Tech Guide’s 2018 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas – Day 12: Computers
Christmas is just over a week away and there’s still time to find the right present for your friends and family with Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas.
It’s the 12thand final day and today we’re taking a look at computers and related products.
Here are Tech Guide’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas:
DAY 12: Computers
DAY 12: Computers
MacBook Air – from $1,849
When Apple introduced the MacBook Air in 2008 it set the tone for ultra-thin laptops for the next decade.
The beloved laptop (Apple calls it the most loved Mac) has now had a significant update – the first update for some time.
The MacBook Air is still right up there in terms of popularity and this latest iteration will make it even more popular.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of the MacBook Air.
HP Spectre Folio – from $2,799
Any product that can offer impressive design and the performance to back it up is certainly worth noting. That is exactly what you get with the HP Spectre Folio – the laptop made of durable tanned leather.
It might sound strange, but the fact it doesn’t look like a laptop gives it more appeal.
For those who want to make a fashion statement with this device yet still possess a machine that can go the distance and match it with regular top shelf laptops, it’s not a cheap investment.
On the design side, the HP Spectre Folio has to be seen and held to be fully appreciated.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of the HP Spectre Folio.
Huawei MateBook X Pro – from $1,899
Huawei has added to its successful portfolio of smartphones and introduced its first range of laptop computers into the Australian market with the MateBook X Pro which goes on sale this week.
The MateBook X Pro carries over a lot of the design and technologies Huawei developed for its smartphones as well as new leading-edge features to suit the modern laptop user.
The device has a 13.9-inch 3K borderless touchscreen display (3000 x 2000) and the highest screen-to-body ratio of any 13-inch laptop on the market.
Read Tech Guide’s report of the Huawei Matebook X Pro.
Epson Fast Foto – $799
We’ve still got lots of photos in albums from the time long before digital cameras but the new Epson Fast Foto has helped finally bring them into the digital world quickly and easily.
Before the release of this device, digitising your pictures meant a long and painful exercise with a flatbed scanner.
Now you can rest assured that there is a digital copy of every one of the pictures in the albums now stored safely in the cloud thanks to the Epson Fast Foto.
With the Epson Fast Foto FF-680W it is incredibly easy and incredibly fast to scan every single hard copy image you have.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of the Epson Fast Foto.
Norton Core – $399
Norton Core is a wi-fi router with a major difference. Apart looking nothing like a regular router, it brings with it an all-new level of security to protect all of your home’s connected devices.
It’s like hiring a bodyguard for your home internet security. It also creates a respectable wireless network and provides tools for parents to monitor and manage screen time by person and by device.
Norton brings to the table the power of the Symantec Global Intelligence Network to your home.
It puts all those smarts into Norton Core to head off any threats before they reach your connected devices.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of Norton Core.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4G – $2,199
The Microsoft Surface Pro is already a pretty handy device but now, with the addition of 4G LTE connectivity, it has become even more powerful and can connect anywhere.
Oddly, this latest Surface is the follow-up to the fourth-generation product but this time out Microsoft hasn’t designated a number for it.
It’s the fifth-generation device and it looks pretty similar to its predecessors with most of the improvements under the hood including the addition of that 4G connectivity option.
Users will also enjoy the power of the 7th gen Intel core processor with the 4G version of Surface Pro which also comes with an Intel i5 Core processor, 256GB of memory and 8GB RAM.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of Microsoft Surface Pro 4G.
Synology DiskStation DS119j – $125
Synology’s latest release, the DiskStation DS119j, is a one bay NAS and the first DS for every day tech users.
With easy-to-use features and the convenience of creating your own personal cloud storage, the DS119j is the perfect gift for tech-savvy users looking to own their first NAS.
Onboard is QuickConnect so you can access your files via a secure, customisable address on any internet connect device
D-Link Covr 2202 mesh wi-fi – $499.95
D-Link has launched a new high-powered seamless wi-fi mesh system – the tri-band Covr-2202 – which can provide consistent whole home wi-fi coverage
The new Covr-2202 is a follow-up to the recently launched Covr-C1203 dual band wi-fi mesh system and is also a scalable solution so you’ll have wireless coverage in every corner of your home and property.
The latest Covr-2202 is comprised of two taller units which can blanket even the largest home with fast and reliable wireless coverage.
This new tri-band AC2200 system features a dedicated 5Ghz smart backhaul which means there are two bands connecting to devices in your home and the third band connecting back to the router and satellite units rather than crowding the other two bands and slowing you down.
Read Tech Guide’s report of the D-Link Covr 2202.
Logitech Craft Keyboard – $299.95
Luxury is not usually a word you associate with a computer keyboard but it definitely comes to mind when using the new Logitech Craft keyboard which offers a premium typing experience.
We spend a lot of time in front of our keyboards so having a high-quality product like Craft makes working and playing a pleasure.
The wireless Logitech Craft keyboard has an impressive design and solid build quality which is not only a pleasure to use but also a pleasure to look at.
It can be used with a Mac or PC with dual labelling on some keys so users on each system are familiar with the layout.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of Logitech Craft Keyboard.
Cocoon Create 3D Printer – $449
Many people interested in purchasing a 3D printer have been put off by the high prices but now there’s an affordable product available from Aldi priced at under $500 that can open up a whole new world of creation.
The Cocoon Create 3D Printer Touch is priced at $499 (we’ve seen it’s been reduced even further to $449) and Tech Guide put it through its paces.
We’ve never used a 3D printer before and we imagine the more expensive models can print larger objects.
When 3D printers were brand-new, like any new technology, they were quite expensive.
But now, years later, there are a lot more affordable as we can see from the Cocoon Create 3D Printer Touch.
Read Tech Guide’s complete review of Cocoon Create 3D Printer.