Tag Archives: Gadgets

Keychron’s $35 Keypad Turns AI Shortcuts Into Four Physical Buttons

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Working with an AI coding assistant can mean repeating the same handful of commands while your fingers hunt across a keyboard full of other possibilities. Keychron’s F4 HE 8K Vibe Coding Keypad gives those repeated decisions their own little patch of desk. Four programmable keys put prompting, dictation, approval, and rejection within reach, without asking you to replace the keyboard you already use.

The square body measures just 1.77 inches on each side, although its tall keycaps bring the height to 1.35 inches. Available in black or white, it looks like someone neatly cut a corner from a mechanical keyboard. An ABS plastic enclosure surrounds an aluminum plate, leaving the switch housings visible beneath the caps instead of hiding them behind a broad decorative surround.

Designer: Keychron

Those caps do more than supply a place to press. Keychron provides 15 icon options in dye-sublimated PBT, so a microphone, check mark, or cross can identify what you’ve assigned underneath. Per-key RGB adds another cue, letting you color an approval key green and a rejection key red. These are physical labels and configured colors, not screens that update when you switch applications.

The intended routine is familiar if you’ve spent time reviewing generated code. Start a conversation, dictate a change, then accept or reject what comes back, using mappings suited to your software. Keychron supplies Codex and Claude presets through its browser-based Launcher. The microphone icon needs particular attention, though: there’s no microphone inside this little box, so voice input still needs one elsewhere.

Launcher also handles ordinary shortcuts and recorded macros, giving the keypad something to do when you’re finished negotiating with an AI. A meeting mute button or a window-snapping shortcut might earn its place just as easily. Settings save to the device, but the relevant shortcuts still need to work on the next computer. Onboard memory carries your assignments, not the applications they control.

The magnetic switches add a less obvious kind of customization. You can choose how far a key travels before registering, making a shallow press sufficient or requiring a more deliberate movement. Dynamic Keystrokes can assign up to four actions across pressing and releasing one key. That’s extra flexibility, although remembering several hidden actions might undermine the simplicity of having four clearly labeled buttons.

Keychron advertises 8,000 reports per second over USB-C with a suitable cable, a gaming-oriented specification rather than evidence that AI will answer faster. More immediately relevant is another wire trailing from such a small accessory. The listed box contents include the keypad, 11 extra caps, and a manual, but no cable, so you’ll need to provide that part of the setup yourself.

The F4 costs $34.99, but the featured Launcher version remains in beta ahead of its planned November 9, 2026 release. That caveat aside, the question is how often you’re repeating the same commands. Four dedicated buttons are appealing when they remove a daily nuisance, less so when they’re another thing to remember beside your perfectly functional keyboard.

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MIXO AI Companion Concept Gives an AI a Detachable Face

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An AI companion might be helpful beside your laptop, but meetings and errands don’t always happen at your desk. MIXO proposes a detachable screen that moves between a desktop body, a wrist strap, and a smartphone, keeping its interface within reach. Despite its branding, MIXO is an independent concept with no official association with OPPO, not a device you’ll find in the company’s product lineup.

The little module has a rounded-square outline and a dark front, with two white bars supplying its most recognizable expression. A soft patch of color behind those eyes adds personality without requiring a detailed digital character. The same shape carries through the phone’s camera surround and desktop mount, giving the proposed family a resemblance that doesn’t depend entirely on an OPPO logo.

Designer: Jimmy Zhang

At home, the screen would settle onto an egg-shaped desktop body, which sits on a separate charging base. Its face angles upward, a sensible orientation for something meant to sit below your line of sight beside a laptop. Taking the display away leaves the larger body behind, so the companion’s tabletop presence doesn’t have to dictate the size of what you carry.

Meeting recording gives that desk arrangement a purpose beyond keeping a pair of glowing eyes company. MIXO proposes displaying a waveform, elapsed time, and a stop control on its face, keeping recording status separate from whatever occupies your laptop screen. Real-time translation and visual recognition also belong to the brief, although the concept doesn’t identify the AI models or demonstrate their accuracy.

Move the module onto the back of the proposed smartphone, and its display becomes a rear-camera viewfinder. You could frame a selfie while looking toward the same side as the lenses, rather than guessing where your head lands in the shot. The screen sits below the camera housing, keeping both visible, though the proposal doesn’t establish compatibility with any phone you can buy.

The wrist attachment gives the removable module another place to live. A dedicated holder on a buckled strap turns it into a watch-like device, with an analog-style clock for a familiar task between AI interactions. That keeps its face available when your phone is tucked away. There’s no specified fitness tracking or health sensing, however, and its physical dimensions and weight remain unspecified.

