IDEAS WE LIKE…
Our pick of the month’s smartest tech
…start a radio show from anywhere
In a world where everyone thinks they should host a podcast, the Blast Mic is a dangerous but brilliant tool. A small device slapped with an aggressively neon display, the Blast Mic lets you record audio and upload it live to the Blast Radio app (for podcasts and audio shows). This cuts out all of the fiddly steps in the middle, allowing anyone to easily start a radio show without needing loads of equipment and time. It’s the perfect gift for that family member who has a lot to say this Christmas, giving them a speaking platform that isn’t the dinner table.
Blast Mic $249 (£205 approx), blastradio.com
…a watch for every sport ever
Garmin’s new Instinct Crossover Solar is for people who exercise all the time. It doesn’t matter what sport you do, this watch’s endless menus will have a mode for you. It tracks everything from your heart rate, to your sleep, and even how smoothly you ride mountain bike trails. And to help you fit even more exercise into your life, it can run using solar power, so it can stay on for an estimated 70 days without a charge.
Instinct Crossover Solar £529.99, garmin.com
…the ultimate powerbank
With the Storm 2, Shargeek has tapped into the collective hearts of nerds by making the power bank interesting. Yes, it charges up your devices on the go, but it also lets you adjust the voltage and current, so you can choose how much power is sent to each device. You can track this through a display fitted into its stylish transparent top. But it’s a big spend even for those who are obsessed with optimising their charging potential.
Shargeek Storm 2 $229 (£187 approx), shargeek.com
…smart lights on a budget
Making your home smart is expensive, especially when it comes to lighting. To combat this, Wyze has created a range of budget smart bulbs, with 16 million colour options. These clever bulbs can be programmed to adjust their colour in response to the light outside, to help you stay in sync with the sunlight. You can even programme warning lights if you leave your door open. Or you could just paint your interior in an array of neon colours…
Wyze Bulb Color BR30 $23.99 (£20 approx) for two, wyze.com
…dress to impress the metaverse
Although we’re not quite sold on the metaverse yet, motion capture tech that can input your movements into it does sound like a lot of fun. Up until now, ‘mo-cap’ tech has been bulky, finicky or expensive… sometimes all three. Sony’s new Mocopi is looking to fix this. By dotting six sensors around your body, the Mocopi will be able to accurately replicate your movements online. It probably won’t be perfect, but we’re sure the eight active users on the metaverse won’t mind.
Sony Mocopi £TBC, sony.com
IDEAS WE DON’T LIKE…
…EXCLUSIVE AND PRICEY SPEAKERS
Porsche has now seemingly turned to interior design with its new speaker, adopting the unusual style of ‘expensive car driving through your wall’. The 911 Soundbar will set you back a ridiculous £9,100, rewarding you with an exclusive car exhaust system strapped to a soundbar. It’s not exactly a bad speaker – it has Dolby Atmos, 4K HDMI ports, and the kind of specs you’d see on leading competitors. It’s just that you’re just having to pay a hefty amount extra for the privilege of being one of the 150 owners to get one.
Porsche 911 Soundbar 2.0 Pro £9,100, porsche-design.com
…HEATING YOUR HOME WITH BITCOIN
“Warmth never felt so rewarding” say the people behind Heatbit, a heater that earns you Bitcoin while it warms your home. It’s a clever idea in theory, until you realise the minuscule amounts of Bitcoin you earn – the digital currency that lost roughly half of its value during 2022. Still, small earnings are better than nothing though, right? Maybe not when the heater itself costs a whopping $1,149! You can buy one of Dyson’s air-purifying heaters and have a nice holiday for that sort of cash.
Heatbit $1,149 (£935 approx), heatbit.com