Now that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are officially over, it’s time to get serious about holiday shopping. For real.
If this year’s anything like last, some 200 million holiday shoppers plan to buy tech products and tech services as holiday gifts for their loved ones. The most popular gadget gifts? Headphones, earbuds, smartphones, and video game consoles. These gadgets make great gifts, but if you are looking for something to make family life run a little smoother, we have a LOT of ideas. Here are some of our favorite gadgets for family members and loved ones of all ages and stages of life.
A TABLET YOU CAN TAKE ANYWHERE:
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 packs mega gaming and creative power. Its bright 14.6-inch display features truly innovative Vision Booster technology, allowing you to use the tablet outdoors in bright light. The high-resolution front camera and rich surround sound genuinely keep you connected and immersed in whatever you are playing, watching, or working on. It also comes with a magnetic S-Pen for maximum productivity. What’s truly cool about it? Its armor aluminum frame and water & dust resistance make it one of the most durable tablets in the world. According to Android Police, it can withstand submersion in water for up to 30 minutes. It’s one of those great gadgets the whole family can use.
Price: $1200
HEARING AIDS THAT ARE ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE:
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in every eight people in America has hearing loss in one or both ears. If you recently spent Thanksgiving with friends and family, chances are a few of them were sitting across the table from you. Lexie Hearing offers an affordable, over-the-counter option for the hearing-impaired: hearing aids powered by Bose. Lexie Hearing aids are also a quarter of the cost of prescription hearing aids. These are ideal for assisting people with mild to moderate hearing loss in living happier, less isolated lives. Users can adjust the hearing aid settings to match the environment they are in for optimal hearing, including stadium mode, focus mode, and face-to-face conversation mode.
The customer interface is user-friendly as well. To initiate the purchase process, potential customers take an online hearing test. If customers have questions, such as how to change modes or other issues, they can FaceTime with a representative. This hearing aid is a great gadget for the family, enhancing one person’s life significantly and, in turn, improving the lives of their loved ones.
Price: $800 – $1000
A ROOMBA THAT DOES IT ALL:
This new iRobot Roomba does everything—well, everything related to cleaning your floors. The iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum and Mop tackles messes with powerful vacuuming and deep-scrub mopping. Its unique auto-retracting mop pad lifts itself to the top of the robot when on the carpet, preventing wet messes. On hard floors, it vacuums and mops at the same time. It detects and steers clear of cords, shoes, and pet waste, as well as other floor hazards of all shapes and sizes. Once it’s done making your floors sparkle, it autonomously returns to its Clean Base Auto-Fill Dock, where it empties the dirt, refills the liquid, and charges back up.
Sale Price: $1000 ($400 off normal retail price 11/26 – 12/23)
A RELIABLE SMART BABY MONITOR:
VTech’s V-Care Smart Baby Monitor really impressed us with its baby-monitoring technology. It now includes rollover and face-covering detection, sending you an alert if your baby gets into a potentially dangerous position. Its 1080p high-definition, over-the-crib camera boasts a 110-degree wide-angle lens that lets parents keep a close eye on their little ones using their smartphone or the included monitoring unit. The monitor also provides detailed sleep analytics to help improve sleep efficiency, a night light, and soothing sounds and lullabies. With two-way talk and extra security features, parents can rest easy while their little ones sleep the night away.
Sale Price: $200 ($50 off normal retail price)
THERE’S SO MUCH MORE!
As the Holiday Shopping Season continues to heat up, keep checking back here to see what’s new, plus find out all the tips, tricks, and insider hacks to get everything you want and need at a price you can afford.
Happy Shopping!
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, AND PURCHASES MAY GENERATE A SMALL COMMISSION TO HELP SUPPORT OUR WORK AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. THESE ARE THE GIFTS WE’VE SCOURED THE TECH-ISH PLANET TO FIND, TEST, AND PASS ALONG TO YOU.
Our marketing department or production partners may work with some of the companies or products mentioned above to help offset studio and overall business costs. However, our comments, reviews, and content above are all our own.
Read Jennifer’s latest columns at USAToday.com/tech or follow her @JennJolly on Instagram.