[Note: Some links have been removed over time as they are no longer available and this story is old]
We have never made an attempt before to compile a gift list of top choices for the holidays. It’s about time that we gave it a go! We have buried our collective minds with product data and consumer analytics from dozens upon dozens of consumer sites, surveys, interest patterns and feedback from around the web. From this data we were able to take a look at some of the most popular gift ideas for this holiday.
We will break it down by “All Ages/Adults” and “Kids“. We through the winning candidates into a pile of note cards (separated by these two categories) so that we can do something different. Everyone usually gives you a numeric count down list of top gifts but that’s only helpful if you’re looking to copy everyone else in gift buying. Sometimes a random order can help bring a little mix to the holidays since a top countdown doesn’t always apply the same to everyone.
All Ages / Adults
Kindle Fire HD Tablet (and new HDX)
The new Kindle is making waves across the web as sales have boosted it to be one of the iPad’s largest threats. A major toy for book lovers and app geeks alike, it is packed with the hardware you need to make a mean tablet. Even better, the price tag is create a giant gap between the Kindle’s and the iPad as the Kindle costs only a fraction of what an iPad would set someone back. You could own a Kindle Fire HD tablet for as low as $139. The Kindle Fire HDX, the most expensive model, is all that more amazing..and even if you choose the 8.9″ version, you are still spending less than an iPad as it weighs in at only $379.
> Find it on Amazon
GoPro Camera
The GoPro has exploded this year in popularity as it’s use spans all ages and all possible environments. The uses are endless and so is it’s future potential. Dominating the pro-level mobile video for kids and adults alike, the GoPro would make an amazing contribution to the list this holiday due to it’s demand. You can see our review here on the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition which is their latest and greatest release of the camera.
> Find it on Amazon
Xbox One & Playstation 4 (PS4) Game Consoles
Both these systems are riding neck to neck as popular items this holiday. Some sources claim PS4 is in the lead and some claim the Xbox One is in the lead. Honestly, it all depends on the gamer. Either the gamer is a hardcore Xbox Live player, or they are dedicated to their Playstation Network. Both systems have promising specs and potential as well as a history of gaming awesomeness (hard to believe spell-check didn’t pop up for that). It’s a LOT like Mac vs PC, it’s all about the user. So figure out what type of gamer you’re buying for and you will have your answer! At the moment, both systems can only be pre-ordered.
> Find Xbox One on Amazon
> Find Playstation 4 (PS4) on Amazon
Moga Pro Controller
(For Android and Windows Smart Phones)
The Moga Pro is a wireless controller for Android 2.3+ devices (and now compatible with some Windows Phone games) that connects to the phone via bluetooth for game interaction. It mimics the Xbox controller in a way, allows you to attach the phone so you don’t have to hold is separately or place it down and comes with a built-in USB rechargeable battery. You can even connect it to a TV so the game can be played on a larger screen. It’s like turning your Android (or Windows) phone into a true hand-held gaming system.
> Find it on Amazon
Fitbit Force
The Fitbit Force is a great little device for those obsessed with keeping track of their fitness activity. The latest product from a major player in the new trend, this device tracks steps, distance, calories burned, stairs climbed, and active minutes. It even tracks how well you sleep and it records all of this information. It syncs wirelessly to your Bluetooth compatible Computer, iPhone or Android device and stats can be viewed on the built-in OLED display. Track your status with charts and graphs and find out where you need to improve or simply how well you are doing. You can even calmly wake your self up from sleep with a silent vibrating alarm.
> Find it on Amazon
Google Chromecast
We have had mixed opinions about this device as we would rather see a more universal option, but this list is based on the facts of current trends (what people are asking for), so it found it’s way into the list. At least the price is right at $35 as what we hope to see one day will probably run you a little more. This device is an HDMI gadget that plugs into the HDMI input of any TV and allows you to stream content from your PC or Android device to the screen wirelessly. You are limited on the PC side as it can only stream content within a Chrome Browser but the feature is pretty cool for Android devices (Android phones and tablets).
> Find it on Amazon
Phillips Hue LED Light Bulbs
Some of us were surprised this made it to the list for the holidays but at the same time kind of expected something around these lines as “home automation” has erupted this year with popularity and it has been heavily forecasted that next year is going to be even bigger. Personally we like over-all automation more than just the lights but 1) that may be more of a “next year” kind of craze and 2) these can be easily integrated into home automation systems anyways so you can still grow from here without having to replace them. With the Phillips Hue light bulbs, you can control more than just the lights turning on and off, but the color they put out. These bulbs can produce 16 MILLION colors and have a number of presets colors that are known to stimulate the mind for various occasions (ie, studying, reading or a calming sensation). All of this can be controlled via your Smartphone, tablet or PC (or Mac). They take home lighting automation to an entirely new (and COOL) level. Now they sell a nice starter kit to get you started, that comes with a bridge that can control up to 50 lights (comes with 3 bulbs). What’s also nice, is that the price has come down as they used to be $99 a bulb. The new starter kit comes with 3 bulbs and a bridge for $199…that’s pretty good. Of course we will be happier to see a price tag of around $10-15 per bulb, but that’s going to be awhile before that ever happens.
