The Practice does Christmas: Wish list 2015
We’ve been coveting many tech products this year (as usual!) and naturally, these have made their way onto our Christmas wish list. So whether you’re looking to impress with a luxurious gift, or need some last minute stocking fillers, we’ve chosen some of our favourite items for your viewing pleasure!
For the big spenders, a drone has got to be the ultimate tech toy. And for those setting their sights high, DJI’s Inspire 1 has got to be up there with the best. This model features a full 360-degree rotation, the ability to shoot up to 4K video, and capture 12 megapixel photos. Best of all, dual operator support enables two people to control, meaning one can focus on flying while the other operates the camera. With different models starting from £2381, the Inspire 1 doesn’t come cheap, but it’s certainly a great piece of equipment for professional aerial photographers.
DJI Inspire 1
And if you’re looking for another novel way to take aerial view shots, we love the sound of this next item- Panono’s Panoramic Ball Camera. Designed like a football with multiple camera lenses, you can simply throw this device into the air, and it will capture high-res panoramas that are triggered when the ball reaches its highest point. It’s also an expensive piece of equipment at £1052, but a fun and user-friendly item for those with deep pockets.
Panono Panoramic Ball Camera
Up there with our other top picks for a “money no object” approach, is the desktop monitor that has is all. Acer’s Predator XB321HK is a work of art in itself, with a gorgeous curved 32-inch screen, 4K resolution, and it’s LED backlit too. The reason for choosing this aside from sheer beauty, is the practical aspect of having it function as both a large desktop monitor and TV screen, when a movie or Netflix viewing is in order. And the curved screen also makes it perfect for gamers too.
Acer Predator XB321HK
When it comes to our “must have” items this Christmas, a Virtual Reality headset is certainly a front-runner. For that, you can’t beat the Samsung Gear. At £169, it’s not a cheap device, but for the sheer amount of entertainment possible, we think it’s worth it. There are a huge variety of games and apps available from the Oculus store, including some cool experiences such as the Oculus Arcade, which lets users visit a classic arcade complete with old favourites such as Pac Man, Rampage and Joust. And if you simply want to watch Netflix, the headset will let you view all your favourite shows in any plush surrounding of your choice. The downside is that it’s only compatible with Samsung phones, so iPhone users would fare better from a similar model such as the Zeiss VR One.
Samsung Gear VR
Smaller digital items also make some exciting stocking fillers, and for that, a great gift would be Google’s Chromecast audio dongle. This enables music streaming to your speakers from any mobile or desktop device, without the need to use Bluetooth. All this cute and compact dongle needs is connection with a music-streaming app such as Spotify, and WiFi, and an unlimited playlist can be yours. And at just £30, this is certainly an affordable, portable, and extremely useful device to keep in your bag or pocket. Another gorgeous little gift has got to be a pocket camera, and for that, our top choice is Lomo’s Diana Baby 110. Featuring a modern yet retro design, two interchangeable lenses, and the ability to take surprisingly high-quality 110 film square shots, this is the perfect camera in miniature. And with an attractive price point at £39, we can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t love this gift.
Google Chromecast audio dongle
Lomo Diana Baby 110
Which digital items are on your wish list this holiday season? And what do you hope to give to others? We’d love to hear your top picks too, so please tweet to us @PracticeDigital and share your comments on our Facebook page.