5 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Summer

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If you happen to be one of the millions of people obsessed with Apple (AAPL) Gear — particularly the iPhone and iPad — then your attention is likely locked firmly on the fall timeframe. The months between September and the holiday shopping season are when Apple traditionally announces and releases its new mobile products.

cool cadgets coming this summer

Source: Motorola Mobility

That doesn’t mean the summer months are empty of gadget news. In fact, some of the more interesting gear from high tech manufacturers, including wearables and smartphones, are due to arrive on store shelves this summer.

By all means, enjoy the hot summer months on the beach, while all the interesting high-tech make their debuts. Don’t worry about missing any of them, because we’ve had our eye on the demos and announcements, the calendar and manufacturer release dates. We’ve put it all together for a list of 5 cool gadgets coming out this summer that you’re going to want to know about.

10 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Summer: Amazon Fire Phone

cool cadgets amazon fire phone

Amazon (AMZN) is determined to disrupt the flagship smartphone market while simultaneously turning showrooming in to a pushbutton operation you can do anywhere — not just in a competitor’s store.

You can pre-order the Amazon Fire Phone today starting at $199 on contract from AT&T (T), but the smartphone with the multiple camera array, 3D interface, Firefly product identification and Mayday live tech support starts shipping on July 25.

This one tops any list of cool gadgets for smartphone fans, especially those who are Amazon Prime members.

10 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Summer: Moto 360

cool cadgets moto 360

Source: Motorola Mobility

Android Wear was a big part of the recent Google (GOOG) I/O 2014 conference, and if there was a star that stole that show, it would be Motorola Mobility’s Moto 360 smartwatch.

Smartwatches are one of the hottest categories in consumer technology, but the examples we’ve seen so far tend toward the clunky and square.

The Moto 360 will be one of the first smartwatches to be powered by Google’s Android Wear, but what really has the device in the spotlight is its slim, round form factor and crisp color display.

The Moto 360 can appear stealthily like an ordinary analog wristwatch, while supporting Android Wear’s most advanced features as a showcase for wearable technology.

When it comes to cool gadgets everyone’s waiting for this summer, the Moto 360 is near the top of the list.

10 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Summer: Samsung Galaxy Tab S

cool cadgets galaxy tab s

Source: Samsung

Many manufacturers have quietly bowed out of attempting to dethrone Apple’s iPads as the premium casual-use tablets. Instead they’ve focused on other markets: compact, extra large, budget or enterprise.

Samsung (SSNLF) doesn’t give up so easily. It released a pair of Galaxy Tab S tablets on June 27 (post-June 21, which qualifies them to sneak in our summer cool gadgets list) that are designed to take on the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display on quality and price.

The Galaxy Tab S tablets run Android, offer 2450 x 1600 resolution and they are incredibly thin (at 0.26-inches, the 10.5-inch version is even svelter than the iPad Air).

But its Samsung’s use of Super AMOLED displays that really make the Galaxy Tab S tablets such cool gadgets. This technology offers color reproduction that’s incredibly accurate for a mobile device, along with contrast 100 times greater than the LCD displays most tablets use.

The gold trim employed on the edges may be a bit over the top, but if you want an ultra-thin tablet with an amazing display, the Galaxy Tab S is the one to beat this summer.

10 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Summer: ZEUS All-In-One 3D Printer

cool cadgets zeus 3d printer

Source: AIO Robotics

We’re still waiting for 3D printing’s inkjet moment. Despite moves from leaders like 3D Systems (DDD) to get their printers in retail channels, these cool gadgets haven’t taken off with consumers. Cost is one issue, but it’s also hard to find things to print — you need the digital “blueprint” for an object, and those are still difficult to come by.

The ZEUS All-In-One 3D Printer from AIO Robotics solves that print subject problem.

This 3D printer includes a built-in 3D scanner, making it the first all-in-one 3D printer/scanner for the consumer market. It’s also simple to use. Place an object inside, push the button to scan it, then print a copy.

Originally a Kickstarter project, the ZEUS is now shipping commercially with a summer 2014 delivery date. Unfortunately, at $2,499 (plus $39 per roll for plastic filament), the ZEUS doesn’t solve 3D printing’s other big problem — cost.

10 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Summer: Surface Pro 3 Core i3 and Core i7

cool cadgets surface pro 3

Source: Microsoft

You may have seen the Microsoft (MSFT) Surface Pro 3 in stores already. The version Microsoft is currently selling uses an Intel (INTC) Core i5 processor and starting at $999, it represents the middle-of-the road version of this professional tablet.

But the Surface Pro 3 is extremely important to the future of Microsoft’s tablet aspirations, and arguably the two most important models won’t be arriving until August.

The Surface Pro 3 with Core i3 starts at $799. This cheaper version gives up some CPU power and storage in the hopes of capturing the market for people who want the latest cool gadgets — but aren’t about to drop $1,000 on one. It’s the closest thing to being in the same price ballpark as an Apple iPad ($100 more than a similarly configured 64GB iPad Air), undercuts the MacBook Air laptop and should appeal to students just in time for back-to-school season.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Core i7 version of the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft’s attempt to lock down the high-end professional tablet market and capture PC laptop sales. It features as much as 512GB of storage, a powerful fast Core i7 CPU and tops out at just under $2k. If you want one of these cool gadgets, you’ll need deep pockets, but Windows 8.1 Pro should run amazingly well on those specs.

As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2014/06/cool-gadgets-msft/.

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