whole thing
together in post-production, Broock

Nintendos Virtual Boy

headset goes on sale in the
US and Japan, but not the UK.

claims all the footage needs is some

colour correction (a camera pointing
towards bright sunlight is going to have
a different colour temperature to one
pointing at shadow) and some tidying
up. You end up with something akin
to a Mercator projection what youd
get if you unwrapped a globe and laid it
out flat which can be fed into editing
software such as Final Cut before being
passed through Jaunts proprietary
software and turned into something
watchable on a VR headset.
And its not just for lazy sightseers.
Initions Andy Millns thinks VR could be
used to give existing footage new life via
what he calls cinema 1.5. He compares

Tiger Electronics launches

R-Zone, a handheld console
you wear on your head.

VIRTUAL REALITY

it to Secret Cinema, or Punchdrunks

immersive theatre, in which the
actors move among the audience
and the latter become part of the
production. Imagine using a headset
to watch Drive at a drive-in movie
theatre in LA, he says. As the
helicopters scan around in that
opening chase sequence, there
are helicopters doing the same in
the skies above the theatre. Itd be
an astonishing way of heightening
the experience.

Making the VR
short Black Mass

All the worlds a film set

Jaunt, on the other hand, actually
wants to put you in the movies. Scott
Broock also demo-ed two clips of
narrative-driven VR experiences: one
aboard a boat being attacked by huge
crab-like monsters and another from
Black Mass a horror short directed
by Greg Plotkin (of Paranormal
Activity 5, er, fame). These, of course,
are not your regular 3D movies.
Characters talk to you directly as if
youre part of the story: Why are you
just standing there?! screams one as
I watch her fighting off a monster in
the former, a nice nod to the limitations
of VR cinema. And while both clips are
exhilarating and engrossing, filming
in VR presents a whole new set of
challenges to those faced by games
developers: Where do you put the
lights? How do you stop the crew
getting in shot? And how do you make
sure the viewer doesnt miss anything
important? Its more like shooting on a
theatre stage than a film set.
If youre building a set you have
the flexibility to build the necessary
lighting into the environment, says
Broock. Otherwise you have to
use the natural light, or put one
underneath the camera. In the scene
from Black Mass the director is
actually in the room giving direction;
hes just cleverly hidden but well
leave that as an Easter egg for people
to find later.
The biggest issue is storytelling.
Show, dont tell goes the famous rule
of movie-making, but as soon as you
break away from the fixed framing of
traditional movie cameras you give
the viewer freedom to look where
they want in the scene and thats
potentially disastrous to the art of
storytelling. Sound is one of the
most important parts of telling the

Vuzix launches iWear VR920,

the first VR headset bought
by Palmer Luckey of Oculus.

story, says Broock. Youre able to

use sound and light to pull peoples
attention in a particular direction
and thats not just with things that
are actually on the set. You can also
do it in post-production.
Audio star
Imagine youre in a field and the only
thing you share that field with is a tree.
Suddenly a bird starts tweeting from
high in the branches and you peer
up towards it. While youre distracted
by the bird, a different kind of wildlife
entirely starts to stampede over the
hill behind you, announcing itself with

Oculus Rift is shown off

for the first time at the E3
gaming jamboree in LA.

a dull rumble, gradually building to a

roar that drowns out the birdie. You
turn to see a zombie horde racing
towards you. Now thats something
worth tweeting about.
Its a crude example but it goes to
show how important audio is to VR
film-makers and the potential for
replayability that VR movies could
have. Of course, theres a danger that
people wont bother, but Broock is
convinced that VR is such a compelling
proposition that people will take any
opportunity to dive back in. He also
sees a time when full-length movies
will be made in VR, but isnt sure what
full-length will mean in that context.
Some people get hung up trying to
think about how to use traditional
ideas inside this new medium, he
says, but VR doesnt have to replace
movies; its a very good adjunct to it.
Something extra
With Facebooks acquisition its easy
to see a time when VR videos could
become something akin to DVD
extras, uploaded to a films Facebook
page for fans to view in their headsets
and then share with their friends.
Imagine Michael Bay shooting the

John Carmack, lead

programmer on Doom
and Quake, joins Oculus.

55

VIRTUAL REALITY

CONTROL
FREQS
A next-gen gaming device needs
a suitably next-gen controller

MYO

Thalmics motionsensitive armband

also detects electrical
impulses and translates
them into a virtual
world, so you can aim, fire, reload and even
move through a first-person shooter.
US$150 / thalmic.com

SIXENSE
STEM SYSTEM

Comprised of two
motion-sensitive
handsets, plus sensors
that attach to the head,
torso and legs, the Stem System tracks
the position and orientation of your body.
US$300 / sixense.com

VIRTUIX OMNI

A hamster wheel for

frag-happy gamers,
the Omni treadmill
converts footsteps into
in-game movement. It
might take up space in the living room,
but stops you from bumping into walls.
US$500 / virtuix.com

PRIOVR

PrioVRs tracking suit

comes in three cuts:
eight, 12 or 17 sensors.
With a pair of handheld
controllers, the suit
tracks your limbs and torso for aiming,
dodging and hand-to-hand combat.
US$430 / priovr.com

CONTROL VR

A spiritual successor
to the Nintendo Power
Glove, Control VRs
Kickstarted controller
tracks the movements
of each finger, thanks to seven sensors.
Handy for flicking Vs at the enemy.
tba / controlvr.com

Oculus adds positional

head-tracking to the Rift
with Crystal Cove update.

56

next Transformers movie with a Jaunt

camera right next to him as he blows up
a whole street, says Broock. He calls
action and huge explosions go up, walls
come down and cars are flipped over.
Whos ever going to get to experience
that? To have that seat of privilege?
Once you start thinking of it like that
the possibilities are practically endless.
Jaunt has shot a boxing match from just
behind the turnbuckle, while cameras
could also be placed in the front row and
high above the ring. Motorsport seems
an obvious avenue to pursue, with the
camera either in the car or at a particular
corner on the track.
Its all about giving people access
to something they may not otherwise
have the opportunity to do in their
life, says Broock.
Its not just about sports. Theres a
company recreating historic moments in
VR and calling it immersive journalism,
says Jonathan Tustain, communications
manager at Inition. You could use this
to put somebody in a scenario from a
warzone to really help them understand
what went on. Millns even suggests
using VR on long-haul flights to deal
with the claustrophobic effect of being
cooped up in a flying metal tube for
hours on end: If you put on a headset
you could suddenly have an incredible
sense of space, he says.
Out-of-body experience
The main issue affecting both gaming
and video, though, is movement and
interaction. While a headset allows you
to move your head and neck, the rest of
your body is essentially paralysed. Sony
has tried to bring some arm movement
into its early Morpheus demos by using
either the gyros in a DualShock 4
controller or a pair of Move controllers,
with the triggers used to open and close
your in-game grasp. It worked brilliantly
in the Castle Morpheus demo Stuff tried
earlier in the year, but when the dragon
attacks you still cant run away.
Other developers have incorporated
third-party motion controllers too,
but LA-based Survios set up by
graduates from the same VR course as
Palmer Luckey takes it a step further.
Survios has developed a wearable
system that creates a doughnutshaped magnetic field around your
entire body and tracks your movement
and orientation within it using magnetic
receivers a bit like stepping inside a

Sony announces its own

headset for the PS4, called
Project Morpheus.

capacitive touchscreen. The current

prototype also uses Razers handheld
Hydra controllers, which rely on similar
magnetic tracking, but for the next
version the company plans to develop
its own controller in partnership with
Sixense (see panel, left).
It means you can pump a shotgun,
swing an axe, climb ladders, duck
and dodge, or go prone on the ground
with a sniper rifle, explains Survios
co-founder and CCO James Iliff.
Gestural interfaces are cool, but
if you want to actually unholster
a gun and aim down the sight, you
need a system that tracks position
and orientation of an exact point. Pretty
much any movement you can imagine in
real life, you can do in VR.
Manipulate to exterminate
Sounds like a recipe for a bloody nose
and broken furniture, right? Well, for
starters a VR headset should be enough
to protect your face but Survios system
also has an in-built warning system
to prevent accidental lounge collisions.
You can tell it how big your space is
and you get a visual warning within
the headset if you get too close to
the edge, says Iliff.
Survios plans to have a product
to announce in 2015, ideally with leg
tracking so you can kick a crawling
zombies head off, but Iliff is conscious
of overloading players with sensors:
Its very important to balance usability
with the technical side if people are
ever actually going to use it. You could
have sensors covering every inch of
your body and that tracking would be
awesome, but nobody wants to put on
a full motion-capture suit.
For video its a more complex issue.
A full game world has been created and
is rendered as you go, but with video
youre restricted by what was filmed.
Theres nothing physically stopping
you from moving the camera but
Oculus best practices say that
can create disorientation, explains
Jaunts Scott Broock.
For now, then, the first step is
tracking your hands, allowing you
to pick up and manipulate items within
the virtual world. Initions Andy Millns
points to the depth-sensing camera on
Googles Project Tango phone as a sign
of where things might go next: If youre
already wearing a headset you might as
well take advantage of that and mount

Facebook buys Oculus VR

for $2bn. Original Kickstarter
backers are pissed off.

VIRTUAL REALITY

some sort of camera on it its very

short-range and perfectly positioned to
see your hands. Essentially its a small
Kinect strapped to your head.
Wheres your headset at?
First we need a product to strap it to.
Nate Mitchell, VP of product at Oculus,
believes Valves VR headset is light
years ahead of the original Rift
prototype but told Stuff recently the
consumer version would be as good,
if not better, with haptics, audio-,
eye- and mouth-tracking features
being explored in the companys R&D
lab. Resolution will inevitably improve
too GameFace Labs already has
a prototype with a 2K screen, with
Millns suggesting that youll still see
the benefit up to 16K or 20K.
Dont expect to see anything until
early next year, though, and by that
point Rift may well not be alone (see

Michael Abrash leaves

Valve to become Chief
Scientist at Oculus.

p58). Project Morpheus doesnt have

a release date yet, but with games being
announced for it already (see p60) it
cant be too far off, while Samsung is
believed to be working on a headset
of its own (albeit with help from Oculus)
that you slot your phone into, Google
Cardboard-style.
Andy Millns believes this mobile
VR either standalone or using a phone
as the screen is the way forward
for the vast majority of people, while
larger simulator-type experiences
could even lead to a renaissance of VR

YOU CAN SWING AN AXE,

CLIMB LADDERS OR GO
PRONE ON THE GROUND
WITH A SNIPER RIFLE
Oculus DK2 starts shipping,
with improved screens to
reduce motion blur.

gaming arcades, such as Australias Zero

Latency,which is building a 50m-square
VR arena in Melbourne.
Harsh reality
But will it be a success this time? With
85,000 dev kits sold by Oculus and
telly heavyweights such as David
Attenborough already making VR
documentaries (pictured above), those
involved are certain it wont go the way
of 3D TV. VR will definitely take off this
time, Millns assures Stuff. Even on
a development kit with relatively low
resolution people are still blown away by
it. And its not going to be expensive: the
devices will be subsidised with people
making money through app stores. Its
so versatile as well.
Thrisson from Aldin Dynamics
agrees: 3D glasses just add an effect
to a regular monitor but VR transports
you to another world.

Oculus will hold its first

developer conference
in Los Angeles.

57

VIRTUAL REALITY

Rift and Morpheus might be grabbing all the attention but theyre not the only
VR headsets in the pipeline. Give em the eyes with this goggle-licious line-up

vrAse
Early Oculus Rift units used AMOLED
screens taken from Samsung Galaxy S4s
but the vrAse takes the concept further.
The screen and processing power of the
headset is a Galaxy S4. Or an HTC One.
Or an Xperia Z any smartphone with
a screen between 3.5 and 6.3in, although
between 5 and 6 is best. Inside the headset
are lenses, which take any side-by-side
signal on the phone and split it for each eye.
vrase.com

Sulon Cortex
Like a combination of VR and augmented
reality, Sulons Cortex uses your Android
phone as a screen but also has built-in
sensors and cameras that map the room
youre standing in and recreate it in front
of your eyes, with digital objects and
virtual environments overlaid by
the phones processor. Its US$500
development kit is expected to ship
at the end of the year.
sulontechnologies.com

58

GameFace
While most VR headsets require a
PC to munch through the binary, or
a smartphone to be slotted in the front
to also provide the visuals, GameFaces
effort is a combo of the two. The 5.5in
2560x1440 display (2K resolution) is
built-in but it also does grunt work
onboard with a Qualcomm Snapdragon
processor, console-quality Tegra K1
graphics and Android Jellybean OS.
gamefacelabs.com

ANTVR
With its matching gun-shaped controller
theres something decidedly retro about
the ANTVR kit, but inside its anything but
old-fashioned. A wireless receiver sits
between the two parts, meaning it can
receive signals from a range of platforms,
while the headsets aspherical lenses
mean it will run games not specifically
designed for VR. The gun controller also
unfolds to reveal a traditional gamepad.
antvr.com

Cmoar
Cmoars modular make-up means you
can change the lenses inside depending
on what youre using it for. The VR lenses
offer a 95 field of vision provided by
whatever phone youve positioned in the
front section. The other lens sets are for
movies: one offers the equivalent of an
80in 3D screen from two metres away
and another mimics a standard, 125in
full HD screen from the same distance.
cmoar.com

InfinitEye
When it comes to virtual reality, the larger
your field of view the better. The latest Rift
development kit has a 100 horizontal FOV
but the InfinitEyes two 1280x800 displays
and Fresnel lenses provide over twice that,
drastically increasing your peripheral vision
to 210 and ramping up the feeling of
immersion. Its just a prototype at the
moment, but the InfinitEye shows where
next-gen VR helmets are likely to head.
facebook.com/InfinitEyeVR

VIRTUAL REALITY

Or make your own

GOOGLE
CARDBOARD
from free / google.com

True Player Gear Totem

While VR isnt necessarily all about
graphics, if your computers struggling
to push the required number of pixels the
experience will suffer. So Totem might be
the VR headset for you. It has hardware
acceleration onboard, relieving some of the
strain from your computer to make sure
theres no lag. It also has a pair of cameras
that look like eyes. Eventually theyll also
be used for positional tracking.
trueplayergear.com

Vrelia VReye
Vrelia offers two HMDs (head-mounted
displays): one that requires a phone to be
slotted in, and one with the brains. With
two 5.9in full HD screens providing two
million pixels to each eye, the VReye Pro
(pictured) offers a field of vision stretching
to 123. The other one accepts any phone
with a screen from 4 to 6in, and side dials
let you adjust the lenses so users who
normally wear glasses can take them off.
vrelia.com

Altergaze
Altergazes headset doesnt look like this
picture. At least, it doesnt have to. While
it requires a smartphone to provide the
pixels and power, the chassis itself is
3D-printed and can be customised via
the companys website, with a whopping
8.4 million possible combinations. It comes
with a set of lenses that always provide a
Rift-beating 110 field of vision, no matter
which phone youve got inserted.
agvr.co

Avegant Glyph
The Glyph is a pair of noise-cancelling
headphones with an extra-special trick.
Fold it down and on the underside is a
1280x720-per-eye micromirror array,
which reflects light into your eyeballs
rather than lighting up a screen. Avegant
reckons its far sharper than a traditional
screen, although its 45 FOV could prove
detrimental to the VR experience. Just plug
it in via HDMI and youre good to go.
avegant.com

This is basically just a box for holding

two 40mm lenses 40mm from your
Android Jelly Bean-running phones
screen to make a DIY VR headset.
Except its not that simple. The lenses
Google recommends arent easy to get
hold of but we bought a pair from
Edmund Optics for less than 10. The
printing process is straightforward. Do
it at work nobody in their right mind
pays for print toner and while youre
there, nab a strong, thin cardboard box.
The cutting-out process takes over
an hour and its dull, fiddly work. A good
sharp scalpel and a ruler to guide the
blade are essential if you use any ol
pair of scissors itll take half a day and

the end result will look like a wasps

nest. After about two hours of
painstakingly cutting out the shapes
you realise that you hate cardboard,
because the little tabs dont quite
reach the holes, and the cardboard
is too thick or too small or just in the
wrong place. When this happens, just
keep Sellotaping it together until it
looks about right.
Cram the lenses back in (theyll have
fallen out several times), tape it some
more and get a phone in there. With
the Cardboard app running, obviously.
And IT WORKS! It actually works!
Everyone will want to hold your creation
to their face. Hear their gasps as they
fly around Google Earth! Hear their
guffaws as they observe a cartoon
mouse losing his hat! Yessss!!

59

VIRTUAL REALITY

These are the new worlds youll be peering into when Oculus Rift and Sonys
Project Morpheus nally launch and weve tried some of them out already

War Thunder
HAN
HA
H
AN
A
ND
DS
S
ON
ON

SuperHOT

u
play the demo version of SuperHOT at superhotgame.com
now, and we recommend you do. What sets it apart is that time
moves only when you move: run towards your enemies and theyll
be able to shoot you, but stand still and bullets travel through the air
like coins falling through treacle. Manage the time dilation right and
you can weave through a hail of bullets like Neo from The Matrix,
doing slo-mo yoga to despatch them. What Oculus brings to this,
apart from a far more immersive first-person experience, is a finer
level of control. This makes bullet-avoidance more intuitive; enjoy
the satisfaction as bullets fly ponderously over your shoulder.

This free-to-play
World War II MMO is
available on PC, Mac and
PS4 but its also been
shown off with Oculus
Rift support, adding to
the already claustrophobic
experience of being in the
cockpit of one of the 186
different planes in the game.
Pick from the Spitfire and
Hurricane, or go history
hipster and pilot a Gloster
Gladiator bi-plane.

Project Cars
We might still be waiting
to get behind the wheel
of Driveclub but the PS4
has another racer to look
forward to and this one
supports Project Morpheus.
Wearing Sonys VR headset,
youll be able to peer at the
dashboard or admire the
scenery and weather
effects while you bomb
around a racetrack at high
speed. Just try to keep one
eye on the road, eh?

60

Elite: Dangerous
An unfinished beta
version of David Brabens
long-awaited Elite sequel
is already available, offering
five star systems to explore,
plunder and fight your way
through as a trader, pirate,
bounty hunter or, well,
pretty much whatever
you want. The final,
Oculus-compatible version
will have 100 billion systems
to traverse, with plans to add
planets that can be explored.

Private Eye
HAN
HA
H
AN
A
ND
DS
S
ON
O
N

Luckys Tale

e a nt really thought about Oculus Rift as something you could

use to play platform games, but this charming jumpabout shows
VR can be a lot more versatile. You play a cartoon fox who springs
about a multicoloured world that will be familiar to anyone whos
played Crash Bandicoot or anything else in the same vein but the
viewpoint, floating like cloud-riding Lakitu from the Mario games, is
new and exciting. It does feel weird for a minute or two as your brain
adjusts to this new form of perception, but it soon becomes natural.
Most impressive is the main menu, a Super Mario World-esque map
that you can peer at and zoom in on like a curious giant.

With a premise reminiscent

of Hitchcocks Rear Window,
Private Eye puts you in
the un-scuffed shoes
of a paralysed detective,
consigned to a wheelchair
and suffering from amnesia
in his New York apartment.
A murder has been
committed and you must
use a pair of binoculars and
any other objects within
reach to solve the crime and
stop the killer striking again.

VIRTUAL REALITY

The Assembly
The Assembly is about
a mysterious group of
scientists experimenting
on people and animals in
an underground lab. Little
more is known about it apart
from the fact that its being
made for VR (that includes
both Project Morpheus and
Oculus Rift) and will be
available at the launch of
both the timing of which
is another mystery that
could do with being solved.

HAN
HA
ND
DS
ON
ON

Alien Isolation

On a flat screen, this game is scary. When youre

trapped in virtual reality, it becomes a nervejangling brownquake of bowel-loosening terror,
on a par with the genre-creating film from whose
chest it exploded. Its not just the immersive
graphics and sound, although these do a horribly
good job of convincing you that you really are
locked in a drifting spaceship with a hissing,
invincible nightmare made from knives and acid.
Its also the control system: take the proximity
sensor, for example (you have no weapons that
can kill the alien, so the only way to survive is to
stay away from it). In the flatscreen version, you

Eve: Valkyrie
press a button to pull up the sensor and watch the
deadly green blob moving across the screen. In the
Oculus version, you have to physically look down
to see the sensor. This feels wrong at an instinctive
level, because youre turning your body away from
the unsafe space that harbours the claws and
teeth from which youre hiding, exposing the top
of your head and the back of your neck. In fact,
our one worry is that Alien: Isolation is a little too
good at stimulating the primal fears at the centre
of our mammal-brains. Playing it alone, on a more
advanced version of the Oculus, might be more
than we could handle.

