Tech gifts what do you want under your tree?PRIME – December 2013By Gary M. Kaye Chief Content Officer, www.intheboombox.tv There's no time like the holidays to upgrade someone's technology. Here's are a few of the gadgets we hope Santa might leave under our tree – we bet they'll make great suggestions for many of the people on your gift list, too! For the boomer father and husband LG G2 Smartphone – This is the top of the line smartphone from LG with a sharp 5.2 - inch diagonal high definition (HD) screen, a fast processor, great battery life and lots of memory. It's not too big, not too small, but with all the functionality he's likely to want. Price – anywhere from $150 to $600, depending on the carrier and contract. Casio Edifice Era200rbp-1a Watch – This chronometer has all the bells and whistles a high tech dad would want, including a built-in compass, a thermometer, lots of alarm settings, and the ability to operate under water down to 300 feet. Price – $450. Lenovo T440s Notebook Computer – This new Ultrabook computer sports a 14 – inch diagonal HD screen and weighs in at just 3.5 pounds. It uses Intel's latest Haswell processor, yet it's about 20 percent thinner than Lenovo's previous model. The T440 features a big trackpad and the ability to swap out batteries without shutting down the computer, allowing you to run it for an entire business day without having to plug it in. Price – models start at $1,150. Sonos PlayBar – The problem with most newer HD televisions is that the picture is much better than the sound that comes with the TV's built-in speakers. One solution is the soundbar, a good set of speakers that plugs into your TV and sits below the screen. It's particularly effective if you can't or won't install a 5.1 surround sound system. Sonos has taken it a step further by integrating the soundbar wirelessly. The Sonos PlayBar will not only hook up to your television, it will allow you to wirelessly access all your music, whether it is stored on a computer, or comes in from any one of dozens of music services such as Pandora, Amazon, or Sirius XM. The sound quality is what you'd expect from Sonos. Price – $700. Sony DSC - RX10 Camera – If photography is your thing, but you don't want to invest in a complicated and expensive interchangeable lens camera system, this may be the best and only camera you'll ever need. The RX10 comes with a big sensor that gives you sharp 20 megapixel pictures. It's relatively compact, and best of all, it comes with an outstanding Zeiss 24mm - 200mm zoom lens with a motor that's smooth as silk. It also lets you shoot HD video that's going to be better than most camcorders can yield. Price –$1,300. For the boomer mother and wife Sony Cybershot TX-30 camera – Mom can drop this waterproof, dustproof camera into her purse and be ready to snap at a moment's notice with better results than the camera on her smartphone. It has an 18 megapixel sensor and a sharp Carl Zeiss 5X zoom lens to bring her close to the action. It comes in a choice of four colors., it can shoot HD video, and displays it all on a 3.5 - inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touchscreen. Price – $260. Apple iPhone 5S – Apple just keeps adding more features to the top of the line iPhone. This one has a faster and more powerful processor. It also has a motion co-processor, which means it can run a range of health and fitness apps to help track mom's motion and help her stay in shape. It runs on the fast LTE networks. It comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner so you can have security without having to type a password every time you start it up. Price – begins at $199. Tivoli Music System – Tivoli Audio makes some of the best desktop and bedside radio systems on the market. With its classic wood cabinet design and mellow sound, this system looks and sounds great in just about every room in the house. It has Bluetooth so it can connect to mobile devices. It also has a CD player, and AM/FM radio. But it's the sound quality that really sells it, filling almost any size room. It's available in three wood finish combinations. Price – $700. Sony Xperia Tablet Z Kitchen Edition – This very thin, very sharp Android tablet is right at home on a kitchen counter. It's waterproof so it's safe to use it near the sink. It comes with pre-loaded recipes and food apps. It also comes with a folding stand so you don't have to worry about propping it up. And it includes the wireless iGrill meat thermometer. Price – $600. Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity Tracker – This wireless wristband tracks steps, distance, calories burned and active minutes. LED lights show progress against mom's goal. The Fitbit monitors her sleep and wakes her with a silent alarm. She can wear it all day and night, even in the shower. Price – $100. For the parents of boomers HP Chromebook 14 – The Chromebook is a laptop that uses Google software from the Internet instead of traditional packaged software. That means it's always up to date – and that your mom or dad's documents would be available to them from any Internet enabled computer or other device. The new 14-inch model from HP uses a reliable Intel processor and has on board storage so they can work on the Chromebook without a persistent Internet connection. The parents of boomers may actually find the Chromebook easier to use than a traditional computer. Price – $279. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 – This smartphone has one of the biggest screens on the market at 5.7-inches, making it easy to read. It comes with a built-in stylus called the "S" pen that will allow mom or dad to scribble notes, addresses and phone numbers and have them translated into anything from a contact page to driving directions, all without ever having to use a keyboard. Price –$200 to $700, depending on carrier and contract. Apple iPad Air – The latest version of the popular iPad has even more features and less bulk. It's several ounces lighter than its predecessor and thinner. It still has that great Retina display, and an improved front facing camera to improve video chats, which is one of its main uses among elders Price – begins at $499 and heads up from there if you want more storage or cellular connectivity. Vtech 2 Handset Answering System with Audio/Video Doorbell – This wireless landline phone system comes with a video camera mounted in the doorbell. When a visitor rings the bell, mom or dad will see the person on their telephone handset's screen. They stay secure, knowing who is at the door before opening it up. The system comes with two handsets and an answering machine. Price – $120. Brinks Push-Pull-Rotate Lever Locking Doorknob – How often do you – or your parents – need to open a door when your hands are full? With these new designs from Brinks you can turn the lever, or push it in, or pull it out to get the door open, making life much easier if you have an armful, or if there's a dexterity issue because of arthritis or other impediment. Price – $33. Gary Kaye is the creator of In The Boombox ( www.intheboombox.tv), the first website to cover 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.  |
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