Home//Stuff UK/May 2022/In This Issue
Stuff UK|May 2022WELCOMEHello and welcome to this audio-themed issue of Stuff – in which we’ve reviewed pretty much every type of headphone available. We think everyone should have a pair of true wireless buds, but there are many reasons why you might want to look further afield, not least the peerless sound you get from a great pair of wired over-ears. We’ve also looked at the finest fitness models… and some audiophile eye-candy. Oh, and should you want to (course you do), you can win some Jabra buds on p27. Elsewhere, we’ve taken a look at a fresh selection of juicers perfect for pleasant drinks in the beautiful spring weather (OK, for sheltering inside from the showers). We’ve also test-driven our 10 top picks for all-electric motoring to avoid those petrol price…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022CHAMPAGNE SNOOPER ROVER£229 / na.enabot.comWith cameras and app control, this little security bot is like a guard dog you don’t have to feed.● Patrol with itUnless you live in a one-room flat with barely enough space to swing a Cat5 cable, covering your whole home with security cams can be a costly business. So why not put one on wheels and let it roam about in search of intruders instead? The Ebo Air might look like a tennis ball from the future, but let it patrol your house when you’re not there and it’s like having your own security droid. It uses AI-powered tracking and facial recognition skills to alert you if it spots something out of the ordinary… although considering it makes BB-8 look menacing, it might not be enough to…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022IKEA VAPPEBY£55 / ikea.comThat’s nice. Is it a bell to summon Darth Vader?Don’t be ridiculous – Lord Vader can’t be summoned, he summons you… and that rarely has a happy ending. But this nifty little Swedish gadget has nothing to do with the dark side – quite the opposite, in fact. The Vappeby is the latest addition to Ikea’s range of smart home tech, which started with wireless chargers, expanded to its Tradfri lights and now includes smart blinds and speakers hidden inside picture frames or table lamps. The Vappeby takes the latter idea, adds a handle and a rechargeable battery, and finishes it off with a garden-friendly IP65-certified build.Perfect for the Death Star’s roof terrace.The built-in LED light does have two different brightness settings, but expecting it to illuminate the…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GAMESFIRST PLAY NEON WHITE PC, SwitchIt’s not just Sonic who’s gotta go fast – gaming has a whole community of folk obsessed with speedrunning. And that’s not just getting through a game as fast as you can, but finding all the tricks and shortcuts – and sometimes outright breaking a game – to do it. As cool as it can be, it might seem impossible… but it’s something Neon White wants to introduce you to.First, however, let’s not ignore this first-person action game’s awesome premise. You play as assassin Neon White, who’s died and lost his memories but has a chance for redemption by cleansing Heaven of demons, competing with other masked killers to see who can earn their place upstairs.You’ll have a broad range of weapons at your disposal…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GAMESFIRST PLAY NEON WHITE PC, Switch It’s not just Sonic who’s gotta go fast – gaming has a whole community of folk obsessed with speedrunning. And that’s not just getting through a game as fast as you can, but finding all the tricks and shortcuts – and sometimes outright breaking a game – to do it. As cool as it can be, it might seem impossible… but it’s something Neon White wants to introduce you to. First, however, let’s not ignore this first-person action game’s awesome premise. You play as assassin Neon White, who’s died and lost his memories but has a chance for redemption by cleansing Heaven of demons, competing with other masked killers to see who can earn their place upstairs. You’ll have a broad range of weapons…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Polestar 02 HEART FULL OF POLE£N/A / polestar.com Ooh, yes please! How much? Sorry, this is a concept EV and looks set to stay that way for now. It’s got two doors and four seats along with a retractable hardtop roof; the fact that it’s a concept means there’s no word on powertrain or more general technical specifications. But what we do know is that the Polestar O2 is very nice to look at. So where does the roof go? It folds away – and as the O2 is a hardtop convertible, you get the best of both worlds. The 2+2 cabin design and squat, dynamic look are embellished by some dazzling design flourishes too, like the wraparound taillights, striking airducts… and those ‘statement’ wheels. And inside the cabin? The luscious interior is crafted from…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022WIN 1 OF 3 PAIRS OF JABRA TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES!True wireless earphones. Everyone needs them. Everyone loves them. Everyone drops them down a drain. Whether you’ve had a nasty drain experience or you simply don’t own a pair, why not enter our fab competition to bag yourself a pair of excellent buds from Jabra?You could win the £200 Elite 7 Pro, Jabra’s smallest buds so far, complete with adjustable active noise-cancelling and four mics, which also use bone-conduction tech for the best possible on-the-go call quality. The £170 Elite 7 Active take the same excellent formula to the gym, with IP57 water/sweatproofing, while ShakeGrip and EarGel tech ensure the comfiest fit while you’re moving about. Naturally, you can use the voice assistant of your choice too.And rounding out our prize trio are the £120 Elite 4 Active, the ideal…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Carl PeiTHE ONEPLUS CO-FOUNDER AND ‘NOTHING’ BOSS ON THE FUTURE OF SMARTPHONESI was one of the first kids in school with the iPod and the first with the iPhone. I also had the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1. I was a real tech fan! I’ve been quite quiet for the past one and a half years [since leaving OnePlus] but it feels great to be back with Nothing. The path to getting the brand name was a strange one. I went on a lot of long walks with my little sister after I left my previous job. I tested new names with her like, “Hey, what about this? What about that?” She was 19 at the time and so she’s pretty much in tune with the Gen Z kids. And she’s like, “Well that’s cringe and that’s cringe.” And then…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022WIN 1 OF 3 PAIRS OF JABRA TRUE WIRELESS EARPHONES!True wireless earphones. Everyone needs them. Everyone loves them. Everyone drops them down a drain. Whether you’ve had a nasty drain experience or you simply don’t own a pair, why not enter our fab competition to bag yourself a pair of excellent buds from Jabra? You could win the £200 Elite 7 Pro, Jabra’s smallest buds so far, complete with adjustable active noise-cancelling and four mics, which also use bone-conduction tech for the best possible on-the-go call quality. The £170 Elite 7 Active take the same excellent formula to the gym, with IP57 water/sweatproofing, while ShakeGrip and EarGel tech ensure the comfiest fit while you’re moving about. Naturally, you can use the voice assistant of your choice too. And rounding out our prize trio are the £120 Elite 4 Active,…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022EARS: WHERE THE STORY ENDSCan’t be soreThe headband can be adjusted using Rode’s bespoke FitLock mechanism; it feels very close to having a custom fit.A certain plum oneThe optional coloured cables are designed to match the channel colours on the RodeCaster Pro mixing desk and Rode Connect software.Skin and ’phonesAll the pads can be swapped out quickly and easily – ideal if you want to sterilise them for the next user in a studio environment.RODE NTH-100Rode is known for its pro mics and other audio gear, but this is the Australian company’s first ever pair of headphones – and despite that heritage, they’re not just for the studio. The NTH-100s offer great sonic performance, as you might expect, but what’s more of a surprise is how comfortable they are.Weighing in at a hefty 350g,…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022The alternative: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultrafrom £999 / stuff.tv/S8Ultra ■ The S8 Ultra has the biggest display this side of a full-scale laptop: a crisp and punchy 14.6in AMOLED. At just 300 nits the brightness could be better, but we’ve got no complaints about the 120Hz refresh rate, which makes menus glide fluidly. The tiny bezels and 16:10 aspect ratio make it great for watching films. ■ A Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip might not scare the slickest phones out there, but hooked up to PS Remote Play or Steam Link with a Wi-Fi 6 router, our tablet handled games with virtually no latency. Benchmark scores are impressive too. ■ The Tab S8 Ultra’s keyboard dock doesn’t really work on a lap, making on-the-go productivity its biggest limitation. But hook up an external display, keyboard…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GAMINGSTEELSERIES ARCTIS 9This is