It’s the time of year when most everyone’s attention turns to dreams of family time, holiday foods and family traditions. Warm celebrations to offset the cold and darkness.
It’s also a time of shopping and every merchant hopes they have the one trendy item in stock that will bring you into the store, either literally or digitally. But giving just the right gift can be a tricky proposition in these high tech times…
One of the greatest questions on people’s minds as we head into the last part of December isn’t about where to buy a tree, how to make that classic hot toddy, or how to politely decline a slice of fruitcake but which gifts are going to be surefire hits, which presents are going to produce a big smile and prove to be the one gift that the recipient remembers – and still uses – months later?
No worries. I’ve got you covered.
This is my list of the best tech gear and products on the market in 2017 and why I like them so much.
SMART SECURITY ROUTERS
As more and more devices join the Internet of Things world, the risks of someone outside your home hacking them goes up too. Is that video camera really safe? How about that Internet-enabled deadbolt? That’s why the latest generation of wifi routers for the home are so terrific: they include security software and firewalls that ensure that hackers don’t sneak into your home network and wreak havoc. Norton Core Router is one good choice, as is the Dojo (shown in the picture. Yes, it’s a bit unusual looking).
In both cases, plug ‘em in and ignore them, knowing you – and your home – are safe.
VOICE ACTIVATED SPEAKERS
The concept of a speaker that listens to you and answers your queries might seem a bit daft on first glance, but when you realize it’s a music player that offers access to millions upon millions of tracks, things get considerably more interesting. Hook it up to a favorite service like Pandora, Spotify or even I Heart Radio and you’ll never lack for something to enjoy, whether it’s Christmas carols, traditional African music, skiffle or the latest in rap or hip-hop.
There are a lot of competitors in this space but Amazon has emerged as a clear leader with its Alexa line and home automation connectivity. But don’t buy an Echo from Amazon: My favorite in this space is the more expensive but considerably better sounding Sonos One. You get all the benefit of multi-room audio and it’s Alexa-powered too. My house is never without music thanks to this excellent addition.
VIDEO STREAMING DEVICES
If you’re an Apple fan, you might already own an Apple TV, but there are some splendid and considerably less expensive alternatives for a device that hooks up to your TV and lets you enjoy the extraordinary wealth of streaming options. My choice: The Roku Express, which makes watching Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and so many other channels a breeze.
Bonus: they all look fantastic too, and more so if you have HD or a UHD 4K television.
SMARTPHONES
Buying someone a smartphone is a tricky proposition because they probably already have their preferences and might already have the phone of their dreams. Then again, these products are evolving so fast that it’s bewildering to try and keep up with the latest tech and trends.
My two top choices if budget is no problem are the Google Pixel 2 (shown) for Android fans and the Apple iPhone X for iPhone fans. Both are truly state-of-the-art devices that offer so much more than just the ability to receive phone calls and text messages. And yes, both are quite expensive.
DRONES
I’ve flown a lot of drones in the last year and can tell you that there’s an unfortunate reality about this space that most companies don’t want you to know: cheap drones are no fun to fly. Because we live in an area that gets lots of wind and weather can change on a minute by minute basis, lightweight drones have a bad tendency to be pushed all over the sky and therefore become quite difficult to control.
Expensive drones like the DJI Mavic Pro work great and give you splendid results even in mediocre weather, but that comes with a price tag that puts it out of the range of most casual consumers. Don’t be fooled by the sub-$100 units either: they’re going to prove just as hard and frustrating to fly as last decade’s RC helicopters.
SLEEP SOUND MACHINES
There’s not a lot that’s new for 2017 in this space but I’m such a firm believer in the benefits of a sleep sound or white noise generator machine at night that I carry one with me when I travel. Noisy hotel rooms? No thanks, I’d rather listen to the soothing sound of ocean waves or a rainforest at night. Turns out that not all of these devices are designed the same, however, and only the very best are built upon multiple tracks of differing cycles so that there’s never an obvious “loop” or restart point.
My choice for this remains the Sound+Sleep Mini high fidelity sleep sound system. It’s small, portable, and loud enough to cover up even the most annoying nighttime sounds from the neighbors. Bonus: it’s excellent for children who otherwise lay awake at night, listening to ambient sounds from the rest of the house.
RFID SHIELDED WALLET
There are oodles of choices for this particular product on Amazon and eBay, and the prices range from startlingly inexpensive on up, but as you get more and more chip-enabled credit cards, having neutral shielded storage for them (and your passport) is going to prove more important. The easy solution is to get an RFID shielded wallet or purse. Simple.
I have an attractive leather wallet that cost under $20 and still looks as good as the day I slipped my cards into it.
MOTION SENSOR OR VOICE ACTIVATED TRASH CAN
It’s the last thing that seems like it needs a tech boost, but we’ve quickly grown to love our simplehuman motion activated kitchen trashcan. With pets it’s always a mistake to have an open trashcan, but foot pedals? So 80’s.
Instead, we simply get near our new trashcan and the lid smoothly and silently lifts up. A few seconds later it descends back down to safely close and keep mischievous pets from marauding late at night.
AND A FEW SUGGESTIONS ON SOME TECH TO SKIP
Having talked about lots of really cool tech gifts, let me also warn you against a few things. First off, I think that virtual reality is still just a gimmick. If it’s built upon a smartphone you already have, a cheap headset is fine for playing around but there’s still nothing yet that makes the more expensive units compelling. Even if Ready Player One suggests it’s going to be amazing.
And while we’re at it, let me also say that action cameras seem to have come and gone too, with the GoPro no longer the belle of that particular ball. In fact, there are lots of knock off HD cameras that include waterproof housings and helmet mounts, all for a fraction the price of the GoPro. But will they be used after that initial burst of enthusiasm? I encourage you to assess that carefully before making a purchase.
Whatever you choose to gift your friends and family, however, I hope that it’s enthusiastically received, that you get something fantastic and completely unexpected, and that your holidays are full of warmth, fun and love.