The Best Stockings for Tech Geeks
The season of joy is upon us, and we all need as much holiday magic as the world can provide right now. Whether you’re an avid Christmas fanatic or just happy to have a few days off from work, this series will help you choose the perfect gifts, playlists, meals and activities to make this the best Christmas ever .
Our grandparents could put a treat in a sock and call it Christmas, confident that their children would love the orange. These days, everyone on the team, from your tech-obsessed grandma to your cutting-edge teenager, has their stocks to fill and they want to impress . Luckily, there’s a high-tech gadget for everyone: the perfect gift, small enough to fit in a sock but as big as your heart.
Stocking of the year: Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses
I love the Ray-Ban Meta glasses so much that I put prescription lenses in them, but they also work as sunglasses. The ability to take a photo, shoot a video, or start streaming on Instagram instantly takes the documentary aspect of social media about your life to the next level, and the built-in AI and music player make this a 2024 stocking stuffer. year. More details can be found in my full review .
For fitness lovers: Whoop 4.0 fitness tracker
Buying a gift for a health-conscious person can be difficult. They usually don’t want a drink and like to make an effort. But this Whoop 4.0 fitness tracker will brighten up the toughest athlete’s Christmas morning. It’s more versatile than a watch (you can wear it on your bicep or even your underwear), and it tracks your heart rate, breathing rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, daily activity and sleep – basically everything what I wear. Don’t worry. For more information, check out Lifehacker senior editor Beth Skwarecki’s in-depth review of Whoop 4.0 .
For adventure seekers: GoPro Hero 13
You can’t go wrong with GoPro. The company’s easy-to-use and rugged cameras are synonymous with “action photography” and are small enough to fit in a stocking. If you have a snowboarder, skateboarder, kayaker or BMX racer on your list, this is a must-have stocking stuffer. Even if your giftee isn’t an adventurer, the GoPro Hero 13 supports optional lenses and filters that allow users to go beyond the fisheye photography and videography of generations past, dude. For more details, check out Associate Tech Editor Michelle Erhardt’s review of the GoPro Hero 13 .
For fans of tech toys: DJI Mini 4K Drone
Some people want technology products that make their lives easier in some way, while others want the pure joy that impressively useless toys provide. If you’re shopping for the latter this Christmas, I highly recommend the DJI Mini 4K drone: not many of them have any practical use for a small helicopter, but this one is damn cool. It takes off from the palm of your hand, flies in wind speeds of up to 38 km/h (23.61 mph), and records stabilized 4K video in all lighting conditions. You can even set it to automatically follow you like a little drone.
For the gamer: gift card
If you’re buying a stocking stuffer for a gamer, don’t buy him a gaming mouse , NES-style drink coasters , chopsticks , or anything else “creative”: you’ll go wrong. Give them a gift card instead. Whether it’s a Steam card for PC gamers or an Xbox or PSN card for console lovers, this is what they really want.
For the scientist: Skybasic digital microscope
If you’re giving a gift to a potential Anthony van Leeuwenhoek, this miniature wireless microscope will be a real treat. It’s easy to set up, works with PC, Android or iOS devices, magnifies objects up to 1000x, and captures 1080p photos of your discoveries.
A non-technical gift for you: Slow & Low Rock and Rye from Hochstadter.
Whether you find Christmas stressful or festive, I encourage self-care by tucking a bottle of booze into my own stocking. My suggestion: “Slow and Low ” by Hochstadter. It’s an effortless drink that’s classier (and stronger) than supermarket White Claw, with a retro vibe and a sweet taste that’s perfect for the holidays. Merry Christmas!