Your Top Tech Trends this Christmas
Feliz Navidad! Merry Christmas! Feliz Natal! It’s the season of giving and this year the latest tech products are likely to sit front and center under the tree. But what are the latest trends and what should you be on the lookout for?
- Smart Home Gadgets
As we’ve previously discussed, we are moving into an age where round-the-clock connectivity is improving the way we live our lives. Artificial Intelligence and IoT-enabled tech is streamlining our daily routines, helping us order groceries, adjust the temperature and lighting in our homes, and keeping us updated with the news and weather.
This space is now brimming with products from major tech companies, all of which will be the first items on many Christmas lists this year. For example, Amazon’s Echo (or Echo Dot) and Google’s Home (or Home Mini) have been created to reach the mass market and can connect you to your music playlists, answer your questions (within reason) and browse the internet for you.
Products such as Phillips Hue or Nest are also very popular, connecting your house’s utilities and lighting to the internet, allowing for greater control and monitoring of usage and costing.
- Wearable Technology
A few months ago, we suggested investing in some wearable technology to help you have an enjoyable summer. Now at the end of the year, wearables remain a key trend. You will find there is a full range of products to choose from, with their appeal stemming from their ease of use and flexibility. Smart watches have many of the capabilities of a mobile or tablet but are much more convenient to carry.
Most have health benefits too, encouraging exercise and providing accurate monitoring of your heart rate, stress levels and calorie intake. Trendy watches this Christmas include: Apple Watch, Samsung Gear Sport, Garmin Forerunner 735XT and LG Watch Sport.
- Speakers and Headphones
Every year, speakers and headphones become smarter and reclaim their position as a key trend for Christmas. Major brands such as Dre Beats, Sonos, Sennheiser or Bose have to keep their products fresh and innovative to remain ahead of the market. One way they do this is by enabling the devices to pair up, delivering surround sound to your room and giving the impression you’re in a theater or attending a live concert. Also, many come equipped with apps – giving you complete control over your home audio from the touch of their smartphone.
Likewise, latest innovation in headphone technology means they are often wireless and noise-cancelling, creating an immersive, yet unencumbered experience. Battery life and pricing continues to improve, making them a very popular choice for Christmas present.
- Smart Toys
There’s a plethora of connected toys and gadgets in the world today and if you’re a young parent you might be tempted to buy this new breed of toys for your kids. These smart toys offer Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, which allows them to speak to tablets and phones, bringing new capabilities and making them more fun.
However, there have been concerns about the safety of those toys. British consumer watchdog Which? identified security flaws with some smart toys, which could allow adults to take control of the toy remotely and communicate with the child. So, if you’re concerned about the security of smart toys, we have created a checklist for things to consider when buying a connected toy.
So, there they are – out top four suggestions for tech gadgets to put under the Christmas tree this year.
