Canon EOS M

SENSOR: 18-megapixel APS-C Hybrid CMOS | PROCESSOR: Digic 5 | ISO RANGE: 100-12800 | SCREEN: 3.0-inch Clear View LCD II touchscreen | BATTERY: 230 shots | SIZE: 108*66*32mm

Google Nexus 7

OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean | SCREEN: 7-inch,1280x800, 216ppi | PROCESSOR/RAM: 1.2GHz quadcore Tegra 3/1GB | STORAGE: 8GB or 16GB | CONNECTIVITY: N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, 3.5mm audio | FRONT CAM: 1.2-meg/video not quoted | SIZE: 199*120*11.5mm | WEIGHT: 340g

Sony F800 Walkman

Memory Capacity: 8GB, 16GB or 32GB | Display: 8.9cm/3.5″ Multi-touch LCD | Audio Formats: MP3, WMA, AAC-LC, HE-AAC, Linear PCM and FLAC | Video Formats: MPEG4, AVC and WMV9 | Charging Time: 4 hours | Other: Bluetooth, headphones supplied

DenonAH-NCW500

Frequency Response: 5-37k Hz | Sensitivity: 112 dB | Impedance: 100 Ohms | Weight: 9.5 ounces | Cord Length: 3' | Other: Airline adapter included, iPod control, volume control and built-in microphone

Aspid GT-21 Invictus

Top speed: 305 km / h, Weight / Power: 0.45 bhp / kg | Displacement: 4.361 liter / 266.1 cu in, Bore and stroke: 92.0 mm (3.6 in) / 82.0 mm (3.2 in), Fuel feed: Fuel injection, Maximum power: 450 bhp / 331 KW @ 8300 rpm, Maximum torque: 440 Nm / 325 ft lbs @ 3750 rpm | Dry weight: 990 kg

Friday, December 28, 2012

DISCOVER A CAR THAT PARKS ITSELF: THE NEW KIA CEE'D

More enjoyable than your everyday drive; flex steer allows you to choose between normal, comfort and sport settings depending on the road conditions or your mood. You'll find more clever technology in the new Kia cee'd.
Fuel consumption figures in mpg (I/100km) for the new Kia cee'd 5-dr hatchback range are: Urban 33.6 (8.4) - 68.9 (4.1), Extra Urban 57.6 (4.9) - 80.7 (3.5), Combined 46.3 (6.1) - 76.3 (3.7). CO2 emissions are 145 - 97 g/km.
7 year / 100,000 mile manufacturer's warranty. For terms and exclusions visit www.kia.co.uk or contact your local dealer. Model shown is a new Kia cee'd 5-dr '4 Tech'. Parallel Park Assit System (PPAS) is available on '4 Tech' only.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

10 REASONS TO BUY SAMSUNG SERIES 3 CHROMEBOX

    Google tags in the Korean giant for another Chrome OS double team, this time on a Mac Mini-esque ultra-svelte PC offering low-cost, cloud-based home computing. 

1. CHROME IN THE HOME
This is the firrst desktop device to run Chrome, Google's stripped-down, cloud-based OS
2. SIMPLICITY
it's so easy to set up, someone from TOWIE could do it. Log in with your Google account and your apps, does and bookmarks at sync
3. CLOUDY INSIDE
There's only a 16GB SSD internally and 4GB of RAM. Data is primarily meant to be stored in the cloud on Google Drive — you only get 5GB of space for free, but there are upgrade options
4. DUALCORE BLIMEY
A 1.9GHz Intel Celeron, B840 dualcore CPU, provides processing grunt
5. PLENTIFUL PORTS
You get six USBs and two HDMI-, DVI-, and VGA  compatible video outputs
6. BLUETOOTH
Hooks up a keyboard and mouse without squandering any of the above
7. HIP TO BE SQUARE-ISH
Looking just a tad like a Mac Mini, the Series3 is sleek and far from garish
8. THE BIG SCREEN
The Chromebox can power two 30-inch monitors should you wish it to — that's muchos real estate
9. PRIVATE BROWSER
Guest log-ins keep matters clean and safe — single-use browsing histories delete on logging out
10. A THING CALLED "WEB"
Dual-band N Wi-Fi and gigabit ethernet mean you're online in a trice

Wii U KICKS OFF GAMING'S NEW ERA

    While Xbox 720 and PS4 are keeping us waiting, the E3 expo wafted plenty of new hardware under our noses. We grabbed it with both, battle-scarred hands...

