The Gadgets We Think We Need

It's safe to say that when it comes to buying bits of tech, I find it hard to walk away from great craftmanship and real innovation. That's even more true when the gadget in question claims it will improve both my personal and professional life. From the sublimly simple to the technically astounding, 2013 is full of gadget temptation - from products funded on kickstarter, to the latest releases from multinationals, I'm not as bothered about the source of innovation, as the products themselves.

The new Swivl

'The new Swivl is a multipurpose motion and tracking platform for imaging, teleconferencing and more. No more single purpose devices for one use. The new Swivl works iPads, iPhones, DSLRs and Android devices. It has a smooth, highly adjustable pan and tilt motion system in one sleek form. It automatically follows you for self captured video. It can make your iPad your remote control for your DSLR'

Belkin Thunderstorm

Let's face it, the iPad's rear-facing speakers aren't up to much. There are of course loads of portable speaker options out there, but few promise to improve your audio experience like Belkin's new ThunderStorm. The speaker system integrates with a hard case and soft cover, similar to the Apple Smart Cover. The dual front-facing, landscape-oriented stereo speakers are accompanied by a high-efficiency, low-distortion amp, and using the free ThunderStorm app, you can control the sound with your fingertips.

 

Projecto

Put simply, Projecteo is a tiny Instagram projector. It uses wheels of 35mm slide film you make online and each one holds nine photos. Although this probably won't be suffiecient for your next client pitch, it would be pretty neat for some holiday snaps. Just pop them into Projecteo, focus by twisting the lens barrel and sit back to enjoy your own mini instagram slideshow.

WakaWaka

The WakaWaka is a pocket sized solar power station with super efficient solar cells and a power management system. Apart from charging your smart phone or tablet, WakaWaka is also a light source which can provide you with more than 40 hours of perfect reading light (on a single day solar charge!).