Celebrating Dads and Graduates during these unprecedented times means thinking a little more about what could excite and delight them. If you find a gadget below that is a personal want, definitely go ahead and get it!
The products below range from medium-priced to high tech luxury. The Vaonis Stellina kit would be perfect for someone who might have everything. Help the Dads and Grads in your life, with a few smart gifts.
Accessories for your smartphone, tablet, and laptop, are no longer optional, as they make the mobile life so much easier. These handpicked tech tools are of high quality and tested first-hand.
Apple’s latest MacBook Air 2020 is powered by Intel’s 10th Gen CPU, has a nearly edge-to-edge Retina display, and most importantly, now includes the best keyboard experience they have built to date.
The Magic Keyboard found in the MacBook Pro 16”, is now in this new MacBook Air. Its all-day battery life, backlit keys, and svelte wedge design comes in a 2.8lb lightweight mobile experience. Safely guard your files, macOS, and make online purchases all with Touch ID.
Videoconferencing is easy with the top-mounted integrated camera. Work from home like you did in the office, with the amazing multi-tasking capabilities of macOS Catalina. Apple’s base configuration for the MacBook Air 2020 comes with double the amount of fast PCIe-based SSD storage at 256GB and 8GB of RAM. This is Apple’s least expensive MacBook with Intel’s latest chipset.
Starting at $999
Apple’s second coming of the iPhone SE now sports the top-of-the-line iPhone 11 A13 Bionic CPU. This cost-effective iOS smartphone can run with the big dogs and keep pace with the $1,399 Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra with Qualcomm 865 CPU.
For those interested in a smaller form factor iPhone, you will enjoy a 4.7” Retina LCD Screen, wireless charging, and Gigabit-capable 4G LTE wireless, with TouchID security. Take stunning photos with the rear 12MP OIS optically image-stabilized camera and record 4K UHD video. Take selfies with the 7MB front camera and full HD 1080P video.
Get Apple’s best-priced iPhone in years. This will come with firmware updates for years-to-come and that typically go well beyond what any Android manufacturer offers.
Starts at $399
Traveling through secure checkpoints is easier with the ScanFast BackPack 2.0 because of its one complete zippered compartment. This compartment fits up to a large gaming laptop so that it can stay in the bag, rather than being removed for placement in a bin.
Gaming laptops typically come with screens larger than 17” in size. This backpack from Mobile Edge can accommodate up to a 17.3” screened laptop. One of the most overlooked details for backpacks in this category is a padded laptop compartment. This carrying case has a padded laptop area and rubber feet, on the outside bottom, to protect from impacts when setting the laptop bag down.
$99.99
Enclave Cinehome II 5.1 True Wireless Surround Sound
Enclave has engineered one of the easiest to setup true wireless surround sound systems on the market. The usual setup experience of a surround sound system is that of unpacking everything and realizing you no longer have the manual for the AV Receiver. Then, after spending a considerable amount of time online trying to find the PDF, it has already been an hour. Figuring out how to program each channel and setting it all up takes the better part of an afternoon or weekend.
Save all of those hours and frustrations by picking up a Cinehome II 5.1 sound system from Enclave. It goes together very quickly with its instant plug-and-play CineHub. There is no AV Receiver or complicated settings to configure. The wireless connections to all of the satellite speakers are preprogrammed. A single HDMI cable plugs into the TV’s HDMI ARC port, which completes the install. Bam, that was easy and now you can experience room-filling sound that is rich and balanced.
$999 Reduced for Father’s Day Weekend
Mobile Edge Core Power 27000 mAh
Mobile Edge’s Core Power 27000 battery station is a workhorse in a compact and portable charging solution. It can power your MacBook Pro, up to 85W with the AC port, fast charge your iPhone with its USB-C port, and rapidly charge your Android device with its QuickCharge 3.0 enabled USB-A port.
Charge three smart gadgets simultaneously and stay safe in cases of emergency with its integrated bright LED light. It is flight safe in the U.S., but be sure to check with foreign flight agencies when traveling overseas.
$199.99
Want to read the next novel on your reading list, but do not want to go buy a physical book? With Oaxis’ 5.2” E Ink screen that is integrated into an iPhone case, reclaim that blank space from the back of your phone. This case in an eReader and so much more.
Help protect your iPhone from drops with BubblePro Technology and use the InkCase near water with its IP 67 waterproof rating. The battery is rated to last for up to five days and provides smart functions like live information widgets and a mirror mode so that you can use the iPhone’s best camera for selfies.
$99
Kingston Tech microSD Canvas Plus Memory Card Line
Kingston’s newest Canvas Plus line of microSD digital storage cards will help you to save thousands of moments at top speed and reliability. The Canvas Select Plus offers 100MB/s, the Canvas Go Plus offers 170MB/s, and the Canvas React Plus offers a whopping 285MB/s of speed for shooting high-resolution photos and Ultra HD videos.
These cards are optimized for use with your Android smartphones, video game devices, drones that record 4K video, and the Canvas React Plus is fast enough to record 8K video. Future-proof your storage by going for the Canvas React Plus microSD card in sizes up to 512GB.
Prices Vary by Size
Electrified scooters are one of the hottest trends for personal mobility, both in the city and suburban environments. People are using them to make short trips from their homes to parks, bus stops, businesses, and most places in between.
