Gadgets :: Holiday Gift Guide 2017
Gadgets :: Holiday Gift Guide 2017
(@Greggellman)
If you’re struggling to find a different, out of the ordinary gift for someone special, here’s a head start.
Wallace Detroit Guitars are one-of-a-kind handmade instruments made of reclaimed wood from several Detroit historical landmarks. Each guitar has an original story since each has a unique grain pattern. The wood comes from places such as floorboards of the former Detroit Fire Department Headquarters, benches of The Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center and many other sites. When ordering, you can use the “Build Your Own Guitar’’ feature to choose body style, wood choice and hardware options. This option also uses custom finishes, including hand-rubbed oil, sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer or high gloss nitrocellulose lacquer. You’ll also get a certificate of authenticity and a one-of-a-kind handmade guitar strap fashioned from reclaimed car upholstery and a hard-shell leather case.
https://wallacedetroitguitars.com prices range from $2,800 to $3,800
The DJI Spark mini drone is built with intelligent flight control options, along with a mechanical gimbal to support a camera with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor producing 12 megapixel images. With simple control, you can take aerial photos with hand gestures, without needing any other device. The 5.62-by-5.62-by-2.16-inch drone has a maximum speed of 31 mph in sport mode without wind and a maximum service ceiling above sea level of 13,123 feet. Quick Launch technology with FaceAware allows the drone to lift off from your hand just by recognizing your face. It’s built with a rechargeable battery for 16 minutes of wind-free flight at an average of 12.4 mph. You’ll have a worry-free flight using the flight autonomy to ensure the drone returns safely.
https//www.dji.com/spark $499 (hands or your mobile device as controller) / $699 Fly More Combo (with Spark Remote Controller)
Focal’s new high-end Clear open-back circumaural high-fidelity headphone are equipped with a revolutionary copper voice coil. This gives your tunes a remarkable dynamic sound across the audio spectrum with bass that is always controlled, even at high volumes, and exemplary sound in the high-end. Focal, a leading French speaker and headphone manufacturer, says on their website that the use of copper gives the voice coil an extremely strong magnetic field, resulting in sound that fully recreates the dynamics of the original recording. Each ear has a new generation of totally open backed full-range speakers, with a 20 mm memory foam ear cushion, covered with a perforated microfibre fabric. An adjustable headband is constructed with solid aluminum and covered with leather outside and perforated microfibre fabric inside for comfort. A hard case and durable braided cables are included.
https://www.focal.com $1,499
Renogy’s Phoenix Briefcase Generator really takes power on-the-go and all you need is the sun for a full recharge. The compact and portable all-in-one 20w solar powered briefcase (16.14-by-13.77-by-3.89-inches) is built with two highly efficient Renogy 10w Monocrystalline Solar Panels. Additional panels can be added for up to 120w for faster charging. It’s equipped with two DC outputs , four USB ports, a cigarette socket and a standard household 110v plug. The stored power can charge a laptop up to five full charges, 32 iPhone charges or a GoPro up to 47 charges from the rechargeable 16Ah Li-ion battery pack. It can even power some TVs and small appliances, making it ideal for camping or emergency situations. The locking briefcase is built with a carrying handle, an AC or DC power switch and a battery level indicator.
https://www.renogy.com $529.99
How great would it be for coffee-lovers to wake up without an alarm close and just speak a command to get the java brewing? Well, the Smarter Coffee machine can do just that with the help of Alexa Google Assistant. It’s possible to start brewing a fresh pot with the built-in burr bean grinder from anywhere with the Smarter App. Use IFTTT integration to control the brewing with Amazon Alexa or Nest. The updated Smarter Coffee also improved controls for coffee strength and temperature, offering the option to pre-heat the water before brewing for an even fresher enriched brew. The Smarter app also lets you set the start time through alarms with Wake Up mode. A sensor reads how much water is in the reservoir and can be seen in the app so you know how much coffee can be brewed. A Home Mode setting lets the Smarter Coffee know when you’re home to start up the brewing. Or, if you choose, just use it the old fashioned way on the LCD control panel.
https://smarter.am $249.99
Blue’s Yeti Blackout USB microphone and Assassin’s Creed Origins Bundle is first and foremost a microphone. The special-edition package also includes a free copy ($60 value) of one of the season’s hottest games, Assassin’s Creed Origins (for PC). The packaging has a definition of Yeti, stating it is an incredibly versatile USB microphone found worldwide. I have been using Blue’s products for some time and they are nothing short of amazing, producing the highest quality mic I’ve tried. It’s as easy as plug-n-play without the need of downloading or installing any software. It has a driverless installation and produces the highest quality recordings. More advanced users will love the Yeti controls for microphone gain, mute, headphone volume and pattern selection, all adding up to full control of your recordings. Three Blue-proprietary 14 mm condenser capsules capture the audio. And as Blue’s website says, its a perfect gift for anyone needing a mic for vocals, musical instruments, podcasting, voiceovers, interviews, gaming, field recordings or conference calls. The Yeti is Mac and PC compatible.
https://www.bluemic.com $139 for the Yeti mic and Assassin’s Creed Origins Bundle, $129 for just the Yeti microphone
