Gear -- 5 days ago
These are the best gifts for tech enthusiasts
From refined home speakers to a gadget that’ll maximise winter wine…
Words: Josh Lee
Gifting shouldn’t have to be stressful – and when it comes to finding the finest, newest releases in gadgets and gear, the challenge you’re charged with can seem a Sisyphean task. So, when faced with finding presents for those tricky-to-buy-for relatives and friends, we’ve a ready supply of contemporary options for you to reference and fall back on – so you can swoop in, scoop them up and present your presents with peace of mind. Here are the best gizmos, gadgets and home tech for Christmas 2022…
For the oenophile: wine-saving, wine-displaying solutions
When it comes to food and drink during the summer months, generally speaking, the ethos is more about the lo-fi: fire-cooking; crisp wine from the local cuvée and drunk that afternoon; produce eaten in an almost untouched, untampered-with form. In winter, one could say that gastro tech becomes more of a crutch, whereby the Nespresso machine provides a jolt of life during those bitter mornings.
With the festive season now having fully kicked-off, the amount of wine and other alcoholic libations being drunk in the coming weeks is likely to increase. To ensure that your relatives get the most out of their bottles of Nyetimber, Coravin’s Sparkling Wine Preservation System will prevent the drink from losing its effervescent feel and crisp taste, for up to four weeks. Eto’s futuristic-looking wine decanter seals out air to counter the oxidisation process, ensuring burgundies, sauvignon blancs and everything in between retain their flavour and quality, allowing the drinker to go at their own pace. And this sleek cooler, courtesy of Haier, will store and display 42 bottles as though they’re relics under museum spotlights; an anti-vibration compressor also stops spoiling from occurring.
For the homebody: plug-in and play
With the temperatures dropping to frosty, biting conditions, there’s certainly an overwhelming allure to holing up in the abode until spring arrives. If wanting to help a loved one upgrade their interiors with some high-spec, high-tech entertainment, consider a suite of big-hitters from the audio and visual world.
Aesthetically speaking, the Beovision Contour, by Danish brand Bang & Olufsen, looks more objet d’art than television, so refined is its aluminium-and-oak profile – but eleven speaker drivers and amplifiers that deliver powerful sound add substance to the style. For podcasts and playlists, Kef’s LS60 Wireless Speakers, whose Uni-Q driver augments the ‘sweet spot’ and disperses sound more evenly, will also integrate into a contemporary interior due to its minimalist look. To get into the groove of Oscar season, Nebula’s Cosmos Laser 4K projector will beam with the intensity of 2,400 ISO Lumens; the compact build also allows it to be carted from place to place, perfect for Christmas house-hopping.
For the trigger-happy: frame it up
Summer and all images associated with it – the soft sea breeze, the pastels of Modena, the perfume of charred meat on the beaches of Rio – can seem a distant land, an escape that may feel too far away to even think about. But, even if the weather is a little grey and miserly on these shores, the notions of romantic travel still continue through winter, if only just slightly different: the snowy tips of Val-d’Isère, for example, or the unbearable chill and electric thrill of heading into the Norwegian forests.
If you know someone who likes racking up the Avios, help them capture their finest travel memories with one of these superlative cameras. Leica’s Sofort is a compact instant option, available in a range of punchy hues, including this sunburst style, and the fuss-free operation facilitates spontaneous snaps. The Hasseblad 907X 50C, as its name suggests, brings together the 907X body — Hasselblad’s smallest medium-format camera body ever — with the CFV II 50C digital back, which features a 50-megapixel CMOS medium-format sensor. For something with more of a contemporary feel, but still retains a retro look, the Nikon Z fc DX has a classic body, but packs a 28mm SE lens and is lightweight enough so not to wear down an ensemble.
For the globetrotter: first-class essentials
To solidify the feel of, and lust for, winter escapism, it might also be worth wrapping up – for someone else, or, even yourself – a few extra essentials to help the ride that much smoother. Gone are the days of ragged, ripped holdalls and having to bear the insufferable noise of rowdy passengers; these are today’s must-haves for the road.
The 360-degree spinner wheels of Away’s Carry-On will guarantee a smooth walk through the terminals as you head to the first-class lounge; and an ejectable USB charger allows for a four-time charge, so you don’t have to go on the hunt for a spare socket. To filter out all the surrounding chaos – whether at the airport, on the train, or even in the office – the Bose 700 headphones, made from a synthetic protein leather, have a snug fit, are noise cancelling, and can last 20 hours off a single charge, ideal for cross-continental jet-setting. Then, whether for the hotel nightstand, or the home desk, Native Union‘s wireless charging dock is crafted from steel and canvas, and its circular, minimal design will appeal to even the most picky of people.
Want more gifting ideas? These are the best watches to buy this Christmas…
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