The first game to really

show what this new
generation of virtual reality
was capable of, Valkyries
intergalactic dogfighting
is simple but effective,
reminiscent of the X-Wing
games of the 90s. Rift
support allows you to look
around the cockpit and even
down to see your own legs,
while aiming missiles is also
taken care of just by looking
at what you want to blast.

61

FIRST TEST TESLA MODEL S

Power ranger
Teslas Model S promises to be much more than just an electric car and it is
50,000 / teslamotors.com

The Tesla Model S upends the

electric-car status quo like
only Silicon Valley can. This
Californian-built hatchback
limo solves the EV range
problem with a whopping
great battery pack giving a
potential 300 miles between
charges. Then it eliminates
dashboard clutter by putting
all the cabin controls on a
touchscreen tablet.
The styling is graceful, the
speed ballistic. It weighs 2.1
tonnes but the Performance
version (68,700) gets to
60mph in 4.2 seconds and
even the standard model
makes it in 5.4. Because its
electric all that muscle is
available from rest, and the
Performance version we
tested was yell-out-loud,
rollercoaster fast.

2 Charge!
From a standard house plug itll
take 20 hours to charge from flat
to full, but a 95 state-subsided
wall-charger halves that to 10
hours, while the optional 1900
dual charger halves that again.
Quickest at 45 mins to full are the
Tesla Superchargers the company
plans to build at service stations
along the M4, M1 and M6.

3 Massive battery
Tesla claims the Model S has
the range of a regular car thanks
to the huge underfloor battery
pack. The standard one is rated at
60kWh, to give a quoted range of
240 miles, and the 85kWh version
is reckoned to be good for 312. To
put that into context, the battery
pack in the new LaFerrari hybrid
hypercar is just 2.3kWh.

[ Words Nick Gibbs ]

Good
Meh
Evil

62

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lls
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Four hours with

the Model S

2mins 15mins

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ing o

1 Undercover agent
The Model S is stealthy. Find an
open stretch of road, nail it, and
nobody will hear your hooliganism.
A pleasing whine from the rear
electric motor sounding like a
tiny jet engine is the extent of
it. The Tesla even checks body
roll in the bends while resisting
the Germanic urge to pummel
the spine on bumps.

1.40hrs 1.48hrs

2hrs

2.33hrs

FIRST TEST TESLA MODEL S

Tech specs
Top speed 120-130mph
Max power 382bhp-418bhp
Max torque 440-600Nm
0-62mph 4.2-5.4 secs
Official range 242-312 miles
Charging time 45mins-10hrs (depending on charger)
Dimensions 4970x2187m, 2100kg

Titanic tablet on the dashboard

Teslas revolutionary touchscreen will blow your

mind but its not meant for motorway browsing

5 Room for all the family

Staff at Teslas sole UK store
in Londons Westfield shopping
centre claim it has more room than
a BMW X5 SUV in there, and you
can believe it. One option includes
two rear-facing jump seats in the
boot to take the max passenger
count to seven. Theres further
room under the bonnet where
a petrol engine would have been.

T
A- oo w
ro id
ad e
s a for
re co
su un
bl tr
im y
Di
e f lan
ea ffe
or es
r
se e
n
al ,b
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ar ut
re lev
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r m ls
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o
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ly te
Sp er
or ing
ts w
et he
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. L 5
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fo 105
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ar th
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t- al
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ing ide
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ki ag
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ea nst
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on 1k
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all h e
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e.

4 Wide load
Sometimes the Tesla feels too
large for UK roads even driving
cautiously we managed to scrape
an alloy on a width restriction
bollard (we werent fiddling with
the screen at the time, promise).
And it lacks safety features such
as lane-departure warnings,
radar cruise control and related
automatic emergency braking.

3hrs

3.12hrs

3.36hrs

3.50hrs

4hrs

Q Double take
The interior is mostly
well designed and the
second screen behind
the steering wheel is
welcome, but Teslas
upright, 17in in-dash
touchscreen tablet is
the main event.

Q Too distracting?
The touchscreen gives
you control over the
heating, sat-nav, radio
and more. But its so
moreish to the eyes you
might need a co-pilot, at
least at first, to look out
for traffic ahead slowing.

Q Helpful passenger
Theres a camera
looking back thats
clear enough to use in
place of the rear-view
mirror, or you can
configure it so the
Google map occupies
all the space.

Q Break the mould

Screen updates come
via a built-in 3G sim and
each time you get one
you could find youve
got an entirely new
button. Nothing new
in smartphones, but
revolutionary in a car.

The Tesla isnt just a better electric car its

a groundbreaker that history could well hoist
into the automotive hall of fame alongside the
original Mini or even the Ford Model T. The
speed is breathtaking, the styling sensational, the range
good and that 17in dash tablet embarrasses anything
the premium German cars can offer. @nickgibbs

STUFF SAYS +++++

An electric car of such staggering
talent itll have mainstream
makers racing to catch up
63

TEST APPS

App:roved
FOR
FOOTBALL
FLEDGLINGS

O Wayne Rooneys
Soccer Training

64

FOR
POPPING
PLANETS

FOR MINI
MARINE
BIOLOGISTS

FOR
KNEEGRAZERS

OEliss Infinity

O MarcoPolo Ocean

O Riders

Rooney, arguably the best

British forward player of his
generation, is here to teach
professional training. The bulk
of the app are videos that
outline and demonstrate drills
designed to develop specific
skills, such as running with the
ball and finishing and passing
and receiving. Most are
unlocked with in-app purchases
from 1.49, which is pretty good
value, especially if you end up
with a Premier League contract.

The bold and brilliant follow-up

to the original Eliss that blew the
minds of iPhone users in 2009,
Eliss Infinity is somehow still
fresh.Your task is to keep an
abstract universe clean, empty
and free of space-dust. To deal
with the many planets that
litter your screen, you need a
propensity for multitasking and
a strong level of dexterity its
basically Twister for your digits.
Like the original, this is about as
essential a purchase as you can
get for your touchscreen.

A super-fun diversion for

pre-school children, this sandbox
adventure is all about populating
ocean environments with
various animals, then absorbing
fascinating facts and exploring
their habitats. You can also build
boats and submarines to get
you around your watery world.
It can be a bit too freeform in
places, so wed like to see more
prompts and direction in future
updates, but for now theres
lots to keep creative, inquisitive
minds occupied.

This isnt just heaven for

skaters. Riders is an extensive
collection of how-tos that
encompasses inline skating,
BMX, mountain bike, longboard,
scooter, skateboard, snowboard,
ski and wakeboard. Look up a
trick, read the simple description
and watch a snappy demo. Think
you can do better? Upload your
own vids or pics for others to
comment on. The amount and
quality of user-generated
content and interaction gives
Riders long-term appeal.

Stuff says ++++,

from free / iOS

Stuff says +++++

1.99 / Android, iOS

Stuff says ++++,

free / iOS

Stuff says +++++

free / Android, iOS

TEST APPS

Mini meme

HOME
DESIGN
TOOLS

O Virtual Plan 3D
This is currently a concept
but one that you might be
using for real quite soon. Its
an augmented reality app that
turns 2D architectural drawings
into 3D models. For now you
can only use it with some demo
drawings and even though
its not going make your own
plans pop up, its a lot of fun
to play with.
Stuff says ++++,
free / Android, iOS

If Changing Rooms was still on, Handy

Andy would be using these apps. Carol
Smillie would still be annoying, though

O 3D Room Designer
Interiors retailer Crate & Barrel
is behind this one. Regardless
of whether you intend to buy
any of their gear, the app gives
an idea of how you can decorate,
rearrange or transform a room,
using 3D models overlaid onto
your photos or preset room
templates. Of course, if you
do fancy anything, the Add to
cart button is never far away.
Stuff says +++++
free / iOS

O Homestyler
Interior Design

O Home Design

O Dulux Visualizer

O MagicPlan

Say you want to make over a

room. Clear it out, take a picture
and then import it into this app.
Give the positions of the walls
and corners as clues, and then
you can choose from a host
of furnishings, plopping the 3D
models into your room. Proof at
last that you cant fit a snooker
table in the kitchen.

A brilliant app for designing

extensions or whole buildings,
taking the grind out of digital
design. You can quickly throw
up walls, add doors and windows
and drop in furnishings, then
take a virtual tour around your
new abode in 3D. There are two
free editions of the app but we
recommend the full-fat option.

Now you can paint your walls

with virtual brushes. Snap a
photo, choose a colour and start
splashing away. Its a quick way
to get an idea of the tones that
will work in a space. There are
limits to the apps accuracy so
much of a paints appearance is
to do with lighting conditions
but you can order testers to be
delivered direct from the app.

Heres a neat solution for

creating floorplans of existing
properties. Mark out the walls,
floor, ceiling, doors and whatnot
of a room. From that, the app
makes 2D plans to be exported
as PDF, JPG, DXF, HTML or CSV
files. Its free to try with in-app
purchases to unlock the export
options, ranging from 1.99
to 69.99.

Stuff says +++++

free / Android, iOS

Stuff says +++++

6.99 / iOS

Stuff says ++++,

free / Android, iOS

Stuff says ++++,

from free / Android, iOS

3D GOLD

65

T E S T S A M S U N G G A L A X Y TA B S

A way with the pixels

Yep, Samsungs released yet another tablet.
But the exceptional screen of the Tab S
elevates it far beyond the masses
QFirst things first: this Tabs
screen is incredible. Not just
a pixel-packed 2560x1600
resolution, it uses Super AMOLED
tech that provides eye-searing
colour and blacks levels that blow
the competition away. You wont
want to take your eyes off it.
QWhile it cant match the metal
iPad Air or glass Xperia Tablet
Z2, the dimpled plastic back is
pleasant to the touch and offers
plenty of grip. The Tab S is also
thin and light, making tablet
arm-ache a thing of the past.
QThis tablet can tackle whatever
you chuck at it. Its 8-core Exynos
5 processor and 3GB of RAM give
plenty of power for multitasking
and 3D gaming, although oddly
theres still the occasional UI
stutter. Disappointing, yes, but
its not a deal-breaker.
QSamsungs updated TouchWiz
UI is a massive improvement. The
lurid day-glo colours are gone,
and there are useful tweaks such
as a Kids Mode and Multi Window
for running apps simultaneously.
Galaxy smartphone users can
even use the Tab S to take calls.
QThe 7,900mAh battery excels.
It will manage at least 12 hours of
non-stop video playback, and it
has the same Ultra Power-Saving
mode as the Galaxy S5, which
freezes apps and switches to
a black and white interface
to save even more power.

Tech specs
OS Android 4.4 Screen 10.5in, 16:10,
2560x1600 Super AMOLED RAM
3GB Storage 16/32GB (up to 128GB)
Connectivity USB 2.0, Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi Battery 7,900mAh
Dimensions 247x177mm, 465g
Price 400 / samsung.com

Whats your flavour?

Clip for protection

While the bright palette will seem

oversaturated to purists, you can
adjust settings for more realistic
hues without sacrificing black
levels. Adaptive Display autoadjusts white tones too.

The Tab S opts for two circular

Simple Clickers on the back,
to which cases can quickly
attach themselves. Its simple
but sturdier than it looks. The
Bluetooth keyboard is our pick.

STUFF SAYS Samsungs best tablet yet: gorgeous, slim and long-lasting +++++
Wheres
my stylus?
Esat Dedezade
@EsatDedezade

68

The Galaxy Tab S lacks the stylus hardware and software of the Galaxy Note 10.1, so
doodlers, artists and fans of hand-scribbled notes might want to opt for that model
instead. Or, perhaps, wait for Samsung to refresh its Note tablet line. We are likely to
see the newer Note 10.4 make its debut at IFA in September, hopefully complete with
the best bits of the Tab S. So, if you fancy wielding an S Pen, hold your horses.

T E S T S E E M E C N C O R I O N D E LTA 3 D P R I N T E R

Fresh prints
The SeeMeCNC Orion Delta shows us a bold
new format for 3D printers, but does its
unusual engineering make for better results?
QWhile most consumer 3D
printers move a bit like inkjet
printers with another dimension
added, the SeeMeCNC Orion
Delta has the extruder head
(the bit that squirts out the
plastic) suspended from three
arms a system used by packing
robots on production lines.
QIt may not look quite as slick as
the later Makerbots but the build
quality is reassuringly solid. The
plastic filament feeding system is
outside, leaving the extruder head
nice and light so it moves quickly.
QYoull spend around half an hour
installing the mains cable and
front-mounted display. Once
set up and levelled it needs very
little tweaking ours pumped
out a perfect print first time.
QPrinting can be done from an
SD card as well as from a PC or
Mac via USB. It doesnt come with
proprietary software, so use the
free Repetier Host application.
From here you can control every
fine detail, but it requires quite a
bit of tinkering. If youre a beginner
its a steep learning curve.
QYou can print in either PLA or
ABS. We found that PLA stuck
beautifully to the glass build
platform, but ABS required
a glue stick to keep the layers
firmly planted. Experimenting
with different thicknesses can
be the key to a solid base. Once
stuck, the heated bed warded
off any warping issues .

Ordering off the menu

Tidy work

The system takes a bit of getting

used to with its single jog knob
and button combo, but once youve
found your way around its quick
to navigate and has a wealth of
information and settings to tweak.

The prints themselves were

impressively neat, with ABS
showing off the Orion Deltas
50-micron accuracy. The
occasional blocked nozzle aside,
it performed extremely reliably.

Tech
Max print dimensions
152x228mm (cylindrical)
Layer height 50-400 microns
Maximum print speed 150mm/s
Dimensions 41x68cm Weight 9kg
Price 1320 / robosavvy.com

STUFF SAYS This mind-bending printer is a new favourite, but not for beginners ++++,
Opinion:
Riding the
hobby horse
Jools Whitehorn
@joolswhitehorn

Consumer-level 3D printing may be evolving with new formats such as the three-arm
delta setup, but its still a long way from being a plug and play gadget. You will need
patience in the face of failures and a drive to experiment with CAD software such
as TinkerCAD (tinkercad.com). You also need to ask: Am I ready to make this my
new hobby? If the answers no, its probably best to spend your cash elsewhere.

69

INDIE SUPERPHONES

[ Words Andrew Willliams, Mark Wilson ]

You won't have heard of your next smartphone, but itll be more
powerful, cooler and cheaper than any of todays big names.
Meet the Far Eastern upstarts ready to invade your pocket

Made in China. Its on virtually every gadget

you own and is still techs most common
hallmark. But as the haughty Designed by
Apple in California suggests, only western
companies can actually dream up iconic trinkets
and desirable brands, right? Wrong. A new wave
of Chinese tech stars are starting to redefine
what Made in China means and theyre
focusing first on smartphones.
You might not be familiar with such names
as Xiaomi and OnePlus right now, but theyre
cooking up high-end handsets that offer an
experience to rival Apples and Samsungs, for
half the price. But why is this happening now,
and should you be looking to buy a Chinese
smartphone? Join us on a journey to the land
of Eastern gadget promise

JARGON
BUSTER
QSHANZHAI
Cheap knockoffs that
imitate existing products.
A Shanzhai maker can
design, build and sell a
new phone in 40 days.
QMEDIATEK
Taiwanese Qualcomm
rival making low-cost
processor bundles that
power most Far East
phones and tablets.
QWCDMA
3G is transmitted
over WCDMA and
HSPA bands. Many
Chinese phones only
have WCDMA.
QCYANOGENMOD
Chinese phones often
have custom interfaces
like CyanogenMod, an
open-source take on
Android that offers
oodles of control.

71

INDIE SUPERPHONES

eres a fascinating fact for you:

half of the worlds top ten biggestselling smartphone brands are
now Chinese. Before we ask you
to name them, well forgive you
for not being too shocked. After
all, China accounts for a fifth of
the worlds population and has
700 million smartphone users. But
what are potentially revolutionary
are the ramifications with Chinas
domestic phone market maturing
like a fine bottle of Huangjiu, where
will it go next?
The answer, according to the
elites newest member Xiaomi,
is everywhere. With its biggest
domestic rivals Lenovo, Huawei,
Coolpad and ZTE dipping their
toes into the global smartphone
pool party, Xiaomi is preparing
a big international splash. Last
year it poached Googles Android
boss Hugo Barra, who has since
promised truly global products
within the next two years.
Why is this exciting? Because
Xiaomi and Huawei have recently
cooked up some of the finest
smartphone hardware weve
seen. And as youll see in our test
on p78, theyre just the beginning.
Yuan vision
Why is this happening now?
There are a few reasons. The
most obvious is that Chinese
smartphone makers havent

Opening the box:

the Oppo Find 7

launch event in
Beijing, 19 March

previously needed to go global.

When youve got a market
approaching one billion active
smartphone users in China, it
makes sense to start there first,
says Far East tech expert Phil
Muncaster. Its all about achieving
scale in the domestic space, then
using that as a springboard to
launch abroad. The springboard
is now ready for lift-off.
We, the increasingly savvy
smartphone buyers, are now more
in sync with the Chinese approach
too. Three years ago, a 100
smartphone would have provided
a hugely different experience to the
latest iPhone, but that is changing
fast, says Dominic Sunnebo from
smartphone analysts Kantar
Worldpanel. Consumers
increasingly understand that
phone prices are bumped up
by marketing, a key reason why
Chinese brands are able to make
quality handsets at much lower
prices. As smartphone buyers
increasingly get their smartphone
fix away from the network subsidy
model, theyre also on the hunt for
better value, he suggests.
The sums add up
So which of these high-spec
handsets are early Chinese phone
adopters most excited about?
There are many, but the one
getting all the attention now is
the OnePlus One. It has Galaxy
S5-matching specs, but starts
at just 230. We asked OnePlus
where all this came from.
The idea came when a few of us
were chatting in a caf. We laid our
phones on the table and realised
no one was using an Android
device. Nothing on the market
was good enough, says Carl Pei,
director of OnePlus Global.
The companys bold, never
settle approach has paid off. In
less than seven months, we went
from being a brand new company
to launch day, when we were two
of the trending topics on Twitter,
says Pei. The phone is so popular
that the release was throttled with
an invite-only system that had
some fans up in arms. They were
ravenous for the 5.5in wonder.
It costs how much?
The obvious question: how come
the OnePlus One is so cheap?
There are a few reasons. We
barely have any marketing budget
at all, Pei told us. We focus on
online marketing and distribution
to cut down expenses. And we the
customers seem to be reaping the

72

Oppos top camera

geek runs through
the Find 7s finer
photographic
points for his rapt
Beijing audience

OPPO
CHINAS... LG
HQ Gongguan, Guandong
Oppo started life in the very
mid-noughties fields of Blu-ray
players and PMPs, before entering
the smartphone market in 2008. Its
shown an LG-like penchant for world
firsts, including the then-worlds
thinnest smartphone (Finder) and
first 1080p phone (Find 5).
STAR PLAYER Oppo Find 7
The worlds most specced-up
superphone is fronted by the first
quad HD display and has a 50MP
camera mode that stitches ten
shots together to create your wall
photo. Read our full review on p96.

ONEPLUS
CHINAS... Jolla
HQ Hong Kong, Shenzhen
Founded in December 2013 by
the ex-vice president of Oppo,
OnePlus currently has just one
product the aptly-named One.
Stock for the OnePlus One is
currently so limited you need an
invitation to buy one. Which has
naturally pushed its desirability
through the roof.
STAR PLAYER OnePlus One
Less star player and more
one-man team, the OnePlus
One costs just 230 but on paper
rivals the Galaxy S5. You can read
our full review on p96.

73

INDIE SUPERPHONES

benefits not that this can last

forever: We also sell our devices
at cost and are not concerned with
making money for the first couple
of years; were focused on building
a trusted brand.
OnePlus is the freshest face in
the world of Chinese phones. But
what does an established company
at the other end of the spectrum
look like? Meet Huawei.
Its all in the name
Like ZTE, Huawei once pootled
along in the UK producing phones
for other companies. If youve ever
owned a Vodafone-brand mobile,
theres a good chance Huawei or
ZTE made it.
But just a couple of years ago,
Huawei came to a realisation: brand
matters. Huawei started from a
point where consumers were not
able to pronounce our name, says
VP of marketing Shao Yang. This
year its attempts to become a real
western brand came to a head in
the Huawei Ascend P7: a phone
launched on major networks as
an alternative to the Galaxy S5.
Its a great-looking phone, and
unlike the OnePlus One, you dont
have to jump through hoops to buy
one. Its also around 100 cheaper
than a Galaxy S5. Three elements
determine our success: quality,
innovation and accessible
premium, says Yang. If theres
one phrase that sums up the
Chinese smartphone philosophy,
its accessible premium.
Identity crisis
But Chinese phone-makers still
have a lot of work to do before
gadget fans relate China with

premium. We talked to another

relative veteran, Oppo, and asked
VP of overseas Sky Li whether the
companys Chinese identity had
come with problems.
In a way, yes, he said. There
was some scrutiny towards
us in the very beginning. It was
not until the release of the
Find 5 that opinion changed
rather quickly.
Back in 2012, the Find 5 was
the worlds first 1080p phone.
Innovation among the Chinese
upstarts is strong, even if they
dont have the marketing to
ensure they get credit they

LENOVO
CHINAS... Dell
HQ Haidian, Beijing

CHINESE STUDENTS HAVE

SHARPER EYES AND WOULD
BE EMBARRASSED TO BE
CAUGHT WITH A KNOCKOFF

Working its way into the West

by buying up some of our old
favourites, Lenovo makes the
ThinkPad laptops once touted by
IBM. It also snapped up most of
Motorola from Google earlier this
year. This has led many industry
watchers to single Lenovo out as
the Chinese manufacturer to watch.

