Cool gadgets and new tech for 2023
Sonos Era 300
You’ve heard of wireless Bluetooth speakers but how about an all-in-one surround sound system in one? The Sonos Era 300 speaker has Dolby Atmos capability with six class-D digital amplifiers and promises a rich sound with four tweeters and two woofers all in one speaker.
Working over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and auxiliary inputs with the Sonos Line-In Adapter to connect traditional devices such as vinyl turntables, CD players, and TVs, the Era 300 speaker is a great bit of tech for those who love streaming music and watching films in a simple to understand way without missing out on quality.
You can also pair two Era 300s together for superior surround sound and immersion. Ideal for evenings watching a film. Set it all up with the Sonos app and get the most out of your music library.
Ooni Volt 12
There are pizza ovens and there are pizza ovens. The Ooni Volt 12 is the latter as it is perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s lightweight and has a weather-resistant powder-coated outer shell so you should be able to store it outside just fine.
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The Ooni Volt 12 is all-electric, meaning you won’t need to deal with stocking up on wood pellets or dealing with the charcoal ash they leave behind.
You’ll be able to set precise temperatures, timers, and a top/bottom balance with ease, allowing you to cook homemade pizzas in around 90 seconds. Don’t worry if you can’t be bothered with the timers or temperature controls – the Volt 12 also has automatic heat settings and lights up inside so you can keep an eye on your cheesy treat.
- Buy now from John Lewis & Partners (£799.00), Amazon (£1099.99)
DJI Avata
First person view drones have really taken off recently. Allowing you to put on a headset and fly a drone from a first person view, these unique devices are the closest you can feel to flying like a bird.
DJI has released its latest version of this technology known as the DJI Avata. It is made to be more durable, and ready for any unfortunate crashes. You can pilot it via a controller or a joystick which mimics the movements of your hand. It also comes with plenty of clever features like the ability to use custom routes, follow a person or vehicle, and return to the starting point if it goes too far away.
Apple Watch Ultra
Apple has now been making its Watch series for a good few years, most of which have followed roughly the same formula. The Apple Watch Ultra takes all of the good bits of previous designs, and piles as much as possible on top.
While the result is a smartwatch that is by no means cheap, it has also resulted in the perfect device for athletes of all practices. Apple has kept divers, climbers, tennis players, martial artists and everyone in-between in mind.
It is durable, water-resistant up to 100 metres, can deal with extreme low and high temperatures, has an impressive 36 hour battery life, and has detailed apps to track your fitness and health.
Anker Soundcore Motion X600
This cool and relatively inexpensive portable speaker promises stereo spatial audio at an impressive 50W output. A modern-day boombox for the Spotify users among us, the Anker Soundcore Motion X600 is a quality choice for audiophiles everywhere.
The Motion X600 boasts five drivers and five amplifiers placed in the gadget to deliver sound all around you. It should make whatever you’re listening to fill the space you find yourself in, inside or out and about. Remember to use the Soundcore app to alter your EQ for the best listening experience!
With a purported up to 12-hour playtime, the battery should last long enough for just about any function you’re heading to or organising, and, better yet, it features IPX7 waterproof protection for those rainy days.
- Buy now from Amazon (£199)
Nix Biosensors
The Nix Hydration Biosensor is a must for those who take running, cycling, or any other form of exercise seriously and want to get the most out of their training or workout.
This biosensor will analyse sweat levels and deliver real-time hydration data in the form of personalised notifications to your smartphone or watch. You’ll be told exactly when you should drink, what you should drink, and how much you should drink to help ensure peak hydration.
If you’re looking to break your 5km run personal best or 10k cycle time, it’s definitely best to stay as hydrated as possible. Even mild dehydration can affect performance, after all.
- Buy now from Nix (£106)
Beeline Velo 2
Trying to get around a city on a bike is a stress like no other, attempting to navigate cars, people and lanes while also tracking your destination on your phone with a confused navigation system. The Velo 2 cycling computer is unfortunately unable to remove the cars and people in your way, but it can make the navigation easier.
This tiny circular device attaches to your bike, giving you easy minimal navigation instructions that are built from tracking real life journeys. You can also track your speed, arrival time, distance and check the time. It’s even weatherproof!
