Here it is – Our annual recommendations of holiday tech gifts. Whether for business, home or pleasure, these gifts should be at the top of your list.
1. The Apple Watch – No surprise that this smartwatch makes the list. At $349, it offers a great display and design with more than 10,000 apps. It also runs on a charge for 18 hours. The latest version includes Apple Pay and Force Touch, and you can switch your calls from your handset to your watch. If you prefer looking at your wrist to relying on having your phone nearby, this may be for you. Plus, for the fashion savvy and those willing to pay a much higher price, the Apple Watch now comes in a Hermes version!
2. Microsoft Surface Book – pcmag.com claims that this is the best thing Microsoft has done in years, and many other critics agree. You can take the top off and use it as a tablet, which gives you more bang for your buck. It is a great device and uses Windows 10. Amazon is offering it at $1,640.
3. The Bose Quiet Comfort 20 Noise Cancelling Headphones. Some version of these hedphones seem to make it regularly on our list. These noice cancelling headphones are small and comfortable enough for working our or going for a run. The digital audio is of excellent quality. They are pricey, retailing for $299 on Amazon.
4. The Ugg Australia Toscana Earmuff – Here is a winter alternative to pricier headphones. Ugg is known for its cozy warmth, and these tech wired headphones/earmuffs will keep your ears warm while you are listening to your music They retail for $75 on the UGG website and come in five colors.
Order Approval Required5. Apple iPad mini 4 – The iPad mini continues to be a poplular choice for those looking for an laternative to the larger iPadAir. It can store all of your reading, movies, apps and retails for around $399. If a smaller tablet is your thing, this is a great choice.
6. Parrot Minidrone Jumping Sumo – Okay, we had to add a drone for our holiday list, right? For silly fun, how about his one for around $128? It is a remote controlled car that you operate with your smartphone. It can jump up to 2 1/2 feet and its front has a wide angle camera that can stream live to your cellphone. It is a cheaper alternative to the flying Parrot drones. (Who knows what drones next year will bring!)
7. Logitech Bluetooth Multi-device Keyboard K480 – Logitech continues to stay in the forefront of bluetooth keyboards. At $49/95 this one works well for instant connection to your smartphone or tablet.
8. Amazon Fire – At the new reduced price of $50, we had to add this to the list. With its sharp 7 inch display and integration with Amazon’s content, this is a great low end tablet. And, Prime Members have access to Amazon instant video, e-books and music.
9. Amazon Echo- One more product from Amazon. It is the alternative to Siri and more. This bluetooth speaker has wifi along with Alexa, who will be your virtual assistant, much as Siri is on the Apple devices. All for $179.