    A year since T3 was flown out to LA to play a prototype and a full four years since the console was first conceived, Nintendo's follow-up to the Wii was back in the limelight at games fest E3 and we got hands-on again. The sheer number of ways to play the Wii U remains a difficult sell to Joe Public - no two games seem to act in the same way - but the potential for its many inputs is massive, and its "second screen" crux is now officially this year's gaming trend. We outline the big updates below, yet no retail price or release date had been released as we went to press. This is going to come out, right?
NINTENDO.CO.UK, OUT WINTER 2012

{ The Kit }

Nin tendo's never-ending console evolution...

The controllers
The above motion-sensing, screen-touting slab has been renamed, in a retro NES nod, the GamePad. In a hardcore turn, the circle pads have changed to analogue sticks while a no-screen, Xbox-alike pad is on its way.
The connectivity
That little square to the screen's left is a new NFC window for transferring data from Nintendo's online service, which, unlike Xbox Live, is free. The newly social Miiverse network will be available on phones.
The base station
Only ever seen hiding behind the GamePad in pics, the current console is actually really big, but it's still not final build as yet. Specs are still sketchy but while it's very much HD, the PS3 need not worry, let alone the PS4.
The games
While Activision support is noticeable by its absence, Ubisoft's London-based survival horror Zombie U is great. Yet while New Super Mario Bros U is nice and all, Nintendo needs to get more big guns blazing for release.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

NEW PEUGEOT 208: LET YOUR BODY DRIVE

    Designed to be so light and ergonomic that driving is instinctive. Ample elbow room and a sporty steering wheel make manoeuvring effortless. And the improved economy and tower CO2 emissions will never compromise enjoyment. Put yourself in the driving seat of the new Peugeot 208 and let your body take over. Available in 3 and 5 door.

PEUGEOT RECOMMENDS TOTAL

Official Fuel Consumption in mpg (l/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km) for the 208 range are Urban 34.9-78.5 (8.1-3 6), Extra Urban 62.8-88.3 (4.5-3.2), Combined 48.7-83.1 (5.8-3.4) and CO2 135-87 (g/km)
FROM £9,995 ON THE ROAD
Model shown ts a 208 Feline 1.6 VTi, 120 3dr with metallic paint at £16,790 OTR. Price quoted are on the road and include delivery to dealership, number plates, 12 months' Government vehicle duty, £55 Government first registration fee. Offer and information correct at time of going to press. Visit Peugeot.co.uk for full terms and conditions.

Monday, December 24, 2012

THREE HOT WATCHES: TIME FOR ACTION

    Three professional grade watches for petrol heads, gear heads and all other "heads" in search of chunktastic wrist bling.

Graham Silverstone Stowe GMT
With only 500 in the series, this boasts an automatic column-wheel chronography for increased accuracy. It's motor-racing themed —hence the Incabloc shock absorber and tyre tread strap — yet waterproof to 100 metres. Presumably in case Silverstone floods.
£TBC | GRAHAM-LONDON.COM

Seiko Astron
This syncs its time and date with GPS satellites, adjusting time zones automatically, too, as you travel. Solar powered, and with a titanium or silicon strap, it has a limited run of just 2,500.
£1,750 | SEIKOWATCHES.COM

Fortis B-47 World Timer GMT
One for the globetrotting business type, the rotary dial on this luxurious timepiece features the engraved names of 24 cities, representing the world's time zones. Capable of showing the time in three locations simultaneously, the B-47 is waterproof to 200m, with an anti-reflective, sapphire crystal face.
£2,890 | FORTIS-WATCHES.COM

The LEAP: HIGH ON E-MOTION

    The Leap brings next-gen, Kinect-beating gesture control to a computer near you...