a highly reliable pair of 2.4GHz wireless gaming cans. Available either for PC and PlayStation or for Xbox (look for the ‘X’ added to the name), they offer everything you could need. Most importantly they sound fantastic, with lag-free audio and meaty 40mm neodymium drivers.This leads to a wide soundstage so you can hear what’s coming from all around you, proving particularly useful if you’re playing something like Apex Legends and you’re unsure of the location of your enemy.And beyond the practical benefit, they just make your gaming a more immersive and involving experience, thanks to the way the sound grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. PC gamers also benefit from DTS:X, which provides a form of virtual surround-sound system, ensuring that whatever you’re playing…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022OVER-EARSBallad of easy driver The XM4s use the same 40mm free-edge dynamic drivers as the XM3s to do their sonic business – ‘if it ain’t broke’ and all that… Mr space-cans Yes, you can enjoy the delights of spatial audio thanks to compatibility with Sony 360 Reality Audio… once you’ve set it up in the app. Chestnut pair On the left earcup there’s a power button, a 3.5mm input for wired listening, and an NFC patch for the easiest wireless pairing imaginable. SONY WH-1000XM4 For once, ‘less’ really is ‘more’. Compared to the extremely capable WH-1000XM3s they replaced, these WH-1000XM4s are slightly slimmer and slightly lighter, and travel in a slightly smaller case. And as an overall proposition, they’re slightly better – which means that, by extension, these are the…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Anyone for 10 bliss?Sunshine of your gloveThere are two variants of the OnePlus 10 Pro available in the UK. The ‘volcanic black’ version has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM (£799), while the ‘emerald forest’ model gets 256GB and 12GB (for £100 more). The green finish (1) is WAY nicer than the black if you ask us.Wrapping shaperThe design of the phone is quite striking because of the ceramic camera bump that wraps around the side (2); it’s more subtle on the black model because the colour difference isn’t so obvious. Elsewhere the look is more or less standard, with rounded sides and a camera cut-out in the screen.White zoomAs with other 2022 flagships, there’s a telephoto zoom lens (8MP, f/2.4) in addition to the 48MP f/1.8 wide lens and a 50MP…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GAMINGSTEELSERIES ARCTIS 9 This is a highly reliable pair of 2.4GHz wireless gaming cans. Available either for PC and PlayStation or for Xbox (look for the ‘X’ added to the name), they offer everything you could need. Most importantly they sound fantastic, with lag-free audio and meaty 40mm neodymium drivers. This leads to a wide soundstage so you can hear what’s coming from all around you, proving particularly useful if you’re playing something like Apex Legends and you’re unsure of the location of your enemy. And beyond the practical benefit, they just make your gaming a more immersive and involving experience, thanks to the way the sound grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. PC gamers also benefit from DTS:X, which provides a form of virtual surround-sound system, ensuring that…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022How Suun is now?Hand in shoveA stainless steel bezel sits on top of a 43mm plastic case that’s waterproof down to 30 metres. The five physical buttons feel a little on the stiff side and the watch is also slow to respond when you press them. This charming scanThe 1.1in always-on matrix display does OK in direct sunlight and there’s an LED backlight for when it’s dark, but it’s no match for a proper AMOLED or LCD. It’s also fighting a losing battle with the sizeable black border.£259 / stuff.tv/5Peak Looking for a sports watch with a little bit of Finnish flair? Suunto’s 5 Peak offers a good tracking experience on the whole, with over 80 sports covered. Suunto’s adaptive training guidance, which looks at the intensity and duration of your workouts and…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC GLEAMSFORD MUSTANG MACH-EDon’t be fooled by that name and its sporty heritage: Ford’s first mainstream electric car is an SUV. Still, there are some design hints of where the Mustang Mach-E has come from, including distinctive bonnet lines and rear taillights… along with the horsey badging. And it looks the part, though the low ground clearance isn’t ideal for off-road SUV larks.Driving the Mach-E turns out to be a more interesting experience than we expected. You’ll be rewarded with some thrills, even from the rear-wheel-drive basic model. Select a drive mode to match your mood and it proves to bea real driver’s car. It’s fairly affordable and spacious, with four doors and a family-friendly boot.There’s a fake engine burble that can make you think you’re driving something else entirely. But…12 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Fly fidelity£1599 / stuff.tv/Omnia If you had to pick one word to describe the Omnia’s features, it would be ‘extensive’. This thing will power your speakers and your headphones, will stream from pretty much anywhere using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, has a stack of hi-res inputs, and can support a record player. Oh, and there’s a built-in CD drive too. The digital interface is built around the DTS Play-Fi platform. This makes it really easy to add to a multiroom system, and means you can use the expansive and logical DTS control app rather than the slow-to-respond physical buttons on the front. At first the Omnia might seem short of low-end substance, but listen a little longer and you’ll realise it’s got plenty of punch and drive. It gets properly stuck into…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022INSTANT UPGRADESSAMSUNG Z FOLD3FIRST ADD THESE…ONE SAMSUNG GALAXY S PEN FOLD EDITIONIt takes a special kind of S Pen stylus to write on the Galaxy Z Fold3 – try a regular Samsung scribbler and you’ll get an error prompt. Once you hook up this more delicate digi-pen, you can enjoy pressure-sensitive scribing at up to 4096 levels and full access to Samsung’s excellent Notes software.£44 / samsung.comTWO KENSINGTON UH1400P DOCKSamsung’s DeX desktop interface turns a phone into a mini-PC when hooked up to a monitor. Add this USB-C mobile dock to the mix for HDMI out, Ethernet in, fast-charging power via USB-C, two SD card slots and three USB ports. It’s a tiny dongle that brings desktop-grade connectivity.£50 / misco.co.ukTHREE ANKER 735 CHARGERWith the Z Fold3 only able to fast-charge at up to…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TECH SECURITYTHE BASICS ■ Use better passwords Make device passcode locks alphanumeric. Use a password manager and, when setting any new passwords, avoid easily identifiable strings of characters or letters. Never use the same passwords (or parts of passwords) across multiple apps and services. Use random strings for account recovery challenges, not real answers that a third party could figure out. ■ Thwart phishing You might laugh at terrible phishing emails from ‘Appl Icloud’, but many of these fakes are now getting more sophisticated, directly cloning the visual style of big brands. Be wary of tapping on links asking you to sign in from email – instead, manually log into accounts the usual way and check whether things are OK from there. ■ Test biometrics You want the barrier that stops…4 min
See Also
Here are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in September 2024How far away are we from the location of the Big Bang?The 100 Most Iconic Guitars of All Time: Complete List RevealedAI.FUND on LinkedIn: #bigbangaifestival #airevolution #aiinbusiness #aifund #smes #networking…Stuff UK|May 2022Kirby And The Forgotten LandMuch like the titular pink blob, Nintendo’s Kirby series has taken many forms over the years – and his Switch debut is also his first fully 3D outing. Kirby’s journey through the Forgotten Land is a largely linear affair but it’s a world that’s packed with hidden treasures.On the way you’ll be visiting overgrown shopping malls, an eerily empty carnival and a desert wasteland. Key to progressing through these levels, solving environmental puzzles and uncovering secrets is Kirby’s ability to inhale his enemies in order to take on their unique talents: suck up a sword-wielding enemy and he becomes a swordsman; gobble up a mole and he can suddenly drill through the ground; eat a fire enemy and he harnesses their geothermal energy to spew lava at anyone in his…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Fly fidelity£1599 / stuff.tv/Omnia ■ If you had to pick one word to describe the Omnia’s features, it would be ‘extensive’. This thing will power your speakers and your headphones, will stream from pretty much anywhere using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, has a stack of hi-res inputs, and can support a record player. Oh, and there’s a built-in CD drive too. ■ The digital interface is built around the DTS Play-Fi platform. This makes it really easy to add to a multiroom system, and means you can use the expansive and logical DTS control