title: The Gadget Show (series 18)
text: # The Gadget Show (series 18)
  
  The eighteenth series of the British consumer technology television programme The Gadget Show began on 14 October 2013 and ended on 6 January 2014. It comprises 13 episodes.
  
  Jason Bradbury, Pollyanna Woodward, Rachel Riley and Jon Bentley all returned from the previous series to present the show.
  
  ## Episodes
  
  | No. overall | No. in series | Title | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 243 | 1 | "Episode 243" | 14 October 2013 (2013-10-14) | N/A |
  | Rachel and Jason try out the new Google Glass wearable computer and later go on a road trip to find out whether 4G lives up to the hype. Pollyanna puts the Quadski, which is the combination of a jetski and a quadbike, to the test and Jon tries out three DSLR cameras. Special guest: Fun Lovin' Criminals frontman and 6 Music DJ Huey Morgan gives his views on a variety of internet radios. |||||
  | 244 | 2 | "Episode 244" | 21 October 2013 (2013-10-21) | N/A |
  | Jon tests translation apps for smartphones at the European Office of the United Nations in Geneva, and learns about the UK's best free-to-air TV services. Rachel and Jason make a pocket-sized portable barbecue, while Pollyanna heads to northern Florida to try out the Cygnet, a tricycle designed to work on land sea, and in the air. |||||
  | 245 | 3 | "Episode 245" | 28 October 2013 (2013-10-28) | N/A |
  | Jason and Rachel build two tech-heavy Halloween costumes and take them out to the darkened streets of Birmingham to give the commuting public a scare. Jon looks at how to get better sound from flat screen TVs without breaking the bank. Jason is joined by European downhill mountain bike champion Scott Beaumont to put off-road e-bikes to the test, while in America, Pollyanna drives the Batmobile. Special guest: TV presenter Jamie East tries out a range of budget cameras at an awards show. |||||
  | 246 | 4 | "Episode 246" | 4 November 2013 (2013-11-04) | N/A |
  | Rachel and Jason look at 4K technology, which is set to change how consumers watch television, while Pollyanna is in California to test a submersible and a water-propelled stunt bike. Jon tries out the latest convertible laptops for the new Windows 8 operating system, with help from actor Jonathan Slinger, Paralympic rower James Roe, artist Kyle Lambert and Britain's fastest touch-typist Bethan Davis. Special guests: Indie band Two Door Cinema Club give their verdicts on a selection of music-streaming sites. |||||
  | 247 | 5 | "Episode 247" | 11 November 2013 (2013-11-11) | N/A |
  | Rachel and Jason team up with cosmetic dentist James Russell to put the latest electric toothbrushes through their paces, Jon is in Amsterdam to test new Android smartphones, and Pollyanna comes face-to-face with the Mantis, a British-designed mechanical beast with six legs that can be controlled from its cockpit or by wi-fi. Special guest: Former swimmer Mark Foster gives his verdict on three waterproof MP3 players. |||||
  | 248 | 6 | "Episode 248" | 18 November 2013 (2013-11-18) | N/A |
  | Jason and Rachel tackle an assault course to find out which of a selection of Bluetooth speakers match their claims of robustness, and Jon picks his top three TVs and puts them through their paces with the help of the Coventry Blaze ice hockey team. Jason and Rachel build a bedside table that can charge mobiles wirelessly, and Pollyanna is in Malta to take a look at a luxurious personal submarine made by U-Boat Worx. Special guests: The directors of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 give their verdicts on the latest animation apps. |||||
  | 249 | 7 | "Episode 249" | 25 November 2013 (2013-11-25) | N/A |
  | Jason and Rachel don the latest in fitness bands to find out whether the bracelets can really track their movements, and also try to build their own amphibious bicycle. Jon tests the latest smartphones, while in America, Pollyanna spends the day with the TreMoto, a three-wheeled machine capable of pushing even the most experienced motorbike rider to the limit. Special guest: TV presenter Helen Skelton puts three leading road bikes through their paces on the Tour of Britain route in the Lake District. |||||
  | 250 | 8 | "Episode 250" | 2 December 2013 (2013-12-02) | N/A |
  | The teams draw up a wish-list of tech treats for Christmas, with Jason and Rachel giving their views on a studio full of this year's must-have toys and taking a look at a 3D printing pen that can be used to create decorations. There are ideas for presents for both sexes as Pollyanna spends a day with members of Bath Rugby's squad and former Hollyoaks stars Matt Littler and Darren Jeffries try gifts out on a women's wrestling team, while chef Ainsley Harriott tests three state-of-the-art ovens by cooking turkeys for the crew. |||||
  | 251 | 9 | "Episode 251" | 9 December 2013 (2013-12-09) | N/A |
  | The team celebrates the 250th episode by trying to set two world records, with Pollyanna heading to Malta for her attempt, and Jason and Rachel aiming to achieve the largest architectural projection of a video game. Jon takes a look at the advances that have been made since the series first aired back in 2004, and Rachel and Jason delve into the programme's archives to pick out their top five moments. |||||
  | 252 | 10 | "Episode 252" | 16 December 2013 (2013-12-16) | N/A |
  | Jon heads to a school that has ditched pens and paper in favour of digital screens to test three of the latest tablet computers, Jason and Rachel get to grips with wireless vacuum cleaners and try to make a dog collar with a Bluetooth speaker that can be called from a mobile phone, and Pollyanna visits the west coast of America to have a go on a surfboard powered by a petrol engine. Special guests: Comedy duo Dick and Dom are in the kitchen to check out culinary gadgets. |||||
  | 253 | 11 | "Episode 253" | 23 December 2013 (2013-12-23) | N/A |
  | Jason and Rachel pit the Xbox One against the PlayStation 4 with the help of Birmingham City University's game design students, and also devise and fashion a heated jacket capable of withstanding the rigours of a typical British December. Jon rides through the streets of Bristol to determine the best cycling satnav on the market, and Pollyanna heads to the Castle Combe motor-racing circuit in Wiltshire for a drive in a record-breaking electric car. Special guest: Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott hits the slopes to test the latest in-ear headphones. |||||
  | 254 | 12 | "Episode 254" | 30 December 2013 (2013-12-30) | N/A |
  | Jon looks back at items that have graced the show over the past 12 months, from Google Glass to the Samsung Galaxy Gear and new consoles Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Jason and Rachel test three 4K Blu-ray players, which are capable of displaying pictures at four times the quality of normal HD, while Pollyanna heads to San Francisco to hitch a ride in a replica DeLorean that travels on water. Special guests: Cast members from Hollyoaks try out gadgets aimed at improving parties, from smart lighting and wireless speakers to 360-degree cameras for arty group shots. |||||
  | 255 | 13 | "Episode 255" | 6 January 2014 (2014-01-06) | N/A |
  | The team welcomes in the new year with a look at some of 2014's must-have gadgets. Rachel joins Jon to put smart watches through their paces, and builds a high-speed snowball cannon with Jason. Pollyanna is in the Big Bear Lake region of California to test electric bikes. Special guest: F1 development driver Susie Wolff hits the road to review the latest range of consumer in-car technology. |||||
  