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2018 Gift Guide – Senior gift ideas

ARTICLE – If you have older parents, grandparents, and friends on your holiday list this year, here are some gift ideas to help you out with your shopping tasks.

NurtureWatch

Everybody wants their independence, but some people have physical, emotional, mental, or other problems that mean they may need a little extra help maintaining that independence.  If you have a loved one who needs a little extra help from you, get them the NutureWatch.  This watch is a lifeline between you and them.  And because they wear it, your loved one will have that lifeline with them wherever they are, even when they aren’t at home.

The watch allows you to monitor their heart rate from anywhere in the world using the associated app.  You can see their GPS location, and you can even set up geofencing around Safe Zones for them and get an alarm if they leave that area.  You can pre-define three contacts on the watch, which can be dialed quickly just with a tap on the screen whenever the wearer needs to talk to a caregiver.  The NutureWatch can sense falls and send out alarms to all three caregivers within seconds of the fall.  And there’s a red button the wearer can push and make a phone call in an emergency.

“With heart rate monitoring technology, SOS Distress Alert options, abrupt movement detection (which may indicate a fall), watch location history and navigation, and Safe Zones, the NurtureWatch offers a sense of security and connection and will aid in improving quality of life for seniors.”

Price: $199, but can be free with certain monthly monitoring plans.  A monitoring plan is required.
Where to buy: NutureWatch

Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame

Need a way to send photos to grandparents without having to have your digital photos printed out and mailed?  Get your folks the Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame, and you can send them updated photos without ever licking a stamp.  Julie reviewed this digital frame, and she said she liked it better than any of the other digital frames she’s reviewed.  She said it had great images, and it was controllable by remote control, motion detection, or scheduling.  It’s even easier now to send photos to the Nixplay frame than when she first reviewed it.  Google opened their API partner program for Google Photos. Nixplay is one of the first companies to join this partnership program, and they have integrated it into their Nixplay mobile application. What does this mean for the Nixplay frames? It means that when you connect your Google Photos account to your frame, albums that you create in Google Photos will automatically sync with the frame every hour.  Gramma and Gramps are going to love all the photos they’ll be getting daily!

Price: $289.99
Read our review: Nixplay WiFi Cloud Frame review
Where to buy: Amazon

Bamboo Reading Rest book holder

After some years of living, your hands and wrists start to show the wear-and-tear of daily living, working, and playing.  Reading may not be as enjoyable anymore because books, or even tablets, can be uncomfortable to hold.  Or maybe your hands are fine, but you have more time to enjoy hobbies now and need a stand to hold a cookbook while you whip up dinner or to hold sheet music or knitting patterns while you enjoy your leisure time.  The Bamboo Reading Rest book stand can hold anything you need it to hold.

It can be adjusted to six viewing angles, so you can find the one most comfortable for you.  It’s sturdy and stable, and the holding arms can accommodate even thick books.  And it folds up flat for storage when you aren’t using it.

Price: $35
Read our review: Roborock S5 Robotic Vacuum and Mop cleaner
Where to buy: Amazon

Roborock S5 Robotic Vacuum and Mop cleaner

I’ve found now that I’m of a certain age, I just don’t want to vacuum and mop floors.  Unfortunately, neither does anyone else in my house, so I need a friendly little robot to do those chores for me.  The Roborock S5 will not only vacuum, it will also mop your floors!  It also has the GPS functionality to map out your house and all its rooms, finding and avoiding obstacles.  And it handles carpets, rugs, hardwoods, and other hard floors without a problem.  The app allows you to send the robot out to vacuum your whole house at once, or it will allow you to draw a zone on the house map to show the robot which room or area to clean now.  It does a great job, and it’s quiet enough to even use at night so you wake up to a clean floor.  It’s not cheap, but it’s much cheaper than maid service!

