Is Apple working on an iOS watch?

March 11, 2013 by

This is a guest post by Will Judd.

While most of the internet has light up over additional details over Apple’s purported smart watch, there was also some fairly compelling news this week about one of the future’s best-selling phones: the successor to the iPhone 5.

According to rumours published by PocketNow and 9to5Mac, the iPhone 5S will indeed follow the iPhone 5. Like the iPhone 4S to the 4, the 5S will be an iterative upgrade that keeps the same external design and appearance as the iPhone 5, but will include upgraded internal components to keep the phone feeling up to date. Hopefully Apple will avoid the situation with the iPhone 4S and 4, where some models have minutely different button layouts that necessitated whole new iPhone 4S cases to be made.

The iPhone 5S will include a number of hardware improvements, but one of the most important will be the processor. The iPhone 5S will include the same A6X processor as in the iPad 4, offering a much stronger performing smartphone that should destroy most benchmarks.

The iPhone 5S is also expected to come with an improved camera. After many years at 8 megapixels, might it finally be time for Apple to make the leap to 13 megapixels? We are seeing 13 megapixel models from pretty much all Android manufacturers (except for HTC, who have daringly gone with a four megapixel sensor utilising massive pixels on the HTC One), but then again Apple has never been one to follow trends. Apple has also been rumoured to shift from an f/2.4 camera to an f/2.0 one, but that’s also unconfirmed.

One rather left-field observation that’s making a comeback is the idea that the iPhone 5S will include a fingerprint scanner under the home button. This will reportedly improve security and usability, although specific use-cases (beyond the obvious touch to unlock) aren’t specified in the rumours (published, fittingly, by MacRumors).

I guess we won’t know anything for sure about the iPhone 5S until it is announced (or not) at Apple’s next big event. With a release date of August seeming likely, we’ve definitely got many more months of rumours and leaks ahead of us.

Filed Under: News, Tech Tagged With: , , ,

Gadgets for moving house

October 24, 2011 by

Image; Removal men sitting in the back of their truck making tea on a camping stoveThis is a guest post by Jade Evans. Jade is a freelance writer who has lived in three countries in 5 years, and always feels bad for the man and a van service because she doesn’t currently own an e-reader…she has lots and lots of books.

So you’re moving house. Which means a lot of exhaustion and emotional wear and tear – plus, at some point or another, you’ll probably end up sleeping on your floor. The man and van service may break something, and you’ll probably forget something vital stashed in your landlady’s dusty attic. There will be panic.

But that’s why we are in the modern world! There are tons of gadgets and gizmos out there to help you de-stress, organize, stress, and get distracted. Here are a few of my favorites, and a nifty contribution from right here on Geek-Speak!

Amazon Kindle Fire

I’m sorry, I just have to vote against the monochrome Kindle. The Fire has all the pros of the ipad:

  • wifi
  • e-reader
  • touch screen
  • user-friendly interface
  • dual-core processor
  • free cloud storage
  • and so much more!

…but only costs £130. Unfortunately it isn’t being released on Amazon UK yet. This is when you take a holiday to the US to go shopping for the Christmas season and happen to pick up the new tablet. (Though hopefully you aren’t moving before November 15, as that is when the product ships in the US). And as it always is with technology, there are rumors going around that the second generation Fire will be released first quarter 2012. But enough ranting about possible ship and release dates – long story short, one of your best friends when you’re moving house will be a tablet, in whatever form – iPad, Kindle e-reader, Fire, any of them.

Aeropress Coffee Maker

Yes, this is the gadget that I ripped off found right here on Geek-Speak. Why is a coffee maker a necessary gadget if you’re moving, you ask? Well, if you have to ask you don’t deserve it.

Right – but just think about it. Most of us are extreme procrastinators. Packing? Who need to do that!

…so you’re up until the sun rises the day before the movers come to pack you up and send you off to your new flat (or home, if you’re lucky – back to your parents if you aren’t). Proper caffeination would be totally necessary. Even I, the girl who doesn’t drink coffee – would find coffee a welcome addition to my long night of packing. Plus it just looks neat.

WiFi HotSpot Detector

I don’t know exactly how moving house works in the UK, but one of the biggest pains in the US is that oftentimes it will take some time to transfer all your utilities, including your internet. Which, of course, is one of the most important things ever in the entire world, ohmygoodness. A lot of us wouldn’t know what to do without an internet connection (yes, a lot of us could use are phones to connect). But if you can’t use your phone and are unwilling to pay for internet (and coffee) at at cafe, then this little gadget is for you.

