Stuff Magazine - November 2014 UK

TEST GAMESYou choose your missions It’s not all spells and skill The new from up in orbit before trees – there’s plenty of Guardian guide boarding a ship to begin old-skool fragging to do Creating an avatar to represent all of your Destiny exploits is a challenge in itself. You don’t want to make the wrong choice, especially when it comes to class. In theory the Titan is the meat-headed tank, the Hunter is the sneaky back-stabby type and the Warlock is the space wizard; but in practice their attributes are all very similar, and there are no restrictions in terms of weapons. Each class gets its own armour styles, though, so it really comes down to deciding which one you think looks more awesome – the Warlock’s long coats, the Hunter’s hoods and cloaks or the Titan’s Master Chief-like armour plating. The other stuff it influences is the type of double-jump you get, the sort of grenades you lob, and which ‘special’ you get to use when the yellow gauge fills up. For the Titan it’s a Hulk-smash, for the Warlock a massive magic grenade; the Hunter gets a golden gun that James Bond would envy. Each class does get a later sub-class, and you might find you need to perform a more specific role in your fireteam when it comes to tackling the nails-hard Raids, but for the majority of the game you can mix it up however you want. 101

TEST GAMES iOS / 2kgames.comBioShockCan the classic ultra-immersive shootersurvive being squeezed down to iPhoneand iPad without losing its addictive soul? I still vividly recall playing inputs you need aren’t resting The retro the original BioShock on right below a thumb or finger, illustrations of Xbox 360, exploring the and slowed reactions are bound the unlockabledepths of its underwater fantasy to get you killed at some point. plasmid powerssetting, tensing up at the brash Big Luckily, BioShock supports MFi are as daft asDaddy showdowns, and soaking controllers, and that’s definitely ever. Cartoonin an eerie atmosphere unlike the way to play. violence!anything I’d ever played before.Would someone new to the game Even as an early last-gen Remember Pipehave that same kind of experience release, this was one of the most Mania? Hackingon a 4in touchscreen? visually stunning games ever… but turrets, cameras The iPhone and iPad version it looks ragged in this incarnation. and vendingthankfully keeps the BioShock The models all have rough edges, machines inexperience intact, maintaining textures are muddled, and lighting BioShock isthe incredible dystopian city of issues abound. The great original just like thatRapture, with its gene-spliced work isn’t lost, but it’s a bit moreenemies and terrifying armoured difficult to appreciate.warriors, terrific art deco designand ever-intriguing narrative. BioShock has been aroundThat’s the best news of all – for seven years now, so it’s notBioShock still feels original after hard to find cheaply for Xbox 360,all these years. PC or PS3. And indeed, every The lack of physical inputs on other version of the game is moreiOS devices means big changes: polished and precise than this one.thus, a virtual stick and buttons. But still, phones and tablets areBy and large, it does the trick – turning more players onto gamesthe attacking buttons match the than ever before and this is still aoverall aesthetic well and are nicely tremendous single-player shooterlaid out. But there’s a clumsiness experience – one that’s solidlyto playing a shooter when all the enjoyable with touch controls, but truly great with a gamepad. Andrew Hayward STUFF SAYS It’s not quite so slick on iOS, but BioShock still shines through ++++,102



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DESIGN See your hi-tech home in a new light… with a new light. These areour favourite ultra-modern lamps [ Photography Pete Gardner ] GASSLING OOPS I DROPPED THE BULB We’re not sure what the returns policy is when you buy this Swedish lamp, but it’s unlikely Gassling will take it back if you claim it looks a bit broken. Its moment-of-impact design is deliberately 3D-printed in white nylon, while a 6W LED takes care of the actual lighting duties. Also available from Gassling’s website are a pair of ceiling lamps in similar style and a range of eco-friendly boxer shorts. We’re not sure about the returns policy on those either. €400 / gassling.com 105

DESIGN NORTHERN LIGHTING DIVA Swedish furniture is so last week. If you really want to put the ‘in’ in interior design, you need to direct your glance to its nordic neighbour, Norway. The Scandinavian kingdom’s design council saw fit to bestow its award for design excellence on the 1.2m-tall Diva floor lamp, no doubt inspired by its striking feminine figure. Either that, or the judging panel were afraid the artful ninja who carved it would turn his katana on them in their beds. They have ninjas in Norway, right? £1755 / northernlighting.no106

DESIGNQISDESIGN CORALShould your decorative tastesextend to the maritime, the Corallamp is designed to look a bit like,well, a coral. Its glassy diffusers mimicthe diaphanous polyps of everyone’sfavourite reef-dwelling intervertebrate,creating a peaceful luminescence toaccompany your whale-song playlistwhile you try to forget about thehammerhead sharks, decompressionsickness and other innumerable perilsof the deep. For maximum effect, paintthe walls blue and wear neoprenetrousers and a pair of flippers.£280 / lampled.co.uk 107

DESIGN ANDROMEDA: TACTICAL LIGHTING If you’re unsure why anyone would want to design the “world’s first military-inspired tactical tri-rail lamp” that “fully utilizes the Picatinny rail system”, the Andromeda might not be your first choice of light. If, like the 384 people who backed its Kickstarter campaign, you think it would be ‘epic’, ‘badass’ and ‘awesome’ to mount a thermal sight to your bedside light, look no further. But do contemplate the irony of fitting night vision to a lamp. US$560 / sketchydesignstudio. bigcartel.com108

DESIGNKIRSTY SHAW CIRCULARLAYERED TABLE LAMPThis literally-named bit of lightwarethrows out colourful arcs in everydirection, even redistributing beamsof sunlight caught by its stack ofbrightly-hued acrylic discs. Shouldyou need further persuasion beforedropping a hundred notes, it can alsodouble up as a space-age plate rackor be used as set dressing if youhappen to be a Dr Who directorfrom the mid-’80s. Practicalityforbids these bonus featuresbeing included in the name.£100 / notonthehighstreet.com/kirstyshaw 109

DESIGN AMINIMAL FIELD LAMP THE LIGHTS THAT NEVER GO OUT: LAMP CLASSICS Although the Field Lamp looks at first O Lava lamp O Anglepoise O Emeralite O Tiffany lamp glance like it’s just come back from 1963 1932 1901 approx 1895 a visit to Janet Street-Porter’s stylist, there’s method in its mad mess of Invented by Edward Designed by George The classic ‘banker’s Louis Comfort Tiffany curvy acrylic tendrils. They represent Craven Walker, the Carwardine, the lamp’ is the bowler was once thought to the magnetosphere – the invisible Lava lamp is still in iconic Anglepoise hat and pinstripe have come up with magnetic field surrounding the production (in the was banned by BBC suit of the lighting these timelessly Earth. Granted, it’s unlikely the soft UK) over 50 years bosses who felt world. It’s often ornate stained glass incandescence of the Field Lamp will later. For best results people working in used in TV and film and lead lamps, but it protect you from solar winds and draw the tie-dyed spotlit solitude would sets to describe the later transpired that cosmic rays in the same way, but it curtains and light a produce smuttier administrative nature Clara Driscoll was the does create a pleasant shading effect. patchouli joss stick. programming. of a workplace. real creative spark. Which is something at least. US$450 / aminimalstudio.com110





GROUP TEST BARGAIN BLOWERS 5 OF THE BEST Sub-£150smartphones Forget pixelly screens, sluggish web speeds and Etch-a-Sketch cameras: you can now get a reliable all-rounder on a titchy budget BEST FOR... YOUR FIRST PHONENokia Lumia 630 Price£90/nokia.comWhat’s that? and now it also has usefulIn a sea of cheap Androids, the Android-style features andLumia 630 stands out like an settings. Even the 5MP cameraalien: a neon orange buoy keeping has its moments – it’s no LumiaWindows Phone fans safe from 1020 but the outdoor and macroridicule. It’s essentially a bigger shots look great and low-lightversion of 2013’s Lumia 520 images aren’t the grainiest we’vewith the latest 8.1 software. ever encountered. The 630 isSure, Android has more games a little slow in use next to theand the 630 is far from the likes of the Moto G but it’s easyhighest-specced device here, to forgive that at this low price.but this Nokia gets a lot right. If you can’t live without 4G, tryThe battery life is the best for the similar (but around £50the money – not by much, but more expensive) Lumia 635.the 630 will give you an extra houror so over the rest. It’s the lightest Tech 4.5in 854x480 (221ppi)at 134g, and comes with a decent O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm(if low-res) screen and excellent Snapdragon 400, 512MB RAMfreebies including Nokia Drive. O5MP 720p rear, no front camera O1830mAh O8GB (plus up toAny good? 128GB with microSD) Ono 4GWindows Phone 8.1 is friendlier O129.5x66.7x9.2mm O134gthan stock KitKat for beginners,STUFF SAYS Cheap, cheerful but outclassed by the budget Androids ++++, 113

GROUP TEST BARGAIN BLOWERS EE Kestrel Price £100 / ee.co.uk BEST FOR... What’s that? its Emotion UI software. Still, the 4G 4G has been out of reach for battery life is brilliant (it’ll last an FUN anyone on a tight smartphone awesome 12 hours of regular budget. Until now. With 4G, a big usage), unlike some, plus it has battery and quad-core power, both an OK front camera – as EE’s Kestrel is no run-of-the-mill long as you avoid night-time smartphone. Available for just shots – and a rear flash. It’s £100 outright, or £14 a month, light at 145g and seriously slim: this tweaked and rebranded 4.5in at 7.85mm it makes handsets Huawei handset might tempt you like the Moto E and Lumia 630 ahead of the Moto G 4G. But while look and feel very chunky. The the Kestrel ticks one box usually fastest browsing and streaming reserved for phones two or three this side of £150, then, but not times the price, it makes a few quite the full package. compromises in the name of low-budget connectivity. Tech 4.5in 540x960 (245ppi) O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Any good? Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAM For starters, it lacks the lovely HD O5MP 720p rear, 1MP front screen and smooth performance O2000mAh O4GB (plus up of the top Moto. It also has the to 32GB with microSD) O4G most retro design of the bunch, O131x65.3x 7.85mm O145g in terms of both hardware and STUFF SAYS The cheapest for 4G, but there are better all-rounders ++++, Moto E Price £90 / motorola.co.uk What’s that? though lower-res than that of BEST FOR... Tech-lovers on a sub-£100 the Moto G 4G opposite, is still YOUR budget may finally have a solution. a cracker, with apps, games WALLET Serving up a tidy, reliable, loveable and webpages all looking lovely. Android for the masses, the 4.3in Its main flaw is its camera, but Moto E is your best bet for under we find that most handsets a ton. Its compact and sturdy build, under £200 disappoint in this slick performance and close-to- department. Motorola really stock Android OS impress, with has the monopoly on value only the quality of its 5MP camera, brilliance, so if you’re just after the miserly 4GB of storage and a dirt-cheap device or even the lack of a front cam letting it a second handset, you should down majorly. look no further. Any good? Tech 4.3in 540x960 (256ppi) The 1980mAh battery isn’t O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm swappable and will conk out an Snapdragon 200, 1GB RAM hour before most here, but it still O5MP 480p rear, no front camera comfortably lasts a day of light O1980mAh O4GB (plus up to use, and there are swappable 32GB with microSD) Ono 4G Motorola Shell covers to keep O124.8x64.8x12.3mm O142g the design feel fresh. The screen, STUFF SAYS This is the best smartphone you can buy under £100 ++++,114

