T3 July 2015

OCULUS RIFT Virtual reality: it’s big business right now, and it’s getting bigger all the time. The Oculus Rift headset delivers the most incredible VR experience T3 has witnessed. During its development, we’ve been stunned by its amazing hi-res graphics and the powerful sense of immersion. And you’ll soon be able to don your VR pants at home, as the consumer version of the Rift has officially been announced, due to land in early 2016. It packs improved head-tracking, a more comfortable fit, and a sleeker, better-looking housing. You also get positional 3D sound built in, so there’s no need to plug in a set of headphones separately. Of course, you also get the ultimate interactive experience, whether it’s for gaming or movies. Life will never be the same again. Price TBC Available…

Rob Carney EDITOR After his fleeting 24 hours last issue, Rob’s been extensively testing the Apple Watch this month. He’s currently deciding between the Mickey Mouse and Colour watch faces. What a life! Claire Davies ASSISTANT EDITOR Moving on from the madness of T3’s Treasure Hunt in Cardiff, it’s been a sublime month of portable coffee makers, secret-agent training and more lush cameras for Claire. Jamie Hibbard CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: AUTO Petrol-head Jamie is the latest addition to the T3 team. His knowledge of cars is second only to that of The Stig. In fact, we’ve never seen them in the same place at the same time. Nick Odantzis DEPUTY EDITOR With fingers crossed for a delightful summer this year, gadgets-ace Nick is hoping to test the latest BBQs, tents and beer machines, rather than a Teflon-coated poncho and a motorised canoe. Gareth…

Save 60% on a new T3 subscription p58 So, here I am, peering at you over my glasses for another month. In case you missed me doing a similar thing last month, welcome to the new-look T3, the magazine that makes your life better – frankly brilliant, in fact – through technology. Yes, really. Look at my face. You trust me, right? Good. Let’s move on. This month, we’ve gone all out to select the best gadgets for everything. Alright, not quite everything – there are no gadgets for teleportation or invisibility – but certainly for every aspect of your life. From watching TV to grilling steaks, there’s a top bit of kit that will make it more fun or enable you to do it better. Flick to p46. Oh, and I’ve now had…

Ali Jennings, reviewer This month, Mr Jennings got down and dirty with three of the hottest action cameras out there. Can anything topple the GoPro? Check out his findings on p60 Miss Led, illustrator Miss Led, or Joanna Henly to her friends, illustrates our Hype: People page each issue. This month, we gave her the task of capturing David Cameron. Hmmm p25 Damian Hall, writer Fitness fanatic and outdoors wordsmith Damian loves the festival life, and this month he shares some expert tips on what tech you need to survive the experience p26…

Astell&Kern AK Jr £399, www.astellnkern.com So, what’s this, then? Bringing luxury audio players to the masses, this portable high-res number will redefine your listening habits. Sounds exciting. Tell me more! The AK Jr appeals because of its 24-bit/192kHz high-res audio playback, and support of multiple file formats including DSD (direct stream digital), which some are hailing as the next big thing. Light, slim and encased in aluminium, A&K’s new device sports a side-mounted volume wheel and a 3.1-inch touchscreen. A&K’s engineers have also reduced the AK Jr’s output impedance to 2 ohms – 20 ohms fewer than previous model the AK 100 – leading to gains in sound fidelity. How many songs can it hold? The AK Jr has 64GB of internal memory, but it supports microSD cards of up to 64GB, meaning you can pack in…

So, what's this? A new Canon that's causing quite a stir. Capable of delivering 4K video and high quality stills, the XC10 is aimed at prosumers looking to move from SLR to 4K, as well as seasoned videographers looking for affordable 4K video production. Sounds cool. How does it handle? Canon reckons the XC10 is lighter than many of their DSLRs, making it a possibility for drone shoots. There are few physical controls on the camera, with most features accessed via the touchscreen, and the body has a rotating grip to support a variety of shooting styles. The tilting LCD panel means you can shoot from multiple angles, while built in Wi-Fi enables you to control the XC10 remotely via your smartphone, tablet or browser. What does it shoot like? The 1-inch sensor delivers high…