10 Awesome High-Tech Father’s Day Gift Ideas for 2014

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Dad’s big day is fast approaching. You need to come up with something for that special family guy by June 15 — Father’s Day — that shows how much he means to you. Unfortunately, dads can be notoriously difficult to shop for, and the classic tie can only be trotted out so many times.

Fathers Day Gift Ideas
Source: Burberry

Stuck for Father’s Day gift ideas? You’ve got a couple of options.

For one, you could wander aimlessly around the mall for hours on end and drink your fill of Orange Julius until you finally buckle and buy what’s on sale at Macy’s. Or you could browse Amazon and shuffle through 200 different types of tiki torches.

But we think you’ll have better luck with one of these 10 high-tech Father’s Day gift ideas that are guaranteed to be a hit.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Icon E-Flyer

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: Icon E-Bike
Source: Icon

Dad might have dreams of flying down the open road on a Harley (HOG), or of never visiting a gas station again thanks to a shiny red Tesla (TSLA) Model S.

Of course, if you wanted a (somewhat) less expensive set of wheels, for $5k, you could combine the two with the Icon E-Flyer.

This electric bike offers a hydroformed aluminum frame, hand-stitched leather seat, motorcyle-inspired looks (including a big headlight) and a 3,500-watt electric motor good for a 36 mph top speed.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – iPad Mini with Retina Display

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: iPad Mini With Retina Display
Source: Apple

The go-to, all-purpose high-tech choice among Father’s Day gifts is Apple’s (AAPL) iPad Mini with Retina Display.

It might cost more than the 7-inch Android tablets it competes against, but our review found Apple’s smallest and most affordable A7-equipped, Retina Display tablet was well worth the premium.

Buy it online through Apple and you’ll get free shipping, plus the option of free engraving to personalize Dad’s new toy.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Parrot Drone

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: Parrot Drone
Source: Parrot AR

Why should the guys at Google (GOOG) have all the fun of playing with drones?

You might not want to unleash one of Google’s U.S. Defense Department robots on the backyard, but I’ll bet Dad would have fun with a Parrot drone.

Control this camera-toting quadrocopter with an iOS or Android mobile device, and Dad not only gets to have some fun, but he can put the Parrot to practical use: checking the eaves for leaf buildup, for example.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Sony 4K TV

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: Sony 4K TV
Source: Sony

Sony (SNE) might be going through some tough times, and its TV business viability is doubtful, but there’s no questioning the fact that it makes some of the best TVs out there.

What dad wouldn’t drool over the possibility of watching the start of the 2014 NFL season on a huge, 4K Ultra HDTV?

Two problems there: TV broadcast hasn’t quite caught up to 4K, and those Ultra HDTVs tend to be stupidly expensive.

However, Sony now has a premium 55-inch XBR 4K Ultra HDTV for $2,700.

It’s one of those Father’s Day gifts that just keeps giving, and it’ll only get better as 4K content catches on.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Xbox One or Playstation 4

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: Xbox One or Playstation 4
Source: Microsoft

Is your dad a gamer? Did he grow up playing on a Sega Genesis, Atari 2600 or a Nintendo (NTDOY) 64?

Make his day with an upgrade to the latest next-gen video game console.

You’ll need to figure out if he’s a PlayStation 4 guy or would prefer Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox One, but at least they’re the same price now so cost shouldn’t be the deterring factor.

With the capabilities of these machines, you’ll make your dad’s year with either of these Father’s Day gifts.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – B&W Zeppelin Air Wireless Speaker

Father’s Day Gift Ideas: B&W Zeppelin
Source: Bowers & Wilkins

There are tons of wireless speaker systems out there — and I’ve tested many of them — but the one I liked so much I shelled out the money for it was B&W’s Zeppelin.

It’s meant primarily for iOS users (wireless is using Apple’s AirPlay, while it also includes a physical dock for iPhones), but the chrome-and-black-cloth Zeppelin looks like a piece of industrial art.

With 100 watts of power pumping through five drivers, no other Father’s Day gift will sound as good.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – HTC One M8

Father's Day Gift Ideas: HTC One M8
Source: HTC

If Dad is in need of a new smartphone and he likes the aluminum-and-glass look of the iPhone but would prefer Android, all is not lost.

The Samsung (SSNLF) Galaxy S5 might be the most popular Android smartphone, but the HTC One M8 is a heck of a lot better-looking and a pretty good all-round performer as well.

It has a 5-inch full-HD display, BoomSound with front-facing speakers, an innovative dual-camera system and runs Android KitKat, plus the aluminum-and-glass case gives Apple a run for its money for visual appeal.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Kobo Aura HD E-Reader

Father's Day Gift Ideas: Kobo Aura HD
Source: Kobo

Books used to be popular Father’s Day gift ideas, but these days, e-readers are even better. Dad can carry a library in a single device and doesn’t have to worry about the screen glare or battery life issues of using a tablet to read e-books.

Despite Amazon’s (AMZN) undisputed leadership in the market with its Kindle line of e-readers, my pick as the best is actually the Kobo Aura HD.

Stylish (the espresso brown is a great look for dads), ePUB compatible, with a great lighting system and the sharpest display you’ll find on any e-reader (265 ppi), this is the one I use daily and the one I recommend to friends.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Linksys WRT 1900AC Wireless Router

Father's Day Gift Ideas: Linksys WRT 1900AC Wireless Router
Source: Linksys

A popular hobby among the dad demographic is fixing things. Every dad likes to take something around the house that’s not quite right and make it better. That’s why power tools have always been popular as Father’s Day gifts.

One thing that’s becoming increasingly annoying in many homes is Wi-Fi. With the explosion of smartphones and tablets, online gaming, smart TVs and streaming video, home Wi-Fi networks are often overwhelmed. That means slow-loading web pages and Netflix (NFLX) pausing movies to buffer content.

Let your dad be the hero who “fixes” your home Wi-Fi network by tossing your old router and replacing it with the Linksys WRT 1900AC — a beast of a wireless router that can handle all your connected devices, dishes out 802.11ac Gigabit Wi-Fi and looks pretty cool doing it.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas – Amazon Fire TV

Father's Day Gift Ideas: Amazon Fire TV
Source: Amazon

Finally, since we’ve mentioned Netflix, let’s talk video streamers. These devices make great Father’s Day gifts, especially now that the most popular models are priced at $100 or less.

The Amazon Fire TV costs the same as the Apple TV, but offers voice navigation, a better remote and games. It has a Netflix app and access to most of the digital media he cares about.

It’s a great little device which becomes a no-brainer if dad happens to have an Amazon Prime account — he’ll get unlimited video streaming at no extra cost.

As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Brad Moon has been writing for InvestorPlace.com since 2012. He also writes about stocks for Kiplinger and has been a senior contributor focusing on consumer technology for Forbes since 2015.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2014/06/fathers-day-gift-ideas-aapl/.

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