GROUP TEST BARGAIN BLOWERS Moto G 4G Price £150 / motorola.co.ukBEST FOR... What’s that? everything run smoothly andALL-ROUND The 2013 Moto G is now ludicrously you can can expect speedy cheap, but 4G makes this new downloads, streaming and CLASS model ever better. It’s sturdily built browsing over 4G. The best and fits snugly in one hand, while bit? The Moto G still lasts a day WTINESNTER swappable Shells give you the between charges. If you have option to customise its look on specific criteria – let’s say you’re a daily basis. The 4.5in, HD, 326ppi a n00b who likes the look of screen is the real selling point over Windows Phone, or taking pics its fuzzier-screened rivals. Next is your priority – then other to most other phones in its class budget phones in this test might it looks pin-sharp, with vivid but make more sense. But for most, natural colours and good contrast. the G will do very nicely indeed. Any good? Tech 4.5in 1280x720 (326ppi) with It’s not without problems – the Gorilla Glass O1.2GHz quad-core 5MP camera does still disappoint Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, sometimes, especially in low light. 1GB RAM O5MP 720p rear, 1.3MP Moto’s also left the 4G with an 720p front O2070mAh O8GB almost untouched version of (plus up to 32GB with microSD) Android KitKat, adding a few O4G O129.9x65.9x11.6mm genuinely useful features O143g but nothing more. That helpsSTUFF SAYS Fantastic and futureproof, it’s budget phone perfection +++++Sony Xperia M2 Price £150/ sony.co.ukWhat’s that? lots of settings to dig into and BEST FOR...Until the new 5in Kogan Agora reliably good 1080p video. It CAMERA4G turns up, the Xperia M2 is the doesn’t get close to the top STILLSbest way to get a big screen on smartphones for picture quality,a budget. Its blocky plastic design, but it’s the best all-round snapperavailable in purple, white and black, tested here. It’s just a shame thatis based on the high-end Xperia 4.8in screen isn’t very sharp atZ2. Performance is much better 229ppi and suffers from poorthan previous mid-range Sony viewing angles. If Sony had stuckphones and battery life is pretty a higher-res screen on the M2 andgood. Plus Sony has thrown in added support for 4G, this wouldextras you won’t find on other have been more of a rival for thecheap blowers: small apps, Moto G. As it is, it falls just short.stamina mode for the battery,and a pulsing notification light Tech 4.8in 540x960 (229ppi)to last over a day of use. O1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAMAny good? O8MP 1080p rear, VGA frontThe 8MP camera is the highlight O2330mAh O8GB (plus up tohere. AF can be a little sluggish 32GB with microSD) Ono 4Gbut it’s easy to use, with Sony’s O139.6x71.1x 8.6mm O148gquick Superior Auto mode plusSTUFF SAYS Fine features and camera; only the screen lets it down ++++, 115

REVIEWS Sensory snacks From vampires to kittens, your Stuff-scrutinised rundown of this month’s key releases in film, music and books WATCH ’71_cinema M ost people don’t think he’s Catholic or Protestant, Only Lovers Godzilla of Northern Ireland as a Hook’s complete ignorance Left Alive_DVD former war zone: “You’re of the situation is exposed. _DVD, Blu-ray not even leaving the country,” an Vampires have had a rough officer tells young Private Gary It’s a dark and claustrophobic ride in recent years, but Jim Godzilla’s humans are Hook (Starred Up’s Jack O’Connell) film, shot frequently on handheld Jarmusch isn’t interested mostly run-of-the-mill before his regiment is deployed to cameras and often lit by nothing in all that teen/sexy action movie tropes, Belfast a year before the events more than streetlights and burning nonsense. His approach, but the monster, the of Bloody Sunday. But when cars, with the shadows used like contemplative yet quirky, sound and the camera a routine house search gets out it’s a horror movie. But as the night is entirely compatible with itself have enough of hand and Hook finds himself unfolds and we discover there’s Tom Hiddleston and Tilda presence to make this stranded alone in the wrong part more to ’71 than just a good guy Swinton’s offbeat turns a brilliant film: the eerie of the city, he’s very much on the lost in a bad part of town, the as Adam and Eve. Vampires scene in which a group frontline and in a dangerous and tension is ramped up. It soon haven’t felt so fresh or fun of soldiers skydive into unfamiliar world. becomes clear that a war’s in decades. This is how you the ruined city is a really a war, even when it’s on your rescue a genre. exceptional piece of When both friend and foe look doorstep, and those at the Ced Yuen movie-making. like they’ve stepped off the set of bottom of the chain of command Will Dunn a Bee Gees video, Hook struggles always come off worse, no matter STUFF SAYS +++++ to fully trust anyone but himself. which side you’re on. STUFF SAYS +++++ When he befriends a young Tom Wiggins boy and is unable to tell the junior streetfighter whether STUFF SAYS ++++,116

LISTEN REVIEWS READYou’re Dead!_Flying Lotus Kitten Clone_Douglas CouplandAs chief purveyor of LA Kendrick Lamar, Snoop The three things that down than that. Based onhipster-hop and the great Dogg and Ellison’s own keep people interested in informal interviews withnephew of sax legend John Captain Murphy alter ego the internet are humour, assorted hyper-nerdsColtrane, it’s no surprise ensure things are still kittens in baskets and porn. from the Alcatel-Lucentthat Steven Ellison, aka rooted in electronica- Cultural chin-scratcher corporation, and illustratedFlying Lotus, has gradually tinged hip-hop, with his Douglas Coupland uses with melancholy pictureslet jazz influences creep trademark Dilla-inspired two of them in this of their offices aroundinto his music. While You’re woozy beats never more entertaining yet alarming the world, this short bookDead! isn’t pure hard bop than a bebop away. analysis of online life, which sometimes feels every bitor fusion, it delves further Arguably FlyLo’s most asks just what universal as chaotic and directionlessinto that world than any of cohesive record to date connectedness has done as the web itself – but itshis previous four albums. – and you don’t need a to the human mind. Triffic, central thesis is quietlyPrince would be proud beard or a pipe to dig it. a bald Canadian moaning apocalyptic.of how the guitars are Tom Wiggins that kids these days have Richard Purvismade to wail but vocal no attention span… butappearances from STUFF SAYS ++++, Kitten Clone sniffs deeper STUFF SAYS ++++,Our Love Playland Storm_Tim Lock In_Caribou _Johnny Marr Minchin, DC Turner _John Scalzi and Tracy KingWith David Guetta, Avicii This is contemporary The sci-fi detective genreet al doing their best to guitar pop with a tinge Comedian Tim Minchin’s has more than its fairspoil 30 years of dance of electro-goth menace. graphic novel – based on share of classics, frommusic, it’s nice to have Judged as such, without a dinner-party argument The Demolished Man toDan Snaith fighting back. mentioning or even with a hippy – makes the Dirk Gently. This is goodAlthough his fourth album thinking about… y’know, case for rationality; his enough to sit with the bestas Caribou isn’t all for that band he used to be in… opponent waffles on about of them, fitting a pandemic,the dancefloor, Silver’s Marr’s second solo album auras and homeopathy. a seemingly unsolvableVangelis-esque synths is pretty decent. So here’s The writing’s sharp and murder and a pair of cops,give way to some bassier, a 50-year-old showing the artwork pops, though one of whom lives via amore old-skool sounds. the kids how it’s done; the you’ll whizz through it in telelpresence robot, into aOur Love will be the sound only question is whether less time than it takes to weekend’s fast-paced andof your second summer. it really needs doing. listen to the original poem. highly engaging reading.Tom Wiggins Richard Purvis Steven Graves Will DunnSTUFF SAYS ++++, STUFF SAYS +++,, STUFF SAYS +++,, STUFF SAYS ++++, 117

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It takes two, babyfor true stereo sound.Unlike docks and soundbars, the Q Media BT3 fromQ Acoustics delivers real stereo sound separation viaits versatile twin bookshelf speakers.“ ...the sound these speakers make will knock any similarly priced soundbars into a cocked hat”“ Few products are as versatile and easy to use as the Q BT3s““ Proper hi-fi sound and a huge boost to TV, Computer and streaming sound.” WHAT HI-FI? SOUND AND VISION“ Audio is delivered with superb clarity.” AVFORUMS“ Superb, full-range sound trumps almost every soundbar on Stream music via Bluetooth®, plus connect the audio output the market.” from your TV or set-top box* to the BT3’s built-in 100W amplifier and enjoy sound quality that comfortably outperforms TRUSTED REVIEWS typical ‘single box’ soundbars and docks. *BT3 is compatible with both Sky and Virgin remote controls.“ A neat sonic upgrade for a TV doubling up brilliantly for stereo music” HOME CINEMA CHOICEAvailable in: Jet Black Juice Red Urban White www.Qacoustics.co.uk

PROJECTS MAKE. DO. UPGRADE.p122 p124 p126 p128BETAYOURSELF: PLAYLIST: INSTANT RE-AWESOMISECOOKING PODCASTS UPGRADES: YOUR…Urgent message Entertain your FIREWORKS CHROMEBOOKfrom your ears while your Make sure there’s Get more fromoesophagus: No eyes are stuck an “ahhhh!” for that little slicemore fish fingers in the real world every “oooh!” of laptoppy love 121

