UK Coast
June 24, 2016

Gadget Fix

Gaze at the moon like never before, grab the latest from the company whose cameras were used on it, find out whether your child is the next Henry Ford, and hear tracks on the go with a musical discus

Game cube
HP Omen X

Take your game to another level with this crazy-looking, high-end PC rig. The apocalyptically named Omen X has a diamond-shaped silhouette designed to cope with the most demanding all-nighters. Its two fold-out stands allow it to perch on one edge. Rather than being only for show, the orientation aids cooling. The Omen X has the latest Intel processors and VR-compatible Nvidia graphics cards, and even its own programmable light show. Gamers can purchase a full rig from €1,590 or the empty shell for €530.
hp.com

Satellite of love
Lunar globe

Relive your favourite Apollo missions with this highly accurate globe of the moon. Created by London-based designer Oscar Lhermitte, the light-fixture-cum-object-of-wonder uses topographical data from Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, and the result is a 1:20m scale replica of the moon, with craters. A motorised “sun” synchronises with the lunar phase, casting lifelike shadows.
From €462, oscarlhermitte.com

Melody maker
Critter & Guitari Organelle

A cross between a pocket piano and a sampler, the Organelle is an all-in-one synth, drum machine, effect processor and sequencer. Rather than having a fixed number of sounds, it runs a series of patches that can be modified on the go. For instance, it’s possible to download the patch for the Fender-Rhodes-inspired electric piano and create a classic synth sound with separate controls for tone, modulation, transposition and decay. The machine has a small digital display, maple keys and a 4GB USB drive for storing patches, which are downloaded from the Organelle website. It’s open source, too, so users can play around with existing patches or create their own.
€437, critterandguitari.com

Disc jockey
UE Roll 2

Anyone familiar with Logitech’s Ultimate Ears Boom and Megaboom wireless speakers will know there’s more to them than the sweaty marketing campaign suggests. The UE Roll 2 is the biggest departure for the range, looking like something that should be thrown at the Olympics. The 135mm-diameter disc has an 85-decibel output and comes with a stretchy bungee cord for anchoring to people and objects.
€100, ultimateears.com

Build-a-bike
Infento Rides vehicles

Turn your child into an engineering genius with this modular mobility kit. Available in Junior, Creator and Master packages, you can make buggies, balance bikes, trikes, scooters, four-wheeled go-karts and recumbent bikes. Each kit has the parts to build six to 12 types of vehicle, and add-ons allowing users to transform their rides into sledges for winter. Billed as the ultimate parent-child bonding experience, it’s available to pre-order.
From €349 to €649, infentorides.com

Hassle-free
Hasselblad X1D-50c

Hasselblad is best known for supplying cameras for the moon landings, but its new mirrorless compact promises to take your photography to another world. Handmade in Sweden, it packs a giant 50-megapixel sensor capable of making the most amateur snapper look like a pro. It has a 2.4-megapxel electronic viewfinder for setting up shots, built-in wi-fi, GPS, and USB 3.0 for fast sharing on the go. Shutter speeds range from 1/2000th of a second to 60 minutes for shooting day or night, while the rugged but lightweight aluminium body weighs half as much as other medium-format cameras.
€7,900, hasselblad.com