As a kid, there was no greater joy than finding that first bike under the tree. The same could be true for adults, if it’s an e-bike.
Electric bikes are some of the most Googled gifts this year. The bikes, such as one from the scooter company Bird, peddle themselves. A flip of a switch gives the option to do some peddling or let the bike do all the work uphill. Prices range from the thousands of dollars to around $700.
If they’re a gamer, the classic type, a chess set controlled by AI could be more their speed. The Square Off chess set lets them play against a computer or with another Square Off player from anywhere in the world. When the competitor makes a move, their chess piece magically moves.
If they capture one of yours, the piece moves off the board. The classic chess set is $500 but they have less expensive and less fancy versions now for under $300.
The Bartesian Duet robot bartender is a cocktail party favorite. Fill the bottles with your favorite spirits and, using these capsules that hold the ingredients, the Bartesian mixes cocktails perfectly. The original Bartesian has four bottles for spirits but takes up a great deal of countertop space. The new “Bartesian Duet” has two bottles for spirits and is $245.
And finally, there’s Amazon’s Astro home robot. Released to the public earlier this year, Astro guards the house when you’re not home, investigates sounds, takes items to other people, and entertains the kids with songs and dances. Amazon began marketing Astro to small business owners looking for a security system.
I’m not saying the best gifts are those that cost a lot of money, but these tech gifts will steal the show. And there’s little chance they have them.