25 Gadgets That Make Great Gifts For Techies

Best Gifts For Techies

It's always exciting to get a gift during the holidays, and some of the best gifts out there are tech devices.

Innovation in the smartphone and tablet market is at its highest peak yet, and the wearables market is really starting to take off with high-end fitness bands and innovative smartwatches.

There are some other fun tech toys out there that make great presents as well. Here are 25 of the best gifts for techies this year.

Stackable Tetris LED Desk Lamp

What techie out there doesn't love Tetris?

This lamp is made up of all the different Tetris pieces, and when they are stacked together in any combination, the LED lights inside the pieces light up. When the pieces are taken off, the lights turn off. There also is an on/off switch at the base of the lamp.

Multiple lamps can be connected to make larger Tetris lamps.

Price: $39.99

Click & Grow Smart Herb Garden

It's a foolproof way to grow herbs all year round.

Simply plug in the device, fill the water reservoir and insert the plant cartridge. The plants will take it from there. The Smart Herb Garden runs on energy-efficient LEW lighting and can be placed anywhere for the plants to grow. The Smart Herb Garden has a 12-month warranty and comes with basil, thyme and lemon balm cartridges.

Price: $99.95

Apple TV

Watch your favorite movies or TV series in 1080p HD on Apple TV.

You can enjoy live sports, stream music, watch videos and go through photo albums, right on your home TV. You also can play content from your iOS device and Mac using AirPlay.

Apple TV enables access to Web-based streaming content including HBO Go, Netflix, HuluPlus, Watch ESPN and more. You also can rent or purchase movies or TV shows from the iTunes store on demand.

Price: $99

Samsung 55-Inch 4K LED Curved TV

You can enjoy this large curved 4K Ultra HD (2160p) display when watching all your favorite shows, movies and sporting events. There's almost no motion blur when watching movies, shows and sports, or when playing video games with this TV's 120Hz refresh rate.

The Samsung TV has built-in Wi-Fi, so you can surf the Web with the built-in browse and enjoy digital voice commands and a track pad for easy controlling.

The TV takes advantage of ultra-clear panel technology, absorbing ambient light helping reduce reflection and deliver clear detailed images.

Price: $1,499.99

ZyXEL Wireless Range Extender

This device will broaden your already present Wi-Fi signal so it can cover more ground.

Simply plug in the extender at an area of the house that has a strong Wi-Fi signal, turn it on, and you'll see how many areas of the home that once had weak signals or no signals at all are suddenly a hot spot for Wi-Fi.

Price: $89.99

Basis Peak

This high-end fitness band automatically detects when you are sleeping, walking, running or biking and can chart activity based on the exercise. The Peak will sync with iOS and Android mobile devices for you to view your progress in the Basis app.

Information such as calories burned, steps taken, heart rate and more are all available. You can even message other Basis fitness band users.

Price: $199.99

Dash 7 Speakers

This powerful and portable pocket-sized speaker is the slimmest and lightest of its kind. It can easily slide into a pocket or bag, and has high-quality sound, ideal for any mobile device. The speaker features Bluetooth connectivity, so you can access your favorite playlists, watch movies with great sound, and even take calls.

The device comes in red, white, black or platinum.

Price: $199

Oyster

Oyster is an ebook streaming service that gives iOS, Android and Kindle Fire devices unlimited access to more than 500,000 titles on the Web.

The app can give suggested titles based on genres or subjects and has specially made book covers on some classic titles, which are also available for purchase online.

Giving a reader the gift of an Oyster subscription is definitely something they'd appreciate.

Price: $10-per-month subscription

Moto 360 Smartwatch

One of the most highly regarded smartwatches currently on the market, the Moto 360 Smartwatch looks almost exactly like a regular watch.

With its round face display and customizable bands, it looks like a casual watch that you could even wear to a formal event. The Android Wear device sends push notifications and alerts right from your phone to your wrist and responds to voice commands with the Android Wear digital voice assistant Google Now.

