Our pick of the month’s smartest tech
…a drone that makes you feel like a bird
Want to soar through the sky like an eagle? You could strap on a wingsuit, but for those of us looking for a somewhat safer option, DJI’s new first-person-view drone could do the trick. The DJI Avata uses a headset to allow you to see exactly what the drone ‘sees’. While this is nothing new, DJI has beefed up the drone and included a host of safety features, which means that newbies can rocket through the sky without fear of crashing. You even get a motion controller, allowing you to move the drone with hand gestures.
DJI Avata £989, store.dji.com
…innovative phone technology
Do you need a smartphone that can fold? Do you need a device that costs a £1,649? For most people, the answer to both those questions will be no, but that hasn’t stopped Samsung releasing the fourth version of its Galaxy Z Fold series. This folding smartphone can open into a full tablet, yet still offers a surprisingly slim design when closed, and comes with an impressive camera and high-quality screen.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 £1,649, samsung.com
…the ultimate standing desk
Ergonomic office gear is cool nowadays, thanks mostly to a cult-like obsession with standing desks. While most standing desks are limited to a rise and fall motion, start-up Lumina has decided to go even further. Its desk is fitted with an always-on ambient display, so you can track your social media, use Spotify or monitor finances straight from the desk. You can also wirelessly charge your phone from anywhere on the surface, and set timers for your desk to rise or fall.
Lumina Desk £TBC, getlumina.com/desk
…solar-charged headphones
Fed up of charging your devices each day? Adidas’s latest headphones could help. They offer 80 hours of playtime, and charge via light – both natural and artificial. That means you can get a full battery just by walking around with them on your bonce. While solar-charged headphones aren’t anything new, Adidas has designed them to be sweatproof and splashproof, with washable parts so you can de-stink them after the gym.
Adidas RPT-02 SOL £199.95, adidasheadphones.com
…a portable air massager
For the average person, on-the-go air massagers might seem ridiculous, but for avid marathon-runners or professional athletes, the Hyperice Normatec Go seems like a worthy investment. The wearable sleeves slide onto your calves, delivering targeted compression that you control via an app to help ease soreness and inflammation. They will make your legs look a bit like RoboCop’s, but that feels like a worthwhile exchange to reduce post-exercise pain.
Hyperice Normatec Go $399, hyperice.com
IDEAS WE DON’T LIKE…
…CREEPY FACES IN THE METAVERSE
The metaverse was a huge gamble for Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, and right now, he seems to be losing that bet. While showing off Meta’s new game Horizon Worlds for the Rift S and Quest 2 VR headsets, Zuckerberg unveiled his avatar for this metaverse experience. Stood in front of a blurry Eiffel Tower, the low-resolution, terrified-looking version of Zuckerberg was met with much hilarity and scorn online. Early reviews of the game report non-stop bugs, but at least it can successfully replicate Zuckerberg’s dead-behind-the-eyes stare.
Horizon Worlds
oculus.com
…FOOTBALL SCARVES WITH PRIVACY PROBLEMS
Football is intense, even if you’re just an onlooker. Sweat, tears and an increased heart rate are all accepted side effects when you’re watching your team play. Now, though, your chosen club can know exactly how you’re feeling during a game, especially if you’re a Manchester City fan. The legendary club has created the Connected Scarf that tracks your temperature, blood flow, and movement, and can even tell if you’re lying. What will this information be used for? To “show how deeply fans are impacted by actions on the field,” Manchester City says. Just asking would have been cheaper and much less creepy.
The Connected Scarf
mancity.com