The appealing part is carrying one interface between those settings rather than learning three unrelated devices. The difficult part would be making every handoff dependable. MIXO’s connection method, battery life, and data handling aren’t explained, leaving practical questions about charging and the privacy of recorded conversations. A friendly face might make an assistant approachable, but it doesn’t tell you where your recordings go.

Despite its OPPO branding, MIXO remains an independent concept with no official association with the company, not a product waiting for a release date. Its strongest suggestion is physical: let the useful screen leave the larger body behind. A desk companion can have its little face back when you return, without asking you to take the rest of its body to a meeting.

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Razer’s Limited-Edition PS5 Controller combines magnesium alloy frame with pro-level precision

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Razer is taking its high-performance PlayStation controller lineup into premium collector territory with the Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition. Combining a magnesium alloy frame, an exposed polygonal construction and tournament-oriented controls, the new gamepad places as much emphasis on material craftsmanship as it does on competitive performance. Limited to just 1,337 individually serialized units worldwide, the gamepad represents a decade of refinement in Razer’s Raiju controller series, which first appeared in 2016.

The most distinctive feature of the limited-edition controller is the magnesium alloy exoskeleton, selected for its strength and relatively low weight. Rather than concealing the structure behind a conventional solid shell, Razer has given the controller an open-polygonal top and back plate design. Chamfered edges create a smoother transition between surfaces, while a protective nano coating helps shield the exposed internal components from debris. The entire controller weighs approximately 260 grams, making it notably lightweight for a premium performance-focused gamepad.

Designer: Razer

The material choices extend to the smaller details, with matte-black, micro-textured TPU grips on the handles designed to resist oil and abrasion during extended gaming sessions. A semi-transparent, tinted glass touchpad sits at the centre, with a laser-etched Razer logo that lets you see the geometric structure beneath. The action buttons, directional pad and secondary inputs use double-shot PBT construction, with tone-on-tone markings designed to resist fading and oil accumulation.

Beyond its distinctive exterior, the Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition retains the performance features expected from a competitive controller. It uses a symmetrical thumbstick arrangement with contactless TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) sensors, designed to deliver precise tracking while reducing the wear associated with traditional contact-based mechanisms. The configuration also includes six remappable multifunction buttons, two claw-grip bumpers and four mouse-click-style back buttons. These additional inputs allow players to assign frequently used actions without moving their thumbs away from the sticks.

The controller is officially licensed for PlayStation 5 and optimized for PC. When connected to a PC using Razer HyperPolling Wireless, it supports polling rates of up to 2,000Hz for more frequent input registration. Players can customize button assignments, thumbstick sensitivity, and trigger response through Razer Synapse or the Razer mobile app, with onboard profiles allowing personalized configurations to be carried between setups.

Razer is also treating the package as part of the product experience. Each unit comes with a premium leatherette carrying case, alternative short convex and tall concave thumbstick caps, four interchangeable back-button covers and an anodized aluminium replacement tool. A Razer HyperSpeed Wireless dongle and USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable complete the accessories. The alternative thumbsticks offer different handling preferences, with shorter convex caps suited to quicker movements and taller concave versions providing additional leverage for precise aiming.

Razer Raiju V3 Pro Signature Edition will launch on November 10, exclusively through Razer’s online store and select retail locations. The gamepad is priced at $349.99 in the US and €368.99 in Europe. With production restricted to 1,337 individually numbered units, the Signature Edition combines specialist gaming hardware with a more considered approach to materials and design.

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Xbox Put a Working Series X Inside a Giant Fake Alligator

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Finding a place for a game console usually means clearing a shelf, not making room for a reptile. Microsoft’s Xbox Series X-BITE puts a working Series X inside an artificial alligator measuring more than five feet long. The one-off creation trades a discreet electronics box for something closer to a wildlife exhibit, complete with a controller between its teeth.

The alligator rests on slim posts above a rectangular, wood-grain base, with its legs hanging below and its tail curling toward the floor. Dark, ridged scales and a lighter belly give it the appearance of a mounted specimen. That familiar display format does much of the work, making the oversized enclosure feel deliberately theatrical rather than like an ordinary console wearing a novelty cover.

Designer: Microsoft (Xbox)

A raised section on its back interrupts those scales, with an illuminated Xbox Nexus symbol worked into the surface. It’s the clearest clue that the animal has supposedly swallowed something it shouldn’t. The branding stays small against the length of the body, allowing the fabrication to carry the joke before the glowing logo explains why there’s an alligator underneath your television in the first place.

