One person’s gadget is another’s essential work tool, so perhaps we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss the genre as an irredeemable source of excess consumption. The ten products selected below should all serve you well, even if they’ve been acquired for all the wrong reasons.
Top 10 gadgets of 2023
01. reMarkable 2 e-ink tablet
Expect this genre to expand even more in 2024; for now, reMarkable’s second gen e-ink tablet is our firm favourite, buoyed by excellent hardware design and software that keeps getting better.
02. Are flip phones actually back?
OPPO Find N2 Flip
Despite our enthusiasm for their ability to deter you from constant phone fiddling, flip phones haven’t taken the market by storm. That hasn’t stopped manufacturers from pushing the form factor in increasingly sophisticated ways.
03. Google Pixel Tablet
Google Pixel Tablet
Google’s first ever Pixel Tablet was a winner straight out of the gate. Used as a portable media centre, the hub of your smart home, or just as secondary laptop, the Pixel Tablet offers power and flexibility.
04. Meticulous Espresso machine
Meticulous Espresso machine
The most intriguing and elegant device from our round-up of home working tech, Meticulous’ Espresso machine promises to keep perfect cups of coffee flowing all day.
05. Polyend Tracker Mini
Polyend Tracker Mini
One for the incorrigible gear collector, Polyend’s Tracker Mini is a hardware iteration of very old school audio software. Patience and practice are required to get results.
06. Sky Live
Sky Glass and Sky Live
Sky’s Live service captured our attention. An add-on to the broadcaster’s Glass TV set, the onboard camera offers communications, sharing, games and even fitness.
07. Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Although its baked-in AI might make many baulk, Google’s newest Pixel stays at the top of its sector with smart synergy between hardware and software.
08. Zoom R4 MultiTrack
Zoom R4 MultiTrack
The latest digital recorder from Zoom serves as everything from a dictaphone to a pocket recording studio.
09. Fender Tone Master Pro
Fender Tone Master Pro
Fender’s first foray into the all-in-one guitarist’s pedalboard might upset the purists, but it’s been taken to heart by pros the world over. Excellent sounds and solid hardware design make this a sound choice.
10. The Computer, Taschen
The Computer: A history from the 17th Century to Today, Taschen
Finally, a traditional book that represents a fine example of how to archive such fast-moving history. Depending on your age, it’s a rich source of nostalgia or wonder.
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Tobi Masa lands at The Chancery RosewoodChef Masa Takayama’s debut London restaurant transforms modernist geometry into a space of ritual calm and culinary purity
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Bionic Labs builds precision next-level Apple accessories from aluminium and stainless steelFrom stands, chargers and keyboard trays to a set of accessories for the Vision Pro, Parisian design studio Bionic Labs offers only the best for your Apple gear
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Yuko Mohri’s living installations play on Marcel Duchamp’s surrealismThe artist’s seven new works on show at Milan’s Pirelli HangarBicocca explore the real and imaginary connections that run through society
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Forget the sensor-stuffed smart home and opt for these bots made from warm Danish oak insteadSwift Creatives have debuted their conceptual Wooden Bots, smart notification systems concealed within a trio of sculptural, highly crafted, but still recognisably robotic devices
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Two new portable projectors from Wanbo and Soundcore showcase extremes of scaleThe ultra-compact Wanbo Dali 1 goes up against Soundcore’s mighty Nebula X1 Pro mobile theatre system
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Google Home gets a glow-up as Gemini joins the party with its uncanny observational skillsYour smart speaker becomes sentient and you now have your own NSA-grade domestic surveillance set-up. Welcome to the terrifying power of Gemini-enabled Google Home
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Montblanc’s new Digital Paper and Digital Pen are high-end entries into the e-ink clubFamed for its traditional writing instruments, Montblanc brings its premium approach to the digital realm
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Back to black: five new coffee machines serve up everything from smooth filter to rich espressoFrom bean to cup, there’s no messing up with these five new coffee machines, offering a fine selection of coffees in a variety of sizes
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The new Plaud Note Pro deploys AI to transform the spoken word into searchable dataThe Note Pro promises full-on conversational AI, a pocketable device that can capture roundtable chats and correctly attribute speakers and action points. Help or hindrance?
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The Hasselblad X2D II 100C takes the iconic camera brand to a new level of sophisticationSweden’s most sophisticated camera manufacturer announces a new flagship medium-format digital camera and zoom lens
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Lava Studio is a sleek studio-in-a-box for guitarists seeking the ultimate portable toolLava Music's new Studio is an elegant touchscreen-powered guitar effects unit with multi-track recording, AI tips and tricks and a powerful integrated speaker
