New Tech To Get Excited About

APPLE IPHONE 12

5G has been trumpeted as the big leap forward for Apple’s latest iPhone. If you can access the UK’s somewhat sketchy 5G network, things will happen a lot faster for you, but it does feel like the full benefit of that 5G capability is still some way down the line. In the meantime, the new model can entertain and impress in myriad other ways. First of all, you’ve got choices: the 12, the 12 Mini, the 12 Pro and the 12 Pro Max. If you’re serious about phone photography, check out the 12 Pro Max, which promises smoother videos and better performance in low-light settings. A new chip means the whole 12 series runs a little quicker than predecessors, while klutzes will be reassured to learn they are all more water resistant than older models and use Ceramic Shield technology to protect screens better.

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NAIM FOR BENTLEY MU-SO 2 WIRELESS SPEAKER SYSTEM

Two great British brands have conspired to produce one of the most desirable speakers of recent years. Luxury carmaker Bentley has lent its design chops to manufacturer Naim and the result is this handsome take on the hi-fi specialist’s second-generation Mu-So wireless speaker system. From behind its (sustainable) dark wood finish and Bentley-style speaker grille, it can deliver a sound that’s rich and powerful enough to compete with full hi-fi systems. The Mu-So can stream direct from Spotify and rivals, connect wirelessly with any of your other devices, or you could plug it into your TV.
 
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BANG & OLUFSEN BEOPLAY H95 HEADPHONES

Bang & Olufsen might be celebrating its 95th birthday with these headphones, but it remains at the top its game. The Danish firm has always matched form to function and the Beoplay H95s are no exception. Memory foam and lambskin leather combine to make this over-ear set easy to wear for hours at a time. Once you’re inside them, noise-cancelling tech and dynamic titanium drivers make the aural experience second to none – any adjustments you need to make are easily done via the cans themselves. Battery life is something close to two days and they’re available in Black or Grey Mist. Go grey for added Scandinavian cool.
 
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APPLE WATCH SERIES 6

Apple is the clear leader in the smart watch field. The latest, sixth iteration of its Apple Watch extends its lead over the competition. A faster chip cuts out tiny lags that had occasionally annoyed some users of older models; it’s also got longer battery life and a brighter display. The big new feature is a blood oxygen sensor to keep an eye on your underlying health. The 6 series starts from £379. Entry-level models are aluminium and you’ve got a choice of colours. Dig a little deeper into your wallet and you can get step up to brushed titanium or polished stainless-steel models. At the top end, there’s the Hermès Series 6 – a cool and highly customisable collab with the iconic Parisian fashion house. Go for a leather strap to deflect all accusations of tech geekery.
 
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PELOTON BIKE+

Peloton has just upgraded its cult bike for the first time. For owners of the original, there are two new features to ponder. The touchscreen has got bigger and now rotates, so you don’t have to be on the bike to see it – that means on-screen instructors can lead you through non bike-based activities from stretching to strength training. The second addition is Auto-Follow, which allows the instructors to change the resistance on your bike remotely, so you can just focus on pedalling. If you’re new to Peloton and looking to jump aboard, the decision comes down to whether you’re willing and able to spend the extra £500 on the new model (£2,295 plus £39 a month subscription) for its versatility. If you’re a pure spinner, you might find the original still offers everything you need.
 
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MEETING OWL PRO VIDEO CONFERENCE CAMERA

Now you’ve accepted not every meeting is going to be fully face to face for the foreseeable, it’s time to embrace that reality. Stick a Meeting Owl Pro in the main meeting room and its 360º camera, mic and speaker will help things run smoothly. With a zoom and autofocus, the HD camera trains itself on whoever’s speaking, so anyone who’s dialled in remotely will know exactly who’s saying what. The mic and speaker ensure top-quality audio for everyone inside and outside the room. Also, the Meeting Owl Pro does actually look like an owl.
 
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STM CHARGETREE

All the way from Australia, the ChargeTree is here to declutter your bedside table. Sydney-based STM has found a simple yet unprecedented design for a multi-device charger. By building vertically, rather than staying flat like all of those charging mats, the firm has created a charger that takes up less space and can juice up three Apple devices at once (Watch, iPhone and AirPods). Even better, because you can actually see your phone as it charges, you won’t be left floundering for it when the alarm goes off. Consider the ChargeTree a triumph for minimalism.
 
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HUMMER EV

The Hummer is back. But this time things are different. When the Hummer name was retired in the noughties, the military-inspired brand had become a favourite of blingy Premier League footballers. Now Detroit-based GMC has resurrected the brand and attached it to the world’s first all-electric zero-emissions ‘super-truck’. The GMC Hummer EV promises all of the old off-road dominance – including full underbody armour – but paired to an all-new commitment to environmental friendliness. With Tesla about to start production of its own Cybertruck, Hummer has just got a jump start on its rival.
 
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ROBERTS BEACON BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

Roberts is the great British brand that probably made your dad’s portable transistor radio – and your dad’s dad’s old wireless before that. The Yorkshire firm went into digital radios around the turn of the millennium and has now turned its attention to Bluetooth speakers. Drawing on the same retro aesthetic that have made those digital radios so popular, Roberts has launched a couple of statement-making models in colours that run from teal blue to carbon black: the 320 (£149.99) offers rich, multidirectional sound and 12 hours of playback time; the 330 (£199.99) adds in USB charging and up to 15 hours of portable play time.
 
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