5 Tech Tools That'll Wow Your Inner Circle in 2024 These items help you hit deadlines while being easy on the eyes.
By Mario Armstong Edited by Frances Dodds
This story appears in the January 2024 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Once upon a time, tech had a nerdy reputation. Google glass never exactly made it onto the fashionista short lists. But these days, all that has changed. Now there are plenty of cool, beautifully designed pieces of tech that will give you some serious flair while making your life easier. Read on to discover our latest picks to wow your friends this year.
1. Smart glasses that are actually cool.
Google Glass never captured the hearts of fashionistas (or really anyone), but Ray-Bans endure — which may be why Meta collaborated with the brand. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses [from $299; ray-ban.com] feature barely detectable 12-megapixel cameras for an ultrasharp view, and five mics to provide immersive audio. For the first time, content creators can stream to Facebook and Instagram directly from the glasses — or just take a call or listen to a podcast, all while swaggering like Tom Cruise.
2. Next-gen Wi-Fi for crisp video calls.
The sleek Eero Max 7 router [from $599; eero.com] can make fuzzy video calls a thing of the past. It's tri-band — using 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequencies — and supports devices (like iPhones) optimized to work on Wi-Fi 6. One router provides 2,500 square feet of coverage for 200-plus devices. To hit maximum speeds and lower latency, you'll likely have to max out your ISP speed, but your existing system will feel more consistent regardless. That means no awkward Zoom interruptions when the kids gobble up bandwidth.
Related: Struggle Focusing at Work? These 5 Tech Products Can Put You in a 'Flow State.'
3. A discreet smart switch.
Smart-home setups can make you feel dumb, but the TP-Link Tapo TP15 Mini Smart Wi-Fi Plug with Matter [$20 for one; tp-link.com] easily syncs with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. Using the Tapo app to set up the plug is simple, and it's small enough that it won't block the second port. There are always a handful of dumb devices we want to make smarter, like lamps, coffeemakers, or toasters, and it's strong enough to handle the voltage. We all need a little help in the mornings, and this plug is happy to be of service.
4. A portable iron to keep you wrinkle-free.
We all know how to turn the hotel bathroom into a sauna to steam your shirt, but there's a better solution. The Nori Press [$120; nori.co] is a travel iron that clamps onto both sides of a shirt or pants to finish the job in half the time. A water reservoir built into the handle can provide steam, and with six heat settings — from gentle to max — there isn't much this wand won't smooth out. Expect a three-minute wait for max heat with arms that can reach 14 inches across any clothing.
Related: 20 Time-Saving Tech Tools for Solopreneurs that Boost Efficiency, Productivity and Business Growth
5. A modern charger that plays on the past.
Duracell's M250 Portable Power Station [$299; powerstations.duracell.com] may be modeled after the signature black-and-copper battery, but there's nothing old-fashioned about its features. The 250-watt, 60,000-mAh battery can recharge a laptop three times or a smartphone 14 times, and can run six things simultaneously (with an outlet for larger devices, a wireless magnetic charger on the lid, two USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports). A magnetized lid opens to hold your iPhone at the perfect angle for viewing at your desk.
