Rummage through the stockings of Christmases past and rest assured that you’ll find something robotic, mechanical, electrical or which showcases some form of technology. Come Christmas, everyone gets the gift of technology, in full circle: a learning tablet for the kids, the latest mobile phone for tweens and teens, an expensive music system for the 25- to 40-year-olds, a smartphone for dad, and a learning tablet for grandma.
Last year, ABC news conducted a very interesting exercise. They compared Dear Santa letters from 1913 with the items most sought after in 2013, based on information given by leading toy retailers such as Walmart, Argos and Toys “R” Us. A century has definitely changed children’s tastes. In 1913, children wanted candy, nuts, dolls, mittens and books. Last year, the top Christmas toy was Furby Boom, a robot, followed by Teksta, a robotic puppy, and the LeapPad Ultra.
If we had to conduct a similar exercise for other age groups, the results would probably be similar. A century ago, we would find clothes, food and white goods under the Christmas tree. Nowadays, it’s all about smartphones, tablets and gadgets. Here are our top gadgets for the festive season.
For the little ones
This year, wearables are all the rage, especially smartwatches. Children have their own versions too. The Kidizoom smart watch takes photos and records videos and sounds and should keep the children occupied for, well, at least a couple of hours. Children can also apply funny effects to voice recordings. Oh, and they can learn to tell the time as well.
For those who need a new phone
The iPhone 6 and 6+ will probably be on everyone’s wishlist. The iPhone 6 is Apple’s biggest phone to date and also the thinnest. And, despite the bendgate hullabaloo, it’s as sturdy as other phones of the same size and weight. The camera is great as is the Retina screen. And you get the expected Apple functionality packaged in an elegant case.
For music lovers
For those who love listening to their music, a pair of headphones is the ideal pressie. If form is more important than function, then go for the Beats by Dre Solo over-ear headphones. It’s not that they don’t perform well – they do. In fact, these beauties come with two speakers in each can as well as a built-in microphone. But the loudest noise they make is their fashion statement.
If you want to get more serious – and more expensive – then one of the best options is a pair of Bower & Wilkins P3 headphones. These elegant headphones provide a consistent separation of bass treble and mid-tones for well-defined results.
For the fashion conscious
It’s the year of wearable technology. And 2015 will be so too because smartwatches keep getting better. The Pebble Steel is an elegant offering that can be paired with both Android and iOS devices. It’s also water-resistant and the screen is bright and readable.
The Moto 360 ups the elegance stakes and runs on Google. It comes with a built-in pedometer and can charge wirelessly. Another interesting offering is the Samsung Gear 2 Neo, which is the ideal companion for your other devices by the same brand. Includes a fitness tracker and heart rate monitor and can also record voice memos. You can also upload music to the watch and listen directly from it.
For those who want a tablet
Again, Apple is set to dominate this category thanks to the new iPad Air. The previous generation was already good, so it’s only natural that the iPad Air 2 is an improvement. In fact, the tablet is lighter, leaner and more powerful. Graphics are two and a half times as fast as before and the 9.7-inch display is just gorgeous. Both cameras have also been improved for better photos and videos.
For gamers
The arrival of the Xbox One and PS4 consoles is good news for gamers. The two consoles battle it out on looks and performance.
Microsoft’s successor to the 360 console is not just for games – it also doubles up as a home entertainment system. The Kinect add on is also a lot of fun, as are the exclusive titles such as Halo 5, Forza Motorsport 5 and Titanfall. The Playstation 4, on the other hand, focuses on the gaming experience. This mean machine runs titles in full 1080p and shows its mettle when you’re playing sports or fast action games.
For photographers
Excuse the pun but, for photography lovers, you need to invest a lot of focus to come up with the perfect present.
For photographers who also like to combine some adventure with their passion, the GoPro series is ideal. The Hero4 cameras are the most advanced GoPros yet. The Hero4 Black has an incredible high-resolution 4K30 and 2.7k50 video and a high frame rate. The Hero4 Silver pairs pro-quality video and photo capture with the added convenience of a built-in touch display. If the photographer in your life has only just started dabbling with action photography, then go for the Hero, which is the entry-level GoPro. Built into a rugged, waterproof housing, the Hero makes capturing and sharing your life extremely simple.
DJI Inspire 1For those who would like to take photography and filming higher, then the DJI drone series is the answer. The latest DJI offering is the Inspire 1, which comes with an integrated 4K camera and is capable of 4k/30p video recording and RAW still photo capture. The drone also has more lift and stability than previous offerings thanks to its 13-inch propellers. In flight, the Inspire 1 allows the camera to drop down below the landing gear, giving you a full 360-degree field of view. DJI has also revamped its app with a live map with flight route and flight telemetry data. If your budget doesn’t stretch this far, DJI has other offerings from its air squadron, including the Phantom 2 and Phantom 2 Vision.