Gallery: Our Absolute Favorite Gadgets of 2014
Alex Washburn/WIRED01iphone-6-plus1-AW
__iPhone 6 Plus__ Our favorite of the Big Phones, [Apple's entry](https://www.apple.com/iphone-6/) has the most beautiful design, the best software ecosystem, and one of the best cameras. The addition of mobile payment capability and its tighter integration with Mac OS X make it the best phone for Mac users. Of course, that's true for both this and the smaller version, but the palatial 5.5-inch screen on the 6 Plus is just plain killer.
Motorola02moto-x-2nd-gen
__Moto X__ This year, Motorola gave a big upgrade to 2013's best Android phone. The result is 2014's best Android phone. [The Moto X](https://www.motorola.com/us/motomaker?pid=FLEXR2)'s 5.2-inch display is more manageable than the larger phablet handsets, and the near-stock version of Android Lollipop provides an exemplary user experience. A curved, hand-friendly back with customizable skin options (plastic, leather, or wood) smartens up the package.
Ariel Zambelich/WIRED0320140408-FUJI-XT1-010edit
__Fujifilm X-T1__ Most mirrorless cameras are happy being smaller, beginner-friendly, somewhat less-capable alternatives to DSLRs. But the [Fujifilm X-T1](http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/x/fujifilm_x_t1/) has a different goal: to reboot the DSLR entirely. Its compact, weather-sealed body is topped by a bevy of manual controls. Inside, you get an APS-C sensor, super-fast autofocus, and an OLED electronic viewfinder. It won't fit in your pocket, but for serious photogs, this is 2014's best new camera.
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__Audioengine B2__ To create its new wireless speaker, Audioengine spun out the design of its excellent Kevlar-cone bookshelf units, essentially flipping a pair of them sideways and crafting them into one, single box. The result is a fantastic-sounding $300 stereo speaker that accepts audio from any device in your home via Bluetooth or a wired connection. [The B2](http://audioengineusa.com/Store/B2-Wal-Bluetooth-Speaker) is compact, loud, and, given the trio of wood finishes on offer, handsome.
Josh Valcarcel/WIRED05garmin-vivosmart-JV
__Garmin Vivosmart__ We're wrist-deep in wearables here at the end of 2014, but [Garmin's Vivosmart](http://sites.garmin.com/en-US/vivo/vivosmart/) is the bracelet to beat. It offers the best blend of general fitness-tracking features and smartphone notifications, the latter of which it thankfully keeps spare. If you want to nerd out, you can strap on a heartrate monitor for deeper fitness tracking. [Microsoft's Band](https://www.wired.com/2014/11/microsoft-band/) is a close second, but the Vivosmart has better battery life and a sharper design.
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__Kano__ Many have tried and failed to develop a winning educational computer for kids. [Kano](http://www.kano.me/kit) cracks that nut, and does so in a genius fashion. The $150 Raspberry Pi-based computer comes in pieces, and kids assemble it bit by bit, learning what each component does as they snap it together. Once it's running, the simple OS teaches them the basics. And yep, it does *Minecraft*.
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__Master & Dynamic MH40__ We prefer big cans: the over-ear design seals in noise, which is perfect for desk-bound office workers. The construction of [M&D's](http://www.masterdynamic.com/) over-ears is all business: a steel-and-aluminum frame, fine leather, and detachable (read: replaceable) cables. Inside are 45mm neodymium drivers with a modest bass boost. The name may be foreign, but the grin you'll sprout when you pop these on is all too familiar.
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__Samsung Gear VR__ Decades ago, VR pioneers first invited us to step into another world. But the clunky visuals were more *Steamboat Willie* than *Avatar*. More recently, Oculus reinvigorated VR with some truly compelling advancements. This year, the company teamed up with Samsung to develop a $200 [consumer package](http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/gearvr/) for its VR tech. Just plop in a Galaxy Note 4, download a few apps, and set the controls for the heart of the sun.
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__LG 4K Curved OLED__ All of 2015's TV sets are about to debut at CES, but we're still drooling over [this 77-inch LG model](http://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-77EG9700-oled-tv). Yes, it's as big as a table and, north of $20,000, as expensive as a car. But it's a moonshot—the most advanced big-screen TV you can get. The giant, curvy panel lights a path to the affordable OLED future, and the UltraHD (3840x2160 resolution) display features smart upscaling, so it'll play today's content as well as tomorrow's.
A Newly Discovered Trail of Cosmic Debris Illustrates How the End of the Solar System Could Look
A dying star 1,600 light-years from Earth is surrounded by two rings of gas and dust that astronomers believe are the remnants of the planetary bodies it once hosted.
Jorge Garay
Spooky New Infostealer Malware Uses AI to ‘Autodox’ Victims
Named “Volta-Autodoxer,” the recently uncovered malware uses AI tools to collect troves of data about victims, from login credentials and credit card numbers to Discord sessions and UberEats receipts.
Lily Hay Newman
There’s a Completely New Type of Whisky. It’s French and Made in Concrete Eggs
The founders of Maison Lineti are, in a world first, making single malt whisky as if it were wine—and the spirit world is mighty impressed.
Jeremy White
Light Up Your Home Like Christmas With These Smart String Lights
Glow up your home indoors or out with these versatile, discounted, full color smart string lights. They’re WIRED-tested and 25 percent off right now.
Simon Hill
Power Outages Are No Match for This Fridge Battery
Backup by BioLite is designed to power your fridge when the grid goes down. It works, but protecting your ice cream doesn’t come cheap.
Christopher Null
Meta’s Muse Could Upend All Kinds of Businesses. It Hasn’t Yet
Companies have spent the past several weeks trying to reassure investors that Muse and other AI agents pose more of an opportunity than a threat.
Paresh Dave
Get Bose QC Headphones at Their Lowest Price Ever
They’re a steal at over 40 percent off in multiple colors. Plus, other great Bose deals you should know about ahead of Black Friday.
Harry Rabinowitz
An AI Agent Injected Drugs Into a Live Mouse’s Brain
A biotech startup let an agent choose a gene therapy and successfully inject the treatment, offering a startling glimpse of the future of research labs.
Emily Mullin
The Keurig Alta Brewer Can Do It All, With No Plastic Pods
This multifaceted home coffee brewer and its new AltaRounds will make you rethink everything you know about Keurig machines.
Louryn Strampe
Are Memories Transferable? Meet the Scientists Replicating an Infamous Study to Find Out
In the 1960’s, an odd experiment showed planarian worms could transfer memories by consuming each other. It was a sensational finding—that is until the worms stopped learning.
Claire L. Evans
Sunrise Alarm Clocks to Help You Adjust to Shorter Days
I’ve never been a morning person. This bedside gadget is the only thing that’s ever changed that.
Nena Farrell
White Dwarfs Aren’t Just White. Scientists Discover Dying Stars Turning Pink and Green
Astronomers find that a white dwarf’s density and the kind of material it absorbed from its surroundings can produce a rainbow of shades in the star’s atmosphere.
Petr Kubala