Explore our top 10 personal tech and gadgets of 2024

Our top 10 personal technologies of 2024 include a variety of gadgets for individual needs, including the powered exoskeleton pants MO/GO by Arc’teryx and Skip Innovations. At times, they come in the form of accessories, such as the AI glasses of Ray-Ban and Meta, which, after having received a multimodal update, can report history and explain the backstories of famous landmarks and objects. Phones are big this year too, with the release of the world’s first triple-screen smartphone from Huawei, named Mate XT.

Musical instruments are also considered personal gadgets and technologies. They’re now advanced like The Orchid, the retro-inspired synthesizer by Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, which can produce sounds ranging from jazz to sci-fi music. Teenage Engineering brings back the old era because their electronic sample and composer in one plays medieval music. In our list of the top 10 personal technologies, we explore the designs that have made their mark in 2024, including Dyson’s Ontrac headphones and Marko Lazic’s 3D printed phone with an e-ink display.

TAME IMPALA’S KEVIN PARKER RELEASES THE ORCHID

image courtesy of Telepathic Instruments

Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker and Telepathic Instruments have unveiled The Orchid, a retro-inspired synthesizer with a compact design featuring tiny round buttons, a mini keyboard, wheel knobs, and a vintage-radio aesthetic. It produces sounds ranging from jazz and guitar chords to retro-futuristic tones, reminiscent of sci-fi soundtracks.

The Orchid includes 12 velocity-sensitive keys, allowing its small keyboard to mimic the sounds of an 88-key piano by spreading chord notes for a realistic effect. The velocity keys let musicians adjust volume dynamically, changing sound intensity based on how softly or firmly the keys are pressed. Additionally, the synthesizer features a “chord logic system,” enabling users to mix and match countless chord combinations. 

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TEENAGE ENGINEERING’S INSTRUMENT PLAYS MEDIEVAL MUSIC

image courtesy of Teenage Engineering

Teenage Engineering revives the Middle Ages with the EP-1320, their latest release described as the world’s first electronic sampler, composer, and instrument exclusively for medieval music. It comes with a library of ready-to-play instruments, one-shot samples, and medieval phrases. Dubbed the instrumentalis electronicum, Teenage Engineering calls it the ultimate medieval beat machine. DJs and producers can jam directly on the instrument’s pads or connect an external MIDI keyboard to add their unique twist.

Packed with hundreds of medieval sounds, the EP-1320 also includes a line input and built-in microphone for quick, custom sampling. Users can tap the pads to play classic instruments like the hurdy-gurdy, citole, or bowed harp, or mix them with tambourines, chain rattles, and battle toms. If they’re feeling bold, they can throw in clappers, bells, and even coconut horse hooves for an authentic Gothic vibe.The instrument also features foley effects, including swords clashing, farm animals, arrows, and the roar of a dragon.

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APPLE LAUNCHES VISION PRO VR HEADSET

image courtesy of Apple

The Apple Vision Pro launches, and this gadget in our top 10 personal technologies of 2024 aims to blend digital content with the physical world through spatial features. Apple claimed the Vision Pro includes over 600 new spatial experiences that users can control with their eyes, hands, and voice. These experiences let users transform any room into a personal theater for sports, TV, and movies, as well as collaborate and create digital content together. 

Many users appreciate the high-resolution display, praising its contrast, colors, and dynamic range, which they compare to a high-end TV. This makes the VR headset’s entertainment display feel like an upgraded home theater. Some users also enjoyed the immersive gameplay, especially with 3D-capable content, and found that it could function as a combined work, game, and entertainment space. However, there have been mixed reviews, with some users noting a pixel smear that affects the sharpness of the visuals.

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RAY-BAN META AI GLASSES CAN REPORT HISTORY

image courtesy of Ray-Ban and Meta

Meta and Ray-Ban’s AI glasses have received a multimodal update, so they can share landmark histories, object backstories, and scientific explanations. Mark Zuckerberg has demonstrated the new features on Instagram through clips of his Montana weekend trip. While recording his walk, the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses were asked to explain the Roosevelt Arch’s history, how snow forms in simple terms, and whether horses feel cold in snowy weather.

The AI glasses answered in a semi-monotonous voice. For the snow explanation, the glasses amusingly started with a caveman-like grunt before transitioning into the science behind it. In beta testing, as seen in Zuckerberg’s post, the glasses identified landmarks such as Big Sky Mountain and expanded on their significance with detailed information.

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POWERED EXOSKELETON PANTS MO/GO BY SKIP AND ARC’TERYX

Arc’teryx and Skip Innovations have joined forces to create MO/GO, powered exoskeleton pants designed to make hiking easier. Arc’teryx provides the apparel, while the exoskeleton technology, made from carbon fiber, is developed by the California-based startup. When worn, the exoskeleton on the sides of the pants lights up, boosting leg strength by up to 40 percent to help hikers move with ease.

