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The 9 ugliest gadgets ever made

1 of 9 NEXT PREV
  • 9. Segway

    9. Segway

    This is to aesthetics what the police baton is to gastrointestinal surgery. My eyes hurt just writing about it.

    Also: With Loomo, Segway takes robotics far from the home

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Photo by: Getty Images

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 8. Google Home

    8. Google Home

    The Shaker family wants its salt dispenser back. It's like a student's submission to CostPlus. A law student's submission.

    Also: What it's like inside a life-size Google Home Max

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 7. The Pager. Any Pager. All Pagers

    7. The Pager. Any Pager. All Pagers

    Sir, that device stuck on your belt looks like an electronic name tag stuck on a dog's collar. It's like a piece fell off your answering machine and got stuck on your hip. Talking of which.

    Also: Mobile phone memory lane: What was your first device?

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 6. The Answering Machine. Any Answering Machine. All Answering Machines

    6. The Answering Machine. Any Answering Machine. All Answering Machines

    Did they all have to resemble something put together from a kit? By a six-year-old.

    Also: Technology that changed us: The 1970s, from Pong to Apollo

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Photo by: Norbert Schnitzler CC BY-SA 3.0

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 5. The Bluetooth Earpiece

    5. The Bluetooth Earpiece

    A large flying insect died on your ear, sir. It's entered rigor mortis. Have you no compassion? For those of us who have to look at it, that is.

    Also: Best Bluetooth in-ear headphones for active geeks

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Photo by: PIOTR CZYPIONKA, Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 4. Google Glass

    4. Google Glass

    You never wondered why people sneered at you and threw bread rolls when you wore these? You think it was just because you were spying on them? No! It was because you looked so perfectly vacuous.

    Also: Fake news: The tech products that fooled or failed us

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Photo by: ZDNet

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 3. The Phone Case. Any Phone Case. All Phone Cases.

    3. The Phone Case. Any Phone Case. All Phone Cases.

    Please don't even try explaining to me that this isn't a gadget. It's visually more putrid than Google Glass. Glassholes had an excuse. They were Glassholes. People with phone cases can do something about it.

    Also: Decoding OtterBox and LifeProof cases for iPhone X

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 2. Oculus Rift

    2. Oculus Rift

    Glassholes withdrew from the world relatively quickly. The Rifters are still around. No, you're not Robocop. You're a halfwit with a box strapped to his head.

    Also: Developers get a broader VR market with Oculus Go

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

  • 1. Amazon Echo

    1. Amazon Echo

    And somewhere, the trash can cried: "AND YOU CALL ME UGLY?!" This looks like a trash can designed by someone who truly loathes trash cans. So, he didn't bother to leave it open at the top.

    Also: Which Amazon Echo to buy? How to pick the best Alexa

    Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

    • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
    • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
    • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
    • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
    • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
    Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

    Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

1 of 9 NEXT PREV
Chris Matyszczyk

By Chris Matyszczyk | August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT) | Topic: Hardware

  • 9. Segway
  • 8. Google Home
  • 7. The Pager. Any Pager. All Pagers
  • 6. The Answering Machine. Any Answering Machine. All Answering Machines
  • 5. The Bluetooth Earpiece
  • 4. Google Glass
  • 3. The Phone Case. Any Phone Case. All Phone Cases.
  • 2. Oculus Rift
  • 1. Amazon Echo

These are in reverse order of visual pain.

Read More Read Less

9. Segway

This is to aesthetics what the police baton is to gastrointestinal surgery. My eyes hurt just writing about it.

Also: With Loomo, Segway takes robotics far from the home

Ugly, wacky, and weird gadgets: More resources

  • Microsoft tablets through the ages: The good, the bad and the ugly
  • The strangest Nokia phones ever designed
  • The weirdest and wackiest tech of CES 2018 (TechRepublic)
  • 13 unusual things you should always pack when traveling (CNET)
  • Wacky gear for the ultra-rich at the Luxury Technology Show (CNET)
Published: August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT)

Caption by: Chris Matyszczyk

1 of 9 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

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Chris Matyszczyk

By Chris Matyszczyk | August 15, 2018 -- 19:40 GMT (12:40 PDT) | Topic: Hardware

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