Sure, good things come in small packages, but the tech enthusiast in your life may be hoping for something just a little bit bigger this holiday season. Apple fans who’ve been lusting after big-screen Android phones don’t have to stray to the other side now. The new iPhone 6 (from $200) offers a 4.7-inch display, up from four inches for the iPhone 5, and the Plus model (from $300) has a 5.5-inch screen. Samsung’s Galaxy phones are still supersized. The S5 ($200) offers a 5.1-inch display, and the Note 4 (from $300 for a 5.7-inch display) can be used with the digital S Pen if you’d rather write out notes instead of typing.
Google’s also keeping it big with the Motorola-built Nexus 6 ($649 unlocked, $200 on carrier plan) whose six-inch screen puts it squarely in “phablet” territory.
For the readers in your life, Amazon has updated its top-rated Kindle with the new Voyage ($199) that aims for an even more book-like experience and is thinner and lighter than the Paperwhite ($119). Like to read by the pool? The Kobo Aura H20 ($179) is waterproof and comes with its own drying cloth just in case.
If it’s music they want but you’d rather not listen, try headphones. Wireless headphones by Beats, recently bought by Apple, come in at $380. You might want to consider Sony’s premium Bluetooth wireless headphones ($199) or Plantronics Back Beat Pro wireless noise cancelling headphones ($250).
Don’t forget your pets. If you’re worried you haven’t seen Spot run much lately, maybe he needs an activity tracker. The Whistle Activity Monitor ($99) attaches to your pet’s collar and lets you set goals, track progress and view highlights of your dog’s day with a mobile app.
Cool Apps
Holiday Shopping Help
Holiday shopping is hard enough, but there are apps that can help. First you have to decide what to buy for each person. The Christmas List ($1.99) by Limbua.com lets you create individual gift lists and track what you buy and spend (iPhone). For Android, consider Christmas Gift List by engApps.
With ShopAdvisor you can create wish lists, search for items, track price histories and get price alerts as well as tips on where to buy locally. For comparison shopping RedLaser, from eBay, lets you scan barcodes to compare prices online and in retail stores and find deals and coupons. RetailMeNot helps you find deals at stores and restaurants as well as get in-store offers. Shopkick gives you reward points for walking into participating stores, and you can later redeem the points for gift cards.