app rather than the slow-to-respond physical buttons on the front. ■ At first the Omnia might seem short of low-end substance, but listen a little longer and you’ll realise it’s got plenty of punch and drive. It gets…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSSMARTWATCHES1 HOT BUY Apple Watch Series 7from £369 / stuff.tv/WatchS7If you’ve got an Apple Watch Series 3 or even earlier, upgrading to this one will be like walking into a lighting shop from a dark and foggy winter evening: the display is bigger and clearer, and there are new input options too. As a wearable it can’t be beaten simply because it does so much, especially if you’re into fitness; just bear in mind that it’s probably not worth upgrading from a Series 5 or 6 – and of course, its usefulness remains totally dependent on you having an iPhone.Stuff saysThe mighty Apple Watch cements its place at the top of the wearable tree2 Garmin Fenix 7from £600/stuff.tv/Fenix7If your budget stretches, the impressive mix of rugged durability, serious battery endurance,…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Kirby And The Forgotten LandMuch like the titular pink blob, Nintendo’s Kirby series has taken many forms over the years – and his Switch debut is also his first fully 3D outing. Kirby’s journey through the Forgotten Land is a largely linear affair but it’s a world that’s packed with hidden treasures. On the way you’ll be visiting overgrown shopping malls, an eerily empty carnival and a desert wasteland. Key to progressing through these levels, solving environmental puzzles and uncovering secrets is Kirby’s ability to inhale his enemies in order to take on their unique talents: suck up a sword-wielding enemy and he becomes a swordsman; gobble up a mole and he can suddenly drill through the ground; eat a fire enemy and he harnesses their geothermal energy to spew lava at anyone in…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSSOUNDBARS1 HOT BUY Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar£2199 / stuff.tv/AmbeoSoundbarUtterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently available can perform feats with the solidity and confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale of this device’s sound is remarkable, and it’s hard to think of any content that wouldn’t benefit from being Ambeo’d. That’s why, as well as being the biggest and the most expensive, it’s the best you can buy.Stuff saysThe Ambeo Soundbar is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still2 Sonos Arc£899 / stuff.tv/SonosArcDon’t expect this soundbar to do everything a multi-speaker Dolby Atmos setup can do, but its up-firing and side-firing drivers give a real sense of scale for an immersively cinematic TV-watching experience.Stuff…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GAMES TOP TENS• TIPS & TRICKS• Sprinting doesn’t consume stamina… until you get close to an enemy, when it suddenly does!• Weapons are key: you need to improve them whenever you can. A good melee weapon is a must.• A hub called the Roundtable Hold enables you to visit characters who can offer gear upgrades.1 HOT BUY NEW Elden Ringfrom £38 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PCWith FromSoftware’s trademark difficulty and a richly imaginative world that doesn’t hold your hand, this ambitious action RPG is a crowning achievement. There’s so much to lose yourself in here: lore hunters will have a field day combing through the world’s mythology; speedrunners and those who thrive on challenge will relish figuring out the best weapons to use and where to find them. Even for most…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSIN-EARS HOT BUY 1 Sony WF-1000XM4 £199 / stuff.tv/WFXM4 A worthy successor to the XM3 buds that sat atop this list for what seemed like decades, Sony’s latest true wireless noise-cancelling in-ears are smaller, smarter and better. With the arguable exceptions of call quality and app slickness, the WF-1000XM4s aren’t quite the best at anything; but they’re so close to being the best at everything that their all-round game is untouchable. No other wireless earbuds are so consistently accomplished across the board. Stuff says The finest true wireless noise-cancelling earbuds around – this is the complete package 2 Beats Fit Pro £200 / stuff.tv/FitPro These Beats are excellent on many levels. Unless you really love the earhook design of the Powerbeats Pro, they’re definitely the best workout ’phones in the…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSVR HEADSETS1 HOT BUY Oculus Quest 2from £299 / stuff.tv/Quest2The original Quest felt almost too good to be true. Its successor lacks the same wow factor, but you can’t argue with a better display and processor – not to mention a lighter, more comfortable build – for less money. Are there more powerful headsets? Is motion sickness still an issue? Yes to both, but superb tracking and a total absence of wires make this the VR package to get… that is, unless you’re boycotting Facebook, because you have to be logged in to use it.Stuff saysNot a complete reinvention, but our favourite VR headset is now even better… and cheaper!2 Valve Index£919 / stuff.tv/ValveIndexWhile not revolutionary, the Index carries enough subtle upgrades to put it atop the PC-based headset pack.…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022BUDGET BUYS TOP TENS• TIPS & TRICKS• Fed up of yelling? Alexa’s voice can work like an intercom with connected Echo devices.• Alexa Voice Shopping lets you order from Amazon; add a ‘voice code’ to keep the kids off.• Dot at your bedside? Saying “Alexa, turn on whisper mode” will stop it waking up sleepyheads.1 HOT BUY Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)from £50 / stuff.tv/DotThis fabric-covered take on Marvin the paranoid android in disguise as a Magic 8-Ball feels playful yet classical. It can’t match a full-size smart speaker for audio, but as a little radio and an Alexa assistant for the bedside table or kitchen worktop, this cutey gets the job done. It’s worth paying £10 more for the ‘with Clock’ version, which adds extra functionality beyond telling the time.Stuff saysWith the…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GAMES TOP TENS• TIPS & TRICKS Sprinting doesn’t consume stamina… until you get close to an enemy, when it suddenly does! Weapons are key: you need to improve them whenever you can. A good melee weapon is a must. AhubcalledtheRoundtable Hold enables you to visit characters who can offer gear upgrades. 1 HOT BUYNEWElden Ring from £38 / PS5, PS4, XSX, XB1, PC With FromSoftware’s trademark difficulty and a richly imaginative world that doesn’t hold your hand, this ambitious action RPG is a crowning achievement. There’s so much to lose yourself in here: lore hunters will have a field day combing through the world’s mythology; speedrunners and those who thrive on challenge will relish figuring out the best weapons to use and where to find them. Even for most of us…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSE-BIKES 1 HOT BUY VanMoof S3 £2148 / stuff.tv/VanMoofS3 VanMoof’s second-gen S3 (or X3 if you’re under 5ft 8in) looks like a normal bike, rides like a normal bike and, crucially, doesn’t cost a ridiculous amount of cash. The chunky 50mm tyres, slightly swooped bars and upright riding position all combine to make it super-comfy, and 30 miles with the power assistance set to level three (out of four) left us completely sweat-free with 20% still in the tank. Plus, for such a looker, the S3 has a lot of tech hidden away to make it a less than ideal target for thieves. Stuff says This smart-looking e-bike offers a great ride, great features and some genuinely useful security smarts 2 Cowboy 4 £2490 / stuff.tv/Cowboy4 The Belgian maker’s latest…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENS SMART HOME• TIPS & TRICKS The Echo’s built-in Zigbee hub can hook up hundreds of smart home devices without a bridge. Pair a compatible thermostat and the Echo’s temperature sensor can activate the heating. AlexaFlashBriefingsdeliverbursts of news or trivia; choose from 5000 sources in the app. 1 HOT BUYAmazon Echo (4th Gen) £90 / stuff.tv/Echo Having morphed from a cylinder to a sphere, the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader, weather forecaster, personal assistant and intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now also a capable speaker and a very accessible smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good as the Sonos One for listening to music, but it’s significantly smarter and considerably cheaper too. Stuff says An all-round upgrade that makes the Echo a smarter speaker than ever…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022WELCOMEHello and welcome to this audio-themed issue of Stuff – in which we’ve reviewed pretty much every type of headphone available. We think everyone should have a pair of true wireless buds, but there are many reasons why you might want to look further afield, not least the peerless sound you get from a great pair of wired over-ears. We’ve also looked at the finest fitness models… and some audiophile eye-candy. Oh, and should you want to (course you do), you can win some Jabra buds on p27.Elsewhere, we’ve taken a look at a fresh selection of juicers perfect for pleasant drinks in the beautiful spring weather (OK, for sheltering inside from the showers). We’ve also test-driven our 10 top picks for all-electric motoring to avoid those petrol price hikes,…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022HOT STUFFShow me the weigh Opt for the M1 Ultra version and you get Thunderbolt 4 ports on the front instead of USB-C. It also adds nearly a kilo to the weight, coming in at 3.6kg rather than 2.7kg. Height for your right to porty Measuring 9.5cm from base to top, the Mac Studio is about the size of two stacked Mac Minis. Well, how else do you expect it to fit all those ports and that extra grunt? And your buds can sing The Mac Studio includes a built-in speaker and there’s also a headphone port on the back. That’s not ideal placement, but you can always use Bluetooth ’phones instead. HOT FIVE #1 HOLEY MOTHER Apple Mac Studio When people reach for a stick to beat Apple with, it’s…7 min