> Find them on Amazon
Phillips HF3520 Wake-Up Light
We sort of cheated with this one in terms of order as we added it to the same note card during the selection process as it fell into the same category, as well as same brand. This one is a neat deice that allows you to more naturally wake up in the morning. Best for those who don’t have a dedicated schedule (ie, WORK), who are a little more flexible on how they wake in the morning. The Phillips Wake-Up Light emulates a natural sunrise by gradually glowing brighter until the sun has risen. You can control when it happens so that it doesn’t exactly follow the actual sun. You can choose from a selection of natural sounds so that it gives off the feeling that you are waking to nature each morning. It was crafted based on medical studies on how the body naturally wakes up in the morning. The light also functions as a normal bed-side light for general light or reading.
> Find it on Amazon
Vizio 80-Inch 1080p LED TV
This one made it onto the list as sales are doing wonderful for Vizio and demand has been up up up. Mostly thanks to 1) quality and features is great and 2) competition won’t lower their prices to challenge it, therefore Vizio is going to make a killing this holiday with this TV. Of course…this one is also limited by those who can afford it. Even though it is currently destroying the competition (when it comes to BIG screen and BIG features for a smaller price), it is still about $3800…which is a lot of money for most. You never know, there is still time before the holidays touch down, so competition still has a chance to drop their prices and compete. Until then…this TV is going to do great. You can read our review for this TV here for additional information.
> Find it on Amazon
Pioneer XDJ Aero
This gift is a lot more personalized as it’s more for DJ and similar professionals (more for those looking to BECOME DJs). This is like having a all-in one solution to get you warmed up until you can afford a full-out CDJ rig (ie, CDJ2000s and DJM Mixer). Best for small parties at home, office or small venue…this device is ready to go out-of-the-box (as long as you already have a speaker solution of course). It comes with two turn tables and a mixer in between so that all you have to do is plug in a thumbdrive with your music.
> Find it on Amazon
Bowers & Wilkins P3 Headphones
Mmmm, Audiophone sound for when you’re out and about. B&W was successful this year and bringing you high-end sound at a price more listeners can afford. B&W is more than just well known for high-performance reference speakers (speakers that usually cost somewhere around $8500 and up and can only be purchased from specially certified dealers). They have however broken that bubble a little by offering products outside of that small island so that more buyers can experience the quality that is B&W. These headphones will most definitely put a smile on your face while listening to your favorite tracks. They may be a little pricey to some but they also don’t compare to anything within such a price range. They are small in profile and wow on sound and if the person you are shopping for this holiday knows ANYTHING about high-end sound, they will know the quality behind this brand very well.
> Find it on Amazon
Roku 3
A streaming media device for TV’s, this will turn any TV into a Smart TV or even make a Smart TV….well, smarter. This is another device that took a major rise this year and has a pulsating demand for the holidays. The Roku 3 is the latest in the Roku line and delivers hours upon hours upon hours of all kinds of TV and Video content. With over 750 channels of entertainment, it offers major apps such as HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Pandora, MLB.TV and more. There is no surprise that Roku has made it to the list this year.
> Find it on Amazon
Samsung S9 Ultra HD 85-Inch TV
Now, this one is interesting. How this made it into the list was another big surprise for us as we don’t think anyone is actually going to buy it. Once again though, we had to add it as it indeed made it to the list. So it is widely spoken about as a wishlist item this year…it may (probably will) become one of those holiday items that are spoken about but no one will see it under their tree. We would predict that little to no sales will be seen as the price tag is just too high. Is it a cool TV?…absolutely. It’s a fantastic TV with an image that will blow your mind…it’s just that…it costs $40,000. So until that price comes down, you may be better looking at LG’s 84-Inch screen (which, by the way…is also too expensive, but at least comes in cheaper at $16,000). If however, you do wind up getting one of these under the tree…we would love to hear from you as we haven’t been able to play with it to offer a full-out review. We saw this TV at CES this year but we couldn’t do anything beyond talk about it and watch the default demo video (no hands on).
> Find it on Amazon
JBL Flip Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Bluetooth speakers have made a big splash this year offering smartphone (and other mobile device) users an option to play their music loud while they are mobile. In the office, shop, home, beach or anywhere else…just whip the speaker out, turn it on and play your music loud. No more having listen to the tiny speakers on your phone. A lot of companies have battled it out this year to make a small portable speaker that sounds big. Many have made it and few have turned out this good while keeping the price down. Jawbone’s JAMBOX also made a big splash but was beat out by JBL’s speaker due to price.
