Ask the expert: Remote controlled helicopters

Q. I want to buy my kid one of those indoor remote controlled helicopter. But what should I look out for, and I don’t want to spend more than 50 quid. Any recommendations?

…continue reading Ask the expert: Remote controlled helicopters

2eleven delivers sexy foosball

Want sexy football? How about sexy foosball? Because this foosball table from 2eleven is exactly that – a sexy, hi-tech version of table football. …continue reading 2eleven delivers sexy foosball

Top tips on the hottest gadgets for Christmas – part 1

Christmas shopping for gadgets and gizmos can be a real pain in the baubles. Fail to spot the hottest product before it becomes so scorchingly popular that it’s out of stock and you’ll be left putting an IOU under the tree. We don’t want any repeats of last years Xmas Nintendo Wii crisis!

Don’t worry though. The Insider is here to help, and save you spending a fortune in the process. Our first in a series of Christmas top tips, read on for a list of must-have high-tech goodies in a few of the most popular categories, and get ordering with plenty of time until Christmas day!

LCD TVs
If you’re buying a new TV this year, make it a black Christmas, with Pioneer’s new Kuro LCDs. They use special filters and screen technology to produce dark tones better than any other LCD around, although that excellence can come at a price. For similar performance, try a brand new Sony Bravia KDL-40V4000 or Samsung LE-46A786. The Samsung even features next-gen LED backlighting, for deeper blacks and lower power consumption.

Mobile phones
Mobiles make great Christmas presents, and your loved ones can always call you up to say thanks later on! There are tons of new handsets headed for wrapping paper by December, but top of the pile is the Apple iPhone 3G. Its touchscreen abilities are second to none, but beware, its camera is a little on the weedy side.

More megapixels can be found inside the 8 megapixel LG KC910, which also packs a touchscreen, or the Samsung i8510 which also has an 8 megapixel camera, but uses more traditional buttons.

If you’re really looking for the latest phone to wow your loved one, bag a T-Mobile G1. It’s the first to challenge the iPhone in terms of extra applications, even if its megapixels aren’t the most.

Laptops
Shove a laptop under the tree for guaranteed merriness this Christmas, and for added brownie points, make it a tiny ultra-portable model. Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 should be top of your shopping list, since it’s a full-blown laptop in a titchy shell, as well as better designed than most. But there are other options.

The MSI Wind is just as powerful, but not quite so pretty, while the Eee PC 1000H, although similar in specs to the Dell and MSI models, looks less polished, but is still highly coveted.

Toys
Predicting the hottest toy each year is tricky, but you can’t go wrong with a cuddly toy, and this year they’re more advanced than ever. The FurReal Biscuit toy dog is more than just a loveable stuffed puppy. It’s a robot that’ll respond to voice commands and noise, as well as responding when it’s touched. It’ll sit up and beg, bark, react to toys and treats, and best of all it’s life size! Less girly toys bound to be a big hit this year include the Razor Electric Scooter, reaching up to 15mph for up to 45 minutes a time!

MP3 Players
The quirkiest MP3 player ever will hit the UK just before Christmas: The Sony Rolly. It’s a combination robot and music player that’ll even stream sounds from a Bluetooth-capable phone. It’ll dance too, using motorised wheels, and includes built-in speakers.

There’s also the new iPod nano, available in more colours than ever, or the Wi-Fi equipped iPod touch, now refreshed with a built in speaker. If you don’t fancy handing over an iPod, check out Archos’ new Series 5 MP3 players, with bigger screens and more features than ever!

Camcorders
Give a camcorder as a Christmas present and you’ll guarantee the day’s captured for all to see. Top of the list this year is Sony’s HDR-TG3. It’s small, light and records in full HD. It’s also made from scratch-proof titanium, and features ultra-advanced anti-shake and image stabilisation technology. Sony even includes memory and a docking cradle into the bargain. For a more traditional design, check out the Canon FS100. It packs in a whopping 32x zoom, but doesn’t capture recordings in HD.

GPS Receivers
Next-gen satnavs will be huge this Christmas. The new TomTom Go 540 Live doesn’t just serve up maps, but gathers live traffic information, local information and even offers Google search on the go. Also consider the Navman S30 3D, which features new 3D maps with pop-up style landmarks.

Game Consoles
Plonking a games console under the tree is a dead cert for gleeful squeals on Christmas morning. The Wii sold out in record time last Christmas, and since Nintendo has struggled to meet demand ever since, there’s a good chance of it selling out again. Of course, the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 will also score you a double thumbs-up too.

Blu-Ray players
Dodgy Christmas TV can be avoided by shoving a Blu-Ray player into the arms of your loved one, but make sure it’s Profile 2-ready to be certain it’ll get the most from every disc put inside. A good choice is the Sony BDP-S350. It supports all the latest Blu-Ray technology, as well as loading films faster than its predecessors. Also consider the Panasonic DMP-BD50 and Sony BDP-S550 Profile 2 compatible.

Watch this space over coming weeks as we explore even more gadget categories, loaded with top tips on the hottest products to cross off on the Christmas list.

Get chatting about what to get for Christmas over at the PriceRunner forum.

Meet this year’s superstar robot… WALL-E

Designed to slot in with the release of the latest Pixar smash movie WALL-E, this cute cyborg doesn’t mind lending a claw to help with the clean up. Built by WowWee, the droid-loving company responsible for Robosapien, Roboraptor and a bunch of other celebrity robots, this WALL-E incarnation promises to be the most popular metal head toy of the 2008.

…continue reading Meet this year’s superstar robot… WALL-E

Wowwee Rovio becomes your robotic eyes and ears

Modern life can take its toll and you can’t be everywhere at once, so Rovio is rolling onto the robot scene to take a load off. Brainchild of creator WowWee, the company behind Robosapien and the upcoming Wall-E robot toy to accompany this summer’s Pixar movie blockbuster, the Rovio could become the ultimate budget home security guard.

…continue reading Wowwee Rovio becomes your robotic eyes and ears

Premier league table footie with pub team price tag

Harvard’s budget wrist-wrecker is rock solid and looks authentically retro, putting it in the top flight of playtime boys toys.

Kick the offside rule out of the park and make sure you’re pockets are full of pennies for the swear jar, because this premier league table footie game gets the blood pumping minus the workout.

…continue reading Premier league table footie with pub team price tag

Remote control Spy Car on secret mission

You’re going to witness many a grown-up (perhaps including yourself) regressing to a gibbering childhood state once they get their mitts on the upcoming Spy Video Car.

This remote control stealth motor is already reserving its spot under the Christmas tree.

…continue reading Remote control Spy Car on secret mission

Top 50 Toys dissected

We’ve delved into the Toy Top 50 and riffled through a mountain of boys toys to highlight the hottest playtime trinkets money can buy.

Playtime doesn’t mean you have to lounge around on the sofa swearing at a games console – instead it should be lung-crushingly exhausting! It must be time to treat yourself. Go on, you know you want to!

…continue reading Top 50 Toys dissected