From electric bikes and fold-up drones to combat robots and digital skipping ropes… the year’s most desirable technology

1. Beauty

Dyson Airwrap (£400)

Instead of relying on heat, this innovative device employs the Coanda jet-flow effect (which helps keep planes airborne) to wrap and style hair. It requires relearning how to coax your locks, but you can say goodbye to heat damage and singed foreheads.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer

The first of Sonos’s popular multiroom speakers to come loaded with Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa. “The best all-round music-focused smart speaker available in the UK,” says the Guardian. This limited-edition version comes in five colours selected by Danish furniture designer Hay.

The latest models from the Dutch e-bike maker have a range of over 90 miles, travel at 25km/h and feature an array of anti-theft devices.

4. Fitness

Tangram Smart Rope (£80)

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer

No ordinary analogue skipping rope, this tracks your fitness data as you jump. Its 23 LED lights display your workout stats mid-air, before syncing them to your phone through its Smart Gym mobile app. Skipping has never felt so futuristic.

5. Earphones

Jabra 65t active (£170)

Are you a high-powered, always-on type who wants to make calls, question Siri and listen to motivating podcasts, all while being coached through a 10k training plan? If so these should be on your want list. They aren’t bad for listening to music, too.

6. Drone

DJI Mavic Air (£669)

A feature-packed drone you can fold up and carry in an anorak pocket. Features a three-way gimbal for rocksteady filming, UHD shooting and a foldable remote control.

7. Games console

Super Nintendo Classic Mini (£70)

Wallow in 90s nostalgia with this retro console packed with the pixelated hits of yesteryear, from Final Fantasy III to Donkey Kong Country and the splendiferous Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting.

8. Portable speaker

Audio Pro Addon C3 (£250)

For a portable speaker, the Addon C3 packs a punch. With a total power output of 25 watts and a 15‑hour battery life, it doubles up as a premium multiroom home speaker and features a leather handle for taking your music with you wherever you go.

9. Fitness tracker

Garmin vívosmart 4 (£120)

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer

The vívosmart 4’s sophisticated monitoring tools can track everything from your blood oxygen levels and VO2 max to your sleep cycles and stress levels. And although the band is pretty dainty, its battery can monitor its owner for a week between charging.

While Tesla’s Elon Musk has been creating unsavoury headlines, Jaguar has launched a high-performance SUV. The manufacturer claims a range of 292 miles per charge, but reviewers have found it closer to 200. However, the looks, acceleration, handling and zero-emissions make this a winner – if you have the funds.

11. Robot

Anki Vector (£200)

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer

An update on the toy company’s Cozmo, the Vector is a listening, talking, seeing, always-on robot “companion”. Its personality is Wall-E-esque, but it will soon feature Alexa integration, allowing you to control your connected devices.

12. Smartphone

Huawei Mate 20 Pro (£900)

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Samuel Gibbs for the Guardian

With its triple-lensed Leica camera, 3D face-scanning software and an in-screen fingerprint sensor, Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro is, as the Guardian says, “cutting-edge brilliance”. With a 35-hour battery life, a powerful processor and wireless charging, it’s the number one Android smartphone.

Designed for riding on paths and gravel, this bike is equipped to deal with all types of surfaces off-road and on. Distinguishing marks are a frame shaped for shouldering it over obstacles and Canyon’s unique and very comfortable two-level handlebar.



14. TV

Samsung 55in Q7F QLED 4K Certified Ultra HD Premium HDR 1500 Smart TV (£1,299)

Featuring all the important acronyms, this market leader features a Quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) screen which, for various very technical reasons, is way sharper, brighter and displays richer blacks than a regular ultra-high definition (UHD) screen.

15. Connected home

Nest Hello (£229)

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer

A doorbell with a difference, Hello will record all your callers, use facial recognition and let you speak to visitors, even if you’re out. “A high-end, feature-rich option for a smart video doorbell that looks the part on the front of your house,” says the Guardian.

16. Instrument

Roli Songmaker Kit (£550)

A midi controller, keyboard, drum pad and many more things, this is a powerful tool for someone with basic knowledge of electronic music. Give this to budding Daft Punks and they may become an actual Daft Punk.

17. VR headset

Oculus Go (£200)

Unlike many previous headsets, this device doesn’t require a smartphone or a PC to power it. It might look rather dull and grey, but once strapped to your head these futuristic goggles can transport you to multifarious worlds of amusement and distraction.

18. Toy

MekaMon Robot V2 (£250)

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer

This spider-bot can battle AR-generated opponents or other actual bots – damage is inflicted via your smartphone from a repertoire of weapons and manoeuvres. Brings Robot Wars to your living room.

19. Camera

Nikon Coolpix W300 (£389)

Arguments for buying a standalone camera are pretty slim these days, but if you’re an adventurous type, this rugged number will save you from exposing your smartphone to harsh environments. Waterproof to 30m, freeze-proof, and it connects to your phone via Bluetooth for speedy uploading.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for the Observer Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose/The Observer

Superlight and supremely comfortable, these headphones feature superb noise-cancelling and use adaptive sound control to allow you to adjust the type of cancelling to your environment.

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