Six of the best: Gadgets to get you seen
The company behind this creation say they’ve reinvented the cycle light; a bold claim perhaps, but when you see it in action, you’ll likely agree. Inside is a laser beam that’ll project the image of a cycle onto the road 5-6 metres ahead, thus creating a visual alert for drivers at this critical accident blind spot and reducing the risk, dramatically, of them turning into your space. For city cycling, it’s a definite must, while the powerful output of the laser means it’s a good country lane option too.
Three’s the magic number: Energy tube, 3-in-1 - £24.95 from red5.co.uk
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Hide AdWe’re quite impressed at how this device manages to pack away three very separate functions into its very diminutive outer frame. The energy tube combines a nicely efficient hand warmer, a torch and a power backup, with enough stored power to give your mobile a boost to full battery. It’s all charged via micro USB, too. Very tidy indeed.
Portable planet: LED Lenser X21R - £399.95 from red5.co.uk
Packed with just about as much tech as the humble torch could manage, this award winner is mighty impressive. It can project an impressive 1600 lumens over a distance of 600 metres, delivered through seven ultra-bright LED lights, which can be focused via seven individual lenses to create a sharp, defined circle of light that can outshine a cars headlamps. There is a microchip inside to control eight light functions, three separate light programs and two energy modes and to top it all off, it’s rechargeable.
Canine illuminator: Night Dawg light up collar - £14.95 from glow.co.uk
A glowing dog collar any pooch will be proud to wear. Made from super tough materials, the waterproof collar lasts up to 150 hours on battery power and illuminates the entire way around your dogs neck. Set yours to flash or glow and we wager this could be both entertaining and slightly confusing.
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Hide AdHead Lamp: Neonight helmet light - £53.99 from evanscycles.com
There are cycle light solutions a plenty that employ conventional LED or halogen bulbs, but the Neonight uses a much cleverer patented electroluminescence technology. The lamps are double-sided doped phosphorous strips which, when an electrical current is passed through, produce a highly visible (even in fog) blue-green band of light. Easy to affix to any helmet too.
Strip lighting: Fuze light striper - £16.99 from boots.com
You’ll get two metres of light-up material here, plenty to wrap around the entire frame of your bike or to enable you to get creative in other ways. Complete with 10 clips and 20 elastic bands, you can put it almost anywhere and then select from a solid glowing hue or one of a few blinking patterns - it will certainly get you noticed!
App of the Week: Monument Valley - £2.99 on Google Play and iTunes
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Hide AdWe’re all used to getting so much free across the app-o-sphere, it’ll perhaps cause an intake of breath to see a recommendation of one costing nearly £3 This game, however, has utterly charmed us, so totally engaging and immersive and beautifully designed you’ll be proud to pay. It redefines the app gaming genre.
Top 10 Paid Apps
1 Minecraft - Pocket Edition
2 Five Nights At Freddy’s
3 Halloween Drops - Match three puzzle
4 Clockwork Tales: Of Glass And Ink
5 The Chase
6 Montezuma Puzzle 3 Premium
7 Enigmatis 2: The Mists Of Ravenwood
8 Tipping Point
9 AVG AntiVirus PRO Android Security
10 Goat Simulator
Top 10 Free apps
1 Rope’n’Fly 4
2 Prime Instant Video
3 Facebook Messenger
4 GPS Navigation & Maps
5 Despicable Me: Minion Rush
6 Candy Crush Saga
7 YouPlayer for YouTube
8 BBC iPlayer
9 Farm Heroes Saga
10 Buy Me A Pie! Grocery List Pro
(Both charts courtesy of amazon.co.uk)