13 Tiny, Palm-Sized Gadgets That Are Also Super Useful

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Gadgets are ubiquitous in all our lives. From the best Android smartphones in our pockets to powerful laptops in our backpacks, we use gadgets to get work done, enjoy movies and games, and even make our lives easier. Apart from these usual devices, several small-sized gadgets can turn out to be rather useful in everyday life. From capturing precious moments with your kids or pets to saving your online accounts from hackers, these tiny, palm-sized gadgets can add substantial value while occupying very little space. Moreover, a lot of these gadgets — by virtue of their size — are quite affordable, which means you're getting a useful gadget without spending too much. Now that's a win-win!

We went through hundreds of online listings to find some of the best tiny gadgets that you can store in your pockets or tuck away in a small compartment in your travel tech backpack when heading out. While some of these accessories may be useful on a daily basis, some of them may come in handy in specific situations or for people in certain professions. The idea is to recommend gadgets that add genuine value to users, and that's exactly what these tiny gizmos do. Whether you want to carry fast external storage in your denim pockets, or you want to track your lost wallet – we've got something for everyone.

Portable Bluetooth speakers aren't new. In fact, they're quite popular and often used at house parties or small get-togethers to play music. The primary motive of these speakers is to play loud music, since most smartphones don't have speakers that can fill a large room. However, what if the motive was just to get better audio than most smartphone speakers, without the ability to cater to a large group of people? That's exactly where the EWA Bluetooth speaker fits in. It has a tiny form factor that fits into the palm. The primary use case for a speaker this small is if you want to listen to music while taking a shower, but don't want to take your phone since it can get wet.

Another potential use is when you're on a trek by yourself or with a friend, and you want to listen to music without using headphones. It's IP67 water-resistant, can last up to 8 hours on a single charge, and can even be mounted on a bike or a car's dashboard. It's also extremely affordable at under $20.

The market is flooded with action cameras from several well-known brands. However, none of them come close to the tiny size of the Insta360 Go 3S. At first glance, the camera looks like any run-of-the-mill GoPro lookalike. Upon closer inspection however, you'll see a quick release button on the side that lets you eject the camera module out of the main housing. This camera can then be mounted on any surface using a magnetic holder. It shoots in 4K, has built-in image stabilization, and is IPX8 rated for water resistance. Once you're done shooting with the camera, pop it back into the body to view the recorded media on the screen.

This is an excellent contraption for those who want to record first-person PoV footage regularly. Whether you're surfing on the beach or you want to record your kids playing outdoors, just mount the camera on your body and press a button to start recording instantly. There's 64 GB of built-in storage, and the camera can record for up to 2 hours when used with the body.

A flashlight is one device that may prove to be useful at any time. Carrying one on you at all times is a surefire weapon against the dark. While it's not feasible to carry a large flashlight all the time, a tiny one like the Olight Imini 2 can be used as a keychain, which means it always stays in your pocket or backpack. The LED can achieve 50 lumens of brightness, which may not sound like a lot, but is certainly sufficient in emergency situations like finding your way through a dark alley or locating the keyhole of your door at 1 a.m.

It has a solid metallic construction, so you can throw it in your backpack and not worry about breaking it. One end of the flashlight has a USB connector that you can plug into a laptop or a wall adapter to charge. The magnetic mechanism to turn the flashlight on and off is helpful when you're in a hurry, and also aids with mounting the light onto any metallic surface.

Content creation is on the rise across the globe. With more and more individuals taking to platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to upload videos, a high-quality mic becomes a prerequisite, since good audio is as important as impressive visuals. The Boya mini wireless lavalier mic helps you achieve that at a reasonable price and a tiny form factor. For starters, the case that is used to store and charge the mics is quite compact by itself, which means you can carry it like a pair of wireless earbuds. Once you open the case, though, you'll realize that the individual mics and receiver are absolutely tiny!

This is an excellent feature since you want any sort of accessory like this to be as concealed and minimalistic as possible. The Boya mic does a great job in that regard. As for the audio quality, reviewers praise noise suppression and device compatibility. It could be ideal to with a laptop for video meetings on Zoom or other alternate platforms. The Boya mini lav mic offers excellent value for money at just $45.

