This week was a big week for the world of technology. You can pre-order Apple’s latest iPhone, Watch, and AirPods now and have them in your hot little hands (and wrists and ears, too) by the end of this month. IFA — the world’s largest consumer and home appliance show showcasing thousands of the latest gadgets, from stair-climbing vacuum cleaners to “AI” kitchens — has concluded in Berlin.
Fall is the perfect time for tech manufacturers to show off their latest do-it-all devices to win over users or grab every last dime in time for the holidays.
But for the past few years, we’ve been living with a crowd of shiny, shiny, smart gadgets. What is worth your time, energy, and hard-earned money?
This is what I showed off on this week’s “Gearing Up For Fall Tech” segment on “The Today Show.” These are some of the latest gadgets that solve everyday problems and make our lives a little easier without costing a fortune.
For the record, I am not compensated by these brands nor do I profit from these recommendations. Many of these devices come directly from my EDC (which is my “everyday carry-on” for those who aren’t as obsessed with Reddit trends as I am).
How to stop sleeping while holding your smartphone
We all know by now that cell phones can interfere with sleep. It’s not just the blue light from our devices that confuses our brains into thinking it’s still daytime. Also responsible for making us all grumpy and tired is the constant notifications and FOMO magnetism that makes us “just check social media again” in the middle of the night. That has to stop.
Amazon Echo Spot 2024 is a great new “smart alarm clock” option that wakes you up, helps you stay more subtly connected, and helps you start or end your day on the right note.
Made for the nightstand, it has a display that allows you to easily set alarms, time, weather, and song titles at a glance. Customize your watch face and colors, and ask Alexa to play your Go to Bed or Rise and Shine playlists. You can also use it to check the weather and set routines at night, such as “turn off all lights” or “turn on the connected coffee pot” before getting out of bed.
It comes in three colors and currently costs just under $80.
Clean the gadgets you need
Our gadgets are terrible. Your smartphone has 10 times more germs than a toilet seat, and earphones have 2,700 times more germs than your kitchen cutting board. The keyboard, remote control, everything is just new.
I clean all my gadgets at least once a week using tools I already have at home. But how often do you carry a soft-bristled toothbrush, toothpicks, cotton swabs, and safe cleaning solution with you wherever you go? Never.
For cleaning on the go, Amazon’s VICHYIE 20-in-1 Multi-Functional Cleaning Kit saves you the hassle of dealing with crappy gadgets on the fly.
I love that it’s low-priced, has everything you need, has a ton of different tools, and is compact enough to fit in your handbag or backpack.
That said, it’s cheap ($13) and it looks like this. The included tools include an AirPod cleaner pen, a flocked sponge, a mini soft brush, a lens brush, a camera brush, a screen cleaner spray, and even a lid that doubles as a wiping cloth. These won’t make you feel like a professional vacuum cleaner, but they will do the job in a pinch, especially when your keyboard gets stuck on an airplane. That happened to me last week.
A notebook computer that is resistant to scratches and dirt
Do you know what doesn’t need to be cleaned that much? The new ASUS Zenbook S 16 (starting at $1,400) is a premium laptop made from a mixture of ceramic and aluminum primarily used in the aerospace and luxury watch industries. This means that it is resistant to scratches and dirt. Ultralight yet durable, it packs a 3K display, six speakers, and ultra-rugged hardware for all the work, study, entertainment, and gaming you need.
Also? The Quick Access Copilot AI Assistant Key brings a convenient dose of artificial intelligence directly to your keyboard, so you can streamline your workflow and navigate through your to-do list.
“World’s first” portable backup
This is a world first, so it’s no surprise. WD’s My Passport Drive (starting at $70) stores the world’s information, so you’ll never lose valuable photos, videos, or school or work assignments again.
According to the company, this is the world’s first 2.5-inch portable hard drive that can store 6 terabytes (TB) of content. That’s enough space to store around 1.5 million photos, 600 hours of full HD movies, and up to 1.8 million e-books. But the gadget itself is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and sturdy enough to take with you on any adventure.
Tire inflator fits in cup holder
The AstroAI L7 Tire Inflator ($21 at time of publication) is an on-the-go emergency tire pump that supports up to eight car tire refills, yet weighs only about 1 pound and fits into most car cupholders. It will fit.
It’s perfect for bicycle tires, basketballs, and anything else you need to add air to from time to time without having to inflate it by hand or blowing so hard your eyeballs will pop out.
I like the bright screen on the front of the device. This screen updates pressure data 200 times per second, ensuring you don’t overinflate your tires. It also doubles up as a handy emergency tool, with a built-in 3-mode flashlight (flashlight, SOS, and strobe) and a USB-C/USB port for device charging.
Inexpensive earphones with a novel twist
British tech brand Nothing has created the CFM Buds Pro 2 ($60), stylish, low-cost earphones with a literal twist. The case has a “smart dial” feature that can be used to control volume, play/pause, skip tracks, and more. This is a nice feature compared to fiddling with the touch controls on the earbuds or picking up your phone when you need to adjust something.
You can also press the smart dial to control noise cancellation, enable voice assistant, switch to low lag mode, and mute the microphone during meetings. Customization is also possible.
The Buds Pro 2 promises 11 hours of battery life on a single charge and produces big bass sound from its 11mm drivers.
A water bottle that allows you to drink carbonated water on the go
One of my favorite fall gadgets is this portable bottle that lets you carbonate your favorite water anytime, anywhere with the push of a button. The 16-ounce Aer1 water bottle, from a small Brooklyn, New York startup called Aerflo, comes with a finger-sized carbonated capsule filled with beverage-grade CO2.
Place the capsules in the small container under the lid, screw on the lid, and tap the top to whisk it all up. Tap 2-3 times for a mild glow, or tap 4-5 times to customize each sip to explode with tiny bubbles.
I was surprised at how well this worked and how incredibly easy it was to set up and use. Scan the QR code to get a step-by-step guide with pro tips. For example, the colder the water you pour, the more bubbles you’ll quickly get. I also found that juicing didn’t really help. This is because the molecules in the juice “get in the way” of the CO2. Therefore, it is best to add flavor after carbonating the water.
It’s so simple, but it solves such a huge problem for people like me who love sparkling water but hate using cans and bottles to get rid of their bubbly habit.
This system comes with 13 reusable CO2 capsules, each capable of injecting the equivalent of four 16-ounce carbon dioxide gases. bottle of water. When you run out of capsules, replace them with new capsules from the included pack and send the old capsules back to the company in the pre-labeled, pre-paid enclosed postbox. According to the company, this reduces costs by up to 70% compared to purchasing single-use bottles and cans. The price is $99 for the bottle and 13 capsules.
Jennifer Jolie is an Emmy Award-winning consumer technology columnist and on-air contributor to “The Today Show.” The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. Please contact JJ@Techish.com.
