We're now inside the final month before Christmas. Finding the right presents has never been harder and after covering the latest and greatest in technology for another year, its time to make our recommendation for the best gifts this Christmas. This gift guide is divided into age appropriate ranges, so you can easily find the right gift for that friend of family member in your life.
As the deals continue to arrive in the leadup to Christmas 2016, this post will be updated. If you spot any you think would be great to include, let us know in the comments.
Cloud Night Light
Like it or not, some kids get scared by the dark and this cloud nightlight is a friendly way to maintain a comforting glow. Its cheap, easy and will make the world of difference to the little ones.
Price: $5.00
Purchase: Kmart
Bluetooth Water Dancing Speakers
These 2 x 3W speakers won't blow you away with audio quality, but given these are for the little ones, you don't need it to. The biggest draw card of these, is the visual compliment to the sound which is achieved through LED lights dancing visual water display.
Price: $20.00
Purchase: Kmart
MID-SIZE DRONE WITH 720P CAMERA
Drones are seriously hot right now, but you should steer away from the cheapest, they are incredibly difficult to control and will be crashed (and maybe destroyed) on Christmas Day. This one offers a remote controller with thumbsticks for a reasonable price.
Price: $59.95 (RRP #129.00)
Purchase: Aus electronics direct
Laser Zipper Ear Buds
These funky ear buds from Laser are the ultimate gift for the littlest music buff. The perfect companion to any portable music player, smartphone or tablet and idea for summer road trips, these headphones have a built-in volume limiter that ensures protection for young ears. Its soft ear cushions block out external noise and coated with metallic pain and matching colour silicon tips, these are a great, kid-friendly stocking stuffer.
Price: $9.00
Purchase: Big W
Sphero SPRK+ Edition App-Controlled Robotic Ball
The standard app-controlled robotic balls are fun, but the Sphero SPRK+ Edition will inspire a love of robotics, coding, and STEM principles… all through play.
The Sphero rolls at speeds of over 7 kmph and pairs to a mobile device via Bluetooth with a range of up to 30 metres. Powered by induction charging, it’s sensationally bright and ready for any adventure!
Price: $149.00
Purchase: Kogan
Spotify Music Pass
Buying CD in 2016 is a no no. Most of us no longer have devices to play them on, its time you upgraded your present to a streaming music service like Spotify. The lucky recipient can then access music from a PC or mobile device and stream any of the more than 16 million songs available.
Price: 1 month - $11.99, 3 month - $35.97, 6 month - 71.94, 1 year - $143.88.
Purchase: Spotify
HTC Vive
Explore Virtual Reality from the comfort of your living room with the HTC Vive. The real world is amazing, but when its raining, you can't enjoy it, the virtual world is always ready to go. Give your loved one the gift of one of the most advanced VR experiences.
The price of the Vive means it'll be for someone you really, really love, but you also should know this person well enough to know they're into the latest and greatest PC. The HTC Vive requires a PC with VR-ready performance, sold separately.
Price: $1,399.00
Purchase: JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman.
Philips Hue Go portable light
Smart lighting is all the go right now and while there's a plethora of connected light bulbs, they can't be moved. The rechargeable Hue Go is a connected and portable multi-coloured light source that can be controlled from your mobile phone. Simply drop it into an room and create a unique mood not available by standard white bulbs.
Price: $149.95
Purchase: Apple Store.
Samsung Gear 360
The Gear 360 is a great gift for travellers and memory keepers alike. Light weight and easy to use, the Gear 360 lets you capture 360-degree videos while in the moment, which can then be shared across social media or viewed at any time using the Gear VR.
Price: $499.00
Purchase: Select leading retailers
PlayStation VR
Buy the gift of immersion for that special gamer in yourlife. No grandma, this won't work with the Xbox, but as long as your special someone lives in the PlayStation camp, the PlayStation VR would be a great gift this Christmas.
One of the most affordable ways to get into interactive VR, this is an experience that will only continue to get better over time as new titles arrive through 2017, until then, there's 8 games included.
Price: $549.95
Purchase: EB Games, JB Hi-Fi, BigW, Sony.
Fitbit Charge 2
With the latest in fitness tracking from Fitbit, your loved ones can track their movement, monitor their sleep and receive smartphone notifications. Its not an Apple watch, but hits all the main functionality of it for a fraction of the price.
Price: $236.00
Purchase: Harvey Norman
Glass Cordless Kettle
Kettles are one of those utilities that are often fogotten, like irons or vacum cleaners. Even if someone you know has a kettle, this would make for a great upgrade. The modern glass body design lets you see what's happening internally in the kettle as the water boils.
Price: $27.00
Purchase: Kogan
Uniden iGO Cam 325 dashcam
Aussie drivers are pretty terrible and anyone with a car has had that moment where they wish they could record the absurdities that unfold in front of them. This in-car recorder will automatically record if the G sensor is triggered, like if someone hits your vehicle while you're in the shops. Think of it as a high-tech insurance policy.
Price: $67.00
Purchase: Harvey Norman
Parrot Flower Power
After pouring hours of time caring for that special plant, the last thing you want it to have it die because you've forgotten to maintain it. The Flower Power monitors sunlight, temperature, fertilizer and moisture through a sophisticated array of sensors. Alerts sent to a mobile phone will ensure the plant is never forgotten.
Price: $89.99
Purchase: Parrot
