Stuff Gadget Awards 2012 – Tech Accessory of the Year winner
Network-attached storage drives are normally about as exciting as attending Belgium’s BeigeCon in a minibus with the National Paint Drying Observers Association
Synology DiskStation DS212j
£175, synology.com
Network-attached storage drives are normally about as exciting as attending Belgium’s BeigeCon in a minibus with the National Paint Drying Observers Association – but Synology’s DiskStation DS212j is different. How can you fail to be excited by its dual hard drive bays, ready and waiting to be filled with up to a whopping 4TB each? Or the excellent iOS and Android apps that make uploading and downloading files a cinch when out and about. Not forgetting the DLNA streaming and USB port that allows you to plug in a pair of speakers and play music direct from the drive, or iTunes server functionality which makes home streaming the work of seconds. With all that excitement, it’s no wonder it doesn’t come in beige. Read review
Runners-up…
Parrot AR.Drone 2.0
With a 720p cam, new flight tracking functionality and impressive aerobatic tricks, the AR. Drone 2.0 is a worthy sequel.
Sphero
Connected by Bluetooth and controlled by your smartphone, we’re pretty sure that the go-everywhere Sphero is the most fun you can have with just one ball.
Sennheiser U 320
Sennheiser brings its audio smarts to gaming headsets with these cans, complete with separate game/voice volume controls.
HP Envy 110
Small, stylish and kitted out with plenty of wireless connectivity (such as its very own email address), the Envy is a printer to be proud of, not hide away.
Akai Synthstation25
Just download Akai’s SynthStation app, slot your iPhone into this 25-key keyboard, and turn your blower into a full-on synth.
Amazon Kindle
You could write an ebook on why the Kindle is the world’s best e-reader (it’s fast, the huge ecosystem) but just this one will do: it only costs £70.
