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15 fantastic last-minute tech gifts for anyone on your shopping list

There's still time to get something awesome.

 

Jam Kotenko

Tech

Posted on Dec 23, 2015   Updated on May 27, 2021, 11:11 am CDT

Christmas is just days away. If you haven’t already completed your Christmas shopping duties, then you are officially almost out of time. Of course, the Internet is always a fantastic resource for last-minute gift ideas.

Rather than ransack a nearby convenience store for lame knick-knacks to get your loved ones, we’ve rounded up a list of cool tech things you can get every member of your family online. If you order them now, you can probably opt for expedited shipping so they have something to unwrap on the 25th. Or not, but it’s the thought that counts!

For your significant other

Microsoft Band 2

If your beau isn’t an Apple fanboy, then an Apple Watch is probably out of the question. If a smartwatch is something you think your beloved would truly enjoy, consider getting the updated band by Microsoft.

Microsoft

It tracks various fitness statistics like a Fitbit, with the added bonus of guided workouts in the form of exercise prompts delivered right to the wrist. It can be used to constantly track heart rate as well as keep records of their runs. They can also continue being a multitasking machine through useful calendar, call, email, social, and text updates as well as notes and reminders that you can dictate using your own voice through Cortana. It comes in three wrist sizes and handily beats most wearables when it comes to looks, making it a pretty snazzy Christmas gift.

Price: $249.99 on sale for $199

Perfect Drink App-Controlled Smart Bartending

For the cocktail lover in your life! This smart scale (that comes with a stainless steel shaker) helps concoct new drink recipes as well as improve their favorites thanks to the free smartphone companion app. They can use their own device to choose a drink from hundreds of recipes and follow real-time pouring instructions; for guidance, a virtual glass will fill up on the screen as they pour.

Brookstone

In case they become heavy-handed with certain ingredients, the app will automatically re-adjust the recipe, ensuring that they end up with a well-balanced drink.

If they don’t have a particular drink in mind, they can plug in the contents of their liquor cabinet and the app will come up with recipe suggestions.

The perk? If you enjoy booze and live with your S.O., this gift benefits you as well. And it’s on sale!

Price: $69.99 $49.99

We-Vibe 4 Plus

There’s nothing like a sex toy to turn couples from nice to naughty this holiday season. This particular vibrator is curved in a way that lets it rest comfortably when equipped, adequately paying attention to all of a woman’s most sensitive parts. When used during sex, it also provides subtle and effective male stimulation as well.

We-Vibe

What makes the We-Vibe 4 Plus unique is the way it can be controlled through a smartphone app, so ladies, in case you’re apart from your lover during the cold, winter nights, the kinky contraption can stay with you while your partner navigates your arousal through the many available vibration patterns on the app.

Price: $179

For an older sibling

Casetify Apple Watch strap

Make an Apple Watch even cuter with a strap customized according to your design sensibilities! Casetify offers a slew of ready-made designs in its catalog, including a brand-new Looney Tunes line featuring beloved cartoon characters from your loved one’s childhood.

Casetify

If you want to go a step further, you can even customize your own design by uploading a photo from your computer or your social media accounts.

Price: $70

Beyond Ink Pen

Who says pens are a lame gift? If they come armed with features like a built-in micro-USB or iPhone cable outlet, a 16GB memory drive, and a built-in battery, they’re actually a pretty cool gift for your techy bro or sis. It also has a stylus pen attachment that’s easily interchangeable with the ballpoint pen tip, making it the perfect writing tool for both paper and screen.

Beyond Ink

The smartpen is made from high quality brass and comes in either a classy black or white finish.

Price: $70

Gorilla Gear’s Complete Selfie Kit

Let’s face it, teens make up most of the Internet’s selfie-loving population. The sooner you accept that as truth, the easier your last-minute shopping becomes.

While there are tons of selfie stick options that are more affordable, lightweight, and can easily connect to your smartphone via the headphone jack, you get a lot more bang for your buck with this kit. The selfie stick included in the package is Bluetooth-enabled and well-designed. It has a padded handle and a nifty twist-lock function that makes it easy to use on longer photo shoots.

Gorilla Gear

Other goodies include a mini tripod (for taking pictures of landscapes and photos of bigger groups) and a rubberized cellphone clamp, ensuring that your device remains securely attached to your monopod during use. It also comes in a stylish travel case-a great gift for the selfie pro in your family.

Price: $45.00 $24.99 through Amazon Prime

For a younger sibling

Hello Barbie

Barbara Millicent Roberts may be 56 years old, but she doesn’t look a day over 20. The recent battery-operated version of the highly popular doll is now equipped with Wi-Fi compatibility and speech recognition technology, enabling her to converse, tell stories, and play games with your kid sister (or brother!). 

