Talking Tech -  The Must-Have 2014 Gadgets

As we know, the technology industry is booming with new and improved gadgets coming out into the market almost every week, with promises of making our lives simpler and more productive.
Not all of them live up to their promises, but we have our favourite three gadgets which made the grade at PJT. What can we say, we're a techie bunch!

Number One: The iPad Mini

With the version released just before Christmas thinner and faster than previous versions the iPad Mini is fast overtaking the standard iPad for convenience and versatility.
The all new A7 chip is the best yet, and packs in 64 bit processing technology with up to four times faster processing and 8 times speedier graphics performance, backed by
10 hours of battery life. Now even faster wireless than previous models, Apps will load and function in lightning speed and with its in-built grunt you'll be able to operate multiple
apps with ease, no matter where you are. The compact 7.9 inch display offers an amazing 2048x1536 resolution, making images and text incredibly clear and is convenient to
hold in one hand (better for younger kids too).As with all things Apple, it will sync beautifully with your iPhone, Apple TV, and iMac (if you even need one?), and with over
475,000 compatible apps on the market, you'll never be short of new things to try.

Ideal for productivity on the go, and to keep the kids entertained at home, starting at just $479 it's our number one Tech Gadget for 2014.Buy direct from the Apple store for free
engraving which is great for security or reminder of a thoughtful gift. One word of advice, get a model with larger storage as there's no SD or USB compatibility with Apple devices
so you'll need to ensure you have ample space to store all your apps. For more visit the Apple website.

Number Two: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear

Yet another smart phone? Well, not quite. It's a Phablet, combining the best of phone and tablet. With a larger size screen measuring around 5.7 inch x 3 inches, giving superior
resolution and video quality, it's no wonder Samsung boast the fastest selling smart devices right now. The Galaxy Note 3 offers so much versatility for those wanting more than
a regular smart phone. Firstly it has serious grunt - with a 2.3GHz Quad Core Processor built in, 32GB hard drive standard and 3gb RAM,and with additional Micro SD storage
capacity up to 64GB, you'll never run out of space.More apps can be operated on this device than most smart phones given it's operating capacity, and multiple windows can be
opened on the same screen. With up to 380 hours standby time (less with heavy use) you can be mobile for days at a time.

There are a couple of extra cool features this device has over its competitors.

First is the S Pen (smart stylus pen) which fits neatly into the device. It makes texting, writing or moving through apps a breeze, and the Air Commands give you handy device controls
instantly - no clicking through settings or apps to take a quick note.Worried you'll lose your S Pen? Don't. The clever Note 3 alerts you if the S Pen is out of range.Added to this is the in
built 13 megapixel camera with flash, antishake, autofocus and HD video recording capacity, so now you can leave the camera at home. Connectivity is very easy with super fast WIFI,
Bluetooth, USB 2.0 and 3.0 compatibility.

Take the journey one step further and combine the Galaxy Gear Smart Watch and you'll have access to your device right on your wrist.Agent 86 would have loved one of these, with the
ability to take photos, video, voice messages, notes, phonecalls, texts as well as custom loading up to 10 apps. It syncs beautifully with your Galaxy Note 3, and now compatible with
Galaxy S4 as well, so if your Phablet is too big to carry around, leave it at your desk and don the smart watch. You'll always be connected in this 24/7 world.

Better than iPhone? Well horses for courses, but if you're frustrated with iPhone's sluggish new IOS software, and small screen size and you want a bit more flexibility in setting up and
running your phone then the Note 3 is our pick.

Number Three: HP Touchscreen Computer with Leap Motion

If you're in the market for a new computer with a bit of grunt, portability, and some smart thinking then look no further than HP's newest innovation - the HP Envy 17 Leap Motion Notebook.

Notebooks are generally known for having less capacity than desktops, but the latest technology is changing that, with faster processers, smaller chips and super thin designs.

Windows 8.1 is the standard operating system for new PC's, and to operate this as it's designed you're going to have to move to a touchscreen. Of course, you can still operate it with a mouse,
but it's a little clunky.

So let's check out the specs. With an Intel Core i7 - 4702 (2.2GHz, 6MG cache 4 cores) processer, 16GB DDR3 RAM as standard, and a dedicated 4GB graphics card, and 2TB (5400 rpm SATA)
hard disk space, this machine is super-fast and offers generous capacity.

Expansion features have always been lacking in laptops, but this model has an impressive four USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, Ethernet, Headphone/Microphone Jack, and slots for standard SD cards as
well as supporting adaptors for mini SD.

If you still use Blu-Ray, there's a Blu-Ray writer and super multi DVD RW burner, or better still why not use the space to pop in a spare SSD hard drive.

The extras we love about this machine is its large 17.3 inch screen size, yet super thin profile at just 3.26cm thick. A generous keyboard with separate numeric keypad is a bonus, and best yet it's
backlit and a very easy to clean design. The body finish is a fingerprint friendly polished aluminum, and the touchscreen is anti-glare.Security is improved with the HP simple pass fingerprint reader
and Kensington MicroSaver lock slot.

Now if the one thing that puts you off touchscreens is the ugly fingerprint marks then this is the machine for you. Leap Motion technology has been around for a while, mainly on gaming consoles
using motion detection to replicate actions, but this is the first one we've seen on a laptop. So if you'd rather control the screen by just pointing and flicking rather than clicking, be sure to check this
big boy out. It's not cheap on the hip pocket at around $2,500 but worth the investment in our view.