The best holiday gifts for techies
Including a ’90s-inspired Discman, a next-level instant camera and an ultra-light e-bike
All products featured on this page were selected by Toronto Life’s editors. However, when you purchase an item through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
See our full holiday gift guide.
AirPods case
ChunkCase makes bright, bump-proof holders for your teeny, tiny, oh-so-losable AirPods. Choose from dozens of fun designs, including steamed buns, geometric hearts and disgruntled toasts. From $21
Bluetooth keyboard
Omoton’s ultra-slim keyboard is just 6.5 millimetres thick, and the scissor-switch key design makes for a super-comfy typing experience. With backlit keys that light up in seven different colours, turning a study session into a rave is as easy as Q-W-E-R-T-Y. $30
Pocket-sized power charger
Earlier this year, accessories maker Nomad reintroduced its popular ChargeKey, a handy pocketable charger that attaches to a keychain. Choose between a version with USB-C connectors or one that swaps in a Lightning connector. $37 or $48
Walkie-talkies
Keep track of your crew—whether they’re roving around a music festival, exploring a campsite or making a first solo trip to the convenience store—with these rechargeable walkie-talkies. They have a range of almost five kilometres in open areas. Do you copy? $40
Bluetooth speaker
Weighing in at 184 grams, Skullcandy’s Ounce is the lightest, most affordable product in its new line of durable, portable Bluetooth speakers. The compact device, which comes in four different colours, can be submerged in up to one metre of water for 30 minutes. It also has an impressive 16 hours of battery life. $40
Alarm clock
Lexon’s Flip-plus radio-controlled reversible LCD alarm clock has a satisfying feature that lets you turn off the alarm just by flipping the whole thing over. Plus, at about 10-by-6 centimetres, it’s compact enough to travel with. $50
Portable CD player
Have you heard? Gen Z is into CDs. Do the ’90s right with this personal CD player—a.k.a. Discman—with 60-second anti-skip protection (remember that?). $53
Bluetooth transmitter
Wireless headphones are so convenient—until you’re somewhere without a Bluetooth signal, like a plane. Enter Twelve South’s AirFly Pro Bluetooth transmitter: plug it in, pair it (it works with two devices simultaneously for a watch party on the go) and press play. $70
Digital watch
This expansion of Timex’s throwback T80 line comes in a punchy palette and has an Indiglo light th
at will transport you back to a mid-’90s sleepover with the push of a button. $128
Beat box
Tilt it, press it, turn it, whack it—the Orba 2, Artiphon’s latest magic music machine, comes pre-loaded with basic sound packs, but you can also import your own or record sounds on the go. Make songs that can loop for hours, which doesn’t sound annoying at all. $207
Compact, brushless and cordless vacuum
Cut the cord but keep the powerful suction to handle any job with the Greenworks 24V Brushless Stick Vacuum. Compact, lightweight and easy to store, three modes allow you to control the power and an LED display conveniently displays the run time left. With a charge time of 30 minutes, the ability to double as a power bank and five included attachments, there’s no mess you can’t manage. $329.99
Next-level instant camera
Polaroid’s I-2 is the brand’s first-ever instant camera with built-in manual controls. It also has a wide aperture and a three-lens autofocus system that delivers super-sharp images. $826
Ultra-light micro e-bike
According to transportation experts, the next big thing is micro-mobility, or tiny personal vehicles. It doesn’t get much more micro than the JackRabbit, an ultra-light, super-portable, pedal-less e-bike that folds flat and weighs just 24 pounds. $1,377
Portable projector
For movie nights wherever you want (or wherever you can find a projection-friendly surface up to five metres wide), the water- and dust-resistant Mars 3 projector from Nebula offers AI-powered image enhancement and five hours of unplugged playtime, enough for a double feature—or a screening of the latest Scorsese epic, Killers of the Flower Moon
. $1,500
Smartphone
The real magic of Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra is in its cameras. It has four of them—yes, four—plus 200 megapixels and a new expert AI image-editing app. $1,650
Field recorder
Calling all podcasters: Teenage Engineering’s palm-sized TP-7 recorder can record interviews—and then transcribe them on the spot with an iOS app—and capture sounds and music. It’s designed to look like an old-school tape player, complete with a central disc that spins during playback and can be used to pause or scrub through audio. $2,069
Digital camera
There’s a lot to Leica about the Q3 Black, the newest fixed-lens camera from the iconic German brand, including improved digital zoom, a nifty tilting screen and advanced video features. Plus, its sleek and simple design makes it a great accessory for world travellers. $8,099NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
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