THE BEST Tech

This slimline keyboard and docking station is the perfect accessory for laptop owners. It connects to your USB-C port, not only giving you a full-size keyboard, but HDMI, USB-A, USB-C ports, as well as TF and full-size SD card readers. It features a 100% aluminum chassis, high-quality scissor switch keys, and white backlighting.

Drone photography expert DJI takes on GoPro with a powerful standalone action cam. The Osmo Action captures 4K HDR video, offers built-in stabilization, is waterproof to 11m, shoots 8x slow motion, and has screens on both rear and front for shooting selfies. Plus, it’s compatible with GoPro mounts.

Using neural network tech, Denis Shiryaev was able to take some very early film footage, and upconvert it to display at 60 frames per second. The original Lumière Brothers film, Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat dates back to 1896. There are definitely some strange artifacts, but it’s unusual to see such old footage moving so smoothly.

What do you get when you take a bunch of old Garfield comic strips and feed them into a machine learning algorithm designed to morph them into a cohesive animation sequence? Nightmares, that’s what. Go figure it was the guy behind Garfield Gameboy’d that tipped us off to Daniel Hanley’s bizarre AI experiment.

This modern bicycle helmet has a rear-mounted grid of 77 color LEDs which can be used to indicate when you’re braking or turning, as well as to display animations. The LEDs can be activated via handlebar controls or an Apple Watch app. In addition, there’s a row of bright white LEDs in front which improve forward visibility.

While crowdsourcing traffic data generally has improved the quality of navigation services, it’s also possible that the data could be manipulated. Berlin artist Simon Weckert shows how he was able to create non-existent traffic jams on Google Maps by walking through empty streets while pulling a wagon full of 99 cell phones.

This gadget lets you add a backup camera to older vehicles with ease. The FenSens wireless backup camera mounts around your license plate, and adds a fully-wireless HD camera that can stream 1080p video to your smartphone’s screen via Wi-Fi. It recharges automatically using solar power, and installs in just minutes.

Give your over-the-ear headphones an appropriately elegant place to rest when not in use. These handmade wood stands from Beveled Edge offer refined looks, and come in versions that hold one or two pairs, compact DACs, cables, and other accessories.

Enthusiast gear retailer DROP teamed up with THX to create the ultimate Bluetooth headphone. These cans have phase-correct planar ribbon drivers, a low-noise THX AAA amplifier circuit, and Sony’s LDAC wireless codec to produce audiophile sound without wires. They offer 30+ hour battery life, and can be run via a passive wired connection.

Dyson’s second high-end desk lamp offers multiple pivot and swivel points, so you can aim it exactly where needed. Its light module automatically adjusts its color temperature and brightness throughout the day, and its base column doubles as an ambient light when you don’t need a point source. Available as a desk or a floor lamp.

These days, everyone carries a videophone in their pocket. But before the days of iPhones and Galaxies, calling someone and seeing them at the same time was difficult and expensive to achieve. Techmoan shows off one of the earlier examples of a working video calling system, British Telecom’s VC 7000, which dates back to 1993.

Do you have an old, broken laptop lying around? Don’t just toss it in the trash. As DIY Perks shows us, there are a bunch of goodies inside that you can recycle to make things like stereo speakers, lighting fixtures, artworks, and more.

Watching live theatre can be challenging for deaf people. Sign interpreters and captioning boards help, but this new tech developed at the National Theatre in London gives people with hearing loss a much better experience – displaying captions that float right in front of their eyes. Freethink explains how it works.

A jumbo-sized version of Elgato’s sweet programmable key controller. Packing 32 keys, each one can be customized with an icon and function of your choice with an easy-to-use software that runs on Windows 10+ or MacOS X 10.13 or later. It can be laid flat like a keyboard, or angled using the included magnetic stand.

Guinness World Records introduces us to animatronics and robotics expert Matt Denton, and his prize-winning walking robot, Mantis. This gigantic, diesel-powered hexapod weighs in at nearly 4200 pounds, and can stomp around while an operator rides in its mid-section. Matt also happens to be the co-creator of BB-8.

Transform your computer keyboard into a work of art with these colorful keycap sets. Available in rainbow, sunset blue, or sky blue designs, they form a smooth gradient once installed. Each of the 108 keys is made from colored plastic (not painted), and has laser-etched key legends on its side. Compatible with Cherry MX keyboards.

Want an iPad cheap? While this iPad Mini 3 isn’t the latest tech from Apple, it’s still a great little system, with a 2048×1536, 7.9″ retina display, 16GB of storage, Wi-Fi, and unlocked cellular connectivity. This brand new in box system is 52% off its original price in The Awesomer Shop.

Making homebrew drones can be quite tricky due to the precise balance and weight requirements of smooth flight. But thanks to the consistency of LEGO parts, Brick Experiment Channel was able to put together a reasonably stable – if somewhat fragile – LEGO flying machine using off-the-shelf motors and rotors.

In December 2019, Adam Savage unwrapped one of the coolest Christmas gifts ever – one of Boston Dynamics‘ four-legged Spot robots. He then took it out for its first walk to learn just how good it is at walking on challenging terrain. Adam and the crew at Tested plan on putting Spot through its paces over the next year.

This unusual guitar effects pedal changes its sound based on whatever liquid you pour into it. Unscrew the watertight lid, pour in the beverage of your choice, and the conductive properties of said liquid will influence signal gain, while its opacity affects the equalization of the sound. Demo video here. (Thanks Mike!)

Adafruit Industries produces some really nifty components for making electronic gadgets. In this video, they show how their NeoPixel LED strips can be used with a one-way mirrored sheet, acrylic, and some 3D-printed bits to make an infinity mirror you can toss in your pocket. Build details and parts list here, and the source code is here.

Dimitar Tilev shows off a truly awesome R/C car build. This scale replica of a vintage Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 wagon packs an Arduino-controlled active suspension which can raise and lower, along with a rear-wheel drivetrain that makes it especially adept at drifting. We love the engine noises and light-up tailpipes.

James Bruton is always making cool and amazing things. His latest build is a version of Tickle-Me Elmo that can actually move and walk around thanks to an array of nine servo motors and a wheeled robot that pushes it along. The design was inspired by that creepy teddy bear in the Spielberg movie A.I. Part one here.

This portable Bluetooth gadget folds down small enough to toss in your backpack or other small bag, yet offers a full-function QWERTY keyboard when opened up. It also works in USB mode, and has a built-in touchpad, though that’s only compatible with Windows and Android devices. Measures 5.98″w x 3.82″d x 0.71″h folded.