Christmas is coming up very quickly, and with all the tech choices on offer, shopping for the man-boy in your life can be hard. GadgetGuy is here to help, with a few ideas that won’t break the bank… and one that just might.
Lion TapKing
Price: $32 for the TapKing, $48 for two pack of 3.2L refill bottles
Most guys like beer, but there isn’t a lot you can get in gadget land that has much in common with beer. And then along came the TapKing, Lion’s first attempt at a Nespresso-style beer keg for the kitchen fridge.
You’re sure to find a beer style your boy will appreciate among the TapKing’s varied beer canisters, and its less than $50 asking price makes it gadget gift that’s easy on the budget.
Belkin WeMo Light Switches
Price: $70 per switch, plus an electrician
If you think your man chum’s house need some modernising, help turn his digs into a home of the future with light switches that can be controlled using a smartphone or tablet.
Belkin’s WeMo Light Switches build on the functionality of its WeMo wirelessly controlled power points, by allowing you to use an internet connection and an app to remotely turn lights on and off via iOS or Android tablets and smartphones. So when he forgets to turn the off the Christmas tree or porch lights off before heading up to bed, he can just reach for his phone and accomplish it from the comfort of his pillow.
With motion sensors included in the pack, he can also program WeMo to switch lights on at sunset, or when entering a room.
Parrot Flower Power
Price: $80
When he likes to potter about in the garden, why not let technology help out?
Parrot’s Flower Power is one of the first gadgets to truly let green thumbs see what’s happening in the pots of their plants. It analyses the soil for moisture, fertiliser, sunlight, and temperature, and cross-checks this information against a database of 6000 plants to help ensure he’s carrying out the proper care and feeding of his plants
Sony PlayStation 4
Price: $549
Already one of the most requested items on any Christmas list this year, demand for the PS4 is unlikely to wane any time soon. And that’s despite its inability to play any of of your man chum’s PS3 library.
Compensating for this, however, are games such as “Call of Duty: Ghosts” and “Killzone: Shadow Fall.” They are amazing on Sony’s latest console, and with more titles to be rolled out during 2014, it’s the gift that will keep on giving to the gamer guy on your gift list.
Apple MacBook Pro with Retina
Price: from $1299
When the important bloke on your wish list deserves excellence, the Apple MacBook Pro with Retina is not just one of the best computers of the year, it’s one of the best products Apple has ever made.
With a slim size, metal body, fast innards, and one of the nicest screens you’re likely to see – plus a battery life of between six and nine hours – there’s a lot to like.
