Gadgets Don't Look Like Gadgets Anymore

If you've been eyeing a new gadget for your home, you may have noticed a curious trend. While much of the tech world is still made of glass, aluminum, plastic, and composites, a number of companies are opting for a softer material to outfit their electronics: cloth. Textiles are emerging as a fun, stylish, and irreverent way to accessorize and protect the tech we use in our homes each day. We saw a few examples among the smorgasbord of products Amazon announced at its surprise hardware event in Seattle last month. The Echo Dot and Echo Plus each got a cloth-covered refresh.