    Microsoft's Kinect has seen Xbox and PC users flapping their arms around en masse since 2010, but its usefulness beyond inexplicable fitness things for ladies and bedroom modders has been minimal. Could controller-less control make a bigger splash? Leap Motion's The Leap, a sleek, Apple-like USB peripheral that creates a virtual 3D interactive space measuring eight cubic feet, allows you to control your PC using a, range of complex hand movements. It claims to be 200 times more accurate than anything else on the market, picking out individual finger movements so you can, say, pinch to zoom like on a tablet's touchscreen. Support for a variety of artistic, mapping and gaming apps is promised and the Minority Report-esque future is sure looking affordable, too.
$70 (UK PRICE TBC), LEAPMOTION.COM, OUT DECEMBER

Hands-off with The Leap

Accurate
Apparently 200 times more precise than any other gesture-based controller (hello Kinect), The Leap tracks movements to an accuracy of 1/100th of a millimeter.
Intuitive
Natural hand motions can
be used to control all manner of apps and could reinvent the way we use computers. Will you really miss your mouse?
Gamer-savvy
Use your forefinger and thumb as a makeshift gun and click your thumb down to fire at onscreen enemies. You be careful with that dangerous weapon, now...
Multitouch
Imagine multitouch gestures without the need for the touch bit. The Leap processes detailed, multiple point recognition feedback, allowing you to pinch-to  zoom in thin air.
Customisable
With 3D mapping, bespoke gestures can be set to trigger desired reactions from your computer. We recommend a talent show-style finger phone to launch a Skype call.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Microsoft Windows Phone 8 released


    Completing the upcoming Windows assault starting line-up alongside Surface, the eighth iteration of MS's phone OS bring integrated Skype calls, more dynamic homescreen tiles and the NFC-enabled Wallet Hub to challenge iOS and Android.
    Expect a fleet of new, higher-specced devices to coincide with the launch, too, not least because Windows Phone 7 handsets will not be upgradable to the system.

MICROSOFT.COM

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Sony Xperia Go: THE BEAR GRYLLS OF BLOWERS


    This rugged looking fellow is Sony's first foray into "lifestyle-beating" handsets. The IP7- compliant handset's 3.5-inch screen is wrought from purest, scratch-resistant mineral glass and can track even moistened fingers. Inside there's a decidedly macho-sounding "NovaThor" 1GHz dualcore processor, Android Gingerbread and a five-meg/720p camera. Nails, mate.

£TBC, SONYMOBILE.COM, OUT SEPTEMBER

Western Digital My Net N900 Router


    With no fewer than seven Gigabit ethernet ports and up to 900Mbps dual-band wireless connectivity, the N900 router (no modem here) is for garners, HD streamers and other Megabit-chomping bandwidth hogs. Cunning, if curiously spelled, FasTrack Plus tech automatically detects and prioritises high-intensity tasks such as iPlayer, Netflix and Xbox Live sessions, for smoother video and a crucial gaming edge.

£170 | WDC.COM

Monday, December 17, 2012

Sharp Aquos LC-90LE745U: behold the Megatelly


    LG's 55in OLED TV may be a wafer-thin slice of the future, but how many chances do you get to show off how light a television it is? Sharp's latest set Isn't as high-tech — though it still has 3D, smart services and an 8,000,000:1 contrast ratio — but it does have one advantage. When people come round and say, "What on earth is that 90in monstrosity?", you can reply, "That? Oh, it's the largest LED TV in the world."$11,000 | sharp.com

Bang & Olufsen Playmaker: maybe it's a toaster


    As games go, there is none older or more popular than What-The-Hell-is-That. The ancients played it when they saw a meteor or unusual frog, the first scientists played it with early telescopes, and now we're playing it with Whatever-The-Hell-This_Thing is. A router? A smoke alarm? OK, our guess... a digital music streamer that plays lossless audio via DLNA or AirPlay, and turns a pair of speakers into a wireless hi-fi controlled by B&O's fab BeoPlay app. Wait, right first time? No way!£400 | bang-olufsen.com

