Alongside the annual avalanche of also-ran gadgets, 2023 brought us a bunch of products that challenge the assumptions of many tried and true product categories. Soundbars became modular. Speakers prioritized 3D sound instead of stereo. Tablets disguised themselves as smart displays. And instant film cameras became, well, a little more sophisticated.
Here is an overview of the most interesting and innovative tech products of 2023.
Sonos Era 300
Why It Matters: Sonos' first standalone, non-soundbar, wireless speaker that's fully optimized for Dolby Atmos and immersive audio shows where the future of music and home listening is going.
The Big Picture: The Era 300 is maybe the most ambitious speaker that Sonos has ever made. Not only is it way more versatile than Sonos speakers of old — in addition to the traditional Wi-Fi, it also supports Bluetooth and USB-C line-in connectivity — but it's also the first that's really primed for playing tracks that support Dolby Atmos, which most streaming services now offer. It's the company's first non-soundbar speaker to have an up-firing driver that creates virtual height channels so you feel more immersed in your tunes, delivering a more concert-like experience while listening to music at home.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Why It Matters: After years pioneering the format, Samsung has perfected the folding phone design with the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
The Big Picture: Samsung bet big on foldable smartphones. It's been making two different lines of foldables for years now, the smaller "Flip" and the larger fold "Fold." With its more pocketable design and way more affordable price tag, the Flip has been leading the charge into mass acceptance and this year's Flip 5 is a tipping point. On paper, the Flip 5 might look fairly similar to last year's Flip 4, but Samsung has made some improvements that change the game. It has a much bigger cover display (3.78x times bigger, in fact) and there's much more you can do without "flipping" the Flip 5 open. It has a redesigned hinge that allows the Flip 5 to fold completely flush and flat. And it has specs (including the same processor) that are similar to Samsung's flagship Galaxy S23. It all adds up to what feels like the perfect foldable smartphone.
Pocket Animal Audio Woovebox
Why It Matters: Absolutely tiny and astoundingly powerful, this pocketable “groovebox” makes it easy for amateurs to sketch out songs instead of doom scrolling.
The Big Picture: The era of the microchip has made it possible to fit electronic orchestras and virtual recording studios into ever-smaller form factors. The Woovebox, a one-person labor of love out of Australia, takes this potential to an incredible, intuitive extreme. Literally fitting in the palm of your hand, the Woovebox makes it easy to design digital instruments and write full electronic songs with nothing more than 16 buttons, a knob, some LEDs, an 8-character digital display and an incredibly intuitive minimalist interface. Like any instrument, the Woovebox takes some time to learn, but with helpful melody generators and features that automatically snap notes into key, this tiny square lets amateurs generate tasty jams with ease and gives experts plenty of room to experiment, making it an excellent – and equally addictive – antidote to doom scrolling.
Google Pixel Tablet
Why It Matters: Google's first tablet in years can double as a Google Assistant smart display, giving it some extra practicality other tablets just don't have.
The Big Picture: With smartphones getting bigger and laptops getting lighter, tablets occupy an increasingly precarious position — there are ever fewer reasons to actually use them. The Pixel Tablet has a clever solution. It works as a pretty standard 11-inch Android tablet on its own, but it's unique because when connected to its speaker dock (which is included in the box), the Pixel Tablet turns into a Google Assistant smart display like the company's Nest Hub. So even when you're not using the Pixel Tablet like a traditional tablet, it's still a really useful smart home device.
Polaroid I-2
Why It Matters: Marrying the magic of instant prints with the full manual control that enthusiasts demand, the Polaroid I-2 is a fantastic film camera you don’t have to buy second-hand.
The Big Picture: The best and worst part of getting into analog photography is hunting for functional cameras from several decades ago. And while Polaroid and Fuji have resurrected instant-film offerings for photographers who have never heard of a dark room, these cameras have been aimed at newbies who want point-and-shoot simplicity. The Polaroid I-2, however, has a more expert audience in mind. With the option for full manual control (on top of other options, like automatic exposure and aperture priority), the I-2 gives experienced photographers the freedom to set up the exact shots they imagine, instead of exploring the creative possibilities of working with limitations, which, while it’s fun, also gets old.
Teenage Engineering TP-7
Why It Matters: Though not exactly practical, Teenage Engineering’s field recorder reinvents an analog-inspired interface for the digital age.
The Big Picture: Teenage Engineering has a double-edged reputation for innovative design married with spectacular fit and finish and also extremely high price tags. Whether the results are clever and unique grail-grade devices or exceptionally overpriced gimmicks depends on how much money is in your wallet. The TP-7 Field Recorder rides the line, capable of recording voice memos just like your phone, but for $1,500. What makes the TP-7 so cool, though, is its analog-inspired interface. The centerpiece is a motorized “tape reel” with inertia for scrubbing through audio, and indicating playback through its slow, methodical movement. That, plus a unique “rocker” switch and a beautifully bright orange back, makes for an astonishingly beautiful, and also expensive, device.
