We all have them: The Impossible Giftees. They’re the ones you put off until last, hoping that the perfect present will magically turn up. Because if you’re anything like me, you want to do more than give “just okay” gifts. You want to blow your giftees away with epic presents they’ll use all year. I’ve searched high and low and zeroed in on five fantastic tech presents that are guaranteed to impress all your toughest giftees. Even better, you can find every gift I’ve chosen at Staples.
Oh, and if you wanna talk tech gifts in real-time, I’ll be on Twitter with Staples on 12/10, from 2-3p EST. Follow #PerfectGifts to join the party!
For the Type A: Galaxy Note 8
For the giftee who can email, text, check Facebook and finish a report while she’s on the phone, then beat you at Words With Friends before hanging up, this is the tablet. Not only is it rated one of the best on the market (it’s head to head with the iPad Mini 2, and a little cheaper), but it’s an expert multitasker. With a generous, 8″ display, it’s fully compatible with Galaxy smartphones, running all the same programs and apps. Its S Pen stylus works like a pencil, so you can jot notes right onto the screen (so convenient!). Its Group Play function allows screen sharing with others, meaning it allows virtual meetings. Your giftee can also stream music, watch videos and TV, get online, use Bluetooth and take photos with dual 5 megapixel rear-facing and 1.3 megapixel front-facing cameras. The Galaxy Note 8 even has GPS and can be used as a universal TV remote. With so many functions, this gift really does keep on giving.
For the organization fanatic: Staples Connect
This is for the person who can enter any room and optimize its efficiency in thirty seconds (why didn’t I think of putting a mini fridge under my desk?). Staples Connect is an eye-poppingly intelligent app that turns any house into a smart home. Imagine switching on the stereo, lights, and heat a few minutes before you get home…or making sure the house is locked, lowering the shades, setting the alarm system, or opening the gate for the delivery guy, from miles away. The Staples Connect app and hub is compatible with scores of brands, and basically turns your phone or computer into a remote control for your house. Go, go, gadget home!
For the non-committal: HP ENVY x2 Convertible Touch Screen Laptop
If this giftee has two choices, she wants both. (Who doesn’t want cake plus ice cream?) So you can see how it would be tough for her to choose a laptop or a tablet… now, you can give her both: the ENVY is both an excellent tablet and a great PC laptop, thanks to its detachable keyboard. It’s set up with Windows 8, a robust 64-gigabyte drive, and…did I mention the touch screen? The whole thing weighs a slight three pounds. Sleek!
For the design addict: Jawbone ERA Bluetooth headset
With rocket-to-the-future styling from design superstar Yves Béhar, this Mission Impossible-ready headset switches between apps with a touch or a light shake (it contains an accelerometer inside…cool). Tap it to wirelessly answer a call, or to listen to tunes in HD sound, with Jawbone’s most powerful speaker to date. If that’s not enough, its noise- and wind-cancellation technology was originally developed for helicopter pilots and tank commanders, and it auto-adjusts its volume based on background noise, so you’ll never ask, “Can you hear me now?” This is basically the future calling.
For the person who has everything: Cube 3D printer
If you can draw it, you can create it on this amazing machine, which I happen to especially love in vibrant blue. It uses “material cartridges” that print out vibrant 3D items before your eyes, from jewelry to toys to vases, up to 5.5″ square. And if you can’t draw, no problem: the machine comes with 25 no-fail 3D files created by pro artists, so you can start making your own holiday gifts right away! The Cube is also the only 3D printer that’s certified safe for at-home use by kids. Just plug, print, and impress everyone you know.
So now that you know what to buy, why wait? There’s no time like the (ahem) present. Who is your toughest giftee? What would knock their socks off?
This post was sponsored by Staples. That said, I only recommend products I am truly excited about and believe my readers will enjoy.
