Once in a while an issue topic comes along that lends itself beautifully to Gadgets. The Time issue? EASY! The Develop issue; piece of cake. The Vogue issue? Well, it threw me.
As always in these situations, I turned to Google, and as always, he/she/it delivered. Who knew that, apart from the smart watches many of us own, there is a whole WORLD of wearable and fashion related tech? I’ve handpicked some of the coolest/most bizarre, so take a seat in the FROW and enjoy.
HYPER PEARL COMPACT MIRROR
Regular readers will know that I favour a gadget with a dual function. The Hyper Pearl is a cute and stylish compact mirror, equipped with LED lights for use in low light situations, and both regular and 3x magnifications. So far, so standard.
What has got this little gizmo onto the list this month is the fact that it doubles as a capable powerbank, storing enough juice to charge your phone not once, but twice. Two clutch bag essentials, combined into one space efficient gem.
The Hyper Pearl comes complete with carry case, and a three-way charging cable with USB, micro USB, lightning and 30-pin plugs.
The Hyper Pearl Compact Mirror is £29.99 from www.selfridges.com
RINGLY
Ladies; picture the scene. You have a bash to attend; but you’re also expecting an important call. You don’t want to appear rude with your phone on the table throughout dinner, nor do you really want to wear a clunky digital watch with your cocktail dress and heels. Enter Ringly; passing for a simple piece of jewellery, yet containing a hidden bluetooth chip, and when linked to your phone will discreetly vibrate or flash an LED when that all-important call or email comes in.
The accompanying app is the control centre for this costume piece, and allows you to set up to 7 different combinations of buzzes and lights, narrow notifications by contact so only the most important messages disturb you (Whatsapp group chats may leave you in danger of finger spasms) and switch on ‘out of range’ alerts that will let you know if you wander too far from your phone.
Ringly is available in a choice of metals, and semi-precious stones. My preference, just in case Santa is reading this, is the Dive Bar; the gunmetal grey band and quartz stone will go with everything. The supplied jewellery box doubles as a charger, and 4 hours of charge will last up to 3 days.
Ringly starts from around £160 and is currently sold out.
Search Lyst.co.uk for stock top-ups.
WRAPS WRISTBAND IN-EAR HEADPHONES
It’s a problem as old as time, or if we’re being pedantic, as old as me. Since Sony launched the Walkman back in the 80s, significant hours of our collective time has been engaged in untangling earphones.
No matter how carefully you wrap them up neatly and place them in a pocket, drawer or bag, it is a mystical rule of the universe that they will wind themselves into an intricate knot that any sailor would be proud of, the second you look away. Apple have tried to solve this with the wireless earbud, but they seem far too easy to lose, in my opinion.
The only effective answer to this head-scratching quandry, as far as I can see, are Wraps Wristbands. Perfectly serviceable earphones one minute, and a stylish beach-casual braided wristband the next, that will be right there on your arm, tangle free and ready to go the next time you need them. Perfect for travelling, offering good sound quality and available in a range of colours and styles, the only drawback that I can see is that they are not (yet) available with a lightning connector.
Wraps Wristbands start at £14.99 from www.mywraps.com
RICHARD CAMMISH USB CUFFLINKS
Guys; ever been at a black tie do, and realised with horror that you haven’t got a USB stick on you? No? Perhaps you fancy yourself as a low key, corporate James Bond? Richard Cammish have just the thing, hidden up their sleeves.
These understated chrome plated cufflinks contain a secret; each comes apart to reveal an 8GB USB memory stick that nobody would ever know was there. Carry your presentation to the office in stealth mode, store confidential documents in safety, or just keep your cuffs closed. These bad boys are a triple threat.
16GB USB Cufflinks are £21.75 from www.richardcammish.co.uk
L’OREAL UV SENSOR
Now I’m cheating a little here, as this tiny gadget is not yet on the market, but is due to be released later in 2018. As residents of the sunniest place in the British Isles, with a UV index capable of hitting double figures, this one could literally be a life-saver, so I’m sneaking it in.
At just 9mm across, this tiny tool is designed to adhere discreetly to a thumbnail and monitor your sun exposure, before harnessing NFC to communicate with your phone. The associated app offers relevant sun safety advice and information based on the collected data. Battery-free and staying in place for up to two weeks at a time before requiring fresh adhesive, this diminutive device can store details of your personal sun subjection for up to 3 months.
With non-melanoma skin cancer the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the island, it pays to stay sunshine savvy, and this miniscule machine might just be the future.
Keep an eye on www.lorealusa.com for more details of release dates.
