Here are a few remixed gadgets that groove with 2022

1. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Don’t call it a comeback because the two product families were always small variations of the same device. Galaxy S22 Ultra elevates itself from the rest of the S22 family with a radical design departure that shows its Note under-pinnings. It’s the only member of the family that retains the characteristic curved screen and migrates the S Pen inside the frame, which also now makes it a free accessory. Cameras are the familiar 108 MP main shooter flanked by two 10 MP telephoto (3× and 10×) zooms, as well as a 12 MP Ultra Wide. South Africa is getting Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered variants, which should yield battery improvements. 

2. Casio G-Shock MRG-B5000
It took them long enough, but Casio is finally doing the thing that watch enthusiasts are pressuring legacy manufacturers to do: add smart features to classic watches. The latest member of the MR-G flagship family stuffs the signature square design into a metal alloy casing and adds Bluetooth connectivity so you can catch notifications on the fly. 

3. Zuma Lumisonic
The name drops a big hint about what is happening here. No, it’s not an NFT from the disgraced former president of South Africa. We were referring to the Lumisonic part. These customisable, dimmable downlighters combine the power of light with a connected audio experience. Those 75 W of sound are AirPlay, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible to deliver truly room-filling audio. 

4. PopGrip Jumpstart
They say tech is getting boring, then the makers of your favourite phone grip add in a little (2 200mAh) powerbank – with an integrated cable (USB-C or Lightning) – into the package and you ask yourself how we existed without this before, and what did we do to be privileged enough to live in a world filled with this level of innovation. 

5. Sony XAV-9500ES
Add some new technology to your classic wheels with an aftermarket head-unit. Yes, like they used to fit into Citi Golfs. But this one comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Sony’s LDAC flavour of Bluetooth (the highest quality you can stream Bluetooth in), a 10.1-inch touchscreen, 4 × 55W audio output channels and a USB-C port for connectivity.

Words by Lindsey Schutters
Photography: Courtesy images