Price: $249

Ventev Portable Charger

This light and slim battery charger is one convenient and helpful gift.

When your smartphone runs out of power, it can be very inconvenient when you need to get in touch with someone or when you're lost and need to find directions. With this portable battery charger, you can just plug your phone in and charge it up without skipping a beat.

This charger by Ventev fits perfectly in your pocket, bag or purse and it's rechargeable.

Price: $34.99

Motorola Droid Turbo

Motorola's new flagship smartphone, exclusive with Verizon, is one of the more underrated devices on the market right now.

The Droid Turbo has the best display of any smartphone on the market as the 5.2-inch screen on the device has more pixels per inch than any of the top devices from the leading brands.

It also features the largest battery, making it last longer than any of the top devices out right now.

The Android-operated smartphone lasts for up to 48 hours on a single charge, and can gain eight hours of battery life on just a 15-minute charge when the battery is depleted.

Price: $199 with contract

Pocket Projector Mobile, 100 Lumens

This portable projector fits in the palm of your hand and can project bright, sharp images up to 80 inches diagonal. The projector accepts 1,080p and 1,080i HD digital input. It connects to most smartphones, tablets, computers and video players, cameras and more via HDMI. The bright LED lamp projects up to 100 lumens for up to two hours on a single charge. The device doubles as a portable backup charger for mobile devices.

Price: $299

Case Mate iPhone 6 Brushed Aluminum Case

This is a sleek aluminum case for the iPhone 6 that is both durable and attractive. It protects the case with its dual-layer design and soft interior liner.

The thin case hugs the iPhone 6, keeping the device's slim appeal. The back of the case also juts out just enough to protect the camera lens when the phone is laying flat. On the front of the phone, the lip of the case goes around the display to give it the same protection.

Price: $40

Google Chromecast

This thumb-size media streaming device plugs into the HDMI port of your TV and allows you to "cast" your favorite forms of entertainment from a smartphone or tablet straight onto the TV. Chromecast also works with Mac or Windows laptops and Chromebooks, in addition to Android and iOS devices. Chromecast supports a large number of apps that continues to grow, including Netflix, HBO Go, YouTube, WatchESPN, Pandora and more. Currently, Google and Hulu are running a promotion where users who purchase Chromecast can enjoy two months of Hulu Plus for free. Chromecast connects to your device via the same Wi-Fi network, and allows you to use your mobile device as the remote control.

Price: $35

iPad Telephoto Lens

This device adds 10 to 12 times the zoom to your iPad or iPad mini photo lens. With the Telephoto zoom by Photojojo, you can get up close and personal with your subject from hundreds of yards away.

You can take a photo from the back row of a sporting event or take an up-close view of the cityscape with ease.

Price: $25

Sling Box

Having a hard time pulling away from the TV? Not anymore. Sling Box allows you to watch live TV on your tablet, smartphone, PC or Mac with the Slingplayer app. Sling Box works with Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices. You can easily find your favorite shows and sort by program, genre or set up favorites. This is not an on-demand service as the Sling Box "slings" live TV from your home television to your mobile device without an additional fee. This means you can watch live sports or shows no matter where you are. If you can't make it for the live airing, you can set up DVR recordings on your Sling Box as well.

Price: $249

iPad Air 2

The top-selling tablet on the market just got a major upgrade in the iPad Air 2. Apple's newest iPad is lighter and slimmer than ever before with a sharper, brighter display and more powerful processing.

In addition to that, you can enjoy the same Touch ID feature that's on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Recipients of the iPad Air 2 can get next year's holiday shopping done right from the new iPad with its Apple Pay platform and confirm all purchases and financial information just by scanning your fingerprint on the Home button.

