The coolest tech gifts for everyone

The coolest tech gifts for everyone

PRIME – December 2014
By Gary M. Kaye
Editor, Tech50+ (www.tech50plus.com)
It’s that time of year again, and we have some tech oriented gifts that should bring a smile to everyone in the family.

GIFTS FOR BOOMER GALS
Point-and-Shoot Camera – Sony DSC RX100 Mark III – Some reviewers say this is simply the best point-and-shoot camera on the market.
I won’t argue the point. This will do most of the things those big SLR cameras will do, but will still fit in a purse. It has a 20 megapixel sensor for getting good shots in almost any lighting condition. And, it has a fast and bright Carl Zeiss 24mm to 70mm lens to capture the action close and far away.
It also has a pop-up electronic viewfinder (EVF) to give you a great view of your subject, even in bright light conditions that might wash out an LCD screen. Price is $800.
Smartphone – Nexus 6 by Motorola – This is the first phone to make use of Android’s newest operating system, Lollipop. It has a bright, huge 6-inch screen, and two front facing speakers to deliver just about the best entertainment experience you can find on a phone. And with Lollipop, she can easily move all of her apps and contacts on any of her current Android devices to the Nexus 6 with a single touch.
Price from most carriers is $199 with a two year contract.
Unlocked from the Google Play Store, it’s $649.
Fitness monitor – Garmin Vivosmart – Let’s face it, there are a ton of wearable fitness devices on the market. And most of them will keep track of your steps, your calories burned, and lots of other fitness functions.
The Vivosmart will also track your heart rate and sync up with your smartphone. But one of the things we really like about the Vivosmart is that it can deliver notifications of calls, texts, and emails and not just from one brand of device, but from most of the top-selling smartphone brands. It’s sleek display is discreet, and it will help the important woman in your life keep moving in the right direction. It’s available in a variety of colors, priced at $170.
Carry-on luggage – Eagle Creek 22-inch Tarmac AWD – Most major airlines now charge you about $25 just to check a bag. That’s prompted more travelers to take their carry-on luggage very seriously. Now it’s not just a convenience, its economical.
The Eagle Creek Tarmac AWD makes the carry-on into a hi-tech art form.
The back is polycarbonate, protecting the bag with a hard shell. The front is
a resilient Bi-Tech fabric. It has four sturdy wheels that swivel in all directions, making it a breeze to maneuver in tight airline aisles. It has compartments both inside and outside the main cargo space, and includes a detachable cargo net that can be used to carry more gear, a coat hanger that attaches to the handle, and a zipper expansion area that can either add more capacity if you need it, or work as a compression system if you’re prone to overstuffing. Price: $230 and up.
Tablet computer – Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5-inch – We can’t begin to count the number of tablet computers on the market.
But we like the Galaxy Tab S for a couple of reasons. For starters it has an extraordinary screen, with double the resolution of HDTV. It is also very thin and very light; only one-quarter-inch thick, and barely over 1 pound. That makes it easy to carry it anywhere. And with up to nine hours of surfing time, your favorite lady will have lots of time to watch her favorite movies anywhere from an airline seat to the living room couch. The Tab S comes in white or bronze. Price for the 16GB WiFi version starts at $500.

GIFTS FOR BOOMER GUYS
Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera – Sony a6000 – Sony is one of the leading makers of mirrorless cameras, a system that provides the quality of some of the best DSLRs but at a fraction of the size and price.
Sony has renamed what had been its NEX line and folded it into its Alpha line. The a6000 boasts a sharp electronic viewfinder, super fast auto focus so you won’t miss a shot, and New Field Communications (NFC) and WiFi so you can share pictures on a smartphone or tablet with a touch. Price is $550
Smartphone – Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – We’ve always liked the big screen Samsung Note line because of its “S” Pen feature that allows handwritten notes that you can store or convert to text. You can use the “S” Pen to highlight and move text, as well as to make notes on photographs. The latest version has a Quad HD screen, a better design build, and multi-tasking capability. Because its from Samsung,
it integrates easily with the rest of the Samsung ecosystem including tablets TVs, smartwatches and more.
You can get the Note 4 from either AT&T or Verizon for $300 with a two-year contract. I’ve seen the unlocked version priced anywhere from $600 and up.
Hybrid laptop/tablet computer – Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro – This is the latest in the Yoga line, named for its flexibility
to be used as a laptop, tablet, tent, or display stand. The Yoga 3 makes use of an innovative hinge design to make it thinner, and it has a new chip from Intel that draws less power and generates less heat. Because of its capabilities, this one machine can function quite well as both a touchscreen laptop and a Windows 8.1 tablet, and for some of us that means one less device to carry.
Price begins at $1300.
Computer bag – Eagle Creek Convertabrief – This is the most versatile computer bag we’ve seen.
It can be carried as either a shoulder bag or a comfortable backpack. It has one padded pocket to carry a laptop computer and tablet that can be zipped open so you don’t have to take anything out at airport security. It has a big central pocket that can carry clothes for an overnight trip. And it has other zipped internal and external pockets for accessories like chargers, music players, cables, headphones, and plenty more. What’s more, almost every one of the external pockets can be locked.
Price is $175.
Hi res portable music player – Astell&Kern AK 120 II – With the advent of digital hi-res music formats, audiophiles are no longer limited to collections of vinyl records. But hi-res music files take up a lot more room than the MP3 files on your iPhone or other music player. The AK 120 II has the capacity to handle 256 GB of music between the device’s internal drive and a mcro SD Card like the 128 GB SDXC card from SanDisk. The output quality is superb, especially into a great set of Hi-Res headphones. The AK 120 II is a gorgeous piece of industrial design, with a solid aluminum body and a bright touchscreen display.
Price is $1699.

