Friday toys: Gift guide, pt1

Life

7 December 2012

iPhone 5
There’s no getting away from the elephant in the room that is the iPhone when it comes to smartphone shopping. This time around Apple has lengthened the screen and slimmed down the body to give what it says is its sharpest image yet coupled with top notch ergonomic design. Other than that you know exactly what you’re getting here.
Price: Varies by operator


Samsung Galaxy S III
The smartphone of choice for anyone determined not to go the iOS route. The Galaxy S III either trumps the iPhone in most departments on pure spec or at least goes toe-to-toe with it. If you’re looking for an Android handset par-excellence this is the phone to go with.
Price: Varies by operator


HTC Windows Phone 8S
HTC’s Windows Phone 8S is the manufacturers attempt to find a new niche in the market following the disappointment of its current line of Android devices.
The 8S retains some familiar features such as a 4" screen with Gorilla Glass, Beats Audio and a 5MP camera with 720p video capture. Added Microsoft bells and whistles include Xbox Music, SkyDrive and that rejigged user interface with multi-sized tiles.
Price: Varies by operator


Nokia Lumia 620
Nokia’s Lumia 620 Windows 8 handset uses a new dual-shot colour technique to deliver a variety of colour and texture effects displayed on a 3.8" 800×400 pixel screen. The Lumia 620 comes with a 5MP main camera and VGA front-facing camera with a Cinemagraph lens that can add basic animations to still photographs.
It also comes with Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive, Nokia Transport and augmented reality app Nokia City Lens.
Available in a choice of lime green, orange, magenta, yellow, cyan, white and black.
Price: Varies by operator


Motorola RAZR i
The RAZR i marks Motorola’s return to the smartphone in Ireland and it has brought a friend in the shape of Intel. A 4.3" edge-to-edge display is aided and abetted by a 2.0GHz Intel Atom processor, 8MP camera and Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich (upgradeable to Jelly Bean).
A diamond cut aircraft-grade aluminum4 frame surrounds the display, which is made of Corning Gorilla Glass. On the back, RAZR i is made DuPont KEVLAR strong3 and a splash guard to protect the internal workings.
Price: Varies by operator

Doro PhoneEasy 612
Doro’s PhoneEasy 612 is also aimed at senior citizens looking for more accessibility features in their handsets.
The Doro PhoneEasy 612 is a clamshell mobile featuring an easy-to-use camera, which at the touch of abutton allows the user to capture moments and share with family and friends. The handset allows for enhanced grip through its soft-touch covering and ergonomic design. Buttons on this handset are of concave design and are clearly separated allowing for easier dialling.
Price: €89.99

Toshiba AT300SE
Toshiba’s AT300SE Android 4.1 Jelly Bean tablet features a 10.1", 1280×800, 16:10 LCD capacitive touch screen and runs on an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with 1GB DDR3L-1333 RAM.
Connectivity comes courtest of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microUSB and microSDTM that can support up to 64Gb of storage. The package is rounded out by front and rear cameras deliver pictures of 1.2- and 3- MP respectively.
Price: €359


iPad Mini
We could have mentioned the iPad with retina display as our choice for the holidays but we’re going with the more iPad mini instead. Half the weight of its bigger brothers and much slimmer, this more handbag friendly (in size and price) packs enough power to run regular iPad apps.
Price: From €339


Mattel Apptivity
Toy-maker Mattel is getting into the app market by finding a way to integrate their toys into an iPad gaming experience.
Download one of the multi-level Apptivity games for free and watch as the toy interacts with the action on screen. Apptivity can be used with any number of Hot Wheels, WWE and Batman toys. Price: €15


Kobo Touch eReader
If you don’t want to be at the mercy of Amazon’s draconian DRM terms and conditions then the Kobo is one alternative you might like to consider. It supports PDF and epub formats, is compatible with PC, Mac, Blackberry and Android, has a range of apps and stores about 1,000 books. Kobo has its own book store covering books, magazines and newspapers.
Price: €99.99


HP Envy Spectre XT
Ultrabooks have taken a bit of a bashing this year but HP’s Envy Spectre XT has more than enough to recommend it as an all-round Windows 8 PC. With a 13.3" screen, the XT weighs 1.39kg and comes pre-loaded with a range of applications, including Adobe Photoshop and Premier Elements.
Price: €999

Logitech UE 900
One for serious audiophiles, Logitech’s UE 900 Noise-Isolating Earphones deliver professional-quality sound thanks to four-armature speakers and a three-way crossover in a universal fit, you’ll hear a wide soundstage with soul-satisfying bass, heavenly highs and a crisp, piano-like timbre.
Two detachable, braided cables – one with a mic and controls, and one without – let you swap out the standard cable for a cable with mic and controls. And ear loops offer a secure, comfortable fit.
Price: €399.99

Canon PowerShot G15
Designed for advanced users looking for premium quality, class-leading performance and compact bodies, the PowerShot G15 model features Canon’s renowned imaging technologies, delivering superior quality stills and Full HD movies.
It also features the acclaimed HS System, which offers outstanding low light performance and exceptionally low noise levels in all conditions.
Price: €699.99


Sony MDR-XB200
These funky and fashionable headphones are an affordable option for quality sounds. Padded leather ear cushions and an adjustable headband make for a comfortable fit for wearing over long periods.
Price: €39.99


Bowers & Wilkins A5
B&W will be familiar to many for the iconic Zepplin iPod dock but its latest set of speaker for i-devices is a much more muted affair, though that doesn’t describe the audio quality itself.
Exclusive sold in Ireland through Cloney Audio, the A5 receives music wirelessly from an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or PC over Airplay.
While they are designed primarily as a wireless device, the A5 still has a standard 3.5mm aux-in, USB input and even an Ethernet socket.
Price: €499.99


Panasonic SC-HTB20
Flatscreen TVs are notorious for delivering great picture at the expense of sound quality. For anyone no interested in shelling out for a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system to make up for it a sound bar is a space-conscious way to deliver a better audio experience.
Panasonic’s SC-HTB20 comes with a subwoofer and two speakers that can be joined together. It’s attractive, can connect to up to three devices at a time and at less than €250 represents good value for money.
Price: From €249

 



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