It's not long now until the top brands and minds of the tech world descend on Las Vegas to take part in CES 2013, the annual Consumer Electronics Show where products are showcased, press conferences are held and lots of fun takes place in Sin City.

Usually there are hundreds of rumours flying around about the gadgets that are set to be unveiled and leaked photos of what to expect, but we can't help but feel this year is set to be a little bit quieter, especially considering some of the biggest names in tech won't even be there.

However, that doesn't mean we still won't see some innovative new ideas, unexpected announcements and most importantly game-changing technology, so here's our pick of 10 things that'll have everyone talking next week.

1. Smarter wearable technology

Over the past year we've seen an abundance of wearable technology hitting the global markets, particularly in the health and fitness arenas, and we don't doubt there'll be plenty more this time round. However, much of what we've seen this year has been a bit bulky and might be packing great tech inside, but often looks and feels a bit cumbersome to wear day in and day out. At CES this year we're expecting advanced tech with wearable hardware, which will combine to create products to really shake up the health and fitness industries. Remember the Shine gadget from earlier in the year? We want to see more products like that.

2. Health and fitness gadgets, apps and services boom

We were on the floor at CES last year and were blown away by the stands - and most of an entire hall - dedicated to health and fitness tech. Given the huge explosion in mobile health apps, gadgets, accessories and integrated services as well as the impressive adoption rate of them all across the globe, we expect there'll be plenty of exciting news this year too. We'd like to see some great gadgets to compete with the likes of Basis, Fitbit and Nike+, but we're also expecting some interesting new concepts too, like the Lumoback.

3. Flexibility

Samsung has really dominated the pre-CES chatter this year and we already know about the flexible display it'll be showcasing and looking to include on future devices. However, we also expect flexibility to be a key trend or at least a conversation topic for future advances not only in smartphones, but in wearable tech, mobile health and even home appliances.

4. Bye bye Microsoft

Two of the biggest players of previous years, Microsoft and HP, won't be attending CES this time round, which has lead many to suggest it'll be a much quieter affair, others to suggest it'll leave room for smaller start-ups and the rest to suggest it's just a silly move.

5. Connected home technology

For years tech events have showcased products and apps and quirky services that are designed to have your home running more efficiently, maybe you can tweet for your bath to fill up or send stats to your scales. However, up until now everything's been a bit gimmicky, but with the recent popularity of mobile health tech advances, new lines of NFC appliances and super smart wi-fi lightbulbs, we expect everything to be much more usable and useful than ever before.

6. Gesture computing

We already know Tobii will be showing off its latest eye controlled technology, but we expect to see advanced gesture technology too from both specialist companies and integrated into the products of some of the biggest names.

7. Cool automotive electronics

It looks like at CES this year we'll see more automative brands showing off their latest products and features than ever, with the likes of Audi, Ford, Kia and Subaru all heading over to Vegas. We'll obviously see a lot of interesting and advanced tech, but can expect our other gadgets and tech services to integrate into the way our cars work too, whether it be the applications we use across lots of devices or our mobile phones.

8. A better kind of HD

Just when you thought our screens couldn't get sharper and brighter with even more definition, we bet we'll see TVs, laptops and mobile phones with an even more eye popping definition of um... high definition.

9. Phone/tablet hybrids

It seems the line between phone and tablet is becoming increasingly blurred and the popularity of huge phones, like Samsung's Galaxy Note, mean it's certainly not the flash in the pan trend many were expecting, so we're betting on seeing a few more devices this year that straddle the line.

10. Video on demand services

There are rumours that Samsung's planning on launching an entertainment experience - in fact there are rumours that Samsung's launching pretty much EVERYTHING this year - but even if they don't ring true next week, the popularity of on demand and streaming services means it's bound to play an important role in this year's show.

It's the 3rd of January so the blues have probably already set in and if you're anything like us you've eaten nine chocolate muffins for breakfast and had a little cry while packing a gym bag full of over-priced workout gear. This being an awesome person and sticking to resolutions stuff is really bloody tough, so we're here to help you with our pick of apps to make you more productive, achieve your goals, get running and watch what you eat.

