T3 March 2015

As one tech giant’s vision of the future is revealed, another’s is mothballed. A mere six days after Google announced the end of prototype Glass production, Microsoft unveiled HoloLens, its augmented reality wireless headset. I am massively excited by HoloLens. Tech journalists possessing decades-forged scepticism of ‘the next big thing’ are massively excited by HoloLens. Even my old man’s excited by HoloLens and he’s 70 this year. Here is a head mounted PC that runs Windows 10 and projects holograms on to the environment that surrounds you. Incredible. Comparing the two as competing products is pointless. But seen as bold new forays into uncharted tech waters, HoloLens has the potential to deliver where Glass didn’t, because – rather fundamentally – it needs an environment to interact with. And that means one crucial…

1 RICHARD GRANGE Angling Times’ Match Editor serves up some whopper-baiting tips while we appraise the new wave of futuristic fishing gear (seriously). Find the rods of the gods and other fishy gadgetry on page 82. 2 BRUCE HELLMAN Bruce is CEO of uMotif, a company bent on improving healthcare through digitally enabled practices. He shares his opinion on how wear ables can benefit doctors and patients alike. Page 45. 3 JAMIE HIBBARD As a former online editor of Top Gear, Jamie has driven some of the finest cars on the planet. He assesses the next wave of motoring served up by tech and auto giants alike. See page 60. To subscribe to T3, point your browser at myfavouritemagazines.co.uk, or flick to p72. The next T3 goes on sale March 19…

{LG G FLEX 2} ESSENTIAL NEWS FROM TECH’S FRONTLINE LAST YEAR’S LG G FLEX WAS A BIT OF an oddity. An innovative oddity that was unlike anything we’d ever seen before perhaps, but still an oddity. Its central deviation from the standard smart phone design was a curve to the screen, which made it easy to hold and use, as well as the ability to flatten it out to pre-empt the whole bend gate non-issue. Innovations like the G Flex’s curvy, bendy nature are usually swept up into other handsets, but LG is really, really keen to convince us that a warped phone is exactly what we need in our pockets and has therefore released the G Flex 2. But is this a must-have, or a repeat of the novelty act of its…

MOST WANTED PART 2 {1} HOOVER DAMN iRobot Create 2 One of the biggest benefits of iRobot’s Roomba is it is easy to hack so you can program it to do whatever you want. Now iRobot has released Roomba Create 2, a special edition of the vacuum cleaner which has been built from the ground up with augmentation in mind. Uses include drawing shapes with LED lights, attaching a speaker to create an autonomous boombox, and falling madly in love with it while questioning what it means to be a human… Maybe. £132, IROBOT.COM, OUT NOW {2} WE HATE TO BRAGI Bragi Dash Just because these wireless headphones are tiny doesn’t mean they’re lacking in tech skills. They support the latest SR aptX Bluetooth audio codec for high quality music, and they include infrared and optical sensors…

NEWS THE RAPID INC REASE OF record-player sales – and the better quality vinyls that go with them – suggests there’s a lot of consumer interest in listening to music at the highest quality possible. Unfortunately it’s not possible to take a record player with you wherever you go, unless you invest in a very flat-backed and stable-hooved donkey. However, a number of companies have resurrected the idea of the iPod-esque portable audio player – but this time round they’re packed with gold plated resistors, tin-free solder and state-of-the-art processors. We take a look at three of the best vying for the hallowed space of your inside pocket. For more cutting-edge audio tech, see our Next Big Gadgets feature beginning on page 48 Sony NW-ZX2 Sony’s latest resurrection of its seemingly immortal Walkman brand ditches…

Bose SoundLink Colour Compact, colourful and light enough to carry in your palm, the Sound Link Colour punts out tunes with typical Bose gusto. It can connect two Bluetooth devices at a time, allowing you to quickly switch between sound sources. It also has an eight-hour battery life, making it perfect for time away from the grid. £110, BOSE.CO.UK Harman Kardon Esquire Mini Designed to offer a balance of looks and audio power, with dual drivers and a bass port hidden beneath that mesh front and leather back with integrated kickstand. It’ll last you around eight hours before needing another charge, and it even comes with a USB port for charging other gadgets. £130, HARMANKARDON.CO.UK Sony SRS-X5 A great system for using around the home. A 2.1 channel affair gives your music a full range of abilities,…