My granddaughter Jess teases me that I say this every year, but gadget season really is the most wonderful time of the year. Fall is when the tech world rolls out its shiny new toys, and MSN just rounded up five of the coolest ones arriving soon. Foldables and smart home devices are among the picks, though the teaser doesn't give away much beyond that. So consider this my early watch list, not a full briefing.

Nobody will be surprised that foldables made the list, and that's fine by me. I remember when a phone that bent in half sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie, and now they show up in roundups like this without anyone blinking. My old rule of thumb, never buy generation one of anything, applies less and less these days. By generation four or five the kinks tend to get worked out. Which generation these particular devices represent I can't say until I see the full details, but it's worth asking before you preorder anything.

The smart home entries made me smile, because regular readers know I hold those to a high standard. Technology should work for you, solving an actual problem, not adding an app to your life for no reason. The source doesn't say what these particular devices actually do so I'm reserving judgment. When the specifics surface, that's the lens I'll be using: does it solve a real chore, or does it just want to be connected for connection's sake? I've seen plenty of both over the years, and the difference matters.

What I won't do is guess at capabilities the roundup hasn't confirmed. I've been at this long enough to know that a teaser can make a gadget sound miraculous and the fine print tells a quieter story. So instead of speculating about sensors and specs, I'll point you to the original article for the full rundown with details and pricing, and I'll do what I always do: keep an eye on release dates and follow up once I've lived with something for more than an afternoon. In my book that's the only review that counts.

And in the meantime, a little budgeting advice from your favorite aunt: know which purchases are solving problems and which ones are just fun. There's no shame in the fun ones! I've bought plenty of gadgets purely because they delighted me. Just know which is which before you click the buy button.