11 Gifts for the Gadget-Loving Dad

The last time I visited my parents’ house, I attempted, for the tenth time, to teach my dad how to watch Netflix. He didn’t have a smart TV, so my lesson involved showing him how to turn on the TV, Xbox One, its controller, and the soundbar — all with different remotes. Then I taught him how to change the HDMI input and find the Netflix app. A few seconds after my lesson ended, my dad, as always, said, “I think I got it.” He didn’t.

Obviously, not all parents have kept up with tech’s grand evolution. For those who have, however, shopping for them is easy — just get them what they want. For those who aren’t, get them something simple and good. That 4K HDR TV looks great even if you’ve never heard of pixel density or high dynamic range. Just be ready to walk him through it for a half hour.

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18, 2017.

Bose Soundlink Revolve

The trusted sound quality of Bose, encapsuled in the company’s first true 360-degree speaker. It’s also water-resistant, meaning it’s a great companion to the pool and outdoor grill.

Logitech ZeroTouch Car Mount

This car mount enables hands-free calling, texting, song switching and navigation, all with the help of Alexa. It’s a great driving companion, especially if your dad has an older car.

Apple AirPods

If he owns an iPhone and likes the stock earphones that come with it, these are the best Bluetooth headphones you can buy. It’s built with Apple’s special W1 chip, so it’ll automactically sync with his iPhone. And don’t worry about fit; if he liked Apple’s original EarPods, he’ll like these too.

Sennheiser Flex 500

The Sennheiser Flex 5000 will allow him to wirelessly listen to blockbuster home-theater audio with the headphones he already owns, all without waking the person sleeping next to him.

Hover Camera Passport Drone by Zero Zero Robotics

Take family photos and videos to the next level with this little drone. It has face- and body-tracking software to ensure that the subject is always in the frame. And, to one-up the DJI Spark (also $500), the Hover Camera Passport drone has a higher-resolution 13MP camera and can capture 4K video.

Tech Dopp Kit 2 by This Is Ground

Traveling with tech can be difficult. This everyday carry item promises tangle-free travel.

Gear Patrol Magazine: Issue Four

Four issues and twenty distinct locations later, Gear Patrol Magazine is about to enter its next season. Inside this issue, you’ll find three robust chapters on destinations to keep at the top of your domestic adventure list, including Colorado’s Western Slope, the Texas Hill Country and Oahu. Per usual, there’s plenty of original reporting — and, yes, tons of gear. Annual subscribers also receive additional benefits including discounts on collaborations, a 15% discount code for use in the store and other exclusive benefits. Shipping is free on all subscriptions.

Sony UBP-X800 4K Blu-ray Player

If he owns a collection of Blu-rays and a 4K HDR TV, this is what he wants. It’s Sony’s first 4K Blu-ray player and it works like a dream. It’ll play all his DVDs or CDs, too. And it’s compatible with Sonos Connect, so it can play nice with Play:1 or Play:5 speakers.

Roku Premiere+

The media streaming market is rife with competition, ranging from smart TVs to streaming sticks and gaming consoles. If your dad has a “dumb” TV, the Roku Premiere+ is probably the best way to get him watching House of Cards. It’s cheaper than Apple TV and it supports 4K content. And because it’s portable, he can take it with him on business trips.

Nest Cam Indoor

This is arguably the best smart security camera you can buy. It’s always on so he’ll be able to see a live video stream, in 1080p HD, of his loved ones whenever he wants. Don’t worry about changing the batteries, since there are none; also, it has night vision, which is awesome.

The Grail Pick

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If Money Were No Object

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LG C7 Series OLED55C7P

4K OLED TVs are the best (and most expensive) TVs out there, period. The LG C7 Series boasts incredible picture quality, great built-in audio and a beautifully slim design. David Katzmaier, CNET‘s TV guru, said it’s “the best-performing TV we’ve tested to date.”

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