# High tech gadgets **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 4, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tech-gadgets/828967 "2019-02-04T20:53:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tech-gadgets/828967/1 "2019-02-04T20:53:14Z")
I was reading a magazine while waiting, I think it was Men Outdoors. They had the top high tech toys of the year. Two that stood out as probably frivolous but pretty cool. One was a free standing wood burner for your back yard. It had glass sides so you could see the flames without ashes falling out. It also had a built in fan to make the flames as bright as you wanted - using a smart phone app. That way you don’t have to actually get out of your chair to turn a knob. The other was a counter top convection oven that used radiant heat sources that were the same as used to melt metals (!). Claimed to reach 500 degrees F in one second. And it featured a camera in the oven so you could watch your steaks brown using a phone app. I am sooo behind the times. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-tech-gadgets/828967/2 "2019-02-04T21:04:30Z")
A friend of mine recently installed a smart fireplace in his living room. He says it’s actually decreased their overall heating expenses, since they can keep the rest of the house a little cooler while they’re hanging out in the living room. Though it was a bit disconcerting the first time the thermostat hit its set point and the fireplace suddenly FOOMFed to life.