Stuff UK|May 2022CHAMPAGNE SNOOPER ROVER£229 / na.enabot.com With cameras and app control, this little security bot is like a guard dog you don’t have to feed. ● Patrol with it Unless you live in a one-room flat with barely enough space to swing a Cat5 cable, covering your whole home with security cams can be a costly business. So why not put one on wheels and let it roam about in search of intruders instead? The Ebo Air might look like a tennis ball from the future, but let it patrol your house when you’re not there and it’s like having your own security droid. It uses AI-powered tracking and facial recognition skills to alert you if it spots something out of the ordinary… although considering it makes BB-8 look menacing, it might not…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Polestar 02 HEART FULL OF POLE£N/A / polestar.comOoh, yes please! How much?Sorry, this is a concept EV and looks set to stay that way for now. It’s got two doors and four seats along with a retractable hardtop roof; the fact that it’s a concept means there’s no word on powertrain or more general technical specifications. But what we do know is that the Polestar O2 is very nice to look at.So where does the roof go?It folds away – and as the O2 is a hardtop convertible, you get the best of both worlds. The 2+2 cabin design and squat, dynamic look are embellished by some dazzling design flourishes too, like the wraparound taillights, striking airducts… and those ‘statement’ wheels.And inside the cabin?The luscious interior is crafted from recycled materials, including reborn polyester for…5 min
Stuff UK|May 2022NEWS FEEDNOTHING IS WORKING ON A SMARTPHONEAfter releasing a pair of transparent earbuds last year, Nothing is now working on its own phone. Due for release in the summer, the Nothing 1 will have a minimalist Android-based OS, but the hardware remains a mystery. Head to p26 to read our interview with founder Carl Pei.SONY ADDS MORE FREE GAMES TO PS PLUSSony has added two new tiers to its PlayStation Plus online gaming service. For £10.99/m (or £83.99/yr) you’ll get access to 400 PS4 and PS5 games, while the £13.49/m (or £99.99/yr) Premium package includes an extra 340 PS3, PS2, PS1 and PSP games. It launches in June.ZELDA SEQUEL DELAYED UNTIL NEXT YEARThe long-awaited follow-up to Breath Of The Wild has been delayed until next spring. The as-yet-untitled Switch game, which…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022NEWS FEEDNOTHING IS WORKING ON A SMARTPHONE After releasing a pair of transparent earbuds last year, Nothing is now working on its own phone. Due for release in the summer, the Nothing 1 will have a minimalist Android-based OS, but the hardware remains a mystery. Head to p26 to read our interview with founder Carl Pei. SONY ADDS MORE FREE GAMES TO PS PLUS Sony has added two new tiers to its PlayStation Plus online gaming service. For £10.99/m (or £83.99/yr) you’ll get access to 400 PS4 and PS5 games, while the £13.49/m (or £99.99/yr) Premium package includes an extra 340 PS3, PS2, PS1 and PSP games. It launches in June. ZELDASEQUEL DELAYED UNTIL NEXT YEAR The long-awaited follow-up to Breath Of The Wild has been delayed until next spring. The…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022?WTF IS THE DYSON ZONE?Come on now, April Fools Day was weeks ago… We know – but according to Dyson, the Zone (£tba, dyson.co.uk) is no joke. It might look like something from a Saw sequel set in outer space, but this is actually a pair of wireless headphones that double as a wearable air purifier. Or is it the other way around? Dyson started working on them six years ago, back when donning a mask in public would have marked you out as a potential thief; but even with the Covid pandemic making it a more everyday sight, you’d definitely still get a few funny looks with this contraption hugging your bonce. So how does it actually work? Each earcup includes a tiny compressor that draws air in through dual-layer filters before channelling…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Let me be your heady AirWe really loved the fourth-gen iPad Air when we reviewed it 18 months ago: it was like getting an iPad Pro on the cheap. But a lot can change in a year and a half.Since then, the iPad Pro has further cemented its lead, the iPad Mini has turned into an Air that’s been through a hot wash – while gaining a few added features – and even the standard iPad has been given a selfie-camera system to embarrass the Air’s.Now the iPad Air is back. Hold the latest model in your mitts and you could easily confuse it for its predecessor, although the new colour options might give it away. But appearances can be deceptive… because this latest iteration definitely isn’t just more of the same.That’s because the new…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022UPVOTED JUICERSThe muted masticator Ninja Cold Press JuicerGoing slow has its benefits. The gentle rotation of this juicer’s nine-element auger transfers minimal warmth to the fruity stream. And like its namesake, the Ninja is near-silent: three times quieter than a standard centrifugal alternative, in fact. So it’s less likely to scare away the residents of the nearby fruit bowl. £170 / ninjakitchen.co.ukSPEEDY SPINNERSThe pulp pounder Philips Avance JuicerFruit might be packed with fibre, but do you want to spend the rest of the day picking bits of it out of your teeth? This powerful pulser controls consistency with just a touch, letting you serve up cloudless juice or extract twice the fibre if you fancy a pulpier potion. It’s also easy to rinse.£220 / philips.co.ukThe rapid revolver Nutribullet Juicer ProA juice…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Let me be your heady AirWe really loved the fourth-gen iPad Air when we reviewed it 18 months ago: it was like getting an iPad Pro on the cheap. But a lot can change in a year and a half. Since then, the iPad Pro has further cemented its lead, the iPad Mini has turned into an Air that’s been through a hot wash – while gaining a few added features – and even the standard iPad has been given a selfie-camera system to embarrass the Air’s. Now the iPad Air is back. Hold the latest model in your mitts and you could easily confuse it for its predecessor, although the new colour options might give it away. But appearances can be deceptive… because this latest iteration definitely isn’t just more of the same. That’s…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022OVER-EARSBallad of easy driverThe XM4s use the same 40mm free-edge dynamic drivers as the XM3s to do their sonic business – ‘if it ain’t broke’ and all that…Mr space-cansYes, you can enjoy the delights of spatial audio thanks to compatibility with Sony 360 Reality Audio… once you’ve set it up in the app.Chestnut pairOn the left earcup there’s a power button, a 3.5mm input for wired listening, and an NFC patch for the easiest wireless pairing imaginable.SONY WH-1000XM4For once, ‘less’ really is ‘more’. Compared to the extremely capable WH-1000XM3s they replaced, these WH-1000XM4s are slightly slimmer and slightly lighter, and travel in a slightly smaller case.And as an overall proposition, they’re slightly better – which means that, by extension, these are the finest pound-for-pound wireless over-ear headphones you can buy.The…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022UPVOTED JUICERSThe muted masticator Ninja Cold Press Juicer Going slow has its benefits. The gentle rotation of this juicer’s nine-element auger transfers minimal warmth to the fruity stream. And like its namesake, the Ninja is near-silent: three times quieter than a standard centrifugal alternative, in fact. So it’s less likely to scare away the residents of the nearby fruit bowl. £170 / ninjakitchen.co.uk SPEEDY SPINNERS The pulp pounder Philips Avance Juicer Fruit might be packed with fibre, but do you want to spend the rest of the day picking bits of it out of your teeth? This powerful pulser controls consistency with just a touch, letting you serve up cloudless juice or extract twice the fibre if you fancy a pulpier potion. It’s also easy to rinse. £220 / philips.co.uk The…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TRUE WIRELESSSONY WF-1000XM4 The fact that you can’t move for true wireless in-ear headphones these days is, in large part, Sony’s fault. And with the WF-1000XM4s, the latest model in the company’s madly successful WF-1000 series of true wireless earbuds, the company has served up a contender that’s smaller, lighter, greener and more affordable than ever. Oh, and they manage to sound even more eloquent and direct than the (already very decent) XM3s that they replaced. The more compact design means the WF-1000XM4s are more portable when they’re not in use and more comfortable when they are. And the control app – which is still about as good as it gets where stability and usability are concerned – has some useful ‘lifestyle’ features as well as the more common playback controls,…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Mini meme LEARN BABY LEARN● Fender PlayIf you jump into your favourite guitar solo without the requisite skills, anyone nearby is going to throw your axe – or possibly you – into the sea. Fender Play helps you learn the basics from scratch, with bite-sized video lessons that feel like a tutor’s been squeezed into your phone. You can then take a crack at a range of songs and riffs – and in some cases even get feedback when you’re done.