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This year is littered with cool tech gadgets so desirable that you’ll practically feel forced into buying them, but unless you’re a human money dispenser (and if you are then PM us and we’ll give you our home number and address, do you fancy getting some coffee later?) you will likely not be able to get your hands on every wonderful device that’s out there. This is where we come in.
The following list of the top 10 cool tech gadgets for men highlights the cream of the crop when it comes to gadgets in the year 2016, from the relatively cheap to the notably more expensive, catering to every budget. Take a look at our favorite tech of the year below:
Let us know what you consider the coolest tech gadgets for men in the comment section below.
Top 10 Cool Tech Gadgets For Men 2016
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Amazon Echo
Price: $179.99
The Amazon Echo continues to improve a year following its initial launch, with its addition of Spotify providing a big boost to its range of apps. Though ostensibly a speaker, the implementation of AI personal assistant Alexa is the real hook of the Echo, providing the user with up-to-date news, traffic and weather alerts, along with controlling their lights, switches and thermostats, making it a great addition to any fledgling smart home.
With its 360-degree speaker design, the Echo is also able to fill a room with music and, thanks to its far-field voice recognition, the device can hear your commands even if you're standing a reasonable distance away from it. With over 900 new features added since its launch, the Amazon Echo continues to make impressive strides, and if you're a Prime subscriber then it also serves as a great hub for your existing Amazon product ecosystem.
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Samsung UBD-K8500 4K Blu-ray player
Price: $397
The Samsung UBD-K8500 is a first-generation 4K Blu-ray player that allows you to play all compatible movies and TV shows in beautiful Ultra HD quality. Though the majority of Blu-ray players will upscale from 1080p to provide a better picture when dealing with the UHD format, the UBD-K8500 plays them in their native resolution, providing users with the best home viewing experience.
With built-in Netflix and Amazon Instant Video 4K streams, even if you aren't in possession of a wide range of 4K Blu-rays, you can stream a whole bunch of movies in the resolution right out of the gate thanks to the implementation of these apps. For 4K TV owners, Samsung's debut 4K Blu-ray player is what you need in your life.
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Philips Fidelio B5 Speaker
Price: $699
The Philips Fidelio B5 provides two excellent functions, with it either operating as a surround sound system or a portable Bluetooth speaker. It manages to handle both expertly, with it also able to make an impressively swift transition from a soundbar into a traditional surround sound setup.
Featuring a wireless subwoofer to help reduce clutter, standalone Bluetooth speakers and Dolby Digital and Pro Logic II audio, this is one serious bit of kit for the audiophile, and a hugely impressive addition to a home entertainment system for everyone else.
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Samsung Gear VR
Price: $99
After much deliberation regarding whether or not virtual reality was going to be huge or fade into obscurity a la stereoscopic 3D, with the success of the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive along with Google's recent announcement that it would be developing a VR platform titled "Google Daydream," it seems increasingly likely that we're taking our first steps into a VR revolution.
The most efficient gateway to said revolution is undoubtedly the Samsung Gear VR, which for a minimal amount of expense provides a tremendous smartphone-based VR experience. Representing a big leap above the budget Google Cardboard without having to break your bank for PC VR devices the Rift and the Vive, this virtual reality headset boasts precise head-tracking technology to play games, watch videos and browse apps all in VR, pairing with your Samsung Galaxy device to immerse you in digital worlds without you having to break your bank in order to do so.
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DJI Phantom 3 4K
Price: $880
Drones don't come much more feature intensive or stylish as the DJI Phantom 3. With the model having previously been hailed as one of the most popular premium drones available on the market, its creators decided to release a version of it with an attached 4K camera, allowing for video recording in Ultra HD along with live streaming in 720p.
With its downloadable smartphone app allowing for live viewing along with providing control over the drone, its attached 3-axis gimbal also ensures that the footage you record will be completely stabilized, while its built-in GPS navigation system allows for effective maneuverability in indoor environments. If you've got disposable cash to spend and are in the market for a drone, the DJI Phantom 3 should be at the very top of your wish list.
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Olympus OM-D E-M10 II
Price: $649
One of, if not the very best camera in its price range, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 II is the perfect travel companion, with its mirrorless design making it incredibly lightweight and portable for those longer journeys, while its superior 5-Axis image stabilization and swift autofocus makes it incredibly efficient at taking great photos no matter the situation.
A notable improvement over its accomplished predecessor, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 II is a stylish camera with excellent performance across the board, also presenting a great opportunity for DSLR owners to make the jump to mirrorless given its similarities with the former.
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Fitbit Charge HR
Price: $127
There are many devices currently on the market aiming to improve the health and overall lifestyles of their users, but Fitbit has always remained at the front of the pack in this particular market. The Fitbit Charge HR is a great tool in this regard, adding around-the-clock, accurate heart-rate tracking to the features already seen on its predecessor, the Charge.
The addition of its heart-rate sensor allows the Fitbit Charge HR to provide a thorough log of your daily workouts and exercise, highlighting all increases in heart-rate in what could also prove to be a major deterrent for any unhealthy lifestyle choices you make such as drinking and smoking, with it helping to improve cardiovascular help as well as documenting the effectiveness of your daily fitness routine.
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Wahoo TICKR X Workout Tracker
The Wahoo TICKR X functions by strapping around your torso - just beneath your chest but above your abdomen - effectively monitoring your heart rate and calories burned by relaying the information to an app on your smartphone or tablet.
Ideal for runners, the TICKR X collects data regarding both the motion of your body and the intensity of your workout in order to maximize the effectiveness of your fitness routine, while the Wahoo RunFit app will allow to personalize your heart rate training and cardio exercises. You also don't need to worry about carrying your smartphone around with you in order to use it, as its built-in memory system allows the TICKR X to store the data it has recorded offline until you have an opportunity to check it out on your mobile device.
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Oculus Rift
Price: $975
The Oculus Rift presents one of the very first premium ventures into modern virtual reality, with it being the central technology that helped propel the technology into the public consciousness, making room for the likes of the HTC Vive and the aforementioned Samsung Gear VR. The Oculus Rift is a stunning piece of hardware that, while a little lighter than the Vive in terms of its specs given its lower price point, will still blow away anyone who has yet to experience VR.
There's a saying that the only people who decry virtual reality are those who haven't tried it yet, and since its early developer build the Oculus Rift has been proving that statement to be true. Now having made it to retail, the Rift presents an excellent opportunity for you to begin gaming in virtual reality (assuming your PC is up to speed), confidently leading the pack in the first generation of VR headsets.
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Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum
Price: $169.99
Unless you want everyone and his/her neighbor to hear your character's battle cries as they tirelessly push a lane in League of Legends, you're going to want a good gaming headset. The wireless Logitech G933 Artemis Spectrum fits that description, with its durable materials able to withstand plenty of lengthy gaming sessions, its noise-cancelling mic making your voice easier on your teammates' ears and, most importantly, it sounds great, too.
With 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound and Logitech's own celebrated Pro-G Audio drivers working in tandem to enhance your listening experience, the Logitech G933 will be a strong contender for the best gaming headset of 2016 come the end of the year.
Let us know what you consider the coolest tech gadgets for men in the comment section below.
