Six gadgets to ease your New Year's resolutions

By Peter Jenkinson

Family focus

Logitech TV Cam HD - £163.04 from pixmania.com

If keeping in touch with your nearest and dearest - with more than an occasional and impersonal Facebook post or email message - is one of your aims for the coming year, this gadget is the one for you. Plug it into your telly and then use Skype on smart sets to beam yourselves all over the globe, or just around the corner, and have a proper, live chat. It is very good to talk.

Rainy day

Kitty coin bank - £14.99 from firebox.com

Putting a few quid aside every now and then really can add up to something substantial, if only you had somewhere nice as an incentive to stash your up-coming fortune. Well, here is one perfect and amusing way of storing any spare shrapnel (or larger denominated coinage); you place your money on the tray and the cute cat paw will pop out and scrape it in - a grin-inducer every time.

Wakey wakey

Lumie Zest - £150 from johnlewis.com

Getting that promised pre-office workout underway can be quite a chore on any morning - but especially so when the light is lacking. This clever clock can be set to gradually phase in a sunrise over 15 or 30 minutes, helping you start the day in a slightly more energetic and enthusiastic manner. Use your lamp for some mid-day light therapy too, it's scientifically proven to get you in a better mood and make you more alert.

Scoot your commute

A5 Luxe Scooter - £89.99 from iwantoneofthose.com

This will offer you double the resolution benefit of saving some cash on your commute and raising your fitness levels at the same time. Designed with the adult rider in mind, it supports weights up to 100KG and, with its larger wheels and aircraft grade aluminium chassis, can accelerate to fairly decent speeds. Folds away easily should you decide to jump on the train or bus after all.

Face lift

Slendertone Face - £199.99 from boots.com

If you want to face the new year looking nice and sleek, Slendertone has this clever gadget which you place on your head, then sit back and enjoy an invigorating session of muscle simulation. Promising to leave your skin toned and taut, the machine is obviously non-invasive and they talk of rejuvenation of the face in about six to 12 weeks, with a healthy glow beginning to appear after just a couple.

Get sorted

Google Nexus 7 32GB - £239.99 from currys.co.uk

There's simply no better way to get organised in 2014 than loading up this very latest tablet with its selection of diary, reminder and to-do list apps. In reality, you'll probably ignore the life-planning and get sucked into shouting at the screen when you fail to progress to the next level of Angry Birds - but still, the thought is there. Also loaded with the latest Android OS, Kit Kat, this handheld is a powerhouse of processing.

App of the week

NOOM Weight - free on iTunes and Google Play

If your diet plans normally fall by the wayside before January is up, this app could help keep you on the straight and narrow for a little longer. It lets you enter information on what foods you're eating and what exercise you've taken and their new database now includes commonly bought items from UK supermarkets to get more accurate calorie counts. A sure-fire way to help you, finally, meet those weight-loss goals.

Top 10 paid for apps for Android phones

1. The Chase

2. Where's Wally Now?

3. Minecraft - Pocket Edition

4. Monopoly MILLIONAIRE

5. Hidden Objects Merry Christmas

6. Alice Trapped in Wonderland

7. Plants vs Zombies

8. Camera for Kindle Fire

9. Holiday Drops - Match Three Puzzle

10. Pixel Gun 3D - Block World Pocket Survival Shooter with Cooperative Mutliplayer

Top 10 free apps for Android phones

1. Where's My Water? 2

2. Candy Crush Saga

3. Jelly Splash

4. Pocket Informant 3

5. Beat The Boss 3

6. Nemo's Reef

7. BBC iPlayer

8. Facebook

9. Star Wars: Tiny Death Star

10. BBC Media Player

(Both charts courtesy of Appstore on amazon.co.uk)