2022’s top 10 tech stories embrace a huge variety of disciplines, from books about brilliant designs old and new, to insight into how Swedish superstars ABBA made a triumphant digital comeback. Enduring design was top of the class, as was anything that approached our tech-saturated lives with a different twist. Read on for our technology top 10.
TOP 10 TECH STORIES OF 2022
01. Analogue Pocket puts gaming nostalgia in the palm of your hand
Analogue’s Pocket finally arrived to acclaim and adoration from the growing ranks of retro gamers. The beautifully designed device continues to be updated, with support for more systems and better functionality being added all the time.
02. Hands on with new Nothing Phone (1): a clearly different smartphone
Another long-awaited new arrival was Nothing’s debut smartphone, the Phone (1). We previewed the defiantly different Android device and then welcomed the finished device into our lives.
03. Wallpaper* wants… avant-garde audio systems that sound as good as they look
At the high end of the market, manufacturers continued to build bespoke audio systems that stood out for their appearance as well as their acoustic properties. Back in the summer, we rounded up five of the best avant-garde audio systems.
04. Prodrive’s new racing simulator is shaped by Callum to be front of the grid
Acclaimed automotive designer Ian Callum turned his consultancy’s focus on the digital realm with a new high-tech driving simulator for motorsport specialists Prodrive.
05. Six minimal devices designed to take the stress out of tech
Our round-up of technological minimalism struck a chord with readers, indicating there’s a strong desire for devices that aren’t constantly connected, needlessly nagging, or endlessly showcasing the very latest in processing power or graphical greatness.
06. ABBA Voyage director Baillie Walsh on songs, sequins, and virtual spaces
Director Baillie Walsh gave us behind the scenes insights into the year’s most sparkling entertainment event, ABBA Voyage. This blend of digital performance with live music and out-of-this-world lightshows continues to entrance.
07. Love Hultén’s eccentric electronics projects chronicled in new book
A new self-published monograph from electronics designer Love Hultén gave a welcome insight into his creative process and elaborate bespoke musical projects.
08. Yamaha Design Laboratory creates experimental interactive musical devices
More music, this time courtesy of Yamaha’s Design Laboratory. The line between sculpture, performance and playfulness was ably captured by these four conceptual devices.
09. Jony Ive and Apple: three decades that changed design
A retrospective look at Jony Ive’s Apple years, perhaps the most significant period of industrial design innovation in the modern era
10. Teenage Engineering announces OP-1 Field, the ultimate new musical device
Swedish synthesiser wizards Teenage Engineering took their ten-year-old icon, the OP-1, and gave it an update for the new decade. Compact, expensive and meticulously designed, the OP-1 Field keeps this cult object at the forefront of musicians’ wish lists.