All posts tagged 'gadget-inspector'

Apr 201606

8 Things You Didn't Know About The Grand National

andrew gadget inspector news

The Grand National is an annual horse racing event that's held at Aintree racecourse in Liverpool. Every year millions of punters will place bets in hope that their horse makes it around the racecourse and finishes in first. In celebration of this historic sporting event, we thought we'd show you 8 facts about the historic horse race that perhaps you didn't know.

The First Grand National

The first Grand National was officially held in 1839 but it started two hours late after confusion over weighing procedures. Eventually the race started and the winner was won by 5-1 favourite Lottery and was ridden by Jem Mason, who was know for his exquisite dress sense.

The Obstacles

The first 5 Grand Nationals included one jump that was a stone wall, where the water jump now stands. The Fence "Becher's Brook" earned its name when a top jockey, Captain Martin Becher, fell off his horse and had to take shelter in the brook. The tallest fence on the course is named "The Chair" and it stands at a mighty 5ft 2in, and is proceeded by a 6 foot wide ditch!

That's a lot of Alcohol!

It's been said that there will be roughly 77,000 people at Aintree to watch the Grand National. To cater for all these punters, there's over 80 bars at the venue and it's believed they will consume a quarter of a million pints of beer, 38,000 and 5,000 cocktails. On top of all that, punters will also enjoy 75,00 cups of tea and coffee, as well as 3,500 rumps of lamb!

The Least and Most Finishers

The greatest number of horses to finish the Grand National was in 1984 where 23 horses finished the race, and was won by Hallo Dandy and was ridden by Neale Doughty. The least amount of finishers was in 1928 where just 2 horses finished the race! The winning horse was Tipperary Tim who was a 100-1 outsider and it was said the jockey riding the horse heard a friend shout " Billy Boy, you'll only win if all the others fall". How right he was.

Moiffa, The Disappearing Winner

The winner of the 1904 Grand National, Moiffa, had an unusual build up to his eventual success at Aintree. A year before the Grand National the horse had disappeared. It was thought that he went down with the ship that was carrying him from New Zealand to Liverpool and had to swim 50 miles to shore! However the horse was picked up from an uninhabited island by a local fishing boat and returned back to the mainland, where his trainer reclaimed him and he went on to win the National! Some say that it was a different horse arriving from New Zealand that was stranded and won but we'd like to believe the legend!

The Youngest and Oldest Winners

The youngest winning jockey to win the Grand National is Bruce Hobbs who won it in 1938 at the age of just 17 years of age! The oldest winning jockey is Dick Saunders, who was 47 years old in 1982.

An Unwanted Record

Richard Johnson holds the record for the most rides in the Grand National without a win, a record he's probably not too happy to hold. His best effort was on What's Up Boy's where he finished in second place. This year it'll be his 20th attempt for a win and we all hope he finally breaks his duck.

Red Rum

The horse to win the most Grand Nationals is Red Rum. The record-breaking horse won the National three times, in 1973. 9174 and 1977. He also finished in second place in both 1975 and 1976. Red Rum is therefore rightly buried at the winning post at Aintree. The perfect resting place wouldn't you agree?

Everyone here at Gadget Inspector hopes you enjoy the race and please gamble responsibly!

Jan 201604

The Perfect Office Gadgets to Eliminate the 'Back-to-work' Blues

andrew gifts & gadgets

We had our fair share of fun over the Christmas break, but now it's time for us to get back to reality and back to work. Faced with the daunting task of endlessly hearing the same question of "Good Christmas?", and giving the same drab reply on auto-repeat, it's already feeling like a bit too much to deal with this soon after the holidays!

To cheer you all up, we thought we'd share some of our brilliant office gadgets, which are all sure to brighten up your workplace!

Bunny Stapler

Just £8.50

It's a stapler, shaped like a bunny rabbit! Surely you can't get more cheerful than that? This adorable stapler is the cutest desktop accessory in all the land, and is guaranteed to make stapling be the most enjoyable part of the day!

Novelty Rubbers

Just £4.99

It's the first day back and you're guaranteed to make some mistakes, so what better way to correct them than with this set of Novelty Rubbers! Whether zombies or soldiers are more your thing, these characterful erasers are sure to bring some fun to your stationary selection.

Genius Paperclip Holder

Just £8.00

If you turned over a new leaf during the Christmas break and decided you want a nice clean desk to start the new year with, then this Genius Paperclip Holder is perfect for you! Save yourself the torture of having paper clips all over your desk, just stick them on Albert's head instead!

Complaint Department Grenade Ornament

Just £9.99

There is always one person (or a dozen) in the office who likes a good moan, but at this time of year you really don't need any more negativity. This Complaint Department Grenade Ornament is the perfect gift for to put them in line, and is guaranteed to get a few chuckles around in the office.

Desktop Games

Just £4.99

After having so much fun during your Christmas break, you're bound to be slightly miffed about getting back to your regular nine to five! If that's the case, then why not brighten up your mood with one of our desktop game sets? After a few heated sessions of our desktop games you may even completely forget that you're back in work, so just remember to finish off your tasks by the end of the day!

