It is that time of year again, the holiday season is upon us and it is in full swing. Throughout 2014, we have seen a plethora of new products, from smartphones to televisions to many new landmark launches. But now it is the time of year, were we look back and give our top picks!
Smartphones
Nexus 6: Throughout the year, one smartphone that is eagerly awaited, would be the Nexus. It is the most pure Android device on the market and usually ships with the newest version. This year is no different and this time Google has chosen Motorola to make it. Introducing the Nexus 6, a device that is in super hot demand this holiday season. The Nexus 6 is coming to all carriers in the United States, those being AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint & T-Mobile. Direct from Google Play or Motorola, the device starts ay $649. The Nexus 6 is truly a powerhouse device with a 5.96-inch QHD display, a 2.7GHz quad core processor, and much more! Click Here For More Information!
HTC One M8:HTC did it again this year, they delivered both a powerful hardware and an equally powerful design experience with the One M8. For starters BoomSound is back and it is the best speaker experience on any smartphone, they are more powerful and balanced. You get the DuoSense Camera experience which gives you the ability to have some unique editing to your photos and videos. The One M8 is available on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless. http://www.htc.com/us/smartphones/htc-one-m8/
Moto X:The second generation Moto X improves on the original one with some new hardware features. It has a metal rim going around the device, plus you can still get the MotoMaker experience no with wood and leather backs at launch. You get a larger display, a faster processor, expandable storage, a better camera, and a very clean operating system experience. Plus, you can get it on AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Unlocked! Click Here For More Information:
Droid Turbo:This device is exclusive to Verizon Wireless in the United States and it really moves the Droid brand back into the main stage. The Turbo is a solid device and it brings some unique features, for instance a ballistic nylon back is available. It has some features that we wish were on the second generation Moto X, like a slow but better camera. It is is very powerful with a fast processor, a nice display, and is of course powered by Verizon 4G LTE. Click Here For More Information!
Laptops
Yoga Pro 3:Lenovo’s Yoga line of laptops have been big hits and earlier this year, the Yoga Pro 3 was unleashed. For starters it has a brand new watchband styled hinge, which improves the durability and smoothness of the different modes. The display has a crystal clear resolution 3200 X 1800 and is powered by a fast Intel Core M processor. http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/landingpage/yoga-3-pro/
Tablets
Nexus 9:The latest and greatest tablet from the Nexus line, brings it back to the front of the market. The $399 Nexus 9 tablet is a very nice package and it is made by HTC. It has a nice design and is pretty portable, plus you get a nice display and it is the first 64Bit Android tablet. https://www.google.com/nexus/9/
Smarthome
Wink Platform:The Wink platform is simply the most easiest and intuitive smart home platform on the planet. It makes sense of the confusing smart home market we have become used too. Plus, it integrates many of the pre-existing smart home products into one application on your smartphone. With Robots you can set up different things to occur, for instance when you shut off the lights it makes sure the doors are all locked. If you are looking to make your home smart, look no further than Wink, it is the best thing on the market. http://www.wink.com/
GE Link Bulbs:Link Bulbs do a great job of making the smart light sector of the smart home market attainable, but they also make sure you are getting a great product. They work very simply and are easily controlled through the application. Setup is really as simple as screwing them in and finding them via the application. They are also long-lasting and provide great lighting. http://gelinkbulbs.com/
Dropcam Pro:If you are looking for an easy, simple, and good quality monitoring camera for your home, Dropcam has been the go to brand. With Dropcam Pro they continue this name sake and the quality is improved, along with a sleeker design. https://www.dropcam.com/dropcam-pro
Gaming
Xbox One:The Xbox One is both a gaming system and truly whole home entertainment system. It combines a great gaming experience with a Windows 8 title like user interface. The Kinect is back and is very much improved with better tracking and improved quality. It is the first of the new consoles to get HBO Go, plus you get access to plenty of the other streaming services. And a year after launch, the console is still going strong. http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one
PlayStation 4:The PlayStation focuses in on gaming and doesn’t try to be many different things like the Xbox One. The quality of video games, like GTA V, is in full 1080p looks phenomenal. Plus, the user interface is simple and very easy to learn. The controller is unique with the D-Pad and the fact there is a speaker creates unique experiences while playing. http://www.playstation.com/en-us/explore/ps4/