EMELYN BAKER, SHANZHAI DIGEST

STAR PLAYER Motorola Moto G
Lenovo technically owns the
Moto G, and has promised to
continue Motorolas much-praised
devotion to near-stock Android
with the rumoured flagship X+1.

deserve for it. These companies

have to prove themselves at every
turn, and this is part of the reason
why so few Chinese phones are
on sale in the UK.
You got Shanzhaid
Why do Chinese companies have
to work so hard? The Shanzhai
market doesnt help. Reams of
Chinese companies much less
concerned with quality than
Oppo and Huawei are producing
low-cost phones that ape popular

THE OLD WAY: DECONSTRUCTING A GOOPHONE i5

HUAWEI
CHINAS... Samsung
HQ Longgang, Shenzhen

The laser-etched
Goophone logo is one of
the few giveaways that
this isnt a real iPhone 5.
Build quality is impressive.
An 8MP camera is present
and correct, with the iOS
camera app also cloned
The Goophone runs a
heavily skinned version of
Android Ice Cream Sandwich
A 3.5mm jack, speakers
and a cloned Lightning port
complete this convincing
(if underpowered) tribute

74

Pronounced Hua-wey, Chinas

fourth-most-popular smartphone
maker builds some of the highestprofile Chinese phones on sale in
the UK. It also provided the tech
to make BT's fibre-optic broadband
possible, and made the 4G car
dongle behind EEs Buzzard.
STAR PLAYER Huawei Ascend P7
One of the thinnest smartphones
in the world, the Ascend P7s
6.5mm-thick body makes the
iPhone 5S look tubby. Its probably
the most widely available Chinese
phone to date.

handsets. Some say this kind of

imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery Oppo calls it a bit of
free advertising but if this
happened in the West youd
be looking at enough lawsuits
to keep Judge Judy in work for
several lifetimes.
However, there are signs that
the Shanzhai phenomenon is on
the way out. Shanzhai devices
are declining in sales, says Emelyn
Baker from the blog Shanzhai
Digest. Government officials
and international corporations
are teaming up to crack down on
counterfeits and knockoffs.
And the public is attaining
a keener eye for design; while
Shanzhai devices provide the
illusion of good design for the
novice, younger Chinese students
have sharper eyes and would
be embarrassed to be caught
with a knockoff.

GO EAST

Trust issues
But the knockoff stigma isnt the
only hurdle between Chinese
companies and global domination.
Security fears could have an
impact too. In 2005, Huawei was
chosen to provide equipment for
BTs network infrastructure, but
last year the UK government

admitted its consideration of

national security issues in the
decision had been insufficiently
robust and that Ministers should
have been informed. This followed
allegations from a former CIA chief
(strenuously denied by Huawei)
that Huawei has spied for the
Chinese government.
The lack of any evidence for
such nefarious behaviour hasnt
prevented tabloid stories that bring
to mind low-budget Jean Claude
Van Damme movies. And the more
recent NSA revelations havent
exactly calmed nerves about
government surveillance either.
But could it all have a effect on
the adoption of Chinese tech? Phil
Muncaster, previously based in
Hong Kong, doesnt think so: I
dont think your average UK
smartphone user will really
care users are much more
interested in features, apps and
usability. And as Edward Snowden
has taught us, theres probably
just as much to be worried about
buying a US-made handset.
A different angle
So how can Chinese startups
compete with established rivals?
Xiaomi, which now outsells Apple
in China, sells its phones at cost

The western exports

that China is lapping up

NAMES TO DROP

HOLLYWOOD
Major film studios are increasingly
tailoring their flicks to the Chinese
market, the worlds second-biggest
box office. Its working: Iron Man 3s
opening weekend was the biggest
ever for a foreign production.

The pigeonhole-defying honchos driving this tech revolution

LIONEL RICHIE
The moustachioed ceiling-botherer
recently starred in the finale of
Chinese Idol and found out schools
use his songs to teach English.
Ah, time for double Endless Love.

ANDROID
Android is the most popular mobile
OS in China, but its not all good
news for Google with its Play
store all but banned in the country,
Chinese Android fans only use it
to download 5% of their apps.

KFC
The Colonel has the largest chain
restaurant in China, invading Beijing
in 1987. The bird flu outbreak put
people off for a while, but its 4618
outlets are proving popular again.

76

1 JACK MA

2 HUGO BARRA

3 MA HUATENG

CEO of Alibaba
CHINA'S
Jeff Bezos

Xiaomi VP (Intl)
CHINAS
Phil Schiller

Tencent founder
CHINAS
Mark Zuckerberg

Ma founded
Chinas biggest
online retailer in
1999 last year it
registered bigger
sales than Amazon
and eBay combined.
Though Alibaba is
now spreading west
with its first US store
11main.com, Ma has
now gone a bit Bill
Gates by turning
his attentions to
solving Chinas
social problems.

Brazilian ex-Googler
Barra is the new
international face of
Xiaomi. He decides
which countries
Xiaomi should
expand into next,
so will have a big role
in the global spread
of Chinese phones.
Like Apples Schiller,
hes known for his
engaging keynotes,
so make sure you
tune into Xiaomis
next big launch.

Ma Huateng may
go by the nickname
of Pony, but his
tech cred is anything
but. Hes behind the
company that has
come up with the
Chinese equivalent
of WhatsApp and
Facebook. With
nearly one billion
users, its helped
make him the richest
man in China, with an
estimated worth of
around US$13 billion.

INDIE SUPERPHONES

but profits by selling services and

software upgrades. The approach
is similar to Amazons business
model for the Kindle, says Ovums
principal analyst, David McQueen.
And its helped by the fact that,
although Android is the dominant
mobile OS in China, the Google
Play store remains banned in
the country.
Success in countries like the
UK is therefore far from a formality.
Ben Thompson from Taiwanese
tech blog stratechery.com thinks
other factors will delay Xiaomis
expansion to our shores: The
big barrier is that they dont have
any relevant intellectual property,
which means licensing fees
in Western markets would be

extremely high. Cheap price tags

are also no guarantee of success,
according to McQueen, who
says Chinese brands need to
continue building their brand
and reputation not only through
marketing but also by providing
core experiences unique to their
devices. That means experiences
such as Xiaomis MIUI (see below),
a new twist on Android thats
gaining fans around the world.

Look familiar?
Xiaomis Apple-style
Mi Home store in
Beijing showcases
its phones and
offers product
servicing, though
you cant yet buy
its handsets there.

Stuff says
Chinese smartphones are gearing
up for a global expansion that will
redefine how much we expect to
pay for a high-end phone. And its
not just a question of the same
but cheaper bolshy brands such
as Xiaomi and OnePlus are cooking
up genuine hardware and UI
innovations that push Android
into new territory.
It wont be an overnight
revolution: Chinese companies
have big cultural, marketing,
network and intellectual property
hurdles to overcome. And the
UK could prove to be one of the
hardest nuts to crack. But as
our OnePlus One review on p96
suggests, it might not be long
before big changes are afoot in
Stuffs Smartphones Top 10.

XIAOMI
CHINAS... Apple
HQ Chaoyang, Beijing
Pronounced She-yow-mee,
Xiaomi was founded in 2010 but
already sells more phones in China
than Apple. Its founder Lei Jun
gives dramatic, Jobs-like product
launches. And like Apple, it sells
smartphones directly to customers.
STAR PLAYER Xiaomi Mi3
Shades of Nokia Lumia design and
specs that can keep up with 500
phones. The only thing it lacks is
4G, which is the reason we gave it
a gallant four stars (read the Stuff
review: bit.ly/XiaomiMi3review).

WHAT IS MIUI?
1. THAT LOOKS HARD TO SAY
Dont worry: it's pronounced
Me you I. Its short for Mi
User Interface, with the Mi
being Chinese smartphone
maker Xiaomis new global
brand. Chinese smartphone
makers like creating heavily
modified Android interfaces,
and MIUI is one of the most
advanced. Its also updated
every week according to user
feedback, which is nice.

2. WHATS SO GOOD ABOUT IT?

Well, if youre bored with
Androids look, MIUI opens up
a new world of fun. Its fancy
Themes (see right) are one
of its most popular features,
allowing you to choose from
thousands of new looks for
your phones interface and
menus. There are hundreds
of other tricks too, including
an alarm clock that works
even when your phones off.

3. BUT I NEED A CHINESE

PHONE, RIGHT?

4. SOUNDS LIKE A LOT

OF HASSLE

Nope. Xiaomi has made

custom MIUI ROMs for most
leading Android phones. Just
go to en.miui.com/download.
html. If you havent rooted
your phone or installed a
ROM, you can get most of
the functionality from the
MIUI Launcher on Google Play
instead. The only thing its not
available for is the iPhone.

Well, its not for everyone.

Some users like the way MIUI
mixes the polish of iOS with
Androids freedom; others
prefer the infinite tweakability
of CyanogenMod. But the cool
thing is that, while we wait for
Chinese smartphone giants
to launch their phones over
here, you can get a taster
of what its like to use one.
77

77

INDIE SUPERPHONES

IMPORTING
A CHINESE
PHONE
With so few of these
phones officially on
sale in the UK, should
you import one? We
bought two from very
different backgrounds
to find out

BUYING TIPS
1 USE PAYPAL
PayPal is a good idea when
importing. For using sites
youve never heard of, it
offers good buyer protection
and an extra level of security
between the retailer and
your credit card details.

2 CHECK THE
FREQUENCY, KENNETH
As UK networks use
different 3G/4G bands to
other countries, try to make
sure you get bands 3, 7 and
20 for 4G, and 2100/900
WCDMA frequencies for
top-speed 3G.

3 RESEARCH
WEB-UTATIONS
Theyre not foolproof, but
sites like webutations.info
and resellerratings.com
can give you a good idea
about a web stores
trustworthiness. If there
are any horror stories, youll
find them very quickly.

4 PREPARE TO TINKER
Phones made for the
Chinese market are generally
quite unfriendly for UK folk
at first. Before buying check
for Google Play access and,
if 4G is a must, make sure
your network works with
the phones supported bands.

78

THE OFFICIAL ROUTE

XIAOMI MI3

US$314 (including shipping)

THE SHANZHAI ROUTE

ELEPHONE P8
150 (including shipping)

Bought from ibuygou.com

Delivery time Six days
Alternative to... Google Nexus 5 (290)

Bought from chinavision.com

Delivery time Six days
Alternative to... Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (400)

Given that Xiaomi is often referred to as

Chinas Apple, we had high expectations for its
flagship phone and we werent disappointed.
Bought from ibuygou.com, it came as nicely
packaged as any UK phone you can buy. The
Mi3s magnesium-alloy build means it looks
like a high-end Nokia Lumia, but with a thinner
body, MIUI-flavoured Android and a beautiful
5in 1080p screen. Not a bad combo.

A truly shameless Samsung Galaxy Note 3

rip-off, the Elephone P8 nicks that phone's
design, its lock screen wallpaper and even that
annoying Samsung notification sound. It just
doesn't have the stylus, the brand or 4G. But
what are your chances of getting a Note 3 for
150? After a few credit card fraud alerts we
managed to order the phone from Chinavision,
who handily supplied a UK charger adaptor.

THE GOOD

OMagnesium body looks and feels great.

OSnapdragon 800 makes the phone feel
very fast. ORarity attracts covetous
glances from Android nerds.

THE BAD

OWheres Google Play? Mi Market is mostly

not in English. ONo 4G? And a full-size SIM?
How 2007. OThe keyboard seems to think
were writing in Chinese.

THE GOOD

OA good 5.7in 1080p screen for this price?

Amazing. OWith Google Play and the app
suite, using the phone is a doddle. OVanilla
interface is clean and the MTK CPU is snappy.

THE BAD

OCopycat design may earn you ridicule from

your mates. OIts missing finishing touches
in the hardware. ONo Gorilla Glass? The
screen goes funny if you press too hard.

STUFF SAYS
Thanks to the inclusion of Google Play, the Elephone is actually more
UK-friendly than the classier Xiaomi. It works well enough too, but we
remain sceptical about copycat handsets due to their variable build
quality and lack of support. Better to stick to reputable brands like
Xiaomi, though phones like the 4G-less Mi3 remain hobbled in the UK.

F I R S T T E S T LG G WAT C H

Wear and flair?

Its the first Android Wear device but is the LG G Watch a worthy
flagship for Googles new wearable operating system?
160 / lg.com

Well hello, Android Wear

weve been expecting you.
And we see youve brought
your new friend the G Watch
with you. Right, lets have a
proper look at you
Yes, Googles bold new
wearables platform has finally
arrived. The OS displays
glanceable location, search
and calendar-based info from
your Android phone, as well
as serving up notifications, all
in a clever, context-sensitive
way so in theory itll provide
handy info exactly when you
need it. Google wants to get it
on to millions of wrists before
Apples iWatch launches, and
as the first device to run it, the
G Watch has a headstart over
rival designs. So, is it a worthy
vehicle for the OS? And is the
OS as useful as it sounds?

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3 days with the

LG G Watch

2mins 4mins

80

15mins

45mins

46mins

3hrs

8hrs

24hrs

25hrs

F I R S T T E S T LG G WAT C H

1 Design: subtle nerd

The G Watch is smartly
inoffensive, with a rectangular
glass front and stainless steel
frame. Like most smartwatches it
ultimately resembles a mini phone
with two straps attached, but
the metal sides of our Black Titan
version catch the light nicely and
theres a blingier White Gold model.
The straps can be swapped out
and its fairly comfortable to wear.

2 Screen: good, but

Android Wears colourful cards and
icons (see panel) look great on the
G Watchs big 1.65in screen and
make the e-paper Pebble seem
even more retro. The IPS display
is easy to see even when not fully
tilted towards you and contrast is
decent. However, at 280x280 its
hardly sharp the 1.63in Gear Live
will be 320x320 and it can be
tricky to make out in the sun.

Tech specs
Screen 1.65in LCD IPS (280x280) OS Android Wear
Compatibility Smartphones running Android 4.3 and up
Processor 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 RAM 512MB
Storage 4GB Features Bluetooth 4.0, 9-Axis sensors
(gyro / accelerometer / compass), IP67 water & dust
resistance Battery Li-Polymer 400mAh Strap size
22mm Dimensions 37.9x46.5x9.95mm Weight 63g

So what can Googles new OS do?

3 The power and the glory
The G Watch performs excellently,
with not a hint of a stutter when
opening agendas or swiping away
notification cards. Thats no
surprise considering its power:
it runs on the same processor as
the HTC One Mini 2, Qualcomms
Snapdragon 400, which you might
think is overkill considering all it
has to do is display Google Now
cards and take care of voice input.

4 Battery
All that power comes at a cost:
battery life. We never got more
than 24 hours from it, which is
a pain. OK, so it was never going
to rival the five-day Pebble Steel
Android Wear is too busy and
colourful but that processor was
probably unnecessary. Whats
more, theres a charging cradle to
contend with no microUSB here.
5 OS
After living with it for a few days,
its clear that Android Wear could
take smartwatches mainstream.
Yes, its rough around the edges,
and yes, its early days for apps,
but the basics are so exciting that
you wont care. The Google Nowstyle cards work brilliantly, it has
the best voice control weve tried
and its super-easy to use. With
more apps itll be a must-have.

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ial g

40hrs

51hrs

52hrs

65hrs

72hrs

Quite a lot, actually. For instance, it can

Q Notify you
Wear pushes calls, texts,
emails, social media and
calendar notifications to
the watch, but theres no
control over what you get:
for now its all or nothing.
Still, you can read emails
in full rather than just view
a summary, and even
reply via voice control.

Q Predict you
The big new idea here is
the Google Now-style
cards, containing info
Wear thinks you might
need: weather in the
morning, bus times
for the bus stop youre
walking to etc. It doesnt
always guess right, but
its mostly genius.

Q Listen to you
The G Watch/Android
Wear combo comes close
to nailing voice control:
its useful, accurate and
picks up your voice from
a distance. You can
already use it for replying
to emails but we couldnt
get the navigation feature
to work on our test unit.

Q Help you
Third-party apps are in
short supply, but expect
that to change soon. Of
those that are around,
FlyDelta supports QR
code boarding passes,
Bunting takes care of
voice tweeting and
Runtastic will look after
your fitness needs.

Theres lots to like about the G Watch, but not

quite enough to make it an essential purchase.
Samsungs Gear Live, due any day, has a
higher-res screen, while the circular Moto 360
should be easier on the eye. Both will run on Android Wear
too, so it makes sense to wait until their arrival before
choosing between the three of them. @sophiecharara

STUFF SAYS ++++,

The G Watch works just fine but
Android Wear is the real star here.
Smartwatches just got essential
81

TESTED 4K TVS

3 OF THE BEST

4K TVs
BEST FOR...
YOUR
WALLET

Eight million pixels no longer costs silly money,

but should you buy a 4K TV? Weve picked three
of the shiniest for an ultra hi-def fight

Dont worry if your

shelf is small the
feet can be placed
near the centre
of the screen

Sony KD-55X8505B
Whats on?
This is Sonys entry-level 4K TV.
It doesnt have its bigger brothers
massive built-in speakers, and it
doesnt have their aesthetically
pleasing yet stable wedge shape
either. But it does have a pop-up
camera and flexible stand
placement, so you can have
its feet together or wide apart.
The smart interface has been

spiced up: Discover mode

recommends things you might
like, while Social View turns the
bottom of the screen into a
version of Twitter, only worse.

Phwoar K?
Watching Breaking Bad on Netflix
4K shows off plenty of detail:
its sharp without looking
processed. Colours are nicely

judged and skin tones are

convincing. Its a little too
punchy to look neutral but
it is great to look at, and theres
plenty of subtlety in gradation
and shading though black
levels are an issue unless you play
around with the black corrector
settings. Its good at upscaling,
but the Samsung over the page
does it with more nuance.

Tech
Screen size 55in
Resolution 3840x2160 pixels
Dimensions 123x79x29cm
Weight 24.1kg
Main platforms Netflix,
Amazon Instant Video,
BBC iPlayer, Demand 5,
Sony Video Unlimited
Price 2100 / sony.co.uk

STUFF SAYS The design could be more exciting, but the Sonys picture is solid ++++,
83

TESTED 4K TVS

BEST FOR...
LOOKING
AWESOME

Theres no built-in
camera, which
means no silly
arm-waving to
change channels

T
TES R
E
NN
I
W

Samsung UE55HU7500
Whats on?
Samsungs learned a few things
and now its no longer making
ridiculously flashy TVs that might
fall over. This one manages to look
fairly sensible while maintaining
a high-quality finish. The smart
interface has been updated to
include a degree of multitasking,
and also gone is last years
camera-based hand-waving

nonsense, replaced with a

gyroscopic remote pointer. This
must be the future the LG has
something similar.

Phwoar K?
Despite having similarities to
the LG opposite in terms of
control and interface, Samsung
distinguishes itself by looking
awesome in 4K (with Netflix),

Full HD and standard definition.

The palettes less shouty these
days: retina-searingly bright
colours have been swapped
for more mature hues. Now
the picture looks realistic while
maintaining a degree of punch.
Contrast is good, blacks actually
look black and theres as much
detail as you could want. A most
rounded, versatile individual.

Tech
Screen size 55in
Resolution 3840x2160 pixels
Dimensions 123x75x27cm
Weight 21.1kg
Main platforms Netflix,
Amazon Instant Video, Blinkbox,
BBC iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player,
Demand 5, Spotify, Plex
Price 2300 / samsung.com

STUFF SAYS A restrained approach makes the Samsung a great all-rounder +++++
84

TESTED 4K TVS

BEST FOR...
MULTITASKERS

Never before
has pointing at the
screen been such
a satisfying
experience

LG 55UB950V
Whats on?
LG launches into the 4K foray
armed with WebOS. Sound
familiar? That used to be a Palm
operating system. Now its a
super-slick smart TV interface
that promises to add 100 per
cent more multitasking to your
viewing experience. All the
inputs and apps are divided into
tiny little cards, controlled and

navigated with a remote pointer

resembling a gyroscopic banana
from the near future. If only the
TV looked less plasticky up close.

