The Retro-Style Speaker That Doubles as a Sleep Clock — Plus 4 More Tech Picks
Streamline your workday and unlock better downtime with these top picks from Emmy Award-winning tech expert Mario Armstrong.
This story appears in the September 2026 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Often the most ingenious technology combines the charms of nostalgic, classic products with the convenience of modern innovation. Here, you’ll find products that do just that, from a Blackberry-reminiscent keyboard that attaches to your iPhone, to a sleep clock that looks like something your dad played Van Halen on in the 1980s. Something new, and something old.
1. A charging keyboard.
For entrepreneurs on the go, the Clicks Power Keyboard [$119; clicks.tech] is a double gift. It attaches magnetically to iOS and Android phones, instantly charging the device — and provides a tactical keyboard, which slides out from underneath the phone, to make typing more comfortable and faster. The Clicks app lets you customize certain keys, while the keyboard works in portrait or landscape mode and can operate independently with tablets. When you don’t need the keyboard, the unit feels about as bulky as a standard MagSafe charger.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Clicks
2. A sign of productivity.
Everyone hates being interrupted. So when you’re busy, just say so with the Busy Bar [$249; busy.app]. Its 6.5-inch-wide LED display can be mounted on your wall, door, desktop, or monitor. It’ll say “BUSY” or “ON AIR” whenever you want, with a countdown to when you’re available again. You can activate it remotely and keep it going all day. Its internal battery lasts about eight hours for a productive, uninterrupted day.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Busy
3. A charge for two.
You’ve heard it before from colleagues and friends: “Can I borrow your charger?” That meant you had to give up your own charge. But no longer. The Nimble SharePower [$80; gonimble.com] is a portable power bank made for two — with two magnetic 5,000mAh batteries that can work together to charge one device or split apart to charge two. Each module delivers up to 20 watts through USB-C, and both have built-in charging connectors, so there are no cables to hunt down. When it’s time to recharge the battery itself, plug it in with USB-C, just like any other portable power bank.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Nimble
4. Coffee without the hassle.
Eliminate morning coffee prep friction with the Lavazza Tablì Espresso Machine [$130; lavazzausa.com], a compact, 6.5-inch-wide single-serve espresso system designed for seamless desk setups. It heats up in just 35 seconds to deliver single, lungo, or double shots topped with a rich crema. Unlike traditional pod machines, Tablì coffee arrives without individual plastic or aluminum capsules, cutting down on waste. Each $1 drink drops automatically into an internal catch bin that stores up to eight brews, keeping your workspace cleaner and eliminating constant trips to the kitchen trash.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Lavazza USA
5. A nightstand multitasker.
Designed like a retro cassette player, the cordless Divoom FlowToo Premium Bedside Speaker & Smart Sleep Clock [$100; divoom.com] packs three nightstand essentials into a roughly 6.5-by-2-inch footprint. It combines a bedside speaker with more than 90 white-noise and relaxation tracks to help you wind down, plus a 2.25-inch display that cycles through customizable clock faces, ambient lighting modes, and audio visualizers. After you’re up, move it to the desk during the day to stream music or podcasts, then use the built-in Pomodoro timer to stay focused.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Divoom
Often the most ingenious technology combines the charms of nostalgic, classic products with the convenience of modern innovation. Here, you’ll find products that do just that, from a Blackberry-reminiscent keyboard that attaches to your iPhone, to a sleep clock that looks like something your dad played Van Halen on in the 1980s. Something new, and something old.
1. A charging keyboard.
For entrepreneurs on the go, the Clicks Power Keyboard [$119; clicks.tech] is a double gift. It attaches magnetically to iOS and Android phones, instantly charging the device — and provides a tactical keyboard, which slides out from underneath the phone, to make typing more comfortable and faster. The Clicks app lets you customize certain keys, while the keyboard works in portrait or landscape mode and can operate independently with tablets. When you don’t need the keyboard, the unit feels about as bulky as a standard MagSafe charger.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Clicks
2. A sign of productivity.
Everyone hates being interrupted. So when you’re busy, just say so with the Busy Bar [$249; busy.app]. Its 6.5-inch-wide LED display can be mounted on your wall, door, desktop, or monitor. It’ll say “BUSY” or “ON AIR” whenever you want, with a countdown to when you’re available again. You can activate it remotely and keep it going all day. Its internal battery lasts about eight hours for a productive, uninterrupted day.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Busy
3. A charge for two.
You’ve heard it before from colleagues and friends: “Can I borrow your charger?” That meant you had to give up your own charge. But no longer. The Nimble SharePower [$80; gonimble.com] is a portable power bank made for two — with two magnetic 5,000mAh batteries that can work together to charge one device or split apart to charge two. Each module delivers up to 20 watts through USB-C, and both have built-in charging connectors, so there are no cables to hunt down. When it’s time to recharge the battery itself, plug it in with USB-C, just like any other portable power bank.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Nimble
4. Coffee without the hassle.
Eliminate morning coffee prep friction with the Lavazza Tablì Espresso Machine [$130; lavazzausa.com], a compact, 6.5-inch-wide single-serve espresso system designed for seamless desk setups. It heats up in just 35 seconds to deliver single, lungo, or double shots topped with a rich crema. Unlike traditional pod machines, Tablì coffee arrives without individual plastic or aluminum capsules, cutting down on waste. Each $1 drink drops automatically into an internal catch bin that stores up to eight brews, keeping your workspace cleaner and eliminating constant trips to the kitchen trash.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Lavazza USA
5. A nightstand multitasker.
Designed like a retro cassette player, the cordless Divoom FlowToo Premium Bedside Speaker & Smart Sleep Clock [$100; divoom.com] packs three nightstand essentials into a roughly 6.5-by-2-inch footprint. It combines a bedside speaker with more than 90 white-noise and relaxation tracks to help you wind down, plus a 2.25-inch display that cycles through customizable clock faces, ambient lighting modes, and audio visualizers. After you’re up, move it to the desk during the day to stream music or podcasts, then use the built-in Pomodoro timer to stay focused.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Divoom
