Every year, without fail, companies introduce products that make our lives slightly easier. These advances almost always cater to communication, safety, transactions and of course home conveniences. The year 2020 has been slightly different, under the context of Covid-19. With that said, play bingo lists several adaptations of day to day products, as manufacturers sought to create a user-friendly, pocket-sized sanitizer, and others made innovative products to make our stay at home comfortable.
So what are the top picks for 2020 top gadgets?
- Sanitizer Pen
For this year, this had to make it to number one. Not only because of the ingenuity but how this product falls right into place with families, employees or employers, and even security personnel. It also costs a mere £60. The sanitizer pen is an electronic, pocket-size device that comes in handy anytime. During the current pandemic, many have had to use pocket-sized sanitizer bottles that can get messy, or deal with larger dispensers attached to doors et al. This pen requires a simple wave, a few centimeters from the spot to be cleansed, and it will do the rest. A very handy tool especially when you need to limit the things you touch before you sanitize.
- Meeting Owl Pro Conference Camera
While on the subject of the unprecedented circumstances during 2020, meetings have become a daily, if not hourly occurrence. Zoom meetings in particular have become the norm, with classes, employees, and business persons involved in multiple sessions a day. This fancy camera is housed on a speaker, mimicking an owl and it retails for approximately £1000. Those in attendance get to hear participants in boosted sound, and the intricate camera system automatically zooms in on whoever is speaking. This is particularly useful when an impromptu meeting is called with several participants, and no time to set up multiple devices.
- Ember Mug² and Travel Mug²
On that note, how about some fancy mugs to ensure you have a warm cup of tea/ coffee as you attend to AGMs and such? For £130, these handy mugs come with an application for your smart device. Once your brew has reached its optimal temperature, you will receive a notification on your smart device. The product needs a standalone charging system so you cannot power it up via USB. You can also purchase the travel mug for office use or while out and about attending random seminars. Both offer fast heating and a heating element ensures the brew stays warm until your last sip.
- WAKE cup Self-Cleaning Bottle
Seeing as this is a year for cleaning, sanitizing, and unprecedented cleanliness, how about a self-cleaning utensil to add to the list? Yes, you heard right. This bottle uses ultraviolet capabilities to hit those intricate spots you may have missed when sponging it as quickly as possible to make your meeting on time. According to manufacturers, it promises to take care of approximately 90% of bacteria that you most likely missed. What is even cooler is that one bottle will be handed out to a doctor, nurse, or other first responders for every bottle purchased. It retails for about £45.
- Theragun Prime Massage Gun
As we work from home and spend arduous hours within the confines of four walls, our bodies inevitably become lethargic and unfit. What follows thereafter is a need to relieve muscles of pain, and possibly a massage to reduce muscle aches. Seeing as physiotherapy will always be a last-minute option, this handy massage tool takes care of this in the comfort of wherever you are. This fancy tool applies pressure on muscles at a rate of 40 (pulses) per second. It is claimed to reduce inflammation, help with muscle relaxation, and increase blood flow better than any masseuse. At a retail price of £299, it makes for a pocket-friendly approach to physiotherapy.
- KOBLE Carl Smart Table
Still not wowed yet? Well, this ought to make any tech geek feel warm inside. The smart table is a hub for all things communication. You can link to your Twitter account, and charge phones via USB ports. The wood and crystal formation houses neat Bluetooth speakers, so you can laugh or shout away hands-free. It may get interesting when a colleague walks in on you hollering at your table, but it’s a fancy way to relieve your hands of smart devices. At £269, it is not cheap but your hands will thank you for it
- Simba Hybrid Pro Foam Mattress
How about a good night’s sleep after a full massage with the Theragun and hours spent communicating via your smart table? Simba’s combination of foam and springs will have you dreaming about more than a fancy new gadget to add to your collection. The mattress boasts approximately 2500 small springs. These allow a better flow of air, and being cone-shaped they hold one’s weight remarkably better. The price ranges from £849 for a single sized one, but this is a small price to pay for beauty sleep.
- MiniBrew Craft Home Brewing Kit
Another nifty product to make your stay at home experience more enjoyable. This machine helps you make home-made beerJ. With social distancing and other restrictions making this year unbearable for some, this kit may just be the answer to all bar-hoppers out there. The kit allows you to make beer of your choosing, using brewing kits that cost less than £30. For newbies, these kits will come in handy while professionals can make use of an application to create epic concoctions. At £1000, it may be a decent price to pay to keep away from possibly Covid-19 ridden establishments
- Master Lock Biometric Padlock
Security being a major concern ALWAYS, this could not have come at a better time than 2020. This nifty creation allows up to ten separate fingerprints. Nothing is more annoying than having to carry a coffee mug, handbag, and car and house keys all in one. This reduces the clutter slightly, and if by some unfortunate chance your fingers aren’t up to standard on a certain day, there is a swipe feature (similar to phones) where a pattern will have it open in no time. it retails for slightly less than £90 – quite an affordable way for convenience and safety all in one.
These trendy tech gadgets are by no means a comprehensive list of what 2020 had to offer. The list, however, does capture most items deemed necessary for a comfortable existence during this pandemic year. From home conveniences in the form of sleeping mattresses to communication devices such as the smart table, 2020 does not have to be as glum as it’s perceived to be.
[Written By External Partner]