Techie Holiday Gift Guide 2014
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It’s that time of year again -- the holiday season has arrived and it’s time to get shopping. Whether you’re braving the Black Friday crowds, drag-and-dropping on Cyber Monday, or making a last-minute Amazon order in late December, CRN has the top gifts for your favorite techie.
Keep the whole family warm this winter with the Nest learning thermostat, a gift that really keeps on giving. This incredibly popular thermostat can be mounted and installed in less than 30 minutes, and immediately starts tracking your home’s conditions. Program it to your temperature schedule, and save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling bills. Within a week of setting temperatures manually, Nest will start automatically setting itself. Plus, with a smart remote app, you can always change settings from afar.
Music lovers will love being able to take the party wherever they go with the Soundlink Mini bluetooth speaker from Bose. This small speaker delivers big sound, with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 7 hours. Bluetooth capability and an auxiliary port ensures any iDevice, tablet or phone will connect seamlessly. Additional soft covers come in a variety of colors to amp up style and protection.
[Related:Holiday Gift Guide 2014: 25 Gadgets That Make Great Gifts]
Short battery life is a major problem in even the most sophisticated smartphones. Make sure your loved ones are in constant contact with Ventev’s Powercell 3015 battery charger. This lightweight portable charger provides 12.5 additional hours of talk time, and charges all USB-powered devices. LED battery indicator lights let you know how much power is left, and this affordable gift option is available for $34.99.
And finally, if you want to give someone a lightweight, powerful tablet, take a look at the Dell Venue 8 Pro, Dell’s 8-inch tablet. The Venue 8, which starts at just less than $230, is powered by a quad-core Intel atom processor and dual cameras. This little tablet lets users access Office Home and claims to supply 10 hours of battery life.
PUBLISHED NOV. 20, 2014