Gifts for Tech Lovers

When it’s time to find the perfect holiday gift for the tech lover in your life, it’s easy to focus on big-ticket items — the latest and greatest in TVs, smartphones, tablets. But there are a host of supporting players that help those big stars function better and make great gifts for the guy who has everything.

By Jennifer Schiavone

1. Most modern flat screen TVs leave something to be desired when it comes to sound quality. Enter the SONOS PLAYBAR (pictured): this nine-speaker soundbar instantly equips any television with full-theater sound. Its sleek design makes it an easy fit for even compact entertainment centers, it attaches with a single cord, and it also functions as a wireless, stand-alone Sonos player, capable of streaming podcasts, your computer’s music library and 100,000 preloaded internet radio stations. You can even control it from your smartphone. ($699, sonos.com)

2. Despite its unusual name, the FUSE CHICKEN BOBINE is an extremely useful accessory for your iPhone. It can function as a charging cable, dock, tripod and stand. Though you’ll most likely use it coiled like a snake on a tabletop, its nickel-plated steel cable can bend into a myriad of positions so you can get the perfect shot, make a FaceTime call or charge from any USB plug while still watching the latest episode of your favorite show. ($35, fusechicken.com)

3. Make sure there’s always a USB thumb drive at hand when you’re cut off from the cloud with the LACIE PETITEKEY. Since the drive is shaped like a key, you can stash it on your key ring so it’s always within reach. Its USB connector is scratch-resistant (to stand up to scrapes from keys) and waterproof (to preserve your data through splashes, spills and accidental trips through the laundry), and it’s available in storage sizes up to 32GB. ($30 for 32GB, lacie.com)

4. The Apple Pencil may have made a splash at the company’s keynote address, but that will only be compatible only with the new iPad Pro. To turn your current iPad into a creative powerhouse, there’s the WACOM INTUOS CREATIVE STYLUS 2. The active stylus boasts a thin tip for accuracy, over 2,000 pressure-sensitivity levels to detect the weight of your stroke and its software features “palm rejection” — so you don’t leave marks on the canvas if you rest your hand on the screen. ($80, wacom.com)

5. Running out of power is the archenemy of gadget lovers and can be a real hassle for travelers who might find themselves in a hotel room with few outlets and many portable devices begging to be charged. The BELKIN TRAVEL ROCKSTAR is a 3-in-1 solution to the problem, offering surge protection, multiple outlets (two AC and one USB) and a capacious portable battery pack so you can keep the power flowing even when there’s not an outlet in sight. ($60, belkin.com)

6. Then again, maybe the next time your favorite gift recipient charges his phone, he can do it with power that he generated himself. AMPY is a kinetic charger that captures the energy from your natural daily motion, which can power your device for an additional three hours a day, if you’re active. Its free app lets you track energy generated, calories burned, and keeps an eye on how much charge your arsenal of portable tech has left, and — like a FitBit — even lets you compete with friends. ($99, getampy.com)