With the holidays just around, we’ve put together our annual holiday gift guide.
Regardless of who you’re buying gifts for, we have something on this list for everyone. This year’s list includes devices ranging from gaming, computers, smartphone accessories and even a tiny music-making device.
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AirFly Pro
Twelve South may be known for making cases, but its best product is actually the AirFly Pro.
This tiny device attaches to devices via a headphone jack and then lets you connect to any Bluetooth headphones. This means things like entertainment systems on planes, the Nintendo Switch and more.
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$71Twelve South -
Amazon Echo devices
Amazon’s expansive lineup of smart home speakers likely includes one that suits your needs.
The base models are the Echo Dot or the Echo Flex. The Dot is a great bedside table companion, and the Flex is perfect for weird spaces like a garage or laundry room.
The company also has three different Echos with screens that are great for a variety of different scenarios.
Our other favourite devices are the baseline Echo with its 2019 speaker refresh and the Echo Studio, Amazon’s highest-end Echo speaker on the market.
$34.99Best Buy Amazon -
Aukey Portable charger
Portable chargers are always handy, but imagine if you didn’t need wires to use one? Aukey offers a variety of powerbanks, including ones that can charge your device wirelessly. There are plenty of options with USB-A and USB-C ports, and capacities ranging up to 20,000mAh or more.
While not all Aukey powerbanks are available through the company’s Amazon page, there’s still a solid selection.
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$20Amazon -
Belkin wireless charger
These devices more or less sit on your desk at work or your bedside table at home and allow you to place your phone down on them to charge.
The chargers come in all shapes and sizes and depending on where you use them will depend on the size. For example, a stand-up version is better for a desk than a laydown stand, which works the best at home.
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$59Best Buy Amazon -
Gaming controller
Everyone could use an extra gaming controller.
There are a few options in terms of Xbox Controllers. The basic controllers cost roughly $60 in Canada and can often come in cool colours. You can even get a custom-designed controller for people who want to have something with a little spunk.
While you can’t customize a PS4 controller in the same way, you can still buy them in a few unique colours. These controllers generally cost around $75.
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$69Best Buy Amazon -
Google Home devices
Google makes the other super prevalent smart home assistants.
This includes devices like the low-cost Nest Mini, and the more expensive Google Home.
Google also has two smart displays, including the Nest Hub and the Nest Hub Max.
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$69Best Buy Google -
Lego Hidden Side
Lego Hidden side mixes the joy of building Lego with augmented reality and smartphone technology. Children, or adults that are kids at heart, can uncover the ‘Hidden Side’ of Newbury, hunting down one ghost at a time.
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$19Best Buy Amazon -
Philips Hue Filament bulbs
These retro-looking smart bulbs from Philips combine an old school aesthetic with the convenient controls of a smart light.
These lights actually get really bright and feature a calming orange glow. They also come in three shapes so you can mix and match to your heart’s content.
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$29.99Best Buy Amazon -
Pocket Operator
If the techie on your list is also into making music, they might get a kick out of a pocket operator.
These tiny devices are customizable midi-keyboards. You simply record 16 sounds into the device and then you can play them back to make a beat.
There are a huge variety of these ranging from more rhythm focused devices, to the Rick and Morty labelled unit featured above.
These cost $49 USD which works out to be roughly $64 CAD.
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$64Amazon Teenage Engineering -
Roku Premiere
This device is the Roku with the most value. It offers high-end 4K HDR streaming for the ultra-low entry point of $50.
Roku is the perfect device to add to a TV since both its interface and remote are easy to use.
This set-top box is also incredibly tiny so it can be stuck to the inside of a TV stand or the bottom of a TV.
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$50Best Buy -
Smart Plug
Beyond voice assistants or smart lights, you can also get a smart plug to add voice-controlled functionality to your smart home.
This makes it way easier to control things like Christmas trees, fans, or air conditioning units.
Some, like the model we’re showcasing from Philips, can even be scheduled so they come on and turn off at specific times.
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$35Best Buy Amazon -
Tomtoc Switch Case
If you have a Switch or a Switch Lite, you’re likely going to be taking the device with you on the go. That means you’ll need a case to keep the device protected if it’s jostling around in a backpack.
Our favourite is this ultra-slim model from Tomtoc. It’s priced at a reasonable $26 on Amazon and even has space for 10 Switch game cards.
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$26Best Buy Amazon -
Velcro cable ties
Let’s face it -- nerds have wires, and wires look awful when they’re not contained. This is why velcro cable ties are such a great gift.
You can re-use these as much as you want and they’re cheap and easier to use than zip ties.
A single roll from Amazon costs $11. They’re also often available at hardware stores across Canada.
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$11Amazon -
Wiz Smart lights
These budget smart lights are from the same company behind Philips Hue. They offer a full range of colours and only cost $20.
The lights also don’t require a hub and can connect to Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth.
You can control these lights with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. These coloured lights make a smart house a home.
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$20Home Depot -
Wonderboom 2
The UE Wonderboom 2 is the perfect Bluetooth speaker. It strikes a fantastic balance between price, sound quality and features.
It’s waterproof, it floats, has a little over nine hours of battery life and it’s loud. It even features a specific button to help its sound carry when it’s outside.
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$100Best Buy Amazon
