Awesome Tech

Sennheiser and Massdrop pay homage to the predecessor of its beloved HD 600 series. The HD 58X Jubilee will be the audio specialist’s most affordable professional headphones yet, and can be enjoyed even without amplification.

Logitech’s Craft is a Bluetooth wireless keyboard with a touch-sensitive dial. Customize it with Logitech’s software to make it easier to navigate both productivity and entertainment applications, including Photoshop, Excel and media players.

The AnyWatt is a small adapter that lets you charge USB-C devices – such as new laptops, phones and the Nintendo Switch – using old laptop chargers. It has two variants: one that works with Windows laptop chargers and one that works with Apple MagSafe 2.0 chargers.

You can now take advantage of Grammarly’s helpful grammar- and spell-checking features on iOS and Android devices, thanks to the free Grammarly keyboard. Grammarly Premium users will also be able to see suggestions for style and vocabulary enhancements.

Samsung’s new FlexWash washing machines and FlexDry dryers are two machines in one: one small and one large washer in the former, and one small and one large dryer in the latter. Each section can be used separately and have different control settings.

Outline Montreal’s foam masks have LEDs and a small controller that makes the lights automatically pulse in time with nearby sound. These new designs feature an improved controller that reacts better to sound that’s loud or from a nearby source.

The QuickShelf Safe looks like an ordinary shelf, but it actually has a hidden compartment. You unlock its secret stash by placing one of the RFID keys on top of the shelf. You get four keys – two cards, one key fob, one token – and each shelf can work with up to 12 keys.

A more capable and versatile version of the Polycade. The Polycade Pro not only plays classic games. It’s also powerful enough to play modern titles, has a spinner/paddle control, and a joystick that can be switched between 4- and 8-way modes.

Prop maker David Guyton takes a break from making badass prop armor to present his take on a retractable license plate. His DIY solution is made from affordable materials and uses a simple scissor mechanism. You’ll have to figure out how to mount it on your car though.

LEGO enthusiast Sariel modified the LEGO BB-8 kit to make it move via remote control. It doesn’t roll exactly like the droid does, but it’s still a cool mod. Sariel used SBrick and Power Functions parts to make the mod. You can download the instructions on his website.

The Royal Institution shares a 1985 lecture by professor David Pye as he shows off a vintage analog device which allowed a skilled player to synthesize sounds that approximated a human voice. He then showed off what was then state-of-the-art electronic speech synthesis.

Modern image recognition technology is getting really good at identifying objects. But engineers at MIT CSAIL show us how simply playing with their textures can confuse the AI into thinking an object is something completely different than what it actually is.

adidas‘ aptly named Archive M1 is a 36mm digital wristwatch with a classic, clean, simple, retro-inspired design. It has a stainless steel case and bracelet as well as a hardened mineral crystal. Also available in gold or black.

The Shelf lets you replace double DIN stereo units in cars with your mobile device. It connects via Bluetooth and has Qi wireless charging, a microUSB charging port, microphones for voice control, and buttons to control your mobile device.

The prices shouldn’t vary too wildly on HODLMOON’s holiday sweaters inspired by cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, as well as some lesser-known monetary units. Each one features the currency’s logo, along with its financial symbol.

Incase’s 22L NoviConnected luggage is a well-priced option if you’re looking to buy a travel bag with a built-in power bank. Its 10500mAh charger has both USB-A and USB-C ports, and can be monitored via an app. Works in a two-wheel or four-wheel configuration.

A neat demonstration designed to show off the precision and programmability of Intelligent Actuator’s technology, in which a grid comprised of dozens of mechanical actuators move up and down to guide four soccer balls along their appropriate paths.

While so much of the focus has been on BB-8 in recent years, R2-D2 is still our favorite droid. Now you can build your own 12″ tall R2 unit using this DIY kit which includes all the parts you need, and stickers for customizing your bot. Great for kids or kids at heart.

Make: author Caleb Kraft came across this nifty plaything by Mike’s Electric Stuff, which uses sensors and a cylindrical grid of LEDs that simulate falling snow or sand as it’s flipped end-over-end. Mike needs to turn this thing into a toy you can buy. He’d sell thousands.

The Actively Coordinated High-speed Image-processing Running Experiment System or “ACHIRES” is a somewhat silly looking bipedal robot which can run at high speeds, in part thanks to a 600 fps camera which observes its posture and corrects its balance instantly.

Funxim’s upcoming Fast Wireless Charging Pad can charge an Apple watch and a supported smartphone at the same time. It works with the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X, as well as dozens of other Qi-enabled phones such as the Galaxy S8 and the LG V30.

This incredibly realistic Abraham Lincoln puppet is the work of animatronics company Garner Holt Productions. Tested visited the company to talk about the puppet and the future of animatronics. Doesn’t look like anything to me.

The Circa alarm clock has an optional sleep sensor that will tell it to wake you up only when you’re in light sleep. It also comes with several soothing ambient noise tracks and a gentle pulsing light mode. You can also use it as a Bluetooth speaker and Internet radio.