PROJECTS | 11.14BETA COOKINGYOURSELF Are you a walking kitchen nightmare? Les Dunn, managing editor of food magazine delicious, shares a few tricks that might make even Monica Galetti crack a smileTHE BASICS QStay sharp. Hone your blade on a ceramic steel beforeQInvest in heavy-based every use. Don’t let anyonepans. Cheap, thin-based pans else do it – a blade adjustscook your food unevenly and to your sharpening patterntheir inferno-like hotspots make with biometric precision, andit easier to burn food. Quality kit a different hand might blunt it.such as Meyer Circulon Infinitepans (from £20, lakeland.co.uk) chickens. It’s the fastest tool QDon’t Google it! Well, don’twill last for years and years. for slicing or chopping anything, Google indiscriminately. When from a joint of beef to a clove you’re looking for a particularQUse tongs for control. Half of garlic. recipe, always use a trustedthe frustration in cooking comes source. Food magazines suchfrom things sticking or not going QCook for enjoyment. Fine as delicious (others are available)where you want them to (damn dining is about prissily trimming test every recipe they publishyou, sausages!). Tongs are like an off perfectly good bits of meat, and tweak them until they’reextra, asbestos-coated hand. or moulding food in steel rings. foolproof. There are thousands Don’t waste time on all that cheffy of recipes available online forQReach for the big knife. stuff – concentrate on flavour. free, but finding a good one isYour cook’s knife, with its 20cm like choosing tomatoes: haveblade, isn’t just for carving a good sniff first. THE SKILLS QHoning your blades. Hold the steel upright on a chopping board then run the blade across it towards you, fairly lightly, 10 times. Repeat on the other side. QProper chopping. Put a damp J-cloth under the board so it can’t slide around. Keep the tip of the knife on the board as you smoothly move the handle up and back, then down and forward, through the food. QCheat’s mixing. ‘Folding in’ with a spoon is tricky – use a balloon whisk, lifting and turning slowly. The tiny surface area means you lose very little air.122

11.14 | PROJECTS LEVEL UP WITH... SORTED FOOD £free / iOS This lot started mucking around with cookery videos to help save their fellow students from living on junk food. Refreshingly unpretentious, they’ve since rocked the food world with their YouTube channel; the new app has 700-plus recipes, with the option of uploading your own masterpieces.THE INGREDIENTS GRIDDLE THE NOW ADD THESE… McGEE ON PERFECT STEAK FOOD & COOKINGQVeg boxes. Don’t worry, QKitchenAid Artisan Mixer.they won’t turn you into a hippy. QBuy a top-quality steak: The first time you make pizzas, £26 / bookdepository.comVeg-forward cookery is big now, 225g, British, dry-aged ribeye. you’ll love all that kneading; the With his classic, weightyand a weekly consignment of Leave out of the fridge for half 20th time, you’ll wish you could 1984 tome, Harold McGeeseasonal British produce (from an hour. Get your griddle pan hot. just chuck it all into a machine. was the first to take£10.35/week, riverford.co.uk) £400 / ecookshop.co.uk a properly scientificwill help you join the revolution. QBrush the steak with oil, approach to cooking. season well and place on the QLakeland Digital The much-revisedQThe specialist site. All out of griddle, oiled side down. Cook Thermometer. Many recipes 2004 edition is evenyuzu powder? souschef.co.uk is for 2 mins, pressing to get the use precise temperatures; better. Read it, and whena one-stop shop for hard-to-find lines. Oil and season the top, don’t rely on folksy guesswork naive friends in the pubingredients, ideal when your local turn and cook for 2 mins more. methods. £20 / lakeland.co.uk regurgitate stale mythssupermarket lets you down. such as “Searing the QMeanwhile, warm a plate QTefal Jamie Oliver Clipso meat seals in the juices”,QThe lifesaving book. The in the microwave for 1 min. Rest Pressure Cooker. The cheaper you’ll have hours of funFlavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit your steak on the plate for 5-10 cuts of meat have great flavour debunking them.lists 99 popular ingredients with mins so the muscle cells relax but take hours to slow-cook…possible flavour matches: bingo, and the meat becomes more unless you have one of these. THE SCHOOL OFodds and ends become recipes. tender and juicy. Enjoy. £120 / hartsofstur.com ARTISAN FOOD 1-day courses from £145 / schoolofartisanfood.org Doing it from scratch, whether it’s curing meat or crafting your own yogurt and cheese, is what it’s all about for the contemporary food obsessive. This respected college on a country estate in Sherwood Forest can teach you all the traditional skills. 123

PLAYLIST PODCASTS Whether you fancy nipping out for a ‘learn-walk’, an ‘edu-stroll’ or a bit of ‘runtertainment’, we’ve picked the best shows for those terrifying times when you don’t have access to a screenRETRONAUTSIf you want a retrogaming listeningalternativeto YouTube’s ‘Let’sPlay’ videos, thispodcast will lookafter your 8- and16-bit needs. Itverges on the nerdyat times, and it’slengthy – but asan exploration ofbrilliant games froma bygone era, there’snothing to beat it.retronauts.comGUARDIAN RADIOLAB THE MCP FREAKONOMICS STUFF YOU WELCOME TOFOOTBALL WEEKLY SHOULD KNOW NIGHT VALE Science and Movie geeks should The podcast of theA world away philosophy are the set aside a few hours bestselling book, Did you know that Twin Peaks fan? Tunefrom the blustery, chief concerns of this to catch up with the Freakonomics digs the male pillow into fictional tales ofloud-mouthed world show from New York Motion/Captured into the world from octopus sometimes a small desert town,of sports-focused public station WNYC, Podcast, a lengthy an economist’s point breaks off one of his told through theradio, the always but it’s certainly not and well-informed of view. This means arms to use as a medium of a radioamusing James dry or exclusive: dive into the world answering a range sword against bigger broadcast. Drily,Richardson and his compelling stories, of film hosted by of questions – Does fish? We didn’t either, darkly humorous,highly knowledgeable tight editing and the screenwriter and religion make you until we started its news, weatherguests offer the use of experimental journalist Drew happy? What’s the listening to a pair of and bizarre advertssort of witty, music keep things McWeeny and best exercise? Should American bloggers create a vivid pictureanalysis-based view moving swiftly. his writing partner tipping be banned? who like to talk about of a place whereof the game that’s For a taster, listen Scott Swan. An – in a surprisingly absolutely everything weirdness is ordinary.seemingly impossible to the ‘Radiolab insightful, insider’s enthralling way. under the sun. commonplacebooks.to find anywhere else. shorts’ episodes. view of Hollywood. freakonomics.com/ stuffyoushouldknow. com/welcome-to-theguardian.com radiolab.org iTunes radio/ com night-vale124

11.14 PROJECTS NOW ADD THESE... You can’t podcastulate your brain with the wrong tools. Get the following and start reshaping your ideas-gland JABRA ROX WIRELESS You’re going to be spending gigahours listening to all this great content, so you’re going to need many ways to listen… like these liberatingly diminutive Bluetooth earphones, which have five hours of battery life. £100, jabra.co.ukUNDER THE RADAR SODAJERKER ON BLUE JAM ALL SONGS PODKICKER SONGWRITING CONSIDEREDIf you wondered what Created by Brass Apple’s own Podcasts app is prettyhad happened to ’90s Sodajerker are Eye’s Chris Morris From the non-profit handy, but if you’re an Android userTV comedy stalwart Scouse songwriting and broadcast on cultural titan NPR, the podcast-listening app is lessSean ‘Sean’s Show’ duo Simon Barber Radio 1 in the late this weekly offering obvious. Podkicker is pretty good asHughes, wonder and Brian O’Connor ’90s during the early in the style of a radio standard; the 69p Pro version addsno longer: he’s now who, when they’re hours of the morning, show is a great way goodies and removes display ads.hosting this witty, not locked in a studio, this mix of surreal to keep up to date from £free, play.google.comsharp and laid-back make this fascinating comedy sketches with what’s goingpodcast, in which podcast on the art and ambient on in indie music. SAMSON METEORITEwe find him in of songcraft. Most soundscapes Featuring track CONDENSER MICROPHONEconversation with episodes feature the was unlike anything premieres, it’s aa guest or guests pair picking the brains that had ever been must for any muso Inspired? You needn’t buy a mic to startfrom the world of a musician such as (or ever would who knows their recording your own mind-splurge, butof entertainment Loudon Wainwright III be) broadcast on Ariel Pink from their it’ll vastly improve matters if you do.and comedy. or Billy Bragg. mainstream radio. Air Supply. Equally, you needn’t buy one as prettysoundcloud.com sodajerker.com archive.org npr.org as this one… but just look at it! £40, samsontech.com 125

6INSTANTUPGRADES 5FIREWORKSNIGHTWhat better way to christen your new back garden thanwith a neighbour-annoying, dog-bothering pyrotechnicsextravaganza? Warning: may emit sparks of sensationalness 3 1 [ Illustration Jamie Sneddon ]126 6 2