£free (IAP) / Android, iOS● Ultimate GuitarThere are courses inside this app too, along with a tuner and metronome, but we’re here for the transcribed songs. Each one lets you tap chords to see how they look. Quite a few take things further, with automated backing tracks. They do sound a bit ‘cheapo keyboard’,…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022SCIENCE OF SOUNDIf it makes you tappyThere’s a remote and you can also control the Dione with Devialet’s app, but the panel also has a line of subtle touch controls as a backup.Bawl together nowThe soundbar has eight long-throw subwoofers in a SAM (Speaker Active Matching) configuration to provide beefy bass with no separate sub.Wish you were hear?The Dione doesn’t work with voice assistants at present, but Devialet tells us the company will support Alexa if customers demand it.Any new soundbar needs to be rather special to A survive – there are pallets of the things sitting in the storeroom of every back-street electronics shop. High-end French audio specialist Devialet has had one in development for over two years, so why does it think now is the time to launch it –…6 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Don’t stop moviein’£1999 (body only) / stuff.tv/GH6 The GH6 has a classic DSLR body shape and it’s none the worse for that: the big grip on the right fits the hand well, and the OLED viewfinder and dials all feel like they’re where they should be. You can get stuff done without being overwhelmed by options. This is an ace camera for movies, and a lot of that is down to the sheer choice it offers. Format, resolution, framerate, bitrate, picture profile… there’s something here for everyone, and the 4K footage looks absolutely fantastic. The contrast-based AF isn’t quite as fast or accurate as the hybrid systems used by Sony and Canon, but the in-body image stabilisation offers a staggering 7.5 stops of compensation, smoothing out motion and stabilising handheld footage. Connectivity…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TECH SECURITYTHE BASICS Use better passwordsMake device passcode locks alphanumeric. Use a password manager and, when setting any new passwords, avoid easily identifiable strings of characters or letters. Never use the same passwords (or parts of passwords) across multiple apps and services. Use random strings for account recovery challenges, not real answers that a third party could figure out. Thwart phishingYou might laugh at terrible phishing emails from ‘Appl Icloud’, but many of these fakes are now getting more sophisticated, directly cloning the visual style of big brands. Be wary of tapping on links asking you to sign in from email – instead, manually log into accounts the usual way and check whether things are OK from there. Test biometricsYou want the barrier that stops others getting at your stuff to…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Anyone for 10 bliss?Sunshine of your glove There are two variants of the OnePlus 10 Pro available in the UK. The ‘volcanic black’ version has 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM (£799), while the ‘emerald forest’ model gets 256GB and 12GB (for £100 more). The green finish (1) is WAY nicer than the black if you ask us. Wrapping shaper The design of the phone is quite striking because of the ceramic camera bump that wraps around the side (2); it’s more subtle on the black model because the colour difference isn’t so obvious. Elsewhere the look is more or less standard, with rounded sides and a camera cut-out in the screen. White zoom As with other 2022 flagships, there’s a telephoto zoom lens (8MP, f/2.4) in addition to the 48MP f/1.8…4 min
Stuff UK|May 20223 OF THE BESTMechanical keyboardsLogitech Pop KeysWhat’s the story?This distinctive-looking wireless keyboard is reminiscent of typewriters of old and features a row of customisable emoji keys down the right-hand side (eight different emoji keys can be swapped in and out). As well as this pastelly ‘daydream’ colourway, the Pop Keys is available in pink and red (‘heartbreaker’) and a very chic yellow and grey (‘blast’). There are matching mice too.It it any good?It’s a joy to use… once you get used to it. We’re used to Logitech boards with quite wide keys, and the narrow targets of the Pop Keys feel quite different. Another downer is that you need to install Logitech’s own software to customise the emoji keys. It does support multiple devices, though: you can easily switch between phone and PC or…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022How Suun is now?■ Hand in shove A stainless steel bezel sits on top of a 43mm plastic case that’s waterproof down to 30 metres. The five physical buttons feel a little on the stiff side and the watch is also slow to respond when you press them. ■ This charming scan The 1.1in always-on matrix display does OK in direct sunlight and there’s an LED backlight for when it’s dark, but it’s no match for a proper AMOLED or LCD. It’s also fighting a losing battle with the sizeable black border. £259 / stuff.tv/5Peak ■ Looking for a sports watch with a little bit of Finnish flair? Suunto’s 5 Peak offers a good tracking experience on the whole, with over 80 sports covered. ■ Suunto’s adaptive training guidance, which looks at the…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Ghostwire: TokyoThe sight of Shibuya’s famously busy Scramble Crossing completely deserted would be eerie if it hadn’t happened a couple years ago in real life. Of course, in Ghostwire: Tokyo, the people aren’t absent because of a virus – a strange fog has spirited everyone away.The only survivor here is your protagonist, Akito, a seemingly ordinary guy who’s been fused with a mysterious spirit. Calling itself KK, it’s not only keeping him alive but also giving him powers that can help him to rescue his sister and figure out what the hell is going on.Instead of normal weapons, having KK inside your head gives you the power of wind, fire and water to purge your supernatural foes. Sounds like fun… although, beneath the flourishes, Akito’s powers aren’t that different from a…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC GLEAMSFORD MUSTANG MACH-E Don’t be fooled by that name and its sporty heritage: Ford’s first mainstream electric car is an SUV. Still, there are some design hints of where the Mustang Mach-E has come from, including distinctive bonnet lines and rear taillights… along with the horsey badging. And it looks the part, though the low ground clearance isn’t ideal for off-road SUV larks. Driving the Mach-E turns out to be a more interesting experience than we expected. You’ll be rewarded with some thrills, even from the rear-wheel-drive basic model. Select a drive mode to match your mood and it proves to be a real driver’s car. It’s fairly affordable and spacious, with four doors and a family-friendly boot. There’s a fake engine burble that can make you think you’re driving…12 min