The head gets a less subtle treatment. Xbox-green irises surround pupils shaped around the Nexus symbol, turning the creature’s stare into another brand reference. Between the open jaws sits a custom Xbox Wireless Controller with artificial bite marks. It gives the sculpture a little unfinished business, as though the console wasn’t quite enough of a meal and the accessories were next on the menu.

The commission went to creature-effects specialists, who used 3D modeling, sculpting, and fabrication to build the animal around the hardware. That process gives a promotional console the attention normally associated with a film prop. Florida supplied the inspiration, according to Xbox, although the animal itself is entirely artificial. No actual alligators were used or harmed in creating this unusually elaborate console enclosure.

For the person who eventually owns it, the obvious challenge is finding a suitable place to put it. More than five feet of reptile won’t disappear into the usual gap beside a television. Its long base asks for a substantial display surface, and the raised mounting makes the whole assembly something to plan a room around rather than tuck away.

There’s also a qualification behind the playable-console claim. Xbox says the Series X inside works, but its fine print recommends the finished creation for display. The announcement doesn’t explain ventilation, access to ports, or servicing inside the sculpted body. That leaves a distinction between functioning hardware and a practical replacement for the console you switch on every evening after work.

Only one Series X-BITE exists, and it’s being offered through a sweepstakes rather than a retail release. There isn’t a shelf price to weigh against a standard console or a choice of less toothy finishes. The appeal is owning the fabrication itself, with a working Xbox as its unlikely inhabitant. The controller has a home, provided you don’t mind the teeth.

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Buy the printer, make the presents: Snapmaker’s U1 drops to $699 for Black Friday

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The Snapmaker U1 drops to $699 this Black Friday, down 30% from its $999 list price, and it might be the smartest buy on your holiday list, mostly because it can make plenty of the gifts on it. The U1 is a four-toolhead 3D printer that prints in up to four colors or materials in a single go. That covers personalized ornaments, figurines, and fidget toys, all printed in multicolor on your desk. It ships with four spools of PLA and 30 ready-to-print models, so after unboxing and automatic calibration, you can print your first model on day one. A good chunk of your Christmas list, sorted.

Four-head printers are rare at this price. Tool changers like the Prusa XL have historically cost well north of $2,000. Snapmaker’s SnapSwap system keeps four print heads loaded and swaps between them in about five seconds, while single-nozzle setups like Bambu’s AMS flush filament at every color change. Fewer purges mean faster prints and, by Snapmaker’s count, up to 85% less wasted plastic. More than 20,000 Kickstarter backers already bought in, making the U1 the most-funded 3D printer campaign in the platform’s history, with now more than 150,000 users worldwide.

Designer: Snapmaker

Click Here to Buy Now: Black Friday Sale. Hurry, deal ends soon!

Five-Second Swaps and a Lot Less Printer Poop

Each of the U1’s four print heads sits docked and preheated with its own filament. When a print calls for a new color, the printer parks the active head and grabs the next one. A steel-ball coupling and a mechanical lock seat each head in the exact same spot every time, and Snapmaker says the mechanism survived over a million continuous swaps with zero mechanical failures. The printer then auto-calibrates all four heads to within 0.04mm (about 0.0016 inches) of each other. That keeps the white trim on a Santa hat right where it belongs.

Single-nozzle printers handle color changes by shoving the old filament out until the new one runs clean. Snapmaker pegs that process at roughly two minutes per swap, and on a busy multicolor model the purged plastic can outweigh the model itself. The U1 only purges small amounts at the start of a job and during calibration. Print a tray of four-color ornaments and those savings stack up fast, in both hours and filament. Your filament budget ends up on the tree instead of in the trash.

A Personalized Ornament, From Download to Gift Box

Four heads can hold four different materials as easily as four colors, so flexible TPU or dissolvable supports can share a print with rigid plastic. For most holiday gifts, though, four colors of PLA do the heavy lifting. Snapmaker’s Full Spectrum feature stretches that palette by stacking thin alternating layers of your four filaments, which your eye reads as new in-between shades. Results depend on the filament, the model’s shape, and your settings, so a quick test print helps. Load red, green, white, and gold, and you’ve basically got Christmas in a box.

Personalizing a gift takes about as much skill as sending a text. Open an ornament model in Snapmaker Orca, add a name with the slicer’s text tool, and assign one of your four colors to each part. A palm-sized ornament uses only a few grams of filament, so each one costs pocket change in plastic. Hit print, and the U1 handles every color swap on its own while you get on with your evening. Repeat for each name on your list, and nobody else at the party will show up with those.

