San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Geeky gifts aiming to enhance any lifestyle
With the Bay Area having the largest concentration of hightech companies in the country, it can be hard to know what to get the hardtoshopfor techie. Here are five gift ideas for your favorite geek. — Matt Villano
TESVOR T8 ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER
OK, we admit it: Vacuuming is a chore that noone likes. That’s why robot vacuums are so popular — and so appreciated. While the Roomba dominated the space for years, Tesvor has come on strong in recent years. The newest model is voice activated through Alexa or Google Home, has decent suction, and will plug itself into a selfcharger. It also has the capability of mapping a home, which enables users to whip out an app and direct the vacuum where to clean next.
tesvor.com, $399.
AMAZON ECHO SHOW 5
This latest iteration of Alexa is a mashup of a traditional alarm clock and a Kindle; as a result, it’s much more functional than the traditional form of a monolithic speaker. The device, which has a 5.5inch screen, is great for gadget gurus who like interacting with virtual assistants but also want more of a digital interface. The tool comes with a builtin microphone and camera for voice calls, and has a camera shutter for privacy.
amazon.com, $79.
BOSE AR AUDIO SUNGLASSES
If your loved one loves wearables, he or she will love the latest from Bose: Sunglasses that double as headphones. The debut collection is designed to be sleek and quiet — even though the headphones don’t go in your ears, tiny custom speakers in glasses direct sound into your ears and away from others so passersby hear virtually nothing. The glasses are light and durable, made with metal hinges and nylon rims.
bose.com, $199.
AWAIR GLOW C
Not everybody can afford a smart home these days, but smart plugs are a great entry drug for the tech nerd in your life. These are connected devices one can program to perform specific tasks at specific times or under certain conditions. This device, for instance, boasts air quality, temperature and humidity sensors. The user can plug in a “dumb” air conditioner or fan and have that device come on automatically when the room begins to get uncomfortable.
getawair.com, $89.
PETSAFE AUTOMATIC PET FEEDER
For those of us with busy lives, remembering to feed the cats and dogs can sometimes be a challenge. That’s where an automatic, WiFienabled feeder can change everything. This device enables owners to schedule up to 12 meals in advance, or feed pets ondemand through an app. There’s even a “slowfeed” option where food is dispensed slowly over 15 minutes to help pets digest. The feeder also offers battery backup in case the power goes out (or PG&E shuts it off).
petsafe.net, $179.