Price: $570
Read our review: Roborock S5 Robotic Vacuum and Mop cleaner review
Where to buy: Amazon

Kindle Oasis E-reader

For avid readers who may find they can’t hold books because of arthritic hands or who have downsized and don’t have storage for physical books, an eBook reader is ideal.  Amazon’s Kindle Oasis is great for seniors.  The shape of the back makes it easier to hold.  The eInk screen is easy to read because of the high-contrast, non-reflective display.  If you need a little extra light for easier reading, the Oasis has a built-in book light that uniformly illuminates the screen.  It has enough storage for a library of books and magazines, and you can easily send new reading material from Amazon to their Oasis even if they don’t have WiFi at home.  And Oasis is Amazon’s first waterproof Kindle, which means it’s safe from accidental spills.  And the battery lasts for days, not hours, for longer reading times between battery charges.

Price: $249.99
Where to buy: Amazon

Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp 1.7-liter electric kettle

Having a quick, easy source of hot water for tea, coffee, and instant soups, oatmeal, or noodles without having to heat up the stove every time makes meals and snacks easier.  The Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp electric kettle is a great tool for anyone’s kitchen.  The pot quickly heats up water to your pre-selected temperature and can hold it there for 30 minutes so you can decide to have a second serving without having to start the kettle again.  You don’t have to worry about the dangers of a kettle boiling dry with the Cuisinart, because it will automatically turn off.  The pot lifts off the base, so you can easily pour without worrying about getting the electrical cord tangled up and causing a spill.

Price: $69.97
Where to buy: Amazon

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2018 Gift Guide – Senior gift ideas originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 14, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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The coolest advancements that happened in 3D printing in 2018

ARTICLE – As an innovation, 3D printing continues to amaze and impress technology enthusiasts with the extent of its possibilities. Here are five accomplishments that highlight how quickly 3D printing has improved and evolved.

1. We Can Make Lithium-Ion Batteries in Almost Any Shape

Lithium-ion batteries power many electronic gadgets, ranging from mobile phones to laptops. However, designing new devices with the same power source was often tricky since designers had to keep the shape of existing batteries — typically cylindrical or rectangular — in mind when making their prototypes.

Product makers wouldn’t have to conform to such constraints for much longer. In October 2018, researchers announced a way to 3D-print batteries in virtually any shape required. While the capacity of those batteries is about two orders of magnitude lower than commercially available batteries, researchers have several ideas for making improvements.

2. Severely Broken Bones Can Heal Using 3D-Printed Advancements

Even the most skilled orthopedic experts can’t guarantee that broken bones will set adequately and eventually be good as new. In particular, when accidents cause half of a long bone to shatter, no surgical interventions that ensure proper healing are currently available. That problem is especially debilitating for soldiers who may get such injuries due to explosions and other combat injuries.

With the help of a $2 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, scientists at the University of Arizona hope to use 3D printing and adult stem cells to help those kinds of bone issues heal. The team used 3D printing in the lab to create bone-shaped frames, or “scaffolds.” They then filled those with stem cells and calcium particles, which speed the healing process.

The scaffolds serve as a template for the growth of the bone. So far, the researchers have completely formed a new bone in about three months. They want to continue testing to see if exercise could heal the area more rapidly. Further research will include these 3D scaffolds equipped with sensors that transmit exercise data and compare the progress of an active group of participants versus an inactive one.

3. Classic Car Production Can Get a Jump-Start

People have discovered more ways to print metal with 3D printing in 2018. For example, in March 2018, Dutch engineers completed the first 3D-printed steel bridge, and Russian scientists recently announced they’ve come up with a new metal powder composition that doubles the strength of 3D-printed aluminum.

These advancements are significant because they may allow companies to compensate for the steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by President Trump in 2017. They affect multiple countries besides the U.S., and, according to one poll, half of Americans opposed the tariffs.

3D printing of metal parts could allow some automobile manufacturers to make more components in-house, thereby getting fewer imported parts that are subject to the tariffs. Mercedes-Benz started remaking its classic cars with help from 3D printing, building parts that are otherwise obsolete. Porsche does the same by manufacturing steel and alloy parts for its classic cars with 3D printing, allowing the company to produce them on an as-needed basis.

Besides giving automotive brands more control over parts production and avoiding potential tariffs, these improvements could assist classic car owners in getting parts directly from the manufacturer. They can then keep their prized possessions on the road and working well while giving manufacturers another profit stream.

