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gift guide 2015
November 23, 2015

15 Techie Gifts for Your Favorite Gadget Head

By the Cut

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This year, give one of these cutting-edge gizmos to your loved ones who are also lifehackers. We’ve found everything from a smart doorbell that notifies your phone when guests arrive and an orb that monitors your sleep quality to a suitcase that weighs and tracks itself. But if those feel a little too smart, there are also more practical finds, like wireless headphones for audiophiles, several portable speakers, and a compact charger to keep it all running. And when all else fails, there’s always the gift of a .pizza domain name. Find them all, and more, ahead.

*This article appears in the November 23, 2015 issue of New York Magazine. 

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1 / 15 Photos
A Virtual-Reality Starter Pack Like the Google Cardboard, this upgraded View-­Master creates a VR world once you add an iPhone. Photo: Courte... A Virtual-Reality Starter Pack Like the Google Cardboard, this upgraded View-­Master creates a VR world once you add an iPhone. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Pocket Projector It accommodates most phones, making Vines look much more cinematic. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
Actually Good Wireless Headphones Audiophiles who have long looked down their noses at wireless headphones are all in a tizzy over Master & D... Actually Good Wireless Headphones Audiophiles who have long looked down their noses at wireless headphones are all in a tizzy over Master & Dynamic’s MW60s. Plus, they have a retro-looking leather-and-steel body. Photo: Aaron Cameron Muntz
An Emoji Keyboard 120 of the most popular emoji on a keyboard for any computer.
A Nice Stylus A handsome iPad stylus from FiftyThree that has a built-in eraser and 14-karat-gold-plated sensors for accuracy. Photo: Courtesy o... A Nice Stylus A handsome iPad stylus from FiftyThree that has a built-in eraser and 14-karat-gold-plated sensors for accuracy. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
An Acorn Speaker Natural wood, Bluetooth connectivity, up to four hours of battery life. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Goofy Domain Name Whatever your best friend’s name, her personalized “dot-pizza” site is likely up for grabs. Photo: Jed Egan/Jed Egan
Sleep Improver The Sense Orb monitors sleep quality and bedroom environment, so you can make changes based on the data. Photo: Courtesy of the V... Sleep Improver The Sense Orb monitors sleep quality and bedroom environment, so you can make changes based on the data. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Portable Charger Small and light enough to fit in a back pocket; strong enough to juice up a laptop and two mobile devices. Photo: Mark Serr/m... A Portable Charger Small and light enough to fit in a back pocket; strong enough to juice up a laptop and two mobile devices. Photo: Mark Serr/mark@markserr.com
Beats Pill Plus The “plus” refers to its cleaner design and improved sound (two amplifiers are built into the speakers). Photo: JASON WARE/©2015... Beats Pill Plus The “plus” refers to its cleaner design and improved sound (two amplifiers are built into the speakers). Photo: JASON WARE/©2015 Jason Ware Imagery, LLC
Diamond Status Suitcase The Bluesmart carry-on comes with a built-in scale and a smartphone app that lets you lock, unlock, and track its whereab... Diamond Status Suitcase The Bluesmart carry-on comes with a built-in scale and a smartphone app that lets you lock, unlock, and track its whereabouts remotely. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
A Smart Doorbell August’s Bluetooth-enabled doorbell alerts your phone when someone’s approaching. Photo: TED CAVANAUGH
A Really Strong Password 11-year-old entrepreneur Mira Modi’s crytographically secure passwords are created using the diceware method: combining ... A Really Strong Password 11-year-old entrepreneur Mira Modi’s crytographically secure passwords are created using the diceware method: combining a string of six words randomly chosen by rolling dice.
A Three-Inch Drone This mini-quadcopter comes with a built-in HD-video camera to explore 150 feet above the ground without anyone noticing. Phot... A Three-Inch Drone This mini-quadcopter comes with a built-in HD-video camera to explore 150 feet above the ground without anyone noticing. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor/ALBERTvandemaat2015
Celebrity Wheels The PhunkeeDuck, which goes up to 12 mph, is the ­preferred hands-free scooter (just don’t call it a hoverboard) of Justin B... Celebrity Wheels The PhunkeeDuck, which goes up to 12 mph, is the ­preferred hands-free scooter (just don’t call it a hoverboard) of Justin Bieber and Chris Brown. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendor
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