Your tech gift guide to gadgets and gizmos for the home
Lots of us have suffered the glassy-eyed indignity of meeting people on camera largely unprepared. Well it's time to say goodbye to all that and say hello to the Logitech Streamcam.
Many, many years ago, my nana handed my mother the precious gift of a very large feather duster on Christmas morning.
Boy, was that a frosty New Year in County Wicklow. Gifting anything home-related can be excruciatingly tricky, but it has transitioned with the appearance of smart, hands-off devices that simply make life easier or keep us smiling.
Future-forward and app-aided smarts and digital subscriptions can blow those sad character socks, book tokens, and bargain-bin eau de cologne out of their positioning under the Scots pine.Â
Here’s my choice of moderately-priced surprises in smart tech and digital entertainment presents for winter 2021.
I love this little fella. He’s sleek, the size and guise of a Coca-Cola can, a brilliant prompt to head of everything from VOCs leaching from new furnishings to improving the ventilation in the kitchen. Wifi connected, the Healthy Home Coach measures take in the total environment — the air quality of the room, the temperature, the humidity, and ambient sound level.Â
Access all of the data collected on your connected smartphone or tablet.Â
Sensors highlight potential problems, and tell the user how to fix them. Best placed in the rooms you spend most of your time in, and ideal for open-plan/broken plan spaces, it would prove a useful monitor if your recipient has, for instance, a child or baby with asthma. Additional indoor modules are €75, and you can step it up to an indoor-outdoor suite of weather gauges for €169, which can take an additional wind or rain gauge.Â
Get it from smarthomestore.energia.ie.
Use an Android/IOS phone or tablet to step into smarthome living effortlessly. The second-generation Nest Mini would make an ideal and modestly-priced start. A smart, voice-activated speaker, it can reach out to Google to play songs or audiobooks from Spotify, YouTube Music, and more.Â
The sound quality has been muscled up with a 40% stronger bass. Google Assistant is most commonly used to access weather, news, or personal favourites such as podcasts, and to simply answer questions on the fly.Â
The Nest Mini can serve several family members with VoiceMatch, and carry a “curated daily snippet” — a personalised schedule, commuter information, as well as provide reminders, timers, and alarms linked to other compatible smart devices. Using Chromecast will enable control of the TV by voice command and to dim or switch on smart bulbs. Always check the compatibility and platform when matching up the elements of a smart home network. Multiple suppliers.
No app control here, but enough science to fascinate: For anyone with a home office or a favourite meditative relaxation area, this elliptical orbiting moon lamp is the ultimate relaxing desk toy.Â
Switched on, magnetic forces lift the moon off the natural solid walnut base, where it floats and revolves. Designed and made in Warwick in England, it emits a cool white light through the map of surface craters, mountains, and valleys, and has a soft translucence recalling the mesmerising illumination of the actual moon as it reflects the sun. Here it is on designist.ie.Â
While you're at it, check out Gingko’s other beautiful home pieces including their wooden Flip-Click clock from €39.95, and Smart Book Lights on the same site.
With multiple awards under its veneered little pelt, the Ruark R1 looks nothing short of groovy against the nostalgic slatted wood grille. Digital (DAB) radios carry a wide choice of hiss-free radio stations from across the world, wonderful for both recent arrivals here in Ireland and for those who love an alternative to English-speaking radio and the same old charted and classic music tracks.Â
Here’s the hi-fidelity blurb for this year’s new M4k radio (2021):Â
“Our latest neodymium NS+ driver provides a smooth and extended frequency response and with R1 Mk4’s tuned enclosure it delivers an impressive bass performance and a punchy Class A/B linear amplifier for exceptional dynamic sound.”Â
Streaming this spectrum of velvety content with bluetooth connectivity, quality DAB radios are perfect as an update for analogue radio users who love their talk shows and music on all day at home. For the complete audiovisual nut, take a look at the kick-leg, R7 Mk3 High Fidelity radiogram. Limited editions available including Beach Hut Blue. To learn more and buy these items, turn that dial to ruarkaudio.com.Â
For a hunky, chunky garage companion there’s the Bush Workman DAB radio, €75, on argos.ie.Â
Argos also stocks Roberts Revival 1950s DAB sets from €230.
Yes, I said it, but I cannot think of anyone who wouldn’t screech with joy at the introduction of a robotic vacuum cleaner to deal with the blasted floor unaided. You would be best placed with someone who has actually expressed an interest but balked at the price — a group present for an exhausted mum and dad, for example. I’m sticking with one of the branded pioneers, iRobot, with its Roomba vacuums and Braava robot floor mops.Â
You could buy into the iRobot Genius end of the stable with the S-series at €1,200, with vSLAM navigation that whirls around using 230,400 data points each second. My choice is the 698 model, once the top suckers in the range. No crumb is safe as dual multi-surface brushes and edge-cleaning work together to grab dust, dirt, and large debris to help thoroughly clean those floors while you work or watch.Â
The first brush loosens, lifts, and pulls in dust, dirt, and hair from floors and carpet, the second accelerates debris into the suction channel. This machine clambers gracefully from hard to soft flooring and can “detect” where the floor needs more muscle, €279.99, and they're all on irobot.ie.
Even in a December 24 panic, don’t wade into subscriptions unless you are sure the recipient will be happy to follow up on those Ts&Cs and contract length. I was given a TV set and satellite dish when I couldn’t afford the monthly tag — awkward, as the installation team had gained access and was up the ladders on my return.
Still, there is everything from food boxes to streaming services, online classes, and gaming if you’re up to supporting their habit for 30 days to 12 months.Â
PlayStation Plus (just the monthly fee) is €8.99 for example, and might suit a cash-strapped college student needing to let off steam.Â
You could let a kid join the well-regarded Kids Cook Cooking Club for 30 days for just €12.
Ballymaloe’s online subscriptions include a basic package with two live demonstrations and full access to selected recordings and discounts on streaming including all-day events for 30 days, €100, ballymaloecookeryschool.online.Â
Or what about The Lucky Drip from coffee house 3fe.com — from €12 for 250g of a new blend every month to their door?Â
And look around for boxes — from cheese to wine, gin and more.
This year, many of us have suffered the glassy-eyed indignity of meeting our colleagues, bosses, or clients on camera — largely startled and unprepared.
My own integrated laptop camera exploded my skull into cartoonish proportions and distorted pores in my nose into rabbit holes.
A request for a ring camera and new streaming device has winged its way to Santa’s workshop. The Logitech Streamcam is a regular favourite on technophile reviews, and uses USB Type-C to ensure efficient video transfer speeds for a reliable connection with freezes that come over as bored stiffness before detection.
AI-enabled facial tracking in Logitech Capture delivers accurate focus and exposure, creating a more relaxing, professional studio-style stream — whether you’re working on Zoom or gathering video for your social media platforms. I especially like the easy 90-degree portrait mode — perfect for Instagram and Facebook stories directly from the phone.
From €120 from multiple suppliers including multiple Amazon retailers, with more innovative detailing costing up to €250.Â
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