With the jam-packed month of September over with, October had quite a lot of awesome tech gadgets in store, although with Apple, Meta, and Microsoft’s latest product announcements behind us, things were a little calmer.
Moving on from September’s list, Let’s get stuck into the gadgets that defined October, with some of the below points summarising a range of devices.
Google’s big announcements: News and reviews
Kicking things off with Google, which held its big tech event in early October while many other large tech companies did their big shows in September. This year, we got the Google Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro, and the Pixel Watch 2. The phones were fairly standard refreshes over last year’s devices, although now coming with a much better-looking flat screen and some AI camera wizardry for the Pixel 8 Pro, although for both models, noticeable price rises headlined the changes. The Pixel Watch 2 was also a welcome upgrade with a much better battery. However, it swapped the charger out for a different type, which was just infuriating.
Alright, some more Apple
We got around to reviewing the Apple Watch Series 9 in October, along with the USB-C-powered AirPods Pro 2. While we found that the AirPods Pro 2 were cool, packing improved noise cancelling and axing the Lightning connector, the changes weren’t enough to justify buying the device all over again. Similarly, the Apple Watch Series 9 offers slight improvements over its predecessor, including Temperature Sensing and Cycle Tracking (which was accurate down to the hour). Still, it might also be worth not buying and waiting for next year’s model (or, if you’ve owned an older model for a while, the Series 9 might be the perfect model to upgrade to).
A Mercedes-Benz with Apple sound
This month, we got to try out Apple’s spatial audio tech in a Mercedes-Benz, the first carmaker to incorporate the audio tech. It was an incredible way to experience music. We reckon Apple is onto something, focusing its efforts so heavily on Spatial Audio and delivering that Dolby sound to the masses. No, you probably won’t buy the Mercedes-Benz EQS just for Apple Spatial Audio, but those who do will get a little treat. In any case, surround sound in a car is here now, and the future is only going to mean more immersive music experiences for everyone.
There’s no hating the Polestar 2
To anybody considering buying an EV at the $60,000 – $72,000 price point, The Polestar 2 2024 is definitely worth considering. Among cars in this price range, it remains a highlight, especially for the range on offer – and if you encounter the TCAM module issue that we had in our review, know that Polestar can help resolve it.
Laptop speed round
We reviewed a bunch of laptops in October, including the incredible Surface Laptop Studio 2, and Acer’s new Predator gaming laptops. Starting with the Surface Laptop Studio 2, we were extremely impressed with Microsoft’s on-the-go workstation, although it is substantially more expensive than similarly-specced gaming laptops. As for the Acer Predator Neo 16, we were impressed with its aesthetic, but we were disappointed that the only model available in Australia is fitted with only 512GB. Finally, the Acer Predator Helios 18 is an extremely powerful device with a lot of grunt, although Australian pricing and availability are still to be confirmed.
Eat your lunch in the Ford E-Transit
If you’re a delivery driver, then the front seat of your truck, van, or car is your office – you’re in there all day. So, the folks at Ford have once again innovated, turning your steering wheel into… A surface to eat food off, exclusive to the E-Transit. Cool! I guess.
Speaking of electric minivans
Nissan showed off a bunch of car concepts at the Japanese Mobility Show, including a teaser for an electric GTR, but perhaps one of the most interesting things teased was Nissan’s cyberpunk minivan. The seats inside can swivel around so that those in the front can face those in the back, which is just such a concept car thing – it’s so wild.
Samsung has its own event
In October, Samsung held its own event where it announced the return of the budget ‘FE’ phone, with a price directly gunning for the Pixel 7a. If you’re after a smartphone with many of the features that come with the Samsung Galaxy S range, then the ‘FE’ might be perfect for you. Additionally, Samsung also announced a range of new S9 tablets and the budget-oriented Galaxy Buds FE.
Oppo shows off two new foldables
Following up on its foldable smartphone from earlier this year, Oppo revealed a book-style foldable in October that’s coming to Australia, the Find N3, along with a clamshell-style foldable called the Find N3 Flip, ready to compete with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Flip 5. They’re very attractive devices and are definitely worth considering against Samsung’s range, but my gosh, the Cameras on the Find N3 are huge.
Solar-powered vehicles!
In October, an amazing solar-powered EV drove across Morocco to the Sahara without stopping to charge once. It was a 1,000km journey, and its non-stop trek was thanks to the solar panels fitted to its roof. Additionally, we reported on a solar-powered truck that’s going to drive around at the world’s highest volcano to smash a world record, because why not?
HP creates a desktop with a handle
Have you ever wanted a PC with all of the advantages of a laptop, except for the ability to sit it on your lap? Well, you’re in luck – in October, HP unveiled the Envy Move PC, an all-in-one computer that can be picked up by a handle on the top and moved around. I’m glad that companies like HP are still around to take a perfectly good concept and say: What if it was good-er?
Motorola reveals a bendy phone
Motorola revealed an interesting phone prototype at the Lenovo Tech World 2023 in October that’s turning heads, and wrists. This bendable smartphone has a flexible display that can wrap around your wrist like a watch. Obviously, this wearable phone is just a prototype at the moment, and Motorola hasn’t revealed any plans to release it to the public just yet – but it’s still cool to see.
Ford takes the Mustang name for a ride
Ford is finally bringing the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV to Australia, and we took it for a spin in October. We were impressed with the car, and loved how user-friendly the operating system was, along with the Mustang touchstones across the car (from the horse badges to an artificial engine roar); however, it is pricier than some close competitors from Hyundai and Tesla. Whether or not it’ll be a hit down under, we’ll have to wait and see.
A great bidet, but(t) it has problems
There is a lot to love about the Tushy Ace, a bidet that we reviewed in October, but it’s not the best or cheapest available. Where Tushy shines as a brand is on the non-powered bidet attachments, which look smart and sleek. We reviewed the techiest option they have, but if you’re after a cheaper bidet attachment without the bells and whistles, the Ace is a good option that doesn’t have any of the problems listed in our review.
Barbie phone!
If you love pink, then the Nokia G42 5G is a very attractive phone built just for you. If you want a phone that doesn’t need a case and costs under $500, it might also be perfect. If you love the idea of a phone you can repair, then also yes. If you want the best phone on the market, the G42 isn’t that phone, and that’s ok. It knows what it is, and what it is is what it’s doing perfectly well at a price of $449.
A laser TV that makes everything feel like a movie
The Hisense TriChroma has a completely different vibe to a normal TV. With a huge screen, you don’t feel like your head tilts all over the place, trying to find focus on everything all at once. However, we can’t see it working too well in a smaller apartment. All of this said, if you’re laser TV curious, and have the space (and the money), you should definitely consider looking at Hisense TriChroma.
The Zenfone returns
Small phone lovers rejoice – the ASUS Zenfone 10 has arrived and it’s an exceptionally powerful device. We loved it in our review, although we were disappointed that the price has gone up, and were still let down by the cameras in the phone. That being said, internal performance is still great, and the aesthetic is still awesome.
Gamer shoe
No, you can’t put this shoe on, but for the low price of $5,999, you could be the owner of Mwave’s Gamer Shoe, a high-performance gaming PC stuffed into a case shaped like a sneaker, designed by Cooler Master. The future really is now.
Toyota’s Moon Rover concept
Toyota has been slow to the electric car uptake, but this new Space Mobility prototype is proving the company still knows how to engineer the best and coolest stuff out there.
Image: Gizmodo Australia
That’s all for October, but check out the others: