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Gadgets

Small electronic devices are called gadgets. The most successful ones are smartphones, smartwatches or fitness trackers.

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All Content on this topic

A view of a booth with a robot in the foreground displaying the words CES 2024

New AI technology conquers all at CES 2024

AI-assisted tech is the hot topic at this year's CES in Las Vegas. How will these gadgets affect our daily lives?
TechnologyJanuary 12, 202404:53 min
DW Shift KissingDevice

Kissing gadget — Silicone lips for smartphones

Motion sensors in these artificial lips mimic a partner's kissing movements.
Digital WorldJuly 5, 202301:31 min
DW Shift Sendungslogo Composite

Shift - Living in the Digital Age

Tech for more inclusivity: Gadgets help people with disabilities lead more independent lives.
Digital WorldJune 2, 202312:36 min
A view of a street scene, with red and green shapes superimposed on various people

Autonomous car technology helps people with low vision

A gadget designed for people who are blind or have low vision uses 3D sounds to warn of obstacles.
LifestyleOctober 14, 202212:36 min
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Librarian recycles phones to offer e-learning content

The Laibu Mkononi reconditions old smartphones, printers and even internet routers to provide e-learning content.
TechnologySeptember 9, 202102:06 min
Mood Tracker

Gadgets that Read Emotions: Wearable Mood Trackers

Smart gadgets measure users’ biometric data and draw conclusions about their moods.
Digital WorldApril 2, 202102:34 min
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4,500 exhibitors show gadgets at CES

Flying cars, smart diapers and a gadget to combat stinky shoes are just some of the innovations on display at CES.
January 10, 202002:14 min
IFA 2018 in Berlin

The best tech gadgets on display at IFA 2018

IFA is the showcase event for tomorrow's devices and gadgets. DW lists some of the best new tech on display in Berlin.
TechnologySeptember 2, 20187 images
DW Shift Digitaler Sitter für Haustiere

PetChatz: Digital Sitter for Pets

With PetChatz, owners can observe their pets via camera and even communicate with them.
LifestyleApril 30, 201800:55 min
Projekt Zukunft vom 25.03.2018 - Pzud Hilfsmittel

Breaking bad habits with technology

Scientists at the University of Siegen are developing technical aids to disrupt ingrained routines.
ScienceMarch 26, 201804:35 min
DW Sendung Shift | Powerup Dart

Paper airplanes go high-tech

An Israeli company has developed a maneuverable paper plane that can be controlled by app
Digital WorldMarch 19, 201801:00 min
In this Feb. 1, 2013, file photo, an employee of North Raleigh Guns demonstrates how a "bump" stock works at the Raleigh, N.C., shop.

Vegas killer converted guns with gadget

The Las Vegas shooter was able to legally convert his legally-obtained weapons into automatic killing machines.
CrimeOctober 4, 2017
Sicherheitsmaßnahmen am Flughafen in Los Angeles

Airlines' answer to laptop ban

Airlines have found a way around the laptop ban. They let passengers use their laptops while waiting for their flights.
BusinessMarch 27, 201701:20 min
Smartphones used in China

Connected consumer devices on the rise

Smartphones and tablets now account for over 60 percent of all smart connected devices globally.
BusinessJanuary 18, 2017
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Smart dog collars to check its health

The latest smart devices making life easier are shown at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017.
TechnologyJanuary 4, 201700:52 min
Mobile phone

Giving gadgets new life

A Paris-based startup is refurbishing old smartphones and other electronic gadgets in a bid to cut down on e-waste.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 22, 201603:12 min
01.2012 DW Euromaxx Highlights

Euromaxx - Highlights of the Week

Crazy electric mobility, the legendary Rhine river and thrilling aerobatic stunts
September 13, 2016
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Euromaxx - Highlights of the Week

Crazy electric mobility, the legendary Rhine river and thrilling aerobatic stunts
CultureSeptember 12, 201626:03 min
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Latest gadgets unveiled in Barcelona

Mobile phone makers are unveiling their latest gadgets at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
February 23, 201601:50 min

Gadgets to dominate the sports industry in 2016

The 2016 edition of the ISPO sports apparel and equipment trade show has kicked off in Munich.
January 25, 201602:27 min
Child working at a Nigerian mine in Africa.

Child labor for gadgets

Cobalt is often extracted using child labor, according to a new Amnesty International report.
January 21, 2016
Solar GoSun Stove

The coolest green tech for 2016

There are no limits on the imagination at the CES - for proof, look no further than these cool eco-gadgets.
January 7, 20167 images
ZYYX 3D printer

A gift for techies: 3D printers

With prices falling to as low as 500 euros, 3D printers are predicted to be among the must-have gadgets this season.
December 9, 2015
IFA Funkmesse Buttons von der Sicherheits Community Firma Gaspard

IFA shows gadgets

This year's IFA trade fair featured plenty of novelties, from do-it-yourself brewery kits to digital breathalyzers.
September 7, 2015
Produktwerbung The Dash von Bragi

What makes for a crowdfunding success?

