Fitbit's Ionic smartwatch and the Fitness Flyer headphones are top of the list for fitness fanatics this Christmas.
Fitbit's Ionic smartwatch and the Fitness Flyer headphones are top of the list for fitness fanatics this Christmas.
Wondering what to get yourself for Christmas? Our gadget guide is here to help.
If you've got an inner child to satisfy, you're in luck: this Christmas must feature the most tech-heavy range of toys ever. There are plenty of options, from Sphero's Ultimate Lightning McQueen (RRP $529) and StarWars droids R2-D2 ($319) and BB-9E ($269), to littleBits' Droid Inventor Kit ($249.99), which lets you make and programme your own R2-D2. Then there's Anki's recent Overdrive ($309.99), an app-driven car racing circuit that's pretty awesome. My picks are Sphero's Mini ($89), a small but fast robot ball that's easy to use and will terrorise your pets, or, if you're wanting to splash out a little more, Anki's Cozmo ($359), a freakishly real Wall-e style droid that can be programmed to recognise your face, perform tricks and talk to you. The future appears to be now.
Anki's toy AI robot Cozmo is one of the big ticket items available for tech-heads this Christmas.
If you're wanting to work off all that Christmas pudding, the best place to start is Fitbit's new Ionic smartwatch ($499.95). It's Fitbit's best watch yet, measuring your steps, heart beat and sleep, is waterproof, and pairs with the brand's Fitness Flyer headphones ($229.95) to let you play music without the need to work out with your smartphone. If that's too expensive, Jabra's Sport Pulse ($269) and Sport Coach ($219) headphones will give you in-ear coaching while you train. If you're wanting to film your trail runs, mountain bike rides or surfing adventures, GoPro's newly released Hero 6 ($849.99) has built in stabilisers to capture that perfect shot. And if all that sounds a little too sweaty, how about the Upright Go ($179), a small device that sticks to your back and helps you improve your posture. If you're deskbound, it could unbundle you.
Jabra's Sport Pulse will coach you through a training run while you work off all that Christmas stodge.
For homeowners, several options for advanced home security have entered the market in time for Christmas. Nest's range of products include indoor and outdoor cameras ($359 each) and smoke alarms ($219) and let you monitor your home while you're out and about with an optional subscription service. Morepork is also on the market and offers a free system with their subscription service, while Netatmo offers a broader range of services, including reading your home's air quality, energy consumption, weather and climate control. All are powered by linking to an app on your smartphone.
Next's range of security cameras let you monitor your home while you're away.
But let's not forget gamers, who can choose between two high-performance consoles on the market this year. The XBox One X ($749) promises gamers the most powerful machine on the market but is lacking in exclusive content, while the PlayStation Pro ($595) might not be quite as flash but lets you play a large range of exclusives including Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and the PlayStation VR unit. Shop around for bundles, because you'll want to get some games to play, like Forza Motorsport 7 on the Xbox One, Horizon Zero Dawn on the PS Pro, or Star Wars Battlefront II on either, while you're nursing those Christmas and New Year's hangovers.
Microsoft's Xbox One X console has been released just in time for Christmas.
