Written by Paul Goodhead S. something
worthy of appearing in Custom Kit?
1.
Backup battery
Lindy portable power pack
It’s a tough task to make a backup battery
sexy, but cladding one in brushed aluminum [as pioneered by Apple] has worked a
treat for Lindy; the Portable Power Pack is genuinely pleasant to hold and use.
Happily, the aesthetic charm is backed up by good performance too – the 2200mAh
cell inside the pack was just about able to fully charge an empty Samsung
Galaxy S III. It’s annoying that only a Micro USB cable is included, but power
is output via a USB port, so any standard charging cable will work. Of course,
$45 is a lot to pay for something you might not use that often, but this is a
quality piece of kit for those who regularly find themselves out of power on
the move.
Charger 4 stars boomer
Price: $45
Supplier: www.lindy.com
Manufacture: www.lindy.com
2.
Board game
Spartacus board game
Based on the TV series of the same name,
the Spartacus board game pits players against one another in a battle to become
the most influential gladiator house in the city of Capua. All manner of dirty
tricks and ploys can be used to achieve the goal, with players encouraged to
trade, barter, ally and backstab any time they see fit. Despite being created
as a TV tie-in, the core mechanics of the game are remarkably well polished and
balanced. The dice-based fighting mechanic is a particular highlight, striking
a perfect balance between skill, tactics and chance. You’ll need a full table
[four players] to get the best out of the game, but for $39, it’s an absolute
steal.
Ashur 5 stars Gannicus
Price: $39
Manufacture: www.gf9.com
3.
In-ear headphones
AKG K3003
The K3003s are, simply put, the best
headphones we’ve ever had in our ears. Bass, mid-range and high notes are all
reproduced beautifully, making music sound sharp, accurate and incredibly
detailed. Using them is simply intoxicating. The caveat is that you’ll have
work to get the best out of them, especially if you want to use them on the
move. They still sound good plugged into and iPhone, but a dedicated external
DAC such as the $180 FiiO E17 makes them truly sing. Are they worth $1,500
then? Of course not. Paying that much for mobile headphones if simply ludicrous
for anyone with any common sense. But if you happen to be a Premiership
footballer, or you’ve had a good Christmas bonus, these are a real treat, even
if they can’t justify the asking price.
Other headphones 4 stars K3003
Price: $1,500
Supplier: www.johnlewis.com
Manufacture: www.akg.com
4.
Bluetooth headphones
SuperTooth melody
Going wireless is an enticing proposition,
so it’s disappointing that the Melody doesn’t live up to its price tag. Sound
quality is the main gripe; output sounds weedy, with little punch or
definition. The bass feels curiously detached from the rest of the tonal range,
almost as though there’s a range of tones missing between the mid-range and the
lower bass notes. It’s a pity, as the design of the headset is good. It’s light
enough to be unobtrusive and the volume, play/pause and skip buttons on the
right ear-cup are useful too. We’re still waiting to see a Bluetooth headset
that ticks all the boxes.
Broken tooth 2 stars Sabretooth
Price: $105
5.
IP Camera
Compro CS80 IP Camera
The CS80 claims to be the smallest 2MP
network camera available, and it’s a claim we don’t doubt – it’s only as big as
a credit card. This should make it ideal for tucking away in corners, although
you’ll be limited to just the nooks you can reach, as the length of the bundled
power and Ethernet cables could hardly be labeled as generous. The CS 80 is a
pleasure to use too – 2MP may sound meager, but it’s enough to provide a crisp
picture, and the bundled software is polished to a mirror shine; setup and
operation are a breeze. We can’t fathom out why it costs $225, though; we’ve
seen cheaper units that include Wi-Fi and night vision.
Protection racket 3 stars security
Price: $233
Manufacture: www.comprosecurity.com
6.
In-ear headphones
Zip earphones
Zip earphones - wow, why didn’t we think of
that? The Zip earphones offer a gloriously simple solution to tangled wires and
it works a treat – the earphones stayed tidy, even after a week at the bottom
of a rucksack. We weren’t expecting much in terms of audio quality given the
price, and rightly so; music had a slightly echoey quality and lots of treble.
They’re in ear buds, though, so they provide good bass, meaning that they’re
still an upgrade from standard Apple earphones. Unfortunately, however, the zip
cord doesn’t flex well in certain directions, meaning that the ear-buds became
dislodged too easily when on the move. For just $18, though, these offer
reasonable sound quality and an easy way to keep your cables in check.
Velcro 3 stars zip
Price: $19