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Plane sight: Spyhawk

    Remote control planes are fun, but when flying one there's always that moment when your little plane is really high in the air, and it becomes a speck, and you realise that you, too, are just a tiny, temporary speck in an unimaginably huge, uncaring universe, Not if you're flying the Spyhawk — the controller's 3.5in screen shows a live feed from its 5MP front camera, so even at its maximum range of 600m, you've still got an unrealistic sense of your own place in life.
£250 | red5.com

DenonAH-NCW500: PUMP UP THE VOLVO-UME

    Alltoo often when a gadgufacturer tries to make products 'retro' they end up looking like Sputnik satellites with a sideline in panini-making. But Denon has crafted a pair of high-end, noise-cancelling headphones that hark back to the true golden age of transport — Dad's car, c.1987. With a look that's part boombox, part Volvo 340, these 40mm-driver, Bluetooth 3.0 babies are built for comfort, have a 'control wheel' on the side for playback, volume and talk control, and boast sound-deadening tech to silence annoying aircraft noise — or annoying kids begging for a toilet break. Now for some Phil Collins...

As hot as...driving a Ford Capri with Jenny Agutter

£400 | denon.co.uk

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Hot stuff mix: Sony KDL-46HX853, Xbox 360, Sony BDV-N590, Sky + HD

Sony KDL-46HX853
Sony has got off to a flier with its 2012 TVs, so it seems churlish not to stay 'on brand': the HX853 combines stylish looks and superb pictures.
Xbox 360
No PS3? Well, you've got Sony Music and Video Unlimited and a Blu-ray player on the cinema system, so fire-up Xbox Live in surround sound instead.

Sony BDV-N590
A master of all trades, the N590 delivers sterling audio and video performance plus an exhaustive selection of smart features at a knockdown price.

Sky + HD
If the N590 takes care of the sound and the Sony TV ensures a great picture, why not let the Sky box give you something to watch, with over 50 HD channels and a handful of decent 3D options.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Hot stuff: Google Nexus 7 reviews

SPECIFICATION
1 FINISH
The grippy, textured finish offers a comfy, secure hold. Perhaps "premium" isn't quite the word here, but it's not unpleasant
2 CAMERA
The 1.2-meg front-facing camera caters for Skype video chats and multi-user Google+ Hangouts
3 SCREEN
The resolution is 1280x800 HD that, at seven inches across, equates to 216ppi. It's also scratch resistant
4 CHARGE DOCK
When the compatible charger arrives you'll be able to charge more-or-less contactlessly via these artistic holes

    The Nexus 7 is the first Android device to run on Jelly Bean, the latest version of Google's mobile OS. As its "Android 4.1" alias suggests, it's evolving rather than, er, revolting, but it does make for a more sophisticated user experience; let us take you through some of its sauciest new features.
    Everything is displayed in a slick card interface not unlike the application cards used on Palm's late and lamented WebOS. It's a brilliant example of how intelligent and intuitive devices like this can be, even if it does raise questions about privacy. Obviously, you can turn Now off if you're concerned about carrying a spy around in your pocket.
    The improved voice control is essentially a rival for Siri. It doesn't tell dad you've found mum's present, but it does make searching for facts and pictures easier(so long as you don't mind babbling to an inanimate object like a loon).
    As well as a bang up-to-date, optimised, unskinned OS, the Nexus 7 has plenty of power under the hood with enough muster to tackle multitasking and deliver smooth streaming video. Unlike its seven-inch competitors, it packs a Tegra 3 quadcore processor. In fact, it's actually "quin-core" as there's an additional one that handles low-intensity tasks, rather than unleashing the power-hungry quadcore on obscure system operations and sending texts.
    Combined with Android 4.1's, ahem, evocatively-named "Project Butter", it makes for some seriously slick navigation. Touch response is particularly improved, and there's a smarter virtual keyboard that adapts to your typing style.
    The Nexus 7's design choices are impeccable. A tablet is no place for rear cameras, and it wisely sticks to a 1.2-meg front-facer that offers enough clarity and quality for video calling over Skype, Google+ et al.
    If you are planning to use the GPS, the new Google Maps now lets you cache content offline, so you can pre-plan your route and have it all there in the memory — essential, given the lack of 3G.
    Android Beam.allows you to instantly send pictures, music and videos via NFC to compatible devices. It's of slightly limited use compared to something like AirPlay, and there's also no HDMI output to get your tablet's media out into the wider world.
    Asus claims around nine hours of battery life, about the same as the new iPad. With the fifth, battery-saving core doing its job, it'll comfortably get you through the day. Android tab to really rival the iPad. Why? The economy, stupid: the 8GB model costs just £159.
    Compare with Kindle Fire, I think the Nexus 7 is a better, more attractive and powerful tablet. It's also easier to get content onto it from sources other than its manufacturer. And, what do you think of the amazing stuff?