4. 3D-Printed Mouthguards Can Fight Oral Diseases

Oral diseases can be extremely painful, especially when it’s difficult for dentists to target the cause with the necessary medications. However, scientists believe they have opened up the possibilities for oral medication delivery methods with a 3D-printed wearable that gives a customized fit based on the patient’s tooth impressions. It’s similar to a mouthguard used to prevent nighttime teeth grinding or sports injuries.

In two tests — including one on humans — researchers found the device reliably released an oral anti-inflammatory drug over two weeks. The process of making the mouthguard took only a couple of hours, substantially faster than the technique for making traditional mouthguards.

Researchers also believe it’s possible to apply their fabrication methods to other devices, which could lead to other advancements for the patients who need them.

5. Robots Can Work Together to Print a Concrete Structure

3D printing lends itself to other technologies, and when used together, the associated advancements may be even more impressive. Scientists in Singapore proved that when they developed a way for robots to 3D-print parts of a concrete structure in sync, thereby finishing the task rapidly.

The team also says their method — which benefits from swarm printing — allows for unique concrete shapes not possible with conventional casting. This method combats the problem that traditional 3D printing methods faced when printing concrete — the printers were often larger than the structures produced, making them unfeasible for construction sites with limited free space.

During a test, two mobile robots teamed up to make a concrete structure in eight minutes, although the material required two days to harden and a week to reach its full strength. The project’s team wants to explore using more robots to work on these concrete projects to determine the most efficient way to cure the concrete.

The researchers envision a future where people could bring mobile robots to a work site, program them to print the parts and then transport them elsewhere. They’re currently working to coordinate the robots’ movements so the machines won’t collide and are excited about what they’ve already achieved.

What Will 2019 Bring?

This list emphasizes the diversity of potential for 3D printing, especially in the problems it could solve. It should inspire people to wonder what’s ahead for 2019 and feel enthusiastic about the possible advancements.

Image by Rawpixel

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The coolest advancements that happened in 3D printing in 2018 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 12, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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2018 Gift Guide – Tech gift ideas

ARTICLE – Call them geeks, call them techies, or call them nerds, but people who like gadgets, gear, and gizmos are sometimes the hardest people to buy for because there are so many products that fit in that niche that it’s hard to know what to pick. If you have techies on your holiday list this year, here are some gift ideas to help you out with your shopping tasks.

Cross X Liberty United Collector’s Edition Carbon Black Rollerball Pen

Available in the color you see above or grey, this rollerball pen not only looks sharp but it has a story. The Cross X Liberty United pens are made from recycled melted steel from confiscated guns that have been taken off the street of America by police officers. The pen features a slide and click open and close mechanism, a pocket clip with a serial number of a confiscated gun that was taken off the streets, and a lifetime Mechanical Guarantee.

Price: $95.00 MSRP
Where to buy: Amazon

Pixel Pals

Here’s a fun gift idea for any comic book or gaming nerds on your holiday gift giving list. They are called Pixel Pals and they are collectible pixel art versions of your favorite game and comic book characters. Besides the fact that they have a cool retro vibe, they also light up. Each one is around 6 inches tall and is powered by 2 AAA batteries.

Price: $14.99
Where to buy: pdp.com and Amazon

Watch Gang watch of the month club

Forget about coffee of the month or sausage of the month subscription clubs, that idea is played out. Instead, check out Watch Gang, a watch of the month club that ships a cool wrist watch to you each month. The watches are different styles and brands, but you get to choose the basic style that you like best upon sign up so you’ll be happy with the monthly selections. There are 3 tiers to the club that will send watches valued from $150 up to $1500 each depending on the tier. Club members are even in the running for weekly drawings for TAG and Rolex watches.