Price: Starting at $499

Brookstone Virtual Keyboard

This futuristic and handy device brings up a keyboard out of thin air for you to use with iOS or Android mobile devices. The Virtual Keyboard uses lasers to display a keyboard on any flat surface for you type and advanced optics to track your fingers as you type. The device uses Bluetooth to wirelessly connect your virtual keyboard to your mobile devices. Like the mobility of your tablet, but want to be able to type a paper on your laptop? This is the most portable keyboard for your tablet that you'll find as it's smaller than a deck of cards. The Virtual Keyboard uses a USB cable for its rechargeable battery.

Price: $99.99

Perfect Drink App-Controlled Smart Bartending

This smart bartender platform includes a scale, mixer and bartending app, allowing you to quickly make drinks like an expert mixologist. Simply by placing a glass on the scale, the Perfect Drink app will know the weight and density of the contents of the glass. The app will tell you exactly how much of each ingredient to pour into the glass. You can also discover new drinks to make simply by telling the app what ingredients you have on hand.

Price: $49.99

94Fifty Smart Basketball

This is the most high-tech basketball you've ever played with. The 94Fifty Smart Basketball senses what you're doing right and wrong with every shot and dribble, giving you feedback to make you a better player.

This basketball is loaded with sensors to count dribbles, force, shot release speed, shot arc, backspin and more. It can be used both indoors and outdoors and connects to both iOS and Android devices. The app will even give basketball skills drills and workouts in addition to giving you feedback on your game. The wireless rechargeable battery lasts for eight hours and the ball connects to your devices via Bluetooth.

Price: $199

iBaby Monitor

Know someone with a newborn? The iBaby Monitor from iHealth is a great gift. In addition to giving parents the ability to keep an eye on their baby via their iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, the iBaby Monitor also features two-way audio, so you can communicate through the monitor. Up to four devices can be connected and control the iBaby Monitor at once. With the iBaby View app, parents can take pictures of their baby through the monitor from their mobile device. The rechargeable battery lasts for up to two hours.

Price: $129.95

iKettle

The iKettle from Firebox is a Wi-Fi-connected kettle to make yourself tea or coffee whenever you'd like from anywhere in your house. The kettle connects to your smartphone through your home's Wi-Fi signal and will send you push notifications asking if you want to start brewing your drink. When the drink is done, the kettle will inform you with another push notification. The type of drink you want or the temperature you want boiled at is all controlled from the app. The iKettle comes in a range of different colors, so it can be suited to your kitchen.

Price: $156.69

Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones

Bose's high-end headphones deliver full-range sound and blocks out noise you don't want to hear. The headphones are designed to be extra comfortable with cushions designed to press around the ear and not over it. It is also made with lightweight materials so you may even forget you have it on. With its built-in microphone, you can take and make calls from your headphones on your smartphone. The headphones run on 35 hours of battery life.

Price: $299.99

Apple MacBook Pro

Apple's MacBooks are one of the top laptop brands on the market. The high-end version of the line is the MacBook Pro, designed for professionals but great for students as well. Apple's MacBook Pro comes with either a 13-inch or 15-inch display. The 13-inch models can come with Apple's high-resolution Retina screen, while 15-inch models come standard with the Retina display.

The 13-inch models come with the powerful i5 processor, starting at 2.5GHz, but can be upgraded to 2.8GHz or the processor can be upped up to the next-generation i7 processor at 2.2GHz or 2.5GHz. The MacBook Pro comes with anywhere between 4 GB and 16 GB of memory, and between 128 GB to 512 GB of flash storage.

Price: Starting at $1,099

Withings Activite

You may not believe it when looking at it, but the Withings Activite is not just a stylish casual watch, it's actually a smartwatch you can wear for activity tracking. With its French craft and Swiss manufacturing, it is as useful as it is fashionable.

It comes with a white or black face and has interchangeable bands. The smartwatch can connect to your mobile device so users can track their data as the device counts your steps, distance and calories burned. The Activite monitors your sleep patterns and features a silent alarm with its gentle vibration of your wrist. The smartwatch is water-resistant and can even track your activity when you swim.

Price: $450