SAMSUNG SERIES 3 CHROMEBOX

As far as tiny PCs go, Samsung's Series 3 is up there with the Mac Mini for design, fast boot and connectivity. But Google's Chrome OS is threatened by its own Android OS for low-power usage and web apps.
Alternatively The portable Series 5 Chromebook (£300) lets you take a walk, but you'll need net access.
Pros Small and well designed; cheap to buy and run; smooth video playback.
Cons Not much use without web access, no local storage.

£280, samsung.co.uk

Hot handheld game player: NINTENDO 3DS XL

The buttons, connectivity and innards — bar the addition of a 4GB rather than 2GB SD card — are the same as the original 3DS, making this a predominantly aesthetic overhaul. But is bigger better?

    The rounded design is more comfy in the hand and at 4.88 inches its screen has a larger 3D sweet spot, so gameplay is more immersive. Yet resolution is not improved, the pixels are just bigger.
    While there are a stack of A-grade games available and more on the horizon, the lack of cheap, downloadable titles is an initial 3DS gripe that still needs addressing.

    Having to shell out £6.99 extra for an AC adaptor is a bit odd in this day and age, while the decision not to integrate the Circle Pad Pro add-on (£15) is a shame, but probably wise on the size front. Nintendo quotes a 3DS-beating 6.5 hours of 3D play and eight of 2D for the XL, and while we lost power a bit quicker than that, it's noticeably improved.
    The 3DS remains a very good handheld, with the XL the best choice for newbies, but there's not enough here to recommend an upgrade for original 3DS owners.

The 3DS XL, pound for pound, out-punches the original 3DS, but existing users should stick rather than twist

{SPECIFICATIONS}
PROCESSOR/RAM Nintendo ARM (speed not specified)/127MB
GRAPHICS PICA200
TOP SCREEN 4.88-inch, 800x240, 3D
BOTTOM SCREEN 4.18-inch, 320x240, 2D touchscreen
CONNECTIVITY G Wi-Fi
CAMERA 0.3-megapixel 3D dual interior and exterior
STORAGE 2GB internal, SD card (4GB card included)
SIZE/WEIGHT 134x74x21mm/235g

LOVE Big 3D sweet spot. Comfortable design. Battery life bump
HATE Build feels a bit cheap. No major tech improvements

HIPSTER'S DELIGHT: URBANEARS ZINKEN

    The Play-Doh-like finish on the Zinken looks great and swivelling earcups mean they fold away for easy storage, or assist you in rinsing it DJ-style. A 6.3mm input lets you hook up to a mixer, but there's also a phone-friendly, 3.5mm plug.

    The partially coiled wire means that there's plenty of room to stretch and while Urbanears makes no claims about noise-cancelling, the well-fitted earcups do block out a fair bit of background noise, while also making for decent bass performance. Your ears will get a little warm after an hour or so, but to quote Tom Jones, that's not unusual.

Striking design and punchy, bass-loaded audio

£120, URBANEARS.COM

BUDGET BRILLIANCE: SENNHEISER CX495

    The cheapest 'phones on test, Sennheiser's in-ears don't have any fancy gimmicks — no earclips, no noise cancelling, no inline remote — and the design is pretty pedestrian, but they really deliver on sound quality, which is, you know, reasonably important for earphones.
    The sonics are noticeably superior to similarly-priced rivals, while comfort is good and they stay in your ears as long so you don't exert yourself overly. So cheap you won't care if you lose them, great-sounding and ideally suited to lying down and chilling the hell out, these are ideal holiday cans.

Budget 'phones offer few frills but plenty of thrills 

£35, SENNHEISER.CO.UK

POOLSIDE PAL: PANASONIC RP-HSC200

These sporty in-ears have flexible lug hooks that help keep them in place — obviously that's more useful when you're jogging back in Blighty than when you're lying by a far-away pool, sipping pina coladas. Adding to the pool-friendliness the HSC200s are also water resistant — don't submerge them, but a bit of playful splashing is fine.

Comfortable, rugged and water-resistant — a bargain

Perhaps not surprisingly the audio is the worst on test. However it's not bad as such, and these get bonus points for comfort, durability and the fact they're available in a range of garish colours to match your beach towel.

