5 Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Holiday Season

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Cool gadgets are released year-round but there’s one time of year that can make or break any company in the consumer electronics industry: the holiday season.

quarterly review and outlookIt’s no accident that Apple (AAPL) releases new iPhones in the fall and Amazon (AMZN) has made a habit of ensuring new Kindle e-readers and tablets are in the pipeline just in time for holiday delivery.

Last year it was Sony’s (SNE) Playstation 4 and the Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox One hitting shelves in November that set the stage for one of the biggest battles for 2013 holiday consumer shopping dollars.

While there shouldn’t be another generation of video game consoles released for at least five years, there are plenty of other cool gadgets coming out this holiday season.

Here are five that will be competing for your money.

Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Holiday Season: iPad Air 2

iPad Air 2
Source: Apple

Apple broke sales records with the release of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus a few weeks ago. Now it needs to re-invigorate sagging iPad numbers, and that means it’s time for a second generation iPad Air to make an appearance.

As CNET’s Ben Fox Rubin points out, the last two Octobers have seen iPad releases to take advantage of holiday sales, so it’s hardly going out on a limb to expect Apple to refresh its best-selling model in time for this holiday season.

It may not be officially announced yet, but expect the iPad Air 2 to be one of the most popular cool gadgets in coming months.

Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Holiday Season: Sony Playstation TV

cool gadgets, pstv
Source: Sony

At E3 2014, Sony announced its Vita TV set-top game and video streaming device would be coming to the U.S. in the fall, re-branded as the Playstation TV.

We now know that Sony will be offering the PSTV from $99.99 beginning October 14.

The little box will be competing against a range of devices, including Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. While the other devices can also stream video and the Fire TV can play app-based games, the PSTV will be able to play hundreds of PS3 titles on Sony’s Playstation Now network and stream PS4 games from a local Playstation 4.

Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Holiday Season: Kobo Aura H20

cool gadgets, kobo aura h2o
Source: Kobo

Is it possible for an e-reader to be a cool gadget in 2014?

Amazon is certainly trying with the premium-finish (and premium-priced) Kindle Voyage, but I think a competing device from Rakuten’s (RKUNF) Kobo may have the edge — at least as far as “cool” factor.

Like the Kindle Voyage (and the Kobo Aura HD before it), the Kobo Aura H20 offers a premium e-reading experience with a high-resolution display and effective front-lighting system.

However, the Kobo Aura H20 introduces something new to e-readers instead of just improving specs. It’s both waterproof and dust-proof, meaning it’s now possible to bring an e-reader to the beach or pool without a bulky case. No more worries about rain showers for e-book loving commuters, either.

Kobo is taking pre-orders now, and the $179.99 Aura H2O should be widely available in October — just in time for the holiday season.

Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Holiday Season: Google Nexus 9

Nexus 5

Tablets have become one of the hottest-selling holiday categories.

With a second-generation iPad Air a lock to arrive in October, new Kindle Fire tablets already announced and Samsung (SSNLF) pushing a new generation of Galaxy tablets, Google is unlikely to sit back and let everyone else rake in the spoils.

A new Nexus 9 tablet has been leaked and Liam Spradlin of Android Police says to expect it sometime in Q4 2014, likely as a launch device for Google’s new Android L version of its mobile operating system.

What would make this tablet stand out from the crowd is the design cues it appears to take from the popular HTC One (reviewed here), the metal-clad front-runner for best looking Android smartphone.

The Nexus 9 is looking to be a powerful and visually stunning tablet — and one cool gadget.

Cool Gadgets Coming Out This Holiday Season: GoPro Hero 4 Black

cool gadgets, gopro hero 4
Source: GoPro

GoPro (GPRO) isn’t just one of the most unlikely IPO success stories of 2014, it’s prepping to unleash a new generation of its wearable cameras in an attempt to be the “cool gadget” of the 2014 holiday season.

The original GoPro camera practically started the rage for wearable action cameras and launched hundreds of YouTube channels.

The competition is fierce now, but GoPro is releasing a new line-up in October that should ensure it stays on top. The new GoPro Hero goes for $130, protecting the company from cheaper knock-offs, but it’s the GoPro Hero 4 Black that’s going to get the nod from true extreme film enthusiasts.

At $499.99 it’s not cheap, but the waterproof GoPro Hero 4 Black shoots video in eye-popping 4K resolution. It also supports 1080p HD video at 120 frames per second for those all-important slow motion clips of wipeouts, crashes, extreme roller coaster rides and shark attacks.

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/2014/09/cool-gadgets-holiday-season/.

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