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The HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer is a modern take on the instant camera, allowing printing from a smartphone or tablet via a Bluetooth connection. Using the HP Sprocket phone app (iOS/Android), users can customize their photos (with stickers, borders, filters, and so on) then send them to print on the device’s 2-inch by 3-inch sticky-back paper. The smudge-proof, water-resistant HP Zink photo paper is a proprietary technology that puts crystals on every sheet that show up as specific colors when they’re heated. Price: $129.99, including 10 sheets of printer paper. 20-sheet replacement packs cost $10.
If you’re constantly searching for your keys or wallet (and who isn’t?), Tile is out with additions to its lineup of Bluetooth trackers that can help. The Tile Pro model now keeps tabs on your items within a 400-foot range (other models cover 200 feet), Tile Slim is credit-card size, and the small Sticker version is made to stick to just about anything. Better yet, Slim and Sticker are waterproof and have a three-year battery life (versus one year for other models). To find a missing object with a Tile attached, users open the Tile app to make the tracker ring if it’s nearby. If it’s not in range, the tile will appear on a map at the last place it was updated. Price: Pro $34.99, Sticker $39.99 (for two), Slim $29.99
Subscription gift boxes are hot, and the variety is phenomenal—from beauty supplies and coffee beans to vegan jerky and socks. But considering the fervor of dog lovers, it’s the BarkBox subscription service that stands out as a winner. Your pup-crazed clients or co-workers will enjoy and remember a monthly box of toys and treats for their four-legged friends. Boxes are customized by the size of the dog and can be ordered to arrive one, three, six, or 12 times a year. Price: $89 for a three-month subscription
Maui Jim, which specializes in on-site gift-giving experiences, is reinventing the aviator style with the Ebb & Flow’s squared titanium frame. The MauiBrilliant lenses, available in five colors, are accented by the muted frame finish. Like all Maui Jim shades, the Ebb & Flow offers style, glare elimination, UV protection, and lightweight comfort. Price: $349
Dreamlight Pro relaxation and sleeping aid made its debut at the CES show this year. The wrap-around eye mask has several electronic features to relax the user and then monitor sleep activity for analysis. A built-in LED system delivers a soft orange light that matches brain-waves and promotes relaxation, and various audio options complete the sleepy environment. A heart-rate, breathing, and movement monitor provides results to the Dreamlight app on the user’s phone, which makes recommendations on an ideal sleep schedule for the user. The hypoallergenic mask weighs just eight ounces and and
comes with a USB charging cable and a soft carrying case. Price: $299
Yes, most hotels have a gym, but when you’re busy, it can be easier and faster to do a workout in your room. The FitKit Pro makes a nice gift for anyone trying to maintain a routine on the road, and includes a resistance band, tubing with handles and a door anchor, and a starter set of exercise cards with photos and instructions. There’s also a waist pack (with an earphone cable hole) that’s big enough to hold a phone, ID, cash, and keys, plus a customizable case. Price: $44.99 for a single case, but the cost drops substantially for volume buys
Each year, every American contributes about 10 tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, with frequent travelers contributing slightly more. Cool Effect is a nonprofit that offers gift certificates to support projects that offset these emissions and support local industries. Non-preachy certificates for your gift recipient can be customized to donate to different efforts. For example, coffee fans will appreciate supporting coffee farmers with The Brew-tiful Gift, and The Poo Package (for friends and clients with a sense of humor) finances bio-gas digesters to turn dung into clean energy, reducing harmful methane emissions. All recipients get a personalized certificate with details of the donation in his or her name, and the Poo Package also comes with origami instructions and recycled paper to make a pop-up poo. Price: Gift certificates start at $25
Raise your hand if you got eight hours of sleep last night. Yeah, I didn’t think so. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about half of Americans average less than seven hours of sleep. The Mayo Clinic reports that short power naps can be beneficial, and the gift of an Ostrich Pillow gives some portable peace and quiet for people on the go. The “Light” model is a super-soft circular pillow that can be used as a neck support or to cover the user’s eyes and ears, providing a dark and quiet space to nap at a desk, on a plane, or during a commute. The two-color reversible design can be adjusted to fit the user’s neck or face and can be worn as a scarf or around a bag strap for easy carrying. Price: $45
No, it’s not a face cream, it’s the PurSteam Garment Steamer for home and travel. This 900W handheld steamer weighs less than one pound when empty and has a refillable tank for up to six ounces of tap water. It heats up quickly so you can take the creases out of clothes on hangers or refresh them between appointments. The steamer is gentle on silks and wool and, unlike hotel irons that could have residue from multiple uses, it won’t stain your clothes. Bonus: Use the steamer as a humidifier in dry hotel rooms and it will automatically shut off when the tank is empty. Price: $26
On most airlines, checking luggage is an expensive option, and nobody wants to pay even more for a bag that weighs in over the limit. Here’s a stocking stuffer for all the travelers on your list that will head off that problem: The Camry Luggage Scale hooks onto your bag to test its weight, up to 110 pounds. The gadget comes with a battery, and its digital readout also features a room-temperature display and a low-battery indicator. Price: $9.99 on Amazon, battery included
The Jabra Elite 65t noise-dampening ear buds allow you to wirelessly listen to music and make calls confidently in public places, thanks to four microphones that detect ambient sounds and cancel out their frequency—including wind. Each pair comes with several differently sized ear-bud cushions for perfect in-ear fit. Battery life is five hours on a single charge, or 15 hours when connected to the pocket-sized charging case. And 15 minutes of charging with the provided USB wall charger will get you 1.5 more hours of use. Price: $170
The LuminAID PackLite Max 2-in-1 is both an inflatable solar lantern and phone charger. The unit delivers 150 lumens of LED light in turbo mode, or more than 50 hours of light in low mode after being charged by 16 hours of sunlight or two hours of USB input. Also, a USB output port will recharge a mobile phone in four hours. The unit collapses flat for easy packing. Price: $50; for an additional $25, you can send a unit to a family in an underdeveloped part of the world through LuminAID’s “Get a Light, Give a Light” program.
Pepper spray may not be a cheery gift, but it certainly says you care. And a high-tech version, Plegium Smart Pepper Spray, released at CES earlier this year, adds layers of protection well beyond the norm. Most notably, the canister electronically connects to your phone and, when activated, sends your location and a distress call/text to your designated emergency contact. The unit also has a built-in siren as well as a strobe LED light that helps the user aim and disorients the attacker. Price: $39.95
The Duffield Throw by UGG is a cotton blanket so soft you’ll want to cuddle up in it all day. Crafted from a plush polyester/cotton blend, it’s offered in a palette of neutral colors and generously sized at 50 inches by 70 inches. Perfect for chilly weekend mornings, the quality is in line with the furry boots and other comfy items made by UGG—and it’s a throw you’ll want to have lying around wherever you relax. Price: $98