Smart Enough for First-Timers, Cheap Enough for Black Friday

Snapmaker Space, the company’s model library (currently in open beta), offers ready-to-print multicolor models, so beginners can skip 3D modeling entirely. Auto bed leveling helps your first layer stick, and input shaping reduces vibration for smoother walls, with speeds topping out at 500mm/s (about 20 inches per second). Filament loads itself, RFID tags on Snapmaker spools fill in settings for you, and Backup Mode switches to a matching spool when one runs dry. A built-in camera with AI monitoring can flag spaghetti failures and ping your phone. Tinkerers get Klipper firmware and OrcaSlicer support.

Click Here to Buy Now: Black Friday Sale. Hurry, deal ends soon!

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Razer’s EVANGELION EVA-01 Collection turns your gaming setup into an anime-inspired battle station

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Razer has teamed up with Neon Genesis Evangelion to introduce a new collection of gaming peripherals inspired by EVA-01, the iconic purple-and-green Evangelion unit piloted by Shinji Ikari. The Razer EVANGELION (EVA-01) Collection brings the anime’s distinctive visual identity to five pieces of gaming hardware and furniture, letting fans create a coordinated desktop setup.

Following the earlier EVA-02 collaboration, the new collection focuses on EVA-01’s recognizable purple armor, neon-green accents, and mechanical detailing. Instead of limiting the collaboration to a mouse and keyboard, Razer has extended the theme across desktop audio, accessories, and seating, making it a more comprehensive gaming setup.

Designer: Razer

Leading the collection is the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro – EVANGELION (EVA-01) Edition. Based on Razer’s lightweight wireless gaming mouse, it features an ergonomic design and HyperSpeed Wireless Gen-2 connectivity for responsive control. The most distinctive addition, however, is an exclusive EVA-01 display stand. Inspired by the docking platform used to secure the Evangelion unit before deployment, the assembled stand provides a dedicated resting place for the mouse while doubling as a display piece.

The Razer BlackWidow V4 TKL HyperSpeed – EVANGELION (EVA-01) Edition deploys the same visual treatment to a tenkeyless mechanical keyboard. Its compact layout leaves more room for mouse movement, while hot-swappable switches allow users to customize the typing experience without soldering. Wireless connectivity and low-latency performance retain the functionality expected from a gaming-focused keyboard.

For desktop audio, Razer has included the Leviathan V2 X – EVANGELION (EVA-01) Edition. The compact USB-C-powered soundbar is designed to sit beneath a monitor, keeping the desk relatively uncluttered. The EVA-01-inspired finish is complemented by Razer Chroma RGB lighting, extending the collection’s visual identity beyond conventional gaming peripherals.

Completing the desktop accessories is the Gigantus V2 XXL – EVANGELION (EVA-01) Edition. Its expansive surface provides room for broad mouse movements, while the textured cloth material is designed to support consistent tracking. The largest piece of furniture in the lineup is the Iskur V2 X – EVANGELION (EVA-01) Edition gaming chair, which combines the collection’s purple-and-green styling with integrated lumbar support for extended gaming sessions.

The collection for now is an Asia-Pacific exclusive, with pre-orders expected through Amazon and selected regional retail partners. Availability may vary by market, though. Reported Japanese retail prices are ¥32,980 (approximately $215) for the mouse, ¥35,980 ($235) for the keyboard, ¥22,980 ($150) for the soundbar, ¥6,980 ($45) for the mouse mat, and ¥69,980 ($455) for the chair.

With five coordinated products, Razer’s latest collaboration goes beyond applying an anime-inspired colour scheme to existing hardware. The exclusive mouse stand adds a collectible element, while the remaining products make it possible to carry the EVA-01 aesthetic across your entire dedicated gaming workspace.

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InFocus Drawer Charges Three Devices and Keeps Them Off the Counter

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Kitchen counters have a habit of becoming parking lots for phones, usually with a cable trailing behind each one. Fabuwood and FreePower’s upcoming InFocus Drawer moves that charging routine into the cabinetry itself. Compatible devices recharge wirelessly behind a closed drawer front, leaving room on the counter for dinner preparations instead of another small collection of screens waiting to be checked yet again.

The drawer doesn’t need to announce its technology through a glossy charging pad or a cluster of sockets. A wood-toned interior keeps the electronics hidden beneath the surface, while the front can remain part of the kitchen’s cabinetry design. A small circular medallion supplies an exterior marker, without turning the cabinet into something that looks as if it belongs beside your router.