Price: $29 – $299 a month or a one time purchase of $29, $99, or $299
Where to buy: watchgang.com

Bluffworks travel wear

 

Andy Jacobs: BluffWorks might just be the best travel clothing company you’ve not yet heard of, and as an owner and wearer of a handful of BluffWorks items, I can attest to this.  Their Chino Pants are outstanding: very comfortable with just the right amount of stretch, a slimming cut, and hidden security pockets.  Their Travel Shirts are similar, with a bit of stretch, and almost impossible to wrinkle.  But my favorite recent BluffWorks item is their Gramercy line of Blazers and Pants that can be worn separately or combined into the most comfortable suit I’ve ever owned, and hands-down the best for travel (both pieces are machine washable, too).  As with all of BluffWork’s apparel, the Gramercy Suit has just a bit of stretch, but the fabric has a very classy look and feel, like a sporty suit would.  The Blazer is also packed with extra pockets that make it even more perfect for travel..  If you have a traveler in your life, are a traveler yourself, or just like sharp-looking and functional men’s clothing, BluffWorks should be on your holiday gift list.

Price: varies depending on the garment
Where to buy: Bluffworks

Leatherman Micra

If you’re looking for a small pocket-friendly multi-tool that includes a handy pair of scissors, a knife, screwdriver, and 7 other tools, the Leatherman Micra is a popular choice. Available in a variety of colors, this stainless steel tool is built to stand up to everyday wear and tear and will provide years of EDC use.

Price: $29.95 MSRP
Read our review: Leatherman Micra multi-tool review
Where to buy: Amazon

Circuit Scribe

Flying a drone is fun, so building your own drone and then flying it has to take the fun to a whole new level right? Yes! But building a drone has to be difficult right? Nope. It’s not with the Circuit Scribe kit, which lets you build a drone by drawing the electrical circuits with a pen that has conductive ink. It might sound like tech sorcery, but it’s not. This kit provides everything you need to get your drone up and flying quickly. It even has a built in camera and you can control the drone with your phone.

Price: $60.00
Where to buy: circuitscribe.com

La Roche-Posay My Skin Track UV Sensor

 

When I was a kid, my sister and I would get burned to a crisp every summer when we’d spend the day at the lake house of a friend of my dad’s. We thought it was funny back then, but of course, that was back in the ’70s when coating your skin in baby oil and laying outside in the sun seemed like a perfectly great idea. Now we know better and this tiny clip-on UV sensor from La Roche-Posay measures and tracks your UV exposure and provides pollution, pollen, and humidity information based on your location all without needing to be charged. Just clip it your clothes or cap and it will do the rest through the iOS app (sorry, there’s no support for Android yet).

Price: $59.95
Where to buy: Apple

Jabra Elite 65t wireless earbuds

Our own Dave Rees loves these earbuds and said as much in his review this past spring:

The Elite 65t’s are Jabra’s second generation of truly wireless earbuds with improved sound quality, a better, more secure fit, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. These lightweight earbuds are not only comfortable with a secure fit but engineered/optimized for listening to music, videos, and participating in calls.

…the Elite 65t’s have become my new goto headphones for the rest of the time. Their comfort, secure fit, sound quality, and overall design are excellent and really the truly wireless earbuds to beat.

Price: $169.99 MSRP
Read our review: Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds review
Where to buy: Jabra and Amazon

Element Case Vapor-S Bumper for the iPhone

 

Why cover up your snazzy looking iPhone with a boring plastic case that hides the Apple logo when you can add the head-turning unique protection of the Vapor-S Bumper Case from Element Case. The Vapor-S bumper is made of aluminum and polycarbonate that has mil-spec drop protection and a raised edge that makes sure the iPhone’s display and the camera lens stays above any table top that you set it on.

Price: $79.95
Where to buy: Elementcase.com and Amazon

ThinOptics Reading Glasses

When you reach a certain age, your eyes change requiring you need progressive lenses in your existing glasses or you need a pair of reading glasses. If you’re in the latter group, consider a pair of ThinOptics which are…wait for it… thin! ThinOptics are available in a variety of fun styles, colors, and in strengths from +1.00 to + 2.50.  But the really cool thing about ThinOptics is that they can be carried with you all the time. Either on a keychain, on the back of your phone case, or in your pocket.

Price: $19.95 – $49.88
Read our review: ThinOPTICS Reading Glasses review
Where to buy: ThinOptics.com and Amazon

Kano Computer Kit Touch

I reviewed this touch screen computer kit back in October and absolutely loved it. It was a lot of fun to put together because it comes with easy to understand instructions and it doesn’t require any special tools. Although this kit is marketed for kids, adults that like to tinker will like it too especially if they have an interest in learning to program.

