FrequencyCast Festive Gadgets Roundup
Carl, Pete and guest star Kelly were bundled into a car and taken out shopping. We take a look at some gadget ideas for 2011 festive season, and have a little fin on the way. Here's our transcript.
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Listen to FrequencyCast Update - November 2011 Festive Gadget Ideas
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Seasonal Gadget-hunting:
Here's the transcript of our day of Christmas gadget shopping:
Carl:
So Pete, what have you got for me?
Pete:
Well, all I can really do is give you some ideas of what I've considered to be the great gadgets of the last six months or so. The one that's really enthralled me at the moment is one of those media streaming devices.
Carl:
What - like the games console thing?
Pete:
No, this is my latest gift to myself. It's the WDTV Live Hub. It's a one terabyte hard disk; plugs into your TV via HDMI, and it can play any media, so I'm actually using it to back up all of my home video, photos and music, all over the network wirelessly without any faff, and I can watch what I want on the telly, or stream it to my portable phone. They are really, really nice gadgets. If someone's looking to buy you something for about £150, £160, I'd certainly consider the Live TV Media Centre.
WD Live Media Hub, available from Amazon and Currys
Carl:
Well, it's funny you should mention that, hearing that. It sounds like a great gift for the entire family, I mean it's something you could all make use of, isn't it? So you could actually buy that as a collective present for everyone.
Pete:
And if you're interested in any of the gadgets that we're talking about here, we'll stick them up on our web page, frequencycast.co.uk/gadgets. Carl, any gadgets tickled your fancy recently?
Carl:
Well, when you're talking about gadgets that tickle your fancy, you'll have to straight to Kim.
Pete:
Ah yes - now, we went out and about doing some shopping, and we were in a particular gadget shop, and you got accosted by a young lady, didn't you?
Carl:
I wouldn't say it was accosted, I mean, that sounds like I might not have enjoyed it.
Pete:
Okay, let's hear a little extract of a recording of Kim demonstrating the product for you.
Carl:
What have you got to sell me?
Kim:
Well, I've got one of these, and it's got so many different settings on it, it's amazing. I sold one to my grandmother.
Carl:
So hold on a minute - is that thing waterproof?
Kim:
Yes, it is actually.
Carl:
To how many metres?
Pete:
I don't think it does metres specifically, but if you kind of like get it wet, or drop it in the sink or whatever, I don't think it's going to be that big a deal.
Pete:
So Carl, will you be buying one of those this year?
Pete:
Probably not. If you're completely unsure as to what we're talking about, frequencycast.co.uk/gadgets.
Carl:
Hmm. Right, Pete - got another gadget we can look at?
Pete:
Now, this has to be top of everyone's Christmas card list - what's one of those?
Carl:
It's a Kindle, of course. I actually like the Kindle; mp3 player as well as a book reader, and also has access to the internet.
Pete:
And these gadgets have now got touchscreens, and they're a bit cheaper - rather impressive, a good Christmas idea.
Carl:
How much are they going for now?
Pete:
£90 upwards.
Carl:
Wowsers-trousers! I also like the helicopters, I'm still a big fan of those. They're not like the remote-controlled boats and cars which were a bit more faddy. The helicopters have a little bit more to them, to me, and they're great little toys. You can get some tiny little helicopters now. We've got the small micro one, and they're great.
Silverlit Spy Cam Remote Control Helicopter at Menkind
Pete:
The perfect Christmas present. And if you've got around £80 to spare, get one with a streaming camera, because they're great.
Okay, I've got an amateur radio gift for all you radio hams out there, one of these: theBaofeng UV3R, a lovely little hand-held portable.
Carl:
I actually like this. It's only about the size of a lighter, isn't it? It's a bit bigger than a Zippo, but with an aerial. I think it's fantastic!
Pete:
Amateur radio for £30; link on our show notes (Baofeng Review). What else, Carl?