Designer: Fabuwood x FreePower

FreePower’s contribution makes putting a phone away less fussy. Its technology uses an array of charging coils, allowing compatible devices to sit at different positions and angles within the active charging area. You don’t have to match each phone to a particular circular target. That distinction matters when dropping devices into a drawer is supposed to become a habit rather than another task.

The system is rated to charge three Qi-enabled devices simultaneously at up to 15W each. That’s enough capacity for a couple of phones and a compatible earbud case, although the advertised maximum isn’t a promise that every device will draw that much power. The benefit here is sharing one concealed charging area, without giving each person’s device its own cable on the counter.

Fabuwood traces the idea to its practice of putting phones away before meetings, then translates that gesture into something built into the home. Before a meal, everyone could leave their devices inside and close the drawer. Charging gives everyone a practical reason to put the phone down rather than leaving it beside a plate where every illuminated notification remains clearly in view.

This isn’t a loose charging mat you can slip into any spare drawer. The finished assembly is designed for compatible 18-inch Fabuwood cabinetry and needs a standard outlet, so installation belongs in the kitchen planning conversation. Wireless describes the connection to your devices, not the drawer’s power supply. You’ll still need to account for electricity even when the cables aren’t on display.

That space also comes out of your kitchen’s storage allowance, something to consider before sacrificing the drawer that already holds your utensils. It shouldn’t become an indiscriminate catchall, either. FreePower warns that thick cases and metal objects can interfere with wireless charging. Keeping the charging area clear matters, even if closing the front makes it tempting to forget what’s sitting inside the drawer.

The InFocus Drawer’s commercial availability is scheduled for November 16, 2026. The announcement, however, doesn’t disclose a price. It gives households a place to put their phones before sitting down together, but someone still has to make the decision to leave them there until the dishes are cleared.

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The 8 Best Tech Gadgets of November 2026

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A phone with a screen beside its rear camera is a literal way to improve a selfie. A mouse that folds flat takes a direct approach to an overstuffed laptop bag. Our November gadget selection starts with those practical ideas, then moves through music players, a camera, a keyboard, and a handheld console that makes its electronics part of the view. Each earns its place through a specific design decision.

These are our editorial picks for November 2026, not eight November launches or winners from a comparative test. The selection includes products offered for purchase, announced hardware, and projects still working toward production, with those differences identified below. We’ve favored useful mechanisms, distinctive controls, and objects that offer something beyond another spec upgrade. Consider it a guide to what deserves attention, with availability treated as carefully as the industrial design itself.

1. Acer Sospiro A70 5G Phone

The Acer Sospiro A70 gives its rear camera a useful companion: a 1.88-inch display that doubles as a selfie viewfinder. Instead of guessing your framing when using the 64MP main camera, you can check it on the back of the phone. That small screen sits inside a broad, V-shaped camera module, giving the handset an identity beyond its logo. Senwa Global, which licenses the Acer name for phones in Latin America, is the company behind this particular Acer-branded 5G model.

The rest of the hardware preserves options many buyers still value: a 3.5mm headphone jack, 256GB of storage, and microSD expansion up to 1TB. A 5,000mAh battery accompanies the 6.67-inch main display, although its 120Hz refresh rate comes with a modest 720 × 1600 resolution. That’s the compromise behind the feature list. Pricing and the launch date remain unconfirmed in our sources, and a US release hasn’t been established, so this belongs on a watchlist rather than a shopping cart.

What we like

  • The rear display provides framing when taking selfies with the main camera.
  • A headphone jack and expandable storage preserve useful everyday options.

What we dislike

  • The main screen pairs a large panel with relatively low resolution.
  • Pricing, launch timing, and US availability remain unresolved.

2. OrigamiSwift Folding Mouse

A conventional mouse is awkward luggage because its useful shape becomes wasted volume when you close the laptop. Horace Lam’s OrigamiSwift addresses that with a folding, origami-inspired body that rises into a working mouse and flattens for storage. At 40 grams, it adds little weight to a mobile setup. The more interesting achievement is giving the mouse two distinct shapes for two different jobs, rather than asking you to work all afternoon with a permanently shrunken travel accessory in hand.

Bluetooth 5.2 handles the connection, while USB-C recharges a battery that rates for up to three months of use. The $85 asking price buys a more considered packing solution, not a promise that every hand will prefer its angular form. There’s also a dimensional catch worth understanding: the flattened body spreads to roughly 4.8 by 5 inches, and the sensor housing stays thicker than the panels. It’s better suited to a slim laptop sleeve than a tiny pocket.

Click Here to Buy Now: $85.00

What we like

  • Folding construction reduces the thickness needed for storage.
  • Its 40-gram weight makes it a modest addition to a laptop bag.

