There are plenty of gift guides online ahead of Valentine’s Day, and they’ll probably be a lot more. We feel your pain of having to go through every list and still being unable to decide what to buy for your loved one. So we created a list that narrowed down items from several others from which we chose the best products with the best reviews. The products range in prices and span different tastes. If you already ordered your Valentine’s gifts, well, these are still good for someone’s birthday gift or for yourself.
1. Smart Pencil Stylus
Most people fall into one of these categories: doodler, designer, note-taker, office worker, or, at the very least, an iPad/iPhone user. FiftyThree’s stylish digital pencil allows people to use iPads and iPhones like paper notepads. The manufacturer FiftyThree is already well known for its drawing/doodling app called Paper (free for iOS devices). The app has been praised and beloved by Silicon Valley elites including Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey, along with Chinese filmmakers who use it as an alternative to storyboards.
Buy here: FiftyThree 53PW06 Pencil Digital Stylus for iPad, iPad Pro, and iPhone $59.99
2. Withings Activity and Sleep Tracking SmartWatch
Withings Activité series are smartwatches with a classic and chic style. They track users’ activities. It synchronizes with the Health Mate app (made by Withings) and silently vibrates as an alarm. Withings Activité Pop series offers four vivid colors. The Steel series has a stainless steel case with a soft silicone sports strap.
Buy here: Withings Activité Pop starting at $105, Withings Activité Steel starting at $129.95
3. Portable Mobile Projector
If your significant other watches movies or plays games on a laptop, it’s time to get him or her a mobile projector. The device is also useful for people who often travel or camp, follow YouTube workout tutorials, or hold online conferences at their home office. RIF6 comes with HDMI and MHL connector cables, a USB charger, a remote control, a flexible mini tripod, and a one-year warranty. Your purchase of RIF6 will also support children and families living with HIV in Africa and India as part of the company’s Keep a Child Alive mission. Another brand, iCodis, has produced a series of mobile projectors. iCodis G and CB series have a flat rectangular design, but are still portable and powerful.
Buy here:RIF6 Cube Mobile Projector $224.99, iCodis G1 Mobile Pico Projector $276, iCodis CB-300W $399
4. Tile Mate
Is your loved one so forgetful that you have to help him or her find their keys or wallets every time they walk out the door? Here’s the simple solution for letting both of you spend less time frustrated. Tile Mate helps you to easily track your belongings, and even your pets. You click the lost item on your Tile mobile app and it will ring if the item is within 100-foot Bluetooth range. When you can’t find your phone, double press your Tile Mate and your phone will ring even on silent mode.
Buy here: Tile Mate 4 pack, $89
5. Mobile Photo Printer
Don’t just take selfies and leave them in your phone forever. Print them! The following photo printers are perfect for someone who misses Polaroid-style photos, but does not want to buy a camera. HP Sprocket Photo Printer can be connected with your smartphone via Bluetooth, and it prints on 2″ x 3″ sticky-backed paper. Canon Selphy, which prints photos in various sizes, uses wireless networks and is compatible with memory cards. Kodak’s printer exports 4″ x 6″ photos and can be connected to a smartphone using the dock, Wi-Fi, or USB ports.
Buy here: HP Sprocket photo printer $130, Canon Selphy Wireless Color Photo Printer $96, Kodak Dock & Wi-Fi 4×6” Photo Printer $139.99
6. 360 Samsung Camera
Samsung Gear 360 camera is about equal in price to its rivals. At the same time, it is more affordable and easier to control than the GoPro Omni 360 rig. This is for the partner that loves exploring new tech or taking photos and videos while traveling. You can easily review the 360 photos and videos with an Android mobile app. Samsung Gear 360 is most compatible with Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S6, S7 Edge, S6 Edge, Note 5, and Note 7. While there are few workaround tricks for iPhone users over the internet, there are certain limits for Apple mobile devices. As there is a rumor saying that Samsung Gear 360 Pro may launch with iOS app, we will see. (You can always check 360 photos/videos by inserting a microSD card to your computer.)
Buy here: Samsung Gear 360 starting at $225, LG G5 360 Cam $119.99, Ricoh Theta $299, Kodak $229, 360 Fly starting at $260
7. FitBark – Pet Tracker
Fitbark is basically a Fitbit for pets that tracks a dog’s activity and sleep. The mobile app lets users check an animal’s data from an app, monitor medical issues, and discover nearby friends for pets. Moreover, it compares the owner and the pet’s increase in activity, and is compatible with other applications such as Fitbit, HealthKit, Jawbone, and Google Fit. The dog bone-shaped collar accessory for FitBark is waterproof, syncs with smartphones via Bluetooth or an Internet connection, and is light enough (eight grams) that any pet could easily wear it. Click here for more gift ideas for pet owners.
Buy here: FitBark Dog Activity Monitor, $69.99
8. Smart Home Tech Plugs
These smart plugs will make your loved one’s life easier by remotely controlling home electronics with the simple use of an app. You need to connect the plugs to Wi-Fi networks and download mobile applications (Kasa for TP-Link and Wemo for Wemo) to control with your smartphones. Wemo is also compatible with Nest Learning Thermostat. For more on smart home gadgets, click here.
Buy here: TP-Link Smart Plug starting at $30, Wemo Mini Smart Plug starting at $34.99
9. Portable Charger
Although we carry more digital devices, plugs to recharge them are often unavailable when you need them. With this gift, you no longer need to get frustrated when your partner’s battery is at 3%. Anker produces several power banks and its PowerCore 20100 is on sale for half off.
Buy here: Anker PowerCore 20100 $40, Mophie Powerstation $60
10. Electric Wine Opener
If your partner likes wine, you probably already know about one of its hassles: pesky corks. Electric corkscrews can help you and your love enjoy a bottle of wine without becoming exhausted from opening the bottles. Wine connoisseurs would appreciate not only the work handled by Electric corkscrews, but also their sleek metal design.
Buy here: Wine Enthusiast Electric Push-Button Corkscrew around $25, Rabbit Automatic $42.99, Wine Enthusiast Electric Automatic Wine Opener $59.99
11. Special: For droid fans or kids
These adorable mini robots could make an interesting gift for people who are born-to-be makers. The BB-8 droid, especially, would be great for any Star Wars fan. If you plan to buy a gift for your kids, the robots would be like killing two birds with one stone—they are educational and fun toys. They would help your kids learn about artificial intelligence and robots.
Buy here: Smartphone-controlled BB-8 $123, Cozmo $180, Piper Computer Kit $299
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