Zero Gravity Hummer Toy Truck

Zero G HummerAdmit it. We’re all kids. You want this toy.

And it will be especially fun after all of your stuff is moved out – nothing to block the free movement of the toy completely across your walls…and apparently it won’t leave marks on the walls – though I’ll believe that when I see it.

Atari Keychains

These aren’t any standard keychains for old school gaming aficionados – no cheap plastic replica here. These are the real thing…miniaturized. And if you hook them up to your TV (which, is of course, one of the last things to go from your apartment), you can play some classic Atari games with that “keychain.”

And if you aren’t aware of the glories of Centipede, Asteroids and Pong, this is a great chance to play for yourself.

Ok – so my of my moving recommendations are a hindrance to your progress rather than a help, but wouldn’t you rather be distracted than perpetually worried about all your stuff? I vote for distraction, and fun. It’s hard enough to move from a familiar place. Make it a little bit easier on yourself.

What gadgets would you recommend to ease the burden of moving house? Is there a serious piece of tech that would make life easier? Or something fun that would serve to distract you for a while? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

The removal van image at the head of this article is by Simon Aughton, and is used under Creative Commons License.

Filed Under: Tech Tagged With: , , , ,

Christmas gift ideas for gadget geeks [2011]

October 12, 2011 by

Last year I ran a couple of posts on Geek-Speak that listed Christmas gift ideas for various groups of people. They turned out to be massively popular and, with the festive season rapidly approaching again, I thought we would take a look at a few Christmas ideas for this year. So, let’s get going with some Christmas gift ideas for gadget geeks – including a few suggestions from the wonderful world of Twitter.

Wacom Inkling

Wacom InklingThis gadget was suggested via Twitter by @kimded. The Wacom Inkling is an amazing idea. While many digital artists are used to the idea of drawing on a computer-linked tablet, that lacks the tactile sensation of drawing in a paper sketchbook. The Inkling allows you to draw on paper using a special pen, while a receiver picks up what you are doing and digitises it as a vector graphic. This can be downloaded to your computer later and edited with vector editing software. I love this sort of digital crossover product, and given that Adam (kimded) is an artist I can see why he chose this device. Initial estimates for release were mid-September, but I see from the Wacom website that production has been delayed. You can still pre-order an Inkling, but you might be taking a risk as to whether it will come before Christmas. If that doesn’t put you off, though, the Inkling can be pre-ordered direct from Wacom.

Water Pebble

Water PebbleThis little gadget was suggested via Twitter by @gazrose. The Water Pebble sits near the plughole when you’re taking a shower and monitors how long you have been in there. The first time you activate it, it will “learn” your showering habits, and then over time encourage you to reduce the amount of time you spend in there. The marketing blurb says it could help cut your average shower time to under six minutes and save over 20 litres of hot water per day. Given the expense of heating that water up in the first place, and the fact that some areas of the country have their water metered, that doesn’t sound like a bad deal, does it? The Water Pebble is available for £8.99 from Firebox.com.

Android Bluetooth Speaker and Handsfree

Android Bluetooth Speaker / HandsfreeI reviewed this little guy recently, and thought it was a fun little gadget. Styled in the vein of Google’s Android logo, the Android Bluetooth Speaker and Handsfree is capable of playing music from your smartphone (assuming your smartphone can connect to Bluetooth music systems) and of acting as a handsfree set. The speaker isn’t going to light up the dance floor, but it’s certainly good enough for listening to music while sitting at your computer or doing housework. And there’s something fun about phoning someone up and holding a conversation with them by talking to a little green android :) The Android Bluetooth Speaker and Handsfree is available from Mobile Fun for £19.95.

Amazon Kindle

Amazon Kindle (keyboard-free)Yes, this was on last years list too but, no, I’m not just regurgitating it because I’m stuck for ideas. I became the happy owner of a Kindle Keyboard in January 2011 and it has been one of my favourite and most-used gadgets all year. I have also had the opportunity to play with the new keyboard-free version of the Kindle and, while I do miss the keyboard, it’s still a great piece of technology (a proper review will be coming soon). The nice thing is that the new Kindle is cheaper than the keyboard version, so if you’re looking to buy something for the avid reader in your family, it’s now even more affordable. Just be aware that, while the new Kindle comes with a USB cable, it doesn’t come with a wall-socket power adapter… you’ll have to buy that separately if you want to charge it without plugging into a computer’s USB ports. Check out my review of the Kindle Keyboard for more information on that unit, or you can buy the new Kindle from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Aeropress Coffee Maker