FiiO R7
Why It Matters: The FiiO R7 is a gorgeous and high-end do-it-all device to turn your desktop or laptop into the ultimate hi-fi workstation. Just add speakers.
The Big Picture: The FiiO R7 is tricky to describe because of exactly how much it does. It can work as a high-end streamer, digital audio player (DAP), standalone amplifier, DAC, DAC/amp combo, preamp, decoder or transmitter. You can use it to drive most speakers or headphones, or integrate into an existing hi-fi system. It supports a multitude of wireless and wired connections, so you can quickly switch between various operating modes depending on what you need. The kicker is it looks great as well. It runs an intuitive Android operating system, has a bright 5-inch display and wonderfully tactile knobs that make interacting with the R7 a joy.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Why It Matters: After neglecting the line for years, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra mark the company's return to form as the king of noise-canceling headphones.
The Big Picture: Bose was once the undisputed king of noise-canceling headphones. But in recent years there has not only been more competition, but Bose stopped prioritizing its famed QuietComfort line. For the last four years, the awkwardly-named "Noise Cancelling Headphones 700" have been its flagship pair. But with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, Boses has delivered wireless headphones that are among the most comfortable and best-sounding we've ever worn. And, of course, they have industry-leading active noise-cancellation that you'd expect from something with the QuietComfort name.
JBL Bar 1300X
Why It Matters: With clever detachable satellite speakers, the JBL Bar 1300X can transform from a traditional soundbar into a true surround sound system in the blink of an eye.
The Big Picture: Plenty of soundbar-and-subwoofer combos support Dolby Atmos. The JBL Bar 1300X does one better. Its modular design with detachable rear satellite speakers at the end of the soundbar allows it to work like a flagship-quality Dolby Atmos soundbar most of the time. But when you're watching a movie or big sporting event, you can remove the end speakers, place them behind you, and use them as rear satellite speakers for a true surround sound system. This isn't JBL's first attempt at this design, but the Bar 1300X distinguishes itself by being the company's most premium model to date. Also, the detachable satellite speakers can work as stereo-paired or individual portable Bluetooth speakers that you can take inside or even outside your home.
Lenovo YogaBook 9i
Why It Matters: A dual-screen folding computer with a detachable keyboard stylus and kickstand, the Lenovo YogaBook 9i pushes the concept of a "laptop" to its limits and beyond.
The Big Picture: The Lenovo YogaBook 9i doesn't really click until you see it in person. It's a twin-screen OLED laptop, with two identical touchscreens back-to-back. You can use it in tablet mode with one screen folded back on the other like with a traditional 2-in-1 convertible. Or you can use it in laptop mode where there's a touchscreen keyboard in place or a regular one. The kicker is that the YogaBook 9i comes with accessories — specifically a Bluetooth wireless keyboard, folio stand, stylus and mouse — that allow you to transform into a workstation with the twin displays, flipped horizontally, acting like an ultra-wide monitor setup. It's versatile in the coolest way possible.
Linn Sondek LP12-50
Why It Matters: The Linn Sondek LP12-50 is not only a love letter to the Scottish hi-fi company's iconic Sondek LP12; it's also the first piece of hardware that Jony Ive has worked on since leaving Apple.
The Big Picture: Special edition products are typically just toys for hardcore enthusiasts with money to burn, and in some respects, the Sondek LP12-50 is no different. The original Linn Sondek LP12 was a 1972 audiophile-grade turntable that was ahead of its time thanks to its modular design. Since nearly every component is upgradable and replaceable, these turntables have stood the test of time. The 2023-released Sondek LP12-50 shares much of the same DNA as its predecessor, but Linn recruited the help of LoveFrom, Jony Ive's design firm, to give a few modern design improvements. For example, it has smoother and more rounded edges, redesigned metal hinges and a new circular power button. It's a reimagining of one of the most iconic turntables by one of the most iconic product designers of all time.
Bing Chat
Why It Matters: Bing Chat, aka "The New Bing," not only brings AI to the masses on a broader scale than ever, it also reinvigorates Google’s only major competition.
The Big Picture: Since its launch in 2009, Bing has spent most of its life as a punchline, playing obvious second fiddle to Google as Microsoft’s product-placement blitz put it in the mouths of countless TV show characters during the 2010s. But by leaning hard into AI and creating the new "Bing Chat" around the latest and greatest tech from OpenAI, the GPT-4 language model and DALL-E image generator, Bing is taking the notion of "search" in a bold new direction. The result is giving average Joes easy access to ever-more advanced AI tools and presenting an actual, meaningful alternative to the ever-more-totalizing Google.
