It’s that time of year again where we start scratching our heads about what to buy for our loved ones. Everyone loves a good piece of tech, but what was new last month is old news this month. So here’s the Global Frequency Byte-Sized roundup of must-have tech this Christmas.
Parrot BeBop 2 Drone / RRP $599.99 / www.amazon.com
Fast, agile and lightweight, this drone is easy to fly, both indoors and outdoors, using 7 sensors to ensure maximum stability. It shoots full HD video and with the FPV goggles, you can be completely immersed in the experience, as if you were flying yourself! The Parrot Bebop 2 is also the first camera drone in the 500g category with 25 minutes of flight time, so there’s plenty of fun to be had.
Minirig 2.1. System / RRP $489 / www.minirigs.co.uk
Hand-built in the UK, this modular system gives you a single speaker with an incredible 80 hours battery life. Then you can Bluetooth to a second Minirig to create True Wireless Stereo. And it doesn’t end there – connect a Minirig subwoofer, the smallest powered portable sub in the world, and you have a fully portable 2.1 system with a sound big enough to power any Christmas party. The Minirig features the latest Bluetooth 4.2 aptX tech protected by tough anodized aluminum and textured polycarbonate.
Mighty / RRP $85.99 / www.bemighty.com
One for the fitness fanatics in the family. Mighty plays your Spotify music on-the-go without a smartphone. Enjoy your workouts, commutes, and adventures without worrying about bulky phones, data overages, and battery drain. It pairs with Bluetooth headphones and lets you store over 1000 Spotify songs offline if you’re a Spotify premium subscriber.
Kenu Stance Tripod / RRP $19.95 / www.amazon.com
Here’s a gift that should be in every iPhone user’s stocking. Stance is the first tripod specifically designed to safely mount into your phone’s charging port. Streaming live video, connecting on video calls, watching shows and positioning your phone’s camera has never been easier. This cool little device opens out to provide a stable tripod allowing you to position your iPhone at the perfect angle.With the legs folded flat, Stance positions your iPhone for watching videos or taking pictures in landscape mode. And the best bit? Stance even has a bottle opener built into one of the legs.
Garmin Varia Radar / RRP ¢199.99 / www.amazon.com
If you’ve got a keen cyclist in the family then help keep them safe with the Garmin Varia Radar. This clever tail light has a built-in radar system which senses vehicles approaching from up to 150 meters away. The tail light brightens and flashes to notify approaching vehicles of a cyclist ahead. The Varia Radar is compatible with the Garmin Edge cycle computers so can also warn the cyclist of any approaching vehicles.
VAIN STHLM Commute Wireless Headphones / RRP $174 / www.vainsthlm.com
Headphones are about style as well as sound. Swedish brand VAIN STHLM perfectly mixes minimal, Scandinavian style with top quality sound and lightweight design. Apple still doesn’t support aptX, but the Commute features aptX and AAC audio technology, so unlike many competitors, these headphones deliver CD-like quality sound across a Bluetooth connection for Apple users too. The Commute provides 12 hours of talk and music playback from a 2-hour charge, one-click controls and a quality mic with wind noise reduction and echo cancellation. A great gift for that difficult fashion-conscious friend.
