Before you dive back into that old bag of tricks and get dad a tie or a phone call for Father’s Day 2019, consider the possibility that what dad really wants are some of the same tech gifts that you want.
Dads might occasionally balk at technology when something around the house stops working or they can’t figure out what is wrong with their email, but the truth is that dads have always loved technology. They bought us video game systems before they knew what they were and never took their eyes off that big screen TV.
Yes, dad might occasionally yell at the computer, but if you want to find that way to tell him thanks for helping you to become a child of the technological age, why not get him a Father’s Day gift that says more than you ever could. From phone charging campfires to the world’s best cooking thermometer, these are just some of the technological gifts that will make your dad’s eyes light up this Father’s Day.
Apple Watch Series 3
Until now, it’s been hard to recommend the Apple Watch to anyone but the most diehard of Apple consumers. That’s because previous versions of the Apple Watch have been amusing but far from essential.
The Series 3 Apple Watch changes all of that by finally incorporating features that the product has needed from the start. The Apple Watch’s increased cellular and GPS abilities finally turn it into the “iPhone on your wrist” that most people figured the first model of Apple Watch would be. So go slightly beyond the traditional watch you’d get your dad for a gift and get him one of these instead.
Master Lock Padlock
Whether it’s necessary or not, dads always seem to place themselves at the head of their home’s security. While the Master Lock Padlock won’t exactly ensure that every item in the home is safe, it will ensure that nobody is getting into the tool shed anytime soon.
Yes, the Master Lock Padlock is essentially just a padlock, but it’s not like any padlock that you or your dad has ever seen. You control it using an app on your phone or tablet which is not only effective but has the added benefit of being pretty cool. What dad wouldn’t love that?
Nest
You know those old jokes about dads being obsessed with controlling the thermostat? Well, the reason you hear so many of those “jokes” is because there’s absolutely a ring of truth to it. Dads everywhere are concerned – some may say overly concerned – about ensuring that the home temperature is optimal and cost-efficient.
Fortunately, that’s exactly the kind of person that Nest was designed for. It not only allows you to control the temperature in your home from your phone no matter where you are, but Nest’s deep data reports allow you to truly understand how your thermostat works.
Philips Hue
Smart light bulbs are one of those modern-day inventions that seems like a joke. Does anyone really need smarter light bulbs? The truth is that most people probably don’t, but that doesn’t mean that Philips Hue isn’t one of the best smart home products out there.
The first time that your dad uses their phone or tablet to change the color of the lights in a room or dim them at random, they will get the kind of smile on their face that you only see when people suddenly realize that they’re living in the future. We’d say that guaranteed smile makes Philips Hue a pretty great gift.
Chamberlain MyQ Garage
Garage doors openers are one of the original pieces of dad tech. While they weren’t exclusively used by dads, it was dads who got the most thrill out of being able to push a button and watch the garage open.
Maybe there’s no recreating that moment that dad used his first garage opener, but you can come pretty close by hooking him up with one of the excellent Chamberlain MyQ Garage models that are out there. Not only does it let you open your garage from your phone, but it can even tell users when the garage has been opened, no matter where they are.
Ring Video Doorbell
Most doorbells are boring. It doesn’t matter how clever your custom ringtone is or what you’ve designed the doorbell to resemble. It’s ultimately still a doorbell that just tells you when someone wants you to answer the door.
Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell is a little more than that. When someone rings this bell, it broadcasts a video feed of who is at your door directly to your phone via an app. You can even answer them from your phone. Dad will really love this gift, though, once he starts tinkering with the custom motion detection settings.
Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control
Is there any more iconic image of dads and technology than the visual of a dad sitting in his favorite chair using a television remote? Maybe it’s a bit of a cliche, but we’re willing to bet that most people can picture their dads in that exact position right now.
The Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control is significantly more advanced than any remote your dad has ever used before. Not only does it control the television and the speakers, but it can even allow dads to create a custom schedule for their smart home devices while they sit in their favorite chair and play with the remote.
Netatmo Wi-Fi Urban Weather Station
There’s a strange correlation between getting older and caring about the weather more. That effect tends to hit dads especially hard. There are even some dads who become downright obsessed with the weather.
If your dad is best described as the latter, then you might want to get them a Netatmo Wi-Fi Urban Weather Station. The name isn’t catchy, but the functionality of this device is quite brilliant. These devices are perfectly capable of relaying indoor or outdoor temperature, but they can also relay accurate forecasts based on your local temperature and can create data reports based on the weather they’ve registered thus far.
OTHA 1080p HD Projector
Is your dad a film buff? Does he long for the days of getting everyone to sit around the projector looking at photos? He might just be the perfect candidate for this iPhone projector.
This isn’t the cheapest projector on the market (there are other options for that, but it’s certainly one of the best. Boasting one of the best quality projections in the world, the OTHA is an exciting (and exceptional) piece of tech.
EACHINE Stunt Drone
Buying a drone can be difficult. Pro level models cost hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. Cheaper options usually work once or twice and then fall apart. This stunt drone represents one of the best middle-ground options.
