This Sunday is Father’s Day (in case you’d forgotten), and a chance to show the old man that you think of him as a lot more than a 24-hour taxi service or non-repayment loans service.
If it had slipped your mind, fear not, as we have a selection of techie gifts that will be right up his street, and all are available online for a quick turnaround in time for Sunday.
Luckies of London Smartphone Projector 2.0 – £19.99
File this under the novelty gift banner maybe, but the self-proclaimed cinema in a box comes already assembled, and doesn’t require an additional app or software in order to work. Lock your smartphone in landscape orientation and place it inside the back panel of the projector, attaching it to the supplied sticky pad.
It’s then a matter of getting the set-up right. You will need a VERY dark room for it to work, as well as move the projector back from or towards your chosen surface in order to focus it. It’s a matter of trial and error, but get it right and a tiny aspect of the cinema experience will have made it to your home.
Available from Amazon.
Microsoft Band – £169.99
Wearables are one of the biggest trends in technology right now, but you don’t need to splash out on an Apple Watch to get a good experience. The Microsoft Band is an extremely good fitness tracker, and it has the added bonus of working across Windows, Android and iOS – something few smartwatches do. The Band is a watch and a fitness monitor, and the companion app is impressively thorough; giving extensive breakdowns of exercise, sleep and general movement.
It’s also cheaper than an Apple Watch, and better looking and more comfortable than many other wearables out there.
Available directly from Microsoft.
Parrot MiniDrone Rolling Spider – £89.99
Another very on-trend segment of the technology, everyone is getting a drone these days. The MiniDrone is a great way to make Dad feel as though he’s not missing out as it’s very small – making it practical and a lot safer in that you’re likely to keep it in shorter range (even indoors), and avoid falling foul of any of those pesky drone regulations.
This version is called the Rolling Spider because not only can this be used as an drone, it comes with attachable wheels to keep it grounded.
Available for Amazon.
Immerse Virtual Reality Headset – £29.99
Who says virtual reality is expensive and unattainable? Though the Oculus Rift isn’t out yet, and the Samsung Gear VR that is costs several hundred pounds, Immerse’s take on the subject is less than 30, and, like the Gear VR, uses your smartphone as the screen.
Smartphones of most sizes – including phablets such as the iPhone 6 Plus – can be slotted into the headset and then combined with compatible apps from the various app stores enable the wearer to experience virtual reality. Yes, it isn’t the high-end visuals that you’d get from the Rift and others, but as an immersive experience it is still good fun.
Available from Amazon.
Kindle Voyage – £169.99
As e-readers go, this is by far the most impressive we’ve seen. It’s just had a software update released too, but the Voyage comes with a crisper, whiter screen (hence the name), that Amazon says is closer to the natural colour of a page. The frontlight is also said to be better for your eyes at night and adapts to light conditions automatically. The eInk screen means it can handle direct sunlight too.
It’s a lot lighter and thinner than previous Kindles too, and the subtle page-turner buttons on either side of the screen’s frame make one-handed use much easier.
Available, of course, from Amazon.
