I’m pretty much the geekiest person I know, and as such I usually keep track of some of the more unusual and/or useful gadgets being released at any given moment. For the most part I stick to technology related stuff, but I’ve been known to branch out a bit as well. Below you’ll find a list of things I feel are cool, unique, useful, and fun to use. Just remember: these aren’t in any particular order, it would have been much too difficult to actually rank them in any fashion!
10. Aeropress
Imagine if you could take a Keurig machine, fuse it with a french press, and then shrink it down to about the size of the average male fist. That, my friends, would give you the Aeropress. It’s one of those things where you see it and go, “huh, why didn’t I think of that?” It makes it easy to get the one or two cups of coffee you need in the morning without forcing you to waste plastic k-cups or complicate things with a larger drip maker or french press.
9. iPad Air 2
Perhaps this isn’t the most original thing to put on a list like this, but there’s no denying how influential Apple’s line of tablets is. Though it probably isn’t worth it to upgrade to this if you have an Air, anything older than that will be crushed by the Air 2. It’s also a nice preview of the kind of performance you’ll see with the iPhone 6S, as it uses a triple core processor that’s likely to be used in Apple’s next smartphone…
8. Waterpebble
Have you ever asked yourself, “boy, I take too long in the shower, what can I do to save some precious water!” I’m here to save the day with the Waterpebble, a handy little device that will let you know when you’ve been in the shower too long by flashing angry lights at you. Just set it to however long you want to be in the shower, and it will let you know if you’ve gone overboard.
7. Mophie Space Pack
For some reason Apple has chosen to make their phones comically thin instead of giving them the big batteries they deserve. Well, luckily for you Mophie is here to bring you the multi-day battery life you desire. It’s a case, and an extra battery, all in one! What more can you ask for? I’ve used one and can answer that question: not much.
6. Oculus Rift
Virtual reality is here! Well, almost. Based on how quickly the software development for these little electronic visors is coming along, we should be seeing some cool virtual-reality related stuff within the next few years. I haven’t used one of these things yet, but I have seen some of the kinds of software they run. Though it’s not quite on the level of The Matrix yet, we’re well on our way.
5. Misfit Shine
I almost bought one of these when I was running every day, and for good reason. They’re a stylish and unobtrusive way of gauging how active you are on a daily basis. It basically looks like a watch, with little lights encircling it. The lights blink on depending on whether or not you reach your activity quota for the day, and its settings can be controlled by your smartphone. Nifty.
4. Apple Watch
I’d be remiss not to include one of the bigger item announcements of 2014. It’s basically an iPhone for your wrist. I’m not sure if they’ll catch on, but I have no doubt that some of the cool kids will adopt them the day they’re released.
3. Nest Learning Thermostat
Control the temperature of your home from the comfort and familiarity of your smartphone’s screen. Supposedly this will help you cut down on your heating/electric bill, since I guess most people are too lazy to get up and manually adjust their thermostat (not being sarcastic, I’ve seen it happen; it’s basically human nature). I’m not sure if it works with air conditioning systems too, but I’d imagine it does. From what I’ve read you’ll probably be able to connect it to the internet in the future and have it adjust automatically based on the weather outside, which is pretty cool.
2. Pillow Talk
Are you in a long distance relationship? Well, luckily for you you’ll soon be able to spice things up just a bit through the use of a new product dubbed “Pillow Talk.” It’s simple enough: you and your significant other wear a ring (or it might be a band, I read conflicting reports) that monitors your heartbeat. When your heart beats, your girlfriend or boyfriend’s pillow pulses with a soft glow. It’s almost like they’re right there with you! I’m not sure if this will work too well for light sleepers (the constant glow might become annoying), but I’d give it a try at least.
1. iPhone 6
Wouldn’t be much of a gadget list if it didn’t include an iPhone! I know what you’re thinking…there’s three Apple products on this list. Trust me, I’m no Apple fanatic, it’s just that compared to the competition they’re usually the most influential products in their category. Once again, the iPhone has taken the globe by storm, and it’s doubtful that any gadget will ever exert as much sheer influence as this thing does (at least for the foreseeable future). Do you own one of the more eclectic items on this list? Share your experiences with it in the comment section below!
Featured photo credit: Anna Bashmakova and Oculus Rift/ Sergey Galyonkin via flickr.com
