Here are the coolest new tech items we’ve found for holiday giving this year. Reminder: Chanukah starts on December 24th; Christmas is, as always, on the 25th.
Griffin Guitar Sidekick, $20
Attach your phone to the neck of your guitar so you’ve got your lyrics, videos, and charts in the right place when you’re playing.
BlueLounge Jimi for iMac, $15
Great little stocking stuffer for anybody who has an iMac and is tired of fumbling behind the machine to find the USB ports — this brings the port right underneath the screen so it’s always handy.
Griffin Pencil Sleeve for Apple Pencil, $30
Yes, you’ve already spent a crazy $100 on the Apple Pencil, but if you’re finding it hard to hold, this silicone sleeve can make using the pencil more comfortable, plus it prevents rolling and holds onto the cap.
TwelveSouth BackPack for iMac, $35
This little shelf for your iMac can either go behind the screen, where it can hold a drive out of sight, or underneath, as a convenient spot for your iPhone or other accessories.
Whistle GPS pet tracker, $49
Put this gizmo on your pet’s collar and track your dog or cat from your smartphone. You can even set your phone to alert you if your pet goes outside a designated Whistle Zone.
Native Union luxury leather charging cable, $50
This beautiful Apple Lightning to USB cable will look stylish on any keychain or pocketbook. Comes in brown and black.
Amazon Echo Dot, $50
Ask Amazon’s Alexa to play music, set a timer, request an Uber, tell you the weather or traffic, or find nearby restaurants.
Thimble monthly DIY electronics kit subscription, as low as $59/month
This kit gives you the hardware and instructions to make a new electronic device every month.
Nintendo NES Classic Edition, $60
Plugs into the TV for playing 30 classic games including Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, and Legend of Zelda. Comes with 1 controller; additional controllers are $10 each.
Zagg Pocket Keyboard, $70
This compact keyboard is perfect for typing on your iPhone or iPad, and it folds up into a rectangle 9” x 2” x 0.6” in size.
Philips Hue Kits, $70-$200
The white starter kit comes with 2 white light bulbs, while the color starter kit comes with 3 colored bulbs. Both let you control lighting in your home using your iPhone (or your Apple Watch).
Blink wireless home video monitoring camera, $99
This device runs on AA batteries and allows you to see what’s happening in your home using their app.
Skybell video doorbell, $200
See who’s at the door from your smartphone with this video doorbell — even if you’re away from home!
Anki Cozmo robot, $180
This tiny robot that looks like a cross between R2D2 and a toy bulldozer can recognize you, explore the environment, play games, and detect your pet dog or cat.
MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, starts at $1799
Apple’s brand new MacBook Pro has a high-res screen, 4 Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, and the Touch Bar, which lets you log in to your Mac with a fingerprint, and puts the most useful commands right at your fingertips.
(November 2016)