Let’s face it. Every year, tech is the No. 1 most desired category of gifts—but the juiciest kinds are expensive. You’re not going to give anyone a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or gaming console unless it’s your kid, parent, or significant other.
What about everyone else? People who deserve your holiday consideration, but don’t quite qualify for the $400 big-ticket item?
That’s where I come in. Once again, I offer you a sleigh full of tech that’s reasonably priced, unexpected, and thoroughly delightful.
Ember Mug ($150)
This thing got its start as an Indigogo campaign. The concept is very simple: It’s a mug that keeps your coffee, tea, soup, or hot chocolate heated precisely to a temperature you specify. The company argues that your drink tastes best when it’s hot, so why not always have it hot.
The sleek, lovely mug can keep the liquid hot for two hours—or, if you set it down on the charger pad/coaster, all day (at your desk, for example).
The Ember mug lets you dial up a temp—and keeps your coffee there.
You dial up the temperature you want by turning the bottom of the mug. A bright digital display indicates your target temp, and whether the mug is heating its contents or letting it cool down
I especially like the lid. It doesn’t spill no matter what—until you click it. At that point, you can sip it from any side.
Echo Dot ($50)
There’s no dispute that the Amazon (AMZN) Echo makes a great gift. It’s like Siri for the home. It’s designed to hear your voice commands from across the room, and it’s fantastic.
There’s also no dispute that it costs $140. (Actually, it’s normally $180.)
But the Echo Dot is basically the same thing for $50. (Actually $40, if you shop around.)
The only difference is that the Dot is a short stubby cylinder instead of a tall one. Because you don’t have the big cylinder, the sound is a lot tinnier. That’s why Amazon added an audio output, so you can connect it to a bigger sound system if you like.
Full story at Yahoo News.
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