Monday, December 3, 2012

Aspid GT-21 Invictus: THE FAST AND THE CURIOUS

    Sleek, menacing, desirable. But enough about Luke Peters' ed's letter photograph, this limited-edition supercar has an ultra-lightweight, 80kg "spaceframe" chassis, which can be bulleted to 62mph in under three seconds, and thence to 189mph, like a Batmobile being dropped off a cliff All that's required is a powerful-but-not-massively-so, 4.4-litre, 450bhp, BMW V8 engine. Invictuses will be handmade at the rate of just 250 per year, so you'd better move with equal rapidity.
£TBC, IFRAUTOMOTIVE.COM/ASPIDCARS, OUT 2014

NEW NOISE: Sony F800 Walkman

The 80s is having a revival right now, so what better time to "hang in a buffalo stance," listening to Yazoo on a Walkman? This one packs Android, Wi-Fi and a 3.5-inch touchscreen rather than a three-band graphic equaliser, and stores music on 8GB, 16GB or 32GB of RAM rather than stretchy cassette tapes. Other than that, it's identical to its heroic forebears in every way.
SONY.CO.UK, OUT NOW


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

CANON EOS M REVIEWS: DIAL M FOR MAGIC

Canon boils down all its DSLR know-how into a stylishly-cased compact system camera that works with all its full-size lenses too... Sony has its nex range, Panasonic has the GF series, Olympus the PEN and Nikon the "1". To that burgeoning list you can now add the EOS M, the first compact system camera (CSC) from optical heavyweight Canon.

The EOS M is built around the top combo of an 18-meg, APS-C hybrid CMOS sensor and a Digic 5 processor. With the addition of the EF-EOS M adaptor (ЈTBC) you can also use it with any of Canon's range of over 70 EF lenses, opening up new creative possibilities. That makes this a potentially great choice for anyone downsizing from a Canon DSLR.

As well as the ability to pick from this humungous, established lens range, the EOS M also has its own bespoke selection, including a pancake lens and a standard zoom - see Accessorise, bottom right. These slimline lenses feature Stepper Motor technology, which Canon claims offers exceptional AF performance.

There's no built-in flash, but a new, compact Speedlite 90EX flash unit has also been rustled up for the M. Want to get experimental? It includes wireless flash support, allowing you to control multiple flash guns remotely. Which is, well, flash.

On the rear there's a three-inch, Clear View LCD II touchscreen, which allows you to focus on a desired part of the shot by tapping on screen, and makes navigating the EOS M's many features a breeze. There are plenty of shooting modes, settings and creative filters to swipe through, from Toy Camera to monochrome to one that mimics a fish-eye lens. Filters can be applied prior to shooting, and you can preview their outcomes using Live View.

Feeling a bit "tired"? You can let the EOS M do the thinking for you. Scene Intelligent Auto mode adjusts the camera's settings based on what you're shooting and what the lighting is like, ensures point-and-shoot ease when you need to get the perfect shot quickly.

Full-HD video can be recorded at up to 25fps with stereo sound, or as short, easily editable clips using Canon's Video Snapshot mode - you can even edit these on the cam. All videos benefit from the M applying continuous autofocus during shooting.

For such a compact device, the EOS M has a lot going on. It's a serious DSLR-alike for those that desire to pack a lighter camera for their city breaks. It is, however, the same price as a top-of-the-range DSLR without the full functionality of one. So the question is how much are you willing to pay for portability?

If the answer is "About Ј770 RRP, actually;' then the Canon EOS M will make a very classy addition to your carry-on luggage when it launches this autumn.