The hot list – January 2014

With the world’s biggest tech brands finally fighting back, launching the Global Government Surveillance Reform, and plenty of new gadgets out there to enjoy, the last month has definitely been good to tech

The hot list – January 2014

Samsung Galaxy Round

Barring the purchase of a TV the price of your average hatchback, it seems likely smartphones will be the first chance any of us receives to get hands-on with a curved screen. The first to plant its flag – narrowly beating LG’s G Flex – the Samsung Galaxy Round definitely acts as proof of concept, its ergonomic curve sitting more happily in your hand than the average smartbrick, whilst still packing a 5.7 inch 1080p display, a Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor and a 13MP camera. Getting hold of one, however, might prove something of a problem, with no plans to release it outside of South Korea. Sad face.

 

Bushmills x Grado Labs Headphone

We’re not sure how we feel about celebrity endorsed headphones on the Elite Business tech team, given it seems unlikely slapping a famous name on some cans will make them a better competitor to the serious brands already on the market. However, we are prepared to make an exception here. Designed by audiophile Elijah Wood, the Bushmills x Grado Labs Headphone features a wood finish crafted from recycled whisky casks from the Bushmills Distillery, sports a leather headband and pumps out a balanced, high-end sound. Could have come in handy for that long walk across Middle Earth.

 

LUMOback 

If you’re passionate about your enterprise, you probably live at a desk and even the most ergonomically designed chair breeds bad habits if you spend 23 hours a day in it. Staying mindful of your posture isn’t easy when your mind is elsewhere so a gadget like LUMOback could prove to be your back’s bestest buddy. When you slouch, it reminds you with a gentle vibration to sit up straight and also provides all manner of useful biometric information about your posture and activity through its synced app. Lumbar liberation at its best.

 

Petcube

Unless you’re running your business from the kitchen table, being an entrepreneur and a pet-owner can somewhat divide your loyalties. Leaving the wee pup all on his lonesome or entrusting that a sociopathic feline isn’t systematically destroying all of your possessions can be a big ask. Fortunately Petcube allows you to drop in on your domesticated beasties and check what they’re up to via your smartphone, reassure or admonish them as appropriate and even stir them up into a frenzy by making them chase the built-in laser pointer. Probably not one for meetings though.

 

 

littleBits Synth Kit

Anybody interested in hacking stuff about will be familiar with the way littleBits has opened up the field to the aspiring amateur. Well, thanks to this team-up with renowned synth-maker Korg, littleBits have brought circuit-bending to the masses, allowing anyone to use the kit’s modular sections to create and corrupt their own synths and instruments. Very much in keeping with the original spirit of electronic music, this clever little kit will have you tinkering and tweaking in no time. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Josh Russell
Josh Russell
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