Holiday season is here!
That means a lot of new music is dropping in the next few weeks. I’m loving so many of these new tracks and albums that were released this first week in December already. It’s like Christmas came early.
But alongside the great music there are also a lot of new products and gadgets dropping. It’s also buying season for your kids, colleagues, family and self. So this week we are dedicating Beats + Bytes to all of the fresh products to keep a look out for in music, tech, culture with our 10 hottest music tech gadgets for the 2016 holiday season.
When I say hottest, we all know that the Samsung Galaxy Note was literally the hottest gadget of 2016 but this list is all on the up and up.
Special thanks to our frequent collaborators and fellow gadget geeks at Grit NYC for the long chats about all of these dope new products this time of year, and year round.
Enjoy, leave yourself at least an extra 30 minutes travel time to meet near Rockefeller Center and spread the holiday cheers!
GEAR GUIDE
1. Amazon Echo + Dot
Amazon’s voice activated, Bluetooth speaker that uses Alexa Voice Service to play music, provide information, news, sports scores, weather, and a lot more.
2. Nike HyperAdapt 1.0
Guaranteed to light up dance floors in 2017 comes Nike’s fully functioning self-lacing sneaker that uses adaptive fit technology. Featuring a heel sensor, cable lacing system, high-tech mini-motor that tightens and loosens the cables, and a rechargeable battery to provide power to the motor and L.E.D. lights within.
3. Snapchat Spectacles
Forbes dubbed them the New Jordan’s. Snapchat launches it’s first product and it’s the Hottest thing to hit social media since Insta-Stories. You need a pair of these for the 2017 Summer festival season. Camera-equipped sunglasses that allow the wearer to record POV & 360 degree video and share it immediately on you mobile Snapchat story.
4. AR Earbuds: Doppler & Bragi
Bragi and Doppler each bring you their own take on wireless, smart earphones that allows for real world audio filtration, music streaming from your phone, helping you listen, track, and communicate.
5. Google Home
Voice-activated speaker powered by the Google Assistant. Use voice commands to enjoy music, get answers from Google and manage everyday tasks.
6. Roli’s Blocks
A modular music studio that lets anyone make music naturally through intuitive gestures on a touch-sensitive playing surface
7. Instrument 1 by Artiphon
An electric instrument that allows you to play it like any instrument you want including keys like a piano, strings like a guitar, taps like a drum, and more. It uses 72 touch sensitive keys and connects to dozens of apps and MIDI interfaces to allow anyone to create music.
8. GoTenna Mesh
For production and event producers, goTenna is an off grid end to end encrypted texting and GPS enabler for iPhone. It requires at least 2 units to work and sets up a point to point private text network with as many devices as you have goTennas. Use them for operations at large concerts and events where cell service is overloaded and there is no WiFi.
9. Speck’s Pocket VR
Transform your iPhone into an immersive VR experience with a sleek, portable design that folds flat to protect lenses for ultimate portability. Works with Google Cardboard app.
10. Soundwall
Soundwall allows sound to resonate from a work of art hanging on the wall creating a sound that is more natural and uniform, no matter where you are in the room. Picture this as your favorite album artwork come to life in your living room. It’s a whole new way to experience sound.