Top tech gift suggestions for Christmas, 2019

 

With Christmas less than two weeks away, it can be a bit nerve-wracking trying to figure out what might be great tech gifts this year. Without a doubt, many would be happy to get the latest smartphones, tablet computers or laptops from one of the top brands. However, if those big ticket items have already been covered, or are beyond your budget, have no fear, we are recommending five gift ideas that we think would be greatly appreciated.

 

1.  Apple AirPods Pro

For the frequent flyers among us, noise cancelling headphones can be a godsend. However, in times when space is at a premium, such as when travelling, bulky over-ear headphones can be a nuisance to carry.

For 2019, it seems that the Apple AirPods Pro are at the top of virtually everyone’s Christmas wish list. In addition to providing active noise cancellation, these AirPods provide excellent sound quality and are also comfortable to wear. Further, if you are wearing these earbuds but still want to hear what is going on around you, with the click of a button, you can activate transparency mode, to allow external sounds to be heard.

 

 

2.  Amazon Echo Dot (with clock)

 

Feeling the need to get your feet wet in the smart home/virtual assistant space? The Amazon Echo Dot, smart speaker, is an excellent and budget-friendly option. The latest version has an LED display that can show the time, outdoor temperature, or timers.

The Echo Dot can be controlled by your voice. Hence, in addition to selecting music, you can control smart devices in your home. The Echo Dot also connects to Amazon’s Alexa, thereby allowing you to seek help or assistance from Alexa on thousands of issues.

 

 

3.  Apple Watch Series 5

On first glance, and for those who own an Apple iPhone, having an Apple Watch might seem somewhat superfluous. Do your really need to answer a call, or check your messages on a watch, when your phone is within arm’s reach or nearby? Not really…

However, where the Apple Watch comes into its own is the health related monitoring it can perform, such as heart rate, heart rhythm, loudness/noisiness; calories and activity. Further, and unlike previous versions of the Apple Watch, the series 5 truly shines due to the fact that it can does not have to be continually synced to your phone. So whether you are out for a hike, swim or long run, it still functions beautifully.

 

 

4.  Sonos Move

As we continue to move towards smart homes, a longstanding point of pride in many households is the sound quality that can be produced to enhance the listening experience – be it from a television, a stereo, or even a smartphone. So although multipart speaker systems might be out of the skill and budget of many, there are some excellent compact and portable speakers currently on the market.

One of the most popular is the Sonos Move. Portable and can be used in almost any environment, thanks to its Trueplay feature, the Sonos Move can automatically adjust to its surroundings as they change. It can also be connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Further, it is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant, and can also be controlled by Apple AirPlay 2.

 

 

5.  Oura ring

Many of us techies and entrepreneurs tend to pride ourselves on how late we stay up at night, or how little sleep we need. However, there is a growing body of research that not only emphasises how much we sleep we actually need, but also that the quality of the sleep we are getting, is crucial to our wellbeing and long term health.

Unobtrusive, the Oura ring is for people who want to be intentional and productive with their time and effort. Outfitted with sensors and worn on one of your fingers – like a ring – the Oura ring generates numerous data points, which sync to your smartphone, and produces insights on matters related to sleep, activity, calories, to name a few.

 

 

 

Image credits: (Tofros.com, Pexels);  Amazon;  Oura;  Judy Daniels (flickr)