Phwoar K?
Netflix looks blisteringly sharp in
4K, and very detailed too. If youve
ever wanted to scrutinise every
single line on Kevin Spaceys face,
nows your chance. Colours are

very punchy, but contrast

could be better because the
blacks actually look a bit grey.
Local dimming helps, but it
struggles with the really dark
stuff, so best to avoid Batman.
Its also not the most subtle
picture, which is especially
noticeable when you upscale
HD and SD. Its got decent
sound, though.

Tech
Screen size 55in
Resolution 3840x2160 pixels
Dimensions 123x78x24cm
Weight 24.2kg
Main platforms Netflix,
Amazon Instant Video, Blinkbox,
BBC iPlayer, Now TV, Demand 5,
Spotify, Plex
Price 2300 / lg.com/uk

STUFF SAYS Ingenious interface, but that picture could be better ++++,
85

TEST GAMES

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC / codemasters.com

Grid Autosport
Codemasters absolutely nailed the thrill of racing at 140mph+ against a pack of
touring cars in Grid 2. Will that elusive feeling make a return in the latest edition?
ike the Need For Speed
and Forza franchises
before them, Codemasters
split the Grid series in two and
Autosport is for those who prefer
a more realistic racing experience.
Your career is broken down into
five racing disciplines Endurance,
Touring, Tuner, Open Wheel and
Street and you need to become
proficient in all five to progress.
Some styles are more fun than
others we loved racing Touring
cars but the Endurance category,
where you have to try to minimise

tyre damage, quickly made us long

for a pit-stop feature.
Everything about the racing
just feels right, though, from
the way the cars connect to
the road to the sublime track
design seven city circuits are
included, among them Dubai and
Washington DC, and all are a joy
to race around.
The handling is less twitchy
than Grid 2 thanks to weightier
cars, while the computercontrolled competitors provide
a real challenge at the standard

difficulty level. In fact, many races

are tense, physically draining affairs,
in which fighting for first place is as
difficult as maintaining it.
Grid Autosports cold, almost
clinical approach to the career
mode seems to be a direct
antidote to the OTT Hollywood
glamour on offer in Grid 2. Theres
plenty to do and its varied but
given that it takes hours to reach
the games main events, you
might just give up.
On the other hand, the
multiplayer mode is a rewarding

experience you build your own

garage of cars, with progress
tracked on each one including
mileage and win/loss rate.
Hardcore sim fans will surely
love Autosports unswerving
dedication to fast cars and the
excitement of racing on the track.
It falls some way short of the
showroom size of Gran Turismo 6
and can be a little sterile at times,
but its a fun and satisfyingly
authentic racer with an abundance
of tracks and locations.
Guy Cocker

STUFF SAYS A great racing model, with challenging AI and plenty of track variation ++++,
86

TEST GAMES

Cockpit cam

The track/street ratio is

flipped from Grid 2 to make
pure track racing the focus

Take your pick from 78

cars and 100 circuits
across 22 locations

With Grid Autosport,

Codemasters aims to
return to the series simulation
roots, with a greater focus
on track racing, more realistic
AI and the return of the
in-car camera. Despite their
assertion that only five per
cent of players used the
cockpit view in its previous
racing games, that small
group of people were very
vocal about its omission in
Grid 2. As a result, the cockpit
cam makes a much-vaunted
return in Autosport although
its implementation looks
lazy at best.
There are two viewpoints
to choose from close to
the dash and slightly further
away. While using an in-car
view adds to the immersion
when youre driving, the car
interiors themselves look
blurry and lack details such
as working dials or mirrors.
True, weve been spoiled by
the dashes of Forza 5 on Xbox
One, so Grid Autosport was
always going to suffer as a
previous-gen game, but even
on PC the interiors look poor.
Other than that, and
some pretty basic damage
modelling, Autosport is
visually pretty good, with
the aforementioned PC
version delivering the clarity
and vivid effects that weve
come to expect from modern
racing games.

87

TEST GAMES

PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One,

PC / valianthearts.ubi.com

Valiant Hearts:
The Great War
A game inspired by letters written during World War I? Tom Parsons
finds out how gameplay can handle the serious realities of a brutal conflict
m a sucker for a kooky art
style, and Im not ashamed
to admit that the purdiness
of Valiant Hearts was practically
all I knew about it when I started
playing. What I found, though, is a
genuinely unique game.
The cutesy comic-book
graphics initially seem an odd
choice to tell a story set in the
battlefields and trenches of WWI,
but the decision is inspired. This
is a gore-free experience, but the
horror and sadness of war still hit
home through the stories of the
four characters you play and those
they meet on their journeys. The
character removed from his French
wife and newborn son to join the
German army is a particularly
strong storyline.
The game is also full of diary
entries and collectables that
contain snippets of perspective on
the war, and each level comes with
encyclopaedic entries on various
aspects of the conflict, from the
introduction of tanks to the role
of volunteer nurses and the
astonishing scale of losses in

key battles. Turns out computer

games can teach you a thing or
two. In fact, if I was a teacher (and
the world remains ever grateful Im
not) Id make sure every student
played through Valiant Hearts.
The actual gameplay is probably
the least interesting aspect. For
the most part its a side-scrolling
platform-puzzler, with problems
ranging from straightforward to
only vaguely challenging. At later
stages theres a slight stretching
of the brain, but youre unlikely to
find yourself stuck. There is a hint
system, but I never needed to use
it so I doubt you will.
The core gameplay is
interspersed with little sections
that effectively act as mini-games,
from the rhythm-action surgery
you perform as nurse Anna, to the
driving bits.
Essentially you find yourself
continuing not for the gameplay
but for the story, art style and
interesting snippets of WWI
knowledge. That definitely wasnt
what I was expecting.
Tom Parsons

The game will

teach you a lot
about World
War I without
ever feeling like
a history lesson

The comic-book
graphics may
seem at odds
with the theme
but they have
real impact

STUFF SAYS Unique and compelling, a game that educates as well as stimulates ++++,
88

STUFF
PICKS

Photography
setups
Specialist shooting styles demand
extra-special tools the Stuff team
go in search of the perfect rigs
for their preferred genres

2
3

Night sky
Sam Kieldsen
Stuff contributor

Having photographed pretty much

everything under the sun, I thought itd be nice
to try shooting things that only appear once
the sun has gone down. For starters youll
need a sturdy tripod like the Velbon Sherpa
250R ( 1 85, wexphotographic.com), because
shooting the night sky handheld just wont
work the lack of light requires long exposure
times. The other issue derives from these long
exposures: stars move in the sky, so with long
exposures they become lines rather than dots.
The Pentax K-50 DSLR ( 2 400, jessops.com)
and an accompanying O-GPS1 ( 3 200,
wexphotographic.com) get around this issue
brilliantly: the cameras Astrotracer mode uses
GPS data and anti-shake tech to slowly shift
the sensor according to the skys position
leaving you with crisp, trail-free images of those
heavenly bodies (like the one on the right).

STUFF PICKS

Pro tips
Mike Oria
mikeoria.zenfolio.com
First, escape the light
pollution of the city.
Start with single frame
wide shots, because
the Earth is moving
fast and time between
shutter presses makes
it harder to stitch in
Photoshop. I use the
Nik collection (google.
com/nikcollection)
for processing.

91

STUFF PICKS

Wildlife
Simon Osborne-Walker
editor

Im increasingly shooting wildlife,

thanks to zoo excursions and long walks
in the countryside. To give myself the best
chance of success with fast-moving, often
skittish subjects, Ive opted for the fastest gun
in town: the Nikon D4S ( 1 5200 nikon.co.uk),
a full-frame SLR that shoots up to 10 frames
per second with super-accurate focus tracking.
Its low-light performance is spectacular, and
a new 60fps, 1080p mode is good for slo-mo
video. Ive paired it with a similarly massive
lens, a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II ( 2
1580 nikon.co.uk), which gives a long enough
focal length and fast enough aperture to be
able to focus through zoo bars, or keep me a
safe distance from wild animals. To help keep
things steady yet mobile, a carbon-fibre Gitzo
GM5541 monopod ( 3 265 www.gitzo.co.uk)
can be screwed directly to a mount on the lens.

Pro tips
Ross Hoddinott
rosshoddinott.co.uk
In order to take great
nature shots, know
your subject a little
homework will help
you anticipate animal
behaviour. When
using long telephotos
to capture faraway
wildlife, always use
a support or image
stabilising to ensure
shake-free results.

92

STUFF PICKS

Street

Mark Wilson
features editor

1
4

Even on a planet containing sea-pigs

and jellyfish, humans stand out as an odd
bunch. This is why the urban jungle is my
favourite photographic destination, and the
small, fast Fujifilm X100S ( 1 870, fujifilm.eu)
my ideal picture box. Its hybrid viewfinder
lets you see beyond the frame for last-second
adjustments and the autofocus is hyper-quick.
But it isnt perfect out of the box, so I added a
metal thumb grip ( 2 5, ebay.co.uk) to improve
one-handed stability and an LH-X100 Lens
Hood ( 3 70, fujifilm.eu) to counter sun glare.
The finishing touches are the Joby UltraFit sling
strap ( 4 35, amazon.co.uk), which keeps the
camera close to your body but lengthens as
you bring it to your eye, and the WCL-X100 ( 5
280, wexphotographic.com) for turning the
35mm lens into a versatile 28mm wide-angle.
Now, wheres that herd of long-beaked tourists?

Pro tips
Alex Lambrechts
alexlambrechts.
viewbook.com
Let the scene direct
the viewer. Shallow
depth of field is too
obvious, so use
composition, contrast
and subject matter
to direct focal points.
To place my subjects
within their context,
I usually go wide with
my focal range.

93

STUFF PICKS
2

Smartphone
Tom Wiggins
deputy editor

They say the best camera is the one you

have with you, which means theres never
a better one than your phone. Everyone knows
its about more than just how many megapixels
you have, but with 41 of them the Nokia 1020
( 1 360, nokia.com) takes clear, sharp pictures
and performs brilliantly in low light. There are
also proper camera accessories available for
it, including a bulkier Camera Grip Case Cover
( 2 35, amazon.co.uk) for added stability.
This allows you to attach a standard tripod,
so for portability I went for the Fotopro RM-90
Flexible Mini Tripod S ( 3 8, ebay.co.uk). Using
a phone means you can edit immediately, with
apps such as Afterlight (1, windowsphone.
com) allowing you to add pre-made filters or
make specific tweaks, and Storyteller ( 4 free,
windowsphone.com) on hand to group my
snaps according to location.

4
3
1

Pro tips Stephen Alvarez

nationalgeographic.com/nokia/rio
There are a few moments after the
sun goes down but before its completely
dark when cities are at their most
beautiful. The 1020s image stabilisers
mean your pictures come out sharp
even at slow shutter speeds. If it gets
really dark, use a mini-tripod.

94

STUFF PICKS

Macro
Marc McLaren
managing editor

4
1

3
2

Ive always been obsessed by insects:

these tiny creatures that go mostly unnoticed
but outnumber us by about a billion to one. So,
no wonder I was drawn to macro photography;
with the right setup, you can reveal incredible
details about your minibeast subjects. Any
DSLR will do the job, but with its 20.2MP
sensor and flip-out screen, the Canon 70D ( 1
850, wexphotographic.com) is a great choice,
while the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM lens ( 2 385,
jessops.com) offers superb image quality for
the price. Youll need a small aperture f/16
or higher to keep things sharp at the macro
level, so a tripod and flash are essential extras.
Ive gone for the Manfrotto 055 tripod with
3-way head ( 3 300, www.manfrotto.co.uk)
and MR-14EX11 Macro Ring Lite ( 4 600,
calphoto.co.uk). Pricey, yes, but trust me,
the results will be worth it.

Pro tips
David Parry
Canon product expert
Patterns can add an
extra element and
really hold a viewers
attention, so try using
them as your subject.
Watch out for shadows
too being too close
to your subject can
cause your shadow
to fall across it. Change
your angle to the light
to stop this happening.

95

VERSUS INDIE SUPERPHONES

Underdogs
unleashed

Two fresh Chinese brands to remember, two supersized smartphones to

lust after and two teasingly affordable pricetags. But which is top dog?

Oppo Find 7

Whats the story?

Oppos Find 7 packs specifications to worry

even the mighty LG G3. It goes toe-to-toe
with the best smartphones money can buy
on screen (5.5in, 2K), power (Snapdragon 801,
3GB RAM) and camera (13MP, 4K video). Plus
4G, a swappable battery, 32GB storage and a
microSD card slot, all for 380. A 16GB G3 costs
100 more so all in, not bad at all.
But is it too good to be true? Turns out it
isnt. With the Find 7, Oppo has really arrived.

The flagship smartphone killer: thats how

this start-up has been pitching it and, trust us,
you can believe the hype. The 5.5in OnePlus
is almost physically identical to the Oppo but
serves up top-end specs and up to 64GB of
storage for less than a Google Nexus 5.
Whether clad in matte polycarbonate or
a hard, felt-style finish, the One oozes cool:
light and slim, with a solid feel. The snag? You
have to be invited to buy this 230 wonder.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?

This 5.5in phablet rocks some impressive

numbers but its the 2560x1440, 528ppi
screen thats the showstopper. Its incredibly
detailed, as youd expect, with deep blacks
and vivid colours, though its whites arent the
cleanest. The screen dominates the front of
the device, and with a carbon-fibre case and
titanium-aluminium frame thats more subtle
than the chrome accents of the OnePlus, its
a solid, understated design.
The 13MP camera is good, with fast
autofocus and a 50MP mode that stitches
together ten separate photos into one megashot. There are no performance hiccups and
only mild annoyances come from Oppos
custom Color OS interface: its gestures and
voice commands are useful, but we prefer
the OnePlus lighter customisation of Android.
The Oppo can struggle to last a day of heavy
use; watching video drains it twice as quickly
as the One, so a spare battery will be handy.

The 5.5in 1080p screen is gorgeous it might

not be the brightest but it bests its 2K rival on
crisp contrast and punch. The phone is also
just as powerful as it looks on paper, flying
through gaming, multitasking and browsing,
but its 4G radio is compatible only with
EE and Threes 4G bands in the UK. Still, the
3100mAh battery easily lasts a day, and with
the same camera as the Oppo youll get great
photos in all but the murkiest light.
The software will also win you over.
OnePlus runs CyanogenMod, a geeked-up
version of Android KitKat that offers a high
level of customisability. Clean and intuitive,
it improves the Android experience.
The One wont be for every gadgeteer,
though. Its pretty big, the camera isnt
as versatile as the best and there's no
waterproofing. But if you want a mighty
phone, you no longer need 500 or 35 a
month for the privilege. You need an invite.

Price 380 (32GB) / en.oppo.com

Tech 5.5in, 2560x1440 IPS display, 528ppi

Price 230 (16GB), 270 (64GB) /oneplus.net

Tech 5.5in, 1920x1080 IPS display, 401ppi

Stuff says +++++

Stuff says +++++

A 2K screen at that price? Superb and only

just pipped by the OnePlus.

Stonking value and serious performance.

Watch out, world: the OnePlus One is here.

O2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon

801 O13MP f/2.0 rear, 5MP front, 4K video
@ 30fps O152.6x75x9.2mm, 173g

96

OnePlus One

Whats the story?

O2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon

801 O13MP f/2.0 rear, 5MP front, 4K video
@30fps O152.9x75.9x8.9mm, 162g

INDIE PHONES
VS SAMSUNG,
LG & HTC:
TOO RISKY?
Sophie
Charara
Reviewer

Buying a OnePlus or
an Oppo seems a bit
of a gamble, right?
Let me assuage
those fears. Firstly,
these devices are
hardly indie both
originate in the Oppo
stable, and Oppo is
over a decade old.
Plus, they run the
same silicon youll
find in an HTC One
M8. Secondly, they
offer warranties: one
year for OnePlus, two
for Oppo. We cant
vouch for support at
this stage, but weve
been assured theyre
investing in it. Yes,
you have to find
the cash up-front
there are no contract
deals here but
OnePlus pre-orders
(and more invites)
are on their way. Be
brave, then, and youll
bag a proper bargain
and be the envy of
your me-too mates.
RISE OF THE CHINESE
PHONES: SEE PAGE 71

VERSUS INDIE SUPERPHONES

Oppo
Forget LEDs

Double time

A pulsing Skyline
notification light
below the screen is
a stylish alternative
to the blinking LED
dot. Oppo shows us
that budget doesnt
have to mean
bog-standard.

The Oppo comes

with VOOC fast
charging built-in;
using the bundled
power adaptor, itll
refill to 75% in 30
minutes. Good job if
you dont want to
carry a spare.

TEST
WINNER

OnePlus
Hypersensitive

Mix it up

Double-tap to wake
is handy but the
sensitive screen
is also prone to
misbehave. We
perfected the
art of turning on
the Ones torch
without realising.

Both these phones

suffer from dim
capacitive buttons
below the display
luckily, on the
OnePlus you can
switch to onscreen
Android buttons.
Problem solved.

97

FASHION

The neighbours have been complaining

about the smell from your old
trainers. Let's shop
[ Photography Matthew Beedle ]

2
1

Gourmet Libero

80 / choicestore.co.uk
2

Adidas Adizero Prime Boost

185 / adidas.com/shop

99

FASHION

1
2

Le Coq Sportif Milos

55 / lecoqsportif.com
2 Jack & Jones Navy
Denim High Tops

40 / bankfashion.co.uk
3

Reebok Pump Running Dual

100 / reebok.co.uk
4

Puma Trinomic XT 1 Plus

65 / puma.com

100

FASHION

Boxfresh Swich

65 / schuh.co.uk
2

Vans Era 59

55 / vans.co.uk
3 Adidas ZX 5000
25th Anniversary

90 / adidas.co.uk
4

New Balance 577

125 / newbalance.co.uk

101

REVIEWS

Sensory
snacks
ers,

WATCH

Preachers and century-old horror

will keep you going this month

The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari_cinema

ts summer! And that
means its time for the
usual blockbusters, where
everybody and their robots are
blowing things up. All well and
good, but isnt it a bit predictable?
Time to try something new?
By new, I mean 94 years old.
Released in 1920, Das Cabinet Des
Dr Caligari was one of the original
horror films, and its nothing like
the ones you see today. There are
no cheap scare tactics for starters.
No jumpy supernatural nonsense,
and no gratuitous gore.
The horror lies in the telling of
a surreal yarn, in which a creepy
doctor arrives in a nice town with
his pet sleepwalker. The place
soon becomes less nice.
Its a weird tale, made all the
more unsettling by the German

102

Expressionist style, which is

defined by radically stylised set
design with jagged outlines and
odd proportions. The experience
is disorientating, and still effective
after nearly a century.
Best of all, its been knocked
into shape for 2014. The original
negative had been lost for years,
going from Germany to Soviet
Russia and back and its been
cleaned up, patched up and
digitally restored in 4K. Now
it looks good enough to feel
like a home video gone horribly,
wonderfully wrong.
Its only in selected cinemas,
and for a short time, but you would
do well to seek this out.
Ced Yuen

While its missing the

claustrophobia and skincrawl tension that the
gangster-ridden building
in The Raid provided, this
one-man-army-goesundercover sequel makes
up for it in arty violence and
hold-your-breath action
scenes. If you liked Mad Dog
in the first film, you wont
be disappointed by Yayan
Ruhian as fighter Prakoso.
Sophie Charara

The moustache confirms

its triumphal return to the
mainstream in this intense
and brutal 70s-set drama
about cops, robbers and
family punch-ups over the
Thanksgiving turkey. Its
hard to be sure how many
of the clichs are knowing
nods to the genre and how
many are just careless,
but Clive Owen gives
great New York hoodlum.
Richard Purvis

STUFF SAYS +++++

STUFF SAYS ++++,

STUFF SAYS +++,,

The Raid 2

Blood Ties

_Blu-ray

_cinema

REVIEWS

LISTEN

Futurology_Manic Street Preachers

For a band who proclaimed
theyd split up after one
album and who peaked
on their third, the Manics
have sure been around for
a while. Futurology is their
12th album but their best
for years; much of it was
recorded in Berlins Hansa
Studios, a venue hewn
from rocknroll history,
and its clearly inspired
them. Its packed with
ideas, takes tons of risks
and has a definite European
feel: the lovely Dreaming

A City (Hughesovka)
could be on Bowies Low,
also recorded at Hansa,
while Europa Geht Durch
Mich is an industrialkrautrock masterpiece.
Lyrically its superb:
angry, reflective, political,
insightful and, on the
fantastic The Next Jet
To Leave Moscow,
remarkably self-aware.
A real return to form.
Marc McLaren
STUFF SAYS ++++,

