iPhone Antidote’s Holiday Season Tech Gift Guide is here!

 

 

 

 

iPhone Antidote LOVES christmas. We put our christmas tree up in October, no joke.

 

AND we’ve been tracking the best gifts this year so you can get everyone in your life the best damn christmas present they’ve ever had. We’re talking tears in the eyes of the toughest man you know kind of christmas gifts. You guys are gonna get so much christmas karma this year!

 

Although tech stuff tends to be on the higher side of the budget range, we’ve tried to include a broad range of prices AND gifts for a broad range of ages and interests.

 

We’ve also provided some nice gift viewing music to serenade you whilst you read. Did we mention that we love Christmas?

 

 

 

 

 

You ready? Here we go!

 

 

 

 

Health Conscious 

 

For the health conscious in the family, any of the Fitbit product line will make for a perfect gift. At iPhone Antidote, we recommend the FitBit One (seen above), but the Fitbit Flex has been reviewed positively as well.

 

The gadget tracks steps, miles,and other activities undertaken as well as calories taken in and expended, weight and even your sleep patterns. A very effective tool for maintaining or improving healthy living.

 

The Fitbit range is sold in most good tech stores. The Fitbit One is $99.99 and the FitBit Flex sells for $99.99 everywhere. Try Best Buy or Target.

 

 

 

 

 

Speakers.

 

 

Cos everyone loves music, right?  And how awesome is it when you can just press a button on a device and music comes pounding out across the room? Or across the campsite? That’s why everyone needs a portable bluetooth speaker, like the Beats by Dre Pill ( shown above), $199.95 at most good techy retailers. Try Macy’s or AT&T.

 

We’d also highly recommend the SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker from Bose. Get it here for $199.99.

 

Groupon currently has a good deal on the BassBoomz Portable Bluetooth Speaker, usually $130, now $29.99. Click here to see the deal. 

 

On the other hand, Airplay speakers ( strictly Apple only connectivity)  give better sound quality than bluetooth, but you certainly pay for it. The one we like the most is the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air for $599.99. Click here to get that price. 

 

The iKross Bluetooth Stereo Music Audio Receiver makes any speaker in your house a bluetooth connectable speaker. Uh, awesome?  Get it for $24.98 here.

 

 

 

 

 

Game systems

 

 

If you haven’t already snapped up one of these and are wanting to, well, we wish you luck my friend. They are a little scarce on the ground at the moment, but we think that supplies might bulk up towards the pointy end of Christmas. Might.

 

But if you can, either of these would make a smashing christmas present. Just make sure you get the right one, and we’re not telling you which one that is- they are both awesome, but it is a fierce battle forged in people’s minds as to brand alliance, much like Samsung and Apple products. If the person you’re getting it for has no alliance, you’re good to go on what suits the budget and environment.

 

The Playstation 4 is $399.99 at Walmart, Best Buy & most good retailers. The Xbox One is $499.99. Consider getting a product bundle as well.

 

The alternative to the two big players is the Nintendo Wii U for just $299.99 at Best Buy -that’s the Wii U Console Deluxe Set with New Super Mario Bros. U AND New Super Luigi U games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Games

 

 

Games! Woop! These are the top coolest games we can think of to recommend!

 

Super Mario 3D world – pretty much the best game in the world. For Nintendo consoles. $59.99 with free shipping at Best Buy.

 

FIFA 14. Solid, fun technical sporting game for $59.99 with free shipping at Best Buy. 

 

Lego Marvel Superheroes. Awesome fun. (Nintendo) Find the range at Target, starting at  $19.99 for the Nintendo DS version. 

 

Grand theft auto V. The game everyone’s been talking about! Be warned, this is not the game to get your 10 year old! Mature themes run throughout, but those, uh, mature enough to play it? They say it rocks socks. In a more mature way of saying that. Available now on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.$59.99 at Best Buy.

 

Groupon currently have a deal to buy Just Dance 2014 for Wii, Xbox 360 Kinect, or PS3 Move . Super fun and easy game for everyone to play. Usually $39.99, now only $29.99. 