Price: $279.99
Review our review: Kano Computer Kit Touch review
Where to buy: Amazon

Silk Smartish smartphone cases

Protect your iPhone and some Samsung Galaxy smartphones with a variety of cases from Silk Smartish. They offer cases that not only protect the phone but offer additional features like the ability to leave your wallet home and carry your main credit cards right in the back of the phone case.

Price: $9.99 – $24.99
Where to buy: Silksmartish.com

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is a service that gives your kids great content for their devices. Content includes digital books, movies, TV shows, educational apps, and games, in both English and Spanish, each hand-selected for quality and age-appropriateness by the Amazon FreeTime team. For just $2.99/month for Prime members or $4.99/month for customers who are not yet Prime Members (one-year pre-paid plans are available, too). Another easy option: every new Fire Kids Edition tablet and Echo Dot Kids Edition comes with a one-year subscription to FreeTime Unlimited.

Price: $2.99/month for Prime members or $4.99/month for customers who are not yet Prime Members
Where to buy: amazon.com/freetime

HP Sprocket Printer

From my review: I’ve reviewed a couple other printers very similar to the HP Sprocket, so I wasn’t expecting the resulting prints to be much if any different than ones I’ve been using for years. But I actually was surprised. The prints from the HP Sprocket look a bit crisper and have more vibrant colors than prints from Polaroid and Panasonic ZINK printers which have always looked a bit washed out to me. The HP Sprocket app is a bit more polished as well compared to the other printer apps. If I was in the market for a pocket-sized photo printer today, my first choice would be the HP Sprocket portable photo printer. It’s a keeper.

Price: $129.99
Read our review: HP Sprocket portable photo printer review
Where to buy: HP and Amazon

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2018 Gift Guide – Tech gift ideas originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 22, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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2018 Gift Guide – Gift ideas for photographers

ARTICLE – It’s Christmastime again, and time to make that shopping list. Here is a collection of great gift ideas for the photographer in your life, or maybe you are the photographer and you want to treat yourself this holiday season.

Spider SpiderPro Single Camera System V2 camera holster

This holiday season, give the photographer in your life a gift that will keep on giving. Photography gear is expensive, and many photographers spend a lot of money on their equipment and sometimes neglect to invest in the important accessories needed to safeguard that equipment. This camera holster will ensure that they can walk around with their camera and lens with ease and not worry about dropping and damaging their precious gear. Securing and removing the camera and lens is quick but safe, and the entire holster is built to last.

Price: $150.00
Read our review: Spider SpiderPro Single Camera System V2 camera holster review
Where to buy: Spider or Amazon

Canon’s new 470EX-AI flash

Getting your camera Speedlite to give you the right lighting is always a challenge, especially when you need to bounce light off of a wall or ceiling to get the perfectly lit shot. This holiday season, give the gift of Artificial Intelligence and help your photographer to take the guessing out of their hands. This flash does it for you and intelligently moves into the right place at the right time.
Price: $349
Read our news story: Canon’s new 470EX-AI flash may be just the right solution
Where to buy: B&H Photo Video

The Yongnuo YN-14EX-C Macro Ring Flash

Macro photography is a great way to enjoy photography and to take really close up detailed and interesting pictures. Maybe you know a photographer who has never tried macro photography, or maybe they are interested in this type of photography but they simply do not have the right tools. For the perfect macro shot, you need the perfect lighting. This macro flash will help to make sure that your photographer is a happy camper and that their macro shots hit the right spot every time.

Price: $99
Read our news story: The Yongnuo YN-14EX-C Macro Ring Flash is a winner
Where to buy: Amazon

The Canon SELPHY CP1300 Compact Photo Printer

While technology has taken us all the way to digital photos on our phones and tablets, there are still many people that like to have an actual photograph in their hands. Whether your favorite photographer is an amateur, enthusiast or professional it does not matter. Give them the ability to instantly show off their skills by producing real photograph prints right on the spot. The Canon SELPHY CP1300 can do just that and more and is truly portable.

