10 Best Smartphones in 2014

NO.1: LG G2

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you: that really is an LG smartphone atop this most prestigious of lists. And deservedly so –the G2 is the best phone we’ve ever used. Its 5.2in,1080p screen is razor sharp, with superb viewing angles and inky blacks; its quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor handles demanding tasks with nonchalant ease; its 13MP camera takes amazing photos... All that, and its battery just keeps on going. How did they do it? No idea. But we're very glad that they did.

NO.2: HTC One

With its gorgeous aluminium body, low-light-tastic camera and stunning 4.7in screen, the HTC One is a truly desirable phone. But the forthcoming One 2, with its rumoured 5in screen, 2GB of RAM and dual lenses, sounds more desirable still. Colour us excited.

NO.3: Google Nexus 5
Delivering top-end spec at a mid-range price, the new Nexus has a bigger 4.95in screen, faster processor and a satisfactory 8MP snapper. But the biggest improvement is its chocolatey-smooth Android KitKat 4.4 OS. Astounding value.

NO.4: 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 we’re ready for iPhone 6.

NO.5: Samsung Galaxy S4
The S4 is like a deep-filled sandwich of tech: a 5in 1080p screen,13MP camera, 4G and quick quad-core processor. It lacks the premium build quality of the G2 and One, but if you crave upgradeable storage or a replaceable battery, your search ends here.

NO.6: Sony Xperia Z1
Like an otter, the Z1 is sleek, powerful and waterproof. Unlike an otter, it's only waterproof to 1.5m. Like an otter, it's a quick mover, with a fast processor and reasonably quick Android build. Unlike an otter, the Z1 is good at taking pictures.

NO.7: 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 No7. By Crumbles, though, it’s good. Blistering processor, 5.7in screen and stylus smarts. It’s the best gigantophone there is.

NO.8: Motorola Moto G
Google's sprinkled some magical Nexus dust over its latest Motorola blower: the Moto G costs a mere £130 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: £130!

NO.9: BlackBerry Q10
The Q10 is the BlackBerry the QWERTY faithful have been waiting for. Its combination of a great little screen, lovely big keyboard and lots of grunt makes it a productivity powerhouse. The Q5 is cheaper (£215) but also plasticky and underpowered.

NO.10: Nokia Lumia 1020
Finally, acameraphone worthy of the name. TheWP8-running1020 takes superb 38MP snaps, or super-detailed 5MPers. Optical stabilisation and xenon flash, too. We also like the 1520 – a 6in WinPhone phablet with plenty of power, good looks and stamina too.

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HOW TO BUILT THE ULTIMATE tECH HOME

Scenario #1 You want a single app-controlled security cam
The most cursory of Google searches will reveal that there are several home security cameras out there. Most also have rich forum threads attached, where people swap advice on how to get them working properly. Not so the Belkin Netcam HD Wi-Fi (£100, belkin.com/uk): you merely download the app to your iOS or Android device, then view the feed from the camera on your phone’s screen. There’s no motion sensing, but it does have infrared illumination for dark rooms, and you can save its video to your device. Effortless.

Scenario #2 You want a smart, expandable home security system
Of all the emerging new wave of easy fit-and-forget systems, Piper(from £520, getpiper.com) is one of the neatest. You can fit it with plug-and-play wide-angle cameras, then set them up IFTTT-style to perform different actions depending on what they see, or hear. They also measure temperature and humidity and can be combined with wireless Z-Wave accessories such as door sensors or smart switches, so you can get sit back safe in the knowledge that your house is secure. Not that you can afford anything worth stealing anyway.

Scenario #3 You want a next-gen smoke alarm
Smoke alarms: for ten minutes of your life, they're indispensable. For the remainder, they're either mute, or unnecessarily loud and annoying. Nest, known for its net-connected thermostats, has made a smarter smoke alarm. If the Nest Protect (£110, nest.com) detects smoke or carbon monoxide, it'll speak its worries out loud, giving you a chance to silence it with a wave if you’ve merely burnt the roasties. It'll glow if its batteries are dying, rather than chirp annoyingly, it’s smartphone connected and even acts as a nightlight if it sees you staggering around in the dark.

INCOMING
Smart security gizmos will rule 2014. Well, in so much as a low-key white box can rule anything. Look out for these soon.

Ninja Sphere
These thingternet pioneers have gone up-tech with a device that interacts with your other gadgets.
ninjablocks.com

Canary
A one-box sensor that keeps an eye on your house using audio, video and movement. Due summer 2014.
canary.is

SmartThings
A wireless hub that sends info on your home to your phone. Works with third-party wireless doodads.
smartthings.com

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GARMIN DASH CAM 10

In anideal world, we'd all have Google Street View cameras on top of our cars, constantly hoovering in 65MP, 360°footage of absolutely everything happening around our beloved motor. But then we’d need a whole bunch of heavy servers in the boot and the fuel consumption would be a drag. Instead, we’ll have to make do with Garmin’s rather tidier Dash Cam, that suckers itself to the windscreen and, when the inbuilt accelerometer feels that something exciting is happening, saves the pertinent bit of its continuously looping 1080p video. The footage is time-stamped and, if you get the £200 Dash Cam 20, GPS geo-stamped too.


£170 / garmin.com/uk

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