Our only advice is to be realistic, download a few, set a goal or two then just get on with it. Don't try losing weight, getting a new job and volunteering all in the same week, you'll drive yourself crazy and end up messing everything up in the process.

Let us know in the comments below what your favourite apps for getting your life back on track are.

For exercising and tracking your workouts

Over the past year so many fitness tracking apps, gadgets and stupid little wristbands have been launched onto the market, with some proving super successful and turning us into fitness freaks and others just failing miserably.

Our personal favourite fitness trackers include the Nike+ FuelBand and for a simpler option, Fitbit's Zip. However, you don't need to spend a fortune and have something strapped to your body at all times to get moving, as there are plenty of apps that'll do the job on the cheap.

For those who just want to get out and get moving then Nike+ Running is one of our favourite apps, which tracks your workouts and allows you to set goals from a super intuitive (and colourful) interface. Nike's online dashboards and dedicated community also mean once you start clocking up impressive runs you can share them with others and compete. RunKeeper is also a great option when it comes to tracking, sharing and monitoring your runs and has great integration with a number of wearable devices.

MapMyFitness is a better option for those who don't just want to run but fancy tracking their cycling and hiking activity too, all from a very similar interface.

If you just can't muster up the motivation or energy to run then try Zombies, Run!, which is essentially a running app with a pretty damn scary built-in zombie game. You'll probably find you're much more willing to run a bit faster if ten monsters who want to eat your insides are a few metres behind you.

For helping you to achieve your goals

It's easy to download 500+ apps to track your runs and count your calories, but you're not going to achieve anything other than a hefty iTunes bill and sense of failure if you never put them to good use.

Luckily a number of apps have been launched recently that are specially created to help you set goals and - with a bit of willpower - stick to them. Our favourite at the moment - and an app that's had a lot of attention and investment recently - has to be Lift, a great-looking option designed to help you track, create and share your goals.

If you don't like the look of Lift, then Beeminder is very similar, allowing you to set goals and even hook the app up to fitness tracking devices. Everest is a new, interesting offering, which can do the same thing as Beeminder and Lift, but has more of a focus on dreaming big, so think less "I want to do more sit-ups" and more "I want to travel the world", which is probably evident from its name.

For making - and sticking to - your to-do lists

To-do lists admittedly aren't for everyone, visualising all of the crap you need to do on a daily basis may send you into an anxiety attack before you even get to work. However, if you're the type of person who likes having all of their tasks to hand then we've got two of our favourite apps to recommend. First up there's Clear, both an iPhone and Mac application - you can store everything in the cloud and use it seamlessly across both - that strips down big, detailed and confusing task lists into something much more simple. You can create lists and add tasks, then control everything with a quick swipe or pinch.

If you're looking for something a bit more comprehensive, then give Wunderlist a try. Admittedly it's still meant to be as simple to use and implement into your daily life as possible, but allows you to assign tasks to specific lists and days and even share them with other members of your team.

For organising your working life and note taking

If we asked most of you what pushed you to the very edge of your sanity last year we'd bet our grandmas that a lot of you would say your job. Now there's nothing we can do about that bitch that works in sales or the fact your commute makes you want to stab people, but there are a few great apps to take the pressure off your working day just a little bit.

We read a lot of "how to be a better human being" and "tips from productive people" lists from all over the web to help get a better idea of the categories to add to this feature and one thing we came across again and again and AGAIN was just how great Dropbox is. The cloud service makes it easy peasy to save pretty much any kind of documents, files and content and access them wherever you are. Most of us probably have it installed somewhere but don't put it to good use, so start today.

Many of us make mistakes or get caught out because we have too much on, so have a note taking app to hand all the time, which you find is easy to use and allows you to save and share notes, we particularly like Evernote for added features and Squarespace Note for a simpler option.