Jungle

High Life

_Jungle

_Eno-Hyde

READ

The Causal Angel

_Hannu Rajaniemi

This third Rajaniemi book

starts gradually. There
is a feeling though this
might be my fault for not
quite remembering where
I am with the plot of one
sci-fi series or another
that the characters are
being reborn into a new
adventure. Wasnt this
all sorted out in the second
book? I thought, even as
I was becoming engrossed
in the threads. It doesnt
help that these books are

The House Is
Full Of Yogis

all about the juxtaposition

of real and virtual; complex
themes of representation
and communication and
social interaction. All may
not be whom they seem.
Bit like interstellar Twitter.
But, the main characters
Jean le Flambeur and Mieli
are solid enough to warm
to and the action, when it
comes, is spectacular.
Fraser Macdonald
STUFF SAYS ++++,

Straight White
Male_John Niven

_Will Hodgkinson
Known only as J and
T, this mysterious duo
have had festival crowds
flocking to their euphoric
synth and jangling Coke
bottle sets. Jungles
unique sound is an
intriguing blend of funk
and soul with a modern,
stripped-back edge. The
falsetto harmonies in Busy
Earnin and The Heat will
bother your head all day.
Emily May

The most remarkable thing

about this second album
from Brian Eno and Karl
Hyde is that theyve barely
had time to go to the toilet
since releasing the first
one. High Life has more
of the same ear-flicking
sonic textures, fearless
repetition and slightly
feeble vocals as Someday
World, but with an added
slap of African energy.
Richard Purvis

Vivid and droll, this

highly personal memoir
describes a privileged,
gently bohemian
upbringing complicated by
the arrival of a hippy cult.
So its nothing to do with
Yogi Bear. The fella doesnt
even get a mention. Still,
a likeable read despite
the pitiful childishness
of almost everyone in it.
Richard Purvis

Kennedy Marr is a selfish

Hollywood scriptwriter
and borderline alcoholic
on a fast track to
self-destruction, before
fate and the taxman drag
him back kicking and
screaming to face reality.
Nivens hilarious depiction
of a 21st-century mid-life
crisis is littered with
almost as many profanities
as there are laughs.
Emily May

STUFF SAYS +++++

STUFF SAYS ++++,

STUFF SAYS ++++,

STUFF SAYS ++++,

103

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PROJECTS
MAKE. DO. UPGRADE.

p108
BETA YOURSELF:
CLIMBING
Looking for a
bigger challenge
than the stairs to
your bedroom?

p110
PLAYLIST:
FREE ONLINE
COURSES

Learn about
anything without
going anywhere

p112
SUPER GEEK:
HOMEBREW

Craft beer is all

the rage heres
how to be one
of the craftsmen

p114
INSTANT
UPGRADES:
GOLF

The best kit you

can buy for slick
bunker-dodging

107

PROJECTS | 09.14
BETA
YOURSELF

CLIMBING

Sun, rain, snow, indoors, outdoors whatever and however you

want to climb, theres a place for you to do it. Fearless clamberer
John Steward tells you how to start your ascent to glory

THE BASICS

be strong enough to tackle

the really crimpy stuff without
risking injury.

Q Do a course. Almost every

indoor climbing wall offers
a taster course for rock rookies.
Theyll teach you everything you
need to know to get you started
all under the watchful eye of
a qualified pro.

Q Try it all. There are several

types of climbing (four of the
most popular are below right).
But to get a real flavour, try
them all including ice climbing
and even big-wall stuff if you
have the head for them.

Q Warm up. Start slow and

stretch, especially if youre
a beginner. Ten minutes of

Q Be open. Climbers are

jumping-jacks and stretches

before you start can make
the difference between
a completed route and a
pulled muscle.

Q Push it (but not too much).

Climb at your limit if you can
(which means falling off), but
try not to go too hard. If youre
starting out, your fingers wont

a friendly bunch, so dont

be afraid to ask experienced
bods for advice if youre stuck.
Theyve all been through the
same fear, head-scratching
times and eureka moments
youre having.

Q Focus on your technique.

Brute strength will only get you
so far. To improve your climbing,
look to women for inspiration
talented climbers like Sasha
DiGiulian (just 21) use mega-skill
to breeze through routes that
will make your head spin.

TYPES OF CLIMBING
Q Trad. Climbers are adorned
with an array of protection,
including wedges, cams and
wires, to secure their rope to
cracks in the rock as they climb.

Q Sport. Bolts are drilled or

glued into the wall by those
who set the route. Climbers clip
their rope into these as they go.

Q Top-roping. No clipping: the

rope is secured at the top of the
wall and your partner takes up
the slack as you climb.
Q Bouldering. No rope, just a
crash mat. Routes stay low but
feature fiendishly tough moves.

108

09.14 | PROJECTS
LEVEL
UP WITH...

UK CLIMBING

ukclimbing.com
The bible for all things
climbing in the UK
and abroad. Theres
information about every
discipline you can think
of, as well as gear reviews,
tips and tutorials and
a really active forum. It
also has a route-by-route
archive of thousands of
climbs, including grades
and user comments.

HOW TO
CLIMB HARDER

13 / amazon.co.uk
This book is just as useful
for beginners as it is for
experienced climbers.
It contains exercises,
warm-up routines,
training techniques and
even a section on how to
get your mind in the right
place to climb properly.
Its great to refer to if
you find yourself getting
stuck between a rock
and a scarred face.

NEXT STEPS

GET THE TECHNIQUE

GO HERE

Q The footwear. Climbing

Q Use your feet. Climb from

Q Costa Blanca (Spain)

shoes have rubber soles and

should feel tight you need
snugness for proper control.

the legs, not the hands. Think

about where youre putting
your toes each time. Get your
feet high, then push with your
legs. Its a lot better for balance.

Theres sun pretty much

year-round, amazing scenery
and thousands of routes. Want
somewhere cheap to stay? Hit
up theorangehouse.co.uk

Q Dont grip too hard. Grip

Q Fontainebleau (France)

only as hard as you need to stop

yourself peeling off the wall. Any
more is wasted energy. Relax
and youll be fine.

A cathedral of bouldering you

could spend a lifetime here and
still not complete it all. Soft
landings and quality patisseries.

Q Be OK with falling. You

cantclimb without being

Q Yosemite National Park

(USA) El Capitan is a 3000ft

prepared to fall. Dont fear it:

youre tied in and it can be quite
fun. Look down where you want
to fall and thats where youll go.

monster that takes days to

climb. Sleep on portaledges
on the rock-face with the most
stunning views in the world.

Q Why use chalk?

Magnesium carbonate acts
as a drying agent to help your
fingers grip. But dont use too
much, or itll turn into slurry and
have the opposite effect.

Q Get a helping hand. If

youre starting to lead-climb,
use a Beta Stick Sport. It lets
you clip the rope into the first or
second quickdraw, so you dont
have to free-climb the first part.
(betaclimbingdesigns.com)

REEL ROCK 7

US$35 / senderfilms.com
Sometimes hilarious,
sometimes terrifying,
always captivating: the
entire Reel Rock series
is worth a watch, but part
7 is special. It features
the hard st ever sport
climb, a 24-hour free
solo attempt of three
peaks in Yosemite
and some awesome
crack-climbing hi-jinks
by a couple of Brits.

109

PLAYLIST

FREE ONLINE COURSES

Brain yearning for a delicious slice of knowledge cake?
Feed it a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) with help
from this ne menu of the tastiest ones on the web

COMICS
Comic Books &
Graphic Novels
Are comics infantile
or important works
of literary art? You
might think the latter
after taking this
seven-week course
from the University of
Colorado, which digs
deep into graphic
novels history, their
merit and how they
change the very
concept of literature.
coursera.org

CODING
Codecademy
Do you want to make
your website look
less 2005? Then join
24 million others and
enrol in Codecademy,
an interactive,
straightforward
programme thatll
help you quickly
untangle your
Python from your
Ruby and your
Javascript from
your jQuery.
codecademy.com

110

PHOTOGRAPHY
Phonar
If youre past the
how do cameras
work? stage
and want to take
more compelling
photographic stories,
try this Coventry
University course.
You can go at your
own pace using its
excellent range of
archived lectures,
seminars and tasks.
phonar.covmedia.
co.uk

MUSIC
Play With Your Music
Get to grips with
music production
with this six-week
course, which takes
existing music (Peter
Gabriel is one artist
whos donated his
tracks) and prompts
you to remix it using
leading digital tools.
Youll share it with
other course-users
and get feedback.
playwithyourmusic.
org

A.I.
Intro To Articial
Intelligence
Although this is
an introductory
course, the subjects
complexity means it
will take around three
months. In fact, its
recommended that
you rst have an
understanding of
probability theory.
Who said creating
your own robot butler
would be easy?
udacity.com

WEB
School Of Webcraft
A collection of free
web development
courses, backed by
Firefox, aims to hone
your skills through
progressively harder
challenges. Soon
youll have learnt
HTML and published
your rst website.
Done that? Try
the Peer-2-Peer
Unis Writing for
the web course.
p2pu.org

WEB
Web Science
We use the internet
for everything from
discussing GoT to
complaining that the
council didnt collect
the rubbish which
makes it easy to
forget how complex
it is from a social and
technical perspective.
This six-week course
(starting 6 October)
will boost your
knowhow.
futurelearn.com

09.14 | PROJECTS

MOOC TOOLKIT
Need an extra hi of online
inspiration? Put these apps
in your digital pencil case
for a rainy day

COURSERA

The Coursera app stuffs an entire

university into your phone, letting
you stream lectures from over 600
free courses and enrol in new courses.
And you used to spend your bus rides
playing Candy Crush
free (iOS, Android)

GROUPMOOC

THEATRE
Playwriting
Are you the next
Samuel Beckett?
Dig your teeth into
this 13-part iTunes
U course, which
explores writing
a successful piece
of drama through
playwright interviews
and in-depth looks at
aspects of dramatic
writing such as
plot, dialogue and
metaphor, darling.
itunes.com

ASTRONOMY
Moons: An
Introduction
This Open University
course probes not
just the mysteries
of our own moon but
also those of other
planets: Jupiters
Europa, Saturns Titan
and Mars Deimos.
It has a mixture of
reading, video and
audio, and should
take no more than
a week to complete.
itunes.com

ELECTRONICS
Electrify
Youre reading Stu,
so you clearly have
an anity with
gadgets but how
much do you know
about how they
work? This six-week
course will clue you
in on the basics, from
electromechanics to
programming to the
dierences between
digital and analogue.
Starts 22 September.
futurelearn.com

OCEANOGRAPHY
Exploring Our Oceans
Training telescopes
on distant nebulas,
we forget theres still
a lot we dont know
about the watery
half of our own planet.
Get a crash course
from the University
of Southamptons
scientists on their
latest ndings and
how the sea still
controls our air,
water and food.
futurelearn.com

If youve developed a MOOC addiction,

this app acts as a kind of TripIt for your
e-learning, letting you create course
plans and giving visual representations
of your workload and deadlines. Dont
forget about your real job though, eh?
free (iOS)

FUTURE LEARN

It hasnt yet launched a dedicated app,

but follow this UK-based MOOCs hub
on Twitter (@FutureLearn) and you
will get all the news on its latest free
courses, which range fro archaeology
to electronic engineering.
futurelearn.com

111

PROJECTS | 09.14
SUPER
GEEK

HOMEBREWED BEER

raft beer has really taken

off in the UK. The beauty
of being a home brewer
is that there are very few things
a brewery can do that you cant.
The process is the same, just
smaller. I get a kick out of being
able to reproduce any type of
beer on the market and create
my own unique blends.
I started out using budget
DIY kits, but after a few batches
found them too limiting. Eventually
I decided to do a one-day course
in how to brew from scratch.
Brewing requires patience and
making lots of mistakes, but

JARGON
BUSTER
Q MASHING
The first step of
brewing, mashing
is the process by which
you mix the barley
grain with water and
boil it to release the
vital sugars needed
for fermentation.
Alcohol ahoy!
Q WORT
Although it sounds
a bit like a witchy broth
from Macbeth, wort
is the basis for your
delicious beer its the
sugary water produced
when the barley grain is
strained out of the mash.
Q SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Measured in degrees
Plato, this is the density
of a liquid compared to
water. It tells brewers
the crucial alcohol
content of their beer,
and when it has finished
fermenting.
Q BOTTLE
CONDITIONING
The beer can go
through a secondary
fermentation process
after bottling, which
helps to create more
complex aromas and
flavours, and even
add a bit of fizz.

112

thats the only way to learn. The

first time I brewed a larger batch,
I completely miscalculated the
amount of sugar I needed for the
carbonation process. An exploding
bottle was the first sign that
something was wrong!
How far can you take this?
There are a few great programs
out there such as Beersmith
(beersmith.com, Mac/PC/iOS/
Android), which will help you
design beers and brew them
consistently. They are a great
way of logging your brewing
efforts and keeping track of
successes and failures.

Its all about chemistry:

I have details of my areas
water properties so I can alter
the chemistry at the start of
a brew to suit the style. Burton
IPA has a distinct water profile.
I am building a yeast lab the
first step is to buy a microscope
to be able to assess yeast count
and viability to ensure consistent
brews. You might not expect it,
but petri dishes, stir plates and
conical flasks will help you brew
better beer.
I like the hands-on aspect of
my hobby. But, if you choose
to, you can buy an all-inclusive

Elliot Lancashire explains

how to crack out the hops
and start brewing at home

standalone system such as the

BrewBot (pictured) or a RIMS
(recirculated infusion mash
system) setup, which looks
like a miniature brewery.
Im planning an orange-infused
IPA and barrel-aged oatmeal
stout, but my current project is
a mild English ale for my brothers
wedding. Handily, my wife is a
graphic designer, so together we
can produce some great-looking
bottles for the big day. Its also
one of the first batches to come
out of my new business creating
bespoke craft beers.
livingbeercompany.co.uk

BROOKLYN BREW SHOP

BEER MAKING KIT

THE RETRO
STARTER KIT

Making around 3.5 litres, this small-scale kit

is ideal for getting a hands-on feel for the
process without the need for a whole empty
garage to do it in. This traditional-style kit
contains a gallon glass fermenter, airlock,
tubing, thermometer, tubing clamp, sanitiser,
stopper, blowoff attachment and bottle labels
plus malted barley blend, hops and yeast.
All it requires is a bit of time in the kitchen
and somewhere to pop your fermenter to let
the yeast do its thing. Theres a choice of six
ales including Warrior Double IPA, Chocolate
Maple Porter and even Grapefruit Honey Ale.
40 / rebox.com

THE NEXT
LEVEL

BEERBUG
Unlike a pet or spouse, your brew isnt very
good at letting you know when its unhappy.
So if all is not well you wont find out until its
too late to rescue it and youll have to start
all over again. Enter BeerBug, which sits in
the top of your fermenter in place of the
traditional airlock, busily monitoring specific
gravity, temperature and alcohol percentage
and broadcasting its measurements via
Wi-Fi for you to check on your computer
or smartphone. Now you can tell if your
brewing cupboard is too warm, and most
importantly, the very instant when your
latest batch is ready to drink.
US$275 / thebeerbug.com

09.14 | PROJECTS

MAKING
YOUR FIRST
BREW

THE MASH Clean all

your equipment with
a sanitiser. Now heat
2.4 litres of water to
71C, add the grain and
mix well. Maintain at
approximately 65C for
one hour, stirring every
ten minutes. Then turn
up the heat to 77C,
stirring continuously.

THE SPARGE
Heat another 3.8
litres of water to 77C,
set up a sieve over
a large pot and strain
the mash. Then pour
the rest of the water
through the grain in the
sieve. Pour once more
through the grain in
the sieve. The resulting
liquid is the wort.

THE BOIL Heat

up the wort until
it boils and begins
to produce a foam.
Stir occasionally,
maintaining a light
boil for one hour. Add
Columbus Hops at
the start of the boil,
then add one fifth of
Cascade Hops every 15
minutes, turning off the
heat after one hour.

BREWBOT

3
1

4
2

This app-controlled nano-brewery lets you

skip the difficult bits by automating most of
the process and guiding you through the rest.
Use the app to pick a recipe; Brewbot will add
the correct amount of water and heat it up
(1). The hot water then moves to the mash
tun (2). Notification: add the malt. When the
mash is complete the wort is pumped back
to the boiler, where it will begin its boil (3).
Notification: add the hops. When the boil has
finished, the wort goes through a plate chiller
(4) and then into the fermentation tank (5).
Add the yeast and store in a temperaturecontrolled environment for two weeks.
2180 / brewbot.io

BOTTLING
Wash your bottles
thoroughly with a
sanitiser. Dissolve 3
tbsp of honey in 120ml
of water; pour into the
sanitised pot. Using a
racking cane and tube,
siphon beer into the
pot, then from the pot
into individual bottles.
Cap the bottles, then
store in a dark place
for two weeks. Enjoy!

113

[ Photography RGB Digital Illustration Alan Eldridge ]

THE HOME
BREWERY

FERMENTATION
Put your brew pot
in an ice bath until it
drops down to 21C.
Funnel in your beer
using a sieve. Add yeast
and shake aggressively.
Put in a stopper and
slide rubber tubing
2.5cm into it, putting
the other end in a bowl
of sanitiser. Wait three
days or until vigorous
bubbling subsides.

6INSTANTUPGRADES GOLF
With the Ryder Cup teeing o on 23 September, its
time to tame your violent slice and start arrowing
perfect, fairway-splitting drives with this choice kit

114

[ Words Paul OHagan Illustration Jamie Sneddon ]

09.14 | PROJECTS
BEST PLACES
TO SWING

1 FOOTJOY DNA SHOES

Happy, planted feet are the
foundation of your swing, so
your footwear needs to be
both grippy and comfortable.
These low-prole, stable and
modern shoes are a refreshing
break from FootJoys traditional
designs and pack in plenty
of tech too. Building on the
successful DryJoys shoe, they
have a 3D Foam Collar, which
moulds to the ankle to promote
comfort and support while
restricting foot movement. The
leather ChromoSkin upper is
also breathable and waterproof,
perfect for a sodden links course.
150 / footjoy.co.uk

4 SKYPRO SWING
ANALYSER
Thwacking balls at the driving
range isnt much good if youve
got a bad technique. The SkyPro
analyses your swing and helps
you to improve it. It clips onto
the shaft of your club and sends
thousands of critical data points
to a smartphone or tablet. From
there you can view your swing
from any angle in 3D. Common
faults are identied, then
challenges and tips are oered
to get you in shape. The latest
version also features putting
analysis to make sure youre
a demon on the green.
US$200 / golfskypro.com

2 GALVIN GREEN
MILLARD VENTIL8
POLO SHIRT
Golf fashion used to be an
oxymoron, but these days the
garb regularly combines sharp
looks with technical powers. This
breathable polyester shirt keeps
moisture away from the skin.
Designed to be worn with a base
layer, it allows full movement in
the shoulders and anti-bacterial
tech helps maintain your
clubhouse cred on hot days.
If you dont want the bold Tiger
Woods red look, theres also
more humble blue, grey or white.
100 / galvingreen.com

5 PING G30 DRIVER

Unless youre trying to hit the
spectator who keeps shouting
Get in the hole!, youll want
your drives to be straight and
long. Pings G25 is already one
of the most forgiving drivers
on the market, and the G30
combines this with added
distance thanks to increased
swing speeds. It does this using
turbulators on the crown of
the club, which reduce drag
forces as you swing. A range
of shaft options and the ability
to change the loft mean the
G30 will suit everyone from
beginners to pros.
300 / ping.com

3 STEWART GOLF X9
FOLLOW TROLLEY
While other golfers hire some
poor sap to be their club camel,
youll be followed around by a
loyal robo-caddy. This electric
trolley connects to a Bluetooth
handset and, when you press
the follow button, obediently
trundles along behind you at a
safe distance while reacting to
your speed. The remote control
allows you to send it to the next
hole while you nish the green,
while a rear stabiliser makes it
almost impossible to tip (unless
a jealous rival attacks it).
1500 / stewartgolf.co.uk

6 GARMIN APPROACH
S4 GPS WATCH
Knowing how far you hit each
club and the distance to the
green is essential to shooting
lower scores. Like a wrist-based
caddy, the Approach S4
combines pre-loaded info
on over 30,000 international
courses with GPS to give
you precise shot yardages
and distances to the pin. Its
also something of a golfers
iWatch, connecting to
iPhones via Bluetooth LE to
display missed calls, emails and
texts, and promises ten hours of
battery life when in golf mode.
US$300 / garmin.com/golf

DUKES MEADOWS,
CHISWICK
Dukes Meadows oers
an idyllic setting by the
Thames to work on your
game. A 50-bay driving
range is combined with
a fantastic nine-hole
par-three course thatll
test your short game.
dukesmeadows.com

GLENEAGLES,
PERTHSHIRE
Home to this years Ryder
Cup, these three stunning
courses are surprisingly
aordable (fees for hotel
guests start at 125) and
no handicap certicate is
required. There are also
pitch-and-putts.
gleneagles.com

GOLF STUDIOS,
SURBITON
This recently opened
indoor centre has
simulators allowing you
to play 80 of the worlds
top courses. Its also
home to a putting green,
as well as a bar for
19th-hole larks.
golf-studios.com

THE BELFRY,
WARWICKSHIRE
Not just for the pros:
there are great practice
facilities and three
courses, which suit all
standards. A recent hotel
refurbishment makes it
a great overnight option.
thebelfry.co.uk

115

PROJECTS | 09.14

G A D G E T
D O C T O R

ALWAYS
ON CALL
facebook.com/joinstu O @stuTV

google.com/+stufftv O stuff@haymarket.com

MAIL OF THE MONTH

Q

A DAB HAND

Im looking to replace a dead

DAB radio with one that has AirPlay
built-in. Does such a thing exist?
I need DAB for local radio football
commentaries (which I cant get
on internet radio) and AirPlay
to complement the rest of our
home setup. Please help!
Andy Crowhurst

For some reason, Crowdog,

its not a common combo
but there is one option weve
found: Sonys CMT-BT80WB
(320, sony.co.uk). OK, its
more of a speaker dock with
AirPlay and DAB built-in rather
than a dedicated DAB radio,
but the end result is the
same, right? Enjoy.