> Find it on Amazon
Gift Cards
As with any holiday season during the digital age, it is more than obvious to point out that gift cards made it onto the list. Gift cards have been America’s #1 go-to solution when it comes to finding a gift for someone that you have no idea where to start with. It is difficult to mess up the choice since it has the same effect as giving away cash (only the gift has more character). There are gift cards for just about every scenario, so all you have to do is find one that matches someone the best. Food, electronics, music, tools and more.
> Find Gift Cards on Amazon
Kids
Orbotix Sphero 2.0 App Controlled Robotic Ball
This little ball can be controlled via your smartphone. Now, we saw this at CES this year and thought it was a lot of fun. They had a large display set up where you could connect to one of the balls (via your smartphone) in this giant pit/track and race them around with other people. It was a lot of fun and we felt kids would get a kick out of it. Since then we haven’t heard much about them and totally forgot about their existence until we did our research for this. When it popped up as one of the top interest items this year we all had a flashback going back to this January and were happy to see it hit the list. Another new tech company to gain the spotlight. The concept is very VERY simple yet the controller can do just about whatever they want with it. At least whatever you can do with…a remote controlled rolling ball.
> Find it on Amazon
Xbox One & Playstation 4 (PS4) Game Consoles
We had to re-include this one as these are obviously going to be the top two most widely requested gifts this holiday by kids.
> Find Xbox One on Amazon
> Find Playstation 4 (PS4) on Amazon
Ubooly
What is….Ubooly? Odd…really. Actually, it is very clever. It is a small stuffed puppet (animal) of sorts that you stuff an iPhone or Android device into. It comes with a free app that allows the screen to function as the critter’s face, giving the stuffed…puppet…animation. It can then answer questions, read stories and chat with your child. It can also suggest games to play. You can customize it to suit the interests of your child as well. It’s kind of like the new generation of Ferbie, only this one you don’t want to burn under a laser when it talks. “No Mr. Ferbie, I expect you to die!!” (credit: James Bond…sort of).
> Find it on Amazon
LeapPad Ultra
This is a 7″ HD tablet for kids that is packed with educational content. It comes with a built-in front and back camera, Wi-Fi support and it’s own app store that is centered strictly around kids. It even has a browser that locks out the stuff you don’t want them seeing (only allows them to access the safe stuff). It is built tough to take on the mission of child ownership and take some physical abuse (even drop tested..although we wouldn’t recommend verifying that too many times). It’s battery can last up to 9 hours and has 8GB of on-board memory for pictures, games, ebooks and apps. It even comes with 11 apps right out of the box. Great for keeping kids busy with content you can trust! (Available in Green and Pink)
> Find it on Amazon
Hubsan X4 H107D FPV RC Quadcopter
The X4 is a fun quadcopter for kids (and..kind of all ages). We have offered a few reviews now on quadcopters, but this is one that does’t weight in too heavy price-wise. Given, this one isn’t that cheaper than buying an AR.Drone (but this one does come with live video and a screen on the remote). If you have a child that has a solid obsession for RC cars, boats and other devices, they will absolutely love this one. Who doesn’t like toys that can fly? You will have to cram the typical warning into their head though of “NOT INSIDE THE HOUSE!!”. It is MUCH smaller than the typical quadcopters (palm-size) and can fly up to 100 meters with live video feeding to the remote. It offers SD-Card support (required) for video recording, and can give you up to 30 minutes of flight time. However, if you have an older child or you are buying something like this for an adult who cherishes their inner child (and don’t need it for professional purposed), we would rather recommend the AR.Drone (it just didn’t make the list statistically, but has much more purpose…just not for younger kids).
> Find it on Amazon
Sesame Street Big Hugs Elmo
This is one for the much younger kids. It is a stuffed Elmo doll that kids can hug and it will actually hug back. Everyone loves hugs!! There are many ways kids can interact with Elmo by dancing and singing with it. There are 4 imagination scenarios that include astronauts, rabbits, frogs and horses. You can lay Elmo down to hear a sweet lullaby and sleeping sound effects. Recommended for 18 months to 4 years old, Big Hugs Elmo is making waves for the younger ones. We don’t have to tell you how big of a smile your going to get when they open that present.
> Find it on Amazon
Kids are honestly an easy one this year (specifically those 12 years old and up) as they are all begging for Xbox and Playstation game consoles. This also means it’s going to be a VERY expensive holiday season for a lot of families since these consoles aren’t coming in cheap.
There you have it! Those are the results and if things change, we will do our very best to come back and update this as much as possible. Good luck and happy shopping!
Think we are missing anything? Then discuss it below as we are more than sure there are a LOT of 2nd and 3rd place products out there that still deserve a spotlight!
