COMPETITION: Win LEGO Technic Volvo Wheel Loader

 That's one present sorted.

Over the past few weeks The Test Pit has been filled with Christmas present ideas for you to consider. The trouble is, not everyone is mega rich and able buy them all (if you are... you're looking particularly lovely today!) and so we're giving something awesome away, just in time for the big day. And so here's your chance to win the LEGO Technic Volvo Wheel Loader, worth £170!

FEATURE: Christmas Stocking Fillers - Random Stuff

Because, y'know...

There is so much out there this year to buy for Christmas gifts. Just take a look at our previous Stocking Fillers features and you'll find toys, games, headphones, tech and other such loveliness. But what if you're looking for something unique; something that other review websites just aren't giving you? Then enter, dear friend, into the world of 'random stuff that we get sent', a list sure to inspire those weird and wonderful Christmas purchases.

REVIEW: Cambridge Audio G2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

G-whizz.

Since reviewing the Cambridge Audio Go Bluetooth Speaker a while back, we've been keen to find out more about this intriguing British sound company. If you read the Go's review you'll see that although we loved the sound the speaker produces, we weren't all that kind about its looks. And so Cambridge Audio have very kindly sent us the Go's smaller, better looking, brother - the G2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker.

REVIEW: Netgear N300 WiFi Range Extender

The Lone Ranger.

Pretty much everything at Test Pit Towers is done with WiFi these days; from watching TV, switching on our living room lights, and, well... writing this review. Trouble is, no matter how powerful our WiFi router is, there's always a spot in the house where the signal is less than amazing. That is why Range Extenders are a must, and we got to grips with Netgear's latest model, the N300.

REVIEW: Knomad Mini

In the Knomo.

Wires, chargers, flash drives, headphones, SD cards, credit cards, business cards, pen. That's just a selection of some of the very important crap we lug about with; all of which gets tangled up at the bottom of our bags rucksacks (and that's before we even get to our phones and tablets!). Tired of having to employ multiple confusing and fiddly pockets, we were desperate for something to sort us out and organise our 'everyday carry' stuff once and for all. And the Knomad Mini from Knomo did just that.

REVIEW: Monster Powercard Mobile Charger

Staying in charge.

Keeping those vital gadgets juiced up is second only in importance to breathing these days. The trouble is that often we're not always within easy reach of a USB port to plug in our phones and tablets, let alone a wall socket. That's why we adore mobile USB chargers here at The Test Pit, as they make electricity as abundant and as easily accessible as air. And so we test the super slim Powercard from musical accessory maestros Monster.

REVIEW: LEGO Minecraft

Digging deep.

These days our dear chums at LEGO hold licences to produce a range of toys in various different fictional worlds; from the the battle grounds of Star Wars to the weird happening of the Marvel Universe. But, as with all LEGO creations, these worlds are then recreated in plastic blocks, making them distinctly LEGO-y. Surely it would make sense to make sets from an already blocky and cuboid world. Oh wait, they have. It's LEGO Minecraft!

REVIEW: Brainy Bike Lights

Cerebral cycling.

Each one us a keen cyclist, we at The Test Pit know all too well about the dangers of getting around on our bikes at this time of year. What only a couple of months ago was a pleasant evening commute home through the city, has  now become a fight to be seen and stay safe. Always looking for innovative cycling accessories, we jumped at the chance to give the very clever, very brainy Brainy Bike Lights a spin.

FEATURE: Christmas Stocking Fillers - Toys

You're gonna need a bigger stocking.

Our previous foray into the world of Christmas gifts for young 'uns yielded some pretty pint-sized delights. But although lots of little gifts can help bolster the underside of your tree, what kids really crave are those massive boxy presents which are referred to in hushed tones at school as 'the big one' or 'my main pressie'. And so we rolled up our sleeves and got playing with some bigger and entirely more awesome toys.

REVIEW: Huawei Ascend Y550

 Smart and cheap.

Asia has always dominated the micro electronics sector... with one notable exception. Although most of our gadgets might be assembled in China, the super power itself did not for a long time possess any great international brands... until now. Already causing a storm at home for producing affordable tech, Huawei are now starting to make a name for themselves in the UK. And so we had a play with their latest low-end phone, the Ascend Y550.

REVIEW: Snooper DVR-3HD Vehicle Drive Recorder

Dash cam awesomeness.

So you're driving along, minding your own bee's wax, when suddenly a car comes out of nowhere (which is a terrible place to come from) and side-swipes you. The driver leaps out of his car and immediately blames you (as people from nowhere tend to be pretty rude). How do you prove your innocence, especially to keep you insurance premiums down? Simple; just present the video evidence you captured on your Snooper DVR-3HD Vehicle Drive Recorder. Take that, nowhere loser!

COMPETITION: Win a Leef Bridge 3.0

Bridging that gap.

Here at The Test Pit we're big champions of Leef, the mobile storage and gadgetry experts. Its honest to say that we get a bit giddy when their latest device flaps lightly onto our doormat (for they are always very light!), so we're pleased as punch to work alongside Leef to offer our ever loyal readers the chance to walk away with a 16GB Leef Bridge 3.0 flash drive.

REVIEW: Playmobil Industrial Dump Truck

Dump this on your kids.

As Christmas approaches you might already be searching for biggish presents for little hands to play with come the big day. We have an idea for you, and it’s a toy that will not only be enjoyed by little boys and girls alike, but could also come in handy when clearing the house of torn wrapping paper. It's the Playmobil Industrial Dump Truck.

REVIEW: Photobox Soft Baby Photobook

Hey, baby!

The photo printing abilities of Photobox (www.photobox.co.uk) have been explored by us in the past, when we designed our own Bluetooth keyboard on their site. Now we're back to try something more conventional with a real-world useful application; the Soft Baby Photobook.

REVIEW: Revell Space Motion Quadcopter

We second this motion...

Another month, another helicopter through the post from our dear German chums at Revell. So, as we don protective goggles, apologise to the neighbours in advance, and clear any cats and dogs from the general area, we prepare to take off on another calamitous flight test. But wait... this new chopper is different. And so began the most fun we've ever had with an RC helicopter, as we test the Revell Space Motion Quadcopter.

REVIEW: VTech InnoTab 3S

Inno-vative

As gadget users are getting younger and younger these days, we might as well get them started off right. If you've ever been annoyed by your kids stealing your iPad to play games on, get ready for a future where they'll have their own tablet. Our youngest tester (she's fours... and formidable) got to grips with the kids' tablet from VTech, the InnoTab 3S.

REVIEW: AirWheel Q3

Wheely good fun (sorry).


The Segway; not just a way of making Will Arnet seem funnier in Arrested Development, but a genuinely clever attempt at a personal transportation device that is environmentally friendly. Granted it's been ten years and we're not all zooming about on them, but Segways are undeniably a good idea. But we were wondering if there was a way to make Segways more... we don't know.... completely mental. Oh there is. It's called The AirWheel.