Speak your brains and you could win a 6-month QOBUZ HIFI SUBSCRIPTION worth 120
This letter wins 6 months of unlimited streaming in lossless-quality FLAC from Qobuz, worth 20/month

STAY RIGHT EAR

I recently took the tentative

decision to start running, but
Im going to need a bit of help in
the entertainment department
as my Soundmagic E10s keep
falling out. Could you recommend
some good headphones that will
stay in my ears and wont break
the bank?
Peter Nicholls
Weve not managed to test
them out fully yet but, if
Sol Republics Master Tracks are
anything to go by, its new Relays
(US$80, solrepublic.com) will
be a very decent bet, Pete. That
vented wheel around the edge is
called FreeFlex and its meant to
hold the earphones in place when
you run. According to editor-inchief Will Findlater, it works, too.

HI-DEFINITELY

Ive just got a PS4 and Im in

need of a full HD, 46in screen to
go with it on a pretty tiny budget
of 400. Id also love a separate
sound system and have been
looking at soundbars but I only
have about 50 to spend. Am
I asking too much?
Thomas Long
Youll have to sacrifice a
few inches on that budget,
Tommo. Perhaps you could sit a
little closer to Finluxs 40in, full HD
8073, a steal at 330. Take the
70 youve saved, throw in your
50 speaker budget and you can
now afford a low-end soundbar
such as Sonys HT-CT60BT
(110, amazon.co.uk).

LAP OF THE GODS

I want to buy a gaming

laptop but dont have a
four-figure budget available.
Is there anything available for
around 550 that would suit my
needs? I was thinking of the Intel
Core i5 Toshiba L50-1DN but Im
open to suggestions.
Jay Redfearn
The most important thing
when looking for a gaming
laptop is that you get something

116

with dedicated graphics

processing, Redders. With
a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce
740M, that Toshiba has
a decent amount of grunt,
plus plenty of storage, RAM
and processing power to
take care of all the other
stuff. We say go for it.

ANXIOUS VIEWER

Its time for me to buy

a new TV but I dont want to get
the wrong one and end up out of
date in a year. Is there any point
in shelling out for a 4K telly if I only
have space for a 40-incher?
Claire Lane
Most 4K tellies tend to be
on the larger side, Laney,
but we are starting to see them
come down. That said, the effect
is less noticeable the smaller
you go, as the recommended
viewing distance is shorter
with a 4K screen but youll
probably still sit the same
distance away. Wed suggest
trying a set like Samsungs
UE40F6400 (450, samsung.
co.uk) for now and consider
upgrading to 4K when youve
got room for a bigger screen.
Time for an extension?

HEY HO, LENS GO!

I have been doing some

research into compact system
cameras and want your views
on the best ones to consider.
My budget is between 500 and
1000. I am using the camera
for a range of things photos of
my children, video, sport shots
etc. I like interchangeable lenses
but want a more compact body
than an SLR.
Patrick Woods
We love the Olympus OM-D
E-M1, Paddy, but with a lens
itll break your budget by a few
hundred quid, so take a look at
the E-M10 (600 w/ 14-42mm
lens, jessops.co.uk). This is
essentially an E-M1 without the
weatherproofing but a better
EVF and built-in flash, despite
having a smaller body.

09.14 | PROJECTS

IF NOTHING ELSE, AT LEAST...

5-MINUTE
HACKS

AGGREGATE
YOUR FITNESS
APPS

Oh dear, youre in a right old

lifetracking tangle, arent you?
Better tidy all those Strava, Fitbit
and Moves stats into one app:

1. Go to nudgeyourself.com or
download Nudge (free, iOS,
Android). Fill in some vital stats
to get an initial Nudge figure
based on your sleep, diet
and exercise.
2. To sync your Strava, Fitbit,
Jawbone Up, Runkeeper,
Moves or MayMyFitness
stats, go to the apps section.
Once synced, theyll contribute
to the totals in your log.
3. For really in-depth
lifetracking analysis, sign
up for Exist (US$6/month,
exist.io). It analyses your data
and produces a report based on
its patterns and trends.

TRACK
AMAZON PRICES
That camera on special offer
sure is tempting but how
do you know the price has hit
a historical low?

1. Go to the Chrome Web Store

(chrome.google.com/webstore),
search for Camelizer and install
the extension.
2. Find the product youre after
on amazon.co.uk and click
the camel icon in your address
bar to bring up a graph of
historical prices.
3. To play the waiting game,
enter your desired price tag and
click create price watches to
get email alerts when it moves
into your budgets crosshairs.

...SPEED UP
YOUR DOC
APPOINTMENTS
Coming down with the sniffles?
The doctor can fit you in next
Thursday. Or this evening,
if you sign up for this handy
London-based service:

1. Feeling about as spritely as

a cadaver? Head to zesty.co.uk,
choose a service (such as NHS
dentists, physios and private
GPs) and enter your postcode.
2. Choose a clinic and time
and simply enter your details
to book. Theres no booking fee.
3. All patched up? Rate and
review. And reassure others
that the lovely Dr Pain doesnt
follow nominative determinism.

TUNE IN NEXT MONTH TO...

O Turn o GPS and try adventure racing O Craft yourself some

virtual reality with a pizza box O Clue up on electric guitars

117

TOP
TEN
Smartphones
Tablets
Hi-fi streaming
Headphones
Home cinema

Blu-ray / Speaker systems

PVRs

TVs
Laptops
Best of the rest
Home computers
Sat-nav / Camcorders

Games
Games machines
Compact cameras
Digital SLRs
Geek accessories
Wearable tech
Connected home

120
122
124
125
126

127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
136
137

For full reviews of every product in the

top 10s, visit stuff.tv/reviews

SMARTPHONES

T
HO
Y
BU

LG G3

While we hoped the G3 would continue the great work started by the G2, we
werent expecting it to be quite so much of a leap forward. Upgrades range from
little touches such as the sleeker back buttons to major changes such as the
bigger, better 2K screen and laser-assisted camera. The only thing that isnt
better is the battery life, but considering all that LG has crammed into the G3,
the fact that it still lasts 15hrs is to be applauded.

NE

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

HTC One M8

Only just toppled by the new LG, HTCs flagship phone has enough power to take it to
the top of the AnTuTu benchmarks. Its a beaut to look at and to use, and its even got
a whole load of Lytro-style post-snap refocus features for photographic fun.

LG G2

Its 5.2in screen is razor-sharp, its Snapdragon 800 processor handles demanding
tasks with ease and its 13MP camera takes amazing photos. Good enough and
cheap enough to keep its top-three place despite the arrival of the G3.

Samsung Galaxy S5

Big, bold and stuffed with tech, the Galaxy S5 is a bona fide superphone that will
delight Samsung fans, although it has some very stiff competition. It has a faster
processor, a slightly bigger screen and a more solid (if not quite stylish) feel than the S4.

Sony Xperia Z2

Classy, clever and with talent in spades, the water-resistant Z2 oozes quality. It flies
in use and is capable of taking brilliant photos and playing videos at 4K cinephile quality.
If the design had just been a bit more practical, it would have been unstoppable.

Google Nexus 5

Delivering top-end spec at a mid-range price, the Nexus has a 4.95in screen, faster
processor and satisfactory 8MP snapper. But the biggest improvement on previous
versions is its chocolatey-smooth Android KitKat 4.4 OS. Astounding value.

Apple iPhone 5s

A curious blend of tried and tested 4in screen, design, huge cost with new and
exciting features like a 64-bit processor, fingerprint-sensing home button and iOS 7.
What it adds up to is an easy purchase for most but were ready for iPhone 6.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

With a 4.3in, 720p screen, Snapdragon-powered performance, solid, waterproof body

and a 20.7MP camera, the Z1 Compact is the first small superphone that delivers with
no ifs or buts. If youre small of hand but demanding of phone, its the Android for you.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Verily, tis indicative of the age in which we live, when a supercharged superphone
gets five glowing stars, but only makes No9. By Crumbles, though, its good. Blistering
processor, 5.7in screen and stylus smarts. Its the best gigantophone there is.

Motorola Moto G

Googles sprinkled some magical Nexus dust over its latest Motorola blower: the Moto G
costs a mere 160 yet has a distinctly non-budget 4.5in 720p screen and quad-core
processor. Paltry storage and poor camera count against it but then again: 160!

STUFF SAYS
LG surprises us again.
Theres barely a single thing
wrong with the G3 and so,
so much thats right with it

500 +++++
500
+++++

BEST FOR
RAW POWER

290
+++++

BEST FOR
SUPERPHONE
VALUE

500
+++++

BEST FOR
FUN
FEATURES

540
+++++

BEST FOR
THE
CONNOISSEUR

from 250
+++++

BEST FOR
PRICE TAG

from 490
+++++

BEST FOR
APPLE
FANS

400
+++++

BEST FOR
DAINTY HANDS

440
+++++

BEST FOR
SAUSAGE
FINGERS

from 160
+++++

BEST FOR
RECESSION
BUSTING

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR SMARTPHONE BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/SMARTPHONES

PLUG INTO STUFFS

SOCIAL NETWORK
facebook.com/joinstuff

O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated

120

122

TABLETS

T
HO
Y
BU

Apple iPad Air

The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the addition of the
Air moniker implies, the iPads been slimmed down on the outside and beefed
up on the inside, while retaining all the other goodies that made previous
versions great. So it now rocks the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor
that debuted with the iPhone 5s, while keeping the gorgeous screen, quality
build and abundance of tablet-optimised apps that first won our hearts.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Apple iPad Mini With Retina Display

Apples baby tab has been in for a nip and a tuck and emerged with a youthful-looking
2048x1536 screen. The flawless build quality, creativity-friendly 7.9in form and oodles
of apps remain; only a few colour inaccuracies keep it behind the Air.

Google Nexus 7

The Nexus has moved further ahead of the Android pack by virtue of getting an
update to OS 4.4 KitKat. Its now smoother, faster and more battery-friendly than
ever, while its 323 pixel-per-inch 1080p screen and quad-core power still impress.

Asus Transformer Pad

The Transformers have always been more about laptop relacement than tableteering,
and this one is the laptoppiest yet. A 2560x1600 screen, two-day battery life (with
keyboard dock) and quad-core Tegra processor all work Android up into a frenzy.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7in

The Fire HDX presents a sanitised version of Android cloaked in a user-friendly Amazon
skin. Theres even a Mayday button for instant video help. A great build, fast processor
and stunning screen round off a package thatll appeal to families and less techy types.

Asus Transformer Book T100

This 10.1in tab-and-dock combo has enough grunt to run full Win 8.1 thanks to Intels
new Baytrail CPU. The 1366x768 screen is a good un, with crisp text, great contrast
and colours that pop, while dual-band Wi-Fi and a day-long battery are also welcome.

Microsoft Surface Pro 2

The hardware boys and girls at Megahard do try awfully hard. But its taken a second
iteration of the Surface Pro for us to raise a languid eyebrow. Improved ergonomics
and a battery-saving Haswell processor finally make the superslate a worthy buy.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014)

The new 10.1 is fit to bursting with clever tricks, comes with the note-tastic S Pen and
has a stunning 2560x1600 screen. But while we can forgive it its tacky looks, minor
performance glitches deny it that fifth star; we hope firmware updates will fix them.

Advent Vega Tegra Note 7

With Nvidias 1.8GHz quad-core Tegra 4 processor, and a 72-core GeForce GPU also
thrown in, the Advent serves up a speed that shouldnt be possible at this price.
The build quality is a bit flimsy, but for movie-watching and gaming it excels.

LG G Pad 8.3

Lifes good for the LG team at the moment, with their smartphones making a massive
impression. A good time, then, to bring out a decent tablet, sensibly pitching it out of the
all-sewn-up Nexus 7 territory. Great 8.3in screen, quad-core power; merely OK price.

STUFF SAYS
Now thinner, lighter and
more powerful than ever,
the iPad Air is a beautiful
sliver of gadget heaven

from 340 +++++

from 270
+++++

BEST FOR
CREATIVITY
ON THE MOVE

from 150
+++++

BEST FOR
VALUE AND
PERFORMANCE

300
+++++

BEST FOR
ALL-ROUND
EXCELLENCE

from 200
+++++

BEST FOR
SAFE & SIMPLE
TABLETEERING

from 350
+++++

BEST FOR
DESKTOP
VERSATILITY

from 600
+++++

BEST FOR
SUITED ROAD
WARRIORS

400
++++,
150
++++,
200
++++,

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR TABLET BUYING GUIDE, VISIT WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/TABLETS

124

HI-FI & MUSIC STREAMING

T
HO
Y
BU

Sonos multiroom system

Who needs to drill holes and re-plaster walls to get a multiroom music system? Not
you. With the addition of the cracking little Play:1 (170) Sonos has made it easier
than ever to start spreading your tunes around. Then maybe hook up a Connect to
your existing hi-fi and router, and add speakers to a Connect:Amp in another room,
or a SUB for a bass boost. Youll run out of rooms before you run out of options. For
a further upgrade, the Arcam rSeries SonLink DAC works a treat with the Connect.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6

Our favourite music streamer is only kept from the top spot by the brilliant flexibility
of the full Sonos system; as a single player, wed go for this every time. Team it with the
Azur 651A amp (350), feed it high-resolution 24-bit tunes and youll never look back.

Naim UnitiQute 2

Awarded Best Music System 800-1500 by our friends at What Hi-Fi? Sound And
Vision, this punchy little system delivers superb performance. With streaming smarts,
DAB+ and internet radio its highly capable. Just dont feed it low-quality music.

Bowers & Wilkins Z2

The baby of B&Ws AirPlay range is a little belter, and it adds a proper Lightning dock
to Apples wireless tech. Itll easily fill a small to medium-sized room with chunky bass,
punchy beats and lovely, clear vocals. Youll buy it for the look, but love it for the sound.

Denon CEOL Piccolo

This diminutive standard-bearer for next-gen micro hi-fi has Spotify and a control app,
and itll stream your own tunes, right up to 24-bit. The docks 30-pin, but who cares
when youve also got AirPlay? Add Q Acoustics 2020i speakers for awesome sound.

Audio Pro Addon T10

Available in orange, white or black, the Addon T10 is a Bluetooth speaker that also has
analogue inputs and a USB socket for charging your MP3 player. Sound-wise its
punchy and deep, with just a little too much bass. It sounds best in orange, obviously.

Libratone Zipp

A fuzzy, cylindrical, colourful AirPlay dock that will deliver detailed, punchy 360-degree
sound anywhere at all, thanks to a built-in battery that gives it four hours of outdoor life.
Direct Wi-Fi skills free you from cables, routers and everything but the boogie.

Sony SRS-BTM8

Forget that this Sony looks uncomfortably like a handbag because its actually one of the
biggest bargains in hi-fi right now. Pop in four AA batteries (old-school, right?) and it will
power a party in the park. Its got fancy NFC too, but the best thing is that it sounds ace.

Q Acoustics BT3

These ultra-versatile Bluetooth speakers have an optical input for waking up the
audio of your flatscreen TV. The styling is simple and so is the sound brilliantly
so, with perfect hi-fi balance and an impressive focus to the stereo image.

Sony NWZ-ZX1

The latest Walkman is a premium high-res audio player, and its the best-sounding
portable device weve ever heard: youll notice parts of songs you never knew were
there. Were not so keen on the high price and lack of expandable storage, though.

STUFF SAYS
Innite music in every
room without the need
for custom installers?
Sign us up now, please

from 340 +++++

700
+++++
1150
+++++

BEST FOR
TOP SOUND
QUALITY

330
+++++
180
+++++

BEST FOR
VERSATILITY
AND VALUE

230
+++++
370
+++++

BEST FOR
AL FRESCO
PARTIES

60
+++++

BEST FOR
BARGAINOUS
BLUETOOTH

350
+++++
550
++++,

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR HI-FI BUYING GUIDE, JUMP OVER TO WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/HI-FI

HEADPHONES 125
T
HO
Y
BU

AKG K451

Theyve actually been around a little while now, but what put the K451 on-ears
back on to our radar was an official price drop from 130 to 80, and a real-world
price of just 50 or less. For that money theyre unbeatable awesomely agile
and punchy sound wrapped up in a subtly stylish and foldable design. Add both
standard and three-button control cables for maximising compatibility and
theres practically no excuse for not getting brilliant sound from your phone.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Bowers & Wilkins P3

Superb sound and a solid and achingly stylish design make these the best portable
on-ears around. The fact that two cables come in the box one with a mic and
remote for iPhones, one without only sweetens the already candyfloss-like deal.

SoundMagic E10

Yes, we also gave the very similar SoundMagic ES20s in-ears five stars. And they
thoroughly deserve it. But we chose to keep these here because the more expensive
E10s still represent a killer smiles-per-pence, sound-per-pound ratio.

Sony XBA-4iP

These chunky in-ears have four drivers pumping exceptionally punchy, detailed
sound into your gloriously spoilt lugholes, but despite the fairly hefty design theyre
surprisingly comfortable too. They were 400 at launch, so 250 is a fantastic deal.

Sol Republic Master Tracks

Really tough things are usually really ugly, which is why the lovely styling of the
virtually indestructible Master Tracks headphones is so refreshing. Loud, punchy,
fast and controlled, the sound is just as attractive as the design. Worth every penny.

Final Audio Design Adagio III

Calling a pair of headphones Adagio seems a bit pretentious, but these decidedly
affordable in-ears from a Japanese company that usually occupies the most bonkers
reaches of high-end earn it with brilliantly detailed and endlessly attacking sound.

Bose AE2w

Were not going to pretend that the protruding Bluetooth module isnt a rather ugly
touch, but whats most important is that these Bose headphones deliver wireless
sound of superb quality. Well put up with looking a wee bit daft for musical magic.

SoundMagic P30

We love SoundMagics E10s, and our toe went into tap-spasms from the get-go with
these on-ear P30s. Delivering a really easy-going yet dynamic sound, they arent
perfect, especially in the treble, but theyll do great work on low-res Spotify tracks.

Sennheiser Momentum

Classily styled, cushion-comfortable and smooth-sounding, the Momentums are

the perfect over-ears for the dapper man about town. Theres also an on-ear version
smaller and cheaper at 170, available in pink, blue, green and, um, ivory/brown.

PSB M4U2

Yes, the M4U2s have got great noise-cancelling, but thats only half the story. Using
the built-in amp produces a sound thats almost unbelievably punchy, clean and
exciting. They might be a bit heavy, but that audio quality really is worth the weight.

