HowStuffWorks Newsletter
"Gadget" is a catch-all word these days for nifty devices. We've covered the basics, such as clocks & watches, plus delved into the world of present-day and future high-tech gadgets, such as digital jewelry and restaurant pagers.
Topics to Explore:
Will.i.am is best known as the head pea of the music group Black Eyed Peas. But he also loves technology and created a device (the Puls Wearable) that he insists on calling a smart cuff. What do the critics call it?
It's a Kickstarter darling, but how does the Pebble differentiate itself from the pack of smart watches on the market?
Misfit Trackers have garnered lots of plaudits for their sleek design and multiple color options. But how do they stack up on data collection?
By Alia Hoyt
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Keeping track of your calories, sleep habits, even your bowel movements has never been easier with the plethora of apps out there. But what are we doing with all this information?
By Alia Hoyt
It's good to have help when you're trying to stay healthy. The Sony SmartBand is a fitness-tracker with the added bonus of phone and lifelogging capabilities. Is it right for you?
Helmet cameras allow you to capture shots that would be impossible otherwise. What's it like to see a wave coming at you while you surf? But the camera has uses way beyond extreme sports. Who else has jumped on the trend beside athletes?
By Alia Hoyt
We eat too much, sleep too little and need to walk more. We already knew many of the things wearables have taught us, but do they change long-term behavior?
By Dave Roos
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Apple is hoping to reinvent personal tech with Apple Watch. Is the dream of the wrist communicator finally coming true?
Imagine being able to look at people and get a heads-up display about how they're feeling. Now, software is making use of the camera in Google Glass to do just that.
In the United States, it's a felony to knowingly aim a laser pointer at an aircraft. And for good reason: Those little red dots have landed pilots in the hospital.
By Beth Brindle
Portable timepieces have existed since the mid-1500s; however, the wristwatch (as we know it) has only been around for a little more than a century. Learn the many ways that watches have evolved.
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Technology is ever-evolving, so gadgets that were cutting edge just a few years ago are already obsolete. Here are 10 that linger, though we'd happily eulogize them.
You can get a sense of the transformative power of GPS by taking a look at all the offbeat uses people have dreamed up for it -- like tracking down lost Nativity scenes and preventing shark attacks.
Being trapped in a windowless room doesn't mean you have nothing to see. Virtual windows can give the illusion of an exterior wall, and they can provide therapeutic benefits.
Are you ready to slide a smart watch onto your wrist this summer? Google and its Android Wear software are banking on it. But has the time come and gone for wearables?
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A wise man once said, "There's a time to iron and a time to steam." OK, maybe no prophet said it, but it's true. Certain fabrics perform better when steamed rather than ironed.
By Chris Opfer
If you dismiss a digital scale as just the machine that weighs you, you're missing out. Peer into the heart of this common measuring device and you'll find something wondrous: a set of physical laws ingeniously harnessed to one very handy tool.
Sat phones can be your only line of communication in remote areas, but it's a costly way to reach out and touch someone. How do sat phones keep a signal when nothing else can, and why are they sometimes dangerous?
Apple's mobile assistant is the source of much comedy -- and frustration -- among users. How did Siri come to be, and how useful is it, really?
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What if you had a fitness garment that could nudge you into proper alignment? Move isn't just about geeking out your spandex. It's about improving and accelerating your overall physical performance and preventing injuries.
From smartphones to robot vacuums, gadgets make ideal gifts because there's virtually no end to the possibilities. Which ones should be on your 2012 holiday shopping list?
By John Kelly
When deceased rapper Tupac appeared alongside Snoop Dogg at Coachella, the Internet lit up with talk of holograms. But there was no hologram. How did computer animation and a 19th-century theatrical trick create the illusion?
Cell phones can do just about anything –- except survive in water. A few drops of liquid can destroy a mobile device. Will that always be the case?
By Dave Roos
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TVs seem to be getting thinner and thinner and their pictures clearer and clearer. But now they're see-through, too? How's that possible?
If you've ever lamented how overstuffed your wallet is or how it's putting a crick in your back, fear not: its digital doppelganger is here to save the day. Well, maybe. We weigh the pros and cons of e-wallets in this article.