Top Ten Tech for Summer #FindYourSummer

We all enjoy summer in our own ways – whether it’s waterproof speakers for the pool, a camera for capturing the perfect sunset, or the latest fitness tracker to keep you fit in the sun. John Lewis has a vast assortment of technology to help you find your summer and get the best out of your summer tech and have challenged me to tell you about my Top Ten Tech for Summer.

John Lewis have voted the new Canon PowerShot as one of their top products and sent me one to review and I have to admit I can see why it beat off the competition.  I have a DSLR camera and whilst it does take some amazing photographs, there are some days I wish I had a point and shoot as it is quite cumbersome to carry around with the additional lenses.

We have been testing the Canon PowerShot for 2 weeks now and we love it.  The camera is small enough to carry with you in your pocket everywhere you go, so it’s perfect for travelling with and did a fabulous job of photographing the ships at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Thomasland.

Despite its small size, it features a powerful 30x optical zoom as well as 60x ZoomPlus which lets you get even closer to the action whilst your image quality remains high, something I initially thought would suffer . The advanced Zoom Framing Assist creates the optimum framing for your images so taking fabulous photos is effortless.

The best bit for me however is the sharing option on the camera. You can share your images quickly and easily with friends and family thanks to built-in Wi-Fi and NFC which lets you transfer images and videos to your smartphone, tablet or to the Canon Connect Station. You can even upload your photos to social networks directly from the camera, so you can share your memories instantly.  All you need to do is download the app to your phone and press a button on the camera…….brilliant!

The only situation I felt the camera struggle is in low light.  The pictures are not as crisp and clear as they would have been with my DSLR, but the convenience of having a small camera outweighs that issue.

The camera also features a one touch of the Movie Record Button for all you vloggers out there and will allow you to record smooth, high quality FULL HD footage, even in low light thanks to advanced noise reduction.

My Top 10 Tech for Summer are:

1. Apple iPhone 6 – I would be lost without my phone.  Perfect for taking pictures and videos and packed full of apps to help me find local attractions, chat on social media and promote my blogs posts it is perhaps the one thing I never leave the house without!
2. TomTom Start 50 GPS Navigation System or Beryl as we call her. We go on a lot of days out, often in places off the beaten track and Beryl is packed full of the latest technology to get you there safely, but is still incredibly easy to use. With high quality maps, a large screen, it is the best satnav we have found, plus it comes with a lifetime of free map updates for the UK and Western Europe.
3. GoPro Hero 3+ – We bought this for our teen last year and it is an amazing bit of kit.  It is a wearable, gear-mountable and waterproof to 131’/40m camera which captures professional-quality video at resolutions up to 1080p and 10MP photos at up to 10 frames per second. We have taken ours zipling, scuba diving, climbing through trees with Go Ape and even just a trip to the beach, it is perfect for those all-action shots.
4. Canon 650D – My entry level DSLR is perfect for the learning the ropes, with an 18.0-megapixel sensor which is superb for both still images and Full HD movies.  It takes fabulous photographs and comes into its own during the air festival, with some incredible close-up shots of the planes as they zoom past.
5. Canon PowerShot Camera (as above) – Perfect for tucking away in your pocket when you don’t want to carry around the cumbersome DSLR.  I have used it for days out when I am on my own with the kids or at a theme park when you want to be carrying as little as possible.
6. Dyson Humidifier / Fan – I first discovered this at the Gadget show in April.  Not only can it be used a bladeless fan from Dyson but it is also a humidifer which we can use all year round to hopefully help Sebby with his chest problems. The clever technology uses a three-minute cycle to kill an incredible 99.9% of bacteria in the water tank, before projecting it into the air with a clean and hygienic mist. he Dyson Humidifier has reassuringly been tested and certified by Airmid Healthgroup Laboratories and the British Skin Foundation as being able to help relieve the symptoms of asthma and allergies.
7. Apple iPad Air – With its all new design, the iPad Air is packed with advanced technology, yet, somehow, thinner and lighter than ever before and is perfect for travelling.  We load videos and game on it for the kids to watch on long journeys and I can use it for blogging too
8. Otone Blufinity Bluetooth Speaker – Another item I discovered at the Gadget Show. Blufiniti is a highly-styled, small and lightweight portable speaker that incorporates Bluetooth wireless audio streaming, NFC, ergonomic design and a rechargeable battery for 8-10 hours playback. The twin mid-high range drivers create room-filling sound, which is truly impressive from such a small package and it can be used at home and on your travels.
9. Apple TV – Summer television is pants – fact! Apple TV gives you anytime access to endless entertainment. Thousands of HD movies and TV shows from iTunes — many in stunning 1080p — play through Apple TV on your HDTV, and music and photos stream from your computer.
10. Fitbug Orb – It is a button size device which is designed to expand health tracking.  It tracks and syncs activities and movements including sleep and helps me achieve my minimum of 10,000 steps per day.

What is your must have gadget for the summer?