While we are nowhere close to having all the amazing technological advancements promised by science-fiction movies of the 80s, there is certainly no shortage of cool gadgets on the market. Some of them are practical and useful, while others are great purely for their amusement or novelty factor. Unless you are a total gadget freak, chances are a few of the more unusual items might not be on your radar. If you are an impulsive shopper and tech lover you might want to hide your credit card as we take a look at some of the more perplexing gadgets that are available on the market today.
Takaratomy Flower Rock 2.0 Light Speaker
In case your life just isn’t complete without a kitsch flower dancing to the rhythm of your beats then Takaratomy has got you covered. This Japanese company first unveiled their dancing plant to the world in 1988 and more than 20 years later you can pick up the Flower Rock 2.0. With glowing leaves and pedals that flash in different colors in response to the beat of your music, it is sure to liven up any party. Of course, the flower also has a built-in speaker so connect your music player to it and watch how it boogies.
The Gtar
So you want to learn how to play guitar, but find it a little daunting to do on your own and don’t want to visit a tutor? Well then the Gtar is just the gadget for you. It looks exactly like a real guitar, but features a multi touch LED fret board, which is able to light up. Apart from looking very funky, the lighted frets show you exactly where you have to play, so it is a case of selecting a song and then imitating the position of the lights to learn the chords. The Gtar works in conjunction with your phone via the included app and is perfect for budding rockstars to learn the ropes. Because the guitar looks and feels like the real deal it is also a bit more dignifying than rocking out with a plastic Guitar Hero controller!
Aromafork
A fork is probably the last thing that anyone would expect when talking about technological innovation, but there is no denying that the aromafork is an interesting utensil. The fork uses the fact that you nose can distinguish food aromas much better than your taste buds can taste to its advantage. You select what aroma you want to smell while eating and then insert it into the handle of the fork for an enhanced tasting experience. It is not the most advanced gadget on the list, but in terms of sheer peculiarity, the Aromafork can’t be beaten. After all, who wouldn’t want to smell the tasty aroma of chocolate while munching on that bland salad your diet has forced onto you?
June by Netatmo
Frolicking out in the sun is lots of fun. Getting sunburned… not so much. Enter June, a stylish little gadget that you wear around your wrist, allowing it to measure your exposure to the sun. It then uses your Smartphone to give you advice on what kind of protection you need to prevent nasty sunburns. It will nag you to put on your hat and sunglasses as well as inform you when it is prudent to move to the shade. With a diamond cut design, June is an elegant way to protect your skin and remind you of how your mother used to scold you for playing in the sun when you were a child.
Doorbot
Door peepholes are so yesterday and besides, how are you going to answer the door when you are not at home? The answer is Doorbot, a gadget that is billed as a doorbell for your Smartphone. As soon as someone rings the bell you get a call on your phone, which allows you to see and chat to the person no matter where you are in the house. It gets even better, you can use the doorbot even when you are not at home and connect it with multiple devices to ensure everyone living at the house can access the system. If you fear for the safety of your shiny new gadget, you will be happy to hear that it will be replaced free of charge if any nefarious types manage to pry it off the included security mounting bracket.
There are, of course, much more unusual tech gadgets available on the market, but some of them tend to veer into non-family friendly categories. The items here are not your typical devices, but they do have their uses and any one of them would make a great gift for the tech loving person in your life.