What could possibly impress your tech-loving friends and relatives this holiday season? From smartphone-operated locks to the iPad Mini and an old-fashioned camera, our guide to the coolest gadgets.
Apple’s newest innovation is lightweight, sleek, and lightning-fast. It doesn’t get much better than that. The iPad Mini (starting at $329) is fairly reasonably priced and just about perfect for that family member or friend who was hesitant to snap up one of the larger tablets when they first came out.
Courtesy of Apple
Appeasing both those slow to embrace digital and those compulsive Instagram users who’d like to try the real deal, Lomography’s Diana+ Zone Focus Film Camera ($39.95) is a spruced-up replica of the original ’60s classic. It comes with a 75mm lens and includes options for pinhole photos and cool panoramas.
Courtesy of Lomography
This wireless, portable speaker packs enough punch for a party or outdoor BBQ, and even works for conference calls. Beats by Dr. Dre’s new Pill speaker ($199.95) is compact enough for music listening on the go and even comes with a carabiner.
Beats Electronics LLC / PRNewsFoto
For the book collector with no more room, a Kindle is the perfect solution. The newest model, the Paperwhite ($119), is garnering rave reviews for its screen resolution (212 pixels/inch), storage capabilities (holds 1,100 books), and battery life (eight weeks).
Courtesy of Amazon
This one might not be ready in time for the holidays, but it was too ingenious not to include on our list. The Lockitron ($179) allows you to unlock your door, lock it from afar, and grant permission for friends and family to enter, all via smartphone. Preorder one for the on-the-go friend of yours who’s always fumbling for keys at the bottom of her purse, and once it arrives it will be like Christmas/Hanukah/Kwanzaa all over again.
Courtesy of Lockitron
Stream every type of content imaginable with this little box for living room viewing, through Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, and more than 600 channels—not to mention music from Pandora and photo sharing via Facebook and Flickr. The Roku LT ($49.99) is incredibly well-priced, easy to use, and high-quality enough for any movie-and-TV-show lover on your gift list.
Courtesy of Roku
Some folks just don’t have the time or initiative to play house. That’s where the much-beloved Roomba comes into play. This latest version ($399.99) is especially good for pets and can be scheduled for designated weekly cleanings. Just set it down and watch it go. For a stocking-stuffer version of a hands-free vacuum, try this awesome mini sweeper, which will suck up all the crumbs on your table ($18).
Courtesy of iRobot
The experts at Gizmodo are calling it “the best action camera we’ve ever used” with “unparalleled” quality. The GoPro Hero3 Black ($400) is perfect for that pro-snowboarder nephew, scuba diver mom, surfer sister, or otherwise adventure-chronicling friend. The image is super sharp, and there is an endless array of options for mounting, plus a Wi-Fi remote.
GoPro / PRNewsFoto
Sometimes flipping through pictures on a phone just doesn’t have the same effect as turning pages in a photo album. Hammacher Schlemmer’s Wireless Smartphone Photo Printer ($219.95) connects via app to your phone or tablet and prints fabulously rich pictures instantly. Voilà.
Courtesy of Hammacher Schlemmer
Remind your tech-obsessive that hardware alone isn’t everything—keeping up appearances counts for style and protection. This Ted Baker vintage typewriter print ($45) will remind you what a magical contraption your laptop really is.
Courtesy of Ted Baker
For those who have all the gadgets they can handle, here are some fun add-ons anyone with a smartphone will appreciate. The Pitch Black Dot ($49) attaches to your phone for panoramic video. For that outdoorsy guy or gal in your life, this all-in-one Eddie Bauer pocket knife ($64.95) adds a twist to the classic with a handy cellphone-camera mount for taking pictures out in the wild. Lastly, for that friend whose phone is always dead, try this mini portable “juice-pack reserve” ($39.95).