For monitoring your food intake and counting calories

We don't advocate obsessive calorie counting, but if you're finding it hard to lose weight then tracking what you're eating on a daily basis may be a good place to start. MyFitnessPal is a popular and comprehensive application that can be anything you like, from a basic calorie counting tool to a bank of workouts and recipe ideas. Lose It! is similar, but a little simpler to use with a pretty intuitive interface and a full bank of foods to choose from.

Many people still find Weight Watchers a bit gimmicky, but it's actually proven to be one of the most successful dieting plans and its apps make sticking to your goals and tracking your food intake easy.

We've been writing up Christmas gift guides now for the past few weeks and although some retailers will still deliver presents right up to the last minute (well, until Christmas Eve), it's starting to get a bit late to order all kinds of weird and wonderful things from the interwebz.

Well fear not, because we're here to help you with your last-minute dash to the shops and have collected together our favourite UK high street tech finds that you'll hopefully be able to pick up in a big city or small town near you.

Related: Check out our full round-up of Christmas 2012 gift guides.

Well, well, well, up until this week Instagram was everyone's favourite photo application and we spent our days snapping, cropping and filtering all kinds of rubbish, from our breakfasts to our totally awesome pedicures (gross).

However, everything changed this week when Instagram announced it had made a number of amendments to its policies that may (or may not) mean that users' photos could be sold to third parties for its own profit in the future.

Judging from Twitter's reaction some people don't seem to really care and others are outraged, so guys this list is for you, full of alternative photo apps whether you're looking for something to fill that vintage filter-shaped hole in your heart or just a service that lets you show off how pretentious your eating habits are.

Let us know in the comments below what your favourite Instagram alternative is and we'll create a reader's list too.

1. Flickr Shiny Shiny's favourite Instagram rival

It's got online photo storage covered, but last week Flickr re-launched both its iOS app and website with a clean design, much more intuitive experience and of course filters in order to compete in the lucrative photo editing app arena too.

2. Camera+

It's been one of our favourite editing apps for some time now, but more might flock to it given Instagram's most recent controversy. The great thing about Camera+ is there aren't just tonnes of options for editing your images and adding filters, but right from the word go you're able to take better photos with its built-in camera with added features.

3. Snapseed

Google-owned Snapseed made headlines earlier this year when Guardian photographer Dan Chung used it to take and edit images from his coverage of the Olympics. Since then it's become more and more popular for its comprehensive (yet super simple and intuitive) editing features and bank of cool filters.

4. Camera Awesome

It's a bit more silly than the others, because you're not really applying filters but get to "awesomize" them instead. However, it's great for those who love the simplicity of Instagram, as it's very easy to use.

5. Twitter

It may not be packed full of the features we've come to expect from Instagram, but its new filters clearly make it a viable alternative, particularly if you like sharing all of your creations with your Twitter followers anyway.

6. CameraBag

It's super simple and an old Shiny Shiny favourite, but even though CameraBag may not be an all-singing and all-dancing alternative, it's packed full of great vintage filters and allows you to share your images elsewhere.

7. Hipstamatic

Some iPhone users were crazily adding retro filters to their images before Instagram could even walk, so it's quite funny to think users may come crawling back to the Hipstamatic community. Although the company has faced some hurdles over the past year or so, it's still going strong, a firm favourite among some photographers and is packed full of more features than Instagram.

8. TaDaa

Another app packed with filters and all the features you'd expect from a photo app, but TaDaa allows users to vote images up and down, which is a great way of weeding the rubbishy ones (or just unpopular people) out from the rest.

9. EyeEm

It's very similar to Instagram in many ways, because it's got a range of filters and editing effects, the only difference is the team behind EyeEm (probably) won't sell a photo of your face without your consent to the highest bidder. The way photos are categorised within EyeEm is a little different, as they can be grouped by events, themes and much more.

