We are entering a surreal phase of personal technology. Any device you can imagine can be found online in an obscure Chinese factory, ready to be shipped to a loved one for the holidays: pocket-sized gizmos powered by artificial intelligence (Rabbit r1, $199.), home hologram devices (Code 27 Living Character House, $558.), human-sized robot servants (1X NEO, $20,000). Technological components are getting better and cheaper, from microchips to speakers to screens (have you seen how cheap good TVs are these days?), allowing for innovation. On the consumer side, we are fed up with mechanical device designs; We've seen a dozen iPhone models and are hungry for something completely new. Hence the proliferation of gadgets with meaningless names that promise the same power as big-brand equivalents, but with new hardware features and ridiculously low prices. We live in an era Swipe your finger across the screen ($18), a “rechargeable disposable” vape with a built-in touchscreen that lets you check the weather and receive notifications via Bluetooth while mixing doses of nicotine and dopamine. Who doesn't want to find that at the bottom of a stocking? The apps and devices collected here fulfill an old technology promise: making your life better, or at least more interesting, even if they just encourage you to log out.
Have more fun
Last summer, my friends and I rented a house on Fire Island that was bohemian enough to not have a TV. But there was a toddler in our group who wanted screen time, and the rest of us needed a way to turn off our brains after a long day in the sun. That's why I bought this mini projector ($50) on Amazon. It's from the Enuosuma brand, but that doesn't matter; there are dozens of alternatives, and they are all essentially the same. It proved perfect for both YouTube's Miss Rachel and Apple TV's Michael Clayton: the picture is bright and clear, with enough adjustments to work on wobbly walls. You don't even need to feed the source into the projector; it connects to Wi-Fi and runs its own apps. What a world!
You can also use the projector to play new portable video games. Newly released by Nintendo Switch 2 ($450) became a hit after the original Switch pioneered the concept of the console being mobile. The new model has improved screen, memory, power and battery life, and the first games are classics: Donkey Kong Bananza ($70) World of Mario Kart ($80) and Pokemon Legends: ZA ($70). Nintendo isn't just for kids, but avid gamers might also enjoy the updated version Steam deck ($400) for playing computer games on the go. If you don't know what games your recipient likes, just buy something like RetroSnap Play ($70) or Anbernik RG 40XXV ($53), two devices in a modest selection that simultaneously simulate thousands of classic games. All these machines will require electricity, and batteries have also improved in recent times. Comparatively tiny Anker Prime Power Bank ($80) will reduce charging anxiety for the whole family.
Healthier laptops
Of course, video games aren't the healthiest form of content, and who needs more screen time? Electronic ink is safer for the eyes, not to mention the brain. The technology has evolved since the first Kindle – no longer does the screen shake when updating. Daylight DC-1 ($729) is a powerful, smooth computer with a full touchscreen, a native e-ink display, and access to apps including Spotify, Slack, and Notion. It's designed to kick computer addiction and can be used in bright sunlight, so you can read on a park bench if you want. The BOOX Palma has cemented its status as a pocket-sized e-ink screen; its latest iteration, Palma 2 Pro ($400), is full color (think newsprint-level saturation) and runs Android 15, which replaces most of your smartphone's functionality. Even the Kindle now has a color version. Colorsoft ($250), which is ideal for fans of comics and graphic novels. Bibliophiles may still value print, but there's something about carrying dozens of books around at once and enjoying the self-illuminating experience of reading that tends to convert even the most devoted Luddites.
Anti-technology technologies
Fujifilm Digital Camera
However, you might need something a little stronger or just a passive-aggressive gift for the person in your life who's a little too obsessed with their screen. Nothing says “I'd like to have more uninterrupted face-to-face conversations with you” like a gadget that makes someone's phone less interesting. Brick ($60) is a plastic module containing an application that blocks certain other applications when in contact with the smartphone. Attach it to the refrigerator and touch it with your phone before and after work, or while walking the dog or on a date; then tap it again to turn the device back on. Opal (free or $100/year for the “pro” version) does the same thing using just the app; The downside is that it is easier to turn off. I can attest to the usefulness of Opal.: With its help, I significantly reduce my screen time and social media use, at least on weekdays.
Another solution is to replace your phone's built-in features with better ones. Camera app Galid ($60) can remove all image processing, artificial intelligence and other iPhone features so your camera produces more natural, film-like digital photos; this prompted me be more purposeful about the pictures I take with my phone. Fujifilm X Half Digital Camera ($845) simulates shooting with a film camera and has a matching vintage-style body. If you pick up a copy of tech critic Cory Doctorow's recent book,Enshittification($28) along with the gift, your recipient may read it and be so disgusted by the value extraction that Silicon Valley performs on its users that they give up the phone themselves.
Adventures in streaming
Giving someone a subscription to a new streaming service is a bit like buying a membership to an art museum: it's a hint that their cultural consumption habits could use a little improvement. But don't think of this as criticism; think of it as providing a passport to adventure. Netflix has become a boring video content store. Alternatively, give the gift of an independent movie theater in Manhattan. Streaming platform Metrograph ($5/month) for curated feature films; or BritBox BBC ($11 per month) for fans of endless bucolic detective dramas; or Crunchyroll ($8/month) for niche anime. If your loved one is fed up with Spotify or has become too addicted to AI-generated music spam, change their life with Idagio ($10/month), classical music streaming service, or Naga ($15 per month), a venue for live performances by rock and jam bands.
Avant-garde gadgets
There's no Christmas tradition like unwrapping a technological gift and then spending the rest of the day struggling to get it all working. This experience becomes even more memorable when the supposed function of the device in question is a little strange or questionable. A startup called Ozlo does Sleepy buds ($274) (originally developed by Bose), in-ear headphones that are thin enough to avoid discomfort when you sleep on your side, are ideal for those who can't stop consuming content even while unconscious. For those who like to stand out and attract attention on public transport, try a smartphone with a folding screen such as Samsung Galaxy Z Foldable 7 ($1600).
If your recipient is a fan of artificial intelligence and total digital surveillance (in fact, the two go together), Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses ($800) have a six-by-six-hundred-pixel screen built into the lenses, a wristband for reading gesture commands, and a pair of speakers so your Meta chatbot can talk to you. If you carry them, you can also lean all the way in and buy a simple GPU like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 ($2,000 if you can find one), recommended for running AI models at home. Friend ($129) is an AI chatbot companion wrapped in a round pendant worn around your neck that listens to everything going on around you and then sends you a message about it. Early reviews indicate that the companion is quite evil – it might be worth considering purchasing a Friend for your nemesis. ♦
