• MSRP: $149.95

The Gun Box Echo

Gun ownership is a pretty common thing in the US, but it is amazing how many people still don’t follow proper safety rules when it comes to storing a firearm. We wanted to feature the Gun Box Echo because it is not only a really cool piece of tech, but also because it could save lives. For our money, we haven’t found a better gun safe out there that will keep everyone from kids to crooks out of it, but is extremely easy to get to in case of an emergency.

There are three ways that you can get into the Echo. the first is by fingerprint. We were really impressed with the fingerprint scanner because it allowed us to change the sensitivity. That is great for people who don’t have really distinct fingerprints. The next way is is through in the included RFID tags. Keep one on your key chain or give them to people you want to have access to the safe and you are good to go. The final way is via a blue tooth connection to their app. It not only allows you to access it, but it gives you the opportunity to open it for others. Finally, we loved its portability. While it is great that you can anchor it down with the steel cable, you can also take it with you if needed and the rechargeable battery lasts for 18 months.

Get yours today at: Gunbox

 

 

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  • MSRP: $149.00-$249.00

Nightingale Smart Home Sleep System

If you know someone who has trouble sleeping, the Nightingale is one of two great ideas that we’ve got for you this year. Think of the Nightingale as the white noise machine of the future. Where most white noise machines are stand alone systems that try to be one-size fits all, the Nightingale can be customized to your room type so that it bathes you in sound that is tuned to the acoustics of your room. They’ve done studies with it that show it helps you fall asleep up to 38% faster, and our personal tests fell right in line with that. We had a much easier time nodding off with Nightingale on than with it off. As an added bonus, it can be integrated into most smart home set ups. It comes in two versions. The standard version is perfect for smaller bedrooms, but bigger rooms might need the premium because it comes with two units.

Get yours today at: Nightingale

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  • MSRP: $99.00

Nucleus Wifi Intercom

The Nucleus Wi-Fi Intercom is the newest and most used addition to our household. The ridiculously easy to set up touchscreen device can be used as either a video or audio intercom able to connect instantly to any compatible device in the family no matter the distance (we have ours set up in our house only, but it’s nice to know we could get one for family in other states if we decide). The call quality is clear and night vision has been great for emergency midnight calls from the little one with a nightmare. The device can link to an existing Amazon Echo and allows you to stream music and access most of the Alexa functions independently. Bonus features: when not in use it displays time/date/indoor and outdoor temp/humidity level, ability to turn off auto answer or block camera (to ensure privacy), can be used on phone via mobile companion app (iOS and Android), works with the Ring Video Doorbell.

Get yours today at: Nucleus

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  • MSRP: $99.00

3Doodler Star Trek Edition

By now, you’ve heard of the 3Doodler, the mystic love child of a pen and a 3D printer. Well, did you know that there’s a special Star Trek version? There is, and it rocks. First of all, the pens on the 3Doodler are a lot better than they used to be. So, if you have tried earlier models and found them frustrating, the new version is a lot smoother. the great thing is that once you get it (and the 50 plastic strands it starts you off with), your limit is really only your imagination. However, if you love Trek, or just need someone to give you some guidance, this special edition comes with 15 projects to start you off, including the USS Enterprise, your own Federation Badge, or a phaser! Great present for the creative Trekkie in your life.

Get yours today at: Thinkgeek

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  • MSRP: $79.99

Lume Cube

The difference between good and bad photos and footage on your camera and mobile phones, often comes down to lighting. We loved the Lume Cube because it made lighting simple. It is fast charging, completely water-proof (making it perfect for your action or underwater footage), and can easily be controlled via the app on your phone. It even works as a camera flash when synced up with your phone’s camera. Also, and this was really important for us, this thing is super durable. Seriously. We dropped it several times and it kept ticking. Ideally, this is best suited to people who are looking to take action or underwater footage, but it’s a great light over all.

 

 

Get yours today at: Lumecube

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  • MSRP: $29.99

Sparkr Plasma Lighter

Regardless of whether you smoke, a lighter is something that everyone should always have in their pocket, glove box, or go bag. The challenge is that lighters are susceptible to weather. They won’t work if it’s too windy or it’s raining… you know, two big times when you’d actually want it to work. Thankfully, Power Practical has created the Sparkr. Instead of using butane or propane, the Sparkr is a rechargeable plasma lighter that is impervious to the elements and it basically makes lightning at the push of a button. As an added bonus, the Sparkr comes with a very bright LED built in to it so that you can find your way around when the power goes out.

Get yours today at: Power Practical

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  • MSRP: $44.95

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WiTouch Pro

There’s a good chance that you have someone on your gift list that is struggling with back pain. It’s a pretty common problem around here, so we had a few people test out the WiTouch Pro to see if it helped. It did! It sticks right to your back with the help of re-usable gel pads and works wirelessly in conjunction with an app on your phone. The TENS unit did wonders for everyone who tried it. It stands above it’s competitors by not only having four different treatment types, but it also allows you to manually adjust through 15 levels of intensity so that you can get as much or as little of the sensation as you need without going overboard.

Get yours today at: Hollywog

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  • MSRP: $249.00

Sleep Shepherd Blue

If you are looking for a way to optimize your sleep, the Sleep Shepherd might be just the thing. It uses bi-neural beats to help you train your brain to gradually move from the waking frequency to the sleep frequency. To control it and help track your sleep patterns, it comes with a companion app that will measure your brainwaves as you are trying to get to sleep and while you are sleeping so it can accurately track the quality of the rest you are getting. It is a really great new take on using biorhythms and bio-feedback to help improve your health and well-being.

 

 

Get yours today at: SleepShepherd

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  • MSRP: $149.00

Trezor Bitcoin wallet

For the crypto nerds out there who’ve watched their Bitcoin skyrocket from below $500 to over $8000 this year, Trezor is a must have to properly safeguard your investment. Launched in 2014, Trezor is a key-sized Bitcoin hardware wallet that connects easily and securely to your computer via USB. It’s capable of analoging your Bitcoins by storing them with a private key offline and protecting your crypto currencies against both physical and virtual theft. While we can’t endorse it as being the best in class in security (what do we know?!), what we can say is that it’s rather easy to setup and involves setting a PIN code/24-word seed and passphrase and can be done both online and offline for the most paranoid (aren’t we all just a little paranoid?). The little dongle uses no battery and can power on immediately once it detects a USB power source. Trezor is also compatible with several online wallets and is capable of storing more than just Bitcoin but also other popular crypto currencies such as Litecoin, Ethereum, Dash and others we’ve never even heard of. If we have any criticisms it’s that the dongle itself feels plastic and cheap. It does not have a premium feel to it. At the same time, it’s also not something you’d want to carry around daily with your keys. Given how flimsy it feels, we do want to assure readers that if you end up breaking or needing to replace your Trezor, the 24-word seed is able to recover your crypto with little to no worries. For fans who may already have a Trezor or is thinking about getting one, you should definitely check out their upcoming Trezor model T. A next gen version that they are currently taking pre-orders on and is expected to ship 2018.

Get yours today at: Trezor

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