Carl:
Well, I think I'm going to have to go with the sWaP Watch, because it's coming in so many great colours now. I mean, the bright orange, the bright pink - what do you go for? - fantastic. And they have, of course, improved it. It looks better than it ever did, and photos are clear and everything.
Pete:
There you go, so that'll be the sWaP Watch, Carl's personal favourite. Of course, the iPhone 4S, if you happen to have a million pounds to spare.
Carl:
Just one million dollars!
Pete:
So there's a few ideas, but to get some more ideas, we went out and about to try and find out what was hot. We went shopping, didn't we?
Carl:
And we took one of our young ladies with us, didn't we? We took Kelly shopping, because apparently that's what girls like doing.
Pete:
Okay, now this is a very unique outside broadcast. I'm sitting in Carl's ... well, car is probably the closest I can use to describe this thing that we're in.
Carl:
Sherman Tank.
Pete:
Excellent! We are driving along to a shopping centre, to find some gadgets - what a cool thing that is, and because men can't shop, we've got some help. Hello?
Kelly:
Hello.
Pete:
This is Kelly, who may remember we spoke to yonks back at the Gadget Show, where you were talking about headsets and things - is that right?
Kelly:
Yes, I was. I was there with NeuroSky.
Pete:
Talking about those things that we plugged in to prove that Carl had no brain?
Kelly:
Yeah, unfortunately Carl had no brain, or very little brain cells, that we could detect anyway.
Pete:
But he does have a lovely car, doesn't he?
Kelly:
Lovely, antique ... vintage is all in at the moment, so that's absolutely perfect.
Pete:
And we're off gadget shopping - Carl, are you looking forward to this?
Carl:
You told me were going Christmas shopping, we're buying my present! What are we getting me?
Pete:
We might get you, if you're lucky, a cup of Costa coffee.
Carl:
And a tiffin?
Pete:
And a tiffin. So Kelly, what are you looking for today in our gadget shopping experience?
Carl:
I'm looking for something fun, stocking fillers, that sort of thing really - anything that's kind of quite cheap and affordable for everybody.
Pete:
And what would you say your favourite gadget is? I know you're carrying sort of a purple device there. Would you not be tempted to something a bit more shiny than the phone you currently have?
Kelly:
No, BlackBerry all the way - I'm sorry. I know BlackBerry have had issues the last few weeks, but I'm just committed.
Pete:
Were you hit by that? - could you not get anything?
Kelly:
I couldn't get anything, and I was stuck in London, unable to figure out where I was, because my Google Maps went down.
Pete:
Harsh - you're so reliant on technology. Carl's giggling - hang on.
Carl:
She just said, she's got issues, but now she's committed - what's that about?
Kelly:
We've had issues, but now we're committed. We've gone through a counselling stage - we're happy now.
Pete:
I was going to say - I thought it was only men that had commitment issues.
Kelly:
Oh, that is true, but the modern woman - more like the man now. That's why I'm off to the salon later on this evening.
Pete:
Right, we shall see how we get on when we arrive at the shopping centre, and see what marvellous gadgets we can find.
Carl:
And once we arrived, we tracked down our very first gadget shop of the day. So here we are in Hawkins Bazaar, and we've come across the manager, a guy called Sub, and he's going to tell us about some of the great toys they've got. Now, these obviously are toys for the younger age group. So Sub, tell us - what have you got in stock that you really love?
Sub:
At the moment, we've got Spinsters, which is a toy racing car, which goes round and round in circles and it's pretty hard to control, but it gives kids loads of enjoyment, and Can racers as well.
Carl:
Can racers as well - what are Can racers? Do you race them round cans? What's that for?
Pete:
It's a little can with a micro-machine type of car, and a little remote control, easy to charge as well, so you just connect the car to the remote control, so you're saving on batteries there.
Carl:
Excellent, so one of these, you mean? - oh yes. So it's a can, it's the size of a Coke can, and it actually has a little miniature remote-controlled car in there, and the controller, and I see traffic cones and things like that to drive round - excellent. We're obviously here with our guys. Pete's chosen a favourite toy, and so has Kelly. Kelly, what have you chosen? (oh, I'm going to regret this!).
