PADDY COMYNrounds up the latest motors gadgets
Star Wars Force Trainer
Price: €114 Buy: firebox.com
This has to be one of the most interesting gadgets around. Using a wireless headset with cutting-edge EEG sensor technology, it reads and interprets your brainwaves, which are then converted into energy which controls the training sphere in a transparent tower.
The deeper your concentration and focus, the greater your ability to move the sphere up and down in varying combinations. Your skills really will be complete as you progress from Padawan to Jedi Master, using the Force (or something similar) to advance through 15 levels of training.
TomTom Go X50
Price: TBA Buy: Halfords and electronics stores
The new TomTom GO x50 series calculates a route faster than ever and ensures drivers are ready to go in seconds. It uses the world’s largest collection of historical speed profiles.
The database now includes over 800 billion speed measurements of 15 million road kilometres in 24 European countries.
The TomTom GO x50 series now also features voice command and control. Over 100 tasks can be activated by voice, like planning a route, changing preferences or making a call. This means drivers can keep their eyes focused on the road and their hands on the wheel, contributing to road safety. The new model will be available in the autumn.
Epson Perfection V30
Price: €72.50 Buy: computer retailers nationwide
Scanners used to be rather crude devices but they have got infinitely better, with the quality they can reproduce being, at times, nothing short of remarkable.
A good one is this new Epson which, at under €75, is excellent value and has an impressive performance.
Reaching an optical resolution of 4,800 dpi, it comes with a multiple scan to PDF button, which allows users to automatically save documents into PDF format.
The Perfection V30 also scans documents up to 25mm thick with the lid closed, thanks to the fully open lid design which, when open fully to 180 degrees can copy large document formats.
Medion Ayoka
Price: €435 Buy: medionshop.co.uk
With its 11.6-inch HD resolution display and capable graphics, the E1311 might be small, but it is a powerful little machine. The widescreen display presents HD resolution in a cinematic format, delivering high quality sound and vision. The netbook also includes a HDMI output, should users want to watch movies or look at photos on a larger screen.
The E1311’s hard disk can comfortably hold more than 30,000 songs or photos, catering for all your entertainment needs while on the move.
Users will have comprehensive connectivity options, including three USB ports, a multi-format memory card reader, wireless networking capability and an Ethernet port.