- Buy now from Amazon (£99.99)
Garmin Instict Crossover
Garmin’s new Instinct Crossover Solar fits a niche group of people who seem to be exercising every second of the day. It doesn’t really matter what your chosen sport is, the never-ending menus on this watch will have a mode for you. It tracks everything from running power, to heart rate, effective recovery time, and even how smoothly you descended a mountain bike trail.
When you eventually stop running, it can track your sleep and stress, and to fit even more exercise into your life, it uses solar power to stay on for an estimated 70 days without a charge.
- Buy now from Garmin (£529.99)
Google Pixel 7
There are a lot of smartphones out there, but realistically Apple and Samsung steal most of the limelight. With its two latest devices, Google has managed to join those top two, offering a pair of serious contenders in the Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.
In most of the obvious ways, these are great devices, dealing out solid battery performance, a strong processor, bright and colourful display, and even one of the best cameras we've used.
But in our Google Pixel 7 Pro review, it was the device's software that we were most impressed by. Able to translate voice notes to text, cut photo-bombers out of your pictures, and even screen calls so you can see if it is spam or not, the device offers a huge variety of ways to make your phone experience better.
iRobot Roomba J7+
iRobot, not to be confused with the 2004 Will Smith classic, is the leading creator of robot vacuums with the Roomba range. Getting smarter each year, the new Roomba J7+ combines both vacuum and mop in one machine. This itself isn’t new, but the company has introduced a new self-retracting mop feature.
The mop lifts out of the way when it approaches carpet, only using the mop in the places you want it. In theory, this means a robot vacuum that can be fully independent and doesn’t need to be assisted… so this is how the robot uprising starts?
- Buy now from Amazon (£999)
Meta Quest Pro
Ah yes, the metaverse - the supposed future of our digital world. While this new virtual land hasn't exactly begun successfully, many tech leaders are still very much of the view that we'll soon be plugged in, enjoying our own digital house, job and life.
If you want to get in now and enjoy the metaverse and virtual reality, the Meta Quest Pro 2 will likely be the best way to do this. Meta, previously known as Facebook, has poured money into this to offer the latest and most impressive specs available in the world of VR.
With all of its fancy new features and functions, comes a massive price tag of £1,499. It's the best VR can be right now, but the investment is only worthwhile for those who can't wait for the metaverse.
Apple Airpods Gen 2
For Apple fans, Airpods are likely the obvious choice for a new pair of in-ear headphones. If you are looking for the latest and best option, it will be the new Apple Airpods Pro 2nd generation.
While they don't come cheap, they offer Apple's best active noise cancellation outside of the incredibly pricey AirPods Max, as well as upping the battery life to get you 6 hours on a single charge.
The most important upgrade here is the new H2 chip. This aids the noise cancellation and allows the headphones to adapt songs to offer rich bass and clean high notes in real time.
RRP £249
Samsung Galaxy Fold 4
While everyone else quickly abandoned the idea, Samsung has been making real waves in the world of folding smartphones. Now on the fourth edition, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the most impressive folding smartphone to date.
It is water-resistant, has been tested to fold and close up to 200,000 times, and despite the hinge, this features one of Samsung's best displays. Whether you want to use it in tablet form, or in its cover screen, both look sleek and feel responsive with a 120Hz refresh display.
While its the best foldable device out there, that technology carries a hefty price tag.
DJI Osmo Mobile 6
When it comes to camera equipment, DJI has spread itself across the whole industry making a load of action cameras, drones and accessories. One of their latest devices is the DJI Osmo Mobile 6, a gimbal that you can use with your smartphone.
This will balance out your movement when you are filming, allowing you to take smooth video even when you are running, driving or otherwise throwing yourself about.
Through the use of DJI's ActiveTrack 5.0 software, you can track a subject smoothly, keeping them in frame, even when they are moving about.
The gimbal also includes a host of buttons for zooming, cinematic blurs and other similar effects.
Amazon Kindle Scribe
Amazon has come a long way since its first Kindle device, but a feature that they have been slow to take up is the stylus. Now, with the Kindle Scribe, you can scribble notes on the book you are reading, make handwritten notes, and generally get more out of your Kindle.
The device also features one of Kindle's best displays, meaning you can continue to read in bright lighting. There is also a warm light setting for when you want to wind down and get ready for bed.
Nothing Phone 1
The brand Nothing (best known for headphones so far) has had the world of tech enthusiasts patiently waiting for the reveal of their new smartphone. They promised something a little bit different, and they delivered on that.