What we dislike

  • The flattened shape still occupies an almost five-inch-square footprint.
  • The thicker sensor housing prevents a uniformly flat profile.

3. OnePlus Ice Card Mini

OnePlus’s Ice Card Mini is a China-listed magnetic phone cooler with a refreshingly restrained shape. At about 50 grams and 70 by 53.4mm, it resembles a small card accessory more than the clip-on fans associated with gaming phones. Inside, thermoelectric cooling works alongside an air-cooling system. The appeal is straightforward: an external accessory intended to manage heat without turning the phone into something that needs its own carrying case. It’s a focused answer to an accessory category prone to bulk.

The Mini takes power over USB-C, drawing up to 3.5W according to the published specifications. You can power it from the phone, a power bank, or an adapter, but that means the magnetic attachment doesn’t make the setup wireless. An included magnetic plate extends compatibility to phones without built-in magnets. That flexibility is welcome, especially if you change handsets regularly. The remaining questions are practical ones: case compatibility, the effect on your games, and availability outside its initial Chinese market.

What we like

  • The compact magnetic format avoids a bulky clamping mechanism.
  • USB-C power allows several options beyond a wall outlet.

What we dislike

  • It requires a power connection during use.
  • Cooling performance and US availability need confirmation.

4. ClearFrame Speaker CD Player

The ClearFrame Speaker CD Player gives an album two jobs: something to play and something to display. Its transparent body reveals the spinning disc and circuitry, while an included tray lets you insert the album artwork instead. That makes its appearance change with your listening rather than stay fixed behind a manufacturer’s grille. This is the speaker-equipped version of ClearFrame, with a built-in 40mm driver and bass diaphragm, so it can play your CDs without an additional speaker beside it.

At 27mm thick, the $240 player has proportions closer to a book than a conventional stereo component. It features six to seven hours of speaker playback, with USB-C charging and a 3.5mm headphone output. Bluetooth 5.3 sends CD audio to compatible headphones or speakers; it doesn’t receive music from your phone. That distinction matters if you’re imagining a transparent Bluetooth speaker. A display stand and wall mount cost extra, so budget for the arrangement you want at home.

Click Here to Buy Now: $240.00

What we like

  • Album artwork becomes part of the player’s appearance.
  • The built-in speaker removes the need for a separate listening setup.

What we dislike

  • Bluetooth transmits CD audio but cannot receive music from a phone.
  • Display accessories and wall-mounting hardware aren’t included.

5. Sudo Music Player

Tangerine Sudo music player shown from front and back, with playlists menu on screen and tactile wheel below

Silver Sudo music player held in one hand, thumb resting on the tactile wheel

New Matter’s Sudo revisits the dedicated music player with an interface built around a capacitive scroll wheel and haptic feedback, paired with a touchscreen. The appeal is choosing an album on a device whose main purpose is listening, rather than opening another destination on your phone. Planned hardware includes a Cirrus Logic DAC, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and USB-C digital audio output. This is upcoming hardware, though, with New Matter expecting the first batch to ship in early Q4 2027.

The specification gives that familiar format room to grow: 64GB of internal storage, microSD expansion up to 2TB, and support for formats including FLAC, MP3, and WAV. New Matter also lists Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so the throwback controls don’t mean abandoning connectivity. A refundable $50 reservation goes toward an expected $249 purchase price, rather than buying a finished player today. For anyone rebuilding a local music library, it’s worth following, but the production schedule makes patience part of the proposition.

What we like

  • A dedicated wheel gives music navigation its own control surface.
  • Expandable storage accommodates a growing local library.

What we dislike

  • Expected shipping is in Q4 2027, not this November.
  • The $249 price remains an estimate, not a finalized retail figure.

6. AULA Neos 75 Keyboard

AULA’s Neos 75 puts a small control console beside an otherwise compact keyboard. Two metal knobs, round media buttons, and a 2.3-inch color display give the right edge the look of a miniature hi-fi component. The useful part is having volume and playback controls where your hand already works, without requiring another desk accessory. Designed by AULA.New Renaissance, the 84-key board also uses a CNC-machined aluminum chassis and aluminum keycaps, extending that hardware-focused approach across the surface you actually touch.

Custom low-profile Kailh switches sit in hot-swappable sockets, letting you change switches without soldering. A gasket mount supports the typing assembly, and wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4GHz connections offer different ways to connect your devices. China preorders opened in October, while wider regional availability needs checking before purchase. The physical compromise is right there in the layout: a compact 75% key arrangement doesn’t produce the smallest possible keyboard when a separate control console occupies the space along its entire right edge.