Price: $99.95
Read our news story: The Canon SELPHY CP1300 Compact Photo Printer prints your selfies in a flash
Where to buy: Amazon

Ruggard Electronic Dry Cabinet

After spending a whole lot of $$cash on expensive photography gear, where can you keep all of it safe from dust and spills and moisture, and from all of the other mishaps that can ruin your gear and your Christmas? You can put them all in a well built and attractive Dry Cabinet. Ruggard makes great and affordable dry cabinets and has a good selection of sizes to choose from to accommodate all necessary photography equipment storage needs. And, if you are not a photographer, it will work for any other gadgets you want to keep safe and dry.

Price: Starting at $149.95 (30L)
Read our news story: Protect your expensive camera gear with the Ruggard Electronic Dry Cabinet
Where to buy: B&H Photo Video

Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod

Photographers are always on the run, looking for the next best shot or just traveling with their gear. Usually, it takes a steady camera to get the best shot and a lightweight and compact tripod is the right gear for the job.

Price: $57.40
Read our news story: The Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod is ready to go with you everywhere
Where to buy: B&H Photo Video

Ruggard Lens Cases

Whether you have an entry level lens or an expensive lens or many lenses that you have collected over time, keeping them safe from accidental mishaps and minor bumps and spills is very important. When on the go, nothing can protect your lens better than a lens case. Ruggard makes great lens cases in a variety of sizes to fit any and every lens, and the cases are easily secured and well padded. They are also designed to work with your gear belt or your gear bag.

Price: Starting at $14.99
Read our news story: Ruggard Lens Cases are built for the job!
Where to buy: B&H Photo Video

PortraitPro Photo Editing Software

No matter what level of photographer you are whether you are an enthusiast, an aspiring amateur or a professional, you are always looking to tweak your photos to take them from great to awesome. This is especially true when you take all of those family photos at those important family gatherings, and you want to capture the memories and send copies to everyone and share them on social media. PortraitPro Software makes every face and feature look just right.

Price: Starting at $44.95 for the Standard Edition
Read our review: PortraitPro 17 Studio Max photo editing software review
Where to buy: PortraitPro

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2018 Gift Guide – Gift ideas for photographers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 21, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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2018 Gift Guide – Car and driver gift ideas

ARTICLE – For some of us, our car is our biggest gadget purchase ever, so why not treat it (and yourself) to some useful and fun gifts this holiday season. Here is a selection of gift ideas that will add safety, convenience, and cleanliness to your favorite four-wheeled transportation device.

SureCall N-Range Signal Booster

If you’re tired of having weak phone signals and slow internet connections while in your car, you need to consider the SureCall N-Range, which is a voice, text, and 4G LTE cell phone signal booster for car, truck, or SUV users in North America.  The N-Range booster’s Extended Range Technology, which is the industry’s most powerful system for maximizing cellular reliability in vehicles, improves 4G LTE data speeds and connectivity for better coverage in remote areas.

Installation requires you to route a cable from the exterior antenna’s rooftop mounting position into the interior of the car until you can connect the interior antenna’s mounting base to an air vent; you’ll also need to plug the interior mounting base to the vehicle’s power.  There’s also a magnetic, metal plate you’ll need to attach to the back of your phone.  The SureCall N-Range only boosts signal strength for one phone.

Price: $199.99
For more info: SureCall
Where to buy: Amazon

Weego Car Jump Starting Power Pack 66

Cold weather has arrived in the south, and that means two things:  1) you’ll need to add air to your tires, and 2) your battery is likely to be dead some morning after a really cold night.  You can either wait until AAA helps everyone who called for a jump before you, or you could jump your battery yourself.  Having the Weego Jump Starting Power Pack 66 charged up and ready to go means you can get your car started without having to wait for help.

Weego says the Power Pack 66 starts car, truck, boat, motorcycle,  and ATV/UTV engines (10L+ gas or 5L+ diesel).  The power pack has Smarty Clamps® with tapered tips;  they have safety protections built in, plus lights and sounds to guide you through connecting and safely jumping the engine.  The long-lasting 12V lithium-ion battery can jump a battery as low as 0.5V and provides up to 2-years of standby power and 1000 recharging cycles.