Aeropress Coffee MakerDo you remember those flying rings that came out in the 1980s? They were called Aerobees, and my main memory of them is losing mine on the roof of the neighbour’s house! Oddly enough, the same company, Aerobee, has come up with the Aeropress Coffee Maker, which aims to let you create a proper cup of coffee in just a few minutes. The idea is simple; load the ground beans into the Aeropress, add water, stir for ten seconds, and then press the plunger. Skeptical? Believe it or not, it actually works – a proper, filtered cup of coffee in next to no time. The Aeropress Coffee Maker is available from Firebox for £29.99.

OK, so there’s a few gadgety ideas for Christmas, but what would you have included? What’s the must-have gadget on your list? Let us know in the comments.

Links to products in this post are affiliate links.

Filed Under: Tech Tagged With: ,

Top 5 gadgets for car geeks’ Christmas

December 13, 2010 by

This is a guest post by Rachael Miller, on behalf of the car insurance team at moneysupermarket.com

Driving has been particularly hard for motorists during the last part of the year. Heavy snow, ice and fog have made driving more of a chore than a pleasure, which is why we’ve created this guide on the top 5 car gadgets that will be nestling under our Christmas tree on the 25th.

Electric Windscreen Scraper

Electric Windscreen ScraperThis usually wouldn’t be so high up on the list, but seeing as the weather is causing chaos in the UK I think it deserves it. When it’s cold, dark and icy in the morning, the last thing we want to do is spend half an hour scraping ice off our windscreen. With the addition of an electric scraper to your gadget collection, your credit card can stay firmly in your wallet during winter. The electric scraper has an in-built heater which helps to soften the ice, making it easier to scrape off. It also has an extendable handle, so those who are shorter than average will be able to reach all corners of the windscreen. This is an inexpensive yet must-have gadget if you’re a car owner- as we’re in for a cold winter!
[Available from Amazon.co.uk]

Tom Tom Go Live 1000

TomTom Go Live 1000If you feel that can’t live without satellite navigation, the Tom Tom Go Live 1000 is the sat nav for you. Tom Tom has made using a sat nav as easy as possible by keeping their original menus and icons, but have formatted it so it’s easier to navigate. The voice recognition function makes the process of choosing a route even easier, and you don’t even have to touch the device while performing some functions.

The stand out feature of the Go Live has to be the HD Traffic Service. This sat nav not only tells you how to get to a certain destination but will also warn you about congestion and traffic queues. The service works by tracking the signals of mobile phones in cars; looking out for increasing volumes of signals which will indicate a traffic queue and give you the opportunity to find a route which won’t hold you up. The HD Traffic Service is said to be one of the most accurate on the market, giving the Tom Tom Go Live the edge in the sat nav world.
[Available from Amazon.co.uk]

Breathalyzer Key Ring

Breathalyzer KeryringThe Christmas period is synonymous with parties, drinking and generally being merry, which is why this little gadget is not only useful, but could end up being a life saver. When getting caught up in the Christmas spirit it can be hard to keep track of how many units you’ve drank, and whether it’s safe for you to get into the car. Obviously it’s better not to drink at all when you’re driving, but a glass of wine or a bottle of lager with your dinner may well be under the legal limit. This key ring is a small, unnoticeable and portable way of making sure you never drive when you’re over the limit. If you’re unsure you can simply blow into the device which will then show you whether you’re okay to drive by lighting up a red or green LED. If it turns red, you look for an alternative form of transport to get you home. This is a brilliant gadget to carry around with you or a great stocking filler for any drivers in your family.
[Available from Amazon.co.uk]

Car Finder Application [iPhone]

iPhone 4The smart phone has changed the way we function- you can now do everything from your mobile phone; talk, email, socialise and even find your car in a busy car park. Most drivers will have been in a situation where they have forgotten where they have parked. You can now download an app to make sure you don’t report any false claims of your car being stolen. You simply switch the app on when you get out of your car and it locks your cars position via GPS. Then, upon your return you scan your phone above the cars in the busy car park and this clever app with instruct you on how to find your car. You’ll never lose your car again!
[Available from the Apple App Store]

Car Gadget Holder

Many car gadget lovers may overlook this when buying a cool car gadget or app. You need somewhere to store your tech so you can use it safely whilst driving. You need a holder for your iPhone, iPod/MP3 player, sat nav and anything else you may find useful. This will make it easier to take Bluetooth calls, and will make sure your iPod or sat nav don’t end up in the passenger footwell when you turn a corner. There are hundreds of car gadget holders on the market, and you can get them for a reasonable price. If you’re buying a car gadget for someone this Christmas, don’t forget to buy them something to hold it securely too!