Several people carry Swiss army knives or other similar tools at all times, since they're quite handy for various purposes. If you need a pair of scissors to cut a piece of paper, or you need a screwdriver to tighten the tiny screw on your spectacles, a multitool is the perfect solution whether indoors or out. Multi-tools run in all sizes and needs, but even a tiny tool from a renowned brand adds a ton of functionality to your daily carry. It's also extremely helpful when on outdoor adventures like camping or hiking. There are several brands making such tools, but the Leatherman Micra keychain stands out — in terms of both design and features. The biggest convenience of this toolset is that it folds into a tiny form without any sharp ends exposed, which lets you use it as a keychain.

When you unfold all the parts, it reveals a pair of scissors, a knife, tweezers, screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and more. There are a total of 10 tools packed into this convenient and lightweight keychain. It has a completely metallic construction that makes it look and feel premium. It's also available in several colors to match your style.

Apple's AirTag made it easy to track and find lost keys and other such accessories. However, it has a thick form that doesn't fit properly into a wallet. It seems like Chipolo has fixed that issue with the Chipolo Card Spot. It's a credit card-sized gadget with Apple's Find My technology. Thanks to its slim form, it fits into pretty much any wallet just like a standard credit card. So, insert it into the card slot on your existing wallet to keep track of its location at all times. If you lose your wallet or it gets stolen, you can view your wallet's location on your smartphone.

It's also water-resistant, has a two-year battery life, and has a built-in speaker that can sound an alarm when you're within Bluetooth range. The slim form factor makes this one of the most practical trackers for a wallet, since it can fit into a traditional folding wallet and even into a metallic or plastic minimalistic cardholder from new-age brands. For just $24, it can save you a lot of headaches in emergencies.

Here's a different product that may be slightly niche, but is certainly very useful to those in that niche. The Sharge M.2 NVMe SSD enclosure is a tiny case for any standard M.2 SSD. The idea is that if you have a spare NVMe SSD lying around, you can insert it into this adapter that will convert it into an external SSD. This serves two purposes — firstly, you don't have to buy an external SSD to store your files, as you can repurpose an M.2 SSD that you already have. Moreover, the tiny size is even smaller than a standard external SSD.

The brand lets you take make the most of portability by adding a lanyard to the enclosure, which means you can use it as a keychain or attach it to a piece of gear you take with you when you need it. There is a retractable USB-C connector on one end, so you can plug the SSD straight into a computer, smartphone, or tablet without an external cable or adapter. If you want a fast, high-capacity storage device that can fit into your pockets, this is an excellent accessory.

Securing your online accounts with the best security is key to keeping hackers at bay. While strong and unique passwords certainly help in this regard, it's best to have a second form of authentication, often termed as two-factor authentication or 2FA. Using a one-time password or code to log in is one of the most commonly used methods for 2FA, but there's one more that's a lot more secure — a physical key. The YubiKey 5C NFC from Yubico is one such example. The way it works is that you need to insert it into the device on which you're signing in with your account.

The authorization page detects the key bound to your account and authorizes the login. This particular variant can be plugged into a USB port, or you can simply tap it on any NFC-enabled device to authorize a sign-in attempt. Using a physical authentication device like this is the best way to keep your accounts safe, especially if you have valuable data stored in them.

From something niche to a gadget that everyone uses, let's transition to the Sharge 67W Retro adapter. As the name suggests, this is a charging brick with a retro design that resembles a Macintosh computer from back in the day. It has three USB-C ports with a total output rating of 67W. This is sufficient to charge a MacBook Pro and a smartphone, or multiple phones at high speeds. There are a few highlights of this product that make it stand out compared to other chargers. For starters, there's a screen on the front that displays the output power in real time. Those who want to gauge the speed at which their devices are charging will find it useful.

Then, there are the foldable prongs that make it easy to carry in your backpack. The ability to charge three devices at once makes it the perfect travel companion. It's the only charger you need to power your laptop, smartphone, tablet, and accessories like a smartwatch or wireless headphones.