10. Pixlr-o-matic

A great app for those who sometimes feel a bit limited by the choice of options within Instagram, as according to the app's write up on Google Play there are 5,000,000 possible finishes for each image, which will either excite you or give you a bit of a headache. Choose from 100 different filters, 280 overlays and 200 borders. We're not sure how there are 200 borders, but it's great for those with a lot of time on their hands.

Related: Instagram changes its policy and the whole world implodes

This year we've been busy little elves, collecting together the top gadgets, accessories and cool things from the past 12 months that would make the best gifts for your loved ones. Whether you're looking for a cheap eReader (we'd go for the 6" Kindle), awesome new Android camera (Samsung Galaxy all the way) or a gold plated vibrator (this one from Lelo will sort you out), we're here to help.

Every time we write up a new gift guide we'll be adding it to the list below, so you don't have to go searching here, there and everywhere for what you need either.

If you'd like us to review a certain product, pull together a specific kind of gallery or write up a buying guide about how to choose the best kind of product, then let us know in the comments below or get in touch with us on Twitter @ShinyShiny.

10 Cool gadgets & accessories for girls (under £50)

If you've got a geeky girl to buy for this year but you're struggling for present ideas then take a look at our list for Christmas 2012, complete with must-have accessories, a bright new fitness tracker, a teeny tiny sex toy and of course a real life (kinda) Boo the dog.

The gift we'd love to open on Christmas day: This purple Lomography Fisheye Analogue Camera.

10 Cool gadgets & accessories for girls (over £100)

If you've got a geeky girl to buy for this year but you're struggling for present ideas then take a look at our flashy expensive list for Christmas 2012, complete with the coolest USB turntable, a luxury leather tote for laptops, a gold-plated vibrator and Nintendo's Wii U.

The gift we'd love to open on Christmas day: The Knomo Alice Tote so we can carry our gadgets around with us all day.

Cool gadgets & accessories for geeky guys

If you've got a geeky guy to buy for this year but you're struggling for present ideas then take a look at our list for Christmas 2012, complete with tech DIY kits, Herschel accessories, Marshall speakers and the iPad Mini.

Our favourite from the bunch: The Polaroid Z2300 Instant Digital Camera.

Top 5 UK eReaders for all budgets

Everyday we get sent research telling us that eReaders are purchased as gifts and then never used afterwards, but regardless of what surveys tell us there are still a LOT of die-hard eReader fans, just take a look at how many hands are full of shiny little Kindles on the tube.

So here's our pick of five eReaders available in the UK whatever your budget happens to be. Just make sure the person you're buying for isn't stuck in the past and would happily accept a little eReader over a regular book made of paper and old stuff (eww).

Our favourite eReader: The Kindle Paperwhite with a built-in light.

The 10 best fitness gadgets, apps & accessories

We've collected together some of our favourite fitness tech products from the past year with the help of our sister site, Connected Health, that we think would make great presents this Christmas whether you're buying for a fitness fanatic or someone who's been reluctant to get out the door and work up a sweat.

The gadget we'd like to find under the tree: The Fitbit One, which tracks your daily activity and even your sleep.

Top UK high street cameras for beginners, retro geeks & social media addicts

There are so many different cameras on the market at the moment that all kinda look the same, sound the same and on paper have the same features, so instead of wading through pages and pages of reviews, just shop based on who you're buying for and narrow your options right down. We've collected together some of our favourite cameras available to buy online or direct from UK high street stores, for those that like to stay on top of trends, social media addicts and complete beginners as well as a few more.

The gadget we've been drooling over the most: The Samsung Galaxy Camera running on Android Jelly Bean.

10 Apps, toys and games for kids

No one gets as crazily excited about Christmas time as little people, so make sure you buy your kids or teeny tiny relatives only the most fun, quirky and disruptive of presents this year.

The one that'll make you king or queen of the kids this Christmas: The AppToyz AppBlaster, an augmented reality shoot-em-up.

Top 5 stylish Windows 8 tablet/laptop convertibles

If you're looking to really splash the cash on someone this Christmas and they're after a small laptop or tablet, then take a look at our top pick of bang up-to-date convertible devices running Windows 8 for the style conscious.

