10 great tech gifts to treat the gadget guru in your life
Shopping for the tech lover in your life can be tricky because technology evolves so quickly, but fear not: These gift ideas cover all sorts of interests and range in price from the obtainable to the extravagant.
Samsung 65" Series 9 4K SUHD HDR Television
Price: $2200
The Samsung KS9000 television offers a spectacular image. It's a full 10-bit LCD panel that is capable of full 4K with HDR at brightness levels peaking at 1000 nits. That means it's a really sharp and bright display. It's also ultra-thin in both the bezel thickness as well as total depth, measuring less than half an inch at the sides (it's a little thicker in the middle). This means you can hang it very close to the wall or at least give the illusion that it's pencil thin. As an added bonus, this SmartTV features a very responsive interface that includes all of the most popular streaming services ranging from Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, HBO GO/NOW and Hulu - most of which include streaming of 4K content!
XBOX ONE S 4K HDR Blu-ray Gaming System
Price: Starting at $299
The XBOX One S is Microsoft's latest update to their popular gaming console and at $299 it also makes it one of the best priced 4K/UHD HDR Blu-ray player on the market. This alone makes it the perfect companion for the latest HDR capable 4K televisions. Kids will enjoy the vast library of games available, while parents can watch 4K content via disc or streaming. Essentially, this is two gifts in one - a 4K/UHD HDR Blu-ray player/streamer and a high-performance gaming console. Be sure to keep an eye out for special bundle deals as we get closer to the holidays.
Price: $60
This is the perfect gift for any child that grew up in the mid-1980s! I can remember playing hours and hours of Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda (both pre-installed). In total, the NES Classic console has 30 pre-loaded games like Dr. Mario, Donkey Kong, Mega Man, Final Fantasy and dozens more. It comes with one controller but you can pick up an extra one to round out the package. The hardest part about this gift will be actually finding one (do not pay more than $60 for it)! Nintendo is releasing more inventory as we lead into the holidays, so be sure to check Amazon or brick and mortar stores like Walmart and Target often.
Price: $249
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is a must have gift for anyone that owns a home that has a traditional doorbell system. The Pro model uses the existing hardwired doorbell power and wiring, providing two-way talk and HD video without having to worry about replacing batteries. The built-in camera can be activated by pushing the doorbell button or based on motion and works day or night and in low light situations. What's really unique about this video doorbell, is that it can ring you anywhere you have data access on your smartphone, tablet or PC. Making it possible to see who's at your door from anywhere inside or away from your home.
Price: $75.54
This is a great little camera that allows remote viewing of inside your home using an app on your smartphone (iOS and Android). The ease of setup and use makes it the perfect device to monitor your pets - I've used it to keep an eye out on my fish while away on vacation. The camera features 720p HD video with a 130 degree view, a built-in microphone and built-in night vision mode that automatically turns on when it's dark. The camera comes with a 16gb MicroSD card, but can accept up to 128gb cards for local storage. Just download the free app, follow the instructions to connect it up to WiFi and that's it!
Price: $450
Dashcams have become popular because they can record accidents and other interesting events. The Waylens Horizon is by far the best-looking and most feature-packed automotive camera system out there. The Waylens not only captures full 1080p HD video, but also vehicle telemetry that can be overlaid onto the video by plugging a module into the vehicles OBD-II port. That means that not only can begin recording automatically when the engine starts and stops, but it can provide car performance telemetry overlaid and synchronized onto the video. The WayLens Horizon has a built-in OLED display that provides a visual look at the video and other information at a glance. The included steering wheel remote makes it easy to control the camera without having to take your hands off the wheel.
Mevo - Live Event Camera for iOS with Free Tripod
Price: $400
This is a fun way to capture live events without needing a dedicated camera person or multiple cameras. The Mevo can zoom, pan and cut to the action all automatically with just a single camera. It's all controlled via a slick video editing iOS app. The video can be streamed live using WiFi or LTE to Facebook Live and Livestream services, or just recorded down to the included 16gb microSD card where the video can be shared later to YouTube, Facebook, via email or anywhere else that accept a standard video file.
Belkin Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar
Price: $40
This is the perfect gift for anyone you know that upgraded to the latest iPhone 7 or 7 Plus! Apple decided to remove the headphone jack from the latest version of the iPhone thus making it impossible to charge and listen to audio using wired headphones at the same time. The Lightning Audio + Charge RockStar will make it possible for them to listen to audio while also charging the iPhone.
Kingston Digital 128GB Data Traveler Micro Duo
Price: $40
One thing that is constant with technology is change. It seems like every few years we have a new connector type that tries to complicate our lives even though it's meant to improve. If you know of anyone that has the new MacBook Pro with the USB-C connectors, they will love the Kingston Digital 128GB Micro Duo Flash Drive. The thing is tiny. Literally it has a standard USB connector on one side and directly behind an USB Type-C one - nothing else added to its size. Meaning, this flash drive can be used to copy files to-from both types of connectors. It's brilliant!
Price: Preorder starting at $999
The problem with professional quality drones is they are too bulky to carry around. DJI has solved this problem with the new Mavic Pro by making the prop arms foldable. The whole aircraft becomes the size of a bottle of water when folded and the controller is pocket sized as well. But don't let that fool you. This is not a toy! The Mavic Pro comes with a fully stabilized 4K camera onboard and can reach speeds of up to 40mph. With distances of up to 4.3 miles away and run times as long as 27 minutes, this little drone can be used to make some interesting movies. Be sure to preorder it now for the release date is in early January. This item is a hot ticket and for sure on any videographer's holiday wish list.
Danny Mavromatis (@dannymav) runs mavromatic.com, a technology and product review website since 2004. Every product listed in this gift guide has been thoroughly reviewed hands-on by Danny so you don't have to.