It’s not professional quality, but this is a surprisingly capable drone that actually withstands multiple uses. If your dad is an outdoor enthusiast (or just wants to have fun with the pets), it’s a fun and affordable options that genuinely works.
Custom Apple Watch Band
Did you end up getting your dad an Apple Watch? Great. You made a wise decision. The only trouble now is that you’ve got to convince your dad to actually wear it. If your dad is secretly fashion conscious – or if he just likes the look of a classic watch – that might prove to be a problem.
Fortunately, Apple offers plenty of ways to fix that problem. Custom Apple Watch bands aren’t strictly a necessity, but they certainly help make wearing an Apple Watch feel a lot less like you’re slowly turning yourself into a robot.
Urban Armor Gear Monarch Case
We get that people want phone cases that are tough, but we don’t’ quite understand why there are some dads out there who insist on buying phone cases that could survive a fall from an airplane into a volcano. Nevertheless, dads love tough phone cases.
We can’t guarantee that the Urban Armor case is the strongest out there, but it’s certainly close. These cases offer insane degrees of protection without completely compromising the look of the phone that they’re protecting (they’re surprisingly thin). Simply put, these cases are about as good as tough phone cases get.
Portable Charger Anker PowerCore 20100mAh
Portable power banks are a weird thing. They’ve been around for years, and they’re almost universally useful, but for some reason, there are a lot of people out there that still don’t own one. That collection of people includes more than a few dads.
If you don’t want to take any chances when buying a power bank, then we highly recommend that you go straight for the Anker PowerCore 20100. It’s slim, sleekly designed, supports a variety of devices, and holds more charge than most of the competing devices out there. It’s arguably the best overall power bank you can buy.
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker
The idea of Sous Vide cooking probably sounds ridiculous to a lot of dads, which is fine when you consider that it probably sounds ridiculous to a lot of other people. Who would ever vacuum seal and steam a steak when they could just throw them on the grill?
While Sous Vide’s can’t completely replace the grilling experience, they are perfect for the dads who love to make the perfect steaks. The Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker lets cooks identify the perfect temperature for their steaks and ensure that they come out tasting even better than they would if they were cooked on a grill.
iGrill Mini
You don’t realize how valuable a good cooking thermometer is until you actually start using one. You might think that you’re letting your food get to the optimal temperature, but you’d be surprised how tricky those few degrees can be.
There are plenty of cooking thermometers out there, but none of them are as versatile or impressive as the iGrill Mini. Yes, it will broadcast the temperature of your food to your phone – which is pretty cool in and of itself – but what really makes this device special is the way that it allows you to easily check the temperature of food without interrupting the cooking process.
BioLite CampStove
There are some dads out there who love camping but think that technology has no place in the outdoors. We love those dads, but they’re wrong. We use all kinds of technology while camping, but we don’t often use the best technology available.
The BioLite CampStove combines the best of a classic campfire with modern conveniences. It’s a lightweight portable campfire that produces a pretty impressive flame that is made all the more impressive when you consider that the fire can be used to charge your portable device. It’s a fun piece of incredibly useful technology.
GrillTime
Remember how we mentioned that there’s nothing that can completely replace the grilling experience? Well, a part of that experience has to include hearing dad talk about his secret technique for ensuring that the food comes out perfectly. More often than not, that technique isn’t the best.
Give dad a helping hand at the grill by giving him the Grill Time app. Dad will love it because it will remind him when to flip the food, but the app can also be used to ensure that the food is on the grill for the perfect length of time and that those steaks are being perfectly prepared.
iHandyCarpenter
Nobody expects their dad to just trade in all of their tools for an app. That would be crazy. However, there are times when your dad needs a tool in a situation where he might not have any reason to be carrying it. For those situations, you might want to download iHandy Carpenter on his iPhone.
iHandy Carpenter isn’t a toolbox replacement, but it is away for dads everywhere to quickly access the digital version of some classic tools in order to ensure they’re never left wanting for the right tool for the job no matter where they may be.
SkyView
Did you know that all dads are astronomers? It’s true. They may not have degrees or any kind of formal training whatsoever, but the moment that a dad takes his kid out to the backyard to look at the stars is the moment that they become an expert on the power of the cosmos.
Relive those days with the SkyView app. This app contains even more information about the stars and planets than even dad knew, and it’s capable of creating an AR projection that allows you to scan the night sky and see exactly what else those twinkling dots mean than memories with your dad.
Billy Currency Converter
If your dad hasn’t already reached the point in his life when he decides that it’s time to see the world, then maybe it’s time to tell him that he needs to go out and see the world. If for any reason that idea intimidates your dad, you can ease some of his burdens by helping him download the Billy Currency Converter app.
This easy to use currency converter app allows anyone to understand exactly how much money they’re holding. It even supports 170 currencies which means that your dad’s trip around the globe won’t have to be limited to the most popular destinations.
Have you found the perfect tech gift for dad this Father’s Day? Let us know about it in the comments below.
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