Our favourite gadget of the bunch: Lenovo Yoga

10 Mobile photography gadgets & accessories

Although cool lens dials or handy tripods may seem like strange Christmas presents when the rest of your family are handing out sweaters and chocolates, there are plenty of gadgets and accessories available at the moment that'd make perfect stocking fillers for mobile photography lovers.

Whether you're buying for someone who's serious about their photography or just likes to mess around with Instagram now and again, we've collected together some of our favourite accessories that'll help them get the best results from their phone's camera. Or at least give them something to play around with on Christmas day.

Our favourite little mobile photo gadget this year: The Swivl, your own mini camera crew and clever robot rolled into one.

10 Samsung Galaxy S3 cases for her

Yeah we know, a phone case for a Christmas present? Bit lame, right? Well not if you pick something from our list that doesn't just protect the new Samsung Galaxy SIII but looks awesome too.

We're reluctant to label a mobile phone case guide "for her", but don't worry, there's no diamante, pink fluff or Hello Kitty in sight...

The case we heart the most: The glittering Glam from Case Mate, because it's just so festive.

If you've got a geeky guy to buy for this year but you're struggling for present ideas then take a look at our list for Christmas 2012, complete with tech DIY kits, Herschel accessories, Marshall speakers and the iPad Mini.

Let us know in the comments below what you've got on your Christmas list this year...

Check out some of our other Christmas 2012 gift guides: Top UK high street cameras for beginners, retro geeks & social media addicts and The 10 best fitness gadgets, apps & accessories

There are so many different cameras on the market at the moment that all kinda look the same, sound the same and on paper have the same features, so instead of wading through pages and pages of reviews, just shop based on who you're buying for and narrow your options right down.

We've collected together some of our favourite cameras available to buy online or direct from UK high street stores, for those that like to stay on top of trends, social media addicts and complete beginners as well as a few more, so have a browse through and let us know in the comments below if there's any you'd add or other categories you'd like us to include.

Over the past year the worlds of fitness and tech have merged to bring us some great gadgets, apps and workout accessories that really can make a difference to your training, enabling you to perform better, achieve more and just generally become more fit and awesome.

We've collected together some of our favourite fitness tech products from the past year with the help of our sister site, Connected Health, that we think would make great presents this Christmas whether you're buying for a fitness fanatic or someone who's been reluctant to get out the door and work up a sweat.

If you've got a geeky girl to buy for this year but you're struggling for present ideas then take a look at our flashy expensive list for Christmas 2012, complete with the coolest USB turntable, a luxury leather tote for laptops, a gold-plated vibrator and Nintendo's Wii U.

We've divided our gift guides up this year to cater for those who don't want to break the bank (our under £50 guide) and this one is specially created for those who have a money tree in their back garden. You lucky little things.

Admittedly gift guides geared up for girls may seem a bit outdated and we know both sexes can enjoy the same kind of tech (do we really need to go over this AGAIN?), but come on guys, it's the 5th of December and we're already full of mince pies and mulled wine, so couldn't think of any smarter way to divide up the ideas.

Let us know in the comments below what you've got on your Christmas list this year...

Check out some of our other Christmas 2012 gift guides: Top 5 stylish Windows 8 tablet/laptop convertibles & Top 5 UK eReaders for all budgets

If you've got a geeky girl to buy for this year but you're struggling for present ideas then take a look at our list for Christmas 2012, complete with must-have accessories, a bright new fitness tracker, a teeny tiny sex toy and of course a real life (kinda) Boo the dog.

We've divided our gift guides up this year to cater for those who don't want to break the bank (this under £50 guide) and those who have a money tree in their back garden (take a look at 10 Cool gadgets & accessories for girls over £100).

Admittedly gift guides geared up for girls may seem a bit outdated and we know both sexes can enjoy the same kind of tech (do we really need to go over this AGAIN?), but come on guys, it's the 5th of December and we're already full of mince pies and mulled wine, so couldn't think of any smarter way to divide up the ideas.