 

 

 

 

 

Toys

 

 

 

We scrounged the very bowels of the internet to get the top 5 coolest kids toys for your little munchkins this year.

 

The new Furby Boom toys are the most interactive Furbies yet. And they’re back, in a BIG way. Starting at $47.80 at Walmart. 

 

Snap Circuits – super award winning learning toy, where the objective is to build projects such as AM radios; burglar alarms; games, etc. Shop Amazon for $45.07 with Prime here.

 

Romo Robotic Pet for iOS. Romo is a little guy creature ( downloadable app) that lives in your iOS device – attached to his wheels he can roll around, snap photos and interact with and adapt to his environment.  Get this at Brookstone for $199.99. 

 

Ubooly Smart Toy is an interactive smart toy that doubles as a really cute little thing AND an educational toy with 1,000+ fun activities for ages 4-10. Ubooly tells stories, plays games, teaches lessons and every week, new activities are pushed wirelessly to your mobile device. Yes please.

$29.99 at Amazon.

 

Laser Pegs (seen above). The best light up building construction set you’ve ever seen.

Pay $13.98 for a limited time at Target.

 

 

 

 

 

iPhone  accessories

 

The iStabiliser Monopod. A smartphone and gadget holder thingy, so your photos turn out super stable, and your arm doesn’t hurt when you’re filming. Get it here for $ $34.95.

 

Hellonomad Charge card (seen above).USB powered charge card that is the size of two credit cards, so can fit easily in your wallet.  Get it here for $25.

 

For cases, we reccomend trying out either Opena case for function ( they have the bottle opener case among others) or Red Bubble for design.

 

Groupon currently has a deal for Agloves Touchscreen Winter Gloves, so you can use all your smart gadgets even when it’s super cold! Usually $25.99, now only $ 7.99! Get in fast, it’s super limited. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gifts under $50

 

South Park: Kenny 4GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive for $13.99 with free shipping at Amazon.

 

Satechi USB Portable Amazing Humidifier for $29.99 with Prime at Amazon.

 

Message In A Bottle 4GB USB Flashdrive  – $14.99 at Amazon. 

 

Groupon currently has a deal on for the HMDX Bluetooth Speaker & Alarm Clock with Apple Lightning Pin Dock. Usually $79.99 now only $39.99! Get it here. 

 

iHip Robot Mini Speaker. Super cute brightly colored little speaker guys! Groupon currently has them down from $29.99 to just $6.99. Excellent stocking stuffer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quadcopter/helicopter

No matter what age, a Heli or Quadcopter will bring a lot of joy this holiday season. The best of the lot would be the Stunt Copter ( seen above) at Brookstone for $69.99.  It takes a little learning, but comes with a repair kit and takes some good smashes with no damage. Designed for inside and outside play, it’s a perfect toy that takes some practice- but the practice is hella fun.

 

For more of a toy than a project, we’d recommend this the Hovermaxx UFO RC Helicopter, for only $19.99 from Brookstone, it’s perfect for beginners age 6 and up for inside play and includes 6 LED lights on the device.

 

For the Quads, we’d definitely recommend the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 App-Controlled Quadricopter ($299.99 at Brookstone), it’s big brother the Parrot AR.Drone Quadricopter Power Edition which lets you stay in the air for 3 x longer ($369.99 at Brookstone), or if you want to go REALLY LARGE – the DJI Phantom Aerial UAV is really top notch. Check it out. ($453.44 with prime at Amazon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Smartwatch if you cants wait ( but we suggest you do).

If you or one of your loved ones realllly can’t wait for the iWatch or similar expected far advanced tech, then it’s ok, we got you.

 

We recommend the Pebble Watch if you’re after a standalone smart watch (173.99 from Amazon), or the Martian Passport Smart Watch if you’re after a stylish accessory to go with your smartphone ($299 with Prime from Amazon).

 

Both are great Smart Watches and hella stylish to match, but expect big advances in battery time and capabilities as early as next year in their own updates and in new products.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cool things

 

 

Light show fountain speakers. Turn on your favorite jam ( do we still say jam for music? ) and the water inside the speakers will dance to the beat and the 4 multi-colored LEDs will light up. Super rad.  $49.99 from Thinkgeek.