What we like

  • Dedicated knobs and media buttons put frequent controls within reach.
  • Hot-swappable switches leave room to change the typing setup.

What we dislike

  • The side console expands the footprint of the compact key layout.
  • A confirmed official US rollout remains unclear.

7. Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo 2

Fujifilm’s Instax Mini Evo 2 makes printing a choice rather than the unavoidable outcome of pressing the shutter. The hybrid camera lets you review and adjust a digital image before committing it to Instax Mini film. Its lens-effect dial, film-effect dial, and print lever preserve physical actions alongside a 4.5-inch touchscreen. For someone who likes the idea of instant photography but hates wasting film on an accidental exposure, that division of labor makes more sense than nostalgia on its own.

The camera offers 10 lens effects and 10 film effects, giving you 100 combinations before printing. Expanded View shows the area beyond the intended print frame, while the updated app supports printing smartphone photos and remote shooting. Fujifilm lists a US MSRP of $289.95, with availability expected toward the end of November. Film remains a separate purchase, and the new short-movie feature needs a microSD card. Those ongoing costs deserve just as much consideration as the camera’s appealing physical controls.

What we like

  • Reviewing images before printing gives you control over film use.
  • Physical effect dials complement the touchscreen rather than disappearing into it.

What we dislike

  • Instax Mini film adds an ongoing expense.
  • The short-movie feature requires a separately purchased microSD card.

8. Arduview Transparent Gaming Handheld

Arduview takes transparent electronics beyond a clear shell. Louis Huang’s handheld also uses a see-through circuit board and display, leaving the background visible around its illuminated cyan pixels. It’s an unusually direct way to turn the workings of a gadget into its visual identity. This isn’t only a rendering trick: VGC reports using a working unit and confirms that the transparent screen functions as shown. The project is now crowdfunding, rather than sitting on a shop shelf ready for delivery.

Built on the open Arduboy platform, the 50-gram device is pitched around 400 preloaded games and USB-C charging. That makes it a small, focused alternative to a phone full of gaming apps, with room for enthusiasts to explore the underlying platform. Arduview’s maker projects February 2027 shipping for early supporters, rather than November availability. Its appeal rests on a deliberately narrow gaming experience and a display construction; neither should be confused with the capabilities of a larger, mainstream handheld console.

What we like

  • Transparency extends to the screen, not merely the enclosure.
  • The open Arduboy platform offers scope for tinkering beyond preloaded games.

What we dislike

  • February 2027 shipping is a projection, not immediate availability.
  • Its niche Arduboy library won’t suit someone seeking mainstream console games.

Match the Gadget to the Habit

The most useful way to approach this list is to start with a recurring annoyance, not an empty spot on the desk. A mouse that packs differently has a clear job. So does a CD player that lets an existing collection leave the cupboard. More specialized hardware needs a closer match to your habits: a phone cooler only matters if heat is a problem you actually encounter while using it.

Timing deserves the same scrutiny as design. A reservation, a crowdfunding pledge, and a retail order are different commitments, even when the product photography makes them look equally finished. If you need something for this month, check the version, delivery estimate, and accessories before paying. If you’re following an upcoming design, keep the expected date in view. An interesting object can be worth watching without being the right purchase today.

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Hero Keyboard Packs a Windows 11 PC and Borrows Your Tablet’s Screen

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Carrying a tablet and a laptop means packing two screens when what you really need is another operating system. Hero Devices’ upcoming Hero Keyboard puts a Windows 11 PC inside a keyboard with its own trackpad and battery, leaving the display to a compatible tablet or monitor. The idea is to carry your computer without committing to the screen attached to it.

That makes Hero look rather like a laptop that’s misplaced its lid. Its Midnight Merlot enclosure has rounded corners, black keys, and a broad trackpad, with none of the hinge hardware anchoring a display behind it. The aluminum body measures about 10.04 by 7.48 inches and just 0.46 inches thick, although that compact footprint doesn’t leave room for a separate number pad.

Designer: Hero Devices

Inside, Hero specifies an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor, 16 GB of memory, and a 512 GB SSD. Windows runs on that hardware, not on the tablet, which simply supplies the display and supported touch inputs. That’s critical when you need a Windows application your tablet can’t run natively, without replacing the mobile software you already enjoy using on it.

Using a tablet as the display takes some software, though. Hero Port uses a standard USB-C data cable for wired video, while touch and stylus inputs travel separately over Bluetooth Low Energy. Hero’s companion app targets iPadOS 17 and later and Android 7 and later, but its product page still marks it as forthcoming. iPhone users are directed to third-party alternatives, such as Duet.

