Here’s our list of the top 10 cool tech gifts for this holiday season. They range from stocking-stuffer size (and price), to things that are definitely a splurge.
Reminder: Chanukkah starts on December 16th this year; Xmas is on December 25th as always.
1. Portable battery pack, for charging up your electronics on the go: Anker® 2nd Gen Astro E4 13000mAh, for $30.
2. Stick an attractive leather wallet on the back of your iPhone, so you always have cards and cash. $40; make sure you buy the right model (there are versions for iPhone 4/5, 6, and 6 Plus).
3. Eye-Fi Wireless SD card, so you can send your photos from your DSLR to your phone wirelessly! $40 for 8GB, or $80 for 16GB.
4. Inexpensive noise-cancelling in-ear headphones: Sony MDRNC13, $65
5. Clip a Tile onto anything you don’t want to lose, and then track its location on your smartphone. 4 tiles for $70; the app is free.
6. This Swedish VOID watch isn’t “smart” but it’s definitely cool, and comes in various color combinations. $95.
7. Jot Touch pen, for taking notes or creating artwork on any tablet. Pressure sensitivity, a fine point, and “palm rejection” make it suitable for lots of creative uses. $100.
8. Portable Bluetooth speaker: Ultimate Ears Mini Boom, $115, comes in colors.
9. The Dreampad may help a loved one sleep better. This special pillow sends special ambient sounds into your brain (you need to plug your smartphone into it). We haven’t tried this but Katie Bohret of Re/code gives it a huge thumbs up. Now $159 plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.
10. A Kindle e-reader makes a great gift for anybody who loves books (and is okay with reading digitally). We recommend the Kindle Voyage for $219 (although the basic model starts at $79). Or of course you can always splurge for an iPad Mini, which starts at $250 for a 1st gen.
Or you could always go for a gift certificate for the Apple Watch, coming in 2015…
(December 2014)