 

GoPro Hero 3. You’ve all seen the video’s right? These are the cameras that you attach to things as you go hurtling down a ski-field, climbing up a rock or simply hiking to the ocean. They’re also beginning to be a must have. Starting at $199.99 

 

Bird Photo booth. Catch the au naturale side of your backyard bird friends with this bird photo booth. Uses your own iPhone or GoPro, but comes with macros and polarising lenses. You can also, uh, talk to the birds using FaceTime?  $149.99 from Thinkgeek.

 

Game boy watch. Everyone loves vintage gamer stuff! And now you can wear it on your hand! $86.87 including shipping here.

 

 

Perfect Drink App-Controlled Smart Bartending. Exactly what it says it is; a fancy cocktail machine. It includes a smart scale and app that lets you choose from hundreds of drink recipes, follow real-time pouring instructions, and watch as a virtual glass fills on your smartphone or tablet, as well as suggesting what drinks you can make from what you have. (Kahlua and Bacardi 151 anyone?)  $69.99 from Brookstone. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really cool things

 

 

 

ELECTRIC DELOREAN DMCEV.Brought to you by the DeLorean Motor Company in association with Epic EV, the Electric DeLorean is battery powered but its AC induction liquid-cooled electric motor packs 260 horsepower. That means a top speed of 125mph and 0-60 in 4.9 seconds.

 

Great Scott!

 

$114,733 from Firebox.

 

 

 

 

 

The Flying Hovercraft. Yes, it’s a flying hovercraft.  It glides over land and water yet also soars in the air up to 70 mph with the aid of integrated wings. A 130-hp twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled gasoline engine, turbocharged and fuel-injected, drives its 60″ wood/carbon composite thrust propeller while a 1,100-rpm 34″ lift fan inflates its durable vinyl-coated nylon skirt for hovering above the ground.

 

Woah.

 

Only $190,000 from Hammacher Schlemmer.

 

 

That’s a wrap! ( get it? …Christmas wrap? ..no?) I hope you guys found some nice gift ideas for your loved ones and enjoyed the dulcet tones of Miss Mariah!

 

Happy Happy Holidays!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Watch out for our 2nd tech christmas guide coming soon on where to find the best deals on everything Apple!

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Freefever,  PCMag, Onecall, Forbes, Gizorama, NorthJersey, Hellonomad, Thestore, Brookstone, Zdnet, Thinkgeek, Firebox, TheAustralian, efunlist, Sopets & cutestpaw.

Happy Cyber Monday!

 

 

Here’s some deals we like:

 

At Amazon

 

 

Missed Gaga on SNL? Don’t be a misserouterer anymore! Apple TV now includes…

 

 

 

Now you can access all Yahoo has to offer direct on Apple TV. Similar to their recently launched iOS app, this means you can access all the content that Yahoo hosts as well. That means AWESOME!  Hello SNL, Hello The Colbert Report, Hello The Daily Show!

 

The shows aren’t live but you can get them shortly after they’ve aired. You have to sign in using Google Plus, Facebook or or using the app’s registration.

 

This latest addition to Apple TV comes after they’ve already, just this year, added Time Warner’s HBO Go, WatchESPN, Sky News, Vevo, Disney, Weather Channel, and Smithsonian.

 

We see what you’re doing here Apple. Slowly building up an excellent service, then BLAMMO! June 2014, hello Apple iTV!

 

Hello  already  killer service, hello agreements already set in place with the top TV making peoples, hello awesome design aesthetic AND HELLO major league new tech.

 

Right?

 

 

Image courtesy of Amazon.

Black Friday deals

 

 

Yay!

 

Here’s a couple of excellent, techy, exciting, WONDERFUL  Black Friday deals for y’all  to look out for!

 

1,

 

Walmart will have the 16GB Apple iPad Mini + $100 Walmart Gift Card for $299.00.

 

Apparently they will have stock guaranteed for 1 hour BUT you can’t use the gift card on the mini. Walmart says they will price match but you must have the ad and the store must be open with their sales starting when you try.

