iDB holiday gift guide 2014: Sébastien’s picks

Holiday Gift Guide

My least favorite thing about Christmas is finding gifts for others. I’m usually completely uncreative when it comes to gift ideas, which is why those gift guides are helpful to me. During the last few days, my colleagues at iDB have shared their gift ideas, and today is my turn. Of course, this is really tech oriented, because you know, we’re tech heads. There is something for every budget, from big spenders to affordable stocking stuffers, I hope you’ll find something to your liking here.

iMac with Retina display

imac

This is the big ticket item of this gift guide. As a happy owner of the latest iMac, I can’t recommend it enough. The beautiful 27 inch 5k display is absolutely gorgeous and makes spending all day at the computer almost a pleasure. Performance-wise, even the entry level should get you more power than most people actually need, but depending on what you do with your computer, you might still be looking for an upgrade. Personally, I bought the entry level and upgraded the RAM separately. This is my dream come true machine. But of course, it doesn’t come cheap. Starting at $2,500, this is definitely not an impulse buy, but if you’re looking for the best Mac you can get for your money right now, this is most likely it.

iPhone 6

iPhone 6 gray silver gold back camera

They say that bigger isn’t always better, but in the case of iPhone, this isn’t true. The bigger, thinner, faster iPhone 6 is without a doubt my favorite iPhone ever. Sure it is a little awkward to handle at times, but you get used to it. If you really feel adventurous, you can go for the even bigger iPhone 6 Plus, but I personally believe it’s still too massive for me. I gifted an iPhone 6 to my wife for her birthday and she was completely ecstatic. If you want to make someone happy, go for the iPhone 6, and I promise you you won’t regret it. iPhone 6 starts at $200 with a two-year contract. Carrier free devices are much more expensive.

Iconic – A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation

Iconic Book

This book is a must-have for any Apple fan or enthusiast. Over the course of the 300+ pages, the book takes you on a tour of the most visually stunning products Apple has released. Not only does the photographic collection takes you on a beautiful journey through Apple products, but it also makes you realize that Apple is a company with a history of being consistent in its insanely detailed search for perfection. I personally own this book and it is a great conversion piece. When people see the book on the coffee table, they can’t help but go through a few pages and comment on the company. Several versions of the book are available. The simple hardcover version sells for $59 on Amazon. But if you want the real deal, check out the Ultimate and Special editions on IconicBook.com. Enter promo code “ios” for a discount at checkout.

August Smart Lock

august

The connected home is not something we can dream of any longer. It is here, and although it’s still in its infancy, there are quite a few products that are worth checking out. The August Smart Lock is one of those. The smart lock connects via Bluetooth to your device and detects your presence as you approach the door. It then automatically unlocks the door for you and locks it behind you. Even smarter, the app allows you to create temporary virtual keys for friends (or the cleaning lady for example) and be alerted anytime someone comes in. At $250, it certainly isn’t inexpensive, but if you already have a Nest and a Nest Protect in your home, this will be a great addition.

Logitech Harmony 650 Remote Control

Logitech harmony 650

Between the TV, Apple TV, receiver, cable box, and DVD player, I usually had about five remotes at any given time on my coffee table. As a neat freak wannabe, I couldn’t deal with that anymore, so I took the plunge and bought a universal remote control. After doing some research, it appeared the Logitech Harmony 650 was the best bang for my buck. I’ve had it for several months now and I’m pretty pleased with it. Not only does it replace all your remotes, but it also allows you to create actions. For example, at the push of one button, the remote will turn my TV, receiver, and cable box on, then set the receiver to the right setting for watching cable. What used to take me three remotes to accomplish now only takes one remote and one button. Priceless! Well, not so priceless. I bought it for $90 but Amazon currently has it for $60.

Lumsing 10,400mAh Portable Power Bank

Lumsing 10400mAh Portable Power Bank

Portable battery packs are a dime a dozen, but you usually get what you pay for. I’ve been using a Lumsing 10,400mAh external battery charger for about a year now every time I travel, and I find it to work extremely well. It comes with a micro USB charger as well as a nice pouch to protect the device. When fully charged, you can typically charge your iPhone three to five times with this power bank. You can also charge two devices at once since there are two USB ports. The Lumsing 10,400mAh Portable Power Bank is $26 on Amazon. Worth every penny.

Striiv Fusion

The Striiv Fusion is a simple activity/sleep tracker that likes to think of itself as a smartwatch. I was recently gifted one by the folks at Striiv and I must say I am impressed with what it does for the price it costs. I’m not so much into tracking my activity or sleep, but I’m rather interested in receiving notifications from my iPhone directly on my wrist, and the Striiv Fusion does that well, and fairly elegantly. It is comfortable, elegant, and discreet. As a Pebble user, I can tell that the Striiv Fusion isn’t as powerful, but it’s also cheaper. It’s currently $55 on Stack Social for a limited time, and can also be found on Amazon for $90. This will do just fine until the Apple Watch is released.

Other gifts worth considering

Music

I do have a thing for alternative music so if this is your cup of tea too, check these out, or else, you might want to open up your musical horizon to something new.

iBooks

If you want to support iDB while learning a few things along the way, make sure to download our two books.

If you couldn’t find the right gift here, make sure you check out other iDB editor’s gift guides. You’ll sure find something for every budget: