SALTZMAN: Ho-ho-holiday gadget gift ideas

Trying to pick the right gifts for loved ones makes an already hectic holiday season even more stressful.

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After all, no one wants to gift a dud.

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This is especially true if you’re spending a little more on tech toys for family and friends.

The following are seven great gadgety recommendations to suit varying tastes and budgets (from $49 to $649).

Tackle tension

It’s been a tough year for many, so maybe you need an affordable way to relax over a staycation?

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a percussive massage device when you can pick up the HoMedics Rebound for as low as $49 (homedics.ca).

This portable percussion massager is ideal for soothing stiff or sore muscles, or simply for unwinding while watching TV, with its one-handed use and variable intensities (from 1,800 to 3,200 RPM).

HoMedics Rebound delivers up to 180 minutes of runtime and includes a USB-C charging cable.

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Style meets security

Give your loved ones the gift of protection with TELUS SmartWear Security (from $12/month; telus.com/smartwear), a line of discreet personal safety devices, disguised as chic necklaces, bracelets, and keychains.

In an emergency, double-click the back of the charm to instantly notify the TELUS monitoring station you need help, plus your GPS whereabouts can also be shared to up to five personal contacts.

In 911 mode, the monitoring station will call or text you, and if you don’t respond, emergency services will be sent to your location.

Sound advice

Available in multiple colours, JBL Vibe Beam Buds ($49; jbl.com) are a pair of in-ear headphones that can wirelessly pair with any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, laptop or Smart TV.

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Despite its small size, these buds deliver a comfortable fit (even while exercising), long battery life (eight hours in the earbuds and an extra 24 hours in the charging case), and most importantly, high-quality and well-balanced audio out of its 8mm drivers. The IP54-certified earbuds are water- and dust-resistant.

JBL Vibe Beam includes built-in microphones, should a call come in.

Watch this

At first glance, the Apple Watch Series 9 (from $549; apple.ca) looks and feels the same as previous models.

But aside from higher brightness and a new colour (pink aluminum), the coolest feature is a one-handed “Double Tap” gesture: Quickly tap your forefinger and your thumb together twice and it’ll answer or hang up a call, snap a photo (via a nearby iPhone), start and stop music, cycle through widgets, and more.

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As you likely know, Apple Watch can gauge your heart health, track sleep and fitness, show notifications, play games, and lets you pay for items at retail.

Apple Watch Series 9 runs watchOS 10, which offers new watch faces, redesigned apps, a Smart Stack (turn the Digital Crown to see timely and contextually relevant widgets), and some extra physical and mental health features.

Game on (and on and on)

Want to game on your PlayStation 5 but someone’s watching TV? Or what if you want to play PS5 games in your hotel room – without bring the actual console?

The just-launched PlayStation Portal Remote Player ($269; playstation.com) is a handheld device that lets you play PS5 games over Wi-Fi, whether you’re in another room in the home or while away from home.

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Along with its vibrant 8-inch, high-definition screen and 3.5mm audio jack for private audio, PlayStation Portal houses integrated DualSense controls on each side of the display, including familiar features like adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

Note: for PlayStation Portal to work, your PS5 console must be connected to a broadband internet connection, powered on fully or in rest mode.

Pamper your pet

Keep an eye on your furry friend while you’re not at home, and even dispense treats on demand. That’s the premise behind the Petcube Bites 2 Wi-Fi Pet Camera with Treat Dispenser ($159; amazon.ca).

Simply connect the HD camera to your Wi-Fi network, install the free app on your smartphone or tablet, then kiss your canine or feline goodbye.

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Now, wherever life takes you, launch the app, talk to your pet, snap a pic or shoot video (1080p HD resolution, and with 4x zoom), and swipe your phone to send a small, dry treat from the launcher.

Other features include 160-degree wide angle view, night vision, 2-way audio, sound and motion alerts, and even a built-in Alexa assistant that play music, answer questions, reads you the news, controls your smart home, and more.

Virtually flawless

One of the hottest gadgets of 2023, Meta Quest 3 (from $649; meta.com) is Meta’s latest and easily most impressive mixed reality device, with applications that range from immersive gaming and fitness to meditation and mindfulness sessions, chat rooms, and virtual travel.

Along with a smaller headset than its predecessor, Meta Quest 3 ups the resolution to 4K for each eye, resulting in much crisper graphics, and now supporting colour passthrough capabilities, so you can now see and interact with digital info superimposed on top of the world around you, such as an action game that lets you shoot at critters hiding behind your furniture or trying to blow holes in your wall.

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