Kelly:
Well, I've actually found myself a little pet monkey today. He sits on my shoulder; he actually behaves like a real monkey with some bizarre hand movements from time to time. He's remote-controlled - if you squeeze his belly, he also moves. It's the closest to the real thing I think I'm ever going to get.
Pete:
Oh, he's a cute little chappie, isn't he? - and he straps onto your shoulder, so you can actually walk around with him sitting on your shoulder.
Carl:
You say it's the closest thing you're going to get to the real thing, but what about Pete?
Kelly:
Well, that's true. He is slightly furrier than the pet monkey I now have strapped to my shoulder.
Carl:
Also, he's a little bit heavier to go on your shoulder, isn't he? - but maybe you can find somewhere else for him. Right, okay - oh what? - no, we're not going to look at your toy, it's not like mine. Alright, what have you got?
Pete:
I've found two great things: I've found a little spider catcher on the end of a thingy - I hate spiders, and this thing, you can pick up a spider by remote without having to touch it; that's cool.
Carl:
Right, okay - and what's this other sensible thing you've got?
Pete:
Oh, look at this - build your own crystal set. This has got to be the most educational thing out there. You can basically ...
Carl:
I'm going to move on from that, radio ham. I've got a gun - listen to this! And it lights up and everything - look at this thing, it's great! It doesn't fire anything though, unfortunately. Put the monkey on your shoulder - I'll shoot it off. What's that behind me?
Sub:
It's a giggling lion. We do that in a cat and a lion form. If anyone goes close to it, it'll start rolling around and chuckling away.
Carl:
Put the pig down, we're not going to a bar - thank you. You've also got pigs that walk along the floor, frogs ... it's like a menagerie in here, isn't it? What else have you got?
Sub:
Well, like you said, we've got the frogs and dog as well - they both come in giggling forms. So they sit on the floor, as you walk past them, there's a motion sensor again - it starts giggling, chuckling away, and spinning round in circles.
Carl:
Fantastic. You also have some fairies or something, and flying saucers - what are they?
Sub:
Basically, you've got the fairies and mystery UFOs.
Carl:
Fantastic.
Pete:
We've got stocking fillers, so we do a range of stocking fillers that vary from 25p to £2.50 as well. Also included in that, we're doing seasonal delights, Christmas dominoes, Christmas jigsaws, and an advent calendar which is actually on a candle.
Carl:
Excellent! - so you've got quite a variety of things coming up. There's a penguin trying to escape!
Kelly:
Well, this is now my new pet penguin. He kind of wanders around, like constantly, flapping his arms, rather loud ... but yes, very entertaining. To be honest, I'd quite like to be a big kid myself this Christmas.
Carl:
Really? - shall we go and get you a fairy outfit from the Disney shop?
Kelly:
That would be wonderful, and possibly a bouncy castle or a little Disney princess castle?
Carl:
Fantastic - let's go!
Pete:
And we'll get you one as well, Carl.
Carl:
Just quickly though, before we go onto our next gadget shop, I did go to WH Smith's, and they've got an amazing gadget, which is an electronic dictionary bookmark. It's made by If, and it has 38,000 definitions in it, and it's using the Collins Dictionary. It comes in two colours: it's grey or white, and it's about £19.99, but I do understand that it's going down in price, maybe as low as £15.99. This is a superb gift, it really is slimline, and it does fit in your book like a bookmark. It's great if you're reading books, you can look up words if you don't know what the meanings are. For more information on this super-slick device, if you look on our website at www.frequencycast.co.uk, you can even see some great images of it.
Dictionary Bookmark available from Amazon , Waterstones and Gizoo
Pete:
Right, onto our second gadget shop. I love this stand over here, because there's a whole bunch of things that we've actually reviewed. This looks like the FrequencyCast studio, so we've got walkie-talkies, we've got spy accessories, we've got the sWaP Watch, we've got power chargers, and we've got my favourite there, the little Polaroid Pogo. So Michael, tell me what we have here - any good gadgets I've not mentioned?