Grand Theft Auto V:Last year we called it the game of the year and the next generation variant earns very high remarks. On the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, Grand Theft Auto V is extremely polished and is incredible to play. They made the graphics even better, along with the dynamic and structure of the game. Plus, you get first person on the next generation consoles and this is a first for the franchise. http://www.rockstargames.com/V/
Call Of Duty Advanced Warfare:For starters, Kevin Spacey is in the game along with an all-star cast. The game brings Call of Duty back and re-energizes the franchise, they truly came up with a great game this year. The advanced warfare hardware includes awesome weapons and the imagery is incredible. It is the most life-like and real life Call Of Duty experience out there. http://www.callofduty.com/advancedwarfare
Wii U:For starters it has a solid game selection for all ages. There are no subscriptions required. It’s pure video games. It’s a multiplayer system and includes a touchscreen on its controller. The game list is truly great with titles like Mario 3D, Pikman, Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart, Bayonetta, Donkey kong, and Wii sports. http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu
Televisions & Streaming Players
Samsung Televisions:The picture quality and true immersion of Samsung’s television line has always been great and this holiday season they have a great lineup. At CES we got to experience the curved UHD TV lineup and they really stole the show with these models. We’ve given high marks to many of their TV’s in the past, including their 32-inch LED and their 55-inch LED models. http://www.samsung.com/us/video/tvs
Amazon FireTV:This is easily the best full package streaming box on the market. It gives you access to Amazon Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go, Disney, ABC, and many others. Plus, it is super fast with a powerful quad-core processor and it has voice search, which works quite nicely. You can also play games and you can get an optional full game control. These aren’t toned down title, you can get many full titles and they run well. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CX5P8FC
Speakers
Fugoo:This is the best all around speaker on the market, if you are just looking for a simple portable Bluetooth speaker, look no further then the Fugoo. It is rugged and you can get different skins to have it customized to your style. And the sound quality is very clear and delivers a nice punch. http://www.fugoo.com/
UE Boom:If you pop the UE Boom in the corner of the room and have it maybe 75% of the way up to full volume, you will be quite surprised. The little speaker packs a very powerful punch and even when you go to the opposite side of the room, you will get a new meaning for a full room speaker. Even though the sound is loud and powerful, the quality is up to pair and it performs very well. http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/boom
Headphones
BeoPlay H6’s: Bang & Olufsen made an amazing product with the H6’s, they are 100% truly awesome. And completely worth the price point, as the perform over the expected standard design. A high design is needed for a pair of headphones that we are calling the best for live music. http://www.beoplay.com/products/beoplayh6
Beats By Dre Solo 2: The Solo 2’s from Beats deliver a powerful audio experience, especially with songs that are heavy on the bass side. They have a nice design and come with a nice carrying case in the box. http://www.beatsbydre.com/headphones/beats-solo2.html
Entertainment
Archer Awesomeness T-Shirt:If you’re a fan of Archer, you probably want to show it off. The Archer Awesomeness T-Shirt both shows off the main chracter himself and features the quote “I can’t hear you over the deafening sound of my own awesomeness”. http://shop.fxnetworks.com/archer-awesomeness-t-shirt/detail.php?p=604400&v=fx_sale_blowout&pagemax=all
Sons of Anarchy Collectible President’s Gavel:If you are a fan or looking for a gift for a fan of Sons of Anarchy, the collectible president’s gavel might be for you. It was designed by Bryan Rodgers, the SOA prop master and comes in a box with the carved reaper table design. http://shop.fxnetworks.com/sons-of-anarchy-collectible-presidents-gavel/detail.php?p=601848&v=fx
Action Camera
GoPro:GoPro’s have the main stake in the action-camera market for quite some time. With the latest models delivering full 4K video and the option of having a touchscreen back, they continue having that claim. Plus last year’s model do just as good and you can have a lot of fun with the cameras, no matter which model. But last year’s model have a pretty good chance of being on sale this holiday season. http://gopro.com/
Stocking Stuffers
SanDisk Connect:This simple idea, is probably one of the coolest tech accessories on the market. Basically, it is expands the storage of your smart device wirelessly. They come in several different models, which means you could very easily find one that for your setup. Plus it is cross platform between iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire devices. http://www.sandisk.com/products/wireless/flash-drive/
FireTV Stick:If you don’t want a full streaming box, the FireTV Stick provides basically everything one of the more expensive and larger devices can do, in a smaller and less expensive package. It can do more than a Chromecast, with a physical remote, access to games, and a ton of places to get streaming content from. It is heavily backordered currently from Amazon, but BestBuy has plenty of them, for now, and it is discounted for Black Friday. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDQ0RMG