The Power Pack 66 can also be used with your laptop or mobile devices; it automatically detects how much power is needed to provide a faster charge for your accessories.  It also has a 600-lumen LED flashlight for up to 15 hours of light; it also has strobe and SOS modes.  The ideal operating range for the N-Range is -4°F to 140°F.

Price: $199.99 MSRP
For more info: Weego
Where to buy: Amazon

resqme Quick Escape Car Tool

We’ve had a lot of rain this year, which has lead to a lot of flooding in North Carolina.  And that, of course, means a few people end up in their cars in the flood waters.  When your car is in water, you need to get out immediately.  The resqme tool can help you escape by quickly and easily breaking out your window and cutting through your seatbelt.

You carry the resqme tool on your keychain, so it’s always at hand and you won’t need to search for it in the glove compartment or center console.  If you need it, you can quickly yank it off your keychain, then press the tool firmly against your side window to break it.  A built-in blade slices through a jammed seatbelt.  It should be on the keychain of every driver you know.

Price: $9.95 at resqme.com, with discounts for bulk purchases
Where to buy: resqme.com or Amazon

prepareme First Aid and Tool Kits

While you’re at the resqme website getting your car resqme tools, check out the prepareme kits.  These kits are packed in a small tote bag to keep everything clean and together.  Each bag is stocked with some first aid items and a crank flashlight, and every bag comes with one resqme tool.  Some bags also include other tools from the resqme company, such as their sensor that hangs on your ear and alarms if you begin to fall asleep.

Every car you own should have one of these kits, either in the trunk, glove compartment, or even under your seat.  And getting one provides you or one of your gift recipients with a resqme rescue tool as well.

Price: small kits start at about $20.00
Where to buy: resqme.com

Quick Removal Windshield Snow Tarp

If winter won’t go away and take the ice and snow with it, you can at least keep it off your car’s windshield with the Quick Removal Windshield Snow Tarp.  The tarp measures 79″ wide X 47.5″ long X 1/8″ thick (56″ wide excluding the flaps), so it’s big enough to cover the windshield of most cars and trucks.  To use, you just spread it over your windshield and close the side flaps in the front doors of your car.  The tarp also has seven magnets sewn between layers of fabric to hold it in place on your car without scratching the finish.  It’s long enough that it covers and protects the wipers and the washer fluid nozzles, too.  Instead of having to waste time and gas running the defroster while you scratch away at the built-up ice and mounds of snow, you just open up the doors and flip the snow away.  The tarp folds up to fit in a pouch that you can store in the glove compartment of your car.  When winter’s over, the Quick Removal tarp will also work as a sun shield to keep the cabin of your car a little cooler.

Price: $19.95
Where to buy: Hammacher Schlemmer

Kurgo Heather Dog Bench Seat Cover

If you have a dog and travel with them, you know they are going to get your car seats covered in hair and any dirt they manage to get into, as well.  If you have leather upholstery, you can probably add scratches to list the damages. What you need is some sort of sturdy covering to protect your seats, and it needs to stay in place so Fideaux doesn’t pull it into a tiny ball in the footwell, where it isn’t protecting anything.

Chewy, an online pet supply store, has a nice waterproof and stain-resistant bench seat cover that will protect your backseat.  The Kurgo Heather Dog Bench Seat Cover has five attachment points to keep the cover in place and piped edges keep dirt and water from rolling off the cover and onto the carpeting.  Hook-and-loop openings allow you to use seatbelts, for people or pets, and child car seat latches.    It is 55″ wide, which should fit most vehicles.

And since it does allow you to properly install a car seat, perhaps this might be a nice gift for parents of young children, even if they don’t have a dog!  After all, kids can be far messier than pets!

Price: $49.49
Where to buy: chewy.com

VAVA 2K Dash Cam

Julian Perry reviewed the VAVA 2K dash cam and found it to be one of the best dash cams he had reviewed.  He says the VAVA 2K is a windshield mounted dash cam that records video as you drive and is capable of snapshots, either via the app or by using an optional remote.  This camera is small, compact, and lightweight; it connects magnetically to its mounting base. This type of mount allows you to swivel the camera 360 degrees to record your entire surroundings. It  records in either 2560 x 1440p 30fps QHD or 1920 x 1080p 60fp.  The mounting attaches to the windshield via a suction cup.  The kit comes with a pry bar to help you permanently install the cabling for the camera.