The MO/GO pants can make wearers feel 30 pounds lighter when trekking uphill, while also supporting their knees on descents to reduce strain and prevent slips. The technology, which is part of our top 10 personal technologies and gadgets of 2024, targets quadriceps and hamstrings, minimizing muscle fatigue and joint discomfort. A wheel built into the pants conceals the motors, spinning in response to the hiker’s movements and triggering the needed boost.

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SAMSUNG GALAXY RING IN OUR TOP 10 GADGETS OF 2024

image courtesy of Samsung

At the 2024 Mobile World Conference (MWC) in Barcelona, Samsung unveils the Galaxy Ring. This smart ring uses advanced sensors to collect data about the wearer’s health, providing detailed insights. Powered by artificial intelligence, the ring acts as a personal wellness assistant, offering recommendations to help improve health and wellness. Samsung’s goal is to bring its innovations into a small, comfortable device that can be worn 24/7.

The Galaxy Ring, which is included in our top 10 personal technologies and gadgets of 2024, combines technologies from Samsung’s Galaxy products to track health all day long. It gives users insights into their wellness, helping them understand their health better. The company believes that every wellness journey begins with understanding health in depth and over time. Designed for 24/7 use, the ring also focuses on monitoring sleep quality.

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HUAWEI REVEALS FIRST TRI-FOLD SMARTPHONE, MATE XT

image courtesy of Huawei

Huawei launches the Mate XT Ultimate Design, which is the world’s first tri-fold AI smartphone with three large glass screens. The phone features a slim rod structure between the hinges, helping keep the device compact. Thanks to this design, even though the phone has three screens, it feels like just one when folded. The launch also introduces Huawei’s Tiangong hinge system, allowing the phone to easily fold both its internal and external parts. 

When unfolded, the display measures 10.2 inches and doesn’t show any creases or the rod between the screens. Currently, the phone is available in two colors: red and dark black, both with leather covers. The edges of the phone are lined with black gold strips that shine both day and night. Huawei assures users that the Mate XT Ultimate Design is made with steel used in rockets, so it can handle frequent folding without deforming. 

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 ‘OFFONE’, A 3D PRINTED PHONE WITH E-INK DISPLAY

Marko Lazic introduces the Offone, a 3D printed phone with an e-ink display designed to run only essential apps like calls, texts, messaging platforms, and taxi services. The phone’s compact size and slim body fit comfortably in the palm of the hand. This concept phone in our top 10 personal technologies and gadgets of 2024 also has an e-ink display, which gives it the appearance of paper.

This choice eliminates screen glare and blue light, which can cause eye strain. Marko Lazic also mentions that optional lighting might be available, so users can read messages and check calls in the dark or at night. The design of the Offone is simple and straightforward, using universal icons instead of text or captions to represent apps. Lazic hopes this will eliminate language barriers, allowing users to navigate the phone using intuitive symbols.

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MORRAMA’S AI TECHNOLOGIES HELP CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

image courtesy of Morrama

Morrama develops a set of concept Mindful AI tools to support children’s mental health. The team, known for creating mixed-reality glasses that display games, is now using machine-learning data analysis to power these smart tools. Their goal is to help children with emotional and mental well-being. The lineup includes four concept products, all starting with the letter “C”: Calm, Comfort, Create, and Connect. 

Connect is an AI sunflower designed to encourage communication. Create is a ‘MidJourney’ printer, a tube-like, green device that generates line drawings for children to color. It responds to spoken prompts, allowing kids to ask for a specific image, which it then prints, just like how MidJourney creates AI-generated images. Calm uses motion and heart rate sensors, along with a sweat monitor, to track the child’s mental and physical health. Then Comfort, which is a small projector with a built-in speaker that responds to the children’s requests with images and sounds.

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DYSON’S ONTRAC HEADPHONES WITH CHANGEABLE EAR CUPS

Dyson launches their OnTrac headphones, with over 2,000 customizable ear cups and cushions. These include options in aluminum, copper, and nickel, crafted with ultra-soft microfiber and foam for acoustic sealing. Designed by Jake Dyson and the Dyson Colours, Finishes, and Materials (CMF) team, the headphones, which have made it to our list of top 10 personal technologies and gadgets of 2024, come in four base colorways.

One standout is the Ceramic Cinnabar, featuring a ceramic-effect painted finish. Users can mix and match finishes across four headphone parts, creating combinations like a nickel cup paired with a copper one, or contrasting in-ear cushions in bold colors like lemon yellow and sunset orange.The OnTrac headphones boast Dyson’s active noise cancellation (ANC) system, which uses eight microphones to monitor surrounding sounds 384,000 times per second. 

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