We in Singapore celebrate Father’s Day in Singapore this year, 2019, on 16th June. Whether your dad is a lumberjack or chef, engineer or doctor, they all share one thing in common – they’d all enjoy an inexplicable rush of anticipation when unwrapping a gift from their kids.
What better gift than a gift that would improve their lives? I’m talking tech: yes, it’s ever-changing, but that means it’s ever-improving everyone’s lives. Here are 5 gifts that would make your dad glad, with multiple price-points to suit your specific budget.
1. Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Sony WH-1000XM3 is the clear choice here: having built up a reputation for quality, reliability and absolute noise-sucking perfection, the XM3s are cans that would get your dad compliments on the plane – to which he can smirk and say – my kid got it for me.
But that’s not the be-all-end-all. Retailing slightly less than the Sony headphones, the Jabra Elite 85h offers a whopping 36 hours of noise cancelling-enabled playback time as compared to the 30 hours on the XM3. The Jabra Elite 85h also offers multi-device pairing but loses out in ANC.
If you’re on a budget, the JBL Live 650BTNC comes in at nearly half the price of the competition while delivering solid performance in a stylish package.
2. Larger Screens
If your dad’s like most dads, our increasing reliance on digital displays might be taking its toll on his eyesight. For tablets, the new 2019 Apple iPad mini 5 offers a whole array of top Apple features at one of the brand’s lowest price-points. From a stunning Retina display, to True Tone colour adjustment, the iPad mini 5 offers comfort when perusing content on the go. Couple that with Apple Pencil support, which means your dad can easily interact with these screens with a great degree of precision.
For smartphones, many large options have been on the market. Affordable Android options like the Google Pixel 3a XL offer a fantastic screen (and a more impressive camera) for greater legibility. Other options from Honor and OnePlus are strong choices, too.
3. Wearables & Fitness Trackers
Health gets more important as we get older, and a wearable that keeps track of it all can be a good way to motivate your dad.
The Apple Watch Series 4 might need charging every 1-2 days, but offers the best functionality by far in terms of fitness tracking and health and safety features. Apart from one of the best gamifying of fitness goals with an addictive three-ringed Activity read-out, the Series 4 also sports Fall Detection, that alerts emergency services and emergency contacts should no motion be detected after a fall. This might literally mean the difference between life and death.
The Fitbit Versa & Fitbit Charge are also reasonable options, but require more effort to learn to navigate and utilise to their fullest potential
For the most affordable options, the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 has been a solid choice, but the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Band 4 slated for 11 June is expected to offer a larger colour OLED panel, among other improvements.
4. Subscriptions
It’s the age of subscription, and there’s no better way to access quality content on the cheap.
Netflix is the obvious choice for movies and serials, while Spotify and Apple Music rule the roost in the realm of music. All offer family plans, which means you can easily add your parents into your plan and give them the gift of entertainment all year round.
Skillshare is a super interesting way to keep the mind active by constantly learning. There’s a monthly and yearly subscription, but the first-month trial is free so your dad can test-run the service without any sunk-cost guilt.
5. Grooming
We’ve reviewed some of the best shavers by Philips, and they’re hands-down one of the best gifts for your dad, or any gent for that matter.
The Philips Series 9000 Prestige is the top of the line option, with a premium metal build and wireless charging dock, along with a travel case and exquisite shaving experience.
A little more affordable is the Philips Series 5000 electric shaver. With three rotary cutters too, it is sure to provide a clean and smooth shave. It also comes with the SmartClean system.
For the dad that has it all, sometimes the most thoughtful gifts are the small things. From phone holders and wireless chargers for his office desk or car, to portable charges, cases and dongles – these tiny gadgets can also be the best way to show your concern and how much you care about the comfort and convenience of your dad.
Nothing makes sense! There has to be some emotion that replicates your relation on Fathers day. Not some daily use accessories.
Nothing makes sense! There has to be some emotion that replicates your relation on Fathers day. Not some daily use accessories.