Year in review: The best gadgets of 2019 [videos]

It was a good year for smartphones, if this list is anything to go by. If mobile manufacturers managed to pull these devices out of their hat this year, we can’t wait to see what 2020 will bring.

From the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 to the iPhone 11 Pro and the Nintendo Switch Lite, here’s a list of our favourite gadgets for 2019.

Top gadgets of 2019

Samsung Galaxy Note 10

By no means a cheap phone; the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 launched in South Africa with a price tag of R18 999 for the standard device, and R22 999 for the Note 10 Plus.

Some of the Note 10’s most remarkable features include the phone’s 3D scanner and AR Doodle (augmented reality). With AR Doodle and the Note 10’s S Pen, you can “doodle” little bits of AR magic in the AR realm. 

The Note 10’s camera also comes with a powerful full-featured 3D scanner. It allows you to scan any real-world object, which the app will then transform into a 3D model.

iPhone 11 Pro

I’ve always been an Android fan, but I have to admit that Apple won me over a bit after I spent two weeks exploring the iPhone 11 Pro. Read my review here.

The iPhone 11 Pro with its triple camera can once again make the claim of being the best camera phone on the market with the inclusion of its new Night Mode and improved Smart HDR.

It also has an ultra-wide lens that allows the user to capture more of what’s in front of you in the frame. It’s great when you want to take a shot of something too close and you can’t move backwards to fit it in.

Amazon Echo Buds

Amazon’s Echo Buds have active noise reduction and it comes with Alexa, the digital hands-free assistant. At under R2 000, it was described by many reviewers as “good value for money” and “better than expected”.

The buds are comfortable and not all that bulky, as is often the case with other earbuds brands. They sync with your devices to stream music and make calls. What’s not to like?

Nintendo Switch Lite

One of the highlighs this year for many gamers, the Nintendo Switch Lite was released in September. Ninendo also deserves credit for grabbing our attention in an age when smartphones can support decent-quality games.

The Nintendo Switch Lite is a handheld device and can be played as a standalone gadget, or docked to use via a TV. And, it’s ideal for the gamers out there who like to travel! And for Pokemon fans, too:

“It’s a perfect Pokemon machine, and with the record-setting launch of ‘Pokemon Sword’ and ‘Pokemon Shield’ in November, Switch is almost certain to finish the year as the best-selling video game hardware of the holiday season.”

Mat Piscatella, executive director of games at research firm NPD Group

Google Pixel 4

Google unveiled the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL back in October 2019. Unfortunately, Made By Google products cannot be purchased in South Africa, so we missed out on this one.

Mobile photographers were over the moon with the Pixels’ photographic capabilities. In fact, Pixel teamed up with AJ Rezac from The Wanderer Travels to bring us the ultimate #vanlife experience.

“The HDR+ technology within the Pixel 4 camera captures and combines multiple pictures to create a single, better picture. That means fewer tries getting the perfect beach snap on spring break.”

Google