Tag Archives: Apple Watch

2015 Father’s Day Gift Guide

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Father’s Day is fast approaching and, chances are, you’re having a hard time trying to figure out what to get the man who seems to already have everything he wants. Well we’ve got you covered. Here are few great gift ideas for that distinguished gentlman in your life.

Aeropress

A couple of days ago, I walked into the small kitchen/break room on our floor at work and caught a co-worker cleaning a french press. Admirning his dedication and appreciation for properly brewed coffee, it reminded me that I really need to get an Aeropress for work. If the dad in your life appreciates a great cup of coffee, you can’t go wrong with getting him an Aeropress. If he already has one, get him a spare for travel or work.

Tie

Yeah, it’s cliche, but most of the time cliches are cliches for a reason. Tried and true, I like to call it and I don’t think I will ever tire of getting a nice tie as a gift for any occasion. NEED, a monthly curated shopping site for men, has a special Father’s Day catalog up on the site, and there are a couple of great options for ties. If you’re not down with the monthly newsletter shopping game, then just use this a guide – you can find similar or otherwise great options elsewhere. Whatever you do, don’t let tradition deter you, especially if that special guy in your life wears a tie every day for work. A great new tie will freshen up his daily tie-selection routine.

Cotton Bureau T-Shirt

It’s probably too late to get one in time for Father’s Day, but a great, unique t-shirt can be a great way to help ease the transition from the boardroom to board shorts. Cotton Bureau is hands-down my favorite place to browse and grab new t-shirts. I love it so much, I have to put a block on my credit card just to make sure my family still has money for food on the table. Cotton Bureau sends out a weekly newsletter so sign up today so you don’t miss out on great designs and help prepare yourself for the next gift-giving occasion.

Flip-flops & Boat Shoes

I recently revamped my footwear collection and Father’s Day is a great time to clear out that closet full of old sneakers and worn out sandals. Check out our recent summer shoes post for ideas to help make a summer full of festivals, cook-outs, and boat outings a little bit more comfortable for dad.

Cocktail Kits from Studio Neat

Neat Ice Kit and Simple Syrup Kit by Studio Neat are great additions for that cocktail slinger in your life. Neat Ice Kit promises a perfect cube to keep your beverage cool without watering it down and Simple Syrup Kit gives you a fast an easy way to make simple syrup without boiling water. Just fill to the pre-marked lines, shake a few times and serve. Both tools bring maker sensibilities to the craft of making and serving drinks and are a great way to give you and your friends a unique experience.

Harry’s Razors and Accessories

I kissed the traditional disposable shaving razor song and dance goodbye a couple of years ago and haven’t looked back. Instead of the hassle of locked down, expensive purchasing experience of disposable razors at a brick and mortar store, I get my razor refills in the mail directly from Harry’s. Harry’s has a great Father’s Day set that includes a Winston razor handle (my personal favorite), 3 blade cartridges, a travel blade cover, your choice of shave gel or cream, and their all new razor stand, all for $40. If you already know the joy that is the Harry’s experience, check out some of the new accessories or colors. I can’t wait to try out the new razor stand. And don’t forget to setup a shave plan so you never have to remember to order or buy blades ever again!

Apple Watch

Available for pre-order online since late-April, but now soon to hit the stores, the Apple Watch is an uber-gift for the Apple or technology enthusiast in your life. It’s pricey and there are a lot of band and finish options so you may not be able to keep this one a surprise. It’s a great option if you’re going for wow factor and it’ll be a great way to stay in touch with him even when you’re apart. Not to mention, you can also use it to remind him to pick up some stuff at the grocery store on his way home from work. Win-win.

Apple TV

Despite rumors of an impending hardware refresh, the current Apple TV is still a great product at $69 and soon-to-expire exclusive access to HBO Now. Channels are added frequently, and with iTunes, Hulu Plus, Netflix and the aforementioned HBO Now – the current offering is a great package for on-demand TV viewing. AirPlay and the rumored upcoming HomeKit integration add even more to the device that seemingly started the small, puck-like set top box revolution. Grab one today for every TV in the house or just for daddy’s man cave.

Samsung Galaxy S6

After a bit of a sales dip and somewhat disappointing quarterly results, Samsung refreshed their design and materials approach to the Galaxy line of phones and released an impressive Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. I’d have a hard time deciding between Moto X and the Galaxy S6 Edge if I went Android, both seem like great options and they are undoubtedly pushing the opposing manufacturer into great new innovations.

The Band

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Perhaps bouyed by what I wanted out of it, I have to admit the Apple Watch wasn’t quite what I expected. I was in the camp that guessed/hoped/wanted Apple’s wearable to be more fitness band than watch. Even with the flood of smart watches hitting the market in the last year or so, I figured all of the signs were pointing toward something different from Apple — Nike dropping their Fuelband hardware, the limitations of battery technology, and the relative commercial disappointment of the existing wearables. But Apple pressed on with their vision, concentrating their wearable strategy on fashion rather than utility (though I expect there will still be plenty of utility … eventually) while simultaneously hewing to the popular convention of why such a device exists. Or, maybe not.

But my hopes are not yet dashed, for there is an unlikely hero waiting in the wings. To my surprise, Microsoft of all companies, released the device of my dreams (almost). The Microsoft Band is Redmond’s take on a fitness tracker, that seemingly takes the under-ambitious do-what-you-can-do-well-and-iterate-later approach that often characterizes Cupertino’s take on such devices. The Microsoft Band is not a bug the crap out of you wrist notifier, but instead that quantifiable-self stenographer in the background, recording your every move (and non-move).

For the past few years, I feel like I’ve been shedding my Microsoft skin, abandoning the 90s dominant Windows platform for the trendy Apple platform. I’m not alone in thinking that there have been a few missteps in Redmond, but in the immortal words of Harry Dunne I say this to you, Microsoft: “Just when I thought you couldn’t possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself!”

Photo Credit: Microsoft

A Watchful, Thoughtful Eye

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It’s no surprise to me that John Gruber has the most thoughtful take I’ve read so far on the recently announced Apple Watch (or Watch, if you’re scoring at home). Prepare yourself for insightful, and perhaps shocking, speculation on pricing,

I think Apple Watch prices are going to be shockingly high — gasp-inducingly, get-me-to-the-fainting-couch high — from the perspective of the tech industry. But at the same time, there is room for them to be disruptively low from the perspective of the traditional watch and jewelry world. There’s a massive pricing umbrella in the luxury watch world, and Apple is aiming to take advantage of it.

… and measured, careful consideration on unannounced functionality:

With Apple Watch, I think we’re only going to realize just how big a breakthrough it is after Apple fully unveils its computational power and the depth and complexity of WatchKit. And if I’m wrong, and Apple Watch’s computational hardware is in fact only slightly ahead of existing smartwatches, and that WatchKit is really just a glorified notification display system for iPhone apps, then Apple is in deep trouble.

Spoiler alert, Gruber doesn’t think Apple is in deep trouble and nor do I.