The old phrase ‘time and tide wait for no man’ can be applied to many situations, and that is certainly the case where advancements in technology are concerned.
Barely a day goes by without news of yet another tech innovation that promises to push the boundaries of the previous incarnations.
With that in mind, we take a closer look at some of the new personal tech that we are looking forward to seeing during 2021.
Intel NUC M15 Laptop
Respected tech sites will be clamouring to be the first to get their hands on Intel’s new NUC M15 laptop when it is launched.
The machine will not feature Intel branding, with the company supplying it to boutique shops who will label and configure the product themselves.
While the laptop boasts similar specifications to the Asus ZenBook 14 and Dell XPS 13, its 15.6-inch screen will help to set it apart from those products.
Featuring a 1080p IPS display, 16-hours of battery life and an Intel 11th generation quad-core processor, the NUC M15 will help smaller firms compete on an equal footing with major retailers.
Microsoft Surface Duo Smartphone
Microsoft recently confirmed that its dual-screened Surface Duo smartphone will be released in the United Kingdom during the early part of 2021.
The company also announced that the device will be available in Germany, Canada and France, following its successful launch in the United States in August.
The Surface Duo features two 5.6-inch displays split by a visible hinge, and when it is unfolded it stretches to 8.3 inches – larger than the iPad Mini 5.
Microsoft also revealed that TikTok has released an enhanced app for dual-screen devices which will undoubtedly excite Gen Zedders everywhere.
Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite
Xiaomi’s Mi Watch Lite has now been listed on the company’s global website and is expected to be released across Europe for 2021.
It features a 1.4-inch, 320 x 320 display, and promises up to nine days in full smartwatch mode and 10 hours of GPS tracking.
There is also a heart rate monitor, 11 sports modes with notification support, music controls and weather reports among its smartwatch capabilities.
Xiaomi has also stated that the device, which will also pair with the Mi phone app, is unlikely to be launched in the United States.
Apple AirPods 3 Earbuds
Apple is set to copy the in-ear design of the AirPods Pro with its AirPods 3 earbuds when they are released during the first half of 2021.
The next-generation AirPods will adopt the more stylish and comfortable design of the AirPods Pro, but it is unclear exactly which other features they will have.
Active noise cancellation and a contextual audio system are amongst the elements rumoured to be included, although Apple has been at pains to keep this information under wraps.
The AirPods 3 will once again use the H1 chip, the tiny audio processor that Apple has been using in recent incarnations of its earbuds.
Samsung Galaxy S21/S30 Smartphone
Samsung has historically launched its flagship Galaxy S-series phones in February, but there have been rumours that this will be brought forward to January.
The new range is expected to switch to the latest Snapdragon 888 processor, while 5G connectivity is likely to come as standard.
The S21/S30 will feature the improved 108mp cameras that were introduced during 2020, but the time-of-flight camera could be dropped.
Enhanced wired charging will probably be a significant selling point for the new phones, with the S21/S30 anticipated to hit as much as 65W.
