Techy treats for all the family

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Forget hand-knitted jumpers, even if they do feature Darth Vader in a Christmas hat. This year, pack the latest technology under the tree. From your best friend to kids, teens and even grans, there really is a present for everyone (and, hey, maybe granddad has always wanted a hover board?).

Mince pie and credit card in hand? Then you’re ready to browse our Ultimate Christmas Technology Wish List for 2015. If you’re strapped for cash, simply copy and paste the whole thing into that letter to Father Christmas you’ve been planning to write.

 

For the seriously cool

HP Star Wars Special Edition notebook

Don’t even try to resist the power of the dark side – not with the new Star Wars film about to be released (and promising to be worth the wait this time). Celebrate early with a truly cool, special-edition gadget, like this notebook. Its Galactic Empire-themed design, 6th generation Intel® Core™ processor and extensive collection of rare Star Wars content (gasp!), will have you feeling like a Stormtrooper.

 

Sony Xperia Z5

Inarguably one of the most useful gadgets anyone can carry around with them is a smart phone. Why the Sony Xperia Z5? In a word: Bond. James Bond. That’s why. Enough said (If you really must know, it also features premium specs, an amazing camera and is completely waterproof for those super-agent-faces-killer-shark moments).

If you can’t quite afford a snazzy new phone, why not give the gift of all-day power? Power banks come in all shapes, weights and capacities, from credit-card-sized devices such as the Onaji Pawa for a quick boost, to the high-capacity Limefuel Blast L200X PRO, which packs a ton of power ideal for holidays. Juice up.

 

For the young (and young at heart)

Minecraft: Story Mode

Is there anything better for your Minecraft-loving friends and family than a brand new adventure? Plus, something block-shaped is easy to wrap. Discover Minecraft: Story Mode. This five-part game series takes place in the world of Minecraft but puts the user in control of their decisions. Episode One is available now, but the full Season Pass Disc is available to buy for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. So you'll be giving access to all five episodes as they're released – truly the gift that keeps on giving.

 

veho digital microscope

Open up new worlds for those with inquisitive minds. Digital microscopes show details the naked eye can’t see. The veho VMS-004 has magnification from 20 –400x and LEDs to light up the subject. It works with PCs and Macs and connects via USB.

 

For the fast and furiously fit

Activity trackers

With so many of us pledging to lose weight after a mince-pie fuelled fest, activity trackers are an Xmas favourite. Like a personal trainer (only much, much smaller), they monitor activity and encourage the wearer to exercise more. The data they store is synchronised with smartphones, tablets or PCs. Check out the Microsoft Band, Garmin Vivoactive and Epson Runsense.

 

Athos gear

Do you know someone fit who already has it all? Well, they probably don’t have this. Impress them with ultra-stylish sports clothing that has biosignal sensors woven directly into the fabric. Data is collected and analysed by the external Athos Core, which then sends it all to their mobile device via Bluetooth. Wow.

 

For the safety concious

Blaze Laserlight

Drivers often fail to see approaching cyclists. “No more!” said the makers of Blaze Laserlights, and combined LED and laser projection to beam an image of a bike onto the road ahead of the cyclist. As a result, the cyclist is far more visible. Doesn’t it give you a warm, just-drank-mulled-wine feeling to know that you’re spreading road safety and good cheer? Go, you.

 

Qwertycards

And while we’re on the subject of staying safe, here a great idea for those who don’t want to gift-wrap their data for thieves. Qwertycards are wallet-sized cypher cards that let you generate endless secure passwords that you can actually remember.

 

Eton Blackout Buddy H20

Feel truly all-powerful and give the gift of light during blackouts with this water-powered (yes, water-powered) flashlight. The Eton Blackout Buddy H20 provides up to 72 hours of continuous light with a single shot of water. It might not be the gift everyone wants, but it’s one they need.

 

For incurable romantics

Geeky heart necklace

Give that special someone a piece of your heart – in the form of a real heart cut from recycled computer parts such as circuit boards and hard drives. This nerdy neckwear is from Etsy reseller HardResols, plus recycling is good for the environment. Now that’s close to our heart.

 

3D printers

If you have more money than sense, print your loved one a bouquet of flowers with a personal 3D printer. There are many to choose from, including the CubePro personal 3D printer and UP! Mini 3D printer.

 

For everyone

Headphones

Everyone can use new pair of headphones (except your deaf grandma). The Sony MDR-1A are super-comfortable and versatile mid-range headphones. To splash the cash, there’s no beating Beats. The Beats Studio Wireless is an excellent wireless Bluetooth headphone. For something sporty that will fit into less flexible budgets, consider the Plantronics BackBeat Fit.

 

Tile

Don’t yell: “Where are my keys?” Nobody will know – until now. This tiny, Bluetooth-enabled Tile dongle can be stuck to keys or other easily misplaced objects. Access the connected Tile app on a smart phone and prompt the Tile dongle to either emit a sound or give you a visual location. You’ll find the lost item in no time, unless the dog ate it. 

Raspberry Pi, from Adafruit

Adadruit has a noble goal: to help the world learn and share electronics and computer programming. Help them in their quest by giving the Raspberry Pi, a single-board computer developed in the UK to be as small and low-cost as possible.