GIFTS FOR THE PARENTS OF BOOMERS
Tablet computer – AARP RealPad – AARP decided that the consumer electronics industry wasn’t serving the needs of seniors with approachable technology. So they came up with their first piece of hardware, a 7.85-inch diagonal HD touchscreen device
with a host of attractive features including 24/7 live technical support,
big homescreen icons, easy video chatting, and a series of video tutorials. And it will also run all your favorite Android apps. It also comes with a free one year AARP membership. Price is $189.
Automobile navigation system – Garmin Nuvi 2789 LMT and Nuvi 2689 LMT – These new units from Garmin make getting around easier than ever. They feature pinch-and-zoom touchscreens and voice command.
They also feature millions of Points of Interest from FourSquare. They have unlimited traffic avoidance and Lifetime map upgrades. Garmin has put in detailed directions to complex locations such as airports and shopping malls, and provides clear illustrations to navigate complicated intersections.
The Advanced Series 6-inch diagonal Nuvi 2689 LMT is available now for $270. The larger 7-inch version, the 2789 LMT will be available in the first quarter of 2015 for $350, but for those with vision issues, it may well be worth waiting for.
You can always give your favorite senior an IOU.
Ice gripper boots – IceBug JuniperBUGrip – Slipping and falling on ice is a real worry for folks who live in wintry climates like the Northeast. These technically sophisticated boots come in men’s and women’s sizes. They feature a tread design with metal studs, just like studded tires, along with waterproof uppers. They look like normal hiking shoes, but will help keep the folks safe on slippery city sidewalks and parking lots. Price is $160.
Family personal computer – Lenovo Horizon 2e Two-In-One – This computer provides a great gathering place for the family. Standing up, it’s a fully functional touchscreen desktop computer running Windows 8.1.
But lay it down flat and it becomes a gaming machine for the whole family, with available pieces for air hockey, Monopoly, and lot of other games.
It’s also a great way to look at family pictures, blow them up, move them around, and it’s a great big tablet for the grandkids to do their artwork. It comes with a battery so you can move it from room to room on a moment’s notice. Price – begins at $750.
Personal emergency alert device– V.ALRT – This is a button-sized device that works through your smartphone.
It is the smallest I’ve seen that also performs fall detection. Unlike many others, it doesn’t require a monthly fee or long term subscription. Pushing the button will send a personalized message to as many as three pre-selected contacts. It uses the GPS services in your smartphone to provide location in case help is needed.
To avoid false fall alerts, it gives the user several seconds to cancel a fall notification. It comes with a wristband and a rubber collar that can attach to a clip or a chain to be worn as a pendant. Price is $60.

GIFTS FOR THE KIDS OF BOOMERS
Smartwatch – Moto 360 by Motorola – While the industry tells us the interest in wearable devices is exploding, so far most of the smartwatches on the market
have looked pretty clunky.
The Moto 360 uses Google’s Android Wear software and connects with most recent Android smartphones. But unlike many of the market leaders, this one has a traditional circular design, and comes with a variety of watch faces. In terms of functionality the Moto 360 responds to voice commands, will give you Google Now notifications, and has extensive health and fitness tracking capability. Price is $250.
Tablet computer – Nexus 9 – This is the first tablet computer to come with the new Android 5.0 operating system, known as Lollipop The
8.9-inch device is made by HTC for Google’s flagship hardware line. It features a stunning display, and two front facing speakers for great stereo sound in landscape mode. Lollipop offers a number of improvements including the ability to clone content from other NFC-enabled Android devices, as well as accessible notifications from the lock screen, multi-tasking, and fast performance. There’s an available bluetooth keyboard/cover if your youngster wants to be productive. Price is $399 for the WiFi-only version.
Action camera – Sony Mini Action Cam with Live View Remote – With it’s newest action camera, Sony is out to prove that good things come in even smaller packages. The Action Cam Mini is about two-thirds the size of its previous models. It comes with a waterproof and dustproof case. It is both NFC and WiFi-enabled. It also comes with Sony’s Live View Remote, which resolves the issue of being able to see what your Point of View camera is seeing in real time. The mini-monitor can strap to your wrist and lets you operate the camera remotely while seeing what it sees. No longer will you need a smartphone to use as a monitor – a situation that’s problematic if your biking down a trail or skiing down a slope. Price $350.
Wireless speaker system – Audioengine B2 – Get ready for a new quality experience from Bluetooth speaker. Audioengine has taken two
of its award winning 2+ powered desktop speakers, added its hi-res B1 Bluetooth audio streaming device and combined them all into one attractive chassis. It pairs with your smartphone, tablet, or hi-res audio player almost instantly and delivers terrific sound quality. It’s available in three different finishes. Price is $299.
Technical jacket – Dare2B Framework Jacket – This is a wonderful piece of technical clothing for snow wind, or rain. It’s made with an extremely breathable fabric, it has a removable skirt to keep out the snow and the cold. The hood has a wire frame to keep its shape and help visibility. It has lots of inside and outside pockets, and an innovative magnetic closure to keep the storm flap secured. Price is $188.
For a complete guide to 100 of the season’s best tech gifts, visit www.tech50plus.com

Gary Kaye is the creator of Tech50+ (www.tech50plus.com), the leading website covering technology from the Baby Boomer perspective. Kaye has been covering high tech for more than 30 years with outlets including NBC, ABC, CNN and Fox Business. He is a regular contributor to AARP and other websites on issues regarding the nexus of technology, seniors and baby boomers.