STUFF SAYS
Fantastic sound and great
portability at an almost
unbeatable price: the
perfect PMP upgrade

45 +++++
125
+++++

BEST FOR
ON-EAR
EXCELLENCE

30
+++++
250
+++++

BEST FOR
IN-EAR
EXCELLENCE

90
+++++
60
+++++
200
+++++

BEST FOR
GREAT SOUND
WITH NO WIRES

70
+++++
250
+++++

BEST FOR
QUALITY AND
STYLE IN ONE

270
+++++

BEST FOR
SHUTTING OUT
THE WORLD

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR HEADPHONE BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/HEADPHONES

'D@QSGDETKKRODBSQTL
/!NVDQR6HKJHMRG@UDADDMDRS@AKHRGDC@RL@RSDQRNERNTMC
DMFHMDDQHMFENQ@KLNRSXD@QR 6D@QDMNV@AKDSNAQHMFSG@S
R@LDDWODQSHRDSNSGDVNQKCNEGD@COGNMDRSGDR@LDOQDBHRHNM
SGDR@LDB@QDSGDR@LDDWSQ@NQCHM@QXQ@MFD@MCCDOSGNECDS@HKHR
MNV@U@HK@AKDEQNL@MTKSQ@KHFGSGHFGKXONQS@AKDRDSNEGD@COGNMDR
RTODQAKXCDRHFMDCSNjSHMSNXNTQKHED

TOP THREES HOME CINEMA

126

BLLU-RAY PLAYERS

T
HO
Y
BU

Sony BDP-S6200

The new king of Blu-ray players is the perfect balance of price, performance and
features. It even looks pretty if you like that sort of thing. On top of the usual smart
services (Netflix, iPlayer etc) you get Sonys own brilliant Video Unlimited.

NE

W
NE

2
3

Panasonic DMP-BDT260

If your budget wont stretch to the Sony above, this ultra-affordable Panasonic will
see you through in superb style. It lacks a display on the front, but the performance
is impossible to fault. Its got the core smart stuff too, including Netflix.

Marantz UD7007

Pricey like an Aston Martin is pricey and about as satisfying to own, this Marantz
will play any disc you like, streams music at hi-def resolutions and can withstand an
earthquake. If you really, really take movies and music seriously, this is your player.

180
+++++

BEST FOR
ALL-ROUND
AWESOMENESS

100
+++++

BEST FOR
EXCELLENCE
ON A BUDGET

480
+++++

BEST FOR
THE ULTIMATE
IN QUALITY

350
+++++

BEST FOR
ALL-IN-ONE
VALUE

600
+++++

BEST FOR
ALL-YOU-CANSTREAM MUSIC

200
+++++

BEST FOR
BASS AND
SPACE

from free

BEST FOR
DELIVERING
EVERYTHING

SPEAKER SYSTEMS
T
HO
Y
BU

1
2
3

Sony BDV-N590

The biggest bargain in home cinema, the Blu-ray-packing N590 has a massive spec
but a micro price. Picture and sound are excellent, Sonys smart services are immense
and its stylish curves and touch-sensitive controls add a dash of premium quality.

Sonos Playbar

A characteristically Sonos take on the soundbar, the Playbar hooks up to your TV via its
single optical input and fills your room with a big, detailed sound. And as with all Sonos
kit, it can stream your own music files, Spotify and more wirelessly around the house.

Denon DHT-T100

Soundbases deep soundbars that you put your TV on top of are all the rage,
because theyre bassier than soundbars but still fairly space-efficient. The Denon
is our favourite right now for its sweeping musicality in addition to its movieness.

PVRs, ETC
PV

T
HO
Y
BU

1
2
3

Sky+HD

The new Sky boxes come with built-in Wi-Fi, to make it easier to access on-demand
programming, and you can opt for a 2TB drive. Which, with more than 65 channels of
HD, might well be worth the outlay. On the move, the Sky Go app is supremely slick.

Virgin TiVo

Hardware-wise, the taste-learning TiVo is a Sky+HD-beater, but it loses out on

content. Mind you, subscribers to the XL package now have free access to all the
BT Sport channels: Premier League kickyball, MotoGP and more, in lovely HD.

Humax DTR-T1010 YouView

Delivering free-to-air TV with the convenience of Sky or TiVo, the Humax lets you
browse the last weeks catch-up TV direct from the EPG or record your own on its HDD.
The iOS/Android apps remote record is handy, and its all without a costly subscription.

+ 21.50/month

+++++
+ 24/month

BEST FOR
SMART TELLYWATCHING

from 160
(500GB)
+++++

BEST FOR
SUBSCRIPTIONFREE TV

from free
+++++

FOR OUR COMPLETE HOME CINEMA TOP 10 LISTS, POINT YOUR CLICKER AT WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S

SOCIAL NETWORK

TVs 127
T
HO
Y
BU

STUFF SAYS

Sony KDL-50W829B

If youd suggested two years ago that a 50in, edge-lit LED LCD TV as good as
this would soon be available for less than a grand, youd have been burnt as
a witch. Or at least laughed at. It excels in almost every regard, from its stylish
design to its bright, vivid picture and well-thought-out smart TV offering.
Would we buy one? You bet we would. And if youre in the market for a smart
TV this year, we recommend you give it a look too.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Panasonic TX-P55VT65B

Wow. The picture is nothing short of exceptional, with rich colours, deep blacks and
outstanding depth in 2D or 3D. Its packed with clever tech, from voice commands that
actually work to multiple homescreens and smart apps. The TV of your dreams.

Samsung UE46F7000

The F7000 might just be the sweetest spot in Samsungs current range the same
spectacular performance as the F8000 series but without the show-off design.
Great picture quality and slick online functionality in one box.

Panasonic TX-L32E6B

Time was when buying a budget bedroom TV meant making major sacrifices on
performance and features. Not any more. This 32in Panasonic serves up a vibrant,
detailed picture and comes with on-demand treats such as iPlayer and Netflix built in.

Samsung UE40F6400

All of the UKs catch-up TV services? Exciting and immersive picture? Costs less than
500? Yes, please. The Samsung comes with all the bells and whistles of a modern
smart TV, including active 3D and voice control. Its an amazing TV bargain.

Finlux 40F8073-T

Finlux is fast becoming the go-to brand if youre after a decent TV at a proper
budget price. The strengths of this screen the crispness, the level of detail, the
on-demand video services far outweigh the sound quality shortcomings.

Sony KD-55X9005A

Welcome to the cheap end of the 4K spectrum. Yes, its all relative. This 55in Sony looks
amazing when tasked with proper 4K content, but its main drawback is that very little
of that exists yet. That said, normal HD stuff looks wonderful too.

Samsung UE55F8000

Yep, the F8000 has taken one hell of a fall from its previous position at the top of this
tree. Has it suddenly got worse? No. But now that its been tested against newer sets,
its picture flaws are more apparent. If not for its price itd be higher, though.

Sony KDL55W955

Sony claims its new wedge design gives greater internal volume and lowers the
centre of gravity. The excellent colours, motion and sound quality are all admirable, but
for a flagship, it lacks a wow factor and is hindered by a lack of depth in its black levels.

Samsung KE55S9C

A TV with a twist well, a bend, actually. This beautiful OLED sets curve divides opinion
some find it immersive, some find it annoying but boy does it have a great picture. Its
preposterous price and lack of future-proofing 4K are the only things that let it down.

Thank you, Sony. A great

picture and tons of smarts
for less than a grand
whats not to like?

800 +++++
2000
+++++
1200
+++++
400
+++++

BEST FOR
SMALL-SCREEN
SMARTNESS

450
+++++

BEST FOR
BARGAIN
HUNTERS

280
+++++

BEST FOR
TV ON
A BUDGET

2250
++++,

BEST FOR
4K EARLY
ADOPTERS

1500
++++,

BEST FOR
FEASTING ON
SMART TV

1500
++++,
6150
++++,

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR TV BUYING GUIDE, NAVIGATE TO WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/TVS

IN CASE
YOU
MISSED..
PS4
HEADSETS

Tritton Kama
25 / trittonaudio.com
Youre not getting the same
build and sound quality of the
other two here, but youre not
paying for it either and for
25 the Kama is actually very
impressive. Sound effects and
voices come through clearly
and theres plenty of weight for
the big bangs of Battlefield 4.
+++++

Sony PlayStation
Wireless Stereo
Headset 2.0
85 / sony.co.uk
The Sonys virtual surround
sound isnt good: it messes
around too much and makes
everything feel unnatural. But
youre still left with probably
the best-looking gaming
headphones ever made.
++++,

Turtle Beach PX4

150 / turtlebeach.com
The PX4 is a pretty serious
bit of kit, offering an extra level
of immersion in game worlds.
You do still need to use a cable
between the headset and
controller, but for crisp,
dynamic sound that wont
wake the neighbours, this
is currently hard to beat.
+++++

128

LAPTOPS

T
HO
Y
BU

STUFF SAYS

Apple MacBook Air 13in (2014)

The 2014 MacBook Air update means, once again, our favourite old laptop is now
our favourite new laptop. Nothings changed on the outside, and under the skin
theres just a slight processor boost from 1.3GHz to 1.4GHz, but combined with
a price cut of 100 on each model were still happy with that. The very top model,
which comes with a 256GB SSD, is now just under a grand, too. Head to stuff.tv
for our full reviews of both 13in and 11in versions.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Its not a major upgrade, but

Apple has improved the Airs
already awesome spec and
lopped 100 off the price

from 750 +++++

Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display 13in (2013)

from
1000
+++++

BEST FOR
EVERYTHING
BAR THE PRICE

Alienware 17

from
1500
+++++

BEST FOR
SERIOUS
GAMERS

Were all agreed that the best laptop is a MacBook, but choosing between Air and Pro
is getting steadily harder. Both now run on Haswell chips, but the Pro is faster. It also
gets a 4K-capable Thunderbolt 2 port, and then theres that Retina screen. Tough call.
A brute of a machine in every way, the Alienware 17 weighs as much as four MacBook
Airs and probably frags harder than 10 of them. Core i7 Haswell processor at 3.4GHz,
Nvidia GeForce graphics, up to 32GB of RAM Our trigger fingers already itching.

Asus Zenbook UX302

Asus has done a wonderful job of creating an ultra-slim laptop thats as far removed
from Apples influence as possible, while maintaining a stylish and unique aesthetic.
The 13.3in display is razor-sharp and colourful this is our favourite Ultrabook.

Acer C720 Chromebook

Bargain Chromebooks are everywhere right now, but the C720 stands out even so.
Its well made, well specced (for a Chromebook) and, crucially, has proper ports: HDMI,
USB3.0 and SD are all here. The HP at No.7 is prettier, but the Acers the one wed buy.

Acer Aspire S7

The Aspire S7 is almost the perfect Ultrabook it matches the MacBook Air for weight,
beats it for slimness by 6mm, and has a gorgeous 1920x1080 touch-friendly screen.
Only its battery, which lasted a mere 5hrs on test, prevents it getting that fifth star.

HP Chromebook 11

HPs done a fine job with the 11 (ignoring the faulty power supply recall): its small,
light and everything a neo-netbook should be. However, the Chromebook 14 has since
launched on the HP store and is worth a look if you want a larger screen.

Asus S200E

The touchscreen makes it ideal for Windows 8, but the S200Es also got a top keyboard,
bags of connectivity and enough power for 3D gaming. Specs arent top notch, but with
an i3 Sandy Bridge core, 4GB RAM and a 500GB HDD, its good enough at this price.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 15D

Lenovos latest contortioning computer is hefty, which is handy in that you get a full
keyboard and 15in screen, but a bit of an issue in terms of portability and it means the
1366x768 resolution looks a little soft. It stands up nicely for movie-watching, though.

Maingear Pulse 17

The brazen Maingear is fire-engine red and, at a colossal 17 inches, it certainly stands
out. For gaming, its dedicated mode, smooth frame rate and storage make it a winner,
but an unresponsive keyboard and average battery life hold it back from greatness.

1000
++++,
200
++++,

BEST FOR
VALUE AND
PORTABILITY

1100
++++,
200
++++,
295
++++,
455
+++,,

BEST FOR
LITERAL
FLEXIBILITY

1300
+++,,

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR LAPTOPS BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/LAPTOPS-NETBOOKS

THIS
MONTH
IN..
2000

Sony DAV-S300

Magellan 315

Polaroid P

Panasonic RR-QR240

550

180

25

100

Stuff said Sonys home cinema

system is a highly capable
product with serious style.
The remote is clear and logical,
the on-screen displays make
adjustments easy and, as if
the cake needed icing, it can
handle both Dolby Digital and
DTS soundtracks.
+++++

Stuff said Welcome to the

proof of the theory that the
more hardcore the gadget,
the uglier it will be. With its
prominent antenna, this is the
perfect GPS device for the
adventurer more interested
in tracking wild bears than
looking good in an anorak.
+++++

Stuff said Nothing beats

Polaroids classic design, and
the P folds into a rounded bulk
reminiscent of the helmets in
Starship Troopers. Focus and
exposure are fixed, but theres
a lighter/darker control that
can be adjusted to cope with
extremes of lighting.
++++,

Stuff said In long-play mode,

this voice recorder is easily
good enough for transcription:
slightly flat but with little
background noise. Switch
to short-play and the sound
is remarkable, picking up all
the nuances of the human
voice. A true winner.
+++++

TOP THREES BEST OF THE REST 129

HOME COMPUTERS
T
HO
Y
BU

1
2
3

Apple iMac

The iMac is thinner and more powerful than ever: Core i5 or i7 and at least 8GB RAM
running the none-more-elegant OS X Mavericks. A 2013 update brought Intels
Haswell CPU, a hybrid storage option, speedy 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a price increase.

Sapphire Edge VS8

This mini-PC may look like the Terminators lunchbox, but it houses AMDs 1.6GHz A8
APU and dedicated HD7600G graphics with 4GB of RAM. A capable little fellow, the VS8
even does a decent job with the latest gaming titles (with the detail dialled back a little).

Alienware X51 (2014)

The X51 hasnt changed a huge amount, but the wee size matched with powerful
components make it perfectly suited to HD gaming. Steam Machines are going to
liven this market up but right now its the best balance of power and form in PC land.

from 950
+++++

BEST FOR
ALL-ROUND
BRILLIANCE

from 310
+++++

BEST FOR
COMPACT
POWER

from 700
+++++

BEST FOR
HARDCORE
GAMERS

250
+++++

BEST FOR
TOTAL TRAFFIC
KNOWLEDGE

free
+++++

BEST FOR
BUDGET
TRAVELLERS

270
+++++

BEST FOR
TRAVELLING
WITH STYLE

360
+++++

BEST FOR
TOP-QUALITY
HOME MOVIES

1200
+++++

BEST FOR
SERIOUS
SHOOTERS

180
+++++

BEST FOR
ACTION-JUNKIE
FILMMAKERS

SAT-NAV
T
HO
Y
BU

1
2
3

TomTom GO 6000

The four-figure model name marks this an Always Connected device with a SIM card
for live traffic updates, while the 6 in the name refers to its crisp 6in, 800x480 screen.
Its rather good, if huge. Smartphone-connected versions (600, 500, 400) are cheaper.

Google Maps Navigation

Apples Maps app remains pretty, but flawed. With Google Nav now back in the iTunes
Store, there really is one solid choice for both iOS and Android users and this is it. Street
View, accurate public transport info, cycle maps and decent traffic warnings. Bingo.

Garmin nvi 3598LMT-D

Still pricier than the TomTom, the flagship Garmin has a similarly crisp (if only 5in)
800x480 screen, with clever photo-realistic junctions and 3D terrain. The DAB
traffic works fine, but the extra cable is a faff too far for us.

CAMCORDERS
T
HO
Y
BU

1
2
3

Sony HDR-CX410VE

Our choice for full-fat filming at non-professional prices, the Sony records razor-sharp
footage at a TV-style 50fps, has a monster 55x zoom, a three-hour battery and image
stabilisation that lets you run and shoot handheld simultaneously. Just dont trip up.

Canon XA10

Canons ultra-compact XA10 handles fine detail superbly due to its f/1.8 lens and 2.37MP
chip. It might not look big enough to play with the big boys, but twin XLR inputs on its
detachable handle give would-be filmmakers professional prowess right out of the box.

GoPro Hero3+ Silver Edition

You may well wonder why the flagship Black Edition of the Hero3+ isnt in this slot, but
for our money the extras dont quite justify the extra expense. We reckon the Silver
Edition is the current, umm, hero of the range, and a killer cam for your killer stunts.

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS IN EACH CATEGORY AND OUR BUYING GUIDES, VISIT WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S

Every gadget, every review, every page,

available on PC, Mac, iPad and Android
www.stuff.tv/digital-magazine

FULL iPAD
APP OUT
NOW!

130

GAMES

T
HO
Y
BU

Grand Theft Auto 5 PS3/Xbox 360

You probably think you already know everything there is to know about GTA 5.
After all, if youve been alive anywhere in the world for the past year youll have read
all about life in Los Santos. So youll already know that it shines a satirical torch on the
21st century religion of celebrity. And that everything from social media to self-help
gurus gets a kicking. And that its better-looking than ever. But really you only need
to know one thing about it: its the most fun youll have on a console this month.

2
3

STUFF SAYS
The gargantuan gameworld
of Los Santos is the most
entertaining place to hang
out since Vice City

+++++

The Last Of Us PS3

The best zombie-apocalypse game ever? Definitely. The Last Of Us looks magnificent
and plays even better, with a genuinely moving story and frights aplenty. Its tough
but then a real-life zombie apocalypse would be. Think of this as essential prep.

+++++

BEST FOR
ZOMBIFIED
HORROR

Tomb Raider PC/PS3/Xbox 360

Yes, its a franchise reboot, but the well-paced mixture of puzzles, action sequences,
gunfights and stealth make the latest Lara Croft adventure an immersive, cinematic
experience. Possibly the best fun weve ever had pretending to be a 21-year-old girl.

+++++

Bioshock Infinite PC/PS3/Xbox 360

From its achingly gorgeous setting in the skies to a super-intelligent story that tackles
religion, racism and metaphysics, Infinite is an innovative tour de force. None of that would
matter if the gameplay lagged but it barely puts a foot wrong either. Stunning.

+++++

BEST FOR
MIND-BENDING
STORYLINES

FIFA 14 PS4/Xbox One

The next-gen edition of FIFA 14 is, perhaps unsurprisingly, better than the PS3/Xbox
360 version, thus its recent leap a couple of places up the table. Players and crowd are
more realistically presented, and there are improvements in gameplay and flow.

+++++

BEST FOR
SIT-DOWN
KICKYBALL

6
7
8
9
10

Batman: Arkham Origins PC/PS3/Xbox 360/Wii U

The third game in the Arkham series sees the caped crusader go back to the beginning
for a not-so-merry Christmas in Gotham. New multiplayer mode and new gadgets
freshen things up, but otherwise its more of the same. For once thats no bad thing.

+++++

Titanfall Xbox One

The biggest Xbox One game launch so far, this FPS robot-fighting sim came with high
expectations and just about lives up to them. Its a brilliant smash-fest, in a world
where it rains massive Titan robots to board and attack. The storyline is weak, though.

++++,

Mario Kart 8 Wii U

Building upon lesser recent entries while adding flashy new twists and delightful
physics-defying courses, Mario Kart 8 is a rare Wii U highlight. Although single-player
still lacks punch, multiplayer is endlessly entertaining: its glossy and fluid throughout.

++++,

Dark Souls II PC/PS3/Xbox 360

You might never play a tougher game than this old-school action-RPG sequel, which
drops you into the mystical land of Drangleic and lets you figure things out for yourself.
Mostly by being killed but that just makes it all the more rewarding when you get it right.

Wolfenstein: The New Order PC/PS3/PS4/Xbox One/Xbox 360

How do you solve a problem like Nazi world domination? With guns. Lots of guns.
Even so, this remake might not be exactly what youre expecting: as well as carnage and
genetically engineered soldiers, theres a sombre message on the pointlessness of war.

++++,

++++,

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR GAME-BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/APPS-GAMES/GAMES

PLUG INTO STUFFS

SOCIAL NETWORK
google.com/+stufftv

GAMES MACHINES 131

T
HO
Y
BU

Sony PlayStation 4

Sonys next-gen console may not quite be the finished article, but its already the
best games machine on the planet. With whisper-quiet operation and a sleek form,
itll slot neatly into your lounge setup, but more importantly it offers bags of power,
with full 1080p on all titles and not a whiff of lag. The controllers vastly improved,
too, while remote streaming to PS Vita is a nice bonus. All that and its also cheaper
than the Xbox One. When proper media streaming arrives, itll be unstoppable.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Microsoft Xbox 360

Yes, its been succeeded by the One, but the years have been kind to the 360. With an
amazing catalogue of recent games that use its full potential, brilliant media streaming
skills and a low, low price its impossible not to recommend it to cash-strapped gamers.

Sony PlayStation 3

The PS3 has been around a while, but, like the Xbox 360, that just means it has plenty
of great games. Online gaming via PlayStation Network is still brilliant and still free
(its 40/yr for PS4), and its worth buying for its Blu-ray and media streaming alone.

Alienware X51 (2014)

The X51 hasnt changed a huge amount, but the wee size matched with powerful
components make it perfectly suited to HD gaming. Steam Machines are going to
liven this market up but right now its the best balance of power and form in PC land.

Microsoft Xbox One

The new Xbox aims for the stars and, if it falls short on occasion, it should be praised for
trying. Next-gen games run beautifully albeit in 720p, in some cases and its packed
with tricks such as Kinect voice control. Once the minor UI flaws are fixed itll get 5 stars.

