Believe it or not, the holidays are only days away. And that means it’s time to start checking people off your gift list. Often the most difficult person to buy for, however, is the one who seemingly already has all the major gadgets covered. But with this handy list of the best geeky gifts, you’ll have the favorite techie in your life taken care of in no time.
By most accounts, Apple’s iPad 2 tablet is one of the most beautiful gadgets around. Make it look even better with the Walnut iPad 2 case from Root. Constructed from North American walnut wood, this book-like case will keep the device protected in style. The case’s cover stays shut with some strategically placed magnets. When flipped open, the case turns into the perfect stand for watching movies and web videos.
One problem with the dizzying array of portable gadgets many tech geeks carry around these days is keeping the dang things charged up. Change all that with the Portable Charging Station from AViiQ, an easy-to-carry battery pack that can charge up to four devices at once via USB ports. A retractable USB cable also allows users to sync connected devices to their PC. The Portable Charging Station is made to keep all the cords organized, and comes with a zip-up bag for easy toting.
The hottest thing in cyber-geekdom these days is do-it-yourself electronics projects. At the heart of many of these self-made gizmos is the Arduino open-source microcontroller. To get your budding electronics hobbyist going, pick up the Arduino Experimentation Kit from Adafruit, which includes an Arduino (Uno) microcontroller, and all the necessary accessories to build 11 different projects, along with an experimenter’s guidebook. This gift could keep a super-geek entertained for years.
As any techie will tell you, we are constantly fixing things, either for ourselves or our less technically-inclined loved-ones. Help the tech geek in your life get the job done every time with the Cyber Tool 34 Swiss Army Knife. In addition to various sized knives, the Cyber Tool 34 also includes a wire stripper, pliers and a screwdriver with interchangeable bits to take apart any computer or gadget that breaks down over the holidays. To make this gift truly supreme, have your giftee’s name engraved on the blade – do so and this will quickly become his or her favorite thing in the world.
Even inexpensive DSLR cameras can make the casual photographer feel like a pro. The only downside is their giant bulky bodies, which can make lugging one around on vacation a bit of a drag. With the Capture Camera Clip from Peak Design however, your DSLR (or any camera with a tripod mount) is safely stowed away on a convenient clip that fits on a belt or backpack strap. This frees up the user’s hands while still keeping the camera at his or her fingertips for quick picture-snapping action.
Nearly every popular device these days – from smartphones to game consoles – can connect to Wi-Fi wireless Internet. But a weak Wi-Fi signal can put a damper on all the fun. Help the tech geek in your life avoid a dropped signal from anywhere in the house with the Universal Wi-Fi Range Extender from Netgear. This easy-to-set-up gadget simply plugs into to any b/g/n router, and pumps out a super-strong 2.4GHz Wi-Fi signal up to 150 feet away. Sure, it might not be the most exciting gadget ever invented – but for anyone who relies on their Wi-Fi as much as we do, it is one of the most useful.
If there’s one thing techies have enough of already, its cords. Help keep the infuriating tangles to a minimum with the re-usable Gear Ties. Made from a strong, bendable wire and a durable rubber casing, Gear Ties can bend and twist into whatever shape’s needed for the job. If all the cables and power cords are in order, a Gear Tie can even be bent to become a stand for a tablet or smartphone. Gear Ties are waterproof, UV resistant, and come in a variety of colors.
Bring your favorite techie’s digital life back into the real world with a custom-made book from Blurb that features all his or her favorite photos take with the ever-popular Instagram photo-sharing app. The 7-inch-by-7-inch book starts at just $11 for a 20-page edition, and can be customized with a variety of layouts. Photos are automatically upgraded to a maximum resolution, making sure they look good on the printed page. Of course, you’ll have to coyly get access to your giftee’s Instagram log-in details – which, we admit, might be a little tricky, but pulling it off will help make this analog present even more of a surprise.
Nobody can ever have too many headphones – especially when the newest addition to the collection is the Aiaiai Tracks headphones with mic. Sporting sleek, modern design, superior sound quality, a comfortable fit and a cord that wont’ tangle the second you look at it funny, this model of the Tracks headphones also include a mic for stylish, hands-free calling. Based on our tests, these are some of the best headphones you can buy for under $100. The Tracks headphones are available in silver, black, blue and sand. Check out our Aiaiai Tracks Review.
Tablets, smartphones and e-readers are incredibly useful devices, but they have a major downside: You have to hold them, constantly. The PadPivot from Rocketfish changes all that. Compatible with “most” tablets (including the iPad and iPad 2), as well as many e-readers and even most smartphones, the PadPivot makes it easy to balance the device of choice on a table, leg or while lying down. And it can even fold down small enough to fit in a pocket or purse.
Don’t buy the Meta Quest Pro for gaming. It’s a metaverse headset first
Last week’s Meta Connect started off promising on the gaming front. Viewers got release dates for Iron Man VR, an upcoming Quest game that was previously a PS VR exclusive, as well as Among Us VR. Meta, which owns Facebook, also announced that it was acquiring three major VR game studios -- Armature Studio, Camouflaj Team, and Twisted Pixel -- although we don’t know what they’re working on just yet.
Unfortunately, that’s where the Meta Connect's gaming section mostly ended. Besides tiny glimpses and a look into fitness, video games were not the show's focus. Instead, CEO Mark Zuckerberg wanted to focus on what seemed to be his company’s real vision of VR's future, which involves a lot of legs and a lot of work with the Quest Pro, a mixed reality headset that'll cost a whopping $1,500.
Meet the game-changing pitching robot that can perfectly mimic any human throw
Who’s your favorite baseball pitcher? Shane McClanahan? Sandy Alcantara? Justin Verlander? Whoever you said, two of the top sports-tech companies in the U.S. -- Rapsodo and Trajekt Sports -- have teamed up to build a robot version of them, and the results are reportedly uncannily accurate.
Okay, so we’re not talking about walking-talking-pitching standalone robots, as great a sci-fi-tinged MLB ad as that would be. However, Rapsodo and Trajekt have combined their considerable powers to throw a slew of different technologies at the problem of building a machine that's able to accurately simulate the pitching style of whichever player you want to practice batting against -- and they may just have pulled it off, too.
Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000
Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.
