Six Gadgets of 2016

A fresh installment of last year's 2015 gadget list, just in time for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the oncoming holidays. I've included a price range for each item that was accurate at the time of posting.

I'm somewhat of a utilitarian when it comes to gadgets, so this "best of" list doesn't read like a Black Friday ad, geek chic blog, or an online tech forum's must-have post. In fact, some might not consider them gadgets at all.

Most of these items:

are simple, practical, and play to my varied interests
tend to do one thing really well
are relatively inexpensive items, suitable for gift-giving

All six of these items have proven useful to me over the year.

ℹ️ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (details)

1. Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

Put 'em on, turn 'em on, and everything just disappears. Passengers talking, airline noise, all of it. Yes, they're expensive, but these headphones have changed the way I travel. If you find yourself on the road often, these are a luxury worth indulging in.

I used to wear earplugs from takeoff to landing to protect my hearing, unless I was watching an in-flight movie in which case the volume would have to be loud enough to overcome to ambient noise. Now I typically watch downloaded Amazon Video content. With the ambient noise mostly eliminated, I don't need to crank the volume up to hear.

Noise reduction and audio quality are both very good. The low end could be a bit more responsive, but given the smaller size of the drivers and the sort of content I've been consuming I've been pleased; these aren't studio headphones and I wish people would stop acting like they are. They're an over-the-ear headphone and I find I do need to remove them to let my ears breathe from time to time, but they're a fairly light 6.9 oz on your head with decent headband and ear padding.

The headphone cable is wonderfully lengthy and has a small control panel that contains a better-than-expected microphone, volume controls, and mute button. One obnoxious part, the mic/line cables are different for Android and Apple devices. Either cable will work equally well for listening no matter what device you have, but the volume control (and presumably mic, need to confirm) will only work on the proper device. Can't really fault Bose for that, apparently both manufacturers decided on a slightly different cabling implementation, but it's something to know up-front. If you regularly use both and need controls/mic for both, I'd probably buy the Samsung/Android-based headphone package and then buy the Apple line/mic cable ($18-30) separately. For some reason, the Samsung/Android cable is harder to find.

Battery life is very good. When they say the battery will last a day or so, they mean a day's worth of continuous usage... as in 24 hours. I routinely get two complete cross-country trips (Baltimore to Oakland) worth of usage on a single AAA battery, including the boarding, taxiing, and flight time. That's right around 24 hours. The headphones can be used without batteries, sans noise reduction.

Treat yourself.

$270-300 via Amazon (Apple or Samsung/Android)

Note: The newer QC35 model is wireless but costs $350, is worse on its (rechargeable) batteries, and weighs nearly twice as much (10.9 oz). Not progress in my mind.

2. AmazonBasics 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod with Bag

Simple, lightweight, versatile, and affordable. Pretty much the hallmarks of the AmazonBasics line. Fit for light-duty, the tripod is equipped with bubble levels, quick-release camera plate, and has a minimum height of 24 inches.

No documentation, so expect to spend a few minutes playing around with all the knobs and adjustments before heading out into the field.

I've used this tripod for still photography and video using a variety of Canon and GoPro cameras. The expanding legs haven't slipped on me yet. Panning and swiveling could be smoother, but is acceptable for slow pans.

The listed weight limit for the tripod is 6 pounds, which should be fine for most amateur usage; when using longer or more expensive lenses I tend to stay close and keep a supporting hand on the gear, for walk-away usage I'd invest in a heavier/sturdier tripod.

For the occassional family portrait or outdoor trek, this is it.

$25 via Amazon

3. Hedgehog Dryer Balls

Dryer balls, a nice reuseable alternative to dryer sheets for those with perfume allergies.

The claim is that clothes dry faster too, although I haven't experienced that first-hand. I can say that the clothes emerge from the dryer with considerably less static than without.

Have I mentioned that they're adorable?

$7 via Amazon

4. Charge Only USB Cables

PortaPow makes specialty charging cables for Android and Apple devices as well as line of USB data blockers and measurement tools which I'd also recommend.

Charge-only cables allow your mobile device to charge without the possibility of data being transferred. If you find yourself borrowing a charger, using a public USB port, or even charging off a trusted coworker's laptop, you can ensure that your data will remain on your device (and perhaps equally important, that outside data can't be transferred to yours). For the frequent traveler, these are all too common scenarios.

In addition to denying data transfer, these cables feature heftier 20 AWG wire and coil-friendly rubber jackets that have survived a lot of abuse over the past year of travel. They're color coded, so they stand out amongst your bag full of cables: red means charge-only data-blocking, green means data-ready. I also appreciate the longer 5 foot cables, rather than be tethered to the hotel night table.

Many other lengths and types are available for Android and Apple devices, or just use a USB data blocker with your own cable.

Travel safe.

$8 for 5-foot micro-USB data-blocking via Amazon
$8 for 6.5-foot micro-USB charge+data via Amazon

5. Zookki Outdoor Sports Accessories Kit for GoPro Hero Cameras

Simply put, off-brand mounts and accessories for GoPro HERO cameras at considerable savings.

The kit includes chest, suction cup, bicycle, wrist, and head mounts. Also includes variations on floating, clip-on, and selfie stick mounts. None are as rugged as official GoPro gear, but for non-critical usage most should be fine. For example, the suction cup mount is nowhere near the same quality as the GoPro Suction Cup mount so you might not want to use it on the outside of a vehicle at speed, but it'd be fine for use on the inside of a windshield.

The 3M adhesives are identical. The mounting hardware and pivot arms are indistinguishable from GoPro gear, besides the lack of the GoPro logo. There's a lot of pieces here that serve equally well as a starter kit or as replentishment for lost/old pieces.

Bargain.

$13-18 via Amazon

6. Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

If you work from home and need a webcam for video conferencing, look no further than the Logitech C920. No more having to open the lid to your laptop to join a Hangout.

If you thought your MacBook camera was good, prepare to be stunned. Officially the specs are that the C920 shoots widescreen 1080p, blah blah blah, but the fact is the video quality is so sharp that it consistently amazes the coworkers. I've lost track of the number of times coworkers and customers have asked what kind of camera I'm using. When the camera is activated there's a blue indicator light that illuminates. One minor nit, the autofocus can be slightly distracting to viewers who are accustomed to older webcams or laptop cameras.

The audio quality is also quite good thanks to a pair of microphones on either side of the lens.

Mounting is easy, but difficult to describe in words. There's a base that rests over the front of your monitor or TV, then a small arm that extends to provide support; both base and arm have rubber friction grips that prevent the camera from moving while also preventing your monitor or TV bezel from getting scratched. The base also has a standard tripod mount which can come in handy.

Be seen.

$49-65 via Amazon

Last Modified: 2017-05-30

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