GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL The picks of the year 2014

2014 saw Nokia become Microsoft, the launch of Android One, and of thinner and bigger iPhones. All in all it was an interesting year. Here is our pick of gadgets that made a mark:

INTEL NUC MINI PC

Rs. 9,999 onwards

Aptly named the Next Unit of Computing, the NUC is changing the way we look at PCs. With NUC’s form factor you can easily convert a TV into a gaming PC. Gigabyte Brix and Asus Vivo PC have similar computers powered by Intel’s 4th-gen processors.

PHILIPS SOUP MAKER

Rs.9,999

This was one of the products that Philips introduced without an announcement. We found the soup maker to be an ideal gift. Chop up the vegetables, put in the seasoning and water, press a button and voila, the soup is ready. From chunky to smooth all soups can be prepared, and it is good for smoothies too.

MOTO 360

Rs.17,999

2014 was touted as the year of wearables and the Moto 360 found its way to become one of our favourite smart watches. Powered using Android Wear, it is comfortable to wear and comes with a sharp screen. It gives you timely updates and acts as a fitness tracker. You can also use it as a voice control module for your Android phones and as a navigation device. To top it off it comes with a wireless charger.

LENOVO YOGA TABLET 2

Rs.28,990

The Yoga Tablet 2 has a breath taking design, not only can you use it as a laptop with the help of the built-in stand but also turn it around and use it as a touch screen content creation device. Not to mention that it can also hung as a picture frame. The Yoga Tablet 2 comes with an Android operating system, though a Windows version is also available. Lenovo also launched a professional version towards the yearend that has a built-in projector, which can be used for presentations on the go.

BOSE SOLO 15

Rs.41,513

We all love our soap operas, but sadly our TV’s can’t really put out great sound. Back in 2013, Bose tried to solve this on a budget with Solo — but it left a lot to demand. This year Bose changed that with the Solo 15. With speakers at each end of the cabinet, the Solo 15, which sits below the television set, can fill your room with proprietary Bose quality sound, at all volumes.

BLACKBERRY PASSPORT

Rs.49,990

The Passport proved that Blackberry still has the courage to come up with a radical design. It has a brand new keyboard that doubles up as a scroll pad, a large square screen that is crisp, bright and puts up a spreadsheet beautifully. The model instantly became a favourite amongst business users, and even found consumer appeal, thanks to its large battery and amazing build quality.

FUJI FILM X-T1

Rs.1,18,000

Compact point and shoot cameras have finally gone away, thanks to smartphones, but Fuji is changing the game. The X-T1 has had great photographers of our time such as Zack Arias and Sephi Bergerson give up full-frame cameras. With its specifications and performance the X-T1 is transforming the way we look at photography.

LG CURVED TV

Rs.5,40,000

From the looks of it, curved TV’s will not make centerstage for a few years, but the experience offered by the 55” LG Curved TV is something to look forward to. At present they come at a hefty price like every high-end technological innovation but in a few years they may become more practical.

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