Top 10 New Gadgets for this Summer

In our childhood, all we needed for a great summer was a bicycle, ice cream, and swimwear. But the world has changed. If you're one of those people who can't take a step without gadgets, this summer, tech companies have prepared something interesting for you.

Jelly Star

Photo: Jelly Star

During the cold seasons, it's no problem to tuck your smartphone away. But summer is a different story. In the summer, you want to be lightweight and free. Just for those who like to carry only the bare essentials when leaving the house, Unihertz has created the tiny smartphone Jelly Star. Don't be discouraged by its 3-inch screen size. "I am small, but I am strong" perfectly describes Jelly Star. It is based on the MediaTek Helio G99 chip with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It also boasts two cameras (48 MP and 8 MP), Android 13, a headphone jack, fingerprint scanner, and NFC chip. The sales of Jelly Star start on June 13, with an initial price of $139.

KEYi Loona

Photo: KEYi Loona

Keyi offers a robot rabbit on wheels named Loona as a "pet" for $449. If your city is experiencing prolonged rain this summer, or you got fired, or you broke up with someone, or you simply hate summer like Woody Allen, Loona will help you get through until September. This agile "pet" will constantly amuse you with its animated eyes and twitching ears. Just make sure your pet cat (or dog) doesn't attack Loona out of jealousy.

Always Home Cam

Photo: Always Home Cam

If you're an anxious person, summer vacations might not bring you joy but rather fear. You're lying on the beach, and the thought crosses your mind: "What if my house is being robbed right now?" Especially for people like you (and those who are constantly worried about whether they left the iron plugged in at work), Ring has developed the Always Home Cam, a home security drone. How does it work? You'll need the Ring smart home security system already installed. When a burglar enters your apartment, the drone receives a signal from the sensors, takes off from its dock, flies around on a pre-determined route, and returns to base. Everything the drone sees during the flight is streamed in real-time to your smartphone. The peace of mind comes at a price of $249.

StanbyME Go

Photo: StanbyME Go

What's the most important thing to bring to a picnic? Marinated meat? A grill grate? A guitar? Insect repellent? No, according to LG, the main thing to bring to a picnic is a huge suitcase-television. No joke... The StanbyME Go device weighs 13 kg and is essentially a certified MIL-STD suitcase with a 27-inch touchscreen. The tablet can be positioned horizontally or vertically. And to scare away wild animals attracted by the smell of barbecue, there are 20W speakers that also support Dolby Atmos technology. If your boss calls and demands that you leave your vacation because of an emergency at the office, you can simply tell them that you can't because you're watching TV in your suitcase... The price of StanbyME Go is $890.

Sol Reader

Photo: Sol Reader

Lounging on the beach and reading books is a favorite pastime for many people. However, carrying a suitcase full of books on vacation is inconvenient. But even an e-reader has its drawbacks, as you have to hold it in front of your eyes all the time, which can be tiring. For the laziest readers, the startup Sol has developed book glasses. They feature two 1.3-inch E-Ink displays. Put on these glasses, lay back on your sunbed, and read books by flipping pages with a special remote control in your hand – pure bliss! The gadget is priced at $350.

Sensor OLED Display

Photo: Sensor OLED Display

Summer is a time when hot days are followed by thunderstorms. If you suffer from pressure changes, you should pay attention to Samsung's breakthrough technology, the innovative Sensor OLED Display. Smartphones equipped with it will allow you to measure your pulse and blood pressure by simply touching the screen with your finger. Moreover, fingerprint recognition won't be limited to a small circle on the back of the smartphone but will be possible anywhere on the display. We just have to wait for the technology to be put into production.

CurrentBody Skin LED

Photo: CurrentBody Skin LED

In the past, people used to say, "Don't listen to loud music with headphones, or you'll go deaf." Now they might say the opposite: "Listen, and your baldness will disappear." CurrentBod has developed Skin LED headphones that help with hair restoration. The headphones, though resembling something from a space opera, have 120 special LEDs inside. They suggest listening to music and simultaneously engaging in light therapy for 10 minutes a day for four months. The price of this gadget ranges from $700 to $800, which is not cheap, but on the other hand, for the chance to regain a full head of hair, it might be worth it. Plus, the helmet looks stylish – everyone will want to take a picture with you at a summer disco.

Apple Vision Pro

Photo: Apple Vision Pro

This summer, Apple entered the battle with Meta for dominance in the augmented reality technology sphere by unveiling the Vision Pro glasses priced at $3,499. With these glasses, it will now be possible to simultaneously exist in both the virtual world (playing games, messaging, working on projects) and the real world, such as seeing your own room and doing house chores. The level of detail in the augmented reality effect has wowed early testers. However, even before hitting the market, Vision Pro has faced harsh criticism. Most people are outraged by the price of the new gadget. For instance, Meta's competing glasses, Quest 3, cost seven times less at $499. Elon Musk, the joker himself, even offered an alternative to Apple's augmented reality on Twitter for just $20 – psychedelic mushrooms.

ION3

Photo: ION3

Summer is a time of scents: flowerbeds, grass, ocean breeze... And this is where the virtual world lags behind reality the most. However, progress is being made. At the CES 2023 tech expo, startup OVR Technology introduced the ION3 aromatic gadget. It's a device that complements VR goggles and is held near the user's nose. By analyzing what the goggles display, ION3 synthesizes the necessary scent using perfume cartridges. Journalists who tested the gadget at the expo noted that a virtual rose smelled like flowers on one side and peat on the other. The ocean shore smelled like lavender, and a waterfall emitted the scent of vanilla... So, it's still far from perfect. If you're sensitive to smells, it's better to spend your summer vacation at a real resort. However, the first steps towards realistic scenting of the digital world have been taken – there's more to come.

Sony Project Leonardo

Photo: Sony Project Leonardo

The main gaming gadget everyone is talking about this summer is Project Leonardo. Strangely enough, it's only now that Sony has developed its first controller for people with disabilities. It's strange because even public restrooms for people with disabilities in Japan have long looked like spaceship control centers... The Project Leonardo controller works with PlayStation 5 and features two circular gamepads with triggers of different shapes and sizes, as well as a joystick with flexible settings to cater to different needs. It all looks very cool – the only thing missing is for Sony to start selling Project Leonardo before September. Then gamers with disabilities will have an amazing time this summer.