Just because Christmas is in the rear-view, doesn’t mean you get a break when it comes to the year’s most notable gift-giving occasions. Valentine’s Day may have lost some of its allure over the years, with an ever-evolving culture where the majority is moving away from the cheaply marketed idea of having a day dedicated to the celebration of romantic love. But that doesn’t mean February 14th is as derided and despised as social media makes it out to be.
It’s still a day of appreciation, typically towards a romantic partner, and while that’s best shown for action, giving a gift ain’t a bad shout either.
We’ve rounded up just five of our favourite gifts lately to give you some ideas if you’re scrambling for any last-minute swag. We’ve kept it fairly neutral here by sticking with some of our top tech gifts, not only keeping it nice and decisive, but also suggesting gadgets that anyone, of any identity, would need.
Withings ScanWatch
Most people know how far wearable tech has come, with the ability to identify potential issues, track sleep, and encourage action. The Withings ScanWatch is possibly the most comprehensive on the market, with a variety of sensors to scan vital parameters to detect heart health conditions and help improve overall fitness. An Sp02 sensor can give you comprehensive blood oxygen reading within seconds; the sleep tracking is second to none and even features a professionally calibrated algorithm to monitor oxygen saturation, breathing frequency, and movement throughout the stages of sleep to identify possible issues like sleep apnea. Then you’ve got the typical fitness tracking features like a 3-axis accelerometer and 10 years of algorithm improvements, plus activity detection and a built-in GPS. It’s Withings’ most impressive product to date and now comes in a Rose Gold edition which looks even more attractive on the wrist. Serious presence, serious smarts.
$499 | JB Hi-Fi
Instax Link WIDE Smartphone Printer
Fujifilm has refined their smartphone printer range for the new Instax Link WIDE, adding a premium device to the acclaimed instax lineup for anyone who wants to easily and seamlessly turn their smartphone photos into physical memorabilia instantly. Capable of printing out picture-perfect moments twice the size of the popular instax mini, the WIDE is ideal for a partner that still finds joy in the vintage-minded art of physical photos.
$229 | Instax
HP Chromebook X2 11
A powerful hybrid and the most valuable Chromebook to date, the x2 11 is an obvious travel buddy for those who want to stay connected on the road, whether that’s for work or expressing creativity on the go. The ultra thin Chromebook is small enough to take anywhere, although the clever design still manages to fit in a full-size keyboard and kickstand that’s easily detachable, seamlessly switching between a tablet and a personal laptop. With up to 10 hours of battery life, a powerful performance coming from the Qualcomm Snapdragon SC7180 processor, and 128GB storage with 8GB RAM, this Chromebook can perform with the best of them. If you know anyone after a new hybrid tablet & laptop, get them this bad boy, with its attractively crisp 11″ 2.1K multi-touch IPS display and a sleek design that’s worth showing off.
$1,299 | JB Hi-Fi
Jabra Elite 7 Pro
There is no name as reliable when it comes to sports-minded earphones as Jabra. Building off the success of their acclaimed fitness earbuds is the Jabra Elite 7 Pro, the brand’s new flagship product sitting at a very attractive price point with a fulls suite of features including adjustable ANC, 8 hours non-stop playtime (with a total of 30 hours), sturdy IP57 rating, and build-in smart assistant support for Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. Coupled that with Jabra MultiSensor Voice for professional-grade audio and you’ve got some of the best earbuds you’ll find all year, especially if you’re taking them for a sweat-sesh.
$299 | JB Hi-Fi
Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid
Eufy has finally entered the Australian market by picking up the robot vacuum scene in a big way, with their world’s first twine Turbine Powered RoboVac X8 and the X8 Hybrid. Whichever one you choose, these next-generation robot vacuums will surely impress whichever lucky person you decide to gift them to, with an immersive power that increases overall airflow by 80%. Other features include BoostIQ technology, fueling suction power that can clean all levels from a hard floor to a rug. AI Map Technology 2.0 is refined enough to fully construct a real-time map of homes to detect areas to avoid while cleaning, and pet owners will be very satisfied as the robot uses LiDAR to go around easily picking up everything, even pet hairs.
$999 | JB Hi-Fi