£41, PANASONIC.CO.UK

FIRST-CLASS PHONES: Bowers and Wilkins P3

    The silver detailing, the oblong earcups with neatly rounded edges and the pleasingly smooth adjustable headband; everything about these exudes class. Sound quality doesn't disappoint — we reckon it's crisper than B&W's pricier P5 cans. The use of lightweight fabric rather than leather on the foldable earcups means they're also more breathable so you don't end up with sweaty ears, though they do grip in a slightly vice-like manner.
    At 170 notes these are less ideal for hostels and backpacking, but there's no doubt the P3s offer proper, five-star entertainment.

Lightweight and stylish, super sounding. We love 'em.

£170, BOWERS-WILKINS.CO.UK

AEROPLANE ESSENTIAL: SONY MDR-NC13

    These active noise-cancelling in-ears give you 100 hours of playback from a single AAA battery — more than enough for a series of long-haul flights — and will work without the noise-cancelling tech when that runs out.
    There's no denying the clean audio quality and the NC13s really do block out background noise, although whether that's due more to their in-ear design or the electronics is open to question. The chunky in-line controller needs to be clipped to your clothes or it will weigh down the cable and rip the buds from your ears. That aside, decent value.

A solid, budget noise cancelling option

£50, SONY.CO.UK

Digital Media Streamer: Sony NSZ-GS7 with Google TV

    Google puts the web on your telly, but quantity beats quality for now.

    Much like YouView, Google TV has taken its time sauntering to market. An abortive US launch, undermined by inadequate software and hardware complexity, led to a major rethink by both Google and its hardware partners. The result is this diminutive set-top box that aspires to bring the power of the Android platform directly to your telly.
    The NSZ-GS7 sits between any HDMI¬connected set-top box (Freeview, Sky, Freesat) and your flatscreen; an interface overlay offers access to apps, YouTube, the Google Play store, some of the Sony Entertainment Network — though sadly not the whole thing —and a Chrome browser. To help navigate web pages, the remote flips between a QWERTY backlit keyboard and a touchpad zapper.
    While the NSZ-GS7 lacks a hard drive for downloaded content, and with no TV tuner no chance of recording live TV, there is a smidgen of flash onboard to store apps and affiliated code. There's also a pair of USB inputs, allied to a dedicated media player. This supports all key video file types including MKV. MP3s play back with album art and Wi-Fi is built in.
    There are things to admire about Sony's Google TV 'net player: it's fast and powerful, the implementation of YouTube is corking, but it's also a bit boring. There's just not much you can do with it at present. Optimised apps are thin on the ground. The IMDB download shows potential, with beautiful HD trailers on tap, but there's no built-in BBC iPlayer, 40D or iTV Player, you have to use the Chrome browser to visit the web versions. Ironically, there's currently more internet entertainment available on a standard Sony Blu-ray player.
    Google TV has potential, but without more compelling software it's currently little more than a well-made curiosity. It's certainly one to watch for the future. Watching it now? Not so good.

Google TV is potentially a great net connected upgrade, but it currently relies too heavily on its Chrome browser for content

{LOVE} Optimised Google TV apps look terrific. Fully-functional Chrome browser.
{HATE} Too few dedicated Google TV apps. You'll need a good wrist action to master the flipper remote.

{SPECIFICATION}
SYSTEM  Broadband
STORAGE  No
TUNERS  No
HD CHANNELS  No
EPG  No
SMART TV APPS  YouTube, CNN Money, WSJ, CNBC, Redux, Qello
CONNECTIONS  HDMI, 2x USB, ethernet, optical digital audio outputs

{DIMENSIONS)
HEIGHT 370mm  WIDTH 237mm  DEPTH 68mm  WEIGHT 0.5kg


{DETAILS}
LOOKS
The distinctive design is not entirely practical and it runs very hot after a couple of hours.
STORAGE
There's no local hard drive included, although you can download shows to a USB memory stick.
ONLINE
Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity is built in for web browsing and catch-up TV streaming.

