Tech & Auto
Smart Gadgets You May Have Never Heard Of Before
By MARK COWLEY
Ampera
The LifeSpan Ampera office bike, priced at $998, gives the exercise benefits of a static bike without ever needing to leave your desk. It can also double as a device charger.
However, there are some restrictions. Compared to a standard office chair, its high seating position makes it impossible to fit under a fixed-height desk.
2600 Plus
The Atari 2600 Plus is a compelling recreation of the original device. It costs $129.99 and includes the console’s complete library of video games.
While the Atari 2600 Plus may be targeted at older buyers looking for a bit of nostalgia, the younger audiences could find some novelty in the old-school console.
Ring Slim
Despite being promised to be a lightweight, slimmer alternative to health-tracking bands and smartwatches, the Circular Ring Slim comes with too many compromises.
The Ring Slim is expensive at $293 but has problems such as a finicky touch-sensitive button, durability issues, and a paywall that hides some information.
SoundSlayer
Panasonic's SoundSlayer Wireless is an alternative to bulky headsets. Its unique wraparound speaker design has less noise pollution than regular speakers.
The built-in, AI-enhanced mic can also block out all game sounds. While it’s a quirky alternative, the SoundSlayer speaker is no small investment, retailing around $300.
ThinkPad X1
For those willing to spend $3,599, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 is a foldable laptop that can be arranged in several different ways to suit users’ needs.
The 16.3-inch OLED screen looks great when it's fully unfolded and features 2560 x 2024 resolution. Unfortunately, it has only five hours of battery life.