THE GADGETS that have made the biggest impact in 2012 are
ranked according to a purely subjective measure that includes appeal, price and
the sheer pleasure it brings. Part 1 focuses on Fun.
All have been used, misused and evaluated by the Gadget team.
Part 1 of a four-part Gadgets of the Year series focuses on
the Fun Gadgets of the Year. The next three episodes will focus on the Most
Useful Gadgets of 2012, the Best Cellphones and Tablets of 2012, and the Best
Business Gadgets of 2012. While the Top 3 will be highlighted, kudos will also
go to stand-out products and services that don't necessarily dazzle as gadgets,
but are worth a mention for improving our lives.
The Fun Gadgets of the Year for 2012 are:
Parrot A.R. Drone 2.0
The A.R. Drone, a quadricopter controlled with an iPhone or
Android phone, is one of the most remarkable pieces of nice-to-have technology
yet to land in the hands of the consumer. The updated version includes a
high-definition camera that can record what the device sees from the air, and
can be used for anything from entertainment to crowd control to policing to
spying.
Price: R3 499
(Full details here)
DStv Walka 7
It looks like a 7’’ tablet, but the screen doesn't work by
touch. It does, however, extend the DStv bouquet to a handheld device on which
you can watch TV in nine cities across South Africa where the DVB-H mobile TV
signal is broadcast. It's not a replacement for a TV set, but an extension that
adds enormous value, utility and convenience.
Price: R899
(Full details here)
Autodrive USB Car Flash Drives
The Autodrive USB Car Flash drive is an “ordinary” flash
drive, offering storage capacity from 1GB to 8GB. The difference is that it
comes in the shape of iconic sports cars, such as an Audi TT or Porche 911. The
headlights flash when its plugged in, and it looks like a model car when
resting unused on the desk, making it an ideal novelty gift for the car and
gadgets enthusiast.
Price: R225.
(Full details here)
Honourable mentions
The Gadget Surprise of the Year award goes to the Samsung
Note 2, a mini-tablet/maxi-phone dubbed the phablet. Its 5.5” HD LCD screen, highly sensitive
S-Pen stylus, and voice-controlled Galaxy Camera have made it one of the surprise
successes of 2012. The pricetag, however, prevents it from making the top 3.
Price: R7 400
(Full details here)
Gaming Gadget of the Year
The best new Gaming Gadget of the Year sees a tie between
the PlaySation Wonderbook and the new Nintendo Wii U.
The PlayStation Wonderbook looks like a large book with a
few pages. However, each page contains a pattern that is activated with a
motion-sensing game controller in the shape of a wand called the Move. Along
with a Sony PlayStation 3 console and a webcam-style camera called the
PlayStation Eye, it opens up new worlds of augmented reality. The first game
released for the Wonderbook, The Book of Spells, takes users into the heart of
Harry Potter’s world.
Price for starter pack with book, game and required
accessories: R900
(Full details on Wonderbook and Book of Spells)
The Nintendo Wii U is a handheld console that can be linked
to a large screen TV, and is compatible with games for the original Wii platform.
The GamePad can also act as a second window into a game being played on the big
screen.
ice: Starts with the Wii U Basic Pack, including a Wii U
console with 8GB internal storage and a Wii U GamePad: R3 999.
(Full details on Wii U)
Game of the Year
The sales charts may be littered with the likes of Halo,
Call of Duty, Super Mario Bros, and Gran Turismo, but one game stood out for
its sheer audacity: Angry Birds Star Wars. It features more than 80 levels and
takes players into the classic settings and scenes of the Star Wars saga, but
with the Angry Birds art style, intuitive controls, and innovative gameplay.
Oh, and it’s free. However, fans can also train in the "Path of the
Jedi" in-app purchase to become a Jedi Master.
(Full details on Angry Birds Star Wars)
*Arthur Goldstuck is managing director of World Wide Worx
and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter or Pinterest on
@art2gee
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