An instant camera that can print photos as soon as you click them is both cool and functional. If you wish to maintain your memories as physical albums or stick photos on your wall to create a collage, an instant camera is a good investment. However, most entry-level instant cameras have average image quality compared to modern-day smartphone cameras that can click some incredible photos. So, if you want prints of your photos without compromising on the quality of the photo, your best bet is to get a mini photo printer instead of an instant camera.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link 3 is one such product. It's a palm-sized printer that uses Fuji film, which means you don't have to replace the cartridge or go through any such hassles. Simply use the provided paper, connect the printer to your phone, and use the app to print your pictures. Since it's so compact, you can carry it with you even when traveling to get high-quality prints of your pictures, without any compromises.

There are several gadgets on this list that can be used as keychains, and the inCharge 6-in-1 USB cable keychain is another addition. If you're thinking that it's just another USB cable, you're wrong. What makes the inCharge cable special is its versatile capabilities. It's a short and flat cable that has a USB-C connector on both ends to start with. This is perfect for charging your phone in your car or connecting it to your laptop to transfer data. Then come the attachments that make it interesting. On one end, you can replace the USB-C connector with a USB-A one for older devices.

Similarly, the USB-C port on the other end can be replaced by a Lightning connector that also doubles up as a micro-USB input. Essentially, you can charge up to three types of devices with a single cable. The charging speed tops out at 15W, though, which is slightly slow. That said, it should suffice for a quick top-up using a power bank or your laptop. It can also be used to transfer data, which is helpful.

If your smartphone doesn't have the best battery life, or if you often forget to plug in the charger, a portable battery pack or power bank is a must-have gadget in your arsenal. Power banks can be quite large, which require heavier duty storage and transportation solutions. However, this INIU 10,000mAh power bank is extremely handy and can fit right into your palm. Thanks to this, you can carry the power bank in your trouser pockets and pull it out quickly whenever it's time to juice up your phone. The large capacity is sufficient to charge an iPhone up to two times, while Android phones with 5,000mAh batteries can be topped up a little more than once.

Considering the ultra-portable form factor, these are respectable numbers. There's a display to view the remaining battery on the power bank, which helps to determine when you need to charge it next. The output power is rated at 22.5W, which can fast-charge an iPhone to about 50% in 30 minutes. If you're a frequent traveler or spend a lot of time on your smartphone when commuting, the INIU power bank is a must-have.

Since most smartphones these days have limited storage with no SD card slot for expansion, you're stuck with the storage variant you buy. While you can use cloud storage, it's not ideal in all scenarios. So, what's what way out, you ask? SanDisk has a pretty effective solution in the form of the SanDisk 256GB Phone Drive. It's called a Phone Drive since it's primarily designed to be used with phones. It has a USB-C port on one end that works with the latest iPhones and Android devices. On the other end, it has a Lightning port that can be used with older iPhones. Simply plug the drive into your device and transfer files from the local storage to the Phone Drive, or vice versa.

On the latest iPhones, you can record footage directly onto an external storage device. That's where the SanDisk Phone Drive really shines. It helps you save your phone's valuable internal storage for important documents, files, and apps. All your media can go directly onto the external drive. When you want to access the media on a large screen, simply plug the USB-C end of it into a computer, and it works like any other USB flash drive. This is a big boon for content creators who record videos using their smartphones.

The primary criterion for a gadget to be eligible for this list is its size. However, that does not mean that any tiny gadget has made it to this list. Any device isn't of much use unless it adds substantial value to one's life. So, a vital consideration when creating this list was to only include gadgets that can truly make a difference with what they can do. For instance, the INIU power bank can fit into your trouser pockets and charge your phone during emergencies to give you much-needed power when your phone's battery is dying. Similarly, the Chipolo Card Spot lets you track your wallet's location if it gets stolen, so that you can report it to the concerned authorities and retrieve it.

Then, there are other tiny accessories like the keychain flashlight that can come in handy when camping to find your way in the dark, and the SanDisk drive that's tailor-made for content creators since it can be plugged straight into any modern-day smartphone to expand its storage. We've also tried to target consumers from various backgrounds and industries, so that there's some value for everyone. The best part is that all of these gadgets add negligible weight when traveling, so carry as many of them as you want!