#100 COOLER MASTER ORB X
We have to imagine Cooler Master was crossing its fingers behind its back when it pitched this techno-egg at least partly as a compact module for office workers. There’s no way: this is destined for gaming centres, for the corner of rich-gamer living rooms, and for adorning the stage at e-sports events.
$15,000 (around £12,200), coolermaster.com
#99 VALENCELL FINGER BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR
We’re pretty sure the tech is still awaiting medical approval, but Valencell’s proof-of-concept shows it’s possible to take a blood pressure reading without resorting to an arm-squishing cuff. We fully expect similar sensors to make their way into smartwatches eventually.
£TBC, valencell.com
#98 OTTERBOX OTTERGRIP SYMMETRY
As resilient as modern iPhones might be, nobody wants to drop them. Enter Otterbox with a case which both adheres to its usual sturdiness and features a fancy fold-out grip, which adds security without interfering with the MagSafe ecosystem.
$60 (around £49), otterbox.com
#97 TYPHUR INSTAPROBE
For once a product doesn’t oversell itself with its name, as Typhur’s probe thermometer uses direct contact thermal integration to pull up the temperature of your food damn near instantly. The backlit OLED display means it’ll be as useful in the kitchen as it is through the billowing smoke of your nocturnal barbecue. A must-have for serious chefs.
$109 (around £88), typhur.com
#96 AMPERE TRACTION TIMER
Not getting any work done? Same here. That’s why we’re unusually excited about the Traction Timer, a lockbox that physically locks your phone away so you can actually get on with your work rather than endlessly scrolling those socials. Perfect for giving misbehaving kids a time out, too, at least as long as they don’t have easy access to power tools.
£TBC, ampere.shop
#95 BARTESIAN DUET
Let’s face it: you’re probably pretty capable of pouring liquids yourself. It’s likely you don’t need something quite as extravagant as the Bartesian Duet’s pod-helped mixer to do it for you. Want, though, is often stronger than need – and a perfectly mixed margarita at the press of a button sounds like something we’d want pretty often.
$269 (around £225), bartesian.com
#94 HYPER HYPERPACK PRO
Sensible storage for your most precious gadgets, in a bag that’s as well-designed as it is secure. Pockets aplenty help you stay organised, a design built for Magsafe positioning means you can charge your gear as you go, and built-in support for Apple’s Find My protocol will both help you locate it – and help others find their things.
£116, hypershop.com
#93 ENABOT EBO X
Is the EBO X a companion? Yes, it’ll scoot around and muck about with pets and kids (Enabot is calling it ‘the first true family bot’). Is it for safety? Again, yes, with fall and cry detection built in and a 4K camera to help you scope out intruders. It’s a Harman-tuned speaker, it has facial recognition for personalised interactions, and it does it all while self-balancing on two wheels.
£TBC, enabot.com
#92 ZORLOO ZUPERDAC MAX
Your phone might do a decent job sending music to your headphones, but there’s no replacement for bespoke digital conversion if you want maximum fidelity. Zorloo’s DAC is tiny, and has its own MQA renderer (perfect for actually getting value from a Tidal subscription) and a balanced 4.4mm output for serious headphone sessions.
£135, zorloo.com
TREND
#91 TENUOUS TRANSLATORS
Want to know what your baby is saying? Zounddream’s machine-learning backed app (no doubt inspired by that episode of The Simpsons) claims it can work it out. Want your dog to talk to you? The FluentPet Connect gives it a bunch of paw-activated buttons in order to tell you, repeatedly, that it wants food. Fun stuff, but not mega practical (yet).
