Dads can be hard to buy for, but these tech gadgets will make him happy this Christmas. My favorite dad gifts of the year.
Like a lot of dads, I suppose I’m a little hard to buy for when it comes to Christmas. You can’t go wrong with tech gadgets though. I’ve spent time all year looking at tech gadgets that would be great gift ideas for most dads this year. Here’s a look at just a few:
Dad may not ask for one, but drones still make a cool gift. Drones by DJI and Parrot are the most popular and have a wide selection with prices ranging from under $100 to thousands. Dad will especially like a drone that has FPV or First Person View. These drones allow you to see what you would see if you were actually in the cockpit at the controls.
The Power Up paper airplane drone is still one of my favorite gift ideas. It isn’t the best drone you can buy and it only flies for a few minutes but its body is actually a paper airplane. If you crash it (and you will crash it), you build another with another sheet of paper. The Power Up paper airplane drones are available with FPV as well.
If dad has his eye on a new TV, I love The Frame by Samsung. It has a remarkable picture but when it isn’t playing a TV show, it poses as a high dollar piece of art. It’s thin enough to hang on any wall and hides the wires. You get to choose from different pictures or paintings or you can create your own with photographs of your family.
Any television is going to be a hit with dad. If the set he’s using now is 5-10 years old, it’s probably due an upgrade. 4K UHD and OLED sets are the best on the market right now. These are available in all sizes and the price is dropping. If you’re going to get a new TV make it one of these sets. It will ‘future-proof’ your set and be good to go for the next decade or so when more 4K content is available.
If he’s happy with the TV he has now, take a look at the line of Logitech Harmony all-in-one-remotes. These universal remotes will control everything from the TV, satellite or cable and Chromecast or Fire Stick gadgets. Plus it’ll control your home theater sound system, smart home devices such as lights, thermostat and garage door opener to your computer or bluetooth speakers. Pair it with a Google Home or Amazon Echo device and you can control the remote (and TV) with your voice. Just ask your Home or Echo device to use Harmony to watch television. The remote turns on the TV and everything else you’ve assigned to it and automatically tunes to his favorite channel.
If dad is a gym rat he will love the Tapplock to protect his valuables while he’s working out. The Tapplock doesn’t require a key or code but uses your fingerprint to unlock. You fasten it to a locker (or anything you want to lock), then when it’s time to open it again, just press a small button on the bottom of the lock and place your finger on the face. The lock pops open like other locks that require a combination or key.I’ve been using the Tapplock for months now and found it to be much easier and faster to get into my locker where I keep valuables.
Bluetooth speakers are going to be popular gifts this year. Small speakers with good bass are the ones to look for. The Sbode Bluetooth speakers not only stream music from a phone but has an FM Radio built in. I think these are great for ballgames when you might want to listen to your favorite team’s local broadcast and then stream music later.
Dad’s can be hard to buy for any time, but these gadgets will make him smile come Christmas morning.
Logitech Harmony Remote $282 at Amazon
Sbode Bluetooth Speakers $45 at Amazon
Samsung The Frame $1,800 at Amazon
PowerUp paper airplane drone $50 at Amazon
see these gadgets in action