Hottest 100 Christmas gadget guide

Christmas is not just a time for giving, but a time for gadgets. This is a compilation of the best technology from 2014 for you to wrap up for others, or yourself.

Christmas is a not just a time for giving, but a time for gadgets. The Hottest 100 Christmas gadget guide compiles the best technology of 2014 for you to wrap up for others, or yourself. In the fifth chapter, Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson and Rod Chester round up the finest tablet computers and smartphone accessories Yuletide 2014 has to offer.

TABLETS

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact

News_Image_File: Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact tablet computer.

When holding this tablet in your hands — the thinnest and lightest waterproof tablet in the world — you may momentarily forget you’re holding any weight at all. This 8-inch tablet weighs just 270g, making it an able commuting partner. The 6.4mm slim, Google Android tablet also features an 8.1-megapixel rear camera, 2.2-megapixel front camera, 16GB built-in storage, and the ability to work as a PlayStation 4 controller.

Sony

$499

sony.com.au

• Pros
• — Lightest waterproof tablet
• — Waterproof form
• — Powerful hardware

• Cons
• — Lots of preloaded software
• — Screen resolution doesn’t match competitors
• — Not quite as slim as the iPad Air 2

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5

News_Image_File: Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 tablet computer.

Samsung’s first premium tablet has the best screen in the business. Its 10.5-inch Super AMOLED screen is not only bigger than that of its rivals but it features a greater resolution, with a pixel density of 288ppi that makes text sharper than sharp. The tablet also offers an octa-core chip, 3GB RAM, 8-megapixel rear camera, fingerprint scanner, and a nine-hour battery life. It can be accessories with covers that securely clip on to its back panel, though that panel is plastic.

Samsung

$599-749

samsung.com/au

• Pros
• — Stunning Super AMOLED, high-resolution screen
• — Slender body for easy carriage
• — Multi-window multi-tasking

• Cons
• — Limited built-in storage
• — Fingerprint scanner can be temperamental
• — Not everyone will appreciate its plastic exterior

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

News_Image_File: Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 tablet computer.

This tablet is more of a hybrid computer. While its 12-inch touchscreen can display the social networks and digital magazines you’d normally see on a tablet, push out its built-in kickstand and this device can stand in for a fully featured laptop computer. It has a full-size USB 3.0 port for data transfers, Intel chips up to Core i7 for power, and storage up to 512GB. The Surface Pro 3 comes preloaded with Windows 8.1 Pro, though users must purchase a subscription to use Microsoft Office on it.

Microsoft

$979-$2279

surface.com

• Pros
• — Powerful enough to do the work of a laptop
• — Redesigned kickstand delivers many angles
• — Best keyboard in the tablet market

• Cons
• — Bulkier than a typical tablet
• — No mobile connection available
• — Limited Windows apps

Apple iPad Air 2

News_Image_File: Apple iPad Air 2 tablet computer.

How do you whittle down a tablet’s profile to just 6.1mm? Practice. Apple’s eighth tablet computer has a conveniently slim form that brings its weight down to just 437g. It’s also more powerful than before thank to an A8X chip, more secure thanks to a TouchID fingerprint scanner, and easier to see thanks to an anti-reflective coating that dulls overhead lights. The resolution of its rear camera has also jumped from 5 to 8 megapixels.

Apple

$619-$1019

apple.com/au

• Pros
• — Lightweight tablet makes for easy carriage
• — Fingerprint scanner for added security
• — Faster processing and wi-fi connections

• Cons
• — Small speakers deliver less volume
• — Smaller battery
• — No optical image stabilisation in camera

Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro

News_Image_File: Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro tablet computer.

Unsure if you want a tablet or a laptop? Lenovo’s offers an alternative with a convertible Windows laptop that is just 12.88mm thick and 1.2kg. The beauty of this design is in the hinge that lets you have the screen facing you in a conventional laptop manner or, in tablet mode, doubles over flat so the keyboard is underneath the screen. The 3200x1800, 20-point multi-touch screen is eye-catching and ports include a USB and a 4-in-1 card reader. It’s powered by the new Intel Core M chip. One downside is the average battery life of 7.2 hours — a cut of nearly two hours over its predecessor.

