Stuff Gadget Guide - UK - Issue 5 (2022-01)

The gadget gargler

UVC Phone Sanitiser Box

Forget about your not-so-magic sponge:

this clever little case offers a chemical-free

way of cleaning, thanks to a built-in

UVC light that bathes anything you put

in it – from your keys to your phone – in

a germicidal glare. You could also use it to

scoop up dog poo (but please don’t).

£50 / oliverbonas.com

The keyboard curer

Targus UVC LED Disinfection Light

Keyboards are foul – especially now that

we work, play and even socialise using our

own computers. This lamp won’t get rid of

breadcrumbs wedged between keys, but

it will sterilise them with a UVC blitz once

every hour. As a safety precaution, it’ll

pause if it detects that you’re still typing.

$299 / targus.com

The wall warbler

Zwitscherbox

Stick the motion-sensitive Zwitscherbox

on your wall and you’ll hear two minutes

of blissful Black Forest birdsong whenever

you go past. Sure, it’s not quite the same as

a long walk in the woods, but it might just

stop you going cuckoo, and it comes in a

diverse choice of colours.

from €49 / zwitscherbox.com

The tension-tasting ticker

Fitbit Sense

The Sense is designed to manage stress,

monitor your body’s long-term trends and

find calm in all the chaos. It harbours a host

of health-tracking tools, including one-tap

breathing exercises and an app that logs

electrodermal activity to illustrate the

effects a few quiet moments can have.

£300 / fitbit.com

The holistic head hugger

Muse S

A headband that tracks brain activity in real

time, this meditation assistant encourages

focus by means of background sound,

steering your brain away from distractions

with rushing rain and rewarding calm with

soothing ambience. It’ll also monitor your

heart rate, breath, posture and sleep.

£330 / choosemuse.com

The cute canal cuddlers

Flare Audio Calmer

Enhance your ear canals with these clever

inserts. Rather than blocking noise out, the

Calmer uses a soft silicone waveguide to

change how vibrations travel through the

ear, subtly improving the quality of the

sound you hear by filtering out the harsh

frequencies known to cause stress.

£20 / flareaudio.com

Home doesn’t have to feel like

prison (well, unless you’re in

prison) – Chris Rowlands

finds gadgets to help you

be healthy and happy

The nocturnal nuzzler

Soundasleep Speaker Pillow

Pillow noise will be nothing new if you

snooze beside a snorer; but if you want

a softer soundtrack to your dreams, rest

your head on this. Hidden beneath the

quilted microfibre is a Bluetooth speaker:

play an audiobook or a soothing playlist, or

use the app for more advanced options.

£40 / soundasleeppillow.co.uk

The burring boulder

Kikkerland Sound Pebble

The right amount of ambient noise can aid

relaxation and soothe your subconscious.

This sound-emitting pebble is way more

melodious than a real rock, playing six

natural sounds on a loop for constant calm.

Think falling rain, ocean waves or the

comforting crackle of a campfire.

€28 / kikkerlandeu.com

1 Identify your trigger

Start by assessing what sets off your stress.

Perhaps it’s noisy neighbours, a stench in the

air or anxiety brought on by work – or maybe

you just need to switch off from the real world.

2 Tech might not help

If too much technology and an addiction to your

smartphone is causing you to prang out, another

gadget might not be the answer, especially if it

means an extra screen or app.

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HOW TO

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WELLNESS &

RELAXATION