Michael:
Oh, we've got the Vuzix iWear up top - if you can't see it, this is for audio, but you've got three different types we sell: the 920s, 280s and 230s. They vary in screen sizes going onto visual quality.
Pete:
And just they look like a pair of sunglasses. What's clever about them?
Michael:
Well, they've got screens just behind the glasses? - so you don't have to look like you're watching TV. You could be just laying back with a pair of sunglasses on.
Pete:
And you can actually watch video from your iPod or iPhone?
Michael:
Yeah, anything really video out. It comes with a few connection leads: composite cable, Nokia 3.5 ml jack.
Pete:
And what about these lovely spy gadgets we've got here? Now, I've seen these little hidden cameras before, but these two items particularly interest me, as does that one. What have we got here?
Michael:
Well, first up we've got the Thumbs Up spy camera pen, which is a two gigabyte memory stored in a, well it looks like a ballpoint pen. You unscrew the casing, and you've got a USB, which directly links you to the computer, and what that does is, you can just see above the clip, you have the lens.
Pete:
And this little spy camera here - Carl, just give me a description of this one here. This is amazing.
Carl:
It looks like a car keyfob, doesn't it? Actually, it's designed to look like one, I'm sure.
Pete:
And this is a 720 video camera, so presumably you can use this for a couple of hours of video recording?
Michael:
Yeah, should be - it depends on the size of the card you get for it. It takes a small Micro SD, just into the side.
Pete:
Lovely, and of course this watch here is even better. I love this little watch. The twelve on the clock face, I think is a camera - is that right?
Michael:
Yep - that's right.
Pete:
Nice one! Kelly, what are you clutching there?
Carl:
Kelly's holding her balls.
Pete:
Excellent. You're really holding those quite tightly. Just explain why you're holding balls, Kelly.
Kelly:
Well, these aren't as high tech as the spy camera and everything else that we've just spoken about, but they are my favourite thing in the shop. They're little joke golf balls, perfect for a stocking. If you hit them, sometimes they explode, or a stream comes out, or they'll quite literally turn to water - absolutely fantastic for a little joke on the green.
Pete:
Excellent, and any idea how much they are?
Kelly:
They are £2.99.
Pete:
Oh, perfect - ideal. Carl, what have you found that's good and gadgety?
Carl:
Kelly. She's fun, she's worth having. Does she take batteries? I don't know how much she is, I can't find her anywhere in the store, but ... oh, no - we're off now, sorry.
Pete:
Okay, now Carl, you're something of a survival expert, aren't you? We're over now in front of a survival gadget stand. What do you find here that's impressive?
Carl:
Well, they've got lots of Leathermen, which are obviously very expensive tools, and well worthwhile if you work in stage electrics and things like that, but they're also just handy tools in general. They're like the Swiss Army knife for the real men. This is a great cabinet, this is like everything and anything you'll need, from waterproof matches to a whistle for when you're out at sea, etcetera and so forth; great little tools. I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want one of these. They're usually quite pricey, and they are well worthwhile, very penny you spend on them, £70, £95, and they've got pliers and knives and all sorts of other gadgets, but they're really well-made, well-designed, and they're not cheap.
Pete:
And are they selling well? Is there a lot of interest in buying this kind of stuff?
Michael:
Yeah, quite well, mainly for dads. We've had a couple of military men as well; engineers come in and buy some. A 25 years' warranty works well with it too.
Pete:
Excellent, impressive. And this 16 unit survival kit, if I were to throw Carl off the side of a boat, would that be the thing I need to give him before he goes?
Michael:
Just about, I'd say, yeah. I don't think Bear Grylls kind of does it, but ....
Pete:
Excellent, okay. Also what caught my eye here was this little thing here - a paper aeroplane notepad. Now, if I've got this right, this is a paper pad that has the lines drawn on it to make a little paper aeroplane - is that right?