Is there anything you would add to the list of car gadgets? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Filed Under: Tech Tagged With: , , , ,

Winter gadgets and goodies

December 1, 2010 by

Well, winter has well and truly arrived here in the UK. Some parts of the country are reporting feet of snow – here it’s about 1 foot. I’ve given up on trying to clear the driveway, although I can see some of my neighbours making a valiant effort… and here comes the snow again!

Anyway, I thought this would be a good time to think about some winter gadgets and goodies – assuming the postie is still delivering to your area!

  1. The Zippo Hand Warmer makes the list again, because of the combination of stylish looks and practical use. Sometimes gloves just aren’t enough, so having a little heater in the palm of your hands can make all the difference. Don’t forget that the hand warmer also needs lighter fluid to work.
  2. AeroPress Coffee Maker – In need of a quick heat and caffeine boost? You can’t beat the taste of proper ground coffee, but it’s a bit of a pain to make when you’re in a rush. The AeroPress uses air pressure and a micro-filter to quickly brew that much-needed drink.
  3. Smartouch Touchscreen Gloves – I love my iPhone… I also love having warm hands… but if I want to do anything with my phone I have to take my gloves off or the touchscreen won’t work. My wife, on the other hand, has a pair of gloves with foil threads throughout which allows her to use her iPhone without taking them off. They aren’t Smartouch gloves (they were a present and we don’t know where they were bought from) but Smartouch seems to work the same way – conductive threads on the index finger and thumb allow your touchscreen to recognise your touch. If you have a device with a capacitive touchscreen, these gloves should work for you.
  4. HotCans self-heating food – I can’t decide if this is brilliant or insane, but you might remember a few years ago it was possible to buy self-heating cans of coffee. HotCans are similar, but they’re actually cans of food. Just the thing to warm you up when you’re stuck in a snow-induced traffic jam.
  5. Giant Microbe Christmas Tree Ornaments – A few years ago I bought myself a couple of giant microbe plush toys… the common cold, bad breath and e-coli if I remember correctly. Now you can have the same geeky, biological, and slightly disgusting things on your Christmas tree – or give them to a friend and see if they put them on their tree. The pack includes the common cold, e-coli, an amoeba, kissing disease, and a neuron (brain cell).

Just a few wintry ideas. Personally, I have a pair of Smartouch gloves on pre-order so I can use my phone while staying warm. Is there anything you would add to the list? What winter goodies would you like? Let us know in the comments.

Filed Under: Uncategorizable Tagged With: , , ,

Christmas ideas for gadget geeks

November 9, 2010 by

OK, so we looked at Christmas ideas for sci-fi geeks yesterday, but what if gadgets are your thing instead? Well today we’ll have a look at a few gadgety ideas that would make nice Christmas presents.

Zippo Hand Warmer

zippowarmerThe Zippo Hand Warmer comes from the iconic lighter company and offers a stylish way to keep your mits warm this winter. Fill it with lighter fluid, light it, and experience the warmth. I was initially a bit worried at the prospect of carrying a liquid-fuelled flame in your pocket, but apparently the warmer uses “catalytic combustion” to burn the fuel without an actual flame. This is a nice, practical gift for the cold months.

The Magic Wand Remote

magicwandRecently seen on Dragon’s Den, The Magic Wand Remote will make changing the TV channel into a scene from Harry Potter. It can learn up to 13 different infra-red codes from your existing remotes, which can be activated with a swish, twist, or range of other gestures. I just love the thought of being asked to turn the volume up and using the magic wand to do it instead of the boring old remote.

Zagg Smartbuds

zaggbudsThe hands-free headphones you get with the iPhone are OK, but nothing special. Enter the ZAGGsmartbuds, with their noise-cancelling microphone, comfortable earpieces, music controls and premium length “tangle free” cord. This item was suggested by Pete Cattell after he bought a pair for his daughter. Pete tells me they’re comfortable, have a good sound (with particularly well defined bass) and seem pretty robust. Even better, according to ZAGG, they should work with most smartphones (check with them for compatibility first!)