At a desk, a compatible USB-C monitor can provide both a display connection and power through one cable. Move elsewhere, and the same files and applications travel inside the keyboard, rather than needing another PC to pick up the work. The optional $50 Sidekick case gives those separate parts a home, carrying Hero and an 11-inch iPad while doubling as a tablet stand.

Hero has a role when you don’t need Windows. Switch off its PC, and the keyboard and trackpad can still serve a tablet over Bluetooth. You could answer messages in your tablet’s native apps, then switch back to Windows for work that needs it. There’s no need to pack a second keyboard just because you’ve changed operating systems rather than changing screens.

Of course, leaving out the screen doesn’t make the rest weightless. Hero alone weighs about 1.59 pounds, before adding a tablet, stand, or charger. The company promises up to nine hours of battery life and includes a 100-watt USB-C charger, but those figures don’t establish how long your workload will last. The tablet supplying your display also has its own battery to manage.

The Founders Edition is listed at $999 for preorder in the US and Canada, with initial shipments planned for the fourth quarter of 2026. That’s a substantial price for something that still needs a separate display. Its appeal depends on already owning the right screen and wanting Windows enough to accept a cable, an app, and a less self-contained setup than a laptop.

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Pedestal’s Cable Storage Is Actually Worth Leaving on Display

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A beautifully arranged desk can lose its composure about six inches below the tabletop. That’s where the charging bricks collect, the extra cable length goes to live, and the power strip becomes an object you’d rather guests didn’t notice. I’m interested in design that addresses that unglamorous territory, especially when the answer has more personality than another black plastic box.

Swiss design studio BIG-GAME approaches the problem through its additions to Danish brand Pedestal’s Power Series. The collection gives cables, adapters, and power strips somewhere more deliberate to go, using silicone rings, steel covers, trays, and a wheeled storage box. These are existing products, not a speculative desk setup from a rendering. Their appeal is refreshingly domestic: make the necessary electrical mess easier to live around.

Designer: Big Game Design for pedestal

The Cable Bagel is the most immediately charming piece. Made from flexible silicone, it gathers cords into a rounded, doughnut-shaped body. The name tells you almost everything about its appearance, which I appreciate. In the studio’s photographs, blue, green, pink, and cream versions look more like chunky tabletop accessories than equipment-management supplies. Another image shows one hanging behind a television, with the cable ends emerging below. It gives excess cord a recognizable shape rather than leaving it as an accidental pile.

I’d give the Cable Villa the starring role, though. The steel box holds cables, adapters, and power strips, with wheels underneath and a handle rising above its rooflike lid. In pink, it has the slightly amusing presence of a miniature utility cart. That’s a useful visual choice. An organizer doesn’t have to disappear to look appropriate in a living room. Here, the enclosed body handles the concealment while the exterior gets to be an object with some character.

The wheels also make sense beyond the styling. They offer a way to reposition the box when you need access, although connected cable lengths will still determine how far anything can travel. I like that modest scale of usefulness. This isn’t a reason to reorganize an entire room around your chargers. It’s a place to contain the hardware that already exists, with a form that looks considered enough to sit beside furniture rather than apologetically behind it.

Other pieces take a more restrained approach. The powder-coated steel Power Shell fits around Pedestal’s Power Beam and can stand upright or lie flat. The Power Tower instead supports the Beam vertically. I prefer the logic of offering both: sometimes you want to screen off a power strip, and sometimes you need to reach its sockets regularly. Those are different habits, and they deserve different shapes. Both accessories require the separately sold Beam.

The steel Power Tray extends that thinking onto the work surface, creating a place around the Power Beam for cables, adapters, and small essentials. A double version adds two compartments. Of the collection, this feels closest to a conventional desk organizer, but the relationship to the power strip gives it a reason to exist. It puts the storage where the connections happen, instead of treating those as unrelated housekeeping tasks.

There’s a price consideration here. Pedestal’s storefront lists the Cable Bagel at $45 and the Cable Villa at $180, so the visual pleasure carries a premium. I wouldn’t suggest buying the whole family simply to achieve a coordinated desk photograph. One well-chosen piece seems more convincing. The Bagel addresses loose cord, the Villa contains a larger collection, and the Beam accessories involve a specific system, so fit and regional plug compatibility deserve attention before ordering.

My preference is for the Villa because it gives the least glamorous part of a setup a little architectural dignity. The appeal isn’t a fantasy of owning fewer devices or never seeing a wire again. It’s the more attainable pleasure of making room for what you already use. A cable box won’t make anyone organized by itself, but I can see the appeal of one you don’t immediately want to shove out of sight.

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