11.14 | PROJECTS PYROTECHNIC PAPPING1 DUALIT STRAIGHT 2 LAUNCH KONTROL 3 BRAVEN BRV-1 TRIPODSOUP KETTLE PULSE An essential. Decide what If you’re feeling really creative, angle you want to captureYour guests are on their way, the Why would you stumble around you could always set your and set up your cameraemergency water bucket is on a muddy garden in the dark fireworks display to music. Ready on a tripod to keep itstandby, you’ve set up your when you could set off your to provide the soundtrack is the steady. You can evencamera (see panel) and the fireworks at the push of a BRV-1. It’s a compact Bluetooth use the Weye Feye (seefireworks are ready to launch... button? The Launch Kontrol speaker built to withstand the no.4, left) to see exactlybut what’s that smell? Uh-oh, Pulse is a simple wired system testing conditions of a cold, what your camera seesyou’ve boiled the mulled wine that can be used up to 20m damp November night thanks and fire off shots withoutinto a foul-tasting soup again. away. Replaceable ignition tips to its IPX5 water-resistant rating shaking it.This six-litre soup kettle is the clip to the firework fuses, and and rugged rubber exterior. Itsperfect set-and-forget option. the pad is connected via a Cat 5 twin drivers can manage 3W LONG EXPOSUREIn stainless steel with a variable network cable and powered by each of power and offer a playing If you’re using a DSLR,thermostat, it means you’ll never a 9V battery. Up to four fireworks time of up to 12 hours. It also has select manual and focusend up with horrible boiled wine can be triggered per board, and a built-in noise-cancelling mic on infinity. Keep the ISOagain. Also good for those ‘six you can chain multiple boards for hands-free calling… although at 100, set the aperturelitres of soup’ Sundays. together for bigger displays. it’s probably best not to try that to around f/12 and try£80 / nisbets.co.uk £17 / pyrostation.co.uk while the sky is exploding. exposures up to 30 secs. £130 / braven.eu If you’re using a compact camera, select night mode (no flash) or fireworks mode if it has one.4 XSORIES WEYE FEYE 5 FIREWORKS 6 HUSQVARNA TIME-LAPSE [ Photos f ckr com/n ckwhee eroz f ckr com/gotovan f ckr com/caoma youtube com/goprocamera ] INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL GLOVES If you want to recordIf you want to photograph your TOMAHAWK ROCKETS the whole thing, youfireworks, the best views aren’t You need sturdy gloves that will can compress an entirelikely to be from the safest Every good display needs a fine keep your fingers safe without fireworks displayplaces. Solution: the Weye Feye set of rockets to round it off. This being too bulky for fiddling with into a 15-second clip.– pronounced like Wi-Fi – hooks bargain pack of five Fireworks fuses. While they’re designed for Many cameras haveup to your Nikon or Canon DSLR International Tomahawks is just use with Husqvarna chainsaws, a time-lapse mode,(there’s an ‘S’ version coming the job. With two dazzling effects these are also light enough to or you can use appssoon that works with most – Silver Glittering Willow and the allow full movement, with a such as Lapse It (fromcameras) and provides live view rather cocktail-sounding Green tough yet supple goat-leather £free / iOS, Android).and remote shooting controls on Crackling Coconut with Pistil palm, extra protection for theyour smartphone or tablet via its Purple Peony – they’re the index finger and a terry-cloth EXPERIMENTown Wi-Fi network. The built-in perfect showstoppers. You’ll panel for wiping away your Feeling ambitious?battery gives up to eight hours finally be able to shake off excitement-induced sweat. The Try getting reflections,of use and it works up to 80m the stigma of that time you snug Velcro closure makes sure silhouettes of spectators…away, so you can get your disappointed everyone with a they stay put, and reflective or use flash in a groupcamera up close without putting mouldy box of Roman candles. piping makes them easier to shot with long exposureyourself in the line of fire. £20 / pyro.co.uk find if you drop one in the dark. to catch background£200 / xsories.co.uk £39 / husqvarna.com fireworks. With care, you could even use a drone to capture an aerial view. 127

PROJECTS | 11.145 RE-AWESOMISE YOUR CHROMEBOOKWAYS TO...More than a tablet but not quite a laptop, Chromebooks are difficultto define but easy to love. There’s also a lot more to them thanyou might realise – here’s how to make yours truly tremendous… 31 21 3Use it to control Beef up Give it the joyother PCs its storage of UbuntuChrome Remote Transcend 128GB CroutonDesktop SuperspeedGoogle’s Chrome If you’ve not got the 2 Missing a ‘proper’Remote Desktop, guts to open up yourwhich lets you take machine and replace operating system?control of a PC via the internal storage, Because Chromethe browser (you all is not yet lost. OS is built on Linux,can also do this Thanks to the magic Crouton can installfrom an Android of superfast USB 3.0 Ubuntu Linux (andphone), allows you data transfers, an even Android, forto outsource tougher SSD-based external advanced tinkerers)processing tasks drive is almost as alongside Chrometo your desktop, good as an internal OS. It takes someremotely control one these days. fiddling (and forsoftware or use And they’re not Pete’s sake back upit as a media server too expensive either: first) and it can befor your telly. perfect for your slow on older ARM£free / chrome. film collection. processors, but fliesgoogle.com £100 / amazon.co.uk on Celeron models. £free / github.com/4 dnschneid/croutonMake it a digital 45darkroom Save thePixlr Editor, internetPixlr Touch Up for laterBoth of thesephoto-editing apps Pocketwork offline. Pixlr ChromebooksTouch Up is fairly have been improvingbasic but Pixlr their offline prowessEditor is more of (see below), but therea Photoshop-esque are still rare momentsexperience. You’ll see when you’re losta File menu appear, without a connection.giving you menus to Install Pocket and usetrace, feather, layer, the button to savefilter, clone and so any webpage youon. It’s not going to find useful, and whenkill Adobe in the near you open the smartfuture, but it’s free. offline app on your£free / chrome. Chromebook it’ll allgoogle.com be there. £free / getpocket.com GO OFFLINE In the early days of Chromebooks, they needed an internet connection to do anything, but there are now hundreds of apps – including Gmail, Docs, games and video and photo editors – that work offline.128

GADGE T 11.14 | PROJECTSDOCTOR ALWAYS ON CALL facebook.com/joinstuff O @stuffTV google.com/+stufftv O [email protected] MAIL OF THE MONTH Q THE YOUNG ONES in terms of sound reproduction. but, to be honest, we’d go for I recently dipped my toe into Can you help me, Stuff? the ultimate in retro chic: Grado’s the murky waters of crowdfunding John Bramm SR325e (£300, gradolabs.com). and am lucky enough to be getting No doubt Neil would approve of one of the first new Pono hi-res A We reckon a music player the old-skool design, and we’re music players that Neil Young backed by Neil Young certain he’d like how they sound. launched on Kickstarter. I can’t requires suitably vintage-looking Have a Qobuz subscription to just plug in my cheapo earbuds so cans to plug into it, Brammers, so bolster your collection of hi-res the challenge now is to find a pair that gives us a couple of obvious audio. Perhaps they’ve got some of headphones that’ll do it justice options. The first is a pair of B&W Neil Young. P7s (£330, bowers-wilkins.co.uk)Speak your brains and you could win a 6-month QOBUZ HIFI SUBSCRIPTION worth £120This letter wins 6 months of unlimited streaming in lossless-quality FLAC from Qobuz, worth £20/monthQ MOBILE HONE Q DRIVE SAFELY A There are a see which times of day get I like gaming on my Galaxy After two years my few speaker- you most eyeballs.Note 3 while I’m out and about to MacBook Pro is getting full up equipped pillows outkill time, but I hate touchscreen with videos, music and photos there, but they tend Q JUST CHILLIN’controls. I’m too much of a casual but I need everything. A portable to be a) mono and I’m going to Antarctica ingamer to blow cash on a PS Vita, hard drive is no good as I actually b) audible to anyone December to spend a monthso I’m looking to get a Bluetooth use my laptop on my lap quite a else in the bed. We like clubbing seals (not really – I’mcontroller that lasts for long bit and I’m scared of losing one. SleepPhones (£35, researching ice cores). I wantjourneys without feeling small Do I have to get cloud storage? firebox.com) – they’re a camera that won’t die of coldand tacky. Any suggestions? Ragu Mitha a soft headband with and will survive being droppedChristopher Braithwaite flat speakers that you for less than £300. A No, Ragu, far from it. Sounds can lie on comfortably, Simon MorrisseyA The Moga Pro Power like you’re crying out for available in wired and Bluetooth (£65, mogaanywhere.com) a Nifty MiniDrive (€35, minidrive. flavours. You’ll be drifting off A You’re in luck, Mozza. Weis probably your best bet. It’s bynifty.com). It’s a microSD to Einstürzende Neubauten tested three tough camsaround the same size as a adapter that slots snugly into in no time. last month, with the Nikonconsole controller so it’s not your MBP’s SD card slot so Coolpix AW120 our favourite.as portable as its rivals, but it’s you needn’t trust your extra Q CALL MY BUFFER It can survive down to -10°C,more comfortable to use – with gigabytes to a wired accessory. I’ve recently started my handle drops of up to 2m, anduseful features including a built-in Pair it with SanDisk’s 128GB own business, which pretty will set you back a mere £250.clip that supports your phone microSD and your vids, tunes much means I’ve given up on It even has a compass so youwhile you play. It’s even got a and snaps will be safer than sleeping ever again. I know social can record the locations of alllarge battery that can juice up files wrapped in real cotton media is essential to build up those core samples…your phone while you’re out. wool clouds. my brand, but I don’t have time to constantly update my profiles. Q COMFORT CANS Is there an Android app I can I’m looking for something use to schedule tweets and that’ll let me listen to my music Facebook posts? and the radio in bed, without Sarah Wheeler disturbing my other half. In-ear headphones dig into my lugholes A There certainly is, Sarah. when on my side, and good luck Try Buffer, which allows getting to sleep with a pair of you to form a queue of updates on-ears clamped over your head. to be posted throughout the day, Rob Shirland plus you can access analytics to 129

PROJECTS | 11.14 5-MINUTE IFNOTHINGELSE,ATLEAST... HACKS1 …CONQUER … GIVE YOUTUBE 2 EVEREST A FACELIFT Hordes of climbers have Tired of faffing with the struggled to defeat the big same old YouTube settings? old ‘Sagarmatha’. Luckily, this Fancy giving it the Ambilight simulation lets you do it in your treatment? Time to wave this dressing gown: internet wand: 1. Go to 1. Go to chromeactions.com …AWESOMISE 3 everestavalanchetragedy.com and add the Magic Actions YOUR TEXTS and click on ‘Mount Everest in extension to your Chrome, 3D’. Don your warmest cardigan Firefox or Opera browser. All The poor old text message and hit ‘Start the climb’. done? Off we go to YouTube. looks a bit 1997 in the age of FaceTime. Spruce texts up 2. For the most bone-chilling 2. What’s this underneath with these GIF messaging apps: experience, put on some the video window? It’s a lovely headphones to experience an new menu bar. Here you’ll find 1. Download Ultratext (£free, icy wind as you climb through shortcuts for auto-repeat and iOS). Type away, pressing the the perilous Khumbu Icefall filters, but for the really good spacebar every time you want (complete with rescue mission stuff click on Magic Options. a new frame in your text GIF. radio) and beyond. 3. This list of handy tweaks 2. Press the camera icon to 3. Made the summit? Brew includes Auto HD, Stop insert a photo, and touch the a well-deserved cuppa and Autoplay and the rather colour wheel to change your explore your panoramic view, useful Ratings Preview, which font and background colours. before heading to the ‘donate puts a rating bar in each video’s Press return to get a preview. now’ section to raise money thumbnail so you can decide for the Sherpa Family Fund. if it’s worthy of your click. TUNE IN NEXT MONTH TO... 3. Want to film a Vine-like GIF? O Sharpen your stargazing O Find online services Download Camoji (£free, iOS), worth subscribing to O Clue up on arcade machines gurn into your front-facing camera and send that for good measure. Mind double-blown. 130

