It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter, but, at last, here comes the sun. The ice is slowly melting, and the smiles are returning to everybody’s faces. No more dark nights or grey skies – time to throw those curtains wide and let in the bright, sunshiny colours of spring.
But wait. Take a look at your tech gear. It’s hardly dazzling you with the joys of spring, is it? Every gadget you own is either matte black or a duller shade of grey, designed to suck in all light and extinguish any sense of fun. You need to spice up your tech life with a splash of colour and get some gear that reflects the vibrancy of the new season. It’s no use tripping through the tulips and daffodils only to spend the rest of the day lost in a maze of monochrome.
If you’re a kid, your gear is more likely to be a riot of fluorescent colour, while grown-ups’ gear tends to lean towards more sensible shades of boring. It doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve gone through the spectrum to find some tech gear that will appeal to the kid in us all but will blend in nicely with the adult world.
So, put away the grey and give your gear a rainbow connection – it’ll put a spring in your step.
Acer Swift 5
€1,319.99, currys.ie
This 14-inch laptop is light and fast on its feet and – more importantly – it’s not bloody black. If you’re not ready for retina-searing psychedelic colours on your laptop just yet, the Acer Swift 5 is a lovely shade of blue that won’t mark you out as a wannabe tech hippie but will reassure people you’re not a mouse-pushing dullard. It’s super-thin and weighs just 1kg, which makes it very handy and portable. It’s also strong, encased in a lovely blue metallic body, and its IntelCore i7 processor will handle the most demanding computing tasks – swiftly. It’s got a full HD touchscreen, so you can scroll easily through your favourite TV shows or playlists, and it’s got enough battery power to get you through the busiest of days.
Fujifilm Finepix XP130
€139, photospecialist.ie
It may be a bright yellow, but nothing can scare this tough little compact digital camera from Fuji. It’s rugged in four ways: waterproof (down to 20m), freezeproof (to -10ºC), shockproof (can withstand drops from 1.75m), and dustproof, keeping out sand and other particles. Its high-performance Fujinon zoom lens allows you to take great close-up action shots, and its high-res 16.4 megapixel sensor automatically adjusts for light, and allows for continuous shooting so you can properly capture the action. Just don’t leave it lying in a bed of daffodils – you might be a while finding it.
Beats Solo 3 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
€316.92, elara.ie
Are you a blackhead? Would you rather be a redhead? Pop these bright red cans on your head and set your musical world on fire. Dr Dre has become synonymous with high-performance headphones, and the Solo 3 makes a great everyday headphone for anyone on the go. You may forget they’re on your head but trust me – no one else will. As well as making a stylish statement, the Solo 3 has the specs to back it up. It’s got 40 hours of battery life, so you can listen to all the music you want without having to deal with the sound of silence. But if you need to stop for a quick charge, the Fast Fuel feature gives you a quick boost to get you back on track list. Beats works with Apple technology to bring optimum sound and performance – so thank you for the music, Dr Dre and Tim Apple.
Sony XB01 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
€29, harveynorman.ieBe one with nature and turn it up to 11 with the Sony XB01 Extra Bass Bluetooth speaker in bright green – along with a range of other vibrant colours. This tiny speaker fits into the palm of your hand, but it packs a monster sound, and is ideal for plonking down and playing music from your smartphone, whether you're sitting in the park or relaxing on the patio. They've got a handy strap so you can carry your music around easily, and it's water-resistant, so you won't have to worry about splashes or raindrops. They have a microphone too, so you can take calls via the speaker without having to switch back to your phone. They're not expensive either, so why not get one for everyone in the family in the colour of their choice. Just don't start having Bluetooth speaker battles – that could get noisy.
Fitbit Inspire HR
€69.99, did.ie
A toast to Fitbit – at least they’re going out of their way to bring a little colour to the world of fitness trackers. This Fitbit Inspire comes in a fragrant sangria colour – perfect for that run on the Camino de Santiago you’ve been planning all your life. The Inspire is designed to spur you on to reach your fitness goals – it reminds you to get moving, tracks your calories burnt, and bursts into celebration whenever you hit a fitness milestone. It’s got five days of battery life, it’s water-resistant up to 70m, and its SmartTrack feature automatically records your workouts. And, of course, it notifies you of calls, texts and app alerts.
