Play banging tracks on a small speaker, get fashion advice from an artificial pal, go back to the 1980s with a phone stand, and have a game of drones

All the right noises

Gadget of the week: Beoplay P2

Bang & Olufsen’s latest portable speaker is its smallest to date. Measuring 14cm x 8cm, the Beoplay P2 features voice activation and up to 10 hours of battery life. Available in three colours — sandstone, royal blue and black — the aluminium-bodied speaker is splash- and dust-resistant, and features a single power button. Users shake or tap the P2 to play, pause, skip tracks, or to activate their phone’s personal assistant. Two tweeters are supported by a pair of 15-watt mid-woofers for a peak output of 2 x 50 watts. There’s also a microphone for making calls and a USB-C cable for fast charging.
€169, beoplay.com

Posh wheels

D Throne electric car

Here’s a toy car for the child who grows up safe in the knowledge there’s a trust fund waiting to be plundered when they hit 21. The Chinese-made D Throne is a retro throwback with more than a token nod to vintage Rolls-Royces. The rear-wheel drive electric vehicle can be driven for up to seven hours on a single charge and can tackle grassy terrain and gentle hills. The aluminium and stainless steel chassis has a wooden finish, while there’s a leather seat, wooden steering wheel and an upright grille for added refinement. A pair of working headlights and horn add old-school charm. Parents can ride along at the back, using an optional fold-down board.

€2,756, dthronefamily.com

Reach for the sky

Hasselblad M600 Pro

Hasselblad, the iconic Swedish camera-maker, provided the cameras used for the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Its new 100-megapixel drone, which has slightly less lofty ambitions, comes about following the company’s acquisition by DJI, a Chinese drone firm, this year. Designed to be used by high-end professional aerial photographers and film-makers, the M600 Pro has a 5.3cm x 4cm sensor capable of capturing intimate surface details, even in low light. Hasselblad reckons the drone could also be used for mapmaking and carrying out surveys.

€36,000 (estimated), hasselblad.com

Ahead of the game

Origin Omni

Do you like playing the latest PC games but don’t have space for an oversized desktop rig? The Omni is an all-in-one, gaming PC and curved monitor. With components hidden behind the 34in Samsung LCD screen, it combines a full-sized graphics card, processor, fan and hard drive into the same space as a typical desktop monitor. The resolution of 3,440 x 1,440 pixels lies between standard high-definition and 4K ultra-high definition. Most importantly, the Omni’s components are upgradeable, so the monitor keeps pace
with games as they become more advanced.

From €2,060, originpc.com

Return of the Mac

Elago M4

Relive the heyday of Steves Jobs and Wozniak with this old-school iPhone stand. A homage to the classic Apple Macintosh, the Elago M4 is compatible with the iPhone 6, 6S and 7. Available in black or beige, it’s made from silicone, so it won’t scratch your workstation, and has a slot for a lightning cable. All you need to do now is download some retro Apple apps to pretend it’s 1984 again.
€34.95, www.elagostore.eu

Dahling, you look perfect

Amazon Echo Look

This voice-controlled camera is designed to answer that age old adage “Does my gluteus look maximus in this?” No longer do we need to rely on the advice of loved ones to avoid committing a fashion faux pas. The Look is equipped with Alexa, Amazon’s artificial intelligence personal assistant, and takes hands-free, voice-activated photographs or videos
while you perform twirls in front of its beady lens. What’s more, Amazon’s Style Check algorithm, which uses advice from “fashion specialists”, will tell you if your look is a hit or a miss.
€183, amazon.com