TOPTENSmartphones 132Tablets 133Hi-fi streaming 134Headphones 135Home cinema 138Blu-ray / Speaker systems 140 142PVRs 143TVs 144Laptops 145Best of the rest 146 147Home computers 148 150Sat-nav / Camcorders 151GamesGames machinesCompact camerasDigital SLRsGeek accessoriesWearable techConnected homeFor full reviews of every product in thetop 10s, visit stuff.tv/reviews

132 SMARTPHONESHOT LG G3 STUFF SAYSBUY LG surprises us again. While we hoped the G3 would continue the great work started by the G2, we There’s barely a single thing 2 weren’t expecting it to be quite so much of a leap forward. Upgrades range from wrong with the G3… and so, 3 little touches such as the sleeker back buttons to major changes such as the so much that’s right with it 4 bigger, better 2K screen and laser-assisted camera. The only thing that isn’t 5 better is the battery life, but considering all that LG has crammed into the G3, £435 +++++ 6 the fact that it still lasts 15hrs is to be applauded. 7 8 HTC One M8 £470 BEST FOR O Prices quoted are for handset only unless otherwise stated 9 +++++ RAW POWER 10 Only just toppled by the new LG, HTC’s flagship phone has enough power to take it to £230 the top of the AnTuTu benchmarks. It’s a beaut to look at and to use, and it’s even got +++++ BEST FOR a whole load of Lytro-style post-snap refocus features for photographic fun. £280 VALUE FOR +++++ MONEY OnePlus One £420 +++++ BEST FOR Believe the hype. To get one of the best smartphones on the planet, you don’t need £435 DAINTY HANDS £500 or £40 a month any more. You just need an invite. In terms of design, performance, +++++ screen and battery life you simply can’t get better than this for anywhere near £300. from £280 +++++ LG G2 £470 +++++ Its 5.2in screen is razor-sharp, its Snapdragon 800 processor handles demanding tasks £335 with ease and its 13MP camera takes amazing photos. Good enough – and cheap +++++ enough – to keep its top-four place despite the arrival of the G3. from £130 +++++ 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 This is a bargain only topped by the OnePlus One. The Nexus delivers top-end spec at a mid-range price and has a 4.95in screen, faster processor and a 8MP snapper. But its biggest improvement is its chocolatey-smooth Android KitKat 4.4 OS. 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 here, at last, comes 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 you’re small of hand but demanding of phone, it’s the Android for you. 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!FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR SMARTPHONE BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/SMARTPHONESPLUG INTO STUFF’SSOCIAL NETWORK facebook.com/joinstuff

TABLETS 133HOT Apple iPad Air STUFF SAYSBUY Now thinner, lighter and The more things change, the more they stay the same. As the addition of the more powerful than ever, 2 ‘Air’ moniker implies, the iPad’s been slimmed down on the outside and beefed the iPad Air is a beautiful 3 up on the inside, while retaining all the other goodies that made previous sliver of gadget heaven 4 versions great. So it now rocks the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor 5 that debuted with the iPhone 5s, while keeping the gorgeous screen, quality from £320 +++++ 6 build and abundance of tablet-optimised apps that first won our hearts. 7 8 Apple iPad Mini With Retina Display from £250 9 +++++ 10 Apple’s 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. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 £350 BEST FOR +++++ Samsung has blessed the Galaxy Tab with one of the best tablet screens we’ve ever MAGAZINES laid eyes on, plus an impressive camera and some incredible stamina – but there are AND MOVIES performance niggles and Apple’s tablet app selection is still far superior. Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 £280 +++++ Superb screen, unique features… really, there’s very little that’s missing here. For us the iPad Mini beats the smaller Samsung by a whisker for its design, performance and wider selection of optimised apps, but against other Android tabs it’s a winner. Google Nexus 7 from £155 BEST FOR +++++ The Nexus has moved further ahead of the Android pack by virtue of getting an VALUE AND update to OS 4.4 KitKat. It’s now smoother, faster and more battery-friendly than PERFORMANCE ever, while its 323 pixel-per-inch 1080p screen and quad-core power still impress. Microsoft Surface Pro 3 from £640 BEST FOR +++++ At last, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the tablet-cum-laptop hybrid. WORKING It proves there’s space in the world for a design that’s more productive than an ANYWHERE iPad or Galaxy Note, but easier to hump around than a traditional laptop. Asus Transformer Pad £300 +++++ Transformers have always been more about laptop replacement 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 7 from £200 BEST FOR +++++ The Fire HDX presents a sanitised version of Android cloaked in a user-friendly Amazon TECHNO- skin. There’s even a ‘Mayday’ button for instant video help. A great build, fast processor PHOBES and stunning screen round off a package that’ll appeal to families and less techy types. Asus Transformer Book T100 from £270 +++++ This 10.1in tab-and-dock combo has enough grunt to run full Win 8.1 thanks to Intel’s 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. Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) £400 ++++, 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.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR TABLET BUYING GUIDE, VISIT WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/TABLETS

134 HI-FI & MUSIC STREAMINGHOT Sonos multiroom system STUFF SAYSBUY Infinite music in every Who needs to drill holes and re-plaster walls to get a multiroom music system? Not room without the need 2 you. With the addition of the cracking little Play:1 (£170) Sonos has made it easier for custom installers? 3 than ever to start spreading your tunes around. Then maybe hook up a Connect to Sign us up now, please 4 your existing hi-fi and router, and add speakers to a Connect:Amp in another room, 5 or a SUB for a bass boost. You’ll run out of rooms before you run out of options. For from £340 +++++ 6 a further upgrade, the Arcam rSeries SonLink DAC works a treat with the Connect. 7 8 Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 £750 9 +++++ 10 Our favourite music streamer is only kept from the top spot by the brilliant flexibility of the full Sonos system; as a single player, we’d go for this every time. Team it with the Azur 651A amp (£350), feed it high-resolution 24-bit tunes and you’ll never look back. Naim UnitiQute 2 £1195 BEST FOR +++++ SOUND Awarded ‘Best Music System £800-£1500’ by our friends at What Hi-Fi? Sound And QUALITY Vision, this punchy little system delivers superb performance. With streaming smarts, DAB+ and internet radio it’s highly capable. Just don’t feed it low-quality music. BEST FOR VERSATILITY Bowers & Wilkins Z2 £180 AND VALUE +++++ The baby of B&W’s AirPlay range is a little belter, and it adds a proper Lightning dock BEST FOR to Apple’s wireless tech. It’ll easily fill a small to medium-sized room with chunky bass, AL FRESCO punchy beats and lovely, clear vocals. You’ll buy it for the look, but love it for the sound. PARTIES Denon CEOL Piccolo £175 BEST FOR +++++ BARGAINOUS This diminutive standard-bearer for next-gen micro hi-fi has Spotify and a control app, BLUETOOTH and it’ll stream your own tunes, right up to 24-bit. The dock’s 30-pin, but who cares when you’ve also got AirPlay? Add Q Acoustics 2020i speakers for awesome sound. Audio Pro Addon T10 £300 +++++ 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 it’s punchy and deep, with just a little too much bass. It sounds best in orange, obviously. Libratone Zipp £320 +++++ 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 £60 +++++ Forget that this Sony looks uncomfortably like a handbag because it’s 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. It’s got fancy NFC too, but the best thing is that it sounds ace. Q Acoustics BT3 £350 +++++ 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 £510 ++++, The latest Walkman is a premium high-res audio player, and it’s the best-sounding portable device we’ve ever heard: you’ll notice parts of songs you never knew were there. We’re not so keen on the high price and lack of expandable storage, though.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR HI-FI BUYING GUIDE, JUMP OVER TO WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/HI-FI

HEADPHONES 135HOT AKG K451 STUFF SAYSBUY Fantastic sound and great They’ve actually been around a little while now, but what put the K451 on-ears portability at an almost 2 back on to our radar was an official price drop from £130 to £80, and a real-world unbeatable price: the 3 price of just £55 or less. For that money they’re unbeatable – awesomely agile perfect PMP upgrade 4 and punchy sound wrapped up in a subtly stylish and foldable design. Add both 5 standard and three-button control cables for maximising compatibility and £55 +++++ 6 there’s practically no excuse for not getting brilliant sound from your phone. 7 8 Bowers & Wilkins P3 £170 BEST FOR 9 +++++ ON-EAR 10 Superb sound and a solid and achingly stylish design make these the best portable £25 EXCELLENCE 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. £160 BEST FOR +++++ IN-EAR SoundMagic E10 £100 EXCELLENCE +++++ Yes, we also gave the very similar SoundMagic ES20s in-ears five stars. And they £160 BEST FOR thoroughly deserve it. But we chose to keep these here because the more expensive +++++ GREAT SOUND E10s still represent a killer smiles-per-pence, sound-per-pound ratio. £60 WITH NO WIRES +++++ Sony XBA-4iP £70 BEST FOR +++++ SHUTTING OUT These chunky in-ears have four drivers pumping exceptionally punchy, detailed £260 THE WORLD sound into your gloriously spoilt lugholes, but despite the fairly hefty design they’re +++++ surprisingly comfortable too. They were £400 at launch, so £160 is a fantastic deal. £300 +++++ 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. Philips Fidelio M1BT There’s a comprehensive set of controls, while the dark blue-grey design is nicely understated – no Bose-esque sticky-out Bluetooth modules here. Cut the cords with style and substance: these are the best Bluetooth headphones around. 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. SoundMagic P30 We love SoundMagic’s 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 aren’t perfect, especially in the treble, but they’ll 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. There’s also an on-ear version – smaller and cheaper at £130, available in pink, blue, green and, um, ivory/brown. PSB M4U2 Yes, the M4U2s have got great noise-cancelling, but that’s only half the story. Using the built-in amp produces a sound that’s almost unbelievably punchy, clean and exciting. They might be a bit heavy, but that audio quality really is worth the weight.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR HEADPHONE BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/HEADPHONES'D@Q SGD ETKK RODBSQTL/ !NVDQR  6HKJHMR G@UD ADDM DRS@AKHRGDC @R L@RSDQR NE RNTMCDMFHMDDQHMF ENQ @KLNRS  XD@QR 6D @QD MNV @AKD SN AQHMF SG@SR@LD DWODQSHRD SN SGD VNQKC NE GD@COGNMDR SGD R@LD OQDBHRHNMSGD R@LD B@QD SGD R@LD DWSQ@NQCHM@QX Q@MFD @MC CDOSG NE CDS@HK HRMNV @U@HK@AKD EQNL @M TKSQ@ KHFGS GHFGKX ONQS@AKD RDS NE GD@COGNMDRRTODQAKX CDRHFMDC SN jS HMSN XNTQ KHED





