The holiday season is well underway, and at Sidebench HQ, we’re busy trying to complete our last minute holiday shopping for friends and family. While sorting through our options (thanks, Amazon Prime), we couldn’t help but notice how many gifts with emerging tech are sneaking into our shopping carts this year. As a result, we put together a quick holiday shopping guide that highlights some of the most popular tech purchases that you can gift this year.
Artificial Intelligence and IoT — Google Home
“Smart home” is a term that has been around for a while now, and with smart home appliance sales soaring, the topic of how to best create your own has been top of mind this holiday season. Other than your phone, virtual assistants are the control center of your connected home — ensuring it is as efficient as possible, without you lifting a finger.
This makes the Google Home a smart gift for any tech-savvy friend. Through the app, you can connect the Google Home to smart home devices such as lights, locks, TVs, and thermostats. Using speech recognition, the virtual assistant can perform an ever-growing range of tasks on command.
If you’re not entirely sold on the future of smart homes, Google also offers an affordable, entry-level version of the device called the Google Home Mini.
Robotics — Alexa and Wi-Fi enabled Roomba
While there is still a fear that machines will one day replace us, we have found ourselves learning to love some helpful household robots.
One machine that’s been steadily gaining popularity is the Roomba. This robotic vacuum differs from traditional versions as it brushes and cleans your homes carpets, rugs, and floors using a series of preprogrammed instructions and a level of Artificial Intelligence(AI) to work out where it needs to be.
The vacuum automatically guides itself using infrared beams to detect obstacles and slow itself down. It also uses a touch-sensitive bumper that stops the vacuum when it actually hits objects. The high-end versions even have beacons which send out infrared beams to understand where one room ends and the next begins, ensuring the whole room is cleaned before the machine moves on.
Not only will your loved ones be delighted by the time they get back from their cleaning regimen, but watching the robot work its magic is an enjoyable gift in itself.
iRobot Roomba 890 — Amazon, $485
Augmented Reality — iPhone X
2017 has been a defining year for AR technology. The world has become fascinated with not only its entertainment value in games such as Pokemon Go, but also in its potential to reinvigorate a large number of industries. Apple launched its ARKit this September, revolutionizing the process for creating AR-enabled applications.
Previously, this process involved developers using simple 2D overlays, but the ARKit provides the opportunity to create an immersive experience for the consumer. The kit automatically recognizes where your floors and walls are and then, using your iPhone camera and motion detectors, tracks movement. This allows digital objects to be mapped accurately and interact with you or the space in a more realistic way.
While the ARKit is created for developers, we as consumers are benefitting from the wealth of apps that have launched using this technology. A gift of an iPhone this holiday season is perfect for those of you with friends and family who are visual thinkers.
