gadgets
» JOEL BURGESS GATHERS THE GOOD GEAR
SONY WF-1000XM
Sony’s latest true-wireless buds take on the sound
around you.
$399 | WWW.SONY.COM.AUSony’s current active noise cancelling over-ear
headphones are some of the best around and its decided
to bring that tech across to a new pair of true-wireless
‘buds. The WF-1000xM3s are powered by a new noise
cancelling QN1e processor that combines input from
independent noise sensors in each headphone to
minimise unwanted ambient sound. The headset also
seems to be taking a different approach to connectivity,
directly pairing each bud to your phone in order to
minimise connection dropouts. 24-bit HD audio signal
processing, a six hour battery life (24 hours including
case), fast charging and Google Assistant optimisation
add up to a lot of features for such a compact package.SMACH Z
Portable PC Gaming: the perfect Smach.
FROM $999 | WWW.SMACHZ.COMThe Smach Z is a Switch-like handheld console that
claims to be powerful enough to play any game you can
buy from the major PC game stores. While its initial
crowdfunding campaign was way back in 2016 the
Smach Z is now finally ready to launch. Whether it’s
Dark Souls 3 or the Witcher 3, the team behind this
Kickstarter reckon the Smach’s AMD Ryzen Embedded
V1000 chip is powerful enough to run them at 40+fps on
medium 720p settings. In fact the company claims it
can play any game available in the major PC game
stores. Not a bad proposition for gaming on-the-go.AMAZON ECHO SHOW 5
Amazon’s latest show and tell smart speaker.
$129 | AMAZON.COM.AUIf you liked the idea of an Echo Show, but felt it
was a little too big or that it could cost a little
less, then you’ll be pleased to hear that the new
Echo Show 5 has a more compact 5.5-inch screen
and costs just $129. Not only is that a good deal
less expensive than the Echo Spot, but it’s also
pretty close to a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes it
way better for video calling. While the display is
useful for getting visual responses to questions,
changing settings, watching videos or using it as
a doorbell intercom point, one of the best perks is
the Skype or Drop-In video calls.