The back of the device is transparent, allowing you to see the inner-workings of the device. On top of that, it features a number of LED lights that the company has called 'Glyphs'.
These lights flash in different ways to inform you of incoming calls, texts, social media notifications and plenty of other alerts on your device.
Elsewhere, the team at Nothing have fit in a sold battery, strong camera performance and a good display.
Read our full review of the Nothing Phone 1
RRP £399
HyperX Cloud Alpha
The HyperX Cloud Alpha are a pair of gaming headphones that offer one thing above all: a fantastic battery life. HyperX claims that these headphones offer 300 hours of battery life. That means you can use these headphones for just over 12 days straight without a charge, although we would really recommend a break in there somewhere!
Other than how long they'll last, these headphones also feature a powerful crisp sound and a truly excellent microphone quality.
RRP £189.99
Sony WH-1000XM5
Back in 2018, Sony released what would become one of the best pairs of headphones available - the WH-1000XM3. Since then we've seen the XM4, and now, Sony has followed up with the WH-1000XM5. If you ignore the somewhat painfully dull naming conventions, these, like their predecessors, are some of the best headphones around.
Scoring 5 star reviews all around, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are very much designed for those who would rather not splurge on a pair of Apple AirPod Max headphones.
In terms of specs and audio, these are extremely similar to Sony's renditions from before. They offer market-leading audio across the low's, mids and highs, excellent noise cancellation, and you get an array of smart ambient features.
The biggest difference with these headphones is the design, offering a completely new look to their predecessor. More minimalist and lighter too.
RRP £380
MacBook Pro with M2 chip
Does Apple's new MacBook Pro reinvent the wheel? No. Does it feature ground-breaking new features and a revolutionary design...? Also no. What Apple's new MacBook Pro does is ramp up specs and improve on an already popular design.
It continues to feature the touch bar (very much a love or hate feature), it offers more RAM allocation, the charging is faster and the Pro now features Spatial Audio.
However, the biggest change here is the processor, now featuring Apple's M2 processor chip. This makes the 2022 MacBook Pro an incredibly powerful computer. Finally, we have an Apple laptop that can keep up with gaming alongside the demands of professional editing and creative software.
RRP £1,349
DJI Mini 3 Pro
Every year, DJI’s Mini series gets smaller and yet more powerful, cramming high-end specs into a lightweight drone that you can chuck in your bag.
But with all those improvements, comes an eye-watering price, and an increasing fear for your financial status if you crash it. It offers advanced obstacle avoidance features, a rotating lens so you can film portrait or landscape, 4K video, smart flying features like automatic tracking and the ability to follow a subject.
Despite its higher price, this feels like the perfect drone for beginners, those who like to travel, or really anyone in the market for a light-weight, high tech drone.
VAHA S Fitness Mirror
Sure, you could go the gym... or, the gym could come to you. That's the idea of the Vaha S Fitness Mirror, giving you a full size mirror that can play over 850 workout classes, and connect you with personal trainers in real time.
The mirror itself is a 32-inch Full HD touchscreen, complete with 30W speakers and a brushed metal finish.
While this is without a doubt one of the the more impressive home workout options, it is also pretty pricey. The mirror alone will cost you £1195 and then there is a £39 a month payment to access classes.
For more cool gadgets, see our round-up of the best smart mirrors to buy for your home.
- Buy now from Vaha (£1195)
Therabody Wave Roller
The Therabody Wave Roller takes the traditional model of a foam roller and throws a bunch of tech into it. Through the use of vibration therapy and a wave-style texture, this roller helps to work out all of your aches and pains.
It comes with an app that can guide you through a rolling routine, five customisable vibration frequencies and can be used anywhere on the body that needs working out.
RRP £125
Generation Zerøgrand II
The sustainable shoe market is blowing up right now, with major companies trying to create the shoe that leaves the smallest carbon footprint. One of the more unique attempts at this is the recent Generation Zerøgrand II.
These shoes from Cole Haan are made using almost entirely recycled materials. The upper design is made with vegan microfiber made of 21 per cent recycled content and a felt fabric made of 85 per cent plastic bottles. The laces are completely recycled, and the most unique part, the soles have a minimum of 25 per cent natural dandelion rubber!
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