Europe's most successful crowdfunding project is a fitness computer for your ear.
ScienceAugust 19, 201505:23 min
USA Apple Uhr

Most used Apple Watch features in Europe (in percent)

1. Time (93) | 2.Text messages (90) | 3. Calendar (81) | 4. Weather (78) | 5. Fitness (73) Source: Defacto Research
June 29, 2015

Future Gadgets

The likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs created the blueprint for generations of young startup founders to come: have an innovative idea, found a company and subsequently become unbelievably rich. Euromaxx checks out the current startup boom.
LifestyleJune 24, 201503:33 min
DW Shift Gadgets

Gadgets for tomorrow's world

What does it take for a start-up to turn a bright idea into a booming business?
CultureJune 9, 201504:05 min
Expo Milano - SeedBoards - German Pavilon

SeedBoards for your imagination

If you like interactive gadgets, you'll love SeedBoards. Creative director, Thomas Frenzel, tells all.
ScienceMay 22, 201504:22 min
Symbolbild Patentstreit Apple Samsung

A French law takes aim at our throwaway gadgets

Why do our smartphones or laptops always seem to wear out after only a few years of use?
ScienceApril 27, 201506:06 min
Bildergalerie Deutschland Weihnachtsfest

Most popular Christmas gifts in the US: Shift Ranking of December 23

1. Gift Cards (43%) | 2. Clothing (42%) | 3. Electronics (34%) | 4. Books (30%) | 5. Money (27%) | Source: Deloitte
December 23, 2014
Bjoern Herrmann

startup=technology=internet=gadgets=cool?

Startup, entrepreneur, technology: three of the most overused words. Most new businesses are just businesses that happen to be on the Net. They have little to do with technology or innovation. Bjoern Herrmann of startupCompass.co says we need them.
ScienceDecember 8, 201408:23 min
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Examine it: Dangerous Gadgets for the Car

Fuzzy dice and little boxing gloves dangling from the rear-view mirror are so last century! Today's driver goes in for other gizmos to decorate his car or provide additional functions. Inventive manufacturers offer a refrigerator, a table, and even a bed for trend-followers.
CultureNovember 5, 201404:00 min
12.2012 DW Shift Ranking

Most Popular Gadget Sites: Shift Ranking of October 20

1. cNet (70m monthly visitors) | 2. Yahoo! Tech (25m) | 3. Gizmodo (18,2m) | 4. TheVerge (18m) | 5. Toms Hardware (17,5m) | Source: Alexa
October 20, 2014
Brussels Media Tech

Brussels media tech addiction

Journalists covering the European Union tend to pack tech-laden devices. It's a love-hate thing.
October 16, 2014
an engineer

Spectrum: polio, and the Brussels gadget guide

We turn our attentions away from big news diseases (Ebola) to a small news disease called polio. And we ask what we're doing on vaccines, and why it can re-emerge. Also, the journalist's guide to technology in Brussels.
ScienceOctober 13, 201430:00 min
photographers

Journalists: hooked on tech?

You would be hard-pressed to find a journalist who was not fully wired up and wielding at lest two or three gadgets. But have reporters become too reliant on the technology at their disposal?
ScienceOctober 13, 201408:55 min
DW Shift Gadgets

Gadgets: The Internet of Things

The future will be a smart one, with phones, head-mounted displays and fitness wristbands cross-linking online; a growing number of gadgets with online connectivity look set to make our lives easier.
LifestyleApril 15, 201403:43 min
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Barcelona showcases mobile innovation

The Barcelona Mobile World Congress is underway, with manufacturers showing their fanciest mobile gadgets - with watches and other devices coming to the fore.
BusinessFebruary 24, 201401:07 min

DIY tech resources online

DW takes a look at some of the online resources teaching people how to make and fix their gadgets.
October 3, 2013
An electronic waste trash bin shows pictures of what it accepts Photo: Dany Mitzman

Smart trash cans

A European group keeps electronic devices out of the trash with bins that keep garbage sorted.
August 15, 2013
tablet computers Foto: Rolf Vennenbernd dpa/lnw +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++

Apple bid to ban Samsung fails

Apple has failed to convince a US court that Samsung smartphones must be banned from the US market due to patent infringement. The judge has found the technology at issue doesn't drive people's buying decision.
December 18, 2012
A computer cable being made

Built-in obsolescence

Gadgets that break after a short time pose problems.
November 9, 2012
Sanjay und Shravan Kumaranat home

India's Apple whizz-kids

Despite their tender years, Sanjay and Shravan are already a success story in the iPhone app world.
July 23, 2012
A man with a solar-powered flap bag

Green Tech

New green gadgets and appliances aren't just practical. They also help to raise eco awareness.
May 1, 2012
30.04.2012 global 3000 klima madagaskar

The perfect green meal

Solar cookers in Madagascar can help save dwindling forests as well as power electric gadgets.
May 1, 2012
A German plug and socket

Travel Guide

Check out DW.DE's tips for everything in your suitcase that needs electricity.
July 13, 2011
Teenagers playing computer games

Spintronics

Physicists find a way to amplify 'spin current,' a significant step in the world of spintronics.
July 4, 2011
The Silmet refinery

Rich in ore

Silmet, an Estonian refinery, looks to higher profits as China slashes its output of rare earths.
March 22, 2011

Gadget to help blind people shop

Swiss supermarkets have been working with the Swiss association for the blind to develop a device which will help blind people identify what's in their cupboards and what's on the shelves in the store.
May 25, 2010