Innehållsförteckning för Issue 219 från T3 Australia

BANG & OLUFSEN BEOSOUND BALANCE NATURA Audio firm Bang & Olufsen is known for its collaborations with high-end brands, and the company has rolled out the red carpet for its latest effort. This time, it’s worked with Italian stonemasons Antolini to launch the Beosound Balance Natura, a striking speaker that combines modern tech with beautiful quartz stonework and petrified wood elements, plus an anodized aluminium ring that separates the pedestal from the speaker. It’s an arresting way to combine remarkable visuals with stunning sound. The marble-like effect is one of 16 to choose from, with each speaker being made to order. The two companies have also pooled their efforts on a Beovision Theatre 55-inch TV and a pair of Beolab 28 speakers, each complemented by Antolini’s Amazonite quartzite finishes. Price…

TEVA GRANDVIEW MAX SANDAL Open-toed for those who don’t like to keep their dogs in a cage, the Grandview Max is a sandal built for multi-day hikes on technical terrain. The patent-pending “W Strapping System” keeps you locked-in, comfortable and stable on even the most technical hikes and the Vibram MegaGrip outsole gives a super sticky, non-slip stride. The Grandview Max also ticks the sustainability boxes boasting 100% recycled polyester webbings and 100% recycled mesh upper. $240, au.teva.com TEVA ReEMBER Shifting from lounge to sport-mode in the blink of an eye, the Teva ReEmber is a slipper/sneaker combo you’ll never want to take off. From the recycled polyester microfiber lining, EVA midsole, rip-stop upper, polyester rib knit collar and more, the ReEmber will have you looking good and feeling good…

I’ve been writing about videogames for the best part of 40 years, so have seen many a pivot or transition when it comes to hardware generations, but the current shift we’re seeing today trumps them all. We’ve had console gaming make way for dinky home computers, only to make way for consoles again. Big brands have come and disappeared again as quickly as an Arkanoid brick, and a once-too-often dalliance with motion play has simply served to fill our cupboards with plastic tat (I’m looking at you Balance Board). However, there’s something in the air that feels different this time – a revolution, if you like. Handhelds are invading the games space, and I couldn’t be happier. Of course, the games industry was essentially built on the back of portable…

There is of course a lot to be said for the smartphone camera these days. Almost all of the time, they’ll likely be all you need – with manufacturers doing more and more to tempt you in with better and better lens and sensor specs. For day-to-day shooting they’re the business, but sometimes you’ll be doing something – or going somewhere – that deserves a bit of gear that’s just that bit better, helping to ensure that you get the highest quality shots possible. That’s where one of the excellent compact cameras on these pages can really help you to step up your game. The cameras listed here all have sensors larger than those found in (most) smartphones, while also being paired with excellent lenses that will easily outperform those…

Smart rings are having a moment – and it’s about time. Once a niche curiosity worn by biohackers and quantified-self nerds, these sleek little wearables have evolved into powerful health-tracking tools that just happen to live on your finger. And with recent tech leaps, they’re finally worth your attention. The appeal is obvious: no screen, no distractions, just smart sensors quietly gathering data on your heart rate, temperature, sleep, stress, recovery and more. Battery life often beats smartwatches, and many models offer deep insights without locking features behind monthly fees. The form factor’s changed too, with rings being lighter, slimmer and more stylish than ever, often made from titanium and designed to vanish into your daily life. But what’s really exciting is what’s happening inside. We’re seeing smarter sleep tracking,…

Just a couple of years ago, it looked as though we were at the precipice of what TV technology could offer. Yet, here we are in 2025, and tellies such as this, the Samsung S95F, are here to rip up the rule book once more. Samsung’s flagship for the year features the latest-generation QDOLED panel type, which is not only brighter than its S95D predecessor, it also upgrades the anti-glare panel’s finish – so it’s perfect in daylight or darkness. Compared to the best classic OLED TVs, the S95F makes clear it’s got some fancy extra tricks. That’s not to say there’s a lack of competition, though. LG, for example, has been hard at work in research and development, deploying its new multi-layer OLED panel in its OLED G5 (and…