Lenovo

$2099

lenovo.com/au

• Pros
• — Clever hinge design
• — HD display
• — Very light and thin

• Cons
• — Disappointing battery life
• — Expensive
• — Doesn’t match previous model in some specs

SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

Samsung Gear VR

News_Image_File: Samsung Gear VR virtual reality headset.

This unique headset delivers virtual reality for a modest financial investment. Users must clip a Galaxy Note 4 phone into the front of Samsung’s Gear VR headset. It uses this phone as a screen to deliver what appear to be 360-degree videos and games that are truly immersive. Downloads for this headset include interactive tours of beautiful real-world locations, and asteroid-shooting space games.

Samsung

$249

samsung.com/au

• Pros
• — First readily available virtual reality device
• — 360-degree gaming or videos
• — Relatively inexpensive

• Cons
• — Only works with the Samsung Galaxy Note 4
• — Large for a headset
• — No spectacles allowed

4-In-1 Lens for Samsung Galaxy S5

News_Image_File: Olloclip 4-in-1 Photo Lenses for Samsung Galaxy S5.

The convenience of a smartphone can turn you into an obsessed photographer but even the best smartphones have lens limitations. Olloclip expands that choice with pocketable clip-on lenses that add macro, fisheye and wide-angle shots to your arsenal. Its L-shaped bracket clips on to the top and side of the phone. One lens doubles as a fisheye and 15x macro, the other is a wide-angle and 10x macro lens. You won’t be able to fit this on your phone if it’s in a case but these could open a world of photographic possibilities.

Olloclip

$US70

olloclip.com

• Pros
• — Clever design of four lenses in one unit
• — Macro lens will take smartphone photography to new levels
• — Highly portable

• Cons
• — Covers up some of phone buttons
• — Won’t fit on a phone in case
• — Tricky focusing correctly with macro lens’ shallow depth of field

Lifeproof Fre for iPhone 6

News_Image_File: Lifeproof Fre case for iPhone 6.

Two months have passed since the Apple iPhone 6 launch, but the release of the matching Lifeproof case proves good things come to those who wait. Like all Lifeproof cases, this is waterproof (up to 2m for one hour), dirt-proof, and shockproof with the hard shell designed to protect the phone in drops of up to 2m. This being a Fre model in the Lifeproof range, it has a thin screen protector, but the case still lets you use the phone’s TouchID fingerprint sensor. Other notable elements include its slim form and anti-reflective glass to protect your camera lens.

Lifeproof

$89.95

lifeproof.com

• Pros
• — Protects against water and drops
• — Lifeproof’s click-in armbands and bike mounts
• — Slim design gives access to all ports

• Cons
• — Charging port cover too narrow for some third-party cables
• — Need to use included extension for most headphone cords
• — Case size prevents using many armbands and power docks

Neontuff screen protector

News_Image_File: Neontuff phone screen protector.

If you love your smartphone, seeing a phone with a smashed screen can drive arrows through your heart. The best way to avoid it is to avoid drops. The next is to get a tough case or protector to reduce the chances of disaster. NeonTuff goes beyond the basic screen protector, adding a layer to your screen that is anti-impact, anti-scratch and shockproof.

Neon

$39.95

neontuff.com

• Pros
• — Glass-like touch
• — Tough
• — Easy to apply

• Cons
• — Some tough cases don’t allow room for screen protector
• — Doesn’t reach right to the edges
• — Designed to be applied once only

Mophie Power Reserve

News_Image_File: Mophie Power Reserve portable battery.

Mophie is a top name in battery packs and for good reason. The company’s Power Reserve is the smallest battery pack in its range and although it will only boost your smartphone battery by about 60 per cent, that is often enough to get you through a crisis. It’s just a fraction under 8cm long, has an LED power indicator, and comes with a built-in Lightning or Micro USB connector for Apple or Google phones.

Mophie

$59.95

mophie.com

• Pros
• — Compact size
• — LED power display
• — Built-in cable

• Cons
• — Not a full charge
• — Will not charge a tablet
• — Built-in cable means it charges iOS or Android but not both

News_Module: NN-INTL-PROMO-CHRISTMAS-GADGETS-2014-CHAPTERS