 

Walmart, opens at 6 p.m on Thanksgiving day.

 

 

2,

 

Target  will have the iPad Air 16GB w/ WiFi + $100 Target Gift Card for $479.00 for Black Friday.

 

Target opens at 8 p.m on Thanksgiving day.

 

It also seems that both online and in-store shoppers get a 20% gift card if they spend at least $75 between Thanksgiving and end of business on Black Friday. The gift card can be used Dec. 1 to Dec. 7.

 

 

It’s almost here!

 

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of CNN & somepets.com

New products coming in 2014!

 

 

GUYS GUYS GUYS!

 

There are still more products coming our way right from the magical world of the Apple production line! Next year! That’s like only a few tomorrows away!

 

A couple of days ago Tim Cook confirmed to members of the press, that Apple is definitely planning on introducing new product categories in 2014. Categories baby! That’s like, things we’ve never seen before. Woop.

 

According to Cook, Apple believes that it can use its skills building software, hardware, and services to create “great products” in categories that Apple does not participate in today. “We’re pretty confident about that,” said Cook.

 

Woop!

 

 

Things to look forward to  (probably) include the iWatch, the iTV and a little baby unicorn that makes all your dreams come true.

 

Probably.

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of  Cheezburger & Playdom

Rundown on the iPad event on october 22nd

 

Hi!

 

 

Ok, our blog has been doing a little bit of this:

 

 

 

 

If you’re not sure what that is, oh by geez be thankful you’ve never tangled with the spinning wheel of death!

 

We tangled, and we won! And now we’re back! And we’re like this:

 

 

 

Click on these lovely blue links for all the info you want and need about the new and updated Apple Products!

 

iPad Air

iPad Mini with Retina Display

New MacBook Pro Retina

OS X Mavericks

 

AND check out the videos from the event here!

 

 

 

Images courtesy of bidorbuy.co.za & chicagonow.com.

Apple Videos

Here are some videos from the most recent Apple Event featuring the new iPads, the Apple Magic, the wonderful Mr Ive, and Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston as the narrator on the “Pencil” TV ad.

 

Way to be hip and happening with current pop culture there Apple. Also, way to use music and fancy images to make us all goosebumpy.

 

Enjoy friends!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9gLqh8tmPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also enjoy this, posted on Aaron Paul’s instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Macbook Pro With Retina Display

 

 

 

We now have a brand new MacBook Pro with Retina Display in 13 inch and 15 inch options! Yay! Soon, they’ll most likely just become the new MacBook Pro, but for now they get to keep their extra long fancy name as the 13 inch MacBook pro is still available to buy.

 

So, the Retina Display, huh? What’s so good about that that has something to do with eyes? Well, this is straight from the Apple’s mouth:

 

“When you pack so many pixels into a display — over 4 million on the 13‑inch model and over 5 million on the 15‑inch model — the results are positively stunning.

 

The pixel density is so high, your eyes can’t discern individual pixels. Images take on a new level of realism. A spectacular 2560-by-1600 resolution on the 13‑inch MacBook Pro and an equally impressive 2880-by-1800 resolution on the 15‑inch MacBook Pro let you see more of your high-resolution images with pixel-for-pixel accuracy. ”

 

And here’s the thing- a whole lot of people agree with them. The Retina display is beautiful and wonderful.

 

Ok, so the upgraded machine has the stupidly good Retina Display, yes, but it has also been updated with the latest of processors from Intel. The 15 inch Pro now has a Crystal Well processor and the 13 inch the Haswell. Double Rainbow Yay!

 

 

According to our friend Philip Schiller,

 

“We’ve made the world’s best pro notebook even better by adding more performance and even longer battery life. MacBook Pro with Retina display continues to redefine the pro notebook.”

 

The battery life on the 13-inch will last up to 9 hours, whilst the battery life on the 15-inch will last up to 8 hours. That’s really impressive for the performance and display the machine offers.

 

The 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro features quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 2.6Ghz (via add-on), with Intel’s Iris Pro 5200 Integrated Graphics. A GeForce GT 750M discrete graphics card with 2GB of video memory can also be added on.