The overhead lockers on most aircraft leave a lot to be desired. Not only do they never seem to shut properly, but there’s never quite enough room, despite the strict restrictions placed on both size and weight. With a trip looming, it’s the right time to consider a new backpack to carry and protect your most important stuff both on the plane and on the ground once you get wherever you’re going. These bags have been engineered to carry phones, laptops, water bottles and perhaps even some clothes and essential documents too. They’re made from tough, water-resistant materials, come with gadget-friendly features, and sport enough straps and zips to keep whatever’s most precious to you from getting lost. Travel bags have never looked better. THE CLEVEREST ZIPPER-UPPER YETI RANCHERO 27L…

APPLE PIPPIN DATE OF LAUNCH MARCH 1996 (JAPAN), JUNE 1996 (UNITED STATES) These days, Macs are increasingly seen as capable games machines thanks to their powerful Apple silicon chips, but this ain’t Apple’s first games rodeo. No, the company took a big swing at the market with the launch of its internet-connected Pippin console in the mid-’90s, but it was nowhere near the success Apple was hoping for. It launched in the US with a high price of $599, yet just a year later, the console was a flop in a market already dominated by the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. Consumers couldn’t understand why they needed a console to surf the internet, while there was little software available for developers to write games on. The final nail in…

It’s the one you’ve all been waiting for: the annual Hot 100 has arrived, and it’s an extra special edition this time round as we’re celebrating 20 years of the world’s hottest tech countdown. You know the drill by now: we’ve carefully curated the finest tech, trends (and a couple of tech ‘celebs’ thrown in for good measure), but to really mark the occasion we’ve also revealed what would have been the hottest gadgets back in 2005, when the first Hot 100 was introduced, way before genre-defining moments such as the original iPhone launch, Amazon’s ‘Alexa’ becoming a household name, literally, or – most recently – the rise of Artificial Intelligence in, it seems, everything. T3’s editor at the time, James Beechinor-Collins, came up with the idea of the Hot…

Here’s a secret, reader: sometimes Guru writes this bit before dipping into his inbox, so frightened is he of the foul slurry you’ve likely slipped in there. This time, for instance, GaGu is sat in the cafe area of the fancy new gym he’s just joined. He has no interest in answering your asinine questions and will, most likely, give you the shortest thrift possible. He would rather be sipping a smoothie. He would even prefer to grind out a few miles on the treadmill. He has opted to work around the beautiful people because, frankly, he must. Squatting in the office of Guru Towers is doing him no good. But goodness, GaGu absolutely bloody hates exercise, and only manages to get outside thanks to the eye-watering fees he is…

#100 CORE 2 THERMAL SENSOR The job of the Core 2 Thermal Sensor is to measure thermal load: that’s how hot your body is getting during exercise, basically. It’s smaller and lighter then before, but will still deliver the key stats you need, which are able to help you better adapt to the heat. What’s more, the data can be easily shared to other fitness platforms too. $489, corebodytemp.com #99 PAWPORT SMART PET DOOR Almost anything can be a smart gadget now, and that includes the pet doors that give your animal friends access to your home. The Pawport Smart Pet Door can mount over your existing pet door or be installed separately, adding a weatherproof seal and making sure only your own pets can enter – which is handled…

With countless coffee machines on the market, pod coffee machines stand out for their convenience and straightforwardness. There’s no need to buy and grind your own beans, spend ages labouring over your next cup or settle for subpar results. Instead, the best pod coffee machines streamline the brewing process – making them a fantastic choice for those with hectic lifestyles or who simply have less time to become an expert barista shortly after falling out of bed each morning. That said, the sheer number of options can be overwhelming, as many brands attempt to replicate the same formula. However, you know how we do things at T3 – only the best will do. That’s why we’ve tested three exceptional machines, all widely recognised as industry leaders. They don’t just look…

Samsung’s Galaxy A56 could be excellent after a glance at its specs. It has a big screen, upgraded internals and double the starting storage of the flagship Galaxy S25, not to mention a new glass and metal design, plus water resistance. With so much competition, the Galaxy A56 has its work cut out for it, though. So does Samsung’s A-series still represent value in 2025, or is its price bump year-on-year pushing it too far into the premium space? The Galaxy A56 is slimmer, measuring 7.4mm compared to the 8.2mm A55, and the screen is also slightly larger at 6.7 inches – though thanks to the slimmer bezel, the front isn’t any larger. One area the Galaxy A55 needed a boost was performance, and the new Exynos 1580 chipset features…

