Get Wired: 8 Great Gift Ideas for Tech Lovers

We’re officially in the throes of the annual shopping season, and if you’re on the hunt for high-tech holiday gifts, check out this gadget guide with options to suit everyone’s tastes (and price points).

 

A wallet with perks

Not only is the WXM Wallet ($35.99; amazon.ca) small and durable with RFID blocking (to protect against thieves stealing your money or identity by scanning debit/credit cards or a passport in public), but it’s designed to hold an Apple AirTag to help track it down via the Find My app on iPhone in the event it’s misplaced. Holding up to 15 cards, with an external notch for easy access, this military-grade carbon fibre and aluminum wallet also includes a clip to hold folded bills in place. 

 

Second sight

You don’t need to break the bank on a quality security camera for your home. The Wyze Cam v3 ($49; wyze.com) is a Wi-Fi-enabled indoor/outdoor camera with Full HD (1080p) resolution, colour night vision and two-way audio. Wyze Cam records video when motion or sound is detected – and saves it to an inserted microSD memory card (sold separately) – then sends an alert straight to your phone. Plus, there’s smart speaker support, if you want to use voice-activated tech to view camera footage on a compatible smart display or TV.

 

Hands-free assistant

Amazon’s new Echo Show 5 ($119.99; amazon.ca) is an Alexa-powered smart display that allows for free audio and video calls over Wi-Fi. You can also watch videos (on YouTube, Netflix, etc.), play music and podcasts, set photos to be displayed as a slideshow, ask to see and hear recipes, set alarms and timers, and control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats. Along with the new all-white design, this device’s fabric is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester yarn.

 

Power play

Ideal for travelling, at the office or home, the Anker 3-in-1 Charger Stand ($149; anker.com) is a 2.5-inch cube with a top portion that flips open up to 60 degrees to magnetically hold and present your MagSafe-supported iPhone, vertically or horizontally. A retractable sidearm holds your Apple Watch, while AirPods or AirPods Pro can be placed on top (behind the phone), for a quick juice-up too. A Qi-compatible Android (an Android smartphone that has wireless charging capabilities) can also be laid on top, if desired.

 

A cut above

Crafters, unite! Cricut Joy Xtra ($299; cricut.com) is the latest iteration of the sleek cutting machine that lets you design and create professional-looking and personalized projects, like jean jackets, custom coffee mugs, full-color stickers, vinyl decals, greeting cards and much more. Ideal for beginners, this compact yet powerful machine works with Cricut’s free and easy to use software, Design Space. Together with Cricut’s Easy Press 3 heat press machine, create DIY holiday projects using iron-on, infusible ink and other sublimation materials. 

 

Keeping tabs

Whether you’re an avid reader, video streamer or Candy Crusher, thin is in with the 10th-generation Apple iPad (from $599; apple.ca), which features a bright and colourful 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display – now with very few “bezels” (borders) around the screen. Available in blue, silver, pink or yellow, this iPad packs a powerful A14 Bionic chip, dual cameras, up to 256GB of storage, and battery life that tops 10 hours between charges. The  iPad works with a Magic Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil, if desired (sold separately).

 

Not your average desktop computer

The HP Envy Move All-in-One PC ($1,569; hp.ca) may look like a regular 24-inch all-in-one desktop computer – and it is – but at any time you can unplug it from the wall, lift it up via its built-in handle, and carry it to another room (maybe the grandkids want to watch cartoons during a sleepover?). Integrated legs fold in when HP Envy Move is lifted and expand once it’s placed back down on a flat surface. A small pouch in the back holds the wireless keyboard when not needed. Battery life tops four hours between charges.

 

Smart about security

Give your loved ones the gift of protection. TELUS SmartWear Security (from $12/month; telus.com/smartwear) is a line of discreet personal safety devices disguised as fashionable necklaces, bracelets and keychains. In an emergency, double-click the back of the charm to instantly notify the TELUS monitoring station you need help (while your GPS whereabouts will be shared to up to five personal contacts). In 911 mode, the monitoring station will call or text you and, if you don’t respond, emergency services will be sent to your location.

 

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