Mattel

Hello Barbie is programmed with more than 8,000 recorded lines and is designed to remember what she is told and to adapt to her user’s preferences. A companion app lets elders set up a Hello Barbie account that unlocks the doll’s conversational features.

Price: $74.99

Osmo Gaming System for iPad

Is your kid sibling’s attention constantly glued to a device screen? You might as well get them something that turns a tablet into the ultimate educational toy. Osmo is an iPad camera clip-on that turns the space in front of the device into an interactive game space where users can play all sorts of games.

This thing is so cool, you’ll probably want to play with it yourself.

Price: $79.99

BB-8 Sphero Droid

December 2015 is not only known for the holidays. It’s mostly the culmination of Star Wars mania. In case you didn’t already know about the newest, cutest droid in town, then let us officially declare it: This is the droid you are looking for.

You can control BB-8 using your smartphone or tablet and talk to it and, in turn, it will learn to recognize and react to the sound of your voice as well as adjust its personality the more you interact with it. Oh, and it lets you record and view holographic videos, just like in the Star Wars movies!

This is, without a doubt, one of the hottest toys this season, so you better grab one while you still can.

Price: $149.95

For a baby (and parents!)

MamaRoo Infant Seat

A baby needs constant movement and stimulation, which makes this awesome chair the perfect gift for the infant in your household. Its movements mimic yours when you are carrying the baby yourself. If you need to step away for a bit to do other real life things, you can set the baby down on the MamaRoo and control its motions and sounds (it can play MP3s!) through your smartphone using Bluetooth connectivity.

4moms

The price tag on this contraption might be a little steep for a baby gift, but if you think about it, it’s a combo gift for the child as well as the mommy and daddy, so it’s totally worth it.

 Price: $269.99

Kinsa Smart Thermometer

When your baby is feeling under the weather, it’s tempting to let panic and stress reign; once you do, nothing gets done. This is why it’s almost necessary to have easy-to-use tools at hand when you are caring for a sick child. 

Kinsa

One such tool is a smart thermometer that plugs into your smartphone through the headphone jack and lets you take advantage of your device’s processing power, which is far and away better than that of a digital thermometer.

It comes with an app that makes the experience of temp-taking easier on the parent and a lot more fun for the child. If you’re looking to give a practical and affordable baby gift, this is your best bet.

Price: $14.99

Mimo Smart Onesie

As an adult, quality slumber is hard to come by. The gift of good sleep is something almost anyone will appreciate and benefit from, especially a newborn. This “smart onesie” is equipped with a sensor that lets you keep track of highly important baby stats such as body position, sleeping temperature, movement, breathing, and of course, sleep. 

Mimo

This also makes a great gift to new parents because it lets them keep connected to the infant at all hours of the night; the onesie regularly sends reports to a smartphone, allowing mom and dad a restful night as well.

Price: $199.99 (includes 3 kimonos size 0-3 months)

For your pet

Petzi Treat Cam

If you’re going to be away for the holiday season, you better make sure your furry friend is accompanied by a loving substitute. While a human dog sitter is of course necessary, having a gadget handy that let you keep in touch with your pet has its perks.

Through your smartphone, you can see live footage of your pet, thanks to the Petzi Treat Cam. It also allows you to speak to your pet as well as take still pictures when they come and respond to the sound of your voice. What makes it awesome is it also lets you dispense treats remotely, so even though you’re not there to feed or reward your dog or cat in person, you can still be involved in their daily routine.

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Price: $169.99

Pet Bed Warmer

Elevate your animal’s digs with a lil somethin’ somethin’ to keep them warm at night (or day…winter is coming). This bed warmer might be a so-so thing to you who’s already comfy in your sweaters and fleece PJs and cushy comforters, but for your dog or cat, this could be heaven.

K&H Manufacturing

This is just the warmer part, though, so make sure you also purchase a cover.

Price: $15.99 (small), $19:45 (medium), $19.59 (large), and $36.44 (extra large) through Amazon Prime

Bark Box subscription                                                              

Dogs are very easy to please. Just give them an assortment of toys and treats and they’re golden. Just like a toddler, however, their interests can easily wander, so what they love now they may not give a damn about later.

BarkBox

Rather than regularly going to a pet store to purchase a variety of new pet toys, Bark Box sends you new knick-knacks your furry pal will surely enjoy. And they do it on a monthly basis! Price depends on the kind of subscription you avail, and products are dependent on the size of your dog.

Price: $29/box for a month, $24/box for 3 months, $21/box for 6 months, and $19/box for a year

Illustration by Max Fleishman

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*First Published: Dec 23, 2015, 2:04 pm CST