‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the tech world, all the geeks were stirring eagerly for the hottest gear of the year.
Looking for a prime present for the techie in your life? This year, the hot gifts are connected and on the go, so we’ve got you covered on the five must-have items this year for your home and when out and about.
Light them up! Extend the power of your Amazon Echo or Google Home with some high-tech light bulbs. The Philips Hue light bulbs offer you a trusted brand with functionality you can enable on your smart home device as well as your phone. Turn on and off the lights, adjust dimming, and change colors to fit your mood without leaving the couch. Retail for a starter kit with the works runs about $140.
Let the robot clean it. Stop vacuuming your floors and let the latest generation of iRobot’s Roomba take care of your home. I remember being a kid and seeing the commercials. Clearly, the product was before its time because these robots suck – your floor that is. Control it from your phone or smart home device and let it do the work for you. Retail for the iRobot Roomba 960 model is about $700.
Sound, unplugged. The technology for wireless headphones and speakers improves every year to bring you better sound with the freedom to move. Longtime audio greats Sennheiser was finally able to cut the cable without sacrificing their legendary sound with their HD1 wireless headphones ($350). For those looking to start a party on land and sea, grab the waterproof JBLM Pulse 3 ($188).
Smart and timely. Smart watches continue to be an exciting present for anyone on your gift list. The new Fitbit Ionic pairs great fitness tech with stylish appeal ($270). Unlike a popular Apple Watch, Fitbit is functional with any device, more cost effective and still capable with your favorite apps.
High-end gaming wherever. Nintendo’s latest console matches on-the-go gaming with an at-home console. The Nintendo Switch came out earlier this year and has landed on almost every gift guide around, and with good reason. Think about taking a single game of Mario Kart from your home to the bus and onto a plane without missing a beat. Sign me up! Retails at $300 for the console and most games are about $60.
What gifts are on your list this year?