By Gary M. Kaye,
Chief Content Officer Tech50+
Again this holiday season, here’s my recommendations for some great tech gifts for the important people in your life.
Smartphone – Samsung Galaxy Note 5 – This phone has a beautiful screen, does multi-tasking, and has a big enough display so she can use it to catch up on movies or episodes of favorite TV shows. It's the only smartphone I’ve seen that has a stylus, which can turn on the screen just by pulling it out of its storage slot. It's great for taking notes, grabbing someone's phone number, even adding a last minute item to the shopping or to-do list. Price is $249 with a two-year contract from AT&T. Verizon sells it for $29 /month for two years. I’ve seen it unlocked for $634 at Amazon.com.
Fitness Tracker – Garmin VivoSmart HR – The fitness tracker has become a standard wardrobe item for many women who want to keep track of how they're staying in shape. This new offering from Garmin is a smart activity tracker with wrist-based heart rate monitor instead of the awkward chest strap. It features a sleek band that's comfortable to wear all day, and the always-on display shows stats, even in sunlight. It displays steps, distance, calories, heart rate, floors climbed and activity intensity. And, it can receive text, call, email, calendar and social media alerts. Price: $150.
Vacuum Cleaner – Dyson V6 – This is the latest in rechargeable portable vacuums using Dyson's famous suction system. This stick model can be used on all kinds of floors: hardwood, carpet, tile, etc. It can be used as a handheld for the inside of a car, upholstery, or other tight spots. Price: from Dyson. $600, though I've seen it elsewhere for about $430.
Tablet Computer – Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8-inch – This is a great Android tablet that's small enough to fit into a purse, yet provides a full entertainment experience. It has a full HD screen, terrific audio, and advertises up to 20 hours of battery life. It also has an innovative 180-degree rotating camera so you can capture images from most any position. It has the ability to function as a tablet or a stand. Price: $170.
Smart Scale – Withings Body Analyzer Smart Scale – This smart scale works with an app on a smartphone to get high-accuracy weight and body fat measurements, as well as Body Mass Index. Every weigh-in appears in the Health Mate app automatically, via Wifi or Bluetooth sync. With your history available 24/7, you can see what works, reinforce positive behaviors and stay focused on the big picture. The device also measures heart rate, and even provides the local weather forecast. Price: about $150.
Laptop Computer – Lenovo Yoga Thinkpad 260 – We got our first look at this sleek hybrid laptop at the IFA conference in Berlin late summer. It's just coming to the U.S. market now, and it's been worth the wait. This top end 12.5" full HD machine weighs in at 2.9 pounds, and has a 512 GB solid state drive and Lenovo's lock and lift keyboard, which raises the keys when you're typing, tucks them flat when you're using it as a tablet. It will be available on Dec. 3 at the Lenovo website for $949.
Hi-Tech Travel Vest – Scott eVest – Scott makes great garments for the hi-tech traveler who never has enough pockets for all their gear. Depending on the item, there are a dozen or more pockets to safely hold smartphones, music players, tablet computers, back up batteries, headphones, and more. I like the SEV system 8.0 – Price: $300– that includes both a 20-pocket shell and a 19-pocket fleece.
Hi Res Audio Player – Astell&Kern AK Jr. – The Hi-Res audio format is slowly catching fire, and it offers a dramatic improvement over MP3 files. There are now thousands of Hi-Res audio tracks on the market, but you can't play them on your smartphone. The Astell & Kern Jr is the company's entry level portable Hi-Res audio player, but there's nothing junior about it. The sound quality is simply brilliant. It can store 128GB of music between a 64GB micro SD card and the 64GB internal memory. Price: $449.
Point and Shoot Camera – Sony DSC RX 100 Mark IV – I've been a big fan of the Sony RX 100 line ever since it was first introduced. The latest model, the Mark IV, shoot 4K video, will shoot super slo-motion video, and will shoot with a shutter speed that is lightning fast - 1/3200 of a second. It has a super sharp pop up viewfinder, so you never need to worry about relying on a screen that can get washed out by the sun. Price: $948.
Personal Navigation Device – Garmin NuviCam – This is the most complete system Garmin makes. It includes all the GPS mapping, routing, and traffic functionality people have come to expect including live traffic and lifetime map updates. It also has a dash camera to record any untoward incidents on the road, and provides driver assist warnings for lane departure and potential front end collisions. It also has a very simple to remove magnetic mount. Price: $400.
For Gary’s complete Holiday Gift Guide, visit www.tech50plus.com throughout the holiday season.
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.