Stuff UK|May 20223 OF THE BESTMechanical keyboardsLogitech Pop Keys What’s the story? This distinctive-looking wireless keyboard is reminiscent of typewriters of old and features a row of customisable emoji keys down the right-hand side (eight different emoji keys can be swapped in and out). As well as this pastelly ‘daydream’ colourway, the Pop Keys is available in pink and red (‘heartbreaker’) and a very chic yellow and grey (‘blast’). There are matching mice too. It it any good? It’s a joy to use… once you get used to it. We’re used to Logitech boards with quite wide keys, and the narrow targets of the Pop Keys feel quite different. Another downer is that you need to install Logitech’s own software to customise the emoji keys. It does support multiple devices, though: you can easily switch between…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Oh, you pretty thinfrom £599 / stuff.tv/MateBookE DAY 01 Huawei has come out with plenty of excellent tablets in its time, but impressive hardware has often been held back by limited software. Running unadulterated Windows 11 rather than Huawei’s own HarmonyOS, though, the new MateBook E should be the perfect blend of two worlds: a laptop in tablet’s clothing. Starting at £599 for the Intel i3 version and going up to £999 for the one we’re testing here with an i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage, the MateBook E’s pricing starts competitively and climbs into premium territory, competing against the likes of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 – and the fact that it runs a desktop OS will make it more tempting than an iPad Pro for some. The only question is,…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Ghostwire: TokyoThe sight of Shibuya’s famously busy Scramble Crossing completely deserted would be eerie if it hadn’t happened a couple years ago in real life. Of course, in Ghostwire: Tokyo, the people aren’t absent because of a virus – a strange fog has spirited everyone away. The only survivor here is your protagonist, Akito, a seemingly ordinary guy who’s been fused with a mysterious spirit. Calling itself KK, it’s not only keeping him alive but also giving him powers that can help him to rescue his sister and figure out what the hell is going on. Instead of normal weapons, having KK inside your head gives you the power of wind, fire and water to purge your supernatural foes. Sounds like fun… although, beneath the flourishes, Akito’s powers aren’t that different…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TunicThere’s no denying that nostalgia is a strong ingredient in this cosy-looking action-adventure. It doesn’t just hark back to The Legend Of Zelda’s classic top-down era, but also to the days when boxed games came with instruction manuals that you’d pore over like treasured artefacts when you weren’t busy playing the games themselves. There are obvious references to Nintendo’s series, notably the iconic green tunic that our brave little fox cub also dons, as well as familiar weapons: a sword, a shield, bombs, magic rods, and a variation of the hookshot. Yet this isometric indie rises above being a tribute act and transforms into something else. You might know what to expect if you’ve played a Zelda game before, as you set off uncovering more of your island, exploring dungeons…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022ORDER OUR NEXT ISSUE NOW AND GET FREE DELIVERY*DON’T MISS OUT! PAY THE NORMAL SHOP PRICE* AND GET THE NEXT ISSUE DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR Terms and conditions apply. Order by 27 April; you should receive your copy around 12 May. Front cover is for illustration purposes only and is subject to change. *Delivery is included in the cover price for UK customers only. An additional £1 will be added to any overseas addresses. **Lines are open Mon-Fri 8:30am–5:30pm. Calls are charged at your standard network rate.…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSSMARTWATCHES 1 HOT BUY Apple Watch Series 7 from £369 / stuff.tv/WatchS7 If you’ve got an Apple Watch Series 3 or even earlier, upgrading to this one will be like walking into a lighting shop from a dark and foggy winter evening: the display is bigger and clearer, and there are new input options too. As a wearable it can’t be beaten simply because it does so much, especially if you’re into fitness; just bear in mind that it’s probably not worth upgrading from a Series 5 or 6 – and of course, its usefulness remains totally dependent on you having an iPhone. Stuff says The mighty Apple Watch cements its place at the top of the wearable tree 2 Garmin Fenix 7 from £600/stuff.tv/Fenix7 If your budget stretches, the…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENS SMART HOME• TIPS & TRICKS• The Echo’s built-in Zigbee hub can hook up hundreds of smart home devices without a bridge.• Pair a compatible thermostat and the Echo’s temperature sensor can activate the heating.• Alexa Flash Briefings deliver bursts of news or trivia; choose from 5000 sources in the app.1 HOT BUY Amazon Echo (4th Gen)£90 / stuff.tv/EchoHaving morphed from a cylinder to a sphere, the latest Echo is an excellent newsreader, weather forecaster, personal assistant and intercom straight out of the box; but it’s now also a capable speaker and a very accessible smart home hub. It doesn’t sound as good as the Sonos One for listening to music, but it’s significantly smarter and considerably cheaper too.Stuff saysAn all-round upgrade that makes the Echo a smarter speaker than ever● NOW…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSSOUNDBARS 1 HOT BUYSennheiser Ambeo Soundbar £2199 / stuff.tv/AmbeoSoundbar Utterly convincing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D sound, ample power and lots of inputs mean no other soundbar currently available can perform feats with the solidity and confidence of this Sennheiser. The sheer room-filling scale of this device’s sound is remarkable, and it’s hard to think of any content that wouldn’t benefit from being Ambeo’d. That’s why, as well as being the biggest and the most expensive, it’s the best you can buy. Stuff says The Ambeo Soundbar is a big unit but the sound it makes is bigger still 2 Sonos Arc £899 / stuff.tv/SonosArc Don’t expect this soundbar to do everything a multi-speaker Dolby Atmos setup can do, but its up-firing and side-firing drivers give a real sense of…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSTABLETS 1HOT BUY UPDATE Apple iPad Air (4th Gen) from £499 / stuff.tv/iPadAir There’s a new iPad Air tested on p31, and it’s hard to imagine it not taking top spot in next month’s listings… but for now, the 4th-generation Air is quite revolutionary enough. It looks the spit of an 11in iPad Pro and supports Apple’s snazzy Magic Keyboard and second-gen Pencil… and the A14 chip makes it blazingly fast. Sure, there are compromises, but none are critical – if you don’t really need the extra power of the new model’s M1 processor, it might be worth looking out for end-of-line discounts on this one. Stuff says Pointing to the iPad’s future rather than its past, this is a meaningful, impressive, powerful Air update 2 Apple iPad Pro from…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022HOT STUFFShow me the weighOpt for the M1 Ultra version and you get Thunderbolt 4 ports on the front instead of USB-C. It also adds nearly a kilo to the weight, coming in at 3.6kg rather than 2.7kg.Height for your right to portyMeasuring 9.5cm from base to top, the Mac Studio is about the size of two stacked Mac Minis. Well, how else do you expect it to fit all those ports and that extra grunt?And your buds can singThe Mac Studio includes a built-in speaker and there’s also a headphone port on the back. That’s not ideal placement, but you can always use Bluetooth ’phones instead.HOT FIVE #1HOLEY MOTHER Apple Mac StudioWhen people reach for a stick to beat Apple with, it’s usually the one marked ‘form over function’. How…7 min
Stuff UK|May 2022STREAMBetter Call Saul S6 (pt1) /Netflix, 18 AprilAt long last, it’s here: following an agonising two-year wait, the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul arrives – and with it, we suspect, an end to our relationship with assorted characters we’ve loved since the arrival of Breaking Bad back in 2008. Over 13 episodes split into two parts (look out for the second half in July), we’ll discover the fates of Nacho, Lalo, Howard and Kim, as well as finding out how Jimmy McGill’s story ties in with the later events of BB. Might we even meet a certain shaven-headed chemist? Here’s hoping.DON’T MISS THISRussian DollNetflix’s clever existentialist comedy-drama, in which sardonic New Yorker Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) finds herself trapped in a Groundhog Day-style timeloop, returns for a second…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022STREAMBetter Call Saul S6 (pt1) /Netflix, 18 April At long last, it’s here: following an agonising two-year wait, the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul arrives – and with it, we suspect, an end to our relationship with assorted characters we’ve loved since the arrival of Breaking Bad back in 2008. Over 13 episodes split into two parts (look out for the second half in July), we’ll discover the fates of Nacho, Lalo, Howard and Kim, as well as finding out how Jimmy McGill’s story ties in with the later events of BB. Might we even meet a certain shaven-headed chemist? Here’s hoping. DON’T MISS THIS Russian Doll Netflix’s clever existentialist comedy-drama, in which sardonic New Yorker Nadia (Natasha Lyonne) finds herself trapped in a Groundhog Day-style timeloop,…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022IKEA VAPPEBY£55 / ikea.com That’s nice. Is it a bell to summon Darth Vader? Don’t be ridiculous – Lord Vader can’t be summoned, he summons you… and that rarely has a happy ending. But this nifty little Swedish gadget has nothing to do with the dark side – quite the opposite, in fact. The Vappeby is the latest addition to Ikea’s range of smart home tech, which started with wireless chargers, expanded to its Tradfri lights and now includes smart blinds and speakers hidden inside picture frames or table lamps. The Vappeby takes the latter idea, adds a handle and a rechargeable battery, and finishes it off with a