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
reMarkable 2 and Type Folio
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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Orchid Pavilion channels Japanese philosophy for blossoming flowers in Puerto EscondidoOrchid Pavilion by CCA Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónica provides fitting shelter for flower conservation in Mexico's Casa Wabi
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Chef Raphael Rego’s Oka Fogo in Paris is two Brazilian restaurants in one
Oka Fogo in Paris, by Michelin-starred chef Raphael Rego, offers two dining spaces, with interiors by Arnaud Behzad and joyful frescoes by Florence Bamberger
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‘Fungi: Web of Life’ film sees Björk and Merlin Sheldrake explore a magical world
Björk and microbiologist Merlin Sheldrake unite for ‘Fungi: Web of Life’, a 3D film in which the beauty and ecological importance of fungi unfurls
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CES 2024: truly all the tech you need and then some
The best tech of CES 2024, from next-level laptops to mindful mirrors, audacious audio and more innovation than you can shake a smart bot at
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Cassette players for analogue audio lovers as we explore tapes’ slow and steady revival
Brand-new cassette players, refurbished classics and the best second-hand sources to experience analogue audio in 2024
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Quirky tech for 2024, from robotic space dogs to extreme speakers
Our pick of quirky tech for the year ahead embraces ten more eccentric products, partnerships and conceptual dreams
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Huawei’s new MatePad Pro 13.2-inch tablet has big-screen credentials
The feature-packed Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2-inch is a new hero for curating, creating and reshaping beautiful content, wherever you are
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Wallpaper* gift guide: shopping with technology editor Jonathan Bell
The best tech gifts, from gaming on the go to a Japanese record player, and the odd creative curveball
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Three new record players offer fresh ways to experience old vinyl
Each of these recently released record players makes it easy to bring the warmth of vinyl back into your daily listening habits
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Humane’s Ai Pin is a wearable personal assistant, powered by artificial intelligence
The launch of the Humane Ai Pin sees invisible computing and ubiquitous AI take a big step towards the mainstream
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Google Pixel Watch 2 wants to look after you
The Google Pixel Watch 2 harnesses the power and potential of FitBit, which the company acquired in 2022, for both personal wellness and safety