138 TOP THREES HOME CINEMABLU-RAY PLAYERSHOT Sony BDP-S6200 £150 BEST FOR +++++1BUY The new king of Blu-ray players is the perfect balance of price, performance and ALL-ROUND features. It even looks pretty if you like that sort of thing. On top of the usual smart AWESOMENESS services (Netflix, iPlayer etc) you get Sony’s own brilliant Video Unlimited.2 Panasonic DMP-BDT260 £90 BEST FOR If your budget won’t 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 EXCELLENCE is impossible to fault. It’s got the core smart stuff too, including Netflix. ON A BUDGET3 Marantz UD7007 £475 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.SPEAKER SYSTEMSHOT Sony BDV-N590 £450 BEST FOR +++++ ALL-IN-ONE1BUY The biggest bargain in home cinema, the Blu-ray-packing N590 has a massive spec VALUE but a micro price. Picture and sound are excellent, Sony’s smart services are immense and its stylish curves and touch-sensitive controls add a dash of premium quality. BEST FOR ALL-YOU-CAN-2 Sonos Playbar £600 STREAM MUSIC 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.3 Yamaha YSP-3300 £1000 This is the only soundbar that creates proper surround sound. It fills the room, with +++++ individual effects flying in convincingly from the sides. You can feed in all your sources via HDMI and it sends video (including 4K and 3D) to your TV via a single cable. PVRs, ETC Sky+HD from £free BEST FOR DELIVERINGHOT The new Sky boxes come with built-in Wi-Fi, to make it easier to access on-demand + £21.50/month EVERYTHING programming, and you can opt for a 2TB drive. Which, with more than 65 channels of1BUY HD, might well be worth the outlay. On the move, the Sky Go app is supremely slick. +++++ BEST FOR SUBSCRIPTION- 2 Virgin TiVo from £free FREE TV 3 Hardware-wise, the taste-learning TiVo is a Sky+HD-beater, but it loses out on + £24/month 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 from £180 (500GB) Delivering free-to-air TV with the convenience of Sky or TiVo, the Humax lets you +++++ browse the last week’s catch-up TV direct from the EPG or record your own on its HDD. The iOS/Android app’s remote record is handy, and it’s all without a costly subscription.FOR OUR COMPLETE HOME CINEMA TOP 10 LISTS, POINT YOUR CLICKER AT WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S

Smart luxury is a selection of products that offer just SMARTWKDWOLWWOHELWH[WUDÀDZOHVVSHUIRUPDQFHHOHJDQWGHVLJQ LUXURYG\QDPLFWHFKQRORJ\RUDFRPELQDWLRQRIWKHPDOO 55 65 78 SAMSUNG HU8500 SERIES • CURVED 4K UHD TV Introducing a breakthrough in TV viewing that will change the way you watch TV forever the Samsung HU8500 Curved UHD. Wider viewing angles, pure and accurate colour reproduction and a sense of depth never experienced before are only possible on a curved Samsung screen, specifically shaped for UHD viewing at its very best. Prices from £2699 FREE 5 YEAR WARRANTYNEW NAD D 7050 NETWORK AMPLIFIER / DAC The D 7050 from NAD with Apple AirPlay and Spotify Connect is one simple package. If you have a computer or smartphone running iTunes and a home Wi-Fi network, just add the D 7050 and your favourite loudspeakers. You will now have a state of the art audio system in a stylish and compact package that fits anywhere in your home. £799NAIM MU-SOWIRELESS MUSIC SYSTEMThrough its advanced connectivity, mu so will unleash your digital music, wherever it’sstored. And it’s so easy to set up and use that you’ll find yourself listening to and enjoying yourfavourite artists more than ever before.Combining Naim’s expertise in streaming, amplification and loudspeaker technology. Mu sois the stage your music deserves, bringing you closer to the songs that inspire your life.£895BLUESOUNDBLUESOUND IS A 24-BIT NATIVE, PURE DIGITALWIRELESS STREAMING MUSIC SYSTEMEven 16-bit CDs have only about halfof the audio spectrum that the masterrecording holds and that’s a whole lotmore than MP3s have left in them. Withmore than a decade of compressed audiopiping through earbud headphones andcheap dock players, the time has come.The portable players we all love havecreated a new way of listening to music,but there hasn’t really been much thereto hear. Until now. Enter true 24-bit HDdigital audio.A sound experience like no other.Because it’s engineered like no other.ADVERT VALID UNTIL 17/10/2014. E&OESOME BRANDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN ALL STORES. 27 STORES NATIONWIDE WWW.SSAV.COM

140 TVsHOT Samsung UE55HU7500 STUFF SAYSBUY Embrace the 4K future while Finally, a 4K TV that can be recommended without hesitation. Not only does it still getting the best of your 2 play the limited amount of 4K material on Netflix with eye-moistening beauty, current Blu-rays and TV: it’s 3 it’s actually just as good as a full HD TV when playing 1080p stuff, and that the proverbial win-win 4 wasn’t the case with last year’s models. Chuck in all of Samsung’s usual smart 5 TV whizzbang, remove the silly motion-sensing controls and knock the price to £1840 +++++6NEW something that wouldn’t make a city banker blush, and you’ve got 2014’s star TV. 78NEW Sony KDL-50W829B £830 BEST FOR 9 +++++ AFFORDABLE 10 4K a bit too new-fangled (or pricey) for you? How about a 50in edge-lit LED LCD with BRILLIANCE all of Sony’s smart features for well under a grand? It’s not even like picture quality’s been sacrificed – this is an absolute corker of a telly in every way. BEST FOR TELLY ON Samsung UE46F7000 £1550 A BUDGET +++++ The F7000 might just be the sweetest spot in Samsung’s current range – the same BEST FOR spectacular performance as the F8000 series but without the show-off design. MAKING TV Great picture quality and slick online functionality in one box. FUN AGAIN Samsung UE40H6400 £550 +++++ Samsung’s on an amazing roll with its 2014 TVs, and if you’re looking for a lounge- friendly Full HD set, this 40incher is the place to start. It’s not as cheap as some other tellies this size, but for smarts and picture performance its very hard to beat. Sony KDL 40W605B £430 +++++ If you’re looking for a TV that’s super-slim, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for one that’s the right size for any room, has all the on-demand services you could hope for and produces brill pictures from any source, you won’t find better for the cash. Samsung UE48H6400 £700 +++++ Since when was 48in a screen size for tellies? Well it turns out to be a great size to deliver really immersive movies and games without utterly dominating the average lounge. It’s smart, stylish and great value for that much screen real estate. Sony KD-55X8505B £1800 ++++, If you want to jump on the 4K bandwagon with Sony you could go for the wedge-shaped X9, which is great, but we’d suggest that this slimmer, less intrusive ‘entry-level’ option is an even better buy. It’s still got all the smart stuff and great performance. Panasonic TX-42AS500B £450 ++++, It’s not the prettiest, it’s not the smartest, and with just two HDMI inputs it’s not the most connected TV about, but there’s a really simple, intuitive OS pulling the strings here – and a performance that’s very strong given the price and 42in size. LG 55UB950V £1880 ++++, LG’s 4K flagship looks gorgeous with Netflix’s 4K content, but the real story here is the Web OS interface, which finally gives a boot up the bottom of TV UIs. This is by far the most pleasant, colourful, multi-task-friendly and downright fun TV there’s ever been. Sony KDL-55W955 £1300 ++++, Sony’s ‘wedge design’ gives greater internal volume, which makes the speakers sound better. The excellent colours, motion and sound quality are all great, but it lacks a wow factor and doesn’t have the deepest blacks. There are discounts though.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR TV BUYING GUIDE, NAVIGATE TO WWW.STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/TVS

