Tech Thursday – Gifts!

Cary, NC – In keeping with toady’s theme of Tech Thursday, here are some techie gift ideas for your friends and loved ones.

Tablets

Tablets are once again set to be the number one tech gift of the season. But which one to buy? Well, it depends on your media.

If you want like pictures, videos and other rich media offerings, the iPad with Retina display will not disappoint. Big, brilliant and eminently satisfying.

One the other hand, if your main interest is reading, I’d suggest a Kindle Paperwhite. Perfect for the beach or a quiet evening in front of the fireplace.

Water-Cannon RC Helicopter

How about an RC helicopter with a reservoir and a water cannon? Maybe not a cannon, but certainly enough to terrorize co-workers or backyard chickens. Just $40 at ThinkGeek.

Hasbro LazerTag

Get the kids off the couch with some Nerf LazerTag. It’s a mild form of laser tag, perfect indoors or out. Rated for ages 8 and up. Just $79 from Hasbro.

Senneheiser Gym Headphones

Headphones are a wonderful piece of tech. They combine the science of audio with miniaturization and ergonomics.

But finding a good pair of headphones for the gym can be disappointing. When you’re done with the $19 throw-aways, try Sennheiser. This manufacturer of professional audio equipment has partnered with adidas to make some really good over-ear headphones for the gym, running and sports.  You can get a pair of Sennheiser sports headphones for about $79.

Olloclip iPhone Camera Attachment

The Olloclip is a wide angle lense you slide over the top corner of your iPhone. It’s a fisheye, wide-angle and a macro all in one.

Brilliant for the social photo-sharer who’s always posting pictures to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and SnapChat. About $69 from Olloclip.

FitBit Fitness Tracker

This is where Big Data meets exercise.

For just $99, the FitBit tracks your weight, sleep, exercise and eating. It connects with wireless scales and has apps for iPhone and Android.

All this is quite amazing. But maybe the most compelling thing about FitBit is the data visualizations and behavioral cues that make achieving high fitness levels more like a game than a chore.

The [FitBit] One™ doesn’t nap, even when you do. Slip it into your wrist band at night, and it’ll measure your sleep cycle. Once the data syncs, graphs on your dashboard will reveal how long you slept and the number of times you woke up, giving you a sleep quality score. Over time, you can apply what you learn to help you sleep more soundly. The One™ also has a silent wake alarm that gently vibrates to wake you at your desired time, without disturbing your partner.

Giant coolness factor, especially when you tweet your scores and achievement badges. More at FitBit.

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Tech coverage on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Thai Spices and Sushi of Cary, at the corner of Cary Parkway and High House Road.