garden-friendly IP65-certified build. Perfect for the Death Star’s roof terrace. The built-in LED light does have two different brightness settings, but expecting…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022?WTF IS THE DYSON ZONE?Come on now, April Fools Day was weeks ago…We know – but according to Dyson, the Zone (£tba, dyson.co.uk) is no joke. It might look like something from a Saw sequel set in outer space, but this is actually a pair of wireless headphones that double as a wearable air purifier. Or is it the other way around? Dyson started working on them six years ago, back when donning a mask in public would have marked you out as a potential thief; but even with the Covid pandemic making it a more everyday sight, you’d definitely still get a few funny looks with this contraption hugging your bonce.So how does it actually work?Each earcup includes a tiny compressor that draws air in through dual-layer filters before channelling two newly purified…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Carl PeiTHE ONEPLUS CO-FOUNDER AND ‘NOTHING’ BOSS ON THE FUTURE OF SMARTPHONESI was one of the first kids in school with the iPod and the first with the iPhone.I also had the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1. I was a real tech fan! I’ve been quite quiet for the past one and a half years [since leaving OnePlus] but it feels great to be back with Nothing.The path to getting the brand name was a strange one.I went on a lot of long walks with my little sister after I left my previous job. I tested new names with her like, “Hey, what about this? What about that?” She was 19 at the time and so she’s pretty much in tune with the Gen Z kids. And she’s like, “Well that’s cringe and that’s cringe.” And then one day I…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022BUY ONE YEAR, GET ONE YEAR FREESave 50%on the world’s best-selling gadget mag!SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFERBuy one year and get one year freeSave 50% off the shop priceHave each issue delivered directly to your door – FREENever miss an issue of the world’s greatest gadget magazineReceive our e-newsletterTWO EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE:ONLINE shop.kelsey.co.uk/STUP522CALL US 01959 543747Please quote STUP522Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5.30pm (calls charged at your standard network rate)Offer ends 9 June 2022Terms and conditions: UK offer only. You will pay £64.87 for 26 issues. Savings are based on the standard cover price of £4.99. Offer ends 9 June 2022. Your subscription will start with the next available issue, and you will receive 13 issues in a year. Prices correct at time of print and are subject to change. For full terms and conditions visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/terms. Data protection: We…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022The alternative: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Ultrafrom £999 / stuff.tv/S8Ultra The S8 Ultra has the biggest display this side of a full-scale laptop: a crisp and punchy 14.6in AMOLED. At just 300 nits the brightness could be better, but we’ve got no complaints about the 120Hz refresh rate, which makes menus glide fluidly. The tiny bezels and 16:10 aspect ratio make it great for watching films. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip might not scare the slickest phones out there, but hooked up to PS Remote Play or Steam Link with a Wi-Fi 6 router, our tablet handled games with virtually no latency. Benchmark scores are impressive too. The Tab S8 Ultra’s keyboard dock doesn’t really work on a lap, making on-the-go productivity its biggest limitation. But hook up an external display, keyboard and Bluetooth mouse,…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022BUY ONE YEAR, GET ONE YEAR FREESave 50% on the world’s best-selling gadget mag! SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER Buy one year and get one year free Save 50% off the shop price Have each issue delivered directly to your door – FREE Never miss an issue of the world’s greatest gadget magazine Receive our e-newsletter TWO EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE: ONLINE shop.kelsey.co.uk/STUP522 CALL US 01959 543747 Please quote STUP522 Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5.30pm (calls charged at your standard network rate) Offer ends 9 June 2022 Terms and conditions: UK offer only. You will pay £64.87 for 26 issues. Savings are based on the standard cover price of £4.99. Offer ends 9 June 2022. Your subscription will start with the next available issue, and you will receive 13 issues in a year. Prices correct at time of print and…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TRUE WIRELESSSONY WF-1000XM4The fact that you can’t move for true wireless in-ear headphones these days is, in large part, Sony’s fault. And with the WF-1000XM4s, the latest model in the company’s madly successful WF-1000 series of true wireless earbuds, the company has served up a contender that’s smaller, lighter, greener and more affordable than ever. Oh, and they manage to sound even more eloquent and direct than the (already very decent) XM3s that they replaced.The more compact design means the WF-1000XM4s are more portable when they’re not in use and more comfortable when they are. And the control app – which is still about as good as it gets where stability and usability are concerned – has some useful ‘lifestyle’ features as well as the more common playback controls, adjustable EQ…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022FITNESSDOTTIRIf you’re looking for a set of headphones that’ll survive the most testing conditions, this might be it. Designed by a pair of world Crossfit champions, they’re built for going into battle during multi-discipline workouts. And with big battery life, IPX7 durability, 13mm drivers and lots of extras like wireless charging, they’ve got a package of specs that suggests – on paper at least – a serious all-rounder.For a start, they’re sweatproof and whoopsie-drops-in-the-sink-proof. So even if your gym-floor game isn’t quite at World’s Fittest Athlete level, you can still enter beast mode knowing that your buds won’t break before you do. They’re chunkier than some in-ears but at 9.3g each they’re still pretty light for an ear-hook type. That hook design also guarantees brilliant stay-put fit, helped by 12…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022EARS: WHERE THE STORY ENDSCan’t be sore The headband can be adjusted using Rode’s bespoke FitLock mechanism; it feels very close to having a custom fit. A certain plum one The optional coloured cables are designed to match the channel colours on the RodeCaster Pro mixing desk and Rode Connect software. Skin and ’phones All the pads can be swapped out quickly and easily – ideal if you want to sterilise them for the next user in a studio environment. RODE NTH-100 Rode is known for its pro mics and other audio gear, but this is the Australian company’s first ever pair of headphones – and despite that heritage, they’re not just for the studio. The NTH-100s offer great sonic performance, as you might expect, but what’s more of a surprise is how comfortable…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022MONEY NO OBJECTShe’s leaving foamA selection of silicone and memory-foam earbuds means a comfortable fit is easy to achieve – and the IE 900s will stay that way for hours on end.Affixing a holeYou get three detachable cables with three different plug types, meaning they’re ready to connect to the output of any audiophile music player.A grey in the lifeThe intricate machining of the earbuds results in a tactile finish that responds to light in a number of different ways. Which is nice.SENNHEISER IE 900There can only be one reason to choose a wired in-ear headphone over its wireless alternative, and that’s sound quality. Oh, you can buy a pair of true wireless in-ears that sound very good indeed (and we’ve already recommended a few); but for supreme signal stability and coherence,…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022FITNESSDOTTIR If you’re looking for a set of headphones that’ll survive the most testing conditions, this might be it. Designed by a pair of world Crossfit champions, they’re built for going into battle during multi-discipline workouts. And with big battery life, IPX7 durability, 13mm drivers and lots of extras like wireless charging, they’ve got a package of specs that suggests – on paper at least – a serious all-rounder. For a start, they’re sweatproof and whoopsie-drops-in-the-sink-proof. So even if your gym-floor game isn’t quite at World’s Fittest Athlete level, you can still enter beast mode knowing that your buds won’t break before you do. They’re chunkier than some in-ears but at 9.3g each they’re still pretty light for an ear-hook type. That hook design also guarantees brilliant stay-put fit, helped…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022MONEY NO OBJECTShe’s leaving foam A selection of silicone and memory-foam earbuds means a comfortable fit is easy to achieve – and the IE 900s will stay that way for hours on end. Affixing a hole You get three detachable cables with three different plug