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142 LAPTOPSHOT Apple MacBook Air 13in (2014) STUFF SAYSBUY It’s not a major upgrade, but The 2014 MacBook Air update means, once again, our favourite old laptop is now Apple has improved the Air’s2UPDATE our favourite new laptop. Nothing’s changed on the outside, and under the skin already awesome spec and 3 there’s just a slight processor boost from 1.3GHz to 1.4GHz, but combined with lopped £100 off the price 4 a price cut of £100 on each model we’re still happy with that. The very top model, 5 which comes with a 256GB SSD, is now just under a grand, too. Head to stuff.tv from £660 +++++ 6 for our full reviews of both 13in and 11in versions. 7 8 Apple MacBook Pro with Retina Display 13in (2014) from BEST FOR £1000 EVERYTHING9NEW Choosing between Air and Pro is getting harder. Both now run on Haswell chips, but +++++ BAR THE PRICE 10 the Pro is faster, with a 2014 processor boost. There’s a 4K-capable Thunderbolt 2 BEST FOR port, and then that Retina screen, one of the most gorgeous you’ll see. Tough call. WORKING ANYWHERE Microsoft Surface Pro 3 from £750 BEST FOR SERIOUS At last, Microsoft has delivered on the promise of the tablet-cum-laptop hybrid. (with Type Cover) GAMERS It proves there’s space in the world for a design that’s more productive than an iPad or Galaxy Note, but easier to hump around than a traditional laptop. +++++ BEST FOR VALUE AND Alienware 17 from PORTABILITY £1500 A brute of a machine in every way, the Alienware 17 weighs as much as four MacBook +++++ BEST FOR Airs and probably frags harder than 10 of them. Core i7 Haswell processor at 3.4GHz, LITERAL Nvidia GeForce graphics, up to 32GB of RAM… Our trigger finger’s already itching. FLEXIBILITY Asus Zenbook UX302 £950 ++++, Asus has done a wonderful job of creating an ultra-slim laptop that’s as far removed from Apple’s 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 £180 ++++, Bargain Chromebooks are everywhere right now, but the C720 stands out even so. It’s 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 Acer’s the one we’d buy. Acer Aspire S7 £1340 ++++, 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 £190 ++++, HP’s done a fine job with the 11 (ignoring the faulty power supply recall): it’s 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. Acer Aspire Switch 10 £300 ++++, A Windows laptop and 10.1-inch tablet for just £300? This seriously flexible bundle is Asus’ best hybrid yet. Only a bit heavier than a MacBook Air, the square-edged ergonomics and battery life are issues, but as a whole package it makes a lot of sense. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 15D £445 +++,, Lenovo’s 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.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR LAPTOPS BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/LAPTOPS-NETBOOKS THIS Sony HDR-SR8E Aliph Jawbone Creative Zen Stone 1GB Philips DCM230MONTH £1200 £80 £28 £230 IN.. Stuff said Why insult your new Stuff said The only third-party Stuff said Creative’s ‘Shuffle’ Stuff said Philips’ product 2007 telly with anything less than Bluetooth headset worthy of does one thing Apple’s doesn’t: designers deserve a medal full HD? It has jaw-dropping selling alongside the iPhone, it gives you change from £30. for the look of the DCM230, output, the colour is superb the Jawbone is a work of art. That said, it doesn’t like Macs and an honourable mention and the touchscreen menus Noise Shield automatically and – more surprisingly – it for squeezing in a CD player, are excellent. £1200 is going ups the volume when things sounds a bit spiky. We don’t FM radio and USB music slot. to make a bit of a dent, but get noisy, and once you attach expect B&O-bashing sound The sound guys have come the Sony delivers – so get the correct loop and earpiece for the price, but this borders up with something inoffensive over it and buy. it fits perfectly. on a family black sheep. but in no way special. +++++ +++++ +++,, ++++,

TOP THREES BEST OF THE REST 143HOME COMPUTERS1HOT Apple iMac from £900 BEST FOR +++++ ALL-ROUNDBUY The iMac is thinner and more powerful than ever: Core i5 or i7 and at least 8GB RAM from £340 BRILLIANCE running the none-more-elegant OS X Mavericks. A 2013 update brought Intel’s +++++ Haswell CPU, a hybrid storage option, speedy 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a price increase. from £800 BEST FOR +++++ COMPACT2 Sapphire Edge VS8 POWER This mini-PC may look like the Terminator’s lunchbox, but it houses AMD’s 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).3 Alienware X51 (2014) The X51 hasn’t 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 it’s the best balance of power and form in PC land. SAT-NAV TomTom GO 6000 £250 BEST FOR +++++ TOTAL TRAFFIC1HOT The four-figure model name marks this an ‘Always Connected’ device with a SIM card KNOWLEDGE for live traffic updates, while the ‘6’ in the name refers to its crisp 6in, 800x480 screen. £freeBUY It’s rather good, if huge. Smartphone-connected versions (600, 500, 400) are cheaper. +++++ BEST FOR BUDGET 2 Google Maps Navigation £260 TRAVELLERS +++++ 3 Apple’s 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 nüvi 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.CAMCORDERS1HOT Sony PJ530 £465 BEST FOR +++++ TOP-QUALITYBUY When quality footage matters, you’ll be glad you splashed out on the superb PJ530. HOME MOVIES We haven’t tested a better camcorder at this price – it captures excellent footage in all sorts of environments, with a colossal zoom and built-in projector into the bargain. BEST FOR SERIOUS2 Canon XA10 £1450 SHOOTERS Canon’s ultra-compact XA10 handles fine detail superbly due to its f/1.8 lens and 2.37MP +++++ chip. It might not look hefty enough to play with the big boys, but twin XLR inputs on BEST FOR its detachable handle give would-be filmmakers professional prowess out of the box. ADRENALINE JUNKIES3 GoPro Hero3+ Silver Edition £190 You may well wonder why the flagship Black Edition of the Hero3+ isn’t in this slot, but +++++ for our money the extras don’t 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 TABLET www.stuff.tv/digital-magazine APP OUT NOW!

144 GAMESHOT Grand Theft Auto 5 PS3/Xbox 360 STUFF SAYSBUY The gargantuan gameworld You probably think you already know everything there is to know about GTA 5. of Los Santos is the most 2 After all, if you’ve been alive anywhere in the world for the past year you’ll have read entertaining place to hang 3 all about life in Los Santos. So you’ll already know that it shines a satirical torch on the out since Vice City 4 21st century religion of celebrity. And that everything from social media to self-help 5 gurus gets a kicking. And that it’s better-looking than ever. But really you only need +++++ 6 to know one thing about it: it’s the most fun you’ll have on a console this month. 7 8 The Last Of Us PS3/PS4 +++++ BEST FOR 9 STORY 10 Now remastered for PS4, this is the best zombie-apocalypse game ever. It looks magnificent and plays even better, with a moving story and frights aplenty. It’s tough… BEST FOR but then a real-life zombie apocalypse would be. Think of this as essential prep. STUDENT HOUSES Tomb Raider PC/PS3/Xbox 360 +++++ BEST FOR RPG WITH Yes, it’s a franchise reboot, but the well-paced mixture of puzzles, action sequences, ADDED LOL gunfights and stealth make the latest Lara Croft adventure an immersive, cinematic BEST FOR experience. Possibly the best fun we’ve ever had pretending to be a 21-year-old girl. A HARDCORE CHALLENGE 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. Watch_Dogs PC/PS3/PS4/Xbox One/Xbox 360 ++++, This one promised big – and while it doesn’t quite match the level of expectation, its recreation of Chicago is impressive, the cat-and-mouse multiplayer livens things up and the gunplay, hacking and driving provide good, solid fun with lots to do and see. 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. It’s 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: it’s glossy and fluid throughout. South Park: The Stick Of Truth PC/PS3/Xbox 360 ++++, Written by show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone themselves, this is the definitive South Park game, complete with its famously merciless humour and cutout animation. And it’s backed by strong RPG mechanics to boot. 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 you’re expecting: as well as carnage and genetically engineered soldiers, there’s a sombre message on the pointlessness of war.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR GAME-BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/APPS-GAMES/GAMESPLUG INTO STUFF’SSOCIAL NETWORK google.com/+stufftv

GAMES MACHINES 145HOT Sony PlayStation 4 STUFF SAYSBUY Slick, powerful and packed Sony’s next-gen console may not quite be the finished article, but it’s already the with stand-out features,2UPDATE best games machine on the planet. With whisper-quiet operation and a sleek form, the PS4 delivers on the 3 it’ll slot neatly into your lounge setup, but more importantly it offers bags of power, next-gen console promise 4 with full 1080p on all titles and not a whiff of lag. The controller’s vastly improved, 5 too, while remote streaming to PS Vita is a nice bonus. All that and it’s still cheaper £340 +++++ 6 than the Xbox One. When proper media streaming arrives, it’ll be unstoppable. 7 8 Microsoft Xbox One £350 BEST FOR 9 +++++ BUDGET 10 This is very different to the Xbox One of 2013. Most significantly, the unpopular Kinect from £150 GAMING feature is now out of the deal, allowing Microsoft to drop the price and releasing enough +++++ extra power for developers to make their games look and play better. from £170 BEST FOR +++++ PORTABLE Microsoft Xbox 360 from £600 PLAYTIME +++++ BEST FOR Yes, it’s been succeeded by the One, but the years have been kind to the 360. With an £170 FLUSH 4K amazing catalogue of recent games that use its full potential, brilliant media streaming ++++, FETISHISTS skills and a low, low price it’s impossible not to recommend it to cash-strapped gamers. £135 ++++, Sony PlayStation 3 £3900 ++++, The PS3 has been around a while, but, like the Xbox 360, that just means it has plenty £240 of great games. Online gaming via PlayStation Network is still brilliant and still free ++++, (it’s £40/yr for PS4), and it’s worth buying for its Blu-ray and media streaming alone. £185 ++++, Alienware X51 (2014) The X51 hasn’t 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 it’s the best balance of power and form in PC land. Nintendo 3DS XL The bigger version of Nintendo’s latest handheld serves up a larger 3D sweet spot and slightly more premium finish than its smaller sibling. There’s still only one thumb-stick, but it’s a tried and tested design that’s 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 don’t come cheap, and neither will the 4K monitor you’ll need to go with it. Nintendo Wii U While it hasn’t had the same impact as the original Wii, don’t underestimate the Wii U’s fun factor. Nintendo’s bottomless bag of superb game franchises rolls on with the excitement of the 2014’s 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.FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE CONSOLES FEATURED HERE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/GAMES-MACHINES