Autoloader Screwdriver

autoloaderscrewdriverWhether it’s for opening up your PC to install a new graphics card, putting up shelves to house your collection of LEGO minifigures, or just because you feel the need to have one, a screwdriver is always a good thing to have in the house. But I always find I lose the bits, or lose that one particular screwdriver I need for a particular job. This pump-action auto-loading screwdriver aims to solve that problem. Just pull back on the handle, twist until you’ve found the bit you need, and push the handle forward again… the required bit is loaded and ready to go. It might even cut down on toolbox related clutter!

Amazon Kindle

kindleIf you have a bit more money to spend, you might want to consider the Amazon Kindle eBook reader. My dad bought himself one a little while ago and I have to say I’m really impressed. The display has a very paper-like look that makes it feel like reading a book, and the battery life is nothing short of amazing. And, of course, there’s the huge range of books available for it, making it likely this is one present that will still be getting put to good use well after the traditional Christmas socks have worn out. Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

OK, so there’s a few gadgety ideas for Christmas, but what would you have included? What’s the must-have gadget on your list? Let us know in the comments.

Links to products in this post are affiliate links

Filed Under: Uncategorizable Tagged With: , ,

Free postage from FireBox throughout October

October 4, 2010 by

Good morning all, and happy Monday. I wanted to let you know that Firebox, the brilliant UK-based gadget and toy website, are offering free postage on UK orders throughout October. Perfect if you’re super-organised and already thinking about Christmas presents.

The free delivery option takes a little longer than their paid ones (potentially 7 days instead of 1-3) but if you’re thinking far enough ahead that shouldn’t be an issue!

Further details are available on their homepage, and I’m already looking through the site to see what would make a good present. Have a look around Firebox.com – I can almost guarantee there’ll be something that grabs your interest.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: , , , ,

Charging Without Wires: Powermat [review]

August 18, 2010 by

Plans have been afoot for a while to bring out a universal phone charger – the idea being that you don’t need a load of different chargers if every one of your devices can use the same one. That hasn’t happened yet, and so we’re still in the era of having a load of different chargers and, potentially, a snake-nest of cables behind the desk for the various gadgets you own.

The Powermat is an interesting idea, though, that charges devices using a flat surface and custom cases. The only thing plugged in is the Powermat itself, and charging happens when a device (in a compatible case) is placed on  the mat. I had a Powermat Portable Mat on loan to test recently. Here’s how I got on.

The portable mat is a hinged affair that can fold up small to fit in your luggage, which is handy, and while I can see that the Home & Office Mat is a little more stylish and lower in price, the advantage of having one that you can fold up means I’d buy the portable over the home and office version any day.

Receivers Required

There is one very important thing to understand about the Powermat – you need the receiver cases to charge your gadgets. There’s a USB socket on the back of the mat if you want to charge with a USB cable but, if that’s what you’re going to do, why did you buy a Powermat in the first place? Receiver cases allow you to simply place your devices on the mat and they’ll start to charge automatically.

I had the iPhone 3G receiver (which is apparently not compatible with the iPhone 3GS but worked just fine with mine), the Nintendo DS Lite receiver and a Powercube, which allowed me to charge the majority of my tech using the mat.

The iPhone case is of particular interest, because we all want our mobile phones to be as sleek as possible. The case is quite chunky, and has a charging coil on the back that adds to the thickness, but I usually have quite a chunky case on my iPhone anyway. While there’s no denying the Powermat case made my iPhone thicker than normal, I didn’t find it unwieldy and actually thought the case felt quite nice in my hand. I should also say again, I have seen several reviews saying the iPhone 3G case will not work with the 3GS, but I found that it did.

Ease of use

The major plus point with the Powemat is ease of use. When I go to bed at night I can just sit my phone on the mat, which is on my bedside table, and it’ll charge up. No faffing around with cables. My daughter, who is three years old, can easily charge things up without me having to worry about how she’ll handle the charger. She’s got the hang of putting things on the mat, jiggling them around until the magnet catches (which holds the devices in place) and she know that when the mat beeps she can walk away and come back to play with the phone or DS later.

Conclusion

The Powermat is a great idea, doing away with all those different wires and making it very easy to charge your tech. It’s so simple a child can get to grips with it. Buying the Powermat and the appropriate receivers for your tech can add up, though, meaning that this is an elegant solution but not necessarily a cheap one. If your frustration at having too many chargers is driving you mad, have a look at the Powermat range and see what you think.

