Where did the year go? Once again, I am doing last-minute shopping, hoping to find one gift each family member really wants. I also need to figure out what I want for Christmas! Thanks to the cold weather and snow, I’ve had plenty of time to research hot new tech gifts available this year.
Some safe bets are the latest phone, tablet or headphone set. Most smart devices have evolved, allowing us to be even more connected and automate more of our lives. For example, Facebook now has a device called the Portal (portal.facebook.com) that includes Alexa.
Here are some other great gifting ideas I am considering this year:
>> vector: This little robot can see, hear, think, talk and self-charge. (It is tiny and may drive my cat, Tiger, crazy.) One of the coolest features is that it takes pictures for you. Unfortunately, it won’t make dinner or clean the house. anki.com
>> ozobot: Evo and Bit are personalized pocket bots that encourage kids age 6 and older to explore coding. They can use special markers on paper or OzoBlockly to code the bots. STEAM educators will love these, too.
ozobot.com
>> jooki: Parents who want to limit toddlers’ screen time should look into Jooki. It’s a music player for young kids that lets you connect a playlist or audio story to a toy character. When the toy is placed on the Jooki, it plays the music or story. It integrates with Spotify and has many parental controls. jooki.rocks
>> deebot ozmo: At the top of my personal list is Ecovac’s Deebot Ozmo 601. This is a combination vacuum and mop robot for hard floors. If only it could do stairs! ecovacs.com
>> arf pets: An automatic pet feeder with a voice recorder is the perfect gift for owners who want to keep feedings on a schedule or soothe a pet when they are away from home. arfpets.com
>> moxi showerhead: If your loved one sings in the shower, Kohler offers the Moxi Showerhead with a built-in wireless speaker. The speaker comes in different colors and pops out of the showerhead for easy recharging. kohler.com
>> unobrush: There are so many different tech gifts you can explore! If you love being on the cutting edge, check out Kickstarter to learn about tech gadget companies that are looking for funding. The one I really hope goes to market is Unobrush. It claims to brush your teeth in under six seconds. Isn’t technology amazing? unobrush.com
Sheila Burkett is an information technology expert and CEO of Spry Digital, an interactive design agency delivering smart digital solutions. Follow Spry Digital on Twitter (@sprydigital), Facebook (facebook.com/sprydigital), Instagram (@sprydigital) or LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/spry-digital-llc).