R2-D2 Desktop Vacuum

Just £14.99

The mess from your lunch break stands no chance against this mini R2-D2 Desktop Vacuum! It's the perfect way to indulge your inner big kid, whilst also honouring your promise to keep your desk tidy!

Despicable Me Desktop Standee

Just £4.99

These Desktop Standees are the perfect accessories to brighten your desk and add a little humour to your workspace! We realize that it's not quite like having a real office minion, but it's most certainly the next best thing (unless you plan on selecting a not-so-lucky employee to participate in spot of fancy dress!)

For more Gadget Inspector news and awesome gift ideas, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Dec 201514

Deal of the week: Maze Cube - Large

andrew gadget inspector news, gifts & gadgets

Do you love a challenge? Do you enjoy a good puzzle to get your brain working? If so, this Maze Cube - Large is perfect for you!

This 3D Tetris-like puzzle has 19000 possible solutions, so it should keep you busy up until Christmas next year! It consists of 13 different pieces in red, blue and yellow, which make a thousand different configurations. When put together correctly, you can make a perfect cube.

If this Maze Cube interests you, then you'll be happy to know that it is our Deal Of The Week, and it is now reduced to £4.50! That's more than 50% off, what a bargain!

If you're looking for the ultimate brain teaser that will challenge you this Christmas, then look no further than our Maze Cube - Large! With over 19000 different solutions, you won't be getting bored of this in a hurry!

Click Here to check out our other puzzles!

Dec 201509

Our Favourite Christmas Tunes

Joel Dear info

There's nothing like hearing your favourite Christmas songs to get you in in the festive spirit, so we thought we would put a little list together, sharing what we think are some of the best Christmas songs in existance!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

We haven't put an artist name to this song, because as you will discover if you do a little work on Google, it's been covered by almost everyone! From Bing Crosby, to The Beach Boys, to Michael Buble, this really is one of the most well-known songs in the Christmas canon. Plus, it's got Santa in the tile, so what more could you really want from a festive number?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams

There's no way to describe this song, other than pure Christmas joy! For those who just can't wait for Christmas, this is the perfect tune to express your excitement (it's probably more than a little irritating for all the scrooges out there too)!

Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade

'IT'S CHRIIIIIIISTMAAAAAAAAAAS!' Need I say more?

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) - Nat King Cole

It's one of the more laid-back choices on our list, but this song couldn't be more festive! If this number doesn't make you want to stay indoors and snuggle up in front of a fire with a mince pie or glass of mulled wine, then I don't know what will.

Do They Know it's Christmas? - Band Aid (1984)

Although this list is all about fun, laughter and warmth for the most part, it's important to remember that not everyone is lucky enough to enjoy a carefree Christmas. This song reminds us every year that its original message is still important, while also being a great Christmas sing-a-long tune!

White Christmas - Bing Crosby

Again, this song is one of the more subdued melodies on our list, but the is no denying it's influence on the entire holiday season. It's sentimental, heart-warming, and apparently brought tears to the eyes of many WW2 soldiers, who were spending Christmas overseas when it was first released.

All I Want For Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

This song was a well established hit for years, but it seemed to gain even more popularity after the release of Christmas classic 'Love Actually', back in 2003. Don't lie, we all know that it's your favourite scene!

Little Drummer Boy/ Peace on Earth - Bing and Bowie

This rock star/crooner combination left most people puzzled when it was first announced, but it really has stood the test of time to earn its place amongst Christmas classics! Try singing the harmonies with an older relative after dinner this year..

Last Christmas - Wham

This melancholy Christmas tune is as song which proves that the 1980's produced some of the best Christmas music! All you need is this with a slab of Stilton, and you're set for your yearly dose of Christmas cheese!

Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney

This has to be the best Christmas song ever, no debate. Okay, we know that everyone has their favourites, but this one should be pretty close to the top of everyone's list. Not only does it have some of the most jolly lyrics of any Christmas song in existence, it's also written and performed by a freakin' Beatle!

Oct 201522

Making the Star Wars Tie Fighter II Model

Joel Dear new gadgets

About a year ago, we showed you a model of a TIE fighter that we constructed using one of our Star Wars model kits. Well, now we have a brand new range of Star Wars model kits on offer (and just in time for the new film!)

With a newly-replenished stock of model kits in the Gadget Inspector warehouse, we thought we'd put our skills to the test once again and try to construct one of the new models. Just like last time, we started off with two metal sheets and a set of illustrated instructions that we pretended not to need. We popped out the the pieces carefully, trying not to damage them lest our efforts be wasted.

Next, using our superior hand-eye co-ordination (and perhaps a little bit of the Force), we started putting the pieces together. We strongly recommend that you keep a pair of tweezers handy when you attempt one of these model kits because some parts can be fiddly.

Anyway, we're pleased to announce that we succeeded in our second model-making quest, and we have once again constructed our very own Tie Fighter Model! We're very proud of the finished model, and we now have it on display in the office so everyone can admire its beauty.

Click here to see our first attempt at constructing a Star Wars Model, or click here to check out the rest of our fantastic model kits.