Let us know in the comments below what you've got on your Christmas list this year...

Check out some of our other Christmas 2012 gift guides: Top 5 stylish Windows 8 tablet/laptop convertibles & Top 5 UK eReaders for all budgets

Everyday we get sent research telling us that eReaders are purchased as gifts and then never used afterwards, but regardless of what surveys tell us there are still a LOT of die-hard eReader fans, just take a look at how many hands are full of shiny little Kindles on the tube.

So here's our pick of five eReaders available in the UK whatever your budget happens to be. Just make sure the person you're buying for isn't stuck in the past and would happily accept a little eReader over a regular book made of paper and old stuff (eww).

Last week everyone's boring working day was made around 495,493 times better by the fact that Susan Boyle's PR team accidentally introduced the most hilarious hashtag known to man into their tweets about her new album #susanalbumparty. OH LOLZ.

So we thought it'd be a great opportunity to collect together our top five hashtag fails of all time from big brands that should have known better.

1. #susanalbumparty

To promote her new album, Party, the star's PR team decided simply using the three words
Susan Album Party would make the most succinct and memorable hashtag. Fair. However, squish them together and most people's filthy little minds would decipher it as Su's Anal Bum Party. Well, you know what they say. IT'S ALWAYS THE QUIET ONES.

2. #rimjobs

Research in Motion, or RIM for short, decided to take to Twitter to find new employees. So the company has jobs going. The company is called RIM. Why wouldn't the hashtag just be rimjobs? Well, because the term "rimjob" actually refers to something else. Something that we don't imagine many big brands would want to really be tweeting about or aligned with in any way, shape or form.

If you don't know what a rimjob is we're really not in the mood to tell you, but we're sure the guys at Urban Dictionary would be happy to enlighten you.

3. #waitrosereasons

This hashtag is admittedly nowhere near as laugh out loud funny as anal parties or rimjobs, so no one can really criticise the social media team responsible for choosing it. However, it's the way Twitter users started to use the hashtag that made everyone chuckle, because they began hilariously mocking the brand for being a bit posh.

Fans of the brand were asked to explain in 140 characters why they love shopping at the middle class supermarket and the hashtag #waitrosereasons was a nice touch. But instead of writing about how awesome it is, pieces of comedy gold like this were tweeted:

"I shop at Waitrose because their Swan burgers are good enough for the Queen #waitrosereasons"

And our personal favourite:

"I also shop at Waitrose because I was once in the Holloway Road branch and heard a dad say 'Put the papaya down, Orlando!' #waitrosereasons"

4. #mcdstories

Just like #waitrosereasons, the #mcdstories hashtag doesn't really sound that offensive. But it DID urge people to tell their memorable stories of their times inside the yellow arches, which obviously brought out a whole host of gruesome anecdotes about fingers (and all kinds of other things) within burgers. Nice.

5. #hobbitch

Nope, not the name of some really mean little goblin from the LOTR series, but the hashtag the Swiss PR team working on The Hobbit chose to promote the film (CH being an abbreviation for Switzerland). It's probably fairly harmless in Switzerland, so isn't a fail on the same scale as Susan and her Party, but it is kinda funny all the same.

[Image via @susanboylemusic]

Normally the term "eye candy" refers to half naked guys and girls, but here at Shiny Shiny we unashamedly get all hot and bothered when it comes to themes. Especially Tumblr themes.

The popularity of what we've dubbed "the Pinterest look" (think grid-like posts and lots of lovely images) means that everyone from The Next Web and eBay to our gran has been changing their website to mimic the just-can't-get-enough layout of Pinterest that has users hooked for hours on its virtual crack.

Although some might argue it's just a trend, there's no better way of browsing through photos, galleries and portfolios, so here are our all time favourite Tumblr themes that are hot, sexy, minimal and look a bit like Pinterest.

Enjoy (and then go take a cold shower).