{KILLER CONTENT}
Chrome browser
Full access to the internet with a Google Chrome browser and QWERTY remote means web catch-up on your telly, but few dedicated services
( GOOGLE.COM/TV )

HOT STUFF: VIRGIN MEDIA TIVO

    Tivo makes sure you're never short of something to watch...

    Originally available in the US only, Tivo was the original Smart TV box, offering a retrospective EPG back when YouView was just a twinkle in Lord Sugar's eye. The Tivo box itself looks suitably futuristic and there are two configurations available, one with 500GB, the other 1TB storage. Opt for the beefier version and you'll be able to record and store up to 500 hours of SD footage.
    You won't be short of options, either. In addition to a huge live channel choice — up to 205 channels, 36 of which are HD — Tivo boasts a sizeable on-demand library.
    With three tuners Tivo can record three channels while you watch a fourth. That means there's very rarely a clash and Tivo can auto-record programmes it thinks you'll like without affecting your viewing. Use the red and green Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down buttons on the remote to record your tastes and this feature can become genuinely useful.
    With lots of contextual cleverness, this box also has the best search function around, helping you find when the shows you want to watch are next on, or locating catch-up if you've missed them. Alternatively you can use the EPG to zip seven days forward and back in time to search for content.

Tivo is the ultimate telly addict's gadget, bringing you all the shows you love and even suggesting new favourites

( BOX: 500GB FREE, 1TB £49.95, SUB: £31.50 A MONTH, VIRGINMEDIA.CO.UK )

    So far, so impressive, but for the uninitiated Tivo's interface can be baffling and keeping track of the sheer volume of content is tiring —hopefully the new Virgin TV Anywhere app will help.
    If your home is in a fibre-optic area (input your postcode online to check) the Tivo box's connection doesn't impact on your normal data traffic. However, this didn't prevent our box from occasionally buffering, and it wasn't uncommon to loose interactive services altogether, requiring a reboot of the box. Clever then, but not bullet proof.

{SPECIFICATION}
SYSTEM Fibre-optic broadband or cable
STORAGE 500GB (60hrs HD) or 1TB (100hrs HD)
HD CHANNELS 36
TUNERS 3 EPG 7 days forward and back
SMART TV APPS YouTube, Flickr, BBC iPlayer, eBay, Twitter, Facebook
CONNECTIONS HDMI, start, 2x USB, ethernet, optical audio out

{DIMENSIONS}

HEIGHT 68mm    WIDTH 370mm    DEPTH 237mm    WEIGHT 2.5kg

{DETAILS}

LOOKS Finished in matt black with a sloping fascia, Tivo looks good under your TV.

STORAGE 500GB or 1TB, how much space do you need? With Tivo expanding your tastes we suggest you go big.

ONLINE Tivo boxes connect to their own high-speed network connection where available, Buffering does still &Ter though.

{KILLER CONTENT}

Virgin Media On Demand
Bespoke collections of on-demand progammes include season boxsets, often in hi-def. There's also catch-up from all the major channels and access to Sky Anytime on Virgin.

{LOVE} A huge on-demand library. Tivo's intelligent auto-recording. Multiple search and catch-up options allow you to customise the way you use the box.
{HATE} Interface not completely intuitive. Occasional buffering and box glitches. Expensive.

THREE WEBSITES TO GET YOUR CASH MONEY

www.Mylostaccount.org.uk SAVINGS SAVIOUR

Apparently £850 million sits unclaimed in waylaid accounts around the UK -and this free service will track any down with your name on it. Contains all the PDF forms, contacts and figures you need, no less.

Moneysavingexpert.com OUTGOINGS GENIUS

Seasoned savings king Martin Lewis's hub services 13 million users a month and has just been bought by Moneysupermarket.com for £87 million. This man knows his PPI from his ISA.

Fool.co.uk INVESTMENT MATE

So you've reclaimed and saved a load of dough, now to invest - to the award-winning Motley Fool with you! Beginner tips and podcasts rub shoulders with index updates in a lively financial community.

Wii U KICKS OFF GAMING'S NEW ERA

While Xbox 720 and PS4 are keeping us waiting, the E3 expo wafted plenty of new hardware under our noses. We grabbed it with both, battle-scarred hands...

