Since everyone was created differently, “great” means different things for different people.  And it also depends what one is using headphones for.  So it’s quite the complicated navigation! Herewith a brief guide to what is currently available in today’s market.

First, check out Sony. Having been in the sound industry since 1946 and made the first ever tape recorder, it’s a force to be reckoned with.  With its updated new WH-1000XM2(based on its original MDR-1000X) there is now increased battery life (up to 30 hours!!!!) and more control over audio settings through a companion app. If you do find 30 hours isn’t long enough that’s okay too as its Quick Charge mode gives an additional 1 hour after charging and only takes 10 minutes.

Then there are the wireless headphones that come with a built-in amp.  With its Satellite debuted at least year’s CES, Blue has slowly come into the headphone market with quite a bash. The disadvantage of the cool built-in amp feature is the bulkiness but they still work without recharge for a whole workday. And audio is great.

Others to check out include: Studio3, Apple’s W1 processor, MW60 and the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC

India’s Nokia 2 is being branded as the cheapest Nokia phone yet in HMD Global’s portfolio. Featuring the 4100mAh battery, users will now be able to enjoy 2 days of battery life!  While it is a low end smartphone it is likely the price won’t be too steep either, with comments indicating it will come in at an “average global price” of EUR 99.

A lot has changed from the blackboard school days to which we were accustomed. These days it’s all tablets and computers, iPods and Kindles.  Students can at times find these somewhat overwhelming and could be challenged to keep focused during the day.  That’s why the  Sennheiser’s HD 4.50 is recommended for canceling out excess noise. They are especially good for students moving into dorms needing to share space with their peers for perhaps the first time ever.

Having trouble getting everyone in the car for the school run?  Little Ethan lost his shoes…again?  Samantha doesn’t remember where she put her gym kit?  Fear  not, the Item Finder is at your service. This miniscule companion can be hooked on to any items you often have trouble keeping hold of and we recommend putting it on those things that always have you running around at the last minute for.

The other one we really like is designed for all ages. The Paiband City Run app helps kids (and adults) accumulate points when they start moving around.  Points will result in prizes (determined by you) and really helps to motivate them to get up off their couches, put their mobile devices away and enjoy the fabulous fall weather upon us.  Personally I think it’s a great idea for the older among us too.  Build a system of 100 points is one prize: a nice dinner date for you and your loved one!

Take Etch-a-Sketch as a great example.  Remember the frustration you encountered trying to draw a circle?  Gone.  The new Etch a Sketch Junior is (obviously) marketed towards kids, but even would-be adult artists will appreciate its new control mechanism. With a physical joystick, the Etch a Sketch Junior gives you full one-to-one control of the cursor, for a drawing experience that’s a little easier to wrap your head around. Whether that’s the best thing even or takes all the fun out of it is up to you to decide. The Etch A Sketch Junior is out this fall for $13.

Then there’s the Boost from Lego.  It looks like regular Lego blocks (because it is) but it also has a basic coding interface which gets kids accustomed to programming.  It comes with blocks which are good for the construction of five different devices (including a robot of course) which each one programmed and installed through an app through which you can drag and drop icons to program your creation for every maneuver and reaction.  It’s not cheap at $170 but the hours of fun might make it worth it.

For Star Wars fans looking for something on the cheaper end, they’ll be happy to hear about the action figures thanks to Hasbro’s 40^th anniversary, in conjunction with the new movies.  But all of those characters from Episode IV: A New Hope (Luke, Leia, Han etc.) that you loved as a kid can soon be purchased for a mere $20 apiece in 6 inch form and classic packaging.

Basically there are now a bunch of toys available that you kinda loved when you were a kid, but now you are the parent and in charge of the money dispersion, you can do even better with these toys and enjoy them more as hopefully your brain has developed a bit more too.

1. Zubits: These magnetic shoe closures facilitates lacing up shoes. Thanks to these magnets, Zubits let kids (and adults!) who hate tying laces still wear the lace-up shoes without the hassle. Take off shoes fast without having to use hands by stepping on the heel to pop out. Re-use them forever as their strength never wanes.
2. The Rocketbook Wave – ditch the pen and paper but still put your notes into the cloud using your smartphone. With Pilot FriXion pens and the Wave notebook, notes can be erased easily. Use a microwave to erase and then start again!
3. The Cableyoyo is an earbud cord spool featuring a magnetic center which keep earphones tidy and tangle-free while enabling quick winding and unwinding. It can also be used with the Apple Lightning cable.
4. The Keydisk is the thinnest, most intelligent key holder facilitating key carrying. Made out of sandblasted and anodized aluminum this extremely lightweight (1.2 oz) device can be carried around in one’s front pocket, eliminating unwanted bulk.
5. The Woofwasher360 makes pet grooming easy and efficient. With the capacity to rinse all sized dogs in less than a minute. Attach to a garden hose, place shampoo on the dispenser, slip the hoop over your dog and the shampoo and water mix instantly to wash your four-legged friend.

Thanks to the recent development of chemical strategies to build interlocking ring molecules, and the discovery of a way of converting energy into work (the basis for a molecular motor), this miniature (the size of a thousandth of a human hair) has now arrived at the gadget ad gizmo table.

And talking of mini gadgets, students and frequent travelers might be happy to hear about the mini travel steam iron could be just what they need when they have to get their shirts wrinkle-free for their important meeting.

Lenovo – the Chinese multinational technology company – regularly launches new products. Now, this video shows its latest wares for the September 2016 Launch event held in Berlin…the “must-have gadgets for Christmas and beyond.”