Amazon.co.uk links within this post are affiliate links. Powermat products are also available on Amazon.com.

Filed Under: Tech Tagged With: , , , ,

Gadget Show Live: The Review

April 13, 2010 by

The Gadget Show, every monday on Five, gives gadget geeks a weekly roundup of what’s hot in the technology world. It’s one of my favourite television shows, and last week I went to their live event at Birmingham’s NEC with my wife and friends. The Gadget Show Live ran for four consecutive days, and we went on the first public day – Thursday 8th April. So, how was it?

Prepare to queue – or not?
We had been warned on The Gadget Show Live website to expect very long queues first thing but, being British, we relished the thought of a good queue and went in time for opening at 9.30 anyway. It brings back patriotic memories of standing in line for rations, you see. We got there at about 9:20 and there must have been a couple of hundred people ahead of us. The doors opened ten minutes later, though, and we were straight in. So, bonus points straight away: the queue wasn’t as bad as we had been led to expect!

Once we were inside we were immediately struck with the scale of the show – three exhibition halls were given over to stands from a variety of companies, while a fourth hall housed the Super Theatre where live performances took place. We’ll get to those later, but the exhibition halls deserve some proper consideration first.

Something for everyone
There was a great mix of companies at the show, and something for pretty much anyone with an interest in tech and gadgets. 3D televisions? Check. Want to see 3D technology in a computer monitor? Yep, got that. Radio-controlled toys, electric bikes, cameras, puzzles, even vacuum cleaners. If you wanted to test the RC flying toys there was an area you could do that, and if you wanted to try out the bikes there was a test track for that too. All in all it was a very good setup where you could talk to the exhibitors, get a good look around, and try out some of the toys.

The only downside was that it was very busy – hard to move at times. The best periods were first thing and last thing, but I guess with a show this popular you just have to expect that it’s going to be crowded for much of the day.

Jason Bradbury on Jetpack

Jason Bradbury competes against Suzi Perry in a "jetpack" race.

Live performances
The Super Theatre show, which is a separate ticket to the general admission, lasted for an hour and featured all four regular presenters from the television series. There wasn’t much in the way of in-depth information, so if you go next year don’t expect a live version of the TV show. There was, however, plenty of cool tech on display including the impressive Titan robot/suit. There was a brilliant moment when Suzi Perry got stuck on a “jet pack” strung to the ceiling that added some unexpected comedy to the proceedings!

Come 5pm we headed home – seven and a half hours after arriving, having seen loads of gadgets, technology and toys and enjoying a fun live show. My feet were certainly aware of how long we’d been there, but the time just flew past. If you’re into gadgets and tech, I’d definitely recommend this as a brilliant day out. You do need to be aware that it will be very busy and, perhaps, not great for taking small children to, but I thought it was fantastic. Keep an eye on The Gadget Show Live website for details of next year’s event.

The Gadget Show Live, with premium SuperTheatre seats cost £21.40 per person. If you were there why not let us know what you thought in the comments? What was your favourite bit? What could be better? Go on… tell us!

Filed Under: Media, News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Atomic Swarm by Jason Bradbury [review]

February 2, 2010 by

Jason Bradbury, who you most probably know as one of the presenters of The Gadget Show, released his first children’s novel, Dot.Robot, last year. It was a cracking tale of technology and geekery so when the second book in the series was released I made sure I got my copy quickly!

Atomic Swarm picks up the story of Jackson Farley after he’s left home and taken up a scholarship at MIT. He’s still working on remote-controlled robots, but no longer for the MeX organisation of the first book. Instead he’s working with his MeX partner Brooke and her father.

There’s some really clever storytelling here. Much of the book is devoted to Jackson’s work with Dr English but you’re aware that there’s something going on in the background. I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen, and when, but without being frustrated by the wait to find out. And when it does happen it’s another exciting tale of intrigue and twists. I was constantly guessing what the real storyline was and whether the events so far were just leading up to a twist – suffice to say it certainly kept my interest right up to the end.

Much as with the first book, I’m a little surprised how much I enjoyed this given its 11+ target audience. I also find myself still amazed that the technology referenced in the story is all real! Much of it is so cutting edge that we won’t see it in general use for a while, but real all the same.

I loved the first Dot.Robot and I’m pleased to say I thought Atomic Swarm was just as good. It’s available from Amazon.co.uk* now, and well worth picking up a copy.

* Affiliate link

Filed Under: Media Tagged With: , , , , ,
«Older Posts