Wireless

If you are a gamer, one of the hard core brigade, then you will appreciate the need for the appropriate tools that have been specifically developed to fulfil certain tasks. You need to purchase or build the system box with high-end components such as the motherboard and graphics cards and boost its performance with a gaming keyboard and mouse. You might also want to complete the line-up with a gaming headset. One such product is the Sound Blaster TACTIC 3D RAGE uni

As the front of the Instruction Manual calls it, CD / USB / SD / DAB / FM Digital Sound System with dock for iPod and iPhone. As I would say a proper audio system to suit everyone apart from those who still play LPs.

At a recent TDK event I was shown four new small sets of speakers, all were in a single case. I was subsequently sent one to review, it can run on mains or internal battery and be a wired or Bluetooth connection.

Extensively it looks like a small to mid sized portable radio. However with all the bits this has inside its small frame perhaps ‘Tardis’ would be a better description. Not only is it a conversional radio but it can record and more.

After the success of the Gadget Show held in Birmingham around the Easter period, a London-based version of the show took place at the end of November. One of the companies exhibiting at the show was Damson with its new Twist product.

This is a DAB/FM radio and ‘i’ device player. That is the bare bones of a quiet stylish device, not the least of these is the ‘i’ device placement. Certainly I have never seen one in a similar place or one that comes up in such a way.

Just over a couple of months ago I told you about the smaller sibling the Sound 100, here the slightly larger offering from the Roberts brand that does almost everything connected with Audio & in this case it includes Recording.

Maybe it’s the wooden case but as soon as you take this from the box you feel quality. It is not just a DAB and FM radio it also supports iPod and iPhone as well as Auxiliary input and for dinosaurs like me it also has a CD player.

A DAB/FM Radio is just two of the things that this unit does, the Wireless Internet ability will give much more than Internet Radio, Pure Lounge and Media Player ability, the touchscreen or infra red controls make this more like a computer.

Adding to its range of Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics has developed its M55 model.

This is both a DAB and FM radio but it has an extra twist. This is not the slightly unusual shape, however the upright form factor may give a clue as this could be most often found in the family room or perhaps even the kitchen.

What is small, round, dangles from a cord and can attach to your smartphone? For the answer read this next review.

First is a DAB/FM radio from Pure Digital. It has a retro feel with a padded handle and wipe clean material covering it. Second a portable offering called Blighty with a union jack covering the back so you will be unlikely to misplace it.

Those innovative people at Kingston have come up with a possible solution to increasing the storage capacity available to your mobile device.

Sometimes unusual locations can be used for companies to make announcements regarding new technology. Cisco, for example, choose a museum.

This is designed by Stefano Giovannoni. It looks very swish and is a high quality DECT product. When on the charging base it looks elegant away from the base it still looks smart, even lying on the sofa or the kitchen table.

Not everybody will appreciate your choice of music but by using a headset you can avoid upsetting others. A new Sennheiser allows you private listening without tying you to a fixed point.

This – sometimes called Mi-Fi - allows you to create a wireless network with up to five devices all using the same mobile signal so if your broadband dies or maybe you live in an area where dial up is your only solution providing you have mobile this could be the answer.

Maybe because I have a sweet tooth, this next product reminded me of a monster-sized Liquorice Allsorts but it was definitely not for eating.

It has been a while since I last looked at a Netgear product. However a change of PR agency allowed me the opportunity to check out a new dual-band modem-router from the company.

Adding to its range of router products, Cisco has released the X3000 which provides modem and wireless functionality.

This is probably the largest DAB radio I have reviewed, but to be fair it is also FM, Internet, Media Player, Wi-Fi and has an iPod and iPhone dock. However as yet it has stubbornly refused to do the washing up or the ironing.

If you only listen to Internet Radio then this could be for you. It also means providing you have a decent Broadband connection almost any station anywhere in the world is available to you even if normal radio reception is naff.

Very few DAB radios have the ability to record (in MP2) to SD card, the original Bug by another manufacturer was one and here from Roberts their RecordR offers this extremely useful feature both for timed and instant recording.

This is a DAB, FM and Internet radio; however believe it or not that is just part of what this can do. Pure have their ‘Lounge’ and with this service now improved and enhanced it enables your radio to do much more.

Few if any of us can afford a Ferrari so this red and black offering with the Ferrari logo might be the closest we come. Second Go Mini – not a car reference – refers to a small corded mouse for those who cannot get on with trackpads.

While Pure were the first to offer SD card recording with ‘The Bug’ many years ago. This version of Pure One, the 'Classic Series II', has a different approach by recording onto internal memory this allow you to listen later at a time to suit you.

While Pure are best known for DAB radios, this is certainly far more than that, I can remember a couple of units that have CD and another few that have Internet Radio, here the Sirocco 550 has the whole range of items.

This looks a lot like a radio I had in my youth, leather covered with a leather handle, the differences are of course immense with the top manual tuning dial replaced by a rather nice screen display, so I assume we call it retro.

A slightly different DAB/FM radio from Roberts. Smaller than most but still capable of giving a large sound from the built in speaker. The big difference is that you do not need to be tethered to a mains lead as it can work from batteries.