Michael:
Yeah, that's right. Different types of planes, it shows you in the lines to make them. I've only ever known really about three different types of planes.
Pete:
So apparently you can send your messages by airmail. I think that's a rather nice little idea - a fiver for a pack of 100 paper aeroplane notes. And also this - Kelly, where's Kelly? Come and help me explain this product for me, please.
Kelly:
Well, chocolate - everybody loves chocolate. They have some weird combinations, obviously chilli chocolate, chocolate orange, but this time around they've gone for Marmite.
Pete:
Do you know, that sounds lovely. Have you tried it?
Kelly:
I haven't, but I've heard it's very much a love it or hate it sort of product.
Pete:
Michael, have you tried it?
Michael:
Yes, I have. It tastes like a really nice chocolate, then you get the warm aftertaste of like, if you've just eaten a Twiglet.
Pete:
A Twiglet and chocolate - Carl, tempted?
Carl:
Nope.
Pete:
We might have to get some to try out. Anything else that we found, guys?
Carl:
Yeah, paper watches - there's a piece of paper with the time written on it. It's only right twice a day, though.
Pete:
Oh, I missed that - where's the paper watches? Oh, they're right here next to the world's smallest walkie-talkies - they look cool. So these paper watches - why a paper watch?
Michael:
Well, if you're going out to say a club or something, you don't want to damage your normal watch. It's a disposable kind of, what you can doodle on, craft, paint, craft - anything with.
Pete:
Nifty! Anything else that we've found, guys?
Carl:
I've just bumped into a sales assistant. What's your name?
Kim:
My name's Kim.
Carl:
What have you got to sell me?
Well, I've got one of these, and it's got so many different settings on it. It actually speaks to you as well, like this.
"You're looking cute tonight, honey."
So it's great comical value, and you can actually use it as well.
Carl:
So hold on a minute - is that thing waterproof?
Kim:
Yes, it is actually.
Carl:
To how many metres?
Kim:
I don't think it does metres specifically. I wouldn't recommend plunging it in a bath or anything, but if you kind of like get it wet, or drop it in a sink or whatever, I don't think it's going to be that big a deal.
Carl:
So what else does it do?
"Hell, can't you get a real man?"
Very good, so it's voice-activated?
Kim:
No, not voice-activated, but it does speak to you when you take the lid off it.
Carl:
Okay.
"Sorry - I have to get up early tomorrow."
Is there any restrictive age group that you can sell this to, do you think?
Kim:
Well, legally I'd say, 16 plus, but I've actually sold one to my grandmother herself.
Carl:
So what do I need for this to work?
Kim:
Just double A batteries.
Carl:
How much are they?
Kim:
These are just under a tenner. Any girl would be very pleased to have one of these in her stocking for Christmas.
Carl:
Okay, so if you want to find out what it is that Kim's just sold me, look on our website, at www.frequencycast.co.uk.
"Go away, I've got a headache!"
Thank you, Kim - that's excellent.
Kim:
Thank you, no problem.
Pete:
So this is the place for Christmas gadgets, isn't it?
Carl:
It certainly is, and where are we?
Assistant:
Menkind in Lakeside.
Pete:
Excellent, and if I'm right, there's some other branches around?
Assistant:
Yes, you've got Bluewater, the Westfield store, and the new Westfield Stratford.
Find the gadgets reviewed hereTake a look at www.menkind.co.uk to see their range and to pick up any of the items we covered here! |
Pete:
Excellent, and you're hoping for some good Christmas business, I'm guessing?
Assistant:
Oh yes, definitely.
Carl:
And now it's back to the Batmobile to go home, although our Batmobile has more than two seats.
Pete:
Well, there you go. We've had an exciting day's shopping. We're now back in Carl's ... well, car again, for want of a better word. Oh my Gawd, you don't half know how to take roundabouts, don't you?
Carl:
Are you scared?