 

In addition to improved Intel chips, the new MacBooks feature 802.11ac “Gigabit” Wi-Fi compatibility, which offers speeds up to three times as fast as existing 802.11n wireless networks. They have also gained dual Thunderbolt 2 ports and PCIe flash storage, which pushes peak read/write performance to nearly 800 MB/s, a 45 percent improvement over previous generation technology.

 

Ummm..

 

 

That means it’s going to be faster, more powerful, have better graphics and better Wi-Fi capabilities.  That stuff is cool.

 

The shiny new MacBook Pros are available right now! And cheaper than a lot for people thought! Triple Rainbow Yay!

 

• 13‑inch now starting at $1299
• 15‑inch now starting at $1999

 

What do you guys think, shiny new Christmas MacBooks all around this year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Apple, PicBlow & Flickr.

OS X Mavericks – What you need to know.

 

 

 

 

We would have suggested OS X Liger (rawr!), but Apple went ahead without consulting us, starting over with the naming process for system upgrades and leaving the big cat names behind.

 

Announced back in June at WWDC and coinciding with their new ‘Designed by Apple in California’ ads and the announcement that the Mac Pro will be built solely in America, Apple started a new naming scheme for their operating system based on locations in California.

 

Mavericks is a surfing location particularly well known for its dangerous big wave riding in Northern California, just north of the town of Half Moon Bay.

 

 

Now, it’s also the new Apple operating system. Is it as cool as beach with big wave breaks? Well, kinda? We may have trapped ourselves in that comparison- it might not be that cool, but it is very cool.

 

Here’s the double rainbow of coolness for you guys;

 

 

New Finder Tabs.

 

 

Just like in your Internet browser, you can now have independently controlled tabs in your finder windows. You can merge these finder windows and take the finder full screen.

 

 

 

Tagging.

 

 

Filed under ‘I wouldn’t have though of this, but now that you did, it looks really freakin useful’ is tagging.

 

With Mavericks you will be able to ‘tag’ documents and media – save it, tag it as sports, home, to do, etc. and it catalogues these under their tags in the side bar of the finder.

 

You can tag documents with multiple tags, create new tags on the go, and the best part? Searching using tags. For instance, searching for ‘iphone stuff’ and ‘the best’ will naturally take you directly to your saved iPhone Antidote Wallpaper.

 

 

 

Multiple Displays

 

 

Users will now be able to access the menu bar and dock separately on each screen with multiple display support. You will also be able to load separate and independent applications on each screen, and drag them from screen to screen.

 

Apple TV is not forgotten here either, as it can now be a fully powered OS X display, with access to menu bar dock and independent applications also.

 

 

 

Extended Battery Life

 

There is a heap of new processing elements included in Mavericks to extend your battery life and reduce CPU utilization by up to 72%.

 

We particularly like a new feature called app nap, which figures out what applications and web pages are in use, and which are not. The system will then simply stop giving power to the web pages and applications that you’re not currently looking at.

 

Compressed memory pretty much does what it says, compressing inactive memory to provide spare memory to running applications when needed.

 

Timer Coalescing groups low end operations together , creating tiny periods of time when your computer can enter into an idle, low power state, which in turn saves your battery.

 

 

 

 

Safari

 

Safari is updated with Mavericks, starting with an all-new homepage with top sites and a sidebar with your bookmarks and access to your reading list. This will also include shared links from people you follow on Linkdin and Twitter.

 

Safari uses less energy in this update and includes accelerated, smoother scrolling and one click bookmarking.  In your readin list, you will be able to scroll continuously through all of your articles, one after the other.

 

 

 

iCloud keychain

 

Cross device safe keeping of all your passwords and credit card information starts with iCloud Keychain.

 

This new feature will store all your passwords, across all your devices, so you don’t have to think about them ever again. Sounds pretty good right? The keychain will even suggest new passwords for you, and then will go ahead and put it in the cloud, encrypted.

 

With your credit card information, when shopping online, the keychain will offer the last four digits of all the cards you have stored, and you can pick one when paying and be done with it.

 

Although this sends little tiny shivers of scariness up the security part of our spine, it also sounds super useful and convenient.