The dash cam has a 320mAh built-in battery that allows the 3-axis G-sensor to activate and start recording footage even in parking mode.  Julian found that each time you hit the brakes suddenly or hit a pothole, the Dash Cam detected it as a possible collision and started an emergency recording. (You do have the option in the settings to set the sensitivity for this action.)  He likes that optional accessories are available, such as the optional GPS module so he can always journal his trips.  He likes the size of the VAVA 2K dash cam, the versatility of the magnetic mount, the available video resolutions, the built-in battery, the parking mode option, and the quality of the recordings.

Price: $129.99
Read our review:VAVA 2K Dash Cam review at The Gadgeteer
Where to buy: Amazon

WeatherTech custom-fit mats and liners

I usually have carpeted floor mats in my car, but I like to use rubber mats during the winter to protect the car from snow, ice, and the red clay our region is notorious for.  Sure, you can go to big box stores and purchase universal-fit floor mats, but they never seem to fit any car I’ve ever had.

WeatherTech offers custom-fit protective floor mats, cargo/trunk liners, and other products for cars.  You’ll need to enter the year/make/model of the car, then you’ll see the custom-fit products available for it.  When looking at the FloorLiner for my car, I could choose front row only, 2nd-row seats only, or both.  Those lighter mats should work for our mild winters, but if you experience more extreme weather, check out the all-weather floor mats.

Price: price varies with make/model/year of your car.  Front and rear floor mats for my car is about $170
Where to buy: WeatherTech

Raven Connected Car Device

Julian reviewed this product, and he tells us that it’s a dash cam plus much more!  The Raven Connected Car Device is connected to your car’s OBD connector. On the front, there is a display screen and an in-cabin camera hidden/embedded behind the clear surface; the back of the Raven has the front-facing camera.  The bottom of the device has an adjustable mount, a micro SD card slot for on-board recording, a micro USB port for direct connection and the ability to download videos from the SD card without removing it from the device, and a “Sim” slot that is not currently used.

As you drive, Raven’s display screen shows your current speed, though Julian noticed it differed from his car’s display by about 1mph.  Julian says these are the things he likes about the Raven:  “Having the ability to view my car when it is parked at the railroad station and in the garage or on the street is great, and the alerts are also great. Having that kind of heads-up display that gives me the option to view various parameters is a plus, and while my truck does have the navigation, having a second option is just a bonus. For my personal use, I can’t say enough about how much I like this device. I have actually replaced what was my favorite dash cam with the Raven. Each person has their personal preference, so keeping that in mind, I give the Raven a big two thumbs up!! If they add 360-degree camera views and remote start capability to the next version, I may have to get more thumbs.”

Although the Raven can be used simply as a dash cam, you’ll need a cellular data plan if you want to use its other functions and features.  See below for data plan pricing.

Price: $299 plus a choice of a monthly data plan – $8, $16 or $32; With Affirm Credit starting @ $30 monthly for 12 months with 1 year of data included
Read our review: Raven dashcam and connected car system review
Where to buy: Raven

LiftMaster WLED Garage Door Opener

From Julie: I know a garage door opener isn’t normally considered a cool gift idea, but having just reviewed this device, I can tell you, that it’s a great addition to my garage. The ultra bright LED lights automatically come on when I enter the garage and the smart features allow me to control or see the status of the door using my phone from anywhere in the world.

From my review which you can read in its entirety by clicking the link below:

The LiftMaster WLED garage door opener was a product that I didn’t know I needed or wanted until I got one. From the ultra quiet operation, extra light that it provides in my garage, and the fact that I can control the door remotely with my phone and get notified when the door opens provides extra home security benefits, the LiftMaster gets two thumbs up from me.

Price: $450 – $500 (including installation)
Read our review: LiftMaster WLED garage door opener review
Where to buy: LiftMaster certified dealers, or the DIY Chamberlain version is available on Amazon.

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2018 Gift Guide – Car and driver gift ideas originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 20, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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