146 COMPACT CAMERASHOT Sony DSC-HX60 STUFF SAYSBUY Sturdy, simple to use and Last year’s HX50 was our previous pick for the best compact camera around, offering a huge zoom range 2 and 2014’s HX60 isn’t a huge departure from its predecessor in terms of for its size, this is a hugely 3 build quality, ease of use, specifications and performance – all of which are capable all-rounder 4 excellent. And thankfully the superb 30x zoom lens remains. What it does 5 add is NFC (for quick pairing with a tablet or phone) and a newer Bionz X £250 +++++ 6 processor, making it a slightly nippier performer.7NEW 8 Fujifilm X20 £330 BEST FOR 9 +++++ AT-A-DISTANCE 10 The X20 isn’t all retro looks and no trousers. It excels in Advanced Auto mode and has £300 SHOOTING 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. £300 BEST FOR +++++ DSLR PICS IN Sony DSC-RX100 £690 A SMALL BODY +++++ The 20MP RX100 is just what we’re looking for in an advanced compact: pocketable £310 BEST FOR with a huge 1in sensor that serves up great images. After something a bit different? +++++ EXTREME Sony’s crazy lens-without-a-body, the QX100, has much of the same tech. £270 EXPLOITS +++++ Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 £470 ++++, If you want a superzoom cam, the Lumix FZ200 wipes the floor with its rival snoopy £250 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. £120 +++,, Fujifilm FinePix X100S Fujifilm’s souped up its fixed-lens retro shooter, with faster focusing and a big APS-C sensor. It’s 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. Nikon Coolpix AW120 The ultimate rugged camera: almost indestructible, and fit for temperatures as low as -10°C, it will even survive a rinse cycle in your dishwasher. The AW120 also takes lovely pictures and impressive video in both good lighting and dimmer conditions. 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 aren’t 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.FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR CAMERA BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/COMPACT-CAMERAS IN CASE Humax DTR-T2000 BT YouView+ TalkTalk YouView+ Humax HB-1000S YOU £200 / humaxdigital.com/uk £175 (free on contract) / £free on contract / £100 / humaxdigital.com/uk MISSED.. Other boxes here offer more bt.com/youview talktalk.co.uk Like YouView, the FreetimeON-DEMAND unique content, but YouView’s The BT branding adds its own This is another plasticky box, EPG lets you roll back seven service is lovely, with a clean content to the core YouView but with more subtle lights than days and is integrated with the PVRs and intuitive interface. Find experience, depending on your the BT version. There’s more main catch-up services. This the show you missed and the package: with BT Broadband stuff to watch here than on box only records one channel relevant catch-up player will you get both the BT Sport and the other boxes, even without at a time, but you get YouTube, open – the search function BT Player apps. The box is as paying for extras, and if you’re picture quality is excellent and unites all available services, responsive as the standard already on TalkTalk broadband we like having the freedom to which is really convenient. one, but the remote is better. it’s a no-brainer to upgrade. add a hard drive of our choice. +++++ +++++ +++++ ++++,

SLRs, ETC 147HOT Olympus OM-D E-M1 STUFF SAYSBUY Take the E-M5’s amazing Olympus’ new flagship is armed with the same excellent 16.3MP sensor as its speed and quality, then add 2 predecessor the E-M5, but now has an improved autofocus system, a startlingly pro controls and you get 3 good electronic viewfinder and masses of direct controls. And look out for the the best system cam so far 4 E-M10: pretty much an E-M5 minus the weatherproofing and with only 3-axis 5 stabilisation, but with an improved EVF, better metering, enhanced Wi-Fi and £780 +++++ 6 built-in flash in a smaller, cheaper body. 7 (body only) 8 9 Canon EOS 700D £360 BEST FOR 10 Look, it’s a new Canon at No2. No, wait, it’s the old one. Actually, it’s kind of both. The (body only) ALL-ROUND 700D is a minor upgrade over the 650D, keeping its 18MP sensor, flip-out touchscreen VALUE and autofocus during video and adding little beyond a new kit lens. Still great, though. +++++ Sony A6000 £470 Sony’s new system camera may be tiny but it packs a big photographic punch. There (body only) may be no optical image stabilisation but the incredible speed and accuracy of the A6000’s autofocus is a real highlight, as is its large, clear electronic viewfinder. +++++ Nikon D600 £960 Pro power has never come at such a reasonable price. A full-frame 24.3MP sensor (body only) 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. +++++ Sony A7R £1250 BEST FOR We love this camera. It’s lightweight but tough and delivers results that outstrip pretty (body only) SHOOTING much any other compact system camera on the market. It has a huge full-frame 36.4MP LIKE THE PROS sensor and noise-suppression. Your wallet might weep, but your photo album will sing. +++++ Canon EOS 70D £675 The 70D is Canon’s best camera in years. It’s the first ‘proper’ DSLR to nail autofocus in (body only) videos and Live View, offers a multitude of manual controls and can take stunning pics in almost any situation. Amateurs who’ve outgrown the entry level should look no further. +++++ Panasonic Lumix GH4 £1280 BEST FOR HI-RES VIDEO Its 4K recording might grab the headlines, but the GH4 is more than that – it’s (body only) Panasonic’s finest all-round camera yet. Build quality is superb, autofocus is fast and accurate, image quality is great and video is even better. +++++ Fujifilm X-T1 £790 There’s lots to love about this snapper, from its clever viewfinder and lightning-speed (body only) 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 DMC-GX7 £470 The 16MP Panasonic is a versatile beast that, while not being much of a looker, has (body only) added tricks such as a tilting EVF and a handy touchscreen LCD. It’s great for smooth hi-def video recording and, with the bijou 20mm f/1.7 lens, is a great travel companion. +++++ Pentax K-3 £800 With a 24MP APS-C sensor, advanced autofocus system, snappy burst shooting and (body only) clever anti-aliasing simulator, the K-3 is a stills snapper par excellence. A weatherproof body and in-camera stabilisation are welcome too, but it’s not quite so hot with video. +++++FOR THE FULL REVIEWS AND OUR DIGITAL SLR BUYING GUIDE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/DIGITAL-SLRSSUBSCRIBETO STUFFCheck outour great FREESATFUEOTAROMGSPKROEIDYRTsubscriptionsoffer on p118.Terms and conditions apply, see p119 for details.

148 GEEK ACCESSORIESHOT Amazon Kindle Paperwhite STUFF SAYSBUY The best screen, the best There’s a new Paperwhite out on the streets of the world, and it’s brighter, ebook store and new 2 whiter, faster and no more expensive. Contrast is improved, making your text book-challenging features: 3 blacker and the background less grey, while a claimed 25% faster processor Kindle’s still on top 4 goes largely unnoticed because it was always the fastest of the e-readers. 5 A handy new Page Flip feature lets you keep your current page while flicking £110 +++++ 6 through the chapter in a pop-up window: finish the chapter, or go to sleep now? 7 8 3Doodler £100 9 +++++ 10 Essentially a 3D printer nozzle in a pen. Sticks of plastic are fed through like a glue gun and extruded at 200ºC into thin air, where it immediately cools and solidifies, letting you ‘draw’ 3D structures. Amazing, and we’ve only burnt ourselves once. Maybe twice. Korg Volca Beats £120 +++++ This Roland TR-808-aping drum machine uses analogue and digital beats to amazing effect given the bargain price, offering a studio’s worth of wizardry in a tablet-sized package. If this doesn’t get the nation’s youth making amazing music, nothing will. Sennheiser X 320 £25 +++++ 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. Tesla Model S from £50,000 The Tesla isn’t just a better electric car – it’s 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 £1800 BEST FOR +++++ POWERED-UP This electric bike may be heavy and expensive, but its futuristic design, 250W motor PEDALLING and range of up to 62 miles make it ideal for the daily commute. And don’t get hung up BEST FOR over the price anyway – petrol and car insurance for a year would cost you way more. HIGH-FLYING FILMERSHAR DJI Phantom 2 Vision £700 ++++, BEST FOR Want to recreate those Apocalypse Now sequences at your local lido? This quadcopter EARLY offers great filming potential thanks to its 14MP/1080p HD camera and videolink, ADOPTERS built-in GPS and ability to beam images to your smartphone from 300m away. Leap Motion £70 ++++, 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 it’ll need more consistency between apps to become truly useful. Moga Ace Power £75 ++++, 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. It’s not brilliantly built and only works with selected games, but dedicated iOS gamers will swiftly get their money’s worth. Up! Plus 2 £1250 ++++, 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 we’ve 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/REVIEWSsmart eBsave £150 deposit MRP £2,500 | Now £1,800 33 payments at smart of Stockton-on-Tees £50per month Concorde Way, Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 3RB www.sytnersmart.co.uk*Terms and conditions apply. Finance is subject to status. 0% representative APR* 01642 660757Contact Louise Smith at smart of Teesside on smart - A Daimler Brand.

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150 WEARABLESHOT Pebble Steel STUFF SAYSBUY The best smartwatch money Unveiled at CES 2014, the Steel keeps the straightforward looks, crisp display can buy… and the original 2 and five-day battery life that helped the standard Pebble win our hearts. But it plastic Pebble is still 3 holds more RAM, apps and customisable faces this time, and swaps the plastic available for £50 less4NEW for either a ‘Steel’ silver or matte black stylish suit, making it look and feel more5NEW like an actual watch. The Steel goes beyond the gimmicks and into the world of £150 +++++ 6 real-world wearable tech. Pop it on your wristwear wish-list. 7 8 Fitbit Flex from £70 BEST FOR 9 +++++ TRACKING 10 The Flex delivers all of Fitbit’s activity-tracking smarts but in a form factor that’s less YOUR LIFE fiddly than its belt-clip counterparts. It’s packed with Bluetooth, NFC, vibratamotor and a display. America already has the new Force band, with a proper display. Here soon. BEST FOR TRIATHLETES Jawbone UP24 £105 IN TRAINING +++++ 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 you’re lazing around, to get back on the move. Samsung Gear Live £170 ++++, Could it be fourth time lucky for Android Wear? A waterproof 1.63in Super AMOLED screen, a resting heart monitor and a growing selection of apps say yes. Overall, the Samsung just pips the LG G Watch. Its pitiful one-day battery life lets it down, though. LG G Watch £160 ++++, Smart, subtle and more comfortable to wear than the Samsung Gear Live above, the LG gets a lot more right than it does wrong. Its voice commands are useful and it comes with a charging cradle…but it doesn’t show off Android Wear’s full potential. Garmin Forerunner 620 from £285 ++++, Garmin’s 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 £245 ++++, 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. It’ll track runs, cycles and swims, and the companion app is also much improved. Samsung Gear 2 Neo £195 ++++, It’s the ‘budget’ plastic version of Samsung’s 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 we’d be most likely to buy, but it’s far from essential. Martian Notifier £100 ++++, The Notifier does one job very well – alerts – and you won’t be ashamed to wear one in public. It doesn’t shake off smartwatches’ dorky image but does blend a regular-looking watch design with smartphone smarts in an affordable, comfortable, reliable package. Samsung Gear Fit £115 +++,, 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 that’s awkward to read, especially on a run. Fit by name, but not by nature.FOR FULL REVIEWS OF ALL THE KIT ON THIS PAGE, VISIT STUFF.TV/TOP-10S/WEARABLE-TECHPLUG INTO STUFF’SSOCIAL NETWORK youtube.com/stuff