Nintendo 3DS XL

The bigger version of Nintendos latest handheld serves up a larger 3D sweet spot and
slightly more premium finish than its smaller sibling. Theres still only one thumb-stick,
but its a tried and tested design thats served Nintendo titles very well over the years.

Sony PlayStation Vita Slim

The Slim (aka PCH-2000) is comfier to hold than the original Vita, it lasts longer, it no
longer relies on proprietary cables and the screen is an improvement but Sony could
have gone so much further, not least by adding more than 1GB of internal storage.

PC Specialist Nvidia GTX Titan Battlebox

This powerhouse delivers mind-blowing 4K gaming, bringing eye-searing detail to

Arkham Origins in our test. But twin Nvidia GTX Titan graphics cards and liquid cooling
dont come cheap, and neither will the 4K monitor youll need to go with it.

Nintendo Wii U

While it hasnt had the same impact as the original Wii, dont underestimate the Wii Us fun
factor. Nintendos bottomless bag of superb game franchises rolls on with the excitement
of the Mario Kart 8 release (with its anti-gravity karts and submarine racing).

Nvidia Shield

Like an Xbox controller with a 5in screen stuck to it, this Android console is (just about)
portable enough to play on the bus. As well as having access to hundreds of games
via Google Play, the Shield can stream full PC titles from your PC pretty damn cool.

STUFF SAYS
Slick, powerful and packed
with stand-out features,
the PS4 delivers on the
next-gen console promise

350 +++++
from 145
+++++

BEST FOR
BUDGET
GAMING

from 180
+++++
from 600
+++++
395
++++,
150
++++,
150
++++,

BEST FOR
PORTABLE
PLAYTIME

3900
++++,

BEST FOR
FLUSH 4K
FETISHISTS

240
++++,

BEST FOR
NINTENDO
FANS

185
++++,

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE CONSOLES FEATURED HERE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/GAMES-MACHINES

132

COMPACT CAMERAS

T
HO
Y
BU

Sony DSC-HX60

Last years HX50 was our previous pick for the best compact camera around,
and 2014s HX60 isnt a huge departure from its predecessor in terms of
build quality, ease of use, specifications and performance all of which are
excellent. And thankfully the superb 30x zoom lens remains. What it does
add is NFC (for quick pairing with a tablet or phone) and a newer Bionz X
processor, making it a slightly nippier performer.

2
3
4
5
6
W
NE

7
8
9

TE
DA
UP

10

Fujifilm X20

The X20 isnt all retro looks and no trousers. It excels in Advanced Auto mode and has
manual controls and RAW shooting for creative days. The optical viewfinder, though
small, is linked to the 4x zoom and frames well. All this, and it looks cool.

Sony DSC-RX100

The 20MP RX100 is just what were looking for in an advanced compact: pocketable
with a huge 1in sensor that serves up great images. After something a bit different?
Sonys crazy lens-without-a-body, the QX100, has much of the same tech.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200

If you want a superzoom cam, the Lumix FZ200 wipes the floor with its rival snoopy
snappers. A small and solid build is coupled with a 24x optical zoom, an excellent auto
mode and spot-on exposure abilities. The downside is the video, which is a mixed bag

Fujifilm FinePix X100S

Fujifilms souped up its fixed-lens retro shooter, with faster focusing and a big APS-C
sensor. Its not all new, though, keeping the 35mm-equivalent f/2 lens and hybrid
viewfinder from the X100. A less retro version with black finish is now available too.

Canon PowerShot G16

The G16 packs a lot into its sturdy body: optical viewfinder, loads of manual controls
and an f1.8-2.8, 28-140mm (equivalent) zoom lens. Upgrades over the G15 include
Wi-Fi and faster burst shooting of up to 12fps, while image quality is as good as ever.

Canon PowerShot G1 X MkII

This powerful snapper is back, with a tilting touchscreen and a wider wide-angle lens
but no viewfinder. The zoom and video are still fairly underwhelming but in terms of
sheer image quality there arent many non-system cameras around that can beat it.

Canon PowerShot S120

Replacing the S110, the S120 is a compact camera for DSLR users on their days off. Its
12.1MP stills, low-light prowess and useful long-exposure modes are welcome, while
its slightly laggy lens-ring control and hit-and-miss Wi-Fi features take the shine off.

Nikon Coolpix S6700

Your phone can probably match it for wide-angle photos in good conditions, but if you
want to go equipped with a bit more creative control without loading yourself down
with kit, the S6700 will be a useful addition to your gadget arsenal.

Samsung Galaxy Camera 2

Only a minor update of last years model the sharing and backup features remain
impressive, but the photo quality needed a bump and this hasnt got there. Still, you
can upload selfies directly to social media via Wi-Fi, so what more do you want? Hmm

STUFF SAYS
Sturdy, simple to use and
offering a huge zoom range
for its size, this is a hugely
capable all-rounder

260 +++++
330
+++++
350
+++++
310
+++++

BEST FOR
AT-A-DISTANCE
SHOOTING

700
+++++

BEST FOR
DSLR PICS IN
A SMALL BODY

320
+++++
510
+++++
260
++++,
125
++++,
300
+++,,

BEST FOR
ON-THE-GO
IMAGE SHARING

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR CAMERA BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/COMPACT-CAMERAS

SLRs, ETC 133

T
HO
Y
BU

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus new flagship is armed with the same excellent 16.3MP sensor as its
predecessor the E-M5, but now has an improved autofocus system, a startlingly
good electronic viewfinder and masses of direct controls. And look out for the
E-M10: pretty much an E-M5 minus the weatherproofing and with only 3-axis
stabilisation, but with an improved EVF, better metering, enhanced Wi-Fi and
built-in flash in a smaller, cheaper body.

STUFF SAYS
Take the E-M5s amazing
speed and quality, then add
pro controls and you get
the best system cam so far

800 +++++
(body only)

2
3
4
5
6
W
NE

7
8
9
10

Canon EOS 700D

Look, its a new Canon at No2. No, wait, its the old one. Actually, its kind of both. The
700D is a minor upgrade over the 650D, keeping its 18MP sensor, flip-out touchscreen
and autofocus during video and adding little beyond a new kit lens. Still great, though.

Sony A7R

We love this camera. Its lightweight but tough and delivers results that outstrip pretty
much any other compact system camera on the market. It has a huge full-frame 36.4MP
sensor and noise-suppression. Your wallet might weep, but your photo album will sing.

Nikon D600

Pro power has never come at such a reasonable price. A full-frame 24.3MP sensor
combines with accurate 39-point autofocus for stunning results. Dual SD card slots,
built-in flash and 5.5fps shooting speed complete a seriously powerful proposition..

Canon EOS 70D

The 70D is Canons best camera in years. Its the first proper DSLR to nail autofocus in
videos and Live View, offers a multitude of manual controls and can take stunning pics in
almost any situation. Amateurs whove outgrown the entry level should look no further.

Fujifilm X-T1

Theres lots to love about this snapper, from its clever viewfinder and lightning-speed
focus to the weatherproof body. One for the analogue lovers, it has actual buttons and
dials with no touchscreen. The lack of in-cam image stabilisation is our only complaint.

Panasonic Lumix GH4

Its 4K recording might grab the headlines, but the GH4 is more than that its
Panasonics finest all-round camera yet. Build quality is superb, autofocus is fast
and accurate, image quality is great and video is even better.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

The 16MP Panasonic is a versatile beast that, while not being much of a looker, has
added tricks such as a tilting EVF and a handy touchscreen LCD. Its great for smooth
hi-def video recording and, with the bijou 20mm f/1.7 lens, is a great travel companion.

Pentax K-3

With a 24MP APS-C sensor, advanced autofocus system, snappy burst shooting and
clever anti-aliasing simulator, the K-3 is a stills snapper par excellence. A weatherproof
body and in-camera stabilisation are welcome too, but its not quite so hot with video.

Canon EOS 6D

Canons cheapest ever full-framer is an awesome little SLR with a few clever tricks up
its lens. As well as its all-new 20.2MP sensor, it boasts a GPS receiver for geotagging
your pics and Wi-Fi for direct uploading or remote control from a smartphone.

380

(body only)

+++++
1330

(body only)

+++++

BEST FOR
ALL-ROUND
VALUE
BEST FOR
SHOOTING
LIKE THE PROS

960

(body only)

+++++
675

(body only)

+++++

BEST FOR
ADVANCED
AMATEURS

850

(body only)

+++++
1300

(body only)

+++++

BEST FOR
HI-RES VIDEO

500

(body only)

+++++
800

(body only)

+++++
1080

(body only)

+++++

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR DIGITAL SLR BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/DIGITAL-SLRS

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134

GEEK ACCESSORIES

T
HO
Y
BU

Theres a new Paperwhite out on the streets of the world, and its brighter,
whiter, faster and no more expensive. Contrast is improved, making your text
blacker and the background less grey, while a claimed 25% faster processor
goes largely unnoticed because it was always the fastest of the e-readers.
A handy new Page Flip feature lets you keep your current page while flicking
through the chapter in a pop-up window: finish the chapter, or go to sleep now?

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

3Doodler

The best screen, the best

ebook store and new
book-challenging features:
Kindles still on top

110 +++++
100
+++++

BEST FOR
3D SPACE
CREATIVES

120
+++++

BEST FOR
ANALOGUE
MAESTROS

These gaming cans with a noise-cancelling mic, bass boost and controls for in-game
and voice channels are aimed at Xbox 360 users. Not of the Xbox persuasion?
Look out for the U 320s, which will play nicely with your PS3, PC and Mac.

20
+++++

BEST FOR
GAMEWORLD
IMMERSION

Tesla Model S

from
50,000
+++++

BEST FOR
EXHILARATING
ECO-DRIVING

1800
+++++

BEST FOR
POWERED-UP
PEDALLING

750
++++,

BEST FOR
HIGH-FLYING
FILMERSHAR

60
++++,

BEST FOR
ALT-CTRL
FREAKS

70
++++,

BEST FOR
iGAMING
ADDICTS

1250
++++,

BEST FOR
EARLY
ADOPTERS

Essentially a 3D printer nozzle in a pen. Sticks of plastic are fed through like a glue gun
and extruded at 200C into thin air, where it immediately cools and solidifies, letting
you draw 3D structures. Amazing, and weve only burnt ourselves once. Maybe twice.

Korg Volca Beats

This Roland TR-808-aping drum machine uses analogue and digital beats to amazing
effect given the bargain price, offering a studios worth of wizardry in a tablet-sized
package. If this doesnt get the nations youth making amazing music, nothing will.

Sennheiser X 320

The Tesla isnt just a better electric car its a groundbreaker that history could hoist
into the automotive hall of fame alongside the original Mini or even the Ford Model T.
The range is good, the speed is breathtaking and the styling is sensational.

Smart ebike

This electric bike may be heavy and expensive, but its futuristic design, 250W motor
and range of up to 62 miles make it ideal for the daily commute. And dont get hung up
over the price anyway petrol and car insurance for a year would cost you way more.

DJI Phantom 2 Vision

Want to recreate those Apocalypse Now sequences at your local lido? This quadcopter
offers great filming potential thanks to its 14MP/1080p HD camera and videolink,
built-in GPS and ability to beam images to your smartphone from 300m away.

Leap Motion

Huge Kickstarter funding and promises of Minority Report-style PC input have come
to this: a silent, KitKat-sized block of tech. It is very accurate, and the taster games
are a blast, but itll need more consistency between apps to become truly useful.

Moga Ace Power

This click-on controller adds two analogue sticks, a D-pad and all the usual buttons
to an iPhone 5/5c/5s or 5th-gen iPod Touch. Its not brilliantly built and only works
with selected games, but dedicated iOS gamers will swiftly get their moneys worth.

Up! Plus 2

Not since the early days of video encoding has a Stuff test caused such emotional
rollercoastering. The Up! is the least frustrating and least commercial of the 3D
printers weve tried, and the updated Plus 2 has a helpful auto-levelling build platform.

FOR THE FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE GEAR ABOVE, BROWSE YOUR WAY TO WWW.STUFF.TV/REVIEWS

smart eBike

save

NE

STUFF SAYS

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

150
1
150 de
deposit
33 paymen
payments at

50

50 per month
0% represe
representative
APR*

MRP 2,500 | Now 1,8000

smart of Stockton-on-Tees
Concorde Way, Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 3RB www.sytnersmart.co.uk
*Terms and conditions apply. Finance is subject to status.

Contact Louise Smith

at smart of Teesside on

01642 660757
smart - A Daimler Brand.

136

WEARABLES

T
HO
Y
BU

Pebble Steel

Unveiled at CES 2014, the Steel keeps the straightforward looks, crisp display
and five-day battery life that helped the standard Pebble win our hearts. But it
holds more RAM, apps and customisable faces this time, and swaps the plastic
for either a Steel silver or matte black stylish suit, making it look and feel more
like an actual watch. The Steel goes beyond the gimmicks and into the world of
real-world wearable tech. Pop it on your wristwear wish-list.

2
3
4
5
6
7
W

NE

8
9
10

Fitbit Flex

The Flex delivers all of Fitbits activity-tracking smarts but in a form factor thats less
fiddly than its belt-clip counterparts. Its packed with Bluetooth, NFC, vibratamotor and
a display. America already has the new Force band, with a proper display. Here soon.

Jawbone UP24

Now with Bluetooth for hassle-free syncing, the stylish UP24 is worth the extra
25 over the Jawbone Up. The app introduces new challenges and tracks your sleep
patterns. It will also gently nudge you, if youre lazing around, to get back on the move.

Nike Lunar TR1+

The TR1+s are the smartest gym clogs weve seen, packed with pressure sensors and
accelerometers. The Nike+ training app tracks your exertions and helps refine your
technique, for example telling you to shift more weight to your heels during squats.

Garmin Forerunner 620

Garmins wealth of experience in wrist-mounted GPS shines through, offering up a

cacophony of stats, including vertical oscillation (how much you jiggle while running)
thanks to the smart heart-rate belt. Could be cheaper and more user-friendly, though.

TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio

The new version of the TomTom Multi-Sport adds an impressively accurate heart-rate
sensor to an already strong formula, allowing for more focused and personal training.
Itll track runs, cycles and swims, and the companion app is also much improved.

Samsung Gear 2 Neo

Its the budget plastic version of Samsungs Gear 2, but does 99% of what the
more expensive device can do, although it does not have a camera. Only compatible
with certain phones, it is the Gear wed be most likely to buy, but its far from essential.

Martian Notifier

The Notifier does one job very well alerts and you wont be ashamed to wear one in
public. It doesnt shake off smartwatches dorky image but does blend a regular-looking
watch design with smartphone smarts in an affordable, comfortable, reliable package.

Nike Fuelband SE

The original Fuelband was early to the fitness tracker scene, doling out Nike Fuel
points like slices of fitness carrot. Though updated, its still easier to fool than other
fitness bands and its high price and iOS-only app mean it comes in at three stars.

Samsung Gear Fit

Durable, comfortable and only 55g, the Gear Fit looks great but is ultimately a bit
disappointing. It has unreliable heart-rate tracking and an unresponsive curved OLED
screen thats awkward to read, especially on a run. Fit by name, but not by nature.

STUFF SAYS
The best smartwatch money
can buy and the original
plastic Pebble is still
available for 50 less

130 +++++
from 65
+++++

BEST FOR
TRACKING
YOUR LIFE

120
+++++
125
+++++

BEST FOR
STEPPING UP
YOUR STATS

from 265
++++,
270
++++,

BEST FOR
TRIATHLETES
IN TRAINING

160
++++,
95
++++,
from 100
+++,,
140
+++,,

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE KIT ON THIS PAGE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/WEARABLE-TECH

FART WITH
CONFIDENCE
www.myshreddies.com - 01509 610 610

CONNECTED HOME 137

T
HO
Y
BU

Philips Hue

It might seem like a gimmick, but having Wi-Fi-enabled, colour-changing

lightbulbs isnt just good for impressing mates and spooking guests at seance
parties. These smart LED bulbs come into their own when paired with recipes
on ifttt.com set them to change colour with the weather or when its time to
run to the train. They also tie in neatly with Philips own Ambilight TVs, casting
the colours from the screen across your entire room. A great thingternet starter.

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Sonos Play:1

You dont need to be planning a multi-room system to buy the Play:1, as its a stellar
speaker in its own right, streaming from Spotify et al at the command of your phone
or tablet. But team it up with another Sonos and youll be multi-rooming in minutes.

Synology DS214SE

Within this entry-level hardware beats the best NAS (network attached storage)
software yet. Not gorgeous to look at, but at least its small and easy to hide away.
If youre new to the NAS party, the DS214se is the cheapest way to get onboard.

Devolo dLAN 500 Wi-Fi

Not that sexy, perhaps, but the Devolo system is faultless in its execution. Putting
the Internet in your Internet of things, it pipes broadband from your router, through
your mains wiring and into the farthest reaches of your home, no messin bout.

Roku Streaming Stick

Streaming Stick tells you all you need to know, really: this is a stick, and it streams. It
streams plenty, too Netflix, iPlayer, Spotify, Sky Now and Sky Go to name a few. And
unlike Chromecast, its also a dab hand with your own video and music files. Lovely stuff.

Ninja Blocks

This little box is a hackers dream. With everything from temp/humidity sensors
to remotely switched power points, it has boundless potential for giving your home
21st century smarts. Its open-source and has a devoted developer community, too.

Koubachi Wi-Fi Plant Sensor

Why have real plants when you can 3D-print space-age fake plastic trees? Because if
you have real plants you can use this Wi-Fi-connected thingternet device to monitor
their vitals and relay their photosynthetic desires back via an iOS app. Thats why.

Belkin WeMo

It started as an unassuming Wi-Fi-enabled socket that let you set lights or other
mains-powered items on a schedule via an app. Now the range includes a motion
sensor and a baby monitor (left), while a Hue-style lightbulb was announced at CES.

Netatmo

With an indoor and an outdoor module, the Netatmo monitors the conditions all around
you, checking temp, humidity, air pressure, CO2 levels and noise. Use the info to fine-tune
your sleeping conditions, or just tap into the global community of Netatmo users.

Google Chromecast

This USB memory-stick-sized cord-cutter is compatible with Netflix, YouTube,

Google Play movies and BBC iPlayer: a cheap, simple way of getting web-sourced
movies and shows onto your living-room TV.

STUFF SAYS
The humble lightbulb is
reborn as a net-connected,
colour-changing, moodsensing smart device

from 50 +++++
170
+++++

BEST FOR
MULTI-ROOM
AMBITIONS

120
+++++

BEST FOR
BACKUP AND
STREAMING

from 50
+++++

BEST FOR
HOMES WITH
THICK WALLS

50
+++++

BEST FOR
DISCREET
STREAMING

US$200
++++,

BEST FOR
THINGTERNET
LEVELLING UP

from 70
++++,

BEST FOR
GEEKY GREEN
FINGERS

from 35
++++,

BEST FOR
THINGTERNET
FOR BEGINNERS

140
++++,

BEST FOR
ATMOSPHERIC
AWARENESS

30
++++,

BEST FOR
CASTING ON
A BUDGET

FOR FULL REVIEWS OF EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/CONNECTED-HOME

All the latest

gadget reviews

NEXT BIG THING?

hat, really?
Of course. Honestly, your constant
incredulity about the wonders
displayed on this page grows
wearisome. The suggestion that these are
mere fancies, the products of an enthusiastic
mind carefully spun into pseudo-reality with
silken words Lawks, just look at that guy.
Not even a scientist would wear eyewear like
that unless theyd been to a place about which
we can only dream. And whats that in the
foreground? Wasnt it Einstein who said: Where
there be lasers, there be awesome?

So one can genuinely travel into the future with

this whatever this is?
Oh, absolutely not. Where do you get these daft
ideas? Dont pull that face, though there is an
inkling of truth in it. After years of incremental
hardware gains and endless software tweaks
largely brought about by cloud powerhouses
like Amazon and Google who demand efficiency
rather than horsepower HP is upping its game.
Its planning a new computer architecture, called
The Machine, that uses memristor tech and
optical interconnects that make todays copper
wiring look as antiquated as it sounds.

Im still not seeing the time reference

Simply that this computer, when it comes,
will munch through processing tasks like a
honey badger through a barrel of snakes. And
it is coming: the memristor chips combining
storage and RAM to smash data access times
need to come first, but HP puts The Machine
at 2018. (Rival computer companies had a
good snort at this, but HP did not falter.) And
so, come the day, youll have a PC that can
do in ten minutes what currently takes hours.
Thus, youll be doing the afternoons work in
the morning. Which is time travel, you see?

[ Words Fraser Macdonald ]

the time mhine

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