Five Smart Tech Gifts Your Parents Will Love
As I get older, I’ve noticed that the gifts I receive become more useful and less fun. This year, I’m saying it’s time to balance the scales and give the seniors in your life a gift that ticks both boxes.
Smart technology is a great way to do this. There are many gadgets that can provide easy assistance and extra entertainment to your parents and grandparents while they are busy with their hobbies or household chores. This is what I would choose for my parents.
Smart bird feeder
You usually won’t sell someone a bird feeder concept by talking about the feeder itself, but when people see the photos and videos that a smart feeder can provide, they become instant evangelists. Considering that many seniors already enjoy bird watching, a good smart bird feeder makes a great gift.
The concept is no different from a regular bird feeder. Smart feeders come in different formats for hummingbirds and songbirds, and depending on which one you choose, you’ll put different food in them. Either way, the feeder sends notifications when the birds are eating, as well as a daily summary of how many visitors you have. The cameras capture images and videos that will make anyone giggle.
While there are many smart bird feeders on the market, I recommend using the Bird Buddy Feeder. Although they are a little difficult to connect to Bluetooth the first time, once up and running they work great. I recommend getting a solar powered feeder so you don’t have to worry about batteries, and I think the hummingbird feeder is especially well designed – I enjoy watching the videos I take of mine every day.
Smart camera mounted on TV for better video calls
At this point, most people have smart TVs, and most smart TVs have the ability to add a webcam. If you do this, you’ll be able to make Zoom, Google Meet, and other video calls from your TV. The advantage here is that you don’t have to look into your grandfather’s nostrils when he answers your call on his smartphone. Instead, grandparents can snuggle up on the living room couch and see their entire family on TV, and you can enjoy a conversation where you can actually see them both.
You’ll need to make sure their TV has the ability to add a webcam and that apps like Zoom or Google Meet are available. After that, you just need to connect the webcam to the TV’s USB port and go through the setup process.
A smart photo frame that can be downloaded from afar
Wi-Fi enabled frames are nothing new. However, in the last few years, a plethora of brands have entered the market offering stylized smart frames with accompanying apps that let you add images from anywhere. The Aura frames get top marks, but I’ve been using one from Skylight for the last year to share photos with friends. I appreciate that there are both easy ways to send photos (via email) and an app for more tech-savvy people.
Considering that all my friends with kids bought this frame for their grandparents, I think it’s worth buying them as a pair. Buy one for your grandparents and one for yourself so they can send you their photos. It’s a fun and technological way for them to communicate with you and the grandchildren.
Smart telescope for easy stargazing
I’ve played with telescopes for years and gave up when they turned out to be too heavy to carry around and use without requiring a steep learning curve. This year I tried a smart telescope – it’s small and fits in a bag smaller than most camera bags. It attaches to a standard tripod, and from the moment you turn it on, the app helps you find and identify stars. It’s extremely satisfying and much less intimidating than a “real” telescope. Unfortunately, they are expensive: from $500 to $ 1,500 .
However, if you’re looking for a larger gift for an aging stargazer, the Celestron is a good mid-range model. For $639, it gives you a series of computerized controls that make it easy to find and track what you see in the sky. It’s still small, although not as small and sleek as more expensive models, and it’s easy to set up.
Constant outdoor smart lighting
I know outdoor lighting doesn’t scream “fun,” but hear me out. The new look for holiday lights is permanent so you never take them off and you can change the entire color scheme from your phone. This means that even after the holiday season, your parents can work on a lighting design for any upcoming holiday. Valentine’s Day, St. Patty’s Day, Arbor Day and others can provide a new outlet for their creativity.
The lights are really fun to play with. You create programs on your phone and send them to traffic lights, which change instantly. An added benefit: This also means your parents won’t have to climb on the roof every holiday season to install and remove lights. As far as I understand, another victory.
The best gifts come with the support of children
Depending on the savvy of the parent you’re gifting these tech items to, you might consider customizing them for them (perhaps during your holiday visit). Pairing Bluetooth devices can sometimes take a few tries, but while most products are relatively easy to connect to the Internet, preparing a gift together can be a multi-generational family activity.