The EcoReco L5+ is rated to between 14-28 miles per full charge. I enjoyed traveling around my neighborhood, local parks, and retrieving some groceries all at a moment’s notice. Setup takes less than one minute for the handlebars to fold open and its main support to be locked into place. It folds and fits nicely under bus seats too.
Its rear-wheel drive is quiet and provides a nice amount of acceleration, even while going uphill. Its disk brake can regenerate power while stopping with Energy Recovery Braking as large electric vehicles do.
Make that last mile of travel fun and fast. Safety is a real concern when mobilizing oneself at high speed. It is recommended that you wear protective gear, like a helmet and mouthguard. Be sure to observe any city electric scooter ordinances and laws for optimal safety. They can be fun, much less expensive, and economical to operate, than using ride-sharing.
$999 Sale – Regularly $1,399
Anker 45W Ultra-Slim Fast Charger
GaN Fast Technology is here and in a big way. Anker’s use of the latest in charging technology allows for much smaller wall adapters, like this new 45W Ultra Slim Fast Charger. It easily fits in tight spots, like behind living room chairs, couches, airplane and bus power ports. The USB-C iQ port can power a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and fast charge an iPhone. This should be your 3-in-1 charging solution for powering up all of your Apple tech.
$37.99
Vaonis Stellina Observation Station
The STELLINA is the world’s most powerful all-in-one stargazing instrument with its 4-core 1.4GHz CPU, high-end Sony optics, and mighty embedded graphics processor. Travel across the cosmos in five minutes, with up to 20 connected devices, and discover objects like nebulae, that are light-years away. Learn about the solar system we live in by choosing from a database of up to a hundred celestial objects, with this observation station.
Use its advanced software to take long-exposures that bring star clusters to life. Enjoy a front-row seat to learn about the universe from home or on an adventure, education like this is priceless. Everything in the kit is controlled from the palm of your hand. Experiencing the Vaonis STELLIA Observation Station is truly wonderful. It is a luxury tech gift for someone that has everything!
$3,999
Anker PowerWave 15W Alloy Pad Qi Wireless Charger
Wirelessly charge your Apple and most Android devices at top speed, with Anker’s PowerWave Alloy Pad. It beams 15W for the Google Pixel 4, 10W high-speed charging for Samsung Galaxy smartphones, and 7.5W to the iPhone. It can even power up 5W Qi wireless devices too. Its anti-slip silicone pad design guides you to an optimal position for its charging coil.
$29.99
Wyze, a company synonymous with smart-home gadgets, like door locks and cameras, has released a wearable called the Wyze Band. This wearable can summon smarthome functions with your voice via Alexa. It can track your heart rate, fitness activity, and most importantly, sleep. It does all of this with 10-day battery life. The AMOLED touch screen clearly displays vital statistics while providing all of your notifications in one place. It is hundreds less than an Apple Watch Series 5, which cannot yet track sleep.
$24.99
Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 PD Backup Battery
Power Delivery via USB-C provides 18W of power from the PowerCore Slim PD battery to fast charge your late-model iPhone. The USB-A port comes with PoweriQ charging technology, which powers most everything else, including Bluetooth truly wireless earbud cases. Charge multiple smart gadgets at the same time, with both ports. This is one of the most compact and nicest looking 10K mAh batteries available from Anker.
$29.99
Harber London Apple MacBook Air 2020 13″ Laptop Leather Case
Harber London’s Macbook Air 13” Laptop Case is a fine, vegetable-tanned leather covering, with a microfiber lining, that is made by expert craftsmen in Spain. You have invested in the latest Apple MacBook Air, now its time to swaddle it in this timeless and premium laptop case.
Other less capable sleeves and cases can scratch your laptop device, while this one is made to protect it with a 360 anti-scratch enclosure. Travel in style and know that your investment is safe.
$127
Logitech Slim Folio Pro for iPad Pro 11″
So you have invested in an iPad Pro, now it is time to protect it. The iPad Pro 11” in some cases has bent slightly on its own while being transported in a backpack or a briefcase. That is where Logitech’s Slim Folio Pro protects your investment. The front and back protection, three-month battery life, backlit keys, all add up to be complimentary with their Pebble Wireless Mouse M350. Enjoy a desktop experience with mobility in mind for your iPad Pro 11” and above.
$119.99 – 129.99
Logitech Pebble i345 Wireless Mouse for iPad.
Finding a wireless mouse that works with iPadOS is not easy. Logitech’s Pebble i345 Wireless Mouse removes this guesswork because it is compatible with the iPad, iPad Mini, and iPad Pro. Its slim design and embedded laser technology even works on your bed. With an extended battery life of 18 months, use it without worry for over a year and a half. Pair this iPadOS compatible mouse with Logitech’s Slim Folio Pro keyboard case, showcased in this gear guide, for an on-the-go desktop experience.
$29.99
Choosing gifts for dads and grads is much easier with expert help. My recommendations above come with mobility in mind, hands-on testing, and some accessories to support that lifestyle.
The iPhone SE 2020, with its iPhone 11 A13 Bionic CPU, will provide years of service and firmware updates from Apple.
The Vaonis Stellina is an exciting and delightful gadget to take pictures of the cosmos from nearly anywhere. Be the captain of your own starship; travel light-years across the universe in five minutes, all via a touch of a button on your smartphone. These gifts should excite and delight dads and grads for many years to come.
Disclosure: Some of the gadgets above were supplied at no cost for review. Some were supplied on loan for this review gear guide. Some photos may be courtesy of the above companies. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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