Looking for last minute gift ideas for someone who has been extra good this year? We've seen some incredibly cool tech items released over the past 12 months. Some incredibly cool, kind of pricey tech items. Of course, it's the thought that counts. However, sometimes you want to add a little sparkle to your sentiment -- the kind of sparkle that requires a little extra cash.
Of course, just because you're willing to drop a decent chunk of change doesn't always make the shopping process any easier. However, we're here to help narrow down that list of electronic options. Also, seven of the items on the list are available on Amazon and their one day shipping option should still get some of these to your door in time for Christmas, the other one is available at your local Best Buy (conveniently open until 5:00 PM on Christmas Eve).
We made our list and checked it twice. In the end, we came up with a collection of eight of our favorite tech gift ideas under $1,000. That price is sort of the sweet spot when it comes to technology, somewhere in between budget-conscious and completely showing off. That said, several of our selections are on the lower end of the spectrum.
Read on to check out 8 Last Minute High-Tech Gift Ideas Under $1000.
3M Streaming Projector
Back in October, 3M decided to pair a portable projector with Roku's Streaming Stick. The end result makes for the perfect gift. Not only does this pair promise over 600 channels of entertainment options at your fingertips, but it will blow that stuff up -- up to 120 inches, anyway. You can pair it with a portable screen or use a handy flat wall, but make sure you turn down the lights in order to get a nice crisp picture. The package includes the projector and one Streaming Stick, as well as a remote and a power adapter. It's a tiny little thing - 4.33 x 4.21 x 2 inches - and weighs in at just 11 ounces, so it's perfect for the habitual camper or road warrior.
Once everything is hooked up and hanging out on your WiFi network, this pint-sized enertatinment package can deliver Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Pandora, Angry Birds, and much more. Other features on the projector include 60 lumens of long-lasting and efficient LED lighting, WVGA resolution, built-in speakers and up to 2.75 hours of use on a charge. A line level output allows the petite powerhouse to be used with external speakers for bigger sound or a pair of headphones for your portable viewing/listening enjoyment. [MSRP: $299.99]
Beats by Dr. Dre Pill Speaker
Need an excellent portable speaker? Beats Electronics has just the prescription for wireless sound: the Beats by Dr. Dre Pill Speaker. This new device has built-in patented Beats Audio and tap-to-pair NFC and apt-X technology, for easy, instant high quality Bluetooth streaming. That basically means you can stream music to this device from any compatible smartphone, tablet or other device, from up to 30 feet away and you only have to tap or swipe your phone on the device in order to pair it. It also has a 3.5mm line out (external powered subwoofer perhaps?), echo cancellation, a built-in microphone, and the option to create up to eight Bluetooth "profiles." It even has an auto shut-off option to help conserve the speaker's 7 hours of battery life. [MSRP: $199]
DBEST Transformative Bluetooth HiFi System
If you're looking for a speaker with a little twist, take a peek at this tabletop option. It sort of looks like a donut, a snake and a giant S. Basically, it can be whatever you want it to be, since this speaker has a unique design that allows you to tweak the shape. Other perks include a microSD slot, a built-in microphone so you can use it as a speaker-phone, a 3.5mm auxiliary port and two-way Bluetooth connectivity. The latter means that you can stream music from any compatible smartphone or tablet. Promising up to 50 hours of cord-free music via a built-in rechargeable battery, the Transformative also has a frequency range of 180Hz-20KHz and a mini USB input, as well as an on-board OLED display for displaying caller ID, song information, and more. [MSRP: $249.99]
Apple iPad 4
The most recent full size iPad sort of flew under the radar. Maybe it's because it was released on the same day as the iPad mini. Maybe it's because this fourth-gen model also goes by the name of "iPad" or "iPad with Retina Display" (which the 3rd generation model also had). This is the one with the upgraded processor and new 9-pin Lightning connector (so if you've already got accessories, you're going to need an adapter for that). The current iPad also sports the 9.7-inch Retina, Multi-Touch display, which can deliver an eye-popping 2048-by-1536 resolution at 264 pixels per inch. The panel itself features an IPS (in-plane switching) design with LED backlighting, which means the screen is bright, efficient and can be viewed from virtually any angle. On board, you'll find a 720p video camera, a 5-megapixel iSight camera with 1080p video, and the new Lightning connector. More importantly, it has a ton of power, via Apple's new dual-core A6X chip with quad-core graphics. [MSRP: $499 to $699]
Bowers & Wilkins A7 AirPlay Music System
The third speaker on our short list is a standout, thanks to its inclusion of Apple AirPlay. That basically means that users can stream content directly to the speaker, via any networked iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac or PC. Compact enough to travel from room to room, this is still an audiophile-grade component. It has Digital to Analog Converters that are capable of up-scaling audio to 24bit/96kHz, as well as a 6-inch dedicated bass driver. It can also be paired with the Bowers & Wilkins Setup App, a free download that provides easy control from any iOS device. [$MSRP: $799]
Samsung DA-E750 Audio Dock
Earlier this year, Samsung introduced vacuum tubes to the masses. Long known as the Holy Grail to audio enthusiasts, these tubes use heated cathodes inside a glass bulb to pump out up to 100 watts of sonic goodness. Samsung combines the tech with a digital amplifier, as well as a dock to accommodate Galaxy S II smartphones and Apple iOS devices. Other features on this 2.1-channel system include woven glass fiber speakers and a built-in subwoofer, as well as AirPlay and Bluetooth streaming support. [MSRP: $799.99]
Call of Duty: Black Ops II Care Package
There are casual Call of Duty fans and the frothing masses that will accept nothing less than this $180 special edition set. There are separate versions for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, both of which are way too big to stuff into anyone's stocking. That's because it's packed with bonus in-game content, a collectible steelbook, player card backgrounds, challenge coins, a weapon camo, and the official Black Ops II soundtrack. It should also keep serious fans busy (and giddy) for hours, with a claw avatar prop, an avatar costume, and a remote-controlled MQ-27 Dragonfire Drone. [MSRP: $179.99]
