This is that time when we try to balance two opposing thoughts in our heads at once. Consumerism is problematic and has led to many of our modern societal problems. It certainly has had its impact on culture, self-esteem, and accumulated debt. But then there’s the whole, “look, the shiny thing goes blinky, makes noise, must have now!” part of our personalities. Marketers count on the materialistic side of our personalities winning out, and quite frankly, so does the health of our overall economy.
I’m not saying you have to buy any of the weird, wacky, wonderful items listed below, either for yourself or for someone you care for. I’m just saying that, for a small subset of you, Dear Readers, you’re going to want to.
Enjoy. Live long.. and prosper. ‘Cause, you’re going to need to, with this list.
So there you go. I’m sure you’ll find a few things you’ll want to gift yourself and even some items to give to folks you care about. Let us know what your favorite gifts are in the comments below.
Kibo is a kinetic STEM kit. Best of all, it’s a tool for learning that doesn’t require the use of a screen. By combining physical blocks in the right order, kids can instruct Kibo to take action. Kids can also add on capabilities like light, sound, and sensors, all with large, easy to attach add-ons. I can see this in use in a kindergarten or nursery school, as well as at home.
If you’re considering Kibo, keep in mind two issues. First, it comes in a simple plastic tub, so if you give this as a gift keep in mind that the gift opening experience might result in a “huh?” at list initially. Also, at over $500, this is not an inexpensive gift. Still, it could unlock something wonderful in the little ones and set them on a path to master technology later in life.
See also: Star Trek 3D chess and more out-of-this-world ways to celebrate International Chess Day.
The folks at the Noble Collection sent not only Mr. Spock and James Tiberius Kirk, but Batman and Superman. Batman is currently guarding my bandsaw, and Superman is standing tall atop my Anycubic Mono X 3D printer. All are great little figures that can be bent – but only slightly. I was just impressed with how good they look, and they make great on-film props for some of my videos. At under $20, they also make for great gifts, and there are a ton of Star Trek and other characters to choose from.
Here, I’m pointing you at the SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO UHS-II SDXC card. This high-performance card allows recording 4K and higher video at speeds that mean that there won’t be dropped frames. I’m also pointing you at a high-performance USB-C card reader because most laptops no longer have SD card readers, and even if they do, they might not be as fast as this reader.
That said, even for people who don’t have to manage 40 USB chargers at once, this is still a great gift. It’s a little point and shoot camera that prints out 2-inch by 3-inch stickers. This would be great at parties (if they ever happen again) and even great at home for capturing and displaying quick memories. My wife tells me she’d like to use it for pictures of the shoes inside her shoe boxes. The camera isn’t very expensive, but the prints can be about fifty cents each, so keep that in mind.
It comes with a set of eight sockets, two batteries, and a battery charger, so you’re all set to go out there and wrench something awesome!
See also: Govee Lyra: a constellation of lights in a stunning light bar (plus an Alexa hack).
You can set these light bars on either side of your TV or monitor, or use them anywhere else a splash of light would brighten things up. They can be set to respond to music, or you can run any of Govee’s really impressive lighting effects. For about $65, they’ll definitely provide that pop of color for your favorite giftee.
This is definitely a gift for the tech aficionado who has everything, and yet this power bank won’t break the bank. With 10,000 milliamps, it offers both a fast charging mode for heftier devices and a low power charging mode for more delicate devices. Even if your giftee has one of the bigger smartphones, the Block 30 carries enough charge to fill the phone with juice three times fully.
See also: Neabot NoMo Q11 robot vacuum review: multi-function, sweeping, mopping, and futuristic design.
FOCI helps you keep focused. It’s a little device that attaches to your waist and measures your breathing. In concert with your smartphone, it uses machine learning to help you train yourself for better focus. It helps you track your level of focus throughout the day. And it will lightly vibrate when it senses you’re distracted to help you get back on track.
Personally, I found the notifications about being distracted to be distracting. But I did find the tracking features very interesting. The reports it produced correlated with my observations of my own focus periods (I’m good late in the day but useless first thing in the morning). One missing feature: there should be an Apple Watch app.
The company claims 40 languages and simultaneous translation. That mostly works if each party wears one earbud. I know, awkward, right? Better carry some alcohol wipes for that! If only one person is wearing the buds, then a smartphone can record and speak for the second party, but there’s a bit of a delay.
These translate 40 languages, but they do rely on the cloud. If you’re in a super-confidential business meeting, keep in mind everything you say is going into the cloud for translation. Plus, the translation is sometimes quick and sometimes very slow due to network latency. Even so, they’re definitely proof that we’re living in the future.
So, it works. You can turn it on and off with Alexa commands. There’s an app that lets you set start and stop times, program speeds, and get air quality reports. It’s quiet, and it’s smart, always adjusting its level based on the room’s air quality.
But all the smarts in the world wouldn’t be worth a thing if it didn’t clean the air. Based on our Mark I Sniffers, it does. My only complaint is that extra filters are a bit pricey and are often out of stock. But still. No nasty smell. Worth it.
This kit is an $80 set that includes the bridge, a wall switch, and a remote. It’s a good starter kit, and it can control a whole ceiling of lights without requiring expensive bulbs. My office has twelve light cans, and individually hooking up smart bulbs could get expensive. But one of these switches can control the whole room.
UPLIFT sent me a unit that goes from about 2 feet high to about 4 feet high – and it’s on wheels. It just came in, and I still have to build it, but I have some exciting plans for it. Stay tuned here to learn about some unexpected uses for a power-lifting desk. This changes everything.
See also: A year of closing my rings: How my Apple Watch kept me moving all year.
I’m particularly interested in how the MYX II Plus integrates with my current Apple Watch-driven exercise regimen. I’ve been using a recumbent elliptical trainer and have filled my Apple Watch activity rings with a consistency bordering on obsession.
The Myx II Plus supports five profiles, so this might be a great gift for the whole family. I’m very excited about the bike, but I do have one concern I haven’t yet addressed: the seat is ridiculously tiny for a big guy. It’s not replaceable, so until I can find some kind of structure to mount on top of it, the MYX II is going to remain a questionable choice for much of its target market: folks with big bums who want to make them smaller. Stay tuned for my in-depth review coming soon.
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