 

 

 

 

Notifications

 

You can now get all your notifications, from all your devices, on your computer.

 

What’s also pretty great about this is you will have a number of new options for action within the notification when it appears on your screen.

 

You can respond directly to most notifications, (by replying to email, declining Skype calls etc.), within the notification banner when it appears.

 

Once you have actioned a notification, you won’t see it again on any of your other devices, and they will all be updated with your response to the original notification.

 

When the computer is awoken from sleep, all the alerts you may have gotten when it (and you!) were asleep will be listed.

 

 

 

Calendar

 

The calendar app has been updated in a really cool way- where now if you have appointments scheduled, the app will give you a ton of information you might need for them.

 

The calendar will now provide you with weather in the spot where your appointment is scheduled, as well as suggestions for restaurants etc if you require them.

 

We particularly like that the calendar will work out and tell you the travel time to and from your appointment, and will even add it to the calendar so you cant double book the time when you’re supposed to be on your way!

 

You will also get notifications of when you need to leave on your phone and/or computer.

 

 

 

Maps

 

Maps hits the computer with Mavericks! You can now access street maps, 3D flyover data and info cards. You can also push turn-by-turn directions to our iOS device straight from your computer.

 

 

 

iBooks

 

 

 

iBooks will be on your computer by Fall with this system update. Now you can access all the books in the iTunes store as well as your stored books and bookmarks, and read them full screen on your computer screen.

 

But what is really cool is for the educators and the learners amongst us.

 

 

 

 

iBooks for Mavericks will come with interactive textbooks, which feature videos and other media embedded within the normal text. You will also have the ability to highlight and make notes, and learn using study cards made from the material.

 

Sounds pretty awesome huh?

 

OS X Mavericks is available RIGHT NOW for FREE in the Mac App store.  Download it here now.

 

 

 

 

All images courtesy of Apple.

iPad mini with Retina Display

 

 

 

 

 

Along with the iPad Air, Apple also gave us a shiny new iPad Mini. With Retina display. Yeah, we all knew this was coming, but it’s still awesome. Because Retina is Awesome. D’uh.

 

The new Mini has the same 7.9-inch display BUT with the retina display the screen now has four times the pixels, with a full 2048 x 1536 resolution.

 

It’s ever so slightly heavier and thicker to compensate, but the good guys out there who have held it say that it’s not really noticeable.

 

The other extra on the upgraded iPad Mini? It also comes with the new A7 chip seen in the iPhone 5S. The super fast & super powerful 64-bit A7 processor makes scrolling and everything else notably faster and smoother.

 

The Mini with Retina comes with an improved 5-megapixel camera and the front FaceTime camera comes in HD with larger pixels to help in low light, and duel microphones. It also comes with Multiple-input and Multiple-output tech that gives the device faster Wi-Fi capabilities. It maintains it’s 10 hour battery life.

 

HOW MUCH??

 

 

The Fancy Retina Screen comes at a price, beginning at $399. BUT it is now being offered at 16Gb, 32Gb, 64Gb AND 128Gb.

 

iPad Mini with Retina Display with Wi-Fi – $399 for the 16GB model, $499 for the 32GB model, $599 for the 64GB model and $699 for the 128GB model.

 

iPad Mini with Retina Display with Wi-Fi + Cellular – $529 for the 16GB model, $629 for the 32GB model, $729 for the 64GB model and $829 for the 128GB model.

 

You can still get the original iPad Mini at  LOWER price, with the 16Gb starting at $299 for Wi-Fi and $429 for Wi-Fi + Cellular.

 

They will be available in Space Grey and Silver.

 

WHEN?

 

 

 

It will be at some point in November.

 

 

Also: There are expert analysts who say that the iPad mini with Retina Display will be really hard to get your hands on until early next year (These guys don’t really have a lot to do with Apple themselves, except that they study them and have secret sources and stuff).

 

So, if you’re planning on getting one as a Christmas Present, you better get your best Christmas Present Getting Boots on early, and on well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images courtesy of Apple, TodayIFoundOut, KnowYourMeme & Cactuscreekdaily.com