Christmas gadgets for just about anyone

As I write this post there are just a few more shopping days left before Christmas, and for some of the more “relaxed” among us, it might be starting to feel as if it’s time to buy some presents. We all know at least one person who seems to have everything for the festive season organized by around mid-September, while others like to sail a bit closer to the wind and leave everything until the last minute.

If that’s you, rather than wandering around some shopping center in a blind panic, why not let the internet – and articles like this one – help you out? Because there are more connected devices and gadgets out there than ever, which could solve some of those gifting dilemmas.

So, without further ado, here goes.

Starting with standard gifts, there’s a great choice of smartphones around just now. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra has been winning rave reviews for its smooth, sharp display, four camera options including a selfie snapper, 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 10-megapixel telephoto lens, and even a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera. For retro fans of the iconic Motorola RIZR Z3 slider phone, a new rollable device could be on the most wanted list, if only it wasn’t still at the concept stage… And for Apple devotees with big enough hands, there’s the “superphone” iPhone 15 Pro Max, the latest, most expensive – and lightest – large device yet. Or even better, why not make the environmentally friendly choice and go for a recycled phone, like this selection from Jusit? (Full disclosure, I have links to this brand via my work with Mobilezone.)

In watches, I have my eye on both the Apple Watch Series 9 and the more rugged Apple Watch Ultra 2. Both give you the option to double tap your index finger and thumb together to answer a call, open a notification, play music, or reply to a message (“when will you be home for dinner?”) when you are out walking the dog or trying to multitask. They also have fall detection built in, which I already mentioned has been playing havoc on the ski slopes. And if you’re looking for a minimal design, the winner here has to be the Nowatch, which has no screen or clock whatsoever.

For sport and fitness fans, we are now seeing an influx of gadgets that go beyond normal performance monitoring. What about the NIx hydration biosensor, which not only tells you when and how much to drink, but also says whether you need water or electrolytes? Note that this is not one for gentle workouts – the company’s website states that you must be “actively sweating” for the device to work. Or there’s Lumen’s metabolism tracker, which tells you if you are burning carbs or fat. For skiers, Carv probably has the ultimate gadget. Its performance wearable fits inside your ski boot and also gives real-time audio coaching tips. Finally, Phoozy does an ultra-rugged phone case, good for anyone who does those insane desert races or likes working out in sub-zero conditions.

Regular readers will know I enjoy keeping up with what’s going on in the world of robots. The humanoid options are probably beyond the means of most of us, but for the person who has everything, what about a Yarbo? This is basically a robot lawnmower that has had an upgrade: it can also blow leaves or debris. For younger members of the family, or anyone who’s feeling a bit emotional, the plushy LOVOT could be a good choice. You can even dress it up in different outfits. ?? Regular travellers or those who struggle to carry heavy shopping might appreciate the gitaplus or gitamini, which are built to follow you with your baggage, and even observe pedestrian etiquette. Another new, customizable dog robot is also on the scene – MintID’s Dog-E, which comes with different eye shapes, ears, accessories and personality traits. Could it replace the Sony Aibo in my affections though? I’m not convinced so far.

Talking of dogs, I’m still looking for the best tracker for my dog, Deema. Whistle, the Fi Series 3 and Pawfit 3 all get good reviews, but I can’t decide between them. For fun, Petsafe has an automatic ball launcher (which is about four times more expensive than the Phoozy phone case I was thinking of for myself), and if she is doing more lying around than running around, PitPat’s Dog Activity Monitor will soon tell us. FluentPet claims to be able to decipher what your pet is trying to say, by programming a series of buttons, but I think for Deema it’s mostly “is there any more food?”. And I think we’ll pass on the PEPE pet dryer. (A tumble dryer. For dogs.) A towel usually does the job…

Finally, there are those items that are just plain weird, but have obviously been designed to appeal to someone. Take this digital piano, which comes with floating drone speakers for 360-degree sound (assuming you can still hear the piano over the noise of the drones). Or what about the AromaPlayer, which is aiming to finally bring the concept of “smell-o-vision” to life by synchronizing scent with video content. Then there is SpineBuzz, a “discreet and invisible” sort of harness that buzzes to help correct your posture. You can even buy a five-pack of these, one for each day in the office, but how do you explain the unidentified buzzing to your colleagues? The mind boggles. Last but not least, I’m not sure if this has even come onto the market yet, but how about Christmas tree lights that play video content? I think even I could be tempted. ??

I wish you all the best for the festive season.

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Photo credit: Gerd Altmann, Pixabay