Struggling to come up with gift ideas for everyone on your list? Mission Data is here to help.
By now, holiday gift delivery deadlines are approaching and shoppers are scrambling to find the perfect items. There’s still time to find something exciting and innovative for those you love. At Mission Data, we like products that are practical, engaging, and make life easier. Here are some useful (and a few fun) ideas for the season of giving.
Echo Show
The latest Amazon Echo device gives Alexa a screen interface, making it easy to see what’s going on. Watch recipe videos while you cook, connect with your security video system or nursery camera to see other parts of your home, listen to music with lyrics—the possibilities seem endless. The Echo Show is also being praised as a great gift for the elderly and less-abled, as free video calls with the Alexa app make it easy to check in on loved ones. $150-$230 on amazon.
Varidesk Adjustable Standing Desk
For the remote worker, workaholic, or anyone wanting the health benefits of a standing desk without fully committing to one, the Varidesk is a stand-up solution (pun intended). We all know sitting too much can worsen back pain and is linked to a number of health problems, from heart disease to depression. Varidesk allows you to switch between standing and sitting at your workstation quickly and easily. $395 on amazon.
ecobee4 Smart Thermostat
The latest smart thermostat from ecobee has Alexa built right in, meaning you don’t have to buy an Echo or a Dot to enable interactions like asking about the weather and news, listening to music, ordering pizza, or anything else Alexa can do. The ecobee4 also comes with a remote sensor to help manage any part of your home that you want to track the temperature in (nursery, garage, wine cellar). Additional room sensors can be ordered separately. $249 at Home Depot.
Nintendo Switch
One of the hottest-selling items of 2017—more than 10 million have sold since March—the Nintendo Switch offers an unprecedented user experience as a hybrid console. Play it at home connected to your TV just like any other system, remove it from the dock for on-the-go gaming, or flip the stand to share the screen and play with the two Joy-Con controllers for multiplayer fun. $299 on amazon.
Click and Grow Smart Herb Garden II Starter Kit
Perfect for the home chef who aspires to have a green thumb, but perhaps lives in a small apartment or travels too much to keep plants alive. Simply fill the Smart Garden water basin, plug it in, and start seeing sprouts in 2 to 4 weeks and full-grown plants in 2 to 4 months. The kits come with three basil cartridges and additional cartridges are sold separately. Product site.
EcoMoist Screen Cleaner and Keyboard Cleaner
Ok, perhaps this isn’t the most exciting gift, but as a stocking stuffer, this would win over any computer user (including grandparents). Ecomoist’s line of glass cleaner and keyboard cleaner are environmentally-friendly and get the job done. Screen cleaner $9.95 on amazon.
Gifts for Kids:
Bloxels Build Your Own Video Game
Combining physical and digital tools, Bloxels allows young gamers to design their own retro-style video game. Place colored blocks on the game board, snap a picture with the accompanying app, and bring the blocks to life. Each color in your design represents a different element, like terrain, water, or a hazard. When working on art, the blocks represent the pixelated image. There are eight different colors and 320 blocks for endless possibilities. Recommended for older kids and tweens. $34.98 on amazon.
Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit
Launched by littleBits, which introduces kids to electronics and circuitry with modular pieces that snap together, this kit allows creators to make their own beeping, rolling, fist-bumping R2 D2. The accompanying iOS/Android app provides assembly instructions, as well as acts as a remote control for the droid. The app also includes different missions and customizations kids can try to keep the inventor theme going. These are the droids you’re looking for. $99 from walmart.