types, meaning they’re ready to connect to the output of any audiophile music player. A grey in the life The intricate machining of the earbuds results in a tactile finish that responds to light in a number of different ways. Which is nice. SENNHEISER IE 900 There can only be one reason to choose a wired in-ear headphone over its wireless alternative, and that’s sound quality. Oh, you can buy a pair of true wireless in-ears that sound very good indeed (and we’ve already recommended a few);…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Mini meme LEARN BABY LEARN● Fender Play If you jump into your favourite guitar solo without the requisite skills, anyone nearby is going to throw your axe – or possibly you – into the sea. Fender Play helps you learn the basics from scratch, with bite-sized video lessons that feel like a tutor’s been squeezed into your phone. You can then take a crack at a range of songs and riffs – and in some cases even get feedback when you’re done. £free (IAP) / Android, iOS ● Ultimate Guitar There are courses inside this app too, along with a tuner and metronome, but we’re here for the transcribed songs. Each one lets you tap chords to see how they look. Quite a few take things further, with automated backing tracks. They do sound…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022SCIENCE OF SOUNDIf it makes you tappy There’s a remote and you can also control the Dione with Devialet’s app, but the panel also has a line of subtle touch controls as a backup. Bawl together now The soundbar has eight long-throw subwoofers in a SAM (Speaker Active Matching) configuration to provide beefy bass with no separate sub. Wish you were hear? The Dione doesn’t work with voice assistants at present, but Devialet tells us the company will support Alexa if customers demand it. Any new soundbar needs to be rather special to A survive – there are pallets of the things sitting in the storeroom of every back-street electronics shop. High-end French audio specialist Devialet has had one in development for over two years, so why does it think now is…5 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Don’t stop moviein’£1999 (body only) / stuff.tv/GH6 ■ The GH6 has a classic DSLR body shape and it’s none the worse for that: the big grip on the right fits the hand well, and the OLED viewfinder and dials all feel like they’re where they should be. You can get stuff done without being overwhelmed by options. ■ This is an ace camera for movies, and a lot of that is down to the sheer choice it offers. Format, resolution, framerate, bitrate, picture profile… there’s something here for everyone, and the 4K footage looks absolutely fantastic. ■ The contrast-based AF isn’t quite as fast or accurate as the hybrid systems used by Sony and Canon, but the in-body image stabilisation offers a staggering 7.5 stops of compensation, smoothing out motion and stabilising…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022Oh, you pretty thinfrom £599 / stuff.tv/MateBookEDAY 01Huawei has come out with plenty of excellent tablets in its time, but impressive hardware has often been held back by limited software. Running unadulterated Windows 11 rather than Huawei’s own HarmonyOS, though, the new MateBook E should be the perfect blend of two worlds: a laptop in tablet’s clothing.Starting at £599 for the Intel i3 version and going up to £999 for the one we’re testing here with an i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage, the MateBook E’s pricing starts competitively and climbs into premium territory, competing against the likes of Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 – and the fact that it runs a desktop OS will make it more tempting than an iPad Pro for some. The only question is, does it live…4 min
Stuff UK|May 2022GET THE BEST GADGET DEALS WITH STUFFEver wondered what’s up with the links in Stuff? We’ve got a team of retail pros who scour the web to find you the best gadget deals – visit any stuff.tv link in this mag and you’ll be taken to the best deal for that product. If you make a purchase, we may get a small commission. It’s that simple, and has no impact on how much you pay.…1 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TunicThere’s no denying that nostalgia is a strong ingredient in this cosy-looking action-adventure. It doesn’t just hark back to The Legend Of Zelda’s classic top-down era, but also to the days when boxed games came with instruction manuals that you’d pore over like treasured artefacts when you weren’t busy playing the games themselves.There are obvious references to Nintendo’s series, notably the iconic green tunic that our brave little fox cub also dons, as well as familiar weapons: a sword, a shield, bombs, magic rods, and a variation of the hookshot. Yet this isometric indie rises above being a tribute act and transforms into something else.You might know what to expect if you’ve played a Zelda game before, as you set off uncovering more of your island, exploring dungeons and finding…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022INSTANT UPGRADESSAMSUNG Z FOLD3FIRST ADD THESE… ONE SAMSUNG GALAXY S PEN FOLD EDITION It takes a special kind of S Pen stylus to write on the Galaxy Z Fold3 – try a regular Samsung scribbler and you’ll get an error prompt. Once you hook up this more delicate digi-pen, you can enjoy pressure-sensitive scribing at up to 4096 levels and full access to Samsung’s excellent Notes software. £44 / samsung.com TWO KENSINGTON UH1400P DOCK Samsung’s DeX desktop interface turns a phone into a mini-PC when hooked up to a monitor. Add this USB-C mobile dock to the mix for HDMI out, Ethernet in, fast-charging power via USB-C, two SD card slots and three USB ports. It’s a tiny dongle that brings desktop-grade connectivity. £50 / misco.co.uk THREE ANKER 735 CHARGER With the Z…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSIN-EARSHOT BUY1 Sony WF-1000XM4£199 / stuff.tv/WFXM4A worthy successor to the XM3 buds that sat atop this list for what seemed like decades, Sony’s latest true wireless noise-cancelling in-ears are smaller, smarter and better. With the arguable exceptions of call quality and app slickness, the WF-1000XM4s aren’t quite the best at anything; but they’re so close to being the best at everything that their all-round game is untouchable. No other wireless earbuds are so consistently accomplished across the board.Stuff saysThe finest true wireless noise-cancelling earbuds around – this is the complete package2 Beats Fit Pro£200 / stuff.tv/FitProThese Beats are excellent on many levels. Unless you really love the earhook design of the Powerbeats Pro, they’re definitely the best workout ’phones in the Apple/Beats range and rival any others at the price.Stuff…2 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSTABLETS1 HOT BUY UPDATE Apple iPad Air (4th Gen)from £499 / stuff.tv/iPadAirThere’s a new iPad Air tested on p31, and it’s hard to imagine it not taking top spot in next month’s listings… but for now, the 4th-generation Air is quite revolutionary enough. It looks the spit of an 11in iPad Pro and supports Apple’s snazzy Magic Keyboard and second-gen Pencil… and the A14 chip makes it blazingly fast. Sure, there are compromises, but none are critical – if you don’t really need the extra power of the new model’s M1 processor, it might be worth looking out for end-of-line discounts on this one.Stuff saysPointing to the iPad’s future rather than its past, this is a meaningful, impressive, powerful Air update2 Apple iPad Profrom £749 / stuff.tv/iPadProThe iPad Pro’s display…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022TOP TENSE-BIKES1 HOT BUY VanMoof S3£2148 / stuff.tv/VanMoofS3VanMoof’s second-gen S3 (or X3 if you’re under 5ft 8in) looks like a normal bike, rides like a normal bike and, crucially, doesn’t cost a ridiculous amount of cash. The chunky 50mm tyres, slightly swooped bars and upright riding position all combine to make it super-comfy, and 30 miles with the power assistance set to level three (out of four) left us completely sweat-free with 20% still in the tank. Plus, for such a looker, the S3 has a lot of tech hidden away to make it a less than ideal target for thieves.Stuff saysThis smart-looking e-bike offers a great ride, great features and some genuinely useful security smarts2 Cowboy 4£2490 / stuff.tv/Cowboy4The Belgian maker’s latest model has 50% more torque than its predecessor,…3 min
Stuff UK|May 2022COMMODORE PETOh, I remember my Commodore pet! A little computer person inside my C64. That was great!Sorry, but we’re talking about the PET – all caps. In the 1970s, Commodore had been making a lot of money selling calculators, but agile competitors were nipping at its heels. Keen to enter the home computer market, Commodore met with Apple, rejected the chance to gobble up the Apple II (along with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak) and decided to go it alone. CEO Jack Tramiel reasoned the public would prefer cheaper, simpler fare than Apple’s comparatively expensive machine.Looking at the PET, he could have done with some of Apple’s design smarts…Remember this was the ’70s. The Apple II was no looker either, and the PET was in some ways revolutionary. Its angles were…2 min
