With another Valentine’s Day approaching, many of us prepare for a little consumerism in the name of displaying our affection for those we love. Mild stress induced from gift shopping has already set in for some of us, especially those who are shopping for an always-tuned-in techie. There is hope, though; we live in an age where tech is fused with nearly every aspect of our lives, so the alternatives are abundant. For those of you who don’t feel like life is best served by buying a box of chocolates, here are seven gifts your techie significant other will love.
1. An Aerial Drone for Capturing All the Highs
Does your daily life belong in epic movie sequences, each with an original soundtrack? Unless your day-to-day routine involves shooting music videos, probably not. That doesn’t have to stop you and your significant other from recording breathtaking shots, however. The 3DR Solo’s integration with the wildly popular GoPro camera makes it a stellar candidate. Don’t Own a GoPro or already have your own gear? Not to worry. There are numerous drones optimized for video taking on the market. There are even ones that, without any location guidance, fly themselves, like Lily and Hexo+.
2. A USB Pendant to Keep the Best Memories Close to Her Heart
Consumers are always looking for a way to improve the functionality provided by older, clunkier USB thumbdrives while enabling flash storage to take on a more creative physical presence. Why not give your SO a beautiful necklace or pendant with 8GB of storage space to take with her? She’ll never have to worry about forgetting her photo albums next time she wants to show off your last vacation, or while visiting a print shop. Etsy has healthy selection of contrasting pendant styles and is sure to have one fitting for her. If you’re looking for something similar on the male side, there are also USB cufflinks to consider…
3. A New (Smart) Wallet to Help Pay for a Romantic Dinner
Men love storing pertinent business cards, payment cards, and cash away in highly practical methods – the market for minimalist men’s wallets is a testament to that. Order him a new Radix One and he’ll in turn be inclined to pick up the movie tickets after your meal (of whatever you decide to do after your meal). Strong, polycarbonate components combine to make a wallet that holds 4-10 cards in an efficient, protective case. Or if you want to step the tech up a notch, pre-order a Walli smart wallet; it not only triggers a phone notification when the wallet has strayed (“out of range”), but also tracks the contents of the wallet, letting you know when cards are no longer where they’re supposed to be.
4. A Coin (or Cardberry) to Help Compound Your Love
Your SO will likely not have much room in his slender new wallet, so he’ll need something to consolidate his most frequently used cards into a simpler format. Coin does just that by bringing all his credit, debit, and loyalty cards into one NFC-enabled card. It’s acceptable anywhere that takes a magstripe and also compliant with October 2015’s EMV Liability Shift. Another alternative, available for pre-order, is Cardberry which claims to support a broader range of cards (with support for barcode scanning), offers a rechargeable base card and allows users to pass gift card dollars between one another.
5. A Fitness Tracker to Make Their Heart Flutter
Fitness trackers are gaining popularity left and right. It’s no longer geeky to wear tech; it’s savvy. The Jawbone UP3 is an incredible piece of engineering and looks great at the same time. With robust features like measuring sleep routines and heart health, the UP3 has my vote as a gift. However, there are tons of other fitness trackers flooding the market now: Fitbit, Garmin, and even Microsoft to name a few. Pick one that fits her (wardrobe and lifestyle) best and you probably can’t go wrong. Though much like avoiding the classic “gym membership” blunder, maybe it’s best to get a pair of them for the both of you…
6. 3D Printed Earrings To Show Affection that Transcends Dimensions
With near constant advancements in 3D printing, it was only a matter of time before people began making fashion accessories that actually look good. Shapeways sells quite a variety of jewelry, from highly fashionable earrings to even Minecraft ones. There may be some great ideas for him under their Gadgets category so be sure to give the whole site a peak.
7. A Scent Alarm Clock to Help Them Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
Last month Snapmunk covered a few new products that were trying to reinvent the traditional alarm clock. One that may be especially appealing for a V-day gift is the Sensorwake, which wakes you up with your choice of aroma instead of giving you a near heart attack. Available fragrances include Espresso, Chocolate, Croissant, Peppermint, Seaside, and Lush Jungle.
Of course each relationship is different, and picking out a unique Valentine’s Day gift for your significant other is all part of the fun. Hopefully some of the gifts in this list inspire you to be creative and appreciate how technology and Valentine’s Day have come to have their own flourishing romance.
