We add quite a good chunk of words to the internet every year. Some of them we love, like "ubiquitous" and "paraphernalia" and "oscillate", others we would prefer not to say out loud or force other people to read them.
There are a handful of times throughout the year that we've been able to splice an assortment of words together into something we are really proud of. Some of these are clever, some are silly, and some answer poignant questions.
Please place your rose-tinted glasses on, and join us for a nostalgic meander through our favourite stories of the past year.
Apple's shift back to colourful tech is more on brand than ever
By: Anula Wiwatowska
The TLDR: Apple still might be the catalyst for the apocalypse but at least it will be colourful.
A note from the author:
For a hot minute Apple was going through its minimalist phase. It had thrown out the technicolour dream coat and instead went for a capsule wardrobe of black, white, and a hint of rose gold.
"It seemed like Apple was no longer being made for the dreamers and for the misfits but it was being made for anyone, and the design had to fit the demographic."
Everywhere you looked, entertainment media was using Apple-esque branding in apocalyptic scenarios. A sea of grey, all sitting behind white screens. This year Apple has re-embraced its ideology of standing out from the crowd with the re-introduction of colourful tech.
Maybe next year we'll get a see-through iPhone?
Over a decade of phone gig photography compared
By: Alex Choros
The TLDR: The most on-brand story I've ever written
A note from the author:
This piece encapsulates me as a person. I love live music, I love gadgets, and this story entwines the two to look at how much mobile cameras have improved since 2007 in a deeply specific way.
Women's pockets vs. the iPhone 13 - Finding the right fit
By: Anula Wiwatowska
The TLDR: My kingdom for a phone that fits in my pocket
A note from the author:
The lack of pockets on women's clothing is a cause that sits near and dear to my heart. Mostly because the tiny breast pocket on my flannels is where I tend to keep most of my belongings until jeans manufacturers hear my muffled cries.
"IPhones continue to grow as if they’re Alice, stuck in Wonderland nibbling on a biscuit labelled ‘Eat Me’ and our pockets are the house, struggling to contain them."
When the iPhone 13 launched I had a burning question - could it fit in my pocket?
Thanks to Apple, I got stuck with a child that doesn't exist
By: Alex Choros
The TLDR: Sometimes tech support drama is weird enough to write about
A note from the author:
Earlier in the year, I discovered a virtual child is much like a real one. Easy to make, hard to get rid of. Here's the story of how I became an absent father after filming a video on iPhone parental controls.
TCL NXTWear G Review: 2021 tech as told by the 90s
By: Anula Wiwatowska
The TLDR: When smart glasses look and perform like they're from the 90s
A note from the author:
Every tech geek can attest to dreaming about the future, but we don't tend to think about the practicalities of the future we're dreaming about.
"Somehow this device has an air of nostalgia, even though I’ve never used it before in my life. Popping the glasses on feels familiar, and otherworldly all at the same time. "
This wearable delighted my inner child but my outward adult was disappointed. Still, if future me went back in time and told young me that I would be wearing these glasses and writing about them on something called "the internet", I would probably tell myself to shut up because my personality has been the same for 29 years.
Hands-on preview: OPPO's X 2021 rollable smartphone is an engineering marvel
By: Alex Choros
The TLDR: Gadgets rule.
A note from the author:
As part of writing about technology, I see and test a lot of gadgets. When you're immersed in the world of phones, it's easy to get a little bored with the state of the industry, especially when change is so gradual now. Year on year improvements are now refinements, rather than new features.
"It took all my will to not sneak the handset into my backpack at the end of my half-an-hour hands on."
The OPPO X 2021 rollable concept phone was the antithesis to this. Tech that genuinely feels new, that serves as a reminder of why I love gadgets.
You can't buy it, and OPPO probably won't bring a rollable device to market for quite some time yet, but I love that it's working on the tech and I love that I was able to get a peek behind the curtain at an engineering marvel.
Why I won't let my friends trade-in old phones
By: Anula Wiwatowska
The TLDR: Mobile trade-ins overtly favour the telcos and until that changes you won't catch me suggesting it.
A note from the author:
Trade-in deals will have you thinking that your phone lost three-quarters of its value in two years. That just flat out isn't true.
" It is a terribly one-sided arrangement that providers masquerade as a favour."
As it stands there aren't many times when the customer actually benefits from trading in an older phone that still works, and consumers need to know that.
Apple Watch Series 7 Review: You can take your time
By: Alex Choros
The TLDR: The Apple Watch is an iPad now
A note from the author:
In my career as a tech journalist, I've tested every Apple Watch. It's been a fascinating journey. I've seen the wearable go from an oddity to outselling the entire Swiss watch industry. In that time, Apple rapidly refined the device, polishing and perfecting, but we're now at the point where it's worth asking whether an annual update is necessary.
These $1,499 jeans will lock you into the Samsung ecosystem
By: Anula Wiwatowska
The TLDR: I know I said I wanted phones to fit into jeans pockets but not like this.
A note from the author:
This marketing stunt was unhinged.
Why mobile plans could look more like NBN (and why that's bad)
By: Alex Choros
The TLDR: A cheeky gaze into the crystal ball, as a treat
A note from the author:
Data allowances have grown faster than usage, meaning entry-level mobile plans are now more than enough for many. Given telcos are always after more money, this trend could cause providers to fundamentally rethink how they structure their plans - here's my guess as to what this could look like.
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