A year since T3 was flown out to LA to play a prototype and a full four years since the console was first conceived, Nintendo's follow-up to the Wii was back in the limelight at games fest E3 and we got hands-on again. The sheer number of ways to play the Wii U remains a difficult sell to Joe Public - no two games seem to act in the same way - but the potential for its many inputs is massive, and its "second screen" crux is now officially this year's gaming trend. We outline the big updates below, yet no retail price or release date had been released as we went to press. This is going to come out, right?
NINTENDO.CO.UK, OUT WINTER 2012

{ The Kit }

Nin tendo's never-ending console evolution...

The controllers
The above motion-sensing, screen-touting slab has been renamed, in a retro NES nod, the GamePad. In a hardcore turn, the circle pads have changed to analogue sticks while a no-screen, Xbox-alike pad is on its way.
The connectivity
That little square to the screen's left is a new NFC window for transferring data from Nintendo's online service, which, unlike Xbox Live, is free. The newly social Miiverse network will be available on phones.
The base station
Only ever seen hiding behind the GamePad in pics, the current console is actually really big, but it's still not final build as yet. Specs are still sketchy but while it's very much HD, the PS3 need not worry, let alone the PS4.
The games
While Activision support is noticeable by its absence, Ubisoft's London-based survival horror Zombie U is great. Yet while New Super Mario Bros U is nice and all, Nintendo needs to get more big guns blazing for release.

TIME FOR ACTION: THREE HOT WATCHES

Three professional grade watches for petrol heads, gear heads and all other "heads" in search of chunktastic wrist bling.

Graham Silverstone Stowe GMT

With only 500 in the series, this boasts an automatic column-wheel chronography for increased accuracy. It's motor-racing themed —hence the Incabloc shock absorber and tyre tread strap — yet waterproof to 100 metres. Presumably in case Silverstone floods.

£TBC | GRAHAM-LONDON.COM

Seiko Astron

This syncs its time and date with GPS satellites, adjusting time zones automatically, too, as you travel. Solar powered, and with a titanium or silicon strap, it has a limited run of just 2,500.

£1,750 | SEIKOWATCHES.COM

Fortis B-47 World Timer GMT
One for the globetrotting business type, the rotary dial on this luxurious timepiece features the engraved names of 24 cities, representing the world's time zones. Capable of showing the time in three locations simultaneously, the B-47 is waterproof to 200m, with an anti-reflective, sapphire crystal face.

£2,890 | FORTIS-WATCHES.COM

The LEAP: HIGH ON E-MOTION

The Leap brings next-gen, Kinect-beating gesture control to a computer near you...

MICROSOFT'S KINECT HAS SEEN XBOX and PC users flapping their arms around en masse since 2010, but its usefulness beyond inexplicable fitness things for ladies and bedroom modders has been minimal. Could controller-less control make a bigger splash? Leap Motion's The Leap, a sleek, Apple-like USB peripheral that creates a virtual 3D interactive space measuring eight cubic feet, allows you to control your PC using a, range of complex hand movements. It claims to be 200 times more accurate than anything else on the market, picking out individual finger movements so you can, say, pinch to zoom like on a tablet's touchscreen. Support for a variety of artistic, mapping and gaming apps is promised and the Minority Report-esque future is sure looking affordable, too.
$70 (UK PRICE TBC), LEAPMOTION.COM, OUT DECEMBER

Hands-off with The Leap

Accurate
Apparently 200 times more precise than any other gesture-based controller (hello Kinect), The Leap tracks movements to an accuracy of 1/100th of a millimeter.
Intuitive
Natural hand motions can
be used to control all manner of apps and could reinvent the way we use computers. Will you really miss your mouse?
Gamer-savvy
Use your forefinger and thumb as a makeshift gun and click your thumb down to fire at onscreen enemies. You be careful with that dangerous weapon, now...
Multitouch
Imagine multitouch gestures without the need for the touch bit. The Leap processes detailed, multiple point recognition feedback, allowing you to pinch-to  zoom in thin air.
Customisable
With 3D mapping, bespoke gestures can be set to trigger desired reactions from your computer. We recommend a talent show-style finger phone to launch a Skype call.