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If you fancy yourself as a bit of an app expert and end up downloading everything shiny and new like a little mobile magpie, then AppXpert has been made specially for you because it rewards you with cash for every new app you test out.

Once you've downloaded the app you're greeted by your own personal dashboard full of app "investigations" to complete.

You then trial these new apps, take them for a test drive and answer a series of questions about your experience, turning you into a proper app detective and earning you 20p each time in the process.

Of course there's a limited number of investigations, but turn on push notifications and you'll get a personal update every time a new one appears for you to try out.

AppXpert is the latest in a string of interesting apps that offer users a cash incentive for getting involved, whether its downloading photos with Foap, attending the gym with Gym Pact or becoming a mystery shopper with Roamler.

Maybe it's a testament to just how broke we all are right now, but it's a trend that looks like it's here to stay and given how dependent we all are on our mobiles it requires very little effort to get involved.

AppXpert is available for iOS devices from iTunes for free.

You can now pre-order Amazon's latest eReader, the super slim Kindle Paperwhite with a built-in light, and although it has similar dimensions to past devices we recommend you get yourself a bright, colour popping case to keep it safe, snug and pretty when you're not reading.

Here's our pick of 10 colourful cases, sleeves and protective skins for your new Kindle baby.

Apple unveiled it's teeny tiny tablet, the iPad Mini, last week and you can already pre-order one from the brand's website. But since you're forking out a fair few pennies for the latest Apple gadget, you'll want to keep it wrapped up safe in one of these new cases designed especially with the palm-sized tablet in mind.

At the beginning of October super popular and cool crowd-funding website Kickstarter announced that it'd be opening its doors to UK-based projects for the first time.

So as we all sit and wait until we can add our incredible ideas on the 31st of October, let's take a look back at some of the most interesting, successful and innovative projects that have secured funding through the site over the years.

At Apple's highly anticipated event in San Jose today, the tech giant unveiled what we've all been expecting for what feels like decades, the teeny tiny (OK so 7.9 inch) iPad we also all knew would be called the iPad Mini.

At the event, Phil Schiller was keen to point out that the tablet "isn't just a shrunken down iPad" (although it kinda is though, right?) but features an A5 chip, Lightning connector, 5MP camera on the back and FaceTime HD camera on the front of the device. There's also Wi-Fi that's touted to be 2 times faster than what we're used to and a whole 10 hours of battery life.

But we'll leave it to Gerald at Tech Digest to tell you more about the iPad mini here.

Although the iPad Mini is set to seriously rock (and flip over and destroy) the tablet boat, there are plenty of devices that measure around 7 inches already on the market, so if it's the slim design and smaller screen you're after then take a look at these before you get into that crazy, crazy Apple fanboy/girl queue for the next few weeks...

Each of the tablets on the list have a pretty comprehensive set of features and will suit most tablet lovers, but we've tried to pick out a few key traits that'll help you decide which is right for you.

Every now and then we like to ask our readers a few questions about what they get up to online.

We also try and make it worth your while too by adding in some great prizes.

So if you fancy being in with a shot of winning some prizes all you need do is click on this link and answer a few questions. They are mainly about what you do in social media, how much you love Facebook and what you think are the hottest new websites. So go on fill out the survey it should only take you five minutes.

As for the prizes, well we have been scouring the cupboards and have so far pulled out a camera, a tablet and a hi-fi. There will be at least a couple more goodies so we will post the definitive list in a day or so's time.

The survey is here

We will randomly choose the winners on Tuesday October 23rd at noon.

Usual Shiny terms and conditions apply

So you either updated to iOS 6 or you bought an iPhone 5 and then WHAT'S THIS!? A DIFFERENT MAP APP?! Let's all cry and get mad and throw our phones at the floor. Wahh :(:(:(:(.

We get it, you're all sick of Apple Maps, you think the navigation sucks and you want to moan and rant about it. STILL. But come on guys, let's accept the fact maps aren't served up to us in quite the same way as before and either get on with it or look for some alternatives.