CHRISTMAS is coming and there’s still a few weeks left to source some gaming gifts for the special people in your life (or drop some hints about what you’d like to find under the tree yourself!) and as always, the GOA team is here to help with some suggestions.
This time, we’re starting with general tech – stuff that certainly has gaming-related applications, but is also just generally useful around the house too!
Here’s some of our gift ideas:
AMAZON KINDLE 2022
If you know someone who likes to read, then the 2022 Amazon Kindle is likely to be of great interest to them – it’s compact, stores literally thousands of e-books, integrates more or less seamlessly with Amazon, and the battery lasts a really, really long time.
Mine has become a part of my everyday gear, whether I’m in the waiting room at the vet or travelling on a plane somewhere, or just sitting on the patio outside with a cup of coffee on a nice day.
Regardless of what you like to read – and there’s heaps of gaming-related books out there – the 2022 Amazon Kindle comes highly recommended.
RRP: AUD$179
MOPHIE SPEEDPORT 120 GAN CHARGER
This useful peripheral is an ideal answer to the “Too many chargeable devices, not enough power points” conundrum.
The Mophie SpeedPort 120 GaN Four-Port Charger gives you four USB ports (3x USB-C, 1x USB-A) and only needs a single 240v plug.
Output is a total of 120W, which is enough to power a laptop for general use, or power and charge smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, assorted gadgets, and even a Nintendo Switch. Very useful and a welcome addition to any present collection this Christmas!
RRP: AUD$159.95
SWANN CORECAM
When you’re gaming, actually needing to pause your game to go and see what’s happening outside is an unwelcome distraction. But what if there was a way to use your smart device to see outside your house without going outside? Perhaps some sort of wireless smart camera?
The Swann CoreCam is a very effective wireless 1080p security camera with night vision capabilities, internet connectivity, and two-way communication abilities.
I’ve been testing one for a the past few weeks and found it an excellent companion to the SwannBuddy wireless door bell – the doorbell lets me know whether it’s a delivery or a door-too-door salesperson at the front door, while the CoreCam offers general peace of mind by letting me keep an eye on things while I’m out (or letting me know if the cat or the kids are doing something outside that they shouldn’t be).
It’s easy to set up, does exactly what you want, and has proven itself to be a very useful piece of home tech indeed.
RRP: AUD$179.95
TWELVESOUTH HOVERBAR TOWER
Two of the most popular places for gaming on a tablet are “in bed” and “on the couch”
The TwelveSouth Hoverbar Tower stand lets you set up a tablet (like, say, an iPad) and have it at an accessible height, even if you don’t have a table.
It’s ideal for setting up next to a bed so you can game without needing to hold the tablet (great for idle games or if you’re multi-devicing) and it’s also even more useful for watching streaming content – whether it’s Twitch streaming, YouTube videos, or video-on-demand stuff like NetFlix or Disney+.
There’s no need to find something to prop the tablet on, and if you combine it with a headset then you can watch whatever you like in bed (or on the couch, or wherever) without bothering anyone else (such as a sleeping partner who really isn’t as excited by the World Of Tanks Premier League Grand Final as you are).
While it’s not cheap,it is useful – especially if you share your bed or couch with someone else and could use the hands-free extra space it offers.
RRP: AUD$199.99
NANOLEAF SHAPES TRIANGLES
