Not surprisingly, nearly two in ten gift-givers this year have said they will be bestowing tech-related gifts on their Dads for the occasion, according to the National Retail Federation. So, what flavor to choose? Here are my six (unscientific) picks:
The Watch
While the Apple Watch might be at the top of the list for the many tech-oriented Dads, the rather hefty price tag ($349-$17K) may put people off. The Apple Watch is also still in its early days and, perhaps, working out the kinks of any new tech entree. Many tech experts are recommending the Samsung Gear as a cheaper alternative.
Health & Fitness
For the fitness stalwart Dad who’s not really into tech for “tech sake”, a FitBit may be plenty to motivate him to work out. But an interesting feature from Spotify, exclusively for runners called Spotify Running, will also figure out your running tempo through your phone and match songs to your pace may be just the ticket. Spotify has combined recommendations based on your listening history, multiple-genre playlists and original running compositions written by some of the world’s foremost DJs and composers – all tuned to your tempo and seamlessly transitioned to ensure you’ll never miss a beat.
“Ahh” Grilling
For the grillmeister, there’s a gift that will make sure Dad never turns out charred hamburgers again…unless he wants them: the Talking Digital Grill Thermometer is a wireless thermometer that can be programmed to grill to one of four levels—rare, medium rare, medium, and well done—and then alert you when the meat is done. Just put the thermometer into meat of choice, and the wireless handset will display how ‘done’ the meat is. It’s wireless, so Dad can mingle with the guests and still be alerted to when everything’s ready. Retail is about $49.00.
And for a barbecue pioneer, Weber has announced its free app, the Weber Grills App, the all-new and which contains recipes, weekly updates and plus more than 60 grilling guides, tips, and techniques.
But how about the portable grilling briefcase?
While many Dads like to barbecue, many (OK, most of us) don’t like cleaning up afterwards. Here’s a neat device for cleaning: the motorized grill brush with steam cleaning power. ($39.95)
The options are endless!
Cooling Down
What goes better with a barbeque than a cold beverage? For the 60th anniversary of the Coleman Cooler — a staple of BBQs and picnics that most of us can probably remember—Coleman has unveiled a retro-styled cooler sure to please the man in your life. Oh, and it keeps ice cold for three days (good for left-overs). About $200, available at Crate and Barrel.
Travel Organizer
For Dads (or any of us) who travel on business –the hassle of keeping all our gadgets organized is, well… a challenge. Cocoon Innovations’s CPS400 Laptop Case is a shock-absorbent molded case that features its own proprietary organization system—with a rubberized compartment inside the case that holds gadgets firmly in place. It accommodates laptops with up to a 15.4-inch screen and has a detachable/adjustable padded shoulder strap and padded handles. It’s great for organizing laptop accessories, smartphones and other digital devices and can be customized for each individual’s use. (About $70.00, see more info here.)
Handyman
If you’re fortunate and your husband, brother or significant other is a Dad who is handy around the house, consider helping out with the Handyman Calculator. Free on the Android platform, this allows the user to calculate materials, track time spent on projects, and save calculations. As they say, measure twice, cut once. This’ll help. For Apple customers, there’s the Handy Man DIY app ($1.99). These apps will save a lot of time (and money!) on renovation projects that seemed so simple at the start J.
I hope these are a few tech gifts that will allow you and your Dad to enjoy his special day and the summer to come!