Pete:
That was really scary - handbrake turn round a mini-roundabout! I think what I like is these accessories here - what's that, Kelly?
Kelly:
I believe that's called a cobweb.
Pete:
Oh, why do you have a cobweb in your car?
Carl:
Optional extra.
Pete:
Excellent, thank you very much! So we've spent an exciting day shopping. We're now driving off to find a cup of coffee somewhere. What would you say was your most impressive gadget? Did you find anything terribly exciting?
Carl:
Yes, I found something to fill Kelly's stockings with.
Pete:
Kelly, are you looking forward to that?
Kelly:
I'm a little bit concerned, to be honest. Any joke from Carl is normally a bad joke.
Pete:
That's fair enough, I was expecting a golfball reference there again. So what would you say you thought was the best gadget that you've looked at today?
Kelly:
I have to say, my favourite is actually the golf balls. They're so cheap, and imagine how many laughs you could actually get out of them, especially if you're one of those women that has a man that's constantly at the golf course. You just kind of need to go there and show him up a little bit.
Pete:
Ah - good plan. You also liked that crystal shop that I can't pronounce, you found a USB pen in there - where was that?
Kelly:
That was in Swarowski, absolutely beautiful, and you literally pull it apart, and inside is a USB stick, so it's fashionable, yet useful.
Swarovski USB Pen, around £55 from www.swarovski.com
Pete:
And of course, you'd fill it with episodes of FrequencyCast - is that right?
Kelly:
That is correct.
Pete:
Excellent. Carl, what did you find that was exciting?
Carl:
I particularly liked a laser gun.
Pete:
Oh, the laser pistol, yes - because you are about twelve, aren't you?
Carl:
Yeah, it made a lot of noise and it had bright lights on it.
Pete:
Excellent. Right, Kelly - you have a very important job for me. You need to open this present, and help us out here. We have some team bonding to do here. Tell me what we have here?
Kelly:
Here we have the Marmite chocolate. I'm a little bit dubious, if I'm honest, as to how this will go, especially as we don't have a drink or anything else to take the taste away afterwards.
Pete:
Right, go on then - unwrap her.
Kelly:
I feel like Charlie Bucket.
Pete:
Are you looking for the Golden Ticket?
Kelly:
Look, it's here! I've unwrapped the Golden Ticket! Okay, who's first?
Pete:
Kelly, you go first. Give me and Carl a chunk in the front here. Okay, your mouth.
Carl:
It smells bad; it tastes revolting - hold on a minute, I want to throw my head out of the window.
Pete:
Oh, actually ... I'm not sure actually. I'm wrong - it's not right, is it? Kelly?
Kelly:
Now, I'm really worried! I don't want to eat it! Oh no, that is wrong, and I love Marmite and chocolate. It almost tastes like mustard.
Pete:
I know what you mean. This isn't right, is it?
Kelly:
No, it's really not right, and I'd like to say that this was your idea!
Pete:
Carl, stop the car!
Carl:
It's revolting. Here, give me some more.
Pete:
So there we go. I think we've established that for Christmas, you really don't want to be getting ... are you alright there, love?
Kelly:
It just gets worse and worse, the longer it's in my mouth.
Carl:
Hang on - I need a picture of you, Kelly, enjoying the taste of this. Hang on a second.
Pete:
Would you like another chunk?
Kelly:
No, thank you.
Pete:
Carl, any more for you?
Carl:
No, I'm alright, thanks.
Kelly:
And you just got overtaken!
Pete:
By a pushbike! There we go. So we've had an adventurous day, and we've had a lovely bar of chocolate, and we found all the perfect gadgets to get yourself this Christmas - agreed?
Carl:
Oh, yeah.
Kelly:
Absolutely But never, ever eat Marmite chocolate.
Pete:
Oh, stop the car!
Listen to FrequencyCast Update - November 2011 Festive Gadget Ideas |
More information:
- FrequencyCast Season Gadgets round-up
- Top Three Gadgets - From FrequencyCast Show 70
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