Alienware’s AW2725Q 4K monitor may just be the best of its breed right now. It offers a spec list and build quality that’s likely to have broad appeal, especially for gamers. One of the key components to its success is that panel, a 27-inch 4K QD-OLED unit that dazzles most of the time, running at a 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution, and offering a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03 millisecond response time. If you’re a gaming enthusiast, those raw specs should have you interested, as should the relatively high pixel density on offer here. Quantum Dot OLED also means extra punchy colours, in addition to mega contrast, which is just what the Alienware offers. In testing, those decent specs translate into a very decent picture too, especially for gaming.…

The R700 Hydration Vest from Melbourn-ites Runly strikes the perfect balance between price and performance. Exceptionally comfortable, the R700 vest feels breathable and barely there, even on longer runs. Four points of adjustment made dialling in a snug, bounce-free fit quick and hassle-free. Strap extenders are also available to further tailor the fit but we has no worries finding the comfort sweet spot. There’s a zippered pocket for your phone on either side (lefties rejoice) plus additional options for gels, nutrition or anything else you need on-hand. Storage on the back is just as cavernous, with a velcro-close rainwear pouch on the outside as well as separate storage pockets inside the zipped area to accommodate any race-day requirements. The R700 comes ready to roll with twin 450ml soft flasks plus…

KINGDOM COME: DELIVERANCE II This game is wonderful. Far less janky than the first one, leaving behind a lengthy RPG romp that’s as funny as it is sword-through-the-neck hardcore. BLACK MIRROR A new run on Netflix for the dystopian series, which must be struggling to come up with ideas far-fetched enough given the accidental prognostication of previous episodes. THE HORNE SECTION PODCAST Alex Horne and his band are back for another run of podcasts to promote their new tour. It should be a silly musical delight, as you’d fully expect.…

#01 iPOD Argue amongst yourselves, but before the iPhone came along and changed the face of tech, and Apple, forever, the iPod (classic) was Jobs’ masterpiece. In typical Apple fashion, nothing even remotely like it existed before, and when it came out in 2001 it changed the game for music lovers, offering a way to access music in a fun and friendly fashion thanks to its magical scroll wheel and user-friendly menu system. The ’05 5th gen iPod with its colour screen and video-playback was the sweet spot. It’s now worth… $200 - $800 (1st gen) #02 SONY PSP While the Nintendo DS is the best-selling handheld games console of all time, 20 years ago the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) was the one to have if you wanted to play…

It seems like almost every household today has some kind of smart home device inside it. Whether that’s in the form of a smart speaker that plays music when you ask it to or a full ecosystem that connects your lights, cameras and even vacuum cleaner together, smart gadgets have taken over the home to make our lives easier. One area that smart home gadgets have made significant improvements is security. Catering for flats, rented accommodation, houses and larger properties, smart home security has come on leaps and bounds, and has also become an extremely easy way to protect your property, regardless of its size or location. HOW HAS SMART SECURITY DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS? Before smart home security became popular and increasingly adopted, security systems were typically…

Sennheiser’s 500-series of headphones has always been the company’s entry-level offering in the best wired headphones category, the place where aspiring audiophiles can supposedly get an idea of what true audio excellence is. The Sennheiser HD 505 are the latest over-ear, open-backed design that the company hopes will prove to be the gateway into an enduring audio habit. Sennheiser has adapted a long-serving transducer for the HD 505 in an effort to deliver great bass weight and extension – while still maintaining their prized transparency, of course. The upshot is a pair of headphones with a claimed frequency response of 12Hz - 39kHz from those 38mm dynamic drivers. That’s basically your lot where ‘features’ are concerned. The only other item of note is the cable – it locks into the…

Aeroplanes are a cramped and noisy place to be, not the ideal environment for banging out your tunes or focusing on a specific task for work. Ironically though, given you’re stuck there for hours, they’re also the perfect place for banging out said tunes or doing that work task. The solution? Active noise-cancellation (ANC) headphones. You need to block out the engine noise of an A320 or 737, you need to be comfy, and your music, movies, or whatever, need to sound flipping marvellous. As frequent flyers, we’re experts in the field here at T3 Towers, and we’ve covered all kinds of travel headphones over the years, and our favourites are here. Over-ears are our go-to in general, but if you like to pack light, there’s some in-ears ones below…